Noise from the Zoo

Review 2008 crossword answers

2008-12-22T19:11:00.002-06:00

I hope that you gave it a little try
Here are the answers:
Down:
1. Kayak
2. Samuel
3. Miko
5. Sister
8. Construction
12. Element
16. Counselor
18. Kickball

Across:
4. Parents
6. Camping
7. Support
9. Volleyball
10. Fiesta
11. Erin and Jeff
13. Friends
14. Seattle
15. Peace
17. Tutoring
19. Cooper
20. Olympics

Thanks for playing. Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!
love, Roberta, Cooper and Miko

30 and giving thanks

2008-11-29T14:08:00.004-06:00

Last Sunday was my thirtieth birthday. 30. 3-0. Three decades. huh.
My family and friends surprised me in my parent's garage. I had friends represented from elementary school through my current work friends. My godparents were there...as they were when I was born. Pretty amazing really. The invitations reached my current co-workers at my agency as well as my high school. I was a little overwhelmed to see friends from all stretches of my life. Erica, my bestest friend from college, drove from Minnesota. Lori and Lorie from Rochester, MN also made the trip. My college roommate who lives in WI attempted the surprise as well but was surprised herself and had her appendix removed that night instead. What timing.
My sister, Adam and a friend from work Sarah decorated, my mother made food and everyone laughed and had a good time. There was a little pinata action as well! My 30th was a great fiesta. Thanks everyone!

We spent Thanksgiving at Erin and Jeff's house. Sam was a really good boy and even fell asleep early. The last few weeks has been better for Sam, which makes things easier for Erin and Jeff too. We had great food and good laughs. I love spending time with my family.

Dad, Erin and I ventured out about 6:30 Friday morning to watch the action. We ate free breakfast at Sam's Club and found a few good buys. Most of all we just enjoyed the morning together, some real Father/Daughter bonding.

Ugh...that leads to today. I attempted to hang Christmas lights outside. I totally suck at that. I ended up only wrapping my lamp post, again. I don't want to be a scrooge, but the outside lights just aren't my cup o' tea. I did buy a Christmas tree today too though, so at least I can celebrate the holidays on the inside of my house! Now I'll go rummage through my parents boxes to find some ornaments and trimmings for the tree.

Just a quick fill in...hope all is well. Please continue to pray for Sam, Erin and Jeff.

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Catch up game...where've I been?

2008-11-02T10:09:00.002-06:00

Uh...I am still alive. It's true. I live my life day to day and sometimes forget that others may want to know that I exist. At least one or two people read this and may enjoy a few pictures or life updates. Apparently nothing can match my outpouring of emotions about my failed Olympic dreams, so here it goes.
In the last couple of months I have been spending a lot of time at work. Things are going well there, I still get frustrated with many, but wake up each morning not hating work. Now once I get there, that's a different story....but I somehow make it through 8+ hours until I get back home to Cooper (he is really cute by the way.)

A couple of weeks ago my favorite auntie Carol and cousin Kristi came to town. It was a quick visit, but long enough to make some stamped cards, shop at a craft show and have some laughs. It's always good to see Kristi too especially now that she lives close to Mt. Rushmore. :)
It's babies galore lately. Sam has a new cousin, I have yet to meet Peyton Weiner, but the pictures sure are cute. My bestie Trichelle has baby Norah and I am anxious to meet her over Christmas, she has beautiful dark hair and a really good mommy and daddy. My friend Sara is also pregnant, Lorie is due at the end of December...lots 'o babies!
Last weekend I traveled to Fairmont, MN to hang with Erica. We then headed to Minneapolis to get our shop on. Erica is the best and her friends Karina and Tabitha are really great too. We had a fun time and we all spent too much money. I bought at overpriced handbag that is a reward once I (if I ever do) reach my first weight loss goal.

Erin and I have decided to make a 'lifestyle change.' We joined Weight Watchers. Obviously I have only ever watched my weight increase in my life, so we both would benefit from some weight loss. It's hard--I am doing fine, but it's not fun.
Volleyball started last night. We are 3-0 and I think the team is going to be fun and we can all handle our own on the recreational volleyball court. I look forward to many Saturday nights in sweatpants and T's!

See--not a lot happening really. I will post some pictures of the Octoberfest weekend with Sarah, Adam, Molly and Kevin in Sioux Falls, that was a fun night.

Hope all is well--keep praying for Sam, Erin and Jeff.

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Missed my calling?

2008-08-10T12:58:00.002-05:00

So as I have been watching the Olympics the last couple of days, basically non-stop, I have now just questioned whether or not I have missed my calling to be an Olympic Athlete. This is why:
As a child I loved swimming, I was referred to as a fish at my swimming lessons. I loved the deep-end of the country club's pool. I liked the diving board too. Could I have been a diver? I was known to do somersaults off of it, huh. Now the swimming thing. I could do the "American crawl" with the best of them.

Other sports I feel I could have perfected are tennis (took lessons at the Club too,) I was a helluva basketball player in elementary school too. Another teammate, Karen and I, were a force to be reckoned with. I also threw the shot-put in 7th grade. I could have kicked some ass if I would have stayed with that too.

Let's see...I drove my bicycle up a curb once. That probably squashed my cycling dreams. My dad is an archer...could have tried that, but never did.

I played softball too! Though refused to slide so at some point that dream came to an end too. Though I do remember when I played 3rd base I was the only 5th grader that could throw to 1st base. Skill.

When I lived in England I took a fencing class...basically sucked at that though. The mask made my face hot and I felt claustrophobic. Wouldn't have done well.

Volleyball. I love volleyball. Though by the time I really loved it I was plenty overweight and couldn't rock out the little panty shorts. Well I could have, but it wouldn't have been good for anyone. So now I play rec. league and always wear pants.

I didn't know I liked to kayak until about 3 years ago and was too old to pursue the Olympics at that point.

So as I have described, I had a couple of opportunities I could have stuck with in order to become an Olympian. Unfortunately, I was a quitter at most activities. So with that I feel now I could receive a Gold Medal for sitting on my ass watching others pursue their dreams. Go USA.

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The last few weeks.

2008-08-02T09:24:00.002-05:00

Summer is winding down for me. I go back to work full time in about 11 days. I can't believe how quickly the summer has gone by and that just 8 weeks ago I felt I had the freedom of summer to do as I damn well please. And I have.
Took a trip to Eau Claire, WI with my high school besties. I can use 'besties' cuz I am on Facebook and that's how I roll. Trichelle, Betsy, Lorie, Lori and I went to Country Jam, an outdoor music festival. I indulged, actually overindulged, though have pictures to prove I attended. I'm too old for that by the way.

Made it back from that trip to attend Kelsey's wedding. Kelsey is one of Sam's caregivers and has been a vital part of his care the last few years. Kelsey wanted Sam to be her ringbearer and he did a great job. Erin and Jeff were his escorts and he smiled great for pictures and looked smashing in his tux. I do have to say as they came down the aisle, big smiles and love radiated from my sister and her family. I teared up a bit...really cool to see that little man and how he holds such influence on so many people. I've been a proud auntie before, but that moment was priceless for me.

Kickball started, period. No further comment. Leave it at that. Well, I have to say that the people are great and we laugh.

Great news for Sam! Through many fights, meetings, discussions, arguments, let downs, frustrations etc...Jeff and Erin succeeded once again in their mission for Sam to receive the best care and education possible. He will attend Children's Care Hospital and School until October '09. The SF school district has been very difficult and ignored some obvious things and neither Erin or Jeff would back down in their goal. They both are fulfilling roles that I doubt either ever expected they would...though I don't fully know the difficulty and the struggle they endure daily, what I do know is Sam couldn't have better parents.

The bathroom is a couple of steps away from completion. Still need a window treatment, light switch cover and some more decorations, but it is functional and I am pleased with the outcome.

My college roommate got engaged too. That's pretty dang exciting. Time to get less fat so I can be all smiles at her destination wedding! :)

Tonight I am attending a "get ready for the Olympics party" and we'll play some Wii Sonic and Mario at the Olympics to fully gear up for 08.08.08!

Oh and Cooper is still cute.

Flickr Fun

2008-07-15T17:35:00.000-05:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by rbennett1178

Thanks to Corey
The Flickr Game.

THE RULES:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s Mosaic Maker.

And here are the questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. Where did you go to high school?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

My answers:
1. Roberta 2. Chicken 3. Washington 4. Blue 5. Johnny Depp 6. Rum N Coke 7. African Safari 8. Cheesecake 9. Professor 10. Friendship 11. Laughter 12. A pic from my Flickr set

Omaha, NE trip July 1st and 2nd

2008-07-06T10:39:00.009-05:00

Adam and I went to Omaha to attend the Olympic Trials for Swimming. We attended Tuesday and Wednesday night finals sessions. We saw World Records broken! Tuesday night Natalie Coughlin and Aaron Piersol set new records and Michael Phelps set a new US Open record. It was great to see how the events take place and everything is on a tight schedule. The crowd was so into it too!
We also witnessed Katie Hoff setting records and basically blowing away her competition. It was probably a once in a lifetime experience and am really glad I got to attend the competition. Makes me pretty excited for the Olympics!
The pics are hard to tell who the people are, but at least I can prove I was there!

On Wednesday we also went to the Omaha Zoo...it was hot, but I love the zoo! We saw the snow leopards eating actual elk legs..pretty great right?? The air conditioning in the IMAX theater was great, so were the sexy glasses!

