The clients have been approved, and the paper work is in progress. I will find out when they will be done for you to sign. Let me know your schedule and we can then figure how to get the papers to you. Our closing is for the  9^th, although the Holiday can slow things down.

Let’s hope that holiday slow down doesn’t happen. I want the money in the bank so I can use a small portion of that money for some more WorldMark points in a deal I worked out almost a month ago — they must be having problems meeting sales because they actually let me leave with all the paperwork — and gave me thirty days to return it. Unheard of in the old days.

Other news is that my birthday trip to Austrailia is off. The only way to make it worth financially (even with the house closing) would have been economy the whole route. That would be just under 20,000 flight miles in a cramped Quantas economy (not economy plus). At least if I were on United, it would be Economy Plus. There is just no way for me to do all the intra-Austrailia flights I’d need to do and still be on the same schedule as the rest of the folks. And then there is always the chance that one of the others on the group would be like the rude one at the Paella Cooking Class at Anitas – and have to be trapped with him for two weeks.

More website and design work today — the front page mock-up file set was zipped and sent to the owner this morning, but no word so far. Plenty of stuff to do in the meantime — like getting lunch and going off to T-Mobile to get a phone. Let’s hope the Burien store has one and that I don’t go on a wild goose chase all over town. I’d call ahead…. that’s right, I don’t have a phone.

More later, maybe

[223.2]

And speaking of work — today is all about suggestions on revising the website to give it a “lighter, less crowded” feel to mimic a couple of other sites that the owner likes. Spent part of the day mucking with logos that arrived yesterday, and the rest mucking with a mock-up of a possible new front page that strips out all the borders. Lots of back and forth with the programmer of the members site (database driven) — one of my duties is to make they have a closer “look and feel” to each other. Then the question is chicken or egg (as in which one came first).

And then there is that damn phone problem:

 It’s a short video clip of the screen spazzing out. The two phones in the running are the T-Mobile Dash at $150 with a two year contract extension, and the Samsung BlackJack for $200 plus shipping and waiting for it, but no contract extension. Will make the decision in the morning.

Chicken and succotash for dinner tonight. Too damn hot to cook much, but it sounds like storm clouds are headed this way — better put the top up on the Bimmer!

[222.6]

Back in the trenches with work because in the afternoon I have a chunk of time taken out for a photo shoot for the Development Office at The Evergreen State College. Dick Francois shows up with the campus photographer (class of ‘78 I believe) and an intern to haul all the equipment around. As they scout locations, MoonSong is busily cleaning the house from top to bottom in case they want an inside shot. Or want to use a clean bathroom.

They (well, mostly the photographer) chose an interesting location — the the midst of the jungle that I call a front yard — THAT’S not going to be good for my allergies that have been bothering me all week. Ah, the things we do for art. Needing a contrasting shot (apparently they will be using two from each of their poster former students) they used Bob with me sitting in the drivers seat. Can’t wait to see those — he did show me one that he took by bouncing off the rear view mirror. CD will arrive sometime next week and I’ll post — or you can wait for Christmas and see it on my Christmas Card.

It will be a short billing day followed by cocktails at Swandas where I can a better feel of how yesterdays meeting really went. I’m always a little jumpy at the beginning of projects. Took food for us (and Dancing Bear, whose is planning on wine and conversation) to cook — well, not us, me. Some of the homemade pasta from last night, chunks of chicken breast, whip that all up with a little olive tapenade, add a salad and another bottle of wine and we are golden (but not arches).

[222.4]

The day climbs towards at 10am presentation of the report that I’ve been working on for the last week and a half. Due to a little confusion (thankfully not on my part) the meeting begins about fifteen minutes late — and unknown to me the head honcho has another meeting scheduled for lunch starting at 11:30. Yikes — a forty page presentation in a short time. Not going to happen — but at least we got through the “investigation” section — leaving him to read “implementation” and “monitoring” on the plane ride home.

You know how when you have a job interview you have no clue how it went. Like that with the exception that it felt four times worse.

It wasn’t until almost five that I got some feedback on the meeting. Apparently it not only went well, but my bill (it being the last day of the month and I do twice monthly billing) had been reviewed by the owner and the bookkeeper and was deemed payable on the 7th.

I had been so stressed by the outcome that I felt compelled to make pasta from scratch to take my mind off it. A basil fettucini was the outcome, and it was delicious later in the day with a little roasted red pepper and artichoke tapenade. Add a steak and a glass of wine and we have dinner.

Lynne came over after dinner to pick up some of the pasta for herself, help me finish the bottle of wine, and pick a bunch of raspberries. Below are some shots of the jungle out front and the more muted backyard:

Back into the trenches tomorrow to start implementing the plan.

[222.3]

First up to today we have the Op-Ed page:

From the Weather Page– well, let’s just say a 10am it was 80 degrees in the house. Guess I’d better move the laptop to the back porch.

From the Arts and Entertainment Section comes reviews of last night food and culture.

Veil (Restaurant). Phillipe Starck chairs and influenced design. Starck white inded — and the food little works of art. I would be easy to dismiss this as so much fluff and so little food, but the flavors from unexpected combinations left us all passing plates like it was a smorgasbord — we ALL wanted to try EVERYTHING. Highlights were the mini-lamb burgers, the lobster mac and cheese, the house make tagliatelle with morels, pancetta, and caramelized onions, a stunning corn and lobster soup. Between the five of us we tried 2/3s of the menu, but none of the desserts — maybe next time. Full menu here. 4.5 on a scale of 5 pancettas. Downsides were the $25 corkage fee and that the air conditioning was on the fritz (you’d think they would offer a complimentary sorbet to cool you down).

