In about four weeks, five very important people in my life will be moving to Florida. Because of a job transfer, Austin and his crew are making the journey to the Sunshine State. With him he is taking our wonderful DIL, Amanda, and three little moppets who have my heart...Macie, Graeme, and Quinn. To be honest, I don't know how Mark and I will survive. They've lived down the street for 3 years now. So, we have been able to see them whenever we wanted. There have been so many sleep overs, Grandma and Macie Days, Grandma and Graeme Days and Grandma and Quinn Days, road trips, family dinners, cookouts, pool parties, crafting days, holidays and more. The days are dwindling and soon there will be fewer of these things.
While I am excited for them all to be together as a family again, it will be hard to say goodbye. I know it's the best thing for them, and I support it with all of my mind and common sense. My heart, however, is struggling with it. As I sit here, I just keep thinking...
The days are dwindling and so are the special moments. Since the kids don't live in Newark anymore and are with her parents in Columbus, Mark and I have had Amanda and kids here every other weekend. They were all here for the weekend. There's only a few more sleepovers left before the move. So, I've decided to enjoy, embrace and appreciate every moment...good or bad. Quinn had a bad night last night and screamed from 11:30 until 2:00. We have no idea why. But, instead of being short tempered, I chose to soak up every minute of it. Quinn ended finding some comfort laying on top of me. At some point my neck hurt and I was on fire from his body heat, but I kept reminding myself to absorb the moment. To take solace in that fact I was there for him last night when he needed me the most.
The days are dwindling and so are the number of hugs, kisses and love yous. I know there will be lots of phone calls, video chats and visits, it won't be as often as I'd like. The kids were exceptionally loving this weekend. In fact, Macie even called me Grandma and Grandma Denise. She calls everyone by their first names...even her parents! So every time I heard "Grandma Denise, I love you" my heart melted and I filed her voice in my memory forever! I'll pull those memories out when I'm feeling sad or lonely for her.
The days are dwindling and so are the pancake breakfasts. Macie and Graeme love to spend the night because they know that I'll let them make pancakes in the morning. They love to be helpers! They are really becoming more and more independent. So each morning they each get to make their own batter. Graeme stands on the stool at the counter and Macie makes hers at the table. They don't do well side by side! Then we all sit down and share our bounty together. There is no chef in this world that can hold a candle to the Alverson pancakes.
The days are dwindling and so are the meltdowns and temper tantrums. I realized this weekend while Graeme was entralled with an epic meltdown that I'm actually going to miss them. Don't get me wrong! As a grandmother you never want any of your grandchildren to be unhappy and in distress. But the reality of it is that will happen especially toddlers! All you can do is wait for it to be over and let them know that you love them no matter what! I'm pretty sure he knows that after this weekend!
The days are dwindling and so are our traditions. There are a few things that we do with the grandkids every year. We go to the pumpkin patch every October. We didn't miss it this year. We went a little earlier than normal...this evident by the condition of their pumpkins right now! We always decorate our Christmas tree together. So, this coming Friday when they get here, they will find the tree up. And I don't care if the darn thing is up on Nov. 1! We will decorate it together. There will oohs and aahs. Macie will yell at Graeme for putting an ornament in the wrong place. We will all sleep in the living room that night with the tree on. There will be oodles of pictures and videos posted to my Facebook, just so you are warned. Who knows, I may leave it up all year.
The days are dwindling and so are the park visits. These three love the park! They always ask if we can go. We are lucky to live in a county that has a plethora of parks to enjoy. What I love the most about our visits is watching them build their self-confidence. It seems that with each visit, they try new things that is out of their comfort zones. Watching Quinn go down the sliding board by himself for the first time and the look of wonderment and then smile on his face totally made my heart swell. Watching Graeme tackle a few new activities at the Paw Paw's Park (Legacy in Hanover) was so exciting. He was so apprehensive and backed out several times. But in the end he prevailed and did it! And Sweet Macie Aine had her first "playground romance"! She met a boy a year or two older than her. He was very kind and asked her her name and how old she was. The next thing Amanda and I knew, she dusted us and played with the boy. We, of course ,teased her in the car! She didn't like that, but it's okay! Pretty sure we are glad daddy and pawpaw weren't there!
The days are dwindling and so are the adventures. Mark and I love to take the kids to different places! We share with them our love for experiencing new things. Over the years, we have been to playgrounds, theaters, shows, movies, fairs, museums, and more. They don't know it yet, but Saturday is going to be a big day for them. You see, we are taking them on another adventure before they leave. We are going to see Disney on Ice in Dayton. It's their Christmas present! We don't buy toys. We prefer to buy them what I call memories. They will remember Disney on Ice far longer than a dinosaur or a shopkin. So will Mark and I.
I could go on all night long about the days dwindling. But I won't. One, because I'll start crying. Oh hell, we all know that I'm crying! At least it isn't the ugly cry! Two, I chose to think of the future adventures we will have on visits to Florida and here. We will make sure it's always an adventure filled with lots of love, hugs, kisses, love yous, laughter and smiles with a few meltdowns and hissy fits thrown in! Three, I promise to enjoy and treasure each moment we have left before the moving truck shows up and whisks our loves away.
I urge all of you to treasure the moments with your loved ones and look for the blessings. No mater our situations, all of our days are dwindling away. You never know what's down the road whether it's I-75 or life.
Make Every Day Counts
Denise
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Because I Don't Say It Enough
1. We will start with the obvious! He loves his grandkids fiercely. Living a life as a construction worker for 40+ years, he is rough around the edges. It is sometimes hard to deal with! But when it comes to the ones who call him PawPaw, he becomes mush! He will do anything for them! He will sit through 2 hours of a dance recital just to see his granddaughter take the stage for less than 2 minutes. He will spend time in the bathroom teaching his grandson how to poop in the potty. He will spend time watching youtube videos of the Floss so he is prepared in case he has to perform it at the daddy/daughter dance with granddaughter. He will play the dinosaur matching game for an hour because his grandson loves it! He will follow is granddaughter wherever she leads him by the finger. He will hold and cuddle his grandson even though he is a little afraid of babies! And he melts my heart and makes me love him even more every time he loves on them. The sparkle in his green eyes every time he talks about the "little snot nosed creatures" is 1000 watts!
2. The amount of pride and time he puts into his job and his IBEW brothers and sisters is amazing. Going from the trenches of the job to the office of the hall was a huge adjustment for him. One that he found to be challenging, but rewarding. One of the challenges was to be more politically correct. This was not easy for him. He was accustomed to a life of the locker room mentality, if you will, and now he has to be more aware and kinder in how he communicates things. We have lessons every now and then about what and how to say things. Another challenge was supporting his brothers and sisters in ways that he had no experience dealing with. But like any task before him, he educates himself on how best to assist them. He loves his union with the same passion he has for his grandchildren. It is that dedication and passion that makes me love him even more. His commitment to the IBEW and his job a business agent truly amazes me everyday. Any one who is willing to completely shift the paradigm box for others is an amazing person.
3. His is a great 60/40 kind of guy! I'll be honest! He is more of a housewife than I am. But he never complains that the amount of home responsibilities are not always even. By decades of experience, it is safe to call me a woman with a gasoline ass. I'm always on the go whether for school, grandkids or friends. I get it honestly from my momma! But Mark never complains about it. He pitches in does a majority of the day-to-day operations at home. He does the dishes and trash every night, the laundry and essential item shopping every week, and maintenance honey-do-list when he has time. He does it all without complaining. And I know there are times when he is so tired that he really doesn't want to do these things, but he still does. Most often it goes unnoticed by me because I'm either running in or out the door. It is often a thankless job for him. But it's for that reason that I love him even more!
4. His commitment to helping others really tugs at my heartstrings. He volunteers his time with charity work and never asks for any recognition. Actually, he gets a little annoyed with me when I point it out, but I really don't care. What he is doing to improve the lives of others is admirable and heartwarming. Over the last year or so he has been putting in an incredible amount of hours helping to build the Legacy Park in Hanover, Ohio. He is volunteering his time to wire the concession stand. This isn't an easy 2 week job and you walk away feeling good about yourself. This is a 2 year project that he's had dedicated 100s of hours to working on. What started as an union hall project has now turned into a one-person job. Due to the amount work and overtime, many people aren't available right now. Mark has taken it all in stride. He dedicates time each weekend working on the park whether it's there on site or at home reviewing plans and ordering materials. He's getting close to finishing the project. According to him, he's about 70% done. When it's over, I know he will be relieved. But I"m pretty sure he will be looking for another project to take on. Maybe not on such a grand scale, but it will be for a great cause. How does he know that all of this work has been worth it? Well, the grandkids call it PawPaw's Park because they know that he can't play with them some weekends because he's working at the park. When the weather is nice, they often ask if we can go to PawPaw's park. They love it there because it's fun. I love it because they get to visit him there and see him paying it forward. He is leading by example, and that makes my heart happy.
5. Lastly, his love for me is fierce and unconditional. When he asked me to marry him, I'm not sure he really understood how hard I can be to love. I am a lot of things: opinionated, hard to please, emotional, brutally honest, giving to a fault, and a loud, hardworking unicorn who is just trying to survive in a lion's world. To love me is exhausting work. But Mark has taken it all on with such amazing strength and undying love. He is willing to do so many things out of his comfort zone to understand me and to support me. He has really had to make changes to his life to fit into mine. Whether it is meditating with me each night, or volunteering his time for my various charities, or giving up football time to spend it with family, or learning to be kinder with his words, or traveling the world with me or praising me when I don't want to hear it, he has done most of it without complaint or pushing back. When I take the time to really think about it, I am in amazement that he has stuck around as he has. He's been asked to give up a lot and look at life differently, and I don't know if I can ever thank him enough for loving me the way he does. I can honestly say he is the first man in my life who I know loves with me for me, and he accepts me for who I am. That is rare, my friends. I am blessed.
So here is to you Mark Alan Mullett! In preparation for Valentine's Day which we will spend apart because you support me in all that I do and know I'll be out of the state, I say I love you! Thank you for being the man that I need even when I don't realize it! You rock baby! HMSB
Make Every Day Count
Denise
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
I'M HERE! LET THE PARTY START!!!
I have a core group of friends called The Bodacious Book and Fabric Goddesses (BBFGs). We meet the last Monday of every month. Sometimes we gather to sew and other times we gather to discuss our book. We recently read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. Excellent work of fiction about the post WW2 era set in the Channel Islands. If you haven't read, please do! You'll be ready to board a flight to Guernsey immediately. A movie was made based on the book and is currently on Netflix. So, last night we all decided to meet at Patty's house and watch the movie together.
Patty lives west of Hebron. I had never been to her house before so I put her address in my GPS and away I went. I knew where she lived. I just didn't know exactly which house. I was running a bit behind because I had worked out first so I was a little on the anxious side to get there by 6:30. As I was approaching Patty's house, "Mandy" told me to turn left. I looked, but I didn't see anywhere to turn. Besides, I knew she lived on the next street so I turned there. I drove by several houses trying to determine which one was hers. I couldn't figure out why Mandy had the wrong directions. That had never happened to me before. So, I turned around and went back down the street. Finally, I saw some vehicles I recognized! Barb's Dodge Caravan and Lynne's blue car were in the drive way. I flew down the drive and threw it in park! I was going to make on time!
I got out of the car, and a man came out of the garage. I had never met Jim before so I cheerfully greeted him and asked if everyone was in the house. He just looked at me and said they were in the kitchen. I said thanks and went in. Now this is my first time to Patty's house so I was slightly thrown by all of the little girl toys strewed among the living room. Patty has a 19 year old son! She is very active in her church so I thought maybe she had that stuff to entertain children when she hosts Bible groups. I found my way winding around the hall way. As I entered the kitchen, I throw up my arms, shouted "I'M HERE! THE PARTY CAN START!!. I then dropped dead in my tracks. I'm looking at two stunned 85+ year old ladies in their dusters snapping green beans! What the hell?!?!?
