Top 10 List – what I love about FALL

1 sleeping with the windows opened
2 baking treats to warm up the kitchen - mmmmm, smells great in here!
3 watching the leaves change – every day is a surprise
4 wearing socks
5 comfort food – potato soup & grilled cheese, casseroles, chai lattes
6 fires in the fire pit
7 Halloween
8 locally grown apples
9 cozy sweaters
10 no more mosquitoes

Hitting the Beach on Watery Wednesday

This is my favorite photo of Walker and Diva on our last trip to the Gulf Coast. Later that day we flew kites and built sand castles. It was the kind of day you dream about when you plan your vacation.

Check out other Watery Wednesday photos here

Out for a Walk on Ruby Tuesday

Not far from my house is a pretty little walking trail. I mostly use it as a bike path, but on this day I chose to walk. It's amazing how much more you can see when you slow down.

Daybreak on Amelia Island

I took this photo on Amelia Island, Florida, when Walker and I were there for a long weekend a few years back. We stayed at a motel right on the beach and got up early every morning to watch the sunrise. We always had the beach to ourselves, except for the gulls.
We used to do a fair amount of traveling. Lately, not so much. This trip came about abruptly when, after an especially difficult night at work, I checked for cheap airfare on a whim and discovered flights to Jacksonville on sale through Northwest. I booked them on the spot. One of the things I love about Walker is his agreeable nature. Where ever I take him, he has a good time. This trip was no exception.

Atlantic Coast Sunrise

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time!

I took a bike ride yesterday. You'd think that was a good thing, wouldn't you? It started innocently enough. I took the dog out for a pee and was surprised at what a gorgeous, sunny day it was. I’d been so busy working inside that I hadn’t even noticed. So I changed into shorts and a tank top, strapped on my helmet, and hit the road.

The trouble started almost immediately. For one thing, I am not in good shape. An amoeba has better shape than I do. For another, I am 41 years old. Forty one year olds who have not recently participated in regular exercise should not attempt to ride a bike up a hill in eighty degree heat.

I told myself I was tougher than the bike. I remembered how much I enjoy riding. I cursed a lot. Then I reached the end of my block. I thought about turning around. But I didn’t. I decided to ride a five mile loop, and mentally plotted the route I would take as I pedaled along. I live in the Midwest where the winters are long. I was determined not to waste the gorgeous fall day.

As I neared the end of my loop I realized that I would have to travel – uphill - on the overpass in order to get home. I didn’t think I could make it. I really didn’t. After all, I’d ridden nearly five miles after an entire summer of relative inactivity. True, my odometer didn’t seem to be working but I knew it had been five miles because I’d counted the city blocks. Plus it was HOT outside. I’d neglected to bring my water bottle on this journey. I was probably dehydrated. I would never make it over the overpass. I would pass out halfway up and tumble off my bike, over the railing, and down the hill to my death.

As I approached the overpass I decided to just try it. I told myself I could get off the bike and walk it if I wanted to. Hell, I could call Walker to come pick us both up in the van if I really wanted to. But I didn’t. I stayed on the bike, and slowly, slowly, I pushed myself up that hill. At the top, I paused to catch my breath and was rewarded with a beautiful sight: Virginia creeper vine, all decked out in her fall crimson.

When I finally got home I fiddled with my odometer and guess what? I hadn’t even gone five miles. The odometer read 3.53. So much for my math skills. But at least I have a pretty picture for my blog.







Hope you enjoy Ruby Tuesday!

Fall Color Begins!

My morning walk revealed a surprise: Autumn is just beginning to show her colors on my neighbor's maple tree. I love this time of year!

Technology is a Wonderful Thing. NOT!

Ohhh, my Wednesday photo meme is giving me the fits! The picture looks awful, the links don't work....I have no idea what happened. I've been trying to fix it off and on all day. I'm not tech savvy at all but I can't seem to let it go and move on. So frustrating!

Seventeen Mile Drive, California

My first photo meme was posted last Friday. Piece of cake. This one.....not so much. When I click on my name in Mr Linky it shows my photo but not my blog. My photo looks all pixelated. Weird cause it looks great in my web album. Sigh. Anyone have a link to a good tutorial?

My Path of Least Resistance

Why is it, during times of stress or sadness, I do things that directly contradict who I want to be? Some people fight stress by going for a run, or cleaning every closet in the house, or volunteering at a soup kitchen.

I eat.

I know I’m not hungry and I know there are better ways to manage my mood and I know I’ll pay for it later with short-term guilt and long term bulk but for some reason, when trouble knocks at my door I stop in the pantry for a quick snack on my way to answer it.

I think that awareness is the first step to making positive changes. I’ve got that one down. Now could someone please tell me what step two is?

