Scatter-Day

It seemed I was going in so many different directions today I could almost call it a productive day. Almost.

Went to early church with Carter then headed to Plover and Stevens Point for some shopping. Trust me, I am not a casual shopper. Just shop when we need something. In this case, Carter needed some casual shoes  for school (since he's outgrown the ones I bought in June) and some khaki pants for school (since it is getting cold AND he's outgrown the ones from last school year).

We found some khakis -- and some jeans since he has outgrown those, too. I guess I should be happy he is growing! Only my pocketbook objects.

Naturally, when we're shopping, we end up buying something we didn't plan to... you know how that goes.

We noticed some drawer/shelf units and Carter -- who is still awaiting his birthday dresser 5 months later -- said he liked it. Not that I didn't trust hubby to assemble it (he just had rotten luck with the initial birthday dresser in May), but Carter and I decided to put it together ourselves. It really took less than half an hour and was very easy!

The plus side is that he finally has a dresser instead of living out of a tote. (He never complained, honest.) The plus plus side is that this prompted him to clean and organize his room. I now have a tote filled with clothes that don't fit plus "toys" he's too old for. So I can price those at my leisure for the spring garage sale. His room does seem more "roomy" now, too.

While he was working on that, I did my Saturday chores a day late again. Then I went for a run. I have a 5-mile race coming up this Saturday and I am not trained for that. Considering I didn't run during vacation, etc. So I am behind in my fitness, that's for sure. But I went for a 4-mile run this afternoon and didn't have to stop to walk at all. Granted, it took me 44 minutes, but I was glad I didn't need a rest. Progress!

Got home in time to discover the Packers blew their lead and lost. Whoa. I did not see that coming. Too bad.

Of course, they didn't have the Vikings game on TV here so I had to keep tabs on the computer. How exciting! With our huge win over the Titans, we now have twice as many wins as we had ALL of last season! I'm a little embarrassed about that, but... SKOL!!

Tonight hubby is at a sports association meeting and Carter is doing homework. I have the entire couch, TV and remote to myself and there is NOTHING on! Maybe I should take a cue from Carter and get some room cleaning and organizing done.

Yeah, maybe.

Playng it Cool

I feel badly for any kids having to compete in this more-than-chilly fall weather today. Not to mention their dedicated athletic supporters, bundled up on the sidelines and bleachers.

It was 38 degrees with winds 10-20 mph when Carter went to his cross country meet. We got lucky this one was hosted by Lincoln H.S. in Rapids and held at The Ridges golf course, just 5 minutes from home. I prepared myself well -- long underwear under heavy sweat pants, a turtleneck, sweatshirt and jacket AND, most importantly, hand warmer packets in my shoes and gloves.

I felt comfortable, but when you see these pictures of Carter, you're just gonna wanna grab a blanket or hot toddy.

If you couldn't see Carter in the mass of JV runners (top photo), here he is at the start.

There were 20 schools I think from everywhere from Tomah and Manitowoc (seen here) to Eagan, Minnesota.

In his first trip by us, he was already falling behind. He just didn't seem on pace.

Of course, we later learned his right knee was hurting. But as long as he was passing people, I figured he was fine.

What I liked about the golf course setup was that the runners passed by spectator areas in many places.

Cold yet?

Where did his gloves go?? Anyway, his finishing time was the slowest since his first few weeks. But at least he finished strong and didn't finished last.

Just another look at the bundled up spectators! B-r-r-r.

Besides Carter and team Royal, we also got to see our friend and former co-worker Jeff and cheer on his daughter, who was running varsity for Stevens Point. Also got to take pictures for my friend Becky, whose daughter was running varsity for Wisconsin Rapids. That was fun.

After we came home and warmed up, I did go out for a short 2-mile run -- I think just to prove I can run in this weather, too. Ha. Then Jim, Carter and friend Tyler and I all went up to the theater in Stevens Point to watch the movie Trouble with the Curve.

