Friday Social & Outings
--started with breakfast with my buddy at one of my favorite funky breakfast joints downtown. We had a great time and he took me to this lil shop he'd found the last time we met for breakfast--totally the type of funny place that only N would have noticed AND would have taken me to-HA! Made tentative plans to get a longer run in together in the next week or two, as he's totally wanting to join in on the half-marathon bandwagon.
--ran errands...and surprising didn't get much and what I did get (letters to finish signs), I made sure to pay with debit and not credit. I HATE having credit card debt...and I think its existence allowed me to walk out of Target 100% empty handed.
--returned home with just enough time to squeeze in an Insanity work-out and hop in the shower. Then cousin A arrived and we loaded her delish taco soup into the crossover and took off across town to Book Club. Interestingly it was just the 5 of us original members and it was really a great evening together--lots of laughter, lots of catching up, and lots of encouraging each other toward new endeavors (one of my gals is moving in Jan/Feb to the bay area....sad but happy!!). On Friday we reviewed The Happiness Project (which was November's selection) and Where We Belong (which was December's). Somehow it's my turn next month and I had just a few selections I'd brought down from my "to read" pile.....and we ended up selecting Lucy by Ellen Feldman, which was donated by Mom. It's about an affair from FDR's days---plenty of fodder for a group of females to talk about!
Granny Move Time
--the alarm went off way too early on Saturday (especially after lots of vino and lots of sugar the night before) and I brewed coffee to drink en route to Salem to help load up Granny's stuff for her big move. I'd hoped that Tall D was going to come help out like he'd said, but luckily my brother was there and my uncles & father (all in their 60s/70s) were able to do a great job too. Within the first 40 minutes, we had all the heavy stuff loaded and from there it was getting things situated in the moving truck (Dad gets the truck set "just so" and almost everything gets its own blanket coating), packing up the rest of the inside goodies, farming out more items, and loading up boxes and items into our vehicles for additional transport. The entire process went incredibly smooth and Granny did a great job supervising while remaining in great spirits.
--about 12:45 we all arrived at the new place up here and unloaded the moving truck and our vehicles. Somehow unloading seemed more tiring than the loading, and I'm not gonna lie, I was dragging by about 3:30! My cousins and my aunts did a wonderful job of tackling the unwrapping of all the trinkets, getting things situated just so inside the place, etc.
--a handful of us returned today and finished getting Granny's new apartment in order. Her new faux fireplace was set up, the bed switched out for a better fitting model, the TV hooked up, boxes unpacked, pictures hung, and part of her Xmas decorations arranged....all before the Queen arrived at 3:30pm to check out her new home. A glass of vino and some popcorn later, she remarked that it felt just like home--definitely good to hear!
--tomorrow she can officially move-in. I'm picking her up from my aunt's at 10:30 and will keep her entertained until 1:30 when she'll be able to check in at the new place. Maybe I'll take her out to lunch somewhere near her new residence....
--next Saturday we'll finish going through the old place and taking things to be donated or transporting items for storage for other family members to the family beach house. Hopefully after next weekend, all will be settled and we can just enjoy having Granny closer!
--on the emotional side of things, Granny was in great spirits both yesterday and today...and the new neighbors are quite interested in knowing who she is....so I'm hopeful this move is going to go even better than we could have imagined!
Recoup Time
--I mentioned being exhausted, but I was SO exhausted yesterday. In fact, so wiped that I honestly barely remember driving down or back from Salem. I do remember sitting down on the move job quite a bit yesterday and I recognized about 3:30 that I hadn't eaten a solid meal yet (just snacking on items I'd brought). Luckily my cousin A has spent enough time with me in the last year that I think she recognized too that I'd hit the wall, and she gave me the words I needed to hear to make myself go home. I got home about 4pm, unloaded my rig, crammed food in my body, vacuumed the house, hopped in the shower, and was laying in bed by 6:30pm. I pushed myself to stay awake until 8ish by reading a few chapters and chatting with my housemate.....and then I passed out until about 10am this morning.
--I woke up for about an hour last night and my brain thought through a lot of things I've been worried about lately (I was suddenly adamant that I need to get a full time job and sell my car for something cheaper in order to pay off my debts & credit card; I also was 100% sure that I need to move out of the rental ASAP either to a different area of Portland or out of Oregon period) Obviously these must be things that I'm not dealing with in my daily life, so some extra time will be devoted to working through some of these decisions.
--However mainly, I slept fairly solidly for over 12 hours.....and I can't remember the last time I've done that...and honestly I could have spent all day in bed. Physically I worked out a lot this week so I think my body is tired....I also had some weird sleep nights earlier this week....I was exposed to sick germs earlier this week also.....and obviously, emotionally, I'm probably more extended than I'm realizing. Regardless of the why....my body needed it....and I probably need to take a few more days of keeping it easy....and process some stuff I think I must be shoving to the back corners of reality.
