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Happiness is a full keychain…

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

This is going to sound silly. And maybe it is. All I know is that keys are a big deal. Really they are.

I remember when I was given my first key, the most important key ever. No, it wasn’t to the house I grew up in. We kept a hidden key for that. And when my little sister would forget to put it back, I used it as an opportunity to McGyver my way into the house. (I was very good.)

Instead, my first key was the car key. My mother gave it to me when I passed my driver’s test. And it came with a special key chain. I loved it. Better still, she let me drop her off at work that day and drive myself to school, picking her up after she was done work. (Told you she was a special mom.)

I remember that day, the happiness in my heart as I heard the key clinking around in my purse. Yes, I had made it. I had a car key.

Through the years, I have had numerous keys, but none of them had the impact of that first key, not even the house keys when the ex and I purchased our home years back. Nope. In all those years, there have only been a few keys that really mattered. HIS.

As private as he is, it was huge the day that he gave me keys to the house, keys for the kids to the house, and keys to his truck. We were in the bedroom. It was just before we went to Carmella’s for Dollar Slice Night. I remember the chills going down my spine. I remember how exciting it was. My heart was screaming, ‘You’re in!’

That’s why it was devastating when we broke up and I had to relinquish all the keys. It was like having a piece of me ripped apart. I remember that we were in the bedroom then, too. And I remember how much lighter my key chain felt. I remember how much smaller it looked. See, there is a direct correlation between the number of keys on a key chain and the size of your life. My life became infinitesimally smaller that day.

Sure, soon there were apartment keys, a symbol of my new found independence. And I still had my old house key. And there was my car key. Still, it was weak.

Then everything changed once more. When I moved back in with HIM, I was given my key…again. It felt nice. Optimist that I am, I moved it behind the apartment key to signal its permanence.

Then…the other night…something happened…something that made me so very happy. We were preparing to drive home from visiting friends and HE was going to let me drive the truck. (I feel so big when I do…)

me: (With palm outstretched…)

HIM: What?

me: Keys. I need your keys.

And he made that face while he struggled to get his keys out of his pocket from a seated position.

me: This wouldn’t happen if you gave me back my truck key.

I was teasing. I rarely drove the truck. It really wasn’t an issue.

Only the very next day we were outside talking. And out of nowhere, he reached into the truck and pulled out the keys. (One for the truck, one for the tool box.)

HIM: Here.

me: My keys!

And I opened up my Tiffany’s key ring and put them behind the apartment key and the house key. (We have plans for a new door handle soon. It’s a necessity. If I had a dollar for every time the handle fell off in my hand, I wouldn’t need child support.) Oh, but those keys… Optimism. And happiness.

My key ring is just about full now. I don’t know what else I could possibly need on it. And every time I grab it, I get to smile over my wonderfully full life.

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Happiness is Trader Joe’s Night…

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

We talked about it for a long time. We plotted. We planned. And it seemed that it would never happen.

Would our dream of eating our way through Trader Joe’s never come to fruition?

Oh, but it has.

Last night, the kids and I went to Trader Joe’s. It was, after all, All You Can Eat Night at Bojangles. That meant I didn’t even have to consider HIM for dinner. Technically, he claims that I never have to consider him for dinner, but somehow I don’t have it in me to intentionally exclude him from something as social as a meal, something that is a true representation of my love and adoration like cooking.

And that is what has kept us from partaking in Trader Joe night thus far.

So, yesterday afternoon when I texted him about our date night, and he failed to respond…ever…I decided that I was making it Trader Joe’s Night. And that was that. I drove home from work, picked up the kids, and then we drove to our destination.

It isn’t a large store. It doesn’t have a huge selection. But the selection it does have is soooo wildly different from what we normally buy that I didn’t mind.

In the end, we decided to pick up Asparagus Risotto, Goat Cheese and Herb puffs, and finally, our main course of Ham and Cheese filo puffs. It promised to be a great meal.

After discovering that the chocolate croissants from there needed to be thawed over night, a lesson learned the hard way, we checked the instructions before leaving the store. Nope. It looked like dinner would be on the table in approximately twenty-five minutes. Sweet!

Well, dinner was served, as promised. And it was everything I had hoped for.

