Just how are those resolutions coming?

Way back in January, I posted some resolutions for the new year. Thought I'd check them out and see how I'm doing.


=Read more for pleasure. I actually finished a whole book. I have started a new one that I hope to get read before school starts again.
=Finish what I start. I have finished a few knitting projects but still have way too many going at one time. I did finish a book. Does that count?
=Finish what I start. Still sucking at this.
=Lose 31 pounds. After posting this, I managed to actually gain 4 more pounds, but I'm happy to report that I have lost those 4 and 8 of their friends. So have 23 pounds left to lose to meet this goal.
=Blog more often. Comment more often on other blogs. No comment
=Stop sweating the small stuff. Enjoy today. This is getting better, much to my surprise. I may actually be happy after all.
=Go on 1 date. So far, still too repulsive to date. Did not have much luck on the dating site.
=Clean and organize my desk at work. Work in progress.
=Spend more time with friends. Still working on this one. Didn't help any that Kt left. But trying to get out occassionally.

So, while I haven't solved all my problems, I do see some progress. There's another New Year's right around the corner....

Mamma Mia!

Just got home from seeing Mamma Mia! It is AWESOME!! I laughed, I cried, I sang along. I even chair-danced. Great tunes, Pierce Brosnan takes his shirt off, great dancing, Pierce Brosnan takes his shirt off, fantastic costumes, did I mention Pierce Brosnan takes his shirt off??


Go see it!! Stop reading this stupid blog and get to a theater!!! NOW!!!

Homecoming

Over the 4th of July weekend, my hometown celebrated its 125th anniversary. I went.

We left New Rockford in 1974. I was 13 years old and in 7th grade. It was a horrible time to move. Junior high really sucks anyway, why make it worse on a kid by completely changing everything? Oh well, I did live through it. I did make lots of new friends in our new town, but will always consider New Rockford home.

I got up early on the 4th and started off on my 130 mile trek. The plan was to meet my parents before the parade. I pulled into town at 10 am. The parade started at 10 am. I parked my car and walked up to the parade route. Had not heard from my parents yet, so I try calling them. Goes to voice mail. I don't leave a message because mom has no idea how to retrieve her voice mail messages. After the firetrucks and their loud sirens get past, I hear the lovely little tinkle that indicates I have a new voice mail. It's from Mom. I have several un-listened to messages already in there, so instead of wading through all of them, I just call her back. They haven't left yet. Fine.

I watch the parade by myself. It's a nice parade. Lots of candy. I didn't eat any, not even one tootsie roll. I took lots of pictures.

After the parade, I drive to the fuck me bridge and call my favorite birthday girl, Kt. While talking to her, my parents call. They are finally on their way and will meet me for lunch in about 2 hours.

So, I wander around this tiny town for about an hour. I find the first house I ever remember us living in. It's for sale! When my parents bought it in the mid-60's, they paid $17,500 for it. Mom remembers trying to figure out how in the world they would ever be able to make a $92 per month house payment. Today's price? $72,500.

I go park downtown and pick up tickets for "Ring of Fire" at the DRPCA and walk around for a bit. I finally find a cool spot in the shade to sit down and wait for Ma & Pa. They show up, we have lunch. During lunch, Dad runs into an old classmate of his. I can say old. He graduated in 1953. This lady proceeds to tell us about the wild times they used to have playing strip poker. I did not need to know this about my dad.

After lunch we head to the Opera House for the matinee. This was a great show. I'm not a big Johnny Cash fan, but these guys did a terrific job. I had Johnny Cash songs stuck in my head for about a week! It also gave me the opportunity to fall for another young musician, that I may possibly be related to. By marriage.

After the show, we check into the motel, go have a few drinks, run into one of my old babysitters who tells me a story about how I fell off a slide one time while in her care. Okay, I now know of two times I've fallen off a slide and one time took a header off a picnic table. This may explain a lot. After dinner at the former Dairy Queen which is not a Dairy Queen anymore, we drive around some more. Dad wants to move back, so we look at houses.

