Heavy , Wet Snow

Most of the time, the snow around here is like sand. You could pretty much blow it off your driveway with your own breath. This morning? Oh, no. We got the "lake effect" stuff and it was heavy as hell! My body was aching after I shoveled our driveway and sidewalk. If felt like I was lifting sand bags.

The drive wasn't too terrible, but I kept thinking about that lovely weather we just experienced. I suppose everyone will get sick, now. Ugh! Spring, I'm ready now please.; placing my order for lovely flowers, beautiful blue skies and full on sun. Hubby and I are considering moving again...much more seriously. We're both done with winters and snow and shoveling. For some reason, I can't seem to have snow on Christmas eve and Christmas day only. Yeesh! Is that so much to ask for?

This would be our home through retirement (the one hubby is constantly looking for). It's certainly becoming more and more appealing. How old am I again? Well, it never hurts to plan ahead. ;)

Oh, Hints of Spring

I see you sneaking up on us. Fifty-seven degree weather on the way home, yesterday. It gave me so much hope. I'll be so grateful when the frigid temps and crazy snow have left this continent for a while (I see you East coast!). There are tulips and irises trying to peak through my yard. The other indication would have been the buds on my aspens, but hubby had those taken out last year. Ah, well. I still have this lovely, mild weather to enjoy.

I set up Indy's appointment for the specialist. The clinic is located at the local, University hospital. It just so happens that my mother works at the local University, so she has offered to come with us. Hubby is also off that day. Little Indy will have tons of support (and a pretty assertive grammy on her side). This will be towards the middle of the month (March 19th).

This whole thyroid thing has me wondering if her all-of-a-sudden flaky scalp is a side effect. I normally don't weigh my girls hair down in greases and oils but, lately I've had to with Indy. It's incredibly flaky and dry. We've shampooed with sulfur, which also helps, but I can't help wondering if her gland is really off. If so, perhaps whatever the doctor recommends will take care of that situation as well.

Thyroglossal Cyst

This is what my baby has. My mother noticed a nodule in Indy's throat last Sunday and believe it to be a goiter. Both my mother and her mother had them, so she assumed Indy had inherited this issue as well. Today was Indy's "Well Kid Four-Year Old" visit, so I made sure to ask the doctor about it. He called it a cyst and said that her lymph node to the right was a bit swollen as well (he allowed me to feel both). We are being referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist and the children's hospital. They didn't get the referral, last I checked, so I'll try to make the appointment on Monday.

It was weird to hear and a bit scary, but my doctor believes that it is not cancerous and that she seems fine. I certainly hope so. I am anxious, however, to get into that specialist and hear what's going on with my baby. Where did this come from? When I wiki'd the topic, it stated that this issue usually appears in adults. What's the deal? I'll be saying my prayers (as always) for little Indy.

Other than that, she looks really good and she's (as I already knew) tall for her age. She's 42 pounds and 3 feet, five inches. What a kid. She was so well behaved, I treated her to a happy meal (which thrilled her to pieces).

The Babe went on a walking field trip today to the local high school. They were doing a presentation on days gone by (particularly the 80s'). She said that the best part was when the girls did their "valley speak". She and her friends mimicked them the rest of the day. I guess the teacher was loving that...

Rereading Bachman

As a junior high and high schooler, I read a lot of Dean Koont.z and Stephen Kin.g. They adorned my nightstand for those years and even into college. Eventually, I grew bored of Stephen and Dean became a very predictable formula writer. College offered many, classical reading assignments so leisure reading was almost non-existent anyway. Every so often, I wonder what it would be like to read some of their newer offerings, then something comes up or some author craze surfaces and I forget to dig into my old favorites.

