Fall Festivals

It is raining this morning.

I have noticing many Facebook posts from friends in Alaska about Fall. The pictures are still gorgeous. I have to say I miss the colors of September and October in Alaska. Vibrant colors with crisp tones of white on the mountain tops. Even if it is short lived.

The trees are for the most part still green here. The temperatures are now in the 80s and a nice breeze is noticeable every day.

We spent the weekend still working on making this house our home. More pictures went up on the walls, we finished the downstairs bathroom, and little things like switches were changed to alleviate Chris's obsession an up switch means lights are on....

We ran.

And we engaged ourselves outside for our first fundraiser in the area. "Eggs on the Beach" show cased Cookers and Chefs as well as just home cooks to benefit "Fisher House". The outdoor event included all types of smart grilling from pulled pork, burgers to Apple pie and Pizza. We ate way too much but had a great time cruising through the booths of sponsors and clubs making the play for tickets. The most tickets obtained from the tasters would win and a large proceed would go to their charity of choice. (at least that was my understanding). My favorites were the pizza, the duck, and of course the prosciutto wrapped shrimp.


The sun was out, the temperature was excellent, and clouds were few.

Today, it is raining.

Oopsayo

I skipped a day. 

Reading on the beach is so much better than reading anywhere else. The sound of the waves, the sun, the wind....and oh, the warmth. I am a binge reader with a tendency to follow books that have series. But I may need to change that pattern. With the beach so near, I may need to broaden my reading selections. Today I am finishing up a Insurgent. I need another.

I am open to suggestions at any time. I have a moment or two to sit down and read......join me when you can. 

What is up next?

Run

The key to running is to go at your own pace, recognize your body movements and changes to reduce injuries, and just don't forget to smile. If running is not for you, the same goes for walking, swimming, biking, dancing or anything that gets you to a place where you feel like you have lived today.
Sometimes it is a good idea to engage others with a run. Today I ran with my doggies for a second day in a row. I think they know when I am going. The sound of my drawer opening, the type of clothing I put on, and of course the running shoes are a dead give away. Chris actually trained them to respond to all these queues. They lie at the opening to the bedroom door, puppy dog eyes watching every movement. Then as I make my way to the front door, they hold back their excitement as to whether they get to go or not.
Right now I am sensing that readers of this blog are thinking...."why wouldn't you take them"? Especially if they enjoy it.
One answer: Squirrels! There are tons of them running up and down trees, through bushes, and across streets. There was one time that I was running with them and was maintaining control. Let's just say I thought I was in control until a moment later a squirrel darted across the street right in front of Bella. Normally she is pretty easy to yield her desires with a slight tug and a command of "heel". But this time Bella's strength combined with a sudden desire of Bodhi to join in was more than I could "heel". Luckily no cars were coming. It is a fairly quiet neighborhood with 20 mph zones but still.....what if? So I released the leashes to take care of my shoulder instead.
Now our routine includes a short jog down to the end of the road where there is less traffic. I keep Bella's leash tight and Bodhi's just on my pointer finger to allow easy release. Then back home they go while I enjoy a nice longer run to clear the clutter.
I love to run. I am not very fast. But if you ever see me running, don't forget to wave. Thumbs up to all of you who run as well and to those who do what they love if not running.

Multitasking

It is a puppy-in-my-lap morning

This is the first Monday morning in a long time that I don't have to rush rush to get many things done before I have to get many more things done. Last night, I thought my day would be planned out. Morning run, phone calls, grocery list, house cleaning, etc to remain an effective member of this household (since I will no longer be bringing in the dough). Instead, I slept in to 630 am, poured a cup of coffee, kissed my husband good day as he exited for work, and talked to my puppies a little longer than normal.

I think my sleep habits are changing. Most nights I wake up around 1-2 in the morning. My first thought is that it is my liver and kidneys reminding me of the wine I drank last night. Then I lie there thinking about what I did or didn't do at work, what I have to do next, and fret over the conversations I had or might need to have with co workers. But the last few nights I have really slept good. Maybe I am still in the honeymoon phase of not working. I am just happy to say that I didn't wake up thinking about any diagnosis issue or download problem. I just woke up, made my normal bathroom trek, and then fell back into a deep sleep as my head touched the pillow.

What will I do today? Let's make a list.

1. Nothing particular

Happy birthday to my mother. Your card may be late this year. It goes out this morning. I will call you later to see how your day went.

Waking up

Waking up to a new day. Looking out my window, there are calms waters and clear skies. No chaos.

When I rebooted my personal PC yesterday, my favorites were staring at me. A link to my former work email and remote to my desktop was on my bookmarks bar as well as pop up for messenger service for connecting with my coworkers came up immediately. It exposed me as available. So first task to rid my new adventure of post work clutter was to stop the email and messenger messages from appearing. The only remaining reminder is my retirement login. I am keeping that.

I reread my blog from yesterday. For those who out there who don't know me. I just want to reassure everyone the ideal of not working isn't something I was planning so early. The circumstances just fell into place. I am not sure how long I will go without bringing home a paycheck but for now I am in a good place to take some time off. It would silly not to do it.

Got a text yesterday from a co-worker. I won't disclose who but the question was work related. I steered away as best I could. It wasn't like the answer would compromise anyone. But it was a moment of recognizing things are different.

Many of my co-workers are friends and my daughter works with the same company. Future conversations will be interesting.

Yesterday, Chris and I accomplished some home tasks, played in the pool with the doggies, and read books together sitting out on the deck. Today, rinse and repeat.

What? I have no job?

This is the first morning that I don't wake up and glance at my work email. I know the statement sounds odd. Most people go to work, perform their duties and then leave it at the office desk. But for the last 6 years, I have been in a position that increasingly invaded my personal life. For the most part, I enjoyed the work, the challenges, the responsibilities and of course the pay. Then there came a time at the beginning of this year that I looked at myself and knew this work wasn't me. For many of the good moments I had, I was losing pieces of me and my personal life. I wanted it back. 

This blog is for me. Today, I start the process of removing addiction I had to work and allowing myself to breath. 

Good morning Sharie! Happy weekend without logging in.