Hello...hello...hello...hello

Funny how things seem to cycle or echo.  I am reviewing my past posts and darned if I didn't get myself back into that ice cream coma craze (it is just something that keeps echoing back-- ice cream..ice cream...cream....cream...).  See  watership-down .  The timing is approximately the same too!!  I tell you this going against my grain is a toughie!  Just the other day I dropped off Boy at Boy Scouts and I passed by a Sonic.  Moana thought I'll go and get a drink and an ice cream after all I have an hour to kill.  At the stop light the adult Strawberry re-thought that plan.  Moana whined.   Strawberry thought- just this once more.  Moana was happy.  Strawberry did the ordering, though:  we got a large Sprite Zero.  So Moana took a nap.  She's not much for Sprite Zero!

I went to pick up Boy and when he got into the car he was so excited.  He had a great night at Boy Scouts.  The paraphrased version of that conversation:  "Me make fire!"  We high-fived each other.  I told him about my inner conflict with Moana and we high-fived again.  TEN!!!  The Perfect Number.

Speaking of 10, do you remember the old Dudley Moore and Bo Derrick movie?  When you think of the perfect body is that what you imagine?  I guess that depends on what generation we are talking about.  I recently read an interview with 80's sex symbol Kelly LeBrock.  It seems she went into hermits-ville after her divorce to hubby, Steven Seagal.  She can now be found shoveling manure and cleaning her own pool on her ranch.  She says with all the "do it yourself" work, she hasn't had to "work out" in seven years.  I say she's been working out mucking the pigs and horses!!!  

I also say these unrealistic expectations on myself are not healthy or even mentally healthy.  I will not look to Hollywood and define myself or some 70's or 80's movie.  I will not look at others and think "I can achieve that."  I am Strawberry and I am perfect just the way I am.  Moana would like a little less of me while still satisfying her ice cream cravings!  I can live with that as long as the ice cream satisfaction is once in a while and not every day!!

Side-Winder S

My eldest had a dog.  The poor thing had hip dysplacia to begin with and then lo and behold the dog runs in front of a car and really knocks that hip out.  My friend called her "Side-winder Sue."  Cuddles' front part could walk or run a vertical line, but her hind end was always running behind her horizontally.  When she really got excited that back part was wagging all over the (dys)place!!

I'm feeling a lot like Cuddles these days.  My head and my heart are running vertically but my mind and body are running sideways...call me Side-winder Strawberry.  I stepped on Kaaaa this morning and I'm up 2 pounds from my fat camp.  I seem to hold steady at that 13-15 pounds I lost 2 years ago ( Day 1 ) but I continue to be going all over the compass rose since.  Two steps forward (er, 15 pounds off)/ 5 steps back (nada since!).

I'm coming up on my two year anniversary.  What shall I give myself to celebrate the 13 pounds off (13 pound box of chocolates????)?  I'm thinking something cotton; after all it IS the official 2 year anniversary gift.  Stuff my mouth with cotton balls so there is no room for food?  That seems drastic...even for me!  I think I'm going to make a cotton apron.  It will represent my hard work thus far and encourage me to continue while cooking.  I am also going to find the brightest most colorful hand towel to take to the gym.

Today is a new day (okay, I know I say this every few months, but this time is it, dammit!!).  I will no longer say I've lost 13 pounds.  Today I start at zero.  I'm recording that number in my calendar and may I lose another 13 pounds and keep it off for 2 more years.

Are you ready?  Set....GO!!!  (oh hush Moana....we are really getting the hang of this.)

On a personal note: sending prayers out to Graini-aunt.  Love you.

Normal Wednesday, Please!!!

I was going to name this post "Wacky Wednesday" but I've decided I need a normal day; please!!!  Did I mention that Boy is now Boy on Campus?  Yep, he started taking college courses on Monday.  Let me re-phrase that: he started taking college course on Monday.  His first class started at noon.  Being the eager beavers we are, we set out in the general direction at 10 (actually we had to stop by the book store on campus to claim his $95.00 Spanish book.  ouch!).  The line was long and not being a man I asked someone about where to pick up an already purchased book.  We did not have to stand in the long line, retrieved the book and pranced (okay I did and Boy did not) out the door.  We walked around the campus finding his classrooms and buildings and what did I see but....... a HUGE adult-sized bouncy thing!!!!!  I told Boy on Campus I want to bounce!  No!!!!  Please!!!!!!  NOOOOO!  What a buzz kill.  Can you imagine a 17 year old not wanting his 53 year old mother bouncing on a bouncy thing in the middle of the quad?????  Sheesh.