They looked at me. I looked at them. There were no words from anyone for what seemed like 20 minutes! Finally I said, I definitely have the wrong house. I explain I was meeting my friends for our monthly friendship meeting They warily asked me who I was looking for. I simply replied, Patty. They didn't know Patty. I said you know Patty Betounes. They still how no idea who I was talking about. One lady finally recovered enough to ask his her husband's name was Jim. YES!!! Now we are getting somewhere!. She told me that they lived next door, but to be careful of the dog. I'm a little perplexed because Patty has a little poodle, but I just let it go. I told them that I was sorry to intrude on them and that enough though I"m really loud, I am harmless. About this time her husband comes back into the house and asks if there's a problem. I explained that I was in the wrong house. He asked me why I would go into a house with asking first. I reminded him that he LET me the house without asking me! But, I explained that the cars in the driveway were very similar to my friends' cars and I assumed I was in the right place.
I got in my car and went next door. I didn't even get out of the car when I realized there were no vehicles in the driveway! So I backed out and decided to go to Virginia's house across the street, She is Patty's step-sister and I knew that Patty lived across from her. I didn't even get up the steps and Virginia is on the porch asking what I was doing! I repeated the entire story again. She is just looking at me with disbelief and then she busts laughing! She told me it's a good thing I didn't get out at the other house because they a huge dog and a pit bull. Apparently they don't like people! I asked if she knew the people across the street. She said yes and that Rosalie is a quilter too! Well, at least we had something in common after all. So, where does Patty live I asked Virginia. Once she quit laughing, she said I'll show you. We went to the BACK of the house and there is Patty's. She lives down this little lane to the sweetest cottage! Well how do I get there? Go back onto Route 40 and take the first right hand turn! Oh for Pete's sake, Mandy the GPS was right all long. Mandy=1 Denise= epic fail!
I hugged Virginia and asked her to call Rosalie and explain that I'm not some kind of psychopath trying to case her home and hopes of pulling off a heist! She said she would and I left. I found Patty's lane and started driving back. Lo and behold, there were the cars of my friends! So, I parked the Lexus again and trample up to the porch. I knocked and Patty came to the door There was no way in hell I was going to let myself into another stranger's house! She answered the door and I shouted I'M HERE! THE PARTY CAN START!! And boy do I have a story for you!
I did talk to Virginia this evening. I asked her if she talked to Rosalie. She said she did. Virginia assured them that I was harmless and a quilter too. They decided that explained a lot?!?!?!? Virginia said that they all got a big laugh out of it. They said the next time I will have to stay to help can green beans!
I don't make this shit up folks! This is my life in Newark, Ohio!
Make every day count!
Denise
Patty lives west of Hebron. I had never been to her house before so I put her address in my GPS and away I went. I knew where she lived. I just didn't know exactly which house. I was running a bit behind because I had worked out first so I was a little on the anxious side to get there by 6:30. As I was approaching Patty's house, "Mandy" told me to turn left. I looked, but I didn't see anywhere to turn. Besides, I knew she lived on the next street so I turned there. I drove by several houses trying to determine which one was hers. I couldn't figure out why Mandy had the wrong directions. That had never happened to me before. So, I turned around and went back down the street. Finally, I saw some vehicles I recognized! Barb's Dodge Caravan and Lynne's blue car were in the drive way. I flew down the drive and threw it in park! I was going to make on time!
I got out of the car, and a man came out of the garage. I had never met Jim before so I cheerfully greeted him and asked if everyone was in the house. He just looked at me and said they were in the kitchen. I said thanks and went in. Now this is my first time to Patty's house so I was slightly thrown by all of the little girl toys strewed among the living room. Patty has a 19 year old son! She is very active in her church so I thought maybe she had that stuff to entertain children when she hosts Bible groups. I found my way winding around the hall way. As I entered the kitchen, I throw up my arms, shouted "I'M HERE! THE PARTY CAN START!!. I then dropped dead in my tracks. I'm looking at two stunned 85+ year old ladies in their dusters snapping green beans! What the hell?!?!?
They looked at me. I looked at them. There were no words from anyone for what seemed like 20 minutes! Finally I said, I definitely have the wrong house. I explain I was meeting my friends for our monthly friendship meeting They warily asked me who I was looking for. I simply replied, Patty. They didn't know Patty. I said you know Patty Betounes. They still how no idea who I was talking about. One lady finally recovered enough to ask his her husband's name was Jim. YES!!! Now we are getting somewhere!. She told me that they lived next door, but to be careful of the dog. I'm a little perplexed because Patty has a little poodle, but I just let it go. I told them that I was sorry to intrude on them and that enough though I"m really loud, I am harmless. About this time her husband comes back into the house and asks if there's a problem. I explained that I was in the wrong house. He asked me why I would go into a house with asking first. I reminded him that he LET me the house without asking me! But, I explained that the cars in the driveway were very similar to my friends' cars and I assumed I was in the right place.
I got in my car and went next door. I didn't even get out of the car when I realized there were no vehicles in the driveway! So I backed out and decided to go to Virginia's house across the street, She is Patty's step-sister and I knew that Patty lived across from her. I didn't even get up the steps and Virginia is on the porch asking what I was doing! I repeated the entire story again. She is just looking at me with disbelief and then she busts laughing! She told me it's a good thing I didn't get out at the other house because they a huge dog and a pit bull. Apparently they don't like people! I asked if she knew the people across the street. She said yes and that Rosalie is a quilter too! Well, at least we had something in common after all. So, where does Patty live I asked Virginia. Once she quit laughing, she said I'll show you. We went to the BACK of the house and there is Patty's. She lives down this little lane to the sweetest cottage! Well how do I get there? Go back onto Route 40 and take the first right hand turn! Oh for Pete's sake, Mandy the GPS was right all long. Mandy=1 Denise= epic fail!
I hugged Virginia and asked her to call Rosalie and explain that I'm not some kind of psychopath trying to case her home and hopes of pulling off a heist! She said she would and I left. I found Patty's lane and started driving back. Lo and behold, there were the cars of my friends! So, I parked the Lexus again and trample up to the porch. I knocked and Patty came to the door There was no way in hell I was going to let myself into another stranger's house! She answered the door and I shouted I'M HERE! THE PARTY CAN START!! And boy do I have a story for you!
I did talk to Virginia this evening. I asked her if she talked to Rosalie. She said she did. Virginia assured them that I was harmless and a quilter too. They decided that explained a lot?!?!?!? Virginia said that they all got a big laugh out of it. They said the next time I will have to stay to help can green beans!
I don't make this shit up folks! This is my life in Newark, Ohio!
Make every day count!
Denise
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Four Cats, Two Old Ladies and Smooth Jazz
I recently turned 57. In order to celebrate in style, my friend Toni and I planned a girls' getaway weekend at her winter home in Florida. I took a personal day from school so I could extended my visit in the sunshine state. The goal was to enjoy as much sun, laughter, fun, wine, and girl bonding as possible. It was another highly anticipated Toni and Denise Adventure! They are epic! This adventure was definitely epic, but not in the usual way!
We weren't even sure if the trip was going to get off of the ground! Forty eight hours before take off, I was diagnosed with strep throat! Fifty six years old and I have the sickness of the month. The doctor asked me if I was exposed to it recently. I responded with my normal sarcasm, "I'm a teacher! What the hell do you think?" Then I whined about my trip! Thank goodness the doctor gave me the okay to fly! By the time I departed, I was on an antibiotic for 48 hours. I called Toni, and let her know we were back on for our girls' weekend.
When Toni picked me up at the airport in Tampa, she had some bad news. Her husband, Keith, had taken ill in Ohio and was in the emergency room. He assured us that we did not have to cancel plans. Talked to him again on Friday, and the same reply, "Everything is fine and you don't need to come home". Well, Saturday on our way to the beach, we stopped for breakfast at my favorite coffee shop, Caribou. While there we got another call from Keith. This time he didn't sound as fine. When Toni got off of the phone, I said, "Turn this boat around. We are going to Ohio!"
So, back home we went to her house to pack! That's not that remarkable until you throw in the fact that she has 4 cats! That's right, we had to pack up 4 cats before we could leave for Ohio! Never in my life have I traveled with one cat for 16 hours much less 4! Now, Toni is the ultimate cat lady! She has these cat condos for the car! Never I have ever seen anything like it! Two cats per condo! Each one takes up a whole seat. So we had two cats in the back seat and two cats in the back hatch. There was very little room left for human needs! It took us about 30 minutes to get everything in, but we are packing engineers! Once we got everyone in, we headed to I-75 and Macon, Georgia, our night's sleep over.
Now you can only imagine the serenading we got from the cats. Sidney, Simon, Corky and Ellie were not happy campers. Apparently cats don't like to be in the car. So to soothe them, we found a smooth jazz radio station to play for them. On their maiden trip to Florida it was Christmas time. They loved Christmas carols. We thought we might have listen to them, but the jazz worked. About 30 minutes into the trip, we smelled something rank. Yep, one of the cats shit! And to top it off, we were at a standstill in traffic! That's right, we now had to smell shit for the next 5 1/2 hours! After all, cats aren't dogs or kids! You can't just stop and take care of it!
Five hour later (11:58 p.m.) we arrive at the hotel. Talk about one comical event after another! Toni goes in and gets registered. I stay with the kitties and soothe them with my loud voice, baby talk and head scratches. When Toni comes out, she's like we are only allowed to have 2 cats! Oh freaking great! How are we going to smuggle in a second very large cat condo with 2 more cats! Did I mention that they take up an entire back seat? They don't even fit on the luggage carts that hotels provide. Once again we had to call on our engineering abilities and find a way to get the carrier on the cart. We finally got a plan in order, but then couldn't get the hotel door open! The kind girl behind the desk came to our rescue and helped us. Of course, she now knows we have 2 cats. How the hell will we get the other cat condo in later? I stayed with the other two while Toni went upstairs. She returns and we load the other one up. Once again the kind girl helps us get in. She's looking at them and we are holding our breath when lo and behold a guy wants in the other door with a 9 week old German Shepard puppy! While the clerk was oohing and aahing over the dog, we took off for the elevator! Possible eviction thwarted! Of course, once we got in the room we had to address Corky's accident in the car!
Corky is a beautiful long haired white and orange cat. He is actually my personal favorite of the 4. Well, you can only imagine what kind of a mess he was! There we are at 12:30 in the morning trying to clean him up. We have him in the tub. I"m holding him down rubbing his head while Toni is cleaning him. I can't even describe the smell. I look over at Toni at one point and said, "If this isn't true friendship, I don't know what is!" We did the best we could and let him go. Finally at 2:00 a.m. we are in bed with Sidney growling at us. Corky is hiding underneath a chair. Simon is under the night stand hissing . Good old Ellie is literally jumping through the air from the one bed to the other and then on the TV stand. She is doing a full circle! Good night to us!
Now, when we checked in the night before, the clerk warned us about letting the cats out to roam. While the beds are on a box, there is a small opening at the head boards where cats have been known to get behind. Toni, the pro, said, "Yes, I'm aware. I just block them off before I let them out!" Okay, cool! We cat proofed the beds before letting them out. All seemed good! The first thing I did in the morning was do a cat count. I'm sure you can guess where this is going! Only 3 out of 4 cats are accounted for! Really, this is how we are going to start the day!??!?! We were optimistic and decided to get ready and pack. Surely Sidney would come out eventually. So, once everything was ready to go, we still didn't have a Sid! Toni's plan was to catch the other 3 cats and put them in the carriers. She did so with little opposition! My plan was to take a load to the car and start packing it. Of course, we didn't take a picture before we left Florida so I had to rely on memory of the day before! Then when I got back, we would call maintenance to tear the bed apart. When I returned to the room Toni met me at the door with good news/bad news. I walked in the room, and it looked a little like a bomb went off. The good news was Sid did not go under the bed after all. He had situated himself between the bed, the wall and the nightstand. The really good news was she put him in the carrier. The bad news was he managed to bust the zipper and escape. Toni fixed the carrier and was now trying to capture him again. He was pissed, and she had to throw a towel over him so he didn't bite/scratch her. She's a warrior and got it on the second try!
Our goal was to leave at 10:00 a.m.. I'm happy to report that we left at 10:06 a.m. with 4 cats a squawking just like we did the day before! I looked at Toni, and she looked at me, and both said, "Smooth jazz!" The rest of the trip was uneventful! No cat shit! No more growling, hissing or crying. As long as the music played, they were as content as could be expected. Ten hours later I was dropping Toni off at Riverside, and I drove the kitties to her house. Luckily Mark and Sondra met me there! We safely got the cats in the house! As I was leaving, they were hissing and growling again at the other two. Me, they let me know pet them and comfort them before I left. Apparently we bonded enough on our adventure that they saw me as their second mommy! I think they wanted me to stay!