--Tonight after getting home, I took it easy---grabbed some grub out of the fridge, got the laundry done, chatted with the housemate, and then curled up in front of the TV and watched one of my favorite movies of all time: The Family Stone (here's the thing Meredith, you have a freak flag.....you just don't fly it.) (Although I'm not going to lie, the movie always stirs up some other concerns especially now with all of dad's continual health issues.....ie what if by the time I have kids, they never get the opportunity to know my father...I hate even saying that outloud.....return up to the statement about thoughts I'm hiding in corners....)
Tomorrow after dropping Granny off, I've got to run to campus to make copies for the final exams on Tues/Weds and for next term (the office is moving and we might not have copy machine access).
Hope y'all had restful weekends!
Showing posts with label Book Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Club. Show all posts
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Where Did the Weekend Go?
Somehow it's already Monday...and a holiday for many of you working folks as well! :)
Thursday-Sunday of this last week was mainly spent focusing on three things:
1) Granny was zipped to the ER via ambulance on Thursday morning and admitted early Thursday afternoon for stomach/intestinal issues. For a while on Thursday, we weren't sure how exactly things might turn out, but this lil lady is the poster woman for RESILIENCY and by mid-day Friday we were pretty sure she was heading out of the woods. Now as she's 101, I'm well aware that we've been incredibly blessed by the many, many years that we've had Granny continue to be present in our lives. In all honesty, I moved to Louisiana believing that she probably wouldn't be here by the time I made it back to Oregon...and she proved me wrong, and when she broke her leg on her visit to Louisiana and had to undergo surgery, I thought she'd never make a full recovery and she proved me wrong. Each day past her recovery of breaking both legs and yet returning to walk by her 100th birthday, I've just focused on being fortunate that she's still here while being mindful of the fact that she's not going to live forever. It'll be difficult to see her eventually pass but I just can't believe how fortunate we've been and I know Poppa's up there waiting for her, as in awe of her resiliency as the rest of us!
Most of Thursday and Friday I spent hanging out and sputtering with Granny at the hospital, and then I visited Saturday evening and Sunday morning until her discharge. Dad had asked me to keep him and my siblings posted on her status, so I texted out updates as they arrived, and generally spent time catching up with many of my extended relatives (and my brother) who also were frequent visitors. With all the attention and constant social visits, I told Granny not to get any ideas about being in the hospital! :) The staff all loved her and we all were incredibly impressed by the care and treatment she received at St. Vincent's---absolutely amazing! And the one piece of good news is the experience finally got Granny to agree to relocating to the local area!
2) This weekend was scheduled to be a Book Club Beach Trip weekend, but due to scheduling and illness only three of the other gals were going to be able to attend besides my cousin and I. With all the concern about Granny and other concerns going on in my cousin's life, it was difficult for the two of us to decide what to do. I felt like I needed a bit of time with my gals and ocean views in order to be restored for my own reasons, so my gal T and I drove over to the coast late Friday evening and I came back home on Saturday afternoon. While a quick trip, it was still nice to spend time with three great gals and to wake up to gorgeous ocean views! And as bonus, we didn't even have to talk about the book at all! (Plus T and I ate at the Pelican Pub, where I finally had a great tasting meal from their menu! I always feel a little let down by their food combos & I actually don't like regular beers on tap, but the vegetable sandwich was amazing!)
3) Yesterday turned into an incredibly productive Sunday:
--I went to church where a sermon was delivered that felt like God finally providing some answers to some of my needed direction: "Have you fully lived up to the skills, abilities, and talents that God gave you?" and "you're never too young or too old to do so." This is an internal battle I've always wrestled with, honestly. I've been fortunate to be blessed by God with great abilities, including intellectual capacities, but I've always wanted to just be "average" and to be able to focus on a simple life instead of potentially having to fulfill what He had granted me. I love my job, I'm reaching new goals physically, but I've been wondering if God wanted more from me....and this Sunday message sort of provided some answers that yes, yes, He probably does. So for now I'm baby stepping forward about pre-reqs and waiting to see if He opens that door and what He might eventually reveal. For the first time in my life I'm actually not overly excited about going back to school. I love to learn, I love wrangling new concepts and issues, but I've already got 3 years of undergrad and 3 years of grad school under my belt. So we'll see whether this leads into a new direction or not! It doesn't go unrecognized though that sometimes God leads us to things we might not be too excited about :) And if I'm misreading the signs, then He'll open my eyes to something else I'm sure.
