Update time

It's been a busy few weeks. Chuck was here for the first of the month and he was extremely busy getting our outside ready for Kris and Heather to have a graduation party for Kristopher here at our place.  It is a little different for me since I am not throwing this party and will essentially be the venue for it.  We have a lot of outdoor space and with all the lights and tables and stuff it is a good place to have a big party.  I just wish our deck was finished. We are planning on installing flagstone but just couldn't afford that before the party. 

I am making new covers for the outdoor furniture to brighten it up and draw it together. Chuck moved some of the fencing to make it easy to flow from the front to the back. They are going to take advantage of almost all of the outdoor space. I am so honored and happy they have chosen to do it here.

Chuck and I have been thinking about, and are in the beginning stages of having a yard sale. It's been a while since I've done one and I'm trying to figure out how to proceed: what is first? how to get it ready? where to hold it? do I advertise or are "day of" signs enough? and so on. We have a shed full of stuff designated for yard sale items and once those things are gone we can get rid of that shed. This is one of the steps in trying to get things cleaned up in the back half of the acre.

Chuck had a crazy experience with his flight back to Dickinson this past Sunday. His flight left from Phoenix on time and stopped in Denver for a layover. He sent me a text that he was there and settled in to wait. I heard from him that he was boarding.  Later he sent me a text that they were returning to the airport and delayed due to "maintenance issues" but hadn't deplaned. Then another text that they were deplaning, then the text that the flight was cancelled!! He was stuck in Denver and there were no more flights Sunday night. It took him two hours to get a hotel voucher and by the time he was settled down it was nearly 2am. Then he was up in time to be at the airport to be on standby for the earliest flight out. When he didn't get that one he called me and we spoke for a while and I told him I would pray that he would get on the 2:30 flight which was the next one to Dickinson. It was already overbooked and he had no idea he could get on it.

After I spoke to him I stopped right then and prayed that God would make it possible for him to catch that flight and because Chuck needed the travel stress relieved before he went back to work. It was about thirty minute later he called me and I could hear that he was having a conversation with someone in the background. When he spoke to me he said he met this guy that had been through the same thing as him and had a flight booked for the next day (Tuesday) and had spoke to the gate personnel who told him they would easily put him on the 2:30 flight. He told Chuck to go over and talk to them and once he did he was booked on the 2:30 flight! Thank you God.

Time to start on the covers for the outdoor furniture. I have four days to get them ready!

-N

Finding my groove

Greetings all!

Yes I am actually putting something on this blog. I has been a while, a month I think, since my last post. That was after Nick and Darlene's wedding. Things for us have been busy but ok. So far I have been lucky that the heat has held off in Catalina. As I write I am sitting on my back porch with a cup of coffee enjoying a nice cool breeze. I'm a bit nervous about it getting warmer.

Here's why.

It looks like I won't be moving back to North Dakota any time soon. The cost of living there is so high, and we were essentially making two mortgage payments with the RV rental, it didn't make sense for me to live up there when I had a perfectly good house down here. When Chuck was relocated three hours away and I was spending two weeks alone every month I thought "Why? I could do this much cheaper in Catalina." It's actually cheaper for him to fly home every two weeks than for me to live up there!

But I miss North Dakota, especially Tioga. I really loved that little town. I discovered so much about myself while I was there and expected to live there the whole time Chuck was employed at PDI. I had started making friends, actually looking for work, blogging and being a stay-at-home wife. I enjoyed it so much.  Tioga was welcoming and sweet. I loved the church I went to and the weather was right up my alley. Now I am back.

One thing I began while living up there was my second blog. Steviawithcream.wordpress.com is my writers blog and has been taking up much of my time and blogging creativity. I hope to make some contacts within the writing and blogging communities with it and perhaps get an audience for my writing. I know several of you are following both and for that I am grateful. And as with any blog, be sure to sign up as followers. It helps my visibility. It will be more of my focus and consequently I won't be doing as much with this one. More than likely I will post here a couple of times a month, unless big personal news happens.

Speaking of news, I was able to spend ten days in southern California in the end of March and first of April house sitting for Melissa. I made a discovery. I really like being by the ocean. I went to the beach at least five times and each time I spent several hours there. My heart and my spirit were calm. All of the stress of the past months left once my feet slipped into the sand of Zuma Beach. I'm sure I was smiling like a mad scientist. I had my big towel (more the size of a twin bed blanket,) a green beach chair, my favorite sun screen, my backpack with snacks, my Kindle and my phone. Good to go. What I also discovered is my husband is just like me. We are water lovers. We are the get-me-to-the-water people. Streams, lakes, oceans and pools. That's relationship symmetry. Now the future for retirement is reshaping itself.

