The 25 not-blogged challenge

As a challenge from a fellow blogger, I'm going to list the 25 blogs I haven't had time to write about (I may not make 25, but I'll give it a go):

1. Our house is relatively empty now. We've raised the kids and off they've gone. Hmmm...this should count for more than one empty blog.

2. Wayne just got back from his yearly cross-state bike ride. Six days of riding a bicycle from the Blue Ridge to the coast. What's vacation to him would be work for me. Totally admire his focus on a goal.

3. Speaking of goals and focus...I really need to lose weight and be healthier...have the desire, just can't seem to get that focus.

4. I've been recently told that I'm officially in the change of life. This one should count for at least five blogs.

5. We just had another awesome family day with Mary in Asheville and Warren Wilson. Love spending time with my girls and better half.

6. Went to an awesome spot in Asheville for breakfast called Sunny Point Cafe. Homemade organic fare with a sunny patio on which to sip your coffee while you wait. Lots of interesting-looking wines that would be fun to try out later in the day.

7. Got a chance to watch Mary work a bit...as an artist. She's been an artist all her life, but now it's official, and it's officially awesome to see what she can do.

8. Moving away from home has been quite a challenge for Amy. So proud of the progress she has made in the last six weeks. Does a parent's heart good.

9. As much as I like my life in North Carolina, it is sometimes quite hard to be far away from people I care about.

10. I recently started volunteering at hospice doing medical transcription. This type of behind-the-scenes job suits me well. It makes me feel good that I've found a way to help people.

11. The piano here has been quiet. That's not right...pianos are supposed to make music.

12. I have a new boss. He's very nice and likeable, but he's almost 20 years my junior. This is a learning experience for both of us. Thank goodness I have friends at work to help me through all the trials and tribulations.

13. I turned 50 this past summer; the doctor has given me the gift of a colonoscopy. It's scheduled for next week. Not really worried about the procedure, just the prep and the result.

14. As a celebration of getting all our kids to 18 and out of the house, my sister-close friend and I are planning a getaway to Los Angeles in February. It's her stomping grounds, so she's gonna show me around. I. am. excited.

15. I currently do more text-messaging than I would have ever thought possible.

16. We had the chance to see our displaced neighbors in Charleston over Labor Day Weekend. It was great fun. Comforting when even though you don't see each other often, you can fall right back into the old routines.

17. Sienna is a dog.

18. My brother is a firefighter, and I think that is just way cool.

19. Laundry multiplies in the dark of night.

20. Pedicures are pretty wonderful. This is a new find for me.

21. I never fully appreciated my parents until I became one myself. Not chiche...the truth. Funny that this is true one generation after another. Do we never learn?

22. I can operate a VCR, but I don't know how to work the Tivo.

23. I rely on my daughter to change the time on my foreign-made watch.

24. Epilepsy (a.k.a. seizure disorder) stinks. Having said that.... Totally admire the way Amy has handled hers, and am so very thankful that her case is not more severe.

25. My life is busy. Sometimes too much, sometimes not enough, and sometimes just right. Not always sure what takes up the time, but it sure does fly....

On My Own

Well...this is new....

On my own for the week. Girls are at college and seemingly doing well. Husband is off riding his bike from mountains to coast.... and here I am...with the dog, of course.

Thinking tonight this feels kinda weird.

Maybe this is the empty nest everyone speaks about? Sure seems empty tonight.

Hmmm......

Change of Season

Today is the first day of autumn. Where the heck did the summer go? Well, I know where it went....a lot happened...but it doesn't seem like it should be over already. Geesh.

I actually like fall weather and the cool foliage colors. What I don't like is the fewer daylight hours. It has been dark when I leave for work the last couple mornings, and there's not much light after dinner in the evening. I guess I'd never make it in Alaska, eh?

The timing seems ironic as I recently learned that I myself have entered the autumn of my life. Not such a bad thing, really. At least I still have the winter to go after that...

Family Day

Ever since the girls were little, we've done "family days" on a regular basis. Now they are both growed-up and off doing their own things, so we don't have much opportunity to do that any more.

