Thursday 13 - Random Thoughts ..

So this weekend we are moving out of a great transition house. When I realized we were really moving out of Texas, I had about two weeks to find a house that would fit the three of us, plus a dog and a cat. This house fell on us .. the couple that own the house were going to Florida for the winter, and needed to leave a furnished house for five months .. it was perfect for what we needed. Now it’s time to move on .. and I am ready. It is just another one of my forward moving pieces. I am ready to make this next house a home for at least two years. In two years Noah will graduate, and Alet will have one more year left. It’s hard to imagine two years from now .. It’s hard to imagine my son will be graduating!! Then Alet …. ahh! and then??

Whoa .. let’s back up and enjoy the next coming months! So .. here is my Thursday 13 list of the things I am going to enjoy with the thoughts of this new house .. another step to the new beginnings …

Thirteen Random thoughts on the traditional T13 .. if you want to play, click here ..

1. better start packing! It shouldn’t be too difficult, I tried to leave my boxes alone …. It will be like Christmas again ..!
2. Some of those boxes were packed in October 2008, and just followed me  from Texas to Maine to Texas to Maine …
3. Bigger house = more rooms = more privacy!!
4. My landlord is already scoring the big points .. new washer and dryer, new dishwasher, new fridge .. new laminate floor .. new kitchen …….
5. April will be busy .. May …summer in sight!
6. Oh… I found out today that the teenagers are going to Texas for the summer ….. I’m single for the summer!
7. This summer I’m planning a couple of kayak excursions .. (that’s cause I can!! I’m single for the summer … oh, did I mention that already?!)
8. I can’t wait to decorate this house .. not that I have a lot of furniture … lol .. one oversized chair! I wouldn’t have been able to fit anymore into my 6 X 12 trailer .. (new beginnings = new furniture!)
9. Janine can’t complain anymore that I live soooo far out of the way! (it was only four miles extra ..)
10. I can now step outside and be a stone’s throw from a Chinese restaurant, pizza place, breakfast bakery, the gas station,  my hairdresser, the high school, 1/2 mile walk from the grocery store .. hardware store .. hmmm, we’re missing the local martini and wine bar ..
11. i wish there was an IKEA store around here …Pier One will work as well …I think I am going to add Asian flavor to this house … we always had several statues of Buddha in our house .. my dad was a collector of many things ..
12. I’m ready .. the teenagers are ready …
13. I think it’ll be a good Spring and Summer …

If you find yourself in town .. drop by, bring a bottle of wine .. you’re always welcome ..

Friday Fill In .. on Saturday!

 

1. __There is a great big hill, which gets me all the time, when I am running towards_ home.
2. My favorite thing for dinner lately has been _dinner? is that when you cook? oh, going out .. quesadillas__.
3. _____ bark! bark! bark! (That’s what she said)
4. A nice long walk _can clear the mind _.
5. __Summer is virtually here, for Maine, that is _ some good news.
6. When all is said and done, _you will still need to look in the mirror _.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _a night out with the girls_, tomorrow my plans include _a night out with the girls_ and Sunday, I want to _kayak early in the morning_! (out with the girls again?! LOL …. just kidding!)

Click here to play along … happy weekend!

Thursday 13 .. Thirteen Things in May

The last Thursday of the month ..thirteen things in May, stolen in it's original form from Janet at T13 .. here we go:

1. Picture of: Boothbay Harbor



Aletta took this picture while we were in Boothbay Harbor .. isn't she just awesome?



2. Current Scent: I'm not a big perfumey person .. (although I love a well scented man!) .. so I rarely wear perfume .. maybe a spritz of China Blossom from Bath and Body ..



3. What I am reading: Sigh .. reading? a book?



4. Newest music I added to my playlist: I just added Second Chance by Shinedown



5. Movies I saw: Star Trek .. thank goodness for Noah .. he had to keep telling me what was going on .. I couldn't get into the past and future thing ...



6. Something Yummy: ..ahhh .. we specifically bought fudge from a great store in Greenville



7. The Last Place I ate out at: Noah, Alet and I went to the Black Frog .. in Greenville..



8. Something that made me cry: ahhh ... really? ..what about the latest recommendation to wear push up bras because the girls were hanging a little low .......? This recommendation came from none other than ..... Aletta. ... I love my daughter!



9. Something that made me laugh: the sight of the tall grass in the yard .. I need to mow the lawn!


10. Something that I look forward to in June: oh .. so much to do, to see, to explore .. to take pictures of ... and I still have to set my kayak in ...and then at the end of the month .. Texas



11. Something I am thankful for: the ability and opportunity of being here these last 7 months.



12. Something I want to remember this month: This was probably the most defining month in the last 6 months .. lots of up and downs .. laughs and tears .. realizations and recognitions ..



13. A photo I took this month: for our photography class I have been taking several ... but I realized our cat rarely makes it in ..

