one proud wife...

the company cj works for was featured in the current issue of sactown magazine...
he designs high-end technical backpacks for gregory mountain products.
the article does a great job highlighting what a great company ceej works for,
and cj is even quoted a couple of times in the article!
he works hard, and i'm glad he and his company are getting a little recognition.

if it weren't for summer lightning storms i'd have almost nothing to say about summer

we moved to sacramento may 15, 2008. it was 100 degrees the day our yellow moving van pulled in. yuck. the summer got hotter, and stickier. yuck, again. no rain for 5 whole months. for those who know me, they already know that my city of choice would be somewhere in northern england or somewhere in the pacific northwest where it rains and rains and rains and rains. so 5 months with no rain has a depressive effect on my being.

so i am happy to report we had a raging lightning&thunder rainstorm last night. it started to move in just as we were finishing our mexican meal out on the patio. we watched the dark billowy clouds move in all directions, and smelled that musty, yet clean, smell of rain. so what did we do next? we went for a walk of course. the wind was refreshing, and the site of the night sky dancing with light was perfect. we stood in our driveway for many minutes before going in...and i thought, "how many people are missing this? trading this for yet another kind of flashing light that sits in their living rooms?" i was grateful to see such a show last night. grateful to watch it with ceej. grateful there are more storms in the forecast. i think i could handle sacramento more if summer-time was graced with more storms.

we shall see how summer 2009 unfolds.

image via wikimedia.

New Neighborhood

Last weekend Ceej and I moved to a new apartment. Yes, it's in the burbs. BUT, we're still within biking distance of work, shopping, and play. Some of you might have already noticed that Ceej and I are practically seniors in many way: we hate loud music at concerts, we don't like loud parties, we're constantly saying, "kids these days...", and we go out to dinner at 5:00 PM. We really like our new place. This is a photo of a park in our neighborhood. I'll be posting some photos of our new place as soon as I can.

Free Bread!

Just around the corner is The Bread Store. Last night I ran to get a loaf of ciabatta bread, and was pleasently surprised when they told me that after 5:00 PM it's buy one loaf and get a second one FREE! Yes, please! I got a second loaf for free (it was sourdough FYI).

We're Official Californians!

After a long 3-month epic battle with the California DMV Ceej and I finally got our car registerd and recieved our new license plates! We are no longer out-of-towners. So, though we are officially Californians, I have to admit we'll never quite reach that status in our hearts. I don't think we'd last here more than 3 years...but we'll see.

Not So Long Afterall...

Yes, I found a job...yesterday afternoon. An hour after I posted yesterday I received a phone call from a business that I applied at long ago, but had given up on. I went in for my second interview in the afternoon, and found it to be the most enjoyable interview EVER. So what's my new job? Working as a Yoga Instructor and part-time receptionist for this amaing health center/spa called Fountain of Health. This is the perfect job for me! It combines yoga, food, and people! They offer nutrition classes for people wanting to try things like a raw diet. The owners are so generous. Money is not their bottom line...they just love what they do and want to help people. How fast was that miracle delivered?! I'll tell you more about it later. Until then, you should visit their site here.

The Long Hunt

Yes, the time has come for me to get a job. My days of cooking, reading, and learning to speak French must end. There is a time and a season for everything, yes? However, there is nothing more humorous to me as the classifieds. These corporate people try to rope you in, like working in a cubicle is the best thing that could ever happen to you. Here's a couple jobs I applied for this morning.

"Goal Oriented Receptionist Needed For Fast-Paced Company"

Seriously. Who are they kidding? I always feel so patronized when reading some of these ads. Do they really think that anyone that applies for the job is not going to claim to be "goal-oriented"? Here's my favorite line from the ad: "Super star assistant Needed ASAP"...ooh! ooh! Pick me! Job Requirements: " Must be efficient in asnwering 6 incoming lines, fliling, faxing, meet and greet and willing to take on more experience." "Don't Miss Out On This Opportunity!". Are you kidding me? Opportunity? Opportunity to waste my life away? No thanks. I'm crossing my fingers they don't call me back.

Administrative Assistant

"A fast-paced growing legal-based office is looking for a motivated administrative assistant." Motivated? Should I tell them I wake up at 5:30 AM even when unemployed because I have a life to live? Here's some requirements for your enjoyment: "1) Computer skills is a must" Skills? Check.

"2) Great telephone skills and in person customer service"...? "

4) Team Player" my favorite of all time...reminds me of when a good friend started working at a restaurant in Sandy, Utah called The Mayan. They were a great team, weren't they Ash?

"8) Attention to Detail" This is killin' me! And, finally, this is where they'll have a hard time finding someone,

"9) Have Great Personality". Sorry for all the sarcasm, people, but I can't help it!

What I Really Want To Do For A Job:

I want to find a pretty antique table, paint it sea foam green (the color of my family's cabin), laden it with fresh produce and home-made goodness, set it up on a corner and charge people a minimal fee, if they can afford it.
And/Or I want to teach yoga. I want to find a pretty little space, get some sponsors, and offer yoga classes for a price chosen by the student.

Sacramento, You Aren't So Bad

(above) When you drive out to the coast in Sonoma County or up the Lost Coast it feels and looks like you're in Ireland. It's oh so pretty. If any of you come to visit we will take a Sunday drive and a picnic here for sure. Maybe we could read some Yeats.
There are lots of people that bike around the city here. People love vintage bikes.
The fresh produce is pretty amazing. We eat well here.

Life is pretty sweet right now.

Dear Smoke,

Dear forest fire smoke,

I know you were started by Mother Nature, with lighting, one of my favorite things.
BUT this smoke has outstayed its welcome in my lungs.
It's dangerous to walk and especially hazardous to drive.
Your causing our sunsets (and moon rises) to be blood red, like the polluted sunsets I remember from industrial cities in China.
I ask you please leave us be this weekend and the rest of the summer.

Your pal,
Ann Marie

A Sacramento Dream: Hina's Tea

Ceej and I found Hina's Tea after we'd been here a little over a week. I thought I liked tea until I came here...now I LOVE it, and have become a bit of a loose leaf snob within a short three weeks. Hina is from London, and I love to hear her talking with each of her customers which she knows on such a personal level. I come here when I need some real goodness (and when I need some wi-fi access).

Some of my favorites are:
Chocolate Mint
Sunny Pear
Tulsi Orange Ginger
On the Waterfront

If you come visit me I promise I will take you here!