Fragments of my mind for Friday

It is Friday and you know what that means! It is another edition of Friday Fragments. This party is hosted by the all-in-one-piece Mrs. 4444 over at http://www.halfpastkissintime.com/. Friday Fragments is where we bloggers purge the junk drawers in our brains of all of the little bits and pieces of thoughts that take up space.

One of my facebook friends has pictures on her page of her and her partner kissing and lots of personal posts between the two of them about how they can't wait to see each other again to kiss, etc. etc. No, this isn't one of my son's classmates posting this. It is a 40 year old woman. My reaction when I see the page isn't "Oh, look how much in love they are!", it is "who are they trying to convince that they have a wonderful relationship? Me or themselves?". It may just be me but I think that some discretion is a great thing and when a 40 year old acts like a teenager like that, it strikes me as pathetic. Just sayin'.

I had my very important Girls' Night Out last night. Usually we meet every other month but we are meeting a little more frequently. We didn't discuss it but I think it is because we all need it and we all really enjoy it. Last night, we discussed a Girls' Weekend Away. How cool would that be? I think it will really happen. Mary Ellen lost her mind for a moment and wondered aloud if we would run out of things to talk about. We all laughed. That would be like Hershey running out of chocolate or Tiger Woods running out of money. Not going to happen in this lifetime!

Judy, the third side of our GNO triangle, told us one of her son's best friend died in a tragic accident. She commented that she wanted to reside in a world where children didn't die. I have reserved a house next to her in that alternate world. That must have been a heart wrenching memorial service to sit through.

I mentioned yesterday in Thankful Thursday that my husband shooed a bat out of our bedroom. It happened at about 4:00 am when the dog woke us up barking. My husband realized that Katy was raising a fuss because there was a bat in the vicinity. He knows me pretty well so he told me there was a bat "in the house" so I wouldn't totally freak all at once. He told me to cover my head so he could turn on the overhead light. While covered up, I figured out that what he really meant was that the bat was in the bedroom - where I was!! Instead of bravely jumping up to assist "my man" in the bat riddance dance, I curled up in a ball and pulled the sheet totally over my head. I did try to figure out what was going on by the thumps and bumps that I could hear and every time I thought the bat was coming closer, I squeezed my eyes tightly closed. It seemed like hours but within a few short minutes, my hero had gotten the bat out of the bedroom, down the stairs and out the front door. The next night, he purchased screen to add to our attic vents. I hope we don't repeat that nighttime adventure anytime soon!

I went to Home Depot the other night and picked out several paint chips to consider for my upstairs bathroom. One chip I picked out is a hideous color but it had a really cool name. I always wonder who sits there and develops the names and how they decide between two shades which one is "Buttercup" and which one is "Buttered Sweet Corn." The color I liked the most under the glaring high wattage lights of Home Depot is the same color I liked the best in my car yesterday afternoon. The hideous color in Home Depot was still hideous in natural light. This weekend, I will be tacking the colors up in the bathroom and living with them for a few days (or weeks or months).

It is funny to see which blogs people comment on. I have to say, I never get it right.

Here's to fragments and it being Friday.

Once again, it is Thankful Thursday!

Do we really take the time we should to reflect on the things that we are thankful for? I know I don't, so on Thursdays, I am going to think about the things in my life that I should appreciate more. I am thankful for the big things - a loving family, good health and a job in this tough economy but I also want to focus on the little things that we often overlook.

I am VERY thankful that tonight is Girl's Night Out and I get to spend time with two of my favorite ladies. We have been friends for years and I am lucky to know both of them.

I am thankful that my son is doing well at his first job. He gets paid today. He has shown a lot of interest in the job (he calls in every day to see if they need him as a fill-in!) and he has gotten to work a lot of extra shifts. I am so proud of him.

I am thankful that I found a way to save money on one of the excursions on our cruise. Don't you just love the internet and how people post suggestions and don't you just love saving money?

I am thankful that my hubby was willing to work with me last night on some of my karate exercises.

