I have spent my whole life in New Mexico, so I don't truly know winter. I grew up in the Northern part of the state--the part that actually gets snow and has ski hills and outdoor ice skating rinks. We often experienced snowstorms that left multiple feet of snow on the ground, and we would wait for my Dad to finish shoveling the driveway, so we could build caves and forts in the snow piled there. We would head to the school and sled down the steep hills, right into the street! Once I moved to Albuquerque, though, snow was much more unusual. Most of my neighbors don't even own snow shovels because the snow usually melts within a couple of hours. My kids have never built a proper snowman because when there is only two inches of snow on the ground, you can't do much with it. One year we built a "snow alligator" instead. We broke off the tips of icicles to use as claws and teeth! Because it doesn't snow often here, the city is ill-equipped to deal with a major snowfall. Only the main roads and highways get plowed and sanded, the side streets are never cleared. Ice is more of a problem than the snow. Two inches of snow can cause school cancellations around here because the buses can't get to their stops. Since it is never cold enough for the snow to really "stick," it starts to melt right away, but then freezes at night. We always hope for the snow to fall in the morning, so it will be gone by the afternoon!
Two years ago, we got 18 inches of snow just after New Year's. It was the most snow Albuquerque had received in 56 years! It shut down the highways and brought everything to a grinding halt! I was glad the snow came on Friday afternoon because I didn't have to drive anywhere! I had to shake the snow off of my trees and bushes to keep the branches from breaking (trees and bushes here are very spindly because they are usually drought-tolerant species). My neighbor came out and offered to help me shovel my driveway. I just laughed and told him I grew up in the Jemez Mountains, so 18 inches was nothin'! Two days later, I had to go to the grocery store, and the parking lot was a slushy mess--it was never plowed, so cars driving through just packed down the snow, and it would start to melt and then re-freeze. People were sliding all over the place! Because the interstates had been shut down for days, trucks couldn't make their deliveries, so the shelves were bare. They were out of potatoes, bread, and even milk! I was disappointed because my kids were spending that week of their Winter Break with their dad, and I had so wanted to play in the snow with them, the way I remembered doing as a kid! My neighbors drove up and down our street, pulling their kids on sleds attached to the bumper of their SUV with ropes!
Winter here is pretty mild, as are all of our seasons. It generally stays in the high 40s and 50s by day, and rarely gets below 20 or 30 degrees at night. Because we are at a high elevation (5,200 feet), we get our share of freakish storms. The year we made the snow alligator, the snow had come in April, and the week before it had been 70 degrees! Three years ago we had a bitter cold snap that lasted several days, and it actually got down to 10 below! Of course, that was the night I got a flat tire driving home after midnight. I had to call for Roadside Assistance and, thankfully, the guy was really fast at changing tires! (I had to wait 45 minutes for him to show up, though.)
I don't like the starkness of winter. We have sunny days throughout the season, but the trees all look so barren without their leaves. With our desert climate, there is already so little green in our landscaping, that I hate to lose any of it! I do like the coziness winter brings, though. We eat soup and grilled cheese sandwiches a lot, and I make hot chocolate from scratch while we watch movies on the weekends. I love to watch the snow fall when it does appear. There is something inherently magical about falling snow--but only when you are inside with plenty of heat and comfort food! So, I guess Albuquerque has the best of both worlds--we get to enjoy snow once in awhile, but it doesn't usually stick around long enough to be a problem, and our coldest temperatures are gone by March!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
3-Word Wednesday: Corrupt, Intellect, Tension
This is Molly. She is a Welsh Terrier, complete with papers (which means her parents had Goofy Showdog Names that I would mock here, except I have no idea where the file folder is with her "papers" and Doggie Birth Certificate to look them up. I do remember that one of the parent's names had "Cinnamon" in it and sounded to me very much like a Stripper Name).
Don't let the charming smile fool you. She is corrupt with questionable intellect. Terriers are supposed to be smart, but this terrier is, at times, dumb as a box of rocks.
She is over a year old and still pees on the carpet...frequently. And not because she doesn't know better (I paid $200 to a Handyman to cut a hole into the side of my beautiful new house for her Doggy Door). She does it to retaliate against me whenever she feels neglected or unappreciated, or perhaps just because she feels the need to piss me off (no pun intended).
This is Molly after a haircut. She does not find this picture to be at all humiliating. She thinks she looks fabulous. In fact, she LOVES going to get her haircut because she gets to visit "Other Humans" who make a big fuss over her and tell her what a sweet, little cutie pie she is!
Little do they know...
This is Molly demonstrating her "Death Grip." She has eviscerated a number of stuffed animals, some of them her own, some of them my daughter's Beanie Babies. She has also gnawed on the heads of some of my daughter's dollhouse dolls.
See how she pretended to love Augusta, my son's giant stuffed duck that he has had since he was 2? I returned home from my last out-of-town trip to find Augusta's innards strewn about the living room (but Molly hadn't peed on the carpet...yet...she waited until I had unpacked my suitcase and was starting the laundry, and that's when she strategically-placed a giant puddle in my bedroom, next to "my" side of the bed, where I was sure to step in it.)