It is now 10:45.  We could have gone home but we went to the grocery store.  It is now 11:05.  Okay, we overshot the timing thing big time.  There really isn't enough time to go home and then back so we went to Target.  Boy sat in the car (I know he was nervous, poor thing).  Finally it is time to drop him off.  Really no sooner than I dropped him off, it seemed I was picking him back up.  Note to self: don't get into a big project!

So here's the scoop:  He had about 25 minutes before the first class started.  He arrived at the class and saw a bunch of students already sitting in the class so he debated with himself "What if I got the time wrong and class started earlier?"  "What if it is a different class?"  "What if I'm wrong and they changed the time of my class?"  Open door and walk in.  "Yes, may I help you?  Class starts at 11:00."  "I'm in the twelve o'clock class."  "That is after this class."  "Okay."  The class lets out and the students leave.  Boy on Campus decides to wait till other students walk into the noon class and then he goes in!  He really likes the class and enjoys his professor- it seems the professor is a fun guy.  I bet HE jumped on the bouncy thing!

So BoC walks to his next class.  The professor says "Hola!" and continues to speak in Spanish.  Finally a hand goes up and a girl says "Will any of this class be in English?"  "No, you want 1411."  Girl gets up and leaves.  BoC raises his hand and says I think I'm in the wrong class too.  "No sabe Espanol?"  "noooooo" he sighs.  The class laughs and she says You understood what I just asked.  He says I took one semester of Spanish in middle school.  Class laughs again.  Boy leaves and goes looking for room 1411.  1411 is the Spanish class code not the room number!  He'll get this college thing down soon.

We go home and call the advisor for dual enrollment students.  I want to make sure he gets the "right" class this time!  Boy is on the phone with the advisor trying to get into another class.  Most classes are full.  We decide that it would be easier to just go through the listing online and try our hand at registering again.  Eureeka!!!  We find one class available: intro to sociology.  Click.  Registered.  This class is thankfully on Tues/Thurs (6 - 7:50 p.m.!) so he has not missed a class. 

"Thrilling Tuesday" was thrilling to say the least.  I met with a friend for breakfast.  Made cupcakes a day ahead of time for a potluck (yes, they are starting up again!!!) on Wednesday, ordered Boy's new sociology book with rush delivery, cleaned the house a little, and cleaned up the kitchen a lot!  At 5 p.m. Boy, Garbage Gut, and I got in the car to take Boy for a Whataburger and head out to the campus.  We made arrangements of where to pick him up, etc. and I happily headed home.  No sooner had a sat down than Boy called....he was speaking very low and I couldn't hear him.  What on earth could be wrong this time?  Is his sociology class in German???  Text me, I yell into the phone.

"Hey so it turns out that class in sociology doesn't start until next month. Need you to come pick me up."

I go and look up the class online.  Sure enough...listed under "date range" is Sept. 23- Dec. 13th.  Why don't all the classes start at the same time????  Holy smokes, live and learn.

Tuesday night I was finishing up my cupcakes and of course, I had run out of cupcake liners.  Well, I'll just throw the rest of the batter into a cake pan I decide.  Directions say: "Grease two 9- by 2-inch round cake pans, attach a parchment circle to the bottom of each pan, grease and flour again."  I do this with one 9x2" pan.  As I am a scattered Strawberry and always have several projects going at the same time, I really have to be careful what I do.

My cooking may literally stick to your ribs!!!

 Please, dear Lord, let this be a normal day for me.  Wait!  Were Monday and Tuesday normal days????  I better be careful what I wish for! 

Thrilling Tuesday!!

I am a happy Strawberry, Grainiacs!  I have connected with friends this summer and am about to connect with more.  Friends make me happy.  Friends are family (to me!).  So I hurt when someone I consider a friend would rather make me feel bad about myself.  We all have all run across those types (if you haven't, I want to live in your fantasy world!).  I shared a photo on FB the other day.  The quip stated "Someone told me I was delusional......I almost fell off my unicorn."  Yep, some days I want to live in my delusional world-- and some days I do!!

