OK, so I'm not blogging much these days.
Seems like there's always something else to do and plenty of it!
Also ... I suppose I'm making an effort to be a little less self-centered than I usually tend to be...I've got so many demands on my time, work being the biggest demand, family being the biggest priority, that I sometimes forget there are others who need my time and attention.
Today we are going to help a friend pack and move, and I should have been there for her more throughout this whole packing up thing.
This has not been easy for her, it was not her choice - the whole divorce thing came as a shock to her and now the injustice of having to sell the home that she loves.
So today's for you - my closest friend - whatever you need, I'm here.

Posted by sunybank at 02:19 PM

as my daughter goes off to school today with considerable angst about the mid-terms that begin today
I go off to work with all the stress of being two weeks from the end of the reporting year and still 6 percentage points away from the corporate goal
and I think ....
I'd still rather be going to work than be back in High School
... just my opinion
What's yours?

Posted by sunybank at 11:44 AM

You may know what it's like ... when your best friend has been informed by her husband that he wants a divorce ... you watch her crumble, you hold on to the pieces ... trying frantically to put them back into place and keep her sane and on track (all the while inside you yourself are an emotional wreck) .. then you attend a funeral service for the father on another good friend, while she and her family weep with pure misery.
and all the while I have a million things undone, and three intense days ahead at work ... and I want to sleep ~ but it's September 11th and I wonder why how this existence ~ even this world is in the state it is in.
Life seems to be almost too hard for anyone to manage well, the news today indicates that this war will go on and on and on ... poverty and slum lords on tonights news ... my former boss has "given in" to his battle with cancer and stopped his chemo ...
If I could get up the courage to go to bed, I am afraid I would not sleep (or perhaps I am afraid I would sleep and fear for my dreams).
Yet in the morning the alarm will go off, and I will wake Birding Girl Willa for another day of freshman High School ... and send her off with prayers for her day ... and for the world she is growing up to face.

Posted by sunybank at 05:06 AM

Work is not stressful - it is one giant unmedicated nerve ending
and I could go on and on and on ...

yet last Friday my brother-in-law was in a very severe auto accident and walked (crawled) away with his life and body intact.
Saturday I received an e-mail from a former co-worker who is severly stricken with cancer and appears to be losing the battle.

In the scheme of things - the stress at work is just that, stress at work. What matters in this life is family, and friends and being there for each other in the tough times and in the good times and all the times in between.
It really is all about relationships and humankind and giving and loving and sharing and .... Good Lord I am rambling and I must be tired ... and you guys should go to bed and stop roaming blogs.

Posted by sunybank at 04:35 AM

I am determined not to have it this year -

Starting with Thanksgiving!
I have 17 18 coming for dinner (my long lost pseudo brother called and claims he'll be here - we'll see if that actually happens)
With four other adult women coming - much of the food prep is off my table (literally).
I have done my shopping
Now all that's left if for me to clean this house!!

EEEEKKKK - Caution - Stress Attack ahead!

Let's see - today I work until 9 PM, tomorrow it's 9 - 5
and that's Thanksgiving Eve.
Ya think I can get it all clean by then?
No way - so ---- no stress right?
Anyway, with 17 18 people in my house ... who can see anything?So am I alone?
Are you stressing over the holidays??

Posted by sunybank at 01:57 PM

No, what you think I'm asking in NOT what I'm asking.
The question is this:
When there is a perfectly good bed upstairs (and even a TV in the bedroom) Why, oh why do we ALWAYS fall asleep on the couch ... wake up and some ridiculous hour and crawl up to bed and under the covers?

...especially when this involves turning down the heat, letting the dogs our, shutting off lights, feeding the pet turtle, setting up the coffee for the morning, unloading and folding the clothes that are now cold and lying in the dryer .... at which time we are WIDE AWAKE and have trouble getting back to sleep?
Do you do this too? Or is it just a dysfunction of this particular family?

Posted by sunybank at 04:48 AM

Well, of course we attended the town parade. All five of us (I'm the one behind the camera)

You can click to enlarge the photo - in case the dogs don't look big enough for you.
What else did we do?

Went out for Ice Cream
Took the dogs for a walk in town (disastrous - see last entry)
Went to the American Legion B-B-Q, mostly to support my dad, a WWII veteran, and of course, a grandpa who loves to show off his granddaughter.
Took the dogs down to the creek for a swim.
Ate outside on the deck - as often as my allergies could stand it.
Cursed the tree pollen.
Birding Dad took us to his new favorite store Tractor Supply (whee!)
Although - I did find on their website that they have a very cool backyard birding link. Go check it out!

Posted by sunybank at 12:35 PM

What do you do?
Church is over
Birding Dad cut the grass until the rain stopped all his fun
Birding Girl and her friend-for-the-weekend are playing video games
Me?
There are bills to pay
Laundry to tackle
Checkbooks to balance
carpets and floors to vacuume (Did I mention that #1 dog is shedding)
(see extended entry for the irony in this statement)
and I don't want to do any of it.... isn't this my "Day of Rest"?

When we got dog #2 - I'm sure that somewhere in the contract with the breeder I stated that the contract will become void if the NEW Berner refuses to shed at the same time as our CURRENT Berner.
And did this happen???????
No.
#1 Berner has been shedding at the rate of 2 bags per day - for the past three weeks to the point that her winter coat is almost gone and HE HAS NOT YET BEGUN TO SHED AT ALL!
Even though I sat him down two weeks ago and sternly charged him to begin the spring shedding NOW!
So, in result, the vacuume still lives in the front hallway so that it is accessible 3 or 4 times per day - and to make matters WORSE (or just more ironic)...
#1 Berner chewed the floor attachment to the vacuume last night to the point of no return ... (sigh)

Posted by sunybank at 06:28 PM

Did you know that they call THIS">THIS an ELIZABETHAN COLLAR?
Brandy's not recuperating - she dressing up!

