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I need to start journaling again

By DragonLady on January 20, 2014

I am really glad I haven’t written in my journal since February 7, 2013. Kind of. I’m glad because so much of it consists of a record of James’ drinking, and did not and do not need to keep track of that. The last entry was about my dad; the first time I put down in writing that he was verbally abusive, and that I suffered because of it. I have now pretty much addressed all that, and am working on healing (and not perpetuating it).

With those 2 big things to deal with, I am glad I finally broke down (literally), and am getting treatment. I am also glad that Dr Garlick convinced me to continue taking happy pills with the half dose. In fact, I might even see about having him add a mild anti-anxiety since recurrent anxiety is as big an issue and the recurrent depression.

And here I am still putting my junk out on the blog. lol. Except not really. There are things that I’ve heard and read over the past few days that I really need to capture. But it’s not stuff that needs to be blogged. So why even mention it at all in a blog post? :dunno: I don’t know. I feel like writing, but I just don’t really have anything to say?

Anyway, I see my feelings doctor this evening. She’ll get a lot of the details. 🙂

This entry is filed under Life, Maniacal Monday, Ramble, Semi-confessional, Video. | 2 Comments

Maniacal Monday #29

By DragonLady on December 30, 2013

I bought 2 new pairs of pants over the weekend. This morning I put on one of them thinking they were brown. They are purple. I’m not even the least bit mad. 😉

I am sick again. It’s the same crap as I had a couple of weeks ago so I guess the hubs and I are just passing it back and forth. Saturday felt like a hangover and it has gone downhill from there. And yes, I am guzzling water.

I made a little trip to Cary Friday that I didn’t really want to make. But, I got a pickup ordered for my acoustic guitar. Actually, 2 got ordered so I will have to take one back. :sigh: I picked up some stuff from Michaels which wasn’t really a bad experience. The line wasn’t real crazy. But, I walked into Old Navy, and turned around and walked back out because it WAS crazy. Then I went to JC Penney to get a new purse, which is how I ended up with new pants and bras. Because sales. Anyway, I get back home, and James came out, and then asked “What happened?” while pointing at the front of my car.

I broke my car. I looked up underneath the bumper and saw bunch of dead grass stuck, and then remembered a few days ago turning too soon out of the driveway and hitting the ditch a little. Guess it was a little more hit than I thought. 🙁

Despite the sick, I was determined to get my hair cut Saturday. Nothing big, just layered. I was tired, and as the lady was cutting, there were a couple of times I shut my eyes, and was on the verge of napping. I think if it had been a dude, I would have gone to sleep because men play with your hair way more than women. Anyway, got that all done and went on a shopping trip to Walmart because I just couldn’t see any way around it without going farther than I wanted to go and spending more than I wanted to spend. The north Chatham Walmart wasn’t all crazy, and it really wasn’t a bad trip at all.

A couple of weeks or so ago, I saw a giveaway on a blog for a necklace that I loved! I’m pretty sure since I have heard nothing, I didn’t win. However, I thought, “I can make that.” It took a lot of trips for chains and connecting rings, and finally some ingenuity, but I made a similar necklace. Also, I made about 5 other necklaces, and have an idea I’m toying around with in my head with regards to jewelry making. I have no pictures yet.

Sunday morning, I had a weird dream. I have lots of weird dreams, but there was a lot of things in this dream that overlapped even though they are not at all related. I had to return a lawn mower to Lowes. But this Lowes in my dream had like a park on the grounds, and the Bridges family were there picnicking. Specifically, Gerald & Bonnie, Joe & Karyn & kids, and Jerry & Deanna & kids. Oh, and I haven’t met Jerry & Deanna in real life. I pretty much know what prompted them all being in the dream, but not at a park at Lowes. Anyway, so I decided the lawn mower in question needed to be tested one more time before returning, so I went out to the highway shoulder to mow. There was a woman out there mowing and she stopped to help a passerby whose car was pulled over on the shoulder in front of her. I needed to ask her if it was ok if I mowed a little bit too, and she wouldn’t stop and let me ask her that real quick so I yelled at her and made her let me ask. And then I mowed anyway, and the mower worked fine. After waking up, I realized that rude woman was the Commissary manager at Tinker AFB when I was stationed there who ignored me when I tried to stop and ask her about formula. Apparently, I am still angry about that incident. lol

