A Camping Weekend

I have to say right up front that my idea of roughing it is staying at a Motel 6. So when Rick asked me to go camping with him and Blossom, I almost said no thanks. But I decided what the heck...as long as I don't have to sleep on the ground, it would be a good time. Rick said it's not the Hilton but pretty comfy in their pop up camper so I decided to go along. The last time I went camping was with Rick and Blossom and the whole Maine gang a couple of years ago.
Anyway I met Blossom at her house on Saturday around noon. She had Pup_Pup and Pup's daughter Nikki with her. We unloaded my car, got gas and off to the campsite we went.
It was a pretty sunny day in New Hampshire when I left but by the time I got to their house, 4 hours later, the sun was gone and it was cool and cloudy. Apparently I missed the torrential rains the night before. But it was shaping up to be a decent day, even without much sun.
We got to the campsite and of course I was greeted with hugs and smoochies and had to greet Princess, Pup's Siberian Husky. What a pretty dog.



Rick and Gene (Pup's hubby) had a decent campfire going and we all sat around and talked for quite awhile. Gene was trying to fix the starter on his pick up truck since it decided to die right after they got up to the campsite. It didn't seem like it was going to work out but he gave it a good try.

It was soon time to start cooking dinner and we had hot dogs and hamburgers, chips and macaroni salad. Everything tastes so much better when it's cooked outside. We also toasted marshmallows and made S'Mores for dessert. YUMMY!! That's the number 1 reason to go camping in my book. LOL

Once everything was cleaned up Blossom, the best fire tender in all of Maine, built up the campfire and we all sat around chatting our fool heads off. It was so nice to catch up with them in person and not by typing on a computer, believe me. As it got darker and cooler, we all moved our chairs closer to the fire. We were really pretty warm there. The wind would kick up once in awhile but it didn't matter...we were having a great time. Even the threat of a shower didn't keep us from enjoying the night air and the fire.

I think it was around 11:30 when I decided I was about to fall asleep right there in my chair so I said good night and headed for my bed.



The worst thing about drinking while camping is having to pee every 10 minutes. LOL That's why I stopped drinking well before it was time for bed. I didn't want to wake everyone up getting my shoes on and moving about the camper opening and closing the door. I did have to go around 3am and made my way to a spot behind the car. There was NO WAY I was going any further. There are big black bears out there ya know! I really hurried up and trotted my butt right back to the safety of the camper. I was ok after that until I woke up around 6:30.

The sight I saw when opening the camper door that morning was just a thing of natural beauty. I could see across the lake and the sun was pouring down through the trees. I know the pics don't do it justice but I have enclosed a few for you to see.







Naturally Sunday's weather was the best of the weekend. Rick made a nice hearty breakfast of coffee, sausage and pancakes. We ate and cleaned up so we could start packing. Before we left, though, Rick took me for a nice long ride on his 4 wheeler. That was really fun and something I haven't done before.

Gene and Pup's truck was still not fixed and arrangements were made for someone to go back to town with Rick and get whatever parts were needed to get the truck repaired. I heard this morning that it took all afternoon to repair and they didn't actually get home until after 8pm.

I hopped in Blossom's car and together we rode back into town to where my car was waiting. It was a long ride home for me but definitely a fun weekend. I hope to get up there again this summer so I can see the rest of the gang up there.

I didn't take a lot of pictures this trip but I did get a few. Hope you enjoy them.
Rick and Gene

Rick by the camper(Pup is in the upper left corner by the truck)

My weekend starts now

It is officially the start of my weekend. I was planning to work a few hours tomorrow morning but was told just before I left this afternoon to stay home because Dave didn't want anyone in tomorrow. We have our June shipment just about ready for the government inspection. All I have to do is stamp the date codes on about 100 units and we're ready. I can do that Monday morning and be done before the rest of my department even comes into work. I told Dave we can have the government guy in Monday after 9am.

I have a couple of errands to run tomorrow and I want to get all of my housework done. Saturday morning I am heading up to Maine to visit the Mainiacs. It's been a long time coming. It seems like every time we tried to make plans something would come up on either end. This weekend we hit it just right. It is a 4 hour drive for me but I plan on being there by noon. The camera is in the charger...no worries!

I'm feeling a bit lazy this evening. I have some leftover spaghetti in the fridge so I think I'll just toss that in the microwave and then supper is done. I won't bother picking up groceries until Sunday since I won't be home most of the weekend. Sara will pop in to take care of the pooch. I've got my laundry going now so once that's finished I can do NOTHING!