--After church, I went to see Granny until we wheeled her out of the hospital about noon. Next came errands for groceries, grass seed, firelogs, & to fill the gas can to hopefully get the mower to work next time it's dry enough (ha!)....and then 2.5 hours spent in the yard: raking up the next round of leaves, including using them as cover for the raised beds. I dug out an old rosebush that had gone wild, picked up the rest of the vines I hadn't had room for in the yard debris cans, raked the ground and put down seed on two areas to attempt to reseed, and picked up & swept the patio. Tall D brought the dogs back (he'd had them for the weekend), cut the final boards needed for my other sign project, and then sat & chatted for a bit.
--My parents got new Iphones so I used one of the 5's new features and Facetimed with my dad for a bit. Late in the evening there was also an update phone call about Granny's discharge information to my aunt.
--And then an evening spent grading my online course and researching medical profession options.
A long weekend of ups and downs with just one run fit in on Friday. Hoping to get another work-out in today, finish grading my in-person classes, and then maybe get some reading for fun completed! I have a potential housemate coming to see the place this week so we'll see how that turns out---lots of unknowns still but I'm feeling like I just have to keep trusting! Oh and this morning I found half of another LARGE rat left in the garage, so those chickens might be put up on craigslist!
Hope y'all have had a great long weekend! Here's to our veterans and an entire month of thankfulness!
Thursday-Sunday of this last week was mainly spent focusing on three things:
1) Granny was zipped to the ER via ambulance on Thursday morning and admitted early Thursday afternoon for stomach/intestinal issues. For a while on Thursday, we weren't sure how exactly things might turn out, but this lil lady is the poster woman for RESILIENCY and by mid-day Friday we were pretty sure she was heading out of the woods. Now as she's 101, I'm well aware that we've been incredibly blessed by the many, many years that we've had Granny continue to be present in our lives. In all honesty, I moved to Louisiana believing that she probably wouldn't be here by the time I made it back to Oregon...and she proved me wrong, and when she broke her leg on her visit to Louisiana and had to undergo surgery, I thought she'd never make a full recovery and she proved me wrong. Each day past her recovery of breaking both legs and yet returning to walk by her 100th birthday, I've just focused on being fortunate that she's still here while being mindful of the fact that she's not going to live forever. It'll be difficult to see her eventually pass but I just can't believe how fortunate we've been and I know Poppa's up there waiting for her, as in awe of her resiliency as the rest of us!
Most of Thursday and Friday I spent hanging out and sputtering with Granny at the hospital, and then I visited Saturday evening and Sunday morning until her discharge. Dad had asked me to keep him and my siblings posted on her status, so I texted out updates as they arrived, and generally spent time catching up with many of my extended relatives (and my brother) who also were frequent visitors. With all the attention and constant social visits, I told Granny not to get any ideas about being in the hospital! :) The staff all loved her and we all were incredibly impressed by the care and treatment she received at St. Vincent's---absolutely amazing! And the one piece of good news is the experience finally got Granny to agree to relocating to the local area!
2) This weekend was scheduled to be a Book Club Beach Trip weekend, but due to scheduling and illness only three of the other gals were going to be able to attend besides my cousin and I. With all the concern about Granny and other concerns going on in my cousin's life, it was difficult for the two of us to decide what to do. I felt like I needed a bit of time with my gals and ocean views in order to be restored for my own reasons, so my gal T and I drove over to the coast late Friday evening and I came back home on Saturday afternoon. While a quick trip, it was still nice to spend time with three great gals and to wake up to gorgeous ocean views! And as bonus, we didn't even have to talk about the book at all! (Plus T and I ate at the Pelican Pub, where I finally had a great tasting meal from their menu! I always feel a little let down by their food combos & I actually don't like regular beers on tap, but the vegetable sandwich was amazing!)
3) Yesterday turned into an incredibly productive Sunday:
--I went to church where a sermon was delivered that felt like God finally providing some answers to some of my needed direction: "Have you fully lived up to the skills, abilities, and talents that God gave you?" and "you're never too young or too old to do so." This is an internal battle I've always wrestled with, honestly. I've been fortunate to be blessed by God with great abilities, including intellectual capacities, but I've always wanted to just be "average" and to be able to focus on a simple life instead of potentially having to fulfill what He had granted me. I love my job, I'm reaching new goals physically, but I've been wondering if God wanted more from me....and this Sunday message sort of provided some answers that yes, yes, He probably does. So for now I'm baby stepping forward about pre-reqs and waiting to see if He opens that door and what He might eventually reveal. For the first time in my life I'm actually not overly excited about going back to school. I love to learn, I love wrangling new concepts and issues, but I've already got 3 years of undergrad and 3 years of grad school under my belt. So we'll see whether this leads into a new direction or not! It doesn't go unrecognized though that sometimes God leads us to things we might not be too excited about :) And if I'm misreading the signs, then He'll open my eyes to something else I'm sure.
