Create & Connect

Fun times...cheeseburger '09

2009-08-13T09:45:00.004-05:00

Contemplations on the 4th...

2009-07-21T21:18:00.007-05:00

Note that the "clouds" in the horizon are really clouds of smoke from fireworks!

Mornings: fog and snow at the beach.

2009-07-21T20:58:00.005-05:00

A portrait of success.

2009-07-07T06:36:00.001-05:00

It's been so exciting this year to have my first garden as an adult. I have lots to (re) learn in my adult mind, but the bottom line is that even if it's sometimes challenging, it is FUN to grow.

Bonfires, birds and baseball...

2009-06-08T20:53:00.008-05:00

Oh, and "Boys".... engaged in a tough game of checkers...

First bonfire of the year at the cottage...

Dad and Kayla with his bird. A broken leg is nothing to worry about...dad fed it, then amputated the leg after the kids left. Last report: it was doing well, being fed by adult birds in the back yard.

A double-header allowed me to see Kayla and Jordan play ball...too bad I missed Kayla's ONE at-bat when I ran to the car to get my umbrella. Who knew that she'd be one of the first three up to bat, and that they would never make it through the batting order???

Tough kids. Too bad they can't hide their smiles!

Jordan was excited for his 3rd time up to bat!

Chasing the Dream: A Wicked weekend

2009-06-08T19:59:00.006-05:00

It's always been on Kay's "bucket list" to go up in a hot air balloon....mine too, if I had a complete list written.

This weekend, I traveled down to Indianapolis, where Kay and I went to watch "Wicked" (fantastic, fantastic show!), followed by a weekend that Kay deemed a "Wicked" weekend, complete with hot air balloon ride!

Here, we chase the dream down the road.....of course, we had tickets for the 1:00 flight, but we were still rushing to make it on time!

The underbelly. It truly was a beautiful thing.

Here's our "Captain" and the girl he was hitting on throughout the flight - added entertainment!

Even more fun, perhaps though, were the couple of hours we spent after our brief flight walking around the "living history" park. The 1800's made us nostalgic for a slower pace of life.

Stung.

2009-05-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

I got stung by a hornet tonight, the first bee-family sting in TWENTY-THREE years. Holy Cow.

Before the bee sting, I had already realized that I have somewhat of a phobia about bees, hornets, wasps, etc. That's probably partially because I hadn't been stung in so long, but also because of the death of a friend which was caused by a swarm of bees.

It really hurt.

But I lived.

Tomorrow I'm going to go out onto my screened-in porch and kill that other hornet if he's still out there. The greatest thing I have to fear is fear itself, right? So. I'm not going to let that hornet run my life.

(Well, maybe I'll fling him outside if I can, but if he puts up any sort of resistance....he's done)

Everybody's favorite...

2009-04-05T12:22:00.000-05:00

The cat...

The legend...

GIZMO!

Texas challenges. The wall.

2009-03-31T20:46:00.005-05:00

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know all of the facets of our international policy or the ramifications of all decisions. Still, the wall leaves a very uneasy feeling in my gut. I don't like it.

Texas fun...

2009-03-31T20:34:00.008-05:00

Yes, it's been a long time since I've posted...my camera was left lonely and rendered useless (but not forgotten) at Gina's house for several weeks.

Some visions of warm Texas vacation days...

Mid-bike ride, we stopped for a photo shoot. The field behind was littered with papers and trash, as are many areas of Texas because of the Texas wind...

We biked to the new (to me, anyway!) Civic Arena, which boasted absolutely gorgeous landscaping as well as upscale shopping and restaurants - quite a contrast to some areas in these border towns.

A neatly-planted grove of palm trees!

Jewel. Still great.

2009-01-25T00:50:00.001-05:00

conglomeration 2009...

2009-01-22T22:32:00.008-05:00

Boy, have I been bad about taking photos, and even moreso about posting....

Here are a few pics since christmas...

A trip to the beach - our 40 degree weather in December meant that the ice had opened back up briefly on the Saginaw Bay...

Painting another room - Gizmo LOVES to help!

Wine-tasting and "designated driving" on New Year's Eve - Hometown Cellars.

Yo - you want a piece of me? (Ryan demonstrating his cool "dancing" attire in my new yellow office/bedroom).

Christmas tidings...

2008-12-25T17:09:00.004-05:00

Christmas dinner: Steak, asparagus, carrots and quinoa...along with some good red wine.

Our traditional walk at Eagle Creek Park included many deer...

Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night...

Christmas Times

2008-12-24T14:31:00.005-05:00

A family picture taken by Darrin, er, Kelsey??? (see Kelsey at the bottom? She thinks that she's taking the picture, but really she's turning the outside Christmas lights on and off. Brilliant.)

Dad untangling Nikki's hair for her....interesting way to bond with a teenage granddaughter!

Ryan and I playing with self-portraits. This is the only photo in which he's halfway serious.

An impromptu lunch with friends and family. Cheers! (Nice red socks, Bob...)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!

Reflecting on friendship...

2008-12-15T22:36:00.006-05:00

Through wine, cheese...

...and cookies!

Stripping Party.

2008-12-15T22:22:00.004-05:00

You know, I expected a lot more enthusiasm when I invited Ryan over for a "stripping party." Even though he wasn't panting at the thought of stripping (wallpaper) with me, he was a great sport.

Not that you can tell in this picture, but I really got lucky with the color. I had bought really good eco-friendly (read: less smelly and twice the cost of normal) paint for my bedroom and it wasn't the right color so I had an extra gallon that I wanted to use up.

So.

I took that color in to our local paint store and asked the owner if I could add color to it. He wasn't thrilled about the idea - and couldn't guarantee what the color would look like combined with the coloring already in the paint. I told him to go ahead, that I would deal with it if it wasn't quite right.

I got SO lucky.

Thanksgiving memories

2008-12-01T20:58:00.002-05:00

Jason and Helen came to town - and were introduced for the first time to Carter.

The girls do crafts on Thanksgiving afternoon...

Winter wonderlands...

2008-12-01T20:53:00.003-05:00

Giving Thanks for Friends...

2008-11-24T17:22:00.006-05:00

Prep: how long does it take to cut up a squash in your world???

Housemates working hard!

Digging in...Rosie brought apple pie.

Practicing with the singing bowl.

Watching the COLTS victory!

Is it cheating...

2008-11-09T22:04:00.005-05:00

....to take photos from the TV to capture a historic event????

Our new president elect...

Oprah watches with tears of joy.

McCain shows his class in a very gracious final speech.

The Colts. Unplugged.

2008-11-03T17:13:00.012-05:00

At long last, I feel like a "true" Colts fan...I finally got to experience the full effect of being around blood that runs blue and white. I used all 80 pictures available on my camera - so feel free to ask to see them if you want a more complete experience!

Pre-dancing and pre-game....happy about our evening plans!

Blue and white, everywhere...entering the NEW Lucas Oil Stadium, which has a retractible roof and also windows that open on the North end (see picture below). The roof stayed open, allowing the beautiful night air in, but they closed the end zone windows before game time.