While this is just another comical experience in my life , there is a lesson to be learned. Well several lessons, but we will focus on the most important one. We never know what God's plan is for us. What started as a girl's weekend quickly became a trip of love. God put me in Florida that weekend so that I could help my friend in a time of need. We found out what we are made of and we strengthen our bond. There's nothing like cat shit and smooth jazz to solidify a friendship! My birthday celebration lasted 48 hours instead of 5 days. But that's okay! There is no other placed I wanted to be! So, what about Keith? He is still in the hospital, but they have determined what ails him, and he's on the road to recovery! Hopefully he will be out tomorrow! So, say a little prayer for him tonight! And always remember that God has a plan for all of us. We just have to wait for him to present it!
Make Everyday Count.........
Denise
We weren't even sure if the trip was going to get off of the ground! Forty eight hours before take off, I was diagnosed with strep throat! Fifty six years old and I have the sickness of the month. The doctor asked me if I was exposed to it recently. I responded with my normal sarcasm, "I'm a teacher! What the hell do you think?" Then I whined about my trip! Thank goodness the doctor gave me the okay to fly! By the time I departed, I was on an antibiotic for 48 hours. I called Toni, and let her know we were back on for our girls' weekend.
When Toni picked me up at the airport in Tampa, she had some bad news. Her husband, Keith, had taken ill in Ohio and was in the emergency room. He assured us that we did not have to cancel plans. Talked to him again on Friday, and the same reply, "Everything is fine and you don't need to come home". Well, Saturday on our way to the beach, we stopped for breakfast at my favorite coffee shop, Caribou. While there we got another call from Keith. This time he didn't sound as fine. When Toni got off of the phone, I said, "Turn this boat around. We are going to Ohio!"
So, back home we went to her house to pack! That's not that remarkable until you throw in the fact that she has 4 cats! That's right, we had to pack up 4 cats before we could leave for Ohio! Never in my life have I traveled with one cat for 16 hours much less 4! Now, Toni is the ultimate cat lady! She has these cat condos for the car! Never I have ever seen anything like it! Two cats per condo! Each one takes up a whole seat. So we had two cats in the back seat and two cats in the back hatch. There was very little room left for human needs! It took us about 30 minutes to get everything in, but we are packing engineers! Once we got everyone in, we headed to I-75 and Macon, Georgia, our night's sleep over.
Now you can only imagine the serenading we got from the cats. Sidney, Simon, Corky and Ellie were not happy campers. Apparently cats don't like to be in the car. So to soothe them, we found a smooth jazz radio station to play for them. On their maiden trip to Florida it was Christmas time. They loved Christmas carols. We thought we might have listen to them, but the jazz worked. About 30 minutes into the trip, we smelled something rank. Yep, one of the cats shit! And to top it off, we were at a standstill in traffic! That's right, we now had to smell shit for the next 5 1/2 hours! After all, cats aren't dogs or kids! You can't just stop and take care of it!
Five hour later (11:58 p.m.) we arrive at the hotel. Talk about one comical event after another! Toni goes in and gets registered. I stay with the kitties and soothe them with my loud voice, baby talk and head scratches. When Toni comes out, she's like we are only allowed to have 2 cats! Oh freaking great! How are we going to smuggle in a second very large cat condo with 2 more cats! Did I mention that they take up an entire back seat? They don't even fit on the luggage carts that hotels provide. Once again we had to call on our engineering abilities and find a way to get the carrier on the cart. We finally got a plan in order, but then couldn't get the hotel door open! The kind girl behind the desk came to our rescue and helped us. Of course, she now knows we have 2 cats. How the hell will we get the other cat condo in later? I stayed with the other two while Toni went upstairs. She returns and we load the other one up. Once again the kind girl helps us get in. She's looking at them and we are holding our breath when lo and behold a guy wants in the other door with a 9 week old German Shepard puppy! While the clerk was oohing and aahing over the dog, we took off for the elevator! Possible eviction thwarted! Of course, once we got in the room we had to address Corky's accident in the car!
Corky is a beautiful long haired white and orange cat. He is actually my personal favorite of the 4. Well, you can only imagine what kind of a mess he was! There we are at 12:30 in the morning trying to clean him up. We have him in the tub. I"m holding him down rubbing his head while Toni is cleaning him. I can't even describe the smell. I look over at Toni at one point and said, "If this isn't true friendship, I don't know what is!" We did the best we could and let him go. Finally at 2:00 a.m. we are in bed with Sidney growling at us. Corky is hiding underneath a chair. Simon is under the night stand hissing . Good old Ellie is literally jumping through the air from the one bed to the other and then on the TV stand. She is doing a full circle! Good night to us!
Now, when we checked in the night before, the clerk warned us about letting the cats out to roam. While the beds are on a box, there is a small opening at the head boards where cats have been known to get behind. Toni, the pro, said, "Yes, I'm aware. I just block them off before I let them out!" Okay, cool! We cat proofed the beds before letting them out. All seemed good! The first thing I did in the morning was do a cat count. I'm sure you can guess where this is going! Only 3 out of 4 cats are accounted for! Really, this is how we are going to start the day!??!?! We were optimistic and decided to get ready and pack. Surely Sidney would come out eventually. So, once everything was ready to go, we still didn't have a Sid! Toni's plan was to catch the other 3 cats and put them in the carriers. She did so with little opposition! My plan was to take a load to the car and start packing it. Of course, we didn't take a picture before we left Florida so I had to rely on memory of the day before! Then when I got back, we would call maintenance to tear the bed apart. When I returned to the room Toni met me at the door with good news/bad news. I walked in the room, and it looked a little like a bomb went off. The good news was Sid did not go under the bed after all. He had situated himself between the bed, the wall and the nightstand. The really good news was she put him in the carrier. The bad news was he managed to bust the zipper and escape. Toni fixed the carrier and was now trying to capture him again. He was pissed, and she had to throw a towel over him so he didn't bite/scratch her. She's a warrior and got it on the second try!
Our goal was to leave at 10:00 a.m.. I'm happy to report that we left at 10:06 a.m. with 4 cats a squawking just like we did the day before! I looked at Toni, and she looked at me, and both said, "Smooth jazz!" The rest of the trip was uneventful! No cat shit! No more growling, hissing or crying. As long as the music played, they were as content as could be expected. Ten hours later I was dropping Toni off at Riverside, and I drove the kitties to her house. Luckily Mark and Sondra met me there! We safely got the cats in the house! As I was leaving, they were hissing and growling again at the other two. Me, they let me know pet them and comfort them before I left. Apparently we bonded enough on our adventure that they saw me as their second mommy! I think they wanted me to stay!
While this is just another comical experience in my life , there is a lesson to be learned. Well several lessons, but we will focus on the most important one. We never know what God's plan is for us. What started as a girl's weekend quickly became a trip of love. God put me in Florida that weekend so that I could help my friend in a time of need. We found out what we are made of and we strengthen our bond. There's nothing like cat shit and smooth jazz to solidify a friendship! My birthday celebration lasted 48 hours instead of 5 days. But that's okay! There is no other placed I wanted to be! So, what about Keith? He is still in the hospital, but they have determined what ails him, and he's on the road to recovery! Hopefully he will be out tomorrow! So, say a little prayer for him tonight! And always remember that God has a plan for all of us. We just have to wait for him to present it!
Make Everyday Count.........
Denise
Sunday, September 3, 2017
What's Your Grandma Super Power?
If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you know that most of my posts tend to be witty that boarder on sarcastic with a little reflection sprinkled in now and then. And quite honestly, I haven't written many in while. It's not that I don't have anything to say...we ALL know I always have something to say whether I should or not! It's just that I don't seem to have the time to sit down and write lately. One of those reasons is I spend a lot of my spare time hanging out/visiting/thinking about grandkids! In fact, one might even say I'm obsessed with them. And, I'm okay with that. You see, I never knew such a strong, unconditional, take your breath away kind of love existed until I married their PaPa and became Grandma Neese. So, now these days, my attentions are focused less on the biting observations and instead on the perils and joys of grandparenthood. (Not a real word, but that's okay!)
The past week had some high points, some low points, and things in between. This weekend I had time to reflect on many things. One question that came to mind was 'what kind of grandma am I?' What is my purpose in my grandchildren's lives? I spent some time thinking about my own grandmothers, my friends who are grandmothers, and stereotypes of grandmothers. What I realized is that all grandmothers have a purpose and what I like to call the "grandma superpower."
Let's take my Grandma Koenig for instance. Her superpower was domestication. She was a Mayberry FRD Aunt Bee kind of girl. My grandmother could cook and sew like no other. Even though I was a certified tomboy, she would make me dress after dress. I wasn't much of a girly girl, but I wore them until I developed my own style. Most of those dresses were frilly and polka dotted! The one I remember the most was a yellow swiss dot ruffled creation. It had a beautiful yellow sash with a matching hair bow. White patent shoes and ruffled socks completed the outfit. And Bonnie Koenig could cook! Oh my! My favorite memory of my grandmother is molasses cookies. They are my favorite. Every time I went to her house she would have the dough chilling in the fridge. She and I would bake them together. The smell of baking molasses cookies was and still is a comforting aroma for me. My grandma would use cooking as a way to distract me from my parents' divorce, my new blended family, my woes with friends and any other pre-teen drama. I knew that I could go to her whenever I had a problem. She may not be able to solve it, but she listened and made sure I knew I was loved.
Then there is Grandma Hershberger. Her superpower was adventure. Along with my Aunties Joyce, Joanne and Cheryl, they provided us with so many opportunities to see the world whether it was through vacations, books, outings or scavenger hunts. When my parents divorced, all 4 of these strong, independent women took it upon themselves to provide my brothers and I with experiences. They took us on our first airplane ride. They took us to the mountains, the beaches, the caverns, the amusement parks and the countryside. They educated us on the history of the United States. They made sure we had the same opportunities that other kids did. But the biggest adventure my grandmother ever took me on was in every book I've ever read. You see Carrie Hershberger passed her love of books onto me. Through her passion, I found solace in books in hard times. I have found strength during low times. I have found humor in good times. I have found the Lord in trying times. I have found reasoning skills in Nancy Drew. I have found myself in books. Just about every book I've read, I was able to find a little bit about myself in them.
All of this made me ponder my grandma skills. What is my superpower? It took me a while to figure it out. I know that I want to be the grandma that always puts their needs first. I want to be the grandma that is always helping them to learn and grow. I want to be the grandma that they will always be comfortable coming to during good and bad times. I want to be the grandma that lights up their faces when I walk into the room. So, I hope that my superpower is encouragement. I want to encourage them to always believe in themselves. I want to encourage them to try different things. I want to encourage them to be empathetic to others. I want to encourage them to be the best persons they can be.
It sounds like a tall order, and it is. I take grandparenting seriously. When I look at Bryn, Macie, Graeme, Lukas and Lily, I see little people who need their grandparents to share their superpowers with them. They definitely can't count on just one grandparent to give them everything they need because we all excel at different things. Each grandparent has a special purpose in their lives. I know that each of my grandparents enriched my life in different ways. So, tonight sit back and think about your grandma or grandpa super power. What do you bring into your grandchild's life? What did your grandparents bring into yours?
And Jordan and Shanna, I hope you have great memories of Grandma Joyce. What was her superpower? What will you always remember her by? May her superpowers sustain you as you learn to live life with only your memories.
Make Everyday Count
Denise
The past week had some high points, some low points, and things in between. This weekend I had time to reflect on many things. One question that came to mind was 'what kind of grandma am I?' What is my purpose in my grandchildren's lives? I spent some time thinking about my own grandmothers, my friends who are grandmothers, and stereotypes of grandmothers. What I realized is that all grandmothers have a purpose and what I like to call the "grandma superpower."