In fact, the meal inspired discussion about what we would be getting next week. We’re thinking of going with a mushroom theme. Yes, there were these filo pastries filled with wild mushrooms. There was a foccaccia flat bread with cheese and wild mushrooms and black truffles. There was wild mushroom risotto.

Yeah, I know. It’s looking like another carb-tastic meal. For the record, there was lots of green this last meal. There was asparagus and herbs. There were herbs. And there was…did I mention herbs? Okay. Well, it was about the experience and the flavor and the soul, not the health benefits.

Please note, I was strong. I refused to pick up dessert, much to the kids’ chagrin. And, this incredible repast…just over ten dollars, including tax. Yup. We’re the best shoppers EVER.

It felt good, same as always, following through with something we said we were going to do. It even gave us a leg up on some of our other plans for the year.

Rachel: This makes me want to have a party sooo bad.

And I kind of looked at her for a moment.

Rachel: You know, an adult party with lots of hors d’oeuvres and finger foods. No kids. Okay, Ashley. But otherwise, no kids!

And she’s right. Looking at our lists, we have at least one more party in us this year. So, I guess you could argue that the Trader Joe nights serve not only as a new meal for me and the kids, but as research for future endeavors. Yeah. That’s it.

Trader Joe’s, my belly thanks you.

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Happiness is meeting a Meet Up group…

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Well, this is is a special night for me. I’m very excited. Tonight I will be going to meet a group of Queen City Bloggers I found on Meet Up.

For those of you that are not familiar with the site, Meet Up is a place where you can find people with similar interests or similar goals. I discovered it last fall when I was looking for ways to spend all my newly discovered free time. Before then, I was spending all my time with HIM. He was the center of my universe. It wasn’t altogether healthy.

When I was single and living in the apartment, and the kids were with their father, I found that I wanted to try new things with this new time. Meet Up was a good place for this. There were groups for writing, singles groups, business groups…and most recently…I discovered the blogging group.

I’m not sure how all this will end up. On the one hand, I’m looking forward to networking with some local bloggers. The Yahoo! Summit left me longing for more contact with people of a like mind. I miss having people who understand what I’m doing.

Mostly around these parts, HE supports my endeavors as I work on the computer. He sees that my numbers consistently increase. And as a a numbers guy…he asks the next logical question.

HIM: So when are you going to start making money from this thing?

I try to pretend that I don’t mind so much that I’m not making money. I try to pretend that the big picture is bigger than any small paycheck I might currently merit. I try to pretend that I’m right on track, that where I am is where I’m supposed to be.

And I feel that. I really do. I feel like the progress I’m making is preparing me. I don’t want to be one of those people that blows up too fast and blows it. I’m more like a believer in slow but steady wins the race. Yeah, I’m racing. I want to get there already…

Guess that’s why I have RSVPed to meet a group of strangers with a common goal. Guess that’s why I’m leaving the comfort of my home after a long day of work and more work to drive to a place I’ve never been before. Guess that’s why I’m packing my stuff…the laptop, the business cards, and heading out.

At the same time, I’m really hoping there are some BIG bloggers there. The only way I’ll get better is by learning from those who have done more and know more than I do. And I’m aching to learn more and do more.

Wish me well. No doubt I’ll be writing about it tomorrow.

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Happiness is a Yahoo! Mother Board Dinner at Nola’s…

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

When the buses pulled up in front of Nola’s, I knew I was in for a treat. I like a place that isn’t guilty of false advertising. In the wall over one of the windows was a sign that said: Booze.

Oh, and the booze was FLOWING. It was amazing. I knew we were going to have a great time there. No, not because of the seemingly limitless supply of alcohol, but because of the atmosphere and the company.

Nola’s is a Cajun restaurant, modeled after New Orleans. All the napkins are decorated with beads. Yes, THOSE beads. And if that wasn’t enough, they were going around passing out tons of beads. I came home with so many beads, by the way, that it caused him to remark upon my return…

HIM: So, what did you have to do to get all those beads?

me: Mwah ha ha!

Seriously? I stood there and had them thrown around my neck. Easy peasy.

Well, we had the entire top floor of the restaurant. And it was really cool because there was this central open courtyard area that we looked down on and could see everyone there. On our floor, we spent forever simply mingling.

It was so nice to have an opportunity to talk with everyone, to wind down from such an amazing day, to get one last chance to build a bond with some seriously cool and inspiring chicks. I can’t imagine a better meal.

