A New Start

When Doug and I moved down here last August, we were excited about all the possibilities that living in Florida would bring us at the time. Doug would be able to take Friday afternoons off and we would have all weekend to explore areas around Ocala and further. Our life had always revolved around our children’s schedules, and we loved that, but with everyone out of the house, we thought that we would take advantage of the free time and see what life brought us.

In November, our easy-going lifestyle changed once again as Champion and Winco merged unexpectedly. Doug had to work a lot to make that happen and starting on January first, he worked every single day up until last week. That included Saturdays and Sundays, Meg's wedding, and all of the trips that we took with Cameron this summer. It was just too much. There were weeks that Doug worked 70+ hours. By April all of the management that had started the new year with Doug had moved on to other jobs.  Doug's workload increased greatly, and he decided that it was time to move on himself. He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do or where he wanted to go, but after looking around, he found the perfect job for him as a controller of another manufacturing company in the area. It was a little stressful as the interviewing process took a long time but two weeks ago, he found out that he had a new position and was very excited about the fresh start.

Doug had hoped to take an entire week off of work since he hadn't had a real vacation in several years. He wasn't quite able to do that as he still worked 20 hours champion while we were in the Midwest, but he was still able to really enjoy himself while we were there. By the end of the week, he was super relaxed and ready for this new chapter in his life.

Doug had orientation today and was very excited about his new position. The hours will be more realistic, even though the drive is a little bit longer. We have talked about ways to make the drive easier, maybe some nights he will stay in Orlando, or he might start earlier so he can miss rush-hour traffic. I told him that I don’t care what he decides to help with his commute.  I just wanted him to be happy.  I am thrilled that we will get our weekends back and I have already started to make plans for our free time.

Home and Hurrican Helene

Doug and I left Bloomington after the game yesterday with the goal of driving south. We had had an awesome week and neither one of us wanted it to end, but we knew that it would be easier to get back in the early afternoon today then make the trip in one day. Our goal when we left was to make it to Chattanooga and maybe even past Atlanta last night. That changed when we hit rain in Nashville. It slowed the trip down enough that we decided that making it through the mountains was the best that we were going to do last night. It wasn’t very late, but we were both tired from the week and from the game. I had driven the first half of the trip and Doug drove the second.  When it was his turn at the wheel, I started looking for hotel rooms and quickly realized that the Hilton brand was all sold out south of Atlanta. I thought that it was because hurricane victims were staying there. As we drove through southern Georgia this morning, I realized that I was wrong.

Doug and I left the hotel at 7:30 this morning with the goal of making it home by 2 p.m. It would give him time to mow and me time to go to the grocery store and get laundry done. Once we got past Macon, we realized that the hurricane had done a lot of damage in southern Georgia. The news hadn’t really reported on that, so we were a little bit surprised. Everywhere we looked, there were downed billboards, trees, and powerlines. We figured out that rooms weren’t sold out south of Atlanta. Hotels just didn’t have any power. I was glad that we stopped where we did last night and had gotten gas before we left northern Georgia as very few gas stations were open, and the prices were pretty high.

Our only delay was in northern Florida where we were rerouted off of I-75 for five minutes.  Thus, it really didn't make a big difference to our drive. Thankfully, everything looked a lot better once we got to Gainesville. There was minimal damage, and everyone had power thankfully. I was so happy that our home had survived the hurricane. The new roof looked great, and we had absolutely no damage outside or inside except for our "It's 5 o’clock Somewhere" flag had been destroyed and one plant was no longer standing. I will definitely take that knowing that our home was in the path of a category one hurricane and was very appreciative that Uncle Phil moved our patio furniture underneath the awning behind the tiki bar before it hit. 

When we move to Florida, I never really thought about hurricanes and where we should live because of them. We felt very fortunate that we chose Ocala.  We couldn’t ask to be in a better spot to avoid major damage. There is another storm that is supposed to come through next weekend, but thankfully it should not be anything like hurricane Helene. The coast of Florida as well as the states of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina could use definitely use the break.

First Time Since 1967

For the first time since 1967, IU football started the season 5-0.  It was so awesome to see it in person even though it rained the entire game.  Every time that IU would pull ahead, Maryland would find some way to tie the score.  One of their touchdowns was an errant pass that tipped right into a receiver's hands in the end zone.  Another was due to a referee blocking one of IU's linemen from making a tackle.  In the end, however, it didn't matter as IU was able to answer every one of their scores and pulled ahead by three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

As impressive as their 42-28 win was, the best part of being at the game was seeing the atmosphere of the crowd.  We have been to so many IU football games over the years and have never seen a crowd come out and stay for an entire game.  The student section remained in their seats and seemed to be growing throughout the game.  There were still a lot of tailgates in the grass lots, but the students responded well to Curt Cignetti's message to them this week.  They took his words seriously, showed up in force, and stayed.  Maybe coach's suggestion to put studying aside for the day helped as well.  

Meg texted me afterward to see if I survived the rain.  I was proud to say that I did.  Iwas prepared for the weather and told myself going into it that Doug really wanted to be there and I wasn't going to make it miserable for anyone, no matter the weather.  It was drizzling when the game started, but by halftime it was the rain was steady.  I really didn't mind getting soaked as it was so much fun to see the excitement in the stands and on the field.  I also got a kick out of the Terrapin mascot being dressed in rain gear and enjoyed the music that the band played.  The best part, however, was seeing Cameron on the Jumbotron singing the words to "This is Indiana."  Overall, it was a fantastic game and an awesome way to end our week in the Midwest.  

Back in BTown

We arrived back in Bloomington yesterday afternoon.  It was a fun day for Doug and I as we stopped at Portillo's for lunch and then went to Oliver Winery so that Doug could use his free wine tastings for the month.  Once we unpacked at Brett's apartment, Doug and I headed to Metal Works Brewing Company.  We had only been there once before and Doug wanted to try it again.  Cameron walked from his apartment to meet us and we all enjoyed our dinner there.  Cameron talked about studying for midterms, the possibility of minoring in music and the fun he had been having with Student Athletic Board.  

