baby+z+072.JPG (JPEG Image, 2112x2816 pixels) - Scaled (20%)

baby+z+072.JPG (JPEG Image, 2112x2816 pixels) - Scaled (20%)

Happy Holidays!

The year has already come to the point again where we celebrate family and friends. We got a tree from Brunie and Jim Poole (Jason's mom and step-dad) today. I was so excited to decorate it (it came decorated but I added to it) It is a living spruce tree that came with a string of lights and the classic wooden children toy ornaments, and little bulb christmas lite ornaments. I added little balls that I had bought in a previous year and supplemented with ribbon. I took some pictures (some with Figaro sniffing the new item in the house) and even some with no flash and movement that look pretty cool, IMHO.

I already wrote a little ditty about Oscar and now I think that I should be thinking about going to bed so that I won't be late for work again tomorrow. I have a very very busy week at work this week as companies think they need to celebrate at fancy restaurants this year. Tonight we had P.S.E. with 50 guests and 5 courses. We have a two big groups next Friday celebrating company parties on the same night in the main dining room.... that will be interesting for the employees of The Herbfarm. I just hope that I can get enough folding help to get through the next three weeks to be conscious for the New Year of 2008

I went to amazon.com the other night when I was half under the influence of ambien and got about half of my shopping done. I really need to look at my online banking to make sure that all is ok with upcoming bills... hehe, I love the holidays. I am excited to give a few gifts that I bought that night. A few feel like "Man.....! This is what's left?!! Make a BIGGER LIST!"..... People shopped early this year it seems. Shopping the malls is nearly useless as it's just gobs of people and useless objects that the people I know have no use for. Not even for a laugh. Jason is a good shopper, he goes in and finds things and buys them. We have gone holiday shopping once and we found 3 gifts for family and 3 gifts for us personally :) We broke even that day. A good day. I think that we will go again and try to find the really hard to find people... like Ron and Carrie! And the people that buy everything they want when they want it. LIKE JASON..... what does a girl get that guy?! I don't know.... For all I know he wants a chunk of cotton from the old folks home because he HAS EVERYTHING HE ALREADY WANTS...

ok, now I am just getting frustrated because I want to make the ones I love happy by buying them things they want. And that is to show them that I care for them throughout the whole year. But things like CD's and candy and random toys just seem weird to me when I have had a few beers and have worked a full day (aka TIRED) I love to get together with my family and friends and close ones to celebrate the year and new things that have happened and are upcoming. but why does it alway turn into 3 weeks of stress and thinking of what does this person want in a material form.?! Why can't I think of this back in August and get it done early?! I hate last minute stuff. Something like making cookies I can understand making last minute, because cookies made in august and given in december are BAD! so some cases are ok.... But It's just so stressful to have buy buy buy in the 4 weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Every year it happens, it won't change either. There might be ONE year in the future, just ONE year, where I get every thing in order and December will be nice and stress free. But until that year comes.... I think I will just have a cocktail and sit on the couch with my sweetheart and watch sportscenter and stress out about how every year is the same! Better go to bed so that I am not late for another busy day at the restaurant Thursday. Love to my loved ones. I am thinking of you all. Some of you a little more than the rest (and you know who YOU are) I do apologize that I am not actually celebrating in person with you at this moment. But on the 24th and 25th are the two days that I will be with you and smile upon being alive. sorry if the gifts are lame, people shopped early this year and lists were short..... Love you no matter what I actually bought to try to show you :)

LVOE ANNE

New male in my life!

