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Saturday, December 12, 2009

The Grounding

MacBoy and Mini-Mac BOTH got grounded within days of each other.

Mini-Mac was just a fight over her room. But MacBoy really screwed up. He took his car out for a drive even though  he's had no lessons and only has a learner's permit. Then he got caught and drove the car over a curb and burst three tires and dented three rims.

It's going to cost him $1300 to fix his car and he's grounded until the end of the year.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Save the date - Nov. 21, 2010

No, no one is getting married... but I'm doing my first Ironman event on Nov. 21, 2010 in Tempe, AZ (suburb of Phoenix) and I'd love it if any of my family and friends who could make would come out to support me. You'll get a Team t-shirt, if you do!

I haven't named my team yet or decide on what color for the shirts but I think they should be as bright and obnoxious as possible. I noticed other friends & family doing this at IMAZ this year and it really helps the athletes find their supporters out on the course.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

RIP Chase

One of our chinchillas died today. It's very strange because he hadn't been acting weird or anything and we have no idea what caused it. He was just laying on the bottom of his cage stiff as a board looking like he was trying to run, only on his back.

It's not a good memory for our Thanksgiving, that's for sure.

Everyone is very upset as he was the Good chinchilla -- the friendly one with lots of energy. Ariel, aka Ms. Crankypants, is still going strong. She's finally gotten used to us and actually lets us pet her. A bit. On the head only. She still fights when we try to get her out of the cage, but it's still progress even if slow.

On a good note, our dining room table is actually cleared off so we can start eating off it again. It's only been about 3 years since my business took it over.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Damn economy

Mr. Mac got a raise. Good. But he also has to do an involuntary furlough day once a week for the indefinite future. Bad.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

MacBoy is licensed

MacBoy got his learner's permit. So the roads of Northern California are no longer safe!

(Heh, he'll be so happy to read that.)

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

We're going to Vegas

Okay, Mr. Mac and MacBoy are going. It's for MacBoy's birthday. He wants to drive to Vegas, see "Love" at the MGM Grand, and drive home. MacMadame said it was okay if a parent went and she's busy the two weekends he wants to go. Plus he doesn't want his punk kid sister to go so someone has to stay home with her.

But no she has to go to the SJ Rock 'n Roll Marathon and she's not happy about that.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

San Diego Trip - Oct!

MacMadame is going to San Diego for the weekend in October. It's kind of a long story... she was going to this event on Sat. but it was canceled but now there is a different event on Sunday that is even better in one way.

But a lot of the details are up in the air... if she pulls it all together, she's going to meet Chrissie Wellington!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

New car!

I got my new car! It's a Toyota RAV4 and it's purty. It's "Pacific Blue" with a gray interior. Limited trim with a back-up camera, leather seats (heated!), dual climate control, hands-free bluetooth, etc., etc.

I actually wanted the Sports trim, but it didn't come in leather.

The car is really for Herbie, my bike. She's tired of being knocked into the bike rack every time I take her some place.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

School starting up

Mini-Mac and her friends are so excited that school is starting that they can hardly contain themselves. They keep posting things like "two more days" as their FaceBook status and squeeing about seeing each other again.

MacMadame is more in "where the heck did the summer go?" mode. It seems like they just got out of school a few weeks ago. Not that I'm not happy to have Mini-Mac back in school. But I wanted to get more done this summer.

Friday, September 4, 2009

MacBoy still not in college

So MacBoy's college plans hit a snag. He completed all the requirements to get in. But then he couldn't find any classes he wanted to take that weren't already full. So now he's going to wait until the Spring semester to start.

In the meantime, he's going to keep looking for a job.

Friday, August 21, 2009

MacBoy is going to college

I can't believe it. I kind of figured this day would come, but I figured it would take longer.

He's going to start the Fall semester on Aug. 31st at Ohlone College, which is a community college right here in Fremont. He can ride his bike to it.

The plan is to take some courses that interest him and get his General Ed requirements out of the way, then transfer to a 4-year university at a later point.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

New iPhone!

I replaced my iPhone today. They wanted me to spend $500 on it! But we finagled something and I got it for the normal "upgrade" price. But now Mr. Mac can't upgrade his for another two years. Poor baby.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Mini-Mac is back from camp

Mini-Mac had a good time at camp. She informed me she got married four times and divorced three and remarried one. Or something like that. She and her friends would do that in pre-school but the boys were marrying the girls. Okay, one boy married two girls, so it was still not mainstream. But apparently the in thing with the tweeners these days is to marry other girls. I'm not sure what to make of that. It probably explains Zac Efrom and Dave Archulleta though.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Someone stole my iPhone

I left my iPhone in the bathroom at the "Not-so" Great Mall. I discovered it right away and ran back and it was already gone. I am majorly pissed about this.