Let's take my Grandma Koenig for instance. Her superpower was domestication. She was a Mayberry FRD Aunt Bee kind of girl. My grandmother could cook and sew like no other. Even though I was a certified tomboy, she would make me dress after dress. I wasn't much of a girly girl, but I wore them until I developed my own style. Most of those dresses were frilly and polka dotted! The one I remember the most was a yellow swiss dot ruffled creation. It had a beautiful yellow sash with a matching hair bow. White patent shoes and ruffled socks completed the outfit. And Bonnie Koenig could cook! Oh my! My favorite memory of my grandmother is molasses cookies. They are my favorite. Every time I went to her house she would have the dough chilling in the fridge. She and I would bake them together. The smell of baking molasses cookies was and still is a comforting aroma for me. My grandma would use cooking as a way to distract me from my parents' divorce, my new blended family, my woes with friends and any other pre-teen drama. I knew that I could go to her whenever I had a problem. She may not be able to solve it, but she listened and made sure I knew I was loved.
Then there is Grandma Hershberger. Her superpower was adventure. Along with my Aunties Joyce, Joanne and Cheryl, they provided us with so many opportunities to see the world whether it was through vacations, books, outings or scavenger hunts. When my parents divorced, all 4 of these strong, independent women took it upon themselves to provide my brothers and I with experiences. They took us on our first airplane ride. They took us to the mountains, the beaches, the caverns, the amusement parks and the countryside. They educated us on the history of the United States. They made sure we had the same opportunities that other kids did. But the biggest adventure my grandmother ever took me on was in every book I've ever read. You see Carrie Hershberger passed her love of books onto me. Through her passion, I found solace in books in hard times. I have found strength during low times. I have found humor in good times. I have found the Lord in trying times. I have found reasoning skills in Nancy Drew. I have found myself in books. Just about every book I've read, I was able to find a little bit about myself in them.
All of this made me ponder my grandma skills. What is my superpower? It took me a while to figure it out. I know that I want to be the grandma that always puts their needs first. I want to be the grandma that is always helping them to learn and grow. I want to be the grandma that they will always be comfortable coming to during good and bad times. I want to be the grandma that lights up their faces when I walk into the room. So, I hope that my superpower is encouragement. I want to encourage them to always believe in themselves. I want to encourage them to try different things. I want to encourage them to be empathetic to others. I want to encourage them to be the best persons they can be.
It sounds like a tall order, and it is. I take grandparenting seriously. When I look at Bryn, Macie, Graeme, Lukas and Lily, I see little people who need their grandparents to share their superpowers with them. They definitely can't count on just one grandparent to give them everything they need because we all excel at different things. Each grandparent has a special purpose in their lives. I know that each of my grandparents enriched my life in different ways. So, tonight sit back and think about your grandma or grandpa super power. What do you bring into your grandchild's life? What did your grandparents bring into yours?
And Jordan and Shanna, I hope you have great memories of Grandma Joyce. What was her superpower? What will you always remember her by? May her superpowers sustain you as you learn to live life with only your memories.
Make Everyday Count
Denise
Sunday, January 22, 2017
The Adventures of Grandparenting
In October I married my high school sweetheart. When I said "I do" to my man, I also said "I do" to his 3 sons, 2 daughter-in-laws, 5 (soon-to-be 6) grandchildren and 1 dog! Since I could never have children of my own, I was thrilled, if not a bit overwhelmed, with a ready made family. I tell everyone how awesome it is and how I didn't have to go through labor nor years of poverty and no sleep to have them! It is a bit tenuous navigating the ins and outs of step-children hood. The boys are all grown with families of their own. So they really don't need me as a stepmother. So, I get to fulfill the role of bonus adult in their lives. I love it because we get along and don't have to deal with the normal issues that come with smaller children. Now the best part of the deal, other than my hubby, is that I do get to be Grandma Neese to their beautiful children. ( They are small and can't pronounce Denise. It comes out as Neese. However, Macie is starting to put it all together!). This is a role that cherish! Mark says I was meant to be a grandma! I would like to think he's right because I love those little mop-heads with all my heart. However, having never raised children of my own, there is a learning curve involved to being a grandparent.
Case in point: This week my daughter-in-law, Amanda, was really sick. She was sent home from work. She works at a day care center. So it's not really a good idea for the teacher to contribute to an already whirlpool of germs and diseases! She needed to take the next day off. I offered to keep the kids for her so she could sleep and get better. After assuring her it would be fine, she gratefully agreed. Did I mention they are 3.5 and 1.5?
I told Amanda to call me when they woke up, and I would come get them. So, at 8:00 I drove down the street to get them. Did I mention they only live 5 minutes down the street? Score!! We love having them so close. Packed the kids and their sippy cups into the car and off we went. Brought them to house and made them breakfast. Now Macie is at the stage where she wants to "help"! And her little brother wants to do EVERYTHING she does. I bought them a bench that they can bring to the kitchen and help. So, they were in charge of the frozen waffles. That's right! Frozen waffles...no shame in my game! I showed Macie how to depress the latch lever. (Yes, that's what it's called. I googled it!) Graeme was so memorized they he had to investigate. He discovered if he twisted the doneness knob, the waffles would pop back up! (I made that term up! I apparently have an inexpensive, old toaster, and I couldn't find the term). So we played about 5 minutes of pop goes the waffle before I couldn't take Macie yelling at her brother and him laughing hysterically anymore! I'm glad to announce we finally ate and all was well.
After several hours of coloring, playing dinosaurs, learning to ride the tricycle, and reading books, it was time to eat again! I called their mother to get permission to take them to the mall for lunch and to play in the play area. I decided if I let them run, climb and jump at the mall everyone would be ready for a nap when we returned. Smart, right!??!?! So I called their momma and asked for permission. She questioned me as to whether or not I was up to it. I replied that I deal with a room of teenagers everyday, 2 small children would be a piece of cake! LOL! So, I got them bundle up in their coats, hats and mittens and out the door we went. As we got to the car, I realized that I forgot my diaper bag. Yep! I have my own diaper bag! So, back in the house we went. Grabbed the bag and back out the door we went. The whole time Macie is telling me to hurry up! I decided ahead of time we would eat at the Taco Bell. I'd get them kid meals. Apparently, I haven't been the mall in a while because there are only 3 restaurants open: Chinese, Japanese and Charley's. Well crap! Now I had to come up with plan B. In my wisdom, I decided that Charley's would be the best. While I was contemplating the menu, the grandbabies became little jacket rabbits! They take off in different directions to check out all of the bells and whistles in the food court. So I chased after them and corralled them between me and the counter of Charley's. I finished ordering! As they prepared our food, I found a high chair and a table close to the play area and a group of elderly grandparents. I could tell they were experienced grandparents and great-grandparents because they just kept smiling and nodding at me. I'm sure they were thinking, "girl, you are new at this arent' you!" I smiled back thinking, "I'll show you!"
Somehow I got all us and a tray of food to the table. I divvied up the food and tore it up into small pieces to cool off. I reached into my diaper bag for the sippy cups. Guess what!??! No damn sippy cups! I forgot. That's okay, we got this. So, I ran back to the counter and got two small cups, lids and straws. Macie is a champ. She can use a straw with 85% accuracy. Graeme, not so much. We struggled with who was going to hold the cup and who wasn't. I won. As he is drinking his water, I hear "Uh oh" to see Macie's cup go hurling to the floor! The table of grandparents started laughing...again! I give them a "meh" look and carried on! After we finished eating and finding the custodial staff to clean up the water, we headed to the play area. (Lunch was a success by the way! You can never good wrong with chicken tenders and french fries)
They had a blast climbing and running! Graeme especially loved me chasing him back into the play area! He did find a little girl who he was smitten with! He even tackled her to give her a hug. Once again the old people are laughing as I apologize to the little girl's dad!
Once we got home, it was naptime! Or so, I thought! Apparently they were so energized by the activity that they were still wound up. After grandma's mandatory quiet time on the couch with Paw Patrol on the TV and books in hand, Grame started to fall asleep. Miss Independent announced that she wasn't tired! Of course not, even though she kept yawning like a cat basking in the sun! So, we had some quality time at the kitchen table making get well cards for mommy and daddy and Valentine notes for PawPaw Mark. Then it was iPad time with one of the numerous games I have downloaded for her. Finally after an hour, she said she wanted to lay on the couch. But under no circumstances was she going to sleep as she yawned and rubbed her eyes. After about 15 minutes, she was asleep and snoring like a drunken sailor.
As I watched them sleep and listened to them snore, I puffed up with pride. I survived the day with these two little angels that call me Grandma. I fed them, entertained them, and got to them to nap. I would be returning them to their parents unscathed! When they woke up, I got them organized, bundled up and drove them home. As I was leaving, they both came running to me and gave me hugs and kisses. They both told me that they loved me followed by more hugs and kisses. It was in that moment I realized that I didn't survive at all. Instead I provided Macie and G-man with a day filled with love and nurturing. They didn't care about the fails of the day. They remember the fun and laughter we had. I call that winning!
I'm new to this job. I know I will make mistakes along the way. But I believe the great memories we will have will outweigh the oopses! It's an adventure I look forward to and I cherish!
Make Every Day Count
Denise
Case in point: This week my daughter-in-law, Amanda, was really sick. She was sent home from work. She works at a day care center. So it's not really a good idea for the teacher to contribute to an already whirlpool of germs and diseases! She needed to take the next day off. I offered to keep the kids for her so she could sleep and get better. After assuring her it would be fine, she gratefully agreed. Did I mention they are 3.5 and 1.5?
I told Amanda to call me when they woke up, and I would come get them. So, at 8:00 I drove down the street to get them. Did I mention they only live 5 minutes down the street? Score!! We love having them so close. Packed the kids and their sippy cups into the car and off we went. Brought them to house and made them breakfast. Now Macie is at the stage where she wants to "help"! And her little brother wants to do EVERYTHING she does. I bought them a bench that they can bring to the kitchen and help. So, they were in charge of the frozen waffles. That's right! Frozen waffles...no shame in my game! I showed Macie how to depress the latch lever. (Yes, that's what it's called. I googled it!) Graeme was so memorized they he had to investigate. He discovered if he twisted the doneness knob, the waffles would pop back up! (I made that term up! I apparently have an inexpensive, old toaster, and I couldn't find the term). So we played about 5 minutes of pop goes the waffle before I couldn't take Macie yelling at her brother and him laughing hysterically anymore! I'm glad to announce we finally ate and all was well.
After several hours of coloring, playing dinosaurs, learning to ride the tricycle, and reading books, it was time to eat again! I called their mother to get permission to take them to the mall for lunch and to play in the play area. I decided if I let them run, climb and jump at the mall everyone would be ready for a nap when we returned. Smart, right!??!?! So I called their momma and asked for permission. She questioned me as to whether or not I was up to it. I replied that I deal with a room of teenagers everyday, 2 small children would be a piece of cake! LOL! So, I got them bundle up in their coats, hats and mittens and out the door we went. As we got to the car, I realized that I forgot my diaper bag. Yep! I have my own diaper bag! So, back in the house we went. Grabbed the bag and back out the door we went. The whole time Macie is telling me to hurry up! I decided ahead of time we would eat at the Taco Bell. I'd get them kid meals. Apparently, I haven't been the mall in a while because there are only 3 restaurants open: Chinese, Japanese and Charley's. Well crap! Now I had to come up with plan B. In my wisdom, I decided that Charley's would be the best. While I was contemplating the menu, the grandbabies became little jacket rabbits! They take off in different directions to check out all of the bells and whistles in the food court. So I chased after them and corralled them between me and the counter of Charley's. I finished ordering! As they prepared our food, I found a high chair and a table close to the play area and a group of elderly grandparents. I could tell they were experienced grandparents and great-grandparents because they just kept smiling and nodding at me. I'm sure they were thinking, "girl, you are new at this arent' you!" I smiled back thinking, "I'll show you!"
Somehow I got all us and a tray of food to the table. I divvied up the food and tore it up into small pieces to cool off. I reached into my diaper bag for the sippy cups. Guess what!??! No damn sippy cups! I forgot. That's okay, we got this. So, I ran back to the counter and got two small cups, lids and straws. Macie is a champ. She can use a straw with 85% accuracy. Graeme, not so much. We struggled with who was going to hold the cup and who wasn't. I won. As he is drinking his water, I hear "Uh oh" to see Macie's cup go hurling to the floor! The table of grandparents started laughing...again! I give them a "meh" look and carried on! After we finished eating and finding the custodial staff to clean up the water, we headed to the play area. (Lunch was a success by the way! You can never good wrong with chicken tenders and french fries)
They had a blast climbing and running! Graeme especially loved me chasing him back into the play area! He did find a little girl who he was smitten with! He even tackled her to give her a hug. Once again the old people are laughing as I apologize to the little girl's dad!
