Hmmm... Where to start on this one.... Okay, here goes...
After deciding to skip the gym and do some major housework which consisted of moving a 200+ pound couch to clean under yesterday, I got to appreciate one place in my home that is really clean that nobody else will ever see. Oh well, living with 2 clutter-bugs that suffer clutter blindness is par for the course. That, and knowing my place in this family really nails the idea home that I am the hired help that does not get paid.
Clutter blindness is described as follows: If a person can look beyond the mess they make and have the inability to help clean, if the mess is contained in either a bag or box in their path by stepping around, over or onto it while walking from point 'A' to point 'B', you have clutter blindness.
I accidentally mumbled my disgust in myself in front of DH during his lunch break that he come home for. He said nothing... Not surprised.
DD goes to the doctor for her follow up visit about her sinus infection. I already knew that she needed to be back on a round of Steroids because post nasal drip affects her Asthma. Well, technically, it is called Reactive Airway Disease. Asthmatics need to be on constant medications, as she does not. Since she was the age of 2, I learned more than I need to know about her condition. In fact, I think I know more than the doctor when it comes to my daughter. As I was right, again, we left with a prescription for Prednisone and went to Walgreens to pick it up. As we are waiting for her prescription to be filled, DD decides that she wants something. She always does. I cannot take her to any store where she can find something she absolutely wants to have. She decides she needs construction paper. She just learned quilling in art class and says she is a natural at it and wants to make something at home. I know that this is just another thing for me to clean up after she is done with her project. I am just not a fan of vacuuming confetti after spending hours doing spring cleaning in the winter. Remember.... Clutter-bug?
Well, I tell her ,"no", and she decides to start an argument that I was not prepared to hear in the store. She has the ability to whine really well, and I was prepared for that. She decided to turn the tables and say loudly in the store that her father would buy it for her because he loves her more than I do. Well, that just hit the last raw nerve I have left. This last nerve was the gatekeeper of control. It took just about every ounce of me to not say a word until we finally got to the car with her prescription. Then, she learned quite quickly, that arguing with me is a really bad idea because I am not one to be messed with. She got an earful of facts that made her statement about me not loving her so wrong. I did tell her that if she thinks I do not love her that much, I can definitely make that happen. The next time she is sick, her father can take her to the doctor. He does not know where the doctor's office is because he chooses to not know. If she ends up in the hospital because her father doesn't take her to the doctor in time when her breathing is in jeopardy, she can stay there all alone. I have always remained at her side. "Those stays in the hospital that required being treated by a Pulminologist and Respiratory Therapist, I was there the whole time. I watched and learned from them on how to handle your condition. Your father never offered to stay at your side when you were scared to be in the hospital. I have been the one to protect you, to wipe your tears, to comfort you. That can all stop easily if you really think I don't love you as much as your father, little girl." I got the silent treatment from her the rest of the night.
DH finally comes home. 2-1/2 hours late, as usual. I am already washing the dishes and waiting for him to finally eat and give me more to wash. He decided to share with me that his actions from Sunday were from outside forces and that somewhere, in his misery, he loves me, but cannot seem to show it. Oh, how special I must be feeling, right? Could not escape from the stress to connect with his wife. Isn't is the whole purpose to do something, when the time and conditions are ideal to do so, to get an escape from that and just be free? If only a moment to let things go and be connected with the one who always has your back? To even talk openly about things without fear, to seek support from the strong woman that only wants to help? I get that excuse handed to me. Just another thing to swallow down since I was told that I am such a mean and unloving mother from DD. His timing was just impeccable, getting slammed with excuses about why I get treated like dirt in this house from both DH and DD sent a tear to roll down my face. Apparently, neither know me all that well and I thought I was so easy to figure out. How sad.....
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Why did I do that?
Sigh. Yesterday was a day I definitely want a do over on. I thought I was smarter than that. I guess not.
Sundays are family days. DH, DD, and I spend the day together. We have breakfast together, make the grocery list together, do the grocery shopping together, and for the rest of the day... we just hang out at home. Not a real exciting thing. It is just what we do to wind down and get all rested up for the week ahead. Last week's snow was tough. Digging out from that blizzard made muscles ache that I forgot existed. I was just quite impressed that I healed up from that remotely fast and I did not have a serious back spasm to wake me in the middle of the night. Well, if I did, it was masked quite well with everywhere else hurting.
