First day of summer

I think that Memorial Day is a great first day of summer, and this has been a great day for me. Chris and I spontaneously decided to go see Over the Hedge this morning at 10. Apparently they show movies that early in the summer! The movie was wonderfully entertaining and funny; we both really enjoyed it. After that we headed back to the house to take care of a few things, and then it was off to Mom and Dad’s house for burgers with the family. We hung out there for a while until it was time for my brother and his family to go back home. At home, we watched The Chronicles of Narnia and then went for a brisk walk with Bella. We even decided to run part of it. When we returned from our walk, we decided to take advantage of the pool at our apartment complex. It was our first swim of the season, and we had the pool all to ourselves. We decided to do a bunch of pool exercises and then relax. We really got a great workout in today.

Oh, and I simply can’t believe this, but Chris asked me if I would like to start doing our walks in the morning! I love working out in the morning, and so next week we’re going to leave at 5:30 AM to walk together. I am so excited about this. The reason why we’re not going to start this week is because I actually have this week off, and I would like one week of not having to get up early. I get up early during the school year to work out; the really great thing is that in the fall Chris will be getting up with me to work out. Anyway, I will start my summer job next week, so this is like a vacation week for me, except for the meeting I have at school tomorrow.

Oh, I forgot to tell you a cute story about my five year old nephew Jack from my birthday. At Logan’s they took me to a more crowded area of the restaurant to properly embarrass me for my birthday. Other than my nephew Seth who also had a birthday coming up, the rest of my family was back at the table. After I received my “yahoo” I returned to the table. Jack asked me what they gave me, and I said that all I had gotten was the “yahoo.” Jack wrinkled up his little forehead and asked, “Can I see your yahoo? What color is it?”

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Yesterday was my birthday. Chris and I had grand plans to take a trip down the Natchez Trace and have a picnic, but that didn’t happen. It would have been so romantic. Oh, well; we’ll have to go later. Anyway, I did get to have lunch with my dad at the Cheesecake Factory. The lunch was good, but the Godiva chocolate cheesecake was divine! The waiters sang to me, of course, but the real treat was that “Happy Birthday Kay” was written in chocolate sauce around the plate. I thought that was a sweet touch. After lunch Dad and I decided to take a stroll around the mall. We discovered a pair of very pretty cubic zirconium earrings on the floor and just as I picked them up a man called out to me and asked if I had just dropped them. Apparently a girl had just been arrested for shoplifting and had dumped the merchandise just before they caught her with it. I was able to return the earrings to the store. No reward, just the satisfaction of bringing about justice.

Other than that exciting outing, I went to see Poseidon at the IMAX with Chris on Monday night at 10 P.M. We never stay out late, so it was really an event for us. We both really liked the movie; I was on the end of my seat for most of the movie. I actually celebrated my birthday at several restaurants this year. There was the dinner at Goten with my family, Sunday lunch at Logan’s where I received a “ya-hoo” for turning “21”, the lunch with Dad, and last night at J. Alexander’s with Chris’s family. I also received a lot of nice things for my birthday. Chris did a great job. He gave me a necklace and earring set, a new book, a subscription to Real Simple magazine, and three cards. Even though I enjoy the attention, I’m truly glad that my birthday is over. I really am having a hard time with the number this year; I guess I just need some time to adjust.

Finally!

I can’t believe that I’ve made it! The last day of classes is over, and I am so relieved. The students really pressed the boundaries, and let me tell you, I exercised a great amount of patience. The last day was Thursday, and I only had to work for four hours on Friday. Afterwards I went to treat myself with a manicure and pedicure and took my friend Charlene with me. I love being pampered and really don’t get the chance to do it very often, maybe twice a year, but this new place I went is considerably cheaper than other places I’ve been. Maybe I will be able to go a little more often, like four times a year.

How I long to be fit! While I was sick I gained weight, and the doctors could not explain why that was occurring. Going to doctors can be so frustrating. We really never received conclusive answers on why I was sick or why I’ve gotten better. So, now I’m trying to get in better shape. The current plan is Pilates in the morning, walking in the afternoon, lots of water, and the Three-Hour Diet. Hopefully, by the end of the summer, I’ll be looking and feeling a lot better.

