The Nuts and Bolts of Shopping

Okay!  I get it!  Now I officially know how painful it is for men to go shopping with women.  The other day I tagged along on a trip to town and ended up walking into what can only be described as a "Man Mall."  As soon as the sliding doors opened I was met with a whoosh of scented air.  Only this time the scent was not Chanel...it was....hmmm....I'm not really sure.  I do know that it was repulsive and I found myself trying desperately not to inhale.  It had a hint of rubber with a top note of gasoline.  This tool warehouse had everything a handyman could ever want.  And get this...it was a discount store!  I guess that's where the similarity lies between men and women and the whole shopping experience:  we all love a good bargain.  There were aisles and aisles of compressors, ratchets, drill presses, and pliers.  No matter where I turned I was met with hardware.  There was not a soft item to be found.  I couldn't breathe.  I had to get out of there.  I actually did what a lot of men do when shopping with women:  I sat down in one of the display chairs.  It was a nice folding lawn chair that came with it's own drink holder and folding table attached.  It was beneath a canvas canopy.  It afforded me a nice view of the socket sets and metal ramps.  So, needless to say, I learned my lesson: always, always, always go shopping alone...or else bring along your best girlfriends and frolic in the makeup and clothing departments knowing there isn't a chainsaw blade or wheelbarrow tire in sight.

The Sarong should be called the "So Wrong"

I don't get it.  It's hard enough for women to fit into clothes--especially when they keep trying to squeeze into "their size" even though "their size" is no longer their size.  I speak from experience on this one.  I have not been happy with the way I've been looking in my clothes.  It seems that "nothing is working for me."  Finally, I had a meeting with myself and decided to go ahead and try "the next size up."  When that size didn't fit I went up another size....and this time it fit...but it was snug.  When I blocked out the number on the tag I realized how comfortable I was and how good the shorts fit.  Apparently the only way to feel skinny (not 'look skinny'...FEEL) is to buy clothing in the size you  never dreamed  you would ever ever wear (the size you never even fit into when pregnant!) and whallah!  Then, just when I had accepted the fact that the battle between me and my metabolism had not only been fought, but won....(only not by me)...I had to slip into a bathing suit (actually "slip" is not the best descriptor here...."squeeze/suck/squint" would be more appropriate).  Despite the fact that I am no longer in my 20s...okay...no longer in my 30s...I still managed to pull off a bikini.  I found that the one-piece suits actually "rounded me out" too much considering the fact that not only do I have a pronounced sway-back...but I also have a pronounced back-side.  Well...just the other day...when I knew I would be in a suit IN PUBLIC...I opted for a one-piece...but it was in "slimming black."  The label on the tag told me I was trying on a "sarong."  In truth it fit and it did pretty much what it was designed to do...swallow my pride.  But the problem I have with suits that are purchased to "hide," "disguise," "cover up," our "supple" skin on our tummies and thighs and buttocks is the fact that the suit covers up our top half.  Don't most women have "areas of concern" in their lower half?  If it were up to me I'd wear a suit that started at the ankles and ended at the top of the belly button!!  But even that is just SO WRONG!  Come on winter!!  The season where only faces and hands are exposed!!!