There were appetizers laid out. I didn’t touch any. I was still full from the other food I’d been eating all day. And because I don’t do a lot of Cajun dining, all I can say is that it looked really good, even if I didn’t recognize it all.

What I did recognize was the alcohol. There were Mojitos and Hurricanes galore. In fact, they kept bringing us pitchers of the Hurricanes. Yay! And they had to be the strongest Hurricanes I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

There was a buffet for dinner consisting of Caesar salad, some Cajun pasta, Cajun fried chicken, flank steak, and some kind of Cajun rice. I know I’m forgetting something. Just trust me when I say there was plenty of food choices. And…despite the fact that I really was not hungry, I did manage to choke down some food. I’m such a trooper.

The best part, however, was the conversation, the mingling. I had a great time talking to everyone. And it was nice to be somewhere that everyone else was as into taking pictures as I was. And it was funny that I knew all these pictures had the same purpose. They would be shared on Flickr and imported into blogs all over the country.

After dinner, and the dessert that I skipped, we made our way to the shuttle stop. It was full and it seemed like I was going to have to wait for an hour with Lisa and MJ before getting back to the hotel. It was 8pm by then and I had to be up at 4am to get ready for the flight back. I would really only be able to hang out for another couple of hours and I didn’t want to waste a minute of it.

Luckily, Sheila came to the rescue. She drove us back to the hotel. Some of the ladies were getting together for Karaoke at a Korean bar. I didn’t see me doing that for sooo many reasons. I can sing, but I’m shy. (I’m the reigning champ on our American Idol video game at home. And we know how accurate that is… Video Simon Cowell is just as brutal as the real one.)

We were given a tour of Palo Alto on the way back. Sheila drove us by the office where Facebook began. That’s right. And she showed us some faulous houses. I only managed to get one blurry picture as we were driving by. Sorry. But trust me, nice houses.

And it was there in the car on the way back that Lisa made the funniest comment out of nowhere. She had been playing with her long dark locks all day, reveling in how smooth they were, frizz-less, nothing like back home. Like so many of the women at the conference, she had attributed this to the magic of the Four Seasons hair dryer. And she had sent a tweet and purchased one, like so many others.

Lisa: Oh my God! I just spent $40 on a hair dryer. And it isn’t the dryer, it’s the lack of humidity. Great!

We all laughed. Still, I did try the dryer the next morning before leaving. It seemed faster, even if I knew the results wouldn’t last the minute I reached Charlotte. Oh, but to dream…

The rest of the evening was a blur. I spoke to the kids. I spoke to HIM. I hung out with Lisa and MJ. We had an impromptu Passion Party in Kim’s room. We went to a pool party where wine flowed. There was much laughter. It was precisely what I needed.

Then it was over. Only, it’s not. I’m still in touch with Lisa. I’ve officially followed all the moms on Twitter, and all the Yahoo! people we worked with. And I feel different. I’m focused. (I try at it more often than I succeed.) I’m determined. I have a plan. I’m moving forward.

Watch me go…

Posted in Happiness is..., Yahoo! Mother Board | 5 Comments »

Happiness is having opportunities…

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

I think we all know what today is…

Happy Travel to California Day!

And I am soooo excited. (Even with the possibility of dying in a fiery plane crash hanging over me…)

Oh, and speaking of which…

Rachel has decided that if I do die, it’s going to impact her ability to keep Ninja. Yes, I have a lot to live for. Love you, too, kid.

Well, I don’t want beat this post to death. I still have to finish packing and getting ready. And I have to get to the airport on time. And I have to have some quality time with HIM before I go. (Okay, I just WANT to spend some quality time with him.)

Just know that when I take off, I’m going to have this song playing in my head.

Only, I know I’ll be back on Saturday. (As long as they fix my shuttle time…fingers crossed…)

And when I land, I’ll be singing this…

That’s right. And I’ll be playful and pretend to be totally affected. I may even be wearing sunglasses, just to make people wonder… Mwah ha ha!

Remember. We have big plans. And I need to use every minute of this trip wisely.

Happy Thursday, all. Can’t wait to share my pictures and stories. Have a great day!

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Happiness is having the kids home…

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

I wish I could adequately express how much it meant to me to have the kids home. Umm. Nope. Not sure I can.

