Will It Ever Be Finished?

The never-ending apartment renovation...

It's kind of the story of my life or at least the apartments that I choose to rent.


About 5 years back when I moved into an apartment on The Strand in Manhattan Beach, the landlord decided to renovate their house and the apartment I was living in was part of their property so it was included in the renovation. The renovation took less than a year and I survived (I say this because I was working from home at that point too) reframing window spaces, new windows, removal of stucco, metal plates, insulation, replacement of insulation, metal plates, stucco, replacement of roof tiles and new brick walkway. While it was messy, loud, a pain to find the workers every time I wanted to leave because their truck was blocking my garage, the workers were really nice, clean (swept every day), no communication issues, AND FAST.


Then I moved to El Segundo and lived in peace for a year. Then the building changed ownership and the landlord decided to renovate the apartment building. All of the renovations have been beneficial but its just the pain of working through and living through the process. Its been a kind of on again/off again thing because the workers haven't been as reliable or fast and definitely not as clean. Anyways after a year+ hiatus, it looks like we are in the homestretch. The plan is in the next three weeks there will be sandblasting (to take off the outer coat of paint on the building, building out of the roof, tiling of the roof, painting of the outside of the building, redo'ing the deck and landscaping.

Last Friday this lovely drapery went up around the building. I think its to protect the neighbors from the eyesore. Either way it makes my apartment darker and me sleepy during the day since I refuse to work with the lights on.

Today was sandblast day. They taped up my windows and doors for 5 hours with me inside.

Here's what my apartment looked like from the inside - pretty dark other than the light from my computer, huh? I broke down and turned on the lights to work. It was really weird to have no lights and it kind of made me think of those people that are imprisoned in basements or boxes and stuff. It would be pretty scary.

Anyways the black stuff is off the windows and doors and I'm free to go. I've gotta get out of the house for a bit. Off to the gym.

ironically a good follow up to the last post...

Started my Christmas shopping last Friday. It wasn't planned, although I generally like to start early cuz I have a list a mile long with family and friends. I also like to be finished by the first week of December so I can really enjoy the Christmas season.

What's Your Love Language?

If you've never read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, you've definitely gotta check it out. Its such a great book to give you insight into you, your significant other, friends and kids and a key to relationships and friendships.

Anyways my giving (because sometimes its different than your receiving) love language is Gifts. I love giving gifts - sometimes its special things that I buy or make or a creative idea, sometimes little and other times elaborate or maybe just something I do for someone else that meets a need.

Anyways I found this sign like 10 months ago, and I've been waiting for my friend, who LOVES Bunco (can you guess who - since she was faster at posting it on her blog, you might already know) to have her turn at hosting so I could put the sign up before she got home and be happy and surprised (best part for me of giving gifts).

In case you care, my receiving love language is also Gifts, but it holds to the same criteria as the giving. Kind of confusing - but I really don't enjoy the gift side of Christmas or my birthday cuz its really not the stuff that fill me. To get complicated, its the time or thought that the person puts in to personalize a gift (which isn't always a product) that I really appreciate. There is a little sub-section under Gifts called the Gift of Self and that probably best explains it.

I'm feeling a bit like this post was a bit too revealing of me.

Tim & Sheri Holmes

Tim and Sheri's wedding was this past Saturday with the wedding ceremony at a Christian church in Torrance and the reception at The Reef in Long Beach. The Blankenships organized a party van to transport us to all of the festivities.

Adam provided door to door service.

The party van was decorated inside and out.

We fit all of them

and all of us inside that van.

The next two pics are my favorite. Sheri and Tim look so amazing and happy and I loved the colors of the bridesmaid dresses. I can't wait to see the professional ones.

Here is Pastor Glen, the senior Pastor of our church, Journey of Faith, who officiated the wedding with Sheri and Tim.

Some pics from the reception.

Congrats Tim and Sheri - such a God centered and fun wedding ceremony and reception. I was moved to tears by all of the toasts.

