So I took a vacation day yesterday. Just wanted to get a few things done: run a few errands and prep for this weekend's neighborhood garage sale.
I also made a visit to my happy place. You know, that calm blue pool of water that some of us have to visit so we stay calm when crap happens. Yep, I went there yesterday.
The day started nice enough. I got up, poked around in my craft room for awhile and then headed out to hit a few of my neighbors garage sales. I'm only doing it today but there were others who did it yesterday too. (In case you didn't know, Friday is a very big garage sale day here in Oregon - I still find that very weird.) After the garage sales, I headed out to do my errands...and that's when it started...my car...it started making a terrible rattling noise. At first I could not believe it was coming from my car. Keep in mind we just spent lots of money replacing the water pump and timing belts or chains or tassels or whatever you call it. I pulled to a side street and confirmed that noise was coming out of my car. Popping, shaking, and making some plain "not good" sounds. I looked down at the temperature gauge and my sweet car car was also overheating! So I spent the next hour and a half of a precious vacation day dealing with getting a tow to the dealer. SUCH a hassle! The good news is that Glen met me at the dealer and took me to lunch so it ended up being an adventure and got to spend some time with my knight in shining armor. What a guy! Thanks again sweety.
So blah blah blah, crap crap crap, I had to go to my happy place several times today. I am; however, extremely thankful that this all happened while we were in town and I had the time to deal with it. We're going camping next weekend so holy moly this would NOT have been a good scene if this happened next weekend!
So back to the garage sales...I found a few fun bits...all for $1.25.
The label maker is really cool. I already have one but this one uses 1/4" tape. Do they still make that? For .50, I was willing to risk it. :-)
Here's a shot of the inside of the book...it's a surveyor's notebook so it's just blank pages with grids. Way cool. 
I also wanted to share some pics of the garden. It is absolutely in it's glory right now.
And then there's the irises. Love these. And they smell like grape kool-aid. :-)
Oh and then there's the raised beds...tomatoes, basil (LOTS of basil, lettuce, anaheim chiles, carrots, squash, sugar snap peas and pole beans.
I dug around and saw I posted a picture of these beds last year but cropped out our neighbors yard because it was just a bunch of overgrown bushes. Well, they thought our raised beds were so cool that they built some too. And they used the exact same wood so it all matches. LOVE that!
Sorry to hear about your car! What a pain :( Like you said, at least it happened when you were able to deal with it.
The garden looks Maahvelous!
Congrats on your new acquisitions
Have a sweet weekend, say Hi to the Glenster and lovely Miranda from Us :)
Posted by: Lilli | May 19, 2007 at 11:04 AM
I'll take 2 gardens, one happy place and a Glen to go!
Posted by: Regina | May 19, 2007 at 02:19 PM
Here I am reading your blog, for the last 3 or 4 weeks and I didn't even realize you were here in Oregon! LOL
Well Hi from Myrtle Creek Or.
Posted by: Erin Earls | May 19, 2007 at 04:18 PM
I'm sorry about the not so smooth 1/2 day but at least you had a marvelous time w/your sweetie. Love the pix of the garden. I really like that grid notebook you got, they are using a lot of office stuff for scrapbooking now.
Posted by: Malou | May 20, 2007 at 02:32 PM
uggghhh, car stuff....I cannot believe but I BOUGHT a new car last week. I have a 2001 Prius and traded it in on a 2007. I knew I wanted to do it, but those car guys....just don't trust a thing out of their mouths, no offense if there are some 'good' car guys out there but .....really....glad you have your special place :)
Posted by: stephanie | May 21, 2007 at 09:07 AM
pretty pictures!! i've been so busy lately, michelle, and i've been really missing your blog. thank goodness for happy places, huh? and congrats on being able to access yours in a pinch. i haven't quite gotten the hang of that one. : )
Posted by: tricia | May 21, 2007 at 09:47 AM
Uurrggg on the car. I KNOW I'm driving on borrowed time with mine. It's a 2001 Forerunner ready for new brakes, tires, something's wrong with the airconditioning...blah, blah, blah. I just turn up the radio and keep driving..... :)
Posted by: Karin (creativechaos) | May 21, 2007 at 12:03 PM
Sad to hear about your car troubles---guess my daughter experienced some yesterday also---she noticed the temp rise way too fast suddenly! Was able to zip to her friend's house where they discovered barely any oil or water---refilled both, & the cars been ok since, but will be going in for a check-up Wed. to see why it leaks...Sure glad you weren't camping yet! Cool finds at the garage sale---and yay for getting your garden going! We just have strawberries beginning to ripen, but nothing else planted for this year yet.
Posted by: Jana | May 21, 2007 at 02:22 PM
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Isn't it true that cats always like to be where the projects are being done? :) I think it's so sweet he follows you around - what a lovely companion he must be!
Your vegetable beds are amazing!! They are .... perfect! I always envisioned our veggie garden looking like that, but the truth is that the weeds are the true masters of our backyard. Think 6 foot tall creeping thistle and you'll see what I mean :) I am enjoying looking at the perfection of yours :) I can see why the neighbors followed suite.
Posted by: Bejeweled | May 23, 2007 at 06:33 PM
Have you tried feeding paper through the letter maker to see if you can create raised letters? That would be cool!
Posted by: Regina | May 30, 2007 at 06:43 AM