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 Anthony |
Today
at work I got to see Anthony, the greatest barista in Seattle (now
that I'm retired). We also painted the office wall to test which color we liked best. So far I think the lightest blue on the right will win. The second one is okay, but may be depressing in the winter. |
 Blues |
 Giftie |
Tonight
we 6rmsers celebrated
Jon's birthday at... wait for it... SIX ARMS! It's Thursday night,
ya know. I planned to wrap Jon's gift (an Eddie Bauer shirt) in brown
paper and cover it with the meat stickers that I bought him, but I
forgot to get the brown paper at work, and I wanted him to be able
to use the stickers himself, so I wrapped with a festive Christmas
theme. I will probably go to hell for that. The card says "Layin' the Raccoon Smackdown" because Jon and Sean and I were driving home from my Uncle Steve's in Indiana in 2001 and Jon hit a raccoon and it was a BIG raccoon and it was disgusting. It lifted the car. I'm pretty sure we shredded it with three of our four tires. We could hear it. And we will never let him live that down. |
 Any meat in there? |
 Cheers! |
 Part of the crowd |
 Monica & Noah |
 Fernanda, Me, Kolja |
Speaking
of raccoons, but not at all, it was horribly hot again today. We looked
over our finances and discovered that the air conditioner will not
become a part of our family until Sean's next paycheck. Which saddens
me. Saddens me to swearing. And those of you who know me know that it takes a LOT to get me swearing. Like, any given ten seconds of time. But if the cats could swear, they would, because they are hot. And really, knowing my cats and the personalities they have, Dommi would be swearing in French, Hobbes would have Tourette's, and Jalen would say things like "that's handy!" and "Could I have that please?" • link |
 Matt, Sean, Jon |
 Caitlin was there with friends |
07-28-04
Welcome to the world, Sunny!
 Sonia Christiana |
 Alison, Sonia, Patricia |
 Alison & Jim's house |
 Marc & Ryan |
| Work.
Heat. Home. Baby Shower. Heat. Home. I just don't have any energy on days like these. And after about six days in a row, I melt into a puddle of pointlessness. Hobbes keeps trying to type for me. It's cute maybe the first seven or so times. Sean's brother Ryan is coming to visit us this Friday through next Thursday! Ryan is 21 now. Whoa. It's funny to see Joe and Jean blogging up a storm as soon as they start. Go visit them. And see Cyndi's letter to her girls, too. Cuz I'm too pooped to blog right now. |
 Ryan |
 Ryan & Sarah ("I thought this party was for me!") |
07-27-04
| Besides
today being Jon's birthday,
I don't have much to report. I spent a large part of this afternoon
looking at Seattle
area restaurants with the most health-code violations. Did I ever
tell you that I used to want to be a restaurant health inspector?
I didn't? Well I looked into it in the 90's here in Seattle, and had
some people call me with the info of how I could become an inspector.
Masters Degree. 6-12 month internship. Low pay. Forget it. It's still too hot which leaves me with very little motivation. I spent a good part of tonight swearing while working on a very detailed little project. I would tell you more, but Alison's Baby Shower is tomorrow night, so that will have to hold you over (Alison visits this site). Here is a very sad story about a Dayment that I would like to contact. And give him a hug. Us Dayments, we survive house fires. I know this first-hand. (Note to my step-brother Todd at IU - find this kid for me and tell him I love him.) |
 Jalen: Shorn, Toothless Wonder, Laughing (Okay, pre-sneeze) |
07-24-04
Hot Hot Heat
 |
It's
so nice to see others
writing
about
the
Seattle
heat
wave.
