Inertia

Remember this post on resolutions back in January?  While I did not make any resolutions, I was fully aware of some changes that needed to take place in my life.  I'll explain, with a little science lesson .....



Thanks Sir Issac Newton

I have been at "rest" for a while in a few areas of my life or maybe I have been in motion, at the   s-a-m-e  s-l-o-w  s-p-e-e-d, for several years.  I just did not like the direction I was heading!  Something had to be done and it took an unbalanced force, in the form of Lent, to move me in a different direction.  What started as a Lenten effort has once again become a positive force in my life.

Lent lead me on a quest to get a grip on my eating and drinking habits and rediscover my waistline.  It had been missing in action and recently disappeared all together.  I joined forces with my daughter as we diligently followed Weight Watchers during Lent.  I had definitely become lazy and undisciplined when it came to my diet.  My love of food and wine had chased my waistline away.  It is one thing to know in your head what you need to do and a completely different thing to put it into action.  I needed an unbalanced force!

Anyway, the point is, that with the help of WW and the cruel and unusual punishment I inflicted on myself when I joined Marathon Girl's 2013 Health Challenge for 6 weeks ( which could be a whole post itself), I have found my waistline....it's here somewhere!  While I do feel better and hopefully look better (because it would be sad if I had done all of the work for nothing) I still dream about Chick-fil-a sandwiches and drinking more than one..or two glasses of wine at night!  I am hoping that I can continue in this new direction and avoid any unbalanced forces to knock me back.  Of course, there is our trip to Spain on Friday....I'm sure there won't be any good food or wine there!  Right??!!  

Senora Kick My Butt

I have ventured into my fourth language class at Rice University (continuing education).  I may have reached my saturation point!  In an effort to expose myself to as much Spanish as I can before our 35th anniversary trip to Spain in May, I enrolled in Spanish 2.  Last semester's Spanish 1 class was a kind and gentle introduction to Spanish.  We plodded along learning the very basics and I kept up fairly well.  I was not at the top of the class but I certainly wasn't at the bottom.  I still can't say much except hello, how are you and I'm from.......and congugate a few verbs.  I  was  moved up to the next level and decided "what the heck?  I'll take it until we leave for Spain, at least I will be exposed to more Spanish and maybe it will help in our travels."   "What was I thinking???"  

I missed the first class, which was a big mistake.  When I showed up to the second class I felt like I had entered the Spanish Twilight Zone!  I think everyone else in the class studied Spanish in high school and college and are just taking this as a little refresher....    I feel like a non-mathematical kid stuck in Algebra 2, clueless!  "What is everyone saying and why can't I understand them?"   "No.... don't call on me!  I have no clue what the question is, much less the answer!" 

I will call my new professora, Senora Patear mi Culata.  Every Tuesday and Thursday night I voluntarily show up to class and get my fanny kicked!  Compared to my other language professors  she is a slave driver.  We have hours of homework every class.  I diligently do my homework and still feel very unprepared when I get to class.  She speaks rapid fire Spanish 90% of the class and I catch about 15% of what she is saying.  The volume of vocabulary is staggering to say the least.  It is like learning a foreign language!  haha!  I still get busted for using my French accent too, "Senora, that's a  French accent!  The "g" is pronounce "h" in Spanish."  She teaches university Spanish classes as well as the Continuing Education classes and told us that we cover in 8 weeks what her other classes cover in 16.  Thanks!  I feel so much better/worse.   She looked at me sympathetically after the last class and said, "Senora, is everything OK?"  I told her my head was spinning and I feel at a distinct disadvantage having never studied Spanish before, unlike the rest of the class.  She then surprised me and told me that she could tell I was "una persona intellegent" and assured me I was in the right level class.   Whew!   Now on to the hours of homework,  so I don't get mi culata kicked on Tuesday!

A Taste of Texas

We have been home for two weeks in a row!  Guess that means I should have written a blog or two during that time, oops.  It is spring in Texas and that equals outside time in my book.  In spite of the yellow film that covers every surface and causes my eyes to burn and my nose to run, I have spent a good part of the last two weeks outside enjoying it while it lasts.  Before too long the temperatures and humidity will be above my comfort level and I'll be forced to be more creative with my free time.  For now it is golf, walking, running and patio season. 

