Getting it together

 Been feeling rather cow-like lately (there's my new little shaker), so I downloaded the Get Running Couch to 5K app on my iphone and hit the streets around the pool today while Macauley did swim team practice.  Week 1 Run 1 is in the books.  I came home with a major headache, but blasted it with some sweet tea (contributes to cowness, but it had to be done) and went on an organizational rampage.  This little counter is one side of a small butler's pantry walkthrough between the kitchen and dining room, and it had become a catch-all for all sorts of important and non-important papers, mail, electronics, tools, dishes, and more.  I moved everything out and got to sorting.

Ryan's mom gave me this Pottery Barn silverware caddy for Christmas, not long after I had posted a pic of it to my blog (which she didn't see...she just knows me!).  I filled the slots with bills, envelopes, coupons and notepads.

We call thisthe junk drawer, but it's really mostly office-type supplies.  I edited and resituated, and repurposed the adjacent drawer as the tool drawer.  There are more tools on the workbench in the garage, but these are the ones that were floating around the house in all sorts of places.

I moved my little lamp from my office.  I already miss it in there, so I may have to find another for this spot, but I like the soft light next to the platters.  I have a sizable collection of old postcards--these two tucked in the cabinet glass are reminders...

In other news, I finally figured out how to get my own Pinterest boards without having a facebook account (I created a Twitter account and then cancelled it, as suggested on the Pinterest FAQ).  I clicked away at all sorts of stuff this evening, but had. to. walk. away.  I need to spend more time figuring it all out.  But that was another check on my list of things I wanted to do this summer.

Here's hoping both the new organization and the running program have some staying power...and that I don't get (too) addicted to pinning...

Sewing seeds {of thought}

I found this old seeds bag at The Rose flea market in Rogers last week when Macauley and I went down for a quick visit.  Lane was in town working, so we got to see her (and do some preliminary wedding talk--they've set the date for 18 May 2013).  My mom was able to get away from camp for a bit to do a little shopping, and we found a few things, including an old picnic basket I really like, some wood bead necklaces like I'd been wanting, and a antiquish looking cow shaker I needed for some reason.  I was thinking I would wash the bag and then stuff it somehow to make a pillow.  Either use stuffing and sew up the end, or maybe just slide a pillow insert in and tuck some velcro in the flap or even leave it open.  It's about as long as a bed pillow but not quite as wide.  I think it will be perfect out on my porch swing.

As I spent some time after dinner this evening gathering cards to send to the fathers in my family and in Ryan's before Sunday, seeds of a conversation between the elder President Bush and his granddaughter Jenna on the news today ran through my mind...Ryan's grandfather Charles reminds me of the Bush men in several ways, and he and his wife Jinx even hosted Bush, Sr. in their home years ago when he visited SBU in Bolivar.  There are pictures of them framed in the sunken den in Charles' house.  The references to Bush skydiving at 85 reminded me of Ryan's granddaddy Earl, who is so vital and active even as he approaches 90.  The clips of Bush's service in WW2 made me of think, of course, of my gentle Grandpa Jude and my Papaw I miss so much.  So much.  Did I send him enough Father's Day cards when he was still here?  I just don't know...Jenna teared up when her grandpa read from a letter he'd written, and when his voice cracks, too...I'll remember what he said and think of the conversations I've had (and wish I could have) with the wise fathers in my life...

As the summers finish out, and the seas get a little higher, winds a little colder, I'll be making some notes, writing it down lest I forget so I can add to the report on getting older. Who knows, maybe they will come out with a new drug that makes legs bend easier, joints hurt less, drives go farther, memory come roaring back and all fears about falling off fishing rafts go away. Remember the old song, 'I'll be there ready when you are'? Well, I'll be there, ready when you are, because there's so much excitement ahead, so many grandkids to watch grow. If you need me, I'm here. Devotedly, Dad.

Diving in

My sweet boy has taken on a new adventure this summer:  He joined the Spring Creek Swim Team.  Every morning--yes, every morning--at 9 a.m. we drive over to the Spring Creek neighborhood pool (which is incidentally practically in Ryan's grandpa Earl's backyard) for practice. The team is all ages, with a beginner group at 9 and a veteran group after.  We had some fuh-ree-zing practices the first week, and then today a torrential rainstorm rolled in just as practice was getting started. (The little bottom in the air below makes me giggle.) 

We had to get the official gear, hence the ultra adorable mini Speedo jammers (you should see them laying out to dry on the counter--so tiny).  Plus goggles, swim cap and team t-shirt.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early at 8:20 a.m., is the first meet at the Meador Pool over by the mall.  We've only been practicing a week and a half...Good thing our team is more casual and not cut-throat. Macauley will probably do the 25 m freestyle and breaststroke.  I've got a cooler of Gatorade and protein bars packed, along with lots of reading material for me--the schedule for the event reads "8:20-????"  Oh well.  I'm so proud of my little bubby for diving in and trying something new...

