Summer Survival: Year 5: Entry 1

Summer officially started three weeks ago, but it has been chaos at our camp...
This week is the first "real" week of down time the younger natives have had.
And they are bored...
Oh, my goodness... they are bored already! They should be relaxing and enjoying and doing what they want. But... alas... they are bored.
That Man and I need help. We have asked, begged them to decide things they would like to explore... Their suggestions are not cost effective or schedule-fitting... (or realistic) And, we began asking for these ideas weeks before the vacation started. Argh!
We have a ceremony coming up - one that sucks up all of the time from now until then. We have stuff to do. Things to make. Stuff that does not really engage the younger K's, unless they choose to participate. They have no idea of our stress and woe. We have invited them to help us, but they have declined in favor of electronic things and the Internets. They are very clueless, I think.
They spend their time pursuing movies, games, music, and, I fear, arguing about nonsense. There is no logic. 
No logic. 
The stores of food have gone missing, as always. There is no stocking, though we try. I fear the energy charge from the powers-that-be since we've had to turn on the cooling units and the natives use them far more than we think they should. Plus, they sleep far longer than is logical. Teenagers are very strange natives. There are never any clean drying cloths in this camp. There are never any clean drinking vessels, but a lot of Disney movies show up on the recently watched Que on our Internet device. What does that mean? They are not little kids anymore?
One of the natives is visiting another camp at the moment. It is very weird here without her. The male native is strutting - enjoying his status as the only native, but I am still unsettled. (though I know the female native is okay and good and having fun. And it is good that we get to have time with the male native.) There are other camps for both natives coming up, but sadly, no different camp for That Man and I. (The natives are not gone at the same time) At least for a little while. We hope to survive the ceremony and make our way to a private camp for two after, but being the head natives...
This is my fifth year journaling about this camp. (My actual time in this camp is much, much longer) I understand I've been brainwashed by the natives, but they are all very special to me. The observations perplex and confuse me though. Every native is different. As soon as I think I have them figured out....
I wonder what I will do when there are no natives left in this camp? I must not think about that yet. There are a few more hot seasons to endure... 
It is a calm night here. We have had some major water fall from the sky, but our vegetables seem okay and we are grateful for that.... 
I must now find my sleep before the harsh daylight forces me from my slumber...
More soon...
Behave!

Weekend Wrap Up!

Back to the day job tomorrow! Ugh! I don't wanna!
The sleeping in was fantastic, even though I didn't get to sleep in today. The reason was good - we kept our grandson while K1 & J worked - and man, I'd forgotten how much work is involved in taking care of a 5 month old. I'm tired!
Yesterday was spent fixing our fence, painting the picnic table, car maintenance, and working on wedding stuff. We didn't get very far with the wedding stuff, but we at least have a plan, and most of what we need to get started. Time is really ticking by pretty fast. Luckily, the big job is one that doesn't require more than Bob and I do finish, and the other job is the flowers, which is my job and one I look forward to (once I figure out what she wants).
Food - I made the family's favorite Sweet and Sour chicken with mushroom fried rice for dinner last night. Tonight was fish taco's.
Writing - I got a little bit done last night. Am heading there next and hope to make some good word count tonight.
The upcoming week - meetings, K3's rehearsal, K5's birthday, my sister's birthday, appointments, paperwork for the art's school, withdrawing K3 from high school. Fun, but busy stuff.
That is all...
Behave!

Feel Good Friday! For Real!

Here's the list:
1. Living through our town's annual street fair yesterday. I didn't go down once. We didn't make any plans at all because the guests were due to leave and we didn't know what that would be like. We figured everyone knew when it was and if they wanted to come by, they knew they could. Plus, we didn't know if we'd be up for hanging out.
2. Impromptu visits from the neighbors. It's weird because we only have a yard separating us and there was a time that we were together constantly, but life changes and we rarely see or talk to each other any more. But it was really good. We had a great visit and I love how it doesn't matter how much time has passed, we're still the same. And we were reminded of how much we love each other!
3. Being off from the day job yesterday and today. So nice! That Man was off, too. We slept in this morning, the boys went driving (K3 has his permit), we made a run for headphones, flower supplies, groceries, and fence parts. Ordered pizza and have been chilling ever since.
4. Positive news from K1 and J. It's good to hear that they have good stuff coming up, even though the end result means they're too far away from us.
5. Turning the AC on. It's hot, but not unbearable, BUT they are doing road construction right in front of our house. All night. (and have been for well over a week). It's the only way we'll sleep tonight.
6. Wedding stuff tomorrow.
7. Fence fixing tomorrow.
8. Plans for our "after party" for the wedding changing, but still coming together.
9. Writing time coming up...
10. Having two more days to sleep in... Yay!!
That is all for now.
Behave!