I will do my best to keep everyone as updated as possible with the Chuck and Nancy thing.

Love to all.

-N

What is family?

I was at a wedding this past weekend.

It was my nephew Nick Waldrom and his new bride Darlene. They are a loving and precious couple and the celebration was exceptional. Everyone's joy at the joining of this couple was obvious. As is typical now days there were parents and step-parents. Lots of siblings, cousins both full blood, half and step relations. There were lots of those by marriage and intimate long time friends.

As I watched the interaction of all those present, brought together by love for the couple I took the time to observe the attachments. My nephew's long time best friend Shelby was his best man. I have known this young man and remember his connection to my family. There was no difference in the way he was treated and accepted as family. It was the same familial love and attachment that the families showed to all of the others.

Cousins by marriage are the same as cousins born into the family. Aunts and uncles by blood or marriage are drawn in, given the same love and respect. My new niece's daughter Lila is as much a part of the family as their little son together Alex. She is my niece. No questions.

Everyone made a supreme effort to celebrate the wedding, to honor the marriage and have a great time together. This is probably the one time most of us from both sides of the aisle will be all together and made it important to be united. We did it by laughing, dancing, toasting and enjoying the event.

I am proud of my family-all of them. They are mine and I am theirs.

One side note, my husband really likes fireball shots!

-N

Role reversal

For many years I have been unhappy with the way I looked. Specifically my weight. My husband has always been supportive and loves me no matter what. I was good at making excuses and there were so many times he would encourage me to be more active, but I was a typical overweight person who would jump into exercising for a few days and then would let stress, life etc. give me the excuse to stop.

I would talk about how much I walked at work (a big facility) or I would say I was cutting back on calories (except at work) and justify my laziness. I remember my sister telling me to just make goals and go for it.

She was living in California and not working at the time and was losing and toning daily. I was jealous of her free time and envious of her daily routine. She was dropping the pounds and looking great. I was not. By the time she moved back to Phoenix she was so skinny, tan and beautiful. I was truly happy for her and she really did look wonderful. I didn't look so great.

I knew my co-workers made the time for fitness and I also knew they were just as busy as me, so what was my problem.  Solution-I was lazy.

Skip to now.

My husband's work in North Dakota has made it possible for me to "retire" and after months of not working and being a couch potato I was packing on more weight. I would do energetic things here and there like riding my bike or taking walks but not with any consistency. My brain just wasn't interested. After living in North Dakota for about seven months in a nice and fairly large RV I returned to our Tucson home. The RV is in storage and I was back home. Still not working except for blogging and working on a couple of writing projects, I began to become rather reclusive. I cleaned my house, easy without messy hubby there and didn't go anywhere. It was nice but not necessarily healthy physically or mentally.

I needed motivation.

About two months ago my niece asked if I wanted to come as her guest to the gym she goes to with her family. I thought why not? I'm not a gym rat and never have been but I like doing the weight training. The gym was not huge (no pool or spa) but was really comfortable and welcoming. I saw several other women who looked just like me-ok I can do this. I really had a good time especially being with my niece and nephew. They were encouraging and before I knew it I had been there an hour and had broke a small sweat.

I went back with her a couple more times. I talked to my husband about joining and bringing him as my guest as she had done with me and he agreed!  This began a transformation for me. Initially I was going into the gym every other day for an hour. I had an "aha" moment when the lure of the local state park walking trails attracted me and began my alternating the gym and the park. Yes-I was going everyday!

I have only missed three days in the 4-5 weeks.

My husband works two weeks on and two weeks off, so he flies down here for the two weeks off. We have really enjoyed doing my exercise routine together.  We each have our gym thing we like and are exploring more outdoor trails and pushing the limits. It has become routine for me and I am realizing the effects of my efforts in pound and inches.

I have quite a way to go but my brain has quit fighting and started to embrace this new lifestyle.
Now I am encouraging my sister, who is working way too many hours at her job she loves, is becoming a bit stressed out and has gained a few pounds back.

Role reversal.

-N

A story to tell

The Man

By Nancy Vaughn

 

“Alright, everyone stay together,” the principal called out as the students slowly exited the bus. “There are lots of other people here to see the White House so keep track of our group. No backpacks needed.”

