At long last

I just received an email from my nephew who told me I needed to update my blog- I decided to do it today so I didn't get all the way into December before I wrote again. My life has been totally crazy, and I haven't had one ounce of time or energy to write anything but papers for school. It has been my first semester back in years, and I am so so glad that it's almost over. It's a miracle that I have lasted the entire semester without dropping my classes-and I don't mean that lightly. It is a total miracle. I think three is the right amount of classes for me to take right now, because I feel like I am making some progress, but I am not too burned out that I don't want to return. ( I'm already registered for next semester- another complete miracle)
As far as other things that have happened in the last three months, I can't really think of anything because it's all been school and work. Yikes! I sound so NORMAL! Oh well!

Gratitude for Today
1/ I'm grateful that I could somehow find the energy to do my Kathy Smith workout today.
2/I'm grateful for my flannel sheets- I put them on yesterday and they are so cosy and clean.
3/I'm grateful for my house. I have been doing a paper on homeless teenagers, and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have anywhere to go. Seriously.
4/ I am grateful that I can hear. It would be so hard to be deaf.
5/ I am thinking this is kind of a cheesy thing to do , writing what I am thankful for in every post. Is it too cheesy? Oh well. I am grateful for cheese- with no sugar in my diet (except for when I cheat) cheese really curbs my sweet tooth.

Lame reruns

So I was just reading some old posts and realized that this is the second time I have written about my throat constrictions, and also the second time I have written about my Wal-mart escapades. I think I've said all there is to say, when I start repeating that lame stuff.... Is it possible to delete a blog? I thougth I saw a button somewhere. My life is just one bad rerun after another.

I am afraid to go to sleep tonight. I am afraid to try, because the past couple of nights I have just tossed and turned, and I start to get afraid of my bedroom, because I know what to look foward to in there. Insomniac experts will tell you something I already know- if you have trouble sleeping, leave the bedroom. This will prevent your bedroom from being a place of stress. I already figured that one out. I want to keep my bedroom a happy sleepy place, and it just isn't that for me lately. So I leave as soon as I know it's not gonna happen for me.
Tonight I am doubly wary of my ability to fall asleep, because I am getting a cold. There are a few things that REALLY keep me from sleep, and one of them is a cold. Specifically, the thing that happens that I call "the constriction". I get this tightening thing going on when the cold moves down into my esophogas and squeezes it. I can't really describe it any other way, but it's the pits. I think the anticipation I feel when it starts is worse than anything. All at once, my dreams of a good night's sleep are out the window, and I just have to move on to other things besides slumber. I know you probably don't want to hear my throat woes, but there you have it.

You know another thing that keeps me awake? When my knees are cold. It's the most dumb thing ever, and I hate that I just wrote it out loud.

Gratitude for Monday-

1/ I had another confrontation at Wal Mart when I tried to take my dog in with me, but this one had a happy ending. I didn't leave in a huge huff. We worked it out, the greeter and me. It was cool, even if it was a little stressful and I did sort of cry. But it has been a lot worse, and though this could have been, it wasn't. Maybe there's hope for me, after all!
2/I don't what my life would be like if I hadn't discovered "The Office." I would probably get along just fine, but I can't stand how funny that show is.
3/I'm grateful I am in school again. It's an adjustment and my brain kind of hurts being used after years of atrophy, but I am seriously grateful in so many ways.
4/I'm grateful for clean sheets.
5/I'm grateful that this day is over and I am home.

The Great Dupression

Please, if anyone is reading this, ignore the time of day I am writing. It starts to get embarrassing when the only time I find to write is in the middle of the night- I am sure my posts would be much more coherent if they were written during normal business hours.

Anyway- these days, I am THE SAD KING. My dad owns a publishing company that publishes educational materials, and growing up we worked at his office- most of us kids. We put together books to ship to schools, and one of the books was titled THE SAD KING. The cover was red with a simple illustration of this cute little king of some land, who was SAD. My sister Lolly probably remembers the story of The Sad King, but all I recall is how we laughed at the title, and for years have used it in our repertoire of inside jokes. For instance, the other day Lolly and I went to the movie "La Vie en Rose". If you have seen it you may know why, when the movie ended, she declared in a mournful voice that she was The Sad King. It was a really depressing movie. I don't have any right to be sad since my life wasn't nearly as hard as Edith Piaf's, but in my own little way, I have hard things to deal with that are getting me down. It's been almost eight years since I was diagnosed w/ bipolar disorder, and I am still trying to figure out how to deal with the sads. I never quite get used to it, and I still can't seem to find a medication that helps. It's rather frustrating, because I have tried most of them out there. I haven't been in a depression that has lasted this long that I can recall. I usually have something that pulls me out of it sooner or later, but for the past year, I have just basically been trying to keep my head above water. It could have something to do with:
1. another year of trying & not getting preggers ( man it's getting old- time to adopt)
2. my husband deciding to opt out of the whole church-going Mormon thing
3. general everyday stress (which I don't handle well, even in the best of situations.)

