The Sweet Things

I just read a blog about a "nectar list"-of things a person had done that made life sweet. I figured a review of the good would be therapeutic....

1.  Neil Armstrong was a touring docent the day we visited the Smithsonian's Uger-Hazy museum.

2.  Any day at Cedar Point in my childhood was a lifetime thrill.

3.  I've ridden in two B-17's, the Nine-O-Nine and the Yankee Lady.

Next on my list:  Mesa's Sentimental Journey

4.  I've swam with wild dolphins (surrounded by them) in Hawaii.

5.  I've toured the Arizona Memorial with a bunch of sentimental Americans who all cried.

6.  And I cried the first time I visited Cemetary Ridge at Gettysburg.

7.  I loved quoting Jimmy Stewart leaving Union Station by pointing to the Capitol and saying,  "Look!  Look!  It's the Capitol dome!"

8.  I've searched for sharks teeth on Caspiran Beach in Florida.

Twice!

9.  I've sang worship songs standing on the uppermost deck of a cruise ship, the wind and sea whipping around me.

10.  I've slipped the surly bonds of earth, and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings...only as a passenger, but still.

11.  I've clung to door handles while traveling crazy roads to beautiful places in Arizona.

12.  I've hiked the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon.

13.  I've explored an empty plantation in the Turks and Caicos.

14.  I've stood on the border of Scotland and knew in my heart my people were from the lowlands (years later this was confirmed.)

15.  I ate French fries on the Eiffel Tower.

16.  I was (and probably still am) afraid of the mummy at the Toledo Museum of Art.

17.  I prayed for my knight in shining armor in a 12th century Norman church in England.

St. Nicholas church, Husthwaite

18.  I've climbed to the top of York Minister with a toddler on my back.

19.  I adore conch salad because I trusted a cabbie in the Bahamas.

20.  I've had a wild stingray placed on my back.

21.  I've had a monkey named Jano sit on my head.

22.  I've seen two presidents, Gerald Ford and George W Bush in person.

23.  I was struck speechless when I met Sean Hannity and didn't wash my hand the rest of the day!

24.  I hung out with Jordin Sparks for an hour.

25.  More impressively, I flew with Chris and Martin Kratt.

Martin walked me to my next gate.

26.  I've drank a $400 bottle of wine (and yes, it was worth it!)

26.  My heart beats faster when I'm around any kind of plane, especially if they can go supersonic.

27.  I love to dance, but really wish I hadn't broken my hand while doing so.

28.  I love living with art in my home.

29.  Look of Long Years by Howard Terpning speaks to my very soul.

30.  Howard Chandler Christie's full length portrait of his wife, Nancy Palmer Christy, as featured in Architectual Digest captured my 12 year old imagination.  I knew then I would own art like that someday.

Not this one (I've not been able to find it) but same subject, and very similar.

31.  I've seen Hail Mary's thrown and caught for the win at Michigan Stadium.

32.  I rooted for 50-1 long shot Giacamo, and he won the Derby.

33.  I've eaten picadillo in Key West.

34.  I know where the best pasty's are in the UP.

35.  I've eaten fresh raspberries by the handful right off the vine.

36.  I've stalked the Amish with a friend because she's an Amish-wannabe.

37.  I've held and read the letter my great-grandmother wrote my great-grandfather in 1912.

38.  I've buried my face in lilacs.

These are from Ered this past spring.

39.  I've smoked a hooka...and liked it.

40. I can make Lebkuchen like my Grama.

41.  I've had many teas at the British Tea Garden with dearest friends.

42.  I've flown over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter.

43.  I've sailed in a tall ship in Newport News...and was terribly sea sick.

44.  I've walked over the Tower Bridge in London, then visited the Crown Jewels.

Not the Crown Jewels, but this recently caught my eye...!

45.  I've stood outside the Louvre and Balmoral, unable to visit either as they were closed.

46.  So instead I've enjoyed the Museum d'Orsay....sigh!  Monet!

47.  I've felt like the Princess of Wales, being handed 60+ floral bouquets.

48.  I've created events specifically to wear ball gowns and tiara's to...

49.  ...and I've worn dresses inspired by the American flag with pride.

50.  I learned to two-step in Texas (which is apparently different from the AZ two-step, or just simply the fact that while I love to dance, I don't dance well.)

51.  I've done touch and go's in a single engine plane with my dad.

52.  I watched Top Gun in the theater with my 14 year old son, who then decided to become a navy pilot.

"Because I, sorry Goose, we; WE were inverted!"