I was one of several chaperones with the eighth grade class that came from California. My daughter was the history teacher running the show and I was excited to see Washington, D.C. with her and the students. It was my first time in the nation’s capital. Boy was I ready for the adventure.

We had five days packed with an unbelievable itinerary that would help us hit most of the memorials, museums and other sites. Here I am a 60 year old woman expected to keep up with the students and the other much younger chaperones. This was a challenge I would meet fed by my joy of being on the trip.

We had just arrived at the White House and the place was loaded with lots of other tourists. Pushing our way through the crowds we made it to the fence. After we started to take photos the kids were pushing and shoving to get their shots. I moved back and bumped into a man sitting on a bench. I apologized and he smiled. He was a very handsome African American man with close cropped silver hair. I made a comment about people wanting their pics and he nodded and laughed. I moved away to find my daughter and forgot about the encounter.

Our group moved to the west to go around to the other side of the White House. As we were walking I looked up to see this same man walking toward us. He passed by never looking at us. He was tall, over six feet and wearing dark pants and jacket. I knew it was the same man.  I turned to one of the other chaperones and told her about my encounter with him. She turned to look back and said he wasn’t there anymore. I stopped and looked back-she was right. It was a long walk on the sidewalk and at one point I looked up and he was there-again-in front of us!

Then when we turned to head to the White House I saw him again. He was standing under some trees. I pointed him out to my daughter. We watched as he stood in the shade of the trees observing the stream of tourists flocking to the building.

My daughter and I went up to do some more photos and I realized he was standing near our group. He never looked at me and when the other chaperone came up she saw him also. We were getting kind of creeped out. When it was time to leave for the bus we both realized he was gone.

I noticed I had a photos with him in front of the White House behind my daughter to the right.

 

 I don’t know who he was and what his purpose was in being there but it was a strange experience.

-N

 

 

 

               

Back again

My month has been weird. Chuck was here for the first part and it was really nice, relaxing and a time of being together. We talked so much, saw some friends and worked around the house. We also sat around reading, getting up late and drinking wine for me and whiskey for him. We did lots of hugging and snuggling.

Then it was time for him to go back.  The day before I had to drive him to Mesa to catch his flight I started feeling not so good. By the time I took him to the airport and came back I was sick.  Real sick. I had a full blown flu with fever and the whole nasty works.

After a week of that I started to finally feel better.

I've been working on finishing my book. Lot's of editing. I printed it out since that is much easier to visually see it in continuity in order to make the changes and edits required. As I took my time reading the story I realized I really like the characters and their story. After I put in the corrections and adjustments I will need a very critical eye for the next step in getting it to be the best story it can be.

I am excited to share this story. I am trying to decide if I want to pursue the traditional route of publishing or go with self-publishing through Amazon or the like. Chuck is also part of this since he has been super helpful in providing the man's perspective and male response to situations.  I guess I will have to give him credit! 

Looking forward to Chuck coming back this Monday. Two weeks with him to enjoy some hikes and snuggles.

Keep smiling and don't forget Valentine's Day is coming.

-N

trying to push through

Didn't get any blogging done while Chuck was here for two weeks and the day before he left I started feeling yucky and now I have full blown bronchitis.  Once I shake this hopefully I can get back up to speed. Happy January.

-N

On my own

I'm just kicking it right now, home by myself. We left Melissa in LA, Chuck is back in Dickinson and Aaron and Chelsea are back in Oklahoma. I'm chillin' it here getting back into a rhythm being home after a Christmas week spent in Disneyland. Melissa joined us for the week at a great hotel with a two bedroom two bath suite! No driving and parking at the park because the shuttle stopped right outside. It was a great place to stay.

We started the week seeing the Christmas program at the Great American Playhouse in Oro Valley. It was so fun and we laughed so hard and enjoyed a wonderful night with my niece Heather and mom. It is definitely fun for Aaron and Chelsea and is a must visit in the future.

Disneyland was colorful, bright, happy and packed!! There were a couple of times we were there that the crowds were a bit less and we went on our favorite rides several times. I love Big Thunder Mountain and Chuck is a huge fan of Star Tours. We really did explore the park over the week and it was super fun. We did things that we normally don't get to and Aaron experienced the Tiki Room for the first time.

