Leaving Ohio

This afternoon we'll be heading back home. We've been in Ohio since Sunday.

My husband has been at golf club making school. That has raised many eyebrows when I've told people! This was the dream he had for retirement. It has taken him four years to get here. I'm so happy he made it - he has enjoyed it so much.

It has been an interesting week for me. I have never stayed in a hotel for a week with nothing to do!

On Monday I went to Longaberger and made a basket. That was exciting. My basketmaker told me I am the best teacher he's ever had as most teachers try to take over, want to do things their way and don't listen. I took the tour of the factory and was amazed at the size of the place. No pictures were allowed, but my camera seemed to click now and then working well without the flash!

On Tuesday and Wednesday I scrapped. Molly sends monthly pictures of Anna via the internet. I decided to make Anna an album of those pictures. I added the day she was born, NICU, and welcome home pictures. I finished her first six months - 42 pages.

Wednesday evening, we met one of my internet SS friends, educ8or200 aka Holley. She suggested dinner at Miller's Essenplatz which was wonderful. We really had a great time together. I am so thrilled she took time out of her busy schedule to meet us. It's fun to add a new friend to your life.

On Thursday I went back to Miller's to buy some bread from their bakery. Then I gathered my courage and started making a storybook. It took me about an hour and a half to get the photos arranged. I did journal, but need to go back and edit. I am excited that I accomplished this as I am digitally illiterate.

I had to pick up Jay from school so went to GolfWorks early so I could take pictures of him. He's with a great group and they seem to be having a good time. That morning they went to Ralph Maltby's home where he has an amazing workshop. He spent two hours with them so that was a thrill for Jay. He decided to drive to Granville to show me Ralph's house. I couldn't believe he dared drive into this estate but nothing happened.

We were trying to decide about dinner. The plan was to go back to Donatos Pizza - where we ate Sunday - but Jay had pizza for lunch. I told him a street to try and to my surprise we found a Sonic. We get excited about Sonic because we don't have them anywhere near where we live. We usually only get to go one week a year when we're on vacation at OBX. So this was a bonus.

Everything is packed and I need to load the car. Jay is done with school at noon so I'll go over a little early to pack the car with all the new equipment he's buying!

I've really had a good week. I haven't done much and didn't rest as much as I planned, but have felt good about everything. I will admit that I like being home. I can go away for a weekend and get "homesick". But, this week was fun and I never got that feeling that I want to be home. I do miss Anna and can't wait to see her, but it hasn't been as bad as I expected. I expect the trip home won't be as pleasant as the trip out, but it will be good to get home.

I do love Ohio.

SS Challenge #17

Tell us about your most prized possession, why you value it, and what makes it special to you.

The first two things I thought of when I read this challenge were a t-shirt and a rubber toy I have that belonged to my brother. My brother was born 1 1/2 years after me. He was born with a tumor on his tongue. Back in 1951 they had no idea what to do for him. I remember him well. I remember playing with him, hiding behind the bed, cutting his hair and wondering how my parents knew because I hid the clippings in a drawer, going for walks with our mom, waiting on the porch steps for our dad to come home from work, and his funeral. He died when he was almost 3 and I was a little over 4. My mom gave me a t-shirt of his and a rubber toy. I keep them in my dresser drawer.

Quote for thought!

My daughter's grandmother-in-law stopped to visit today while I was babysitting our granddaughter. She was telling a 24-year-old story about someone. She said she'd never forget what her husband said about the man:

He's so low that if he crawled under a snake with a top hat on he wouldn't even touch its belly.

Relief

I am home from my procedure. All went well. I do have a few pockets and shouldn't eat popcorn or peanuts - or at least be very careful. I know all about that as my brother had a horrid experience with diverticulitis. Must be we inherited it from someone. I am so relieved that is all they found.

I took a little nap but still feel tired. We leave at 10 tomorrow for NJ - surprise birthday party for our daughter-in-law. I want to get there early enough to help our son and spend time with him. Glad Erin has to work so we don't have to sneak as much!

My wonderful husband is making me a chocolate milkshake. I am really going to enjoy it.

Warning - gross post

I have put this off way too long. I am having a colonoscopy tomorrow. I truly dread it. I know it is stupid, but I am very afraid they may find something wrong - no reason to think that; I just do. Everyone says that today is worse than tomorrow. I can suffer through today if tomorrow is ok.

Of course I woke up this morning absolutely starving! I think I could eat a McDonald's Big Breakfast, the Hungry Man Breakfast at VJ's Diner, and a few donuts on the side. I can have water, jello, plain tea, Gatorade (which I don't drink), popsicles, and boullion.

I asked my niece if I could wear my pjs to the hospital so that when I come home I can just jump in bed. She told me the high school kids wear pants like my pjs to school all the time. I know DH will think I'm crazy and give me a hard time. Probably by then all I'll care about is the pizza I'll order after this is over!

Life Lessons and CNY

Gaye's challenge this week is to write about a life lesson. Her blog was fantastic, so I have hesitated to even do this. I then read Amy's blog about this weekend at CNY and that was fantastic, too. Maybe my life lesson is that I can write a piece that won't be as wonderful as the two I've read, but it is mine! So here goes...

The much anticipated CNY8 retreat is over. There is so much build up before the event. It lasts 3-4 days depending on when people arrive. Then it's over and that is a let down.

My retreat starts on Thursday with people coming to my house for dinner. This year my dear friend Sharon arrived at 1:30. Our beautiful granddaughter was here so Sharon got to play with Anna before anyone else arrived. Eventually the house was filled with 17 talking, laughing, happy women. Some are old friends while a few were new to the group. No one would ever know who had never been here before. Of course I stress about having people at my house hoping it is clean enough, nice enough, and the food is good enough. But when it is over, I look back and all I see in my mind's eye is how much they all enjoyed themselves and each other.

Friday is the official first day of the retreat and it lasts until late Sunday afternoon. This time thirty-eight women gathered together to scrap their life. Some got 60 pages done, some got no pages done. But everyone finds friendship.

It still amazes me, after attending many retreats, that this many women can come together for a weekend and find so much joy, laughter, love, friendship, and happiness. Those who are "newbies" fit right in like they've been there since the first retreat four years ago. Everyone goes home a little more mentally healthy than when they arrived.

My life lesson? People are amazing. There is so much good and sometimes we overlook that because there is so much bad. Bad is louder than good. This is my life lesson from the CNY8 retreat.

Dij ye scrap?

Another never say never. I thought I'd never do digital scrapbooking. But, I've had a few customers ask me about doing Storybook Creator so felt I needed to learn - or at least be somewhat familiar with it. I took a class yesterday for Memory Manager - a computer file/editing system for photos - and Storybook Creator Plus - scrapping online. I love the Memory Manager, but I still have a lot to learn. I don't know how many albums I'll ever do digitally, but love the other things I can do - make a page, postcards, and I'm sure much more.

We joke about "digiscrapping". My daughter has changed it to "dij ye scrap".

Another new adventure and another thing to spend money on. The first thing Jay asked was how much this is going to cost him. I said not much - just all the downloads and a new 12x12 printer which I'd wait for as a Christmas gift. How am I going to fanagle getting it sooner? I'll have to work on Anna who will be able to get anything she wants (for me) from her grandpa.