Take Away 150 ~ Surprises

Criminy sakes, it has been a long time since I've posted here. I started this blog in September, 2011 with the intention of it being a 365 day project. I'm not giving up. I still have take aways to write about. This morning I read through a few of them I have written here and I'm not sorry I started this project.

 

So, last week my son sent me two boxes of photos and a few other old items that his dad had mailed him. His dad and I divorced over 14 years ago and I left those things behind. What a treat to get them back. Of the many treasures is a cook book I had put together of old family recipes. I was greatly surprised to get it back. Happy surprised!

SURPRISES:  I think I'll divide up some of the old photos

that are of relatives that might like to have them. I'll send

them in a card. I'll bet they'll love the surprise as much

as I did last week. It's never too late to surprise people.

Take Away 106 - Timing

Yesterday we rolled out on an impromptu road trip. We literally did not know which way we were going until we dropped off the key to our house for a friend to let our dogs out as we knew we were going to be gone longer than just a couple hours.  No time to make breakfast so we grabbed a couple of boxes of crackers, fruit and thermos of coffee, knowing we'd stop to eat somewhere along the line. As it turns out, we headed right through The Dalles and our most favorite Thai restaurant. It was lunchtime when we rolled in.  "How fortuitous", as Gene would say. I tried the "house curry" and it is to die for!

TAKE AWAY:  Good things come to those who have good timing.

Take Away 102 ~ Laughter

Last night I stepped outside my comfort zone and said something that caused an entire room full of people to crack up laughing which in turn busted me up. What's best about my rare moments of comedy relief is that people don't expect it from me. I'm a little too careful most of the time. I'm trying to get over that but how do you undo a lifetime of carefulness? Being married to a witty man helps.

TAKE AWAY:  If there is a chance I can make someone laugh,

I'm gonna do it.

Take Away 100 - Freaky Joy

Our new dog, Abbie, is a freak of nature. She lives to catch the frisbee and can tear up some ground getting from here to there fetching it. We had to move her out to the more established grass on the front lawn because she is so focused on catching it that her feet have torn up the ground in the back yard. Between the two of us, we figure we throw it to her no less than 150 times a day and it's probably closer to 200. The take away?

TAKE AWAY: I cannot think of anything more relaxing than 

throwing the frisbee to Abbie. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes 

to completely wear her down to the ground. It is really something

to watch and be a part of. I'm pretty sure the universe knew

we needed her as much as she needed us. What a joy!

Take Away 99 - Time I Can't Get Back

I attended a 7-hour photography class on Saturday. I've been to it before and the speaker presented pretty much exactly the same material as the last two I've been to. I thought perhaps I would get something from it that maybe I missed the last two classes.  Note to self: don't need to do that again.  While it was exciting the first time I took it, it was hard to sit still through screen after screen of information that really led to the only one take away I was looking for.  White balance.  I still don't understand it but I think I'll do some googling and figure it out. That's 7 hours I can't get back.  The only consolation is that it was raining.

TAKE AWAY: Sometimes I only get one take away and I might 

have to sit quietly for 7 hours to get it.

Take Away 97 - A Dog Named "Dumpster"

Our neighbors came over to visit this afternoon to meet "Abbie", the dog we have on a trial basis from the Humane Society. It hasn't been quite the wonderful experience we had hoped for with our dog, "Missy".  Abbie is high energy and not playful with Missy, as we had hoped for.  Our neighbors are dog lovers and they encouraged us to give Abbie and Missy a chance to adjust to one another.  They had 3 dogs but one of them died last year. The two remaining dogs are each very different in personality and it was refreshing to hear them talk about how one of them is a very difficult dog to live with.  I love that they did not give up on that dog.  Her name is "Dumpster".  Because that's where they found her. (gulping the lump in my throat) ....

TAKE AWAY:  I never know where encouragement is going to come from.

It's always at the least likely time and place.

Take Away 96 - Greek Yogurt

I'm a picky eater.  Always have been. Always will be. I'm all about textures. Not sure why. It drives my husband crazy. I don't like to be forced or coerced into eating things I don't like or think I don't like. This, I am quite certain, stems from very old childhood baggage. But, if you let me try things in my own time, I might actually change my mind. 

Take Greek Yogurt, for example. I've tried it before and in the past it just tasted sour and gritty to me. My cousin recently purchased a large container of it and she didn't like it either. She left it in the fridge and I finally decided to give it another chance as I didn't want to waste it. Okay, this is soooooo weird.  I like it now.  What's up with that?  I surmise it is because I quit drinking coffee the first of May and my sugar consumption has dropped drastically. All of a sudden, that Greek Yogurt is not sour and I find it very creamy with no grit. All I can taste is how wonderfully sweet it is. Who knew?

 TAKE AWAY:  I gotta keep an open mind.

Take Away 94 - Pain

On our recent long motorcycle trip, I realized that the pain in my back from sitting in one position too long was responsible for keeping me alert.  Between that stabbing pain and the dull headache I developed from the wind making my bike constantly shake and my teeth rattle, it got me home in one piece. 

TAKE AWAY: I am constantly amazed at the level of

discomfort I can withstand to do the things I love doing.

The fun of being outdoors, the wind in my face and the freedom 

of riding on two wheels outweighed the nagging aches & pains 

sometimes, but not always, associated with it. 

Take Away 93 - My Secret Weapon

I had some friends over to my house last night for an idea-fest. I learned a long time ago that if you want people to get together and you want to guarantee they'll show up, serve food.  So I did. And they did. Show up! I took the easy-peazy route by baking two big containers of frozen lasagna, served salad out of bag and friends brought bread and sherbet for dessert. Every person I invited SHOWED UP!