After that strange dream that I chalked up to having chocolate before bed was still on my mind. Stuff like that can make a person wonder, especially when the dream is remembered after waking up. Curiosity like that should be left alone, but as I have said in the past, I never listen to myself. When will I ever learn?
Yesterday, was the Superbowl. DD got an invite to a friend's house to watch the game and I took her over there just before the kickoff. The party was going to be for only a couple of hours. It was just a group of 11 year olds drinking soda pop and trying to entertain themselves with the game playing in the background. You see, DD is not really a sports fanatic. I figured it would be fun for her to hang out with her friends for a while. It was definitely more fun than hanging out with boring old mom and dad. Maybe, she would actually be interested enough to watch the game and maybe learn to like sports, like her mom.
Well, I figured that with DD out of the house, I would do a little research of my own. I know that DH is not the romantic type all on his own. Most likely reason is because we are never alone. That, or he just can't figure me out. So I decided to give a subtle hint by mentioning that we were alone for 2 hours.... "Oh, what shall we do?", I say. The response I got definitely killed any confidence in myself that I am remotely a desirable woman. Apparently, men get headaches, too. Well, in his case... A sore side from shoveling and that he wanted to relax on the couch and watch American Pickers reruns on the Discovery Channel. WOW, little did I know that a show about 2 guys traveling the 50 states, looking for "rusty gold" to resell was more of a draw of his attention than his wife. BOY did I feel stupid even trying. I can guarantee that I will never put myself out like that ever again. Oh, who am I kidding! If Billy the Exterminator was on, I would be ignored too. Reality TV is killing my reality!!!
After that debacle of a situation I put myself in, I am really starting to wonder if any of my choices in life were the right ones. I don't regret my choices, but I wonder if given the chance, I would have chosen a different path, knowing what I know now. Feeling quite ugly and alone, I think I shall hit the gym today. Still fighting that weight gain from my hormones misfiring (gained 16 and only lost 8). Once I get back to where I started with January's weigh in, I can start feeling like I am getting a do over for that, at least. Knocked back a few steps instead of moving forward (or down in numbers on that unforgiving devise) just adds that little extra weight on my shoulders that make me walk with my head down in shame. Only I can change that. I just have to pick up my sorry butt off the floor and focus on myself because I now know that in my house..... Nobody is focusing on me.
As for trying to figure out the meaning of that dream..... I should have left that alone.
Sundays are family days. DH, DD, and I spend the day together. We have breakfast together, make the grocery list together, do the grocery shopping together, and for the rest of the day... we just hang out at home. Not a real exciting thing. It is just what we do to wind down and get all rested up for the week ahead. Last week's snow was tough. Digging out from that blizzard made muscles ache that I forgot existed. I was just quite impressed that I healed up from that remotely fast and I did not have a serious back spasm to wake me in the middle of the night. Well, if I did, it was masked quite well with everywhere else hurting.
After that strange dream that I chalked up to having chocolate before bed was still on my mind. Stuff like that can make a person wonder, especially when the dream is remembered after waking up. Curiosity like that should be left alone, but as I have said in the past, I never listen to myself. When will I ever learn?
Yesterday, was the Superbowl. DD got an invite to a friend's house to watch the game and I took her over there just before the kickoff. The party was going to be for only a couple of hours. It was just a group of 11 year olds drinking soda pop and trying to entertain themselves with the game playing in the background. You see, DD is not really a sports fanatic. I figured it would be fun for her to hang out with her friends for a while. It was definitely more fun than hanging out with boring old mom and dad. Maybe, she would actually be interested enough to watch the game and maybe learn to like sports, like her mom.
Well, I figured that with DD out of the house, I would do a little research of my own. I know that DH is not the romantic type all on his own. Most likely reason is because we are never alone. That, or he just can't figure me out. So I decided to give a subtle hint by mentioning that we were alone for 2 hours.... "Oh, what shall we do?", I say. The response I got definitely killed any confidence in myself that I am remotely a desirable woman. Apparently, men get headaches, too. Well, in his case... A sore side from shoveling and that he wanted to relax on the couch and watch American Pickers reruns on the Discovery Channel. WOW, little did I know that a show about 2 guys traveling the 50 states, looking for "rusty gold" to resell was more of a draw of his attention than his wife. BOY did I feel stupid even trying. I can guarantee that I will never put myself out like that ever again. Oh, who am I kidding! If Billy the Exterminator was on, I would be ignored too. Reality TV is killing my reality!!!