Don't let the charming smile fool you. She is corrupt with questionable intellect. Terriers are supposed to be smart, but this terrier is, at times, dumb as a box of rocks.
She is over a year old and still pees on the carpet...frequently. And not because she doesn't know better (I paid $200 to a Handyman to cut a hole into the side of my beautiful new house for her Doggy Door). She does it to retaliate against me whenever she feels neglected or unappreciated, or perhaps just because she feels the need to piss me off (no pun intended).
This is Molly after a haircut. She does not find this picture to be at all humiliating. She thinks she looks fabulous. In fact, she LOVES going to get her haircut because she gets to visit "Other Humans" who make a big fuss over her and tell her what a sweet, little cutie pie she is!
Little do they know...This is Molly demonstrating her "Death Grip." She has eviscerated a number of stuffed animals, some of them her own, some of them my daughter's Beanie Babies. She has also gnawed on the heads of some of my daughter's dollhouse dolls.
See how she pretended to love Augusta, my son's giant stuffed duck that he has had since he was 2? I returned home from my last out-of-town trip to find Augusta's innards strewn about the living room (but Molly hadn't peed on the carpet...yet...she waited until I had unpacked my suitcase and was starting the laundry, and that's when she strategically-placed a giant puddle in my bedroom, next to "my" side of the bed, where I was sure to step in it.)
This is my son doing homework. (Yes, I found this to be a strange position for completing homework--lying on the couch, using the end table for a desk--but at least he was doing his homework, so I won't complain). Molly is keeping him there until he is finished.
She "owns" him!
I am a sucker for Pound Puppies--dogs in need of "rescue" with questionable lineage. The "muttier" looking the better. I fall for dogs with eyes that don't match and multiple markings--dogs that leave you guessing what breeds could have possibly crossed to create such a dog--dogs with checkered pasts and unsurpassing loyalty and devotion to you, their rescuer. I am NOT one for purebred anythings that cost hundreds of dollars and have all kinds of grooming and special dietary needs.
Instead, we have Molly. Molly was my mother's dog. My mother previously owned Cocker Spaniels--the dogs we grew up with--but she had always wanted a Welsh Terrier, because she had a Great Aunt that had one (named Molly, of course) that she remembered fondly from her childhood. She bought books on terriers and did all of this research, and then she paid hundreds of dollars for a professional dog trainer (not to mention hundreds of dollars on toys, treats, crates, training tools, etc.) She even sewed Molly her own polar fleece blanket, along with dog bed covers, and blankets for the couch. Molly was only 8 months old when my Mom went into the hospital for her ill-fated (and deadly) surgery, so Molly came to live with us--a temporary situation that became permanent. After my Mom died, my Dad was going to give Molly away--he couldn't take care of her and still work, because he didn't have a fenced yard, and he lives "out on the Mesa" with hawks and coyotes that attack small dogs. But my kids, who visited their grandparents frequently during Molly's "puppyhood," were totally attached by now, so absolutely Molly was going to stay with us.
So, Molly is now firmly-entrenched as a member of our family. My parents were initially "crate training" her and providing her with structure and discipline and rules (something terriers need in order to modify and control their behavior). But, my household has 2 children in it--children who cannot bear to "punish" their dog by making her sit in her crate when she has been bad. Because there are children in my household, it also means that I have old, crappy furniture, and washable bedding, so Molly is pretty much allowed to jump on whatever she wants to, sleep wherever she wants to, and shed wherever she wants to. I have never been one to run a household filled with "rules and structure." Kids, dogs--no difference.
And despite the fact that I find myself muttering, "damn dog," under my breath a lot, I have to admit that having Molly around is a great cure for tension. She can sense my moods, and when I plop down on the couch after a hard day or a difficult telephone call, she doesn't just curl up next to me, she climbs right up and drapes herself across my lap, demanding petting and cuddling and sweetness. She is, in every sense of the word, an "Alpha" dog, but she sees me as the "Alpha Female" in our little pack, and despite her love for the kids, she really sees them as playmates and recognizes me as the "Alpha Human"--the Pack Leader. She misses me when I am away, and showers me with plenty of love and attention when I return. (It's good to have a dog in the house again!)
Or maybe she's just "playing" me, knowing what a sucker I am.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Grateful
As I was thinking about what to write for this post, I was reminded of my favorite Ann Lander's Column that ran sometime around Thanksgiving:
Things to Be Thankful For
Be thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means you have enough to eat.
Be thankful for the mess you clean up after a party, because it means you have been surrounded by friends.
Be thankful for the taxes you pay, because it means you're employed.
Be thankful that your lawn needs mowing and your windows need fixing, because it means you have a home.
Be thankful for your heating bill, because it means you are warm.
Be thankful for the laundry, because it means you have clothes to wear.
Be thankful for the space you find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means you can walk.
Be thankful for the lady who sings off-key behind you in church, because it means you can hear.
Be thankful when people complain about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.
Be thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means you're alive.