I've decided that life is getting too short.  I'm now at the top of my mountain and I will be heading down.  How do I want to spend my twilight years?  Agonizing about a person I just met (and considered a friend).  Okay let me tell you what happened.  I don't think she sees this blog, but if she does--- You really hurt my feelings the other day!!!  I'm not going into all the details, but suffice it to say I was getting a drift that things weren't perfect in paradise.  The final blow was when I excitedly showed her a new candle I just purchased.  It is in a pretty jar and I love the fragrance.  Sarcastically she announced to the group, "I think it smells like mosquito repellant."  I know it doesn't sound like much and I know you will say "let it slide like water off a duck's back" but for me, it was the final slap and although I will be civil to this person, I won't consider her a friend; an acquaintance for sure, but again, I am at the walking...running....sliding....rolling....tumbling stage of that mountain. I do not always want to be on guard (that is, guarding myself) against insults or little blows that make me feel bad.  Can you understand that too?

What do you think?  Are you calling me Pollyana instead of Strawberry?  Am I delusional?  Well I have to go and feed Buttercup, my unicorn, now.

Can't we just get along?

I didn't mind the one ground squirrel in our backyard.  I didn't mind the little family of 5 but now we are counting more than 7!!!  

The "live and let live" philosophy I've adopted is about to bite me in the butt--- er, at least the legs!  I'm worried I'll break my neck tripping in the holes.  Every morning when I go out to feed the birds I not only walk gingerly seeking out little doggie dumps but now I've got to search for squirrely holes.  I wish Cosmos would look at those holes as little toilets and do his business down one of them!  The church ground crew is telling me we've got holes in the front yard too.  The groundskeeper wants to poison them but is afraid the dog will get into it.  Remember my trip to the vet with "garbage gut?"  This could be fatal!!!  So we are trying to think of a humane way to get rid of ground squirrels while still feeding the birds and not killing off Garbage Gut (aka Cosmos).

I decided to arm myself with a camera and show you what I'm talking about.

These are not the same holes and they are just the ones I found while walking around the backyard for 3 minutes.  There are way more than this.

Next project: brick in the whole backyard....or something.

Channeling the Everly Brothers

Dream...dream...dream....

Dreams are funny, aren't they? Gee whez I had a whopper last night.  I was at a party in a huge house (didn't recognize the house).  I went up to a really good looking kid (not thinking romantic dreams here) and started some banter-- I mean really getting sarcastic and bantering back and forth with this guy.  Then in my dream I realized I'm being sarcastic with this complete stranger.    Why are we acting this way to each other?  I have no idea who the guy was or why I was dreaming about being so sarcastic.

Am I a sarcastic Strawberry?  Do we really know how to interpret dreams?  Should we care?  LOL  That is the real question:  Who cares????   Okay, that sounds sarcastic!

ooh baby!

So I took my field trip to have the girls checked out yesterday and what an adventure it was!  First I was running a little late to get to the hospital 45 minutes away and then the sky opened up and a deluge poured down.  I cussed myself out for not paying attention to whether there was a hurricane out in the gulf or not.  The rain was coming down in buckets.  I could barely see my hood much less other cars on the road.  Then I get to the hospital to find out that my general practitioner had set me up at a different clinic.  Thankfully the hospital took me (after all it is the place I've been going to for a decade-  they have my baseline!).  Of course I haven't been there since 2010. I hadn't realized it had been that long.  Time flies when you are having fun in Rural, USA.

Some things have changed when receiving a mammogram (or at least where I get it!).  I was given two band-aids to cover two particular parts of my person!  Too bad I'm so modest; I could take up pole dancing or something with those babies!  I wanted to show you all, but again my modesty and the pure horror for you prohibited me from showing you.  But then I had a brainstorm or some other type of brain zap and....

  I did place them over Hubby's t-shirt but it just didn't do it justice. 

 

Ollie, the cat, offered to wear one, but it didn't look right. 

  

Then just like the 3 bears the last one was just right!

Aren't they cute?  Too bad I'm a modest Strawberry!!!

Passion

I wonder where our passion lies.  Not just l-o-v-e passion, but those little nonsensical things that get our temperatures rising.  Again, not l-o-v-e.

Take, for example, this morning.  I awoke and immediately thought about my animals and my birds to feed. Heaven forbid I forget about feeding the cats!  Oliver can get down-right nasty about it-- knocking over items on my nightstand or chewing on all the noisy plastic paper wrappers that might contain something.  Do you know how noisy the plastic wrappers on post-it notes are?  I do!!  Not exactly resume material but I guarantee it is a skill to find ALL the plastic wrappers in one's room and discard them.

