New Goals

Every year I set new goals. I don't like to call them resolutions - that word just doesn't seem to have enough oomph to it. Now, "goals" that's some serious stuff!

Usually I have way more plans than I have time or energy to accomplish, but I figure if I can do even a portion of them, I'm in good shape.

For next year my goals are simple to state, but hard to do. I'm going to concentrate on getting my heath back. I'm going to get my knees fixed, my weight down, my strength and stamina back.

To do this I am cutting activities and commitments left and right. That's not so easy to do, I'm the original "I'll do it" girl. But I know in order to accomplish what I need to do, I have to have time and peace.

That's the gift I want in 2012. And I know I'm the only one who can give it to me.

Nolan Swims

Grandson Nolan and Daughter-in-law Sarah

Last night Tom and I went to a pool at a nearby high school and watching our grandson, Nolan, take a swim lesson. He's not quite 2-years-old and on the way home Tom mentioned that it was our first time sitting in the bleachers watching him do an athletic activity.

It's a territory we know well.

All three of our children played multiple sports and all of them started fairly early - at 4 or 5-years old. From preschool all the way up through high school we hauled kids to sports activities and tried to never miss a game or match if we could help it. I liked it because it gave me a chance to stare at my kids, without seeming to be obsessed.

When our daughter finally graduated from high school a few years ago, we thought we were ready for a break, and it didn't take long before I started wondering how I ever found time for all that bleacher sitting.

But it also didn't take long before we were missing it too. What's a summer without a baseball game, what's a fall without football and soccer, what's a spring without tennis, a winter without basketball? We've had four years now to find out and sometimes it has been a little boring.

So, we are looking forward to Nolan participating in some form of sports - I think he's pretty destined to do something because of his excessive love of balls of all kinds! And his unusual skill (I think) in accurate throwing.

We'll be bleacher bums again before we know it. I can hardly wait!

Weekend with the "Irish"

This past weekend Tom and I went to South Bend, Indiana (only about 45 minutes from where we live) and treated ourselves for Christmas. We had lunch, went shopping, and then checked into the Morris Inn on the University of Notre Dame campus. I've included a photo of their lobby.

That evening we went to the restaurant at the Inn, Sorrins, and had a delicious dinner in a beautiful setting, then to the performing arts center to see the choir sing the "Messiah." After the performance, when we were tired after such a long day, it was nice to drive only a few blocks to our cozy room at the Inn and snuggle down for a long almost-winter's nap.

The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast at the Inn, then went to Michigan City to finish our shopping.

It was a simple outing, but one we would not/could not do when we had children at home. I guess there is some advantage to being an empty-nester. At any rate, it went a long way towards renewing my Christmas spirit, which has taken a hit ever since I became a grown-up and responsible for so many things at Christmas.

Now, I feel I can sit back a little and let other people run themselves ragged!

Thanksgiving at Home

Our grandson, Nolan with a BIG bird!

One of the best things about Thanksgiving at this stage of my life is - I can stay home. I don't have to cook like crazy, I don't have to host a bunch of people. We just have our little family - three grown kids, two daughters-in-law and one toddler grandson. I have enough chairs and dishes for everybody.

There are no judgements, no timetable, and no expectations. This year we continued something we did last year - Thanksgiving brunch. We ate about 10 o'clock and by noon all was cleaned up, the dishwasher was humming away and our two sons and their families were off to their in-laws, to eat a traditional turkey dinner cooked by mothers who like to do that kind of thing.

Tom and I and our daughter, Sloan, settled down to relax and nibble on left-overs the rest of the day. We had three kinds of pie - pumpkin, pecan and red raspberry.

I just love it when my little family gets together. I know they love me without dragging a bunch of baggage along - and I feel the same about them. That's what I was thankful for this year. May this last for many years to come.

Plein Aire Sketch Writing

On our trip to Zion National Park I got the chance to practice my "plein aire sketch writing", which is basically - plant yourself somewhere outside and try to describe what's going on all around you.

One day while Tom was wandering along the length of the Virgin River, I sat on this large tree, worn smooth by weather and water, and tried to do just that. Those notes will be part of an essay I'm planning on the rivers we've run upon during our travels.

On the last couple of days at Zion they were holding a plein aire painting event called "In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran". Painters would paint the scenes from the same place that the famous landscape painter from 100 years ago worked. We saw these artists scattered all around the park, but we didn't go up to any of them.

Mostly because, I don't know how artists feel, but when I'm out in the wild and trying to take notes, it really works best when I can get into a zone, and I wouldn't like it if someone came up to me and asked me what I was doing.

It's only fitting I extend the same courtesy to the fine artist.

Hiking in Zion

Now, almost a month after we've returned, I'm starting to think about our trip to Zion and Bryce National Parks and this weekend, in between cooking and eating for the holiday, I think I may get a chance to pull out those notes and begin making sense of them.

As I've said before, my knees keep me from doing too much walking, but here's a picture of me on a short walk, which was a bit uphill, but not too steep.



Tom does much better on these trips. He took a long hike to Angel's Landing and also hauls this tripod and camera nearly everywhere he goes. Here's a picture of him on that same hike:



I have lots of notes from our trips this fall, and to The Tetons and Yellowstone this past May and even from our trip to Santa Fe the summer of 2010. I'm getting a bit backed up with the things I want to write. But, winter is coming.

One of my favorite writers, Terry Tempest Williams, says she hibernates in the winter and that's when she writes - hopefully that will be the case for me this coming season too.

Pie & Pets at Quartet

This looks just like my cat, Pepper

We met at Ali's house for quartet this month. She made vegetable pot pie for dinner and pumpkin pie for dessert. It's always a good day when a person can have double pie!

We went upstairs to her cozy, wood-lined den under the rafters and shared our writing, then watched a film by a local film maker. Through it all we were joined by Ali's two cats, Keillor and Sweetie Pie, and her golden retriever, Wyeth Blue.

It got me thinking about pets and the way they fold themselves into our lives. Ali is the only one of us in the quartet who has a dog, but all of us have at least one cat, and Ali and I have two each. I don't think my cats inspire my writing so much, but they certainly like to keep me company in whatever room I happen to be in the house.
And Gracie likes to come up onto the desk whenever I'm working and wind her way through the obstacles. The problem with that is, with this new touch-screen computer we have, she can wave her bushy tail across the screen and make funny things happen!

Writing is, by necessity a solitary occupation, and it feels good to have a warm body around that doesn't talk, but definitely shows support and understanding, and is non judgemental - even when the writing isn't going all that well.