After that debacle of a situation I put myself in, I am really starting to wonder if any of my choices in life were the right ones. I don't regret my choices, but I wonder if given the chance, I would have chosen a different path, knowing what I know now. Feeling quite ugly and alone, I think I shall hit the gym today. Still fighting that weight gain from my hormones misfiring (gained 16 and only lost 8). Once I get back to where I started with January's weigh in, I can start feeling like I am getting a do over for that, at least. Knocked back a few steps instead of moving forward (or down in numbers on that unforgiving devise) just adds that little extra weight on my shoulders that make me walk with my head down in shame. Only I can change that. I just have to pick up my sorry butt off the floor and focus on myself because I now know that in my house..... Nobody is focusing on me.
As for trying to figure out the meaning of that dream..... I should have left that alone.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Worth fighting for....
Strange dream last night. Kind of sounds like a hokey romance novel. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl again. Just trying to be friends when there is such a past of unanswered questions can make anyone uncomfortable. As I am not one for romance novels because I seem to lack that part of my DNA chain that believes crap like that exists. Things happen for a reason.
As Albert Einstein solved the theory of relativity, it has been known that every action has an equal, if not greater reaction. I think that is how my thought process has always been. Something needs to happen to give a result. Love at first sight cannot happen unless someone is seen, right? Just being a little scientific because I can.
What was odd about this dream is that it goes completely against who I am as a person. I am not a person worth defending. I am not a damsel in distress. If anything, I am more than willing to kick the snot out of anyone who tries to mess with me. Having pent up frustration is key to being willing to get into a fight. I recall a time when a person tried to follow me home. Any normal person would drive their car to the nearest police station to scare them off your trail. In fact, in times like these, I would do the same thing, but back then, I was younger and more courageous, which is a recipe for stupidity. I would get out of my car with a baseball bat and an attitude. Being the youngest of 4 kids, you know that sibling rivalry was commonplace in my world, so standing up for yourself is a necessity. Either stand up or be knocked down was my motto.
As for the whole concept of an old friend with a secret admiration for me is totally bunk. Every friend of mine is just that... a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. I will admit that there are a few friends that I have that could possibly fit the category of secret crushes of my past. I just look at my past as being just that... my past. They never happened for a reason. The secret admirers, if there were any, stayed a secret for a reason. The ones I has admired from afar, never noticed me enough to even know. I was never one to push myself upon people I liked. If it happened, it happened. If it did not, well, then it was not meant to be. Just being friends was good enough for me. My heart might have ached a lot back then, but nobody ever knew. I think that is what made me a little more of a deep thinker.
Looking back, I was never romanced off my feet. Well, it did happen once, but as fast as my wall of protection was being knocked off its foundation, it ended abruptly. That hurt like hell. That experience in my life changed me and how I saw what love was. Every relationship that followed was looked at differently. In fact, the way I looked at love was different. Love is not as romantic as it should be. I actually miss it now.
I married my best friend. He makes me laugh, he is considerate, he cares for me, but he is not romantic in any sense of the word. I do love him, but it is not that consuming type of love I see in others. Maybe it is because we give each other breathing room. We are not clingy, we are far from being that mushy stuff you see with young love. We are each others support system. We work hard at being a team. I do miss him when he is not around, but I am not so forlorn that I would die without him. We live in the here and now, and we are not ones to talk too much about the future. Now, if he was to defend my honor, I would be surprised. He is one to let me fight my own battles. Sometimes, I wish he knew that I miss the one thing we did not place such high regard on and do something about it, but I see it as since it is not broke, we do not need to fix it. Complacency is on our side.
I just found it so odd that I had a dream like that. I wonder if it is my subconscious telling me that I need more romance in my life? Is it possible that since in reality, I lack that little bit of sappy stuff so much I am seeking it from another in my dreams? Maybe my confidence level is so low that I am screaming inside to be saved by anyone? It does make me wonder if I am really worth fighting for. I know I would fight for me, but would someone else feel that they would for me, too?
Oh, who am I kidding! This odd dream is probably because I had some chocolate before bed.
Hmmm.... I wonder what I will dream up about next if my bedtime snack is.....
Wouldn't you want to know... HA HA HA!!
Have a great day!
