A Very Long Day

Today started at midnight (like it does every day) but for a change, I was awake.

Laurie's getting married!!!

No, I didn't break my hand again.

Everyone was genuinely concerned that might happen, especially the King.

I was fine.

I am genuinely interested in how many calories dancing burns, since I decided to have gravy fries at 2am.

Chris had chicken and gravy fries.  This was before the golden Tutankhamen chick came in with her glitter shower.

I got home just shy of 3:30am.  I think Red Bull had something to do with my stamina.

Amazing stuff, that Red Bull.

So, dogs don't understand "sleeping in."

Up at 7am...and we are off on a hike.  It's my first in a week; we did the ridge line across the road.

Our house is in the far distance.

We went three miles, and I admit I was pretty sore heading up some of the hills.  We hiked through BLM land, and had a (thankfully) uneventful encounter with four bulls and a herd of cows.  What is remarkable about the hike is we both forgot to bring water, and I was fine.

It's Mother's Day, and one of my children decided to go against my wishes and celebrate it.

Parry got me DUKE'S!!

For the uninitiated, Duke's Mayonnaise is only available in the Deep South.  I am addicted to the stuff.  Parry also roped her brother into a dance routine to "Shut Up & Dance"-my current favorite song.

I danced with Lad, too.

Mother's Day.

Ugh.

19 years ago, it was my very first.  I remember waking up and seeing this beautiful, dark haired, three month old baby girl in her cradle by my bed.  She was still sleeping, and my heart broke as I watched her sleep.  Her daddy was dead.  

The depth of grief that broke from my soul lingers every Mother's Day since...I have never been able to reconcile it.  I have but one hang-up left from being widowed at 24:  a dislike of Mother's Day.  To me, more are hurt on this day than are made joyful.  My first Mother's Day was the most disappointing day of my life-for indeed, it is the father of your child who makes it special.  Mine was newly in the grave.

My kids laugh at it, and my mother hates that I don't like it.  I do try, but it's hard.  Every year I am taken back to that moment; it's an interesting side effect of being widowed so young.

So being Mother's Day, the King takes me to brunch at The Local.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting!

My friend Sheryl is co-owner, and the pimento grilled cheese was just as fantastic as she promised!!!

We headed to the Wine Festival downtown immediately after, and meandered through the art fair.

Page Springs Cellars was a favorite for us both.

I started fading on the way home; I laid down at 4pm for "just a quick nap."

Yep.

I woke up at 8pm.

My hubby & kids had gone to see my mother for Mother's Day, I had a vague memory of them leaving.

Happy Mother's Day, mom.  Sorry I crashed this afternoon!

Parry made me a bacon and provolone sandwich when she got home, and I know I'll likely see midnight again tonight due to my prolonged nap.  

It's been a long day.  

But an extremely good one.

32: The Local and Locals

The best things happen in small towns.

Old fashioned, homemade English muffins with four types of equally homemade jam.

Today is a break day.

As in break your shoulder muscle putting your hair in a ponytail day.

I've been in pain all day due to the ponytail pictured here.

Yes, I know a muscle pull isn't a break, but it might as well be as much as it's throbbing.

Today started out good-my fever broke (that's another break) sometime in the night, and while exhausted from that, I felt so much better.  The dogs thought I was fine, too.

They wanted my cheese.

Originally I was to be in Phoenix all day, but unwilling to risk a punctured eardrum, I stayed in the mile high city.  With most of my appointments rescheduled for Friday, I used the morning to get some work done.  

Like download the rest of One Republic's  Native album.

The King of Athletics met me for lunch, which placed me in town for the afternoon.  While I felt quite a bit better, I was still tired.  Whether it was the fever the day before or the Canyon hike two days prior, I decided to do my usual Thursday visit of local columnists instead of searching for new clients.

These yahoo's are my favorites.

It's easy to get distracted, especially when you love the wares.  I had to purchase one item today I could not resist.

Prescott, with Thumb Butte in the distance.

It's one of Ian's, and part of his show that opens tomorrow.

Here's your free plug:  Living the Dream exhibit featuring Doug Weber, Ian Russell and Bryan Tubbs, March 27, 5-8pm at the Ian Russell Gallery of Fine Art.

I still had time to kill, but was unwilling to waste the gas to drive home and back. So I headed to Thumb Butte, and plopped myself on the first bench an 1/8th the way up the trail.  

The pines smell amazing, and it was sooo quiet.

I caught up on calls, relishing the fact I live so close to so many places I love.  After picking up Parry, I quickly brushed through my hair and headed out the door again.

Tonight's mixer was Locals Only-and it was well attended at Watter's Garden Center.  I delighted seeing old friends, meeting new people and setting up appointments.  It was especially good to catch up with Sgt Steve, from my first week of Fitness Quest.

I had an hour to kill in between the mixer and picking up daughter Abbie, so my friend Sheryl invited me over to her house. She is opening a restaurant called The Local next month, and had a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this month.  She invited me to try some of the recipes, which I gladly agreed to!

Cheese pimento spread-DIVINE!

Utterly scrumptious, fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies.

I cannot WAIT for The Local to open!

So, today was filled with locals...local people, local businesses, local landmarks.  Plain and simple-it's Prescott.  

Thankfully, it abounds in Everybody's Hometown.