Posted by sunybank at 01:00 PM

Brandy had her surgery yesterday ... surgery was over at 6:00pm ... we will call the vet at 8 to find out when to pick her up.

and if that is not enough to think about:

My report (that should not be MY report) at work is due tonight - to fed-ex overnight so that it will arrive tomorrow ... I have about 6 hours work left to accomplish before it is complete ...

and wait ... there's more. Remember the dog is about one hour away in the orthopaedic veterinary hospital. My job is about one hour away in a different direction.

It has just started snowing (7:30 am) and the prediction is for 8 - 10 inches.

I am not a happy camper .... and if you think I'm the only one ...

Birding Dad is barely speaking to me as I prepare to get in my car to go to work ... you can imagine why.
Birding girl???? Not sure what she's thinking as school has been cancelled and she's somewhere under three dolphin comfortors, six pillows and her stuff Bernese Mountain Dog puppy (in honor of her missing best friend)

Posted by sunybank at 12:23 PM

Don't you just love the Quiet of your house when you are home alone? This morning I had exactly two hours to myself ... and I didn't do much of anything .... sorry but I needed that!
Now it's off to work again ... 'nuff said.

Posted by sunybank at 03:13 PM

You may have noticed yesterday that I mentioned clutter,
anyone else have a clutter problem?
I think it's genetic, so it's not really anything to be ashamed of, right?
Anyway, I found this book Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston. Actually it was recommended at a seminar I attended (no not Clutterers Annonymous - it was a "women in balance" weekend that (feeling a little in need of balance) I attended with my best friend.
(just in case you feel like being jealous - we went to Mohonk Mountain House for this weekend - go take a look)
Anyway, the speaker spent a good deal of her presentation on Feng Shui, something which I usually poo-poo as new-agey hype. Then suddenly she started talking about "clutter" and the impact of "clutter" on your personal balance and stress and feelings of contentment. Suddenly I started paying attention!
So of course I went out and bought the book ....

The concept - I'm sure you've heard is "If you don't Love it, Use it or Need it - get rid of it" Makes me start to look around the house and think "hmmmmmm....." (although as I was cautioned by a good friend and relative - this also includes those to whom you are legally obligated to care for until they are 18).
"Clear your Clutter with Feng Shui" by Karen Kingston speaks to my own feelings in some ways I did not expect. Consider this quote
"When your home is filled with things that you love or use well it becomes an incredible source of support and nourishment for you. Clutter, on the other hand, drags your energy down, and the longer you keep it, the more it will affect you. When you get rid of everything that has no real meaning or significance for you, you literally feel lighter in body, mind and spirit. ... Your home is an outward representation of what is going on inside you, so if you are messy on the outside there is a corresponding mess of some kind on the inside too. By sorting out the outer, the inner starts slotting neatly into place"
Now I am not advocating this as my new religion or philosophy at all. I am first and foremost a Christian and I look to God for my strength, but I'm simply saying that I can relate to the impact of spacial clutter on my inner calm. Anyone agree here?
Well, so far we have done a total overhaul of our attic, and that resulted in 12 large black trash bags and numerous boxes, not to mention the bags pushed into the "good-will" bins in the bowling alley parking lot. Birding Dad put up some shelves, and we moved a few old dressers into the attic and now almost everyting has a place (oh, and we can actually WALK AROUND up there.
Do you have any idea how good it felt to do this attic clearing!! Like taking a weight off my chest ... I could really get hooked on this unclutter stuff ...
Currently I am still reading the book, and will work on living space next.
So don't anyone sit still too long around here you just might find yourself in a dumpster!

Posted by sunybank at 04:39 AM

Not only is she back ... but she gets comments! (I'm lucky to have friends that still check on me after all this time!)

and a lot of pain-in-the-neck trackback pings ... anyone want to tell me how to stop them)

Margie wants to know what's been going on .... well ... keep reading

work is work ... and so we deal with it in that frame of mind. It still has it's rewarding moments, and some great people ... when I loose my faith in the people, then I'll move on.
Or perhaps ... I'll move on when I get fired ... an event my boss "threatens" everyone with at least once a week in our managers meeting, and at various other times when he wants to get the importance of a task across to us (obviously stupid and scared) subordinates.
Would be nice if he could learn another tactic ... this one's getting old and has lost it's punch.
home is great ... cluttered and messy as usual ... and a little stressy right now as Birding Girl is planning a "party before and after the school dance" tomorrow ... and Mom is not really supposed to be helping ... but can't hold back her opinions and directions ... (isn't that what moms are supposed to do?)
Birding Dad came home from work for the second day in a row with tales of huge flocks of snow geese seen while travelling from one job to another (he's a surveyor).
(personally I am not sure I believe in Snow Geese, as most birders I know have seen them in these remarkable flocks ... but I have never seen even ONE!)
Just to prove the point, he came home with PICTURES today... so I'll share them with you. These were taken in North-West Jersey.
Click to view better.

Do you suppose I should believe him now?

Posted by sunybank at 01:02 AM

Watched a fun video last night
The Joy of Stress with Loretta LaRoche

we all need to laugh at ourselves now and then, and this did it.

Posted by sunybank at 01:00 PM | TrackBack

Trying again to get started here.... or continue or whatever.
My first item on the agenda is to figure out why my comment screen does not work. So ... as soon as I do I'll attempt to get back into the swing of ranting and venting and thinking out loud (on-line).
Thanks for being patient!

