RV Adventures, Part 1

This week began a new phase in my life, so to speak. My friend, Laurie, bought an RV this past year, something that I also have always wanted to have. With both of us having grown children and a yearning to travel, we've decided to go through this adventure together. This week we set off on our first "real" RV trip (the only other one having been a 1-night shakedown trip to Gettysburg).

We left Monday morning for Niagara Falls, Canada, with a stop the first night at a sweet little campground in Woodland, PA. I'll get into the details of the trip in a later post. What I want to tell you about today is how friendly, helpful and wonderful the people have been that we've met along the way.

After three nights at a wonderful KOA Kampground in Niagara Falls, ON, we left this morning for Cooperstown, NY (and a stop at the National Baseball Hall of Fame). We're staying at the Cooperstown Family Campground and, honestly, when we finished going down the third country road and turned into a gravel road with a small, unassuming sign, we were a little concerned about this place. Boy, were the first impressions wrong! This turned out to be a beautiful place, quiet and friendly, with nice neighbors and a family running the camp that couldn't be nicer! As I checked us in, Laurie was checking "Rosie" (the name we gave the RV) and discovered one of the dual tires on the driver's side was flat. What to do? Well, before we could even figure it out, the woman in the office had called the owner and asked him to come take a look at it. He did and said he could change it to the spare without too much trouble. He came by our campsite after dinner and, as I write this, Chris (the owner), two of his friends and our camping neighbor are all gathered around Rosie changing her tire. We've become the party site of the campgrounds! LOL!

And while they're visiting and changing the tire, they're all laughing, sharing war stories (literally -- Chris was in the Navy and served in Desert Storm; Laurie was in the Army), and talking car talk....which is why I'm sitting here at my iPad typing and listening to them. I don't know much about machines, so I'm staying out of the conversation!

While we ate dinner, the owner's daughter came by with her dog to say hello and see if we needed anything. She stayed and chatted with us as Phoenix sniffed around.

The point is this: each of the places we've stayed this week has had people who were friendly, helpful (especially to us RV "newbies"), kind, etc. We've had wonderful experiences and have enjoyed every minute, in spite of the flat tire. This is the best part of the adventure and what we've really been looking forward to -- meeting new people with common interests.

The adventure has just begun...but we're planning to have it go on for a long, long time! Next big trip: Grand Canyon this fall. Come back and visit and follow us as we tour the country!

There's one more thing I forgot to include in my last post, but was reminded of it when I rode on the Metro Thursday and Friday...

Why is it that so many people totally ignore the rule that says no eating or drinking on the Metro?  (For those of you not in the DC area, that's the name of our subway system.)  This was such a beautiful system when it first opened, but it's been totally trashed by people eating, drinking and chewing gum!  I've seen it all in the past six years of tour guiding -- from people drinking water to those eating an entire meal on the train!  Yes, I actually saw a woman eat her whole dinner while riding the subway.  No wonder the train cars are such a mess!  Yesterday, I was riding up the escalator to the train platform in the morning and a woman ahead of me was carrying a large iced coffee (full) in her hand to consume while riding!  Unbelievable!

Once again, it comes down to that little, but powerful word:  RESPECT!  Respect for the rules.  Respect for other people.  Respect for the trains and the people who have to clean them.  Don't look right at the sign that says "NO FOOD OR DRINKS" and totally ignore it!  ARGH!!!

Here's another one....I took my group yesterday to Arlington National Cemetery.  I spend a lot of time talking to them about this hallowed ground and how we must behave in a respectful manner.  I also tell them there is no food, drink (other than water) or chewing gum allowed.  I remind them again when we've gone through the Visitors Center that they must get rid of gum....and then, again, as we start our walk and pass a trash can.  So why is it that just before we went to the Changing of the Guard Ceremony I found one of the girls chomping on gum right in front of me?  I called her out on it -- you bet I did!  I looked her right in the eye and said "Why are you chewing gum when I've already told you three times to get rid of it?"  She was totally embarrased.  GOOD!  It makes me wonder what she's being taught at home...that rules are for everyone else?  Yes, I know that part of this is just being a teenager, but I don't care how old you are -- if you're told a rule, just follow it.

Well, my frustration should subside for a little while.  I finished my final tour of the season yesterday evening.  It was a great season with lots of wonderful students and adults (and a few clunkers thrown in here and there).  I enjoyed it, but have to admit that I'm glad it's over.  There are so many other things going on in my life that I want to concentrate on.  Come back and visit again and you'll see what I'm talking about! 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Let me start by saying this: OMG! Has it really been more than two years since I posted on this blog? Unbelievable! Where does the time go?

Well, I'm still working as a tour guide in DC and I'm wrapping up the 2012 season this week. I have a great group of two middle schools from the Chicago area and have enjoyed the past couple of days with them. It's been a fairly easy schedule, so I've had some time to reflect on this year's groups...and that has me thinking about life and the world in general.

So, here's my question: What ever happened to the concept of "respect"? I'm referring to respect for other people, respect for property, respect for laws and rules, respect for our Nation's Government and leadership...just respect for everything! Have we become such a society of "entitlement" that everyone thinks they are the only person or thing that matters on earth? Do they think the rules only apply to everyone else and not to them?

I know...I'm ranting. Let me give you some specific examples. Let's start with the simplest of issues, but one that I deal with every day that I'm leading a tour.

One of the first things I do with a group is introduce myself and tell them that I have a couple of simple rules that I ask them to follow, the most important of which is that when I'm talking, they not talk. Common courtesy, right? Apparently not! I expect to still have some students whispering while I speak, although I will ask them to stop if the chaperones don't step up and do it. But what am I supposed to do when the adults are the ones who are being rude? Last week I had a group of Girl Scouts here for the "Rock The Mall" celebration on the National Mall. As I was speaking on the bus, two parents who were one row behind me and across the aisle continued to talk at full volume, even as I was asking everyone to be quiet! How do I straighten them out without having them lose face in front of the girls? I put up with it or a while, then finally addressed it in a humorous way, but I shouldn't have had to deal with it at all!

Then there are the students I take to the many memorials and monuments who have no respect for these beautiful structures that are there to thank our heroes, both of war and of peace. Last weekend, it was incredibly hot during Rock The Mall. Following the event, we went to the World War II Memorial, which has a beautiful fountain in the middle of it. There were dozens of people wading in the fountain up to their knees, despite the numerous signs that clearly say "NO WADING". This is a MEMORIAL, for crying out loud! The wall of stars there represents almost 500,000 American casualties of the war! Show some respect for those people who gave THEIR lives for YOUR freedom! Come to the memorial to celebrate, enjoy its beauty, but stay out of the water!!

And I can't tell you how many times I have to tell one of the boys in my group to not jump off the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I'm not talking about him walking down to the last step and jumping; I'm talking about boys (yes, it is always the boys!) running across the plaza in front of the building and taking a flying leap from the top of the 7th step! One fell when he landed and could easily have broken an arm or leg! And stop walking/climbing/siting on every wall/step/rock/ramp you see. The memorials are not your personal playground or jungle gym!

