Oh My Frog....

I just did my income taxes......

cha ching, cha ching.

If it's not one thing, it's another this month....new dryer, vet bill, computer virus repair, property tax and now I need to pay the tax man.

Need more green......

I think I'm gonna croak..................

I've been single on and off for the last several years, and it's not so bad. I'm now happy in a relationship, BUT I'm also happy out of one. While I am sure one of these days, I will be permanently coupled, I am happily discovering that who I am with, or not with, does not define who I am.
If I've learned one jewel of wisdom along this new journey, that is it. So be assured, when I am no longer a single "single" girl, I will still dish out random advice on this blog (for those of you who were worried), just because I can..... so there~

Hey.....

I feel sooooo much better now. It's the weekend, officially. It's 12:09 AM Saturday morning.
Just had a lovely evening with my family (sis, Gina & fam came from Sacramento, Dad & sis, Teri & Joan), friends (thank you Brenda B and my roommate Christine) and Mr. Moto (Andy).
We all went to see Chelsea's play tonite.
Awesome performance, Chel! Sooo, so proud of you.

Do you ever feel like this?

Do you ever have one of those days, or in my case weeks? Just not feeling well and can't seem to shake it. I feel like this monkey......

Running on about 2 cylinders instead of 4? Monday night, my yorkie Corbin becomes ill. Running all night long outside through the doggie door (swish-swish) and then back in again whimpering. Trip to the vet reveals he has "colitis", irritation of the bowel (his bum looks like a baboon) due to table scraps.....hmmm......don't get me started on that one. $253 cha ching buys you bum spray, antibiotics, shots and prescription dog food. He's doing much better now, no more nightly runs outside.

Trying to put all the pieces together for my income taxes. Yucky.

The lady that wanted to rent my room, changes her mind while moving in.....and leaves me a very "personal" letter as to why..........are you frigging kidding me, where did you EVER get that idea?

Yesterday, on my lunch hour, I lock my keys and cell phone in my car. Stranded at El Rancho Market with a bag of suishi.....thank goodness for my Dad coming to the rescue.

My boss is irritable and I feel like hell. I just want to go home.........and cry. And so I did. I cryed and then cryed some more. Still feel like hell.

And then, what is with this lack luster season of American Idol???

Ok, I'll jump off my soap box now, tomorrow is a new day.

But I still feel a lot like this monkey.

Cambria

Beautiful weekend.

Great food.

Great wine...too much

Great guy.

Only thing missing, the SUN!

Mr. Moto and I should have stayed longer and

crashed the "purple" wedding :)

Opening Night!

Tonight's opening night for Chelsea in the role of
"Petra" in the ENEMY of the PEOPLE.

She plays the daughter of Dr. Stockman, the man who finds the water supply in the town is toxic, who thinks he's done the right thing and blown the whistle, only to have the town turn on him.
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Great drama, Chelsea has some very angry and emotional scenes.
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Hope you can make it.
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March 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27th.
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See you there!

Is it that time again??

Happy Birthday

Susie Crandell!

Scary thing.....I think this record cover is as old as we are! Come to think of it, I recognize that headband from my third grade school picture!

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Thanks for all the wonderful memories over the (ssshhhhh) 40 years. Did I really say that out loud?

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Love to you on this special day!

Always,

Trace

xo

A typical evening

For most people, night time is when you start to unwind, curl up on a couch and maybe watch some TV. I've realized, that is when my second shift begins.
After dinner, I begin my second job as Chelsea's chauffeur. I know many of you are saying, "let her get her license", but she's my baby, the last of three and really is not ready to be out on the open road. Not to mention, she would probably be driving a riding lawn mower as that's about all we can afford.... Chelsea has been rehearsing for just under 3 months, 6 nights a week, on her latest play "Enemy of the People". Her play opens this Friday....she also takes jazz, ballet and vocal lessons in addition to any rehearsals for plays. So tonight as I wait in the parking lot for dress rehearsal to be over, I've answered all emails and caught up on Facebook, I decide to rummage thru the car for something to read. Hmmm, slim pickens, but look, it's my 2007 Ford Escape owners manual. Now don't laugh, I learned a lot reading this manual. Truth be told, it's only the second time I've cracked it open. Once before when an idiot light appeared on the dash and I couldn't figure out what it meant. I learned about lots of options on my car stereo, various storage spaces I hadn't yet discovered in the car and that you can direct your speakers to driver's side only instead of the entire car. I know this is riveting info.