I bet I can't use the built-in GPS to get it back, either.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Tahoe

We're up in Tahoe this week. MacMadame is doing a triathlon at Donner Lake on Sunday so we decided to make a family vacation of it. MacBoy decided to stay home. He's too cool for family vacations any more. Though, if we ever get back to Walt Disney World or take a cruise, I bet he'll he be right there.

We're staying at a place called (don't laugh) Terrible's Gold Ranch RV Park and Casino. It's just across the Nevada border. It's pretty close to Lake Donner and to our relatives who live in Incline Village.

Getting here was interesting, as there is a lot of construction going on in the area and that made for some very narrow roads. The Behemoth didn't like that, nor did it like climbing all that elevation. But we made it!

Yesterday we went to Lake Donner and MacMadame ran around the lake. The air is THIN up here and she thought she was going to die at first, but then got into it. Her time wasn't too bad. Maybe she'll be able to break the four hour mark in her triathlon after all.

Mini-Mac went swimming even though the lake is FREEZING. She's pretty hardy that way. Then she sunbathed like we all used to do before everyone worried about skin cancer. She had plenty of sunblock on though so didn't get too tan.

Then we went to Northstar at Tahoe to meet relatives for dinner. We had an old gift card that Grandma Mac gave us the last time we were out here so we bought some clothes with it. It was five years old, but it still had money on it! Mini-Mac made a candle and MacMadame made some earrings.

We went to a sushi place for dinner and then The Chocolate Bar for dessert. Mr. Mac had their version of a brownie sundae and it was quite good, but Mini-Mac's chocolate mousse cake and MacNephew's mud pie were just okay.

We have to go back on Friday to pick up Mini-Mac's candle as it needed time to harden.

Today we're going to Reno. We'll visit a train museum to make Mr. Mac happy and then go to an enormous mall to make MacMadame and Mini-Mac happy. (Now that she's a size two, MacMadame needs lots and lots of clothes and is always shopping.) If we can, we're going to see the new Harry Potter movie too.

Tomorrow, we'll visit the niece, nephew and grand-niece at their place including some more swimming. MacMadame thinks she'll bring her wetsuit this time. We may mountain bike too.

Saturday we'll go back to Donner Lake to pick up MacMadame's race packet and have a BBQ with some people from her triathlon club and she wants to bike the bike route as a last hurrah before the triathlon. Mini-Mac wants to kayak too and there is a place to rent them there so it's likely we'll do that or some boating of some sort.

Sunday is the triathlon, which MacMadame will write about in her personal blog (Fatty Fights Back) and then Monday we'll come home.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Tahoe Vacation

Only two more weeks before we go to Tahoe! We're taking the RV and staying at some Casino RV Park in Nevada. That cracks me up.

Friday, June 12, 2009

MacBoy Graduates!

Today is the last day of school so that means MacBoy is a High School graduate!

We're still finding this hard to believe.

Graduation ceremony is tomorrow, followed by the end-of-the-year party.

Next step: MacBoy looks for a job!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

DVS Camping Trip

We just got back from the annual DVS camping trip. We took our RV, which was interesting. First of all, the RV reminds MacMadame very much of MacMIL and, as we were cleaning it and stocking it and packing it, she kept thinking of Greta and how much she would have enjoyed all the trips we have planned this summer.

Mr. Mac said it made him think of his mom too.

Anyway, we chose to have an RV spot instead of parking in the group parking lot for our site. This turned out not to be such a great idea because the only spot that fit the Behemoth (what we call our RV) was very far away from the group camp site and schlepping things back and forth the first day to get the kids set up in their tents and such was a PITA. Also, we didn't get to use a lot of the stuff we brought because it was just too much trouble to go get it.

It was nice to go hide out in it when the group thing got to be too much. MacMadame needed a big nap after her 2.5 bike ride all over the hills of Livermore and it was nice to nap in the air conditioned RV instead of in a hot tent. But, by slinking away, we missed more of the group feeling too. So it was a double-edged sword.

Next year, we're parking in the group lot!

Our next trip is to the Lake Donner area. MacMadame is doing a triathlon there in July. Then we had planned to do another weekend at Del Valle in Aug. but that probably won't happen. So it's Bike MS: Waves to Wine in Sept. and Santa Cruz in either Aug. or Oct.

MacMadame would like to go down to San Diego at some point, but Mr. Mac is leery of driving that far. Hopefully, as he gets more used to driving the Behemoth, we can branch out a bit in our trips. MacMadame still has "see the Grand Canyon" on her list of things to do before she dies and that would make a great RV trip.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

DVS Open House

We had our last Open House of the year at DVS today. It was PACKED! A lot of the families seemed truly interested too. I'm hoping we'll meet our enrollment goal of 40 students next year. There are four interviews set up for next week, so it looks hopeful.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter

We aren't doing anything for Easter. Everyone in the house is either an atheist or an agnostic. Plus I don't want to deal with the candy and Mini-Mac certainly doesn't need it. MacBoy doesn't care and Mr. Mac didn't feel like doing anything either. So there you go...