I recently took a group to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. The Archives does not allow photography, so I always tell my students to leave their cameras on the bus. While waiting to get through the security check, an 8th-grader from another group stepped up to the sign that said "NO PHOTOGRAPHY", pulled out her cell phone and took a photo of the sign! I was incensed! I looked at her and said, "Why would you take a photograph of a sign that clearly says 'no photography'?" She actually looked at me and had the gall to respond, "I wasn't taking a picture." What am I, an idiot or something?

Finally, one of my biggest pet peeves: referring to the President of the United States by his first name or without using his title, such as "is Obama at home in the White House today?" I always correct the students and explain that he should be addressed as President Obama (or Bush or Clinton or whomever), Mr. President or the President out of respect for the office. It doesn't matter if you voted for him or not. It doesn't matter if you agree with his policies or like him. The leader of the free world has earned the right to be addressed properly! And what about the adults who do this? What kind of example are they setting for the next generation?

I won't even get started on drivers who have no respect for other drivers! I think you get the point by now.

What's a person to do? I was raised to respect others, respect property, respect and celebrate the history of our glorious country. I have this nagging fear that the next generation isn't going to get it -- they won't know how to behave respectfully in public because they're not being taught by their parents. What kind of a world will we be living in then?

Memorial Day Thoughts

The bulk of the tour season is behind me and I actually have a little free time to post something. The last month has been incredibly busy as I've worked several long stretches of tours without a break. Right now, I'm towards the end of a 10-day stretch that included the routine 8th grade tour, a marching band that came to perform in the National Memorial Day Parade, a middle school history club (starting this afternoon), and, most interesting of all, a group of families who have lost loved ones through their military service. They were in Washington for Memorial Day weekend at a conference of TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), a non-profit organization that helps these families cope with their loss.

I learned a lot about TAPS while I was with the group on Friday evening. The membership is made up of servicemen/women as well as people who have lost loved ones in the war -- any war -- and are willing to help others going through similar experiences. I can't even begin to tell you how impressed I was with this incredible organization! Not only do they help adults, but they have an outstanding program that matches children who have lost parents or siblings with active duty military members from the same branch of the service who act as their mentors and buddies. They even had a "Good Grief Camp" for children as part of the weekend's activities, a place where kids could express their feelings of loss and learn how to cope with it. The weekend conference had a lot of fun activities, but it also had seminars to help survivors deal with the paperwork and bureaucratic red tape, support group meetings, grief counseling, financial counseling, etc. What a wonderful resource for these families! They had over 1400 people attend!

TAPS had posted a request for tour guides on the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington, DC website a few weeks ago, asking for volunteers to lead tours for the families on Friday evening, and I was quick to jump at the chance. I met the group at their hotel in Crystal City, Virginia and had just a little over two hours to show them around the city. The motor coach was packed, so I had a young man (age 13) sitting next to me, his mom and younger sister across the aisle. His father was killed in action almost two years ago and I could still see the pain in his mother's face. I kept thinking how smart she was to take advantage of this organization to help them get through the difficult times. I was so impressed by all of the people on the tour -- the pride they felt for the loved ones they had lost seemed to far outweigh their feelings of grief. I'm sure they have all had many dark days, with more ahead, but they were all happy to be in Washington to celebrate Memorial Day and honor their fallen heroes. I felt truly honored to be a part of that!

I am fortunate that I have never lost a loved one in a war, and being a part of the Memorial Day activities all weekend reminded me of how lucky I am. It also reminded me of that old, but true saying: "Freedom isn't free!" That's one of the things I try to get across to all of my tour groups, especially the students, as I take them to the various memorials and monuments. I have a tremendous respect for those who serve(d) our country -- past and present -- and do all that I can to honor them. When I see someone in uniform, I thank them for their service. When I see veterans visiting the memorials (especially the World War II), I encourage my students to go up and speak with them and I do the same.

Memorial Day weekend is over, but that doesn't mean we should stop showing respect and honor for our servicemen and women. Just the opposite! It's easy to think about them on a special day, but I encourage you to think of them and pray for their safety every day! I know I do!

Mother's Day

It's been a long time since I posted on my blog. The last six weeks have been so busy between tours, chorus competition, scrapbooking, family, etc. The tour season is going pretty well. I've had some great groups and just one that was obnoxious and rude to the point that I'd rather not work with them again. For the most part, it's been great so far.

The diet is going well, too -- I'm down about 19 pounds from when I first started Weight Watchers. It's been slow and mostly steady, with a few detours along the way. All of the walking on my tours is really helping, but sometimes it's hard to stick to the program when I end up eating out so many times in a week. Still, I'm doing the best I can and making good choices most of the time. Yesterday I was even able to wear a pair of denim capris that were too tight last year, so that was encouraging.

So you're probably wondering what has compelled me to write today when I've been "silent" for so long. Easy enough to answer -- it's Mother's Day, a day filled with mixed emotions for me. I have two wonderful, grown sons whom I love dearly and who love me. We have a great relationship, albeit somewhat long distance these days. Dan lives about 3 hours north, so I certainly won't get to see him today, but he's already called this morning and we had a nice, long chat. Paul lives about an hour south of me and I spent most of yesterday with him, so I told him not to make the trip up for a visit today. He just came back from two weeks of training and has a lot of catching up to do before starting work again tomorrow. I completely understand why I won't be with my children today, but that makes it feel like just any other day, not like Mother's Day.

My own mother died in 1978, so it's been over 30 years since I've been able to spend the day with her. I used to go to the cemetery each year on Mother's Day, but stopped doing that a while ago. I was there a few months ago to visit, so that will have to do. I do think about her and wish she were still here, but that's beyond my control.

So why does this day feel so sad rather than happy? It comes down to one simple thing -- my granddaughter, Taryn. If you've read my blog from the beginning, you know I've written about her before. She's Dan's daughter, but without going into a whole, long explanation, let me just say that her mother, Liz, has kept her completely away from our family for almost four years. Yes, there's a custody agreement in place (Liz and Dan were married for only a year), but the two of them agreed that she wouldn't ask him to pay child support if he wouldn't ask to see Taryn. Dan moved away shortly after the divorce was finalized and he has moved on with his life. He is in a wonderful relationship with a lovely woman who has three little girls and I love all of them. I hope someday the two of them will get married, but in the meantime, Dan considers them to be his family. Still, that doesn't heal the aching in my heart or the emptiness I feel because I don't get to see my granddaughter.

The last time I saw Taryn, she was about 10 months old. She was crawling, pulling herself up to a stand and starting to take some steps if you held her hands. Now she's almost five years old! Think about everything I've missed! I think about it every single day of my life. I almost got to see her last June. I was at the American Cancer Society Relay For Life and it turned out that Liz was on a team, along with her mother, and had brought Taryn with her. My sister and friend saw them and tried to talk to them, but as soon as Liz realized I was there, she scooped Taryn up and took her home. How can someone be that cruel? I've never done anything to her or the baby to warrant that kind of treatment. For whatever reasons, Liz may hate my son, but that doesn't give her the right to hate me! All I've ever wanted is to get to know my granddaughter... to get to spend time with her...to have the chance to love her. My friends and family tell me I have to let go and, maybe, when Taryn is 18, she'll come looking for us. Easy for them to say...impossible for me to do. I don't know if I'll even be around when she turns 18, but even if I am, I will have missed the most important years of her life!

