Thursday 13 - Month of July

It's that time again ... T13 .. click here to play!

A photo of:

Current Scent:  Still nothing on the scent thing .. I have an unburned candle in my bathroom, Clean Lining or something like that .. just a pure smell

What I am reading: I started a new book on July 4 ... and only read it when I play the role of Ariel, when I hop onto my rock

Newest Music added to my play list: ROXANNE by The Police ... couldn't help it ...great running song!

Movie I saw: Nelson and I saw Knight and Day... we've only seen one movie this month ... how sad!

Something yummy:  OH MY .. had this cake today .... seemed like it was white chocolate with raspberries ... it was YUMMY

The last place I ate:  mm.. okay .. so no dinner, does wine and delectable crab dip count? Luna's ...

Something that made me cry: ohhhh... I made mother of the year again!! I bawled on my girlie's 15th birthday because I lost total control and told her things I shouldn't have. I had had enough of the sarcasm and the teenage attitude!! ..... and here's my acceptance speech for my mother of the year award .........

Something that made me laugh: Tonight as I stood chatting with my son, I watched him eat 3 slices of blueberry pie ...then girlie comes in, looks at the pie and starts yelling about the fact that there wasn't any pie left ..(even though she ate a slice of cake) so son started with .. "i only ate one piece .. mom ate the other .. " and he kept doing it so well, that she believed him, and I kept saying it wasn't me ..  he was so confident in his delivery, that I completely lost all ability to defend my innocence!

Something I look forward to in August: road race in S. Portland .. I think it'll be a good weekend!

Something I want to remember from July: This was a crazy month for me .. as much as I was dreading July .. I think it has been a great month. We finished the photography class ... have taken the opportunity to do a lot of kayaking at different times of day. Funny thing is, no matter what time of day .. whether at 6:30 am or noon .. or 8:30pm ... alone or not ... i love kayaking!

Something I am thankful for: I'm always thankful for my kids, my job and my health ... I'm also thankful for my kayak .. and for being back in Maine

A photo I took this month:

 

another one of those sun rising moments before I set the kayak in ...

Thursday 13

So .. it's 10:53pm and I am trying to get my thursday13 done ..i have no excuses other than I'm just having to much fun! So, I couldn't think of what to make a 13 list of .. so once again, I'm shameless and stole from ****April****, who stole from the guys at Sunday Stealing, who go about the blogosphere finding memes to steal from other blogs.  Cheers to all of us thieves!
1. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? No, nothing sparkly, unless you consider my ambiance lighting .. Martha Stewart attempt ... Christmas lights in a glass vase from Pottery Barn .. tacky I know ... but you know .. it gives a nice  glow!! LOL

2. How many countries have you visited? Visited? or lived? big differences ... visited...9 .. lived .. 6


3. Ever been on a train? Yes .. my sister and I took a train in '84 from Amsterdam to Paris .. only to do it again as two families in 2000. In Holland we're always on a train ... I'd like to take the train from Portland ME to Boston .. looks like that would be fun .. walk around the city..


4. Do you have a cell-phone? IPhone



5. Do you use Chap Stick? Hardly ever .. I used to be faithful every night, then started wondering if my lips were getting addicted ..I only use SPF 45 on my lips now ...YES SURPRISE .. 45!!


6. Who are you going to be with tonight? for a bit .. with the teenagers .. then it was me myself and I ..well, sort of!

7. Are you too forgiving? Does "sap" count?

8. Ever been in love? Absolutely.


9. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow (or the next soonest week day)? She'll be giving the best Patient Care Management to her patients

10. Ever have cream puffs? REALLY??

11. Last time you cried? Why always the crying question? Okay ... July 4th, I was alone for the day,  .. I was walking Bruce, and felt a surge of self pity come over me .. I felt big betrayal from my ex for not keeping up with his part of the wedding vows, and I felt a different betrayal because this summer wasn't supposed to be like this, not on the Fourth ... I sucked it up, and moved on .. no point in crying over spilled vodka milk. I kayaked for the day, then bought a grill and had my own d@mn  grilled chicken!!