--After church, I went to see Granny until we wheeled her out of the hospital about noon. Next came errands for groceries, grass seed, firelogs, & to fill the gas can to hopefully get the mower to work next time it's dry enough (ha!)....and then 2.5 hours spent in the yard: raking up the next round of leaves, including using them as cover for the raised beds. I dug out an old rosebush that had gone wild, picked up the rest of the vines I hadn't had room for in the yard debris cans, raked the ground and put down seed on two areas to attempt to reseed, and picked up & swept the patio. Tall D brought the dogs back (he'd had them for the weekend), cut the final boards needed for my other sign project, and then sat & chatted for a bit.
--My parents got new Iphones so I used one of the 5's new features and Facetimed with my dad for a bit. Late in the evening there was also an update phone call about Granny's discharge information to my aunt.
--And then an evening spent grading my online course and researching medical profession options.
A long weekend of ups and downs with just one run fit in on Friday. Hoping to get another work-out in today, finish grading my in-person classes, and then maybe get some reading for fun completed! I have a potential housemate coming to see the place this week so we'll see how that turns out---lots of unknowns still but I'm feeling like I just have to keep trusting! Oh and this morning I found half of another LARGE rat left in the garage, so those chickens might be put up on craigslist!
Hope y'all have had a great long weekend! Here's to our veterans and an entire month of thankfulness!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
The Glass Castle
Image taken from here.
I literally just finished our book club selection for August/September...and while I never would have selected to read this book on my own, I have to say it was fascinating! I've read plenty of other books similar to this but there was something about Jeannette's story that left me riveted. I started the book by reading the first hundred some pages yesterday afternoon, read the next hundred or so pages when I couldn't sleep, and finished the last twenty pages this morning. This is the first book in a long time that I would have read non-stop given the opportunity.
It's hard to imagine growing up in a life like Jeannette's and I'm legitimately in awe of the strength and perseverance demonstrated by her siblings and herself. Having worked at child welfare, the reality of her life and the desire of her family to maintain their togetherness hit home all the more...and only further reminded me that their family reality is much more common than many in the American public might like to believe. The love and strength of her siblings and herself is to be applauded and I'm incredibly impressed at their ability to have relocated from Virginia to New York City more or less unscathed, when many more depressing alternatives could have become their reality.
The book also further reminded me of the variety that exists within the homeless population and that for some it is a chosen way of life. This lesson was one I first learned while a social work undergraduate student when I was related a story about a homeless guest speaker who had a trust fund but who also selected to live on the streets. While plenty of homeless do not choose to live on the streets, for some it is a desired choice. The reality is that each homeless individual and their circumstances are different and while it may not be the life many of us would choose, why should we judge others who select or are driven to those circumstances?
A wonderful, eye-opening read---I would encourage you to pick it up and peruse it's pages!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
A Lil' Bit of Life: Snapshot (1)
YARD WORK
---I cleaned the gutters a week ago: truly an easy process but one that I've put off doing several times. Being that close to the roof made me realize that it's probably closer than I & the landlords thought to needing to be replaced.
---Tall D and Wali G power-washed my deck and patio this week, and let me tell you, they look amazing! I no longer need to repaint the metal work around the patio cause it's glistening and the paint on the house even looks a million times better. The picnic table got a deep cleanse too and tonight it got sanded.
---Apparently the end of July marks the end of season for patio goods---we're just getting into the really good weather in Oregon and already the patio goods are gone! I also can't find battery operated Christmas lights to string through my arbor for the life of me.... But I DID snag some metal tiki torches, a fire pit for the upper deck, and new chairs for the upper deck. The finishing touch items are just hard to come by is all....I've been envisioning lights & paper lanterns for party mode.
---All this yard work makes me excited to see the yard start to come together. I'm thinking it'll be better to focus on finalizing the back and then head to the front (although I'm sure the neighbors are ready for me to finally tackle the front...aka rip out tons more bushes.) Next major backyard projects: fence extension, reseeding the yard, and new wood chips/mulch.
FOOD STUFFS
---For some reason I've had bananas ripen like crazy and I signed myself up for bringing mini-banana muffins for a family event tomorrow, so tonight marked the third batch of banana muffins I've made this week! My aunt found a "zuke bat" for me, so I hope to shred that and get baking on some zucchini muffins/bread etc.
---While not exactly what I had in mind, today while at Costco I saw a good deal on fish (salmon & tilapia) so I bought, cut into servings, and bagged for the freezer.