What can I do? From the research I've done, I have rights as a grandparent, but the State of Maryland will go along with the custodial parent's decision unless I can prove that Taryn is being abused. I know that's not the case; she's very well loved. Lately, though, I've been thinking about talking to a lawyer to see if anything can be done. What's been stopping me up to now? Liz has threatened to go after Dan for the money he owes if I do this, and I don't want to put him into that position. There's no way he can afford to pay the back child support, even though I doubt she'd win her case. She broke their agreement first by refusing to bring Taryn to our home for visitation. It was after that when she and Dan came to their unofficial agreement. Still, she's mean and vindictive -- as her behavior at Relay last year proved once again -- so I wouldn't put it past her.

So here I am again...another Mother's Day and no granddaughter to visit me. It's the same old story, but there's a little bit of a twist this time. I do have a great-niece, Hannah, who is 9 months old. My niece and sister have been wonderful about allowing me to be a part of her life, but it's just not the same. I love Hannah dearly and have since the day she was born, but now she's crawling and babbling and pulling herself up to a stand...exactly the same things Taryn was doing the last time I saw her. So as much as I love Hannah and the rest of her/my family, it is also very hard for me to be around her because of the memories it brings back. I watch my sister and brother-in-law play with her and the joy they feel as grandparents, and I'm so envious I could just die. I hate feeling this way, but I can't help it. I think that once Hannah gets past the stage that Taryn was at -- once she is walking and talking -- it will be easier. Until then, I'll smile and laugh at her antics and try not to think of the little red-headed girl -- the one who looks so much like my son -- that I can't be with today or any day.

Lest you think I don't appreciate that it's Mother's Day, let me say how thankful I am to have two grown sons who are healthy, happy and gainfully employed...who are living on their own (with only an occasional request for help)...and who worry about me. I love you, Paul and Dan. It's just that I have a lot more love available and wish I could share some of it with my granddaughter.

'Tis the Season

My life began anew today...my life as a tour guide, that is. This evening was the first day of my first student tour of the 2010 season! Hooray and hallelujah! Boy, it sure felt good to be back out there leading a group, telling them about our Nation's Capital and sharing the sights. And, I'm pleased to say, I've still got it! Sure, I spent a little time this morning going over my notes on the memorials and other sights, but once the group arrived, everything fell into place and I felt right at home.

The group I'm working with through Tuesday is from Idaho and it turns out that I've had them before. I kept thinking when I looked at the name of the middle school and the group leader that they sounded familiar, but when I looked back over last year's materials and schedule, they weren't there. So, there I was at Union Station, waiting for the group to arrive to have dinner, and as they stepped off the escalator, the group leader saw me, hollered out my name and gave me a big hug! I was right -- I did know them...but they were last here two years ago, not last year! They're from a small school and don't come every year. But they remembered me and requested me as their tour guide. I think that's the greatest honor and feedback that you can get from a group!

We had dinner at Uno Pizzeria (where I was very good on my diet), then headed for the World War II Memorial and Washington Monument. I could just feel that warm, familiar glow come over me as we drove around the city and saw all the buildings and memorials lit up. It doesn't matter how many times I see them -- and this is my fourth year as a guide -- it always sends a shiver up my spine. Washington, DC is a beautiful city, especially at night! Standing in front of the WW II Memorial, you can see the Washington Monument and all the way down to the Capitol looking east and a magnificent view of the Lincoln Memorial to the West. What a sight!

After that, we went over to the White House for a photo opportunity. The group leader had never seen it at night and was a little hesitant, but was delighted when she saw how beautiful it is all lit up. Of course, there were a gazillion pictures taken of the group in front of the White House -- heaven forbid they should actually share digital images! LOL! Every group I've been with is the same when it comes to that issue. You'd think they could designate one or two "official photographers" to take the group shots and pass them along to the rest, but everyone wants their own version on their own camera. It's okay, really. Some of them will never get another chance to come to Washington, so I want them to be happy!

That was it for tonight. These kids and adults have been up since 3:00 am Idaho time -- and with the switch to Daylight Savings Time, some of them never slept last night at all! They were beat, so the bus driver (one of my favorites) dropped me at Metro, I headed home and the group headed for the hotel. It's a very nice group -- fairly small and lots of adults (almost as many as there are students) and very well-behaved. I can't wait to meet them again tomorrow morning as we start a very long day with a stop at the Capitol Visitors Center.

I'm in the groove again and it feels great! I'm sure my attitude will be quite different by the time May and June roll around, but this is what I love to do and I'm glad it's started up again!

Up and Down and All Around

Gosh, it's been kind of a strange week. I don't know why, really, but my mood has been going up and down like a roller coaster. I guess part of it is related to the weather. We haven't had any additional snow since the second blizzard, but everywhere you go there are mountains and mountains of the stuff! I'm sick of trying to weave around piles in parking lots, not being able to see around them when I'm at an intersection waiting for traffic to clear, looking at the "black snow" that's created by the plowing and car exhausts, having events (especially chorus rehearsals) cancel because of the snow. I guess maybe I have a case of the winter doldrums, but that's only part of it.

Maybe it's because my 59th birthday was Saturday. I'm usually pretty positive about birthdays, although I'm not into huge parties or anything like that. Since my father died at the age of 54 and my mom five years later at the age of 56, I figure that every day I live is more than they had and a cause for celebration. And yet, I look at that number -- 59 -- and I know what's coming in just 360 days -- the "big 6-0"! I am already in my 60th year and that seems unreal! I don't feel that old and I certainly don't act that old! I look back at what my mom was like before she died and it seemed like she was much older than her years. I guess a lot of it has to do with my perspective and perceptions; she seemed older because she was my mother. I wonder if my children feel the same way about me? Probably not because I'm a lot more active than my mom was in her later years. After all, I sing, I'm a tour guide, a docent, and I have a fairly busy life. Mom was still recovering from the loss of my dad, her soul mate, even five years later, and I think that took a toll on her. I lost my husband to divorce almost eight years ago and, at the end, we were anything but soul mates. I have moved on with my life and done pretty well on my own.

Still, I've spent a lot of time this week thinking about where I am in my life. My sister and I have talked about it together, too, since she turned 65 last month. It's a very strange feeling to know that the majority of my time on earth is behind me, not ahead of me. It's a perspective that I don't think about too often, but there's nothing like a birthday to put it in your head for a while. I go with my quartet and chorus to sing at a lot of nursing homes, including units for patients with Alzheimer's. I love to see their faces light up when we start to sing, but at the same time, I wonder if that's what lies ahead for me. Will I end up being one of them, waiting for some outsiders to come and entertain me? It's a frightening thought!

I've also been spending a lot of time alone during the past few weeks, what with the blizzards and all. It's been a year since Paul moved out, so I'm glad to say I've made it through my first year of solo living! Most of the time, it's good. I don't have to worry about anyone's schedule but mine. I come and go as I please, eat when I'm hungry, cook if I feel like it (not too often, unfortunately), watch whatever TV shows I want, etc. But just about every night, there comes a time when the loneliness becomes almost overwhelming. I'll be sitting at the computer visiting Facebook or playing games and realize it's midnight or 1:00 am...and then I recognize that the reason I'm still at the computer is because I don't want to go to bed. I'm tired and sleepy, but going to bed alone only emphasizes my loneliness. I'm not talking about sex; I'm talking about the comfort of snuggling up to someone you love or having a person to talk to about your day. When I get into bed, pull up the covers and turn off the lights, it's just me and the TV. (Oh, yeah, I talk to the TV...but it doesn't answer back.) I don't even have a dog any more to get in bed with me and give me comfort. These are the hardest hours of the day and sometimes, when I'm having a bout of insomnia (like I did one night this week), they seem to go on forever. Eventually I fall asleep and, with no place special to be in the morning, I sleep in as late as I want. The mood has usually cleared by morning, but this week, it seems to be lingering on.

