The Seasons, they are a changin'

Winter is wonderful. I love the snow and just about everything about it. Driving in it, snowshoeing, skiing ~ downhill and cross country, sitting in the hot tub while it snows around me, snow angels, lunch in the snow after a long hike. Snow is just fabulous. In addition, there's long pants, bulky sweaters and boots ~ can't forget the boots my friend. So who really cares if there's an extra 7, 8, 9 extra holiday pounds lurking, its cold outside, bundle up. That said, I'm ready for Spring now. Spring buds and blooms and colors and greenery and scents on the air everywhere and untanned people in shorts and biking/hiking season (Dog Mtn here I come) and sleeping with the windows open and little birds waking me in the morning and longer days and road trips and camping and oh yeah, that extra few pounds, no where to hide them, must remove. Oy! Complacency will ruin a good mini everytime. Ok, let's be serious, its been a few years since I've been in a mini. I've got 2 weeks until I am in a swimsuit on a boat and on the beach. Time is ticking away girl, progress...hmm...I could try to use this blogging thing as encouragement. I may just devise a way to be completely vague about the real numbers while being precise about the losses. I may do that. Captain's log: Today - begin at zero. Log losses daily. Daily. Daily. I think I can, I think I can. Yep, I will.

Crazee

There are a couple blogs I read daily. I look forward to that time when I can see into the life of my friend in AZ (check up on her as it were, just to make sure she's there and having a fabulous life as she is destined to do) and then there are the others I read because, well, Aunt Purl is so darned interesting. She must know this, but has a way of writing which is so, oh, what do you call it when words just flow naturally? (Obviously, I don't have that gift.) Nonetheless, I had a little jolt of excitement because, ok, I know I'm a nerd, but I had my first comment and it was wonderful. Thanks CA. You made my day. I am just beginning to embrace my nerdiness and know it for the gift it can be. xo

Reflections

So many times in life...

we don't know things we ought about ourselves until too late

we don't realize our value as part of the whole

we don't realize our value as an individual

we don't feel like we measure up to someone else's ideal

we don't see that we are an integral part of God's plan

we give up on ourselves before the race is done

we succomb to the will of others at our own cost

we don't encourage others as we wish to be encouraged.

I'm no poet or philosopher. I do know we can create for ourselves the life we desire. It really isn't too late. Start now. Live life with gusto, verve, tenacity and most of all love. This is a reminder for me and if it touches someone else then that's just icing on the cake.

Fun in the Sun

Just three weeks until the all night journey to Curaçao. I'm starting to allow myself to get excited. Maybe if I write about it, it will seem real. A trip like this usually takes months of agonizing over where and when to go and how can it be afforded then many more months of planning and waiting. This trip came out of the blue and will be here before I know it. Curaçao is located ~40 miles off the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea. Average water temps of 80º. Expected highs in the upper 80's and lows of 75º. Sounds incredible since our high for the week is supposed to be the low 50's. We'll hit the dive shop this weekend to refresh our skills. I'll get some artificial sun on my winter white skin and relaxation will ensue. Ok, ready now.

My funny Valentine

Mr. One. Today is One's birthday. 17 years he's been my Valentine. My faithful, loyal love. Yes, he may have a face only a mother can love, but he's my sweetheart. Anyone who has had the privilege of meeting him, knows he's got personality to spare. I'm certain he'll have several guest appearances.

And we're off...

Here goes... Last Friday, I was contacted by my best friend from high school. It seems my 20th (yes, that's a real number, Oy!) reunion is upon me and I turned up on the missing in action list. Not all that interested in the whole reunion idea, but, what the heck. It may be interesting and its truly a once in a lifetime event. I'm hoping it will be fun/interesting to catch up with all the people I didn't deem it important to keep in touch with for the last 20 years. Does that sound catty or rude? Just stating the obvious. Ok, so let's put a positive spin on this. So I didn't keep in contact with these people. That doesn't mean they aren't good people with fascinating lives. It is a group of people who spent some very formative years together, that's got to mean something, right? Feathered hair and all, me in yellow from the 80's.

New Beginnings

Well, here I embark on this new adventure called a "blog". Questions come to mind... Will it be interesting? Is it important that it be interesting? To whom would it be interesting? What exactly will this blogging (can I say blogging) pull from me? Why exactly am I doing this? Who will actually read it? These and many more questions remain unanswered. I suppose they are far too subjective for any concrete answers anyway. I guess I'll dive in and see where this journey takes me. Welcome to my blog.