In The Closet

Last week I was called a Redneck Barbie!  My long time hairdresser, Ryan Paxton, called me that as he was turning me into a red head.  (Yes, Ryan, I just called you out on the world wide web!  I told you it was only a matter of time!)At the time we had a great laugh.  A couple of days later I got to thinking about it.  What exactly is a Redneck Barbie?  And is being called one a compliment?  

To me a redneck is a rebel flag waving, deer eating, monster truck driving, dip rubbing, camouflage wearing, gun toting lover.  I am none of those things.  I cry every time I hear the Star-Spangle Banner.  You will never catch me eating anything found living in the wild. Oh wait, I lied!  I do eat morel mushrooms when friends are willing to share!  I drive a convertible.  I don't rub anything except for my dog's belly each night. I don't own anything that even resembles camouflage or a Carhardtt.  Now, to be honest, if it came in pink I might reconsider.  I don't own a gun because I'm afraid of them.  In fact, I have this reoccurring nightmare about guns. However, my nephew, the Columbus City policeman, has agreed to take me to the firing range to teach me  how to shoot one. But this is part of my bucket list and fodder for a different post! So based on my definition of a redneck, I can say unequivocally  that I am not a Redneck Barbie.

Ryan is right,  though. (Yes Ryan, I just said you are right on the world wide web! )  I am some kind of a Barbie. I just think Ryan has confused  being a tomboy with a redneck.  So after much consideration, I have decided that I am a In the Closet Barbie.  You see,  inside of my sweatshirt, tennis shoes, blue jean exterior, there is a beauty queen wanting to come out.  But for whatever reason, I just can't let her out.

I have many diva traits.  I love purses!  Some girls have 50 pairs of shoes.  Not me, I have purses!!  Now I don't own any Coaches, or Vera Wangs, or Kate Spades.  Well, not real ones anyways!!!  I'm easily bored with purses and change them out every 6 weeks or so.  So, I can't purchase a $400 purse to only use for 6 weeks, right?!?!?!  I love bling!  I think an outfit is not complete without baubles hanging from my ears.  I don't go out of the house without my earrings.  I will be dressed in a worn out pair of sweats, but my ears will sparkle!  I love Hollywood.  I am obsessed with the clothes they wear.  Nothing I like more than watching award shows just to see all of the pretty clothes and jewelry.  In fact I have a couple of Hollywood websites that I check out everyday.  I have to admit that I always cast my votes for 'who wore it best' surveys whenever I come across one!  I love fashion.  I don't wear it but I love it.  I can sit at Easton for hours and just watch people walk by.  I love to see what is new and cool. Just tonight I spent 30 minutes in line at Giant Eagle.  I amused myself by looking at all of the fashionable coats, scarves, boots, and other apparel.  People probably think I'm a creeper because I check out their outfits!!!

So, why don't I come out and announce my inner diva to the world?  It's simple.  I am  fat,  cheap and lazy!  It takes a nice body to find clothes that fit right.  I'm overweight, and I can't seem to find clothes that look killer on me.  If I get them to fit at the waist then it is too big in the butt.  If it fits in the shoulders, it is too long on my torso.  I could go on, but you get the picture.  Sales ladies are always saying that I can get stuff altered.  In there lies problem #2...I'm cheap!  If I had the money to spend on clothes I would!!!  But the truth of matter is I just don't have the money to spend on clothing.  I have too many hobbies (quilting, scrapbooking, card making, reading, gardening) that demand a portion of my wages each pay day!  May be someday when my house, car and VISA bill are paid off, I can start building up my wardrobe.  Lastly, I'm lazy!  I know to look that good, I have to be willing to spend time doing my hair and make up.  I'm going to be honest..as if I am anything but, right?  If I can't be showered, dried, clothed and gussied up within 30 minutes, it's not going to happen.  I love my sleep too much!  It also explains why my hair is always short too!  I can dry it in 5 minutes or less!

So, I guess for now I will keep  my Barbie self in the closet.  I hope someday to  unleash her on to the world.  Until that day, I will just keep to my tomboy ways enjoying my baubles, bling and purses while sporting my  otherwise tomboy attire! Every now and then I will let her out to play on special occasions.  Then put her back until she is ready to face the world full time!  Yep, I guess I you can call me a In The Closet Barbie!

Make Every Day Count....
Denise

Taking Inventory

Saying an eternal good bye to family and friends is never easy.  This Christmas we had to pay our last respects to two fine men who have been in our lives for the last 25 years.  The friendships and memories will be treasured for ever.

With such losses just a few weeks of one another, I find myself doing a personal inventory of my life. As we drove away from the funeral home, I thought to myself 'if my life should end tonight, what would I want people to say about me?'   You all know what I mean.  Have you ever been to calling hours and not heard people reminiscing about the deceased?  You hear such things as 'she was a great person', or 'he knew how to make people laugh' or 'she was a fountain of neighborhood knowledge' or he was a great father.'    It just got me thinking.

I remember a conversation I had with my grandfather many, many years ago.  I don't remember the circumstances or the date, but I remember we were talking about funerals and calling hours.  At one point he said to me, ' It's not the quantity of people who come to pay their respects, it's the quality of the people that's important.'  I remember asking him what he meant.  He replied, 'Which would you prefer: 100 people who are there to make sure you really are dead because you were unkind, or 10 people who admired you for your positive contribution in their lives?"  At the time it really didn't have an impact on me as I was a self-absorbed teenager who was never going to die.

As I've aged, and with perfection I might add!, I have been taking my grandfather's observations to heart. In the last 10 years, I have really strived to be a better person to  myself, family, friends and community.  It is that whole paradigm shift that occurs when you reach 35-40!  One day I just woke up and decided that I needed more purpose to my life.  I needed to make a difference.  

So, the question....what do I want people to say about me?...begs to be answered.  My reply is one simple word...giver.  I want people to say I was a giver of truth.  I have never shied away from sharing my experiences with others.  If you read my blog, you know that nothing is off limits.  I believe we can all learn from one and another if we are willing to share the good, the bad and the ugly.  My willingness to share has sometimes caused me grief, but the good always outweighs the negative.  I want people to say I was a giver of laughter.  I love to make people laugh with my stories and observations!  Rick says I can take a 30 second story and turn it into a 5 minute long dissertation.  And that's okay with me.  I love to laugh and love to hear others laugh too.  I want people to say I was a giver of comfort.  I can't even begin to count the number of quilts and cards I've made and given away over the last 25 years.  It is my unique way of expressing my love, my sympathies, my concern, my laughter, and my thoughts with others.  I want people to say I was a giver of time.  I enjoy volunteering my time whether it is with an organization, or as the National Honor Society advisor, or as a teacher, or just as an individual.  There is something so powerful in knowing you are helping others that make you all of your problems seem to disappear.  And I want people to say I was a giver of friendship.  My friends are one of the greatest blessings in my life.  I hope that I am as good of a friend to mine as they are to me.

The question has been answered, but it only creates a new one.  Am I the giver I want others to see in me?  I hope so!  I know that everyday I set out to be the best person I can be.  I also know that everyday I fall short of that goal.  But I genuinely believe that I am a better person today then I was yesterday.  Being a giver isn't something I strive to be just so people will have nice things to say about me after I leave this world.  I do it because I want to make a difference in the lives of others before I leave this world.

Make Everyday Count....
Denise

Tiaras, Gowns, Parades, and All Things Diva

What a weekend I had!  I went on what I'm calling the Good Auntie Tour.  I was the last minute stand in for chauffeuring my niece Justine, The Little Swiss Miss queen,  in the Waverly Jingle Bell Festival.  What an adventure that was! Of course no new adventure escapes my propensity to observe those around me.  And of course, there is no stopping me from sharing those observations with my reading posse.  So here are just a few of the more important pieces of advice and insights that you will need to know if you are ever called upon to chauffeur your loved ones in a parade!

1.  Things you should know before you say yes to the parade!  ONE:  Always consult the atlas before you say yes.  I know Waverly sounds like a quaint little town and it makes you want  to visit it.  However, if it's quaint then it is probably close to the state lines!!  We had no idea how far it would be!  TWO:  Always check the OSU football schedule before you say yes.  Be sure to have a game plan in place for getting up-to-date scores and news.

2.  Trust your instincts:  The GPS isn't always right!  I had already planned our route, but I let GPS Amber convinced me that she knew best.  Well, it may have been 30 miles shorter, but it was at least 25 minutes longer!  Let's say I took a different way home!

3.  Party Planning:  This is important to know!  If you are going to host a luncheon for queens and princesses who are dressed in gowns that cost more than my monthly electric bill, then serving pasta in any form is not a good idea!  The horror on the mothers' faces was priceless.  There were sashes flying everywhere so that they weren't destroyed by tomato stains!!!!

