Sunday afternoon, rainy with a chance of bored

Well, I've put off posting for too long and I still don't have much to talk about. Sweetie and I worked in the yard all day yesterday and really got a lot accomplished. Our backyard was once two long lots and we took down the fence a few years ago. Part of our yard is thus landscaped and trimmed and outlined in flowerbeds, while the other half is an old gravel driveway with overgrown shrubs and railroad ties in it. At least it was until yesterday.
First we borrowed a wood chipper from one of Sweetie's work contacts. I don't ask a lot of questions there. Anyhow, we spent two weekends just making mulch from all the tree limbs and trimmings and leaves and stuff that accumulated in the three years we've been here. We aren't paying extra to have our trash people carry off the yard waste, so we've had a nice little stick pile but finally decided enough was enough. All that mulch made the ratty flowerbeds look better so that was good. Then we got the overgrown shrubs cut down and chipped them. There were about 6 big shrubs, over 8 feet tall, so that made our yard look a lot bigger. It also revealed the other side of our privacy fence which the previous owner didn't stain to match the rest of the yard since he couldn't get through the shrubs. Another project. Sweetie found six railroad ties embedded in the ground and pulled them up. I think they are destined for the driveway at his work so big trucks won't run off into the grass. I said good--and take the critters with them.
That was Saturday. Now it's Sunday and I still feel like doing big projects and making improvements, but it's rainy, and Sweetie wants to watch TV, and I don't want to spend money. Plus there's no one in town to do stuff with, anyway. So I am doing chores and surfing and wondering what to do with myself. I will find something to get into, count on that.

Bring On the Pumpkin Candles and Falling Leaves!

Oh I am so excited! I wore my brown argyle sweater today because I just couldn't wait any longer. It's still dark when I get ready for work and the day is short when I come home. It's almost Fall! Yay!

I didn't like fall that much when I was younger. It meant back to school, and the coming cold weather, which killed back my desire to write creatively. Now I see it more as a time for things to cool down a bit, to become thoughtful and thankful, and to enjoy the little festivals and fairs that mark the season. I learned there's a new word for what I celebrate--Falloween. We're the folks who hang the decorative pumpkin flags out on October first, and I admit I already put out my big 4 wick pumpkin spice candle. I want another one in mulled cider, but I will try to curb my enthusiasm until it's at least officially Autumn. Ho hum.

We live on a fairly well traveled turn in the road of our subdivision, but most of our neighbors are elderly and a few years past their trick or treating days. Last year, despite carving the coolest jack o'lantern in the world, we had not one costumed kiddo. Sweetie felt bad for me because I kept looking out the front door every time a car would pass. He slipped out of the back door and came around front to trick or treat me so I could say that I gave out some candy. Hopefully this year we will have a few kids drop by--I told the new neighbors we were looking forward to the holidays so maybe she'll bring her two boys over. Sweetie is already scanning the pumpkin lots that have started setting up near his work, so maybe our little pumpkin is out there, somewhere.

Until then, I'll get by with my brown shirts and cinnamon candies and country magazines with falling leaves on the covers. Ahhh.

Hello Hello!

I feel the need to be busy right now. There is junk in the garage I could be tossing and it's the perfect time too, because Sweetie isn't home yet to say, No don't throw that valuable piece of bent foot long wire away! I may need that! I could fill the dumpster probably, but I don't know how industrious I am. I had a brownie for breakfast, and being a stress eater I didn't get better when I got to work. By 11 I had downed a grab bag of my favorite Fritos, the twisty honey barbeque flavor. And when it was time for lunch I didn't want the leftovers I brought, so I just went outside and walked around the block a few times to use up my sugar energy. It worked, so now I am blah. Maybe some protein and I'll be back in the game.