---Part of my goal for this summer is to straighten out the "pantry" and food storage. I'm hoping to organize all my dried beans/grains/etc into glass containers...project started this last week but I'm going to need to save, wash, & use some empty glass containers :)
SOCIAL
BOOK CLUB--Truly book club deserves it's own separate post but not likely it's going to happen....but this month's book club felt like one of the best yet. All of the gals were much more comfortable with each other (including our two newbies), much REAL conversation was shared, the food was delish (simple garden salad, sandwiches made from broiled french bread w/ pesto, mozzarella & tomatoes, coconut cream pie & skinny cow ice creams for dessert!), and it truly just felt legit. We talked about life, we talked about the book (Wild by Cheryl Strayed), and we talked about how the two did and didn't go together. We laughed, there were tears, and frustration was present. I loved every second of it and left feeling so fulfilled!
ZOO--I have been wanting to go to the zoo since before we moved back to Oregon and today was FINALLY the day! I met my sister, her teen boys, her grandbaby, and my brother there and we wandered around enjoying the different amazing creatures. Honestly, until today I never knew that there are sub-species of zebras and giraffes! How did I not know this?! :) It was so much fun to just walk around and take in all the animals. :)
FAMILY HAPPENINGS--Tomorrow we'll be celebrating Granny's 101st birthday with her usual tea party with us females in the family...and then Tall D & I agreed to host a family BBQ at my house in the evening so that the males can participate in celebrating Granny too. Will be a full day and pictures are sure to come! :) Should Sunday decide to be over 80, we're also trying to float the river!
VISITORS
---Tall D's buddy from the Army is here visiting from Wisconsin, so we've spent time together showing him around, taking him to happy hours, playing Frisbee Golf, and I was able to take him to a work meeting with me to connect him to a new sustainable ag non-profit being developed for veterans. We'll see....but there's a chance Wali-G just might stay and become an Oregon transplant. ;)
---My gal from Texas was in town this last week also, so I was able to join her and some of her other PDX crew for happy hour. It was the first time her bf had been to the city and it was great seeing it through his eyes. She's registered for a half in November in SA....and I'm contemplating attempting to train to make that goal but we'll see. (It's a lot of money to fly for a half, when I could do one here!!)
OTHER GOALS & HAPPENINGS
TRAVEL---Booked my ticket to Savannah to see my best girl D and several of my milspouse friends (Heather, Katie, & maybe a few others). I'm hopeful to do one or two overnight trips elsewhere to check out nearby areas---I've been wanting to enjoy more of Charleston for one and there are a couple other people I know in SC. D is stoked to have a beach mate (yea for Southern beaches!) and she's guaranteed me that a week with her lil man might cure me of any baby mania starting to take hold of me. ;)
---I'm also in email exchanges with a friend of my SIL who is a missionary/health worker in Africa. On my list of goals this year is to finally make it to Africa!
---Roadtrip is coming soon!
JOB/HOUSEMATE SEARCH
---BIG interview on Monday; still need to prepare some. Job is somewhat out of my league but I also know I have the skill set to do it....SO here's hoping it goes well. If this one doesn't pan out, I'm submitting my resume & cover letter for a part-time position on a different campus that just opened and there's scheduled to be a FT opening on my campus for a different position. I have faith that all will be provided in due time.
---Had a phone chat with a potential renter. He doesn't sound like the right fit but he may be an option. Timing wise I don't think it'll pan out and something tells me to just be patient. I've only had a few hits to my own ad, but I've emailed a few other individuals who had their own ads looking for rooms....we'll see... If I could get by without a renter, at this stage in my life, that might be better. I partly feel bad because I have the space...and partly worry that I'll need the rent money eventually.
DOGS
---I've always wanted a BIG, fluffy dog. If I tell you where I got this idea, you can't laugh at me....ahem, the LL Bean catalog. HOWEVER, at happy hour with Texan friends the other day, the bf mentioned a relative who used to breed Great Pyrenees. (Read: DREAM DOG). Then, while in Lowes the other day, there was a Great Pyrenees puppy that I was loving on....and the owner told me she was a rescue and that there is a PNW Great Pyrenees rescue group. So, yes, I have two adorable dogs that I love like none other....but I'm drooling over these rescue Pyr's online these days too! :) I'm just trying to figure out if three dogs really is too many, if my landlords could ok a 3rd dog, and if it'd throw off the balance of what already exists here. Regardless, owning a rescue Pyr just got officially added to my lifetime goals.
