It's All About The Journey

It's coming.....

2009-07-02T14:24:00.002-04:00

Sorry I've fallen behind on the blogging.... I'm studying for financial planners exam to take place in a couple weeks.

I'll get back to this, I PROMISE!!

Day 2, will be Monaco!

and, I've started a new blog for financial planning stuff:
http://moneythingsyouneedtoknow.blogspot.com/

Day 1 in Nice

2009-06-18T11:04:00.004-04:00

There are things to discuss that happened before the first day IN Nice, but I'll save those for another time. Needless to say, the little black cloud that follows me around was present and accounted for in the beginning....

BUT.

We arrived to a beautiful, sunny Mediterranean morning. Arrived early, in fact. So we waited a few minutes for our boys to meet us at the terminal.... After our reunion in the jasmine scented morning air at Terminal 2, we took the bus to our hotel, where, of course, it was too early to check in. But they held our luggage for us, and asked us to come back around noon. So, we headed to Omar's place, stopping for coffee (espresso) and pastries on the way.

After a brief rest there, we walked. And walked.... and walked.......

Impressions: Nice is bigger than I thought, and certainly more crowded than I thought.... People take their dogs with them everywhere.... The beaches are rock! No sand in sight!! Don't you think that would be uncomfortable to lay on?... Lots of good food choices, but not red currants, so much.... Loved the market- flowers, fruits, veges, purses, LOL.... The colors are amazing! Buildings are pink and yellow! Flowers are blooming everywhere!!.... It's more humid than Ohio; less humid than Texas....

Mid-afternoon, we started to crash. So we headed back to the hotel to nap. We staying at the Sheraton Elysee Palace. Nice hotel, beautiful location- very close to the bus stop, a block off the water, Med view from our window! But if I had to sum up the room in one word? Plastic. Really. The desk and chair were clear lucite, as were the lamps and bedside tables. The headboard was attached to the wall, not the bed and it was covered with silver plastic fabric.... and there was no clock in the room. Which wouldn't have been a problem, but neither hubby nor I had a watch on, either. (don't ask) So we were dependent on his blackberry for the time. OH, and the carpet was like plastic Berber. Seriously. So, it must be some chic new style that I'm unaware of. Plastic hotel rooms. Reminded us of a "W" hotel more than a Sheraton.

Okay, so we got up and headed out for dinner. Wanted something reliable, so we told Omar to take us somewhere he'd been and knew. We went to Le Pizza. For pizza, obviously! And it was good!!! Oh, yumminess!!! And huge! And expensive if you do the conversion, so better not to. More walking, and we finished up the night at Fenoccio for gelato. groan. How I love gelato.... I should compose a sonnet to the joys of gelato.... again, though, better not to convert the price from Euros to dollars- you just really don't want to know. You know?

And, we were "done." No more walking in us. We needed a bus to get back to the hotel. And that, my friends, was day one.

I'll be adding photos to my website.... when they're up, I'll let you know!

Oh, the bloggage coming....

2009-06-13T12:56:00.003-04:00

So, I (we) returned yesterday from vacation....

We were in France and Italy. Yeah, I know, tough life.... well, SOMEONE'S gotta do it, ya know?

Over the next couple weeks, I'm planning to blog about it and post some photos.

Here's a preview:

Day 1: Nice, France
Day 2: Monoco
Day 3: Cannes
Day 4: Villefranche
Day 5: Nice
Day 6: Nice to Santa Margherita, Italy
Day 7: Portofino
Day 8: Santa Margherita to Genoa (Genova)
Day 9: Genoa to Nice
Day 10: Thoughts about random stuff from the trip

I only have about 4000 photos to edit. (yowza)

Weigh-In

2009-05-28T12:11:00.002-04:00

Last night we had our 4 week weigh in. We've had our food plans for 4 weeks now....

I wasn't going to look; I thought I didn't want to know. I knew I had lost some inches, because t-shirts are getting looser, pants are getting looser, bras are getting looser... but I'm clearly a long way from where I need to be, so I figured "it doesn't matter what the number is."

Well, I had a baaaaad day yesterday. Not bad from the standpoint of my plan; bad as in frustrating, tiring, stressful, etc. for other reasons. And I needed some good news.

So, I looked.

I'm down 10 pounds!!! I'll take it!!!

Ten pounds is but a drop in the bucket, but as the proverb says:

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Title contest

2009-05-28T07:57:00.000-04:00

currently running on facebook..... give it a title!

Win a print!

2009-05-21T10:00:00.002-04:00

I'm having a caption contest!! See the goat up there ^ ?

go to my facebook page and give it a caption....

winner gets their choice of a 5x7 or 8x10 print from my portfolio!

not my "friend?" leave a comment here with your facebook contact and i'll find you and "friend" you, so you can leave your caption.

winner will be voted on, via facebook.

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

2009-05-20T10:48:00.003-04:00

I was wrong.

DWTS.... I was so wrong!

But it's all good. I think Gilles is the better dancer, but I think Shawn had legions of little gymnasts voting for her, and that's okay by me. Gilles was gracious in defeat, and altho I don't dislike Melissa, I just didn't want her to beat him. So, Shawn? It's all good.

Listening to my body

2009-05-19T09:58:00.002-04:00

Part of my "new" journey is learning to listen to my body.

I had a headstart on this thanks to my yoga practice. In yoga, I've learned to listen to my body's signals that I've gone far enough in a pose, or when it's willing to go farther. I listen for the signals to back off, or to push on, and I've learned not to question those. Not listening often results in injury. And the first rule of yoga is ahimsa- do no harm; cause no pain- to yourself, nor to anyone or anything else.

So, LeeAnn is teaching me to listen to my body's hunger signals. I'm learning how to differentiate between true physical hunger (the need for fuel) and all that other stuff that I used to feed- boredom, frustration, anger, loneliness, disappointment or fear. I'm getting pretty good at it, after 5-6 weeks, finally. In fact, I'm beginning to hear things as subtle as "I need protein" or "I need carbs" sometimes instead of just "I need food."

The harder part of this equation for me is listening to my body in regards to exercise. I would actually like to be working out 6 days/week. But I can't. My post-meniscus-repair knee just isn't 100% yet, and if I work out too many consecutive days, I'm in pain. And that's really frustrating for me. And a few times, I've ignored my knee and pushed on anyway, resulting in more pain. Not ahimsa. So, for now, I'm working out 4 days/week- 2 lifting and intervals, 2 long cardio days. Hopefully, as my weight drops and my knee heals, I'll be able to add in a couple more days of cardio. Until then, however, I'll try to remember ahimsa, and give my body the rest it needs to recover and heal.

It's kinda like asking my mind to grant my body a small measure of grace.

The New Old Journey I'm On

2009-05-18T09:03:00.002-04:00

I've battled weight my whole life. When I was 5, I was a "normal" sized little girl. My dad was leaving for Vietnam, and we went to visit his family in Wisconsin. When we returned to North Carolina 2 weeks later, I was a chubby little girl.

My mom used to tell the story; she said I went from a size 5 to a size 6X in 2 weeks. My dad left for Vietnam and my mom and I went to her hometown to live. There, I learned to numb myself with food. The family decided (with no input from me that I recall) that I must be sad, and they fed me. I WAS sad. But I do not recall asking for loaves of white bread to be thrust in my hands. I do recall watching TV, sitting on the couch, with a loaf of bread in my hands.

I went from chubby little girl to chubby teen.... to obese adult.

I've either dieted or binged since I was 5. I have tried sooooo many diets. I say, "I've tried them all!" I actually worked at 2 of the well-known weight loss places during a brief "almost" phase. I was "almost" at that ideal, magical number... And clearly, "diets" don't work b/c here I am. Obese, again.

And yes, I said "again," not "still." After I got married, I lost 100 pounds. Then, I got pregnant with my first son. And gained about 70 pounds during my pregnancy. I gave birth to a 5 pound child. Seriously.

And lost about 60 of that.... and got pregnant, again. LOL That time, I gained about 55 pounds to give birth to a 7 pound baby. That baby is now 22 years old, and I recently hit my all time high weight. Needless to say, I never lost all that baby weight.

So, the journey began again. This time, I'm working with a nutritionist and a trainer, with a group support system, in a 12-week wellness program. I call it my 12-step program b/c I believe my food issues are an addiction which I have to kick in order to attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It's not a "diet." I just won't do that anymore. This is a plan. It's a plan for health. Like building a house, I have a blueprint. Like taking a trip, I have a map.

We're in week 5 or 6- I've lost track. I'm eating more normally than I probably ever have since I was 5 years old. I'm working out harder than I ever have in my life. I'm losing weight; my body is changing. But I don't know how much, b/c I don't weigh. I trust LeeAnn, my nutritionist, and Brian, my trainer. They have given me the map; they've given me the directions. Now, I'm trusting that given my map, and given my directions, I'll reach my destination. I don't need to watch the odometer count off each mile.

But it's very weird. I'm totally not used to this. I'm used to weighing every day. Sometimes more than once a day. (insert embarrassed face) But, really, if the scale didn't give me what I thought I should be getting, it would ruin my whole day. And, more often than not, ruin my "diet" too. By not weighing, I'm trusting that the plan works, regardless of what the scale says day to day. Eventually, if I eat normally, if I work out seriously, if I trust my teachers, if I trust MYSELF, I will find a healthy place.

So, that's my journey, this time.

My final 3 stand!

2009-05-18T07:56:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged....

sorry....

I'll do better, I promise!

So, tonight is part 1 of the 2 part DWTS final. And who's in??? Hmmmm???? Yep, my final 3 from the first night: Gilles, Melissa and Shawn.

Prediction: Shawn is #3. She's sweet and talented and I love her attitude, but I just don't think she's got the polish and emotion that the other 2 bring.

So, my choice is Gilles. Do I think he'll win? I think it's gonna be a close, close finish. They're both really good. But I love Gilles. He and Cheryl are hot, hot, hot!

We'll see.......

(and remember to check out my gardening blog, too.... link over ------> somewhere.)

Website updated

2009-04-09T12:23:00.001-04:00

with lots of new stuff....

please, go look, and comment!!

www.susankphotography.com

click on photo gallery

thanks!!

Need I Say More?

2009-03-24T19:36:00.000-04:00

Magic Water, Peepers and Crud

2009-03-18T16:11:00.002-04:00

For the last week, I've been planting starter trays of flower seed. Most of them are supposed to take 10 or more days to germinate, but I've got germination in 3 areas that were planted 7 days ago at most. Is it magic water? Is it my awesome genetic green thumb?? LOL Don't know, but I'll take it!

