YOOHOO, REMEMBER ME?

I've missed my friends.

The juggler has dropped a few balls this month--and just when I thought I was about ready for my circus interview.  It has been crazy with extra hours at work, out-of-state company, tax preparation, and who can even remember what else.  February has been a blur.  I've been incredibly busy, but have had nothing worthy to blog about.  Nobody out there is really interested in school accreditation, tax record organization, or the family dinner from hell.  Well, maybe somebody would be interested in the last one, but I can't really go there for many reasons. 

In the midst of the craziness this week, I was able to carve out time--believe me, this was in the miracle category--to meet with local bloggers for lunch.  I needed the distraction and the fellowship and am thankful to Patty for organizing it.  I do realize that Blog World friendships, although extremely important to me and fulfilling, are no replacement for the occasional hug around the neck in real life.  Edie is always good for a hug.

This would be a good place to include a photo from the lunch, but then that would mean that I would have had to take my camera.  That's right, I was busy juggling and couldn't carry it.  There were two folks in the professional photographer category there (Patty and Jessica), so any photo I might have taken probably would not have compared; so when they post about the get-together, I'll just link up.

What I took away from our lunch was that everybody has something to share--whether you have blogged for five years or five months. I about got giddy when I was able to add the link to Patty's blog to my dashboard reader.  It was so simple, but I had no idea that it could be done by pasting the link in.  Thank you, Kim, for that little tidbit of information. 

I have also learned so much lately from my youngest daughter, Tessa, who now has, I think, three blogs.  She has made headers and buttons and tabs and scrolling messages.  She has connected with other young ladies and now participates in an online book club and a group writing project.  I am truly blessed to get to share one of my passions with this incredible daughter.  And I think it is pretty neat that she invites me to read her diary (blog).  Not so long ago, we hid these from our parents.  But then not many of us had a juggler for a mom.  That must seem cool to her, right?

DISCLAIMER TO RANDOM POST

I about died laughing when I read the comment on my previous post about leaning to ski.  I guess I should have written NOT learning to ski.  This week, in addition to pouting about not going to Blissdom,  I was mourning things that I will never get to do in my life--being old and all.  One of those things is learning to ski.  I did go once in the olden days of high school, but that does not constitute learning to ski.  Too bad for me.

Three years ago this April, I had surgery on my foot after being rewarded for my gift of sarcasm in New York City.  Yes, that was quite a reward, and it should have curbed my sarcasm forever and ever.  Maybe I should have this photo framed as a reminder.  That just may do it.

Back in 2005 while we were visiting NYC on the day after Thanksgiving ( I don't advise picking that date if you have a choice, btw), my husband just about flipped when he saw the FOX News building up ahead.  Let me just say that he is a huge fan of FOX News--me, not so much.  And I, in my enthusiasm (for him), began walking quickly while screeching, "Look everybody, it's FOX News.  Hurry, hurry, hurry, we wouldn't want to miss seeing FOX News.  blah, blah, blah."  And simultaneously, I was grabbing my camera out of my pocket in the 11-degree weather and that's when it happened.  I stepped off of the curb (quickly because that's what you do when you cross a street in NYC) and fell out of my clog-type shoe into the path of oncoming yellow vehicles.  I wouldn't advise that either.  I not only fell, but I also knocked poor Tessa down with me.

Just think about what your response as a caring family member would should be.  My son, Ryan, was horrified and began telling me to get up.  I think he mimicked me with that "hurry up, hurry up, hurry up" screech.  Tessa began to cry.  And everybody else just about died laughing.  I rallied enough to get the picture below (for him) before I hobbled inside to the building's cafeteria and applied ice to my foot which swelled up pretty quickly.  Nobody really cared because some idiot  attractive woman with bare legs and stilettos from FOX was spotted.  Don't ask me because I don't watch FOX News.  Surprise.

You may not realize this, but it is not really convenient to get injured in NYC.  I did not see even one walk-in clinic or any crutches for sale in the store windows.  I did, however, see tons of stiletto heels, which I knew even then, would have no future with me.  And since I didn't want to ruin anybody's fun, I just sucked it up and continued on.  That was smart.  And being a tightwad, I put off surgery for a year and a half.  That was smart as well.  I think that sounds sarcastic, don't you?

So I spent my 50th birthday on crutches as well as several weeks past that.  And then I got to wear a lovely blue shoe.  And let me tell you that surgery does not solve all of your problems.  It just changes them.  I am thankful that I can now at least wear a shoe.  Too bad that shoe has to lace up and contain an orthotic.  Yep, no cute flipflops or heels for me.  And no ski boots.  I suppose the moral of the story is to try to curb the sarcasm while you are in NYC.

celebrating Kenzie's birthday (same as mine) at Build-a-Bear with crutches

celebrating 50th at school with all the children

If that was not enough, two years ago while visiting in the north again, the day after Thanksgiving, on our way to IKEA--I am seeing a pattern here--we were hit from behind by a tow truck.  Nobody laughed that day.  Of course, the four children in the back seats, covered with shattered glass and screaming, kind of dictated the response.  Praise the Lord that we all walked away--in the cold--from that accident.  I suppose I should be thankful that I am just a chronic pain sufferer instead of having to mourn the loss of one of my loved ones.  And I am. It does help put it in perspective as I write it, but my back pain is so frustrating.  I am a doer, and I had so much more in life that I wanted to experience--skiing among them.  

Between the back and the foot, I am very limited on what I can do--strong drugs are not an option.  It doesn't help that all my blogging buddies are over-achievers when it comes to DIY projects.  How I wish that when I was in my prime--moving upright pianos and wood cook stoves, single-handedly, to paint under them--Blog World had been settled.  Then I could have posted all kinds of photos that would impress people.

And it doesn't help that most of my IRL friends are fitness buffs.--working out and running marathons and such.  Now, I have never been into fitness--good grief, I have always driven to the mailbox--but I might enjoy tap dancing or kick boxing or skiing.  And please, don't suggest Wii Sports.  I've tried that.  No, not for me. I just can't be laughed at that much by my family members.  I have not recovered from the first round of laughter at my expense.  I will now put on my Asics with orthotics and go to work--a desk job. 

QUICK VISIT

On any given day, a zillion ideas for blog topics pop in my head.  Unfortunately, there is just not time to actually write about each one.  I feel good if I get something substantial written once a week.  This week that did not happen, so I am feeling a bit stressed.  I am, therefore, going to post ten interesting or not-so-interesting things that randomly pop in my head as I type.  Just because.

1. I have avoided Blissdom posts because of sheer jealousy.  I couldn't go this year, and  I am still pouting.
2. I have booked my spring break get-away to Disney using Disney dollars.  I even booked a room for Kelly and family.  And we're meeting tons of friends there.  Well not tons, but seven or ten or so.
3. I am loving the book Ishmael that I received for a gift at Christmas.  That algebra tutoring was sooo worth it.
4. I am overwhelmed with what God thinks I can accomplish this year at school.
5. I have been invited to join local bloggers for lunch!  Edie will share about Blissdom, and I will pout some more.
6. I am almost done with my bathroom redo.  Can I hear an amen?
7. I am sick of paying for dance lessons only to have them canceled because of  the possibility of snow. 
8. I am going to be a grandmother again.
9. I am enjoying another season of American Idol.  I do not miss Paula.  I will miss Simon next year.
10. I am going to finish that map bird and mail it to the winner from Funky Junk by this weekend!  Promise.

Cardinal by Nate, Age 5

Wow!  That was pretty random.  Be glad that I omitted the post about the local meat market and learning to ski.  Yes, I did sneak in the big announcement.  Subtle, eh?