Yep, Summer's Over......

My First Meme

I'm still not sure I'm doing this correctly, but here it is, my first meme! I love the idea of this meme. Hopefully it will remind me to slow down and appreciate this beautiful world we share.

Remembering Tom

The first time I ever travelled by airplane was in November of 2001, just weeks after the horror of September 11th. I was to fly alone to Denver, Colorado where I would meet up with my sister’s family and venture on to Hawaii.

I was excited about the trip, but as it approached I became nervous, too. The nightly news was filled with scary images of heavily armed military in our nation’s airports even as details about the 9/11 terrorists emerged. Constantly changing rules about what was and was not allowed on planes had me scrambling to reassess and repack. Stories of frustrated travelers pulled from planes after making ill advised comments had me vowing to stay silent for the entire trip.

Finally, the morning of my flight arrived. Before sunrise, I checked my luggage one last time and sat down to wait for my ride to the airport. A movement at my kitchen window triggered the motion sensor light over my back door, startling me. Peeking in my kitchen window with a big happy grin was my friend Tom.

I never told Tom I was nervous about my trip, yet there he stood at 4:30 in the morning, ready to say a blessing for my trip and give me a hug. Before he left he told me, “Don’t be scared. You’re going to have an amazing adventure.” And I did.

Tom was the kind of friend all of us hope to have and most of us would like to be. He never forgot a birthday. When I was sick he would drop off homemade chicken dumpling soup from a neighborhood bistro, leaving the steaming bag on my front step and running back to his car after he rang my doorbell. He would watch to make sure I retrieved it before waving and driving off. Full of wisdom and funny stories, Tom always seemed to know what to say to leave you smiling.

When Tom got cancer it seemed just too unreal. Here was this strapping, energetic man – how could he be sick? He insisted on driving himself to his chemo appointments. The “if there is anything we can do” offers went unanswered. Later, when the cancer was in remission, we all said, “I knew he’d be okay! He’s too young for cancer. He’s too strong.” Ridiculous, I know, but sometimes you tell yourself lies so you don’t have to face the unthinkable.

When the cancer came back, the lies continued: “He beat it before, he’ll beat it again!” "Who cares if the doctors said there was nothing more to do? Doctors have been wrong before." But the cancer didn’t listen to the lies. Very early this morning, when fog thick as a veil swirled through the chilly air, Tom's weary heart tapped a final beat, and he died.

My friend Tom, world traveler, has embarked on his most amazing adventure ever.

Linebacker in a Dress

My mom has always wanted an athlete in the family. Unfortunately, neither I nor my siblings possessed any athletic prowess. My older brother played basketball, baseball, and hockey, but his skills were somewhat limited. He did it for the love of the game.
When the new generation came along my mom encouraged sports of all kinds. One particular event was the annual Punt, Pass, and Kick competition. Thirty-odd years ago my brother was a competitor. Two dozen years after that, his son won first place for his age group at his playground. The problem with that, though, was it was a total fluke. My nephew happened to be at the park that day and asked if he could participate. With no experience whatsoever he threw a perfect spiral and kicked the ball in a straight line. He couldn’t do it again. We were no less proud of him, of course, but after that he refused to practice and was totally shut out at the next level of competition.
Then along came Diva. That little missy is game for anything. I got her a football when she was about four or so, for no other reason than she didn’t have one. She played with it a few times, but she didn’t show real interest in it until last summer. Then, for reasons unknown, she started playing with it in the park near my mom’s house. My mom taught her to throw and kick long and straight, measuring her progress with a clothesline stretched across the grass. They were all geared up for the big competition and then…..nothing. I don’t know what happened but Diva’s dad didn’t take her to the event last year. I think they just plain forgot.
So this year, Grandma took charge. She organized daily practice sessions in the park and called in reminders before the event. On the big day, Diva’s dad got her to the park in time for one-on-one with some local football players. She did well in practice, but the real fun came later: she took first place for her gender and age group. She got to bring home a blue ribbon and a trophy. She was even on the local news.
Grandma has increased her practices to two-a-days. Walker puts her through her paces, but tries to keep it fun. So far she’s really into it. The next competition is in October. If she wins that she goes on to compete during halftime at an NFL game. Go, Diva!!

Call Nancy Drew!

I logged on today to post a new entry and discovered that my last few posts have vanished. Eek! I have absolutely no idea what happened to them. It’s funny to think of all the things that I use on a daily basis but have no real understanding of. Like my cell phone. The internet. My car. I mean, I know how to drive and I know how to check my tires and my oil but I couldn’t build an engine. I don’t even know the names for all of the parts. I’ve decided that’s okay. In my world, being self-sufficient doesn’t necessarily mean you know how to take care of everything, but rather that you know how to contact those who do.