Day Nineteen Five Things I Lust For

Now you may think I lust for money.  Not really, it would just be necessary to get the five things I lust after.  I must say it seems a little odd to lust after stuff considering it's Easter Sunday!  Joy should be the topic of the day but I'm following the thirty days faithfully so here goes.
I always wanted a fur coat.  I know, I know, it's politically incorrect to want one but I do.  A big sable to wrap around my body with a collar to snuggle down into. Mmmmm. Divine.
I always wanted a Karmen Ghia. Here's why:

I have no words.  A handsome older man I knew when I was a teen owned this car and I've never gotten over him.....I mean, it.
I would love a home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I love the high desert.  It seems like the perfect weather for me. Never too cold and hardly ever too hot. It would have to be a heck of a house, kinda like this:

You know, just a tiny little place to relax.
I want a Segue so bad!!!  You know, one of those things you steer with just your body.  I'd have to wear a helmet but so what?  It would be just so cool!!!!!!!

See, the Beatles like them.

Oh, remember we're talking about lust here.  I would love a giant, shiny, gorgeous diamond ring.  Yep, I still want one.  The bigger the better.  I want to be the envy of all the girls and be insured when I wear it.

The bigger the better, remember.

Lust is not a healthy thing unless you lust after healthy food or exercise.  But who lusts for those???

Day 18 A Problem I Have

First, that is not me in the picture.
Second, why in the world would you want to listen to a problem I have.  We all have plenty, agreed?
So I am not going to talk about problems.
So there!

I am getting new furniture this morning in my family room.  They are here now and are working away.  I am pretty excited about it.  You should hear DH out there trying to supervise. It's pretty funny.  And he wants to take  pictures but can't find his cell phone!!  Oh, he has his dad's genes all right.
Isn't it fun to remodel your house?  Not the work part of course, just the finished product.  I have had times when I wasn't thrilled though such as the time I painted my living room mint green instead of sage green.  Had to live with that for a pretty long time.
Then there was the time I had a pass through cut in my kitchen wall at Christmas time and it wasn't done so I painted holly leaves and a bow around it.  Kinda hated to give that up but oh, well. I just have to keep Christmas in my heart all year not on the kitchen wall.
Sometimes I am thrilled with the results.  Like my grey bathroom that I painted myself. We won't talk about how I locked myself in because I took the handle off the door and left it in another room. Obviously, I escaped.  I used a screwdriver and some ingenuity.
For a while though, I was really sweating it.
Maybe I'll post some of DH's pictures here later.  If he found his phone, that is. 

Day 17 What I'm Most Proud Of

I am most proud of my kids.  They are my best achievement. 
I am also proud that they still want to hang out around us.
They are good sports.
They have great jobs.
They have lovely homes.
They are kind.
They are fun.
They love to travel.
They help others.
They help one another.
They have good friends.
They make me laugh.
They confide in me.
They love their family.
They try to see the sunny side of life.
It is true that a parent never knows how her children will turn out. You can try your best and still get a child who isn't great.  I am so grateful that it didn't happen to me.
My kids are just wonderful.

What If? Day 16

Don't we all have things we wonder what if?  What if I didn't go to that college? Or take that job?  Or married someone else?  Or didn't have kids?  Or had a ton of kids?  Or never had to diet?  Or never hurt anyone's feelings?  Or Kennedy didn't get shot?  Or we never went to the moon?
Of course, we all do.
There isn't one thing I wonder what if about. I know I would get obsessive about it(Scorpio, remember?) and that's not healthy.  So I try not to do it. I just wonder a little about a lot of things.
I wonder if I did a good enough job as a parent.  I think I did OK.  DH and I sure tried.  Our kids are successful and kind and independent.  A good result if nothing else.  But what if I hadn't been a working mother?  Would their lives have been better?
I wonder if my mother, when she was suffering the last stages of Alzheimer's was she still in there?  The PTA president and church group leader?  Or was she really already gone?
I wonder what it would have been like if my Dad had lived to meet our husbands and kids.  I don't have to wonder if he would love the kids, he would no matter what. I don't have to wonder if he would like the husbands because he liked everyone.  I never heard him say a word against anyone.
I wonder if I should have kept up my art.  I wonder if I retired too soon.  I wonder if any of my students remember me.  I wonder if any of my old friends who I don't see think of me.  I wonder if we should have moved.  I wonder if we should remodel.  I wonder if we should move.  I wonder if I should go on another diet.  I wonder what it will be like to be an old woman....
See, not obsessive at all!