4.  You never know who might be in the parade:  You know the saying that it's a small world.  Well, it really is.  As I was getting my car in the parade line I noticed the car behind me had Coshocton County plates. I'm always on the lookout for fellow Coshoctonians that I might know!  As the driver walked past me, I thought he looked familiar.  You know me....so I yell, "Hey, I think I know you."  The gentleman stopped and looked at me.  He wasn't sure if he did know me or was I some maniac stage mom!  Turns out I was right!  It was a fellow 1980 Ridgewood graduate.  His daughter was the Canal Days queen.  Talk about a small world.   But wait!  It gets even smaller.  As we were sitting in line waiting for the parade to begin, we had another close encounter.  We were parked on a residential street.  The owner of the house we were parked in front of came up to let us know his daughter lived in Sugarcreek at one time.  Turns out my sister-in-law Valerie bought her house when she and her family moved to Dayton!  (Cue the Twilight Zone music!)  Rick says I could go to the moon and still run into someone I know!!!

5.  Caution:  Before you get in line for the 2 hour parade:  ONE:  Always, always go to the bathroom first!  TWO:  Always, always make sure you have a full tank of gas!  THREE:  While at the gas station filling up, be sure to purchase plenty of snacks!  You never know when you will be served pasta for lunch only to have them run out before you get any!!!

6:  Memories:  Even though I kid around about the adventure, it was a day I'll never forget.  I got to spend a whole day with my niece Justine and my sister-in-law Valerie. With my schedule that doesn't happen very often.   I also got to experience something new. Who knew how the whole queen system worked?    I also got to be surrounded by all kinds of glitz, glamour, and all things glittery!  Even this tomboy has a girly side that needs to be feed every now and then!  Priceless!

Make Every Day Count....
Denise

Oh no! Please tell me she didn't just go there!

If you are a regular reader, you know that I pretty much say what's on my mind, and I am not afraid to share my life experiences.  Today is no different.  So sit back because I'm going to go there!  Yep, I'm going to dive into the dreaded rite of passage known as menopause.  So, if you are offended by or embarrassed to talk about hot flashes, hair growth, weight gain, menstrual periods, mood swings, night sweats and all things hormonal, I would highly suggest that you hit the escape key right now!!  This isn't for the faint of heart.  To my husband, I apologize right now.  I know you are sitting there reading this and wishing I would just shut the hell up!  I am going to once again embarrass you with my big, uncensored mouth.

Turning 50 is bad enough.  So,  why does it  have to be accompanied by menopause I ask you?!?!?  The only logical reason I can come up with  is I'm being punished for all of the evils I committed and got away with as a teenager. I just can't imagine there being any other good reason for this to happen now.  Don't get me wrong, I welcome the idea of no longer having periods.  What woman doesn't?  But what I don't like is the way Mother Nature plays with me.  I read that once a woman has missed 12 consecutive periods, she has completed menopause.  This is a cruel, cruel statistic!  I started counting them and was getting excited when I hit 3 months.  I thought I was well on the road to freedom.  Then Mother Nature reared her ugly head and hit me with them again.  So, I find myself playing the 'Will I or Won't I' game each month.   Perhaps I can convert it to a new Wii game and get rich!  After all there is a Wii game for everything else!

Then there is the whole facial hair annoyance.  I mean every time I look in the mirror I hear one of the three little pigs chanting 'not by the hair of my chiny, chin, chin!'  I no longer pluck my eyebrows because I spend every moment plucking the dark, coarse hairs on my chin and neck.  I swear sometimes I have more hair on my face than some of the teenage boys I teach!  I remember laughing my butt off at Mrs. Hughes's comedy act about menopause. (Fellow menopausal women be sure to you tube her if you've never heard her routine.)   She has a spiel about looking like her dad with her 'beard'.  I now have a completely different understanding of what she meant.  When I look in the mirror  every morning and see these offending hairs, I am perplexed.  I feel like an ugly duckling.  I mean let's face it. I see pictures of Julia Roberts and Julianne Moore and think 'why can't I age more gracefully?'  Of course if I had their money, I would probably pay a lot of moola to hide Mother Nature's wear and tear!
 I just keep telling myself that this too will pass.

More than anything I think the hot flashes and night sweats are the worst.    Let's take a look at the hot flashes first.  I started having them intermittently about 3 years ago.  When I had my first one, I really thought I was dying.  I had no idea what was happening to me.  I remember just dropping my packages in the middle of a quilt shop and running outside in the 25 degree weather.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do first:  puke or pass out!!!  I remember telling my gynecologist about it and she said I was too young for a hot flash!  Really?  Now when I have them and there is a witness, I have them sign an affidavit saying I did in fact suffer from one!  And then there is the whole dressing for the weather.  It has gotten colder here in Ohio, so I went through the closet only to find sweaters.  That isn't going to work.  I ended up going shopping for long sleeved shirts and camis.  Got to be able to strip when the flash occurs. I sure as hell wish I could have a hot flash when I need one.  You know when it's 10 degrees outside and the wind is blowing and all you want is to be warm!  But no!   I guess it doesn't work that way.  Of course, I could be rich if I could figure out how to conjure one up on command.    To my dear, dear friends who have been subjected to my striptease, I apologize.  I want you to know that I truly appreciate the fact that you let me sit in your presence wearing only my cami and bare, fat arms showing.   It is a true testament to our friendship.   Just know I would/will do the same thing for you.

Last week Rick and I had to change sides of the bed.  I have to have the fan blowing on me all night long and the only outlet was on his side of the bed. He was always complaining about being cold.  Sometimes, he  would shut my fan off when he came  to bed.  After all I'm asleep and he thinks I won't notice.  Well, let me tell you I know when he did it.  I would start having my recurring dream about running naked through a snowstorm.  Then I would wake up with sweat running down my back.  I stumble out of bed and turn it back on.  I will say that switching sides has helped immensely.  I can have it on all night long.  I put a couple of quilts on his side of the bed.  So far, it seems to be working.

For those of you experiencing the 'joys' of menopause, you know what I'm talking about.  No matter what our friends or mothers tell us to prepare us for the "change of life", we just can't be prepared for that first hot flash or night sweat.  And that first one is rather traumatic.  You just don't understand what is going on.  But the great thing about it is that it gives us the opportunity to bond with our mothers, sisters, and friends  at a whole new level.  Of course, you have to be willing to talk about it.  I say don't be ashamed to speak up and out.  We all will experience it at one time or another, and we can learn valuable information from the sister hood of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and all things hormonal.

Make Every Day Count.....
Denise

Knocking On The Door

In six months I will celebrate my 50th birthday.   As I've stated before, I am embracing it!  Given my youth, I am proud to be alive so I can sit atop of the hill and look down on the youngsters.  What I'm not embracing so much is the knock on my door by those who want  to make it come sooner than April 30, 2012.

While I'm not a technology expert, I'm pretty sure there is some secret society out there that uses some supercomputer to alert all of the 'over the hill' businesses that you are 6 months away from your 50th birthday!  In the last few weeks I have received several types of mail aimed at the 50+ crowd.  Three weeks ago I started getting emails from seniorpeoplemeet.com.  First of all, I am not yet 50 nor am I single!  Secondly, how the heck did they get my email address?  I'm pretty sure I didn't sign up for it!!!  It's comparable to the armed forces sending you all kinds of literature when you turn 18.  I guess it is some kind of rite of passage to remind you of the impending event.  Psst:  Just in case the people from seniorpeoplemeet are reading,  this I want you to know that I will celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary in December.  Therefore, you can stop bombarding my inbox with your advertisements.   I'm automatically deleting them!

Then today, I got my first piece of junk mail from AARP.  I knew it was coming.  I remember making fun of Rick 4 years ago when it started coming for him.  He didn't find as much humor in it as I did.  So of course today, when I asked if there was any mail, he was quick to personally deliver to  me my envelope.  He was smiling ear-to-ear.  I think he was hoping for a meltdown or hissy fit.  Instead I just laughed and immediately took to my blog to write about it.  Of course, I was slightly annoyed with the waste of trees it took to produced the darn thing.  Luckily, I recycle.  So it went directly into the recycle bin in the kitchen.

I'm a realist, so I know that this is only the beginning of the 'hahaha you're turning 50' onslaught.  It's okay with me.  I say bring it on.  I'm not going to freak out or go into a deep depression about it. Instead I will find the humor in it and  laugh at myself.  I will also use the opportunity to share my thoughts with you, my faith readers.  I will be the trailblazer for embracing middle age.  So, go ahead and knock on my door all of you over the hill businesses.  I will open it wide, let you in, hear your pitch, and then toss you into the recycling bin!  I will have the last laugh.

Make Every Day Count...
Denise

Dont' Judge

I have a huge character flaw.  I know it's hard to believe, but I do.  Now if you ask Rick I'm sure he will be more than happy to list all of my faults.  For this post, we will just concentrate on just one.  So here it is....I am competitive to a fault, and, therefore, a sore loser!  Unfortunately, I've been this way for as long as I can remember.  I like to blame it on the fact that I have 6 brothers.  Boys are naturally competitive, right?  That may be, but that's not really the reason here.   I'm the second oldest and was the leader of the pack, not the little sister trying to do what my brothers were doing.  I have no one to blame for my competitiveness but myself.