Another thing that spring in Texas brings is bluebonnets!  This year is a particularly good year for the state flower and TJ and I went on a little road trip last Sunday to check out the scenery.  It turned out to be a very nice afternoon so I thought I'd share some of what helps us like living down here....for part of the year.

Before you get to see the bluebonnets here is a typical Texas scene that we happened upon when we took a wrong turn!
Maybe it was a right turn.... 

"You talkin' to me?"

After our detour we found an interesting store surrounded by bluebonnets.  TJ had to restrain me from buying a piece of large ironwork.  I loved this place!  Goes to show the saying, "if you build it, they will come" is true!  They came!

So much to see....

Windmill anyone?

We decided to drive on and find a field of bluebonnets that did not have about 50 people in it taking pictures of their cute families.  We were looking for our "own" field.  So on we drove.  TJ has always been known for his frightening (for his passengers) ability to drive and still see a hawk a mile away or a remote bluebonnet field behind a locked gate and remain on the road... sorta between the lines.

He saw this field from the road....wait...who is driving again?

We ventured a bit farther and found the perfect scene!  We found it because TJ has never been one to go with the main stream and he decided we needed to "explore" off the beaten path.  Yes, there are some very well traveled roads that are known for their bluebonnets and on a nice Sunday afternoon in peak season there will be people in every field taking pictures.  Glad he likes to explore....sometimes.

A very nice patch of bluebonnets and no cars passing by!

So many!!!!

An Indian Paintbrush among the Bluebonnets

 After I took about 100 pictures of the wildflowers we were getting very hungry!  What else would make this day perfect?  The only thing we were missing was some real Texas BBQ.  Where were we going to find that out here in the middle of nowhere?  We followed along and low and behold what should we see but a cute little tin building with flags flying.  I asked TJ to pull over so I could get a nice photo of the flags when he said..."They might be serving BBQ today."  And guess what?  They were!  Cutest most stereotypical place ever!  The food was pretty good too! 

We brake for BBQ!
Not much from the outside, right?

totally cute inside!

I'll bet there is some boot skootin' boogying that goes on here!



They were so happy we stopped by that they invited us back!
No, that is not our motorcycle!!!



And that, my friends, is your taste of Texas! 

Y'all come back!

Turning The Page

It is Spring!  Time to turn the page on winter and greet the bright green trees, tender grass and blooming flowers.  I have been waking up to the sound of busy birds chirping outside my window.  It seems like there are more people outside lately too.  The longer days have something to do with this I suspect.  I love daylight savings time!


Two weeks ago we turned the page in a chapter in many lives.  We said goodbye to my mother-in-law.  For the last five years or so I have thought of writing about my mother-in-law and resisted, she had Alzheimer's.  As my cousin said so eloquently in her card,   
" Alzheimer's takes our loved ones from us even before God does."  We watched an intelligent, vibrant, involved, energetic woman slowly lose herself.  Over the course of ten days I went to two funerals for Alzheimer's patients, my unlce's and my mother-in-law's.  What a cruel disease.  Both people were true forces in their lives and lived them to the fullest and both became shadows of themselves while dealing with Alzheimer's.  We are turning the page to the next chapter without them.

I learned a lot from my mother-in-law.  One of  the biggest things I learned from her was how to entertain.  I met her when I was 19 years old and had no idea how to cook for a family or throw a party.  My family was never big on "entertaining".  My Mother still plans for weeks when she has bridge club at her house and a party would take months of stress and planning.  Our house was never "that house"... the one that always had something going on and people visiting and hanging out... my husband's house was.  I always wanted to have "that house".  I learned how to cook a beautiful meal for a large group from my mother-in-law.  She did it with such ease....and sometimes chaos....and I loved it and learned by watching and helping.  She loved to have people over to the house.  She welcomed me and I thank her.  She taught me and I thank her.  She loved our family and we loved her. 

This weekend we celebrate Easter.  It kind of puts things in perspective.  We will celebrate Jesus' death and resurrection.  We have eternal life because of His death and resurrection.  We are able to say goodbye to the people we love with the faith that they will live in their heavenly reward because of Easter.  Happy Easter!

Spring! Snow! Sunshine!

