Saturday in town

We didn't go to the cabin this weekend as The Hubby wanted to attend the Swing Fling (or something like that). I was in attendance under protest. I was terrified that I would have to dance and my East Coast Swing is very novice, even more so for The Hubby. I went because he wants to learn more so bad. We did attend one of the events which was a dance but we ONLY watched, thank goodness. Actually, there were some who were not that good and some that were pretty awesome. My observation was that it was a little like a (AND DON'T GET ANGRY AT WHAT I'M ABOUT TO WRITE) nerd convention. There were guys and girls that even though they might be couples they asked anybody to dance, it's all about getting experience and practice. There were also singles that attended and I observed that a few guys were actually trolling, like in a dance club (this was at a hotel ballroom). I know it was for practice but I did see the trolling taking place. In truth, everyone seemed to be having a great time and enjoyed an opportunity to use the skills they have obviously learned. My problem was that EVERYONE in the room is doing the West Coast Swing and I only know a smidgen of the East Coast Swing. I know, I know, what's the difference. Well, I'm still a little confused by it all too. ECS is explained here East Coast Swing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and West Coast Swing here West Coast Swing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Basically the ECS is a very basic side, side, back and the WCS is a TON of improvisational stuff that I can't seem to follow. I'm really good at watching someone do the steps and copy them but this stuff I was not able to make out the steps at all and it seemed the man really dictated how you move around. I guess I'm destined to learn how to dance this stuff with The Hubby. I'm sure it is fun but I'm just not confident in myself to do it in front of people without being pretty intoxicated. There was one woman who brought her little girl, about 10 or 11 and they got out on the dance floor together and when the mother was dancing with others some would ask the little girl to dance and would be very patient to teach and lead. It was very cute. I must say there were a few hotties, guy and girl, young and old. I even encountered a girl I went to high school with. I knew she would be there as her name was in the paper in the article about the whole event. She is a really nice girl but the old high school jitters seemed to kick in, heck she was football queen.

We had intended to go tonight but I think not at this point so I'm stuck in town this weekend. My plan is to do laundry, blog, read, nap, run a few errands and possible go to the MIL's if she needs help packing as she is FINALLY moving on June 3. I thought about walking/jogging but I just don't want too. I hate doing it in town. Oh, I forgot, yesterday my sis and her son Hunt and my Daddy came to the office and we all went to eat lunch at Kilkenny's. Sis likes to get Daddy out and about. It breaks up his life in general and wears him out so to speak. We had a wonderful lunch and then decided to go by and see The Hubby's new building (really old one) as the new overhead doors that were being installed. Daddy had not seen the building since The Hubby had first bought it, when all the crap was piled everywhere. It is now completely cleaned out, the floors power-washed and sealed, etc. Looks good for a 50 year old building. While on the "tour" I told Sis I needed to get a new printer to go with the new computer at the office but realized that my little car probably would not hold the box so we left Daddy with The Hubby to hang out and off we went with Hunt in tow. My printer was the last of the dinosaurs as far as printers. It was an old HP laser4 printer that was about 15 years old so there was no kind of hook-up available. I was really yearning for a color laser printer and I was able to find a HP color laser several steps up from my old one and I bought two. I wanted one for my own personal use. I was tired of emailing myself stuff to the office to print so "Happy Birthday" to me.

Yes, the day is fast approaching again. I will turn 52 on Wednesday and I have the whole day planned. I workout at 5:45 am and then home for breakfast then off for a facial and massage for the next 3 hours or so. Then home to shower and ready the house for a birthday party I'm throwing myself with my Jazzercise girls. There should be about 20+ in attendance and they are all bringing the food, my kind of party. I will supply the beverages (champagne for me) and a great house to celebrate. The next weekend my friend Harri is going to throw a big bash for me to celebrate at the lake. She is having a new deck built and hopefully it will be finished to party down. WOO HOO!!!!!

