Snuck out Monday....

Every once in a while it does me good to sneak out of work early.
Of course, you realize that folks start asking if I'm 'okay' when I do that...LOL Including himself who met me at the door with "Are you feeling poorly....."

Sheeeeeeshhh...what's THAT tell ya?!

Told me I needed to sneak out more often. ;-)

Sooooooo....himself went fishin'.

He caught bass (and freed 'em like a good little fella!).

And I caught a few shots of today's adventure.

No turtles. *sigh*
BUT!!!-- I freed one yesterday on our way to the big river!!!

Yup. A big ol' snapping turtle that had wandered onto the road.
Poor thing....

WHAT possessed me to think moving a snapping turtle from the middle of a highway was a GOOD thing--who knows. LOL

He got moved to safety.
I got reminded why picking up a snapping turtle is a dying artform AND a bad plan...

*counting all my fingers*
Yup.....all there!

Today--no turtles!!!!

k...maybe I oughta be grateful for that? LOL

Today we saw baby geesies with their mama geesies and their daddy geesies.

They weren't too keen about my presence--but they waddled to the lake real cute like (JUST for me, I'm sure!).


And--while I was making my get-away from the mad geesies....I stumbled onto this little fella.


Yup.
I definitely need to sneak outta work more often......

QOTW 6/8

What is on the walls of the room that you're currently in?


Uhoh....

How long ya got? LOL


Geeze, this could be interesting....

So....
Directly across from me--Lighthouse with house on the coastline print. Himself and I had it framed the first year we were doing the deal. Then there's corner shelved in the corner (that's why they'd be called 'corner shelves', huh?) There's a lighthouse on each of the two shelves and they share the space with some Harmony Kingdom boxes.

Moving on to another wall..... there's the 'boy you must like lighthouses' window--stained glass thingy that's recessed and lit. Yup, I made it. I've been considering doing something different as of late....whyever not--kinda cool that I can just remove the panel and change the whole room. OH...maybe a Halloweeny stained glass panel!!!!! k.... Anyway.... There's the stained glass and there's three shelves with beach 'stuff' on them. One shelf has a hurricane candle holder with sea rocks surrounding the candle. Another has a stained glass sailboat, a beachhouse bank himself brought me back from an adventure and a bottle with sand and shells. And the bottom shelf has--you guessed it--a light house and three more little bottles with wee bitty sea shells in them.
And then there's the Geoff Hunt framed print of "The Yellow Admiral".

And yet another wall--Print of the "Mary Rose" and under that is......gosh, I don't know who painted it--it's a nighttime print of a ship. Himself toted it with him when he packed up his whole life to bring it here......
And then there's the Mel Allen print of the pier at sunset......under it there's three framed prints of sunsets I've taken in my adventures. Himself straightens them on a regular basis. I knock 'em off center on a regular basis JUST to give him something to do. *laughing*

AND....over the door--Two tin hearts with dried flowers in them on either side of the brass plaque that reads:

"Vocatus adque non vocatus, Deus aderit."

The other wall?

Nothin'..... LOL

(yet......)

Fairy Dust

Grief and crisis

. . . accept it as a wise teacher.

We saw penguins!!!!

k.....

They mighta been pelicans.....

They were still really, really, REALLY cool!!!!!

Sleeping with Bread

We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.

We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.

We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.

No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.

That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.

We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.

Self-seeking will slip away.

Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.

Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.

We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.

We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Page 83-84 Alcoholics Anonymous

Because I've been where I've been.
Because I know what I know.
Because I am where I am....
....this has been my daily 'starting point' and 'end of the day inventory' for the week.

Back to basics.
Back to the familiar.
Back to that which I know by heart, in my heart.
Back to that which I've experienced with my whole being, over and over and over again.


Himself tells me I don't live like other people.
He tells me I do odd things.

He's right.

Those things 'odd' to him, are familiar to me.
They don't interfere with my ability to 'appear normal' to the others in my life.
Those who are invited into other parts of my life are aware of the practices, the way of living that's sustained me for a very long time.

None of it is 'odd' to me.

Practicing what I've practiced has brought those things 'promised' to me.....over and over again.

This week has been a rollercoaster of events.
Happenings.
Circumstances.
People, places, things...all 'stuff' I don't get to be in charge of.

I admit it.
There were times I went along for the ride.

There were also times I got off, or stayed off and pulled out my crayons to colour my own world.

I rather like the colour of freedom, happiness, serenity and peace.

TFTD

Resentment builds a strong connection between you and whatever or whomever you resent.

Is that really what you want to do?

Lunch with Granddad

Yup.......the bug had us for a barbeque today. She's a whole 8lbs 7oz now!