Once we got home, it was naptime! Or so, I thought! Apparently they were so energized by the activity that they were still wound up. After grandma's mandatory quiet time on the couch with Paw Patrol on the TV and books in hand, Grame started to fall asleep. Miss Independent announced that she wasn't tired! Of course not, even though she kept yawning like a cat basking in the sun! So, we had some quality time at the kitchen table making get well cards for mommy and daddy and Valentine notes for PawPaw Mark. Then it was iPad time with one of the numerous games I have downloaded for her. Finally after an hour, she said she wanted to lay on the couch. But under no circumstances was she going to sleep as she yawned and rubbed her eyes. After about 15 minutes, she was asleep and snoring like a drunken sailor.
As I watched them sleep and listened to them snore, I puffed up with pride. I survived the day with these two little angels that call me Grandma. I fed them, entertained them, and got to them to nap. I would be returning them to their parents unscathed! When they woke up, I got them organized, bundled up and drove them home. As I was leaving, they both came running to me and gave me hugs and kisses. They both told me that they loved me followed by more hugs and kisses. It was in that moment I realized that I didn't survive at all. Instead I provided Macie and G-man with a day filled with love and nurturing. They didn't care about the fails of the day. They remember the fun and laughter we had. I call that winning!
I'm new to this job. I know I will make mistakes along the way. But I believe the great memories we will have will outweigh the oopses! It's an adventure I look forward to and I cherish!
Make Every Day Count
Denise
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Saying Yes to the Dress
I'm getting married in October. I first fell in love with Mark when I was 15 and he was 18. Now 38 years later, here we are taking the plunge into matrimony. With that comes planning a wedding. My first marriage was a lovely ceremony of 4. It was exactly what I wanted. This time around I want a wedding. What I don't understand is why?
You see as a little girl I never dreamed of my wedding. I never saw myself as a bride much less a gown. I found it all just stupid and a waste of money. In fact , well into my 40s I even hated going to weddings. The only thing worse for me was a baby shower! I still remember the Saturday about 10 years ago when I had to go to both on the same day! Let's say a lot of wine was consumed at the reception. To be honest, I just don't think I'm a sentimental kind of gal when it comes to these time honored traditions.
And then something changed! When I got my dissolution and moved into my apartment, I started to watch "Say Yes to the Dress" on TLC. In fact, my neighbor Ashley, Bear-Bear (her Newfie) and I would spend Friday nights watching hours of SYTTD, drinking wine and embroidering/knitting. I have no idea why?!?!?! I wasn't seeing anyone much less looking to get married again. We would sit and laminate about our single hood woes and drink more wine.
Fast forward: Well, this Monday all of those episodes came in handy. When my vacation to Europe got cancelled, I decided to use the opportunity to going dress shopping. (See blogpost Teachable Moments) I had extra money to spend and the time off. I assembled my posse: June, my future mother-in-law; Toni, my friend and wedding officiant; and Shelly, one of 3 bridesmaids. Off we went to Universe Bridal and Prom in West Lafayette, Ohio.
It was crazy! We met with Michelle our personal bridal aficionado! She gave us the lay of the land and sent us off into one of many wedding dress rooms! Now you would think a self proclaimed SYTTD junkie would know exactly what she wanted! Oh hell no! I had no idea other than I want to look good and I want to take his breath away when I walked down the aisle. As I stood in the sea of ivory, I started to have an anxiety attack! I felt as if I was being suffocated by miles of tulle, lace and organza! I finally looked at my posse and said, "Girls, pick 3-4 choices each! I can't do this!" Those girls went to work! Next thing I knew, I had about 15 dresses to try on.
Now girls, listen up. Trying on dresses requires Herculean strength! Some of those dresses weigh pounds! And let's be honest, plus size dresses have to be heavier because there's more fabulousness to cover! At one point I thought I may have torn my rotartor's cuff! Ouchy! And then there was the unfortunate trapped in the dress situation! Ladies, if you find yourselves dress shopping, please be sure to check the size of the dress you are putting on before sliding it over your head! If you're trying to squeeze your size 16 body into a size 12 dress, it's going to go all bad! It caused me to have a second anxiety attack when I couldn't disengage from it! I thought I was going to live that damn dress for the rest of my life! Thank goodness for Shelly! She came to my rescue and freed me from my prison. Unfortunately poor Shelly will never be able to unseen what she saw in order to release me from the sea of organza!
After many auditions, THE dress appeared. I put it on and it was the front runner. But it was missing something! So, my Randy/Monte, Michelle, "jacked me up" her style. She brought me a blinged out belt and tied it on. She turned me around and it happened. The aha moment happened. The skies opened up and the angels began to sing. I had found the dress! And then the most freaky thing happened! I cried! Say what??!?!?! I just stood there and was flabbergasted! I just had this feeling that overcame me and all I could think of was Mark. I don't know if it was the realization that I am actually going to marry the love of my life. Or if menopause has turned me into a hormonal mess! What I do know is that I had a wonderful time and I can't wait until October!
So, the moral of this story is that no matter how old you are you can still find the love of your life. When that love comes along your whole out look on life changes. Now I'm dreaming of that wedding that I never knew I would ever want. May be because I'm older, I can live in the moment and enjoy it more. I look forward to all of the decisions coming my way!
Make Everyday Count....
Denise
You see as a little girl I never dreamed of my wedding. I never saw myself as a bride much less a gown. I found it all just stupid and a waste of money. In fact , well into my 40s I even hated going to weddings. The only thing worse for me was a baby shower! I still remember the Saturday about 10 years ago when I had to go to both on the same day! Let's say a lot of wine was consumed at the reception. To be honest, I just don't think I'm a sentimental kind of gal when it comes to these time honored traditions.
And then something changed! When I got my dissolution and moved into my apartment, I started to watch "Say Yes to the Dress" on TLC. In fact, my neighbor Ashley, Bear-Bear (her Newfie) and I would spend Friday nights watching hours of SYTTD, drinking wine and embroidering/knitting. I have no idea why?!?!?! I wasn't seeing anyone much less looking to get married again. We would sit and laminate about our single hood woes and drink more wine.
Fast forward: Well, this Monday all of those episodes came in handy. When my vacation to Europe got cancelled, I decided to use the opportunity to going dress shopping. (See blogpost Teachable Moments) I had extra money to spend and the time off. I assembled my posse: June, my future mother-in-law; Toni, my friend and wedding officiant; and Shelly, one of 3 bridesmaids. Off we went to Universe Bridal and Prom in West Lafayette, Ohio.
Now girls, listen up. Trying on dresses requires Herculean strength! Some of those dresses weigh pounds! And let's be honest, plus size dresses have to be heavier because there's more fabulousness to cover! At one point I thought I may have torn my rotartor's cuff! Ouchy! And then there was the unfortunate trapped in the dress situation! Ladies, if you find yourselves dress shopping, please be sure to check the size of the dress you are putting on before sliding it over your head! If you're trying to squeeze your size 16 body into a size 12 dress, it's going to go all bad! It caused me to have a second anxiety attack when I couldn't disengage from it! I thought I was going to live that damn dress for the rest of my life! Thank goodness for Shelly! She came to my rescue and freed me from my prison. Unfortunately poor Shelly will never be able to unseen what she saw in order to release me from the sea of organza!
So, the moral of this story is that no matter how old you are you can still find the love of your life. When that love comes along your whole out look on life changes. Now I'm dreaming of that wedding that I never knew I would ever want. May be because I'm older, I can live in the moment and enjoy it more. I look forward to all of the decisions coming my way!
Make Everyday Count....
Denise
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Teachable Moments
The bags are packed for Scotland and England. The rain coats and toe/hand warmers are bought. The British pounds and my passport are ensconced in their secret hiding places. The phone is internationally prepared to receive and send text messages. The itinerary is set. My traditional night before I leave poem is written. The credit card company is properly notified so that I can spend oodles of money. The departure time is set. The enthusiasm is overflowing. Everything is ready to go, but for one important thing.
Us. We are no longer going. Due to the recent ISIS attack in Brussels, our school district had to make an extremely hard decision. Should we carry through with our plans to give our students an educational experience of a lifetime and risk the lives of our students and chaperones? Or should we stay on US soil where we may or may not be safer? In the end our administration decided that keeping our students and parents safe and sound was the number 1 priority. In light of the events today, it was the right, but heartbreaking decision.
So at 9:45 today, we found ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to inform parents and students that we were no longer going on a trip of a life time. The tears and the disappointment on their faces was heart breaking. The journey they all started planning two years ago is now a broken dream. What should have been an experience like no other became a teachable moment in world affairs. Instead of crossing the pond as an excited, anxious group, we are now a disappointed group grounded on Ohio turf. Instead of learning about British parliament and the Magna Carta, we are now teaching them about homeland security. Instead of being awestruck by the magnificence of Stonehenge, we are now teaching them about the rubble of terrorism. Instead of enjoying the musical, "Thriller" on the London stage, we are now teaching them about the horrifying images seen on TV. Instead of experiencing the hospitality of the British population, we are now teaching them about the evilness of a small group of people. Instead of creating happy lifetime memories, we are now teaching them how to deal with the sad reality of the world.
The reality of this situation is that it is a teachable moment. No matter how you look at it, we are showing them the world. Unfortunately, it isn't the world we wanted to show them. We wanted to let them learn about the magnitude of history that is Europe. We wanted them to experience various cultures. We wanted to give them international travel. We wanted to expose them to different foods. We wanted to watch them blossom and grow in confidence. We wanted to show then how to embrace the world around them. Instead we are teaching them about a world that isn't always kind. We are teaching them that there are groups out there that take pleasure in harming others. We are teaching them about world politics. We are teaching about how actions in foreign countries have an effect on a little rural school district in Ohio.
But we are also teaching them about the resilience of humanity. If we can't take our trip, I hope we can find the positive in such an evil doing. In all of the tragedy, I know we will learn about compassion. Over the hours, days and weeks, we will see the good stories about humans helping humans in the midst of disaster. We will see people loving one another. We hear stories of random acts of kindness. We will see people rebuild their lives. We will see new ways of fighting evilness. We will see our governments work together to end this way of life. We will work to rebuild trust in our mankind. We will see hope in the eyes and hearts of good people of the world.
We will teach our children to how to feel safe again. We will teach them to love their world around them and embrace it with compassion.
To all of the people of Belgium, you are in my thoughts and prayers. It breaks my heart to see the images on TV. I know you will rebound and grow from this situation. You will become stronger people in the face of this tragedy. You will show us how to live again.
Make Every Day Count.....
Denise
Us. We are no longer going. Due to the recent ISIS attack in Brussels, our school district had to make an extremely hard decision. Should we carry through with our plans to give our students an educational experience of a lifetime and risk the lives of our students and chaperones? Or should we stay on US soil where we may or may not be safer? In the end our administration decided that keeping our students and parents safe and sound was the number 1 priority. In light of the events today, it was the right, but heartbreaking decision.
So at 9:45 today, we found ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to inform parents and students that we were no longer going on a trip of a life time. The tears and the disappointment on their faces was heart breaking. The journey they all started planning two years ago is now a broken dream. What should have been an experience like no other became a teachable moment in world affairs. Instead of crossing the pond as an excited, anxious group, we are now a disappointed group grounded on Ohio turf. Instead of learning about British parliament and the Magna Carta, we are now teaching them about homeland security. Instead of being awestruck by the magnificence of Stonehenge, we are now teaching them about the rubble of terrorism. Instead of enjoying the musical, "Thriller" on the London stage, we are now teaching them about the horrifying images seen on TV. Instead of experiencing the hospitality of the British population, we are now teaching them about the evilness of a small group of people. Instead of creating happy lifetime memories, we are now teaching them how to deal with the sad reality of the world.
The reality of this situation is that it is a teachable moment. No matter how you look at it, we are showing them the world. Unfortunately, it isn't the world we wanted to show them. We wanted to let them learn about the magnitude of history that is Europe. We wanted them to experience various cultures. We wanted to give them international travel. We wanted to expose them to different foods. We wanted to watch them blossom and grow in confidence. We wanted to show then how to embrace the world around them. Instead we are teaching them about a world that isn't always kind. We are teaching them that there are groups out there that take pleasure in harming others. We are teaching them about world politics. We are teaching about how actions in foreign countries have an effect on a little rural school district in Ohio.
