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13 September 2013

Walking the kid

255/365

Robert found a treadmill on Craigslist; Carus has been on it most of the evening.

Robert found a treadmill on Craigslist, Carus has been on it most of the evening.

We tried to see if the dogs would get on it.  No surprise that Leia really doesn't want to go near it, but Yoda will walk if you put him on it and jump on and stay on if you offer him a treat.  The second he has the treat he bails off though.

12 September 2013

Busy Busy Becca

HA! See what I did there with the title.

I amuse myself.

So yeah! I've been busy with kids and school and me and work and Robert and him driving me nuts (someone give that man a job!) and Saturday I photographed a wedding.  I took Carus along as my second shooter/assistant and she did great! It was a long, bright, sunny (translation: bit warm) day. But it was a perfect day for a wedding.  I used to work with the bride before she left us (*sniff*).  It was a gorgeous wedding.  The Love is strong in these two. (Robert said he could see The Love in the pictures.) I'll share more photos when I'm done (and she's seen them, of course).  I'm loving all the images I got so it's been easy to pick the best of the best - I just have to make sure everyone is looking at me and smiling.

250/365 This was their first sneak peak of the images.  I love how content she looks to be in his arms.
250_365 09-07-13

 Since I've been working on wedding images I haven't picked up my big camera for 365s and have a bunch of Instagram photos for the rest of this week.

251/365 - Putting braids in Carus's hair so she will have crimpy hair in the morning. (Yes, that's Leia's nose. She's nosy.)
251_365 09-08-13

See.  Also: I do love her style.
09-09-13 (1)

252/365 - My garden is still growing.  Actually, even though the trees are starting to change colors and drop their leaves and we had some big thunderstorms last week, we've been getting into the 90s this week...so bonus summer?  Late summer?  Either way, it's been good for growing stuff.

One of my volunteer sunflowers (volunteer = a bird or squirrel planted the seed for me)
252_365 09-09-13 (2)

The tomatoes are FINALLY turning red.  Unfortunately I'm not getting enough at once to can them, which is what I wanted to do.  Meh, there's always next year.
09-09-13 (3)

Lady bug hanging out on a sunflower stalk.
09-09-13 (4)

253/365 - See the black dot above the toilet?  That's a spider hanging there.  I used the restroom, got in the shower, and when I got out this guy was hanging there.  Where I was moments before (it was a quick shower).  I've since found one sitting on my shoulder as I went to start working, Robert squished one after it interrupted his vid-ya game ('video game' said like Hank from King of the Hill), and then he missed one that was running across the floor towards the bed last night.  It ran under the bed and hasn't been seen since.  I'm choosing to believe he vacated the premises.  Or that the boogeyman got him for me.  From the consensus on Facebook, it looks like all the spiders are coming inside to escape the heat.
253_365 09-10-13

I don't have a problem with spiders and actually find them fascinating - when they are outside or behind glass or in pictures and videos.  They may give me the heebie jeebies, but they will get to live.  In fact, there are a few in the garden and I've even brushed by them/touched them and I didn't kill them (I did do some involuntary karate). (Anything I know to be poisonous, however, will be squished. Very squished.)

254/365 - Bitty Kitty Wilbur. Cause he's cute.
254_365 09-11-13


06 September 2013

Back to School days 1 and 2 aka The Bus Saga 2013

246/365 (9/3/13)
246_365 09-03-13

Wednesday brought Adam's first day of school - first day of 9th grade - and the start of Bus Saga 2013.  Perhaps you remember all the issues I had with the bus company and getting them to pick up Carus last year?  Well this year, problems are with Adam's route.

247/365 (9/4/13) First day of 9th grade, aka "Hurry up and take the picture."
247_365 09-04-13

When I received route info for Carus I should have called about Adam's, but I just assumed that since they've never had a problem figuring out when and where he needed picked up that all was golden.

I should have known better.

Copy and pasted from my Facebook statuses cause it's faster than typing it out again:

The Bus saga 2013: Never received info for when Adam would be picked up by the bus. This is a first. Usually they forget Carus. (We got her info, we'll find out tomorrow if they pick her up.)

We get up at 6:30 to get ready and call bus company anticipating a 7ish pick up time.

Actual pick up time: "Around 8 am. I'll be sure to let the bus driver know he actually has a stop on that street."

And then later Wednesday:

The Bus Saga 2013 continues:

I called back later in the morning to get the afternoon bus number because I forgot to ask at 6:30 a.m. before I had my coffee. Was given a different number than the one that picked Adam up. That's usual for around here, no big deal. BUT!

1) They, once again, had to look us up by address because Adam wasn't listed. 

And 

2) Turns out, that wasn't his bus. He discussed the stop he needed with the driver of that bus and that driver did bring him to his stop after completing his route so he's home 

BUT COME ON PEOPLE! 