Oh, Clint Eastwood, you never disappoint me! Jim and I both enjoyed it. And no, we did not make the boys sit by us. (I wasn't gonna share my popcorn!) They said they liked the movie as well.

Dropped Tyler off and now we're home, wondering if at 7:30 at night it's not too late to be productive. Since Jim's Reds start their playoff game in a half hour, I don't think that's gonna happen. Might have to hit the hot tub, though, before snuggling under the blankets for the night.

I still can't get warm enough. And this is only fall! Sigh...

TGIFFF (Thank God it's Funny Foto Friday)

It didn't really feel like a Friday today. You normally have that upbeat feeling knowing the weekend is merely hours away. But I tell you, working five whole days in a row took a lot out of me!

Oh I hear your sympathy!

No. Seriously, I was just a bit down, thinking of a couple close friends going through some serious challenges right now. They really don't need to be cheered up, per se, just made aware I am here for them, I guess.

But to cheer myself up, I decided to look at some vacation photos. Wow, I got some great photos! I don't even know where to begin with them so I figured I'd start with the weird and wacky ones...

Anyone fluent in French? We saw this road sign in Canada and while we assumed it was something about "Children at play," we wondered if they just "play dead" or what? Maybe "Quiet Zone: Our children are napping" ? 

I guess it loosely means: "Be careful of our children, they could be yours." Ok, but I still don't like that graphic. It's just a bit creepy!

We saw a lot of neat, historic items at The Old Stone House Museum in Vermont. Jim's cousins Don knew the history on this one. Apparently it was quite a tale in those parts! 

This is the famous "Fur Fish"! Legend has it, it is so cold in northern Vermont, the fish grow fur! So somebody way back when capitalized on that idea and probably charged admission for people to see it.

A dog with dreadlocks?? Yah, mon! Who knew Montpelier, Vermont, is the capitol of Groovy?

This guy drew quite a crowd outside a business appropriately called The Quirky Pet. His owner looked like a hippy (in a stereotypical way) so I wasn't sure what was up. I have since researched "dogs and dreadlocks" and have discovered there are a few breeds that grow hair that does naturally look like dreads. Again, who knew?

Another "odd" sight in Montpelier was this woman who got out of her car in front of the state capitol building and just started hula-hooping. We honestly weren't sure if she was doing it in hopes people would drop some money near by or if she was on a dare or just entertaining her kid. Not sure why you'd do that there of all places! Hmmm....

But who am I to judge? Here I am perfecting my pirouette before a triple-lutz attempt in the Olympic Center in Lake Placid! It didn't even cross my mind to be embarrassed when a lady waited to walk between us until Jim was done taking a picture of his middle-aged ballerina.I just looked at her and said, "Yes, we're tourists!" (I think my photographer was a bit embarrassed.)

Probably shouldn't be surprised then, that after 7 days on the road together, hubby pointed out this license plate. He just saw it and said, "I'm not gonna say anything."

Well that speaks volumes, doesn't it?

Good thing I have a sense of humor on both sides of the camera. Most days anyway.

La-Zy Boy

Although it sounds like a contradiction, some people will go to great lengths to be lazy.

While I can't claim a complete exemption from this title, I hadve come a lot way since I reigned supreme in my childhood and teen years. Yup, I've been reminded that the term "lazy teenager" is redundant. And thankfully been assured I am not alone in dealing with this.

I will admit that numerous times in my childhood my mother called me helpless. Not hopeless, but helpless, to be clear it is the polar opposite of being helpful. I get the point. Now.

I know I was not the only teenager like this. In fact, I got hard evidence this past weekend that at least one of my sisters had this work avoidance business down to a science. As some background, my mother was one of those (I bet yours was, too) who made you sit at the table until you were done eating. If it was something we didn't like -- onion in anything, liver, beets, even lumpy oatmeal -- we were to sit there until we ate it. To her credit, we were poor and really couldn't afford to waste any food.