Weight and training update

I have been working very hard on my weight loss. I am not doing the walking thing during the week but I do it on Saturday's and that is about 2.5 to 3.5 miles of walking and/or jogging. I'm still the avid Jazzerciser and still with the personal trainer and I have made some significant progress. I started out in January and as of today I have lost 22 pounds. Since April 17 I have lost 6 inches, four of those inches in my chest, waist and hips. I was bench pressing 66 pounds and today I did 81 pounds. I also was able to do 15 girl push ups on 4-17 and today I did 30. My resting heart rate had a 40% improvement as well. My body fat has gone down 7% and my lean body weight is 1% higher. So since April 17, the day I started the personal trainer I've lost 4.2 pounds and that doesn't count the weight I did on my own. I'm so very excited and Tuesday I went clothes shopping and am wearing some 16's, larges and I feel sexy and beautiful again. Some of the things I have noticed are my dimples are showing again. It's the small things that make you really sit up and take notice. I have dimples...

They've hatched...

They are a little fuzzy as the momma was not happy about my invasion.

Stargazers in my MIL's front yard.

Jury Duty

This morning I awoke to lightening, thunder and tons of rain. I had planned on going to Jazzercise but opted not too because of my itty-bitty car. I didn't want to float down the road instead of drive. I didn't sleep well as I was nervous about the whole process of Jury Duty this morning. It was only for municipal court and said one day or one trial so I knew it would be short. I am a nervous nellie when it comes to new and the unknown. I have driven downtown Tulsa before and I do it pretty well but since all of the construction I wasn't sure and I had never been in the courthouse before so I wasn't sure where to go exactly. The Hubby drove me there yesterday for a dry run which helped. Anyway, this morning I got ready and was nervously patting my foot at 7:30, waiting. I decided to go ahead and go to the office as it is on the way. WOW, the front drive at the shop had water almost up to the door last night. Sometimes it happens there, even to the point that we have had to get canoes out in the street for the buildings and houses behind. This area is the last place to have flood control in Tulsa but we are working on it. Back to the story...I got to the office and B was there answering the phone and filing. I sat and visited with her and made a couple of runs to the little girls room as my stomach was icky-nervous. Then it was time to find my way through 4-way stop signs, gravel and orange cones. It was pretty uneventful and even found the building with no problem but I can guarantee my blood pressure was up just from nerves. I entered the Jury Room and it was crammed with 42 potential jurors. We filled out a form, sat and waited, watched a video that was made in the 70's and waited. We watched television until the copier and television and Coke machine blew a fuse/breaker. I then finished off the book I was reading, did a crossword and Suduko. We then had our names drawn out of a silver box that was shaken three times in between each name, it's law. The first 15 were the green juror tags, the second 15 were the blue juror tags and the last 12 were the pink juror tags, and that would be me. We sat some more and the maintenance man got the fuse/breaker thingy fixed just in time for me to catch David Cook on Regis and Kelly (a plus in my book). Finally, about 9:30 the lady called for the green team to follow the court clerky person. We again sat till about 10 am then the blue team was called. This time they were sent home, don't come back. Another 30 minutes roll around and finally the pink ones, me, were sent home. That was quick. I am actually sad I didn't get to go to the jury thing and can't be called for two years. Bummer. Well, then I made my way out, after filling out a survey, to the parking garage. Found my car and then found the exit. I drove my car through a two post thinga-ma-bob-no-way-back and down a ramp then half-way down there were barracades and fresh concrete. Well! Since I couln't back up I had to take the next way out, over the concrete edge. My car went bump, bang, clang and then I was out and on my way home. So that my friends is my day at Jury Duty.

More birdy pictures

Another wedding

Yesterday The Hubby and I had to leave our place of paradise to go back to town for a wedding. We had to break up our 3 day weekend to drive back into town. That was not the first time back though. Friday afternoon we were able to get away early, about 2:30 pm and head out. The drive is about 50 miles and we were about 25 miles out when we remembered that we left the brisket in the little refrigerator. We thought about hitting Pryor to find another one but since this was Memorial Day weekend we knew that might be an impossible feet on a late Friday afternoon so we turned around and went back home.