Peepers are, according to Wikipedia, a sure sign that winter is winding down. I surely hope so. The 4,398,452 peepers that live in our pond/marsh are in full mate hunting voice. Yowza, they're incredibly loud for such little creatures!! But, if they're a sign of spring, well then, go for it peeps!

And lastly today.... crud. I have The Crud. Woke up in the middle of the night sneezing, coughing and sniffling. All day, my right sinus has been achy, itchy, draining and dripping. My eye has been watering. I feel like cra*. All I want to do is lie around. And that's pretty much what I've done. Oh the joys of being unemployed. ;)

Dancing With the "Stars"

2009-03-10T13:43:00.003-04:00

yeah, "stars" in quotation marks... imagine my fingers doing air quotes. " "

I enjoy DWTS because. Can't really explain it. I've tried. Oh, believe me, I've tried. But, in the end, I do, because I do.

So, last night's debut for this season featured 13 couples. After viewing the show this morning on DVR, and fast-forwarding thru the judges' comments (because they annoy me), here's my take (fwiw):

In alphabetical order:
Belinda Carlisle: i'd give her a 6. should be back next week. will be interesting to see if she can get over her nausea.

David Alan Grier: give him a 5. should be back.

Shawn Johnson: loved her!! i'd give her an 8. i'll go out on a limb and say final four!

L'il Kim: 6. we'll see what Derek does with her unique talents.

Holly Madison: one of the "stars".... i'd give this girl a 4, and her hair a 1. oh dear.... get her a colorist, please. don't think she'll be around too long.

Gilles Marini: yowza! 10!!! oh, his dancing? 8, maybe 9.... hot pairing with Cheryl. did i say yowza? final four.

Ty Murray: 3. man does not have hips. man needs hips for dancing. don't think he'll be around very long.

Steve-O: 6. i'm not a fan. but there were worse last night. don't think he'll be around too, too long, but there are probably 3 or 4 that should go before him.

Denise Richards: 6. if the girl is already crying in rehearsals and it's only week 1, do we think she has it for the long haul? uh, no. shame, too, cause i love watching Maks dance.

Melissa Rycroft: 8. with only 2 days of rehearsal? wow. Melissa got game. i'm surprised, but i'm gonna say final four for her, too. and she has the sympathy vote right now.

Lawrence Taylor: 6. big man looked stiff and really uncomfortable out there with the half-naked Edwina. unless he's hiding something i don't think he's got the goods to go all the way.

Chuck Wicks: 6. teamed with his little girlfriend, i won't count him out, yet. i bet julianne works his butt off the next couple weeks.

Steve Wozniak: 3. i guess they gave him to Karina so she'll be done soon, so she can plan her wedding??

Bottom 3 this week, for me: Holly, Ty and Woz.
Top 3, easy: Shawn, Gilles, Melissa.

Full, but not Satisfied

2009-03-09T14:48:00.002-04:00

You know how you can eat a great, gourmet meal of, say, fish and green beans....

and you can be "full" but you think "I could go for a cookie...."

You're full, but not satisfied?

I think life is like that, too.

You can have a great, full life, but still have a yearning for something else, something more.

Spring is on the way!!!

2009-03-06T11:56:00.003-05:00

I have signs of spring:

a robin

a flock of starlings, grackles and red-winged blackbirds

bees around the bird feeders

62 degrees!!!

open windows

daffodils pushing thru the dirt

landscapers measuring for mulch....

can spring be far off?

Answering Machines

2009-03-05T15:50:00.002-05:00

I really don't like calling a doctor's office and getting an answering machine right off the bat.

What if I have an emergency??? Do I want to sit thru all the "options" to figure out who I need to dial?

Or, what if I just need to make an appointment? And you're telling me to just leave a message? Shall I say, "I'd like an appointment with Dr. Smith on the 14th @ 3 PM?"

I just think they're rude on doctor's phone systems. There should be someone to answer, even if they, then, need to put me on hold.

Don't'cha think?

The Bachelor- why not?

2009-03-03T12:54:00.003-05:00

I mean, really, everyone else is blogging about The Bachelor today, why not me?

People: it's NOT reality TV!!! It's partially scripted, heavily edited, soft porn, public humiliation.

Where, oh where, does ABC find these women who are willing to give up all privacy and check their self-esteem at the limo door?

And, by the way, how much does privacy sell for these days? I've read $5,000,000.

Truly, this is an idea whose time has come, and gone. Please, ABC, be done with it.

PSA

2009-03-02T13:11:00.002-05:00

Please, listen to your body.

You KNOW when something's not "right".... really, trust yourself.

If you tune in to your body's messages, what "good" feels like, what "normal" feels like, what "fine" feels like, then you'll know when something isn't good, normal or fine. Then, don't ignore it.

There are really very few "silent" illnesses, diseases, or killers. They call to you.

Listen.

xoxo

Feb 29?

2009-03-01T20:53:00.001-05:00

My weather seems to think it's still February....

We had a cold, snowy, blustery day here in northeast Ohio. I realized that, some years, this IS still February, right? The leap day. February 29.

Snow in February is common enough.

(wink)

Rehabing a knee is not fun and games

2009-02-28T15:59:00.002-05:00

So the surgery for a torn meniscus isn't bad, really. The recovery was pretty painless and I was back on my feet in no time, literally.

I'd say I was 95% better within 10 days.

This last 5% is driving me nuts, tho.... It's not the knee so much as the hamstring, which has decided to act up. Did I pull it when I was stretching as I so faithfully do now? Don't know.

All I know is this: if I don't do anything, exercise-wise, for a couple days, it's fine. As soon as I stretch or walk for more than 10 minutes, it hurts. In fact, the other night, sitting in a restaurant I had a horrible cramp in that dang hamstring and I had to stick my foot up in my hubby's lap to get it to relax.

So, altho I declined PT for the knee, I will now be getting PT for the hamstring.... due to the rehabbing of the knee.

oy.

oh dear.... oh my..... now what?

2009-02-19T15:36:00.002-05:00

Long story, short:

I had applied for entry into a photography show, earlier this week. I was rejected.... on the grounds that the show was for amateurs only, and my website represents me as a professional.

That really frustrated me.

But it also made me stop and think. A lot. All day, in fact.

The question was: am I a professional? Or am I an amateur?

Well, I have sold prints. So, technically, that makes me a professional. However, in my head, clearly I considered myself an amateur when I applied for this show.

I did not want the Center for the Arts' director to think I was trying to subvert the rules, so I sent off an apologetic email and explained my mental dilemma- the "am I an amateur or a professional" argument in my head.

Today, I got a reply. They offered me a show, as a pro!!!

WOO HOO!!!

oh dear.

oh my.

seriously?

eek.

Details

2009-02-12T11:13:00.003-05:00

I have come to the realization that I am not a detail oriented person.... or maybe it's follow-thru that I lack.

I can decorate a room to the "nth" degree, every detail thought out, every detail agonized over. But if you can delay me long enough on a piece of it, I'll give up and let it go and ignore that piece. For instance, the ceiling fan in my living room is hopelessly out of balance and the metal on it doesn't match the chandelier in the adjoining dining room. When I bought this house almost 2 years ago, that was near the top of my list to replace. It's still there. Hubby has put me off on replacing it for so long now that I no longer care. Whatever.

When we returned from London, I was going to blog about that trip. I did a few entries on it, but now, the stories are less immediate, less fun to recount, and I can't finish what I started. No follow-thru....

I "want" to be a photographer. I photograph things. I have a website. I have business cards. Now and then, I sell a print or 2. What I don't have is the drive to market myself. I've been to shows; I see how much work it is; I don't think I have it in me to do that.

I need to lose weight. Every morning I wake up and say, today's the day I break old habits and start living a healthier lifestyle. And breakfast is all good. Lunch might not be bad, but by mid-afternoon, I'm needing "something" and it ain't good.

So.

Details or follow-thru?

Or are they one-in-the-same?

And where would I buy some?

It's My Birthday

2009-01-29T09:34:00.002-05:00

yep.

I'm thankful for every one God grants me.

It's a little bit sad this year since both of the boys are not with me. But this is my new reality.

I saw a "life coach" on CNN last night and she was actually talking about the economy and how to "get over it." She said a couple things that resonated with me....

1) Take this opportunity to re-invent yourself. Let go of the old, become something new. And she said one of my favorite quotes: "It's never too late to become what you might have been."

2) Don't ask how bad it can be; ask how good you could make it.

So, starting today, I'm going to reinvent parts of myself. I like some parts of me and don't want to change them. But those parts that aren't working so great for me? I'm reinventing those.

And I'm going to see how good I can make my life, instead of focusing on anything bad.

This is MY New Year's Day.

Happy Birthday!

Happy New Year!!

Back on This Side of the Atlantic

2009-01-21T09:31:00.002-05:00

What a day yesterday was! I'm always proud to be an American. Always. But yesterday was something special to me. Not because we inaugurated a black President.... because "we the people" chose, so definitively, hope. We voted our hopes, not our fears.

Do I think President Obama will work miracles? No, of course not. But I do believe he'll work tirelessly to put us back on the right path. And I believe that this man and his wife and his little girls are the portrait of a first family we need to look upon these days. The little girls are so spirited and lively; how can you look at those bright smiling faces and not smile, yourself? How can you look at him, looking at her, at the smile that reaches his eyes, and not believe in true love?

OK, enough sap.

Prayers for the new President and his administration.... that they are careful and prayerful in their decisions; that God blesses them all with safety and good health; that those around them shower them with love when the nay-sayers try to bring them down.

By the way, we inaugurated a bi-racial President yesterday.... he's not "just" African-American.... tho the media seems to have forgotten his white mother.

I Just Remembered the Flamboyant Man

2009-01-16T21:46:00.002-05:00

I have no photo to go with this story, and OH, how I wish I did!!

On New Year's Eve afternoon, we were in the Fulham section of London to visit a dear, dear friend. We took the tube to the area, then before we went to Miss Jean's flat, we wanted to get her some flowers and a bottle of sherry. So we went looking for a grocery store.

As we walked down the sidewalk toward the local Tasco, of course there were people walking toward us on the same sidewalk. There were 4 of us, so as usual we walked 2 and 2. On this occasion, Hubby and Younger Son were ahead of me and Older Son.

I wasn't paying close attention to anything, really, just sort of strolling along, following the leader.

Hubby and YS moved to one side to "give way" to someone walking toward us, and I looked up to see The Most Flamboyant Man I've ever seen in real life. Think Nathan Lane in The Birdcage- makeup and all. Oh my gosh. As he approached us, he pointed at us and directed us, very sassily, and quite sternly, to the right with a flick of his white gloved hand.

We moved. He smirked.

As we passed, I couldn't help but giggle..... it takes all kinds, doesn't it?