There's not much else happening. It was a gorgeous day all day but it's since clouded up a bit and looks like rain.

I'm off to watch the news. Have a wonderful evening.

Lainie

More pics of the river

Just a few more shots of the river and surrounding area.

The Lamprey River

Since yesterday's post I was inspired to capture some shots of one of my favorite spots in town. I found this place shortly after we moved to town while I was exploring places for the kids to go fishing. We have a few small lakes around but public access is limited but the Lamprey River flows through town and there are several places where you can drop your line and catch some brook trout and bass. I took a drive this morning and got a few shots of the river at Riverside Park.
The first two shots are of the Lamprey River at Langford Road. There is a house to the left of where I was standing but as far as I know this part of the river bank is not private property and I have often seen kids fishing here. The river cuts around to the right and flows under a bridge, then heads eastward.





The next few shots are at Riverside Park, which isn't really a park but a tiny picnic area along the river. There is a small take out seafood restaurant/ice cream stand across the road and we used to take our ice cream down to the picnic tables to enjoy.









The last shot I am posting is of the river from another area of town. I was in the car on the overpass and although I was stopped, there was too much traffic to safely get out of the car so I pointed the camera and shot from the driver's seat. Sorry about the railing in the way. There was a guy down on the rocks fishing but I managed to miss him completely. LOL



I took a few more pics but will post them another time.

The weather was great earlier in the day but the forecast is for scattered thunderstorms and the wind has kicked up quite a bit. It is getting pretty dark to the west so I suspect we will be getting something really soon.

I'm heading out to see my dad. Have a relaxing Sunday.

My Little Town

Since you've expressed an interest in where Lainie lives, I'll give it a go. My lil town isn't very big or interesting but there are some nice little places I like to frequent.
First of all, I was born and brought up in the city and moved to the 'sticks' in 1990.
Dave (my now ex husband) and I were first time home buyers and didn't have much money so we bought this mobile home that sat on just under an acre of land that is mostly wooded. What attracted me to the property at first was the quiet. It was the middle of the day in the middle of winter, and there was no traffic noise, no hustle or bustle, just peace and quiet. The back yard looked so pretty with the snow all over the ground, untouched since no one was living here at the time, and I loved the fact that the yard was partially cleared but the rest was thickly wooded. The kids were only 5 and 7 at the time so I was thinking they would have a blast playing out back, exploring the woods and they could have that dog they always asked for. I was right...once we moved here, they have been all over those woods and even made a playhouse out of big pieces of particle board which was later improved upon. We eventually added an old kitchen table and chairs out there and the kids would use it to play board games with their friends. It now stores a foosball table and some bicycles.

The road I live on is actually a main road that bypasses the 'downtown' area and kind of loops around the town center. The downtown is not very big and if you blink while driving through it, you will miss everything. The Dudley-Tucker Library is still one of my favorite haunts. For a small town library, they keep up with all the newest books and authors and if they don't have the book you are looking for, they will find it at one of the other local libraries and 'borrow' it for you.

Behind the library is the Town Office building. Many large cities have a mayor who runs the city but in small towns, most everything is run by a Town Manager. Like a Mayor, the Town Manager is elected during town elections, along with Selectmen and School Board members. Anyway, all of those elected town officials have offices in that building as well as the tax collector. UGH...I hate going there because it always costs me money! In the picture I have posted of the Library...you can sort of see the Town Office Building to the left in the background. The portion of building you see to the right of the library is a bank.


Directly across the street from the library is the Town Common. It's small and very countryish. I've enclosed a picture of the gazebo that is the centerpiece of the Common.


There are a couple of churches and another bank in the center of town along with a small corner store and two little restaurants. One is called the Longbranch and it is only open for breakfast and lunch. This is where the locals gather for the best cup of coffee in town (and all the gossip you can handle). Across the street is a pizza joint and around the corner is the VFW.

We have an elementary school, middle school and high school in town. They are in three different areas of town, and have always been over crowded since I've been here. Over the last year, they tore down the middle school which I believe was actually the high school at one time, and built a brand new school in the same location.

