Gray Hair, Don't Care (false)

While I sure could have used a day between Sunday and Monday, nothing beats a Monday that ends in the magical hands of my hair artist.

Goodbye, silver streaks. Hello, summer sass.

It will never look like my artist does it, so I had to take a picture. And I wasn't smiling because, well, I realized I had spinach in my teeth. See... Monday can still Monday the heck out of my day if I let it!

I'm just going to carefully sleep tonight so I can possibly hold the style one more day.

I know. #HighMaintenanceProblems

Have a good week!

Second Time's a Charm

After last week's sunny fail (in my opinion) of a photography session, God blessed me with clouds today for the sequel. That worked 100% better and the pictures will be better, too.

Of course, you can't have too much of a good thing. So some of the clouds turned into rain clouds and we had to cancel our last location. Still, we managed to get enough different poses – in the shade – that should work for some senior pictures.

And of course, by today, my photo subject was a natural – and came close to smiling a few times. Boys! Seriously, it was fun and good to see Jim's cousins again.

The day flew by and we left at 5 p.m. to go out to eat with our friends Mike and Cindy. They have a birthday-anniversary-palooza week like we do, with Cindy's birthday today, Mike's Saturday, and their anniversary in between.

We ate at Two Lakes Supper Club over by Almond-Bancroft area. Super packed. I guess people do go out to eat on Sunday evenings! Had their coconut shrimp which was so super amazing I can't wait to go back! And the company was pretty good, too.

Tonight I spent a few hours finally going through cowboy pictures from yesterday. Will share those soon. I am pretty sure this one's my favorite so far...

Looks like a good idea to me! Good night!

A Hitch in My Giddy-Up

I got to giddy-up and go today, that's for sure.

This morning I went up to Loyal (about an hour and 10 minutes from Rapids) and watch my nephew Zach put on a clinic on cow herding. And when I say "clinic" it really was a clinic teaching a class of 10 riders how to teach their horses to work with cattle.

He's 100 percent cowboy. I've seen him in competition herding and sorting cattle but not teaching it. He knows his stuff!

Was fun to see him in action. Glad I found out he was going to be this close by. Apparently when he's not competing or running all other aspects of his farrier business, he does these clinics. Now I'll have to keep an eye out on his schedule in case he's in the relative neighborhood again.

Didn't stay for the afternoon session. Had to get home so hubby and I could go down the Madison for the Capital City 5K run/walk for organ donation.

This was our fourth year going as members of the Running to Remember Ben team. Ben was Jim's cousin's son. He was just out of college when he was killed in a head-on crash 10 years ago and they were able to donate some of his organs. Six years ago, the family decided this was a neat way to honor his memory. It really is a nice event, starting at the capital building. Always great to see the cousins, too!

This year, they thankfully had a one-mile option so I could participate – despite the hitch in my giddy-up. From the one-mile point, a shuttle was available to take the elderly and crippled (I am both now!) back to the park! Yes, my pinky toe throbbed a bit, but nothing too terrible.

After everyone on the team – about 30 of us this year – finished, we had a pizza party at a nearby hotel and visited some more. Jim and I came home since tomorrow's another busy day.

Hopefully, if I get time, I'll have some cool photos from today to share!

You Can Dance... You Can Jive...

I was reunited with my friends from ABBA tonight! My friend Cindy and I went to see the movie Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!

Yup. Basically another sing-a-long to ABBA music – only I didn't recognize all the songs. Gasp! I'm gonna have to go back to the museum and get that straightened out!

It was funny seeing a Stockholm scene (Like a dork I pointed to screen and said, "I was there!") and some Swedish flags. Just miss that place!

Was a good movie, too. More serious or emotional this time versus more humor in the first. But good. Yes, I cried. But it's been established I'm a dork. A sappy, Hallmark movie-lovin' dork.

And a tired one. Long week. Hittin' the sack before a busy day tomorrow. I won't have visions of sugarplums dancing in my head tonight. More like ABBA.

And Cher. Yes, you gotta see it!

Thermal Thursday, Furnace Friday

When I saw this on the Weather Channel website, I thought "Furnace Friday" meant we're turning the heat on. But I guess in other parts of the world that aren't central Wisconsin, they don't need to.

It was honestly very fall-like today. Don't get me wrong, I love fall. In the fall. Not now.