About a week ago, hubby and I were talking about how suggestion changed our opinions on certain foods. Because someone or something effected a food item, we no longer want or have the desire to eat whatever it is. I told him that I loved cherry pie as a child...until I read Thinner. Well, that's all it took. I have not eaten one, solitary slice since that novel. What was it, specifically, that made it so hard for me to even look at a slice anymore? I jumped on the library's online catalog and put a hold on the book. I had to know. (of course, we'll also rewatch the movie too...you know us). ;)

Once I got it, I realized I was holding a Richard Bachm.an book in my hand rather than a Ste.phen King (yes, I know. It's the same person). I'd forgotten he used a psuedo-name for a bit. Why would someone as talented and popular as he is use a false name? Of course, it wasn't long before people figured out who it was but, still. I think if I wrote as a profession and had that kind of celebrity, I'd never hide my writing. It's not like people are mobbing him at grocery stores. He can still have a pretty regular life.

Whatever his reason for it, the proof is certainly in the pudding. His writing style is like no other and I am quickly remembering why I was such a big fan in the first place. Perhaps the latest novel will adorn my nightstand after this one.

A Little Bit on My Work Situation

My boss has been moved to a different department. He found out over the weekend, but we didn't hear about it until yesterday's "emergency meeting." Effective immediately, he will report to a completely different department and only "transition" items with us on a limited basis. He's very gracious and will, of course, make himself available to us with any questions we have but, wow. Nine years and now he gets the rug pulled out from under him. Guess he knows what I felt like, earlier last week.

I had meeting after meeting today. After all this time in the job force, I still think meetings are a complete waste of time.

"I can't get the things done you want me to get done because I'm sitting here meeting with you about them. My god, can't you send me an email or something? Let me know via smoke signals, and I'll get back to you."

The Freight Train Through February finally seems to be slowing down. I hope to have a grip on my life again my mid-March (yes, there's still stuff I'm not sharing...don't wanna jinx anything). My coworkers are stressed; one so much that I think she might leave, after only being here a few months. She's just not getting the support she should be getting from a separate, new employee. It's really too bad and, unfortunately, out of my control.

I'm sipping on my Alice White Lexia, reading blogs, writing in my own and contemplating my life. If this is the life of a real writer, I'll take it!

Can We Just Be Done with February, Please?

Sort of getting my wish, since this is the last week of the month. Wow! I can't believe it, but I'm glad. It's been nuts and looks to get even crazier. Last week, we had our biannual faculty meeting. Over 700 people now working for my company. I remember when there were only 40 of us. Crazy! During my tenure at the meetings, I came down with what I thought was a cold. Thursday, I croaked my hellos to out-of-towners I haven't seen in months. I even gave and received big, bear hugs (I love bear hugs).

By Thursday night, I was feeling wiped out and not good. Friday morning, I put on my game face (and enough make-up to hide the truth) and went back to the hotel to prepare for my trainings. I was to host three training sessions in a row...each forty-five minutes long. I apologized to each group for the frog taking up residence in my throat. I croaked out details of our department and was glad to have my boss and co-worker there to translate all my croaking. I stayed till 3:00pm,. then left for the doctor's. I just couldn't hang anymore.

Diagnosis? Bronchitis....again. Dang it! I don't ever get colds anymore, just this blasted bronchitis. So, I'm on the Z-pack (which is oddly making me nauseated, this time), codeine for the cough, an inhaler to clear my lungs and an oral. I worked part of the day, then took cough syrup and a nap for the second half. I'm supposed to go into the office tomorrow and Wednesday. I hope I'll feel well enough to make it in. Big things are happening this week (I think).

I've also been preparing myself for my new plan. I think I'll start on Wednesday (I've been detoxing and tomorrow is the last day of detox). Best to start with a clean slate, right? I wonder if the detox and antibiotics are at odds? I hadn't thought about it, till just now. Hubby has been so supportive and I'll need to do some "healthy shopping" this week to get going. I will be eating "clean" again and, as of right now, there ain't a whole lot of "clean" foods in my house. The process will take about 6 weeks.