All I know is that it wasn’t the same without them this past week. I miss them so very much when they aren’t around. And I try so hard to make our time together special. Apparently some of that has rubbed off on them. They tried so hard to make my birthday special for me in return.

Rachel went way out of her way. She organized a special birthday dinner with some adult assistance from her father’s roommate. So, it was Ruth’s Chris for me.

And I love me some Ruth’s.

It was even better than eating it in the restaurant. I was in comfy clothes, sitting at the coffee table, getting waited on hand and foot. Too perfect.

The meal began with her bringing warmed bread in a basket, complete with butter. I shared it because no one needs that many carbs. Oh, and because I’m trying to work through being food selfish. Practice makes perfect.

Then there was a yell from the kitchen.

Rachel: Are you ready for the next course?

They never do that at the restaurant. Trust me. In my past life, I was a regular.

Soon she brought me the salad. It was the chopped salad. My favorite! And in my zeal to make space for it on the coffee table, I knocked over a glass of water. I’m not sure who it belonged to. And I didn’t even make an effort to clean it up. Nope. My night off. I reached for the salad.

After the salad, she handed me tuna covered in lump crab. I had a foodgasm just looking at it. And the taste was even better than I remembered. Crab and tuna. It was practically heaven.

And for dessert, she had ordered a bread pudding. No, there was no cake this year. That’s okay, my thighs were plenty pleased with bread pudding. In a true show of selflessness, I shared with the kids.

I like sharing with them. I like doing things with them and having them around. I like that we joke and play so much. I like hearing about the tales of their trip. And right now, I dread trying to figure out which weekend this month is mine. Visitation schedules suck.

Oh, but my kids…true bliss. I’m so lucky to have them, so lucky they are so special and thoughtful and kind.

No, I didn’t have to clean up at all. Rachel and Keenan handled it. Yay! It was the perfect birthday dinner. (Special thanks go out to Dave for making it possible. My belly blows you kisses…)

From dinner, we headed out to the movies. It was Eclipse, as promised. And there was giggling and joking even during the movie.

It was the perfect low key birthday ever. And I loved that my kids were such a big part of it.

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Happiness is being a big helper…

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

keys It may take me a bit to get to the happy part. Hang on. I’ll get there eventually. I promise.

*sigh*

So, Wednesday was supposed to be really great. I planned it out. Really I did. Rachel had prepped the chocolate croissants the night before. We were going to have breakfast together before they left for the beach and I left for work and we wouldn’t see each other for a week. She was going to make cheesy scrambled eggs and we were going to sip tea. Keenan was going to join us, even though he has no serious love for food. I somehow failed him. He eats everything, just not with passion. Oh, well.

I had my post up earlier than normal. I had managed to write it the night before, despite a few distractions. And I had read through most of the blogs and commented well before 7am. And I even sent Lisa a text to let her know I would have time to talk before work, a rare and beautiful thing. And I took my shower, full of hope and happiness. HE was already up and had been joking with me.

HIM: Look at you. You are so happy…all because of that chocolate.

And I didn’t have to look in a mirror to know that my eyes were twinkling and I was practically glowing. HE was working on Ed and Laura’s roof for the next few days. Since the commute was across the driveway, he was thrilled. No packing up equipment or worrying about forgetting anything. Convenience. Yay! So, I went through my usual goodbyes, expecting he would be on a roof before I was dressed.

me: Goodbye! Have a nice day!

And HE held my face in his hands and teased me.

HIM: Ah, cherubic cheeks…

Now, I was surprised he knew the word cherubic. He never ceases to amaze me. And then I made excuses…

me: It’s my cheek bones!

Right.

Well, I showered and felt pretty good about my day. Only by the time I reached the kitchen, all hell had broken loose. Apparently there was a missing key. A really important key. The only key to Ed’s tractor, which was integral to the job. It was supposed to move the trailer. And the trailer was supposed to move the old shingles. And the old shingles needed to come off so the new shingles could go on. And a 60% chance of rain was forcasted. Yikes.

It only got uglier over then next hour. I was trying to enjoy breakfast with kids while trying to help him find the key while trying to finish getting ready for work. It suddenly had all the makings of a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day. Grrr.

