The House

Rather than post the house pics one by one online I post them on my spaces page. You can reach them at this link http://misslolasacademy.spaces.live.com/photos/cns!54DE7438DE4BB251!216/ I took some pictures in March 2007 and then from the same angle in August 2008 it's interesting seeing the house progress. Check out the slate shower!!

Racism

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, racism is a belief or ideology that all members of each racial group possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially to distinguish it as being either superior or inferior to another racial group or racial groups. The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines racism as a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular racial group, and that it is also the prejudice based on such a belief. The Macquarie Dictionary defines racism as: "the belief that human races have distinctive characteristics which determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule or dominate others."

So if I am reading this correctly to tell a joke with a racial slant does not make you a racist, right?

My Sister (or how I tortured her)

Travis your post made me think of all the things I did to my sister growing up. I am the younger she the older by three years but I am a bit more of an outgoing adventurous type. She is careful and guarded. Thus, I could torture the shit out of her.

She always seemed so worried about things. So I would gleefully pick out those things and bug her...endlessly. I'm a little ashamed at this point but at the same time I still do it. It's like if I know she won't approve or will painfully disapprove I will go to extremes to point it out to her. She was a Girl Scout I made a point of being a Blue Bird. If she loved a song I hated it. I have no idea why I made it my mission in life to be different but I did.

She doesn't like heights and I remember as a child going up into the mountains and hanging over edges."Look Laurie" and then practically dangling by my fingertips from the side of the road til she was blue with worry. Just mean.

My favorite memory amazes me. I was less then ten (I know this from the memory of the rooms we had) and had a unbelievable commitment to this prank. We had a small gray mouse toy. You know the kind that looks just like a mouse and is covered in gray rabbit fur. I tried to find a picture but it looked more like a mouse than the above picture. She hated it. Couldn't have it touching her and screamed if it did. My mother repeatedly told me to throw it away or threw it away herself. I would dig it out every time. My favorite thing to do with this toy was hide it in my sister's room. In a pocket of her robe, behind a book in her bookcase, in a shoe... wherever I could think to put it and then wait for the inevitable scream (my room was next to hers). What I find amazing about this now is that I had the patience to wait for the payoff at ten. It sometimes was immediately but sometimes it was days even weeks before my mom would come storming into my room yelling about being mean to my sister...

I always thought I was such a bratty hideous child that tortured my unassuming sister until recently. We were talking about my mouse trick and they asked if I remembered being frightened at Washelli cemetary in Seattle or at Spirit Lake as a kid. Well sure I thought the bodies were coming out of the ground (a sprinkler system was being put in) at the cemetary and Jaws was in the lake. Well who do you think told you that?

Ahhhhhhhhh, touche sister touche :)

I will admit it I love ambien. I am a life long insomniac. Sometimes I think it's because I have super sonic hearing or sensitivity to light or just a brain that cannot turn off at night. But for whatever reason I really never get a good nights sleep.

This went on until I met Mark. He had one and gave it to me. I hung on to it with fear and trepidation. I'd heard all the horror stories of people driving, eating and hallucinating. I waited til Mark was with me and then...nothing happened. Bummer. I tried it again and fell immediately into a deep restful sleep that lasted until the next morning??!! Wow!

So I got my own RX for it only to realize they tease you with new stuff that isn't supposed to be addictive and then tell you it is. Is my good nights sleep a gateway behavior into other good things? Flossing maybe? So I get my ambien refilled every three months and can sleep three night a week. I choose them carefully. So they have a pill that stops headaches and you can take it everyday...why not this? It's like someone is dangling a good nights sleep over my head just a bit too high for me to reach....sigh

Victory!!

So I got my money back on Friday! Here's what happened...

I sent that last email with no hope that the fifth time would be the charm. But then Thursday night got a phone all from her. As per usual I ignored it. I haven't been taking her calls because I haven't been confident I could not yell and scream. I figured the best way to resolve this was to not stoop to her level. So I ignored the call.

She didn't leave a message but a few minutes later I got a text asking me to come to her house and get the check. Obviously she again hadn't mailed it when she said she would. She said she wanted to make sure I got it and get a receipt from me. I told her there was no way I was going out of my way for her and if she wanted to give me the check she would have to bring it to me.

She asked where and after a few minutes of back and forth we arranged a meeting place close to my house but not at my house (like I want her to know where I live!)

So having a while I took a shower but then I had second thoughts. First of all she says it's a cashiers check but do I know how to recognize a forgery? Second if it is a forgery, I gave her a receipt. How would that play out in court? She could say I had taken her money and run.

So I texted back, said I'd changed my mind and would only accept cash. So I agreed to meet her at her bank Friday at noon to cash the check. She was mad but agreed.

The next day I got there a little early. She texted and said she'd be late. I told her I would give her ten minutes and then I was leaving. That worried her I think and she texted me every turn she took from her house until she called from her car. She was finally there.