It makes me feel like I'm not alone. Not that it really helps, but
we
are
all
suffering,
and that's
just
lovely. I had just barely managed to stomp out of the shower, and the thought of getting dressed upset me, so I collapsed on the bed in protest. Sean came along and said "Let's buy an air conditioner." Now, Sean and I have had this conversation before. After our house was broken into last August, our one main source of air was no longer usable. The kids punched in our 1950's custom metal screen, which wasn't replaceable, and therefore we didn't open that window anymore. Rendering our house even more miserable hot during heat waves. I argued that we didn't need an air conditioner in Seattle for the three-days-a-year heat waves, but then again, that doesn't mean that we would only use an air conditioner three days a year if we had one. "They're less than $200 at Lowe's - I looked online. We'll put it in the living room window and it will fill the front room - we'll put a fan in the hallway to spread it to the back of the house" |
We hopped into Sean's un-air-conditioned car and went to Lowe's. They had two mega-massive air conditioners left on the entire EMPTY warehouse row for air conditioners. The kind we can't use.
Home Depot? Sold out. K-Mart? Sold out.
We went home to make some phone calls.
Let me tell you the following stores, besides the three above, that are sold out of their air conditioners today:
JC Penney, Sears, Fred Meyer, Best Buy, Costco, Wal-Mart, Target. JC Penney said they were getting a shipment in on Wednesday. The operator at JC Penney knew the order date for air conditioners. Because she's been answering air conditioner inquiries all day.
Next week is supposed to be in the 80's all week. I told Sean "I don't care if it's COLD next week - buy an air conditioner anyway. I don't want to be in this situation again."
Six years we've lived in this house, and the last summer we live here, we get an air conditioner. Duh. I know. I don't care. We'll leave it here and sell it to our landlords (a great aspect for the rental listing!) or we'll take it with us depending on the windows of our next residence. Either way, I'm having a party at the end of this month (Friday August 27 - mark your calendars now), and on the E-vite I'm gonna put: AIR CONDITIONED PARTY!
 |
 |
They
look awful, don't they? Yeah, they don't care. |
|
 Jon, drunken bartender |
 Our table |
 Late |
We
did finally make it to the party after the sun went down and I could
actually bring myself to drive somewhere without air-conditioning.
And once it was completely dark, and we were right along the water,
it was downright chilly. Chilly I tell ya! Most of the gang
had been there for quite some time and it was winding down but I'm
glad we were able to visit for a couple hours. We missed the Lighting
of the Tiki Torches*, and the games and contests, but there's always
next year. (* I do have a video of this forthcoming.) Another highlight of the evening, which I was able to witness, was a drunken, sleepy, heat-stricken Jon in the front seat of my car, with Kolja and Sean in the backseat with their showtime hats on. Oh man were they entertaining. Sean gave us fine co-renditions of "Hot Child in the City" by Nick Glider and "Lido" by Boz Skaggs with Kolja doing back-up where he could. |
 |
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Back
seat rock stars* |
|
That and the fact that it's, like, cleaning stuff.
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*To Whom it may Concern: You have my permission to use that as an adult movie title.
07-23-04
I surround myself with awesomeness
 Me, William, Todd, Andrew, Charles, Chris, Lauren, Caitlin |
 Happyyyyy! |
The guy on the right? Okay, I insist that you all go to the 7-11 on 25th and Blakeley (north of University Village) to meet their clerk. As soon as you walk in the door, he says "Hellooooooo! How are youuuuuuu?" And no matter the reply, he follows with "Are you happyyyyyyyyyyy?" and with his accent its the cutest thing ever. But don't pause in your reply, because that will make him say "Happy! Happy! HAPPYYYYY!!!!!" I've been there a few times and I look forward to his greeting. The other day I walked in and we went through this, and the guy behind me walked in, and the guy said "Hellooooooo! How are youuuuuuu?" And the man replied "I'm HAPPY!" and the guy was just thrilled. As ridiculous as it is, I always walk out of there smiling. Or laughing. He sometimes gets confused between "thank you" and "you're welcome" so you'll give him money and he'll say "OH! You're WELCOMMMMME! (nod nod) welcome! welcome!" and you say "uh, thank you?" I'm coming up with reasons to go to 7-11 lately.