I am thankful that I have reconnected with some of my high school friends on facebook. I made tentative plans to get together with one of them when my son and I go on our "road trip" this October.

I am thankful that my son knows what his summer assignment is for English. Now, I can order the book for him.

I am thankful that my hubby chased the bat out of our bedroom the other night.

I am thankful that I was able to go off my medicine and not have a relapse.

I am thankful that Hallie's raffle drawing is coming up soon. It's not too late, however, to get in on the fun. You can still donate over at http://www.firstgiving.com/hallietwomey. Not only is it a fantastic cause, but you can win lots of really cool prizes.

Finally, I am thankful that my vacation is only 22 days away! Yee Hah!

What are you thankful for today?

Here's to appreciating the little things we have going for us.

Wordless Wednesday

Sara over at http://www.ordinaryandawesome.com/ hosts Mostly Wordless Wednesday where participants post a photo. Make sure you check out her blog to get links for all of the other photos. My photo offering fulfills the ordinary side of things and the others fulfill the awesome side of things!



My photo is from a park a few miles from our house. This old fort overlooks Portsmouth Harbor and this tree has always appealed to me. It reminds me of a giant bonsi tree!

Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

I had an epiphany today. I have a hard time making decisions. Now, you may ask, why did it take me so long to come to this self-realization? Well, perhaps I am not as in touch with myself as I should be. Also, it isn't all decisions that I have a hard time with. It is only the relatively small decisions that I beat myself up over so it isn't really ALL that obvious. That is what I am hoping, anyway.

Yup, you got it. The big life-changing decisions - I make those with nary a hesitation. I investigate, learn everything I can, follow my gut and charge forward. I don't second guess my decisions either. When I got married 25 years ago, I didn't think twice. When we decided to start our family, I knew it was time. When we built our house, I knew exactly what I wanted.

Other decisions like which political candidate to support or how to vote on a bond issue, I also find easy to make. I know where I stand and tend to take sides early.

It is the small decisions that make me agonize. What color to paint our downstairs bathroom took multiple trips to a paint store to collect paint chips. I thought I had a vision but wasn't sure if it was right. I FINALLY picked out a paint and my hubby painted. Now, I am still not sure it was the right choice. Seriously. I am still checking out colors when I visit other people's homes or offices. I decide what vacation I want to book (IE a cruise) but worry that I might be making the wrong choices when it comes to the final details. My husband will ask me what I want to do on Saturday and my usual answer is "I don't know." This is a typical conversation between me and my (very patient) hubby. Me "I think we should paint the upstairs bathroom yellow." Him "Sounds good to me." Me "I was thinking a pale but somewhat bright yellow." Him "Fine." "Do you think a more golden yellow would be better?" Him. "Whatever you think is fine with me." Me: "I don't know. Maybe a blue would go with the tiles better." Him (obviously having tuned me out by now) "Hmmmm." Me: "But I don't want it to be like a baby's room so maybe the yellow would contrast nicely with the tiles." Him:"Hmmmm. Yeah." Me - "Or maybe another color." and so on and so forth.



If you asked me what you should do with your life or, even what color you should paint your bathroom, I could give you an answer in a short amount of time. I have no idea why I can't make these minor decisions for myself. I am going to try to be better. Stay tuned for the decision on what color to paint the upstairs bathroom. I hope to have an answer before 2010... but I won't promise. Don't want to make the wrong choice, you know?



Here's to decisions.

It is Friday and another shot of of Friday Fragments. Friday Fragments is where we bloggers have permission to be as random as we want to. Why? Because Mrs. 4444 over at http://www.halfpastkissintime.com/ says we can! Make sure you check out Mrs. 444's site to see what everyone else is pondering about today.

On my way to work, I pass under an electrical wire that suddenly has a pair of sneakers hanging off of it. You know how people tie them together and they hang off the wire by their laces? What amazes me, however, is that these sneakers appear to be brand new leather sneakers. What would possess someone to do that? "Gee, I just spent $80. on these sneakers. Why don't I throw them up on this wire so everyone can enjoy them?" What is up with that?