My Zodiac Sign- halfway through the challenge

Scorpio: Scorpios are passionate individuals with a magnetic personality. They are forceful about going by their opinions. They have clarity of thought and expression. Due to their possessive nature, they become jealous quite easily. They are clever and courageous. They can be resentful and obsessive. They seek to take revenge of the wrongdoers. So be careful while dealing with Scorpios.

So I am a Scorpio woman.  Is this my personality profile?  Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.  Let's see.

I am passionate and forceful in my opinions.  I want everyone to agree with me right now. When I taught school that could get me in a lot of hot water with administrators but it never stopped me.

I used to have clarity of thought and expression until I was about 50 years old.  Then it got a little dicey.  Nothing to worry about...just less glib.

Oh, I am jealous, jealous, jealous.  Don't come near my man.

I think I am clever.  I am courageous, just ask any of my students. I always told them I was the little old lady who was not afraid of anything when I read that book to them.

 I wasn't always so courageous but I used up all my scaredy-cat-ism when I was a little girl and I was afraid of everything!  Even Godzilla!  Ever see the original Godzilla-not so scary.

OMG!  Can I be resentful!  I always said I have zero tolerance for adults.  I can be obsessive but I don't think I am very often. 
Oh, honey, would I like to have revenge on the wrongdoers.  I'd like to go to the Ohio Senate and Congress and slap the crap out of all of them for what they are doing to kids and education. 

Should you be careful dealing with me?  You bet your boots.  Just ask some of the people I have completely ignored after they wronged me.  Just ask some one I could walk right by and act as if they were invisible.  Oh, yes, tread lightly.
Now don't I sound strong and brave?  Well, only once in a blue moon.  Usually, I'm pretty meek.  Don't tell anyone, OK?

Day 14- What I Ate

Well, how boring.  You really don't want to know what I ate today.  I'll make a quick list and then I'll tell you what I think.
Since it is 8 am  I will tell you what I am planning to eat today.  I had a waffle with peanut butter, a banana, and skim milk.  Around 11:30 I will have a caramel latte at the mall with my sis.  Lunch is a ham sandwich on whole wheat and a pear.  Dinner will be ravioli and salad. Yummy, huh?

Here's what I think.  I think I don't want any of that.  Here is what I really want. For breakfast, I'd like a waffle with syrup and bacon and milk.  For lunch a big fat juicy burger with fries would be nice.  Dinner would be steak and a baked potato or maybe lobster.  Oh, and wine...and cake.  Now that's yummy...
It is funny that we are writing about this today after writing about body image yesterday.  Most women have a terrible body image and are willing to do anything to get a great one.  There are all kinds of wacky diets out there.  I know a girl who ate a whole pound of bacon in one day and nothing else.  I'm not sure what kind of diet that was.
Food is beautiful.  I love to go to Whole Foods and see the lovely displays they have there.  It makes me want to be healthy as all get out.  Unfortunately, I usually get there one or two times a year!
One of my favorite songs is Food, Glorious Food from the musical, OLIVER.  So you see I have a long history of loving food.  Food just doesn't love me sometimes.  Just ask my stomach!