Did my post a few days ago sound too dismal? I think it’s just because I’ve been so tired lately. Maybe in a week, when all my regular school duties are complete, I’ll be sounding more chipper. Lately I’ve been pushing myself all day and then crashing hard at night. I need balance.

Tonight my family went to Goten to celebrate my brother’s birthday and mine. Chris, my two nephews, and I had a difficult time getting there. There were police cars and roadblocks everywhere, and we could not figure out what was going on. Every turn we made led us to another roadblock which caused in my brain no shortage of fantastical explanations. I turns out that the vice president was/is apparently in town; that’s a much better reasons for the lockdown than what I had going through my mind. Anyway, we had a very nice time at the restaurant. But what is it about Asian food that fills you up to a painful state? I think it’s the combination of the rice and whatever beverage that’s being consumed. I love the show that they put on as they cook your food, but my youngest nephew was terrified of the oil fires on the grill, and we all tried to assure him that he would be fine. Such a face! That bottom lipped protruded, and his eyes were shut tight! For most of the rest of the meal he kept his hands on his ears; all of the banging utensils seemed to unsettle him as well. After dinner we all went to my parents’ house to open presents and sample the caramel pie that my sister-n-law Laura made. All of us, except Chris and Dad, helped ourselves to a slice, even though we had just eaten a huge meal and orange sherbert at the restaurant. Laura took one the pictures from my wedding, a sweet one of my dad kissing my cheek, and put it on a large tile and gave me a stand to set it up with. I know that I cannot adequately describe how lovely this gift was; you would just have to see it. But I absolutely love it, and I can’t wait to find the right place for it in my home. Oh, here’s the picture she used.



Now I think I’ll go make myself a cup of Sleepy Time tea and try to wind down for the evening.

Hello?

Dear readers, are you there? I keep writing but have been getting no comments. I know that Mom has not been able to read, being that my husband is trying to fix her computer, but what about the rest of you?

I am so tired this week. I think it has something to do with the end of the school year. The students are exhausting me. The end is in sight, and I have little moments of excitement as I count down the days. I have little else to report. I am too tired and need to clean up a few things around the house before I settle in for some blessed sleep.

My birthday is next week, and I am not excited about it. All the illusions of glory that I always have built up in my head never come to fruition on my birthday. It’s like getting all worked up over a new movie that’s supposed to be some incredible blockbuster, but it ends up being just OK. This year I’ve tried to set up a couple things, but they just aren’t working out. So, I don’t want to make a big deal of it. If I don’t have high expectations, I won’t be disappointed.

Mmmm… sleep. The sooner I get all my little chores done, the sooner I get to climb into bed and read until I drift away. That sounds so good.

Tra-la-la…BANG!

So, this morning started out well. Chris and I got up and started getting ready for the yard sale at my parents’ house. Someone gave us a newer washer and dryer, so we were planning to sell our smaller old ones at the yard sale, and his dad was coming over to help us put it on my truck. As they moved it down the stairs, I stood out on our balcony listening to them giggle and waiting for them to move out to the sidewalk. Instead, I heard loud banding noises and yelling. I ran back into the house and made my way to the front door; I was going to see if I could go help them. Just as I opened the door, they came barreling back through. Apparently the washer fell off the dolly, and my father-n-law tried to stop it from falling down the stairs. This resulted in his thumb almost being severed from his hand He was bleeding profusely, and they rushed to the kitchen sink to get the bleeding under control and to better judge just what it was we were dealing with. It became readily apparent that he was going to have to go the emergency room. He ended up having to get 12 stitches and a tetnus shot. He is doing well.

It seems like these kinds of things happen when everything is sailing along just fine. We had a plan, and it was a good plan. We’ve been waiting for weeks to get a load of stuff out of the house for this yard sale. They were going to move the washer, and then we’d load up the rest of the stuff. We’d go over to my parents’, and I’d enjoy the day hanging out with my family and making a little cash. Well, that didn’t happen.

After the entire saga with the washer and dryer was over, Chris headed off to help his brother work on a car. My dad, in his truck, followed my brother Wayne and me in mine. We were on the interstate when Wayne asked me what was in the black bag in the back. I told him that it wasn’t a bag but a large bean bag chair. He asked me if I thought it was going to be OK, and I told him that he was wedged in quite nicely. Hmmm…. The next thing we knew, the bean bag was gone. We were unaware that it had flown out of the truck, smacked into the front of my dad’s truck, and rolled away! Wayne and I decided to call it a loss and go on to my parent’s house, but Dad ended up retrieving it and bringing it the rest of the journey!

