Wow! It has been a while since I updated. Let me think. Since August 20th. Wow! Let me get my big broad brush and see if I can throw my life story at you fo rthe last 2 months.

August A friend and I started hikign the Pinhoti Trail(174 miles long). We are doing it in sections. We have put 60+ miles behind us. Gail, my hiking buddy, loves all the bent, curved, and trialed trees along the trail.

 September was filled with hikes and Babies. I was blessed to take pictures of precious babies. I cannot get any of the pictures to upload. I am not sure why, but I always have a horrible time getting my bog to look all cutesy like my other friends. Sometimes, I feel like it is a miracle to actually post before some glitch kicks it all out and I have to start over.

  Then, In October, I went to Huntsville to house sit for my daughter and her husband. I came home and am now involved with Gloss for a Cause. I am trying to sell lip gloss with a portion of the proceeds going to local women's shelters. The two beautiful ladies below are part of the photo side in the campaign.

Photography is always going on. LOVE LOVE LOVE

Today, my emotions are mixed. I run full speed excited to think of what I will be doing tomorrow and the next 8 days. Then, when I think about it, I get apprehensive and wonder if I can. My uncle and aunt are driving from Florida tonight. THey will swing by my house and pick me up for our drive to Virginia. My aunt and I will hike the AT! Yes The Appalachian Trail awaits me. I am trying to remain calm and pack only the necessary things. CAMERA check  UNDERWEAR check  Is there anything else I need? Oh my goodness YES! I need this and that and this and that. I make this post for the three friends that read it, so I hope you enjoy.

blah blah blah I had a very exciting blog that I just finished writing and then accidentally closed the page. ARG Well blah blah blah.

Sometimes I go through such a crazy feeling of "What am I to do?"

It is July 4th. No cookout meat. What was I thinking? My hubby is off and feels like he has nothing to do. I, on the other hand, have been working the last three weeks to develop a mindset that my home is my workplace and away from my home is my play place. I have no money for gas to go away to play.

I tried yesterday to work out a creative solution to a schedule and mileage problem. To me, it was common sense. I forgot that my husband nor my son are the waiting around and killing time kind of people. If there is down time, my hubby is not. I will find something to occupy myself and just wait for things to catch up to the schedule. They do not.

So this morning, we are all back in the same situation that we were yesterday. The only difference is that Jon has a 1/4 tank less of gas in his new "used" truck that still sits in our driveway.

So far today,                       I have not planned a meal that Steve will like
                                           I still have excess weight on this big butt
                                           My kitchen cabinets still need doors
                                           There is still photo props and clutter that I need to sell
                                           With hot flashes all the time, I feel crappy, old, and ugly
                                           With all this sweat, pretty makeup is no use


CHIN UP SISTER, IT'S NOT THAT BAD!

PLEASING MYSELF IS EASY                  PLEASING OTHERS IS HEARTBREAKING

CHIN UP SISTER, IT'S NOT THAT BAD!

Good Morning! This past week has been hormonal for me. Highs and lows. Although I am not sure at times, I can handle the hot flashes. The crazy mood ups and downs is so crazy. One day, I am going to conquer the world, and the next, I want to burrow down in some whole somewhere.

Monday was aesome high as I rode on a birthday bike ride WITH a friend that turned 67.  We rode 67 miles. Yes I said 67 miles for 67 years all in one day. Took us 8:24:36 of ride time and 3:20:00 of rest time. We were both sore for a couple of days.
Tuesday, I worked on the pictures from the bike ride so the friend could have them sooner.
Wednesday, I just laid around and nursed the sunburn on my legs from the bikeride and waited for mojo to return.
Thursday is ladies hormone lunch. I get to talk out my frustrations and listen to others encourage me that I am not the only one having to deal with issues.
Oh Wednesday was also the day that threw me for a loop. As a Christian, I strongly believe that my goal is to be and become more Christlike. With our love for God comes a responsibility to give guidance, encouragement, love, and correction to our brothers and sisters. This world is not a friendly place. I, on the other hand, feel that the whole world should be a perfect balance of love and harmony operating within the guidelines scripture has laid out for us. I tend to be a very black and white mentality person. The yellow line on the road is there for our protection and guidance. We may drift occasionally over the line, but we are not to play with the line to see how many times we can cross it before we hit something. Some act as if the yellow line is a suggestion, dancing back and forth regularly. My whole heart is happy to live on my side of the yellow line.
With that being said, a dear friend announced this week that she not only wants to ignore the yellow line, she wants to flaunt her defiance to everything she has been raised to believe. I know we grow and change, adopting new understandings of who we are. My problem was not with her announcement of her engagement to her girlfriend. My problem was the CHRISTIANS who stood up and cheered her. I expect evildoers to cheer on sin, but not those of us who are supposed to be fleeing all appearances much more the outright defiance to scripture.
If I announced tomorrow in my prayer group that my husband and I can no longer limit ourselves to one partner and therefore we will be "mixing it up." I would not expect my fellow believers to stand up and cheer. Sin is sin. My fat is a problem in my life. I am constantly battling with gluttony and it shows. Scripturally I do not expect to get rounds of applause when I gain more tonage.
Needless to say that whole situation had me thrown. Again not that she announced that she did not care what scripture said about it, but that my fellow "Christians" encouraged her to "slap God in the face" and to ignore any scriptures concerning the issue.
I do not ever expect fellow drivers to stand and cheer the other driver that wants to defy the yellow line. If you see someone going the wrong way, you get out of the way, and do everything in your power to bring some kind of correction to provide safety to society.
I just did not expect Christians to stand up and cheer on a sinful behavior.

Amidst all this drama and emotion, I mention to my husband last night that I feel so totally overwhelmed with the packing and cleaning. He took it as a whine and complain and instead of "do you want to talk about it?" he says, "You have all day. I go to work 11 hrs a day. If you went to a job for 11 hours. . ." at this point I hear nothing, but I think, "Seriously!!!!!"

I feel ugly, aged, fat, indulgent, unappreciated,  and "seriously????"

And now I sit on Friday morning needing to prepare for a camping and caving trip this weekend. Maybe the time away will refresh me. It best refresh me because it will be a mess next week trying to get everything put back away. And since I am the stay at home, the putting away and reorganizing falls to me. But then again, a friend recently told me "She can do it all!"

This is probably one of those posts that should just be deleted.

All finished with the wedding book.  100 pages.  It is wonderful and ready to put in the order. Where can I get a loan?

As motivated as I am today, I should be able to finally do it all!!!! I have written a 4 page letter to a dear relative in Germany that I have neglected for 2 years. I made copies of all the articles and magazines to send to her as well. I have done two loads of laundry. I am so glad I do not have ot haul them to a wash board. I have also started the turkey stew for dinner. I called a friend who is anxious to see pictures that I took in her garden. I made a new chore list and checked off the appropriate lines. I need to go mow the yard for 5 minutes so I can check off that line. If I am going to do it all including blogging, I best move on and mark off the blog line. I hope you can do it all today too, because I have been told by a very reliable source that it can be done.