{Dream On}

Summertime and the living is good

2011-07-07T12:56:00.005-05:00

Where did June go? If I'm not at the computer writing, chances are I'm doing something like this:

Sorry for the teeny-tiny photo -- it's borrowed from Facebook.

I took the plunge last month and splurged on a new kayak and all the equipment. I LOVE it -- there's absolutely no buyer's remorse on this purchase. I even found a local paddling club that meets on area lakes once a week.

I also seem to be on a fitness kick. (Probably because I'm feeling great these days -- the migraines are on hiatus!) I'm on week 6 of the Couch to 5k running program! If it wasn't so dang hot, I would be running a 5k toward the end of the month. There's a 5k in Joplin this weekend, but it's a night run. With my balance issues, I have a hard enough time walking in the dark -- so running is probably a bad idea. Even if they do have glow-in-the-dark t-shirts for participants!

Just a glimpse of summer 2011. Lots of things are still on deck, including a week at Camp Barnabas, road trips and a few other developing things. Stay cool!

Grrrls Weekend!

2011-06-01T20:54:00.006-05:00

^^Target Field -- from our Friday night seats!
After much waiting, planning and hype, Grrls weekend 2011 is now one for the history books. And what a great time!

Our hostess with the mostest was Brenda's genius sister, Alissa. She pointed out that perhaps it was a little weird that our "girls" weekend included not one but TWO baseball games, a "boy" movie (Hangover 2), beer and pizza. But we balanced it out with pedicures, shopping, s'mores with strawberry frosting and a LOT of laughter.

^^My pampered toes! I get a pedicure once in a blue moon.

Alissa planned to pick me up at the MSP airport and told me to watch for a maroon Ford Taurus. Easy enough, right? You'd think so. Right about the time she texted me she would show up, she did. She stopped the car in the second lane and waved, looking right at me, and off I went for her car. After trying to get the door to open, I took a closer look at the brunette in glasses and realized that, ummmm, it wasn't Alissa! Oh, dear.

I simply waved, mouthed I'm so sorry, tucked tail and RAN back to the curb. Not two minutes later, Alissa shows up. I approached her with a bit more caution.

The new Twins stadium is magnificent. I don't think there is a bad seat in the place. And there were almost no lines for anything -- because the vending was so well planned out. There weren't even lines for the women's bathroom -- which is important when beer is so easy to buy!

^^View of downtown Minneapolis from our Friday night seats. I used to work in the tall building on the right!

It was pretty neat to visit some of my old stomping grounds. I saw a lot of familiar places, and a lot of new ones. Can't wait for my next trip!

^^Brenda, Sara & I

When hummingbirds attack...

2011-05-25T19:31:00.007-05:00

OK, not really. But wow are the hummingbirds I've been hosting quite friendly. Or aggressive -- I'm not sure which! Unfortunately, I ran out of nectar yesterday AND forgot to pick up more today. So I have some angry hummingbirds stalking my patio, wondering when I am going to refill their feeder.

I've been trying to capture the hummingbirds with the Nikon. It's pretty challenging! Sometimes I end up with an empty frame, or a frame with just a bird tail in it. Other times, you can barely focus on the blur of hummingbird. I've had a few "almost" great photos. I either need a faster camera or slower hummingbirds!

^^ blurry. That could have been a great photo!

^^ This one's my favorite so far.
^^ Belly flop?

^^ I also like this one because it's capturing the motion!

Devastation

2011-05-23T21:11:00.003-05:00

What a night last night. And what a day today. Unless you live under a rock, you should know by now that Joplin, Missouri, was leveled by a devastating tornado Sunday night. As of this evening, the death toll was 116 -- making it the deadliest tornado in United States history since 1953.

Here in McDonald County, 40-odd miles southeast of Joplin, we were under a tornado warning for about three hours. Somehow, we missed the hail, high winds and tornadoes and only got rain, thunder and lightning. We are now flooded in (again) with more rain on the way. But it doesn't seem right to complain, when we are safe and sheltered here with food, water, electricity. Internet and television, even! (Although my local channels disappeared around 5 p.m. today and I missed the House season finale. Again, can't complain -- that's what reruns are for!)

I was in Joplin Saturday afternoon to stock up on paper for scrapbooking night at church and a few things for my upcoming "grrrls Hangover weekend." (Inside joke; we are NOT planning on having actual hangovers, just seeing the movie.) It's hard to believe that many of the places I drove by on Range Line Road are gone -- Home Depot, Academy Sports and WalMart. The hospital where a friend's baby was born 5 (or was it 6!?) years ago is the one that took a direct hit. Several people I know have lost everything, while others are fine with minimal property damage. Facebook has been quite amazing, with people checking up on each other, tracking down friends via other people's pages, and pages set up to coordinate recovery efforts.

If you can help via services or money, do it! If not, keep the Joplin people in your prayers, as well as the search and rescue folks, law enforcement officers and medical personnel etc. who are out there trying to find more survivors despite some downright nasty weather. God bless them all.

More blooms

2011-05-18T18:12:00.005-05:00

I was all set to brag about a fan letter I received at the Connection magazine office in tonight's blog. Yesterday, the art director let me know that there was a letter addressed to me at the office in care of the magazine, so I stopped in the office today, very curious to see who it was from and which story it was about. And if it was actually fan mail -- or perhaps hate mail from an angry reader.

Unfortunately, it was for a different story. I had humble pie for lunch. Oh, well!

It's chilly today, and we had some rain, but there was a short window of sunshine. Baxter and I took full advantage of it and took a walk. I even remembered to bring the camera and snapped a few photos. Gotta love the Ozarks!

This is the first coneflower that's "bloomed" in my garden. It's a little bit early in the season, or at least that's what I told myself -- it's kind of a sad, scraggly little thing:

Sad, huh?

The Cosmos is coming up awesome. This is the first year I've planted it -- and I am definitely planting even more next year! Here's what the mature seedlings look like:

I've also solved the mystery of "what IS that?" from this spring. I had about four plants sprout up in the garden & could not figure out what they were. I hadn't seen this plant sprout in my garden before, and I hadn't planted anything new in the fall. Now that the flowers have bloomed, I figured out it was a bachelor's button! I planted those seeds eons ago and they have finally thrived. Crazy plants.

And, finally, the clematis is flourishing this year! I cannot wait for it to bloom. With my luck, it will explode with blooms when I am on my Memorial Day weekend getaway!

May Flowers

2011-05-16T18:51:00.005-05:00

(Disclaimer: these gorgeous pink flowers are long-gone. Hopefully, there will be another round of flowers from this azalea bush soon!)

April showers bring May flowers. So very true, as usual. The garden is exploding with green and goodness. We had a ton of rain, and then some hot weather, which made everything pop. Now it's been unseasonably cold -- but I can't complain too much, as we will be sailing into hot, humid weather very soon.

My days lately have been spent in front of the computer, typing away on gardening articles, a top-secret copywriting assignment for a Chicago design firm, and articles for the July issue of Connection magazine. And since I have a short attention span/tolerance for sitting at my corner desk for more than an hour at a time, there's also sunny breaks on the patio or out in the yard. I throw the ball around for Baxter in-between weeding out the flowerbeds.

Since I spend so much time on the computer and writing, the blog has gone on the back burner. I am considering making it more of a picture-a-day posting with "real" blogs here and there when life does take me out of the hollow and into the real world. There are a lot of exciting things coming up on the calendar: trips, projects, goals and adventures.

These seedlings are now thriving in the garden, along with some cosmos! I'm not quite sure if the bee balm will survive -- much less thrive. Time will tell, I suppose. The ornamental kale is all in containers and is growing a bit slowly. Hopefully they will be...well...ornamental by fall! I need to update my flower photos and document how well things are doing -- as well as what's not thriving. Happy gardening!

May Connection

2011-04-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

The May issue of Connection magazine is out & it's a really good one.

Check out one of my articles about the historical Powell Bridge on my portfolio.

You can also download the whole issue here.

Drying Out

2011-04-28T10:03:00.009-05:00

Above ^^^ the west creek crossing.
We survived the floods! Surprisingly, the water did not get much higher than in the video I posted on Monday. We got a lot of rain -- I'm not sure what the "official" measurement was, but it was around 10 inches.

Today, the sun is shining and everything is drying out. The creek is calming and receding -- the low-water crossings were crossable via pickup yesterday (although I would not have driven my car over any of them!). I even hitched a ride to town to pick up the May issue of Connection magazine, drop off some photos at the newspaper office, get my bones cracked at the chiropractor and stock up on coffee and other necessities at Walmart.

I've been busy putting things back in order -- moving drenched plants into the sun so they can get rid of some water, filling the birdfeeder, re-planting my azalea. I ran out and dug it up during the rains because the water was threatening to come up and drown it. Yes, I am a wee bit paranoid.

Some more photos of the flooding: Above^^^water overflow from the creek into Thomas Hollow Road, just east of my house.
Above^^^the overflow coming down the hill behind my house, through the pasture and into the road.

Above^^^Thomas Hollow Road (flooded) on the right, the creek on the left!
Above^^^the east creek crossing -- the debris marks how high the water came up.
Above^^^Baxter in place (for scale, you know) at the east creek crossing. Note how the concrete has shifted. Not sure how bad it is on the far side. Surprisingly, the county road department was out fixing the crossing early Wednesday morning!

Floating Away!

2011-04-25T09:51:00.002-05:00

We are being washed away here in southwest Missouri. It's been raining since Friday, and the creek is rebelling. All I can do is watch (and move my car, dig up some plants) and take pictures and videos. The rain keeps on coming down.

I shot this video at about 9:45 am Monday, April 26. I figured I better post it while I still have electricity and an Internet connection. It started pouring rain again as I finished the video. I'm just hoping we don't break any records and that the water doesn't get any higher than my front steps (and into the house). Nothing to do except wait and watch.

Colder Weather

2011-04-19T17:36:00.002-05:00

Talk about being "stuck in colder weather." The Zac Brown Band concert at Mulberry Mountain in Arkansas Friday night was, to put it nicely, a mess. And not just because of the weather (40 degrees, windy and misting is not the best weather for an outdoor concert).

I had a great volunteer opportunity come up for the concert. Because it's a national campaign and was supposed to be coordinated by a nonprofit organization, I hesitate to put the actual name on the blog. If you're a Zac Brown Band fan, you should be able to figure it out. Anyways, the opportunity meant I could sell my concert ticket and still get into the concert. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.

I arrived at Mulberry Mountain around 4:30 p.m. -- the main gates opened at 10 a.m., and the gate into the concert area was supposed to open at 3 p.m. When I got there, they were very organized with the parking -- it was pretty painless, considering there were thousands of people there already and more on their way. (The fact that I could not find my car afterward was my own fault!) After parking, it all fell apart. There was a long line at the concert area gate -- an hour and a half after it was supposed to open. The line just got longer and longer, stretching out over the Mulberry grounds as the evening went on. The crowd had been expected to be about 13,000 strong if that gives you a clue about the size of the line. I'm pretty sure the food and beverage vendors and t-shirt sellers inside the concert area were just about as ticked off as the concert goers. Everyone was wet, cold, and at the end of their patience threshold. And I didn't even get the volunteer t-shirt I was promised. Not that I did it for the dang t-shirt but I was just not impressed with anything I saw that night.

Lucky me, I didn't have to stand in line -- I bypassed the line to go to my volunteer area. Which turned out to be two bare tables out in the rain -- no cover or light whatsoever. Nowhere to hang a banner (which was actually very cool, but nobody got to see it). The person representing the nonprofit was a no-show. There were about a dozen volunteers there, and we tried our best to do the mission we were there for, but it was kind of difficult between the weather, the ticked-off people STILL waiting in line (many who had been drinking all afternoon).

The concert organizers finally opened the concert gate at 7:30 p.m. -- a full half-hour after the concert was supposed to start. And Zac Brown didn't even start playing til about 8:30 or 9 p.m.! While it was a good show, it was nowhere near as good as it could have been (not to mention dangerous with the 30-40 mph wind and rain). I'm pretty sure ZBB won't be coming back to that area again, much less for that production company. There are a ton of complaints online about the way it was handled. I can't say I blame people -- most of them shelled out $40 a ticket plus $10 a car for parking. I know I am going to be wary of any even put on by this organizer in the future.

So that's one of the two volunteer experiences I've had go awry this week. What's that saying..."no good deed goes unpunished." Yeah, that would be it.

Favorite

2011-04-13T19:53:00.006-05:00

Dogwoods are simply my favorite tree. Spring blooms, fall color, cool shapes. They have it all. Someday I will get around to planting one in my yard!

And of course no photoshoot is complete without one snap with Baxter in it! The pose is 100% his.

In Full Bloom

2011-04-12T19:58:00.006-05:00

Sorry for the absence! I got knocked sideways and upside down by a migraine last week and am finally catching up on everything that went on the back burner.

Around here, things are in full bloom! Yesterday, I mowed the lawn for the first time this season. Lots of goodies are popping up in the gardens. It's fun to watch things grow. I'll be sowing seeds in a couple of days -- we are inching toward the last frost date. I do have a few seedlings started in a tray -- bee balm, lime zinnia, ornamental kale and calendula. But. (Yes, there is a but.) I neglected to bring the tray in one night -- the ONE night we finally got a heavy, ground soaking, drenching rain. Needless to say, the tray and seedlings got watered very well. The seedlings have been drying out in the sun the past two days, and I'm happy to say that it looks like they are not only surviving, but there are a few more seedlings popping up! I dodged a bullet there.

