Colder Weather

Now, I absolutely love the song "Colder Weather" by the Zac Brown Band.  I am not, however, in love with the colder weather happening outside at the present moment. 

Although I know it could always be worse, this first cold blast of Arctic air is always a shock to the system.  That being said, I'm a native of this frozen tundra.  I know what to expect and I know that after a few days/weeks of the frigid temperatures, 20 degrees will feel like a heat wave.

I've had the opportunity to befriend a new officer working at my facility.  He is from  New York, but his heritage is from West Africa.  

Now, if I AM cold, can you imagine what he is feeling?  LOL

It's really all good though.  Last year at this time we had a foot of snow on the ground.  Last night we  received a dusting of snow.  I can handle that.  Bring on the colder weather and leave the snow for someone else.  After the last three winters, I'm kinda diggin the thought of a brown Christmas. LOL

Namaste'

Sherry

So much to write..

..and I do not know where to start.

As you may guess from the tag line, my life has been quite hectic...yet again. 

I had training two days last week on Motivational Interviewing - a communication skill used to dig "deeper" in to conversation.  In my work setting, it's geared towards inmates and getting them to see the "bigger picture."  In order to effectively use this skill, we had to practice using the skills on each other by interviewing each other on "target behaviors" we wanted to change in ourselves.  I picked "over scheduling."  Surprise, surprise.

When I was interviewed by a few of the team members in my group, they kept asking or intimating if I was dissatisfied with my life or unhappy with the things that I was doing.  I simply laughed.  My response to both were, "No, I am not dissatisfied with what I'm doing, I just want to do MORE of what I'm doing..therein lies the problem!"  Pure and simple.

For those that know me, and know me well, you know that I'm a go-getter.  I don't like to sit down, I  want to be going and doing and...and..quite simply..Living Life!!

One of the individuals says, "and why is that a problem?"  My response, "To me, it's not..but I don't want it to become a problem either." 

So what has been taking up my time recently?  In general, it's LIFE.  Work, family, friends, keeping up with things on the home front (laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc), teaching yoga, bookwork, emails, phone calls, holidays now that they're upon us, gym, training with Casey (more on that later), and just general stuff. 

My overscheduling comes in when I try and fit too many things in to my week.  Recently I had one...count it..ONE ...free night out of seven.  What did I do?  I scheduled in time with some of my family, met up with some friends, and went home to hubster  (who was asked but didn't want to join in on the meeting with friends and family) to watch a movie and eat popcorn.

My dilemna is I feel bad for neglecting my husband, family and friends.  It's no secret that I teach yoga and go to the gym in an effort to keep healthy in both mind and body.  It wasn't always a priority for me and I damn near lost my life because I wasn't healthy in either mind or body.   When I do get spare time, I try to schedule things so I am not one of those poeple who "isn't there for anyone."... know what I mean?  I can only hope that those who love me, know me, and support me in my quest to live life to the fullest.

What else is going on?

Well, I'm losing my 4th trainer - Casey - in a few weeks.  :(   I'm seriously going to miss this young man.  We bonded immediately and he's become a good friend as well as an awesome trainer.  He will be graduating or leaving JC December 15th...which means he'll also be leaving Anytime Fitness.   We had a training session last week that was hilarious.  He whipped off his "TRAINER" shirt and commenced to working out right alongside me.  Rep for rep, set for set.  Of course, he had to show off and do heavier weights.  LOL  I gave him as much grief as he gave me.  We were both laughing so hard ...but I loved every minute of it.   I have two session left with him I think.  I'm going to have to think of a great going away/thank you gift to give him.  Anyone have any ideas?

Enough for now...going to go chill out for a bit and get ready for another hectic week ahead.  :)

Love to all!!

A Grocery Store Experience.

The grocery store by my mother-in-law's house (1 block) closed it's doors yesterday for three months.  It was purchased by another company who is doing a remodel project. 

Normally that would be a good thing.  However, that grocery store was the source of my mother-in-law's exercise and socialization.  She would walk to the grocery store no less than twice a day for exercise, to pick up groceries (maybe one or two items) then go home.  Sometimes she would go to the deli and buy a meal to eat at home and quite often she would sit on the benches and visit with people.

She's 91 years of age and a pure spitfire.  So she's not taking this "desertion" of her grocery store very well at all.   In her words, "it's the pits!" lol

So, herein begins the process of what to do for her 1) exercise, 2) groceries 3) food.  Oh lordy me, what a process this is going to be!

1) Exercise
I explained to Ella that just because the grocery store was closed, it didn't mean that she had to stop walking over to the mall.  There was still the Pantry cafe, White's Home Center and White Drug.  She seemed OK with that.

2)  Groceries was another story. lol.  Today I took her to the "other" grocery store in town.  What an excursion.  She had her list...a whopping five items...grabbed a cart and proceeded to follow me around the grocery store getting acquainted with the store and where everything was.  Of course, everything was referenced by "the OLD store did it this way" or "at the Old store they had 'this' and 'that'". lol   We did finally manage to get everything  after being there for an hour ..for five items. :)

3) Food.  She is used to going to the deli to get something warm and hot to eat each and every day.  That is not an option now unless she goes to The Pantry Cafe for a meal, which she could certainly do.  I've tried to get her "Meals on Wheels" delivered to her, but she says that is "charity, and I don't take charity."   OK, I get that.  She has pride.   So, I have decided that I need to get better at cooking meals, planning, so that I can take leftovers in to her. 

All in all, today was a good day though.  We have a standing date to do brunch and grocery shopping on Sundays.  If anything, it will give me some quality time with my mother-in-law, and give her something to look forward to all week.

This is so cool!!!

A couple of weeks ago I was talking with my trainer, Casey, that I seemed to be hitting a wall in my workouts.  He, in typical fashion, said "work harder."   No shit Sherlock!

Then he suggested that I get a heart rate monitor so that I could see how long I was in the zone and how hard I was working.

Great idea....I immediately went home and started shopping and came up with the "Polar FT-4"

This is a cool little unit!!  First of all, it's pretty pink...  and it does everything but sing to me.  (I'm sure it does that too if I could figure out how to run all the features on it!"

Anywho...tonight at the gym I strapped this baby on for the third time and commenced to working out.

Casey and I had already decided determined that my heartrate zone should be between 128 (min) -148 (max).   I asked what happened if I went in to the 150's and Casey says, "go for it, just don't die on my watch."  Gotta love that guy!  LOL

So...back to my story.

Tonight I was definitely looking to step things up a notch.  And I did just that!

Duration:  1:15:54
Calories: 514
In Zone: 49:11
Average HR: 138
Maximum HR: 156

Keep in mind that this was not all cardio....I was lifting 3 sets of 12-15 reps on legs and arms.

Not bad for a 49 yr old yoga instructor!  

Darkness

This whole time change thing is really messing with my head.  It was rather nice this morning to actually drive to work in the daylight.   However, having dusk at 6pm in the evening bites!  Just sayin!