Mother of the Bride...

Okay... The guests have gone and it's sad. We had a whole lot of fun with them. I love, LOVE my sister-in-law. We miss them, a whole lot, but we're kind of giddy about being home by ourselves for the first time in two weeks.... It's kind of weird...
And now...
It's serious and major wedding stuff.
The wedding is in 7 weeks!! K2 and J have taken care of most of the details, but they need help with a whole bunch of stuff... Stuff we didn't know needed to be done until very recently...Oy! But okay. Easy.
It's all good. I'm so very excited for this wedding, but I have no dress yet. I have no idea of the timeline and I don't think our after party is going to happen... Dang...
But I'm excited!
Behave!!

Feel Good... Wednesday?

This is not normal, but it's so, so much needed and awesome!!

It's Wednesday and it's my Friday!! I don't have to go back to the day job until Monday! How cool is that?

So... It's been a short week, but here's the awesome!
1. Knowing we're going to miss the visitors.
2. Writing time coming back.
3. My kids. They're all made up of awesome!
4. K5 - She's so beautiful and smart!
5. Baby B! He thinks his Nanners is funny and I love it.
6. Sleeping in tomorrow!
7. Days off with That Man and those kids.
8. Wedding stuff...

Okay, it's Wednesday, so the list won't make it to 10. I need sleep and writing time...

I'll be back!
Behave!!

Still Crazy!!

Yes. It is still crazy here!
1. The visit - everything has gone very well. The kids have gotten along great. The adults have too. We're winding down now.. and it's sad. They leave Thursday afternoon. Who knows when we'll see them again. We've had a lot of fun!
2. Wedding planning - big wedding meeting last night. And the realization of how much needs to be done and planned. Plus, K2 is moving into their apartment soon. Crazy! We spent tonight going between apartment stuff and wedding stuff...
3. Tomorrow is my Friday! I am so looking forward to having 4 days off!!
4. Writing - what is that? Gah! I am missing it so much!!
5. Usual stressful stuff... not going into it... but oy!
6. We had a lot of fun this past weekend - family gatherings, drive in movies (Man of Steel and Star Trek - AWESOME!!), sleeping in, Father's Day food and fun.... I'm exhausted.
7. Finding out one of my best friend's father has stage 4 cancer sucks!! Her dad is so much like my dad! In fact, out of all of the older adult males I know, he's the only other dad I have! I'm sad!
That's all I have right now... I'm tired... So tired...
But... tomorrow is my Friday... That counts for something. Right?

Gah! I Suck!!!

Sorry about the long radio silence!! There has been a lot going on around here!
1. Bridal Shower - it was gorgeous and fun and beautiful... and the bride-to-be's phone was stolen, money was stolen... from my purse, and from my sister's purse!!! Some bridesmaids were jerks and rude, but all of that aside, my daughter had a spectacular day and that's all that matters.
2. Out of town guests - they're here (though not at the moment). It's been fun, and we're all aware that the length of time they're here is stressful. We've talked about ways to lessen the stress and are actively involved in all of that. We're having fun and that's all that matters. Plus, I love my sister-in-law and my niece and nephew... and yes, my brother-in-law, but he already know that and it makes his head swell! ha!
3. K3 joining the local barber shop group! He's so thrilled! I've yet to hear them, but I know it's awesome!
4. Summer vacation! Yay no more prying kids out of bed in the morning!
5. Lot's of funny things... you'll have to wait for them...
6. Wedding in less than 2 months!! Do I know what's going on? No!!  Will I soon? I hope!!
7. Me having some days off work soon! I cannot wait!
That's it for the moment! There's a lot more.. But damn... I'm tired...
Behave!!!

Retreat - Wrap up!

