Gratitude list continued ***

The fall colors.. omg... its so odd how much alive they are..ironic because they are lacking in in photosynthesis, which makes them die.

Aaron and Whitney who have come a long way.

Dave - for cleaning the kitchen while I was getting my hair cut last night...

Dave - for taking me out to dinner after my haircut last night and ordering me my favorite wine.

Dave - for not giving me a nudge even when I got wound up last night telling Janice Ann and Oren stories from our trip to Ireland.

My new chiminea - with three openings!!!!!!

Change in direction

I decided that with all the wah wahing I did last week, well okay and some this week too, I have decided to write my GRATITUDE LIST:

M y husband.. who puts up with me even when I'm impossible. I love being in his arms, where all my journeys end.

Will, who makes me laugh. I love watching him grow into the wonderful young man he is becoming. He loves me even tho he is a teenager.. and its not so cool to love your parents. What a blessing he is to us. I can totally overlook the F in biology.

My beautiful home - warm and inviting, where only those we love are invited in.

Scout - my cat that has only one marble. He keeps my feet warm at night and is always happy to see me.

Zoe - the other cat, who licks my nose in the morning and when I get home... when I know she really wants to bite me.

August - my lab.. who would protect me to his death.. and always has someones shoe in his mouth. Its an adventure every morning finding a pair ( that matches). He carries a stuffed bunny in his mouth, when he doesnt have a shoe... and we call the bunny his baby.

My friend- who always lift me up and never let me down. Love you.

My family - even though at times I am sure they dont want to admit it. I don't see them enough and then only live 10 mins from me. My bad.

More to follow....

Monday/Tuesday/Wednesay

So much has happened, and most of it I can’t put in to words… much less write about it. Its been an emotional roller coaster this week with personnel issues. It will take several glasses of wine to sort thru it all. I can’t wait for Stacy and Chris to get back. Chris has sent me random text messages (whew!) and Stacy has sent me text messages and then called me… Thank God! Have I mentioned how much I miss them?

Friday's bloglog

Lets say that Friday I had an emotional hangover. Got the kids off to high school, made it work on time (as usual). I made up my mind that I really needed to take care of myself. I think my blood pressure has been astronomical this week, but didn't' have the time to stop and have it checked. I had lunch with M&G and our five place. It was a nice break. I cleaned up a few things on my desk and went home around 4:00. I went straight to bed. Now if you really, really know me, you would know that this is odd beyond words. I stayed in bed until I heard Dave come home from his glorious, stress free week in Phx. We ordered out dinner from somewhere... and ate by the fireplace. I went to bed early. I'm sure Chris and Wendy are having a super duper time in Hawaii and that Stacy is having a blast with her family in Florida. humph! There should be some sort of "friend law" where both of them can't be gone at the same time.

Thursday/Friday bloglog

Okay, let me start by saying on Wednesday evening, I arrived home to find that the crows had opened up our trash can and lovingly scattered all our trash in our yard, the neighbors yard and in the vacant lot across the street. After the day I had... I could have screamed or cursed. But I got out of my car, got a trash bag, and calmly bagged up the trash again... for the second time. I made dinner for the boys and I told them that if they cleaned up the dishes I would make banana nut bread. It was a deal. During the process of making banana nut bread, I was reaching for a wooden spoon and I bumped a bottle of wine on the counter. It fell to the floor in slow motion and then exploded ALL over the kitchen, me, and the boys. At that point in my day ( after the crappy day at work, Dave in Phx and having to pick up the trash) I wanted to just walk away and go to bed. But instead I asked Will to get the trash can, and Daniel to get me a roll of paper towels. I quickly cleaned up the mess, although I'm sure I will be finding parts of the wine bottle under the fridge, etc for years to come. I finished making banana nut bread, and the boys and I watched "The Biggest Looser"... which surprisingly enough, was not about my life. Heard from Dave, he is ate in the lounge where he is staying... not to be confused with the 4 mile bike ride he took last night and then had dinner at Monte's La Casa Vieja. He ate at the bar, had a couple of rum and cokes and watched the baseball game. 100 miles removed from the daily activities and responsibilities of biscuit.

Thursday- Dave still in Phx, and calls me to let me know which wonderful dining establishments he is going to each night, in spite of the fact that he knows I'm having a week which I do not ever want to repeat. Work was work, still stressful from all the personnel actions we will taking next week. Lunch with Phil again. I think we ate at the Taco Show. I can assure you it's not like having a real lunch hour, as I've mentioned before, love Phil, but 9 hours of going over and over the problems we have here at work, is not a "break". I guess I could tell him I have other plans, but in truth its either going with him, which is easy, or not eating at all. I miss Chris and Stacy...got home, more trash scattered around the house. A repeat from Wednesday night. I will not, repeat, will not have the wine bottle on the counter near my elbow tonight. I will have the wine bottle clenched firmly, yet lovingly in my hand. I talked to Stacy tonight. I texted her to let her know that George on Grey's Anatomy is gay in real life. She texted me back asking if I was lonely. um... yes. Then she called because she was a little lonely too. It made my whole day ( not the fact that she was lonely too, although I might admit it did make me feel a weesie bit better... but actually it made my day to talk to her and laugh). Dave went to PF Changs, had an appetizer, and entree and rum and coke, then he rode his bike to a park where allegedly there was a "festival" going on. He didn't think it was weird at all that he was in a park at 9:30 p.m. I asked him if he would think it was weird if I called him alone from a park in Tempe at 9:30 at night. Would he worry about me? He said "no". Hmmmm... troubling.