 (Is he holding up my boob?) |
 Sean, Jeff, Me, Samantha, Samantha |
Also on the sidewalk? Jeff and Samantha. No clown noses, but still quite entertaining.
(You gotta work with me here - there's two Samanthas.)
We hung out at the Wok & Grill eating outside - it was just so stifling hot. Samantha and her pals hung out for the party but we had to go home so we could open the windows in our house. During heat spells, we have a very short window of time to circulate cool air through our house - usually about midnight through 6 a.m.
I keep forgetting to mention - Joe and Jean have a website now - so you should all go over there to wish them well in their wedding plans.
Please send rain.
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07-22-04
Alcyone Apartments Grand Opening
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Alcyone is
Jon's most recent project at South Lake Union in Seattle. They have
a few different layouts and stupendous views (including a direct view
to the Space Needle), a community pea patch garden for residents,
a clubhouse with a big deck, etc. They are lovely. Even cooler, though, are the live/work lofts. Amy is convinced that Jon designed them just for them. It's very industrial and stark - the floors and ceiling are concrete. But oh MAN the main level entryway patio with the garage door! Too cool! The parties you could have! And that's what's important! Amy says if Jon doesn't move there with her, she'll look for another roommate. |
 Looking up to the loft |
 Standing on the outside patio looking in |
 Jon watering the garden |
 Amy washing onions |
After
the tour we went to their pea patch garden, which is right across
the street, and Amy gave me a bunch of onions and a carrot with two
legs. Then we went to Six Arms. I ate too much. I don't suppose I'll get much sympathy from my Vegas friends for this, but it's supposed to get up to 95 and 96 degrees tomorrow and Saturday, and if it does, we will break the high temperature record. Yeah, not bad in Vegas but you have air conditioning. I fear that my fish are going to boil in their tank. This is way outside of my comfort zone. One last thing... a co-worker of mine was friends with this woman.(she died) |
Teahouseblossom, if you don't visit me, I will cry.
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07-20-04
Finally got to take a nap after work today. Put up the pictures from Jason's birthday party.
Sean is presently on the phone with this cousin Christa, who we Googled to find her phone number. I mentioned Christa here and here. She has a baby daughter! We had no idea.
Got a lot done today, including meeting another woman on the Canadian Immigration e-mail list who's in Seattle, married to a Canadian, and applying for the same thing we are. Yes, of course we're having her over for dinner next Tuesday night. It will be nice to go over application notes with her.
The guy who bought Sean's car on Ebay is in Arkansas. Ummm. Not sure how that's going to work out, or how we're getting paid. I'll keep you all posted.
Tomorrow: Seattle Weblogger Meetup, Thursday: Alcyone Open House and Six Arms, Friday: Samantha's Going Away Party, Saturday Emily's Parent's Summer Theme Party.
Please send speed.
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07-19-04
Heat. Peanut Butter Hugs cookies AND chocolate bundt cake. Packing Ebay shoes. Factoria. Capitol Hill. Cousin's birthday party. Kitten. Headache.
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07-18-04 pm
Today's CANstruction by the SDA
Another crazy internet reunion story. See, I'm selling all those shoes on Ebay, remember? And I get this e-mailed question from a prospective Ebay buyer, which Sean and I are swimming in because of his car on Ebay, but this question is for a pair of shoes. And it goes:
Dear daymented,
Here I am shopping for pink sandals but this seller has 0 feedback. Then there's something familiar about "dayment", don't know what so I have to check it out. Staceeeee Culver!! WOW! It's Donna (Starkweather) who went out with your dad a zillion years ago when we worked at the Palace Station. AND I worked with Sean at the Nugget. And I had the twin boys I kept trying to push on you? Remember me? Ain't this internet amazing! BTW, I like these shoes. Can the elastic be taken off? And where are the buckles? Thanks.
