Thursday's List

Hello my lovelies...
Thanks to everyone who voted on my poll...I went with number 4 although I will tell ya I am not sure how long they will last...bit quite as comfy as I thought they were going to be..
I just finished painting my nails and have some stuff ready to pack.
It's been a decent week at work...not sure if I am going to make my goal yet but I am working on it...
We finally found a place for the cat to go for the weekend....there aren't a lot of places that will take a diabetic cat....
New shows started this week...yay!! Love me some criminal minds and svu- although not the same since elliot left- I agree Skippy
My mom got the flowers that I sent her for her birthday finally...and they are pretty
My youngest nephew turned one yesterday...I got to see a bunch of pictures...yay
We are heading out to a wedding this weekend....I can't wait to see all of our friends and be part of this lovely day....
I have to go pack...hope you all have a good weekend...
hugs and love to you

A poll about shoes and my 300th post!!

I can't decide on which shoes to get for the wedding this weekend...so you my dear readers can chime in...please let me know which ones you think will be best..
This is the dress...it is a smoky blue color and not black like in the picture..the material is sort of velvety

so which pair of shoes would work best...the ceremony is at 3 and the reception is at 6pm

Pair 1



Pair 2


Pair 3- this shoe didn't have that strange checkerboard pattern on it..it was just a soft suede


Pair 4 in either silver sparkly or black sparkly


pair 5- these are actually patent leather...and I bought these tonight cause I will wear them for work and they were seventy five percent off...score an awesome pair of shoes...but aren't they kinda boring?? (NOT that I am trying to sway you at all :))



Also jewelry suggestions would be awesome...I don't really like the dress as much as I did when I bought it months ago...but I haven't been able to find anything else....so I need to dress it up a bit!
This is my 300th post...what better subject than shoes right??
hugs and love to you all!

Quick Check In

hey gang-
Just wanted to stop by real quick and say hi.
Things here are good...crazy busy and I have a migraine that just won't quit..
Today is my mom's birthday...
She is an amazing woman.
She laughs with me
Cries with me
has supported me through a million things..
and still comes back for more..
she is my rock..
I talk to her every single day on the phone...
sometimes for a quick check in..
sometimes for the entire ride home...
She will listen, help me process, and let me make my own decisions..
sometimes good..
sometimes bad..
but she never says I told you so..
She just offers a hand to pull me up when I fall...
I have lots of friends...some I consider my best...
But my mom is truly my very best friend....
I know that she's had a good day and I will talk to her one more time before I go to bed...
and hopefully her flowers will get there tomorrow...

I hope you are all well...I miss you all...I have stuff for some of you..like a fruitcake recipe...a jam recipe and a few other emails to send....
I hope your corners of the world are full of happiness and love this evening...

Thursday's List

Sorry I have been MIA.
I had an absolutely amazing weekend this past weekend with my girlfriends.
Hugs
Giggles
Belly laughs
Tears, both from laughing so hard and some just because
Hot Tub
Drinks
Yummy Food
Pedicures
Chocolate
Lots of Sugar
Coffee on the deck at seven thirty am
Staying up til 2am
Magazine quizzes
Shopping
They made up nicknames for themselves for my blog- Tiwanda, Shazam and Bubbles...but knew that I didn't want to share the name or the address..
I came back centered and at peace with my life...in general...they fill my heart and soul in a way that only girlfriends can...and can give me a perspective on life that no one else is able to give me..
We planned for next year...picked out a date and location....and I already can't wait....we are having pedicures and pizza in November and I am hoping that I am going to be able to make it...
Monday we had a guy come and do an energy audit...we will see how that comes out..
I have made an effort to keep my computer off at night because I just needed to reconnect with my husband...and have been able to do that...
I hope that you are all doing well...hugs and lots of love and peace to you all...

Thursday's List

Well..
My meditating kind of worked last night...at least I have been able to compartmentalize the stuff for a while...that is always the first step in being able to objectively deal with these feelings...
It has turned to fall...not sure if that's a reason to smile but I do love the nice crisp morning and after this weekend it will be time to go apple picking and start making some apple pie, apple cake, apple jelly...yum...I love the smell of apples cooking...it is always one of my favorite candle smells..
I think we have settled on a Halloween theme for the department this year....some of you might remember from last year that our company does a big Halloween celebration and all the departments decorate and we are judged....well I volunteered myself this year (as opposed to getting volunteered) to organize and coordinate and I think we decided today what we are going to do...which makes me happy..
My first giveaway package arrived to someone today...that makes me happy...the ones for my overseas friends are still sitting in my backseat because they didn't have customs forms where I went to  mail them...they will be going out tomorrow...
It is a very dear blog friends birthday tomorrow....so everyone go over and send her good wishes....
This weekend is my girls weekend on Cape Cod....I am leaving early from work tomorrow and will have the whole weekend with some of my best girl friends from college on a lake in a house that we rented...I can't wait....good friends, lots of laughter, some silliness you can only share with your girlfriends, good food and cocktails...sounds like heaven to me..and yes, I promise pictures..
Well my cat is sitting here getting annoyed because he is trying to snuggle and his head is moving as I type so I should sign off for the night...
Hugs, love and good wishes to your corners of the universe tonight and for the weekend if I don't get a chance to check in!!!