You Light Up My Life

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to get together with some dear friends of mine.  The way that we love each other despite the fact that some of us snort when we laugh (me), show up late (me), or bring their kids along to a girls' night out (me), is proof that our friendship is unconditional.  This circle of women that I am blessed to be a part of knows when to listen and when to speak up.  Each of us is an elixir for the other...a healing balm when needed.  Each of us has multiple irons in the fire.  Each of us longs for a chance to slow down and enjoy.  And that is exactly what we did the other evening.  As the sun set over the cedar filled hills we sauntered out of the kitchen and into the pool (our feet did at least).  The echoing calls of the resident peacock and the gobble of the pet turkeys served as our evening's soundtrack.  The farm cats lazily set the mood and we quickly followed suit.  It's so nice to be able to completely relax...to not give a flip about excess skin or sloppy posture.  Like the lounging cats, we flopped ourselves poolside and enjoyed the stories that are only funny to us.  Even though laughter was involved, some tears welled up as well.  As women, each of us has emotional strings that are alternately pulled and tugged.  For some of us the triggers are children getting ready to graduate from high school in a matter of weeks.  For others it is the fact that major decisions have to be made.  No matter the situation, the fact is we have each other with us as we plow through these moments.  As I become more and more who I was meant to be, I have noticed that God has lead me to be in the presence of people who make me better...people who build me up...people who I want to be like....people who love me.  I am grateful for the people whose light has made my path a little brighter.  I am thankful for the rainbow of love that has been reflected back to me via the prism of women I am happy to call my friends.

Friends Unearthed

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the home of a dear friend of mine.  This lady is just that...a lady...in every sense of the word.  Her home was a true reflection of the genuine and elegant nature she exudes in person.  Her private and personal world felt welcoming and real...and I love that in a person as well as in a home.  Through the years I've been blessed with a group of women to surround myself with.  It has been said that you become like the five people you hang around with the most...and if that proves itself true then I am in great company! 

My friend's home got me thinking about who we really are at our core.  Who we are when no one else is looking.  Home has always been a refuge for me...the place I long to be more than anywhere else.  I have a sign hanging in my house that says, "Surround Yourself With Things You Love," and to me, that includes our friends.  I am extremely fortunate in the fact that I get to work with and interract with these wonderful ladies every day.  This leads me to believe that these women were placed in my life for a reason.  Each of us has our own passions and quirks and each of us loves the other for them.  With each passing year our group learns more and more about the other; and as each layer of our persona is unearthed we becomre more and more exposed for who we truly are.  As both the years and the layers have passed by and peeled away we have only grown closer and loved deeper.  My dear friends...you are my home and I love you all.

Too Small and Too Big at the Same Time

I knew my daughter had grown out of the majority of her clothes....but I had forgotten about the growing out of herself part of it all.  Yesterday, while purging her closet I discovered that she did, indeed, have carpeting in there after all!  Like most of us girls, my daughter gravitated toward the same few articles of clothing that were her favorites and basically ignored everything else taking up space and convincing her that she had "tons" of things to wear.  As it turns out she had good reason to neglect certain articles of clothing....especially the ones that were either four sizes too small or else resembled something a nine or ten year old would be more interested in.  Existing in the ambivalent and fuzzy area of "too big for the 'kid' section and too small for the 'adult' section, my teen daughter now has "nothing to wear."  Boy don't we all know that feeling...even with a closet full of clothes.  Like any responisble and frugal mother, I refuse to buy her anything for school until the day before it starts because she is more than likely to a)grow out of it the following week, and b)drastically change her opinion of what's "cool" based upon all of the look-alikes who flit about campus.  This "wait until August" approach does not sit well with my daughter but I am holding my ground.  As I held up each piece of clothing for her to say "yay" or "nay" to I had to admit that I, too, could instantly see most of it was a "nay."  Especially when I came to the oh so tiny denim mini skirt and little white shoes.....wait a minute!! She never wore that?!  This little "outfit" belonged to one of her stuffed animals....a beloved rabbit who was way better dressed than she ever was!  It was at this point when I realized that not only was my daughter outgrowing all of the clothes I just bought for her less than six months ago, but that she was also outgrowing all of the things that little girls play with as well.  No, I don't wish she would stay little forever...and, no, I don't reserve any tears for the years of following a toddler around....but I do realize that time is beginning to whiz by a little faster than it ever did before....which is weird in the sense that when life is crazy insane it seems like you are stuck in a time warp with no end in sight (such as when babies keep you up all night....such as when they only want to be held while you're attempting to eat dinner....such as when you have to pack, prepare, buckle up, unbuckle, carry inside--just to pump gas--and then repeat the whole process backward just to drive back home).  And yet, when your kids are finally old enough to bathe themselves, afford you the luxury of eating an entire bowl of cereal in one sitting, and actually teach you things....well time just whips right past you before you even have a chance to glance down at your watch.  On the bright side....I don't have to buy clothes for inanimate objects anymore.....unless you consider a teenager an inanimate object!

