Merry Christmas

Today was a relaxing day spent at home with my family. After going to midnight mass last night and getting into bed around 3:30 , we had a lazy morning and awoke a little before 11:00. I enjoyed the excitement of everyone opening their Christmas presents. Seems that they were especially good this year. :)
Tomorrow we head out on a road trip to Pennsylvania. We will visit our family in Pittsburgh and stay the week with them. I am looking forward to time with my relatives.
I wish everyone peace and love this coming year. May you see the brightness in your everyday surroundings and the love and compassion in people that walk along your path. Merry Christmas :)

Contest

With everyone home from school on Thanksgiving break, we had a contest of making gingerbread houses.  I had only bought 2 of them because I didn't think anyone would be interested in building them.  Well, pulling them out that one day created a surprise for me.  Seems as everyone wanted to do it.  We divided up teams and I told them I wouldn't help either team.  I did concede after Team B added 2 cups instead of 2 tablespoons of water into the powder sugar to make icing!  I will have to say they did come out shining at the end with a nice house.  Although my daughter on team A, announced that it indeed looked like two guys did it.  What she mean by that?  lol 

Time

 

The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn't behave that way you would never do anything.

     John Irving  

The days past have been hectic to say the least.  I have found myself craving the free time that has been lacking.  It seems as though time is rushing by and I'm left with a feeling of exhaustion and of want. 
I have piled up pictures and entries that need to be posted.  I have missed writing in this particular journal and feel the need to enter again.  Even if only for my own satisfaction of fulfilling my passion of writing.  Lack of time should not be lack of creativity.     
Let's see now, where's those pictures.....

The two sides of my brain need a half a meeting

Sometimes there's just no words left
when disappointment appears
and we see others as though for the first time

How is it that in our world of calmness
lay awakenings that spurs our thoughts
and questions our own ability
to excel in what we want

Persistent in being
move forward a must
success to follow

Dream Flights

I saw this hot air balloon flying over my home the other day. The Dream Flights written across the balloon caught my attention. How often is it that dreams really do become a reality? Are they sometimes right in front of us although we cannot see them, or do we continue to search until it is clear? I tend to search vividly in the light of day for those dreams to show themselves as I see it at night.
As this balloon dipped down low as if to land, I found myself chasing after it in my vehicle to the next street over. Was I chasing a dream? It chose not to land, but popped back up in the sky as dreams can often do in our life.
It was there, but out of my reach....

Weekend on the Chattahoochee River

Associate with well-mannered persons and your manners will improve. Run around with decent folk and your own decent instincts will be strengthened.
-- Stanley Walker

This past weekend I took a 2 day trip in my canoe with about 15 other people down the Chattachoochee River. I took a girlfriend with me and had a blast showing her the way of the water. We camped on private property that had a beautiful log cabin I have seen before in my dreams. It looked so warm and cozy. They built a massive bon fire that mesmerized me throughout the evening and warmed me along the way. We visited 2 different water falls and ate our lunch on a different island each day. I noted that usually when people are out doing what they love and sharing a common interest, the end results are those being more helpful and kind. It was a refreshing weekend and one that will carry me over until the next trip. :)

Can't say why.....

Divorce, Southern Style

A night out at the Canton Theatre was fun this past weekend. The prelude was dinner at a New Orleans style restaurant which was located across the street. We went to see "Divorce, Southern Style". This was a hilarious comedy about a middle aged divorcee's schemes to get back together with her ex-husband....of 15 years ago! The reason being, she was low on cash. Should be so easy. lol This production kept me laughing throughout with the actors fitting the parts perfectly. The ending was good and showed how strong us women really are.....the only way to be. :)

Friendships

Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance. Radindranath Tagore

I sit here thinking of the past few weeks and the new friendship that has emerged in my life. I've always said that good friends develop when you least expect it. These recent weeks are no exception. How nice it's been to openly talk without hesitation so quickly into the newness. I don't question the timing nor the reason. I just know that it has been refreshing. :)

This is my favorite part of the day when out on the water. As the sun continues to rise and glistens on the lake, it can leave me mesmerized. My senses are close by absorbing the stillness and quiet. It does wonders for my well being and the outside world seems far away. I have been fortunate to get out there at least twice a week as the weather continues to cool off. Yes, I might have to add layers on to stay warm, but that beauty continues to show it's face in a world of color.