A80 meet A1000IS

My Canon A80 has been on its last leg for the past few months - problems surfaced at the Open the Bottle Night when red lines started appearing on the screen and in pictures. It only happened every once in a while and if I hit the camera hard enough they went away. Its still functional but also had a few friends giving me a hard time every time I pulled the camera out - I guess its kind of large relative to all the new cameras out there and the screen is pretty small with only a 1.5" screen and that red line problem kept resurfacing and I'd have to re-pose everyone to do retakes.

So I decided this past Monday that I was going to buy a new camera with my craigslist money (got really hooked on craigslist when I was rapidly selling all of Brigitte's furniture and proceeded to sell my dining room table, bar stools and mountain bike). Being the time management nazi that I am, I allotted an hour and a half before Monday Night Football (yes I know once again good thing I work from home...). Set out for Best Buy armed with my Circuit City and Ritz Camera ads (I was shooting to make it to three stores in my hour and a half - if you know me, you probably know that really wasn't realistic). Walked straight to the camera section (very uncharacteristic of me, although I did glance at the front table that advertised $5.99 xbox games - I don't even have an xbox!!!) and spotted the A1000IS. Apparently it had just been released (or as I later found out from looking on the web it was released yesterday and Best Buy must have put it on the floor early) because the guy couldn't answer any of my "comparing" questions. Anyways it took me about 10 minutes to decide that I wanted this camera - I loved my Canon A80 so I was positive I would love the newer model that was just released. Bet you're thinking, "wow - hour and twenty minutes to spare".

There's more to this story...

The sales guy then proceeds to tell me that he should have clocked out 6 minutes ago and hands me to another sales guy who then asks a question that I think he now wishes he could take back, "let's get you a memory card and case". Memory card took a few minutes but the case took - yep you guessed it - the remainder of the time you thought I had to spare. How is that possible??? Well you have to consider size, color(s), leather vs fabric, zipper vs flap over secured by velcro. So I ended up with the one in the picture that fits the camera pretty well, colors that make me happy, fabric and flap over secured by velcro like my old one. I like to take pictures while I'm doing other things (remember biking and taking pics) so I need to be able to get to the camera with one hand. Luckily this process was between 315 -445p so not really any other customers so the sales guy stuck with me the entire time.

Anyways here's the old camera, new camera and THE CASE. The new camera is smaller, lighter, 2.5" screen, slightly more zoom, more megapixels just in case I want to print 14 x 16" pictures, uploads pictures to the computer faster and so far doesn't have any red line interference.

My A80 has gone to my camera graveyard.

Saturday Night at the Drive-In

Lauren Rogers discovered this cool drive-in which a bit different than your typical drive-in that I was used to growing up. The drive-in in Stockton was off highway 99 in a dirt field - pretty typical.

Angel City Drive-In only plays old movies and this past Saturday they were showing Say Anything - such an 80's classic.

Angel's City Drive-in was in downtown LA on the second floor of a two story parking structure (actually a few blocks from my old office). They use a 24 foot air screen and you have the option to either sit in your car or there is astroturf at the front where you can use chairs or blankets and sit outside.

It ended up being a great night to sit outside.

a pic of all the snacks - raided the Rite-Aid and stopped at CPK on the way there, there was a concession table too (they had nachos - yep the ones with the nasty cheese - my fav)

Had to get a shot of the famous scene.

if only I could put music on my blog

I would have the Beverly Hills 90210 theme (the one from the 90's) playing in the background as you read this post. Oh well...

Anyways I still love movies and tv shows about high school so I couldn't pass up the chance to have a 90210 get together this week with them re-vamping one of my favorites that I grew up with.

We kicked off the evening with an episode of the original Beverly Hills 90210 (the new show decided to drop the Beverly Hills in the title even though its still in Beverly Hills). Its actually the one where Brenda sleeps with Dylan at the school dance. Of course its the 90's and they don't show anything. We laughed throughout the show because it was a bit slow and some of their lines were cheesy. The clothing and hair were classic!!! I noticed that bangs were in then although they were a bit more poofy.

