amazing

Penelope Jean

Penelope Jean Britton, 67, a resident of Anacortes since 1984, died on December 30, 2008 at Island Hospital, the result of a malignant brain tumor diagnosed in April 2008. Penny was a Christmas baby born in Portland, OR, and was employed as a teacher in the Communications Department at Western Washington University where earlier this year she won the Ronald Kleinknecht Excellence in Teaching Award. Penny attended Oregon State University, graduated with an undergraduate degree from Western Washington University, and held a Master’s Degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She was a licensed private pilot and a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain for Sail and Power vessels. Penny was a member of Trinity Anglican Church in Mount Vernon where she moderated the adult forum. She was a life member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, a Volunteer for Skagit Hospice, and a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She was a member of the Seattle and Anacortes Yacht Clubs. Penny loved to travel and took every opportunity which included trips to China, Japan, England, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and Israel. One trip lasted nearly 2 years during which she lived with her husband on a sailboat and home-schooled her children while visiting ports along the U.S. east coast, the Bahamas, and West Indies. Penelope Jean’s life demonstrated love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, long-suffering and self control. She was a beautiful, thoughtful, gifted and intelligent, woman who let her Lord Jesus direct her paths. People who knew her loved her. Penny was attacked by separate cancers four times. She won three of the fights. She was a strong and steady supporter of groups seeking cancer cures. Penelope Jean is survived by her husband, Dick Britton; 2 sons, Alex and Ben Britton; 2 daughters, Kirsten Young and Bethany Erickson; 5 grandsons, Hunter, Piers, Chance, Eli, and Gavin; 5 granddaughters, Janessa, Chloe, Sloane, Trinity Ruth, and Penny’s namesake, Reese Penelope; sister, Deanna Jenkins; brother, Doug Clayton; many nieces; nephews; aunts; uncles; and a wonderful assortment of in-laws. Plans are being made for a memorial service. Donations should be directed towards your favorite cancer cure seeking organization. Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc., Anacortes, WA and the San Juan Islands.

Penny

Well most sadly for the second time in one year, I (and many others) have had the horrible misfortune to have to say goodbye to an amazing and inspirational professor at Western. Penny Britton was by far my favorite professor during my time at Western. She was kind, unflinchingly funny, caring and inspirational. Penny battled breast cancer three times. She beat it three times. My senior year during my spring quarter while working closely with her, it was found out that she had a brain tumor. When it was removed it was found to be the size of a fist. When she returned from time away she was incredibly upbeat and healthy. When I saw her in the office she screamed, "ahhh Diana! I missed you! Wanna see my scar, it's awesome." I love Penny. Her classes not only taught me so much about Communication, but taught me about my peers, myself and my relationships. I can't imagine the Comm department without the amazing energy and light of Penny Britton. My heart and thoughts go out to her husband and family who she adored and spoke of lovingly and often during class. She's an amazing woman and will not be soon forgotten.

let it rain

The rain is back. This is the Bellingham that I know and love! Thankfully the snow is melting and the world is pretty much back to normal here. Can't wait for it all to be gone!

ps, Merry Christmas ... fools.

pps, I google image searched rain, this came up

Budget

Can someone help me form a budget? I have no money and with all these generous extra days off I'm going to have even less ...

Kiddo

Owner of the company called me kiddo today. It's spreading. He then told me that all cookies reside in Cashmere. Also he told me that he loves Aplets and Cotlets. I believe that his exact words were, "Diane, you going home for Christmas? They have those Aplets and Cotlets things there don't they. I love those things Kiddo." Previously in the day he told me that two of his clients were coming in at the same time for an appointment so we were going to have to "tag team" them. I fought laughter a lot today.

Boss also gave me the day off tomorrow so that I could get a head start on the pass. They are pretty nice to me I guess.

Seriously though with the kiddo ... I kinda think they think I'm 12 ...

(image? I googled kiddo.)

Berenstain Bears

Do you remember the Berenstain Bears from childhood? They were quite possibly my favorite book series as a child. Too much junk food was my favorite. Why? Because when I was little I liked all the tiny packages that they illustrated. I was big on tiny stuff when I was little. Maybe it was because I myself was tiny. Polly Pockets were HUGE for me ... tiny stuff.

Boots

Boss called this morning, "Hey kiddo, it's Char, well, we gotta open the office, people need us. Can you make it in by nine, maybe ride the bus or something? We will be closing around 3:30. OK see you then kiddo"

So I went back to sleep for half hour. Got ready. Put on my SJP sneakers that I wear instead of snow boots because I don't have snow boots. I went out and started scraping the six inches of snow off my car that has accumulated over night. Massive amounts of snow got into my shoes and of course all over my jeans which were then soaking wet. Started all-bying it (I have all wheel drive, not four wheel) through the parking lot to the street. The snow was deep at the top of the little hill and my poor little subby barely made it through. While I was sitting there waiting to get out into the street I look over and see a girl in a two-door little hatch back Jetta or something completely stuck in the snow on the side of the road and sobbing on her cell phone. I felt bad, but kinda not. What kind of tool goes out on the roads like they are in a car like that!?

Got to work ... barely. Walked in the front door, boss says:
"Hey kiddo you made it! Thanks for coming in on such ... Why are you not wearing boots!?!?! Diana, you need to wear boots out there! Are those sneakers!?!? Diana what are you doing!? What size are your feet, we need to get you some boots!"
Diana/Kiddo: "Uhh I'm fine. These shoes are ok. Yeah I mean my feet are a little wet, but I brought extra socks. Please don't buy me boots"
Boss:"KIDDO!!"