Mini-Mac did whine about not getting her plastic eggs filled with money. So we did do that. She's getting better at finding them. Maybe next year I'll actually try to hid them in places she can't find them.

We'll probably go out to dinner later and I'll wear my new pink dress I got at Old Navy. It's a size small!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

We're Getting an RV!

MacFIL is giving us his RV because he can't drive his trailer and his RV at the same time. I'm so excited! I already have three different camping trips planned out. Mr. Mac thinks I'm crazy so maybe I won't be able to convince him to go on all of them. But that won't stop me from trying.

Plus we can do more vacations because we won't have to pay for a hotel.

I want us to camp when I do my triathlon next weekend. And now I want to go to the Avia Wildflower triathlon and scream for one of my friends... it's also a music and camping festival. That's the one Mr. Mac rolled his eyes over. Then we have the school's annual camping trip at the end of May.

That's probably enough for now. But I'm hoping we can take at trip to San Diego at some point and maybe even the Grand Canyon.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Family Biking

Mini-Mac and I have a new hobby. We go bike riding every weekend.

It's kind of fun for me because I get to be the coach and not the student. But Mini-Mac needs a LOT of work! She won't ride her real bike with the gears because she's afraid of it. She also won't follow me when we go through intersections ... she switches to the cross-walk, which is not really safe. But it feels safe.

Our bike rides all involve stops at Subway though. I'm going to have to figure out what to eat there. I tried to substitute a picnic at a small park on the trail we road on this time, but was unsuccessful. We did stop there though. Some Indian families were there beating on drums and throwing colored dust at each other. I think it's part of some sort of festival, but what festival, I do not know.

Earlier today, Mr. Mac, Mini-Mac and I went to go watch a train. It was supposed to be a steam train, but it wasn't. Mr. Mac was very disappointed. Mini-Mac was bored. I was in between.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Karma hates me

I've been rather gleeful that Mr. Mac has sleep apnea and needs a CPAP machine. I'm not gleeful because I want him to have problems, but because

(a) I like being right and I was convinced he had sleep apnea,

(b) I was worried he'd have a heart attack in his sleep due to sleep apnea and really wanted him on the machine to prevent that,

and

(c) I've shared a hotel room with someone who had a CPAP and found the noise very restful so I figured I'd get a better night's sleep with him on the machine vs. him snoring.

So yesterday Mr. Mac comes home with his brand-spanking-new CPAP machine and I go to bed and I can't get to sleep. That thing is SO noisy and it makes a noise like wind whisling through the trees crossed with a car reving it's engine. Both are noise that startle me and keep me from sleeping.

But I think I'll be able to get used to it because, unlike snoring, it's at least a regular sounds. If not, well, at least I don't have to worry Mr. Mac is going to die in his sleep from sleep apnea.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

My car is dying

Damn.

My car is eight years old so I guess it's time for everything on it to fall apart, but it didn't help that Mr. Mac let the Wheelworks guys work on it. They completely screwed up my engine! They broke a bolt holding down some valves so then oil got everywhere and that broke some more stuff.

We told the dealer to just do the bare minimum to get it running again. So now I have a replaced bolt, replaced gaskets (which is what we paid Wheelworks to do in the first place), new water pump, new battery, new timing belt and a valve adjustment.

But I need something done to my transmission and a new bolt-down strap for the battery and a new oxygen sensor. I'm driving around with the Check Engine light on because the oxygen sensor got ruined by oil.

I have been wanting a new car but was hoping this one would last another two years, at least. There goes all the other things we wanted to spend money on.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Sleep Apnea

Mr. Mac has it. I have been saying this for a while now, but he finally got tested and made it official.

He's supposed to get a CPAP machine, but he has to jump through a bunch of hoops first. This annoys me, because I love the noise of the CPAP. It's like sleeping with a white noise machine. Plus I'm tired of being woken up in the middle of the night by his snoring. Not to mention, I feel like the sleep apnea is a ticking time bomb and I want it dealt with ASAP.

So next Tuesday he attends the CPAP class and then we both start getting a good night's sleep!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Couples Survey

Found this on a friend's site.

What are your middle names?
Leilani and NMI (No Middle Initial)

How long have you been together?
Almost 22 years.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
A couple of months.

Who asked whom out?
We just started holding hands one day.

How old are each of you?
51 and 47. Yes, I'm a cradle robber.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Mine. His live far away.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Recovering from my stint as a small business owner.

Did you go to the same school?
Nope, we met in a different state from where we both went to school.

But we did figure out we had been at the same concert once.

