Survival Means Always Counting Down the Days

I left work on Friday, March 17, not thinking of four leaf clovers, corn beef or green beer. Nope. I left thinking of grabbing a blueberry lager from the frig, while King Ralph captained the truck and towed The Wanderlust. The slightly shortened day I had was by far the most stressful I'd had in some time. That doesn't even count my nine co-workers intertwined in that day's situation. 

By mile marker 90 I was finally relaxed and could start thinking spring break. A break I needed more than I realized. More so because I received an email from my boss warning of me of what was waiting for me on my desk upon my return. That's when I started to count my blessings and thank God for the children he gave me!  

I spent the week sun soaking, reading, sipping cocktails--on and off the beach, riding my bike, watching Redbox movies at night....after walking the dog under the moonlight. I grilled dinners with King Ralph, played games and laughed with him. It was good. Really good! 

Here I am a week post Spring break and all I can I do is think about summer break. You'd think I would rather reflect back on the getaway. Truth is this school year has exhausted me--mind, body and soul. So really, in the matter of survival, counting down to June 8 is the healthy thing to do! 

But if I must reflect...

Dear Beach: 

Thanks for cleansing my soul. You are the perfect escape. See you again next March. <3

Wish

It was October 2015 when I convinced my co-worker to nominate her son for Make-A-Wish. His life threatening disease and constant hospital stays made him a deserving candidate. I emailed her the application and joyfully faxed it for her. I anxiously awaited with her for the wish to be picked up.

Flash forward to March 2016 when Noah's granted wish took him to North Carolina to meet Cam Newton and he filmed a promotional video for Lokia's new MAW bracelet. I smiled and teared for four days at every picture and video I received. My heart swelled. It made long work days tolerable. 

I saw a feature story on CBS Sunday Morning about a school that partnered with MAW. It didn't take much to convince my co-worker that we should present to our school principal to be a Kids For Wish Kids school and that we should be wish granters ourselves. It didn't take much effort to convince the principal and staff to adopt this venture as a school wide service learning experience. The idea of kids actually seeing with their own eyes what their service efforts could accomplish...we knew would a fantastic lesson in empathy and goal setting. So often service learning doesn't present itself with face value. This lesson would do just that! And so the venture began. 

Starting in September the school began to raise money. The kids and their teachers sold MAW stars, custom bracelets, hot cocoa...they had penny wars and a dinner night at Culver's, where the students assisted in serving meal orders. Every fundraiser brought thrill to the kids as they strived for a goal. Then at the end of the rainbow they struck gold--$5000 was raised! The cost of the wish. 

This past Friday the school revealed the wish. It was spectacular! My co-worker and I worked hard decorating the night before and early in the morning on Friday. We hung hundreds of stars from the hallway ceiling. We rolled out a red carpet with a welcome tunnel of cheerleaders. We set a throne, adorned with balloons, between the school band and the school choir. The band played a Disney medley, as a timid 7 year old was escorted by student ambassadors into the gym to his throne; by the cheering of 800 people. He was presented a gift basket of Disney treasures and serenaded by the choir singing Cinderella's: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. 

I kept my wish granter's tears in check. Then his mother asked to speak. She spoke of her gratefulness and how unreal the fanfare the school was showing to her son. Then she said the thing that drew a lump to my throat as I fought to hold back tears. She spoke of the years of her son's struggles and the fight against cancer he had to endure. She told the students and staff how this week he looked at her and her husband and said that getting to go to Disney was so great it made "having cancer medium." Spoken in such simple terms by a 7 year old, yet so profound. There it was. The lesson learned from the service. The weight of the wish and the magic of healing the heart. 

As this timid 7 year old was leaving the gym he stopped in front of the band to gaze. The director took his little hand and guided it in the necessary direction of each beat. There he was conducting the band as they played the Mickey Mouse song. Every turn this little guy took he was a star. Students asking for pictures with him and patting his back. He was experiencing his 60 minutes of fame. 

There's something that sticks in the heart when you witness a wish granted. That something has fueled the school to work at granting another wish. 

If you keep on believing the dream that you wish will come true. 

Color Me Manila File Folders

Last Friday I popped into Starbucks to fetch a skinny vanilla almond milk latte. I'd been craving a coffee something bad! After standing in line for seven minutes without moving I had to hop out of line and head to work. It ruined the day when the one thing I wanted I couldn't have because of time clock constraints! 