TAKE AWAY: No matter what the occasion, if you serve food they will come. Love that!

 

Take Away 92 - High Mileage

We took a 263 mile motorcycle ride today. It was only my 2nd time out of the garage this spring. I think I'm going to be putting some major miles under my belt this season. Two 400-mile trips late last summer seems to have set the bar higher for me.

TAKE AWAY: With gas a $4+ a gallon, riding is going to get expensive this summer!

Take Away 90 - Time

When I first started the job I'm in, I had to adjust to working 10-hour days. It took several weeks to figure out what time I needed to hit the hay. I'm a morning person so it's easier for me to adjust my "go to bed" time vs. my "get-up" time. Now that we have a lot more light, I'm having to adjust again, having a hard time getting to sleep at night.

TAKE AWAY: Time is adjustable.

Take Away 88 - Time It

I saw the coolest thing recently.  A water-saver timer that sticks to the wall in the shower. You press it and a little green light goes on and about 4 minutes later a blinking red light comes on to alert you that your 5-minute shower is almost up. When you have many people in one household taking showers, this is a good thing.

TAKE AWAY: Who thinks of these clever devices?

Take Away 87 - Just Google It

I have a friend at work who loves to "Google It".  I've adopted that phrase.  Is there anything you can't figure out how to do on the internet?  I don't know. I'm not finished trying yet.  The other website my friend uses a lot is YouTube.  When she needs to learn something like how to make pie crust, she YouTube's it. I never really thought about doing that before I met her.

TAKE AWAY: Listen carefully to others. 

There is much to be learned in this lifetime.

Take Away 84 - Spring Cleaning

I have a short window of time to get any spring cleaning done before Gene starts talking about rolling down the road on weekends. My friend who helped me with my spring cleaning last year has up and moved to Phoenix. I have another acquaintance I'm thinking of contacting to do the really crappy jobs I hate like cleaning the oven and fridge. And, she does windows! I can only do so much before I start gritting my teeth and wishing I lived in a smaller place. My house will never be perfect .... I got over that a very long time ago. I just wish there weren't so many dust bunnies hiding out.

TAKE AWAY: I do what I can today. I'm not a domestic goddess.  

Never have been, never aspired to be.

I'd rather ride. 

Take Away 82 - Daylight Savings Time

One word:  WHY?

TAKE AWAY: Us busy people do not have an extra hour to give up.

Take Away 79 - Nailing Down Stress

I had my nails done by a professional about two weeks ago for only the second time in my entire existence. I've been a nail biter from early childhood and the thought of having someone actually look at them and try to do something with them was horrifying. The nail lady did a great job and although the $30 worth of polish and pampering has worn off, I found that I haven't bitten my nails since that visit. I bought a nail file and have been caring for them like never before.  I can only surmise the reason I've been able to keep them growing is that my fingers are busy typing 10-hour days. And, I have zero stress in my life.  Love that.

TAKE AWAY: I can add "zero stress" to the 

list of reasons I love my current station in life. 

Take Away 77 - Life's Curveballs

Yesterday was the last working day for a co-worker who was "bumped and rolled" out of her union job of many, many years. It was a difficult day for her and the company of people she served in her capacity.  Life has a way of throwing curve balls that we sometimes don't expect.  I am always amazed by other people's grace and how they handle such times. I felt a genuine heartache for her and long-time work friends. 

TAKE AWAY: Sheryl Crow's "Everyday is a Winding Road" is 

my theme song this week.

Change happens.  

It's how you handle it that matters.

 

Take Away 76 - Sleep Well

I didn't get enough sleep last week and it caught up with me. By Sunday, I was cranky and on the verge of a meltdown. I promised myself I was going to work well, eat well and sleep well this week.  I got to bed on time last night, woke up refreshed this morning. I'm gonna do it again today. 

TAKE AWAY: I'm a much better person 

when I take care of the basics. 

HALT: Don't get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired.

Take Away 75 - Sweet Moments

I was having my nails done the other day and there was a little old lady who had just had her hair coiffed (love that word). A guy who came in to have his hair-dresser daughter cut his hair had just gotten out of his chair.  Here is the dialogue that made my day:

Guy to old lady:  "You look beautiful!"

Old lady:   "Well, thank you."

Guy:  "Are you single?"

Old lady: "No, I'm married.  Wait, he's dead. Yes, I'm single."

Guy: "Are you on Facebook?"

Guy's Daughter:  "Dad!!!!"

Guy to Daughter:  "Hey, I'm a lady's man!"

There wasn't a woman in the place who didn't tilt their head to the side and say "Ahhhhhh".  Next, the guy asked his daughter if he could go get her something for breakfast. She asked him what he would bring her, and he said the magic words every woman I know loves to hear, "Anything you want."

TAKE AWAY:  There are tender moments almost every day.

Sometimes I have to listen carefully for them, other times

I'm in the right place at the right time.

Take Away 73 - Carving Out Time

At someone's suggestion, I am on week 2 of preparing 4 days worth of lunches and stuffing them in the fridge so I can free up time to get on the treadmill in the morning. I'm not sure why I didn't think of this on my own except for the fact that I'll use just about any excuse to not get on it. Much to my surprise, this change in my handling of my lunches has gotten me back on track. I'm happy to report that salads stay fresh when I use a dry leafy lettuce mix. I also pack up  containers of grapes to stick in my lunch box. Easy peazy.

TAKE AWAY: I'm finding that at age 52+ there are 

still really good ideas I haven't heard and tried yet.