Want proof?  Let's take my Wii for example.  I love to play what I call 'basement tennis'.  I have plenty of room to move around down there.  It always starts out a nice easy game, but then my competitive spirit starts to take over.  I literally move around the entire room.  I have this special behind the back move that I use  to the my opponents right side!  And serving...oh my gosh!  I attack it like I can actually serve up an ace every time.  By the end of the game I have sweat rolling down my back.  Honest to goodness, you would think I was playing the 3rd set tiebreaker against Serena Williams in the French Open the way I act.  More than once, I have had to put ice on my right shoulder when I was done!!!  And you know the little conversation boxes with all of the !?!?!?!?!?!?! that appear on the screen when you lose a point?  Well, I can guarantee you that I am actually saying out loud what my Mii is thinking!

My competitiveness knows no boundaries.  I am the same way when I play board games and cards as well.  At our high school the SADD club sponsors a couple of community game nights a year.  They provide all kinds of games, snacks, drinks, and pizza and they invite the students to come in and play games for an evening.  I never miss one because I love to play games!  While attending one night, I was introduced to Catch Phrase.  I fell in love with it.  We had a group of 6 players.  I had the vice principal and a future National Honor Society (HNS) member on my team.  We were playing against the vice principal's wife and two current National Honor Society members.  As with anything I compete in, it starts out nice and ends with me getting out of control.  It was a close game and I started running my mouth.  I actually told my future NHS student if he we lost I was going to throw out his membership application!  Don't judge....I so know it was wrong.  Luckily every one knew I was kidding.  We ended up losing the game, but he still got into NHS.  To this day we laugh about it.

As with any thing, there are few situations where my desire to win is a plus.  I have been the district Operation Feed coordinator for the last 5 years.  The Licking County Food Pantry sponsors a 'friendly' competition between the school districts. I preface friendly because we all know now that I see it as a way to win!   At stake is  traveling trophies and bragging rights. Well, for the last 5 years the high school has won!  The elementary has won for the last 3 years and the middle school for last 2 years.  Imagine my pride as this huge accomplishment.  I love seeing those trophies sitting in the respective buildings for a year.  Now I'm not so jaded by desire to win that I don't see the big picture here.  The ultimate winner is the food pantry.  In these economic times, more and more families are using the local food banks.  It is satisfying to know that my competitiveness helps motivate the Licking Valley community to do such good work for such a worthy cause.

I acknowledge that I have a huge character flaw when it comes to winning.  I truly do try to curb my competitiveness, but it's not always possible.  When I reflect over the last 49 years, I see the only difference between my youth and adulthood is that I now know all of the curse words and how to use them properly!  Like I said, don't judge!

Make Every Day Count...

Denise

Observations from The Shoe

My sister and I went to the Ohio State vs. Colorado football game yesterday.  It was truly game day perfection. Why?  Well for one, the weather was fantastic.  It was sunny and 65 degrees!  Two, the Bucks won the game. It wasn't a pretty win, but a win is a win, right?!  Three, we got to go to the Skull Session.  Why do they call it that?  It's a pep rally!  And four, the crazies were running rampant!  Let's face it.  There are 105,000 people packed into a stadium, and if you stick out, wow!  The running joke all day was 'oh, that's going to make the blog!'  So here are a few of my random thoughts about the day.

1.  As we hoofed 5 miles across the campus to St. John's Arena, we had the opportunity to critique OSU fashion on our fellow hikers. After all my sister is the fashionista in the family!  Not sure why, but is it really necessary to wear stilettos to a game?  And not attractive ones at that!  In my opinion, the purpose of shoes is for comfort  and not to be used as an accessory to advertise the fact that you are wearing an outfit that is 3 sizes too small for you!

2.  My sister and I went to our first skull session.  It is really pretty cool.  It is a pep rally of sorts.  The football team and coaches come and say a few words to the 5000+ fans assembled in St. John's Arena.   Well, when I say a few words, that is exactly what I mean. It was all done and over within 60 seconds.  My expectations and the reality of the event were two different things.  I guess I thought there were be some rebel rousing, inspiring speeches.  I thought Coach Fickell and the team captain would send the crowd into a frenzy with their heart felt words.  Instead it was a drive by meeting. I mean we blinked and they were gone! I didn't even have time to find the hometown boy in the group!

3.  At the beginning of the skull session, they usually have the opposing band play first.  Colorado didn't bring their band, so there was a local high school band who played.  They were actually very good and kept people entertained while we all waited for the main attraction.  I give  props to the Lake High School Blue Streak Marching Band from Uniontown, Ohio.  It has to be intimidating being the warm up band for TBDBITL.  I would think it would be like being the opening act for Aerosmith!!!   Scary! So congrats to the Blue Streaks for rocking the house!

4. After the skull session we had some time to kill so we walked around the grounds.  We got to giggling when we came across a group of about 10 men in their 70s/80s.    They were all sitting on a concrete retaining wall outside of the Shoe.  They all had their smart phones out and were texting/facebooking/googling!  We found this hysterical because our mom is always on us about our generation and our cell phone use.  LOL...guess it's not just our generation after all!  Mom says they were all probably talking to their bookies!

5.  Then there was the OSU Salahis.  Do you remember the couple who crashed the White House dinner?  Well, the Shoe had some party crashers as well.  We had a couple who kept moving their seats every time the rightful owners would show up to claim their seats.  Now our seats were good, but not so good that it warranted seat crashers! To be honest though, they were a nice couple.  They really did have tickets and were just too nice to boot the real squatters out of their seats!  But we had a good laugh watching them move from row to row!

6.  Of course, I got to sit beside the drunk, chatty girls.  They showed up after the opening kick off reeking of booze.  Of course, they weren't done drinking!  Oh no, these girls had an arsenal of travel size bottles of rum stuffed in their purses!  Not sure how they got these past the purse checkers!!!  Then they didn't watch a single second of the game.  They both were texting and talking on their phones the entire time.  (They were lucky that Hurricane Judy wasn't there for her texting lecture!!!  LOL) As if I were Kirk Herbstreit,  they kept asking me for commentary on the game.  Thank goodness they left at half time!  Of course I'm thinking, these chicks must have some dough.  Who else would pay $70 for a ticket and not see one single play of the game!??!?!?!

7.  The following observation is one of those it's sad, but funny situations.  Throughout the game, there were advertisements on the jumbo tron on how to treat OSU players.  It would give a situation and you had to decide if it is acceptable or not under NCAA rules.  So, the next time you see Bobby Buckeye at a restaurant and he is celebrating being named the Big Ten player of week, please do not offer to pay for his meal.  It would be considered an infraction under the NCAA rules!!!!!  It's sad that they have to do it, but then again, if you have 105,000 people in attendance, what better way to educate the community?

8.  Remember a post a long time ago about the drunk guy at the Blue Jacket Hockey game who yelled about not giving up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?  Well we had another attention grabbing fool in our section yesterday.  This guy played the role of the ref.  He would get up and make the calls before the refs did.  He also included hand gestures and other everything.  80% of the time he was wrong!!!!  Not to mention he was also stone cold sober!!!!!!!!!!!  Nothing like standing out in a crowd of 105,00 people!  I guess he wants to become the next Neutron Man!

9.  Thankfully there were the OSU traditions that can still bring a tear to my eye:  Script Ohio, dotting the i, the wave, O-H-I-O, the Buckeye Bounce, AC/DC music, Brutus, singing Carmen Ohio, Hang on Sloopy, TBDBITL, players coming out of the tunnel, and winning games.  It is an experience that I never get tired of!

10.  Ticket:  $70, Parking $15, New shirt:  $35, Concession Stand:  $25, Spending time with my sister and making some great memories:  Priceless!  Go Bucks!!!

Make Every Day Count...
Denise

Old Time Rock and Roll

It is always amazing to me how a simple song on the radio can transport me back to another time and place.  Today is no exception.  As I sit in the waiting room of the car dealership, my mind is taking me back to the Kat Blues dance floor in Coshocton, Ohio.  Playing on the radio is the song Centerfield by John Fogerty.  Every time I hear that song, I think of my friend Debb  and our exuberant dance moves on the dance floor.  We loved that song!  So, it got me thinking about other songs that will send me back in time, and I thought I would share them with you.  I mean what else am I going to do while I wait on my car to get done!  So here are a few my favorite song induced memories....

1.  Kung Fu Fighting:  This song always takes me back to the 6th grade dance at Fresno Elementary.  All of my little girlfriends and I line danced to it.  Of course, it wasn't called line dancing then!  We were so progressive forward for our ages!  It also reminds me of my first kiss and subsequent mono!