Day 13 of Thirty Day Challenge- My Body

That's me in the middle. At Christmas. Thinking I look great.
SO now I look at that picture and say OK not too bad for an older woman but my body and I have had a long and leisurely fight going on for the last 30 years or so.
I was a skinny minnie when I was young.  I heard about how I never ate enough and I was too skinny.  Something about fresh air camps and eating butter would help.
I was a thin woman until I was about 35 and then the campaign for my body to get fat really started.  My kids were little and I was busy.  You'd think I would get skinnier but nope.
By the time they were teens, I was 200 pounds....most of the fat in my belly.  Very unattractive.  So I dieted and lost some.  I dieted again and lost what I had regained.
I tried all kinds of diets.  You name it, I was probably on it.
I work out now and try to eat right.  I still have a few pounds I would like to lose but the actual shape of my body is never going to be...well, ship-shape. 
My goal for my body now is for it to last.....long.  All of it, including my brain.  I keep exercising and writing and doing crossword puzzles.  I am trying to embrace the belly, as I was advised recently because it is here to stay. It might get smaller but it won't disappear.
It's a funny thing about bodies.  We worry about them so much and we have a tendency to forget what I told my DD many, many years ago.  It's nice to be pretty on the outside but it's just as important to be pretty on the inside too.

Five Guys I Find Attractive

Ok so this one is dead but look at him.  He is gorgeous.  Just watch the King and I and see what I mean. He has this smoldering look..well, you just have to see it. My BFF is the same way about him.  It's one of the ways we bonded early on.

OK so he's dead too but hear me out.  Look at him, would you?  He is amazing.  He is suave, sophisticated and has a sense of humor....about himself,even! I've had a crush on him forever and a day.  He is the one I'd be most likely to go out to dinner with if he could still eat dinner, that is.

OK, this one is alive.  I like him best when he is scruffy like this.  I think it's cute.  I think he seems humble and appreciative of his success.  He said all kinds of stuff at the Oscars because he was just so excited he just couldn't stop.  That would be me.  I'm sure I would be a complete mute or a nonstop talker.  They would have to drag me off the stage one way or the other.

OK, can you blame me?  Just look at him.  He is just beautiful.  I never even watched the television show he was on, that Gray's Anatomy.  I don't think I could have taken it. Plus he is married to one of my all time favorite singers.  Look it up.

OK OK he's dead too.  You just had to love him when we were teens.  He was cute and funny and had this cute little accent.  He was tiny but you couldn't really tell that on TV. He still was a cutie even when he got older.

I chose guys who were famous or at least were at one time because you all know the one and only man I find attractive is DH!!!   ;)

My Family- Day 11 of Thirty Day Challenge

Oh, this is an easy one.  I am the luckiest human on the planet to have the family I have.  We aren't a very big family but our big love for one another makes up for it.
We all accept each other as we are and we defend one another to the ends of the earth.
I have my sis who is my best friend in the Universe.  Nobody else knows as much about me as she does and she still likes me!  I consider myself blessed to have her in my life.
My daughter is the most wonderful woman.  She is warm and caring and fun too.
She can light up the room when she comes in.  I have been so lucky to be her mom.
My nephew is a creative and funny individual.  He has so much talent to share and he can crack me up and always has been able to.  He used to do a Paul McCartney imitation that always made DH and I laugh our butts off and he was pretty young then.
My brother in law is a gem of a man.  He is kind and gentle and caring.  I just adore him.  My sister is a lucky woman to have found a man who is one in a million.
DH is wonderful.  Not long ago he was pretty ill and I worried sick about him but he came through with flying colors and even enjoyed the recuperation time.  Now that is a positive attitude.
My son is a compassionate and caring man.  He is a sci fi lover and has been since he was able to talk.  He is my Luke Skywalker.  I won the lotto when he was born.
Son's girl is a smart and sassy girl who has the good sense to love my son with all our heart.  She is a fine addition to our family.
That just leaves me.  What can I say?  I'm a lucky gal.

Day 10- iPod songs

Today they want me to shuffle my playlist and tell you the songs that come up and why I have them so here goes.
Shuffling,now.
Black Eyed Peas    I Got a Feeling: love this song.  Love Wil.i.am even though he wrote that new weird song for Entertainment Tonight.
I Love Trash by Oscar the Grouch:  I was a Kindergarten teacher for many many years and Oscar is my favorite.
Coldplay  Viva la Vida:  I like the idea about ruling the world and then losing it.
Etta James  At Last:  Such a sexy song.
Janis Joplin  Piece of My Heart:  Have to love Janis.  She was a tortured soul but she sure could belt it!
As you can see I have pretty eclectic taste in music.  I like to mix it up.  The nice part about a playlist is you never have to listen to a song that you don't like  or Deep Sh*t  either!

