Monday, June 29, 2015

My word, a weeee bit late.

I believe my laptop has passed on. I have been nursing it along, but think it is really hone this time. I have not blogged in a really, really long time, all because of My sickly little laptop, nothing to do with my extreme skills of procrastination.

In an effort to share my New word for this year (I had a different one ready to go at the beginning of the year, but I'm going to save it for 2016). The word I will be using for the next 6 months is...


linger
to remain or stay on in a place longer than is usual or expected, as if from reluctance to leave.

I will let that simmer with you all for a while.


Thursday, June 12, 2014

Summertime, my long lost friend.

The desire to revisit simplistic times has grown since we have reunited.  Times of sprinklers and sparklers, fire flies in jars and June bugs on slamming screen doors.  Backyard performances, ball games, lawn darts, let's pretend..., hide-and-go-seek, time-out, safety, I'm on goul! On gewl! Made it to ghoul! Drinking from garden hoses and chugging gallons of colorful mustache-making soft drinks, oh yea!  Digging to China.  Field forts. Propane tank horses. Playing Barbies on the front steps.  Neighborhood parades and selling rocks door to door {that Lucy was a good sport}. Mayonnaise Sandwiches and mixing bowls filled with milk and colorful loops of fruit that crunch when you eat them fast.  Orange sticky rivers of sweet popsicle nectar running down my arm.

Traveling to swimming lessons in the back of covered pick-up trucks while sitting on tippy little chairs, (going the back way, of course). Pool drenched towels, the sting of chlorine in our eyes and the smell of chemicals tangled up in our hair always came along for the ride home.  Some times trips (to who knows where) began with us climbing into the way back, piling in to sit two to a seat,  or riding on the hump.  Always sandwiched in the Pinto with the windows rolled all the way down. Fun was sure to be had.

Beaches {with metal slides that brunt your skin} where under-water conversations were held, under-water handstands perfected, under-water games of "Name That Tune" were played by banging two submerged rocks together, and the skill of holding-your-breath-under-water was mastered.  There was sand between toes, buried treasure to search for, collections of clam shells and rocks and the occasional "seaweed" proudly displayed on towels. Sandcastles everywhere.   Rafts, ropes, deep ends, diving boards, swims across the lake and inflatable boats.  Cream soda. The smell of  sun-warmed baby oil cooking my fair skin.

The monkey bars, the eagle's nest, the blue merry-go-round you pumped and pulled with all your might, skin scorching slides. Tether ball (how exactly is that game played)?  Scampering in a field that seem to be as endless as a summertime recess.  Rolling down grassy hills. "Mama had a baby", do you like butter?, Scatter the seeds now make a wish. Chanting "Time to go in" when bells rang, then laughing, knowing our day on the playground was ruleless and the bell had no control over us.

Riding seahorses, snails, dolphins, horses, tigers and ducks.  Playing tennis and t-ball.  Doing backflips.  Swinging.  Higher.  And higher.  And higher still, attempting to tickle the clouds with my bare feet.  Stealing away into the woods to tease the King. Pennies in the sandbox.  That blasted flesh melting metal.  King of the A-frame.  The teepee Cheif.

Bicycle rides that lasted for hours and hours to end up in places close to home.   Trips to Johnson's to buy things packaged in white boxes with black letters containing items such a COOKIES,  MACARONI & CHEESE and CHIPS,  New York Seltzer's water  (Black Cherry was the best) and donuts if it was Wednesday or Saturday. Candy cigarettes. Thinking a mile was not that far.  Adventures on the River Road, to the Pioneer Museum, biking on the Creamery road to get to Veteran's Park.  Dead Man's curve.  Scraped up knees.  Banged up elbows.  Walking the tracks.  Bravely passing trees you swear came to life at dusk and skirting the yard with the shed where missing pets were rumoured to be kept. Believing stories of the things that lived in vacant homes always pedaling faster to get by quick.

Sleep overs in campers and tents.  Climbing antennas and walking on roof tops.  Staying up till dawn.  Sleeping mornings away.  Weekends and weekdays spent at camp grounds, movie theaters, the Cedar Mall, friends homes or all of the above. Days and days of skillessly played billiards while sweet child played over and over and over.  Pet Cemetery.  Sleep Away Camp.  Dirty Dancing.  Stories being written in old notebooks with dull pencils while sipping Scwan's drink mix.  Chatting on picnic tables counting cars, hoping for signs. Going for walks.  Lots and lots of walks.  Harmless prank phone calls.  Talks on moon lit streets.  Hand holding.  Ten o'clock curfew. First kisses under star-speckled skies.

Oh, Summertime, you have come back bringing with you, your sweet memories of days gone bye, your familiar scents and sounds, the simple pleasures and I am delighted to have you here with me.  I do hope you plan to stay a while because, Tag...you're it.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Surgery: When & why

A little over a {long} month ago, I had gone into urgent care to figure out why I was having horrible cramping/labor type pains.  After spending 12 hours in the Mayo system, the finding was that I have a messy mass of stuff growing outside of reproductive organs which is requiring me to have a full hysterectomy. 

