The Power of the Ocean

There is no denying that there is something very powerful about the ocean.  Standing on the shoreline staring out as far as you can see and seeing nothing but water.  Listening to the thundering sound of the waves breaking.  There is nothing like to make you feel like the smallest part of the world.

I grew up near the ocean. It used to take us 45 minutes to drive from our house the beach.  Now, I live farther inland and it takes five hours.  Five hours!  Since getting married and moving, we have been to the beach a total of one time. One time in almost seven years.  I forget how much I love it.

The Oregon beach is generally foggy, windy, and damp.  It’s a pretty rare occasion to find a perfect day at the beach.  I have been on the beach when the sand is blowing sideways so hard that it leaves your legs red for hours.  As kids, our parents let us go in the water whenever we wanted.  They knew that it was pointless to wait for it to warm up.  The water here is never warm.

Don’t let this picture mislead you.  It’s actually a pretty nice day out.  It’s not raining and the wind is not blowing.  It’s just overcast and a little foggy.  These guys are enjoying digging for clams.

I have made the decision that we are going to make time this summer and take a trip to the beach.  Everyone needs to be reminded of how small they are in this great big world every now and again

Sunday Brunch

I am glad that we were able to meet again for Sunday brunch.  Yes, it has been a whole week since we last spoke.  I feel horrible for not making time this week to post anything.  I couldn’t come up with anything really inspiring to say.

This week was busy, even though the first part of it dragged.  I forgot to tell you last week that Wednesday was Scotty’s 23rd birthday.  He has finally reached the age where the milestones are more spread out.  Can you believe that he is 23?  Where were you when you turned 23.  We would have a lively conversation about how much we know now that we didn’t know then.  Scotty stopped by work to see me on Wednesday (I’m pretty sure that it’s because I had his presents, but I like to think it was more about seeing me). So I was happy that I got to see him on his actual birthday.

Scott came home on Friday.  I took the day off work to go over to Medford and pick him up.  You know how it is when you take a day off work and then you loose all track of what day it is.  I am experiencing that today!

Anyway, I picked up Scott.  His flight was right on time and was able to land because the fog was at a minimum.  That was nice.  We ate lunch in Medford and then came home to catch a quick nap before heading out to pizza for an impromptu retirement party.  Even though Scott was so tired from traveling, he wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Saturday morning we got up early to get a jump start on the day.  Don’t you hate those weekend days when you actually get up earlier than you do on the days you have to work.  We headed into town and had breakfast with Scotty before going over to the furniture store that was having a huge sale.  This sale had been the talk of the town for a couple of weeks.  Everything was 50% off and we were in search of a new bed for Nick’s room.  After making deals with the salesman, you know those back and forth conversations that could just be avoided if the salesman just told you the final price first, we ended up purchasing a bed set up and mattress.  Now we just have to wait 8 weeks for it to arrive.

Next on the agenda was to drive to Salem.  I am attending a conference in Seaside Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday and since it started at 11:00am on Sunday, I decided it would be easier to drive part of the way on Saturday.  This would always be my preference since I get to spend time with my family or Dawn.  Plus, I got to stop by the library and see my sister at her work.  She gave me the full tour and I got to see the private comings and goings of what happens behind the counter at the public library.  I feel like I have secret information!

Last night I stayed with Dawn.  it was nice to get to visit for the evening before she had to go to work.  Luckily I got to see her for about a half hour this morning before I had to meet Jamie and make the drive to Seaside. 

So, now I am in Seaside.  Don’t you love the Oregon Coast.  I miss not living 45 minutes away.  Now it’s a good 5 hour drive for us just to see the ocean.  We rarely go, but when I get over here, I realize how much I miss it.

By the way, Jamie is happy to pose for a picture if it’s going to be posted here.

I am sorry I can’t stay longer.  We are supposed to be at dinner in a few minutes and I think I can hear Jamie pacing in the hallway.  Have a great week.  I hope to get on the ball this week and check in more often!

Sunday Brunch

Once again, we meet here for Sunday Brunch.  I can’t wait to hear about everything that is going on in your life.  It’s been a long week and we have much to talk about.