I am politely curt on the phone.  I know it's crazy for them being the beginning of the school year and they transport all of the kids in this area - a number somewhere around 5,000 kids to several different schools. (Do not quote me on that number, for all I know it could be 2,000 or 10,000. It's my estimate.)  But it is their job. This is what they get paid for.  They are responsible for our children from bus stop to school doorway, and back.  It won't do for me to yell, scream and swear, but I am using a tone that says I'm really fed up.

Because I am.

248/365 (9/5/13) First day of 6th grade (with photobomb courtesy of Robert.)
248_365 09-05-13

Thursday, there were no problems for either Adam or Carus.  They were picked up, and only Carus's bus was a few minutes late (which I get, lots of kids, new routines, first day of school - totally understand running a bit late), and I was so happy to have gotten it ironed out so quickly and relatively painless (compared to last year).

Again, I should have known better.

Today!

Bus Saga 2013:  After having no problems yesterday, I thought the company got their shit together and things would be better, and then today - Adam's bus drove by him. He was out there and the bus drove right on by.  So of course, I call.

Me: "My son's bus just drove by him. Stop is.... bus number is ...."
Them: "I'm sorry.  Just wait there and I'll send him back around."
Me: "Well, how long should he wait at the stop?"
Them: "Hold on and I'll try to get him on the radio."

Them: "He'll be back around in about 7-10 minutes. He was running late and then he just passed by the stop and by the time he realized he needed to stop he was too far to be able to stop safely."
Me: "Okay. Uh, I understand things are crazy and that sometimes you get behind, but he still needs to pick up my kid though."
Them: "Well, have him out there 10 minutes early to make sure the bus sees him in time to stop."
Me, trying very hard not to just say 'what the fuck?': "Well, he was out there between 5 and 10 minutes early today and your driver didn't stop because he was running late.  I'm not going to send him out earlier just to be passed up again."

She tried to make a few excuses. I explained that this wasn't the first time I've had issues this year let alone last year and that I was frustrated and not okay with the half-assery.  I didn't swear at her, I didn't blame her, I didn't raise my voice, and I only sputtered a little in keeping from doing either.  And then she apologized, said that I was right and that they would try to do better. I thanked her and hung up.

Adam got picked up shortly after and now I'm writing this out before I have to work (though it won't post until this afternoon after I've taken my 365 for today).

Her apologizing was probably a bit of blowing smoke up my ass.  She might have been thinking that they were in the right - but she apologized because it was the right thing to do.  They might have trouble doing their jobs, but at least they have good customer service about it.

249/365 (9/6/13)
249_365 09-06-13

In other news:

Robert had his second steroid injection for his back pain/sciatica pain today.  It went as quick and smoothly as the first time.  Crossing fingers and saying prayers that this time it will work and he won't be in pain anymore.

I am photographing a wedding tomorrow and Carus is going as my assistant/second shooter.  We are excited, and nervous, and excited.

03 September 2013

The rest of last week

I should probably get last weeks photos shared before I forget about it.  I do that sometimes.

Tomorrow is Adam's first day of school and Thursday is Carus's, and I have a wedding to photograph on Saturday.  This week is going to be BUSY!

240/365
My in-laws took us to a baseball game last Wednesday as we have a sort of local sort of professional baseball team (local = town about 30 minutes away and professional = minor league).  We saw the Hillsboro Hops play the Eugene Emeralds.  It was a fun game with perfect weather (not too hot, though it did rain but we were under an awning).  We'd love to go again...but we might have to wait until next season since this one might be over.
240_365 08-28-13

241/365
Sunset view from the garden.
241_365 08-29-13

242/365
Sleeping Yoda.  He does that a lot...
242_365 08-30-13

243/365
Carus got a new haircut for back to school and she got bangs - well, more bangs than she already had.  She loves her new haircut and I can't blame her. I do too.
243_365 08-31-13

244/365
Found a praying mantis on my dahlias out front.  S/he watched me taking his/her picture (seriously, followed me moving around - creepy) and then climbed the window, which interested the cat, then got knocked off the window and flew onto me causing me to scream and Robert to laugh and then Leia came over to check him/her out and she tried to eat him/her.  Leia is such a scared-y cat that she is practically afraid of her shadow, but a bug - no problem.
244_365 09-01-13

02 September 2013

Happy Birthday Adam!

245_365 09-02-13

I cannot believe it's been 15 years.  Adam is growing up to be such a funny, caring, smart, and thoughtful young man.  He makes us so proud every day.  I like talking books with him, he has some great reading suggestions.  I'm excited for his first year of high school - and nervous too. I only have him for 4 more years and then he'll be off on his own...in college most likely.  He figures he'll go to college even though he doesn't yet know what for.  

Why does time have to fly by so quickly?

(This is #245 of 365. I will catch up with 240-244 later this week, in addition to this week's.)

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