JUST LIKE HOME

Grateful for ....... weekends!

I am so grateful for the weekends, I love Saturdays and Sundays.  Just getting up slowly and enjoying my coffee while reading for pleasure.  I love looking through the travel section of the Arizona Republic and seeing where everyone is off to next.  Checking out the calendar section and planning what to do that is exciting or interesting.  Most of all I like being able to think about fun stuff, not working just relaxing.  I especially like to spend time in the kitchen baking bread or preparing a huge meal for whomever happens to stop in. And of course, I enjoy the sun and the amazing pool outside the condo, with the laughter or the kids or when I have it all to myself, what a joy...

Grateful for....... being able to work from home

So life can't get any better, as far as working goes.  I am abundantly grateful for my business. 

I  have a busy internet business.  Actually I am working in several capacities.  I will only mention one here though.   I am a Virtual Assistant or VA.   My clients are businesses who need assistants on the internet.  I do a variety of tasks and run several different programs for them and manage different aspects of their internet businesses.

The variety of work has been the most exciting and fulfilling of all.  I also am able to work the hours that I want, when I want and I can negotiate the fee for services or projects.  I am always willing to learn new programs and features available on the internet.  It is an exciting territory to be involved in and their is never a dull moment.  I will talk more about it in a future post.  But I wanted to be sure to give thanks for this amazing opportunity that has been given to me.

Grateful for .......the ladies in Beach Club Village

What am I grateful for ....When we moved to GIlbert, Arizona I was totally freaked out.  Having my family close by my whole life as well as the many friends we had made over the years, moving was quite scary to me.  My best friends were mostly my six sisters.  But now after 6 years, I have been so fortunate to have moved into a community which is mostly a village of women.  Like minded women who really care about each other.  We are there for each other and spend many hours listening to one another and lounging and socializing by the pool.  I am really so very grateful to have these Beach Club Women in my life!  You will surely be hearing more about them.

 

To Lead, or Follow......

To lead, or follow... that really is a dilemma for me.  As you are all aware, I am taking ballroom dance lessons at a professional dance studio with my husband of twenty-seven years.  Okay, you may also know that I am a bit of a control freak.  I have to know how things are going to work out in the end.  I have to plan trips in detail.  Have to be the planner and have to be in the leadership role, I HAVE to be the driver.

Well, its quite an issue in ballroom.  I am not supposed to be the lead.  I am supposed to be the follower.  After several months of practice and private lessons, with the instructors telling me not to move without being lead by my lead, I am starting to let them have some control.  Marriage is a work in progress as is ballroom dancing.  The relationship is so full of starts and stops and do overs as is on the dance floor.  Marriage therapy....not necessary....just take ballroom and you will see it all right out in front of you with the appropriate music as your backdrop.  Let the lessons continue and I am beginning to enjoy following, it is both refreshing and exhilarating. 

Elizabeth Park, Trenton, Michigan

Elizabeth Park was the first County Park in the State of Michigan.

This 162-acre family estate was given to the Wayne County Park Trustees in October of 1919 by the children of Elizabeth Slocum.

This gift was the beginning of the Wayne County Park System. Elizabeth Park sits along the banks of the Detroit River, and features over 1,300 feet of riverwalk for fishing and river watching. 

This was one of my favorite places to escape for the afternoon when I was young and lived in Trenton. 

Young couples seemed to use this park as a date spot and we all enjoyed just looping the circular drive around and through the park any summer evening with music playing from our car windows.

I still end up making the loop whenever I visit my hometown.  Sometimes stopping for an icy rootbeer after from the local A&W drive thru just outside the entrance to the park.

God's Country......

So I am seriously above the clouds but way beneath the heavens.....

A constant crystal blue sky and a never-ending horizon....

Listening to Sting and his magical terms of endearment and those musical notes that are such sweet sweet tunes.....

Wishing I could walk outside the window and put on a show for the jetliners passing by....

Oh to walk on the mountainous clouds of white....

To feel what its like to jump from mound to mound ..... 

Will they hold up to my weight and accept me as a friendly visitor? 

