I know it can be done...

I did it last year.  In fact, I packed for an entire summer in the same bag that I'm attempting to pack for only two weeks in.  How did I do it?  Last year I even packed sweats and shoes I didn't need. Perhaps once I get to the actual packing, I will find that it some how magically fits. But for now...

Today is my one year anniversary to my dear hubby.
We celebrated by taking an adventure... first we scoped out places where his students could launch a rocket they'd made.  That adventure was full of dirt roads, dust and some amazing sights just to the west of civilization. Ponds that had formed from all the rain, ducks, geese, birds I didn't know.  At one spot we came across a Wet Land refuge (I know there is a name, it is escaping me) across the street from the dump.  Makes it nice for the birds I suppose, their home is on display for the human species, but only those with defective olfactory nerves would come near.

Our adventure continued with the quest for the SciFi convention that was in town.  The website didn't say much about it and so we thought to poke our nose in and see if it was worth our time.  We knew the name of the hotel and that was all.  We drove around down town SLC looking for a name on the side of the building.  We did eventually find it, but the offerings left for the nights activities, while intriguing to me as a writer... not really worth the cost for the little bit of time we would have stayed.

Next we're off to find a restaurant.  Once again we only have a rough idea where it might be located.  We do eventually find it but the wait was too long.  The quest begins anew with another idea, but no definite location.  We never did find the restaurant we were looking for, but we did find, "Ruth's Chris Steak House"  We'd both heard good things about this place and decided that we had arrived at our destination.

OMG, it was delicious.  Pricey, but worth it. 

So with full bellies we called it a night.

Happy Anniversary my Dear Hubby.

Crazy Week

This week has been nuts.  I haven't even made my usual blog rounds for the last few days.  The gal that was supposed to come back from vacation on the 23, got kidney stones and was out another week.  Then another co-worker had vacation and... long story short I was doing things at work I didn't even know I knew how to do.  Some how I managed. ahaha

Fun things from the week:

I was walking Chester and KNEW I'd forgotten something.  I had the key, pepper spray, my phone, the leash, the dog... what else could it be?  Then it dawned on me.  The hat.  There was actually a day when it didn't rain.  YaY.

This morning Chester found a mama duck and her nest.  It was total excitement for a moment, but in the end all parties came away just a little worse for the wear. 

My cell phone ring is Lani/Lucy's voice.  Something she said in a pod cast that sums up how I feel about most calls.  On Thursday I had my cell phone on my desk, kidney-stone co-worker was going to call me back and let me know what was happening.  A sales person came into the office and we were chatting.  My phone gets a message and my phone says, "No. No. No. No. Dear god, no."
I smile sweetly, touch a button to stop Lani/Lucy's tirade. 
The look on the dude's face was priceless.

Not much to show for a week, but better than nothing.

Per your request

On Mother's Day I posted pictures of my kids and Julie requested to see Adam's tattoo up close.  You were thinking just the arm, but here are ALL his tattoo's.

Without further ado:
(Oh naked lady warning is in effect ;)

The gal below is the one he eventually dressed.  It is on his lower arm and when we went to Disney Land, he put band-aids in the appropriate places. 

Thanks for sharing Adam.
Over the years the kids have all tried to get me to get a tattoo.  I am just not that brave.

The Table

As I was cleaning house yesterday I  'pledged' the kitchen table, then put back the place mats, bamboo plant and salt and pepper shakers.  A nice orderly table, a place to sit and enjoy each other's company and we often do.

Typical.

Yesterday I thought about the time I threw out the kitchen table.  Yep, left a huge hole in the middle of the kitchen.  Table was gone.  I didn't think anything about it at the time. I saw no need for a table. So, no table.

During my daughter's 'dark days'.  Very dark days, we could have up to three sessions a week depending on what was going on.  She's worked through it and is fine now.  But back then one of her many 'helpers' suggested sitting at the table and eating together.

