Time Flies...And So It Has! Let's Play Catch-Up

This past 18 months or so have been cRaZy! In April last year we purchased a squat of dirt and began the process of building a soda shop for the Quench-It franchise we bought into. Well, weeks shy of 18 months later and we are not quite done....

In that same time frame, I worked a ta office building with 44 individual suites where I managed the building for those tenants, ran the phones and mail, and basically covered whatever the issue was--from printed connections, to toilet clogs to a construction caused fire sprinkler emergency that left the basement flooded TWICE! Of and 20 more office suites were being added as I finished my reign there.

I learned a GREAT deal, made many new friends with the tenants and discovered there really wasn't much I couldn't do if I thought hard enough about it. But I haven't been sad to be away. That said, since our building WASN'T finished like we thought--or at least in the time frame we were hoping for--I will be subbing for the girl I trained to take my place the day after tomorrow. I think I can face that as I know it is for one day only.

Genius Golfer has been a ROCKSTAR as far as figuring out what, how, and where to adjust things for the building. He has done more manual labor than many of the subcontractors, I am sure!  He is such a stud!! I certainly wouldn't be doing this with out his incredible support and help and knowledge PLUS his willingness to just figure it out himself. Once we are open and it is passed to me, I hope I can do it as well as he has been these past many months!

The other BIG deal that has happened it that my dad died at the end of January. He got Covid and suddenly couldn't breathe on January 14th--just a day after fixing the neighbor's driveway gate for her and that day after their 58th wedding anniversary. Because of his kidney transplant 10 years ago now, he fell into that immunocompromised group. Seeing as he and mom didn't really seem to believe Covid was real (thanks, Fox News!), they refused to be vaccinated and therefore had no extra protection. He was in the hospital about 2 weeks with a steady and foreseeable decline--and died on Sunday, January 30th. I spoke with him Friday, the 28th for exactly 8 minutes and said all the things that mattered. I could tell he knew it was the last time he'd speak with me on earth. That was a harder day actually that the call that he was gone.

My sisters was there with my mom--but because of Covid restrictions neither could go in with him at the hospital. Mom and Sister had planned the funeral while I had taken the role of spokesman for the family as I shared each day of his illness and passing with the friends he had on Facebook. The daily updates were answered with SO MUCH love and concern for him and for each of us. Dad and mom agreed they felt prayers holding them up and the comfort from those prayers and love was tactile.

The Girl and I spoke at the funeral on Feb. 8th. The Gilroy chapel was full and the cultural hall was nearly 3/4th the way full too. So many people came to say goodbye to dad and to share the impact he made in their lives. It was astounding to hear some of the things I hadn't even a clue about from the people that felt Dad's influence. It was the most exhausting day since our wedding--but it was so filled with love. I wouldn't have been anywhere else.

It has been an adjustment without him though. Every once in a while I still have a question or thought pop into my mind and think "I should call Dad and tell him..." before I remember that I can't. But the memories are comforting and I'll always have those.

And today, Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest after dying 10 days ago at the age of 96. While I realize that I have no connection to her--I'm not a Brit, I am not a royalist or a monarchist, I certainly have LOVED the UK and quite rightly, I believe, think of the Queen as one of the last true public servants. She committed herself to serve her country for the whole of her life--at the cost of quite a bit of "normal" life--and did just that without ever giving her view as policy or demand her way as her ancestors might have in previous reigns. 

I've thought a lot about how in America we cannot even get elected officials to serve faithfully and dutifully without seeking personal gain and power mongering. Yet, this little lady was never in the original line to be a monarch and yet, when things played out that she ended up Queen, she really did the best she know how and kept doing it to the very end.

She was a calm, even, steady presence who knew she was the "face" of England, the UK, and the Commonwealth and just kept on keeping on. Our political leaders and elected officials could learn many things from her life of dutiful service and sacrifice. Here's hoping they do.

Proof of the Time Warp

Yesterday The Girl (finally) got an appointment with the temple to receive her endowment there next week.  All this mission prep is suddenly becoming VERY real.  How can she be old enough to go to the temple?  Or on a mission?  Wasn't she just posing for "modeling" photos with her friends?