The tulips didn't do so hot this year. Actually, they were kind of sad. I have more than 100 bulbs in the ground and had maybe a dozen actually bloom. Hopefully next year will be better! I did get a few photos of what I did have.

Hello, April!

2011-04-02T16:24:00.004-05:00

April's come in with sunshine and warm temperatures. I finally got to cross off a big item from my to-do list: finish a semi-new flowerbed.

I've neglected this spot in the front yard -- closest to the road -- for years. An old bed with just wild irises, I never really weeded it or made it into an actual bed with borders. Until today!

Here's the before, with the layout marked out so I could see what it could be. There were a LOT of overgrown, crowded irises in there. And weeds.

BEFORE:

And now here it is with the irises (mostly) thinned out and spread around. I found yet another bunch of tulip bulbs that needed to be planted, and those are in there -- they should do well in the spot.

AFTER:

I'll probably put in a bunch of zinnias and four o'clock mix, as those love the full sun.

I suppose that now that it's April 2, I should sit down and finish my taxes. Fun.

Out like a Lion

2011-03-30T18:46:00.003-05:00

I truly think we are going backward in weather, instead of forward! March seems to be going out like a lion. It was supposed to be in the 50s today, and it didn't even hit 40. I know, boo-hoo. My blood has thinned out considerably since moving south. Even Baxter is not enjoying it -- he's been snuggling up to me more than usual, even when the electric blanket is on! Amazing, considering he was in the doghouse the other day. (That's what happens when you roll around in a rotting armadillo. Ugh.)

For those of you who can't wait to get your hands on the Connection magazine, there's a .pdf file now available so you can check it out. Be warned: it's a big file to download with 24 megabytes.

Just click here.

I'll be scanning and sharing one of this month's articles on my portfolio blog later this week. May's articles are taking precedence over almost everything else this week.

Almost April

2011-03-28T15:24:00.005-05:00

We are back into cold weather! I'm hoping my tulips (which are almost ready to bloom) survive this cold snap. We had a hard freeze warning for Sunday night/Monday morning but seem to have dodged that bullet. I have a box of goodies from Gurney's Seed & Nursery that is ready to be planted -- they shipped them a few weeks earlier than the "safe" date for my zone. The salvia and lavender plants are dormant bare roots and should be ok, but the pampas grass, butterfly bush and licorice mint must be planted -- yesterday. They will be going into containers this afternoon and I will just have to hold my breath that they survive in the front porch!

I got this awesome encyclopedia in the mail from GoGardenGoOnline over the weekend:

Nearly 800 pages of gardening knowledge!

And then I picked up the April issue of Connection magazine:

Spring is coming, even if it doesn't feel like it these days.

Carried away

2011-03-23T18:53:00.005-05:00

No, not carried away by the wind, although it feels like that. I can't, in good conscience, complain about the wind, that is small potatoes compared to what the folks up north have gotten! Carried away by an out-of-control green thumb. I'm not sure it's because I've been feeling really good lately (knock on wood) or the writing I've been doing for GoGardenGo has inspired me to do more, but I am indeed doing a ton more this spring season.

All four flowerbeds are weeded and prepped. A new climbing rosebush is planted. The clematis is pruned back, trellises are secured to the house (and I have plans to add on to those). Seeds are waiting to be sowed, and I should have a shipment coming from Gurney's in a few weeks with some goodies! And I'm making a semi-new bed in the front yard. It's not brand-new -- there's a spot by the driveway that has a ton of irises and even more weeds, and I've been "meaning" to make that spot into a real flowerbed. For years. And this year, I'm doing it. I've got the perimeters laid out, stepping stones in place and need to weed and etcetera to pretty it up. Come summertime, I'm hoping it will be chock-full of zinnias and purple coneflowers! I'll be weeding and adding soil/compost tomorrow if the weather permits.

Happy Spring!

2011-03-20T20:05:00.004-05:00

Whew. We had a gorgeous spring day today, with temperatures hitting the 80s! After church, a catnap and finishing up some much-needed gardening, I finally got the motivation to sit down and scan some of my favorite articles that I've written for Connection magazine.

Wanna check it out? Lisa Florey

I weeded out and prepped two of the smaller flower beds today and planted a ton of gladiola bulbs. Can't wait for those to bloom! My main flower bed is popping:

The allium aren't doing as well as I would like them to (I should have divided them last fall!). I have a huge clump of daylily that desperately needs to be divided, as well as some great spots of purple coneflowers. So excited! I've made it a goal this year to not let the weeds take over. Of course, it will help if I stay home in June instead of going on a cross-country road trip!

Patriotic

2011-03-14T17:24:00.009-05:00

Saturday is a day I will never forget. It was the first -- and hopefully last -- military funeral I've ever attended. A Monett native, Spc. Christopher Stark, was killed in Afghanistan, and his funeral was held at a park near where I live. Since it was open to the public and I felt that the least I could do was show support for the family, I decided to go. I'm glad I did.

If you've followed this blog, you know I've written about Westboro Baptist Cult (yeah, yeah, it should be "Church," but whatever) here and here. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court voted that the WBC's funeral protests were/are protected under the First Amendment, and I knew they would have their sights set on this fallen hero's funeral.

Apparently, so did a lot of other people in the Monett community. The family invited the Patriot Guard Riders to town for the private visitation, public funeral and private burial on Friday and Saturday. Dozens of law enforcement agencies stepped in to help with crowd control and to try to ensure a peaceful goodbye. The State Highway Patrol, Monett Police Department, and Barry, Newton and Lawrence County sheriff's departments also had a high-profile presence.

And while my blood pressure went up just thinking about the hatefulness of the WBC, and I kept an eye peeled for them -- I did not see a single protestor. Apparently, only a handful showed up, but they were kept far away from anyone who cared, especially the family.

It was amazing. Law enforcement closed the Jolly Mill Road that led to the private park that was chosen as the funeral site (how they "screened" people going in, I have no idea!). Nearly 400 Patriot Guard Riders escorted the hearse and family to the funeral. Hundreds of civilians, veterans and active duty servicemen showed up. There were flags everywhere, the sun was shining and there was enough of a breeze to make the flags stand at attention. It made me proud to be an American.

I snapped a ton of photos of the Patriot Guard Riders as well as a few scenes before the funeral.

There was a giant US flag that served as a backdrop for the speaker's platform.

After the funeral, I headed out to Monett and was amazed (yes, I have used that word too often today) at the number of people lining the highway holding flags.

I wish we didn't have to have so many military funerals, but if we must, I wish they could all be as patriotic, peaceful and supportive. Godpseed Christopher Stark, and may God grant your family strength and peace as they deal with their loss.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" :: Philippians 4:7

Re-fried

2011-03-05T14:23:00.002-06:00

You know it's spring when the lightning, thunderstorm warnings and tornado watches arrive. Last night, we had our first official spring thunderstorm. Watching a red blob move into my area, I was just thinking about getting up and unplugging the phone line that juices up my cable and internet.

Unfortunately, I was too late. Just like I wrote in Fried nearly two years ago, I took what felt like a direct hit. The lightning hit so close to the house that somehow it turned on my elliptical machine -- which runs off a battery. Baxter was not a happy camper. Neither was I, as the strike fried my cable and internet receivers. Oh, and my wireless modem. My old-school circa-1990s television, amazingly, lives on!

On the bright side, my phone company service guy came out within a couple hours of my "secretary's" call and fixed everything! Well, except the wireless modem. I'm on the internet via the broadband cable. And I'm calling the electric company first thing Monday to see about getting some sort of surge protector for the signal lines. I did have a $50 surge protector from hellmart, but it fried almost immediately. There has to be a better solution than shelling out money every time we have a lightning storm!

Green Thumb

2011-03-03T19:57:00.004-06:00

You know it's springtime here when you spend more than half the time outside, just because it's absolutely perfect weather. I haven't cleaned up my kitchen from Tuesday's remodeling project. It's been way too nice outside. I have priorities...obviously!

I have full-blown spring fever. I got a head start on the gardening season by weeding and prepping my main flowerbed yesterday. All that's in there now are daffodils, daylilies, allium and tulips! I should have cleaned off the stepping stones before I snapped the photo, but you get the idea: Just a few more weeks and I can sow seeds and watch things grow. We've had 70-degree temperatures two days in a row now, and I'm getting spoiled. It's hard to believe there's snow on the ground in my home state -- and they will probably get at least one more snowfall before spring officially arrives.

But here -- here things are slowly beginning to bloom! I saw some daffodils blooming when I was running errands today. **Bliss** I also made two impulse purchases at Lowe's: a climbing rose and a bag of gladiolus bulbs. Both in red. I have to wait another two weeks or so before I plant the glad bulbs and also need to figure out the best spot for the roses.

Hello, Spring!

2011-02-28T19:16:00.005-06:00

Ahh, the last day of February! It was a little chilly today -- if temperatures in the 40s are chilly for those of you reading this from up north! But spring IS on its way, if the daffodils, tulips, irises and alliums popping up in my yard are any indication.
This still qualifies as a tulip picture, honest! The dog just wanted to be in the photo and, well, I'm a sucker for that face. Look behind his right front paw! See -- tulips!

Of course, it wouldn't be spring without a snake "incident." I'm proud to report that a) I didn't scream or even squeal when I saw it and b) I even took a close-up photo of the little bugger I found in my front patio this afternoon. Apparently this guy hitchicked in through one of the potted plants I moved inside for the winter. At least, that's what I'm telling myself (because alternate scenarios include that snakes can get IN my house on their own or there are a whole bunch of baby snakes in there...shudder the thought).
A snake is a snake, and I ain't touchin that thing.

Procrastination

2011-02-25T16:21:00.004-06:00

I should be writing magazine articles right now. But I keep finding other things I "need" to do. Laundry. A glass of water. Give the dog a bath. (That one was a necessity -- I simply can't work if my house reeks of the dead animal and cow poo Baxter rolled around in!) A chat with my adopted soldier on Facebook. A nap. This blog. Hopefully my self-discipline will kick in soon, because my deadline is looming and these articles don't write themselves.

The March issue is at the press and will be available for readers sometime next week. It looks like another good one. There's a picture of a blonde, curly haired little girl with a horse on the cover -- no, it's not me, but it sure brings back memories.

Happy Friday!

Oklahoma City

2011-02-20T10:32:00.002-06:00

Writing from Oklahoma City! I've spent the weekend at the Prairie Classic quarter horse show with friends. It's been quite a while since I've been to a horse show -- and it's reminded me how much I like the shows, even if I'm not showing. It's made me want to think more about how I could make another go of it with the equine massage. The combination of horse shows, road trips, friends and work is a winning combination. If only I could make enough money, on a regular basis, to more than break even! If I had the upfront cash, I could invest in an acuscope machine and broaden my scope of practice (pardon the pun). But I don't. The cold, hard fact is that you need cold, hard cash to make more. So right now -- unless a stellar opportunity comes along -- I'll settle for going to a show here and there for fun. No pressure to make ends meet, just go and cheer on friends. If I get horses to work on, that's the icing on the cake.
Off to the show!

Full Moon

2011-02-17T19:11:00.002-06:00

Yep, it's the week of a full moon. They say bad things happen in threes, and I hope I've reached that magic number. Between dumping dog food all over the kitchen floor, nearly setting a bagel on fire and now getting two trojan viruses (disguised as Antivirus System 2011) on my laptop, it's been one of those 24-hour slots where all you can do is take a deep breath...and laugh.

I'm not sure exactly where I picked up the virus. All I know is that one minute I was pricing plane tickets to MSP (can you say Grrrrls Weekend?), and the next my laptop went haywire -- and not just from airfare sticker shock.

A popup -- oh-so-cleverly made to look like it was a virus protection program from Microsoft, complete with altered logo -- came up. Then every single page I tried to open after that automatically redirected me to a page claiming my computer was vulnerable to attacks. Thankfully I'm suspicious by nature AND have an Android that I could Google things from. I wonder how many people have fallen victim to this thing AND have had to take their computer in to the geek doctor to get it fixed. Thanks to Google, the Spyware Doctor and the computer geek genes I inherited from my dad, I had new software and a solution installed and the problem wiped out in less than two hours.

Sometimes it pays to be a geek!

xoxo

2011-02-14T20:37:00.005-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I have a hot date with two guys named Ben and Jerry tonight, so this will be short. Just wanted to pop in and share a few photos from the weekend.
And it was a beautiful weekend -- we went from having more than a foot of snow on the ground to snow that was perfect for snowball fights, to slush, and now mud! The pile of footwear in my front porch goes all the way from sorels to hiking boots to pink rubber boots. My floors are going to be covered with muddy pawprints for the next few months -- I have priorities, you know. The sun has been shining and the temperatures have been going up. I'm getting spring fever.

Saturday's sunset was gorgeous.

(The new phone takes pretty high-quality shots!)

It was prime eagle watching weather this weekend. I'm getting a little closer to getting THE eagle shot. Not quite there (especially with only a 200mm zoom lens), but closer.

This is a crop of the actual photo and I didn't run it through any image software (yet). Love it, though!

