Road Trip!!

Nope, not going on this one. Mainly because I have my extended celebration trip starting next week. And even though it's in a car and not on a plane, this trip just didn't seem to fit into my plans. However, I am very happy for Maribeth, Everley, Emmatha, Lynnette, and Lindley to be going.

Basically, this is one part of the "48 State" road trip that I hope to do at some point. However, Maribeth plans to do it a bit differently. While I plan to do it all in one fell swoop with very little stopping and spending time here and there for extended periods, Maribeth's plan is to do it in pieces, driving some of it and flying to/from some of it. This leg involves driving to Memphis, through Arkansas, to Texas where she will drop off Lynnette and Lindley in Fort Worth to spend the week with Grandad and Grandmom Ogle, and then head eventually to Denver. I think.

Anyhow, today after Maribeth finished delivering the mail, they loaded up the rented Suburban (complete with DVD player) and headed out. Their first stop will be in Memphis, where they will tour Graceland. Bon voyage and safe travels!! And yes, I'll be sharing some of the photos they send me!

During the day, while Everley and Lindley went swimming,
Emmatha and Minnie cat spent quality time together

These two are the conductors of the trip. Not sure who's in charge of what ...

And we waved them off. 

The view of the back seat passengers. 

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Today's blessings include: Emmatha time; Molly bringing Starbucks and getting Emmatha to sleep; Everley and Lindley swim time; Lindley letting me brush the tangles out of her hair; getting the Suburban loaded and the kids and supplies loaded up; safe travel to Memphis for the group

TGIF!!

Tonight Everley and Emmatha spent the night with us. Tomorrow they, along with their mother and Lynnette and Lindley, are going on a road trip west, so Maribeth needed to get things together. This week Everley has been at Pony Camp at Camp Widjiwagen, and today was their last day and program. Maribeth and Steve headed out there to watch. Mathieu was also going to go and I was going to pick up Emmatha, but then the rain started and the program was washed out, so Steve and Maribeth picked up Everley and headed back and Mathieu ended up picking up Emmatha.

Eventually everyone ended up back at the Doik and Steve grilled burgers. Sam and Lindley came over and everyone played until it was time to go. Mathieu and Maribeth left so she could pick up the travel vehicle (which she will leave somewhere and fly home with the girls after dropping off Lindley and Lynnette in Texas - and that's only part of their trip). Everley was soon asleep, as was Emmatha.

It's been a full week, and looks to be another full week ahead, so it's good for everyone to get a good night's sleep. August is going to be a very busy month!!

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Today's blessings include: sweet basket of goodies from the Simmons family; fun times with the grandgirls; Steve's burgers on the grill

The Little Mermaid!!

Tonight KB, Lynnette, Lindley, Maribeth, Everley, and I went to TPAC to see the musical, The Little Mermaid. VP Pence was speaking downtown, so KB and I went early to pick up Lynnette and Lindley, expecting a lot of traffic (MB and Everley were coming in her minivan). Of course, there was no traffic, so we picked up McDs enroute to Lynnette's house and had a quick dinner before heading out. KB went in to get our food at McDs, and when she came out, she said she had forgotten ketchup. I told her I was sure that Lynnette had ketchup at her house, so KB didn't go back in. And guess who didn't have any ketchup? Yup! So the lesson learned is to always get the ketchup.

Anyhow, after eating our ketchup-less fries, we loaded up the car and headed to TPAC. We parked and walked over with plenty of time to spare (they hadn't even opened the door to the auditorium). Eventually Maribeth and Everley arrived and we settled in our seats (which were really great) to watch the show.

And to put it mildly, the show was absolutely fabulous. Ariel was performed by an actress of Asian descent. Lynnette told us that a friend of hers, who has two Asian young daughters, went to see the show with her little girls. Afterwards, they all got to meet with this actress, and they were all in tears at the opportunity for these little girls to see someone in such an important role who looked just like them.

Speaking of actors, the ones who were in this production were amazing. Ariel was a tiny little thing with a tremendous voice. Eric was a dream to see and hear, and Ursula was over the top. And then there was the choreography, which was superb, and made you feel like you were "under the sea." It was an absolutely wonderful production and night to be together.

By the time it was over and everyone got back home, it was nearly 11:00pm. Maribeth dropped Everley off at our house because E wanted to spend the night. It wasn't long until she was asleep and I followed soon after. What a great Thursday night!!

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Today's blessings include: girls night out; McDs and no ketchup with KB

Do What Now?

Today at the Y, we decided to do something different. The we in question would be Molly, KB, and me. And the thing we decided to do different is to participate in a sculpt class.

Technically, it was all KB's idea. One day when she was at the Y without us, she "Peeping Tom'med" on this class (it meets at 6am when we are usually doing the stationary bikes). Anyhow, she had observed the class and determined that maybe we could do it without (a) getting kicked out, (b) getting laughed out, and/or (c) getting carried out by an EMT. And so today was the day we decided to go for it.