But my one sister (who out of the goodness of my heart will remain nameless) used this rule to her advantage. She realized that if she sat there long enough pretending not to like the food, then by the time the dishes were done, she could miraculously eat it and, by coincidence, get out of doing dishes.

Man, I wish I would have thought of that. I hated doing the dishes. I still do!

The parents in this house aren't nearly so stringent. And we're paying for it.

Carter doesn't have a list of chores, so to speak, but he is good about putting his dishes in the dishwasher and running that occasionally. He has washed his clothes on occasion, rarely folding them, but does take care of his own room. Still, when asked to do anything -- like pick up branches in the back yard so Dad can mow -- he gives this big sigh like we just asked him to walk a mile on hot coals before being hung by his fingernails for an hour!

Last night, we was concerned he misplaced his student ID card. He ran downstairs to see if it accidentally went through the wash like his iPod did early this year. After checking every pocket in his pants and shorts, he came upstairs and reported he did not find it.

"So are your clothes in the dryer now?" I asked.

He gave me this blank stare like "Huh?" and said no.

"You mean you touched every item of clothing in there and didn't bother to put them in the dryer?"

Uhmmm, no.

Uff da. And here I thought common sense skipped my generation!

Granted, he was on a mission (and did later find it in his room), but still, it seems logical that the clothes were just sitting there, clean and wet and needed to get into the dryer.

Maybe lazy trumps logic when it comes to teenagers. I think we'll have plenty of examples to chose from as we figure this out.

Anger Management

It's natural to get angry when things don't go our way.

We're frustrated with ourselves because we aren't doing something right or can't handle it. Sometimes we're mad at other people who appear to be on a mission to make our day (or lives) miserable. Other times, when patience, understanding and sanity have run their course, we are angry at God.

You don't have to be ashamed to admit it. I would hazard a guess that we've all been there.

I have a dear, dear friend who is residing there right now. She is angry because a loved one is seriously ill and God allowed it to happen. She asks, like we've all asked, "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?"

Sometimes I think it's because there's a lesson in there that someone is going to learn. Sometimes I think it's an experience that eventually will touch someone in some way that will change their lives. It could be someone you don't even know yet. Sometimes it's just a step in some strange string of events we won't figure out for some time down the road. And still other times, I have a feeling he dishes it out to those he knows can handle it.

I know my friend's loved one has a great system of support in my friend alone, plus her entire family and probably good friends, too. She's in good hands. But why does she of all people have to suffer?

Only God knows that, I told my friend.

She raises her fists in the air and wants an answer. You might not want His answer, I said. God won't give it to you anyway until He knows you're ready.

Is that frustrating? Yes. But it doesn't mean it's going to be a sad story with a tragic ending. We don't know that.

I reminded her that just 9 months ago, I had so much anxiety I could barely leave the house, let alone drive down the block. I was angry and puzzled about why it was happening. I reminded my friend, that if I hadn't been so "sick" I might not have been so adamant about getting everything checked out, and the doctor might not have found my pre-cancerous cells before they became cancerous. My months of hell became my little miracle. And who knows, there may be more to this ongoing story.

Was I angry at God during any of that? You bet. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't healing fast enough or finding his strength and confidence working through me. God eventually did do that for me. But it was on His timeline, not mine.

I have had some life experiences -- quite a few actually -- that have taken me to Hell and back. Some trips were longer than others. The important thing, the one for which I most grateful, is that I made it back.

Please say an extra prayer for my friend so she knows there will be a return trip home.

And while you're at it, why not thank Him for the times He's gotten you there, too?

Mind Over Matter -- When it Matters

Hubby and I don't exactly recall how we stumbled upon the quaint little village of Littleton, New Hampshire, on our recent trip. We know it was en route from Vermont to Boston, but can't recall if it was a pit stop, a gas stop or a wrong turn courtesy of "Jill," our persistent GPS!