Now, before my wonderful nieces, sons and friends decide they are going to make me their "project" and start looking for a match for me, let me make it perfectly clear: don't bother! Most of the time, I'm fine with being alone. I'm just going through a rough spell right now and I'm sure it will pass. I'm not interested in dating and, as I've said many times, if it's in the cards for me to meet someone, it will happen without anyone else's help. I have the most wonderful support system in the world! I have a great, close, loving family, a large circle of friends who go out of their way to keep me involved and active, and my work to keep me busy...at least, it will once the tour season kicks in again next month. Just allow me my little bit of time to wallow in self-pity and then I'll be my cheerful self again.

Life is a roller coaster. This week I'm at the bottom of the hill. Who knows what next week will bring? I'll just have to wait and see.

Winter Doldrums

Seven days. That's how long it's been since I've been out of my apartment. Seven days. One week. 168 hours. 10,080 minutes. 604,800 seconds.

So, why does it feel like a lifetime?

I've tried to like the snow, I really have. Look at my last post and you'll see how much I truly like it. Except I wrote that posting before "Round 2" of the "Blizzard of 2010" hit. I wrote that when I'd only been stuck inside for three days, not seven. I wrote that when all the white outside still looked beautiful and untouched and was only 24" deep...before we got another 20" on top of it!

In the last week, I've been outside for a total of 15 minutes. I haven't gone anywhere -- not for a drive, not for a walk, not even sledding (which I'm way too old to even attempt). I have been housebound. Yes, I had offers from family and friends earlier this week (between Rounds 1 and 2 of the storms) to come join them. I politely said no because I really am more comfortable in my own home. Solitude can be very nice...up to a point. It got old around Day 4!

I'm tired of watching TV. I'm tired of cooking. I'm tired of doing dishes (yes, Ed, I've been doing the dishes!). I'm tired of looking out the window at snow everywhere. I'm tired of sitting at this damn computer. I have plenty of things I could be doing, but at this point, I have such a case of the blahs that I really don't want to do anything unless it means I can get out of here! I'm a doer, a go-getter, a run-around-er. Sitting in one place for a week is almost like torture. Thank goodness I'm a law-abiding citizen 'cause I don't think I could ever cut it in a 12'x12' prison cell!

This is the longest amount of time that I've ever been alone; ever, as in my entire life! I've been talking to myself. I've been talking to the TV. I've been talking to the computer. I know I'm not completely over the edge because I haven't been answering myself, so I guess I'm okay. The only thing that has saved my sanity is that I discovered Skype this week, so I've been talking on the computer to family and friends. At least I'm seeing another face and they are talking back to me!

I still haven't dug out my car, but with the sunshine and a bit warmer temperatures today, about half the snow on it has melted off. I am determined to get out tomorrow, no matter what. I don't care how much snow I have to shovel. I don't care if I only get to drive two blocks, then turn around and come home. I am going to leave this development and see another part of the world...or at least, another part of this town. I am going to be free, even if just for a short time.

Because -- believe it or not -- the weathermen are already predicting more snow for Monday! Now, most of them say it's a small storm that won't amount to much, maybe 2-3". I remember when 2-3" of snow in the Metro DC area sent the entire city into a panic. Not this year! After setting an all-time record for the most snow in one winter [and it's ONLY February 11!], 2-3" seems like just a dusting. But there are some who are saying it could be more like 6-8", not as bad as the blizzard, but enough to keep me home again. Just thinking about another snowstorm puts a knot in my stomache!

Seven days. Tomorrow, I shall escape, just for a little while...because I'm not sure my sanity will make it through Day 8 if I don't!

More Snow

So, I look out my window and just about all I see is white. We had over 24" of snow on Friday/Saturday -- the blizzard of 2010! Some people are calling it "snowcropolis" or "snowmageddon"; personally, I'm just calling it a pain in the ass! And now we are under another Winter Storm Warning starting Tuesday at noon thru Wednesday evening, with a prediction of another 10-20" of now!

Now, don't get me wrong -- I love snow. It's nice when this area around DC has a couple of snowfalls during the winter, especially if they're less than a foot at a time, there's time in between them for the old snow to disappear, and I don't have anywhere I need to go. But this is getting a bit ridiculous! By the time Old Man Winter moves out of here, this may very well be the snowiest winter in the 150 or so years they've been keeping weather records!

Okay, I'm done complaining. I learned a long, long time ago that weather is one of the things we can't control...which is probably why it drives me crazy! Since I'm basically a "glass-is-half-full" kind of person, I'm going to attempt to talk about the positive things about the blizzard we just had and the storm that's coming up, as well as winter in general.

1. There are few things prettier in nature than freshly fallen snow, especially when you live near a wooded area like I do. The trees, grass, rocks, streams all covered with untouched snow are magnificent....Mother Nature at her best. Unfortunately, the humans have to mess it all up by shoveling, plowing, and turning the snow black from car exhausts. [Oh, sorry -- that was a little bit of negative thinking sneaking in.]
2. If I have to be outside walking around, I'd rather do it in snow or cold weather than in 95 degrees and 75% humidity! I have done both in my tour guiding experiences, and I'll take cold over hot any time! Fortunately, this week I haven't had any tours to worry about, so it's been a non-issue.
3. It's peaceful and quiet. Stand outside during a snowfall -- especially at night -- and you can almost hear the flakes hitting the ground.
4. It's a time when neighbors actually get a chance to visit with each other. It's also a time when human behavior seems to be at its best -- friends and family calling to make sure I'm okay, offers to pick me up and take me to the store or anywhere else, invitations for me to come and stay with friends or family so I won't be alone, neighbors helping out by shoveling snow. It restores my faith in humankind.
5. Memories....snow takes me back to my younger days. I remember several big snows when I was a kid. The blizzard of 1966 kept us out of school for a week. We spent hours and hours outside sledding, building snow forts, having snowball fights. Ah, to be young again and have the energy for all that. It brings memories of when my own children were little and we'd take them out to play in the snow, too. We lived in a townhouse until Dan was almost 6 and we were at the top of a long hill. Great sledding! And, of course, our own special family memory -- the Blizzard of 1993 that came on the day of Paul's Bar Mitzvah! We still talking about that one 17 years later!

So, snow isn't all bad. I know that many of my friends love it and are enjoying every minute and every flake. I guess that down deep I feel that way, too. I've spent a lot of time the last four days looking out my picture window as the snow came down and watching neighbors digging out. I especially like to watch the dogs jumping and playing in it. It makes me miss Cookie, my special mutt who died almost two years ago. She really loved the snow and would have totally enjoyed this winter. I do have to admit, though, that it's a relief that I don't have to worry about walking a dog out there right now. After all, we got about 24" of snow and I only have a 27" inseam, making it almost impossible for me to walk around where it hasn't been shoveled. If we really get another 20" on top of this, I may be stuck here until Spring!

