A day on Lake Tahoe

My husband and I took a cruise on Lake Tahoe today.  I took some pics today and made an attempt at photo blogging.  I don't have a cool camera, but I'm learning how to find the light.  I hope you enjoy this.

The lake was like glass, but it was foggy

Fortunately there was alcohol available

The fog began to lift

Emerald Bay

Historic home (I can never see this house from the scenic overview on the highway)

Now that the fog lifted you can see why they call it Emerald Bay

247.  A gorgeous day on the water

248.  Thinking about the end of my vacation and being ok with going home

249.  Remembering that this is the day we remember our lord died on the cross

250.  Knowing that Jesus knew everything there is to know about me and still died for me

My solitude

I've been enjoying time on my own.  I've been enjoying my time and I've been feeling guilty about it at the same time.  I'm trying so hard not to allow those feelings of guilt about being on my own spoil the enjoyment of being quiet.

I'm on vacation.  I'm on vacation with my husband and my husband's good friend and former college roommate.  We are in Lake Tahoe.  The weather is gorgeous.  Spring has found Lake Tahoe, much to the dismay of the skiers.  It's been sunny every day and the temps are hanging around the 50's all day long.  My husband and his pal are still going skiing every day, even though the conditions are marginal.  This leaves me with time on my own, every day.  This is where I become torn.

I love having time on my own.  I love having hours of sitting in complete silence.  I love having time to read.  I love having time to go for a stroll to the lake and enjoying the sounds of the birds and the waves lapping on the beach.  Peace and quiet is so restorative to me.

When my husband returns from the slopes the first thing he asks me is, "whatcha do today?"  I always feel guilty when I answer, "nuthin'."  I guess I could say that I read part of my book or I took a short walk or I took a hot bath or I watched some of the Jodi Arias murder trial, but when I think about those things I don't think of any of them as accomplishments or under the category of "doing something."  I struggle.

I've been contemplating the last blog post I wrote and considering my thought process.  I have come very far in changing the negative thinking about myself.  I realize I am much too critical of myself.  I'm making strong efforts at focusing on the positive and strong aspects of myself.  I'm accepting my flaws.  I'm trying so hard to accept my body, as it is.  I read a post from Emily about writing a love letter to my body.  I debated with myself about writing such a letter.  I'm not ready, yet, but I'm working on it.

I watched a t.v. show called What Not to Wear.  There was a woman with a shape similar to mine on the show.  I noticed that her ankles were thinner than mine.  Of all the things to notice on this show... the woman's ankles.  I have a long way to go, but I'm trying.  I'm sitting here, drinking tea and munching on triple ginger snaps.  I have a long way to go, but I'll get there.

Another thing I noticed while contemplating the way I think, was that I considered being in the middle of a book a non-accomplishment and finishing a book the accomplishment.   For some reason I have this idea that the accomplishment is in the completion of the task and not in the enjoyment of the task.  I struggle to find my joy in the midst of the event.

So today I'll enjoy my solitude.  I'll enjoy my time watching a movie about a Russian love and tragedy, Anna Karenina.  I'll enjoy my book about a Swedish girl struggling with her life and love and solving mysteries in The Girl Who Played With Fire.  I'll drink tea and nibble on ginger snaps and write my blog.  I'll take a hot bath.  I'll enjoy the peace and quiet and beautiful scenery.

Today I'll learn to accept that I'm on vacation and I don't need to "accomplish" anything.  I can rest and relax.  I can be good with this, for today. 

Lake Tahoe (I took this pic)

226.  Movies in Redbox

227.  Hot tea

228.  Snow on mountaintops

229.  Clear blue sky

230.  Readers who think of messaging me when I don't write for a few days

231.  Breathing the thin air at high altitude

232.  The scent of pine in the air

233.  A comfortable condominium to vacation at

234.  Time away from my work and my home and the everyday stresses of life

Making my husband's dream come true

I just returned from a trip to NYC.

This trip to the city was just my husband and me.  Typically, I've only gone to the city with girlfriends.  It's tons of fun.  We've gone to shows and shopped and drank and laughed.  When I've gone with my husband, it's usually been with another couple and with our kids.  We've gone to places like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building and Ellis Island.  This time it was just my husband and me.  Fun.

I enjoy going to the Big Apple.  I think, deep in my genes, I'm a city girl.  I was conceived and born in Chicago, but I never got to live much of my life in a city.  As soon as my parents could afford to buy a house, they moved to the suburbs of Chicago.  My dad was a city boy, but mom was a country girl.  They wanted their kiddos to have room to run and a yard to play.  As soon as I could, I moved out of mom and dad's house and got myself an apartment in the city.  But, then I fell in love and married my husband and he moved me to the lands of strip malls and whatever else you want to call the areas outside of all the naval bases in the country.  The bonus to giving up city life, was getting to live near the ocean.  This midwest girl discovered she loves the beach and the ocean.

I wanted my husband to have a good time, since this isn't his favorite kind of getaway.  He typically enjoys ski trips and going to the beach and more sporty types of trips.  Being in the city was definitely something he was doing for me.  (and, since he's already been on two ski weeks since the New Year, I deserved this trip)  My husband would do anything I wanted to do while we were there, but there was one thing he wanted to do.

He wanted to go to Times Square at 5:00 p.m. on Friday evening to watch the taping of Options Action on CNBC at the NASDAQ building.  He wanted to be in the window during the taping of the show and be on TV.  You see, all his friends watch Options Action on Friday night.  The folks on this show are their celebrities.  He's a super fan of Melissa Lee, Mike Khouw, Carter Braxton Worth, and Dan Nathan.  We got to the window by 5:00 p.m. and the show started.  My husband was loving it.  Then the the thing he wanted more than anything happened, the segment, Put Up or Shut Up started.  The stars of the show, Dan and Mike, sit near the window and the taping begins.  It was great.  The topic of this segment was Has Apple Found a Floor?  This couldn't have worked out better.  My husband buys and sells APPL calls regularly and this stock has been the cornerstone of his portfolio.  If you click on the link, you can see us peering into the window.

