Taste Life Twice

2011-01-08T17:58:00.001-06:00

Taking a break from blogging here. Bye, y'all.

Happy Birthday

2010-12-04T13:34:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday, to me, Happy Birthday, to ME!

Today is my birthday. I am 49 years old. I can't remember the last time I proclaimed proudly to the world that it was my birthday - I think probably when I turned 18. My 30th and 40th went virtually unnoticed, and I am already planning for my 50th - what a celebration that will be!

But this year I just decided to toot my own horn and announce to the world that it's my day, and to revel in the birthday wishes.

And boy is it working! I am having

THE

BEST

DAY.

I have so much in my life that brings me joy. And gosh darn it, if I don't celebrate it, it might not get celebrated! I have worked very hard to get to the place in life where I am today, I have learned something important in every one of my forty-nine years. I have earned the gray hair I cover on my head and pluck out of my eyebrows (just did that this morning.) I have wrinkles and age spots and they are signs of victory that I am still here and I am thriving.

So Happy Birthday to ME!

Announcing...

2010-09-19T21:59:00.002-05:00

The latest Positive Online Image website:

www.birthvision.com

This is the site of a friend of mine who recently became a doula. She is still fine-tuning the content on some of the pages, but my part - designing and creating the actual site - is pretty much done.

And I have to admit I absolutely LOVE it. Not that I'm biased or anything. Each site I do gets easier and faster, and, I think, better.

In the wings now ... a Pilates instructor, a professional musician, and maybe a veterinarian. And then maybe a site for my nephew, the film student. Anyone else out there need a site?

Up and Down

2010-09-11T18:44:00.002-05:00

I got all excited today because I bought some new software to help me out in the development of website templates. It's so cool, lots of menus to use if you want, but total flexibility to bring in your own stuff quickly and easily. I'm working on a site for a doula right now (there's a profession I wish I knew about a long time ago) and it's so fun.

Then the new software stopped working.

It gave me a message that my "activation limit is reached." I don't know what that means, either. So I sent off my "help" note and I am waiting for them to get back to me after checking into my account status.

Waah. The creative juices were really, really flowing well there.

The good news is this doula (she calls me her "website doula" - how cool is that?!?) has several people who are watching her closely and asking her questions about how she's getting a website, and will be potential clients for me! YAY!

So once the new software is working again, this website doula will be back at work. When the site is done I will post the link.

In the meantime, anytime you hear anyone musing about a website (or complaining about their current website) ... send'em my way!

A look back

2010-08-23T17:40:00.005-05:00

One year ago, I was just back from the Iowa State Fair. I was just a week or two past the decision (accepting the reality, really, more than deciding) that I was not going to be selling the townhouse and moving into a house-house. And I was musing about whether or not I should be my son's Facebook friend.

Two years ago, I was celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. I had just discovered "Where in the world is Matt" (or something like that) and I had cried when Michael Phelps won his last gold medal.

Three years ago, the boys & I had recently returned from our Chicago getaway where we explored museums and parks and all agreed it was an amazing place to spend a vacation. And four years ago this month I was hosting a lot of friends at the Peterson family cabin ... back when I was legally a part of that branch of the family - no clue that that would be my last summer as a Peterson wife.

Today, I am making spaghetti (my sons' favorite dinner), thinking about getting State Fair tickets, hoping for full-time employment, still wishing we could have moved to a house-house, congratulating my parents on 52 years of marriage, and feeling ambivalent about whether or not I should keep blogging.

But without this blog, I wouldn't be able to so easily review my past. And that's worth something.

I guess.

Three Weeks (almost)

2010-07-21T17:07:00.001-05:00

I know, I know. I started blogging again, and then - nothing. For almost 3 weeks. What can I say, I've been busy, and uninspired.

I'll try to start again.

Soon.

Promise.

In the meantime, here's something to make you smile.

AFS

2010-07-05T12:05:00.002-05:00

Many, many moons ago I was an AFS student. I am thinking about it now because a young man I have never met but whose life intersected with mine through a connection with K12 is preparing to leave on an AFS year - made even more special to me because he is going to Norway, just about my favorite country in the world.

I remember those days before departure oh-so-well, even though I was just 17 (do the math, I'm 48 now...) I don't recall exactly when I left - sometime in late July, I believe - but I do remember that I didn't know where I was going. Back in MY day, you couldn't choose your host country, as you can now. I knew I was going somewhere, but didn't find out where until about 3 or 4 weeks before I left - and that was just the COUNTRY. Yugoslavia. My first reaction was "WHERE is YUGOSLAVIA?" I didn't find out until a few days before departing what town I was going to (Skopje) and who my family was (the Darkovski family.)

Looking back, I find myself wondering what my parents were thinking. How did they manage to let me go on such an apparently unorganized trip - for a year - on the other side of the world? But I don't recall ever being stressed about it, just excited. And I am certain that feeling came from them. I often think that I was an AFS student to begin with because they had both wanted to be but couldn't. The day I came home saying "there's this thing called AFS and you can go live in another country for a year ...." they both started telling me I was going. I mean, don't get me wrong, I was open to the idea, but they were both so firmly in the camp of DO IT that it never really seemed optional for me.

And off I went. The night before I left, I went to the Doobie Brothers concert in St. Paul with a friend, then came home to my house filled with all of my friends - we stayed up all night, packing and talking and laughing ... and though I don't remember it, there was probably some crying, too. I have absolutely no memory of going to the airport or flying to New York, which is where we had about a 4-day orientation. The next clear memory I have is when our flight from Brussels to Belgrade, the capitol of Yugoslavia, was landing and we (me and the other 3 AFSer coming to the country for the year) looked out the windows at the armed military guards surrounding the plane. And we looked at each other and a tiny granule of fear was evident in our eyes. Remember, this was way back before terrorism was even on the radar screen for airline travel. I don't think I had ever seen a real gun before.

As I think about Jon heading off to Norway, now, I think about how different his experience will be. When I went there were no computers, no email, no blogs, no cell phones. Handwritten letters took 3 weeks to be delivered and postage was significant enough that we used extra-thin paper and wrote really, REALLY small. I knew going over that I would get two short phone calls - one on my birthday and one on Christmas, but that would be it. Nothing else. And back then, AFS even discouraged that much contact. TWO phone calls was pushing the limit. Because, you see, they felt that if you had such frequent contact from home it would inhibit your bonding with your new home and new family.

Wonder what they say now?

I wonder if now the focus of an AFS year is to "visit" for a year - make friends, observe a new culture, learn to get along in a new language. Whereas 30 years ago, you went to come as closely as possible to completely, 100% assimilate and become an almost-native of a new land, and a true member of a new family.

And I wonder if that difference matters.

Tattoo Alert

2010-07-03T09:42:00.004-05:00

I love my tattoo. I got it on my birthday, 8 years ago. I had wanted one for years and years, but could never decide what image to put permanently onto my skin. Before the artist was even done with my first one, I was planning my second - I hear that is very common. But 8 years have passed and I still don't know what image to use for this next one.

But now I may be making that decision - soon. Brian's sister is coming to town in a week and she wants to get one (her first) and she wants me to go with her, and get one too. Being as I've been there - done that, and all.

And I am excited at the prospect.

Current ideas on the short list:

1. Something to reflect my Norwegian heritage - a rosemaling image, most likely

2. A friendly dragon - like Sapphira if you've read Eragon. A loyal protector who is very, VERY cool-looking.

3. A Chinese symbol for some meaningful word or phrase. I'm hesitant on this one because it seems kind of cliched (clicheed? How DO you spell that, it looks wrong no matter what.) Looks too much like a cliche (better?) BUT I do like the simplicity.

4. Something very cool.

And yes, #4 is a wee bit vague. Thus my problem.

In the past when I have been close to acting on this, Carla has spent a lot of time scouting ideas for me online, but she is on vacation and won't have time to help me out, so perhaps one of my other 4 readers has an idea?

POI Update

2010-06-27T13:45:00.004-05:00

Things are moving along ... I have two more sites in the works. One for a musician, and one for a Pilates instructor - who is going to pay me in private training sessions, HOW COOL IS THAT??? I knew having a "barter" option would work out well!

I am still nervous and anxious and worried and (what's another word that continues my stretch of using several words to say basically the same thing?) Well, you get the idea. But every time I start talking with a new client and planning a new site, I get so excited and my mind just races at the possibilities and I want to drop everything (I am out of milk AND dog food today but am I out shopping right now? Um, no.) and GET. TO. WORK.

AND - bonus! - the sun is shining today.

And this picture is in no way related to this post, but it's where I was yesterday. Nice.

Just because you can ...

2010-06-23T07:49:00.003-05:00

Last year sometime I read somewhere (don't you love my powers of recall?) "Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD."

And after viewing photos of myself in my favorite jeans this past weekend, I think it's time to retire them. Just because they do still button doesn't mean I should wear them. (Need I mention many of those photos were taken from the back? A perspective I rarely see?)

It's just that inside this nearly 50-year old body is the mind of a teen and I just plain forget that I can't get away with dressing like said teen.

Sigh.

On the other hand, in some areas of life I think just because you can do something is a perfect reason to go for it. I know I often talk myself out of things for the silliest of reasons, when, in actuality, I CAN do it and I should. This whole website design thing ... my new career - there's a million reasons NOT to go for it. I woke up the day after launching my site shocked - yes, shocked! - that I didn't have 4 emails in my inbox from new clients wanting to hire me right then and there. But I keep reminding myself ***I CAN*** do this, and therefore ***I WILL*** do this, and the clients will come.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Summer Daze

2010-06-12T10:00:00.003-05:00

In two days our family moves into a situation that we have never, ever been in before. And I am more than a bit nervous.

Yesterday was the last day of school. Monday is the first real day of summer vacation. Monday morning I head off to work. Leaving my two sons home.

Now, they are certainly old enough to be safe; they can feed themselves quite nicely, and they can be counted on to do any chores I list for them.

But. This is the first summer of their lives that I have worked out of the home. And I would be lying if I said I was sure everything would be just fine.

I know without a doubt that given their druthers, they would watch TV, play video games, and be online all day, every day. For obvious reasons, that is not going to be allowed. I am struggling with determining how far I go to make sure that doesn't happen. I want to trust that all I have to do is say so, but my fear is they will sneak ... if not the first week, surely by the third or fourth. But if I lock things up (literally in a closet, or by use of passwords and parental control options) am I saying much too blatantly "I don't trust you" ???

Help???

edited to add: Just after I hit "publish post" on this blog entry, I went to check email and I had one new one. BOOT CAMP FOR YOUR TEEN.

Ta-Da!

2010-06-09T18:11:00.009-05:00

I feel like I have given birth. Well, OK, not physically. And yeah, OK, not really emotionally, either. But it is somewhat similar in that there were times when I thought this day would never come, and I find myself checking on it every few minutes to make sure it's still OK. And I really do think it's awfully good-looking and of course very smart.

I am launching my new company - http://www.positiveonlineimage.com/ or POI for short - and it's so exciting! I'm not giving up my day job (for now) as I don't know how long it will take to get clients - but I am completely confident I will get them, and that the business will grow just as quickly as I am prepared to handle it.

So what is it, briefly? The elevator speech is this:

Everyone needs a website these days.

And, honestly, most people need more than just a site - they need to manage their web presence, which is a website combined with e-communication, blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more. And web developers have this reputation of being expensive and elusive - they don't return phone calls or emails, they make one update only to cause a need for another, and you never are sure if they are really listening. POI is none of that. We are fast, we are affordable, and we are GOOD.

