Steven Tyler Rocks My World

Last night I went to my first, and most likely only one, Aerosmith concert. All I can say is........................................................................hmmmmmmm................................................That's right, I'm pretty much speechless.  And for those that know me well, that is a feat that happens only once in a blue moon!  If there are truly moments that are better than sex, than last night was it! Steven Tyler you rocked my music goddess world!  I will be living this concert "hangover" for a long time to come.

I have been looking forward to this concert for the last 30 years.  For whatever reason I never made it to  one before now, and it eventually became one of the top 5 on my bucket list.  The expectations for this moment were astronomical.  I actually had moments of fear that Aerosmith would not live up to my preconceived notions.  After all, they are all in the 60s and have had more than one replacement surgery!  Surely their voices have  disintegrated over time...I mean come on,  have you heard Paul McCartney sing lately??!!?!?  All of my fears were unfounded!  While Tyler doesn't move around the stage like he once did, he definitely moves better and faster than I would!  His voice was rock solid.  He had me enthralled with every single note! And no matter what his age, Steven Tyler has more sex appeal than men half his age.  Take note Channing Tatum..there is more to being sexy than a six pack and an exotic dancer background!

Now I will admit though that there were definitely some signs of aging going on!  Here are your signs:

Sign 1.  The average age of the concert had to be 65!  I felt like a spring chicken!  Megan and I went to the old Frog Bear and Wild Boar restaurant before the concert.  Naturally, it was packed!  We got to share a table with two groups of people.  The first couple was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with dinner and concert!  When they left we invited Beth and Margaret to our table.  Margaret was 76 years old and enjoying her first Aerosmith concert!!!!!!  How awesome is that!!?!?!?

Beth and Margaret 

Sign 2.  The meet and greet babes are no longer bleached blondes with fake boobs and daisy duke shorts!  I had the opportunity to overhead a conversation between the band manager and the meet and greet group.  The youngest woman was probably 55.  The rest of the women had the blue hair and Alfred Dunn outfits on!!!!!!!!  The men were balding and had the good ole boy beer guts.  I just laughed and tried to imagine them all in their glory 30 years ago!

Sign 3.  Concert necessities change dramatically.  Thirty years ago my pre-concert warm up would have been massive quantities of alcohol and several packs of smokes.  Today the pre-concert ritual was a diet coke, nice dinner and ear plugs.  When you're my age and your hearing is at a deficient, you must preserve what you have left.  I will say though I did not use the ear plugs.  While we were in the 11th row, it wasn't as loud as I thought it would be.......or, I can't hear worth a shit and didn't realize it was way too loud!

Sign 4.  When you get home and relax, you realize your entire body hurts and aches!  I didn't know what to ice first....my knees, my hip or my right shoulder.  I was rocking the entire 2 hour concert in heels!  I haven't danced and sang like that since my last concert 15 years ago.  I'm convinced that the small tear in my rotator cuff is now a millimeter or two bigger! I'm sure I just sped up my surgery date by a couple of years! How many people get to claim an Aerosmith injury that requires surgery!   Of course the older gentleman beside me was wishing I would just  sit my ass down!  I can't tell you how many times I bumped into him.  All I can say is that my rock goddess was not to be tamed last night!  After all when you pay big bucks to be on the floor in the 11th row, you had better be on your feet and shaking your moneymaker all night long!

Sign 5.  Joe Perry was creeping me out!  Honestly he reminded me of Jack the Ripper.  Between his outfit and his weird mustache thing, I was in denial.  I know that 30 years ago, I would have loved his "creativity".  Last night was a hell no!  Now he did redeem himself when he went shirtless and hatless at the end.  But the first hour was so weird!  He reminded me of Fred Strangebone who was our tour guide on the Jack the Ripper tour in London!  Still have chills going down the spine!

Sign 6.  I don't remember much of the concert.  Now 30 years ago it would have been due to alcohol consumption that the concert would have been fuzzy.  But now at the age of 50 my reason is completely different.  It's not because of Alzheimer's, but because I was living in every single moment of the concert.  I can't begin to rattle of the play list or the songs not performed.  What I do remember is the energy, the colors, the smells, the tastes and the adrenaline rush  that pulsed through me during the concert.   For 120 minutes I was transformed into a rock goddess that was fulfilled to the max!  I'm pretty sure I will be reliving this "hangover"  for many, many years to come.  

My advice to anyone with a bucket list.  Don't ever give up on the list!  It will always be worth the effort.  After all........"Dream on, dream on, dream on, dream until your dreams come true..........

Make Every Day Count

Denise

PS:  Thanks to Megan Scott for going with me to the concert.  If it wasn't for her love of Aerosmith, I might not have made to this concert!  You got me the great tickets and shared in my "virgin moment"!  I am eternally grateful!  Rock on sister!  And thanks for sending me the playlist so I will always remember!

Fat Girl Woes!

I am a fat girl.  I know that people try to come up with cute little names to help soften the truth.  I'm sorry.  I am not fluffy.  I am not chubby.  Nor am I chunky, plump, round or big-boned.  I am fat.  Actually,  by the medical profession,  I am obese.  I'll admit I don't like obese, but the BMI says that I am.  Whatever you want to call it, I am okay with it.  Would I like to be thinner?  Of course, but not if it means I have to eat carrots and drink water 24/7!    I like food!  I appreciate a good gourmet meal...thanks to my 2 brothers who happen to be chefs as well as my mother who can cook Hunky food like no other!

So, what has my granny panties in bunch now?  It's what I call the 'fat girl woes'.  This usually happens when I'm shopping for clothes or shoes!  I set out to spend lots of money on a new wardrobe or kicks only to end up at home with one or two purses!  A fat girl can rock any purse!!!  I'm just saying!  Well, the fat girl woes struck again today.  If you are a regular read, you know that I am a closet Barbie. (See blog post:  In The Closet).  I love fashion and if I had a killer body and money, I would be rocking the fashion world.   But when you are fat, or obese as Dr. Ersham puts it, it's not always easy to find the perfect clothes.  So for me to go out and shop for clothes and shoes,  I have to really want it.  The current fashion trend are fashion boots.  I'm in love with all of the styles of boots right now....rain boots, cowboy boots, high-heels, high thighs, etc.  I have been debating for months now if I could wear boots.   Being fat you have to consider all of the angles....skinny jeans or not,  stretch pants or not, tights or not, sweater dresses or not?   You have to analyze what will make your thighs look like tree stumps or what will make your ass look like a neon billboard.

I made the decision today that I could wear boots.  They would have to be understated and I would have to wear them with the right pants, but it would work.  How hard could it be to find a pair of freaking boots?  After all the stores have entire boot sections with 20-30 styles on display.  Well, apparently I was greatly mistaken!  You see if you are a fat girl, you most likely need wide calf boots!!!!  That's right, it's like trying to fit the step sister's foot into Cinderella's slipper!  After 3 attempts, I gave up!  One store had a couple of wide calf boots, but they looked like something a hooker would wear.  Went to another store and they had 1 style left but only in 3 sizes. The third one had some, but I'm not willing to go into debt to own them.

As I was driving home, I started thinking about the dilemma I was in.  Here's the thought:  Is the shoe industry ignoring the plus size women when designing boots?  Or is everyone wearing the wide calf and not the skinny girl designs?  Or is someone telling me  that fat girls are not meant to wear boots?  May be somebody out there is thinking about me.  They don't want me to look like a tree on a neon flashing billboard!!!  I'm not giving up though.  This weekend I'm going to make trip to Columbus and DSW and a few other stores.  Surely there is a pair of wide calf kicks with my name on them.  Of course, if I find them, then I have to start the process of finding a pair of pants to go with them.   More fat girl woes!!!  By the time I find the boots and pants, the trend will be so last year and out of style!!!  Oh well, wearing styles out of fashion has never bothered me before.  After all, I'm not afraid to wear white after summer!!!  Such a rebel.

Make Every Day Count...
Denise

My Love Affair with Chris Spielman!

My inner cougar had a wee bit of a crush on the one and only, Chris Spielman.  After the events of Monday, October 15, that crush has been elevated to love affair status!  Now just in case you live under a rock or are an illegal alien, Chris Spielman is an ESPN college football analyst as well as a former NFL lineman and OSU Football Hall of Famer.   And he is gorgeous!!!   When he wears his blue shirt with those awesome glasses on Saturdays, my inner cougar does back flips!