Whatever the cause, I am just not reacting positively to fear and pain. I pretty much have been avoiding situations and people who might trigger the sads- baby showers, church activities, (sometimes church in general) friends w/ kids, etc, etc. Its not that I actually feel sad that I don't have a baby ( I actually feel relieved at times) it's just that I don't want people to feel sorry for me. I HATE that. I never understood it when people said they don't want pity- until recently. Because lately I have been getting a bit of pity, and it is humiliating to the extreme. Yes, I want someone to talk to who will listen IF I feel like talking about things, but I don't want to be felt sorry for. As you may have gathered from certain previous posts, I do that pretty well for myself. So I probably am not helping matters by isolating myself, but I just can't deal with it, not right now.

Lolly and I have a song we made up when we were little ( or did Jill make it up???) Anyway, the lyrics are simple:
"I'm Saaaaad, I'm Saaaaad"

You sing this twice, with a minor third interval jump between the I'm and the Saaaad. It also has really nerdy choreography that involves a spreading of the arms and a sort of tilting thing with your head....and somehow it expresses the state of anguish rather well. It also can't help but distract you- you can't sound and look that mojected without cracking up a little. And if you want to nerd it up even more, you are welcome to close your eyes when your singin' it, really get into it. Yes sir.

Gratitude for the middle of the night:
1/I'm grateful that I don't feel as jealous of Stephenie Meyer as I did earlier tonight. I wish I could be her, but the stabs of envy have subsided a little. I need to stop looking at her website, although I will not stop reading her books over and over, not yet. God give me the strength to quite comparing myself to ANYONE, not just highly accomplished authors of really good vampire novels.

That's all I've got.

The GROWTH

It has not been the best week of my life. It all started off with a yucky audition on Sunday that I don't really want to talk about. I think that I am finally starting to recover, six days later. Nothing like an audition to make you feel like a loser. Not that I don't already feel that way all the time anyway. But it is just made glaringly obvious during an audition; whereas at other times, it is merely a vague awareness. A vague awareness, like a growth on the side of my head that I can't seem to get rid of. That everyone else can see, except me, although I can feel it. At times I do my best to disguise it-- pretend that it is really not there, cover it up-- but somehow ( like at an audition) my cover gets blown, and it's all out there for everyone to gape at. Except that it's more like they avert their eyes and try to ignore the growth. Ignore the loserness.

I really know how to feel sorry for myself, don't I??? It's one of my unloseriest traits. I'm good at that, at least. I wonder if that is why I keep auditioning, to find ways to feel sorry for myself when I don't get the part. I may have too much fun pity-partying in my head to give it up. It's quite a bash, you should come sometime. ( whoever you are)

Gratitude for Friday

1. I'm grateful that I reached my goal for the day- Exercise for 1/2 hour-
Hopefully tomorrow I will have reached my goal for the week, too.
2. I'm grateful that I haven't had much of an appetite this week- It's a nice switch
to actually be able to turn down food!
3. I'm grateful that Weber State University is a feasible commute
from my house- maybe I can actually go!
4. I'm grateful that I caught my dog before he went #2 on my neighbor's yard. They were sitting out on their front porch, watching him circle around on their grass... Whew! Close call! ( yet so embarrassing.)
5. I'm grateful that I feel like singing again.