I am offering friends & family discounts, and special start-up savings for clients who sign on in June or July. I also will barter - make me an offer I can't refuse!

Share my site with those you know. Contact me if you want to talk business. Or even if you just want to say "hi!"

And I'll keep you updated as my new baby grows.

YAY!

2010-06-07T21:27:00.002-05:00

I took an hour to watch TV and feel sorry for myself and dry my tears, came here and blogged briefly about my frustration, and then I tried again - AND I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Arrgh.

2010-06-07T21:14:00.003-05:00

Tonight I cried - actual tears - in frustration. Why do I think I can do this web stuff? It's so maddening.

My name is Karen, and I'm addicted to .....

2010-06-06T14:54:00.005-05:00

Cardboard boxes.

There, I said it.

When I was about 23, I bought my first house. It was the cutest little 2 bedroom, 1 bath Minneapolis bungalow. I was only the third owner. The second owner had added on in the back so it had a big kitchen and a wonderful back hall / pantry area. The attic was delightfully romantic, and the yard just big enough to make me feel like a land owner.

It also had a special room in the basement, filled with floor-to-ceiling shelves on all walls. No doubt it was originally meant to hold all the canned goods the owner was expected to put up each fall, but to me, it meant one thing and one thing only.

It was a box room.

An entire storage room where I could keep all my boxes. You just never know when you are going to need one and to not have the exact size and design needed - well, I can't even imagine what might happen in this world.

This addiction grew as I aged. Even with moves (you have to save boxes to move with, you know) and marriage to a non-believer, I still managed to keep my boxes. Oh, I learned to be very clever at hiding them and justifying them and convincing myself I had to have them.

Yesterday, I decided to clean my garage. I have attempted this before, most recently when I needed to get Hillman's van into the garage for the winter. Most of the stuff in the garage has been there - untouched - since I moved into this place 3 years ago following my divorce. But in amongst the unpacked boxes of kitchen utensils and memorabilia were boxes filled with other boxes. Shoe boxes. Boxes with hinged lids. Boxes with built-in handles. Shiny boxes. Sturdy boxes. Boxes ranging from small jewelry sizes to wardrobe boxes for moving.

Brian bravely ventured out into the garage with me, and in a moment of great strength, I quickly pulled about 30 empty boxes off the shelves and from their hiding places and pushed them towards him, begging him to act quickly, while I had the ability to allow it, and gave him a box cutter.

Then I took the dogs for a walk, as I just couldn't bear to watch, and I knew if I stayed in the house I would find reasons - compelling, logical, important reasons - to keep at least a dozen of those boxes. Brian was swift and true and when I got back, the boxes were condensed into small rectangles of flat cardboard.

Today, I have mixed feelings. I am proud of myself for taking the first step, but I am also mourning, and I am thinking of at least 17 ways I really could have USED those boxes which, alas, are no more.

I am also eternally grateful to have Brian in my life - a man who looks quizzically at me but doesn't comment, listens to my tortured theatrics, and then acts - without questioning or laughing at me, and finally hugs me and congratulates me when it's done.

And FWIW ... this truly is NOT exaggerated hyperbole. This is my life.

owwwwww

2010-06-04T21:57:00.002-05:00

Either the gardening or the typing is slowly killing me. Or perhaps it's the combination of the two. For whatever reason, I have had more aches and pains in the last week than I can remember ever having before. Today my neck is so stiff and sore that I did go online to read about meningitis, just in case.

It's not.

So I am sitting here now with a hot compress around my neck, and Brian has been massaging it, and I am going to try a different pillow tonight.

And I am DONE gardening. I will water, but that's it for now.

The typing I can't be done with, but I think I will try to get a more ergonomic set-up. Don't know how I will do that, but I think I better try.

Going Geek

2010-06-03T06:41:00.003-05:00

I have been learning how to increase my geek-dom lately (did I really admit that?!) And I am loving it. [This in addition to my learning to enjoy gardening. 2010 is apparently a year for big changes in my life.]

When I started working at the church I am at, I quickly discovered that my favorite part of my job is maintaining the website (http://www.unitysouth.org/) I had never done this before - and I soon found out that if I wasn't careful, I could easily spend all day every day adding this, tweaking that, editing the other thing ...

Suddenly I realized that I could be a webmaster - without being a programmer (shudder at the thought) and I could be good at it!

So, over the past several months, I have been slowly moving towards launching a new career as a web designer. Mostly it's been thinking big thoughts as I drive back and forth to work, but in the past 3 weeks it's become more concrete as I actually have been working on three sites. The first is very simple and I plan to go back to it and spice it up a bit (http://www.lwvbloomington.org/) The other two are not quite ready to showcase yet, but I am excited, and will share them with you as soon as they are ready.

My goal is to have about a half-dozen sites done by mid-July and then start soliciting paying customers in earnest. I plan to focus on small business and nonprofits, and entrepreneurs - people who want a quality web presence but don't want to spend a ton of money to do it. I have two defining characteristics of my business: I am affordable, and I am good! I can't believe what I have been learning some people pay to get a website up and running. I also can't believe how many sites I see with mistakes - typing errors, or navigational problems, or garish color or font, making sites unfriendly, disreputable, and not conducive to getting my business. My sites won't be like that. (Well, I suppose the color thing could be a matter of taste, but there's no accounting for some people's taste!)

So as you read this, if anyone or anything comes to mind who might need a website, I hope you will think of me - soon I will have my own site live to refer people to.

Loving the inner geek.

Glee? Not for me.

2010-06-01T17:12:00.004-05:00

I have watched exactly two episodes of Glee.

I don't remember the name (or theme) of the first one I watched, but it was one where they all seemed to be eager to lose their virginity but turned out no one actually did it. I think. Then I just watched the Lady Gaga episode on Hulu, because I do like me some Gaga. And FWIW, apparently someone is pregnant now so even if they didn't do it on that first show I watched, they must have done it subsequently.

Now, I know there are a lot of Glee-fanatics out there who adore this show. But I have to say, I'm not feeling it.

During the first episode I watched, I was, to be honest, shocked. I had thought that this show, about a high school glee club, would be something I could watch with my kids. But as that episode played I was very relieved that my kids had shown on interest in it at all, and weren't anywhere near me. I found it objectionable - I am fine with sexuality in movies or books or even late night cable TV shows. But prime time network high school shows? This was blatant. This was in your face. And it really bothered me.

I didn't expect to ever watch it again, but the lure of Gaga brought me back - and while I did enjoy listening to their renditions of Gaga songs (and the costumes were crazy fun) - I was once again not happy with the plot line.

One of the main characters is gay, and he has a crush on another of the main characters, who is not gay. At the same time, their parents (gay's dad and non-gay's mom, both single, no idea if they are divorced, widowed, never married, whatever - not, I suppose, that it matters) start dating and fall in love and decide to move in together. They make this decision without telling the non-gay son, and then spring it on him - he is moving into this other house and has to share a bedroom with the gay son who has a crush on him. He is uncomfortable both with the fact that he had no say in any of this (or warning about it), and with the details of this living arrangement. Eventually he reacts in anger and uses the "f" word (fag, not the 4-letter one) and the Dad kicks him out for gay-bashing.

And here is where I took objection.

Forcing your teenager to share a bedroom with someone who has a romantic crush on him is icky - yet no one seemed to notice or care about that. (I'd use their names instead of gay and non-gay but I really have no clue what their names are.)

As far as I can tell, non-gay has never exhibited any signs that he dislikes gay for being gay, or that he is uncomfortable with anyone's sexuality. Heck, within the glee club there is a young woman with two dads, and the afore-mentioned pregnant one - and the father of her baby is also in the glee club - so lots of sexuality-based character development here, and non-gay never blinks (or perhaps he does but since I have only watched two episodes I am missing that about him? I doubt it, but am always open to the possibility.)

But the issue today is that he really doesn't want to get dressed or undressed in front of gay, and who can blame him? I half expected gay to speak up and say "it's my fault, I made him feel uncomfortable" but that didn't happen. No, non-gay apparently has to be happy about sharing a bedroom in order to prove his open-mindedness. His discomfort is ignored, and he is shown as a teen with prejudice, and from the editing it seems the audience is supposed to agree with the dad. Then, at the end of the show, he apologetically expresses remorse and claims to have grown in his understanding of himself, and of gay's "gayness" and now all is right with the world - all done while he wears a Gaga-styled red ball gown in the boy's bathroom while staring down two football players.

Seriously? Could there be any more stereotypes in one scene?

I gave it my best, I watched two episodes but forget it. I found this show to first be offensive, and then to just be stupid. Defenders? Give me your best.

2010-04-29T20:19:00.001-05:00

Your Next Adventure!

2010-03-28T10:42:00.002-05:00

I was a small part of this company for a very short while. I wish I still were. I will be going on a trip with them someday, I don't know when - and you should, too.

Today is the founder's birthday. Happy Day, Jodi!

Important Message for All Americans

2010-02-24T20:43:00.000-06:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

No photos, but ...

2010-01-31T14:20:00.002-06:00

RAVE reviews! Everyone loved the cakes - especially the carrot cake! It was gone faster than the other two. Chocolate was a close second, and there were actually a few pieces of streusel left at the end. I cut each cake in 16 pieces, so 48 pieces for 27 people ... they really, really liked it.

So - any of you who like carrot cake - the recipe I made up below is a keeper!

Friday is Baking Day

2010-01-29T13:00:00.004-06:00

The church I am working at is holding a planning retreat tonight and tomorrow. I get to go along to observe and take notes and take photos (gotta remember to bring the camera!) and I really do mean it when I say "get to" go along - no sarcasm at all, I am eager to meet some of the people I email with or talk on the phone with, and I am VERY eager to see what types of plans they develop for their growth. The church is in a transitional phase right now with TONS of potential, having recently hired an impressive minister and a dynamo administrator (if I do say so myself) - they are poised to do some great things, if they can figure out how to organize and align themselves.

How many times over the past 25 years have I watched (or participated) as a nonprofit tries to plan for growth and development?!?!? It's got to be one of the most difficult things in the world. We will have about 40 personalities in one room, led by an able facilitator - I haven't met her yet but I am very pleased with the impression I have gleaned from her website, her emails and phone calls, and her plans. But while I have not met the majority of these 40 people in person, several of them I am getting to know quite well - and several of them are very headstrong leader types, which can be difficult in a group setting. Too many queen bees and not enough worker bees can make planning complicated and contentious. So I am very eager to see how this group works through all the strong personalities.

And - I am in charge of bringing desserts for tonight's dinner and tomorrow's lunch. I volunteered in the spirit of "Oh, I LOVE to bake!!" It's so easy two weeks ahead of time.

So - I am baking two batches of cake-mix cookies - the easiest, yet most delicious cookies there are:

1 Cake Mix (any flavor)
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
Stuff
Mix up, drop on cookie sheets, bake 9-11 minutes at 350.

I made one batch of chocolate cake mix + PB Chips as "stuff", and one batch of yellow cake mix + chocolate chips as "stuff." Easy-Peasy.

Now I am working on 3 bundt cakes.

First, I am making Christy's Amazing Chocolate Cake - as blogged on previously, here.

Next, I am making a cinnamon-streusel cake - without a recipe. I have made them before, years and years ago, so I am hoping that if I just follow my gut, all will be fine.