Loss

2011-02-11T18:52:00.002-06:00

My heart is hurting for a friend tonight. My college roommate, Nikki, lost her husband earlier this week. I just heard about it -- via Facebook -- this afternoon. John passed away suddenly on Wednesday. He was only 45.

I was a bridesmaid in John and Nikki's wedding. They were such a cute, in-love couple, and even though we fell out of touch for a little while, we caught up with each other. Through blogs, email and of course Facebook, I got a glimpse of Nikki's incredible family. She and John kept their crazy sense of humor through 17 years of marriage, two kids, Vikings games, South Dakota winters, summer camping trips, below-zero jaunts to their new hot tub and more.

I clearly remember when Nikki came back to our apartment after Valentine's Day 1994 (I think it was 1994, but it might have been 1993) practically screaming and squealing because John had popped the question and asked her to marry him.

I can't even imagine what Nikki is going through right now. My heart skipped a beat and the tears fell when I read the news. John had just celebrated his 45th birthday. And Nikki's story is coming around full circle as she has to say goodbye to him on Valentine's Day, the day that was supposed to be a celebration of their love and their engagement.

My thoughts & prayers are with Nikki and her family as they say goodbye to a wonderful man. May God bless you and wrap his arms around you and give you some comfort, love and strength. And Godspeed, John.

Hug the ones you love. You just don't know if it might be the very last time.

The Big Chill

2011-02-10T16:32:00.007-06:00

Now that was cold! Thankfully, the sun came out and the temperature rose 37 degrees from this. It turned out to be a beautiful day, and Mother Nature (and the weatherman!) are going to ease us into warmer weather. 30s on Friday, 40s on Saturday, 50s on Sunday. I can't wait!

We ventured out to play in the snow. The snow plow went by this morning. Well, it's not a snow plow--they use the road grader to move the snow. Hey, it works! I'm pretty sure the mailman wasn't too impressed, though.
Since tennis balls just sink in the snow, I sent Baxter to play with his red "Jolly Egg." This $14 toy gives him hours of OCD entertainment. He can't bite into it and deflate it (like he has numerous other toys), and ends up scooting it everywhere. The snow made it way more fun for him.
But not for me. He somehow got that thing over the snowbank, through the trees and into the creek. Great.
I waded into the snow and down a path we use in the summertime, and with some "help" from Baxter (he got into the frigid water!), the current and a long stick, I retreived the egg. I was pretty proud of myself for not falling into the creek. That would have been really fun.

snowcalypse 2011

2011-02-09T22:28:00.002-06:00

Ten inches. That's the official measurement for McDonald County's snowfall. In one day! I know, Minnesotans are snickering but that's a LOT for southern Missouri. My friends just to the south in Arkansas got 20 inches or so! Schools here have been closed for seven days straight and will probably not resume until Monday.

The good news? We're going to hit the 50s by Sunday and there's a hint of 60 for later next week. Kind of hard to believe all this snow will be (hopefully!) gone soon. Baxter has been enjoying playing in the deep powder -- he's practically swimming in it. It's pretty, and everything was glittering when it stopped snowing and the sun came out for a short time. Now it's just cold, with temps in the single digits and a below-zero windchill. Brrr. I'm ready for spring!

Photos tomorrow! Snow liked this only comes around once in a while and doesn't usually linger long. Thankfully!

Scrapbooking

2011-02-08T13:04:00.010-06:00

Still waiting for the snow (and temperatures) to start falling out here. Per my friend Sara, it's still a good 30 degrees or so warmer here than it was in Minneapolis this morning. Brrrrrrrr.
Since it's chilly and icy outside, I've been spending a lot of time in the craft studio upstairs. I'm catching up on scrapbooking and some other projects. I've added to the paper stash with not one but TWO trips to two different scrapbook stores. Nothing like some fun, new paper to light that creative spark. Here's a couple of pages I've finished over the past few days:

A collage of photos from the Chicago Botanical Gardens in spring 2010. What I wouldn't give to visit their tropical garden paradise right now!
Girls night out on the same Chicago visit. Cheesy, but WAY fun.
A few shots from my garden in summer 2010. I was gone for a few weeks in June and it got a little out of control while I was gone. I'm getting excited to start planning my beds for 2011!
A chronicle of how Brenda and I kicked off 2011. Can you believe we didn't take any photos of us together or anything? Fail. Guess I'll just have to head back up Chicago way soon.

testing, 1, 2, 3....

2011-02-07T21:13:00.002-06:00

Just a quick test blog to see if I can really blog via the new toy. From the couch. While watching Hawaii 5-0.

Made a trip to Northwest Arkansas today. The roads weren't too bad once we got out of the holler. Schools around here are still closed. And the best part? We're getting more snow. Yay.
More tomorrow. Blogging, that is!

Hello, February!

2011-02-03T16:06:00.006-06:00

I now remember why I moved south. And why I don’t think I want to move north again. I’m not sure what happened to some of my hardcore winter gear – I don’t own a snow shovel, warm gloves, ice scraper or snow pants. I do still have my warm down coat, cozy Sorel boots and a pair of silk long underwear. I forgot how much work it is to put all that stuff on so you can go outside and “enjoy” the sunshine. How to walk on ice without going ass-over-heels. That walking in 10 or 12 inches of snow is an awesome cardio workout. That below-zero temperatures and windchills are, well, COLD.

The powdery snow we have is perfect for snowmobiling or cross-country skiing. I do miss those activities! The sun is shining today and I’ve gone out for two walks with Baxter today. It’s a whole 11 degrees warmer than the weatherman said it would be. The snow will (hopefully) be gone by next week. And the groundhog saw his shadow, so spring can’t be too far away.

I’ve been enjoying being at home. We knew the storm was coming – the weather forecasters were causing mass hysteria about it. Here in southwest Missouri, we seem to have been right on the edge of things – we got a lot of snow and ice for around here, but not as much as other places. Like, say, Chicago. I had plenty of time to stock up on books and chocolate, plus I had a stash of new scrapbooking/card-making supplies to play with and a few ideas for new horseshoe beading designs.

Since I just finished a mess of deadline work, I’m content to “waste” the day away with a good book, work on some craft projects, make up a pot of chili. I have to force myself to work out, though – my body is also content to just sit around and relax and it would be so easy to slip into that mode. And a 15-minute stroll down the icy road doesn’t count as a work out, as much as I would like it to.

I am not quite finished scrapbooking January's goings-on. This project is a take-off from Project Life, using a calendar I found at Michael's and then scrapbooking photos, souvenirs and events from the month. It's a fun project to document the year. I'm also printing off blog posts on a monthly basis to include in the calendar binding. It will be neat to be able to look back! Life is what you make it!

Pioneer Woman

2011-01-25T20:52:00.004-06:00

Facebook reminded me today about the Pioneer Woman's upcoming book-signing tour in honor of her new book, "Black Heels and Tractor Wheels."

It's next week! In Tulsa!
I'm going. I have her cookbook. The new book comes out Tuesday, February 1, two days before the book-signing party. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Well, minus the four or five kids. And the cows.

Book 'em, Danno

2011-01-24T16:00:00.003-06:00

I'm hooked on the (new) Hawaii 5-0 show -- and it's on tonight. Going to watch House from the elliptical, do some writing and then drool over my new celebrity crush!

Today, I went to the library in Cassville for the first time in a very long time. I'm ashamed to even admit how long it's been. Let's just say I had to re-verify my library card.

Since I got my Nook e-reader and joined GoodReads last year, I've had no problem keeping books "in stock" to read. But the past few weeks, it's dwindled and when I calculated how much I was spending on e-books and GoodReads shipping charges, I decided it was maybe time to head to the library. Free books -- what more can you ask for? Especially for someone who reads as fast as I do. I've been known to devour a book in a day or less. That gets expensive! This was also the first time I'd been to the library since I got my new cochlear implant speech processor. I was truly surprised at how un-quiet the library really is! Here, I thought it was a hush-hush place and always worried I was making more noise than necessary. Turns out, there's a lot going on! People shuffle around, talk loudly, the computer at the checkout counter beeps.... It was nowhere near as noisy and annoying as Walmart (where I have to turn down the processor to Program 2, which I call the Walmart setting!!), though. I was just surprised -- all this time I've spent feeling self-conscious and "worrying" that I was noisy was time wasted!
I now have four books just waiting to be cracked open. Two were on my GoodReads "to read" list and the other two were just bonuses I found while browsing. For a rural area, our library usually has a pretty good selection. I have two weeks to read these -- but I'll probably finish them before that deadline rolls around.

Something to Howl About

2011-01-21T16:42:00.004-06:00

Just one more full week left in January! Can you tell it's my least-favorite month of the year? I shouldn't complain about the cold, since our temperature--although cold--is still a good 30-40 degrees than Minnesota's. But it's still cold. The outlet drain for my water softener is frozen solid and I had to bail the water out this morning--but I'll take that over frozen water pipes any day. I'm still "stuck" at home -- now out of milk and hoarding the last precious can of Diet Coke. It's supposed to warm up enough on Saturday to melt most of the ice and snow, which will be cause for celebration!

Another cause for celebration: the February issue of Connection magazine is out! I can't wait to get my hands on it. I'm proud of the cover story I wrote about a McDonald County native's Yellowstone outfitter company, as well as the restaurant article about a local BBQ joint. And no, I still haven't set up an online portfolio of my work. I need a kick in the pants....

Have a fabulous weekend--and stay warm out there!

Another Snow Day!

2011-01-20T16:03:00.005-06:00

Another snow day! I have about one cup of milk and one can of Diet Coke left, so this could reach emergency proportions if the roads are still bad Friday. Around here, there's only one or two snowplows for the whole county (I'm probably exaggerating, but whatever) and everything shuts down when we get snow. Church services, schools, day care, senior centers, bingo night, even some offices; you name it, it's probably closed.

I had plans to head out to Shell Knob today to work on a story for the March issue of Connection. But -- you guessed it -- the place I was going shut down due to the weather. Instead, Baxter and I alternated between being extremely lazy and venturing out to admire the snow. Well, I admired it; Baxter just played in it. He even waded into the creek! Brrrr.

That's another difference between Missouri and Minnesota: open water! Here, there's really no such thing as ice fishing.

I didn't plan our first walk out in the snow very well and only brought the camera with its basic lens. I WISH I'd thought of tucking away the zoom lens, because there were bluebirds and cardinals galore during our late morning walk. Below is the same picture, zoomed in quite a bit so you can see the brilliant color of the bluebird. We went out again this afternoon, this time with the zoom lens, but only saw some juncos. Better luck next time!

Blog No. 201

2011-01-17T18:15:00.003-06:00

This is blog #201! Wow. Who knew I had so much to write about. It's interesting to look back through my posts and see what I've done and where I've been over the past few years. I may have to have the blog-o printed out in a book format...just as a keepsake/scrapbook.

Part of being a writer means continuous writing to keep the mind fresh, which was the original reason behind creating this blog. Sometimes I have good ideas for blogs; other times I just get too busy with paying writing jobs to spend time with recreational writing. This week, I actually have a list of topics I want to write about.

I finished the epic "Fall of Giants" earlier this month. This book is a long-awaited one -- nearly three years elapsed between "World Without End" and this one. Apparently, I wasn't the only one waiting; "Fall of Giants" debuted at #1 on The New York Times bestseller list.

The first book in a planned Century Trilogy, this Giant book spans from the early 1900s to about 1920 -- the years of World War I, womens suffrage and the Russian Revolution. It introduces you to people from five countries: Wales, Britain, Germany, Russia and the United States. These rich characters are from many different walks of life, yet their stories are intertwined in the fabric of history. Each person (or family, in some cases) is affected by events around the world. You'll be captivated and feel as if each character is a real person who lived through the era.

It's amazing how intricate the book is. There's feminism (in both Britain and America), Russian Bolsheviks during the revolution, the Labour, Liberal and Conservative parties in Britain, and more. You'll meet Welsh miners, English aristocracy, a German spy, Russian royalty and revolutionaries, and American politicians and bootleggers.

Follett takes the reader over political landscapes around the world and into the battlefields of World War One as never before. It's a history lesson that will teach you more than you learned in high school about names like Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill, Lenin and Tolstoy. Follett dramatizes events so well that you feel like they "could have" happened.

This book is a must-read. At 985 pages, it's pretty hefty. I'm a fast reader and it took me nearly two weeks to finish, which has to be a record.

The Grrrls with the Pearl Earrings

2011-01-14T18:40:00.003-06:00

Today was a pearl earring day! See, there's four of us girls who own the same pair of pearl earrings, and when one of our group needs some extra long-distance support, good luck, karma, well-wishes or what-have-you, we all wear our earrings.

These gorgeous earrings came all the way from Manila, Philippines. One of our grrls fought and survived a brain aneurysm in September 2009 and was on her first trip overseas since the aneurysm when she found the earrings in a Manila market. She picked up an extra three pairs as gifts for her sister, who passed a pair to me and another girlfriend. Even though we're spread over three different states and only get to see each other a few times per year, the earrings keep us close.

They have superpowers. Really. Today, the girl we wore them for got a new job! I may have to start wearing mine every day because of the good things they do. It's just a great example of how important our girlfriends are.