Friday fill in ..a little late

1. Moving _again, back to Texas, and this time I will enjoy what Texas has to offer. I have learned that Maine will always be "home" to me, and it will always be here... __.
2. _The simple things in life are _ free. (Well ... okay, sometimes an initial investment, like a kayak .. but then the paddling is free!)
3. My best quality is _(augh..struggle, struggle ..) I'm a good listener .....(what did you say?)_.
4. _Pay attention to the little _ details.
5. In nearly 10 years, _I'll be 50! That just seems so unreal .. my sisters are the older ones ... not me!__.
6. _Good motivation to run on a more consistent basis_ is what I need right now!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _Chinese food, and a movie with Noah_, tomorrow my plans include _going to the dump (yippee!), a modified run, and some photo opportunities__ and Sunday, I want to _go on a road trip for more photo opportunities or Kayak?____! ..and holiday Monday ... relax and enjoy Memorial Day (can I squeeze kayak here?).

Have a Happy Memorial Weekend ..... summer is here .... YEAH!!!! (oh wait, that means school vacation .... hmmm!)

Something to be passionate about ..

So, my first homework assignment in my photography class is to take four or five pictures of “something that you feel passionate about” . Relatively easy I thought to myself…

Thursday was a beautiful day, the sun was out .. 70’s ..in April, for Maine ..it’s summer! All I could think about was kayaking .. I wanted to be outside .. my mind wandered about picture taking “something I feel passionate about …” Then it occurred to me .. how do I take four or five pictures of something I am passionate about? Is there such a thing as being passionate about an object? .. Doesn’t passionate go with emotion? Was this a trick assignment? Did he mean to take pictures of an object .. or of a thought …… ?

So, fast forward to today .. during my long run, I went back to the thoughts of my homework assignment, and knowing I would be able to take pictures this afternoon …… but of what? I started questioning the whole idea of “what am I passionate about?”. I made a mental list .. the things I feel passionate for are intangible; I feel passion for being healthy, making sure I eat healthy, (and yes, wine and chocolate equate to healthy eating .. it’s all in the balance!) that I exercise regularly (and have recovery days!!) and that I don’t deprive myself of sleep.

I am passionate about living .. making that bucket list, and crossing things off. Alet once said “if you aren’t living on the edge you’re taking up too much space ..” Obviously there is a time and place for everything, however, life is not a dress rehearsal, live life!

Sooo… meanwhile, I am still running, and notice the scenery .. an island of tulips .. beautiful yellow, orange and red .. right on the Main Road ..note to self: come back and take a picture; and that’s when it hit me. In photo taking, I am passionate about simple, natural beauty. I love to find Mother Nature’s surprises and capture them. Now I just need to get good at it, and make sure the picture does it justice!

Thursday 13 .. Thirteen Things in April

It's the last thursday of the month .. time for Thirteen Things in April... stolen in it's original form from Janet of T13 ...

1. Picture of: Alet took this picture of herself ... my girl is so talented! She should be taking the photography class .. not me!



2. Current Scent: I still am not burning candles .. but have had the scented oil with bamboo sticks in a jar ... Fresh Fig from Pier 1



3. What I am reading: trying to understand photography



4. Newest music added to my playlist: ahh.. Noah's zune .. Disturbed, Saliva .. Korn?!?



5. Movies I saw: Duplicity with Bob (was disappointed)



6. Something yummy I made: I made Arlene's Potato Chowder for Alet.. her favorite



7. The last place I ate out: Muddy Rudder .. we sat out on the deck!



8. Something that made me cry: Easter Sunday .. too many truths came out



9. Something that made me laugh: when I was trying to be stealth-like, and I leaned into the horn of the truck, accidentally!



10. Something I look forward to in May: K-A-Y-A-K ... sunshine



11. Something I am thankful for: being healthy.. I finally broke the 10 mile barrier, and ran 12 miles last Saturday!! (the last time I ran this many miles in one day was 1991!)



12. Something I want to remember this month: How brave Alet was when she had her wisdom teeth removed (and then I made her go to school after 4 days, while her face was still swollen! Is she scarred forever?)



13. A photo I took this month:

I miss the Texas sunsets .. another quest .. finding the perfect sunset in Maine.

Thursday 13 .. Random thoughts

I love thursday13 (T13) .. mostly because it is a list 'thing' .. and it is random .. soo, random thoughts tonight!

1. I need to get to work; the longer I blog, the later I stay up


2. The Office is on .. another procrastination to work!


3. Alet is phenomenal at healing .. she had four impacted wisoms removed, and her i-teeth exposed ... this morning! She wanted to go bathing suit shopping tonight!


4. Run?! I'm not going to the gym tomorrow ... oh wait .. I haven't gone all week! S-L-U-G


5. However, I did run 12 on Saturday ....(and here I thought it was 11.5~!)


6. Friday tomorrow!


7. Kayak this weekend ... they are saying 80's .....in April in Maine !! K-A-Y-A-K!


8. Note to self: go out back and harvest from the money tree .. that is where the money comes from right?! It's what the kids must think ...