My calendar has been cleared for the rest of the week. No rehearsal tonight, my Guild of Professional Tour Guides meeting for tomorrow was canceled, I found someone to take my docent shift at Library of Congress tomorrow, so I really don't have to go anywhere at all for the next few days. I have plenty of food in the house, firewood in case I lose power again, and plenty of things to keep me busy. That means it can snow all it wants, as far as I'm concerned.

Go for it, Mother Nature! But don't forget that in just 5 short weeks, I'll be out there walking around and leading tours again, so PLEASE get it out of your system now!

Inspiration Comes From Many Places

I just finished reading my niece's last two blog postings and I have to say, for the record, that she has become my inspiration. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Isn't the adult supposed to influence and inspire the next generation? Well, I may have done that to some degree with both of my sister's daughters over the years, but right now, Rachel is the one that I am turning to for courage and determination.

If you haven't read her blog, you really must! Check it out at http://reshapingrachel.blogspot.com. She started her blog last October when she decided the time had come to take control of her life and her health, so she joined Weight Watchers. She began blogging as another form of reinforcement to help her stay on track. Now, I've known Rachel since before she was born and I've watched her grow up into an incredible, beautiful, successful young woman! I've also seen her struggle with a weight issue her whole life, just as her mom and I do (along with half the world, I think). She's been on the yo-yo diet track for almost 30 years, but this time is different. This time, she has gone public and laid out all of the feelings, emotions, frustrations she feels right out there for the world to see in her blog! She has shared the positive moments, the negative setbacks, and, yes, even her true weight for anyone who is interested. I think that is extraordinarily brave and something that I don't think I could ever do! I admire her for her honesty and openness and I have drawn strength from her example!

In fact, last month I joined Weight Watchers, too, along with my sister (Rachel's mom). It hasn't been easy, but it is necessary! And Rachel has been right there with us -- in spirit, at least -- by calling with words of encouragement, sending us recipes, passing on tips she's learned along the way, etc. I think I've talked to her more on the phone in the last month than I have in the last 2-3 years! She calls to check up on me and see how I'm doing. She gave me a pep talk when it turned out I'd gained a pound this past week -- not a surprise since I had lost 7 pounds the week before. She wanted to be sure I wasn't discouraged and ready to give up, which I wasn't. She has been a godsend and I hope she continues her support. Knowing her, wild horses couldn't keep her from helping me make the lifestyle changes I need to do to succeed in reaching my goal and keeping the weight off.

So I dedicate this blog to my wonderful niece, Rachel, who has already lost 33 pounds on her road to her new self. The changes you've made in your life -- not just when it comes to weight loss, but in everything you do -- are an inspiration to me and to many others! Keep up the good work....keep sticking to the program....and keep on blogging! I love you lots!!

Oh, and a P.S. to Sara -- I haven't forgotten about you; I love you, too!!

Random Thoughts

I thought I'd do something different today -- just some short thoughts that have been running through my head, rather than one "big" subject. (Thanks to Airman Mom for the idea!)

• Is it spring yet??!! Geez, I'm tired of snow already. Okay, the 22" in December, right before Christmas, was nice and very seasonal. But the storm that hit yesterday was enough already! All week the weathermen were saying that we'd only get a dusting...well, 5"+ is one heck of a dusting! Of course, I was downtown doing a shift at the Library of Congress when it hit and had to drive a long ways home in that mess!
• Where do people get their drivers licenses these days? Are they being sold at Sears? While driving home in that mess of snow and slush yesterday, I was passed by 4-wheel-drive vehicles doing at least 50-55 even though the roads were covered with slush and very slippery. Yes, I understand that they can do it with their 4WD running, but that doesn't mean that they should! The 4WD won't stop them from sliding on the ice or slush and running into someone....probably me!
• Okay, enough griping! I'm a "glass is 1/2 full" kind of person, so I need to be positive. I gave two tours at the Library of Congress yesterday morning and totally enjoyed it! It was my first time doing it on a Saturday. I didn't expect there would be very many people because of the weather, but the die-hard tourists still came out to see it. We had over 30 people in one group and 40 in the next. There were three of us docents working, so we were able to split the groups. Every tour I do gets a little bit easier and better. If I could just remember the order of those darn Putti going up the staircases in the Great Hall. (Don't know what a Putti is? Either Google it or come down to LOC and take a tour!)
• I spent a good part of this afternoon in a pool hall with Paul and some friends celebrating his birthday. Lots of fun! I got hugs from all his friends -- they're all so sweet. I'm so glad he has made so many new friends through work and that they all like to socialize outside of the office, too.
• Only 6 weeks until my tour season starts up again! Hooray! I really am anxious to get started again. I miss being on a busy schedule, although I'm sure that sounds a little crazy. By the time I get to mid-May, I'm sure I'll be wishing for the season to end so I can get some rest. You know what they say about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence. I do miss the interaction with the people, though, and the chance to share our beautiful Nation's Capital with them. Soon it will be time for me to start brushing up on my facts and figures again.
• I can't believe I've actually been retired for three years already! Wow! And I'm getting ready to start my 4th season as a DC Tour Guide. Funny, though -- I still feel like a rookie, especially compared to some of the guides I know who've been doing this for 15-20 years or more!
• With tour season just around the corner, I really need to dedicate myself to getting my apartment in order....going through piles of papers and getting rid of trash, filing things away, hanging pictures, taking some new pictures to be framed. The list goes on and on. Why is it so easy for me to ignore these things and so hard to get motivated to complete them? I want to spend time working on my scrapbooking while I still have the time to do it, but feel guilty about working on a fun project when there's so much "un-fun" things to be done.
• IS IT SPRING YET??

Happy Birthdays!

It's been a long time since I posted on this site. In the month since I last wrote, a lot has been happening -- holidays, a new year, hand surgery (doing fine now, thanks), singing, etc. In other words, "life". I've been busy and, for some reason, haven't felt inspired to write about much. I've been waiting for something to happen to get me going again.

Well, today is the day. Actually, the "something" that happened really occurred 30 years ago today -- the birth of my first son, Paul. Thirty years! I can hardly believe it! Where did the time go? I look at him today and can't even imagine that he was ever a baby...yet, I remember every detail of that day like it was yesterday! It's just all the years in between that are a blur!

It's been an incredible journey these past 30 years, filled with peaks and valleys. We've had moments of pure joy and moments that scared us to death. When he was born, the doctors thought there was something wrong with Paul because the shape of his head was a little elongated towards the back and his neck seemed to be too short. Of course, it turned out to be nothing at all. My theory -- because I'm so short, he ran out of room to grow lengthwise and that caused the problem. By the time he was 6 weeks old, he looked as normal as any other baby....except he was the most beautiful baby in the world! (Of course, I might have been slightly biased about that!) He really was adorable, although he was bald until he was 18 months old. Just a little platinum peach fuzz all over his head. Sorry, son -- I think that was a precursor of what you would look like as an adult! (That male pattern baldness thing comes from both sides of your family!)

