- had a great holiday weekend. Even though the man was a bit of an a$$. Bit being an understatement. As promised, a few Pink Ladies photos (only a few though, I did not take a good picture that night!)
Me and my two Pink Ladies:
Me and my best friend:
Lisaknowing how much you love my mom, you are so going to get a kick out of this story. First, though, let me back up. My MIL has always been oldeven though I met her when she was only 60. She has always been somewhat feeble and weak and needy and whiny. And while she is a good person in many ways, I dont like how she treats her family. She never has any praise for her son (my husband) or our kids. Jeff can have the biggest accomplishment, and when he tells her about it, it is never Congratulations! or I am so proud of you. Rather it is, Oh, I see.
Infuriating for me because, as Lisa knows, my mom is like the most supportive mother on the planet. The example I always like to give is that if one day I went to her and said, Mom, I know what I want to do with my life. I have found my true calling .I am going to run through the streets naked! She would just say, Ok, then, youre going to need the right shoes, so lets get to the store She is supportiveness personified. Add to that, she is just effusive about me and the kids (and Jeff, too) at every turn. Any achievement or accomplishment is met with a supreme amount of pride and praise.
So you can already see, with just this, how different my mom is from my MIL. But heres the story I love to tell. It really goes to the heart of how different they are. When Jeff and I set the date for our wedding (it was in Marchgross month, I know ). Anyway, we told MIL and she sat there, just completely distraught and wringing her hands. Oh, no. What if there is still ice on the ground? I might slip and fall. Will there be someone who can help me in from the parking lot? And what about driving there? What if there is ice or freezing rain? I am just so nervous about the ice. She was a wreck. So then we tell MY mom. Her reaction was to throw her hands into the air in frustration. I have plans for an ice climb that week-end! It will be the last week-end of the season for that. I got a new pick axe and everything I really wanted to try it out this season and not have to wait for next year to get in an ice climb.
You can see how my MIL basically makes me cringe, given the stellar example of a mother that I have.
Fast forward to now. For a variety of reasons, she is flying down to FL with me next week. She is visiting her sister and is TERRIFIED to fly (again, in contrast my mother the world-traveling anthropologist who just got back from Egypt where she slept out in the desert on nothing but a yoga mat). The only way she can visit her dear sister is if someone flies with her and does *everything* for her. I mean everything. Lets remember that I will already have two young girls to be in charge of. Jeff and Riley are taking a separate flight and she cant go with them, so she has to go with me.
Since making the decision to come with us, she has called me 4 times a day with questions just panicking. What can I bring through security? What will I do it if beeps at me? Will you carry my purse for me? I am afraid someone will snatch it from me. All of that type of thing. And then, once on the plane, she will sit there and pray and bite her nails and read the Bible for the ENTIRE flight.
And then she will want to be the last one off the flight because she is nervous about taking her time, etc. She wants to move slowly and cautiously, and all of that. Again, in contrast to my triathlete mother who won her age group in her tri! I should mention that my MIL lives in and maintains her own house (with FIL). Drives, does volunteer work, and all of that. She is hardly house-bound. Like I said, she just as *always* been old and feeble.
Aside for the obvious reasons, I dont want her with me because (1) my girls have no clue right now that there are people who are afraid to fly. It isnt in their frame of reference to even think that anyone WOULD be afraid. So I really dont want them exposed to this; (2) I had a really nice day planned with just me and my girls. Pedicures before leaving, lunch at the airport once were checked in, and so on. Just the three of us. Now all of that is out. Not to mention the surprise of the trip. (They know we are going, but I told them we fly out on Sunday and we really go on Friday. MIL is arriving Thursday night because she cant deal with driving over Friday morning even though there is plenty of time. So now I am going to have to figure something out. I dont care about the surprise all that much since I have surprised them several times. The main thing is that I need them to get a good nights sleep. If they are too excited to sleep, then traveling will NOT be fun for any of us.)
And honestly, I am trying so hard to be good about this because it is the right thing to do. She is elderly and visiting her sister will mean A LOT to her. But the bottom line is that I just dont wanna! But its done. Her ticket is purchased and the plans are made.
And that, my friends, in the MIL drama! Lisaarent you so glad???
Here they are. This is actually 4 or so years ago. My mom has since let herself go gray (which I disagree with) and before my dad's debilitating illness.