International Element Owners Club Meet-Columbus, OH

2008-07-06T10:24:00.005-05:00

Another geek meet! I traveled to Columbus, OH by way of Chicago to pick up my fellow-geek club member, Trina, for another Element meet. The meet was in the Columbus area this year as all of the Honda Elements are made at the East Liberty Honda Plant. As a group we toured the plant. It was really an amazing thing to see. I had never toured a factory before and was truly impressed with the precision and the dedication to making a quality product. The associates of the plant were friendly and enjoyed having us there. We also were able to see the test track used to determine performance and capability. Neither of these events are usually open to the public, so was great to see.
We spent a lot of time in the parking lot again as the weather was perfect. A lot of socializing, laughing and story telling takes place in the parking lot! Many of the same people I met in St. Louis two years ago were there, so it was a reunion for many. The people of this club are dedicated to making the events memorable and I really love these people. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I'd drive over 2000 miles to hang out with people that drive the same car as me...in a parking lot. But for some reason, as long as I am able to, I will do the same thing over and over!
Then on my way home after dropping Trina at Midway in Chicago, I continued on to my college roommate's house near Milwaukee. Sarah and I don't get to see each other very often but I love every second I get to spend with her. We can not see each other for years and it's like old times...but not the times we lived together, cuz' that wasn't always perfect! I miss her a ton.

Some of these pics are mine, others I stole from my friends on the site.

Seattle and Pics

2008-07-06T10:08:00.004-05:00

I visited Seattle in April. A friend from Graduate school and my first job in Sioux Falls, Danielle is going to law school at Seattle University. Another friend, Trina (from the Element Club) lives there as well. So I got to explore Seattle with both of them. It was a great trip. The weather was very unpredictable, there was snow, rain, wind, and low temps, but we still got to see the things I wanted.
We visited great restaurants, I ate at my first Dim Sum restaurant in Seattle's China Town and loved it. I can't find that around here! We also took the Ducks Tour, which is a WW2 vehicle that goes on land and water. A great look at Seattle and some history. We took a ferry across Elliot Bay and could see the skyline through the rain and fog, but barely. Danielle, Trina and I also went to the Experience Music Project, a museum that if I were in love with guitars I would have been drooling the whole time. But it was enjoyable. I went to the Public Market and had a great cup of coffee at the first Starbucks store! :)
We also took an underground tour where more Seattle history was learned. Then we went to Fremont, a neighborhood in Seattle, to visit the Fremont Troll. This was a piece of 'art' that won a contest to be placed under a bridge in a residential neighborhood. Pretty weird but cool at the same time.
I really liked Seattle and can see why the people love their city. I have visited places in my life and when I got home thought that Seattle could definitely be a place I could live. It was a great long weekend.

Almost!

2008-04-23T21:29:00.001-05:00

Well the countdown to summer is on. I only have a few weeks left of school and my contract ends the 31st of May! This year has just flown by. I have a feeling that in the next few weeks I will be awfully irritable. I have so much work to do...you see I have a procrastination problem. Yeah, really I do. So I have to do work now that I should have 3-6 months ago. Impressive I know!

I have some pictures and will write later about my trip to Seattle. Had a really great time. I loved the city. More to come.

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an update to nothing

2008-03-12T20:53:00.003-05:00

Again not much new or exciting going on in my world. Work is busy but going well. I can't believe that we were talking about our summer schedules today, this school year is flying by. We all have spring fever though and the kids are definitely getting antsy....Cooper and I are ready to hit the dog park again too. Soon, I think!
Our volleyball team was the top seed going into last weeks tournament, we lost and so we've entered the loser's bracket. So we play again this Saturday night...hopefully to head towards the finals! It's been fun though. I just signed up to play sand volleyball this summer too at a bar in Tea.
I also booked a flight to Seattle in April. I will be visiting my friends Danielle and Trina. I am excited as I have never been there and have heard such wonderful things about the city.

I wish there was more going on to update but...life is pretty monotonous right now!
So...here's a bunny with a pancake on it's head

Ahh!

2008-01-09T22:34:00.001-06:00

I got nothing...no real updates. Christmas was nice as always, New Year's was fun (no incriminating pictures) and it's always fun to see my friends when they are home...so nothing too exciting because I am too busy playing my Wii...but I stole this pic from my sister's site because it belongs on mine. Priceless right? I love that kid! :)

Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T12:20:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I went to my parent's house to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. Erin, Jeff and Sam joined us as well as a quilting friend of my mom's, Bev. The day went rather smoothly and the food was excellent as always. I love spending time with my family and am thankful we are all in the same vicinity and the chaos of travel is removed.

On Wednesday night I got together with a few of my greatest friends that were home for the holiday and we celebrated my birthday as well. It was fun to spend the time with those that aren't home as much as I'd like.
Tuesday night I also had a pre-Thanksgiving meal with some other friends and their children.

During this season it's time to remember those that we are thankful for. I am grateful to have wonderful friends, a loving family, and all the other perks that not everyone is allowed. To all I was able to celebrate with this week, thank you for your love and friendship...and those I didn't, may you feel blessed and loved each day.
Edit: Also met up with Carol, Kristi and Kelly in Watertown for a quick day of family bonding....these pics prove it right?

Goodbye and Thank you

2007-09-25T22:56:00.000-05:00

My grandmother, Harriet, died tonight. Physically, her body gave out. Mentally she has been missing for years now.
I remember the smell of my grandma and grandpa's car when they would pick me up from school. There was always a pillow and a box of tissues in the backseat with me. A list of all the counties, with license plate numbers, was under the visor. The smooth ride in their big "grandpa car" was memorable as well.
My grandma had a wonderful smile and warm eyes, you know the type that draw people in because she was kind and caring. Their house was comfortable, grandpa used to have the TV on really loud and grandma and I would be in the kitchen baking or drawing on dishcloths. I think she knew I wasn't artistic, but dang she'd encourage and cheer me on. She was very talented and offered me opportunities to be creative. She was a teacher by profession and by nature I believe.
Sunday night I visited her with my sister and I remember thinking what a great mother she must have been too because of the father I have. In the past few years she would recognize us less and blankly respond to our hugs and squeezes. Selfishly, I didn't want to see her that way. But she's not only my grandmother, she's my dad's mom. I think of the memories he's shared with me about his childhood and about the examples she set for my dad and it makes me sad for him. Her passing is a blessing...but she's gone now, and that's painful.
Tonight I witnessed some of her last breaths...like she was there to witness some of my first. She cared for me and loved me in a way only a grandma could. How lucky I was/am to have her influence on my life. "Hoddy" impacted many lives and all who knew her understood her warmth and love for people. I'm sad for those that only knew her in these past few years because they never got to experience her as a whole.

Thank you grandma for your love and guidance. Grandpa has been waiting a long time for you.

Grandma's Obituary
a pic from last Christmas

update

2007-09-08T13:02:00.001-05:00

Kickball is almost over, we've lost most of our games, but boy were we excited after we won the first one! Oh well, it's still been fun to play. We've opted out of the all-day tourney, probably to let the other teams have a chance...right.
Adam, Craig, Ali and I went camping in Yankton a few weekends ago. No pictures, but we had a great time playing dominoes, badminton, track ball, and a few bumps and sets with the flat volleyball. We also did some geocaching. It was a fun and quick weekend.

What else? I got a new job, same agency new school. I am now at Roosevelt High School full-time, which is great. The people are wonderful and I am thrilled to be as busy as I am. Big change from running between schools.

Had my 10 year High School class reunion last weekend. We had a great, great time. I had no idea I would, but it was fun. We had a decent turn-out, but I feel bad for those that chose not to come, because everyone shared that it was much better than they'd expected. I consumed plenty of keg beer and an occasional shot. Seemed all worth it!
Many of my closest high school friends were home for the party...definitely missed a few of them though :(
Some Reunion Pics

Went to a Geocaching event this morning at the Outdoor Campus. Cooper and I were picked up by Adam and Iris and we went on a cache poker run. I am sure I will win something really big! It rained a bit, but we found the caches, which is better than the last time we cached. Adam and I both had some form of itchweed or something.

Not sure what else to share...hopefully Erin and Jeff will post pics of their new "toy" too...

UNDEFEATED!

2007-07-27T08:24:00.000-05:00

Pretty exciting. We are undefeated in kickball, let me be a little more specific. We won our first game, 9-8. I like to use undefeated because it makes us sound good and tough. Not that we aren't or couldn't be, but we just don't know yet. See, most of the people on the team know only one or two other people. Who knew that a CF of people thrown together by two people could offer up a winning team??
I am probably getting too excited now, it is just one win afterall. But I am just not used to winning, so maybe this is gloating. All I know is that if gloating is wrong, I don't want to be right. :)

Kelley Family Reunion July 12-15

2007-07-16T23:12:00.000-05:00

So, is it still called a "Family Reunion," when I haven't met most of the family? :) I suppose it is and now that I have met them...it's great to call them family. My parents, Cooper and I headed to Wickiup Village in Spearfish Canyon, SD for the Kelley Reunion. My grandmother is a Kelley and I hadn't met many of my relatives. My family members are spread out over the US...all parts of the country were represented in one campground brought together by blood. It was a very nice weekend, the weather was beautiful and I enjoyed learning about my family...past, present and future.

Oakwood Lakes State Park, SD June 29-July1

2007-07-08T23:02:00.000-05:00

Headed out to Oakwood Lakes State Park for our first camping weekend of the summer. The weather was perfect. We swam, kayaked, geocached, ate, drank, laughed, played badminton andjust hung out and enjoyed the company. Got to use my tent for the first time, the size is great, the quality is less than great. But it worked. I didn't attach it to the end of the Element, maybe try that another time.
The park is great and I really enjoyed exploring a new area. I hope to get back there again sometime.

Cooper and Leah

2007-06-16T22:59:00.000-05:00

These pics are of Cooper and my friend Lori's Boxer, Leah...just wanted to share!

Two-Time Silver Medalist

2007-06-09T16:59:00.000-05:00

Last night I competed in the first ever ( I think) Backyard Olympics hosted at the Eden House. We had a 3 event competition consisting of Badminton, Bocce Ball, and Ladder Ball. Countries represented were Morracco, Djibouti, Norway, Germany and Kazakhstan.
The first match of Badminton was Morracco (Charlie, Melissa & Grace) vs. Djibouti (Adam & I). This was no problem for Djibouti, thanks to a 21-month old wandering around. Second match was Norway (Ali & Craig) vs. Germany (Brian & Laura). Germany won. Djibouti held on in the final match, but Germany won on an ace for the Gold.