It is another rainy day in Maine. Today's rain, however, is not a gentle rain that makes is sometimes enjoyable on hot summer days. No, today the heavens have taken their hose and put it on "hard rain" and pointed it towards Maine. They are forecasting 3 inches of rain today. Three inches!! We are going to be floating away. I walked the 200 feet from my car to the office at 8:30 and I am still damp 90 minutes later. I got soaked in the 2 minutes it took me to get into the office. The parking lot has such a large puddle in it that I warned my boss that the tax assessor will probably start taxing him on "waterfront property". Yee gads. Will it ever end?

My son is going to be entering his sophomore year in high school in September. He loves music and plays the bass clarinet. Our high school band has been in a rebuilding process for the past several years. We were thrilled last fall when the band director announced that the band would be participating in the Christmas parade for Portsmouth NH - and that they were going to be paid! We were further impressed that the band director decided that the band members needed to purchase jackets so they would look more professional. I wrote the check and waited excitedly to see my son's new jacket. The day he got it, he called and seemed down. I asked about his new jacket and got an "it's ok". Hmmm. What was with that? When I got home, I immediately saw the problem. The band director had picked out a jacket that is virtually identical to a jacket that I own. Mine has my employers name on it and his has the school name on it. I could easily wear mine to band functions and people would think I was "with the band". What high school boy wants to have matching jackets with his mother? What are the odds that the band director would pick out that particular style?

My son is many things but organized isn't one of them. Last night, we spent time looking for the paperwork on his summer reading project for English. It is nowhere.to.be.found. He sent a message to a friend to get the details because he needs to read a book and write a paper. Any suggestions on how to get a teenage boy more organized?

What random thoughts are keeping you up at night?

Here's to fragments!

Another Thursday to be thankful for

Do we really take the time we should to reflect on the things that we are thankful for? I know I don't, so on Thursdays, I am going to think about the things in my life that I should appreciate more. I am thankful for the big things - a loving family, relatively good health and amazing friends but I also want to focus on the little things that we often overlook.

I am thankful that my son did well his first day at his first job. He got to work 30 minutes longer than expected and is working tonight and one day this weekend. He will be able to put money in the bank for his trip to Germany next spring!

I am thankful that my karate class went so well this week. After getting sick in class (yuck!) last week, I was a little apprehensive about going this week. I had a great time! I am looking forward to my class tonight too.

I am thankful that I got to go to the Macaroni Grill last Friday night. Penne Rustica is still one of my favorite dishes ever.

I am thankful that my son had a great time at "band camp". The two concerts we went to absolutely rocked the house. Wow. What talent. It was amazing.

I am thankful that my son is home now. I missed him!

I am thankful that I am somewhat caught up at work right now. I have no idea how it happened (LOL) but I am really enjoying it. It is much less stressful. I am going to enjoy it while I have it because it isn't a usual situation.

I am thankful that my friend Mary Ellen had a job interview yesterday and has one tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for her. She deserves our good wishes and a dash of good luck. Any employer would be lucky to have her.

I am thankful that my vacation is less than 30 days away. Sorry to mention that again, but I need a vacation and counting down is the only thing keeping me sane.

I am thankful that I have a husband who noticed that I sounded tired yesterday when I left him voicemail and called to check to make sure I was OK.

I am very very thankful that my co-worker found out that the lump she found was just fluid that formed after her breast cancer surgery. We were all scared for her as she had just finished her treatment a few short months ago.

What are you thankful for today?

Here's to appreciation of all of the good things in life.

Another (Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

Sara over at www.ordinaryandawesome.com hosts a gathering every Wednesday for all of the talented photographers in Bloggyland to showcase their pictures. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone but I tag along. They haven't figured out that I don't belong. Go over to her site and check out the really talented people and, please keep my secret!!

Today I am posting a photo that I didn't take but it is an old family photo of my grandmother. She was a very strong and elegant English lady who lived to her nineties. Her husband died very young and left her with 10 children to raise. With the help of the older boys, she did a wonderful job.

Here's to strong women!