LOVE THURSDAY

I had an entirely different entry planned for the day, until I got home last night and my husband gimped his way to the front door. He wrecked his scooter. He's OK and going to the doctor tomorrow. I expect he bruised his ribs and he scraped up his ankle pretty bad. But he was wearing a helmet, so his noggin is good.

I love my scooter and I love that Chris and I can ride scooters together, but I love my husband more. He was pretty despondent when I got home, sure that his scooter was totaled, upset that he was gimpy. After all the phone calls, we went to have the scooter towed home. I looked it over, put the key in the ignition, and she started right up. I took her on a spin around the parking lot and declared her fit to ride home.

Perfect example of things could have been so much worse. OK, so there's a dent in the side, the right blinker is busted loose (still works), and the right brake handle is wonky (that still works too). But Chris is not critically injured and the scooter can be salvaged.

I love that big dolt. Happy Love Thursday!

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAY

We had one of those weekends where we ended up doing a whole lot in a very short amount of time. It was great. But I notice that most of the things that make me happy, happen on the weekend.

Singing "Oklahoma" at the top of my lungs while I ride the scooter full speed into the wind Long scooter rides to Norman for yoga and lunch The fig bars at The Earth Cafe Food basket Mondays! That totally relaxed spacey feeling after a really good savasana Buying seeds for my garden Christmas beans! The raised bed kit we bought from Sam's Meditation practice in the mornings whit the windows open Making Annie's mac-n-cheese with add-ins like onions and mushrooms and extra cheese Making pizza dough Taco salad season! Daily walks outside even when the wind is blowing 50 miles an hour

My practice for this week is to find things that make me happy during the week.

GARDENING DIARIES (#2 ON THE LIFE LIST)

Today Chris and I purchased one raised bed garden kit ($40) and nine bags of soil ($40). The day before we had purchased seeds for lettuce ($2.50), spinach ($2.50), leeks ($2.50), and Christmas beans ($2.50). We lugged every thing to the back yard and began to put it all together.

And that raised bed kit was worth every penny. We had that thing together in less then five minutes. We sprinkled down a layer of hay (OK..Chris did that part because I'm highly allergic to hay), tossed down some kitchen garbage with a layer of newspaper on top, wet it all down and then filled in with our soil. Chris then marked out our grid. He poked holes into the soil and I placed the seeds. Tah-dah! Next weekend we'll by some starter plants to fill in the other squares on our grid. Now, we wait.

Things we planted today:

• lettuce
• parsley
• spinach
• leeks
• Christmas beans

THANKFUL FRIDAY

This weekend I plan to ride the V to Norman for yoga and then meet Chris for lunch at The Earth (new favorite place..EVER). We'll ride home and then begin to work on the vegetable garden. Yes, I know I'm getting a bit of a late start, but better late then never. Today, I am thankful that the weather is nice and plans to stay that way for the next few days.

This week was also a good work week for me. I received an outstanding review from my boss (surprising). I also made some headway with a few projects that I've been trouble shooting. Other projects that were supposed to start this week have been put off until next. This meant that I wasn't rushed to figure out the other stuff. I am thankful for that time.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and a Thankful Friday!

LOVE THURSDAY

When I took this yesterday morning there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The sky was that perfect crystal blue and the sun was blinding. It was the Disney version of Spring outside. But by four o'clock in the afternoon, that perfect blue sky was covered completely with puffy gray clouds. And yes...I had ridden the scooter. But this is Spring time in Oklahoma. One day it's a perfect 74 degrees with a light breeze and the next day may possibly bring the threat of snow. It never fails. I will take the electric blanket off the bed, pack it away into storage, only to drag it out again a day later, plug it in and turn it up to bake setting.