Bocce Ball was a close one for Djibouti too, but Silver once again. With Ladder Ball there were some struggles as the sun was setting and one member of Djibouti (who shall remain nameless, though it's not me) says he has poor night vision, whatever, we lost.

Good times on a nice Friday evening.

Time to play catch up...once again

2007-06-09T16:20:00.000-05:00

Well, no pictures to share with you, so you'll have to use your imagination. I am having some computer issues and there doesn't seem to be enough space to load my pictures at this time. So, on with such awesome detail, you won't need pics! *pics added now!

I made it to "Tentback Mountain" and back. My adventure started at 3:30 am the morning of Friday May 18th, when my dad picked me up for the airport. Yeah, you read that right, 3:30! What a guy, am I right? My flight for Mpls. left at 5:12, then from there I boarded the plane to Newark, NJ. My flight landed on time and my ride, Gail, was there to pick me up. She had her E packed beautifully with just enough room for my backpack. We drove about 3 hours NE (I think!) to Massachusetts. Along the way, we met up with Justin, Pat and Rachel. We had three black Elements trucking into the campsite. The campground was beautiful, what we could see through the rain. Yeah, it rained...the WHOLE weekend!
Once we were parked, we started to unload and create Tentback Mtn. There were tarps and screen tents set up all over to create what coverage we could. It was a bit chilly too.
Friday the rest of the troops started to roll in and get camp set up. We got a fire started and then plopped our asses in front of it, beer in hand and started telling stories and laughing. I think I laughed the majority of the weekend.
Friday night was damn cold in my tent, well it was actually Carly's tent, but it was my abode for the weekend.
Saturday I awoke to rain, wind and cold temperatures again! Imagine.
As more people started to join in on the day, we shared a lot about our lives as well as our cars. It was pretty cool to see how everyone had modified and personalized their E's. It was also a lot of fun to meet the new people, but great to catch up with those I'd met in St. Louis.
Saturday evening/night was a blast. We had a huge fire and about 40 people around the campfire. One of the members, Harry, busted out his guitar and serenaded us all. It was priceless really, all of these people are friends because of a car...and the desire to care about and make an effort to make new friends. Amazing really.

Sunday was more rain and we talked about packing up and heading to someone's house, but we stuck it out and it was great that we did because we saw the sun! For about 3/4 of an hour the sun, glorious sun, was shining on our site. Though we continued to sit around and wait for the eventual rain.
Many of the campers cleared out on Sunday, but there were a few of us that stayed through Monday.
Gail, Carly, Rick, Jurn, Charlie, Colin, Jake and I made it to Monday morning when we took down camp, hugged and said our goodbyes.
I am glad I went. I am glad I know each of these people. I am jealous of the commitment this Northeast Crew has to one another and to having fun.
Because after all, that's what it is about. Adventure, Laughter and Fun....and I had it all.

Loss

2007-06-06T16:40:00.000-05:00

In the last few months I have lost 3 people that have meant a lot to me. First, my "grandpa" Don Johnson, next my good friend Trichelle's mother, and lastly my Grandma Iris.
Sometimes I don't understand my own emotions and what I am or in some instances am not able to deal with. I help people, that's my job. I help them sort through their feelings and emotions about life, death, friendship, substance abuse, and other mental health issues, and yet I have struggled with my recent losses.
It's hard enough to say goodbye to someone that has led a life filled with 80+ years of experience including children and grandchildren, but sitting with my friend Trichelle and watching her mother die over the last few months is heartbreaking. I can't imagine the rollercoaster ride she's been on and I wish I could have done more to help Trichelle.
My mom lost her mother when she was very young too, I had never really thought about how hard that must have been for her until Trichelle's mother passed and then to have attended my grandmother's funeral earlier this week, I realize how valuable our relationships with our mother's are.
To celebrate my grandma's life, we gathered in Pierre, SD where I got to hear about what a great woman she was throughout every phase of her life. I only knew her as my grandma, but I learned of her as a mother, a sister, an aunt and a friend. No matter what hat she was wearing, she was loved and respected.

I have learned a lot over the past few months and most importantly I think I learned how valuable good friends and family are. I've known this of course, it's not like a lightbulb just went off, but I really know it now, in my heart and at my core. I am blessed to have great friends and wonderful family with whom I can laugh and cry...sometimes at the same time.
Bless you my friends and family.

First launch of the season...and I didn't say successful launch!

2007-04-29T10:59:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous. Cooper and I hit the bike trails and got 2 more caches. We are getting better, I think. The day was just too perfect.
Adam, Ali and I headed to Lake Alvin for our first kayak experience of the season. We tried to launch in a different area than usual. It was very rocky and slippery. I had a nice shove off, slipped and tipped my kayak. Yeah, it was cold, wet and GROSS. I had green crap all over my pants. Not very impressive. So I had to spend the rest of the adventure with wet, sticky, now spandexy clothes.
So Ali and I head to the swimming beach to ease our exit and Adam headed back to where the truck was. As he got to the truck, and I arrived on the beach, we both realized I had HIS keys. Hmm...tricky. We both headed in the direction we felt the other person was. It was quite a haul. But, a stranger on a motorcycle saved the day and he offered me a ride to Adam's truck. Half way down the highway, there was Adam trucking towards me. The nice man on the motorcycle let me off and we walked to the truck and were home free!
Great first adventure!
oh, yeah, we did this all in about 1.5 hours!

Long-winded, so much to tell

2007-04-15T10:19:00.000-05:00

Well, time to play catch up again I guess!
Here is the agenda:
1. booked a trip to the east coast
2. new hobby
3. a-hole mother nature
4. concert
5. new hobby gone crazy

Camping in Massachusetts?
May 18-21st I will be flying into Newark, NJ and will be picked up by Gail. I met Gail one time in St. Louis last year when I drove hundreds of miles to meet strangers, remember? Yeah, well I have kept in touch with the "Misfits" and most of them live on the East Coast. They have get togethers on a regular basis, then they call me and I get jealous! So, I am heading out for the 2nd annual Northeast Chapter of the Element Owners Club Mass. Camping Weekend. Gail will pick me up at the airport, take me to the campground, and deliver me back to the airport (safe and sound hopefully) on Monday. Should be a whirlwind and a great time. This bunch of people are really great and Gail is going out of her way to get me there. I'm sure I'll have some wild stories to share when/if (!) I return!

I'm a Geocacher...
a what? Just in case anyone reading this doesn't think I am dorky enough as it is, I have discovered a new hobby. My friends Ali and Craig dragged me to a metal staircase on a college campus last January. I think it was -3 degrees and I was told to look for the blinkie. Huh? Well, once Craig found it he showed me a mini metal capsule that had been magnetized to the staircase. This was my first experience with a cache. I couldn't feel my toes or nose, but damn they were excited about their find.
Fast forward to a nice springish evening in March, headlamp on and Cooper leashed I was wandering around on a huge metal bridge looking for a blinkie. I still wasn't completely sold, but a few days later headed out to a new location. Perry Nature area, I had never been there and probably wound never get there unless I was searching for a 35mm film canister hidden in the trunk of a tree. That evening I was hooked. It was fun...load up my car with my friends and some dogs and traipse around territory unknown to me. I have discovered areas outside of Sioux Falls I would never have otherwise.
Here's the deal:
A website was established to monitor and track the "caches." A cache can be anything from the aforementioned magnetized mini object to a 5 gallon bucket. The cache is then placed in a particular location. The hider marks the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, names it, offers hints if he/she chooses and enters it on the website. The finder can then enter the coordinates into a handheld GPS unit and off he/she goes to discover the cache. Once found, the finder logs his/her name on the enclosed paper and places the cache back where it was found for other people to discover. Then the finder logs his/her discovery on the website. There are lots of other things too, you can leave items, trade items, move items from cache to cache. Geocaching.com is my new favorite bookmark!

A-hole Mother Nature!
well, on the verge of really hitting my stride with my new hobby mother nature unloaded inches of wet, heavy, sloppy snow on us. That's not cool...though most of it is gone now, but still. Snow in April? c'mon.

Concert at the Qwest
Thursday afternoon Adam and I followed Trichelle to Omaha to meet up with Rebecca and some of her friends for the Kenny Chesney concert. We met for a great dinner, some drinks and then headed to the concert. Pat Green and Sugarland opened for him and all of it was wonderful! After the concert some went for drinks...Adam and I found a cache in a downtown Omaha park. Yep, choosing to scavenge around a park at midnight for a tupperware container instead of drinking. I think I've entered a new stage in life! BUT, we found the cache and could log our first out of state find!

8 1/2 hour hunt
Adam called just after one yesterday and we headed to Dell Rapids, SD. We had 8 caches on the list and came up 50%...not terrible especially once I read about some of them once we got home. I took a nice slide down a muddy hill and almost ended up in the river...Adam did the same though managed to keep his pants much cleaner. Though, I think I almost peed my pants watching him scamper up the mud hill while the earth continually kerplunked into the river below him. It was great. We walked across an 18inch wide and about 20foot long plank to slide around in the mud and we didn't even find that one!
So, once we gave up in Dell Rapids, we picked Alison up and headed to Brandon. We went 100% for those on the list. I found a total of 12 caches yesterday!
Hello, my name is Roberta and I am a cache-addict!!

That's it for now...will post more as the addiction spirals OUT OF CONTROL!

St. Patty's Puppy Party

2007-03-18T10:55:00.000-05:00

This is Trichelle and Ben's dog, Daisy, playing with Cooper

Daisy and Adam's dog Iris are new friends...and Cooper was VERY jealous!

Pics...