When I read this column, it sort of slaps me in the face because it reminds me that all of my complaints are petty and small compared to all of the things I have to be thankful for--especially during these times of "gloom and doom," with daily news reports about lay-offs and bank failures and veterans with traumatic brain injuries--all of which are far removed from my own situation.
I joke that I lead a very boring life, but the reality is that I lead a life that is free of hardships, and for that I am thankful. But, I also recognize that I got to live this sort of life not just through luck, but through the choices I made. The choices I made were largely based on certain values that had been instilled in me at a young age. I would not be where I am today, if it weren't for certain people, and I am most grateful for having them in my life.
I am grateful that my grandparents lived through the Depression and valued hard work, responsibility, and financial security through saving your money and living modestly.
I am grateful that my father, whose parents only had high school educations, was raised to value education and encouraged to go further than his own parents had, even if it meant struggling to pay for that college degree.
I am grateful that my parents had high expectations for their daughters and allowed us the independence to succeed or fail based on our own actions and decisions--there were no bailouts in our household. If we chose not to study for a test and failed, there would be no phone calls to the teacher to ask for a grade change. If we failed, it was our own fault. Consequences were always discussed in our household.
I am grateful that my fear of consequences kept me on the "straight and narrow." I did not place myself in risky situations, nor did I engage in behavior that could have negative results. Unlike most of my friends, I was always thinking about the "What Ifs." I still do.
I am grateful that my parents did not hand out compliments and praise for nothing. It made me very recognition-oriented because the only time I got the attention I craved was by achieving something significant, like straight A's or Leadership Awards or a full-tuition scholarship to college.
I am grateful that my mother lectured us in our teens--unabashedly discussing very adult topics like sex and drugs with an attitude that we were mature enough to handle it, even though, at the time, we were horribly embarrassed and uncomfortable with it. She certainly scared us, but that fear kept me a "good girl." She spoke to us and treated us like mature young adults--not like we were stupid teenagers, incapable of having anything intelligent to say. They say children will rise to your level of expectation, and she had very high expectations of us, and we certainly did not want to disappoint her.
I am grateful that my mother spoke to us about her own hopes and dreams--and her regrets. She wanted us to go further--attain all the things that she didn't, and so we did. Her honesty, while sometimes painful, taught us many valuable lessons.
I am grateful that I was the "Main Breadwinner" during my marriage because it kept me from quitting a job that sometimes I did not particularly like. I stuck it out for 10 years because I had to "pay the bills," but during that time, I established a reputation with my co-workers and managers as a hard-working employee, and I volunteered for other assignments--mainly to get out of doing the work I didn't like--which gave me more experiences, new skills, and greater "exposure." It laid the foundation for my career, and I was rewarded with a new job as an analyst that suited me perfectly. And, because I didn't change employers, my pay increased, and my benefits increased, and my retirement plan remained intact because I didn't have to start over somewhere else. Responsibility and patience pay off, and just because you don't like your job, that doesn't mean you should do shitty work. My job may have been shitty, but my work never was.
I am grateful that I have always had managers who cared about my development and encouraged me to take on different assignments. They recommended me for Teams and Special Projects, and allowed me to go on Details that altered the path of my career, even though it made their jobs a little tougher while I was away. I have never, ever had a "bad" boss.
I am grateful that I have two healthy children who are growing up to be interesting and funny people, and that I knew enough about parenting to know it was important to just "be myself" with them. They don't just see me as "Mom," but also as a human being who makes mistakes, laughs at inappropriate things, and isn't afraid to tell them the truth about things. They have seen me cry; they have heard me rant; they have been subjected to my lecturing. There are no surprises in this house--I may not be perfect, but at least I'm consistent because I'm not trying to be a phony.
I am grateful my Dad lives nearby and can still come to "rescue me" when a pipe bursts or my car won't start. (He also buys me tools. Whee!)
Most of all, I am grateful that whenever I am fumbling around, feeling like a helpless failure because I don't know how to do something, I hear my mother telling me, "Nonsense! Don't be ridiculous! You can do anything, you just need to figure it out."
She was right. It may take awhile, but I'll eventually figure it out.
Things to Be Thankful For
Be thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means you have enough to eat.
Be thankful for the mess you clean up after a party, because it means you have been surrounded by friends.
Be thankful for the taxes you pay, because it means you're employed.
Be thankful that your lawn needs mowing and your windows need fixing, because it means you have a home.
Be thankful for your heating bill, because it means you are warm.
Be thankful for the laundry, because it means you have clothes to wear.
Be thankful for the space you find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means you can walk.
Be thankful for the lady who sings off-key behind you in church, because it means you can hear.
Be thankful when people complain about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.
Be thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means you're alive.
When I read this column, it sort of slaps me in the face because it reminds me that all of my complaints are petty and small compared to all of the things I have to be thankful for--especially during these times of "gloom and doom," with daily news reports about lay-offs and bank failures and veterans with traumatic brain injuries--all of which are far removed from my own situation.
I joke that I lead a very boring life, but the reality is that I lead a life that is free of hardships, and for that I am thankful. But, I also recognize that I got to live this sort of life not just through luck, but through the choices I made. The choices I made were largely based on certain values that had been instilled in me at a young age. I would not be where I am today, if it weren't for certain people, and I am most grateful for having them in my life.