2. Joy to the World by Three Dog Night:  This was the very first song that I learned all of the words to!  I thought I was a gangster because I would scream 'son of a gun'  REALLY loud!  I thought I was cursing and, therefore, a badass!

3.  American Pie by Don Mclean:  It reminds me of my parents' divorce.  I think it's because it had such a  melancholic mood.  And it was about saying goodbye, and I guess I was saying good bye to the family unit that we once had.

4.  Anything from the Best of Bread:  It reminds me of my dad.  It was his first foray into teenage angst. Even though he had three sisters, he wasn't prepared for the hormonal roller coaster of his 13 year old daughter! Then of course, I didn't help matters when I realized it was driving him crazy!  What else was I to do but play it even more!

5.  The soundtrack to Grease:  My girlfriends and I spent hours cruising Main Street in Coshocton on Saturday nights.  We cranked up our 8-tracks and sang along loudly!  Yes, I said 8-track!  It never got old!  To this day I can't listen to Summer Nights without singing it at the top of my lungs!

6.  Jungle Love by Steve Miller Band:  I remember my friend Kris and I dancing on her couch to the song.  Her dad came home and busted us!  I still remember him saying, "Hershberger, get out!  For some reason every time Kris and I got into trouble, he always assumed it was my fault!!  If only he knew how much trouble I kept her out of!!!

7.  The Stroke by Billy Squier:  Takes me back to sophomore year at Bowling Green State University.  My roommate Ellie and I played that album until it became warped and wouldn't play any longer.  There is a good possibility that someone on our hall may have tampered with the album.  The screams to quit playing it were strong!

8.  Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd:  I remember the high school office played music during our lunch periods.  Every time we heard Another Brick in the Wall, every one beat their fists on the table and screamed the lyrics.  After all we thought we didn't need an education!!!!!

9.  My Wish by Rascal Flatts:  I think this is the most beautifully written song in the history of song writing.  While it doesn't have any special meaning right now, but it will to others someday.  I want it played at my funeral.  (No, I'm not sick and/or dying!)  It's just that I believe every lyric of that song. I want to leave it as my final love letter to everyone who has meant anything to me in my life.

10.  On the Boardwalk by The Drifters:  It is a beach staple and we all know how I love the beach!  Whenever I hear it, I am transported to sand and sun.  I can feel the sun.  I can hear the waves breaking the beach.  I can taste the pina cola.  I can see the shells.  I can smell the saltwater.  Heaven on earth.

11.  Anything by the Michael Stanley Band:  I hated that band!  I went to BGSU aka Little Cleveland.  It was so called because 80% of the population was from Cleveland.  Now I loved my Cleveland friends, but they are so obnoxious about they things they are passionate about.  The ARE passionate about MSB!  So much so that it was annoying!  If you know a Cleveland Browns fan, you know what I'm talking about!

These are  only 11 of a gazillion songs that can transport me to another time and place.  Some of them are good memories and some not so good.  But they are songs that help shape me to be who I am  and brought me to this point in my life....good and bad!!!  What songs are special to you?  What songs take you to that place of long ago?  Let me know...

"My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold "---Rascal Flatts

Denise

Good Night Sweet Stormy

This week we lost one of our beloved dogs, Stormy.  If you are a pet owner, you know how they become a part of the family.  When you lose one, you grieve just like you would if it were a child.  As all of your know, our dogs are our children.

Stormy came into our lives at a very important time.  We had lost our first dog, Freeway. We were devastated and vowed that we would never have another pet because the pain of losing her was too great.  However, the silence in our house turned out to be deafening.  Unbeknownst to me, Rick began trolling the dog pound looking for another dog.  On one of his trips he found Stormy and fell in love with her.  He immediately came home and told me to get in the truck.  I asked where we were going, but he wouldn't tell me.  When he turned onto Route 13, I knew where we were going.  I said, "Rick, we agreed no more animals."  He just kept driving.   Next thing I knew I had  an 8 week old black fur ball with a spotted tongue licking my face.   It was love at first sight.

Over the next 10 years, she brought us so much joy and at times, some grief.  When we first got her, it turned out that she was sick with an intestinal virus.  We spent many days nursing her back to health.  Then of course this winter we  had to face that fact that she had a tumor on her liver as well as having arthritis. We spent many nights worrying over her of late.   Of course there were many sleepless nights because of her fear of storms.  She would cry, pace and pant every time there was thunder and lightening.  A little ironic wouldn't you say when you consider her name was Stormy!  She also had an annoying habit of eating poop!  Yuck!!!  Why do dogs do that?

The good times, though, far outweighed the bad times.  Stormy brought laughter and love back into our hearts after losing Freeway.  She in no way replaced Freeway, but she did help us fill the void.  As a pup  she was exhausting.   She would play ball for hours!  She had a way of picking it up and dropping it at our feet when she wanted to play.  And she was persistent. We finally learned to just throw the damn ball vs. trying to ignore her.  Then she went through her squeaky toy period.  Stormy loved her squeaky, and Rick hated it.  In fact, I bought a bunch of them and kept them in the cupboard.  Stormy would play with that toy until it fell apart!  I loved annoying Rick, so I was able to replace it immediately! Then there was her love for Sophie.  Well, at first there wasn't so much love, but Sophie grew on Stormy.  They became the best of friends.  They chased bunnies and kitties together.  They dug up the yard searching for moles.  They would wrestle and chase each other around the house.  They would also tag team each other until they got whatever food  that was left on the counter down.  The  last snack they shared was an entire angel food cake!

Stormy was also very stubborn.  She knew how to get what she wanted.  We had a few battles over the years about who was in control.  Our last battle was over the new couch.  I didn't want her on it, and she didn't care.  I did every thing I could think of to keep her off of it.  I tried to barricade her in the kitchen, but she always found a way around it.  When I realized that wasn't going to work, I started barricade the couch.  That  didn't work either!!  In the end we compromised.  She agreed to stay off of it when I was home, and I agreed to cover the couch with a sheet when I wasn't home.  As I sit here now looking at that couch, I would give anything to see it covered in black hair.

As hard as it is, we know that Stormy is in a better place.  She is no longer suffering from the cancer and arthritis.   As my friend Cheryl said, "Stormy is now in heaven jumping on all of the couches".   Thanks to Todd Burpo's book, 'Heaven is For Real', I know that there really are animals in heaven.  It makes us happy to know that Stormy and Freeway are chasing balls and jumping on furniture under God's watchful eye. 

So to our Stormy, we say farewell.  We want to thank you for all of the love you gave us the last 10 years.   You always greeted us at the door with such gusto!  It didn't matter if we were gone 5 minutes or 5 days.  The greeting was always the same.   We want to thank you for coming into our lives when we were at our lowest.  You helped us heal our hearts and you showed us how to love again.   You licked away our tears when we were sad.   You made us smile with your antics.  You were the best.  

As Dr. Williamson said in her card, "Life is ephemeral, but love is eternal."  You may be gone, but you will never be forgotten.  You will live in our hearts forever.

Make Every Day Count....

Dad, Mom and Sophie

You've Come a Long Way Batman!

Sophie woke me up this morning at 3:00 by pawing me.  When she does this it means one of two things.  Either it is thundering and lightening outside or she has to potty.  I scooted over and she jumped up on the bed.  As she was settling in, Stormy started whining and barking downstairs.  Once again either  she was afraid an approaching storm or she needed to potty.    Because of her arthritis and her fear of the hardwood floors, she needs assistance to get up the stairs. So I got out of bed and headed downstairs.  By this time I realized that it wasn't storming, so  I decided they both needed to go out.  I let them out but they just stood on the porch and looked at me.  So, I begrudgingly, walked out in the yard with them.  Nothing spookier than to be outside in the middle of the night by yourself!  Any ways, they potted and we went back in.  As we were heading up the stairs, I was aware of the real problem.  I heard the THA, THA, THA, THA, before I saw it.  We had a bat in our belfry!  Apparently there is now a third reason for  pawing and whining in the middle of the night!

This is not our first bat.  I'll never forget the first one we had.  Once again we were jarred awake in the middle of the night by the sound of something circling our bed.  Freeway, our first dog, was barking at the bat while Rick and I were trying to figure out what was going on.  Finally it dawned on us what was happening.  We grabbed the dog and scrambled under the covers.  A discussion was held as to what we should do.  Rick decided that Freeway and I should stay under the bedspread, and he would find something to kill the bat.  So, my brave husband made his way into our walk-in closet and found his belt.  He proceeded to put only his arm out of the door and would swing the belt at the bat when it would fly by! I have no idea how long it took, but eventually the bat fell from the sky!  (Okay, we now know the importance of bats and no longer kill them. So, please don't call the SBA (Save the Bat Association) on us! )  After our little escapade, we found out remodeling and new construction will stir them up.  They don't like the noise.  Apparently it messes with their sonar equipment!