Posted by sunybank at 01:48 PM | TrackBack

I am not gone, I just have no time.
Work is overwhelming right now ... the problems at church are consuming ... and the rest of the time I am saving for my family!

Posted by sunybank at 12:56 AM

I'm back.
(well I've actually been back for days, but have not had time to write this)
did I say I was going away?
No, not away exactly ... but on vacation, which included a vacation from my computer (which was good for me).
More than a vacation however, the past week was a powerful lesson for me, a lesson in how to relax. Now you may say that "vacation" and "relax" are synonymous, but they are NOT. Go back into the reality of all your vacation memories and you will find that the planning, scheduling, packing, organizing, traveling and stressing was far more a part of the vacation than you expected ... or choose to remember. If you want to "travel" then of course all of the preceding agonies are necessary, but if you want to "vacation", well I have found a way around all of the above.

STAY HOME and take a vacation from your ROUTINE!
Yup, that's what we did, although we modified the "home" part a little, we stayed in our backyard!
Every year we camp ... in a pop-up trailer, in a campground near the ocean ... about three hours from home.
This year we camped ... in a pop-up trailer, in our backyard, near our small pool and a babbling brook ... about one minutes walk from our deck.
Alone for a few days ... then my step-daughter came with the boys ... we still relaxed ... and laughed ... and read books ... and the kids swam ... and we did nothing. (floating in a raft in the pool does not count as exercise I was told).
Vacation at home? Crazy you're thinking right? I have pictures to prove all this!
Not so crazy. I am more relaxed than I have been in about three years. Truth.
No schedules, no alarm clock, no TV (well, we HAD to run up and turn on the METS game when the radio announcer said there were two players down and not moving), no video games (until Saturday when we gave the kids a break from the 108 temps to sit indoors for a few hours and play), no computer (well, within reason, Birding Dad had to check his am news, and I did have to check the e-mail now and then), no financial outlay, no gas prices to worry about, no PACKING, no FORGETTING anything.
As I mentioned, this was a powerful lesson for me. I have learned ... that there are things I can give up, and how to identify the things that cause the stress (for each of us these may be different). I was told by four individuals that I looked "younger" and "more relaxed". I realized that this is also a great treatment for age lines ... without the BOTOX! No kidding! (and I know this is true because after three days at work this week I came home and my husband exclaimed ... "NO! those lines between your eyebrows are back!" Quick! Relax!
By the way ... the slide show is HERE

Posted by sunybank at 07:39 PM | TrackBack

Scene:
You are walking through the employee lounge at work, on your way to the copy machine ....
On the table you see ________?________ ...
You unconsciously reach for the snack and stuff in into your mouth because YOU JUST CAN'T HELP YOURSELF.

What was that snack / sweet ?
for me it's ...

Big Fat Chocolate Brownies!

I can NEVER say "NO"
What's your weakness?

Posted by sunybank at 12:20 PM | TrackBack

When you feel overwhelmed, and like nothing is going right, sometimes life hands you the acutal "lemonaide" in lieu of the ususal lemons. This is EXACTLY what I need!

Posted by sunybank at 04:14 PM | TrackBack

This morning I actually have three free hours ...
free ...
to make phone calls to the bank, set up my internet banking with the "new" bank; Change some drs appointments to accommodate vacation schedules; catch up on some work details while I am at home and it's quiet; sort/calculate/and (perhaps) pay some bills; wash sheets; clean up the breakfast dishes; call work (since I am not there, and there are some things I need to be involved in that are going on there this morning. ... and maybe ... just maybe ... blog a little

No, don't say "you just did". This was just a rant, not any kind of writing.

before I pick up Birding Girl from Band Camp at noon, run her to the orthodontist for noon-thirty, then come home and run my little (just an expression) butt to work for the rest of the day and the evening.

Who said Summer was for relaxing????
I still hold it against my mother, who never MADE ME bacome a teacher (even though I didn't want to). Then I could be home with Birding Girl and perhaps ENJOY the summer months.
Enough ranting ... I have work to do.

Posted by sunybank at 02:52 PM | TrackBack

Sorry for the rant last night - I know that's not like me.
I'm feeling better this morning, because I just talked to my best friend and she's coming to visit tomorrow.

Posted by sunybank at 03:06 PM | TrackBack

Three days off and now it's back to the grind.
Funny how much difference a three-day weekend can make.
Birding Dad is sick again, and will be going to the Dr. This is too long with this to be not treated for something ... so let's hope they find an answer today.
In the meantime, Birding Girl will be his nurse-in-charge.

Posted by sunybank at 12:59 PM | TrackBack

There are no words to describe how great a haircut can make you feel!
In my case, we (my stylist and I) have been trying to "grow out" my hair into a longer style for about 7 months ... maybe more.
With the time it was taking me to "do" it in the mornings ... and my total hatred of how it turned out every day ...
I trotted in for my "summer cut" and WOW is it short!

Lori has been cutting my hair for 28 years ... since I was 21 (you do the math) and so when I said "short" and she said "I have something in mind ... can I do it?"
I said "sure"
Amazing, I thought ... how much I trust her.
I'm a bit punk ... spikey ... but definitey much much happier with the look ... and did I mention that it took me 6 minutes to "do" my hair this morning?
WOW ... left me enough time to run the vacuume and blog a minute before work!

Posted by sunybank at 12:49 PM | TrackBack

Did you ever anticipate something with dread ...
convince yourself that this was going to be difficult and awkward at best?
loose sleep over what to say, what to wear ... what to expect ... ?
pray for strength to say and do the right things ... ?

and then the day comes, and it is amazinly easy! No problems! The person you meet is GREAT ... agrees with all of your ideas ... conversation comes so natural to you both that you loose track of time?
and your fears all disolve into the busy-ness of the day !???

yeah, me too.