2007-03-18T10:46:00.000-05:00

Trichelle snuggles up with "calm Cooper"

A tough week

2007-03-17T17:33:00.000-05:00

This week has been filled with many stressors. I found out on Tuesday that a co-worker/friend of mine has resigned his position. This is difficult for me because we work closely at least 3 days a week. It will be hard to replace him and with such a short amount of school left, it should be interesting.
Wednesday my mom had sugery on her shoulder. She is doing too much of course and needs to sit back and relax. She'll have a rough few weeks coming up and I hope that she is able to take care and allow herself to heal. My dad tries to take care of her, but she doesn't always allow that to happen.
Also late Tuesday night, a dear family friend passed away. Don was like a grandfather to my sister and I. Growing up we lived across the street from he and his wife Dorothy and they loved having us over and watching us play in the yard and the street! They always had time for Erin and I and would care for us like members of family. Don was a nature lover and I remember him showing me around his backyard filled with trees and glorious plants. Don and Dorothy loved each other and cared so much for others. He'll be missed.

not much to share

2007-03-05T23:20:00.000-06:00

I have been asked for new posts...not much is new right now. I have stolen this picture from a friend. I laughed for a long time, I hope you do too. Laughing is good...

Snow!

2007-01-21T16:43:00.000-06:00

We've gotten snow 2 weekends in a row now. Cooper helped me shovel today and then we played in the front yard.
Nothing much, besides the snow, is new for me. Work is busy and it's a long time before we have a day off again. I have been staying healthy, but some of my students have been ill the past week or so. Here's hoping I can maintain my health.

MLK Jr. day was meant to be a Star Wars marathon with a few of my friends. The marathon only lasted for 1 and a 1/2 movies before our adult ADD kicked in and we were forced to leave to get ice cream. It was a good way to spend a holiday though.

Last night we got our butts kicked in volleyball. We were one person short and imagine this, the other team always hit the "hole." The O-Fers were NOT on top of their game...but fun was had as always. It's not about winning the game it's about...blah, blah, blah. We were losers last night.

I cleaned my house today, I know many of you are rubbing your eyes and re-reading that. Yes, I in fact dusted, vacummed, scrubbed and put away today. It's a new year and a brand new Roberta...well...not exactly. But it's looking good around here!

That's about it...hope everyone is staying healthy.

Vacation is rough...

2006-12-29T11:01:00.000-06:00

Check out Cooper this morning. I had showered and already made coffee before he started to stir. He gets awfully cozy under the covers and I literally have to drag him out of bed...what a tough life.

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-24T23:07:00.000-06:00

Since Friday around 4pm, my days have been filled with family, friends, Cooper and most of all gifts and food. Friday evening Erin, Jeff, my parents and I opened some of our gifts. Sam was home with a sitter for a little while. Then we all reconvened for homemade pizza.

Sam was a good little guy and we read books, listened to stories and opened presents. He was in a great mood and smiley, which makes our time so much more special! He's a real joy when he's feeling well.

Erin and I got some good laughs later in the evening after Sam fell asleep like a little angel in Grandpa's arms. Anyone remember the game for 6-year-olds called "Guess Who?" Well, Erin and I used to play this at the cabin when it was rainy, she bought it for me for Christmas this year and we had a great time. She played to win, I played to get her to laugh hard enough so water shot out of her nose (it worked too!) Good times with a simple game. I can't remember the last time I'd seen her laugh so hard. It was great.

Also had the chance to catch up with some friends over the weekend. It's fun to have people come home for the holidays...wish many of them would just stick around! But it makes our time together that much more special.

Happy Holidays everyone...I am so blessed with a loving family and wonderful friends.

pics of the zoo

2006-12-20T11:11:00.000-06:00

The first picture is of my living room upstairs, the others are of the remodeled lower level completed earlier this fall

Alright, alright....

2006-12-16T15:28:00.000-06:00

Okay, here goes a post full of uneventful happenings from the last couple of months. Today's post was prompted by emails and face-to-face harassment by "loved ones."

Work continues to fill most of my time and it is going pretty well. I am looking forward to some days off over Christmas though. If anything, I hope to catch up on some reading and some paperwork. Nothing like "working" during "vacation."

My weekends have been filled with movies, game nights and volleyball. Yep, volleyball. I am once again pretending to be physical. Our kickball season was sort of a flop and full of some drama and thus far volleyball hasn't been filled with any drama, so no complaints. Though, it is quite clear that I am more competitive each game. I have the altered thinking that perhaps I am the only person on the team and want to "float" all over the court in order to prevent other people from screwing up. Now, this would be an okay plan if I were as good as I think I might be in my head. Are you following?
So, our team has some skills, I think we have great potential. Of course there are a few players that seem to have an 'off-night' almost every night we play, but the spirits are high and team morale is carrying us through the season. I have high expectations for this evening as we strategized a whole lot after last weeks piss-poor showing. Let's go O-Fer's!

Sam and I also had birthdays, he's five now and I am twenty-(gulp) eight, since I last posted and my dad's birthday is on Monday. Sam had about 100 more people at his party than I did at mine! But my family went out for dinner for mine and Erin and Jeff had a sitter for Sam so got to eat in peace too.

My uncle Ken, aunt Carol and cousin Kristi were here for Thanksgiving...oh, here's a good story. Kristi planned her shopping "attack" for BLACK FRIDAY and I told her she was crazy and that I'd stay home with our dogs. Well, our dogs whined continually throughout the night and once Kristi's alarm went off, I hopped out of bed, threw open her door and said "Get your butt out of bed because I'd rather shop that deal with these whiny dogs any longer!" We were at Best Buy by 5:30a.m. and stood outside for about 25 minutes before even getting into the store. I made it until around 12:30pm that day and was looking to get out of the chaos of the "door-busters."
Anyway, it's always fun to see the Olson's and I'm glad Kristi made the trip down too.

Okay, that's all folks. I am looking forward to Christmas and to spend time with my family...

It's Fall now

2006-10-08T20:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I see by all of the bags of leaves that my parents have raked up from my yard over the last week or so that it is indeed Fall. My favorite season, the season where I can wear jeans and a sweatshirt again.
I have been 'under the weather' for the last week or so and even took a sick day from work Thursday.
Last weekend though, before I got sick I was in LaCrosse, Wisconsin visiting my college roommate and celebrating OktoberFest. It was a great time and I had a lot of good beer and remember the whole weekend! I am getting too old to drink to forget the happenings! I am not so good at hangovers anymore.
September was a busy month. School was in full swing and my job is going well. I have some days where I question why the hell I do what I do, but I always go back the next day. I also have all new carpet on my main and lower levels of my house. It is wonderful and the house feels more like 'mine' now. My mom went on shopping frenzies and is helping to decorate room by room. It's a lot of frickin' work and I have been priming the wood panneling downstairs today and will look for some color samples tomorrow.
Kickball also wrapped up in September and our team made it through the season and we are all still friends.

Well, that's about it for now. Not much else new. I will post more when something exciting happens or when I get some photos of the redecoration!

Been a long time

2006-08-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a really long time since I updated. Since I wrote last I have made a trip to the Cabin and loved being there with family. From there I went on to St. Paul, MN and met up with a friend I met at the Element meet in St. Louis. Made for a nice little vacation!
School has started and with that comes full time work hours. I am getting used to getting up with the sun now. Yuck.
Been playing kickball for the last few weeks too. We have weekly games and we're actually pretty good! We've had to forfeit a few games due to too few players, but we've gotten to play each game anyway.
Last weekend I went camping with Craig, Alison, Adam and Iris. The weather was beautiful and we spent some time in the lake as well as sitting around the campsite. It was a fun weekend and probably the last hoorah for camping this summer.
Here are some random pictures to get caught up.
Probably will be pretty slow posting from here on...since life is only about school/work anymore. Ugh, would love to retire!!

Not much to report really...

2006-07-30T14:34:00.000-05:00

Another week has gone by, but not a whole lot to report. Had our first kickball game on Wednesday night. Unfortunatly, we had to forfeit because we didn't have enough players. The other team agreed to play anyway, and the crappy thing is: we won. So, our first game, we played well, won and it doesn't matter. But it has given us some confidence and momentum for next week (pray we have enough players). It was hot...this whole week has been miserably hot. Today and yesterday both I think was over 100 degrees. The dog doesn't want to be outside even!
So, our day today has consisted of much of this:

Kayak Poker Run Oakwood Lakes State Park

2006-07-23T21:51:00.000-05:00

Loaded the kayaks and headed north for a kayak/canoe poker run sponsered by the Game, Fish and Parks Department. Oakwood Lakes State Park is located near Bruce, SD.
We launched about 1:45 and had to head to five boxes located throughout the couple of lakes. Once at the boxes, Adam and Craig got a playing card. (Ali and I nominated them to get in and out of their kayaks instead of us)
Then we bucked some wind and headed back to shore about 3:15. The sun was shining and the weather was perfect for this fun event.
This was the 28th Annual kayak/canoe Poker Run and it seemed that those in attendance had been there for most of them! I hope we'll go back next year.
Then we had a little swim in the lake as we waited for the hands to be tallyed.
Adam and I won a sweet keychain...however, he did all the work gathering the cards. Thanks.
Team Perception came out on top!

Adam

The Edens

Me

Ali prepared lunch...what a great 'mom'

Action shot of Adam and Craig

More Pics from the Poker Run

2006-07-23T21:17:00.000-05:00

EOC Pictures

2006-07-17T20:58:00.000-05:00

Please note, The wetness below my left breast was from those that had gone into the pool about an hour earlier...I promise!

EOC Pictures

2006-07-17T20:52:00.000-05:00

Made it there and back!

2006-07-16T22:31:00.000-05:00

Well, I can say that I made it to my first Element Owners Club National Meet...and I can say I made it home.
I don't know where to begin, you see I didn't know what to expect. However, within the first 10 minutes of registering with the founders, I knew I was in for something great. It was really a great time. The people were so friendly and nice, real quality type folks. We have the same car...some more tricked out than others, but the main connection is the love of our car.
I can also say I managed to spend an entire evening in a parking lot. I headed down the the parking lot party around 10:30pm on Friday evening and got back to my room the next morning around 9 to take a shower. I didn't sleep! I slept on Saturday for about 2 hours before more fun was had.
It was a great adventure...well worth the trip and the sweltering St. Louis heat.
I will post pictures tomorrow, now am hoping to get some sleep! I need to recover, I am not as young as I used to be!