We had two very special meals. Monday night Chuck and I and our kids went to Blue Bayou restaurant for our 35th anniversary dinner. During the meal we renewed our vows and exchanged some very special keepsakes. It was wonderful, mellow and romantic. We lingered over our meal and made a memory. On Christmas day we had lunch at Carthay Circle restaurant and had another very good meal. It is a very cool place with lots of movie memorabilia. Neither of these places are places we would go for daily meals-too expensive, but they made for fantastic celebrations we all enjoyed. 

I was pretty proud of myself that I only gained three pounds the whole week. I guess we walked enough to balance the amount of food we consumed.

On Friday Melissa took her dad to LAX for his flight back to Dickinson on her way back to the valley and the rest of us headed back to Catalina. On Sunday I took Aaron and Chelsea to Sky Harbor for their flight back to Dallas.

Now I am here. It is okay for me since I do well on my own, but the week with my family was wonderful. Now I have to pay off the credit card!

Happy New Year all!

-N

A fun party!

Last night we had a great time! We had over twenty here to celebrate the season and say hi to Aaron and Chelsea who are here for a couple of days. It warms my heart to see people who are willing to come over so close to Christmas and hosting these wonderful people is so much fun!

We had family-Kris & Heather and their three kids and a cousin, my Mom and my sister Lisa. The friends in attendance were my BFF Kristen and her family, Chuck's bestie Bob and is wife Kim, Jason and Denia and their daughter, Mom's friend Bob, our next door neighbor Sergio and his son.

The food was good and the sweets even better. Lots of drinks of all kinds and Christmas music played in the background.

We discovered quickly that many of these people were acquainted in difference ways besides knowing us. Conversation never stopped, it was cheery and filled with laughter. I love the way people settle into agreeable groups that move from area to area taking the conversation with them.

Tomorrow we leave for Disneyland to spend our Christmas. It will be so special to have our kids with us. No little kids here.  Monday Chuck and I will renew our vows for our 35th anniversary in Disneyland. I am ready to get the drive out of the way and start the fun.

Merry Christmas to all and be good.

-N

Senior what???

Reality check of self perception.

Took off yesterday afternoon to do some grocery shopping. I pulled into the Fry's parking lot to discover it was packed. What?? As I cruised through, my usual parking spots were filled. I can always get a good spot in this lot, what the heck is the deal? Finally grabbed one when someone pulled out. I got my own bags out of the car (hate plastic bags), snagged a cart from the cart rack outside and headed into the store. One other observation of the parking lot was the very slow moving vehicles and a cajillion people pushing carts.

I know this store well enough I can write my list based on aisles. I can usually cruise through the process pretty easily and fast-unless Chuck is with me.  If he is with me it takes FOREVER.

The place was a zoo, every part of the store and every aisle was packed with people and their carts. I couldn't believe how many times my cart was bumped, pushed and blocked by shoppers.  I started thinking "Did I miss some holiday that required cooking?" Maybe they wanted to stock up so they didn't have to shop Christmas week, probably a good idea.

Since I always shop with a list I can usually get in and right out. Not gonna happen in this case. I got the last of the list items in the dairy section and headed to the checkouts. I came up by the pharmacy and stopped. There had to be a line of at least twelve people.

Light bulb moment! Wednesday is blue hair day!! Nearly all of the people in the store were old. Well that explained the full parking lot and crowded store. As I looked around while in the checkout line I saw people writing checks!?!? Who writes checks anymore?

It was my turn to check out and the cashier was fast and smiling-thank goodness. Just as she was totaling my purchase she asked me a question. "It is senior day, 55+ so would you like me to put in the discount?" 

Stop.

Wow! She didn't question if I was 55+. She didn't want to see my ID, but if I wanted the discount as a senior. Oh man I must have had the deer in the headlights look on my face for a second and then I said "oh sure, why not."  A discount is a discount, and it got me about $20 off my purchase. I paid, I left and once I was in my car I called Chuck. "It's official Chuck, I am old!" I told him what happened and he howled with laughter. Ok not helping.

That's it, I had been letting my lovely silver/white hair grow out but I'm coloring it, that's settled. I don't want to look too much like my mom yet. I already have her knees and square face, but I can control my hair.

I will go to Fry's again on Wednesday's. I am not a fool and the discount is good. But now I will be prepared. Ego hit without warning is hard on this "old" lady.

-N

He's back up north

Well, Chuck has left Arizona and is safely back up north. We had a really nice time and had lots of fun going places and hanging out together. After my last blog I left you on Monday. This past week was spent for the most part in Catalina.