Posted by sunybank at 11:39 AM | TrackBack

still ... still here
Quick Update:
* busy weekend
* Great father's day
* Mondays are my least favorite day of the week
* off to work

My thoughts this morning ramble around stuff like this:

If you were old enough or rich enough to retire ... how would you spend your days?

Posted by sunybank at 12:45 PM | TrackBack

What? Oh sure, it makes sense, and it sells books (and this was one of my very favorites) and even a magazine or two ... but at what cost? Explored this concept briefly with Margaret tonight, only to find that we really DO HAVE all the answers!

Our lives are not like those of our grandparents ... our children are not like our parents were in their early teens.
Life is fast, information technology is instant and the opportunities for our kids are there for the taking, opportunities WE did not have.
So, do you deny your son the opportunity to play little-league, so that your family can "simplify" and eat dinner together?
Do you deny your daughter the opportunity to compete in gymnastics ... when she excels in the sport ... so that you can stop being the eternal chauffer and cease all the running around?
Do you deny your daughter the opportunity to have a concert band / concert
concert on a Wednesday night, choir and band practice on a Thursday night, and voice lessons on Friday because she loves music and can claim it as something that defines her and is an outlet for her self-expression ... so that you can stress less (and perhaps skip your Saturday morning sessions with your stress-counselor)?

No moms, we don't. Our name is leigon and we will continue at this level of activity and hope we make it to the later years when they have lives of their own, and children of their own ... and perhaps THEN we can "simplify" (in between the grand children's soccer/little leage/karate and various other events we will certainly attend).
In the meantime, steal a moment when you can to hold the hand of your spouse, and try not to talk about anything.

Posted by sunybank at 07:33 AM | TrackBack

...and so dear friends another weekend is behind us, and it's back to work. But what a weekend it was here! The weather was in high-cooperation mode, and our picnic yesterday was great! We worked all Saturday and Sunday on the fencs, the yard, the NEW VERY BLUE BATHROOM, and cleaning the house.
Now when I enter my bedroom ~ I enter a horror movie titled "When Laundry Fights Back" (insert drum roll) it is every where, spilling out of the laundry room (which is usually behind those folding doors in my bedroom), through doors that won't close, in color-coordinated piles on the bedroom floor and in baskets of clean-but-as-yet-unfolded laundry.
I have two hours before I need to leave for work ... so wish me luck!

P.S. Admit it ... it takes a BRAVE woman to show her piles of laundry to the world.

Posted by sunybank at 01:50 PM | TrackBack

Now that it's Wednesday ... want to hear about yesterday?
Tuesday morning they were back ... with a vengence, perhaps (quite possibly) they are not demons at all, but my own overactive polyphasic mind compounding every issue and slamming it at my heart. But they feel like dozens of little gremlins jumping and screaming and attacking me.
That's why the palpitations, the shaking hands the crying and the panic in my chest ... and all this while driving to work in the morning rush-hour traffic. It's 7:55, I am ten minutes from work, and I have an 8:00 meeting.
I called my husband, who tried to be soothing, but without malice brought up the overdraft at the bank (due to a bank error) and the $900.00 car repair bill that had to be paid today ... and am I going to call the bank when I get to work ....

he meant well, but ... needless to say, I had to ask him to change the subject because when I am having a stress attack I DON'T NEED MORE THINGS TO STRESS ABOUT!
Work was no better .... and to top off the deadlines, schedule of meetings after meetings ... the NEW corporate suits (and skirts) were in the building to "meet" us and "discuss" the changes persuant to the take-over.
(on a side note, it is interesting to now be owned by a company that actually has WOMEN in power positions, women who are NOT the CEO's daughter)
My temples started pounding, and were sensitive to the touch ... someone suggested I might be "clenching" (go figure) but the Massage Therapy teacher informed me that pain and sensitivity in this area is actually my Gall Bladder (here we go again) and was I "stressed or angry about anything?" ... (hence "you've got your gall up") ...
The day therefore compounded itself, and I even did try to talk to the bank, and got more aggravation ...
Five-o'clock came ... and went ... and at 5:40 I left for home ....
an hour later, upon arrival home (ready to start dinner, laundry and continue to stress about home stuff (nice to change focus at least) ... my husband met me at the door, escorted me through the house and out to the deck, where a bud vase with two Rubra Lillies, a bottle of Pinot Grigio and two wine glasses were waiting.
(you may say "awwwww" now)
He pampered me, informed me that he was grilling a steak and that I was to do nothing except relax all evening.
About 1/2 hour later, while pouring drinks for dinner (and having consumed too much wine on an empty stomach)my daughter started being silly ... she got me laughing ... she kept on being silly ... I was laughing until I cried ... and then we laughed some more. My husband came in from the deck with the steak, smiling at our silliness and pronounced "this family does not relax enough".
Lesson learned ~ we'll have to do this again some night. But now it's morning, and I have wet clothes in the washer that I never dried last night, dry clothes in the dryer that need to be folded and put away, a dishwasher full of clean dishes and a sink full of dirty dishes. The coffee pot is not set up to brew, the phone messages were not answered, and I have no clothes ready for work ... it was nice while it lasted.

Posted by sunybank at 11:55 AM | TrackBack

1) If you take two "almost-13-year-old" girls to the mall to shop ... do not expect to buy YOURSELF anything ... and you will not be disappointed when you come home and realize that your only purchase that was not for them ... was the water-filter cartridge for the fridge that you picked up at Sear$.

2) You can never truely "catch up" on laundry, missed sleep, paperwork or friends, for that matter.

3) The two-day weekend goes faster than the 5-day work week ...