Peyton pauses during stretching to shake a hand. Vinaterri looks good stretching on the big screen...and played a huge role in winning the game.

Game Time!

Fans...that's Brenda in the upper right corner - the whole group surrounding us has had seats together for years and are like family. She surprised me by knowing that I was from Michigan...

The snap.

The happy game-watchers, mid-4th quarter...and after the game, with Liz Wheat - Colt Fanatic Extraordinaire....(also an Alma alum!). GO COLTS!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T16:20:00.003-05:00

Pumpkin-heads, Safety Officers and....Greg Hatcher????

Hope your Halloween is a little less corny than the three of us!

Beautiful running...

2008-10-31T16:13:00.004-05:00

My nephew is headed to the state cross country meet tomorrow - as an "alternate," but an alternate as a FRESHMAN on a team that is consistently highly ranked in the state. Go Tyler.

These pictures are from a meet a few weeks ago in Brighton. Talk about a beautiful day for a run.

Pinckney's varsity team placed first that day; Tyler placed 4th in JV out of about 80 runners, and his time beat the 5th varsity runner!

Saving...

2008-10-26T12:45:00.002-05:00

I felt guilty yesterday as the (very adept) deliverymen brought in my new refrigerator. One of them commented that it was a tight fit getting it into the kitchen, and hopefully it would be a long time until this refrigerator "died" and I needed another one......

Should I have told him that my current refrigerator hadn't "died" - it was just old, wasn't sealed well anymore, had mold on the seals and - most importantly - was inefficient, so I wanted a newer, energy star model???? And the deal I got on this "last year's model" was amazing??

Oh, the guilt of being environmentally conscious...

This picture was set up (for those of you who care) at the suggestion of someone who probably doesn't care if it was set up... :) Thanks for the idea, Ken, even if Gizmo didn't want to cooperate.

Missing pictures.

2008-10-15T16:08:00.001-05:00

I expected to have some VERY cute pictures to post of my nieces and nephew in halloween costumes and accompanying face paint.

Too bad the memory card wasn't in the camera.

New digs all around...

2008-10-03T07:21:00.002-05:00

I now have a wall of WINDOWS...and a COOL ORANGE CHAIR..... I love my new office!!

Why did the turkeys cross the road?

2008-09-14T19:52:00.004-05:00

Because on the rainy weekend they wanted to be in Midland....

....meeting the new babies:

Carter James (look at that HAIR!), brand new son of Brad and Jill, and

...Anya, slightly less new daughter of Mark and Linda.

Beautiful babies!!!

Where do you start..

2008-09-08T17:06:00.017-05:00

...when you haven't posted in so long?

I'll start with some Cheeseburger in Caseville fun -

A Cheeseburger in Caseville road race...with family in front (at least for the start!)

Our rained out Cheeseburger volleyball team - showing off last year's trophy!

A competitor preparing for battle.....

...but how could he paddle seriously when papa walked him out with his shorts rolled that high?

A close loss for the guys, but it was just because they got boxed out. Better luck next year!

Back to my house, with friends watching paint dry (literally).

The end result was worth it.

A very fun house-warming party was also heart-warming: good friends, good food and good music!

And last but not least, a friend heading off to new adventures - Good luck, Kevin!

Long time, no blog...

2008-08-02T20:01:00.005-05:00

Yes, I know that I have been a blog-slacker lately; in my defense, I moved into my house, then turned around and went to Caseville that weekend, Traverse City for an overnight jaunt the next week, Chicago part of the following week, and St. Louis most of this week...and now I'm at my parents' house in the "thumb." My apologies along with my excuses (thank you to my loyal readers who even NOTICE that I haven't posted in a while!!).

So - this is a conglomeration of photos from the last several weeks:

Fun times with the family at the "big slide" in Caseville. Yes, it IS scary (just ask Kelsey!).

More fun with at Bar Lake - what a gorgeous setting! Tyler, Jordan, Kevin and Gina all picked up on surfboarding pretty quickly!

The aftermath of lightening outside an Alma College dorm room. Yep, I took a piece of that wood, to someday carve a baseball bat out of it.......(bonus points to anyone who knows the movie)!

Today....I never would have thought a trip to Caro would be so exciting: my 70 & 68 year old parents on the roof after climbing up past a bees nest. I couldn't do it, between the heights and the bees. I told them that I really wasn't too thrilled about the opportunity to lose BOTH of my parents in one day but there's no stopping dad when he's got an idea in his mind...

I'll be back soon - I promise!

Settling...

2008-07-10T06:38:00.006-05:00

Finally!

The moving crew taking a break in my screened-in porch.

House shots...

Gorgeous house-warming flowers from Amy.

Jack Johnson sings...

2008-06-19T21:04:00.006-05:00

and we listen.
.

School Spirit: You're never too old.

2008-06-19T20:59:00.004-05:00

Kay struck brilliance last week when she realized that we had never painted "the rock." So. We did, Kay, Rosie and I. And it was great fun.

The next day, Bob demonstrates his Scot loyalty in a different, uh, fashion.

Loons and Angels.

2008-06-03T20:20:00.006-05:00

Sunday was a perfect day to go to the ball field with friends. Here, I'm demonstrating being "decked out" in Loon's attire (photo by Amy). Apparently adding a hat (which Charlie insisted I wear because someone had left it at his house) moved my outfit up a notch on the fan loyalty scale based on comments from acquaintances.

Cotton candy envy. Yep, I really had to restrain myself from getting some after watching a nearby fan eat his.

This is what happens afterwards, though: the post-sugar crash.

Finally, I was able to make it home for dinner with Cheyanne, Charlie and Channing, so we took a picture of Charlie with his "angels." :)

Bye Brett...

2008-05-30T22:49:00.006-05:00

Brett's headed off to KY to chase bats. I hope he keeps taking pictures so that we can keep up with him. Amy, Tony and I bought him some gifts to help in his new career: a bat (for those rabid, attack-bats) and some glow-in-the-dark sparkle stars (for lighting up dark caves).

(Brett practices with his new bat)

Brett also demonstrated his "lighting-match-on-teeth" skills. I think those will come in handy in KY. At least until his teeth fall out. Then he can go back to using the zipper on his jeans to light them.

Brett, you've touched a lot of lives in Midland. Thank you for your sense of humor and your blunt honesty. It's refreshing - and we need more people in the world like you. Be well!

New bedrooms. Spoiled cats.

2008-05-29T20:21:00.005-05:00

This weekend I half-lifted my self-declared garage sale ban. It was, after all, memorial day weekend in Caseville, which meant LOTS of BIG sales. How could I miss it? Regardless of the fact that I knew I'd be moving my household again in a few weeks (potentially closing just after the 4th of July), I decided buying a few more things couldn't hurt that much...

So, I outfitted my "bedroom" temporarily at Caseville with a rug and pillows - my bedroom being the chair right in front of the sliding glass door. Hey - it makes for a great alarm clock, the sun and the sound of the waves....

I returned from the weekend to find that Charlie and Gizmo found yet another bond. Charlie's newest method of spoiling Gizmo is to allow the kitchen faucet to drip. I don't know how he (Gizmo) is going to survive when he has to live with me alone...