I'm not one to suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but if I was, I'd be moving to someplace that is sunny and warm ALL the time.   Come to think of it, maybe I'll just move to some place sunny and warm anyways! lol

Now, in an attempt to be fair and positive, I'm going to sit down and find five GOOD things to say about this time change and the dwindling daylight hours.

1) Driving to work in daylight at 7:30 was pleasant.
2)
3)
4)
5)
 

Sherry

What? It's been THAT long?

OK, I know that I've been busy, but this is ridiculous!  I didn't realize that my last published post to this blog was September 29th.  Sheeeeeshhh!!!  My bad, folks!

I need to get better at sitting down and writing something every day so you blog stalkers (you know who you are!) have more insight to my quirky mind!  ;)

So, what has been going on?   Family, yoga, family, yoga, work, exercise, family, yoga, yoga, and more yoga. 

OK.  End of post!   JUST KIDDING!!  lol 

The month of October started out with my cousins Valerie and Keith coming from California so that Keith could experience bow hunting (deer) North Dakota style.   He left without a deer.  lol.   Hey...that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.  However, he may have left without a deer, but he and his sister Valerie left some pretty freaking fantastic memories of what us NoDak cousins are all about. 

I took three days off from work so that I could spend time with my cousins and I thoroughly enjoyed every minutes.  Saying goodbye was tough to do though.  

The very next week was the annual Schulz Oktoberfest held at The Bunker.  As usual, it's all about getting together, having some food (duh!  We ARE Schulz's!!) and drink (uhhh...hello!!  Schulz +.Oktoberfest =Beer!).  Besides that, it's about family.  I wouldn't trade those moments with my family for all the gold in the world.  They mean everything to me!

We were missing a few this year:  Shelly, Randy, Glenn, Michael, and Joan.   We'll hope that next year brings us all together and in good health.

As I'm writing this, I just finished my first every yoga retreat.  You'll have to go to my yoga blog www.betterlifethroughyoga.blogspot.com to read all about and see just a few of the pictures from the weekend (more will be posted later).

So ya, October was a busy month for me to say the least.  Truth be told, November isn't looking much better. LOL  Oh well...at least I'm living life to the fullest and not watching it pass me by. 

Until next time my friends,

Sherry

Can we talk about this?

Hmmm...that would be a ..NO?  

Ever had someone start out a conversation with "Can we talk?" and the first thing that comes to your mind is, "OH crap!"  Ya, me too.  Hate it when that happens.

As you're listening to the person begin their conversation, your mind wanders off to all the possibilities of what "could be wrong." You're so wrapped up in your personal mind conversation that you aren't even listening to them speak...that is, until you hear the words, "so you're ok with it then?" 

Ya....that would be "Oh crap" moment #2. 

What do you say.  Yes? without being totally aware of what you are agreeing to?  I urge you to rethinkg your strategy! 

I mean, seriously!  You could've just agreed to donate your left kidney to someone's Uncle Bob who smokes three paks of cigs a day, has three teeth in his mouth (and two of them are crooked), and can't see his feet cuz his tummy hangs to his knees.  

Well if ain't "Yes"...then ...No?  

They got you here!  If you say "No", then you'd best be ready to back up the reasons for you saying to " No" to whatever they were proposing.  This could be very, VERY bad. 

, "I'll think about it and get back to you tomorrow."  might  just work.  That's always an ace in the hole...UNTIL... they say, "sure, but don't take too long, it's urgent that I have your answer asap." 

They got you!  Now what do you do?  Ask them, "soooo exactly what were you talking about again?"  Like that will get you brownie points!  Smooth move Einstein!

No the best way to handle this is to simple go lay under your desk, cover up with a blanket and suck your thumb praying that the other person develops a fast moving case of amnesia or gets hit by a truck!

And have a nice day! 

Football.

Can we take a few moments to discuss....football? 

It's become a serious problem for me.  I think I need to find me a twelve-step program to overcome my frustration and anger when it comes to the game. 

I mean...really!....I'm a pretty calm, cool, collected person.  I am...99.9 % of the time.  Except on Sundays!  Well..OK..weekends in general...cuz college football is driving me crazy too!

Let's get things rolling with the Vikings, shall we? 

Let's see....three games played, three games they were ahead in the first half and three games they lost it in the second half.

Now, I can't help but wonder that if anyone...and I mean anyone... on that team felt that the second half was just as important as the first half...that maybe, just MAYBE the Vikings would be 3-0 rather than 0-3.   I'm getting a little verklempt here so I best move on or I'm gonna have a stroke.

Now...on to college football.  My beloved Jimmies (yes Casey, that means you!) WON yesterday!  Yaay!!!!  Jimmies are now 1-2.  Not a stellar record but hey, a win is a win!  And Casey, you're off the hook. Our training session will be all about me now rather than me giving you a pep talk on the finer points of this football game.  :)  Aren't you happy now?!

Half of ND  was glued to the TV watching the NDSU Bison trample the University of Minnesota yesterday.  I have ties to both schools so it was hard for me to cheer one team over the other...but let's just say this.  GO North Dakota!! ~L~

That's it.  I'm done with football!   (Until NEXT weekend!)  :)

Brrrrrrr....

What happened to all the sunshine and warm temperatures??   I know the Autumn equinox is a few days away.  I shouldn't be all that surprised that the weather is taking a turn for the ugly side.  I can, however, wish for a reprieve and a return of warm(er) weather and sunshine.  Can't I?  :)

I received an email from a friend on my birthday stating that they keep up on what's going on with me through my blog.  I realized that..hmmm...perhaps I need to do more posting on my blog.  It's been hard with my schedule coupled with the nice weather.  But now that it's dark earlier and I'm forced indoors, I'm hoping to be more present in both of my blogs.  (Keeping fingers crossed).

So, what's new with me??  Well, as you probably read in earlier posts, I turned 49 on September 9th.  Do I feel 49?  Heck no!  Do I act 49?  Heck no!  Do I look 49?  I'm trying like hell not to! ~L~  I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Age is just a number!"  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  :) 

I had a lovely birthday celebration that lasted pretty much all weekend.  (LOVE it when that happens!)

Friday, my birthday, my sister Peg, my hubster, brother Terry (his birthday was on the 8th), his wife Marna, her sister Donelle, and my other main man, Blaine had dinner at IDK and had the best German pizza ever.  Of course, we had beers!  Saturday I went to the Jimmie's Football game to watch Casey (my trainer) do his thing as star receiver for the Jimmies.  He fumbled his first catch (hehehe).  I later told him that it was ok..but we were going to have to work on his game a little bit more if he was going to continue to be my trainer.  Ya, me and my big mouth!  He got even with me on our next training session.  C-Shift of JRCC recruited me to be on their flag football team, so following the Jimmie's game, I hightailed it over to the ball diamonds, strapped on the pretty green flags and proceeded to play football JRCC style.  There was no shortage of "Sherry, stand there."  and "Sheeerrryy..stand over THERE!" comments most of the game.  It worked.  I didn't get hit and I didn't break any bones..my two major goals for the game! ~LOL~  Then, off to Traxx to meet up with friends from work and my C-Shift teammates.  A good time was had by all...right down to the shift singing Happy Birthday to me.  It was a great night spent with wonderful friends.

