green wednesday

2009-01-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

Some hopes for '09.

To spend more time as a family. To eat healthfully and heartily. To go to a green island named Ireland with my love. To give friends the time they deserve. To stop working two jobs. To make many new memories with my son. To run, swim, and bike to different places. To learn to do some new hobby. To make lots of soup. To help people more. To take a nap under a tree. To go camping with our entire family together. To wash the windows. To spend more time with my grandparents. To get a puppy?

2008-11-16T05:57:00.000-08:00

A picture from my quick NYC trip last weekend. I noticed the building in the background afterwards. I was not trying to be ironic.

a few new things not to say to your po...

2008-10-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

"I didn't report because I had a little major heart attack yesterday."

"I am in jail... but I did NOT have police contact!"

"It wasn't my fault, I was just talking to someone selling drugs and they arrested me!"

"You got to work late today, huh?"

2008-10-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

**ring***

me-"This is Tracey"

trey- "This is Trey."

me- "Yeah, Trey I left you a message because you missed your first appointment with me."

trey- "Yeah."...silence

me- "Well, I only reschedule this appointment once, you have to come in tomorrow at 9:30."

trey- "WHAT? Why does it have to be so early??"

me- "That's the time. If you miss this appointment you will be sent back to court."

trey- "But I don't ever get up that early." (practically in tears)

me- "You should actually be in school earlier than that."

trey- **click**

Funny thing is she showed up at 9:30 sharp. When I asked her why she stopped going to school her reasoning, of course, was that it starts too early for her. The idea of going to bed earlier just doesn't fit her "lifestyle".

2008-10-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

A picture I took at little rock city near ellicottville, ny.

2008-09-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

It has already started. Abel looking away from his mom when she is trying to be funny. When she is actually looking like a moron vying for her son's attention. Maybe I will stop when his teenage friends are around and are also ignoring me. Or not.

:) three short years ago...

2008-08-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

2008-08-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

Oh, and one that I forgot...

4. Abel is getting so big and his head is growing into his genes. We have to constantly remind him to be careful when crashing it around because it can really cause major pain. So the other night on the couch he jumped on me and caused some minor damage with the noggin. I warned him that he has to be careful and watch where he is swinging his head. He then crashed into me again, only harder. I winced in pain and he said, "I'm sorry! I can't watch my head it's above my eyes!!"

2008-08-02T05:25:00.000-07:00

A few cute things Abel has said lately...

1. Yesterday we went to the Strong Museum and we walked almost 1.5 miles home. When we were almost to our street he stopped and said, "My legs just don't want to go anymore."

2. Before we left for vacation we had a little birthday cake for Abel with a couple friends. I explained to him that he may possibly get some presents that day! He looked serious and said, "Why will people buy ME presents?"

3. While we were on vacation I pulled through the drive-thru at DD and ordered up two iced coffees. The women said "would you like any donuts today?" to which I replied, "no thanks." Abel promptly asked why were not getting any donuts. So I told him, "We have been eating a lot of treats on vacation, like your birthday cake, ice cream, and we are going to have Gram's pie later..." He replied, "I get what your telling me, Mom."

2008-07-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

Until the other night I hadn't realized just how crazy my mother was about us eating healthfully. I had revealed a not so interesting fact about my mom's food rules to a bunch of people and they laughed. I will list some snippets below. I started thinking about it again today when I offered someone one of Abel's healthier snacks and they snarled at me. I am not nearly as crazy as she is but she sure taught us a lot. And still does.

Some whacky health food stories from childhood...

1. We picked one sugar cereal and then got it wrapped under the tree for christmas. Yip, that comes once a year.

2. Mom pulled out her box of homemade herbal remedy concoctions stored in dark little bottles when we complained of anything.

3. Kids made fun of us relentlessly for our daily refried bean sandwiches that also had a hefty layer of bean sprouts between two slices of multigrain bread. (Now I would love for someone to make me that every day for lunch!)

4. We took a shot of liquid chlorophyll every day. Then when it was found that there were more vitamins in Barley Green we took that nasty stuff in apple juice. I can still taste it. Gives me shivers.

5. Instead of going to the doctors we put goldenseal salve on EVERYTHING. (Mom still took us to the doc when necessary, she wasn't that whacky.)

6. Once I was sick and my mom gave me homemade cayenne pepper capsules. I took three at once and two of them got stuck in my throat. My sisters proceeded to laugh at me as I drooled all over the couch... for a long time.

7. When Scott and I were dating he came to my house during break and he felt sick so my mom gave him "just the thing." And he was throwing up chamomile tea all night. Apparently some people are allergic.

8. If my dad broke the rules and brought home donuts on Saturday morning we had to eat an apple first.

9. We went with my mom every other Saturday morning to work at the local co-op. We got paid in carob coated malt balls or a snack we referred to as dog food.

10. All I will say is, don't eat miso soup when you feel like throwing up before hand.

The good things I learned from her wackiness...

1. If you are a good cook you can make all foods taste great. Too bad I can't cook like her!

2. Add vegetables in whenever possible. We had salad every single night.

3. Enjoy treats as often as possible.

4. Healthy food and vitamins help you feel better.

Thanks, Mom. You're the master, that's why I keep coming to you for advice!

2008-07-12T18:55:00.000-07:00

I finally got my bike. And I am very happy about it after a couple of weeks of inpatient moments. As the mechanic pointed out, its not a bad looking bike! I broke it in a little this morning on the Genesee River Trail. Riding on a trail early in the morning is decidedly more pleasant for this new bike owner than in the city streets. All that stop and go gives me a head ache just like car traffic. Now that I have something new to be excited about certain people will want to slap me the next time I say, "Now YOU need to get one so we can ride together!" The reaction to this makes me question my ability to manipulate.

I put this picture up due to the beautiful bike but also because it shows a snippet of our garden. I am going to try to remember to take some better pictures of that tomorrow. So this post covers the two distracting things I am concentrating on this summer. Abel helped me transplant some more tomato plants this morning. In about a month we will be ready for the 'compound salsa' that Mel and I thought up. We are growing everything we will need, jalapeno, green pepper, onion, cilantro and plenty of tomatoes. Think we could market that!

Here is a picture of Violet watching her Aunt T be an absolute loon riding around just hours after becoming a new bike owner. Yes, I was riding it in our backyard and if you have ever seen the size of it you know why she looks embarrassed to be a part of such wackiness. Sorry chica you are stuck with these genes!

snippet of a conversation...

2008-06-28T04:30:00.000-07:00

Young Punk: I was gonna tell you that I will be taking a trip this summer.

Me: You mean, going to ask me?

YP: Oh, right. I am going to Holland.

Me (half-listening, which is tendency when you have ten things on your mind): Holland, the country? (starting to laugh)

YP: Yeah, I am going to go to drug treatment there.

Me: (Continuing to laugh).. YP, did you REALLY think I would say that was a possibility? Honestly?

YP: My mom thinks it would be best since you told her that she can't do holistic treatment with me at home instead of inpatient.

Me: You can't go more than 2 days in treatment here without damaging property or having the police called to remove you from the agency, what makes you think we would let you go half way around the world for treatment in a place where most drugs are legal?

YP: You really aren't going to let me go?

Me: (laughing... still)

2008-06-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

I spent last week riding a bike for work and now I am a certified through the International Police Mountain Bike Association. Who knew there was such a thing? And who knew you could ride your bike down a flight of 20+ stairs and not break your neck? It was a very exhausting week. I have the many bruises to prove I at least tried every stunt. I thought I was going to make it through with minimal crashing of my bike. On the last day I eliminated that possibility by stalling out during a skills test and kissing the hot hot ground. Monday it will be hard to return to my desk chair, even though it will be considerably more comfortable.

2008-05-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

Scott took this awesome picture on a walk last night. It is an overhead view of an old tree stump. Hard to tell from this picture, but it is enormous. The owner cut down three trees in a row on their street and its very strange how much sky is now showing. Sad, really. Sure looks like this one had a long life.

2008-05-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

The gardening season has begun! And that picture up there is someone else's backyard. It is just very green and pretty, and our garden isn't picture worthy quite yet. We will be working along side some friends and neighbors this year to extend our little patch of urban green. Already planted in the ground are rhubarb plants, blackberry and raspberry bushes, onions, bean sprouts, wildflowers, cucumbers, chives, parsely, and sunflowers.

Tyler started a tray of seedlings of squash, spinach, peppers, cilantro and a few others that may be ready soon. I picked up two tomato plants today and am on the hunt for small cherry tomato plants. If we have any room left we will cram in some more that friends want to unload from their gardens. The rhubarb and berry plants were transplants and it is amazing how fast rhubarb grows from a root cutting, we already made one dessert because they were getting too huge we had to cut the plants back!

Abel is helping here and there. He really liked planting the sunflower seeds that Grandma gave him. We will see if he has fun weeding! More updates to come, hopefully everything does well so we can actually harvest some of it. So long running, this is going to be our summer '08 project.

2008-04-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a pic of where Abel and I went on our first hike of the season yesterday. He made it over a mile with not one complaint! Luckily, the trail was just that long. It was enough incentive for him to just get to the next red paint mark on the trees to keep on moving. I saw a fox and he saw some robins. We were satisfied.
And just like my spawn he asked what we had to eat just as we were wrapping up. I was glad I had the foresight to throw some unrelated edible things in a bowl prior to leaving the house. Abel was gracious enough to leave a pile for the wildlife under his log seat.
Ahhh, spring.