There is one small shopping center on the other side of town that has 5 or 6 businesses and a large grocery store that is a couple of miles from my house. The Post Office is now located at one end of the shopping center and the hardware/craft store is at the other end. In between is a pizza/sub shop, a small medical clinic and a discount furniture store. Across the parking lot is a bakery, a pet store and a video rental store. We have a McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts, a bowling alley and a State Liquor store. I do my grocery shopping at the Hannaford's and I like it because it also has a pharmacy right there and I can rent DVD's too. There is also a branch of the bank I go to right there in the store and it is open in the evening as well as Sunday afternoons.

One of the larger businesses in town is the Pine Acres Campground. It is located about a half mile from my house and has seasonal sites as well as weekend sites. There is a large pond down there where my son used to go fishing and it is pretty well outfitted so you never have to leave the grounds. There's a country store, laundromat and ice cream stand there. They also have a mini golf course and water slides which are open to the public. I can smell the smoke from the campfires at night from my house.

So there it is...a little sample of small town life in New Hampshire. I have to admit, I don't shop at the shopping center because I think the items there are overpriced. But in a pinch, it beats driving 15 or 20 minutes to the nearest Wal-Mart. We don't have a movie theater or any really decent restaurants here but that's alright with me. The bigger the town gets, the less peace and quiet we are able to enjoy. If I want the fun of the big city, it's only 15-20 minutes away.

Gotta love Friday!

I know I said I would post more a few days ago but I really haven't had anything exciting or blog worthy happen this week. The weather has been weird. Warm and sunny one day and then cold and rainy the next. Today was a beautiful sunny day in the mid 70's and tomorrow should be the same. Gotta love that! I have the weekend off and made sure I picked up my groceries today after work so I don't have to bother with that chore. I live near a campground and in the summer, the one grocery store in town is always busy on the weekends with the influx of campers. There is also a State Park about 3 miles away and a lot of people stop at the grocery store to pick up ice, beer and other necessities for a day at the lake.

I was supposed to go to a BBQ at a friends house this evening but she had to have outpatient surgery this morning and she isn't really feeling up to it. I called her earlier and we decided to reschedule for June 30th. I don't know what I'm going to do with all this rum now...but I can pretty much assure you the bottle won't stay sealed. I'll probably have to buy another bottle before the 30th.

Cal's daughter is home after spending a year in Arizona. He is so happy to see her since he hasn't seen her since January but the circumstance of her return home is not a happy one. She and her husband of 3 years have decided to end their marriage. It's a long dramatic story but in the end he decided that a fling with another woman means more to him that saving his marriage. I feel for Heather. She's a sweet, sweet girl, and like her father she always sees the good in everyone. She's been trying to hang on for several months now but she's finally realized that she just doesn't factor into his life anymore. She is heartbroken and was reluctant to come home but I think Cal and her mother convinced her that she should be with her family.
She wants to spend the weekend with her Daddy so I hope to finally meet her sometime next week.

Well I am boring myself so I can imagine how bad it is for those who might be reading this. LOL

While I was at the store earlier, I picked up People Magazine with Matthew McConaughey on the cover so I guess I'll go drool for awhile. Have a wonderful evening!

Hugs you all.

L

Update

Just a quick update...the doctors appointment went quite well, better than I expected. Blood pressure was remarkably good and although he detected a slight wheeze in the lower quadrant of my right lung, he said it wasn't anything to worry about and overall he was pleased. Since he had only given me a weeks worth of the steroid meds and I hadn't taken any in well over a week, he is going to grant my wish and hold off on the steroids for now. However, if I have a flare up then I can expect he will write a long term script...pronto. But a small victory nonetheless. I have to return in a month for a follow up and also have some bloodwork done before the next appointment because my thyroid levels are low and he's been keeping an eye on that too. The results from the bone density scan were not available yet so he will call me with those as soon as they come in.

I was pretty much skipping out of there today. Hopefully I can stay healthy and stay off the nasty steroids. That's my goal anyway. And I truly feel 100% better than I did 6 months ago.

Time for bed. Will post more tomorrow.