Spring time in Oklahoma is a lesson in flexibility. It's a reminder that nothing is exactly the same every minute of every day. It's a reminder to enjoy the beauty of this brief moment because tomorrow, those pretty purple flowers may be gone. I love the colors that Oklahoma Spring times produce, but I find this is the season I struggle through the most. This is the season that I have to learn that things aren't always routine. I have to be more patient. I have to plan ahead and be a bit more prepared for the possibility that I will be riding the scooter home in the rain. I have to force down the anxious bubble that rises up with in me that frets about all the things that need to be done, all the things I've been putting off because of the weather. It's the season of waiting and it forces me to really look and see the colors of Spring.

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAYS

Ah...blessed four day work week. These should always be the norm. The list for today's entry will be my mantra to get through this week.

Spending the day with Steph Blue toenails! Easter cookies with horrendous amounts of icing on them Taro flavored frozen yogurt Walking to a VS store with a free panty card and leaving with only the free panties Katrina's new camera (she better use it...shakes fist) My new haircut (it's really short, like really short) The queso at Big Truck Tacos (it's laced with cocaine) Riding the scooters to Big Truck Tacos Getting a kitchen floor Cleaning out some crap from our storage unit My aha moment for a t-shirt design for Threadless Finding my Fisher Price Movie projector (Oh...Wiley Coyote) Taking Route 66 to Stroud That guy that looked just like Albert Einstein Washing the dog Jicama coleslaw

Umm...I know there's more, but I didn't get around to writing them down.

WEEKEND BITS

On our way out of Sam's, the old guy checking recipes asks us if we're on a date. We laugh and say "what makes you say that?". His reply is that we look to happy to be married. I then inform him that we've been married 12 years. He then asks if we have any children and when we reply "no", he's says "that's why".

The little girl leaning against the book shelves, scrunched over a book. She has the thickest glasses. I want to photograph her.

Eating dinner with my brother and sister-in-law. Remembering the time my parents had two TVs: one for the sound and one to play the picture

Riding the scooters to eat diner at BTT's followed by tea at Coffeeslingers

Sorting through some things in our storage unit, Chris comes across a box of SciFi toys. He opens the box and says something along the lines "Oh...my babies" and then kisses the air above them.

Chris's mom hollers out that she's leaving. I tell her to have a good time. Her reply is that she's not going to the casino, but a friends house. I say "OK, but you can still have a good time". She considers this a moment and then says OK.

Albert Einstein walks into Prairie Thunder bakery while Chris and I are eating breakfast. He's even wearing socks with his sandals.

THANKFUL FRIDAY

I have so much to be thankful for today. First of all, I have the day off. Secondly, today is my best friend's, Stephanie, birthday. And because we both have the day off, we are spending the day together doing really girly things. I've scheduled pedicures for us at 10:30 to be followed by crepes and frozen yogurt for lunch. Then maybe a trip to the bead shop or the mall, who knows?

Steph and I don't get to spend a lot of time together. Our paths are so different and busy, that we rarely get a chance to just do silly stuff together any more. But Steph is my constant and we are always there for each other when needed most.

After my day with Steph, Chris and I have plans to meet my brother and sister-in-law for dinner in Stroud. My brother had a birthday on Monday. A big birthday. One that makes me go "No Way! I have a brother who is 50!". Yeah...freaky. I am thankful for my brother for so many reasons. We all joke about how I was the one raised by the village. He and Katrina were like the Mayors of that village. He helped shape and influence the music I listen too, how I see things visually and the one to repeat my adolescent mantra, You will go to college, over and over. I am thankful that he is my brother and my friend.

Hope every one has a great day and a thankful Friday!

LOVE THURSDAY

I mentioned earlier that while we were at the Medieval Fair, I had my palm read, but I didn't really say what the (very Gypsy like) fortune teller told me. The truth is, I've never been one to fall for the fortune telling act even though the two times I've ever tried it, I've been told some very real and serious things. It's almost like I don't want to believe; in what, I'm not sure. And I'm still not sure I'm willing or ready to put all if it down in type. A chill just ran down my spine while thinking about how to write this entry.

