Turmoil on the Technology Front

Last week while cleaning the fingerprints off my laptop monitor I inadvertently wiped out my entire system. All my documents, pictures, etc. G O N E. Apparently I contacted some form of bug and it reeked havoc for sure. My technical support guy was not able to recover any of it. (Thanks anyway Plan C). In addition to that, since the move I have not been able to find my Nikon camera charger so I am not able to take any pictures. Thank goodness I still have my cell phone to take pictures otherwise I'd be in a ball in the corner rocking back and forth!

Thirdly, I have this really nice stereo system in my living room, sub-woofer, Bose speakers, CD changer, blah, blah, blah... and no freaking clue how to hook it up. Cleaning to the blaring sound of static just doesn't have the same effect on my motivation. I thought I was in pretty good shape when I didn't have any trouble hooking up all the components to my wireless internet including the Wii so the girls can play Mario Kart against their peeps 100 miles away. They were pretty impressed with me. Thank goodness they haven't asked about the stereo! I seriously thought about Craigslisting the stupid thing just so it would stop taunting me with failure. Heck for all I know I may be missing cables and not even know it! 

Warm Welcomes and Welcomed Good-byes

This was the warm welcome that brought a smile and an "awww..." to my heart Friday night. A very cheesy little girl was sweet enough to let me share her room with her for the weekend and we had the best time with her mommy & daddy.

And this was the scene I left Saturday afternoon...

 

The house is empty and the keys are silently awaiting their new owners. This house holds a lot of memories, mostly good. This is the house my children will remember and when they are older they will drive through Clay Center and point it out to their children. Gentry can even show them her tiny little hand print in the driveway cement from 2001. A house is just a structure and we are on an exciting journey to make a new and improved "home" now.

First Contact

It's not unusual for people to seek out some source of guidance when going through a tough time. Most chose some form of religion whether conventional or otherwise. Some turn to unhealthy vices that end up hurting your body and mind further. Me, I turned to numerology and astrology coupled with prayers as my sources of comfort. I would refer to these tools on a daily basis and got to where I could not go a day without them. I know these are considered hokie to many but as I said, people find comfort in a variety of ways and these gave me peace of mind. One date in particular was mentioned repeatedly in my chart since the beginning of the year. It was to be a turning point kind of day; one that would change my life in the most positive way. I didn't put a lot of stock into that so that I wouldn't be disappointed.

The first week of Dog Day's in a crowd of 200 plus people, one person caught my attention. I didn't have the nerve to speak to him so I would just quickly walk by him awkwardly smiling like Paulette from the movie Legally Blonde. I would then stand safely out of his eye-sight so I could watch him without him knowing, (or so I thought). Little did I know he was trying to keep an eye on me. He became my motivation to keep enduring these grueling work-outs in blistering heat. After a couple weeks the passing smiles and eye contact became shy "hello's" and he would offer a "good job!" as he passed by me on our runs. He would always be waiting at the finish line however and somehow we always managed to park close as well so we would end up walking to our cars at the same time. Finally one evening after one of our longer jogs up and around the hills of campus I arrived back at the field soaked in sweat and wanting to die. That was the night he came up to me, introduced himself and I got to know this mystery man that I had been simply referring to as "work-out dude" to my friends. The next day I looked at my work calendar and saw a little star on the square for the previous day. That had been the day I had been reading about and anticipating for months and that was the same day I finally got to meet my work-out dude.

I tried to find out his name sooner but my friend wouldn't run his tag saying, "You know that's illegal, right?" Like that has ever stopped her before but whatever, it worked out regardless in a time frame controlled by the universe. I don't believe in coincidences and know this was a meeting that was suppose to happen.

The Next Chapter

This blog has been my outlet for several months. I used it to express my grief over losing my dad to cancer and for the past several months it has been my way of coping with separating from my husband. I have begun a new chapter in my life as a single mom living in a new town. For the past several months this blog has frustrated me with my benign, lifeless entries. I have censored my posts rather than writing about what is truly going on in my world. In the next few days I will make my best attempt to fill in the gaps and relay why I am so excited about this next chapter in Cj's World.