Tennis and Baseball

2008-05-20T12:23:00.008-05:00

Saturday: Tennis and Baseball in Hudsonville.

Kayla waits to catch a ball during Tennis games...

Kelsey shows her excitement over watching her siblings sporting events.

And Jordan shines at baseball (more pictures mostly because it's so much easier to take good pictures in that setting as compared to a wierdly-lit tennis facility!)

Track and Symphony

2008-05-20T12:17:00.006-05:00

Tyler's track meet was fun.

Watch out - he's going to shoot!

After the track meet....a quick drive back to watch Nikki perform in concert with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra - her last (as of right now) concert before retiring.

Boulder, Day 3 & out: Challenge and Leaving

2008-05-07T21:11:00.011-05:00

Well, I go from 3 posts on Sunday to one post for both Monday and Tuesday (travel day)....but that doesn't mean I took any fewer photos!

Jason and I started the day with Yoga at Chataqua Park, where he said we'd do a "pretty easy" 1.5-2 hour round trip hike up to Royal Arch. Here, he stands in front of the sign, with the Flat Irons in the background.

My yoga location: perfect.

The trek up to Royal Arch was a bit harder than Jason remembered (or maybe he was just being kind in saying that), so I was pretty happy to reach the top....except for my fear of heights that surfaced toward the end of our steep journey. Still, we got a couple of really cool pictures at the top:

...and on the way down as well...

After lunch (with an ill-advised margarita for cinco de mayo....remind me never to drink alcohol when I'm at risk of becoming dehydrated at altitude...it causes major headaches!) we saw this street musician who was very talented!

A ride up Flagstaff Drive produced more great photo opportunities...

And finally, Tuesday morning, the trip back to Denver to catch a flight back to good old Michigan. My trip to Boulder has spurred some deep thoughts about my life choices (food choices, environmental impact and value on nature, questions about space and waste....) and will definitely be on my list of places to re-visit!

Boulder, Day 2: Stamina.

2008-05-04T23:45:00.010-05:00

Looking over Boulder from the summit....and starting back down when already tired...

A little beauty along the way makes the hike easier: a cactus hiding away.

On the road again - looks like more snow for the bigger mountains.

And....after an exquisite (and very filling) Indian meal, we stopped for one more quick hike just off the road to Boulder Falls - and Jason found us a beaver (the most interesting wildlife we saw on the trip - the blue bird was beautiful though!)

Boulder, Day 2: summit antics

2008-05-04T23:35:00.008-05:00

We were happy to reach the top:

Jason and Helen....

No, Jason - DON'T JUMP!

Boulder, Day 2: the approach.

2008-05-04T23:01:00.009-05:00

Day 2 was exhilerating - and exhausting - as we hiked up the mountains to view the great divide. We began with a view from Jason's window to inspire us:

Then a phenomenal brunch at the Tea House to provide fuel...

And finally on to the trek - preparation looks different in different camps; Jason appeared to feel that his arms needed warming up, while Helen worked on stretching out her legs.

Some views along the way....

The view from the top...

Boulder, day 1

2008-05-03T22:24:00.005-05:00

My day started at 2 a.m. Boulder time (4 a.m. Michigan time)...but it was worth every minute of fatigue! Relatively uneventful flights preceded this awe-some drive from Denver toward Boulder - the rest of the day was just as beautiful!:

Falafel gyros with Jason and Helen next to the Farmer's Market.

A view of the mountains from the Colorado University campus.

Tulips in downtown Boulder.

Jason and Helen as we walked back to the car...

Celebrating Alma...

2008-05-02T21:26:00.003-05:00

Opening windows, opening doors....it's fun to support Alma!

Kay and I with Charlie before heading out. I'm sporting my bridesmaids dress that I wore TEN YEARS ago last night for Gina and Kevin's wedding. Happy Anniversary, Gina and Kevin!

Charlie.

2008-05-01T20:37:00.003-05:00

My roommate is a wonderful, giving man....

...who has a very strong - and well-practiced - love for high-quality strawberry shortcake...

homeless.

2008-04-25T15:49:00.006-05:00

Today was the day...

For memory's sake...

My happy realtor and I.....I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Tina Patnode, Century 21, for all of your real estate needs....!

Holding stage...

2008-04-24T18:49:00.001-05:00

"Skeeter" brushes his hair back and gives a posed smile after seeing me holding my camera...

Amazing how a whole household can fit in one large bedroom suite and a portion of a garage...my first experience with a moving company went quite well, so I'm happy to advertise for Steven's Worldwide Van Lines...

Contemplation and Rest

2008-04-20T11:20:00.003-05:00

A picture from the packing process, depicting one of my favorite times in my house: mornings in my dance room or bedroom, when the sun is streaming in the windows.

Congrats, Jeannine and Brad!

2008-04-20T11:13:00.003-05:00

Graduates who think critically....

2008-04-20T10:42:00.004-05:00

...serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsibly in the world we bequeath to future generations.....(or something to that effect - I didn't look up the mission statement to find the exact wording).

Graduation is a powerful time.

Sheila practices walking Mitch up - she was able to hand him his diploma!

Congrats to the class of 2008!

Waiting for sale....

2008-04-15T19:44:00.002-05:00

Anybody want some sunflower decor for their kitchen (or any other room in your house)?

Looking for a good home....

Transitions.

2008-04-06T10:35:00.007-05:00

Life is all about transitions, which is never more apparent than in the springtime.

The view from my bedroom window, one I won't see many more times if the sale of my home goes through.

Transitions. Letting go and moving on...

bowling...

2008-03-31T19:01:00.006-05:00

...it's all about the shoes. and my feet weren't small enough to get the cool fluorescent yellow and orange ones. no wonder i had so many gutter balls.

Bowling did give me a chance to finally meet Ceal - what a fun soul!

Kevin, were you meditating or playing?

My style of bowling...throw the ball fast and don't worry about how much it bounces. I guess we need to go to a bowling alley that shows speed next time so I can successful even in that small way...

More family pics

2008-03-31T18:55:00.003-05:00

Renee and Darrin don't seem to "make" my blog much, so.....here they are! Renee excitedly shows off her new Alma College shirt (while holding a cupcake liner), and Darrin holds Kelsey as they watch Tyler.

Basketball Mania...

2008-03-29T19:43:00.007-05:00

Another trip to the west side, this time for a day of basketball. Tyler's team came over to play in a tournament that Kevin helped set up, and one in which Brad's team was also competing. We got to watch Tyler and Brad play against each other in two games, as well as watching Kevin's 3rd/4th graders astonish us with their skill.

Jordan is in rare form when Tyler is around also...nothing like having a teen idol in the house...

Tyler laces up for his first game.

family times...

2008-03-23T19:57:00.007-05:00

My sister's in-laws graciously allowed me to join in their Easter celebration today. I've become a "regular" at their family Thanksgiving party every other year when they host it rather than my sister, so it's starting to feel like I belong.