BIRTHDAY PLANNING
For the number 30, I'm attempting to tell my PDX friends to block out the day for me. I thought about a wine tour (too expensive and I'm still so-so toward wine these days....) or a spa day (expensive and only a handful of ladies). Tall D has been pretty set on helping me celebrate as he knows how important to me it is to have this birthday be memorable and meaningful (ahem, Tall D, if you're reading....might you make me a carrot cake?!) :) I'm thinking about this (or a float).... and this with a backyard BBQ in there somewhere. That way people can participate in whatever and there's something for everyone...plus a whole lot of fun! :)
And other than all that, I've just been working, working, working....and grading. ;)
---I cleaned the gutters a week ago: truly an easy process but one that I've put off doing several times. Being that close to the roof made me realize that it's probably closer than I & the landlords thought to needing to be replaced.
---Tall D and Wali G power-washed my deck and patio this week, and let me tell you, they look amazing! I no longer need to repaint the metal work around the patio cause it's glistening and the paint on the house even looks a million times better. The picnic table got a deep cleanse too and tonight it got sanded.
---Apparently the end of July marks the end of season for patio goods---we're just getting into the really good weather in Oregon and already the patio goods are gone! I also can't find battery operated Christmas lights to string through my arbor for the life of me.... But I DID snag some metal tiki torches, a fire pit for the upper deck, and new chairs for the upper deck. The finishing touch items are just hard to come by is all....I've been envisioning lights & paper lanterns for party mode.
---All this yard work makes me excited to see the yard start to come together. I'm thinking it'll be better to focus on finalizing the back and then head to the front (although I'm sure the neighbors are ready for me to finally tackle the front...aka rip out tons more bushes.) Next major backyard projects: fence extension, reseeding the yard, and new wood chips/mulch.
FOOD STUFFS
---For some reason I've had bananas ripen like crazy and I signed myself up for bringing mini-banana muffins for a family event tomorrow, so tonight marked the third batch of banana muffins I've made this week! My aunt found a "zuke bat" for me, so I hope to shred that and get baking on some zucchini muffins/bread etc.
---While not exactly what I had in mind, today while at Costco I saw a good deal on fish (salmon & tilapia) so I bought, cut into servings, and bagged for the freezer.
---Part of my goal for this summer is to straighten out the "pantry" and food storage. I'm hoping to organize all my dried beans/grains/etc into glass containers...project started this last week but I'm going to need to save, wash, & use some empty glass containers :)
SOCIAL
BOOK CLUB--Truly book club deserves it's own separate post but not likely it's going to happen....but this month's book club felt like one of the best yet. All of the gals were much more comfortable with each other (including our two newbies), much REAL conversation was shared, the food was delish (simple garden salad, sandwiches made from broiled french bread w/ pesto, mozzarella & tomatoes, coconut cream pie & skinny cow ice creams for dessert!), and it truly just felt legit. We talked about life, we talked about the book (Wild by Cheryl Strayed), and we talked about how the two did and didn't go together. We laughed, there were tears, and frustration was present. I loved every second of it and left feeling so fulfilled!
ZOO--I have been wanting to go to the zoo since before we moved back to Oregon and today was FINALLY the day! I met my sister, her teen boys, her grandbaby, and my brother there and we wandered around enjoying the different amazing creatures. Honestly, until today I never knew that there are sub-species of zebras and giraffes! How did I not know this?! :) It was so much fun to just walk around and take in all the animals. :)
FAMILY HAPPENINGS--Tomorrow we'll be celebrating Granny's 101st birthday with her usual tea party with us females in the family...and then Tall D & I agreed to host a family BBQ at my house in the evening so that the males can participate in celebrating Granny too. Will be a full day and pictures are sure to come! :) Should Sunday decide to be over 80, we're also trying to float the river!
VISITORS
---Tall D's buddy from the Army is here visiting from Wisconsin, so we've spent time together showing him around, taking him to happy hours, playing Frisbee Golf, and I was able to take him to a work meeting with me to connect him to a new sustainable ag non-profit being developed for veterans. We'll see....but there's a chance Wali-G just might stay and become an Oregon transplant. ;)
---My gal from Texas was in town this last week also, so I was able to join her and some of her other PDX crew for happy hour. It was the first time her bf had been to the city and it was great seeing it through his eyes. She's registered for a half in November in SA....and I'm contemplating attempting to train to make that goal but we'll see. (It's a lot of money to fly for a half, when I could do one here!!)
OTHER GOALS & HAPPENINGS
TRAVEL---Booked my ticket to Savannah to see my best girl D and several of my milspouse friends (Heather, Katie, & maybe a few others). I'm hopeful to do one or two overnight trips elsewhere to check out nearby areas---I've been wanting to enjoy more of Charleston for one and there are a couple other people I know in SC. D is stoked to have a beach mate (yea for Southern beaches!) and she's guaranteed me that a week with her lil man might cure me of any baby mania starting to take hold of me. ;)
---I'm also in email exchanges with a friend of my SIL who is a missionary/health worker in Africa. On my list of goals this year is to finally make it to Africa!
---Roadtrip is coming soon!