This was 2008, you say? Yeah, I guess it was.  But that was, like, a couple weeks ago, right?

Or just barely graduating from high school?

Like it or not, she'd growing up and I have to face the facts.  I'm just grateful she is growing up so nicely.  Fifteen years ago I wasn't sure she'd live long enough to make it school all day.  Maybe she got all that "terrible" out of her system when she was two and three.  Since then, she's been really enjoyable.

Sometimes You Just Feel It More

Yesterday The Boy registered for his classes for his SENIOR year!  How is that possible?!  Wasn't he a little toddler running naked in the backyard just two weeks ago?  I can't believe how fast the time has gone.

There are sure lots of things I wish I'd done differently with my kids when they were little.  Not that I think I ruined them, but I think I missed too much of them.  I wasn't there in the moment with them.  I was worried about  all the "other things" I should be doing. 

Those times are long gone and I 'll never get them back.  But when I look at either of them, I know they are good people, even if they won't snuggle up to me and read a picture book anymore.

But it doesn't keep me from wishing they would.

Lesson Learned

This past weekend I spent an unusual amount of time watching TV with Genius Golfer. The weather was yucky, and I had no motivation to get much of anything done around the house. He was watching a marathon of the show "Hoarders" and, quite frankly, it was like the proverbial train wreck: I couldn't stop watching it.


I had never seen this show before. I had heard there was such a show but couldn't figure out why. It is on The Learning Channel--which, once upon a time, broadcast shows where I could learn something. Now the network seems to have become the "Side Show Freak" channel. They have a ton of crazy shows on there, at least what I could tell from their extensive advertisements and self-promoting commercials.

Anyway, this Hoarders show was not only heart breaking and voyeuristic but also more than a little disturbing to me. There was contention in every house they showed. The hoarder is mentally ill, to be sure, and the family is typically dysfunctional and certainly at their wit's end. But there seemed to be a high level of agitation and contention that came through the TV and seemed to settle into our home as well. That made me really uncomfortable.

For anyone who says "Its only TV; it does really affect me," I say, "You are wrong". That kind of influence shouldn't be seen as entertainment. It is as sad to me as the ill-treated "circus freaks" of yesteryear like The Elephant Man or the Bearded Woman. There is something to be understood in each of these people, and poking fun at them for entertainment doesn't seem, to me at least, any way to aid or assist them to be well.

Yet, there I sat with GG watching a handful of episodes throughout the afternoon. I couldn't look away from it, yet I could feel the spirit dissipating from our home as I did. Another opportunity for me to know better, then to do better, I suppose.

After watching this, I felt bad for those who suffer with this debilitating disorder. I felt sorry for their families. But I felt really bad for my own family. We had wasted a couple of hours doing nothing t lift up our family members, or help each other, or interact with one another, or even make memories that were worthwhile. Realizing this, I'm not sure who, really, was in worse shape.

Actually, maybe it really is The Learning Channel after all. I did learn that I can't find anything lovely, uplifting, of good report, or praiseworthy in that show. We should have pulled out a board game and played as a family instead. At least that would have built some family unity and made memories.

Wishing Away Again, But Not in Margaritaville

A friend left a Facebook post today that they are down to five more Mondays until summer vacation.  That sounds great.  I counted and we have only 28 days of school left.  As the PTA stuff I am in charge of winds down I am seeing the time pass so much faster.  It is crazy.

The bummer of all this is I also looked at the calendar and everyone's schedules for summer, and the bulk of my summer is already spoken for too.  Sad, right?!

I usually look so forward to summer vacation with the kids--but we are already scheduled up with swim team, girls' camp, high adventure camp, Timberline Leadership camp, football, summer jobs, driving practice, and chores.  Not to mention all of my own stuff or that of Genius Golfer's. It makes me tired when I stop and think about it.  Yet, I know that these are all good things.  Things the kids are interested in doing (well, except, maybe the chores) and these things will help them to learn and grow.

I guess, what I am learning is that when my two kids were little, like preschool age, I wished the time with them away.  They were demanding and needed lots of discipline.  They required a lot of hands on care.  They took much of my time and energy.  There were days then that I thought one or more of us wouldn't make it to the day when they were both in school full time.  I have wished away their childhoods.