And finally, I am making a sour cream carrot cake. Again, no recipe, but I have had this carrot cake mix in my cupboard for too long (they don't go bad, do they?) I've never tried this before - and I figure if it doesn't work out, I still have time to come up with another option. Basically I tried to adapt the chocolate recipe - so I added 8 oz of sour cream, 4 oz of baby food carrots, an extra egg, and then, when it seemed too thick, I added a 1/4 cup oil. It's in the oven right now - my fingers are crossed.

I'll add photos when they are all done!

Sorry ...

2010-01-26T06:31:00.002-06:00

Just don't know if I can do this anymore. Blogging, I mean. I thought I would give it a go again after the holidays, but it just doesn't seem to rank high enough on my list of to-dos, and I just never seem to have anything to write about.

So maybe I'll get back into it in a while, but for now - life is full and blogging is not a priority.

Heavy Sigh

2010-01-20T18:25:00.007-06:00

In 2009 I lost two of these; one is back.

The holidays were killers this year. I loved every moment of gluttonous enjoyment, but I am paying for it now. And since I refuse to buy another set of work clothes, I simply must be strong and determined and get back into the ones I just bought in the fall.

Dating one who can - and does - eat any- and everything without being affected a whit makes it really hard. Plus he's so darn generous, always offering me bites of whatever indulgence he is taking in ... baked potatoes slathered in butter and cheese, fully-loaded nachos, chocolate treats of all kinds ... I'm drooling even as I write this.

Must.

Be.

Strong.

(and then I found this graphic.)

Super Juice?

2010-01-19T22:38:00.002-06:00

I was recently given two bottles of Mona*Vie acai juice blend. It is supposed to be a "super juice" with tons of health benefits ... you can find just as many reports that it's a scam as you can that it's as effective as it claims.

But two women I trust gave it to me so I am going to drink it. Two ounces a day. I have enough to last me 3 1/2 weeks, so I will let you know if I feel any change. So far - my primary impression is that it's tasty!

Anyone (other than the two who gave it to me) tried it? Heard of it?

Hmmm ....

2010-01-19T22:28:00.002-06:00

Processing what happened in Massachusetts today.

So many things to ponder.

Skol, Vikings!

2010-01-18T07:55:00.002-06:00

Some how this year I have become a Vikings fan. Big time. I guess it's not all that surprising given that

A) They are having their best season EVER (well, at least in recent history)
and
B) I am dating a DIEHARD fan

I have to say I am really, really enjoying it. We have a small group of people that we gather with every weekend to watch, we laugh a lot, yell a lot (at the TV, not one another) and share the exhilarating experience of watching our team - OUR BOYS! - win, week after week.

Who wouldda thunk? Me - a sports fan!

Shows that I can change and expand my life even as busy (and [gasp] old!) as I am. Makes me curious about what other new changes in my interests and choices are still coming up? One year for my parents' anniversary I gave them something with the inscription "Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be."

Can't wait to see what my best is going to be!

Haiti and a Dream

2010-01-17T10:11:00.002-06:00

Last night I had a dream that I was in a place that had had an earthquake. Now, it was nothing like Haiti - most buildings were still standing, and there weren't people dying in the streets, but there was no power anywhere, I was separated from everyone I know and love with no idea how to find them again, and there were people taking advantage of the situation and doing bad things that I was afraid of (no detail on what they were doing, exactly, just Bad Things.)

I had been on a train of some sort, and had developed an instant bond with another woman who was sitting next to me, as it's easy to imagine could happen in a catastrophe. The train doors opened, and there were two very young children - a girl and a boy - standing there crying, so this other woman and I drew them in to us and shared the thought that we would care for them until we could find where they belonged. She took the girl, I the boy. Shortly after that, we got separated and it was just the toddler boy and me.

We walked the dark streets (somehow it looked a lot like south Minneapolis) and I tried to figure out where I was going to get food for this baby, where we were going to have shelter to sleep, how we were going to protect ourselves - or rather, keep ourselves out of harm's way so we didn't need to protect ourselves, and where-oh-where was MY family?

And that's when I woke up, crying.

Suddenly this was real, and personal, and inside of me in a way that it wasn't before.

Helping Haiti

2010-01-13T15:34:00.003-06:00

How can you not?

I read this.

I chose this and donated.

Please, give what you can.

Health Moves

2010-01-12T08:13:00.002-06:00

I have been working for the past few years to get my blood pressure under control, thanks to the genetic hand I was dealt. Last week I had a follow-up appointment with my enthusiastic young MD, after switching to a new medicine. And it works! None of the side effects, all of the benefits. He and I were both pretty much dancing on the ceiling. He is such a great doctor to go to - he really, really listens to me, even when I sound wacky or emotional, and he celebrates every milestone with me so enthusiastically. AND HE'S YOUNGER THAN ME. This is critical. I am of the age where I do NOT want to be switching doctors midstream as I age, and while I know there are no guarantees in life at all, finding a younger doctor at this point is even better than finding the perfect chocolate recipe!

Now we are tackling my cholesterol. It's not sky high by any means, but it's higher than we would like, so I am trying to make some lifestyle changes over the next 5 months and then will go back and get it checked. With luck and hard work, I won't need meds to get that down.

So I have started hanging with the Wilford Brimley crowd. I'm on day 2 of daily oatmeal. Thankfully I really like oatmeal. But even as much as I like it I think it may get monotonous, as I really don't want to succumb to eating Honey Nut Cheerios and calling it healthy. But perhaps once in a while, just to mix it up a bit.

And next, sigh, I am going to have to exercise.

Yeah.

OK, I think I have to go now.

Chili - nature's perfect "get warm" food

2010-01-09T20:43:00.003-06:00

Tonight I made chili, from a new recipe I found on Allrecipes.com. That is my favorite "go-to" recipe source. When I need a recipe, like I did tonight, I browse through their listings until I find one that has at least 4- or 500 reviews, and an average rating of 4.5 stars (or higher - on a 5 star rating scale.) This recipe had around 842 reviews and was a 4.5 star recipe, so I tried it out.

Unfortunately, no photos, as I (as usual) didn't think of it til after the bowls were scraped clean. But I will still share the recipe because yes, it was that good.

Flatlander Chili (no idea what that name means. anybody?)
(this is exactly what I did - which is varied from the original recipe)

Brown 1 lb hamburger
Add 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
Add 1 can "spicy chili beans" and 1 can rinsed white kidney beans
Puree one can of stewed tomatoes (so there are no lumps!) and add to mix
Mix together spices into a paste before adding to main pot:
1/4 c water
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each: black pepper, oregano, sugar, and cayenne pepper
3 tbsp flour

Stir spice mixture into pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 - 1.5 hours. Serve over bed of white rice, with grated cheese on top.

(original recipe calls for chopped onion, which I forgot, chopped celery & green pepper which I didn't have, and garlic powder, which I somehow didn't see so didn't do.)

Enjoy!!! We sure did.

How I spent my Thursday evening

2010-01-07T22:22:00.002-06:00

So Brian & I went to visit his mom in the hospital (a story for another post - the short version is she has a cracked pelvis but there is really nothing to be done about it, just bed rest, pain meds, and slow increase in activity as tolerated) and when we left the parking ramp, we heard a strange thwap-thump-thwap as the tires rotated. More intrigued than concerned, I pulled over to the side of the driveway to get out and look, thinking there was a hunk of ice banging or some such thing (which, in retrospect, seems kind of not really possible, but that's what I was thinking at the time.) Well, no ice or snow - just one flat tire.

And it's dark.

And it's about 4 degrees out.

And I am not wearing heavy-duty gloves, or boots, or a hat, even.

BUT! There is a gas station - a Sinclair - just a couple of blocks down the road, so we decide if I drive slow, with my flashers flashing, we can get there - perhaps, maybe, hopefully, it's just a cold-related thing.

So off we went, down France Avenue at about 14 mph, to the station, where a nice young man came running - yes, running - out of the station when we drove up -- "Full Service at Self-Service Prices!" -- and directed us to the air pump. He then looked at the tire, and asked what was going on, filled it with air, and then got his magic spray bottle of diagnostic power bubbles to discern the real problem (he tried not to laugh when I feebly suggested it might be the cold?)

He had me drive about 9 feet forward, and then, yup, there it was. A big-ol'-honking piece of metal sticking out of the tire. The nice young man told us he could fix it right there, while we sat inside the car (on our heated seats), all for the whopping price of $15.50, if that was OK. I told him I would even pay him $16 to fix it, and into the car we hopped.

I watched out my rear view window as he tugged at that piece of metal, and tugged some more, and lay down on the frozen tundra-like ground, took off his gloves to better grip the pliers, and tug some more.

This is one tough Minnesota Dude.

He could not get it out. He called his co-worker. Co-worker tugged. Tugged some more. Could not get it out.

Time for Plan B. We will remove (and I use the word "we" loosely) the tire, put on the spare, and they will attempt to do tire surgery in the morning. Brian and I move to the station, where Nice Young Man sheepishly apologizes because just this morning the heater in the station went out, and it's 38 degrees in the station. He points to the thermostat which displays the 38, as if we wouldn't believe him otherwise. But they have a small electric heater which looks older than my grandmother, in the corner, earnestly trying to heat the entire room, and Brian and I hover around it while we watch Nice Young Man and Co-Worker out there, bare-handed, trying to get the spare tire off the back of my car.

They can't get the protective cover off. Brian goes out to help, I stay with the little heater that could.

They can't get it off. I brave the cold to see what's up. They are worried about ripping the spare tire cover. I, being the car owner, have no such illusions and I YANK on that puppy, and now they call me She-Ra.

Ha.

So, now we just have to get the old tire off. Oh, did I have you going there for a second? NOTHING IS THAT SIMPLE.

Now Co-Worker tells me the old tire is rusted on and the lug nuts will NOT loosen. Co-Worker, Nice Young Man, and Brian brainstorm and they decide if they re-inflate the tire, lower the jack, and rock the entire vehicle back and forth while standing on the lug nut wrench, maybe - just maybe - it will work.

By now about 45 minutes have passed.

They try their plan, and IT WORKS!!!!! Great celebrating ensues. Well, in our minds, anyway, it was too cold for anything else. So. Old tire is off. Spare tire (which is full-sized, not one of those little make-believe baby tires) is on. They ask if I want the Tire Doctor to look at the tire tomorrow, and Nice Young Man is salivating because he really REALLY wants to see what that sucker piece of metal so deeply embedded is, so I humor them and say yes. We all go inside to trade contact information, and I steel myself for the bill.

Two service workers, one HOUR in the frozen air, lying on the ground with no gloves on wrestling with my frozen hunk-of-metal car, apologizing to me because they have (nearly) no heat in the station AND it is taking so darn long.

Ready?

$10.

TEN DOLLARS. Written up as "put on spare tire."

Good service is not dead. It lives in Edina, Minnesota.

Please stop by there for gas or service and tell them She-Ra sent you. They have won my undying loyalty.

Promises, promises ...

2010-01-06T06:59:00.002-06:00

Ok, Ok, I am well aware that it's been a few days and I am overdue to write here. It's just that this week has been crazy-busy with the boys back at school and me back at work for post-holiday stuff (and did you know that Lent starts on Feb 17 this year? WAY TOO SOON.) And Monday we hosted my dear friend Ron from Amsterdam and Tuesday I had to make & serve supper at a women's shelter and then go to a band boosters meeting, and today I MUST get the church newsletter to the printer and it is no where NEAR ready and tomorrow I am meeting a friend for a drink after work to catch up as we have been woefully out of touch then Friday my parents come to town to stay overnight which means I have to get the sheets washed from when Ron was in our guest bed. And the dogs are almost out of food (but at least we have milk.)