My husband was thrilled.  He was able to do EXACTLY the very thing that was his heart's desire.  He was a happy man.  I was so glad this worked out for him.    I didn't think things could have gone better, but I was wrong.  A couple minutes after the show finished taping, Carter Braxton Worth and Mike Khouw strolled out of the building.  I called out to them and asked if they would mind taking a picture with my husband.

Carter, Bill, and Mike

Bill was thrilled.  He even had the opportunity to chat with them.  In fact, he got to tell them the story of the day he retired and the connection it had to what AAPL did on Jan. 23rd, 2012.  I would tell you the whole story, but I'll spare you.  (I'm going to tell you, we were the ONLY people hanging around the window during the show.  so, I'm thinking the Options Action celebs are an acquired taste.)

Happy Girl and Dan

I was lucky enough to meet my favorite commentator, Dan Nathan.  I always want to hear what Dan would do when he makes an options trade.  Dan explains how he makes a trade that makes money.

There is nothing more satisfying than being able to make my husband happy.  I know I've said that you can't make someone else happy, but you can certainly help facilitate it.  There is just nothing like being in the right place at the right time, and we were.  Btw, my husband is still smiling.

Oh, we saw a couple Broadway Shows, too.  We saw Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.  They were very good.  We had a couple nice dinners and walked in Central Park.  It was a very nice trip.  I'm glad we did it.

186.  My husband's smile
187.  Knowing my dear friend is in heaven with Jesus (but I miss her)
188.  Being able to take a trip to a city now and again
189.  Crocuses blooming in my garden

Rockie Mountain high, in Lake Tahoe

It is so great to get away from home and be somewhere that is completely different than where you live.  I guess this is one of the reasons I love Lake Tahoe so much.  There is just something about the air in the mountains that make Lake Tahoe a such a great vacation spot.  When I'm there, I'm reminded of a scene from my husband's favorite movie, Groundhog Day.

"Phil: I think people place too much emphasis on their careers. I wish we could all live in the mountains at high altitude. That's where I see myself in five years. How about you?
Rita: Oh, I agree. I just like to go with the flow. See where it leads me.
Phil: Well, it's led you here.
Rita: Mm hmm. Of course it's about a million miles from where I started out in college.
Phil: You weren't in broadcasting or journalism?
Rita: Uh unh. Believe it or not, I studied 19th-century French poetry.
Phil: [laughs] What a waste of time! I mean, for someone else that would be an incredible waste of time. It's so bold of you to choose that. It's incredible; you must have been a very very strong person."

When I'm in Lake Tahoe I'm thinking this is what the people there are like.  I think the high altitude and thin air makes them less likely to focus on the mundane things of life like career and education and more likely to focus on the beauty of the area and their dreams and just "going with the flow."  I don't know if this is why I notice so many artsy crafty places or if this is because so many people vacation there.  (I don't know anyone that actually lives there all the time.  So I don't know if this line of thinking has any actual truth to it.)  I love finding "cool" places to eat and drink coffee or tea or kombucha or carrot juice.  Even though I can't walk two blocks without being winded (because of the altitude and the fact that I am incredibly out of shape), I feel younger when I'm in Lake Tahoe.  I know it's delusional, but it's how I feel.

Seriously, look at this view.

And this one.

See that little island out there.  There is a little stone house that was built by someone as her "tea house."  She had her servants row her out to the island and make her tea so she could sit, sip tea, and enjoy the view.  I'm sayin', that is living.  :)

I can't leave you without sharing this view, too.

While we were there we took the gondola ride to the summit of Heavenly Mountain.  Isn't that a perfect name for a mountain with a view like this.

It was a wonderful ride to the top.  Then I got off the gondola and had to walk around the trails/ski runs up there.  Needless to say, I huffed and puffed my two block walk and then sat down in a chair and soaked in the sunshine.

I'm back home and back to the regular routine.  I'll tell you a secret I haven't told my boss yet, ...I'm going back to Lake Tahoe in March.  I don't know if you remember, but my husband went skiing there right after he retired.  I stayed home and went to work.

This is not happening without me again.

See, it's even pretty in Lake Tahoe with snow.  Even though I don't ski anymore, I love the snow and being around and in it.

I hope you enjoyed my vacation pictures.  I know they are a lot more fun than listening to me rant about terrorist bomb threats and the killing of a U.S. ambassador and the fire bombings of embassies in Libya and Lebanon.  I know they are more fun that listening to me complain about our weak foreign policy and our president whining at Google for allowing a YouTube video to be uploaded and available for viewing.  Seriously, our president whines at Google instead of responding to the terrorists with force?  How weak does this make our country appear to the rest of the world.  Anyway, the vacay was wonderful and I hope you enjoyed the pics.

I'm doing what I can to get in better shape so I can walk around the mountain in March and not pass out.  :)

557.  Crisp fall air
558.  Memories of a fun trip
559.  Talking to my brother on the phone
560.  Anticipating the iPhone 5
561.  Enjoying the last of summer's tomatoes

I'm back and what the heck is going on in the world?

I'm back.  I didn't know what in the world to blog about today.  I was going to share some amazing pics of Lake Tahoe and my vacation, but then I started getting news alerts on my computer.

• The University of Texas in Austin is evacuated because of a bomb threat at 8:35 a.m.  A man claiming to be al-Qaida says he has placed bombs all over the 50,000 student campus.  He says the bombs will explode in 90 minutes.
• North Dakota State University in Fargo receives information that there is a bomb on campus.  The dean orders evacuation of the 20,000 students from the main campus and downtown campus.
• Neither university has located any bombs or had any explosions, yet this day of classes was lost to terrorist's threats.
• Mobs attack the U.S. embassy in Tunisia.  Windows are broken.  Fires are started.  Anti-American violence swarms through the city.
• Protesters attack the German embassy in Sudan.  Fires.  Violence.
• Tripoli, Lebanon experiences mob violence when a KFC and Arby's are burned down in protest to the visit from Pope Benedict.
• The U.S. embassy in Yemen is stormed in reaction to a film considered blasphemous to Islam.
• This attack in Yemen follows similar outbreaks of violence that have occurred in Cairo, Egypt and Libya.
• All this while we watch and wait to see how Israel is going to respond to Iran's nuclear threat.