I suppose I'll start with what she told me. The fortune teller told me that she saw a long life ahead of me with good health. She sensed that I would be happy in marriage and inquired if I was currently married. Chris and I looked at each other and she said "oh, yes. you are very happily married". She sensed something about writing; that I should write. She saw children in my life and she saw a change happening for the good in the next 6 weeks pertaining to my job. She sensed great joy and happiness within me.

I laughed out loud at the children. In fact she insisted as I argued with her that she saw two kids in our future. I think she's sensing the kids we already have in our lives. I also laughed out loud about the writing. I've never considered myself to be a writer. I don't write. I'm surrounded by people who do or should write and I even suggested to Chris that maybe that's what the fortune teller was seeing. But Chris said that I was wrong. That I do write on a regular basis. That I write good and happy entries about things that make me happy. Maybe.

But what I've taken most to heart from this encounter is to hope. She could see that we were working on changing our home life, either through buying a new house or moving on to something new, something meaning the difference between the definition of home and a house. She saw what we were trying to achieve with out any prompting or needling questions. This is what shook my core. That moment right there. One more person saying that everything was going to be OK.

Happy Love Thursday!

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAYS

I think the consensus from every one is that last week sucked. Big Donkey Penis. How could it even be possible that I had anything to write on my happy list? Well, to be fare, most of the list stems from the weekend. But I did manage to fill the weekend with as much happy as possible.

Ending a really bad week Kidnapping the Jens Getting taxes done (I know...we owe, yuck, but they're done, by some one other then one of us) Going to my first Medieval Fair Lunch at the Earth Cafe Eating pizza with the Jens Staying way too late over at the Jens' Chocolate cake for lunch Making cute little burritos for my lunch this week Taking and posting pictures of stuff other then myself Canceled lab meetings Monday night Co-Op dinner with Misti!

There were probably other things as usual left off this week. There usually are. Happy Tuesday!

WEEKEND ADVENTURE

Saturday, Chris and I got up and went to Norman to get our taxes done. We have a friend that recently opened a tax service down there (and yes...we owe). He casually mentioned that the Medieval Fair was in town and Chris and I kind of blew it off, but then thought "Hey! Why not?". So we went over to the Jen's and hijacked them from a days worth of house cleaning to take us to the Medieval Fair.

First off, let me just say WHY HAVE I NEVER GONE TO THIS THING BEFORE?!? I mean, the people watching alone is better then the State Fair. BETTER THEN THE STATE FAIR! The weather may have been drizzly, windy and cold, but it was worth it. We wandered around gawping at the people in costume, looking at all the daggers and medieval garb, and crazy state fair styled food (did you know they had Mr. Pizza in Medieval times?). We stood in line for home made root beer and I had my palm read by a real live Gypsy. When we'd finally had enough of the wind, we headed off to Hideaway for our own version of Medieval pizza.

We had a great time and of course I took loads of pictures. You can see them all here, but here's a few for now.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

THANKFUL FRIDAYS

I try really hard on my Thankful Friday entries not to be thankful just because it's Friday, but this week, I am truly thankful that today is Friday. This has just been a hard painful week and I'm glad today is the last of it. I am thankful that I can use the weekend to rest up and start the next week with a clean slate. I'm already looking forward to next week. I hear the weather is going to be superb. Also, though Chris would totally disagree here, I am thankful to finally be getting our taxes done this weekend. I was the one in school that had assignments turned in weeks before their due dates. That really hasn't changed. If it was just up to me, the taxes would be done on January 1, like good ol' Ned Flanders. I always feel like they're looming over me. Just get them done, pay the consequences, and move on. I am thankful that I have a friend in the tax business who can help us accomplish that task.

Most importantly, I am thankful for all of my friends. You are my family.

Happy Friday!

LOVE THURSDAY

We were watching the HBO movie about Temple Grandin a few weeks ago and in the film, one of her mentors told her that there was always a door. You just had to go through it. I thought of that yesterday when I noticed the door in the building outside my window at work. OK. So the door is in an odd place and I'm not sure I really want to go through that particular door. But it's there.