How Important Is Education- Day 9

Let kids be kids.  Respect childhood. Let kids learn.  Education is the key to everything.
But you already knew I thought that, didn't you?

Day 8 What I Wore Today

I like to think of myself as someone who loves fashion and has good taste.  However. my budget and my life don't exactly allow for too much fashion.  In our local  paper, someone stops local people who look stylish and take a picture of them and do an interview.  I have never been one of them although some of them, well, I don't know, I think they try to dress too young but that's just my opinion.
I wear pretty much the same thing every day.  Not the exact same, just the same idea.  Jeans, top, socks, tennis shoes.  Nice ones if I'm going to do errands or go out with my sis, not as nice ones if I'm staying home.
After 5 pm  I change to my workout clothes.  Yoga pants and a Curves shirt in the cold months, shorts and a Curves tee if it's the summer.
By 9 pm, I am in my final look of the day.  My pjs.
So far today, I am still in my pjs and a fleece jacket.  It's a little chilly in here this morning.  I am planning on wearing jeans and a sweater today.  Probably blue or orange for the sweater. 
Now, I know my wardrobe is not fashionable. It's not bad either. It's just there.  Which is pretty hard on the fashionista in me...but practical me thinks it's just fine.

Day 7 My Five Pet Peeves

Oh boy! Something I can really get my teeth into.  Pet peeves.  I can make that same face as the baby in the picture.
Here they are, in no order of significance.

I hate it when drivers flip you off for going the speed limit.  We have a street by us that is a main street but passes about 20 restaurants in a 1 mile stretch and the speed limit is 25.  I go 25-30.  Cops are there a lot.  There are lots of driveways to hide in.  They never seem to be around when someone passes me going  let's say, 40.  I've been flipped off by men,women, teens, and golden agers. Well, I'm still going 25-30.  SO there!
OMG close the front door when you leave.  Close it tight especially in winter when it is snowing and 4 degrees outside.
Turn off the lights when you leave a room. I pay the electric bill.  I know how much it costs so trust me, turn them off.
I hate people who run you over or step in front of you or totally ignore that you are in line at the mall.  You know who you are.  I used to be a sheep and say nothing.  Now I speak up and the funny thing is I have all the time in the world now since I am retired.  I figure I'm helping out some other poor sheep, I mean, person.
Ohmygosh.  That's only four.  How can that be?  I should have at least 5.  I should have to pick from all those that are left.  I can't think of a one.  I guess I must be easy going, eh?   Ha, I just wish that was true.  Really, I can't think of one.  Even one for DH although he does do the lights thing.  Even when I'm driving and people do stupid stuff like cut me off that doesn't really bother me in the least.  I think everyone makes mistakes.  Red lights that are too long?  Not really a problem for me anymore.  How about slow clerks at the check out?  Nope.  Not at all. Isn't that something?  Not to even have five pet peeves?  I know I can hardly believe it myself.
Oh wait, I know, I hate people who go on and on...........hey, wait a minute!