The cool part, though, is that we still can. Maybe they don't happen as often, and maybe they're not as well planned out....but they are still times we spend together.

What I've come to realize is it doesn't matter what we're doing or where we are, but when we have a chance to spend some time hanging out together...that's a "family day." I love it.

These pictures were taken in a Starbucks that used to be a bank. We're hanging in the vault sippin' our Frappucinos...gathered together (and goofing around) for Lenoir-Rhyne's family weekend.

Getting back on the horse...

Gosh! Six months since my last post?! Time sure does fly. I knew I had gotten behind, but....

OK, I'm gonna make a more concerted effort to get back on here.

It's been a crazy, nice, hectic, calm six months.

More details to follow.... :-)

Location, location, location

Why do they do this? What were they thinking? They put the jeans label right where it gets caught in the zipper.

Oh, sure, you can hold the label out of the way when you zip, and then there's no problem. But that doesn't always happen when you're in a hurry.

Yes, you could cut out the label, but that's not a viable option for me. Unfortunately, I have different sizes of jeans in my closet - depending on the month, day, or sometimes hour - and need to see those labels.

Why can't they just put them in the back of the waistband like they used to?

Being Green

I've mentioned some things we try to do here to be more "green," easier on the environment, gentler to the earth.

I used to do this many years ago - but haven't lately - using my hand as note paper. Maybe she's saving a tree? I just hope the ink is nontoxic.

Hacked off

The trees have been hacked off, and so am I. I hate it when people go crazy with chain saws and chippers cutting down trees. And why? Gosh, I don't know, it must be some kind of "improvement." Yeah, right. Argh!! Doesn't this look pretty?

Thursday the 12th

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th (again - we have a bunch of them this year it seems). Wayne always says that Thursday the 12th is the day you really have to watch out for. It can sneak up on you.

I have to say though, my day today was rather quiet. Zumba tonight with my favorite teacher, but she really wears me out. I suppose that is her job though, isn't it? At least I had fun getting worn out.

My friend's mother died yesterday afternoon. It is a blessing of sorts, but still....bummer.

Friendly talk

Over the years, I've gathered up a handful of close friends. Unfortunately, I don't get to connect with them as often as I'd like. Just how did our lives all get so busy, anyway? Today I was lucky enough to communicate with two of my pals.

I got to talk on the phone to my dear friend who lives in Michigan. We managed to get pretty much caught up on everything and ended up deciding we are all in a good place right now. What a nice feeling.

I also got to communicate with my best friend from high school. Unfortunately, that exchange was not about being in a good place. Her mother is terminally ill, and it appears the end is near. Lots of love and thoughts going out to her.

In a perfect world, I would be able to get with all my friends every day. Since we are far from perfect, I guess I'll take what I can get when I can get it and enjoy every minute.

New Direction

I think I've been going out this blog thing the wrong way. Probably making it more difficult and complicated than it needs to be (I do have a tendency to do that). For some reason, I always feel like I need to have a "theme." If a theme isn't obvious and I don't have time to think one up, then I skip blogging. So...my blog doesn't get updated very often. From now on, I think I'll just tell a little about the day here. Sometimes with pictures and sometimes not. The added benefit...this will help me remember what has gone on in my day. Seems that any more time and days just fly by. I could certainly stand to be a little more aware of how I've spent my time.

Today was beautiful and spring-like. The temps have been in the 70s though they say it won't last. The high later this week will supposedly only be in the 30s. Arg. I am so ready for spring! Oh well....at least we all got out to enjoy the warmth while we could. Wayne rode his bike to work and Amy, Sienna, and I went for an afternoon walk. It's great to have the sunshine later in the day now, but I really hate the adjustment process after the time change. You'd think after living through time changes all my life, I would be used to it by now. But no...it still takes me forever to get straightened out. But, maybe it will take Sienna a little while too, and she won't get us up quite so early in the morning. :-)

What I Do - Part 2

Things have been a bit more hectic lately - I switched jobs - sorta kinda. My "second" job is still medical transcription, but now I listen to a different voice. The change calls for a little adjustment, but it's all good.