This morning I was determined to have a Friday coffee. I arrived to a nearly empty parking lot. I felt confident. When I approached the door to Starbucks I cringed. Five people ahead of me. Why coffee lines gotta move slow is beyond me. While I was waiting to place my coffee order I texted Princess A 

(Looked at my weather app, outside temp 26*) 

Truth is I dress for inside not outside. I dress to survive the seven to three-thirty grind...and that means sandals. I stood waiting staring at my watch, tick-tock-tick-tock. Fear not, I scored coffee! I felt like Wonder Woman ready to tackle whatever might be coming my way. And did it come! 

The day came at me like a swarm of bees. File folders fanned across my desk like a deck of cards. My waiting area succumb to standing room only. My computer's mouse guiding the arrow to "print" over and over again. I cranked out notification emails like they were multi-million dollar lottery tickets. My spread sheet of names growing by the minute. Taking a bathroom break was a guilty pleasure. At times I let my mind remember the delicious coffee I started my day with and how it fueled me. 

And my feet...happy and cool! 

Dear Monday, please go easy on me! I still have Friday's file folders to hide behind. 

Salt Pod Got Me Like

My co-worker came to work post her salt pod float raving about it. I decided it was what I wanted for Valentine's Day. I booked myself a 90 minute float. Not that V-Day requires gifts...it was basically an excuse to spend $50 and eased any guilt I might have felt for splurging on myself.

I talked M into joining in on the experience. I floated in room one and she in room two. For an hour and a half I relaxed. It was the deepest meditative state my body has ever experienced. I wish I'd fallen asleep the entire time. I started out in the dark with the soft space age music softly playing before going with total silence. My body stretched out like a star fish, my head resting on a pool noodle, comfortably enclosed in the salt water pod...feeling like I was floating in space. I really really felt like I was floating in space. Until some salt got in my eye. I had to jump up to grab a towel to dab my eye as the burning sensation grabbed hold. Then I returned to my pod. M said the same thing happened to her, except she crawled out of her pod like the swamp thing blindly feeling for the shower for a an eye wash. After 90 minute of infusing my body with magnesium and relaxation the pod spoke to me...something like my time was now up, exit the pod to shower, and that it would begin to empty shortly--the water. 

Will I float again? Yes! My skin felt like silk and I was rejuvenated. 

Will M? She said probably not. 

Go Ahead Mother Nature, Keep On Teasing

Do you ever have one of those days? Or two? Of course you have. We all have! The last two days had me crawling on my hands and knees to Friday at 3:30pm. 

Last Sunday the weather was glorious! Mother Nature kind of laughed in the groundhog's face and his call of six more weeks of winter gracing us with a 71* day. King Ralph, D and I headed out to walk a new (to us) trail. We even took our pouch along. It was exactly what we all needed! February, for me, is notorious for a heavy load of defiant students. King Ralph is dealing with work nonsense. While D is college senior stressed. There is something about fresh air that is so healing to the mind and soul.

By Wednesday Mother Nature laughed again and dropped an hour of snow flurries from the sky. Thursday it was bone ass cold. I ran a heater under my desk at work all day to fight off hypothermia. 

This weekend we are back to the spring weather. Friday I came home shed my closed toe shoes for Birkenstocks. Made myself a couple of grapefruit martinis and sat on the deck. I felt the nonsense of the last two days melt away. And Saturday. Woooo! I got something exciting planned. Can't wait to share the experience! 

When The Save Button Fails

Last week I started to draft a post about my political feelings. It has always been my rule to not make posts of my personal political views--regardless of how many people might share my thinking. So when twice my edits didn't save I took it as a sign to move on. 

Last Friday after work King Ralph, M and I drove to see D in her final college opera performance. After the opera we took a few her friends to get beers at a new beer house. A place that didn't scream college drunk fest. It was inviting in its industrial astetic, simple decor and butcher block picnic style tables. The plethora of beer and cider options on tap made our eyes sparkle. The pretzel chaser we ordered was large, hot and delicious! I shall return for a few brews, and a pretzel, with D before she parts way in May. (Funny side story: when I went to close out our tab my card was declined. Haha, I accidently gave my flex spending card to the bartender. Honestly, I can't see why beer isn't considered medicinal?!)