I was on the worship team schedule for Sunday, and got there early in the pouring down rain. I was chatting with Pastor Nate a little bit, and he spoke an email into his phone for later, and then said how nice it is that Siri takes those down for him like that. I mentioned that my Siri can’t understand me because either I slur my words, or mumble, or talk too hillbilly to it. That prompted him to ask where I am from originally. Told him Arkansas and he said, “Really? Where in Arkansas?” So I gave him the standard where Morrilton is before saying Morrilton. Because even Arkansans don’t know where Birdtown is unless they are from Conway County or related. Anyway, he said, “So about an hour away from Stuttgart?” Because Pastor Benji was in Stuttgart duck hunting. Small world. Bradford had to change the key of one of the songs. Was not a big deal since it was just a B to A, and I was able to do the chord changes pretty well since it was just 4 chords. I think I lost my place playing during every single song. Shawn said it all sounded great, so I guess I didn’t do too bad. 🙂 There was no afternoon service, and James was at Lee & Rachel’s for the afternoon, and I had a nice quiet house to myself for the afternoon. It was fantastic.

James cooked beans, but they didn’t get done until late, and I kept looking at a steak in the fridge and told him that it needed to be cooked or frozen soon. So he cooked it for me. He then said, that if it was too much that he would finish it off for me. I said, “Oh, I can take in a lot of meat.” And giggled. He said, “Yes, I know.” hahaha!

Last night, I was so worn out that I got in the bed at like 7. I was also cold and couldn’t get my feet warm, so that was another reason. Anyway, I was laying there reading, and my phone rang. After saying “What the heck” because no one calls my cell phone that late on a Sunday, I picked it up and it was Chad. So I answered with “Really?” He said something about Tumblr being blocked again, and I said “You could have just texted me.” Regardless, he didn’t know I was home. lol. And Tumblr was blocked again this morning even though I specifically allowed it multiple times, so I’m switching out AVG’s filter for NetNanny tonight.

This entry is filed under Family, Life, Maniacal Monday, Photos, Ramble, Video. | 6 Comments

Maniacal Monday #28

By DragonLady on December 23, 2013

Let me start off with a confession. I didn’t run this weekend. I was going to Saturday, but I slept in, and then we had to go to Lowes, and then I had some Christmas prep to do which took well into Sunday. Plus, it was pretty stinking hot for the weekend before Christmas. Mid 70’s? Really? So I was like “I’ll run Sunday morning because it is supposed to rain and it won’t seem so hot.” Right. It didn’t rain until after 6pm. Whatevs. I start leave tomorrow, and will have the rest of the week to run/bike whenever. 😉

Christmas shows. So, I have several DVDs and one VHS of my favorite Christmas cartoons/claymations. Every year I take the time to watch all of them, though usually not in one big marathon viewing (not that there are that many), and I’ve just been doing one here and there. Last night I watched Frosty the Snowman. Like you care. lol. Anyway, so I am watching it, and the whole thing is just so ridiculously bad. I had to stop myself from voicing my irritation with the whole thing on social media. And then I had to watch The Year Without a Santa Claus to purge. As if that premise of a story is any better. 😉

I woke up with hives this morning. Fun times. I think I went to bed with them, but I didn’t realize the full scope of the itching until I got up this morning. :-/

Friday night I took both kids to A.C. Moore. It was supposed to just be Jamie and to only get yarn. $130 later… 😮 Chad started an “argument” with me on the way back. He was on the offensive, and I was trying to explain my position without being a jerk, but it was hard because I kept getting frustrated with myself for not being able to clearly articulate what I wanted to say. Meanwhile, Jamie was in the backseat laughing at the exchange which ended so ridiculously and abruptly with Jamie almost choking on her food from laughing so hard. She said later, “No one wins when Chad argues.” lol

Speaking of Lowes, we got paint Saturday as James wants to go ahead and paint the living room. Finally. I’ve been bemoaning those gray walls since we bought the place. He also told me how he wants to decorate the house, and essentially, the living room is going to become a “formal” dining room, and the den/family room will be the living room. Lots of work with that, but a lot of it will be finishing what was started in the den/family room.