And I wanted to show you my vacation pictures.  I celebrated 100 years of Marine aviation with The Few, The Proud, The Marines.  I love Marines.  I mean, who doesn't?

I relaxed in South Lake Tahoe and breathed thin air and tried to catch my breath while walking two blocks at a 15% incline.  I am so out of shape.

I've missed reading all my blogger friends and discovering what is new in the blogosphere.  I'm going to try to catch up with everyone this weekend. 

For now, I'll pray for the students and faculty and staff in Texas and North Dakota.  I'll pray for a stopping of the violence in the Middle East and North Africa.  I'll pray for Israel and Iran to find a way to co-exist.  I'm happy to be back from vacation, but the world is going to heck in a handbasket, and right now, all I can do is pray.

Continuing my gratitude list:
551.  Sleeping in my own bed
552.  Drinking water from my own tap
553.  Driving my own car
554.  Sitting on my own couch
555.  Cooking my own food
556.  Blogging and reading blogs 

It's Tailhook time

I'm back in Reno at Tailhook.  Last year, at this same time, I wrote about how much I LOVE Tailhook.  To be completely honest, last year I had a tough time really enjoying my time at Tailhook.  I was still quite overwhelmed by the devastation we had experienced at our home by Hurricane Irene.  This year, I'm feeling much better about this trip and this experience.

I'm thinking about so many things this year.  There is something about having an annual event, like this trip to Reno, to give me an opportunity to reflect on where I am in my life.  I've been coming to Tailhook since 2005.  So this is the eighth year, in a row, I've been here.  In this city.  In this hotel.  On this exact weekend.  So much can change in eight years.

When I think back to 2005 I remember being invited to attend and work with the artist, Hank Caruso.  (if you click on the link you'll see Hank and my friend Amy, Hank's wife)  My friends were very encouraging of me getting out and developing a persona all of my own.  At this time in my life I was working part-time and mothering a high school student.  I had just returned to the work force four years earlier, but in a very part-time manner.  I still considered myself, first and foremost, a mother.  My friends knew I needed to look at myself a different way.  I needed to see who I was and what I thought about myself.  I had always had a love of Naval Aviation.  (Heck Yeah!  I was married to a career aviator.)  I had never been to 'Hook and they believed this would be a great opportunity for me to spread my wings and spend some time with myself.  Needless to say, after this first weekend away and on my own (and, my husband's deployments and business travel, not withstanding, I hadn't been "on my own" since my son was born) I had more confidence in myself and in my abilities.  I have to admit, I'm one "well cared for" woman.  When I travel with my husband, he purchases the airline tickets, he reserves the rental car, he drives to the airport, he tips the airport shuttle driver, he picks up the rental car or hails the taxi, he pays the driver and tips the hotel valet, he takes care of everything.  It's not that I can't do these things.  It's just that he does them because he's a gentleman and he believes he should take care of me.  When I traveled, on my own, to my first Tailhook those eight years ago, I had to do all those things for myself.  I not only gained more appreciation for my own abilities, but I gained appreciation for my husband's thoughtfulness.  It was a win-win.

I had a wonderful time on this weekend.  I worked.  I played.  And, I lived to tell the tale.

In fact, I told the tale so well, the next year my husband wanted to accompany me to hook in 2006. 

In 2006, attending 'Hook brought its own set of joys, as well as challenges.  This year my husband accompanied me.  This was not his first 'Hook.  He could attend this event on his own merits.  My husband is a "Tailhooker."  He has over 200 carrier landings (all successful) under his belt.  But, this year I had to find someone to keep an eye on my son.  Since I don't live near family, I had to impose on a friend.  I didn't feel as comfortable being this far from home, this time.  Even though we were only gone for four days, I didn't feel as relaxed and comfortable being away from home.  I guess I still had too much of that "mothering" stuff going on inside of me.  Even now, as I think about it, maybe I had too much need to control my son and make sure he got on the bus for school and didn't have wild parties in my home, while I was away.  No matter which it was, it was there, and it was part of my experience of 'Hook that year.  The benefit of having my husband with me was that I was well taken care of.  Besides all the benefits I've mentioned before, he brings me coffee in the morning.  I just love that about him.

I had a wonderful time.  I worked.  I played.  And, my husband took care to insure I lived to tell the tale.  (and he filled in any parts I may have not remembered due to a little adult beverage overindulgence) 

Thanks for joining me on my little reminiscent of Tailhooks past.  I'm looking forward to this year's celebration of 100 years of Marine Corp Aviation.  OohRah!

by Hank Caruso

Hot, hurting, and Happy

Maybe some of you remember that it was hot last week.  HOT.  As in, really HOT.  I was in MN last week and it was really hot.  I couldn't believe it.  How in the world to people decide to live in a place that can be 50 degrees below zero and 100 degrees above zero?  I'm fairly sure my family is much happier with the 50 degrees below zero than they are with the 100 degrees.  I was freezing inside their air conditioned home.  I don't think the ac in my house can even reach the temperature they were keeping in their home.  It was certainly refreshing.  (brrrrr)