On a Roll

I take great honor in knowing that I have what it takes to change a roll of toilet paper.  It must be something I inheirited from my mother, as she too was gifted in this department.  Not only can I change it but I can sense when  it's going to need to be changed....I know....amazing!  It's like having "the right stuff" without having to fly to the moon.  I don't think there is a badge awarded for this skill of mine but if there were I would iron that baby on pronto!  Not only am I able to accomplish this feat at home, I am able to help out my workplace and the community at large as well.  Yup...the roll always ends when I enter the room.  I'm just lucky that way I guess.  Last week my son and I were visiting one of our favorite thrift stores when my bladder started to swell.  I asked the shop owner where the nearest restroom was with the hopes that she'd say, "Oh we have one here!"...instead she replied, "Uh....um....the nearest one is at Church's Chicken."  With this in mind I did the only thing a girl could do...I kept shopping for bargains.  When I simply could not hold it any longer I politely told the shop owner that I wanted to keep shopping but that I would be leaving my pile of goods and my son behind to waddle across the street.  This worked because she immediately reached underneath her counter and pulled out a key on a stick and a 4-pack of toilet paper.  I sh** you not!  She proceeded to tell me that she hadn't had a chance to replenish the TP and hated for me to go back there without it (sweet lady).  I grabbed the package and the numchuck-looking key and raced to the rear ...of the store!  Like a fireman and a Navy Seal all wrapped in one I broke through the door, ripped apart the plastic, and, in mere  seconds I was on a roll!

Time to Negotiate

A couple of days ago I treated myself to lunch...I'm thoughtful that way.  Although I truly do enjoy the company of other people (sometimes) I often prefer to be alone.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my soul craves the opportunity to collect her thoughts....to recharge....to simply "be."  While that may be true, as a working mother I am surprised that I do not have a permanent indentation in the meaty part of my shoulder from all of the incessant poking it receives.  Allow me to give you an example:  "poke-poke-poke-Mom! Mom!poke-poke-poke-Mom!! Mom!!poke-poke-poke-Miss!! Miss!! poke-poke-poke!"  There are times when I have to restrain myself from screaming "GO AWAY!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" 

And that is why, during my last week of work--a week without students and the typical after-school taxi services I offer my children...free of charge...I'm thoughtful that way...I found myself the single occupant of a table for four in one of my favorite Chinese food restaurants. 

As I sipped my soup and chewed my chicken I found that I was finally slowing down...relaxing..."being."  When my check arrived so to did my fortune: 

"Negotiations move along smoothly.  The outcome is favorable!"

My first thought was..."What am I in need of negotiating?  Huh?  Where's the part that predicts I'm going to collect a windfall?"  I have to admit I was a little let-down...I really wanted a "good" fortune...something I could believe in...hang on to...as I began my summer break.  But just this morning, after some quiet devotional time alone in my loft, I began to see my "fortune" in an entirely different light.  There is another definition of the word "negotiate" as found in Barron's Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus:  "Get over an obstacle or difficulty." ....hmmmm.... now that's more like it!!!  I couldn't help but notice that this definition was the third and final entry.  This got me thinking that maybe our first, or even second thought, impression, or feeling, may not always be the "right" one.  Sometimes we have to negotiate around several obstacles in our paths, in our lives, in our souls to find a favorable outcome. 

Wish I May...Wish I Might...

