Thoughts From a Frazzled Mind

A great grandpa does super fun things! Although it was October we were experiencing a very nice Indian summer and the temperatures were just perfect for an outdoor camp out in the yard. Grandpa Bob pitched a tent on the grass and rolled the sleeping bags out.  He made sure that the all important flashlights were working and within reach.  Then Grandpa Bob and Bubba settled down for a very uncomfortable yet very fun night.  Kalel had a wonderful time!  He created hand shadows on the tent roof using the flashlight.  They told "scary" stories, and they even peed outside! Who could ask for anything better than a back yard camp out with grandpa?

 I had just a fun, quick visit to San Diego to visit Tasha and Zane.  As soon as I arrived they drove me straight to the beach.  It is absolutely amazing how many beautiful beaches are near their house!  This time we went to Ocean Beach - one of their favorites because it has a large area where dog are allowed.  We saw this group of young people practicing some balancing moves.  It is a kind of yoga, I think.  One of my favorite things about my son-in-law is that he likes to give hugs.  Here we are hugging with the beautiful ocean in the background.  I was absolutely amazed at all of the beach volleyball games going on!  There must have 50-70 courts with teams playing.  It appeared that there were several organized tournaments going on as well as many people playing just for fun or practice. I am in awe of the sport of beach volleyball, how the players can run, jump, and land in the sand is nothing short of amazing! ...

Shandra, Ashley and I had the opportunity to see performed by the Odyssey Dance Company I have never seen a performance by the Dance Company, especially one based on zombies and such so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. As we were getting to our seats we found that there were many zombies among us. Ashley and I doing the "Curse of the Mummy" dance Zombie Faces Curse of the Mummy Salem's Mass Jason Jam Pictures taken from odysseydance.com The dances were so creatively choreographed and the dancers so talented that the evening was unforgettable.  The production was enjoyable from start to finish.  Some of the numbers were comedies and all included a macabre element in keeping with the Thriller theme.  One of our favorite numbers was a Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein number in which Frankenstein accidently broke the neck of his bride.  The last half of the number was performed with the "bride" totally limp as if she was de...

l have three sisters, Roxane, Robin, and Ashley.  It was difficult when we we growing up because we only had one bathroom and we all had to share.  Thinking back I'll bet it was hilarious to see all of us crammed into the bathroom trying to share the sink, the tub (we didn't even have a shower - only a bathtub), and the mirror at the same time.  It was an unwritten law at our house that we had to climb up into the sink to put our make-up on. I also have an "un-papered adoptive" sister (as my dad says).  Julie started hanging out at our house when we were young and has become one of the family. Today I just feel like giving a "shout out" for my sisters who have faced difficult trials and struggles in their lives and have accomplished so much!  There have been struggles with clinical depression, anxiety, addiction, marriages, children, and health issues.  I'm so proud of the way they have worked to overcome and deal with their trials, and I...

I'm done .  I have reached the end of my formal education.  What an amazing journey.  I honestly had no idea when I decided to go back to school where the journey would take me.  Who knew I would go from having a teeny inkling to become a nurse that I would far surpass that and actually obtain a Master Degree in Nursing?  Not me, that's for sure! The story progressed like this: January 2009:  I was busy working and helping to take care of my mom with all of her maladies caused by diabetes.  Suddenly the thought came over me that I should complete the classes to get licensed as a CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant).  I assumed that I was given that inspiration in order to better help my mother. March 2009:  Woke up one day with the knowledge that I HAD to go back to school and become a registered nurse (RN).  It didn't make sense because I had a wonderful job that I planned to retire from and I was still investing a lot of time ...

Shandra, Bubba, and I decided to take a trip to see Body World's Animal Inside Out at the Leonardo in Salt Lake.  It was very interesting.  Real animals were preserved and displayed so that it was possible to see what was happening inside the bodies. Reindeer The circulatory system of a dog The heart of a bull The circulatory system of an ostrich The muscles of camels  We also had fun at the Leonardo exploring things like stop-action movies and green screens. We learned a lot and had tons of fun!  

Throughout my life I have been plagued with that nagging voice in my head that reminds me that no matter how good I do something it is never good enough.  If I cook dinner (yes it does happen on rare occasion!) and I start feeling good about myself the voice pipes up with things like: So, you made dinner!  Big deal - you didn't make it yesterday, or the day before, or even last week!  Cooking dinner once is no big deal - and if it follows history the dinner probably doesn't even taste very good and no one will like it! When I make time to visit my dad I hear: Oh how sweet, you grudgingly gave up a few extra minutes on your beloved computer.  Did you pay attention to what he was telling you?  Or did you spend the time muttering under your breath that he tells the same stories over and over again. You pay more attention to his lack of housekeeping skills than you do his talents! You don't go because you love to spend time with your dad - you only go because ...