Not your typical vaca photo

2009-01-12T20:54:00.002-05:00

Someone asked me this morning, "what was the highlight of your trip?"

And my answer was not short....

First of all, London is like an old friend for us. The Hubby did his grad school there back in the '70s at UCL. Younger Son spent a summer there, recently, at LSE. My first visit to London was in December 1982, still a newlywed (in my mind), on the way to meet my in-laws in Pakistan for the first time. Over the years, we've gone back to London, time and again. So, do we do touristy things? Sure, we do. There's so much to do in London, we haven't done it all; we're still working on it. And there are new things to see and do every time we go.

This time, the highlight of my trip was time spent with sons. The Younger came in from France, where he's in grad school. The Older, we were leaving there for his grad school when we returned to the States. So, for me, it was time with kids. Who aren't really kids. They're adults now. But they're still my boys. And I don't know if we'll have any more family vacations after this. My highlight was time with my boys.

And this photo sort of represents that time.

Editing photos for posting

2009-01-12T12:38:00.002-05:00

I was trying to get some photos ready to post yesterday, but my editing program was being quite uncooperative. I'll try to get a few more up today.

Gotta love technology, especially when it doesn't work.

Pictures!

2009-01-11T23:10:00.006-05:00

Our first night in London, we walked.... I believe this is Oxford Street. If it's not, someone (son) will correct me, and I'll come correct myself.

I knew someone would correct me.... it's apparently Regent Street near or at Piccadilly Circus.

This is Leicester Square, a winter carnival of some sort.

2 of my favorite people in the whole world.... younger son and hubby. Yes, it really was cold. The son was too cool to be cold, but hubby was not afraid to don the earmuffs!

Hotel? B&B?

2009-01-08T12:22:00.002-05:00

Accommodations in London are expensive! Especially when you factor in the currency conversion....

When this trip came up, I knew I was on a budget. This was not to be a luxury vaca; this was a budget vaca. So my search started on the internet. I searched and searched. I spent days searching. When I found something that looked promising, I then searched for reviews. After days and days of reading and searching, I settled on a "hotel." We had chosen an area we wanted to be based in, so that narrowed down my search a little. We wanted to be near Holborn, near the British Museum, in an area my Hubby knew well from his student days in London and also Younger Son knows from his summer studying at LSE.

We settled on the Ridgemount Hotel. It is a family owned and run converted Georgian Terrace in the Bloomsbury area. http://www.ridgemounthotel.co.uk/

This is European hotel staying- not for the faint of heart. The couple who own and run the Ridgemount are lovely, sweet people. And the staff were all so wonderful; no complaints there at all. And yes, there is a "but."

The rooms are very small. That's okay; we didn't spend much time in them, really. They were adequate for our needs.

And the walls are paper thin. Not too bad, really, unless the couple next door are gigglers. Good Lord. And hummers. Every evening, they were humming and giggling. Every morning, more giggling. I want to know what the heck was worth giggling about every freaking morning and evening????? It almost sent me over the edge. Our last night there, the gigglers were gone. Ah, sweet peace. Until 1:30 a.m. when the newest tenants arrived. A room full of shrieking, laughing, french-speaking young girls. Hello?? After an hour, they finally settled down.... I should have called down to the office and asked them to take care of it for me. Next time, I will.

And Gower Street? Great location! Right on the bus route. A mere 10 minute stroll from the doors of the British Museum (pictured above). Did I mention the buses? ALL night long, the buses run. Right down Gower Street; right outside the hotel windows. Big buses. Loud buses. All night.

Yeah, gotta love the old European hotels- creaky floors beneath your feet, creaky floors beneath the feet of the people 1 floor above you, creaky floors in the hallway outside your door.... OH, and the "shared facilities" that we never had to wait for, and which were very clean. And cold. Do the English not heat "facilities?" The tile floors were freezing cold, not to mention the toilet seats- in the middle of the night. yikes! But we never had to wait to use them!!

On the other hand, free tea in the lounge day and night. And computer.... and a Christmas tree.... And breakfast was lovely. Every morning, we were offered "cereals," juice, tea or coffee, toast and variations on a breakfast theme: eggs + something. Offered as: eggstomatocheese? (toe-mah-toe) or eggstomatobeans? or eggsausagebacon? The first day, not wanting to appear "daft" b/c I couldn't figure out wth I was being offered, I simply smiled and said, "oh, no thank you" which was answered with "nufing a'tall?" Once I had figured it out, it was too late for that day, but the next morning I was ready to order my 2 eggs, scrambled, and stuck to it for the remainder of the trip.

Will I return to the Ridgemount? Heck, yeah! The people were wonderful!! The location was great!! And the price? Can NOT beat it. But I'll take ear plugs and slippers next time.

Let's talk airplanes, airports, etc.

2009-01-07T11:23:00.002-05:00

Lesson #1:
Flying on Christmas Day is cheaper than the days preceding, did you know that? Truly. And "they" say there are fewer people traveling on The day. May well be true. We flew out on Christmas Day from Cleveland Hopkins to Newark Liberty, then on to London Heathrow. By flying ON Christmas Day, the tickets were about $400 cheaper each, times 3 travelers. You do the math.

Lesson #2:
Leave yourself some wiggle room/time. I booked this trip. So, I planned longer than would seem necessary layovers in Newark. Why? Because I've missed enough connecting flights in my day. I hate that! Then you're stuck flying stand-by and inevitably end up sitting in the middle seat, etc. Little did I know when I booked our flights that the Hubby would be recovering from a broken hip, and I would be nursing a bad knee which would slow us down from our normal breakneck speed. But I booked those longer connections anyway, thank God.

Lesson #3:
Check out the airplane seating diagram before you choose your seats; then choose wisely. I hate sitting in the middle seat. Hubby doesn't hate it, but he's not a fan, either. And we don't really cuddle on airplanes- it's just tacky, you know? So, we both got aisle seats, just across from each other. And fairly close to the front lavatory. I did give up my aisle seat on one flight, though, because a mother and her 2 little girls were unable to book seats together and I wouldn't want my little girls sitting with a stranger, so I gave the mother my aisle in exchange for her window by Hubby.

Lesson #4:
On international flights, check in at the gate, even though you've already checked in online. They usually want to check your passport again, and if you don't check in at the gate, they may send you back during the boarding process. It's not just a pain in the a$$, but it's embarrassing. Didn't happen on this trip because I learned this lesson somewhere else, long, long ago.

Lesson #5:
Going forward, when booking an international flight, I will check the aircraft scheduled to be used. Flying international, long-haul flights in anything less than a 777 is inhumane, and to be avoided if at all possible. I will, in the future, consider the AIRCRAFT as important as the flight time.

1359

2009-01-06T12:48:00.002-05:00

My camera recorded 1359 photos on said 10 day trip.

and consider that 2 of those were travel days....

rofl

Upcoming posts

2009-01-06T12:34:00.003-05:00

I'm back, after 10 days in jolly old London. Yep, the UK. Where they speak the Queen's english, and drink tea, and mind the gap, and such.

I have lots to talk about, too; no surprise, there, huh? LOL

So, over the next several days, that's what I'll be talking about.

Stay tuned!

Just in case

2008-12-22T14:04:00.003-05:00

The next few days are going to be pretty hectic in my household, like millions around the world, heading up to Christmas Day.

And so I thought, just in case I can't find a moment before then, I'd do my holiday wishes today.

Happy Hannukah!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Happy New Year!

Happy Kwanzaa!

so... did I forget anyone?? lol

anyway, May God's blessings protect us all, keep us safe from harm, keep us healthy and happy, and bring us all together again as the new year begins. . . .

amen.

Signs of the times

2008-12-18T14:28:00.003-05:00

I hear it in the news every time I watch the news, which, granted, is not every day: the economy is bad.

And, yes, I see that in the stock market declines, in the dropping price of gasoline, on the front pages of my daily Wall Street Journal and Financial Times.

But I'm beginning to really "see" it for myself.

Yesterday, I went Christmas shopping. It was 8 days before Christmas; the stores should have been buzzing. They weren't. In fact, some of them were downright empty.

I went to a Marshall's, a company I worked for back in the day for 6 years. We NEVER, ever did markdowns on Christmas merchandise before Christmas!! But, yesterday, what to my wondering eyes should appear? An aisle full of Christmas decor clearance priced, on December 17. And the aisles of "my" Marshall's were always jammed full of shoppers this close to the holiday; yesterday, the store was largely empty.

Then, I went to TJ Maxx, Marshalls' sister store, where there were more customers, but also, a lot more merchandise on the shelves which leads me to think that sales have been slow, thus far. The Christmas merchandise should be almost gone, and it wasn't.

Stops at WalMart, Target, and Lowe's also revealed few shoppers, compared to this time of years past, and early markdowns.

Another "odd" sign.... very few Christmas cards in my mailbox. I don't think I've offended that many people in the past year that they would drop me from their mailing list for personal reasons; I can only assume people are cutting out the non-essentials, like Christmas cards.

It's just weird, I tell you. I "know" people are hurting; I know businesses are going under; I know these things intellectually. But to see them with my own eyes, in my little space of midwest America, is weird. And scary. And humbling.

I still believe the best advice (for most of us) is to live frugally, practice simplicity, hunker down and don't panic. And if cutting out Christmas cards helps keep food on your table, I won't be offended that I didn't get one this year.

Taking the Bypass

2008-12-10T10:51:00.004-05:00

Last night, as I was lying awake in bed, not sure why I was awake, I had a realization. A moment of "duh."

So, last Monday, my GP, who is a DO by the way (which has nothing to do with anything, just for the record), said he thinks I have "torn cartilage" in my knee which 99% of the time means torn meniscus. He sent me for an x-ray which was negative, which is what he expected. He said I'd return to see him in 2 weeks, at which time he'd order an MRI which would show the tear and then he'd refer me to an orthopedist.

I don't need a referral. Duh.

I called the orthopedist's office this morning and referred myself. Done.

Why wait for all that other unnecessary hoop-jumping?

Duh.

OY, the stress

2008-12-09T12:53:00.002-05:00

My senior year, my last semester of college was NOT that long ago. I returned to college at the ripe old age of 41 to finish my degree, so I remember it clearly. As a matter of fact, I remember most of that insane time very clearly. I did 3 years' worth of college work in 2 years + a summer, cramming in overloaded semester after overloaded semester. Heck, 18 hours was nothing unusual for me. I took 21 hours one semester so I could graduate as soon as possible.

My major was history; my minor art history. Both subjects are reading and writing intensive, to say the least. I read constantly; I wrote almost constantly. Yet, I never came down to the wire with grades at stake. (Well, actually once, I did, but that's a whole 'nuther story about a crazy prof....) I knew, going into finals' week, where I stood. And I pretty much knew what I would get in every class I was taking.