Scott has been gone for a week, and I really miss him.  He continues to send me pictures every day of his time in Hawaii.  He is having fun with his family, but I get the sense he is overwhelmed at times.  Tomorrow he and Laura fly to another island for a few days.  It seems like every other day they are on a flight to somewhere.  The pictures he sends me make me wish I was with him. It feels strange that he is on vacation without me.

If we were meeting for brunch today I would tell you that I don’t understand why it is that our dogs run away when they know that Scott isn’t here.  They take total advantage of me; and I thought I was the fun parent!

I would talk about how I have started a new habit of drinking hot tea at night.  Maybe it’s because it is so cold outside and a hot cup of tea is comforting after a long day.  I would ask you if you have any little rituals that you do every day.

I might have to end today’s brunch a little early as I have bookclub this afternoon.  This month we read Unbroken.

I don’t know how I felt about this book.  There were times when I had to put it down because I couldn’t stop crying.  It’s disturbing to me what man is capable of doing to another man.  I would ask you what you are currently reading.

I would give you a report on our annual Employee Appreciation Dinner that we had last night.  It takes so much planning and Kim and I worked our butts off.  The dinner went off without a hitch and I think everyone had a great time.  I would tell you all about a new venue that we have in town that we used this year.  I am pretty sure that we will use this place again.

The room was decorated so beautifully.  It was such a change from the hall at the fairgrounds.

Everyone got extra dressed up this year.  It’s the one occasion that I buy a new dress for.  It definitely is a fashion show among the women.  The men, well, they usually wear their Class A dress uniforms.  Again, they get off easy with the whole wardrobe part.

If we were meeting for brunch today I would tell you that next week is my brother-in-laws 40th birthday.  I have no idea what to get him.  This is going to be the challenge this week.  I would tell you that next week I am making a trip up north, but I will fill you in on those details next Sunday.

Of course we would have to talk about what we are watching on TV.  Aside from the regular reality TV shows, I am totally hooked on the newest Masterpiece Theatre on PBS, Downton Abby.

This is a wonderful British show which takes place between 1918 and 1920.  Not only does it tell the story of the rich British family and their struggle to marry their oldest daughter to the man destined to inherit their manor, but it also tell the story of the help that live downstairs.  Part three of four is on tonight and I can’t wait to see what will happen next.  Remember last week I told you that we cut our cable way back?  This has encouraged me to watch more educational programs rather than cheesy movies.

Well, it’s been nice visiting with you again.  I hope everything is going well with your family.  Hugs!  Have a great week!

Separate Vacations

As I have mentioned before, Scott is visiting Hawaii this week.  This year, we are taking separate vacations.  It does seem weird that he is on vacation and I am not with him.  I have a feeling that he is enjoying himself anyway.

Scott headed out Monday morning and met his sister Laura in Phoenix, AZ.  They then flew to Oahu where they picked up Kiyoko.



The three of them then flew to Kauai, where Kiyoko was born, where Scott’s sister Erica lives, and where Scott’s brother Andy also flew in to meet them. 

He has been sending me pictures of his trip and I thought I would share a few with you.



A beautiful night in Honolulu



Kiyoko enjoying the beach in Kauai



Scott enjoying the beach in Kauai



Kiyoko is an incredible artist.  Here she is sketching the plants outside Erica’s house, using a notepad and pencil she found sitting on the table.



Beautiful Erica!



Sunrise this morning.  Most of us were already hard at work by the time the sun came up in Hawaii.



Scott wasn’t the only one on the beach this morning waiting for the sun to rise.



Laura, Andy, Kiyoko, and Scott out touring the island.

What an adventure Scott is having.  I am glad that he is spending this time with his family.  They are lucky to be able to spend this time together.

Is Reality Really Real?

Reality TV has become one of the most popular things around.  Not only does it consume our time watching it, we then spend hours talking about what just happened.

Right now, we are deep into this season of The Bachelor.

For those of you who aren’t following this…Brad is getting a second chance as the Bachelor.  The first go around he didn’t chose either of the girls.  The world turned against him and he went into hiding.  After several years of serious therapy, he is ready to commit to one woman.  Now he is back and determined to chose one of these women.  The best part of this season’s show is that Brad has also brought along his therapist to talk him through this process.  Oh where to begin with what is so wrong about all of this.  Why can I not stop watching?

