Summertime and the fun never ends...

As you can see we have been doing lots of stuff even though we have had a really short summer. School got out late this year (June 26th) because of snow cancellations. Then, our summer here in the Northeast got off to a rocky start with early spring rainy weather lasting well into late July. We didn't think we were going to get any real summer weather at all this year. At least school here doesn't start up again until September and we get time to enjoy the summertime weather!



My little Magpie in particular has a rather full social life. She has had trips to carnivals, and amusement parks, and water parks. Plus we can't forget that the sixth (and of course her now all-time favorite movie) Harry Potter came out.






We have been to the beach more times this year than maybe the last three years combined. I'm not sure why, it's just turning out to be that kind of a summer with always something going on.






It's not only Magpie, the rest of us have had things to do too. The older two (being college students and it being summer) are generally off on a daily basis and have been just as busy.





For us "Older Folks" we've been the chauffeurs and the social planners, but have been enjoying the summer as well now that it's finally here. Building castles in the sands and feeling the sun beating down and drying the salt on my skin never seems to get old for me. A float in the pool seems sweeter knowing that fall is close.



All too soon I'll start worrying about not getting the back-to-school shopping done in time. The nagging has started about packing up the belongings to move back into the dorm room and clearing out the mound of papers from the homework center is becoming a priority on my list again.
For now though, I think I'll go and see if I can find a campground and plan a last minute camping trip.











I'm not ready to let the summer slip away just yet.

I've been away from my blog, but I'm back!

It been a while since I've been able to post but sometimes life just gets in the way. Summer kind of does that to me. Lots of extra stuff to do, entertainment to provide for my little one, and places to be so I haven't been around the blogosphere much lately. I hope everyone has been out enjoying all the wonderful things summer has to offer. I'll be back tomorrow with an update of some of the things I've been doing that have been keeping me so busy!

Today's my Math Test

I take my assessment test this morning but I thought I would share my horoscope because it gave me some inspiration:

Today marks the beginning of a new phase of your life -- suddenly, your outlook is going to be much more positive. You understand that things are possible and that you are capable! Starting new adventures and tackling new challenges feels exciting instead of intimidating, and your ambitions are going to be reawakened. This is a perfect day to take on a new goal -- pick the toughest one on your list and start moving toward it today. Success might be a long way off, but it is coming!

Wish me luck!

Is this for real?

Today I am reviewing my math skills for the assessment tests I have to take tomorrow morning before registering for classes for September. My last math class ended in June of 1977 and I don't remember having done exceptionally well in it. It is an online review for the test and the software is not working the way it should and lets face it, after 30+ years neither is the part of brain containing my math aptitude.

I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to math. I have the needed skills at my disposal; balancing my checkbook, figuring out how much a percentage of discount will save me, knowing how much more I will pay if I choose to finance something instead of paying upfront, keeping a running total in my head at the store and looking at a cash register receipt and telling if it doesn't add up right. The ability to use a calculator for all other arithmetic has worked out just fine for me in real life.

I know that for quite a few careers there is a need for very precise mathematical skills and I am in awe of those who possess the type of mind that has the ability to see the beauty in scientific calculations.

That's not the kind of mind I have so I guess I'll get back to my review, and look forward to my Basic Foundations in Mathematics 101 class in September or whatever they choose to call the remedial math class :)

4th of July coming to a close.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day weekend. We had some good old hometown fun with a carnival, fireworks and a parade. I had a little fun with my camera at the carnival and took this kind of eerie shot that I like. It reminds me of an old horror movie I saw at the drive-ins when I was a teenager.














We met up with Maggie's friend Heidi and her Dad and they went on a few rides with impossibly long lines. I remember this one from when I was a teenager too, the "Tilt-A-Whirl".















The fireworks were over the town ball fields. We sat on the grass on the side of the hill with what seemed like the whole town to watch them. Maggie sat with her best friend and they proclaimed them to be the best fireworks they had ever seen.















The next morning, bright and early, we were helping Maggie's Girl Scout Troop set up their float for the 4th of July Parade. This is a hometown parade, with awards for the best tractors, family floats, most patriotic house, best antique auto, etc. Our troop got the Jessie Carver Award for their float "Girl Scouts Have S"More Fun"














It really is amazing when you take the time to really look at the world. I have this picture in my mind of the world being different than the way it was when I was growing up but maybe it's not that different, maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. There always seems to be this push in our society "I just wanted to try something different for a change" or "we don't want to do the same old thing ".

Everyone seems to be yearning for change but what we seem to enjoy most is those things that have remained the same. The grass is always greener perhaps...

Introducing the new me...

Anyone who knows me in the physical world (as opposed to the virtual one), has been unable to ignore the difference in me. In past posts, I have mentioned a few times that I have been through some changes. Today, I'll show you some evidence. This is me last spring.

Fast forward to one year later... One haphazardly-tested generic medication that caused one medical crisis followed by one ineffective medication, replaced by two new medication changes that caused multiple side effects. Where does it all leave me?

17 lbs lighter...
missing the memory of bits and pieces of my past...
no feeling in my hands and feet for a hour or two every day...
and on a med that sometimes leaves me feeling very slow-witted...
and the knowledge that I'm not likely to ever get any better.

On the plus side? I'm still here and have this chance to start all over and I'm planning on making the most of it. My family is wonderful and gives me every reason in the world to want to keep pushing forward each and every day.

Oh yeah, and this is me now...

Social Secretary position now available!

I have decided to give up my position of family social secretary. It remains to be seen whether this will be a popular decision with the rest of the family or if in fact it will even be allowed to happen. Girl Scout meetings, soccer games, school functions, this one needs to be at work, dentist, doctor, and school appointments, birthday parties and cookouts, work obligations and even just plain work have to get written onto a calendar somewhere or they get forgotten somehow. Try to fit in opening the pool, fixing an appliance or changing the oil in your car and you realize that sometimes it just ain't happening.


My littlest managed to catch a virus this past weekend. She came down with a fever of 101. It was hard to believe, but all life as I knew it ground to a halt. We came home from the last soccer game of the season with a sweaty little trophy in hand and landed on the couch. The cookout for later was promptly canceled. Monday's work was postponed in lieu of a trip to the doctors and more time on the couch. Tuesday's work was postponed as I provided entertainment for a now healing and bored 8 year old. She is now back in school which is ending for the summer in 5-1/2 days. Wednesday's work is now pushed to Thursday or Friday as I now try to work on the Monday and Tuesday lists.

I think it's time to take a step back and revise my to do list:

1. Take a deep breath and make yourself a nice cup of coffee.
2. Remember that nothing on the list is life or death.
3. If it doesn't get done there is always another blank slip of paper just waiting to be made into a lovely new list... Check out this downloadable one from Vale Designs.

Have a nice day!