Back to yesterday. We had to go into town for a friends son getting married. Jason, we have know Jason since he was about 1-1/2 old, his mother was our daughter A's first teacher and she is a very good friend of ours along with her husband so we HAD to go. It sure messed a perfect weekend but a must is a must. It was so sweet to see little Jason as a grown up man getting ready to tie the knot. The church they were married in is not our home church (Jason and his family go to our church, which we don't attend anymore) but was Angie's home church. the preacher-minister-pastor whatever his name began with a prayer as ususal then he went into preaching. I HATE it when these preacher-minister-pastor's, whether at a funeral or a wedding, think that they have a captive audience and preach. Hey, if I wanted to be preached too I would go to my own church and I don't do that. I sat there and got madder and madder as he went on and on for 25 minutes of a 40 minute wedding. I wanted to get up and walk out but because of Jason I didn't. I HATE IT! Then to top of this 25 minute speech he was talking about how Jason would be the boss, the pants of the family, that Angie would be subservient to Jason. WHAT! My face was red I was so angry. I can't believe this is modern day, how can women let this keep going on. Marriage is not a boss and servant it is a partnership, even-steven. I was absolutely frothing I was so incensed by the speech of this guy. I'm still so very angry. When B and B2 got married I was so proud of her. The judge, yes a judge married them, she would not allow the judge to say the traditional vows where she would be his property, she sat her foot down that she was not his property. I was proud of her. Good girl! Whew I feel better. That was eating on me so bad. I have a problem with the whole property, I'm the boss, I wear the pants kind of thing.

Girl's Night

Had some old girl friends over last night for taco salads and chatter and wine. Some I had not seen in many years so I thoroughly enjoyed the talk. We had pic's of our families to share and stories to tell of our lives. It was like we had not been gone from each others life but a second. These ladies are from a defunct group called Beta Sigma Phi which is a social and service organization, not affiliated with college at all. Most of the ladies I have known for 20+ years thorough BSP but our group fell apart. They are very interested in getting a group up again, not as BSP though which is fine with me. I told them we would try to do this at least every month maybe as a book club or dinner club and they were very, very interested in that. I so miss friends, girl friends.

______________________________________________________________

DAVID COOK DAVID COOK DAVID COOK DAVID COOK DAVID COOK DAVID COOK
My Idol choice WON!!!

Mother Robin

Here is Momma Robin in the tree in the front yard of my Mother-in-Law. She has laid four beautiful blue eggs that the MIL loves to watch. Hopefully I'll have baby pic's soon.

I'm a good Daughter-in-Law

I have had an extremely busy day today. First was Jazzercise as usual then home for breakfast then back to my personal trainer. (Man am I sore.) In between Jazz and PT I made a list of the stuff I needed to do today.

• Call the Mother-in-Law
• Wash car
• Lunch with B
• Grocery store
• Box store
• Buy photo album for the multitude of wedding pictures
• Help Mother-in-Law pack some boxes

Well I achieved all but one of these things plus I cooked dinner and helped my MIL out big time. She is getting ready to move into a retirement facility and is really dragging her feet. I bought boxes today and took some of them over there to help. She had not even attempted to empty the china cabinet and I tackled it today and it is completely empty with half the stuff at my house. I have my grandmothers Desert Rose dishes and the MIL had another set so guess who adds to her set, ME. She had tons, and I mean tons of Christmas mugs that she was having the hardest time parting with so I told her to pack them and take them to the apartment and decide later if she had room to keep them. She was almost in tears trying to make the decision. She so loves to entertain and Christmas is one of her favorites but there is just not room for them but this appeased her for now. She is supposed to be moving in less than two weeks and she still has pictures adorning the walls and bedding in the hall closet. I asked her about the bedding, why she had not packed it yet but she couldn't really tell me. I then asked her about all the millions of pictures on the walls. She was kind of wishy-washy about them saying, "Well, uh, well." I took her arm and looked in her eyes and told her I knew why they were still hanging and told her the reason they were still there was because if they were gone then that would mean that it was not home anymore and she was just not ready for it yet, but, she is on a deadline and there is not turning back now. She took my hand, smiled and giggled but admitted that was probably true. This has been very difficult for her but I'm going to help her through it. She trusts me and values my opinion and I truly love her and want the best for her. I'm a good daughter-in-law and she is a wonderful Mother-in-Law.