Last Monday my friend Toni and I attended the Chris Spielman's Football for Females Breast Cancer Research fundraiser.  It was a small intimate setting at KBD at Easton in Columbus.  The premise was to teach women about the ins and outs of football.  There were raffles and autographed souvenirs to purchase.  All proceeds went to the Stefanie Spielman Breast Cancer Fund.  I have wanted to attend the event for the last 2 years, but it fills up so fast.  This year I found success!  So off Toni and I went.  We found seats relatively close to the front.  We shared a table with some really fun ladies from Chillicothe!   I'm not the only cougar out there with some lustful thoughts of Chris.  These girls drove 2 hours!!!  Chris began with an informational talk about the cutting edge research the Stefanie Spielman Fund is conducting.  They are working on chemotherapy that actually attacks the cancer and not the entire body.  Afterwards, he asked for a volunteer who would like to be his tackle dummy!  H-E-L-L-O!!!!!!! Who do you think had her hand raised before he got the entire sentence out!?!?!?!?  Of course, my inner goddess and I were chumping at the bit.  Luckily, he called on me.  Unluckily for him he called on me.  He had no idea what he just got himself into!

Chris Spielman and Me!

He began explaining there are 3 different ways to tackle a receiver. I have absolutely no idea what he was saying.  All I could think about that I was on stage with Chris Spielman and any minute he would have his hands on me!!!!!  The inner goddess was jumping up and down.  So, he demonstrated the first tackle by wrapping his arms around my waist.  I yelled, "Woo-hoo"!  He looked at me and said, "Denise you don't woo-hoo when someone tackles you."  I replied, " You do if you are a 50 year old woman and Chris Spielman just wrapped his arms around you!"  He laughed.  I laughed.  Everyone laughed.  I'm pretty sure he was wishing right then that he had chosen someone else!  In the meantime, my inner goddess was passed out on the couch from the excitement!  He proceeded to explain and demonstrate 2 more types of tackles.  I have to be honest.  I have absolutely no freaking idea what he said the rest of the time.  I was on cloud nine, and smiling that shitty grin I have!  As I sat down, Chris yelled, "Hey Denise, are you married?"  I said, "Yes for 26 years."  He said, "Do you woo-hoo when your husband tackles you at home?"   I just laughed.  Chris said, "I'll take that as a no.  So you go home and tell your husband that I, Chris Spielman, got a woo-hoo!"  I did, but Rick was just annoyed!  He was quite sure that I did everything in my power to embarrass myself!  I told him I did not, but that inner cougar may have done something inappropriate!  LOL!

While the one-on-one physical contact was thrilling, it wasn't the only reason I went from a crush to a love affair that night.  As Chris answered questions from the audience, it became quite clear that he was a man of God who loved his wife and family more than anything else.  He was now a single dad  of 4 trying to do the best he could while furthering the fight against breast cancer.  When he was asked why he wasn't coaching some where, he replied, " I can't be the dad I want to be if I'm never home and I promised my wife I would continue her battle in hopes that no other husband and child would lose their wife and mother. Folks, it doesn't get any better than that, now does it?  My inner goddess had the ugly cry going on as her heart melted.  I bought two copies of his book, "That's Why I'm Here".  It is a look at his career and how Stefanie's cancer changed his whole way of thinking and brought him to the man he is now.  I have to say the book is definitely going on my list of must read books.  Not because he wrote it and I'm in love with him, but because it is an honest look at how God brought him to where he is now.  He autographed the books.  One of them was for me and the other one was for my sister-in-law Dawn who is in her own battle with breast cancer.  He asked me questions about her and he genuinely cared.  He penned a personal note to her in her book.  I sent it to her.  She is having a rough patch right now.  When she read his words to her, she admitted that she cried like a baby.  She was so touched by what he had to say to her.  Is your inner goddess teary-eyed  now, too?!?!?!?

Who knew that night I would have such a multi-layered experience.  I went expecting to drool from the audience and learn about football.  Instead, I got man-handled by an OSU Hall of Famer, supported a good cause, learned about one man's journey and gained a new respect for the man who loves his wife and children.   Ladies, they don't get much better than Chris Spielman.  My inner goddess and I are still recovering from that night.  It is  an exhausting love affair.

Make Every Day Count......
Denise

PS:  So Toni and I got together today for lunch.  It was for the first time we had a chance to chat since our awesome night out.  So, I asked her if I made an ass of myself.  She laughed and said no, much to Rick's chagrin!  He was convinced I had totally embarrassed myself.  After all 27 years of experience would definitely lead one to believe I had!!  She also bought a book and had it autographed.  She told Chris  that she had come to the event with me.  I'm sure she probably felt the need to apologize for me! Chris told her that I was a lot of fun and he enjoyed himself!  Oh, you should see my inner goddess!  She is strutting down the sidewalk smoking a cigarette!

The Quilting Slut

My husband and I have been married for over 25 years now.  During our quarter century together, he has called me many names of endearment...honey, babe, sugar, dear, #1 and the quilting slut. Yes, he has called me a quilting slut.  Now before you get all fired up and accuse me of degrading quilting by attaching it to the word slut, please let me explain.

 I have a wonderful little group of quilting friends called the Bodacious Fabric Goddesses (BFGs). Or as Rick calls us "The Clucking Quilt Hens."  He has even numbered us...1, 2, 3, 4.....  In our younger days we spent many weekends and summer days traveling all over the United States going to fabric stores and quilt shows.  We have traveled  to Charlestown, St. Louis, Peoria, Paducah, Grand Rapids, and beyond.  We have gone on more Shop Hops than you can imagine.  We all have the "Quilter's Bible".  It is a book that lists all of the quilt shops in the United States, Canada and Europe.  It was nothing to pick up the book, select some shops, map a route, load the swagger wagon...okay, so it was called a mini van back in the old days...and take off!

One day as the hens and I were sitting around my kitchen table planning a new adventure, Rick walked  in and asked what we were doing.  As if he had to ask!  Couldn't he see the book?!?!  Any ways, we told him what we were doing and he started to laugh.  He said, and I quote...."You are quilting sluts.  All you do is hop from shop to shop fondling fabric!"  We looked at each other and busted out laughing hysterically!   He was totally right!  It pretty much summed it up!

Well,  after school today  I found myself with nothing to do which is a rarity.  Very seldom to do I just have free time to do whatever I want.  So, I decided to head off to Michael's.  For those who aren't crafting aficionados, it is a craft supply store.  I perused the aisles looking for scrapbooking and card making materials.  I bought a paper pack and some stickers.  From there  I went to JoAnne Fabrics. I was fondling bolts of fabric and petting the pretty papers.  I bought a couple of quilting and cardmaking magazines.  Back in the car and on to Hobby Lobby.

It was while I was in the stamp aisle that it occurred to me that I am no longer a quilting slut.  My name is Denise Edmunds and I am a full-blown Crafting Slut.  That's right folks, I am acknowledging the fact that I have no control when it comes to any kind of crafting store.  I have no loyalty to any particular store.  I will do u-turns if I pass any kind of fabric store or crafting store.  I will pick up anything crafty and fondle it.  I will buy stuff just because I have to have and not for any practical purpose.  I have enough projects and gadgets in my quilting room that I couldn't possibility use it all in my life time!  Hell, how many people do you know that have a walk in fabric closet.  I am simply hopeless!

But before you judge me and perform an intervention, please remember one thing.  Most of you who are reading this blog have been benefited from  my addiction.  You have swaddled your babes in quilts.  You have wrapped yourself in wedding quilts on a cool fall night. You have snuggled under your quilt in your dorm rooms.  You have spent endless hours flipping through the scrapbooks.  You have opened endless envelopes to find handmade Christmas cards.  You have been a recipient of my love.  Nothing says I love you more than a Denise creation!

So the next time you see with a glazed look in my eyes, just get out of my way.  I am under the influence of the need to craft addiction.  Who knows, may be I making something for you!

Make Every Day Count...
Denise

Spooning!

Yesterday my friend Beth and I spent some quality time together at the Licking Valley Fall Festival.  As extra curricular advisors, we each had to cover a shift at the school store.  We decided to do it together.  It was more fun that way.  It's also helpful for shopping purposes!  We were able to tag team each other.  We took turns perusing the vendors.  One of us would stay with the students while the other shopped!  We reported back to one and another as to what we found! There were two booths that caught our eyes....the Simple Luxuries table and the spoon ring table.

As the day dwindled and the customers thinned, Beth and I decided it was time to make our purchases. We checked with the students to make sure they could handle the store and register so we could go around the corner to buy our spoon rings and chapstick.  They both said, "Don't worry; we have your numbers in our phones"!  So off we went.  The game plan was to go to the spoon rings booth first and work our way back.  The spoon rings were so cute!  As we were trying them on my phone rang.  Yep, the kids needed some help.  Apparently the one thing we didn't cover with them happened!  LOL!  So I asked Beth to hold the one ring I had picked out so far and headed back to the store.  

Upon my return to the ring booth, I found Beth admiring a beautiful ring on her finger. Apparently, she had selected the perfect piece of jewelry!  She was so excited to tell me that it was called Remembrance.  I wasn't sure what she meant.  The artist that makes the rings saw the look on my face and explained that she researches the patterns of the spoons before she makes them into rings.  The pattern of Beth's ring was called Remembrance and it dated back to 1949.  For Beth this was a blessing from God.  Her mother was born in 1949, and Beth felt it was a way to  honor her mom.  (Sorry to Momma A for letting the whole world know what year she was born!)  In fact, Beth bought one for her mom as well so they could have matching rings.