JOB/HOUSEMATE SEARCH
---BIG interview on Monday; still need to prepare some. Job is somewhat out of my league but I also know I have the skill set to do it....SO here's hoping it goes well. If this one doesn't pan out, I'm submitting my resume & cover letter for a part-time position on a different campus that just opened and there's scheduled to be a FT opening on my campus for a different position. I have faith that all will be provided in due time.
---Had a phone chat with a potential renter. He doesn't sound like the right fit but he may be an option. Timing wise I don't think it'll pan out and something tells me to just be patient. I've only had a few hits to my own ad, but I've emailed a few other individuals who had their own ads looking for rooms....we'll see... If I could get by without a renter, at this stage in my life, that might be better. I partly feel bad because I have the space...and partly worry that I'll need the rent money eventually.
DOGS
---I've always wanted a BIG, fluffy dog. If I tell you where I got this idea, you can't laugh at me....ahem, the LL Bean catalog. HOWEVER, at happy hour with Texan friends the other day, the bf mentioned a relative who used to breed Great Pyrenees. (Read: DREAM DOG). Then, while in Lowes the other day, there was a Great Pyrenees puppy that I was loving on....and the owner told me she was a rescue and that there is a PNW Great Pyrenees rescue group. So, yes, I have two adorable dogs that I love like none other....but I'm drooling over these rescue Pyr's online these days too! :) I'm just trying to figure out if three dogs really is too many, if my landlords could ok a 3rd dog, and if it'd throw off the balance of what already exists here. Regardless, owning a rescue Pyr just got officially added to my lifetime goals.
BIRTHDAY PLANNING
For the number 30, I'm attempting to tell my PDX friends to block out the day for me. I thought about a wine tour (too expensive and I'm still so-so toward wine these days....) or a spa day (expensive and only a handful of ladies). Tall D has been pretty set on helping me celebrate as he knows how important to me it is to have this birthday be memorable and meaningful (ahem, Tall D, if you're reading....might you make me a carrot cake?!) :) I'm thinking about this (or a float).... and this with a backyard BBQ in there somewhere. That way people can participate in whatever and there's something for everyone...plus a whole lot of fun! :)
And other than all that, I've just been working, working, working....and grading. ;)
Monday, July 9, 2012
Recent Highlight Updates
I'd hoped to write so many individual posts in the weeks that have passed but as usual, sometimes when I'm struggling it's easier to just be quiet and process. The last few weeks have brought many additional changes, much legit honesty, and moments of having to take a hard look at past actions while contemplating current desires (which is still happening....). For a few weeks I jumped from various coping mechanisms, some of which I'll talk about in the following bullets. So what's the highlight reel? What has been going on? Well a little bit of the following:
Beach Club Book Trip--was an awesome time with five other fabulous ladies. My cousin A and I showed up about mid-day on Saturday to my gal N's beach house. N and her SIL S were already there from the night before and our two other gals (E&E) joined us at dinner time at the local pub. We were supposed to have rainy weather so we all LOVED the fact that it was an absolutely beautiful two days on the coast. Many walks along the beach, much vino, delish cookies straight from the oven, an evening fire on the beach, and some great conversations---I'm so thankful for every one of those gals. (This last month's book was The Girl Who Fell From the Sky---interesting read. Now we're reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed about the PCT--enjoying it. And I'm also stoked cause one of my coworkers is going to join BC also!)
Overnight Backpacking Trip--Tall D and I went on a 24 hour, 14 mile, 4000 ft total incline overnight trip in the Ruckle & Eagle creek areas of the Gorge. It was the first major hike we've been on this season and the first six miles included the total amount of incline--whew! But the break from our chaotic lives, surrounding ourselves in nature, enjoying the dogs and views, and much sweating that occurred was desperately needed for both of us. We had amazing vistas, great weather, and we found the perfect little shelter area to shield our tent from the wind in the night. Wildflowers were out in abundance, the birds were hollering, and on the hike down we passed waterfalls and crossed creeks. This was the first use of my new Osprey pack and it was absolutely amazing--definitely glad I sucked it up and made that purchase. I'm also continually impressed with Tall D's UV water purification wand---its such an easy device for clean water. I'm mentally making lists of things I'll need for my own outdoor gear supplies. I was pretty impressed with how well I did with all the heights as I sometimes struggle with that but maybe it was because in the scheme of everything else in life, heights seemed the least of my problems---haha! By the end of Day 2, my feet were shot as I was hiking in my old Vibrams, and we realized that the only two things that we separately lost on the trail were the dogs leashes--doh! But I have to say that Tall D was incredibly supportive the whole trip....and it was a great time together. I'm already itching for the next excursion....