Now you may be thinking "hey that's cool, another online reunion" but you, Blogaslovakians, know Donna as well! She's the woman I mentioned who let me borrow all the Beatles albums that Valerie Smith stole! Remember? And yes, I have written her back to find out what ever happened with that (i.e. Did my Dad get the albums back with a baseball bat and I just didn't know about it? Or did he give Donna something as an apology? Or do I still owe Donna about a grand for an original Beatles album collection?)
Crazy.
Speaking of crazy, this morning I was all happy that it was so cool outside, and therefore I wouldn't melt while driving around all day for CANstruction, but alas, I melted.
Tonight a bunch of my Ebay auctions ended, and about five pairs of shoes didn't sell. Bummer. I am re-posting them with a lower price. Sean's car is doing well though!
I can't believe how much I updated my site this weekend. And I have three loads of laundry to fold and put away. I need a weekend to follow this weekend.
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07-18-04
Mike & Viv's Party Last Night
If I could remember anyone's names, I would have written more. It was a great time.
Today I run around - more like hurry up and wait - to deliver food for the CANstruction Awards Banquet, which is in the middle of Bite of Seattle, meaning horrendous traffic. I called my homie David Johnson at Applebee's corporate and he hooked me up with food for fifty, but I gotta pick it up in Factoria (if you don't live in Seattle, this is out of the way). But thankfully it's not 85 degrees today so I won't melt in my car.
I would write more (and you know this) but I gotta run!
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07-17-04
 Joy |
My
dudes. Here's that thingie that my cousin Laura makes - I called her for the recipe and posted it on the Recipes Page. It was really quite easy - we made the goo last night and baked it this morning - and it really helps to have the spinach defrosted ahead of time. Here's Josh & Emily's Baby Shower page. It was hosted by a bunch of us at Amy's Mom & Dad's house just up the street from us. It was a very big turnout for a Baby Shower, but I guess when you add all of the significant men, that can happen. So that's Party Number One of the day. Later tonight is Party Number Two of the day - Mike and Viv are having a cocktail/appetizer party tonight on Capitol Hill. Do you remember Mike? Mike's the guy I knew when I was 14 living in Bloomington, Indiana, and reunited with here in Seattle last Christmas. I love the internet. Oh, and Heather? The triple batch of your salad was all eaten! • link |
07-16-04
| Took
these immigration pictures Monday night - I need about twenty of them.
Okay, maybe not twenty. Maybe like eleven. I don't know anymore. My
point is, we searched for a white wall in our house (have you seen
my house? White walls are hard to come by). Once we found one in the
laundry room, we took a bunch of pictures (while Dominique wove a
figure eight through my legs going Mrrrrrow! Mrrrrow!). I then spent
all this time on Photoshop making sure my face was 1 3/8" from
crown to chin and the whole image was no bigger than 1 3/4 inch and
blah blah blah - all these rules for exact measurements. I then copied
it twenty times and had Sean print it on photo paper at Kinko's. Then TODAY on the Canada Immigration Club list, someone posts about the photo requirements, and people respond with "not on glossy paper" and "don't show your teeth" and I have twenty pictures of myself showing my teeth on glossy paper. Perhaps I'll send one out to each of you. Nah, it's a crappy picture anyway. /end immigration post |
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I also forgot some small thing twice which meant that I went to the store three times in the past twenty-four hours, but that's pretty normal for me.
Today Hobbes had his head pressed against the back patio screen, so I walked over to see what it was that he was looking at, and found myself looking at a small...bird. Compact, sassy, chirpy, black with a gold head. It said Hi. I said Hi. Hobbes said Hi.
She was beautiful - much smaller than a normal chicken. But she turned around and I saw her whatever those are - the big butt feathers (man I wish I had some of those - what fun they would be! I think they would be even better than a tail sometimes. Sometimes.) She was completely comfortable with me, even though she was right at my feet with only a screen between us. She sang, she did the do-see-do, she did the hokey-pokey.