February Still Flying like a Jet-Plane

I had the rug pulled out from under me, last week. I hope to go into more details in a couple of weeks about the entire situation; however, I will say that it will change everything about my work-life. The only consistency in life is change, right? All I can do is pray and put it into God's hands...otherwise, I'll loose my mind with stress and anxiety.

Aside from work, hubby and I had a lovely Valentine's weekend. We spent Friday as a family and bowled, bowled, bowled. Indy was tired even before the first game finished. Lesson learned- only one game if we're going as a family.

My sister kept my kids over night from Saturday into Sunday. Hubby and I went to see Wolf.man (wait for the red box if you must see it, although I wouldn't recommend it), then off to dinner at Lone St.ar. I had the sweet bourbon grilled Salmon (yum) and he had the steak. After which, we picked up a bottle of spirits to take back to our hotel room, along with a cheesecake from the bakery (double-yum). Next, we went by a club in the Hilton, but the vibe was a little strange. Then, we headed to another club. Me and hubby at the club. Wow. It's been years.

The crowd was twenty somethings and thirty somethings. The theme? Mardi gras. Boas, beads, face painting. It was a veritable circus with a disco ball, in there! Hubby and I danced, but people watched mostly. It was hilarious! I hope we never acted like that (something tells me we didn't). One lady walked up to me and said, "Hey, sexy," hugged me and then pounded. Huh? Who are you? I asked my hubby if it was someone he knew. He said no. Oh, man. Perhaps I looked like someone she knew? Oh, well.

Round midnight, we headed back to the hotel for drinks and cheesecake. It was a wonderful evening. We ate breakfast Sunday morning and watched Couples R.etreat at home. It was pretty cute, but I was more excited to just have time with hubby. Sis brought the girls home around 1:00pm and they were most pleased with their day, too.

It's been great having my sister watch the kids these past few weekends. Hubby thinks we're going to go into "dating" withdrawal. I think he's right.

Whoa, Nelly. Whoa!

February is running hard and fast - straight forward at break-neck speeds with no brakes. I'm hanging on as tight as I can! Ever since the babe told me that a girl in her class had pneumonia last week, I've been holding my breath. Last night at the doctor's (where she informed me her saturation level was at 86 before the nebulizer), I was afraid we would be headed to the children's hospital. "By ambulance," she added. Thanks, doc. Thanks so much. Of course, she did tell me this after the albuterol treatment. The babe's saturation levels shot up to 97 which is above normal. Thank goodness!

Before this, I worked all day, picked up the babe from school, drove 20 miles to another town to get my oil changed at the dealership (coupon, you know...). On the way was when the babe announced that, not only had she coughed all day, but her chest was hurting. I called the doctor and they said they could get me in at 6:30pm that evening (did I mention the doctor's office is in Salt Lake)?

Oil change over sooner than expected, I called the doctor back and asked if I could get in earlier. No dice. Drove the 20 miles back home, fed the dogs and tried to get the babe to eat something. Meanwhile, Indy was bouncing off the walls (that's what happens when you don't have a nap) and was trying to get into everything. Forty minutes later, we're back in the car and headed into Salt Lake. Darkness falls. The skyline is so beautiful at night. I'd forgotten.

Head to the office and wait for only five minutes in the waiting room (but thirty minutes in the exam room). After the visit (it's now 8:00pm), I head home only to drop off the kids and head to the pharmacy for meds. There's a cop-car in the parking lot which has pulled over a sedan. The man is being talked to outside of his car. Not a good sign.

Walgreens 24-hour pharmacy was like the club Monday night. What the hell?! "Your prescription will be ready in 45 minutes to an hour." Thanks! Off to Barnes and Noble to browse and buy books (always fun). The cop-car now has a friend with "Paramedic" stamped on the side of this car. Uh, oh.

Barnes and Nobl.e offers a good "cure" book and a nice book for a 4th grader. The discount rack has a Michael Jackson tribute book with lots of pictures. I still can't believe he's gone. I just knew he'd be old, gray and wearing Kleenex boxes on his feet. Oh, well.

