364 days till 40

What a lovely start to the first day of my 39^th year. Alan was leaving early to go to a conference near the B&B so we were the only ones downstairs for breakfast and sat at a table with a candle burning while enjoying our morning coffee – a candlelit breakfast.  He left and I returned to our room, determined to write for two hours.  That is exactly what I did and it felt great.  It’s funny, sometimes when I am writing I get so pulled into the emotion I felt at the time of the trip that I want to punch Alan in the head.  He doesn’t seem to see the humor in that. I have never taken a writing class but would assume that is what you learn, to put your mindset as if you were still there and allow the emotions to erupt and fly through the fingertips onto the keyboard.  Writing and hiking are two of my favorite things and I get to do both today.  I don’t need cake (seriously, looking at my muffin top I don’t), balloons or gifts.  My gift is me time and my gratitude is immense for it.  I feel as though when I do get a break from my darling children I am a better mom for it.  They too enjoy the break from me, I suppose.  It’s easy when you are away from your daily reality to decide how to improve things.  The problem usually is, well for me anyway, that not everyone in the house understands that I rule.  Simple things could make our house so much happier.  If people would just listen to me…maybe it’s not even so much about the listening as it is about respect.   That seems to be missing from our house.

When I turned 30 it was quite difficult for me.  I was one of ‘those’ people who cried and had a very hard time accepting that I would no longer be in my 20’s.  More so than the actual age, I think what upset me the most was where I was at in life.  I expected that by 30 I would have my shit together and be in full swing of the good life.  Not on my 2^nd divorce.  Less financially stable than 10 years earlier and dazed and confused about what to do with life. 

Now that I am 364 days away from 40 I am welcoming it and grateful for each day.  I have gray hair and that’s ok.  That’s what the hair salon is for.  I have wrinkles and that’s ok.  That is what Arbonne is for.  I am comfortable in my own skin and know where I am going.  If just 10 years ago I knew what I do now about life and how to be successful I would be a millionaire already.

  

I am going to make great things happen this year.  All because I decided I will.  Yes folks, it’s that simple.

Now, it is 11:58 a.m. and my birthday.  Where the hell is the wine?!  

Greek Pizza anyone?

Let's cook, shall we?  Here is a 3 part video clip from yours truly on how to make my fabulous Greek pizza.  Please enjoy, oh and you may want to grab a drink to watch.  I couldn't condense it into 7 minutes like I wanted to.

Part 2

Part 3...yes the final one.

So... if you try it let me know!  Don't forget the wine, it's an important part ;)

Are you considering a blended family?

Just a little something I thought of and decided it was most important to get out there.  Like STAT.

This whole blended family thing ain't as easy as I make it look... (ha ha)

If you are considering marrying someone with children, whether or not you have them as well, don't just think short term.  Consider long term - 2, 5 even 7 years down the road. How old will their kids be and can you handle that?  Is the love you have now going to continue to burst out or will it get lost in the daily shuffle of your life?  There are  a lot of emotions you go through that you wouldn't even think would erupt.  Like, for example, am I taking away from my kids because I have to buy for his?  Don't frown on me, he has thoughts like that too.  It's only normal.  That's just one of many.  

A moment of juvenescence.

Yesterday my mom had the pink shag carpet from my childhood bedroom removed.

I admit, that stung. Not in a riled up sort of way but more like a quick pull of a band aid.  Plus, how am I going to make fun of it every visit if it isn't there?

 It is being replaced with some flooring that I missed the details on (sorry, mom) because immediately my mind went to a place of nostalgia and I pictured myself sitting on that pink shag listening to Cindi Lauper on my record player. I can't believe she is getting rid of that carpet.  The woman in me wants to say "good for you Elizabeth! I am so glad you can finally do the things with the house that you have wanted to for so long."  The selfish kid in me however had this to say (while stomping foot loudly and pointing) "NO!  That's my room and you can't do what you want with it."


I asked her if she would please go outside before they took the carpet away and cut pieces of it to make scatter rugs for the new floor... that was kind of said in jest, kind of truth.  Although I do always say that there is always truth in jest.

She's having it painted too.  Okay, sting now more like a band aid being pulled off tiny bits at a time.  I am sixteen, no wait maybe fifteen.  I am arriving home from my dads after my summer vacation down in Massachusetts.  I open my bedroom door expecting to find my room exactly the way I left it.  Instead I open it to blue and tie die.  "WHAT is this?"  "Happy Birthday!  Do you like it?"  I needed a moment to let it sink in.  I liked the tie die sheet that hung over the lite fixture on the ceiling.  But the walls...what is this stripe thing?  Okay had moment, still hasn't sunk in.  I'll pretend I like it for now and decide later if I really do.  Yes, eventually I decided I loved it.  It seems like all that happened just yesterday.  Clocks really should have wings as time does fly.


I really am happy for her.  It took a long time, but she is able to do the house the way she wants now.  When I say long time I mean like my twenty year High School reunion was last summer if that helps put it into perspective.

Because I analyze everything to death I started pulling this apart and thinking about my childhood and how it has affected my adulthood and what am I doing to my kids now and where is this country going to be if the lazy ass young adults who are too busy gaming and texting and having everything handed to them don't realize that life is not in fact handed to you?  That in the real world not everybody gets a trophy just for showing up.  And no, the effin dishes do not put themselves in the dishwasher.  How many times can that be repeated?  Every flippin' day, that's how many.  I just see so many slackers.  Common sense seems to be overruled by ignorance with this generation.  I fear for this country.  Yup, all this from pink shag carpet.  Amazing how the ADD mind works.

Squirrel.