When we walked in to the room, we noticed there were women of all shapes, sizes, and ages. And one dude. Of course the leader weighed about 10 pounds and had no body fat. Since all the other ladies (and dude) were getting various pieces of equipment, I asked the leader what we should do. She said to get three different sets of weights and basically every other piece of equipment. And there was a lot of equipment.

Once we had all our "stuff", we kinda laid it around our individual mats. Of course we were at the back of the class - my favorite place to be. The leader told everyone to make sure that we could see a mirror wherever we were - to make sure that our form was correct. I was just hoping for a mirror to put under my nose to make sure I was still breathing.

Anyhow, off we went. The class wasn't bad - in fact, it was pretty good. It would have been really good, had I been able to keep up. But there was this big exercise ball that was used and you had to lie on it at times and roll down to your shoulders while holding some dumbbells, and well, that was a lot of instructions and paraphernalia and coordination for me to keep straight. Let's just say I did my best, and so what if everyone was on their twentieth rep by the time I got into position.

We did other stuff with Bosu balls and all those weights and a little ball that you were supposed to hold between your legs somewhere in the vicinity of your knees and a ring that was also supposed to go in the same general location. There was getting up and getting down and a step thingy and a big rod thingy. The good thing is that (a) I had a towel for mopping my sweaty brow, and (b) a bottle of water to replace the bodily fluid that I was sweating, and (c) I didn't pass out.

In the end, I think we all agreed the class was a good idea. I probably coulda/shoulda worked a little harder at things, but there was a lot of mental attention required, and that was exhausting in itself. At least we got through this first time - hopefully we'll make it a regular thing!

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Blessings today include: participating in the sculpt class and the nice people who helped us and the nice instructor; going to Sam's to see paint progress; Lindley riding her new scooter

And Now It's August!!

I cannot believe it's already August. Do you realize how fabu I would look, had I kept my idea (let's not say bad words like "resolution") to lose weight and get in shape from January 1? Sigh - so much time, so little done ...

Nevertheless, it is August, and it is a big one. There are many things that are happening this month. There are a few things to consider. Let's just go over the list ...

• First of all this is my birthday month. And it is a significant one, because this is, like last year (give or take a year in Disney time) at Disneyland (you knew I'd bring Disney into this), my 60th. And while I do not like (a)big deals, or (b) surprises, there are a few things I have planned.
• Turning 60 means the end of this blog. Afterall, what's the use of "Luanne at 50-whatever" if one is no longer 50? So the question remains, do I just quit the blog thing altogether or continue? And if I continue, do I still with Blogger or go with something else? And if I continue and decide how to continue, what shall I name this new blog?
• And speaking of blogging, I still have approximately 189 missed blog posts stemming from May of 2016. Do I still try to catch them up (a huge significant amount will be a photo, but at least it will be a post)? Or do I just take my losses and let it go? And if I decided to let any or all of them go, what's the deadline for that?
• What do I want for my birthday? So far, I want my Pandora jewelry to get cleaned (it looks bad right now, and I don't know why, but Molly is on that mission). I also want a vacuum cleaner that really works (that means it will suck up off the floor all those things I want sucked up) or to get my current vacuum cleaner fixed/revved up. I know - I dream big.
• Now in terms of my 60 celebration plans, the first will be in two weeks from today, when I shall fly to Toronto and catch a train that leaves at 11pm from Toronto. It will travel across Canada to Vancouver. I will spend 4 days and corresponding nights in a "single sleeper cabin" that has its own toilet but the shower will be down the hall. Here is some dude's video - even I am laughing as I watch it ...

 

        Amazingly, nobody has taken me up on going with me. Which is just as well, because 

        then I would have to get a double sleeper.

• Anyhoo, once I get to Vancouver, I will meet up with Molly, who will have flown in the day before (that means on Friday, as I am set to arrive on Saturday). KB and Lynnette are scheduled to arrive (via plane) on Saturday afternoon, and Maribeth is flying in on Sunday. Then on Monday we are boarding the Disney Wonder for a 7-night cruise to Alaska!
• Once we get back from Alaska, I will fly to Orange County and catch a Super Shuttle to Disneyland (the others will fly back to Nashville). Since I was already scheduled to be in Disneyland that weekend for that half-marathon weekend, I saw no reason to fly to Nashville (cross country) and then back to California (cross country) a couple of days later (cross country flying is not my fave thing to do). 
• I will spend a few days at Disneyland, waiting for Molly to fly in (she has no issues with flying cross country). One day I have an actual "Hollywood-type" tour where I will see all things Los Angeles and Hollywood. I will do quite well as a country bumpkin tourist.
• I will participate in the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend - probably only the 5K and 10K. Once all that is done Molly and I shall fly back to Nashville, where I will return a 60 year old person.

So, as you can see, I have stuff to do. Maybe I had better take a nap first ...

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Blessings today include: working out on the machines at the Y with KB and Molly; 90 minute massage with Brandi; Maribeth bringing lunch (after she and Molly and Steve ate out); Everley and Emmatha time and hearing about "pony camp"