I am grateful that my grandparents lived through the Depression and valued hard work, responsibility, and financial security through saving your money and living modestly.
I am grateful that my father, whose parents only had high school educations, was raised to value education and encouraged to go further than his own parents had, even if it meant struggling to pay for that college degree.
I am grateful that my parents had high expectations for their daughters and allowed us the independence to succeed or fail based on our own actions and decisions--there were no bailouts in our household. If we chose not to study for a test and failed, there would be no phone calls to the teacher to ask for a grade change. If we failed, it was our own fault. Consequences were always discussed in our household.
I am grateful that my fear of consequences kept me on the "straight and narrow." I did not place myself in risky situations, nor did I engage in behavior that could have negative results. Unlike most of my friends, I was always thinking about the "What Ifs." I still do.
I am grateful that my parents did not hand out compliments and praise for nothing. It made me very recognition-oriented because the only time I got the attention I craved was by achieving something significant, like straight A's or Leadership Awards or a full-tuition scholarship to college.
I am grateful that my mother lectured us in our teens--unabashedly discussing very adult topics like sex and drugs with an attitude that we were mature enough to handle it, even though, at the time, we were horribly embarrassed and uncomfortable with it. She certainly scared us, but that fear kept me a "good girl." She spoke to us and treated us like mature young adults--not like we were stupid teenagers, incapable of having anything intelligent to say. They say children will rise to your level of expectation, and she had very high expectations of us, and we certainly did not want to disappoint her.
I am grateful that my mother spoke to us about her own hopes and dreams--and her regrets. She wanted us to go further--attain all the things that she didn't, and so we did. Her honesty, while sometimes painful, taught us many valuable lessons.
I am grateful that I was the "Main Breadwinner" during my marriage because it kept me from quitting a job that sometimes I did not particularly like. I stuck it out for 10 years because I had to "pay the bills," but during that time, I established a reputation with my co-workers and managers as a hard-working employee, and I volunteered for other assignments--mainly to get out of doing the work I didn't like--which gave me more experiences, new skills, and greater "exposure." It laid the foundation for my career, and I was rewarded with a new job as an analyst that suited me perfectly. And, because I didn't change employers, my pay increased, and my benefits increased, and my retirement plan remained intact because I didn't have to start over somewhere else. Responsibility and patience pay off, and just because you don't like your job, that doesn't mean you should do shitty work. My job may have been shitty, but my work never was.
I am grateful that I have always had managers who cared about my development and encouraged me to take on different assignments. They recommended me for Teams and Special Projects, and allowed me to go on Details that altered the path of my career, even though it made their jobs a little tougher while I was away. I have never, ever had a "bad" boss.
I am grateful that I have two healthy children who are growing up to be interesting and funny people, and that I knew enough about parenting to know it was important to just "be myself" with them. They don't just see me as "Mom," but also as a human being who makes mistakes, laughs at inappropriate things, and isn't afraid to tell them the truth about things. They have seen me cry; they have heard me rant; they have been subjected to my lecturing. There are no surprises in this house--I may not be perfect, but at least I'm consistent because I'm not trying to be a phony.
I am grateful my Dad lives nearby and can still come to "rescue me" when a pipe bursts or my car won't start. (He also buys me tools. Whee!)
Most of all, I am grateful that whenever I am fumbling around, feeling like a helpless failure because I don't know how to do something, I hear my mother telling me, "Nonsense! Don't be ridiculous! You can do anything, you just need to figure it out."
She was right. It may take awhile, but I'll eventually figure it out.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Fun and Games
I'm a sporadic blogger at best, but in honor of NaBloPoMo, I thought I would attempt to be a little more attentive.
So, for today's entry, I'm letting you in on a fun little website I discovered from another blogger:
http://www.yearbookyourself.com/
It's a hoot! Here's the proof:
This would have been me, circa 1984 (with my 40-year-old face).
(Actually, I graduated in 1986, but I had short hair instead of Big '80s Hair).
I think 1966 suits me a little better. Do you think I would have had to set my hair on orange juice cans for this look?
This one is definitely my favorite, because it fully captures my slightly nerdy self! Plus, I have always wanted to be a Girl Who Wore Glasses. (Unfortunately, I have bionic vision, so no one will give me a prescription for glasses.)
Guys can participate, too, but trying on new hairstyles is always more fun for the Gals!
So, for today's entry, I'm letting you in on a fun little website I discovered from another blogger:
http://www.yearbookyourself.com/
It's a hoot! Here's the proof:
This would have been me, circa 1984 (with my 40-year-old face).
(Actually, I graduated in 1986, but I had short hair instead of Big '80s Hair).
Or how about 1974? I always wanted to have long, straight hair...
Or how about 1972?
Or how about 1972?
I think 1966 suits me a little better. Do you think I would have had to set my hair on orange juice cans for this look?
This one is definitely my favorite, because it fully captures my slightly nerdy self! Plus, I have always wanted to be a Girl Who Wore Glasses. (Unfortunately, I have bionic vision, so no one will give me a prescription for glasses.)