And then off to McCaw Hall for the Seattle Men’s Chorus Funniest Songs show featuring Leslie Jordan of Will and Grace & Sordid Lives fame. I went in feeling dragged by my friends — and left giddy. It was truly an amazing show — with songs breaking up production numbers breaking up comedy routine. It just had a nice flow to it. I even got to see my old friend Kevin Carson (their box office manager) up on stage making an announcement — he’s looking great.

Nice to have Rich driving the big old Caddy that five of us can actually fit in (think mommy van with a nicer ride).

And now off to the Classified Section:

We headed back to my house where I proceeded to load them up with:

• set of 18 glasses (6 shot) (6 scotch) (6) champagne for Brandon
• rice cooker and juicer for Ross
• crock pot for Curt
• bread machine for Rich

and Rich is taking my old television as well, but the caddie’s truck is too shallow to hold the TV and all the people — might have to deliver it! Less stuff for the garage sale on the 12th at Curtis’.

[223.3]

At least I got pictures of the Paella (and the other dishes in progress):

The menu was:

• Olives & Marinated Cheese
• Pimienta Tartlets
• Gazacho
• Paella
• Avacado & Orange Salad
• Orange Custard Flan
• Churros
• Both Red & White Sangria

Now imagine 25 people cooking in one kitchen and an outdoor cooking/dining area. Because of time, two of the dishes were made the day before (the Gazpacho and the Orange Custard Flan) because when you start at 7pm, we wouldn’t have eaten until 11 (though that WOULD be very Spanish).

A chaotic, but fun time. For more information http://www.cookingwithanita.com.

After waking up on their basement couch I headed back to the city for a much needed shower. And a bunch of allergy pills. Between Anita and Lars’ cats and everything in bloom because of the heat wave I’ve been popping them daily.

Afternoon of work before Rich (Oly poker buddy) comes over after dropping the boys on Queen Anne to do music shopping before dinner at Veil, some trendy new Queen Anne restaurant that Curt heard about. Guess I’m getting dressed up AGAIN. The plan is for Rich and I to have Manhattans while the boys shop and meet them at six.

After dinner (at 8 I’m assuming) is a Seattle Men’s Chorus featuring Their Funniest Songs and Leslie Jordan of Will and Grace Fame. Yes, I said never another SMC show but Curt strong armed me into it (in exchange for me strong arming him into the 4th of July Yacht trip).

And then home to collapse, for tomorrow I must finish my report (and Gnarlene’s CD Cover).

[220.5]

As part of my research, tonight I’m attending an Events and Adventures cooking class — titled “Cooking With Anita”. Sort of undercover as I’m the guest of Lars and Anita. I met Lars and Anita several years ago through Swanda and have been to their house, but they always did the cooking — and now I’m getting to learn how to make White Sangria and Paella (and other goodies). Can’t wait.

Today’s picture is in honor of Anita — equipment that I think she should buy from me (and that she lusts over) — and now that they are all stacked I can get them in one photo:

On the bottom is a two drawer warming oven, next up the rack is a half sheet convection oven, and on top is the infrared warmer I found at the dump on Lopez. Nice rack!

With luck I’ll have a review tomorrow, maybe I should take the camera for some glorious food shots.

[220.7]

I hope you’ll all click through and view it — let’s pump up those numbers!

Wishing that the damn church would close — I feel like I’m just waiting around to move on with life. Thank goodness for all the work this week as it forces my brain to think about other things. Still have to figure out Austrailia transportation both intra-and international. It wasn’t such a big deal when it was just to/from Sydney, but now the the Melbourne and Cairns legs — and who should interupt this entry with questions about said trip — Swanda, who is putting it all together. It scares me that we think so much alike at the same times.

A quiet night at home after a wild night fixing dinner for Lynne last night. It’s nice to have her in the neighborhood.

[220.8]

So much for finishing that fence before the 4th.

The meeting from hell (anything over an hour) today clocking in at two hours twenty minutes — and for once I wasn’t bored — seems like this was the first “full team” marketing meeting EVER. Wish I’d brought a second Diet Coke in. Seemed rude to leave in the middle.

Great dinner with Lynne tonight — my guinea pig — tonight’s subject was paper-thin (OK — they are 1/4″) steaks — and how to successfully do them on the grill.

The answer = 2 minutes a side and precook nothing since it will continue to cook once it’s off the grill. Hence — first steak great — second (to quote member from Texas) “not so good”.

And tomorrow, the alarm is set — 9:30am sales call. Thank god they are paying me for this.

[220.5}

In my education of E&A I’ve booked a Paella Cooking class for Friday, then a mixer after the meeting with the owner on the 30th, and an event host meeting on the 8th. And then I really need to do the same thing at the three other branches to determine the best practices and get them set in faux-stone. As in, everything changes, sort of like semi-permanent.

No pictures today — but there have been comments on the new deck treatment, so maybe we will post lessons online — or videos.

Shit, speaking of video’s, I have to finish the redo of Gnarlene’s CD artwork — though I am waiting for some single fram shots from the video which is close to being finished. Hey, maybe I’ll post a link to that as well since I was a cameraman on the last scene in the video (or so I think).

More chicken and salad for dinner, more conversations about the garage sale scheduled for July 12th (that’s a Saturday) right on Martin Luther King in Seattle. More news closer to the event.

[220.6]