The thing is, reality TV really isn’t real.  There is no way that these women really believe that they are going to find the man of their dreams, while living in a house with 24 other women and watching him continuously make out with all of them.  No, they are on this show for the competition, they want to be famous, or they don’t have a real day job.  You know, the kind of job that you only get two weeks of paid vacation each year (which is definitely not enough time to meet the Bachelor, go on a dozen group dates, fly to his hometown, fly to your hometown, fly to Tahiti, and finally get chosen).  Don’t get me started on the wardrobe of these women.  Where exactly do you find a dozen evening gowns? 

Some of these shows don’t require getting time off.  I found myself the other day watching the entire season of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  These women are not real housewives.  The one had two nannies, a chef, a driver, a husband, and a boyfriend.  What part of this is real?

These shows aren’t reality, they are a train wreck.  Like Nascar, I watch Dancing with the Stars to see if someone wrecks, Biggest Loser to see if someone passes out, Rock of Love to see if anyone gets drunk and gets in a fist fight.

And just in case you missed it, the line up for the Amazing Race, Unfinished Business, came out today. 

You heard it here first, Jet and Cord, the cowboys, will take it this time.  Don’t worry, I will DVR every episode so you won’t have to miss a minute.

Sunday Brunch Together

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could meet every Sunday and enjoy brunch together.  We could catch up on what happened over the last week, talk about important issues, fill each other in on what is coming up, and basically just gossip for an hour or so. Unfortunately we can’t meet every week, but we can have a “virtual” Sunday brunch.

If we met for brunch today, I would tell you that things at work have been very stressful lately.  Next Saturday is our Employee Appreciation Dinner and Kim and I have planned and prepared the whole thing.  We expect one of the largest turnouts this year and we are trying a new venue.  I think that both Kim and I are most excited about the venue.  I will be sure to bring pictures next Sunday when we have brunch.

I would tell you that last night we went to another retirement dinner for someone we worked with.  Why is it that a retirement dinner is like a memorial service for someone who isn’t dead yet.  Sitting there listening to people talk about the kind of guy that John “was” makes it sound like he is no more.  It’s bitter sweet.  I probably don’t have to tell you that I shed a few tears last night listening to people say all the nice things they did.  It’s hard not to get choked up when these guys who are supposed to be so tough get choked up speaking. 

If we met for brunch today we would talk about politics for a few minutes.  The discussion would probably head towards the negativity of politics and how we can’t expect anything positive to come out of the current political environment.  We might agree to disagree and move on to a lighter topic.

I would ask your opinion on this Netflix movie thing.  We have decided in our house to cancel our current cable package.  We have every channel that is pretty much available.  Why?  It’s just the two of us and I find that we spend way too much time watching the same movies over and over.  We have cut back to the most basic cable and signed up for the free month of Netflix.  So far, this seems to be working great for us.  In addition, I would let you know that we have also cut our home phone line.  This was a tough decision for Scott, since he has had this number for over 20 years.  It’s reach a point where we both use our cell phones more than the home phone and it’s one more way to simplify our lives.

We might discuss the change in our birth signs.  I am still a little sore about this topic, so we might cut this conversation short because I might get a little loud and draw some attention to us.

If we met for brunch today I would tell you how tomorrow is a holiday from work.  I love these three day weekends.  I am spending my Monday off traveling to Medford.  Hoping to take advantage of some of those holiday sales. I am on the look out for a pair of boots, a new dress, and a new purse.  But really I am heading to Medford to drop off my husband at the airport.  He is flying to Hawaii for almost two weeks.   I have asked him to email me pictures during his trip so that I can keep you up on his travels.

After enjoying our limited time together, we would split the bill, walk to our cars, and give each other a hug.  We would remind each other of next Sunday and wish each other a great week!

Nothing is Forever

This morning, Kim and I were at work talking about her getting a tattoo.  She expressed her concerns about having this tattoo forever.  We talked about how you have to choose wisely so that you don’t end up with something that years down the road doesn’t mean anything.  There are few things in this world that are forever.

I have two tattoos.  My first is a daisy on my right ankle.  Daisies are my favorite flower.  I can’t imagine that would change.  Daisies won’t do anything to me in my lifetime that will make me hate them.  I figure that’s a pretty safe option for a lifetime choice.

My second tattoo is a Sagittarius symbol on the inside of my left wrist.  It’s pretty small, but because of where it is, it’s highly noticeable and I have people ask me about it all the time.  Up until this afternoon, I believed that this was also a wise choice for a “forever” mark on my body.