Full Moon

The full moon has guided my way as it is getting darker and darker every night when I leave work.
The hours are draining my energy and I am lacking something..
Motivation?
dedication?
I don't know...just something...and it's beginning to annoy me.
I have felt this way for months now.
I went away on a couple of trips, which usually makes it better...and it didn't.
I spent a weekend with one of my best friends- that didn't work either
I have spent time with my hubby..taking long drives in the car and that just made me crabbier
I have seen my mom, planned another girls weekend, gone to the beach, tried to ignore it and it isn't getting better.
Tonight, I am going to the beach...to watch the waves crash, smell the salty water, feel the beginning of fall in the air...
Tonight I will meditate and will take deep breaths...
Tonight...I will get rid of this feeling and come back at least content...
Tonight I will watch the full moon rise above the water and feel the waves lap at my feet.
Tonight I will chase away the demons that are making me think the grass is greener and get back to my "normal" self...
I hope.
Sending hugs and lots of love to you all tonight...

Never Forget

September 11th, 2001.
Like many people, I will never forget that day.  I was at work, getting ready to go into a staff meeting with a group of amazing people...to talk about a million things that were going on in the school system we all worked for.  It was the first staff meeting of the school year and since many of our employees didn't work during the summer, many came in early to catch up on what had gone on.  It was the beginning of a great year, some great new projects we were launching..everyone was excited.
All of a sudden her cellphone rang.
She apologized and walked out of the room to take the call.
Someone else's phone rang, she left as well.
The first woman came back in, teary eyed and not saying anything.
I shot her a look when she sat down next to me and murmured, you ok
She shook her head no. Later we found out it was because her family was all in New York City..blocks from the World Trade Center...thankfully all spared from the horrors of that day.
The other woman came back in, pale faced and shocked.
She said- A plane just hit one of the World Trade Center towers in New York.
What?
No?
Are you sure?
My boss pulled the room back together and we went on with our meeting, cell phones ringing periodically throughout the meeting, until finally someone walked in the room telling us a plane had hit the Pentagon.
I got up and went on my computer and nothing was connecting to the internet and this was before cell phones with internet service.
We had our own demons that day, a man who was in the courtyard of a school with a gun.  Luckily he was subdued quickly and all the schools were locked down.
I started to get panicky.
My dad was on a plane
My mom was working at the Pentagon shopping mall
Couldn't remember where my brother and sister were at that point.
Not to mention the friends from school who were flying to London from Boston to start a semester abroad.
There wasn't a television in the building anywhere.
I was obsessively calling my parents, my family, checking the internet
Finally, my mom was okay- not at work that day
My dad's trip had gotten cancelled and he was in the office
My brother and sister both were home
Emails were flying around from friends, family
are you okay?
Have you heard from so and so?
What about this person, he worked in the WTC?
What about that person who was flying?
They came through Maine....what do you mean, they came through our airport.
The person who worked at the convenience store where I got my coffee every single morning had served them that morning.
Yes, we lost at least one friend we knew of.
Yes, we knew people on those planes.
Yes, it was scary as hell not knowing where everyone was and what they were doing.
Pre-facebook, pre-twitter, we had to rely on unreliable internet and phone service.
Yes, my perspective on the world changed that day.
My safety net didn't feel quite as safe.
Riveted to the TV for days, my husband and I talked about whether or not we would want to even consider bringing a child into this new world we were suddenly faced with.
I finally turned it off.
The computer, the TV, everything.
I couldn't watch one more replay, one more interview, one more newscast of the flyers plastered everywhere in NYC looking for people.
I got on a plane the weekend after it happened, navigated through the security mess that was happening just to see, to hug and to cry with my family.
I will never forget where I was and what I was doing on that day.
Sometimes it's hard to believe that it was ten years ago when you watch the replays on tv.  Same sick to my stomach feeling of that day happens every time I watch the endless news reels.
You know what I have heard leading up to this anniversary?
I have heard and read remarkable stories.
Stories of hope
Stories of strangers helping strangers
Stories of a renewed sense of pride in country
Stories of respect for one another
Stories of rebirth from the ashes and a renewed sense of what's really important in life since that day.
It is a tragedy what happened that day.
A day that will reshape American history
But it is a day that if one looks hard enough, talks enough, reads enough, there are gems of how this society can pull together, help each other, support each other and learn to rely just a little bit on each other again.
Silver lining, the bright side of a horrible tragedy, maybe I have my rose colored glasses on.
Today, I chose to not only honor those who fell that day, who have fought gallantly in the preceding years, but to also honor those who shared their stories, reached out a hand, helped a stranger, provided support and helped this country band together in the aftermath and show true American spirit.
We may not always like each other and we may not always get along and we may not always extend that hand to a stranger, but when it really mattered and push came to shove, people did...in whatever way they could.
Thinking of you all today.  Sending hugs, love and peace out to everyone today...