It was when my political post seemed sabotaged by the save button that I knew to reflect on what the last four years gave me, gave us, that was where my heart was meant to be! 

And we never failed to remember the flowers. Always flowers!  

In the end I was saved by the save button. Amen to that! 

Weekend Warrior

I feel like I'm on a streak of bad luck. 

Weekend bad luck. 

Last Friday morning I woke up at 4AM with my stomach churning. I made a valiant attempt to get ready for work, but by 5:30AM my head was in the toilet bowl. I spent a good part of the weekend getting IVs,  anti-nausea medications, shots in my arse and just curled up in a ball, moaning. 

The plans that were to happen last weekend was to start checking off my Oscar buzz list of movies. Those that know me know I have an obsession with seeing all Oscar nominated films. Friday was to be a date night with King Ralph to see Manchester by The Sea and Saturday was to be a daughter date to see Jackie with Princess A (King Ralph said not a chance in hell could I drag him to that one.) 

Here we are this weekend...didn't want to jinx myself with the movies I picked last weekend. I decided we would head over to Frontenac for dinner at the Canyon Café and then pop over to the Landmark Theater to see Lion. What the hell! Mother Nature come on, another ice storm?! So here I sit taking an unpaid day off work because it's too dangerous to drive. I'm scrolling through my Netflix options. Series of Unfortunate Events it is...no pun intended. 

Well I'm all bummed I'm not going to be going to the movies again this weekend, but my poor M's best college friend/former roommate is getting married on Saturday. There's been tears from the bride when the florist refused to deliver the flowers on Saturday, the hair and make up lady canceled....  And all the while all King Ralph and I really care about is that everyone gets to where they need to go safely! I could imagine wedding photos surrounded by ice dripped trees would be magical, but in reality it's really just a bride's hell! 

So. Here I'm putzing around the house cleaning this and cleaning that...sipping tea and watching Netflix...putting a puzzle together to the sounds of tiny ice pellets hitting the windows. 

Winter. I love you. To a point! 

Good Bye 2016

This year I have been suffering mental exhaustion from work. This year I find myself reminding me that the students I encounter are but a mere percentage of the student population. I remind myself it's no big deal to have a new boss. This year I come home and am drained...creative juices all but spent on politically correct letter writing and fake niceness. 

While I took the weekends of October to shower myself in fun, friends and relaxation...did I mention my trip to hang with Amy Roloff?

Ya, I forgot to mention that bit of fun. November and December have the usual holiday stresses of their own. I am proud of myself though, because I kept "holiday Jodi" (as my girls have labeled my wig outs) in complete check. 

I took control of my stresses last year by losing 25 pounds (15 more to go). I got my medical obstacles taken care of--some with pills, one under the knife. Also, I decided I didn't need to let my coworkers's nonsense disturb me any longer. It has been easier to put all my other stresses in perspective by just tackling one. The domino effect is working! 

Keeping myself paced through the holidays has been a tremendous calming to me. We decorated the tree as a family (this consisted of girls decorating while the men watched till the angel needed placing). I shopped and wrapped while those around me seemed flustered at getting the jobs tackled. The girls and I had a baking Sunday. It was relaxed, fun, not a chore. I kept my house very tidy so excessive mad cleaning wasn't a necessary. 

Then Christmas came. 

We feasted, worshipped, and sipped French martinis while opening gifts on Christmas Eve--as a family.  

Christmas Day we feasted, sipped cocktails and played games--as an extended family. We celebrated family members announcing a pregnancy and an engagement. We did loads of dishes and gorged on cookies. It was all a jolly good time!! 

I decided to fill my spare time this year with something more meaningful that gives and gives back. I am now a Make-A-Wish wish granter.

There is something fulfilling in adding joy to someone else's life, kneeling in front of someone else's Christmas tree to snap a picture, remembering the true spirit of Christmas. When you know the goal to granting a wish is total reality...pure and utter excitement overtakes the heart! 

With my heart full and my mind/body relaxed; I've taken to doing what I want on my winter break from work. I spent an evening at the movies with King Ralph, M and D to see Passengers. On two separate mornings I went solo to the movies to see Collateral Beauty and La La Land. I spent another day flopped on my bed binge watching "This Is Us." I lunched on The Hill with King Ralph and Princess A.    