But we are also teaching them about the resilience of humanity. If we can't take our trip, I hope we can find the positive in such an evil doing. In all of the tragedy, I know we will learn about compassion. Over the hours, days and weeks, we will see the good stories about humans helping humans in the midst of disaster. We will see people loving one another. We hear stories of random acts of kindness. We will see people rebuild their lives. We will see new ways of fighting evilness. We will see our governments work together to end this way of life. We will work to rebuild trust in our mankind. We will see hope in the eyes and hearts of good people of the world.
We will teach our children to how to feel safe again. We will teach them to love their world around them and embrace it with compassion.
To all of the people of Belgium, you are in my thoughts and prayers. It breaks my heart to see the images on TV. I know you will rebound and grow from this situation. You will become stronger people in the face of this tragedy. You will show us how to live again.
Make Every Day Count.....
Denise
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Every last word
If you're my Facebook friend, this post is just a review of the many laughs I've given you over the years. If you are a reader of my blog, then you're in the dark. You see, I frequently post conversations that I have with people. Most of them are between Mark and I, but no one is safe from my need to share all aspects of my life. The sad part is that they are completely true! So, I felt a need to completely embarrass myself, and others, with the World Wide Web.
Just today, my brother Mitchell and I had a conversation about my upcoming nuptials with Mark. My brother is a sarcastic smart ass just like me. We started out talking about the cake and ended up discussing fashion, or his lack of it, and what he'll wear when he t
Convo with my bro:
(Commenting on a post of an OSU cake for our wedding)
Me: I love it, but we are going with cupcakes. We will OSU them up though!
Mitch: Can I dress like Jim Tressell? Sweater vest?
Me: Sure
Mitch: I've done that look many times before.
Me: Sadly, you're right! 😏
Mitch: you're a bridezilla! 😳
Me: that doesn't make a bridezilla! It makes me the fashion police!😭
I recently spent the weekend in Coshocton at the Heart of Ohio Quilters Guild Retreat. I found out exactly what some of my friends think of me. Apparently it's not for my intelligence and good looks but for my hobbies!
Today's convo:
Me: Hi Patty!
Patty: hey!
Me: ready to sew?
Patty: yeah but just remembered something
Me: what?
Patty: I just took one look at you and realized I forgot my wine!
Me: Really that's what you think of when you see ?
Patty: maybe!?!?!?
Me: 😳😳😳😳😳😳
As I mentioned, I have been going to this retreat for like 15 years. So, it made perfect sense when I blurted this out in front of strangers!
Convo upon arriving at the hotel.
Me: what room are we in?
Barb: room 202
Me: I've slept in this room before
Barb: me too
Me: truth be known I've probably slept in every room here!
Barb: 😳
Me: hmmm .. I guess that didn't sound good to the people who don't know me!😏
Sometimes, well all of the time, I just never think before I speak! As if you need more evidence than the last convo!
Another moment in the lives of Denise and Mark
To the tree guys...
Mark: we're leaving for a few
Tree guys:ok
Me: it should only be 45 minutes. We're going across the street to hospital for lunch.
Tree guys: not a problem.
As we walk away...
Mark: you know they're laughing at us.
Me: why?
Mark: they think we're old because are going to the hospital to eat!
Me: 😳
Of course, there are also those moments that only happen to us! We are always just one moment away from hilarity and comedy!
Me: honey can you come here?
Mark: what's up?
Me: look at rod in my closet. It's starting to bow. Can you fix it? I want to be proactive and take care of it before it collapses
Mark: let me look.
(Manly inspection)
Mark: yep! I'll just put a support in the middle!
Me: great!
(Mark walks away)
***boom****
Both: 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
Me: so much for being proactive!
Then there are those random thoughts!
Just today, my brother Mitchell and I had a conversation about my upcoming nuptials with Mark. My brother is a sarcastic smart ass just like me. We started out talking about the cake and ended up discussing fashion, or his lack of it, and what he'll wear when he t
Convo with my bro:
(Commenting on a post of an OSU cake for our wedding)
Me: I love it, but we are going with cupcakes. We will OSU them up though!
Mitch: Can I dress like Jim Tressell? Sweater vest?
Me: Sure
Mitch: I've done that look many times before.
Me: Sadly, you're right! 😏
Mitch: you're a bridezilla! 😳
Me: that doesn't make a bridezilla! It makes me the fashion police!😭
I recently spent the weekend in Coshocton at the Heart of Ohio Quilters Guild Retreat. I found out exactly what some of my friends think of me. Apparently it's not for my intelligence and good looks but for my hobbies!
Today's convo:
Me: Hi Patty!
Patty: hey!
Me: ready to sew?
Patty: yeah but just remembered something
Me: what?
Patty: I just took one look at you and realized I forgot my wine!
Me: Really that's what you think of when you see ?
Patty: maybe!?!?!?
Me: 😳😳😳😳😳😳
As I mentioned, I have been going to this retreat for like 15 years. So, it made perfect sense when I blurted this out in front of strangers!
Convo upon arriving at the hotel.
Me: what room are we in?
Barb: room 202
Me: I've slept in this room before
Barb: me too
Me: truth be known I've probably slept in every room here!
Barb: 😳
Me: hmmm .. I guess that didn't sound good to the people who don't know me!😏
Sometimes, well all of the time, I just never think before I speak! As if you need more evidence than the last convo!
Another moment in the lives of Denise and Mark
To the tree guys...
Mark: we're leaving for a few
Tree guys:ok
Me: it should only be 45 minutes. We're going across the street to hospital for lunch.
Tree guys: not a problem.
As we walk away...
Mark: you know they're laughing at us.
Me: why?
Mark: they think we're old because are going to the hospital to eat!
Me: 😳
Of course, there are also those moments that only happen to us! We are always just one moment away from hilarity and comedy!
Me: honey can you come here?
Mark: what's up?
Me: look at rod in my closet. It's starting to bow. Can you fix it? I want to be proactive and take care of it before it collapses
Mark: let me look.
(Manly inspection)
Mark: yep! I'll just put a support in the middle!
Me: great!
(Mark walks away)
***boom****
Both: 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
Me: so much for being proactive!
Then there are those random thoughts!
Today's convo:
Me: Where is the Super Bowl this year?
Mark: i don't know. Probably Dallas. Why don't you just google it?
Me: No, I don't care enough.
Mark: I can name all of the winners of all the Super Bowls.
Me: (Oh please, no!))
Mark: Year 1: (blah, blah, blah)
Mark: Year 2: (blah, blah, blah)
Mark: Year 3: (blah, blah, blah)
Me: Are you going to name everyone of them?
Mark: No
Me: Oh thank the heavens!
I can't wait until Football season is over!
I'm not an early morning kind of girl! So any conversation is going to go towards the sarcastic side!
Here you go Teresa Coakley:
Mark: Did you know Jamie Foxx was a hero?
Me: (Trying to get ready for work) What?
Mark: You know the actor Jamie Foxx. He is a real life hero
Me: Why?
Mark: He saved people by pulling them from a burning car.
Me: Wow! I would say so then
Mark: Did you know he was a stud quarterback too?
Me: Yes, he is a stud in everything he does! *admiration eyes*
Mark: Yeah, he is Just like me!
Me: *eye rolls, heavy sighs* smh....(Just walk away, Joe!)
And then there is the times when Karma bits you in the ass!
That moment when your pet peeve bites you in the ass!😏
Mark: can you come here please?
Me: what do you want?
Mark: just come to the bathroom.
Me: *heavy sigh, stomp, stomp * what?
Mark: come in here
Me: *eye roll*. What?
Mark: *shuts door*. Now hang it!
Even the most important moments of our life are comical
Another daily convo in the life of Mark and Denise:
Mark: I think it's time to set a date.
Me: (Looking up from my Candy Crush game?) A date for what?
Mark: Ummm, to get married!??!?!
Me: Oh!
Mark: What are thinking?
Me: It really doesn't matter to me
Mark: Ok, how about 2025?
Me: no!
Mark: How about next fall?
Me: Do you mean 2016 or 2017
Mark: 2017.
Me: Okay (I get up and leave the room)
5 minutes later I come back with the computer...
Me: We are getting married Oct 21, 2017
Mark: Ohio State's bye week?
Me: Of course honey
Mark: That's my girl!
But every now and then, the fewest words have the most meaning.
Tonight's convo:
Silence! He's playing cards!
😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
And the present conversation:
Mark: What are you doing?
Me: Blogging
Mark: What about?
Me: I thought I'd share with the blogging world some of our conversations
Mark: What? Are you going to make me look like an idiot?
Me: Who me?
Make Every Day Count..
Denise
Saturday, January 23, 2016
When did this happen?
Today was a rough, emotional day. I spent most of it crying as I watched the funeral procession for Officer Tom Cottrell who was intentionally gunned down last Saturday night while protecting the sleepy town of Danville. Officer Cottrell was not targeted personally. The perpetrator 's objective was to kill a man in uniform. Unfortunately for Officer Cottrell and his family, he was the first one to come into contact with the killer.
As I sat cemented to my chair, I began to question life. I looked at Mark, and through tears, I simply ask, "When did this happen?" He said, "What, baby?" I replied, "When did we become a nation that no longer respects the laws of the land and the lives of our law officials?" He simply said, "I don't know".
For as along as I can remember, I was taught that the policemen were my friends. My parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, teachers, etc. always stressed to my brothers and I that the police officer was a place of safety. We were to go to them if we were ever in trouble. If we got lost, the police would help us find our families. If someone was hurt, the police would call for the ambulance. If someone was hurting you, the police would protect you. As I grew older, I learned that I was to respect the badge. They were there to protect our town and our family from lawbreakers. I knew when I earned my driver 's license that I was to abide by all the laws. I also knew that if I found myself on the wrong side of the law, I was to do what the police officer told me to do. He was the authority and I was to respect that.
What happened to this way of thinking? Why does it seem that we no longer respect the badge and the life behind it? When did the laws set forth in federal, state and local doctrines become optional? When did we become a society that feels as if it is above the law? When did we no longer value the lives of others? These questions have been haunting me today. I'm 53 years old. I'm educated. I'm a 31 veteran of the classroom. I have seen a lot in those 53 years. But for some reason I can't find a logical explanation for any of these questions. I just don't understand and it hurts my heart.
I have been accused over the years for being a Pollyanna. While some find this an insult, I take it as a compliment. I choose, as I sit here and write, that I will look for the positives in this tragedy. I want to believe that something good will come of this senseless act of violence. Perhaps the scholarship fund being set up at COTC in his name will produce some great law enforcement officials who will honor Officer Cottrell's name and life. Perhaps the college fund for his daughters will enable them to seek careers that will allow them to help others just like their daddy. Perhaps this will be a learning moment for others to understand the importance of the law enforcement agencies and change the way we do things. Perhaps all of the little children who stood along the line paying respects will be the catalyst of change in the next generation. Perhaps it will motivate each and every one of us to be kinder to one another. Perhaps it will soften our hearts and we can learn to just love. Perhaps.....
Make Every Day Count..
Denise
Make Every Day Count..
Denise
Anyone who would like to donate in Officer Cottrell's honor can do so through various outlets. Go to the Newark Advocate link for more information
http://www.newarkadvocate.com
http://www.newarkadvocate.com
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Brangelina Who?
Evening Readers….
Move over Brangelina! You are old news. Shamy, who? Sorry Bennifer, you are about to uncouple. There is a new power team in town, and they are taking over the world! Okay, maybe not the world, but definitely 34th Street in Newark. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you, the one and only
Sophie and Joey otherwise known as SoJoe! That's right, I have a moniker for my fur babies! It all came about because I needed a word when referring to both of them. Since they are opposite sexes, girls nor boys would work. Sometimes I call them kids! But that just gets you weird stares at 7 in the morning when you are walking through the hood, and your neighbors hear you. One day while picking up dog poo, they started chasing a bunny and all hell broke loose. So, I pulled a Judy Gray and started yelling all of the kids' names at one time. Needless to say, in my frustration, the word SoJoe came out of my mouth, and it has stuck! After all, they are definitely worthy of their own smash up name! I mean look at them! They ooze entitlement! For those of you who live under a rock or in another country and don't know me, Sophie is the white dog and belongs to me. Joey is obviously the black one and belongs to my boyfriend Mark.
