Saturday Six

Trying another weekend meme this morning...I wasn't crazy about the Saturday Nine's questions this week, so here are the Saturday Six's!

1. What type of cookie do you most enjoy dipping in ice-cold milk: chocolate chip, Oreo or peanut-butter? Oreos Oreos Oreos!! I'll even fill a little bowl with Mini-Oreos and milk and eat 'em like a bowl of ridiculously good cereal! Aaahhh....

2. When is the last time you had one of those cookies with milk? Just a few weeks ago, Bug had Oreos in one of his Lunchables and he shared with me--mmmm! Such a good boy!

3. Who you are/were you closer to: your mother or your father? My dad, most certainly--I will always be Daddy's girl!!

4. How do you take your coffee: cold or hot, sugar, cream, both or neither? I love coffee--hot, iced, flavored with caramel and vanilla, regular, decaf, half-caff--just gimme!!

5. What word do you most wish people would stop using? I haven't noticed any lately that really annoy me...maybe I'm not around enough people...But, cuss words, any, all--really, there's just not a necessity for profanity--clean it up folks.

6. How often do you floss your teeth? Daily, every night before bed...be threatened with losing your teeth to gum disease or, worse, the possibility of gum surgery--yeah, you'll floss...floss, floss, floss...

And there you have it folks...the Saturday Six. Happy Weekend!

Patrick's Place--Saturday Six

I Want

I find myself saying, "I want..." quite a lot lately. I want a pair of sandals to go with my pretty purple dinner cruise dress. I want the War Horse Blu-ray that comes out next Tuesday. I want the complete set of Harry Potter e-books for my Kindle, even though I have so many other books to read yet and the entire set of Potter paperbacks sitting on my bookshelf, happily read already...twice--but to have them on my Kindle!! I want Mondo's Thera-Tee. I want this stupid house to sell so we can get moved to Massachusetts. I want...I want my husband. I want my baby Brodie back, happy, babbling away, bopping back and forth in his cage, vying for my attention...I want. I want a lot.

I want to be doing something with my life rather than this waiting, wasting. But I can't make plans to do anything because I don't know how long we'll still be here.

Frustrating.

But, then I think, it's not been a completely horrible week. Even though Tucker flushed a chewie down the toilet and stopped it all up, my uncle came to our rescue the next morning and got us flushing freely again. I graduated from physical therapy yesterday and ran 3.6 miles this morning. Blew away that 5k--should be back up to my usual four and five mile mornings soon and then I can start training for an 8 or 10k for the fall after we get moved...Save the half marathon for next spring (gonna have to Google when Boston's is...) Not completely bad...

Squiggy is running around like a little psycho bird this morning, words whizzing out of his beak, rapid as gunfire: "I love you! Squiggy good boy! Whatcha doin'? Birdie birdie birdie birdie. Tickle tickle tickle...." along with myriad other beeps and squeeks and noises I have no idea where or how he came up with them...Blinkie and Skye content to sit in their cage, consoling each other over the loss of their friend, Brodie, ignoring Squiggy's attempts to entice them out to play. Soon enough...we all need to take our own time to heal...

Another Non-thinker (You've Been Warned...)

Back to Meme-ing this morning since I can't seem to put the stupid non-flushing toilet out of my mind long enough to think on anything else (a serious OCD issue is potty breaks and when you possibly can't flush, forget concentrating on anything other than potty breaks...) This morning's meme is from
The Queen's Meme--more mindless questions, today about Trending....as if I know anything about trending 'cuz I'm so non-trendy...But, again, you were warned...

The What's Trending Meme

1. Political ticker: Santorum said "bull***t" on the campaign trail. Do you think this was necessary? This is why I don't follow politics. ALL of politics is bull***t and why would anyone be shocked that a politician would resort to cuss words? I mean, really--as much mudslinging they all do and as corrupt as they all are is one little swear word that big of a deal? But, is it necessary? Are politicians really necessary??

2. Entertainment: How hungry are you for The Hunger Games? I'm hungry to read the book, not so much the movie. Thanks to my friend, Missy, I now have the book to read...along with several dozen other books I need/can't wait to read!! Yeah, hungry!! And all the better--no high calorie movie theather popcorn to fatten the hips when you're simply enjoying the book...