Mini Version of "What Not To Wear"

Most women know it is a direct fashion violation to wear a mini-skirt after age 35. It's a shame there are still a few out there would refuse to acknowledge that this look is no longer appealing on them and it's torture for others to be subjected to viewing their aged, leathery, varicose vein road mapped legs day after day while they walk around thinking they look glamorous.  Guess that's the difference between women with taste and those lacking.

What is even worse are those women who forget to look in the mirror before leaving the house. These are the women showing up at work in see-through clothing looking like they are going clubbing. So annoying but yet they give us good material and something to giggle about.. mostly behind their backs unless caught off guard which could result in shooting coffee out of our mouths upon seeing them walk into the office. There should be someone at the front door with a whistle to alert the others of the in-coming faux pas so we can either brace ourselves or simply close our eyes. 

On second thought, maybe that is the whole purpose of the fashion impaired; to entertain the rest of us. In that case, bring on the clowns!

Downtown Farmer's Market

We got up early Saturday morning at my request (more like pleading) to make a trip to the Lawrence Farmer's Market. I was advised to get there fairly early before it gets "picked through." I have to admit, it was quite the site and even girls commented on how good everything smelled. They had a good time helping me hunt for bargains and even picked out some treats for themselves.

Among our staples needed for a batch of Gazpacho were Focca bread with tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta cheese, Jayhawk sugar cookies, and a minced olive spread from Jefferson Winery. The market was impressive and we definitely will be making that trip many more times in the future.

The second day of school went better than the first and the third was gearing up to be even better still. Gen even let me drop her off in front of a large herd of kids waiting outside the school! However she did deny my request for a good-bye kiss. Oh well...

Kanopolis Wedding

What do you get when you combine 100+ degree temperatures, a peaceful lake glistening in the sun, hours and hours of preparation, and 180 friends and family? You get a gorgeous lakeside wedding for two very special friends.

This was the scene from the porch of our cabin. What you don't see are the Bloody Mary's and the "Marina Punch" paint can we concocted in a pinch that turned out to be the best we have ever made. I didn't even have to add Skittles for flavor!

The wedding was full of kinks including the entire wedding party getting pulled over by the Highway Patrol in the limo. That actually wasn't so bad because the patrolman was very cool and let us take pictures with his car, flashing lights and all. In the end everything was wonderful and I didn't cry when I gave my toast to the Bride. *whew* This weekend was especially memorable for me because I took the opportunity to introduce someone very special in my life to three of my best friends and received in return their love and approval. That meant the world to me; more than they will ever realize.

The trip home on Sunday included of all things, a stop at the Saloon in Old Abilene Town for a cold Sasaparilla and a few minutes to listen to the old player piano. We use to go there a lot when my Grandpa Dieffenbaugh was alive. Being there brought back a lot of fond memories that had previously been dormant.

Now all the wedding planning is put to rest and the Schwartz's can relax and enjoy life as a married couple. Congratulations to both of them and I want to thank them for inviting me to be part of their joyous event.

The past seven days have definitely been hectic and chaotic and wonderful all at the same time. The girls and I are all moved in and today we even started our school routine for the year. It doesn't seem like school should be starting already but here we go!