2008-04-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

A friend asked for this recipe and since I was typing it out I thought I would share....

Green Chile Enchiladas

1 medium yellow onion
1.5 lb chicken breast or tenders
(you can add a little fajita type seasoning to chicken if you like)

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
1 pint (more or less) sour cream
1-2 small cans of green chiles with a little juice (to taste)
1 15 oz can green chiles with diced tomatoes

3 c. shredded extra sharp cheddar
8-10 large tortillas

salt and pepper

Saute onion and cook with chicken until chicken is just slightly pink.
Chop chicken.

Mix other ingredients into a sauce pan and adjust flavors as needed.
(Sometimes I use more chiles than others)

Spoon chicken and sauce with a little cheese to each tortilla and
wrap. Lay in pan and top with extra sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 until bubbly.

2008-04-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

More things not to say to your probation officer:

"My lawyer told me that you are wrong."

"I brought some guys daughter to community service with me yesterday."

"I think I might have a warrant."

"Can you expunge the felony off my record so I can be a manager at work?"

"I don't have money for my fine." then.. "I used cocaine yesterday."

2008-03-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

2008-03-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

Vacation has come and gone. I am at the brink of the back-to-work blues. Last night I asked Abel if he will enjoy going to school at home like his friends. He nodded, then added, "And then you won't have to go to work anymore." He's so little but learning and growing too fast. I hope by the time he is into his schooling full force I can be home more.

Most people at work won't take a whole week off at once. They figure it takes too long to get caught up after being gone that long so they would rather cut their vacation time short. WHAT? So they let time build in their banks and then take long weekends here and there. This is so contradictory to my way of thinking. :) My motto is take long vacations as often as possible. The work will always be there in one heaping pile or two. Piles are a means to the end of the day when I get to go home.

Vaca (as my dental hygienist calls it) was very perfect. Away for a bit to something different for a shift of thinking. Nothing tropical or particularly interesting. Just time that was not the usual and purposeful in a lazy way. Time catching up with old friends and eating different foods. All I need for a break is a cup of coffee in a different city. So we had a cup in Boston, Portsmouth, and Portland and came home. Tomorrow it will be a boring cup at work!

2008-02-23T04:45:00.000-08:00

Today one of my guys took up way too much of my morning to avoid the inevitable. Urine screening the opposite sex is annoying because we have to find an available officer of that same sex. And they are usually willing to help, but busy. Some are very blunt about how they would rather we find someone else to watch our guys pee. It really is great that most people on my caseload are men so I get to bother people all day to do this.

My guy today complained about prostate problems. I thought this would make him want to pee more? The second time he went in to try the male officer said he sounded like he was trying to give birth and still no pee. I had people stacked in the waiting room and I couldn't make him go. If this is the case I make an attractive offer. You pee or you wait in the cheery waiting room all day until you can. So he went in to sit. Before he sat he was made aware that he if he is purposely screwing up my morning to avoid a positive he would be taking care of his prostate problem in jail.

I got my hands on a spit test, which are like gold because you can detect meth and pcp plus the usual morphine, cocaine and pot. They are expensive but apparently prostate problems that have symptoms of a UTI give me access to one! They are actually grosser to administer than pee, if you can imagine that.

Sorry, long way around to the end of the story which went like this:

Me: After all this you are positive for cocaine.

Slim: What? No way, that's impossible.

Me: Well, no it is true. So, tell me what is going on.

Slim: I don't do drugs, you can do a polygraph!

Me: We don't need a polygraph we just did a drug test. When was the last time you did cocaine?

Slim: All I can think of was... um, the last time I had contact with it was Wednesday.

Me: What does that mean, had contact with it?

Slim: See, my brother brought some over to my house and I told him I don't want it in here, so I threw it out the door.

Me: (admittedly smirking by this point) Slim, are you serious? You think this test is positive because you touched it.

Slim: Well. Maybe. I know. When I threw it out the door the bag opened and the wind blew some at me. Maybe it blew it up my nose.

Me: You think I believe that?

Slim: It's the truth.

Me: That is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard! And, your test is positive which is all that really matters. You understand you violated your probation.

Slim: I can't believe it, man! This is crazy!

I couldn't help but laugh at him. After all of the time I had wasted all morning. He had a lot of time in the waiting room to concoct that gem!

2008-02-21T17:23:00.000-08:00

I wish judges were more discreet with how rapidly they accept our opinions. Today during a hearing the defendant was very close to the bench when the judge was asking for my recommendation. My guy could hear every word. Then, in usual form, the judge releases us from the bench and then goes on to repeat my recommendation word for word to the court. He then quickly verifies that this plays well for both the defense and the prosecutor.

Luckily, it was a good recommendation today and the defendant leaned over as I walked by to give a quick thanks. The deputy corrected him for speaking out of turn, but I turned and smiled. He was glad he was going to be released from jail today and I couldn't blame him, he was someone who deserved it. His wife was practically jumping up and down while she was making the short walk over to the county jail to wait a few hours for her husband to be released.

This is a good day, when I can give a good report. Usually, we have to be more subtle about our recommendations to the judge since we are usually the ones telling our probationers that the judge makes the ultimate decision. Which is necessary because we are the ones walking outside right behind the family members or in all likelihood they will be back on our caseload in no time. Having them believe we didn't recommend they sit in jail or prison sets up a better scenario for our safety, obviously. Judges seem to like to have a someone else to blame for their decisions, just like anyone. But they get paid the big bucks to take more grief.

Several months ago one of the guys on my team was at a smaller court in our county and gave an appropriately terrible recommendation for one of his guys. The judge went on to agree and pointed out it was due to the PO's update and request that he would take him into custody. The judge then agreed with the defense attorney that the guys should get thanksgiving home with family first in true to bizarre form. This then put the PO in a very tough spot. He waited for a while to go out to the parking lot figuring the father and the probationer had plenty of time to leave. They had not. They waiting for the PO and decided to circle, harass and threaten him yards away from the court. Luckily my co-worker was quick on his feet and had a plan, therefore all ended safely with the guy ending up with a new arrest for which he would again end up in front of the same judge. Where does the buck stop?! Ayiyi.

2008-02-15T18:37:00.000-08:00

Be still my beating heart!
Scott made my day when he called me at work and told me about this! Come on ya'll let's all go to the show! (If you are having a hard time finding it look at the listing for 3.1.08) Of course they are the opener but who cares, the headliner is not so bad herself.

2008-01-27T17:31:00.000-08:00

Some things I love about my son…

He brings his stuffed animal into our room in the morning and stands by the bed staring at me while hugging his mr. moose or teddy bear.

When we ask him what he wants for dinner he says, “Um, tofu, beans and rice!” (weirdo)

Every night when they pick me up from work Abel says from the back seat, “Mom, how was your work?”

The other day he said, “I did two great things today! I played outside and peed on the ground!”

He calls the Strong Museum the “national museum of play."

Lately we shout back and forth at bed time at least ten times…”GOOD NIGHT~ I LOVE YOU!”

He told me I needed slippers to “avoid the snow by the door.”

His sideways glance when he says a new word, but isn’t sure of the actual meaning.

He says things like, “Look! It’s a banana poop!” or "I made a '9' out of poop!" The potty layer on his sense of humor is maturing right along with the toilet training.

When I try to get him ready to leave the house he will jump on the couch and fall onto the other side by the wall to hide. I try not to show that it amuses me but I think he gets it.

He gets excited about all the things I like. I remember doing that to my mom. What’s not to love about that? ☺

He likes to cuddle most of the time and now that it is cold most nights he asks if he can sit under the blanket with me on the couch.

Whenever I cook he asks to stir whatever needs to be mixed.

He has a contagious laugh and goofy hair.

He is old enough now to pick a restaurant and it’s usually Red Robin, because of the balloons.

He asked me who Jesus’ daddy was.

When he thinks about something he slowly taps his cheek with his finger and looks truly pensive.

2008-01-03T17:19:00.001-08:00

Some number highlights from 2007...

1... The total # of nieces I got this year!

1.... The total # of nephews I got this year!

0... The balance on our credit cards. Now that is a success I can think about way into the night. Student loan debt is another story for about 30 years from now.

500 or so... The miles I ran last year.

18... The number of pounds I lost since 1/7/07. I would have thought it would have been more from the number above this one.

5... How many states we visited. Some were only driven through, it was not really a traveling year. I hope to improve on that in '08.

175... The hours spent in some kind of work training this year. Most of them requiring hitting, punching and batoning.

3... How many times I dug up my front flower bed with anticipation of planting something. Never happened.

5... In the back we planted this many kinds of veggies.

6-7... The # of times both Abel and I cried before I left for work.

4... Strawberry-rhubarb pies I made.

4... Seasons of "The Wire" we watched! Woo-hoo, rockin' show.

3... # of times we brought Abel to the movies. (Another # I hope to improve on in '08)

15... How many times someone at work called me a tree hugger or granola girl.

42 or so... Times I watched someone pee in a cup. A number I hope to lower in '08.

2007-12-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

A bedside vigil has begun for my Grandfather. His body is fighting without any medical intervention, at his wish. It is an amazingly complex thing to watch someone's body take charge in it's own fight to die. He has wanted to go for some time. He told us today that is all he wants right now and my dad told him that it is okay, he can go. The hospice doctor explained to us how his body will lose functioning and I can't believe how strong and depressed he must be to take this choice in hand. God is ready for him and we hope he is comfortable until the end. Use those strong hands in heaven, Grandpa. This world has worn them thin.