I don't like the heat.  But, I can take the heat if I don't have to do anything more strenuous than lay on a lounge chair.  I was awesome at laying on a lounge chair.  I made a valiant effort to read a book, but it was hot.  Super hot.  I looked up from my book and the lounge chair and I saw the lake.  Typically, I'm not a big fan of swimming in the lake.  There are weeds growing up from the bottom of the lake and they wrap around my legs and freak me out.  Worse, there are fish in that lake.  I know there are fish, because in other years, when it wasn't so hot, I'd go fishing.  One of the things either my dad or my brother (whoever was taking me fishing) enjoy more than anything is to see me catch a fish.  I, on the other hand, would be happy to listen to my music and drink beer.  But, my dad and my brother usually get what they want and as a result, I've caught fish.  I've even caught really big fish.  This does nothing for my desire to swim in the lake.  I've seen the teeth on those fish and I'm afraid of them.  Even though the worse that has ever happened to me while swimming in the lake is to have little sunnies or bluegills nibble at my mosquito bites, the thought of those big fish give me pause.  But, I went swimming.  And, I jumped three feet straight up when a bluegill nibbled on the mosquito bite on my leg.  And, I screamed.  This was all to the great amusement of my husband.  (yay.  so glad I could make his day)

Did I mention it was hot in MN?  Yeah, hot.  It was hotter in MN than it was in FL at the same time.  There is something wrong with this.  Doncha think?

I stayed in the lake for a very long time.  I think I was in the lake for an hour or maybe even two hours.  This was a world class record for me.  It was so pleasant to sit on a noodle floatie and bob in the water and just be cool.  It was entertaining to watch a two year old sit in a floatie and smile and repeat every word he heard.  It was relaxing.  Very relaxing.  But even relaxing can become tedious.  (I know, it surprised me, too)  Most of the family decided to go for a boat ride on the big pontoon party boat my parents have.  I believe it holds 13 people.  I believe they squeezed 13 people on the boat along with two big coolers of drinks and SNACKS.  For some reason the thought of squeezing on that boat with 13 other hot, sweaty bodies did not appeal to me.  I chose to stay behind.  As they were leaving, my other brother invited me to play around on one of the two wave runners he had towed up to the lake.  I think I've been on them once or twice.  I know I've only driven one once.  And, I drove it like an old lady.  And, when I drove it like an old lady I wasn't as old of a lady as I am now.  I didn't think I would be taking the wave runner out on the lake.

But, I did.

I decided, along with my husband, it would be fun to scoot around the lake on these contraptions.  So, we did.  I got on one and my husband got on the other and off we went.  I went FAST.  I wanted to go as fast as I dared.  I zipped back and forth behind other boats in the lake with the intent of "getting some air" as I flew over their wakes.  (I am quite sure I never "got air")  It was fun.  I went in a circle as fast as I could to try to jump over my own wake.  I had to hold on so tight.  The tighter I held the handlebars, the harder I turned the accelerator.  It felt like the wave runner would scoot out right from underneath me.  I held on so tight.  My husband stayed behind me.  I think he was anticipating a rescue situation rather than not being able to keep up with me.  I'm quite sure I wasn't going as fast as it felt I was going, but nonetheless, it was exhilarating.  I was thrilled and proud of myself for both, pushing myself to do something a little scary and not falling off the thing.  It was a fun, fun ride.

And then I paid.

I paid, in pain.  I woke up the next morning with arms and shoulders so sore you'da thought I'd chopped a cord of wood.  It took me until early afternoon to figure out why I hurt so bad.  At first I thought I was sick.  I thought I had a fever and my joints were aching.  Or maybe, it was from a HUGE mosquito bite I had on my elbow.  But then, I remembered.  I went jet skiing on the wave runner.  I paid for that half hour of fun for three days.  I remembered that hurt you feel when you've had a good workout.  Yeah, that one.  I haven't felt that hurt for a long time.  It felt good, after remembering why I was feeling it.  I need to start doing something to give me that feeling again.  Sometimes exercise is fun.  (so that's why thy change it up on the Biggest Loser)

411.  Beat juice
412.  Watermelon
413.  Anticipating tomatoes from the farm
414.  Good advice from my husband on dealing with a snippy co-worker
415.  Catching up on work
416.  Did I say watermelon?

Not me, but it coulda been.

The drive home

Thunk, thunk, thunk of tires on pavement as the car weaves through the thick traffic of I95. We tease a few more miles per hour out of the engine and try to shave some time off the trek home. The highway curls around to the left and draws us forward with open road.

We relax and talk of vacation memories, beach and surf. We highlight our reminiscence with seashells and sunburns. Our driving chit-chat washes away the tedium of travel as we comb through each treasured anecdote.

Two weeks without plans shaped and styled to fill each day. Two weeks of days lengthened from lack of watches and schedules. Two weeks with cares rinsed away and the "must do's" blown off the calendar. We tease each other with dreams of next year.

258.  Safely home from vacation
259.  Sleeping in my own bed
260.  Pleasant driving conversation
261.  Singing along with the radio in the car
262.  Coming home to a clean house

I used verbs a hairstylist might use and am linking to d'Verse for the first time.  Btw, I'm using my phone to write today (no, I'm not the one driving). 

There are blessings in the rain

It can rain when you are on vacation.  Just because you dream of sunny days on the beach doesn't mean it won't rain one day.

Matthew 5:45b even says "God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."  When Jesus speaks to those listening to his sermon on the mount, he is speaking of rain as a blessing.  God can bless whomever he chooses to bless, the righteous or the unrighteous.  If you've read my posts here and here, you'll remember I've mentioned that God isn't fair, he's good.  Rain is considered a blessing.  We shower soon to be brides and mothers with gifts.  Blessing rain down on individuals.  And it can rain pennies from heaven.  
  
In the verses surrounding this verse Jesus reminds us we have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  But Jesus tells us, if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek.  And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.  Jesus goes even further and reminds us we have been told to love our neighbors and hate our enemies, but he wants us to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute you.  I hear Jesus saying, "it's all about love."

It rained on my vacation today.  Today's rain reminded me of these verses.  Today's rain reminded me about love.  Yesterday was a very sunny day.  I spent the entire day on the beach and playing in the pool and reading my book in the sun.  I've been playing in the sun for 10 days.  I am adept at using the suntan lotion by now.  You'd think by now, I'd know how to avoid a sunburn.  You'd be wrong.  Evidently I missed a couple spots on my left shoulder yesterday.  This carelessness in suntan lotion application has resulted in a bit of pain.  (yeah, I can hear you all loud and clear.  boo hoo hoo)  Today I would have been forced to avoid the sun.  Instead, God sent the rain.

