Politics

I don't like to talk much about politics, but I feel it is crucial at this time. As both candidates are saying, it is time for change. Each have their own agenda, but there has now emerged a new candidate. He is also proposing new changes. Monkeyboy has announced his intentions of running for president. He announced this right after he took a shower and sang "Oh, Canada" at the top of his lungs. He doesn't know all of the words, but he has some unique ones of his own. When asked about his platform, Monkeyboy has stated there would be less freedom. When asked to elaborate he said no guns except for the military. I think it's a start, and a darn good one. No more killing. Monkeyboy for President. Let's start a write in campaign. If it can't be Denny Crane, then let's vote for Monkeyboy. By the way, he knows the words to "A Star-Spangled Banner".

The Great Race

5:30 AM
Wind and rain coming through the bedroom window. Pulling covers up over my head.
6:30 AM
Alarm goes off and I peek out the window...no rain, seems cloudy. Get up, pull clothe on, brush hair and teeth and ready to go.
6:50 AM
Pick up Bean and Mippy...oh wait, Bean had to go get something. Piling into the car and we are off.
7:05 AM
Park the car and walk to catch bus to the start line....where the heck did all these people come from????
7:25 AM
Arrive at race start. Head for portapots. Bean doesn't want to go, but she must. Not too big a line...ewwwww, what's that smell?
8:20 AM
National anthem, ready to start.
8:30 AM
gun goes off, people begin to jog in place. Takes us 3-4 minutes just to get to the start line and then we are off. Very cloudy and a light drizzle. Bean leaves us before we hit the mile mark and she takes off. Mippy and I slowly run....okay, jog.....along, picking people ahead of us to pass. Bean calls us from the finish line, she finishes about 8 minutes ahead of us.

I didn't want to do this, could you tell? But what a feeling of elation to cross the finish line. Bean felt a little sick to her stomach at the end, but said she wants to do it again. The tradition lives on. Later, Monkeyboy was 4/4 at his baseball game and caught some awesome catches to get people out. His birthday followed and I sit here exhausted. Such a wonderful Sunday. Can I go to sleep now? Hope your day was as great!

Oh, no, it's time

I was in court today, so on the way back to the office I stopped to get the race packets. I arrived at 10:30 AM and walked in to get our numbers. Found them with no problem. Strolled inside along with other real runner looking types, you know....running pants, $200 shoes, the works. Went over to get our tags and alas, was told "We don't open until 11:00". I tried to give them a sob story and they sent me to a very mean lady, who said the same thing. I asked her why I couldn't get my packet and tag now since all seemed ready to go. "No," she said. "We start at 11:00." "But those people got their stuff," I whined. She raced off and began yelling at them. They looked startled and began to walk quickly out the door. So, she began yelling at the volunteers. Finally, at 10:55 she gave the go ahead. Now, by this time, everyone was cranky. The women who gave us the tags were fine, BUT the ones who handed out the packets were very cranky. The woman who handed out the bus tickets directed everyone to the table for old Great Race t-shirts that were only $1. You can imagine what chaos ensued. Fighting my way back out of the hall and to the car, I discovered that I had forgotten a map of the pick up site, but there was no way I was going back there! I called Mippy on the way home and told her I would deliver her packet and Bean's packet. After much fumbling around and trying to figure out who got what shirt, I arrived at home to examine everything. Whoops, got the wrong shirt. Called Mippy who informed me that Bean was cutting the shirt in her packet because......it was too big. Oh, well, they aren't my colors anyway. I'm not ready for this, you know. I'm old and I had surgery not long ago and I think I am still having side effects from the anesthesia. Oh, and I know it will be foggy and my hair will droop and my picture at the finish line will be awful. How did we ever run a marathon? Think of Bean, Mippy and I as you wake up Sunday in your nice, comfortable bed. I'll surely be thinking of you...and it may be that your ears will be burning. I'm going to go rest up now for the race....I'm really not ready for this!

Mornings

I am a morning person. I love waking up to sunshine in the window. I love autumn. I don't know if I love autumn better or spring. The seasons are the reason I could never live where there are not four distinct seasons. This has been the best weather that I can remember. Cool, crisp mornings, sunny warm days. I love driving up the street in the morning and seeing the sun streaming through the trees as it comes up over the horizon. I love walking in the park and seeing the fog blanketing everything, then slowly rising as the sun breaks through. The trees turning colors, slowly, but surely. The days are growing shorter, but I don't mind that. I like curling up with my book and feeling cozy in the dusk. Things have been very sad at work, so I truly try to find beauty in the world outside. Flurry, Monkeyboy's kitten, got spade (if that's the way you spell it) the other day. Survived and is as peppy as ever. Bean had auditions tonight...will see if she gets call-backs tomorrow. Go, Bean. And Monkeyboy has a birthday on Sunday, his eighth. Sprout follows in two weeks. Papap had one yesterday, and Iowa niece and nephew had anniversary yesterday. We have all of these celebrations coming up...birthday's and anniversaries. Makes some happiness where there is sadness. The good and the not so good. I'm going to go read my book and escape. How do you escape?