Apparently Amber isn’t pregnant. And I think Tiger is the one in heat because he seems to be after her much more than she is bawling. Why haven’t I gotten them fixed yet? :sigh: Also, someone pooped in the floor instead of the litter box during the night. Pretty sure that was KitKat.

And finally, here is a little Snow Miser and Head Miser. Because they make that show. 🙂

This entry is filed under Confessional, Life, Maniacal Monday, Ramble, Running, Video. | 2 Comments

Hello again Monday

By DragonLady on December 16, 2013

I didn’t miss you. Monday, that is. 😉

I also never got around to writing anything after last Monday. Therapy + sick + work + avoidance = DragonLady going all honey badger. As in honey badger got stung by the cobra and had to take a nap. lol

I didn’t really do much of anything over the weekend. I took Jamie to A.C. Moore in the rain, and took one look at the line at Starbucks and we both decided we did not need any fru-fru coffee. We stopped at the thrift store in an effort to find her a scarf, but they didn’t have one she wanted. They did, however, have a black shawl I wanted, so score! She already called me old over it. Stop judging me. 😉

Anyway, once we got back home, I didn’t leave the house again until this morning. Today was my annual physical, and that’s just always fun. I was hoping not to get the bonus rectal exam because exit only, but alas. :sigh: He did say that if my pap is normal that we could do that every 3 years instead of annually since I am low risk in that area. And again he mentioned that I would be getting a colonoscopy when I am 45…which is just a little over a year away. Ugh. My bad cholesterol is high, but my good cholesterol is good and the ratio between the 2 is in the normal range. I didn’t even pay attention to my blood pressure, and he didn’t mention it so I guess it’s ok. It pretty much has been fine since I started running and lost weight. Go figure. 😉 Everything else blood-wise is fine except for vitamin D which is pretty stinking low. So I will be taking 4000 UI instead of my sporadic 1000 UI. And we are cutting the dosage for my happy pills to see if that is behind the increase in muscle and joint pain. Given the non-improvement of the situation(s) that prompted me to ask for happy pills, he recommended I continue to take them for a while which might not be a bad idea since my co-workers last week said “I don’t know how you are handling all that so well.” The Doc said something similar. Therapy and happy pills. And a LOT of prayer. And whiny texts to Petra. lol

I brought up one of the issues tonight, and it got talked about. I disagree with the reasoning, but I understand. And so patience I must have.

Had to run to the dollar store because Chad wasn’t kidding when he said he was out of paper, and I needed a couple of things that are just so much cheaper there. I got him and Jamie both new notebooks, and as soon as I got back they both started in with “What did you get me?” Will they ever outgrow that? Anyway, I looked at them and said, “Pads. I got you both pads.”

I got a tablet last week. My early birthday/Christmas present from me to me.

And now I go to bed because I am tired. No video either, but I will leave with a pic of a gorgeous sunset last week. The photo does not do it justice at all.

This entry is filed under Adventures in Homeschooling, Life, Maniacal Monday, Ramble. | 4 Comments

Maniacal Monday #27

By DragonLady on December 9, 2013

I’m in a pretty craptastic mood (still), and actually spent yesterday evening looking forward to going to work.

I got up Saturday morning and ran the 12ks of Christmas. I mostly ran the whole thing. James called me right at the last mile and nearly threw me all off so I walked up that last hill while putting my phone back in the carrier case. But, I ran down the final stretch determined not to be dead last. lol. And I got the finisher’s medal, and most of the tribers waited on me to finish, and Nicole and George both gave me hugs which was just so sweet. My 1 picture was made when I finally got back to the car.

Oh, and I am still tremendously sore. :sigh:

George invited me to a race on Facebook, and I thought it looked interesting and invited Karyn also just because. Well, she will actually be in town, and so we are both registered for the Morrow Mountain Trail Race 15K which we may or may not end up regretting. And on that note, I think we both signed up for 14 in 2014. I did anyway, and I think Karyn is going to if she hasn’t already. I don’t plan on running anything longer than the Tar Heel 10 Miler, and that one only because I signed up for it last year. Because finisher’s medal. 😉

And the broken out window in the living room finally got fixed. It’s not completely fixed, but the panes are in place and just need to be caulked in. But it didn’t happen before tragedy struck. Sushi/Mako somehow got out of it, and the dogs made short work of ending her life. :wail:

RIP Sushi/Mako

I got caught up on grading this weekend, and got the kids’ work graded, mostly recorded, and new schedules made. There was one portion of Jamie’s Algebra II that I reassigned with “We will go over this together,” because she 1) didn’t seem to get it and 2) had a big “help” written on one of the assignments.