As Albert Einstein solved the theory of relativity, it has been known that every action has an equal, if not greater reaction. I think that is how my thought process has always been. Something needs to happen to give a result. Love at first sight cannot happen unless someone is seen, right? Just being a little scientific because I can.
What was odd about this dream is that it goes completely against who I am as a person. I am not a person worth defending. I am not a damsel in distress. If anything, I am more than willing to kick the snot out of anyone who tries to mess with me. Having pent up frustration is key to being willing to get into a fight. I recall a time when a person tried to follow me home. Any normal person would drive their car to the nearest police station to scare them off your trail. In fact, in times like these, I would do the same thing, but back then, I was younger and more courageous, which is a recipe for stupidity. I would get out of my car with a baseball bat and an attitude. Being the youngest of 4 kids, you know that sibling rivalry was commonplace in my world, so standing up for yourself is a necessity. Either stand up or be knocked down was my motto.
As for the whole concept of an old friend with a secret admiration for me is totally bunk. Every friend of mine is just that... a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. I will admit that there are a few friends that I have that could possibly fit the category of secret crushes of my past. I just look at my past as being just that... my past. They never happened for a reason. The secret admirers, if there were any, stayed a secret for a reason. The ones I has admired from afar, never noticed me enough to even know. I was never one to push myself upon people I liked. If it happened, it happened. If it did not, well, then it was not meant to be. Just being friends was good enough for me. My heart might have ached a lot back then, but nobody ever knew. I think that is what made me a little more of a deep thinker.
Looking back, I was never romanced off my feet. Well, it did happen once, but as fast as my wall of protection was being knocked off its foundation, it ended abruptly. That hurt like hell. That experience in my life changed me and how I saw what love was. Every relationship that followed was looked at differently. In fact, the way I looked at love was different. Love is not as romantic as it should be. I actually miss it now.
I married my best friend. He makes me laugh, he is considerate, he cares for me, but he is not romantic in any sense of the word. I do love him, but it is not that consuming type of love I see in others. Maybe it is because we give each other breathing room. We are not clingy, we are far from being that mushy stuff you see with young love. We are each others support system. We work hard at being a team. I do miss him when he is not around, but I am not so forlorn that I would die without him. We live in the here and now, and we are not ones to talk too much about the future. Now, if he was to defend my honor, I would be surprised. He is one to let me fight my own battles. Sometimes, I wish he knew that I miss the one thing we did not place such high regard on and do something about it, but I see it as since it is not broke, we do not need to fix it. Complacency is on our side.
I just found it so odd that I had a dream like that. I wonder if it is my subconscious telling me that I need more romance in my life? Is it possible that since in reality, I lack that little bit of sappy stuff so much I am seeking it from another in my dreams? Maybe my confidence level is so low that I am screaming inside to be saved by anyone? It does make me wonder if I am really worth fighting for. I know I would fight for me, but would someone else feel that they would for me, too?
Oh, who am I kidding! This odd dream is probably because I had some chocolate before bed.
Hmmm.... I wonder what I will dream up about next if my bedtime snack is.....
Wouldn't you want to know... HA HA HA!!
Have a great day!
Friday, February 4, 2011
An idle mind.....
An idle mind can be a dangerous thing. Makes a person thinking abilities something from a parallel universe. Understanding yourself and your thought process is fine, but understanding another's thought process is completely different. It can make you jaded because people can be less than honest about themselves to the public. We have been taught to be nice and to share when we were kids, regardless if we had a brother or sister to deal with. The only child in a family needs to learn how to be nice and share, too. It is what has been acceptable behavior for generations of people. As we get older, we hone our social skills, we learn to snub a person in such a nice way that the person never figures out that they are snubbed. It is called tolerance. We learn to lie to the truth when it is handed to us on a silver platter. Some call this denial.
Ever felt completely alone in a crowded room?
Ever felt that those around you are not really the most honest with you?
Ever thought that a person's actions have been carefully planned out because they feel they need to hide what they really want?
I have those days often. Maybe it is because I put myself out there and never know that I am heard. Maybe I think too deeply, or share too much. Maybe my attempts of being more in touch with who I am is something people choose to not face. Fun and always up for an adventure is more desirable to be around. Being a goof is more entertaining than deep thought.