Generally, I put what a person says into written word. Usually this is a doctor though one time I did transcribe directions for roasting a Thanksgiving turkey. I listen to what they record on a tape or sound file and then type out the words. Sounds simple enough, and it is, in concept anyway. There is a bit more to it however. Let's say the doctor is from Russia or the deep South. Hmmm...did he say "heel," "hill," or "hell?" You also have to know what's connected to what in the human body and a little something about how they work. Perineal and peroneal sound and look a lot alike, but they mean totally different things. Ditto for caudal and Cottle. I gotta know which is which and what goes where - completing a transcription diploma program gave me lots of info there. I have lots of reference books and reliable internet sites to help me out. I also have a special tape player, operated by foot, that allows me to listen to a section over and over and over again when needed. It's not everybody's cup of tea, but I like doing transcription. It gives me a way to be a part of the medical community I enjoy without having to deal with all the people. Next patient....

Traditions

Traditions. I think we have more traditions than we realize. Our Valentine's Day tradition: He gives me flowers and a card, and I give him a cherry cheesecake and a card. Not a fancy cheesecake - one of those Jell-O no-bake cheesecakes (though in a heart-shaped pan) with cherry pie filling on top. One year I tried to mix things up a bit and make a "real" cheesecake. When all was said and done, he said he like the Jell-O one better. I guess that's just the way it's supposed to be.

Some may say that traditions mean dull and boring. I say they mean reliability and comfort.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Donate blood, save a (blood drop's) life.

Amy donated blood for the first time during a Red Cross blood drive at her school. (Yay, Amy!!) To help her feel more "comfortable," the nurse gave her this blood drop baby to keep her company. Amy wasn't really sure she needed to be comforted, but....okay.

After spending some time in Amy's room, it was decided the blood drop baby needed a new home. So....Sienna adopted him. She really seems to have adopted him. Usually, when presented with a new toy, Sienna loves it....to death. She has had blood drop baby for more than three weeks now, and nary a hair has been harmed. She carries him around, chews on him a bit, and sleeps with him, but no tearing limb from limb as would be her usual loving gesture. What we can't figure out...Why is this? Does she know that blood saves lives, so she has saved his? Hmmm....who knows the workings of the canine brain.

Quilting

Two years ago, Mary decided she would like to start a quilt. So she did. No lessons, no instructions really, she just dove in. She's now on her third quilt. All sewing is done by hand - no machine involved. This quilt is being made up of all different fabric blocks. No print is repeated. Her desire is that you could look at this quilt over and over and over again, and each time you do, you will see something new. She does a very nice job with her handwork, and I think it's quite awesome.

Superheroes

Perhaps you are wondering why my blog is named Pack Mule Mama. It's quite simple, really. It's my superhero persona.

A couple-three years ago, there was a TV show on called, "So You Want to be a Superhero." We ended up watching it weekly, drawn to it in that bizarre sort of way....you can't stand to watch it, and yet you can't stand not to watch it. We found it quite entertaining.

Not long after that, we were camping in Pisgah National Forest, sitting around the campfire at night. As often happens around the campfire...we get creative. Sometimes it's Charades, sometimes it's "let's see what cool things we can burn," this time it was....So You Want to be a Superhero. We all had to reveal/adopt our superhero persona.

Because she at times really doesn't want to deal with people, Mary dubbed herself "The Excommunicator." Amy calls herself "Velcro Girl" because of her desire to be near her parents. Wayne became "Bicycle Repairman" for obvious reasons. Since I am always the one who ends up carrying everyone's junk on outings (how does that happen, anyway?), I am known as "Pack Mule Mama." Recently, we have inducted Sienna to hero-dom also. Since she has the capacity to take up much more space on the couch than any dog her size needs, she is now "Expando."