Other than that, my life is going pretty good. I'm undertaking a few projects that are going to keep me busier than normal.  I'm up for  the challenge though.  One is for a cause near and dear to my heart, Special Olympics.  (more on that in future posts).

I found this quote that I wanted to share with you too.  It pretty much describes how I feel about living life.

As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do. ~Zachary Scott
Thats it...a quick but fairly accurate update of my life according to Sherry.

Namaste'

Its the new 29!

I turned 49 yesterday.  Uh-huh.  Staring 50 square in the eyes.  But you know what?  I'm not really all that concerned.  I've decided that 49 is the new 29!

Why not??!!  Age is just a number anyways.

I mean...really! I feel like I'm 35,been told I look like I'm 39 and I act young for my age.  I refuse to grow old just  because the calendar says I should.  I'll be old when I FEEL old.  Know what I mean??

So ya, I turned 49.  Big deal!  It's just a number to me.  What counts is how I feel.

 And I feel freakin fantastic!! 

Sherry

PS:  If I play my cards right, this birthday thing can last ALL weekend long!  Happy Birthday to Me! ~LOL~

Tunes to Rock Out

We all have them.... those certain songs that get is in the mood to rock out.  I was cruising Itunes and YouTube last night and found "Sweet Child Of Mine" by Guns -N-Roses.   Yep!  There I was at midnight jamming out to the song with my headphones on.   I was tempted to sing it like I was a rock star but figured better not at that time of the night...hubs  would NOT have appreciated it.

Now, I know I'm going to date myself a little bit here...but  they just DO NOT make music like that anymore!  I mean..c'mon...really?  Justin Beieber??  That's bubblegum chewing rock music.  I'm talking REAL rock music like Led Zepplin, ZZ Top, ELO, Bachman Turner Overdrive,  Foghat AC/DC, JOURNEY (my all time favorite, if you didn't already know it!), Aeroesmith, The Stones.   THAT"S what I'm talking about!!  Something you can get you groove on with.  I can't really do that to Justin Bieber. 

So you can pretty much guess what's on my ipod play list when I wanna get in the mood - and by in the mood I mean ROCKIN GOOD TIME mood.  

I went to a wedding dance a few weeks ago and the DJ played some really nice music...people danced, it was all good.  But the party didn't really start until he played the classics that I mentioned above.  Then you shoulda seen the place jumpin.  Yes, yours truly had "happy feet". ~L~

So, don't give me no rap, R & B, and no bubblegum music!  Give me something that I can sink my teeth into and move my feet to.  Give me the good ole rock and roll music!

It's not rocket science....

1.  Remove dish from table
2.  Walk it to the sink
3.  Turn on faucet
4.   Insert dish under running water
5.   Turn off faucet
6.    Pivot on heels, turning towards direction of dishwasher
7.   Open dishwasher with free hand
8.   Insert rinsed dish in to dishwasher
9.   Close dishwasher.
10.  Make wife happy.

See....it is NOT that tough.  Really.

A pleasant surprise.

...was sitting on my windshield tonight after I finished yoga classes. 

Tied to the windshield wiper was...a beautiful blue 1st Place ribbon for Boce (Special Olympics) addressed to one Blaine Schulz!

Yes, my guy snuck up to my yoga class venue without being seen or heard and strategically placed his newest ribbon on my 4Runner....sharing his 1st Place win with me.

Now....I had been having a bad day - prior to yoga.  But...this absolutely made the disaster of a day nothing but a memory.  I was sooooooooo proud of him...and thankful that he thought enough of me to share his ribbon with me.

So..thank YOU Blaine...for being the wonderful man that you are...for doing your best in Special Olympics and being all that you can be...and for being a part of my life.  

I thank God every day for the beautiful gift of You!! 

Love you buddy!!

The health benefits of coffee and Irish Cream Liquor

Now now...do not let the subject line taint your opinion about the blog post right off the bat.  I am serious about the health benefits of this combination of liquids.

Have you ever met a cup of coffee that you haven't liked?  Ok, that statement doesn't pertain to peeps who just plain don't like coffee....you guys are just weird! 

For us coffee drinkers, it's all about the texture, the color, the deep aroma and the flavor of a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.  The fact that I've sampled MANY cups in my quest to find such perfection should not  go unnoticed.  

Now, add to that my love of  Bailey's Irish Cream Liquor.  What can I say.  Pure ambrosia.  When you mix the two together, to make a smooth, creamy cup of relaxing perfection...well...what more is there to be said.

Oh ya.  Health Benefits, you ask?  Glad you reminded me.  Thanks!

1)  Coffee lowers blood pressure
2)  Bailey's Irish Creams causes relaxation.

Result....one calm, cool, relaxed Sherry!  

Sweet Dreams Peeps!!

It's about the food.

So tonight I went out to dinner with my good friends Becky and Stacey.  We went to a lovely little Mexican restaurant in town that Stacey hadn't been to yet.  ( I know, she's a little behind the times!)

Anywho, we drink a little, ate some chips and salso, and perused  the menu as we chattered  non-stop.  "What have you been doing?" or "What ever happened to..." and definitely,   "Have you done anything fun this summer" could be heard sprinkled about the conversation between the three of us.   That is....until the food arrived.

Oh my gosh.  I had this delightful concoction that was divine!  I couldnt pronounce it when I ordered it...I had to point to the picture like a little two yr old!  The poor waiter rattled if off with no problem (like Duh! he's Mexican!) and all I could do was nod in agreement and mutter "me want".  I'm pathetic.  But I digress.  When it arrived, it was absolutely wonderful!!! 

Judging by the silence at the table for a few minutes  while we were all digging in to our food - it really is all about the food.  

Sure we had a good time catching up with each other, laughing, sharing stories and anecdotes of what had happened with each other.   But...we could have done that anywhere.   No one says,  "Let's meet at the gym." or "Let's meet and go for a walk." 

Nope.  It's all about comfort and our tummies...which is really an oxymoron because after eating ALL that food tonight there was nothing comfortable about my tummy! ~LOL~   (and yes, I did undo my belt one notch before driving home!)  :)

How to ruin a perfectly good day!

Get out of bed.

Realize today is Monday.

Forget that the power was out and when you reset the clocks you set them for the actual time rather than the customary 15 minutes early.

Remember that you used the last of the coffee yesterday...thus...no caffein buz to kick you in to high gear.

