Foreclosure Pools

One of my favorite time wasting hobbies is to search online real estate sites for homes for sale. This is a great way to kill an afternoon when I have a house to clean or a paper to write.
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Looking at these sites gives me some insight on local architecture. It's also a fun, harmless way to snoop inside peoples' houses. More times than not, my housekeeping skills are greatly validated.
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This has never been more apparent than lately as many homes around here fall in to foreclosure. In my most recent searches, I have seen houses with stained carpet, missing appliances, and overgrown yards. And those are the cleaner ones.
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Below are some lovely green, murky, algae-filled pools that are festering in the back yards of vacant bank-owned homes all over the Phoenix area. West Nile Virus is surely going to be epidemic this year!
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At least the bank, a realtor, a neighbor, or someone took the time to (mostly) empty this one.

Admittance to this pool might require a fishing license.

Do you know where your children are? Hopefully not at the bottom of this pool. As evidenced by the Tonka truck on the porch, little ones were playing here.

This one looks like it's half-filled with antifreeze.

I wonder if the Doobie Brothers' "Black Water" was inspired by this pool.

Someone made a valiant effort to bury this pool. Why, they even planted a tree where the skimmer used to be.

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Thankfully, none of these pools are in my neighborhood. While we do have a few bank owned properties on our block, none of them have pools.

Do I Creep You Out?

In my Presentation Techniques class, we had to design and create a concept drawing for a case piece/chair combination. For those of you don't know what a case piece is, look it up. Google is your friend.

Part of the drawing had to include a person. In interior and architectural renderings, people are used to indicate scale. And instead of creating them from scratch, we usually trace them from books and magazines. My instructor has a book full of line drawings of people engaged in different activities and poses. In this case, I chose and traced a person who appeared to be leaning on a counter.

Here's how my design turned out:

On my evaluation sheet, the instructor wrote that my person creeped him out. He did, however, qualify the statement as one of personal opinion and not a reflection of the quality of my work. We had a good laugh about it.

I wouldn't have said he looks creepy--especially considering that previous projects had us drawing people with no faces whatsoever. Although I do think adding pupils to his eyes would have given him an air of normalcy. I think if I'd given him dark hair, he'd look kind of like Rowan Atkinson. Or maybe with dark hair and a moustache, he could be Jack Dodson.

Thursday 13

1. For Valentine's Day, Q bought me some bracelet charms in my initials. But instead of an "M" for the last name, he mistakingly bought me a "T", which is the initial for my maiden name. Does he think we're still only dating?

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2. Kyle got a haircut this week! A REAL haircut, not just a bang trim. Per his request, no photos will be posted...not even for the relatives.

3. Jango barfed on my favorite tan shoes. Since they are suede, the shoes are ruined. I'm just glad they weren't expensive, but DAMN they were comfortable.

4. I am grateful that she didn't puke on the bed. We were sleeping in it at the time, and it's no fun having to scare up a clean blanket at two in the morning. Anyway, the shoes WILL need to be replaced. You can't wear black with everything, people!

5. I got 83% on a geology exam last week. I talked to a couple of other students who didn't do too good either. I guess I should be happier than I am. According to the online grade chart, the class average was 66%.

6. On the other hand, I got 10/10 on Tuesday's lab quiz. Shocking because I was fighting a migraine at the time.

7. I am really going to miss The Adam Carolla Show. His vitriolic diatribes against the egregious irresponsiblilty of Octomom never got old...especially since the saga is just beginning.

8. Tonight's dinner menu: BREAKFAST! We will be having eggs, hash browns, pork chorizo, avocado, and enough hot sauce to hold it all together.

9. Why is a good sports bra so hard to find?

10. I love the rain, but with it comes weeds. We'll be doing major clean-up in the back yard this weekend.

11. You can never have too many hooks in the house. They're great for hanging things like keys, mops, jackets, belts, towels, scissors, and other crap that's always getting lost.

12. Lucas came home from school and gave me the heads up: there are jay-dubs in the neighborhood. When they got here, we pretended to not be home. We quietly laughed our @$$e$ off while they pounded on the door.