A most beautiful weekend

I/we are back from the cabin and I must say it was a spectacular weekend weather wise. My arms are getting browner and browner from time in the hammock and walking/jogging. The neighbors Harri and Jimbo are building a new deck so the sound of hammers and saws and laughter and cursing was abounding. The Hubby is there to help too as he is the electrician. I spent a lot of time sitting and watching the hammering but I got very tired of it and chose to spend my time in the hammock reading, sleeping, watching the clouds in the blue sky and listening the birds. I got a lot of sun between the hammock time and driving home with my top down.

In just 6 minutes B will be landing at Tulsa International Airport. YEAH! I got a call from her from Dallas and she sounds tired but ready to be home.

Bowling 101

Last night was the final night for league bowling until fall. I bowled magnificently the first two games and really so did my teammates. I bowled a 151, 166 and then bombed with a 106, and I have an average of 140. We did so well that we took 2nd place overall. That was totally awesome and I ended up winning a little over $50. Not bad I think and we really did have a good time. The winning team, or a guy on the winning team had a 201 but his elation was short-lived as when he went to the back parking lot he and another bowler found that their cars had been broken into. What a total bummer, from way high to rock bottom. Poor guy. There is another fun league that starts next Thursday and I'm toying with the idea of doing it but I think I've talked myself out of it so I have my summers free for whatever I want to do. I will start back in the fall with this league. (I'll park in the front.)

A Request from Budapest and more stuff

I got an email at about noon our time which would be about 7pm in Budapest from B. She informed me that her school/intern stuff was finished and she really wanted to come home early. She is staying until Sunday because that is what her instructor advised them to do and guess what she and another girl are the only ones left there. She really is homesick for us and especially for her guy, she is a newlywed you know. She wanted me to see if I could get her home earlier. I called the airline and to change her ticket would $544. I said NO. She would just have to tough it out. Usually my travel-loving daughter would have no problem being there but this new husband, I believe, has changed her perspective on travel. She is so missing him and her home. I feel bad for her but her father was standing right by me when I found out how much to come home early and he was, "absolutely not, she can stay till Sunday." I would have done it if he wasn't aware of the cost.

Tonight is my last bowling league night till fall and I'm torn about whether I want to do it again. I REALLY love the game and my average is about 145 but I am not happy about one of my teammates. She is the treasurer and knows her stuff, sort of, but half the time she doesn't even make it to bowl. She also is in charge of lot of the business end of paying for our lanes and getting the score sheets, etc., which means we have to chase her down to come bowl her turn. That makes us sitting around waiting for her and late getting done. I'll just have to play it by ear and how I feel in the fall. Hey, I think we might be in third place so far so that's pretty cool.

I also got a call from Roger, who I went to high school with. He and I are in charge with putting the reunions together. We have one every 5 years and so next year will be time for our 35th reunion....OH MY GOD! That sounds awful. I AM NOT THAT OLD, am I? Well, we will get together and start putting together a team of helpers and updating the old addresses. For 10 years of that time I was doing a newsletter twice a year but I got burned out on it when I was trying to raise the girls, going to school, volunteering and a little work in the middle of it all. I know everyone loved it but I really had lost my interest. That is my problem. I do things and after awhile I can loose my desire or passion and drive to continue or finish. I got tired of being the only one putting it together (info and mailing). I was also a little gun-shy when I first started out doing it because I got a phone call from one of our girl classmates that rattled my cage. She married a guy from the grade ahead of us and he is kind of a big deal on the radio around here. He was going to have some comedy records out and it was in the PAPER about all of it. I put a blurb in the newsletter about it in the section about other classes. She called me at my office and reamed me out about putting it in the newsletter because they didn't need the attention in their lives (because he was so famous I guess) and how dare I mention someone not in our class, blah, blah, blah. I was very kind to her but I was so shaken that I almost quit doing it. Now, I think I've developed a thicker skin and am more assertive, especially with "fellow" classmates that I would tell her to "bite me". You have to understand that I was NEVER a joiner or popular kind of person in high school, in fact, if you read the definition of wallflower in the dictionary, you will find a picture of me. I was painfully introverted, at least I thought I was and so for me to do anything like this for the class is totally out of character for me, at least the person I was 35 years ago. You truly do grow in every sense of the word after high school. I have changed SO very much from the person I was, and I like me.

