Crazy...

When my children were younger, much younger, our weekends were jam-packed with nothing much actually.

We lived in a suburban town on Long Island, NY and I was going to college and co-running a cleaning business while my children were in grade school. During school nights we would do our homework and study together at the kitchen table. So when the weekends came, we hung out together, did chores together and had some of their and/or my friends over for a simple day of hanging out and dinner.

My children are grown and on their own.

Last month I moved to a different state.

Things have changed.

Here in this small, one traffic light, rutal town where Capt and I live you'd think life with children would be more simple.

You'd be wrong. Very wrong.

It seems like everyone here with children, including Capt, runs themselves crazy on weekends with sports practices, sports games (sometimes 5 on one Saturday), birthday parties, dances, play dates, etc. There doesn't seem like there is enough time to relax and hang out together.

And chores, how do they ever get done? I'm all about the cleaning.

Running around after Capt and the kids is exhausting, so exhausting that by Saturday afternoon I'm most likely to cry "Uncle" and retreat to my house for a few hours where I clean, do laundry and cook....then light a fire and read a book. They just leave me alone and continue on with the madness.

Adjusting to this new life has been more difficult that I expected. I'm having my moments of home sickness and empty nest syndrome.

And my new job, let's just say I have to have a new attitude about it. I'm working on it.

Whoever said "be careful what you wish for", knew something.

And yet, my dreams are all coming true and I'm loving all this.

She Dreams

My long-time friend Dee and I were talking on our cell phones Sunday while I was crossing the Sound on a ferry. I was visiting my daughter for lunch and transferring my granddog back to her after a week of visiting with me, his Grandma.

Well, my friend Dee is hanging on to her sanity by a thin thread right now. She is about to lose everything she has because of bad decisions in her life. We both commented on how we both have noticed that we have stepped a bit back from our relationships with God, that we weren't doing the same things we used to. Things like ...well... more prayer, more of reading the Bible and setting aside time for Him.

We both told each other that we will become accountable to each other this month and speak every other day, write our goals down on paper and read them to each other and make a plan to get there. I know I have to find a different church to attend, a church where I will fit better. I love the church I attend now, but I know there is a better fit somewhere else.

So, we made a pact to get back to living our lives more in a Biblical fashion.

I suggested that we don't go around stoning people though. We agreed to leave that part of living more like the Bible out. I don't think Jesus would mind.

I guess with all of talking with Dee and with me looking around on the internet for a new church, last night I had this dream:

A boy was walking down the street throwing wadded up yellow papers at my neighbor's houses. I knew he was an angel. When he passed in front of my house I reached out my hand and was so afraid I wouldn't catch the ball of paper (I can't catch to save my life), but it landed right in my hand. I asked for another one and my neighbors all told me that wouldn't be possible. But the angel threw me another. I asked for another and another and I wound up with 5 before he walked on to another house.

As I opened them up inside each one was a prize. A gold coin, a gold trinket, a silver coin, and a stamped piece of gold. It was a stamped with a seal that read, "you belong to me" in Hebrew lettering. When I opened the last gift it was a brilliant pear shaped sapphire ring with a card. The ring fit my right finger perfectly. The card said, something to the effect of "Many blessings on your engagement, Love, Jesus Christ".

Just then Jesus came to my front door. Everyone inside bowed, so I did. Then He walked passed us and looked up and started laughing. People stood around Him, but kept their distance. I just walked right up to Him and he pointed to my ceiling and said, "Nice job on making the hole those guys used to lower the sick man to get healed into a pull down door". We both were laughing about it. He walked around my house and then He was gone.

Whenever I have a dream like that I've got to wonder why. What is the meaning? Or does it even have a meaning?

It was a wonderful dream either way and at least I made Jesus laugh.

The Wedding Journey

Capt asked me to come over his house after work yesterday to see something.

He had downloaded a wedding planning program onto his laptop for us.

Leave it to Capt to find a way to technologize our wedding!

Remember when I bought my house and before I even had the movers come he had my house hooked up with wireless printer/scanner/fax and computers?

Anyway, I need help. I'm certain you all know that by now, but I really need help in planning our wedding.

First of all, I'm not the type of person that likes to have a lot of attention drawn to myself. I'd rather elope, but that is not an option. We settled for a small wedding at my house.

I'd like something simple.

And elegant.

We are going to rent round tables, chairs, linens and china from a rental place and set them up in the livingroom.

My friend Pat is going to handle the food which will be from Tiarra Mar, a restaurant that I used to do catering with and one of my favorite restaurants on Long Island.

