PH: Beautiful

Beautiful is when a child is genuinely happy about her party. Dimple-popping happiness is beautiful. Watching them grow, being proud of their accomplishing, that's a beautiful feeling too.

Sky Watch: Just Because

Now I know my husband thinks about me even when he's busy working.

It gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.

It's very nice. He takes tons of pictures for me. Now, that's what I call love.
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Ruby Tuesday: Flowers

This is from Japanese Tea Garden. It's fenced in, so I can only take picture of it from the other side of the fence. I love how it's intricate and red.
This is one of the flowers in San Francisco. There's just so gorgeous. Maybe it's the mild weather, but the flowers seem very healthy there.

It's Broken Again

Seriously, my washer is broken again. I am sure it has nothing to do with ten loads of laundry every two days. Nothing to do with my mother sometimes loading 3 loads of laundry into one. I can't complain about my mother because she helps me. I would be such a big jerk if I say anything. Besides, she meant well....and I have unlimited repair plan. I thought it's going to be a disaster because it's broken, but it's not. The replairman can come tomorrow between the hours of 8AM to 5PM. All I have to do is NOT go anywhere and pray my cell phone works ALL the time because if I MISSED their call, they're not coming.

Weekend Snapshot

We have so much rain. The grasses are green. My plants live again. My seedlings sprouted in ONE day instead of three weeks.

Then mushrooms grow of course. It's great...except, this is probably poisonous. Who can tell about mushroom, huh?

Wrinkle

Wrinkle is nothing but a ridge or a crest on a surface. It could be on a fabric or an aging skin. Wrinkle can be a thing of beauty, or the dooming of failure. I know many stars fight it tooth and nail just to keep it at bay. Even the baby's feet got it. Adorable, isn't it?
It's the stuff found on our hands. What a thing of beauty that is. It gives our hands characters.

More Decorating Ideas

Have you ever look at your place and think that you need to spiff up the place? Have you thought of anything that would give your living room a zest? Have you considered something unique to decorate it? Decorating does not have to be traditional all the time. I have! That's how I come to appreciate this fabulous clock store where they have hundreds of collections. Not only that, they have pictures of grandfather clock that you might be interested in available so that you can imagine it somewhere in your house.

I have the usual books and figurine on the shelves, but what if I want something different? I had always thought that grandfather's clock means chunky and taking up a whole lot of space in the foyer. It's something to bump your toes in the dark, and perhaps your forehead if you're not thinking about it. That's certainly what happened with our grandfather's clock while I was growing up.

These days, they're the thing! Check out this Miller Grandfather clock. It's beautiful, and I bet no one would ever walk by it without noticing it. I love the iron framework that housed the pendulum. I'm thinking that the iron scrollwork matches my stairway. I know just the place for this one.

Sky Watch: Ballooning

Have you ever been ballooning?


My husband was driving around Coppell when he saw about half-a-dozen balloon in the sky.

He followed some of them. See this one going down near the treetops.

Then it's about to land...this truck got in they way of my picture!

I've never been, but I sure would like to!

WW & ABC Wednesday


ABC Wednesday is letter E: for eating crepes in Fisherman's Wharf while listening to Sea Lions barking at each other. I got the one with banana and strawberry inside. The two others were turkey and chicken.

Flowery Mailbox

I wish my mailbox is even remotely similar to this one. Truly! The flowerbed from the yard matches the one from the mailbox. Don't even get me started on flowers. I tend to kill them in the summer. If I were in a rainy sort of area, then my flowers would do just fine. I forget to water them, and then they die.

I Think I Sneeze

Actually, there's not thinking about it. My nose is dripping, and I'm coughing. My muscles sore, my head's stuffed with cotton, and generally, I'm feeling miserable. However, miserable or not, the laundry has got to be done. I'm just so glad for my two washer and dryer or it would be impossible.

I hope you're not getting late summer cold. I think I'd rather be healthy. What do some people do when they're generally feeling miserable though?

Here's a picture of Alcatraz taken from a Ferry ride to Angel Island in San Francisco. We couldn't go to Alcatraz because tickets sold out until August 10

Got Something to Say?

I think this is one of the most interesting election held lately. With Hilary, Obama and McCane, there are plenty of food for thought. If you're into political chat, and if you want to defend your position or make someone else heel, then Argue with Everyone is the place to be. It's a political forum, generally unmoderated so you can be free to debate whatever topic you're interested in.

Pineapple Express with Seth Rogen & James Franco


What a hoot! At one point, I thought I was going to pee in my pants laughing. If they have Oscars for comedy, then they should nominate Pineapple Express!

James Franco is spectacular as a drug dealer who's a little dim. Seth Rogen is one of his customers bought a special drug, so rare that there were only few people who has it. James and Seth together are very funny. That scene above? Hilarious. You have to see it to believe it. I do believe I'll watch this movie again in a year or so. It's that funny.