It most likely has to do with the times we live in. Things are tough everywhere. Everyone is seeking an escape from worry. A vacation from obligations and responsibilities. Everyone prefers a good laugh over deep thought. What attracts a person to enjoyment is the detachment from being serious. Throw caution to the wind and see where it takes you, but sadly, we all have that little voice in our heads that pulls us back. It stops us from taking an adventure that is well beyond your imagination. We have set the course to make sure that people closest to us are happy, but at the expense of our own happiness. Never knowing what a person really wants just creates a crap shoot in guessing what is best. It is all in how we think of the other person.
Lets just say, for the sake of argument, that one person might think that material possessions are more important than emotional connections and the other thinks completely opposite. It is like giving a dollar to a person who really wants a hug. Opposites attract, right? What happens when a person changes their thought process? What was important at one time is no longer as important. How does a person bring across the change in their thought process to the others around them without hurting their feelings? Do we just suck it up and deal with life's shortcomings for the sake of another? Do we stand up and shout for what we want, not thinking about how the other person feels about it? Or do we seek out what we are lacking in another because you cannot seem to fix what is broken, but don't want to lose what you already have?
Of course, we all have choices to make and we tend to choose because of our emotions. We can choose to do or not to do. It is like a tug of war in a person's mind when decisions need to be made.
I have not really changed all that much. Who I am is as true as I can be. There are days I feel as if I am tolerated and there are days that I feel loved. That is what life is about. It is finding that middle ground and being happy because you choose to be.
I am just not a fan of those days I become critical and desire attention when I really have nothing to offer, but myself. Those are my idle thought moments that come along, unannounced, screaming to be seen and heard. Those moments I wonder if there is something better out there for me because I spent my last bit of energy on making someone happy that clearly chose to not be or I am completely off in what they really need. Maybe they are happy, but choose to not show it or even share. I am loved, but they choose to not show it. It is those moments that drive me nuts. The inability of others to share what they are really thinking or feeling; the masking of the truth, the denial factor.
The truth shall set you free, but at a cost. Are you willing to pay the price?
Just some food for thought on a day that I am feeling a bit "idle".....
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Trying to not be a whiner......
Waking up this morning was a task in itself. Back started to spasm at about 5am. Did not realize that the spasm was the thing I would be complaining about... well... that is until I tried to get out of bed to get more Advil and an ice pack to go through my ritual to get that darn spasm under control. The moment my feet hit the floor... so did the rest of me. Not a sight to see, but it happened. Every muscle in my body is tight, my knees are shot, and suddenly the searing pain in my back seemed to be less of an issue. Blizzard 2011 definitely made it possible to show me that I am not invincible. DH is feeling the hurt, too. I think we both learned a lesson from yesterday.
Complaining gets you nowhere.
DH moaned and complained about the snow all day yesterday. As I, decided to not say a word and worked on the massive amounts of heavy snow. I put myself 'in the zone', as I shoveled for hours. He wondered what was wrong with me. I was quiet and diligent in getting the shoveling done. I even stayed quiet after it was all over. I told him that whining about the snow, the shoveling, and the inconvenience gets you nowhere. The snow is not going to go away on it's own any time soon, and telling it how you loathe it will not make it clear itself from the driveway. Everyone on the block and farther were dealing with the same thing and were just doing what is needed to dig themselves out of this white beast of a snowfall. Needless to say, he stopped whining about the snow and shoveling. In fact, he slept the rest of the day.
I guess learning from myself is needed. Telling DH that complaining gets you nowhere worked wonders for him. He got up this morning to go to work. No complaining came from his lips about the pain I know that he is feeling. He is just determined enough to just get his day going. As for me, I sit here at my computer, blogging about how every muscle in my body is aching, how my knees (which I used quite often in lifting and throwing heavy snow in order to avoid back injuries) are so sore that I can barely stand, and that even in hindsight, pain somewhere else can cancel out the searing back spasm pain that I have been dealing with for years. I guess I just need to find a funny spin on my misery, but being the chick that I am, I just can't bring out that inner tomboy and let it slide.... Or can I?
I was told my a much older person than me that you can be as young as you want to be... as long as you can prove it in your actions. Well, today I might be 42 years old in real life, but I move like a 92 year old. Just gotta get moving and maybe I will feel a bit younger. Get back into the zone I was in yesterday and get this day going. Nope. Not gonna complain anymore. Just... gotta... keep... moving....
Ready of not, here I come! It won't be as fast as I usually can move, but I still can move. That is all that matters today...
Complaining gets you nowhere.