13. We knew they were gone when the next door neighbors' dogs started barking ape$#!t. I guess it's time to go get the literature off the porch!

Good News, Bad News

First the bad news: Effective Friday, The Adam Carolla Show is going off the air. My morning commutes to Scottsdale won't be the same. Oh well. I guess that means the iPod will be coming in off the bench.

Now the good news: A Banana Republic Factory Store is opening at the outlet mall just up the freeway from my house. First Calvin Klein and now BR? Could a Coach store be far behind?

No Sale!

The following item appeared in today's Dear Abby. There are a few people who I hope see this. Some of them might even read this blog (I have a LOT of lurkers). And if they don't see it here, maybe they'll see it in the newspaper. Anyway, I'm glad it's not just me.

DEAR ABBY: Am I alone in feeling insulted that the only time I am invited to "friends'" homes is when they have something to sell? First it was food storage items, then jewelry and clothing, and now it's food supplements that will "change my life."

Some of these invitations come from people who have been to my home for dinners or parties, but have never reciprocated -- until now. Although I would love to be in their homes socially, I have no intention of going for a sales pitch so they can get free stuff, gain points or whatever.

Do I even owe them an RSVP for this kind of invitation? -- SOLICITED IN REDWOOD CITY, CALIF.


DEAR SOLICITED: I understand your feelings, but if you want to continue having a social relationship with these people, then politely RSVP with your regrets. To ignore the invitation would be a breach of good manners.

Goodwill Finds

Kyle went skiing with friends today so Q, Lucas and I piled in the car and headed out for a day of scavenging through Goodwill. After all it was half-price Saturday. We ended up hitting five stores.

Our first stop was the Happy Valley Road store. And here's proof that lightning DOES strike twice in the same place. This is the same store where I found a stack of Fiesta plates and bowls just two months ago. Well, today, I found MORE Fiesta--four white dinner plates. Incidentally, these are my first white plates. Not a big surprise to those who know me well. I also found a book of house floor plans. Total spent: $2.95.

Next, we went to the Union Hills Drive store. Zilch. Nada. Nothing. We left empty handed.

A few miles south was the Dunlap Avenue store. The only thing good was a book about volcanoes. Since I have to write a paper about a volcanic event, I thought this would come in handy for my research. Total spent: $1.49.

After lunch at a Mexican food restaurant, we were off to the Cave Creek Road store. Here, we saw some promising junk. Lucas found a Sega Genesis game controller, but it had some exposed wires so we passed. Q thought about buying a TV to replace the 13-inch one in our bedroom, but I urged him to wait until we could afford a plasma screen. Anyway, $25 seems like an awful lot to spend on a tube TV.

We did end up buying some of those modular particle board storage shelves that Target sells. I had been wanting some of these to fill in the bare area above our closet shelf. They had two available, so I bought one for the closet and one for Lucas to store his old school video game consoles. Total spent: $6.98

The Bell Road store turned out to be our go-to spot for plastic replacement parts. Here, I found a TV remote just like the one we have at home. Funny because these remotes are rentals from the cable company...they operate the digital cable boxes. It seems strange that a rented remote ended up at Goodwill, instead of being returned to Cox Cable, but whatever. Anyway, I only bought it for the battery cover. The clip on ours had cracked off and it was being held in place by duck tape.

Q also found a leaf vacuum for the pool. He already has one just like it, but a little plastic clip had broke off. Again, we bought it for that plastic part. Total spent: $3.48

After some screw tightening and a thorough cleaning, the particle board shelves looked almost new. Lucas has already put his to use:

I'm not sure if this was done by a Goodwill worker or the former owner, but my shelf had this piece of sage advice taped to it (click to enlarge if you need to).

