Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunday Survival
We did have the cutest new little girl from Georgia- her parents are military and she had that accent that I just want to eat up. N and G didn’t fight, so I guess that the morning wasn’t a total flop- no huge spiritual epiphanies today, but no blood or sibling fights. I guess small victories are still victories, aren’t they?
I am just now feeling healed from the (stupid) snowboarder last week. Am going to try to do my four-thirty workout tomorrow morning. If I am blogging pages and pages and pages, know that the workout did not go well and I am unable to move off of my arse, but hopefully a little workout won’t hurt. Fingers crossed…
Off to study chemical equations and my trusty old periodical chart. Aaaah, I love electrons and neutrons and filling shells. Really, I am not saying that in a dripping with sarcasm voice, there is nothing more fun than chemical equations on a nice Sunday afternoon.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Too much coffee girl
Luckily, all of this caffeinated energy will be put to good use as I get to go work at the restaurant before seven this morning. I think that I would love working in restaurants no matter how many degrees I had. Maybe I started working in them too early in life, or worked in them too long, but a kitchen feels like home to me. Not even work really, until I get busy busy. But I have to say, there is something almost soothing about starting big pots of coffee, cutting lemon wedges, polishing silver, all of the little things that happen in any restaurant.
30. Faith- having faith even when things seem too heavy can get us through ANYTHING, so I am so thankful for Faith.
29. Friends- thick and thin, new and old, I can never thank God enough for friends that sustain me.
28. Fearlessness- Growing older than dirt makes me realize that taking chances is a very good thing. Whether it is getting a new j-o-b or going back to school or skiing a blue (okay, barely a blue, but technically speaking…) or dying my hair Addison Shepherd red, being fearless and stepping out on a limb are both GOOD things.
27. Grown-up hot chocolate- Kahlua, Baileys, Creme de Cacao, hot chocolate and mounds of whipped cream are absolute heaven. Not even a drinker, but with cocoa like this that I discovered last week at Purgatory, I could become one!
26. Purgatory- driving through Wolf Creek Pass and all of that southern part of Colorado reminds me that we live in one of the most stunning places ever. Snow higher than our car, craggy peaks that eclipse the blue skies, waterfalls frozen into ice sculptures more beautiful than one could ever imagine.
25. Waiting tables- crazy, I just got a new job waiting tables at my favorite little restaurant, and I forgot that I adore waiting tables. The hustle and bustle, meeting fascinating new people every day, watching the owner-chef work his magic with food (so taking notes on how to make remoulades and yummy sauces!). This little place feels like home, and one of the other servers even said she thought that I was meant to work there when she saw me. My sentiments exactly.
24. Ice packs- On top of waiting tables, taking classes, and all of the normal everyday jill stuff, I kind of hurt my knee skiing. Last hour of skiing, stupid snowboarder, blaablaablaa. Not enough grown up hot cocoa in the world to fix it, but ice pack after ice pack will work.
23. New friends- We went to Durango to see one of Drew’s old college buddies and his family. I was sooo nervous, felt like I was being set up on a blind date or something. No need for nervousness- the Wheeler family was so much fun! I think that Tim has got to be my favorite friend of Andrew’s, hands down, and his wife, Leah, is someone I would want to be friends with no matter where we met. We had such a good time- husbands, wives, and all of the kids. Plus the fact that Leah made an even better hot cocoa than the bartender at Purgatory- what more could one ask for from a new friend?
22. Country Bears- We went to G’s school for movie night tonight, and watched this cheesy cheesy movie. I laughed so hard I cried, and then I laughed some more. Not only was it actually funny, but it had great music too- Bonnie Raitt, The Gourds, Don Henley, Elton John…
21. Flourless chocolate torte- no explanation needed.
20. Serranos Coffee- I am blessed enough to have picked a restaurant to work in that serves my favorite locally roasted, organic, fair trade coffee. I may never sleep again.
19. Aleve- did I mention that my shoulder must have been injured in that little mishap too? Stupid snowboarder.
18. My journal- Not only do I blog (cheaper than therapy!), but I also got the most beautiful leather journal and write in it constantly. Everything I write in it feels sacred, because it is such an awesome book.
17- Socks- Got to the mountain last Sunday, started to put on my ski boots, and realized I had put on flimsy blue trouser socks. Twenty-three dollars later, I am the proud owner of lime green ski socks. And let me tell you, twenty-three dollar socks are worth every penny. I am wearing them as I write, and may wear them every day for a month just to get my money’s worth… Kidding! I guess they are a better deal than Leah’s seventy dollar un-insulated ski pants from the same shop ;-).
16. G’s smile- I know that the orthodontist looms large in our near future, but when that girl smiles, it melts me every time. I love her sweet smile.
15. Lara bars- cashew cookie, apple pie, cocoa mole’, cherry pie. These are gluten free raw food thingies, and I crave them like nothing else. Have gotten a couple of people hooked on them, am shameless about pushing them.