Upon Chelsea joining me in the car at 10:00 PM, we head to McDonalds. We had one starving actress on our hands, literally. She wolfed down a Big Mac like someone just coming off the "SURVIVOR" island, slammed a sprite and finished off a bag of fries. Now arriving home, she begins homework. This is when I learn she needs something printed. No problem I 'll just pop in a new ink cartridge and off we go. WRONG - i did everything but rebuild the stupid printer, still wouldn't print. It then informs me that the "blue" ink cartridge is out, who cares, I only want black...............print you stupid thing.......OK, plan B, grab my lap top and hook it up to the laptop printer. Crap, one of the cables is missing, ok, now rip thru every drawer, cupboard, garage, in this house. Alas, looks like the kODAK camera charger cable is interchangeable with laptop printer. Put it all together and guess what.....it is related to the first printer.....it won't print, won't even suck that damn paper thru...that's it, I am grabbing my hammer and bashing the living daylights out of both of them. It will be scene from one of my all time fav movies....OFFICE SPACE..... i go upstairs to tell Chel the great news and she is fast asleep in bed, homework on the floor. I have to wake her to tell her about the printer problem to see what plan C should be. OK I will email her essays to myself and print them at work tomorrow and then run them to the high school. It is now 11:45 PM and Chel informs me that she has to sign up for 2 AP tests, and needs $180 dollars tomorrow. Also, mom, sign me up for the SAT's and oh, could you run to Rite Aid and buy me a hair piece for the play? Oh and my Bio for the program was due a week ago, can you write that too? Can you call Aunt Teri and see if she can do my hair for the Play? And mom, I'm too tired to do my homework, can you set the clock for 5:00 AM and no matter how much I protest, will you force me out of bed so I can finish my homework?
It is now 12:20 AM. There's a knock on my bedroom door...."thanks mommy, i love you, good nite".

I wouldn't change my life for anything.

Quote of the Day

"Patience is the key to Paradise"

Cake Caper

My peeps and I enjoyed another wonderful scrapbook get away in February. My job was to bring the most delicious cake known to man....the infamous Pattibakes chocolate cake. It has the most incredible milk chocolate icing and chocolate filling. It must weigh 15 pounds and requires a gallon of ice cold milk to wash it down.
Unfortunately, there were 2 who will remain nameless that couldn't wait for dessert time that evening. They snuck it and a gallon of milk into a bedroom (right past everyone while they were scrapping) and polished it off.

All that remained were these crumbs and YIKES.....some evidence.

Later that evening, when a very patient Jenea went to retrieve the cake for dessert....there was a pause and then a small shreik, some expletives and this.

Boy toy TROY, the one and only beefcake was all that was left in the cake box.

Now pass that glass of milk...........

Now You See Him...

Ok, this is me trying to get a picture of Mr. Moto, so far, we have a partial tire.....

Next lap, a tire, a number plate and an arm.....

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Just when I think I have him in a frame, all I have is his dust...

And then

who the hell is this guy

and where did he come from?

IAndy was in front of him.....

Maybe next time, we'll get a picture of the

elusive Mr. Moto.

Stay tuned.

BOYZ II MEN

Oh my, my, can these BOYZ sing.....another GREAT concert! I am so fortunate to get to see these shows. Thank you Becka!!!!! Unbelieveable harmony, these guys still got it. You should see them move. MJ loved them!




Step back in time for a moment and listen to this video. I am filming this with one hand while the other one is trying to receive a rose. One of my favorite songs..... "I'll make love to you" by the BOYZ. This is the closest I can get to bringing you with me to these concerts.....hope you enjoy!

Really, it isn't me...

Ok people, for the 300th time, my name is not TRACY CHAPMAN. Its Chaput! I cannot tell you how many times during my career as a celebrity personal assistant, I have been asked if I am the singer Tracy Chapman. There is just a slight difference folks.......i can't play the guitar :)

It happened again today while making a phone call for a client -
"are you the singer TRACY CHAPMAN, i love your music"

However, maybe I should just learn a few bars of "Fast Car" or "Give Me Just One Reason" and just say yes next time, I am her..... and just roll with it! In rehearsals now......

Love Shack, Roam, and Rock Lobster...

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Friday found me with a sudden invite to the B-52's concert and front row seats. My peep, Rebecka and I danced in the aisles to LOVE SHACK, ROAM and then their finale ROCK LOBSTER. (still can't get that one outta my head).

Thanks Beka!!!

During the encore, I found myself smashed up against the stage. I could have grabbed Kate's ankles!!!!!!!!!! What fun we had in the 80's!!

Mondays......

It began with the computer virus from hell. Yes, my brand new lap top is infected with the "Security Tool" virus more than likely from Facebook, this according to the Qeek Squad at Best Buy. It pops up, looking like an alert from your computer software saying you have compromised files, it then asks you for $49.95 to install the software. I thought it was just advertising as the computer was new. What it does, is then take your credit card number and your identity. Five people behind me in line at Best Buy had the same virus. It really hit hard this week. They said all you had to due was merely scroll your mouse across their ad and the virus infected your computer. It will cost between $130 and $190 to rebuild. CHA CHING.

And then my dryer decides it doesn't want to work anymore. It tumbles for hours on end, it would still be tumbling today if I hadn't turn it off, also no heat. Learned from the appliance place it is over 10 years old, so time for a new one. CHA CHING.

And then there was the jury summons - no CHA CHING.

But my favorite part of today was having seven actinic Keratosis spots (pre cancerous) removed from my face and some on my hands. They remove these by spraying liquid nitrogen directly on them. Can you say BURN? I guess all those summers in Arizona with baby oil on my face suntanning really paid off! Because I have more than 25 on my face, we are going to opt for the PDT (photodynamic therapy), this will be done in about 2 weeks and we hope to get all of those little buggers burned off at once. For now, my nose (where several were) resembles the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. CHA CHING.

And that was only today, Monday, March 1st.

But I did have a lovely weekend with Mr. Moto :)