It's FALL!

I've been waking up a little cold because the temperature drops overnight. I think fall is coming, which feels early but then again summer came very early this year, too. Autumn is my favorite time of the year, probably because I was born during this season.

Speaking of birthdays, yesterday when I was at my Saturday class at PPCC we had to introduce ourselves to our fellow students and say something about ourselves. The girl next to me says, "I'm going to be 21 next month." Do you know what I said to her? I said, "I'm going to be twice your age next month!"

As if a class every Saturday morning from now until December 13 wasn't bad enough, it's Math.

AND I'm twice the age (at least) of my classmates.

The agony.

Oxygen-less

I have a mean summer cold right now -- caught in St. Louis when I was visiting my IL's. I had to stay home in bed today which is a real bummer, but I can't really breathe and talking takes real effort. It's been busy at work, and I have a lot to do after being away for a week. Yesterday when I got to work, there was a stack of papers on my desk with a Post-It note on top of it. Written on the Post-It in bright red pen were the words, "Laurie, HELP!!!" Still, I was hacking and everyone told me how awful I looked so staying home today was a no-brainer.

I had so much fun in Indiana, the land of oxygen. It's such a pretty state -- no one ever talks about that, do they? It's green, with rolling grassy hills and cornfields as far as the eye can see. I love my college campus -- it's so very peaceful. I finished up meeting with my advisor and teachers, making a plan for the next two semesters, and I only had to buy one book! That was a real bonus.

I swear I was high on air when I was in Indiana. I had some free time so I shopped and found some great stuff that I love. St. Louis was nice, seeing family and all, but I was very glad to be coming home after the 6th day. AA lost my suitcase and delivered it yesterday; I haven't felt up to checking it but when I do there had better not be anything missing!

Of course, as soon as I was back here, my lungs shriveled to their usual low capacity in this high altitude, low oxygen mode. I swear I'm more stupid in Colorado, and it's all about the thin air!

Then, yesterday after work I had to go, sick and feverish as I was, to the local college and stand in many long lines on the first day of their classes so that I could see one of the Math teachers and beg to be bumped up into the next class. It was a big success: I had to take another test and I was so close to the passing grade (missed it by one) that he waived the pre-requisite for me anyway. So that means I only have to take 2 instead of 3 math classes to transfer to my IN college -- very good news. That I hate math with a passion goes without saying, doesn't it?

All of this points undeniably to the fact that summer's gone and fall, with its new semester and all, is here, but I am still in denial.

School blues

Summers around here are so short.

Tomorrow my little guy is back to school (*sob*) and will be in 4th grade. His school has no superintendent, a new first year principal, and no assistant principal. The new principal was bragging that they're only 100 students over the school's capacity this year!

I had to piss and moan at the new principal because my son got placed with The Mean Teacher. I've never asked for any favors and have put up with a lot at the school, but this was something I wasn't willing to let slide. So, tomorrow he's starting off in a different teacher's class and I'm starting off on the wrong foot with the administration; oh well.

I'm very grumpy about my son's school, can you tell?

"I have no idea"

That's what I'll be saying Saturday when we go to Antiques Roadshow in SLC and the appraiser asks, "Do you have any idea of the value of this item?" Being at ARS: one more thing to cross off of my list of Things to Do Before I Die! We're also celebrating our anniversary and it's always nice to go away for the weekend. I've already been to SLC a couple of times so no need to sight see, and it's supposed to be real hot there, too, so we'll probably be poolside when we're not at ARS.

Tomorrow I only have to work a half day as we're having the company picnic at noon and then get the rest of the day off, how cool is that? In other work news, I've just been made managing editor of the company newsletter, how fun is that? Cool. And, fun.

Almost Summer

I've found several great new local writing blogs and that has inspired me to visit my own, again. I'm pretty proud of my newsletter in progress, a project for one of my journalism classes, where I write about the local writing scene. Issue one will probably come out this weekend and as soon as it's graded I'll probably post it here. How's that for a tease?