When we moved into the new house, so did the dogs. Prior to moving, they both were accustomed to being an only dog and, quite frankly, spoiled rotten. Now Sophie has always had another dog around whether it was her sister Stormy, who passed 3 years ago or the neighbor dogs, Lady, Ebony, Buffy and Dot. Joey, on the other hand, was the center of the universe for Mark and his mom. Poor Joey, he had no idea what was going to happen to him when he met Miss Sophie Marie. His nose was definitely bent out of shape when he had to share his dad. He didn't like it much! However, he has come around and looks forward to Sophie's weekly visits. I personally think it's because he knows that when she is here, he will get an egg on his food each morning. Of course that is all contingent on her staying away from his food when it is served! And Sophie, she just looks at him as if he is an idiot! She is her mother's daughter and doesn't tolerate nonsense well.
Well, that all changed today. After 4 weeks of togetherness, they have finally bonded as a team. You see Joey has some separation issues. Prior to moving here, he stayed with Mark, his mom and son and very rarely was left alone. Well, in less than 4 weeks, I go back to school and Mark is working 12 hour days at his new job. Therefore, Joey has been subjected to crate training. Let's just say, he's not a fan! In fact he hides under the bed if he even thinks there is a possibility that I am leaving. So, Mark and I decided to try to pen him up in the kitchen on short trips to town to see how he does. So far, so good. He's been able to keep it together for up to 2 hours. Today we had Sophie. Now Sophie has been free range for 13 of her 14 years! She's a pro!
Well, Mark had a dentist appointment and I had a baby shower. We were going to overlap by 30 minutes. The decision was made to pen Joey in the kitchen and let Sophie have the rest of the house. We separated them with the baby gate. While at the shower I got a reply to may message asking how it went. He said the dentist went fine! SoJoe, not so good! He said that " both were in the kitchen and the baby gate was destroyed. Really, no joke" I guess you can call it an epic failure! As you can see
from the picture, the baby gate was still standing, but had a hole in it! Given that all of the missing pieces were in the living room, we are assuming that Miss Sophie did the damage. What we are not sure about is how she got on the other side! You see the hole is not big enough for a 44 pound dog to go through it. It is too tall for a 14-year old arthritic dog to jump. Unless Joey jumped it first and helped Sophie over it, we are at a loss for an explanation! Just like the mystery of the shit on the wall. (See my entry "Because Ryan Paxton said so!" for that story!)
So you see, SoJoe is a force to be reckoned with! They accomplish the unthinkable! They have super dog powers or something! Or they are simply smarter than their owners! All I can say is to stay tuned. I have a feeling this is only the first of many SoJoe stories to come!
Make Every Day Count,
Denise
Move over Brangelina! You are old news. Shamy, who? Sorry Bennifer, you are about to uncouple. There is a new power team in town, and they are taking over the world! Okay, maybe not the world, but definitely 34th Street in Newark. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you, the one and only
When we moved into the new house, so did the dogs. Prior to moving, they both were accustomed to being an only dog and, quite frankly, spoiled rotten. Now Sophie has always had another dog around whether it was her sister Stormy, who passed 3 years ago or the neighbor dogs, Lady, Ebony, Buffy and Dot. Joey, on the other hand, was the center of the universe for Mark and his mom. Poor Joey, he had no idea what was going to happen to him when he met Miss Sophie Marie. His nose was definitely bent out of shape when he had to share his dad. He didn't like it much! However, he has come around and looks forward to Sophie's weekly visits. I personally think it's because he knows that when she is here, he will get an egg on his food each morning. Of course that is all contingent on her staying away from his food when it is served! And Sophie, she just looks at him as if he is an idiot! She is her mother's daughter and doesn't tolerate nonsense well.
Well, that all changed today. After 4 weeks of togetherness, they have finally bonded as a team. You see Joey has some separation issues. Prior to moving here, he stayed with Mark, his mom and son and very rarely was left alone. Well, in less than 4 weeks, I go back to school and Mark is working 12 hour days at his new job. Therefore, Joey has been subjected to crate training. Let's just say, he's not a fan! In fact he hides under the bed if he even thinks there is a possibility that I am leaving. So, Mark and I decided to try to pen him up in the kitchen on short trips to town to see how he does. So far, so good. He's been able to keep it together for up to 2 hours. Today we had Sophie. Now Sophie has been free range for 13 of her 14 years! She's a pro!
Well, Mark had a dentist appointment and I had a baby shower. We were going to overlap by 30 minutes. The decision was made to pen Joey in the kitchen and let Sophie have the rest of the house. We separated them with the baby gate. While at the shower I got a reply to may message asking how it went. He said the dentist went fine! SoJoe, not so good! He said that " both were in the kitchen and the baby gate was destroyed. Really, no joke" I guess you can call it an epic failure! As you can see
So you see, SoJoe is a force to be reckoned with! They accomplish the unthinkable! They have super dog powers or something! Or they are simply smarter than their owners! All I can say is to stay tuned. I have a feeling this is only the first of many SoJoe stories to come!
Make Every Day Count,
Denise
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Because Ryan Paxton said so!
Hello blog readers!
Long time no speak! Did you miss me?!?!?! Well, apparently Ryan Paxton did! Tonight while whipping me up with his pretty stick, he informed me that I needed to start blogging again! It seems he gets a big kick out of reading my posts. According to him, I type exactly like I talk when I'm sitting in his salon chair! So, Ry-Ry, this one is for you.
There has been a plethora of new, exciting things happening in my life! If you are a regular reader, then you know there are a million "Denise" stories to tell. The kind of stories that only happen to me! So, I guess I'll start with the most recent story that I'll title like a Nancy Drew book, "The Mystery of the Shit on the Wall"!
Yep, you read that correctly, shit on the wall! So, here's the back story! We moved into our first home last week. That move included blending our dogs, Sophie and Joey. We did everything according to the Dog Whisperer, and for the most part, all is going well! As long as Sophie doesn't try to get Mark's attention when Joey is on Mark's lap, all is dandy. That's really the only time Joey growls at Sophie. For her part, Sophie pretty much ignores Joey. She's old like me and doesn't have to time for any nonsense! We just don't play like that! LOL
Okay…to the shit part! So, yesterday Mark and I needws to run a quick errand. We debated because this would have been their first time together alone. Joey has to be caged because he is a sporadic addict and can't be trusted on his own. Sophie is 14 years old and has been roaming free for years. So, we figured they would be just fine on their own.
After a quick 35 minute trip to Giant Eagle and back, we found everyone alive and well. Upon arriving home, I immediately let Joey out of the cage when I noticed that his muzzle was completely soaked. I knew right then that he cried and worked his self up into a tizzy while we were gone. Normally we put his bark collar on to keep him subdued just for this reason. But, with Sophie there, we thought he would remain calm. Wrong! So, I took him outside and he peed. When I went back in I checked his rug under the cage. He chews up the plastic trays so we put the rug in case there are accidents. The rug was dry! Yay Joey! You are were a good boy and didn't potty while we were gone. As I put the cage back down, I noticed it….brown spots on the wall behind the cage. I yelled for Mark to come in the living room right now! He's a good boyfriend and came immediately. He's like, "What's up?" I said, "Look at the wall and tell me what the hell that is!" We both got up close and investigated. We looked at each other at the same time and said, "Is that shit?"!!! WTF!
I immediately got a towel, soap and water and started scrubbing the wall. A quick sniff test was administered. Lo and behold, it was determined to be shit. How the hell did that happen? So I started my investigation. I checked the cage..no shit! I checked the floor… no shit! I checked puppy asses…no shit! I checked the rug again…no shit! I kid you not, there was no trace of shit anywhere else, but on the wall! Folks, I'm not making this shit up…pun intended! How did shit get on the wall but no where else? Our only reasoning is that one of the dogs farted and it was a wet one! If Joey did it, he is a pro! Not one stray poop droplet anywhere but on the wall. If it was Sophie, she is a magician and can shrink herself to fit the 5 inches between the wall and the cage.
Too bad Nancy Drew and/or the Hardy Boys weren't available. I'm sure they would have figured it out in no time flat. So until a clue surfaces to solve the mystery, Joey and Sophie will now be confined to the unfinished side of the basement!
As with any Denise story, there is usually a silver lining. So, If you're going to shit in the living room, at least do it on the wall and NOT the white carpeting! Much easier to clean!
Make Every Day Count
Denise
Long time no speak! Did you miss me?!?!?! Well, apparently Ryan Paxton did! Tonight while whipping me up with his pretty stick, he informed me that I needed to start blogging again! It seems he gets a big kick out of reading my posts. According to him, I type exactly like I talk when I'm sitting in his salon chair! So, Ry-Ry, this one is for you.
There has been a plethora of new, exciting things happening in my life! If you are a regular reader, then you know there are a million "Denise" stories to tell. The kind of stories that only happen to me! So, I guess I'll start with the most recent story that I'll title like a Nancy Drew book, "The Mystery of the Shit on the Wall"!
Yep, you read that correctly, shit on the wall! So, here's the back story! We moved into our first home last week. That move included blending our dogs, Sophie and Joey. We did everything according to the Dog Whisperer, and for the most part, all is going well! As long as Sophie doesn't try to get Mark's attention when Joey is on Mark's lap, all is dandy. That's really the only time Joey growls at Sophie. For her part, Sophie pretty much ignores Joey. She's old like me and doesn't have to time for any nonsense! We just don't play like that! LOL
Okay…to the shit part! So, yesterday Mark and I needws to run a quick errand. We debated because this would have been their first time together alone. Joey has to be caged because he is a sporadic addict and can't be trusted on his own. Sophie is 14 years old and has been roaming free for years. So, we figured they would be just fine on their own.
After a quick 35 minute trip to Giant Eagle and back, we found everyone alive and well. Upon arriving home, I immediately let Joey out of the cage when I noticed that his muzzle was completely soaked. I knew right then that he cried and worked his self up into a tizzy while we were gone. Normally we put his bark collar on to keep him subdued just for this reason. But, with Sophie there, we thought he would remain calm. Wrong! So, I took him outside and he peed. When I went back in I checked his rug under the cage. He chews up the plastic trays so we put the rug in case there are accidents. The rug was dry! Yay Joey! You are were a good boy and didn't potty while we were gone. As I put the cage back down, I noticed it….brown spots on the wall behind the cage. I yelled for Mark to come in the living room right now! He's a good boyfriend and came immediately. He's like, "What's up?" I said, "Look at the wall and tell me what the hell that is!" We both got up close and investigated. We looked at each other at the same time and said, "Is that shit?"!!! WTF!
I immediately got a towel, soap and water and started scrubbing the wall. A quick sniff test was administered. Lo and behold, it was determined to be shit. How the hell did that happen? So I started my investigation. I checked the cage..no shit! I checked the floor… no shit! I checked puppy asses…no shit! I checked the rug again…no shit! I kid you not, there was no trace of shit anywhere else, but on the wall! Folks, I'm not making this shit up…pun intended! How did shit get on the wall but no where else? Our only reasoning is that one of the dogs farted and it was a wet one! If Joey did it, he is a pro! Not one stray poop droplet anywhere but on the wall. If it was Sophie, she is a magician and can shrink herself to fit the 5 inches between the wall and the cage.
Too bad Nancy Drew and/or the Hardy Boys weren't available. I'm sure they would have figured it out in no time flat. So until a clue surfaces to solve the mystery, Joey and Sophie will now be confined to the unfinished side of the basement!
As with any Denise story, there is usually a silver lining. So, If you're going to shit in the living room, at least do it on the wall and NOT the white carpeting! Much easier to clean!
Make Every Day Count
Denise
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Lessons From the Couch
Most of my friends and family know that I have been sick with bronchitis and ear infections. This is the first time since 1997 that I suffered through with an ailment that required me to miss more than 1 day of work. I was couch ridden for 8 days which resulted in 3 days of missed work! Thank goodness for a snow day and Martin Luther King Day or it would have been more! Luckily I am on the mend now and starting to resemble something close to a human being. If you ask my students I'm sure they would disagree with human part, but that my friends is for another post.