This is my nephew, Oscar. He is so cute and sweet. My big brother, Paul and his lovely wife, Tara, have brought the cutest little guy into this world. His name is Oscar (isn't that just the best name ever?!) He is pretty quiet right now, as he is still a baby. Soon, Oscar will be letting this world know what he is all about with the intelligence that both of his parents inhabit. He is already a thinker! You can tell just by the pictures of him. Oscar Elliott was about a month early, born on August 10th. He was not due until the first full week if September ( I think the 7th was the due date). When he was still incubating he decided that it was enough time inside the warmth of Tara and wanted to let the powers that be know that it was time to get to out into the cold world we all know as Planet Earth. He arrived just before 9 pm (8:45pm PT) on August 10th, 2007. His Uncle Ryan and Auntie Emily were waiting, along with Grandma and Grandpa Zimmerman. Auntie Anne tagged along and hung out with Kathy and Nick in the waiting room watching the fish tank. (Grandma Deane wanted to be there but was on vacation in France thinking a full month was okay to be away.... Little Oscar had something else on his mind and wanted to have a story for all of us to tell!! I guess, when he starts talking we'll get HIS side of the story... )... On the T.V. was a Jack Black movie called "School of Rock". A funny little flick to pass the time. As the 7 of us waited (not so patiently) in the waiting room of Northwest Hospital, we read the headlines of August tenth, watched the movie of the week on tv, looked at the nurses station with dismay as they would do their jobs as they would every other day of the week not realizing that one of the most precious people in the entire history of the planet Earth was being birthed. As if people are born everyday in these peoples days.... Whatever! Oscar Elliott Zimmerman was being pressured into the world and we were all anxious to meet him. Paul and Tara had regular visits to the doctor and she had monitored his growth and found that he was done with the womb and should start growing on his own, with air and nourishment outside. Tara was induced nearly a full day before little Oscar was born. Heavy labor was about 3 hours (I think actually closer to 4 hours, but 2 1/2-3 hours of hard, hard pushing labor) before Oscar made his appearance. The doc's and nurses were a little concerned with his lungs, as I was told that they can be very weak when born at 36 weeks. I can't imagine what Paul and Tara must have been feeling once Oscar was born and the doctors and nurses were working so fast and not talking much. Trying to tend to Oscar and make sure that he was breathing on his own and his temperature was high enough. I was also told that premature babies have trouble keeping warm since their skin is pretty thin. The last month of growing inside the womb is basically gaining weight to prepare for life outside of Mommy. When Oscar was born he was only 4 pounds 4 ounces. That's pretty small for a baby to enter the world. But!!! Oscar is a Zimmerman, and is strong. He has a great pedigree to begin with and that is a plus in his direction. He was a little guy under 17 inches (16 and 3/4 to be exact.) But you must understand that height is so OVERRATED in this American society. Mommy Tara is just over 5 feet tall and Auntie Anne is just oh so very slightly taller than that (shrinking by the year, I swear it!) Although, I have no doubts at all that he will over come this small birth height and be a tall one. Who knows, he could be the tallest one in the Zimmerman family. As far as I know, not one of the Z males has gone over 6 feet, let Oscar be the first! I think I'm done growing (in height, that is. Growing in width is always in question.... especially the past few years and the medications the doctors have me on.)

...This entire post was brought on by looking at Oscar's web site that Paul and Tara have made for him. He's already so smart, he posts what is going on in his life and all the things that he is learning. The first Halloween, first joke, baths with Daddy, walks with Mommy, and all sorts of activities that he goes to. Even friends he meets and things he hopes to do in the near future. It's a great web site. If you have a few minutes to check out incredible pictures and astonishing writing by someone who was born only months ago, please visit oscarzimmerman.com. I am so proud to have him as my nephew (first "official" nephew). He is so cute, so innocent, so smart! I only hope to show him the good parts of Jason and my world (basically Seattle sports) I hope that he likes me as a Auntie and he doesn't think that I am a total nerd. I admire Tara and Paul for bringing such a sweet person into our lives and I eagerly await his future as I am a little part of his life. I hope to be a good influence in his life. I want only good things for him to learn and be a good human and contribute to this world. New life can be such a wonderful thing. Welcome little Oscar, to this little world of ours. I love you so much already :)

Oscar’s Musings

I like this song.

Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars video

[via FoxyTunes / Snow Patrol]

Chasing cars was the one song during the Summer of 2007 that I really liked and turned up every time it came onto the radio. So I thought that I would try something new with my blogger and try to get into writing again over the fall and winter when the service days at work start to slow down a bit. Anyways, enjoy this little ditty that is a love song, in my humble opinion, or simply mute it and read all of my annoying facts that are going on in my life these days. Which, in all honesty, is not much with the work schedule that I'm getting used to again and trying to be a best employee at the same time. More later as I am supposed to be sleeping and getting up early to greet a delivery at work at about 7:30 in the MORNING. I don't think I'm as much of a morning person as I once was. Especially when the weather turns very humid and cooler... Sleep is good. Jason is good. Smiles are good. I love ya all.

very soon,

Anne

Drunk thoughts!

here are the thoughts pf a drunk person. I hate Who I have become in the[past year. I used to stand f or something, bit now I just sleep it away. I used to have people who could stand up for me, but now don't know who I am because I ssleep the dya away. I may have cancer, I may be just batteling wit h my won head. Most likely the later, but who knows, I may be the one of those thiousands who die every year of cancer that you hear aboiut but don't rea;;y take the time to think about. I heard from a specialist that I have to see some one else to rule out all of thses other cases. One of them being cancer that my grandfather died of. The most healthy minded person I have ever know. The most healthy person I have ever knpw died of this diesease. Colon cancer. I heard these words this week as a reason why I have felt like shit the past year. A reason why I don't want to get up and battle every day. I don't know what to do except fpr numb myself. That is the easiest right now and that is all I can deal with right now. Numb, that sounds nice for the next few weeks until we know the answer is nothing to worry aboiut except for changing my diet and taking a new supplement.