Following the wholesome (yeah I know when I watched it when I was a teen, it didn't seem like that but relative to the new show and other shows that are on, it was pretty apparent that it was bubblegummy) original, we ventured into two hours of the new 90210.

So what's my take on the new show? Undecided I've realized that the original is now pretty slow and sappy relative to what I'm used to watching. I'd still watch a re-run on soap.net though. Don't love the new characters yet. Probably wouldn't be too keen on having my teenager watch it (I did miss Sarah a ton while I was watching it though cuz it would have been something we probably would have watched together - I know sorry for the "sad" bit - gotten some feedback that I've had some sad posts that have made others sad).

I can proudly say that Allison, Taylor, Jen and I were part of the 4.9 million viewers (biggest show viewing on the CW) that tuned in AND luckily we were part of the age range that it was targeted for 18-40. US Magazine is my source for these wonderful stats.

Last Week of Summer

Although we, who live in Southern California, are blessed to pretty much have summer'ish weather year round, today marks the end of summer. Perhaps its because its getting dark at 7:15p now, school is starting back up and all the kids I know are headed back to school or my teacher friends are headed back to work this week, seemed like everyone was wearing white at church on Sunday or tv shows are done with reruns and season premieres are being advertised. I think for me in alot of ways there is the combined sadness of the end of summer with the end of a 2 year chapter of my life.

Either way this was the last week of summer so despite everything that was going on have a few fun things to blog about.

Rallied for a last summer Taco Tuesday at the newly rebuilt Sharkeez in Hermosa Beach. Taco Tuesday is year round, but if you recall from my blog last year, we mainly went during the summer. Wow I've been blogging for at least a year. Susie - are you impressed?

So here are Claire and Jen riding bikes to Taco Tuesday. Yep I'm biking and taking pictures. Probably not the safest thing but I do it all the time and there aren't any laws against it or $20 fines yet.

Of course had to take a pic with the Taco Tuesday specials. I think I have a shot of Dana with one from last year.

New friend (Renee) - Renee was Sarah's Assistant Principal at ESMS this past year and through all the meetings about Sarah's school stuff and events over the summer, we've started hanging out.

A first Taco Tuesday for everyone but Jen. See my signature Taco Tuesday drink - large watermelon margarita on the table. Nice catch on the Facebook pic, Dana.

Jen and Taylor organized an Epic Long Bike Ride for Labor Day. 44 miles from Torrance Beach to Will Rogers State Beach. So while the rest of the nation opted to NOT labor, here's what we did.

What possessed them?

Well for those who bike, run or walk The Strand (for those who don't, its a paved path that borders the sand which borders the Pacific Ocean that runs the South Bay (Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan, El Segundo), you've probably seen these numbers on the ground. Well they decided they wanted to ride it from the start (Torrance Beach) until it ended (Will Rogers State Beach).

So just to be honest I only rode 28 miles (so put an 8 in place of that first 0) as I started from El Segundo. Needed a bit of extra sleep and was lazy and didn't want to drive my car down to Torrance.

Here's the "laboring" group. Some started in Torrance at 0.00 and a few of us started in El Segundo at 8.00. We left here around 9:30 a.m.

After a few stops, we made it to our destination around 11:45 a.m. Stopped for a little rest, energy and water replenishment, bathroom break and turned around and headed back with a stop at C&O Trattoria for lunch and a few carbs... Ended in El Segundo at 3:00 p.m.

So 28 miles (especially 44 miles) sounds a bit daunting and bordering on crazy but really it wasn't that bad. I've done the ride to Santa Monica a few times and this was only 4 miles past Santa Monica. The path is pretty flat as well and we were going at a cruiser pace so all in all it was a great way to spend Labor Day.