53.  I had lunch with the governor of Arizona and the CEO of the Diamondbacks.

54.  I tailgated with the governor of Michigan before he was governor.

55.  Come to think of it, I've met four or five governors.  Most memorably, I had a fly fly into my mouth while speaking to Gov. Engler and his wife, which I reflexively spat out in front of them.

56.  I climbed a rock wall using only one hand.

Still amazed it was possible.

57.  I rowed for 5000+ meters with no hands.

58.  I've been featured in interviews for the AP, New York Times, NPR, CBS, ABC and NBC.

59.  I will always stop and sigh when I hear The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Just the Way You Are, Georgia or anything by Otis Redding.

http://youtu.be/GVbTE4wCbpw

60.  I won "Debater of the Year" in high school; not to be confused with the honor of being voted "Most likely to come from another time, planet or dimension" by my fellow seniors the following year...

61.  I travelled Great Britain for two weeks.

62.  I drove cross-country with my nine year old (and she threw up on the state of Ohio.  Significant as a Michigan fan.)

63.  I have two mother in laws and adore both of them.

64.  I own a personal library.

65.  I've spent hundreds of hours in the storage room basements of museums.

66.  I've been the recipient of true Southern Hospitality.

67.  I read Gone With the Wind by the pool at a hotel on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta.

I completely agree.

68.  I walked a confederate graveyard with a descendant of one of the dead.

69.  I've stopped at war memorials and quietly read each name out loud.  For a moment, they are remembered.

70.  Breastfed three babies for a total of five years and thoroughly enjoyed it.

71.  I've rescued two dogs from shelters.

72.  Sigh...tantric.  Enough said.

73.  Any meal involving deep salt water fish is worth recalling and savoring...Ono!

74.  I dated Jimmy Hoffa's grandson.

75.  I've lived in no fewer than four "House of Dreams."  

View from the patio.

76.  There have been times my voice was trained to sing-and I sang.

77.  I love public speaking...but the greatest honor I had was eulogizing my father in law, who called me sweetheart.

78.  My nana took me thrifting, and taught me how to negotiate a good deal.

79.  I'm a published writer...and now I'm writing a book (or two.)

80.  I hiked the Grand Canyon solo on the one year anniversary of my first husband's death.

81.  I visited Mt. Rushmore at 7am, and had the place to myself.

82.  I know the power of a pair of high heels.

83.  I've been mountain biking and thought I was being chased by something, likely because while hiking earlier I saw a mountain lion.

84.  Sat near an airport and watched planes take off and land...usually by my self, occasionally with others.  Strangely, this is my favorite thing to do in Vegas.

85.  I've been steampunked.  And liked it.  A lot.

22" waist :-)

86.  I've had pen pals I've never met (and one that I have) that have enriched my life.

87.  I've lived the IDIC Vulcan philosophy, as well as Kirk's motto, "I don't believe in the no win scenario."

88.  Best of all, I was born on 8/8, in 1971 (9-1 is 8, 7+1 is 8) and have a sister 8 years, 8 days, 8 hrs and 48 minutes younger than me.  This lifelong obsession with 8 has brought me joy in dark days, and why I stop at 88 sweet things.

Seeing as 23 of these 88 have happened in the past year, I'm feeling quite a bit better.  Counting your blessings is more than just your family and friends, your circumstances.  It's the memories of the life you've lead...excuse me.  I think I need to go rethink a time machine!!!

Eeeee!!!!!!!! :):):):):)

5: The Angry Meltdown

Technically, it was my second meltdown two Fridays in a row.

I say I have brain damage from my closed head injury in December.  The King of Athletics of the Central Highlands (aka hot husband Tom) says I'm insane.

He'll also tell you that in the past 17 years, he's only seen anger from me like the past two Friday's maybe a dozen times.  So two in a week's time - I must be certifiably nuts.

I'm nuts?  Who is doing nutty things with 125lb dumbbells?

Or brain damaged.

I do notice a difference in the way I process things, and that somethings still don't function as they used to.  I say I have a "Soundtrack Mind" - there are always several different tracks playing at any given time, plus what is going on around me.  Lately, I can't seem to block out the surface noise around me like I used to - and a conversation in a crowded room has become difficult.  I have always felt closest to God while experiencing nature - so perhaps that is why hikes have appealed to me so; I am hoping for a healing neurologically, and perhaps spiritually as well.  My breakdown on Friday certainly revealed more than I bargained for.