Another example: about a year ago, I wrote on the Downton Abbey facebook board (I know: I'm a geek!).  I was verbally attacked by a Brit about it.  I mean, sheesh!!!!  Give me a break.  Get a life... and all those other many phrases that say "It was just a frickin' question!"  Cool your buns; cool your jets; take a chill pill (Okay, now I'm just showing my age!).  Don't get so passionate about it, for heaven's sake-- it is JUST A TV SHOW and I have a legitimate question!!!!!  Arrrgggg

So I've decided to hide all the plastic crinkly-making noise producing wrappers from my room!

I've decided to quit watching a show that is losing its cast right and left and stories that are running stale and the whole "it isn't the British way" to replace the character attitude and do something more productive on Sunday evening.  And that I am passionate about!!

I am also passionate about having the girls checked yearly.  I have not been so passionate about it recently.  I've thought about it and said "I'll get to it later," but I need to be more intentional about it.  So today in honor of all my friends who have or who are or who have lost the battle with cancer, I'm having my girlies squished and smashed and checked out in your honor (you all know who you are!).  

What are you passionate about?  Is it a TV show or making sure you feed the animals in a timely manner?  Is it battling for your sports team or getting upset that someone upstaged a Kardshian?  Really!  Haven't we had enough of them or Snooki???  I can tell you that, but I'm sure not writing it on their facebook page; I've learned that lesson!!!!

Good News/ Bad News

Have I titled a post this before?  Well, if "yes," here I go again.  Hey, that might be a good title!

Good news:

Boys and I cleaned up around the house.

Bad news:

We kicked up a bunch of dust bunnies!  My throat is feeling them this morning.

Good news:

I received feedback about my seminary project.  My professor said "I am special."

Bad news: 

Wait!  What is her definition of special?????

Good news:

We are getting College Boy all packed up and ready to go back.

Sad news: 

We are getting College Boy all packed up and ready to go back.  I like having College Boy around.  sniff sniff.

Good news:

I am meeting today with church ladies to plan for our Women's Event.  We are having lunch together and that makes me happy.

I am picking out paint colors to paint the Sunday school rooms.  I love to paint.  Don't want to do it for a living so don't ask me to come to your house!!!  Sorry.  I know myself.  Maybe in a couple of months; ask me then!

Happy Birthday Shout-Out to Peaches!!!  Her bd was yesterday.

I'm Strawberry!  I like to end on a happy (birthday) note!!!!

Whosh!!!!

In my next life I believe I will be a clown! (That is if God needs entertainment by clowns in the Great Beyond!!)  I seem to be juggling a lot.  Right now I'm juggling getting College Boy back to college and all the wonderful frustrating details that go along with that.  I'm juggling cleaning and rearranging the house (actually this one isn't moving too quickly!).  I'm juggling helping to get Sunday school, youth group, and all the wonderful frustrating details that go along with those (do you know where I can get an inexpensive bouncy house or castle???).

In all these juggling acts I'm attempting, I've come to the realization:  I'm NOT a good delegator...(one who delegates since my computer is saying "delegator" is not a word).  I'm making it a word!  Delegator...you know....rhymes with alligator...as in I start biting and snapping like an alligator because I'm a crappy delegator.  I want to see this in the dictionary, please.

So that's new with me.  Summer has flown by too quickly.  My college boy is heading towards his junior year of college.  It flies by so fast.  2 graduates and one in college and one entering his senior year of high school and he still hasn't finished that dang Eagle work!!!  Well, there's one more juggling detail in the air now!

Back to work....or attempt to work....ouch...something just flew by me and hit me upside the head!  I think it was my crappy delegator plate!

Dr. My Eyes....