The Morning After

Good Morning everyone. A bright sunny day it is...should be in the mid 70's, sunny all day and just a beautiful late spring day. And why is this so significant, you might ask? Well let me tell you why. LOL Yesterday it was gloomy, overcast, chilly, and rained most of the day. Even had a bit of thunder rolling overhead off and on. NOT the nicest day for an outdoor pool party/BBQ at all. So we ditched the pool part of it and moved Sara's graduation party to my parents house which is just down the road from my brothers place. It was obvious the pool was not going to be used and my father offered his garage and patio where we would at least have some cover and still be able to use the grill. We set up some tables on the patio, part of which is covered, filled the coolers and made the best of it all. We had a blast. It all turned out just fine but I was not that optimistic when I got up Saturday morning and saw the weather report. Sara was so happy to have everyone there and you couldn't wipe the smile from her face all day. OK so maybe those frozen fruity rum drinks I was making for her helped just a little bit. Anyway, it turned out to be a really fun day and my brother has offered to host our 4th of July bash in a few weeks. Hopefully the weather will co-operate and the pool will get some use.

Since we kind of invaded my parents house, I stayed behind and cleaned up. I had bought way too much food so I packed all the uncooked food back into my car and stuck it in my big freezer. I could have saved the money I spent on Coke and Pepsi products and bought more beer. I would not recommend getting a cake with any kind of blue in the frosting. That stuff stains. We were all walking around with blue lips and teeth and I still have a slight shade of blue on my fingers.
I am glad I have today to recover. By the time I got home last night, all I wanted to do was take a shower and hit the sheets.

I do have to run to the store later today to pick up some milk and get my prescriptions at the pharmacy. Eventually I will get dressed and do that but for now, I am content to sip my coffee and relax.

Back to work tomorrow. And back to the doctors in the afternoon to discuss the results from the bone density scan. I'm getting to the point where I really hate going there now and see these visits as nothing but a waste of time. I wonder if he can tell? LOL

Happy Sunday...hope you are all able to enjoy the day.

TGIF

Good Morning! I hope you all have a wonderful start to the weekend. I definitely welcomed the extra sleep this morning. I've been doing a few boring jobs at work the last few days and it really makes me tired. One of my co workers is out of work indefinitely on medical leave so I've been picking up the slack a bit in her area. It's a job I did when I first started working there...entry position kind of work, and I had forgotten how boring a job it is. Also frustrating because I spent the week training someone to help out only to find out the trainee is leaving next week for a month's vacation to Bosnia. Communication people!! LOL

Sara came home last night and I could tell right away she was in a bad mood. I made a few light hearted comments to her and she pretty much grunted and blew me off so I gave up and went back to watching Jay Leno. She got ready for bed and then hollered out to me that she was freezing and the house was like a meat locker. LOL Slight exaggeration but she is always cold and I was comfortable. It was chilly outside but I had all the windows closed except for my bedroom windows. I got up and closed the windows and then turned turned the furnace on. She hollered out a thank you and all was quiet again. I could see the dollar bills flying out of the chimney but I really didn't want to hear her bitching all night.
This morning, she got up for work and her mood had not changed. Trouble in paradise, perhaps? She was trying to be quiet since I was still in bed but you know how that goes. You're going to drop the butter knife in the sink or knock over something as you tiptoe by. Plus...she may only weigh 125 lbs, but she walks like a 2 ton elephant. After she started to blow dry her hair...I had had enough and got up. She was making her lunch in the kitchen and I asked her if she was in a bad mood or something. She said rather sarcasticly, how could you tell? I asked her what was wrong and she didn't want to talk about it. She gave me a hug and a kiss and said she was supposed to be going to a graduation party tonight but wasn't sure of her plans now. I am guessing whatever happens today between her and Brad will dictate whether she goes to the party or not. She just better be here for her own party tomorrow.

Back to the dentist today to get that filling replaced. Then I am going to pick up my brother and finish up the details for the graduation party. My father has been hard at work making ice for the last couple of days. LOL He called me last night to tell me not to buy any because he's been using the ice machine at the lawyers office where he works and he's got several bags ready. He also brought a big ice chest to my brother Dave's house yesterday for all of the beer and soda. He thinks of everything. :-)
Dave said the pool is ready. The water is cold but it's clean and ready for swimming. The weather report is not going to be the best for swimming anyway...possible showers in the morning and maybe some sun in the afternoon. Oh well...that's just how my luck goes. Today would have been the perfect day for a pool party.

I better get moving here. I'm still not dressed and I have some laundry to finish.

I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore...or maybe I am?