The rest of the day ended up fine. The yard sale was a success. I was able to spend some time with my family, and I made a little cash. After this crazy day, I am exhausted and will hopefully be in dreamland soon!

Personal Business

I am not sure if I could ever run my own business, but I would like the chance to find out. Perhaps some day I will have a bookstore, café, or a bed and breakfast; I’ve even thought about running a small daycare. Don’t get me wrong; I have a great job. I love where I work now. However, sometimes I think it would be nice to make my own rules. I’m not saying that I don’t want or appreciate accountability. It doesn’t matter what you do, everyone has to be accountable to someone; that’s the way it should be. However, there are times when decisions are made for me in which I wish I had more input. Is this one of those “the grass is always greener…” situations? It could be.

I’ve been reading nonstop lately. I have a stack of books beside my bed that I am working through and another one on my desk at work. I love movies, but there’s nothing like the visions I have as a story plays itself out in my head. Chris and I tried to go to the library in order to get a membership for him last night, but they closed at 5:30. Isn’t that a strange time to close a library? Anyway, we need to do something to make more books available to my husband. He has either read everything or is not interested in what’s on the shelves at the bookstore or doesn’t want to pay the hefty prices for some books. We both love to read and could spend a fortune at Borders, Barnes & Noble, or Davis Kidd. We need to make use of the library. I guess the thing that gets me is the limited time to read the books that are checked out and the late fees. Of course it would be cheaper to pay the late fee than to buy the book, but then I wouldn’t have the book on my shelf as a trophy of my accomplishment. I guess one could argue that I have enough books to show my love of reading, and I don’t really need to own a book unless it’s a classic or one that I am likely to read more than once.

On to another subject, I’ve been wanting to post this picture of Bella. We finally found a bone big enough for her!

Off Kilter

Today was a just a little off. There’s no concrete explanation that I can give you; it just was what it was.

We celebrated my birthday at lunch with a strawberry cake, and someone brought me a lunch from Cracker Barrel. The interesting part of all this is that my birthday is not for another couple weeks. It’s one thing to celebrate the weekend before or after, but weeks before is weird. I ate birthday cake for me, but I didn’t get any birthday wishes from anyone. So, happy early birthday to me!

The baby shower for my friend Bridget was a success, tons of pink gifts for her and her baby girl, lots of oohing and aahing. But there was so much noise and activity; I couldn’t focus very well and ended up missing her opening most of the gifts. I felt a bit disconnected, like floating through a pool with my head underwater. You know what that’s like? You can hear noises; you’re aware that people are there, but you’re strangely removed.

After work, I rushed home to drop of the rest of my birthday cake and then dashed back to my truck in the pouring rain. I was heading to my boss’s house to watch the Oprah show. I arrived just as the rain became a torrential downpour, and I ended up getting soaked as I hurled myself towards the front porch. A few weeks ago my boss and two other teachers went to Chicago for the show, and the episode was airing today. All of the women at work were invited to go. I have often missed out on these gatherings because of scheduling conflicts, and I was determined not to miss this one. However, other than those three women who were on the show, I was the only one to show up. The four of us sat in her den watching and enjoying each other’s company, but they never really had camera time, so all of our eager anticipation amounted to nothing.

The best part of today was walking with Chris though we did not walk any of our normal routes. Since it was raining and the truck was on empty, we decided to take care of two things at once. We stopped to fill up and headed to the mall near our house to do a little power walking. The mall is really a strange place to visit. Most of the stores have closed, and there are very few people milling around the few stores which have remained open. But it’s a great mall for walking; we didn’t have to navigate through crowds. We rounded the mall four times acting like silly little kids and basically just shooting the breeze. So nice.

And now I must put my house in order so I can go to sleep.

Ch-ch-ch-changes….

David Bowie sang about changes. I know I’ve heard that song a hundred times, and I could sing along if it was on the radio, but I can’t remember any of the lyrics at this moment. I was just thinking about the year I’ve hard.

We only have eight days of classes left. After that I give an exam and proctor two others. I have various other meetings and duties to attend to, but the school year will be finished, and I can start to decompress. As it is I can hardly keep my thoughts straight. I keep forgetting things until the last minute; I’m sure that as the time dwindles down I’ll forget things altogether and be blissfully unaware that I missed anything.

