Not really a blog

This isn't exactly a post that I've put alot of time and thought into. In fact I just ran back to my cottage to use the restroom and refill my water bottle (I think I've had enough wine for now. And just in case you don't know me, that would be about half a glass over the last hour and a half.) While I am enjoying the beautiful weather and laughter of kids, I thought I might share some of the images I have taken here at Glen Lake and the vicinity. I have not yet downloaded the images I have taken so far this year so these are from years past. But then not much changes around here.



Boathouse in Leland MI



Grand Traverse Lighthouse
Northport MI



Grand Traverse Bay from
Leelanau Penninsual



Grand Traverse Bay from
Leelanau Penninsula



Sunset over Little Glen Lake
from the dock at our cottages



Sunset over Sleeping Bear Dunes from
our dock on Little Glen Lake

Images from this year to come at a later date.

Peace out.

I'm not FAT!

Stamping my feet and waving my fists!!! Really I don't see myself as fat, no matter what the chart in the dr.s office says (actually it says "overweight"). Like anyone my height would ever weigh 130 pounds! (5'8 1/2 if you're wondering). I've always been big. My mother always used to comment on my big hands and wide shoulders (womens jackets and blouses never fit right. Shoulder pads in the 80's were my worst nightmare!) I've always been athletic and I am proud of the muscle that I carry. I'm not by any means a body builder type but I look strong and I am. I am also a bit heavy, I'll admit it. I did lose quite a bit of weight about 5 years ago and I looked pretty good. Unfortunately, with a combonation of anti-depressants and having to cut my activity levels way down and not caring for a couple of years, I have gained about 20 pounds of that back. I intend to work on this when we get back from MI in a couple of weeks (cherry pie is just too much of a temptation!). As much for my looks as for my health and because I will be testing for my black belt in December and any advantage I can give myself will help. All of this (finally!) brings me to my point. Photographs are not my friends!

Ironically, I am a photographer. I (think) I take some amazing photos. I will point my camera at anything but myself. Photos of me never quite match up to my self image. Take last night for example. My baby dog (surrogate babies will be discussed in a future post) was being very cuddly and oh so sweet. I thought she looked adorable and my Twitter friends have never seen what I really look like so I tossed my cell phone to my hubby and had him take a picture. It was HORRIBLE!! Given this was a crappy cell phone camera not my Nikon. And I was slouching. And wearing not the most flattering clothes. And the camera was pointed right at my belly, probably magnifying it 10x. But still.... Really?? Do I really look like that? NO. I refuse to believe that. So in the spirit of fair play, I have edited the image just a tad so that you can see what I really look like (in my head anyway).

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Stop eating my cheese!

You know all of those articles in the womens magazines that give tips on how to get your kids to eat more than mac and cheese and chicken strips? Yeah, I don't have that problem. My kids are good eaters. They always have been. They eat what I give them. Don't get me wrong, they have things they don't like. I do too. But they tried those things before deciding they didn't like them. And they continue to try and have changed thier minds about foods they previously passed on.

I love the stares we get in the super market when my girls beg for artichokes and broccoli and do little dances when I go for the fresh green beans. I was so proud the other night at karate when Linden was eating her chicken curry and brown rice while the other kids were wrinkling their noses at her and when Jeanne filled her bowl at the Mongolian BBQ with tofu. Not to say they don't also beg for cookies and candy and cheese in a can. They do like their chicken strips as well as the next kid. Fortunately they get the difference between "everday" food and "sometimes" food.

All of this leads me to current problem. My cheese problem. The girls and I were trying to think of something to get for dinner last night. Linden suggested Burgerville. Jeanne wanted to go to the new Laotian restaurant. Then Linden asked for a Lunchable which gave me the most wonderful idea for a hot summer night, cheese and fruit! We cruised the cheeses and the produce at Fred Meyer and came hope with watermelon, papaya, pineapple, black grapes, cherries, Greek olives, brie, blue cheese, a hard cheddar and hummus (Jeanne begged for the hummus). Was a perfect dinner except for one thing. They ate all of my cheese.

I found a good ripe brie. That's not easy task around here where everybody seems to like hard, bland brie. This was probably a mistake that didn't get pulled from the shelf or something but I was happy. Finally a full flavored, pungent brie! Surely the kids would pass based on the smell alone. They can have the plastic cheese in the back of the fridge or something. But no. My kids, being the good food eating, taste it before you decide kids, tried my brie. And they liked it. And they ate it. They ate all of it. They ate all of my wonderful, smelly, ripe, expensive brie.

They ate everything else too, just so you know.

So next time you read one of those articles about how to sneak good food into your kid's Spaghettios or make your toddler try something new, think about this..."Do you really want your kids to eat all of your cheese?"

Why I'm crying today

My friend's father died yesterday. I hoped my best that it wouldn't happen but I knew it would. The little bits of information I had just never sounded right. I thought I was going to be OK when she told me but, when I got the note, I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I sat and cried. I didn't know him and I barely know Rebecca but I cried anyway. I cried because I know the pain that she is now going through and I cried because I know that there's nothing that I can do or say that will make it better. I also cried for me and for the people that I love. The whole experience has opened up some barely covered wounds and and emotions I've never dealt with. I cried for my mom who fought for a long time and lost. I cried for my mother in law who is still fighting and for my friend Lisa who is just beginning her fight. I am crying now. I know that my "pretend it isn't happening" defense may seem like I don't want to be involved but its the only way I know how to deal with things like this. Just know that I will be there if you need me. Like I was for my mom and like I wanted to be there for my mom. I can give hugs and tell jokes and I can listen, if you don't mind a bit of wetness.

Sorry Its Been So Long

Yeah I know. Its been over a year. What happened? Well, its a long story. Too many things and not enough. Mostly insecurity about what I write. Laziness. A hard lesson learned. Why would anybody care? Since I don't imagine anyone actually reading this, I suppose I can write whatever I want. So now I will. Maybe. If I feel like it. And I promise not to delete it a day later. Maybe.

So what's been happining over the last year? Not much but too much to write. I'm still at home. Still not feeling good. Realizing that this probably isn't going to change so trying not to dwell on it. On good days I celebrate. On bad ones, I don't complain too much. I'm walking the dogs and doing my art and loving my family and mostly I am content if not a little bored.

I have lots of ideas for future blogs but most don't come to a point worth sharing. I write them in my head late at night and most never see the light of day. I will think them through more and flesh them out and, maybe share them with you, whoever you may be. (Merrie? Or have you given up on me too?)

-Julia