Springing Forward

All sorts of things happening in this time of change. We've actually had very nice weather for several days--odd around here. Warm temps are helping to slowly melt the snow, instead of the one-day-hot-blast that causes creeks to overflow their banks. The snow in our yard is and isn't melting in very odd patterns. I'm also taking bets on when the snow pile in the front of the house finally melts. It's nearly 5 feet high this year. In the past we've had snow there through all of March. This year, I'm guessing the pile will still be there well into April. Send your dollar bills with your pick for a date!

Wedding and Baby Bells

The niece's wedding reception and baby introduction party went well last Saturday. Nice group of people with whom to celebrate. K2's Mom and little bro came up from Alabama, and several other nieces/nephews of the family came to town. I set up the tables, decorated, and ran the kitchen for them, then hung around in the kitchen just like in the old days. A nice time, indeed.

These feets are made for walkin'. . . sorta.

I've been trying to get more walking done lately--which is a good trick as my feet and ankles are giving me fits. I have a congenital condition called tarsal collation, which means two of the bones in each ankle are fused together. The result is somewhat oddly shaped feet with no flexibility. The upshot is that walking/standing just plain hurts. I also exacerbated the situation in December by taking a little bitty tumble on a snowy sidewalk. Doh. I hurt my left ankle and subsequently my right foot developed a nasty little thing called plantar fasciitis. But wait! There's more! Then both feet hurt and it was time to bake cookies. And then I ate cookies, but since my feets were a-killin' me, I couldn't go walking or skiing. So then I gained weight for the first time in years, and then my feet hurt worse. Drat.

The painful solution comes in several parts. A-#1 is to lose some weight. After all, I've gotta fit back into my loverly green-n-greys in just 10 more weeks. So I'm now a member of Weight Watchers and have lost my first five pounds. If I continue at this rate, I'll be good to go when work starts. (And by the time of Miss Molly's party in August, I'll be ready to kick up my heels in cowgirl boots!)

I've also been to the podiatrist to have orthotics made for my work boots. These are basically really expensive Dr. Scholl's inserts. I've been back three times trying to get them to fit. The one in my left boot is pretty dang comfortable, but the one in my right is killing me. Now that I've been trying them, I can add tingling to my right foot. And here I thought it was suppose to feel better, not worse. Round four next week. I also took my dress boots, dress shoes, and regular boots to the cobbler to have the toes stretched. It has helped with the dress boots, but with the new arch killing me, it's a wash.

I'm pretty sure there's no medical procedure that can alleviate the problem. So I have to rely on getting boots that fit. And since we're only allowed to wear either the company issued Vasque boots or other leather boots with no extra stitching which can be polished with cordovan, that really, really limits my choices. I'm thinking about exploring the possibility of getting a medical "excuse" to have to wear some other type of boots. Maybe the back country Vasques would fit. Maybe pigs will fly.

On a Sad Note

A Law Enforcement Ranger with the US Forest Service, Chris Upton, was killed in the line of duty last week. He worked at a the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests in Georgia. A couple of guys were hunting coyotes and mistook him for prey. This story could be any of our rangers, anywhere, any time. A heart breaking story. More info here: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/upton.php

The more things change

..the more they stay the same. Cliche, yes, but also true.

Our extended family is changing again. New grand-nephew due any day, while his Grandpa recovers from life-threatening disease and his Grandma gets laid off from her job of the past 4 years. The new kid's Mommy and Daddy are also both out of work. And while I've always been appreciative and cognizant of the fact that my pay comes from the generosity of the tax-paying public, I am also now thankful that the welfare net caught my own kin. Being younger, pregnant, and out-of-work just plain sucks. So does being older, sick, and out of work. When it hits the fan in our family, it hits big time.

Some philosophers say that a life lived with no highs and no lows isn't a life lived, it's a life of mere existence. Most of the crowd we run with live lives of highs and lows, but I do have some friends whose lives are straight and simple. Ever so often, I envy that. But to give up the highs for the times of low, like we are experiencing now. . . . . I'm not sure that would be a good pay off.

So I'll help my family out, yet again, because I know they will be there for me when I need them. And we will share more highs and more lows. As long as we're keeping a balance in there somehow, we'll be fine.

Keep your tailgate up.

Starting Out

I've been blogging off and on for a while. I gave blogspot up for a while, figuring I'd set up a web site instead. But alas. I'm too cheap to do it. So back to blogspotting. Let me know what you're thinking. And if you're a Mom and/or a Ranger, join me for the ride.

The over-riding thing to know about our household is that both of our sons have Autism. Want to have a wild and crazy time? Live with autism. It's odd, painful, weird, and fun. My kids say things that are so funny and caring and loving, and so totally mixed up that they bring smiles to us everyday. There are also many moments of sheer anxiety and terror. If you've been here, you know of which I speak. If you haven't had these experiences, well, count your blessings.