So, I went to YouTube looking for a Fleetwood Mac’s Oh Well, and found this.

This entry is filed under Adventures in Homeschooling, Exercise, Fail, Life, LinkWhoring, Maniacal Monday, Photos, Ramble, Running, Sad, Video. | 2 Comments

Maniacal Monday #26

By DragonLady on December 2, 2013

I woke up with a raging case of brain fog. This after 10 hours of sleep. I was in bed just after 7 last night, and completely out by 8. I hit the snooze a few too many times this morning and so had to make a phone call on my way to work saying I was on my way. That always throws off my groove.

Thanksgiving ruined me. 5 pounds gained. Ugh.

So the Razorbacks were beating LSU, and then I stood in the living room for about 5-10 seconds waiting on my food to heat up in the microwave, and in those few seconds, LSU made the game-winning touchdown. This is why I am not a Hog fan.

On a good football note, the Morrilton Devil Dog football team is going to state. WooHOO! I found my old band jacket over the weekend, and I’m pretty sure once I clean it up, I’ll be wearing it until the game to support my old alma mater.

It mostly still fits. And someone needs to clean that mirror. 😉

Charlotte posted this on Facebook the other morning. Oh man. I am so having my doc test my magnesium level.

Jamie ate an entire ball of wasabi Saturday. It was both terrible and hilarious.

I ordered new running shoes. Finally. I hope they come in before this Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday’s 12k. So my knee decided to go out last week and I could barely get around Friday and Saturday, so there was no run this weekend. Nor was there any biking. So the 12k this Saturday is going to suck. But I was walk/crawl for a finisher’s medal. 😉

I played yesterday at church, and after that post last week getting my insecurity out in the open, I wasn’t really nervous yesterday. Oh I still screwed up chords and even managed a false start or 2 singing during the last service because I got lost, but it didn’t feel devastating. I also had a real good short talk with Bradford after the last service that filled in the missing gap in getting it all right in my head as far as confidence. I took a pic of the stage that morning. Because Christmas. 🙂

I was so exhausted last night when I got home. Which is why I went to bed so early. It was a good tired though.

And the tree has been found and brought in the house so perhaps this weekend it will go up.

This entry is filed under Life, Maniacal Monday, Photos, Video. | 4 Comments

Maniacal Monday #25

By DragonLady on November 25, 2013

I did a little something different and actually started an outline of things for the Monday post over the weekend. Now I am thinking how on earth am I going to kick this thang off? Because why should I just jump right in to my list? Ok, my coffee hasn’t kicked in yet, and it’s been a rush of a morning and I didn’t sleep well because I drank chai tea all day yesterday. But, on the very bright side, as I rushed into Starbucks this morning, Petra’s husband Andrew was in line and bought my coffee, so I was able to rush out as quick as I rushed in. Oh, and Petra is blogging again!! Yay!!

I ran race #13 of 13 in 2013 Saturday morning before the cold air came in. It was a 5k Victory Run/Walk for Gerome Williams, Jr. His sister Nicole is a friend from the Brick City Run Tribe, and it was a fantastic event with a great turnout of folks supporting Gerome. I don’t remember much of the details, but he has a rare condition that caused his liver to fail, and for him to need a liver transplant which he got a couple of weeks ago and is still recovering in the hospital. Keep him and the whole Williams family in your prayers as he recovers. I shamelessly stole a couple of photos off the BCRT page on Facebook.

I couldn’t stay for the awards, but 3 Tribers placed among the top runners.

I left because I had signed up for Christmas decoration & cleanup at church, and headed straight to church in my running clothes. Sweaty and all.