Storm clouds rolling toward our part of the beach

There was thunder and lightening and the temperature dropped 15 degrees in ten minutes.  I thought of this storm as a gift to me.  Sweet relief for my sunburned left shoulder.  I wouldn't end up being the Debbie Downer drawing attention to myself and my pain.  I wouldn't have to remind myself of the careless (read cavalier) way I applied the suntan lotion.  I could sit, transfixed, on the balcony of my hotel room and watch the storm roll in.  So I did.  I reveled in the booming thunder and flashing lightening.  I ran inside when the rain shooed me off the balcony.  And then, this...

This rainbow dominated the horizon.  If the storm at just the right time wasn't enough to remind me of the goodness of God, this was.

The symbol of God's promise to Noah

Linking with Emily at Imperfect Prose on Thursdays
 
246.  Aloe vera gel
247.  Rainbows
248.  God's word imprinted in my memory
249.  Rain
250.  Balconies facing the ocean
251.  A day of rest (from the sun)  

This is what I get when I say YES

and when I learn to manage my points more effectively.

I went to Daytona Beach on vacation last year.  I had a great time.  However, you may remember the view from my room had a lot to be desired.  Last year I was treating myself very cheaply.  Because I was being incredibly frugal and feeling I didn't deserve to spend an extra penny on myself, the view from our hotel room was a hallway.  Check it out.

This year we are staying in a much nicer room and we have a lovely view.  This year my husband made the reservations.  My husband is great to himself.  He exercises regularly.  He eats healthy food (most of the time).  He knows the difference in money well spent and money poorly spent.  He also manages the points we have purchased in the time-share we own and understands how to get the most out of the fewest points spent.  And, he is generous.  This year we have a two-bedroom deluxe room with a wonderful view.  Because we have this great room we were able to invite my husband's college roommate and his family to join us for a few days of this trip.  I love being able to share our good fortune with friends.  It makes this whole thing feel worthwhile to me.  I had a reader leave a comment reminding me that comparing what I have to what I think others have is discontent waiting to happen.  She reminded me the source of all love is God.  When I accept the love God has for me, I can begin to love myself no matter what state of unlovableness I find myself.  I'm worth accepting the blessings God has given me even if I don't exercise regularly.  Even if I eat unhealthy food sometimes.  Even if I feel I'm not good enough.

This week I'm enjoying the blessing of having a nice room for my vacation.  I'm trying to eat healthy food, too, but I'm truly enjoying my view and the kitchen in the room.  I realize this is a blessing from God.  I'm happy I can honor this blessing by sharing it with friends and their children.  I'm not a believer in prosperity theology, but I am a believer that God does bless you and grateful acceptance is honoring to God.  I don't know why this concept is so hard for me to grasp most of the time.  Maybe it comes from growing up and being reminded that I constantly fell short.  (mom and dad, I know you were doing the best parenting you could do, but I really think a little praise would have helped now and then)  Anyway, this year I'm not kicking myself in the butt everyday and feeling so stupid.  This year I'm grateful.

My view this year

The living room and kitchen (I make green juice in that kitchen)

234.  Comments reminding me of the greatness of God's love
235.  Spending time with friends
236.  Sharing good fortune
237.  Fresh veggies for fresh green juice
238.  Making new friends
239.  Honoring God by accepting blessings with gratitude

Linking with Emily at Imperfect Prose on Thursdays

A day at the beach

It's my birthday and, so far, all I've done is spent the day at the beach.  I can't think of a better way to spend a birthday.  If I can put out of my mind that this birthday welcomes me to the senior discount at IHOP.  If I can put out of my mind that my body in a bathing suit on the beach frightens small children.  If I can put out of my mind that walking up and down the beach ain't as easy as it used to be.  And you know what?  I can put all that out of my mind and enjoy my day.  (thanks vodka)

I'm lovin' my birthday.  I left home on Friday and got down to Daytona Beach on Saturday afternoon.  Today was my first FULL day on the beach and it was a perfect day.  I've got a few pink spots where I went a bit too light on the spf to prove it.  What is it about the sand, surf, salty breeze and the smell of coconut suntan lotion to relax a body down to jello.

It was great to people watch on the beach.  Evidently everybody (and by everybody I mean every shape, age, gender and species) believes they look better with a tattoo (and by a tattoo I mean a BUNCH of tattoos).  It was fun to look at the young people on the beach and watch them walk their young, taut bodies up and down the beach.  It reminded me of Catherine Morland in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey.  I imagine Catherine walking arm and arm with her friend, Isabella Thorpe around the ballroom a half-dozen times or more in the upper rooms in Bath as I watch the teenage girls parade up and down the beach in their bikinis.  Of course Catherine wouldn't have dared exposed an ankle, but those dresses in the Romantic era certainly enhanced a lady's northern-most charms.  Instead the 17 year-old girls parade up and down the beach in the most daring bikinis and as with Catherine and Isabella, the desired attention is attracted.  What?  Doesn't EVERYONE think about Jane Austen when they're at the beach?

Tonight my husband is treating me to dinner out on the town.  After watching a beach-full of lithe, athletic bodies all day long, I think I should give up eating altogether, but, of course, I won't.  I'll eat shrimp and fish and any seafood option I can find.  Seriously, who doesn't want to eat seafood when they are at the beach?  Maybe it would be a good idea to take a brisk walk before dinner to work up an appetite?  Maybe.

The best thing I can say about this birthday is that I'm on vacation (for TWO weeks) and the worst thing I can say about this birthday is that I don't have internet connection in my room.  (I have to go down to the bar to connect.  there are so many ways this is going to be dangerous.  if the blog sounds a little loopy, well, now you know why.)