Here, the whole gang waits impatiently for the photo so that they they can dig into the food: scrumptious!

The girls look at something underneath the window...this is one for the senior yearbook in a few years, sagging tights and all!

Gina and Kevin try to get comfy on a chair...Gina ended up coming and sitting with me in my chair instead, because the two of us fit in easier than she did with Kevin.

Kelsey loves self-portraits too...
("take a picture...lemme see, aunt lou....lemme see...")

Happy Easter.

2008-03-23T07:57:00.003-05:00

Really. Great. Experiences.

2008-03-22T14:22:00.003-05:00

Amy and I went shopping last night in Birch Run.

Now, I must preface this by saying that I usually don't like to shop. Really. I usually end up feeling:
1. hot, tired and frustrated with my static-y hair
2. bad about my body, and
3. just generally out-of-sorts.

However, in a wierd "I want/need [YOU decide] more clothes for work" mood that coincided with a cancelled date (a cancellation which THRILLED me), I cajoled Amy (it wasn't hard) into a shopping trip.

We started at Ann Taylor, and spent MUCH time trying on MANY clothes, leaving me with a pile being held and Amy with...nothing. Darn. Shopping can be difficult for short people. And flat people. and...

A stop at Coldwater Creek saw me walking out with a jacket that was 70% off (whoo hoo!) and Amy again with...nothing. DARN IT!

Then to BCBG Maxi-something...where Amy was in her element and I felt WAY OLD AND UN-TRENDY. I walked through the store in about 5 minutes, at which point I turned to locate Amy, who was 3 feet from where she had begun. We were there for at least an hour, during which time I DID find some things I kind of liked....of course, trying them on was a different story - they DIDN'T like me. Amy, however, had tough decisions to make and in the end was able to leave with a bag containing a cute shirt.

By this point, at 8:45 p.m., having shopped for 3 hours without dinner, my shopping grumpiness may have been kicking in. I suggested Tim Horton's for a quick dinner. Amy wrinkled her nose and suggested Uno's. Because it was right in front of us, I aquiesced gracefully, muttering something like, "I like their food, I just hope they don't take too long."

Well. Let me praise Uno's now. They provided the first decent cup of coffee out of three restaurant visits over two days and the meal was excellent. So excellent, in fact, that in the midst of chewing a bite of salmon salad with avocado dressing, I said to Amy,

"You know Amy, we've had some really great experiences lately..."

As I trailed off and she stared at me, the thought pierced my tired brain that it had been a, well, wierd moment. We looked at each other and burst into loud laughter that probably annoyed the rest of the restaurant guests.

Fun times.

After additional shopping today I'm somewhat poorer and ready to leave shopping behind for awhile for the out-of-doors.

Happy Spring.

White, Green and Reflective...

2008-03-17T19:09:00.009-05:00

On St. Patrick's day, we often think about the "little people..." but usually we're thinking about little green people. Still, I need to share with you a quote from one of my most PC friends....one that confused me greatly at first...

You see, we were walking downtown for a bowl of soup, and in the middle of my sentence he interjected, "I'm a believer in the little white people." Now, I don't know about you, but that made NO sense to me, and I was a little surprised that he would say anything about "little" or "white" people...but comforted that he felt safe enough to share his biases. Even so, I questioned him: "WHAT are you talking about????" He stopped, walked over and pushed the button....so that we could wait for the little white guy to tell us that it was ok to cross the road. Thanks, RM, for the life lesson.

So, that lesson kept Kay and I safe in Chicago this weekend - well, mostly! We stumbled upon the St. Patrick's day parade, had to buy a sweatshirt (for me) and hats (for both of us) to enable us to walk around with general comfort.....

...and then got STUCK in the middle of a group of people who were merely trying to walk behind the crowds along the parade path. It was a pretty scary 30 minutes, while we stood pressed against the throng with people beginning to panic. Once someone in the front had the bearings to crawl up the fence and tell us to turn around and retreat to get somewhere (the police had blocked off the road ahead that we were all desperately trying to reach), our breathing eased and we again enjoyed the city.

My favorite part of Chicago was not the green, but the "bean" at Millenium Park. Simply gorgeous.

Fun for all ages, especially those irish dancers trying to build some muscle.

And you have to wonder.....just how far up DOES the inside go?????

Slainte!

Images of 35...

2008-03-13T20:25:00.003-05:00

As Kay pointed out, I posted the eye pics before I was truly 35. As I turned to leave the computer last night, Gizmo begged me to get a picture of his (slightly grumpy) eyes as he waited for me to join him in bed. Slightly less creepy picture, Amy??

A beautiful part of my day: my co-worker Wendy's coat. I covet it.

Thanks, Kevin and Amy, for sharing my birthday dinner with me: Salmon with mango salsa and vegetables, Sweet Harvest Riesling and.......organic vanilla ice cream bars with dark chocolate coating. YUM!

staring 35 in the eye.

2008-03-12T20:32:00.008-05:00

The state capitol: primary/caucus day....

2008-03-04T18:32:00.005-05:00

While walking around Austin this afternoon, Kay and I listened to Hilary's supporters as they rallied in front of the c apitol building...

Jesus hates war....and so do I. That doesn't mean that I don't support our troops, BUT we all need to work for other ways of solving conflict...

Will work for food.

2008-03-03T18:57:00.005-05:00

Today was a day centered around meals and snacks: a mid-50's, rainy, windy texas day, highlighted by brief bursts of sun through the clouds.

I sat at this coffee house, Genuine Joe, while Kay went to her Spanish class. Great atmosphere! It rivals Espresso Milano, my all -time favorite.

When Kay was done with class, we headed to her "trial" gym (she's "trying out" all of the gyms in the area and believes she'll be able to make it through her entire 3 months here without ever having to join one) to work out. At $15 a day for guests (i.e., ME!), we stayed for 2 hours to get our money's worth! It really is an incredible gym, Pure Austin, and Jeremy tells us that Sandra Bullock works out at the downtown location...but the highlight was supposed to be the shake we would buy after the workout - that you mix yourself by riding the bike! Well, I have to be honest and tell you that we set the shot up - the bike wasn't working today. :( Still, it was neat to see, and we're looking forward to a day where we can power our office lights for the day by coming in an hour early to work out...

Finally, the dinner we've been waiting for: Jeremy has been promising to make Kay enchiladas since she moved in, and tonight's the night! Here, Kay and Jeremy work to prepare our food while I stand around with my camera.

hippie sunday church: taco express keepin' austin wierd.

2008-03-02T18:26:00.013-05:00

Another for the favorites list: Taco Express on the first sunday of each month. A time to come hear professional musicians rock at Gospel Brunch, otherwise known as "Hippie Sunday Church." Check it out here: http://www.tacoxpress.com/

Where else can you get incredible spiritual music while eating gen-u-ine mexican food....and (if you choose) dancing, drinking and smoking?

"Glad you're here...May Peace and Love.....Find a Home in your Taco"

Apparently self-portraits indicate my friendships with people (or so Kay tells people, thereby putting pressure on me to produce). This is for you, Jeremy.