Tomorrow there's a festival in our little town, and I am looking forward to it. It's the most white-bread little festival. Pure firetrucks and Little Junior Miss, with some ROTC and maybe the high school marching band. That's my favorite part of any parade. I think it comes from being in a musical family with two brothers who spent high school marching for the green and burgundy. Sometimes in the late summer or early fall, when we are out in the yard, we can hear the drumline from the local high school practicing rolls. I get goose bumps--I feel like a teenager again, on a Saturday afternoon in some Kentucky high school's football stands, getting ready to critique other bands (oh they are only 2-A? That company front was all broken! Look at that color guard who dropped her flag!) and it's so much fun. I can hear my middle brother, with his drumline friends eating all the food in sight in our kitchen back home, saying stuff like "No, you crabstep while you go diggita-diggita-diggita-dack-dack-DACK!" And seeing a half dozen starved teen boys respond, "OH! That's right!" I guess we really did speak another language. But then, anyone who was ever in marching band knows there's something, er, special about the kids in drumline.

Other than that, it will be a typical weekend in the planoamy house. I hope there's nothing to gripe about, but then where would the fun be in that? I hope any of you who will be out and about this weekend enjoy yourselves. I am already daydreaming about falling leaves and trick or treaters.

___Speaking of which! I signed up for a ton of freebie stuff for babies when my brother and his wife were expecting. And I get this catalog called One Step Ahead. THE most ADORABLE Halloween costumes ever! Check out their website. So far the Hershey's Kiss baby is my favorite.

It's Dream Team time!

Yes, September 1st begins the latest cycle of my Dream Team. It's a six-month adventure which begins with each member of the team making 5 personal improvement goals they hope to accomplish or at least work substantially toward completing, by February 28. We've gone through a year of this excitement, and I am seeing a change in myself and my friends. Basically, the goals of each person can be personal or public if they want to share, but the point is to think about ourselves as important individuals. Not just cogs in the wheel of family, work, school, society. I am not my job. I am not my income. I am not my car. Well, I may be a lot LIKE my car, since it wears green all the time, has a roomy rear end and makes funny noises when it rains. But I digress.

The Dream Team got started when my Mom and I were talking about wishing we could do stuff and just not knowing how or where to start. I felt fairly good about my life but had things I always wanted to try. So she and I made up a list of things we wanted to work on. Then we could email each other or send each other notes of encouragement and try to push, pull, or drag it on in until we got the job done. The only criteria were that it had to be something we could really do. Not, "I want people to like me," but maybe, "I will make 3 new friends at work." That sort of thing. And also, it had to be our goal.

So now, I am at the start of another great opportunity for growth. I like to say it that way because it sounds nicer than hard challenge. :) But I have been working on my goals and I am serious about them. Here goes:

1. I want to reach my goal weight of 150 pounds. Last cycle I just wanted to lose 10 pounds in six months. I accomplished that in two--I realized I was a crummy self-motivator in this area so I joined weight watchers and it's working really well for me. If anyone has vegetable recipes that don't involve a can of cream soup, I am all ears.

2. I want to take a healthy cooking class. I grew up with big family suppers--the cup of bacon grease on the stove and everything. Yes I saw my mother cook, but I can't do it that way anymore unless I want to worry about my heart all the time. So I want to learn new recipes and how to chop vegetables like a pro--the fun stuff.

3. I want to replace my baggy wardrobe with clothes that fit--preferably from this century. I have been wearing the same pair of brown dress shoes since before I got married. I have 6 pair of dress pants all in the same brand and style--I just changed the color. It's time to redraw myself as a professional.

4. On that note, I want to update my resume and outline three new job opportunities. This means deciding on what my talents are, and where my interests would be best used. It ain't in insurance. I may also seek out a mentor in the field I consider to know what training or experiences may help most in my job search.

5. And this one may be the hardest of all. I want to use my vacation time for vacations. Not a three day weekend doing all the backlogged laundry. Or a half day off for doctor's appointments. I have almost 120 hours of vacation time saved. It's time to party before I need knee replacement surgery!

So there--I have thrown down the gauntlet. I don't know if I have many folks reading this yet, or anyone lurking who may like to join in. Feel free! Just leave a comment or send me an email and let me know you would like to try out for the Dream Team. I promise you'll make the cut--no one is ever turned away. You don't have to say what your goals are, but just say if you need encouragement or even if you want to brag about marking something off your list! That's the best of all, and it gets me motivated too--nothing like a little friendly competition, you know. :) Come on!