We got Christmas'D! @newhopesanford https://t.co/aVM0prIidf pic.twitter.com/s4B047mmTu

— Nate Marriner (@NateRepublic) November 23, 2013

Pastor Nate was just outside the door as I got there and he told me who to talk to for if I wanted to do outside or inside. I chose inside since I wasn’t really wearing work clothes, and he said to see Ted. That’s when he got the question: “Who is Ted?” I hated even asking that question because you would think that since we have been going there since February/March that I would know the names of more than a handful of people. Anyway, he took me in and pointed to Ted, and I was like “OH! I know him! I just didn’t know his name!” And laughed. Ted was the same. Knew me, but not my name. There was a lot of that throughout the morning, and I am not alone. The faces that I knew are the volunteers who greet and do music and teach the kids. Then there were a bunch of people that go to different services, and over the course of the morning we chatted about that and how there are a lot of people we never see because of different services. That’s the downside, but the upside is that we are large enough to need 3 services and the building isn’t that big. Was a great time, and great folks. Not once did I hear any gossip or backbiting of another member or former member. And, as we got to the end of the work when Nate brought in the pizza and I grabbed my last Kind bar, I got to talking with a lady, and by that I mean she almost literally cornered me. There was a point in the conversation where she asked, “You’re and introvert aren’t you?” LOL!!! When I confirmed, she said, “Well, not now you’re not!” Yeah, she talked my ear off, and it was fine. 🙂 She is also good friends with the lady that I fluffed the wreaths with. And before we all left, we were like a little hub of folks stopping and chatting. And you know they will nearly all have to tell me their names again. 😉

Evie. I went home, and as soon as I got in the door, Evie puked. I said she puked on me, but I think it just splashed up on my ankle from the floor. It was all over the end of the couch and the floor around that end, and smelled like vomit. I gagged, changed my shoes and left. No one else was home except Chad and he was in his room asleep. He and Jamie missed that joy.

Thanks to Evie, I was not up for eating anything at the house, and since I had only eaten 3 Kind bars and quarter of an orange that whole day, I was pretty hungry. I needed to pick up some stuff, and went back and forth between whether to go to Dollar General or Walmart, but opted for Walmart as Harris Teeter was on the way and I could get sushi without getting glutened. Maybe. I don’t think I did anyway. I sat in the parking lot to eat it, and then just kept sitting there playing Whirly Word because it was quiet. And then I took a nap. Yes. I napped for an hour in the Harris Teeter parking lot. It was fabulous. I only vaguely remember the trip to Walmart. lol

I talked around an issue Thursday in my Thinking out Loud post, but didn’t really do into detail. And I’m still not on here (yet), but all the angst and despair just disappeared when I got home the second time Saturday. It was most certainly answered prayer, which had prompted me to continue that prayer. I might drag a post out of the drafts hole that deals specifically with the issue later this week.

Dr Who. I had never watched Dr Who. My husband has watched it for years, and so I had a general idea of the premise of the show. With the 50th anniversary this weekend, I decided to watch it. I was going to Friday night, but I didn’t feel like it and only set to record it. I watched Day of the Doctor Saturday night with the hubs, and thought it was pretty stinking cool! Now I am all like “Why have I never watched this?” 50 years and 12 doctors. That’s a lot of catching up to do. 😉

Once Day of the Doctor was over at 9pm Saturday night, I went to bed. Pretty sure I was asleep before I ever got in bed. Anyway, I was all set to sleep all morning, and then the phone rang at like 7:30am. Panic set in expecting that call you don’t want, but it was Chad’s cell, and I could tell he was shivering as he talked. He had spent the night at Alex’s, and was starting the walk home…in flip flops…and could I please come get him. :tappity: So I put on my moon booties and my big coat, and turned the butt warmers on in the car to get him in my pjs. I was pretty sure my sleeping was over, but yet I crawled back in my nice warm bed and went right back to sleep until nearly 11. Woke up with a splitting headache, upper back/shoulder pain, lower back pain, and hip pain. I had laundry to do, prepping for today’s potluck at lunch, grading and scheduling, and church. I had the back pain Saturday, and motrin didn’t touch it. I ended up in my pjs all day long.