The girl freaked out a bit when she figured out the only thing she really knew that I could eat was vegetables. *laughing*
I was good with that, however himself was not.
So.....she supplied the salad and we brought the kabobs, ready for the grill.
Oh...and we brought the charcol and lighting fluid...and pita bread(which ain't on my list of 'can haves')....

We did NOT bring the grill.
*laughing*

She's such a dweeb.

But The Brit got to spend time with the wee one.

And I got to spend time snugglin' with her and continuing the training......

"Say Nana.....Nana. You can do it, I know ya want to! Say Nana. Nana. Nana.....c'mon...you can do it......Nana......."

Today's Fairy Thought

That sense of being trapped is an illusion.

We are not controlled by circumstances, our past, the expectations of others, or our unhealthy expectations for ourselves.

We can choose what feels right for us, without guilt.

We have options.

It is not about behaving perfectly or according to anyone else's rules.
More than anything else, it is about knowing we have choices and giving ourselves the freedom to choose.

To be continued....

Hmmmmmm

Fuzzy Thursdays are old hat. Much like days gone by, you adjust, you deal, you keep moving.

But I ain't likin' when Thursdays start eeking into Fridays........it ain't cool.

And it ain't cool when you get told "We talked about that happening....."

Yeah, well, I believe my response then-- IS my response now.

"That AIN'T cool...."

I know.

Adjust.
Deal.

Keep movin'.

Still........

<-- wants to know where to lodge the official complaint

Rawr.


Yeah, yeah.....changes zilch.
It's still about adjust, deal, keep movin'.....

<-- enjoys whining. LOL

There.
I've officially told on myself!

Today's Thought

Many of us fear closeness beyond the romantic stage.

Others of us have pursued closeness, but when we met our own emptiness we said that wasn't the right person for us and ran in search of another excitement.

The problem for us isn't the choice between singleness and marriage, but between letting someone truly know us or not.

TFTD

Our survival skills have served us well.

They have gotten us through difficult times - as children and adults.

Our ability to freeze feelings, deny problems, deprive ourselves, and cope with stress has helped us get where we are today.

But we're safe now.

We're learning to do more than survive.

We can let go of unhealthy survival behaviors.

We're learning new, better ways to protect and care for ourselves.

We're free to feel our feelings, identify and solve problems, and give ourselves the best.

PLEASE tell me today was Hump Day......

Late night, early morning--stumble into work earlier than normal cuz I've scheduled a training for the staff.
I went in to meet with the trainer to talk about the new staff dynamics, who'll be attending, who needs what from the training itself and all that jazz--
And what do I get told?

"How about we don't have you attend? Sometimes Administrators intimidate their employees......"

Yeah right...

k... Fine......

Maybe it was my lack of sleep, growly disposition--more than likely it was the cup of coffee I THOUGHT qualified as REAL coffee.....
OH NO--'pisswater', lemme tell ya.......
(they made it for the trainer.....*sigh* I'm losing my touch.....)


Right--so I'm coordially UN-invited to the training.
Great.....I'll watch the kiddos!

Yup. Me and two other grown-ups with 24 kiddos out of school.
WHAT was I thinking...LOL Poor things had me --functioning on......yup.....'pisswater' coffee.



*sigh*


So, I'm faking it the best I can and I get told a kiddo needs her medication.
RIGHT!!
Yes thank you, I think I'd like to do that.

"Wash your hands wash your hands wash your hands....." (yeah, yeah...I was trained well when I WASN'T an Administrator.. )
So I washed my hands and.....

RAWR!!

No papertowels in the dispenser. *sigh*

Brave Mel--responsible Mel.....decides filling the papertowel holder is the right thing to do. Soooooo......yeah, well....little did *I* know the papercup holder on the SIDE of the papertowel dispenser was loose.
Did anyone tell ME it needed to be replaced?!
.........no.....

Wanna see the bump on my head?

No?
Well, you're in good company.....neither did the staff who was taking a break from training.
HELLO.....I have a bump on my head?!
"Oh......we've been meaning to get that fixed....."
Right. Let's not confuse THEM with a compassionate person......
Did I mention I got served 'pisswater' for my morning coffee?

k..... Fine......

Carry on, do the deal, foresake the 'pisswater' stuff the trainer (who doesn't actually want me IN the training that I scheduled forgoodnesssakes...) THINKS passes for coffee--go straight for the bottled antioxidant water WITH electrolytes and vitamins, thankyouverymuch!
Fine.
FINE!!!!!

*sigh*
Can I get the darn lid opened?

.......no.....

