Grateful II

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

I hope everyone had a good Xmas! Since I didn't go away this year, I spent the week cleaning, decorating, and entertaining. Since one of my New Year's resolutions is going to be staying on top of keeping the house clean and orderly, I've got a jump on it, to say the least. We'll see if I can maintain the resolution. I'm a pack rat by nature and keep a blind eye to chaos with the best of them.

As 2008 closes out, I want to express how grateful I am for the foundation my mother gave me. First and foremost, she gave me my love of books. From her my first passion were the gothics: Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt and our very favorite Jane Aiken Hodges. We would vie for who would be first to read the latest releases. I was the fastest reader, but Mom was home during the day. If the book came in on the weekend, I normally got dibs; but if a weekday, she got to read it first.

However, she also gave me my second passion: sports. Mom's brothers played football in high school, and to the day she died, she was a rabid football fanatic. While football remains the sport I know the most about and can understand the verbage better, I love nearly every sport. For a brief time in high school, I competed on a swim team. Then in college, I considered being a sports reporter. For one of the campus newspapers, I wrote a few human interest pieces, including an interview with a professional wrestler and his mother.

I didn't travel down that career path, but I have taken in a ton of sporting events, from car races to tennis matches to soccer to football. I absolutely love the Olympics. I remember when the Olympics were on TV all day long...when you could watch the athletes ranked last have their moment in the spotlight. I have to admit, though, to getting saturated after 17 days of watching the China extravaganza. However, I've recovered and can hardly wait for 2010 Vancouver.

So for 2009 I figured I'll 'dive' more into sports. :) Carol

Grateful

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

At this time of the year we reflect on the things we're grateful for. With both my parents gone, I know that I particularly miss them at Xmas. They gave me such a solid foundation, and I hope they knew how much I appreciated all they did.

But sometimes you recognize things after the fact. I'll start with Dad in this post. Over the past year and a half I have discussed my trials and tribulations over the family room makeover. Yet iIdid it. Totally redid the room from ceiling to floor. I got that from Dad. Growing up, I would spend hours hanging around him [and probably being a total nuisance], watching him as he painted, repaired, built items for the house. For years we would watch 'This Old House' and Bob Villa. Although now I watch endless shows on HGTV, that interest and ability come from Dad.

I've also posted hundreds of photographs; photography is my passion. Little did I realize it was also Dad's. My father kept all his cameras, and he took loads of photos during WWII, his high school, and of our family. Consequently, I have a legacy of family albums to watch over and on occasion, look at.

So I'm grateful for Dad's influence on me as to being 'Ms. Tool Time' and a photographer.

:) Carol

Guilty Conscience: the Dolphins

Monday, December 15, 2008

I need to fess up to a guilty conscience. When the Dolphins traded Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor, I was prepared to give the team up.

But when you're a fan...well...you're a fan. I became a fan when I was still living in Ohio; I liked a Don Schula-style of football. After he retired, though, the magic was gone, and the Dolphins couldn't settle down with one coach long enough to have a style, particularly over the last few years. With my fav players gone, I had nothing to cheer for.

Or so I thought.

I couldn't quite cut the ties. Initially, I caught a few minutes here and another few minutes there of a game. Then the Dolphins acquired Chad Pennington. I increased my viewing time. When they started playing half-way decent [I don't care if a team wins/loses, I only care tha they play a good game and try to win], I watched even more. Now I'm back to my old pattern of having the game on as I work or take my favorie Sunday afternoon nap [love snoozing to football games ]. The upshot was I never did find that other 'team' to watch.

I'll still switch channels/moot the volume whenever they show Bill Parsells. Never have liked him, never will. But a Dolphins fan I remain. :) Carol

I'm back!

Wow, I hadn't realized how long it's been since I've posted. My how time flies!

With the holidays, the job crunch...there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. I'm still enjoying my room makeover. Since I'm not traveling this Xmas, I not only have decorated the outside but also the inside. My family tradition is strong so I got a live tree and it's up. Now I'm busy cleaning up and organizing as I'm having a series of friends over. [Maddie just loves to have visitors!].

With the light-year advances in web technology, I do check out websites now and then, not limiting myself to other authors' sites. This one by Nascar driver Carl Edwards really caught my eye the other day. That image of him greeting visitors is something else. Knowing how competitive drivers are, I'm going to tour other drivers' websites to check them out. :) Carol

http://www.carledwards.com/