4) The Bernese Mountain Dog sheds all year round ... but ...

in the Spring they HAVE CRATES OF LOOSE DOG HAIR SENT TO THE HOUSE UPS, WHILE YOU ARE AT WORK, SIGN FOR IT, WHILE YOU ARE AT WORK, AND SCATTER IT ALL OVER THE HOUSE, WHILE YOU ARE AT WORK. This is done so that you still have the joy of brushing a Shop-Rite bag full of hair off them every morning, and vacuuming every eve when you get home.

5) In the spring it makes more sense to leave the vacuume IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIVING ROOM, to avoid lugging it upstars every morning, and down every evening (and all those times in between).

6) I get sentimental at weddings, and always silently committ to pay more attention to my spouse and my marriage in general.

7) Men think that a wedding attended with their wives is something just sort of a written agreement that they will "get s0me" that night.

8) I have no tolerance for people who "dig in" when slighted by a family member (or co-worker), and plan "pay back" for the slight ... and never consider the option of "communicating" their hurt ... and putting the issue aside. (and these are the people who love to tell you what "so and so" did, and "can you SEE why I am so upset" and "wait until next year when it's her turn to (fill in blank) I'll show her how it feels!)

9) When people ask me my opinion I don't always have to come up with something agreeable to theirs (and golleee ~ I learned it before I turn 50)

10) at 1:00 am, I am too tired to blog coherently **begs your forgiveness and quietly climbs up to bed** (I'll post this in the morning after I fix the typos)

Posted by sunybank at 09:33 AM | TrackBack

when your new boss asks you to go to a baseball game ...

in an hour ...
because his brother is in the hospital (hence the extra ticket)...
and his girlfriend is tied up in meetings all day ...
and the die-hard (male) METS fan in your office (that he of course asked first) can't go because he has to take his girlfriends kids to a carnival ...
and someone mentioned that YOU were also a METS fan ...

It is not a date, for all of the above reasons ... but mostly because your decline the offer (graciously, of course) for several reasons. Such as:
1) you have work to do this afternoon
2) you are in a light skirt and heels and it's a cloudy, rainy, cool day.
3) you are a METS fan ... but not exactly the biggest fan.
4) you have only known this man about 5 weeks, and for crying out loud he's your BOSS and what would you talk about for the next 5 hours?
5) you don't want to listen to you co-workers comments for the next six years!
6) and he's going because he's ROOTING FOR THE OTHER TEAM!!!!

Well, c'mon ... what would YOU have done???
p.s. Phew! Good thing I didn't go isn't it?

Posted by sunybank at 08:01 AM | TrackBack

1) The Braces ...

She was a trooper, and as I sat there watching her I was proud ... and a little overwhelmed at where the past 12 years have gone. Here she is in all her braced glory (and a little leftover makeup after hanging out at home with a girlfriend all day) Smile!
2) The Job ...
We're still SOLD and we're still not sure of all the details of the new company. We only know that they bought our name, and our programs and that a large percentage of the employees will remain. Still, whether one thinks THEY will be in that percentage or not ... any loss will be hard ... we have gone through so many changes this past year ... and any more will take us even further away from the "Way it used to be". Closing is scheduled for June 1st ... I'll update by then I'm sure.
3) Today is my little sister's birthday ... well, yesterday I guess, as this will probably be finished and posted some time in the morning. I am missing her terribly this year ... although she has lived in Tennessee (or other parts of the "south") for over fifteen years now (maybe more)... Anyway since she doesn't have a weblog ~ shout out a Happy Birthday to her here and I'll see that she gets it! Thanks!
4) I am still in the process of making an "album" for the sidebar with photos from the school play "Suessical the Musical". Check back for the link to the photos ~ and at the same time I'll start an album for the "fence" project.

Posted by sunybank at 09:03 AM | TrackBack

and after a week like this one ... what could be better than this:

I am home ...
Birding Girl cleaned the house today while she was off from school ...
I had no computer all day at work so I actually accomplished a lot of "paperwork" (remember that?) that needed to get done...
... and we have no plans for tonight ...
What's up for YOUR Friday night? (red or white?)

(Cavit - Pinot Grigio for me)

Posted by sunybank at 11:41 PM | TrackBack

That afternoon cup of DD coffee

(Hazlenut here - with 1/2 and 1/2)
How do you take yours?

Posted by sunybank at 08:43 PM | TrackBack

up until 3 am, sewing velcr0 on six wrist bands for the "olympics" at someone's school today. Back up at 5:30 ... Still have two to complete ... my sore little fingers are not up to this.
Coffee ... where's my coffee ...

Posted by sunybank at 06:38 AM | TrackBack

It's raining buckets
The goldfinches are turning gold
My Phoebe is BACK
... and it's Saturday!
Three out of four ain't bad!

Posted by sunybank at 01:10 PM | TrackBack

See...

I AM "Playing"

Posted by sunybank at 07:13 PM | TrackBack

So? How was your Easter? For us it was a full weekend!

* Re: movie frustration: Apparently Bl0ckbu$ter does not stock any of the old - classic - Easter movies I was looking for either. My wonderful husband trekked out to two video stores searching to no avail. I was able to find Ben Hur on TV Friday afternoon, however it was the ANIMATED edition ... and quickly lost interest, although the voice was indeed that of Charlton Heston, the cinematography was lacking in the chariot race scene.

* You may recall that several weeks ago, I purchased a 5' folding table, set it up in the living room complete with a drafting light and compiled all my scrapbooking materials and boxes of photos underneath it.