So. I am thinking of blogging, but .... gotta run ......

Cheery Thoughts for this COLD day

2010-01-03T11:04:00.002-06:00

I do love cake and I do love daffodils, so this combination of the two is making me grin this morning! Can you even imagine this as your birthday cake? I think I would have to order a sheet cake next to it as I would be so hesitant to cut into this masterpiece. Thanks to Jen at Cake Wrecks for such a day-brightener!

New Year, Day 2

2010-01-02T10:10:00.004-06:00

Well, I have to say, so far ...... meh. I have come to realize that I am not a big fan of New Year's. As holidays go, it just doesn't move me - it's because I am now getting to that part of life where the changing of one year to the next is more about the end of things than the beginning. I find myself looking back at who or what has been lost to us in the year that is ending. I find myself recognizing the parts of my life that are changing in ways that make me feel melancholy. I become sentimental and cry a lot and think of could've-should've-would've things and then look ahead at what I want to try to change and it just feels tiring.

Damn, I'm a lot of fun here, aren't I?

Before you start worrying about me - DON'T. I am fine, really I am. But just not all cheery and WOO-HOO IT'S A NEW YEAR!!! Perhaps it's my proximity to the big five-oh that makes me more aware of upcoming difficulties than upcoming possibilities. Well, that's an overstatment. I am not MORE aware of difficulties, but twenty - even ten - years ago, I didn't think about things related to aging at all, and now I do. And that's a sobering change.

A lot of people have been reminiscing about where they were on the eve of 2000, a decade ago. I was still married, hadn't started homeschooling yet, as the boys were 2 and 5, I loved being a mom but not so much being a wife (though I worked really, really hard at hiding that fact from myself and can only truly see it now from a distance.) I wasn't working outside the house, I was very VERY involved in my church, I spent my days going to ECFE classes.

Wow, not much at all that is still the same. I'm still a mom. Not a wife any more, not homeschooling any more, not going to ECFE (or any) classes any more. Not going to church any more (though ironically now work at one). Have a job outside the home.

The people who were my friends then are now people I rarely, if ever, see. Other than a few solid "forever friends" who will be with me until I die there is almost no one who I called friend at that time who still warrants that title. It's not that there were huge falling outs (fallings out?) just that those were friendships based on proximity, and shared station in life, and now that I have moved on both literally and figuratively, the friendships have faded away. And the people who I now rely on and spend time with weren't anywhere on my radar screen a decade ago.

Which naturally leads me to wonder if they will still be in my life a decade from now.

[Edited to add...] However, I also have one more significant difference in my life now that didn't exist a decade ago. This New Year's Eve I was (and still am) in the company of an amazing man with whom I am completely, mutually, marvelously, in love. And you know, that makes up for a lot :-)

So, happy new year, all.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-30T18:47:00.002-06:00

Hmm. Last time I did this was 2006, as far as I can tell. Guess I'm due.

You may have noticed I haven't been writing much this fall. I'm really not exactly sure why that is, but mostly I think it's because I realized I think way too much about who might read what I write, and then I worry way too much about what they might think. Not that I am seeking their approval or get my feelings of self-worth from others' opinions of me. But rather, that someone might disagree with me and challenge me and then I will have to decide if it's worth arguing or debating with them and do I really care what they think anyway, and suddenly it's tiring and it's just easier not to write anything at all.

I think that stems from the presidential election. I am still weary from that. My bounce-back ain't what it was when I was younger.

Then there is the blog I read a while back that talked about "scrapbook blogging" - said with perhaps a touch of "real bloggers blog about real topics" attitude, as opposed to "just" posting photos and explaining what's in them. That apparently affected me enough to make me stop blogging, as I got sensitive about the quality of my writing, and whether what I was writing was important enough (who defines enough, anyway?) But some of the blogs I love the most are those of people I care about and don't see very often and seeing their photos is the highlight of my week, often! So I love when other people "scrapbook blog" and maybe just need to get over myself and my desire to be Significant.

Of course, I am also working close to full-time outside of my house, and I have a new relationship which takes a bit of time, then there's having older kids with bigger lives themselves, and two dogs which require walking every single day. Weekends, too. All of that combines into a busier fall than I have ever had in my life.

So maybe it's not me after all, but rather the circumstances which I call life now.

Of course, I have this little voice inside which reminds me (rather snidely, too) that OTHER people do all that and still manage to blog more often than once a month.

Whatever, I hope to get back into it in 2010. Some days it will just be photos. Some days I may venture an actual opinion on an actual topic. Most days I will ramble on mindlessly and probably bore you to death. Whoever you are. All 7 of you.

So. With all that, here are my New Year's Resolutions for the upcoming twelve months:

Blog more.
Cook more, to reduce the number of restaurant-purchased meals per month.
Pay off the new carpet and other repairs I put on credit cards to get my house ready to sell, which it never did.
Resist looking at online listings of houses for sale in my area until #3 is done.
Lose those pesky few pounds which I have gained since starting my job in September (sitting at a desk all day is not good) so that I can comfortably fit back into all the new clothes I had to buy to start said job.
Take time to tell - really tell - the people who are important to me that they are so. Possibly do this by writing old fashioned, honest-to-goodness LETTERS. Sent in the MAIL.
Get the Christmas tree down before the end of January.
Defy all sociocultural predictors and actually USE the new WiiFit Plus program I got for Christmas.
Deal with the mail the minute I touch it - straight to recycling (as opposed to the kitchen table) or into a designated location depending on content, to be dealt with thoroughly and efficiently, in a very short time frame.

I think I will stop at 9. Seems more attainable.

Happy New Year, All!

7th Grade Concert

2009-12-15T18:51:00.004-06:00

Last night Ty had his winter band concert. This is the first song his group played. He's the snare drum player on the left (the short one!) standing next to his buddy Carter. He said this song was pretty hard, but I think he did great!

First chair clarinet is Shawn's daughter Hannah - she also did great!

Well, Du'uh!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-18T20:52:00.001-06:00

This hasn't been seen for 2 1/2 years!

2009-11-02T18:58:00.000-06:00

November 2, 2009.

BRACES OFF!

Spicy Cod

2009-10-25T18:46:00.012-05:00

Home tonight after lunch out with girlfriends and viewing Amelia with Hilary Swank - fabulous movie, BTW.

Anyway - home and started to think about dinner. Found some cod in the freezer and did a quick online search for recipes, and found this one - and it's a keeper!

Easiest Spicy Cod

1 1/2 pounds cod fillets

1-2 cups salsa (enough to cover cod filets in pan)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Crushed tortilla chips (I used Red Hot Blues)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350º F

2. Rinse and dry cod fillets. Place fillets in a lightly greased casserole dish, on

top of crushed chips. Pour salsa over fish. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve warm over rice.

Mmm, Mmm, GOOD!

booooooooo

2009-10-20T17:51:00.002-05:00

It's still breast cancer awareness month, but I have to use my pumpkin pie ...

Happy Halloween!

YAHOO!

2009-10-20T17:47:00.001-05:00

Just in time for the snow...

Coming Soon

2009-10-15T23:42:00.002-05:00

I'm thinking about posting again, really I am. I am sick of seeing that Twins thing there. It was all timely and such when they were winning but now? Not so much. I even have some fairly good ideas about what I want to write about.

But then I sit down and on the one hand I could blog, and on the other I could read other people's blogs or play Farkle or watch videos or just walk away from the computer entirely.

So someday I will blog again. But not today.

Never mind.

2009-10-06T23:02:00.001-05:00

Wanderlust

2009-10-04T12:19:00.003-05:00

With Mama Ava in Beijing and Lucy in Malaga, Lonnie in Gjoevik and Kelly and Jil planning thier next trips to Disney (Kelly to World and Jil to cruise) ... well, let's just say I am feeling really sad that I have nothing in the works which involves an airplane.

Looking at Lonnie's photos makes my heart ache for Norway. It's a physical pull, heightened when I read her blog or look through her Facebook photo albums. Malaga and Beijing have the lure of being new and exotic to me (and I am going to Beijing, just haven't figured out exactly when yet ... so that does help some!) And then Disney... one year ago today I was starting to pack to take the boys on our first-ever cruise, with Disney, and the memories now are flooding back as I talk to Jil about their upcoming journey.

I think I'm going to Two Harbors next weekend, and then I do have a road trip up to Moorhead planned for November.

It's just not the same.

It's all about the birthday cake

2009-10-04T10:35:00.004-05:00

My birthday is coming up in just a few weeks (ok, about 9, but that's less than half the year, right?) and I have found my cake.Whichever of you, my darling friends and family members, chooses to provide it, here's a handy link to its creator's website. So she's in Dallas, aren't I worth it?

Thanks, Cake Wrecks, for finding my dream cake for me!

Flash Forward

2009-10-02T17:19:00.002-05:00

Is anyone else here watching it? I have this need to talk it to death ... into a greater depth than Brian is willing to go with me ... anybody?

Dog is gonna be OK

2009-10-02T16:46:00.003-05:00

Well, the dog has allergies, and possibly hypothyroidism. Which transfers into $225 of exams and medicine. But they threw in a free nail-clipping, so I'm not complaining!

The new, ugly, open sore on his head? An allergy burn. The doc said they come up very suddenly and are pretty nasty. In examining Chaco, she found another spot which she said to watch, as it looks like it's about to erupt.

The thinning fur and lack of appetite are probably related to his thyroid function, so blood was drawn and more medicine may be in our future.

Right now, he will be on a three-week regimen of cortisone to help the allergies (someone just was telling me this fall has been nasty for dog allergies ... was it one of you??) and hopefully the itching and burns will disappear. But, she warned me, he may have an increased need to drink and urinate ... hopefully not in the middle of the night, but it's possible. Oh, and we have ear drops to help the itching in them. Because he has scratched them pretty raw, too.

And just for kicks, she noticed he has a dead tooth. So a tooth cleaning and extraction are in our future, the estimate on that is a mere $670. That does not include pain meds for the days after the surgery. But it does include use of the Bair Hugger, the inventor of which I know personally. But that can't be done til the cortisone treatment is done and out of his system, so we are looking at just in time for Christmas.

But everything is treatable and he's gonna be fine. And I guess, at least for now, that is priceless. For everything else, I used my Master Card.

time flies ...

2009-10-01T23:08:00.002-05:00

It's October. Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I need a mammogram. (not because I think I need one - need one, but because I haven't had one for a few years ... oh, hi, there, Dad, I'm sure you needed to read this ...)

I realize how lucky I am. I have now been working for a month. Not even full time (I have Fridays off.) But I can barely get anything done. How do women do it who work full time and have kids who actually need constant mothering??? I have not had to juggle life duties like this for .... well, I was going to write in the number of years, then I realized it would be never. I have never had to work full (or close to full) time while also being a parent. Since laundry and cooking and buying milk and picking up garbage are barely getting done, blogging has pretty much completely fallen by the wayside.

