Sometimes you've got to...

FLOAT!!

If life gets too hectic, you've just got to float.

This summer the ladies and I spent hours every weekend floating. We hooked our rafts up to my parents pontoon boat and left it up the the guys to tow us around the lake. The guys would fish off the sides of the boat as they pulled us around.

There has never been anything so relaxing as floating around the lake with your favorite girls.

It was a win win situation for all!

Rainbows

Colorado 2009

My daughter took this picture when were were on vacation. We were driving through the national park and almost missed this view.

When I look at this picture I can remember where I was mentally in my journey to find myself. I can see how far we, as a family, have come since then. At the time it was just a pretty rainbow to look at.

I look at it now and can see how much we have healed.

We have quite a ways to go yet, but I know we will see more and more rainbows in the days to come.

Net

 

Against the wind

Erik's guitar

I am driving my daughters car for awhile. Yesterday I put in a random cd and heard a song that took me back in time. I used to believe that before anyone could become a DJ they had to take a vow to always play Bob Seger's music at every homecoming, company party and wedding they ever worked at.

Yesterday I listened to his song Against The Wind. I mean that I really listened to the words from an adults perspective. I know what the song was about in my teenage mind, but the song I was now hearing had a whole different meaning. There are some really great lines in this song. A few of my favorites:

We were young and strong and we were running against the wind.

Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then.

Guess I lost my way

there were oh so many roads

I was living to run and running to live.

Never worrying about paying

or how much I owed.

I have so much more to think about.

Dead lines and commitments,

what to leave in

and what to leave out.

It was fun just listening to this song and hearing it in a different way than I had when I was young because

I'm older now but still running against the wind.

Net



First Friday Class of 79

I have been feeling rather blue this week and not exactly sure why. I am choosing to look back at my childhood friends as a way to get one of those warm fuzzy feelings...ok, that was dumb, really I just thought it would be a fun thing to look at how my First Friday group came together.

I am thinking that from the class of 79, Theresa and I have probably been friends the longest.

Our parents are friends and so it seems we just followed in their footsteps. Theresa's parents are my brothers godparents and mine are one of her bothers godparents. My first memory of Theresa is playing at her house...the pink house. In kindergarten I was walking home from school (perfectly safe in those days). I saw her up front a ways walking with a friend of hers. I got so excited that I ran up behind her her and grabbed her by the neck...hey, I said it was kindergarten and I did not know it may possibly hurt her. The friend she was with screeched at me so loud that my little feelers were hurt. I ran ahead of them crying all the way home. What a weird thing to remember. One time we were playing school at her house and we drew naughty pictures. They were as naughty as our approx 10 or 11 year old minds could imagine, so they were probably funny. Anyway, Theresa's mom found them since we were not smart enough to know they were naughty and that we should hide them. The next day we were leaving on a girl scout camping trip. I clearly remember Theresa telling me that her mom found the pictures. It was a very sad moment in time when my friend told me that she had to pay her mom all the money she had so that her dad would not see the evidence of our crime. I remember asking if she thought it would help if I gave her mom my money.

To my relief I was told no...I had plans for the $1.21.

I know that Susie, Joni and Tina were going to elementary school at the same time and I do remember them, but can't say that we were exactly friends in those beginning years. Chris K moved to our school somewhere in those years, but I just don't remember when.

It must have been during my "ME" years.

Chris C moved in 7th grade. She met us as we were squirting each other with the sink hoses in her Aunts home-ec class.

Theresa and my parents were also friends with Joni's but I'm not sure I have any clear cut memories of young Joni, I think she was just always there. (sorry Joni).

I do remember a boy named Bobby chasing Susie around the class room one time when the teacher had stepped out. Not sure what he had in mind but man that girl could run. Years later Susie, AKA Suz and I walked home from school together for the first time. We cut through the back hill to my house. She told me her phone number in such a unique way that I could walk to the phone and call her mom right now.

And Tina...who could forget the first time we tied her to her chair in one of our classes. It may have been some class like Political Science or one equally as boring. We thought we were really funny. We didn't do it to be mean (hindsight..it may have been mean) it was such a boring class and those ties to her pink shirt were so tempting. If memory serves me right, it was Suz that did it. Angie, AKA Ang, had moved to town by then. I doubt it was Ang that tied up Tina because she was pretty busy hiding from us the answers on her worksheet. Wow, who would have thought that boring class would be so much fun!

This is the foundation to the friendships

that have lasted at least 40 years.

This is also my memory of how things began.

Regardless, this was the start for the class of 79 First Friday group.

The Mouths of Babes

This weekend My husband and I went to see our son.

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law, along with my 2 young nephews also came for the visit. Because it is the long Labor Day weekend, the place was packed full of visitors

 all wanting to see their loved one.

Explaining the procedure to my 2 young nephews I used the words of my niece, "and over there is where they get recess." I explained how the guard would look at the bottom of their feet and in their shoes.  I thought I was a pretty quick thinker when they asked me why and I explained that the guard needs to make sure they are not trying to sneak a key into the prison. I guess it wasn't the best of explanation. The older nephew explains that they would notice someone walking in with a key in their shoe. He then shows me how a person would look with a key in their shoe, and he was right, it would definitely draw attention.  I then explain that the guard will have them raise their hands so they can check out the boys shirts.  Again..."why"

Well what the heck, I have nothing to loose by trying the same explanation. "Because maybe you have a key hidden under your arm"   My nephew laughs and explains that the key would fall out if you raise your hands.

End of explanations.

Inside the boys go with me to show that they had no keys with them. The younger one is quite impressed with the process but did not think it was fair that the guards had walkie talkies and he did not get one. Once inside I take the boys to the vending machine where they can pick candy and chips and drinks. They make their selection and go to our seats and the younger nephew sits down, smiles and says

" I LOVE this place!!!"

Again...out of the mouths of babes.

Net