Back From the Beach...

Sorry for the long radio silence...
I've been at the beach... soaking up the sun (a little too much sun), having fun with that man and those children (some of them)... It wasn't our regular trip to the Outer Banks, but my close second choice. Also, it wasn't just our family, but a scout trip - but since some of the scout families are like family...
Things I learned at the beach:
1. I can go nearly 5 whole days without Internet, my iPhone, and laptop. A good lesson for me. I feel pretty danged free and without worry that my phone or laptop would get broken or sand/water damaged. In fact, my crappy temporary cell ended up locked in the truck the entire time we were there because I did not care.
2. The ocean and cell phones do not mix. Ask K3. He forgot to take his cell out of his pocket and is in the process of ordering a new one.
3. Spray sunscreen sucks. I am sun burnt. So is that man. He has stripes on his back and I have burn in weird places...
4. Horse Flies are the devil.
5. Porta Johns suck. (I knew this from last year)
6. My future daughter-in-law is a trooper. 5 months pregnant and her first time sleeping in a tent for more than a night. It was her first "real" camping trip and she did wonderfully and without K1. We had a blast!
7. That man with a fishing pole at the beach equals a real smile. (I already knew this, but it was good to see) And I have not seen one of those smiles in quite a while.
8. Also, even though I already knew that man is awesome... He willingly dealt with the chaos of picking up my iPhone on the way home.
9. Sometimes you have to make 65 million trips to the closest pharmacy because they have the best tea in the world on sale.
10. Laughter really is the best medicine.
It was a good trip. But I am glad to be home. I missed home. I am not looking forward to Monday morning though...
Behave!

Beach Retreat - Last Day Blues

It's been an awesome time!!
I've gotten a TON of work done and am nearing the end of these revisions. A few more things to tweak and check and make sure of, but I did more work yesterday than in forever. And that feels really, really good.
We didn't leave the house yesterday. Not even once. Lots of writing, talking, laughing, junk food eating. We watched Supernatural - which was absolutely awesome, ordered pizza, and then at game time Natalie gave Misty her first understandable football lesson, effectively turning her into a fan. I even watched with them and had a great time.
Today has been more talking, laughing, working, but now it's time to clean up so we can go home. I am sad, but also ready to go back to my crazy life and my crazy family. This weekend was exactly what I needed to find my perspective, my goals, and myself and I needed it far more than I realized.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday and I'm at the Beach Edition!

Yes, you read and saw that right. I'm at the beach!!
It was random and by chance, but here we are. This week started off rough - the stomach flu, followed by me getting a nasty cold. When the weekend offer was made, I wasn't sure I could make it. Not only was I sick, but the home weekend was packed full. That man I live with didn't even raise an eyebrow though. He rearranged everything to make it possible.
So, here I am with the bff's - laughing, watching sappy movies, Supernatural, and eating a ton of junk food. And having a blast. And writing!!!
That is all for now...
Behave!!

Road Trip!

It's been a long time since Jason Manns played somewhere we could get to in a reasonable time by car. And yeah, New York is a haul, but it's still doable.
But! Jason Manns!!
As soon as we heard, we made plans. Then, I wasn't sure I could go. But it all worked out. Yay! Megan, Natalie, Misty, and I piled into Megan's car and hit the road, making it to New York, finding a parking place, and getting to the venue in time to catch the first two performers before Jason Manns.
He was amazing, as usual. The trip was worth not getting home until 5am and only getting a few hours of sleep before I had to drag my sorry butt into work.
The thing about road trips, especially this one, is that it's really more about the four of us being together. We've been friends for a long time, and life has prevented us from getting together as often as we like. Honestly, seeing Jason Manns was like a cherry on top of a big ice cream sundae with hot fudge, strawberry sauce, nuts, (lots of nuts), whipped cream, and all that other ice cream goodness. Okay, he's at least two cherries, but you get my point.
Now go search him on the interwebs, give him a listen, and buy his music.
Behave!