Like the song, "All are Welcome".... "Dogs are Welcome" too!

Proof that it's possible to hold a the beer, cigarette and cane all at once.

Saturday in Texas: 83 degrees

2008-03-02T02:12:00.008-05:00

Today we had a full day, beginning with a "free" breakfast at mom and dad's hotel. After breakfast, we drove to Fredericksburg and Luchenbach to check out some different areas. Fredericksburg was awesome, I'm only disappointed that we didn't have more time. We started with wine tasting at a neat little shop, then dad modeled a kimono in a nearby gift shop (Amy - I won't need to borrow your coin belt for future Halloween fun....I bought my own there!)

We rushed back to Austin (stopping briefly at a great little diner in Johnson City) to drop Jeremy off and go to my parent's friends' grandson's house for dinner. A beautiful home, a GREAT steak and a fun game of cards.

Finally, Kay and I took showers and went out dancing....and I saw Debra Szekely and Robert Cordoba (long time swing champs) for the first time. Here, Debra and Robert wait on the sidelines as they are introduced for their demo.

Austin favorites: begin list

2008-02-29T21:07:00.010-05:00

Hamilton Pool, which has a trail down to a waterfall and also down to the river, will be a favorite of mine for a LONG time. Kay and I may go back before I leave, and if we do, we're taking our bathing suits...

And....we ended the day with dinner outside at Oasis - a fantastic restaurant on Lake Travis; it has 11 decks!

Texas Roommates...

2008-02-29T11:34:00.006-05:00

Kay really lucked out on a temporary roommate: Jeremy's a fantastic guy AND a great lindy dancer!

Flying to my sister's defense.

2008-02-28T18:09:00.007-05:00

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE to travel by plane? The airports, the views.....no matter how tiring it is, it's also fascinating!

This morning, flying out of Detroit, I saw the most beautiful sight: as we rose above the clouds, the sun was behind us and created a circle rainbow on the cloud below - with a shadow of the plane! I'm so disappointed that the window was dirty, and that I didn't see it immediately, but am still happy to have a few reminder pictures. As you'll see below, I started in snow in MI, and ended in sunny, windy skies in Austin. :)

Don't know if I could work at the Houston Airport...I'm not sure that my car goes that slow.

When I arrived, I discovered that Kay needed my help. Check out this lip. She got clocked by some guy she danced with last night! (of course, she danced with him several times afterwards to prove that she didn't hold her bloody nose and lip against him).

And........my newest friend: Slinky. She's sleeping with me tonight in place of Gizmo.

False Start.

2008-02-18T21:08:00.003-05:00

Well.
Disregard my previous post about being single and homeless.

Yes, of course I'm still single.

Just not homeless. My house sale fell through today.

You may guess that I was not happy to get that phone call. Given the fact that it is Monday, I'm PMSing, and I'm feeling both annoyed at my boss and inadequate at my job, I made the choice to leave the office as quickly as I could after the call.

I changed as fast as I could and went for a run, with the following thoughts tumbling along beside me...

"maybe i should just look for a different job close to midland and forget selling...do i really fit in here anyway...at least my family will stop telling me not to buy a house now...should i check northwood? delta? go back to social work?....it would be really awkward to leave - i love alma, but......maybe i should just watch for jobs when i visit texas next week...maybe kay would move down there with me and we could just live together forever and not need other people (even though we'd annoy each other to death within days)...i give up, i need to go back to work to do this presentation...i'm so tired..."

And so I did what all good, conscientious workers do and headed back to work. I spent 30 minutes preparing for tomorrow, then lugged my pile of resume and cover letter books upstairs to present a workshop on creating effective resumes and cover letters. And watched as my 9 students stared at me, occasionally reacting, but otherwise looking like they were suffering from food coma at 7 p.m....and just sat there when I finished, because I finished in 45 minutes.

What's wrong with finishing early?

Anyway, feeling as I did, I was uncertain of my reception, but felt good when a student stayed after to talk and seemed appreciative....then two other students came in to use the room and one gushed about how helpful our office has been...and finally I walked out into the main library and was welcomed by several students as they told me about upcoming job interviews (one with the LOONS tomorrow!), jobs secured after attending a job fair with me in November, and how they have told all of their friends to come visit me for help.

And I walked away thinking,
"maybe I do fit here. maybe I should stay. and this house thing? it was just a false start."

Quality time.

2008-02-16T22:20:00.005-05:00

I made it to Hudsonville while the sun was shining and the kids were playing, so I joined in with my camera:

Watch out!

Kelsey with Gina reminds me of Gizmo with me....he likes to put a paw on me to claim me whenever he's close!

Jordan takes a rest.

Kayla considers stunts for her next trip down the slide.

After coming inside, I checked out Kelsey's newly-painted bedroom. I get to sleep in the cotton candy pink/purple delight tonight.

Loyalty isn't always pretty...

2008-02-16T21:57:00.009-05:00

The night in Holland was very orange.

In order to go, Gina gave Brad babysitting instructions, including showing him directions for using the TV remote(S!).

And the rest of the night, it was orange. and blue. and more orange. I swear, the only other people wearing maroon in the audience of 3,573 had worn it by accident...

The coaches, well, they weren't so happy.

And the players.....well, they just weren't tall enough!

Here, Kevin (the traitor) talks with the parent of a former player, one of two on this current Hope team.

We (Alma) got creamed, but at least I supported my alma mater, unlike one brother-in-law in my family....still, he got the tickets free! Gina (in the background) just tried to smile and remain neutral by wearing my favorite colors).

Go Scots.

Single & Homeless.

2008-02-14T22:17:00.003-05:00

What a strange, strange day: a day that feels like 3 days, or more. A Lansing job fair that was exhilerating while at the same time exhausting. A brief time at home to unpack, take a phone call and shovel Rosie out of the pile of snow that I left on the edge of the driveway...... and a trip to Mt. Pleasant that was less than we had hoped for our valentine's day plans.

The phone call, though....that was big. My valentine's day present and birthday present all wrapped into one. Because on Valentine's Day (today) I got an offer on my house that I will accept tomorrow. And 5 days after my birthday, I'll close.

Just what I wanted, but it still brings mixed emotions. I love my house, and I love my friends in Midland, and I love living in Midland. I've been half-way gone for 6 months now, but it will be hard to fully leave.

So. Consider this my valentine to Midland and all it entails for me.

At least I can visit.
(and don't YOU forget to visit me!)

Eves: snowy white and otherwise

2008-02-06T22:54:00.000-05:00

It was an interesting evening. Snow like I haven't seen in ages. "Shocking" words like "vagina" yelled out exuberantly by an audience both male and female. Different.

Eve Ensler spoke at Alma tonight, she's the author of "The Vagina Monologues." I liked what she had to say about stopping violence against women/girls - and about allowing our men/boys to feel and express, stopping the shaming and hardening.

Eve with her videographer....taping for the huge 10th anniversary celebration of "V Day"

Here are some visions from my cold, blustery walk home...through drifts that were sometimes KNEE HIGH!

Home, sweet home...