So ya, I'm getting it. Life. In a better healthier way. 

No 2017 resolution required! 

It's Not Goodbye, But See You Later

While some people have been consumed with post election mental breakdowns...I was busy feeling good. You see I chose, we chose, to spend the weekend away from negativity and the TV. 

King Ralph and I took The Wanderlust out for once last adventure. We walked the dog along the river. We grilled. We drank wine under the almost full moon. We made campfires all weekend. King Ralph smoked cigars. I read my book, while Fall's fresh cool air kissed my skin and the campfire warmed the air. 

King Ralph and I were truly relaxed. Not a care in the world! 

Then we winterized The Wanderlust. Tucking her in for cold months ahead, and waiting for Spring to come back around again. 

Till then....

The Post I Forgot to Post

The Monday morning struggle was real! Dragging myself from my bed was a real feat. You see, October weekends have not failed us. Once again we were off on an adventure. It's the impending adventures that carry me through the work week! 

Our latest adventure was to include Prince Charming. He has yet to make a trip to Chicago to meet the people up there that mean the most to us. His California address got in the way for years...then he moved back to the Lou...and who knows what's been keeping him from joining in on our past trips. Perhaps that little thing called: a job. 

It was all planned--introducing him around town. Then his sister had to go and have her baby ahead of her scheduled C-section date. Which meant we adventured without Prince Charming. Completely understandable. 

To Chicago we went! Me, King Ralph and Princess A. 

With the Cubs in the city we opted to venture out into nature. Five of us headed out to Matthiesn State Park.

We navigated the rocks as we crossed the water.

One of us mistook leaves and pine needles thickly laying atop the water as ground. Yep, down in the water went my shoe. The wet shoe was worth the nature sights! 

After we hiked in the dells area of the park, we headed to Ottawa to try out a microbrewery

We sampled 

But I'll be a son-of-a-gun if in October this place was out of their Octoberfest brew. 

We finished off Saturday with deep dish pizza, the Cubs and pumpkin martinis. 

On Sunday we headed over to the nursing facility to hang with my favorite old lady--my Grandma. 

King Ralph snapped this candid shot of my Grandma and I. I think I'll end up cherishing this photo. It's real. It's simple. It's love. 

And the October adventures continues....

The Light Shines Blue

Tomorrow morning King Ralph will put on his dress blues and do what he's done so many times before--attend a police funeral. They're the kind of funerals no person in blue cares to attend, but know they must. It is the kind of funeral I pray every night never touches our family. It's the type of funeral that leaves me praying for a young widow and her toddler son. 

When a life is lost in the line of duty I'm reminded why I've always kept one dirty undershirt of King Ralph's.  If the girls and I ever where to lose him...well, I want to be able to breath in his scent. It's also why I like to keep one foot touching his leg at night. I need to know my guy is there next to me. Silly I suppose, but more now than ever, in this day and age where police are not respected....and more often hated.   

The night Officer Snyder's life was taken I snuggled King Ralph before drifting off to sleep and I told him I can't wait for him to retire. I told him I appreciate what he does to provide for our family, and that I'm proud of him...but I ready to stop worrying. I worry more now than I use too. 

Tonight as we turn off the lights and head to bed, one light at our house will shine blue. Shine in honor of a life lost to soon, to young, in the line of duty.

October Fun Carries On

After a crazy busy day of work, I rushed home, bopped from my car to the passenger seat of the truck. Off we went. Just King Ralph and I, off for a "romantic" camping weekend. Beating the traffic on Highway 70, making our way to the state's Capitol: Jefferson City, and Binder Park Campground. 

We arrived before dark, which was helpful to getting set up. Binder Park Campground is a quiet, small 17 site campground. The sites are nicely arranged with decent spacing between each. All the sites are full hookups for $18 a night. The only flaw is the water hookups are shared. God help you if you or your water partner are without a "Y" splitter. Or without 75 feet of hose. Lucky us we had both! Good thing we had enough hose because it was a distance to the water supply. Some sights are crazier in distance to their water hookup. If I could have selected my site ahead of knowing what I know now...sites 6, 12 or 15 are the sites to score. Those sites have the best water positioning. Insane to think about selection of site based on where a utility is. Other than that the sites themselves are decent. Pads are concrete (could be a tad wider), picnic tables are covered (appearing to have recently been refurbished), the campfire rings are perfectly placed--away from RV's. Oh and each site has a BBQ grill. 