Roadtrip Thursday

Today, Simon and I took a roadtrip to visit a potential site for next year's retreat! It was a beautiful drive through mountains (and I mean through - tunnels are fun) and farms and tiny little towns. It was also a long drive, but when you talk the whole way you barely notice how long you've been on the road. Ha!
The potential site has turned into a definite site and we are thrilled with our new location. The staff there was so welcoming and fun. They were very busy with end of camp snafu's, but still took the time to give us a proper tour and never once made us feel rushed. The coordinator had already picked out a meeting room for us and after looking at it, we knew we'd found the right place. It's perfect. Beautiful views. Nice rooms. Plenty of places to write. It's got everything we need.
My only problem now is that I can't wait for the retreat!!
Behave!

Beach Retreat - Day Two!

Going home today. I'm not up as early as I was yesterday, and we didn't stay up as late last night. Guess it's catching up.
Let me sum up:
Editing. Writing. Breakfast. Writing. Snow starts. Coffee. Crazy walks in the driving snow with crazy people. Almost lost Simon in a ditch. If it weren't for the snow we might never have found our way back. No cell phones. Laughing. Writing. Writing. And more writing. Making good progress on my new story. Coffee. Massive coffee bean spill. Guess who was responsible for that one. Still snowing. Lunch - which was mostly healthy. Laughing. Coffee. Writing and writing. Still snowing. Trip to the beach to take pictures of the ocean. Coffee. Writing. Laughing. Dinner preparation. Pre-dinner dance party. Writing while waiting for dinner to finish. Quick cleanup. Still snowing. More writing. Tru Cook Plus. Hysterical laughter - my stomach hurts and I can't quit talking in accent. Still snowing.Writing. Supernatural viewing. More writing. Movie watching. Don't know what I think about what we watched. Little bit of talking after the movie. Then bed. Still snowing.
Have more trouble falling asleep last night than the previous night. Probably from the massive amounts of caffeine consumed. Sleep well despite the inability to relax. Now it's morning. No more snowing. Already laughter. Coffee. No bean spillage today. Yet. Writing is on the way while we do laundry and clean up to go home. Don't know how much snow we got. A lot. Probably close to 8".
More later.
Behave!

Roadtrip!

(No Tall Tale Tuesday today.)
Last night I went with my bff's to see Jason Manns!
I know. Again? Whoot!!
Go to Megan's blog for a funny video with a clip of me stuck in my seatbelt. Her post is beautiful and made me all sniffly. The only thing I can add is: Ditto!
And...Do you still have the pictures of us in the chicken hats?
Another recap from Natalie can be found here. I won't link to Misty's blog since she hasn't updated in something like 3 months and it's very unlikely that she will, but if you want to check out her previous posts check the sidebar. I'm sure if she did update, she'd mention how she got accosted for change before the rest of us even got out of the car, and how she was approached a second time on our way to the venue. Oh, and she might tell you about "pink shirt", too.
I don't have much to add to what they said. We laughed so much. By the time I got home my voice was raspy and my throat was raw. Dinner was fun and by eating at the restaurant downstairs, we were guaranteed reserved seating upstairs. Right in front of the stage. The venue was small and nearly packed, and I have to say, Jason's a class act. He handled the comments and interruptions pleasantly. I cringed at a few things that happened, but he never seemed bothered.
It was a very, very good night!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday: Fail

.... I did feel like this an awful lot in Georgia though. Guess it's time to start that diet again!
Behave!

Road Trip Recap

Yeah, I failed on the daily Georgia updates. Sorry.
So here's the recap...
Saturday: Mexican food for lunch. Yummy. Brief rest time in the lovely air conditioned hotel room before a pizza dinner with the folks. A walk through a blazing parking lot with a brief stop in a little shed thing that would make a perfect cabin at the creek, or a perfect office. Hanging around the hotel rooms talking and laughing and laughing. Picking up my uncle at a ridiculously late hour and going out for drinks. And getting back to the hotel at a ridiculously late hour.
Sunday: Pre-wedding luncheon. Good food. Good conversation. Back to the hotel to start getting ready for the wedding. Leave earlier than needed to make sure we knew the location of the wedding venue. Find that, then head down the street to a tiny historical town - starving and knowing we had hours before the reception food. Having empanadas at a very cool local Cuban restaurant. Off to the wedding - beautiful outdoor ceremony where we laughed and cried. Very pretty venue. Gorgeous cake. Fantastic food. Lots of laughing and dancing. (My uncle and I did the "walker dance"). Back to the hotel very late.
Monday: Up very early. Finished packing. Grabbed coffee from the hotel's breakfast buffet and checked out. Stopped for gas and hit the road. Return trip time: 12 hours. I drove some again and think I totally freaked my sister out. My foot had gone numb and we were getting off the highway during rush hour when I stalled her car and turned on the windshield wipers. (She says she wasn't stressed, but I could tell she was.) Finally make it home.
...and it's almost as hot here as it was in Georgia.
What is up with that?
I don't know if I'll have time to do a Tall Tale Tuesday post tonight. But I did take lots of potential pictures. We'll see.
Behave!

