The Host

Amazing. Awesome. Conflicting. Dramatic.

A suck you in until you have given up all hopes of sleeping or getting anything else done until you read every page of this book. And I do mean every page. Just when you think it has ended skip forward a few pages and it continues.

So amazingly good. Better than the Eclipse series in my opinion. And it took a lot for me to say that.

Get the book! Read it and let me know what you think!!

Connectivity

Who knew that just connecting one little laptop to the Internet could cause so much TROUBLE?

I got hired by this really cool little company in Bend mere days before I left for my vacation. I brought my laptop and figured that I would continue working at night after the kids went to bed and when they were napping. No problem. All I needed was access to the Internet. All the software that I need is loaded on my handy dandy little laptop.

Seems pretty easy, huh? I mean with wireless networks galore or merely hooking a network cable into a router I am golden. However, that would mean that there is a stable wireless network that is open close to you and / or that your parents would actually have a router that you could plug into. That would be a big fat negative for my ability to connect to the Internet.

My parents have a simple cable modem with one port that connects directly to their computer. I found that their neighbors had an open wireless that I could jump onto, but for some darn reason the signal strength varies from "Excellent" to nothing. Usually it sits at "Very Low". After getting booted out of my program several times, I finally resorted to unplugging my parents computer from their cable modem so I could hook up my computer. Shouldn't be a problem, right? WRONG

Evidently my parents cable provider has to push a new IP address to every computer that is on their network. The cable modem should do it, but it doesn't. My poor hubby spent HOURS and hours during the big party here on Saturday (more on that later) sitting on the phone with technician after technician trying to get my parents computer back onto the Internet. Forget even adding a router, that was a hopeless venture. Nothing worked and nobody had a clue as to why. It wasn't until after the party, late at night, that we finally got a technician that had two brain cells to rub together (one guy seriously told me to call the computer's manufacturer) and he did some magic push from their customer service software and everything worked again. Even the tech doesn't know why it worked.

So, after causing such horrendous issues I am back to where I started with my connectivity problems. I just hope that this company doesn't think that I am some total loser. I remain hopefull that my parent's neighbor's wireless signal strength can at least remain somewhat stable for just the two remaining weeks that I am here. Here is hoping....

Family

I know so many people that have interesting and less than loving relationships with others in their family. Not so with mine.

With being home in San Diego and getting a chance to visit with my parents (my mom is doing really well, by the way), my sister in law, my nephews and gobs of family today - I am so thankful for each and every one of them.

My family is like the Mob or like the song "Hotel California", you can check out but you can never leave. We may get mad at each other or huff at each other but it doesn't change the fact that we fully expect them to go shopping with us that same day or come over for dinner. There is nothing that anyone in my family could do that would make me distance myself from them. We're in it together. Even a few choice friends have made the family status. No shared DNA required in our family.

When I was a kid, I KNEW that I was loved. It's good to know that deep down your family would come running to your rescue at a mere phone call.

As an adult, I appreciate those relationships even more. Sometimes it is hard to get a grip on being 38 and having to watch those that I love age, get sick or pass on. My Uncle Richard's death was sudden and everyone still has an empty spot in their heart. We all miss him terribly and it has been four years now. It was so much easier when I was little and everyone would just live forever (don't all kids think that?) and we would just be a giant happy family?

Sometimes it is so darn hard with the two little ones and Katya gets frustrated. But in a few years when they are more fun and less work, they will understand how wonderful it is to have Katya and she will understand they are pretty wonderful too. They will have each other. Built in friends, furniture movers, maids of honor, confidants, advice seekers and advice givers.

At least now I can foster my kids love of family. The little ones know they are loved even by these people they don't really know too well yet. They are loved by family in Utah, Temecula, Chula Vista, Clairemont, La Costa, Vista, St. Louis...etc. They have cousins GALORE coming in on Saturday for the party. They have cousins they will get to know better tonight. And some day when it is my time to leave this earth, it is all these wonderful and fabulous people that will rally together and help my kids cope.

I must thank my mother for giving me the best gift that any parent could ever give their kids - a huge and loving family. Nuclear, extended and step - we are all just family. And I love every one of them.

On The Road Again

It it again time for myself and my chitlins to head for our annual migration South to visit with my family. I have been too busy with packing and driving, I haven't even told everyone that we already left!

Don't worry about the animals, my cousin is taking good care of them and our house.

This was our trip so far:
June 27th: Drove from Bend to Portland. Bob picked up Katya from PDX as she returned from the East Coast. 4 hours.
June 28th: Drove from Portland to Corning, CA. WAY TOO LONG! We had high hopes of making it all the way to Monterey, but that extra half a state really makes for some extra driving time. I'd say 9 hours in the car with a couple potty breaks.
June 29th: Drove from Corning, CA to Monterey, CA. I'd say a good 4 hours driving.
June 30th: Went to the Monterey Aquarium and Cannery Row. Got back into the car and drove from Monterey to San Luis Obispo. Not sure, but I think it was 4 hours.
July 1st: Drove from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. Rolled in at 8pm. Can't even say how happy I was to unpack for the last time!

July 2nd we just hung out at my parents house, did some much needed laundry, attempted to hook up my laptop so I could work a bit (same with Bob), visited with Laura and the boys, and entertained some guests as they came through to see the kids. I knew if we attempted to put the kids back into the car they would have revolted.

Today we actually went to Sea World. It was hot and expensive - but it was fun. The kids couldn't have cared less and as the day drug on their attitudes got worse and worse. We finally had to leave at 3pm because the meltdowns were too much to deal with by then. I had thought of taking them to the Zoo or Disneyland. Nope. I'll wait another year or two.

I took a couple of pictures but I am unable to locate my baggie with my cables in it so I must post them later.

Tomorrow is a BBQ in Vista with my huge and fabulous family to watch fireworks and visit.

Saturday is the big Bon Voyage party with ALL of my nieces and nephews (some from Utah).

Sunday, Bob heads back to Bend and the kids and I will lay low for a while. I can catch up on some work, visit with people and help Katya do some back to school shopping. After all, she will be in High School this Fall and she must have some unique pieces.