Chad brought me his stuff, so I started grading his work. He finally got caught up, but the answers on a couple of things did not match up with the keys. Then it hit me. I had not put the keys away, and so he had gotten them and tried to cheat but copied the answers from the wrong pace. SMH. Jamie still hasn’t finished. :sigh:

I got James to carry the laundry back upstairs for me, so I wasn’t as bad as it could have been. I really dislike every part of laundry except for having clean clothes.

I signed up to bring dressing and gravy today. I managed to get everything prepped last night so that all I had to do with the dressing was to put it in the oven, and I made the gravy while the dressing was in the oven. The gravy started out too thick, and so I added more milk, but it was too much so it is pretty runny. Oh, well. I made it with bacon grease. Bacon makes everything ok. :pig:

I had some fun with Chad this morning. I don’t remember much of it, but I remember telling him that his friends would be over again sometime, and there would be some more 80’s at which I spoke the words to We Got the Beat. We chatted about that some more and I asked if they had the same reaction to Our Lips are Sealed which I actually played along with. “I don’t even know what that is.” Really, Chad? So then I’m all “It’s another Go-Go’s song. Same album.” Because my 15-year-old should be very well acquainted with pop music from 1981. I told him to YouTube it. He refused. So I did it for you all. :cheesy:

This entry is filed under Adventures in Homeschooling, Life, Maniacal Monday, Photos, Ramble, Running, Video. | 8 Comments

Maniacal Monday #24

By DragonLady on November 18, 2013

Here’s how this day has gone so far. I get to Starbucks this morning, and one of the baristas came up and said “Good morning Martha! What would you like this morning?” Me: “Valium.” And she started to pull out a cup before she realized what I said. She got a good laugh as I handed her my cup and said blonde. I am quite sore today. I’m thinking maybe I did too much over the weekend.

First, I got glutened Friday at lunch. Usually I can get away with fajitas at the Mexican restaurants with no ill effects. Without the tortillas, of course. But they were crazy busy, and I ate one of Walter’s shrimps trying to make him out to be a wimp because no way his could have been more spicy than my spicy pumpkin dip. It was a delayed burn, but I have also had what he had and got glutened, so that could have been it. I haven’t been horribly effected yet, so it wasn’t a big glutening.

Since it was extended, I did the Dynamic Duel Canada vs USA 5k Saturday, only as it’s own run instead of the previous weekend’s combo run. And Saturday’s 5k = 5.4 miles. It was painful too. My knees hurt intermittently throughout the entire run. And my time sucked at 44:02. I hope this weekend’s 5k is better.

I got up yesterday and decided to go on a bike ride since I didn’t get around to it Saturday. I went the big loop by Deep River Park which is 11 miles of up and down. The 9.5 mile loop is more down than up. I pushed up the hill-to-be-conquered. I made a lot of stops. I nearly had to stop and puke around mile 3. But I got it done, and have been in pain ever since. Everything hurts.

We (hubs and I) went grocery shopping Saturday. The big just got paid trip. I needed some guitar strings and new picks, and also needed shampoo specifically from Target, so I planned out an Apex trip. We get to QuarterNote Music, and I did so well staying on target for strings and picks. Got ’em, paid for ’em, and as I was walking out the door, I looked back and saw 6 or 7 electric guitars on sale. They were all used, and 3 of them were under $100. So, yeah, I almost made it out the door with only what I went in for.

I told the lady checking me out that it just became the answer to either fixing or replacing my old one. I’m still going to get the old one fixed. It has too much sentimental value. 🙂 But, the new one sounds so much better and it is so easy to play. I spent several hours playing and tweeking to get just the right sound. Right for me that is. 😉 All this while the kids each had a friend over. Chad said he was pretty embarrassed when I was singing We Got the Beat. LOL!

Then we went to Target, aka Targzhay. This was where James got to witness first hand the type of thing that happens to me when I am out somewhere. I was wearing my “Run and Eat Cupcakes” shirt from last year’s cupcake virtual 5k because I was intending to go biking when we got back home. Apparently wearing that shirt in public means getting stopped by a random stranger to talk about it. I’m starting to notice a pattern when I wear race shirts in public. I can’t consistently blend in and not be noticed. Then again, it really doesn’t matter what I wear. I rarely get in and out of a store without another customer asking me something or just striking up a conversation. Also being an amazon woman, I am often asked to get stuff from top shelves. I complain, but I know it’s good for keeping my social anxiety from completely taking over me.