2007-11-29T17:38:00.000-08:00

Things NOT to say to your probation officer...

"I feel like such a criminal."

"I don't have a problem with drinking, I just lied about it cause my head is messed up."

"I shouldn't come later in the day anymore, you look like you don't want to hear it."

"I tried to hacksaw through my ankle bracelet." (yes, while it was attached to his leg)

"I don't think I need your permission to go to Jamaica."

"I didn't 'fail to report', I just missed it."

2007-11-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

The water bottles and their carriers are still hanging on the back of the blue door in the kitchen. That is where we put them directly after the marathon, over two months ago. I hurt my knee during mile 26 and have been slowly working on it since. Not sure when I will be able to run long enough to need a water bottle strapped to my body, but yesterday I was excited that I ran 3 miles on the treadmill with no pain! I am still hopeful that my knee wobbliness was only due to overuse and no long term problem.

For now we are enjoying the extra time we have minus running crazy long distances. Today I brought 12 bags and 2 boxes to goodwill. We have to play catch-up around the house for time lost this summer. Church and other family business helps fill in the gaps. We are excitedly waiting for our nephew to be born in December and watching our niece grow into a crazy smiley girl.:) And I was also able to read my first book in several months, Into the Wild. Read it.

Headed into the holidays is always a good place to be. It is hard to say goodbye to November. I had many days off and now have to push through until Christmas Day, the only weekday off I have in December. Blah. The hours in a day seem so full when I am home. Full of so much more value than when I am at work. So I will be seriously annoying Abel every night with crafts and baking so I feel some spirit! There is the not-so-exciting update.

2007-10-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

A day late, but wanted to post this picture to honor my twin sister's birthday yesterday. Which of course means it was my birthday. Can you guess who is who? I really do love ya, Lola.

2007-09-26T16:54:00.000-07:00

I know I have gotten on my high horse about walking before. Complained about people who would rather walk to their car for five minutes then drive for 3 minutes all to avoid walking for 15 minutes. This I witnessed just this week.

Abel is one of my kind. A walker. No, not a puffy white sneaker on your lunch break walker. A walking for the fun of it because we can walker. Tonight we were walking to no where in particular when he squeezed my hand and said, "Mommy, I like being with you." Is he not the cutest buddy.

And all because we were walking. I know he may have said that had we been doing anything else together but I don't think so. I love Abel and we love to walk and that's that.

It is over.

2007-09-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

We are officially marathoners! It is incredible that this whole long process has ended. We have stiff muscles to prove it.
The weather was nippy but perfect and as we started out at 7:30 am I was so relieved to get going. We were off and after what felt like seconds they were giving the 1 mile times. We had to make ourselves slow down several times during the first ten miles, which is hard when there are a lot of people cheering you on! We had to reserve our energy for the last of the miles.

My family and some of our friends were at the 15 mile mark. That was great to come around the corner and see them cheering us on. We still felt very strong at that point and I was convincing my brain to not generate any negative thoughts. By mile 18 it was getting harder, we missed that mile marker so when we found the next one and it was actually 19 we were relieved! At mile 20 I kept chanting, "only one more hour to go." Which is a crazy way to think since we had already been running for over four hours. We managed to only stop a few times* up until that point and I was still feeling pretty good. It was around mile 22 when things got a little hazy! I was just putting on autopilot and dreaming of the finish. Scott was my only line to energy. He kept telling me stories so I could stop thinking about running. I didn't believe it would all be over soon.

I got choked up as we came off the river trail and onto the Ford St. bridge. That was proof to me that we weren't going to be running on that trail forever! I was going pretty slow by then but we only had just under two miles to go! After the last hill on Plymouth Ave. my left leg gave out on me. It was the strangest sort of pain I have felt. I grabbed Scott so I wouldn't go down and couldn't believe this was happening this close to the finish. Then I started seeing white spots on the pavement and I fought passing out. I couldn't quit now! We could hear the finish line less than 3/4 mile away. After walking for about 5 minutes with Scott's help I started shuffling along again.

We rounded the corner to Frontier Field and it was then that I figured out that we were actually going to be done with this thing in the matter of minutes. Coming up to the finish I got all emotional again and then it was all over! We were done in 5:28 (that's 5 hours :))

Incredible. Thank God for Motrin! And for all the people who came out to cheer us along, and of course our training partners Brian and Becca. They were amazing and finished ahead of us, great job!

Scott was my rock. I couldn't have done half of the long runs without him let alone this longest run. He is so strong at the end and had to shorten his stride for me! Now that is love. :)

Edited to note* our walk breaks were through water stations for brief periods

2007-09-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

We are on the down swing of running now before the big push. I am starting to get a wee bit nervous. It feels so strange to be running a 3-5-3-8 week compared to the four weeks of Aug that were much longer. Now we are just hoping to get through the next two weeks with a good diet and good rest. Loads of water and some extra carbs does the trick, I hear.

It's kind of like being pregnant. (in a twisted kind of way) That is all I can relate this experience to. You have months of preparation, some emotional times, some great moments. You get weird pains you have never felt before and then sometimes you stand up and can't get moving for a minute. There are even nights when you wake up with very similar leg cramps. Waves of food cravings hit you at odd times and you could take naps any day of the week. Then you work up to this one event that is mostly a test of endurance and once you push it out you have sudden relief! But the only reward you get with running is the satisfaction and I think I could live with that right now.

One of the hardest runs we did several weeks back was while we were camping. It was a 16 miler over huge hills. We decided to cut up the route into 4 mile chunks which was very helpful. Until the last 4 miles. We started out pretty strong and then I think I had od'd on power gel plus the sun was getting pretty high by then. My stomach was not happy. With two miles to go I knew I had to push through it and get back to the job of camping. We were on a pretty busy road so cars were passing at a consistent and fast pace. As we were heading up the last batch of hills I imagined each passing car was a wave crashing over my me as I was lying on some white sand beach. I let the image of the water run over me and revive my uncooperative muscles and take away all the pain. It worked! I made it the entire way back and ate lunch. Perfect.

Well, more to come after the big day.

2007-08-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

These are part of the woods we camped in this weekend. This morning Abel and I took a walk. The breeze was cool and tossed the branches so you could hear the swaying leaves. The sunlight lowered its way down through the deep trees. We slowly worked through some elements of a low ropes course and he held my hand the entire time he tried each one.

Those are the types of minutes I want to vacuum up and store so I can flash back when he is 16 to remember there was a time he loved my company. Today I took time to enjoy it.

Camping is refreshing. I think the woods brings out your true spirit and lets it get some fresh air.

2007-07-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

I made a sad realization the other day when Scott and Abel were getting packed up to go to Maine; that this is the first year in ten that I won't make it up to Vacationland. There may have been one year while we were in Las Vegas that we missed, but I am pretty sure we made it up at some point when we were home for a visit. The first time I visited Scott's family we had just started dating and it really was that long ago, ten years! I remember thinking, people actually live here all the time? A place like that is what I imagined books were designed from. Next year I will have more time and already looking forward to the blueberry pancakes and rambling through the streets of Portland. So sad. :)

2007-07-26T20:44:00.001-07:00

I am still here. I forgot to update on the running. Hope no one thinks I quit after that last terrible post from weeks ago. Although, it probably would be believable. Nope, still trucking. This past Saturday we did 14 miles, our first half marathon plus! I was very proud of us. Especially since I had a gruelling week at work due to my defensive tactics training being every day all day and that included running and physically demanding drills on top of my running schedule for the week. We plugged through it and have been testing the waters at walking through our water breaks and prepping for how we will actually run on the big day. We haven't decided if we will walk for a minute after every mile or every two. Still trying different techniques.

Abel had his birthday party on Saturday due to the big Maine trip this week. After running 14 miles we dragged the party over to the church building and set up and partied. Then we came back to our place for a family dinner. We had a great time with Scott's family being in town at various times during last week too. Abel had an absolute blast! It was so nice to relax on Sunday after all the fun. Then packed up the punks and off they were to Maine.

Pretty soon I will have some time off. Only a few more months! Before that we have many more miles to go, literally.

2007-07-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

This was half like me today on our 11 miler. I was sweating but indeed I was not happy. This was my first bad run, not bad as in, "wow, I am bad, I just killed 11 miles!". This was bad in the too literal sense. We got lost and grumpy in the first few miles, never a great way to start. Then we got into a groove but suddenly we were lost again. I hate stopping when you are in a groove. Then to have to actually think while your stopping in order to register where you are...no good. By mile 8.5 I was ready to give into the lure of walking. Oh, it would feel so good to give up sometimes. Today was a day were I had no motivation to complete the run. This was weird and a first time thing for me since starting the formal training.

Another mistake I made was trying a new form of psychology. I now know that I can run 5-6 miles without busting anything and following a pretty good pace. So I visualized I was running one 6 miler and then one 5 miler in a row. This worked "splendidly" for some girls in our book but not a good way to go for me. After the six miles my body started shutting down and wanted a lawn chair not another 5 miles. I had pushed through to the number 6 when I should have just stuck with the number 11.

So we stopped a few times and life savers were no longer any kind of motivation. Sometimes they work. We walked some and I would have never finished if it wasn't for Scott. He kept on plugging. I slowly hunkered after him. Not pretty. Ah, well, lesson learned hopefully. Know where you are going and keep the actual goal in mind. Mind games don't work on me, at least not when I try them on myself.