Self-Portraits and Cats: the mix

2008-02-03T14:41:00.000-05:00

Ah, the fun of Sunday afternoons...when you have nothing that you have to do, just plenty of time to...torment the cat?

An innocent thought turns into a half hour of chasing Gizmo around, trying to get a good portrait of the two of us... ;)

Gizmo, PAY ATTENTION!

OK, let's try holding him...

Success?? (Check out the grip on Gizmo's neck)

The easiest way to get Gizmo in a picture: Lay on him.

Here's hoping you all had a relaxing - and successful - sunday afternoon!

I'm an English-wannabe...

2008-02-03T08:49:00.000-05:00

Yep, demolition and dancing all in one day. Fantastic!

Brad and Jill's new house is BEAUTIFUL (well, OK, it's got "tons of potential", but maybe you can't call it beautiful right now with walls knocked out and dust lingering, but.... ) What fun, tearing walls out! And such a fun group of people, no matter the occasion: New Year's parties, baby showers (!), house demolition.....it's all good!

Before......

...and after - no more division between the kitchen dwellers and the rest of the world!

The purtiest place in the house right now (and warmest!):

A happy - but tired - camper. Although he looks like he was playing around with a bag of flour, he really did work all day. :)

My contribution to the day's work: tearing out bathroom walls and pounding on tile floors with a sledge hammer.

I took Chad home after the dumpsters were filled, and was able to hang out with Chad, Christy and Shawn for a few hours. This was the result:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqlbX7bGcwo

Good times, good times. You learn something new every day.

My (temporary) home and commute.

2008-01-29T17:53:00.000-05:00

Here's a shot of my welcoming temporary home - as I left it one morning.

The trip the next morning wasn't so calm. This is what I saw when I turned the opposite direction of the picture above.

And....almost there (3 minutes walk later)....a neat early morning view of the library steps.

Man, I love a 3 minute walking commute... I feel very eco-friendly!

Lime and other fruits

2008-01-29T17:49:00.000-05:00

One of Gizmo's favorite spots in our temporary home is the rug in front of the bathtub. He likes it so much that he returned there to relax even after he chased me in a quick trip to grab my camera. The interruption to my hair-drying was worth it.

I've never been able to get him to stay in this pose when I've had my camera. Isn't he CUTE? And lime is such a great color for him - it matches his eyes...

On to different sorts of fruit, I tried Sangria for the first time - it's a hit, and I love the bottle, too!

Family basketball times...

2008-01-14T09:44:00.000-05:00

Two purty girls, more interested in hanging out with each other than in watching the game...

Most of the gang.

Tyler tries to hold onto the ball. Eric stands waiting to help if needed.

After a blow-out win, Tyler shows his sensitive side and carries Kelsey around. The rest of the guys crowd around to give her attention as well. Note Jason standing on the left side - just before this picture, Kayla ran out to him saying "My boyfriend!" Boy, was he embarrassed at having a 6 year old girl claiming him!

Darrin and Brett. Not everyone can have Brett living in their basement. Hope he stays on top tomorrow, it'd be nice to see the Packers go all the way this year (now that the Colts are out)!

More family celebrations!

2008-01-14T09:41:00.000-05:00

Aunt "Nee" (Renee) is so cool....she always gets fun toys, like window stickers, everytime she gets to babysit for Jordan, Kayla and Kelsey.

Kelsey poses with her birthday balloon as Kevin looks on. Almost 3 years old!

Anyone want some spit with that cake? (The cake was good enough that it just didn't matter!)

Tyler saves the day with his ingenuity after Kelsey's balloon floated up into the skylight.

Austin Day 2

2008-01-04T23:53:00.000-05:00

We began day two with a driving tour around the west side of Austin - hill country. Doesn't Kay look calm here, as a corporate office tells her that the apartment we had just looked at would be $94-97 per day to rent furnished.....? Whew!

This is a cloudy morning view of downtown from the hill country though - beautiful!

Our lunch in the soco area was the best meal we've had, even though the sign out front suggested a more.....diner-like atmosphere! It was very classy inside, and they make great italian margaritas!
Kay liked the area so much that we stopped to check on a house for sale. Only 1.08 million.

Once we got back from lunch, we went for another long walk along the river. Here, we tried to get the ducks to come closer as we also watched for droppings from the pigeons perched above.
One of my favorite parts of Texas: crackles. We are trying to decide if the brown ones are the females or if they're the babies....

After my dip in the pool. It was cloudy and a bit windy by the time we got back from our walk, so Kay didn't go in with me. (My feet are the ones covered by the towel!)

And for my last night in Austin (for now): dancing at the Broken Spoke. A true country dance club. Lot's of Texas two-step (as opposed to competition two-step)....we met a few men with actual Texas drawls, who'd a thought??

Now it's off to bed so I can catch my early morning flight... hasta manana.

Texas bound

2008-01-04T08:57:00.000-05:00

Wanting to start the trip out "right," Kay said Tuesday night that she didn't want to rush out on Wednesday morning and we'd probably start around noon. WHAT? NOON? I have to admit, it sounded OK after a tense 6.5 hour drive to her house (normally 4 hours) on snow and ice.

Anyway. We left at 10:45! Her car doesn't even look that packed for someone planning on being gone for about 4 months, does it...

We thought we were going to stop in Memphis that first night, but (pretty normal for our family) decided to drive farther, so we ended up in a Super 8 motel in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The names are amazing down here.... Also amazing, the fact that they proudly (?) use "virgin" tissue rather than recycled products. Huh? Maybe that's because they live in a place called Arkadelphia.

Some of the names we liked better: Friendship, Hope....we even stopped in Hope to see President Clinton's first home.
Another great name.
And finally....Austin around 3:00 p.m. Thursday! This is the HEATED pool on top of our hotel. I will be in there today, regardless of the 60 degree high temp.
Our hotel (Holiday Inn Town Lake - I highly recommend it!) is next to the river, which boasts a beautiful walking/jogging trail.
We walked around downtown for almost two hours, and looked through the state capitol for quite a while when we stumbled upon it.
This is the inside of the dome. You probably can't read it, but there are little letters around the star that spell out T E X A S.
A fountain in the front grounds of the Capitol.

In the evening, we decided to have dinner in our restaurant, then drove up by UT to go to a swing dance. We were INCREDIBLY disappointed when we found that they were mostly dancing lindy and blues, and quite honestly, wanted to leave but didn't want to look rude/lame! We ended up staying for just over an hour though, and had a lot of fun as well as meeting some really nice guys. Kay will hopefully know people when she starts going out dancing around here now, which was the main point of going last night given the fact that we were both exhausted and didn't really feel like dancing!

Day 3 here we come.

Ringing out 2007...

2008-01-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

Third time in a row....New Year's eve at the Holiday Iiiiiin...

The dinner Jason and I had was probably better (and certainly cheaper) than theirs though - salmon with mango salsa...yum!!

Jason and Bizarro J make weird faces for our self-portrait... (well, actually, those are normal faces for them during their time together). I think Bizarro J liked my shampoo. I doubt that it would've tasted good, however.

Sore feet. But it was worth it!