Rather than leave the blog blank for a week, I am posting a few pictures for your viewing enjoyment.  I have no profound thoughts other than if you ever doubt there is a God, go to the top of a mountain in ski season on a bluebird day and take it all in.  Truly majestic!  Maybe that is the reason I enjoy skiing. 

Steamboat....we're here!

Just a bit of snow!

enjoying the view at break time

He's cute!  Maybe he'll ski with me....

Just playing in the giant snow bank in the driveway....because it's there.

Back home, the trees are budding with leaves and the wind is blowing like it always does in Texas in the spring.  Best of both worlds if you ask me.  Hope your spring is full of sun and smiles.

A Lenten PSA

World going too fast?  Having trouble making decisions?  Need someone to talk to?  Me too.

Yesterday, I had several "aha" moments.  Thanks to Mass at noon.  I went on a whim....a gut feeling that it was a good thing to do at that particular moment.  As I sat in the quiet and reflected and prayed, my mind was amazingly clear.  The clutter was gone.  I sat and awed at the clarity that comes with time spent in quiet contemplation.  If you are looking for answers, go now....sit in a church....be quiet and still....pray....and wait. 

As I prayed for God to send a fleet of guardian angels to protect me and all the other people skiing this weekend among other things, the lector read the psalm, "Lord, on the day I called, You answered me."  Thanks!   Then as I pondered a few other decisions I need to make, the answers were suddenly very clear.  Maybe it was just taking time to sit and be quiet and really think and put things in perspective.  Maybe it was just the Spirit that moved me to go to Mass and the Spirit who opened my ears and my heart.  Even the readings, psalms, prayers of the faithful felt like they were speaking to me, I'm sure I wasn't the only one either.  We get what we need when we are open. 

So, it's Lent, take a little time to visit your church and sit in the quiet, it is a true blessing. 

Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?

I've got to get a red fedora and a matching trench coat!

For the next month Carmen San Diego and I will have a lot in common.  You never know where I might turn up.  I/we must have been feeling our oats when I/we planned the months of February and March.  Suffice it to say, there will be much packing, unpacking, flying, driving, walking, skiing, studying, crime solving, and trying to get enough sleep over the next month.  Hopefully, there will be many wonderful memories made along the way. 

Last week we were at the happiest place on earth.  You know, the place where adults become children and children are over stimulated to the point of withdrawal?  We must have just won the Super Bowl because we went to Disney World!  Four days of non stop action and that was just keeping up with the grandsons.  I tried my best to take pictures of the boys having fun but all I got were pictures of their backs as they shot off in a different direction to see some other bright shiny animated character.  My daughter's tour book suggested that the thing most preschool age children love during their trip to Disney is the pool at the hotel.  They were wrong!  It was the monorail....for some reason, the ice cream....for obvious reasons, sitting in the rain waiting for the Fantasmic Show to begin...because it was warm and fun, and riding on Grampy or Gigi or Daddy's shoulders....because who doesn't want to rest their tired feet and get a great view all at once?!  Evidence....

Christopher is not too happy about being on my shoulders....I'm just not as awesome as Daddy!
Meanwhile, Daniel feels like the lion king!

Learning about flamingos....and holding hands...sigh.





I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!  Daniel and his brother, Elton John.

We are soaked....and we love it!  Bring on the show!

Pooh!!!!!  We love you! 

We all felt a little like this at the end of the week.

Two days after I returned from the Magical Disney Tour it was time to get on the case of my sister's 50th birthday in Baton Rouge.  When my siblings get together it is always a good time.  We had planned to decorate her house while she was at a birthday party given by a friend.  In the dark and cold of night we put a few of her "favorite" things in her front yard.  It was kind of a love/hate display.  She loves cats, she must not like trees very much because she has cut down almost every one in her yard so we put a tree in her front yard.  She does not like Nick Saban much...like most of the Baton Rouge or LSU population, and she was thrilled to get yard of the month once in her neighborhood.  All these things lead us to this ........Happy Birthday Susan!

A huge tree branch with 50 cats and Nick Saban giving her the yard of the month!

The Tide has turned, Cat-a-pulted to 50!

Time to go pack my suitcase and get on the case of the Red Solo Cups.  I think they will be in Steamboat, Co this weekend, what mischief will they be up to this year?