This year has been different from the others, but I think that’s because of all the changes I’ve gone through. I did get married just a couple weeks before the school year started. This was also the first year I have not be involved with the fine arts department. The last couple months have been full of change. Three of my friends have announced their pregnancies; and people have been moving into new homes. Though I feel that too much has changed too fast for me, I am looking forward to the changes that will be taking place in a few weeks. Usually I go through a type of separation anxiety at the end of the school year, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case this time. My stress level needs to decrease for a bit; my brain needs a rest.

I was gazing at the pool across the parking lot tonight. Warm weather will be here soon, and I can enjoy basking in the warm glow of the sun and floating lazily around on my big blue float. I love lounging by the pool with my earphones on, lost in the cool tunes, the hot sun, and the glistening blue water. Before you get too jealous, I won’t be over there all the time. Remember, I will be working this summer. But I will be rushing home at the end of the day anxious to take a quick dip before the sun goes down and all chances of freshening up my tan are gone.

Tomorrow we’re having a baby shower at work for my friend Bridget. She’s having a girl in August, and we’re all wearing pink to celebrate her and the baby. I really want to look cute, so I think I’ll go obsess over what I’m wearing tomorrow. Of course, first I have to clean up the kitchen from dinner and take care of the clothes in the washer and dryer. A woman’s work is never done.

Trash Can Living

The title has to do with Oscar the Grouch, who I can really relate to right now. I suppose the difference is that he seems to relish the fact that he’s grouchy, and I really don’t want to be. I’ve been pretty grouchy for the last couple days. I even told the students that I woke up grouchy yesterday. I hate feeling like this, and I wish that I could just flip a switch and be super cheery girl. I’m trying. Bella growled at me a lot tonight. She never does that; maybe my mood is catching. I certainly hope not.

Yesterday was my dad’s 56th birthday. The twelve of us which includes my parents, my brother and his family, my sister and her husband, and Chris and me gathered at a restaurant for dinner. Just as is always the case with a big group of people, several different conversations occurred all at once, and each person took their leisure to drift in and out, sampling parts of each discussion or observation. The evening, for the most part, went well, and we were able to enjoy being together as a family. I wish these events could happen more often, but, with the distance between our homes and our busy schedules, it’s not possible.

My brother and his family are here for the weekend. Tonight Chris and I brought our two oldest nephews home with us. If they lived closer we’d try to have them over once or twice a month. We enjoy spending time with them so much and miss them greatly in between visits. I guess we’re going to have to get children of our own sometime! We ate a late dinner and watched The Replacements on TV. I really like that movie. I like a lot of sports movies because they tend to be inspirational and fun. I guess I’ll probably spend the rest of the evening reading or falling asleep while they find some video game to play.

There are only two weeks of classes left and then exams. After that I will take a week off before starting my new job; I’m going to need a little time to take a break and decompress. I was going to start the day after school ended, but Chris convinced me to give myself a little time; he’s such a smart man. I’m still going to be working at the school during the summer, but I’m going to be answering the phones. It will be a complete change of pace, and I hope that I don’t get tired and sluggish from sitting all day. I’ve been trying to gather ideas for things that I can do while I sit there. I'll read and write and maybe finally be successful at teaching myself to knit. But I really need some other ideas. It’ll be quiet around there with school out of session, but at least I have a job and will be making more money.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream is waiting for me.

Happy Thoughts

Two mornings ago, after I had gotten ready for work, I sat on the bed eating my breakfast, a bowl of Fruity Dino-Bites, and watched a little of Monster’s Inc. with Chris who was still snuggled under the covers, and I was struck with how little it takes to make me happy. There are things in everyday life that bring little rushes of happiness and help the day to move along a little better. I love the first moment I see Chris at the end of the day. I love buying a new piece of clothing and receiving compliments on how I look the first time I wear it. I love the fact that my dog Bella loves me and wants my attention no matter how many times I rant and rave at her. I love reading in bed until I can’t hold my eyes open any longer and then drifting off to sleep with the book still open in my hands. Here are a few of my other favorite things that I am currently enjoying:

Butterflies: Butterflies are so beautiful and light. It seems that they exist just for the beauty that they bring to the world. There’s also the fact that they have to go through a great struggle in order to fly. They work very hard to escape from their cocoon, and the struggle pushes a fluid into their wings that enables them to fly. Struggles make you stronger.