I went and bought boots after work today that I both can't afford, and don't like. Peer pressure sucks! But I guess dry feet won't be so bad ...

(Actual boots not pictured)

d'bag

Also I had a voicemail from my Dad today while I was doing Spinster Sunday, it went something like this:

"woodrow (my Dad calls me many variations on the nickname Woody, its way too long of a story or I would just tell you), I was talking to zater today (all Duggans and Duggan friends love the use of nicknames for people) and he told me that when he was driving you home from the bars over Thanksgiving (yes, one of my good friends' Dad was our DD the night after Thanksgiving when we went to the local bar and got plowed, or lit if you are little BP) that you called me a douche bag. Why would you call your Dad a douche bag? Suck it."

FYI I called him a douche bag because he wears his blue tooth headset dealy thing around the house. I've told him that he is being douche baggy, is partaking in douche baggery, and is displaying douche baggish tendencies when he does this. He always just tells me to suck it.

Here is the un-commented-on version of the voicemail, since after reading this blog even I found it confusing:

"woodrow, I was talking to zater today and he told me that when he was driving you home from the bars over Thanksgiving that you called me a douche bag. Why would you call your Dad a douche bag? Suck it."

Date night

Last night I had a great date. We watched two movies, made a bobali pizza, baked cookies, it was awesome. It was with my dearest Rachel. We are each other's boyfriends right now since neither of us have one. It was kinda awesome. Movies included The Shining, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Good combo. I had never seen The Shining before and it freaking blew my mind. It freaked me out ... a lot. That kid, ugh gives me the willies. As I stated right after it ended, "I NEVER want to shine."

Sarah Marshall was hysterical. It was a nice change after watching the Shining. There was a little too much male full frontal in the first ten minutes though. Yowza

Since today is Sunday it was of course Spinster Sunday. Went to Woods for coffee, drank some coffee. Snowed in for sure. I've been riding the bus everywhere. I need to buy a bus pass because I've probably almost paid one off with as much as I've had to ride in the last week or so. I guess I should look into that.

Why do my blogs suck so much lately?

no work, no money

Another snow day is upon me! Yesterday I got to leave work at about noon because it was starting to snow cats and dogs. It was fine, I assumed things would clear up so I did all my chores thinking I shouldn't waste my time. I cleaned the kitchen, did crafts for Christmas presents, read Harry Potter, baked a casserole, cleaned my room etc etc. It was a very productive and busy Wednesday afternoon. Then I started thinking to myself, well yes this is lovely, but I'm not getting paid. I need me those dollas! Then I got calls from TWO different co-workers telling me that we were probably not going to have work today. Balls. I decided I would wake up at normal time and call my boss anyway. I called, I didn't have to work today. She seemed thankful for my concern haha. Always the suck up. But then I was wide awake because it was morning, so I chatted with Rachel on the telly, quite possibly the earliest conversation I've had with her ever and made myself coffee in a HUGE mug. Now I'm watching Indiana Jones, because I effing love Indiana Jones. Later I'm going to buy stamps. Big day.

Snow Day!

Today it started snowing fairly hard in Bellingham. Since Bellingham does not do so hot in snow (read: it effing blows, no snow plows, no salt or sand or ANYTHING, but crashes, sadness, and no work) my boss called at about 11:30 and asked if I had done all of my stuff for the day. Of course I said yes because being the smart little cookie that I am I foresaw the shit weather and imminent closing of the office so I did everything WAY earlier than usual. So after I told her that everything was done she said the magic words, YOU CAN GO HOME EARLY SWEET CHEEKS! She normally does not call me sweet cheeks but only on special occasions ... or on the phone. Mostly she calls me kiddo, or sweetie, which I'm OK with most of the time because she is like my cool young Grandma or older Aunt, when of course she's not yelling at me. We have a complicated relationship. But she sent me home early today, so its a good day. I called my Dad to tell him, he asked me what I was going to do, and I told him that I had a date. He honestly sounded really excited, but I followed with ... Harry Potter, Harry Potter is my date. Thus far I have made Christmas presents, cooked, blogged (well I'm almost done), and read a little. It's a good day!

under pressure ... dun dun dun da da dun dun

Well, not really. But I wanted an excuse to use that as a title. So my dear miss Nicole (you Greylockers who might read this are aware of her) started a blog which makes me kinda jealous. She is going to read 100 books in one year, and blog about them. NICE. Which makes me want to tell you about the books that I've read lately.

OK, so I'm a nerd. Yeah I got crazy (or wicked, or hella, depending on who you are) into the Twilight series and polished off those suckers this summer. Since then I have read, Into the Wild, A Confederacy of Dunces, Breakfast of Champions, and tried to read The Omnivore's Dilemma. I just can't get into that though. It's too much like I'm reading a text book. My current book status is HARRY POTTER! Man I forgot how addictive this effing books are. I decided to re-read the books last Wednesday and I am currently half way done with the third. I wanted to read seven again but decided to truly enjoy it I should have freshly read all the others. I hope to be done by Christmas because (thanks to Nicole's blog and my general nerdiness) my list of "next reads" is growing like nuts.

What a boring read I just composed for you. But hey, at least it wasn't about prop 8 right!?! Not that I'm over being outraged about that whole mess. OK my lovelies, I have to go read more HP and eat dinner. Go read, expand your beautiful minds.

more video

apparently my whole blog is now devoted to prop 8. enjoy:

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die