I thought this was the coolest thing ever, and I couldn't wait to select my ring so I could hear my story.  So after 5 minutes of careful consideration, I decided on my spoon ring.  I gave it to the artist so she could polish it up, look at the pattern, and tell my story.  Guess what?  I had no story! My inner child is throwing a hissy hit.  I want a story!!!!  I picked one of the few that she didn't know the pattern names or history behind it.  I was so deflated!  Well, I liked the ring so I bought it any ways and we headed to the candle/soap/chapstick/lip balm table.

When we returned to the school store, we showed the kids our purchases and told them our spoon ring story.  Caleb wasn't as interested as Mara!  My inner child was still pouting about my lack of history when a thought came to my mind.  I would just create my story.  I said to the group that the design of my ring reminded me of Victorian Europe which reminded me of our trip to London/Paris this Spring Break.  And that reminded me of a conversion I had with Beth.  When we discussed my agreement to go on the trip I told her I would only if I could room with her.  She replied, "You got it!  There is no one else I'd rather spoon with!"  We laughed our butts off and it was a running joke throughout the year.  SO, I reminded Beth of our conversation.  She laughed along with the kids.  Mara was on the trip with us, so she thought it was a great way to remember the trip.

So, there you have it.  My spoon ring story.  This $7 ring will always remind me of the life changing trip I took to Europe with my dear friend Beth.  It will be a symbol of new experiences, great memories and a endearing friendship.  We will always be spoon sisters!

Make Every Day Count...

Denise

The Urbanator VS. TBDBITL

What a day at the Shoe!  First and foremost, it was Toni and Denise Day!  My friend and I always try to spend one day together in the summer.  We do what ever we want without any regard to responsibilities.  Usually we spend the day on the boat at Buckeye Lake.  We have been known to take the boat to Millersport to get our hair done!  We have also anchored the boat in a canal and read all day long.  This year we didn't get our day out on the boat.  Instead, we decided the best way to spend T & D day was at the  OSU Buckeye opener.  After all it was a big day with the debut of Urban Meyer as the new head coach.  Let's just stop right here and make something perfectly clear.  As most of you know, I am not an Urban fan and prayed hard that he wouldn't be our next coach.  But as we all know, my prayers were not answered.  So I found myself with a decision to make.  I could change my allegiance to another team or join the bandwagon.  Scarlett and gray runs deep in my veins, and I chose the Urbanator.

So the excitement in the crowd was electrifying!  There had been so much speculation in the media for the last year as to how our team would adjust to a new coach and a whole new philosophy.  The Urbanator had been very vocal about his displeasure of how the team was progressing. According to him this was going to be an iffy year.   And after last year's season, the crowd wouldn't be happy with anything less than a grubbing of Miami University.  The day started out ominous!  There was thunder, lightening and torrential rains!  Was this a foreshadowing of bad things to come?  All I could think was I hope I just didn't spend $70 to sit in the pouring  rain and watch my beloved Buckeyes get beat by the Redhawks of Miami.  As soon as we hit the Franklin County line, the sun came out and the humidity went up.  It was going to be a good day after all.  The first quarter was pitiful!  The Buckeyes couldn't do a damn thing right.  But with the second quarter came a turning of the tide.  The team showed us what they are made of.  It was one touchdown followed by another. One great catch after another.  The Urbanator was in control!  He lead his team and the Buckeye Nation to its first of many wins to come.

But the Urbantor wasn't the only person making a debut today.   The Best Damn Band In The Land was also ringing in a new era.  After 28 years as the band director, Dr. Jon Woods retired and a new regime was taking over.   What would the band be like?  The answer:  freaking awesome!   The band did a tribute to 50 years of the Beach Boys.  I have to say it was one of the best shows ever!  The band made the field come alive!  They formed a Thunderbird equipped with smoke coming out of the tail pipe.  There were palm trees swaying in the breeze under a full sun.  The band told the story of young love complete with a girl and boy finding each other at the 50 yard line.  Then there was  a girl on a surf board surfing across the field complete with waves.  It ended with a script Beach Boys!  The entire stadium was rocking!  We didn't even care that it was raining and we were getting wet!

So who won the battle of the debuts:  The Urbanator or TBDBITL?  In my humble opinion the winner is The Best Damn Band In The Land.  Let's face it, Miami was just a blip on the screen.  I will reserve my opinion on Urban when the team meets with a true test of fortitude.  Either way it was a great day at the Shoe.  I was a witness to the beginning of the Urban era and the new era of  TBDBITL.  The best part:  spending it with my buddy Toni!  What a great Toni and Denise Day!

Make Every Day Count........
Denise

PS:  Thanks to my cousin Dr. Brad for letting two old ladies park at his house!  Our old bones appreciated the short walk!!!

Dawn's Dream Team/ Paris

Every time I get an iPhoto update, my iPhoto library disappears.  Then I have to spend an hour at the Apple Genius Bar waiting on the tech gurus to reinstall the program and retrieve my library from somewhere in cyberspace.  This happened again last month.  Why they can't correct the problem I have no idea!   So as I sat there I had the opportunity to watch all 3, 644 pictures download.  The good thing was I g0t to  relive many family gatherings, National Honor Society events, summer adventures, and more.

One event that passed before my eyes was the International Travel Group trip to London and Paris.  It brought back so many wonderful memories.  It's hard to believe that it was only 5 months ago.  In some ways it seems like yesterday and in other ways it seems like an eternity since we went.  I also realized that I promised my reading posse that I would share stories with you when I got back,  but it occurred to me that I never did.  So, I'm going to rectify that situation and let you experience  my trip through my old, deteriorating eyes.  Of course, in order to do that, it will take many posts to do so.

Where to start?  Which story to share first?  That's easy!  I'm going to begin with the most heart warming day of the trip.  I have a wonderful sister-in-law, Dawn Frazee Wolford, who is waging a valiant war against breast cancer.  She is so positive and amazing!  She is my hero.  Well, Dawn once mentioned that her dream vacation would be Paris.  For whatever reason, I remembered that.  So once our group was established, I asked them if they would be willing to wear pink on the day we went to the Eiffel Tower.  I told them about Dawn and her dream and that I wanted to surprise her with a photo of every one in pink in her honor.  What actually transpired was more than I could ever have imagined.

Wednesday morning we were scheduled to leave our hotel at 5:45 a.m. for the train station.  We took the Eurostar to Paris.  I was one of the last travelers to meet in the lobby...of course!  Anyways, I was standing there just looking around at everyone else.  They all were looking back and smiling.  The next thing I knew, 28 people flashed me.  Unbeknownst to me, the group had special t-shirts made to honor Dawn.  It took me about 30 seconds to absorb what had happened.  Then the water faucet turned on and I had the ugly cry going on.  I was so amazed that they would honor someone they didn't even know in such a touching way.  A special shout out to Stephi Lollo for designing the shirts.  It was the first of many tears shed that day.  Once we got to the Eiffel Tower, the tears came again!  It was just so amazing.

As soon as we got back to the hotel, I posted the pictures on Facebook.  It didn't take long for more tears to flow.  God was blessing me that day because the time difference worked out just right and I was able to chat with Dawn on Facebook.  The emotion in her words was overwhelming.  She couldn't believe that 27 people who didn't know her would honor her in such a personal way.  God's blessing were not done yet.  She was able to share with me that her latest scans and tests  results came back and they were good.  She had no new growths, and her tumors had shrunk.  More ugly crying!!!

The next morning at breakfast I was able to share with the group Dawn's wonderful news as well as relay her gratitude for their kindness.  It was a another heart warming experience.  What a great way to start the day!  Sharing God's blessings with everyone!

When we returned to the Licking Valley, the students gave a community presentation about the trip.  This time it was my turn to surprise them!  I invited to Dawn to the event.  I wanted the students to have the opportunity to meet Dawn and see for themselves what a great, positive person she is.  I have to say there were more tears shed that night!  Everyone loved the opportunity to meet each other.

Have I told you how blessed I am to work with such wonderful students?  Have I told you how blessed I am to live in such a caring community?  Have I told you how blessed I am?  I am blessed to work  and live in such a wonderful school and community.

Make Every Day Count......
Denise

PS:  Since the posting of this blog entry, Dawn has found herself at the end of her life's journey and preparing to join God in Heaven.  She has been such inspiration to so many through her courageous battle against such a hideous disease.  She has never let the cancer define who she is.  She is a great mother who has raised two beautiful daughters.  She is a trusted friend.  She is a daughter that any woman would be proud to call her own.  She is a wonderful sister, wife, parishioner, and neighbor.  She is an angel to everyone she meets.  Her legacy will continue on by everyone who's life she touched. Sweet dreams Dawn.

Are You Kidding Me?

