Time to retire?

Admittedly, there are two things I miss about being married: having someone who handles the finances and someone who takes care of the cars. (There's actually one other thing I miss...but let's not go there...)

Anyway, the other day I came out of work to find my front tire nearly flat. I stopped at the gas station and put air in the tire only to find it flat again by the time I got home.
The car is seven years old--I bought it used--and I am embarrassed to say, I have no idea how old the tires are. I took a few minutes to look at all of the tires and thought they looked a bit worn out and I was kinda bummed to think I would have to buy new tires...I know they're not cheap.
I was also concerned about going to the tire place...you know, a woman who doesn't know how old the tires are, doesn't really know if they are in decent shape or not and didn't even know what size they were. (Funny tho, I can remember that our Volvo Wagon took 195-60-15s--that must have been drilled in my head...) People are constantly warning me about being ripped off by mechanics or repair people. No, I don't see myself as that kind of woman, but I'm sure no one really does. I do know that I am WAY too trusting of people...it's hard for me to believe that any one would try to pull one over on me.
I made an appointment at Action Tires in Mission Viejo...a place we took our cars for tires over the last 20 years. When I went in, Graham at the front desk was SO kind. I told him what was going on...flat tire, filled it up, flat again, tires look a little shabby, etc.
Then I said, "Graham, I don't think I need new tires....I would just like your professional opinion on what needs to be done." He smiled, offered me a cup of coffee and said not to worry...they'd take care of it. I enjoyed the coffee (surprisingly!) but worried just the same. He could come back and tell me the tires were all shot and I would believe him. He could charge me an arm and a leg to change them all out...and I wouldn't have a clue if I had been ripped off or not.
A few minutes later Graham came to the waiting area and said, "Miss Hibbard, your tires are in good shape...though they DO need to be rotated. Oh, and we found a screw in that front one. We'll fix it for you."
I thanked him and thought to myself, Yikes, wonder what this is gonna cost me. Rotated? I wonder if that's just a scam!
I had no choice but to trust Graham at that point. He seemed like a bright kid--probably about the same age as my son--articulate, polite and very professional.
As he came back in, Graham said, "Ok Miss Hibbard...you're all set."
I thanked him and asked what I owed. (I had taken my credit card out of the lock box that morning and was prepared to put a chunk on it if necessary.)
"That'll be $10," he said as he handed me the invoice to sign. Seriously. Ten bucks.
I looked at him and smiled! "TEN dollars? TEN? Really?" I was amazed.
He said, "Yeah, the rotation is $10...we didn't charge you for the flat fixing...it was no big deal."
I thanked Graham, paid the bill and as I drove off I realized they had even washed my windshield.
See? Good as new!
And here you were all worried about me being ripped off...

iLove music!

iSpent a couple of hours on iTunes yesterday.
iLost way too much time and iSpent way too much money...
iLove music so much! iBought music from The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, Counting Crows, Joe Jackson and iFound way more stuff that iSaved for next time!

iSo enjoy putting on my 'recently added' playlists each time iAdd songs to my iPod.

iKnow...iAm a dork
(Hey, there's gotta be a way to work iHop and iKea into this)

Accidentally in Love

My mother knows that I love Mc Dreamy--Dr. Shepherd--Patrick Dempsey...so guess what she gave me for Mother's Days? Yep...the Patrick Dempsey doll!
Looks just like him, doesn't it? (It's not life size.)

Spent the whole day getting stuff for Zac's graduation party this coming weekend.
Yeah, I'm just a little bit proud.
Highlight of the day...
bought myself a birthday present...
Tickets to Counting Crows/Maroon 5
Really Good Tickets
Life is SO good.
(Sorry, Allison...you will be in Kenya!)

Just aMother day in paradise

It's been an exciting activity-filled weekend...and I am exhausted!
I'm gonna let the pictures help tell the story of the day...

So, yeah...I worked the Mother's Day brunch and then Allison and Bethany met me (and the banquets team) for dinner at Montage. What a treat! Sushi and prime rib and waffles and CHEESE and wine and chocolate cream puffs and more CHEESE!
Took a walk down by the water...wow...what a glorious day.
I am SO grateful for all the goodness of life!
This mother is OH so happy tonight...

So, after the graduation...

Allison sang at Saddleback tonight! Fantastic job!

We ran into our favorite BLOGGER--Heather!

...and a whole bunch of other friends!

I worked with Dan at Saddleback for several years.
Just the "MOM" part of the tattoo was there in those days!

Oh my precious baby girl.
Gotta say...this was a pretty good day to be a mom.
The best Mother's Day gifts ever!

Welcome to the Grad Illusion

So tomorrow my son, Zachary, will graduate from college...I truly could not be more proud of him! The last few years have been tough--he's sacrificed and worked really hard to achieve this incredible goal. His degree is from Loyola Marymount University--a Bachelor's in English with an emphasis in writing. And MAN can he write!

I have talked to Zachary a couple of times in the last few days...he has to move out of the dorm and has been looking for a place to live up in LA. He has a great job up there and, well, his life is up there now.
And I have been choking back tears all week. It's not so much that my youngest child is graduating from college. Really! I don't even think it's the fact that FORTY FIVE is about a week away as well...
I think it's realizing that my kids are totally grown up! Totally!
Which means I should be too.
Suffice it to say, I rarely feel 45 and I rarely feel like it could be possible to be these peoples' mother! I have a really hard time checking the box that says 'age: 40-50' on an application.
Seriously! How can it be? I still can't balance my checkbook. I still would rather have a beer than a nice glass of wine. I still sing at the top of my lungs in the car (and in the house too!) I still take off my clothes and leave them on the floor. I never make my bed. I never go to the market. I never watch the news. Never! I only do laundry when I am completely out of underwear. I stay up way past my bedtime to watch the end of a Dodger game.
Come on, I blog all night long and eat cereal for dinner!
But I look like a grown up on the outside. And that's the illusion.
Can I tell you something you maybe never knew?
You will always feel the same as you do right now. The same. You don't ever 'feel' older on the inside. Only every once in a while, when I get a glimpse of myself in a mirror, do I realize that I don't quite look the same as I used to on the outside. Inside--I feel exactly the same.
So, my 23 year old baby boy will be 'walking' tomorrow.
The cap and gown--the pomp and circumstance--the speeches and diplomas--and the tears. I know there will be tears.
The real illusion will be that those tears are for Zac. But most of them are for me.
I know it's time for me to grow up.

Oh baby!

Michelle Duggar is now pregnant with baby #18!
She looks so good! And so happy!
Michelle also home schools them all! What a woman!

The Duggar children are: Joshua, 20, Jennifer, 19, Jana, 18; John-David, 18; Jill, 16; Jessa, 15; Jinger, 14; Joseph, 13; Josiah, 11; Joy-Anna, 10; Jeremiah, 9; Jedidiah, 9; Jason, 7; James, 6; Justin, 5; Jackson, 3; and Joanna, 2.
Ms. Duggar is due with her 18th child in December.
If it's a girl, I think they should name her Julie.