Back to Walgreens and now, three cop-cars. Sweet! Thirty more minutes to wait and the line is huge. A chatty guy tells me he just came from the emergency room and it's packed there, too. He waited two hours for the emergency doctor to tell him he had a double sinus infection. Yuck! What was up with illness and Monday?! I finally get the scrips and some candy (for stress). The suspect in the parking lot's car is being hella searched and there's crap all over the street, his car and the cop's car. Yeesh!

Home at last (about 10:30pm). I've called in and told the boss-man that I gotta play home-nurse tomorrow (today). So, that's what I've done. The Babe is world's better and is going to try school tomorrow. She's even going to try dance. We'll see...

So, what else is happening in only the first nine days of February? Life-changing stuff. Hubby and I have talked and I'm getting ready to "do something." Can't say what it is, yet. The Enchantress site is going to go through some changes to reflect what's coming, once I have time this week to get it ready. The stall on my weight loss is about to end (fingers, toes, eyes all crossed). Hubby will be helping and supporting, but not training me (not quite ready for him to do that again). I'll need to prepare myself mentally for that.

Oh, and the Babe's speech went marvelously! So many compliments! One gentleman said that she was more poised and well-spoken than some of our teenagers who are asked to speak. For real?! My mom even raved, and she's picky about everything! The services are recorded each Sunday, so mom picked up an extra DVD for me to keep. I can't wait to see my girl working the podium again.

Black History Month

The Babe is slated to speak on a "prominent" figure this upcoming Sunday. Whom did she choose? Why, Ms. Judith Jamison (fabulous dancer extraordinaire and honorary Delta...OO-oop!). The babe has been enchanted with her, ever since I suggested Ms. Jamison as a possibility (she considered Diana Ross, among others, to begin with). A bit of reading and a few you.tubes later and she was hooked! She's actually viewing her as a role-model, which I love.

We still spend a lot of our church energy on Black History month, but I don't feel it anywhere else. Oh, the occasional mention on the news or a bit of artistry on some of the web sites but that's about it. It seemed to be much more important in my younger years or perhaps more emphasis was placed on the month. It could be that it's just because of where I live now. Well, yeah. That could definitely be it.

My girls are well aware of who they are and where they came from. They are exposed to as much diversity and culture as their parents can supply, but is that enough? I came from a world that was colorless, then was thrown into the "backwards" south. The divide was palpable and I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. By college, things were better but the frustration never really went away. Moving west helped tremendously. I don't think I'll ever live in the south again, but my roots are there and that is a part of me that will never go away.

I can't protect my girls from everything. One day, there differences from the general population here will be thrown at them and I want them to be strong enough in themselves to deal with it as well as feel pride in who they are. So far, there differences have been fairly positive. It probably doesn't hurt that they're cute.

The Things We Do for Our Kids

I was talking to one of the girls from the Babe's dance studio, last night. The Babe was finishing up her class and Indy was using the potty. This girl is maybe 13 or 14 and her dad is "gym" friends with hubby. I remember her dad telling us that she stuck with dance and tumbling because she wants to participate in cheer-leading at school. It seems it's time for try-outs and she's unsure if she'll do it. Costumes and uniforms are $900 dollars for the year and each year the costumes change, but the fees still apply. What?! Seriously?! Is there that much need to do a costume change for cheer-leading now? I can understand competition dancing but cheer-leading? It made me think of the line from the first Brin.g it On movie:

Sparky (the choreographer) = "Cheer leaders are dancers who have gone retarded. What you do is a tiny, pathetic subset of dancing."

Truly this is the case, considering the costs. Yikes! I know it's the Babe's wish to cheer-lead in school too but, damn! She better have a job or something by the time she's ready. The girl I was talking to said that she's going to try and help raise the money. We talked about her dance obligations. She's one of those that dances in everything. She told me her grandfather was fussing at her for being at the studio for five hours on Mondays and three on Wednesdays. Man, now I know where her mother's money is going. It's no wonder her sister stopped dancing altogether.