What's funny is how we remember these alter-egos and use them to our advantage. Mary may have a day where she declares herself done with humans...that's OK...she is the Excommunicator after all. Amy starts thinking about leaving home for college and gets nostalgic...no problem...she is Velcro Girl. Right now Sienna is kicking me for still more room on the couch...she is Expando!

My superhero cape is a saddle blanket.

The little things

Little things do add up, I believe. I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year. Don't remember that I did last year either. One of the things we have tried to do though is be more mindful of the waste we generate here. I can't say that we've done anything unique or monumental, but we have implemented a few things.

Cloth napkins. In keeping with our little-bit-of-everything theme for kitchenware and dishes, I purchased a bunch of cloth napkins. Different patterns, different colors... I don't iron them or fold them fancy. Just wash them and put them back in the basket. They get washed with my towels; no extra load of laundry needed. No more paper napkins being thrown away everyday.

Shopping bags. Plastic bags clutter the earth, they clutter the house...they last forever. I now own a varied collection of shopping bags that live in my trunk. I've found it's really not a big deal to use these when I go shopping. It hasn't totally eliminated the plastic bags, but it has made a drastic difference.

Compost. We have a compost pile in the back yard. We have actually had this for quite awhile. It just doesn't feel right to throw an apple peel in the trash anymore.

Like I said, none of these things is major. There have been weeks though when we didn't even need to put out the garbage for pick up. The little things do make a difference.

Big catch on the way to the big top

We took a road trip last weekend. First stop, Asheville. We dropped off Mary's car and her stuff at school. Then she showed us to the Asiana Grand Buffet for dinner. I've been to all-you-can-eat buffets before, and this one was definitely a cut above many of them. They had all kinds of food. Chow meins, lo meins, soups, sushi bar, frog legs, shrimp oh-so-many ways, squid, fish, sesame balls (?), steak, pork, chicken, salad bar, dessert bar, the ever-popular palm leaves (or palmiers), and so much more. No way could I taste it all...though I did try. After sufficiently stuffing ourselves, we went back to the hotel and crashed. Food babies and food comas all around.

Next stop, Atlanta. After dropping off some antiquated life boats - long story - we checked into our hotel. Good thing we had the GPS to lead us there. Wayne thought he had made reservations at a different hotel. The GPS led us to the right place. At least this hotel did actually exist - another long story. Once we dumped our stuff, we headed out to find lunch. Popeye's. Let's go to Popeye's. We don't have many around home and don't get to go there much. It's one of Wayne's favorites, and Mary was hungry for it, so that was the choice. We again enlisted the GPS to get us there. We found the address alright, but there was no Popeye's. Hmmm...maybe there used to be one here? While we're driving the street, looking for the nonexistent Popeye's, Mary starts making some comments...something about an awesome huge fish - ? I missed it, 'cause I was busy looking for the Popeye's. She was really drawn to this fish, and it was a BIG fish, so we decided to have lunch there instead. Well, Popeye's it wasn't. It was much higher class than that. The valet guy put our big conversion van in the lot with the Mercedes' and BMWs. Uhhh...where are we, anyway? The Atlanta Fish Market. They seated us in the back corner (Amy was sure it was because of her hoodie attire) under the jellyfish. The food was quite good and the service was wonderful. Mary wants to take the big fish home.

Barnes and Noble is a favorite of ours, so we stopped there to browse for awhile. Some of us had holiday gift cards needing to be spent, and browsing there is always enjoyable. Then it was time to head to Atlantic Station for the big show - Cirque du Soleil's Kooza. Once we figured out where to park our monster vehicle, we hoofed over to Target (yes, Target) for snacks - Icee, Frappucino, and chocolate milk. Then we were off to the Grand Chapiteau.

We have been to a number of Cirque du Soleil shows over the years, and this show was awesome, as always. Watching them on TV is good, seeing them is person is so much more. The control these people have over their bodies is mind-boggling. The music, the lights, the action... I actually think their earlier shows have been more creative than this one, but it was good nonetheless.