It has been sitting there for 5 weeks just collecting dust (what was supposed to be my "me" time, my "play" time ... simply became another item on my "to-do" list). Well on Saturday afternoon I DID FINALLY begin my project of scrapbooking my DI$NEY vacation photos from 2 years ago. I currently have 15 pages laid out and stacked and am about 1/4 way through my photos! Wish me luck.

* Easter Sunday morning was busy with two church services, the first one a full hour drive North of here. But the church youth band played the early contemporary service for this church, and we had a great experience there. After our own service we went to my sister's for Easter dinner. It was so good to be with family, especially since all three of my college-age nieces and nephew were home for the day.

* OH! and I finally got a copy of Middlesex from the library and started it yesterday! I have been waiting for this I think forever The book club over at Ya Gotta Believe will be finished before I begin! More about the book? look here

* since birding girl has the week off, we are trying to do some special things. Yesterday dad was home and took her bowling! He hasn't bowled in years, but had a great come-back, and my daughter is boasting "I Play a Sport!" (something quite new for her). Today I'm taking a DAY OFF and we're meeting my sister at the Y this afternoon to swim.

* and on a very "bright" note... today I saw my first Goldfinch starting to return to "gold"! Spring is indeed in the air!

Posted by sunybank at 08:48 AM | TrackBack

If the birds are singing ~ is it Spring (even though the ground is covered with SNOW)?
If it's Eastertide ~ is it Spring (even though it's 36 degrees outside)?
If you hang a spring wreath of pansies and purple ribbons on your front door is it Spring (even though there are icicles hanging from it)?

I know, I sound like a broken record, please forgive me, but I believe our moods are closely tied to nature ... the sun, the full moon, the smell of damp soft spring earth, the sounds of birds and water trickling in the stream. That said ... I'm having a little trouble connecting the paradox of the calendar vrs. the reality of today.

It's Good Friday, and while remembering the solemnity of the day, I am quietly rejoycing in A DAY OFF! from work!!
Birding girl has friends visiting, and I am catching up on blogging laundry. The laundry project could take the entire day ~ and into tomorrow so I may take a lot of few blogging breaks. It has been forever since I surfed old and new friends web homes, and I want to see what's going on out there.

Posted by sunybank at 02:59 PM | TrackBack

... a co-worker shared this with me ...
... want a chuckle? ....

Posted by sunybank at 09:22 PM | TrackBack

I am still sending folks over here to my new home, not everyone has found it yet. In fact, even I haven't found all the nuances that make this place run ... so bear with me!

... the old one will be gone shortly

Posted by sunybank at 07:14 AM | TrackBack

Not sure if I was intoxicated or sleeping
... but I know I was driving and I know I actually dozed off about 4 times.
Honest, and it was this morning on the way to work. (shhh.. don't tell my husband, he gets a little freaked about this stuff). I thought perhaps someone "spiked" my OJ, but I didn't have any. What I did have was two cups of coffee ... and I was still working on one in the car (apparently to no avail). When I finally pulled into the parking lot at work, I wasn't sure where I was! It's funny now ... was quite disconcerting at the time! Could have been the 4 1/2 hours of sleep last night.
Anyway, alls well that ends well and the up ide is that I have found a cure for narcolepsy sleepiness is apparently work. After about 1/2 hour of stress and phones and fires to put out ... I was WIDE awake!

Posted by sunybank at 02:33 PM

Is there anything more satisfying when you are hungry, and craving something really good ... than this??:

I know I shouldn't have ... but they're right here in the snack machine at work ... and it was sooo veeerrryy goooooood!

Posted by sunybank at 06:34 PM

Ten Things I've Done that You Probably Haven't

1. Rode cross country in a pickup truck, sleeping in rest areas - washing up in gas station bathrooms.
2. Raised a Raccoon from a baby to an adult.
3. Watched a Bald Eagle soar over my house.
4. Had my camera confiscated at Port-au-Prince airport (Haiti) for taking a picture of a customs agent.
5. Dressed up as Raggedy Ann for 5 years in a row at Christmas, to entertain children.
6. Watched my little sister fall through the ice on a frozen pond.
7. Married my best friend.
8. Ran out of gas in the middle lane (of 6) of the Santa Monica freeway at rush hour.
9. Been kissed by Peter Yarrow (of Peter Paul and Mary).
10. Won a science award in 3rd grade for identifying 20 wild bird flash cards.
borrowed Snagged from Cheeky Prof

Posted by sunybank at 07:42 AM

One of the plagues of our times is what I call "working mom guilt".
Our personal levels of self esteem play into this, mine being particularly lacking. I am constantly judging myself against other mothers ~ working mothers ~ and asking "Am I a GOOD MOTHER?"
This mornings home page article on MSN is "Super Moms" go ahead, take a look, but first ... answer a few questions for me.

1) Do you consider yourself a GOOD MOTHER?
2) What standards to you judge yourself by?
3) Do you think "other people" see you as a GOOD MOTHER?
4) Do you think your children feel you are a GOOD MOTHER? (will they someday?)

Posted by sunybank at 10:03 AM

Blogclicker

has a contest going today ~ too bad some of us are at work!
If you have time ~ join and surf away!

Posted by sunybank at 05:26 PM

I'd have to say we're off to a good start on the "new lifestyle for the birding family". My blog friend VJ suggested that I try the low-carb menu mailers from saving dinner.com as she has been through a similar situation with her husband. Imagine my suprise when I clicked on the link and found THAT LADY AGAIN!
THE CRAZY LADY! THAT FLY LADY! ... oh I have been through this before!

... so, I hesitated for about a day and a half, and then with the stated reassurance that I would not get 2000 e-mails a day telling me to clean my sink, put on my shoes or chop some veggies, I signed up. Guess what? I LIKE it! I have already tried two of the recipes and they are both easy enough for working families and quite good! In fact WE ALL like them!