T-minus and counting

2006-07-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

Well, tomorrow is the day I take off to meet fifty or so strangers. Strangers in the sense that I know their screen names and the kind of car they drive. You see I am 06NBPEXAUTO and another person may be 05RRLXMT, but we know what that means. I am taking an adventure that I never thought I would...a nine hour road trip to mingle with people who are crazy about their Honda Elements.
STL here I come...how do I prepare for this?

This is my 06NBPEXAUTO (2006 NighthawkBlackPearl, EX edition, Automatic Transmission)

The Route

An activity

Disappointing...

2006-07-09T20:13:00.000-05:00

Today I went to a charity dog walk. It was put on by our indoor football team and it was LAME. The charities were good causes, Children's Care Hospital and School and an animal rescue shelter. There were about 20 people in all...lame. The only good thing was that Cooper got to ride in a bus. A real bus ride for the dog!

Post-Sesquicentennial and other weekend happenings...

2006-07-04T15:36:00.000-05:00

Well, it took a little while to recover from the sesquicentennial...I might have had a little too much to drink. Lesson learned, no wine after midnight.
So, Saturday was pretty laid back and I putzed most of the day away. Went to the dog park and the dog sat under the picnic table while my albino skin was exposed to the hot July sun. Smart dog. Then over to my parents for an evening meal. Wonderful steak and potatoes, bread and watermelon. Then I went to a Jo Dee Messina concert at our Fairgrounds, it was last minute, but enjoyable.
Sunday I mowed the lawn then attempted to wash my beloved Element by hand. What the heck? I can't remember the last time I washed a car by hand. Well, it doesn't look that great in the sun, but I also washed the entire inside and the floors look sparkly again. I also installed a bug deflector on the hood. She's getting ready for the National 'E'vent. I am such a dork.
Then another stop to the dog park on Sunday evening before coming home and vegging in front of the TV.

Monday I helped a couple of friends with some babysitting before heading off on yet another kayaking adventure. We went to Lake Alvin, about 20-25 minutes south of SF. I went with my same 3 kayaking-cronies and had a great time. The weather was PERFECT and the sun was shining. I didn't get sunburned!!
Then out for dinner with two friends and to 'Superman Returns'. I wasted $8...I thought the movie was 'Super-Lame.'

Now today, Independence Day, I have washed my sandals from the murky-urky smell they acquired at the lake yesterday, played with the Coopster in the yard, and have been reading off and on all day. What a life...
Happy 4th of July to all...

Pic of new grille and bug deflector on StElla

Happy 150th

2006-07-01T02:40:00.000-05:00

Tonight I attended the sesquicentennial of my city. Wow, let me tell you, it took some alcohol to get through this whole deal. The attendees were interesting and I was the youngest by about 2O years. That's okay, it was fun, and I even attempted to 'cut a rug.'
My city is 150 years old. Congratulations.
I do, however, hope this is the only event I attend that celebrates the sesquicentennial.

Happy birthday city! I wore a dress for you.

Sleepy Puppy...

2006-06-25T23:01:00.000-05:00

Cooper and I spent some time at the dog park this evening. Cooper is very sleepy now! He's soo cute when he's asleep.

Mother Nature...

2006-06-25T22:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday it was decided that a couple of friends and I would head to a small lake in a county park in Iowa. It's only about 1/2 hour drive and the sun was shining brightly without a cloud in the sky. Perfect afternoon for kayaking. We arrive at the lake around three o'clock, launch and kayak around for a bit. A short while later, we see dark clouds pending. Ugh, rain? How can this be? The sky was beautiful and bright and now what?
So, we go to shore and decide we better pack up. While loading the kayaks, the sprinkles start to fall. But not for long, it started to rain....hard. We hadn't even secured the kayaks to the roof of my wonderful Element and we had to get inside. The rain was coming down fast and it was cold. Then, the hail fell. HAIL!?? So, with neither of the kayaks secured and the wind swirling, it wasn't long before my friend's kayak flew off the top of the car and landed next to us. Crazy times. I don't know why we even bother! Well, yeah I do, because it's FUN.
With the kayaks secure, we leave the park and head for home. The drive was nice, the sky was blue and beautiful. The sun was also shining brightly, no dark clouds to be seen.
Mother Nature can be a real bitch! Gotta love South Dakota/Iowa weather.
Notice the pending clouds in the first picture! Argh!

Sam's Smile

2006-06-24T13:18:00.000-05:00

Nothing in the world can compare to the smile of my nephew. He had some work done on his chair yesterday and he was a little angel boy. He had a great time in the play room with his mommy and auntie. I am so proud of him!

who's visiting?

2006-06-20T22:06:00.000-05:00

So, I added that there counter at the bottom of the page, scroll down to see it. I know people are stopping by, so leave me a comment so I know who my audience is! Is that so hard?
Thank you.

What's happened this week?
Saw 'Cars' on Friday night. Really cute. The only thing I have issue with is that Larry the Cable Guy is the voice of Mater. He's funny and adds to the flick, however then he adds a "Git 'r done." Can't stand this...partially ruined it for me. Bummer.
I went golfing on Saturday morning, the weather started out to be just fine, but by hole 9 it was sprinkling. The guy in the clubhouse said it was going to be a 30-second cell...he was wrong and we proceeded to play the next 9 holes in a steady rain-downpour. Ahh, the love of the game.
Saturday night I had dinner with my family at one of the best restaurants in SF. Ming Wah. Love it, if you don't that means you haven't been there or you've been there and gotten sick. Regardless of your experience, it's a family tradition. Then we hit up the Sculpture Walk...a wonderful addition to downtown SF. My family is fun!
Cooper was "locked up" for 7.5 hours today. I was so proud of the little guy. This makes me think he can go all day while I am at work. I hoped this would eventually be the case. I bought him a soccer ball, it was only $3 at Old Navy, tonight we played in the backyard until it got too dark. He liked it and has already chewed holes in it. He doesn't seem to understand the value of a dollar.
I have officially registered for the National Element Meet in St. Louis. What a dork I am. I look forward to meeting other people that are obsessed with their vehicles. Perhaps I need to 'get a life.' Anyway, I'll be heading to St. Louis in July...to sweat like a pig!
maybe something exciting will happen this weekend, who knows. I haven't gotten to kayak since I got back from the Hills. So hoping to get out there again soon.

Cooper's friend Kota

2006-06-15T19:37:00.000-05:00

Watched my friend's golden retriever a little bit this past weekend. Cooper and Kota were at the dog park for about 2 hours on Sunday, then back to my house for some backyard play. They chased each other around and had a great time...few pics

babies, babies everywhere!!

2006-06-13T00:05:00.000-05:00

Met some of my co-workers...wait...friends out for dinner this evening. 3 of them have had babies recently and one of the others is pregnant. There is something good to be said for sticking out like a sore thumb. Some of the conversations I was happy to not be a part of. For instance, hearing about labor, needles, and lots of breastfeeding isn't that much of a loss for me. I, at this point, have no interest in any of the aforementioned things. I am okay with this, thank you.
I do care about these people and the little people they have brought into this chaotic world, but sometimes I have a hard time relating to them.
I know some women talk about having difficulties relating to their friends after having kids or what-not, but I do have to say that being on the outskirts of labor/boobs/poop/bottles/feeding times/not sleeping etc, etc, is okay for me at this point.
Luckily, we had $2 margaritas that carried us all through. I guess good people and good friends can combat any differences.

Summer begins today...

2006-06-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

Today, Saturday, is officially my first day of summer. My school year ended yesterday at 5:30 and I will start my summer hours at work on Monday. This means part-time throughout the summer. What a great idea. I think all jobs should be part-time in the summer.
I want to do a lot of things this summer. I want to motivate myself to clean my house, walk the dog more, go kayaking, see some movies, read a few books, travel, and much more. Today though, my summer vacation is plagued with rain, clouds and chilly temperatures. I guess there's always tomorrow.

I made it there...and back

2006-06-05T20:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I made it home all safe and sound from my camping experience in the Black Hills of SD. The trip was very fun and we had excellent weather. I was sometimes whiny and a bit of a pessimist, but overall I think I was pretty fun! Our experiences varied from good ol' Wall Drug to Hill City on Friday, Saturday brought about Crazy Horse, Wind Cave National Park, wildlife and an afternoon of kayaking. 3 lakes in one afternoon! The whole group kayaked on Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park as that is where we camped. Then two of us ventured off to find another lake. We found and kayaked on Center Lake and had a brilliant idea to kayak a third. Our final lake was Bismarck also in Custer State Park. It was a lot of fun and I hope to keep finding kayak adventures. Then we headed out on Sunday and ventured through the Badlands for a couple of hours. It had been quite some time since I had last visited this part of the state and I love the scenery and history of the state! I have quite a few pictures and have only posted a few...I would be happy to email them out if you are interested let me know!

1st Kayaking Experience of the summer

2006-05-30T20:54:00.000-05:00

Took the kayak on it's maiden voyage on the Big Sioux River. Beautiful day, great company, some wildlife, family along the shoreline--very shallow water though. Got high-centered a few times. Looking forward to the weekend in the Hills and kayaking on a lake.

Oh, no. What now??

2006-05-28T21:08:00.000-05:00

Yep, this is my new kayak. I decided that I needed my own. It's somewhat silly since I have only kayaked one time in my life**. I am jumping on the bandwagon as a few of my close friends all have their own. I didn't want to be left out and have to borrow a kayak. So, today...I find myself a kayak owner. It's a beginner's kayak and it's pretty stable. I am going to load 'er up and take 'er to the Hills next week too. I am excited.
Wow, I such an outdoorsy wannabe!!
**post edit: I have now kayaked 2 times. Today (Monday) hit the river again! I love it!