It is my wish that I could make all of the women in my life happy.  I am so blessed to have so many wonderful ladies in my life on a daily basis.  Most of them don't even know how much they mean to me.  They come in all shapes, sizes, and ages...and I love them all.  I have little girls who look up to me and come by my office just to say 'hello' and to give me a hug.  I have my teenage daughter who is one of my dreams come true.  I have women in their twenties surrounding me, and thank God they do, because they help me stay current and true.  They also remind me to be thankful that I am no longer twenty!  The thirty-somethings, I have to admit, unknowingly remind me that I am three months shy of leaving their demographic.  But it is the women over the age of 40...over the age of 50...over the age of 60 who inspire me the most.  I have always been an "older spirit" and absolutely respect the words these women have shared with me.  Some of them encourage me to "go for it" while others know better than to ask too many questions...they have mastered the art of listening.  It is the women who have already been where I am now who strengthen me just by being around them.  There is no textbook I could read that would make me wise enough to be the women they are to me.  But, once I have experienced life, then, and only then, will I be able to be like the women who mean so much to me. 
All of this to say...I'm back!  I have never taken a true "hiatus" or a "sabbatical" although I think I have taken a lobotical (my own term!) for the past 9 months...hey..."9 months!"...the irony of THAT length of time is certainly not lost on me! Much like a pregnancy I have been growing (literally and figuratively) and preparing.  I hated being away from this blog for so long.  The good news is that so many of you awesome women friends of mine have encouraged me and supported me and I could not think of a better way to say thank you than to post as often as possible! 
In a couple of weeks I'll be out of school/work for the summer so I'll have even more time to share. I am looking forward to brooding!!!

My To-Do List Just Got Longer

T-minus 1 day and counting....it's official...my Pollyanna outlook is quickly leaving my body. I even have the three..count them THREE fever blisters to prove just how painful this process is! Just what is the cause of this horrific scenario one might ask? I return to work tomorrow! Life as I have come to enjoy it (a life lived in eight week's time) will forever be altered and no matter how many motivational quotes I post on my mirror, in my calendar, on my car's dashboard, on the fridge, in my wallet, on my computer, on my forehead (you get the picture) it doesn't change the fact that the hustle and chaos that is attached to a working mom is still going to cling to me and prevent things from going smoothly...as they did in the summer months. During the summer months (a.k.a. "when I'm NOT working") it seems that there is never any traffic...there is always a parking space--UP CLOSE...there is never a line (and even if, on a rare occassion there is...I never mind waiting in it because I'm not in a frickin' rush!)...there is always time to be thoughtful and considerate and I'm always able to feel more like me because I've had the benefit of actual SLEEP (more than 4 hours) because I don't have to be startled to death at the clanging of a loud alarm hell-bent on rattling my nerves with the obvious intent on preparing me for the day ahead...and a LONG day ahead it always is what with AFTER work meetings, doctor appointments, athletic practices, games, church activities and the like.

And then there is the whole other issue of "prepping" oneself to look somewhat presentable to the public. I find it extremely ironic that during my time off I do not have to wear any makeup due to the fact that the stress has left my face and since I am more relaxed I actually look relaxed. This means that I do not have to worry about putting makeup on nor taking it off. But now that I will be interacting with hundreds of human beings all day every day I have to do the whole "morning/evening 'routine' routine." Back in the day this would have been fine when a light dusting of blush and regular mascara were the extent. Nowadays I must wear waterproof mascara (I tend to cry alot...you know...driving to work...working at work...thinking about work.......and then, of course, there are those seasonal allergies to contend with....ALL 4 SEASONS!). This means that I have tug and tug and tug at my lashes as I try to remove all traces of mascara without tugging on the delicate skin around the eye area. Nowadays I must wear more and more makeup in an effort to look more and more 'natural.' Nowadays I have to wear makeup or else I will scare all of the children. All of this just to illustrate the fact that I have to refer to a check list when putting on/taking off my face (and this list is only for the cleansers and moisturizers and anti-aging cremes and treatment gels...).