A brilliant discovery

My discovery today is that when I go the Wal-Mart without makeup on, it triggers something in my universe that says, " Go on, Wal-mart cashier, make a big mistake on my transaction so I can flip out at you in the most unattractive way possible". This has happened more than once, and today was a telltale sign that this is becoming a pattern. There is something about the customer service in Tooele that grates on my nerves so intensely that I try to avoid the place altogether. If I weren't so far from stores in general, I wouldn't be at the mercy of my local Wal-mart or any store in Tooele, but I am. Why does it have to happen on the days when I don't wear any makeup??? I looked ghastly today. G H A S T L Y. My play opens tonight in which I play a woman in a concentration camp, and I purposely did not put on an ounce of make-up. And I was up until 5:00 this morning because my esophagus does this funky thing where it constricts around the throat area and I cannot sleep ( inevitably a cold follows - it's my little getting sick routine ). So I have these fabulous dark PUFFY circles under my eyes, my skin is sallow, I have zits, and the effect is just what I want for my character tonight. But not what I want when I go to the Tooele Wal-Mart. Because, like I said, I have this thing where I flip out. My little sister has a thing with the New York Transit system where she occasionally flips out ( you know what I am talking about, Lolly?) Well, my flip outs are the same as hers are, only with my local cashiers.

I am flipping out in general. Months of working all day, being in a rehearsal all night, church callings, commuting, my house being a disaster all the time, being sick, being grouchy- I am sort of reaching a breaking point. It doesn't exactly feel like it until I look at my behavior and realize (with the matter-of-fact observation of my husband) that maybe am not the horrible person I think I am, maybe I am just tired. Maybe that is what all mean people are, just tired. Cause that is why I was mean today.

I finally got to sleep at around 5:30 this morning ( yay!), only to be awakened by the doorbell and the dog's subsequent barking at 6:30 a.m.... GRRRRRRR. My husband's employee. I have a vague recollection of waking up and being annoyed, but I have no memory of calling this nice, hardworking employee a f...ing a..hole. Which apparently is what I said about him, to my husband, in my sleep.

I am now dropping the f-bomb in my sleep. And I teach Primary kids songs about Jesus.

Nice.

Gratitude for Thursday:

I am so grateful for dancing. It is one thing in my life that comes fairly naturally to me. Everything else is such an uphill battle. I have had so much fun dancing in this play.

I am grateful for central air.

I am grateful that I have next week off work.

But I am also very grateful for my job.

I am grateful that the huge truck that almost hit me last night didn't. It would have been my fault, and I would have been in the hospital today instead of losing it at the Wal-Mart. I am glad it worked out the way it did. I need to be more careful on the roads.

A fall from grace

I ate sugar today.

Those of you who know me know that I do NOT eat sweets with refined sugar in them.

I have eaten sugar on purpose.

I've had accidents before.

This was not an accident.

My neighbor brought by a pina colada shake.

I drank it.

Moments later another neighbor came by with some beautiful Finnish pastries.

I was home alone.

I ate four of them.

I ATE FOUR OF THEM.

Was it worth it, you say???

Oh my no.

Aside from feelings of self-disgust, I'm sporting a killer headache, intense irritability, and my stomach has bloated up like a pillow. I also am rather hopped up so sleep isn't going to come for a while. All of these great reminders to NEVER do that again. What was I thinking??? I think I just forgot what it does to me. Now I remember.

Sugar is no good for me, no good, no good.
I need to eat sugar free, for good, for good.

I can't believe I didn't erase that.

Gratitude:
1/Clouds to cover up the blaring sun
2/sugar free sweets
3/my pretty petunias on the front porch
4/petzyme
5/a good hair day

It's embarrassing that I am writing this @ 4:20 a.m... Yes, I am one of those people who write when they can't sleep. It seems to be the only time that I feel like writing. I have been really sick the past few days. I have been so glad to be sick, strangely enough. It has been an excuse to be home in bed, somewhere that I have not been enough lately. So although I was so happy to have slept all day yesterday, it has screwed up my sleeping schedule so I am awake all night. It doesn't help that my DOG had to wake me up to go out- otherwise I might have been asleep instead. I am not happy with that little prince. Sometimes I love him, other times he is so annoyingly spoiled I just want to... well, I don't want to say because it sounds like animal cruelty. But I think I am guilty of animal cruelty anyway by how terribly I have spoiled that dog. There is no hope for him.