Winner Winner chicken dinner

Well I am finally getting around to getting out the prizes in my giveaway from a few months ago...
I have boxes
I have goodies
What I don't have is addresses.
There were nine of you who I owe something to.
If you could email me at nkcowallis at gmail dot com with your addresses, I would appreciate it!!
Hugs and love to you all..hope your are having an awesome weekend..

Friday's List

I skipped my list yesterday.  My number one reason to smile this week is that my mother came up here.  I took a half day yesterday to see her and a couple of her friends who are up here for a sorority house reunion.  They got a house on the lake for the weekend and are just hanging out but I got to see her yesterday afternoon and last night.
My smiles included:
Getting to see my mom in a totally different role than before, she was hanging out with friends and it was fun to be considered an "adult" for an afternoon and get to hang out with them.
I chuckled when I was told how alike my mom and I are...from our sense of humor to our mannerisms
I got to show off a bit of my "home" state to her friends yesterday afternoon.
The silliness is the same between a bunch of fifty something woman as it is between my friends and I and it was great!!
Awesome to know that people are still friends even 33 years after graduating.
Being able to make suggestions as to where they should go and what they should do while they are here....they started with a lobster bake this evening and will be going to see a couple of lighthouses tomorrow.
it's nice to know that my mom is here...even if I won't get to see her again until Sunday
Knowing that I will see her and be able to hang out before she heads back home on Monday.
Hubby being completely understanding about me needing to spend time with her.
Yummy dinner tonight with my hubby out and really, how clingy he is because I was gone over night again.
I am looking forward to my very own college girls weekend next weekend on Cape Cod.  Can't wait to see these friends for a whole weekend of fun, giggles, smiles, pictures and general silliness.  We are "unplugging" next weekend...not even bringing my computer with me...I can't wait.

Lots of smiles this week...lots to be thankful for and lots to remind me how good life can be...I am trying to center myself and remember that I work to live, not live to work...tough distinction sometimes but I am working on balance and trying to remember that one way or another you have to sacrifice something, so i am preferring to sacrifice a bit of the obsessive perfectionism I have at work for more time at home.  When I am there it's 110% all the time, but I am getting better at leaving it all there when I walk out the door and coming home and truly appreciating what I have here...

Be gentle with yourselves this weekend, I know that this will be an emotional weekend for a lot of us as we reflect on September 11th and what that day means to all of us. ...enjoy your family and your friends.  I know that while I will reflect on the past and on that day specifically, that I am truly blessed with those that surround me and those that I consider my "family"....you guys included...
Love and hugs to your corners of the world from this corner...hope you are well, safe and dry (for my east coast friends).  Thinking of you all tonight and hoping that there has been a reason for you to smile today!!

How does the garden grow.

Came home from work tonight...really wanting zucchini.  I went out to the garden and picked a few.  Then I remembered that my potato plant died. ....which meant that if I was going to have potatoes, they would be ready...I figured little potatoes because they were planted in a small pot remember??

I dug in my dress with my wedding rings on...and look what I found???

That is about a dozen decent sized potatoes....purple ones at that...

this also came out of the garden tonight...

This is my dinner tonight...fresh potatoes roasted....yum!!

I can't even tell you the level of excitement I have over these potatoes....I mean it was a total lark that we planted it....just took half a potato that had sprouted because we hadn't eaten it and shoved it in the pot with two cala lily bulbs, a bunch of ivy and a couple of other plants.  I didn't expect them to grow...but they did and they are roasting as we speak....I am so stupidly excited about them...and needed to share iwth all of you...

Love and hugs to you all..

The people I love

Well, as you can see I took a ton of pictures...
some of my favorites are of the people I was with...so I figured  I would share those with you today...I am only in one of these pictures as I was the one behind the camera...I like it that way :)  My brother is the tall one with all the faces...the boyfriend is in most of them and then one of their friends who came with us...and of course my fabulously gorgeous parents!
hope you are all enjoying your long weekends and last summer parties..

Grand Canyon

Random Question...

Anyone reading have twitter?
I have started using it more frequently at the encouragement of my brother.
I don't really understand hashtags but am getting better at it everyday.
So if you want to hear the mundane goingons in my life in less than 140 characters,
Look me up
colenic417

I might even try to figure out how to hook it up with the blog...not really sure about that yet.

Hoover dam