Moments....

As you offer yourself to love....
and lay awake to ponder if things will change....
with the mere thought of heartache....
of those left behind.
I'm here.

I count on you now....
to lift my life unto yours...
and pray you'll stay next to me.

Just hold my hand tightly....

Parents

Brian, Dan and I flew up to Pittsburgh two weeks ago to visit my parents. It had been my mother's birthday and I thought a good time to go see her. It was an enjoyable time spent with family.
On this trip, I ended up not renting a car because my Dad insisted that their car was there for my using. The first day I asked him for the keys to go somewhere, I felt as if I was back in my teens trying to get away with something! After asking where I was going and how long I would be out, he proceeded to hand over the keys. My first thought was to say "where's the closest car rental place?!" The next trip was even more interesting. I sat in the back seat with my two boys, while Dad drove and Mom told him where to go! Once again, I felt like I was back in my childhood. It's funny how things seem to stay the same between parent and child, while child to parent changes. Parents....you got to love them. :)

1533

"He had been my lover for years and yet it had been my task to make sure that he never knew me. As he lay on me, and moved inside me, I felt as lonely as if I were the ship which bore my name, out all alone at sea." The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory

Out of the 650 pages of this book that I read, the two lines above stood out to me immediately after I read it. The loneliness that was portrayed of this girl seemed so real. Loneliness that seemed to slip so easily into her very soul and stay there unwanted. She was a girl who had everything, but had nothing that really mattered. I loved this book about the reign of King Henry VIII involving his first two wives. It's hard to imagine living in that era where females did not have a say in anything. I don't think that would sit well with me! This novel was compelling, spellbinding and I felt as if I was there in court with the Tudors each and every time I opened the book. There are not too many authors that can do that. I'm looking forward to reading the book that follows this one. :)

THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

 

Yes Derek, I'm back from vacation.  :) 

We took a couple of trips actually and one of them camping at Elkmont and hiking in the Smoky Mountains.  This was the most energetic trip for me and the one that I didn't want to leave from.  I saw my first black bear there when I was a child, and now my kids saw their first one also.  The first day of hiking to Laural Falls, we came upon a mother bear and 3 cubs.  Needless to say, I was a little nervous but excited to see them.  I didn't even take a snapshot picture because I was afraid the sound of my shutter  might cause a disturbance!  After watching them for a little while, the bears continued into the thick of the woods and we continued on our hike to the Falls.  Needless to say, the boys moved a little faster on the trail after that to keep up with my pace.  :)
We hiked to Grotto Falls and also many other trails in the mountains.  I felt alive and forgot the outside world for that week.  It was great and the scenery beautiful.  Next year I hope to bike the 11 mile loop around Caves Cove if I can get them to go back.  I think the word was, "This is Mom's thing, why do we have to do it?".  lol

Vacation

Going on vacation! See you in a week!

Carol

Mother Theresa

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
Mother Theresa

Throughout the years, I have always been drawn to reading articles and books about Mother Theresa. I had hoped to see her in person someday, but never had the opportunity before she passed away in 1997.
Our church last night had a presentation of her work in Calcutta and the Missionaries of Charity that served the poorest of the poor. I was moved to tears as I listened to Linda Schaefer described her experience in India. She was the last professional photojournalist granted complete access to Mother Theresa and her work throughout India. She talked of working side by side with her and volunteering her time and energy before Mother Theresa even allowed her to take any pictures.
It is always amazing to me to hear about Mother Theresa and the people that could never say "no" to her. It truly was an amazing life.