Guys can participate, too, but trying on new hairstyles is always more fun for the Gals!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Adventures in Backpacking
Two weekends ago, I went backpacking with my son's Boy Scout Troop. I am not what most people would consider an "outdoorsy" person. While I do like to go camping and fishing, that's kind of a private side to me and it's just not how people "see" me. I am a woman who wears skirts or dresses every day--even on the weekends. I never leave the house without makeup on. I have owned the same pair of tennis shoes for over 10 years--they haven't worn out yet because I rarely ever wear them. So, people were surprised to learn that I was going on a backpacking trip. I decided to capture the excursion on film to prove that I did it, and when I came home, I put together a Power Point slideshow to share with my family, friends, and co-workers spoofing the weekend. It was a hoot! So, I decided to capture it here as an exercise in posting photos on this blog.
This is my pack. It weighed 35 pounds. I am NOT kidding!
Headed for the trail. I knew it was going to be 2 miles, but I didn't know it was going to be all UPHILL!
This is my son. He is only smiling because he finally got to sit down. He is probably cursing my name under his breath for making him go on this trip.
Is it just me, or do these trees look like they could burst into flame at any moment? We were hiking through a TINDERBOX!
Look at the lovely, rustic sign! (Yeah, well, the trail was equally “rustic”…full of fallen trees, debris, exposed tree roots, boulders, rock and mud slides, creeks you had to cross by walking across a single log, preferably without losing your balance and tumbling in!)
The Lake! The Lake! We finally reached the Lake! (Well, actually, it was more of a pond--we don't really have lakes in New Mexico--but I was excited to get there because it meant we were at the half-way point, and I hadn't died yet.)
One mile later, we had reached our destination! A grassy meadow...
...covered with cowpies because we were sharing space with the local wildlife: Domesticated Ungulates, a member of the Subfamily Bovinae. (Seriously--these are the only animals we saw on the whole trip!)
This is me. My face is red not because I was sunburned, but because if I had to go any further, I would have had a heart attack.
HELP! I've fallen, and I can't get up!
The stream near our campsite was partially frozen. I considered this to be a very bad sign (that we were going to freeze our arses off come nightfall!)
Another bad sign: one of our first tasks was to put all of our food into nylon bags, so we could suspend it from a high branch to discourage any bears that might come lumbering through...(gee, I'm going to sleep just great tonight! NOT!!!)
Hmmm, something tells me we should have tried setting this tent up at home first...
This is a $165 Coleman 2-Man Backpacking Tent. I have learned that the more compact and lightweight camping gear is, the more expensive it is!
Being the Pampered Princess that I am, I packed mascara, an eyeliner pencil and an eyebrow pencil in one of the pockets of my "Tough Girl" Cargo Pants. These items were NOT on the Official Boy Scouts of America Supply List. The Scoutmaster confiscated them on Saturday afternoon.
I MADE IT!!!
(Who says you can't go hiking in a skirt!?)
Three things I said this weekend that I NEVER thought I would ever hear myself say:
1) Gee, these antibacterial wet wipes can be used on your hands AND your face! (Sorry, Mary Kay, but I was desperate...)
2) I can tinkle in the woods without sprinkling my $95 Hiking Boots!
3) I cannot WAIT to use that Pit Toilet!
Best Part of the Whole Weekend:
My son telling me, "It's fun to go camping with you, Mom!"
(Made the whole trip worthwhile!)
Next Best Part of the Weekend:
Coming home to my Jetted Tub! AHHHH.....
The Pampered Princess Goes Backpacking
This is my pack. It weighed 35 pounds. I am NOT kidding!
Headed for the trail. I knew it was going to be 2 miles, but I didn't know it was going to be all UPHILL!
This is my son. He is only smiling because he finally got to sit down. He is probably cursing my name under his breath for making him go on this trip.
Is it just me, or do these trees look like they could burst into flame at any moment? We were hiking through a TINDERBOX!
Look at the lovely, rustic sign! (Yeah, well, the trail was equally “rustic”…full of fallen trees, debris, exposed tree roots, boulders, rock and mud slides, creeks you had to cross by walking across a single log, preferably without losing your balance and tumbling in!)
The Lake! The Lake! We finally reached the Lake! (Well, actually, it was more of a pond--we don't really have lakes in New Mexico--but I was excited to get there because it meant we were at the half-way point, and I hadn't died yet.)
One mile later, we had reached our destination! A grassy meadow...
...covered with cowpies because we were sharing space with the local wildlife: Domesticated Ungulates, a member of the Subfamily Bovinae. (Seriously--these are the only animals we saw on the whole trip!)
This is me. My face is red not because I was sunburned, but because if I had to go any further, I would have had a heart attack.
HELP! I've fallen, and I can't get up!
The stream near our campsite was partially frozen. I considered this to be a very bad sign (that we were going to freeze our arses off come nightfall!)
Another bad sign: one of our first tasks was to put all of our food into nylon bags, so we could suspend it from a high branch to discourage any bears that might come lumbering through...(gee, I'm going to sleep just great tonight! NOT!!!)
