It's all set and we're getting ready to go-yep, you won't have me around next week.  Its part business and part pleasure.  It will be part fun and part torture.  Who's going?  My husband, our son, his fiancé and me.

Why torture?  Well, our wonderful Sam gets a horrible case of the queasies during road trips, I am worse than a child when it comes to sitting in a small confined space for very long and our luggage and birthday presents for the pleasure part will make for very limited stretching.  And my husband-he won't let anyone share the driving.  He also only stops if HE has to go to the bathroom.

Plus before the pleasure part of the trip we have to do the business part-going to the Furniture Mart in Las Vegas.  I'm not actually sure that Sam and I will have to "do" the mart-but I remember being a child and made to do this event in Los Angeles with my parents for a whole lot of years and I never enjoyed it.  

I'm sure I've mentioned it in several columns through the years, but I'll remind you of my anomaly-I am a woman who hates shopping.  Unless it's produce shopping, I like that.  But this is not produce and I can't just wear comfy jeans and walkers.  I actually have to look good.  

Try doing that with a cast that doesn't allow you to zip and button pants!  And it's too cold to throw on a sundress and sandals-so I had to go buy some nice looking pull on pants.

There's an oxymoron if ever there was one.  I found 2 pairs-one is being shortened.  It has bright green thread as decoration on the side.  Have I mentioned green, of any shade, is my least favorite color in the whole wide world?

I'm sure you're asking-"then why on earth did she buy them?"

They were purchased because they were one of the two pair that looked decent out of the 15 stupid pairs I tried on.

Don't ask.  Let's just say being petite has never been a blessing in the clothes department for me.  

Anyway-back to the reason I won't be on here next week.

Before I forget let me mention why the car will be so cram packed-our pleasure part is going to our daughter's home for our grandsons' 2nd and 3rd birthday party.  Therefore we'll have 4 people's luggage and their birthday presents in the cargo area of my PT Cruiser.  

We bought them one of those "workbenches".  Complete with tools, table and projects.  Seemed like a great idea at the time we saw it, but it sure is a big box.

At least the ride home will be a bit roomier.  

Oh-a few weeks ago I told you all that I had found my best friend from junior and senior high school on Face Book-he lives in Flagstaff only an hour and a half away from my daughter and, as the crow flies, on the way to her house from Vegas.  We're trying to work it out that we'll stop and meet him and his wife for dinner/coffee/reminiscing before we continue on to the rest of the weekend's festivities!  

The last time we saw each other was when we were 18.  Don't worry-we've seen pictures of each other, so a heart attack will not be part of the plan.

As for the big party?  Before it begins, Dylan, now officially 3 will be playing in his very first T-ball game.
Gotta be there for that!  Hope we don't blind the boys with all the cameras.  

Then we will leave immediately after breakfast on Sunday morning to make it back in time to pick up all of our furry kids from their pet hotels.

I offered Sam some of our sea sick pills.  I think I'll take some myself.

Until Valentine's Day weekend-I bid you a brief adieu.

this was a fun story for me-if you wonder what it means for a family to be in a real pickle-check it out:

[Link Removed]

Carine, Your links have been removed, please consider upgrading to premium membership.

In my monthly My Laguna Hills Column here in So Cal-I wrote about a popular dance-for men and the little girls in their lives:

[Link Removed]

Carine, Your links have been removed, please consider upgrading to premium membership.

[Link Removed]

Help!  if you are a member of the MORE community, please vote for this contest story!

Carine, Your links have been removed, please consider upgrading to premium membership.

Lately between the rain, the wind and the inconvenience of the "hand thing"-I was actually starting to feel a bit down.  

Women-ever try applying make-up with your weaker hand?  

Men-ever try shaving with yours?

So has been my life lately. I did master some pretty good skills considering: I've been able to put together dinner most nights. Not serve them, but I did get simple dishes together and into the oven or microwave so hubby to takeover when he walked in. Steamed or roasted veggies that came pre-cut and washed in a bag. Rice pilaf, baked potatoes and baked fish and sausages.  

Okay, nothing to say-"here lives a food columnist", but tasty, nutritious and hot regardless of the situation. I can also tie my own shoes. I quickly made sure I figured out how to make the necessary pot of coffee in the mornings. I even manage to put on my own deodorant. There's a vision for you to think about.

Back to my slight case of the blues-I decided since one of the things that I was not going to be able to manage is using a blow dryer and one of those metal brushes to do my hair, I might as well cut it.

With the appointment made, I risked cast and footing to get there during a torrential downpour. It only rains in California once a decade for a week and this was it. I must have been thinking something along the lines of "why not get a complete rush while I'm doing this? I can get a haircut, a chance at slipping and falling (again) and get out of the house all at the same time."

I had my wonderful hairdresser of who knows how many years (she's also a relative of sorts, my sister's mother-in-law) give me an even shorter version of my usual pixie cut. Hey-wouldn't you have done the same? This I can simply run my fingers through and scrunch with my remaining hand and look a bit like an "old" Halle Berry. (Stop laughing people-you think I can't hear you?)

Now I'm feeling much better about my looks. My make-up techniques are still a bit perquacky and I can't get my skinny jeans on, but my hair looks good. Next in my mission to feel a bit less of a mess is to go out and find pants that don't require zipping, pulling and buttoning and still look more of pants and less like sweats. I guess while I'm at this futile mission, I'll start looking for my "mother of the groom" outfit.  

I looked at the rack at the bridal store-I'm oh so NOT going to wear any of those dresses. That would really give me a case of the blues. I know it's my future daughter-in-law's day to shine and be noticed, but I will not wear what was on those hangers. Ick-I can't believe they sell anything so matronly to anyone.  

Are you wondering why I sound so chipper for a person writing about a case of the blues? Once I got home the raining ceased and the sun came out, just for a few minutes, but it was enough to boost my mood-of course.

[Link Removed]

Carine, Your links have been removed, please consider upgrading to premium membership.