I'm looking forward relaxing in a major way on this vacation.  I'm also hoping to teach my son how to cook pasta from 820 miles away.  And, maybe I'll give the beach a walk up and down more than a few times while I'm here.  I brought a camera with me.  I hope I use it.  :)

226.  The beach
227.  The sound of the surf on the beach
228.  The great way sand feels as you squish your toes into it
229.  Meeting nice people on the beach
230.  Sunshine and an umbrella on the beach
231.  Jumping into waves and not getting knocked over
232.  Falling asleep in a beach chair
233.  Wifi at the hotel bar

Photo source

Shopping in AC

I'm taking a weekend away from the suburbs and I'm in Atlantic City, NJ.  The last time we were here was in December.  I don't know how this happened, but somehow I've ended up with a $200 gift certificate to shop at The Quarter in the Tropicana Casino and Resort.  I haven't figured out where I want to spend the money.  Maybe one of my wonderful readers could give me some advice?  I'm thinking chocolate.  What do you think?  What should I choose?  I don't usually have discretionary money to spend.

Before I go shopping I'm going to go for a walk on the boardwalk.  I hear they've just opened up a 2.4 BILLION dollar casino at the north end of the boardwalk.  It's a NO SMOKING casino.  Who says we're in a recession?  I guess these owners are counting on the no smoking gamblers to spend big and make it worth their while.  Btw, this casino brags a HUGE floor to ceiling window wall with a view of the Atlantic Ocean.  Seriously?  A casino with windows?  I'm not a gambler, but I've never been in a casino with windows.

143.  Time to relax with my husband
144.  Warm day to walk on the beach
145.  A great night's sleep
146.  No desire to gamble amid a plethora of temptation

After you say never and then, do it

Thanks for all the comments on my hiking trip post.  The telling of this story has been in me for a long time and I was glad to finally get it out there.  Here's the rest of the story.

The police officers wished us a pleasant evening as they escorted us to our car and sent us on our way.  My husband, being the generous guy he is, invited the officers to join us for dinner at our hotel and gave them his business card.  They didn't take us up on the offer, but it was a nice gesture.  It was a good thing for me they didn't take us up on the offer.  After the adrenaline rush of riding in a helicopter and being rescued, I was tired.  I was tired in a way I had never been so tired before.

We were at the Tailhook convention in Reno, NV.  One reason we are at the Tailhook convention is because I work at a booth with the artist, Hank Caruso.  I was supposed to be working with Hank while I was walking around in the desert.  I was late.  In my typical ISTJ, duty fulfiller character, I went to my hotel room, got cleaned up and dressed, and got my butt down to our booth.  I went to work.  There is definitely something wrong with me.  I could barely sit in the chair.  I was in a trance.  It was almost too much effort to focus my eyes.  Hank asked me how I was doing.  I debated the question in my head for longer than this question needed thought.  What was I going to say?  I didn't want to embarrass my husband.  When we got into our hotel room to clean up, my husband suggested we keep this story to ourselves.  After all, he could have walked out of the desert without any problem.  I was the one in need of rescue.  After giving this suggestion some thought, he changed his mind.  He decided it was my story to share with other or keep to myself.  At the time of Hank's question, I hadn't made up my mind.  Hank went to the bar and got me a beer.  After all, we were at Tailhook and there is a LOT of beer at Tailhook.  I couldn't stomach the beer.

With a beer going warm on the table and my near inability to stay upright while sitting in a chair, I decided to tell Hank my story.  He was satisfactorily surprised and concerned.  I guess that was the response I was looking for.  Nevertheless, I was relieved of my duties at the booth and I went up to the room and straight to bed.  Stick a fork in me.  I was done.  Nothing held my interest.  My husband tried to feed me.  No interest.  All I wanted was water and sleep.  I was asleep by 7:00 p.m.  Hooray!

The next morning I was up and "at 'em" and ready to work.  It's amazing what 12 hours of sleep can do for a body.  I felt completely restored.  I was hungry and ready for breakfast.  Sweet recovery.  And then I ran into some friends.  Friends that hike.  Serious hikers.  They have special hats and backpacks and backpack bladders for water that have a flexible straw that they can keep in their mouths and drink water continuously.  Serious.  So, she asked me how my hike went.  Suddenly, I BURST into tears.  Nobody was more surprised by those tears than I was.  What the heck was going on with me?  Why was I crying?  I guess the very scary, I had to be rescued, hike in the desert had upset me more than I thought it did.  So what did I do next?

I planned a hike for Sunday afternoon.  My hiker friend was determined to get me "back on the horse" and go on another hike.  We went to Lake Tahoe and did a hike up Mt. Rose.  It was gorgeous.  There were trees and lots of shade.  It was a three mile hike up to a waterfall and three miles back down to our cars.  My husband brought six bottles of water.  Let me tell you this,... if my husband had not brought one drop of water, we wouldn't have gone thirsty.  If I asked every person I passed, up and down the Mt. Rose trail for a sip of water, I wouldn't have been thirsty in the least.  This was one well traveled trail.  Men, women, old ladies, old men, children, dogs, you name it.  Everyone was hiking on Sunday afternoon.  Hiking, as in real estate, is location, location, location.  And, Sundays are busier than Thursdays.  Live and learn.

Even though my friend got me back on the trail right away, I haven't hiked again.  Well, maybe a little in Sedona, AZ, but not too much.  I may get back into it, someday.  I'm going to have to see if this is what I want to do.  The end.

58.  Good friends
59.  Interesting work to do
60.  Fresh fruits and vegetables
61.  Overnight shipping for office supplies
62.  What the heck, Office Supplies.  Who doesn't like office supplies
63.  Text messaging
64.  My bible study small group

Never say never

Let me tell you a story of why it can be dangerous to be in pretty good shape.  This is a recounting of something that I experienced about two and a half years ago.  Back then I had been working pretty darn hard at getting into better physical shape.  I was spending every lunch hour at the gym.  I was on the treadmill and doing weight training.  I was eating salads.  I was focused on getting healthier and stronger.  Even though I was in my early 50's, I was beginning to think I could do some pretty physical things.  I was thinking I was pretty strong.  I thought I could GO FOR IT.  So, what did I do?

