Putting Life in Perspective

It is October 2nd and I just came out of the swimming pool. Life is good. Hard to believe it was warm enough to swim, but I truly think this will be our last weekend of swimming. Can't remember the last time we swum in October. Just before that we were at Vino Vino for a Saturday wine tasting, and tonight we are going to a friends house for a party.

Last week I was in Chicago for an industry trade show. It sure was hard to keep my perspective as our first major speaker was on how bad the economy is (and the title of the session was Forum for the Future). We knew it was bad because our lunch was a little skimpy. But, I was bound and determined not to talk about the economy while working on drumming up business for my company.




People that are closer to my age (or older) at the show understood my comments about, OK, so work isn't as busy as it should be... so more time for my husband, for Yoga classes, for cooking, and travel. We have a long weekend planned to the wine country in NC, which has really come into its own in the past few years. And, the good news is, I very rarely work a Saturday anymore. And, next week we are taking a half day off to go to the Biltmore Estate (they have a new area with a tavern that we want to check out).

So, putting life in perspective has been a good thing for me. I am working on a jigsaw puzzle, and not feeling nearly so stressed about quantity of work to do in a day. Someday soon I would like to be so busy that we all have to work on a Saturday. But, for now, we celebrate life.

I wanted to post some Chicago photos -- I have some great pictures, but am in the progress of changing computers, and just haven't had time to download them etc. But the weather was awesome. One day we walked about 50 minutes to a place for deep dish pizza. Sure, we could have gotten a cab or a bus, but the only way I think to see a city in on foot - and we had time.

I also bought a second T-Shirt with the saying "Optimistic by Nature". Now, many of you may not believe that about me, but truly I am. I look at all the possibilities, but I don't fret and worry. I act, and I act on my optimism. I ordered T-Shirts recently for everyone at work that say "Proudly Made in Weaverville NC". A real pessimist would have not spent the money, but I know that employee morale needs to be kept up during these rough times, and everyone loves a new company t-shirt.

I just wish I could put some energy into cleaning up my home office. It is almost hopeless - I let it get really bad during the times I was swamped at work and with home stuff. Now I don't know where to begin. But, if it is a sunny day, I'd rather be swimming, and walking, or sitting outside on the deck with a book.

It may seem like I am rambling but it is where I am at right now. Calm, fairly cool, working to better my life in a fun way, and taking time to enjoy whatever life throws at me. And, keeping up with my friends, some of whom I really need to have lunch with again.

Snow Pictures

I finally got my picture software loaded onto my computer, and downloaded my snow photos. I love my new 12 megapixel camera with lots of options (but not too many for me to handle). I ended up getting one without a view finder which is the hardest change for me to handle, I have trouble figuring out which way to hold the camera to get what I want in the picture. (For anyone who cares, it is a Panasonic Lumix DMC-CR1with a Leica Lens, and 8X optical zoom). Picture to left is neighbors house, then Panda playing in the snow.

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Not sure why these penguins are hiding out inside, when they should be out in the snow. But, here they are being grateful for being displayed once a year. (They are part of a large penguin collection that I have). The bear thought that dressed as a penguin he could be part of the grouping.

After the new year we are heading to Disney World. Am looking forward to new camera and being able to download pictures and viewing during our vacation.

Technorati Tags: Snow,Dogs,Penguins

Dog Care While Traveling

I absolutely love my dogs -- Panda and Athena. They were both rescue dogs and they have brought me a lot of smiles, especially when they are stealing toys from each other, or demanding to be pet, or just running around being crazy. But, the thing I don't like is figuring out dog care when we go on a trip. It makes spontaneity a lot harder (such as on Friday saying "lets go away for the weekend"). Through the years we have used a kennel (where you had to pay extra if you brought your own food, and extra for daily walks in the woods), and house sitters (one ended up having a baby nine months later), to bringing to a person who had cabins just for dogs, and they had cable TV, and each cabin area had its own fenced in yard. (But then she moved to TN). And she didn't charge extra for walks! So, due to circumstances our current house/dog sitter is no longer available and I try to figure this out all over again. Standard kennels just won't do for these wonderful rescue dogs. Athena, the older one, just gets too strung out. (Panda is shown in the picture).

So, today I visited a lady with a fenced in yard, and a dog friendly house, and the dogs get the run of the house and the yard (sounds like here). Her rates are reasonable, not too far away from the house, and she had a good recommendation. Well, my dogs had a blast in her yard and house, were OK with her dogs, and we ended up sitting and visiting together for longer than I thought. Now, I can breathe easier and know that at least for my next few family trips I have dog care figured out. I mean, it is like hiring a sitter, not just anyone will do. Yeah, one problem solved.

Oh why did I do this?

I have been enjoying AAA: Alex's Adventures in Asia and Nancy K Sews blogs for the past year. So, I thought today, I would set up my own blog. Now, I am wondering why? There are so many decisions to make -- style was the easiest, and then there are multiple choices to make that I have no idea how to answer. So, I did the best I could, I'll write a bit and then see how it all looks.

I was thinking that next summer I would start a blog about the Weaverville Tailgate Market. How, I go, find what looks appealing to me at that moment, and then create a meal around it. One of my favorite farmers, Paul, is always interested each week in hearing what I have made from the farmers bounty. But, that is for the summer of 2010. So why now?

I guess it will be a way to put down my comments as I travel. Lots of trips coming up, Orlando for a convention, then New York City to see Broadway Shows, then Chicago for a meeting, then Orlando for a family vacation, and next summer, Bryce and Zion Parks, and then Las Vegas for a family vacation. And who knows what else will go in between as my business and personal travel plans unfold.