I should say that this child is a wonderful dancer and really is gifted in that respect. I asked her if it was worth it and she said that she's really going to have to consider what means more to her. I reiterated to her that I thought was was a great dancer (hoping that she will choose dance over cheer-leading, since it may even lead to a career in the future, I'm thinking). Of course, there are professional cheerleaders in the world. I dunno. My opinion is that dance is an art so, why not get paid for promoting the arts?

I'm all for giving kids an opportunity to express themselves and I'm also willing to pay for some of those endeavors. I just think you have to consider all the logistics, too. The economy sucks and budgeting is a necessity. Dance or electricity? Soccer or heat? Little League or groceries?

Mid-Thirties, Baby

Oh, what a terrific birthday! I had to work but, my sister picked up my eldest and came over to babysit both kids. Hubby and I took off and went to the movies. Check out Sherloc.k Holm.es if you haven't already. It was worth the watch for sure.

After the movie, we went to dinner and sat side-by-side at the restaurant(you can people watch and chat at the same time that way). I didn't gorge, but enjoyed myself. We headed over to DSW and hubby splurged on a pair of shoes for me. Woohoo! Their satin, multi-colored mules and they're divine. Next, he took me over to Ross and had me try on 5 pairs of jeans. We took two pair home; Nine West and Lee's.

We got home and found out the youngest was a little naughty and that sister dear disciplined a bit differently than I would have, but we got it all squared away. She'll be back this weekend to watch them over night. Dang! I could get used to this. Hubby and I told each other over and over again how much fun we had and how nice the evening was. He said he got a little flack from coworkers because he took a half-day vacation, but he said, "What better way to use vacation time than to spend it with my wife on her birthday?" What a guy.

Meeting with the Teacher and Age

This morning, hubby and I had to meet with the Babe's teacher. It was a good meeting and I hope the Babe was listening to all of the good advice the teacher gave her. My Babe has a busy mouth and sometimes doesn't know when to close it. She's also incredibly hard-headed, which can cause her some strife in the classroom. We talked strategies for frustration and the incessant talking she does for about half an hour this morning. It's the first time in a long time I've talked to a teacher and not felt like we (the parents) were on trial. I hope it made a difference.

My cardio pace has increased substantially. It always does the stronger and more "aerobic" I become. I'm hoping hubby still wants to purchase the new treadmill. That will change things up and allow for more weight/fat loss for sure. You don't burn nearly as many calories in the amount of time like you do with an elliptical, but you work bones and the impact is greater. This allows for bigger changes in the workout. I'm also preparing myself mentally to tackle toning and weight training again. I always feel so good when it's part of my regular routine (and I look a lot like the participants in the videos...seriously! Everything is long and tight. The results are fantastic!), it's just getting there again. The soreness, the yelling at the instructors, the initial shock of how blubbery I am. That initial process of starting is tough, tough, tough.

The air is clean again. Yeah! We are getting regular snow and rain this week, which is pushing out the nasty inversion we've had for about a month. The skyline is visible again and the mountains are white and breath taking. I just love it! It was sort of my birthday wish to God, last week. "I want rain and 40 degree weather." Guess what we got? ;)

Speaking of birthdays, my 35th approaches. Next Monday, I will officially be smack in the middle of my thirties. I've been more nostalgic with this birthday than with any of my birthdays past, making play-lists of the top 100 songs of various years to kind of usher it in. It's been fun and a little weird, too. My eldest knows some of the songs because they still play many of them on the radio. She sings along some times, other times she says, "Is that a man or woman singing?" Lots of androgynous singing in the 80's, I guess. She's lucky she didn't have to endure the visual pain of the fashion. I remember my neon-pink socks I wore with everything. Stirrup pants, psychedelic colors that matched nothing and sent folks into seizures. Yikes!