Hi Everyone!
Ive just got back from the Gym! That is something I thought I'd NEVER say! Whats even more unbeliveable is that I really enjoyed it!
to everyone. Will be back later.
BLASHPEMY!
<sigh> 2 peas, one pod....I feel your pain. and I hate it too. When you get back, we need to kick it into gear, k?
more to say....will catch up later.
Hi ladies!
My life is reminding me of the lyrics from a country song (don't know the artist off hand...) I'm in a hurry to get things done, I rush and rush until life's no fun....
<sigh> I'm struggling to find balance right now. I do see the light at the end of the mega-insanity tunnel, and then it will be back to normal chaos. How refreshing will that be!
Paula - Dad's wine is soooo yummy! Glad to hear that the next batch of hooch is in the works! How was last night?
Liz- yay for the tracking! I'm so far off course right now I need a search and rescue team I'm afraid. More news? Is it "share-able" news?
Dawn - snow already? For real? That's insane.
Amy - glad you're feeling better! Bring on the bling!
EE - freezing at football does NOT equal fun for me. Such a good mom you are
Kat - enjoy your pleasant weather. I think we'll all live viacariously thru you for a little while, k?
Kelly - Aqua Aerobics? That deserves a special kind of goddess crown I think. Going to the gym is one thing, but being seen in a BATHING SUIT?
Lyz - sometimes "0" excitement is just what the Dr. ordered!
E - good luck with all that *stuff* on your agenda today!
Lisa - Happy Thanksgiving!!! Please do give us a food report. Turkey? Pumpkin pie? Cranberries? Or is those just an American things?
Trying to thing of Canadian things....Canadian Bacon?
Okey dokey. Rest time over - back at it for me....
There is nothing more fun than Americans trying to figure out Canada. Nuttin'. So to recap, I got an e-mail on Monday asking if I would be interested in attending a gala reception on behalf of my company. After some initial flip flopping, I agree to go and the hunt was on for an appropriate outfit for a black tie optional event (seriously, is it or isn't it black tie, but I digress).
You remember I found a few pieces on sale and borrow the remaining items for the look. Thanks to a pair of pants from my sister and a pair of shoes from my neighbor, I am good to go. After training on Saturday, I come home, shower, pack and hop in the car for the drive to the Finger Lakes area of NY. The drive was uneventful and good for a little mind cleaning type thinking. Get to the hotel, check in and chill for a little while and then it is time to get ready. Hair - check, makeup - check, outfit - check and then oh yeah, the girls want photos so here they are:
and a closeup
The reception was a lot of fun and I met some very interesting people. The outfit was perfectly appropriate given the other attendees (I was nervous I would be underdressed - whew...) Sadly, the only excitement of the evening were these two guys who were chatting with me about their cross country trips. I was invited on the next one, but somehow I doubt their wives would approve. I also don't think my father would approve as they were both older than he is, but they were a rip.
All in all it was a good night. I got back to the hotel around 10:00 and settled in to watch the Food Network special on the 10th year of Alton Brown's "Good Eats" show. Love that show - in his words it is part Julia Child, part Mr. Wizard and part Monty Python. How can you not love that.
Before driving home today, I stopped at the outlet center that is out that way to hit up the Under Armour outlet. Picked up some new tech tees and then wandered over to the Addidas outlet for some new workout pants and then found myself in the Gap outlet where I bought my first pair of Gap jeans - EVER!!!! I am so over the moon excited about buying jeans in a regular store that I can't contain myself. The fact that they were under twenty dollars is not a bad thing either, but I really didn't care what they cost at that point, I was buying them. They need to be shortened, but I will get pics at somepoint.
So that about wraps up the weekend. The drive home was the drive home. No big deal there.
You called me Little. Just about killed me to see that word.
I was very surprised that they kept her. But honestly I think she makes everyone so angry that they are totally motivated to beat her at the weigh-in.
I'm in commercial break from Unfaithful.
I tell you the first half of that movie - beyond HOT. Beyond. It never loses its charm.
Okay back to TV room. I actually have one.
(Liz packs like a week in advance and has her suitcases, yes--plural--all lined up by the door patiently waiting...)
GOOD MORNING PEOPLE!!!!! It's Thursday. It's actually raining cats and dogs in Ohio, but the sun is shining somewhere.