Day Six- Views on Mainstream Music

Today I am supposed to give my views on mainstream music.  Well, one look at my play list and you would know I have no problem with it.  Although I must say that I'm not exactly sure what is considered mainstream any more.
I do like Michael Buble, Jason Mraz, Carrie Underwood and Eminem.  Is that mainstream?  I think maybe it is.
I have a nephew who mashes songs together to make a new song.  I like a lot of his work too but I don't know if that is mainstream or not.  I'm  thinking not.
Anyway, I don't think you should look down your nose at anyone's taste in music.  It is a highly personal choice.  One man's symphony is another man's cacophony.
Believe me, I know this from personal experience.  My DH loves my Sirius radio and so do I.  I listen to oldies from the 60's and the 40's channel once in a while.  I love instrumentals and the 40's had a lot of those.
DH listens to something called Deep Tracks.  I call it Deep Sh*t.  It is like the songs from the Bside of the album, the third cut.  You know, the dogs.  He loves them and I hate them.
When we go on a car trip, the gloves really come off.  He is a little hard of hearing so he turns up the volume.  I try to use my ipod and the radio is so loud I can't really concentrate on my music.  So I turn it down.  He turns it up "just a little" to the exact same place it was.  So I turn it down.  He turns it up.  See where I'm going with this?
I love show tunes, DH loves Tommy.  I love the Beatles, DH loves Pink Floyd.
When we first met, I extolled the virtues of Barbra Streisand to him and he nodded and agreed with everything I said. I was so excited.  Finally, a man who could appreciate Babs who was straight!!  Well, truth is he was a little hard of hearing then too...and he was trying to impress me.
So like I said, music is really personal. Listen to what you like, mainstream or not.

Day Five- What I'd Say to My Ex(es)

Oh, boy!  I have had a real kinda crazy love life--especially when I was young so I do have more than one ex.
Here we go then:
To the not serious college boyfriend, You were such a sweetie.
To my serious college boyfriend, I am sorry I was such a fool.
To my first fiance, I'm sorry I hurt you but you might have deserved it just a little.
To my first husband, you tried to destroy me but it didn't work.
To my after the divorce boyfriend, I'm glad we were friends.
To my other after the divorce boyfriend, you were just what I needed.

Now we don't just have exes in the romance department.
To my ex boss, I didn't really appreciate you.
To my ex best friend, it's a good thing we parted ways.
To my ex car, I miss you!
To my ex colleague, I don't miss you!!

The End

Bullet My Day- Day 4 of the 30 Day Challenge

I don't know what that title even means.  Does it mean my day is shot to hell? That would be my luck.
Speaking of bullets, when I taught school our rule was no guns in school.  We had Legos and what does every little boy do with them?  Well, they make guns.  So that was a giant no,no.  We wanted school to be a place of peace and safety.
Well, one day, our classroom was so hot that we were all sweating.  There were open windows but not enough so I said to the kids, I'm opening more windows, I'm sweating bullets.
Eric(loved that kid) says to me, OH, Mrs. Gesing you said bullets.  No guns in school.
So I asked him what I should say instead.  He thought for a moment and said... sweating biscuits.  Oh, how I wanted to laugh but I didn't and "sweating biscuits" became the new phrase in kindergarten that spring.

A Book I Love- Day 3 or the Thirty Day Challenge

Ok, you might not know this so I will tell you up front.  I was a Kindergarten teacher for most of my career and lower elementary when I first began teaching.  It's a heads up so you will understand my favorite book.
My favorite book of all time is Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic by Betty McDonald.  It is about a bunch of misbehaving kid's and how their parents, with Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's help and a little magic, correct their behavior.
It is so funny and kids love it.  I read it to my kids on a car trip and DH had never read it and he loved it too.
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle accepts everyone's faults but helps them better themselves while doling out cookies and imaginative play.
I always wanted to go to her upside down house and explore.  I knew she could cure me of all my bad habits.
It is an old fashioned book where moms stay home and play bridge and make all kinds of kooky food.  The kind of  Mom who takes it on the chin when her kid brings home a pig with good manners.  Oh, yes, a pig with good manners....
Anyway the first two of the series are a must because they are so much fun.  So gather the kids around and read it together.  You will love it.

Something I Feel Strongly About- Day 2 of the 30 Day Challenge

I feel strongly about kids and their learning environment.  If you ever read this blog before you already know this.  Kids are unique in their learning style and need to be nurtured and guided to knowledge.  They need to accept ownership of their learning and they need to have fun in a safe environment.
Age appropriate activities that support the curriculum are crucial in educating young children.  There can be areas for general learning like a book area or math area or science area.  There can be specific tasks for a particular skill  like sorting objects by size or color or matching rhyming words.
Kids need to express themselves so daily journaling should be part of their day.  Young children can write single words or one sentence.  Older children can write more of course.  A prompt is always a good idea so kids don't have to worry about picking a topic.
I hate what is happening in education today.  It is insulting to children and their development.  Kids need to be kids.  We have learned scholars who studied the development of children and we know how they change.  We also know they change at their own pace yet education does not take that into account.
Instead of immersing students in an age appropriate environment teachers are forced to teach skills that their students aren't ready for just to meet the standards of politicians who are not trained in child development, child psychology, or education.  This has to stop.
We need to respect childhood and adopt the belief that children grow in their own way and that every child deserves the chance to learn at his own pace.