The English-Speaking Union, Atlanta

Yesterday, myself and 3 other members from our book club, went to a luncheon sponsored by the The English-Speaking Union in Atlanta. Philippa Gregory was there to speak of her new book "The Virgin's Lover".
This is a historical novel of the first year reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. It tells of the year 1558 when she had the challenge of a war against the French who were invading Scotland and the uprising by the English Catholics. Of course she falls passionately in love with a married man who is her favorite in court. Phillippa Greggory blends historical fact with modern day rumors. I found this novel hard to put down.

We had the chance to talk first hand with Phillippa and had this photo taken of us with her sitting in the middle. The four of us enjoyed the luncheon, her speaking of the book, and listening about her background. We are reading another of her novels "The Other Boleyn Girl" for next month's book club meeting which is about the reign of Henry VIII. I would definitely recommend these novels to anyone interested in historical times.

Searching

I awoke this morning very early again with one of a few dreams that has been following me for years. The dream of finding another part of my home that is untouched by everyone that lives here. It is a place that only I find over and over again as I open each door and walk thru each room. I have plans in my dream of going thru every trunk and looking under every covering to discover what is there. In my dream, I feel as though my life will unfold as I unfold those places.

I always awake from this dream wanting to find that place and have figured out long ago that I am searching in life. Do we unconsciously hunt for answers that will give us meaning?

Tennis

Our USTA summer ladies team finished off the season this year with a 9-1 team standing. We came in first place in the district and are headed to Macon for the State Championship next May. Yippee!
Should be a fun time and definitely a good experience for the team. All that hard work and sweating in the Hotlanta summer heat has paid off! :)

The Weekend

 

We spent the holiday weekend at the lake and I was able to get in some serious paddling time.  I enjoyed the quiet time early in the morning before all the motor boats hit the water.  With my map in hand I explored some new places.  I came across deer drinking from the water, different kinds of birds with my new favorite being the heron, and butterflies galore floating in the air.  I fully expected to see a snake in my boat each morning as I left the kayak on the water's edge.  I am happy to say that it didn't occur, but I did have an inch worm crawling up my inner thigh while out in the middle of the lake.  I was lucky I didn't tip!  I don't like bugs!  lol   Needless to say, I just came back from ordering a storage cover for the opening.   :)     

 

 

 

Even though one is unprepared
We can make it through the storms and wind of change.
With every hand that is extended
we should grasp
and every outlook will be the same.
It is in that emotion which holds steadfast
our feelings to give those comfort
when they don't even see where they will walk.

Georgia Southern University

 

  Last, but not least, we have Dave going back to school for his junior year at Georgia Southern.  It was great having him home for the summer and I am missing him since he went back to school.  My food bill should go way down now since I'm not feeding him and all his friends!  Although, yesterday he called and asked me if I would please send some homemade cookies to him!  lol
We went on this pontoon ride the day before he left for college for some fun in the sun, picnic, swimming  and tubing.  It was such a nice day.  Now it's back to the books for him and he seems to be doing great.  Hang in there Dave, your halfway done!   

Kayak

I'm very pleased with each advancing year. It stems back to when I was forty. I was a bit upset about reaching that milestone, but an older friend consoled me. 'Don't complain about growing old - many, many people do not have that privilege.'
            -- Earl Warren, Chief Justice
 
At different times of my life while out in my canoe, I had thought of owning a kayak.  The past year and especially the last few months,  I have been actively looking for one that would suit me well.  I had finally found one that I wanted and last week I received it for my birthday.   
 It is a Current Design Squall, 16 1/2 ft., 22 inches wide and 58 lbs.  I've already had it on the water a few times since last week and it glides so smoothly.  Being 10 minutes from the lake is tempting enough to go every spare chance I get and I hope to do just that!   
One is never too old to start something new.  :)

Brian -10th grade this year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All I said was "put the kabobs on the grill! "  

 It never surprises me how life can bring on funny moments without even expecting it.  I found these pictures on my camera as I was downloading yesterday.  Apparently my kids were having a little fun with our dinner AND my camera!  In the midst of emotions the evening before his sister was moving out, he opted to have a little fun.  It's 10th grade for Brian this year and he definitely keeps me laughing with stunts like this. 