3. What is trending on the blogging front is the death of blogging. Do you agree? And if so, have you made funeral arrangements for your blog? NOOOOO!! Well, doesn't that just figure--I finally commit to doing one regular creative thing and it's no longer gonna be 'a thing'. Great. Not the news I needed this morning. Who comes up with these stupid trends anyway??

4. Facebook: Do you like the new timeline? I do! I love the new profile look with the big background picture and it's prettier to look at the way it's laid out now, rather than just a boring ticker. Still don't like the scrolling ticker on the right side of the home page--there's too much there that I don't want to see, don't need to see, why is it there??

5. Nationally: The tragic Trayvon Martin story and vigilante Neighborhood Watch citizens with guns ready to shoot anything that moves. Do you think we should have Neighborhood Watch groups? What??? I don't watch the news...for good reason. Um, Neighborhood Watch groups, I think, are a good idea--but good neighbors watch out for other neighbors to begin with. I don't think we all need to be armed and dangerous...Scary, people....scary people...No wonder I'm so scared all the time...Who needs to watch the news???

6. Tweeters on Twitter are currently discussing the #IWasStupidEnoughTo hashtag. What were you stupid enough to do? Do tell. Most recently...watch my dog toss a chewie in the toilet as it was flushing and now the stupid toilet doesn't want to flush anymore (didn't we already go over this once this morning???) #IWasStupidEnoughTo repeat myself on my own soon to be dead blog....

7. On the Health Watch: Did you know that popcorn is full of antioxidants? Now that it's healthy, will you still eat it? Yeah! LOVE popcorn, but not movie theater popcorn (again, the repeating...) though, really, I do love movie theater popcorn (who doesn't???? All salt and extra butter please!!) Which is why I try not to go to movies...my butt is fat enough, thank you...

8. (Yes, I said 8!) The whole world is freaking out about fracking. Can you explain it to me? Okay, I had to Google what fracking is and it appears to be too boring to want to read about...I need to find someone to fix a toilet....

Return to Reality

It's been such a great weekend. I knew it would go fast, but at least we had this gift, this time together...I don't want him to leave, to walk out of my arms again. But I can't keep him here-he has to go, make this start for us. Just so hard, unbinding the heart to release him when all I want to do is hold on tight, stay wrapped in those arms, safe, close...ever close. Praying this will all be over soon, that God will bring us back together again quickly--families need to be together...we need each other.

Continuing counting to 1000 gifts:
#217 Reasons to draw again, renewing purpose, priorities
#218 Prayer Board
#219 Peanut popping with Bug at the bus stop
#220 Geocaching with friends and actually finding the caches!!

#221 Celebrating Tucker's first birthday

#222 Weightless running

#223 Pet sitting Scooby, Holly, and Maddox

#224 Leaves burning fast

#225 S&S!! (translated: stopping for coffee at Sheetz on the way to Bible Study...simple pleasures...)

#226 Good prognosis and progress from physical therapy--almost done!

#227 My lovie coming home for the weekend!

#228 Weeping Cherry blossoms

#229 Forsythia and pears boasting spring beauty

#230 Hubby kisses!!

#231 Eleven wonderful years

#232 Scrumptious sea scallops wrapped in prosciutto and sage

#233 Breathtaking sunset

#234 Strolling through art co-op after dinner, a feast for the eyes

#235 Sweet Newfie lazing on back steps

#236 Hunger Games! Up to 48 books to read!!

#237 Spring Pea and Spinach Hummus

#238 Bug 'n Dad watching Sunday cartoons, laughing together

#239 Being in his arms for at least a few days anyway

Thankful in all things....

Subconcious Sunday

Continuing to give the brain a break this weekend--I was up way too late last night after an incredibly divine anniversary dinner at the Hotel Saxonburg, came home to ridiculous ranting, raging arguments with Michael, who doesn't know how or when to give up the fight, and I'd just rather not think this morning. So, found this Sunday free association word play meme, Unconcious Mutterings to fill up the blog space today. The website gives you ten words and you answer with whatever first pops into your head...Mind you, my brain is down for the count still....