Anne

people suck, weather is hurtful

It is so hard to try to explain how the weather affects me to people who do not understand what I have. Not that I expect everyone to, or want everyone to for that matter. But I get frustrated with myself and my body for getting so tired when cold combined with humid slows me down to a near halt. The entire weekend I had off all I did was laze around and let my arthritis win. I had to make myself get out of bed each day as a consious (sp??) choice. I would have stayed in bed all day of my mind would have let me. Sleep is just better than being awake sometimes.
I went to the arthritis doctor last week and was talking to the nurse about prescriptions and getting them filled (I had an issue with getting the strong drug written prescrip. that I need new each month) and she recently had back surgery and had a prescription for vicodin and she said that she felt weird getting just one filled for the pain after her surgery. And when I was getting one of my prescriptions filled (for vicodin that I usually need as a back-up for when I run out of the stronger stuff or combine with something else when it's a little worse) and the paperwork had not gone through due to confusion of a relayed message the prior week before. And the nurse happened to mention to me that the Pharm. person said something about how many drug stores I go to to get my presciptions filled at (I use three different pharmacies for different things, although I have had a few one time prescrips filled at many different places.) I get the idea that the person that the nurse was thinking that I was either abusing the drugs that I was being prescribed or selling them and I was a dealer. It has just made me feel weird and made me think about how many places I have had prescriptions filled at and what the people behind the counter think of me when I go and pick something up. The nurse told me that she told the person at Bartells that I was not a person that either abuses or sells prescription drugs and not to think of me like that and put me on the good side of people that come and get drugs from their store. I don't know why it has bothered me so much, but I feel like I am snickered at everytime I go and get a pain prescrip. filled. Not just at that store but all of them. I never gave it a second thought before last week, but now I only want one place and want to build a personal relationship with one store and say "FUCK YOU" to all the rest. But damn, I just moved in the past year and my doctor is pretty far away from me at late hours in the business day, so I may occasionally get something filled at a location that is still open so that I am sure to get it filled. Stupid stupid people with their damn looks and comments. I know the world is not perfect, neither are the people in it, but don't they understand that there are other people out there that may not abuse a drug that is "popular" to abuse at the current time, and HEY! they may take it as the doctor actually prescribes?! HEY! maybe, just maybe there are people out there that do not need to sell drugs to make a living and try to do the best they can with what they have. AND maybe I may get something done in the place I am at the time, or just don't know what the correct process is to get something transfered from one pharmacy to another? I am just a person who calls the number on the bottle when I need a refill and if it happens to be at different locations, what do I care, it's not out of my way, it is all within the same stomping grounds (mostly). So in closing, fuck all you people who are in a industry that deals with people who get a anti-biotic every 10 years and people who are struggling with chronic illnesses that need drugs every month and because of our fucked up people these days we can't go get a simple medicine that helps us function day to day without the second looks from those who dispense these and deal with the insurance companies. I have a hard enough time just dealing with what I have going on, I really don't need the petty remarks and thoughts that I know you are thinking to make me go farther back in the darkness that I already live in.

MY view

I know that I have not written in quite a few months. We finally got moved into our new place and it's all ours. We brought Figaro (my kitten of 12 years) from Mom and Dad's house. Jason is still working his magic at The Jones, which is a short 199 STEPS from door to door (which makes for approx. 2 minute commute) and getting GREAT reviews from local media. The Stranger just gave a review, published released on January 17th, gave a outstanding review which has made business very strong the past week! There is even a picture of Jason (a "action" shot which is slightly blurry)! I am so glad that is is finally getting recognition for his talent for what he does as second nature in the kitchen. I'm glad to be his loving sidekick :)
I am still at The Herbfarm and celebrated 5 years as Dining Room queen back in December of 2006. I still am so grateful for the assistance of Katelyn, a college student who sets up one day a week and does a majority of the linen folding for me. I still really do enjoy my job, which is suprising for someone who usually gets bored with things I HAVE to do, such as ... work.... But really it's kinda funny how every day at work I still like making things all pretty and proper. I guess I have found my so called "calling".
The other aspect of my life, sports, is in a pause for the most part. The Mariners finished the season under .500. Oh well, good thing I have a love for the sport and know that we are still building toward a great run very soon. The Seahawks made the playoffs again! The made for a very interesting run in the two playoff games they were in. In the wildcard playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys it was a "edge of your seat" finish with the home team coming out on top and advancing to the Division playoff round against the Chicago Bears. That game was another exciting game! The Seahawks were viewed as 9 point underdogs and made a game of it going into overtime and eventually giving way to a loss with a field goal made thier kicker Gold after the the Seahawks failed to score on their series. Although, I must commend the Seahawks on a great season dealing with many injuries (of KEY players such as the quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and 2005 NFL MVP Shaun Alexander) All and all they made a great run out of what they had to work with and there were so many close games this season. Josh Brown, in my humble opinion, had to be team MVP. He scored so many crutial points throughout the entire season. Next season the leauge better watch out because the Seahawks are going to dominate all over! I am excited. As far as the playoffs go (and they do go on without Seattle) The Bears defeated the N.O. Saints today to advace in the NFC to the Super Bowl. And in the AFC, the Indiana Colts came back and beat the New England Patriots in a quarterback duel to become the Champions of the AFC in 2006. Super Bowl 41 will be played in Miami and will be a battle of the Chicago Bears and the Indiana Colts. ESPN is reporting the it is the first Super Bowl where not only one African American coach will represent a team, but two! Head coach Dundy for the Colts and Coach Lovie Smith for the Chicago Bears. Enough about football, the loss last week still hurts...