The temps will get down to the mid-50s tonight. Great sleeping weather, you say. I know, but... it's still July. Actually had to wear long pants and a sweatshirt to a picnic tonight. So strange. Not complaining, really. Just noting this so I remember come September why my summer tan faded by August 1st.

When we got home, hubby turned down his side of the bed to be sure he gets all the cool breezes on his sheets. I turned up my side... as in turned ON the electric mattress pad.

Not kidding. Thankfully, dual-controlled. Not the first time this summer, but usually it's because the A/C was cranked too much. Not Mother Nature's A/C.

I may or may not wear socks to bed tonight. (My twin sister probably knows the answer to that one!) But you can bet I'm bundling up for the air-conditioned office tomorrow since we have several days of autumn in the forecast. I know. I'm one of those weird souls who loves the heat!

I won't complain – unless the leaves start changing!

Rain Dance

Since I only had one occasion to do my par dance last night at golf, tonight I will do a rain dance. Carefully, of course.

The rain was coming down so hard after supper. Just sounded, smelled, and looked amazing!

You can see from our brown grass back there that, yeah, we need it. There's also a chance my flowers will live to see another day. No small feat for the lady with two black thumbs.

And the timing was perfect – sandwiched in between golf yesterday and a picnic tomorrow. I had no excuse but to start getting things back in order around here. Other than baking... getting senior photo shoots on the calendar... planning a baby shower... finding clothes to donate for a mission trip... and talking to the Working Man, who is on the dreaded night shift this week at the paper mill.

So I ran out of time to be productive. I think I'll just enjoy the smell of rain outside our bedroom windows... rest my foot and start a book.

It. Is. Finished.

Whew. Scrapbook done and ordered. Wow. What a project! I hope I didn't forget anything!

Ended up getting to use three coupons for Shutterfly: 40% off, free shipping, and the big one – free extra pages (savings of $145 right there). Can't wait to hold it in my hands and share the adventure.

Now I can finally finish unpacking and putting stuff away. Ha. And now I can get some sleep!

Scrappin' Gods are Smiling

When you wake up in the morning and your email from Shutterfly says they're extending that super deal for two more days... your day is made. And your night is busy.

Still have a lot of work to do on my Sweden book... but am getting close!

I have golf tomorrow night so we'll see if I can make that midnight deadline. Not going to rush my game. Not every week both the scrappin' gods and golf gods are smiling on me.

Multi-Slacking, er Scrapping

I saw the term "multi-slacking" today and I love it! Sometimes I am multi-tasking and other times... not so much.

Today I had one goal. Finish my Sweden trip scrapbook so I could order it by midnight tonight to take advantage of a major money-saving deal. I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking. But hey, what else you gonna do on a rainy weekend day?

Well... it didn't rain.

So it took me awhile to get started. Had to go to church, do grocery shopping, and sit outside (of course) to eat my lunch. (That's the slacking part.) Such a gorgeous day!

Focus, girl. Focus!

So I did spend several hours on the book. (That's the scrapping part.) I am up to Day 10 of 14 and have 52 pages done. Just am not going to make that midnight deadline. But, as my friend reminded me, Shutterfly has coupons all the time. So hopefully they'll have that great "free pages" one again soon. I'm still going to keep cruising on it this week – on that one free night, ha.

But here's a few from today...

Every page I am amazed at how much we did over there and how much we saw!

No wonder I'm tired.

Students of Life

There's nothing wrong with high standards. As long as you pair them with humility. That's how we learn.

And today I learned a lesson.

As a photographer, I know that the worst time and place to shoot your subjects is in the bright sunlight, where they have to squint whether they're looking directly at it or not. That's why I was hoping for the forecasted cloudy conditions for my senior photo session today.

Forecast was wrong.

When hubby and I traveled up to Stratford to his cousin's house, it was bright and sunny. So when I took their son out and about around town and the football field, the poor kid's eyes couldn't catch a break. I had a devil of a time getting any images of him with really open eyes. Not his fault at all. Just didn't know of a lot of alternative settings because it wasn't my stomping grounds.

Naturally, as soon as we wrapped up, it became perfectly overcast. Figures. But we had to head back to Rapids since Jim was golfing with son #2 this afternoon.