I have yet to mention the myraid other "to-dos" that go along with making sure my kids are ready for school. I have purchased school supplies for the middle schooler and am sending my high schooler on his way with a pen and a prayer. I have suffered through the trying on of clothes with my daughter and the extended cleaning sessions in my son's room. I have signed multiple forms and conversed with school counselors. I have negotiated with my boss about the fact that I will be late (as in not even going to make it late) to the first meeting of the year because I'll be at my daughter's orientation. I have driven my son to his football practices and picked him back up again. I have listened to Mix 96.1 and watched the Teen Choice Awards.

I have decided that no matter how much I have to do I already know it won't always get done. I already know that things are going to be insanely chaotic and that I will need nerves of steel. I know that I will need more sleep than ever before but that I will be unable to get it. I know that I had a good summer...and I know that I can't wait for the next one!

Meanwhile...Back at the Ranch...

I woke up this morning with 42 minutes to spare before needing to rush out the door. In those 42 minutes I needed to wash my hair, put on makeup, fix coffee, eat breakfast, let the chickens out of the coop, feed the chickens, clean out the chickens' water containers, make sure the cat had enough fresh water for the day, and drive for an hour to a bridal shower. I made it to the shower at exactly 10:00 on the dot...right on time. Here's how I did it: I took care of all of the creatures first (I'd rather be late than have pets die on my watch). I probably still have shampoo residue in my hair, but I washed and rinsed as fast as one can with very little water pressure. I managed to locate the single, shiny, silver packet of Pop-Tarts hiding behind a box of pasta in the pantry--along with two travel thermoses--and had me a literal breakfast to-go! I had on enough facial bronzer to give the illusion of a restful and carefree lifestyle and enough lycra to hold in the midsection to give the illusion of a fit and firm existence. I was able to rummage through one of my many junk drawers and find a Crayola marker (unfortuntely it was the washable kind) in the exact shade of brown I needed to color in the exposed white plasticky portion of a broken heel on my single pair of brown strappy sandals. As long as I remembered to cross my legs left over right I would be able to keep up my charade as a put-together person.

No Food For Thought

As someone relatively new to the world of diet & exercise I have to say it sucks. That's right...I used one of my all time most hated words...in print! I have enjoyed a blessed stint as the beneficiary of a high metabolism but, as they say, all good things must come to an end. That is why I have tried to start the year off right. I have made a gallant effort to drink more water, eat salad for lunch, and, dare I say it, exercise. The hard part has been putting a muzzle on my hunger. I am always hungry and I want nothing but junk. A York Peppermint Patty seems to do what a leaf of lettuce can't. After I do get a cardio workout in I am only thirsty for a cold beer...with a twist of lime (does that count as a fruit?...a vegetable?...) After my third workout my right hip is screaming, "GIVE ME GLOCOSAMINE CHONDROITIN!! NOW!!

To help with the pain I am on my second glass of red wine...grapes are a fruit, right?

A Permanent Solution

We all remember our first perm...the anticipation and excitement of looking exactly like "that girl" we see at school mixed in with a little nerves---fear of walking out of the salon looking like a clown instead. But, we stick it out and allow our heads to be tortured in the name of beauty.

A couple of days ago my daughter got her first perm. She is in the middle of her 6th grade year and, like her, I got my first perm in the 6th grade too. Of course, my hair had just grown out from a Dorothy Hamill cut--but not by much because I walked out of the salon on the clown end of the spectrum. Needless to say I kept perming my hair until the middle of high school. At least my daughter's hair is all one length and falls just below her shoulders.