We did lots of work around the property and spent time enjoying visits with friends and having fires. He made sure my bike was working again, got the yard cleaned up and the grass mowed so it wouldn't need too much care while he is gone.

He also spent time catching up on all his shows that were recorded on the DVR and watching UA basketball games. Mornings were so nice enjoying coffee and breakfast together and we had hours spent sitting together while we read.

There was one downer that happened this week. I learned that an old friend had died very suddenly and unexpectedly. Donna was one of the kindest and genuinely good person I have ever known and her loss is great. Her memorial service is tomorrow.

As I dropped him off at the airport for his flight back I was glad to know that his next trip home is already set up and will be a nice one. After his two weeks at Dickinson he will be back on December 8th for two weeks in Tucson followed by Christmas week in Disneyland with our kids.

I have a second blog steviawithcream.wordpress.com. It is different from this one-not as personal and more about my writing. I would welcome anyone to enjoy it.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

-N

Making it memorable

Since Chuck arrived for his two weeks off I have wanted the days to be fun and filled with great things to remember. He arrived late Monday night the 10th so we drove the long way home from Tucson International to Catalina trying to stay awake. Lots of talking and catching up.

Tuesday we were busy. Chuck got a haircut, we went grocery shopping (remember I haven't been cooking), getting the Escape ready to be sold and me getting used to having someone else in my house!

Wednesday was so fun because we drove to Phoenix to meet Nick and Darlene to hand over the title for the Escape. This was the culmination of a God thing that gave us the opportunity to be blessed as well as blessing someone else. They needed another car for her since she has a 3 year old and a newborn. You've gotta have a car with kids. They have been sharing and that was really hard and inconvenient. So there we were with this really good extra car and the match was made.  The smile on Darlene's beautiful face when she drove the car over to put the kids and car seats in it warmed my heart.

Thursday we decided to go up the mountain, and it was spectacular. Mt. Lemmon was not too crowded, very cool and overhead bright blue skies. We stopped at the Palisades ranger station for a quick look around and then up to Summerhaven for a stop at The Living Rainbow gift shop and then next door to The Cookie Cabin. It was so nice not to be in any kind of hurry.  After that we drove up to Ski Valley and road the ski lift up, took a short hike around the top and the road it down. It was the most peaceful and serene moment, snuggled up to Chuck and watching the mountain pass beneath us. Once we were off the lift we went to The Iron Door restaurant for chili. We had the most fun waiter, he was speaking five or six language to serve us. So fun. We drove home relaxed and smiling.

Friday was terrific. I had lunch with some of the women I worked with when I was at Ventana Medical. It was so fun to catch up and hear what everyone was doing, who was coming and going and all the other work talk that you do when you haven't seen people in six months. The food was good and the company was fantastic. That evening Chuck and I enjoyed the company of dear friends Mars and Kristen along with their two children and a young friend. We had a wonderful meal together laughing and talking about all the crazy things that life had thrown our way. We then enjoyed music, beer and wine outside around a roaring warm bonfire. The sky was clear with the stars shimmering brightly and the laughter carried through the cool night air. The kids had fun running in the yard and the adults enjoyed the rekindling of friendships.

Saturday was a sort of catch-up day. Laundry and yard work was the agenda with a stop in the middle for the UA football game. We won. The evening was a mellow one with reading and some movies. Splendid.

Sunday was a great day which started with a stop at Pusch Ridge Christian Church for a lovely worship and a chance to greet many friends. We were smiling brightly when we left. We made a stop at In-N-Out and headed south to the wine country of Sonoita and Elgin. The day was cool and breezy with high clouds. Perfect for a wine tasting tour. We stopped into six wineries and were able to fully stock our wine cabinet. We enjoyed visiting with another group doing the same thing and traveling in the same direction as we were. We would laugh when we ran into each other at every stop. It was a perfect day and we were both very tired and relaxed by the time we got home.

Monday-today-it was a blast from the past for Chuck. We took a road trip on the old Florence/Kelvin Hwy into Chuck's old stomping grounds in and around Kearny. We stopped at the overlook to watch the activity in the Ray open pit mine, and then cruised through Kearny as Chuck pointed out who used to live where and told me stories of life in a small mining town during the heydays of the 60's and 70's. He really loved it and I could tell there was more going on in his mind than what he was sharing with me. That happens to all of us when memories fill our hearts. We drove back through Superior and down through Florence and back to Catalina.

And here we are now.

