Hail Storm, Happy Hour, and . . .

Last night The Valley of the Sun was darkened by a crazy big storm. It woke me up at 11pm when hail started coming in horizontally and hitting my bedroom window. There was a huge crack of thunder that almost made me cry out. This morning there were power outages and trees down in the central Phoenix area. It reminded me of home. I have remarked before that I missed the big thunder storms of springtime in TX. Sorry Phoenix, in the future I'll be more careful of what I put out into the universe.

I have been incredibly active this week. I have worked out every morning and been hiking every evening except last night. I had to bond with coworkers over happy hour.

I have a good weekend planned. I am going camping tonight. I will be going to Flagstaff to hike with my hiking group Sat. and some of us are camping at the trailhead the night before. It is supposed to be 50 something degrees at night!! I haven't felt that in a whiiiiile.

Y'all have a great Labor Day Weekend! Smooches!

The Glad Game

I am glad that:

I don't have cankles
I can walk up the North Mountain trail without stopping
I like veggies
I have good friends who care about me
I have a home to call my own
It is raining
I started knitting again
I have a job
I can lose my self in a book
I have three rock hammers (all for different purposes)
I have a big light up turkey

:)

Per Bobbie's request, here is photographic proof of the turkey.
(for scale that is a key chain flip flop)

Fantastic People I Love!

I hope you enjoy this journey through my past. Don't be scared by the hair and puff painted shirts.

Lovely ladies: Valerie, Bonnie, and Patrice.

Aren't we gorgeous! I loved that hair clip mum, and I'm not sure but it looks like my hair could be crimped. Ah, the carefree days of youth.

My Granny (left) is fabulous. Nuff said. The other lady is her little sister, Mary. This was taken on a trip to FL, where they grew up and Mary still lives.

Bonnie and Mom look so much alike.

My sisters and my cutie pie niece, Lilly. I am the one reflected in the window taking the pic :)

My Dad is the greatest. Skiing is one of the things we all like to do as a family. I call him The Bullet. Yay Dad!!

Mi Familia ~1990

This is one of my favorite pics because it has all of us with Daddy Paul and Grandmother. They look so small in this picture but that is not how I remember them. An aside: I am now in possession of the nativity set in the foreground. Check out the mustache on my dad.

zzzzzz

I have had a bad attitude toward life lately. I'm sure you've noticed. I felt so much better today. I wondered why. My circumstances have not changed, and, as far as I know, the Earth is still rotating in the same direction (let me know if superman shows up). The only thing that I can think of is that I finally got a good nights sleep. I went to sleep around nine thirty (yes I'm old) and when my alarm sounded I was actually awake. I didn't feel the need to hit the snooze. It was awesome.

The drillers always tell me that sleep is overrated or that I can sleep when I'm dead. I disagree.

Here's to you, Sleep! May we have a long and satisfying relationship in the bedroom.

Olympics, Cosmo Radio, and Confessions of a Former Friend

There are a few things going on with me so if you lack courage, go no further!

The Olympics. How wonderful! I'm lovin' it. However, I don't remember the games being broadcast so late at night. They go on 'til midnight!! At least! I get up really early in the morning and the Olympic Games have totally thrown off my sleeping schedule. It is fortunate that they only last two weeks. I wouldn't be able to go any longer on almost no sleep. On a positive note, I have been inspired to workout. And this is kind of random. Michael Phelps is pretty awesome, but I think it is kind of sad too. Everyone else can only hope for silver. I just want to say, "Let the other kids have a turn."

My friend from work, Lauren, told me about a satellite radio show that she likes to listen to in the mornings called Cosmo Radio. Yes, Cosmo as in Cosmopolitan Magazine. It is so funny. They are pretty silly and they talk about shopping and Sex in the City, but I love it. If I had money I would subscribe to Serius just for that channel. Serius 111. I get to listen to it this week because the rent truck I'm driving has satellite radio. Whoohoo! No really, I love it.

Ok y'all, I don't really know what the point of this section of today's blog it but I feel like I should set some things straight. Even if the message only spirals around in the universe, at least I put it out there. I'll begin with a confession. I have two former friends who I parted with badly. I sometimes (more often than is healthy) google their names. Shut up, you know you do it too. This has mostly to do with the first former friend. I won't name names because this person has a reputation to protect. I have found her blog and I read it periodically. There were a lot of things leading up to the demise of our friendship, so lets just say we are both to blame. This could get complicated. People who have known me almost my entire life believe that I am a horribly mean person because of her. This is part of the reason I harbor such a strong dislike. I took all the blame for the break up of our friendship. She is perfect by the way. Too perfect. I would like everyone, the sun, the moon, and the stars to know that her life is perfect. Far more perfect than mine. I didn't ruin her life. I didn't ruin her life. I don't think either of us is better for having known each other. I want to let it go. Therefore, I will work on letting those bad feelings go out of my life.

Sorry, I think all this is coming out because my 10 year high school reunion is this year.

Merry Aquifimas!

This is what happens when strange people get bored.

Let’s celebrate Aquifimas. On Aquifimas Eve we could gather round our respective local water wells and sing the water songs of old while sharing soggy joy with our neighbors. The adults will chit-chat around cauldrons of glorious boiling water, sipping on watertinis, while the children pummel each other with that age old favorite, water balloons, as they dart in and out between oscillating sprinkler heads. Aquifimas morning we will rise with palpable anticipation. Gifts of flambouyantly decorated jugs and bottles are exchanged and everyone enjoys a breakfast of crisp clean water and sponge cake. Then everyone gathers about the TV to watch their favorite synchronized swimming team compete for the title of world champions. Afterward, everyone can go for a swim, get really hungry (why does that always happen when you swim), go out for burgers and wish it wasn’t a whole year before Aquifimas comes around again.

FOR THE LOVE OF . . . money?

I hope it shows that I don't love money. I'm not greedy. I just want enough to pay all the bills, take an occasional vaca, and have some saved up for those pesky medical things that sometimes crop up. I think anything beyond that should be lavished on others.

I am struggling right now and I blame the education system. JK. It is completely my fault. I wanted college. Worse I wanted to be an opera singer and went to a private school for a long time. Eventually I gave up on that. I transferred to a state school, but still took out large loans to pay for it. Then after I graduated, I didn't find a job. So, I went back to school and ended up dropping out after 2 1/2 years. I can't say it was wasted time. Who knows where I would be if I hadn't taken that path. I'm happy in this life that I have right now. The only thing bringing me down in a significant way is the money. Student loans aren't free money. I knew that I would be paying them off someday. I just wasn't being realistic. I was young and invincible. Nothing could touch me. It isn't like that now. Those bills come due.

It is kind of fun going to grocery store and only buying things that are a dollar or less. It isn't really as easy as it sounds. Food prices in AZ are pretty high. I was spoiled living in TX. You never know what you will go home with. It isn't fun knowing that I have to get the cheap stuff.

So, tell your friends, family, strangers, etc. . . beware the student loan.