We all have our quirky pet peeves.  I'd also venture to guess that we all have more than one.  I know that I do.  So, what has my panties in a bunch tonight?  Toliet paper!  Or more precisely, changing a roll of TP.  You see my pet peeve is that it seems that I'm the only one in universe that ever has to replace the Charmin.  Point in case:  I'm only one in my house with the mechanical aptitude to remove the empty cardboard tube and replace it with a 400 2-ply sheet double roll.  For whatever reason, a new roll can find it's way to the back of the toilet, but never on the dispenser!  It's one of those things that send me from point 0 to 100 in two seconds or less.

Every time I have to change it, I am reminded of a Mad About You episode.  Every show began with a snippet of married commentary.  In the episode  I'm thinking of has Jamie coming out of the bathroom with a new roll of Charmin and the tube dispenser.  She says nothing!  She only stands in front of Paul and simply slips the toilet paper onto the tube.  Then she asks, "Any questions?" I remember laughing my ass off!  And to be honest, years later I reenacted the same scene for Rick.  It didn't change anything, but I felt better.  As I sit here blogging, Rick is across from me glaring.  He wants it known that he changes it more often than I give him credit. Okay, so maybe he does change it occasionally, but the ratio is definitely lopsided.  His rationale for the frequency of roll changing is in correlation with the amount of TP I use.  He says that I use half a roll every time I go to the bathroom.  Therefore, I need to change it more often!  Whatever!  I very seldom finish a roll so that blows that theory, right?  The discussion deteroriated from there, but I'll save that for another post.

I guess this is what makes it a pet peeve...it doesn't just happen at home!  I spend a lot of time at my friend Barb's quilt shop.  I am  always amused by the number of times I have to change the roll there!  Now, it's not like at home where I find an empty roll.  I actually find myself using the last sheet.  Therefore, I must replace it with a new one.  My mother did raise me to be considerate of others!  Of course, you can also hear me from inside the bathroom walls yelling, "Are you kidding me?"  Barb just giggles.  She knows me and my pet peeve!  Of course my suspicious mind wonders if there is a possible ruse going on.  May be she and Rosie use the TP sparingly when they know I'm coming out.  They are brilliant and great jokesters!

This week Barb and I went on a quilting retreat in Amish country.  We had a wonderful time and got a lot of work done.  I finished a couple of UFOs (Unfinished Projects).  One was 3 years in the making and the other was 4 years.   But TP karma struck again on the second day.  I'm sure the rooms next door to us wondered what the hell was going on in our room.  I let out a blood curling 'Are you kidding?" yell.  Even in a 4-star hotel in Berlin, Ohio I had to change the roll.  Side note:  Why do hotels and businesses use paper thin TP and Kleenex in their bathrooms?  You have to use twice as much paper to get the job done!  I just shake my head.  Out of respect for Barb and my mother's raising, I changed it and went about my day.

Well, on Wednesday Barb and I headed home after our 3-day vacay.  When I got out of the car,  I raced to the bathroom because I had to pee really bad!  I guess 3 bottles of water, 2 cups of coffee and 1 Diet Pepsi will do that do you.  Can you guess?  That's right!  I finished my business and reached for the Charmin.   Nope, there is nothing that says welcome home more than an empty toilet paper dispenser!  LOL!  I don't make this stuff up folks!!!!!!

Make Every Day Count
Denise

PS:  I woke up this morning to find a new roll of TP on the dispenser!  What a great way to start the last Friday of summer vacation.  I guess humiliating your husband on the world wide web does have its benefits!

Laters, Baby!

For some of you,  you have no idea the meaning behind  Laters, Baby!  And for some you, you know exactly what that means!   In fact the minute you read it, you were chomping at the bit to see where this blog post was going to go!  Either way, we all should be blushing!

So, what's the story behind Laters, Baby?!?!?!?!  It is a common salutation used in the book, '50 Shades of Grey' by E.L. James.  If you don't know what 50 Shades is then you either live under a rock or you are too embarrassed to admit that you do!  Some people would describe it as pornography.  In fact the State of Florida banned the books in its public libraries.  They have since rescinded that order and all of the gray hairs can now check it out at their local branchs.  Hopefully their pacemakers can handle it.  Now, the books definitely have numerous and graphic sex scenes in it.  It really dives into the world of BDSM.  But as I read the series, I found that it was so much more than that.  It really is a study in relationships:  romantic, family, mother/son, sexual, physical, emotional, work, sibling.  I found myself rooting for the main characters, Christian and Ana to find a way to make their relationship work.  I wanted them to find a balance that would let  them have a healthy, loving relationship.  I was also so  surprised by the twists and turns in the books.  They  kept me on the edge of my seat.  In fact the sex scenes really became more of a subplot plot rather than the main plot.  I often found myself skimming over the sex scenes in order to get to the more exciting parts of the book.  If you want to read some fiction that explores the human psyche, I recommend the books. You'll become more aware of how our childhoods can guide/scar us in our adult lives.  If you are looking for beach trash, I would also recommend them.  I would, however, caution anyone about reading it in public if it's not on an e-reader!  Everyone will know what you are up to if they see the book cover.  If you are highly offended by graphic sex, please do not pick it up! By page 100, you'll be dropping the book to the floor because your hands will feel as if they were burnt!  I'm just saying.  If you do read them, please let me know what you think.  So far, most of the people I've talked to are in agreement with me that it really is about the mind and not about the body.  Side note:  the books are so popular that there now 3 other authors who are getting in on the money, and they have written books very similar to 50 Shades.  From what I've heard and read, those others are heavy on the sex and light on substance.

Now if you are disgusted by the whole '50 Shades' trilogy, fear not.   I do have a few other recommendations for your summer reading pleasure.  Some of them are fiction and some are non-fiction!

1.  After the Wall by Jana Hensel.  This book is about the forgotten  East German generation after the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Jana was 13 when the wall came down.  It's her story about the difficulties of assimilating into another culture from the East to the West.    She compares it to the Native Americans and being force to  forget your culture on your own soil.  It's a bit of hard read if you're not familiar with the historical events of the fall of East Germany.   However, the book does give a timeline at the beginning.  I also suggest reading the notes after the book first.  It will help.

2.  My Year With Eleanor by Noelle Hancock.  This is another non fiction book, but reads like a novel.  It is about one young woman's journey to face a fear everyday of her life for one year.  I loved it and it really made me think about my own life's fears.

3.  Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews.  MKA is one of my favorite authors.  She loves to write about southern ladies who seek revenge when they are done wrong.  Nothing like reading about a prim and proper debutante who yells "No you didn't"!  Take cover when she abandons her Southern charm and goes for the bitch slap!  If you don't laugh out loud when you read MKA's books.......!  BTW, my all time favorite is Hissy Fit!

4.  Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman.  I just finished this one last night and I'm still feeling the 'book hangover'.  A wonderful story  about a 13 year old girl who loses her mentally ill mother and goes to live with an eccentric aunt in Savannah, Georgia.  It is a beautiful story about strong women and the healing powers they have. In fact, I even pulled a few quotes out of the book and posted to my Facebook account!  Powerful stuff!   I'm actually going to recommend this book to the Women's Literature class at the school I work in.  (yes, a teacher read the 50 Shades series!  Scandalous, I know!)

5.  Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James.   It is a sequel to 'Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  It was so much fun to revisit the Bingleys, Darcys and Bennets.  If you're a fan of Pride and Prejudice, this is a must read!

6.  A Dog's Journey by Bruce Cameron.  This is the sequel to 'A Dog's Purpose'.  If you are a dog lover, these books are a must read.  I had the ugly cry going on by page 26!  Luckily, I had Miss Sophie by my side to lick away my tears.  Thanks girl!

I could go on and on with more recommendations.  For me books are a drug!  If I am separated from my Nook, I begin to shake from the withdrawal!  I think I've given you a variety of books that will whet just about any book appetite.  Let me know what you think of the books if you should decide to read one of them.  I'd love to know.  Also, I'm always looking for good books to add to my list, so let me know what I'm missing!  Happy Reading Everyone!

Laters, Baby...........
Denise
 
PS:  So, I was at an Educator's Workshop last week.  While in the elevator with a few acquaintances and some complete strangers, one of those acquaintances says, "So who has read 50 Shades of Grey?"  LOL.....it was obvious who had and who hadn't.  I started off giggling and ended up snorting with laughter!  I guess elevator rides will never be the same again!  Thanks Christian and Anastasia!

The Cool Auntie

I have been so busy the past week.  My mother and brother are in town, and I have been ferrying them all around Ohio.  Some days we would leave at 8:00 in the morning, and it would  be 10:00 p.m. before we got home.  I am getting a bit of reprieve this weekend with mom back in Florida and Mitchell staying with my brother in Coshocton for a few days. So I have Saturday off!  And what am I going to do?  I'm going to ferry the Little Swiss Miss in the Cy Young Festival parade in Newcomerstown.  