The good news today? I really like my job. The variety of tasks, the friendliness of the people, the relative solitude (I know those last two sound contradictory, but for me it's perfect - I rarely see anyone, but when I do, they are really nice.) The hours fly by every day, the weeks are zooming by. And two paychecks so far :-)

The bad news today? I am very worried about my dog. I have been worried about him (Chaco, the little white one) for a couple of weeks, but we were dog-sitting for my parents' dog so I thought maybe it was just the stress of having a foreigner in the house. But today Brian found a pretty good-sized raw sore on the back of Chaco's head, which is tender and scary-looking, and that, combined with my uneasy feelings over the past two weeks, is making me take him to the vet tomorrow to get thoroughly checked out. (then tonight I read Minnesota Matron's post about her dying dog and I am NOT in a good emotional state.)

This is not well-written and it's not getting better the more I type, but it is an update (I fool myself into thinking there are people out there who actually notice my absence) so I am going to go with it.

I'll try to update about the dog after I hear more ...

Reminiscing ...

2009-09-25T07:02:00.004-05:00

Man, I miss these days ....

Ben was about this size when the Olympics came on and he would bounce around during gymnastics routines, standing triumphantly with both arms raised above his head at the end. What I wouldn't give now to have a video of that!

They grow too fast ...

Required Reading

2009-09-17T06:25:00.002-05:00

If you don't already, please read Girl's Gone Child's post today about parenthood ... unless you are not a parent, don't plan on being one, and never had one. She is an incredible writer always, but this one just tugged at me more than usual!

Happy Thursday, all ...

New Job, New School Year, New .... hmm, what else?

2009-09-11T18:31:00.004-05:00

Well, we made it through our first week of me working and the boys attending school. I, for one, am exhausted. I fell asleep last night watching Project Runway, then I fell asleep again this afternoon reading a new book (that I was enjoying, I might add!) It's a tired, old joke, but this work stuff is really hard work. Getting up to an alarm clock every morning - something I haven't had to do all summer, and even last year I would get the boys up and out but then I could return to bed if I so chose - but no more.

Both boys are happy with their classes. Ben is having a bit of an issue figuring out which math class he should be in - I may end up going in next week to talk with the teacher and/or the counselor, but for now he is trying to manage it on his own and I am so proud - but also wistful that he is old enough to be doing this on his own. Such maturity, such pragmatism, such good communication he is exhibiting! Warms a mother's heart.

And my job. I so appreciate the support and love I have felt all summer long from all of you as I have searched and searched and searched for a job, and now the shared pleasure and satisfaction you all show me that I have finally found employment. The job is ... well, to be honest, it's just a job. It's not my dream job, not even, really, a step in my imagined career path, but on the other hand, my career path has never been straight or steady or paved or even visible, so who knows, maybe it is part of the path and I just don't know it yet. I am now the office manager (though sometimes I say I am the administrator to try and make myself sound more important!) of a small church. It's a Unity Church. Every time I say that, someone inevitably asks, what denomination is that? The answer is "it's a Unity Church." Unity was started as a church in the late 1880s by a couple in Missouri (where the church headquarters still are, today.) From their website:

Unity is a positive, practical, progressive approach to Christianity based on the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer. Unity honors the universal truths in all religions and respects each individual's right to choose a spiritual path.

Unity teaches that each person is a unique expression of God created with sacred worth. Living from that awareness transforms our lives and the world. Unity emphasizes the creative power of thought in our life experience. We refer to this as the Law of Mind Action. When we take personal responsibility to choose life-affirming thoughts, words and actions, we experience a more fulfilling and abundant life.

Unity emphasizes the importance of applying spiritual principles in our daily lives.

Unity teachings continue to evolve as we identify, embrace and apply spiritual insights and the spiritual implications of new discoveries.

Deepak Chopra, The Secret, New Thought ... all are related to Unity Church. It's an interesting religion, no doubt.

The church I am working at is small and growing. Currently there are about 100 members - there were more until a change in ministers brought about issues that divided the congregation about two years ago. The current minister and members are working to overcome that time in history and build themselves up again. I see a lot of potential for my talents to be put to good use here. In my first week, I have been learning a lot about the daily operations - not too much about the faith itself (though pretty much everyone I meet asks if I am going to join the congregation. From my past experiences, it is usually better for office staff at a church to not be a member of that church. That can get messy.) The people are friendly, welcoming, and eager to work with me. The minister is from Nigeria originally, and was an engineer prior to becoming ordained. I am in charge of the day-to-day tasks including keeping the website up-to-date (I will eventually be working to get them to let me to completely overhaul it!), doing daily Facebook and Twitter updates (I have been resisting Twitter for as long as I have known about it - who knew it would become part of my job responsibilities?!), all types of internal and external communication, overseeing some volunteers, supervising the general management of the building (supplies inventory, making sure maintenance is done, etc.), mail, email, and phones, and then pretty much anything else that comes through the door. I love the variety and breadth of my responsibilities and tasks. I hope that I don't get bored six months down the road. The very best part? I will be receiving my first pay check on Tuesday. And the biggest challenge? (I said this on Facebook - mine, not the church's - already) ... it's located one block from Culver's. Today I treated myself to a hot fudge shake to celebrate my first full week.

This morning I was thinking about the date. 9/11. The strange thing for me, today, is that on that 9/11 I was working in a church, too. I remember getting calls at the church - it was a primary election day and the church was a polling place - and we brought up a TV and had it going so people waiting to vote, and the election judges, could watch. Is there significance in the fact that I have come full circle to working in a church again? I don't know.

New favorite blog

2009-09-08T19:15:00.002-05:00

I have a new favorite blog. It's written by two grandmothers (at least one is a great-grandmother.) Well, at least that's what they say, you know how it is with the internet, you can never be sure anyone is who they claim to be. But they have such an entertaining way of presenting what I believe. I find myself needing to find ways to laugh lately when looking at anything political in our nation these days. Margaret and Helen provide that.

Working Woman

2009-09-02T18:11:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I started my new job. After months of searching, applying, interviewing and not being picked, I finally got chosen to be on a team! I am the new Administrator at Unity South Church here in Bloomington. It's part time (25-30 hours per week) and (for now, anyway) I always have Fridays off. The church is small but vibrant and growing, and there is a lot going on - plenty of challenges to keep me busy and lots of room for me to be creative and innovative.

This pic is from my first morning. In somewhat atypical fashion for me, I was way more stressed about what to WEAR to work than about what the work would actually be like. The last few jobs I have had (last 18 years' worth) I have either had a uniform to wear, or I could wear jeans. This job calls for something one step above jeans, and I don't think scrubs would work. They'd be comfortable, yes, but probably not give off the right image. So I spent quite a few hours fretting about what to wear on my first day, and this is what I came up with. My favorite part of this picture, though, is Colby. He saw me posing, and looked at Brian with the camera, and he deliberately walked over to me, sat down where you see him, and stared straight into the camera lens, until Brian told him the picture was taken. Then he moved away again.

So now I have two days under my belt, and I am liking it. I am eager and ready to dive in and see what I can offer the church, and see how all the different pieces of my life - with the new job and the boys going back to school - are going to all fit together. But I do have to say, after a lot of years of setting my own timetable for everything, this getting up early to go to WORK is a tough transition.

Umm, how's that again?

2009-08-30T13:49:00.001-05:00

I read it three times before I saw it and started laughing ...

Fresh Tomato Pie

2009-08-25T20:11:00.006-05:00

Today I used the fresh tomatoes sent home with us from Iowa by Holly, to make a Tomato Pie. I used a recipe from my friend Susy, who got it from her friend Char who we lost to cancer last year. So tonight's meal was in memory of Char, and in honor of friends and family.

You start by layering shredded mozzarella and fresh basil in a double-layer of pie crust (I use Pillsbury refrigerated but homemade would be good, too, if you do that type of thing!)

Then you layer fresh, sliced tomatoes. The original recipe calls for Roma, but I used these (no idea what variety) from Holly - I just made sure I removed as much water (juice?) from the slices as possible so my pie wasn't soggy.

Then you place a layer of sliced pepper jack cheese, and cover with a second layer of tomato slices.

Finally, you cover the tomato layers with a spread of mayo, more mozzarella, fresh Parmesan, and fresh garlic. Then pop it in the oven for a half-hour.

When you take it out, the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and hot. The smell is amazing, and everyone in the room will drool in anticipation!

We enjoyed it with a baguette and a Caesar salad .... and finished the meal with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. DEE-LISH!

Full Recipe:

2 Pillsbury pie crusts, layered in pie pan

Then layer:

Shredded mozzarella (about 3/4 - 1 cup)

Fresh basil leaves (to taste)

Sliced Roma tomatoes (maybe 4 small or 2-3 large?)

Sliced pepper jack cheese

Sliced Roma tomatoes (about same amount again)

Mix: 1/2 c mayo, 1/4 c fresh Parmesan, 4 cloves minced garlic (or more to taste - I use 5-6), 1 c shredded mozzarella. Spread on top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let sit 5 min before slicing.

Charlotte

2009-08-24T18:38:00.002-05:00

It would seem that Charlotte and her web are alive and well, comfortable and thriving on Jack & Holly's porch,

right there in beautiful Mitchellville, Iowa.

From Iowa with Love

2009-08-24T16:20:00.008-05:00

Brian & I took a quick trip to Iowa this weekend. Drove down Saturday morning and back again Sunday evening. In those 36 hours or so, we went to the Iowa State Fair

(pretty close second to the Minnesota Fair! Not that I'm biased or anything ...), played too many card games (I was the designated loser, apparently), ate wonderful home-grown tomatoes, learned a ton about homing pigeons, drank a bottle of Iowa Wine (a first for me, thanks, Lonnie, for leaving it there for Holly & I to enjoy!), and had plenty of time to relax and visit and laugh.

This all started when Lonnie - Brian's cousin who lives in Norway - was pining for a deep-fried Snickers bar. I volunteered to eat one for her - that's just the kind of person I am - and we were planning on doing it here in Minnesota. But then we thought hey, let's really meet Lonnie's needs and eat it at the Iowa Fair - the place her memories were made - and the fact that this way I get to do it twice - there, and here - never entered my mind. Nope, sure didn't.

So off we went, and now, this coming weekend, we will go to the Minnesota Fair, and we will compare the deep-friend candy bars, the largest boars, pumpkins and bulls, the rides and the pizza, the displays and the crowds.

I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful tradition.

No moving for us this year

2009-08-19T19:01:00.003-05:00

Well, today the decision was made. I am taking the townhouse off the market. After six+ months of trying, I am giving up on the idea that it is going to sell at a reasonable price (heck, I haven't even had any unreasonable offers. There's just been no interest at all.)

So that means we are not buying a house, it means the dogs will still need to be walked 3 times daily as opposed to being let out to run in the yard, and it means I will still have to drive the boys back and forth to school.

But it's not the end of the world, by any means, the townhouse is very comfortable and this means I don't have to move all our stuff, which certainly makes my fall less chaotic.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, though.

Lake Superior (between rain showers)

2009-08-16T16:51:00.001-05:00

Girlfriends

2009-08-14T22:25:00.002-05:00

So I went out for dinner tonight with 3 amazing women, and I admit it, I drank a little more wine than I might usually do - but I wasn't driving, and it was so good, and they had a 25% off special on the wine.

After returning home, I just sat in the glow of friendship - seriously, I sat here thinking about all the incredible women in my life, and how important they are to my well-being. I am tempted to start listing them with something specific I thank them for, but I know I would forget someone and I would hate to do that so I won't make the attempt.