Ahahah
"No table."
"Why not?"
"It was nothing but a cluster f*** and I saw no need to keep it."
Of course with a statement like this he had to delve further. 
The table at my house only collected junk and irritated me.  The kids had a desk for school work.  We all had odd schedules and eating together wasn't happening. 

He asked about the table at my parents home, what was it like growing up?

It was a place of turmoil, a place where you had to eat what was put in front of you, a place for my parents to fight, a place where you'd gulp your food and ask to be excused, if the gods were kind your request was granted and you were allowed to escape to the safely of your room. Not a happy place.

My father was still alive at the time and very much 'my father'. I had no desire to hear his comments or deal with his opinion of what I should or should not do with regards to my daughter and so I did the thing I could do. 

I threw out the table.

Ahahaha  THAT'S my rebellion.

Wow... awesome job.

My rebellions never make much sense to anyone but me.
I'd get pissed at my boss and "I'd show him!!!"  I would come to work on TIME and I had a soda in my hand to PROVE to him that I was on time on purpose.  I wasn't just running late.

Yep, pretty lame.... but it made me feel good at the time.
I guess what ever works, works.

Discovery Writing and Ducks

Part of our assignment this week is to discover our voice.  To do this we look at something we wrote to a trusted friend when we were free to just be ourselves. Gives us a feel for what we do naturally, are we short and concise, flowery etc.

Near as I can figure, my sentences ramble on, are punctuated by brief spurts of dialogue and odd observances, that I may or may not feel the need to expound upon.
Case in point, this from an e-mail.

I saw a peacock on my way home this morning.  It was crossing the road.

I also saw two ducks playing 'chicken' in the road.  I think the female was trying to convince the drake that people really would stop.  I was getting closer, and closer and was beginning to wonder WTF when a third duck, another drake, came skuddling out into the road, a half fly-half walk sort of thing, he rounded up the other two ducks and forced them to safety.  I can just imagine what he was saying, "You are both dumb asses.  They stop for the freaking babies you morons!!!"

On to the next part of the assignment. ; )

I always marvel at ducks.  Here in Utah when the mom's are moving the babies, they will cross very busy roads, we are talking some with three lanes on each side.  I have seen people stop and simply wait, honking at other cars to stop.  "Stop damn it."  While others will actually get out of their cars, putting themselves between the cars barrelling down on them and the ducklings until they are safe on the other side. Remarkable.  Don't get me wrong I will certainly stop for the babies, but get out of the car?  Not so much.

One duck, in the complex where my boys live, had her babies on the roof. Was this planned? Did it provide ssafety from cats? Whatever the thought process, she had her babes, and they were ready to face the world.   Just one little thing standing in her way.  Getting them down.

My youngest son was there for the 'dropping of the ducks'.  Mom duck was quack, quack, quacking, waddling back and forth in front of the office.  John thought WTF? Suddenly a baby duck plummets from the roof and lands on the grass.  It gets up and waddles around dazed, shakes it off and then adds its voice to his mother's to get the other sibs to take the leap of faith and get off the roof.

Ducks amaze me.

Random Thoughts

Successes for the week:

I was in the throws of having a melt down on Friday.  To voice it out loud makes it sound really stupid, but I guess it is what it is.  I was getting thrown out of my 'normal' routine and not coping well with the prospect. 

Over on Julie's Blog she has been reading and sharing experts from My Stroke of Insight. And one of those was that it takes 90 seconds to form a neurological pathway.  The longer we stay in an emotion the deeper the pathway, the harder it is to break the cycle.  The goal would be to distract your mind with positive affirmations during the first 90 seconds and break the cycle.

I was well beyond the 90 second rule. 

My husband got an e-mail at work: "I'm having angst."   I hadn't gone into full blown panic attack yet, but it wasn't looking good.  I thought that by naming my demon I might be able to get past it.  Loving support from my hubbie and some major grit on my part helped me to get past the moment and I actually 'changed things up.'  YaY.

I WAS able to rip a CD and burn a CD all by myself.
When my son came over he showed me an easier way. 
But still. ;)

I got the assignment finished for the one Discovery class and just need to pull the sound track together for the other.  I'm thinking mission will be accomplished.