Of course I do not make the things that I know Birding Girl would never touch, because I am one of those

over-indulgent moms

who does not force her child to eat whatever we are eating ~ nor do I enjoy making two entrees. So we adjust most of the time.
Birding dad has already dropped 6 pounds, and was excited to find that he actually enjoyed his Veggie Wrap at Subway yesterday (while the other guys got cheesy-greasey subs).
So, thanks to VJ!
Thanks to gulp Fly Lady and her menu mailers.
Thanks to the doctor for suggesting the book.
and thanks to Subway!
oh ... and thanks to Birding Girl who was very "grown-up" in helping me to food shop Sunday and make healthier choices for her day (whom she adores), and actually suggested we pass by the snacks and cookies she also adores!

Posted by sunybank at 09:06 AM

OK, how old are you? as old as I am?
I was just having a conversation with a co-worker (who is about my age) about make-up, particularly my 12-year-old daughter's penchant for "lip gloss". The child has about 7 or 8 "pot's" of lip gloss, multiple brush-on, sponge-on and squeeze-on glosses, and now as of yesterday (when she "had to" purchase two more), 6 lip gloss compacts! ("Mom,a girl can never have TOO MUCH lip gloss!)
Ah ... but, I digress. Our conversation evolved around make-up and the fact that every generation has it's make-up "fad's" ... and what was ours?
Well, we're talking the 60's here folks, and it seems that this co-worker and I BOTH wore:
* Peel-off black eyeliner
* Yardley Glimmericks paints (as worn by "Twiggy", yes, I painted on the "Twiggy" lashes ... and flowers too)
and the best yet ...
* WHITE lipstick
Do you remember any of these?
If not, what was the make-up horror fad when YOU were a teen?

Posted by sunybank at 11:25 AM

Brand New it's
Blogazoo!



Just found this yesterday, and the surfing just started today.
OH, go ahead, maybe you'll find some new blogs!
by the way - - - I'm still looking for recipes!!!

Posted by sunybank at 11:14 AM

Read this article yesterday.
Wha???
Women get their financial habits from their mothers???
Now I have to think about this...

My mother is frugal ... not the penny-pinching sort, just the ultra-sensible type who judges everything before she buys.
Not so with me. I have no time to cut coupons, read the sale papers, shop for which store has this coffee pot for three dollars less...etc. I'm lucky I can find the time to FOOD SHOP!!!
Did you read the article?
* It says that those of us who grew up in the 60's and 70's got mixed messages from our parents example and from the changing societal issues. Were we to become SAHMs or become career oriented? My mother did both. She was a SAHM for our younger years ... but when "push came to shove" she went back to work. When she did this, she kept the same home responsibities with the exception of meeting m father once a week after work at the Pathmark so that they could shop together (my father tookover the food shopping when he retired).
* The other point the article brought up was that we (of that generation) learned by example that the mothers were in charge of the family finances...as opposed to the generation before, when women did not even discuss the family finances, the man of the house handeled it all. My mother paid the bill, kept the insurance policies, and did all the family record-keeping.
So me?
~ I buy what I need when I need it wherever I can find it the quickest.
~ I pay the bills, although I keep trying to give the job to my husband.
~ I work. Perhaps because of my mothers example, but most likely because we need the money (duh).
What about you?
? ~ who does the finances in your house?
? ~ are you like your mother when it comes to financial matters? Or did the apple fall far from the tree.
? ~ last question ... and BE HONEST ... do you work:
a) Because your mother did?
b) Because you enjoy your career?
c) Because you need the $$$$$

Posted by sunybank at 02:29 PM

So, I found a place that does them for you ~ and this is as good a resolution as any!

In the year 2005 I resolve to: Spend more time snuggling puppies. Get your resolution here

Honestly, I don't "do" resolutions.
I have made them in the past, they just sit there, do nothing, and I make them again the next January first!
For instance ... every year lately I have resolved to create and stick to a budget ... do I? No!
Therefore, I see no need to discuss, create or publish New Years Resolutions.
That said, there are times when I beleive we should set some goals, and the new year may be as good a time as any for doing that! NOTE: (Perhaps Mr. Bush would like to set a goal of, let's say, maybe ... brining an end to the war in Iraq?)
Nice of me to set goals for others isn't it? Of course World Peace is something I pray for daily, but I believe it is not to be seen in our lifetime ... or the next generation's ... or the next ... I will do what I can ("Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me") and if we all do ... who knows what will happen?
But back to reality: For me, in my little span of the universe ... the things immediately within my control and ability ... I will set some goals. Now, whether or not I publish them here ~ that remains to be seen.
Do you have any goals for the new year?

Posted by sunybank at 08:47 AM

Typically, I am tired.
Typically, the company is gone, I have unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher and thown the tablecloth and napkins in the washer.
Typically, it was a wonderful dinner ....
... and typically ...

When cleaning up I opened the refrigerator and found the relish tray of olives, pickles etc - that we forgot to put out with the dinner!
Well, maybe that is not so typical, it's usually the rolls in the oven that I forget.
What did you forget to serve today? C'mon, you know something got overlooked, fess up!

Posted by sunybank at 09:16 PM

What is that 6th sense that only Mom's have.
You know, the one that makes you the ONLY one who can find things that no one has seen in YEARS?!?!?!
Anyway, this morning my daughter thinks I am almost supernatural and heroic, so, I'll take that.
This week I'm going to need it!

Posted by sunybank at 08:35 AM

E-mail quiz thingy - mindless fun for a Saturday afternoon.
Received this from my friend Sharlene:
I did it and sent it back to her because she deserves to get it back, and learn a little about me (although we seem to see the same genre of movies ;~) ,
there may be other things she did not know about me.
How about you?