Hmmm, something tells me we should have tried setting this tent up at home first...This is a $165 Coleman 2-Man Backpacking Tent. I have learned that the more compact and lightweight camping gear is, the more expensive it is!
Being the Pampered Princess that I am, I packed mascara, an eyeliner pencil and an eyebrow pencil in one of the pockets of my "Tough Girl" Cargo Pants. These items were NOT on the Official Boy Scouts of America Supply List. The Scoutmaster confiscated them on Saturday afternoon.
I MADE IT!!!
(Who says you can't go hiking in a skirt!?)
Three things I said this weekend that I NEVER thought I would ever hear myself say:
1) Gee, these antibacterial wet wipes can be used on your hands AND your face! (Sorry, Mary Kay, but I was desperate...)
2) I can tinkle in the woods without sprinkling my $95 Hiking Boots!
3) I cannot WAIT to use that Pit Toilet!
Best Part of the Whole Weekend:
My son telling me, "It's fun to go camping with you, Mom!"
(Made the whole trip worthwhile!)
Next Best Part of the Weekend:
Coming home to my Jetted Tub! AHHHH.....
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Change
First of all, I refuse to make this post about politics. I'm so sick of hearing the words "change" and "Washington, D.C." in the same sentence. It's an oxymoron.
I'm also one of those self-centered bloggers, so if I'm going to write about "change" it is going to have to have something to do with ME!
I have used my blogs to whine and moan about marriage, divorce, and men because those were whiny, moan-y posts I needed to make at the time.
Women are like that--we can't "move on" until we pontificate and express ourselves ad nauseum, preferably to an audience, which is why I blog because it is far better for me to foist myself on random internet strangers than my own friends and family, who I want to remain friendly with. I don't want them to get sick of my whining and moaning, so I reserve my crap for here. Sorry! (But not really...)
That being said, I am coming up on my 5th year of being divorced, my 12th year of being a parent, and my 40th year of being a human being, and it is time to make some changes. I have developed some bad habits lately, fueled by my relative wealth, boredom with my life, and bad ways of coping with stress. These things are not only unhealthy, but they actually end up contributing to my boredom with my life, and they aren't going to do much for my kids and my life expectancy, not to mention my relative wealth (which is being squandered by my impulsive ways).
To summarize, I drink too much cheap wine, eat too much fast food, and spend far too many hours with my butt parked on the couch. I don't spend as much "quality time" with my children as I should, and I don't pay any attention to my checking account balance (there always seems to be money there, so I just spend it haphazardly without thinking about it much). I've been in my new house since July, and there are still dozens of unpacked boxes in my garage and stacked randomly in my bedroom and living room. I'm no longer involved in a custody dispute, and it's high time I "let go" of certain obsessions involving ill-fated relationships with unattainable men, so there really is no excuse for me to be sitting on my couch moping around (or, for that matter, whining and moaning to the internet) anymore.
So, change is coming.
1. Exercise. I was told in no uncertain terms by my doctor that she fully expects me to have a heart attack any day now. Ordinarily, I would have protested, but now that I'm 40 and have ridiculously high blood pressure, I probably should take her somewhat seriously. I have all the high-risk factors for heart disease and breast cancer: too much alcohol, high-fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, and a family history for both. Shit. So, I'm going to get serious about what I eat and how I spend my non-working hours (when I'm working, I'm tied to a computer or a telephone, so I pretty much have to park my butt in a chair). I can exercise on weekends, and I can surely manage to fit something in at least 2 other days each week (especially since Grey's Anatomy has gone from bad to worse and sucks so bad I can't even watch it anymore).
2. Budget. One of the greatest things post-divorce was discovering that I didn't have to balance my checkbook anymore because I was the only person spending money out of the account for a change. Plus, I got two promotions and make more money than I ever could have imagined possible at this stage of my life. I also spend money like a teenager--I see shiny objects, and I buy them. I don't feel like cooking, so we eat out at restaurants. I find things for sale on the internet, and I buy those too. Never big ticket items, just lots of "little things" that add up to, well, ridiculous sums of money for things I didn't really need. That leaves me without money for the Big Ticket Items that I really want, like a new couch, a Pool Table, a trip to Yellowstone, and airplane tickets to visit my sister and a certain person who lives in the Pacific Northwest. It also leaves me without money for the Big Ticket Items I truly need, like new tires and a tune-up for my Camry, which has aged along with me. So, I'm going to get serious about tracking my expenditures and sticking to a budget, especially when it comes to groceries, which leads me to the next change...
3. Cooking. I cannot believe how much I squander on groceries! Half the food I buy, I have to throw out because it goes bad before I can use it. Back in my Starving College Student days, I used to plan every meal for the week before going to the grocery store. I would "estimate" the cost and go grocery shopping with a calculator in hand to make sure I didn't "over-spend." I only bought the items on my list. Nowadays, I just go, throw things in the cart, stock up on sale items, and before you know it, I've spent $150 and still have to make another trip to the grocery store later in the week to fix a meal I want to fix but don't have ingredients for. This is insanity! I love to cook, yet I complain that I make the same old stuff for dinner every week because I'm too uninspired and disorganized to plan ahead and be prepared to try something new. I have STACKS of recipes from magazines, yet I never make any of them. So, on the weekends, I will now be required to map out our meals for the week and make a grocery list with very specific items--no extras, no surprises. And I bet I will not only save money, but we'll eat out less and probably have more nutritious meals.