A few years later, Rick went to the NASCAR race in Michigan.  I spent my first night home alone in 30 years.  I have 7 siblings, so being home alone all night simply didn't happen.  Well, you know where this is heading.  It was like 1:00 in the morning I heard the familiar sound of THA, THA, THA, THA.  I totally freaked out.  I didn't know what to do.  This was before cell phones, so I couldn't exactly call Rick.  So, I did what any reasonable woman would do.  I called the Sheriff's department.  Okay...I'll wait  until you are done laughing.......Done?  So, the on duty cop answers the phone and asks what the problem is.  My EXACT words were, "I have a bat in my house, what do I do?"  He answers, "Ma'am, we don't do bats."  And I responded with, "Well that's good because I didn't ask you to do the bat.  I asked what should I do to get rid of the bat!"  After he finished laughing, he told me to get it in one room, shut off all of the lights and open a window.  It will eventually fly out.  I thanked him with clenched teeth and hung up.  I got the quilt off of the bed and draped it over myself.  Just call me Harry Potter with my invisible cloak!!!  I did what the nice copper told me to do and went back to bed.  Woke up the next morning, went to my sewing room and looked in.  There on the valance was the damn bat!  Apparently I was given wrong advice.  If you ever had bat what you do is  turn the lights ON, not off!  The intruder will go towards the darkness and hopefully fly out the window.

Well, this morning I screamed when the darn thing flew over head.  The dogs started barking and Rick woke up.  He asked what is going on, and I told him we had another bat in the house.  This was the second one in less than 2 weeks!  (I slept through the last one!!!!)  It was like deja vu.  The darn thing decided to hang out in my sewing room.  I turned the lights on, opened the window and closed the door.  I headed back to bed.  At this point, Rick is up.  I told him what I did and said good night.  He went and watched it fly around the room for a while.  (We have glass doors so you can see everything).  After a few minutes he decided to physical remove it.  He has captured many bats over the years and now has it down to a science!  He went to the garage and got his huge fishing net.  Within 5 minutes he had caught it and released it outside.  

As you can see, my personal Batman has come a long way since that first bat 25 years ago.  He went from annihilate  the sucker  to catch and release!  It's so nice to know that I have super hero in house.  You never know when the next bat will attack!

Make Every Day Count
Denise

Another One Bites The Dust

Another one bites the dust 
Another one bites the dust 
And another one gone, and another one gone 
Another one bites the dust 
Hey, I'm gonna get you too 
Another one bites the dust ........Queen


Yep, another summer has come and gone.  It has bit the dust!  I don't know about you, but the older I get the faster summer goes.  I remember as a kid thinking summer was forever.  In fact, I remember getting bored because it just seemed to go on and on and on. I know I would miss my friends and eagerly wait for the start of school.  Now, I barely remember summer because it seems to fly by faster than Buzz Lightyear.  It makes my head spin!!


I mean it just seems like last week that the school year ended.  Now on the eve of my first official day back, I find myself feeling nostalgic about my summer vacation.  What exactly did I do this summer? It's all a blur!  Well, the first week I was immersed in yard sale stuff.  The International Travel Group sent up in my garage for the annual Marne Yard Sales.  It was a fundraiser for our European trip.  What a crazy week!  We spent days setting up and then we spent two days selling the stuff.  In all it was a great fundraiser, but I was jonsing for a break.  The second week of summer I was virtually comatose!  If I wasn't sleeping or napping, I was sitting in my chair listening to Sports Radio with a glazed look in my eyes.  I couldn't do anything!  I would be safe to say I had  bit of a meltdown!  


Eventually, I recovered and found my cleaning stride.  I decided that I had let the house slide over the year.  Of course, if you had my schedule, I'm guessing house work wouldn't be at the top of your list when you had some down time.  Each week I took two days and cleaned a room or an area!  Besides it rained most of June and July, so what else was there to do!?!?  Well, actually a lot, but the responsible adult overruled the unruly teenager, and I 
did some long overdue work.  Now I did rewarded myself every Thursday by going to Barb's, my BFF, and we sewed for 5 blissful hours each day.


Unfortunately this summer was filled with illness.  You see, I very seldom get sick.  Prior to this year, I hadn't had the flu since 1997!  I have a theory about being sick.  After 27 years in the classroom, I have developed a tolerance for germs.  I love my students, but let's be honest, when there are 600 of them in your building, germs are running rampant!  I feel the harder you try to avoid them, your  frequency of getting sick rises.  I have a few friends who are a little anxious about germs and they seem to be sick all the time.  I, on the other hand, am not afraid to have some cough on me or throw up in my room.  I am immune!  Well, that is until this summer!  I started the vacation with a bronchial infection  that lasted 3 weeks.  And then I ended summer vacation with an intestinal flu that last 2 weeks!   Unbelievable for someone who never gets sick.  You know the lesson here...never say never!


Even though there were low spots, there were equal high spots. Given all of the heat in July and August, I spent a lot of time inside.  Therefore,  I got a lot of sewing/quilting done this summer.  I finished up 3 UFOs (Unfinished Projects) and made a new baby quilt for our vet.  I got a lot of card making and scrapbookking done as well.  And read!  Man,  I read 12 different books this summer.  If you are looking for some good reads I recommend...Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo, The Help by Kathy Stockett, and My Year With Eleanor by Noelle Hancock.  There were also some day trips in there as well.   Of course I also interfaced several hours a day on Facebook or on my blog, keeping in touch with my family and friends!  There were also my two visits with Hurricane Judy.  She blew into town twice this summer.  I love spending time with my mom.


If I had to pick my favorite part of this summer, it would be starting my 5K "training".  It is crazy at the age of 49 and 50 pounds overweight to think about running a 5K on my 50th birthday, but yet, here I am.  I have  a LONG way to go yet, but as along as my body will let me I plan on continuing with the plan.  Every time I run, I envision myself running on April 28th wearing an Over the Hill sash and crown! One more than occasion, that visual picture is what helped me finish the run.  


So here we are.  It is 9:58 p.m. and time to call it a day.  The alarm is set for 6:00 a.m.  It is going to be a shock to my system!  You see, I have this summer tradition.  I will get up every morning around 7:00 a.m. like clockwork.  Then comes August 1 and all of a sudden I can't get out of bed before 9:00 a.m.  My friend Barb says it is Freudian.  Whatever it is, it is annoying! 


 Well, there was my summer vacation in a nutshell.  I enjoyed it, but now I am ready for the next school year to start. After all, summer vacation is only 9 months away!!!!  To all of the teachers and students out there, may all of 
have a wonderful year!


Make Every Day Count
Denise

Two Weeks in a Row!

Those who know me, know that I have an attention span of a gnat.  As my mother always said, I was like a fart in a skillet.  I'm not real sure what that means, but I'm guessing it refers to my inability to sit still and stay focused. Even at the age of 49, I still have to have these issues.  I'm easily bored and need the distraction of other activities.  This is why you will usually find me multi-tasking.  I always have at least 5 different quilting projects in various stages of completion, several scrapbooks in the making,  two blogs and numerous books going at the same time.  With all of the possibilities, I can usually find something to interest me.

So, you can only imagine how difficult it is for me to sit still through an entire movie!  Rick gets so frustrated with me.  You see he loves to watch movies and always wants me to sit down at night watch one  with him.  I try, but it just isn't always possible for me to sit through the entire production. To help me,  I always have something to work on while I sit in my chair.  It is either a quilt or embroidery piece.  Or sometimes I will check my emails and blog.  Other times I will read a book while watching the movie.  And most of the time, I vacillate  among all three.  No matter how hard I try, 90% of the time I will finally just get up and go do something different. The next thing I know the movie is over and I am pissing Rick off by asking how it ended.  Oops!

So as you can imagine we rarely go to see a movie at the theater.  Besides my inability to pay attention, there are a few other reasons we don't go.  One, there is the cost.  Let's be serious by the time you pay for admission, popcorn and drinks, you could send a child in a third world country to school for a lifetime.  Two, there is the heating and cooling.  No matter how hard I try, I either freeze or sweat my tushy off!    Three, there is the quality of movies.  Rick and I do not share the same criteria for what constitutes a good movie. He is a Caddy Shack kind of guy, and I am a Gone With the Wind type of girl.  Four, there is the sound.  May be I'm old, but does the volume have to be so loud!!!  It is for these reasons that we usually go to the movies only once a year.

Well, the unthinkable happened this summer.  I actually went to two movies, two weeks in a row!  I'm not kidding!  I'm still in shock at the reality of it.  If you are a regular reader, you know that Barb and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 last week.  (If you're not a regular reader, why not?  You have no idea what you are missing!!!!  LOL)  As a huge HP fan, I have watched each HP movie in its entirety  without leaving my seat once!    I think it is because I have invested so much time in reading the books and learning about the characters.    In fact, I didn't even look at my watch once during the movie.  Normally, I check my watch numerous times when at the theater. Less than an hour in, I'm usually bored and ready to move onto the next activity.  Like I said, it is hard to keep my interest for 2 hours.  Well, Barb and I went to see The Help today.  It was an absolutely amazing movie. Like most of the world, I read the book earlier this summer.  When I finished the book, I knew that I had to see the movie when it came out.  I'm happy to report that for the second week in a row, I watched a movie that kept my interest the entire 2 hours.  In fact, I once again made it through the entire movie without looking to check the time.  I should report though that I had to go buy a sweatshirt first!  It was freezing in the lobby, so off to Sears I went.  I am now the owner of a really cool new OSU sweatshirt...AND it was 25% off!  I'm sorry, I digressed.