So, this past week at work we put on a real live test of a summer curriculum, aka Vacation Bible School. It was awesome: 50 kids aged 5 to 11 for three and a half hours a day. I was in charge of onsite registration and as such got to come to work in a T shirt and shorts and sit out in the sun watching the parents and kids come and go twice a day. My own son was there, and he had a blast. Or, I should say, a bash. (A splash?) I got to leave early three of the five days to go home with him, which helped with my ever-present late-homework panic. (I turned in two assignments this week!)

The little guy started swimming lessons Monday. I'm going to start calling him Michael Phelps, truly. I only wish his genes were in his favor to have Phelps' long lanky build so that he could be a Olympian, too. Alright, he's my kid, but I can't believe what a natural he is in the water. We've have a super hot couple of weeks and the outdoor pool's open, too, so summer's definitely upon us!

Tonight we got home from a shopping trip in Denver and found our built in ice maker on the blink -- the freezer was making growling noises. It took my husband about 10 minutes to get the entire freezer section taken apart, and then another hour and a half after that to put it back together amid much colorful language and what I could swear was hyperventilating. I just hope it's fixed, as earlier today he worked on the printer which is shot. (Damn Epsons.)

Thing is, I came home tonight with some ice of my own, in the form of a more than a carat upgrade to my wedding ring! Yeah, I'm spoiled. It was my 15th wedding anniversary gift from dear hubby, and what a bummer that he's spent the rest of the evening with his head in the freezer.

Tomorrow we're going to the Zoo and, since I haven't been there in about 2 years, I'm really looking forward to it!

I Wonder

The second May without my mother. I wonder how many years will have to pass before I can enjoy Mother's Day again? The thought of Father's Day is almost bearable, so I guess that means about six.

There's an Alzheimer's medication commercial running lately, evenings during the national news. It shows a woman hanging out with her older father, giving him concerned looks, walking slowly beside him. It feels like a punch in the stomach everytime I see it.

Yesterday, inexplicably, I was remembering my mother's voice, her laugh, things she did like the funny way she rubbed her eyelashes -- things from earlier days when she was healthy, chubbier...younger.

Things I Hate

• When my 8-going-on-9-year-old has been off school since Wednesday but doesn't realize until noon on Sunday that his book report/project is due tomorrow and then I have to make one of those parenting decisions like, do we skip the celebratory BBQ to stay home and finish it, or go and then spend the evening in a panic to get it done?
• Receiving something by mail that wasn't as described, and then having the seller say, not in so many words, "Tough."
• Wasting so much time trying to adjust the tension on your piece-of-junk sewing apparatus that you could've sewn the whole stupid project by hand by the time you gave up
• Having my son describe the new emergency drills at school, which consist of finding places in the classroom to hide from the shooters

If I felt comfortable discussing my job, this would be a much longer list!

Ah, Spring

Today's tulips.

Rock of the '80's

I'm taking a break from painting the master bathroom. Why is it that painting always takes so much longer than you think it will? In this case, the bathroom is so small and has so much tile you'd think it would be a half an hour job, one hour tops. Alas...not so. Our highly textured walls require at least three coats of paint -- they suck the stuff up almost as much as that horrible acoustic ceiling we had in our last house.

That's why I've just returned from a trip to Home Depot for more paint. The gal in the paint department took one look at me and knew what I wanted. It was then that I realized I'd left the house in my painting clothes.

Painting clothes around my house consist of whatever T-shirt and pants you're sick of so that you can wipe your paint-smeared hands freely on them. We wear them while painting, no matter how many days this requires, and then we throw them out. So, yeah, I was a sight alright, but who cares?

Anyway, we like to turn on the local radio station when we paint or do other home projects as they play their '80's music on the weekends and I just really enjoy that blast from the past. I don't know why people are always complaining about '80's music and saying it was a rotten era. I absolutely love it -- most of it, anyway.

My husband was upset that they didn't play any Judas Priest while we were listening. It was just a matter of time, honey.

Pizza's in the oven and I'll have to finish the painting by myself tomorrow, as hubby has to work. Not looking forward to that, but I want it done! I still need a wall cabinet and some curtains, and also need to hang some pictures. I have a lot to choose from, just having trouble committing.