College

  Here's Kelly,  ready to start her college experience by entering her dorm room for the first time.    She moved in today at Emory University.  She was excited and happy, but also said she felt overwhelmed.  The years ahead of her as a pre-med student will keep her extremely busy as she follows a dream that she's had since she was 8 years old.
It was hard leaving her there when it was time to go.  I held onto her and found myself unable to release her from my arms.  As the tears rolled down my cheeks, I couldn't help but think that it seemed like yesterday that I put her on that first school bus to Kindergarten. 
Yes, I am proud of her and her accomplishments.   I am excited for her in what she is going to experience and learn and I am happy that she is going to the school of her choice.  Now, if I could only stop crying!
Good Luck Kelly ....I love you!  :)

Not your typical Wednesday

The effects of today has left me with a rash of emotions.  Not sure where to start or if I even should!  lol   Some of the highlights were the police holding my painters hostage while our security alarm was going off because they tripped it while painting the windows.  Needless to say, I was on the tennis courts playing a match in the 3rd set and the score 5-4 in our favor.  After noticing my phone vibrating in my bag and a message from ADT security, I found out what was going on.  I Ok 'd the release of the painters and pondered  whether to finish out the match, or go home and shut the alarm off.  Thinking that it had been blaring for a half hour anyway,  I chose to just finish the match.  :)
Racing home, cutting the alarm, changing out of my drenched clothes,  (in between letting some lady interested in buying our car, take one of our vehicles to get it checked out by a mechanic at a car dealer)  and then rushing to the lake for an appointment to demo a kayak, I thought my day would be topped off by flipping the boat and getting wet. To my surprised I stayed dry.  :) 
Bottom line is, they finished the painting today without the police breathing down their necks,  we won our tennis match with a wide grin on my face, the lady wanted the car but at a much lower price, AND I ended up a new owner of a kayak.  :)
A day indeed!

6th Grade

 

 

 It's sixth grade this year for Daniel.  This picture was taken at  6:30am on August 1st, his first day of school.  He was up early and eager to leave.  After 3 weeks, he seems to be back into the swing of things  and doing well.  Our county started earlier this year than ever before, but we will have weeks off during the year.  Our first being the end of September.   This is Daniel's last year at the elementary school and it's off to middle school next year.  How time flies!

Desperate of change...with nothing to prove, it lingers in my thoughts...and stirs my emotions...am I closer to where I started...or just nearing the end? This feeling that I have is sketched in between the actual and here and now.....as complex as it is, the love sustains...

The end result of kindness is that it draws people to you.
            -- Anita Roddick, A Revolution in Kindness, 2003

In all the craziness of the past few days when I was desperately trying to find some peace, something caught my attention.  I was walking around the house with the painter who would be working here and saw something flutter past me.  I found this beauty of a butterfly prancing around in my flower garden.  I kindly told the man I would be back and ran to get my camera.  As I captured a dozen pictures of this butterfly, I noticed the painter standing there wondering why I would bother taking pictures when his time was money.  After a while, I noticed his expressions soften as I talked to him that we all need to notice at times the beauty that is around us.  He proceeded later in the day to talk of my roses that adorned my bushes as he painted away.  I smiled as I remembered our conversation earlier.   This one little butterfly that caught my attention flew by at the right moment.  :)

 "If you are right-handed, you sweat more under your left arm. If you are left-handed, you sweat more under your right arm."

Daniel and I went to Fernbank Museum to view the traveling exhibit "Grossology".  It's everything you ever wanted to know about the body, but were too polite to ask!  lol

 

This is a larger than life biology lesson that had 17 hands on interactive ways to discover why things happen as they do.

We had a fun time laughing at the facts and learning things that were quite interesting.

 

 

Yes, this is a gigantic nose that Dan is walking into!

