I Ride Horses (well horse actually)

We had a family (the four of us and the in-laws) weekend at Canaan Valley, West Virginia. The weather was gorgeous, the scenery was beautiful, the company was wonderful and I rode a horse. A real horse. A big, huge, actual, walking, trotting, galloping horse. I hadn't planned on riding. The boys and the in-laws were going to, but Al couldn't because he was recovering from knee surgery and I used the excuse that I was going to keep him company to hide the fact that I was too scared to ride a horse.

But when we got to the riding stables and saw the horses I fell in love. They were beautiful. They were sweet. I looked into those big brown eyes and I wanted a horse of my own. I forgot the fact that the last time I rode a horse was nearly 40 years ago. I forgot the fact that I would be sitting on top of a huge animal with a fairly small brain. While that brain might be small the horse would know I was a horse ignoramus.

Luckily the horse was not only smarter then me, she was gentle and good natured and I survived an hour ride through the State Park. I would have to say that the one ride was most likely enough horse back riding to last me for the rest of my life.

Sunshine and Goldfish

I haven't posted in a while because I've been running around taking care of people who choose surgery over living in pain. Last week my mother had her left shoulder replaced and this week my husband had muscles in his knee surgically smoothed. I've spent too much time sitting and waiting to make sure both it through surgery, picking up legal drugs, running errands, cooking meals and driving immobilized people various places. It hasn't been bad except for the fact that it cuts into my free time. And of course my free time is so limited now that I am retired.

My latest hobby is machine embroidery and my first project was the goldfish towel, see above right. I also added a football design to a sweatshirt for hubby's d-day and a plaque bemoaning the problems of old age for my dad. I am making plans for embroidered Christmas presents, but haven't had the time to do any more embroidery since I have been taking care of sickies. Luckily they are both doing better so I should have time to work on a few projects tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Lordy I enjoy retirement, though I do miss my work buddies.

Wednesdays

A week ago, today, Sweetie and I visited Good Looking at her vacation spot. We spent a wonderful day talking, catching some rays and generally having a wonderful day. I had so much fun I wanted to go camping with her next year. Or at least I wanted to until the end of the day when I badly wanted a shower and a comfortable bed. I think the only kind of camping I am really up for is motel camping. That's when I visit a camper but I stay at a motel with a hot shower and a comfortable bed.

The picture above is Cape Henelopen Delaware at sunset. Watching the sunset was the perfect end to a perfect day.

We Might Let Him Out of Jail

Cole,the pain-in-the-arse is getting out of jail because he is basically housebroken. But he recently chewed through the cord of the new vacuum cleaner. So now I can't clean the floors til we get it fixed. This is one very expensive dog. Luckily he is a sweet and loving dog--luckily for him that is.

He and his brother have started walking with me most days, now that the weather is pleasant. We walk around the neighborhood stopping every few seconds so the boys can sniff all the good scents. And yes I always carry my poop bag just in case.

If He Weren't So Cute He Would Be Dead

He ate my new glasses! The glasses I paid way too much for, to replace the first pair he chewed. The thing is I am glasses less for a while because i threw out the chewed pair when I got the new ones and the new ones have been totally destroyed. Without glasses I can't see well enough to drive, so I am stuck at home-boring; watching TV gives me a headache so I don't watch TV-that's a good thing. Like I said, if that dang dog wasn't so cute he would be dead.

In fact he is a very expensive pain. So far he destroyed Albert's retainer, 2 pairs of my glasses, 2 pairs of Ben's glasses, one pair of Al's, a school book, various toys, socks and odds and ends. You would think we would have learned by now to keep anything valuable under lock and key.

Speaking of home, I miss the boys now that they are back in school. The house is way too quiet. I can clean, do laundry and work on my quilts. The house even stays clean until they come home. Even though I miss them I don't really want them back all day every day. I just need to find a new routine.

School Starts Monday

This has been a good summer, up to but not including the last few days. I've been a stay-home-mom and the boys have been able to have an unstructured summer. They could stay up as late as they wanted, sleep until they woke up naturally, go swimming, play golf, go to the movies or stay home depending on their moods. They enjoyed it, though they are a lot more interested in video games then the pool and in staying up late and sleeping till 1 in the afternoon then in going to the Smithsonian.