I haven't written in a really long time because I have been incredibly overscheduled since April. I was in Proof which played the first two weekends in May, and now I am in another production called Who Will Carry the Word which plays at the end of June. Whenever I am in a play it just puts my life into a whole new level of chaos- I am so tired ALL OF THE TIME and I get so sick of not having any energy. I don't know that I would be any less tired if I weren't committed to these projects. It just frustrates me to no end to have to drag myself around ALL OF THE TIME. Performing takes the most energy out of me than anything else I have been involved in in my life. Not necessarily the actual performing, but the preparation, the rehearsal, the thinking and gearing up for the performance, not to mention late night rehearsals to throw off my already erratic sleeping schedule. And then on top of that, this next one I'm in has me doin' modern dance. So now I'm sore as well. And I feel like I'm going to get struck by lightening or something by complaining, because there have been so many times in my life where I would have killed to be in a show, and here I am whiningI about it. I am the classic personality who is never satisfied, even when I get what I want. Which is why I made sure to include gratitude in my blog, so I can work on that defect, however small the attempt may be.

Gratitude :
1/ I'm grateful that I don't have rehearsal till next Tuesday
2/I'm grateful that my hubby cleaned the living room
3/I'm grateful that my boss is so flexible with me
4/Food
5/Sleep

Meandering milk

Yesterday there was a cow in my backyard. When I first saw it, it was just sitting there, on the back half of the acre. The funny thing is, it took me a minute to realize it probably shouldn't be there. It looked so natural and relaxed- very at home. I am so used to having strange animals around ( as you may have discovered in me previous posts) that I didn't immediately feel panicked like I did a few years ago when there was a goat down my stairwell. But that's another story. Although... both the goat and cow stories have striking similarities. Both times I called the cops, both times they told me that Wally, the guy who is equipped to come and collect large animals, ( like cows and goats) only works every other day. And wouldn't you know it, both times happened to be Wally's day off, so I am stuck with a large animal that I have no idea what to do with. And both times the animals wandered off. Because both times I tried to get near them and tie them up till help could come, they would run away. I wrote our local paper a sort of gripey letter back during the goat incident, saying that we needed better animal control. The sheriff's department called me all concerned because they printed my letter in the editorial section and apparently made them look bad, which I really didn't mean to do. I was just mad that I had spent an hour cleaning up after the goat's poopies in my stairwell. I had to vent to somebody, and a letter to the editor seemed like the natural place to send it. But here's the funny thing: when the sheriff's department called me back when they discovered my letter about the goat, they told me they would get better equipment to collect stray animals larger than dogs... BUT THEY DIDN"T. Because when I talked to Deputy whoever yesterday ( four years later) about the cow, they said they couldn't come get him because they didn't have the equipment to collect large farm animals. Isn't that just like politics? Makin' us all these promises they don't intend to keep, just to get our votes. I am so disillusioned. All over a cow.


Gratitude for April 4
1/creative outlets
2/my job
3/pansies
4/another day w/my puppy
5/Hires french fries ( I always have to add some kind of food)

Sludge

It is snowing today and I am highly upset. I can relate very well to the wet cats sitting across the street on my neighbors porch. They are so miserable. It's one of those wet, soggy, sloshy snows and for some reason it is out to get me. It has gotten under my skin from the moment I woke up. I've known and have been preparing mentally for this storm for a week, so you'd think I would have accepted it by now. I haven't. It's time for spring to come and to stay, so I can go outside, and do the "dump in my backyard" clean-up. Yes, I have a miniature landfill that is located about thirty yards from the back of my house. Old rusted metal, barbed wire, tires, boards, you name it, it has been laying there rusting for who knows how many years before we moved here. I think that is one of the reasons we got our land for such a great deal. Somehow it hasn't bothered me as much as I thought it would. When we first moved in, we called the county health department to put the heat on our neighbors to get rid of it. ( the pile straddles the property line between us, but it's their pile...) Anyway, their solution was to light it on fire, which reduced it to about half it's size. Now all that is left is the inflammable material, and that never did get cleaned up. I guess the county gave up on their threatenings. I am secretly glad they did, because I have decided this spring to clean it up myself, since obviously I am the only one around here that wants it gone. Each week I fill the garbage can up with the refuse, and slowly but surely it is getting a bit smaller. There are a few huge pieces that we will have to haul to the dump, but I am having so much fun. Since we don't have our landscaping put in yet, there hasn't been any reason for me to work outside, and now this dump pile has given me an excuse. It also is extremely satisfying, getting rid of crap that has been sitting there rusting for years. I take my puppy out with me, and we enjoy the beautiful spring weather, the meadowlarks singing, the sun shining down on us...

Then all of a sudden, it decides to stop being spring and snow sogginess all over the place. Grrrrrr.