What drew us to camp here? Our desire to tour the Missouri State Penitentiary. It shut down in 2004 and is open for a variety of tours. We chose the 3-hour history tour, which included viewing the gas chamber.  I don't want to share to much, in case you want to visit. I will say this...had one guy not escaped in a bread box history could possibly have rewritten itself.

I'll also say the very open railings gave my fear of heights with no security boundaries a workout. Walking the catwalks from one side of the cells to the other--eek! My heart was palpitating! 

After getting our prison history on we got lunch. We headed over to Prison Brews just up the street from the MSP, and fittingly named considering.

The micro brewery suds were fantastic--it was Octoberfest all the way for King Ralph and I. Food equally as yum. Matter of fact, best sweet potato fries I ever eaten. 

When we returned to camp we took a relaxing hike through the woods and around the lake, as the sun's warmth touched us. Then we BBQ'ed and relaxed by the campfire. Mother Nature was teasing us with Fall-ing evening temperatures.

Making a campfire absolutely perfect! 

The October weekends have been perfectly perfect! There is more fun to be had this coming weekend as well. 

Clowns

Remember when we all use to sing along with Judy Collins's Send In The Clowns? Remember when we use love to take our kids to the circus, excited to have a clown whip up balloon animals for our children? Or how your moms dressed you as a clown on Halloween...because it was an easy homespun costume. The only money spent was for store bought pasty make-up? 

Well. No more! 

Don't send in the clowns! Kids soon will not desire a trip to the circus! And no one will dress up like a clown this Halloween. Okay, well some will dress like clowns, but it ain't gonna be for a pumpkin full of candy! Nope it's gonna be to terrorize people. 

Why do I think this? Well, first I watch the news and hear all the horrible clowns antics. Then King Ralph has to deal with clown stories at work...which spill over into my work place. They were just stories, not sightings, that rile students.

Then the news didn't let up! All over town, up the highway and across the river clowns continued to lead the news stories. 

This week it got a bit more real. M called King Ralph at work to say her school was on lock down because a "dangerous" clown was allegedly spotted near the school. While she was allowed to continue conducting class with locked doors and drawn shades; the kids really wanted no part of it. The initial announcement of the lock down gave M chill bumps, she said. It wasn't long after I got home that I found her district's superintendent posted his letter to parents assuring the students and staffs safety and well being is always the biggest concern. 

In the evening I talked with my bestie in Chi Town. Turned out her daughter's school district was dealing with clown antics. The clown problem is spreading across the country. Ugh! Sigh! 

While this might be the post where I should add a clown picture, or suggest we all resurrect our VHS players to watch videos of Stephen King's IT...I'm going to refrain. Listen, I don't want hate emails because I induce nightmares. 

And. 

Please. 

Don't send in the clowns! 

 

Goodbye September. Hello October.

Where the hell did September go?! Ever since I returned to work for the school year time has sped up! Now I have zero complaints about that! I'm always up for summer break to come back around. However, it's everything that comes before summer break that is the problem. You know--winterizing the RV, leaf raking (I hate raking leaves!), holiday stresses....

Our October weekends are packed with fun. Now I hope the damn leaves stay green a little longer, holding tight to the branches. We've got no time for raking! 

We said good-bye to September by trying out a local restaraunt.

My good friend loves this place. Since it is right down the road from Princess A and her Prince Charming, we invited them to join us. They're smart, so they accepted our invitation...because they know the parentals will pick up the tab. Loved this place! The stuffed rainbow trout was delicious! The drink menu of craft beers was plentiful. Although, I went with red wine while everyone else drank suds. The menu is not over priced and the atmosphere is fun--in the neighborhood joint sense. We will return to this establishment! Sooner than later. 

October was welcomed in at the 11th Annual Octoberfest the my good friend hosts. Her husband, brother and friend crafted 7 home brew beers for the occasion.  