There was swearing. And I hate angry swearing. There was tension. And I hate tension. There were chocolate croissants. And I hate getting fatter. And the kids were going to be leaving sooner than I planned and staying longer than I had agreed. And I missed my kids when they were gone for longer than a weekend. (Last year I ran up a $300 phone bill on the cruise because I missed them…and had no idea about cellular at sea charges. Those rat bastards, preying on kid-sick parents!)

HE finally calmed down. And I started doing what I do. There was problem solving. There was feelings soothing. There was my special brand of being a big helper. I played totally beyond myself and took down serial numbers aand make and model numbers rather than saying…it’s an orange tractor. I Googled. I called. I emailed. I contacted every tractor dealer and parts supplier in two states. I contacted the nearest Hinomoto dealer…in SOUTH AFRICA . And the closest thing I have to a solution is a tractor company in York, South Carolina that is willing to let us look through their keys and sell us one with a money back guarantee, a man who will remove the entire ignition and replace it for several hundred dollars, and a locksmith who doesn’t normally work on tractors but succumbed to my charm and headed over to the house to see what he could do.

I did my best. And I was pleasant to everyone, which is why I’m guessing they all tried to help me…referring me to other businesses and going out of their way to do something they wouldn’t normally. (Except those South Africans…they didn’t even email me back!)

In the end, the charm worked. The locksmith came through. The new key was made. It’s even a key that can be copied now, which makes it superior to the original. That it came at such a high cost is a bit unsettling, but otherwise it all worked out.

I knew it would. And I got to be HIS favorite person for the day because of it.

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Happiness is passing a rite of passage…

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

It was another trip to the DMV yesterday. I’m sure you remember the tragedy that was our last trip…five months ago. I’m sure you remember that it ended with Rachel failing and me trying to comfort her and pretty much ruining her chances of getting her permit for…well, apparently five months…because I threw away all papers verifying her existence. *gulp* Yeah, it took a while to recover from that.

Only, with all the papers back together, her existence firmly rooted in an appropriate paper trail, and Michael ready and able to man the office, I planned a trip to the DMV. And I toyed with the idea of taking the morning off and spending some quality time with the girl. I mean, how long could it possibly take?

So, we left for the DMV bright and early. I was bemoaning being broke. And she wanted McDonald’s. Well, we went through the drive-thru. And we’re rushing, hence the use of the drive-thru. And the man in front of us was…old. And he was taking forever. And I was planning on using my card, while hoping against all hope that it would work. Finally, I reached the window.

Micky D employee: Your money is no good here.

And I’m thinking but I haven’t even given her the card yet! How could she know?

Then she explains that the man in front of us paid for our breakfast. Nothing could have made me feel worse. I was grumbling about how slow he was and he was paying for my meal.

I looked at Rachel.

me: I’m going to hell for that.

Rachel: I know, Mommy.

So, we drove to DMV. And it’s been a good six months since I’ve been there and I can literally get lost in a parking lot, so I’m worried about finding my way.

Rachel: It’s a left turn.

me: I know. That’s very helpful.

We finally arrived. DMV opened at 8am. There was a line out the building and down the sidewalk. Way down the sidewalk. And it wasn’t moving. And the thermometer said 84. Only it felt more like 104. And the air wasn’t moving, either.

Well, I tried to make the best of a bad situation.

me: Let’s play a game. Let’s play…this line is so long…

Rachel: Okay. You start.

me: This line is so long that I could get a manicure, pedicure and Brazilian wax, come back, and still not have lost my place.

Rachel: Okay. This line is so long that I could go to the salon over there, get my head shaved, come back to the line and grow dreds before it moves.

We went on a few more minutes getting sillier. And then we stopped.

I’ve been offered compensation to advertise for a cool company that does personalized blankets and canvases. They told me that if I sent them a picture, they could make it up on canvas for me. Sweet.

me: Help me pick one.

Only as we’re scrolling through the photos on the camera, I realize that they are predominantly kittens and Bishop.

me: No. I’m not getting a kitten print.

Rachel: Why not?

me: Because I’m not five.

And she did that thing she does. She started sharing our pictures and talking to the really hot guy behind us. I should be so fearless.