While I didn't go to boot camp until 8am, I was still tired from an exhausting week.  Even though I had only hiked 11 miles and had 4 hours of boot camp under my belt, I was feeling it in little ways neurologically - and that surprised me.  My response time was off, I was switching up words.  I even found Vikings Thursday night to be uninspiring, except for King Ecbert speaking Old English.

Because Old English is freakin' hot.

"Ic willa neom beon forlor."

That, and I want to dress like Lagertha.  Since I'm 1/4 Danish, it must come righteously, eh?

I admit it; I'm obsessed with these earrings.

So Friday morning, my head is full of the fact that I need pictures for my column, as I have been remiss in taking them earlier in the week.  Everyone is open to the idea, and I get a few general shots.

I made sure everyone looked good in this one.

Today is circuit training, and it's all about the Crazy 8's.  I immediately perk up at the mention of my favorite number.  Having been born on August 8th, and then having your baby sister born 8 years, 8 days, 8 hours and 48 minutes later is pretty wicked, and 8 thus becomes your most favorite number for life.  I'm not quite convinced that my late husband wasn't somehow cursed because we failed to marry on a day with an 8 in it (5/15/93 had the 5's, but it wasn't an 8.  I wonder if we had married a week earlier on May 8th if we couldn't have avoided his death.  I married the King of Athletics on 4/18/98, thus assuring his survival.)

Unfortunately, despite my husband's recent assertions that I was crazy, and the prominence of the number 8, Crazy 8's was circuit training with 8 reps per set. I enjoyed a few of the stations, revealing in my stronger muscles, and hated others as they exposed how very weak I was.  On my fourth circuit I struggled to hold a plank position on two medicine balls for more than 10 seconds, in my mind I tried to will myself beyond what my body said it was capable of.  Inside, I could hear my mind getting forceful - telling myself that I could do this - when the little voice that is truly me said - "I hate this.  I hate pushing through.  I hate not having what I want when I want it.  I hate going without, and I hate the pain of trying."  I crumpled to my knees, in tears.

At least I still had all my limbs.

My friend Kristen, seeing my distress, came rushing over.  Sgt. Steve made sure I wasn't hurt physically, and tactfully let my friend handle my mini meltdown.  Fitness is the state of being healthy - both physically and mentally.  It seems some of the physical had brought out an emotional area of distress.  Kristen and I walked a lap, and I talked out what I knew was truly bothering me.

My hatred of exercise was a symptom of more than just my lifelong breathlessness - it was tied into the fact that I gave up when I said I no longer wanted to do something.  It was tied to regrets of letting go too soon, and not pushing through ideas and projects to the end, often in the face of opposition.  Sgt. Steve came over, and I briefed him lightly on my tears.  He assured me I should just walk laps (we were 4 minutes from finishing!  I had almost made it!) and that I had made incredible strides through the week.  Kristen promised me a slap whenever I needed one, and I headed out the door for the last time, and on to another hike.

This, my friends, is a Lockheed Constellation aircraft.

Kinda ugly for a big bird, isn't she?

This is my favorite airplane of all time:

The Flying Fortress.

I mention this because being a plane nut is a nuttiness I'll gladly ascribe to.  So imagine when I discover that the Constellation trail is named after a plane that crashed there 56 years ago!!!!  I was so geeked I had to go seek it out immediately, and Friday's hike was to that very spot.

For the first time, Becky & Dotty both joined me.

Dotty, in the classic "we live here!" photo.

Becky showing off the rocks.

I found myself trailing behind my friends, unable to keep up but happy to meander a bit behind.  My thoughts were on nobility, sacrifice and ultimately, making money.

Sorry about the booty shot, Becks.

40 paces behind was my standard for the week.

We started to talk about offering tours among the rocks, and starting a business this summer.  It made sense that in sharing something we loved, we could naturally charge others to go with us.  I expanded the idea further, thinking of the Prescott eNews, why not take politicians on hikes?  In my experience, people talked a lot about themselves, and shared more freely on the trail.  Trail interviews could be highly informative, and entertaining to boot.

Why yes, that is an Extreme Flagstaff black t-shirt I am wearing.

The hike was over too soon, and we promised to hike together the following Thursday.  Having hiking partners has made all the difference in my Fitness Quest, and wouldn't be possible without them.

I got home early, and enjoyed yet another shower of bliss.  Sitting down to write; I reflected on the past two and a half weeks.  The Fitness Quest was more than I bargained for, but the possibilities were endless.  I still wasn't engaged, but I knew that it could be a real game changer, in more ways than one.  Join me on my journey to fitness - to be healthy both physically and emotionally.  I guarantee it will be one fantastic ride.