let the games begin!

We've had the first, restful, week of summer vacation. Yes, Raine has played with her friends every day this week. Yes, I've taken lovely naps, thank you. I've done some sewing, but not as much as I pictured myself doing this week. I've put together two pair of shorts and two pair of pants for the girl, but only finished one of each. I didn't even get started on the tops I have cut out for her. Next week, I guess, around the commitments I made to do stuff for school (compensated, of course).

Raine's flying adventure, two years ago

Tomorrow, we send Raine off to visit her grandparents. She's independent enough not to mind flying by herself, and she will have books etc to keep her busy on the flight. I know part of her wishes we were all going, but the relationship she has/will forge with her grandparents by herself is different than the one she has with us there as a buffer. Different for them, too. They are her only living grandparents, she's their only grandchild. They should be able to dote and spoil without parents looking on and judging. They've already got reservations at a water park resort. OF COURSE she will love it!

Last year, we managed to tour the Biltmore, and get a rare family photo

I'll be busy with school stuff while she's gone, and then almost as soon as she gets back, she and I will be off to Tucson. We will each enjoy the company and companionship of our friends there (conveniently living in the same abode). I'm so looking forward to visiting and making stuff with Steph!

Soon after we return, we will enjoy having my neice come stay with us for a bit. That is always fun. We'll have to go to White Sands, and shop, and I hope I get to make some stuff for her, too, while she's here. All too soon, it will be time for school to begin again, but for now, let the summer games begin!

reaching reacher

Tom Cruise produced and starred in the movie Jack Reacher. It is based on the book One Shot,  by Lee Child, one of several about Reacher. I've been reading these books, here and there, although One Shot is not one I've gotten to. Yet. I like Reacher. He's big and quick and tough and a good guy. A really good guy. He takes care of trouble, even when he's in over his head.... which is WAY, WAY over my head. At least in the taking care of trouble category.

So I knew this movie was out, and I was curious about it, but in a quandry. I mean, I LIKE Jack Reacher books. I think they would make excellent fodder for an action movie or two, or twelve. But Tom Cruise? Aside from Tom's occasional bouts of public crazyness, he just doesn't fall into my "here's the actor who should play Reacher" list. Why not? Well, Reacher is big. No, BIG. Taller, broader, bulkier than many of his foes. Tom Cruise? Not so much. Is that a deal breaker? Maybe. Reacher is tough and intimidating and a fighter, depending on quickness, strength, size and lots of experience. Can Cruise pull that off? Even without the size being a factor? I just didn't know.

This weekend, when I was walking through Walmart (my coffeemaker went south the last time we had a power surge/outage) I saw a copy for about $15. Well, that was a low enough price to take a chance - even though the fact it was there AND a low price all ready did not bode well.

So, now for the review. I still feel like a bigger actor - taller at least - would have helped bring the physicality to the part. That said, Cruise did all right with the rest of it. Not mind blowing, but all right. The movie was a perfectly acceptable action/adventure film with a car chase and a really, really bad guy. As a mystery, it lost some of the investigative-ness it might have, but Reacher is not Sherlock Holmes. He generally solves things by being somewhere that he shouldn't be, asking questions that he shouldn't and defending himself effectively afterward (beating up people). The movie had an exciting car chase, which kind of surprised me. Remember, I haven't read the book this movie is based on, so it may very well have an extended car chase in it. Generally speaking, though, that does not seem Reacher's style. Sure, he drives. He gets behind the wheel when necessary in some borrowed car or another, but he also seems perfectly happy to be the passenger. He never insists on being the driver. Never brags on his mad driving skillz. He seems the get from here to there guy, not the let's take this muscle car for a spin & see what she can do kinda guy. But, it makes for entertaining cinema, so... a car chase.

All in all, I think the movie is - like Tom in the part of Jack Reacher - all right. I was entertained. Do I think it was the best Jack Reacher movie that ever could be made? No. Do I expect that there will be others? Ummm... maybe. Depends on how much Cruise likes producing, and how crazy he is about being Reacher. Would I go to a theater and spend my hard-earned money? Maybe. Would I see it on disk, and maybe even buy it? Yeah, probably.

birthday recap

OK, so in a couple of days, I'll be 53. This year, it bugs me. This year, I'm feeling it. Why 53? Why THIS year? Time for some personal assessment, maybe.

I know that I've been off the "get real" track the past... well, I'll say 6 months, but really? more like 9. Stopped excercising, even though it was helping me feel so much better, and helping me loose some weight, and... and... and I still stopped. Sure, I've been dealing with a new job this year. I love it, by the way. I really do, even though it is tough this semester without a prep. Ouch!

I've been put back on the "get real" track though, and really, I know it's where I want to be... I just wish it looked more like I would like it to look. I got boosted up when Ron's insurance changed this year, and the diabetic medicine, Januvia, which I was using was going to cost about $10 a day. Yeah, that's not happening. So, I've been taking a different medication, and tracking my fasting blood sugar level in the mornings, and logging my evening meals (evening eating has long been my downfall), exercise (yes, I've been able to put myself back on the bike at least 5 nights a week) blood pressure, and weight. I've written down questions for my doctor, and even taken the log so I would remember to ASK them. I've even written down the results of the visit... well, you know, the important bits. Lets me have a record. Lets me really be real with myself, not just "I think" X is happening.

One of the things that rocked my world was talking to the Doctor about diabetes treatment options, and he told me that some of them can make you gain weight. On the order of 20 pounds per year. I've been fat pretty much all my life. Certainly all my adult life, although my weight has certainly been higher than it is right now. I realized, though, that I didn't want to gain 20 pounds a year. I didn't want to lug it around. I didn't want to have to work around it. Dress it or feed it or feel the stresses it would put on my knees or hips. My thought was, gaining 100 pounds in the next 5 years would just kill me. period. So. Wake up and get busy on NOT doing that. And yes, I have.