DH moaned and complained about the snow all day yesterday. As I, decided to not say a word and worked on the massive amounts of heavy snow. I put myself 'in the zone', as I shoveled for hours. He wondered what was wrong with me. I was quiet and diligent in getting the shoveling done. I even stayed quiet after it was all over. I told him that whining about the snow, the shoveling, and the inconvenience gets you nowhere. The snow is not going to go away on it's own any time soon, and telling it how you loathe it will not make it clear itself from the driveway. Everyone on the block and farther were dealing with the same thing and were just doing what is needed to dig themselves out of this white beast of a snowfall. Needless to say, he stopped whining about the snow and shoveling. In fact, he slept the rest of the day.
I guess learning from myself is needed. Telling DH that complaining gets you nowhere worked wonders for him. He got up this morning to go to work. No complaining came from his lips about the pain I know that he is feeling. He is just determined enough to just get his day going. As for me, I sit here at my computer, blogging about how every muscle in my body is aching, how my knees (which I used quite often in lifting and throwing heavy snow in order to avoid back injuries) are so sore that I can barely stand, and that even in hindsight, pain somewhere else can cancel out the searing back spasm pain that I have been dealing with for years. I guess I just need to find a funny spin on my misery, but being the chick that I am, I just can't bring out that inner tomboy and let it slide.... Or can I?
I was told my a much older person than me that you can be as young as you want to be... as long as you can prove it in your actions. Well, today I might be 42 years old in real life, but I move like a 92 year old. Just gotta get moving and maybe I will feel a bit younger. Get back into the zone I was in yesterday and get this day going. Nope. Not gonna complain anymore. Just... gotta... keep... moving....
Ready of not, here I come! It won't be as fast as I usually can move, but I still can move. That is all that matters today...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Blizzard 2011: The day everything turned white....
Good afternoon! The weather channel was on point when they mentioned that we were in for a blizzard. In the course of 24 hours, the state of Illinois was pummeled with about 2-3 feet of snow. High winds created drifts that ranged between 3 and 4 feet. The blizzard of 2011 is now put in the record books.
Here is a brief synopsis of my day dealing with the blizzard of 2011:
Tuesday 2/1/2011: The snow began. Not much was really landing, but with 40mph winds, it was going somewhere. My darling husband (as I will call DH in the rest of this post) spent about an hour in the morning shoveling what has managed to land on the ground before leaving for work. I did my best acting to avoid appearing awake to help him on this round. Darling daughter (as I will call DD on this post) was home for the second day from school with a sinus infection. I tried my hardest to figure when I shall go outside and attempt to keep the level of snow on the driveway to a reasonable level, but with the winds and heavy snowfall that happened in the afternoon, I decided that I will just hang with DD in the house because shoveling in 40mph winds is futile. By the end of the day when DH came home, we had about 3 or 4 inches on the ground with drifts about 12 inches high.
Went to bed early to face the beast of snow in the morning.
Wednesday 2/2/2011: Woke up to see everything covered in white. Drifts ranging between 3 and 4 feet. Somewhere, out there, was my husband's truck, Blackie. DH tried to face this beast alone. He started making his attempt at 5am. By 7am, I was almost awake enough to see straight. Having no other choice, I get my boots and coat on and venture into the white oblivion. I grab a shovel and start digging through the snow. DH tried to use the toughest snowblower we have... Nelly. Sadly, the drifts were too high for Nelly and DH grabs Hope the shovel and starts digging. In his 2 hour head start, he managed to clear a path from the front door to the driveway. Forgetting to take some candids of the great white beast at the beginning stages, I only have a few pictures that seem remotely worthy to share, Kind of hard to really see the magnitude when everything is white, but here goes.....
DH using a shovel to knock down the drifts to let Nelly get at that mess.....
Here's the newest team member of my shovel family... Meet PITA-RITA. A real Pain In The Ass to shovel with unless shoveling on level and smooth surfaces.... The snow piles on the sides of my driveway are about 4 feet high....
Finally found DH's truck, Blackie....
Not the best shoveling by me, but not the worst. A little sight to see from my living room window after we finished. DH left to go to work to shovel there. My driveway is cleaner than the street :)
Well, after 3 hours of digging with a short break to get my camera out with the help of DH, I think we got everything under control. Well, almost.....
Until I looked out my back door and saw this.....
Hmmm... I think I will leave that to melt.
Now, I am off to nurse my blisters, take some Advil and rest a bit.