-N

Big things coming up

Got an interesting phone call this morning from Chuck. He told me that on his way home from work he was driving I-94 and was near Dickinson when his truck hit a stretch of black ice and he spun out and slid off the road.  He was able to get back on the road and get home safely, not truck damage or injuries. It made it clear to us that we need something for the truck tires in this cold weather. He will be home for two weeks tomorrow and we will start looking into options.

Speaking of him being home, he is more than ready to be back to relax and be out of the snow and ice. We have some things planned to do but are really going to just hang out by ourselves and enjoy the time together. I will have to start cooking again. When I am by myself I tend to not really cook very much.  Coffee and breakfast is my main meal. I usually snack throughout the day rather than have a real meal. I am not very hungry.

Chuck is an eater and is always ready for meals! Means more shopping and groceries.

Speaking of cooking-I am not cooking for Thanksgiving Day!

Well except for cherry crumb cake at the request of my nephew Kris. For the first time in many years there will be no big family feast here in Catalina. I am so glad to announce my sister Mary will be hosting at her home in Phoenix. I am so excited for it and relieved not to have to plan, shop and cook. I know that must sound selfish but I was not looking forward to the whole big thing.  The best part is that my daughter Melissa will be there for a couple of days. I am flying her out and we will spend the time enjoying food and the newest grandchild in our family.

I will however have a small Thanksgiving early for Chuck and I. Much smaller bird and fewer sides. It will be special for us and it will give him a celebration memory to take back to Dickinson. This will be the start of the Holiday Season which is going to be very special. I am happy to be part of a family who want to be together and put in the effort to make it happen.

Keep smiling and enjoy the colors, smells, sights and sounds.

-N

Trying to catch up

Greetings!

I realized I hadn't done anything with this blog in a while so it is time to catch up. This week is Chuck's last one of his three week long night shift duty. He has been through a few really cold, windy and some rainy/snowy nights these last two weeks. He has the best clothes for working in this weather so he hasn't been uncomfortable. He's also been eating much more regularly at this new site versus the old one. A lot of times at the old site he wouldn't get the chance to snack or eat until his shift was almost over and it was not good for him.

The move to Dickinson was a good one for my honey.

He was proud to tell me that they had a really great month in October and the higher ups were pleased. In fact his supervisor bought everyone a bunch of FR (flame retardant) cold weather work clothes. Head-to-toe new stuff. I can't imagine how much it cost but the crew appreciate it and feel appreciated too. I am really proud of him, and am ready for his two weeks down here.

Family talk down here has been about Thanksgiving plans.

Chuck will be back in Dickinson by that week so that puts me kind of at the mercy of whomever or whatever. My nephew Kris asked me about my plans and we started talking. He even said something about getting Melissa back here for it and that got me very excited.  Then my sister Mary in Phoenix asked me the same thing and said that her son, future daughter-in-law and their new baby would be there. Mmmm baby skin nibble on. She wanted to have my mom and Bob to come up and I asked Kris what he thought. He was going to get back to me.

And then things started rolling.

Mary's will be a full house with lots of love, food, laughs, football and conversation. I texted Melissa and she loved the idea of seeing Nick, Darlene and baby Alex so now I'm waiting to hear from Kris. It has really perked me up thinking of it all.

I have to admit that when I get a chance I have been watching all of those smarmy, romantic Christmas shows on Hallmark Channel. They are so formula and predictable but it is kind of like reading a series of romantic novels about a family of seriously gorgeous sons and the seriously beautiful soul mates they find. I have to set the alarm on my phone to quit after a set amount of time. They are addictive.

Hmmm, that sounds like a blog for "steviawithcream.wordpress.com".

-N

Chuck on night shift

Well Chuck officially started a three week stretch of night shift. What is interesting is that he prefers this shift. He doesn't like to get up at 4am to leave at 5 to get to work at 6. He would rather work at night. He has always been a night owl.

I wake naturally at around 7am.

I used to tell people the perfect shift for me was 10am to 2pm Tuesday through Thursday but making the same money I was working an 8 hour day. I am most efficient from about 9am to around 2pm. After that my brain doesn't want to focus.

After this stretch I will get to see him. He had to put brakes on the truck and is carpooling with his co-worker which is great on gas. It is so weird that up in the oil fields gas is more expensive that here in Tucson.

I had a wonderful night last night at my friend Kristen's house. Had a great meal and lots of catching up. Her kids are getting so big and it was a comfort to spend time with my dear friend.