In Georgia!

We survived our 14-hour journey and arrived here in Georgia late yesterday afternoon. The trip was mostly uneventful and I even took my turn behind the wheel of my sister's awesomely cool car. Went to dinner at my cousin's and realized that the family she's marrying into is just as nuts as my family. Very cool thing.
One thing I do have to say...
It's freaking hot here!
Really hot!
No kidding.
But, the hotel is new and has free Internet. Whoot!
They have a "Super Target" here with 32 registers.
And in about a half an hour we're heading out to lunch before going back over to my cousin's in-law's house for more fun and frivolity.
So far, so good!
More later!
Behave!

Georgia On My Mind

So, this time tomorrow we should be close to our destination.
It's almost a 12 hour drive and that's not counting stops for food and bathroom breaks. We're caravaning with my parents and hope to run into our other sister somewhere along the way.
First, I have to get through the rest of the day, finish packing, go to a scout meeting, and try to get some sleep. Should be interesting...
I plan on blogging while there. Our hotel has free Internet, which is awesomely cool, but we'll also be busy socializing and catching up with the family.
My family is well-equipped to take care of themselves in my absence. I will not leave lists, nor make phone calls home for any other reason than to say hello. They will grocery shop, clean, cook, and take care of their own needs. Usually I would at least do the shopping, but I am out of time and after all, they are capable people. And I will miss them. Terribly.
And then next week the insanity starts again. We won't be back until late Monday night since the wedding's on Sunday, and then Tuesday...Ugh. I'm not thinking that far ahead right now.
Right now, I'm going to do my best to keep my excitement at a manageable level.
Your update after the next one will come from Georgia!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

In honor of the upcoming ROAD TRIP! to see my only cousin on my mom's side get married to a great guy, this Tall Tale Tuesday will be all about ROAD TRIPS.

So, which one of these is the truth:

1. When I was a kid, we drove from Missouri to California to see my grandfather. My parents and five of us kids. In a station wagon. We drove through a tornado (well, kind of), saw the "Giant Ball of Twine", and stopped at Trading Posts for beaded things. My dad hit a pheasant and it began cooking while pressed against the radiator. When we stopped, he tossed it into a dumpster and someone took it out to take home. I do not remember Disney Land at all, though I know we went.

2. Also, when I was an older kid, we went on a road trip to Graceland. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when you found out Elvis died? I do. That's besides the point. We were in a pick-up truck - back in the day when you could haul your kids in the back - and my brothers tormented me and my sisters the entire time. I ended up puking my guts out (probably food poisoning) and staying in the truck while everyone else toured Graceland.

3. On a more recent road trip to Connecticut...a five hour drive ended up being nine, thanks to an accident that we would have been involved in had we not had to make an emergency pit stop for one of the K's. Our camper tire shredded right after we'd made the pit stop, and we spent an unusual hour along the side of the road. Another vehicle lost a tire and it bounced down the highway barely missing my sister's Jeep. We missed the wedding we were going to, and barely made it to the reception. Then, we spent the night in a terrible campground.

So, which one?
Behave!

Road Trip Redux

Jason Manns:



Heeeee!
Behave!

Andy from the Road Trip!

This is from the show Saturday night - Andy Suzuki and The Method. Supposedly the road trip gang is briefly shown in this video, but I couldn't see it. I really, really wish I would have gotten their CD!

Behave!

Road Trip: Part Three

Now for the reason we went.

