6 more weeks

I'm sitting in the hot tub listening to George on the ipod having a stare down contest with the deer and all of a sudden they take off running. I'm like YE-AH-A - I won that one. Turns out it was the resident ground hog that scared them.
Hey! Aren't you 2 days early? and then I'm thinking -Holy Crap!!! Don't look! Don't look! Too late the little shit saw his shadow I just know it.

And now all I can hope for is that it doesn't count because it's still January.

Cupping

I bowled three games last night - so what you say? I had a 501 and sadly that is over my average.
That is the first time I got through it since before the holiday break. (Dec.18). I have been very cautious of my shoulder. I can't bowl the way I normally do and it's very frustrating (just ask my teammates).
I visited my chiro this morning and complained that my shoulder was really tight and he suggested "cupping".
I know that Dup had tried this once so I agreed. Renee is the Dr's assistant who is going to school right now to become a chiropractor and has been with me through all my back trouble warned me that it hurts. I won't lie it does hurt at times. It feels like someone is giving you a deep massage, but oh what a feeling when it is over. My shoulder has purple circles all over, but it feels great. I warned them that I may be back each week just for this treatment and of course my acupuncture.

Wrong Foot

I was the first one to class last night and I walk into a Biology class already in session. Oops!
Two more people show up and open the door too. I'm feeling a lit bit better, I'm not the only one to do it. We sit down at a table right outside the door and wait for 6:30. (I got there at 6:07 and waited in the car for 6:15 - with the new back road off Randall it only took me 6 minutes to get there - sweet and I got a prime parking spot).
6:30 rolls around and one lady says "Let's go take another room." I'm thinking Huh? We can't just take another room. Shouldn't we wait for the teacher. We find an empty room and they all settle in and I'm headed back to the Biology area and ask someone to look it up on the computer to see if the room has changed. How is the teacher going to find us?
Well it turns out the lady who was bossing everybody around WAS the instructor. Why didn't she say something and how in the HELL am I supposed to know that?
There was only 5 people signed up with one no show. The teacher had plenty of time to go over everything with us individually. Good Thing! A guy named Steve kinda freaked me out- He went around and showed everyone his cat on his screen saver. OK, I have Walter Payton. (Bryan's computer remember).
It was WAY cool to sit in the staduim seating. I have never taken a class like that before. Note to self - bring your far away glasses. I could not see her screen on the big screen to save my soul and had to fumble through some things. I took notes on paper.
We learned all the "Tools" in our toolboxes and by the end of the evening I was hoping for something familiar like a screwdriver or hammer. Magic wands, paint buckets vs. paint brushes (6 kinds) and my mind is spinning. She gave us some homework to make a picture using all our "Tools".
Heaven help me and I can NOT wait to get back!

No need to Paint

I'm thinking about painting the family room again. Twine is the formal color or if you're from the seventies - Harvest Gold.
I'm not sure why I want to paint. I still like the color, maybe I should just change out the curtains.
Nothing to do on Sunday so I decide to break out the material I had bought when it was on sale ($24.99 on sale for $3 a yard)and make new curtains. My Luck I didn't have enough. What are the chances of them still having some left on the sales rack?
I pick up Sharen and we go visit JoAnne's - Yeah they had it. Sharen also found a flannel that will work perfect for her fireman quilt.
So Sunday I made some new curtains. I enlist Mike to hang the hooks and ....

Wellll-laa All 3 windows have new clothes.

I gotta say I like em. Mike even admitted to liking them.
Now I don't need to paint.

January Blahs

Can this month get over any time soon?
Mike and I caught the first youth basketball game on Saturday down at the Centre. I thought it was Jeremy's and it turns out to be Jackson. Wow - have these boys improved.
#4 scored 12 of the first 14 pts. #7 got a basket - Must of been rare cause he ran down the court with his rt. arm up like the statue of liberty looking to the crowd for someones approval. #1 should have the nickname slappy cause she was slapping that ball away from everyone. And Jack when he wasn't dancing on the bench wanting to get in - he rebounded, scored, and dribble without looking at the ball. The fun part was when he dribbled down the court and hit the half-court line - he took off like he was being chased by a girl that wanted to kiss him.
The best part though was the way these kids listen to their Coach Reuter. Everyone in the stands had something to shout PASS! DRIBBLE! SCREEN! GET BACK! but all heads went up and looked when they heard the Coach. Very Cool to watch.

Weight Watchers

As I have said in the previous post, I am going back to school. The class I'm taking is on Tuesday night. The same night as the WW meeting that I was attending.
I really want to take this class so I am giving up my meetings with the best WW leader that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. (Yes, I am a chronic repeater).
So I have added her link to my favorites and believe you me I will be checking with her most everyday!
Check it out for yourself and you will see what I mean.

Back to School

I am headed back to school. One week from today I will be taking a "Digital Darkroom" class at the community college. I haven't been in a classroom (work seminars excluded) in 20 years. To say that I am nervous would not be an exaggeration.
You have to bring a laptop with PhotoShop 7 or Photo Elements 2 or more already loaded.
Thank You, Bryan! He is lending me his old laptop. (Thanks also to Michelle for offering hers.)
Bryan came out and loaded the software and I have been furiously adding some pictures to work with. I can't decide which pictures to "be sure" and have - so I'm on picture overload.
I am horrible with the touch pad and I have nightmares about stopping the class so I can catch up, or worse yet, deleting what I already have done, so I went out and bought a wireless mouse to use. I am sooooo excited to start.
Would it be dorky to go out to the campus and check out where the class is and where to park? If so, you can call me a Dork! I also am having nightmares of showing up to the wrong class or being late.
I will show off my projects as I go.
Wish me luck!!!

