Friday, July 29, 2016

Flashback Friday: My 'Staycation'

July 2006:
I forgot to mention this, but the dates overlap from June to July, so I guess it really doesn't matter!  D and K took a 2 week trip to Ely, MN to the Boundary Waters with the Boy Scouts, and left me with the two kids at home.  S, W, and I had a wonderful, low-stress fourteen days! In fact, I think even S went to Lafayette for a few days for VBS.

K had a week at home, then went off to BSA summer camp.  I knew something was up when the scoutmaster made a point of asking if I'd be there on Thursday for the Tap-Out ceremony, something I'd not previously attended.  I called Dad and told him what I suspected, and he joined us for that day.  Sure enough, my boy was chosen for the prestigious Order of the Arrow honor, which made us all proud!

One of the local radio shows did a charity event at The Melting Pot, so D and I went.  We enjoyed Lobster, Chicken, Prime Rib, and Pork Cocq Au Vin for the main course, as well as all the veggies we could eat! For dessert, we had the Bailey's flavored chocolate fondue with fruit and cheesecake.  When the manager came around and I mentioned he'd gone to school with friend KC, he let me have more cheesecake!  But the highlight of the evening was meeting Dave Smiley and KJ, the DJ's the kids and I listened to every morning.  I got their autographs and it was nice to chat with them for a few moments.

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Present Day:
I now follow Smiley on FB, and am thrilled to see his antics with his son, who's not even a year old yet (????).

A and J returned home Sunday, and I'm still finding things they've left behind!  We took J's underwear and the stick he's whittling to him on Wednesday, when D had his echocardiogram; met with the Coag clinic; and saw Dr. Steve.  This morning, we found somebody's shirt in the living room.

W survived football camp, and starts regular practices next week, as well as school (SCHOOL!  Can You Believe It??) on the 4th.  I did discover his transfer hadn't gone through yet, so that will be my main focus next week.  I think he's also due for his 6th grade MMR or DPT.  But I'll find that out when he sees his doctor on the 11th.

Karaoke Songs:
Let It Go-James Bay
Left In The Dark Again-Barbra Streisand
Lifeline-Papa Roach
Life After You-Daughtry
Life In a Northern Town-Dream Academy (Back up)

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Flashback Saturday....

Yeah, I forgot to post this yesterday.

July 1996:
Took my new 2 y/o to the pool after celebrating her birthday at Aunt Linda's and the rest of the family.  We learned the sad news that our favorite pool monitor had died unexpectedly after the opening of the Circle Center Mall, due to an allergic reaction.

Slow Strip Tease....My Daughter the Flirt?
Little S, after an hour of interacting with Jeff, the new pool monitor, draped her towel around her and walked toward him, the towel gradually falling from her tiny body.  As she got closer, the towel kept slipping....until she stood right in front of him, said towel now on the ground.  She faced him, arms held out to the sides by her hips, as if to say, "Well?  Aren't you going to pick it up?"

I burst out laughing.

"Jeff, she's trying to get your attention!"

He grinned sheepishly, then stood up to retrieve her towel.  "I wasn't even looking at her.  I was watching the kids in the deep end!"

S took the towel and made her way back to us.

Next Month:  My Baby's Off To School!

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Present Day:
Going to Open Mic Night, and if she's feeling better, then MDQ will go with me, before I head out to karaoke.  ME and MDQ are returning home tomorrow, and this past week, we also enjoyed a whirlwind visit with former Adoptee #2, Miss Izzabelle:)

Secret Project #1:  Nearly complete; I hope to finish it this week!
Secret Project #2:  We've officially entered Phase #6!  We'll find out in the next two weeks if there will be a Phase #7:)

Karaoke Songs:
Let Your Love Flow
Let It Be
Let It Go (James Bay version)
Let's Go All The Way

Have a wonderful weekend!

Friday, July 15, 2016

Flashback Friday: Summer School!

July 1986:
Brief recap:  Since JD had indulged in a fling at MDA camp, and I had my own summer fling while on vacation in Florida, I returned home with a new confidence.  I looked forward to my next project, a 5 week summer school, where EY and I would be sharing a room.  The summer looked promising!

I arrived home in time for friend KC's birthday party. I confess to looking fantastic, and feeling pretty good about myself, and even though JD was in attendance, and we had a good time, I only gave him a good night kiss at the end of the evening.