4. Get Organized. Weekdays are a little crazy in this house with school and the Job and what not, but weekends most certainly are NOT. There is plenty of time in those weekends to take care of errands, make lists, do chores, plan for the week ahead, etc. I've never been much of a goal-setter--I sort of drift through and somehow manage to have opportunities and accomplishments land in my lap, but I bought a "self-help" kind of book (yeah, I know--SHUT UP!) and one of the first things I was required to do was make a list of 25 things I wanted to be, do, or have. I made a great list. It was great because it was all just so EASY! Every last one of those things was something I could easily accomplish with a little thought and effort. I'm not one for challenges. I like easy.
Oh, don't get me wrong. My life will still be boring, but I won't be bored living it. That's the difference--I haven't been living. Instead I have just been half-heartedly going through the motions and not taking the time to wake up every morning with a mission to accomplish lots of boring little things. Consequently, I would go to bed each night feeling like I had wasted yet another day.
No more.
That being said, it's time to get off this computer and start my day. I've got things to do, lists to make, boxes to unpack, vegetables to buy, floors to mop, and a family to care for. The fog has lifted, and the day stretches before me, filled with options!
I'm also one of those self-centered bloggers, so if I'm going to write about "change" it is going to have to have something to do with ME!
I have used my blogs to whine and moan about marriage, divorce, and men because those were whiny, moan-y posts I needed to make at the time.
Women are like that--we can't "move on" until we pontificate and express ourselves ad nauseum, preferably to an audience, which is why I blog because it is far better for me to foist myself on random internet strangers than my own friends and family, who I want to remain friendly with. I don't want them to get sick of my whining and moaning, so I reserve my crap for here. Sorry! (But not really...)
That being said, I am coming up on my 5th year of being divorced, my 12th year of being a parent, and my 40th year of being a human being, and it is time to make some changes. I have developed some bad habits lately, fueled by my relative wealth, boredom with my life, and bad ways of coping with stress. These things are not only unhealthy, but they actually end up contributing to my boredom with my life, and they aren't going to do much for my kids and my life expectancy, not to mention my relative wealth (which is being squandered by my impulsive ways).
To summarize, I drink too much cheap wine, eat too much fast food, and spend far too many hours with my butt parked on the couch. I don't spend as much "quality time" with my children as I should, and I don't pay any attention to my checking account balance (there always seems to be money there, so I just spend it haphazardly without thinking about it much). I've been in my new house since July, and there are still dozens of unpacked boxes in my garage and stacked randomly in my bedroom and living room. I'm no longer involved in a custody dispute, and it's high time I "let go" of certain obsessions involving ill-fated relationships with unattainable men, so there really is no excuse for me to be sitting on my couch moping around (or, for that matter, whining and moaning to the internet) anymore.
So, change is coming.
1. Exercise. I was told in no uncertain terms by my doctor that she fully expects me to have a heart attack any day now. Ordinarily, I would have protested, but now that I'm 40 and have ridiculously high blood pressure, I probably should take her somewhat seriously. I have all the high-risk factors for heart disease and breast cancer: too much alcohol, high-fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, and a family history for both. Shit. So, I'm going to get serious about what I eat and how I spend my non-working hours (when I'm working, I'm tied to a computer or a telephone, so I pretty much have to park my butt in a chair). I can exercise on weekends, and I can surely manage to fit something in at least 2 other days each week (especially since Grey's Anatomy has gone from bad to worse and sucks so bad I can't even watch it anymore).
2. Budget. One of the greatest things post-divorce was discovering that I didn't have to balance my checkbook anymore because I was the only person spending money out of the account for a change. Plus, I got two promotions and make more money than I ever could have imagined possible at this stage of my life. I also spend money like a teenager--I see shiny objects, and I buy them. I don't feel like cooking, so we eat out at restaurants. I find things for sale on the internet, and I buy those too. Never big ticket items, just lots of "little things" that add up to, well, ridiculous sums of money for things I didn't really need. That leaves me without money for the Big Ticket Items that I really want, like a new couch, a Pool Table, a trip to Yellowstone, and airplane tickets to visit my sister and a certain person who lives in the Pacific Northwest. It also leaves me without money for the Big Ticket Items I truly need, like new tires and a tune-up for my Camry, which has aged along with me. So, I'm going to get serious about tracking my expenditures and sticking to a budget, especially when it comes to groceries, which leads me to the next change...