Bunnies: Every time I see a bunny in a field I feel a thrill of delight surge through me. Sure they are cuddly and soft, but I don’t really know what it is about them that makes me so happy. I’m much happier seeing them out in nature than at the pet store. I’ve thought about having one as a pet, but I just don’t think I’d be very happy about it unless I had a large yard for it to hop around in. There is a park near my home, so I get to see bunnies in the wild every few days.

People Magazine: It’s reliable entertainment news. I don’t like many of the other entertainment magazines because they are more gossipy in nature. Plus, there’s the fact that I love doing the crossword every week. I can never complete the crossword in the newspaper, but I’m great at the one in People. I don’t like reading the newspaper or watching news shows on TV; they just bring me down. It’s all bad news, and there is enough to deal with in my every day life. People magazine is entertaining and informative; I like that.

Gilmore Girls: Every afternoon I try to make it home by 4 in order to catch reruns of Gilmore Girls on the Family Channel. Unless I have a bad headache, I quickly change into my workout clothes and walk on my treadmill while I watch. I love the quirkiness of the characters and the snappy dialogue. I get lost in their little world for an hour each day. On Tuesdays I get to watch the watch the show twice because of the new episodes, but that will soon change as the season ends.

Little Big Town: I have been listening to the album The Road to Here quite a bit lately. It’s just a lot of fun, great to sing along with. One of the songs that I particularly like is “Welcome to the Family.” It’s being sung to the groom of the singer’s little sister, and it reminds me a great deal of the type of talk that my brother gave Chris and my sister’s husband before we got married. The basic message is that you better treat my little sister right or you will pay; I get a kick out of listening to it. There was a time when I could not stand country music, and I didn’t understand how anyone else could enjoy it. I was proud of the fact that I was from Nashville but didn’t like country music. However, little by little, my sister and mom began to wear down my resolve. Then Chris came along and broke down the wall completely. Now it rivals any other type of music I listen to.

I guess that about does it for my list today. I could keep going, but what would I write about in other posts?

Give Me a Break

Teachers get themselves into interesting predicaments. Today, my students were taking a quiz, and I really needed to go to the restroom. Normally I could just run out quickly if they were just doing normal class work. However, I can’t just pick up and go while testing is going on; they must be supervised. So, I sent out a little petition for someone to run over to watch my precious little angels. No such luck. It wouldn’t be so bad if my classes were only 45 minutes, but they are 90 minutes long! Can you believe it? Do people in other professions have this problem?

I’ve gotten in the habit of calling my mom each morning on the way to work. It’s so nice to hear her voice first thing in the morning. She has such a soothing, peaceful voice. If I feel anxious about an issue, we don’t even have to talk about it. We can discuss the weather or what I’m wearing; I just feel calmer talking to her. I wonder if other moms have that effect. Is it just the “Mom Effect” or is it one of my own mom’s special qualities? Whatever it is I hope that my children feel the same about me as I do my mom.

Tonight Chris brought home dinner from Pei Wei. I love their lettuce wraps and Mongolian beef. We ate our delicious Chinese food and watched Fun With Dick and Jane, which stars Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni as a couple who lose all they have and end up opting for a life of crime in order preserve their family. For most of the movie, I felt very sad. I sympathize with characters in movies way too much. Chris says that the fact that I feel so much for these people in movies is evidence that I have a big heart, and I think that I’m just way too sensitive. At any rate, I was sinking lower and thinking that there was no way that it could end well. I, of course, forgot that it was a comedy and, by definition, has to have some kind of happy ending. Still, despite my generally positive outlook, I just couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, and I just didn’t know if I could keep watching if the movie was going to leave me wallowing in an abyss of failed dreams. I will not give away the ending for those of you who have not seen it, but I will say that I was pleased with the outcome. I can now move on with my life and sleep tonight without worrying about fictitious characters and their plight in life.

Though it is a bit too early for bed, I will be soon heading in that direction. I did not sleep well last night, have been dealing with a headache for much of the evening, and walked 2 1/2 miles on the treadmill this afternoon. I’m tired. So, I wish a good night to all.