The Casting Call

Oh, that this was about theater!

Antoine & Maria.  I often listen to this soundtrack on my iPhone.

I sincerely wish I had done theater in high school; I tried out for one play, didn't get a part.  Never had the courage to try again.

Why did I give up so easily on something I loved?

Better yet, why haven't I pursued it since?

It's not like it's a hard knocks life!?

The truth of the matter is I have found motivational public speaking to be the performance I love to give.  I'd rather inspire with a keynote than a role written by another.  In the fitness quest I've learned I exercise best with one other person-one hiking partner, or one to one instruction.  I don't want to be part of a cast of characters.  I prefer to work with just one other person.

I always "needed improvement" in that area....

So hiking this week was nice...back on Constellation with Chris in the lead so he could gauge his injury.

From the Hulley Gulley.

Quite obviously not mine:)

But the day quickly went sour.

Dang it.

It wasn't healing this time.

Needless to say, I'm not happy.

With fingers squished 24/7 I am focusing hard on not going mad.

So I'm sleeping outside...

Talking a lot to my Indian...

And focusing on the break finally being mended...right?

I'd rather focus on conquering :)

The Casting Call.

Called to take on and conquer, I'd say. 

The rebel with a 22"

With little to no exercise to report, my blogging has taken a back seat to a (still) broken hand.

My house is a wreck given that the still broken hand is my dominant hand, and both of my daughters are unavailable.

One has her own apartment in Tempe, and thinks she was born forty years too late.

The other is living the life of the adored older cousin in Idaho this week; she'll be in Montana next week...26 days of adventuring!

While I'm not home alone, The King & Lad are not the greatest at general housekeeping.  Yes, the dishes are done.  Laundry gets washed & dried, but not put away.

As you can see, we no longer see eye to eye!

Being bored out of my skull, I've turned to the endless source of recent amusement:  steampunk.

Sure, it's just a corset.  But I wore it in public for no reason at all, and my waist measured a mere 22".

Abbie was horrified, but 27 others apparently approved.

And then I dyed my hair.

Abbie did not approve.

Nor did Parry.

We have to redo the blond streaks:)

The King says I have the hair of a rebel.

I say when you can't change your life, change your hair.

I'm awaiting a package that could change everything...maybe.

All I know, is I'm quite tired of circumstances changing mine.

It seems I'm being unwise...that I'm ignoring good foundational strengths.

All I know is I have an idea about time...and I need to see if I can get it to work.

Healing Time

I'm sorry, but it's (partly) about the hand.

My nose looks big in this picture, don't you think?  😜

As you can see, it's not discolored.  But it hurts.  It's sore, and typing today will likely aggravate it more.

Then there's the damned lingering effects of the head injury that started the fitness quest.

Being limited to hiking is an easy thing (who's going to complain about NOT exercising) but this week's hikes being strolls...

Mine.

Also mine.

...turns out strolling was pretty nice.  I didn't work up a sweat, so I could change and head straight to work.

Jenny's dress.  I received so many compliments on it and even had a dirty old man pinch me.

Today & tomorrow I can go in until 9 (I don't have keys yet, you know, the mandatory probation period) so I'm reflecting.

Can I get to level four before work?

In all honesty, I'm reflecting on how discouraging a long term injury can be.  The concussion, topped off with a broken dominant hand...some things are starting to give.

Perhaps I need to slow down to a stroll?

I prefer full-throttle...

...Or more!

Slow=boredom

Boredom=the enemy

Sigh.

I wish I had a time machine.

http://youtu.be/ecL6XCuO3Fw

Hacking while hiking?

Oh, it started so simply while at work.

He wasn't a geocacher, he was part of the Resistance.

And so it began.

Ingress is my new play toy.  Of course I'm part of the Resistance and not the Enlightened.

When you grow up watching V, you learn these things.

I love this freaking game.

Not that I have time to play it; nor does my family join in the fun.

So today on the Peavine, surely this monument had to be a portal of XM.

It wasn't, but we did reflect for a moment on the Running Girl.

The dreaded Peavine.  Flat wonder of wonders.

Not my photo, which is not surprising:)

Chris is recovering from a pulled Achilles, hence the careful choice.  I liked it as I could go right to work; it was just a stroll, after all.

And we could hack things if we get portals approved.

Hiking just took on a whole new dimension.

2:37am....

I woke up at 2:37am, and made the mistake of checking the time.

My body decided to stay awake from that point on; a decision that was in no way mutual.