Now that I am feeling my oats again I have had time to reflect on the last 8 days of cooties. I have come to realize that in every chapter of our lives, there is something to be gleaned from it. The couch is no different. So here are the lessons I learned from the couch.
1. I suck at being sick. I am grouchy, bitchy, and nasty. I really don't mean to make others pay for my misery, but it happens. I know it's not anyone's fault that I'm sick, but if I'm going down I want to take others with me. For this, I am sorry to those who tried to help me. It was appreciated even though it was harder to see than a needle in a haystack. Disclaimer: I am a teacher in a rural high school, so there is actually approximately 700+ people I could blame for disseminating their germs onto me. However now that I'm better, I go back to being Pollyanna and refuse to name any suspects.
2. Every single girl needs a couple of good dude friends. At the same time that I went down sick, so did Betty White, my cute little convertible. She decided to quit spewing hot air during the arctic blast. I guess you could say she had bronchitis too! Without the kindness and bravery of my friend Larry, I would have spent valuable couch time in the waiting room of the car dealership waiting on a diagnosis for Betty. With the risk of catching the crud, he transported me to and fro from the garage. And he was kind enough to not wince every time I coughed up a lung guppie or blew millions of germs into the much used kleenex. The news wasn't' good for Betty. Her prescription was 100 time more than my $100 doctor/pharmacy bill. Enter good dude #2. My friend and personal mechanic Craig who came to my rescue and fixed her for $40. Deduce from that what you want!
3. I am blessed to have so many good friends in my life. They offered to help ease my pain with food, phone calls, texts, rides, errands and more. I am even blessed to have a few great friends as well. You know the kind who take great pride torturing you when you're down. The ones who send you text messages and emails that will purposely make you laugh knowing damn well that you will start convulsively coughing that eventually leads into pissing your pants. You know who you are (Shelly, Courtney and Shona)! Side note: One of these wonderful great friends is now sick herself. Karma?!?!?!?
4. Always have plenty of laundry detergent. So you can wash all of the above pissed on pants and underwear.
5. Mother Nature doesn't play nice so always have feminine products on hand no matter how old you are. After over 6 months of bliss, I had a visit from my "friend". You menopausal women know what I'm talking about! Nothing more discouraging than thinking you are through with periods to have one sneak up on you, and when you are sicker than a dog! How does that freaking happen? Now the countdown begins again!
6. Adults are addicted to social media just as much as teenagers. While planted on the couch, I passed the time playing Words with Friends, Candy Crush, Trivia Crack and Dice with Buddies. It's amazing how many of my opponents were playing through out the day when they were supposed to be working. Hmmm……. Just saying! I do want to take this time to thank all of you for entertaining me while recuperating!
7. I am one of those Facebook people. My name is Denise and I over post and over share. Enough said.
8. Every girl needs a man who loves her even at her worst. While coughing so hard that I was peeing my pants while simultaneously wiping the snot from my nose with my sweatshirt sleeve and passing horrible gas, my guy looked up at me and said, "You are the most beautiful woman in the world and I love you." I am a lucky girl!
Make Every Day Count,
Denise
Now that I am feeling my oats again I have had time to reflect on the last 8 days of cooties. I have come to realize that in every chapter of our lives, there is something to be gleaned from it. The couch is no different. So here are the lessons I learned from the couch.
1. I suck at being sick. I am grouchy, bitchy, and nasty. I really don't mean to make others pay for my misery, but it happens. I know it's not anyone's fault that I'm sick, but if I'm going down I want to take others with me. For this, I am sorry to those who tried to help me. It was appreciated even though it was harder to see than a needle in a haystack. Disclaimer: I am a teacher in a rural high school, so there is actually approximately 700+ people I could blame for disseminating their germs onto me. However now that I'm better, I go back to being Pollyanna and refuse to name any suspects.
2. Every single girl needs a couple of good dude friends. At the same time that I went down sick, so did Betty White, my cute little convertible. She decided to quit spewing hot air during the arctic blast. I guess you could say she had bronchitis too! Without the kindness and bravery of my friend Larry, I would have spent valuable couch time in the waiting room of the car dealership waiting on a diagnosis for Betty. With the risk of catching the crud, he transported me to and fro from the garage. And he was kind enough to not wince every time I coughed up a lung guppie or blew millions of germs into the much used kleenex. The news wasn't' good for Betty. Her prescription was 100 time more than my $100 doctor/pharmacy bill. Enter good dude #2. My friend and personal mechanic Craig who came to my rescue and fixed her for $40. Deduce from that what you want!
3. I am blessed to have so many good friends in my life. They offered to help ease my pain with food, phone calls, texts, rides, errands and more. I am even blessed to have a few great friends as well. You know the kind who take great pride torturing you when you're down. The ones who send you text messages and emails that will purposely make you laugh knowing damn well that you will start convulsively coughing that eventually leads into pissing your pants. You know who you are (Shelly, Courtney and Shona)! Side note: One of these wonderful great friends is now sick herself. Karma?!?!?!?
4. Always have plenty of laundry detergent. So you can wash all of the above pissed on pants and underwear.
5. Mother Nature doesn't play nice so always have feminine products on hand no matter how old you are. After over 6 months of bliss, I had a visit from my "friend". You menopausal women know what I'm talking about! Nothing more discouraging than thinking you are through with periods to have one sneak up on you, and when you are sicker than a dog! How does that freaking happen? Now the countdown begins again!
6. Adults are addicted to social media just as much as teenagers. While planted on the couch, I passed the time playing Words with Friends, Candy Crush, Trivia Crack and Dice with Buddies. It's amazing how many of my opponents were playing through out the day when they were supposed to be working. Hmmm……. Just saying! I do want to take this time to thank all of you for entertaining me while recuperating!
7. I am one of those Facebook people. My name is Denise and I over post and over share. Enough said.
8. Every girl needs a man who loves her even at her worst. While coughing so hard that I was peeing my pants while simultaneously wiping the snot from my nose with my sweatshirt sleeve and passing horrible gas, my guy looked up at me and said, "You are the most beautiful woman in the world and I love you." I am a lucky girl!
Make Every Day Count,
Denise
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Saturday, September 20, 2014
To View or Not To View…That is the Question!
As a small child, my two favorite toys were Barbie dolls and books. While the Barbies have faded away to just a distance memory, the books have not. It all started with my Grandma Hershberger and my three Aunties Hershberger reading Cinderella to an adolescent Denise. …. over and over again I. Every gift giving occasion I would receive books. I had the entire Nancy Drew series…until my mother sold them in a yard sale while I was at college. But we will save that whole story for another post. And yes, at 52, I'm still bitter about it.
Sorry, I digressed for a moment…back to the task at hand. To this day I read every moment I can. I always have at least 5 books downloaded and waiting on my Kindle. One of those books was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I watched the movie on my flight back from Paris. I loved the movie!
So, I did something that I rarely do. I bought the book after watching the movie. Well, that was in March, but didn't get to the book until this August when my book club selected as the read of the month. I was excited because I was actually
going to read the book! I was apprehensive as I had seen the movie already. We all know how the movies can ruin books. I, too, was a book snob and thought the movies never did the book justice. That is until now.
My friend, Barb Whyte, and I had a discussion not long ago about the book. She wasn't feeling it at first because she is a plot driven reader. (She is a retired English teacher after all!). I was loving the book because we decided that I was a word driven reader. I want the words to dance off of the page and take somewhere. And boy did The Book Thief come alive for me…But not just because of the words, but because I saw the movie. The imagery in the book was spectacular. But when it was enhanced by my own reference to watching the movie, I was memorized. I could see Liesel and Rudy and Rosa and Papa and Death in my mind every word of the book. I could feel and smell the weather, the smoke, the accordion, the death and destruction. I could hear the bombs and I taste the horrible pea soup. The entire book came alive like I have never experienced with any other book. I contribute it all to watching the movie first.
I was talking to a coworker about the book, and he told me he always watches the movie first whenever possible. He says it makes the book more real. The bonus is that you get added surprises with the book. We all know that in order to convert a book to a movie, there are always parts omitted from movies. So, when you read a book after the movie, you get an added bonus. I have to agree with Chris. This was a different experience for me. Then I started thinking what it would have been like if I had read the Harry Potter books after the movies! Or what about The Twilight series! I could go on, and on, and on, but get the drift.
Now while I can't wait for every book I want to read to come out as a movie first, I do know that my reading experience will be heightened if I read it after the fact. What about you? What do you think? To view or not to view? That is the question? What a paradigm shift!
Make A Every Day Count
Denise
Monday, September 15, 2014
"Go To The Doctor", they said!
I have been having some minor health issues the last six months. Everyone told me it sounds like gall gladder issues. So, two weeks ago, I was in so much pain that I actually called and made an appointment. Why? Beecause they all said, "Go to the doctor". Well, they all suck! Because now I find myself in a strict dietary hell! He thinks it is thyroid and, therefore, a special diet is needed.
For the next 21 days my diet consists of the following:
Breakfast: cereal and a banana
Mid morning snack: granola bar
Lunch: a Slim Fast and a granola bar
Mid afternoon snack: granola bar
Dinner: light menu of my choice
Folks, this is everyday for 21 freaking days!!!!! First of all, I am leery of anyone who drinks their meals! It's just not right! One must chew their meals not drinking them. Of course the disclaimer here is wine. I guess you could drink your lunch if it were wine. Seriously!
I have tickets to the OSU vs. Cincy game on the 27th with pre-game tail gate party. Who the hell takes a slim fast and a granola bar to a tail-gate party!!!!!!! Seriously?!?!?!? I'm freaking out here!
I'm supposed to go the Coshocton County fair in two weeks. What am I supposed to do? Slep my slim fast and granola bar there too?!?!?!?!? Sit back and watch everyone else eat fries, pepperoni on a stick, Lemon Shakeup and a candy apple while I eat a vanilla slim fast and a freaking Fiber one bar.
How many of these friends who encouraged me to go the doctor are going to step up and support me in my food hell over the next three weeks?!??!? Shelly already told me she'd do but didn't think she could. She did promise to not eat in front of me! Grrrrr….
So guess what I did tonight? I acted like a spoiled teenager and went out and ate everything bad! I had potato chips, Coke, Chipotle, Sour Patch kids and wine!
I always try to find a silver lining in everything. So here it is: At least I don't have to pack a lunch for school for the next 3 weeks. I can just keep a supply of everything in my room.
After more bitching and pouting, I know I will see the positive outcomes of this diet. But in the meantime, I'm stomping my feet, crossing my arms and glaring at the world. Tomorrow will be a brighter day.
Make Every Day Count…
Denise
For the next 21 days my diet consists of the following:
Breakfast: cereal and a banana
Mid morning snack: granola bar
Lunch: a Slim Fast and a granola bar
Mid afternoon snack: granola bar
Dinner: light menu of my choice
Folks, this is everyday for 21 freaking days!!!!! First of all, I am leery of anyone who drinks their meals! It's just not right! One must chew their meals not drinking them. Of course the disclaimer here is wine. I guess you could drink your lunch if it were wine. Seriously!
I have tickets to the OSU vs. Cincy game on the 27th with pre-game tail gate party. Who the hell takes a slim fast and a granola bar to a tail-gate party!!!!!!! Seriously?!?!?!? I'm freaking out here!
I'm supposed to go the Coshocton County fair in two weeks. What am I supposed to do? Slep my slim fast and granola bar there too?!?!?!?!? Sit back and watch everyone else eat fries, pepperoni on a stick, Lemon Shakeup and a candy apple while I eat a vanilla slim fast and a freaking Fiber one bar.
How many of these friends who encouraged me to go the doctor are going to step up and support me in my food hell over the next three weeks?!??!? Shelly already told me she'd do but didn't think she could. She did promise to not eat in front of me! Grrrrr….
So guess what I did tonight? I acted like a spoiled teenager and went out and ate everything bad! I had potato chips, Coke, Chipotle, Sour Patch kids and wine!
I always try to find a silver lining in everything. So here it is: At least I don't have to pack a lunch for school for the next 3 weeks. I can just keep a supply of everything in my room.
After more bitching and pouting, I know I will see the positive outcomes of this diet. But in the meantime, I'm stomping my feet, crossing my arms and glaring at the world. Tomorrow will be a brighter day.
Make Every Day Count…
Denise
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