Are you from the same home town?
Nope. Not even the same state.

Who is smarter?
He doesn't know his IQ, but I'm guessing me because mine is high.

Who is the most sensitive?
I wouldn't call it sensitive.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Chili's. We used to always go to The Elephant Bar but then they discontinued the Caribbean Pot Roast and I stopped asking to go there.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
We went all the way from CA to FL and the Caribbean for our Honeymoon. It was the lure of Disney.

Who has the craziest exes?
I'm the only one with exes, so I win by default.

Who has the worst temper?
It's a tie? Our daughter says I do, but he says he does. I think they are both right.

Who does the cooking?
Him. But I'm starting to do it more now.

Who is the neat-freak?
Me. No contest.

Who is more stubborn?
Me.

Who hogs the bed?
Him. He not only snores, but he's a COVER STEALER!

Who wakes up earlier?
Him.

Where was your first date?
It was probably the movies.

Who is more jealous?
Neither of us is particularly jealous, but I think I am and with less cause too.

How long did it take to get serious?
Started dating in July and he moved into my place in November.

Who eats more?
He does. Even before my surgery, he ate more. But it's no contest now. Everyone eats more than I do these days!

Who does the laundry?
He does.

Who's better with the computer?
It's a tie. We are both in the computer industry.

Who drives when you are together?
He does. I'm not normally a very good passenger so I guess that means I trust him.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Pre-Teens are Loud!

Mini-Mac is having a sleepover. With 4 of her friends from school. I swear, they gave me a migraine within about 5 min. of walking in the door with all their shrieking and running through the house. Of course, Mini-Mac is the loudest of them all.

Right now they are playing Hide & Seek so the noise has subsided a bit. But not that much.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Spammed by TimeBridge

I recently received an email from someone that I was trying to set up a meeting with asking me to "network" with him on TimeBridge. I didn't quite understand why he wanted me to do this as our work calendars are already shared. But I was happy to accommodate him.

As part of the installation process, I was asked if I wanted to share my calendar with my "contact list". I said "sure". I figured this would allow people who joined the service to see my calendar, if they were also in my address book. Instead, TimeBridge sent out an email to EVERY PERSON I HAD EVER EMAILED from my work address as well as every person in my Address Book. The email said that I was inviting them to "network" with me on TimeBridge.

I am SO ANGRY right now. Not only did I not want to SPAM all my friends, but I didn't intend to use this service very much so I really didn't want them all to join. On top of that, since it grabbed a list of everyone I've ever emailed, it was sending out emails to various company contact lists full of people I had never met and most certainly didn't want to be bothering.

I've spent the morning emailing people who are emailing me wanting to know why I'm inviting them to join TimeBridge when I don't even know them. Have I mentioned that I'm very angry right now?

What makes me angrier is that the CEO of TimeBridge defends their practices claiming they aren't doing anything that anyone else is doing. BULLSHIT. I have joined other "networking" systems before and never have I had something like this happen to me. The other services make it extremely clear what they are or are not sending out in your name.

I've already told Mr. Nelken what I think of his practices. Now I'm telling the world: if you get an invite to TimeBridge, DO NOT CLICK ON IT. Do not use this product. Do not let it SPAM your colleague and friends too.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Discount on Turbo Tax

I got this email today at work for those who are interested:

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1.) Maximum Refund Guarantee – or Your Money Back If you get a larger refund or smaller tax due from another tax preparation method, we'll refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state purchase price paid. TurboTax Federal Free Edition customers are entitled to payment of $14.95 and a refund of your state purchase price paid. Claims must be submitted within 60 days of your TurboTax filing date and no later than 6/15/09. Optional add-on services excluded. Cannot be combined with TurboTax Satisfaction (Easy) Guarantee.
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Monday, January 19, 2009

Christmas lingers

We still haven't put the Christmas decorations away. Too lazy I guess. They've been up for less than a month though so I'm kind of happy to have more days to enjoy them.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Happy New Year!

We didn't see Milk. Too much farting around so we missed the 7pm show. We went to see Slumdog Millionaire instead. I thought it was great and Mr. Mac thought it was decent. I went home and bought the soundtrack!

Then we went home and had a boring rest of the evening. None of the New Year's programs appealed to us. Not enough straight rock for him and not enough alternative and punk rock for me. I really am not a fan of pop music these days. Also, he forgot about the sparkling cider and toasted the new year with Kailua and Cream. I used Protein Hot Chocolate, which I guess is even lamer.

But we didn't care. We enjoyed our last night without the kids. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Oh and I forgot to show you all my new baby. Yes, I posted this in my other blog, Fatty Fights Back, but I love her so much, I have to post it here too.

My New Bike

(If you get to the front page, click on "USA" and then you'll be passed through to the correct page.)

Yes, I got her in red. Need you ask?