1. Flake :: Snow...or dandruff--Oh! Breakfast Club, the weird girl who shook her dandruff over her drawing for snow!
2. Like :: Pizza, though that would really be love...hmmm...hungry...
3. Rash :: Oooooze--ewwww...angry, red
4. Humor :: Laughter--duh...my brain is mush--though I picture Howie Mandel--j'adore!!
5. Splash :: That blonde actress...what was her name? With Tom Hanks?? Daryl Hannah--that's it!! Kind of a weird name now that I think about it for a girl...Daryl, Daryl, and Daryl
6. Blind :: Darkness, lost
7. Noisy :: Michael
8. Ornate :: Chandelier crystal sparkle
9. Rain :: Soft--that's like the name of a water filter, I think...
10. Intensify :: Panic...yeah, intensify sounds stressful. I don't do stress well.

After dinner last night, we went for a little stroll down Main Street and there was this incredible sunset!! I snapped this shot with my cell phone and it so doesn't do justice...so beautiful your heart stopped just a beat, breath caught in awe, gorgeous!!

Expecting life to get back to 'normal' later tomorrow, though not looking forward to it since that means Bill leaves again...and I have to get back to packing and cleaning, Boo and Pea both need their shots...Can you believe it's almost APRIL??? Are you ready for Easter? I've rather stumbled and staggered through my Lent...definitely not ready for Easter. And the cold comes back later today--hard frost tomorrow--all my cherry tree blossoms! Better get pics today before they're gone...

Last but not least, three hearty cheers for my friend, Katie, who is running a half marathon in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Charlotte Motor Speedway!! Go, go, go Katie!! Woot Woot!!

Trying Something New

Since my brain is utter mush this morning over having hubby home for the weekend...all I can do is listen to his snoring soft in the other room and my heart gushes. Yes, I am that ridiculously romantic. I am that crazy head over heels in love with this man and I'm not ashamed to say it. He laughs for my silliness but I can't help myself. He has made me this way and I'll smack him hard in the arm but that snoring...it is home and it is love and it is mine and I want to hold on to it forever...

So, yeah, this is where my head is and I'm supposed to come up with a blog topic this morning with all this love snoring racket going on and I can't think but gush, so I am trying a weekly meme from The Daily Meme, which is a great website for writing ideas! And today's Saturday meme is the Saturday Nine, nine random questions-sometimes with a theme, sometimes without-and this week's random nine is apparently without, so here goes:

Saturday 9: Come Dancing

1. When was the last time that you went out dancing?  The last time I actually went out just to go dancing was maybe fourteen years ago?? A bunch of us went to an 80's night and had a blast just dancing, being silly, and singing all those awesome eighties tunes at the top of our lungs. I remember drinking Tequila Rose and Chambord that night...now that just makes me cringe at the sweetness--yuck! Oh my...

 

2. Have you ever had an argument with a teacher? Oh yes...Mr. Painter, my ninth grade Algebra teacher. We hated each other with extreme prejudice. I don't even know why. I was always a fairly decent student and  really liked most of my teachers. It must have been a chemical thing. Hate. I drew on a test paper that he had specifically stated we were most certainly not to write or draw or mark upon in any way, shape or form (little rebel I was...) And the next day, after Mr. Painter saw I had defiled his precious test paper, he grabbed me by the arm and slammed me up against the blackboard in front of the entire class. I don't remember what words were said, but come on, really? A bit dramatic for a little sketching...in pencil. Easily erased. No--he'd had enough and I'd had enough and I sat in the principal's office the rest of the year during my scheduled Algebra class. Worked for me--no more Mr. Painter!! Urgh!!

 

3. Do you have a tough time remembering people’s names? Lately, yes, I do! That embarrasses me because I've always been excellent with names. Maybe it's just moving too much and meeting too many new people or maybe I'm just getting old and my brain can't retain so many faces with their names anymore. But, then, after putting name with face a few consecutive times, they stick. Just never used to take me that long...

 

4. Would you rather change your past or know your future? I certainly wouldn't want to know my future--I worry enough, I don't need to know in advance what I need to be worrying about. They'd have to up my dose of anxiety meds. My past...there is more than plenty that I'd like to change, but, you know--people always say your past is what makes you who you are today and I really wouldn't want to change who I am...took me long enough to get here.