King Ralph, M and I agreed the Octoberfest was our favorite. I loved the Jack-O-Latte--October flavor with a touch of coffee. The perfect after-dinner suds. The Munich Dunkel was yummy. M really liked the Rye Pils...me not so much. None of us were brave enough to try the Gose, as the label warned it wasn't a flavor for just anyone's pallet.

The food is always Germanlicious! Brats, kraut, potato salad...

The dessert table never fails either. M was pleased when she snagged the last spice cake cake pop. 

It's hard to beat the brats and brew, but seeing friends you haven't hung with in a while makes the night even better. It makes the laughter louder too. 

I think our gathering circle laughed the most. M's stories of her childhood and present life kept us going for hours. 

As we put a close on the first of October M and I created our take-home six-pack from the community beer chest. Here's what the Avery's flight looks like: 

To end the weekend King Ralph and I took a late afternoon trip to SEMO to fix D's bed. 

I can attest to the fact that being woke an hour after being asleep to unstable bed slats requires a dad's handyman rescue. I say that because the weekend before D woke me to help her as half the mattress kissed the floor.

So the bed got fixed. We all got fed Mexican food (picked up the tab again). And D got us to buy her weeks groceries...plus cash in her hand. 

I think she wants us to visit more often! 

Here it is Monday all over again. Sigh. Don't you worry about me! I'll have a weeks worth of middle school antics to entertain me...while anxiously awaiting Friday's return. 

I Came. We saw. We Conquered.

There are only a few reasons and/or people that I would purposely wake at 6:30am on a Saturday for...D being one of those reasons. 

Friday after work I drove the 100 miles to hang with my baby girl. We walked from her college apartment to the riverfront. We went to a favorite local eatery for burgers and BBQ. Then walked our overstuffed stomachs to the end of riverfront walk, turned around and headed back to D's apartment. 

Later that night we went to the movies to see "Sully." We both really liked the movie. D told me how she use to have time to enjoy Tuesday $5 movie nights, but her senior year has got her by the tail. I'm glad I took her to the movies!  

When my alarm went off on Saturday at the obnoxious hour of 6:30am I reminded myself it was all for a cause. A good cause. I was running a 5K that D's sorority was hosting for their chosen philanthropy: domestic violence awareness. Okay let's be honest here, it was more run a little, walk a lot--1/4 running to be exact. I was nearing the front of the pack rather than the back. The back of the pack consisted of frat boys still sweating Friday night's case of Natty Light or shots of Fireball whiskey. 

I had a crowd of AXO girls cheering my finish. My darling niece snapped this picture. I left the brother-in-law in the dust. He and his drawstring backpack that held his cigarette pack and cell phone.

When it was all done it called for a mother/daughter picture. 

Next on the list was Inspiration Point. We drove across the bridge into the Land of Lincoln for this...

to stand upon this bluff point. Which actually scared the sh!t out of me. It also made me sad to see graffiti sprayed painted upon nature's beauty. Why?! 

And, so, I came, we saw, we conquered--a 5K and the bluff point. 

The Weekend Always Comes Back Round Again

Mother Nature totally foiled our Friday plans. We had intended to spread a blanket out on the lawn in Forest Park, gather delicious options from the foods trucks, pop bottles of bubbly and beer from our cooler and wait for the balloon glow. Rain. Non-stop Friday rain canceled the Great Balloon Race Ballon Glow. BOO! 

On to Plan B. 

What is Plan B? 

There wasn't a Plan B.

I decided King Ralph and I should take Princess A out to dinner at the establishment where we had our first date. Rigazzi's on The Hill. 

King Ralph sipped their famous fish bowl beer, while Princess A and I shared a bottle of Pinot Nior. Princess A's Prince Charming was off entertaining work clients. It was nice to spend time with our first born. 

After dinner we kicked it back in her house. She and I talked about how a woman should have total control of decorating the house. Then we rearranged the kitchen. 

On Saturday D came home from college. Our original plans were to visit her and hike Inspiration Point. Mother Nature messed those plans too. It would have been a muddy hike. So we kicked it back at home and went out for a treat at night. 

It's the kind of STL iconic treat that admits you've bid summer, accepted bidding summer farewell. 

So here we are at nearly Friday all over again! I'll be headed to visit D at college. On Saturday morning she and I will participate in a 5K race, supporting domestic violence awareness. Then we will hike Inspiration Point. 

I love the weekend! Love, love, love the weekend!!