Cameron went to Bible study that night and we met Brett back at his apartment.  He really wanted a haircut and I knew that it was the best evening to give him one.  It took more time than usual as his hair was pretty long, but in the end, he looked great and it will have time to grow out a little bit before his engagement pictures on October 12th.  Cameron called as soon as I finished.  Doug picked him up and got breadsticks for everyone.  We spent the rest of the night playing Ticket to Ride Germany.  Cameron and I finished 0-3 on the week, but still had a lot of fun. The boys also tried the "Monster Mash" fruit snacks that I found at Kroger.  Definitely not as good as the Boo Berry, Frankenberry and Count Chocola cereals.

Doug and Brett had to work all of today.  It was the perfect day to work inside as the weather in Bloomington was windy and rainy.  Cameron had class and had to study, so he only had time for lunch.  We picked him up on our way to Buffalouies.  We had a nice meal together, but Cameron did let us know that he and Alina had broken up for good.  Long distance just wasn't working for either of them.  He was sad, but said that he would be ok.  I was sorry to hear it as we really liked Alina, but they were pretty young to live that far apart for that many years.

Brett and Karen arrived at his apartment at 7 p.m. tonight.  Driving in the wind and rain was definitely not very much fun, and we were glad that they made it safely.  Brett picked Bucceto's for dinner as Karen had never been.  I was glad as driving across town during family weekend would have been a mess and Doug had already been that way to pick up Cameron earlier.  I found out that Bucceto's had vegan cheese, so I tried that in my calzone.  It was very good and I didn't have to worry about eating dairy.  The five of us ended the evening playing Exploding Kittens and Loud Librarian.  It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend a rainy night.  

Landscaping Help

Last week, I contacted a landscaper through FaceBook that lived in our neighborhood.  I had never done anything like that before, but he was always posting his "before and after pictures" on our HOA page and I thought that maybe he would be able to help us with an issue that we were having in our backyard.  I also knew that Doug would be home when he came out to look at it and he had tons of reviews from neighbors.  Therefore, I wasn't too worried about contacting a stranger.  I was more concerned that the bushes that were growing out of control on our property would kill our tree.  

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Doug met him while I was working the bake sale.  Thankfully, he said that removing the bushes and disposing of them would be no problem.  I was so happy to hear that as the three small bushes that were there when we bought the house had easily become fifteen.  He was busy and promised to be back in a couple of weeks.  Thus, I was surprised when I got a text this week saying that he was at our house, ready to work.  I gave him the go ahead and he figured out how to take the clip off the fence to get into the backyard.  Within an hour, I could not believe the difference.  He sent me pictures of the work and I paid him instantly through Venmo.  He planned on coming back to work on the crooked tree in our front yard next.  Doug and I were extremely thankful that we took a chance on a recommendation from our HOA's FaceBook page.  It made our life easier and our neighborhood feel even more like home.  

A Beautiful Day in the Windy City

 It was absolutely gorgeous in Chicago today and we took full advantage of the sunshine.   Doug, Nick and I went to RJ Grunts for lunch, where the guys tried their world famous sandwiches and I ate a bowl of chili.  It was one of our favorite restaurants when Doug lived in Chicago and it was fun sharing that with Nick.  Afterward, we walked to Lincoln Park and spent the next hour in the zoo.  There weren't a lot of animals out and about, but we were able to see the giraffes, zebras, flamingo and gorillas.  Meg had to work today, but was able to join us for a shopping trip to Kohl's after the zoo.  She was thankful to take a break from her computer and Doug found the shirt and shoes that he needed.  Doug, Meg and I took a walk once we got back to her apartment, appreciating the last little bit of sunshine.  

Cal arrived from work just after we got back.  We were all glad to see him.  After catching up, he suggested Goose Island Brewing Company for dinner.  Unfortunately,  it had closed.  His next suggestion was a Mexican restaurant in Lakeview just north of Wrigleyville.  We had no problem getting in and loved the margaritas that they recommended.  The food was nice as well, but the best part was the atmosphere.  The restaurant was named after Doug's two favorite characters in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, "Tuco and Blondie."

After dinner, we all hung out at Meg's for awhile talking.  She shared her new "It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" vinyl.  The music was great and the pumpkin shape of the vinyl was super cute.  The only bad part of the night was that it had to end.  It was definitely one my favorites of the week and I was very  glad that we were able to spend so much time in Chicago on this trip.  

On to Chicago

Doug had to work until 2:30 this afternoon.  That gave me time to visit with my parents, run a few errands and catch up on some work before we headed to Chicago.  I was very glad to see that my mom was doing better.  Surgery is hard to recover from, especially when it was in your abdomen.  It was nice that she was able to sit up and walk around more today.  She goes back to the doctor on Monday and hopefully will be able to return to solid foods and carbonated drinks after that.

Doug and I first stopped at Goshen Brewing Company on our way out of town.  He had wanted to go there the last time that we were in Indiana, but we ran out of time.  They weren't serving food yet, so we didn't participate in their popular Pad Thai night, but Doug was able to try a few of their new beers.  We left Goshen by 4 p.m. with the intent of being at Meg's by 6 p.m.  Traffic was heavy in Chicago and the rain storm on the Indiana Toll Road was terrible to drive through, but thankfully we were still able to make our goal.  We unloaded the Pilot and sat down with Meg in plenty of time to order dinner before Dancing with the Stars began.

Meg chose Cava for dinner tonight.  It was a new Mediterranean restaurant that had opened near her apartment.  It didn't have a lot of seating and lines were long to get in, so ordering was the perfect way to try it.  The wraps that Doug and I  had were excellent.  Nick and Meg enjoyed theirs as well.  Dancing with the Stars was a lot of fun tonight.  The dances were better than last week and we were all impressed with them.  Danny Amendola was still Doug's favorite, but some of the other guys started to shine as well.  I really liked Joey from the Bachelor, where Meg thought the best dance of the night was rugby player, Ilona, who did a fun rendition of "I had the Time of My Life."  In the end, Meg, Nick and I voted for Reginald Vel Johnson.  He wasn't the best dancer of the evening, but tying his routine in to his role on Die Hard was really fun to watch.  Doug didn't agree with us, but the audience did and thankfully kept him alive to see another week.  In the end, we were all happy that the "star" with the ankle bracelet was voted off tonight.  We felt bad that Tori Spelling was voted off as well, because she was excited to be there, but overall we were glad with how the evening went. 