Private Plate Numbers

Looking at plate numbers on cars, do you know how they started? It all started by The Motor Car Act 1903. Vehicles have gotten so famous that they keep changing how the number goes. Today, the first letter on the plate indicates how old a car is.

There's a place which specializes in private number plates. You can get number plates by car brand or your name. It's one way to personalized what's yours. Visit and you'll see how easy it is to find your own special number. You can use your initials and get that along with some numbers. Have a number you'd like to sell? Then go to Northumbria Numbers and they have a 'no sale, no fee' deal.

Sky Watch Friday: Six Flags Vallejo

It's very amazing in California. The sky is blue and cloudless most of the time. Awesome! If you don't believe me, take a look at those sky over Six Flags? Do you see any clouds?

Sky on the way to Six Flags.

Wordless

Tortilla soup in bread bowl from Cafe Brazil.

Into The Woods

It's a hairy ride going into Muir woods. First you get to take a narrow mountain-side road with numerous hairpin turns. This picture does not justify the fear and terror it invokes while driving towards Muir woods.

Once in the park, there's many trails to take. One of these is going up a mountain side. The trail is well established, and I wish that I had more time to keep going til I reach the zennith with the breath-taking view. But time was short, and I had no wish to get caught in the dark on this mountain side amongst the woods. I don't want to be some wild animals meal.

I Wish I'd Known

My childbearing years is over. There's no more tubes for my eggs to travel. The bridge are burned and ashed. Why am I mentioning it now? Well, I wish I had known about Cryo-Cell. For treatment of serious disease, stem cells is very helpful. A long time ago, for some serious type of cancer, a parent would conceive a genetically correct child can donate stem cells to treat the sickly sibling.

Is it morally wrong? I don't know. But they harvest the stem cell from newborn, and sometimes, in sitio, before the baby is born. As the donor child gets older, stem cells can be harvested from the bone marrow. It's a painful process. By saving the umbilical cord blood stem cell from birth, the same beneficial stem cells are collected and stored while putting nobody else in pain. These stems cells have the potential to help with 70 kinds of diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, cerebral palsy and more.

August is the perfect month to hear about this campaign because in our country alone, a child is born every 7 seconds. Check out the current offers right now. If you're planning to have a child, or about to have one, be informed in your decision. Give the best that you can to your child.

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

Okay, about broadening my horizons; I decided to read Stephen King. My husband likes his book, and I did enjoy Carrie, The Eyes of the Dragon and Fire Starter. I even watch the movies and enjoyed it. I started reading Lisey's Story. I don't know if it's the reader or the book, but I've never encountered a whinier book lately. Seriously. It sounds like it was written by the other Stephen King, the boring one. While it's true that it might be because I'm not used to 'non-romantic' tales, but this one just about put it to sleep while my blood boils.

They say it's easy to criticize a book than write it. Still, that didn't make me like the book at all. It could be the reader. I have all 16 discs in my iPod. I'm listening to it again just to see if it's me, but I have to wait another month because it's just really annoying right now.

Nora Roberts gave this book a dazzling review, so I will try again, but it's just so whiny. It just keeps stating and re-stating the same bloody widowhood all the way to disc 4...get on with the story already! I enjoy love story, but I didn't find one so far. It's not a bad book, I just didn't like how it just keeps going and going and going while I am waiting for the story to get going.

A Different Kind of Freedom

I wonder if I would live differently if I didn't have so much debt. I'm managing okay, but still, a significant amount of my income goes to paying down my debts. If my plans go on without glitch, I should be debt-free in less than two years.

Freedom Debt Relief is a good place to start investigating how to unshackle yourself from the burden of debt. It seems like today's world is all about using credit cards. It makes it so easy to get into debt. The big question is, how to get out of it.

If you want to lower your debt to almost half the amount, or want to be debt free anywhere from a year to three years, and have money back service fee guarantee, then Freedom Debt Relief is an option. Unlike credit counseling, they are not secretly working for the creditors so that your solution ends up costing you more. Why more? It's because you're paying back your debts 100% plus interests.

If you're thinking debt consolidation, it's just really moving all your debts to one spot so there's less chance of forgetting another bill and getting hit with late fees and other penalties. You're still paying back 100% of the amount plus interests.

What about filing for bankruptcy? It sticks to your credit report for about 10 years! If you want to reduce or pay off your debt without damaging your credit report, then Fredom Debt Relief is a better option. It's not just paying minimum monthly payments where all the money goes to interest. Freedom Debt Relief reduces the amount you owe. If that's not attractive enough, you can be debt free in 12-36 months. I like that kind of freedom.