But women - true friends - are so incredibly valuable in life. We get each other through relationships, parenting, loss, employment (or lack of it), weight gain or loss, relocation, and pretty much anything else you can think of. We support and love one another and offer unending and unconditional acceptance.

I couldn't survive without my girlfriends. And were it not for the wine, I would probably be able to go on for several more paragraphs and express myself far more eloquently. But for now I will just say it again - I couldn't survive without my girlfriends.

Facebook

2009-08-14T13:45:00.002-05:00

My son just created a Facebook account. He is 14. Right now he & I are FB Friends. But should we be?

Should I be seeing all he posts, and (perhaps more importantly), should he be seeing all I post?

What do you do - parents with teens with FB accounts? Looking for guidance here ...

Working again ...

2009-08-06T12:53:00.003-05:00

Thank you all for your patience with me whenever I snap at you "DON'T ASK ME IF I HAVE A JOB YET."

I still don't have a job. But I am working today (well, would be if I was not here blogging. I am actually going to go away from my house to work for a while because self-discipline is not my strong suit.) (As evidenced by the blogging that I have convinced myself is necessary because I promised so many of you I would keep you up-to-date on the employment front, a promise I made to soften the rudeness of my snapping at you last time you asked.)

I contacted a former client, one I have worked for in the past but not for the past several months, asking (begging, really, if you need the whole truth - I need some income that badly) if there might be a project for me to work on. She said yes! So today I am working on a smallish writing project, maybe 10 hours total or a little less, and I just got an email from her saying she has a lot more work if I am interested as she gears up for the fall busy season (she caters to the educational world.)

Yay!

So I am still sending out resumes and still being rejected regularly, but at least I will be generating a little income, and using my mind for something other than Sudoku and Scramble and blogging.

Thanks for caring :-)

Nature is cool, ya know?

2009-08-04T00:03:00.003-05:00

Tonight we went to see the Awards Festival of the "Quiet on the Set" short film competition my nephew entered. His film won an audience choice award, but unfortunately you had to have the judges choose you - not the audience - to get a trophy or any cash. But we are all terrifically proud of him, anyway!

After the awards, we wandered through south Minneapolis to Minnehaha Falls. Ben swears he's never been there (he has) and Ty announced with authority that he was just there a few weeks ago on his final 6th grade field trip of the school year. Brian can't remember the last time he was there, and I ran around saying "this wasn't like this when I was a kid" until both kids were rolling their eyes at me.

It was getting dark, and the neon lights of Dairy Queen across the street were calling to us, so we didn't stay long, but it was still beautiful.

I don't know Jill & Kevin, but I wish I did!

2009-07-24T09:50:00.003-05:00

Be sure your sound is on, and if you are as sentimental as me, have a kleenex handy ...

Now that's the way to start a life together!

As seen from the Guthrie Thrust Balcony last night ...

2009-07-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

Banana Peels

2009-07-21T11:27:00.001-05:00

Somewhere within the past year, on one of the blogs I read, there was a debate about the "right" way to eat a banana - which end you "should" start from. Well, I was just directed to this video ... and now I am going to go buy some bananas to try it!

(I know, I know, you can thank me later.)

Extreme Makeover ....

2009-07-20T09:10:00.004-05:00

Here's the 3 stages of hair change in Brian yesterday ... I'm still getting used to the new look.

Weekend Work

2009-07-18T13:21:00.003-05:00

When Hillmans return to China later this month, I will be storing their van for them. In return for storage, I get to use it for runs to IKEA or other times I need a large vehicle to haul stuff or kids or dogs or kids AND dogs. But.

Here is my garage as of this morning:And another shot:
Hmmm .... not quite sure where that van is going to fit in. But I am determined ... so this morning after I took those pictures I started sorting, cleaning, and tossing. I have made tremendous progress in the past 3 hours (and I am starting to think I should never move again as I have too much stuff. Even after making a giveaway pile and filling my garbage can.)

Here is the give-away pile. The game board is one that the boys picked up 3 years ago at the neighborhood curbside pick-up. It's never made it into the house, we have no idea if it works or not (it has a plug) and we have no game pieces to use with it. The TV works but the remote doesn't. The microwave works great. The VCR plays but won't record. And the boxes are full of clothes and other assorted stuff. (If anyone wants any of this let me know soon!)

And then there is the final pile. The problem pile. See, I have had a thing for boxes my entire life. Perhaps it stems from moving every 1-2 years during my formative years. Perhaps at one point in my life I was threatened "if you can't pack it in a box you can't keep it." Or perhaps I am just odd. But I have real difficulty throwing away a perfectly good box. Or the bubble wrap or packing paper or styrofoam peanuts that come in some boxes. And now I am (hopefully) moving soon, so it really doesn't make sense to get rid of any of these, right?

My pile of empty boxes (it doesn't look that bad, but know that every box you see is filled with more boxes. I am efficient.) Sigh.

Hopefully tomorrow I will finish up and have some "After" shots to show you. I have another week until I need the space, but I want to take advantage of the cool weather to get it done now. Wish me luck!

Old Friends are Best

2009-07-16T16:11:00.002-05:00

Today I had lunch with Kelley, one of my very best friends in junior high and high school. I haven't seen her much in recent years, even though she lives fairly close, but we have reconnected through Facebook and are enjoying renewing our friendship. She just emailed me this picture she found in some box in her basement - it was December, 1976 so I had just turned 15, and she was a few months older than me. Neither of us remember where we were, but our best guess is Southdale since that is where we tended to hang out when we were together. Since it was winter and we were 15, one of our parents must have driven us - in warmer months we used to ride our bikes (something I would not let my kids do today - there are a lot of busy roads and intersections between here and Southdale!!!

I am so grateful for Facebook - it has brought me together with so many people from my past, and provided us with a way to reconnect virtually even if we aren't as geographically close as Kelley & I are. The memories we share are fun to discuss and it's really rewarding to see that we can still connect in a close and meaningful way, even without seeing each other in 20 years, because of that shared past.

Hi-ho, Hi-ho, to Iowa we go ...

2009-07-13T08:56:00.006-05:00

We are leaving shortly for Iowa. Off to meet a large number of Brian's relatives. Off to celebrate his mom's 75th birthday (shh, it's a surprise!) Off to visit Mitchellville - a town I had never heard of before February of this year, but now it feels like I could be from there, too.

I assume this is the town logo? This was the first image that came up when I googled for images of Mitchellville.

And apparently they have cows.

What would Iowa be without cows?

And, apparently, there is a giant mushroom somewhere. I will try to find this and get a picture of Brian & me in front of it.

There is (or was?) a Reform School for Girls there in Mitchelville, too. Looks kind of spooky.

Check back later this week for current pictures and stories of our trip!

A Milestone Reached

2009-07-06T18:07:00.001-05:00

Measured today for the first time in 10 months ...

But my hair is bigger!

Apologies for not posting more frequently ...

2009-07-06T13:12:00.002-05:00

Time sure has a way of marching on, regardless of human intent, doesn't it? Today I give you bullet points, as I just don't know that I can manage much more.

Carla was here and is already gone. *sniff* I hardly got to see her. If you haven't heard, her role for the next several weeks is now stage mom (Matron, you can give her tips, maybe?) as her son is in the movie "Kung Fu Kid" starring Jaden Smith (yes, the son of THOSE Smiths.)
Fireworks were great at the Bloomington Summerfete on the 3rd. It was the world premier appearance of former spouses Steve & Karen Peterson each with their respective new honeys, all on the same blanket.
I am baffled by Sarah Palin.
My townhouse is still not sold, and I am seriously (as opposed to all those frivolous times) considering taking it off the market and making do. I have not been looking at houses to buy at this time, though I am still very aware that the dream house I didn't get *is* still available. If we were to stay in the townhouse, we could spend some time and money fixing it up a bit to make it more comfortable, though we still would not have a yard to let the dogs run in, and I would still have to drive the boys to school every morning. Those are the two drawbacks. The benefit, of course, is that we could stop keeping it so darn impersonably clean.
I am still among that great group commonly known as the unemployed. I am still in the running for one clinic RN position at Planned Parenthood, and I don't know when that decision will be made. I am plotting Plan B (err, I guess Plan L would be more realistic) which is to get a job somewhere like Caribou or Home Depot or Barnes & Noble to generate some income while I figure out how to become an independent millionaire. I'll keep you informed as to how that goes.
Part of the reason I haven't been blogging too much is that Facebook makes it so easy to stay over there all the time. Those of you who aren't on FB yet, you really oughtta be. Just yesterday, I friended my great-aunt in Oslo, and someone I went to middle and high school with who knows my friend Teresa with whom I was in a homeschool co-op with years ago and who knows my sister-in-law from Ireland, AND that someone who was my classmate years ago is a long-time family friend of Brian and his family. SMALL WORLD, indeed.
I took the boys to see "UP" last week and if you haven't seen it yet, GO. TODAY. BRING KLEENEX. (And don't bother spending the extra $$$ to see it in 3-D. 2-D is wonderful.)

OK, I think that's it for now. Life is in the details - didn't someone profound say something like that? That's as close as I get today. Happy Monday, all!

FINALLY!

2009-06-30T16:38:00.003-05:00

I was seriously beginning to think this day would never come.

Congratulations, Senator Franken!

Job Hunting

2009-06-18T12:30:00.005-05:00

Hey all ... for the past few weeks I have been seriously job hunting. I figured out that this "no freelance clients = no income" gig I have had going for the past 6 weeks is not a good long-term strategy for life. Who knew?

I have been doing freelance work since the divorce, so about 2 1/2 years, and it has been absolutely perfect. I started it so that I could be with the boys whenever and wherever they needed it, with total control over my schedule. Clients magically appeared, projects were fun and interesting, money was great, life was good! Then, recently, that all changed. Clients stopped calling as they struggled to keep their businesses afloat - who has money for outside freelancers? And I found myself less and less interested in seeking out new clients. What I started longing for was a job that I could drive to, work at, leave, and not think about until I drove back again. Something that would not consume my weekends and evenings and something that would give me days off.

Coincidentally this started around the same time as I was developing another interest to fill all those other hours. Hmmm ....

Anywho. I have kept my RN license current lo, all these many years, for situations exactly such as this. I dusted it off, updated my resume, and, through the wonders of Craig's List and the MN Council of Nonprofits, I found oodles of jobs online, and sent off my most beguiling cover letters and resumes to about a dozen different places.

Two responded. Two. What is this world coming to where they can't even email a note that says my application was received? Geesh. I know, from talking with many others, that this is just the way things are these days. But still. Talk about frustrating.

So one of those who responded eventually turned into an interview, and then another interview, and news that I was one of two finalists and she really wanted to hire us both but just couldn't ..... and then I heard that she chose the other finalist.

But. In the meantime, I had also applied for a position at Planned Parenthood, but was told that the position was already offered to someone else. So my timing was lousy. But - then just last week I applied for a different position with PP, and they told me that the nurse hired for the position I initially wanted didn't work out, so now that was open, too. So I went for an interview on Tuesday of this week, then back for a second one on Wednesday this week, and I have to meet one more person and (hopefully) impress the heck out of her, too, in order to be offered the position that I want. They are already doing a background check on me, which, I was told, they do "on all our new employees." Not "all our prospective employees."

I am so very excited about this job. It is perfect for me. I have learned over the years (thankfully I have learned something!) that it's important for me to have my professional life in sync with my personal life. This is why I have devoted most of my professional life to non-profit work. The mission, the cause - they have to mesh with my personal beliefs and values.