2007-07-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

A friend got a new mac and one of the photo options is this distortion tool that makes you pee your pants continuously while you mess around with it. This photo is a little example. Abel was unsure how to take this cool gadget. He kept looking back at us to see if that is how we really looked. Some of them are very weird looking, so I just wanted to share one of the milder ones so as to not scare the children.

For the past week I have been painting my bathroom but right now I don't feel much like working on it. I didn't actually start putting paint on the walls until Monday night because it took a few days to get the prep work done. Old creaky homes require a little more attention to detail like patching holes and sanding. In a bathroom? Especially when the last person to paint these walls thought it was a great idea to paint over thumbtacks and the like. This project has been another one that was a long time coming. I have wanted to do it since we moved in four years ago this month. But the little guy in the next room (who is unsuccessfully trying to sleep through the booming fireworks) came around and was a little more interesting and demanding of attention than an eye-sore bathroom.

Slowly we are making improvements. We painted the kitchen and second bedroom when we moved in. Later we painted and fixed up the dining and living rooms, followed by the front porch (which is half done) and the front hallway. Now we have to finish the bathroom, paint the small hallway by Abel's room, redo our bedroom and do something interesting to the basement. All in good time. This is in addition to painting our rental properties, adding carpet and light fixtures to those and Scott fixing shingles and siding on the other house.

I will post before and after pics soon. I hope to have it completed by Saturday!

Running is going well and I was pretty proud that I finished my first 10 miler last week. It was a bit of a struggle at the end but we pulled it out. Just a brief update for now. Very interesting for sure.

2007-06-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

I have something funky going on with my back. About ten years ago I wrenched it very wrong and every now and again if I twist just right I can get it to wrench again. But today the funkiness was different. Of course lately I have been raving about how good my back feels and how "it must be because of running...blahblah." After running five miles this morning I came home to Abel jumping on the couch already sporting a lumpy diaper. So after changing him I forgot to stretch. In the shower I twisted just that wrong way and a wave of pain and depression settled around my entire back. Very weird. Not sure if it was for the lack of stretching or I was just due for a freak bout of pain.

I then did what most normal people do. Popped three motrin and went to work. By 12:30 I needed three more. It was the type of pain that can't be remedied by adjusting your position. I was ready to lay flat on my back.

On the way home I had visions of not cooking dinner and Scott lovingly took us through the Wendys window. I have a love-hate relationship with the Wendys. I think it depends on the day and location. One day I could be perfectly happy with the product and then there are days like today. My chicken sandwich was scorched and someone squeezed excessive amounts of clotted mayo on the bun before sitting on it. yum. I also ordered a baked potato that was a weird shade of brown, on the inside where it should be white. So I mashed it up with sour cream and salt and ate it. yum times two. Abel was happy. His chicken nuggets were all he dreamed they could be and Scott seemed content with his spicy chicken.

Sometime when your back hurts you will eat whatever you are given for dinner. I guess that is my story. I am going to take more drugs.

2007-06-19T18:26:00.001-07:00

Saturday we ran seven miles and it wasn't as painful as I expected! I was happy about that. We didn't stop and it actually felt better than the six miler the previous week. When this seven miles is doubled plus some I hope I don't die.

Some of the things I have found interesting about long distance running in my rather short attempt at it is...

that it takes more focus than power

water is a very necessary thing more often than I thought

running uphill has some of its own perks

interesting routes help you focus less

This week the long run is 8 miles. Pray for us.

2007-06-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

me: How much did you have to drink before you were arrested?

sam: Oh, not much, just like one or two beers.

me: Well, was it one or two?

sam: I had two.

me: How many ounces were they?

sam: Well, I had two before I went to sleep and the two when I woke up.

me: (clarifying statements inserted here)

sam: Yeah, so four total. Um. they were the big ones.

me: You had four forty ouncers?

sam: Oh, not THAT big.

me: OK, Sam, someone else is waiting for me. How many ounces did you drink?

sam: Um, the medium size, between the twelve and forty ounces. Four of 'em.

me: That is a lot of beer. How can you afford all that beer when you can't pay on your fines?

sam: Yup, I guess so. Um, it was pretty cheap.

2007-06-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

I like the routine that this running has added to my life. Somedays it feels a little like a chore to fit in but most days it adds structure and a reason to get me moving. Becca and I have started running together in the mornings before work. Right now that means a 5:45 wake up call. In a few weeks that will mean earlier if I am going to be running longer before work. We commented today on how we have only had one day of iffy weather since starting the program. It is amazing. Every other one has been glorious. The kind of morning when I am glad to have an excuse to get out of bed and get outside before work. I remember last summer trudging to the car to get to work under blue skies and feeling depressed that I would be inside most of the day. Now I am forcing myself to be out there first and that has helped keep me sane while being pent up for the rest. At least until I get home again and tromp around with Abel on our walks.

The added structure also comes from having to have all my bags and clothes ready for the next day. Mostly because I can't think straight until I am on my second mile so having my shoes and keys by the door every night limits the countless minutes of staring in the morning. Then the running limits my time to get ready for work so I have to iron the night before. Unheard of. I have never been good at getting stuff ready the night prior. I remember in high school trying to curl my bangs while ironing my uniform. And previous jobs I could usually get away with black pants and an un-ironed shirt. No longer. I am growing up or something and with that means making painstaking efforts to look presentable for work. Well, at least ironed.

Speaking of summer activities, I went for another lunch walk alone the other day. Because now, not only is it insane to walk during your lunch, but it is way too hot to even stand outside the door, bah. I went to the library. I have a new haven. Air conditioned as well as quiet. Oh, and free. Scott and I are going to meet there with Abel more during my lunch. That is a great idea for all the above reasons. The only downside was the smell of a bunch of people crammed into an air conditioned building on a hot day. I can stand it. Especially when it is the downtown version with multiple levels to escape to. I used to go there all the time when I worked downtown but it took the weather changing to remember it is only about a ten minute walk away from work. Score.

So my summer will consist of running, ironing and going to the library. Thrilling.

2007-06-06T16:20:00.001-07:00

Last night as Abel and I walked to the park in the freezing air I noticed his eyes starting to turn red. Then his nose started running. He was getting whiney and tired quickly. I chalked it all up to the fact that it was less than 55 degrees out. When we got home my throat started getting that weird tickle and my head got all foggy. An hour after that Scott started saying he felt kind of sick. It was all freakish. Now we all have colds. They are tolerable but enough to make you want to lay on the couch and drool.

I left work early and Scott and I laid on the couch as Abel jumped on us. He is apparently not as whiney as his parents. I am thankful that a little cold is the only complaint I have. It will not ruin me or my week. Ah, puffs plus. Have to get to bed early so I can get up early to go running. That will be oh-so-fun.

2007-05-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

Abel is my bud. We had much fun together today planting seeds in our small slab of a garden. I mixed the dirt with some fresh stuff then made little holes. He then plunked peas and beans in and helped me cover them with roughly one inch of dirt. We also planted some zucchini seeds in smaller pots to replant. He kept asking me when they will grow. He was excited to use his new toddler sized spade to help me replant little pink flowers. Now we have planted, with the help of Tyler... cherry tomatoes, regular sized tomatoes, basil, dill, parsley, spearmint, chives, lavender, green beans, peas, zucchini and some flowers.

Oh, and we are almost done painting. Just the built-in bench left. It would be cool to have seen that railing minus the layers and layers of paint. If I were only that much more crazy.

I love being home. Now, back to work.

2007-05-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, the life of a lacky. I love not going to work. Especially on days I should be there, like tomorrow. When I take time off it is usually for a trip to someone's wedding or around a busy holiday. I dare say tomorrow will be the first self-centered vacation day taken in about five years. Now to clarify "vacation day": a day that is scheduled time off and not a sick day used on a whim to enjoy the new spring weather. Yes, prior to this job those were becoming habit. This job doesn't allow for such a yielding schedule. I have to be there when I say that I am. That is that.

For now I am sitting outside on the porch swing because I don't have to be up at 6 tomorrow, and I didn't today because it is a national holiday. I have several things whirling in my head that should be getting done but I just want to sit and not do. We actually accomplished or at least neared completion on a house project today. Tomorrow we should be able to put the finishing touches on our front hallway's paint job. This has been a long time coming. And as I was painting I was jealous of people who have extra time to work on their houses. I wish we had some more. Maybe it was the paint fumes.

But today was a good day. Good in the way my Grandpa says it when his family has been at his house eating and talking all day. There is nothing to compare it to. It is good. Abel and I laid on the lawn at the Eastman House and picked out ducks in the clouds. Scott and I worked on a project and felt a sense of accomplishment while enjoying some time together. We experienced Abel's face at the parade as he watched and waved at all the people and horses. Where he also asked if he could make a snowman which I was confused about but agreed to. Then I turned and saw him flat on the sidewalk making a dirt angel. Those are the best kind of good.

Here's to another day as a lacky!

2007-05-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

I was working a hunk of overtime last week and now one more week until four straight days off. I don't think that has happened in a great while. I want to plant a vegetable garden this year and am running out of time to do it. Not even sure if next weekend would make it too late in the season to start? I have to look into that this week. I suppose I could just buy the plants already bloomin and save myself a whole mess of time and headache. Not too bad of an idea!

Our official running training schedule starts next week as well. It will be a long hot summer! Not much camping on the agenda due to little time off and our Sat. runs but we hope to get at lease two in at some point. So there is my boring update, I'll let you know how both of those things go. I am praying God will show us the joy of simplicity this summer.