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Beach Club Book Trip--was an awesome time with five other fabulous ladies. My cousin A and I showed up about mid-day on Saturday to my gal N's beach house. N and her SIL S were already there from the night before and our two other gals (E&E) joined us at dinner time at the local pub. We were supposed to have rainy weather so we all LOVED the fact that it was an absolutely beautiful two days on the coast. Many walks along the beach, much vino, delish cookies straight from the oven, an evening fire on the beach, and some great conversations---I'm so thankful for every one of those gals. (This last month's book was The Girl Who Fell From the Sky---interesting read. Now we're reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed about the PCT--enjoying it. And I'm also stoked cause one of my coworkers is going to join BC also!)
Overnight Backpacking Trip--Tall D and I went on a 24 hour, 14 mile, 4000 ft total incline overnight trip in the Ruckle & Eagle creek areas of the Gorge. It was the first major hike we've been on this season and the first six miles included the total amount of incline--whew! But the break from our chaotic lives, surrounding ourselves in nature, enjoying the dogs and views, and much sweating that occurred was desperately needed for both of us. We had amazing vistas, great weather, and we found the perfect little shelter area to shield our tent from the wind in the night. Wildflowers were out in abundance, the birds were hollering, and on the hike down we passed waterfalls and crossed creeks. This was the first use of my new Osprey pack and it was absolutely amazing--definitely glad I sucked it up and made that purchase. I'm also continually impressed with Tall D's UV water purification wand---its such an easy device for clean water. I'm mentally making lists of things I'll need for my own outdoor gear supplies. I was pretty impressed with how well I did with all the heights as I sometimes struggle with that but maybe it was because in the scheme of everything else in life, heights seemed the least of my problems---haha! By the end of Day 2, my feet were shot as I was hiking in my old Vibrams, and we realized that the only two things that we separately lost on the trail were the dogs leashes--doh! But I have to say that Tall D was incredibly supportive the whole trip....and it was a great time together. I'm already itching for the next excursion....
House Happenings--My primary coping mechanism for the last several weeks has been cleaning, purging, and redoing the decor slightly in my house. Z cleaned a few of the carpets, assisted in rehanging artwork, and helped me with a night of painting (thick horizontal stripes and black on the faux bricks surrounding the gas stove in the den). Most of the stuff in the house has been separated now so I've been working on organizing and making the house my own. I purchased quite a few new items (art pieces, area rugs, dishes, etc) and have scoped out some new ideas. Tall D has helped me hang numerous items, fixed the futon, is doing a great job progressing on my coop, and has agreed to get roped into a few more Pinterest-to-real-life projects---bahaha! I'll post a few pictures of the house interior later and I'm excited to finish it up so I/we can get cracking on the backyard!! Also Z will not be moving in after all...I have apprehensions about living by myself this summer (mainly finances but some safety) but in some regards it might be the best thing for me....or I'll post for a housemate at some point. :)
Motherly Support--I broke down and asked my mother to come up for moral support after two days of life changing, rash, but much needed decisions and a bad night of too much vino (which has been a cure for that particular coping mechanism). Mom arrived on a Monday and stayed until Friday...and I have to say, it was great to have her here. I was honest with her about the current mess of life, we had some enjoyable times, she filled me up with our family value of unconditional love, bought me some flowers, and then she headed for home. We spent an incredible Tuesday being tourists downtown visiting one of my favorite little breakfast joints and then going to the Portland Art Museum. Mom mentioned an interest, I'd always wanted to go, and we both loved seeing the combination of historical art exhibits. We spent 4th of July going back to my roots, joining Z and his buddy for an impromptu BBQ, dirt track car races at the small town speedway, and ending with a fireworks display. Mom's flexibility and support arrived at the right time and she was wonderful--able to allow me to cry, chat, or just be as needed while also fueling my thoughts and desires for the future.
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Throw in about two days of uncontrollable crying in there, great daily support from Tall D and via long-distance text my best gal D, a trip to a new church, the tiniest and most glorious day for a wedding I've been to on the Oregon Coast, some online teaching and working from home, a few job applications, a family BBQ yesterday, major thoughts on life goals and travel plans, and a lot of hope, fear, sadness, confusion, loss, loneliness, honesty, compassion, anger, and faith.....and you've got the rest of the last week in a nut shell! I'm making mental lists of things to tackle this summer and hoping that some other great things will pan out as well. The second night I'd gone for a run, finally weeded the raised beds, made dinner, and took care of a few things around the house, I thought I might actually have snapped out of my funk. I'm sure the summer will continue to be a sort of emotional roller coaster as I both try to reacquaint and yet get out of myself....And I'll be back soon with more updates and pictures...continuing on this renewed Journey Authentically....
Hope each of you has been doing fabulously---cheers to you and yours!
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