14. Boot trays- how dumb am I that it took me almost a decade of living here to buy these lifesavers?
13. Uppercase Living- words you put on your wall, whether their quotes or ones that you custom order. Totally hooked- LOVE them!!!!
12. Sunbutter- PB is taboo, so sunbutter is the next best thing.
11. My cell phone- have always been anti-cell phone, but would be lost without it when I am as busy as I have been. Total Lifeline.
10. Snow- I loathe the ice, but love the snow here, from the fresh fallen snow to the stuff that has been outside my french doors for weeks.
9. Prayers- from N’s prayers of blessing the food he doesn’t like to our MOPS groups prayers for one another to prayers for peace, I am so thankful for and in awe of the power of prayer.
8. Quotes- along with my obsession with Uppercase Living, I am also obsessed with quotes. Thoreau, Mother Theresa, Nietsche, the bible, random little ones, I have a collection going.
7. Chic-fil-A- I know it goes against the whole healthy thing, but is there really a yummier fast food around????
6. Sleep- not that I get any, but a girl can hope, right?
5. Heating pads- Did I mention that I am too old to fall down to avoid stupid snowboarders, but heating pads, and ice packs and Aleve help?
4. Early mornings- I have to leave the house before seven, and love being the only one on the road at that time. Besides the occasional deer or fox moseying along…
3. New starts- We all make the dumb resolutions, but I thank God that every day is a new day, a new start.
2. Grace- Can I ever say thank you enough for God’s Grace? No matter what we do or how we mess up or fail or WHATEVER, we are loved.
1. A comfy place to lay my head- comfy pillow, Aleve, ice pack, heating pad, pillows to elevate my knee… I am good to go!
FABULOUS FAMILY TIME IN DURANGO!!!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Monsterdog in the driver’s seat
Long story short, I now know that it takes three people working together to get a wolf-shepherd out of a four-runner, that dog saliva can end up slung all over a car, that some stories are better than “the dog ate my homework”, and that I should allow way more time to get to gymnastics on time.
The Gifted and Talented teacher from G’s school committed suicide sometime last week. He was actually the G&T teacher last year, and his position had changed this year. I don’t know details, don’t want to, but I saw him constantly in our little bitty town. At the post office, library, out walking, at the gas station, buying a paper, I saw him at least a couple of times a week. I always smiled and sometimes said hello, but nothing more. Not that it would have changed anything, but I wish that I had said more- had really seen him. I look back and think about when I would smile as I passed him, and it was one of those “How are you?” sort of greetings where had he answered anything, I probably would have said “good, good…” and not really heard whatever he said. I hope he found peace from whatever must have been hurting so, and I hope I remember to truly make an effort to see people when I see them.
Friday, January 18, 2008
MOPS and foam thingies
So, deep thoughts, lots of love, laughing and serious discussion in the morning. And then the afternoon. Ho hum same ol’ same ol’ until I went to pick N up. Decided that I could not abide one more second of my FILTHY four-runner. I know, I know, it is six degrees outside and about to snow again, but I could not stand to look at the gray black snow caked on it for even one more second. Smart girl that I am, I went to an automatic car wash to just rinse it off, maybe let the foam brushes swirl some of the grossness off also. N and I go in, sit in the car, he oohs and aahs at all of the water spraying over us, says this is ”betterer than Six Flags.” The brushes stop, the light changes and I put the car in drive to exit the stall.
SLAM shuts the car wash door. I look behind me to see if that door is open. Nope. Hmmmm. I think that in all of my wisdom, I know how to at least exit a car wash, so this seems wrong. I turn off the car (carbon monoxide, anyone?) , we sit there for a couple of minutes, and I think surely the door is gonna open. Wrong. After an interminable three minutes, I decide to call Marsha and Larry. Once Larry quits laughing so hard that he is gasping, he tells me that he will drive down to pick up G from school (yes, I am abandoning my child yet again because of bizarre car mishap!), and Marsha will call the Conoco. Great, I call them too, but get a fax machine. Would like to exit the car, but have an irrational fear because of all of the DO NOT EXIT YOUR VEHICLE FOR ANY REASON signs, that we will get walloped to death with the foam thingies. Think about calling the fire department up the street, and after ten looooong minutes, an employee unlocks the door, and manages to pull up the exit door. Thank you, sweet baby Jesus! As we leave the car wash, N says matter-of-factly, “I told you that you should have done the better car wash.”
Thanks, kiddo, I will remember that along with my exit plan next time.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Golden Ring
We dove right in- mathematical equations, terms, chem lab, the works. In the middle of it, I had an epiphany. This is going to be hard and this is going to suck sometimes, but anything worth it usually is hard. This class is like life, it is going to be hard, but if we keep going and trying, we can grab the golden ring, right?
I should get a tattoo of that so that I don’t forget it. If you are reading this, Mom, I am only kidding. Promise….