Have a great day :)
Here is a brief synopsis of my day dealing with the blizzard of 2011:
Tuesday 2/1/2011: The snow began. Not much was really landing, but with 40mph winds, it was going somewhere. My darling husband (as I will call DH in the rest of this post) spent about an hour in the morning shoveling what has managed to land on the ground before leaving for work. I did my best acting to avoid appearing awake to help him on this round. Darling daughter (as I will call DD on this post) was home for the second day from school with a sinus infection. I tried my hardest to figure when I shall go outside and attempt to keep the level of snow on the driveway to a reasonable level, but with the winds and heavy snowfall that happened in the afternoon, I decided that I will just hang with DD in the house because shoveling in 40mph winds is futile. By the end of the day when DH came home, we had about 3 or 4 inches on the ground with drifts about 12 inches high.
Went to bed early to face the beast of snow in the morning.
Wednesday 2/2/2011: Woke up to see everything covered in white. Drifts ranging between 3 and 4 feet. Somewhere, out there, was my husband's truck, Blackie. DH tried to face this beast alone. He started making his attempt at 5am. By 7am, I was almost awake enough to see straight. Having no other choice, I get my boots and coat on and venture into the white oblivion. I grab a shovel and start digging through the snow. DH tried to use the toughest snowblower we have... Nelly. Sadly, the drifts were too high for Nelly and DH grabs Hope the shovel and starts digging. In his 2 hour head start, he managed to clear a path from the front door to the driveway. Forgetting to take some candids of the great white beast at the beginning stages, I only have a few pictures that seem remotely worthy to share, Kind of hard to really see the magnitude when everything is white, but here goes.....
Well, after 3 hours of digging with a short break to get my camera out with the help of DH, I think we got everything under control. Well, almost.....
Until I looked out my back door and saw this.....
Hmmm... I think I will leave that to melt.
Now, I am off to nurse my blisters, take some Advil and rest a bit.
Have a great day :)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Guilty moments......
As I watched the news report about what is expected to be a major snowstorm approaching, I get this overwhelming urge to crawl into bed and not even look out the window for the next few days. I really do not mind winter and all that it offers. I actually like wearing sweaters, hooded sweatshirts, jeans, and coats. The bigger and bulkier, the better, I always say. If you have not figured out by now, I am not really proud of my body. You would never see me at a nudist colony, and if you do... call 9-1-1 because I have been drugged into oblivion and will need medical assistance. I have made a commitment to improve my serious image flaws, but my guilty little pleasures (beer, chocolate, soda pop, sweets and junk food to name a few), really like to cling onto me and not let go. Giving them up completely is out of the question, but if I can control how much I have, I would not doubt that the skinny girl inside that is screaming to get out would make an appearance.... eventually. No, I am not HUGE, but I am not comfortable with showing my curves. Some of those curves are in the wrong places. Society has made it clear about what is considered beautiful and sadly, it affects every girl in the world. Men have it so much easier. They just do not care. Well, maybe they do a little, but with their metabolisms, they can become sculpted and chiseled masterpieces with little effort. Women, on the other hand can try to live on food only a rabbit would eat and still not lose an ounce.
Unless... We exercise like there is no tomorrow.....
I am not one to really enjoy being at the gym for hours on end. I get a little bored there. Sure, there is a lot you can do. There are classes you can take with instructors named Barbie that make exercising look like second nature to them. I don't think I have ever seen one really sweat, so the thought that they are human becomes less and thinking that they are cyborgs or androids seems more plausible. I am not the most graceful creature that has walked this Earth, either. I remember taking a yoga class once.... just once. I managed to knock a clock off the wall while everyone else in the room is being Zen, and all. Having everyone lose focus on the requested pose to focus on my bumblings makes me feel real uncomfortable ever going back. That one bad experience pretty much put the Kibosh in trying aerobics.... Zero coordination, remember? My choice of exercise... the machines. Treadmill, elliptical, and circuit. I look less of a retard and I am okay with that. Won't use the stair master or the stationary bike. If I want to climb stairs or ride a bicycle, I would prefer to be getting somewhere and use the real deal.