Dash out of the house 15 minutes late.  (Refer back to previous entry)

Get a mile from home and discover that the "low air in tire" sensor light is flashing.

Get five miles from home with the "your tire is going flat" sensor light starts flashing.

Roll in to Toyota dealership just as the "you're screwed, your tire is now flat" sensor light starts flashing.

Arrive at work one hour late only to find out that the office is short staffed and you are pulling double duty.  Your work will set the whole day.

Success...you've just ruined a perfectly good day!   :(

Quick Encounter; Instant Connection.

Have you ever met someone - however briefly it may be - and found an instant connection to them?  I have...and I was fortunate to have it happen this week - twice.

My sister played host to two beautiful young women from the Missoula Children's Theatre.  Emily C. and Molly M.  Two of the most warm, inviting, funny and talented young ladies I've ever met.  They travel from town to town in the midwest casting, directing and presenting plays using the local talented children. 

They rolled in to town on Sunday (last week), started casting the play at 11:00am on Monday and had two performances:  one Friday evening the other on Saturday afternoon.  WOW!!

I was lucky enough to spend some time with them on Tuesday night when we went out for dinner.  I learned that Emily is from Massachussetts and Molly is from Los Angeles.  I wouldn't have guessed that they were from larger cities.  They were so earthy, polite, funny and engaging.  They spoke of their love for live theatre and the process of auditioning that brought them to the Missoula Children's Theatre - and ultimately Jamestown ND.  Quite the story these girls had and it was fun listening to them.  I'd have to say that they are quite adventurous to be traveling the upper midwest all by themselves, staying with strange people  (no, I am NOT saying my sister is strange - although she DOES have her moments from time to time!) every week and dealing with young people.  Quite gutsy and only indivuals with a lot of confidence in themselves and their talent would rise to the challenge.  They both have what it takes!  When they make it in the big time, I'll be proud to say "I knew them when..."   :)

I'll probably never ever see these young ladies again in my lifetime.  But for the time we spent together last Sunday, Tuesday and today...the connection was instaneous and lifelong.

Safe journeys ladies!

Namaste'

It's Pretty Quiet Around Here

You do not realize how much pets add to your life until they are no longer part of your life.  This is my first blog post since the death of my "little B"....my cat, Boris, who passed away on July 11th, at 4am in the morning. 

It's taken me all this time to come to grips with losing the little guy and I'm finally able to pay him tribute without breaking down and sobbing.

His death was sudden and traumatic death in that he was fine around 6:30pm after I gave him his insulin shot, but he took a turn for the worst around 8:30pm - crying out in pain and having seizures.  I won't go in to details as I  really do not want to relive them...they're too painful.  I'll just say that I've only experienced that type of pain and helplessness once before in my life...and this was just as traumatic to my heart as the previous time.

We don't have children, so all the love we possessed was given to this wonderful "little B."  B is for Boris..yes...but I called him "little B" because he was my little boy.   He gave his love to me unconditionally - as long as I kept his food dish full.  :)  If it was empty, well...all bets were off.  He had this uncanny knack for knowing my moods.  He'd crawl up in to my lap and cuddle with me when I was blue.  He'd chase me around the house growling (yes, growling) with his tail all fluffy and bushy.  He'd test my patience by  ruffling  papers with his paws....right up to the point where I got up off of my chair...then he'd terrorize the house by running full speed a head until I sat back in the chair. (Then he'd  repeat the process all over again).

I took his death hard, but my hubster has been devastated.  Boris was there for  T when I was off teaching yoga or hitting the gym.  They spent their lunch hours together snoozing in the recliner and Boris liked to give me "attitude" when I tried to horn in on their bonding time. 

Yes, it's pretty quiet around here.  No one to wake us up with a paw in the face to remind us its feeding time.  No little B to meet us at the door when we come home, and no little B to fill our world with his meows  to let us know he loved us. 

A dear friend sent me this beautiful saying.  I'm holding on to the thought that one day I will once again see my "Lil B".  

The Rainbow Bridge

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play with each other.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on earth.

So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! The nose twitches! The ears are up! The eyes are staring! And this one suddenly runs from the group!
You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again and again, and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated.

  You will always be in my heart!

  I love you Lil B!

1998 - 2011

Diabetes

I now have to learn how to give insulin shots...to my cat Boris.  :(

Yes, I bit the bullet and took my poor lil kitty kat Boris to the vet.  It's normally a traumatic experience involving Valium (for me!)  The lil dude didn't put up much of a fight when I guided him in the pet carrier.  I believe he was thinking "oh thank gawd she is FINALLY taking me in!"

What was the deciding factor?  My Boris would sound like a heard of  thundering elephants as he raced down the hallway to get to his food dish...then sit and way non-too-patiently for me to arrive to fill his dish so he could eat with gusto.  Well, Monday he didn't race down the hall...he meandered...and when he arrived at his food dish, he turned and started drinking a half gallon of water.  Ut-oh!   NOT normal Boris-like behavior.

That and the fact that he was extremely sleepy - even for a cat.

Off we go to see the vet who had an answer for me within an hour.  "Your Boris has diabetes."  Wow.  I don't have children, but that was a "parent-like" emotion that went through me at the word "Diabetes."  My mother had diabetes...  hate that word!

So now, we start the process of giving insulin shots twice a day - preferably 12 hrs apart.  Now..most of you know my schedule. .... craziness at it's best.  This is going to be interesting.   Hubs and I are already doing the responsible parenting thing.  Our conversation this morning was..."Ok, I can give him the shot this morning, but I won't be home until after 7 tonight...so if you get home before me....he's do for his shot at 6:30pm."  

I know, I know...but it's my lil Boris....I'd do anything so he feels better and sounds like a herd of thundering elephants again!

Side note:  I flew solo on my first insulin shot  tonight.  I still have all the skin intact on my arms and no bite marks...so I must've done alright!  :)

Sherry

Water

Everywhere I look, there is water!!!  I can't help but say that I'm a little tired of it.   We've had two downpours in the last four hours, and a third one is happening right now.  I came back from town and had to lock the 4Runner in to 4wheel drive in order to navigate the country roads.  Sick!

What's worse is this is NOT helping the flooding situation in the state.  The ground is already so saturated that the water has no where to go....but in to already swollen rivers, creeks, dams. 

My heart aches for the communities in the Minot area.  The Souris river has overflowed and caused 12,000 people to flee  their homes.  And with the recent rains, it doesn't look like the water is going to be receding anytime soon.   I told someone the other day that when the water does recede in both Minot and Bismarck, I'm going to go for a weekend and just help wherever and whomever I can.  It's the least that I can do.   Wish I could do more.

I was talking to one of my former crop insurance adjusters today and he was telling me that the amount of claims (loss)  in the industry is enormous and he doesn't know how they are all going to get worked.  I think if I wanted back in to the industry, now would be the time.  I'm pretty sure I could make good money going out in the field with a team of adjusters and handling claims or even just processing them.   The million dollar question is...do I want in to that rat race again?