What Some Children Think About

When I was nine, I was worried about what kind of games to play at school, my upcoming dance recitals, the next birthday party to go to and when summer vacation would finally start. I can honestly say my worries weren't too heavy. As I approached ten, my thought process began to change. I started to think about the nature of my parent's marriage in a more mature way. I understood that their "partnership" really wasn't much of one. Talk began of moving out of state and leaving my beloved California scared me witless. Would I make new friends, if we moved? What would the children be like in Tennessee? Would they like me? Would I ever see my Californian friends again?

I remember the change happening, but it was subtle. There were still so many parts of me that were kid-like, but I did feel differently than I had before. I believe this very thing is beginning to happen with my oldest. She still has "child" talk, but now it's beginning to change into more serious subject matter.

This morning, for example. She told me that at school, yesterday, she caught site of her cousin coming onto school grounds, but she didn't seem very happy. She asked her what was wrong and her cousin told her that a fight had broken out the night before between herself and the neighbor kid (not sure if it was a physical fight or an argument). My sister-in-law heard the ruckus, came outside and broke it up. In the midst of resolving the conflict, she experienced some sort of pain in her head and ended up in the emergency room. Cousin told the babe that the pain/ailment was in the back of her head, but the doctor said that if it reached the front, her mother could die.

The babe, always being so sensitive, was even more so to hear of her aunt's terrible predicament. The babe asked where cousin would live, should her mother pass away (their father is currently in jail and has been for nearly two years). Cousin indicated that they would have to go back to Missouri to extended relatives (these are blood relatives). She was afraid to go back there because she didn't want to be abused.

Oh.My.God.

It took me a minute to gain my composure and think rationally. We knew of the problems the kids had experienced, before they moved here. They were very, very young (around 2 or three). They had been staying with their father's relatives (a sister, I think, and other cousins) while he "figured out his life" or some stuff. I dunno. After he and my sister got married, he made arrangements for custody to be restored and moved them here.

Obviously, those painful memories haven't left them. I rationalized with the babe and explained that her aunt has always gotten terrible migraines and that she's ended up in the emergency room lots of times as a result. She's on prescription medication and has to manage her stress a certain way, or those headaches appear and pretty much knock her down.

She told me that her aunt was out of the hospital that very day, so I told her to think positively. That her aunt will, hopefully, take better care of herself and not die. That she'll be around to take care of her cousins for a very, very long time...that all will be well and that they'll get to stay in Utah and be safe. Safety. That's what concerns these children.

I called hubby and asked if he'd heard about his sister being in the hospital. I also told him of the concerns the babe and her cousin were having. They have been through so much (I can't even get into all of it here) and had to grow up so fast, it would just be one more blow to their already fragile psyches. I'm glad they're in counseling and I hope that they are being honest and expressing everything in those sessions.

A Musical Gift for the Decade Part 2

Here is the video (I hope). I could not embed the code from the site in the original post.

A Musical Gift for the Decade

I was so delighted when I received this video in my inbox, yesterday. Another ten years, Sade? Really? I suppose quality work and art takes time but a decade between each new album from someone like her is like cruel and unusual punishment. I've already told hubby that if she decides to tour with this album, we'll have to find a way to go (with Lover's Rock, she hit Vegas as a venue close to us). Another ten years and she'll definitely sound different. Along with other factors, age changes your singing voice the most.

She's still stunning and in fabulous shape. It should make me green with envy, but I'm actually just admirably impressed. I think her lifestyle keeps her so vibrant. We should all take a lesson. Enjoy!

Real Estate Venture...maybe

My hubby wants to buy a house or, rather an additional house...as in, a second house with a second mortgage and it's making my head spin just typing this. The buyer's market "fever" has him and he's hankering to cash in while things are good. The way to do this would involve more work on his part and more hours away. This does not make me happy; however, he wants to have a retirement home ready and waiting when our time comes. Basically, the means justifying the ends. I guess so. I just keep thinking, if he works himself into an early grave, what do I care about a retirement home that I can't share with him?