2007-05-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Since most of the people I work with seem to be agoraphobic I went on a walk by myself today. I manage to convince a certain group of people a couple of times per week to traipse around downtown for an hour during lunch, but usually it is like scheduling an event. Some people have to have the "right shoes" or have some kind of destination. So I conjure up a destination like going to get coffee at Javas. "You are going to walk WHERE? That is too far!" The are convinced it will take an entire hour to walk up the street and we could never possibly make it back to work in time. Then I explain that it only took me 15 minutes to walk there yesterday and they decide it would be more fun to read the local section.

There are probably two people who are like me. They just like to get away from the craziness for an hour and wander. Especially when it is ten degrees cooler outside than in. Back to today. I found a nice secluded bench overlooking the oh so mighty Genesee River. I slipped off my shoes so my casper feet could come out from hibernation. I started staring at all the feet passing by on the sidewalk. A lot of men who wear suits have their pants tailored way too short. Or maybe they just wear different shoes than they had on when measured or they just bought it off the rack not caring how long the inseam was. Whatever the reason, it is ugly when pants are too short. At least when you are staring at many pairs at one time.

See what my co-workers are missing. Walks can be so enlightening. I will try to rope them in again tomorrow.

gotta love mondays

2007-04-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

Me calling my probationer from the waiting room doorway- "Mr. A."

p- "Took you long enough."

me- "Get over here, please."

getting seated in interview space...

m- "That was obnoxious. I have told you I don't see people before 2:00. I won't see you early if you are here before that."

p-"oh yeah, um, sorry."

m-"Why are you in such a hurry?"

p-"You made me late for my interview."

m-"I made you late. What time were you supposed to be there?"

p-"1:30"

m-"1:30, That is the time you got here."

p- "I thought I should come in here."

m-*this is going to be a long conversation* "Well call them and see if you can get in later."

p- "Nope, that was the second time I blew them off, they won't give me another one."

m-"Guess you have to look for another prospect."

p-"Why can't you be cool like my last PO? She was my friend."

m-"Welcome to adult probation. It is not my job to be your friend, it is my job to ......"

p- "Well, what I don't get is why you're making me do all of this community service!"

m-"Actually you got off easy. It was recommended you get 400 hours of community service and the judge only gave you 40."

p- "40!? That is a lot!!"

m-"Mr. A, that is just like working for one full week. Maybe you should practice it before you get a real job."

p- "Give me the judge's number. I want to talk to him."

m-"He's busy. You can call your public defender when you get home. Make sure you are in by your curfew. I will be checking."

p- "I wish you would give me back to my old PO."

2007-04-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Airing out is the best way to spend a warm day. I love the first day that we can all open every window and the wind fairy comes through and takes out the stagnant air with it.
Abel is overdosing on fresh air. As most people know, he doesn't nap much to begin with. Maybe one or two times per week he will catch some winks in the car or during Mr. Rogers. Most days now he is up and rolling by 7am and crashing hard between 7:30 and 8pm. With all this fresh air and added outside craziness he is confused. He so wants to bow to the nap fairy and curl up, but that stubborn addiction to adventure always wins. It will be interesting to see how this ultimately disrupts his sleep cycle. For now he wants to be a part of everything going on during the warm daylight hours.
Last night he played with his friends outside until he asked me to go in. The night sleep fairy won that one.

2007-04-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

It took some extra effort this year, or so it seemed, to get here. The sun has finally come out with some warmer temps. I am always happy to see people's faces on some of the first warm days of the year. The relief of the snow clouds lifting shows. Neighbors are back outside walking their dogs and stretching their legs. Abel is already asleep after playing in the backyard most of the afternoon. :)

2007-04-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

Whew, yesterday I passed the 100.00 mile mark on the nike + ticker! It seems a little more possible that I could actually pull this off, I hope. We shall see.
For now...
I think I need a hot fudge sundae.

2007-03-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

When I went into work yesterday, like most days, I had no idea what would happen. I was glad when my partner asked if I wanted to go into the field. It was a crisp clear day out and I knew sitting at my desk would not be pretty. I reserved a car and we loaded on our equipment. She has been sharing tidbits of the the recent problems she was having with one of her sex offenders. It is very intense case and she needed to check in on him after he left her a slippery message.

After getting to his apartment building the maintenance man let us in and we started knocking on his door. He was very garbled and minimal responsive through the door. He wouldn't open the door even after we demanded him to. We asked him if he wanted an ambulance and he just grunted. He's an addict and has severe mental health issues.

We contacted our senior officer and after a few phone calls and some lights and sirens we had three police cruisers, the fire and rescue squads. When the police started talking through the door he perked up a bit and kept repeating that he didn't need medical attention and told us to go away. Meanwhile, we got keys for the door from the property owner but he had changed the locks. The officers repeatedly reminded him that his PO could enter his apartment at any time and he insisted on talking with his attorney. They were about to bust in his door but after about 45 minutes of banter he opened it. The cops circled him to make sure he wasn't flailing needles around and we went to the back bedroom where we quickly discovered the victim of his original offense. We had to arrange to get a copy of the Order of Protection brought to us because the tracker no longer had it on record. He was arrested and we searched his apartment with our search team for the next few hours and were able to add several scary things to the violation.

It was crazy and one of those learn as you go situations but our director showed up and complimented us on how we handled the whole thing. I was exhausted. Glad the girl is safe.

2007-03-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

Things that made me grin today...

~ Abel told me I am his best friend in the whole world.

~ My niece was actually awake when I held her and looked me in the eyes for the first time!

~ I started work at 7am (not grinning) and got to leave at 4 (grinning).

~ Watching Abel interact with friends at dinner.

~ Scott asked me if he could do my laundry.

~ Getting to say "10-4" three times on the radio while out in the field today and my partner rolling her eyes.

~ A friend stopped by to drop off DVDs just because she knows I will enjoy them.

2007-03-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
-old irish blessing

2007-03-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

I am doing the new Auntie dance!!

Violet Mary weighing in at 8lbs 6oz and 21 inches! Wooohooo... and Lora is my new hero and the ultimate Wonder Woman. No meds, no nothing... just 17+ hours of pain and wonderment. Thankfully, there were no complications and everyone is resting. She is the sweetest little baby girl ever created.

No pictures yet because I grabbed the camera very early this morning and didn't know the battery was dead. Tomorrow I will have the goods.

2007-02-25T05:25:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a great memoir this one will do the trick!

2007-02-23T14:58:00.000-08:00

I remember reading something about runner’s safety when I was young that said to always carry a quarter with you in case you needed to call someone for help. I started running when I was probably 15 or 16. My sister and I would just run around the neighborhood and down a couple of side streets to Lake Erie. There were no pay phones on that route.

As I was running today I started to mentally list all the precautions I try to take while running or walking. Figuring one or more may be helpful to my lady friends, which I say because it sounds funny and because women are more likely to be attacked. Most of these things you probably already do when running or walking but as I was thinking today I realized I need to remind myself of some of these daily so why not review with me… and please leave comments with any additional pointers I have left out! Some of these make me sound paranoid. I don’t mind. ☺

Be multiplied…
If possible run or walk with a partner. This is for obvious reason, but still be cautious. I read police reports frequently of women getting attacked even when with a friend. Still keep in mind the following points.

Be aware…
Keep your head up and look at what is around you. This also sounds obvious but it is easy to get into a rhythm and forget to check behind cars or bushes as you run past. If you have to wear headphones keep the volume of your music low enough to still hear foot traffic and street traffic. Run during daylight hours so things are more apparent. Don’t flash fancy MP3 players or make them too obvious
Notice suspicious cars and people.

Be reading…
Street signs and landmarks will be the only way you can tell someone where to find you if you have to make a call.

Be populated…
If possible run on main streets or where there is usually more foot traffic and street lights. Don’t run alone in parks or on trails. This is the worst scenario possible, I think. Avoid it.

Be unpopulated…
If someone makes you uneasy- move. Run to the other side of the street or just run faster to a safe place. If you are approaching a group of people on a porch or just in general that make you feel weird then turn around, their feelings won’t be hurt. If someone approaches you and tries to engage you in question or conversation just keep running. A question is the way many robbers distract someone. Again, who cares if you are rude. You are not running or walking to meet people, hopefully. ☺ If people pull their cars over to ask for directions pretend like you are busy or if you feel comfortable talking to the person stay a safe distance from their vehicle while you give directions.

Be looking at people…
This doesn’t mean you have to smile or talk to complete strangers. Just look every person you pass in the eyes. You are less likely to be attacked if you can ID the person. If you are a nice person sometimes it is hard not to smile and say hello to everyone you see, but some people are just real jerks or whackos and might take this the wrong way. Use your own judgment!

Be armed…
Carry a cell phone, which means in your hand- not in your pocket. Have 911 on speed dial and make sure your tracking device on your phone is on. Most phones have them now- just check your settings.
It doesn’t hurt to carry pepper spray, just check your state laws about it and read up on how to properly handle and store it.

Be confident…
Your attitude and body language tell a lot about how prepared you are to handle a situation. If someone does lay their hands on you give them a fight and be loud. And whatever you have to do to avoid getting in someone’s car, do it.

Whew, sorry, that was a long list I had in my head. The things I see people are doing to others in our community (that means in the city AND suburbs) make me obligated to remind you to do everything possible to stay safe!