It's all about family and food!

I'm back from my yoga conference and I'm one whipped puppy! I have no words to accurately describe the weekend other than WOW!!

Once more, I stayed with my niece and nephew Joan and Matt Larson.  They've (and Karen too!) been so supportive of me and my endeavors that I cannot thank them enough!!  

Now as much as I'm there for the yoga conference and my yoga certification (see my yoga blog for my thoughts on the conference)... my trip to Minneapolis is also about seeing the girls and...the FOOD! 

Oh my gosh people...Minneapolis has the BEST food ever!  Let's break this down shall we?

Wednesday night when I arrived, I was met by Matt and their condo (Joan was on call at the VA hospital), and we were later joined by Karen.  We ate a place called the Mac & Cheese Grill.  I was like "why do they want to grill macaroni and cheese?"  As  I soon discovered, it was a fabulous Italian restauraunt.  I had something called stuffed cannallonie (yes, I know I murdered the spelling!), but boy was it good!

Thursday we went to the Village Wok on campus!  Can you say orgasmic??!!!  I discovered that I have a love for spicy foods! I like it hot, hot HOT and they delivered!   We were joined by Joan and Dave (Karen's beau) and had a lovely time laughing, sharing stories and just being with each other.

Friday...Matt had a wedding rehearsal so it was Girl's Night Out...but we let Dave come along cuz he's such a nice guy!!  :)   We ended up going a Mexican place that was out of this world scrumpteous!  I stuck with a favorite of mine, a Chimichanga, but it was awesome!  Of course, we were having such a good time laughing and eating that time just flew by. 

Now Saturday was something new for me. I've never had Tai food before...so Karen, Dave, and Amy (Karen's roommate) took me to  The King and I in downtown Minneapolis.  I, being the adventurer that I am, decided to go for the gusto and ordered Pad Tai (spicy).  Love, love LOVE Tai food!   Dave totally rocks though cuz he went  Tai  (HOT)!    Yes, I give it two snaps and a WOOT! 

Sunday - the last day of my conference and certification process - was awesome.  The kids (Karen, Matt and Joan) and  I ate at Brasa's.  YUMMMMMYYYY!!!!  I think it's my absolute favorite place in the cities to eat....though the Tai place rocks as well.!

The best part of the whole weekend though was getting to see my girls!  I cannot explain what it like to be with them.  Their energy, their wit and humor, their knowledge and convictions....so totally amazing....both of them.  I'm so proud of them and their accomplishments!  I know that they won't be in Mineapolis or the midwest much longer, so this time spent with them truly meant the world to me. 

The conference was, in of itself, amazing.  I was put through quite a rigorous process but it was all totally worth it!  RYT accomplished!  (Very proud of myself, if I do say so myself!)

As I check the clock and see that it's 10pm and I've been up since  4:30am...I think this bird will fly to bed now.  It's back to the real world and work. 

Goodnight everyone!!
Namaste'

Memorial Day in the Northland.

It's May 30th...and I've got a pot of chili simmering on the stove.  It's a cold, rainy Memorial Day here in the northland and I'm glad to have the chili ready to eat.

There is a classic chili recipe that I follow with modifications. It may not be a five alarm fire,maybe 3.5 - 4.0.  ~L~   A little salsa, V-8 (spicy) juice, jalepeno peppers,stewed tomatoes, a dash of Tobasco, green peppers, onions, red peppers, chili beans (in hot sauce, of course!).  Add some garlic, black pepper, salt and a dash of shredded cheese thrown in to blend it all together and we're good to go!

I'm not one for add ones to my chili - like extra sour cream, taco chips, but I do like to eat it with corn bread.  Yum!!!   I'm hungry already!

Today is Memorial Day...and I'd be remise if I didn't share my thoughts on this day.

•  I  miss my parents terribly.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of them...but their memories live on in my heart.  
•  To my good friends Jerry Z and Sniper Bob, your memories live on in my heart and I still cherish and remember the good times we used to have. 
• To Earl...my brother-in-law.  Every time I see your girls, I see you.  You'd be proud of them.  You live on in them!
• To the men and women that have given their lives for our great Nation...I thank you for all that you've given in order for me to continue to have the freedoms I have in life today.

Namaste'

Every once in a while

..someone touches your heart and you just cannot ignore the imprint they leave on your life.  I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason...and that people come in and out of your life to teach you something. 

I am lucky enough to have a friend that is teaching me the meaning of perseverance, determination, and sheer will power.  My friend, Rick, finished his first marathon at the age of  50.  He finished it in 5:34 minutes - 4 minutes off his goal time. 

I've known Rick since he used to work at the prison with me. I've always known him to be a strong person, kind, and generous.  He has goals in mind and doesn't waiver from them if at all possible.  Last year he was sidelined from the 1/2 marathon by his doctors when it was determined that running could induce a stroke.  Did that stop him?  Nope.  See...he has a bucket list in his mind and running a marathon was on his list.  He told me, "Life is too short to let it pass me by...I'm going to live it!"  Amen brother!!

So, as he recounts his 26.2 mile run - with laughter, some tears, and a huge sense of pride...I realize that everyone once in a while, a person needs to look at his own life and say, "I CAN DO THIS"...and LIVE!

When asked , "what's next on your bucket list?"  He simply laughs and says, "I haven't decided yet...I'll let you know when I have."

Yes, every once in a while someone shows you what it is like to be an inspiration!

Remember those awesome 80's movies..

..you know the ones....the epic movies with the freakin awesome musical number?  Chariots of Fire, Vision Quest, Flashdance, Fame (ok, Fame was a TV show, but it was still freakin awesome), Footloose, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Big Chill, Purple Rain...just to name a few

They don't make movies like those anymore...and they certainly don't have the epic soundtracks that go down in history as classic.  Those types of movies are classics and I could watch them over and over again.  If truth be told...I have Purple Rain on my DVR and it's my "go to" movie when I want to lose myself. 

I can tell you the first time I saw it and with whom.  Was in south Moorehead MN with my best friend (at the time) Jody in the summer of '84.  She talked me in to playing hooky from work (she didn't have to talk hard).  We had pizza at the Speak Easy (best pizza in town!) and then walked across the street to watch the movie.  Freakin Awesome!  I think we picked up a bottle of wine on the way home (yes, I loved wine way back then!), and sat up all night talking about Prince, his music, and the movie.  

I had been a fan of Prince for quite some time.  My friend Sherry Schmidt and the Miami Connection (remind me to tell you about these three guys sometime!) turned me on to Prince and some of his more raw music back in 1981 or 1982.  We used to dance and party to Prince's music all night long!    He was a musical genius...and still is.

Ya.... I'm wishing they made movies like they did in the 80's! 

It's not procrastination...