A Nation's Grief

2011-01-13T21:10:00.003-06:00

I planned to do another blog about a specific "Baptist Church" today, but after giving it some thought and finding out they did not picket a child's funeral today, I decided to scrap that. I wrote about this organization last February (Here's Your Sign), and they've been back in the news lately in relation to the violence in Tucson.

I hesitate to call them a church because they go against every fiber of Christian beliefs. Their website is pretty offensive, right down to the upside-down American flag, and the judgments they cast on others. While they take glee in quoting out-of-context Bible verses they feel justify their beliefs, they've skipped over several thousand other verses in the Bible. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" -- sound familiar?

And so instead of finger-pointing--and opening up the whole First Amendment and right to bear arms debat--I just want to say how very sorry I am for all the people affected by the shooting. I've spent a little time in Tucson, and it's a neat city. I can't imagine the grief, fear and pain going through the hearts of those affected.

Picture This

2011-01-11T17:17:00.002-06:00

When I was visiting Brenda in Chicago, she sparked the idea of a photography workshop as a way for me to sharpen and broaden my photography skills. I have the camera, the desire, the occasional (lucky) talent, so why not pursue it a little more? The only photography training I ever had was a photojournalism class in college--what feels like a lifetime ago. And I don't count that one as training, per se, because we were basically told to go out and DO, and the only thing I remember from the class itself was the frustration of scrambling to complete assignments and fumbling around in the darkroom.

I've fallen in love with this photographer. Or rather, his photographs!
Dave Stoecklein
Photographing landscapes, horses, the western lifestyle and cowboys? Now that's a dream job right there. I would love to attend the upcoming Weatherford, Texas, (cutting horse country!) workshop of his, but between the $1500 price tag on a weekend workshop and the guaranteed communication issues, I don't see that happening.

Then Brenda sent me info on nature photography classes at the Morton Arboretum. For the cost of an Arboretum membership and a relatively minimal class fee, I could take classes on harnessing changeable light, closeup, and advanced compositions (think Ansel Adams). Time to start saving up again and make these dreams into reality! Brenda's pretty good at twisting my arm to go visit her in Chicagoland.

Snow Day

2011-01-10T19:56:00.004-06:00

You have to love snow days around here--especially when you have no plans to go anywhere! It's an excuse to be somewhat lazy, do some cleaning, work on a craft project or two, bake some biscotti, drag the sore body onto the elliptical for an easy workout. Wait, that doesn't sound like a lazy day. It was pretty productive. I did a (seemingly easy and painless) kettlebell workout Sunday afternoon and I am feeling it today. It hurts so good.

I've found my creative spark again! Have a new horseshoe in the making, with lime and orange beading on copper wire. (It's prettier than it sounds.) I finished a pink & white heart project today and am starting on making a binder to house my recipe printouts, which are getting out of control. I need to do something to boost my horseshoe sales on Etsy -- it's probably time to up the inventory and pay for a showcase exposure.

My new stand mixer has made itself right at home in my kitchen. I gave in and put it to work today and mixed up a batch of biscotti. I'm playin around with a recipe that was originally a cranberry-almond biscotti. This time around, I left the almonds out and added in orange zest. They turned out pretty good, but could use a little more of a citrus kick. I'm thinking of adding some orange juice concentrate next time (instead of the vanilla). I also have a chocolate swirl banana bread recipe I'm drooling over and waiting to try. Oh, the calories!

Stay warm out there!

January Connection Magazine

2011-01-07T13:09:00.006-06:00

The January issue of Connection magazine is making its local rounds. It's another neat issue! I wrote two articles for this one -- one about a restaurant in Aurora that's located in a historic bank building, and the other about a Cassville woman who creates handmade soap.

February's articles are with the editor & art director, and I'm excited that one of them is in contention for the cover. Once the cover's released and posted on the Connection Facebook page, I'll share it with you! For now, it's on to writing for the March issue.

updating

2011-01-06T10:03:00.004-06:00

Well, here we are, six days into 2011 and I've already slacked on the blog!

I spent the holidays "up north" and had a white Christmas. Quite a change of weather from 2010, when I was in Arizona. Actually, it wasn't as cold as I was afraid it would be -- the piles of snow even melted while I was up there! Brenda and I didn't even have COATS on when we went out for sushi on New Years Eve in the Chicago 'burbs. That was a-mazing. It sounds like I headed south just in time for the temperatures to plummet back down to their normal frigidness.

I got to kick off 2011 with my bestie in Illinois. We had martinis, sushi, martinis, a movie and greeted the New Year. It was calm and mellow -- the way we are hoping 2011 turns out to be. We packed a lot into our girls' weekend (Hooch the French mastiff and Baxter were the only boys allowed exclusive access): sushi, bubbly, Little Fockers, afternoon tea at the Drake Hotel downtown, movies, naps, baking, Panera, Lou Malnati's pizza and more. The only thing we didn't get to check off the list was going snowshoeing at the Morton Arboretum -- and that was only because there was no snow!

I'm now home -- the car is unpacked, the Christmas decorations are packed away once again, and I'm catching up on all the things I let slide while I was gone. I have a few packages to send out, a few Christmas cards (well, they are now late New Years greetings and going to become Valentine's Day greetings if I don't get moving!) to send out, cows to track down and resolutions to keep.

Kidding about the last one. Sort of! There is a Project Life scrapbooking project I would love to do, but not only are the packaged projects sold out on Amazon, but it's out of my budget right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Project-Life-Turquoise-Edition/dp/B0049MFPW8/ref=pd_sim_k_1
So instead of doing the pre-packaged Project Life, I'm creating my own. I found a do-it-yourself calendar with write-in dates, plenty of room for journaling and blank pages to add photographs and embellishments. It fits in nicely with my desire to take more photographs this year. I'm planning on heading out for a hike this afternoon with Baxter and the Nikon to see what we can find. The sun is shining and the weatherman promised it would get up to 55 degrees today!

Bye-Bye2010!

2010-12-31T16:27:00.002-06:00

Here we go -- kicking off another New Year's Eve! I'm up in Chicago, getting ready to boot 2010 into history and greet a let's-be-spectacular 2011 wth one of my bestest friends, Brenda! A sushi dinner, some adult libations, girl talk, movies and a 2011 toast are part of our celebration.

Talk to you next year!

Venting

2010-12-21T18:34:00.003-06:00

I may have spoken too soon about getting my nook replaced! It's going to be another week or so.... And I'm not really pleased with the Barnes & Noble/nook customer service right now.

I emailed them about my issue with my nook (almost typed "crack issue" and thought better of it) on December 16 and got an automated response that basically said I would receive a response from a Customer Service Representative within 24 to 48 hours. In my email, I specifically told them that I am hearing-impaired and it's complicated to navigate their 1-800 system via Relay.

I finally got a response today -- five days later. That's quite a few hours over their 24-48 hour window. Unfortunately, they aren't going to help me via email, and I need to either go to a brick-and-mortar store or call them. Here's what they said:

"Thank you for contacting us. Because of the many things that need to be verified and processed, unfortunately NOOK replacements can only be performed over the phone. If you know anyone who can assist you, or if you have a local Barnes andNoble store, they may be able to help. We ask that you call us at 1-800-THE-BOOK (1-800-843-2665) and select option 2 for Digital Support. We are available Monday through Friday from 8AM to 11PM EST, Saturdays and Sundays 9AM to 11PM EST. Customers outside of the United States may contact us at 201-559-3882. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused and we look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Kenneth Customer Service Representative - Digital Support Barnes & Noble"

I detest making phone calls via the Missouri Relay Service. They're just slow, and my blood pressure goes up when people on the other line hang up on me because they think the Relay operator is a telemarketer. So I'm either going to have to ask someone to make the call for me or risk life and limb and go into B&N during the pre- and post-Christmas insanity.
It is a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, but I'm just annoyed. Annoyed because I hate asking people to make phone calls for me. Annoyed because they waited five days to tell me that.

Cracking Up

2010-12-16T18:37:00.003-06:00

I love my nook! I've had it for almost a year, and it's still working great. You can't beat the convenience of being able to download books with just a few clicks on the computer. Considering the closest Barnes & Noble is nearly 40 miles away and that I'm a bookworm, it's saved me a lot of trips to "the city."

The prices of the new-release books have gone up $3 since the nook was released, but it's still a good value. I just did a comparision-shop and got the new Patricia Cornwell for $12.99 at bn.com -- the hardcover was almost $20 at WalMart. And I'll let you in on a little secret: Watch for the new releases, because if you pre-order them, you can often get them for $9.99.

I don't have a case for my nook -- I repurposed an old datebook that the nook fits in perfectly! It works great for traveling. But recently, I was wondering if maybe I didn't take good enough care of my e-reader. Two books ago, I got it out and noticed that the plastic case had developed a crack right on one of the buttons you use to turn the page.

I couldn't figure out what had happened...I think I would remember if I'd dropped the thing! I just wrote it off to wear and tear -- until today! I ran into a sideloading issue with my newest purchase, and was searching on the bn.com nook users forum for a solution. (Sideloading just means transferring the book's ePub file from the computer to the e-reader via a USB cord.)

Skimming the posts, an entry titled "nook case develops a crack" popped out at me. Turns out the crack in the case is due to a design flaw in the early editions of the nook. And--the best part--Barnes & Noble will supposedly replace nooks with cracks! I'm waiting to get an email back from B&N, so keep your fingers crossed that this is true. That would be pretty good customer service, if you ask me.

Getting Carded

2010-12-08T19:42:00.004-06:00

Am I the only one who feels guilty when I encounter Salvation Army bellringers? Especially if I don't have spare cash or change to put in the kettle. And especially if they hold the door open for me.

Let's face it: I'm not going to put money in the kettle every time I go to the store. And I already have other donation commitments -- donations that are year-round, not just during the holidays.

I added up the amount of money I've spent on postage and shipping so far this month for Solier's Angels packages and cards. It adds up fast! I'm sure December is going to be the month that costs the most, due to the increased number of cards I am sending for the holidays. But you know what? It's so worth it because of the smiles it puts on people's faces! I sent out some birthday cards today:

I have a surplus of cards, cardmaking supplies and patterned paper for cards, so it seemed like a logical thing to do to join the Soldiers Angels Cards Plus Team. It's fun -- birthday, thank-you and encouragement cards. Plus it's an excuse to buy more patterned paper! I found a bunch of patriotic paper at Hobby Lobby today:

I already have a pile of cards waiting to be stamped. Now all I need is a big, fat roll of stamps in my Christmast stocking!

Camera Shy

2010-12-07T19:09:00.005-06:00

Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm now "one of those people" who tortures her pets with wacky headgear on the holidays. I can't help it. I found this elf hat while going through my boxes of Christmas decorations and thought I'd try to snap a photo or two of Baxter.

Didn't go so well. He's not a huge fan of having "stuff" on his head. Or having his photo taken with something on his head:
After some coaxing and then some bullying, this is the best I can do:
Yep, that's a stink-eye if I ever saw one. He's since forgotten and forgiven me. It's a good thing I make my own Christmas cards and don't rely on a cool Christmas photo for cards, because this one wouldn't be too festive!

Home Remedies

2010-12-06T19:12:00.002-06:00

I'm not big on home remedies to cure what ails you. They often seem like too much work when you're not feeling well. (One of the worst things about living alone -- nobody to take care of you. Although I have to say that Baxter is a great cuddler.)

But when I get a cold/sore throat, I do tend to reach for the whiskey bottle. Not the whole bottle, mind you! Just a shot, mixed with some hot water, sugar or honey and lemon. Add a dash of clove, cinnamon or nutmeg and you should be good for a nap on the couch.

I've been nursing a cold since Saturday afternoon. "It" is going around and it's not much fun, and I don't think it's avoidable, no matter how sanitary you are or how much rest you get. It will get you right out of the blue. At least that's what i tell myself. It's almost as good as Nyquil.

I made the mistake of going to Rogers, Arkansas, to run a few errands and hit up the bookstore on a holiday weekend. I have no idea why I thought this was a good idea -- the traffic was nuts, lines were long. Now I remember why I prefer to do my shopping in the middle of the weekday. By the time i was on the way home with a caramel brulee latte, I started feeling kinda grungy. You know I'm sick when I miss watching the Vikings play!

On a brighter note: personalized Christmas gift No. 2 arrived today and I am beyond excited! I can't wait to give it to its new owner.

Lighten up!

2010-12-03T18:06:00.005-06:00

I didn't decorate for Christmas last year. But I had a good reason not to -- I was in Arizona. So my Christmas decorations have been sitting in storage boxes since after Christmas 2008. I couldn't even remember *what* I had in the boxes. Or how little my white Norway pine is. Yes, that is a wrapped box under the tree to give it another foot in height. I need a tree skirt. Or some gifts under the tree! Now the tree is up, lights are on, warming up the house, a pine candle is going. Although I probably don't need the pine candle, due to a not-so-bright moment with a Wallflower from Bath & Body Works. (Those things are NOT idiot-proof or blonde-proof. Sigh. At least I like the pine scent.) Can you tell I like white lights?

Ahhh, Christmas. Hard to believe it's only a few weeks away. I got one of the two personalized Christmas gifts I ordered today. Ummm. It didn't quite turn out the way I planned. Dangit. Errors in judgment seem to be the prevailing theme this week. Hopefully gift no. 2 will turn out better.

Pay it Forward

2010-12-01T18:42:00.004-06:00

I'm doing something new this year to pay it forward.

