Month of May

Nothing spectacular has occured at the Warner household this month.  Just to highlight, Rob put in for a promotion, and still no word. I started a part time job at Michaels, .. ha ha let the crafting begin. The Old Town Clovis Farmers Market Friday is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!  Frest veggies..YES PLEASE!! Wikipedia says Fresno is one of the largest distributors of fruits and veggies for the entire country.  Which I'll have to say is pretty awesome.  I'm used to seeing fields of corn, tobacco, wheat and the occasional soybeans so driving by vinyards and orange groves are pretty amazing to me.  The Farmers Market had everything from potatoes to carrots, strawberries to cherries, oh how I can't wait to see what the Farmers Market season holds.

Exercise, Dentist and Fresh Squeezed OJ

The last two weeks have been ..just WOW! First off, P90X, yeah right.  Apparently I had been drinking a little too heavily, grape juice that is, the day I made that decision .  What was I thinking? After 4 days of brutal misery I had to give up. FYI Wikipedia was 100% correct, this is extreme exercise for CRAZY people.  Not only was my body completely worn out, I couldn't even get out of the bed. I think I'll just stick to the treadmill. However, I'm still on my eating healthy kick, well other than tonight's dinner, ha ha. 

Continuing on to the eating right part, I have been doing exceptionally well in that area, considering I've had nothing but soup to eat for the last week and a half.  That would be due to a terrible visit to the dentist.  To keep you from the very long, painful story my tooth feels better.  Temporarily I have this "stuff" on my tooth that has a slight clover, cinnamon, and earthy taste.  I'm sure after eating a vast array of soups for the last 10 days I have at least dropped a pound or two.  However, my wonderful dinner tonight, which is my favorite!, probably worked against me..lol. Brats, onions, and squash..YUMM!!

Almost forgot about my Fresh Squeezed OJ, note squeezed by ME!  Just in case you were curious you can buy a 3 pound bag of oranges for $2.50!! I've been eating so many oranges I'm surprised I don't have a nice orangy glow. After eating on this bag of oranges for about 3 weeks, I didn't think I was going to be able to eat them all before they went bad, so I had the idea to make Orange Juice.  Ok well a couple things you should know. One, eating an orange is very sweet however the juice from an orange is not. So you definitely need to add sugar.  Which I'm sure completely defeats the purpose in having fresh squeezed OJ. Number two, make sure you have a super strong juicer.  I had one of those on a stick (you hold it in your hand) and after juicing my second orange...it broke..ha ha then it was squeezing the old fashioned way. Number three, all that squeezing really works your muscles definitely recruit a partner, apparently I'm not a good recruiter because Rob was using his facial muscles to eat the left-over orange pulp instead of those arm muscles for squeezing.  Number four, about six oranges yielded one pint of juice.  So if you're a heavy juice drinker I would probably just buy it in the jug.  However what I'll probably do from now on. But hey when life gives you oranges make orange juice.

Changing My Lifestyle--P90X Style

I have been contemplating changing my lifestyle for the last few weeks, however now I have decided to put a plan in action.  Since the hubbs and I exchanged vows I have put on a hefty pound or two all from the fact that I eat what I want and I'm constantly lazy..good going 'Manda.  But today.. actually right now I am putting a new plan in place.  We have the P90X workout videos which I have tried to do twice before, however after the first week I was so tired I could go on no longer.  But today I make a change.  Today I'm changing my lifestyle to be lean, mean, go-get-'em machine.  Boy this will be tough, I'm gonna want to quit, I'll hate every minute of it, my body will ache for days, but I'm not going to let it get the best of me. I will accomplish this!!

Wikipedia states this is an extreme exercise program and blah..blah..blah.  Basically only for the insane.  But why not set insane goals. And to have a goal you must have a date of completion.  So as of July 10th I will be finished. Please look forward to my insane posts as I begin my new lifestyle, after all this is a change FOREVER!

Re-organization Drama

I was super excited because I was finally going to get to sleep in.  Thank you Jesus. Did some work stuff.. and worked on a baby quilt I was quilting on the machine (first time!!..YAY me!) [Check out my other Blog for lots of pics]. 