As she sat in the chair, as giddy as ever, it all came flooding back to me: my mother nearby and circling my chair--a woman well-experienced in the perm world. The pungent odor of the perm solution wafting all around me and covering everyone else in the salon--much like the scent of a skunk...it does not leave you once you've become victim to it. The long strip of cotton the stylist would wedge between my hairline and the extra tight rods...as if sealing my head with an O ring...a rubber seal that never really worked. She would then vanish to who knew where (though I know now it was off to a sectioned off lair where all kinds of goodies were kept). I can still remember sitting in that chair looking hideous in my tight perm rods housed inside a clear plastic bubble of a cap...as if I were a walking green house; the cold, yet burning liquid sneaking out from underneath the now soaked through strip of cotton. Do I dab at it? Do I let it drip? Do I wave my hands and try to get somebody's attention? Just when I thought I couldn't take the punishment any longer the stylist would emerge like Glinda the Good Witch and replace the cotton strip...and then, like Glinda, she would float away. And, finally, the time would come for a good rinse...relief at last...or so I thought. I don't think my neck has ever hurt as badly as it did when I was kid, lying atop my perm rods, in the crook of that hard as hell sink. But then...it was all worth it...this girl had curls.

Fast forward to my own daughter, now sitting in the chair. Her hair is as straight as a board (like mine) and the time has finally come. After an hour and a half the rods were removed and ... nothing. NO CURLS!
Right then and there my daughter's stylist said, "I'm re-doing this perm right now" (it was 7:00 at night). I told her thanks, but we could reschedule for another day/time. She insisted, saying, "If I was a girl who thought she was going to wake up in the morning with curls...then I would want curls!" What a woman!! The owner, who was walking out the door, purse in hand, turned right back around, set her purse down on the floor and offered to help. The stylist and the owner began working on my daughter in tandem...one on the left; the other on the right. I left the three of them alone and drove on home (I live about 5 miles down the road). my daughter's stylist lives a mile from us so she offered to bring my daughter home with her when she was finished. When I got the call it was well after 8:00 and I was out checking a hog trap with my husband, son, and a friend of mine and her son. We all jumped into our old army jeep and took off. It was cold outside and the moonlight was enough to light our way. We picked up my daughter and saw her smile before we saw her curls. In this day and age it is so nice to know there are still people who go the extra mile...because they remember what it was like to be a young girl.

There is something to be said about big hearted people working in a small town salon. A mother's thank you goes out to our stylist Karmia and owner Pam!

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

Have you ever noticed that when your clothes no longer fit you suddenly feel the need to go shopping?! Shopping for things like shoes, purses, jewelry, and hair care products? These are all things that help us to feel and look pretty....okay...sometimes just feeling pretty is enough. Even when we have a strong self-esteem it is frustrating to not look the way we feel. And so, we reach into the back of our closet for "those jeans"...the ones that are so damn comfortable (because they are our current size like it or not). These jeans, for a moment, make us feel good because we can actually fit into something...something not so restricting. When we are constantly aware of our breath, our posture, and the way our inseam feels ... well ... it ain't pretty. And so we put on one of "those tops" that are flowy and long...way below the butt long. We avoid those ridiculous full length mirrors and instead refer to the one the size of our face...the make up mirror. This circle of light allows us to focus on the color of our eyes and the glow in our cheeks. We can check out our earrings and we can pucker our lips. We can cover ourselves in a shower of our favorite perfume and we can curl or straighten our hair to our heart's content. We can store all of the above products in our new purse and we can hold our head high knowing that there is still a part of us that is intact.

Life is Good

With the boys out of the house our home turned into an all girls' retreat last night. I was surrounded by my daughter, a friend, my sister-in-law, and my niece. I love being around women who love you back. After a day spent with my daughter at the movies, in the stores, and in a restaurant I ended up at my sister-in-law's house eating a delicious pizza she made just for us. After our meal we all walked over to my house--homemade brownies and Blue Bell's Coffee Ice Cream in tow. Our flashlights led the way as Snickers dashed in and out of our path. I threw down as many comforters as I could find and we all changed into our comfy-cozy pajamas and settled in to watch Mama Mia. After we had our fill of laughter and tears we headed to the kitchen and scooped balls of ice cream into our brownie-filled bowls and poured on the syrup...Life is Good!

