SAN FRANCISCO

I spent the last week in San Francisco. It wasn't really a vacation. I'm not allowed to take those...It was for work...only work....

Okay, so I played a bit too.

My boss went with me, so I wouldn't get mugged...ummm, I mean to learn about all of the new rules.

I think it really was so I wouldn't get mugged.

Or maybe he wanted a NON-vacation too.

Who knows, well, he does I suppose.

Anywho, our vacation... I mean business trip started out on a funny note. While we were in the airport terminal in SLC we heard this guy start yelling at the top of his lungs. Turned out it was the pilot of our plane. Here is pretty much what he said;

"I am your pilot for this trip, but I'm also ex navy. This flight is completely full so I expect each of you to line up in an orderly manor and board my plane as quickly as possible. Anyone who does not do so will be tackled by my crew, harassed a bit, and then escorted from my plane.

The isle on this plane belongs to ME.... I will repeat that. The isle belongs to ME! So get in, store your shit, and get your butt in your seat. If I see anyone loitering in MY isle, I will ask my crew to tackle them, harass them a bit and escort them from my plane.

For those of you who think you can "take my crew on" Let me introduce you to them. This is _____ He is ex military and _______ he did a stint at a security guard. Any questions? Nope!Welcome to United Flight ______________"

He then boarded the plane. It took all of us a little bit but then we all started laughing. The funniest part was that it worked. It was the easiest plane boarding I've ever seen and we were even able to take off early. The pilot stood at the front of the plane and anytime the isle would stop moving he would yell. "Who's congesting MY isle?" LOL One guy actually apologised.

We need more pilots like him.

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The conference in San Fran was wonderful. We had lots of dignitaries and celebs there to help kick off National Service, and while I hated all of the security measures and the secret service check, at least it kept the homeless beggars away from the convention center.

It didn't, however, keep them away from everywhere else.

The downside of San Fran, is that every-freaking-where-you-go you are harassed by beggars.

Beggars wanting money,

Beggars wanting to sell you newspaper (of which are probably free at the local Walgreens)

Beggars who use their kids to beg for them.

Beggars playing Home Depot buckets.... actually those were entertaining. The guys were really REALLY good at playing those Home Depot drums.

I think Home Depot should drop some money in their cups for the free marketing.

I'm just saying!

The fun parts of the trip were... Eating at Neptune's on Fisherman's Wharf, seeing all of the Sea Lions on Pier 39, Riding in a Trolley, Walking those thigh burning hills in China Town, Eating more garlic than can kill a small child at the "Stinking Rose " in Little Italy, and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz from Fort Mason.

Garlic ice cream really shouldn't be listed in the good parts, although it wasn't as awful as it sounded.

The best part of all, other than Jon Bon Jovi and Mathew Mcconaughey, was the buildings.

BIG, BEAUTIFUL OLD BUILDINGS!

Overall, it was a wonderful trip.

I'm very tired, and very glad I'm home...as is my little one.

IT FOLLOWS ME EVERYWHERE

Weird people always seem to show up in my life.

There was the guy who was persistent in wanting to date me. He held on for YEARS!

Then there was the high achiever who was in his late thirties and working at Bird World.

The guy I met on the Internet back in 2004 who flew out to Utah to 'see some friends" and meet me, and then didn't have enough room on his visa to rent a car, so he wanted me to drive down to SLC to pick him up then he became angry because I hadn't been cleared to drive at night (this was a few weeks after my surgery)

Incidental, he got married a few months later to another girl he met while he was down here. I guess she had no problem with his credit issues and his weirdness.

And the hospital laundry dude, and well.... you get the point

Anyway, that brings me to today.

I stopped at 7-11 to get gas on the way to work and while I'm pumping my gas I hear.

"Are you heading to work?"

I looked around and at the next pump over was a guy filling up his astro van. Being the kind person I am I said "yup" then turned around hoping that THAT would be the end.

But nooooooooooooooooooo, not with my luck.

"So where do you work?"

Like I'm going to reveal that info. I just said the city I work in and turned back around.

He continued. "What do you do for work?"

I have to jump in here and say two things. By now this conversation was getting irritating. First because English was NOT this guys first language and I kept having to say WHAT? and second because if I'm not willing to tell you where I work, why would I be willing to tell you what I do for work.

So I lied!