As kids go, he was a fairly easy one to raise, although he had his moments, like any child does. We had our first real scare with him when he was a little over 2 years old. Long story short -- he had grand mal seizures, three of them in less than a 12-hour period. We ended up at the Children's National Medical Center for a few days of tests and were told his diagnosis was "idiopathic epilepsy". Apparently, it's quite common in little boys and the neurologist said Paul would outgrow it by the time he was 4 or 5. Well, it took a little bit longer, but before his 9th birthday, his eeg was clean and he never had another seizure after the initial ones. He grew up to be healthy and normal, thank goodness!

But there were far more positive, happy times than negative ones and those are the ones I choose to remember. He was always a loving child, never afraid to hug his mom or dad, even in front of his friends. He was never embarrassed to be seen with us....at least, not as far as I know. We never went through that awful teenage time when he thought we were from another planet -- he was happy to hang out with the family and do things together. In fact, he even asked me to take him and his friends to Kings Dominion when they were in high school...twice! Those are times I'll never forget!

There have been so many times that I've been proud of him that I can't even list them all! He was always polite, helpful and hard-working (except when it came to doing chores around the house or keeping his room clean). He became an Eagle Scout at the age of 15, then continued with the Troop and eventually became an Assistant Scoutmaster. He traveled to the Netherlands to attend the Boy Scout World Jamboree and went to the BSA Jamboree in Virginia, too. He learned to be a leader and still possesses those skills today.

He developed an interest in athletic training, so he attended a course the summer after his freshman year and became a Certified Student Athletic Trainer. He spent three years as the trainer/manager for the football, basketball and volleyball teams. He was the first CSAT to ever serve in his high school and he received letters and other awards for his good work! He also was honored for earning the most Student Service Learning hours of any other graduating senior.

Thirty years. Wow! That cuddly, sweet, little baby -- a clone of his dad from the moment he was born -- is all grown up. He's turned into a strong, intelligent, independent, caring man with a heart of gold! I am so proud that he is my son!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAUL!

But, wait -- there's more to the story.....

There's one more thing that makes January 27 a very special day for our family -- it's my sister's birthday, too. That's right -- Paul was born on Judy's 35th birthday (you can do the math yourselves). For the nine months I was pregnant, she kept saying that he was going to come late and ruin her day....and she was right! I, on the other hand, choose to believe that he was the perfect present for her that day -- a nephew, a godson, and a playmate for her daughter who was born six months later! For 30 years, Judy's been a great sport about sharing her special day. She's celebrated many a time at Chuck E. Cheese, hockey games, movie parties, etc. It became "Paul's Birthday...and, oh yeah, Judy's, too" in 1980 and pretty much stayed that way until he graduated high school.

Thank you, my dear sister, for sharing your birthday with my son. Thank you, also, for always being there for both of my sons...for being their "other mother" when they needed you...for loving them as much as you do your own children! They are so lucky to have you as their aunt (and, of course, to have Ed as their favorite uncle!). You are the best! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, too! I hope you have many, many more of them!!

Love to both of you....and may this day be as special as you are!

Snow Stories

Thank goodness for neighbors! I went out today to find my car, which was buried under yesterday's snow. We got over 20" here so the only thing I could see of my car was the very tips of the windshield wipers I had pulled up and away from the window on Friday night. The rest was nothing but one big lump of white! At least I don't have to worry about shoveling the sidewalks. That's one good thing about living in a condo -- someone else does that part.

So, I went downstairs with my snow shovel and push broom to see what I could do. There were several neighbors out, so I chatted with my downstairs neighbor, Jim, as I worked. I started to shovel a spot where I could walk from the sidewalk to my car. I got through about 4' x 1 shovel width and knew that this was going to be a big job! We had at least 20" of snowfall yesterday. I'm not very tall, so it was slow moving.

After a few minutes, a nice-looking young man (probably a 30-something) from across the parking lot walked over. He said, "I have an offer for you. If you'll let me use your shovel [he didn't have one], I'll dig out your car." I told him he was welcome to use it, but didn't have to shovel mine, but he insisted. I'm no fool -- I graciously accepted his trade. I handed over the shovel so he could dig out his own cars first, then I took the broom and used it to clean the snow off my car. Fortunately, it was a very light snow, but it still took quite a bit of effort. Not only am I short, but I'm no spring chicken, so it took me about 30 minutes just to clean off the car itself. It was very hard for me to move around the car, especially as the snow came off the top and added to the height of the snow around me. I got it done, told Garrett (the young man) that there wasn't any rush to get mine done because I'm not going anywhere any time soon, and went inside. I was soaked through all my layers, so I stripped down and threw my clothes in the dryer.

I just looked outside about 20 minutes ago and the area around my car has been cleared completely. I saw Garrett heading for his apartment, so I dashed down to the landing and hollered "Thank you!" to him. He wouldn't accept any payment; I guess loaning him my shovel was payment enough for him. I've never met him before and I'm not sure I'd recognize him again, but I'll remember him for a long time. He's restored my faith in human nature! There ARE still a lot of nice people out there in the world. Thank goodness for this one!

Heroes

"Another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody..." That's kind of how I was feeling last night. It had been a busy day, so I crashed at home, as usual. I was feeling kind of "itchy", though, like I wanted to do something, but didn't know what. I didn't have anywhere to go...didn't feel like sitting at the computer...didn't have the patience to read a book, so I was channel surfing on the TV. I kept switching programs because there was mostly crap on to watch, none of which really appealed to me. Then, just before 11:00, I was looking at the online TV guide and noticed a show coming up on CNN called "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute". I decided to give it a try...and, boy, am I glad I did!

This show was about normal, every day people -- people like you and me -- who have done something extraordinary to change the world and make it a better place. For example, there is a man who was a contractor working in Iraq in 2004 who discovered a need for child-sized wheelchairs, so he started a foundation to raise money and purchase them. He even puts them together and delivers them to the children themselves. Now, this may not sound like much, except there are thousands of children -- some of them hurt in the fighting going on there -- who are carried around by their parents or who literally drag themselves through the streets because they have no other way to get around. Since 2004, he has bought and distributed 650 wheelchairs!

There was a teenager who lost his legs in a boating accident. Fortunately, his family had good health insurance and he not only survived, but was able to get prostheses to enable him to lead a "normal" life. He found that there were many children, though, without adequate insurance (or any at all, sometimes) who could not afford prostheses, so he started a foundation to raise money and provide them. I learned that a child usually needs a new prosthetic every 18 months as s/he is growing. This young man has dedicated his life to making the lives of other children better.

There were something like over 7,000 people nominated around the world for this award and 10 were chosen to be honored in the program. Each received a $25,000 grant to continue their work. One was chosen as the "CNN Hero of the Year" and received an additional $100,000.

It was an incredibly inspiring show to watch, especially after seeing so many awards shows lately that honor people for being able to sing or dance or entertain. I'm not minimizing those awards, but there is something inherently wrong in this country when we hold entertainers or sports figures in higher esteem than people who are doing grassroots work to make this world a better place by putting the needs of others ahead of themselves!

This awards show is going to be repeated tonight, Sunday, November 29, at 8:00 and 11:00 pm ET/PT. I encourage you to watch it or, if necessary, record it to watch later. I think you will find it just as inspiring as I did. If you can't watch the show, then go to www.cnn.com/heroes and read about the 2009 recipients. You can also nominate someone for the 2010 award if you know anyone who is worthy of the honor.