The Cooper and Iris show

2006-05-27T08:57:00.001-05:00

Anticipation...and a little anxiety

2006-05-25T22:19:00.000-05:00

A week from tomorrow I will be heading across the state on an adventure. Some friends and I are going camping in the Black Hills. Now, this causes me a little anxiety for a few reasons. The first being that I have only camped one other time in my life. Last August (with the same great folk) I ventured to Yankton and spent one night in a friend's tent. My couple friends are big campers and have everything one would need to camp, or so I am told. This is probably what made the experience fun, that and the weather was as close to perfect as South Dakota weather gets! The people I am heading west with are the type of people you want to do new things with. They are fun and easy-going. I don't have to worry about what they think or feeling stupid in any way. They are good people.
My next reason for feeling anxiety is that it's across the state. What if the weather turns to shit, what if I decide that I am a prissy little whiny brat and want to go to a hotel? Also, the bathroom thingy seems like it's kind of far from the campsites.
The last thing making me feel anxious is that there are going to be about 8 people. That's a lot of people to organize and manage. You see, I am a bit of a control freak and in situations that are new to me I kind of get uptight. I am not really an uptight person, but I have those tendancies. So I pray for patience and the ability to soak it all in.
I am so excited though too. It's been a long time since I have been to the Black Hills and there is so much to do. We are planning on kayaking, doing the Crazy Horse Volksmarch, going out for dinner, and mostly hanging out by the campfire with a beer. I know I'll have fun...I just have to keep telling myself that.
Say a pray for me....and for my parents, they are watching Cooper!!
The pictures are of the campsites we have reserved at the Sylvan Lake Campground in Custer State Park.

Spring into summer

2006-05-22T16:56:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, for the first time in about three years, I went golfing. First off, I am satisfied that I didn't injure myself or fall down. I also made contact most of the time, that's right, I said most of the time. I did indeed whiff. Hole #2, I was expecting to hit into the water, but that didn't happen and I whiffed instead. Oh, well.
The weather was cold and windy, it turned to rain and about three hours after we finished hole #9, the sun was out and it was beautiful. Figures, South Dakota weather.
In the later afternoon, I mowed the yard and took a picture of my lilac bush/tree. It's beautiful for a short time.
On Saturday, I also took this picture of Cooper in his polo, it looks like PJ's but it's a polo T.

I suck...

2006-05-20T21:16:00.000-05:00

at cleaning. I really do. I live my life, day to day, as a complete and utter slob. My house isn't ever clean enough to invite friends over (I do have a few). I feel terrible. I have a nice little house with a great deck and yard, yet I can't seem to convince myself that it is important enough to keep it presentable. I guess presentable is all I really want.
Two weeks ago, my sister showed up. Out of the blue. I hate that. I swore at her and only allowed her to walk through to the deck. I am embarrassed of the pit I live in. Everyone and anyone that knows me, knows this is how I am so I shouldn't think it's that big of a deal. But I do.
I always feel better after my mother lays a good guilt trip on me and comes over and "helps" me clean and sort through all of the shit I have accumulated. I always say, "I'll never let it get this bad again." And I do. I am lazy. I would much rather spend 3 hours at the dog park, watch TV, read a book, cruise the iTunes music store...basically anything other than clean my damn house.
I wish I were motivated to clean as I go. Some people (probably most) tidy up on a day to day basis so it doesn't get to the point that you dread the doorbell ringing.

Animals...

2006-05-14T22:20:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple random shots of my animals as of late. They are a handful...

A little late but...

2006-05-14T21:54:00.000-05:00

Went to Las Vegas with my friend from college over a month ago now, but I am lazy and never got around to post about the trip. We left Thursday and returned to town on a very early Sunday morning flight. We traveled with my mom because she has "connections."
Erica and I got to stay at a very nice hotel that we could never afford on our own. We stayed at the Bellagio and ate great food and watched the fountains whenever we wanted! Cramming a lot of sightseeing and beer drinking in makes girls a bit tired, but we managed to stay out until the wee hours of the next day each night.
We say the Volcano at the Mirage, the Venetian and it's extraordinary canals, a big fat Elvis at Barbary Coast, and the pirate show at TI all in one evening. Of course we managed to walk to shoppes at Caesar's too with our 1/2 yard margaritas in hand.
The next day we went through Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden, the Paris and then headed to the Hofbrau Haus of Las Vegas. The bier and pretzels were great!
Friday evening we headed downtown to witness the Fremont Experience. More margaritas and penny slots consumed our evening. On Saturday we were ready to enjoy the pools at the Bellagio and take it easy. Later in the evening we went to the MGM Grand to see Billy Joel in concert. He was great, I sat next to a lady that smelled like old perfume though.
Then we hit New York New York before going back to the room and awaiting our early morning cab ride to the airport. It was a great time, a whirlwind, but so much fun. The weather was perfect and the company was even better. Thanks E!

Roadtrip

2006-05-14T21:38:00.000-05:00

Took a roadtrip this weekend to Rochester, MN. This was a long-awaited trip to meet the newborn daughter of my best friend. A baby. I can't believe my friend from way back when is a mom now. Today is Mothers' Day. Her first of many of course.
It seems like only yesterday I was hanging out on her trampoline, we would jump for minutes, then lay down, laugh, tell stories (gossip), jump a few more minutes and repeat. We used to stay up late, we made home movies, watched movies and ate popcorn. We were good kids. This weekend we had this very discussion. Our parents were lucky to have us! We were lucky to have them too.
We didn't sneak out or sneak beer. We just had fun. Good 'ol fashioned girly fun.
Congratulations to my best friend, a new mom. She's a good one, I know already.

It's been awhile...

2006-04-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

Here's an update on my last few weeks:
I absolutely love my Element. It's great. I have joined this online club completely dedicated to the Element. Dorky huh? Yeah, well I never denied my dorkiness. I am one through and through. It's been fun to post about mine and read about other people's all over the country. They even have a national meet....St. Louis this summer! I am considering it!
Let's see...Work is going well. I have been very busy with the various things I do. This is fine, I'd rather be busy. I am looking forward to summer though where I'll work part-time hours.
2 weekends ago I headed to Milan to meet up with my cousin. She is going through some rough stuff and I was so happy that I was able to be there to hug and support her. I have faith in her strength to deal with all the shit she is going through. My aunt and uncle live along a river and surrounded by fields...which sets a great scene for a good dog chase. Yes, Cooper TOOK OFF and ran for about 1 mile down the country roads. My pudgy body chased him until I lost sight of him. I thought he was gone forever, I thought for a brief moment what life would be like without a pooch. Luckily, he came shooting out of a grove of trees and my uncle scooped in for the collar-grab. I wasn't too happy...but really happy he came back.
Then last week I went to Vegas Baby! I traveled with my great friend from college and my wonderful mother. We were treated well and packed full 2 1/2 days with casinos, margaritas, attractions, some beer, a lot of sun and great food. I love the crazy feel of Vegas and am glad I got to experience it with such a close friend and my mom. Then it's back to the reality of work. Blech.
I am ready for a four day weekend to fully recover from the trip though!
We'll have to wait and see what the next few weeks have for me! The past few have been a whirlwind!
Sorry to leave you all hanging for such a long time, I'll try harder to post more. I'll get some Cooper pictures up soon too!

StELla!!

2006-02-26T22:15:00.000-06:00

Well, I did it. She's mine. I would like to say it was an impulse buy, but honestly I have been researching this vehicle for quite some time. The Element has been mine since Thursday and I am very happy with it so far. Yesterday at the dog park my friend and his dog climbed in and we explored all of the features in the car. He's jealous, he told me so! I am excited about the car. I have accessories on order, which will alter the look just a little bit. I am going to have a roof rack, door visors and splash guards installed in a week or so. StELla is great! You oughta meet her!

MallWalk '06

2006-02-26T22:07:00.000-06:00

For the last few years my family and Sam's friends have formed a team and participated in the Children's Care Hospital and School (CCHS) MallWalk. The point is to raise money for the hospital and school, however we just mooch enough money to get a shirt. It's fun to be part of this event that celebrates special children. The energy that fills the mall is really contagious. Sam utilizes some of the services at CCHS, he goes swimming most every week. He loves the water. The event is also a time that brings the Bennetts and the Horstmeyers together to support Sam and his friends.

He's growing up

2006-02-22T11:55:00.000-06:00

I haven't posted about Cooper in a little while. He's doing so well, I really think he's growing up. These are a couple of the reasons why I think this:
1. He sleeps more. We'll have only been awake for about 2 hours and he'll want to nap.
2. Today, he had a pen in his mouth and I said, "Cooper, No. Drop it." He did. He dropped it!
3. He doesn't run around like a freak-show with no destination anymore. He seems to have reason for his movements.
4. He hasn't launched himself at my face with his 'devil dog face' in about a month.
5. Free roam of the house isn't a problem, he doesn't come out of the bedroom with undies in his mouth or kleenex from the bathroom garbage.
6. When he's outside, I only have to call his name about 8 times until he comes running in. I used to have to drag him in.

Anyway, each day he's becoming more of a dog and less of a puppy. I told my mom last night that I love him more now than I did when he was 3 mos. old.

I am anxious for spring though, we want to go to the park!

Every step you take, every move you make....

2006-02-18T10:48:00.000-06:00

Each day my nephew makes strides.
This time I mean it literally. I haven't yet seen him take steps using his walker, but I trust my sources. Erin says he moves all over the place! We need to find a warm place that's bigger than the kitchen so he can rip-roar around.
Sam continues to to surprise us. He makes us proud. Aren't these pictures cool? Isn't it amazing to think that he may be able to use a walker and scoot himself around?
I'm telling you people, this kid is something great!

Need not, want not? Is that the saying?

2006-02-14T22:22:00.000-06:00

Here it is. The Honda Element.
There are things in life that we want and we don't "need." This is one of those things for me. I just want one. I think they are cool. Everything about it screams unique and just cool. You can add so many accessories to it and just make it your own. I have a perfectly functioning car. It's paid off. Going back to having a car payment is stupid, I know this. But...
I like it. I want it. I am exploring it everytime I get online. I have even gone to the dealership and looked at one up close. My cousin drives one, she really likes it too. In fact, it seems like a small cult. In reading about it online I have found many websites where the contributors are bragging and boasting about being Element owners/drivers. I think I want to be one of those boasters. So, if you would like to donate money to my Element fund please send me an email and I will make sure you have my address. Thanks.