Combining my love of baking, crafting and shopping, I've adopted a soldier through http://www.soldiersangels.org. This organization pairs up deployed U.S. soldiers with people in the United States who want to help make a difference. Many soldiers overseas do not receive even a letter from home. When I signed up, there were more than 1,300 soldiers waiting for adoption. You can sign up for a variety of volunteer things, from sending cards, one-time care packages and other one-time deals.

As a Soldier's Angel, my commitment is one letter or card per week and one care package per month while the soldier is deployed. Although it felt a little odd sending a letter to a perfect stranger, I sent my letter out last week. I'm not sure if I will hear from "my" soldier or not -- we'll see! It would definitely help me fill up the care packages if I could learn what he needs or wants in the sandbox.

Letters to APO addresses (Army/Air Post Office) don't cost any more than a letter that is sent anywhere in the U.S. A large flat rate APO/FPO box, which is free from the Post Office and measures about 12x12x6, costs $12.50 to ship.

I sent out a my first package, a Christmas care package, today! I am a little nervous about it -- I hope the soldier likes it, that the cookies I included make it without turning stale or to complete crumbs, and that I filled out the Customs Declaration form correctly.

I sure didn't have much help with the form at the Post Office. The advantage of living in small-town Missouri means you rarely have to wait in line to mail packages. The disadvantage? Sometimes the worker behind the counter doesn't quite know what to do with you and your "foreign" package (nevermind my foreign-ish accent)!

I was vaguely familiar with what had to go on the customs form, and that it HAD to be included on the package. However, the postal lady, who I hope wasn't the postmaster, tried to tell me it wasn't necessary. I told her it was, because the packages were going out of the United States. She finally got on the phone with her supervisor, who confirmed that a form was needed and helped her find the forms, which were finally located in a cabinet at the back of the room. Apparently not very many people in this neck of the woods send packages overseas.

I filled it out the best I could. It is intimidating! Once I got home, I found out that I could have done the whole thing online with much less hassle.

I'm already thinking about January's care package. Ideas and tips -- and a stand mixer and vacuum sealer--are more than welcome!

Anniversary

2010-11-30T19:24:00.004-06:00

We're pretty proud of Connection magazine around here. It's grown in leaps and bounds since its first issue in December 2009. I had my first article published in the magazine in February 2010. I love the variety of people I've gotten to meet and places I've been able to visit.

I'm (im)patiently waiting for the December anniversary issue to arrive at the Cassville newspaper office! The "Get Away for the Holidays in Style" and "Worth the Drive" teasers are for my articles.

In the meantime, I am also pushing my deadline to the limit. Tomorrow should be interesting as I try to get my articles done under the wire. I had a great restaurant visit/interview today and can't wait to share the restaurant with my readers.

Thankful

2010-11-29T19:46:00.003-06:00

Crazy. That's been my life this month! I've had some false starts, what felt like a wild-goose chase, and several changes of Thanksgiving plans. While there are a few things I wish would have fallen into place, I would not trade this life for anything. My girl Brenda has made it a Thanksgiving tradition to sit down and list the things she is thankful for -- and encourages others to do the same.

Just like we shouldn't start anew only on New Year's, love only on Valentine's Day, thank a veteran only on Veteran's Day (you get the idea), we should be thankful for every day we're given, not just on Thanksgiving.

I'm thankful for (in no particular order):

My great friends, some further away than others, and some I haven't seen in years.
Facebook! I know it's perhaps silly to some, but it keeps me connected to friends near and far. (Plus it has a killer Scrabble app!)
The work I get to do, often with a fresh cup of coffee and sometimes still in my pjs. While sometimes isolating, my freelance writing has developed into a rewarding career.
A warm house to take shelter in, and the ability to pay the propane bill that is coming my way later this week.
My family. Although it's scattered over three states these days, I somehow feel closer to them than ever before.
My freedom. I've learned a lot over the past few months that's made me appreciate it even more -- so many people have sacrificed their own freedom to fight for ours.
My new cochlear speech processor. Although all the sounds can be overwhelming at times, I'm truly enjoying its clarity, the help it is giving me with my lipreading & speech, and listening to music. (Stephanie, I hope you'll forgive me someday for buying that Kid Rock CD!)

All this and so much more. I'm grateful.

Country Living...

2010-11-02T20:31:00.004-05:00

You know you live in the country when...is a recurring topic with me! I go through times when I am absolutely sick of living in the country, and other times I cherish it. It seems to be pretty middle-of-the-road lately, although the itch for a road trip is starting to arise. (No worries, I have one planned already!)

You know you've lived in the country too long when someone picks on you for using the term "y'all" on Facebook.

You know you live in the country when the voting precinct's parking lot is mostly grass.

You know you live in the country when you look out your bedroom window and see THIS:

Yeah. Nice. That thing was heavier than I thought it would be! Not quite sure how it got there (Baxter didn't seem to want to claim the body), and I'm not certain I really want to know, either.

Watching the election results roll in -- I'm really only interested in how the Proposition B vote went here in Missouri. I'm also obsessing over the contest results over on pioneerwoman.com -- she was having a drawing for people to come and spend a weekend at THE Lodge. Please, please, please, please pick me!!!

I'm planning on getting back in the saddle tomorrow for the first time since losing Johnny. Gonna be bittersweet.

The Witching Hour

2010-11-01T21:06:00.003-05:00

Yeah, I know...my Halloween costume wasn't all that creative, but it was fun! It was fun to have several people walk right by me (some several times) and not recognize me under the wig and makeup!

Wonder if I should go super-dark with the hair. I'm kind of chicken, but also kind of thinking about it. It's just hair, after all.

We've been hit with the fall weather, finally. I'm spending the evening under the electric blanket and watching Hawaii Five-0. Love it! It keeps me warm. The show, that is; my electric blanket is busted. What can I say, the cop guy is a hottie. (Hint: it's not Dann-o.)

Official

2010-10-28T20:18:00.003-05:00

Yep, it's officially fall! I winterized a few things around the house today. You know -- fun stuff. Blocked off the crawl space, cleaned the furnace filter, and thought about the fact that I really should try to weather-seal the windows in the laundry room. And dragged the heater into the bathroom, which is THE coldest room in the whole house.

That reminds me--I still need to move some plants off my patio before tonight's predicted frost! Nothing like procrastinating.

And I turned on the furnace this afternoon. 58 degrees was a little too chilly for me--my typing fingers got cold.

We're well on our way to winter. I'm disappointed by this every year. Time for some hot tea -- maybe with some peach schnapps in it for a little kick.

This morning on the way to town, there were some deer in the road. I tried to take a picture with the camera phone, but I wasn't fast enough. But I got this instead:

Autumn

2010-10-24T17:42:00.004-05:00

Dusting off the blog. We have been having spectacular fall weather, and I spend so much time working on the computer (and, well, on Facebook) that when I do take a break, it has been to hike up the hill, throw the ball for Baxter or just relax on the patio and soak up the sunshine. The falls here are so gradual and gentle. It's the 24th of October, and we have not had any frost yet! My marigolds, zinnias, clematis and morning glories are still blooming furiously. I'm sure we will pay for the mild fall come winter. At least I will, if I spend the holiday months up north.

The November issue of Connection magazine is hot off the press. Although I've seen a sneak preview on the computer, I can't wait to get my hands on it. December articles are progressing nicely and making me dream of Christmastime--even if I'd prefer to spend it in powdery white sand instead of frigid snow.
The neighbors down the road have a herd of longhorns I've been dying to take photos of. They occasionally graze in a picturesque field adjacent to Thomas Hollow, but I have not had time or true motivation to take the camera out there. Until yesterday. Of course, it was a cloudy, gray day so the vivid colors of the trees in the background didn't show through. The longhorns were not very appreciative of me intruding their territory--they were ready to bolt, even though I tried to stay quiet and on my side of the fence. I did get a few neat shots with the zoom lens, though!

Livin for the weekend!

2010-10-08T15:20:00.003-05:00

Yeah for Fridays! Especially when you've put in a full week of work and are done in the early afternoon hours! I'm planning on doing some reading in the sunshine on the patio. It's nearly 80 degrees today -- in October. The same is forecast for tomorrow.

It's going to be a football weekend! I'm heading to an elementary school game Saturday to watch a friend's kid play. Bringing the camera to see what kind of action shots I can capture. It should be fun. The Razorbacks will be playing at Texas A&M at the same time, so I might have to check the score on the Crackberry once in a while.

And then there's the Vikings! I have to wait impatiently until Monday Night Football for that, though. We got Randy Moss #84 back from the Patriots, and Vikingland is rejoicing! Can't wait to see what kind of magic Favre and Moss can make together.

I listed a few horseshoes on Etsy yesterday, with several more on their way. I am trying to stock up on inventory for Christmas, since I sold almost everything at the Art Celebration a few weeks ago.

Calm

2010-10-06T21:13:00.004-05:00

Busy week! The November magazine articles are in the editor and art director's hands. I saw the photos for a story I did on a local hunting resort and all I can say is WOW. Can't wait to see what kind of magic the AD does with them. On to December. I've also been tied up with the new gardening website gig--it should be going live soon. It's really a fun one.

Believe it or not, I still have time to read. A girl's gotta have things to do that don't involve the computer. At least...my eyes do. My poor, tired, bloodshot eyes. These books are checked off on my "read" list.

Trust me, my "to-read" list is very long. I have "Little Bee" coming via GoodReads BookSwap and I'm looking forward to reading that one this weekend. Might pack it up with a picnic lunch and take a hike this weekend. I suppose I should wear blaze orange in honor of hunting season, though, even if I am going to hike on private property.

Baxter loves hiking. He is, however, a little weird. Witness this:

Yeah, seriously. He thought he was going to drag and carry this "stick" home -- or get me to throw it. Goober. We've been enjoying the fall weather and getting in a short hike here and there. Loving the fall weather!

Gypsy Girl

2010-10-01T18:26:00.003-05:00

I can't believe the first of October is almost history. I suppose being crazy-busy has something to do with that. And taking a road trip to Texas! I had a great time in Texas, but it was way too short of a visit. Hopefully, the next trip will be longer and I can also make a side trip to Schulenburg to see Nikki and meet her angel, Avery! What can I say, other than I am part gypsy--I love to travel and can hit the road with just a few hours' notice.

Now that I'm home again (for now!), I have to buckle down and get to work. Magazine deadlines are staring me down. I got an unexpected new assignment from Demand Studios that will help my bottom line immensely. And my girl Brenda hooked me up with a sweet new gig writing for a soon-to-be-launched gardening website. That's not all--I have one more deal on deck that I am excited about, and it doesn't involve a computer or writing.

Now I better get to work on the writing that pays. Happy October!

Festivus

2010-09-23T21:31:00.005-05:00

Saturday is the fifth annual Thomas Hollow Art Celebration. I've been a busy girl lately, working on my horseshoe projects. I still have to put on price tags and get everything else organized, but I think I'm ready! If you've ever been in "the hollow," you know we like to extend celebrations around here--start 'em early and go ALL weekend. In that spirit, people are gathering next door for chili, cornbread, campfire and music tomorrow evening. It will be nice to see friends I haven't seen in a while. And it will be a big change for me to be able to hear the guitar and banjo picking around the campfire.

The actual art festival is all day Saturday & we are hoping for a bigger turnout this year. Connection magazine ran an article and photos with a preview of the festival. Listen for the banjoes. And watch for photos.

Muzak

2010-09-21T19:38:00.004-05:00

Believe it or not, I've really taken to listening to music with the new speech processor! Whether it's to the whopping two CDs I have for in the car, or CMT on the tv, I'm learning what I like and don't like.

My current favorite is the Zac Brown Band! I have their The Foundation CD and am wearing it out listening to it in the car. (I have no stereo or CD player at home or anything like that. hah.) Their lyrics are nice--I think the Sic 'em on a Chicken was written about Baxter. But I just like the music. I like Toes...but Chicken Fried and Where the Boat Leaves From are my faves.

The new ZBB CD, You Get What You Give, has been hyped up for weeks prior to today's release. Since I was in town, I stopped at my least-favorite store to treat myself to the CD.
(Isn't that font purty??)

No dice. You know you really live in the sticks when your local Walmart Supercenter doesn't even have the CD in stock! (No, it's not boycotted because they said "ass in the sand" in their freshman CD.) There was a clerk unhappily stocking the shelves nearby, and she said that it would "maybe be out later today." Huh. O-kay. Maybe better luck next time! I just wish I could go to Target or Starbucks and get it, but it's just too far. Yep, I live in the sticks.

Monday, Monday

2010-09-20T15:51:00.003-05:00

It doesn't feel like fall is fast approaching. It's 90 degrees today! I am so ready for some real fall weather. And maybe some real Vikings football.

The Vikings lost yesterday. To the Dolphins. It was terrible to watch! The team reverted to the Vikings I remember, making the 2009 season feel like a total dream. You know the Vikings of old, the one that keeps getting your hopes up only to dash them by not following through, fumbling or just not getting into the zone. How much are these guys making again? They certainly are not earning their salaries, nor did they look like they cared too much about the outcome (until they lost).

Ah, next week is another game. Against the also-winless Lions. I don't know if I will wear my Favre jersey, though. And the purple toenail polish I was so proud of yesterday looks a bit garish today.