Woe is me

So this month I am a costumer. How did I get here? I am a costumer who cannot sew. Okay, here's the story. I am in a play for a brand new theater company of which I am a part. By that I mean that I actually have a part in their very first play, "Arcadia", and I am an ensemble member, which means that I take part in bi-monthly workshops, and such. The group is called the Pinnacle Acting Company, and I am actually not sure how on earth I got hooked up with it. Yes, I've been performing quite steadily the past few years, but things have taken a direction I am not sure I want to go in, but that I am also rather excited about. Or at least I thought I was excited... right now I am really overwhelmed and tired. Because , as I said, I am also in charge of costumes, and it has turn into a much more massive project than I ever dreamed, and I feel drained and lonesome as a result. Why does costuming make me feel lonely??? I do not like to be in charge for one thing. I want people to take care of me, not me taking care of them! Costumers are notorious in the theater world for being very grouchy and mean, and I am starting to understand why. It is dang hard to find everybody something that fits, and to find time to fit them and to find something that is the correct time period... I have been all over town pulling costumes and I don't even feel like I have scratched the surface. I should look at the bright side, see all that I have accomplished so far, but all I can think about is how much more I have to do. And that is just the costumes-then there is the memorizing of lines, character development, selling tickets, printing programs, and dealing with my feelings of complete inadequacy as an actor and just a freakin' person in general. What was that noise? I think I hear violins playing for me... waa waa.

I told you this is where I come to vent...

Gratitude for Friday-
1/Bunny tracks sugar-free ice cream
2/the fact that I did find some perfect
costumes for my character today
3/the other fact that its Friday
4/my cute new haircut & color- it was
way past time
5/my cute dad

Eternal Fall

So my favorite fall in history is now over. Not my favorite fall event-wise, but my favorite fall weather-wise. Usually autumn in Utah is very short and disappointing...but this year? It stretched from early September until just a few days ago when we got our first snowstorm. AFTER thanksgiving, even. There is something so incredibly invigorating about the fall. Maybe it's because it's my birthday-time ( October) or maybe it's such a relief after the long stiflingly hot summers. My perfect weather is about 70-75 degrees and sunny... not summer-sunny, but fall- sunny-- there is a distinct difference. The sun is more intense in the fall, I swear. And the sunflowers this year.... vibrant city. We get incredible sunflowers along the highways and the mountains. One day I was walking along my favorite dirt trail up from my house, and I walked through a grove of sunflowers with the afternoon sun shining through them and I had to stop and cry I was so happy. I seriously couldn't take in the happiness. And as there were a few bitter moments this fall, (as I said, event-wise, it wasn't the best) the beauty of the season was a constant comfort for me. It is strange, but I am sure that is why I appreciated it more. Sometimes I notice the simple beauties of life more when I am struggling with something. Sad, but true.

Goodbye, best fall ever. I will miss all the orange.

Gratitude for Thursday:

1/ My funnest friend from the cast called me today and said he would
be able to come to the cast party I am having at my house tomorrow. I
am so glad is able to make it. He is hilarious.
2/This sounds weird, but I am grateful I saw some peacocks perched atop some
huge trees by our church yesterday. They are owned by the people living in the house below the trees, but I don't know why or how they got up there. I didn't know they could fly that high, and what on earth were they doing? They looked like those vultures from Jungle Book sittin' on a bare tree, only they were peacocks. Can someone please explain this to me? It was so cool and entertaining. I've learned so much about birds living here.
3/I am grateful for leftover night. It's great to not have to cook AND to get rid of all the food in the fridge. Make way for the new!
4/I am grateful my hubster and I are going on a short getaway for our anniversary. It's hard to have an anniversary in December. I can imagine how people w/ birthdays in December feel.
5/I am grateful for my cutest fluffiest puppykins. It's unbearable how much I love him.

There's no business....

It's the eve of the final day of yet another production... and this one has been especially intense. I have learned so much about myself and my limitations, vocally and otherwise. This is both a good and a bad thing. Another good and bad thing is that I have met some amazing people who I am going to sorely miss. ( good that I met them, bad that I won't see them anymore.) The one consolation is that next week I am going to New York with a friend from the cast... I can hardly wait.