How was this possible?? Because I banked points during the semester, so that my grade would not depend on the final test or paper. More than once, all I really needed to do was show up for the final and give a half-ass effort, and I could walk away with a B. However, I'm a little anal about grades, and for me, anything less than an A might as well be failing. Yes, it's a sickness, and yes, it's hard living that way, but it is how I is.

So you can imagine my stress as I sit here and watch my son, the senior poli sci student, slogging thru take home finals and studying for in-class exams while pausing every so often to re-run yet another GPA scenario. . . .

This Week

2008-12-08T12:24:00.002-05:00

Saturday, my firstborn graduates from college.

big huge sigh. . . .

Without his permission, I won't divulge too much private info, but let's just say it's been a while coming.

He changed majors 3 times, maybe 4. He changed schools 3 or 4 times. Moved from the Woods to San Antonio, back to the Woods, and then to Ohio with us. You could say he took the scenic route. But he never gave up. And we never gave up on him. So, no, he didn't finish early, like his brother. He didn't finish in 4 years like a lot of kids. But he DID finish, unlike a lot of kids.

I'm very proud of him, for hanging in there and not giving up.

And he's not taking any time off; he's going straight into a Master's program.

Lots of changes 'round the corner for both of us. . . .

So, here's to him. (imagine me raising a glass of expensive champagne)

I Got Nothin'

2008-12-04T13:40:00.003-05:00

I wish I had something to talk about today....

But I got nothin'.

Mostly, because I don't want to whine (I have whining), and because Mama taught me, "If you can't say something nice, just don't say anything."

LOL

I seem to have lost yet another month running around taking care of other people's stuff, putting out fires, so to speak, and accomplishing exactly zippo.

So, I find myself at the beginning of December, 3 weeks from Christmas Day, torn up knee, hobbling hubby, awaiting son's graduation, and without any ambition. There is nothing I want to do. Nothing I want to cook. Not really anything good on TV. What I'd really like to do is go shopping with my girlfriend. Go to lunch, maybe catch a movie, have a glass of wine, sit and giggle at silliness. Small problem- she's in TX and I'm in OH. Therefore, nothing.

I got nothin'.

Seriously?

2008-12-02T13:58:00.001-05:00

torn meniscus?

seriously??

uh, no thank you. . . .

My Windowsill Garden

2008-11-24T11:44:00.002-05:00

The ground is covered with snow, and more is forecast for tonight.... and tomorrow.... which makes perfect sense given the fact that I live in NE Ohio and it is November.

But I have flowers in bloom!!

Back in October (seems like forever ago), I moved some plants inside. I moved 4 geraniums, 2 Christmas cacti, and a begonia inside for the winter. I put the big potted geranium downstairs by the sliding glass doors, 2 small ones in my middle bedroom by the window and the tiniest one on my kitchen windowsill. By the way, that's a southwest-ish window.... I put one cactus on my sideboard in the kitchen and the smaller one on the kitchen windowsill. And the begonia is down by the sliding glass doors for now, as well.

Well, my Christmas cacti have bloomed! They're lovely!! And the geraniums have all bloomed; 2 have lost all their flowers but they're still green and growing. So, sitting on my kitchen windowsill is the small cactus which has by now stopped blooming, albeit holding on to one unopened bud, strangely enough, and the tiny salmon flowered geranium, still blooming.

When I moved the plants in, I saw that there was some sort of "other" plant in the pot with the small cactus. The leaves kind of resembled pansy leaves, so I left it in to see what would happen. I didn't plant it there. It is a volunteer; don't know how the seed got in there- I'd guess a bird put it there, but who knows?

This morning, I realized the "other" plant had a flower on it. It's a viola!! Tiny purple and yellow, smiling face, viola! I don't quite know how she got there, like I said, but I love her!! And I feel blessed that she chose to live with us, for now. I have no idea if I'll be able to keep her alive or if there will be other blossoms, but for now, she makes me smile.

Between the birds at the feeders and the plants in the windows, I may just survive this long gray winter, in spite of the cold and snow.

Trying to get my life back together

2008-11-19T14:52:00.002-05:00

So.

I've been sick for about a week now. Nothing horrid. Nothing fatal. Just a nasty sinus infection. I keep thinking I'm about to turn the corner to that spot where you go, "ah, yes, I'm feeling better" but, not just yet. Not quite.

In the meantime, life goes on, right?

Working on getting DS#1 ready to go to London in about 5 weeks.... No lack of drama there, as usual. His visa came quickly enough- but with an error on it. So he's spent the past 2 weeks trying to talk to someone, anyone, to take care of it. Finally found that someone yesterday. Passport is back in the mail today. He still doesn't have a place to live. That application should go in the mail today, too. We've been waiting for references. People, please hear me: If someone asks you to write a reference for them, and you agree to do so, please do it immediately. We've been waiting for 2 references for at least a month. And we who are waiting hate to bug those who have promised to write. After all, we want a good reference, don't we? I figure the rest of it- the finishing of undergrad classes, etc. is up to him. All I can do is worry. And worry, I do.

Taking care of hubby is progressing toward a more positive place, too. He's finally able to bear weight on that healing hip. We measure his progress in things like: he can stand in the shower, and he can take off his own pants, and he's now sitting in a regular dining room chair instead of his superduper souped up rolling chair. We actually went "out" for lunch today to Quizno's. It was his first foray into a restaurant since the fall. So, forward progress, if baby steps.

I'm so far behind in my coursework that I feel it hanging over me like a lead balloon. I really struggle with spending every waking hour on it when I feel like I have so many other things that need to be tended to, too.

DS#2, in Nice, is doing well. He's making friends and joining in all the fun that life in Nice has to offer. I still miss him like crazy, but knowing that he's well, and chatting with him almost daily by IM makes it bearable. almost.

There's where we are, today. And as I tell my boys often:

It is what it is.

OK people, seriously now.

2008-11-06T12:04:00.002-05:00

It's what, November 6.

It's WAY too early for Christmas lights on homes.

Seriously.

The Day After

2008-11-05T12:20:00.002-05:00

I'm glad the political ads are off my TV.

I'm glad there won't be 14 pieces of political junkmail today.

I'm glad I won't get 8 text messages today. LOL

I'm glad the outcome was so clear. There can really be no questions this time.

I'm so excited and hopeful at the prospects of this new Presidency.

I know he won't be perfect. I know he won't be able to do everything he said he wants to do. I know some of his plans won't work. This is the truth of politics in this and every country. But I do believe that this is the right direction for my country at this time and place.

God bless our new president and God bless the USA.

An Historic Day

2008-11-04T09:17:00.003-05:00

No matter which party you support, today's election is an historic event.

We, the people, will either have a biracial President or a female VicePresident, based on our free and unrestricted right to vote.

Yes, our RIGHT to vote. It is guaranteed by our Constitution. More, though, it is a privilege that we can and do vote every 4 years, like clockwork. We vote without fear of reprisal, without fear of retaliation, without fear, period.

There are people around the world who literally die trying to exercise their vote.

We need to remember, no matter the outcome of THIS election, that we are blessed to be citizens of this great experiment in democracy, the United States of America.

In 4 years, come hell or high water, we'll do it all again.

No doubt.

No fear.

Interesting read

2008-11-03T08:41:00.002-05:00

I'm kinda Over Oprah, but I picked up this magazine at the gym....

may 2008

page 249

interesting read.

Tell me about your political experience this year

2008-11-02T21:02:00.002-05:00

I've had 2 in person canvases....

At least 1 text message a day, more often 2 or 3, for weeeeeeeeeeks, lol.

At least 1 phone call a week for the last 2 months.

and a ridiculous amount of mail from EVERYone about everything. Last Friday? 14 pieces of political mail. 13 of them unsolicited. 1 was yet another bumper sticker for the son, who now has 6 stickers on his vehicle. I sure hope most of them are clings.

Anyone want to share their experiences?

Just a thought, or two

2008-11-02T16:26:00.002-05:00

My neighbor has her Christmas tree up!

Yay for frosted blueberry poptarts.... lol.

The hawk has visited 3 times now!!

Red wine + muscle relaxers = night night.

When do the political ads stop??

Why are orthotics so flippin' uncomfortable?

Men's suits are expensive!

Still can't find my winter jacket....

Jack-o-Lanterns with Snow?

2008-10-29T12:02:00.003-04:00

2 inches

2008-10-29T08:37:00.002-04:00

In December, if we get 2" of snow, it'll be ho-hum. Not news worthy at all. As a matter of fact, 2" of snow in November, December, January, February, March or April? Not news worthy.

But, dude, 2" of snow, in OCTOBER is totally too much. Seriously, now. I've done the research. Snow in October is not unheard of up here. Not UNcommon, but not normal, either.

Will post photos later.

Dude.... it's only October....

Today's Words of Wisdom

2008-10-28T16:49:00.002-04:00

If you live somewhere where it really does get cold, don't let your dear husband pack away the winter coats in a place where you can't get to them unaided.

Last spring, hubby put the box with the winter coats in the garage attic.

Yesterday, it snowed here. Today it is just raw. Cold and rainy, sometimes icy, and windy. RAW! And I can't get to my winter jacket. And, neither can he, obviously.

What a dumb blond and/or senior thing to do.....

Company and Fish

2008-10-27T10:53:00.000-04:00

3 days, max.

well, some company.

wink, wink.

Did you ever notice?

2008-10-24T14:38:00.002-04:00

How sometimes, a pat on the back can push you over the edge?

This morning, someone who loves me sent me an email and closed with these words, "You're doing a great job...." And, surely, it was meant as a pat on the back.

And, just as surely, it pushed me over the edge.

Sometimes, when we're tired, or stressed, or overwhelmed, all it takes is a kind word to open the flood gates. I started crying when I read this morning's email. And I've been weepy all day. Lol

Thanks for the kind, loving words. Now, pass the tissues.

xoxo

Do you believe in "signs"?

2008-10-19T14:30:00.002-04:00

I do.

I always have.

I also believe that God answers our prayers in many and wondrous ways....

And sometimes you just have to have an open heart and an open mind to see or hear the answers.

I've been having some issues, lately. Life seems a little out of control. I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round that just won't stop to let me off. Or a runaway roller coaster that careens faster and faster toward some inevitable unpleasant abrupt stop. Things are rushing toward me and past me faster than I can process and react. I feel really overwhelmed a lot of the time.