The next few days were spent packing for my summer school trip.  EY and I arrived at Morris Hall, and found we were in the 1st room to the right of the doors; everyone else was farther down.  The only thing we were dismayed to discover was the public shower. We were, after all, in a boys' dorm!  We registered; unpacked; and prepared to enjoy our two classes:  Sociology and Weight Lifting.

Two basketball players were in our Soci class, and we soon made friends with them.  Dolas even helped me slam-dunk a basketball one day when we showed up to watch him practice! We were also impressed when he could lift the entire stack of weights on one of the machines!

The first day of weight class, EY and I discovered we loved the Roman Chair.  We did so many reps of forward and backward, we didn't realize what we were doing to our stomach muscles.....until we tried to get out of bed the next morning.  Try getting down out of an upper bunk bed when your entire set of abdominal muscles are screaming at you!

We also became 'lobby lizards', playing Euchre with various people in the lobby.  We made friends with both RA's, which came in very handy the night they let a few of us girls 'raid' the boys....and missed the cutoff time!  I was nervous about being written up, but since it was my 1st offence, all I got was a verbal warning.

One night, I met TH while playing cards.  We started out playing footsie under the table, which led to a walk, which progressed to making out on the baseball bleachers.  Even when we got back to the dorm, the fire door was open between the two wings and we spent more time in 'no man's land' kissing and saying good night.  TH lived in Carmel, and since I wanted to know where I stood with JD, I traveled up with him for the weekend and borrowed his car to go hash things out with JD.

He confessed he still had feelings for A, the girl at camp, and didn't know which one of us he liked better.  I offered up a solution:  Not to see either of us until school was over, then to call me and let me know.  (I was 90% positive he would choose me; I knew from experience 'camp romances' never lasted very long!)  JD agreed.....then followed me back to TH's house, where I had to excuse myself at one point when the one-upmanship got too much to bear!  Nevertheless, TH and I returned to the university and began a 'FWB' relationship, though we didn't call it that back then.

I also alarmed EY's boyfriend when he came down for a weekend.  EY hadn't told him about the breakup, so when he saw me flirting with a guy in the pool, he assumed that's how EY behaved when they were apart!  I had to set him straight.

EY and I also began working at Market Street Station, a wonderful steakhouse in town.  We switched off during the week as dishwashers, then on weekends we took turns bussing tables.  The extra money for pizzas was nice!

Next Month:  Relationship Highs and Lows

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Present Day:
Received some startling news last night, as I was walking out the door, from my Pulmonary Function Test.  More will be disclosed after I see the doctor next week.

Phase #4 of Secret Project #2 is in full swing....more will be  disclosed in a few weeks.

Karaoke Songs for Tomorrow:
Leaving On A Jet Plane-Peter, Paul and Mary
Let Me Be The One-Jetts
Let Me Be There-Olivia Newton-John
Let The Music Play-Shannon

Have a great weekend!

Friday, July 8, 2016

Flashback Friday: Happy Bicentennial, America!

July 1976:
We celebrated America's 200th birthday with a cookout at a friends' house and some mischief:)

The weather was wonderful for a backyard picnic for several families, and we feasted on the usual cookout food.  Somewhere along the line, I had acquired a fake ice cube with a fake fly on it, and had brought it along, hoping to trick someone.  I decided to slip it into our host's drink, and since I'd let other kids in on the joke, we anxiously watched Don's face for his reaction.

None came.

Finally, I went up to him and asked if he'd noticed anything strange in his drink, and he said he'd tossed an ice cube over his shoulder.  We gasped, then revealed what we'd done.  We spent several minutes decifering where the cube had landed, and after several frantic moments of sifting through grass, dirt, and flowers, it was finally found against the fence.

Lesson learned:  Pick another adult next time!

After dinner, we headed downtown for the fireworks, but was disappointed that we couldn't see the ground displays.  I remember watching the National Fireworks on TV around the Statue of Liberty.

My dad also was driving a VW Beetle, and my sister and I marveling at the fact the engine was in the back, while the 'trunk' was in the front!  I also thank god we were skinny; I still don't know how we endured having the entire family in that VW!

Next Month:  Florida and Starting 5th Grade:)

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Present Day:
I'm getting ready for my trip to Peoria, IL, for Writers on the River at the Par-A-Dice Hotel/Casino tomorrow!  Hoping I do well there, since I'm heavily in debt to everyone, lol!  I also get $10 in free tokens, so maybe I can find someone to turn that $10 into a couple hundred?