My life with Lean Cuisine's

My life has become an everyday lunch with a Lean Cuisine. Ever since I really tried to kick the fat habit I've been living in the Lean Cuisine world. In January it started with the era of Slim-Fast. I was doing Slim-Fast for breakfast and lunch then a low-fat, low-calorie dinner. That was to push me into a size 16 for the wedding (March 29), and it worked. Now I have started with a personal trainer 3 days a week along with my Jazzercise 5 days a week, and the walking/jogging which I have pushed to the weekends. I am now back to the oatmeal with raisins and nuts for breakfast and lunch of Lean Cuisine. Dinner is whatever I want really. My favorite Lean Cuisine's are:

Sante-Fe Style Rice & Beans






Vegetable Eggroll

Fiesta Grilled Chicken
and my FAVORITE----- is Sesame Chicken

It's very sad when I see a Lean Cuisine box and I begin to drool but it has become that as I continue my way down the fat scale. Yesterday I weighed myself (I'm not supposed to) and I was down another 2 pounds...so my total is 20 pounds lost and lots and lots of inches. Wade worked my arms so hard this morning that when I had to go down to the floor for crunches and stretching my arms gave out and I fell. They were like wet noodles. They're fine now but I bet by morning I'll be sore again, maybe not though as we did arms yesterday and I wasn't sore but had the same kind of wet noodle thing going on. This has been hard yet easy for me. I know The Hubby has been ready for me to get it off especially since Gail died. He's been so terrified that I would keel over like her but I have worked out for over 10 years now and I have good eating habits and I don't have high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. I'm basically in very good health, but I had to be ready to do the weight loss thing when I was ready, NOT for him. I had to do it for ME. I knew I would when I was ready for the new era of ME. My problem right now is being lonesome. I fight going to the pantry or refrigerator to take away the lonesomeness and boredom I am finding in my life right now. I miss my friend(s). I miss my mother. I miss the groups (women) I was associated with that have folded. I miss Girl Power so to speak. Boy, this blog has really gone South in where I intended to make it rather lighthearted.

Budapest update

Just remember it is a European keyboard:


"cna't remember what all i included last time but here's another update!

we've been ALL over budapest now and are semi pros at the underground and trams. my feet hurt like holy hell though! today we trained an hour outside of town to a small village that was reconstructed to mimick the old time hungarian villages...it was pretty cool but was a VERY long hike up a very steep hill! yesterday our hightlight was visiting the palinka festival. palinka is a native hungarian liquor (like tequila to mexico) that i believe is likened to a fruity brandy??? it was a small festival (i thought itwould have been larger) but it was still really cool. we got little palinka glasses jus tfor going (let's cross our fingers i don't break mine on the way home!!) and a free sampling glass of whatever flavor we fancied. i let my palinka traveling buddies have mine as the smell was TOO strong for me and i don't fare well with strong liquors! the locals were swigging it like pros though! :) the day before, our highlight was visitng the traditional turkish baths here which was quite the experience. we went to the gellert hotel which was absolutely breathaking and spent 2 hours in the theraputic hot spring waters there. we also were exposed to LOTS of the spoken about european nudity though which was quite the shocker for many of our first time european travelers! it was a really really good time though. and the baths felt amazing.

tomorrow we start back to interning for two days and then three days to do as we please...i plan to work on my five million papers i have due for this course on our free days at some cafes around here! sunday i will be heading home and am so excited to come back to you all! it's been quite teh experience living with 5 other people for 10 days! i'm so used to having my own way and sleeping in if i want and things like that! anywho...

miss you all and love you all dearly!

p.s. mimi - i DID get your email yesterday and love the pictures!

take care and see yousoon!
love,
b"