I enjoy making my own schedule of appointments now that I have more time to myself. I'm not working and I am enjoying the fact that I don't have to do anything. When I worked full time I coveted my time off and didn't want to give it up. It frustrated Chuck because he wanted to go places like hiking or camping and all I could think was I have to clean the house and do laundry. In my mind if we went off the time would go really fast and before I knew it Monday was there.

I know selfish, right?

Now that pressure isn't there and I can relax and go when and where I want. I really like it. I worked pretty much most of my adult life and all I really wanted was to be a housewife. I am enjoying my house and my hobbies. I can take my time with those things with no worry that the hours are flying by.

I'm doing okay.

-N

Birthday what??

Oh Jeez, when did my baby get to be 33!!!! I am 33 so this is not possible. He is four, I am sure of it. In my dreams he is four or maybe six, but 33?? Uh nope.

This will take some processing.

Aaron was that dream baby who was hungry, snuggly and affectionate. He was fun and thoughtful and he still is. When I look at him now, how tall and mature with warm dark eyes and an infectious laugh it makes me so happy. He is still snuggly.

Aaron was his dad's birthday gift in 1981, along with a basketball. There is symmetry to that since one of Aaron's first words was basketball. No kidding.

October birthdays: Chuck is the 13th, Aaron is the 15th, my grandfather Papaw was the 18th and my dad's was the 28th. Aaron also chose this month for his wedding so throw that one in on the 17th and it is colossal.

One of the most heart warming things about both of my children is how close they are to their dad. When they were asked about their hero they both said it was their dad.

How cool is that?

So many children don't even know who dad is, or if they do dad is not remotely like a hero. A child needs to know their father would die for them, that their welfare is utmost and they will be unconditionally loved and honored as gifts from God.

My kids know this.

I knew this.  My dad was the best. I know that no one is perfect and he wasn't perfect but I knew he loved me and my sisters and would have moved heaven and earth to take care of us, keep us safe and make us happy.

I wish this for all the children in the world.

-N

My kids

There are times like today when my thoughts have been about my two amazing children. They are wonderful humans who have carved out their own paths in life and are taking care of themselves. I am proud of them beyond measure and would never change anything about them.

Except their proximity to me.

Melissa is in Southern California and has been since the late 90's. She is independent, self sufficient and knows her own mind. She has been like this since she was small. This is a person who at 7 1/2 months old was walking! As a child she never wanted to be cuddled much or was one to stay still for long. No task was too much of a challenge for her, she pushed herself to accomplish. I admired her and used to tell people she raised herself.

Recently we have spent time together, just she and I, and my admiration just increases. She is smart and wise, caring and determined and a loyal friend to her circle of companions. Many of her former students stay in contact after they move on which shows the profound impact she has on them. Her creativity is boundless.

She is a treasure to her parents.

Aaron was another story. He was a mellow easy going little guy. He liked to snuggle and was always affectionate. He immersed himself in family life. He also had an amazing memory for lines in movies. He could watch a movie a couple of times and would wander around quoting half the lines of the show. He was also like that with song lyrics. I remember hearing him sing a song from the Disney movie Aladdin and I realized how well he sang. His voice was great. I remember my grandmother saying how well he held the tune when he was little. I should have known music was in his heart. I love singing with him but with him in Oklahoma that doesn't happen too often.

My immense loss.

Then came Chelsea. I believe the best thing I can say about her is she loves my son as much as I do. She is the best daughter-in-law that God ever made and she compliments Aaron perfectly. I hoped and prayed for the wife my son would choose. That she would build him up and support him, that she would help him in his faith walk and provide love and acceptance.

My prayers were answered.

I just wish they were closer to me so I could hug them and give them my time, love and attention more easily. Then again maybe that makes our time together more special.

-N

Where is home?

I sit here watching television and thinking about making dinner. I am back in Catalina, in the place we've lived since 1991. It is the same yet there is a difference. The filled bookcases and the cabinet holding a collection of shot glasses (Chuck's) and a precious assortment of vinyl albums. I talk as though I was away for more than a few months yet the transition from Tioga back Catalina is a one step at a time thing. When I left for Tioga I disconnected my mind from Catalina. I separated myself from this place and divided my loyalty to the home I made in Arizona and gave some of it to Tioga.

When I got back my sister came over to get Cooper and to bring him back into her home and heart. He never left her heart but was relocated due to difficult circumstances for her, but now he is where he should be. He and Lisa are best friends who need to be together.  It was heart warming to see them together. Lisa's face was so joyful and I could tell they were stepping right back into their places in each other's lives.