9. Not sure if I like my haircut .. bangs.. what do I do with them?


10. The world is our playground ... watched Yes Man today ..


11. Can I go to sleep .. I am soooo tired ..


12. Tell Alet to go to bed .. I want to go to bed!


13. I'm so glad it's Friday tomorrow ... K-A-Y-A-K this weekend

Friday fill in ..

Thank you to Janet for Friday Fill In..

1. Why do we have to_go grocery shopping so often_?
2. _Early morning gym days_and eating all the time_ are now habits.
3. I have an insatiable urge to go kayaking .. I can't wait for the weather to warm up. I have missed the Maine waterways!__.
4. I had never heard the phrase "_adjudicate" and it _always makes Rachel and me laugh ..but then again we laugh at almost anything lately!_.
5. _The weekend is here, and mentally I create a large, not-enough-time-to-do-list,__ the way I always do.
6. How was I to know _life could take such sharp turns_.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _taking Alet to the mall (taxi mom?), tomorrow my plans include _10 and Chinese food with the inlaws____ and Sunday, I want to _have Breakfast with Cyn, and relax____!

Thursday 13 - Happy

So it's Thursday again ... time for Thursday 13... this time I am going to take Megan's idea of 13 things that make me happy ... I don't think they will be in the order of what makes me happy ... that, once again, is like picking a favorite child ... I think things make you happy for different reasons .. so they are random 13 happy things! Okay .... GO!

1. An accomplished run (of course I had to put that in there!)

2. warm brownie with Oreo cookie ice-cream topped with caramel and hot fudge sauce (especially after an accomplished run!)

3. hearing Noah and Aletta belly laugh

4. a walk on a crisp fall day ..

5. unloading my kayak off my truck getting ready to paddle in a lake anywhere in Maine! (hmm.. that could count as 4!)

6. being around my sisters

7. a long no-destination-in-mind night time drive

8. red wine (i could really expand on this .. name the wine; name the company; the amount of wine; food complimenting the wine; the list goes on and on ..)

9. a big snow storm on a weekend!

10. the idea of being on a warm beach in Aruba .. (or is it a chalet with a fireplace at SugarLoaf??)

11. shoes .... (and boots ... running shoes .. too many to choose from!)

12. girlfriend time

13. Michael Buble's "Everything"

Sacred Life Sunday

So .. here is a new blog (for me) that I stumbled upon when I went to check out Pamela's blog after she checked out my blog .. She mentioned Carla Blaze's Zena Moon's website, and how Carla went on a 30 day personal journey "she called My Sacred Life

wherein she posted daily a photo from her daily life capturing something that connected her to Spirit, like her prayer beads, candles, family, her garden, etc. "

Interesting is what I thought .. part of what I love about taking pictures is the ability to capture a moment that strikes a chord inside... almost bringing to life what stirs from within. (Pretty deep, and that is without wine!)

So... not that I will attempt a 30 day journey, but perhaps a weekly journal with a picture of an item or a scene that makes my inner self celebrate. The first picture that came to my mind was this one:

This is my kayak .. it is probably one of my most prized possession (along with the paddle and life jacket of course!). On our ride from Texas to Maine, my kayak was nestled nicely in it's cradle. In New York we encountered snow .. and I remember looking up through the sunroof at my kayak and feeling a pang of guilt that this poor kayak had to endure the cool weather!This is Julie who introduced me to kayaking almost 10 years ago. There are too many stories to tell of our adventures .. after many paddling adventures, she decided to upgrade, and I decided to buy my own .. so together we bought our kayaks 7 years ago.

My kayak represents peace and serenity. When I push off, and feel the kayak slide into the water, there is an instant calmness. There is nothing like a quiet journey on the lake. I can't wait for spring and summer ..

Belated Manic Monday ..

Manic Monday #123
What sound or noise do you love?
The sound I love is when I am sitting in my kayak, and I can hear the water splashing on the tip of my kayak... and the rhythm of my paddle going in and out of the water.


What sound or noise do you hate?
Anyone who knows me knows that "hate" is such a strong word, so I like to say "dislike" .. I dislike the sound of multiple noises (can you say that?!) FOR EXAMPLE ... it is extreme chaos to me when the TV is on, the radio is playing and from the next room I can hear the X-Box or someone else's radio playing all at the same time. Do we need to have so much NOISE POLLUTION??

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Other profession ... I am about to venture onto my second profession (at least I hope to!)so .. the "OTHER" profession .. I think would be Financial Advisor ... I had made a feeble attempt several years ago .. but a couple of weeks ago, one of the ladies I work with paid me such a high compliment (yes ... I am honking my own horn!)she said that if I were a Financial Advisor, she would give me her money to invest because I have such a "trusting soul". HONK>>HONK!!!

What profession would you not like to do?
Hands down: DENTAL HYGIENIST!! I have respect for those people .. how do they decide .. "when I grow up I want to pick people's teeth?" but then again, being an optician also had it's privileges .. who knows what lurks behind unclean ears!!!! .. and those 5 year old nose pads that absorb bodily oils ....(So note to all of you nose padded people, make sure you replace your nose pads often ..) having said that I did love being an optician.