12. What was the last question you asked? Which email tomorrow morning to send you a link?


13. Ever walked into a wall? Is that really a question? A glass sliding door maybe .. but a wall?? Teenager one ran into a concrete wall ... lost his adult front teeth .. he laughed, I cried!

Happy Thursday .. is it weekend yet??

Happy Weekend!

In a nutshell, this was my weekend ... one big kayak time! I went twice on Saturday, and twice on Sunday ... both days were fabulous .. my last big hoorah before I was back to being mom! (okay.. so I never stopped, but it was fun to have moments where could I pretend!)

Here is where I park the kayak, and I grab my book ... and let the sun do her thing ..did I mention ...

I love being back in Maine!

(now if I could only find my running aura ..)

Manic Monday .. very late!

 Okay ... a little late .. but trying to jump start my blogless mind! To play click here!

 Imagine you have a hundred dollars, but you couldn't keep it. You have to give it away to a person or charity. Who would you give it to? What would you want them to do with it?
Really ...? A hundred dollars? That's all? Well, I would give it to Teenager one, and ask him to give half to Teenager two. I'm sure it would be better spent at the local Red Cross, but I think I'm dealing with the guilt factor of taking the kids out of their 'luxury' life ... yes, perhaps I should have stayed, continued to live in a big new home, lived a double income life .. for another 20 years .. empty and alone .. oh wait, I digress ... yes, one hundred dollars to Teenager one, share it and don't buy food with it. (He tends to buy snacks ....)

If you could cook any meal for your friends or family, what would you cook?
I love to cook for friends and family ... it's so satisfying to make something and know that it is being enjoyed .. I know, a tad bit narcissistic .. (but hey, this blog is about me!) It's like Thanksgiving: spend all the time making food, then you have family and friends.. everyone enjoys the meal .. My mom used to make Chili Crab .. my dad would hand sew bibs .. friends would come .. everyone would enjoy! How fun!! My teenagers don't always like what I make .. either it's too weird or too healthy! I'm always looking through Asian recipes looking to make something .. one day, I want to make either Chili Crabs or Indonesian rijsttafel ....  something where we can all sit at a large table, have a small crowd and just laugh and enjoy and eat!



List 5 things you want to do in your life.
oh... just 5!! I'm feeling rather philosophical today!

1. Love Passionately -  I have let 20 years go by without having that passion .. I've had a taste of it, and for that short time, I loved it, and I know that I want to love like that for a long time... when I am ready ..
2. Like the Skin I am In - I've been having conversations ..and noticed that my constant theme was that I felt I wasn't good enough in past relationships ..I have been forced to be alone these last couple of months, and I am learning a lot about myself .. I can't love passionately if I don't appreciate the person I am ..
3. Give my teenagers the tools - I want them to be strong and confident ..I'm sure the whole divorce story wasn't the best path for them .. but I'm hoping that through our life's lessons, they'll take the good, and use it to be successful
4. Work and play near water - I realized in these last couple of weeks that I am a water person. I'm an energy believer, and I believe that water has my type of energy .. I never felt so out of place when I was in Texas, and I've come to realize that one of the reasons, was because I wasn't around water. I know most of you will think I am crazy .. I am so at peace on the water. So.. that's where I am going to be when the time is right..
5. Go to Australia and photograph a koala bear! (how tacky was that! I also want to go to the Golden Coast, I want to see the Sydney Harbor bridge .. kangaroos of course! )

 
 

The teenagers came home last night ... they were a bit delayed, and we didn't come home until 2:15 in the morning. The delay was due to the lightening at the airport. Of all days not to have my Rebel with me .. I took this with my IPhone .. the clouds were phenomenal ... I couldn't stop taking pictures; so ominous and scary. Mother nature was certainly in control .. it was truly a moment of realizing how small we are in this world.