Did I get red marks on my palm from trying....yup.
Tried pliers, tried wrapping a towel around it.
Dang near stood on my HEAD trying to get that bottle opened....
"You want me to open it for you Ms. Mel?"

Well.....thank you very kindly......I really can do this..
"First it's that ...... STUFF.... people tried to pass off for coffee, then I was attacked by the possessed papercup holder--NOW it's a conspiracy by the antioxidant water WITH electrolytes and vitamin making people.
Noooooo...... I can do this......I AM capable--even with dimished left hand strength from the bump on my head....."
G'head....ASK if I got any sympathy....

"Okay Ms. Mel."
k......not even from the kiddo....

Fine.
*sigh*

Yeah, well, one of the new staff came up on break and opened it slicker than snot...

*grumbling*
I LOOSENED IT FOR HIM!!!

k....Thinkin' it was the attack by the possessed papercup holder that gave me a bump on the head which affected my left hand strength....obviously....

Right.
Sooooo....The training crew broke for lunch.
And I grabbed the supervisors for a meeting.....where I promptly gouged myself WITH a mechanical pencil in a very......animated moment?

*sigh*
On the face, of course.

Ummm......probably the end result of starting off my day with 'pisswater', followed by being attacked by the possessed papercup holder which wasn't attached appropriately which gave me a bump on the head which diminished the left hand strength which not only interfered with me being able to open the bottle of antioxidant water WITH electrolytes and vitamins BUT which ALSO impared my right side thereby causing me to injur myself with the mechanical pencil.....

HELLO......a bit of sympathy could go a longggggggg way here.....

Zilch.
Nada.
None.

*sigh*
They did, however, hand me four napkins to soak up the blood that had come gushing out from my freshly gouged face.

FINE.




I offered to do supervision with the all the staff when we finished our meeting.....go figure the supervisors didn't want me to.

"Damage control is way easier if you're not in the room....."

OH C'MON!!!!!!

*sigh*

Wait! Waitjustadoggoneminute!

<-- IS the Administrator!! = CAN go to team meetings if she decides to!!! HA!!! Yup....I went to team meetings where the staff, who'd not given me an ounce of pity for the 'pisswater coffee' OR being excluded from trainings OR the bump on the head earlier despite my attempts to solicit it-- PROMPTLY showered me with:
"Gosh....what happened to your face?!"
"Oh dear....what happened?"
"Ohmygosh....you cut your face....."

Uh huh.
Oh noooooooooo....I was NOT fallin' for that one.
I knew darn well the supervisors had taken the first five minutes to advise them to mention the gouge on my face to avoid my tale of today's conspiracy theory in action....

Yup. All three of 'em fessed up.
Of course the whole room laughed.....

I told 'em my story anyway.
HA.

Just for the record I shared with 'em that I'd been advised where I could find sympathy when I was out to lunch with their supervisors. And JUST in case any of them needed to know where to find it: check Websters New Abridged Edition.

*sigh*

Geeze.
It's true.

We DO hire people who are JUST LIKE US.....

( <-- has a bump on the head, a gouge on the face and a bruised ego......just sayin'.....LOL )

(-:

Fairy Dust

... human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspect of their lives.

--William James

Sometimes I wonder......

.....what it'd be like to go through the day saying "Uhuh...I'm not responsible..... That's YOUR deal."


Makes me wonder how some people sleep at night.

Don't they get that they have a 'part' in it?
*sigh*

I know the answer to that.
I just don't like it........

Things that make me happy

....spitting watermelon seeds further than 'he who must be outdone'.

....little tin boxes.

....gooey marshmallows on sticks.

....smelly bubbles! Grape and cherry and apple! :-)

....wireless connections to the patio that work.

....whispy curly swirly clouds.

....fortune cookie fortunes.

....ohhhhh....and pretty coloured glittery gel pens!

No excuses fairy....

No excuses.

No matter what is going on with us, we can always be kind to others.

QOTW 6/1/09

Can you keep a secret?


I can keep a confidence.

Secrets-- Geeze, I kept a host of secrets for a host of people, including myself, for a very long time. Not healthy -- for me or the other people involved.

I'm all about surprises, though.
Those, I can pull off with great success.

Asking me to keep a 'secret'...bad plan.
But if there's a surprise to be planned/pulled off/pulled over on--I'm good! ('specially if it involves post-it notes on car office walls, sarah wrap around cars or misappropriating phones from one location to another.

Oh......and I do so enjoy a fun 'mouse' caper. *laughing*

That reminds me.

I 'owe' someone for the blow-up dummy they dressed up and duct taped to my office chair...

Fairy Reminder

The world doesn't need more spectators.