Holy Smokes...what an afternoon of thunder and lightening we've just had! Last night the weather report was possible severe thunderstorms around noon time today and man he hit it right on the head. When I went outside for lunch around 11:45 the sun was shining and it was starting to warm up. By 12:00 the sky had clouded over and I could hear the rumbling of thunder way off in the distance. By 12:30, the storm was right over us and the rain was coming down in sheets. I had to leave work early this afternoon (more on that later) and of course my umbrella was in the car! Luckily, when I left, the rain had tapered to sprinkling but the sky was black in every direction and the thunder was still rumbling. I drove to my appointment and somehow managed to dodge the worst of the rain as I ran into the building. Thirty minutes later, the rain was coming down harder than it was earlier. Thankfully I remembered to bring the umbrella into the doctors office with me. I basicly followed the storm all the way home and it was pretty severe. Lightening every few minutes and the thunder was so loud. I got home and waited for a flash of lightening, then jumped out of the car and ran into the house. The dog was very happy to see me. The electricity was out. Here I am, home early for a change and I can't go online, watch tv, cook or do laundry. Hell I couldn't even flush the toilet! The storms ended a bit ago and I went outside and cooked on the grill. The power came on shortly after that. The weatherman said we are still under a severe thunderstorm watch and the sky does look a bit dark off to the southwest. Apparently there were a few funnel clouds spotted in some nearby towns as well. Geez...this is NOT tornado alley, ya know.

This afternoon I had to go for a bone density scan. My doctor scheduled the appointment last week after I went to see him regarding a pulmonary test I had a couple months ago. The results from that test told him I have severe asthma. No kidding. Didn't need an $800 test to tell me that. Anyway we've been on the debate regarding steroids to help control the asthma. The meds he had put me on back in December are helping and I do feel 100% better than I did, but he thinks the asthma should be in better control with fewer flare ups. He's probably right, but frankly, the idea of taking medication that has so many side effects, scares the hell out of me. I mean, I've weighed both sides and I do understand what he's telling me. Asthma can be very dangerous and limiting in a lot of ways, but ruining my liver & kidneys, thinning out my bones along with a whole assortment of other ailments seems like a huge risk to take. I'm still not convinced that this is the way to go. What he doesn't realize is I am very stubborn and this wouldn't be the first time I've argued against treatment that a doctor has tried to prescribe. He can write the script but that doesn't mean I am going to fill it.
I have to go back to see him next week. I guess the radiology report will be discussed regarding the bone density test...and we'll go from there.
The scan itself was a piece of cake though and only took a few minutes. The only complaint I would lodge is turn the freaking heat off in that room! LOL After laying on that table for 15 minutes I could have curled up and gone to sleep.

I hear thunder in the distance so I better shut this thing down. See ya all later.

Enjoying the weekend

Wahooo it's Friday! I never thought Friday would get here.

The weather was really good until yesterday. Warm, sunny, no humidity. But a thunderstorm blew through here around 10 last night and with it came the humidity. It's been overcast all day and 80 degrees but feels much warmer. It was raining this afternoon on my way home and got quite windy but right now it's pretty nice outside. I'm going to cook some burgers on the grill when Sara and Brad get here.

Brad has been staying here all week. He moved out of his apartment last weekend but his new place wasn't going to be ready for him to move into until this weekend so he moved his things into his landlords garage and has been sleeping on my couch all week. The only problem with the arrangement is lack of privacy for him. I am up at 4am every morning and I do try to keep the noise level down as much as possible but I know I wake him up. He's grateful for a place to sleep though so I don't think he's bothered too much by it all.

I went to the dentist this morning and even though it had been 2 years since my last cleaning, I only have to have 1 filling refilled, which will be taken care of next Friday. I don't have any teeth bothering me but I was expecting the worst. I did get the expected lecture about flossing and I promise to try but I won't lie...flossing has never been one of my strong suits.

I have no major plans for the weekend. I will be working tomorrow morning for 4 hours or so and then I am going to shop for the food for Sara's Graduation party next weekend. I'll pick up everything except the rolls, and I've made plenty of room in my freezer for the burgers and hotdogs. Note to self...call and order a cake. My brother is making chili and mom is making her famous potato salad. I'll make some pasta salad too since not everyone likes potato salad. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather.

Time to get grilling. Have a wonderful weekend.
L

Not your ordinary Monday.

I did something today that I haven't done in ages. I slept until almost 10am. Saturday night was not a good sleeping night for me and last night we stayed up til after midnight so I am glad I was able to catch up a little bit anyway. The birds are chirping and the sun is shining, it's a little chilly in here still but should warm up nicely.
Sometime around 1am I woke up to what sounded like a waterfall. It was pouring rain outside and I mean gully washer pouring, and I could hear thunder off in the distance. It wasn't long before the storm was right on top of us. A couple of good cracks of thunder and some very vivid lightening and it was over. I am glad the storm held off until after we were all back at home and not during the Fireworks show that went on a couple hours earlier.