We also went to the IMax viewing of "The Living Sea" while at the museum.  I always try to see one of them when we visit.  This one was narrated by Meryl Streep and set to the music of Sting. The ocean life is such an important part of life on earth and this film captured that significance.  It was added to one of my favorites and I now want to live by the ocean!  
 

 

Buford Dam to Medlock Bridge

Today was spent on the river with a group of people we met last month from our paddle trip.  The first 8 miles were nice with clear water, good rapids and lots of herons flying in the air.  Once again, we had to dodge the fly fishing lines from the fishermen.    The last 9 miles were filled with  heavy rain and fog.  I didn't expect that kind of weather, but we made the best of it.  I had to dump my canoe a couple of times to empty it out! 
This picture of Dan was taken after we came thru "rescue rock"  rapid.  I looped around the other side and paddled up to snap it.  Made for an exciting time.  :)
At the end, we were wet and hungry, but still smiling from the adventure.  I just hope our next trip will be a little drier!

At the lake

 I spent the afternoon today at the lake enjoying the water and the sunshine. How nice it was to be out there! 
I'm in the process of looking for another boat and tried a few today.  I received some good advice from the individual in this picture about some of the different kayaks.  I was leaning toward a 14 footer, but tried a 17 foot Storm from Current Design that glided thru the water with ease.  That extra footage is great for storing cargo and quick paddling thru the water, but questionable when it comes to storage in the garage!  Or lifting it for that matter! 
Whatever I end up choosing, I'm sure as soon as it's put in the water, I'll have a great time out there using it.  :) 

 

 

 

 

I found this little frog hanging alongside my door window the other evening.  Was it hanging on for dear life?  :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some think it's holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it's letting go.
            -- Sylvia Robinson  

The days of late have been extremely busy for me.  Sometimes I feel that I have too much going on and I can't find a space to just breathe.  The pull in many directions seem to make the days slip by.  Sometimes it's welcomed, sometimes not.  Today was no exception. I need, want, and dream....has it begun?   My thoughts go rampant as the minutes go by. 
But as I exhale, the smile on my face only widens. Letting go at the end of the day can be as simple as that.   Emotions just don't lie.           

Is this Carol?

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. 
--  Alexander Graham Bell

I took this picture last month while on Hunting Island in South Carolina.  You don't see too many of these old phone booths anymore and I found myself inside and seeing if it worked.  It did!
So, I thought this would be a great picture for an entry in my journal, but couldn't decide what to write with it.  First I thought, " Underdog", "Superman" or maybe just writing about how 3 of my kids are on my shared family cell phone plan and ALWAYS going over the limit!  Couldn't decide. 
Then it hit me at  2.00am last night as I was startled awake.  My phone rang beside my bed and my heart started pounding in my chest.  Could it be something was wrong with family or friends.  As I answered my phone, I heard a female ask for me by name.  She then proceeded to say her name and her husband's name who was on the other line.  I had no clue who they were.  After a minute I realized it was a crank call.  I proceeded to hang up and still felt my heart pounding so hard it hurt.  It brought back memories of my teenage years when we had to get our number unlisted because of so many of those calls.  If they would only realize how it felt to be jolted awake and scared.  But, I guess that was their intent. 
It took me forever to fall back to sleep as I lay with my covers pulled up to my chin while I was trying to calm down.  It was at that point that I thought, "hey, remember that picture of the phone booth?........"

 

And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.  Kahlil Gibran -  The Prophet  

This day  brought blended thoughts and emotions.  At a glance it was good.... at a distance, it seemed as though depth was needed to clarify.   We have, we take .... we give all... and still,  I sit in silence .... with thoughts that need to be freely expressed and felt .... while lingering in the mix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

some things in this world you just can't change
Some things you can't see until it gets too late

baby when all your love is gone
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world
bright light - matchbox 20
   

With all this rain we've been getting the last few days, today was different.  It rained hard then the sun would shine brightly, then rain again, sun, and on and on.  It seemed as though the sun was struggling to stay out, but shone just enough for us to remember it will be back.   
I saw flooding today and can't imagine what some people are going through tonight in this hurricane aftermath.  Something of this magnitude can humble most people and show us that we are just a tiny part of the big picture.   
As my life goes on uninterrupted by this storm, I pray that others struggling with disaster, see that bright light and know that things will turn around.