Busy Monday

It is a busy Monday for me. Of course there was the usual Jazzercise, then home for a quick breakfast then on to the personal trainer, Wade. Home again I showered then rushed out of the house to the office. The Hubby told me that Saturday there were several large checks in the mail so I knew I needed to make a deposit and then slog through the mounds of bills I didn't get around to paying on Friday. On top of the stack of mail and bills were invoices that The Hubby finally finished so I could type. So I've been very, very busy this morning. I actually entered, printed and signed 38 checks, stuffed the envelopes and then ran them through the postage meter. I had forgotten that the postage went up to $.42 so I spent $15.96 mailing the bills and another $3.36 on the invoicing. Wow. That is done and I have writers cramp in my hand from signing all the checks. I also managed to order a new desk computer because this one is absolutely possessed. Sometimes it will take me 2 hours to open up my QuickbooksPro accounting program, and that can be very scary if you have forgotten to back it up. Now it is 3pm and I can finally add an entry onto the blog.

Yesterday I had one of the brother-in-laws and the mother-in-law over for dinner. They didn't come till after 5 so it was a lazy day most of it. I spent the time in my new hammock and even fell asleep, sunburning the inside of my thighs. I also took a little spill onto a cobblestone patio when I shifted. The Hubby was sitting in a chair watching and the next thing I knew I was looking at rock and wondering what had happened. I scraped my pinkie knuckle pretty good but didn't even notice for 15 minutes when it started stinging and I felt blood trickle. OUCH! The dinner went nicely and I was very laid back in the food area. The Hubby smoked ribs all day and boy were they tender and tasty. I oven roasted on one cookie sheet: asparagus, red onion, yellow squash and red pepper with a little olive oil and jalapeno salt. The other cookie sheet had cubed sweet potatoes tossed in olive oil, Splenda (not much) and more jalapeno salt. Those were so very yummy, caramelized a little and with a little heat. We also had a huge tossed salad and for dessert there was a berry mixture of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries on top of store bought angel food cake and a dollop of Cool Whip. ...excuse me while I clean up the drool, I'm hungry right now. I even heard from my girls, A from California and B from Budapest. They sound good. I decided yesterday not to be sad about not having my Momma or my girls around me for Mother's Day but instead rejoiced that Gloria was there to celebrate and I emailed my girls and told them that I was glad they were not there as they were where they should be, living their dreams. That they need not be sad but enjoy life, their lives. It think it helped me and them to get through the day.

Oh my goodness the traffic outside of the office is driving me crazy. We are one block off of Utica and the railroad tracks that run across it are being redone so they are re-routing the traffic right in front of our offices. The grinding gears of semi's and boom boxes blaring and rattling the walls is horrible. Apparantly they are actually messing with the railroad tracks but the road around it because at lunch I heard the train horn and was concerned there was going to be a derailment but alas it was fine but the backup in front of the office was awful. I'm glad I didn't have to leave during all of that but tonight might me another story just trying to get home.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day...

I miss you Momma...."Love ya baby"

Oh "Hail"

Last night we realized when we got home that there was a board meeting at the lake so we decided at the very last minute to drive up there after dinner, spend the night and then come back Saturday afternoon. We hopped into my cute little red Miata and drove with the top down as the evening was delightful. This morning it was a little cloudy and the weather forecast was later in the afternoon and the severe stuff might likely be in the southern part of the viewing area. Well, the neighbors are adding a deck so they are working hard and so Harri and I decided to go to town and get burgers for the working guys. We jumped into her Lexus and flew into town and on the way back we were commenting on the dark clouds we were driving towards. I should have been very worried and you know when we left I had the thought to leave my key, but I didn't. We were driving on the curvy country road when all of a sudden HAIL, HAIL, HAIL. It was a little hail but torrential sheets of hail. There was every size from pea to golf ball. We had to pull over under some big trees because the windshield would surely be broken if we continued to drive into it. As we were sitting under the tree we saw a poor horse standing under a tree next to the fence being pelted by the hail. It was so sad. I was almost in tears because I knew my little red car was sitting out in the open being most assurredly damaged by the hail. Finally, the hail began to lessen and we booked it on the road back to the cabin. I knew The Hubby was going to be pissed that I didn't leave the key but you just never know. Next time and from now on. We pulled up and the three guys were just staring at us and The Hubby had a horrible look on his face. I knew he was in the ozone with anger. Thankfully he was able to cover the car with light tarps and some carpet squares. We uncovered it and he said it was coming down so hard a fast that he was not able to be quick enough to protect all of it and sure enough there are dents all over my car. I'm just devasted. I think someone or something, karma, is telling me not to drive the thing to the cabin anymore or at least put it in the garage. Yes we have a garage there that it fits into but, well, unless you LEAVE THE KEY, it won't happen. Dammit!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and we are going to have the mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and B22 over for smoked ribs, my special oven roasted sweet potatos, asparagus and salad. Most of the day I will lay in the hammock, do a little laundry and read. Maybe I'll do the laundry today so I won't have to do anything but cook tomorrow. The Hubby cleans up after dinner so I don't mind. I will miss my girls but they will call or email.