 

5. What’s one thing you feel you must do in your life before it ends? That I must do? I don't know about must do--there are tons of things I want to do...Travel overseas--I'd love to go to Australia and Israel, saunter around Europe a while. I'd love to go on missionary trips. I'd love to write books (yeah, not 'a' book but books--plural! Haha!) See my baby grow up, go to college, marry the love of his life and have lots of sweet babies for Grandma to spoil. Retire in Maine with the love of my life...Paint. Go whale watching. Go to Alaska. Maybe move to Canada. It snows a lot there...Yeah, there's plenty I want to do...

 

6. How many credit cards do you have right now that have a zero balance? Well, the department store cards (of which we only have two: Penneys and Target) and the Discover card get paid in full at the end of every month. Our emergency card does still carry a balance but that is from my surgery earlier this year...Oh! Yeah, Lowes still needs paid off (our washer and dryer...) Otherwise, everything else is paid in cash. Period. I hate credit cards and refuse to pay interest (emergency card and Lowes are both zero percent interest--oh yeah!)

 

7. What is the most expensive thing you purchased this year? Cervical spine fusion surgery, shortly to be outspent in buying a new house, once this one gets sold. C'mon Buyers!

 

8. If you're married, this probably doesn't apply to you, but: Are you mindful about getting tested for STDs/HIV at least semi-regularly? Why/why not? Married people: Were you mindful about this type of thing when you were single? Why/why not? I never tested. I maybe should have, I wasn't always as careful as one might ought to be--I was pretty stupid in my younger years. We're all invincible, immortal when we're young. Praise God I never contracted any nasties and, happily married now, never will.

 

9. If you could ask the president of the United States one question, what would it be? Mr. Obama, what are you most looking forward to doing once you're voted out of office later this year?

 

March 23, 2001-12

Eleven years ago today, on a much chillier afternoon! I said I do to this man who turned my world around, upside down, and showed me how real love is supposed to be. It's not always been easy. We've had our share of arguments and struggles. We're on our fourth major move--he likes to go in these 600 mile plus jumps...from Butler to Ohio to Tennessee to Butler and now on our way to Massachusetts. It's most certainly never been boring. It's been downright hard to hold on sometimes. But it's been worth it every step of the way.

We've raised our baby boy who is so not a baby anymore! And his baby girl is a most beautiful young woman with a world of promise awaiting her. We lost my dad and younger brother, his older brother. We've gained grand-nephews and nieces with another due in June! I so better be there!! And so many incredible friends along our multi-state journeys...Our life has been good. Very, very good.

Today he flies home to visit for the weekend. He's been in Massachusetts since I had my surgery at the beginning of February and we didn't think we'd be getting to see each other again this soon. So this is an unexpected, cherished anniversary gift to be sure! I'm crying just thinking I get to see him today!! Just a few more hours until I can wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him long....

Bill...I love you a thousand times more than I did that day eleven years ago! I'm so happy and thankful you came into my life when you did and just as thankful for all of our adventures over the years. What began as a total crazy whirlwind is still a crazy whirlwind sometimes, but I wouldn't change a minute. You make me laugh and smile when I feel like all I want to do is hide and cry. You are my best friend and my soul mate (you know I had to throw that in there!) I LOVE YOU!!!

Our Adventure Geocaching

I wrote a little the other day about Geocaching and our less than successful day at trying to complete our first GeoChallenge...But then Tuesday we were invited by our dear friends, the Greens, to accompany them for an afternoon of assured success going geocaching. They've been doing this for years and have a couple dozen or more cache finds under their belts. All we needed was a little help in learning what to look for and Jenn and her two boys, JJ and Shane, were confident they could be our guides and get us heading in the right direction.

Jenn has the Geocaching app on her iPhone which is a huge help. It pulls up your current location and then pinpoints nearby caches, giving brief descriptions of what to look for and how difficult each cache might be to find regarding the terrain and how well they're hidden.

Our first find was originally hidden by Jenn at the end of their lane, so that was a fairly easy cache for us newbies. Inside the coffee container is a bunch of little toys, called swag, that you can choose an item from and in exchange leave a new small trinket for someone else to claim when they find the cache. Michael thought this was incredible fun--real life treasure hunting!