Looking over the photos when I got home, I was disappointed. Too many squinty eyes and not enough of the types of portraits I know how to take. Granted, the bright sunshine was out of my control. But I'm taking ownership that I could have done something different. Better.

I turned it into a learning moment. I got some advice from an old photographer friend. Some tips for the next time the weatherman is wrong. I also reached out to the boy's family, told them I was dissatisfied with some of my work today – it didn't meet my standards, and we set up a second session.

So I need to move forward. Shake off the mentality that I screwed up. Appreciate the photos that did turn out. And apply lessons learned the next time.

Here's a few I am OK with....

Being a student of life for life is never easy, is it? Good thing I strive for progress, not perfection. And that there's almost always second chances.

Earth Quenching

There are a lot of areas in the U.S. and Canada (where this picture was taken) that are suffering from very dry conditions. We're not at drought level in central Wisconsin, but it sure has been awhile since we've had a good soaking.

Until today.

You could almost hear Mother Earth sighing with pleasure at the thirst-quenching rain. I think all the farmers we know were joining in that sigh.

So we can't really complain about rain – even though it made for lousy conditions on the golf course for the Royal Scramble (Assumption's Athletic Association scramble). Still, hubby and friends suffered through it and even had fun. 

They had a banquet afterward back at the high school. I picked Jim up towards the end and got to see a few people I hadn't seen in awhile – including a former co-worker who we haven't seen since his wedding in Appleton some 9 years ago. Where does time go?

I don't think Jim's group won any golf awards but they did come away with a nice auction buy of a golf package for the hot new golf course in these parts – Sand Valley. He has his foursome set. I'm jealous but at least he can tell me if it's worth the exorbitant price for us to go at some point down the road. We'll definitely pick a day it's not raining!

It's still coming down now at 10 p.m. This doesn't bode well for outdoor plans tomorrow. But my flowers might stay alive until the end of July after all!

Hobble Stone

Since it's raining tonight – finally! – there will be no golfing or kayaking for this adventure girl. Instead, it's back to my Sweden scrapbook. I really need to get my uff da mojo back to finish this thing!

As I looked at these pictures of the various cobblestone streets we walked in almost every town, I am so grateful I didn't break my toe until after we got home. Despite the pretty stone layouts in the photos above, most streets were uneven terrain. It was hard enough to walk without having toe, foot, or leg issues.

They really should be called "hobble" stone streets.

Which is pretty much any place I walk these days. Can you tell I am so over this waddling business? Having the most impatient person in the world WAIT for something to heal is, well, torture. Probably for everyone around!

At least I am getting a little more comfortable in my stride. Evening it out a bit. Still confining myself to pretty much walking to the restroom and coffee shop at work. And no laps around the neighborhood when I get home.

Maybe this rain will be a good thing. Help the grass, the crops, my flowers... and keep me inside multi-tasking (aka resting the foot and scrapping).

One of these days I wouldn't mind resting it outside in Mr. Deck Chair. He misses me. He sent me a Get Well card and everything. (Yes, I may have injured my head in the Pinky Incident.)

Birdie Tuesday, Eagle Wednesday

Other than the broken toe, I can just feel my luck changing. First, a decent round of golf last night – highlighted by my first birdie in probably a decade. Then, tonight, not just one eagle but 3. Oh, did I mention our foursome was kayaking, not golfing?

Still. A pretty amazing night on the Wisconsin River with our friends Mike and Cindy – that started off with the first photo op enroute to the boat landing.

Dude, get some sun!

No seriously, get some sun! Ha. I have never seen an albino deer of any kind. In fact when we drove by, hubby thought it was a goat munching on grass near someone's yard. We had to get a second opinion – and second look. So Mike, our trusty driver, turned around and we went back.

Wow. Thankfully I had my good camera with the Wildlife Zoom on it with me!

And our luck continued on the river. We saw two eagles right away and then, coming back on the other side of the island, there were three of them in what I call Eagles Cove. A dad, a mom, and a kid. We don't know if those two were the same as the first pair we saw. Maybe there were 5 total. Either way, it was awesome!

Enjoy the view...

Thankfully you only need one foot to kayak!

River reflections.

Young eagle.

 Blue log?

Oh dam-sel flies!

I've never seen this. But didn't have time to focus before he flew off!

 Not eagles.

 Storks, maybe?

Thanks for paddling along!