What has made this show so intense??? It's hard to say, but mainly the fact that it seems to have gobbled up most of my energy and time since August. I won't know what to do with myself when it's officially over. It's strange how we adjust. It almost killed me at first to give up all of that time, and now I am almost counting on my crazy schedule. Theater is completely nuts. You go through this intense experience with a group of people, and get to know them in a way that you don't even know your closest friends or relatives, and then it ends. Not just the relationships, but the show, too. This creation that you work so hard to put together, the costumes, make-up, hair, characters, music, dancing, and all of the sudden- POOF! It's gone... and all you have left are a few pictures and lots of memories. And the next question is always... what's next????

That's what I'd like to know!!!


Gratitude
1. My new luggage (purple, of course!)
2. Being home
3. Forgiveness ( I sure need it often)
4. seeing friends I hadly ever see
5. stuffed mushrooms

Bandwagon Blog

I am jumping on the bandwagon of bloggers I've read recently who write out what they do in a day- i.e., their daily routine. Problem is I don't have daily routine to really speak of, but I will attempt to flesh it out for you.


8:00 or so: wake up and snuggle with the Mudgie ( my dog) He is especially sweet when he wakes up and will give us lots of kisses which he never otherwise does. Take him out for the morning potty, and praise him heartily when he returns from the event. ( he knows he's a good boy and shows it)
After this I usually eat. Food is the first thing on my mind in the morning, and since I don't work everyday, is many times the one reason I have to get out of bed ( besides the dog). Boy I sure love Great Grains with Pecans, although on my good days I eat oatmeal and fruit when I have the time to cook it. I have been avoiding oatmeal lately because I only like the kind you get at the Welfare Cannery and I am out and have to rely on the sick big -oat oatmeal you get at the grocery store. So I opt for my yummy pecan cereal instead. I really need to take a trip to the cannery but it sure depresses me. ( I hate wearing a hair cap.. I feel so lunch lady-- do any of you know what I am talking about????) But I digress.
On my really good girl days I next vocalize. Right now I am working on some music for a concert I am soloing in next week, so I am extra motivated since I am singing opera for the first time in years and I am freaked out enough to practice.
Then the dreaded shower. I hate to shower. I just takes so long to get ready. I need to simplify somehow, because sometimes it just doesn't even happen. ( more days than I care to admit) My hair is getting longer and thicker, takes forever to dry, and some days there is just no point because I don't really go anywhere.

After that I usually clean my house. Laundry... I love to do laundry. I am always up for a load of laundry, especially in the morning. The sound of the washer going really makes me feel like I am up and at 'em. Then I write in my morning pages ( something I am supposed to do when I first wake up) pray, and read scriptures. My scripture study usually consists of opening a random page and reading a verse or two while I eat a meal. It is so pathetic and I have guilt over it.

As I do with a lot of things.

Next is my job in SLC ( which I don't want to talk about) then home for a quick couple of hours, then back to SLC rehearsal for the third production of the Secret Garden. I am officially sick of the Secret Garden.

But evening is when I truly have a routine, more or less. I get home from rehearsal at about 10:38. My hubby has long since gone to bed, and the puppy knows that this is his time with me. We play, he eats, I give him his Kong ( a treat- stuffed dog puzzle) check my email, phone messages, and get ready for bed. I love the nighttime and stay up way longer than I should. It's quiet and peaceful, I don't feel guilt that I should be doing something else with the day, because the day is almost over and I shouldn't be expected to start anything too strenuous before bed, should I???

My life is extremely good but I still manage to feel like the world's biggest loser. I honestly don't know what to do about that. I gotta stop it.

There you have it.

Gratitude for Today
1/My totally incredible kind supportive loving husband
2/ The new pot for my plant
3/wonderful scents ( food, spiced wassail candles, coconut lime verbena)
4/classical music
5/public radio and television

A Realization

My husband and I went on a hike today. It was a big day because I have been trying to get him to go on a hike with me for years, and I've yearned for a partner because it's not something I want to do alone-- I have rather large phobias about being attacked in the mountains, or else getting lost or something. I've dragged both of my sisters out on hikes, but I always though it would be so romantic to go with my old man. Somehow or other we both found ourselves with a day off, looking at each other and deciding what to do that didn't consist of sitting on the couch watching reruns on the DVR. I suggested a hike, and to my utter shock he agreed to go. I hurried and packed a lunch and we went on a beautiful hike with our puppy, the fall colors vivid and the cool mountain air wafting all around. We were immersed in a deep and meaningful conversation about life, all I ever dreamed of was coming true, and then.... I got cold. And man, that hike was a lot longer than I remembered-- my dog was whining, and the mountain was dark and all I could think about was my warm house and bed. I felt sort of urgent inside myself to get home, and we decided to turn around. Making our way back down I came to a sad conclusion about myself-- I don't like hiking after all. I'd much rather have stayed in bed. ( How sad is that?????)