 Swapping out the swag

After locating our first cache, we piled in Jenn's car and headed to the Butler Freeport Historic GeoTrail, where twenty historical caches have been hidden along the twenty-one mile long trail, as well as many other independent caches are also hidden. Here we found four more caches!

 Coyles Station-a historic cache. All our other finds were independent caches.

 JJ found A Bug's Life

 My first find!! New Years 'O9--this was a toughie!

 Shane found Playdoh Anyone?

 A mug shot from the boys

 Not a cache, but an awesome trail dog find! He loved the boys but was leary of us adults...

Heading home after a successful afternoon's adventure in geocaching!

So now that we're more in tuned about what to look for when we're out geocaching, Bug and I most certainly will give adventuring on our own another shot--and look forward to more hunting fun with friends as well!! Check out the Geocaching website and no doubt you'll find caches hidden almost in your backyard. Grab a few coordinates, grab the kids and your GPS and give it a try! You never know what you might find!

Happy Birthday Tucker!

Tucker McFinigan is one year old today!



The day we brought you home

Naps are better with a friend

 Didn't take you long to take charge

You found yourself in unlikely places

You learned how to share

 You made yoga look easy

You outgrew your pillow (then you ate it)

The injustice of it all!!

Sibling rivalry rears its ugly head

Fun under the bed

Fun on top of the bed burying chewies for safe keeping (before he learned of the possibility of toilet stashing!)

Fun without a bed

Your first Christmas--and you didn't eat the tree!! Good boy!

You learned the joys of cooking...if only the counter was a wee bit narrower!!

Neighborhood Cat Detection Watch

It's a dog's life

Happy First Birthday Tucker--we love you!!!

Sweet puppy dreams...

A Thankful Tuesday

I'm running a week and a day late since I had stopped writing for a pause last week. I contemplated adding my list of gifts to yesterday's post, but babbled on so long about a day gone awry...Just today would be a better place to jump back in with gratitude and a breath...start fresh.

But before I count, I'm humbled by the love in my life--from my husband and son, friends, fuzzy, feathered pets, and, of course, from God. Poured over, covered completely, held up and held together in this life giving, heart filling love...so thankful for you all!

Counting on to 1000 Gifts:
171. Short school week, long weekend to play
172. A new Harry!

173. More new books--oh my!

174. Cleared to run--at last!

175. A day at home to catch up

176. Squash and peas-yum!

177. First phlox blooming bright

 

178. Stronger, farther run with no headache after--hope!!

179. A day warm enough for yard work

180. Dinner with chopsticks-penne with salmon and shrimp

181. Two more showings!

182. Electronic shopping lists

183. Steaming chamomile tea

184. Temperance when I feel weak

185. Perfect rainy day lunch (a lot of my thanks are for food...hmmm!)

186. Chores done early, head start on tomorrow

187. Prayers from and for friends

188. Rain soft on skylights

189. Game of Thrones in my mailbox!! 

190. Half day of school for Bug

191. Gorgeous Great Pyrennees at the vet's

192. Taxes DONE! Refund cometh

193. Our boys made second place in the Roll Offs! Go Team Eight!

194. Homemade spicy white bean soup for dinner--enough to last a week!

195. First robin spotted on the lawn

196. Letter from India

197. Coffee date with the gurlz and a french toast bagel (still with the food!)

198. Early morning birdsong

199. Fresh warm air and spring sunshine

200. Windows open on the back porch for a showing

201. Fresh breezes blowing through

202. "Cardboard Only" dumpsters (hunting for boxes to pack for moving...)

203. Turning the furnace OFF! and it's only March!

204. Brodie beak peeking between bars to snitch morning kisses

205. Bug and Tuck morning wrestling

206. Naming bones and giggling

207. Amazing fish fry dinner at St Fidelis! So full, probably don't need to eat for a week...

208. Three bowling trophies--what a great season! Go Bug!

209. Letter to Kiran

210. St Patty silliness

211.. Free Sheetz latte!

212. Running buddy and Mint M&M's!!

213. Spit battles--probably a thing only moms of boys would get...

214. Hot shower after sweaty PT---aaahhh!!

215. Daffodils blooming golden

And...drum roll....

216. Best anniversary gift: Hubby flying home for the weekend to celebrate eleven years!! Dancing in the clouds!!

Always thankful....