Snowtember?

I like.....fall mornings with the windows open and a beautiful breeze darting through my house. The change of seasons has been interesting this year. Much like the change from winter to spring, the change from summer to fall has been a bit bipolar. Our neighbors to the far north of us in Canada are already feeling the cold bite of winter and calling this Snowtember?! Come on...it's not even Halloween yet!

I love the cool crisp mornings. The coolness is beginning to force its way in and causing the gradual turning of the formerly green leaves to brilliant reds, yellow, oranges and even some rather attractive browns. The anticipation of all the fall color, Halloween and the smell of pumpkin, spices and all, makes me want to curl up and read a good book and helps to ease the pain of having to close my long awaited pool. Sigh.....

I have heard and God forbid I should repeat it, that winter is to be a bit of tyrant this year. More snow, more ice, less warmth and less sun and a dare I say.....longer winter. This does not please a girl who likes snow and cold about as much as she likes having a root canal. Have I mentioned I hate root canals? Okay....give me one good snow, a roaring fire, the kids out of school and a bowl of amazing chili and I am good. After that....spring better be just around the corner.

So you can't fight Mother Nature. Heck....you really can't even argue with her. The best you can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Today I will enjoy the cool breezes and the gentle changing of the season and continue to hope that Snowtember is a long way off!

Happy Monday! 

Tired...But Never Too Tired for Pigs

I am tired! I am so tired in fact that I almost shut my alarm off and went back to sleep. My night was full of dream after dream. I have no idea what I dreamed....I just know I dreamed.... and dreamed a  lot. Nights like that are simply NOT restful.

Yesterday....getting back into the swing of work after being off for 5 days was tough. That and having new surroundings to work in was different too. Not that I am complaining....I love the new work remodel....it just will take some getting used to. I did get my workout in, but I am noticing that I have been working out to the point of feeling muscle and joint pain. Morning's have started to be a real treat when I try to get out of bed. My legs are pretty stiff and they ache like crazy. Either that is a sign that I am starting to get somewhere with my workout....or I am just old. It is probably the latter.

Today is suppose to be cold and rainy. WHY? Why can't the sun shine? Perhaps if the sun were all aglow....so then would I be. Instead...I want to climb back in bed and sleep for another 7 hours. All I can say is.....spring feeling weather better get here soon....before  I mentally deteriorate.

I make no big plans today. All I have on the schedule is trying to fit a work out in and work and then the other things that  normally make my Tuesday so grand. If I can make it through those things....then I am going to treat myself to an early night. This should be easy as Glee is only in reruns until April....so no real reason to stay up past 7 p.m. if my body is so inclined to call it a day. And since my body is already so inclined.....it looks as if there could be a 7 p.m. bedtime in my future. Yay!

Your Photo Here......(Day 8)

Pig Calendar

Today is a picture which is close to my heart. I have mentioned once or twice or maybe a thousand times or so.....that I love all things swine. Well one of my favoritist (again....a word if I say it is) things at work is my pig calendar. I love going in and seeing a pig mark my month and day. And if ever during the day I start to feel a little down....my pc invariably makes me smile. What? You tellin' me a cute piggie doesn't bring a smile to your face?

I have actually had a pig calendar of some variety (baby pigs, big pigs, dressed up pigs...) for years and the funny thing is....never have I had two alike. Some have been gifts and some I have had the pleasure to pick out myself...but never have any of them been a copy of the year before. I just love it.

So if ever you just have a hankering to give me a gift...just remember...I love all things pig, but most especially....I love me some piggie calendar!

The Colorization of Valentine's Day

It is that time of year when I see everything in black and white with only a few shades of gray thrown in. It is cold and the outside world seems really stark. We are smack dab in the middle of winter and all I do is long for spring. Yesterday and the couple of days prior were a teaser of things to come (warm temps and sun) but they were all too fleeting and on their heels is clouds, cold, and what one weather source claimed would be the worst snow/ice storm and cold spell since 2008. Since I don't remember the winter of 2008 right off the top of my head...I don't know for sure just what we are in for, but I am thinking if they are making comparisons.....it can't be good. So here I am......cold, black and white with only a shade or two of gray...longing for spring.

Soon though....we will be in February and although often times in the Midwest this is the worst part of winter.....it also has its positives. The first positive is, it is the last month before we actually start seeing real signs of spring and also the month that leads us into storm season. Storm season is my absolute favorite time of year.....but as usual....I digress. Probably the best thing about February (this year anyway) is.....Valentines Day. To give you my mental visual of Valentines day....it is a cold, stark grayish photo with a colorized heart thrown in the middle. In other words.....Valentines will be the only bright spot in the dead of winter.