On Trisha's Blog Word + Stuff she posted a blog worth following and I found that her assessment was spot on.  It has vintage photo's and they are really fun to look at.  Vintage Everyday

Bob has gotten past the 'attack of the coffee' and has begun sharing my desk with me in the mornings again.  I'm happy for that as I enjoy having the little fur ball around.

Oh, and I saw a peacock crossing the road early this morning.  True story.

All in all, not a bad week.

Two out of three...

I still have a day left to make it three out of three.  Oh, and there is still the sound track. *big sigh*

I am taking a couple of classes from Lucy March, aka Lani, on the Discovery process.  I love her way of teaching and I love the way her mind works - it isn't the usual "Slot A into Tab B" kind of teaching.  It just clicks for me.

Having said that our assignments for the week:
a) make a sound track 
b) write at least 500 words of an event that happened to your protagonist and at least two other major characters.

That sounds easy and if I had been willing to just punch out a couple of scenes I could have finished it up on Sunday.  However, I didn't want to do that.  I tried being a blank slate. I pondered the character I wanted to write about and waited for her to 'share'. 

I am going to have to remember this 'quiet spot' in the future. It was 'slow' but it sure beat writing something only to say, "Well, that doesn't work.  Nope not that or that or that."  This story has been a long time in the coming, but I think once I let it out it will be worth it. The Card took me years and in the end I was pleased.

One thing I discovered: 
Why did Breanna bring Kat back to the Isle? 
I fought it, did everything I could to not let this happen, but Kat HAD to come back to the Isle. I knew this months ago, but could never reconcile it to myself as a 'reader'.  It made no sense.  All the things my little brain could contrive to make it work, simply did not.

I waited patiently for Vanora to speak, as she shared her story she also told me why Breanna brought Kat back.  Awesomeness.  Now I can move past that stumbling block.

I've been working on the sound track too.  I have some great music and as I listen I can say, that's a turning point, oh, that is so Vanora etc.  Now I just have to put it all together.  I was hoping to do that last night so Jaker could help me 'make it work' with burning it to a CD.  But alas I had a gathering last night and didn't make it that far.  This is a new computer, maybe it will be more user friendly or maybe I'll have to call poor Jaker and have him talk me through it over the phone.  He's done that on more than one occasion.  He's such a great and PATIENT kid.

It still works...

Well, K seems a bit sticky.

Yesterday, as is my habit, I was drinking coffee and checking out blogs etc.  Bob sits on my desk and helps me type. My desk has two tiers, one holds the monitor and my coffee cup and the other is where the cat and the keyboard reside. Did I put the coffee too close to the edge? Was Bob jealous of the coffee and decide to give it a warning nudge? We will never know.

The coffee did not spill.  The cup jumped from the tallest tier and landed flat bottomed on the lower tier and suddenly I had Old Faithful erupting on my desk, on my book case, on my nick knacks, on me... Needless to say, the cat fled the scene. I'm flipping the keyboard over trying to shake out the coffee, coffee that is a bit sticky because I've been using protein shakes instead of milk.  I get the mess cleaned up and go to have a talk with Bob about the whole thing. 

His tail is a registered weapon, I kid you not. His tail is forever knocking things over.  Not just random things, isolated things.  There can be three items in close proximity and he'll send one of them tumbling to its doom. He's a cat, I have to believe that this is intentional.

When I found Bob I bent down to pet him and he was soaked.  I cleaned him and brushed him and we all came out just a little worse for the wear.  Bob has chosen not to sit with me this morning and I am finding some major sticky keys. 

Happy Mother's Day

We celebrated Mom's Day on Saturday because everyone who knows this  mom KNOWS that Sunday's are my decompress day.  Now I may do things with my day, but they are always things of my choosing.  It is one of the small ways I try to keep my sanity.

When asked what I wanted I said a BBQ would be nice.