Gratitude for Tuesday
1/ Being warm
2/ Sausage ( I wish I didn't love it so much)
3/ My new grey pants
4/ Beautiful music to sing
5/ the color orange ( Especially this time of year-- it's so intense)

Potties

I am sitting here in my office that I just spent two days painting. I am SO TIRED. I painted with my husband for quite a few years until I wisened up and got a job where I wouldn't have to slosh through mud to slink into the nearest port-a-potty shared by thirty other men from the surrounding construction sites. I wonder if that is why I have so many recurring nightmares that I am in a filthy bathroom. It has become a major phobia for me. ( That and the mud-- I hate mud) But it makes me seriously appreciate having a job with access to one of the prettiest, CLEANEST, and genteel bathrooms you've ever seen. And the toilets even flush (gasp!) and I can actually wash my hands (wow!) AND IT EVEN HAS A BUILT IN AIR FRESHENER that sneezes out sweet smells every fifteen minutes. And get this--it has a Victorian sitting area for nursing mothers with a little fireplace and everything. I don't know if life could get any better.

Gratitude:

1/ Food to eat
2/ Clothes to wear
3/ Freedom
4/My husband
5/ Feeling hopeful
6/ My dog
7/Opportunities to sing

Bye Bye Blog????

I can't believe how long it has been since my last post. Time has sped on by... I really wanted to get rid of my blog but for some reason I can't seem to do it. It would be so simple, but SOMETHING is holding me back. Maybe one day I will wake up and just delete it. I just don't really have anything to write about, and if I do have something, it isn't something I want anyone to read.

I'm kind of tired of doing things I don't want to do.


Gratitude for Friday:

1/ I am grateful I have more energy today.
2/I am grateful that Tooele is growing so at least there is one decent clothing store now, and not just WalMart.
3/I am grateful that I get to go see Seussical tomorrow night. I have never seen it, and I am really going to make more of an effort to see shows that my friends are in. I regret so much the shows I have missed because once they are over, that's it. I can go see a movie anytime.
4/ I am grateful I have two new musical albums coming in the mail. My collection is growing!
5/ I am grateful for The Firm with Sandahl Bergman. I don't know a better workout video out there.

An unwelcome guest

I went outside the other day through my front door, and I noticed a THING up in the corner of my porch roof. At first I thought it was a wasp or hornet's nest, but upon closer examination, it was NOT. It was brown, furry and bigger than anything had a right to be sitting up there like that. I thought maybe it was some sort of mutant beetle, because it was kind of rounded, but I wasn't about to find out on my own. I waited for my brave man to come home and take care of it for me. His solution was to spray the thing with the bug spray we've been using to kill all the earwigs we've been inundated with this summer ( the grodiest bugs ever-- I hate them)

The moment he hit the thing with the spray, I somehow knew exactly what it was by the way it sort of shifted. It was a little brown bat, hangin' upside down taking a nap. I think we hurt it with the bug spray, and it made me so sad because it wasn't in anyone's way up there. But we must have made it feel most unwelcome, because it left sometime during nightfall. I must say, I am glad it's gone- what do you do when someone comes to your door and a bat swoops around their head? Creepsville. I'd feel like we lived in Dracula's castle or something. But it sure was a cute little thing. Why can't bats be pets? They'd be so crazy, hanging all over your house.

Gratitude:
1/I'm grateful my sister made it back safely from Inja.
2/I'm grateful that I could get the curtains hung in my bedroom.
They look so pretty
3/I'm grateful that I am still 29 for another couple of months... hanging
on by a thread!
4/I'm grateful that my Young Women's activity is over for the month. I'm burned out.
5/ I am grateful for make-up. I know it's vain, but what do you do? It helps.

Today on Animal Rescue....

I have had many interesting animal experiences here in my crazy town. I've already written about the neighborhood- roaming pig, but did I mention the runaway goat that got stuck in my stairwell? Or the pigeon I found maliciously tied up by some sicko so it couldn't fly? Or else the peacock moseyin' around our yard????? ( I don't know the exact purpose for someone keeping a peacock, but you'd be surprised what animals people keep as pets or whatever out here.) And holy cow, how many times have there been horses on the loose around here? Scares me to death. They're so BIG.