I guess that is why when winter comes along, I really don't mind the snow. Well, for a while that is. Give me a month, maybe two, and that white fluffy stuff can melt away. Shoveling snow can be easy or it can be hard work. It is all in how you do it. I prefer to shovel just for the satisfaction of a clear driveway and walkway, but in hindsight, it is great exercise. Sadly, with a bad back issue that I have been dealing with for years, getting my cold weather exercise on is a crap shoot if I will or won't be spending at least an hour with an ice pack and downing Advil like tic-tacs. I am too stubborn to listen to myself and shovel anyway knowing the risks. Getting a cold is the least of my worries in comparison to feeling incapacitated from a pinched nerve.
I just have a guilty feeling this morning about not being out there shoveling at the crack of dawn. My husband hates the snow and would prefer to not shovel. I think that is why he enjoys the pleasure of having a wife that will do the shoveling without complaining. Well, this morning, there was about an inch or two (maybe more, I did not check with a ruler out there this morning) on the driveway. My husband took it upon himself to shovel this morning. I am thankful he did. It is just that I knew he was out there. I woke up and saw that he was out there, shoveling all alone. He was about half way done and I could have easily gone out there and joined him, but I was not feeling "it". I went back to sleep, played dumb when he woke me up to tell me that he is leaving for work, and even pretended that it was not shoveled and offered to go out there and help him. My acting abilities were on point this morning. He said he did the shoveling and I thanked him. At least the thanking him was honest and not an act. After he left, I felt bad that I avoided the one thing I have been responsible for all this winter season. I do have a sinus infection, so I should be given a little leeway in my enthusiasm to shovel again, and again, and again over the next 48 hours or so.
So, this is my confession of the day. May the penance for my guilty moment of laziness be less than what the weather channel has predicted when it comes to shoveling that happy, fluffy, white mess that has come to town...... PEACE!
Unless... We exercise like there is no tomorrow.....
I am not one to really enjoy being at the gym for hours on end. I get a little bored there. Sure, there is a lot you can do. There are classes you can take with instructors named Barbie that make exercising look like second nature to them. I don't think I have ever seen one really sweat, so the thought that they are human becomes less and thinking that they are cyborgs or androids seems more plausible. I am not the most graceful creature that has walked this Earth, either. I remember taking a yoga class once.... just once. I managed to knock a clock off the wall while everyone else in the room is being Zen, and all. Having everyone lose focus on the requested pose to focus on my bumblings makes me feel real uncomfortable ever going back. That one bad experience pretty much put the Kibosh in trying aerobics.... Zero coordination, remember? My choice of exercise... the machines. Treadmill, elliptical, and circuit. I look less of a retard and I am okay with that. Won't use the stair master or the stationary bike. If I want to climb stairs or ride a bicycle, I would prefer to be getting somewhere and use the real deal.
I guess that is why when winter comes along, I really don't mind the snow. Well, for a while that is. Give me a month, maybe two, and that white fluffy stuff can melt away. Shoveling snow can be easy or it can be hard work. It is all in how you do it. I prefer to shovel just for the satisfaction of a clear driveway and walkway, but in hindsight, it is great exercise. Sadly, with a bad back issue that I have been dealing with for years, getting my cold weather exercise on is a crap shoot if I will or won't be spending at least an hour with an ice pack and downing Advil like tic-tacs. I am too stubborn to listen to myself and shovel anyway knowing the risks. Getting a cold is the least of my worries in comparison to feeling incapacitated from a pinched nerve.
I just have a guilty feeling this morning about not being out there shoveling at the crack of dawn. My husband hates the snow and would prefer to not shovel. I think that is why he enjoys the pleasure of having a wife that will do the shoveling without complaining. Well, this morning, there was about an inch or two (maybe more, I did not check with a ruler out there this morning) on the driveway. My husband took it upon himself to shovel this morning. I am thankful he did. It is just that I knew he was out there. I woke up and saw that he was out there, shoveling all alone. He was about half way done and I could have easily gone out there and joined him, but I was not feeling "it". I went back to sleep, played dumb when he woke me up to tell me that he is leaving for work, and even pretended that it was not shoveled and offered to go out there and help him. My acting abilities were on point this morning. He said he did the shoveling and I thanked him. At least the thanking him was honest and not an act. After he left, I felt bad that I avoided the one thing I have been responsible for all this winter season. I do have a sinus infection, so I should be given a little leeway in my enthusiasm to shovel again, and again, and again over the next 48 hours or so.
So, this is my confession of the day. May the penance for my guilty moment of laziness be less than what the weather channel has predicted when it comes to shoveling that happy, fluffy, white mess that has come to town...... PEACE!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)