Ten on Tuesday - The Picnic Edition

Spring finally seems to be arriving.  The trees are getting really green now, the orioles have returned and are chattering away wildly in the yard, and we climbed the mountain for the first time together on Saturday.  Carole has prompted us this week to talk about 10 Things You Would Bring On a Picnic.  Well, we’re not big picnic folk here but we do enjoy some outdoor snacks on occasion.  We really like to go to the lake on Friday night and float around in the middle, our own Red Neck Yacht Club.  We travel to the brook on occasion with a chair and some reading.  We kayak a lot with friends.  So I guess you could consider these events picnic like.  Often they include…

1.       Wine

2.       Beer

3.       Cheese and Crackers

4.       Summer Sausage

5.       Chicken Salad Sandwiches

6.       Hummus or guacamole or salsa

7.       Fruit

8.       Great stories to tell.

9.       Sunscreen

10.   Someone you love.

Ten on Tuesday - The Mom Edition

Oh my, Moms!  We watch a fair amount of t.v. and pretty much always have.  That 9-10 p.m. wind down can erase any troubles I may have had during the day and pretty much allows for a complete and total vegetative state if necessary.  I won’t deny it…I enjoy it.  So today we’re talking about our favorite t.v. Moms.  I’m not a real detail person (I watch it and then it’s gone from my  head) but there are some characters that I love and that have made me laugh very hard in my day.  That said, there are some dark ladies too.  Let’s take a look, in no real order…

1.        Debra Barone.  The scene where she smashes the bag of donuts will stay with me forever. I think if I had a favorite she may be the one.  (Everybody Loves Raymond)

2.       Or…Kitty Foreman.  I think we would have been great friends.  Her love for Red is so real and true as is the love for her kids and their friends.  But how in God’s name could she have not known what was going on in that basement? (That '70s Show)

3.         Marie Barone.  Yes, she’s a nightmare but she’s damn funny. (Everybody Loves Raymond)

4.       Claire Dunphy.  She’s kind of humanized us I think.  Mistakes do  happen! (Modern Family)

5.       Dr. Beverly Hofstadter.  Leonard’s mom and her fabulously funny relationship with Sheldon is the bomb.  And well, I just like Christine Baranski period. (The Big Bang Theory)

6.       Tami Taylor.  Besides the fact that she’s married to hotty Eric Taylor, she was a great Mom, new Mom again and guidance counselor.  And come to think of it, I just like Connie Britton too. (Friday Night Lights)

7.       Daenerys Targaryen.  She’s got DRAGONS FOR KIDS! (Game of Thrones)

8.       Betty Draper Francis.  Betty, Betty, Betty.  I pray that woman has found birth control. (Mad Men)

9.       Miss Kay Robertson.  She’s sweet and she wrangles those Duck dudes pretty well. I’d like to join them for dinner one of these days. (Duck Dynasty)

10.    And finally...Edith Bunker.  She was a sweetie.

Don't forget to go to Carole's blog and see what everyone else is up to today! (All In The Family)

America The Beautiful - May 2013

Good Morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  I’m feeling a bit sentimental and thankful today, spurred on by Simon and Garfunkel’s America on the radio first thing this morning.  You see, we took a 1000 mile ride to Hagerstown, MD this weekend. We drove to a hotel, met Dan and his pal Jeremy, had dinner, slept over, exchanged vehicles and got in the car and drove back.

And I loved it.  I love riding in the car and taking in the sites.  I love the farms, the cows, the cities, singing along with the radio (much to Doug’s dismay) and knowing the name of every trucking company east of the Mississippi.  I love this beautiful country and I can’t wait to see more of it, very soon.  Here are a few snippets of our weekend. 

(Pardon the mis-matched frames!)

Second Sunday in May

Wishing all of the Moms out there a wonderful Mother's Day.  I'll get about an 18 hour visit with Dan over the weekend and I'm pretty pumped about that.  

Happy weekend my friends.

Ten on Tuesday - The Knitter Edition

10 Reasons Why I Knit

1.     Obviously, I enjoy it.  The activity is generally calming and the comfortable rhythm is a good way to begin and end the day for me.

2.    That said, it can be challenging and that is good for my brain and satisfying when the challenge is met…successfully.  No matter how long that may take.  Or how many times you rip it out.

3.    I like my knitted goods.  I love my socks, shawls and sweaters.  Especially when they fit.

4.    Gift giving.  I especially like gifting socks.

5.    Researching patterns on line, buying and reading through knitting pattern books, looking at all the pretty pictures.  Good times.

6.    Yarn.  Need I say more?

7.    The community.  Knitters are cool.

8.    Idle time.  The car, the doctor’s office, the registry, etc.  No boredom, just knitting.

9.    There’s always something else to learn or tackle, if I’m so inclined to take it on.

10.   That’s it. Be sure to take a look around Carole’s blog and see what everyone else is up to today!

Post PT

One thing I didn’t list on my things to do in May was to end physical therapy.  It’s hard to believe that it’s been 7 months since “the incident”.  As I’ve said before, I was thrown for a real live loop.  I was a bit unprepared for complete inability to use the arm, for the pain that stayed around for a while, and for the lack of sleep that almost sent me over the edge at week 9.  It all seems so long ago now.  The amazing healing process of body and spirit will never go unappreciated on my part.  For the people in my world who have helped me along the way, listened to me talk about it, and still continue to ask how I am - all I can say is thank-you.   Cuz really, I’m sure you’re all pretty much done with my damn arm talk. 

Yesterday was my last day at PT.  My wonderful therapist Julie has been a motivator, tough talker, awesome knot remover and friend since the beginning. 

Her college intern Derek has been the recipient of way more advice than he ever needed about life and love from the both of us.  The atmosphere at the rehab is happy and upbeat and fun.  I never thought I would be here this long, but it was necessary and  productive.

 We ate pizza and whoopie pies and had a grand 'ole good-bye.  I hope I never see them again. ;-)  

Ten on Tuesday - May Days Edition

Spring seems to have sprung!  Carole has us looking toward the bright and beautiful month of May and 10 Things I’m looking forward to in the month of May. 

1.       Celebrating Rocket’s 13^th birthday.  It’s kind of a miracle since we’ve thought he was close to the end a few times over the last couple of years.

2.       Visiting with Dan. We’re going to have a quick overnight meet up in Hagerstown, MD to switch vehicles.  I do miss that boy.

3.       A wedding this coming Saturday.  It will be fun to get dressed up for a change and hopefully warm enough to enjoy having a dress on!

4.       A bright, beautiful pedicure. (I guess I should get that done by Saturday…)

5.       Working out in the yard.  Getting some long unattended areas back in shape.

6.       Sitting on the porch and the deck. 

7.       Running an hour by the end of the month.

8.       Getting in the kayak. 

9.       Climbing Mount Monadnock.

10.   Cookouts with friends.

I can't wait for the continued good weather and to see what you're all up to in May!