Thirty Day Challenge

I am a big Pinterest fan.  I found a blog pin board and it had a thirty day challenge of things to write.  I have been pretty boring lately so I thought I'd give it a try.  Fair warning, I'm not looking at them ahead of time.  I'll just go down the list in order and we'll see what we get.
Today's topic is Five ways to win my heart.
The first one is you would have to laugh at the cartoon at the top of the blog.  If you get it, you get me and DH.
Second, buy me flowers for no reason.  Not roses or fancy arrangements, just some flowers.
Third, tell me I'm funny.  I am past wanting to be beautiful or even pretty, but I still want to be funny and make people laugh.
Fourth, compliment my children.  Anyone who tells me my kids are smart, beautiful, kind, friendly, warm, funny or any good quality has my heart.
Fifth, don't make me cook.  I usually enjoy cooking but I love a day or two or ten off.  It doesn't have to be a fancy out to dinner thing, pizza will do.  DH, you know what I'm saying.
There are probably more ways to win my heart.  Like champagne or take me to a winery or let me go on a shopping spree or take me to Disney and I would be yours.
However, fair warning, I'm taken.

Signs Of Spring

Spring is just around the corner.  I can't wait.  We have all been complaining about the cold weather and thinking that winter would never end.  So my workout buddy was all excited when she saw a robin--you know, the first sign of Spring, yesterday.
Well, I had her beat.  I had the real first sign of spring on my car yesterday morning, a robin poop!  That is my luck.  I hope it's not a harbinger of the season I am going to have!

Sunday WIth Larry

OH, yes I spent the entire afternoon and evening with this guy yesterday.  That movie is 4 and 1/2 hours long with a fifteen minute intermission.  Our showing was supposed to start at 2:30 but the movie before it ran long (?) and we had to wait.  We got a free pass for our trouble so that was OK.
Now the movie is vast and sweeping and Peter O'Toole is handsome as all get out but boy, it is one depressing film.  The poor guy gets used and abused(literally) from almost the beginning of the story.
The story starts with his death so it is kind of a harbinger of doom.
The best part was I got popcorn.  It was my "lunch".  I am a popcorn lover but it doesn't always love me back.  I don't really care, I like it that much.  DH got it for me while I saved our seats on the hardest bench in the world.
The theater was Capitol Theater at West 65th and Detroit Ave. in Cleveland.  If you ever get a chance to go there, you should.  It has a giant screen like when I was a kid.
We went because DH remembers seeing it in Junior High during the noon movies.  Twenty minutes at a time!  That would have been fine by me.
After, our son met us for dinner and we went to XYZ.  It is a little bar and restaurant.  I had incredible corned beef and homemade chips with homemade onion dip.  Needless to say, I am starting my diet today!