I met her in the parking lot. I moved in there in January and she was a bit of a drunk but kind of normal. Now she had her stripper tits (sorry no other way to describe them) on full display in a hot pink short tank top, short shorts and new butt length skanky extensions. Biting my tongue I followed her in. She gave me a constant string of excuses...I said nothing. She handed me the check... I said nothing. We walked to the counter...I said nothing. I got my money (plus court costs)...I said nothing, didn't give her a receipt and walked out the door.

I never have to deal with that creature again. But I am considering reporting the house to the Health Department...too mean?

Okay I probably should give this landlord thing a rest and blog about something else, right? So this will be the last one until the court date or if by some miracle we settle. Sooo,

I wrote her one last email in fit of rage...

Here is my address one more time PO Box --- Preston, Wa 98050

I’m not really sure why you have now told me you will mail this four times. What kind of game you are playing with me. I am NOT playing. By now you know I filed in small claims court. You have no right to continue to keep this money. Do not call or text or write me again telling me you are sending this money. I will consider dropping it if I get it but I will not tolerate being played with. So knock it off. Last minute won’t work either….soon as in a day or two is the only acceptable action on your part. Done playing, overnight it if need be but quit f’ing with me.

and received this...

i have a money order I pulled out over a week ago. i am mailing it today. you will see the date on it. the check was in my car. i have not been around much and busy with the business divorse and kids. its been difficult, but no intentions of not paying you. i would have droped it off but I dont know where you live.

Nichol

Hee hee I kind of am asking for this aren't I? I have a hard time with the last word...I like to have it. Sigh. What I don't understand is why she keeps saying that she's sending it? Does she think I will say "Oh gosh that's great let me drop this case now"? And of course she doesn't know where I live, sheesh. Would I want that train wreck showing up here?

Sigh sigh

Oh for F$#*s Sake

So crazy landlord sent me a text Monday saying "I'm at the Post Office now with a money order. Going to put it in the mail" to which I responded "Sure you are" And....nothing.

So I texted her back "I do not believe a word you say. See you in court"

My question is why does she keep saying she's doing it?

My Favorites

Dog photography is difficult. Your subjects don't behave but I always try to capture each client with a picture. These are my favorites

John Edwards

So a fellow blogger has been talking about this and I'm always afraid of taking up comment space with all my opinions so here I go...

His wife has cancer, he WAS running for President, he had an affair, the media found out and exposed it. I'm sorry to my two loyal readers (I probably shouldn't alienate the two people who actually read this:) but the media in this regard disgusts me. What was the reason for bringing this to light? Because he MIGHT have become President? Well he wasn't. Because it's IMMORAL? Oh shut the fuck up those without sin cast the first stone.

I felt this way when the whole Bill and Monica came up. Let Hillary deal with it, I'm pretty sure she can and will. "Oh but he lied!" Yes, and in my opinion he should say "none of your business" and then refuse to speak of it again because it's not my business.

We have found out time and time again that powerful men tend to be philanderers. No I wouldn't want to be married to them but I don't see who it effects their jobs. Unless of course you count the stress of having to dodge THE MEDIA. Sure that could change how they do their jobs but is this something I have the right to know? GRRR.

The thing I find most disturbing is that his wife is dying of cancer, he has children and it could have been kept quiet. Why in the hell was this necessary??

http://www.newsweek.com/id/149280&GT1=43001

Oh my god click number 13

Newton and Lola bunk down for the night:)

A Poll

So we were having one of those nonsensical conversations again and Mark suggested a poll.

What religion is your cat or dog?

Lola is a Wiccan...she likes to frolic naked in nature.

Bismarck and Newton are Muslim...Persian don't you know.

Aknot is a Buddist...a Himalayan.

Hi Travis! I tried to get a video of Lola doing her thing in the sand on a soccer field. She only went partially insane and the wobbly camera will probably make you sick...but I tried. The other dog is the little aggressive guy I posted about before :) Just for perspective Lola is only about 20 pounds so you can see how tiny the other dog is, enjoy!

Progress

This is what the house looks like now. I think Mark is wearing the same clothes as in the last picture and for the record I do buy him new clothes. I just don't let him wear them when he works:)

You've been served!

So last week I paid fifty bucks to the King County Sheriff to have the small claims court papers served on my psycho ex landlord and today I got a letter back saying they were...sort of. The letter says...

...after a diligent search and inquiry, I was unable to find-------, named party, so I served a person of suitable age and discretion, then resident therein at the house and usual abode of the named party, by delivering such copy to and leaving it with co-resident "Clint", who accepted the papers but did not want to give his last name.

So I called the Sheriff's office and asked if this was acceptable to the court and apparently it is. So the next step is to write this all out, get a statement from any and all relevant witnesses and go to court on the 29th.

I'm gonna get this crazy #$@&*!!