Goodbye 2011

Well I want to start by saying what a year!!!  Life has been crazy since I last posted in early December.  We have had holidays with family (some not so good, some fabioso), we have traveled and I am impatiently waiting for my baby granddaughter to come in February.

When last I posted, we were in Ohio and it was great to see Sweet’s family.  We went out to eat, went to a charity event at the local VFW in Parma.  That is where I met Frank and Jen DeLorenzo, the founders of Wags4Warriors.  Fantastic people that match veterans with trained service dogs to help those whose lives have been affected by their combat experience.  The dog’s help in calming the veteran and take away the stress and struggles faced on a daily basis now that they are home.  This is all done at no cost to the veteran, so the foundation needs donations of money, dog supplies, and dog food or just help in getting the word out to everyone!!

It’s an amazing foundation and I urge everyone to like them on facebook or go to their website for any support you can muster!  http://www.wags4warriors.org/

So anyhoo, another thing that I was able to experience for the first time in my life was flying down a toboggan chute!  Oh my goodness it was a blast!  I had to do it over and over even though we had 20 layers of clothing and it was freezing.  We were flyin’ down the chute screaming (well I was) and then collapsed into giggling messes (ok, me again) as the sled came to a stop.  Soo fun!

The rest of the week we did some shopping and had a nice family dinner on our last night in Ohio.  It was nice meeting some of Sweet’s extended family, they scooped me up into hugs and it felt familiar.  Far different from my own fam, but that’s another story.

We left Ohio and made our way to Wisconsin to spend time with Sweet’s mom and stayed at this really nice place called Glacier Canyon Lodge in the Wisconsin Dells.  It was a beautiful and among other amenities, had the largest indoor waterslides.  Although a couple of them were closed, there were some slides that were still open and we had sooo much fun!  I can’t believe this life I have now, one week flying down a toboggan chute and six days later, I’m flying down a waterslide!  Thank you God!!!

When we came home it was the usual, Christmas shopping for gifts and a tree.  Family and friends stopping by with Christmas cheer, a few fab parties, cozy family dinners, and happy birthdays.  It really was a great holiday season!  Now as New Years is approaching I can only hope for another fantastic year!  I appreciate all my blessings, my family, friends and the memories that are now in the books as 2011 is coming to a close. 

Best wishes to you and yours!

Happy New Year!!!

Blogging once again, but writing? Bleh...

Well, my last post was October 28th. October 28th! I can't believe how time flies when your having fun. Since my last post talking about my trip to Massachusetts we have been so busy.  As you know, Sweet took me to Massachusetts then after Halloween (great Halloween party) and our downtime, we hosted a Thanksgiving soiree with the fam, we then left for Korea for four days. It was a quick shopping trip and boy did we shop, it is a great way to give an economical Christmas.  During our flight we crossed the international dateline which was insane.  Sweet asked me if I noticed that we didn't see a sunset to which my sleepy reply was "huh?"  Sweet explained it was because we were chasing the sun.  Which truthfully, somewhere in the back of my mind where the marbles roll, I knew that but just waking to a smiley face wanting to share knowledge?  I listened and learned..  it was cute.

So we are now in Ohio visting his family and exploring the great state of Ohio. Next we are making our way to Wisconsin to visit more family and stay in the Dells for a few days.  Although fun, it has been exhausting and my writing has taken a beating.

Don't get me wrong, I love the traveling but I also miss the downtime. I miss my dogs (Oliver a Pom puppy and Lady a Pom adult (Oliver's aunt).  I miss sitting at my laptop table with my research all around, my glasses laying haphazardly on some books, my music playing in the background and the only noise is the story in my head talking to me faster than I can type.  Sometimes at night, the story creeps from the darkness taunting me, wanting me to follow it and when I don't or can't?  Stays there and begins stories that only come in the night.  Jumping from one story to the next making no sense.  You know the kind of dreams that people want to look up and tell you what it means as though they are palm readers with the remaining days of your life already layed out and only they know how it will play and can't wait to tell you. 

So I am beginning again and will write all the stories out of my head.  Although the dreams will probably stay until satiated as I can't get up in the middle of the night at someone else's house like I do at home.  My dream last night was located at my grandmother's old house only it wasn't in the city to which she lived at the end of her life.  It was actually in my old neighborhood where I lived until we divorced.  Weird, her house in place of my old one.  (ssssshhhhh, don't tell the dreamreaders)  Anyhoo, we were at some kind of party with many people swirling about.  Even Brad and Angelina were there but they retired to a makeshift muddy hottub (?) underneath my old oak shade tree where they were naked and facing each other laughing at an inside story.  So I left with my best girlfriend in her new car (?) with a little tan purse that held stuff like a Magic hat that holds a bunny.  We go into a big city which reminded me of Gotham and into a grunge like dance bar located in an industrial area.  We then come out laughing and get into her car to which I realize ...   no purse!  In a panic, I get out of the car and run back to the industrial area and begin asking everyone if they have seen it.  I am panicked about all the things I have lost and begin an inventory in my head as I hold back tears. 

I finally (after looking and looking completely panicked) look into an old style metal garbage can and right on top, underneath some brown and soggy gross lettuce is my purse, tan but dirty with some kind of melting whipped cream or ice cream on it.  I grab it up and begin to run back to my friends car (of course she waited in the middle of the freeway) got in the car and began cleaning the outside of the purse.  I finally look inside and my drivers license and library card is missing.  All the credit cards, cash, jewelry, etc..  is still there.  Although relieved, I now worry about having to pay $55 to replace the license.  Then I wake up.  The funny thing is at breakfast today while pouring my coffee, I still had the stress of the $55 until I realized it was a dream.  hahahaha?  So take that all you dream interpretaters, bring it!

I think all in all..  I didn't make the time to write because for a moment I was afraid of my writing which is what kept me from writing all these many years.  Not good enough, noone wants to read it, why would anyone read it..  blah blah blah..  If you are a seasoned or new writer, I can't imagine that it is any different for you.  I guess it is all in how you handle it.  I am diving right back in and will continue on with my goals.  Thanks for listening..

Have a Happy Holiday season and talk with you soon~