Firday Fill In

 To play click here:

1. This is what life does. It lets you __stumble around, fall on your face a couple of times, and then with more determination, you find a way to enjoy it all___.
2. _Have you learned how to _ appreciate the moment.
3. Upon reflection _ I would do it again __.
4. _I haven't run __ for quite a long time.
5. Later, you wake up _and wonder what that dream meant .. _
6. _Maybe one day I will kayak__ to the far and boundless sea. (Does kayaking in Belfast harbor count?)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _some me time, with lobster salad, glass of wine, and early to bed__, tomorrow my plans include _an early morning kayak photo session, cleaning the house because the teenagers are coming back, and a massive grocery shopping excursion__ and Sunday, I want to _enjoy my very last day being single and teenager free .. ____!

Happy weekend! The last four weeks have flown by .. Teenagers are coming back on Monday night ..

Thursday 13

So ... Thursday is coming .. my favorite meme .. T13, making a list of 13.. click here to participate!

I've been on another blog dry spell ... maybe the daily blogging of June just took all the energy!  So in total shame, I'm stealing a T13 from another player .. and keeping it simple by making a list of 13 things I did today!

 

How positively exciting!

1. Laid in bed, listening to the rain, wishing for coffee to brew and deliver itself to me .. I would ask Bruce to do it .. but he just can't grasp the whole making the coffee thing ..guess that's what happens when you're a dog!
2. Ignored the cries of the cats - they were hungry and out of food!
3. Turned on my shuffle, and played my music nice and loud .. you can do that when there are no teenagers in the house. It's like you were in high school, with no regard to loud music! I love the song from Miranda Lambert - The House That Built Me
4. Late for work ... apparently laying in bed too long, isn't always a good thing!
5. Listened to Michael Buble in the truck .. he always puts me in a good mood!  (Not that I was in a bad mood ..)
6. Had a long day at work ...
7. Couldn't find anyone who was willing to go out for a drink .. I was craving for one Pomegranate Martini - yes just one!!
8. Stopped at the grocery store to buy cat food (ugh, I sound like an old maid!)
9. Walked Bruce ..... it's always good to have the exercise!
10. Grabbed my camera and went out for more pictures .. tonight is the last night I get to play with the borrowed lens. *sigh*
11. Fried up sweet potatoes ... I was craving something sinful all day .. and since I didn't have anything, and nobody was willing to deliver, I finally caved and FRIED slices of sweet potatoes for dinner ... the shame of it all! I even added extra salt!!! ( I skipped dessert .. even though I was wanting ice cream! Sometimes you just have to live!)
12. Anticipated a glass of wine, realizing only too late that there was only quarter glass .... hmm, no martini, and now no wine ..
13. Opened my lap top for the first time in a long time, with the intent to blog ... just too many distractions!

Sunday Stealing ...

Another weekend gone! So as to get my blog mind started again, I'm going to use this meme ... stolen the theme from April .. but link here to play along ... it's all fun!

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. First thing you wash in the shower? My face
2. What color is your favorite hoodie?  I don't wear hoodies ..
3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? mmmmm... most definitely .. but the REAL question is, would he kiss me again??
4. Do you plan outfits?  plan outfits? Like as in work? .. ya, usually 3 minutes before putting it on... does that count?
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?  feeling relaxed .. a busy weekend!
6. What's the closest thing to you that's red? LOL my glass of red wine
7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having? hmmm, I don't remember my last dream ..
8. Did you meet anybody new today? Yes .. just chatting..
9. What are you craving right now?   HAHA .. really?? oh wait, craving, that's food ... hmmm .. you know, I can honestly say nothing right now (that's a first!)
10. Do you floss? Not often enough
11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?  lol .. go to April's blog!  Okay, if I didn't see April's .. I'd say corned beef.
12. Are you emotional? Emotional what? See me when I'm angry, I guess I get emotional then..
13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? Man, that would be a long count up.. so,  no.. I'm not that patient..
14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?  Bite .. again, not so patient!
15. Do you like your hair? today .. no, .. I'm still debating..
16. Do you like yourself?  I think so ..