After getting everything we brought back unloaded and put away, I had Chuck take out my "Harvest" decorations. I don't do Halloween, and Harvest themes last from Labor Day through Thanksgiving. It was fun to put everything out, and not too cluttered but with enough to display my theme colors. Each item made me smile as I unwrapped the tissue paper and decided where it was to be placed. It is strange to think fall is here and the high temperature forecast for today is 93. At least after today the 90's should be nearly over.  I really don't do hot very well. I like the feeling of cool air on my skin.

I have started looking for a church to attend. Distance is a real consideration for me and there are a variety of churches within a few miles of my house. The one I had been attending before I went to North Dakota has relocated several miles away, south of Ina road and with so many much closer I have decided to look at those for a place to be.

My sleeping had been terrible since I left Tioga. I have had approximately two good nights of sleep since I returned and am trying to find out what is holding back the therapeutic slumber I need. 

I will continue to find my way back home.

-N

Lots to do

The countdown is on and the packing has started. At least for me it has. Chuck is leaving most of his stuff in the company apartment in Dickinson. There are things I am leaving in the RV, especially duplicates of what I have at the Catalina house and the extreme cold weather items.

We are towing the Escape back and using it as a storage trailer. Most of the boxes and tubs will be put in it and it can hold quite a lot. The Explorer will carry only the items we will need during our journey to Catalina. It is also roomy enough with the seats folded to actually sleep comfortably in the back. Sort of car camping although it will be primarily to save on hotel charges. Also Cooper can hang out in back.

Speaking of Cooper he was groomed Friday and his schnauzer cut has begun.  We kept him pretty much shaved while he's been in Tioga, just no time or a nearby groomer to keep it up. All we did was bathe him. Oro Valley Marketplace Petco has a great grooming service so we will use them as the cut grows out.  He did great at the Minot groomer and they love him. It was wonderful to find them.

I learned that there is a hurricane in Baja which will hit Tucson during our trip down. I hope it is nearly over by the time we reach there. Our property is prone to what is called sheet flooding. It means that due to the clay soil and the flatness of the area water run across the property in sheets. I have seen these be as much as 3-5 inches deep. The one time I remember it being a great thing was when we first moved out and Chuck had seeded the yard with grass seed. About two or three days later a heavy rain happened and the sheet flooding washed the manure from the neighbors horses across our grass seed.

It grew in a matter of days.

I am waiting for Chuck to arrive, and I am ready for a big hug. I hope my insomnia will go away. It has been terribly hard to get only an hour or two of sleep, or wake every hour all night. I have taken to drinking chamomile tea every night and this has helped.

Nature knew what she was doing with that one.

I am the type who remembers my dreams and this is how I know how well I sleep. I thrive on my dreams and the trips I take with them, especially when I dream of my father. I pray for dreams of dad. They are comforting since they usually involve hugging and kissing him, hearing him laugh and explaining things to me.

Oh Sarge.

I sincerely feel dreams are my mind's way of telling me what I am struggling with and the revelation of my stresses. I mull them over throughout the day as they slowly fade from my conscious mind. I have recurring dreams that happen when a certain anxiety is upon me. These are my getting away and going nowhere dreams. However since the location changes of the last several months I haven't had those. 

I guess I am a bit of a wanderer.

-N

FICM and Polar Vortex

I ordered the part for the Truck yesterday. It is the FICM, a type of truck computer and that puppy is not cheap. I was told they would ship it today by next day mail, and that is good since I have to get it and drive it down to Dickinson so Chuck can install it.  Then the old one will be returned for a refund of the core charge.  This is all rather a nuisance but it is necessary.  If we can keep the truck going for a while longer that will be very helpful financially. Of our three vehicles we are only making car payments on one of them. 

Besides the fact that I will have to transport the part to Dickinson once it arrives is that it is expected to arrive while a very cold spell is to be here.  Not exactly a polar vortex type of storm, snow is not expected, but it will be below freezing over night Wednesday and Thursday. I would rather not be driving back with the iffy roads even though the Explorer is a great vehicle with 4wd.

It looks like folks in and around Phoenix should start watching for an ark. My sister living there has posted photos of flooding. The hard desert ground can only handle so much rain at a time and many roads are closed. Tucson has seen flooding like this in the past. 1983 and 1993 both had what were called "100 year" floods.  Both were also related to low pressure weather activity from the Pacific.

Time to do some laundry.

-N