Yesterday, I glanced out my kitchen window to see a gorgeous hawk sitting on my neighbor's deck railing. I was so excited!! I've seen him around, usually in the sky, or perched on the neighbor's roofline. But this was the first time he's been down on "my" level. And as I stood there at the window watching, he flew over to MY railing, right outside my kitchen window! He sat there for maybe a minute, and for a moment or two, he looked right at me. Or so it seemed. And then, he was gone.

I felt it must be a sign of some sort....

This morning, I did a little research and found that the hawk as a totem animal was often believed to be "God" or His messenger. The ancient Egyptians (I knew this part) used the hawk and later the hawk head to represent the souls of the dead Pharoahs, their Gods. So, if this was a sign from God, in answer to my prayers, what in the world does it mean??

Hawks are patient. They will fly around for hours, looking for food to take care of their families; and if they lose their prey, they just try again.

Hawks have perspective. They sit up high, or fly up high, and can see all around them. They sit and watch, and wait, for the right time to take to the wing.

So, maybe he was telling me to be patient, but persistent. Take care of my family, patiently, and wait for the time to be right to move forward. And when I move, if it doesn't work out the way I had intended, try again. Be patient; have perspective; trust that the wind WILL blow beneath my wings again.

Body Language

2008-10-19T09:38:00.003-04:00

We watched a really interesting show last night on the History Channel.

It was all about body language. Did you know 93% of our communication is NOT what we say?? It's gestures, facial expressions, body postures, the tone of our voice, the rhythm of our words, and micro-expressions.

If you see this coming up on your History channel- watch it or DVR it. It's worth the 2 hours!!

Too Much Sugar

2008-10-16T16:40:00.001-04:00

From the sandpaper feel of my face, I'd guess I've been consuming too much sugar lately.

Hmm.... Wonder how that happened?

(insert rolly eyed emoticon here)

As If I Have Nothing Else To Do

2008-10-15T14:04:00.001-04:00

I started a new blog.

It's in addition TO this one....

It's for gardening stuff. Link over there ------------------------------->

Yay for good friends

2008-10-15T11:41:00.002-04:00

... who swoop in when you're about to hit rock bottom, and lift you up.

... who understand the words you can't bring yourself to say.

... who load the dishwasher while you're busy doing something else.

... who buy the shoes you love, but can't wear.

... who share your goodies on the q.t.

love ya!

99 Days

2008-10-12T19:36:00.002-04:00

99 days left in the Bush Administration....

uh, yay?

Folks, change is good. This change is gonna be really, really good.

The Boot Dies a Sudden Death

2008-10-10T13:39:00.002-04:00

I was well into week 6 in the boot- getting ready to start the transition into a sneaker.

And I woke up one morning this week and said, "I can't wear it any more...."

It's not that I wasn't willing to, it's that it was just no longer feasible. The boot didn't allow me to squat, and I needed to squat. In fact, I needed to be able to squat more than I needed a few more days in the boot.

The Hubby fell last week and broke his hip. After the surgical repair and the requisite hospital stay, he came home, thank God. But that meant I needed to be able to help him. He couldn't move that foot, straighten that leg, sit or stand without help. And I couldn't reach that foot without squatting. Thus, the sudden death of the boot.

Part of being a wife and mother is putting others' needs before your own sometimes. And this is one of those times. Absolutely helpless trumps slightly inconvenienced.

Yes, the foot is sore. I'll start taking some anti-inflammatories..... well, I have to go dig them out of the medicine box first, but I'll do that when I get a chance. And now, at least I have an orthopedist, should I need her! In fact, the night she repaired Hubby's hip, she said to me, "What'd you do to that foot?.... and who're you seeing?" I told her what I "did," and to the part B of that question? "Don't ask." She laughed. I shrugged.

Que sara, sara.

Today's best advice

2008-10-08T09:44:00.001-04:00

My girlfriend, Joni, reminded me....

"Put your own oxygen on first, then help others...."

I knew that. I've told people that, myself.

I forgot.

Thank you, sweet friend!

Phillipians 4: 6, 7

2008-10-07T09:22:00.002-04:00

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

....holding this close to my heart....

Thanks, SIL.

By the way, my request list is pretty long these days. But He already knows that, doesn't He?

Thoughts on the economic mess

2008-09-30T11:47:00.003-04:00

OUCH!

Okay, now that we've established things hurt, let's all take a deep breath. Breathe in, breathe out.

A couple weeks ago, Good Morning America's Mellody Hobson said, "Don't do something; just stand there." The old saying is "don't just stand there, do something" but the advice right now is the opposite. Don't panic. Don't start running around like a chicken without a head.

If your money is in a FDIC insured institution, there's no need to withdraw your cash and bury it in the back yard. But make sure your institution IS FDIC insured; not all are. If it isn't, you might ask yourself why you put your money somewhere that didn't insure it.... Better yet, talk to your financial adviser. Let him/her earn their keep; let them help you figure out what you should be, and shouldn't be, doing in this volatile market situation.

It is WAY too easy to panic in this environment. The news is all doom and gloom. It really is enough to make you crazy. But, for most of us, if we just hold on tight, we'll be able to ride it out. And, in my very humble opinion, that's the best thing we, as individuals, can do for ourselves and for our economy.

Buckle down, hunker down, settle down.

Practice frugality. Look it up if you don't know what it means.

It's autumn; it's a great time to nest.

I am not in the business of giving financial advice; this blog is NOT to be considered as such. It's life advice.... solely food for thought.

Thanks pokey!

2008-09-29T07:53:00.002-04:00

My youngest son sent me an email today....

Not a strange occurrence; we email almost every day, sometimes many times a day.

But this one, I received early (EARLY) in the morning, and it started my day off with a giggle:

My Karma just ran over your dogma.

Thanks, pokey! xoxo

The Boot, Part..... 3?

2008-09-25T16:44:00.002-04:00

Went to see my buddy, the foot doctor, today.

Once again, he managed to poke me in the magic spot, which sent jolts of pain through my foot, then settled into a good old throb.

Throb is a funny word, no?

Throb is not a funny feeling.

So. He "thinks" the bone "should" be healed by now.... and the throbbing he just set off? "Probably tendonitis." For which he offered to "put some cortisone in there....", which I politely declined. Uh, buddy? Been there, done that. That hurts like a muthu!!! Not doing that again any time soon.

The boot, 2 more weeks. Except, I can now take a sneaker with me to the gym, and put it on to ride a bike! Yay! Seriously. Never thought I'd say "yay" for bike riding, but I've been without cardio for 4+ weeks now, and I need my cardio! Then, in the third week, I can begin the transition to a sneaker for walking.

This is going to be a long rehab, I'm afraid. And require patience, which I don't generally have much of.

By the way, my family doctor told me on Monday that he would expect it to take 6-8 weeks to heal. I've been in the boot for 4 weeks and 2 days. I'm not so sure the throbbing is tendonitis. I'm not a doctor and all, but I'm more inclined to believe it's still unhealed bone. But what do I know?

By the Way....

2008-09-24T17:50:00.002-04:00

Although I have not written about the Presidential Election, that does not mean I don't care.

I care very deeply about this election.

I have chosen my candidate.

Please choose your candidate carefully, thoughtfully, and intelligently. Go read something like factcheck.org. Don't read the candidates' own sites; they're biased. Find an unbiased source that is holding them accountable.

Consider the impact a President has on the future as he appoints Supreme Court Justices.

Consider the person "a heartbeat away."

I believe this election will be a turning point for my country. The question is: which way will we turn?

God Bless America.

Crisis, Part 2!

2008-09-24T13:15:00.002-04:00

OK. Not funny....

I got dressed, did my hair, put on makeup!!! All to run some errands. Remember the bird food shortage? Well, that, plus the post office, and Target, with maybe a little stop off at Starbucks for a chai.... that was the plan.

The garage door won't open.

Last night, Hubby and I were in the kitchen when we heard this huge crash! We both said, "WHAT THE HECK????" But when he went out to the garage, which is where the crash sounded like it came from, there was nothing amiss. So, we figured it must have been from the neighbor's garage.

This morning, he left thru the garage. Son left thru the garage. I, however, can't leave thru the garage because we have a broken spring. And I can't open it manually, either, because we have a broken spring. OY!

The good news, I suppose, is that the repairman is coming this afternoon. The bad news, isn't there always bad news? is that it is not covered by our home warranty. I don't have a choice. I can't get my car out of the garage without getting the spring repaired.

Big sigh. What'cha gonna do?

Oh No! Crisis at Casa Moi!!

2008-09-24T06:58:00.002-04:00

I'm out of bird food!!!

LOL

Honestly, I need to go to Lowe's this morning and get bird seed. I have 5 feeders outside my kitchen window and they are busy all day. It's not unusual to count 25+ birds out there, eating, fighting, watching, drinking, bathing, waiting patiently....

And yesterday afternoon, the last of the food went into the feeders, most of which was then depleted by nightfall. So, this morning, they'll just have to resort to ground eating, and clean up all the stuff they throw out of the feeders day after day. Only the finch feeders have seed this morning, and maybe the suet feeder- still too dark to see for sure.

I'm positive they'll survive until Lowe's opens, and I can go gather their food for them. And lay it out like a banquet. LOL

Hubby says I've spoiled the birds, just like I spoiled the boys.

True words, for sure.

The Sounds of Early Morning

2008-09-23T07:38:00.002-04:00

Given the choice, I would not be a "dark of the morning" riser. I don't enjoy getting up before the sun, for the most part.

But, hey, stuff happens.

Right now, as it happens, I AM rising before the sun. Sitting in my kitchen this morning, in the still quiet of my house, I listened to the world around me....

In the not-so-distant distance, I could hear traffic on the turnpike. Not an unpleasant noise, just the hum of tires on asphalt as commuters and truckers start their day too early, too.

In my neighborhood, an occasional car crept past, well within the 25 mph speed limit.

Right outside my kitchen window, my neighbor's garage door went up. Then, the scrape of garbage cans being pulled to the curb- a reminder that this is Tuesday. Soon after, his truck started up and pulled out. No garage going down.... wonder if he forgot, or if the Wife is leaving soon, too?

Then, the call of the plovers as they begin their pre-dawn hunt for food. Do they have sonar? How do they not crash in the morning darkness?

I know, as the sun begins to rise the sounds will increase. More traffic, near and far; more birds as they visit the feeders just outside my window; construction noise from across the way.... the day will begin in earnest.

But for those moments in the dark of morning, the sounds seem somehow more intimate, more gentle, more exclusive. It's just me, and the plovers, and the dark.

Yikes! What Have I Done??

2008-09-22T17:07:00.003-04:00

In case you couldn't tell by the photo over there ------------------>
I'm naturally a blond.