A great group of people: Chad & Christy, Jason and Jill (Brad didn't make it over in time for the picture).
Wishing you all a happy and growth-filled 2008!

English lessons.

2007-12-31T00:36:00.001-05:00

Over the past few years, my time between Christmas and New Year's has been a time of intensive bonding (bondage?) with a phenomenal group of friends, the English/Stachowiak family and circle. Christmas is the time when Jason comes home from Colorado, Chad demonstrates his scheduling obsession, and the females practice eye rolls while the guys...revert to their youth.

I am so happy to be included as one of the family.

Tonight's scheduled activity was a trip to Chad and Christy's house for games. The night started off relatively innocently, with Shawn stealing the show! (By the way, Santa, I want one of those tunnels for Christmas next year, please!)

I like playing Apples to Apples... but it's not a favorite with everyone so it didn't last long!
Then, with only English's (spouses & Bizarro/Alethia count!) and me left, things went haywire. I think Chad got the bottom end of this deal. A lesson from the English boys: always be aware of your surroundings (so you don't get jumped)!

The only downer of the night....the Colt's lost. :( At least they're in the playoffs either way!

Beautiful Sights.

2007-12-28T21:32:00.000-05:00

Even knowing that I have to shovel...it's so beautiful to have thick, heavy snowfall. And to have neighbors who keep their lights on beyond Christmas day.

Winter can be so pretty.

Long time, no post...

2007-12-28T21:18:00.001-05:00

An Indy Christmas...

Fun times at ComedySportz....

Santa everywhere....no wonder he can see us when we're sleeping, when we're awake...

...and even when we're freezing outside the Colt's stadium, just soaking in the atmosphere...

Christmas Eve sights

A fabulous christmas steak dinner. Kudos to the chef!!

And...possibly the best part of all, a trip to the park. Forty-five and sunny on Christmas day makes for a perfect time to meditate by the water.

Relaxing Christmas 2007 memories... I hope yours was wonderful as well!

Snowed-In Sunday...

2007-12-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

Or so we thought. It looked bad, and shoveling went slow, so we had church at Renee and Darrin's house rather than daring to try the roads. We were hoping that Gina, Kevin and the kids would have to stay another day with the rest of us, but they left shortly after lunch and had a surprisingly easy drive back to west side of the state.

"Church" was more distracting in this setting. I wouldn't normally take pictures during church, but the opportunities were too interesting:
Jordan checking Darrin's hair for bugs. Or texture. Something!

Mom "resting her eyes" while dad pretends to be mad about my photo taking.

Kay reading from the bible. We're usually a bit more prepared if we decide to hold a family church service at home, but this time we just winged it with the story of Jesus' birth and some christmas carols.

Another photo op. Too bad Kayla moved, otherwise it's a good picture of the kids with Aunt Lou reflected behind.

After lunch, we hit the "slopes" (er, driveway) until the blustery winds blew us back inside.

Saturday Family Time

2007-12-16T20:37:00.000-05:00

The whole weekend was more relaxing than most holiday celebrations are for our family. We spent the afternoon making a gingerbread house, reading and playing games.

Jordan and Tyler display their colors proudly!

As the afternoon got later, and the snowstorm began, dad started playing music and the we got "christmas" dinner on the table.

Finally, the big event (for the kids, anyway!) : Santa! And presents! (Meanwhile, the adults sit back and say, "Santa - I KNOW him!")

Renee provided great entertainment this weekend. We are thankful she wasn't seriously hurt, besides her pride. She biffed it in the Rite Aid parking lot. It's a pretty cool bruise, that isn't shown in it's best color here!

34 and counting...

2007-12-16T19:46:00.000-05:00

Kevin works hard to catch up with Kay and I each year, so for the next 2 and a half months he gets to be the same age as us...

We worked hard to get to Pinckney friday night for his birthday party.

I'm quite sure he and Darrin enjoyed their "Alma College Cow Tipping Team" shirts, but the highlight of Kevin's presents was again a showcase of Renee and Darrin's "O-mazing" sense of humor. The present-opening process fascinated the kids, as we all tried to figure out what the multiple-piece gift meant:

Yep. Complete with flippers, gloves, goggles and clothes pins for his nose, Renee and Darrin put together a "septic diving kit" for Kevin.
("Tired of paying licensed professionals to scoop your poop? NOW you can DOOO it yourself...")

Family christmas begins...

2007-12-09T19:42:00.000-05:00

Mom and dad flew back from Texas friday so that they'd be here for our extended family christmas party (mom's side). Interestingly enough, since grandma died, it tends to be a gathering where we all look at our relatives from afar but generally hang with our own smaller families...

A pinata brought back from TX gets the better of Kelsey.

Jordan gives Santa his christmas list.

Chicken...Nicci and her friend play with Kayla and Kelsey.

Renee gives Kayla some attention...

Amy's 2nd annual christmas card photo shoot...

2007-12-08T11:34:00.000-05:00

Last year Amy and I had a blast on a snow day, taking pictures of her in a newspaper dress for her christmas cards. Here are some of my favorites:

We got some neat shots last night, but this is the only one I'm allowed to show at this time - the planning stage (contracts, you know!):

It's Christmas time...

2007-12-03T20:13:00.000-05:00

I'm bucking the system. Does a Christmas tree add to clutter in a house for sale? Not sure, but I decided tonight that I wouldn't go through the season without a tree.

In trying to take the "perfect" picture of my tree without a fully lit room and without using flash, I found myself drawn to shooting the reflection...and then decided that I should include myself with the other two angels!

Happy holiday season, everyone!

Live it up. I dare you.

2007-12-02T18:05:00.000-05:00

"They" say that we keep getting lessons over and over until we learn them...

Lately I've been sensitive about the whole single-approaching-35-with-no-real-prospects-in-sight thing...

(oh. you've already noticed?)

Anyway. One comment that has irked me is the one that follows any single-ness discussion: "You're so lucky though, you can just take off and do whatever you want, whenever you want," etc.

That sounds good, except for that fact that I also own a home, have a full time job - and currently spend about 2 hours a day on the road until I can sell/buy in my new town of employment. Most days lately leave me pretty tired, so I don't feel like I can "just take off..."

However, this weekend, Kay and I did just that - maybe (on my part at least) partly to force myself to realize the truth in that statement. There ARE benefits to being unattached.

At the end of great dancing in Cleveland last weekend, Kay got an email about a dance workshop in Chicago with lessons taught by our favorite new dance acquaintance from California - Gary Ulaner.

At that point of beginning-to-crash-from-dancers-high, we first tossed out the defiant thought:

We should make the trip to Chicago next weekend.

A chance to learn some hustle (a dance with which I have always struggled), a chance to connect with some Chicago dancers I haven't seen in quite a while, and a chance to dance more with Gary. Hmmm.

We talked about our trip tentatively almost every day, beginning Monday:
(Kay) "Are you still thinking about going next weekend?"
(Lou) "Yes...we told Glenn (see post below!) we were coming, and we need to follow through."