Well, today I had an animal experience that could've happened anywhere. Some kids in my neighborhood found a wounded hummingbird sitting by the stop sign at the end of our street. It didn't move, so they picked it up. They didn't know what to do with it, so their mom told them to bring it to me. ( My neighbors think I know something about animals, I have no idea why they would think that except that I have a dog..) Anyway, I told them I would take it, without the slighest clue what to do. I looked at it for about a half an hour, then I picked it up ( so cute!) and spoonfed it some sugar water. Oh! You can't believe the adorableness! This bird was so beautiful, so trusting, and so small that I just sat there and held it for over an hour, giving it little sips of water every few minutes and petting it's tiny head. I discovered that hummingbirds have a tiny long tongue that laps? up the nectar, something I never knew before. This particular hummingbird had a row of purple feathers on the neck and looked like it was wearing a choker. It was amazing. Its favorite position when I was holding it was to perch on my finger, it's tiny talons somehow holding on and keeping balance.

After a while I decided I needed to find a place to take it to .... I remembered a bird rehabilation center I had heard about, and the sweet thing could not fly. It could flap its wings, but there was something faulty about one of them. I made a few calls and found a lady that had a wildlife rehabilition place not too far from me, so I packed up the poor thing up and took it to her. Apparently I wasn't supposed to be holding it and feeding it... she said to put it in a quiet, dark place so it wouldn't get too stressed and well, I didn't and so what do you do? Now I know better-- but I felt so glad to help the darling thing. Hummingbirds have always been a bit of an obsession with me, I think they are so amazing. Hopefully it will recover and get better, there is something so fragile and sweet about them. They're just so mini!

Anywho, that is my crazy animal experience for this month, stay tuned cuz I'm sure there will be more!

P.S. About that pigeon... I took it to the vet and we got it out of the trap and it flew away happily-- another happy bird rescue!!! Perhaps I should go into business.

Gratitude for Tuesday-
1. I'm grateful for sugar free chocolate chip cookies. ( since I stopped eating sugar, that is the thing I miss the most)
2. I'm grateful I am learning (sort of ) how to sew.
3. I'm grateful that my puppy is getting his hair cut tomorrow.
4.I'm grateful that someone else is doing it cause all he does is bite me when I try to do any grooming. Such a bad puppykins!
5. I'm grateful for central air. I am so spoiled.

True Friend

There are some people in your life who you just feel were sent specifically to be there for you... I don't know if that is true or not, but I feel it today. I don't want to sound corny and say that they are angels, but what is another word ??? Nice people who are there for you? I guess the best word for it is a friend-- of the truest kind. There is a lady in my town who is that kind of person for me... it is uncanny how she is there when I need it the most. My hubby and I sometimes just laugh at how amazing she is. She is the Young Women's President in our ward, a mother of eight, involved in just about everything you could be in, and she still has time to be my friend... and I, with my crazily non-stressful life, --- well, lets just say I am not the most perfect friend, and I could take a few pointers from her.

The main thing about living out in our small countryish town is that I don't mesh with too many people here, i.e., I don't have many friends. Sometimes I would like to know more people, but many people here are related and are very close-knit, and don't really need any outsiders like me. Then there's also the fact that I just don't get them. They are some strange kind of breed, and I start to get to know them, but then realize I don't know how to get along with their kind. I have had problems with this ever since we moved here over five years ago, and it is a great cause of grief to me, mainly because I just get lonely. Even though I have dear friends and family in Salt Lake, it really makes a difference if you can have people in your immediate proximity to depend on for some social interaction and support.
Anyway, back to my Friend. I was feeling especially leperous and lonely today ( do I repel people with my personality? I've done so before) when I went to this lady's house to borrow some keys to get into our ward building. Since I am in Young Women's with this lady I tend to see her multiple times in a week, and so when she opened the door I asked " Are you sick of me yet?" thinking she would just laugh and say something polite like, "Silly girl!" Instead, she just smiled, and gave me a HUG. Never have I needed a hug more, and never has something so small meant so much to me. It said "You are someone I like to see, someone I like to be around, and are not the pathetic loser you think you are" right when I was SURE I was the opposite. I am not going to post any gratitude today because that counts for all five....