Well, things have changed (and I am not sure how to deal with it at this point).  I don’t know the details, and I can’t bring myself to do the research, because every web site I go to makes me more confused.

To sum it up, scientists have decided to change the number of astrological signs from 12 to 13.  One article I read said that this 13th sign always existed, but somewhere along the way they decided to ignore and go with 12, because that easier??????

Most of the population has experienced a change in their astrological sign.  for example, Scott is no longer a Libra, he is now a Virgo.  So, in symbol terms, he has gone from this:

To this:

Not so bad.  Now I am not saying that he won’t struggle with the change.  He was fine with this until I told he changed, and then he was a little taken back.  Yeah, honey it’s not just me.

As I mentioned before, they have now decided to go from 12 signs to 13 signs.  That means that somewhere along the calendar, some people will now have not only a new sign, but a brand new sign.  Lucky me, I fall into the brand new sign category.  I am going from this:

To this:

What the hell?????  Are you kidding me?????  I am going from a simple arrow sign to a sign of a guy with a snake between his legs?  You have got to be kidding. 

I am hoping that this is the largest Internet hoax, and that none of this is really happening.  If you think for one second that I am changing this simple arrow on my wrist to this guy, you’ve got another thing coming!

The other side to this is that scientists are saying that this new change only effects people who were born after 2009.  How does that work?  The world suddenly changed in 2009? 

So now when someone asks you what your sign is, are you supposed to say ‘I’m one of the original Sagittarius”, or “I’m an old Sagittarius”, or “I’m one of the new Ophiuchus.”?  How do you even say this?

Lesson learned the hard way, nothing is forever!  I pray that the daisies never let me down!

What it Means to be a Duck Fan

Today was an exciting day in the State of Oregon.  The U of O Ducks played Auburn from Alabama in the National Championship College Football game.  I will be the first to admit that I am not partial to either Oregon team.  I am one of those people who is just excited to see Oregon represented.

So, what does it mean to be a duck fan….

It means you buy the shirt and wear it with pride on game day.

it means you get excited when the Ducks score first .

It means that you sit back down when Auburn answers with a touchdown.

It means you scare the cat into hiding by your screaming when the Ducks return with a touchdown (and two point conversion) a minute later.

It means you go cook dinner when Auburn scores the next touchdown to take the lead.

It means you sulk through half-time when Auburn pulls ahead further with a field goal.

It means your heart actually starts beating again when the Ducks score a touchdown (and another two point conversion) with just two and a half minutes left.  Is overtime a possibility?

It means you hold your breath with three seconds left on the clock while Auburn kicks the game winning field goal.

It means you go to bed disappointed, but know that you can hold your head up high because the Ducks showed up and showed the world that they deserved to play in the championship game.

Reflecting–Part 2

I have been searching our house for the pictures that I wanted to use for this post.  That’s why it has taken a few extra days to get this post up.  I found a few of the pictures, but not all.  I guess you will never know what pictures I wanted to use.

So where did we leave off?  Oh yeah, it was the end of 2000 and I was all alone.  A moment of silence please… Here is part two of this inspiring story.

In December of 2000, I had two job interviews.  One was for an administrative position with the Office of State Fire Marshal, and the other was for a file clerk at the Department of Public Safety, Standards, and Training.  I received a job offer from both places, on the same day.  Making the decision as to which one to take was easy.  The State Fire Marshal’s office was only five miles from where I was living, where as DPSST was about 20 miles away.  Being broke, the cost of gas money was my deciding factor.

My first working day at the Fire Marshal’s office was January 2, 2001.  I would never have guessed where this journey would take me.  My world was changed the moment I started meeting the people I would be working with.  Most of them were firefighters.  People who did their job because they felt it was their calling, not because it paid the bills.

A few months into my job, I had a friendly conversation with one of the firefighters I worked with.  This guy lived about 250 miles away, in a town I honestly can’t remember every being to.  We would have these little flirty conversations over the phone.  Eventually we would meet in person at a meeting with 20 other people.  A few months later, we would go on our first date.

We met in Bend, and spent the day hiking around.  It was September 9, 2001.  Two days later would be September 11th.

