I can do it Saturday!

[OKay]

Kathryn wrote

it was worthwhile to do it just so I know I can. There are places where it is 20 - 24 lanes across

YEAH Kathryn!!

What can you do today?

[OKay]

I am all off schedule this morning after sleeping in an hour and am still groggy. I stayed up late last night talking with DGS14. About the time I was going to go to bed, he pulled a chair up close to mine and we talked eye-to-eye for almost 2 hours. It was one of those priceless times and soooo very worth missing sleep over.

Last night FNGang went excellent. A new person came - someone that I recently met and is struggling emotionally/mentally. I don't know her story, but I just know she is very needy (she calls several times to discuss over and over the most basic of things). Hopefully we can be a blessing to her and not add to her struggles.

Today PODA -
** Octoberfest (kids carnival and games)
** Lowes to do kids building project
** Mall for DGS14 shoe shopping

Breakfast = Breakfast Burritos (sausage, eggs, cheese, fresh salsa)
Lunch = blackened salmon & sides
Dinner = Pork Ribs and sides
fruit of the day = Peaches
Vegetable of the day = Artichokes

Rain gauge is ready. I'm watching the radar in eager anticipation - the rain is about 200 miles away and generally heading our way. However, it appears most of it will miss us. Come On! Hold together. Come this way. Don't fall apart before you get here. Come this way. Hey, rain clouds....over this way! Come this way....

Thinking of helia traveling this weekend near the storm. Hope it doesn't have negative effects on her travels and family funeral. ((((helia))))

[Lilac]

Good morning Okay and all who follow.

Your I can do it Saturday is the positive push that I need. We leave Tuesday and I have a lot to do. Today I want to finish cleaning, etc. Sometime tomorrow we need to wash dhs SUV because we have decided to take it, plus I will need to mow. It is actually raining and is suppose to all day. With our drought we aren't complaining. Monday I have some odds and ends errands plus packing.

Okay, you are such a blessing to those grandsons. It is hard to believe how fast the last year has rushed by since you retired.

Better get started.............

[Indiana]

I'm still sleeping and breathing. I"m eating - cottage and fruit. Security is walking Jake.

[Harriet]

LOL, Nancy! Peanuts are a veggie/fruit for sure!! Sounds yummy.

Hi, Indiana! Hi, Jake! Normalcy for you two is a prayer of mine.

Oh, OKay, I was thinking the same thing about Kathryn's trip - HOW many lanes? Wow.

Lilac, sounds like you are doing a great job with trip plans, too.

Best rainy wishes for all who will benefit.

My first order of the day is getting some greeting cards accomplished and to the mail box. I've been decluttering and want to keep that up. Dd needs to work on some composition today, either a book report or a narrative.

Does anyone use Dragon or some other voice-to-computer writing product and is it of value to you, does it do what you believe it should? Dd has heard at school about this as a possible aid to academics, which I hadn't thought of at 8th grade. Her ddad used one of the first ones many years ago as a novelty but never found an application for it in his work, which depended upon forms. Plus, he says they weren't very good back then. The fact that I've never heard dd31 mention it makes me doubt the help it could give.

[DeeClutter]

It's a beeeeautiful day here -not a cloud in the sky -for us that's a good thing -obviously not so good for Okay.

I came out about 6am and sat in the chair and obviously fell back asleep. When dh came in from doing his first winterization of the day I was sound asleep at 8:41!! Time to move it! So far I've tested my BS and had breakfast. Ta-Da! WooHoo and it's ONLY 9:10. Looks like a slow day!

24 lanes -oh that I don't think I'd ever be able to do -have to go look to see where that was. I will steer clear!

Keep getting better, Indiana. How's the leg, Harriet?

DH just came to tell me he's putting some money up over our bed. Think I'd better write down somewhere that it's up there however. Too easy to forget. How we can forget we have $$ I don't know.

DS-A and family came to visit last night. What a nice surprise that was! Figured he needed/wanted something but not. Was so good to have our dgks here for a few hours. Also managed to get them to say they'd take a tall lingerie dresser we have here (and no room for it). DGD12 will use it in her room and get rid of a banged up one. Will be glad to have it out of here.

Ok off to s2s. BGS applied!

[Nancy]

I'm up & so is my b.s. drat!
It's cool and cloudy out today here.
Smoothie Flavor of the day!
I dreamed of pumpkin smoothies last night.
Trying some thing new having my apple for breakfast did not have enough room for all those
carbs. last night for dinner.

Cleaning at dd's is on my list today.
H. said that we are not going to dgson's game to far away 34 mi. round trip and fuel costs are a consideration I am relieved I must admit.

I enjoyed watching "Project Runway" this week wondering why it got moved to the Lifetime channel however. I am aware of some much needed attn. my own wardrobe needs!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I just looked it up online and at the widest point it was only 18 lanes. Here's a link to a photo:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... e_Crop.jpg


Actually, the number of lanes is irrelevant. It is just a matter of picking a lane, sticking to it and keeping an eye on the two lanes on either side and giving myself some breathing room between me and the car in front of me.