Speaking of which, what a fantastic show. One of the best ever! We were all sitting around my mom and dad's house playing cards and the first explosion went off. The radio had said they would start around 9:15 and it was only 8:45. Eric, Jessie, Sara and Brad all took off running down the block to the park and my dad and Uncle Albert grabbed some chairs and headed for the corner. We could see the fireworks pretty well from the corner and except for the really low ones that didn't make it above the tree line, we had a pretty good seat.

Afterwards, we went back to our card game since traffic was going to be crazy anyway and there would be no getting out of there any time soon. We cracked open the strawberries and finished off the strawberry shortcakes Sara had made for dessert. Good job, kid. The only leftovers from dinner were a few hot dogs and some pasta salad which Eric and my brother Henry managed to finish off before we left.

I'm going to make another cup of coffee and flip through a magazine.

Happy Monday everyone.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead.

Just a little history lesson there...I was interested in when observing Memorial Day actually started. Now we all know. LOL

The weekend has started off quite nicely. I woke up around 7:30, which means I got an additional 3 hours sleep, and it is sunny and warm outside. The woods out back are alive with chirping and screeching and all other noises the little creatures make. I've showered and got laundry going and had a couple cups of coffee already while sitting outside on the deck. Cal mowed the lawn last night for me and there is still that fresh cut grass scent going on out there. I am not liking a section of the yard though that has become a bit overgrown with weeds and junk I can't recognize so I think I am going to stop at the flower shop down the road later and pick up a few flats of pansies and assorted colorful flowers and brighten up that area. I've got day lilies and a rose bush in that area but that stuff won't bloom for another month and I want to see some color. Everything in my yard seems to be a few weeks behind everyone else's yard for some reason. The violets and lily-of-the-valley are just now starting to bloom. The irises are tall but still have a way to go before blossoming. I've also got black eyed susans and daisies coming along. I love my neighbors lilac bush and wish I had one of my own. I think I'll go clip myself a bunch after they leave this morning. LOL

It is supposed to be in the mid 90's today which is fantastic since last weekend I had to have the heat on because it was so cold and rainy and raw. I've got the windows open and it is 77 out now but there's a nice breeze blowing and the sun hasn't settled on the house just yet. Once it does, it will get quite warm in here, but there is no humidity to worry about so it will cool down nicely this evening. I haven't installed the air conditioner just yet, I think I'll wait awhile and enjoy the fresh air for a few more weeks.

I've got a few errands to run this morning but then the weekend is pretty much free for yard work, reading and BBQing. I'm taking it easy. Last weekend was so busy and there was hardly time to breathe. I want to just slow it down and be a little lazy.

I suppose I should get the clothes out on the line and get moving. The sooner I get my chores finished, the sooner I can sit outside and start reading.

Be safe this weekend!

Welcome Home Joey!

Earlier today, the oldest son of my good friend Anne arrived in Boston after an 8 month tour of duty in Bagdad, Iraq. He joined the military 3 years ago and has spent most of his time overseas, first in England for a year and then in Italy and Germany for a bit before being deployed to Iraq. I know Anne and her husband are relieved that he is finally back on U.S. soil and I am thankful for his and all our military's service. I hope to be able to see him while he is on leave so I can personally express my gratitude.

The weather has finally taken a turn for the better around here. The last few days have been very sunny and warm and tomorrow we are expecting some 80 degree weather with possible 90's for Friday and part of the weekend. Bring on the sunscreen! I have the whole weekend off, including Friday, so I plan on working on my tan.

I really have no huge plans for the weekend. Friday morning I have to get my car inspected but the remainder of the day is free. Sunday I am going to a BBQ and then the annual fireworks show down by the river in Manchester. It is sponsored by a local radio station, ROCK 101, and officially kicks off the 101 days of summer. This fireworks show is normally way better than the 4th of July show and is synchronized with the music played by the radio station. It should be a good time, for sure.

I'm off to the shower and then to watch the last American Idol show of the season. My opinion is Jordin will win but Sara pointed out to me that last year between Katherine and Taylor, Katherine had a much better voice and Taylor was a better showman and we all know who won, so nothing is certain until the words are uttered by Ryan Seacrest. In any event, I think several of the Top 10 will have decent careers so everyone is a winner.