I Just Really Love Reading

I am aware that I have a narrow reading pleasure. I say that with pride because I get so much enjoyment reading romantic books, contemporary or historical. Lately, I've enjoyed reading about vampires and all other creatures that usually go bump in the night. It doesn't hurt that today's books have creative section on love-making. Really!

I'm amazed how one author can have varied sexual encounters and make it unique in each book. Take for example JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It's got a chunk of erotic section that's really worth reading. It's unique in each book. I find that fascinating. Let's face it, sex can get really boring, but this author makes it NOT.

Because It's Necessary

One of my children sprained an ankle while we were out biking over the weekend. I didn't think anything was broken, but I wanted to play it safe and have a doctor see her. To have our pediatrician check her ankle is about $144 event. On the other hand, they do not have x-ray capabilities, so if something else was wrong, I'd have to see another doctor.

My current insurance is not like Kaiser Permanente California, which my sister happen to have when she was living in Los Angeles. I think my deduction is such that an emergency room visit is covered by my insurance only after I pay for the first 300 dollars of the bill. By having athletic children, it's inevitable that I would make some trips to emergency care.

I would like a plan that will connect me to on site facilities with x-ray and maybe even pharmacy to minimize number of trips. It looks like the Kaiser permanente's individual and family health insurance plans is something I'd want to check out. It promises to be an affordable, quality and convenient care. In today's busy, busy life, these are important qualities in a health insurance.

The best news is there are also Kaiser Permanente Colorado, and Kaiser Permanente Georgia. Check it out.

Bernie Mac Died

It's shocking how one person can be here one day and gone the next. Bernie Mac died at only 50 from pneumonia complications.

Check out the story here.

I like him in Ocean's movie. Rest in peace, Bernie Mac

Random Things about Colin Firth

Colin Andrew Firth (born 10 September 1960)
He's my favorite Mr. Darcy, you know, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
Loved him in Love Actually
He's married to an Italian film producer/director Livia Giuggioli
He has three sons: Will, Luca, and Matteo

Oh dear, gotta do my laundry first.

Sky Watch Friday: Baby's Photography

This is what happens when a 2-year old gets hold of a camera. The picture is combination of his little fingers. Some are smudges he'd left on the lense since he was also eating PB&J sandwich.

You can see his digits here.
Here, I thought he'd capture the sky very well despite all the smudges. I think I'm getting him his own digital camera.
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What a Job

For the new movie with Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman...

Jackman is just so sexy! Whew. Hot! If I get paid lots of money making out with Jackman, I wonder if it can still be called a job?

And now, for my sky watch, let's gaze at Mr. Darcy and say, 'Amen!'

Reasons about Lasik

I was just in San Francisco. If I had known about Lasik in San Francisco, I might have given up my two days of walking about China town and gotten one instead. Seriously. It would have been a whole lot better than climbing 7 blocks of uphill, and 5 blocks and steep downhills.

I didn't have Lasik while I was in San Francisco because I was busy sweating it up the hills and praying I'd burn fats off my thighs. I know it's safe because my friends have it. But, I am addicted to reading. I don't want to have lasik because I might not be able to read my very hot vampire novels. What if my power to enjoy book is tied with my blurry glasses? Would you risk it?

I didn't have lasik because my dog said they said the money to castrate and neuter them.

When You Climb

When you climbed to the top of Coit Tower off Lombard Street in San Francisco, this is what you'll see if you look up to the whole in the roof. The lines are long, really long, both going up and going down. While it's true you can see the city from all over the sides, it is undeniable that the space is quite small, the view seen through window the size of jail. The crowd is huge, especially on a Sunday. It's like a UN convention, you'll hear so many languages.

The Art of Swindling

This is not it. This is a good example on how NOT to do it. Just read this letter that I received in my inbox. Would you send 55 of your hard-earned dollars to someone who wrote this?

Not that I speak a perfect English myself, but then, I'm not in the spam and steal business. Discuss!
Good Day

Am glad to send you this email to notify you concerning your bank draft cheque which is in our cusduty for the past feel month. We want you to understand that the delivery fees is beeing paid by the authority and what you need to do now is to contact us immediately so that the delivery will commence to your doorstep as soon as possible.

Do fill this information and get back to us ASP You received this message.

Full Name:.........
Mailing Address:..........
Personal Phone Number...........
===============================
Note that you are to pay for the safe keeping of your bank draft cheque which is $55 Dollars only so that immediately infect will take place for the delivery of your cheque.

If you know you won't be able to pay for the safe keeping of your cheque please do not respond back to this email, and your cheque will be return back to the compensation head office which you will not be able to get the cheque back.

As soon as you are ready to make the payment of the $55 Dollars do let us know by sending us your mailing address and the information in which you are going to use make the payment will be send to you immediately so that you can get your cheque ASP.

Get back for immediately delivery of your cheque.