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?  oh yes ..
18. What are you listening to right now?  A CD by Kenny Chesney ( I know!) .. I was in a reminiscing mood ..
19. Are your parents strict? Were they? Not so much .. they didn't need to be .. we were so good!!
20. Would you go sky diving? .....it's really not on my bucket list!
21. Do you like cottage cheese? I don't mind it ... it's not my first choice of dairy product ..
22. Have you ever met a celebrity? I don't think so.. I would ask what constitutes a celebrity? ...

Cyn and I went on a whale watch last weekend ..who knew it was so difficult to photograph a whale!

My Prince …

Meet Prince .. my new beau.. one of my friends in the photo class spotted him and is giving him to me .. I fell in love with him instantly .. hence his name  ‘Prince’ .. I have determined not to kiss him because I like him exactly the way he is. 

Thursday 13 .. first in July

My favorite meme … Thursday 13, make a list of 13 … just a list of whatever you want!

This past Saturday when we were getting ready to do the full moon kayaking .. I accidentally backed into a parked car. Mind you, the parked car was illegally parked, and because he was .. I had a difficult time getting out of my parking spot BECAUSE HE WAS BLOCKING THE PARKING SPOT I WAS PARKED IN!!  <cleansing breath>Since I was the moving vehicle, and he was the parked vehicle …… guess who is to blame!

Even though no one witnessed the scene of the crime … I was honest and left a note on the windshield … hence my mantra for the last couple of days has been “I did the right thing, I did the right thing, I did the right thing..”

YA>>>> $771.57 later!!!! … hey, I did the right thing.

So for Thursday 13 … a list of mantras  I have used in the last 6 months :

1. I did the right thing, I did the right thing …
2. Honesty is the best policy, Honesty is the best policy …
3. Deep breath, count …, deep breath, count …
4. run the hill, run the hill …
5. it’s going to be a great day, it’s going to be a great day
6. strong, strong, strong
7. love my kayak, love my kayak …
8. run away, run away
9. better to have loved … better to have loved
10. wax on, wax off …
11. focus, focus …
12. three more years, three more years
13. love my kids, love my kids, love my kids …

Happy Thursday … Happy Weekend … and Happy Fourth of July!  It’s going to be a strange holiday for me .. its the first time that I’m not going to be with my kids .. very, very odd!

End of NaBloMoPo!

It’s end of June … where did the time go?!  To me, end of June means .. half way past 2010 (wow!), we’ve passed the longest day of the year .. (sad!) .. we’re coming into July>>real summer!!

It also happens to be the last National Blog Month Posting for June! woo hoo! I’m taking a break .. okay, after Thursday 13 .. because I have to do T13.. my favorite meme. It was fun to post .. but at the same time, tiring. So.. it’s going to be the Fourth of July this weekend .. I’ll take the opportunity to take a break .. I’m not sure yet what I’ll be doing .. and since I am without kids, and no commitments .. and therefore,  ALSO not going to be committed to my blog!! hahaha!! (hey .. i may like this non-committed lifestyle!!)

Happy July!!!

More Alphabet ..

F G

 H I J K

Go Holland!

How about Oranje? For those who aren’t following .. the Dutch Soccer Team .. Arjen Robben .. mmm yummy! But then again .. soccer players are just plain yummy .. .. okay, okay .. not as yummy as my Peyton .. for now I will have to watch Arjen, and then soon enough ….. yumminess! Well, I really went off topic .. Holland made it into the quarter finals .. their next game is Friday .. thank goodness we are closed that day .. the game schedule is totally not conducive to the American public .. .what were they thinking?? So, I have had to sneak on line and watch little blurbs move around like the game pong!

Here is some yumminess!!

Hey .. No judging allowed ..  this is my fantasy!

***teenager update: Day 4 Teenager girl wants to come home!  She misses her boyfriend, and just feels like the three weeks remaining  will be an eternity .. oh girlie girl …Let’s talk! ***

I hate not being able to fix this for her … another new lesson in life!