He called me today to reiterate his goal with me, claiming that he'll have this done by next year. He will pick up more clients and possibly go back to graveyard shifts, if necessary. How did all this start? Where did he get this idea? Why, House Hunters, of course! Okay, not just House Hunters. How about House Hunters, My First Place, Property Virgins, Bang for your Buck, etc.... We watch these shows like they're going out of style! We talk about which homes we like and what we like about them. We've discussed what we'd do differently, if we were to sell our current home and buy a new one. The prospect of building, updating what we currently have (my kitchen...please, God, my kitchen) and increasing the value over all.

As we watch, he'll get on the web and search the current housing market of the area we're watching. I can't tell you how many Texas homes I've seen in the past few weeks! Yep! Everything is definitely bigger in Texas. We figure, for what we'd get for our house here, we could by something spectacular there (I'm talking 3000+ square feet, formal dining, cathedral ceilings, loft space, ginormous bedrooms, wrap around porches, patios, a swimming pool all on a 1+ acre of land. Even still, I really don't want to move to Texas. Currently, he's exploring the Henderson, Nevada market but we're still considering St. George.

I'm on the fence about it all. Wonder if his buyer's fever is here to stay? He will do that sometimes; get all riled up and excited about something, then the drive peters away. I can't tell if that will be the case this time or not. Will we still be talking about an additional home in three months? I guess time will tell...

Birthdays and Hair

Indy had a small, family birthday party on Friday. She received more dolls, toys and clothes. The kid has really racked up this winter! For dinner, we did something a little different. Instead of the typical pizza pick-up or hamburgers and hot dogs, I made spaghetti and meat sauce (one of her favorites). I backed up the meat sauce with an alternative; garlic and herb sauce. We also had garlic bread and a variety of drinks to choose from. So, five adults and four children were very pleased and all went back from seconds. Who knew one of my standard meals would do so well! My sister-in-law was eating and didn't even question the green items that tasted so good (uh, green peppers? Vegetables? She should probably eat more of those).

After cake and presents, we all sat around chatting while the kids played. It really was a nice evening. Everyone was dog tired from working, but still managed to have a good time. It reminded me of why I like to entertain. I can't wait to redo my kitchen (coming up this year, I hope). We plan to install hard wood floors throughout the top floor of my home, save the bedrooms and bathrooms along with granite counter-tops and refinished cabinets. Huge, huge jobs, but it will be so worth it.

The next morning (Saturday, bright and early) my sister-in-law returned so that I could do her hair. I offered, but also put out the disclaimer that I am no professional. She didn't seem to care and was happy to spend the $50+ dollars on the type of hair that I wear (in black). I think she just didn't want to have to deal with it anymore (she's a hospice nurse).

It's probably a good thing she did this, too because as I was braiding, I noticed quite a bit of damage...especially her ends. It's evident that over processing, stress, and breakage from sleeping on cotton pillows are all culprits. Interestingly, we watched a video of me in a step show and my hair was very bouncy and healthy. She commented on it several times. I remember, during that time, I was only using "sodium" based perms, rather than calcium hydroxide. I also slept on a satin pillow case and, when that wasn't available, a satin cap. I made sure to only use light hair moisturizers rather than flat-out grease. I received trims regularly and visited my salon on a regular basis (rather than doing my own retouches). All of this extra maintenance kept my hair in good shape. It was also incredibly expensive. Makes me appreciate even more that I'm natural and don't have to go through all that drama anymore.

Her hair will certainly grow out with braiding, but it will endure a different kind of stress. I'm not sure what her plans are for the future. I don't even know if a "hair lesson" is really what she wants, anyway. People generally do what they've done forever, because that's what they understand and feel works for them. Opening their minds to knew ideas can be tricky for some. I think that would be the case for her.

Although I'm selfish of my time but I wonder about doing this for a bit of extra money. I'm okay, but not professional (I would make that clear in my ads). I wonder how busy it would make me? I've also thought about maybe giving a little "workshop" if nothing else (there are so many black children adopted by parents of different races that struggle with their hair...there are websites galore devoted to supporting them). That would certainly be an "in". I'll think about it more.