Out and About

Last night DH took me out to dinner after we did a little shopping for pants for him.  Let me tell you I deserved it.  How long does it take to try on a pair of pants?  Answer: 30 minutes!!  To be fair, it was more than one pair but still.  I can try on a whole cartload of clothes in less than 15.  I guess it seems longer because I have to lurk by the men's changing room and that always feels.......well, lurky.
Once we finished that chore it was time to go to dinner and I couldn't wait.  I am in a cooking slump.  I hate doing it.  I will do just about anything to get out of it.  If I do cook, it is something fast and easy.  Emphasis on easy and fast.
So we were given a booth just behind another couple and we were enjoying wine and an appetizer when a second couple who looked like they were leaving swooped down on the other couple and proceeded to have a long conversation.  The two wives started up and then the husband who was supposedly leaving got started.
The poor sap who was sitting there had to listen to this guy talk about his receipts for income tax purposes on his income properties and then about some procedure this guy had on his back.  It was gross.  Even DH was grossed out but lucky him, he had his back to them so he didn't see the guy who had the income properties and the procedure pull out his phone and SHOWED PICTURES OF HIS PROCEDURE.  OMG!  I am trying to eat here, buddy.
Now you know that we don't like to eavesdrop but sometimes you just can't help yourselves especially when you are in an almost empty restaurant and the people are so close to you.
The couple who was leaving finally left, fur coat and all.  Oh, I failed to mention the wife was wearing a full length faux fur coat which she never took off while she sat next to the other woman.  I'll bet they were both sweating! Anyway, the couple in the booth behind us left as soon as they could after that.  We took one look at each other and just cracked up.
So now we think we know why we don't go out so often.  We might become the world's biggest eavesdroppers.

Workout Girl

I go to Curves five days a week.  In case you don't know it is a gym for women.  I go with a friend but today she has a commitment in the evening and so do I so I went this morning after my physical at the Dr.
Now you probably think I am going to tell how I work my muscle groups and how much I sweat.  Well, you're wrong because my real workout didn't start until after I was done with my usual routine.
I have a bag in which I keep my workout shoes(no outdoor shoes allowed past a certain point) It is big enough for shoes, glasses, keys and a water bottle.  I also bring my purse.
So anyway, I was putting on my coat and got ready to grab my keys and they were missing.  They were not in my pockets as the pockets of this jacket are rather slim so I was afraid the keys would fall out.  So I tucked them away....in my purse?  Or in my workout bag?
So I did a thorough search and came up empty.  No big deal, it happens all the time.  I looked again. Nope.  Looked again and took everything out of the bag and purse, one pocket at a time.  Nope.  Oh, wait I had to go back out and get my workout bag because I forgot to bring it into the gym.  Maybe I left my keys in there.  Nope.  It was locked up tight.
Deep breath and back inside.  Now, people are starting to notice.  Darlene, who works there, said she'd help me and she searched the cubbies and the restrooms and the towel basket. Nope. Nope. and Nope.
I again emptied my bags, one pocket at a time and still no keys.  I am now starting to sweat more than usual.  So I went into the store next door and asked the guy if anyone had turned in keys.  He said no.  OK, it was the move of a desperate woman.
Back at the gym, a helpful woman said her friend couldn't find her keys and they were in her pocket all along.  I had no pockets.
So Darlene went on the hunt again and I looked through and Lo! and Behold!  there were the little rascals right in the front pocket of my gym bag which I have now emptied 3 or 4 times.  I swear they weren't in there before.
Actually, here's what happened.  I checked one pocket at a time and when I stuck my tennis shoes back in the bag, they pushed the fabric over just enough to make a little pocket for a hiding place.  Wasn't that nice of them?
Through this whole debacle, I never panicked.  I thought I could walk home and get my extra key.  The part of me that was a little panicked thought I should call my DH. But saner heads prevailed.
As I drove home, my calm exterior started to  break down and thank goodness, no one took my blood pressure!!
So the case of the missing keys was solved.  But I have to admit, I'm no Sherlock Holmes.

I Love Mayhem

I love this guy.  Whether he is the heavy snow on the garage roof or a crying teenager who clips your car in the parking lot or a guy staring at a pretty jogger until he crashes into a telephone pole, I love him.
I don't know why he cracks me up so much but he always has and always will.  I kind of recognize the actor so maybe that's what got my attention at first.
The funny thing is that in life, I hate mayhem.  I politely call it too much input.  Chucky Cheese was a good example of that.  When I went there(dragged kicking and screaming mind you) all I wanted to do was stand up and scream, "Everybody sit down and shut up!" 
I am uncomfortable with shouting and arguing.  Just ask my DH.  He loves to debate.  I hate it.  Good thing he has our kids to go around the block with because I refuse.
I like quiet and smiling and reading or watching television. None of those are mayhem.  Well, maybe television once in awhile but I don't really watch that kind of show very often.
I like soothing music and a glass of wine.  I like chatting with my friends.  I love being on the computer. Most of the things I enjoy are quiet and the opposite of mayhem.  You might wonder how I ever taught Kindergarten then.  That was controlled chaos.  I controlled that and the chaos was a trick.  It was really a well oiled machine that a casual observer just wouldn't understand.
Anyway, I just love that mayhem guy.  Him and the French model, but that's for another day.
Bon Jour!