I mentioned Sullivan Hall in my last post. It's a small venue. A chairless venue (and my feet can tell you how great that is, even in sneakers.) They have a fantastic staff - from the door people, to the bartenders, to the waitress.

Here's the lineup:

All in Blind: No photo of them. Unfortunately. The crowd was still very light, but the sound was incredible. They have a harder edge, but I really liked them. They hung around and talked for a while and were very friendly and enthusiastic. Their CD is going on my playlist for the new book.

The second band: Andy Suzuki and The Method. As you can see the stage was crowded and the lead guitarist and electric fiddle playere aren't even in this pic. They had a great sound and Andy has a fantastic voice and a ton of infectious energy. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to buy their CD, or talk to them.

Third: Life of Riley I have a video (with no sound), but can't figure out how to load it. Riley was a lot of fun to watch. I was already a fan before we went, thanks to finding him on My Space and listening to some of their music. Missed out on his CD, too, but he's very nice. Go here to see a pic (and Natalie's recap) of all of us with him. (I had my eyes closed!)

And last, but not least: Jason Manns

Loved it! I've been a fan of Jason's for quite a while and it was very exciting to finally get to see him in person. Due to time - the first band started late and the venue's second show - he didn't get to play long at all, but it was totally worth it. I got an autograph and 2 CD's, which thrills me to no end.

And a picture. He's really tall, and seems very shy. Yes, he was that sweaty. Do I look like I mind? Actually, I look a very goofy. But that's just how it goes with me. If I know someone's taking my picture, I can't seem to help it. (As evidenced by the eyes being closed in the picture on Natalie's blog)

I think we left Sullivan Hall around midnight. Hiked to the parking garage to pay limbs and vital organs to retrieve Megan's car, and had a Jason Manns sighting while pulling out. Yeah, we were a lot quieter and more subdued on the way home, but not by much. At all.

I crawled into bed at 4:15 a.m.

...And couldn't sleep.

My tail is dragging today. My most excellent husband took care of getting everything ready for his family reunion today, including cooking and packing up the gear, so I could sleep. But, the sun wouldn't get out of my eyes and I ended up awake after only a few hours of sleep.

That's all for now.

This week will be very similar to next week. Just so you know.

I'll do my best.

Behave!

Road Trip: Part Two

<--Random road work.

The view from the backseat. -->

(I'm not sure if these are in the right order anymore.)

<--Lady Liberty - much zoomed.

Finally in the city. -->

After locating the parking garage and nearly stroking because of how much it was going to cost us to park for the hours we were going to be there, we set out through the city. Figuring out where to eat took a while, but we finally settled on a decent place and sat right in the front overlooking the streets. The windows opened, so it was like being on the sidewalk. That was pretty cool, though it opened us up to being negotiated with by cute, tiny street hustlers. The kid was adorable and had his pitch down so well it didn't matter if he was really raising money for his basketball team. Obviously, he needed the cash. Anyway. The food was good. The service not so much and our waitress ignored herself out of a much better tip. We left there and hiked several blocks to our final destination: Sullivan Hall.

I didn't get any pictures of the outside of the venue, and not many of the inside either, but you'll see what you can in the next post.

Wait for it.

Behave!

Road Trip: Part One

We left yesterday morning - - headed to New York to see Jason Manns. Road Trip! It's amazing that the four of us can be together for over 16 hours and never run out of anything to talk about, and never get sick of each other.

<--Megan gassing up the car.

Natalie trying to blow us up by talking on her cell phone right next to the pumps. -->

We stopped a lot during the journey.

This was the first of many brief rests.

<--Misty

Me -->

- ->

This one's actually next, but I can't seem to switch them.

Somewhere in New Jersey, where a foul odor permeated the air.

<-- In New York, fighting traffic to get to the tunnel, and the first indication of Megan's proclivity for road rage.

I took a lot of odd pictures. Seriously, how does that surprise you? K2 and I were texting back and forth most of the day. She wanted pictures, so I sent her dirty bathrooms, gross buildings, weird signs, my dinner. Since the journey was a big part of the day, we're going to do this in segments.

Stay tuned for part two.

Behave!