So Emotional

The following was inspired by this t-shirt we saw at Kohls.
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My Action: Sit at home all day, eating chocolate, and buying crap I don't need on eBay.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Clean the entire house from top to bottom...even scrubbing the crusty brown piss off the wall behind the boys' toilet.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Suggest that we spend Saturday afternoon at a Spring Training game.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Suggest that we spend the day at the mall.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Come to bed wearing a long, flannel gown with a high ruffled collar and tattered cotton panties.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Come to bed wearing a sheer negligee and crotchless panties.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Use my dish money to buy him the Mission: Impossible Season 5 DVD set.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Use his baseball ticket money to buy myself another pair of pink sandals.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Prepare a dinner of slow cooked pot roast, sauteed asparagus with a light cream sauce, fresh baked bread, and strawberry cheesecake for dessert.
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Q's Reaction:
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My Action: Fix overcooked Hamburger Helper for dinner.
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Q's Reaction:
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I should point out that the preceding entry was originally written for Q's eyes only. But it was the man himself who encouraged me to post it here.

46 Questions

I've been tagged by a bunch of my Facebook friends to complete this one. But since most of them also read this blog, I'm doing it here.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANY ONE?...Absolutely not. I think my mom was trying to avoid that.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?...Don't remember when, but it was over that ASPCA commercial with sad Sarah Maclachlan music playing in the background. BTW, you are one sick, heartless asshat if that commercial doesn't make you well up at least a little.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?...My handwriting is getting very difficult to read...especially when I have to write fast. Some people think I'm being an overachiever when I type my homework, but for me, it's actually easier.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?...Londonport seasoned roast beef.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?...Yes...two boys.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?...I'd like to think so.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?...Every chance I get. :-)

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?...Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?...Um, NO!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?...Special K with red berries.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?...Yes. For my gym shoes, I have to.

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?...Chocolate and peanut butter from Baskin Robbins

13. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?...Smile

14. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONLY ONE ALBUM FRONT TO BACK FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?...Hits by Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship

15. RED OR PINK?...Very much PINK!

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?...I get angry easily.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?...Skitz, my childhood cat, and my dad.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?...Pretty much everyone has already done it

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?...Faded black sweat pants and white tennis shoes with pink trim.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?...Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown playing in the background.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?...Carnation Pink

22. FAVORITE SMELLS?...Q's man smell.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?...Q. I wanted to know if he needed anything from the store.

24. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?...I got this from several people, and I like them all.

25. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?...Basketball. Even though we are a baseball family, basketball moves faster and is therefore easier to watch.

26. HAIR COLOR?...Red with blonde highlights.

27. EYE COLOR?...Greenish, hazelish

28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?...No. I don't even wear glasses.

29. FAVORITE FOOD?...Depends on my mood. Toss up between Mexican, pizza, and sushi.

30. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?...Happy endings.

31. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?...Vegas Vacation

32. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?...White with black raglan sleeves

33. SUMMER OR WINTER?...Winter in Arizona can't be beat. Anyone want a ride in my convertible?

34. HUGS OR KISSES?...Yes.

35. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?...See #18.

36. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?...Back woods, island, or mountain people who don't own computers.

37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW?..."Earth: an Introduction to Physical Geology" by Edward J. Tarbuck.

38. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?...The mouse.

39. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?...THS Investigates: Curse of the Lottery on the E! channel.

40. FAVORITE SOUND(S)?... The sound of heavy rainfall hitting the roof.

41. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?...Yes

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?...Turin, Italy

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?...Eating an entire pizza in one sitting. Granted, it only happened once, and I was pregnant with Luke at the time, but still...

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?...Phoenix, Arizona

45. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?...Again...see #18.

46. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER?...We worked together at the King's Table Buffet way back when.

When I Grow Up...

I got this from T i m e O u t s:

Here's the reply the teacher received the following day:

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Dear Mrs. Jones,

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I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer. I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.

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From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.

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Sincerely,

Mrs.Smith

Hail Storm!

We don't get much rain in the Phoenix area. But hail is even more of a novelty...even if it only lasts 10 minutes. While the rest of us watched the hail from the warmth of our dry house, Lucas was out in the yard sitting in it.

This time yesterday, we were enjoying sunshine and 65 degree temperatures at Arizona Diamondbacks FanFest.

How About Us?

On Tuesday, the Arizona Republic published an item titled "10 Steps to Big Savings". Always looking for ways to save money, I eagerly read the article.

Big disappointment. The article turned out to be little more than a puff piece that was compiled with little or no thought paid to the common man. The only money saving tips offered were things like mowing your own lawn, cleaning your own house, and cancelling the bottled water service.

