Their…..There…

Their.
There.
They’re not the same.

I speak a dying language – English is my second language and I find that it is dying as well.

Royal Wedding...

“Many are full of fear for the future of the prospects of our world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope.“
- Archbishop of Canterbury



There could be no other topic today except this one – the Royal Wedding!!!

I have no shame in admitting that I watched it – the pomp and circumstance, the elegance, the pageantry – absolutely incredible! And the non stop ringing of the church bells – as if the entire country’s joy kept ringing throughout the land for all to hear.

Royalty used to marry to acquire lands and to make sure that an heir was produced - these two actually married for love. The fact that they waited for so long also showed that Prince William truly is concerned for her well being and wanted to make sure that Kate knew what she was getting herself into and could handle it. With all the comparisons that have been drawn between her and Princess Diana, it would make sense that he would be overprotective of bringing her into the fold.

But there were moments where it looked like a “normal” wedding - Kate Middleton with her nervous energy. Prince Harry joked to his brother as the bride walked in. The Queen looked on as a proud grandmother. Plus, the hated stepmother was there. And the newlyweds just shot the shit as they headed from the church to the reception…..see, just like any other wedding…..

Cycles...

As my friends know, when things go bad, I go radio silent. It is just easier for me to sort it out myself before I can discuss it with anyone else or deal with the barrage of questions that will follow. (and those questions will seem like an interrogation)

The cycle of not reaching out in order to prevent being hurt can be taken as a sign of slipping away. It’s time spent hashing it out….and time spent with all the extremes that one could think of….

You don’t want to live life with regrets so you listen to your gut. I am willing to break the cycle – it is worth it to me. I just needed some time to sort it out.

On Repeat....

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick and think of you
Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new
Flash back warm night, almost left behind
Suitcase of memories
Time after sometime you pictured me
I'm walking too far ahead
You're callin' to me
I can't hear what you've said
Then you said, "Go slow, I fall behind"
The second hand unwinds

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time

After my picture fades
And darkness has turned to grey
Watching through windows
You're wondering if I'm OK
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time

You said, "Go slow, I fall behind"
The second hand unwinds

If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time

Time after time

Puuuuuppy!!

Yes, it's a dog story....or as I call them - doggie, doggie, DOGGIE!!!

I was on my daily series of loops around our local lake and I spotted a guy walking his dog – not an uncommon sight. What stuck out was the fact that the beagle was beyond ecstatic to be out for a walk - complete with a smile on his face as he ran – in my mind I heard him singing “Born free….free like the wind….” It was just cute to see.

We ended up meeting up at a bend in the road and of course I had to say hi. Turns out the beagle is named Freddy and they walk every day at least twice since his owner is retired and needs the exercise. I got to hear all about their walk routines (which park, how many loops, etc.) and also how Freddy had been attacked by two German Shephards but was still friendly for the most part (big dogs scare him now). What really stuck it was how the gentleman told me all about Freddy’s doggie friends – never mentioned the owners by name but I heard all about Daisy (the girlfriend), Lincoln (the buddy) and Rory (the other beagle).

It was just such a fun interaction – it made my day!

Killer Cupcake...

I had the rare luxury of having an entire weekend to do as I please…yes, the visual you should have is me running through a field singing “Born Free” (like Freddy, the beagle - but that's another story).

I had been way overdue for spending an entire weekend with TGP so when a certain Killer Cupcake signed up for her first bike race, it gave me a perfect opportunity to request time off from grandma duty.

Late afternoon on Saturday, in the midst of a rain storm, we went kayaking. Kinda like man vs. the elements. I was nervous but I know that the weather can not always be perfect for a paddle and I NEED the experience in rougher weather. I always feel solid in that little red boat – we have an understanding and so far it has not let me down. Plus my life jacket was modified last summer (thanks TGP!) and it is snug so I am protected. I even got all independent and carried the boat to and from the car….it’s heavy!

We paddled about 2 miles total because even though I was enjoying it, the seams on the rainjacket were seeping in water and the sweatshirt underneath got soaked. We were almost to the shore when all the swallows that had been swooping around the water clustered into a big black ball and landed on a tree on the shore……subtle sign from nature to get out of the water….the thunder and lightning part of the storm did not roll in until we got back to the house but we would have been on the water for it had we not turned back when we did!

So, onto Sunday - You only have your first race once and I was very happy that I could be there to support the Killer Cupcake! We were able to provide not only moral support but an experienced pit crew of one (TGP) that has encountered most every issue on and off of a race course.

I channeled my inner punk/rocker/I-get-to-wear-skulls-and-bright-pink persona and spent the day taking it all in. Lots of fun even though there was a bunch of bike stuff that I did not comprehend. And I had a first – I spotted a Bald Eagle. Had no idea what I was looking at until I pointed it out to TGP. (have to work on my bird ID skills). Just incredible to see it soar through the sky and it definitely tugged on my patriotic heart strings that this majestic board symbolizes our country. (I may not be happy with the stuff going on in the country but I am proud to be a citizen of this country).

Afterwards, with TGP representing the testosterone (polar opposite of last weekend where I was the only girl), we went to a friend’s restaurant and had some fantastic pulled pork sandwiches. (There are too many to choose from, so insert your own meat joke here)

Definitely worth the drive and definitely a great feeling to have an entire weekend to do with as I chose!