A Valentine's Dinner

2006-02-14T22:04:00.000-06:00

I spent the early-evening preparing a meal for my Dad. He called last night to ask if I wanted to join him for dinner because my Mom was playing cards. Real romantic Mom. But anyway, I gladly accepted the offer to spend time with my Dad. He's great, all that know him think so. Going out for dinner is always enjoyable, but I called back and asked him if I could make dinner instead. He accepted.
I thumbed through cookbooks, knowing only what I wanted for dessert. I decided on herb chicken and red potatoes and onion. I also made a salad with sliced almonds and mandarin oranges. Dessert was croissants filled with strawberry preserves, strawberries and whipped topping. It was fun to prepare a meal, probably because I rarely do it. As you all know I had a Pampered Chef party a few weeks back and I was excited to use all of my new gadgets. I think I used about everything I received. I chopped garlic and onion with the handy food chopper, I shredded mozzerella cheese with the grater, sliced potatoes and onions with the ultimate slice and grate...it was fun. I could have been in an infomercial for Pampered Chef.
The meal turned out. It was one of my bests. The company was wonderful too. Thanks Dad. Happy Valentine's Day. There really is no other way I would have wanted to spend my evening.

I have a popular neighbor

2006-02-11T10:21:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I forgot to check my mail, I just didn't really have time. I got home from work and hurried to get to Adam's Olympic party and walked past the mail cardboard box. So, this morning I checked it and there was a stack of pretty envelopes. I thought, holy crap, what's with all the mail? Then I looked closer and the purple envelope was addressed to my next door neighbor Karen. I picked up the yellow one, same name on the front, the red one and pastel green one too. Damn, she's popular. It must be her birthday or something. A part of me wants to open them and enjoy them for myself. I know that they are hers though and I'll have to deliver them to her. Lucky lady. Mail is fun, isn't it? Don't we all go to the mailbox with the expectation of receiving something new or unexpected? Anyway feel free to send me mail, make sure it's in pretty envelopes though.

I am glad to be home

2006-02-06T18:07:00.000-06:00

I have had a very emotional day. It's been the type of day that has gone by so quickly but dragged at the same time. I received a phone call from my boss last night (Sunday) around 9:30pm and she shared with me that a car accident had occurred over the weekend and a 16year-old student had been killed. The other members of the vehicle were all hospitalized with critical injuries. She then asked if I would head down to the small town, south of Sioux Falls and do some crisis or grief intervention for the students on Monday morning.
The drive down this morning was weird. Here I am, a stranger to these kids. A stranger to the boy that died. These kids don't know me....I didn't know this kid. What I learned today though, from these kids is that this young man had a rough life. It was filled with rejection, abandonment, drugs, alcohol, crime and laughter. I ended that sentence with laughter because that is how they described him. He was a smart-ass, a class clown, a guy that made others feel good about themselves, smart...but didn't brag about it, and he was also a friend to those that needed one. The accident involved alcohol, he knew how to party. His friends shared with me his love of having fun...unfortunately at his life's expense.
A pastor was there this morning as well, and in typical pastor form he was able to sum it all up. He said something to the effect of, "What I have learned today and will share with others is that he was a friend."
It touched me and still is, obviously, having an affect on me. It made me think about, well, everything....from my family, to friends, coworkers and myself. I think of the times that this could have happened to many people I love. It's just a moment in time that's gone wrong. It could happen to anyone, that's what is scary. Impaired driving has no prejudice.
I have experienced loss before. People that I love have passed away, but there is definitely something overwhelming about a large room filled with high schoolers missing a friend. I wasn't sure what to say or how to be amongst these strangers. One girl did tell say to me, "you seem nice, funny too. You would have liked him." For a moment I was accepted into this group of grieving students.
I learned from these kids today, not sure if I was of any comfort or solace to any of them, but I know that through them I learned about a tough young man that knew nothing better than to make these choices.
Through the loss of this teddybear of a friend, I hope others will remember to make better choices. Thank you students for teaching me and reminding me to love and laugh each day.
And to my friends and family that come across this, know that you are valued and loved by me and many others. I love you all and God Bless.

uh, well...yup

2006-02-05T15:04:00.000-06:00

This, simply put, is a blog about nothing. Nothing happened this week worth spending time on. Really. Nothing. My week was hectic and busy and I was ready for the weekend. I had nothing planned, just wanted to sleep in and get some "stuff" done. Here is what I accomplished this weekend (and it's only 3pm on Sunday):
played the price is right DVD game with Adam
4 loads of laundry
slept in on Sat. and Sun. mornings
purchased a silver chain to replace the one Sam broke
emptied, loaded and emptied the dishwasher
listened to satellite radio for about 2 hours while drinking coffee and lounging on the couch (perfect morning!)
figured out my DVD recorder, it's been driving me nuts since X-mas!
thumbed through Etc. Magazine
let the dog in and out about 45 times
went to the mall and purchased nothing (that's an accomplishment!)
cleaned the cat boxes
recorded some stuff onto DVD's
played mario golf on the Gamecube
messed around on the internet
made new playlists on iTunes
read Oprah Magazine

well that's about it.

the superbowl is on in a couple of hours and I am sure I'll be productive during that!

Direct Sales Galore!

2006-01-29T00:11:00.000-06:00

I have had quite the weekend of firsts and it is just the wee hours of Sunday morning. Friday night I hosted my first ever Pampered Chef party. Now, I have attended quite a few of these, but had never been a hostess for one. My mother, bless her, came over on Thursday night and helped me clean. She thinks I live in utter filth. She'll never say that to me directly, but I have known her for 27 years and can read her pretty well. Anyway, it was clean and spiffy for the Pampered Chef party. I bribed people to attend by offering margaritas. It was a good time, I think. I had about 15 people in and out, which I feel is a good showing. Now, I get free stuff. Gotta love that.
Then this morning (Sat. AM) I attended a Tupperware Party. I wasn't even sure that these still existed, but they do. So, I ended up spending money this morning on what the 'consultant' told me were "practical." Sure, lady. Practical, that's me. I also booked a party for May. More free stuff I guess.
So, that brings me to Saturday evening when I was invited to an 80's party at the house where I grew up. That's just weird. Anyway, so I showed up and it was not only an 80's party, but a sex-toy party. I was bombarded this weekend with direct sales consultants!
There are many other 'parties' out there to attend, Tastefully Simple, Homemaker's Idea, Stamp Parties, Purse Parties, Jewelry Parties, Mary Kay etc, etc.
I guess there is always next weekend.

I don't want to be a teacher...

2006-01-23T16:21:00.000-06:00

Part of my job at the high school is drug and alcohol prevention. By this, I guess, it means going into the classrooms of 9th and 10th graders and following a specific curriculum. I think this curriculum was written 5-7 years ago. Now, I understand that most of the infomation is still relevant, however, a little out of date for current teenagers.
So, today I had to do a 9th grade classroom. For the record, this is not my favorite thing to do. First of all, these kids could not care any less about me. They don't know who I am and they just think I am the lady that gives them candy. Yes, this is true, but I am also trying to teach the students about preventive measures.
There was one student with constant commentary, another that kept rolling her eyes, yet another that pretended to be serious etc, etc. I don't like saying "be quiet" or "listen up" every 2 minutes. I suck at teaching I guess. It doesn't help that the curriculum is flat and somewhat stale, but the kids just don't buy into it. I get so frustrated. Anyway, I guess it's a good thing I only have about 10 more to do in the coming weeks.

Ahh...the dog park

2006-01-15T16:01:00.000-06:00

My last post encouraged the weather to turn around and surprisingly this weekend it did. It wasn't 60 degrees, but both days were in the 40's. Yesterday, Cooper's friend Iris, her owner and I went to the beloved dog park. Oh, it was nice, it's been months since our feet have walked the mushy, slushy, soiled grasses of the shoddy snow-fenced sorry excuse for a dog park. We love it though, we do, it's all we have.
In our dreams (Cooper and mine) the dog park would be surrounded by a 5 foot chain-link fence with benches, some play equipment, a few trees would be nice and oh, a drinking fountain for the canines. You see, the dog park is well frequented, there are always at least 4 other dogs everytime I have been there and right now it is a snowy, muddy mess with the fence half torn down and between yesterday and today I saw about 35 other dogs. I understand that the weather throughout the winter doesn't help the fence, but still I want to bitch about it.
But, I won't bitch about the fact that I got to go both yesterday and today. Today's experience wasn't my favorite and it was for sure Iris' least favorite visit. The dog park has it's own sub-culture, one where we all know each other's dogs names, but none of the owners know each other. I suppose you would have to actually know Iris to enjoy this story, but some background on her is that she is a smaller lab size and a very gentle and nice dog. She isn't aggressive by any means and she usually runs and plays very well with all of the other dogs.
Today was different.
There was a large white American Bulldog by the name of Roxy prowling around the park. She cornered Iris and was "playing." Well, the "playing" started to look a little rough when Iris started to whine and yelp. Other dogs were drawing near the incident as were some of the owners. Iris' owner ran over and pulled Roxy off of Iris...as any concerned owner would. Well, Roxy's owner had an issue with this and yelled at Iris' to "never touch that dog again (referring to Roxy), they were "playing." I have been at the park long enough to know what play is however, and this was rough.
So, Iris was traumatized and kind of hung around us for a little while. She then ventured out again and was attacked by Roxy again. There was a slight confrontation between owners and Iris was leashed and ready to be taken home. The stupid Roxy owner then leashed her and moved her to another area. Other dogs were taken home because Roxy is too aggressive and scares the other animals.
This isn't right, just so you know. The park is for off-leash animals, but not those that are not in control.
That's my rant. Can't wait for spring weekends at the park.

Spring, where are you?