How much does vanity cost? And when I say vanity- I mean seeing without squinting.  I found out recently it costs not only my money but my TIME!!!! I'd forgotten what it's like to live in the city where Dr. triple or quadruple book their patients.   Bad Grief (I mean, what is so "good" about grief?!).  Last week I spent over 6 hours at the optometrist.  Six hours!!!  I made an appointment to get my eyes checked.  To me that means glasses, contacts, cataracts, lasik, fake eyelashes, eye patch, etc.  "Eyes Checked!"  The whole kit-n-kaboodle.  But no, not my guy.  Appointment 1- walk in and notice the sign that says "If you want contacts, please tell receptionist."  So I told the receptionist, I'd like to have my eyes checked for contacts too.  Her reply "Oh, the contact Dr. just left for the day.  He'll be back on Friday."  Okay, make that appt.  So that first visit pay 45.00.  Thank you, insurance.  The way I see it, I got charged for sitting my butt in their chair!  You've seen those (massage) chairs in the mall.  Pay $10.00 for 10 minutes or something like that.  I've noticed no one is paying but everyone is sitting in them.  Well my Dr. charges $45.00 for a two hour "sit."  Finally I get called to go behind the magic door.  The one everyone in the waiting room is waiting to open and praying their name will be called.  Yep, 2 hours later, "Strawberry!"  I was asked to sit in another waiting room and my name would be called shortly.  They took info and had me WAIT again!!!!  You get the picture.  So I got to do this all over again on Friday for the contact appt.  Only that time it cost 45.00 for office visit and 55.00 for contact fitting.  This is all before actually purchasing glasses and contacts!!!  So there you have it.  Squint for free and possibly accrue some wrinkles around the eyes or pay out the eyes and still squint when you wear your contacts because you really need bi-focals.

What's in a name?

Yesterday, Boy mentioned he read an article on the internet (it must be true if he read it on the internet!).  It seems a group is taking reservations for a one-way trip to Mars!  yep, that's what it read.  Now I don't know about you, but do we really want to inhabit another planet?  Isn't it enough that we are screwing up one; do we really need to screw up another?

The really interesting piece of news in that article is the fact that the volunteers are almost 100% male.  Now I don't need to be a scientist to figure out if these guys are hoping to get away from the "little lady," it won't be long before the red planet is unoccupied again!!!  Ah the grass is always greener...ummmm... redder?  That reminds me of an old Star Trek episode where the planet was ruled by women.  At least they had the good sense to have a couple of men in the harhim.

It's fun to imagine.  I can think of lots of football teams or communist countries that might like to be on a RED planet, but as for me, I'm happy right where I am.  Feet firmly planted on Planet Earth, the best little home on...well-- earth!

I'll have a side of moderation with that, please!

It is circulating again, Grainiacs.  That horrible article that tells you Diet Coke will make you fat and oh yeah, kill you!!!!  I cringe every time I see it.  Yes, I know I imbibe HUGE amounts of it and yes, I am trying to quit.  Each and every time I read those articles I think "Today is the day."

The same principle applies to dieting: Today is the day!  Recently I read an update from a friend on FB.  She has lost 60 pounds.  I'm so proud of her.  I asked her what she is doing differently.  (in other words, what magic pill are you taking????)  Funny thing.  She is cutting back on sugar and starches and eating less.  No magic pill.  No starving.  No denying herself.  She says when she does want sugar or starch, she will eat a potato.  Smart choices.  Still eating, but thinking before she eats.

Isn't that the kind of eating plan we want?  Don't we want to eat God's good foods-- not the altered kind of stuff-- like diet coke?  I know I will still have a soda.  I've taken to drinking Fresca.  I don't have to drink a lot of it and I can't buy it at Sonic (so long crunchy ice) or the convenient store fountain (good-bye 75 cent 44 ounce drink!).   Today I will look for a pretty pink drinking cup that will fit in my car's (Georgia's) drink carrier.  Today is the day to make good choices.  My friend's weight loss is my motivation: moderation is the key-- that and a pretty pink drink cup!

Get Going!

Time has a funny way of disappearing!  Why can't my weight do the same thing??  I have no idea what I've said or where I've left off on this blog anymore!!!  I do know this summer has been a whirlwind of a summer!  I watched a daughter graduate, attended seminary, buried two fine ladies, had car trouble, attended fat camp, watched what I ate, taught Sunday School, didn't watch what I ate, entertained friends, jumped and danced at Vacation Bible School and it is only the first of August.  I have more going on in August!!!  LOL  I will definitely need a vacation in September!

So I am sitting here typing and my stomach is growling, but I caught some bug at VBS and I really don't want to eat, but I'm hungry.  This reminds me: flu season is coming up and I recall the last time I was really really sick and all I wanted to eat was ice cream.  I need to prepare for that season and make a batch of chicken soup.  Be pro-active and not re-active, Strawberry.

Is there something you need to be pro-active about?  Well, get going!