I hope you all are having a good week and Happy Memorial Day to you all.

A few more pics

Accepting her Award
Sara and her Grandparents
Sara and Brad

Graduation

Graduation

It's been a very busy weekend indeed.

Friday evening was Sara's awards ceremony at UNH. I would guess about 250 students were awarded various academic awards based on their credits and grade point average. Sara was awarded a white cord to wear with her cap and gown for her GPA which has stayed pretty much between 3.25-3.50.
After the ceremony her father and I took her and her boyfriend Brad out for dinner. It also happened to be my birthday so it was a nice combo celebration.


Saturday morning we were up early and headed to the University. Since the keynote speakers were the 41st and 42nd Presidents of the United States, I knew security was going to be tight and I wanted to make sure we had a decent seat. The weather was not going to co-operate so we decided we would watch the ceremony from the indoor arena. They were going to have jumbo screens set up so we could watch and I thought we would actually see better anyway. As soon as we got on campus, we were directed to a large parking facility and then boarded a bus that shuttled us to the arena. They had closed down the campus to traffic at 6am, and only necessary personel were getting through. We had plenty of time to spare so we wandered around a bit and picked a good seat. The rain tapered off right before the grads filed in to Cowell Stadium. (And no it was not named after Simon Cowell LOL) I spotted Sara in the crowd when the former Presidents were filing in. She was franticly taking pics and shook President Bush's hand.
The speeches were awesome and except for a couple of asides regarding female presidents made by Bill Clinton,(the university president is a female) the speeches were mostly geared towards the students being citizens and not politicaly influenced.
The last student received his diploma around 3 hours later and the last speech was given. Sara caught up to us after awhile and we all posed and took pics. She had to go back to her dorm and finish packing so we jumped back on the bus and got shuttled back to my car. We went to her dorm and helped her clean up, loaded my car with as much as it can hold and headed home. The rain started again right on cue as soon as we got home.
I am very proud of my baby and I know she worked really hard to get where she is today. We will have a big party for her on June 9th.

Today was supposed to be my day of rest. LOL I am so tired, I even took a nap this afternoon.
I've been helping Sara organize her room which is no easy task since she is a pack rat and her room was already packed with stuff before she moved the things from school into it. I think there will be some over spill into the spare bedroom but I am discouraging that because I have been trying to make that room into a sitting room. She seems to think every spare corner in the house is hers to fill up. NOT!
It's good to have her home again but I can already see issues that will need to be addressed. She is not the neatest person in the world and I have been used to cleaning up after myself the last 4 years and not her too. Funny how fast they return to their childhood when it suits them.

I have posted one of my favorite pics taken yesterday and that is of Sara and her big brother after graduation. Definitely a keeper.



Time for another nap, I think.

Happy Mother's Day

I had a very busy weekend so far. Starting on Friday, which was supposed to be my day off, I had to attend a class at work on time management. I am still not sure exactly why I was included because almost all of the other people in the class were managers, supervisors and group leaders, but I figured, why not, let's see if I can play with the big dogs. The class was an all day affair and actually was pretty informative. There were lectures and then hands on implementation of what was taught, work simulations, etc. After our last exercise, we were given a clock that we built during our simulations. So, the benefit for me was, a free lunch, a clock, and some hands on experience of what managers do to try to make the work flow easier and keep the wasted time to a minimum. Oh and 8 hours of overtime.

After class I went to visit my Mom and ended up staying for dinner. My brother BBQ'd and we played cards before and after dinner. Not a bad evening and I figured I would just get my banking, food shopping and other various errands done on Saturday. I would be wrong. LOL

Saturday morning I got up early and started on my laundry. I got tied up on the phone though, and never made it out of the house on time. So I skipped the grocery shopping and banking, and decided I can do that on Sunday, since the rest of my day was pretty full. I made my way to the post office and then to Manchester to pick up a birthday gift for my friend Elaine. She and I went to High School together and her birthday is on the 28th. We were having lunch at noon so I wanted to make sure I had her gift with me. I had planned on picking that up last weekend, but got lazy and never made it to the Mall. I wandered around the Mall for 20 minutes before I saw the perfect thing. She has 4 grandkids and she's always bringing photos of them for me to see when we get together so I picked out a pretty photo album that holds 48 photos. It's got a bright yellow sunflower on the cover. I also filled a gift bag with various chocolates and a Powerball ticket. I hope she remembers me if she gets lucky.
Anyway, we met at Cactus Jack's Restaurant, which serves very yummy Mexican food. It was awesome to see her again, and since we figured out it had been almost 2 years since we last managed to pull this off, we ended up sitting at the restaurant after lunch for about 2 more hours, chatting away. Of course, she pulled out her envelope with recent photos of the kids and grandkids, so she was thrilled when she opened her gift bag and saw the photo album.