Horsing Around

Thanks to an invite from a friend my kids and I were able to enjoy being outdoors atop Raider-a beautiful thoroughbred. Just being able to sit in the saddle listening to the give of the leather beneath you makes one believe she is capable. Knowing that you have got to love and respect an animal enough to surrender to it while at the same time trying to convince it that you are in charge can be quite humbling. The power beneath you combined with the power within you makes for both an exhilerating and contented day. Being able to watch your children-so small and fragile-straddle such a large animal and trot off into the sunset stirred nothing but pleasant feelings inside of me. I did not have any feelings of fear as I watched them learn to assert themselves. I did not feel dread when the pace quickened. Both my son and daughter have a deep love and respect for animals and I am grateful for the opportunity that they had today thanks to the invite of a friend.

Mule-Tide Greetings

Are you feeling a little stubborn lately? Have you just wanted to buck the system? Does it seem to you that this entire rush-rush-buy-buy world we live in has created gift mongers of us all? When the big day finally arrives will you find yourself merely exchanging gift cards between relatives? Would it be so wrong or bad of us if we merely made construction paper cards with heartfelt expressions written on them? I ran into too many people buying out of pressure and guilt only to greet me with a curt, "I'll be so glad when Christmas is over!" Between that and the "Happy Holidays" the sales people have obviously been instructed to dole out even when I insisted they have a Merry CHRISTMAS, even I am feeling like I am in a race to simply survive until December 26th.

STOP! The holidays should be about family and memories. Yes, if I had not waited until 4 days until Christmas maybe I wouldn't be feeling the crunch like I am. I know all of that...but the thing is sometimes kids CHANGE THEIR MIND as it gets closer and closer to Christmas. Sometimes it is hard to shop ALONE. Sometimes the routine of work/motherhood sucks the very lifeblood from you allowing you only weekend trips to the store...if you do not have any other commitments...or your kids don't...or you're not EXHAUSTED.

Every year it's the same...I swear like a hungover college student that I will NEVER DO THAT AGAIN..."that" being "wait until the week before Christmas to do my shopping." Every year I scramble...but, somehow, it all gets done. As my kids get older and older it has gotten easier and easier. I thought it was hard being Santa...it's even harder being Mom.

I See The Moon-The Moon Sees Me

I snapped this picture of the moon at dawn just before getting in my car to go to work last week. I wish you could have seen the way its glow blanketed everything beneath it. In that brief moment before the sun took over I stopped rushing and just kept taking pictures as I walked from my house to the barn. The picture does not do it justice but I wanted to post it nevertheless.

I have always been in love with the moon. Everytime that I see that beautiful orb I am touched. How I wish I could have stood staring toward the sky until the moon slipped out of view, but, alas, I had to put the pedal to the metal. Now that I am able to slow the pace down a little I hope to grab a few more shots that would have otherwise been missed.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I am a woman and thus closely connected with the moon and her cycles. I have a high tide and a low tide of emotions that course through me. I have been a sliver and I have been full. I have been blue. I am getting ready to be new again.

Get Out of Jail Free!

There is a sort of double-edged swordness to "getting" to stay home from work...especially if you are a Mom. You get to stay home-but you have to clean up after a person with a stomach bug. I feel bad that my daughter feels bad, but I can't help but to feel giddy that we get to stay home. Add to that the fact that since we came home early yesterday I was able to clean up most of our messes then. Top that with the fact that neither of has an appetite so no meals had to be prepared! I mean, can you just imagine?! Being home and just being?! Well...neither can I --that is why I took this opportunity to sweep and mop out the kids' bathroom, wash every sheet, comforter, and pillowcase in the house (whether it belonged to a sickee's bed or not), and started entertaining thoughts of organizing kitchen drawers (remember...I'm a little food deprived here...obviously not in my right mind). Truth be told I actually feel fantastic today--yay!!! Finally!!!