 

Saugatuck

After checking in on my mom and dad, Doug and I left for Saugatuck this morning.  It was one of the few things that Doug asked to do this week that didn't have to do with our family and I was excited that we were able to fit it in our schedule.  We had planned on going to New Holland Brewing Company for lunch before shopping in Saugatuck, but they were closed on Mondays.  Thankfully, Doug's next choice was open and soon we were seated at Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Doug picked their Oktoberfest to sample and I ordered soft pretzels and a vegetable dish to share.  All were excellent and we had a lot of fun talking about past trips that we had taken to Michigan together and with our family.  Doug purchased an Oktoberfest shirt before we headed out.

It was a little bit chilly when we started our day, but the sunshine warmed up the afternoon to the upper 60s by the time we got to Saugatuck.  We spent the entire afternoon walking up and down the streets shopping and trying different foods.  I found the greatest Christmas gift for Brett that I can't wait to give him.  We also purchased fudge for my parents after sampling a few pieces and getting ice cream.  Doug stopped at New Holland Spirits and I found some great drinks to take home.  We left in time to get back to Syracuse for dinner, but had a lot of fun on our day trip and enjoyed it very much.  

On to Syracuse

It was a rainy, wet day in Indiana but we still enjoyed it.  Doug and I first went to the girls' field hockey match where IU took on Northwestern who was ranked #1 in the country.  The women played tough and took more shots on goal than the Wildcats, but in the end lost 1-0.  I was impressed with how many fans were in the stands and also that I made it through the end of the third quarter as it rained most of the game.  Cameron was pleased with the game and even more so with the amount of students in attendance.

We took Cameron to lunch at Dats afterward.  I hadn't been there since they moved locations.  It was very good and a nice way to end our weekend in Bloomington.  We dropped Cameron off at his apartment and headed to Indianapolis next to see Paula.  She had just moved into her new house and I couldn't wait to see it.  We arrived a little after 3 and loved touring her home with her.  She had put a lot of work into building her house and it looked fantastic.  After touring, we walked with her through the neighborhood to the winery that Paula could see from her back patio.  It was very nice.  Doug enjoyed a glass of wine while we all soaked in the atmosphere and caught up.  It was a lot of fun.

We arrived in Syracuse just in time to pick up dinner from Pizza Hut.  My mom looked pretty wiped out.  Her stomach still hurt a lot and she couldn't eat much of anything.  It was hard for her to move around, let alone walk very far.  Even so, I was just glad that she survived the surgery.  She will heal, it will just take time.  Thankfully, she'll be able to rest and recoup now.  

4-0!!!

Today was an awesome day for IU football fans.  The Hoosiers defeated Charlotte to start the season 4-0 for the first time in school history under a first year coach.  It was incredible to see in person and had the heat not gotten to me, we would have stayed to watch the entirety of the 52-14 victory.   Ninety degree temperatures may have cut short our stay at Memorial Stadium, but it didn't stop us from enjoying our pregame fun.  Brett, Cameron, Doug and I went to the Bloomington Farmer's Market to start our day where we each picked out a homemade cookie for breakfast.  We walked to the stadium and thoroughly enjoyed the new concert on the south end of the parking lot.  Along with live music, there was a food truck and beer tent as well.  Brett didn't make it into the game, choosing to walk home, but Cameron did sit with Doug and I during the second quarter.  We were all very impressed with both the new coach and the transfer quarterback.  It was awesome to be excited about IU football again. 

I rested at Brett's after our time at the game watching more football with Doug.  Brett went to mass and we all agreed to meet up at 6 p.m. to go shopping and to dinner.  Cameron had found a new record store close to the Knights of Columbus hall.  I loved it and found a vintage Billy Idol album that had never been opened.  Doug took my new vinyl and Cameron's Pet Sounds back to the Pilot before we all walked to Fat Dan's for dinner.  It thought that it would be packed, but we were able to find a table outside and enjoyed our food.  We talked about politics and watched more football on my phone.  

After our night out, we hung out at Brett's apartment once again playing Ticket to Ride.  Last night, Brett destroyed us, but tonight Doug was the big winner.  Cameron was annoyed as he felt that he had played the game of his life and still got beat.  I felt the same way last night.  Thus, we all agreed to a rematch soon.  Cameron headed back to his apartment shortly after that and we spent the rest of the night watching football and waiting for Nick to arrive.  It was an awesome day in Bloomington.  I was very thankful for that.  

Scary News

Doug left work at 2:30 yesterday afternoon, thankful for some time away from work.  He had not had a day off since the first of the year and had worked every weekend as well including Meg's wedding.  We had made plans to leave tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. for Bloomington, but with Doug home early, we decided that it would be best to start on our trip tonight.  Cameron was excited to hear that as he was free any time after 4 p.m. on Friday and was ready for a visit.  It also meant that we could break the trip up and not have to drive thirteen straight hours in one day.  

Doug finished packing while I was at my meeting and then took an hour nap so he was ready for a late night drive.  He picked me up at 7:30 p.m. and we were on our way to Indiana.  The drive was one of the easiest that we had had leaving Florida.  There was absolutely no traffic and when we stopped at Buc-ee's, we could get in and out quickly.  We pushed it a little bit harder than we had planned, but there was a Tru By Hilton in Ring Gold, Georgia that was less than $120 and we thought the price was worth driving extra.  We were both thankful when we checked in at 2:30 a.m. and went to sleep almost immediately.  We were back on the road by 9:15 a.m. and pulled into Bloomington around 3:30, extremely thankful.   