Words…..Actions…..

We all want to make sure that the special people in our lives are happy. We open our minds to the way that they see life – try things that we would have thrown the sign of the cross at earlier – have very candid colorful conversations – remove our own emotions and stay objective when giving advice (even if we do not agree with the topic or decision).

Ultimately – we want them to be happy with us as we are with them....You don’t want them to feel like something is forced or an obligation...When you say something that is honest that it will not be met with an extreme reaction....That the choices that they make are because they want to spend time with you or to see a smile on your face – same that you do for them.

Words…..Actions…..right now they all hurt…

Paddle, Paddle, Paddle....

What do you get when you combine 7 buzz cuts, a flotilla of 9 kayaks, some happy juice and one pair of ovaries? An afternoon of laughs!! I was the token female on Saturday afternoon and I was the one responsible for the happy juice….cracked me up that these burly guys were excited to drink the pink lemonade concoction that I had made.

It was my first paddle of the season and I adopted TGP’s mantra of “we are not going swimming, we are going kayaking” instead of thinking about how cold the water would be if I fell in. I kept chanting “paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle” in my head for the first ten minutes…..got myself in the right mindset. Even paddled backwards within the first twenty minutes – I have definitely come a long way since I started a year ago! (What next? Rolling the boat?? Ha!)

There was also a video camera strapped to the front of my boat – originally it was set up to film me but we turned it around and the video shows what I saw…..even when I stopped to check out the bird activity (look! A dove swallowtail!) and promptly crashed into a bunch of reeds. The footage is hilarious – it is blatantly obvious that I stopped paddling and let the boat drift……then the reeds get closer…..and closer….and closer….and BAM!!

It truly was an afternoon that we all needed – mainly it was the ability to escape all the crap that has been swirling around lately and just relax, have fun and belly laugh the day away with good people.

Surprises In the Woods....

You round the corner and think you are in upstate NY... And then you round the corner and see this...

Money, Money, Money...

It is amazing how quickly I can spend money – we got a mini bonus and I had mentally spent it 6 different ways. But I had to kick my own ass and transfer the same amount into my savings account to ensure that I stayed within my budget and did not go spending willy nilly.

I have been doing the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover. Very inspirational and it does work. It just takes a lot of discipline to do it. And saying “no” to myself is not easy.

I wish that I could travel where and when I want but I have the debt like an anchor around my neck, not letting me move forward. I have no one else to blame but myself – I made the decisions that led to it so I am making sure that I own up for my mistake and fix it. I will not take the easy way out. I do not want to be someone who files for bankruptcy or loses my house because I can’t be a responsible adult.

Herein comes the level of pride that goes with dealsmithing....I am very proud to declare my savings... Shoprite had some deals a few weeks ago where you got $20 to spend over the next four weeks. I was able to stretch the money even more...Saving $21.62 is good when you are spending $4 out of pocket but seeing the "You saved $75 " just blew my mind!!

Ultimately I want to take the money that is listed as savings on that receipt and put it in a special savings account….but that will be once the debt anchor is gone….

Is The World Really Ending?

I had posed the question to myself “I wonder if anyone else is concerned about all the activity in the Ring of Fire???”.

With all the BIG earthquakes that the planet has had lately, it made me wonder just WTF is going on…..and then the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear power plant issues happened.

Anyone else think that this is the beginning of the end of life as we know it? Is the world really ending?

I definitely have my concerns but the whole thing is out of my control and it would be a colossal waste of time to sit around thinking about it.

So, yes, I do watch the news but not as obsessively as some. I just shook my head when I heard that radiation had been found in the water in Massachusetts…..

If it is the end of the world, I have to get a move on….there are things on my “Life Experience” list that need to get done!!

TSA Puppies...

I thought that this was a really great tribute!

Transportation Security Administration Announces Dolan, the 500th Puppy

WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Puppy Program today announced the birth of Dolan, its 500th puppy. As part of TSA's Explosives Detection Canine Team efforts, the Puppy Program names each of the puppies after a 9/11 victim to honor their memory and this puppy was named after Capt. Robert Edward Dolan Jr., who lost his life in the attack on the Pentagon. Operating out of Lackland Air Force Base since 2002, TSA's canine program selectively breeds and prepares puppies to be future explosives detection dogs that are assigned to airports and mass transit systems throughout the country. The puppies are named to honor those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, or who are fighting for our freedom overseas.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Jewels to Be Auctioned...

I really wondered what was going to happen with the jewels…..you figure the kids will hold onto some of them.....and I had no idea the Taylor-Burton diamond was sold to fund a hospital!

http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/2011/03/28/elizabeth-taylor-jewelry/

According to sources, the actress’s brilliant baubles - estimated in the past at $150 million collectively - are expected to be auctioned by Christie’s sometime in the future. (A Christie’s spokeswoman declined to comment.) And though Taylor loved it all - colored stones, pearls - she had a special place in her heart for diamonds, Sedghi says. “She had a collection like I’ve never seen before, and she knew exactly what every one was - what the diamonds were, the quality. But it was more for her; it was … the history behind it. A lot of them had sentimental value.” Of all her baubles - which included the 69-carat Taylor-Burton diamond (pictured, purchased for more than $1 million) - it was the 33-carat Krupp diamond, gifted to her by fifth husband Richard Burton, that she treasured most.