This hasn't been the best week for me. In fact, I left work Tuesday in tears because I just don't like my job. One day I do all the right things only to turn around and do weeks worth of wrong things. And on Tuesday I'd reached my level of frustration at my own incompetence. But I went on, taught my yoga classes and shook it off.

I went back to work with a new plan, hunkered down and actually got the project to work. I'm still not happy with my job, but I'm seeing this job as my door. I'm learning new skills to build the resume. And because I have no attachments to this job, it will be really easy to leave when the time comes.

I'll cross that threshold when I get to that door. Happy Love Thursday!

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAY

This is starting out to be a beautiful week. I see scooter rides in our immediate future and this makes me happy. But there's more to the list!

Productive day of cleaning and sorting (all my shirts fit in the drawer now with out a fight) Watching three new movies over a period of two days The Roku box Dumping Cable The death of the big TV in the "living" room Fixing meals with Misti (we should just all move in together) Blue popcorn Knowing that it's all going to be OK Wearing my new summer shoes All the killdeer birds that have suddenly moved into our neighborhood Inviting ourselves to someones crawfish boil/ birthday party (I really can't wait!) The ability to sit on the office floor (Oh yeah...time to break open Dance, Dance Revolution baby) Getting my meditation practice back on track (got a little wonky last week)

I'm sure there's more. But as usual, I didn't start writing the list down until Sunday. Hope everyone has a great day!

THE FLOTSUM AND JETSUM

I started reading the Happiness Project this week. I'm not far into it yet, only onto the February chapter, but already I'm hooked with the idea of a Franklin Virtue Chart. One thing that has really stuck is that section on Secrets of Adulthood, where she says to be nice to everyone.

For some reason this one hit me smack in the forehead. I mean, I'm nice. I think I'm nice. I try to be nice. But I know I'm not nice to everyone. There are just those people that seem to make it impossible to be nice too. Take for example my mother-in-law, Mrs. Swan. I bought really nice plastic shelf liner for the new kitchen cabinets thinking that I was doing something nice and helpful for the kitchen remodel. And then she informed me with this condescending tone that "Brian said we didn't need to use shelf paper". It took every once of will to keep myself from nocking her teeth out with one of the rolls of shelf paper. And the whole thing bothered me. All week. That one incident pulled up all other memories of nice things I've done for her that she has pooped on. And I let it fester. I let it get to me.

The thing is I should know better and I need to change my view on how I approach Mrs. Swan. Those things I did, I did because I thought it would be nice. I thought I was doing a good thing. But I was expecting some sort of praise or gold star for my efforts. It was like giving a gift in hopes that I would get a really great gift in return and we all know that's not the reason to give gifts.

The truth is, I don't know how to be nice to Mrs. Swan. I can be polite and pleasant and continue doing my normal things around the house that I like to think she appreciates (who do you think scrubs her footprints off the side of the tub?). But I can stop doing them for her, because I know, deep down, it's really for me.

And I'm OK with this.

THANKFUL FRIDAY WITH A SIDE OF PRICKLY PEAR

This week has been a struggle for me to be positive, pleasant, nice. One of the reasons the blog has become what it is today, was because I wanted less bitch and more positive. But I think a number of things are conspiring against me this week. Most likely, I really just need a nap. I feel like I'm on the cusp. I'm reaching the beginning to an end, an end to how I approach and deal with a certain aspect of my life. Part of that approach is to clean out. It's time for a purge and I am thankful that I will get a chance to start doing exactly that this weekend. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I live in a one room apartment. I have no control over the incomplete kitchen, the wreck of an office, the clutter and hideousness of the living room. But I have complete control over my bedroom. I am thankful that I have this one small square (rectangle really) of space. Also, people may scratch their heads at this one, but I am thankful that the living room TV died this week. This became the perfect opportunity to cancel our cable (something we've been talking about doing for months and months now). No TV means that I have no reason to spend time in the "living" room (I'm not sure why it's ever called that; no actual living really takes place in there) that makes my skin crawl.