My sister-in-law texted me and asked if I was available to chauffeur my niece in the parade.  I have a convertible, and it comes in handy for such occasions.  Of course I said yes right away.  My husband's reaction was not as agreeable.  He didn't understand why I would want to drive 2 hours for a parade when I was so exhausted from driving Miss Daisy and her son all around Ohio.  He responded,  "Don't you think you should just take easy for a day?"  I replied, "No, I have to do this because I am the cool aunt". 

You see,  I have the three coolest aunties ever.   These women have  dedicated their lives to my brothers and me to make sure that we knew that we were loved and special as we grew up.  They made growing up fun.  They took four children on their first airplane ride to Virginia Beach.  This was not  an easy feat considering we were 14, 12, 10 and 8!  They taught each one of us to drive in the Wooster ATI parking lot.  Of course this took guts considering we were only 13/14 years old at the time.  They would read Cinderella to me over and over and over and over when I was a small kid. One Christmas they bought every one in the family an IZOD shirt.  Each one of us had a different color! Mine was pink!!!  Every Easter they would hide baskets some where in their house/yard.  Then they would send us on a scavenger hunt with clues to find them.  The older we got, the harder the clues were!  Every year they took us to Cedar Point, and they would ride all of the rides with us.  They would take us to OARDC on the weekends, and we would play hide and seek in the building.  They were such rule breakers!  They would always take us on tours of the local museums and special attractions.  In general, we knew any time spent with Aunties Cheryl, Joyce and Joanne would be an adventure.  Of course, no event would be complete without hearing Grandma Hershberger yelling at the aunties to act their age!  The memories they created with us with sustain us long after the aunties have gone. Just as important, they have always supported up in our endeavors even when it was hard for them to do so.  Their love is unwavering.  We always thought they were the coolest people ever!

So you see the Auntie bar has been set high by these three wonderful, loving women.  I'm the next generation of Auntie, and it is important to me that I, too, am a 'cool' auntie!  I want to create special memories with my 17 and counting nieces and nephews that they can  cherish when I leave this earth.  So far, I think I've done a pretty good job.  Over the years Rick and I have had sleep overs with all of them at our house.  They still talk about sleeping in the closet.  In fact the next generation of kids want to come and sleep in the 'magical' closet.  Before you call Children's Services, it is a walk in closet and they called it the clubhouse.  I spent hours waiting in line at Walden Bookstores to get Harry Potter books.  I rode the Merry-go-round and the Octopus until I puked because someone wanted me to.  I bought big girl makeup and put it in a big girl purse for a 4-year old because that was what she asked for.  I have spent numerous hours at t-ball games, recitals, plays, musicals, and sporting events.  For every birth and graduation, I made them a quilt to call their own.  I have spent many hours on the phone listening to teen angst when they needed some to talk to when mom and dad wouldn't do. I have read '10 Little Monkeys' until I wanted to scream!  I have spent many hours in the pig barns at the fair. Of course when they each get their learner's permit, they get to drive the convertible down the middle of town so their friends can see them driving the cool car.  Thankfully no one sees my white knuckles grasping the  door handle!  I want to create memories with all of them and make sure that they too grow up like my brothers and I did loved unconditionally by our aunties. 

So, if I have to give up a much needed day of rest to haul The Swiss Miss in the parade, then I shall.  I know that someday she will look back on those days with the same fondness I have when I think back on the days I spent with the three most fabulous women I know.  I have some big shoes to fill.  I'm up for the challenge, and if I can fill them halfway, then I will consider myself a 'cool' auntie!  

Make Every Day Count....

Auntie D

 

  

Larry, Stevie, Dean

My family is like the Brady Bunch.  We are a blended family.  My parents divorced and remarried other people.  With each marriage came extended families.  And as we grew, the extended branches of the tree became one strong trunk.  When I talk about my family, people don't realize that I have step-siblings and half-siblings.  I simply have 6 brothers and 1 sister.  I lovingly refer to us as the Hershberger/Gray gang.  What I also have are some great aunts, uncles, grandparents who come with the package!  

This weekend the gang got together to celebrate my niece Raelene's high school graduation.  It was a fun filled event complete with a water slide, pool, hot tub and great food and drink.  It was also an opportunity for the Hershberger/Gray gang to reconnect again.  Like most families, we have all grown and gone our separate ways and don't get to spend as much time together as we did when we were kids.  So being able to spend the time together on Saturday was a blessing.

One of the greatest blessings of my extended family is Aunt Dixie and Uncle Steve.  They are the coolest couple I know.  Uncle Steve is a jokester, and he always finds a way to tease you.  As kids, we couldn't wait to go the Grandma and Grandpa Gray's house because we always knew Uncle Steve would be there ready to play with us.  He would rough house with us.  He always got yelled at for riling us up.  Then there was Aunt Dixie who would sit down and talk with each of us to find out what was going on in our lives.  She was so easy to talk to and would make you feel like the most important person in the world.

Well, I got to spend time with Aunt Dixie and Uncle Steve on Saturday.  I have to say that nothing has changed.  Uncle Steve is still teasing all of the kids that are around him.  He is happiest when he is making kids giggle and squeal.  Aunt Dixie is still asking questions and finding out everything there is to know about you.  She still makes you feel like the most important person!  We spent the time talking about the old days and recalling one memory after another.  We laughed and laughed and laughed.  It was like we had never been apart. 

As we shared our stories, the family slogan came up..'.Larry, Stevie, Dean'.  Grandma Gray had 3 sons... Larry, Stevie, Dean.  When she would get mad at one of the boys, she would get so frustrated that she could never call the right name of the child at the time.  Instead she would just yell, 'Larry, Stevie, Dean'.  When they heard that battle cry, they all three would go running!  The phrase followed the next generation.  When we were kids and in trouble, our moms would just yell Larry, Stevie, Dean and we would go running for the hills.  Just like the ones before us, it meant we were all in trouble.  I'm glad to report that some things haven't changed.  As we were sitting there gossiping, we suddenly heard in the distance someone shout 'Larry, Stevie, Dean'.  My first reaction of course was to run!  Then I looked around and saw the smiles on every one's face. We all started to laugh because we knew that somewhere there were children running for the hills!  It was heart-warming to know that at least one family tradition is still going strong.

Make Every Day Count... 

Larry, Stevie, Dean

Maniac Monday!

Ask any teacher what the best day of the year is, and most likely they will respond with the first Monday of summer vacation!  After all, who doesn't love the first day of any vacation.  From my observations, I've noticed most people are just happy, calm, laid back.   They sit and enjoy their coffee on the patio and watch the birds and bunnies frolic in the yard.

Notice I said most people.  As we all know, I am not like most people!  For me, the first day of summer vacation is totally maniac.  I'm like the dog on the Kibbles and Bits commercial who runs frantically around looking for the food.  I run frantically around trying to decide what to do first.  I'm torn between responsibilities and frivolity.  I get so overwhelmed with the possibilities that I usually have myself in a tizzy by 9:00 a.m.

I have been this way my whole life.  I'm quite sure that if I were child of this generation, I would be on medication for ADD.  I grew up with my mom calling me a fart in a skillet.  To this day I have no idea  what that means, but I do know that it isn't a compliment!  My husband tells me daily that I have a gasoline ass.  Once again not completely sure what that means, but I know it isn't favorable.  I even had a student one time tell me I was the energizer bunny on crack.  Now I pretty sure I know what that means!  My students constantly ask how many cups of coffee I've drunk.  For the record, I have to limit the caffeine intake to one cup of joe in a.m. and one Pepsi/Coke in the p.m.  Any more than that, and we have a problem!

So how did I spend my first day of summer vacation you ask?  My answer is 'just like I've spent the last 45 of them.......in total chaos!"   I flitted back and forth among various tasks.  You see, once Spring Break has passed, I become very lazy and just live day-to-day.  The goal is to make it to the first day of summer vacation.  I put off doing tasks and hobbies because in my mind I know the glory day is coming and I can do it later. Then when the first Monday comes, I'm in a panic.  I can't decide what I want to do.  I look around and see all of the chores I've put off for 2 months.  I go into my sewing room and see all of the projects that need finished.  Then there is my Nook calling out to me....read me, read me!  The dog sits by the door with her leash in her mouth accusing me of neglect.  The pressure gets to me.  Because I can't make up my mind and choose just one activity, I do it all!  That's right, I attempt to do everything that is glaring me in the face. Some may put a positive spin on my behavior by calling it multi-tasking.  Others may call it bountiful energy.  I call it craziness!  BTW, multi-tasking is just a kind way of saying that someone needs medication for hyper-activity!!!!

In the end I devised a plan of attack.  I cleaned a room and then I did a fun activity such as sew, read, or get caught up on Words With Friends, Scramble and Dice with Friends.  Then I would clean another room and so on!  The fun activity couldn't last more than 20 minutes before I had to move unto the next chore!  It worked well.  I alleviated my responsibility guilty while indulging my fun side.  It was quite the balancing act, but after 45 years of experience I think I have it under control.  That is until the next Maniac Monday in 364 days!