At the conclusion of the movie, Barb said to me, "Do you realize that you have been to the movies two weeks in a row?"  I was like, "I know!"  I really don't know why!    Is it because  I so invested in the movies that I was able to control myself?  Is it because I was with Barb who shares my interest in books and movies?  Or is it that I am growing up?   I'm not sure what the answer is!  All I know that I was completely entertained by two really great movies!

Who knows?  This may be a new era dawning for me.  Perhaps I can become the next Roger Ebert and review movies when I retire!!!!  Weirder things have happened!

Make Every Day Count..

Denise

Farewell My Friend! Thanks For the Memories!

Today I went to see the final installment of the Harry Potter movies.  At the end it was like saying a final goodbye to a great friend.  I admit that I shed many tears.   It really was like a loss.

You see,  Harry Potter has meant many different things to me over the years.  First, as a teacher, it gave me some common ground with my students. Let's be honest, at this stage in my career, there is quite an age difference.  I'm not always current!   So it was great because tell me what kid who  doesn't know who Harry Potter is?  The books and the movies led to some lively conversations over the last 14 years.  There were many debates about which was better... the book or movie.  We spent many hours discussing what would happen in the next book.  And that final book..wow!   We talked extensively about what happened and the closure it brought us.

Secondly, Harry Potter has been a best friend to my friend Barb and I.  Barb is a retired English teacher, and she shares my love of the written word.  We are always sharing book lists!   As soon as the Harry Potter books came out, we would race each to see who would finish the book first!   We would have literary discussions as we read.  It would be, "How far are you?' or "Have you read this part yet?" It was a killer to be the first one done and have to wait until the other finished!   Then we would spend hours dissecting each book.  Barb always defended Professor Snape.  She knew all long that he had some redeeming qualities.  I, on the other hand, was ready to throw him under the bus!  We also had a standing date to go to the movies.  Now, we did miss a year or two due to life conflicts.  But today, we saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 together.  It took us three attempts....we got postponed twice.  Once due to my illness and the other for grandkid babysitting duties.  At the end of the movie we sat and cried together.  It was like she and I lost our best friend!  We also spent the entire trip home discussing the movie.  First of all, we agreed that the movie was actually better than the book.  The director really did a great job at bringing all the loose ends together.  Then we talked about our favorite characters....Neville was hers and Luna was mine...and how we would miss them. We also talked about how we won't miss the slithering snake!  A special thank  you to Barb.  You see she went to see the movie on Sunday and didn't tell me until our friend Pat accidentally ratted her out.  She still went with me and I'm glad.  Other than a couple of my nieces, there was no one else I wanted to spend such a special occasion with.

Lastly, there are my nieces Adrianne and Jordan.  Since they were 12 and 9, I have been buying them the books.  I first heard about Harry Potter from the Rosie O'Donnell  show.  She was so excited about it and urged everyone to read them.  In fact, she was the first person to interview JK Rowling on national TV.  I decided to read it.  I fell in love and bought the first book for the girls.  I also bought one for Mikaela, but she wasn't so fond of it.  But Jordan and Adrianne fell in love with the little wizard and his friends.  From that moment on, I would buy a copy for each girl when it would come out.  They would grab them and devour them!  In fact one year Adrianne came and spent the night with me.  We went to Walden Bookstore at midnight and stood in line to get one of the first copies of book #4 (I think it was #4).  When we got home, Adrianne claimed she  was going to stay up all night and read.  I said, "Not me.  I'm too old!"  Guess who ended up staying up all night and who fell asleep!!!  The old lady obviously still has some mojo!    Then one year I showed up in Florida with book #5 for Jordan.  She was so excited.  Then there was movie #6.  I travelled to Bowling Green, my alma mater and Adrianne's.  We hit our favorite BG bar, Howard's, for a cold one before going to the midnight premiere.  What a night!

So, you see, when I say that I feel like I've lost a best friend today, I'm not kidding.  Since 1997,  Harry Potter has given me so much.  He and his friends have entertained me for years. I have enjoyed every book and movie.  He also helped me create memories with loved ones that will last an eternity.  He allowed me to bond with my nieces in a way that wouldn't have been possible without his wizardry.  He also gave me a favorite movie line.  Until today, I only had two movie lines I would quote.  One, is 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.' (Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind.)   Two, 'You did what in your cup?' (Mater from Cars)  And now my third one.....'Not my girl you bitch!'  (Mrs. Weasley to Bellatrix Lestrange)

And with that I say, "Farewell my friend.  Thanks for the memories".  It's amazing how one fictional little boy with a lightening bolt on his forehead could give so much enjoyment to a 49 year old woman.  Good  night Harry Potter, sweet dreams.

Make Every Day Count...
Denise

It's July and that can only mean.....

It is mid-July and it's 90 degrees and hotter.  So, it can only mean only thing....it is  time for the annual Koenig Family Reunion!  It is held at the American Legion in Fredricksburg in Holmes County.  Yes, for those of you who know your Ohio geography, it is in the midst of Amish Country.  The location itself is gorgeous.  It is a really nice place set in the woods.  There is a pond for fishing and swimming. Lots of shade for those warm days.  And the food is off the hook!  The Koenig women, with the exception of me, can cook!

Every year it is a small gathering of the same suspects! It is all of my mom's cousins and their families on my grandfather's branch of the tree.  Now it is a bit a crooked branch, but that's better than a straight branch, right?  Of course my Uncle Gary and his family were in attendance.  I love my Uncle Gary.  He and I torture each other.  All my life he has called 'De-nephew'.  (Get it: the De-niece and the De-nephew)  I'm 49 years old and he still calls me that.  He thinks it is hysterical.  I have come full circle with it.  As a child I would laugh.  As a college student and through 30 something, it annoyed the heck out of me.  But now at the age of 49, I love it.  I would be hurt if he quit!  Of course, I always respond back with 'You're my favorite uncle'.  And he responds, 'I'm you're only Uncle!"  And I just smile.  Today's visit was no different!

Well, Uncle Gary and Aunt Karen are faithful blog followers.  (BTW, Aunt Karen, do you see the box at the top that says email address?  If you put your email address in there, you will receive email notifications when I post a new entry! )  So Uncle Gary knew about my 5K training.  So all day at the reunion I had to listen to him go on about my running.  "Was I tired from running the 2 hours there?"  :
"Was I going to run home? "  "Why don't you show us how you run!"  I think you get the picture! It was non stop.  So, I threatened him that the  might just end up in a post some day.  So, to you Uncle Gary, SNAP!  I got the last word!  Love you!

My one and only cousin,  Libby,  was there with her fiance, Aaron.    He is a very nice young man and he seems to bring out the best in Libby.  Of course we had to put him through the 'test'.  To survive in our family you had better be able to roll with the punches!  We can be quite the sarcastic group, not to mention blunt. Aaron passed each part of the test with flying colors.    I'm happy to say Aaron can roll with the best of us!  Of course, the big test will come at Christmas when we ALL  are together.  That will determine if he stays or goes!!!  I'm rooting for him!

My brother Vince is just like my Uncle Gary.  Vince has to tease everyone.  His ammo is to  have a nickname for everyone in the family.  This year's victim was Libby.  Her first nickname was PITA (Pain in the ass), and has changed over the years.  For the last couple of years she has been called the doctor because she was in dental school.  Well, she and Aaron just graduated and are now dentists!  Libby took a job at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility.  Yep, she is the prison dentist!  Yikes!  So now she has been christened with the new nickname,  The Warden!   Maybe Aaron will get the old Doctor moniker!  That's yet to be determined!  We have to make sure he is going to stay for the long haul before we can nickname him!

Then of course, I was once again crowned the fun Aunt of the reunion.  See little Hunter wanted to fish, so I brought him a pole, tackle box, and worms.  They actually belong to Rick, but I hauled them on my back as I 'ran' all the way there!!!  Right, Uncle Gary?  Well, turns out I'm the only relative that knows how to bait a hook, cast a reel, and de-hook a fish!  The kid wanted to fish and apparently I'm the only one out of many who knows how to do this.  Now to be fair, my brother Vince did get him started, but took off as soon as the opportunity arose.  So the duties were left to me.  Of course, I'm also the same aunt who played street hockey with him at Christmas, so Hunter knows who he can count on.  We had fun.  Of course he got bored real quick and let me do all of the work.  He would wonder off to see how the other kids were doing.  But he was quick to run back to take the credit for each fish I caught!  But as the fun aunt that was okay with me!  We both will always remember our fishing trip!