                                      Today we went to a Braves game.  This was the first time in the last 4 1/2 years since we've been in Atlanta that I actually felt like a Braves fan.  Before this, I would usually cheer for the other team if they were in close vicinity to Pittsburgh, my hometown! Today was different.  I even had a favorite player, Marcus Giles!   
Even though Milwaukee beat us today 8-4, it was an exciting game.  Marcus Giles got my attention with his hits, while Jeff Francoeur hit his second home run in four games.  But, my favorite was the catch made by Milwaukee's Carlos Lee when he crashed into the wall in the 8th inning.   
Surprisingly, the rain held off till we started walking out of the stadium.  With hurricane Dennis in our midst, we were lucky!   
Now, what's going to happen the end of this month when we go to the Atlanta vs Pittsburgh game?  (Pirates all the way!  Don't tell anyone!  lol)

Scrumpdiddleumptious

I couldn't help but buy this chocolate bar a few weeks ago looking for a golden ticket.  :)  Did I think that I would instantly be a winner?  Yep.  I always think positive!  lol

One of my favorite childhood movies will be at the theaters in a re-make starring Johnny Depp.  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory makes it's debut next Friday.  Will it be as good as I remember it being long ago when it first came out in 1971?  I think we all want the pure imagination in childhood to stay intact,  but watch it slip away as time goes by.   

There is something to say about the good always prevailing in the end and this movie is no exception.  To feel like a kid in a candy store  is something we all love. I just hope I leave the theater wanting to get my hand on some chocolate bars!   

By the way, I do think I won the golden ticket in life.  :)

110 miles, 7 days, 1 great time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
            -- Eddie Cantor  

We are back home and thrown right back into reality.  Was it just last week that home,  job, bills  etc. were the furthest thing from our mind?  It seems hard to believe. What a trip. 

 I'm not sure where to start or even if I could articulate the great time that we had.  I filled my 170 page journal that I took along with me with written entries every night before I dozed off to sleep.  Each and every day was a new experience.  Many new friends entered my life with the same goal of reaching our last day with 110 miles behind us.  Some raced to the end leaving us in the dust, or should I say mud,  while others paddled by and talked of life, family and dreams. Through rain,  intense heat,  and hard work we accomplished the same goal.  We all made it.

 

Starting out at Buford Dam and seeing the crystal clear water had my adrenaline going.  The many shoals of the Chattahoochee River that we had to steer around made for excitement.  As we paddled our way toward Atlanta, the water  was clearly changing.  We became aware of just how this river needed to be maintained and the work that had to go into that.  This was one of the reasons Paddle Georgia was born.  

 

Some highlights stand out for me, but I can honestly say every day had many bright moments.  After the first day of 17 miles and everyone wondering how we were going to master this task, not one gave up.   With the youngest in the group being 4 and the oldest being 69, we definitely had a wide range of paddlers that totaled over 200 each day.   

 

The 25 foot high diving rock was something to do.  I saw the young boys and the men jump off.  I think I did it to throw a little mixture into the crowd!   But, on the other hand, I just couldn't pass it up.  Maybe it was the thrill of trying something new at my age.  :)

The 40 ft falls at Hilly Mill Creek was like paradise after sweating in the hot sun.  We ate our lunch at this spot, but not before we felt that cool water.  Being behind the falls is an awesome feeling as well as the massage we got by standing with the water running down our backs.  I would have loved to stay the whole day there!           

 

 

We all plan on returning next year for the trek down the Etowah River.  That one week in June where paddling each day with nothing on our minds but the scenery and the next mile in front of us, is something I look forward to.  Until then, I will treasure the memories, the new friends that have touched my life,  and the inspiration I received along the way.   Let the river flow.....  