Here's hoping all of you have a wonderful summer vacation.  May it be filled with calm, fun and love.  With a little of chaos mixed in!

Make Every Day Count
Denise

Breast Implants, the Seattle Space Needle, and more!

So what do Demi Moore and I have in common with breast implants, the Seattle Space Needle, Wal-Mart, and salt and vinegar chips?  We all celebrate our 50th birthdays in 2012!  Can you believe that I'm as old as fake boobies and WallyWorld?!?!?!  I can't wait until Monday to let everyone at work in on the secret!  My students are convinced I'm as old as dirt and used an abacas to do math!  (Actually, I was amazed that one of them knew what an abacas was!  Those National Honor Society kids are so smart!)  However, I've done the research and found that both items are indeed older than me.

So here I sit on the eve of the 1/2 century mark with a wine glass in hand and a computer on my lap thinking about the last 50 and planning for next 50.  I won't lie.  I'm having moments of aha, moments of tears, moments of laughs and moments of fears.  The day I turned 48 I made a promise to myself that I would look forward to and embrace my 50th birthday.  I have been planning it since then.  Why did I make that promise at 48?  I have no idea!  I just remember that I made the decision then to have fun and age gracefully.  After all, God willing,  it was coming whether I wanted it to or not!  My mother and my husband always tell me I am bull in a china shop so I'm pretty sure that I'm lacking in the graceful department.  However, I have the fun part worked out.  My plans are simple.  I will make fun of myself before anyone else has the chance to!  I have a tiara, a pink "50 and Fab" sash, a "Another Fabulous Year" necklace, and a flashing "It's my 50th birthday" button that I plan on wearing to school.  I'm sure Miss Dudgeon and the NHS kids have some kind of hijinks planned for my room.  I have my co-workers planning a kidnapping after school.  It involves 99 cent margaritas!  Then it will end with a 'surprise' party in Hebron with the Bodacious Fabric Goddesses (BFGs)!  My husband and Barb have been conspiring on the phone for a couple of weeks.  He can't keep a secret so I pretty much know what's going on!  It involves Jeni's ice cream and wine!  Margaritas, Jeni's, wine and people who love you....who could ask for more?

As I sit here by myself sucking down the moscato, I do find myself getting philosophical.  The damn wine will do that you!!!  Anyways, I recently read a blog entry entitled 'A List of the Things It Took Me Fifty Years To Learn' by Scott Elbin.  (http://eblingroup.com/2011/04/a-list-of-things-it-took-me-fifty-years-to-learn.html...check it out!)  It was a great list, and really, a good list for the future.  It got me thinking about own list.  What has 50 years of living taught me?  I want to add these few to Scott's list.

1.  Never apologize for your past.  We all need to be humbled and apologize for the hurt we've caused others. We can't move on and grow in our lives until we do so.  But never apologize for what you went through personally.  It is what has made you, you.  I know that I caused my family and friends pain and sorrow during the last 50 years.  I was a rebellious teenager and a selfish,  young adult, and I've made my amends.   But without those experiences and the hard lessons, I would not be the woman I am today.  While I have my flaws...and a lot of them, just ask Rick...I have learned from my mistakes and used those lessons to be a better  daughter, sister, teacher, community member and friend.

2.  Admitting you were wrong is liberating.  Now Rick will say that I think I'm never wrong, and he is right.  However, I have learned that when you are wrong it is better to just admit.  It has a way of freeing your mind and soul.  Once you admit it, you can process, learn and move on.  I've only learned this in recent years.  So wish I had done it sooner!   Pride is such a waste of time.

3.  We all learn at our own pace.  Over the years I have had numerous snippets of advice..some solicited and some not!  I would say 98% of it was spot on.  But if you aren't ready to hear it, then it doesn't mean a damn thing!  No two life journeys are the same, and we have to go at our own paces.  We just have to remember to thank those who supported us  along the way

4.  It will all make sense as we grow older.  I never understood the whole 'I don't care' attitude of those who were older than me.  Now I get it!  At some point in life, we all realize what's important in life and what makes you happy.  When you turn 50, it really is about making the most of what's left of your life. There's a choice:  enjoy it or waste it.  What an aha moment when you realize this!

5.  Fears hold us back. When I was young, I made some bad decisions.  Many of them were made out of fear of having my flaws and insecurities revealed to the my family and friends. Those decisions kept me from growing.   Once I turned my life around a whole new set of fears enveloped me.  But over the years I have been systematically facing them.  It is so amazing to conquer a fear.  You are like 'why didn't I do this sooner!'

6.  Humor really is the secret to life.  If you can't laugh at yourself, your aren't living.  I crack myself up everyday. Laughing just makes me feel better.  According to Beth Adkins, my roommate in Europe, I even laugh in my sleep!  I know that feel better smiling than frowning.

7.  Your dog really is your best friend.  Sophie never lets me down!  She loves me unconditionally and will take my secrets to her grave.  She accepts my faults and loves me any way.  She listens to my fears and licks away my tears.  If only I could be as loving as my dog!

So, that's what I've learned over the years.  So what do I have planned for the next 50?  Well, that's easy.  I plan to make the best of each day that God gives me. I will continue to harangue Rick every day for a Golden Doodle until I get one.  I will travel the world and see and learn new things. I will get healthier so I can do the things God still has in store for me.  I will live it with humor, humility and honor.  I will laugh and make fun of myself each day.  I will humble myself in front of others when I'm wrong and ask for needed forgiveness.  I will honor each day by making each one of them count to the best of my ability.  I will love myself unconditionally.  I will become the grown up I know I can be.

Well, off to bed so I can be well rested for tomorrow.  I have a big day planned.  After all, it is the first day of the second half of my life!

Make Every Day Count......
Denise

Sometimes the Journey is the Destination

While in Paris we found The Shakespeare and Company bookstore.  It was a reader's dream.  I personally could have spent an entire day in there.  I found a book entitled "La Seduction: How the French Play the Game of Life".  Given the rudeness of the French, I decided to try to figure out how they think! After all there had to be a really good reason for anyone to act the way the Parisians do!   As I was heading to the checkout counter, I looked down and saw some journals. They were cute and funky!  The one that caught my eye was entitled,  "Sometimes the Journey is the Destination".  This really struck a chord with me and I immediately bought it.

Over the last 5 days I have really had the time to reflect on my trip to London and Paris.  While the memories and landmarks take center stage, I always end up straying from the obvious and start focusing on my personal growth from the trip.  London and Paris were simply stops along the way to my final destination...self discovery! When Mrs. Adkins first approached me about the trip, I immediately said, "Sign me up!"  It was a trip of a lifetime.   As the trip started to get closer, I really began to second guess my decision.  In theory, it was a great idea. I loved the idea of going to Europe and I loved telling people I was going to Europe.  However, in reality, I was having major doubts.  

Those of you who know me well know that I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.  What most people don't realize that such attacks can really destroy one's self confidence.  So many of my friends think I am confident and self-assured.  It's how I come across to others.  The truth of the matter is that I am a scared little girl inside.  I am always in fear of the next attack!  The fear can really paralyze people and keep them from experiencing life.  My mind started to play tricks with me.  I started imagining every possible scenario, and I really worked myself up with doubt.  I kept asking myself why I was putting myself in uncomfortable situations.  I mean let's face it.  Why would someone who doesn't like to fly put herself in a plane for 7.5 hours?  Why would someone who can't speak a lick of French go to a country that doesn't speak English?  Why would someone who prefers a routine over spontaneity go one a no holds barred trip?  Why would someone who requires 8-10 hours of sleep a night knowingly agree to a trip that might only yield 5-6 hours of slumber time a night?  Why would someone who is afraid of new ideas and experiences agree to chaperone a trip where she is responsible for the well being of someone else's children?  Why would someone who has a nervous bladder agree to go to countries that don't believe in free and numerous public bathrooms?  What the hell was I thinking?

Luckily I surround myself with wonderful, smart friends who are always willing to listen to my irrational fears and give me really good advice.  My friend Barb told me that I just needed to live in the moment.  She shared her own experiences of being so concerned about the whole trip that she lost sight of the now.  It was the greatest advice I ever received.  Now, don't misunderstand me.  I have had many people tell me this before, but I wasn't ready to accept it until now.  I guess this would be the start of my journey to my final destination.  I forced myself to live in the moment.  I took in every second and kept myself from thinking too far in advance.  