Home now and glad to be here! As glorious as retreat was, I missed my family.
So, to wrap up yesterday, the wedding crowd was mostly good. There were only a few incidents. Simon and I hung out with one of the guests until way late. She was a very nice woman and we had a great conversation. The bride invited us to their hang out after the wedding, too. So, I think it was a case of a few bad apples. Though one of our members had some crazy women pounding on her door at 4am. She told her she had the wrong room, and the woman said "who do you have in there with you" and didn't seem to understand she was in the wrong hall. But mostly, it was a quiet night. I will admit that I'm a little bummed that it wasn't more chaos, but I'm really glad it wasn't.
Retreat was fabulous.
I kicked butt in the word count department. Love my new story. Hung out with my friends. Ate way too much. And it was just what I needed. The road trip was awesome. Lunch on the way home was fun. We talked about our dreams to the universe.
Got home to lots of work being done in my house. Windows have been scraped and painted, though there are more to go. K4 has a fort going on in the living room due to late work being done in her room. That's where she slept this weekend. Except she's still in there. K3 is home from a long weekend of boy scout stuff. That Man is wiped from working so hard this weekend.
My laundry is in the dryer. I'm chilling on the couch, gearing up to write a little. We're still in the 50/50 challenge, so I have to do something, regardless of how tired I am.
And I don't want to go back to the real world tomorrow. I want the dream I talked about at lunch.
Behave!

Retreat - Day Three

Last night was interesting to say the least. I crashed around midnight, but the partying from the wedding group continued until the wee hours. To say I am a little nervous about how tonight is going to go would be an understatement. There is security in place, and our host, and the staff, but...
These people are different. They're not nice. Not pleasant at all. We're given dirty looks any time we run into them. Rude comments are made about us and they're rude to the staff here. And loud. Last night one of the women slapped another woman in the face because she "had it coming" as someone else said. The ice machine in our hall was empty all morning because even though only one room in our hall is occupied by them (grr), they'd used all of the ice from the machine where everyone else is staying. The outside area near our hall is a filthy pigsty of cigarette butts, spilled beer, and a toenail. There is beer on the building. There was a broken bottle on the sidewalk, a toilet papered car, and someone stepped on the flowers. The downstairs sitting area is covered in beer caps, beer cans, and pretzels. There's a soaking wet towel with what looks like a burn on it hanging on the railing on the way to our meeting room. And that was all last night.
What do you think tonight is going to be like? There are still 50-some guests to arrive yet. Luggage carts full of beer have been brought into rooms (not for the actual wedding, for private use).
Most of our group is going with the flow. I am trying to as well, but like I said yesterday, I am responsible for our group. I've already been down to the front desk and have been asked to come back after lunch to speak to the director.
We'll see...
I'm sure I'll be back with more later...
Behave!

Retreat - Day Two... Oh Boy...

Here we go with the wedding crowd already! Last year we dealt with an insane wedding on site. It was amusing to some of us, and not so much to others. We went into this year knowing there was already a wedding on the books for tomorrow night and knowing full well that you can never predict how a wedding with booze is going to go. (I'm very glad my daughter decided there would be no booze at her wedding. It makes my job a lot easier!)
This afternoon we heard a ruckus outside of our door. We look out to see people opening the door to the room directly across the hall from the room I share with Simon. They were talking loudly about how so-and-so had the room across the hall (right next to Simon and I). We were a little shocked, but decided to wait and see. They became loud, and a little obnoxious, and people (and copious amounts of booze) seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. Okay. Time to see what's going on. Simon and I head to the desk to talk to our coordinator.
Blah. Blah. Blah. We're given the option to change rooms if things got unbearable, promised there will be security on hand during the wedding, and more talking. After dinner, I went for a quick walk and then back to the dining room via the hall we always use. There's loud music, guys standing in doorways with beers, lots of swearing, and oy! I'm irritated and a little worried about how some of my retreaters are going to feel about the chaos.
Simon and I talk, deciding to ride the wave for now, and run into our "host" on our way back to our rooms. He takes one look at us and asks what's wrong. We pull him out of earshot and tell him. Let me just say that our host is awesome. He told us in no uncertain terms that if anyone messed with us, he would take care of it. We fully believe him. He's been down the hall several times since, though the wedding party is off getting liquored up somewhere else.
I don't really care what the other guests do, but I'm responsible for this retreat and the people here with me. Though I feel a lot better after our talk with our host, I'm still a little nervous. Also - I am taking no crap from other guests. This is my retreat and nothing will make it any less than completely awesome!
I am sure I will have more to report later...
Wait for it...
Behave!

Retreat - Day Two

Forgot to turn my regular work day alarm off. That sucked, but being at retreat is like being on vacation. Sleeping can wait. So I got up, made coffee in the conference room, showered, checked emails, paid the household bills, organized the notes I made last night, and checked in with the family. Had breakfast, of which I did not have to cook or clean up. 