After two hours in the blistering heat, we made it inside…only to wait in a new line. On the bright side, the new line had air conditioning. And we stood there for another fifteen or twenty minutes before we were given a number and instructed to go sit in the chairs…that were all full. So, we stood against a wall for another hour. Finally, two chairs emptied. (Yes, other chairs emptied, but I let older people and pregnant people and an older pregnant person have them. I had some bad Micky D Karma to work off.)

Finally, we sat. And we waited. After another ten minutes, our number was posted and the booth we were supposed to be in was given. I stood up and rejoiced, quietly. It was like winning the lottery. I mean, we had been there for three hours at that point. Over three hours.

We march happily to the booth, only to find…it’s empty.

Rachel: This is just my luck!

We waited and waited and waited. Finally, a man came and took her information and my information. And…sent me to a new chair.

At last…she passed!

Rachel: It was down to the wire, mom. I had to get the last question right, or fail.

me: I suppose you’re going to want to drive now.

We did the phone calls on the way to the car.

I dialed HIM.

me: Rachel has something to tell you.

Rachel: (in a sing-song voice) I got my learner’s permit.

HIM: (in a matching sing-song voice) You’re gonna wreck your mom’s car.

We made it home. She drove part of the way, including pulling into the driveway. HE was outside watching as we pulled in. And though I jumped from the vehicle and kissed the ground, in reality, she didn’t do so badly.

My baby’s a driver!

Does that officially make me old? I know it makes me happy. I get to watch her grow up. I get to experience all these rites of passage with her. And even though I often wish her father would want some of these experiences, I’m thrilled that I haven’t missed any. One step closer to being independent. Yay! One step closer to leaving the nest. *sniffle*

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Happy again! Happy still! Happy day, take two!

Friday, June 18th, 2010

sushi I may regret this. With the way things have been lately, the constant roller coaster, I maybe should save this for a prime happiness post. Of course, those of you who know me, and those of you who have been reading me any length of time know that I have the impulse control of a three year old. So, I guess I might as well tell you what I’m happy about at the moment, even if it means I have to dig deep to come up with something else next week.

Here it is:

I’m California bound. Yes, I know I told you I was excited about getting invited to the Yahoo! Mother Board Summit at Yahoo! Headquarters. And I’m pretty sure I mentioned that I was going on their dime. Yup, they are paying for the flight and the hotel.

I’ll be staying at the Four Seasons. (Please know that when I say it, I say it with a decidedly nasal tone while I look down my nose at people, just because it makes me giggle.) You have to understand, I grew up in a town where our fanciest hotel was the Howard Johnson’s…until the Comfort Inn came. Oh, yeah. That was the big time, baby. We even spent one anniversary night there, the year Rachel swallowed the penny…hours after she had it surgically removed. So, when I get to say that I’m staying at the Four Seasons, I think about how much my life has changed, how much I’ve changed.

Yesterday, I made my reservations for the flight. I’ll be flying out from Charlotte at 9:40am, arriving in San Francisco just after noon. It’s a non-stop flight. I love not having layovers. I love not having to switch planes. I love traveling and new experiences and meeting new people and seeing so many cool things. That’s a lot of happy and love, huh?

And as the date draws nearer…July 15^th and 16^th, for those of you who live out on the west coast and want to meet up…I get more and more excited. Sure, I’m leaving HIM behind…which isn’t a bad thing. We need a little time apart once in a while. (He likes missing me. And I like having him miss me.) We talked about what would happen if he went with me. I wouldn’t meet anyone. We’d be so wrapped up in each other that I wouldn’t mingle. And I most certainly wouldn’t be meeting up with my blogger friend, my blog buddy, if you will. I’m not sure I’m allowed a big reveal. He’s more private than I am…kind of. (Although I don’t write about my naked spooning or back yard sexy time…) I’ll let you know when I know… Er…Mom, for the record, I sleep every night in long underwear…even in JULY. We’re not married yet, so we don’t sleep naked or spoon or have sex in the back yard EVER! (Think she bought it?)

All I can say is that I’m going to have an amazing trip. I know this. I can tell. I’m going to be all easy breezy and carefree. I’m going to eat sushi! How do I know? That’s part of the plan for an evening out with my blog buddy. And it’s funny. I feel a little bit like a kid sneaking out of summer camp. I’m not skipping any sessions or anything, but still…feels weird.