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Bottled water service? I've never heard of such a thing. Everyone I know buys their bottled water at the grocery store. And some of us even refill and reuse our bottles. GASP!

This leads me to ponder: what about the regular people? What about those of us who don't wear a dry-clean only wardrobe?

What about those of us who ALREADY wash our own cars, brew our own coffee, clip coupons, paint our own nails, buy generic toilet paper, wait for movies to come out on DVD, shop at Goodwill, and drive paid-for cars with high miles?

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What about the housewives who reuse dryer sheets? Or the office workers who carpool to work? How about the family who only eats out on special occasions...and even then, they choose a budget-friendly restaurant and/or use a coupon?

So, how about those of us who are naturally thrifty? How about offering up some practical, creative, money saving tips for the segment of the population who--even during times of economic prosperity--don't spend frivously and are still barely able to stay afloat?

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For those people, I have one tip: cancel your subscription to the Arizona Republic and read it online for free. That's an $18 per month savings right there!

43 Odd Things About Me

I got this one from Becky

1. Do you like bleu cheese? Only in salad dressing.
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2. Have you ever smoked? One time. Didn't care for it.
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3. Do you own a gun? Not unless you count a squirt gun. If so, then I have a whole arsenal.
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4. What flavour of Kool-Aid was your favorite? Green
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5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not unless they're Quinton's.
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6. What do you think of hot dogs? They're good if there's no other food available...and even then, they have to be drenched in sweet relish and Mongolian Fire Oil.
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7. Favorite Christmas movie? say it with me now...National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation .
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8. Favorite thing to drink in the morning? Diet V8 Splash
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9. Can you do push ups? No...never could
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10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Wedding rings
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11. Favorite hobby? Modern architecture and furniture
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12. Do you have A.D.D.? No, but a positive diagnosis wouldn't surprise me in the least.
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13. What's one trait you dislike about yourself? I lose my temper easily.
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14. Middle name? Sue
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15. Name 3 thoughts at this moment: "My cell phone needs charging"..."Jango is so soft"..."The chandelier over the dining room table has got to go".
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16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink: Pepsi...water...mango smoothies
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17. Current worry? I constantly worry about the car breaking down while I'm driving it.
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18. Current dislike right now? Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain. I also hate the photo radar cameras that have infiltrated nearly every freeway in the Phoenix area.
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19. Favorite place to be? The antique mall...or any mall, for that matter.
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20. How did you bring in the new year? At a block party with the neighbors.
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21. Where would you like to go? This changes all the time. Right now, it's San Francisco.
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22. Name three people who might complete this? Craig, ~M, and Kelly
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23. Do you own slippers? Yes...a pair of moccasins from Lands' End
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24. What shirt are you wearing? Red sleeveless swing top from Old Navy
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25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No...but I do like 100% cotton sateen. And the higher the thread count the better.
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26. Can you whistle? Yes
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27. Favorite color? Pink
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28. Would you be a pirate? No...plundering and pillaging is not in my nature. But I do own a ruffled collar blouse.
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29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Commercial jingles..."Mack The Knife"..."Sir Duke"..."You're So Vain"...and DOZENS of others.
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30. Favorite Girl's Name: Melinda
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31. Favorite boy's name: Kenny
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32. What's in your pocket right now? Nothing
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33. Last thing that made you laugh? Q's goofy sex jokes
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34. What vehicle do you drive? Mustang convertible...or Dodge Stratus if it's raining or I need a large trunk.
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35. What is the worst injury you have had? Dislocated my shoulder.
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36. Do you love where you live? It's great for what it is (tract house). But I have a longing to buy a place with more architectural significance and restore--not remodel--it.
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37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 4
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38. Who is your loudest friend? Jango
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39. Does someone have a crush on you? I don't think so. Most of my man friends are gay.
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40. Your favorite book(s): anything to do with design or architecture.
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41. Do you collect anything? Fiesta dishes--both new and old...Harlequin egg cups...pink stuff...books...Coach bags...
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42. Favorite Sports Team? Arizona Diamondbacks
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43. What songs do you want played at your funeral? "Dust in the Wind"...as sung by Will Ferrell in Old School. I really don't know how to answer this one.