As we were unloading at Brett's, my dad called.  I thought he was checking to see where we were, but instead he let us know that he had been at the hospital with my mom all day.  She had a perforated bowel and was currently in surgery.  The doctor told him that she had a hernia that had caused blockage and perforation.  I was instantly concerned.  I knew that a perforated bowel could be extremely serious.  Even with surgery, the mortality rate was 30%.  I told Doug, called the children and prayed that everything would be alright.  

After talking to Meg, she decided that she wanted to go to Indiana tonight in case Grandpa or Grandma needed her.  Doug and I thought that we would wait and see what the result was after surgery.  We would head up that night if needed or wait until Sunday, which was our original plan.  While we waited, Cameron gave Doug a tour of his apartment.  Doug was extremely impressed with the layout and how clean everything was.  We then walked to Upland Brewing Company so that Cameron could eat before the soccer game tonight.  Thankfully, by the time we got done, my dad had called.  My mom was out of surgery and all had gone very well.  We were extremely relieved to hear that.  Meg said that she would go see her tomorrow.  I called Aunt Jan and she said that she would stop by then as well. We would head up on Sunday and stay with her for a couple of days.

The rest of our night was spent with Brett.  We had dinner at Bucceto's and then hung out at his apartment.  The soccer game was called early because of lightening, so Cameron spent the evening with us playing Ticket to Ride.  The night was a lot of fun and a great way to start vacation.  The best part of it, however, was finding out that my mom was on the mend.  

Start of a New Year

Tonight, the general meetings of the Catholic women’s group that I belong to began for the year.  I was excited about it as I really enjoyed being a part of the group last year.  I arrived early to set up and found the apple theme a lot of fun.  I was introduced as the new treasurer for the year, went over the budget  with everyone and collected dues.  It was nice to get started and see a lot of friendly faces.

I do have a few concerns about being a part of the group this year.  The meetings have been extended to two hours with very little social time.  That’s a big change for me from last year as the social time was my favorite part.  I also don’t have as much time at night to spend at meetings.  The board meetings have run long and several times have extended to the three hour mark.  I would like to continue to be an active part of the group, but am afraid that the timing will change my participation level.  Tonight, everyone was extremely supportive when I found out that I had to leave at 7:30.  That will really help me in the long run.  Overall, however, I really enjoyed the group tonight and am looking forward to a great year.  

The 2022 Photo Album

Yesterday, I finally finished and ordered our family's 2022 photo album.  It sounded strange to say that I just finished a photo album from two years ago, but that was the case.  I do not ever remember taking that long to finish one of our photo albums, but when I look back at the pictures from that year, it totally makes sense.  It was by far one of the most challenging years of my life and I wasn't really ready until now to digest all that happened that year.  Doug was constantly working and traveling to Florida.  He was also dealing with some health issues and a serious personal issue.  Cameron lost Richard and struggled emotionally to get through the rest of the year.  During that same time period, I was busy getting the house ready to sell on my own, but most of my energy went to supporting Cameron and Doug.  It was hard and I was running on pure adrenal for the last four months of the year.  Looking at the pictures brought all of that back and until this fall, I wasn't ready to deal with it.  

The best part about going back through all of the photos was that I could finally put that year to rest.  It had been very challenging, but there were so many good things that happened as well.  Meg started her senior year and had a wonderful time hanging out with her friends.  She was also given a job offer from Plante Moran, which was a huge relief to her.  Cal was finding a lot of success in his career and enjoyed multiple trips with his friends including a fun weekend at our home hosting fourteen of them.  Brett began a campaign for city council and learned a lot about the political process.  Cameron had very rewarding tennis and golf seasons.  He was completely supported by the Bethany community as he learned to move forward without Richard by his side.  He made several new friends that are still part of his life today.

In the end, I was glad that I finally finished the 2022 photo album.  It was a project that I was completely dreading, but one that I needed to complete as it provided a lot of healing for me personally.  Next up is Meg's wedding photo album.  That should be a lot of fun and I am looking forward to getting that started.

Dancing with the Stars

Tonight was the night that Meg and I had been waiting for since last Halloween - Dancing with the Stars returned to television. Even Cal and Doug were excited about it.  The show featured all new dancers, and we were excited to see them.  Meg had already decided that the "pommel horse guy" from the Olympics was here number one.  I figured that my early favorite would be Reginald VelJohnson, aka Carl Winslow from Family Matters.  

I had picked up Crumbl Cookies to celebrate the night and we turned on Disney+ at 8 p.m. hyped for the new season.  The dancing was really strong tonight.  By the end, there were five dancers that stood above the rest.  Unfortunately, Reginald wasn't one of them, but he was 72 and not expected to stay long.  Doug's favorite of the night was Danny Amendola, wide receiver from the Patriots and with Dwight Howard, former NBA player, a close second.  They were very impressive.  Neither were as good as the pommel horse guy, but definitely early contenders for the mirrored ball trophy.

I talked to Meg several times during the night.  She was just as excited about the show as I was.  We both agreed that the convicted felon should have never been invited to participate on the show but were positive that she would be the first to be voted out.  The only negative on the night was when Nick texted me a voice memo singing the song, "Hot to Go!"  Otherwise, the night was a lot of fun and a great way to spend an entertaining evening.  

Too Old for This

Last weekend, Doug and I decided to go to Epcot for their annual Food and Wine Festival. It had started in August but we hadn’t been able to find a weekend to go. We were both excited as we loved the food there and I always love walking around countries. We thought that we would also ride a few rides and pick up my annual pass magnet as Pumba and Timon were featured.

We started on the Canada side of the countries and found several dishes to try right away. I was a little bit disappointed that Ireland did not have a stand this year but was extremely excited when I saw the same chocolate cake at the Americas booth. We really liked everything that we sampled. The chili dog from the US was probably my favorite, although the chocolate cake and the pumpkin ravioli were very good as well. Doug liked everything he ate, and it was a fun afternoon.

The only downside to going last weekend was that it was extremely hot. We tried to cool off by riding Sorin', but the line was too long. We also didn’t realize that the magnets were actually at Animal Kingdom so we had to stop there on the way out of town. I didn’t do very well with the heat and after three hours, we knew that it was time to head home.