2007-02-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

In the marathon training book we have the authors share a ton of information on visualization while running. Yesterday I tried it. As I was dragging through snow drifts and sliding through slosh I imagined I was running on the beach. The reason my feet were hanging up wasn't snow, it was sand. The stinging and whipping feeling on my face wasn't whirling snow drifts but mist off the ocean waves. Yeah, it doesn't work. It got me about 50 feet then all I could imagine was being hurled into a snowbank by the passing plow.

I haven't accrued as many miles so far in this month as in Jan. but I am still running 2-3 days per week. So, that is at least...hopeful. It is hard to drag out of bed in normal conditions in the winter. Trying to do it with the big idea of going running before work when it is -6 out is impossible. I can't wait for the weather to break!

Speaking of breaks, thanks to the dead presidents who afforded me the day off. Maybe my niece will decide to show up today!

2007-02-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Love You, Slick.

2007-02-12T17:21:00.000-08:00

A co-worker had something fun happen to him today. Here is the setting... PO observing person peeing in cup for urine screen and something is off. Here is the conversation...

PO: "Ok, hand me the cup."

Matt: "Here ya go."

PO: "Why does this cup feel cold?"

Matt: "Don know." - smirking

PO: "Is this your urine?"

Matt: "Of course it is!"

PO: sticking the test stick in the cup- "Alright, I'll give you this one."
...

PO: "It's positive for morphine. Is herion your new drug of choice?"

Matt: freaking out- "Dude, that's not my pee!"

PO: " Oh, really? You were just swearing up and down it is your pee."

Matt: freaking out more- "No, man, I just bought that off a guy for $60!"

PO: "Aw, too bad."

Matt: " I swear I REALLY am clean!"

PO: laughing

2007-02-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

The people of my day...

Probationers who call you just to ask about concealed weapon laws are slightly alarming.

People who eat sardines are just vying for attention.

Meeting facilitators with ADHD somehow go through agendas five times and still miss something.

People who say they only smoke marijuana when they do coke are lying.

Astronauts who carry pepper spray and pipes should not land space shuttles.

People who make cookies with coconut in them are angels.

2007-01-30T16:21:00.000-08:00

For some reason I thought the beginning of '07 was going to be somewhat mild in busyness. Abel being sick, baby showers, work, planning an indoor rock climbing event, Scott being busy with church and the cafe, plus running 35 miles takes a lot of time. Luckily, Abel is starting to feel a bit better.

Work has been an absolute nut house. I am relieved of the 20 sex offender cases that I was covering for another officer, which is a positive thing. Now I get to inherit 45 new cases on top of the 52 I will have left. I will be flailing again for awhile, especially since most of the cases I am going to inherit need a ton o' work.

Thankfully, once Lora has her baby I will take a couple of days off to be a part of the celebrating! Here is a pic of a project I just completed in time for her first shower...

It is the maternal lines and female hatchlings from both sides of the family (with a space for her little ones). It was fun to make but made her cry. Sorry, Lolo!

2007-01-16T17:44:00.000-08:00

Winter is running a little behind this year and it is messing with me. I got all revved up on Sunday and ran 3.5 miles, which is the longest I have ever run in my life without stopping. This morning I was going to head back out but then the clouds spewed all over the sidewalks. I don't mind running in the snow or even the cold but when there is ice it is a death trap. Blast. Hopefully my motivation will survive a lay over. A ho-ho sounds pretty good right now.
After a three day weekend it is hard to get back into work too. As I was getting ready this morning Abel said, "Mommy, you can't go to work!" That is enough to break me. I trudged out in the snow hoping the day would be a blur so I could get back home and cuddle up with him on the couch. A bright spot - I had a judge pay me a compliment on how I am handling one of her cases. It's always nice to hear it from the top. Especially when you are still not completely sure you are doing things right just yet.
When I got home tonight I heard my favorite words..."Hi Mommy!" And Abel ran right into me.
It's nice getting home.

2007-01-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

A couple of people have nicely pointed out that FloJo was not a distance runner. Thanks for your expertise. I chose that picture because she was an olympic icon of mine while growing up. After watching her run sprints I would bolt up the stairs at warp speed from the living room to the frigidaire. And the pant. I love her pant.

2007-01-07T19:01:00.000-08:00

Now that everyone else has already made posts of their resolutions or goals for the new year I have finally gotten around to it. I won't debate the idea of resolutions. I just want to document one in particular so I won't bail out of the idea next week. Since we don't have enough to keep us busy this year we have decided to fill in every quiet moment with running. Scott and I will attempt to run a marathon in September and no, that isn't a joke. Although we laugh at the thought every few days. If we have a good attitude and bust our humps for the next several months we hope to not die before we finish. Sounds positive!
I have started pre-training this week and put just over 9 miles under my belt and getting excited. If I stop posting about this it means I have stopped the attempt at doing something healthy and introspective. Since I haven't run anything longer than a 5k I am looking forward to the process with slight hesitation. With that, we are off!

2007-01-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

Only around eight weeks before I become an auntie to a little baby girl! I have been going through some of Abel's little things for his cuz-buz. We are all getting very excited! Last week Abel asked me, "What's in Lolo's shirt?"

2007-01-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

Cheers! Here's to a happy and healthy 2007!

Mr. Skeevy

2006-12-28T14:54:00.000-08:00

Me on phone with probationer: "So, you want a travel permit to go where?"

Smitty: "A race for four-wheelers. Sounds fun, huh?"

Me: "um...sure, so I will have this ready for you to pick up tomorrow."

Smitty: "Okay, great! Thanks, Hon."

Me: "Did you just call me Hon?"

Smitty: "Uh, yeah, sorry. Really sorry about that."

*click*

2006-12-18T17:10:00.000-08:00

Some photos of the venue... and one really bad one of the band.

We had such a perfect time at the show and on our trip and I have to say I now have a new favorite present so far in this lifetime. Cincinnati is a great city with weird chili, and we discovered Kentucky, interestingly, has a really cool movie complex. Abel did beautifully at my parent's house and is exhausted. I hate when really good vacations end, but it does make it easier when you have an Abel to come home to.

2006-12-16T04:52:00.000-08:00

We are hitting the road in search of my Christmas present! Scott got tickets to this rocking show in the illustrious city of Cinci. Today we are going to see Santa at my work then it's off to Buffalo for the night before heading out. Abel will be spending his first overnight without us at g-ma and pop-pop's house. I am sure he will just tell us to "rock on!"

Thanks for the cd Beth, it be jammin', I will send you a copy!

2006-12-08T16:25:00.000-08:00

It was the first morning I had to brush off the car. My first thought as I was brushing - "When will it be warm enough to not have to do this?" But the snow was pretty and refreshing. Abel and I had fun playing in it this afternoon and he made his first snow angel! I can't believe how long we used to stay outside in the winter when my sisters and I were little. I don't even remember getting cold. The only indication there was that it was time to go in was when my mom yelled, "dinner!" I do remember the tingling feeling in your skin like it was fighting off frostbite, once you get back on the couch. I had some of that this afternoon.

Oh, and I haven't started painting yet!

2006-11-28T19:26:00.000-08:00

I have been doing mad goodwilling of our stuff. I went through all of Abel's clothes, toys and other things and filled three Hefty sinch sacks. Now I am on to my clothes. I have emptied three cupboards in our kitchen and since Scott replaced the vanity and faucet in the bathroom I am starting to clean out everything on the bathroom shelves.

We had moved five times by our fourth wedding anniversary. I was getting very used to having an annual clean out and trash everything you can event. Since we have been in our house for over three years now I had forgotten about the usual process by which this gets done. Oh, and having a baby throws those usual plans off too. Since we live in a pretty small space every inch is precious. It feels good to plow through.

My reward will be finally painting the bathroom after we get everything else cleaned out. I am voting for a color called 'new penny'. One more project to start and hopefully finish.

2006-11-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

hmmm. interesting.

This is a small hand painted box made of french porcelain. The turkey/thanksgiving theme is just one of many crafty replicas of weirdness. A prime example of something I would not enjoy getting as a present.

Scott and I (and Abel helped too!) just made a strawberry-rhubarb pie and tomorrow morning we will bake the apple one. Smells good. We are dining at lola's with both our side of the family and rich's family. We aren't making her cook since she is still laying low. It will be a collaborative effort and should be nice and laid back and yummy!

I can't wait to put up our Christmas tree this year. Most likely due to Abel's enthusiasm. I have never put the decor up the day after turkey day but I really want to. I don't think anyone is selling them yet? Maybe we could go to a tree farm and saw it down ourselves. Although, that seems harsher to the environment than spending way too much so someone can strap one to your car for you. We shall see.

After the past couple of weeks of work I am grateful for a couple of days off. I didn't know it was possible to interview almost 30 people in one work day. I also spent over an hour in chambers with the judge, ADA and public defender for a violation hearing. This, I hear, happens...never.

Relaxing thanksgiving vibes to all!

2006-11-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

I am bored so I will tell you a story about the summer I spent working in Yellowstone. My friends and I spent a few of our weekends off in the Tetons. (those mountains up there) During one of which we had a terrifying and dumb adventure. The four of us had planned our route and stocked up.

When we had hiked a little over six miles, three out of the four of us voted to bushwhack our way over this certain ridge. As anyone can tell from that picture up there, any certain ridge in that range is not bushwhackable. The one of us was right, it was not a great idea. We learned that sloped ridges are much higher and more sloped than at first glance. At times the 300 foot slope was about 75 degrees of loose rock. Since the angle was more than we anticipated we had to travel more horizonally than planned. The slate was way to loose and trying to go back was out of the picture.