Now many cringe at the thought of Valentines. Mostly men who have no idea what to get or do for the woman in their life, and those who aren't currently attached. To them....the date is just a way to exploit their cash flow or make glaringly obvious the fact that they have no one to celebrate the holiday with.

In the last decade....Valentines has meant absolutely nothing to me. I purchased the obligatory small heart shaped boxes of chocolates for my kids, helped them address the age appropriate valentines cards for their classmates and other than that....ignored the holiday all together. Why??? Because when you lose the one who holds your heart completely......you also lose your desire to celebrate a holiday in which most people celebrate with a sense of obligation (because the calendar and their significant other say they should) and who have no real understanding or appreciation of what the holiday actually means.

This year though is different for me. Maybe because it has been a decade since last I truly acknowledged the day and it is time to allow a little colorization in or maybe because I have several people in my life who think my 2011 won't be complete unless little candy hearts and visions of romance are oozing from my pores. Whatever the case....Valentine's Day is coming and maybe this year....I don't want to let it (or at least the thought of it) pass me by.

All of this is a actually a moot point as I have no "special" someone to share it with. Back when I was young...you could grab someone the day before the "big" day, announce to the world you were going together and were madly in love.....and there you go......you had a Valentine. Forget the fact that more than likely....the day after you would be broken up. Now though having a real Valentine in my opinion takes a little more commitment than a 48 hour relationship.....and romance has a little different meaning too. Back in the day.....romance was physical attraction with the hopes of ending the date with a fantastic kiss. Now a days though....romance goes a little deeper. Emotional attraction trumps the heck out of pure physical attraction. Granted you still want someone who looks like he showered (at least for your date) and who is acquainted with a toothbrush.....but can he make you laugh? Can you sit down and carry on a conversation about anything from diapers to car parts and kids to hockey and still be interested in each other? Can you look at each other with honest eyes and realize that neither of you is 20 and both of you have lived lives that have brought on gray hair, no hair, hair in places hair shouldn't be, lines on your face, calluses on both your hands and your hearts, body parts that creek, and body parts that have expanded.......and still find things to laugh about? If the answer is yes.....then that my friends is the kind of romance I am looking for. Now don't get me wrong.....I am all for the hand holding, the kissing and the candy and flowers, but without true emotional romance....the rest is just smoke and mirrors.

Now I maybe old(er) but I am not delusional. The romance I speak of takes time to cultivate and with the life I lead.....would take an exceptional kind of guy to sign on for.....and with just about two weeks until the big day, I am thinking Mr. Exceptional is not suddenly going to appear and make up for lost time. Nor do I think that I am going to be bombarded with roses and candy when the 14th rears its red little heart just because many are in love with my charm, personality and the catchy way I write a blog. In fact....I am pretty darn sure that this Valentine's will come and go just as uneventfully as those of the last decade.....with one small exception. This year I actually acknowledge it. This year my heart is starting to open to the possibilities and this year even though the day might not be full of hearts and flowers.....it will be full of hope. Hope for Valentine's days to come.

So this year when I hear others say the words Will you be my Valentine, I don't think I will cringe, throw up in my mouth or worse....... simply just ignore it all. On the contrary.....I think I just might smile.....maybe even laugh...... and just sit back and enjoy..... the colorization of Valentine's Day.

I Wish I Was a Bear!

So I am sitting here wishing that I was home, snuggled under a warm blanket eating soup, or chili, or maybe a Hot Rod Burger. Anyway....you get the idea. I wish I was at home instead of at work. Why....because it is snowing outside and apparently I am more bear than human. I looooooonnnnnngggggg to hibernate and not show myself until spring is in the air.I have always been so jealous of those darn bears. I wish I was a bear!

Apparently others have had the same tendencies as myself today..... for I have hardly seen a soul. Granted the quiet makes for a peaceful Monday....but it also makes for a very sleepy Monday. Twice today I have caught myself nodding off. One of those times was when my boss was talking to me. If he missed the trickle of drool starting down the side of my mouth, then I think I'm good.....and he may not have realized that I was partially comatose during those last few instructions I was given. Should be interesting to see if all I was told to do....matches up with all I actually did!

It is suppose to continue snowing for a few more hours and then a cold front is suppose to hit....(like having 5 inches of snow on the ground isn't cold front enough.)  I noticed that the wind is starting to whip a bit. Should make for a snuggle down kind of night. Cold wind....cold snow.....but ahhhhhh.....warm house. However....all this bliss will be but a memory when my alarm goes off tomorrow morning. It will be soooooo not fun when I once again have to leave the warmth for the cold.  Would I be wrong to pray for a SNOW DAY? Oh yeah....I am an adult....I don't get snow days anymore. I think I will go back to wishing I was a bear!