Memory Making Awaits

Tomorrow is officially the start of our vacation.  We’re looking forward to it and could use a break after the month we’ve had.  A great month by the way, but a little on the busy side for my liking. 

We’re headed to the East Coast to visit family for a week and spend time on the river for the other week.  I’m really looking forward to just getting away for a little bit and enjoying some quiet time on the shore watching the boys fish and all take a spin in the canoes.  I know it will be a great time and may ride a roller coaster or two along the way as well. 

So for the next few weeks, I’ll be stopping to smell the roses.  I’ll be back soon, but for now, memory making awaits.

Tally Makes Five

Today is one of my favorite days.  It’s book club night and I get to host.  I’m really looking forward to it.  I’ve been doing this for almost five years and truly enjoy it and the company of some of the most wonderful women (and mothers) around.   We usually spend about 10 minutes (sometimes more, but not usually) talking about the actual book and whether or not we liked it and the rest of the time is spent just chatting away about life, kids, diapers, teens, vacations and the like.  It’s always enjoyable and I always walk away feeling wonderful and energized from the conversations.

I think in the five years we’ve been doing this, I’ve only not read the book of the month perhaps four times. (One, because I just couldn’t get into it and another because I put it on my ipod to listen to while working out, only to find I had it on shuffle for the first two days. I know. Pretty stupid.) Well, tonight I have to put another hash mark on that tally and make it five.  The worst part is that I picked the book for this month.   I guess with packing and moving and unpacking, I just didn’t have time for it.   I know that’s an excuse, but I still feel bad for not reading my own choice.  I love to share thoughts with everyone and participate in the conversation.  I guess this time I’ll just have to sit and smile and hope everyone else read it and enjoyed it.  I plan on reading it, and actually am on page 23 right now.  Honest.

Maybe I’m not the only one this time.  Summer and kids don’t always make for much free “sit and read in peace and quiet” time.  My kids are too little for naps and I’m too old to stay up late and read.  I guess I’ll find out soon enough.   The book is Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos.  Let me know if you finish it before me.  Happy reading.

Project Flower

I have lilies in my yard.  Lilies are my favorite flower.  When I woke up this morning and came down to make breakfast, I saw this orange flower sticking out from behind the pine tree.  I didn’t remember there being flowers there when I mowed last week.  Then I looked again and sure enough, there were several lilies in bloom.  I was thrilled.  I don’t know why I love this flower really, I just do.  Roses are a bit predictable, irises don’t smell nice, and daisies are just too simple.  Lilies have a mix of simplicity and elegance wrapped into one beautiful bloom. 

I also have new purple flowers blooming on a vine that I’ve never seen before.  I might just have to do some research today and find out what they are.   The previous owner was quite the gardener, so have surprises all around the yard.  I even found a birdhouse behind the corner of the lilacs as well and it has a nest in it.  Don’t know what type of bird, but I’m certain there’s been a family there by all the feathers and nesting supplies.

Around our deck, we have planters complete with a drip system ready for use as well.  I bought some pots to put into the holders but don’t know what type of flower to put into them.  I’ll have to check out some of the different types at Home Depot today.  I really shouldn’t let the drips of water go to waste. I’m thinking red or white.  We’ll see what grabs my attention when I get there. 

For now, I’ll share the lilies and purple blooms with you.  Maybe you know what type of flower it is.  It’s such a deep shade of purple too.  Gorgeous.  Just gorgeous.

Tupperware and Unsent Birthday Cards

Life isn’t perfect.  Why then do we do our best to present ourselves in this way, when we all know that our lives are filled with ups and downs, clean and dirty, left and right?  I actually took twenty minutes today to catch up on some of the blogs I follow and found this to be a theme in their posts.  It was very refreshing to read and perhaps that’s why I follow some of them. Their authenticity is what I find appealing.  They are like me.  They try hard at their various jobs/roles but some days are just better than others.  My life is wonderful, interesting, but in no way perfect.  So, I’m letting you take a sneak peak into my real reality.  Just this once of course.

I have food in Tupperware containers in my fridge that should have been thrown out a few days ago, but just haven’t done it.  Lazy I guess.

There are some days that I feel that I should be doing more with my boys. Yes, I try to teach lessons (more than they would like) and make sure they are fed and busy, but now that they are so independent, I feel like I lack in the “just hang out with them” department and chat.

There are dishes in my sink almost every day.  I have yet to figure out, after 20+ years, when to unload/load and time it right so that the dishwasher is empty when meals are done.

I have a junk basket filled with everything from receipts, lost buttons, straws, hard candy and old pictures that needs to be cleaned out and sorted, but I never do it.  (I could tell you what’s in it though.)

The stuff under my bed is all mine.   A lap-type book rest, and two small work out weights.

Some days I feel like I just don’t fit in.   I know lots of people and have many friends, but there are days that I feel like the girl on the playground that no one asks to join in the hopscotch game. 

I miss our good friends in Minnesota and think of them very often and should call them more than I do.

At least once a month, I just want to stay in bed and not get up for whatever reason; lack of sleep, sadness, procrastination of the inevitable or what have you. 

I used to send birthday cards to all my nieces and nephews and have slacked on that over the years. 

I’m not good at water conservation, AT ALL.   I take a bath almost every night and shower in the morning, keep the water on when I brush my teeth and run the kitchen faucet to rinse a glass and forget to shut it off.

I am a sucker for a cute book cover and will buy a book whether I need it or not.

So there you have it,  my reality and all its imperfections.  I’m sure you can relate and have something under your bed as well.  As I get older, I realize that it’s ok to be honest about yourself.  That’s the first thing I’m attracted to in any friend I’ve ever had.  They are who they are, good and bad and accept it 100%.  I don’t think I’ve ever really been like that, but have always wanted to be more like that.  This is a small attempt to try and embrace all in myself that is not polished and tidy.  Here’s to reality and all that it REALly is.

Pawl and Ratchet

I don’t give up easily, but gosh darn it, today I had to give up and throw in the towel.  It’s supposed to be 92 degrees today, so thought I’d get the breeze flowing through the house before the sweat beads began to appear on my forehead.  (Yes, I know I was so excited about having air conditioning, but want to hold out as long as I can. I need at least one month to see where that utility bill is going to be hovering.)

Our master bedroom has custom roller shades in a heavy blue linen fabric that really make it dark at night, but keep the warm air in we’ve discovered.  (Item #16 on the list of things to replace.)  I tried to lift the shade this morning to let the breeze in and sure enough it gave out.  The entire roll of fabric came tumbling down upon me.  I grabbed the step ladder and thought a simple “roll it back up by hand” and reinsert it into the slots would be all it would take and I’d be good.  No siree!  Didn’t happen.

The spring got too loose when I pulled the shade and somehow the spring sprung.  I saw this as a personal challenge and got on my laptop and googled “how to fix roller shade” and had several good sites offer their 1-2-3 steps to fixing my now defunct roller shade. All of which didn't work.

After using the pliers on the pawl and ratchet (those are roller shade terms for you unhandy types) I attempted it again and again and again and finally decided to give up.  I do not have the patience for this task today.  So, until we get to Item #16 on our replace it list, we will have to be careful when walking between the closet and bathroom.  Guess I’ll have to get out my robe even if it is 92 degrees out.  Gosh darn that pawl and ratchet!