Secret Project #1:  We've reached Phase #3!  All will be revealed when the final phase has been reached!

Karaoke Update:
Sang You're The Inspiration, Independence Day, and I Got The Boy last night.  Finally got that one line in ID right, and DJ Brower told me I totally rocked that song:)

If I make it to karaoke tomorrow night, I'll sing as many of these as I can:
Leaving On A Jet Plane-Peter, Paul, and Mary
Let Me Be The One-Expose
Let Me Be There-Olivia Newton-John
Let The Music Play-Shannon

Have a great weekend!




Friday, July 1, 2016

July Reading Schedule

How did I do in June?
-Work on Heart Song (am I a broken record or what?)  Added 700+ words, so????
-Send Kira to editor, along with 1st payment  Not yet...
-Send cover request to DD, along with 1st payment  Not yet....
-Make 2nd payment to B  Not yet....
-Pay RW for Orion Antho  Forgot to take my $$ with me, grrrrr.....
-Do well at Heaps of Jeeps Festival  Zero direct sales, but hoping for some from online! Very good day!
-Do well at Legends Garden Party  Sold one....yay, gas $$!!!
-Do well at Corning Irish Festival  Sold one and was invited to sing with the band, so yay!
-Declutter basement and storage unit  Halfway there!
-Enroll Tween in football  Still watching for announcement....
-Finish ghost story  Not even close....
-Lose 5+ pounds  Managed to lose 3:)


Books Read:  7
            Print:  5
            E-Book:  2

Songs Added To Karaoke Good List:  18

July Goals:
-Work on Heart Song and Ghost Story
-Do well at tonight's First Friday Art Walk  Sold one and got to see friends:)
-Do well at Peoria/Writers On The River  Sold 4....I can now finish paying for KABB!
-Send Kira off to editor along  with 1st payment
-Send Kira's cover off to artist along with 1st payment
-Make 2nd payment to B
-Finish paying for KABB
-Pay for Watermelon Fest  Check:)
-Pay for OA
-Make 1st payment to Imaginarium
-Do well at other craft fair??
-Enroll Tween in football  Check:)  Camp is July 25-29:)
-Finish de-cluttering basement and storage
-Finish 2 secret projects


July Reading List:
Print:
To Love or Not To Love-Jean Joachim  DRR!  Loved this!
If A Woman's Hair Is Her Glory, Why Am I Tweezing My Chin?- Martha Bolton  Very funny!

E-Book:
Karma, Inc-Melanie James  Funny in places.

Karaoke Songs:
Thurs:
You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling-Hall and Oats  LMAO....my part was good...
Doncha-Pussy Cat Dolls  Surprisingly, this was even good!
Waiting for A Girl Like You-Foreigner  Not too bad;little screachy on the chorus
Waiting For A Star To Fall-Boy Meets Girl  Slightly high, but not too bad...

Waiting For Tonight-Jennifer Lopez  Did well!
Don't Go Breaking My Heart-Elton John/Kiki Dee Gary and I nailed it:)
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go-Wham  Got through it, but too low in parts.  :(

Wake Up Call-Maroon 5  DNH
Eat It-Weird Al  Wrong version
Wake Up Little Susie-Everly Brothers  Not too bad....





Sat:
Learning To Fly-Foo Fighters  Ugh.  Was praised for my effort though!
Leather and Lace-Stevie Nicks/Don Hendley  Good:)  Sang it with Mark, who kinda knew it, lol!
Leave A Light On-Belinda Carlisle  DNH
Leaving On A Jet Plane-Peter, Paul and Mary  Not too bad...
Let Me Be The One-Expose  Rough, but was told it was good, so???
Let Me Be There-Olivia Newton-John  Nailed it!
Let The Music Play-Shannon  Surprisingly enough, this was pretty good!
Let Your Love Flow-Bellamy Brothers  Bleh....too low!
Let's Go All the Way-Sly Fox Damn it...this was too low also!
Let It Be-The Beatles  Nailed it:)
Let It Go-James Bay  Did all right til I got to the bridge....I'll let JJ have this one.
Lifeline-Papa Roach  DNH
Life In The Fast Lane-Eagles  Slightly rough, but was told it sounded great! 
Lightening Crashes-Live  JJ and I powered through it, and think it sounded okay, but phone ran out of memory just about the 2 minute mark. Will sing this again:)