Since we had a free Sunday this weekend, I suggested to Doug that we go back to Epcot. He was more than interested and we headed to there for lunch after the bake sale. I was thankful that it was cooler than last weekend, but as we were leaving a couple stopped us and said to be prepared as it was really hot. They were right, but we stayed in the shade and drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated. We got to sample different food this time and loved all of it, especially the peanut butter and jelly wings. We once again headed to Soarin' at the end of our trip around the countries, but I realized that I just couldn’t make it. I was too hot and too tired to stay longer. Doug didn’t mind leaving because riding the rides is not his number one priority. He was very glad, however, that we got to try the food again.

I spent the rest of the night watching the Bears football game and resting. I hate to say it, but I’m pretty sure I’m too old to do this anymore at least not in the heat. Thankfully, Doug said he didn’t care how long we stayed; it was just fun doing something together. I was very glad to hear that.

Church Bake Sale

For the past three days I have been busy helping with the Blessed Trinity Council of Catholic Women bake sale.  I missed last year's as we were in Indiana that weekend.  I also had just joined and wasn't exactly sure how to help.  This year was completely different as I had become a board member and was at the meetings while the bake sale was being planned.  I am not one to bake, but did sign up to work at several masses.  When Robbi asked for volunteers to also help bag and label the baked goods, I made myself available for that as well.  In the end it was a very rewarding experience, and I was extremely glad that I volunteered.

On Friday morning, I arrived at the church at 9 a.m. and helped carry out all of the baked items that had been dropped off to Robbi's van.  We took them to her house and spent the morning and part of the early afternoon bagging, labeling and getting the baked goods ready for the sale.  We only sampled one cookie while we were there and that was because we weren't sure if it had nuts or not.  It was very good and I made a note to buy a bag or two of them tomorrow at the actual sale.  We finished up in time to go to a late lunch together at McAlister's. I got to know a lot more about Robbi and really enjoyed the day.

Yesterday, I bagged up some of my own baked items and took them to the church at 2:30.  I didn't help with set up because I had to work the gift shop before the 4 p.m. mass.  I did stay after mass to help.  I was impressed with how many people showed up to purchase bags of cookies, breads and muffins.  We were all pleased with the amount that we sold in such a short period of time.  I bought some cookies for Doug and Phil to try during the IU game tonight.  They were delicious.

Today, I was back at the church at 9:15 to help once again.  It was a lot of fun.  We weren't the only ones that were selling items or promoting our ministry.  The boy scouts were there with spaghetti dinner tickets.  Father Pat's book was for sale along with fair trade coffee and teas.  Barry had a table set up with the Catholic science book that he was promoting and a place to sign up for prayers to St. Bernadette that he will deliver when he travels to Ireland in October.  I stayed until noon helping with the sale.  Our bake goods were so popular that we weren't sure that we would have enough for the 5 p.m. mass that night.  I was happy to be a part of such a positive experience.  It was the reason that I joined BTCCW last fall and was very glad that I did.

5th Year Class Reunion

Meg and Nick left for Syracuse last night after she got off of work. This weekend was their fifth-year class reunion, and they were looking forward to attending even though their closest friends weren’t able to be there. It was a little bit hard to believe that it was already five years since Meg had graduated from Bethany, but so much had happened in those five years that it also seemed like a long period of time. Either way, I was glad that they would be able to attend, spend time with grandma and grandpa, and see Millie before they headed back to Chicago on Sunday.  They had even planned on taking time to visit KeShawn's grave.  Meg knew that he would have loved attending their five year.

Meg called me today to let me know that the reunion was a success. It was held at Bethany during alumni weekend. There was a food truck and activities for their class. Meg and Nick weren’t the only ones in their class that had gotten married since they graduated. Another student had wed last year. They both enjoyed talking to him and meeting his wife. They had a lot of shared experiences and talked about getting together again this fall in Chicago. Before they left, they took pictures of their composite photos that now hung digitally on the wall at Bethany. I was very happy to hear that everything had went well. Class reunions can be hard but going into them with the right attitude and realistic expectations makes all the difference.

How Can You Get Dates Dressed as a Cockroach?

I have really been enjoying watching different IU sporting events on the Big Ten+ app.  Today I was able to catch a field hockey game and a women's volleyball game.  The women won their field hockey game easily against Ball State.  It's not a sport that I completely understand, but it is fun to watch.  It's also the one that Cameron is a chairman of, so I keep up with what's happening with the team pretty easily.  This afternoon Cameron carried the flag after each goal and led cheers in the student section.

Tonight, Doug, Phil and I watched the volleyball game.  Phil said that it is his favorite women's sport to watch.  I was surprised to hear that, because Doug and I thought that it was a little long but were glad that he was willing to watch it with us. We knew that Cameron was at this game as well, but didn't see him right away.  After a couple of points, I found him in the second row dressed as a cockroach along with many of his peers.  It was fun to see the students cheer after each point and taunt the opposing team's players.  The announcers on television said that IU had one of the best volleyball student sections in the Big Ten. I knew from Cameron that the coach loved having them there and planned on a pizza party for the students at the end of the season.

Phil found the student section very entertaining, especially the costumes.  He mentioned multiple times that there was no way Cameron would ever get a date dressed as a cockroach.  I thought that was pretty funny as Cameron didn't usually have a lot of problems getting attention from girls.  I also knew that he wasn't looking to date anyone right now.  I tried to tell Phil that, but he still was positive that Cameron needed to change up his costume to get college girls' attention.  After a little bit of debate, I finally showed him a recent picture of Cameron with a group of co-eds in a car, all of whom had been dressed as cockroaches at the volleyball games.  Phil just laughed when I reminded him that Cameron might just be a little more in touch with college girls right now then his uncle's memory of years ago.