This is a great metaphor for life. After all, no matter how busy it gets, we just have to pick a track, stick on, allow for breathing room, keep an eye on trouble that might be approaching but most of all, keep our focus and not get distracted.

Of course, the fact I was doing it at 10:30 at night made it both easier and harder (dark, lights and my tiredness made it harder, but less traffic made it easier.)

To do that drive once every year or two is fine by me. I couldn't live in that city and have to face that road every day or every few days.

Dh couldn't get over that I didn't wake him as we got into the city (he woke up as we went past his childhood exit) and that I wouldn't stop once we were going. I kept saying I'd stop and switch if I had to but things were fine. He kept saying that once things weren't fine, I might not be able to switch drivers. Another metaphor for life?

Edited to add another metaphor: As we got through the city, dh asked, "are you taking the 409 to the airport" and I told him I didn't know what I was taking but I figured there'd be signs and I intended to simply follow them. Sometimes it isn't worthwhile to spend energy overplanning for the future; there are signposts along the way, pay attention to the here and now and you'll see them.


Dd's flight came in at the revised time and we met her and were out of the parking lot in under 20 minutes (including pit-stops for all of us because of the drive to Waterloo.) The last segment of the drive was flawless and we took just over an hour. Her friends were up and waiting for her. She has wonderful friends so we visited for about 10 minutes and then headed to the hotel. Our route was blocked by an accident so we had to take a few extra minutes and take a very back-country route, then the front desk clerk wasn't at the desk so we took over 10 minutes to check in. Still, we arrived in our room at 2:02 and had lights out at 2:22.

Woke up at 9:32 and still made it to breakfast before 10 (this is exactly why we switched our hair washing schedule.)

We've eaten and are now catching up with internet. We'll walk over to the farmer's market in a few minutes.

Someone mentioned Oktoberfest. This city has the largest Oktoberfest outside of Munich. You can be sure we'll be having schnitzel for lunch today, and possibly tomorrow too!

[DeeClutter]

Just dawned on me, Kathryn, that I HAVE done that route more than once -and probably once too often. So guess I can do it too. Last time was during the day, taking ds-R to Barre (I think -north of Toronto) to pick up his Volvo tractor. THEN it was following him back down -that was even worse and it was rush hour then! Zowie! You really did good, Kathryn!

Have to go find my notes from last church meeting and start getting them around. Having dpastor here for dinner on Tuesday -making our favorite beef stew recipe, Indiana.

Time is traveling so fast now that it's nearing time to head south! Way too much to do and part of me acts like I have months instead of DAYS!

[lucylee]

Good morning!!!

WTG, Kathryn!!! I don't believe I would want to drive in 18-lane traffic... whew. Good job! Very good life lessons you developed from that, also. Have a great visit w/dd!!!

I don't know exactly what my challenge for the day will be...
I'm going out to dparents' house for a while, but they will likely not need me much -- daunt is visiting/helping while ddad & my uncle go to a car show nearby.

(((BIG HUGS))) for helia & family in the loss of her daunt.

Grrr... I am having such trouble w/my Firefox!!! Especially here in this site!!! It refuses to let me copy/paste most of the time, and if I try to print, it causes the whole site to freeze up and I have to go to task manager in order to shut down. I cannot use the x button to exit, either -- have to go to "file/exit" -- what's up with THAT? Just now, a pop up window came up telling me to UPDATE Firefox, which I have tried to do, and then it told me I had conflicting issues with this update, but now I cannot close the pop up window. I was able to move it, however, to the lower part of the screen, so I could continue posting. But I still have much better luck w/this site through Firefox than with aol browser. So. Grrrr.

I bet my ddil would love pumpkin smoothies, Nancy!

(((Indiana))) Continue to be easy with yourself. So good that staff can help with Jake.

(((Harriet))) Is your leg any better today?

Dee -- I think you are doing GREAT for 9:10 in the morning. I, OTOH, am still in my housecoat @ 11:10!
Apparently my challenge will be to s2s and drive 7 miles to dparents' house.
Also MUST grade some papers today and get ready for week ahead... AND I have to make another stop @ drug store. Got the wrong kind of tape for dfil yesterday.

OKay -- IKWYM -- long talks w/teenage boys are sometimes few and far between... and definitely to be treasured. Maybe you can squeeze in a nap sometime today. (((BIG HUGS))) and prayers continuing for your dbro & all your family.

Lilac -- how long will your trip last?

I feel like I've been out of the loop a little -- Lilac may have already talked about this in recent days, and there's no telling what all else I've missed -- so I apologize if I've not been paying attention. With all the running around to dmom's and dinlaws' and just frantic stuff at school... I've just been crazy the past week. I think my four hour "nap" Thursday was good evidence that I've pushed myself a little too far.

I've got a sinus headache this morning. Maybe a hot shower will help that a little. BBL! Hope y'all have a great day!