Please don't miss it. It is well worth the time to watch!

I'm Thankful for Thanksgiving

Well, I tried, but I fell short this past week. I wanted to write every day about something I'm thankful for, but I missed a few days. I'm a little disappointed in myself and yet, in an odd sort of way, it's the reason that I say I'm thankful for Thanksgiving. Here's the point -- we all get so busy with our day-to-day lives that we don't always stop each day to give thanks, even though we should. So I think it's a good idea that at least one day each year is set aside to stop and think about all we have and say out loud that we are thankful. It's a tradition in our family, as I'm sure it is in many others -- before we dig into the buffet, an abundance of food, for sure, we all stand in a circle and go around and say what we're thankful for. Even if a lot of it is repeated -- we're thankful for family, friends, good health, etc. -- it's okay because it's the act of giving thanks that's really important, not originality. It's also good to remember that this holiday isn't just about the food; it's much more than that.

So, since I didn't get to finish writing about all of the other things I'm thankful for, I offer up this additional list on this special day of Thanksgiving:

• I'm thankful for good health for me and for my family and friends.
• I'm thankful every day that I wake up on the "right" side of the grass (think about it!).
• I'm thankful for my wonderful big sister, Judy, who has been one of the most important people in my life from the day I was born! I'm closer to her than to anyone else on earth, except my children, and know that I can turn to her at any time for anything I need. I don't tell her often enough how much I love her and admire her!
• I'm thankful for Judy's husband, Ed, probably the best brother-in-law in the world. How many BIL's would put up with a sister-in-law living with them for 9 weeks! Well, he did when I was recovering from ankle surgery two years ago. He is a great companion and good friend and, even though he's sometimes a pain in the butt, I wouldn't trade him for anyone!
• I'm thankful for my nieces, Sara and Rachel, and their respective families. I've watched them grow up and blossom into beautiful, loving, intelligent, successful women. I couldn't be prouder of them if they were my own daughters!
• I'm thankful for all of my friends and I am fortunate to be blessed with so many of them! I think I have one of the largest support groups in the world!
• I'm thankful for growing older, as strange as that may sound. My parents both died way too young -- Dad was only 54 and Mom was only 56 (she died 5 years after my father). I have already lived longer than either of them and had the opportunity to retire, something they never did. So even though growing older has some down side to it (memory's not so good, more doctor visits and medications, etc.), it still beats the alternative.
• I'm thankful for the life I've lived the past (almost) 59 years. It hasn't been perfect, but then, no one's life ever is! My heart is filled with memories...some good, some bad, some bittersweet...but I've learned something from all of them. I've been blessed with a good life so far and I hope it continues for another 40 years!

So that's it for this Thanksgiving. The food has been eaten, the leftovers put away, the dishes washed, the football watched, and thanks have been given. May we all be blessed in the coming year and be able to come together again next Thanksgiving to do it all over again!

Happy Thanksgiving to all....and to all a good night!

I'm Thankful for Home Sweet Home

Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday. It turned into a pretty busy day and I just never got to it. I guess I spoiled my plan to write a post every single day until Thanksgiving, but I'm doing my best. At least I'm writing more than I was before and I've had a lot of friends and family tell me they're enjoying reading my blog, so I've accomplished that much.

I was trying to think of a good subject to write about tonight and as I was driving home from my chorus rehearsal, I found one. It's a rainy, miserable, cold night out there tonight and I started thinking about how happy I would be when I arrived home to my lovely, dry, warm apartment. And then I started thinking about all the people who don't have homes to go to this night. I thought about all the homeless people in our town, in our Nation's Capital and throughout the country. With these tough economic times that seem to be going on and on and on, I'm sure the number of homeless is higher than ever. So I thought that today I would give thanks for the roof over my head! It's not fancy or lavish; it's usually even kind of messy and cluttered, but it's mine! (Well, mine and the bank's! LOL) I'm thankful that I was able to purchase a home and that I've been able to keep up the payments on it. I hope that never changes, but if it ever did and if, Heaven forbid, I ever lost my home, I know that I would be able to turn to my family and friends for help and would not have to sleep on the streets.

May God bless all of those who are not as fortunate as I and bring them comfort in this miserable weather.

I'm Thankful for a Special Friend

Today I spent most of the day with someone who has been a special person in my life for over 40 years. I call her Karpe, a nickname she was labeled with when we were in Girl Scouts together back in our high school days. I won't bore you with the story, but she has always been "Karpe" to me and my family. We're the only people in the world who call her that.

Forty years. It's hard to believe! It's hard to fathom what my life would have been like without her. I was 17, a senior in high school when we met; she was 15 and a sophomore. We were both going through difficult times in our lives. My father was recovering from his first bout of cancer; Hodgkins Disease, to be exact. Her father was an alcoholic and she was having a hard time dealing with it. We turned to each other for support and a lifelong friendship was born.

Since that time, we have been through thick and thin together...literally! Our lives have been filled with peaks and valleys, as everyone's are, and we were right there for each other whenever we were needed. We've celebrated more life events together than I can ever count and we've cried together more times than I would like to remember. We can be just as silly today in our "middle age" years as we were as teenagers, maybe even moreso! Or maybe it's just that we enjoy laughing together at ourselves or at other things.


I have received so much from her over the years and I've had the opportunity to give equally as much. I took her for chemotherapy treatments when she battled cancer, not once, but twice. She was there to help me pick up the pieces of a broken marriage. She's come over and helped me clean my house when I needed it and I helped take care of her when she was recovering from hip replacement surgery...twice.

When I told her I was going to do a 3-day breast cancer walk in her honor back in 2000, she immediately signed up to do it with me. What fun that was...especially on the very first day when we were the absolutely last two people in the group of 3,000 walkers, and the only thing behind us was the ambulance waiting to see if we needed a ride!


Our weekend shopping trips became infamous, although they started simply enough. I remember it well...it was 1988 and she had finished her treatment for breast cancer, her first bout with the disease. It was also the year we were celebrating 20 years as friends and I suggested we do something special to honor both occasions. Our children (I had two sons by then and she had one) were still pretty young and, being boys, weren't very interested in shopping for clothes. In fact, we usually had to take them kicking and screaming to the stores! So Karpe and I decided to "escape" our families and head up to Reading, PA to try our hands at outlet shopping. We left early on a Saturday morning in the fall, shopped till we dropped at the Vanity Fair Outlet (mostly for the kids, but also for our husbands and ourselves), then stayed overnight in Lancaster. The next day we stuck around a few hours to shop some of the outlets there, but once her station wagon was filled with bags and ready to burst at the seams, we headed home. We had spent the whole time talking, laughing, shopping and eating -- a perfect weekend!

The following year, we left late Friday afternoon when we finished work. That way, we'd have more time to spend in Reading. By the third year, we were taking the day off on Friday so we'd have three full days to shop....and the rest is history! It was our special time together...a time when we could be by ourselves and talk about anything, serious or not. We made that trip every year for 13 years! By then, the boys were grown and she had a daughter who had reached the age where she wanted to pick out her own clothes. We still go shopping together, though, but her now teenaged daughter usually comes along, too.

