Happy 60th Birthday, Mom! A few weekends ago, Mom and Dad took a weekend trip to our home in central Virginia so Mom could visit one of her favorite Virginian destinations: Safari Park! Just a few miles from Natural Bridge (a remarkable landmark all Virginians and lovers of awesomeness should visit), Safari Park is home to all kinds of animals – not your run of the mill zoo. This experience was far better! Why? The weather was perfect. Everyone in our party actually wanted to be there. The park was not overly crowded. Many of the animals roamed free on the premises and walked … [Read more...]

Today, I am sunburned and exhausted; but, it was worth it! Yesterday, I worked hard and felt a good tired at the end of the day. I also gained further respect for people who put their backs into their work every day. I fell into bed last night and had no trouble drifting off to dreamland. The result of hard work feels so good. Since my mom retired in 2013, our visits have changed. For thirty years, I was the daughter of an elementary school teacher – and it was even part of my identity. Now, with no more bulletin boards to help put up, desks to clean, and birthday bags to fill, life is … [Read more...]

It’s time for another experience! So many of the adventures I want to have revolve around water or being somewhere other than my hometown. So, I wasn’t sure what to do this time. I looked over a list I made earlier in the year and there it was: learn to play a song on the guitar! And what luck to live with someone who can teach me! This was going to be fun – and easy! Day One Ouch! My fingertips are not happy. Typing is not as easy as it was an hour ago! Eric, my musical man, agreed to help me learn to play a song on the guitar. Poor, naïve me. I thought we would pull out the guitars, I … [Read more...]

Since last August, I have been trying to lose weight and improve my health. Though I still have a long way to go, I do feel so much better. I’m less easily exhausted, I have fewer ailments, and I feel more like a 30-something instead of a 60-something. ~smile~ Still, with all the health and wellness improvements I’ve made, I still feel like I’ve been in a bit of a weight-loss rut lately. For the month of March, Eric and I settled on our own personal diet bet. I bet him I could lose about 15 pounds this month. I gave him $25 of my personal spending money (he and I budget very little “blow” … [Read more...]

The other day, I ran across an article on Facebook called Five Things Introverts Need to Stop Doing. While I knew I probably would not like what it had to say (i.e., the harsh truths that would slap me), I simply could not bypass my curiosity. What? What should I quit doing? ~Sigh~ Just as I suspected, it hit me between the eyes – especially the third point: “saying no too much.” As much as I love the study of personality and trying to understand why people behave the way they do, I know we can use our personalities as an excuse to avoid what we find unpleasant. “I’m an … [Read more...]