As I was leaving the reunion, I realized how my attitude has changed about them over the years.  As a small child I loved them.  It was an opportunity to play with other kids you didn't know.  It was also an opportunity to torture Uncle Gary and visa a versa.  Then I became a teenager and hated everything.  I would sit and glare the entire time.  We didn't have cell phones back then.  If we had, I would have been able to text my teen angst to my fellow angry friends.  Once I hit college and my 20s, I quit going completely.  Why should I go?  I don't know those people. Then my mom moved to Florida and the rite of passage was handed down to me.  As the oldest, it was now my responsibility to represent our branch of the crooked tree!  I'll be honest, I would go like every other year.  But something happened this year.  As I looked around I noticed that the all of the branches of the tree seem to be aging, although gracefully.  It made me wonder what will happen to our little family reunion when all of the cousins are gone.  Will we, the next generation, continue the tradition after our parents are gone? Or will the tree die with them?   I made a promise to myself on the way home to do my best to attend as many as I can for as long as they continue.  You just never know what the future holds.

Make Every Day Count.....
Denise

Never a Dull Moment in Downtown Marne!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you know some of the most bizarre situations happen to Rick and I. We are like some kind of crazy magnets.  Well, last night, or should I say early this morning,  was no exception.  So let the story begin...

Rick woke me up this morning at 12:30 a.m. to inform me that we had some half naked drunk guy on our porch.  Now, it was no little inside voice gently saying,  "Hey, honey, you need to get up because there is a possible problem."  No, it was a full fledge outside voice, "Get up there's a half naked drunk guy on the front porch, what should we do?"  Add in the fact that our personal security team, Sophie and Stormy, are barking and growling while trying to tear down the new front door.  (Only can hope that they didn't scratch the new door.  It's only been up for a week!)  Throw in the fact that I'm groggy from my medication that I take every night.  So I was completely oblivious  as to what was happening and I'm yelling, "What the hell is going on?"  So Rick tells me again there is some half naked drunk guy laying on our porch.  Rick's like what should we do?  Of course I answer in my most 'are you serious' voice, I yell, "Call the cops!"  My kind hearted Rick is like 'Well what if he's hurt?  May we should check him first?  I answer 'Well what if he has a gun!'  So, I called 911!

The very nice 911 dispatcher answered my call and asked about my situation.  I told her about the half naked drunk man laying on my porch.  She asked all of the necessary questions and I answered them.  Then she asked if I wanted a Deputy Sheriff to come to the house.  HELLO!!!  That's why I called 911!  And the whole time Rick is pacing from window to window to see if the guy is still there.  He keeps telling me  that tomorrow we need to get a gun.  I'm like shut up we don't need a gun, we have Sophie!  Anyways, the 911 dispatcher connects me with the Sheriff's Department.  I repeat everything.  They ask me if the intruder needs medical attention and should they call the emergency squad.  I'm like I don't know, I'm not going out there to check!  The dude could be dangerous.  So they tell me to stay on the line until the cops can get there.  Well, it only took 60 seconds for 5 cop cars to show up.

Well I hung up and we ran downstairs.  Up to this point I hadn't looked outside yet because I was on the phone.  So I looked out the picture window and I don't see anyone but the cops.   I'm like are you sure there is someone out there, Rick?  He's like look at his feet hanging between the balusters.  I did and the only thing I could think of was the Wicked Witch of the East from the Wizard of Oz.  The guy's feet looked like the witches's feet sticking out from under the house!!  They were facing upwards.   I couldn't figure out how he got them twisted like that IF he was laying face down on the porch.  I wiped the duck poop from my eyes and got a better view.  You see, all Rick said was he was laying on the porch.  I assumed he was face down!  Well, the half naked drunk guy was actually sitting face up on the chair on the front porch.  (LOL!  I hope I'm describing this well enough so you can envision what I'm talking about because I found it hysterical!)  In the meantime, the dogs are barking, Rick and I are pacing,  the cops are trying to get the drunk up and the neighbors are calling to find out what's going on!  Finally, the sheriff knocks on the door and asks if we would take a look at the guy to see if we know him.  All I can say is that the guy's own mother wouldn't have known him.  The dude looked like he had gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.  We said no, and the cops told us to go back in the house.  They called the squad for the guy.  Then everyone left!  I'm like what!?!?!?!  No one is going to let us know what just happened.  Well, apparently not.  So we congratulated the girls on doing a good job of alerting us to the bad guy and we went to bed.

The next morning the neighborhood conversed and put the pieces of the puzzle together. Apparently "our half naked drunk guy" got into a nasty altercation down the street with 3 other drunk guys  and all hell broke loose.    From what I understand these dudes totally destroyed the house they were in.  Our guy got away and went to several other houses looking for help before coming to rest on our front porch.  That is why it only took the Sheriff's Department 60 seconds to get to the our house.  They were already on our guy's tail.  The reason why the coppers left so fast?  Because they found another beat up drunk guy in the front yard of another neighbor.  In the end, all four of the guys were taken to the hospital!  We don't know the conditions of any of the men, only that they beat each other to a pulp.  I do know that our guy will be heading to the pokey at some point if he isn't there all ready.  Apparently, he had numerous arrest warrants on him.  What a night right?

Then we get up this morning and realize that our half naked drunk guy left us a calling card.  He had slobbered all over the glass door!  EEEWW!!!  Not to mention he left a small trail of blood instead of bread crumbs!  Not only did he interrupt my sweet dreams, but now we have to clean up after his drunken butt!  Can you believe it?

Of course, if you know me, I have to analyze the situation and decide what I've learned from this experience.

 #1.  If you do not have a landline phone, be sure to keep a charging cell phone by your bed at night.  You never know what might go bump in the middle of the night.
#2.  Always wear pjs to bed.  You never know when you will have to fight criminals in the middle of the night.  You don't want to waste time looking for clothes!  (For the record, I had my pjs on!)
#3.  Bleach works wonders on blood and snot!

On a serious note, we do want to thank the 91l Dispatcher, the Sheriff's Department and the Madison Township Emergency Personnel for their assistance this morning.  Rick and I never once felt threatened once they arrived and started to resolve the situation.  You all were professionals and we appreciate what you did for our community last night.  You kept us safe and sound.  Job well done folks.

Make Every Day Count...
Denise

Picking My Battles

We all know the adage about picking your battles. If you have children you know what I'm talking about.  In fact it is one of the basic parenting skills you learn.  Some battles are small time while others are of CIA caliber.  What each of us must do is evaluate each individual battle and determine if it is worth the fight or not.  And the degree of importance varies from parent to parent.

The same is true for all children whether they are of the two-legged or the four-legged variety.  Well, blog posse I find myself in a 'pick your battle' quandary.  Here's the load down:  In May Rick and I bought new furniture.  (See April's When Opposites Attract post if you haven't read about our trip to the furniture store.)    After it arrived, I decided that the dogs would no longer be allowed on the couch.  After nine years of camping on the sofa, Sophie and Stormy were not at all amused with the new policy...especially Stormy.  You see she is the main couch potato in our family.  Now Sophie likes it too but prefers the our bed upstairs.  Sophie is also recovering ACL surgery, so she really hasn't tried to get on the sofa  too much of late.  Stormy, on the other hand, feels she owns that couch and we are just a nuisance that gets in her way.

The first week we had the couch, Stormy would jump on it at every turn.  And each time I said, "Bad Dog,  Down."  She would slither off and give me the death stare while waiting for her next opportunity. Blog Follower Catie emailed me some advice.  Apparently she is the dog whisperer of Licking County so I was happy to give anything a try.  She said I should say Good Girl Down and give her a treat each time. Positive reinforcement if you will.  Catie assured me that it in no time flat Stormy would be broken of her couch camping habit.  Well, the only thing accomplished with that route was Stormy probably gained a pound or two from the treats!  Now she did learn not to jump on the sofa when I was looking.  It did nothing for when I was out of the room.

So, I started blocking the couch.  I would put the coffee table up against the couch.  Of course it wasn't quite long enough so I would block the open end with the four BIG pillows. Unbeknownst to me, Stormy has also picked her battle.   It was only a matter of time before she learned how to knock the pillows off of the couch!  Did I mention I have some smart dogs?  So, I went bigger, better, best and started putting a box on that end of the couch.  I have no idea how she did it, but she worked until she moved that box aside enough to get her skinny butt up there!

After weeks of continual defeat, I drew up a new battle plan.  Blog Reader Barb gave me a baby gate to help keep Sophie from climbing the stairs to the bedroom. ( A side note:  Sophie has had a bit of a setback with her therapy.  She got to feeling good and started going up and down the stairs.  We thought why not if she can do it.  Wrong!!  Her ACL is now inflamed and she is having issues.  So back to the cage for her! )  So, to the story at hand....I decided to use the gate for Stormy while I'm gone.  Sophie is in her cage, so why not?  The first time I used it, it was a success.  I put Stormy in the kitchen and blocked off the living room.  This worked wonderfully.  I got home and Stormy is sitting in the kitchen glaring at me.  Apparently she was not pleased with the new game plan.