Narcissim

 A few years ago, someone that I know told me that she was divorcing her husband because he was a narcissist.  I said that I was very sorry to hear that, but in all honesty had no idea what that word meant.  Since that time period, I have done more research and have gone beyond just the definition - "selfishness, involving a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy and a need for admiration."  It is one of the most difficult personality disorders to deal with and cannot easily be corrected.  The list of symptoms was extensive and extremely negative. It wasn't a word to use lightly, and I stopped feeling bad for the person who told me that she was leaving her husband.  I had known him for years and he was no more a narcissist than I was.  Narcissism isn't something that a person hides well, so there was no way that he was that way to her and not to the rest of the world.  That didn't mean that he wasn't a jerk at times.  I could agree with that, but to call him a narcissism was cruel.  Over time, I was proved correct.  She was calling him names to get out of a relationship because of personal reasons.  

Researching about narcissism also answered questions that I had about another situation in our life. Someone that we had to deal with frequently not only displayed one symptom, but almost every one of them.  They definitely have an unreasonably high sense of self-importance, feel they deserve special treatment, make achievements bigger than they are, are preoccupied with success and power, expect people to do what they want without questioning, unwilling to recognize the needs of others and brag a lot.  Once I read that a light bulb went off.  They have been awful to deal with over the years and this answered exactly why that was.  

As excited as I was to finally have an answer to why this was an issue, the research that I did into how to deal with the situation wasn't promising.  Gaslighting, disarming their words, become emotionless and completely walking away from the relationship were just a few of the suggestions.  If a narcissist only sees themselves as a victim or a hero and never takes blame for anything, it is really challenging to maintain any type of relationship.  After a lot of discussion, I am not sure how everyone in our family will handle the situation, but for me, for now, I chose to walk away.  I can't let someone else control my mood or influence my life anymore.  

Time to Move On

It's time to move on, it's time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby, grass is growing
It's time to move on, time to get going

The Tom Petty song "Time to Move On" has been playing on repeat in our house lately.  Sometimes it is through Spotify and other times it is just playing inside my head.  It has become the anthem of our fall and a great reminder that there are times in life that things just have to change.  As Doug and I look to make some major changes in our life in the near future, the song reminds me that it's ok not to know where life is headed.  It also gives me great hope for a new beginning.  Either way, it is "time to move on" and I am excited about the possibilities that moving on will bring.

Roof Success

When we bought our house almost 3 years ago, we knew that two things would have to be addressed within a couple of years. The first that we would need to tackle was painting the exterior of the home. Cement block homes are the best for the harsh weather of Florida, but the stucco on them starts to crack over time. The inspector when we bought our home recommended painting it within a year or two of ownership. We did that last October and the house looked fantastic.

The second project was a bigger and more expensive one.  We were told that we had 3 to 5 years of life left on the roof. We were surprised at that as roofs in Indiana normally lasted 25 to 30 before they needed replacement, and ours was only 18 years old.  The weather in Florida, however, is a lot tougher on home structures and most have to be replaced within 15 to 20 years. It still looked OK, but we knew that looks wouldn't help during hurricane season. Last fall, our painter told us that we probably had two more years of life on the roof. Thus, I waited until this summer to do research on roof replacement. I found out that our homeowners could cancel our policy if our roof was 20 years old. I didn't want that to happen so I decided to have two local roofing companies come out and evaluate it. One suggested that we also have our insurance company look at it as well.  All three of them got up on our roof and inspected it.  Each said that there was some hail damage but nothing major.  The shingles, however, had very little granules left, so it was definitely time for a new roof.

Neither Doug, nor I were surprised by that reality. Thankfully, I had saved money from our last year‘s budget for roof replacement. The two local roofers that came out to inspect it also gave us quotes.  They were both had great reviews, were highly recommended and were very knowledgeable. We ended up going with Big D roofing. The name sounded strange, but they had the best quote and we really liked their sales person. He was extremely honest and answered all of my questions. He came out twice to meet with us, offered to have our existing attic fan vent painted to match the roof and didn't talk us into new solar tubes when they weren't needed. We would also get all new vents and drip guards. We signed the papers and picked September 9th to start. We were hoping to get it all finished by the time that we left for Indiana in late September.

The roofers arrived yesterday morning at six a.m. At first, I thought it was thundering, but then realized that it was them walking on our roof.  They worked until dusk before picking up for the night.  We were impressed with how much they had gotten done even with taking a short break for rain.  They had just started the shingles when they quit for the evening.  Today they arrived at 8 a.m. and by 4 p.m. were pulling out of the driveway after thoroughly cleaning up.  I swept up afterward and only found two nails.  Both of them were hidden under something and almost impossible to see. 

Doug and I walked around the outside of the house this evening when he got home from work.  We were extremely pleased with the look of the roof.  The brown on the previous one did not match the gray very well and our roof had a lot of staining in the back.  Our new hearthstone shingles matched perfectly and the house looked fantastic.  All we have left to do is wait for the wind mitigation test and we should be completely finished.  As much as I was dreading the process, it was a lot less painful than I ever thought that it would be.  

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Happy Birthday CrapPa

Today was my grandpa‘s birthday. Although I never stop thinking about him or forget what he meant to me, there are times that I do not remember what date it is. Thus, I love that every September 9 the first thing on my Facebook memories is this wonderful picture of my grandpa and I at my wedding. It wasn’t staged. It’s just who we were. He loved to give me a hard time, and I loved to be around him. That is so obvious from my smile. My grandfather and I spent tons of time together, even after he moved to Florida. He meant the world to me and was such an important part of my life. The wedding photo shows that and the memories in my heart know that.

Today, this picture reminded me not only of my own grandpa, but also the relationship that my own children have with their grandparents. I have had a lot of time to reflect about grandparents and children this past year. I love that my children feel the way about their grandparents that I felt about mine. They love visiting them, love hearing their stories, enjoy hanging out with them, and continually share their favorite memories of them to me. Each one has a special place in my heart and I just love watching that. They have been a support system for my children since the day that they were born, and it's nice to know that they were such an important part of their growing up days. Everyone knew Grandpa Cutes and Grandma Jane who lovingly became Backroads Bill and Mainroad Muss to Cal's friends. They were at every event that the kids participated in and watched every sports match that they could. They bought tickets to Fish Frys and took them golfing. My children spent countless nights at their house, fishing, playing cards, or just hanging out. My parents will forever live in my children’s heart, just like my own grandparents do.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about my children having children of their own. I want to be a grandparent that my grandchildren will remember, no matter how far away I live. I want to make memories with them. I want to support them. I want to be an active part of their lives with no strings attached. I don’t want to hold money over their head for them to contact me or manipulate them into visiting me. I want them to hang out with me because they love me and I love them. That bond can only happen if it starts young. So, no matter where my grandchildren are, I will make a concerted effort to be a part of their life. Unconditional love is the best legacy that I can leave my family.  It would also be the best way to honor a grandfather who taught me the true meaning of the phrase many years ago.