What a beautiful Friday

Here it is Friday and no rain...so far...I have been driving around town with the top down today. Quick notice about the traveling girl. I will update often while she is in Budapest with email snippets from her. So here is another one I just received (keep in mind from the typing problems that it is a European keyboard and they are very difficult to type on):

"I got my luggage and nothing is missing!! Hooray!!!

today we took a train for an hour out o the coutryside to visit a catholic university and sit in on a methodology class which was very interesting. the campus was absolutely beautiful and i took lots o fpics of it. we are all still messed up sleep wise but am feeling better. it's still really strange ot have to wait on a bunch of other people to this and that ubt i just have to remind myself that this is temporary...

A, in response to your question, my phone does work but it's pricey for me to use. since i've got internet in the apt, this is the best way to communicate...

got to run, we have to do an interview of an efl student now....the work never stops! love you all and look forward to hearing from you some more.

B"

She's There

From B:

"i have made it and am exhausted. the flight was ok except that i had five freaking minutes to make my connection so i had to run like the wind...unfortunately, my bag can't run so it's still somewhere in ny which sucks. now i have to go out and find nice clothes to wear for my first internship day tomorrow. great. oh, our flight was FULL of hasidic jews like eighty percent of it. they talked and walked the entire flight which didnt allow for any of us to sleep at all.

good news is the apt is pretty nice...for a hostel apt...and has the internet in the room so please do email back! i'm exhausted and am super super drained in every aspect.

am already missing you all tremendously. day 10 is almost over...9 more to go....

love you all more than you know!!!!!!!!!
b"

Flying update

She arrived in Chicago on time and was awaiting her connecting flight to NY (two hour wait) and was then told that her American Airlines plane was grounded. She called and was almost in tears because she was meeting up with her teacher and other students to fly together to Budapest. B was almost in tears as she was trying to tell me all about it but then suddenly she said she would call back. I was left wondering when the phone rang again and she said they found another plane but that it would arrive in NY allowing only 20 minutes to haul-ass to her connecting gate/flight and the other companions. So I was left waiting to hear if she had made it. I called the new hubby and he let me know that she did make it but is not sure her bag will follow. I will know more tomorrow.

Flying Out

9:10am B flew out to Chicago then to New York then on to Budapest. She is on her 10 excursion for school. I am worried about her for many reasons. First she is flying alone to Chicago and New York and will meet up with her instructor and fellow students in New York. Second is that she is terrified of rain and storms and flying is not her favorite sport either, so put the two together I know she is white-knuckling it. The way she can overcome these fears is that she absolutely LOVES to travel, especially outside the country. She is driven in that way. Both of my girls have been to Germany, France, England, Austria but B has also been to India. I'm not comfortable traveling but will do it if I really have too. I also know it is hard for her to leave B2. They are newlyweds you know and really have not been apart since they met. She will be fine and I await for her call when she arrives in NY and meets up with her people.