Forgive me Lord, but there are times when a single woman must do that, and this was one of those times.

But it didn't end there, it just got weirder.

"Do you have many friends?"

I rolled my eyes here, ya see I work in a building with people who have mental health issues. I don't work WITH those people, but they wander the halls, and get lost and sometimes we have to direct them back to the floor where their services are. This guy probably frequents my building, or at least he should.

I was a little weirded out. But more than that, I was thinking...

WHY CAN'T A NICE GUY TRY TO PROPOSITION ME OR TRY TO PICK ME UP. Why does it have to be weird ones.

I did reply back to him by saying that I have lots of friend, to which he replied...

"Do you want to be my friend?"

What the crap??? Who, other than kindergartners asks a question like that? NO NO NO I don't want to be your friend. You probably have all of the other "friends" you picked up at 7-11 stores bound, gagged and stashed in your Astro Van. And I'm a party pooper and don't want to join them.

When he asked for my phone number I told him it was unlisted.

What a way to start the morning!

MY SWEET SIXTEEN APPLE TREE

Two years ago (spring 2007) I set out to find an apple tree for my yard. I had some parameters to guide my decision but what I really wanted was a Fuji Apple tree.
When I couldn't find a short Fuji, I started looking for other apple trees.

I wanted an apple that I could eat, but that was firm enough to bottle into apple pie filling. The tree also had to be short. (I have a fear of tall trees...really I do) So I wanted a tree that didn't grow over 15-20 ft high.

I also wanted a short tree because I have to pick the dag-nabbid things and don't want to regret my tree decision in 10 years when I need to hire someone to climb it and pick it.

While I was out searching for trees I came across a Sweet Sixteen Apple. It was a hybrid between something and something else and was designed up in Minnesota for the cold temps. It was a shorter apple tree and could be canned. So I bought it.

After I had planted the tree I decided to do some research on it.

I know, I really didn't think that one out...did I?

There were a lot of sites on the apple tree but there were some that concerned me. People said it took many many years before the tree produced, some saying that it never did. That really worried me. Then there was my dad, who told me I had picked a tree that would never grow apples. That didn't help!

I decided that if the tree didn't produce in 3 years that I would just buy another apple tree and plant it next to the Sweet Sixteen.

Last year it bloomed...like 8 blooms... but it bloomed none the less. I started to get really excited, hoping for apples. But the blooms fell off and I cried...then I went on with life.

This past spring I started wondering if there were any pollinating trees in the area, so I searched out and not seeing any other apple or crabapple trees I decided to buy another apple tree. I bought a Fuji. (hahaha)

But then the Sweet Sixteen busted out in these beautiful white flowers. Since my Fuji had just been planted and wasn't blooming, I again began to worry that I wouldn't get apples.

But low and behold, a neighbor a few houses over has an apple tree, and because of that I got these cute little green and red devils hanging on my tree.

I couldn't be prouder.
And I can't wait to eat them!

IT IS A TIE GAME

Motherhood sure seems like a game sometimes.

Why is it that summer hits, and there is no more school, and yet my daughter has to find something to whine about?

This past Friday it was that school was over and... (in a high pitched whine) "I won't see my friends aaaaall summer long, cause I can't stay home, cause you have to work."

Then there was the "no sleepover" whine. This one is a good one! If your children haven't ever whined about not getting a sleepover...you should start telling them "no" just to experience this particular whine. It can go on for hours and hours.

All yesterday it was the "I'm not a baby" whine. You see, last summer my daughter decided she hated going to the babysitters house. She has been going there for 3 years now and doesn't like it. There are really no kids her age there, so I understand. But she isn't a baby, so she didn't want to go the the babysitters this summer.

Instead we decided to send her to a youth center. Where there will be kids of all ages, games, reading time, outings....FUN RIGHT????

Well, you probably see what is coming...a whine...

"But I don't KNOW anyone there."

Ummmm HELP ME, I'm loosing here!

But this week the center isn't opened, so she has to go do the babysitters. So this morning as we are driving over there she says.

"All I'm going to do is change baby diapers and have to hold crying babies all day long. What do you think of that."

My response was. "Well, there is nothing like learning about real life. All I did for 3 years was change baby diapers and listen to you cry. Now I just get to listen to you whine."

I got a pout, an eye roll, and a sigh.

I've decided that once you become a mom you never win anymore. It is nice to just have a tie game.