Today, I am a brunette. LOL

I've done this silly thing 3 times in my life, now- the trying a different look thing. It just doesn't work for me! Some women can change hair color like changing hats, and they look good as blonds, brunettes, redheads....

Me? Not so much.

Even though I chose a color that's called "Light Golden Brown" it's still way too dark for my pale Nordic skin tones. Oy vey.

Well, it's just hair. In a couple weeks, I'll start lightening it up again....

LOL

So much for trying a new look. Been there, done that, not crazy about it. Guess I'll stick with the same ole, same ole.

Cook or Clean, Your Choice

2008-09-19T17:05:00.003-04:00

The next time someone in my household invites someone else, a.k.a. company, for dinner with less than 1 full week's notice, there will be serious consequences.

Cook or clean.

The offender will get to do all the cooking or all the cleaning. Their choice. But I'm not doing the cooking and the cleaning for someone else's company on 2 days' notice again without some serious payback.

Especially wearing das boot. Come on, people.

Mass Transit, German Style

2008-09-19T08:47:00.005-04:00

Continuing my series of mass transit blogs, let's talk Germany!

Last October, the hubby and I went to Germany. Not sure if he'd been there previously, but it was my first visit. Given the turmoil of last summer and fall, I did not have the time and/or mental energy to learn much German language before our trip. As the time for our departure drew nearer, I began to fret a bit about my lack of language skills. It's not that I expected or needed to be fluent by any means, but I like to have a few words ready when I travel abroad. Everyone around me said, "Don't worry; everyone speaks some English these days."

not so much.

First of all, hubby was going for a "convention" in Dusseldorf, and all the hotels were fully booked as early as March. So, we were booked into a hotel in Essen, about 30 km northeast of Dusseldorf.

(I realize this is not like my other mass transit blogs.... this does require a bit more of the telling of the story.... hang with me....)

After getting off the plane and navigating through customs and immigration, we stopped off at the information desk, where the lovely lady did, in fact, speak excellent English! Yay! She gave us directions to get from the airport to our hotel using public transport. It was kind of convoluted, though, and I began to worry just a bit. First, we found the SkyTrain, which would take us from the airport to the train. At the train station, then, we needed to buy tickets to Essen and board the correct train. Not quite as easy because none of the ticket sellers spoke English, but a simple "Essen" and 2 fingers did the trick. Tickets in hand, the hunt for the correct track began, suitcases in tow. There were probably 8 tracks, maybe more. And trains coming through very often, for points all over Germany, and beyond. Not realizing that it didn't matter which train to Essen we caught, and that they ran fairly often, we were in a hurry to catch the next one. Breathless, we did, indeed, get on the next train to Essen.

These trains are fast, clean, comfortable, and widely used. Mostly by people traveling between cities, as commuters or visitors, most of whom don't have much in the way of luggage. That means, there's really no place to put suitcases, which we have 2 of. We sat in the entry/exit area, on the steps to the upper section; it's the only place to really put luggage. Every time we stopped, people got on, people got off, and we (and our suitcases) were in the way. No one was ever rude, though, just in a hurry. We arrived at a station where, for some reason, I thought we needed to get off. It's not Essen. I don't even remember now where it was, but I was certain we needed to get off and change trains. I blame it on jetlag.... In fact, we did not need to get off. The train we were on would have taken us to Essen. But we got off, found a "worker" on the platform and asked for the train to Essen. He pointed at the train, departing, that we had just disembarked from. Hubby looked at me, shook his head in amusement and laughed. We waited for the next train to Essen, about 15 minutes later.

Finally, in Essen, we disembarked, navigated the underground tunnels and emerged into the fall afternoon sunlight. Really, it was lovely. We were exhausted. We got into a waiting taxi and hubby gave the driver the name of our hotel. The driver looked perplexed. He gestured "what?" Hubby repeated the name of our hotel. The driver rolled down his window and yelled at the drivers standing around; no one seemed to recognize the name of our hotel. I started laughing, a little hysterically, probably. Hubby, ever prepared, pulled out the printed confirmation and handed it to the driver, who read the address, thought for a moment, handed the paper back and put the car in gear. Hubby said, "yes?" Driver shrugged and wagged his head in the universal gesture of "maybe, maybe not, we'll see." He drove. And drove. I thought we're going in circles. I thought Essen's a small town and we're driving a really long time. Suddenly, Driver pulled a "U-y" in the middle of the street, pulled over to the curb, put the car in park and jumped out. We looked out the window, looking for a hotel. Driver pointed to a sign over a doorway. He's right; this IS our hotel.

We paid; we tipped; we clambered out and gathered our stuff.

After settling in at our hotel, where, by the way, no one speaks English, we decided to go for a walk to the town center. It is our practice to try to get on local time as soon as possible, so we needed to stay up another 6-8 hours. The lady at the front desks walked out with us and pointed us to the train. We asked her, "Can we walk?" She shook her head and said, "No English." We mimicked walking with our fingers. "Walk" (fingers) "city center?" (raised eyebrows) She wagged her finger emphatically and said, "No! train" and pointed. We obeyed.

At the subway/train station there are no turnstiles, no ticket sellers, no "workers" or attendants of any kind. There is a ticket machine which I approached with confidence. I tapped the touchscreen, and voila! Instructions appeared, in German. Clueless, we looked around. There was a teenage girl, sitting, reading, waiting. I approached her and offered a hesitant "guten tag" to which she replied. I asked, "Do you speak English?" She replied, as do 99.9% of people I've ever asked, "A little." I asked, "Can you help me buy a train ticket?" She was wonderful!!!! She went with me to the machine; she showed me step by step what I needed to do. I held out a handful of money to pay for my tickets, which made her giggle as she sorted through to find the coins she needed, showing me all along the way, "this, this, this." The subway was fine. It was a subway. It got us where we wanted to go.

The next day, we noticed a trolley running in the street in front of our hotel. We pointed and asked the good lady at the front desk, who did not speak English, "City center?" She nodded and pointed the other way, away from the train station. So we decided to try the trolley. It became our preferred means of transportation during our stay. Because it is above ground, you see the city! You see the restaurants, the stores, the markets, the street signs; you get a feel for the lay of the land that you don't get when you're traveling underground. You buy a ticket at the stop by putting coins in a machine that then spits out a ticket at you, which no one will ever check, probably, but you better have it just in case. We did see tickets being checked, but ours never were. I loved the trolley. I was very comfortable riding it by myself. I was confident that I knew where I was, where I wanted to go and how to get there. The one kind of odd thing was that the trolley platform in the city center was underground, so that was a little confusing the first time.

Next time: the train to Cologne and Aachen.

Thinking....

2008-09-18T12:05:00.002-04:00

One morning, I came down to my family room to check email, and turned on the TV to catch the morning news.

The TV turned on to Joyce Meyer. Hmmm.... what the heck? I don't watch televangelists, really. So finding Joyce on my TV unexpectedly made me go "huh?"

This strange thing had happened once before, and that time I sat and watched, out of curiosity more than anything else, and what Joyce said that day spoke directly to me. I took it as a sign.

Having had Joyce "speak to me" once before, I sat down and waited for her to speak to me again. And she didn't disappoint. This particular day, she was talking about getting rid of things that no longer serve us. She talked about how hard it is to let go of things, relationships, habits, that once served us well, but no longer do. And I said, "ah ha."

My life has changed so much in the past year that I barely recognize it anymore. Yet, I hold on to all those old habits, even though they don't really fit any more. They served me well in the past, but not so much in this new place, this new reality.

I've been pondering Joyce's words for weeks now. I've been turning them around, upside down and inside out in my head, over and over. And I think they've finally made it to my heart.

It is time to sort through the old "stuff" and see what really still fits, and what's best to let go.

disclaimer: not you, Chris. Come see me.

2 more weeks

2008-09-12T14:51:00.001-04:00

at least.

In the boot.

oy.

Back to the Foot Doctor

2008-09-11T13:24:00.002-04:00

Today is my 2 week check up.

I'm honestly thinking it's a waste of time. The standard treatment time for foot fractures is 4-6 weeks and it's only been 2. And I've probably been "on" it more than I should (trip to Chicago, etc.) and my nutrition has been pretty poor lately, not optimal for bone healing.

If he wants to do more x-rays, I probably will decline for now. I've had too many x-rays in the past year, and I think 2 weeks is too soon to see complete healing.

Eh, what do I know, right?

(by the way.... I "knew" it was fractured, didn't I???)

Mass Transit, London and Paris

2008-09-11T07:41:00.002-04:00

London's underground, the Tube, is one of The Best mass transit systems anywhere: clean, punctual, and easy to navigate! The map is easy to figure out; the stations are easy to find; and it's all in English! woo hoo!! rofl

Is it perfect? Of course not. If the station you need happens to be closed, it's probably a pretty good walk to the next. But the other side of that coin is that it moves pretty quickly because it's not stopping every 1/4 mile either! And it can, like any other mass transit system, get very crowded at peak hours. It has over 250 stations, many of them in the 'burbs and outlaying areas. Great for getting to Wimbledon, and Windsor Castle!

It's not in English in Paris. But you really only need a couple words of French to figure it out. And any travel guide/translator will have those couple of words you need.

Other than that, Paris' subway system is very good, also. Like London, it's clean and punctual, and not too difficult to navigate. And, it is very, very extensive- 368 stations!!! Many of the entrances still have the Art Nouveau designs which make them easy to spot, and fun to photograph.

We had a couple scares on the Paris system that changed how we move around as a family.... Now, when we go through turnstiles or board anything, we go parent, kid, kid, parent. That way, if a kid gets 'stuck' on the other side, there's a parent there, too. Granted, now my kids are grown ups, but at least there are 2 of us together if one of them gets stranded. If both parents are through a turnstile, and a kid gets caught because his ticket doesn't work it's scary! Scarier still, both parents are ON a train and the doors start to close while a kid is still outside on the platform!! Our experience on the train in Paris, is that the doors do NOT open back up just because there is a body part in the way. I walked around Paris, bruised for days, because I stepped into a closing doorway to ensure my kid got ON the same train as me.

Lesson: parent-kid-kid-parent. Add as many kids in the middle there as you need, but a parent should go through or on first, and last.

oh the misery

2008-09-08T16:48:00.002-04:00

Chicago, on a chilly, wet Monday in September.

Walking around in a cam walker, without a map, looking for 1 building.

Did I mention chilly and wet? Raining sideways, even.

Oh, the misery of cold, wet feet.

Why, then, did we laugh so much? Because it is all so typical of my journeys.

LOL, indeed.

Mass Transit

2008-09-08T10:25:00.003-04:00

I'm in Chicago today, with my younger son, to visit the French consulate for his student visa. Let's say it's a bittersweet trip for me. I get to spend a couple days with him in a new place, exploring, chatting away. But Saturday (his departure for France) looms too close for me.