I thought I wanted to do the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.  I'll wait for you all to stop laughing....  You done?  I'll give you another minute....

Of course I knew I wouldn't be able to start out hiking with Machu Picchu.  I'm not that naive of my physicality.  I had a plan.  I thought I would start out with hikes around my area.  I thought I would go hiking while on vacations.  I planned to hike the Grand Canyon.  I thought I would be ready for the big hike after that.  There's that thing I've heard said about the best laid plans.  What was it?  Give me a few minutes to remember what that is....

Oh yeah.  We make plans, God laughs.  It's good to bring laughter to the world.  I hope God enjoyed this one.  I think he did.

You may remember how much I enjoy going to Reno, NV for the Tailhook convention.  I've posted about it before, here.  This event is held the weekend after Labor Day.  It's still pretty hot in Nevada and Reno, NV is at 4500 feet altitude.  I spent some time in the hotel's fitness room on the treadmill and you can, no kidding, feel the altitude in your breathing.  I could handle it.  In fact, I had heard that training at high altitude increased your cardio endurance.  I was feeling pretty strong.  I looked on the internet for some hikes to take in the Reno area.  I thought it would be great training for my husband and me to take a hike in the morning before all the tailhook events began on Thursday.  I made a plan to take a nice 5 mile hike up a small mountain, go around the summit and come down the other side.  I even found a map.  I figured if we began our hike at 8:00 a.m. we would be finished and back at the hotel by lunchtime.  I made a plan.  I chose the hike called Hidden Valley.  It sounded lovely.

Wednesday evening my husband and I had dinner with our friends at the hotel.  It's great to spend this first evening together.  We chat, catch up with what we've been doing since we last were together and look forward to a fun weekend together.  This time the dinner conversation turned to one of the guys reminiscing about his and his wife's trip to the Grand Canyon.  He recollected about a helicopter sightseeing adventure they took there.  It sounded lovely.  I mentioned we were planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, but instead of taking a helicopter trip (I said there was no way you'd get me in a helicopter) we were going to hike in and out of the canyon.  There were some chuckles, but I didn't mind.  We told them about our plan to go hiking in the morning.  We told them about where we were going and, laughingly, said if we were not back by dinner to send out a search party.

In the morning we packed a backpack with eight bottles of water, slathered on the sunscreen, grabbed the map and cell phones and off we went.  It was a gorgeous day.  We got to the base of the trail at 8:00 a.m. (doncha just love it when a plan comes together?)  The trail was wide and looked well traveled by ATVs.  There were horses all around and the grade was moderate.  We made it to the summit in two and a half hours.  I was a little tired, but ok.  My husband had surprised me by bringing the hotel chocolates from our pillows in the backpack.  They were a melty, messy treat.  Life was good.  When we began to look for the trail to go around the summit and descend back to our car we noticed the ATV tracks went everywhere.  We pulled out the map and made our choice.  As we were making our descent we notice the "trail" seemed more like a flash flood runoff.  The trail was very rocky and steep and I needed to hang on to my husband's shoulder to walk down.  I didn't want to twist an ankle up here on the mountain.  I wasn't going to be THAT damsel in distress.  We made it down the trail.  We started walking along, what we thought was, the trail to the base and where we had left our car.  Unfortunately, we had made a wrong turn.  We weren't too worried.  The valet who parked our car told us as long as a trail was heading downhill, we would end up back in Reno.  Our trail was heading downhill.  We walked for two more hours.  It was 100 degrees.  We were in the desert.  There was no shade.  I wasn't in as good of shape as I had believed myself to be.  I was starting to get scared.

It is now about 12:30 p.m. and we are in the desert.  There is NOBODY around.  My husband has figured out where we went wrong and we are now walking in the right direction.  I'm not having the easiest time anymore.  We walk for another hour.  I'm having a more difficult time in the hike.  I don't want to drink water anymore.  It's making me sick.  But, I keep going.  It's amazing all the crazy things people do in the desert.  I must have seen every size of shell casing for every weapon legally available for purchase laying on the ground.  I saw every type of trash item that could be used as target practice.  I saw so many shot up tvs and monitors, I couldn't believe it.  Just thinking about all the people that come out into the desert gave me a little hope, but we didn't see anybody.  My husband started to walk ahead of me to encourage me and tell me we are almost there.  I'm starting to have to sit down a lot.  There aren't any mountains anymore, but every rise in the trail is sucking the life out of me.  We walk another hour.  We come to a pile of rocks in the desert and I tell my husband I don't think I can make it.  I'm throwing up every sip of water I take.

Then, surprisingly, we see a guy driving a motorcycle in the distance.  We are screaming and waving our hands.  I am so desperate, I take off my pink shirt and wave it in the air.  He doesn't see us.  And we watch him drive away.  It's a moment of great despair, for me.  I tell my husband, we have to call 911.  I can't make it and he can't carry me.

This isn't something my husband wants to do, but he sees, I'm toast.  I pull out my Motorola Razor flip phone.  The battery is dead from searching for a signal.  (do you think this is when God starts laughing?)  My husband scrambles up the rock pile and pulls out his Motorola Razor.  He has one bar of both battery and signal.  He dials 911.  They answer the phone.  Hallelujah!  They ask for landmarks.  My husband starts describing what we can see.  I remind him to tell them we are on the Hidden Valley trail I found on the internet on the Reno hiking trails site.  His phone battery dies.  Silence.  We don't know if they heard him or not.  My husband reminds me that we are going to be ok.  Even if they don't find us, we can rest and it will get cooler as it get later in the day.  We can walk out then.  This gives me a little more hope.