Now, they are at great ages.  I love having conversations with them, hearing what they think and how they think.  I am fascinated by their interests and love to see them figure things out.  I love to see the way they deal with friends and issues and difficulties so well and so wisely on their own.  They wills till ask for advice once in a while, but for the most part they seem to have a good handle of their lives.

I find myself wishing for the time to slow down now.  I see how quickly the calendar fills up and I recognize how fast the years roll by and, looking not too far down the road, I know they won't be here with me for much longer.  Now I wish I had that time with them back.  Or that I could make what I have left with them stretch a little longer.

I guess this is the way of the things when you are a parent.  I am doing my job as a parent if they are growing up to become responsible and sensible and caring adults.  Too bad that happens so quickly after they have finally become such interesting people themselves.

New Year. New Time.

Today, after two years of 9 AM services, we get to go to church at 11 AM.  Usually the two congregations that meet in our building switch time slots each year, but last year we got word that a third congregation could potentially move in with us, so all the services were intentionally kept to the same times until the move happened.  The move never happened.

So, happily we shift this year to the later time for meetings.  May I tell you?  It was terrific to sleep in today until 9:30!!  Especially after the cousins camp out here Friday night where the boys never went to sleep and also apparently lost their abilities to whisper.

The Time Is Short, Really

Today is the 21st of December, you know what that means?

That means that the shortest day of the year is today. That is right, winter solstice, is today. That means that today will have the shortest amount of daylight all year long. That also means that beginning tomorrow the days will begin to get longer, until my favorite time of year--the third week of June--when the daylight is the longest all year.

This is like the turning point of winter for me. Remind me that I said this when it gets to mid February and I think I am going to go postal due to the winter doldrums, but I think I can do this winter thing this year.

Nah, don't quote me on that.

Flipping the Page

Are you surprised too when it comes time to flip the page of the calendar? My life's schedule is on my calendar--and if it doesn't get written down, I am bound to forget to do it--so I look at the calendar quite a lot.

Still, I am surprised when the month ends and I am found flipping the page for the new month again. It is like it sneaks up on me. Even though I know that the month is ending; it really shouldn't be a surprise.

This month snuck up faster than most. Perhaps it was the very long weekend for Thanksgiving that ended the month that makes it feel like that. Maybe, like my mom has always said, the time goes faster as you get older. I'm not happy with the inferred implication with that theory, but the time does seem to go faster.

I always feel bad for the folks with birthdays on my calendar that fall on the first of the month. I don't see them until I flip the page and then it is too late to send a card that will be on time. Today is newlywed nephew Travis' birthday. His birthday card went into the mail last night, about 9 PM at the post office, so it will not reach him on his birthday but probably the day after. I'm sure he will survive the oversight, but I'll think about it all day, and chastize myself.

When I do get to flip the page on the calendar, I enjoy the first moment of the clean slate feeling as I look and see almost nothing on it. Then as soon as I can enjoy that moment, things begin to fill in the boxes and the month is soon scheduled more crazily than the last. December is notorious for that. This week alone, already today, has only one empty square--and it is on Saturday, so even that won't last.

Not that everything on it is unenjoyable, or unrewarding; just busy. But "busy" on a calendar keeps me from being quite so "scattered" in person. So, I'll be mindful of the calendar and the commitments that I have there this week. I probably should calendar some "stop and smell the roses" time to get through this holiday month and still enjoy it. Well, that and not try to wander into any store parking lots. Good luck with that.

A Long Trek Ahead

Today I begin the work to plan our Stake Youth Handcart Trek. It is a full 8 months away, but as leaders with a youth committee, we are instructed to teach these teenagers how to be the leaders. It will take eight months.

Our plan for today is to feed them--they are teenagers, and help them get to know each other--again teenagers, and start them looking to the whys as well as the hows of getting 200 people to Wyoming and back safely and with a purpose.

If just the adult leaders were to plan this, we could do it in about 2 weeks. But kids take longer. They are not just planning a Trek experience, but learning how to lead their peers and preparing to create a spiritual event. It is a long project, nonetheless.