So last night we had hamburgers and brats that Jake cooked on the grill.  He bought all kinds of fancy buns along with any possible cheese selection your heart could desire. My daughter made her famous potato salad.  It really is to die for.  Doug brought, oh man, I can't remember the name.  Grape leaves with a rice, meat mixture inside... starts with a D... for delicious.  It was really fun.

The kids also got me a new ceiling fan. The old one died last year after sixteen years of loyal service. Much appreciated since the weather decided to warm up for Mom's Day.  I also got a couple of pounds of this delicious coffee that I recently fell in love with.  It was an awesome Mom's Day.  I've got great kids.

I took the camera and got a few pics of the kids.

                  Jake                                                                            Adam

 John

                                                                    Jess and Stavo

This is my Grand-Cat Conan. 



Jake belongs to him.  In the picture of Jess and Stavo you can see behind them a ginorous carpeted structure.  It is a cat tree that Jake built for Conan.  It has height, it has hidy holes, it has everything a cat could desire.   Conan was not very happy in this picture.  We were outside in the atrium and had shut the screen door.  He did not deign to use the cat door and felt that one of his royal subjects should open the screen door.  When that did not happen he got grumpy and repaired to his cat house where he could ignore the inferior species that was crowding his home.

Happy Mom's Day to all the mother's out there and to the kids who appreciate them.

I've been a slacker

I could say it was because nothing interesting has happened this week.  And that is true but the reason nothing interesting is happening is because I went into hibernation mode.  Hard to see interesting things when you're not poking your nose out of the old hole in the ground from time to time.

Work has been overwhelming.  We just moved to a new location.  Change isn't my strong suit.  Life was encroaching from all angles.  My vigilance as to my personal space was not top notch and soon every one was intruding again.  Intruding sounds like a harsh word, bit it really sums up the feeling of...OMG back off.
 I swear I was a hermit in another life.

I've taken a week of: EVERYBODY JUST BACK OFF.

I was going to use Yosemite Sam to illustrate but I realized he is what my VIGILANT protector of personal space should be.

This week it is more like the picture below...
You know, that moment when you're doing your thing unaware of what's going on around you and suddenly there is someone there... yep, kind of like that.

So, I'm taking a deep breath and I think I might be ready to face the universe again.

 

I'm a grandma again...

As only it can happen in my family.

We have a thing for the critters. 

Cat's, dogs, rodents (all kinds but especially rats), fish...

Once the kids had snails for pets, tad poles turned to frogs,

I think I've mentioned the pill bug my daughter named Fluffy, no she never will live that one down. ;)

Without further ado I present to you Fred.

We have now added reptiles to the collection 



The photos are a little fuzzy. 

They are taken from a cell phone because grandma forgot to charge the camera.

He's a bearded lizard.

He eats mill worms and crickets.

I am glad that I am grandma and only have to visit Fred and not feed him.

McDonald Ew Bird

In Julie's blog the other day she was talking about the "secret language" that famies acquire. My daughter and I were 'steping' on the Wii and she was complaining that it didn't like her big feet. 
I said, "It seems to me that it wants you to do the McDonald Ew Bird." 
She of course knew what I meant.
At the time I had to laugh because I'd read Julie's blog only the day before.

What's the McDonald Ew Bird you inquire?

Hahaha I've spent the morning going over last summer's blog to find the McDonald Ew Bird. It was right at the beginning of the blog.  I tried to link the post like Julie does, but it took it to a whole page.  I went ahead and left the link incase you want to see what we were up to last summer.  If not, I copied the paragraph below the link.

McDonald Ew Bird

Off to the side of the dock in the marshy grass, a bird so blue it was almost black, tip toed its way in pursuit of breakfast. It lifted its foot so high, and then placed it gingerly down before lifting the other, as if to say, 'ew, ew, ew I should have gone to McDonald's. I hate cold breakfast.' Then without warning its baby blue bill plunges into the grass. What delicacy it found we will never know. But it can't be as good as a sausage, cheese biscuit. Just sayin'