Putting that aside for now . . .

Today, we're trying out Chicago's mass transit. Not even sure what it's properly called. Is it the Metra? the El? hmmm.

It got me thinking. We've "done" mass transit in a lot of places around the world:

New York City is famous for it's subway system, right? It is crowded and noisy, though less polluted than it once was. I always emerge from the subway disoriented; I'm never quite sure which direction I need to head off in. In the past few years, we've started staying across the Hudson River in a hotel in Weehawken and take the ferry across the river, then a bus uptown. I love the ferry! Never mind my fear of water; the ride is short, the skyline is magnificent, and I never tire of the NYC skyline!

Washington, DC has a good underground system, too. We recently used it when we were in DC for July 4th, so I can't speak to it's crowdedness, because it was very crowded that weekend! But it was clean and well marked, inexpensive, and fast. That's what a subway should be, right? Our problem in DC (and we always have a problem.... but that's another story) was that 2 of our metro cards got de-magnetized. We didn't know that if you put them near your cell phone that would happen.... It can, and it did. They'll replace them for you free of charge, but it requires standing in a line. Lesson? Don't put your card in the same pocket as your cell phone. Especially, don't put it in your cell phone holder like one of us did! rofl. Luckily for us, both got demagnetized on the same trip, so we only had to stand in line once for both of them.

Next time: London and Paris!

Listen to your Gut

2008-08-27T09:24:00.004-04:00

My words of wisdom for today:

Listen to your gut.

When you have that "something's wrong" feeling and you can't shake it, believe it.

A few weeks ago, maybe 3 weeks ago now, I noticed my foot was hurting. I couldn't pinpoint any specific event that caused it, I just noticed it. That's not to say it didn't hurt much; it hurt quite a bit. But I have a famously high pain threshold, and I tend to ignore little aches and pains as part of growing older and part of working out regularly. I did start icing and compressing this foot pretty much as soon as I noticed it. But, of course, I could walk on it, so I did. And I continued to work out on it.

A few days in, I said to my Hubby, "I think I may have a stress fracture" but I didn't have any 'proof' other than the pain. So, I kept doing what I do.

After a couple weeks of icing and compressing with no improvement, I finally decided to visit a doctor. So, I looked up orthopedists and podiatrists on my insurance's provider website and started calling around. I took an appointment with the one who could see me soonest.

First visit.... he examines my foot and talks to me. He 'thinks' it's a sprain. He tapes it, tells me to wear the tape for a couple days, then go for xrays and come back to him in a week. In the meantime, I can work out, as tolerated. (insert rolling eyes here)

In my mind, I thought the xrays should have come before the diagnosis and the okay to continue working out. But what do I know, right? I'm not a doctor....

Yesterday was my return visit.

My gut was right. I have 2 fractures in my right foot.

If I has listened to my gut, I'd be 2 weeks ahead in the healing process.... but no. I didn't listen to my own body; I ignored it; I didn't trust it.

Hard-learned lesson: Trust your body. It tells you when something is wrong, if you'll just listen! Don't push it down and push on; injuries heal with rest and time. Give your body rest, and time.

Photo from yesterday

2008-08-07T11:31:00.002-04:00

Serendipitous Moments

2008-08-06T11:39:00.002-04:00

I was outside a few minutes ago, puttering.

I had watered my flower beds and pots.... dead headed a few plants, pulled a few weeds, hosed off the deck....

I was pondering the plants I probably should move before they have a chance to become too established because I didn't plant them in the very best location. This was my learning year with this yard. I wasn't real sure of the sun and shade situation. I wasn't sure how hot it would get, how sunny, how dry, how rainy. So, I did the best I could with the information I had at the time, but in hindsight, I should have planted some things in different locations, and it's not too late to undo and redo.

So, I came inside and grabbed my camera. My thought was to take photos of the beds so that when I start moving things around, I'll remember where other things are, like bulb plants which are no longer "there." And also, so I'll remember next spring when I go to buy annuals which did particularly well, or not.

I started out downstairs, snapping here and there. Loving the Mallow that finally bloomed into gorgeous dinner-plate-sized white and fuscia deliciousness....

I moved around to the side, snapping away....

At the top of the beds, by the driveway, I was focusing on a lovely little Day Lily blooming there, a dainty shade of mauve, who will benefit from the moves I'm contemplating.

A movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. A monarch butterfly was perched atop a purple coneflower!! As I shifted my camera to her, she clung tenaciously as the breeze tried in vain to dislodge her.... the breeze fluttered, her wings fluttered, the flower head bobbed, but she held on as I snapped off 28 frames!

Now, let's hope one of them is a keeper!!

Not so bright? or just curious?

2008-07-31T08:19:00.003-04:00

Yesterday evening, Hubby and I were sitting out on the deck after dinner when along came a hummingbird!

I was so excited to see it because they've been rare visitors this year, despite my always full feeder.

Well, this little guy hovered away from the deck looking at us for a few seconds and disappeared. I quietly got up and moved a candle I had lit and set on the deck railing to ward off bugs, figuring maybe the flame and smoke discouraged the little hummer. I saw him sitting in an evergreen right off the deck corner, waiting.

Before I even had a chance to sit down, he buzzed himself up to the petunias in the flower box, and visited down the line. From there, he moved on to the next box, visiting the petunias there as well. Then, to my amusement, he investigated the decorative flag hanging nearby before finally approaching the hummingbird feeder.

At this point, I was standing about 4 feet away, still as a statue, barely breathing. Well, it was really all I could do not to laugh out loud at this little guy. Instead of heading straight for the feeding portals like most hummers do, this guy tried to feed from the painted flowers on the body of the feeder. Not convinced by checking one, he checked all the flowers on the feeder before he finally went to the portals and drank. And yes, he tried all 4 of them before zipping away to check out the seed feeders down the rail.

Truly, I was giggling by this time. What a funny little guy.... Was he just "not the brightest hummingbird in the flock?" Or was he just really curious about all the colorful things?

I watched in horror as he approached the FLAME of a nearby tiki torch.... he stopped SO close to the flame, I was really afraid he would be burned, but he squeaked and flew away. Hubby and I sat there and laughed about this unusual visit and wondered what the heck he was thinking....

This morning, I saw a hummer- it HAD to be the same little curious, confused guy- zip into the area. And his first stop? A bright red cardinal at the seed feeder. ROFL.... I can only imagine what the cardinal was thinking....

Follow up to Don't Spoil Dad

2008-07-30T07:53:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, while out running errands, Omar and I discussed dessert....

I said, "Let's do something light and summery.... maybe some lemon sorbet with blueberries?" We were standing in a bakery at the time, so I added, "with a cookie of some kind?" So we perused the display and decided on a Pecan Crispy- a huge flat, round thing with pecans and who know what else.

By the way, I was planning on making crab cakes for dinner, so I thought something light and fruity sounded like a good balance.

The crab cakes were good. I served them with some Mango-Peach Salsa, along with our usual huge salad to which I added orange sections, to pick up the fruit theme.

I went into the kitchen a couple hours later to put dessert together. With the kettle on for tea, and bowls out for the sorbet, I grabbed the bakery bag to warm and break the Pecan Crispy. About that time, Dad (aka Hubby) walked in and started poking around. I said to him, "Go on downstairs; I'll bring dessert in a few."

His response? "Omar makes dessert from scratch, not a bakery bag."

Did I not say, "Don't spoil Dad?"

(by the way, dessert was yummy! I poured a bit of Lemoncello over the blueberries, and it was restaurant quality, even if I say so myself....)

Did I say "Don't spoil Dad?"

2008-07-29T08:48:00.002-04:00

When Omar moved home for the summer, I said to him, "Don't spoil Dad...."

Huh?

Omar has turned into quite a gourmet.
-noun

1.	a connoisseur of fine food and drink; epicure.

–adjective

2.	of or characteristic of a gourmet, esp. in involving or purporting to involve high-quality or exotic ingredients and skilled preparation: gourmet meals; gourmet cooking.

3.	elaborately equipped for the preparation of fancy, specialized, or exotic meals

And I just knew we were in for a summer of excellent food, and I didn't want him to spoil Dad.

It's not that I'm not a gourmet, too, but I'm no longer as ambitious on a daily basis as Omar is. He will prepare risotto, from scratch, for LUNCH! Me? I'm all about the leftovers, or a quick sandwich.

Dinner? Oh my gosh, the dinners we've had. Now, lest you think he's been toiling away over a hot stove all summer, let me say 1) I've been helping 2) we've done a good deal of grilling and 3) most of the meals have been a collaborative effort to some extent.

Last night, as we sat nibbling on toasted blueberry pound cake with vanilla bean ice cream, Dad says, "Now let's see how Mom does when you're gone...."

Oy.

Did I not say, "Don't spoil Dad?"

Mothering Adult Children

2008-07-24T12:30:00.002-04:00

For some bizarre reason, I thought as my children grew older, there would come a point where I wouldn't worry so much. Some nebulous portal would transport me to a place where I could sit back and watch them be wonderful adults, not a worry on the horizon....

How delusional can a (more or less) sane person be???

As they have grown, I have realized that there is a very apropos cliche: Small children, small problems; big children, oy vey.

Okay, that's not really the cliche, but you know....

And they're good kids!! Imagine if they weren't!?

It doesn't help that I'm a worrier by nature. I worry about all kinds of stupidity, but my kids, I worry about them every day. Not a day passes that I don't worry about something.

I still hope that one day I can let most of it go.

Oh, please, let that day come soon....

My Dad, the superhero

2008-07-11T13:15:00.003-04:00

I was recently, very recently in fact, talking to some friends about my Dad.

I said, "In our family, he was like a superhero." Pretty much all my cousins, aunts and uncles talk about Dad with a certain awe in their voice. He was larger than life. He was a saint. He was a good man. He died 31 years ago today, at the too young age of 39.

He was my world. I was 16 when Daddy went to work that sultry July morning for the last time. He suffered a massive MI at work and died on the scene.

My world tilted.

To this very day, I can not talk about Daddy without crying. I can't write about him without crying. I still mourn the loss of this special man. I mourn the fact that his grandchildren never knew him. And some of his grandsons are SO like him. I mourn my loss, still.

Oddly enough, I find solace in a line from a Billy Joel song: "only the good die young." And that was what he was: good. He was a good man.

Love ya, Daddy.

How does he love me?

2008-07-09T12:04:00.004-04:00

Let me count the ways.....

No, really, the Hubby of 27+ years knows how to say I Love You.