"Seaaaaaaaannnnn? There's a... pheasant? Cornish game hen? in our back yard!"
He said Hi. She said Hi.
Sean went over to our neighbor's house and told George "There's a strange bird in our back yard - it could be a chicken" and it turns out that George and Sylvia just got this new chicken. Because she's so small it was easy for her to break out of the pen to come visit us.
I enjoyed this thoroughly. It's not often that the chickens come over introduce themselves. And they should.
One last story - Sean was at work and made some comment about something being ghetto, in front of an employee who lives in the ghetto. She said "Actually, we call it 'jhetto'".
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07-15-04 pm
 |
Mrs.
Dayment is tired of filling out paperwork. The table to the left is
our paperwork so far (and note all the post-it notes attached to the
applications). I never mailed my state and FBI background clearances
today because I had about twice the stuff to fill out as I had planned. And I'm grumpy. And I missed Six Arms tonight to fill out more paperwork. I want this sucker IN THE MAIL. In other news, Sean's Corrado hit its reserve mark on Ebay. That has us very relieved. • link |
07-15-04
Only because I woke up at 5:30 this morning...
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Last night was Girlie Movie Night:
 Watching Singles |
 Ferra serves dessert |
 It was like this all night |
 MooCow |
 Look - he's talking to me |
Girlie Movie Night was great, as usual, but I over-extended myself again this week, and need to collapse soon. Unfortunately I don't have time in my schedule to collapse until Friday evening. And, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. today for no reason, so I took a walk and decided to update my site while I can.
More to write but I gotta get ready for work... wanna watch something fun over the next two days? Many people are bidding on Sean's car!
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07-12-04
|
Another immigration-heavy day. To see everything I got done, click
here. The big thing? Auctioning Sean's car on Ebay. Funny to go to the Seattle Municipal Police Department and run into Sally. She was filing a report for her stolen cell phone, but still! Tomorrow night is date night with Jon. It's been a while. Wednesday night is Girlie Movie Night installment three. Thursday is taking Jalen to the vet for his allergy shot, then Six Arms since I didn't go the last two weeks. Friday is preparation for Emily & Josh's baby shower (food). Saturday is the baby shower, then the annual KEXP BBQ that night. Sunday is the CANstruction awards banquet, which I plan to attend. I could go on. My Mom wrote to me and said that she and Jeff are going to Niagara Falls next week, and on the way they are going to stay in London, Ontario! I haven't been there since soon after we moved away, so I'm SO jealous. London is beautiful. • link |
 Documented |
07-11-04
For anyone interested: here's my Immigration Page.
Also? Here's my Ebay auctions (to start). Thanks to Amanda for the donated shoes!!!
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07-10-04
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This
is another one of those teeny-tiny sticker photos that Tomoka sends
me whenever she sends a letter from Japan. These things are so funny!
Tomoka! I miss you! Come back to Seattle! I remember telling Tomoka that I wanted her to be my nanny if we ever had babies and she said "Okay!" Tomoka is a good spirit to have around. She was at my house (as a matter of fact, she answered my Dad's phone call) the night that I found out Chad died. Shane was there too. It seems like yesterday. Anyway, I thank Tomoka for the adorable card and pictures and Australian five dollar bill (it's cool looking!). Thursday was Caitlin's birthday (Caitlin is the new assistant at Johnston Architects) and Friday Sally brought in a cake to surprise her. Those of you who can get carrot cake from Alki Bakery, I highly recommend it. And I usually don't like carrot cake! Friday afternoon Caitlin and I met with Heather and Betsy ("Heathers to Betsy!") at the falafel place that has the hot server. It was a good day. |
 The Surprise Happy Birthday lineup |
 Birthday Girl and Andrew |
 Seth, Dan, Nick, Nikki, Maureen, Sean |
After
work Friday, we had our landlords and their boys (and one girlfriend)
over for dinner. I thought I would have a lot of assisting to do,
but it was Sean's day off, and had everything ready (he even mowed
the lawn that day and quasi-tilled the driveway garden!). I'm sorry
the picture on the left is so...casual. It's the only picture I took. Maureen gave us a bit more history about our house - not only did an 8 year-old die in our pool, but her grandmother died in our second bedroom (my office)! Plus they had some weird tenants over the years. This house was built in 1953 and it sure has a lot of history to it. Which makes me love this house even more. I did immigration essays all day today - seriously. Like 10 am to 7 pm. |
17. Personal History. Give details of what you have been doing since age 18, starting with the most recent information. Include jobs held, periods of unemployment, periods of study, and any other use of time, such as time spent travelling in search of
HAHAHAHAHA - have you seen this website in the last four years? Imagine it for FIFTEEN YEARS. That's how much I have to tell them about.