Or will they let me go, giving no notice to my passing presence...  to let me slip through to the depths of the space below.

4th of July 2009

What a great weekend we had this year!  I have really missed spending July 4th with family in Michigan.  We finally planned it this year and have had a great time.  We started out the day with breakfast downtown Wyandotte at "The Good Eats."  Shared a french toast with my sister Shannon and some fruit and my third cup of coffee.  The Ptaks showed up with babies in tow and we all trucked across the street to get ready for the parade.  Some sat on the curb, some on chairs and some (the kids and Gramma Chris) had to stand, anticipating the candy being thrown by the paraders.  There was over an hour's worth of walkers and a band and clowns and many many veterans from all branches of the military.  We then picked up some amazing new york strip steaks to barbeque with the rest of the clan and went to the Ptaks to enjoy sun and pool.  But ....of course was a bit chilly.  But all in all had a great dinner and played dominoes with I think Adam taking the lead.  I am a bit disappointed as I have held the championship at home for quite some time with Patrick trying to take it over.  Then we went off to the Riske home downtown Trenton for an awesome fireworks display.  We ended up toasting mom and dad with manhattans and continued the dominoe championship until the first blast of fireworks. We could see the fireworks directly in front of us off of her amazing patio.  But we decided to get a closer view and walked to the river (only a few yards down from the patio) and watch them being ignited from the boat directly in front of the dock.  The colors and sounds were spectacular and the finale (we took a vote) was the best we had ever seen!  Quite possibly we will have to make this a yearly trip.  Get ready Maureen, you said you wanted to be a family member so....

Soft, Satin Slippers....

My husband has been saying for probably twenty seven years now that there is nothing like good fitting shoes and you get what you pay for.  He is right…..did I say that?  I have very strange feet.  Short, and wide width.  They are not my favorite body part.  Really a size 5 wide.  Isn’t that like a square?   So imagine finding anything that fits let alone what looks sexy or even resembles cute.  Well as you know, we are dancing, or learning to dance.  So what’s the dilemma?  Great fitting, sexy shoes.  Well I found them.  Made for dancing and sold online by Very Fine…and they are very fine…  They are beige satin, with a soft, leather sole and they feel like slippers.  They have a 2.5 inch heel, (I would love a 3 inch but maybe later) and a small strap around the ankle.  The color is almost the exact color of my skin and makes me look a bit like I have long legs (don’t laugh).  They bend with your foot like they should and I am not if pain when I put them on or even after an hour of dancing.  They are almost like magic slippers…..

African Wildlife Safari.....

Seriously..... they were in our car.  My sister Bridget and I planned to have a nice leisurely drive through the safari with the girls in the back seat.  We purchased extra food to feed to the nice animals.  Well.... we pull in .... and dozens of animals from deer, llamas, cows, buffalo and bulls come charging towards her SUV.  We nicely offer the cup of food and in one swipe they have the cups and the food is being tossed in the air and in the car and all over us.  We tried to hurry and roll the windows up without crushing the animal's heads between the door frame and glass.   Oh my gosh, what an awful mess.  Slime, food and spit from the animals was everywhere.  This picture above was taken by me, as you can see, inches from this buffalo's nostrils.  So.... I can say I did that and never need to do that again.  What do you think girls?

This guy swiped the truck as he passed by just to let us know he was there.

This guy wanted to be sure we saw him in our dreams!

On My Way Home for a Visit...

Pansies so fragile and colorful.  I took the shot at the Desert Botanical Garden last month with Baby Jack.

I am on my way to Michigan on a noon flight to visit my family and friends.  I love going back home regularly and it is always like I have never even left.  I am really hoping to enjoy a summer storm with electricity and thunder.  They are the best ever and the fresh smell after is amazing.  We are celebrating the 50th birthday of my hometown,  Riverview, Michigan.  They plan to have a band playing, concessions, a classic car show and cruise through town, fireworks and great food.  I am hoping to get a glimpse of those I grew up with and those that were the usuals around town for so many years.  I will let you know how the birthday goes.