3. Cooking. I cannot believe how much I squander on groceries! Half the food I buy, I have to throw out because it goes bad before I can use it. Back in my Starving College Student days, I used to plan every meal for the week before going to the grocery store. I would "estimate" the cost and go grocery shopping with a calculator in hand to make sure I didn't "over-spend." I only bought the items on my list. Nowadays, I just go, throw things in the cart, stock up on sale items, and before you know it, I've spent $150 and still have to make another trip to the grocery store later in the week to fix a meal I want to fix but don't have ingredients for. This is insanity! I love to cook, yet I complain that I make the same old stuff for dinner every week because I'm too uninspired and disorganized to plan ahead and be prepared to try something new. I have STACKS of recipes from magazines, yet I never make any of them. So, on the weekends, I will now be required to map out our meals for the week and make a grocery list with very specific items--no extras, no surprises. And I bet I will not only save money, but we'll eat out less and probably have more nutritious meals.
4. Get Organized. Weekdays are a little crazy in this house with school and the Job and what not, but weekends most certainly are NOT. There is plenty of time in those weekends to take care of errands, make lists, do chores, plan for the week ahead, etc. I've never been much of a goal-setter--I sort of drift through and somehow manage to have opportunities and accomplishments land in my lap, but I bought a "self-help" kind of book (yeah, I know--SHUT UP!) and one of the first things I was required to do was make a list of 25 things I wanted to be, do, or have. I made a great list. It was great because it was all just so EASY! Every last one of those things was something I could easily accomplish with a little thought and effort. I'm not one for challenges. I like easy.
Oh, don't get me wrong. My life will still be boring, but I won't be bored living it. That's the difference--I haven't been living. Instead I have just been half-heartedly going through the motions and not taking the time to wake up every morning with a mission to accomplish lots of boring little things. Consequently, I would go to bed each night feeling like I had wasted yet another day.
No more.
That being said, it's time to get off this computer and start my day. I've got things to do, lists to make, boxes to unpack, vegetables to buy, floors to mop, and a family to care for. The fog has lifted, and the day stretches before me, filled with options!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Scandalous
Hmmmm...this is a tough one for me to write about. I don't think of myself as a "scandalous" person (in the words of Eliza Doolittle, "I'm a good girl, I am!"). Everyone I know has stories to tell about the wacky, crazy things they did in college. I have none of those stories. I was always conscientious and cautious--a "rule-follower." I have never been a risk-taker, but in the past 6 years, I must admit I did 4 scandalous things. No, I will not tell you what those 4 things were. There is no one person in my life who knows about all of those 4 things. My family and closest friends may know about 1 or 2 of them, but nobody knows about all of them. I am good at keeping secrets and hiding certain details.
There is one person who knows about 3 of the 4, and that person, surprisingly (or maybe not) is my ex-husband. It is a bit disconcerting to realize that the one person who knows the most about me is the man I chose to divorce. I wonder sometimes if my desire to leave the marriage was borne out of my desire to leave my mistakes behind and start anew--become the person I wanted to be that I couldn't be if I stayed with him because he possessed too much knowledge of my weaknesses and vulnerabilities. I couldn't move forward when he held so much "ammunition" that he could use against me.
I break free, and I find myself a different person--a woman with secrets and things to hide, and hide them I do. It's nobody else's business, after all, what mistakes I have made in the past. What matters is the outcome--the lessons I have learned, the consequences I have faced.
While my "scandalous" choices are choices I am not proud of, I can honestly say that I don't really regret them. I suffered, other people suffered, but we all emerged from the ashes. I endured heartbreak, fear, guilt, and shame (largely self-inflicted), but I perservered, and I ultimately landed on my feet. Those "scandalous" choices also set certain things into motion that needed to happen. I learned some very valuable lessons. I did more damage to myself than I did to others. Those choices cost me more than they cost anyone else. I have served my sentence, done my pennance. So, I do not dwell on those scandalous things much, and I do not feel compelled to share them with anyone because that will not serve any useful purpose.
But, I can say with conviction that I hope the remainder of my life will be "scandal-free."
There is one person who knows about 3 of the 4, and that person, surprisingly (or maybe not) is my ex-husband. It is a bit disconcerting to realize that the one person who knows the most about me is the man I chose to divorce. I wonder sometimes if my desire to leave the marriage was borne out of my desire to leave my mistakes behind and start anew--become the person I wanted to be that I couldn't be if I stayed with him because he possessed too much knowledge of my weaknesses and vulnerabilities. I couldn't move forward when he held so much "ammunition" that he could use against me.
I break free, and I find myself a different person--a woman with secrets and things to hide, and hide them I do. It's nobody else's business, after all, what mistakes I have made in the past. What matters is the outcome--the lessons I have learned, the consequences I have faced.
While my "scandalous" choices are choices I am not proud of, I can honestly say that I don't really regret them. I suffered, other people suffered, but we all emerged from the ashes. I endured heartbreak, fear, guilt, and shame (largely self-inflicted), but I perservered, and I ultimately landed on my feet. Those "scandalous" choices also set certain things into motion that needed to happen. I learned some very valuable lessons. I did more damage to myself than I did to others. Those choices cost me more than they cost anyone else. I have served my sentence, done my pennance. So, I do not dwell on those scandalous things much, and I do not feel compelled to share them with anyone because that will not serve any useful purpose.
But, I can say with conviction that I hope the remainder of my life will be "scandal-free."
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