9. Development of your relationship. Describe how your relationship developed after your first contact/meeting with your sponsor (ahhh how romantic - he's my sponsor) and if you and your sponsor dated or went on any outings or trips together. Provide photos and documentary evidence of events or activities in which you both participated.
"Well, we tried sex first to see how that worked out. It worked out pretty well, so there weren't too many outings. Photos will not be provided unless you show me the money." Would that work?
11. Did your sponsor meet any of your close friends or family? Give their names below, their relationship to you and the date your sponsor met them.
You, Blogaslovakians, know how big my family is - and my group of friends. If any of you can't get a hold of me in the next month, it'll be because I'm writing my exact list of when and where Sean met everyone I know. Because everyone I know I consider a close friend or family.
They also want photos and a list of attendees of our engagement party, showers, and wedding and reception. Can't I just write "all the cool people"?
Following that section is:
19. Was there a honeymoon (a holiday or trip taken by you and your sponsor after the marriage)? Provide details. If insufficient space, use a separate sheet of paper (preferably tissue?). Attach photos, if any. (yeeeeah....)
26. a) How do you and your sponsor communicate when you are not together?
We rub our wings together and the vibrations carry to the other. That and phone sex.
26. b) How often and in what language?
Pig latin, and later 133t sp34k.
There are more - so many more.
But on a good note, I received my FBI fingerprint cards in the mail today (That was fast! Two days! Good to know the FBI is on their toes!).
I have nine pages of scanned pictures to edit tomorrow. Fingerprints and hopefully my passport will be this week. And cashing out some of my mutual fund for the medical exam. Things are moving right along!!
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07-09-04
Remember the trip home? And I said there wouldn't be many pictures?
Yeah.
Here's the five pages of my trip home last (long) weekend:
My Trip Home to Hang with my Family
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P.S. Thanks, Estella!
07-08-04
 Good Friends |
 Cookie dough |
| What
a lovely night to come home to - Amanda
and Heather
with pizza and cookie dough in their arms. I couldn't ask for more
with my friends. We sat around and talked for about four hours. (Sean joined us too! He did a very good job sticking with the conversations, even though our discussions were very female.) I edited all of my Indiana photos for the web, but there are about 60 of them, so I need another day or two to put them all online. Come to think of it, it will have to wait until this weekend, since we are having the landlords, their two sons, and their sons' two friends over for dinner tomorrow night, and we're doing prep-heavy, labor-intensive steak tacos. I don't imagine I'll feel like creating vacation pages after that! While on vacation, I got a donation AND a summer CD from Brandy Agerbeck. If you need any handmade jewelry or t-shirts or other cool stuff, please visit her website. (Donations to date are $200.) My Mom sent me an e-mail today telling me she bought a crib. • link |
 Jalen & Amanda |
07-06-04
As Promised...
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Here's
me and Grandma knitting |
 |
Here's
me knitting and Grandma with a lampshade on her head |
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Here's
Grandma knitting and me sleeping at her feet |
That
will have to hold you over for now.
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