I decided the spare bedroom needed to be straightened up so I was just going to do the closet, and well, you know how that goes.  You start with something small and it turns into a HUGE project. I was just going to straighten my quilting stuff..ha ha.. yeah right.  So I'm knee deep in crap I hardly ever use, like scrapbooking-box-o-fun-ness, and the dryer dings.  I check the clothes and they're not dry.  This is very aggrivating because for some unknown reason our micro-dryer gets hot but the clothes never dry. So I start the load for the 3rd time..yes 3 times!!, and cross my fingers they will be dry in a bit. At this time I notice my tiny little straightening/organizing project has turned into a huge debris of junk. As I'm going through the closet, which gets straightened more than any room in the entire house, I am thinking about what kind of space I want to make it.  The purpose should be a craft/guest/storage/fun room. Wow .. what a multi-purpose room.  FYI there is no such room according to Wikipedia. So fast foward a few hours and the closet is finished. YAY.. I conquered the closet.  Now that the closet looks perfect, the floor is full of things that need new a new home. Great job for planning ahead, Amanda. ::rolls eyes::

Random Midnight Thoughts

Today/yesterday seemed to be a day for lots of thinking.  And you know thinking isn't always a bad thing.  This all actually started when I was getting ready this morning.  I had my hair dried, my teeth brushed, and was in the process of applying make-up when the thought hit me; "Why do we wear makeup?"  Just go with me for a minute here.  This would be addressed to ladies only, however here in the fabulous state of California some men wear make-up too.  Yeah who knew.  We wear make-up to make us look "pretty or more desirable", apparently our natural beauty isn't enough.  All of these chemicals and groady (yes it's an Amanda word) smelling concoctions on our face to make us look pretty.  Seriously what is the point in that.  It just sounds like someone wanted to make a but load of $$ to put gross smelling stuff on our faces.  Yeah, they're a winner.  Natural beauty is what makes you, well, you.  The sun spots, chicken pox scars, acne blemishes, stubborn freckles all of that makes you complete. Who wants to hid that? Maybe because society tells us "pretty" women look perfect, when that's actually not reality at all.  So technically, when you apply your morning face routine are you applying a lie??  Everything that goes on your face is fake, so now when we meet someone and put our "best foot forward" we're beginning on a lie. Maybe I'll boycott makeup next week..hum..

Next thought.. It's funny how life changes.  You go living your life making day to day decisions and most of the time not taking a second thought about where those decisions may take you.  Where were you 5 years ago?  I, myself was in college, finishing my junior year, still confused about what my future would hold.  The little decisions that I made then ultimately reflected my life to end up where I am today.  Think about it in more detail though.  How was your family life, what about friends, your lifestyle, finances and these are just to name a few.  Everything I have now is a reflection of the decisions I made then.  And ask yourself, do you like the way your life is now?  What can you do to change it, so it isn't the same 5 years from now? A little inner reflection isn't always bad but maybe it's something you should think about.

Well that's about all the thinking I can handle for one night.  It's time to put those rusty, smokin' gears to sleep.

My First Rescue

There were lots of different reasons why we moved to Fresno, one being to gain new experiences and to find a new way to love living life.  One new experience is I am starting my own financial business at World Financial Group (WFG).  The job market in Fresno is almost non-existent.  The employment is something like 12%-18% depending on what month it is.  Needless to say an opportunity arose to work at WFG, and it seems like a great opportunity so we took it. 

The WFG office is in an office complex in a neighborhood about 5 or so miles from our home.  While there Tuesday night a little kitten was scratching on the door and trying to peek inside.  During our meeting you could even hear the little one meow-ing desperately outside.  I'm a cat lover so it broke my heart to see this little one on a cold night outside alone.  After hearing the poor thing meow for about two hours I just couldn't handle leaving it there with no food.  As soon as our meeting was finished I rushed outside to check on the baby kitten, which was very affectionate.  He started nibbling at my fingers and biting at my sweater, all of which I'm sure was because he was hungry.  Needless to say I had to bring him home, even if it was just for the night.  I tossed the little booger in the car and was on our way home.  Note: I did check him for fleas before bringing him home because that would have been one awful mess.

I brought little booger into the house in a cage because I wasn't sure how Oscar would respond.  Very glad I did because he didn't like it much.  I took new kitten to the bathroom, got him fed and warm and boy was he happy.  Next on the agenda, give the little one a bath. Yes, I am completely aware that you must think I'm nuts to give a cat a bath, however some things just must be done.  Poor thing stunk to high heaven which I'm sure was all from being outside during the last couple weeks when it was raining like every day of the week.  Long story short cat got a bath and I didn't get scratched.  Yes please read that again, "I didn't get scratched."  I left new kitty alone for a couple hours to get warmed back up from the bath and then boy was his coat shiny.  New kitty was proud of his "wash, dry, and style."  Oscar was very upset that a new kitty was here after I tried to explain his "cousin" was only staying for the night and would be going to the shelter in the morning.  In a nut shell the two didn't get along.  But what do you expect Oscar rules this roost.. or maybe rules this cat house.