By 3:17am I had given up on sleep and was texting friends on eastern time zone.

At 6am I left for a hike with two college pals here for a visit, April & Steve.

Please note I'm smiling:)

We did Thumb Butte...

...of course, and Granite Gardens.

21 years together...they met in college at Cedar Point.

The Grotto, because hiking in the west is AWESOME.

Today would have been George Phippen's 100th birthday; I served up over 100 pieces of cake on less than 4 hours of sleep and two hikes already taken

One was white, one was chocolate.

Tonight I was supposed to go to a birthday party...but with celebrating George's 100th two days in a row, I'm tired.

Although a night of dancing would be amazing.  I miss it.

It destresses me.

Hiking today, I was reminded how much I need to be on the trail.  I was so thankful for the fellowship of old friends and the joy of sharing the town I love (yes, they went to Nastee Dogs for lunch.)

Dinner tonight was ready right after I got home, courtesy of Lad and the King.

Scrumptious.

Now to stay awake until it's time to sleep, right?

Fitness Quest:  my feet are killing me, but heavy whipping cream can soothe the weary soul!

A Good Review

Today is my first "big" event at my new job.  I use quotes because a head count of 63 is actually small, but it's my first event I did the majority of work for.

This was a little tiny boxed lunch event promo pic.  Tonight is a sit down plated dinner.

I *love* my job.  As a collector of western art for 19 years who began collecting at the Phippen Western Art Show, and now is in charge of said show...yeah.  Absolutely LOVE it!  

The lower gallery events area, currently hung with the early works of George Phippen.

While starting to really feel at home at the Phippen, at home things are changing quickly.  Youngest daughter Parry, newly 13, is about to be minted the youngest solo flyer in the family.

She's headed to Washington state, then Idaho and Montana, followed by a completely on her own flight to Michigan with a plane change in Denver.

I am bursting with pride that she's a fly girl like her mama, and only slightly concerned about her changing planes by herself.  After all, it IS my baby.  That said, it's BECAUSE she's my baby she's flown through Denver before, and knows how to change planes.  Her number one concern is stopping to eat!  Lol!

One daughter sells her horse, and is in love for the first time.  My son is closing in on 6' 3".  My baby is changing planes by herself in Denver at age 13.

I love this age.

But then, I always love whatever ages they are, right now, at this very moment.

My two youngest, cooking together without fighting.  Will wonders ever cease?

Then there is this:

Heartbroken.

While enjoying so much, there's so much about the future that is up in the air.

I want to go to the Straits.

My refuge.

I never thought I'd need to go back to Michigan...of course, it's unlikely I'll get up to Mackinac. 

So one must try all the harder to get there, I suppose.

After all, by then-I should have full use of my hand.  Maybe I'll find my heart.

The Slide

I did hike this week.

Once.

Chris' picture; as always, his are better than mine.

We did Granite Gardens in the Dells; one of my favorite.

Staircase Loop

The sun had just come up.

And I still hadn't found my sunglasses.

That was a busy day; after the early morning hike and a full day of work, I grabbed my 6' 2 1/2" son for a little date.

Of course we went for wings. 

Because we were inverted.

Date night was Top Gun in the theater, quite possibly the coolest thing I've done in years.

I refrained from quoting the entire movie by heart, and was weepy when Goose died.

So a fantastic Tuesday, right?  The slide began right after we left.  Abbie sold her horse Sam.

Sam & Abbie.

While a wise, mature choice beyond her years, I got weepy.  As an unweepy person (in particularly as a mum, I very rarely cry) this was unexpected.

Had I only known.

Next morning, it's another early hike.  Butte Creek.

Predawn light.

Except...everyone cancels but me.

Now, these ARE legit excuses.  One cannot predict waking up to a sick child, or pulling an Achilles.

However, there are but two things in this world that make my blood boil:  hanging up on me, and ditching a hike.

My descent into madness soon followed.

By madness I mean weepy tears...the utter demise of my ego into a sloshing mess with nothing but old McDonald's napkins to mop it up.

Oh, I was initially pissed off at being stuck in town at 6:30am with nothing to do.  By the time I had confirmed the cancellation, simple frustration set in and I had limited solo hike options.

I ended up back in the Dells, alone.

My mind on the days of the horse, the many arguments about said horse, and the future reduced me to tears again.

It didn't help that my hand was throbbing from overuse the day before.

Can one just fast forward through the healing of a broken hand??

The day was thankfully busy, and I scored my first ask on behalf of the museum.  

It ended like this.