I'm two weeks behind on homework (that's really just 2 assignments...) but I"ve been cursed with two teachers who don't care if I stick to a schedule. That is, as evidenced by last semester, a problem for me; they say, "Work at your own pace" and I hear, "Go ahead and go shopping, homework can wait."

Bad Blogger!

I'm a terrible blogger, with nothing to say that's fit to print.

It's been heavenly weather, lots of sun. Bulbs are popping up, purple and yellow; babies are popping out -- seems like everyone's due date was the same; and, I'm still under the weather from a lingering case of sinusitis.

Lots going on at work, none of which I can write about, sworn to secrecy and all that. At least I'm busy and still enjoy the work -- and that's about all I can say that's positive!

School's started again, new semester, three new classes, lots of challenge. I submitted a piece to my college journal for consideration. It's that poem I wrote, and it couldn't be more timely, as the subject, a dear friend, is going through a lot. No one could be more deserving of a tribute than she right now.

My son has just a scant six weeks of school left, then it's summer, he's another year older, and life is passing us by. He's ferverently wishing for us to adopt him a kid brother. I think that ship has sailed but I'm not sure.

Wash Day Blues

We're back from our trip to the Grand Canyon and I'm doing laundry. Later I'll have to go grocery shopping so, yeah, I've got the blues.

We chose a great time to be away from Colorado; it was cold here but warm in Sedona, where we spent the largest chunk of our time...except for our first day there, when they had a rare blizzard. I sat in the spa of our resort in a terrycloth robe, sipping tea and watching a swirling tornado of snowflakes outside the window.

On our way to Arizona we drove down to Carlsbad Caverns, fulfilling my husband's longtime desire. We walked down the natural entrance and spent the next four hours deep underground. It was fascinating. Husband noted that when he visited at our son's age the official explanation for the cavern was an underground river and now, 35 years later, they know it was carved by sulfuric acid. Also, the world is round, not flat as previously thought.

We stopped in Roswell, went to the UFO Museum and International Alien Research Center, and gawked. Spookily, on the way out of town we purchased a bag of M&Ms with peanuts which was found to contain a green, alien-head shaped candy:

As we headed back from CC we overnighted in Albuquerque in an absolutely lovely hotel called Nativo that I recommend to anyone and everyone who's heading that way. The lobby is filled with native art, and you can lounge on canopy-covered chaises or huge leather round chairs. Our suite had leather sofas and feather beds, and room service dinner was delivered on ornate iron trays.

The Grand Canyon was, as always, awe-inspiring. We were there 5-1/2 hours; did you know that the typical park stay is 40 minutes? The little guy was appropriately amazed at the canyon, and we all decided to come back and do the harrowing mule ride when he's tall enough (4 ft. 7 in.) We ran around in shorts, though there was still snow on the ground. We stayed for the sunset, which was VERY worthwhile.

I loved Sedona. We got so accustomed to gazing up at Cathedral Rock and the rest of the Red Rocks that it was actually painful to leave -- especially since we knew we'd be trading our shorts for thermals and a frosty Pikes Peak when we got back home.

We spent the night in Santa Fe on the return trip and, again, I almost cried when we had to leave Canyon Road. I did buy a beautiful original (small) from David Vigil. He was strumming his guitar as we entered the small plaza outside his shop, and charmed us with his story of building his studio with scrap wood (it was beautiful). His hair was dyed a most frightening color; it was the red-orange from your 54 Crayola box when you were a kid, but then that adds to the story, doesn't it?

Once again, I felt a strong desire to live in New Mexico. Our son forbids us to sell our current house -- don't all kids feel that way? -- but I'm dreaming of a winter home in NM. Time will tell.

Overall, I had no time for writing (I can't read or write in a moving vehicle, alas) so I didn't finish the stuff I wanted to submit to my college journal, but I did read much of Stephen King's On Writing. Once finished I will have the holy trilogy of writing under my belt, at last.

School starts Monday. Or Wednesday. For me, that is. Son still has a whole week of Break to go.