Fabulous Kayak weekend!

So this will  be a double post .. which means it counts as two posts since I am falling behind … only because I had such a great weekend!! First a little ridiculous news …. just slap the “L” on my forehead … I was going to run a race .. but oh, you can’t run a race on Sunday when it was scheduled on Saturday! Shall we review the ‘how to read a calendar’ class again ….. …..!

Okay .. on to new and much better things! Saturday night I had the pleasure of experiencing something new: a full moon paddle on the Penobscot! It was so cool! … and added benefit … there was an eagle perched on a tree. The pictures aren’t that great because I didn’t want to bring the Rebel .. so it was a point and shoot and my I phone .. and it was getting dark out. This was such a cool experience .. I’m definitely doing it again in July .. thank goodness the full moon comes out every month!

Of course no real good pictures of the full moon…!

So today I went and kayaked on my most favorite river ..in Belfast. You launch in the harbor and then paddle up and it becomes a river. I have no idea when it turns from ocean water to river … one of those mysteries I will just enjoy paddling in … but the weather was perfect .. and it felt so great to be back on this body of water.  On the way back the wind had picked up and it was tough going back towards the harbor .. that’s when the eagle was spotted. I’m surprised the picture came out as well as it did considering every time I stopped paddling, I would float backwards and sway side to side, away from him.

What a great weekend!! If the weather stays this great … my kayak and I are going to best friends! Between this weekend and last weekend I saw so many places where you could paddle to, climb out and just spread a blanket, bring a lunch, a good book and relax for the day …….

ahhhhh … i love being back in Maine!

The Alphabet Game -

One of our assignments in our photo class was to find the alphabet in natural state … So to finish off the month of June … I’m going to cheat .. just in case I don’t have anything exciting to blog about!

A

B

C

D

E

I wanted to be on blog strike today … it was the first night that I was home before 7 .. I walked the dog .. made dinner, poured the wine … and ahhh ……… enjoy your Friday night!

Thursday 13 .. the month of June

A photo of:  A peony

Current Scent:  I’m so boring .. no scents

What I am reading:  I can’t wait … I have two books waiting for me!  A Slice of Life sent me a new book!

Newest music added to my playlist:  Last week I added Tim McGraw with Faith Hill .. Like We Never Loved At All

Movie I saw: The last movie I saw was with Nelson .. The Killers .. it was very cute and funny.

Something yummy:  it’s all yummy!

The last place I ate at: I think would have been for lunch at the 99

Something that made me cry:  Putting my kids on that plane!

Something that made me laugh:  how about smile? I smiled at the box that was sitting at my door step!

Something that I look forward to in July:  more Summer!!

Something I want to remember from this month: Road races, lots of  kayaking .. just knowing we are in summer ..

Something that I am thankful for:  my running legs! (and of course always the usual!

A photo I took this month: 

My favorite moments! <I’m so boring!>

Happy Almost Weekend!

Long day!

What a day! It started with a fabulous run … fabulous because after Sunday’s snail pace event, today’s run was smooth, the pace was comfortable and .. the company was good.
Anyways, after my run .. we drove over to the orthodontist because that kind man double booked teenager girl so she could have her braces off before going to Texas …. what a great guy … to show our appreciation we baked him a tiramisu cheese cake! New recipe … OMG … it was delicious. The man had three slices by the time we left!! He is training for a triathlon … so I guess he can eat the whole thing …
Then we had to race to get on the road for the airplane ride. Four hours to the airport … they got on the plane  and off into the New Hampshire sunset … (okay, okay .. no sunset .. just sky) Four hours back to Maine ….enough of the complaining … I do it because I can! (the complaining)
I went straight from the airport to my photo class. They were naming the  photos for the upcoming gallery show … please give me some ideas!

This is the plan that took my babies away!

The girl with her new teeth!

Manic Monday

I haven't played this meme in a long time ... click here to play along!