Now, what else?

Do you have any ideas for a simple ceremony?

Is there anything from your wedding that stands out as something memorable?

What about decorations?

I'm clueless, as usual.

This might take a while so sit down, grab a nice icy diet Coke (which seems to be the Blogger's drink of choice), a healthy snack (fat, sugar, artificial sweetner, cholestrol and salt not allowed - besides the diet Coke is bad enough for you) and come visit the past three weeks of my new life in 2008, so far.

Where do I even start?

First, I've missed you all very much. I've been taking a few minutes here and there to read what you all have been doing now and then, which has been a great comfort.

Even though I am loving my new life in Connecticut, including my new job and spending more time with Capt and his family, I've been feeling like nothing is 'familiar' anymore. So, I've been closing myself off a bit, reflecting on my present and future.

Also, I've been trying to think more of a 'couple' rather than the independant person I've been for so long.

I'm not doing so great at that since yesterday I told Capt, "Well after lunch with your father I have to be in Rocky Hill", "Why"?, he asked. Me: "To look at a kitten someone at work is trying to find a home for". "Ummmm, don't you think that is something we should discuss first"?, he reminded me. Me: "Oh, yes, I guess you're right".

Silly me.

It turned out to be a grown cat, adorable black with white socks and sage green eyes. And, as Capt told me would happen, it is well-known that when you go to 'see a cat' you go home with it.

And so we did.

Right now she's hidding under my bed. Hopefully by this afternoon she will feel comfortable to come out.

More importantly, I hope she loves mice because behind my lovely, spotlessly clean house are woods, wetlands to be exact, and as a result I have a colony of white footed deer mice in my basement and attic.

That last paragraph I will not look back on. That's how freaked out I am about rodents. I heard them borrowing in the insulation over my head in the ceiling and behind bed in the wall of my bedroom last week and called an exterminator. $300 later I have a promise that they will all be gone.

That last paragraph, same deal.

So not only had I wanted to get a pet, I also wanted to get something to frighten the above mentioned problem.

I think I'll call her "Sage" not only because of the beautiful color of her eyes, but hopefully she is wise enough to protect me from the aforesaid.

I couldn't be more happier about marrying Capt. Being here full time and seeing him daily has been such a confirmation that we were meant to be together.

We picked a wedding date.....July 12, 2008, 6 months away! The wedding is going to be very simple. And at my house. Any ideas will be greatly welcomed.

In April, Capt's dad is throwing us an engagment party at Forbidden City Bistro. Isn't he wonderful? We all went there last night for dinner and it now is my favorite restaurant.

Are you still reading? There's even more:

Although Capt is so very handsome and looks healthy, he was a few pounds over his ideal weight.

Capt's diet usually consists of a six pack of Mountain Dew, doughnuts, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Taco Bell and KFC.

Two weeks ago Capt had a complete physical. The results came in a day later. All those years of foot loose and fancy free eating have come to an abrupt end.

Yes they have.

BIG TIME.

His doctor, a woman, has given him strict orders to change his eating habits; no more sugar, no more salt, no more fat and no more overdoing the carbs.

Ouch.

He cracks me up though.

That first night of his new eating program he came over for dinner. I made steak, vegetables and a salad. He grabbed a bottle of expensive balsamic vinegar and said, "Yummmmm, steak sauce" and poured it all over his steak.

After dinner we were sitting in the den. I looked over at him and he was staring into the fireplace. "What are you thinking about?", I asked.

"I see a pig with an apple in its mouth roasting", was his reply.

The first few days were hard for him, adjusting to no caffeine and no sugar after years of it its abuse is difficult.

The other morning I looked on the internet for ideas for a good diet for him and found an article about yogurt. The article said that eating yogurt with fruit on the bottom isn't very good because there is too much sugar in that type of fruit and, therefore, "Would you drink a can of Coke for breakfast?", the article suggested.

Well, ummm, actually, I was eating yogurt with fruit on the bottom and drinking regular Pepsi while I was reading the article at 6AM!!!!!

It's so true that whenever you point your finger at someone there are four fingers pointing back at you.

Looks like I'm gonna have to say goodbye to my terrible eating habits too.

And my new job. Well, it's not anything like I'm used to. The law is different, the procedures are different, everything is different. And unfamiliar.

I am missing my children, my neice and nephew, my old job, my old friends, my old co-workers.

And yet, at the same time I am having fun and moving forward.

And very busy.

Gotta go.

Thanks for checking in on me.

Everyone Should See This