And ... once I have steady income, house-hunting can start again in full force!

Rain-kissed Flowers

2009-06-11T10:51:00.002-05:00

I am not much of a photographer. Brian, on the other hand, is. Here are my poor little deck flowers after three days of rain. He makes them look magical!

Updates ...

2009-06-09T12:45:00.004-05:00

Thought I would share a few updates, even though I don't really have any news. I am just proceeding on the assumption that you all care, regardless, and would like to know what's going on. If that's not the case, just skip over this entry :-)

ISSUE #1: Housing -- nothing to tell. No offers on my townhouse, and I am holding off looking at other houses to buy until this one is sold (or until I get a real job, see below). I do still look online occasionally at what's out there, but I am done playing games (even though I never entered the world of real estate with the intent of playing games, seems that's what the sellers and mortgage bankers I have met are wanting to do. Pooh on them.) (Except for the folks at Rescue Mortgage. THEY ROCK!!!)

ISSUE #2: Job -- I am applying for nursing jobs, had a great interview last week and then went back for a second interview as one of two finalists, but ultimately they chose the other person. Boo. But I am back to searching and sending out resumes, and with advice from some friends as to where to find a variety of job postings, am feeling pretty hopeful that something will pop soon. Which is good, as I am pretty broke. Once I have a job it will be easier to buy a house, too (imagine that?!) so I can start pursuing that first issue again.

Otherwise ... not much to report on. Kids are done with school today, YAY, personal life continues to develop nicely, YAY, dogs are fine and fun, YAY.

Weather sucks. BOO.

Appreciating Nature

2009-06-04T07:02:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we took a walk along the Minnesota River, and it made me pause and think about how much I appreciate my city's preservation of natural areas. We have so many parks and trails and places to be outside (including the dog park, my most frequented park in town!) and it makes for a good life.

I love the trail rules! I like the author's perspective and attitude:

I am not much of a photographer but tried to capture a flower shot ...

And interesting tree roots ...

Throwing rocks into the water ...

Pesky, but still beautiful ~

This last picture is actually from a different park, not the river, but we visited this park the same day as the river so I wanted to include it anyway.

I used to knit ....

2009-05-29T15:02:00.003-05:00

My very favorite slippers ever (you might recall them from here and here) have holes in the soles.

I am so sad. They still work since it's warm out now, but I am going to have to make me some new ones, and I am so afraid that I will not remember how to do it! I knit them under the tutelage of the Knitting Queen last time, so may have to bribe her to come over and just be near by - her very presence is inspirational when it comes to creative projects.

Since putting my house on the market, I have not knit a single stitch. The mittens I started in December ... still thumbless. The baby gift I started well in advance of the due date? That baby is rolling over now and still giftless from me.

I miss it. Will have to dig out some half-done project, or maybe just start new with new slippers. Maybe tonight.

:-)

Prop 8

2009-05-28T15:21:00.002-05:00

I am confused. In California marriage is CLEARLY only between one man and one woman. The people say so. The Supreme Court agrees.

EXCEPT for those 18,000 couples ... 36,000 individuals ... who got married last year. Whoops. We will accept THEIR marriages as OK and legal and acceptable.

But NO ONE ELSE.

Either it is or it isn't. You can't say it isn't except for a group who lucked out based on the calendar. If California says same-sex marriage is a no-no, let's nullify those 18,000 marriages.

Or, here's an idea ... If those 36,000 people are allowed to stay married, and the world as we know it doesn't end, let's say any two adults can marry.

Our world is a crazy place. I love that Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont and Connecticut are doing the right thing. I know that other states will follow, it's just a question of how long it all gets dragged out. In the meantime I will just stay confused, I guess. Confused is better than furious.

Just the higlights

2009-05-20T18:13:00.002-05:00

I am in Cleveland with Brian and will be driving back to MN with him early next week!
I am not buying the white house that I have been thinking I was buying for the past 2 months. I really, really don't want to go into details.
I think I might take the townhouse off the market at least for the summer to relax and regroup.
The boys are counting down the days left til school is out (so am I, but perhaps not for exactly the same reasons!)
I am actively seeking employment in the nursing field, so far it's slow going but I am confident something will turn up soon.
I am thrilled Shawn Johnson won Dancing with the Stars. I am totally pleased JT won Survivor. Tammy & Victor were great winners on The Amazing Race. I really don't care who wins American Idol tonight.
It's HOT out!!!!!!!

That's it for now. What are the bullet points currently in your life?

Season Finale

2009-05-15T10:09:00.001-05:00

Who watches Grey's Anatomy? Who watched last night? Who can I talk to about what happened?????

Dog Days of Mexico

2009-05-13T17:12:00.011-05:00

After that last post about how dismal my life is, I thought I better post more Mexico pictures!

I will always remember the dogs of Sayulita. The first night we were there, I had a dream that I was crowned "Queen of the Dogs" in the town. Everywhere we went, we saw dogs running, playing, sleeping, enjoying life. I kept thinking, over and over again, what a great life it would be to be a dog in that town!

Most of the dogs we saw were clearly with someone, but sometimes they were just wandering. But they had collars and appeared well cared for, and were friendly and curious and eager to make friends. They played fetch with a variety of objects on the beach - begging their owners (or anyone else close by) to throw their "toys" (sometimes a water bottle, sometimes a coconut husk, sometimes driftwood, sometimes something unidentifiable!) into the ocean and then they would bound into the waves, joyfully playing with the surf, to catch the item and eagerly bring it back to start all over again. I couldn't help but grin as I watched!

When we walked from our house to the beach, we passed a villa which had a small hole in the fence, around which were the words "Sayulita Chihuahuas" (well, at least that's what it was supposed to say, misspellings and unnecessary apostrophe aside) - we all assumed it was a drainage hole for the rainy season. On the day before we left, I was walking back to the house on my own - and as I came up the hill, I saw a little face peeking out at me through that hole, and the true purpose of the opening became clear! I felt as if I had been given a gift, to see the darling puppy who then patiently waited for me to get my camera out and take a picture, before he popped back inside.

Later than same night, we were walking along the beach in the moonlight - beautiful, BTW - and I said hello to a dog with a slight limp. He apparently liked my greeting, as he stuck with us as we walked from the beach into town, and then up the hills to our house, and then he dashed into the garden and made himself quite comfortable under one of our deck chairs, as if he lived there and would never consider leaving! Eventually I picked him up and carried him back out on the street, but it was heart-breaking (for me -- the others were laughing at me!) to put him outside and then listen to his whimper as he tried to get back in with me. But he, too, had a collar and was well-fed, so I knew he would make his way safely home.

I have had people tell me that if reincarnation is real, they want to come back as one of my dogs - but now, I think I would chose to come back as a Sayulita dog. Life, for them, is always a beach party.

Life's (not always) a Beach!

2009-05-13T17:00:00.004-05:00

I haven't been posting lately because I have been going through a bit of a rough patch since returning from Mexico. Suddenly all that I am trying to accomplish this year seems to be overwhelming me, and I have been feeling out of control (which is bad for my normal way of dealing with life) and as if too many things will never be settled.

Professionally, I have come to the conclusion that the freelance work was great for the 2+ years I did it, but now I am longing for a job where I show up, do my work, go home, and every two weeks (or once a month) they send me money. I don't have to go find clients, I don't have to submit proposals, I don't have to send invoices, I don't have to be thinking 24/7 "I should be working." So I have been looking at nursing jobs, and have applied for a couple, and we'll see how my re-entry into that field goes.

On the home front, I have decided I am never buying another house until I am rich enough to pay cash. The hoops I am being asked to jump through for this house I am buying - between the seller and the mortgage company - are seemingly never-ending, and I am so worn down by the continual requests for more documentation, more scans and statements, just more, more, more. Then there's the flip side of moving -- selling the townhouse. Still not even one offer. At this point I would consider almost ANY offer. Just please let me get one! There has been so little traffic - in about 11 weeks of being on the market, I think about 7 prospects have walked through and viewed the property. So I guess it's good that it's not that a lot of people are seeing it and rejecting it, and everyone tells me the price is fair and good. It's just so hard to wait. And if it doesn't sell, I am in trouble.

So ... all that has kept me from feeling like posting, but hopefully things will start to pick up and my mood will improve (I am having a beer as I type this and that is helping!)

In praise of Don Julio

2009-05-08T10:12:00.002-05:00

One of the learning experiences I had while in Mexico revolved around tequila. I am not a fan of tequila; the only margaritas I ever order have to be strawberry-flavored with a healthy coating of sugar on the rim of the glass.

But, when in Mexico ... well, it seems slightly unacceptable not to at least try tequila. Thankfully, one of my travel mates, Therese, knows her tequila. We bought two kinds. One (brand? I have no idea!) to make margaritas with, and one (Don Julio .. mmmmmmmmm) to use for shots.

I also don't do shots. (give me beer & wine and I am happy!) But, when in Mexico ... I figured I ought to be open-minded and try it at least once. Here are the 4 of us, after our first shot of Don Julio - in dixie cups, no less, we are classy women.

Do I look like I hated it?!? Seriously, that Don Julio is smooooooooth stuff!

And here we are in the parking lot of the airport. Ready to depart. Still had an inch or so of Don Julio, so what's a girl to do? We got out our dixie cups, Alice carefully divided the tequila, and we had our final shot before leaving the country.
I wasn't able to get a picture of us after this shot, though, as the parking lot security crew was asking us to move along ....

I am now a fan of tequila.

Swine Flu? No worries!

2009-05-08T07:13:00.002-05:00

Carla sent me a "piece of flair" on Facebook last night that says "People said a black man would be elected president 'when pigs fly.' 100 days after Obama took office ... SWINE FLU!"

Here's Alice & me on the airplane going down to Mexico. Not a care in the world! And here we are coming home ... This is actually in the airport, and truth-be-told, we only put the masks on for this picture. We didn't actually wear them, and there were very few people who were wearing them.

I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Don't say I never did nuthin' for ya ...

2009-05-07T06:46:00.002-05:00

Apparently the yellow I had chosen for my blog for May - the bright, cheery, reminiscent of the sun in Mexico yellow I liked so much - was just too much for some people's eyes.

So I switched to a pale, barely even recognizable as yellow shade.

Because I love you that much!

YAY MAINE!!!

2009-05-06T12:26:00.000-05:00

Just read this while browsing (make that wasting time) online ... YAY MAINE!!!

Sayulita!

2009-05-04T12:14:00.003-05:00

True paradise on earth. Stories and more photos coming very soon ...

I'm not kidding

2009-04-28T12:44:00.003-05:00

Really, I am going to Mexico tomorrow. Yes, I do realize there is a new strain of flu out there, and yes, I do realize people in Mexico have died.

But really, I am still going. Our group of 4 well-educated, intelligent women includes a doctor and a nurse ... we know what we are going in to, and we know what precautions to take, and we know what the realistic risk is.

And we are going to have a terrific time! We are going to bake on the beach. We are going to laugh by the pool. We are going to feast on the patio. We are going to come back refreshed, relaxed, rejuvenated, and healthy.

I'll post pictures next week when we're back!

Cleveland

2009-04-27T12:21:00.004-05:00

Just got home from visiting Brian (the new man) in Cleveland. Cleveland - yes, that's what I said. Not one of the places I ever put much thought into at all, nor on my list of preferred destinations when I dreamt of travelling. But he is there, so there I went.

