Allergy Scratch Test Results...

I have been having crazy eye and skin problems for quite some time now.  The poor skin around my eyes has been everything from inflamed, to swollen, to chapped and raw.  I have exhausted the possibilities that a dermatologist could help with the exception of a steroid cream that helped a little, but was bad for the delicate skin around the eye.  I decided to try an allergist and had a scratch test performed.  Turns out I'm allergic to the outdoors!  Most notably, weeds and grasses!  Luckily I'm NOT allergic to my dogs, because staying away from them would NOT be an option!  I am however, moderately allergic to cats, confirming the day I ended up in the CSUF urgent care after a first date with a guy who had a brand new kitten...my face swelled up, throat closed up, eyes were more bloodshot than anything I'd ever seen!  (Needless to say, we didn't continue dating!).  My allergist suggested that I move to Hawaii to get away from the weeds and grasses of the valley (if only that was an option!?).  Either that, or hire a gardener or student to come take care of my lawns...sadly, this is not a financial burden I'd like to take on at the moment (I'd MUCH rather have a maid anyway!).  Ultimately, we started a regime of allergy meds. and I hoped for the best!  

A day trip to San Luis Obispo

There was a lot of things I wanted to do and get done this summer but this was one of those things that landed more in the "need" category. Ever since buying my house I have felt unorganized and never sure where to put stuff that should be kept in case I need to reference it at a later date. My cheap 2 drawer (broken since my last move) filing cabinet I got at Target back in 2002 is just not cutting it anymore! Many of the documents I've wanted to keep are larger than the standard letter size and most file cabinets made for the general consumer aren't made to accommodate that. So, Mom and I were talking one day and she had been searching the Internet in hopes of finding a used lateral file cabinet in good condition. I asked why she wouldn't just get a new one, ignorant of how much those files cost and was astonished when she enlightened me! She was looking for a HON 4-drawer lateral file which start at around 600 dollars and venture into the thousands!!! Anyway, I decided this was a perfect opportunity to fix my issue and help her search the Internet. Ultimately it was Mom who actually found the Craig's Listing for Tri-County Office Liquidators. When we called the San Luis Obispo location we were told they had quite a few 4-drawer lateral files and a couple 3-drawer ones (which I was originally thinking about getting) that were in great condition and mechanically perfect, although some did not have keys. We decided to hitch up the trailer in hopes of finding 2 big cabinets and make a day of it by packing up the girls and stopping at the dog beach in Avila before driving home! When we got to the store we were impressed that the cabinets really were in great condition, although the two good 3 drawer files had sold the day before leaving only one that had quite a lot of scrapes and scratches. In the end, Mom and I both picked nearly perfect 4-drawer lateral HON manufactured filing cabinets for a little over $100 bucks! They were a great find and after a quick trip to a locksmith we now have beautiful working, locking filing cabinets! I realize that it is a silly thing to be excited about but it is surprising how much less stress I feel now that I have things organized!

A stop at the dog beach in Avila

So after we picked up the two filing cabinets and got them all strapped into the trailer we made a stop at the Avila Dog Beach for a fun play-date! The goal was to stay long enough to let the girls get their fill of the water, sand, and freedom without staying so long that Baylie gets sick from drinking soooo much salt water (she's notorious for that)! It's funny because as soon as we turn off the main highway towards Avila beach Baylie starts to get so excited that she can barely contain herself! Ginger fed off of Baylie's excitement but I'm not so sure she knew why because this was only her second trip to a beach. Once the water was in view BOTH of the girls went CRAZY! It was a beautiful day for the beach, all sun, no clouds and even though it was windy it wasn't too chilly! We stayed just under 2 hours and the girls had a great time. Then we were planing to get some fish and chips but it was getting late and we weren't sure we could maneuver the trailer through the tight streets and parking lots at the beach restaurants. So we gave up that idea and settled on burgers for all...the girls were VERY happy with that decision!

Backyard Playtime...

It's the middle of summer in Bakersfield and as usual the mid-day heat is nearly unbearable! The girls and I have made it a habit to go out and walk or play first thing in the morning to avoid the heat without sacrificing outdoor fun and exercise. Here are some of the shots I got while playing in the backyard.