Back to the room to get to work, though I will admit I did a fair amount of goofing off, but that is also what retreat is for. Managed a pretty high word count before lunch. Had lunch, again with the not cooking or cleaning up. And lunch was pretty awesome. Took care of a few retreat administrative duties, felt like a nap. Didn't work. Went to look for my roommate, who I had rudely not told I was going to nap and she ended up disappearing. Couldn't find her, but spent some time talking to another retreater and watching the beer truck for tomorrow night's wedding get unloaded. Find roommate. She's talking about taking a nap. Okay. We will both take naps (not in the same bed. For crying out loud, where is your mind?) Kind of nap until her husband calls. Nap is over. Take a quick walk. Sit down to write this blog. Get a return phone call from one of our members who had a family emergency and couldn't come. Talk to her for a few. Then, go to talk to our treasurer about the return of her funds. Sit down to finish this blog when another retreater comes in excited to have met her goal already. Now it's now. Ready to rock and roll...

My outside view:

The poor disabled bee:

That is all for now!

Behave!

Retreat! Day One!

We arrived safe and sound and in record time! The drive was fun, as always. When you're in a car with your bestest friends, it's always a blast.

Everyone that is supposed to be here now is here. Next up is dinner, then I get to the writing.

At this point, the retreat has already been hugely successful! (and we've only been here a few hours!) I will be starting a new book and I already have figured out the big bad and the end game!! That's huge! I was so very worried my brain was broken.

This is the view from my room!

More later!

Behave!

Pre-Retreat...

I am packed!
Snacks and beverages have been purchased (including adult ones)! The Retreat Swag has already been loaded.
I have a few more things to do - which won't be done until morning. Like packing up my computer, gathering my bathroom stuff, and making sure I have everything...
I know I won't sleep well, or much. Which is fine and normal and okay...
Dang... I am ready!!
Bring on Retreat!!!
I am so psyched!!!
More tomorrow on location!! And maybe pictures!!
(Yes, I think I have used my !!! allotment for today!)
Behave!!

RETREAT!!!!

Only two more sleeps!!
I am 95% or so packed!!
It's out tenth year and it's going to be awesome!!
I cannot wait! I cannot tell you how much this retreat is needed!
I'm going to start a new book. I don't know what yet, but I will!
RETREAT!!!
I will do my best to semi-live blog from Retreat!!
Until then... Aiyeeeee! Retreat!!

Feel Good Friday - The Rainy Saturday Edition

1. Waking up to green out of every window. I'm in The Wilds this morning. Well, not really, but in the same general location. In my sister's house. K4 and I spent the night last night due to shower planning. We made really good progress on the plans. And goofed off some.
2. Sleeping in. (Though... I didn't go to bed until 3am, so I really didn't sleep in.)
3. Making progress this morning - emails caught up on, checkbook balanced, several things checked off of my "to do" list, over a thousand words written so far.
4. Plans for this evening. We're having my folks over for dinner since we are so under the gun for the upcoming events that we have to chain ourselves to the house to get stuff done. Since it's raining today, this works out perfectly.
5. Retreat in 4 days!! I am so excited I can hardly stand myself!
6. Starting a new project at the retreat! I don't know what it's going to be yet.
7. A short week at the day job. I am off Thursday and Friday and have a half day on Tuesday to take K3 to his art's school audition.
8. Baby B.
9. RETREAT!!!!
10. Listening to the kids play Xbox. K3 is at home, but is involved in a game with K4, S, & J who are here. They are cracking me up.
Well, that's it. I need to gather myself together and go home (after I run a million errands).
Behave!

Holy Project Time, Batman

As you know, we're gearing up for chaos, visitors, crazy wedding stuff, summer...
There are so many projects going on in my house at the moment.
1. Bridal Shower Flowers - At least the already painted ones have dried and are now stored. I have my dining room table back. For tonight. I have a bin of assembled, but not fluffed or painted, beside me and a fresh package of filters to begin again. I think I mentioned that these flowers might kill me.
2. Scout project - the scouts are working on their aviation merit badge. My kitchen is covered with airplane stuff. My living room is full of foam airplanes.
3. Retreat! - All of the swag, prizes, and related goodness are stacked in a corner of my living room. Luckily, everything is as put together as it needs to be for now. 8 days!
4. House projects - the pantry is halfway ripped apart, the linen closet, too. Let's not forget the summer clothes that are pulled out, and the winter clothes that have yet to be put away. And the other half-million things hanging over our heads.
5. Wedding stuff.
6. K4's art projects.
There's more, but it's more of the normal kind of thing.
And we have a month...
Oy!
Behave!