It Might As Well Be Spring

I know, I know, technically it's still winter but yesterday the sun was shining and I had the whole day to myself so did I take advantage of that and go outside and run errands or anything outdoors?  Um, no...I cleaned.
Not just your every day cleaning but drawer cleaning.  I started at my desk.  I think I kept every piece of paper I was given in the last year.  Not ones I need for taxes, those were in a special folder.  Oh, no, receipts from a car repair on a car we don't even have any more, sixteen or so receipts from my yard guy(so I wouldn't lose his phone #) and stuff like that--you know, the important stuff.
It took most of the morning though to be honest, I didn't work that hard.  I was distracted by Kelly and Michael and Dr. Oz and of course, Polyvore!
I took a real break to eat lunch and watch my soap. Oh, yes, I still watch that soap but we won't talk about that today. Then I went into the bathroom to hit the drawers in there.  
If I'm being honest, I didn't really spring clean those last year.  I know because I found a ton of makeup and skin cream that was almost hard in the bottles!  Also a lot of empty plastic baggies. I know, baggies?  In the bathroom?  I don't know either.
I was really careful not to throw out anything that I thought DH still uses.  He had a bunch of tools for his shaver so I put those in, guess what, a baggie.  When he got home he told me they were for a shaver he threw away!!! I'm proud to say there is no empty baggie in the drawer, I just tossed the entire thing.
I'm a little embarrassed to tell you that I took DH on a tour of the clean drawers.  He was impressed... the big Faker!!!!  I appreciated it though.
I think I am pretty clean.  When I do this kind of stuff, I doubt that very much. And that was just the start.  Tomorrow is the kitchen.  YIKES!!  I know I have a ton of stuff I don't need in my junk drawer... OK, OK, drawers.
The sun is shining again today and I am outta here.  I'm on my way to lunch with my sis and my best friend.  No drawers today, thank goodness.

May the Forced Smile Be With You

There's an old song about smiling.  It says you should smile even though your heart is aching and breaking.  I always thought it was a stupid sentiment but I've changed my mind.

I have a natural down turning mouth.  And as I've gotten older it is drooping more than ever.  So about a year ago I decided to train myself to have a smile on in public.  It is not as easy as one would think.  I had to practice and check in the mirror once in a while.  One time when I thought I had a nice smile on my face it looked like I was sneering.  So that's why you have to practice.
I decided I needed to do this when we were headed to Mt. Sandia in New Mexico for the annular eclipse.  An annular eclipse is not a full one but it looks like a ring of fire.  Very cool and it hardly ever happens.  Anyway, I knew there would be a huge crowd and my husband insisted that we get there nice and early...like hours early....like ten.
So I took my handy Kindle and my fake smile and sat there and I met a lot of interesting people.  I figured they wanted to sit by us because of my charming smile.
I even smiled while I trudged my way through our boring book club selection.
It is true that people smile back when you are  smiling.  I always thought that was just made up but it's not.  I forget I'm smiling now and am startled at times when a stranger throws a smile my way.  It happens though.  In the grocery, in Target and even when I'm driving.  Really.
We have a weather reporter here that has a natural all-the-time smile.  He can tell me we are having a tornado and 15 feet of snow all on the same day and it is not so awful when you see his cute smile.  He always looks happy to be on air and talking about our not so fun weather.  I'll bet most of his viewers are smiling at him!  I know I am.
So force yourself to smile, you'll be glad you did no matter how fake it may be.

Yesterday

See that slug?  That was me yesterday.  After the dentist appointment.  I know, I know enough with the dentist already.  Unfortunately for you, I have to go back again but not for a couple of weeks.
But that slug?  That was me.