Gotta Love Winston

"The reserve of modern assertions is sometimes pushed to extremes, in which the fear of being contradicted leads the writer to strip himself of almost all sense and meaning."

Farewell to February

It's wonderful to be on semester break! This past week I got more done around the house and online than I had in at least a month. I also got to spend time with a good friend -- unrushed, blissfully indulgent time! We got pedicures and then lamented not being able to show them off. Today, though, it was at least 70 degrees so I wore capris and sandals and the world saw my flashy pink, OPI Chicago toenails! Freedom!

I was astonished yesterday to receive a magazine in an envelope with a "Thank you for your submission, here's your free copy" letter in it. It turned out to be a recipe that I submitted to another magazine (long, long ago...) and I guess they shared. It had a little blurb in it that sounded like me, though, so it was legit. Nice.

I need to cut myself off from eBay this week. Too many temptations, though my own selling is going well.

I'm going to work on two projects that my writing teacher encouraged me to finish, and that will likely be the bulk of my writing this month unless something unforseeable happens.

Farewell, February. You were quite a month.

Blissful Break

I'm beginning to relax and enjoy not having homework hanging over my head. Today, I got my grade on the not-so-short story I wrote as my final. I was exceedingly pleased. Except, the teacher said she thought it was more like an excerpt from a longer piece (which was also permitted) and that was perplexing as it was supposed to be complete in itself. Hm.

I have a loooooong list of projects I've been putting off and am beginning to chip away at them, with glee.

Truce

If this is possible, there's hope for the Middle East, as well!

Semester Ended At Last!

I turned in my last two assignments last night! Now I have an entire month free!

I would be ecstatic if I wasn't so itchy! Apparently, after several days of relief, my allergy is back and making me miserable. It's Sunday but I've called the weekend clinic to ask for an Rx. If they haven't called back by the time I've finished breakfast, I'm just going to go get something over the counter.

My son's waited patiently for me to be done with school so he can challenge me at his latest favorite Gamecube game. I'll be spending the whole day with him doing stuff like that.

Be Careful What You Wish For

I awoke to sunshine and a blanket of snow. It looks so inviting, especially after a couple of days of sheer ice and damp chill, but looks can be deceiving. My trusty Weather Bug tells me it's -13 degrees, and that's without the windchill. So, we'll have to save those snow angels until it warms up, if it does.

The other day I was trying to find us a cabin in Breckenridge for a ski vacation next month. Try as I might, I just couldn't stay away from the links for Mexico and the Caribbean. There are some great deals which would cost about as much as the skiing, I told my husband over lunch the other day (Mexican food, hint, hint, honey). He was into it. So I'm seriously considering five nights in Cabo. Ahhhhh. It sounds so good right now!

I'm in the semester home stretch: two assignments due Monday. My goal is to get them sent off on Sunday afternoon. 'Better go get started.

A Bit of Advice

My advice for Cheney-haters is to stop trying to make something from nothing and write funny cartoons about the mishap instead. These days they seem to be far more effective.

I shouldn't watch the evening news -- especially not during a full moon!

Two Down, Three to Go

Interestingly, when I got up this morning and looked over what I'd written of that paper last night, it all made perfect sense. It was easy to re-arrange a couple of paragraphs and work with what seemed irreparable last night, and I finished it in a couple of hours. Then turned off the computer and forced my son and I out into the sunshine for an hour before we had to go get ready to put on the scout event.

After that four hour project, which was actually quite enjoyable and included cake, I came home, did the "works cited" page to finish the assignment, and sent it off. Whew.

Did a bit of housework and prep for the work week and now I'm going to try to get ahead start on the next assignment if I'm real lucky and don't fall asleep trying. May even get to say two words to my husband!

Oh, and my good deed for the day was to bid up a beautiful crazy quilt on eBay for a newbie who had it underpriced. I would've been happy to own it but was still relieved when I lost it by $4.

I Surrender

Okay, okay, I admit it. I can't write this paper to save my life. Can't concentrate. Don't care. I'm going to give up. I'm going to eat chocolate and watch a trashy movie on DVD, and try again tomorrow.

Damn full moon.