Now our lives are so busy that sometimes weeks go by before we get a chance to talk on the phone; months pass when we don't get to see each other, even though we don't live very far apart. We're always together at family events, though, because she and her family are as much a part of my family as if they'd been born into it! We make the time to see each other and spend time together -- whether it's going to a craft show, like we did today...or having dinner together...or when she comes to my chorus or quartet performances or I go to her school to watch her kindergarten students perform. She's even an official groupie for my quartet! She came with us to Ocean City last April for our first competition and I'm hoping she'll come with us again next April for our second try.

We'll be together again for Thanksgiving as we are every year, this time at her house. My whole extended family will be there and I'll be helping her prepare the feast. Like I said, it really doesn't matter what it is we do when we're together; we just like to be in each other's company.


I'm thankful for Karpe, my bestest friend!

I'm Thankful for My Children!

I have been blessed to be the mother of two fine young men, Paul and Dan. I look at them and still can't believe they are all grown up! Dan (my "baby") is going to be 26 next week and Paul will be 30 in January. Wow! I look at them and wonder how they ever started out as little, tiny infants. Where did the years go?

I'd like to say that raising them was easy, but there were plenty of times it wasn't. We were much luckier than many parents, though, because our boys had no severe disabilities or handicaps to deal with. They never got in trouble with the law or harmed another person. They're good, decent men.

We had our share of illnesses, broken bones, various sprained body parts, etc., as they were growing up, but for the most part, they were healthy. They weren't perfect, but then, neither were we. We went through tough times with them emotionally, as many families do. We've dealt with depression, low self-esteem issues, ADHD, drug use (just one of them), divorce (and its aftermath), etc. But that's behind them now and they have both turned out to be fine, upstanding citizens.

My relationship with them has gotten much closer the last 7 years since my husband and I separated and divorced. A year later, he moved 3000 miles away and that really took its toll on my sons. I think they felt abandoned, so they turned more and more to me for support. Even though they were both grown up by then, I was the "resident" parent and they took turns moving in with me, then out, then back in, then out.... Now they are both on their own and handling things fairly well. I still get an occasional call from one of them for some financial help, but I've also been able to turn to the other one now and then when I needed a few bucks myself. It's good to know that we help each other -- we're all adults and our relationships are on an adult level. Still, they'll always be my little boys in my heart.

One thing that I really appreciate is the way that they've become very protective of me since the separation. They check up on me, call several times a week (if not daily), listen when I've had a bad day and need to talk about it, and come help me with chores that I can't handle by myself. They both have wonderful hearts and reach out to help others, often before being concerned about themselves. What more could a mother ask for? They turned out good!

I am thankful every single day for my sons. They are the light of my life!

Thankful for Medical Science

This is supposed to be my post for Thursday, even though it's now officially Friday since it's after midnight. However, I haven't gone to bed yet, so as far as my body and mind are concerned, it's still Thursday.

Today -- actually, this week -- I am very thankful for the advances in medicine that have taken place during my lifetime, especially in the last 20 years or so. Why? Because this week, two of my good friends had surgeries and came through them with flying colors. ML had a knee replacement on Tuesday. Imagine that! When I was in my 20's or so, I used to watch "The Bionic Man" on TV and think how silly it was for a human to have man-made parts "installed" in his body. If only I'd known then that it would someday be a reality... ML is the 4th or 5th person I know who's had this surgery. I understand it is quite painful and a long recovery, but everyone I know who's been through it has never regretted the surgery for one single moment! I wish ML well and a speedy recovery.

Another friend had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, very common these days. Yet, I remember not too long ago when all that could be done was exercises and physical therapy. The surgery wasn't always successful. Truth is, it still doesn't work 100% of the time, but the success rate has gotten much higher and the surgery is now done quickly and easily, sometimes using lasers instead of scalpels. She should be feeling much better in a day or two.

I think I've mentioned before that a dear friend (and my niece's partner) recently had surgery for breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy and has to have radiation, but she also was told for sure yesterday that she will not need any chemotherapy! Hooray! The lump was found early enough that it was very small and self-contained. The amazing part is that the doctors were able to test the tumor to determine definitively what kind of cancer it was, what the chances are of it reoccurring, whether or not a course of Tamoxifen would help fight it off, and much more. These tests and medications have all come about within the last 10 years or so. My best friend is a breast cancer survivor (20+ years) and was part of the study that looked at lumpectomies vs. mastectomy. That's how relatively new this treatment is, yet it is now the treatment of choice. Just a little over 30 years ago, two of my cousins each contracted breast cancer while in their late 30's/early 40's; each had a radical mastectomy, but died just a few years later. Look how far medicine has come since then!

I also think of several friends I have who have battled colon cancer and won! Nobody likes to go through a colonoscopy, but it's such a great tool for early detection, why wouldn't you have one if your doctor thinks you should? My father died of colon cancer in 1973 at the age of 54. They didn't have anywhere near the diagnostic tools or treatments that are available today. Another wonderful advance in medicine.

These are just some of the reasons that I've always been a big supporter of the American Cancer Society and other organizations that fight this dreadful disease. The money I've raised for ACS has gone to help fund research to find cures, ways to prevent and diagnose cancer, as well as treatment programs. I've seen a lot change in my lifetime. Hopefully, by the time my grandchildren (when I have some) grow up, cancer will be a thing of the past, along with many other diseases.

So, today I am especially thankful for medical research and breakthroughs. We've come a long way, baby!

I'm Thankful for Laughter

I received an e-mail from my good friend Laurie a little while ago. It was a whole bunch of puns, some of them ridiculously bad! And yet, they had me giggling and laughing out loud!

Sometimes we get so bogged down in life that we forget that we don't have to take everything so seriously. I often say to people, "Don't ever lose your sense of humor. Sometimes, it's all you have!"

I was going to forward Laurie's e-mail to friends and family, but instead, I'm putting the puns here on my blog so you can all enjoy them! Feel free to copy and paste them into an e-mail to send to your family and friends or anyone else you think needs a giggle today!

ALL PUNS INTENDED (and absolutely no offense to anyone is intended, either!)
1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.
2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve you, but don't start anything."
3. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.
4. A dyslexic man walked into a bra.
5. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm, and says: "A beer please, and one for the road."
6. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?"
7. "Doc, I can't stop singing The Green, Green Grass of Home." "That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome." "Is it common?" "Well, It's Not Unusual."
8. Two cows are standing next to each other in a field. Daisy says to Dolly, "I was artificially inseminated this morning." "I don't believe you," says Dolly. "It's true; no bull!" exclaims Daisy.
9. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.
10. Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
11. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn't find any.
12. A man woke up in a hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, Doctor, doctor, I can't feel my legs!" The doctor replied, "I know, I amputated your arms!"
13. I went to a seafood disco last week... and pulled a mussel.
14. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.
15. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says, "Dam!"
16. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Not surprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
17. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office, and asked them to disperse. "But why," they asked, as they moved off. Because," he said. "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."
18. A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt , and is named 'Ahmal.' The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him 'Juan.' Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."
19. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him a super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
20. A dwarf, who was a mystic, escaped from jail. The call went out that there was a small medium at large.
21. And finally, there was the person who sent ten different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.