At the time I was living with my best friend Dawn.  Her and her boyfriend Brian had decided to take it to the next level and move in together.  Once again it was time for a major life change.

I moved out on my own.  For the first time in my life, I lived all on my own and was purely responsible for myself.  It was scary and liberating at the same time.

(Insert photo of my small cottage on E Street.)

A couple of years later, I would turn 30. 

I was ok with this birthday.  I was actually starting to feel grown up.  I felt like I was a productive member of society.

A couple of months after my birthday, on Valentine’s Day 2004, Scott and I got engaged.

I knew I wanted to marry Scott and spend the rest of my life with him, but it would mean, once again, making a major life decision.  Marrying Scott meant that I would have to quit my job and move 250 miles away from the only life I had ever known.

(Insert picture of us standing in front of all my stuff loaded in a horse trailer getting ready to move.)

Scott and I were married on August 21, 2004.

At the same time, I became a step-mother.  Wow, in one weekend, my whole life had changed.

After moving down to Southern Oregon, I spent a year and a half working in jobs that just weren’t satisfying.  Then the job at the Fire District came open.

The decision to work at the same place as Scott was not an easy one.  There have been times when people have made comments that were hurtful.  I am very sensitive to people’s reactions when they learn that we work together.  Probably more sensitive than I should be.

This story wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention that along the way, I also became a godmother.

Scott has taken to places I would have never gone on my own.

And  I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I didn’t admit that there have been some hard times.  There have been many days when I just needed a hug from my sister, or to sit and enjoy a glass of wine with my best friend. 

We’ve had our ups and downs.

In the past few years, we had two sons graduate from high school and go on to live on their own.  I am loving this time of our lives. 

I just can’t imagine where we will be in another ten years.

Reflecting–Part 1

I started thinking the other day about this past year and all that we were blessed with.  Then I started thinking back about the past few years.  Then I thought about where I was this time ten years ago.  I asked myself if I would have believed someone back then if they had told me where I would be today.

This led me back even farther; back to twenty years ago.  1991…I was a junior in high school.  My biggest concerns were boys, driving, and my job at the local pizza parlor.  I really had no idea of the “real world”, but I was the smartest person on earth (I have come to realize that I am smart enough to know that I am not the smartest person in the world. Don’t tell my mom that she was right!)

Little did I really know what the world had in store for me.  Before I go any further, I must state that I would not change any of my decisions.  Making one slight alternation would potentially change the outcome of where I am today.  I would still take all the good times, and the bad times, in order to end up here.  I do have a few regrets, but they are pretty much about not taking the opportunity to say things to people that should have been said.  Not letting people know how much they meant to me or how they changed my life.

Between the years of 1991 and 2001, I would:

Graduate from High School

Become an aunt.

Get married.

Become an aunt, again.

Go back to college, get divorced, graduate from college.

Go on an amazing, life-changing adventure to find myself.

But by the end of the decade, I would end up alone at the age of 27, with no job, and sleeping on a roll-away mattress in the corner of my best friends bedroom.

I was having a hard time finding anything to be happy about.

Stay tuned for the next decade….

To Resolve or Not to Resolve? That is the Question.

I have resolved this year to not make any resolutions.  That way I don’t feel like I let myself down when I break them.

What is it about making a New Year’s resolution?  All it does is set us up for failure.  Honestly, if it was something that you wanted to do, you would probably already be doing it.  People make this list of several things they want to change about themselves and then try to do it all at once. 

Not me.  I have decided that I am going to make resolutions this year, I am just going to space them out, and they are actually going to be more like goals.

My first goal for 2011 is to stay up on my scrapbooking.  I love scrapbooking!  I feel like it’s my way of leaving a written history of our lives.  Imagine if you had a scrapbook that your great-grandmother made.  That’s what I think of when I am putting our memories down on paper.  Someday, I hope someone will find our lives interesting.  Even if it’s just looking at our clothes, hair, cars, and lifestyle and laugh about how antique everything is.

I worked on several pages today for our Hawaii trip scrapbook. I hope to get this scrapbook done in the month of January.  It’s been eight months since we went.  Looking at the pictures today made me feel like I was back there in the warm, sunny weather.  It was a nice break from the highs in the mid-20’s we are experiencing.

Right now I am just going to set the one resolution.  Let’s see how well this one goes before making any more commitments.