I am beginning to find that the simple act of remembering to be thankful for the things I have as well as the things I don't have makes the prickles less sharp. As per usual, I am thankful for my friends (the dinner we're having with one of them tonight) and my loved ones. I am thankful for this beautiful day and the ones yet to come. Hope everyone has a great day and wonderful weekend!

LOVE THURSDAY

OK. We all know that Chris and I spent the weekend in Dallas. Blah, blah, blah. When I mentioned our trip to one of my coworkers, he sneered and said "why would you want to go there?!". I politely replied that we just wanted to get away.

So, Dallas Texas isn't exactly an exotic get-away. We didn't need plane tickets or passports to get there. We didn't book a room to stay months in advance. There was no beach. But we had a great time! And there was one point, when we were eating breakfast in this little Mexican cantina at the Farmers Market, where it actually felt like we were on an exotic vacation. I mean, look at that view! Doesn't it look like we're in Mexico?!?

It's all about the view. The things we see and the things we don't see. The perspective. Find your view.

Happy Love Thursday!

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAYS

Once again, I've left my list down in the car and I'm too lazy to go down to get it. I'm totally faking having high energy today. The weekend and time change has caught up and I am feeling it. I keep thinking that if I pretend to be perky and up, then I actually will be perky and up. But I'm still not trekking down to the car for the list.

Weekend getaways Feeling like you're on an exotic vacation even though you're only a few hours away from home Our CO-OP bounty! Wow! We got a lot of yum for our buck. Getting $80 pants for $20 Sunny weather My new cute and comfy summer shoes That one day last week when we got to ride our scooters to work Buying organic carrots for some one else. It's like giving some one flowers. Chris speaking "hillbilly". Finding cool places by total accident Sneaking away for a nap

I know there's more. I actually kept track this week. But this is all you're getting today. Hope every one has a splendid day!

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Sunday, Chris and I celebrate our 12th Wedding Anniversary and we're doing that by spending the weekend in Dallas. I am positively giddy with the prospects. We're going to visit the Farmer's Market and maybe the Dallas Museum of Art (it's on the life list to visit 100 new museums--I'll post that list soon). We'll be stopping in at our usual haunts like IKEA, REI, Whole Foods and Costco. We even plan on hunting up a laundry mat. I'm ready to leave now. In fact, I wish we had taken today off to leave now. I am so thankful for the opportunity to get away, just the two of us. I know that we'll just be doing what we usually do on a weekend (grocery shopping and laundry), just in a different city. But we'll be alone. No coming home to kids staying over or kitchen remodel (still not finished). Just me and Chris. 12 years people! We've been riding this tandem bicycle for a whopping 12 years. I am so thankful to have bumped into this person who turned out to be my best friend. My partner in crime. And that's all I'm going to say about that because, well, you know.

I am thankful for the food I will purchase and the Prana pants I'm going to find on that sales rack for $10 (crossing fingers). Hope every one has a great weekend and a thankful Friday!

LOVE THURSDAY: TAKE THE RISK

This was the scene outside my window at work yesterday afternoon. It made me nervous because I'd taken a risk and had ridden my scooter to work. But those mean clouds blew over and the ride home was windy, a little bit chili, but dry. And the risk was so worth it because riding the scooter makes me so happy.

How many times do we keep ourselves from doing the things that make us happy because we're afraid of the risk? Every time I've over come my fear of the risk, I've ended up doing something that has made me happy. I always had an excuse for not doing yoga teacher training. Not enough time and definitely not enough money. But really I was afraid. Being a yoga teacher has been so fulfilling and has brought so much joy to my life and it's something I'm good at. That's just one example.

It's easier to not take the risk, particularly if it's something we know deep down that we'd be good at. But today, I'm telling you, take the risk. Take it.

Happy Love Thursday, because love is the biggest risk of all.