A rather bright spot today -- it's almost time for the October issue of Connection magazine to hit the streets! Rumor is it will be out sometime this week--hopefully in time for this weekend's Art Celebration next door. And you know what this means...a sneak peek at the cover. I'm excited that I have another cover story!

Bionic

2010-09-16T16:03:00.004-05:00

It's been a crazy, up-and-down month. Migraines galore. Missing Johnny. Motorcycle races in Springfield with my Dad. Getting ready for the Art Festival. And lots of writing. The migraines have seemed to take center stage lately. Hopefully this latest cycle is over with & things will settle back into routine. I haven't worked out in about three weeks due to the pain and am itching for a workout.

The fall weather is fabulous! There was a birthday party in the Hollow Sunday afternoon (Grayson's 4th!) -- and we had perfect weather. We party in style out here -- there was fresh bread and pizza from the outdoor bread oven. Heaven.

I went hiking yesterday, much to Baxter's delight. As I type this, he is sitting at my feet (im)patiently waiting for us to go outside and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. I can't move an inch without him thinking we are going outside rightthisminutetoplayballandgoswimming. He's a goober.

I can't believe I've had the new implant speech processor for a month already today. I had to go back to the audiologist today for a "tune up." Since I went so long without using the speech processor, my brain/nerves are still getting used to all the sounds. The implant itself consists of 22 electrodes in the cochlea -- each one has a unique tone/pitch that can be individually programmed. Today's appointment involved going through each of the electrodes and adjusting them a little bit louder/higher (for lack of a better term).
I didn't go up very much, but the audiologist said that even just small changes make a big difference. And you know what? They did! I can tell a big difference in the sounds this afternoon -- things seem even more crisp. She also adjusted the program to filter out a little bit more of the background noise -- and now my kitchen fan isn't quite so clacking and irritating. I do still need to oil the hinge on my French door at the entryway, though. How come nobody bothered to tell me it SQUEAKS in protest every time the door is opened or closed??

I'm typing out this blog as I wait for the school bus to go by -- the Bax and I are heading out to mow the lawn once it finishes its daily trip past our house. And guess what?? I heard it coming down the road! Awesome.

Pigskin!

2010-09-09T21:51:00.004-05:00

Oh, yes! It's finally football season! How could I have neglected to include that one in my list last week? The Vikings-Saints game just went into the 4th quarter as I type this. We are losing 9-14. We meaning the Vikings. I'm not feeling good today and am just watching it from the couch in yoga pants and being pretty quiet, considering. (I'm usually pretty loud.) I'm not a huge fan of weeknight games -- I would rather be at my cousin Deb's watching the game in her purple and gold-decorated tv room!

I hope we win tonight's game. If the offense can stick it out and pull off just one more Favre touchdown, and the defense can keep Brees from scoring, we'll be golden. If we lose, well, I'm still gonna bleed purple!

September

2010-09-02T18:36:00.003-05:00

So far, September is trying to make up for the hot, dry month of August. It's pouring buckets of rain as I type this. I hope it turns out to be a better month all-around.
As much as I like summer, I'm looking forward to fall.
I'm still trying to pull myself out of the funk I've been in all week. Move forward. Focus on the positive. All that hoo-hah people try to tell you to help you "get over it," ya know?
So here's what I'm looking forward to for fall:
1. I head to Illinois for the Labor Day weekend flattrack races. (Planning to take some more cool shots with the (not-so-)new camera.
2. Pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. Need I say more?
3. Honeycrisp apples are coming!
4. Hot tea starts becoming my evening drink of choice. Hot toddies are nice, too!
5. I have a yen to get back to the crafting, especially with my Etsy shop inventory being low and the Art Celebration next door being only 22 days away.
6. I can put the lawnmower away for the season soon. I think there's only one or two more mowings left in the year, if I'm lucky!
7. The documentary "See What I'm Saying" is playing in Springfield (MO) next month. I have a ticket!
8. Tickets for the interpreted Hammons Hall performance of "Fiddler on the Roof" go on sale in two weeks. I'm going. Springfield seems to be on my travel list a lot this year.
9. It's almost time to plant bulbs! I have about 100 white and yellow tulip bulbs to plant this fall.

Why I Hate Goodbyes

2010-08-30T08:56:00.004-05:00

Rest in peace, Johnny (Hesa Dandy Investment). You were the best horse I ever had -- and probably will ever own. You had the biggest heart, the biggest personality. I hope we did you right in the 11 years you spent with us. My heart is hurting and I miss you.

Waiting Game

2010-08-28T10:54:00.003-05:00

The hopefulness from Friday's post is long gone. This weekend is going to be one long waiting game.

Johnny crashed last evening. He was doing so well. We were talking about keeping Monday's vet appointment to follow up on blood work and make sure the levels were back up to where they should be.

Then he stopped eating, got very lethargic and was having a hard time moving around. Another very long drive to Pea Ridge for a Friday night vet visit. Everything seemed to go downhill from there. Johnny was staggering around. His blood panel came back much worse than Wednesday, with two items very high and two others very low. And then he started displaying a few neurological signs of liver failure.

I confess: I spent some time online last night scaring myself by researching a few things.
I confess: There were many tears shed. I had to say goodbye to Johnny at the vet's, not knowing if he would make it through the night.
I confess: I truly thought he would be gone this morning.

The vet is stumped as to what is causing his symptoms. We're keeping him comfortable, he's on a dose of steroids. But I really don't know how long those will help him.
And so the waiting game goes on. Only, it's not a game.

Yellow

2010-08-27T08:09:00.003-05:00

Yellow is a nice color. Just not when it's the color of your horse's eye whites and gums.
We've finally had a break in the heat wave and Wednesday's forecast was for temperatures in the 80s, so I decided to tag along on a group ride out in Flag Springs. When I went to get my gelding from the pasture, he didn't seem at all excited or even happy to see me. Weird. This horse would crawl in your pocket if he was small enough (he's 16 hands but thinks he's a pup). Checking him out, he was lethargic and I thought his eyes looked funny. With a closer look, the whites were actually a deep yellow. His gums were yellow, too.
Jaundice. Not good. So instead of going on a relaxing trail ride on a beautiful day, we loaded Johnny up and headed to the vet's 45 minutes away. Of course, worst-case scenarios were going through my head.
The vet was great & very thorough. Other than the jaundice and depressed attitude, everything else checked out fine: heart, lungs, gut. The blood panel showed that two elements related to the liver were quite elevated. The vet settled on one of two scenarios: Johnny either ingested a toxin (ie, a weed in the pasture) or he had a stone blocking the bile duct. While both are serious, the latter would be more expensive and complicated to treat. We went ahead & treated Johnny as if he'd eaten something toxic: banamine for the inflammation, antibiotics, and a nasty batch of charcoal tubed into his stomach. The charcoal worked its way through his system and ((hopefully)) absorbed the toxins. Several hundred dollars and hours later, we were on our way home.

Today--almost 48 hours later--he seems to be doing better and perking up. He's happy to see me, is getting spoiled rotten with oats, treats and a hay buffet. I have everything crossed that he will recover.

Deadlines

2010-08-24T18:28:00.003-05:00

Heading toward the end of August! Which means two things:

1. I have magazine deadlines coming up. No worries: interviews are mostly done and the writing is going well. I'm actually supposed to be writing right now, but you know how that goes; there's always "something else" that can get done! Like the workout I still have to do but am delaying by writing this blog. Procrastination, anyone?

2. It's almost Labor Day weekend -- which means the second of my two annual trips to Springfield, Illinois, is coming up for two AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship races. I can't wait!

I'll leave you with a sneak peek of the September issue of Connection magazine. I'm a lucky girl and have two articles in this one again -- including the cover story about Camp Barnabas.

Addiction

2010-08-23T19:50:00.002-05:00

Let's face it. I'm hooked on my Blackberry. When I was visiting Brenda in Chicago, she expressed her worry about what I would do when I went home. (Note the sarcasm, people.)

See, when I am at my house, I do not have cell service. That's just one of the reasons I call it the "black hole." True story. Some people don't believe me -- until they come and visit me. The hollows around here are notorious for leaving civilization behind.

I can get cell service if I go to the top of one of the hills behind my house. If you stand in certain places and hold your breath (maybe say a little prayer), you can get a few bars on the cell phone.

Today marked almost a whole week without my Blackberry. And I was miserable without it. No Google Map. No mobile Facebook. No texts from certain people who bring a smile to my face.
My insurance covered a replacement Blackberry and advertised "2-3 day service." I could do that. Two days turned into three. Three turned to five, and suddenly it was Saturday, and the US Postal Service finally announced my replacement was in Philadelphia.
I checked the tracking Monday morning, thinking the package would be somewhere like St. Louis. Nope. Better! It was at my post office, scheduled to be delivered to my mailbox! Awesome.

I was so disappointed when I opened the mailbox and found...junk mail.
I checked with the post office on a planned trip to town, but no dice. The postmaster didn't have anything for me. WHERE the heck was my Blackberry, did the mailman inconveniently forget to put it in my box? I gave up...maybe better luck Tuesday.
Turns out the mailman delivered the package to the wrong mailbox. I finally retrieved the package and scooted to the high spot where I could get cell service. Not so simple! The phone still had to be activated. Which gets kind of complicated when a) you're deaf and can't just pick up the phone and call the 1-888 number and b) you don't HAVE cell service by a landline.
With my dad's patient help, I finally got it activated, so now I'm back in business! I owe a few people text messages, and I plan to get back to working the Crackberry full speed ahead tomorrow!

Tuning In

2010-08-19T09:19:00.004-05:00

Still amazed at all the "new" sounds coming through these days.

The horse show sounds were a bit overwhelming. The loudspeaker was very uncomfortable for me and I did end up turning the processor off a few times to give myself a break. My friends "caught" me reacting to some sounds, and I think I impressed them with my skills. (Or maybe not!) The advantage of being exposed to the loud (at least for me) environment meant that I am now up to Program 2 of 4 on the processor already. I think my audiologist will be happy.

Baxter makes a lot more noise than I realized. Slurping the water. Shaking himself makes his dog tag jingle. Scratching himself. And I've discovered that he "talks" to me when he is bored and I am busy working on the computer or the horseshoe art or whatever. I've succeeded in confusing the poor dog by reacting when he yips at me. The first time I looked at him when he "talked," he looked a little taken aback. The second time, he was confused. Then he thought he was in trouble. So funny.

I've also started working harder on training him to do the "service dog" thing. Now that I can hear things like the microwave or oven timer beep, the phone ring, or someone knocking at the door, it's easier to reinforce the training and make him react to sounds. It's good for him to have a job, and it might come in handy someday when I want to travel with him.

Enough about that dog.

During yesterday's drive to & from Tulsa, I played with the car radio! Awesome. I love the stations that "scroll" the musician and song titles while they play a song. So far, I've tagged Lady Antebellum and the Zac Brown Band as favorites. While I liked the lyrics to Carrie Underwood's "Undo It," I did NOT like her music when I heard it. I didn't like Keith Urban, either. It's kind of fun to be able to listen and decide what I do and don't like!

Tulsa Time

2010-08-18T06:51:00.002-05:00

I'm heading to Tulsa to tag along with some friends who are horse shopping & watch some of the NSBA World Show. Shopping is NOT on the agenda...at least the sort of shopping where money exchanges hands. I can look though, right?? It will be fun to see friends I haven't seen in a very long time.

I haven't been to a horse show since the AQHA World Show in 2008. For a person who used to go to almost all the big shows to work, that's a very, very long time. I'm still doing the equine massage on a limited basis -- and only doing farm calls.

Kind of an interesting shift. I quit the copywriting world in July 2000 to do the equine massage. Now, 10 years later, I seem to have quit the AQHA world to do freelance writing. Funny how things seem to come full circle.

Everyday Noise

2010-08-17T09:58:00.002-05:00

Hard to believe we are halfway through August already! And this is only my second blog of the month.

Yesterday was a fabulous day. I got my new cochlear implant speech processor -- the Nucleus Freedom. I had the implant surgery in 1990; however, my last speech processor broke down more than a year ago. The processors are pricey little things.

Anyways. Yesterday was THE day. When the audiologist finished programming my processor (yes, I am part robot -- each of the 22 electrodes in the cochlea is individually programmed) and turned it on, it was awesome! Everything was a little bit "loud" at first -- something of a shock to my nerves and brain. But the longer I wore it, the "smoother" everything seemed.

(Want the in-depth scoop? Google "cochlear implant" or "Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant." That will give you more than you ever wanted to know.)

Right now, I am marveling at the sound of my computer keys clicking and trying to figure out if there's a bird singing outside or something.

Suddenly, I'm hearing little things you probably take for granted, like the ding of an arriving elevator, the heartbeat of your car's turn signal, the sound coffee makes when you're pouring it into a mug.
Baxter makes a lot of noise slurping his water.
It's easier to scan your items at the WalMart self checkout when you can hear the scanner beep!
I can hear vehicles approaching on the road.
I took Baxter swimming in the creek yesterday evening, and was amazed at how much noise we made with the splashing, and how much noise HE made when he shook the water off himself.

I can't understand speech, but it does help my lipreading skills and my speech is probably going to get clearer as time goes on.