Thursday 13

I used to do a Thursday 13 list with great regularity. But for some reason--probably lack of inspiration--their frequency has waned. Sometimes, these lists would have a theme, but mostly they were just potpourri. Today's list falls in the latter category.

1. My birthday is coming up in a month. Usually, we celebrate by going to a nice restaurant. But this year, I decided the we should do something different. So we are going to a Suns game. The boys are jazzed. Now to find affordable tickets...

2. When Q was driving home from work on Monday, the hubcap fell off our Dodge. He was able to recover it, but it was cracked and will need to be replaced. In the meantime, I refuse to drive that car with a missing hubcap. Yes, I really am that vain!

3. This house recently went on the market. Located in the Moon Valley area of Phoenix, it appears to have a strong Frank Lloyd Wright influence. If circumstances allowed, I would want us to consider buying it.

4. I have a great schedule this semester. I only have to drive to Scottsdale on Mondays and Wednesdays. My Tuesday-Thursday Geology class is at the campus just down the road from our house. But the best part is that my weekends begin at 9:45 on Thursday morning.

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5. Since joining the gym this past August, I have lost 15 pounds. Not that I'm bragging or anything...

6. We eat Mexican food no less than three times a week.

7. I'm trying really hard to not hassle Kyle about having long shaggy hair. He's a very well behaved boy. He's very responsible, and has made Honor Roll all year. I really should let this one issue go. That would be much easier if he didn't complain mightily about me and Q holding hands in public.

8. I'm bummed that CBS cancelled Swingtown. At least Bravo shows it in daylong marathons from time to time.

9. I'm even more bummed that the Arizona Cardinals lost the Super Bowl. At least they played strong and made the Pittsburgh Steelers work hard for the win. In fact, I found the whole season quite entertaining...and I'm not even a football fan.

10. I am easily amused by mislisted eBay auctions...such as this one. Attention dinneware sellers: know your Stones!

11. I am officially done decorating and organizing the laundry room. I now have my sights set on redoing the boys' bathroom.

12. Lucas likes to read over my shoulder when I type.

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13. I can't wait until April 14.

Hers and Hers and His...

For some people, having two bathroom sinks is a luxury.

For others, it's a necessity.

For us, it's no longer enough. It seems we need a third vanity bowl.

Last night, Q and I found ourselves sharing one sink. I was brushing my teeth and he was washing his hands. We were both jockeying for position.

Meanwhile, our thirsty, self important cat took over the second sink and claimed it as her own personal drinking fountain.

And Then The Fight Started...

I got this from Q, who got it from his brother.
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When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her someplace expensive....
So, I took her to a gas station.....
And then the fight started...
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My wife and I are watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, "Do you want to have sex?"
"No," she answered.
I then said, "Is that your final answer?"
She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, "Yes."
So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."
And then the fight started...
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Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, grabbed the dog, and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the truck, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day. I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed.
I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible."
My loving wife of 10 years replied, "Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?"
And then the fight started...
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My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.
My wife asked, "Do you know her?"
"Yes," I sighed, "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since."
"My God!" says my wife, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"
And then the fight started...
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I rear-ended a car this morning. So, there we were alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car. You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem funny? Yeah, well I couldn't believe it.... He was a DWARF!!!
He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted, "I AM NOT HAPPY!!!"
So, I looked down at him and said, "Well, then which one are you?"
And then the fight started...
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I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some reason, took my order first. "I'll have the strip steak, medium rare, please."
He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad cow?"
"Nah, she can order for herself..."
And then the fight started...
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A woman is standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror. She is not happy with what she sees and says to her husband, "I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment."
The husband replies, "Your eyesight's darn near perfect."
And then the fight started...
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Go Cardinals!

Sunday Dishes: From My Childhood

Cruising through the antique mall yesterday, I found the same dishes we used when I was a child. Minimal eBay research informed me that these are the Autumn Harvest pattern from Taylor, Smith & Taylor.

I'm not crazy about the pattern, but I LOVE the shape of that creamer and sugar.