We had quickly moved into survival mode. No chatting, all maneuvers. Informing the person following of where to step and how to lean. We chose to go in pairs up and around a blind spot. There was a huge jog in the rock and we couldn't move right anymore so the only way out was up. By this point we were over our heads and all nervous but no one admitting to it. About 15 seconds after the first two left we heard a yell and load of rock flew past us. I thought they had fallen and landed on the cliff above us. My stomach was burning. This was not happening. They didn't answer our yells. We were just out for a day hike, how did we end up in this insane situation? Since we had arrived in the park we had spent all of our time off in the backcountry. We had gotten too comfortable in that space.

We yelled to them and didn't get an answer for a few minutes. We realized they were probably up much higher than we thought and finally caught their voices when the wind shifted just right. I was starting to stare and my legs were mush. I knew we had to move fast but I was numb with fear. After a short adjusting talk we decided my partner would go first and I would move quickly behind her up to the first ledge in case she fell I could pull her left. She would continue up, how far we still didn't know. It was a blur and then suddenly I was perched on the ledge and she was running up an almost vertical slope for about 30 quick and straining climbing steps. I had to look down. The drop was unbelievable. We had trekked something crazy. 500 feet below me was a glacier-fed lake the size of new jersey. We hadn't been able to see that when we had our brilliant initial plan.

We could all see each other now which was good. Since I was the last one up I knew my footing would have to be perfect. I have never felt so pushed to do something right the first time. I thought each upward movement was going to land me buried in the lake. Every step up my foot hold just dropped out and I had to run to make sure my next foot space didn't wash away before I touched it. Panic does something crazy things to your motivation. As my friends were screaming at me to hold on only a few more feet I had to race against the possibility of losing my support and dropping off the mountain. After I clung to the top and they helped me up we all just stared at how far we had come up and didn't talk for about ten minutes.

We still had roughly ten miles to hike out. We hadn't packed any overnight gear. Luckily we were high enough for drinking water but we were all exhausted and emotionally drained. We coached each other out of there because by the end I swear we were seeing double cheeseburgers in the trees. As I was walking my eyes were shutting on their own but the adrenaline made me feel awake. The last two miles was past a lake. I wanted a Big Gulp of lake water.

And the last mile of all long adventures your legs are on auto pilot. It is the strangest thing. Your mind is long gone but your feet know what needs to happen. As though they smell the trailhead getting closer. After falling into the car we drove directly to Burger King and I ate the most guiltless whopper I will ever eat. And I am pretty sure we all had some snicker pie to celebrate the fact that we were alive and at BK. We felt strange and tired.

We didn't bushwhack much after that.

2006-11-08T18:51:00.000-08:00

Five things I figured out so far this week:

1. Surgeons don't like it when common folk find their number and call them at home.

2. Meatloaf is better when cooked in muffin tins.

3. I feel a sudden urgency and it's to get out of the country and see something green.

4. Little boy's winter coats cost just as much as big men's winter coats.

5. I like election day, because I get the day off... whether I vote or not.

disbelief

2006-11-01T19:49:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know...Lora is in the hospital, again. Deja vu doo doo.

She is recovering from yet another surgery but both she and her baby are doing well. Pray her newest recovery time is speedy since she hasn't fully recovered from the first recovery time. I swear she is a super hero and her power is being stronger and braver than anyone on the planet in any terrifying and weakening situation. Her ability to do this is stunning.

Give me a call if you want the long winded version. My head feels like a rock.

be safe

2006-10-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

Due to a conversation I had today I feel the need to post a link to the nys sex offender registry. If you haven't checked it in a few months note that it has been changed in order to be compliant with a new federal mandate. It now contains level 2 and 3 offenders. Just in case you feel like being aware of who is in your area, but also realize sex offenses get pled down (more than you would like to know) just like any other crime so this is not an all inclusive list.

There will be crews of POs out doing surveillance on registered offenders for halloween. Child offenders are given clear instructions that they are not to hand out candy or do anything to attract children to their homes (put up decorations, etc.)
Please, just be a little extra cautious on that night.

Zonked

2006-10-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

For the past week and a half I have been going through my Probation Fundamentals course. We have three days left. My brain is ready to implode. We have our second test this Friday.

Today we covered gang populations, domestic violence, crisis intervention, mental health, aggressive dogs and appropriate treatment agencies. That is how each day has been for the past seven work days...very full. And it is actually pushing me to want to be back in the office dealing with my peeps. Mercy.

Did you know it is physically possible to regurgitate razor blades on demand?

Loving Lola

2006-10-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

The hardest birthday I have had was seven years ago. Scott and I had just moved to Las Vegas a few weeks prior and I had started a new job one day prior. This was it, the first birthday Lora and I had ever been apart. I was stuck at a desk all day with nothing to do but think about my sister and the fall leaves back home. I wished teleporting was real and surely we talked via phone on the hour, every hour.

Five o'clock rolled around and I was so glad to see Scott when he picked me up. We didn't know the area restaurants well yet but I was in the mood for Chinese. Scott obliged while reminding me all Chinese food looks like it was dipped in snot. I asked him if I had gotten anything in the mail that day. He sadly said, "I didn't check it." My stomach hurt but I tried to be upbeat on the way home. I think I failed.

When I opened the door to our stucco apartment there was a tower of priority mail blocking the entry way. This was the only time Scott lied to me and it was great. I got presents from everyone in my family, wrapped individually. I didn't even care what they were just that they were from home. Scott and I ate cake and laughed together at how grumpy I had been before. There would be more birthdays together with her. I was sure of it because I couldn't stand the thought of the opposite. It was the hardest birthday in many ways but one of the only ones I remember in detail. Scott turned it into something special for me.

Now we are getting old and Lora is having a baby girl! I am glad we are back.

rule #4

2006-10-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

I have a co-worker who has strict policies about dealing with her peeps:

joey- hand extended (trying to make a good first impression)

PO- "One of my rules is I don't shake hands."

joey- "Um, why not?"

PO- "Because of germs."

joey- "Um, oh."

....later that afternoon on the phone....

joey's mom- "Is this joey's PO?"

PO- "Yes."

joey's mom- "Are you a racist?"

PO- "Absolutely not!"

joey's mom- "Then why did you tell my son you won't shake his hand because he is German!"

sappy and true

2006-10-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for three-day weekends. I think I have figured out what is most valuable when working full time...time off. I would take a week if you gave it to me but three days is not so bad either. Saturday was a great day full of things to do. You know, fall things. Pumkins, bonfires and coffee with buds. Sunday was a great family day. Visiting family and the ones I am stuck here with.;) Plus church buds and LOST. Monday was cleaning, relaxing, walking and cooking. Scott painted most of the porch and let me play with Abel all day. All of those things are what make me smile. Then to top it off, at dinner last night Abel was very pleased with the soup I made and contently said, "I love you, Mama. What a wonderful day." I literally cried in my soup.

I have tomorrow off!

2006-10-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

sweet decades (after 20)

2006-10-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

The best part of having birthdays that end in 0, or so I am learning, is that you get cool presents. Scott got me a new bathroom vanity and faucet! Anyone that has had the pleasure of sitting on our toilet and staring at the old one should be very happy for me. The previous owner of this house, although a sweet soul, was indeed lacking in his plumbing ability. This means that every plumbing job that Scott has redone in all of the three units has required some sort of saw. I am not sure at how quick of a pace the new stuff will be in place but I still like looking at it sitting in the living room.

I have also already received a membership to the increasingly cool Strong Museum, clothes and money... oh, and my birthday is still seven days away. Heavens above!

my wipes

2006-10-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

Great uses for clorox wipes or their generic counterparts that have never been officially advertised:
1. Washing the bathroom floor.
2. Wiping off everything that has entered the urine screen room at work.
3. Dusting.
4. De-crusting Abel's board books.
5. Cleaning off cheese knives while camping.
6. Killing moths.
7. Cleaning dog stuff off my shoe.

walking a warrant through

2006-09-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

Which in short hand means... instead of waiting for our courier to deliver the violation paperwork through the court clerk and to the judge's desk I had to deliver it by hand and have the judge sign the warrant. I had my first thrill at this last week. The reason for doing this is so one of my probationers who got re-arrested for criminal possession of a weapon last weekend won't be released from jail just yet.

Assistant District Attorneys like to put off preliminary hearings so as to not have defendants released while being held on new violent arrests. Sometimes they cant' hold off the hearing as long as they would like and the only way to accomplish that is for us to file a violation with warrant right away which will hold a probationer in custody, past the hearing. I had to make this one stick and he was going to be in court in the morning session. I finally got ahold of the judge around 9:15 am and luckily he didn't have a docket that morning so his secretary said to run over. My supervisor signed off on the violation and I ran over to the Hall of Justice and up to the fourth floor, where the Supreme Court judges preside. After I waited for the judge to finish up his conversation and sign the warrant I booked to the clerk's office to have it time stamped then a block away to the old city hall to lodge it with the Rochester Police Department's Criminal Investigation Unit. Their officers help us out and lodge it right away. It was done just in time. I was very happy, in part because the Public Defender was not.

sweater weather

2006-09-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

This time of year is like christmas eve every day. I know fall is close and can smell hints of it but already melancholy about it passing. I wish I could stretch the next several weeks into months, believe me it would not change it's novelty. Today it was quite warm but it's going to cool slowly through this week. That wispy crisp air mixed with sunshine is my yearly dose of medicine.