Suddenly, we see a helicopter flying above us.  My husband attempts to use his watch to reflect the sun light to help them find us.  I, again, take off my shirt.  (I have obviously lost my mind, at this point)  The helicopter sees us and searches for a place to land near us.  It lands.  I, amazingly, find enough energy in myself to hurry toward the aircraft.  The co-pilot gets out to help me aboard.  I hug him so hard.  Where was all this energy when I needed it?  I literally JUMP onto the helicopter.  I'm going to live.  My husband climbs aboard and we lift off.  I look out the window and soon I see green grass, houses and a park.  They land the helicopter in the park.  Then I see a firetruck, ambulance, mountain rescue vehicle and two police cars.  All for us.  Well, me, really.  I get off the aircraft and they sit me under a tree and bring me a sports drink.  They remind me to drink it slowly.  They check my vitals and ask me if I want to go to the hospital.  I'm so embarrassed.  They remind me how much happier they are to rescue living people from the desert instead of searching for the dead.  It helps me feel better about the whole thing.  The police drive us to our car and tell us to have a lovely evening.

So I've gone from saying I'd never get on a helicopter to JUMPING on to a helicopter in less than 24 hours.  All because I thought I was in pretty good shape.  Thank goodness, I've gained most of the weight back and I haven't been on a treadmill in months.  I'm in horrible shape.  I think being this out of shape is going to save my life.  At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

42.  My husband
43.  Search and rescue people
44.  Good friends
45.  Wonderful memories
46.  Bottled water
47.  The knowledge that my husband wouldn't leave me in the desert, alone
48.  Health
49.  Cell phones
50.  A memory of a scary, but wonderful adventure

It's really not that good of a map

All the news that's fit to tell

Things have been swirling around my life lately and, unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to sit down and tell you all about them.  So much to tell with so little time to do the telling.

I'll start with my job.  Whew!  It has been BUSY.  You may remember back on August 28th we had a hurricane down in my neck of the woods.  This particular hurricane brought A LOT of rain with it.  There wasn't a lot of damage here at the college where I work, but there was a lot of moisture.  A week after the hurricane we had A LOT of rain.  A LOT.  Along with the rain we had very humid conditions.  Frankly, the weather was crummy.  At this time I was in Reno, NV enjoying myself at the Tailhook convention and worrying about the patch in my roof leaking.  Here at the college, however, a different creature was taking hold in two of our residence halls.  MOLD.  And a lot of it.  Oh no???!!!! What will we do?  The first thing we did was move 350 kids out of their dorm rooms and set them up in hotels around this county and in one county over.  This is not exactly the "college experience" these kids were looking for, or for that matter, the experience their parents had paid for.  So, I spent a week handling crappy parent phone calls.  Exhausting.  Then, one alum came up with an idea.  His idea was this.  Why not float a cruise ship up to the college and let the kids live on it?  Brilliant.  So, the following week we began to jump through all the hoops involved to get a cruise ship docked near the college.  Fyi, there are a lot of hoops.  Oh, and btw, the folks that tell you the news found this a FASCINATING story.  There have been press all over the place.  My boss is the point man for most of the talking and showing of all stuff mold and cruise ship.  Needless to say, the phone is ringing off the hook.  After the press gets a hold of the story, guess what?  Sales people for every sort of mold remediation, air purification, cleaning, painting, you name it, have called and called and called.  Imagine 75-100 telemarketers calling you for five days in a row.  Exhausting.  There is a press conference going on right now and I hear the ship tooting it's horn and helicopters flying overhead taking pictures.  Wonderful.

So, I was tired.  In the midst of my tirednessness an opportunity presented itself.  My husband was invited to play in a FREE blackjack tournament in Atlantic City.  He didn't think he wanted to go.  He thought he should stay home and work on our tree debris and other repair projects we have to do.  But, I told him, it's going to RAIN all day Saturday.  Yippee!!!  Rain.  Let's go to AC.  He didn't win $35,000 at the black jack tournament, this time, but we did have a wonderful time.  I relaxed.  I napped.  I put a few items on eBay.  Wonderful.

Which leads me to tell you what has been going on with eBay.  Or, more to the point, PayPal.  It seems the government didn't feel it was getting its fair share of tax from my eBay sales.  So now, if you sell more than 200 items and make $20,000 you have to file a Form-1099 and pay income tax on your eBay sales.  This is new for 2011 and it's just another way Obama has his hand in my pocket to give out money to people who don't want to pay their own bills.  Btw, I'm selling stuff I've found in my closet.  I've already paid tax on these items.  Give me a break.  However, there is a bright side to this story.  My son has an eBay account and PayPal account.  I asked him if he would mind if I used his account to sell my stuff.  He balked, at first, but relented.  He knows I love eBaying and he showed his love for me by sharing his account.  Wonderful.

While we were in AC, or rather, immediately after we arrived in AC my son called to tell me he got in a car accident.  CRAP.  Poor guy, he's ok, his car is a total loss.  He had JUST gotten it back from being repaired from having a tree fall on it during hurricane Irene.  I think he had had it back for one week.  NUTS.  It was drizzling, he was driving a bit too fast for the conditions, the car in front of him stopped short, he hit his breaks, slid off the road and hit a telephone pole.  Well, when you hit a telephone pole there are two things you know for sure.  One thing, it's your fault.  Telephone poles don't jump out in front of your car.  You're going to get a ticket.  Second thing, your car is going to get wrecked.  Telephone poles aren't going anywhere.  They stay put and your car bends and breaks.  Oh yeah, and the air bags deploy (add $1000).  So now his car is gone.  Things haven't exactly been going his way.  On the up side, I didn't get angry or yell.  I asked him if he was ok and patiently waited for my husband to return from his massage to tell him the news.  Wonderful.

I think this just about catches everyone up on my wonderful life.  I'm staying positive.  I'm employed, albeit working a bit too hard just now, I'm back on eBay and LOVING it, and my son is OK and he's lucky.  His grandma had given him her car when she passed away.  :)