Whatever the reason, we decided to park the car and check it out. I grabbed my camera for some photo ops and Jim grabbed his wallet in case we found a New Hampshire shot glass for his sister. (She's missing that one in her state collection).

We stopped in a little tourist trap shop first. While Jim searched for the perfect little gift (and he found it), I wandered about, too, eyeing the fudge behind the counter and checking out weird knick knacks I had no use for. Then I saw it. Gleaming before me like Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket.

The World's Longest Candy Counter.

I wasn't kidding! It had dozens and dozens of items to choose from. Everything from bubble gum cigars and gummy "fried eggs" to rootbeer barrels and maybe even the Everlasting Gobstopper! Whoa.

Although we weren't on a tight time schedule, I knew it was best not to spend the many, many, many minutes looking over the entire selection to find the perfect treat for my taste palate. Somehow I walked out of that store without so much as a gum drop.

How is it sometimes I can master that self-control, that elusive will power, and other times.... not so much?

I don't know if it was really mind over matter since I later helped my self to some sort of deep-fried fantasy at the Cheers bar. I also managed to hold off having ice cream the whole vacation until Ben & Jerry's after our tour. Of course, splitting a pint with hubby isn't exactly a healthy portion size either.

I kept telling myself: "This is vacation. Enjoy it. Don't worry about calories or exercise. Wear lose pants if you have to. Get back on track when you get back."

Well then sister weekend followed up shortly. I did go running on the day in between. But during our getaway, ice cream and chocolate and yes, even fudge, were on hand for those lacking will power or exercising any mind over matter. That was basically ALL of us!

Still, I again told myself: "This is girls' weekend. Enjoy it. Don't worry about calories or exercise. Wear lose pants if you have to. Get back on track when you get back."

Well I'm back but I still had to get through a fall festival potluck and party at work today. Now I have no excuses. And after seeing some unflattering (in my critical opinion) photos of myself, I really do have to get to get back on track. Back to my good routine of drinking water all the time, running some of the time and having treats only a little of the time.

I need to adopt the Littleton motto for pedestrian crossings:

I need to stop... look at my options for making a smart choice... and wave as I walk past that temptation.

Lord knows if I don't pay attention, I'm likely to get run over!

Back to the Daily Grind

Everyone needs 12 days away from the office. It's that 13th day that's a killer. And really, it wasn't the 5:44 a.m. alarm that was as much a rude awakening as stepping into the kitchen after my shower and realizing I forgot to set up the coffee pot. Ugh.

Had to wait until I got to work to brew a pot. Believe me, I was mainlining caffeine by 8 a.m.!

It actually felt a little OK to be back to the daily grind. My team had a new publishing procedure to adjust to today so I got jump right into the stressful chaos that is magazine deadline day. Good thing I got the coffee in my system!

I will say it was a challenge to just sit at my desk all day. No sights to see and certainly no excuses to jump out of my chair and take a picture of something! I did upload my pictures to transfer them onto a flash drive. Who wants to guess how many pictures I took during my 12 days off?? Remember, my memory card only hold 2,000 or so.

Here's a hint: Between the two vacations, I traveled about 1,300+ miles. I took more than a picture per mile.

Not kidding.

Turns out I snapped 1,712 images in 12 days.

Not kidding.

Yup, I need an intervention. Don't worry I'm not going to post them all here and bore you. But I will get some up when I get time. And I will probably just have to digitally create a scrapbook so I don't have a gigantic box of printed photos staring me in the face.

I did get one of us girls from this past weekend.

Here we are in order of age (don't  hate me, Rayna) from oldest on down: Rayna (far left), Romey, Renell, RoAnn, Rachel and then Raylene and me. Technically Raylene should be last (by 9 minutes), but I was operating the self-timer on my camera so I had to run into place in 10 seconds or less. I think it worked pretty nice. Just more autumn beauty for you to enjoy. Ha.

OK, I better log off and go get the coffee pot set to brew in the morning. Two days of work in a row will be hard enough to deal with as it is.