I've never been on a trek before, so it will be a bit of a learning experience for me as well. The Girl will get to go with the group this time, so we will experience it together. But eight months is along time to think about and plan for something I've never done. Maybe it isn't the kids that take so long, it might be me!

Fall Back?!

I think this is the latest we have ever stitched back from Daylight Savings Time. Usually it has been the final week of October, which made trick-or-treating a little earlier than we'd like, but that was fine. The switch this year was moved a week later--to this past weekend.

I thought I was supposed to get an extra hour to sleep in. It didn't feel like that. I still feel groggy and a little hung over, but it could be the rain and gloomy weather we have had for the past couple of days too. Winter is coming and it's initial approach coincided with the end of Daylight Savings Time.

I could easily be a snow bird type--live in the north all summer than head south when the weather turns colder. I miss the sun, and frankly feel a bit defeated with the end of DST. Standard Time does nothing for me. I still have just as many, if not more, things I need to accomplish every day. I need every hour I can get and I prefer to choose those hours that are bright and sunny. No dice, for that wish now.

So, I'd like to fall back into bed today, but that is not an option. So I will be the slave to the clock I was before the end of Daylight Savings Time and plough through it on Standard Time. I guess, like that Bon Jovi song says, "I'll sleep when I 'm dead". That might be my only chance.

Let's Do The Time Warp, Again....

Is it me, or does the week seem excruciatingly long??? Yesterday I was sure it was next Tuesday, but it was only Thursday. What makes the time feel like it is flying by or standing still? Some cosmic time warp?!

I have a sign in my kitchen that says: "With Kids, the Days are Long but the Years are Short".
And usually I would agree with that. But these last two weeks are just dragging by for me. I have a ton of stuff to do, but I find I am ready for the weekend about Wednesday.

Is it any wonder that I am completely attached to my mug of Diet Coke when I feel like I have been run over by a truck when I wake up each morning and just can't seem to get going without it? It's just a good thing that Diet Coke will help, otherwise, I might start looking for something harder.

Maybe it is the combination of the weather changing, our family employment situation changing, and the fact--though I don't like to admit it--that I am getting older. Whatever the reason, or combination of reasons, I just feel tired. And I would love a nap. I can't remember the last nap I had. They used to be regular Sunday activities. Not any more.

So, here's to the weekend when I should be able to sleep in. Oh, wait! The Boy's football practice was changed to Saturday morning at 8 AM. Genius Golfer will likely take him, but I am sure I'll be up at my regular time getting everyone going. I guess I can hope for a sleep-in on Sunday then. I'll cross my fingers.

Just Had to Share

Dear Friend Karen sent these photos to me in an email and I liked them so much, I had to post them. There must be some kind of warning embedded here, but I just can't seem to narrow it down. Might be: Don't go to the beach with friends, or stay away from the water at the beach, or keep your personal space at the beach, or maybe it is just Legs + Time = Not Your Friend.

Happy Wednesday!

End of the Month?!

Here it is, June 30th. How does this happen? Not literally, of course. I understand that each day is a different and subsequent date of the one before. Each month has the requisite number of days assigned and June happens to have 30.

What I mean is, where has the summer gone?! The kids got out of school on May 30th. They go back on August 18th this year. That is the earliest I can remember. But here it is the end of the the first full month of summer vacation and what have I to show for it?

This does not bode well for July which, having 2 holidays in it, plus The Girl's birthday, a Scout campout, a week of Girls' Camp and several swim team meets and activities, will slip from my grasp before I know it too. Is this what old people mean when they tell you as a punk kid that "You'd better enjoy it now, because the time goes by faster and faster as you get older"? Am I that much older?

I remember summer vacation going on forever. Of course, that was when I was a punk kid and had the whole day to myself to go about the neighborhood on my bike and play with friends, pets, fields, my imagination, until dinner and was called home to eat. Where did that time go?

I guess I had better make better plans for July or the whole month will be a loss. I think there is something to be said for unscheduled play time as a kid. I hope the same can be said for stay-at-home-moms in the summer. At this point, that is my only defense.