New Years Resolution

I have never made a New Years resolution in my adult life. I always try to just make the next year a better one than the last.
At my age - My body tells me what food that is now time to "give up" and what exercises to do or not do. I can get away with swearing, being late, forgetting things and not doing something just because I'm older (not old - just older).
That all being said I have made a goal this new year.

"Don't Put it Down - Put it Away!!!

It's now over 2 weeks into the new year and I can say that this is harder than I thought it would be. Everything in our house (I'm sure like most households) ends up either on the kitchen counter or table by the door. I now think before I act and I have to admit it's paying off. The mail gets sorted, the laundry is put away, everything is in it's place...

Now my hope is not to forget where I put IT!

All About Sharen Part 2

For some reason part of my post last night didn't make it to blog. I was probably too tired to concentrate.
So Anyway - I was trying to explain the implications of your child having a baby and becoming a grandparent.
You start by cleaning out a area in your house for a pack-in-play and toys.
You give up a weekend night, or if your lucky weekend, to babysit.
You stock your frig and cupboards with food that kids eat and silly paper plates and plastic silverware.
You rearrange your schedules to "not miss a minute" of baseball, basketball, Christmas sings or anything else that the grandchildren are up too.
You buy picture frames, make space in your wallets and desktops for pics.
And for some, who aren't just around the corner - you check the blogs to see just what your little girl or little man is up to this week.
That's how Carrie having a baby is "All About Sharen"

All About Sharen

I kept telling Carrie when she was pregnant it really isn't just all about her, Dave, or the baby boy she was about to have. Which we now know is Matthew Jonathan. Sometimes it's about Sharen. Babies have a way of changing everything! All for the good.

Here is the little dumpling that has changed everything for Sharen.



She is now called Granny (that from the boys at work) Grandma or Nana Sharen and loves it every time she hears it.

Ringing in the New Year

My husband and his teammates certainly know how to ring in the new year.
They WON the Senior Softball Champions Tournament this weekend in FL and will be bringing home a championship ring in their suitcases.
They won their first 2 games on Friday big, so they got seated first place in the winners bracket. They won both of their games on Saturday and sat around and watched to see which team gets to play them in the winners championship game on Sunday. I don't recall if it was Florida or Texas.
They wanted to go undefeated, but lost the first game. Not to be denied their rings they won huge the second game. Mike had a really good tournament batting .785

out with the old

Looks like 2009 is shaping up to be the year when everything old is new again.
Sears just dropped off my new dryer.
So far I have a new frig....














And after still pausing the TV on the commercial for Kohl's on the fancy Kitchenaide - Mike got the hint and got me a new mixer for Christmas. The old one only had 1 speed that worked (fast).












And now I have a new dryer. No more hanging clothes all over the basement. I would take a picture of the dryer but it's not that excitingly new.

$521.00

Costco comes into the workplace and offers some treats and saving for all those who want to sign up. They just opened one 15 minutes from the house so I bit.
"The offer is good for two people. Does your husband need a membership?" That would be a BIG fat no!
"Can I sign up my sister?"
"Does she live with you?"
"No, but she shops with me and what would you rather have - 1 household or 2 households spending?"
The lady caved and I got us both signed up.
We visited the new store in St. Charles and combined we spent $521. That is CRAZY!!JoAnne's is the only other store that we can spend 2 hours at and not realize the time. We did not want to leave. We sampled most everything (Sharen wouldn't try the guacamole- I loved it!). The back of the SRX was loaded and we now have enough TP, Tissue, paper towels, paper plates, shampoo, laundry soap, Tylenol, toothpaste and a whole lot more for the whole next year.

On the Road Again

Mike took off for his tourney in FL this morning at 5:30am. On Time!
Mike loves to travel. We thought about getting a GPS, but that would defeat the purpose of Mike's "maps". Whenever he travel long distance by car he likes to "map" his route. Just ask Sharen and Dup about our trip to Maryland. He prints the route off of map quest (or something similar) and puts it into a file folder in plastic sleeves.
My first phone call this morning was from just past Champaign and he was only 5 minutes behind schedule. He had me check out the weather, because he hasn't seen the sun yet. Weather.com says no such luck till maybe TN.
Next call was outside Paducah and the sun is still being stubborn. Well I just got a call from "just passed through Nashville" and the sun is shining. It looks smooth sailing from now on for him.
I can tell he is enjoying his solo trip. I can hear the Happy in his voice. He hopes to stop somewhere outside either Atlanta or Macon for the night. (Yes Bryan, I told him to avoid GA all together) He wants to reach Winter Haven sometime around noon Thurs. to watch the All Stars of the "champion teams" compete. Oh Yeah - his ankle is feeling good to go.

NO!!!

I almost forgot to let you all know that NO I did not win the desk decorating contest at work. Seems the day of the contest my boss decided that it should only be for the Sales Reps. no support staff was included. (That would be me)
Doesn't surprise me that he found away to not let me win.

Go Away Gout Go Away

Gout is a terrible thing. Mike has it! Most times in the past it's in his big toe - a few days of no shoe or socks and drinking cherry juice and it goes away. Not this time.
It settled in his ankle and it won't go away. It's been around for a week and it needs to disappear NOW! Mike spends his time lounging on the bed during the day and sleeps on the couch at night. NOTHING can touch his leg from the knee down. His ankle is bright red and swollen and looks very painful.
We did make it out for dinner on News Years Eve, but he hobbled on crutches and clearly was in pain.
I got some herbal stuff from my Chiro and Mike said that it's helping - another reason to love that guy. Mike leaves for the big champion's softball tourney in Winter Haven FL. Wednesday so it better be gone by then.