Grading. So, Jamie finally got her work done from week before last. :sigh: With all the shopping, and kids over, and playing with my new toy, I didn’t get any of Jamie’s work graded Saturday. By the time I slept in and did my bike ride yesterday, I had just enough time before church to do laundry and clean myself. Yes, I had to do laundry before I could shower because Connor was still over, and so wearing a bra was a necessity. But then after I got the clothes in the washer, everybody was gone. Chad went to the mall with Alex, James went to Lee & Rachel’s, and Jamie and Connor left and went to his house leaving me alone in the glorious silence again. I sat and basked in that a while, and also farted around on Facebook and Twitter. So it was after church before I looked at Jamie’s stuff, and decided to put off the grading, and just make out a new schedule. Immediately, I realized that grading was necessary because she has a test today and tomorrow. So I had to grade English and Algebra II. I could have graded Physical Science also, but I put that off because I was so tired and hurting and Sushi kept jumping up on the desk and laying on the answer key and I still had to put my laundry away because it was on the bed. So, yeah, I skipped the science, put away the laundry and went to bed.

This entry is filed under Adventures in Homeschooling, Biking, Exercise, Humor, Life, Maniacal Monday, Photos, Ramble, Running, Video. | 6 Comments

Maniacal Monday #23

By DragonLady on November 11, 2013

I had one of the best and most exhausting weekends in a while. Seriously, 7pm last night, I crashed. It was great. Ok, it was mostly great. There was a lot of yelling when I got home Friday. I even fired James. “I know now I was suffering from pre-menstrual syndrome.” – Truvy Jones. And on that note, I put on my black yoga pants Saturday afternoon, and those things are always covered with lint, fuzz, and hair. My hair, dog hair, and cat hair. Because we all shed. I immediately thought of that scene in Steel Magnolias when Truvy hires Annelle and Annelle tells Truvy she has “tiny little hairs and fuzzies” all over her. Truvy’s response was “There’s so much static electricity in this room, I pick up everything but boys and money.” I tweeted that, because it’s how I roll, and then I went to the store with hair and fuzz all over my black yoga pants. Because that’s also how I roll. My tweets also publish to my Facebook, and thus began the quote-fest. Petra dropped a quote, and we went back and forth for hours while she did photo editing and I graded. I’ve seen that movie way too many times. I’m sure I saw it every day for my last 6 weeks in Kuwait back in ’97. I know that when Lisa and I sat in the chow hall one day with the major, and Steel Magnolias was playing, we were quoting line by line with the movie. And the major looked at us and said, “You guys have been here too long.” Fun times. 🙂

I got up Saturday morning and went to Raleigh to run the 2nd annual Run to Reclaim 5k. It was 30F when the hubs and I left the house. I kept reminding myself that the Anderson Creek 10k earlier this year was a lot colder. Anyway, I caught a fantastic shot of the sunrise over Jordan Lake on the way.

It had been at least 6 weeks since I last ran, so I was totally amazed to finish in under 37 min. My official chip time was 36:42. I combined runs, and so this was also my Dynamic Duel Canada vs USA Virtual 5k run. And if you haven’t, go sign up and do it!! Especially if you are from the states. Because I think I saw an update on FB where Canada had come from behind and was winning. Not that there are any losers in this one as it supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 🙂 Here’s my “finish” photo with the awesome shirt I got from the Run to Reclaim 5k. Because I just love the florescent yellow. 😉

And then I got on my bike and rode 9.69 miles. Which is just crazy. But I only had to stop twice going up the hill-to-be-conquered this time. And one of those I was all bent over my bike trying to catch my breath and not puke in someone’s driveway…while there was someone in the yard.