The outcome was amazing.  I learned that I can overcome my fear of flying and go anywhere in the world I want to go.  The possibilities are overwhelming.  I also learned that I can learn how to navigate unknown territories.  I have avoided big cities in the past because I didn't have the confidence to maneuver public transportation.  Not anymore!  I not only overcame my fear of the subway system, but I also was confident  in my ability of being in charge of others.  I tackled the Louvre!  I have always been uncomfortable in large crowds.  I not only was  able to co-exist with 100s of thousands of people, but I could read a map and find the exhibits that the kids wanted to see.  I conquered the language barrier!  I took on a non-English speaking waiter and managed to order and enjoy a wonderful French meal in a wonderful, little, outdoor cafe.  I even had the courage to thwart two pick pocketers, one creeper and three very aggressive Parisians.  I have to say that I surprised even myself.  I simply blossomed from the experience.  I do have what it takes to overcome my fears and live an exciting life.  I am proud of me!

Sometimes the journey is the destination.  How lucky am I that I got to see some beautiful sights along the way!  I can only pray that every one of you reading this post have the opportunity to go on your own journeys.  There is nothing like it.  In the weeks and months to come, I will share with you some of my experiences, stories and observations from my trip.  I hope you enjoy it.

Make Every Day Count......
Denise

Where do I start?

Dear Readers:

I promised a few blog posts while I was gone.  It is really hard to find the time, but we will make this short and sweet.  So here are my random thoughts....

1.  Being in an airplane for 7.5 hours sucks!!  The opportunity to see Europe is priceless!

2.  The kids that I am traveling with are super awesome.  They have totally embraced the culture here.  We really thought they would be like the deer in the headlights, but not at all.  We have broken our group of 28 into 4 groups of 6 for checks.  It's a teacher thing!  I have 4 very independent girls along with a mom.  The girls don't hesitate to branch out on their own.  Mrs. B and I have to reel them in when on the subway.  They roll their eyes at us because they can do it on their 'own'.  As we remind them that we don't have cell phones here to call each other if we get lost.  

3.  My group calls me mom!  And most of the time when they call me that, it's because I"M the one who has strayed from the group!  Priceless

4.  The food so far has not been so great!  I'm hoping tomorrow's fish and chips lunch and banger and mash dinner will be over the top good!

5.  Windsor Castle.......LOVED IT!  As most of you know, I am a royal family history buff.  It was so nice to actually see the places that I've read about.  Also, I was able to answer a lot of the questions the tour guide asked.  The Queen was in here castle today.  She was meeting with Steven Spielberg.  They were watching War Horse in her theater!

6. St George's Chapel:  Absolutely the highlight of the day.  It was just amazing at the history of the place.  We were treated to some special music as they prepared for a concert tonight.  The most amazing thing happened while in the chapel.  A group of moms place my sister-in-law's name in the chapel prayer box.  She is fighting breast cancer and they knew this.  It made me cry!

7.  The Changing of the Guard:  This pretty cool as well.  There is a band that plays.   They played Dancing Queen and Mama Mia!!!  No shit!! We got a big kick out of that!

8.  So much for rude Americans!  My students have been amazed at the lack of manners of Europeans! There mouths just drop open when people do rude things!

Sorry...not my usually funny, snarky self.  Tired................

Make Every Day Count

Denise

Twas the night before....

Twas the night before Europe, when all through the house,
Not a dog was stirring, not even my spouse;
The suitcases  were  flung every where in the room,
In hopes that the packing fairy would arrive real soon.
The mounds of clothes waiting to be rolled,
I'm sure I'm taking too much if truth be told;
I take a deep breath, and begin to sort,
I don't want to be over weight when I get to the port.
One pair of black pants and 3 pairs of jeans,
Packing light, is this what that means?
Twenty shirts now dwindled down to eight,
Remaining stain free for 10 days would be great!
Three pairs of shoes and oodles of socks
Throwing in a few TSA approved locks;
PJs, undies, bras, a sweater and a jacket,
And the all important documents tucked away in a packet.
The liquids in 3 oz. bottles  or less  are stored in a quart bag,
Must follow the rules or face the wrath of the TSA hag.
Mac, iphone, camera and Nook
Everyone needs their toys and book!
British pounds, European Euros, and US dollars
If I forget them at home, you all will hear my hollar!
Ten days without Words With Friends, oh my
I'm too cheap to pay the data charges that would hit the sky.
Thank goodness for free Wi-Fi at the hotel
With it Facebook will work well.
The fun in London and Paris will be mine
As I go on an adventure of a lifetime.
And with the dimming of the light
Love to all and to all a good night.

Make Every Day Count.....
Denise

It Really Shouldn't Be This Hard!

In 25 days I leave for the trip of a lifetime.  Along with 3 other teachers, 17 students and 7 parents, I leave for a 10 day trip to London and Paris!  I'm so excited and, if I am completely honest, very anxious about the trip.  To think that I am going to be in some of the most famous landmarks in the world is unbelievable!  I can't wait!!!!

The preparation for the trip is causing  major anxiety though!  We are going to London in March!  So the weather can be anything:   snow, rain, cold, heat, cloudy, sunshine, etc.  In addition to the weather, I also have to pack for 10 days!  The stress is causing me sleepless nights!  The two biggest items for me is a coat and a pair of shoes.  The coat is taken care of!  The issue was it had to be water repellant in case of rain, but also warm enough for chilly weather.  But then it couldn't be too heavy in case of warmer weather.  Then factor in the fact that I am a penny pincher! ( No North Face here!) I mean, while I could buy what I needed over there, then I have to deal with room in the suitcase! So,  I went on 3 different trips to various malls around Columbus looking for the perfect coat!  Finally, 2 weeks ago I found the coat of my dreams at Eddie Bauer! It is water proof, lightweight, and a gorgeous chartreuse green.  The best part is the separate fleece pullover that goes under it for warmth!  How cool is that?!?!  The fleece can double as a separate shirt if it were warm enough!  Score!

The shoes, however, are proving to be a different story.  I want water proof, comfortable walking shoes that won't break the bank! After all I will be walking 5/6 miles a day.  I need to be prepared for rain while maintaining comfort.   Apparently I am asking for the impossible!  If the shoes are completely waterproof, then they aren't comfortable.  If I go for the cush and ease, then they aren't waterproof.  It really shouldn't be that hard to find a pair of shoes!  Well, it is!  I am now on my 4th pair of shoes.  The first 3 pairs were waterproof, but hurt my feet after only a couple of hours.   I got tired of returning shoes, so I reevaluated my list and decided to make comfort my number #1 priority.  After spending 1 1/2 hours in Dick's on Friday, I am now test driving a pair of Asics.  After only 1 day, they do seem to be something I can wear for hours.  Unfortunately, if it rains hard, I'm in trouble.  With my luck it will rain the first day and I'll have wet shoes for 9 days!!!

Now I have no one to blame for my dilemma, but myself.  I have a bad habit of over thinking everything, therefore, making it impossible to make a decision!  I just want this trip to be perfect, and it is causing me so much stress!  As much as I would like to be one of those people who can just go with the flow, I'm not!  If ever there was trip that I need to be able to go with the flow, it's this one.  Of course, as long as I am concentrating on the damn shoes, I don't have to think about the outfits and how I'm going to get them all into one suitcase!  I have decided not to stress too much about it right now.  I will stay focused on the shoes. When the time gets closer and weather.com can give me a 10 day forecast, I will make those finally clothing decisions.  I can guarantee one thing...my next trip to Florida will definitely seem like a breeze!

Make Everyday Count....

Denise

Who says you can't go home again?

Somewhere someone once wrote 'you can never go home again'.  In my humbled opinion that is complete hogwash!  I believe if you feel that way it's because you never had a home there to start with.  Every February I go home to Coshocton for a quilting retreat. I spend the weekend with 74 other women who all share a love of cloth and thread.  We spend our time creating beautiful pieces of love, laughing our butts off, and eating fabulous food.  (Don't worry, I don't cook any of it!).  And yes, there just might be a little drinking.  For most of the women, it is a weekend away to relax and unwind.  For me it's more than that.  It's about reconnecting with the place that helped mold me into the person that I am today.

One of my favorite things about the weekend is running into people I know and haven't seen a long time. In fact I'm always on the look out for familiar faces in restaurants and stores.  Of course my girlfriends always tease me about running into people I know.  They say I could be in a shack in the middle of no where and still run into someone I know.  I love reconnecting with people who were important to me as I grew up.  The first place I always go is  my favorite quilt shop Mercantile on Main.  The owner, Denise, is a friend from high school.  It never fails, I walk in the store and she puts me to work! I either cut fabric or price merchandise or put bolts away or all three!  The best part is spending time with Denise and catching up.  While at the store on Thursday I ran into Edna Brenly.  She is a Coshocton icon!  She was the long time manager of the local bar, Bandos. That bar was a rite of passage for every 21(18) year old kid! It is legendary.  Bando's is long gone now, but Edna is still kicking it.  She is 85 and quilting up a storm!  I am so glad we got to visit with one another.