As an adult, what is your favorite thing about summer?
Well, after getting over the fact that we don't get summers off??
Bring on the sunshine and the heat! I used to love camping with our pop up camper, because this chick doesn't do tenting on the ground! Of course I MAY enjoy a little bit of kayaking .. to me summer is about fun in the sun!

What was your favorite thing about summer when you were a kid? As a small child, summer was bitter sweet ... we loved where we went to school .. but summer meant that everyone left because we didn't live in the traditional ways .. so for every summer we would go to Holland for 6-8 weeks ... although it was great to see my grandparents ... our house was in this little town that we nicknamed Ghost town because it literally had nothing. As an adult looking back .... OMG .. the house was on a frikkin' LAKE!!!!!! ON A LAKE ......did we take advantage .....??? NOOOO!! We had a tiny little sailboat, which I did learn how to sail in ...we also had a little speed boat that my (cutie pie) neighbor (who was 20 when I was 12 and I had a crazy crush on him) would take me for a ride in ...
We would ride our bikes every where ... we would love it when our parents left because we would blast our music ..another plus: going to Holland also meant great food!  yummmmm!



In 2010, it will be the summer of _new adventures ______.

Tomorrow my teenagers are leaving for four weeks ... I'm a little apprehensive .. the longest I have been apart from them is when I left for Amsterdam for 10 days, and I left them at home with their dad. Now they are embarking on a whole new journey ... their dad has a new wife, with three of her own .. they are living in a different house, in a different town from what the teenagers are used to... away from friends they had met while in Texas. I hope they will  be okay. Neither of them are enthusiastic about going ... my heart is sad to see them go because they are not jumping up and down with excitement .... it's going to be weird to be home with only the cats and dog.

Weekend Recap

Today was race day … and the weather was scheduled to give us thunder showers … well, Mother nature couldn’t have surprised us more! We ended up with humid, 80’s, bright sunny weather. Now, please, don’t misunderstand me .. normally I would love the heat .. especially during kayak season .. but for an 8.5 mile road race … it would benefit all of us if it was 50’s and cloudy. Let’s just say I finished the race! There will be no bragging rights!  I was contemplating a 10 miler next week … I’m seriously reconsidering!

On to more cheery news .. did I mention that my awesome photo teacher gave me a lens to play with? .. I am falling in love again .. it’s the coolest thing and I certainly haven’t experimented with it to it’s fullest capabilities … (life seems to keep getting in the way!) With this new lens, and a friend’s flower garden .. it’s been fun shooting.

So really, this weekend was great .. I was able to enjoy my three favorite activities .. kayaking, running and photo taking ..  now if only I could make money while enjoying them!!

Kayaking day!

What a great day today!!

This morning each teenager had a place to go to at 6 AM this morning …. LMAO .. they weren’t too thrilled to be up that early considering they are on vacation!!! I promptly fell back asleep after they had walked out the door, and at 9 decided it was time to start the day. It was soooooo gorgeous out … and since I wasn’t in Vermont enjoying hot air balloons … the next best thing would be kayaking!!! (…and extra bonus …. not guilt feelings of desertion!)

It was so nice to be out. I went to two different ponds ..

Both photos taken with my Iphone .. love that piece of communication tool! What a great day!!

Tomorrow: race day!

Friday Fill In …

It’s Friday again! To play along, click here …..

1. __Grab my glass of wine, some cheese and crackers.. it’s____ 6:58, Dr Phil will be on in two minutes!
2. It was the reason, of course, __i stuffed my face with chocolate ..(oh wait, do i need a reason?)___.
3. __feeling guilty __ is something I no longer feel the need to do.
4. I have another errand to run, then _I’ll  go home and chill__.
5. __Your happiness___...just go find it
6. What were once vices __still are .. hahahaha___.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _a glass of wine and making dinner for the kids____, tomorrow my plans include _kayaking …. both kids are not going to be home all day_ and Sunday, I want to _run a race, get the kids ready for their big trip.. and relax____!

Happy weekend!