Random Thoughts

Today seemed like a good day for some random thoughts from this Minnesotan temporarily in Arizona!  🙂

This week our community, Pine Shadows, had a Meet and Greet that allowed the newer residents to meet the chairs of the various committees (Happy Hour, Book Club, Craft Club, etc.)  The first stop just inside the door was to sign in and meet the “Sunshine Committee” – they are the committee that is supposed to get you acquainted with the various activities here in the park.  Before I signed the sheet I asked the Sunshine Club representative if I needed to sign in if we had actually moved in last March — she quickly snatched the sign in sheet right out from underneath my posed hand and said “No!”  She never gave me a chance to say we were gone all summer so really basically where newbies!  I think that lady needed a dose of her own Sunshine!!  I wish I were quicker on my feet because I would have said well “Bless Your Heart” knowing the true southern meaning of this phrase was very appropriate for this interaction!!

Last week I did attend my first “Stitch and B” group.  It is so nice because it gives me a good hour to work on my needlework without interruption or the fleeting thought that I should be doing something else like cleaning or laundry, etc.  It is a fun group of women that certainly enjoy a good laugh!  Not sure there was a lot of “B” going on…maybe next time when I am not a newbie!!  🙂

I was thinking the other day about if I miss work or not!  There are certainly aspects of it that I miss, but not enough to try to go out and find a job!  🙂  There is a select group of women at Robinson that I dearly miss!!  Even though I worked remotely over that last 3 years, there was always IM to keep in touch with them.  And we sure knew how to use that to it fullest!!  There would always be some great time for laughs…especially when other people did not know what you were laughing about.  It was a way to share a yuck face about some comment on a conference call that no one else could see.  It was also a time for sharing and sometimes tears.  You four ladies are the best and will always have a piece of my heart!!  Carrie D — when we moved in to the new building, we sat right next to each other, but still used IM to make our snarky comments….LOL…we were bad!!  And COLD — never sat in an office that was more cold than that.  We even had to put gloves on at one point!!  Loved your stories about your boys!!  Michelle – you had the greatest and most wide spread knowledge in BizTech and were always great to answer questions when needed.  I enjoy you FB posts of the softball tournaments you attend because it brings me back to great times with my girls.  Enjoy those moments because they FLY by!!  Ashley – although IMing with you could never convey your fantastic southern accent, you still had some funny antidotes to share while we were trying to solve people’s (sometimes crabby….LOL) issues.  It was always fun when you would share what you were shopping for and what your kids were up to!!  Carrie B – you were the one that really helped me find my nitch in the Online group.  Oh my goodness we would laugh (as much as one can laugh in IM) so much and often.  But we also shared some tears and I am so glad we were there for each other when times called for that!!  Love your kids and hearing about their adventures!!

Probably strange that I would talk about missing this IM stream with these fantastic women!!  But I think we always need to appreciate the relationships we have in the moment and if there are worth it, keep it going even when the connection is no longer there.  Every person in our lives adds something that we should not let go!

Not too many pictures today, but I did want to post this one — don’t get too mad!!  🙂

See those white floaty things in the sky?  That is only the 2nd time since we have been back that the sky has not been pure blue!!  So if any of you miss the blue sky, come on down and visit and we will sit on the deck and enjoy the best shade of blue ever!!

Bugs

I did some some strange bugs this week, that I took pictures of.  The green one was on the ground while I was walking Max and the stick one was on the wall outside on the deck.  Yesterday I had 3 lizards running around on the deck — I did not get a picture of any of them, but took one that was lounging in one of the flower pots on the deck.

The green one that was in the road almost looked like it came from a Disney cartoon!!

Otherwise all is well in AZ.  Still get pangs of homesickness…but deal with it one day at a time.

TIFN

But first we need a Jaxen picture.  This is his face after Monte decided to give him a kiss!!  YUCK!!  That expression just cracks me up!!