At this point they are not able to determine what exactly has taken over my body, but signs suggest that I have endometriosis (and have had for years).  The mess is attaching itself  and building and sticking and covering and...making it hard to determine what exactly it is or isn't attached to.  The only way to tell is to go in and take a look.  Which they will be doing on Friday, January 31. 

There will be a biopsy done for safety sake, but the doctors I saw are not too worried about it being anything more than what it is.  I will continue to think positively and would appreciate any thoughts, vibes, prayers or anything else anyone would like to send my way.  I am hoping for a safe surgery without unnecessary complications and a strong recovery.  I have a half marathon to complete in May, after all {wink, wink}.

I have been asked multiple time about how I feel about this surgery and I always have the same answer:  I perfectly fine with it.  I have been dealing with pain in some form for years and look forward to relief.  I'm looking forward to getting back to living my life and not letting the pain or fear of the pain hold me back.  The benefits outweigh the drawbacks, in my mind.  I am not normally a surgery--medicate kind of person, it's true, but this is a time when I know it is the right thing to do...it is all about harmony.

I (or my husband) will try to update everyone as soon as possible.  I am again asking that everyone please keep me and my family [and everyone else involved in the process] in your thoughts.  Here's to a successful procedure.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Renovations and a New Word.





As with most renovations, they take time.  This year I will continue to work to bring my best self forward.  I had an amazing year. Things I thought I never could accomplish where taken on.  Skills I already had, became better.  Fun was had.  Connections and re-connections were made.  Life is good.  At one point, I had thought about skipping picking a new word and just keeping 2013 word and using it until I have completed my transformation.  I realized that I could be using the word renovate for a long time if I wait for it all to be done as I'm not really in a hurry to get it all done--because I know that I need to take it one step at a time in order for transformation to stick.  As I thought about it and looked at my word again, I stumbled upon a word that just jumped out at me.  I decided that I could keep the idea of last years word as my life theme (at least for a while) and add my new word.  This years word is:  harmony.
 
har·mo·ny (härm-n)
n. pl.har·mo·nies
1. Agreement in feeling or opinion; accord: live in harmony.
2. A pleasing combination of elements in a whole: color harmony; the order and harmony of the universe. See Synonyms at proportion.
3. Music
a. The study of the structure, progression, and relation of chords.
b. Simultaneous combination of notes in a chord.
c. The structure of a work or passage as considered from the point of view of its chordal characteristics and relationships.
d. A combination of sounds considered pleasing to the ear.
4. A collation of parallel passages, especially from the Gospels, with a commentary demonstrating their consonance and explaining their discrepancies.
 
I am looking forward to a year of agreement, and combination of parts to make a whole.  I'm ready to hear pleasing sounds.  I am ready for harmony of mind, body, and soul.  I am ready for harmony in my goals and achievements.  I am ready to listen to the sounds of my beautiful life. 
 
To the new year.
 


Friday, August 30, 2013

The race is on

Over the years, I have entered a number of race events.  Some years more than others.  I have always walked them.  Tomorrow is my first official chip-run.  Me, the kid who was always picked last in gym.  Me, the one who never was able to run laps or complete the President Physical Fitness one mile run.  Me, the person who swore I was not built to run.  Me, the person who is determined to do things that are said not to be done.  Me. 

Sunday, May 26, 2013

On the Loose

When I went about picking a name for my blog, I did not get my first pick(s) because other bloggers had snatched them up already.  I don't even remember what the favorites had been, but for some reason, I think that "On the Loose" suites me wonderfully fine.

I'm sure some of my faithful followers know exactly why I went with this  And to them, they see how perfectly it is and read and smile and hopefully chuckle a little and go on about their day.  Some may not even have noticed and are now thinking--oh, so that's the title of her blog.  Mayhaps their are others who have often wondered Why in the world or does she not know how to spell lose? 

The truth of the matter is it is taken from the title of one of my favorite camp songs.  The lyrics are beautiful and touching.  Talking of climbing mountains and following trails and searching and watching and being free and oh, so many other things.  I have come to realize that this song is a great theme for my life and at this moment it could be no more truer than ever.  There are trails that I'm hiking just to see where they might go.  In time when you are ready, come and join me and we can enjoy life out on the loose.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Delay in progress

As we come to the end of winter (I say that with great hope) I figured I should give a recap of how my renovation is going.  Currently?  At a stand still. Under the weather (in healthy and outside).  Project stalled.  Isn't that the way it goes with renovations?  Going go and then something gets in the way of progress.  If it's not the weather that is keeping me indoors it has been illness that has changed my momentum. 

This past week has been the worst.  Not able to breathe properly, weak, drained and hungry for nothing good and I have not had enough energy or will power to fight off the evil food villains and have staggered away from my path for a moment {damn you salty french fries}.  But with determination and support, this will only be a slight delay in progress...and not total derailment.  I raise my kale smoothie (http://withstyleandgraceblog.com/2012/02/20/market-monday-greens-on-the-go/) to you all and drink to good health.