Blog Log - Wednesday

Chris is in Hawaii, Stacy is in Florida and my husband is in Phoenix all week. I told Chris that I would bloglog my days alone....I'm sort of pitiful. Friendless and pitiful... does anyone feel my pain? Noooooooo.

Like I said, its Wednesday. Plenty of action here at work. Never a dull moment. I have a stack of Letters of Reprimand to write. I am getting really good at it... and then on to lunch with Phil, where we discussed the various stack of Letters I am composing... not very relaxing lunch, in fact I don't even count them as my lunch hour, its more like a continuous stream of office talk. (I do enjoy lunch with Phil, we always find something to laugh about.) Its already 2:00. I have to go to Fausto's allbymyselftoday.... bummer. Its also RobBob's last day. He figured out he had 4 more hours of pto and asked if he could take 4 hours of leave without pay. We said "you bet". It is time for him to mooove on. I am supposed to be going to a meeting in Ashfork tomorrow, but since I will be spending my days with the folks over in HR, I had to pass the torch to MaryAn and Gay. I miss everyone. Its already 2:13.

Monday Night Meltdown -

My words cannot accurately describe watching the Cardinals "play" football last night. So I took these below written words from the Arizona Republic. On a brighter note, we had a great time with RP, Sparkle Kitty and the boys.

They opened the roof Monday night at University of Phoenix Stadium, and for nearly three quarters, the fresh air seemed to breathe new life into the Cardinals' season.They built a 20-point lead over the Chicago Bears, considered by many to be the best team in the NFL. Hope seemed alive for the Cardinals, who brought a four-game losing streak into the game.But the Cardinals showed Monday that they could blow a game outdoors, too. Chicago scored three touchdowns in the final 15 minutes - two on fumble returns and another on Devin Hester's 83-yard punt return - to beat the Cardinals 24-23.

The Cardinals had one last chance, taking over at their 38-yard line with just less than three minutes remaining. Rookie quarterback Matt Leinart moved them deftly down the field to the Bears' 22-yard line. But kicker Neil Rackers' 40-yard field-goal attempt with 37 seconds remaining missed left, barely, and the Cardinals (1-5) were left to cope with their fifth straight loss.

My last post for the day... I promise... its just been so long since I've actually had time to write. But anyways.......

I'm leaving early from work today to attend yet another Cardinal's football game vs. Da Bears! My husband and I are and our two sons, Will and Daniel and.. yes...our best friends -RP and Sparkle Kitty, the two people that make every event a party. You might remember me writing about the last time we attended a football game with them, RP told the guy next to us he looked like the Baseline Killer. Pretty much a conversation stopper. So, no telling what is in store for our adventure today. All I really know, is that we always, always have a great time, I laught until I cry and my sides ache. I come back with happy crazy memories and something to blog about. Speaking of laughing until I cry.. Did I mention that the Cardinals football team sort of sucks.. We Have Not Won Any Games and we happen to be playing The Undefeated Chicago Bears. Yes, you read that correctly - UNDEFEATED. I can only hope for a small miracle. Like... Dear God, please don't let our Cardinals get the crap beat out of them in the first quarter.

Not only is it National Boss Day...

Monday is National Feral Cat Day, so pet a feral cat in appreciation. You'll feel good inside as you pull back your bloody stump.

The Grand Canyon....

A friend asked me about hiking the Grand Canyon. It was her first time in the Grand Canyon and... and... she is recovering from surgery. Having hiked the Grand Canyon, rim to rim, this was my response....
I don’t mean to be “Debbie downer” but there is nothing in the world like Grand Canyon miles. It’s good that you have been getting in shape, but I can assure you it will be a rough hike. Bright Angel is longer but not as steep, and the trip to the 3 mile rest house might be your best bet. Any hike in the Canyon will be beautiful. Even a short hike always centers me. Sometimes there is nothing like single tasking, which is what you do on these hikes. I always am amazed to find my significance in the world, and my insignificance in the world while in the Grand Canyon. Its odd, its big, its beautiful, its harsh …. But magical. My husband and I have hiked both rims as well as South Kaibab and Bright Angel, deep in to the belly of the canyon. It always calls us back. But I digress…. You know your own body. Remember that whatever time it takes you to walk down the canyon, double the time for coming back out. I mean it… Not to mention having to give way to the horses and donkey’s/burro’s that are packing tourists from California in white jeans and white cowboy boots, looking fresh as a daisy.. whilst weary hikers, smelling less than fresh as a daisy have to endure their snide comments regarding ridings vs. hiking… those same weary hikers secretly wishing for one of the 4 footed animals to get spooked and perhaps toss said California tourist off the side of a cliff….oops… I’m getting off track again. But the pack animals do have the right of way, and you will have to and need to stand verrrrry still as they pass. Watch out for the puddles of pee and horse poop too. Its lovely as your humping it back up the canyon, gasping for air, trying to keep you mind clear and all you can smell is urine and poop. Loooovee those pack animals!!! Okay, serious again. Having layers of clothing on is important, seems like you have a handle on that. You will truly need to eat even when you don’t think you need to eat. Above all – take your time, enjoy the journey… try not to be the over achiever I know you are. If you have 9 hours to hike, and your hike lasts 6 hours, go up top and have a nice coffee and desert at the El Tovar Lodge. It overlooks the rim and you can sit by the fireplace where juniper wood will be crackling and warm. It is one of my favorite places on earth. It has a lot of rich history.