It has been great for me too. I've enjoyed the spontaneous conversations, hugs and the window into their day to day lives. Too much of a good thing turns a smart loving, good natured boy into a irritating, annoying bored 13 year old. The 15 year old would probably be a pain in the butt to except that learning to drive and the car have taken over his life.

Ben needs to go to school. He needs structure. He needs work. He needs to stop bugging me.

Maybe I Do Miss You.

I need a picture of a cute puppy because I am feeling rather glum. I have been trying to feel better through self medication with food. Unfortunately the sugar buzz is doing little to help me move on.

So I decided to think about what's causing the foul mood. Running into the "used to be friend" is pushing feelings of sadness and loss to the surface. It's not that I still want to be friends with her, I don't; it's not that I miss her, I don't. It's that I'm a different person now then I was when I was in the friendship. That transition, growth, was painful and made me lose a number of long held illusions. I used to think that as I grew and become a better, stronger person the people closest to me would accept and even welcome those changes. I thought the process would be a win-win process, that my growth would be a catalyst that would help friends and family to grow too. Some did, some didn't.

The sad part is that some didn't. It's not that the "didn'ts" were bad or shallow people. It's just that they didn't need me as much as I hoped they would and I didn't need them as much as I needed to change. I've learned that sometimes lose comes with every choice and you just have to decide which loss is the biggest.

Maybe I do miss you "used to be friend".

Working for Money

Saturday I worked for money for the first time since retirement. I watched the 4 year old daughter of Albert's tutor while her husband and older daughter were away for a weekend and she went kayaking.

I wasn't really sure that was the way I had wanted to spend my day and I sure wasn't planning on earning money that way. I agreed mostly to help out the mom who was in a bind. I was pleasantly surprised. I had a great day. Little girls , especially this little girl (she is a girly girl) are very different from little boys. Little boys don't paint their finger and toe nails, they don't play quietly and they don't stay clean. Of course they don't talk your ears off either.

Little miss girly girl and I went for a walk to the secret playground mid morning. The funny thing was we ran into a "used-to-be" friend on our way. Even though she almost lives in the area (maybe a little less then a mile away) I was stunned to see her, enough so that it took me a minute or two to fit her into my mental map that she really was the person I thought she was. Life is funny.

I adore flower pictures, which is why I've posted the two above.

The Scenic Route is the Best

I like to travel the scenic route, Al likes to take the shortest route. Mine is more fun, but sometimes it takes for ever for me to get where I want to go.

After dropping Albert off at a golf course near a friends house I drove home via routes 27 and 108. Other then the fact that it took me nearly 2 hours to go home compared to the 40 minute drive out, it was a great ride. I passed a roadside market with fruits, veggies and amazing flowers. I took these two pictures after buying some produce. That stop made the trip worthwhile.

Albert Has His Learners Permit

Albert has had his learner's permit for about a week. He now has 8 hours of experience driving in a Church parking lot, a nearby, very quiet neighborhood, local roads and thirty miles down the back roads to his friends house. He impresses me, with his knowledge and his skill. Nevertheless, riding with him is hard on me. It's not the driving, it's seeing that he is growing up and becoming a responsible young man. I like the man he is becoming. He is kind, thoughtful and considerate. What saddens me and scares me is that he is becoming more and more independent. I miss that very sweet little boy who needed me so very much.

When Al and were talking and planning what we would do when Albert got his learner's permit, we thought I would be the only one to take him driving. We thought Al would be too impatient, lose his temper too often. Albert wanted us all to go to the church for his first driving lesson/experience. So we went as a family, Al and Albert were in the front seat and Ben and I in the back. I was pleased with the way Albert handled the car, but I was literally amazed with how well Al handled himself and Albert. Al did a fantastic job. He was patient and didn't even come close to loosing his temper. In fact he did a better job then I did. I take it all to personally. I see the man Albert is becoming and want the boy he was.

Look at that big yellow mouth

The boys found this fella squawking under a tree in the front yard a few days ago. He had fallen out of his nest and was making enough noise to call all the cats in the neighborhood to the birdie buffet.

We pulled a ladder out of the garage, propped it against the tree and placed him gently back in his nest.

I hope he is safe and doing well.