Before I knew that I would be staying home today I woke up a little after 5:00 a.m., got dressed and ready for the day...I should have known something was up because I looked rested despite a tear-filled night. Both my makeup and my hair "worked" for me this morning...I mean, really, when does that ever happen, right?! Sure enough...when I went in to wake Hailey she felt warm and was running a low grade fever. That was all that I needed to make the call and set in to motion the plans for the rest of the day. I took Josh to school and then went by my school to put out a couple of fires and then it was off to Walmart and the gas station. I had to purchase the necessary stay-at-home-with-a-sick-daughter items...things such as nail strengthener, 3 new bottles of fingernail polish, and a Sprite. Remember ladies...it's not how you feel...it's how you look!

So now, I have a mere 2 hours left before I have to get Josh. The clock's ticks are getting incessantly louder; they are moving way too fast. Just like in the game of Monopoly, my "Get Out of Jail Free" card can only last so long and then it is time to give it up and return to my cell. I enjoyed it while I had it in my possession. I made the most out of the time I was given. Tomorrow is uncertain for me but I do know that should I "get to" return to work it is but for half a day. In a sense I will be "Just Visiting;" still in the corner on the gameboard of life with all of the world's opportunities on either side of me.

I Am A Dirty Girl

Since I had to leave work early today (because my daughter got sick at school) and since tonight Jmy son has his weekly Confirmation classes from 6:00-8:00, the task of tending to the 4-H show chickens fell to me. Nevermind the fact that the last solid meal that I ate was on Saturday evening (that's 4 days ago for those counting) and I've gulped down over 130 oz of Gatorade...it doesn't matter that I feel weak and puny...it's no excuse that I had to pull over on the side of the road on the way home to help my daughter barf into a plastic grocery bag...a farm never sleeps. So, after I got my daughter tucked into her bed, and after I got the car unloaded and the toxic bag tossed well over a cliff-I set out to help my son out.

I had received explicit instructions via cell phone and I vowed to follow them to the best of my abilities. Before I walked down to the barn to gather the eggs and refresh the water in the regular chicken coop I first changed into my black velour robe that my mother had given me as a gift one year. It is one of my favorite things to put on after I take everything off. I stepped into my comfy pink Crocs and went to work. Since it was misting and foggy outside it immediately became apparent that I would not be wearing my comfy shoes back inside the house...not after mushing down upon fresh coop poop.

Next stop: the show chicken coop. Here is where it got dirty. I kept having to maneuver my way over a four foot piece of tin that makes up one of the walls keeping the chicks contained. Since I was wearing a robe this was starting to become a challenge. After I stepped on the end of my black robe with a gooey shoe I gave in and simply started wiping my mucky hands all over me. That's when I noticed that one of the chicks had died and was being trampled on repeatedly as the others made their way to one of the feeders. So here I am, feeling barfy as it is, gathering up a dead chick inside a plastic grocery bag and walking it out to the dried up caliche pit/pond where a burn pile is forming....in my velour robe and my pink Crocs. I kept looking around for the hidden camera but still have yet to find it.

After emptying all of the feeders and rinsing out each water feeder I refilled them all according to my directions. I stomped off toward the house, kicked off the Crocs, stripped down to my necklace, took a hot shower, and disenfected the kids' bathroom.

Don't Have Time for Laundry? Maybe You Just Need to Change Perfume!

Ever the bargain hunter, I have stumbled upon a steal of a deal when it comes to a new scent for the winter. Just this morning, in fact, I sprayed myself silly with the hopes of smelling good to all who came near me. Unlike the competing perfumes which can run $50+a bottle (and a tiny bottle at that), this scent comes in 27.0 fl.oz….all for the incredibly low price of less than $6.00 a bottle! The name of this fresh-smelling scent is febreze...doesn't it just sound clean?! I no longer have to count the number of sprays I administer...why, just this morning, when trying to revive a pair of wollen tights-that had every reason to be thrown away-- I just sprayed away...whallah! Instant-Presto!