Date Night!

*This was supposed to post Saturday night. I don't know why it didn't. I swear I checked and it was there...
Or date day!
I woke to the smell of coffee, followed by breakfast in bed - complete with the coffee and flowers! That Man said it was the beginning of our date.
It was a good beginning.
We talked over several more cups of coffee, and made more flowers for the bridal shower (these flowers are going to kill me, I swear! But they're so pretty and easy to make - unless you have to make a million of them...Oy!) He had plans to do yard work while I went to my writing meeting.
I skipped lunch after the meeting. I wanted to go, but we're totally under the gun with upcoming events and upcoming visitors (we have a month until That Man's brother arrives and the bridal shower - shhh!!). Plus, it was date night!
There was a massive amount of yard work already done when I got home. I helped, but not too much since I had to make flowers, and at this moment in time, I have only one pair of jeans and didn't want to get them dirty before our date.
We dropped the only kid home off at a friends for the night and went to a local steakhouse to use our gift certificate. The service was phenomenal, the food was pretty good, too, and so were my margaritas. We laughed, talked, and had a real chance to just "be" together. After dinner we did some normal errand running - craft store for supplies, grocery store. Then home to sit around the fire with our adult beverages. Alone.
It was a very nice date!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday is back!!

Hello Feel Good Friday!!
It's been a long time! But I'm here now, so let's get this thing started!
1. It's Friday. Yes.
2. Dinner with my boys. The meal was good. The environment not so much, nor was the amount we spent, but we did have fun.
3. Shopping with the men. Bass Pro. Oy. But fun. (It's hard to be the only girl sometimes)
4. Writing meeting tomorrow. Much needed.
5. Yard work and housework that get us closer to being ready for our guests coming soon.
6. Making progress on the wip.
7. Things evening out around here a little. I hope. I think. I'm not sure... But I do hope.
8. Shower planning. We are making some really cool things!
9. Date night with That Man tomorrow night! I am so excited!
10. Sleeping in a little bit tomorrow.
But that's good, right?
Mostly positive, even though I did, purposefully, leave out the negative! Ha! (or not...) There has to be good, right?
Behave!

Tuesday Randomness...

The people in my house are weird!
There has been traffic snafus, random dancing, hair straightening and then curling, wedding letter writing, awkward conversations, hamster cage cleaning, dentist appointments, cereal for dinner (for me. I don't know what anyone else ate), chores done way after dark (with attitude), an email that keeps popping up in my inbox even though I've deleted it sixty-five million times, spam messages that make me want to hit "reply" (I won't, but still...), funeral & calendar conversations, dead laptop batteries, summer camp forms, emails from friends we haven't seen in way too long (and plans to get together. Yay!), more awkward conversations, body part conversations (is it strange that this has its own category?), discussions of upcoming events and how not ready we are...
And all of that was just tonight.
That is all...
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Sunday Edition!

Hello, Feel Good Friday... Even though it's Sunday and tomorrow is the beginning of what is already destined to be another long week...
Here's the list anyway...
1. Living through the work week.
2. Friday night alone! Yes... I was all by myself. All night. And it was fantastic!
3. Sleeping in like crazy. So beautiful!!
4. Lunch with K1, J, K4, and Baby B!
5. Retail therapy with my girl on Saturday! She got a very cute outfit and sunglasses. (I got nothing, but you know...)
6. Shower planning! It's going to be fantastic!! The kid knows the date, but nothing else!
7. Talking to my mom. She didn't have to say much. I just needed her to listen, and she did that. We had a really good time hanging out!
8. Hot tub. I need one!
9. Sister time. It would have been sweet if the missing sister would have been there, but she couldn't. We had a blast though!
10. Les Mis viewing. Even though I fell asleep!
11. My boys having a fantastic weekend at camp!
12. Being home and normal with my family! So needed!
13. Having all of the kids home for dinner tonight. We had a blast!
14. Baby B and his smiley face!!
There is still a huge amount of stress in this house. I can't explain, but maybe someday I will be able to. It seems that we are on an up and down journey here, and no one knows what to do or say...
That is all!!
Behave!