Paddle Georgia 2005

 

I am packed and ready for my trip!  http://journals.aol.com/
eynl/Happeningsduring
theairIbreathe/entries/982 I have to drop my canoe off at the launch site today at 3, will camp tonight and be on the water at 7am tomorrow morning.  I am excited and ready for the 7 day paddle down the Chattahoochee.  Should be back home July 2 and hopefully with lots of pictures.  Wish me luck!

 

Hunting Island, Beaufort SC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We returned last night from a trip to Hunting Island, Fripp Island and Hilton Head.  It was nice to get away and spend a few days  at the beach.   I sought out this lighthouse and "dragged" everyone along with me to climb it on our first day there.  It was built in 1873, is 132.5 feet tall and has 167 steps.  

 

They tried to use "there's a fee" as a deterrent to go up it.  Right.  Needless to say, the money was given to the attendant and we were on our way.  It was fun climbing the spiral staircase and looking at how the structure was built.      

 

Everyone seemed to enjoy the view from the top following the long haul up. 

Should I say that after all this, I was the one not able to look down and actually had to lean against the lighthouse as I looked out onto the water.   Why then, do I always seek out these lighthouses!  lol 

 

 

Hanging out

 

The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn't matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.-- Barbara Hall, Northern Exposure, Rosebud, 1993
   

 I awoke with this little fellow hanging outside my front door window.  I had walked downstairs and caught the sight of him out of the corner of my eye.  Ever get a feeling that someone is around and watching?  :)   Well, It let me get close enough to take a picture as he climbed on the bricks and basked in the sun.  Pretty cool I thought.
Yesterday , Daniel invited his friend and mother to come hang out at the pool.  We talked, laughed, swam and basked in the sun ourselves for about 4 hours.  It was a fun afternoon that left me feeling a little worn out.  Something I probably shouldn't have done on tennis night.  But, we plan on having them over again next week.  It's summer and I'm loving it.  :)

What goes around comes around

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember being 18 and trying to "find myself" and thought at the time I had everything figured out.  Little did I know that it would take years before I looked back and realized that I like everyone else, made it through those times by trial and error.  I enjoyed my newfound freedom that we think comes at the magical age of 18.   I worked, studied and  even took a summer  just traveling the east coast.  If you told me I couldn't do something, then the next thing you know I was doing it.  My daughter is now at this age and I'll be watching  closely at her choices even though at a distance.  And it has already started.  A week after graduation, she decided to pierce her nose.  She told me hours before she was going to do it, which is more than I did at her age with different things.  I remember secretly piercing my ears for the first time at 16 when I was suppose to wait till 18.  (Yes, times have changed)    This little diamond on her nose will not scar if she  takes it out some day, but I see how like myself, she needed  to express herself.  I'm sure by the time she's a doctor, that little piercing will be out of there.  One can only hope. 

Book Club

  "I was, I realized, terrified of what was going on inside him, his monkness, the power of what had brought him to the abbey.  If we were going to be together-and I wanted this now with something close to desperation-he would have to want it, too, in the same way he'd wanted God, and I didn't know if I could compete with that. " 
 The Mermaid Chair  - Sue Monk Kidd  

 

The mermaid chair was this month's selection to read in our book club.  It was quite the discussion last night.  I enjoyed this book,  it's symbolism and deep thoughts that the characters displayed.  It inspired an earlier entry the other day in my journal that seems untouchable because of subject matter.  Are we too afraid of true thoughts and feelings?  This book was of a lady in  midlife who questions her conventional life with her husband and falls in love with a monk who is soon to take his final vows.   She is pulled in love between a newness and excitement and the ordinary life that she has made for herself.  Losing her "self" throughout her 20 years of marriage inspires her yearning for a true soul mate.   

 Life can illuminates a woman's self-awakening if sometimes we forge straight on.  This book is one that I would definitely recommend. 