By the time I left the restaurant it was after 3pm and I headed home to take the dog out and make sure he was fed. I then headed over to Eric and Jessie's new apartment. They moved in about a month ago and Jessie called earlier in the week and asked me to come hang out with them. Jessie had prepared a wonderful dinner and we then played Monopoly for several hours. I got my butt whipped, but that's ok. Right before I left, Eric handed me a box from Zales Jewelers ^insert eye popping here^. Inside was a beautiful, delicate tennis bracelet with Opals (his birthstone) and tiny diamonds. I was floored! Sooooooo pretty. It is a combination Mother's Day and Birthday gift. He said he knew my birthstone is Emerald, but I already have a lot of Emerald stuff (he's right) so he decided on the Opal. He couldn't have made a better choice. It's lovely and although I don't wear much jewelry, I will wear this. He was a little disappointed that I didn't cry. He said he always goes for the tear factor. I will be sure to brag and show it off every chance I get.

So, that brings me to today. I still have to pick up some groceries and I did my banking online already. The rest of the day will be relaxing and hanging out with Cal. I spoke to Sara on Friday and she 'might' stop in for a visit this afternoon, but she still has 2 more finals to take so she's got a ton of studying to do. She also has to start moving out of her dorm soon since Graduation is next week.
On Friday, I am taking a half day off work to go to her Academic Awards Ceremony. She will be getting an award for maintaining a 3.5 average and I think she gets a special colored cord to wear with her cap and gown. Then Saturday morning is the BIG DAY! I'm so so excited. I am sure it is going to be a three ring circus since Bill Clinton and George Bush Sr. are the Commencement speakers but I wouldn't miss it for the world. Pictures to follow! ;-)

I hope all you mom's have a Happy Mother's Day today.

Apple News

Apple Computers announced today that it has developed a computer chip
that can store and play music in women's breast implants. The iBreast
will cost between $499 and $599.

This is considered to be a major breakthrough because women are always
complaining about men staring at their breasts and not listening to
them.

Thanks to Apple, everyone is now happy

Saturday Musings

It's the weekend...Yahoo LOL

The week was a tad bit long for me but I muddled thru. Things have been pretty slow at work since we've caught up on all our backlog. We were so used to having more work than we knew what to do with and 11 hour days were the norm for me and now we're back to our regular schedules with more people than we need. So three girls have been transferred to another department, and we've had all overtime cut for the time being. Yesterday I was asked if I would want to give my Supervisor a hand and do the daily production reports, line status and some general computer entries. It would give me an additional hour or two of work a day and frankly, all I want to do is keep busy because trying to make 4-5 hours of work last for 8-9 hours makes for a very long and tiring day. I also see this as a stepping stone to a promotion. I have my yearly review in December and it would be really nice to move up another notch.

I took the dog to the groomers this morning for his perdicure. They are so good there, very quick and accomodating. He got the award this morning for being the cutest white chihuahua they've seen today. Kind of funny since we were the first appointment. He has to make his rounds when he gets there and goes behind the desk to visit the ladies especially if they are busy and ignoring him. They also have a few cages with animals up for adoption and we always go and check out the new arrivals.
Casper is a white persian male cat that lives there and he wasn't having any of Hunter's hyper activity this morning. After three attempts to make friends and getting his nose swatted each time, Hunter decided my lap was a safer place to hang out. I think he was a little sad.

It's a little overcast and chilly this morning but the sun peeks out from time to time. It's going to be mid 60's by the afternoon and that is fine with me. I've got laundry out on the line and another load in the washer. Most of the housework is done for a change. I've just got the bathroom to clean and make up the bed once I get the sheets off the line. I am going shopping this afternoon for an outfit for Graduation. I've only got this weekend and next so I better get a move on.

Well that's about it for now. Such an unexciting life I lead. Take good care.

L

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