Masked intruder

 A few nights ago, we watched the scary movie The Woman in Black then snuggled down for the night with Macauley on his camping cot next to our bed, just a few feet inside the door in the picture above.  I tossed and turned a bit after the unsettling film, and at about 2 a.m. I heard the food in Booker's big bowl being moved around.  Knowing B was sound asleep across my feet, I thought maybe outdoor kitty Maya Angelou had come in and had resorted to dog food because there was no cat food in the garage.  I got up to check, and instead of seeing my big black kitty, I startled a small raccoon who had shimmied under the barely cracked garage door and boldy hopped through the cat flap into the house to sort through the huge bowl of goodies with his tiny black hands.  He scurried back through the flap, but instead of fleeing in fear, he put his little face back up to flap for a while and watched me, wondering if I was going to leave and let him come back in it seemed.  There was a raccoon in my kitchen!  It took me a few seconds to process.  Just feet from where we slept.  And with that, it was decided that the garage door can no longer be left cracked for Maya--she will either come in by curfew or be on her own for the night.  Interestingly, Booker T. never even cracked a sleepy eye or raised his head, which led us to believe that either a) he is not the guard dog we've been fooling ourselves he could be, or b) this little critter (and/or his family and friends) have pulled this trick before and Booker (and the equally unfazed cats) found this situation unalarmingly routine.  I would say it's probably c) all of the above.

My blogging has been sporadic at best of late, but somehow I've made it to the 500 post mark today!!!  I read back through a number of my posts a few nights ago, and I really am so glad I took the time to put so many photos and thoughts here to look back on, especially the "small" stuff of everyday life.  I really must get back in the habit...

This year's love



a birthday today for my love...37



a SMART sighting in the VI parking lot after breakfast



mine



taxidermy makes us sad



rendezvous with friends at the Bass Pro turtle pond

an alligator with no place to go...



the giant alligator snapper in our yard yesterday

 

lazy cats

multiple redbox runs

perfect, loungy Memorial Day weekend...loving this song

First day of summer

Yesterday was the last day of school so we are home for the summer.  Such a luxurious feeling.  I'm looking forward to relaxing days with no real plans, but I'm also hoping I get the gumption to do a bit more...more blogging, more organizing, more scrapbooking, more reading, more meal prep, more exercising...and less being an absolute blob.  Today was mix of both.  I got up at a respectable hour, had a respectable breakfast, did a workout DVD...and never got up off the floor after the cool-down stretches.  Laid there for an hour dozing to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? with the cat stretched out on my chest.  Did a few loads of laundry and then blobbed around on the couch most of the afternoon watching old 90210.  Tomorrow Macauley and I are going to brave the heat and the crowd at SDC, I think, then meet Ryan's parents for dinner at the Gastropub.  Ryan's birthday is Monday.  All he wants is breakfast at Aunt Martha's.  My mantra for this summer (my 16th! with Ryan):

"Be the girl you were too lazy to be yesterday."

Lucky 13

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary.   We took our Bubby out for dinner at Flo and exchanged little gifts and cards.  I really am so lucky.  This boy is my home...

Flashback: Vegas Day 1

Some snaps from our first evening in Las Vegas way back in March when we went on our Spring Break adventure.  The Conservatory at the Bellagio is always one of my favorite walk-throughs...this time the theme appeared to be Dutch Masters.  I especially loved the flower collage "painting."  So creative.  We ate and did a little shopping at Caesars and Planet Hollywood and settled in for a week at The Mirage....Lucky us.

Veggin'

Today is an anniversary of sorts for me.  A year ago today I decided to quit eating animals.  The decision was years in the brewing.  An essay by the beautiful Portia De Rossi in O Magazine about a new horse communicating with the cows on her farm had been rolling around in my mind for a couple of months.  Like her, I've always been an animal lover.  I had also seen a similar piece by actress Ginnifer Goodwin.  Then I worked through Water for Elephants and the mistreatment of majestic and gentle Rosie the elephant and the other circus animals.  Words have always had such power for me, so it's no surprise that it was writing that spurred my choice.  But it wasn't until I made myself watch an episode of Oprah where Lisa Ling sought to show us where our food comes from.  It was rerun.  I couldn't face it the first time around.  I just didn't want to know.  Lisa Ling toured a beef processing facility and detailed the procedures without judgment or condemnation.  Just illumination.  The cows' knowing eyes and the word "knocker" stuck with me.  And a switch flipped in my mind.  No more for me.

I have not made the leap to veganism and I don't think I will be able to.  I still eat cheese, drink milk and eat eggs.  I am aware of the unresolved contradicitons.  I still have leather shoes and purses.  I never really ate fish before and don't now, but I have eaten shrimp two or three times at my favorite Japanese place in the last year.  That's it though.  No bacon or steak or hamburgers or chicken sandwiches...  It isn't convenient, and not sharing some of our favorite meals has changed our family dynamic, but I don't find it hard to resist in the moment.  Good thing I didn't make the change to become healthier, because that hasn't happened.  Chips and Rotel may be meatless but they aren't nutritious!  I can tell the muscle mass in my always lean legs has deteriorated without the consistent protein.  Exercise would help with that... I am still a work in progress and even after a year I don't have it all figured out.

The thing is, I don't begrudge people eating whatever they want to eat.  I don't feel offended or grossed out by meat and I would never comment on what someone else is eating.  I never want anyone to feel like I'm out to convince people to give up animals, too, or make them feel bad for not doing so.  I've tried to mostly keep it to myself actually and there are a number of my friends and family who probably have no idea.  I don't want to draw attention to it, and I only write about it here because this is my blog that I use to track my life and my feelings for myself.  But I've encountered a curious resistance from some people, a kind of disbelief, even annoyance.  That's okay.  I'm not on a crusade and I try to just embrace a live and let live outlook.  And who knows what will happen down the road.  Ginnifer Goodwin had a recipe for her favorite BBQ ribs or something in People not long ago so she has since changed course herself.  And that is also okay with me.  I'm just living day by day with the hope that I can ease a little of the suffering in this big, crazy world in my own tiny way and with the little faces of some mama's babies on my mind.  My muscle mass might not be the better for it, but my heart is.