Happy Hour Chatter

This was a complete slap in the face.  We are just coming off a two day blizzard and 17 inches of snow.  I know, it's the Northland, and we can always expect to have snow any time after Labor Day, but a blizzard?  That's just dirty! So Friday was stressful for me.   Blaine has officially parked his scooter in my garage, which means that I'm his primary mode of transportation until next spring.  The city bus picks him up and gets him to Wal-Mart and I take him home.  I don't mind; it gives me one-on-one time with him.  It's never a dull moment with him.   But it's also stressful, especially when the buses aren't running due to storms, which was the case on Friday.  I tried, I really did try - against the wishes of T.  He thought I was nuts when I walked out the door to go pick Blaine up and take him to work and then to my own work.   He wasn't pleased at all. But I knew it was coming from a place of concern...prote...

Yesterday was my 57th birthday.  I can't say that I feel any older though.  Really, what difference does a number make?  I still feel 45ish in mind...the body slightly older. It was a quiet day for the most part.  My supervisor brought caramel rolls for my birthday, which was nice of her.  And I received the customary phone calls from siblings.  Several staff  made a trip to my corner to give me birthday greetings and hugs. I could have taken the night off from the gym, but decided to stick to my recommitment of Health.  I'm glad I did, because it was a kick ass workout. My Birthday wish was for a quiet night at home, which I received.  Sometimes it really IS about the simple things!

Here we are, September 8th.  I can make the usual comment of "where did time go to?"  But I won't.  We all experience the passing of time at frightening speed.  I've never been one to wish away time...it's a precious commodity - just ask someone who is battling cancer or someone who has just lost a family member.    The older I get, the more I appreciate my time;  I guard with every fiber of my being.  Gosh, that sounds terribly anti-social or selfish, doesn't it.    Allow me to explain.  I'm entering the 2nd half of my life.  I'm closer to my death than my birth (fact and reality...and no, I'm not kicking the bucket any time soon - at least I hope not!)   In my youth, I was busy making a life for myself - making friends, having fun,  building a career, making money, accumulating material things.  Carefree and unworried about what my future held.  I didn't plan beyond the next day because the next...

Hello blog stalkers!! Bet you thought I had fallen off the face of the earth. Huh?  Can't get rid of me that easily:) Can't really say what has been going on with my lack of writing, other than to be truthful and say. "I haven't felt like it."  Pure and simple. I was ill most of June with a nasty infection that took hospitalization and two rounds of antibiotics to clear up. That took the wind out of my sails.  Thank goodness I'm a relatively individual....I would hate to think of what it would have been otherwise. Consequently I hadn't taught yoga for three weeks and, needless to say, I certainly wasn't out on my bike. I'm better though and went out for a bit on Wednesday night.  I need to build up my stamina before I tackle anything other than short 5 milers. Yesterday was America's birthday, the 4th of July.  It was a great day spent with family friends out at Spiritwood Lake. and later in the evening with my sister and her boyfriend.   C...

So...what's going on in my life?  Hmmm, nothing.   That's both good and bad.  Good in that I don't necessarily want drama, strife or stress to grace my door .  Bad in that it feels like I'm going through the motions of living  or I'm in some sort of holding pattern.  That's a little concerning given the fact that I'm a live out loud typed of gal.  I've always lived by the creed that life is meant to be lived not watched.   Maybe it's the weather?? All I know is that I need to shake it up a little bit...do something out of the ordinary. Something to get me out of this holding pattern.   But what, is the question.  Dye my hair pink?  Get a nose ring or another tattoo?  In truth, Spring always gives me a bit of wanderlust.  I get antsy; I want to go barefoot, throw open the sunroof and play the stereo loud, take a road trip or sleep out under the stars.   Gypsy soul rears it's head and screams to be let out. ...

Ok...here's the deal.  While I am ALL for more sunlight in the evenings, I am definitely not a fan of losing that hour of sleep.  Holy Smokes was it hard rolling out of bed at 5:00 am this morning.  (The snooze button may have been pushed a few times!) It was actually a good day.  I absolutely loved the warmer weather.  I believe the weatherman said we had 63 days of sub-freezing temperatures (since January 7th).  So today's temperatures of 19 degrees was greatly appreciated.  I even ventured outside without wearing a neck scarf and gloves!  Talk about living on the wild side!   The sun is gaining strength.  Even though Jamestown received 9 inches of fresh, heavy snow on Saturday, the sun is melting it off roadways and driveways.  It's  welcomed and needed as the weatherman is predicting the potential for another winter storm or, dare I say...Blizzard...to hit our region again on Wednesday and Thursday this week w...

Today is the day we celebrate International Women's Day.    I was honored to receive a Facebook post from a young lady whom I admire greatly.  In truth, she's as much an inspiration to me as she says I am to her.  It brought both tears to my eyes and a smile to my lips.   It got me to thinking about what it means to be celebrated and to be a Phenomenal Woman - as the great Mya Angelo says we are.    The definition of Phenomenal is: "Very remarkable; extraordinary" (Exceptional, outstanding, amazing). Given the definition of Phenomenal, what does it mean to be a phenomenal woman?  Who is a phenomenal woman? In my mind, she is the woman who.....  gets up at the crack of dawn and makes sure her family is ready to face the day (clothed, fed, organized) before she takes her clothes herself or even has a cup of coffee. is a  single mother who works three two jobs to make sure her child is fed while putting...

Holy smokes...it's been two months since my last post!  Again, no excuses other than the holidays grabbed me, then the frigid arctic air.  Quite honestly, I haven't feel like doing diddly at night other than hibernating and watching Netflix.  Let's start with the holidays.  We did something this year that we have never done - we drove to Minneapolis to have Christmas with my sister (staying there while she was undergoing radiation) and her daughters' families.  We had a most wonderful time and I can for see this happening more in the future.  The girls were lovely hostesses.  Of course, the star of the show was little Iris Grace.  That little girl has wormed her way in to my heart.  I love ALL of my nieces and nephews unconditionally, as well as my great nieces and nephews...but lil Iris ...well....my heart strings tug every time I see a picture of her or a snapchat (her mother sends). We came back and had Christmas Day festivities at ...