Saturday was the big All-School reunion. There were a few people from my class that were registered, so I paid the ten bucks and registered myself. I found no one from the class of 79. Bummer. I did manage to find my best friend Bethany's sister. I was so excited. Bethany and I lost touch during high school, but after the 20 year reunion, I was able to get her info and we picked up like we had never been separated. Then one day, she just quit e-mailing back. I got busy with life, changed jobs, lost her e-mail address, forgot her married name.....So, I was bound and determined to find her sister or go see her parents to get her address! Well, I found the sister and gave her my addresses. I still haven't heard from her. Maybe I did something to make her mad, maybe she has some other reason to not contact me, maybe Karen just hasn't gotten around to giving her the information. But whatever it is, I'm not ashamed to say, my feelings are hurt. I'll check the home e-mail again when I get there, still hopeful.

Next year, my class will (possibly) convene for a 30 year reunion. I may crash it.

Six Unremarkable Quirks

Since everything about me is unremarkable, I shall just list 6 quirks! And besides that, Pink has requested that I do so!! (hi Pink!!)

1. At work, whatever windows I have open on my computer must be in a particular order: E-mail, internet, word processing/spreadsheets. If anything should have to be closed and screw up the order, all windows must be closed and re-opened in the RIGHT order.

2. I can't eat cucumbers. I love the smell and the taste of them, but can't handle the texture.

3. I am filled with glee whenever I see the chocolate milk bus. I have never ridden the chocolate milk bus, but I imagine it is filled with chocolatey goodness.

(See -- don't you feel happy all over??)

4. I love to do the Sunday crossword puzzle but will not do it when the theme is a quote.

5. If there is a cart available in a store, I get one. Even if I don't need one.

6. I believe in fortune cookies.

A Day of Fishing

Sunday was my friend Johnathan's 39th birthday. All he wanted, was to go fishing. As luck would have it, it was also "fish for free" day - no license required. So, I got to go along! I hadn't been fishing in probably 15 years. I like to fish, I just can't/don't want to/don't know how to clean a fish. Or touch a fish. I will put a worm on my hook. But no fish touching.

It was a gorgeous day out. Cool, a bit of a breeze. Just a lovely day to be outside.I didn't catch any fish. Johnathan caught several, but we only kept two. He and Beth, his wife, do not like trout. They think it is too bony, so they (the trout - not Beth and Johnathan) are in my freezer. I can't wait to eat them (again, the trout) this weekend!!

One of the more lovely aspects of outdoor living is the pit toilet. I have used an out-house many times in my life and in early June, they are usually okay - hasn't been hot enough to really stink it up. BUT - after Beth used it, I refused to. As she was walking toward the rest room, she says "If I scream, you come save me!!" so she gets in there and starts screaming...and laughing....screams again...Johnathan and I are thinking she is being funny. She wasn't. When she got back she was mad. There were mice in there. They were looking at her. I peed when we got home.

Fun day - and best of all, they said I could go along anytime.....so I'm off to get a fishing license!!

A Trip to the Zoo

My sister-in-law and niece came to town the other day to visit me. We had a great time! The annual summer reading kick-off was being held on the capital grounds, so we started there. We got to see Spiderman and Clifford the Big Red Dog. The niece played on the blow up jumping things. We watched some jousting and candy was thrown from the trebuchet. We spent a little time in the museum and then headed out to Red Lobster for a yummy lunch. After that, we went to the zoo. I love the zoo.

After the zoo, we went for ice cream. Seemed like a good excuse to go to Coldstone Creamery and splurge. I had a small coconut ice cream with some pineapple in it.....326 calories and 19.6 grams of fat....Oh my!! I was too tired to eat dinner when I got home, so really, not a bad dinner calorie-wise. Nutritionally, no so much.

Nothing spectacular happened all day long....just us three girls having fun. I guess that is pretty spectacular.

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