And you know what? Cleveland is a really, really nice place! It's on the shore of Lake Erie - a Great Lake I had not visited before. We went out on a pier to watch the sunset one day - the weather was magnificent! So was the view.

We visited (the exterior of) the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and walked along the lakeshore park in the middle of downtown. It was 88 and sunny (back in Minneapolis it was cold & rainy - HA!) and absolutely beautiful.

I had a great time exploring the neighborhood Brian's sister lives in, trying out Malley's, the local ice cream & chocolate shop (NUM - and in looking up their URL I see they have mail order! Dangerous!), going to the soccer game and baseball game (to see Brian's nephew and brother-in-law, respectively), taking long walks at night to look at stars, and just hanging out with the family.

One night we ate at Bubba's Q, which was fabulous barbeque - kind of out of the way, sports-themed, food to die for!

The whole time I was there we kept saying "Next time, we have to do ....." and when it came time to leave, it was hard on all of us, I think!

Next time will be around Memorial Day weekend - when I go out to bring Brian back home!

Life is grand

2009-04-22T14:52:00.003-05:00

Well, it's sandal season FINALLY and today I got my first pedicure of the year! I took my friend Diane with me - she's a pedicure virgin! - and then we went out for lunch. A wonderful girls-only day. I bravely said I was through with socks for the year, about a month ago on Facebook, but frankly I did wear socks again in the days between then and now -- but now? NOW I am done with socks for the year. (well, not the entire calendar year, but until the snow flies again - except that really, I go sock-less a lot then, too, I just wear warm shoes without socks. Other than my homeknit socks, I really dislike them.)

Anywho. Life is grand these days. The housing deal is moving along nicely, the paperwork is in, the closing approaching, my plans becoming more firm. I have been researching appliances and dreaming about paint colors and carpet style and countertop options. I have met with my contractor, planned the order in which projects will be done, and while I still have a whole list of questions that need to be answered, I feel like I am moving ahead nicely - and it is all just so much fun!

The job front is also developing beautifully, PLAY it Forward is meeting so many of my needs - needs that I didn't even realize I had! I am turning back into an international traveler - which was my persona 30 years ago - which I gave up to be a wife and mom, but didn't realize how much I missed it until now it is coming back to me. It feels FANTASTIC. It feels like the real me is coming back to life after a long, long sleep.

And then there is the relationship portion of life ... tomorrow I leave for a long weekend with the new man in my life, and everything there is moving along so smoothly, and feels so right, and it's both fun and fantastic!

Add to that my general good health, the well-being of my children, and the beautiful weather, and I just keep grinning and saying life is grand!

You are invited ...

2009-04-18T10:09:00.004-05:00

I mentioned recently that I have a new career in the making, working with PLAY it Forward Adventures. It's been a couple of weeks now, and this professional match is truly one made in heaven. I am feeling energized and renewed by working on projects which invigorate and inspire me, and Jodi - my partner in this venture - and I are excited about the expansion that is now possible with two of us combing our talents, time, and resources.

We just started setting up our 2010 Master Schedule ... and I will be leading a trip to Peru and Machu Picchu in January! Machu Picchu has long been on my list of most desirable destinations. I am fascinated by all I know about the ancient Inca tribes - the combination of mythology and legend with the archaeological finds, which show how advanced these people were in so many areas of life. Most Inca settlements were destroyed in the 15th and 16th centuries, but because of its remote location, Machu Picchu was preserved, and while some people still lived in and around the ruins (descendants of the Incas), it was virtually untouched before being rediscovered in the early 1900s. Now it is designated as a World Heritage Site, descibed as "an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization," and is carefully cared for so that visitors can continue to marvel in its splendor.

And I am bringing a group of women there in just 9 months! (It just occurred to me that 9 months is the time of a pregnancy ... this trip will be a sort of baby for me, so how fitting is that timeline?)

This journey will be about finding balance in your life. Over the past two and a half years I have been told time and time again that I should write a book about how my life has changed and how I have managed those changes. I will be using the time between now and January to really contemplate and analyze what has helped me, and I hope to be able to share some of that with my fellow travelers in January. But it won't be "all about me" - we are having a Yoga Instructor travel with us, so that every day we will begin with Yoga practised in the mountains of Peru - talk about inspirational - and we will also fill our days with incredible site-seeing, activities chosen to challenge our bodies and our minds, and - as in all PLAY it Forward Adventures - we will do a volunteer project to give back to the people and the land that will host us during this time.

When I woke this morning, it occurred to me that nothing would be more wonderful than to have my internet friends join me on this journey! Those of you who I only know through blogging - can you even imagine a better way to meet in person? What an incredible way to begin the new year - focusing on yourself, your connection to women, finding balance for the coming months - I get shivers thinking about it.

As we finalize the details (like dates and cost) I will let you know. Roughly - 8 days in early January, something in the $2600-2900 range (does not include your round-trip airfare to Lima), and limited to 12 participants so I expect it will fill quickly.

So I plant this seed in your brain. Mull it over, stew on it, think about it ... and I truly hope you can find a way to join me!

Celebrating EVEN MORE!!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-16T15:11:00.005-05:00

I AM A NEW HOME OWNER!!!

Finally, after 3 offers on other houses that fell through, and 8 weeks of negotiating on the 4th, all the signed paperwork came through today and WE ARE MOVING.

HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is looking like we are aiming for a closing date of May 19 - so just over a month from now. I am meeting with the Wells Fargo mortgage person tomorrow. I have met with my contractor to start the plans for all the renovation work needed.

Because there is a lot of work needed. Here are some pictures, to give you an idea.

Here's the living room (I am standing in the dining area to take the picture.) The walls will be painted, the fireplace resurfaced (it's hard to see, but the brick is painted a glossy pale green. Not much to be done with that.) The lovely stained carpet will be replaced - no hardwood under the carpet, unfortunately.
And here is the kitchen. Take a moment and think about the paint color here, combined with the paint color in the living & dining rooms. Christmas, all year round! The kitchen is a complete do-over. I contemplated keeping the cupboards, but the layout is not efficient, there is no place for a dishwasher, and everyone tells me I will regret it if I don't do it ... so do it, I will. (and yes, that countertop is pink.)
Here's my bedroom. Some wall issues to be addressed. But mainly just paint and refinishing of the floor to make this room perfect. Oh, and maybe new lights on the ceiling fan.

Here, on the other hand, is Ty's room - for now, anyway, eventually the boys will both be moving to new rooms in the basement. This room has the most interesting use of combination sponge-painting/wallpaper borders I have ever seen! It's much, much worse in person.The main bathroom is not too bad. The countertop - a totally artificial substance which scares me a little - has a lovely shell-shaped sink, and the toilet has a delightful padded seat with the signs of the zodiac on it. Both will be replaced. Oh - and the lighting in here? Two recessed bulbs, nicely done. But these people spatterpainted the bulbs - I can only assume for ambiance. Weird.

This is the back entry way - one door goes to the garage, one to the back patio. The red (ceiling and all!) is the same paint as in the kitchen. This will eventually be made into one big mudroom with built-in cubbies, closets, recharging station, mail station, etc. The organizational hub!

When you head downstairs, this is the first thing you see. The plan is to gut the basement as close to 100% as possible and just start over. So this will eventually be a welcoming area to what we refer to as "boy land" - the entire basement will be made into a place where teenage boys can hang out and have fun.

Here's the basement fireplace, eventually there will be a big-screen TV above it, and the walls will not be mustard-colored. In fact, some of the walls will not even be there anymore.

I don't have any pictures of the downstairs bathroom - I'll try to get some but I don't think my camera can adequately show the horribleness that is that room. We are moving the bathroom and starting completely over. Ditto for the boys' bedrooms. We will put in two egress windows and end up with 2 great rooms. Where currently there is a mess.

LOTS of work - but it will be SO GREAT when it's all done!!!

HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Celebrating

2009-04-14T15:08:00.002-05:00

YAY!!!! I went for a walk in the park today - barefoot!

Gratitude

2009-04-11T15:22:00.004-05:00

Can you see the holiness in those things you take

for granted--a paved road or a washing machine?

If you concentrate on finding what is good in every

situation, you will discover that your life

will suddenly be filled with gratitude,

a feeling that nurtures the soul.

~ Rabbi Harold Kushner

Today I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

As I walked with the dogs in the park this morning, I appreciated the park, the other dogs & owners, the beautiful weather, my shoes, kleenex, the city I live in, technology, warm air, blue skies, and so much more.

Last night I got together with two friends and it was almost a magical evening. We just sat at the kitchen table, none of us were dressed up or feeling fancy, we drank questionable wine (and laughed a lot about that), we talked and shared and laughed and commiserated. We listened to what is going on in each others' lives, we offered advice when it was needed, empathy when it was needed, and perspective when it was needed. Several times during the evening I found myself thinking about how much I value the friendships of women - these two women in particular, but others, as well. The women I have collected in my life - strong, intelligent, fun, supportive, caring - each one with her own special talents and appeal, each one filling a niche in my life to help keep me healthy, happy, and moving forward - these are the pillars of my life, and I appreciate them all so very much.

This is really not a very complete way for me to say this, somehow the words are not coming easily for me today. If you are a woman, and you are reading this, you are somehow a part of my life - even you internet women whom I've never met in person - and I thank you for being who you are, and for giving what you give to my life, to make me who I am today.

I would thank you from the bottom of my heart,

but for you my heart has no bottom.

~ Anonymous

I have a new job

2009-04-09T15:58:00.002-05:00

I have written before about my friend Jodi, founder/president of PLAY it Forward Adventures - well, not so much about her, per se, as the company. It's a wonderful international travel company which focuses on combining adventure travel (which means doing active stuff like sea kayaking, or mountain biking, or hefty hiking ... none of which have, in the past, really been high on my list of vacation activities ... I tend to like things like beach lying, shop visiting, and the perennial favorite, pretty drink imbibing) with meaningful volunteer opportunities within the host culture.

The first time I met Jodi, I thought to myself "SHE GETS IT!" and I have never stopped thinking that. We clicked immediately, and have stayed in touch for the past few years, albeit infrequently, but earlier this year something had changed when we got together for coffee. We both must have felt the same thing, as I offered to work with her almost exactly the same time as she asked me to work with her. Thus began our professional relationship. Part time for now, hopefully full time very soon.

If you haven't looked at the PIF website, I strongly encourage you to do so now. One of the projects I am working on right now is writing trip descriptions ... and though my physical prowess is not something I brag about, I find myself really wanting to go on each and every one of these trips! I am hoping to be able to go on one very soon ... Machu Picchu in June would be #1 on my list, but since I am still hoping to be moving that month, I'm not sure I can swing it ... though I am still trying to find a way.

And if you want to do a trip but are also worried about how, let me know - we have ways you can earn trip credits!

YAY VERMONT!!!!!

2009-04-08T08:16:00.002-05:00

As of yesterday, 4/7/09, Vermont is the fourth state to recognize the right of all adults to marry the person they love.

YAY!

Who are you people???

2009-04-07T09:50:00.003-05:00

I just checked Google Analytics to see who's visiting me here lately. I have a pretty steady number of visitors on a daily basis, not big enough to swell my head by any means, but a number that makes me happy.

Two days ago that number more than doubled. Biggest peak I have had in memorable history.

WHY??? WHO??? WELCOME!!!

Huh. Guess I better be a good hostess (however you do that??)

Please - introduce yourself! We're a small but friendly group here! Come again soon!