What is there to do in San Francisco ? I’m dying to find out. Really. I can’t wait to see the west coast. I’m going to have to consult a map. There may be some way for me to see the ocean. I’ve never seen the Pacific. I’ve seen the Atlantic from numerous venues…Cape Cod, Hampton Beach , Myrtle Beach , Miami , The Keys. I’ve cruised the Caribbean . I’ve seen the Mediterranean from Nice. Nope. I’ve never seen the Pacific. (I can almost hear the shells, stones, and sea glass calling to me… Soon, my pretties!)

Well, I have time to plan. And we all know I live to plan. Think I can drive the blog buddy crazy by then? Nah. We managed to set up a time block and the beginnings of a plan. Apparently there will be no alcohol involved, even though he CLAIMS to make the best margaritas. *sniffle* It’s probably just as well. I want to remember every moment of this trip. It may have to last me for quite some time. Who knows when I’ll get to hop another plane on someone else’s dime? HE doesn’t count. All of the dimes are now community dimes, couple dimes, family dimes…OUR dimes. Mwah ha ha.

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Happiness is home decorating…

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

I’ve been stressed mostly since last weekend. And it’s not a good look for me. Really.

Since I don’t like being unhappy, I try to find things to be happy about. I focus on plans and projects. It has always worked to get me over the hump and into a better place.

This time was no different. While we were hanging out with Lonnie and Lindsay last weekend, we ran to the store to pick up some breakfast supplies and I paused. How long had I been talking about making an herb garden? We had the fountain to re-purpose. We had a plan to move it outside. All I needed was dirt and herbs.

There, in front of me, was an herb display. There was mint, and basil, and Italian parsley, and dill, and cilantro…all in nice little pots, begging to be planted. So, I bought them.

That night, in fact, was the night that I encouraged Lindsay to work on the graffiti for the work bench. She had done HIS name in marker during our breakup and with all of us back together, I thought it was time to finish it. So, while I was laying on the couch out there, icing my ankle and while the guys were playing pool, Lindsay was tagging the workbench.

When she showed me the results in the morning…I nearly cried. She had done a wonderful job. And she had left tons of space for Rachel to add her touches. Rachel is also highly creative and very artistic. While other parents are coaching their kids to be doctors and lawyers, I’m pushing Rachel toward something that will incorporate her skills and abilities…hence the ’sure, you can be a tattoo artist’ discussion.

The kids returned home from a weekend with their father and Rachel set to work on adding her doodles and designs to the bench. It is filling out really nicely. And so I figured it was time to add some color.

This may take a while. I don’t mind. Some of my happiest moments last night were when HE moved the fountain outside and Rachel and I planted the herbs. And then I was happier still when Rachel and I worked on painting the some of the workbench. Keenan came out and I encouraged him to paint his name. I wanted him to feel included. And right about that time HE came home from dinner at Bojangles.

(I’m the only woman in the world who can serve Caribbean jerk pork chops, Parmesan risotto, and Pacific salad for dinner and not get offended when the man of the house leaves to eat dinner at Bojangles. Seriously.)

HIM: You’re painting it?

me: Yup.

HIM: Looks good.

And he stared at the project we were working on. HE likes it. He really does. He likes that I come up with all these ideas and follow through with them. He likes that when I say I’m going to do something, I do it. He likes the way the house is turning out, coming together. There are some projects that may never be finished, thanks to Bishop.

For example, studies have shown that pet owners have to plant three times as many plants when gardening as other gardeners to achieve the same results. Okay, it is my study. So far, Bishop has eaten both of my blueberry bushes, dug up my monkey grass (liriope), and I’m still stinging over losing the cool purple and white flowers. He broke off the tallest stalk from my foxglove. We’re not exactly bffs right now. I thought we needed to have a talk.

me: Bishop, it’s a good thing you’re cute because when your looks go, you’re dead.

HIM: Aw, he’s a good dog most of the time.

me: You know, given that the last few things he’s ruined should have really upset you, I’m rather surprised at your response.

HIM: Which things?

me: The pool kit…my workout DVD…

HIM: Oh, that. Bad Bishop! I have to look at mommy!

We laughed. And I seriously doubt that pup gets it.

All I know is that as I continue to have to plant…I’m leaning towards things with thorns. That’ll teach him.

As for the work bench, I can’t wait to show you when it’s all done.

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