Greatest Football Upset Ever?

Growing up in northern Indiana, you would think that Notre Dame would be my absolute favorite team. Instead, it was quite the opposite. Because everyone was a Notre Dame fan and all we heard about was Notre Dame football and Notre Dame basketball, I really couldn’t stand them. Even our local television station was named WNDU. I felt like the Notre Dame was shoved down our throats, and I actually became to despise them. Even after I became Catholic, I did not change my opinion, and shortly after Doug moved to Northern Indiana he understood exactly why I couldn’t stand the Fighting Irish.

This weekend Doug and I decided to go to Epcot for the day and try out the Food and Wine festival. Since IU had played their football game Friday night, we had a free afternoon.  The only game on today that we talked about watching was Notre Dame against NIU. None of us thought it would be close, so it was a good game to miss especially since Notre Dame was actually a four touchdown favorite.  Even so, there was no argument that we would be cheering for the Huskies in spirit. Jeannette had worked at Northern for a long time, the Heinisch family had grown up in DeKalb, and Dan had graduated from NIU.  

Doug and I left Walt Disney World at halftime of the game and decided to listen to it on the way home even though we realized that it probably was a blowout by then. We were absolutely shocked to see that Northern had a six point lead at half. Cameron called to make sure that we knew what the score was. We were all excited about their lead, but figured that Notre Dame would come back and destroy them in the second half. When we hung up the phone 20 minutes later, we were correct, Notre Dame had come back, but they only had a one point lead. We were positive that there was no way that Irish would lose.

Doug and I made it home in time to finish the last five minutes of the game on TV.  It was close to the very end, but Northern pulled it out on a last second field goal winning 16-14. None of us could believe it. The Huskie's coach had played football at NIU, named his son after one of the dorms on campus and absolutely loved his alma mater. Watching him fall to the ground in tears afterward was awesome but none of that compared to the fact that Notre Dame had just gotten upset in one of the most embarrassing games ever. I know that Michigan losing to Appalachian State was probably the biggest upset of all time, but for me, however, this was the best ever.

The Big Cup

The favorite golf tournament of the year at Maxwelton for the past three decades has been the Big Cup. It started when I was in college and I loved coming home to play in it.  I remember at first thinking that the enlarged cups for the tournament would be as big as a bucket. Honesty, that didn’t make sense. Cups that large would completely destroy the greens. Instead, the cups, were about 2 to 3 times the size of a normal hole.  At first it sounded like that would make it a lot easier to score, but the pin placements in the tournament were always some of the hardest. It was so much fun to play in as you never knew where your ball was going to go on the green and you felt like an eagle was possible on every hole.

This weekend, Grandpa invited Cal and Cameron to play with him in the Big Cup. I was so glad that both of them were free. I hoped that they would do well, but knew that no matter they would have a lot of fun.  Grandpa found a fourth to play with them and my expectations were correct. They had a wonderful time together this afternoon.

The foursome started out fourteen which is one the hardest holes at Maxwelton no matter what tournament is scheduled. They were happy to make par, but were a little bum that they then parred the next four holes as several of them were typically counted as birdie holes. When they got to number one their par streak changed for the better.  They went on to shoot 12 under on the next 14 holes. The highlight was an eagle on number two that they hoped would hold up for a skin. Grandpa almost had a hole-in-one on three with the ball just rolling over the cup. Their final score of 12 under was good enough to tie them for third place. Unfortunately, they lost in a back up. That was made even worse by the fact that their eagle on two was cancelled by another team, knocking them out of the skin pot.

I heard from Cal, Grandpa, and Cameron tonight. My dad had also texted out pictures.  Thus, I could see and hear just how much fun the three of them really  had today. I loved listening to all of their stories.  I remembered feeling that same way years ago when I played in the annual event.  I hung up incredibly thankful that the day had gone so well for them no matter the outcome. 

My "Favorite"

Meg is always giving me a hard time that Cal is my favorite. I think that’s really funny, because I know that I don’t have any favorites. She has said it so much now that Cal tells everybody that he’s the favorite too. 

I do have to say that Cal is the one child of mine that when he calls, I stop what I’m doing, answer the phone, and talk to him for as long as he wants. It isn’t because he’s the favorite as Meg claims. It is actual because he doesn’t call as often as the other three do. I love talking to all of them, but I hear from Cameron and Meg almost daily. Brett calls at least three times a week. Cal texts a lot, but he doesn’t call as much, maybe once a week.  Thus, it’s a bigger deal when he calls, which is why I always make sure that I am available.

Tonight, Cal called on his way back from work. He had gone to the Beef House this week while working at a bank.  Both he and Doug had visited the famed restaurant before on various accounting jobs and had really enjoyed their meals.  Cal told me about his dinner, the staff person that he had to take with him to work, what Maggie was up to, and how he was feeling about the golf tournament that he was playing in this weekend with Grandpa. We also caught up on the different movies that we had seen lately and the ones that were coming out. We decided that our favorite series on television of all time was Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. It was fun listening to him talk while he drove on the back roads of Indiana to Grandma’s.

When Cal hung up I thought about the last year of Jeannette’s life. Brett would call her every week while he was in college. I knew that she loved that  and after she died, Rowene told me that Jeannette would stop whatever she was doing when Brett called to talk to him. Just like me, she didn’t have favorites, but instead wanted to take full advantage of her time with him.  I understand that feeling so much better now that all of my children have left home. I know that I am incredibly blessed to still be such an important part of their lives even though they are miles away.