Due to the popularity of Facebook, I am friends with some people that I went to school with and haven't seen since graduation.  Yes, for you math wizards, that was 32 years ago!  A couple of us made plans to get together over the weekend.  We met at the local coffee/wine bar, Uncorked, in Roscoe Village.  I don't know what it is about being in Coshocton, but I always end up acting like an 18 year old again.   I immediately fall back into old habits and shenanigans.  Darin, Nina, and I never missed a beat.  You would have never known that we hadn't seen each other in a 1/4 of a century!  We told stories and laughed our butts off.  The two hours passed by before any of us knew it.  It was so nice to make the connection again with them.

Then there is Kelly.  She and I have been friends since the 6th grade!  Yes, math people, I know that it is 38 years!  Our friendship has evolved over the years.  It has had it's ups and downs.  There were times we were tight and then times we drifted apart.  It's called life.  I believe our friendship has endured because will have know each other's deep, dark secrets and still like each other.  As someone once said, 'It's not the number of friends you have, but the ones that are there when you need them most'.  Kelly is a keeper, and I love our time together during the 3rd weekend in February.

Now I know what you're thinking.  It is great to visit,  but surely you wouldn't want to live there again, would you?  Denise you are just on a flashback high and it will all look different in the morning.  My answer is I would move back in a heartbeat.   You know I didn't have the 'normal' family structure growing up.  We had our issues.   But looking back, it was the friends I had and the community that I lived in that helped make my life 'normal'.  It was a great place to grow up and create memories.  Luckily, those same values still exist today.  The wear and tear is showing, but the heart of the soul is still burning bright.  Thanks to Coshocton and friends for recharging my batteries.  I can't wait to return again.

Make Every Day Count....
Denise

Cupid Be Damned!

Another year and another Valentine's Day!  I'm sure this doesn't come as a surprise to those of you who know me, but I don't like the holiday.  In fact I wouldn't even call it a holiday.  It is some made up day that corporate America uses to over charge us for roses, chocolate and cards!  Now,  before you all start calling me some hateful, unromantic witch, I want you to know that I am a romantic at heart.  Just because I don't like weddings, cupid and Valentine's Day, it doesn't make me cold hearted.  As with anything, I have my reasons.

If you think about it, the day sets people up for disappointment and heartbreak.  It starts in kindergarten.  When I was kid you made a box and took it to school.  Then on V-Day your classmates would put cards in your box.  Back in those days, we were not political correct as we are now.  You only made cards for the kids you liked.  I remember some kids would only get one or two cards while the more popular kids got oodles!  Now before you accuse me of sour grapes, I just want to point out that I was in the latter group.  This is not a 'I was done wrong' song!  It is simply an observation I've  made over the years of endless elementary V-day parties.   Of course, I was the kid that made sure everyone had one much to the chagrin of my more snooty girlfriends!

Luckily we live a more politically correct society today and everyone is required to give everyone a V-day card.  However, that doesn't mean there aren't other ways to crush hearts.  I'm reminded of a Valentine story a friend, Natasha,  shared with me.  (I hope she doesn't mind that I share this with you!  Names have been changed  to protect the innocent!)  In the second grade she had a boy named Boris who sat in front of her.  On Valentine's Day, he garnered up the courage to slip her a special card asking her to be his Valentine.  Natasha responded with no because you are big and lazy!  She crushed the poor boy with her words!  Luckily,  Boris was persistent,  and he and Natasha have now been married for 10+ years with three kids!  I swear this is a true story.   But what if Boris wasn't a strong, young man?  For some kids this could have scarred them for all future V-days.

As we become adults, the stakes are even higher.  There are so many expectations for V-day.  For some it's planning the perfect evening. As we all know the saying, 'the best laid plans'!  There is so much pressure to get it right and when it doesn't it can be devastating for some.  For others it's all about just having someone to share it with so that you don't feel left out.  It's hard to hear about  your friends' V-day plans when you are not in a relationship.  Let's face,  V-day can suck if you are in the throes of a break up or divorce.  I mean you have FTD commercials  in your face telling you that only special people will get their overpriced red roses on Feb. 14.  I don't know the statistics, but my guess is there are more lonely people on V-day then not.

Lastly, I believe everyday should be Valentine's Day.  Why not celebrate the love we have for each other more than once a year?  Do we really need some cherub with a bow and arrow to tell us when we should honor our love for each other?  I say hell no!  I mean a love note to your best guy or gal on a mid summer's night says I love you more than some $3.99 Hallmark card.  Or a handpicked  bouquet of wildflowers in the fall?  I think it says I love you more than 12 roses that cost $50 and look like everyone else's.  Now I know that all women love chocolate and there is no substitute for the real thing.   I just think that your loved one should buy it for you at least once a week.  The love comes from not pointing out the size of your hips and butt when you devour your Goumas candy!!!  (For those of you not familiar with Newark, Ohio, Goumas is the to-die-for local candy store!)

Now I'm not advocating that everyone should chuck their V-day plans.  Please carry on!  And I hope it is day of fireworks and all things lovely. I hope you feel special and all fuzzy!  Like I said I am a romantic at heart.  I am just advocating that you make everyday a day to honor the love(s) in your life.  After all don't we all like to know we are special more than once a year?

Make every day count.....
Denise

Pinterest....Another Time Sucking Addiction!

As if I don't have enough time-consuming, sedentary hobbies, I have added new one...Pinterest!  It's the latest website craze!  And thanks to my crafting buddies, I am now addicted to it!  The premise is to provide social networkers a commonplace to share ideas, recipes, quotes, crafts, photographs, etc.  So here is how it works.  You create boards which serve as an organizational tool for posting pictures.  You can have as many boards as you like.  You can 'pin' pictures from anywhere!  You can upload your own photos.  You can "pin" any picture you find on the Internet.  You can "repin" someone else's pin. 

So this weekend I sat down and created my 10 boards.  Now most people have straight-forward,  simple board  titles such as Recipes or Pets or Quotes.  Not me!  My board titles totally reflect my smart aleck, sarcastic personality.  Now I have a couple of normal ones  such as Quotes to Live By and London/Paris.  I love quotes.  I find so much inspiration in words and lyrics.  Now I have a place where I can organize my favorites and refer to them at the touch of a button.  ( I also downloaded the iPhone app!  Honestly, I have a few problems!)  I also created the London/Paris board for future use.  When I go to Europe in 8 weeks, I have a place to instantly upload my pictures for friends and family to see.  Right now I am downloading pictures I see to get me excited for my trip.

And then there are the more me categories!  I have one called Recipes I'd Make If I Actually Cooked. We eat out probably 75% of the time.  It's not that I can't cook, it's just I don't like to cook nor do I have a lot of time to dedicate to it.  This also explains my weight issue!!  So, I have pinned many recipes to my board that I think would be good.  Now if I could only find someone to make them for me.  Another board is If It Doesn't Bling, Then It Isn't a Thing.  I love all things sparkly and glitterly!  So when I have pictures of  what I call "Flash and Trash", I pin pictures of it.  When I'm in a funk, I can go there and get my sparkle on.  It makes me happy.  Then there is Fortification.  This is a board dedicated to  my love of fruity drinks...alcoholic and non-alcoholic.  I admit there are more 'happy' drinks than not.  In the summer I do love serving fun drinks.  There is also a picture of Robert Pattinson.  I put him in the Fortification category because he is gorgeous and well, and sexy.  Trust me..if you saw the picture, you'd understand!

Forget Oprah, Try Denise's List is my book recommendation board.  I have a problem with Oprah's books.  Most of them suck!  They are so heavy and lesson laden.  And to be honest, I'm tired of Oprah telling all of us how to live.  So, I've created my own list.  I love to read a variety of books...biographies, mysteries, fiction,  romance, and girl done wrong getting revenge stories.  When I read a good one, I share it on my board.  Then there is My Kids Are Cuter Than Your Kids.  It is dedicated to dogs..most specifically mine!  Of course, I am a dog lover and will post all things canine whether mine or someone else's.

One of my personal favorites is If I Would Get Off Of The Computer, I Would Have Time To Make These.  I have found all kinds of quilts, scrapbook pages, paper crafts and other art projects that I would love to make if only I had the time!  May be when I retire.  So, I at least have an archive to refer to someday.  Rounding out my boards is Just Because I Think Its  Cool and Future Plans For My 10 Mansions.  People are always posting pictures of home decor and floor plans.  It never hurts to dream, right?  So I save designs and decorating trends that I love.  Who knows, may be someday I will be accosted by Ty Pennington and he will want to build me my dream house.  I can go to my Pinterest account and show him what I want.    And anything else that doesn't have a category either gets a new one of its own or I put it in my Cool board.  Talk about a hodgepodge of stuff.

My explanation  for starting my Pinterest account is simple.  I am a visual person.  I love to look at all kinds of pictures.  They let me escape my world.  I can explore all kinds of vacation destinations by looking at beautiful pictures.  I can feed my creative urges through the works of others.  I can elevate my mood with the words of the wise.  I can get in touch with my girly side with instant bling.  I can dream all kinds of dreams with the touch of button.  I am addicted to social networking and proud of it. It feeds my soul with possibilities.

Make Every Day Count....

Denise