First things first, Happy Birthday to Mark.  On the correct date this time. :-)

What a weekend, I got a lot done!  Yay for me! 

Got up around 6:30am on Saturday and started sorting through stuff straight away.  FOR SIX HOURS STRAIGHT.  Then I had to carry the bags to my car, which was parked kinda far.  Well, it SEEMED far as I was carry bags with magazines and books in them.  LOL.  I would have moved my car to the red zone in front of my building, but one of the other tenants was moving out and had their moving truck parked there.  Although, come to think of it, I never actually SAW them move anything.  I saw the dudes female friend sitting in the back of the truck picking at her fingernails, but moving stuff? No. 

I've been taking Laurel Canyon a lot lately when I've had to go into Hollywood, so I did the same on Saturday.  The shop I donate all my stuff to is on Fairfax, and Laurel Canyon is pretty close to Fairfax once you get over the hill.  I usually make a lleft at the signal at Hollywood Blvd and then drive the block and a half to Fairfax and make a right.  Easy!  As I was stopped at a traffic light at Santa Monica, I saw my friend Terry riding his bike, I honked a bunch of times but he didn't hear me.  I guessed he had his headphones on pretty loud!  I texted him about it later and I was right.  He didn't hear me at all.

I was kinda disappointed that the shop couldn't take any of the paint I brought in.  I had a big box of art supplies and some of those tubes had never been been opened!  The guy said he would take care of it though so I wouldn't have to.  Hopefully he's an artist or knows someone who is.  I haven't touched my paints, canvases or anything in a couple of years.  If I ever get the itch again I can always get new stuff.  I gave away my easel anyway....

When I got home I started back in on going through my things.  I got another three bags filled and ready to go.  Fingers-crossed I can keep the momentum going this week.  I usually peter out and fail to do much on weekdays.

Yesterday, if you can believe it, Sam, her daughter and I went up to Camarillo to the outlet mall.  Thank goodness she drove us in her Jeep because the wind and rain was the worst I've seen in years and my car would not have fared too well.  It reminded me of the bad storms they get in Florida in November (I've been caught in those, no fun!).  Laurel Canyon going North to the 101 FWY was flooded on the West side.  Water halfway up the sides of the cars parked on the street and up and over the curb and onto the sidewalk.  You couldn't even see the sidewalk or curbs.  The LA River was higher than I've ever seen it.  Granted, I don't watch the local news or anything, but was the storm supposed to be that bad?  I thought we were just going to get a little rain and that would be it.  This was non-stop from 2:30am through to after I went to bed last night.  It. Didn't. Let. Up. 

The drive up to Camarillo was treacherous to say the least.  Why is it that people who drive Prius's think they should drive at high speeds in bad weather?  A bunch of them were doing it.  Don't they know their cars don't weigh anything that that they're going to hydroplane if they drive too fast? 

Got some good, and much needed shopping done at Banana Republic, but that's pretty much it.  I looked around at different stores for more stuff, but didn't see anything I liked.  The trip was mainly for Sam's daughter anyway, it's her birthday this Saturday, so she was birthday shopping.  If I never go into another "American Apparel" or "Forever 21" again in my life, I'll be happy.  The first has nothing but grossly overpriced ugly clothes and the latter has music on too loud and too much stuff to look through (and no "mom" chairs to sit in).  I finally begged Sam for the keys to the Jeep so I could go sit down.  I've got some audiobooks on my Iphone, so I went back, sat down and listened to a book.  I feel old!  The music was too loud and I needed to sit down.  BAH!!! 

It was a mad dash back to the car from each store as it was pouring up there too.  Best being when we left Charlotte Ruse.  The SECOND we stepped out from under the shelter it started to pour even heavier, and I didn't think that was possible.  In the 30 seconds we were dashing to the car, we got soaked through to the skin. 

The drive back was just as bad as the drive up, but more wind!  We made it home safe and sound though (good driving Sam!).  I half expected to have no power and a load of leaks from my ceiling, but the power was on and the only leakage was through the exhaust vent above my stove.  That wasn't a problem though as I keep the pans I use a lot on the stove top, so they caught all the water.  Once I saw there was no damage anywhere, I immediately changed into dry clothes and settled in with Gotham to watch Seasons One and Two of Black Books.  I wasn't in the mood for more clearing out, so it was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon / evening.

Loosely quoted from my favorite episode of Black Books, "He's Leaving Home"

Trebor: A nice glass of wine for YOU!  You want a bath or some chicken?  We can watch the Simp-sooons.  yeah, I'm cool.
Manny: What do you do? 
Trebor: Me?  I take pictures and sell Ice cream.
Trebor: May I look at your beard?
Manny: Um, no, I don't...
Trebor: Is good beard, it's like a little bird.  Do you use oils?
manny: No.
Trebor: You should.