 "But, I don't know what my cross is.  Is it doing without her now that I've loved her?  Or is it doing without the abbey?  Or is it the peculiar agony of being spiritual and human at the same time. " 
The Mermaid Chair  - Sue Monk Kidd    

My view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait. Do not even wait, be quiet still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.
            -- Franz Kafka  

This view out my window from my desk keeps me smiling each time I look up while sitting at my computer.  This particular bird has steadily been at my feeder for over a month now.  It comes alone and is different from the other birds in my garden.  The Torenia hanging plant has brought humming birds as of late.  They seemed to disregard the hummingbird feeders and prefer the real thing.  I've had many finches, blue jays, cardinals and woodpeckers also flying around.  The assortment has been plenty and I relish in seeing them clearly this year with my corrected vision.  They bring a smile to my face each and every time.  :)

Preparing for the trip

Daniel and I started preparing yesterday for our trip at the end of the month.  We have many things to get ready, but the anticipation was present yesterday as we started marking things off our list of things to do.  I had given him this itinerary and saw the excitement in his eyes.  Hopefully this trip will be one that he will remember taking at the age of 11 with his mother.   :)  

June 25 —Day 1
17-mile tour of Buford Dam’s tailwaters, renowned as the southernmost trout waters in the U.S.—home to brooks, browns and rainbows. 50-degree water

June 26 —Day 2
14 miles through Atlanta’s backyard, the backyards of Atlanta’s upscale northern suburbs and country clubs where millionaires are almost as common as kingfishers. Here, the river offers more peaceful paddling, interspersed with a few lively shoals at Jones Bridge and Island Ford.

June 27 —Day 3
16 miles from Roswell to Peachtree Creek piercing Atlanta’s infamous perimeter highway and flowing through what is arguably the most beautiful stretch of the Chattahoochee’s 436-mile course through Georgia. Here, the Palisades’ high granite cliffs overlook playful Class I shoals. Day 3 also includes the trip’s only portage (a short one around Morgan Falls Dam).

June 28 —Day 4
15 miles from Peachtree Creek to Campbellton Road southwest of Atlanta. Class II rapid near the mouth of Peachtree Creek.

June 29 —Day 5
15-mile tour of mostly rural landscape along the Douglas/Fulton county line

June 30 It’s —Day 6 is a 15-mile tour through geological time. The Brevard Fault is the primary geological feature of the Chattahoochee through middle Georgia.

July 1 —The trip’s final day is the longest, but perhaps its most rewarding. The 20-mile paddle to Franklin takes you past Bushhead Shoals Islands (the river’s largest island complex), Daniel Shoals (the largest natural rapid ) and waterfalls at Hilly Mill and Redbone creeks.

Dreaming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's amazing how we love. 
At times I look beyond what I need to see and my answers are always the same.  The love that surrounds us continues on with familiarity.   We look, desire, and dream, but come back to the love that settles in just right.  That all too familiar nestle on the shoulder that helps us drift off to sleep while dreaming of foreign territory, seems to fit in our world.  The exciting love of long ago replaced by the comfort of that same love.  Those same passions are not extinguished, yet on a different Plain.
I find myself this morning probably thinking too much, desiring too much and dreaming as I go about my day.  I need to get my act together.   :)

Class of 2005

Kelly is graduating tomorrow from High School along with over 500 other students.  The past two weeks have been exciting with end of year events and celebrations.  The accomplishments that Kelly has made throughout her high school years are staggering to me. 

 

 

 

Her busy schedule that she endured along with work and sports has made for one busy senior year.  She jetted to the nearby college for half of her AP classes to get a head start on her "long" college career as she would say. 

Entering Emory University in Atlanta for pre-med in August will definitely be a lengthy haul, but I know she for one will be able to do it. 

 

I look forward to tomorrow with mixed emotions. I am proud, yet sad that this phase of her life is over.  I am excited for her, but worried about upcoming college life.  

 

 

I also look forward to watching her accomplish the goals she has set in life for herself and hope that she continues to smile that bright smile that she so easily gives.   The years have flown by, but I loved every minute seeing her blossom.  Good luck tomorrow Kelly.  I love you!  :)