This past weekend, we took the Boys to Washington, DC for the weekend. Not really because it was the holiday weekend. In fact, if we'd really thought about it, we probably would have planned it for a different weekend, but it turned out to be a very cool experience. Hubby planned the trip for me because there were 2 museum exhibitions that I wanted to see.

Yes, we traveled 350 miles one way for me to go to a museum. THAT, my friends, is true love.

And it's not the first time we've done such a thing!

This time, however, it was to take in the exhibit of Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/afghanistaninfo.shtm at the National Gallery of Art AND Muraqqa': Imperial Mughal Albums from the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/current/muraqqa.htm at the Freer + Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian.

Why these 2 exhibitions? Two of my great loves are ancient history and art history.

And The love of my life, the Hubby, knows that.

Are they worth driving that far? To me, they were! To him? I doubt it, but he did it with me, for me, anyway.

And that's 1 way he loves me! xoxo

And the list bites the dust

2008-06-26T10:13:00.002-04:00

I don't think I can do any more 'things I like about me.'

I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm not real comfortable doing it....

There are, to be sure, things I like about myself, but digging them out, naming them, writing about them? Nah, not so much.

I hope there are things other people like about me. I mean, there must be because I do have friends, and there must be something to like to build a friendship on, right? So, my friends, I love you for your friendship, for your support, for your words of kindness and love over the years. And I beg you to continue to love me even though I'm quitting my list of things. ;)

There are so many things that are more fun to talk about, so let's just talk about other things, shall we?

Number 7 of the things I like about me

2008-06-24T08:17:00.002-04:00

7) I'm self sufficient.

At least most of the time. I wasn't much coddled as a child and I grew up being very self sufficient. In our early married years, Hubby traveled a great deal with his work, so my self sufficiency matured. During the child-rearing years, the patterns continued.

Thus, I reach the place I am today. I am a grown up woman, with grown up children, who really rarely "needs" anything from anyone.

From time to time I cross a jar I can't open on my own. Actually, I probably could if I persevered, but why bother when there are 3 strong men in the house?? I call for muscle and, presto change-o, the jar is open!

Yesterday, I bought a new filter for the aquarium. Let me just say I've been dealing with aquarium stuff for over 20 years. And I've never had any trouble with a filter. You put it together, hang it over the edge, fill it with water, plug it in and it goes. Except yesterday, it would not go. Would not run, for whatever reason. Brand new filter, right out of the box, not working.

I will admit to becoming very frustrated after about 30 minutes of fiddling with it. I gave up. I unplugged it and walked away, saying to Omar, "I'll have Dad take a look at it...."

After dinner, I tackled it again. I fiddled. I wiggled. I cursed. I sighed. I got it working!!!

I still don't know why the darn thing wouldn't work right off, but eventually it did, and I felt like I deserved something.... like a Pulitzer Prize for domestic engineering?

Wimbledon!

2008-06-23T09:13:00.003-04:00

I LOVE Wimbledon!!! I love the tennis; I love the "event"; I love the village; I love Wimbledon!!

There are 2 things about Wimbledon I don't love: the rain delays, but hey, it's Wimbledon, so what'dya expect? and the mispronunciation. So many people try to be correct and say "WimbleTon".... no, folks, it's a 'D' and therefore: WimbleDon. Take note, Reege, please!! lol

I love the tradition. No matter how colorful tennis attire becomes, Wimbledon requires white. Tennis whites are so beautiful against the lush green grass of the courts. Only recently have they "allowed" men to go sleeveless. Only recently have they given up the bow and curtsy to the royal box. And I kinda wish they had not given these 2 concessions to modernity. I loved the old school feel of it all.

I love the fan-friendliness of the venue. People queue for hours for grounds passes, which allow you to wander around and watch any match that isn't on center court, or courts 1 or 2 reserved seating. Yes, the queue is often hours long, sometimes overnight! But it's so affordable, and you can see legends play for cheap if you're patient!

I love the tennis! This is the only grass court championship, anywhere. And not everyone can play grass court tennis. It's not exactly like playing rebound or clay. It is unique, unto itself. It almost seems as if the grass has a personality of it's own. There will inevitably be an upset or 2 during the fortnight, and we watch in anticipation.

All that being said, let the tennis begin!! The fortnight is underway!! Yay, Wimbledon!!!

Number 6 of the 50 Things I Like About Me

2008-06-23T09:05:00.003-04:00

Well, since Lisa admits to having worked on her list of 50 for a few days, I guess I don't feel quite so bad about struggling with my 50....

I'm only up to #6, and already I'm wondering if I'll make it to 10!

Number 6:
I accept Monday mornings for what they are.... Monday morning.

Given the opportunity/influence, I would allow everyone I know to take Monday mornings "off". No college classes on Monday mornings. The work day would begin at 1 p.m on Mondays. Gyms would remain closed until 1, as well. Honestly, don't we deserve a gradual entry into a new week?

50 Things, numbers 4 & 5

2008-06-22T15:46:00.002-04:00

4) I'm a good cook.

We had dinner guests last night.... We had Spicy Marinated Steak, Greek Yogurt Chicken, Garlic and Bleu Cheese Grilled Mashed Potatoes (Omar's creation), Banana Bread Pudding and Cappuccino Fudge.

Gotta say, it was YUM-O!

5) I can talk sports with the guys!

I'm conversant in basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer, golf..... and I can fake it with most other sports, LOL. There are only a couple I'm truly clueless about: cricket and curling. Does ANYone understand them??

50 Things I Like About Me, number 3

2008-06-19T14:35:00.003-04:00

3) I have a sense of humor. About most things.

Right now, I'm sitting here with a stuffed lizard sitting on my shoulder, "watching," Omar says. He makes me laugh so much- Omar, not the lizard.

I enjoy laughing. You know it's good for your immune system to laugh.

We should all laugh more. There should be more stuff to laugh about. Don't you think?

50 Things, Number 2

2008-06-18T09:56:00.005-04:00

2) I enjoy all kinds of movies.... Pirates of the Caribbean, At World's End was my most recent. I've always found the PotC movies to be an interesting combination of mythology, humor, gruesome special effects and hubba, hubba (Orlando). They make me go, "huh?" as often as they make me LOL....

50 things???

2008-06-17T08:40:00.002-04:00

I have a friend who blogged 50 things she likes about herself.

In 1 blog. In 1 sitting, I'm guessing.

Wonder how long it took her to come up with 50?

NO way I can do 50 at a time, but maybe 50, 1 day at a time?

So, Lisa, I'll see your 50, but mine will be 1 every day.

50 Things I Like About Myself:

1) I love my family, and they love me, too.... most of the time. ;)

Lisa's blog: http://notjustanylisa.blogspot.com/

Summer Birds

2008-06-13T09:40:00.002-04:00

I love birds.

I love birds, a lot!

I feed the birds outside my kitchen window, and I love to watch them while we're eating.... and they're eating. Right now, late spring, they empty the feeder twice a day, completely. They'd probably do it a third time if I refilled it quickly enough.

Year round, we have sparrows, finches, cardinals and doves. During the spring and summer, we add robins, gold finches, red-winged blackbirds, grackles, starlings, and grosbeaks.

Yesterday, in my neighbors' tree, I noticed a flurry.... I grabbed my binoculars and pulled into focus.... cedar waxwings!!! I was so excited!!! (In Texas, I only saw 1, once in 13 years.)

And this morning, early this morning, I was standing there, looking out, waiting for my first cup of tea to brew when I saw a newcomer.... a duck. A mallard, to be exact, waddling up to that special place in the grass where the sparrows and finches throw the food they don't want. I laughed. Out loud. What the heck?? (giggle)

As I lingered over a second cup of tea, I noted another newbie.... I couldn't identify her. No, I'm not sure it was a she-bird, but I'd bet on it because her coloring was "dull" which often afflicts the female of the species. I opened up my Audubon field guide and flipped thru the pages.... couldn't find her. Maybe she'll come back later, or tomorrow, so I can snap a picture to help identify her.
I really do love my birds....

Summer, oh summer

2008-06-06T14:38:00.002-04:00

A week ago, the mornings were still in the 40s. And mid-day was maybe 70 degrees....

I would open all the windows to let the breezes cool the house.

And it was lovely. While it lasted. LOL

Yesterday, summer arrived in overdrive. Hot (for here) and humid. Oh ick!!! And so, the air conditioning got turned on, finally.

And it doesn't work.

This morning, the outside temp was 66; inside, it was 83. So, I opened the windows and doors to let some cooler air in, and put in a call to the AC repair.

Tomorrow, he will come. And we may set a temperature record for the day as well.

Hmmm. Well, at least I know one thing for SURE.... this Ohio summer will NOT be as hot and humid, nor last as long as the Texas summers I survived for the last 13 years.

With that in mind, I welcome summer- heat, humidity, mosquitoes and all.

Honestly, who needs this stuff?

2008-06-02T10:16:00.002-04:00

And why can't I get rid of it??

We were cleaning the garage yesterday. Well, more accurately, we were rearranging the garage, moving some stuff to the attic storage, throwing some stuff out, emptying boxes, etc.

I ran across a box with some of my things in it.... Among the things in the box were a doll my Dad brought me from VietNam many, many years ago, and a purse/bag my dh gave me a few years ago. I repacked them to be saved even though the doll is discolored from age and totally not displayable, and I will probably never use the purse/bag again b/c it just doesn't fit my lifestyle anymore.

Why???

Well, I suppose one could make the argument that I hold on to the doll b/c my Dad is gone and I keep her to keep a piece of him.

What's the deal with the purse? Dh is most assuredly alive and well and he has given me many other more expensive and/or "dear" things before and since the bag.... so, why did I pack it back up to keep??

Thinking on it....

Search and Rescue

2008-05-30T09:37:00.002-04:00

Farooq went for a bike ride yesterday. And got lost. He was on a Metropark bike trail, so he wasn't like lost in the wilderness, but he didn't know where he was, so he was lost.

He called me to come pick him up. Problem #1- I didn't know where he was. Problem #2- HE didn't know where he was. Problem #3- He had a bike with him and I drive a car. Solution- "call Dad."

We did find him, eventually. Turned out he had ridden 23 miles and the only way back that he could figure out was to just turn around and ride another 23 miles back. His legs said, "We don't think so!"

After we got home and he had showered and we had eaten dinner, he came to me and whispered, "Mom, my perennial hurts."

ROFL....

I think he meant perineum.

Are you kidding me?

2008-05-29T08:46:00.002-04:00

It's May!

May 29, to be exact.

This morning, when I stumbled into the kitchen at 6 a.m., it was 34 degrees out.

Yes, I said 34.

With frost.

Let me review: May 29, 34 degrees, with frost.

Toto, we're not in Texas anymore, that's for dang sure.