… if you planned to do it at the last minute anyway.  I LOVE this!!  Those of you who know me well, know that I tend to be a "procrastinating perfectionist".  If I can't do it in MY time frame, it doesn't fit in to MY time frame or I can't do it the way I want to do it, then I tend not to do it at all or delay doing it until it fits in to my world.

It's not that I'm lazy, it's just a matter of timing….MY timing!

Drives my husband crazy!  He's a "getter done" type of guy.  Therefore, he thinks that I should follow his lead. NOT.

I often hear, "did you remember to call so-and so?"  "No, but it's on my list."  (Silence). 

The next day, same question.  "No, it's on my list of things to do."  (More silence). After the third day, he finally gets the hint and drops the subject.  Smart move, because every time he asks me the question, it moves further down my on my list.  Did I also mention that I'm a tad bit stubborn as well? 

I prioritize my procrastination also.  Anyone do that besides me?  I know precisely what needs to get done last (or first) and how long it's going to take me to complete the task.  Some people may say that I'm living life on the edge.  I prefer to look at it as being a the ultimate "time and task manager" who "works well under pressure."  Works for me!  Looks good on a resume too! :)

 

What the heck....

snow, wind, and rain on May 1st???!!  I want to know who pissed off Mother Nature and how they are going to make it right!  Geez!

Ok, I'm better now.  I just needed to get that off my chest. :)

All things considered, I'm doing alright today.  I should go to the gym..I NEED to go to the gym, but I'm having a hard time getting motivated when the weather feels like November instead of May 1st.  I should be in tank tops and flip flops right now, sitting on my deck enjoying a nice cool beverage.  Am I?  Nope.  I'm in sweats and drinking hot chocolate to stay warm.  This just isn't right.   I heard on the local news the other night that ND has had a snow episode - somewhere in the state - for 8 months now.  (sighs heavily). This winter was BRUTAL!!!! 

We're hearty souls up here in the northland, but this one took the cake.  And when do I get sick?  At the tail end of it.  The last four weeks haven't been great for this body of mine.  Fighting bronchial infection, reinjuring my cervical neck issue (bulging disc at  C5-6), etc.  It's enough to make a grown woman cry.  So what do I do instead?  Teach yoga!  Oh...and maybe drink a little wine too! ;)

Oh Happy Day!!!

 

It's SPRING in ND and it's busting out ALL over the place.  Geese flying overhead, robins chirping, snow disappearing. Yes, yes…it's ALL good up here in the northland!  I posted on Fbook the other day that you really do need to live through a ND winter in order to appreciate a ND spring.  How very true!

ND had a reason to celebrate a little bit yesterday.  Our golden collegiate hockey team - the UND Fighting Sioux - made it to the Frozen Four.  Yay team!  The had an outstanding season this year and played their hearts out.  To make it to the Frozen Four is a feat in and of itself.  They had the whole state behind them.  Unfortunately, the did not advance.  They played a well deserving team in Michigan last night.   A good game was played…but the Sioux just couldn't pull it out of the hat.  :(     Anyone who knows me, knows that I take my hockey pretty seriously.  While I may be a tad bit depressed today, I'm sure the sunshine will help me recover from the disappointing loss.

So, it's Friday today.  And it's my day to see my support group:  Hair Stylist, Reflexologist and Massage Therapist!  Woooo Hoooo.  Every six weeks I need a tune-up and these gals are just the ones to do it for me!  They totally rock!

After a relaxing day in the hands of my support group, I think I'll go home, cook/eat a nice dinner of grilled chicken breasts (I declare grilling season officially open in ND!) with a pasta side dish and steamed broccoli florets.  Since Camelot is on Starz tonight, I might even celebrate with a glass of Moscato wine while relaxing and watching the series installment!

Yes, it truly is a Happy Day!

 

Good way to start the day....

 

Wake up at 7:10am……precisely when you should already be AT work!  (shakes head).

Arrive at work at 8:30amm and find a pillow on your desk with a mint on it….  Compliments of the Warden!! 

OMG!!!!! (hangs head in embarrassment!)

 

 

 

Sex Education (Clean and Cute)

Oh my goodness!   A friend sent this to me and I just HAD to share it!  Too funny!  http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/04/06/wits-sweeney/

Neck Update

Doing better...much better!  Thank goodness!  The pain is now limited to my neck, left side, and I don't have sensation radiating down in to my hands anymore. Yay!!  This is all good news.  I've been quite careful however not to aggravate it any more than is necessary.  I look quite funny when I look to my left...I turn my whole body so I don't have to turn my neck!  That's alright...I do what I need to do!

I did go to the gym yesterday and did cardio only.  I couldn't bring myself to do any weights or anything that might give an odd placement of my neck.  But...today I bit the bullet and did cardio and weights.  So far, so good!  I'm hoping that the healing progresses nicely.  Better...I have a gym date with PJ on Tuesday and I am NOT going to miss this one!

What else is going on?  Nadda!  Oh wait...hubs and I TOTALLY had a redneck date last night.  We went out to supper and on the way home we saw two skunks within a 1/2 mile radius.  So, home to get the gun!  Yep, we went hunting for skunks at 9pm at night!  What a hoot!  ~LOL~   Hey.simple things for simple folks. :-)

I whimped out!

I know..."whimp" is not a normal word in my vocabularly....but I did tonight. 

I was supposed to have a training session with PJ, but just couldn't do it.  Ever since my nasty fall on the ice last week, I've been experiencing "symptoms" of my disc issue(neck) from two years ago: tingling in my hands (notice I say BOTH hands - whereas previously it was just my left), stiffness in my neck and shoulders, aching, etc.   I went to the chiropractor today and he tuned me up. His parting words were "be good to it, hopefully we caught it soon enough..but it wouldn't take much for it to worsen."

 Hmmmm....worsen?  No Thank you!

I went back to work, existed on Tylenol for pain releif and promptly texted PJ for forgiveness.  I was batting my baby brown eyes at the phone while I was texting hoping that he would take pitty on me and not charge me for the session (less than 24-hr cancellation rule).  He's a nice guy (when he's not trying to kill me) and agreed to just reschedule until next week Tuesday, same place, same time!  What a guy!  :-)

So...I was home at a reasonably normal hour....530pm.  What??!!  That like almost NEVER happens!  I should have done something productive with the time...like clean, do laundry, COOK.  Nope...I brought home takeout and hit Facebook!  ~LOL~

It was like happy hour on that thing!  Everyone was popping in on me saying "where have you been."  Now, I admit it I've been using my Android phone to access Fbook quite a bit lately.  Get on, post something witty and uplifting to my profile, and get out while the getting is good!  But WOW, I found out tonight that .peeps really MISS me!!  Wooo Hoooo.   

I wish there were enough hours in the day to do every thing that I need to do.   I mean, I seldom get the time to update my blogs like I want to (remembers my New Years resolution and cringes).  Ya...I fell terribly short on THAT resolution in the very first week!   If  good intentions were money, I'd be rich!

