Hi there! I missed being here yesterday. It was not really that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. Pretty much, the general feeling is that it just stinks! It's a little overwhelming especially because there are so many bits and pieces to the problem. First, the stink, the mess, the wreck of it all. Then the energy that we have to expend on this rather than the stuff of everyday life. It's really just a blip on the screen that stinks.
Not that big a deal in the life of life. In the respect that our home is upside down and that feels more overwhelming than anything. I feel like I'm so far behind I think I'm first. I don't even want to scare you with photos.
O.k. This is kinda scary! No shower for a few days. First we had no water due to septic, now we have no water due to the fact that the motor of the oil heater or something died when the water covered it!
The Pebbles pony tail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bawxxl9S91w pretty much sums it up! I must say I haven't felt like this since I was ready for my shower after a week of Outward Bound.
http://www.outwardbound.org/
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Although Outward Bound was a sailing trip I took a few years ago, the first time that I ever left my family for a week! It was for me....really for me....just to do something that I had always wanted to do. Biff and I had been talking one night about all of his travel to Hong Kong over the years...we began talking about how great his boss is about keeping him motivated and trained and empowered as a salesman....and that's when I said that
of all of the jobs I enjoyed and didn't enjoy, those companies never had the type of personal growth that his great boss offered him.
Always willing to push his salespeople to their next level, Biff's boss is one in a million! That's when I said of all of the little regrets that I had, the idea that I had never challenged myself in an Outward Bound challenge.
That's when my life changed! Before I knew it, Biff was on the web site with me looking at my possibilities for my challenge! I put up all kinds of objections. "i can't because it's too much money to spend for just me!"...."No, it's almost grace's birthday! I have to help plan a birthday party!"...."What about after school? Who will be here for the kids?"...every objection that I put up had a reasonable fix.
Biff had everything figured out. I was feeling like it wasn't o.k. to take the time for me! After all of my years with my kids and family, all of the times I had felt stranded and abandoned while Biff was off on business to many different destinations...I was alone with babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, grammar school kids and now it was time!
Grace was in third grade, t.j. was a second grader and Biff was able to work his schedule around their long school day. I called Outward Bound and figured they wouldn't have the sailing course that I had selected. I spoke to the woman for about two minutes and before I knew what hit me. My credit card was charged and I my information packet was on it's way before I had my morning coffee!
That was the beginning of one of the greatest boosts to my life after years of being mom. It was truly one of the most awesome experiences of my life. I think of that trip and what I learned, besides sailing, almost everyday!
The best part of all was that the whole time on the trip, I was so busy participating in our sailing, that i didn't have time to miss my family! I did have moments that i was so awestruck by the absolute natural beauty in the nooks, crannies, glorious open space and the outrageous color of the Florida Keys!
http://www.fla-keys.com/
That's when I thought of my family! I did not ache for them, I just wanted to know that I could share this with them!
And at the end of that spectacular journey of many challenges, big and small, I got my first shower! My showers during my seven day adventure had been salt water swims toweled off by a sort of Sham Wow
http://www.fla-keys.com/, as seen on t.v. My first shower on dry land was in a women's outdoor shower at John Pennecamp State Park!
http://www.pennekamppark.com/
A cold shower!
I loved it! I still splash a little cold at the end of my showers just for that invigorating burst that I enjoyed during so many !6 a.m. swims in the Florida Keys in January! Heart Stopping Cold whether we liked it or not! I always loved it once I got in! So every shower since has given me those little Outward Bound joys!
Did you notice that when I write of Outward Bound, millions of exclamation points are used! That's a feeling that has stayed with me since!
The ponytail seems reminiscent as well! One of the most wonderful things that happened after all of my dreams to share that beauty with our family who would love it so much, I got a phone call from Kit, my good friend. She was calling to hear about the trip. Kit also was amazed to hear that the trip began and ended at John Pennecamp State Park in Key Largo. She had just booked a camping site there for the family's spring break! I was blown away. That's when Kit said that the camping site was for 8!
Without a doubt, this was a trip we would make happen. It seemed meant to be. It fell into place so easily. If only to share the beauty with the family and friends, I was psyched. We made it happen. We only camped as a family with Kit's family. We had all camped every summer at one of the Boston Harbor Islands.
http://www.bostonislands.com/ Overnight! 24 hours of camping and we were back to our real life and a home with real showers....we were no hard core campers. Biff had a long history of great camping trips with his twin brother, but family camping was another story!
It may be one of the most memorable trips of our family vacations. It was amazing that it came together so simply and yet, it wasn't so amazing when you think of the power of prayer or intentions and visualization. I know that seems earthy crunchy....as my favorite aunt used to say of her granddaughter, "she's my little earth muffin!"....but, that's all I can believe after the way it all came together.
Back to life in stink land, it's not great...it's certainly inconvenient....it's definitely not my dream vacation for spring break....stink land is no disneyland....i have to keep in mind that this will just be another funny story in our life of family memories. We have had a lot of laughs at the dinner table. We all know it's temporary. It smelled life threatening at first, but it's not now. As my wonderful and memorable Dean of Students at college used to tell us, "A.Y.T.C.", adapt yourself to circumstances. Thankfully, as a family, we do that well...even if a bit shaky at first. We adapt.
I guess that's the only way to go through life. Adapting to all of the changes. We've all experienced lots of change throughout our lives....it seems in retrospect,the easiest transitions have been when we roll with it rather than against it.
That's the challenge at hand, especially since I just brought down my laundry to the BASEMENT before the septic and raging waters, simply finding something to wear. Isn't that an everyday challenge?
Even with this concussion, when I have pushed too hard and not had rest, I feel it. I'm trying to go with the flow, but it's hard when life is calling every which way.
My sleep has been mixed up, starting my e-bay biz with lots to do, I'm helping coordinate a blog for a group of parents, I'm working on me, we've got our family with kids' needs changing every day, we've got our basic home necessities to take care of and now we have new events to deal with! Life is always changing. It's certainly challenging but we've got to roll with it and not fight it. Hence, the pebbles pony tail.
Wow! My e.e. cummings makes a difference in my typing .....it's really challenging to use capitals. I wish I had readers who were followers and make comments, so I could see if you care about my typing the e.e.cummings way. One of my old friends, an exceptional writer, suggested that my writing with no caps and in my talking style with lots of dot dot dots may be doing myself a disservice....I respect her and love her ....it's just hard to CHANGE when i find my e.e. cummings style so much more my story style. Wow. This was pretty tricky for me. Do you have a preference? Do you care? I admit, I would like more followers....it would be fun for the ego! Although that was not the purpose of my writing this blog. Callie thinks it matters to people who really respect this English language that is gradually falling to the wayside in our lives in America. It's not really a political statement, it's Callie's love of writing! And love of me....now that's nice to know. I wish you could let me know what you think....and if you even care...i know, it's not Shakespeare here.....but still?