2006-01-12T20:38:00.000-06:00

So today I experienced a little bit of spring fever. I went with a friend from work to get some ice cream...she's pregnant and I like ice cream, no other explanation needed, right? Well, we had our ice cream and the wind was blowing and it was cold. I just wanted it to be nice and breezy, like 55 degrees. That's all I am asking. I, by no means, am ready for 80 degrees, just 55.
Then I get home and my dog is oh, so happy to greet me. Then...he goes NUTS. Absolutely crazy, running all over the place. Then he goes outside, then inside, no wait, he wanted to be outside, then back inside...all evening. I am tired today and just want to veg. You see, he was up eating pizza at 3:30am. I am not sure how he got it out of the garbage, probably a little help from a cat. So, I was up until about 4:15am trying to clean up some of the pizza that he hadn't yet.
He's a puppy, blah, blah, blah. I know, but just settle down damnit. He's ready for the dog park again, or just to be able to run in the grass and not on snow. I was too lazy tonight for a walk, plus it wasn't 55 degrees.
So, Cooper and I are ready for spring. Bring it on.

2006-01-06T00:31:00.000-06:00

An example of the fun that was being had!

Happy New Year

2006-01-06T00:10:00.000-06:00

Another year, huh? Well, like I stated in my Christmas letter, I am happy to say that this last year has been rather fruitful. I am quite happy that I am fully employed (with benefits, mind you.) I also added to my family and got a dog that is slowly, but surely tugging on my heart. I would even proudly say that I love him. And in the same breath I can say that he'll be the death of me. The dog won't learn. He's smart, of course because he is a Bennett, but at the same time he won't listen to me. Everyone says, he's still a puppy, blah blah. But, I want him to be good. Quit jumping, quit barking, come when he's called and damnit, come to me when I want to put him in his kennel.
'06 is starting okay. I had a nice get-together to celebrate the coming of the new year. I called it a get-together until I was sure that people would have fun. Now I'll call it a party because I do believe it was a success. I think many had fun, I did. I had four of my best friends in attendance, what can be better than that really? Yes, tequila shots you say? Well, they were here too. JellO shots too. It was fun...the champagne was flowing, noise-makers blowing and even punching balls. Remember those? Yep, they're great.
I am looking forward to a new year. I hope that it holds surprises for me and that I make new friends and continue to cherish the old ones.
Well, with that I am wishing all those that may read this a happy year. I hope it is filled with joy and a sense of peace. Health and laughter to all.

Cooper...what now?

2005-12-30T11:01:00.000-06:00

28. Ruler
29. Cardboard from TP roll
30. Beer bottle cap
31. Book of matches
32. Comb
33. Coyote Ugly DVD (destroyed)
34. Remote Control to the DVD player

After the holiday

2005-12-29T18:00:00.000-06:00

Well, another Christmas has past. Yet again, "Santa" spoiled all of us. "Santa" never ceases to amaze me in how well he knows me and what I want/"need." I got some great gifts, but I really enjoy getting to spend time with my family and just hanging out. Our Christmas is usually relaxing and pretty low-key. A lot of it depends on my nephew and like a great gift, he was very good and even opened a present or two. He was happy and even pulled himself to a standing position next to an ottoman on Christmas day. It was pretty cool to see and it just goes to show that little steps and strides are wonderful and welcomed!!
The new year is days away and I am excited to have some friends, old and new, at my place this year. It sounds to be the safest option and it will guarantee that conversation can take place.
I look forward to a nice celebration with friends.
I am hoping that you all have a safe and fun beginning to 2006!

New additions to Cooper's List (see previous post)

2005-12-21T21:13:00.000-06:00

21. Tube of Toothpaste
22. Slipper
23. Tennis shoe
24. Scarf
25. Rug
26. Measuring cup
27. Styrofoam (from my new George Foreman Grill, thanks dad!)

What's in your mouth now?

2005-12-20T21:58:00.000-06:00

I thought it might be funny to keep track of some of the things that my dog has had in his mouth. He has destroyed things and also just nibbled on others. So, off the top of my head, these are some things that he has had in his mouth this week (not including the acceptable food, treats, rawhide of course).
1. Hairbrush
2. Garbage bill (destroyed)
3. Wedding invitation RSVP card
4. A cup
5. Eyeglasses
6. TV remote
7. Socks
8. Bra
9. Flip Flop (where he got this I have no idea, it's winter afterall)
10. Book (address, novel, phonebook cover)
11. Rubber scraper
12. Tealight candle
13. Colored Pencils
14. Many pens
15. Kleenex
16. DVD case (from Hollywood Video, destroyed!)
17. Pop bottle
18. Scissor
19. CD case
20. Magazine

This list did not take long to compile and I am sure there are many more things that I can't remember right now. I'll keep you posted on any new and weird things that he grabs, pulls of the table or counter, or finds in the closet.
My mom bought him a Christmas present--that should be interesting.

Holiday Craze

2005-12-20T21:54:00.000-06:00

Well, I have 1 1/2 days left of work before a much desired Christmas break. I get a whole week off and I am looking forward to this. Here's my problem....I can't get into work this week. My mind is elsewhere and I can't seem to get my brain to focus on anything or anyone. This isn't a good thing since I am a counselor. I have only been doing my job since January and I am wondering if I am experiencing the first signs/symptoms of burnout or if I am just caught up in the holiday craze? Either way, Thursday afternoon can not come soon enough.
So, for those of you that celebrate the birth of Jesus...Merry Christmas.

A productive day of rest

2005-12-17T22:07:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of spending most of the day at my parent's house today. I wanted to get my Christmas cards done and mailed (which I did and now my site will be flooded with visitors!) and help my mother with some baking. I never know how things are going to go with the dog and all. He was such a good boy at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I am so proud. Another thing I wanted to do today was spend time with my parents. I don't get to just hang out with them very often anymore.
I really like my parents. Of course I love them, but I just really like them. They are good people and I enjoy their company. I have taken trips with them and spent Friday evenings with them where I've had more fun than going out with friends. I am lucky to have parents that love me and let me hang around at their house---but I think they kind of like me too.
Tomorrow is my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday to a great Dad and friend!

A funk...

2005-12-14T16:35:00.000-06:00

Some say that the weather causes people to enter a state of funk. I wouldn't say that I am exactly affected by the weather, but I find myself at times feeling stuck in the funk. My funk is very different than for instance your funk. I can't necessarily tell right away when I am in mine either or identify exactly why I am in it. Well, enough explanation of the funk. I am in it.
I am in the funk right now...well actually since about Sunday. My funk is an overall feeling of blah, blech, sigh. Someone asked me what happened on Sunday or what has changed since Sunday and I couldn't answer that question. This is all I know, I told him. I know that something just doesn't feel "right."
I'm not worried about my state though. I know that it will pass and then it will be months before it settles in again.
My job title is counselor. Kind of ironic really that I deal with other people and their funk all of the time and encourage them to find things that make them happy or changes their perspective on it. It's no wonder I experience resistance from them.
These thoughts are in my head and I am acknowledging my funk, which is the first step in sending it packing.
Acknowledge your funk people.

You know you're a midwesterner when...

2005-12-12T22:29:00.000-06:00

Tonight on the news, our local trusty weatherman indicated that today's high temperatures were in the upper 30's over the vast state of South Dakota. A day in the upper 30's is welcomed especially in the middle of December and I was pleased to not have to wear my bulky coat for much of the day. In fact, I only wore it this morning when it was about 32 degrees. Here's the funny thing...Mr. Weatherman (with great hair mind you) indicated that we would have another "warm one tomorrow." What's the high for tomorrow, you ask? 38 degrees. So, you know you are a midwesterner when you start to call 38 degrees warm. I think using the word warmer would be appropriate, but warm? Granted only a week ago it was -5 degrees or colder, so I guess warm is okay, I'll give this one to the crazy weatherman.
Well, since it's going to be warm tomorrow, I better get up a little earlier tomorrow so I can shave my legs and wear shorts...maybe I'll break out the sunscreen too.

Not Shakespearean, but a tragedy in itself...

2005-12-10T09:11:00.000-06:00

While getting ready to head out to a little wine tasting event last evening, I notice that the dog is quiet, too quiet. I peek my head into the living room and see him attacking a plastic pill bottle. It was what every "mom" fears. Cooper had gotten a bottle of Excedrin and chewed through the bottle. There were little pills all over the floor.
What's a "mom" to do? I worried if he had eaten them...of course I have NO idea how many pills were in the bottle or how in the world he had gotten it. Do I take him to the vet and risk an enormous vet bill? What if he didn't eat any of them anyway? Well, I did what I thought was best. I went to the wine tasting. Damn right. I left him in his kennel. I figured I had about 2 hours before any signs or symptoms would occur.
I enjoyed the event and shared my sorrows of being a bad dog "mom." They were all sympathetic and asked, how many did he eat? I don't know, okay? I don't know.
Well, long story getting shorter is, I came home and he appeared fine. He continued to run and chew and chase the cats. I think he's okay. Worry no longer, maybe he just had a headache.

The main attraction...

2005-12-09T21:35:00.000-06:00

Here he is. Cooper, the main attraction at the Bennett Zoo. He is about 7 months old now and he is a Beagle/Miniature Pinscher mix. A mutt I suppose, not one of those new fancy hybrid breeds.
Cooper acquired me as his owner in July. While running one of my groups at work, a student said he couldn't take care of his 2 month old puppy. I was a sucker. He came home with me. My life has been full of laughter, challenges, frustration and fun since then. Cooper is a lot of work, but it's worth it because he really loves me, he really, really loves me.
Many of my future posts will be about him--the trials and the joy.
You'll learn to love him...just you wait. I know I have.

Another Member...

2005-12-09T21:14:00.000-06:00

Percy has been part of the zoo now for almost 2 years. She is the cat that might just think she's a dog. She loves to snuggle and is always in my face. This is also the cat you'll find drinking out of the toilet and getting into mischief. She, of course, loves Miko and secretly enjoys the dog.

Member of the zoo

2005-12-09T21:08:00.000-06:00

Meet Miko. She's about a year and a half old. She joined the zoo last July after I accidentally went to the Humane Society. She's gentle and very independent. She loves Percy and despises Cooper. Everytime she meows at me she's really saying, "What's with the dog anyway?"

Here it is...

2005-12-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

My first blog post. I've given in and joined the trend of posting random thoughts and comments on the internet. My thoughts will be floating around cyberspace instead of always floating around in my head. I usually quit everything I start, so we'll see how long this lasts! Bear with me folks, I am kind of a slacker!