Well, social hour is over for me.  It's heading to my bedtime...(there's still a whole lot of week to go yet!).
G'Night  blog-land....Dream sweet!

Conversation with my Trainer

My trainer – PJ – tried to kill me in the gym last night.  BUT, he gave me a huge compliment when we were finished.

He said, “I didn’t think you were going to make it….I shoulda known you would prove me wrong.”  (beaming smile).   I was giving him all kinds of attitude though …~L~ 

He had me do pushups (regular, not girlie) with weights  in each hand that I had to lift up and do a row, then go down in to a pushup and lift the other weight in to a row.

Me:  “you want these on my knees, right?” 

PJ: “Now why would I have you do that, we’ve already established that you can do thirty regular pushups”

Me: “Yeah, but they aren’t pretty ones.”

PJ:  “This isn’t the Miss America pageant…now give me 10…and any more lip and you’ll do 20”

Me:  “Welcome back PJ, I missed you.”

PJ: “Ya, like a heart attack.”

Me: “Which I’ll be having shortly”

A couple of people were around us and they busted up laughing …….  I did the pushups w/ weight row as asked….PJ was grinning from ear to ear.  SNOT! 

What???

Ya, I started running on the treadmill again.   It went good.  NOT!!  Up until  2009 when I was dealing with a bulging disc in my neck, I was running on the treadmill.  Ok, running intervals on the treadmill is perhaps the most accurate statement.  But once I injured my neck, the physical therapists said, "no more treadmill till your neck heals."  Ok then. My neck healed, but I remained on the eliptical and never went back to the treadmill.

When I quit, I was interval training at 2-3 minutes from 5.5 -  6.0 mph with a recovery of 1-2 minutes at 4.0 mph....running upwards to an hour.  Not great, but not too shabby. 

Today?  2 minutes at 4.3 - 4.5mph  with a recovery of 2 minutes at 3.5mph.  OMG!!  Ugggh!!  Me, being me, just found my next challenge/goal.  I WILL get back to my pre-injury interval speeds.   Disclaimer: Unless I develop neck symptoms again.

Other than that, my workout was smokin today!  I did five miles (between the treadmill and the eliptical) and did my weights as well; arms, shoulders, chest, legs, and abs.   My reward?  Twenty minutes in the sauna listening to some great tunes.  A GREAT way to unwind.

Weekend Update...

First of all, let me say this….I’m mourning the passing of another weekend (sighs).  They go all too quickly.

So, what was going on this weekend? Nothing.  Natta.  Zip! 

Friday…well, let’s just say that I wanted to go out and cut loose on the town.  However, being considerate of the spousal unit with whom I live with, I opted for the confines of my easy chair, cozy blanket and one or two Mike’s Hard Lemonades.  And No Becky!  I am NOT a lush!  (My friend Becky said I was a lush).  I replied that a lush is one who opens and drinks a bottle of wine in one sitting.  Now, although I may have WANTED to do such a deed, I assure you (and her) that I opted to stick with my two Mike’s.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!. J

The usual mundane house cleaning woes ensued as Saturday sun broke the dawn…that’s a given on any weekend.  I tried to sleep in, but the darned internal alarm clock went off loud and strong at 6:30am.   I cleaned, I cooked, I cleaned the cat litter, I vacuumed cat hair, filled the cat dish.  Hmmm, I see a discernable pattern here! Yes, Boris Battenhoff Schutt rules the roost and doesn’t let me forget it either.

I hit the gym for two hours.  That felt really good actually.  I had a super-duper play list going on the iPod that had me totally rocking the elliptical for 45 minutes and kept me company through my weight lifting.  It was awesome.  I worked off some steam, some frustration, thought out some game plans on a few projects I have going and just plain zoned out during my last rep of weights.  I did the gas station ($70) – OMG!! The grocery store ($150) OMFG!! And proceeded home licking my money woe-wounds.  Holy crap things are getting expensive!  I think it’s time I saddle up a cow and start riding it to work! 

Hubs took me out to see Hall Pass with Owen Wilson. A good movie with a few good messages hidden in there. Worth seeing – but I’d wait to see it on DVD if I were you…not worth the ticket, jumbo popcorn and mega drink prices! J  (how’s THAT for a movie review).

Sunday you ask?  Sent a shout out to my good friend Steve who was having a birthday! ( Hey Steve, if you’re reading this…hope you partied like a rockstar!) J Then dallied the day away downloading new music from iTunes, watched the new Starz series sneak peak of Camelot (I’m going to LOVE this one and already have it set to record on the DVR!).  My niece Joan (Doctor in Training) is home from Minneapolis so my sister Peggy (the wine drinker!) called and invited us in to town for a drink at her house then out to IDK for supper.  The only problem with that is, when we arrived at her house she was sick (stomach icks).  We took Joan out for supper without Peggy (don’t need the yucks, thank you very much!) and had a very nice time chatting and catching up with my niece/God-daughter!   As we dropped her off and were driving away, I told T, “No matter what she does in life, I’ll always remember her as the little 3-yr old girl with the play stethoscope wanting to fix it and make it better.”  (Sorry Joan, that is one memory that I’ll always have of you!  Love you girl!!!!). :-)

The rest of the night was spent getting ready for work, packing lunch, yoga bag, getting wardrobe laid out, doing nails and watching the season premiere of Army Wives.    

Lesson to the blog entry:  I don’t need a lot – just the simple things – to make life good.

Sherry

 

Celebration...

Good Morning,

The fact that it is Friday is reason enough to celebrate.  However, this post is about my nephew Blaine Joseph Schulz.

Blaine called me last night to boast his wonderful performance evaluation.  He was awarded a raise, a Wal-Mart coat, and told he was head stockman due to the fact that he’s been there for 13 years.  He was positively flying high, as well he should be.  In his words, “it’s nice to be recognized for all the hard work I do.”

Isn’t it though?  That is all any of us want, really.  The fact that he has a mental disability is no exception to that rule.  I don’t know very many of us that would be out in a parking lot pushing carts in freezing, sub-zero temperatures, snow, sleet, rain, sweltering temperatures and everything else in between.  I do not know that I could do that job day after day, week after week, let alone for 13 years!

I’m quite proud of my man Blaine!  I informed him that we’d be going out to the IDK for pizza and beer in the very near future to celebrate this proud moment in life. 

Lesson: sometimes it’s not the huge, monumental things in life that mean the most to a person.  Sometimes a word of praise or to be recognized for who we are is all it takes to make a person’s day. 

 

 

Escape from Reality

That’s what I need…and I need it NOW!

The weather isn’t doing much for my sunny disposition.  I do yoga, and it helps tremendously, but I long for the days when I can slide my toes in to a pair of flip-flops and skip out the door, feeling the sun on my skin and knowing that when I leave home in the morning I may just actually get back home at night. (sighs).