Cole Rules

He is one cute puppy. Luckily the camera has a fast shutter speed cause this pooch doesn't stay still long. He's funny and never lets the fact that he is a clutz, who trips over his own feet slow him down. I love to watch him run down the stairs from the deck to the yard. As soon as he gets down to three or four from the bottom he launches himself out and down. If Camden is ahead of him, he sails right over him. Life with a puppy is good, at least if you ignore the accidents, the chewing and the broken dishes.


Speaking of broken dishes(using for a transition) Sweetie, Good Looking and I went to New Market Saturday. I had been there years and years ago and it was bustling small town. Going to New Market Saturday was like going to a town that time had passed by. We were there for three or four hours and only saw a few other shoppers. The houses and shops, generally looked rundown. I had a good time, but was disappointed that the town had changed for the worst.

Plain Jane an d I Hate Cats

I do love the fuzzy boys and girls but I am sick of them. The baby (Cole) is kind-of house broken and loving leaves stinking presents on the wooden floors way too often. Star is either too lazy to come downstairs to do her business or (more likely) is too afraid of being chased by Cole to use the downstairs litter box and instead has taken to peeing on Al's side of the bed. I am sick of cleaning up after them. I am sick of doing nine million loads of laundry a day. Any one want a cat or two or three?

I finally had the bright idea of putting in a litter box upstairs. I think Al has suggested it tons of times, but I thought the cat should take her butt downstairs so I was a hold out. Stupid me, I'm the one who does the laundry.

Al and I went shopping today for an additional litter box, spray to get rid of the pee smell , spray to make sure they don't pee in the same place again and new bedding for our bed. I sure hope it works. If not I may sell the cats on E-bay.

and

The Prodigal Cat Returns

It is with out a doubt all Al's fault. Everything is, the fact that I spilled my drink, the fact that I'm goofing off instead of doing laundry, in fact the fact that the laundry is never ending is all his fault. I can't tell you why it is all his fault which is why it is fun to blame him.

I'm blaming him for all the world (all right the three people -which includes me- who read this blog) because he just made this totally out of the blue comment about how I spill stuff all the time just because I happened to drop another glass of diet tonic and lemonade.

I might just as well also blame him for the fact that I have developed an addiction to diet tonic water and lemonade. I started drinking it because a blogger/doctor recommended it for people with restless leg syndrome. For the uninitiated, restless leg syndrome, is the uncontrollable urge to move your legs, usually some time after bed time and for me it always seems to be several minutes after I just fell asleep. It is irritating and frustrating but not serious. Any way, I have it and for me it means on the nights that I don't have trouble sleeping, the urge to move my legs wakes me up and forces me to get out of bed and pace the hall for several minutes.

Tonic water contains quinine which helps control restless legs. Unfortunately quinine has side effects such as headaches and I can't remember what all else. Which means that if I drink too much I have a world class headache. I hate headaches.

Sitting between me and my diet tonic water is the prodigal cat Sandy. Sandy and all our cats are inside cats and have been forever and ever. They aren't interested in going out and don't hang around the doors trying to make a quick escape. I haven't a clue how he managed to escape, but some how or other he did.

We searched the house, the yard, posted signs stating he was lost, called the pound, placed an ad and after a week of searching; Albert saw him on the deck eating the "won't you please come home Sandy" cat food that the boys kept on refilling and keeping, the dogs away from. Albert opened the back door and Sandy flew off the deck and disappeared into the woods. I would have to say he is a rather stupid cat because in my opinion a smart cat would have come into the house. In any case, smart or stupid, we wanted him and were glad to know he was alive.
We searched the house and yard and found him hiding under the shed. Albert tried to entice him out with food, but that didn't work. I tried to scare him out with noise and he ran hell bent for leather across the yard and into the woods. Both boys chased after him madly, most likely scarring him deeper into the woods. Stupid cat, demented family. Humph.

We were all getting discouraged until Albert had the great idea of using a humane trap to capture him. We borrowed a trap from the pound, baited it with canned cat food and a one of the boys tee shirts, placed it in the woods and checked it frequently. It took two days but the Sandy finally came home via the trap.

He is safe though a little battle worn. He is on a course of antibiotics because he was running a fever. He has settled in and we are glad to have him back. I would post a picture but my computer is still in the shop.