It's going to be a continual learning process. I currently have four levels of "programs" on my speech processor, each one progresses a little bit wider in the levels of things I can hear. Not necessarily "louder," but more like a threshold. It's hard to explain without getting too scientific. The more I have it turned on, the better I will get at using it.

So far, I LOVE it. I've only turned it off twice: once to go to bed last night and once this morning when I could not stand the roar of the vacuum cleaner. I'm sure there will be other times where I will cherish the silence. It's kind of a nice perk to be able to do both.

Right now, I have the windows open at my house, and it was pretty cool to hear a truck coming up the road -- and knowing what it was before it came into view!

I'm sure there will be several conversations in my future that go like this:
Me: "What's that noise?"
Hearing Person: "What? What noise?"
Me: "That noise."
And since I don't know what it is (or how to really mimic sounds), I can't really explain what I am trying to get the hearing person to identify. And since it's probably an everyday noise they've tuned out, well, you get the idea.

Call me bionic woman or whatever. But I'm certainly smiling!

So Long, Chicago

2010-08-02T17:29:00.005-05:00

Chicago is in the rear view mirror. I miss my Chicago girls already!

And this big guy, too. (Shh, don't tell Baxter!)

We went to the Morton Arboretum on Sunday--it was a gorgeous day and we let Sophia burn off some of that famous two-year-old energy in the children's area. I got this awesome shot of her by pure luck of coaxing my point-and-shoot camera to time it perfectly: Now that I'm back in Iowa, I finished up some magazine articles for the September issue of Connection magazine. Can't wait to see them paired up in layouts with the photos. Which reminds me: I seriously need to get a move on with that online portfolio I keep talking about.

Downtown!

2010-07-30T08:21:00.003-05:00

Heading to downtown Chicago today! I can't wait! Brenda and I are going to meet up after she is done with work, and we will see what trouble we can get into. I have several places I want to check out.

I wonder if the Lisle Starbucks folks will miss me? I've spent hours (and dollars) working there this week. It's nice to get out for a change of scenery sometimes. The writing life can get lonely when it's just you and the computer. The dogs always tend to lay around napping and aren't much for entertainment.
Yes, those are two BIG dogs snuggling -- Hooch the French mastiff and Sugar the pit bull.

Today's coffee goal is to find one of my beloved CARIBOU coffee shops. A standby in the midwest, they are nowhere to be found in the south.

I have two big articles in progress for the September issue of Connection magazine. One is almost done and the other is getting there. Once again, these are light on quotes -- but I am learning to embrace that as my trademark. Instead of letting quotes do the work (aka write the story for me), I let my writing shine. At least, that's what I tell myself. My editor and readers don't seem to mind.

I'm looking into some software I ran across yesterday that is basically speech-recognition software. For $99, I am not sure how reliable it would be, but it may be worth a look-see. It would sure take some major stress off my shoulders when it comes to interviewing people!

Yoga + Pizza

2010-07-28T10:09:00.003-05:00

Who says yoga and pizza don't go together?

I tagged along to a yoga class with Brenda last night. It was awesome. And hot. And challenging! I loved it. I am in better shape than I thought -- I am walking fine today. heh. A little sore, but in a really good way.

Ninety minutes of yoga in a 90-degree room equals how many calories burned? We may have negated the calorie burn by going to Lou Malnati's for some incredible pizza. I apparently have no shame, since I am posting this picture (Brenda doesn't either -- she put the pic on Facebook for all the world to see. Or at least our 600+ combined friends.)

Soooo good.

Violet Hour

2010-07-26T16:51:00.004-05:00

This is the violet hour, the hour of hush and
wonder, when the affections glow again and valor is reborn, when the shadows
deepen magically along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch
carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn.
- Bernard DeVoto "The Hour"

Ahh, Chicago! Technically, I'm in the Chicago suburbs as I write this, but whatever.

It's been a whirlwind. I arrived at Union Station at 4 on Saturday and negotiated a drive-by pickup with Brenda via text message. Success! And I didn't get lost, either. Did you know the Caribou Coffee adjacent to Union Station is closed on the weekends? I didn't, either.

Brenda and I headed for Wicker Park, a neat neighborhood north (I think!) of downtown for the evening. After waking up with some caffeine and chatting in velvet chairs at Starbucks, we headed out in search of the Violet Hour. One of Brenda's former co-workers recommended the place--there's apparently a sister bar in Minneapolis. We knew the address and walked down Damen Avenue. And kept on walking. The bar was so well-disguised we walked past it once!

And then we went in. This place was Awesome. They said it did not open until 6 p.m., and thinking we were losers for being there early, we slunk in at 6:10, hoping we weren't the first people there. We weren't--the bar seating was half full, and the seating area had several people settled in already.

Not that we could see. Once you enter the bar, you go through sets of curtains and it feels like you're in a dark abyss because it is so dim. We could not see where we were going, so I was super-careful NOT to knock over a candlelit table as I tried to stumble after the hostess. Both B and I had to "feel around" for our seats--which turned out to be really comfortable high-back, padded chairs.

Once our eyes adjusted, we could see each other and the drink menus just fine. The Violet Hour is a Prohibition-style place, place and they handcraft their own bitters and several house items. I had a Moscow Mule with Tito's vodka, lime and ginger syrup. Heavenly. And strong!

After mellowing out with our pre-dinner drinks, we cabbed it over to our dinner party destination. OMG, was the food good. Cold avocado soup, jumbo grilled shrimp, pork shoulder, and some other Cuban delicacies. And some fantastic company.

I could get used to evenings like this!

Next time: Why I was running through Brenda's neighborhood yelling "HOOCH!!!!!"

Dog Days

2010-07-21T13:09:00.004-05:00

They look so innocent, don't they?

Actually, these two brothers are growing up quite nicely. Sure, there was a time I was afraid it was never going to happen -- that maturation that comes "sometime" between age 2 and 4. Now, at about 2 1/2 years old, the boys are truly growing up.

But they have their moments:
Quite simply, they cannot leave each other alone!

Today I have both of them in the house and they are being pretty good guys. Of course, Baxter won't let Rowdy "bother" me. Or eat his food.

Going to take them swimming in a little bit so they can wear themselves out.

August

2010-07-20T07:40:00.003-05:00

Here's a sneak peek at the August cover of Connection magazine:

One of my articles has a mention on the cover! Apologies for how teeny-tiny the image is; I stole it from Facebook.

Off to work on an article for the September issue.

mow, mow, mow your lawn...

2010-07-19T09:31:00.002-05:00

Monday already. The summer is flying by--and I hope the cooler weather isn't too far behind. Today is yet another hot one, and the humidity is about 129%. I just finished wringing myself out after mowing part of the yard. It was a choice between dulling my mower blade with the wet grass or getting heat stroke by doing it later in the day.

Vacation Bible School was great! I got to work with a super-nice group of people, and the kids were awesome. This year, the church rented the Gizmo Event Center for VBS. Let's just say the building was HOT when the kids sat down at 6 p.m. They hardly complained or fidgeted (I would not have blamed them!).

I helped out with taking photos -- the kids are going to be working on a cute project with the pictures today. I'm kind of bummed out about my 18-55mm lens. You know how you're "supposed" to put on a protective filter over the lens? So if it gets scratched you can just unscrew the filter and put on a new one? Well. The filter is STUCK on the lens. No amount of coaxing or praying is getting that thing off. Sigh. I guess it's better it's stuck on the "cheap" one instead of the new 55-200mm zoom lens.

Better get busy. I have six online articles to write and two magazine interviews to do by Wednesday night. Better refill that coffee cup.

Quick Post

2010-07-17T10:48:00.004-05:00

I know--I rarely post on weekends. Just wanted to do a little self-promotion!!
My writing got a mention in the Demand Studios blog:

http://bit.ly/dtpY6O

Not bad! That reminds me: I really need to create my online portfolio as the writing is adding up fast. That's what happens when you apply a little discipline to your life.

Friday, Friday

2010-07-16T08:36:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! I know my "real world" friends are celebrating the fact that it's Friday. For me, it's the start of a busy week.

McDonald's coffee with a magazine interview subject, a peek at the September issue of Connection magazine and photos at the Vacation Bible School kickoff in Wheaton are on today's agenda. I'm glad they have the VBS scheduled for the evenings, because it's going to be HOT. I have a feeling I will have to launder my fluorescent yellow staff t-shirt every night.

Bible school has come a long way since I was a kid. Not necessarily all in a good way. All the staff for Bible school had to have a background check, and we are required to wear our staff t-shirts and photo ID. Parents who want to be at the facility have to wear wristbands. There will be security at the gate checking everyone. While I understand the need for this, it is sad that it's necessary. I remember biking or walking to VBS in Litchfield and everyone was welcome, no questions asked. Things have changed so much since then, especially in this area of Missouri. Nobody is ever going to forget a case like Rowan Ford.

I got a lovely surprise in the mail yesterday. I love surprises. Especially when they make me laugh out loud like this one did. Thank you (you know who you are) -- it will be put to good use.

Happy Weekend!

Heat Wave

2010-07-15T08:56:00.003-05:00

Yep, it's hot. Not to mention humid. I'm glad I have a ton of "inside work" to do, because that's about all I'm motivated to do.

Things are finally starting to fall into place for the magazine interviews + travel plans. Whew. I like the freedom the freelance writing offers me, but this month has been a bear with scheduling conflicts. I blew through two or three story options before landing on one where the timing worked. I love the enthusiasm that everyone has for the Connection magazine -- from the great editor I work with to my interview subjects.

Getting ready to go "up north" again. Baxter and I will do the long drive to Waterloo. And -- bonus -- I will hop on a bus to Chicago to see my girl Brenda.

Watching the Today show while I type this (you know I am a multitasker). Mel Gibson is a psycho. Maybe there was lead in the Braveheart makeup, I don't know, but wow. I am not impressed. Sure, his ex-girlfriend/baby mama just might be a gold-digger, but if even half of her allegations are true, nobody deserves that kind of treatment.
WHO really cares about Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston. Maybe it was his Playgirl pose that made her want to "keep" him? I think he is just using her to keep the spotlight on himself.

Enough procrastinating -- now I have to get back to writing for money. It's almost Friday!

Play Time

2010-07-14T08:59:00.005-05:00

Anyone who has a blue heeler -- or who has had the privilege of a visit from Baxter -- knows these dogs can be pretty destructive. So far, I've been lucky -- Baxter's only destroyed toys.

Oh, and my bed. How could I have forgotten that one. That's a whole other blog.

Anyways. I've always tried to keep an eye out for good, virtually indestructable toys for the Bax. Stuffed animals are a no-no. They get dismembered and de-squeaked in 60 seconds flat -- regardless if they are Baxter's toys or not.

I've found a few good toys, but the one item I've struggled with has been one of Baxter's obsessions. Balls. He fixates on tennis balls. I think there's even one on the bed -- you know, just in case I decide to get up in the middle of the night and throw it for him.

I've tried to find Bax a good ball to roll around outside and play with. He really, really, really wants to play with my big Swiss exercise ball in the house, but I know he would destroy it, so that one's off limits. I've tried a cheap large ball from the kids' toys department, wasted $5 on an extra-large tennis ball. Nope, both destroyed.

And then I found an egg-shaped plastic sphere at Tractor Supply. The "Jolly Egg." I'm embarassed to say what I paid for it! But it seems like it is going to hold up, both indoors and outdoors. (Although visitors complain about how much noise it makes when being herded across the hardwood floors and banged into walls.)

(I still can't believe what a good dog he is -- pausing from play to pose for this photo.)

Electric

2010-07-13T08:54:00.002-05:00

So happy to be typing this and have electricity! I was in the middle of chatting online with a friend in Texas when a wave of rolling thunder came through and the electricity went out. Thank goodness for candles + flashlights! After last' year's lightning episode that blew the telephone jack across the room, Baxter does not like the thunder very much. He tries not to act scared but doesn't quite pull it off.

The Tulsa birthday celebration was great! I'm so lucky to have friends like Stephanie & Amanda. We hit up Drysdales, Chick-fil-A, the Imax, Cheesecake Factory and Super Target. Of course there were giggle moments!

Eclipse was a good movie--probably the best of the three so far. Sure, it's cheesy with the fang-less vampires, over-the-top eye colors and teenage drama. But Jacob and his muscles make up for it! However, it's not a kid movie. And someone should really tell that to the thirtysomething lady who sat in our row. She had a little girl with her who could not have been more than six. During the intense scene toward the end of the movie (how's that for not giving it away?), this kid was terrified -- she was doing the zombie stare at the screen and even had her hand over her mouth. As Stephanie said, that kid is going to have nightmares.

I had candles and matches in my purse when we went into Cheesecake Factory. No, not to burn the place down, but to stick in Stephanie's cheesecake. That plan went a little awry when Amanda informed me that I would be in big doo-doo if the CF staff sang to Stephanie. Oh, dear. Lucky for me, we decided to get the cheesecake "to go" and the plot changed. We did get to surprise Stephanie with candles in her cheesecake in the hotel room -- without setting the room on fire or turning on the fire alarm and sprinklers. Success!

Of course, no trip with the Butlers can be completed without some drama and/or pee-in-your-pants giggles. When we went back to the hotel after dinner, we got the drama, squared. First off is an old guy hooked up to an oxygen tank sitting outside the hotel entrance. Lighting up a cigarette. Classy.