So, I am doing everything that I can think of to escape from reality.  I take long, hot bubble baths …play soothing music, drink wine (LOTS of wine!, daydream about Bora Bora, listen to Zac Brown Band (ZBB) songs about “toes in the sand” and gaze longingly at pictures of Bora Bora a dear friend has so thoughtfully sent me via email. I know I’m not alone in my misery; every poor NoDak stuck in the frozen tundra is in the exact same boat as me. L

So, what’s new?

Wish I could say a lot, but really, it’s not all that exciting being me right now.  ~L~ 

Ooohhh Wait!! I DO have one thing to report.

I have a mouse in my vehicle!!  (shivers).  Ya....whatsup with that??!

I took my yoga mat out and found  a nice little chew mark on the end , the shape of a half-moon..along with little mouse “calling cards”…if you know what I mean! (snorts)  I was NOT amused.  Hubs, of course, said “set a mouse trap”.  Ok, sure…but how the heck did the lil devil get in there?! And how many are there?  Will one mouse trap be enough??!! Perish the thought!

So, I commence to setting the trap somewhere that I can see it every day.  (Heaven forbid I should catch a mouse and NOT see it!)  I should mention right here and now, that I made the disclaimer right away that if 1) The lil devil went dancing across my dashboard whilst I was driving or 2) The mousetrap snapped at any point during my travels from point A to B, I was NOT responsible for any traffic accidents that might be incurred!  Just sayin!!.

Every morning I load up the 4Runner, I dutifully check the trap.  Nothing. 

Every night I say a prayer that said mouse left for greener pastures (ya, I know! It’s the frozen tundra…there IS NO greener anything in sight!).  Never hurts to try though. (sighs heavily).  Little bugger is probably under my seat munching on the delectable morsels of food that I drop while eating and driving, thinking “man, this is the good life!”  Grrrrrr!

Anywho, when I catch the lil creature, you will ALL hear the shouts of glee and read all about it on this blog.

Until then, life on the frozen tundra goes on.

Namaste’

Sherry

 

 

Stuck...

Yep...I'm stuck at home.  Have been for the last 24 hours.  It's blowing, snowing, drifting and just plain miserable out!  I haven't seen a car go past our house in the last 24 hours.  Even if I had, I wouldn't be able to get past the 4ft snow drift across my yard to go anywhere.  Hubs is over at the farm with the cattle....and believe me...it isn't a picnic over there either.  He sounds depressed and tired...can't say that I blame him!

I was supposed to have yoga classes tonight, but ended up cancelling them as the prospect of 1) a snowplow coming down the road and 2) hubster getting home to clear the yard wasn't looking very promising. 

So, what am I doing?

Updating my email contacts, doing laundry, eating, texting, chatting on facebook, eating, chasing the cat around the house, updating blogs, did I mention eating?  (Oh ya...there it is...three times in fact! ~LOL~)

I just packed a suitcase because I'm sure once I'm shoveled out, I'll be staying in town with my sister. 
(Peggy - is room 408 still open?)

Lemme see....bags...Yes, well let's count them, shall we?
1) Purse - GOTTA have that
2) Briefcase with day planner in it...a MUST
3) TWO gym bags - for gym clothes (I sweat more than the average bear!)
4) Tote with watter bottles (refer to #3 please)
5) Tote with shoes, socks, and towel   (refer to #3 please)
6) Yoga bag - with enough changes for three classes
7) Suitcase - with enough changes for three-four days - in case I cannot get home.

Yes, I believe I NOW can be called, "The Bag Lady!"

I"m supposed to be at work tomorrow at 8am.  Unless said 1) snowplow and 2) hubster make it home, I may very well be taking a day of vacation. 

Have I mentioned that I really, REALLY hate winter??!!!

A golden weekend!

We had a milestone in our family this week.  My sister Pat and her husband Gil celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday, January 7th. 

They were given a lovely surprise celebration by their children, Lori, Randy and Shelly - which included all of Pat's immediate family (siblings and spouses), as well as Gil's sister-in-law and neice (of his deceased brother, Harry).

What a night it was!  We drank some beverages, ate some scrumpteous food, laughed, cried, and reminisced about the good ole  days and the twists and turns of Pat and Gils 50 years of marriage.  We actually closed down the Buffalo City Grille  at 10:00 pm.

My brother Ron and his wife Pearl, along with my brother Terry and his wife Marna made the trek up to Peggy's house where the party continued until the wee hours of the night.  3 AM!   Ya!!

We sat in Peggy's back room by the fireplace and took that well traveled trip down memory lane.  We argued on when the "BIG Blizzard" happened...was it 1966 or 1967?  (I saved the day and looked it up on my phone... LOVE the Android phone)....and tried to map out the city of Jamestown and where everything was located 50 years ago.  I, of course, was toooo young to remember any of this since I am the baby of the family!! (hahahahaha).

The next morning we got up and had breakfast, courtesy of Peggy....and the trip down memory lane continued with my brother Ron and Pearl, and Terry.  It was GREAT!  We had so much fun that I didn't leave until 3 in the afternoon.  Of course, it didn't help that my roads were blocked from recent winds on Friday. 

Once more, Peggy and room 408 at the Inn came through for me!  :-)

Vacation!

Well, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind for a vacation, but it turned out alright.  

If you've read previous entries, you know that I have been stormed in at home for four days now (Thursday - Sunday) AND I have a painful abscessed tooth.  Oh joy!   Yes, not my ideal vacation.  I had plans of being in town every day, hitting the gym, having coffee with friends, doing a little shopping and maybe (a strong maybe) doing some housework.   Did any of that happen?  Ya, not so much!

I have been home for four days.  Me, myself, and Boris the cat.   Hubs finally made it home today to shower and eat, change clothes and head right back to the main farm.  I feel sorry for him as he's out in the cold tending to the cattle, digging out snow from the feed bunks, and doing all of this in 10 degree weather and tons of snow on the ground.  Not fun, I'm sure!

Now, what did I do during those four days?  I ate!  Ya, trust me...the proof is in the scale readings.  (pouts).  Oh ya...and I cleaned...organized, did some more cleaning....watched some TV, listened to some music, chased Boris around the house...cleaned some more, organized some more, ate some more food...slept, took pain medication, drank some hot chocolate (with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum!) which was THE highlight of my New Years Eve I tell you.   ~L~  (Yes, there is STILL some left in the bottle!)  Amazingly, the tooth didn't hurt so bad on New Years Eve!  :-)

Anywho, guess yoga has taught me to make the best out of a bad situation.  I can honestly say that I did get a few projects done around here that required my attention, I am thoroughly rested and relaxed, and I am actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow.  (Ya, WHO said that?!!).  Hahahaha

All in all...vacation wasn't soooooo bad....  it's all a matter of attitude and how I look at it!

Will I ever schedule a vacation in winter again?  Prolly not!!  (LOL)