Like me, Stormy has not given up her battle either.   The next time I put her behind the gate, she knocked it over and camped out on the couch!  Now, I think  she thinks I'm blind because she met me at the door like nothing had happened.  Really girlfriend?   You don't think I can't see the gate laying on the floor.  And just in case I don't notice the gate down, I can't miss the incriminating evidence on the couch...two pounds of black dog hair against the camel colored cushions!  So the next time I put the gate up and push the kitchen chair up against it.  I figured a little reinforcement and the problem would be resolved.  No such luck.  She pushed the chair aside enough to give herself room to crash the gate!  Did I mention I have a really smart dog?

Well, apparently Stormy takes after me.  We both refuse to give up!  I told her I'm digging in my heels and I will conquer!  I told her she is messing with the wrong Mommy!  She just gave me the 'Bring It On Girlfriend' look and walked away.   The battle lines have clearly been drawn.  It is Me vs. the Schipperke.  I have a feeling this could be a battle of epic proportions!  Who will win?   Stay tuned!

Make Every Day Count...
Denise

PS:  Since the writing of this post, Stormy and I have come to an agreement.  In the Couch Treaty of 2011, Stormy has agreed to stay off the furniture while I'm on the premises.  I have agreed to cover the couch whenever I leave the premises.  Poor Sophie is being punished for a battle she wasn't even in.  Not only has be booted off the bed due to her surgery, but now she can't even lay on the couch!  She is a little hateful towards Stormy right now!

Celebrity Crushes

Do you remember your first celebrity crush?  I remember mine.  It was Bobby Sherman of Here Comes The Bride fame.  For those of you who are under the age of 30, he was the original Justin Bieber! I remember crying when I would see him on the TV.  I also bought every Tiger Beat magazine that had him on the cover.  I loved him!  (And, yes, Tiger Beat is older than dirt!  It came out in 1965. )

As with all young love, it comes and goes like the waves of the ocean.  My next celebrity love was Donny Osmond AND Michael Jackson.  That's right, I was in love with two boys at the same time.  I know, I was a trollop at the age of 10!   My poor family!  I would play "Puppy Love" and "Rockin' Robin" until the needle worn down on my 45 record player!  It was reminiscent of Sandra of the Cosby Show.  Remember when she kept playing the say song over and over when she and Eldon broke up?  Everyone in the house was about to go over the edge.  Well, it was same thing in our house in Berlin, Ohio.  The difference was I didn't have a broken heart; my heart was busting out with grade school love!  I had like a gazillon posters on my walls and ceiling.   In fact, you couldn't see the walls!   I think there was paneling underneath the glossy photographs,  but I'm not sure.

Then everything changed in the mid 70s when my oldest brother Randy moved in with us.  He introduced me to a whole new genre of music.  With one 8-track tape, my love life was turned upside down.  Gone was Donny Osmond and in his place was Aerosmith's Steven Tyler!  I was totally in love!  The dude could sing Dream On to me for hours, and I would never tire of it.  To this day, I still love that song.  It was the first tune I download to my iPod!  At first I think my family was grateful for the switch.  After all how many times can you listen to Donny and Michael without wanting to pull your hair out?!?!? I'm pretty sure it is equivalent  to Baby, Baby by the Biebs! But when the black light posters went up as well as the volume on my record player, they realized he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon! Just wanted they wanted was to hear the Demon of Screaming 24-7.   (BTW, for the under 30 crowd, a record player was the precursor to the 8 track tape player, the CD, and MTV! )  My brother gave my parents reasons to want to hurt him during his teenager years.  I'm pretty sure introducing me to Rock and Roll and Aerosmith  would definitely be one of those times.

Well, 35 years later, Steven Tyler is still my celebrity crush!   Now I'm going to be honest.  I have strayed from time to time.  There was the Peter Frampton and Michael Hutchison  rock periods.  And not too recently there was the McSteamy  and Rafael Nadal phase.  And of course I'm  on all about Team Edward!  However,  I always come back to the Demon of Screaming, the Lips of Love, one half of the Toxic Twins.   I'm pretty sure he will  be my one and only until the day I die.  I just recently read Steven's autobiography, "Do the Noises in My Head Bother You?"  I have to tell you there were times that I cringed and then would turn around and LOL.  There were 'aha' moments and moments of 'huh'? I'm sure after reading his book there are many people who are turned off by him.  Let's face it!  He is vulgar and has a checkered to past to say the least.   At times I too was turned off by him while reading his book.  But in the end, I had a great appreciation for him, the band, the music world, addiction and survival.  If it is possible, I think his book only made me like him even more.  I totally appreciated his brutal honesty and sense of creativity.  I'm a Steven Tyler fan for ever!

Now, he just signed on to judge American Idol for another year!  I'm smiling really big!!!  I can't wait for the season to begin.  I love having a weekly date with my man, Steven Tyler.

Make Every Day Count....
Denise

PS:  I would love to hear who your celebrity crushes are!  Just leave me a message.  I promise I won't tell anyone!

Summer Lovin #1

There is a plethora of reasons why I love summer.  Of course, there is the obvious.   After all what teacher doesn't love summer break!!  And if you find a teacher who says she doesn't like summer break, she is lying!  I also love soaking in the sun, sleeping in each morning, going to lunch with my peeps,  sewing Thursdays with Barb and Rosie, and reading beach trash novels just to name a few.

But a little hidden summer pleasure for me is unexpected company.  I love when people just stop by unannounced on a beautiful, sunny, summer Saturday or  Sunday afternoon.  I mean think about it.  How many times have you been out for a drive on a gorgeous warm summer day, and you start to get nostalgic  about someone or someplace that means a lot to you?  You wonder what they are doing or if the place is still there.  The next thing you know your car is on autopilot and heading to the person or place of long ago.  I consider it the highest form of  honor if Rick and I are the recipients of such a visit.

Yesterday, Rick and I were honored with the unexpected visit of not one but two different groups of people. (So glad I spent an hour that morning cleaning up the house!!!  Too bad I hadn't taken a shower yet!)  Our first visitors were Dick and Yvonne Wolfe.  When Rick worked at Matesich's Distributing, he delivered beer to their drive thru in Dresden, Ohio.  A friendship was born that has lasted now for over 25 years.  The guys share a common interest in business and politics.  We womenfolk share a love of gardening.  As soon as the Wolfes were out of their car, the men went inside to inspect Rick's recent remodeling efforts.  Yvonne and I were walking the grounds to marvel at the flowers in  my gardens.  She caught me up to date on their health.  (Both of them are  in their 80s).  Of course there is the karma thing.  I had said to Rick on Wednesday that I thought about Yvonne when I was cleaning out the attic.  Years ago, Yvonne got rid of all of her Christmas decorations.  She said she no longer decorated because it wasn't what Christmas was about.   I was appalled. You see I, at one time, was a Martha Stewart wannabe.   Now, 15 years later, I get it.  I told Yvonne about it and we got a huge laugh out of it.  After an hour's visit, they were off to Dresden.  There were many hugs and promises to get together soon for lunch.

It was back to work in the yard!  After all it was a beautiful day and the thistles and weeds were calling our names.  The next thing we knew the dogs were going crazy again.  Now who could be here?!?!?!  After all we very seldom get company, but now twice in one day!?!?  There to our amazement was Rick's brother, Doc, and his daughter, Adrianne.  You see Adrianne is 23 years old and lives in NYC. We don't get to see her often.  The last time was Christmas Day.  She is home for a week.  There is a family gathering scheduled for today, but Rick most likely won't be able to attend because of work.  So, Doc and Adrianne came to see Rick in case he can't make it today.  We loved it.  We got to spend 2 hours of uninterrupted time with her.  We didn't have to share her with Aunt Suzy, Uncle Brad or Uncle Tim!  We talked about her job.  She works with the AmeriCorp in Brooklyn.  This year she will be a team leader!  She has a new apartment with Erin, a grad student at NYU School of Interior Design.   She is contemplating going back to school.  She wants to get her masters in social work.   I encouraged her to follow her heart.  I also encouraged her to do something with her photography.  She is an amazing artist! We also talked about visiting her this summer. She wants to show us the city and her new life.  I promised I would work on Uncle Rick!  He is not an adventurist.  He is a homebody.  He uses the dogs as an excuse not to travel, but deep down he just likes to be at home.  After a lengthy visit, they were off to Coshocton.

Yesterday was a great day! I have to admit, I didn't get any of my list done for the day.  But who cares? We were honored that we got to spend time with people who are dear and near to our hearts.  Now I ask, "Would this have happened if it were a cold, dreary winter day?"  Lovin summer!

Make Each Day Count
Denise