Then (and this might have been oxygen tank dude's grandson, perhaps) there are some rowdy pre-teen boys horsing around in the lobby, while their parents sat watching them and not really caring. They fooled around with the elevator doors, and one kid somehow got his hand stuck inside the elevator door mechanism. (Don't ask me how, I am not about to find out.) He got it out and is whining about how it hurts to his parents. Amanda kindly let me know that the father said loudly, "You moron! Do you have to do this every time we go to a hotel!??!"
Yeah, that about sums it up.

Can't wait for the next Butler installment!

Birthday!

2010-07-08T07:31:00.002-05:00

Today's Stephanie B's birthday!! She's such a good friend, I had to give her a shout out. She's seen me through thick and thin: good times, bad times, all-night drives from Georgia, laughing til we just about pee our pants, Cracker Barrel dinners. And the Twilight movies! What can I say -- we may be hurtling toward 40 faster than we'd like, but we're still immature at heart.

To celebrate, we're heading to Tulsa. I hope the city is ready for us, because we tend to make a commotion wherever we go. Fortunately, we will have one-day-short-of-17 Amanda with us to chaperone (or embarass!). We're heading to see Eclipse at the IMAX and do some shopping. I hear there might be a visit to the Cheesecake Factory on deck as well.

And for the record, I'm Team Jacob!

Free Advice

2010-07-07T08:53:00.002-05:00

I have some free advice for y'all. Actually, two tips.
Don't lose your wallet.
And, keeping with Murphy's Law: Keep a record of what you do have in your wallet. Because when you DO lose it, you're not going to remember some random thing in there, like your Starbucks card.

I didn't follow either pieces of this advice. What a mess!

In all the traveling I've done, I've never misplaced my wallet. There's a first time for everything. Blame it on being travel-weary or whatever; it was just one of those things. You know, "stuff" happens. Especially when you're blonde.

You know all those warnings--including the Oprah Pledge--about not texting while driving? Well, geez, it sure would have been nice to have read my text messages while I was driving. Then I could have turned around and drove Joyce's truck about 15 minutes back to the gas station. But no, that's not how the universe works.

We stopped in Terre Haute, Indiana, for the night. While Joyce went in to check into the hotel, I went straight for the Crackberry. I didn't have a clue I'd left my wallet on the other side of Indiana.

Long, convoluted story short: Cancelled cards, no cash, tons of text messages, hair pulling, stress, new cards, new PINS, a stop at the local sheriff's office.... My dad even stopped at the gas station to pick it up, as he was coincidentally going through the area. No dice.

Finally, on Saturday--11 days later--I had the long-awaited box in my mailbox!! While my Starbucks card was cleaned out of $18.44, there was still $40 in cash in there. Weird. But I'll take it.

Trust me, I'm keeping super-close tabs on my wallet from now on. And trying to remember my new six-digit PIN.

2010-07-02T17:51:00.007-05:00

I took a break from writing this morning to play with the camera in the garden. (Among a bunch of other things -- nothing like a little procrastinating with a deadline looming.)

Like I said, the butterflies love the coneflower garden--and they don't seem to mind me climbing right in there with my camera.

A few lucky shots! I need to get a field guide to butterflies....

Have a fabulous Fourth of July weekend!

Cover Story!

2010-07-01T21:43:00.003-05:00

So excited to have the July issue of "Connection" magazine in my hands! I had the privilege of getting a behind-the-scenes look at a Civil War re-enactment being filmed for a PBS documentary. And then writing about it. It was quite a project, with a lot of people and different groups involved. Plus the fact that the equation of a deaf person using a digital tape recorder is NOT a good combination.

Here's the cover shot: I need to get busy creating my online portfolio of magazine articles & online content. The list continues to grow & I'm loving it! I have a handful of Demand Studio articles due this weekend, plus two articles coming out in the August issue of "Connections."

Ode to June

2010-06-30T15:10:00.009-05:00

Mother Nature's being very kind this summer. (She better not make me regret those words.) We're having incredible weather today, which makes it hard to sit at the computer and write.

The flower garden is flourishing! At least, one of them is. The bees and butterflies just love it. I do, too.
I've picked two gallons of wild blackberries this week. And that doesn't count the ones Baxter and I have eaten -- fresh off the vine. Or bush or whatever -- the sharp, sharp, magnetic briar bush to be more specific. Yes, Baxter loves, loves blackberries. He's even taught his brother how to nibble them ever-so-carefully off the bush.

Goodbye, June!

East Coasting

2010-06-29T11:41:00.010-05:00

Home sweet home! I finally have my yard and some writing deadlines mainly under control. I have two articles due for the August issue of the magazine, so I've been swamped with research, interviews and emails. Some things do have to take priority over blogging for free.

My favorite part of the Maine trip, besides the yummy lobster, was our visit to Peaks Island. My house would fit right in there. And the landscaping...oh, the landscaping has given me some ideas for new garden beds. Yes, this would mean more weeding, but less mowing.

Love, love, love the flowers. I need to add more climbing vines! The patio isn't bad, either.
Love this porch. The lavender, not so much.
Ahh, a pergola. I've been dreaming of one of these for a while.

strawberries + sunshine

2010-06-18T14:47:00.000-05:00

Here we are, winding up the Maine trip. I intended to blog more, but you know how it goes when you're on vacation!

Lobster. Haddock. Fried shrimp. Lobster rolls (that's plural). Beach time. Peaks Island. Lots of reading. Tons of photos. Apple doughnuts.

Will be posting photos eventually! Any computer time I've had has been spent working on LiveStrong articles.

Tonight's the rehearsal dinner for the wedding. Not mine, hah! Joyce's nephew is getting hitched tomorrow.

maine time

2010-06-11T15:41:00.000-05:00

We made it to Maine in three days! long but uneventful drive, which is good. It's gorgeous out here -- in the high 60s or low 70s. Which is actually kinda cold when the wind's blowing.
We've feasted on lobster rolls & crab salad sandwiches, and are about to have more lobster rolls in a little bit.
I'm blogging live (haha) from Popham State park beach. It's cold for this Missourian here, but the sun feels great. I had a tour of the Lewiston ER last night, courtesy of a whopper migraine. My Rx failed and I couldn't take the pain (or vomiting!) Any longer. The hospital drugs were groovy & I slept all night. And until 2 the next day.
I have to work tonight and Saturday morning (LiveStrong deadlines snuck up on me), then it's off to Joyce's niece's high school graduation. I'm told there will be cake! :)

Where the Wild Things Grow

2010-06-04T09:29:00.005-05:00

I was gone for 10 days (or was it more?), and came home to flower gardens galore, plus a jungle of weeds, vines and lawn. My garage is almost completely covered with vines. A vine on the side of the house has stretched halfway onto the porch and onto the sliding glass door. Wow. I'm scared to see what this place is going to look like when I get home from the next trip, which is going to be about a week longer!

I'm home for 48 hours or so and making the most of it! Mowed most of the lawn already this morning and am getting ready to tackle some weeds, beat back vines and do some weedwhipping. Plus laundry, repacking, a couple article deadlines, cleaning the house & watching Alice in Wonderland. Whew.

The one thing I am super-excited about is this: My clematis. It is astonishing this year. Finally! After nearly killing it when I first transplanted it, having the trellis fall and nearly pull it out of the ground the next year, THEN having it choked by the "purty but I ain't never planting those again" morning glories last year, I think I've finally succeeded! I think Grandma Becker would be proud.

My flowerbeds are kind of a mess this year. The hollyhocks are a giant FAIL. I need to move them to a new location next year -- if they survive the summer. I'm not really enthusiastic about the wildflower mix I planted earlier in the spring, but I guess a few more weeks will help me make up my mind. Anyways, I'm pleased with the big flowerbed this year -- it's chock-full of purple coneflowers, four-o'clock mix and (hopefully) zinnias:

Never mind the obligatory weeds. I'm not sure how much maintenance I will be able to get in, as I have about 32 hours left in my furlough at home. So I'm outta here. Next blog will be somewhere from the East Coast!

shady

2010-05-30T11:08:00.000-05:00

It's hot! We're having perfect racing weather here in Springfield. I'm sitting in a shady spot at the Harley pit, waiting for the next qualifying run.
I am finally, finally feeling better after a rough, headachey week. I took a chance with the pit chiropractor at the short track race last night. He was awesome and I'm feeling good today.
I've gotten some cool pics already. Can't wait to upload them!

off to the races!

2010-05-29T07:55:00.000-05:00

We're en route to Springfield, Illinois, for the AMA flat track races. The weather is going to be beautiful, the cycles fast, the beer cold, and it's always fun to catch up with friends I only see once or twice a year.

But we have to get there first. We're only about an hour into the 300-mile drive. Baxter is not a happy camper -- I finally found something this fearless baby doesn't like. He's been in the motorhome tons of times -- but never when it's been in motion. He's freaked out, sitting at my feet right now. Poor guy! I'll have to give him some Benadryl *before* we travel home on Monday.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend, wherever you are! Photos on Monday or Tuesday.

@ the Movies!

2010-05-28T07:59:00.003-05:00

I dragged my dad to the movie theater on Thursday. When we got there, the line for Sex and the City 2 was waiting to get into the theater for the first showing of the day.

But that's not why we were there. What, you thought I would make my dad see SATC2? We went to see Robin Hood -- with captions!

Yep, I went all the way to Iowa so I could go to an accessible movie theater.

Seriously, at home, the closest theaters with either rear window captioning (more on that in a minute) or open captions are in Kansas City or St. Louis. So I only seem to go to the theater when I'm traveling. Good thing I travel a lot, right?

My first experience with rear window captioning was with Ms. Brenda herself in April! We went to see "Hot Tub Time Machine," and came away scarred from reliving the 80s and with side stitches from laughing.

Rear window captioning is fairly new -- to me, at least. I don't get out much, apparently. In theaters that choose to offer this technology (the hardware runs about $12,000), a LED display is at the rear of the theater, to the side of the movie projector. The display board shows two lines of text in a mirror image -- the captions are synchronized with the movie via a CD-ROM.

Viewers like me can request a rear window captioning device at the ticket or customer service counter. Actually, it's a little too low-tech to be called a device. It's just a plastic base molded to fit the theater seat cupholder, with a 20x4 piece of plexiglass attached with a flexible metal cord. Once seated, I can adjust the panel so it reflects the LED captions at the bottom of the movie screen -- and follow the movie dialogue.

I'm sure other theatergoers wonder what the heck I am doing, since they can't see the captions reflected on the plexiglass from their angle. And I'm pretty sure they were like WTH yesterday when my RWC getup fell out of the cupholder during a particularly moving (read: quiet!) scene of Robin Hood. The plastic base didn't *quite* fit in the cupholder perfectly and popped out, making quite a racket when it hit the uncarpeted floor. I got the giggles -- and it's probably a good thing Stephanie wasn't with me because we probably would have been disruptive laughing about it.

I love the RWC. It's beyond awesome to go to the theater -- with my dad, no less -- and sit back and enjoy the movie.

Iowa!

2010-05-25T15:46:00.004-05:00

Yep, Iowa. It isn't a bad place to be, although I seem to have brought the heat + humidity with me!

Had a great first few days up here, hanging out with my brother, sister-in-law & dad. I even snuck in a special visit to a good buddy when we were at Super Target.

That's (seriously) all I bought there. That one trip, at least!

We roamed around downtown Cedar Falls today & went into a kitchen store. It was jam-packed with some very neat items, including a lot of things I didn't know I "needed" for my kitchen. Plus these darlings were strung up on almost all the available wall space: Pretty, pretty!!

Summer is in the air!

2010-05-21T20:47:00.004-05:00

I've been home for more than a month, and it is time, once again, to hit the road! North, east, west, south.... I'm literally going in all four directions.

And am I ever going to rack up the miles.

I just made the mistake of adding up miles on Mapquest. Let's just say I will tally nearly 5,000 miles on the road over the next month.

Yeah. My tailbone hurts just from thinking about it. Which reminds me, I need to get a pillow for that.

But before I can take off, I have one last commitment here in Missouri. I'm not sharing details until after the fact, but let's just say it has a taste of "Sweet Home Alabama" to it.

The blog will continue from the road -- in-between my freelance writing. I admit I've slacked on blogging lately, but why write for free when I can get paid for it?

Patience

2010-05-18T19:12:00.003-05:00

You know the saying, "You plan, God laughs"?

It's true. So very true.

I'm not where I planned to be this week! I had everything all planned out and everything was falling into place. Then it rained. And rained. And the event I was going to cover for Connection magazine was postponed a week.

But I'm not complaining too much. I'm getting a lot done at home. I just haven't been blogging much because, well, I'd rather get paid to write. And the new freelance gig I have is turning out to be a gem. If I didn't have so many other projects going on, I would be writing more around the clock. I'm trying to pace myself so it doesn't get old, but I don't think that's going to be a problem.

The creek is finally drive-over-able (yeah, not a word, but whatever), at least barely for my car. Of course, it may not be that way over the next few days, since Mother Nature is dumping more rain on us. So my car's parked a mile up the road on the other side of the creek. All I have to do is figure out how to get TO it when I need to get out Thursday or Friday.

We had some much-needed sunshine today. My new sunpatiens is turning out to be my favorite plant ever. I think I'm going to get more of these next year -- with full sun and at least 2-3 blooms going all the time, it's gorgeous.