Wedding Planning

When Meg was planning her wedding, she told me right away that she wanted to do all the planning and would ask me when she needed specific help. That worked great for me. I had already planned my own wedding. I wasn’t looking to relive that through one of my children. Meg had specific items that she wanted me to be in charge of, but for the most part her and Nick did everything and used me more as a cheerleader than an organizer.

When I asked Brett and Karen what they would like me to do to help with wedding preparations, they had a different answer. Since they both work during the day, they were interested in me being the contact person, information gatherer, and support system. Meg said that she would help as well and this week we started on the preparations.

Karen was able to secure the church which was awesome as they now had a wedding date set.  Meg told us that the next big step was finding a reception hall as soon as possible. Karen had asked the church as they had a gym, but then she and Brett would have to supply all of the tables, chairs, caterer, bartender, etc. That seemed a little daunting.  Meg sent her a link to a reception hall in the area that she thought would work really well. Brett asked me to call them and today I had a lot of great information to pass a long from the Knights of Columbus. They had the perfect hall for a reception at an affordable price that included exactly what Brett and Karen would need. I was excited about the possibility of that and turned the contact information over to them so they could look at it next weekend. After that, I helped them plan a budget and come up with a timeline of getting things done for the wedding.

I am looking forward to helping Brett and Karen as much as they need or as little as they want. I know they will have a fun wedding that is perfect for them. I am super thankful that Meg just did all of this so we have some great ideas to start. I reminded Brett and Karen, just like I did Meg and Nick, it’s not about the wedding day, it’s about starting a marriage. As long as they remember that, the wedding plans will go very well.

Oh S*#%!

Dan called me this afternoon on his way into work. He had taken a half day off to be home for a washer and dryer to be installed. I really enjoy talking to Dan He calls frequently to keep me abreast of what his family is up to and to check on what is happening in Florida.

Dan was in the middle of a story today when all of a sudden I heard “Oh S*#%!”  I was a little worried at first that maybe he had hit something. He quickly told me that he had just gotten pulled over. I felt terrible for him and hung up right away. Dan called back later to let me know that he had gotten a ticket. True to his personality, he made a joke, told a story and started talking about his day at work.

I told Doug, Meg, and Cameron the story later that day. They thought it was funny and were relieved that it wasn’t them getting the ticket. My dad called tonight and I told him that I had been talking to Dan when all of a sudden I heard “Oh S*#%!”  I barely got the words out of my mouth, when my dad said “Oh, a speeding ticket, huh?”  He never even considered that it would be anything else. Years of experience and traffic tickets of long ago made my dad realize exactly what I would say next. That made me laugh harder than Dan getting a ticket.

Rain Cloud

For the past several years, it felt like a rain cloud followed over our family. It was as if anything that could go wrong, did. It wasn’t just minor things, but life-changing events that made a huge impact on our family.

Because of that, I realize that I have lost a lot of optimism about life. Whenever something happens, that could go well or could have a tragic end, I always assume the worst. I didn’t used to be that way, but life is hard and it’s challenging to rebound from that.  I have tried really hard, and I have prayed a lot, but sometimes it feels like nothing will ever go our way again.

Currently, we are dealing with the situation that just won’t resolve itself. Most days, I can be patient about it. Other days, however, I just want to cry. It’s hard when all you can do is wait for something, not knowing if it’s good news coming or bad. Every time I think about it positively, something in the pit of my stomach tells me that there’s no way anything good could ever happen again. Hopefully, I won’t feel like this forever, and I will find a way to deal with this feeling of impending doom. No one can go through life, always scared of what’s around the corner. Someone said that all dark skies do not produce rain, so for now, I’ll just believe that soon the rain cloud above me will breeze on by.

SAB and Big Ten Plus

Thursday night I was feeling a little bit down about the fact that we weren’t going to be in Bloomington this weekend. I knew that Cameron was going to the men’s and women’s soccer games, so I suggested to Doug that we watched them tonight. I didn’t know if we’d see Cameron at all like we did last year, but at least we’d feel closer to the action at IU. I was a little bit bummed when I saw that the games were not on the Big Ten network which we could watch for free, but on Big 10+.  It would cost me $13 to activate the streaming service and I wasn’t sure that I would use it very much. Doug said to go ahead and do it. He likes watching soccer and it was a lot cheaper than going to a movie.

Doug and I watched both the men and women’s games on Thursday night. Cameron was front and center in the Hoosier Army in both matches, and we saw him on the television screen multiple times. We even got to see him carry the IU flag after the men scored their first goal, high-fiving the crowd as he ran along the fence line. Afterward, Cameron told us that he was lighting off the smoke bombs during the game as well.  The running, humidity, and smoke were tough on his asthma, but otherwise he had a lot of fun. I was so glad that we got to watch it.

After the soccer games were over, I decided to see what else Big 10+ had to offer in the way of IU sports his weekend. I was pleased to see that there was another men’s soccer game on Sunday that we could watch. I was even more excited to see that they were televising women’s field hockey as well. I knew that Cameron would be at that one since he is a Student Athletic Board chairperson for that sport.  Doug and I made plans to watch both and enjoyed seeing Cameron once again at the soccer game and leading the cheers in the crowd at field hockey.

Tonight, we flipped on the women’s volleyball game. Neither Doug nor I were huge into that sport, but we knew that Cameron would be there with SAB. I thought it was doubtful that we would see him at the game as they were held in Assembly Hall and the crowds were pretty big. Thus, I was absolutely floored when on the first serve by the opponents team, there was Cameron in the background dressed as a cockroach. He wasn’t the only cockroach in the crowd. There was also a SpongeBob, a carton of milk, a pumpkin and many more costumes. The students helped rally the girls o victory.  

I was so happy to end our holiday weekend watching Cameron on the big screen again.  It had been awesome to be a part of all of the IU action even thought we couldn’t physically be in Bloomington. Tonight, I was incredibly thankful for Student Athletic Board and Big Ten Plus.  Both made our weekend a lot of fun.