The Mayflower

It was my night for book club. Which means all the members meet at my house. Since I didn't want to meet in the back yard I had to clean the dang house, at least the downstairs. I scrubbed floors, doors, walls and windows. I cleaned the downstairs until it sparkled and I am beat. It was worth it. Unfortunately by this time tomorrow, the boys and the pooch will have made a mess of the place again. Sometimes I like to think about being an empty nester.

This month's book, my choice was The Mayflower by Nathan Philbrick. It is, not surprisingly, the history of the Pilgrims from getting ready to make the voyage on the Mayflower and the following 50 years. The book was great, but way too long and too detailed. Even so the discuss was interesting and the meeting was fun. The interesting thing is that I don't seem to read any more now that I am retired then I did before. .

Jelly Rolls

I've joined Moda's jelly roll of the month club. Don't get excited, chances are it's not the kind of jelly roll you think it is, these jelly rolls are rolls of fabrics; precut strips 2.5 inches by 42 inches 40 different strips, 40 different fabrics but all in the same line. Those strips will the kind of quilt that I want to work on a lot easier - dang, their name is on the tip of my tongue, but not in my brain- quilts that start with strips of related fabrics. But how many of those quilts am I going to want to make. Oh well I can cancel at any time.

What I wish I could cancel, but don't know how, is I seem to be a night owl. I like to stay up till one in the morning, but I need to get up at 6:30 to get Albert off in the morning. The problem is staying up till 1 or later and getting up early leaves me cranky. The problem with sleeping in is it squanders my precious alone time (Albert is home 2:15 ish).
and I love my alone time. Speaking of alone time, it is very soon to become a lot less. The boys have only 3 half days of school left. The horror! I'll be a stay home mom with full time kids in just a few days. Weep for me.

Ben (Boy B) 8th Grade Graduate

yup, Ben graduated from the 8th grade tonight. He is hot stuff.

The evening did not start auspiciously, it was raining hard when Ben's grandparents pulled into the driveway and absolutely pouring by the time we arrived at the school. Al (hubby) dropped Albert (Boy A), Ben and I (the grandparents were in a separate car) off at the front door to the school and we still managed to look like drowned rats by the time we were inside. Of course I could have been a bit drier if I had not felt compelled to stand in the rain and get the last word at the same time I was giving my dear sweet hubby, Al, the evil eye. I thought he could have dropped us off closer to the door saving me two whole steps of wetness. Since he hadn't I felt compelled to let him know right then and there. Oh well, that's one of the joys of marriage, or at least one of the joys of being married to me. Even so, it was a nice evening.

The thing is he is my baby. It just doesn't seem right that my baby is now a high schooler. Time goes way too fast.

New cell phone (strawberry chocolate), new number (boy A took over my last phone when he left his on the bus and some rotten kid found it and kept it), new sewing machine class and new entry. All that new wears me out and I may need to go take a nap. and I think I will. That is one of the nice things about retirement, I can take a nice nap any time I want,

Chores and More

I'm finally settling into a decent routine. Mornings are spent doing chores and afternoons are spent doing fun stuff. I would much rather do just fun stuff all day, but the guys won't go along with it.They demand clean clothes and refuse to go around their days as naked as a J-bird. And even I would rather life in a clean house. So this morning I did lots of chores and the house, at least the downstairs looks fairly decent. Life is good.

I'm almost finished with Boy A's quilt. I am pleased with it. And when I finally get my computer back I'll post a picture.

Time to get some work done on the quilt for the tutor.

First Concert

My computer is back in the shop. I can use one of the boy's but I sure miss mine. It really irks me, it is a new computer and should be staying home.

I'm also, well irked isn't the right word, appalled is a better choice, that Boy A is in the starting stages of being an adult. I can see glimpses of maturity in the decisions he makes and the way he behaves. Of course I can see much more teen age behaviour. He and two friends went to his first concert Monday night. That process, making the arrangements, buying tickets and behaving responsibly; is a rite of passage. Of course I'm not sure whether it is a rite of passage for him or for me. I know it is his job to grow up and mine to help him become a responsible adult. But these rites of passage, while good for him, are painful for me. I want him to grow up while at the same time I miss the little boy who wants his mommy.

I'm sure he will love this post.