Yesterday would have been Momma and Daddy's 53rd wedding anniversary. Sis and I decided we would take him out for dinner (Bro couldn't make it). We took him to a place in BA called Belini's...YUM. We had a fillet and lobster...YUM. I think he had a really good time. We laughed and talked a bit. It's good for him. He's still having a little trouble being alone yet again he seems to be doing fine. He gets lonely. This weekend will be tough on me too as Mom is gone and both of my girls will not be here for Momma's Day. I'm actually feeling pretty sad about that, very sad.

I actually have to work.

Today, and for the next 20 days or so I actually have to be in the office everyday. I am already spoiled with B working here but she leaves on Wednesday for Budapest. Yes, I said Budapest. She is going there to observe an EFL class (English as a Foreign Language). It is an intern class for her masters in ESL (English as a Second Language). She is so very excited but sad to leave the new hubby home. They just couldn't afford for him to go too. The other problems is no passport for him and he would have to sit in his hotel room in a foreign country, as he has never been out of the country, while she was in class all day. So maybe next time he can go. This girl LOVES to travel but she is also extremely nervous when she does.

I am so, so, SO sore this morning. This weekend I cleaned and scrubbed the screened porch at the cabin which entailed the removal of all the furniture, then I walked and lightly jogged 3.32 miles on Saturday and 2.49 miles on Sunday. Today was upper body stuff at the Personal Trainer - Wade and I am having a hard time even typing this entry. My GOD my arms are limp noodles hanging off my shoulders. The bad thing is that I'm supposed to do a make-up bowling thing this afternoon. That means another 3 games fast and hot in about an hour. I'm supposed to walk with the walking group but I DON'T THINK SO. I certainly don't want to do overkill to my body or I won't want to continue. Tomorrow are the legs! I do it Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and each time we also do 100 crunches. My body had better start dropping more weight and inches SOON!

A New Addition

Check out the new addition to the family. His name is Neo and he already trills.

A Weekend Away

I was able to get away yesterday (Friday) with my top down on the little red Miata to escape to the cabin. What a wonderful drive I had and when I arrived I was able to see the beauty of the area and our yard. I came up her on Wednesday and make the flowerbed I've been wanting to around the dead stump of a tree out front. I hoisted that top soil and planted the clematis plants and it looked beautiful. I came ready to enjoy the weekend reading books, magazines, walking, and lounging in the hammock. The only downside of the place in the woods is the terrible pollen from all the wonderful trees. A few weeks ago I spent 2 hours cleaning off the screened porch and so when I arrived yesterday and saw the nasty porch again I was let down and knew what I had to do.The floor was absolutely yellowish-green from all the pollen. So I began the process of moving all the furniture out and sweeping and sneezing and hosing it out.


After all the pollen dust had been swept and washed off I was ready for my reward which was an afternoon in the hammock.

As I lay reading some of my magazines I dozed off and was awakened by a light thumping on the hammock. I opened my eyes and there was a tiny goldfinch on the strings of the hammock pecking at them and hopping up and down which was making the disturbance on the hammock. He would peck and then look at me to see if I was a threat. He soon flew off into the trees. Very cool.

And now I sit at the neighbors outside table and pirate the other neighbors Internet and enjoy the beauty of the day. The air is cool but the sun is warm. The trees are filled with the wonderous songs of all kinds of birds. The neighbor of who I am pirating his Internet connection just came over here and brought me a beautiful stalk of white iris that is from his yard. I told him I was using his connection and he said, "I know what you are doing. I thought a lady deserved to have flowers." He is a very sweet man and dear friend. I love this place and the people.

My poor trees

Several months ago we received a letter from AEP/PSO telling us that their "tree trimmers" would be in our neighborhood to trim up the trees, some more, from the ice storm. This morning after I got back from the personal trainer they were on my street. I'm afraid of what I might find when I get home tonight. My poor oak tree has been hit so very hard from the ice storm that I don't know if it can take anymore and I'm going to have no shade in my west facing backyard.
At the same time the tree guys were there, here comes the trash truck. It was a busy street at 9 in the morning.

Last night I insisted that we start using the alarm system at night. The neighbor on the street behind us had their pickup stolen out of their driveway on Wednesday night and just a few miles away was the couple who were tied up and robbed in their house. Just a little scary.