Grading. That was the other low point of the weekend. Chad bombed 2 of the 3 tests he took last week, and didn’t finish all of his work that he said he finished. :headbang:

I spent nearly all day at church yesterday because I was on schedule to play with the worship team. I’m pretty sure I screwed up the chords on every single song, but especially the last one. I even had the chords written and taped to my guitar and couldn’t get them right. But it was still fun. And I have a cool story. So there we were during the second service after the sermon. Pastor Nate was leading us in prayer before we watched a special video from Pastor Benji. My head is bowed; my eyes are closed. I heard this noise start up, and I wondered what it was. I kept mentally going through everything on stage that could be making it and finally thought maybe Shawn turned on the fan. Then it seemed to be just a bit louder and it started to dawn on me what that noise was and as I opened my eyes and started to raise my head back up, I heard a step from across the stage which was Rodney about to come warn me of the projector screen that I could now see was about to come down on my head. Hilarity then ensued as I quickly tucked and rolled. Ok, I just ducked and moved back. It was funny. Heidi was in the same boat, but she was by Rodney, and not as tall as me, so she had a tad bit more warning. Again I want to say how much I enjoy being part of the C.O.R.E. Worship Team!

Now let me tell you about lunch. The hubs fixed me a gluten free hamburger helperish thing for lunch yesterday, and when we got done with it there really wasn’t enough for my lunch today. So he said he would fix me sweet potato home fries which are awesome! Anyway, when I packed up my lunch this morning, in addition to the sweet potatoes, there was a small container of deviled eggs. Score! And, there was ham underneath the sweet potatoes. Like Christmas in November.

I was singing this the other day grading Jamie’s work:

And I will wrap this us with a huge THANK YOU to all of our veterans today and for those still serving. There are too many friends, family, and co-workers for me to name, but I am partial first to my husband, my extended family and my husband’s family, and then to those I served with in the 3rd Combat Communication Group, Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, and the JAC & 423rd ABS in the UK.

All gave some. Some gave all.

This entry is filed under Biking, Life, LinkWhoring, Maniacal Monday, Military, Photos, Ramble, Remembrance, Running. | 6 Comments

Maniacal Monday #22

By DragonLady on November 4, 2013

This looks to be another busy week. 3 counseling appointments today. 2 for the kids, and 1 for me. Fun times. Since I was going to have to miss half a day of work anyway, I decided since my bed felt so good this morning, I would just take the whole day. I may or may not regret that decision. 😉

I lost a battle with the lawn mower yesterday. There’s just too much to describe without pics that I don’t feel like taking, so suffice to say that even though I can easily put the blade assembly back into the spindle and tighten it down, I cannot get the belt out from under another pully (that has a stripped bolt). So it’s going to probably require a new belt unless the hubs can get it out. But, after that battle was lost, I went in and showered, and by this time Jamie was the only one home besides me. She announced she was leaving shortly, and there I was left at home. Alone. In. The. Quiet. It was fabulous. So much so I had to text Petra and gloat a little about not knowing what to do with myself. She gave me a suggestion which I followed.

And then the kids came home, and I went to bed. lol

KitKat. That cat is so stupid. This is where she has been perching lately.

She sits there, falls asleep, and then falls off. Then she runs right back up there and does it again. Over and over. And Jamie won’t keep her in her room at night to prevent it. Dumb cat.

I’m on the schedule for next Sunday. This time there is only 1 song that I don’t know at all. lol

I’m working on eating clean again. By clean I mean no artificial colors/flavors and minimal artificial preservative. Went grocery shopping Saturday and one of the items we needed was salt. I went after sea salt. James was with me and picked up a container of salt and said “Here.” I took it and looked at the ingredients. Then I read them to him. I picked up another container, and handed it to him saying “Read the ingredients.” “Natural sea salt.” Ok, it probably isn’t “natural,” but it claims to have been harvested from the Mediterranean. And it is one ingredient. Salt.

Now I am back after the meeting with the kids’ counselors. James looked at me and said “You look tired.” Understatement. Drained. And I still have my appointment to go to. It will be a barrel of laughs now. Not that it ever is. 😉

Someone pooped on the floor in front of the litter box instead of IN it. KitKat has a history of that. Stupid cat.

And I rode 9.8 miles Saturday. There is a hill I am determined to conquer. I didn’t have to push my bike up it this time, but I did stop 3 times on the way up before I made it to the top. If I can ride up St Vincent street, I can ride up that hill. Ok, I probably can’t ride up St Vincent right now and since I live 900 miles away, I won’t be trying. 25 years ago I could ride up St Vincent. Anyway, I really pushed it because after about 3 miles I saw rain clouds. I then began to race against the rain. I would say that I won, except the rain went around us.