Family

Poppy and Mime came to visit. They were on their way back from Chautauqua and came here to visit...well, I'm sure it wasn't JUST the game. Mippy went to U. of Iowa and Poppy worked there for many years. However, Poppy went to Pitt also. Mime and Poppy arrived on Thursday to me baking chocolate chip cookies, which everyone ate, warm from the oven, and even before they were cooked! The thing I love best about these visits is just sitting around and talking. I miss them tremendously and it is always great to see them. On Friday we went shopping in Shadyside. We ran into Ernie, the sheepdog. What a beautiful dog! Poppy said my sheepdog smelled, and how pretty this one was. The owner looked at me and said "he's not a dog lover," to which I replied, "no, he isn't". Poppy immediately said he was, and she looked at me again and said "no, he isn't". Made me miss my sheepdog, but not all the grooming. She said she gets him groomed once a month. Saturday morning was gorgeous. We all met at our house and the nine of us piled into cars to head to Heinz Stadium and the Iowa-Pitt game. Mippy lead us to the parking lot and we all walked through the tailgaters and to the stadium, where we got spray on tattoos. I got a panther, Poppy got a Pitt one (yeah!) and the kids got a Pitt one. MR went with us and she was such fun. She went because Bean had musical theater and Bird had to work. We always like to have her with us, she is funny, pretty and Sprout loves her. The game was quite exciting, and Pitt won 21-20. Monkeyboy shed tears everytime the Hawkeyes got points. He was quite vociferous during the whole game, challenging calls and cheering. We all came back to the house then headed out for dinner. It was a most wonderful visit with my brother and sister-in-law, and I just can't wait to see them again. Although, when I said to Mime that I would see them next summer and maybe sooner, she had the....how would I describe it.....look of panic on her face? Hope your weekend was as wonderful as mine. Happy Sunday.

A Few of my Favorite Things

1. Looking at the clouds in a blue sky with kids and identifying what we see.
2. The sun rising on a crisp autumn day.
3. A child catching bubbles and laughing as they try.
4. Men sitting on the park bench talking and laughing while their wives think they are exercising.

5. The first snowfall.
6. The first flowers of spring.
7. Succeeding and being surprised.
8. Watching a good movie while eating popcorn.
9. Laughing until I cry.
10. Being with people I like.

Dancing With Myself

I found this awhile ago on YouTube and loved it. Just thought I would try this on the blog. Let me know if you like it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMvvj2vgYDo

Hot Summer Nights

It still is summer, I think...until the twenty-second of September. And it is quite warm here. I haven't had a guitar lesson in a couple of weeks. Monte is getting the school kids back and rearranging his schedule, so we have been missing. I haven't practiced much (I know, shame on me) and I dread lessons when I don't practice. Not that Monte cares, but I do, because I feel like I am wasting his time. I try to have questions when I go, because he likes that. He said many of the kids come in and just go through the motions...never asking questions about anything. Monte plays a variety of instruments. Tonight he had a keyboard lesson, a guitar lesson (several, I believe), a banjo lesson and he tells me he also teaches violin. Anyway, we hand an excellent lesson tonight. I asked Wicked Kitty about taking a break, and did she think I should do it. Never one to give advice (darn her), she merely talked about when she took piano lessons and had a summer break. So, Monte and I talked about it before the lesson began and he said to take a break. He thinks a month off will do me good, re-energize me, so to speak. Said he will always find room for me if I come back after a month, and if I don't, it's okay. Tonight we ended up playing two Springsteen songs together, and I ALMOST kept up with him. It is fun. I signed up for photography classes and I am looking forward to those. It is for digital cameras and I called and said I had and SLR and could I use that and the instructor got all excited because it is the same camera she has. I don't think the camera makes a lot of difference. Michele uses a point and shoot, as does Bean, and their pictures are as good as my camera takes. Hmmmm, maybe it is the photographer and not the camera.

New Beginnings

School started today for Monkeyboy. This after a weekend full of fun things. Labor Day was spent buying roller blades for Monkeyboy and Bean. Bird held onto Monkeyboy by the scruff of his neck so that he could use his arms for balance. New things to learn. It has been a big summer for him...baseball championship, learing to ride his two wheeler, new kitten and now his rollerblades. School went ok for him today. David threw something and didn't get a card pulled...has he already been deemed a problem? Kids get labeled pretty quickly, both by other kids and by teachers. Mippy and I got new walking/running shoes yesterday. So many to choose from, but we settled. I got Nikes, I forget what she got. I love to go to the park in the morning on my way to work to walk. I love to see the elderly gentlemen walking, always chatting, always friendly. It amazes me to see the runners who really run, and very fast. It is peaceful there in the morning, a very nice way to start the day. The track comes later, and harder since I am tired. I'll keep trying. I registered for the race tonight. Here's hoping.