Something about this seasonal change is freaky. I don't think it is ready for change yet. Sure enough, now that living things are at their peak, a cold north wind will blow it all to bits. Nice. That is why I try to realize every minute of the transition. I don't want to lose it in the snow.

A coworker who shares my birthday asked me what we were planning this year. I told her we may just take lunch to a park and sit, play and eat with some friends and family. She scrinched up her face like that was the weirdest idea ever. "Won't it be too cold for that? I don't think I have ever done that!" Smiling I told her that is my idea of a great day. She still thinks I was joking.

squints

2006-09-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

It is just one of those nights where I really want to be curled under my covers and snoring but for some insane reason I am sitting slouched over the computer staring. Sometimes I just can't move and I read every word on all my bookmarked sites without closing my eyes. I don't understand it but I decided to do something while staring...so I am typing.

Lora came home and is doing very well so far, that is the biggest relief of my life. She is exhausted and slowly gaining her strength back. We are feeding her like a lumber jack on steroids and she is looking better every day. Now we are hoping her incision heals well and quickly. Seeing her hurting was torture. I am glad she is smiling again.

I have a lot more to write, but not now. Later.

left the building

2006-09-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

I have vanished off the face of the earth for good reason over the past two weeks. My twin has been in the hospital. She is doing quite better but still there and needless to say this has been my focus. The goal now is to get her home. Thanks to all for their help and prayers. I will be around with an update soon.

pants on fire

2006-08-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

me: Any further police contact?

tiffany: No, not at all.

me: ...and have you used any drugs or alcohol?

tiffany: nope.

me: Okay, I'm going to screen you today since we need an update for your file.

tiffany: -face dropping-

me: Can we bring your baby in the bathroom with us or should I find another female officer to watch her while we do this?

tiffany: um...

me: What's wrong?

tiffany: It's going to be positive for pot.

me: Why did you lie to me?

tiffany: -crying- Because I didn't know you were going to screen me!

me: Well, the question wasn't 'if you knew I was going to screen you today would you admit to using drugs?'

tiffany: You're right. Sorry.

me: If I ask you a question you need to tell me the truth.

tiffany: -bawling- I promise. I will be honest with you. I am so stressed lately cause my mom called CPS on me....

..... and so begins a whole different story, which I am sure she was telling the honest to goodness truth about.

smelly no more

2006-08-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

This morning I realized two things. One being that I haven't been home all day for over a month. Two being that our house smells like rotten. Yes, rotten is a noun.

I knew it was bad when Abel was very enthusiastic about pitching in to help clean. I am sorry to all the people who have been over this week. It wasn't pretty. Scott is great at keeping the dishes in a clean state and doing all the laundry during the week. I have been doing the detail stuff- like vacuuming under the couch- on weekends.

Oh, and another great thing happened today. We bought a new couch! This will help the rotten. Our old couch will be on the curb if any homeless person wants it. Thanks to Jake and a few moves it is a sink/stink hole. There is reason #2 to visit this week. :)

curfew checks

2006-08-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's past 9:00 in the pm. Which means all my peeps with curfews should be nestled in safely at home having some quality family time. Just checked in with some of them and only 1 out of 9 was home. Tomorrow will be a busy day.

not so lazy summer days update

2006-08-11T19:21:00.001-07:00

This being my first summer in a very long time that I don't have vacation time is crazy. Within the past 16 days we have driven to Maine and back and I have flown to Chicago then drove to LaPorte, IN and back. All with only taking 2.5 days off of work. We leave again tomorrow but only for a 2.5 hour trip to a friend's wedding and then to see some family. Zippee, my summer is flying!

Today Abel is showing signs of complete recovery from his illness!

I took him to a playground different from the one in our neighborhood tonight and heard a girl who was Abel's height talk like a racist trucker. After she accosted all the little girls on the slide this cute girl's classy mother decided to slap her mouth and drag her to the car. Looks like her chances of passing this stage are slim. Luckily Abel was obliviously happy on a different slide playing hide-and-seek. The little girl standing next to me told me the young trucker is only four years old and "the devil came up in her" to say those things. Abel and I promptly left after a young boy, probably around 9 years-old, started yelling "Tamira is a $%&*" from the top of the monkey bars. Good clean family fun!

Today at work I made a 6'1- 350 pound man cry. He was arrested, again, for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend.

Yes, these are crazy days.

Next summer I will be taking a nice long vacation!

cost effective

2006-07-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

I had a close friend tell me that my friendship is worth $700 dollars a month to her.

That is the amount she pays in student loans every month... and we met in college.

How flattering!

brain freeze

2006-07-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

A phone conversation I had with a probationer today:

Me: "Probation"

Anthony: "Mz. Austin?"

Me: "Yes."

Anthony: "Hi! This is Anthony!"

Me: "Hi, Anthony, how are you?"

Anothony: "Great! How are you Mz. Austin?"

Me: "Fine."

Anthony: "Good, hey I don't want to bug ya but I wanted to tell you my good news."

Me: "Yes? (And would you hurry up about it?)"

Anthony: "You know how I got fired from that job and you told me to get another one?"

Me: "Um, yup (distraction)."

Anthony: "Well... I got a great job."

Me: "Great. Good work, what is it?"

Anthony: "It's working at a warehouse."

Me: "When do you start?"

Anthony: "Not sure yet."

Me: "Well... did you have an interview?"

Anthony: "No... not yet."

Me: "Ok... so, they really like your application?"

Anthony: "Well... I just handed it in, but I know this guy and he said he can put it at the top of the pile."

Me: "Call me back when they give you a start date."

Anthony: "No problem!"

friday

2006-07-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

We just got home from a Rochester Rhino's game, which I don't feel like linking... so, if you must know it is soccer. They just built this great new stadium here in the middle of the city and I was impressed by the turnout on a clammy, muggy night. The reason for this post is not soccer related. It is Abel related.

Last year at this time Abel was just taking his first steps. We had a great time last summer camping and swimming but everything Abel did we had to be holding his hands so he could walk upright to do it. Some people say, "awww." I say... I am happy for the upgrade. Oh man that was a lot of work!

Back to the Rhinos, we had a blast at the game and I believe it is mostly due to this age difference. Sure it would have been a hoot last year, but this year Abel really got into the game. He was chanting "Rhinos!" and counting the seats and eating popcorn. We walked all along the perimeter of the park before the game started so he could zap away some walking energy and it worked...phew. He's so much a little boy now and so comical. It made me start thinking more about all the adventures we will soon be taking together with all his new levels of physical ability and understanding.

The best part by far was the last twenty minutes of the game because he only wanted to snuggle into our laps and watch the end of the game plus the post-game fireworks... he loved it. Maybe it was the free tickets that made it seem so worth while, but I think it was my lil curly headed buddy.

Some Saturday Observations

2006-07-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

1. I watched as a sixty or so year old man belittled his wife in public. She got up from the table she shared with him and went to sit alone with her paper. Good for her.

2. Abel likes shredded zucchini strategically placed in the sauce with his tortellini.

3. We figured out that the public market is a fifteen minute walk from our house. Wonder why we always drove before!

4. Gay Pride parades are very well attended.

5. Scott is very good at fixing 130 year-old porches.

6. The strawberries out right now make a perfect strawberry shortcake.

7. A snort is very hard reaction to interpret.

8. You can observe a lot when you don't have a schedule of Saturday events.

9. The Tops on South Clinton is much more tolerable than the one on Winton. Much.

10. I like being bored. Very.

this just in...

2006-07-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

A classic young adult story, Bridge to Terabithia, is coming to the big screen next year!
I have a copy if you would like to partake of one of my favorite and fastest reads before it is translated into Hollywood.

poster envy

2006-06-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

regret to the last mile

2006-06-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

My grandfather and his sister never got along super well. My Aunt Grace died last weekend. I think remorse may be settling on my Grandpa's shoulders like awkward shoulder pads. Even though he was loyal to his bitterness throughout most of their adult life we all remained close with my Great-Aunt. I especially respect my Grandma for continuing her close relationship with her sister-in-law, even amidst my Grandpa's avoidance of the situation.

Their disagreements go back decades but every year that I see my Grandpa age I see his eyes grow a little softer. I think his sister's passing may have broken down that wavering line of resistance a little more. We were all together this weekend, our immediate family and a few stray cousins that we haven't seen in years. I heard the word "regret" spill from my Grandpa as he talked with his niece.

I don't know for sure, but I assume he was talking about his sister. No matter how much resentment he had it seems as though death is curing some wounds. Maybe her weakness made him see her human nature more. I hope he forgives, for his own reasons. It's strange how a wonderful and strong man with family as his highest priority can be clouded by petty contentment. Pride is an awful thing sometimes. It just hurts to see him hurt, especially knowing that opportunity for healing between them is gone.

I have a feeling he will put the energy of his regret into a more powerful love for the rest of his family... at least I hope so.

farmer's tan

2006-06-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

We were on the shooting range all week for work. I had forgotten how nice and stinking hot it is to work outside in the summer, especially with a bulletproof vest on! I had a good time and suprisingly shot pretty well. Shooting 300 rounds a day is stressful and exhausting and we were all ready for a short day today. In a way I am glad it is over but going back to the office next week is not going to be easy.

range

2006-06-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

I completed my first day of firearms training today.
The instructor told us the first person to let the spring fly from the slide when we were disassembling the weapon had to bring donuts tomorrow. Happy to report it won't be me!