By Thursday, fatigue had set in; three long days of working late and the pressure of having my house perfectly neat (read: looking like it is uninhabited) for showings had taken their toll. However, my attempt to back out was ignored:
(Lou) "Wow, Kay, I'm so tired I don't even feel like going anymore... that's a lot of driving for a few hours of dancing."
(Kay) "Maybe we can try priceline for a three start hotel..."

OK, no backing out. I had made a commitment.

So. I started out Saturday morning with the threat of inches of snow followed by freezing rain on my five and a half hour drive. My first omen of the great weekend to come: a near accident as I drove through Edmore and craned my neck to see...SANTA and two of his REINDEER!!

Phenomenal. I've never seen such huge antlers!

Contrary to the weather report, the drive was easy and dry - at least until I reached Chicago, where the winter storm hit with a fury. Blowing snow turned to sleet as I reached the hotel - already late for the first workshop. Kay was smart not to rush me as I shook off the hour-plus of tense driving and changed my clothes.

In the end, the workshops were fantastic - Gary is very articulate in his teaching and has a good flow to his lessons. The evening dance provided a chance to practice our new hustle skills as well as getting in some great west coast swings and even a few two-steps. (Ah. I miss competing. ) And...a late-night breakfast at IHOP provided a very welcome opportunity to get to know a few people beyond the dance floor.

So - I have more favorites to add to our self-portrait series:

Tim (DJ TJ)

Terry (a new Michigan friend)

And...

Gary
His phenomenal dancing is matched by his personality. He has a beautiful ability to truly connect with people by giving them his full attention. Truly a kind, fully engaged soul. I love meeting people who remind me that I want to keep "being" better.

Overall: The weekend lesson was successful!
The weekend reminded me that my life is in MY control. I should NEVER allow myself to wallow in the feeling that I'm waiting for something to happen. I make myself miserable when I allow worry to limit me or life's daily stresses to bog me down.

It's GOOD for me to seek out challenges. And especially now, during a period of significant change, I need to reconnect with the things I love, and work to re-introduce them into my new life. I know there will be days when I'm just too tired to make the effort, but I hope I will choose to put the effort in - regardless - on most of those days.

So. I challenge myself to live my life to the fullest. I dare you to do the same. (And please...gently remind me every time I forget the lesson...we all need some adjusting back to course at times!)

Kay and I hit Krispy Kreme this morning. Living life. Even if it clogs our arteries, there is NOTHING like a Krispy Kreme donut fresh off the conveyer belt!

More weekend favorites...self-portrait-style!

2007-11-25T19:52:00.000-05:00

It seems that every dance weekend brings with it a chance to connect with new friends - and reconnect with old friends. These guys are great fun - I look forward to seeing them on a dance floor sometime soon!

Glen

Mark

Bruce

Dancing favorites...

2007-11-25T02:35:00.000-05:00

Always a crowd favorite, Jim Becker dances with Colleen. He will be hosting his own event in March - the Chicago Classic.

Phenomenal dancers, phenomenal lead and follow advanced Jack and Jill...Gary and Tera (Tera would always win as one of the nicest people on earth... Gary wins hands-down as "dreamy" guy of the event).

Thanks for my best friend and...dancing!

2007-11-24T01:48:00.001-05:00

Kay...thinking that it was a very inappropriate time for me to take a picture.

And...dancing...I love dancing. We love dancing. And meeting new dancers. The music, creating cool interactions....it's all good. And so is the fluffy white bed at the Hilton Garden Inn. Kay's enjoying her bed now. I'm headed for mine too. Gotta get ready for more dancing tomorrow!

Thursday: Giving Thanks

2007-11-22T19:48:00.000-05:00

My thanksgiving trip begins each year with a trek to Hudsonville. I rushed last night to see my brother-in-law's return to coaching:

He's still got it, even after a year and a half off - and even after switching to players to people only half the size of his former varsity team...48-25 for a final score with this group of 3rd graders!

Thanksgiving day was relaxed this year - it was nice not to have multiple tables of people! The morning began with parade-watching and living room football... Jordan gets ready to go for the pass here, as Kevin watches the parade with Kelsey.

"Look, mom!" from a momentarily happy Kayla...the day was up and down for her.

Gobble, gobble. Jordan and Kelsey get turkey carving tips from daddy and papa w. Below, Kayla sits with great-grandma w, who is 98 years old and still sharp!

"HONK." Kelsey sat with Kevin at the beginning of dinner because of a stomach ache. Funny, she was OK by the time we got to the pie...

Working on a craft with grandma w - with the Lions on high definition tv in the background. What a reason to be thankful. How could we ever be satisfied watching anything but HD tv after this (per Kevin)?

Kelsey got to stay up "late" because of her long afternoon nap, so she hung out with me in the living room practicing "Goooooo Peyton." We called Aunt Kay first, to tell her that we were watching "with" her! GOOOOOOO COLTS!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday: Loyal companions

2007-11-21T14:04:00.000-05:00

Gizmo waits patiently for me every day. (Ok, so he isn't patient, but he is forced to wait!) He's certainly happy to welcome me home. Or anyone else who will feed him.

Yesterday, my new realtor fed him because "I felt so bad for him. I could hear him meowing so loud from outside that I thought he was sick." He's a ham.

Here, he "pretends" to be a tired cat who worked hard all day.

I am very thankful for Gizmo's loyal companionship. :)

Late Addition/Edition: Tuesday

2007-11-20T22:19:00.000-05:00

I returned home tonight in a less-than-stellar mood, to find a picture cd stuck in my door.

Photos from a fun halloween party - yippee!! - where Kristy let me use her cool camera - yippee!! - and I got a few good pictures, regardless of the lack of flash in a dim room...yippeeeeeeeee!

Kristy, turn about is fair play - you gotta be careful about what you do when someone else is holding the camera!!

Thanks for being a great friend! Please put me on your calendar sometime (I've heard that you book months in advance for weekend dates...).

Tuesday: Thanks for...

2007-11-20T18:44:00.000-05:00

Music. Dance.... Good Energy!

Today a group of incredible high school students from Saline, MI (plus one college student) came to campus. They took a tour, heard some Alma background...and entertained us at dinner with their fiddling, dancing and singing!

Fantastic sound, energy and personalities - thanks Doug and Sabrina for bringing them! Check out http://www.fiddlersrestrung.com/home/ for more information or to order a CD!!

Emotive? Fun? Yessirree! And....

....multi-talented!

Monday. I'm thankful for. . .

2007-11-19T18:08:00.000-05:00

Noon ball. And all of the AWESOME people who play.

This is just a sampling. Great shot for Julian. Not so great for Chris. But he's a good sport (as are all the noon ball people).

Thanks, noon ball people, you are a highlight of my new career and I consider you all great friends!

Giving Thanks.

2007-11-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

I hope to spend lots of time this week thinking about - and enjoying - the people and things for which I am thankful.

Tonight, the first installment....dinner at Bennigan's with a group of my Midland friends.
(L to R) Amy, Noel, Brett, Kevin, Christy, Shawn, Chad, Alex, Jill, Brad and Emily. I am very thankful for each of you!!!