I've lost four pounds, but I'm not drinking enough water and I'm still eating out too much. I'll keep trucking, though.

A New Perspective

As I approach my thirty-fifth birthday (seriously?!), I've started to think about my life; front and back. Nostalgically, I've thought about where I was ten, twenty even thirty years ago. The recitals from childhood, the boys I liked in junior and senior high school, friendships I made and lost in college. Frustrations and anger I felt over things I thought were so important, that now seem so trivial. As a married woman with children, I look at how everything effects myself, my children and my husband. All of my decisions, for the rest of my life, will involve myself and my family.

Hubby and I watched the following last night and I gained so much from the program. I guess it's a new series for PBS. Anyway, it falls right in line with what I'm thinking about these days. What makes me happy? Would I be happy with more material things or do I just think I would be? Considering my happiest moments, what do they all have in common? There were some remarkable people featured during this episode. One, whose story actually made me cry, gave me the most to think about. In all the crappy, bad, horrible things that have happened in my life...if I could erase/wipe away those moments as if they never existed, would I? The answer, of course, is no. Absolutely not. I would not be the person I am today, if not for all of my experiences (good or bad). It was a sobering thought.

The path of life is definitely looking shorter and shorter as I age. I certainly echo the thoughts of some of the older individuals. Having time with my family means so much more.

Twenty-Ten...For Real?

I'm just having the craziest time excepting the year. Wow! Have we already experienced a full decade in the 21st century? Didn't we just deal with Y2K and all the drama associated with it? Crazy! Anyway, I'm looking forward to good things this year. More hope, more love, more blessings from above.

First off, it's time to get off the holiday weight. I'm singing to the tune of 10 additional pounds over a two month period. Yikes! The work has already begun and I am paying the piper. Things well get better...remember, hope in twenty-ten.

The girls cleaned up this holiday season. Dolls, clothes, a remote-control car, an X-Box 360 Elite, tons of games and underwear. They have no complaints (and neither do I, for that matter). Indy's birthday is next Sunday and she'll rake in more goodies. Dang, to be a kid again! We'll have a family party on Friday for her, including dinner and cake. Mom is probably going to forgo the cake for a Smart Ones desert or something.

Hubby wanted to take me away for New Year's. He planned way ahead and had my mother slated to watch the girls. Who knew she and my sister would get sick and be unable to care for them. Blah! No getaway with hubby, but we still brought in the new year with peace. I couldn't have asked for more.

The week has begun and getting back into the swing of things is weird, but I'll be okay.

Working During My Vacation

Yeah. That's the title and that's what's going on and it really, really sucks. I was supposed to be off from this past Friday to the first Monday in January. I made all sorts of plans and thought of activities to do with the children. These have all been put aside so that I can make some stupid-ass deadline that has nothing to do with me. Nice.

Friday was awful. I mean, it was probably the worst day of work I've ever had. I got up planning to help out with some items (4:45am was when I logged on). After several phone calls and major blow-ups, I logged off at 11:02 am (oh, did I mention? I had to be at the Babe's school at 11:00am to help with their Christmas party?). I left, scrambling to get Indy into the car with coat and supplies. We manned the party for about an hour, then left to do some major grocery shopping. The shopping left me tired and needing additional supplies from a separate store.

Indy and I hit up Mickey D's and ate lunch in the car, waiting for the babe to get out of school. Then, it was on to the next store for more groceries. Upon my return home, I put all the bags of groceries on the counters and then. Ring! Ring! Work.

I worked from 3:00pm till damn near 6:00pm. I was so tired! The girls were running around trying to kill each other, I had frozen pizzas defrosting on my counter and the phone just wouldn't stop.

I'll be working for the next three days of my vacation off and on. I am so not happy.

(More to come later...gotta work).