I was quite concerned that I may be taking someones new kitten when I brought him home, however the poor little thing didn't exactly know what the litter box was for, so then I was sure he was 100% stray.  New kitty ate quite a bit, so much that I actually took food away afraid that he would make himself sick.  The little one got locked in the cage which was then in the bathroom with the door shut so Oscar couldn't harass him all night.  The next morning I was all excited to get new kitty to a shelter as soon as possible, I wanted to get the little one adopted ASAP.  He is very lovable and affectionate and definitely playful.  But I found great difficulty in finding a shelter for him to go to.  Actually the only one I could find was a "kill" shelter.  And lets face it there's no way I'm sending his cute little face to a kill shelter.  After searching and searching we finally found a friend to give him a home.

Again, another new experience for this Southern Kentucky Gurl.  I thought it would be difficult to give little one away, however it wasn't I guess because I knew from the beginning I was going to take him to the shelter.  Oscar is The Warner's kitty, he makes us a family, and that's what I like.. just the three of us.

Jury Duty

Who would have guessed...we're in Fresno for all of 3 months and I get stupid Jury duty.  I do feel as though my PO Box was selected on purpose and not "at random" as stated by the form which I found inside lovely box number 46.  The previous apartment attendant has failed to change his forwarding address seeing as though he also got jury duty.

While I'm on the subject previous stated resident must have had 3,4, or 27 other people living here because we get their "un-forwarded" mail on a daily basis, usually of which is addressed to different people.  Which is quite aggravating.  The reason so.. I can't just dump it back in the "send mail" slot because then the lovely postal worker just circles it 50 times in dark black ink and shoves it back in my box.  I am more than happy to walk a whopping 50 steps to take it to the office, however the office is probably closed.  Reluctantly I stomp back to my lovely abode trying to open my mail, while not getting a paper cut, juggling my keys, dropping said previous tenants mail, hit by a car or stepping in dog poo.  Come to think of it .. maybe it would be best if I just got inside before I opened the mail.  Anyway, typically it takes 4 or 5 trips to the office before the door is ever unlocked.  Of course by this time I have 2 hands full of mail and some bystander probably things I've been hoarding mail like a crazy person.

Ok, so back to my jury duty experience.  So to get to the actual building I had jury duty in it was quite a journey.  I drove my car "downtown" which is in no way somewhere you WANT to be..EVER.  Of course, on this day said trolley was running late and it was filled about 10 people over capacity.  Took an overstuffed trolley, because Fresno's judicial system is awesome and they have jury duty in something like 3 different buildings.  By the time trolley gets to my stop I've been tossed-and-turned, jiggled from side-to-side, and my keister is numb from landing so gracefully on the luxurious wooden seat due to the wonderful Pothole Bureau of the California road department.  Because the trolley was late and super stuffed we all look like a herd of cattle going through the front doors of the judicial building.  Here we must go through a metal detector and scanner, because it's Fresno and you know somebody's packing.. ha ha. 

As I enter this lovely jury duty selection room there's like 200 people in here already, so finding a seat is difficult.  Finally my keister has something more luxurious to rest on.. a nice cheap plastic chair, and over my head 5 (yes, FIVE) 52" flat screen tv's with a running "Welcome to Jury Duty Selection" presentation.  Really, 5 NEW flat screen tv's.. no wonder California is in debt!!  After the short tv slide show this snobby lady got up and told us about what to expect.  It was all a blur until I heard "This case is to last until Feb 22"  I was like "Holy Cow," you could start to hear the shuffle and murmurs inside the technologically advanced jury duty selection room.  Snobby court lady then gave a list of reasons why you could be excused from jury duty...needless to say thank goodness I already bought my ticket to "The Big Event"..or else I'd have to stay.  On another note my future jury duty is already scheduled, however I'm sure it will be shorter than 3 weeks.

Needless to say my first jury duty experience has left much to be desired for.  Definitely more to come at the end of April on what jury duty is really like.