FIGARO STOP MEOWING! this cat is insane and sits and meows just to drive everyone NUTS!! He must miss the outdoors or something, i don't know but I am at my witts end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jason has gone to Southern California for 4 days to set up his brothers fish tank and celebrate Sandy's birthday and Figaro knows that he is gone because he has been NON STOP meowing from 10 pm (when J usually gets off work) until I pass out and can finally ignore it. It's been 3 hours of him meowing and I think I just might have to lock Figaro in the opposite side of the apartment because I can't take it anymore.

I'm going nuts. 

Closing time

We are currently closing the door on the experience at 6247. Our new experience at 1013 will begin shortly. Shifting spaces. That's a good term I think for what we are doing. Our roommates just signed a lease for a house that is on the other side of Roosevelt, we will still be neighbors! I can't tell you how happy that makes me. We are already making plans for meeting nightly at the local bar (not The Jones) The Resivore. It's a dive bar that has pool, shuffleboard, and darts, plus cocktails! I'm not so much a beer drinker but I like mixed drinks. The roomies got back from signing the lease tonight and we celebrated by drinking some beers (for the men and I had rum and coke) and watching the baseball game.
SPEAKING OF BASEBALL!!! what a game tonight! The Seattle Mariners are playing the Devil Rays of Tampa Bay and we were tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the 10th inning. Ichiro got a double leading off the inning, Jose Lopez bunted him over to third on a sacrafice. Then the DR's intentionally walked Adrian Beltre AND Raul Ibanez to get to Richie Sexson! What a mistake that was. Richie Sexson looks at a ball down low for the first pitch. The second pitch was a meatball for him and my goodness, he was HUNGRY! He hit that ball just off the hands for a Grand SLAM homerun over the centerfield fence into the beer garden where it was caught by a young man in a red sweatshirt without a glove! It was a great ending to a great pitchers duel. A game that saw two runs scored through the first nine innings by both teams combined. The Devil Rays were hoping that Sexson would ground into a double play or making a out at any base by having the bases loaded with Mariners, but young teams make young mistakes like that. I think that if I was managing a ML baseball team that I would not have made that same move for the situation. I am just a fan though and maybe nine times out of ten the play would have worked in the Rays favor, but tonight I am so happy that it went Seattle's way. Seattle was swept by the division leading A's over the weekend and made the Mariners fall 6 1/2 games back for the lead in the AL West Division. I know that we are NOT out of the race by any means, but it is so frustrating losing the last 12 games to the damn A's of Oakland. They aren't even that good this year, granted they have a better record than we do, but they are so weak in so many ways. Like I have said from the begining of the season, I really like the chemistry of the team that we have this year. So many players are having good seasons, like Lopez, he was an All Star! A super surpise at second base this year. And Bentencort at short is so amazing, and he is also heating up at the plate recently. He went from hitting about .270 to over .300 in the past three weeks. Ichiro is having a typical Ichiro year hitting well over .300 and steller defensively of course. I could go on and on about each and every player on the roster, but if you don't know about these guys already please, I beg you, tune into the games and watch the product they are putting out there. It's fun to watch. Young phenom Felix Hernandez pitching is fun with his fastballs, Jamie with his changeups, Meche having a wonderful Ace season, and Putz closing the games is a perfect sweet surprise at the bull-pen end of things. Also in the pen, keep an eye on the young guy we brought up a few weeks ago by the name of Mark Lowe. Went from AA to the Majors in the matter days. He has been lights out and has the eye of a bulldog, never scared and wanting the ball every game.

That's all for now. Must close shop and get rest before we open for business again.

Anne