This past weekend I was privileged to serve as Matron of Honor for one of my closest friends. The two of us went to Western Kansas a couple days early to take care of whatever we could prior to the big day on Saturday. I had no idea this would include country cruisin' in a 1970-something Chevy Silverado with iffy brakes and rusted fenders. My first vehicle was a yellow 1977 Chevy that could take a lickin' like a tank so this brought back a lot of really fun memories. Bushton KS truly encompasses a laid back atmosphere that was a welcome surprise after the two days prior I'd spent unloading a moving truck causing a multitude of bruises up and down my body. We did end up having to drive to the next town over just to fill my cooler but it was totally worth it when we spotted the Schartz Construction sign on the way back! (If you don't get that line, I'm not going to elaborate). The neighbor kids could play in the street without fear of traffic and we found ourselves perched on the porch drinking coffee in the morning and a cold beer in the evening. I know I couldn't live in a town of 200 people and the very limited cell coverage but it was a perfect getaway for some much needed R&R before all the wedding activities kicked in. I've already made plans to spend some more time in Western Kansas very soon.

New School Isn't So Scary

A week from tomorrow both the girls start school. Today Gentry and I met with one of the guidance counselors at the Junior High for a tour. In 8 days she will officially be a West Jr High Warhawk! I think she was relieved to discover that the class size is going to be comparable to what she has been use to. She may be repeating a class or two such as keyboarding (which she despises) but there are other perks. You can tell from the classrooms that it is an environment that encourages and fosters creative thinking. There was a courtyard with a waterfall and a lily pond that the students maintain and also a community vegetable garden that was just started in March. The school also has an amazing library and several computer labs. The technology lab with it's different learning modules was impressive. I could tell from the look on her face that a significant amount of stress about going to a new school had been lifted especially when she found out she gets a cool 5 minutes in between classes. What a luxury to actually be able to take a bathroom break when you need to! I worry about her, but I know she will be fine and will make friends easily. She's a pretty good kid even though she thinks her mom knows nothing right now. She could be right on that as well.

#25

Despite a 113 degree heat index and knowing in advance that tonight's work-out was the dreaded timed mile at the track I successfully earned my very first Dog Day' t-shirt. I had two goals when I started June 1st; the first was to earn my first shirt. The second was to run a full mile no matter what the terrain without walking. I met both of these goals and have to admit, feelin' pretty good about it. In a week we start the Fall Dog Day's session and I have two more goals; one to earn a Fall shirt and two, to run two miles without walking. My sister has kept me on track with her dedication and her encouragement. Tonight we ran the mile together not caring about our time but just relishing the fact that tonight was #25 for both of us.   

Moving Week

This week is fixing to be action packed but FINALLY it's moving time! The girls and I are in the process of moving into our townhouse and later this week one of my closest friends is committing matrimony. So between unloading and trying to decipher which box has what exactly, I still need to find a dress for the rehearsal dinner and get a pedi. Nothing like good ol' procrastination, eh? I did make time to get my hair 'did' at least. Tonight is also Bon's and my last Dog Day's workout needed to get our summer shirts; number 25. Then that lucky dog is headed to Mexico while I get to go to Bushton KS with a nervously excited bride-to-be who I know will require periodic doses of liquid stress reliever. *winky, wink*  I am excited for her though. She has found a wonderful man who will put up with her whimsy and they are truly happy. Everything happens for a reason...

Oh crap! I just remembered I still need to come up with a toast! AGH!

45th

Yesterday, August 1st would have been my parents 45th wedding anniversary. It was a really hard Sunday for my mom and I didn't know what else to do except spend some time with her even though all I really wanted to do was escape back home. The girls and I took her to the Coachlight restaurant in Longford of all places. I spent a lot of time there as a kid for various family get-togethers so it seemed appropriate to revisit this blast from the past and dad always loved eating there. The girls had never been so Gen was asking what kind of food they serve. I told her they serve down home cooking; fried chicken, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, stuff like that. She said, "Ah, so old people food. Not that there is anything wrong with that because I like old people food!" After lunch I put on my IT hat and hooked up mom's computer router that she has been wanting done for quite a while. The severe technologically impaired crack me up. As I was driving back to the house I thought I'd better call her and clarify that she could now use her laptop to access the internet from anywhere in the house; she didn't have to sit in front of the router. You may think I'm kidding but I assure you I am not and her response was, "Oh! Even the basement?"