The exercise is harder this year than it was last year. Why IS that? Oh, I'm glad that I'm doing it, I've seen the effect in my general movement, well being, and blood sugar levels. It's just... harder. Maybe it will get a little easier. I hope so. Of course about then, it will be time to add something to it, again.

I'm struggling with blood pressure though, not super high, but not where I want it either... Struggling with swelling. Finally addressing it as an issue, actually. Trying to keep reality in my picture, and not just turn the blind eye of denial towards the health issues that can determine the quality of my life for the rest of my life.

Is 53 the magic number of finally growing up? Is that why it is sucking so much right now? Damn.

windy spring day

Hello all my friends who used to live in New Mexico and don't any more. Today was one of those days that you just DON'T miss about NM. The wind blew. A lot. And there was dirt in the air.

I'm west of I 25, looking south east

See how the sky kind of matches the ground? Notice that you don't see the mountains? If I had taken a better picture, you could notice barely seeing the mall across the highway on the right-hand side of the photo. Let me tell you something... this photo was taken after the winds started to die down, and the visibility increased. Yeah. THAT kind of day.

Raine went on a field trip today. The fourth-graders from her school went downtown, visited the farmer's market, and several museums. When we were asking her about her day, and asked if she got hot walking around outside, she said no, "there was a bit of a breeze." A bit of a breeze.

This is what comes of letting your children grow up in NM, people!

sigh for friday

Today did not seem like a very productive day, although there were haircuts, and lunch with my brother, and family dinner. I've loaded some photos into Pinterest of our trip to Wild West Steampunk Convention. I was hoping to see more online, but found only a few people had linked to their facebook page. It inspired me to go ahead and post mine. I should link them there, too, I guess. I enjoyed looking at the photos I found there.

Easter is sneaking up on me and I don't feel like I'm ready. There is a part of me that is resistant to the Easter preparations. The part that misses Dad, who passed right after Easter, was it 6 years ago? We still dye eggs, because we enjoy it. I boiled up a couple dozen, and we'll work on them sometime tomorrow. We were going to have our family dinner, but it has turned into a pot luck at some friends' house. Not too many people, and definitely nothing fancy or formal. Just the kind of get-together I enjoy. It certainly feels better to me. I better find our plastic easter eggs, to load up for Raine, too. She still gets a kick out of finding them, so out they will go.

Tomorrow, I hope to get some seing time with Roxanne, but honestly, it will probably be more planning and maybe some cutting out for her. I'll be glad when that part is done, and the sewing can actually commence.

I've been good about my exercise goal, and have gotten on that pike every day so far this week. I'll be climbing on it again when I'm done typing here. It's still feeling good to do it and giving me some good positive feedback. I have a couple amigurumi to finish up, photo and post this weekend. And - of course - all the normal household chores. It's definitely been a good week, and I'm a little sorry to see it end.

still cutting up... uh... out

So I still have the cutting table out with fabric on it, but the living room has been tidied up. I have Raine's red shorts to cut out, and a new other shirt to cut out for her as well. (We ALL ended up at Jo-ann's today...) I got fabric for two new shirts for me as well. I got that fabric all washed & dried. We'll see how much gets ironed and cut out tomorrow. We're running out of spring break, people!

Other accomplishments for today? Got eggs for dying. We usually dye a couple dozen because it is fun and creative. We don't hide them, because that gets messy, and then you can't make them into devilled eggs. We have devilled eggs, because they are yummy.

We got some new fish. A new Beta, who is white and green. Raine suggested naming him Jewels, and I think I'll go with it, but as Jules. I like the Jules Verne twist on it. Way to go, Raine! She got some Gourami for her tank. They are more social than Betas are, but it is a small tank. We went with two. Don't know what she named them, yet.

There are still a few more things I want to get done before we are back to the school routine. Fire up my new grill. Go eat enchilada's with the extended family. Finish up the grading I brought home. Working on my smart board is still looming over my head, but it may be the thing that "gives" this week.

Tomorrow is hair cut day. Shorter for summer for Raine. I also have to remember to warn the stylist that her hair falls where it will, and do a bangs test on it... I'll get mine trimmed too, while we're at it. But before we go, I need to sleep in Just. One. More. Time.

my house is a mess...

And it's my fault. There is fabric all over the living room, and patterns strewn about. There is more of both in the computer room, where the cutting out table is set up.

Cutting out stuff is my least favorite part of sewing. My solution? Cut a bunch of stuff out at a go, and then go through the stack as the opportunity arises. Then, when I want to sew, I have something to sew, NOT something to cut out. It works for me.

One of the things I don't like about cutting things out is all the moving pattern pieces around and getting them to fit. All the measuring to make sure the garment will fit. All the folding the fabric one way to cut out these pieces and folding it another to cut out those.

Yeah, and hand is going to be a bit sore tomorrow from the ironing, and the squeezing the squirt bottle. I prefer spraying the fabric with water while ironing instead of dealing with the dripping and spilling of steam.

So, I got some of Raine's summer clothes cut out... a pair of shorts and a pair of pants, a pair of pajamas and one of the shirts. That leaves another pair of pants, 2 pair of shorts and one more shirt. I'll probably get another shirt cut out before I go to bed. I need to go back to the fabric store for more red fabric. She's too tall to get a pair of shorts out of one yard of fabric any more. It takes 2 and a half for a pair of pants!

Notice I didn't even get to the pieces I want to make for myself? Yeah I noticed that, too...