Our first order of business the next morning was IHOP. Amy was craving their stuffed French toast, and we had promised her a fix. Off we went, GPS in tow. We were once again led to the correct address, but turns out the wrong address was in the GPS. We needed Peachtree STREET and the GPS took us to Peachtree DRIVE. Right number, wrong road. Luckily, we weren't far off and found the IHOP without much hassle. Once we had again stuffed ourselves, it was off for our last stop....

Asheville again. We dropped Mary off at school and helped her schlep stuff to her new room. Her new single room. Being a junior does have it's privileges. It's an awesome space.

By about 6 p.m. Sunday evening we were back home, having retrieved Sienna from the kennel. Boston Market for dinner....then crash and burn. A good time was had by all. :-)

New Year's dance

New Year's Eve...New Year's dance. Not such a unique way to bring in the new year. What I think is unique is that Amy made her own dress for the dance. You know...my mother sewed a lot of our clothes when I was growing up. I didn't think it was odd, but it didn't seem mainstream. I sewed a lot of my clothes through high school and my early adulthood. It was even less mainstream at that point. Now, the number of people that make their own clothes is even smaller. Amy is the only one in her group of friends (that I'm aware of anyway) that does this. I think it is awesome. Not only do you save some money, but you get to choose the fabric you want, in the style you want, with the fit you want. Can sewing be a genetic trait?

It's also important to practice dancing before a big event. What better partner than your own sister?

Oh, by the way, Happy New Year!!

Emergency preparedness

There is always something in the news, it seems, about the importance of emergency preparedness. So, we did a home drill today....with a lifeboat.

Wayne told us all we needed to get on coats and shoes and get to the back yard right away. We complied. What we found was a lifeboat from an aircraft. Mary found the pull-string while Amy and I tread water. Our arms got mighty tired, but finally the raft inflated...

There was actually a lot to be learned here. Who knew all the things they have on these rafts--first aid kit, radar reflector, solar reflector/Morse code signaler, funny knife (that was impossible to close), flashlights, flares, smoke bombs, rainwater collector/dispenser, hole repair cones, desalinator packets, survivor manual (including how to build an igloo), sponges (Sienna loved these), fishing tips (but no hook), and a tow rope. I'm sure I'm missing some things...

An educational family day. :-)

Holiday busy-ness

A lot of our holiday time was spent away from Greensboro. We started with a stop in Indy to see Wayne's sister and her family. We don't get to see them very often, so it's always good to have a chance to visit and catch up. It was a bit of a shock to our bodies though, when we woke up in the morning and it was only 6 degrees. Brrr....

Then it was on to Illinois to see my family. My parents' house was struck by lightning in June, causing an attic fire and resulting in major necessary renovations. They were finally able to move back into their house in early October. Since that time, they have been busy trying to get their "house" back to "home" status. It has been a long and laborious process. With us in North Carolina, we weren't able to be of much help....until now. We started the week by getting busy on the to-do list: Fix pantry light, hang kitchen towel rack, hang curtain rod and curtains, hang pictures,

untangle sink spray hose, organize videos and CDs, organize books, organize pantry storage, connect speakers on stereos, hang calendars and bulletin boards, rearrange computer components, label new fixture switches, convince CD players to work, things to glue back together, and hang stained glass and windchimes--all done.

It was really nice to be able to finally help them out and give them a break, and it did seem to put some of the homey feel back into the house. We ended the week with our traditional family holiday dinner. Even with all that has gone on in that house the last few months, the celebration came off just as planned--true to tradition. It's always fun when we all get together. Conversation topics ran the gamut: An upcoming wedding, spring graduation and college to follow, tree falling on a roof, exotic cockroach pets, tonsil stones, successful cancer-removing surgery, flooding in Watseka, NBC news stories, the Santa Rampage, Toys for Troops, and of course, the house and its renovations.

During all this, we experienced all the weather the Midwest has to offer. The temperatures ranged from 1 to 58, and we saw rain, sleet, snow, fog, wind, and freezing rain. Luckily this all happened during our stay and not during our road travels.

It was a great week...in many ways.

(more pictures on my Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/packmulemama/ )