1. What time do you get up? 5:30

2. If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be? My Grandmothers

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Shrek 2

5. What is your favorite TV show? Everwood, Sopranos

6. What do you have for breakfast? coffee & cereal when I have time (or coffee in a travel mug and a breakfast bar while driving to work)

7. Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with? Jim Carey

8. What/who inspires you? Music

9. What is your middle name? Ruth

10. Beach, City or Country? I do love the beach ~ but my heart responds to country scenes, barns, fields and the air.

11. Favorite ice cream? Edies Espresso Chip (absoulutely perfect!)

12. Butter, plain or salted popcorn? fresh popped on the stove with salt & little butter.

13. Favorite color? deep rich colors (like Sharlene) - right now I'm into burgundy

14. What kind of car do you drive? Ford Taurus wagon (boring, I know)

15. Favorite sandwich? Turkey ~ Muenster cheese ~ LTM - on Rye (can I have that now please?)

16. What characteristic do you despise? dishonesty

17. Favorite flower? Daisys and Black-Eyed Susans

18. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Alaska

19. What color is your bathroom? Warm beige, peach and wood tones.

20. Favorite brand of clothing? Annie Says is a big favorite store lately ("it's not a store it's an obsession") as for brands, I'm a Liz Clairborne girl.

21. Where would you retire to? Right here ~ my house, New York State

22. Favorite day of the week? Friday - Saturday

23. What did you do for your last birthday? Out to dinner - I think - don't remember where

24. Where were you born? Kearny, NJ

25. Favorite sport to watch: Olympics - Summer or winter!

26. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? Carolyn

27. Person you expect to send it back first? Debby

28. What fabric detergent do you use? What's on sale this week?

29. Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke ONLY!

30. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Morning - (I love early mornings out doors in the mist - the birds - ahhh)

31. What is your shoe size? 9 1/2

32. Do you have any pets? YES One cat, one puppy (a 66 poound 7-month-old Berner)

33. What should you be doing now? Sunday school lesson and cleaning my house.

Posted by sunybank at 04:06 PM

Can you take a day off from work after a particularly insightful therapy session? Isn't that what they call a "mental health day".

What if one of the problems you discussed was your inability to "catch up" on all the work you have to do, both at work and at home ... and the fact that you are totally overwhelmed by it all?
In light of that thought ~ I'd better get my a$$ out of here to work and face the music.
***Addendum ~ so I come to work and it only gets worse! *^%$ *#^%

Posted by sunybank at 01:01 PM

With sincere apologies to those who have suffered the ravages of this hurricaine season ... we are being "dumped on" by Jeanne - with quite a lot of water (although nothing like Florida and other areas of the south) today.
What is it about rainy days that make you want to do nothing? Even when you have so much to do. I had lots of plans for this morning, but the gloominess of the day got into me and well ... now I find that it's time to go to work and I have not accomplished much of anything!
To make matters worse ummm more complicated no, better:

Birding Dad is home today, due to the weather.
Does anyone else notice that you get very little housework done with men hanging on you... underfoot home ? Honestly, they are worse than children!

Posted by sunybank at 12:52 PM

You're an earth mother! Your friends sometimes
call you Gaea, because you're the original
earth goddess! You and your kids both have
dirt under your fingernails, and you spend as
much of your time as possible out of doors.
Your kids have an incredible appreciation for
nature.

What kind of a freaky mother are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
snagged from Kate

Posted by sunybank at 11:40 AM

OK, I did it. Maybe not the best way ... perhaps a little wimpy...

Thanks for all the helpful advice. Today I called the therapist - got her answering machine WOO HOO! (lucky me) and told her I would not be keeping my appointment this week ... nor would I be making any further appointments ... because I'm fine now , no really I told the truth "I have effectively ommited all the stress from my life", no, honestly I said ... "I am making some life changes, some work changes and I am going to work on those for now". Then I left my phone number if she needed to talk with me regarding this matter.

You don't think she'll actually call do you?

Posted by sunybank at 06:43 PM

Thinking about yesterday's post, I was reminded of the Carly Simon song "The Stuff That Dreams are Made Of"
I believe we need to focus on the "little things" and notice what we have (you know we are all damn lucky just to be living with a roof over our heads, enough money in our checkbook to buy groceries and a family that loves us). So "Just because you don't see shooting stars ... Doesn't mean it isn't perfect"
If you don't know the song, I've posted the lyrics..........

(carly simon)

Take a look around now
Change the direction
Adjust the tuning
Try a new translation
Don't look at your man in the same old way
Take a new picture
Just because you don't see shooting stars
Doesn't mean it isn't perfect
Can't you see...

It's the stuff that dreams are made of
It's the slow and steady fire
It's the stuff that dreams are made of
It's your heart and soul's desire
It's the stuff that dreams are made of

So what's this about your best friend?
She's got a brand new shiny boy
And they're moving out to malibu
To play with all his pretty toys
And you feel closed in by the same four walls
The same old conversation
With the same old guy you've know for years
But use your imagination
And you will see....

It's the stuff that dreams are made of
It's the slow and steady fire
It's the stuff that dreams are made of
It's your heart and soul's desire
It's the stuff that dreams are made of

What if the prince on the horse in your fairytale
Is right here in disguise
And what if the stars you've been reaching so high for
Are shining in his eyes

Don't look at yourself in the same old way
Take another picture
Shoot the stars off in your own backyard
Don't look any further
And you will see

It's the stuff that dreams are made of
It's the slow and steady fire
It's the stuff that dreams are made of
It's your heart and soul's desire
It's the stuff that dreams are made of

Posted by sunybank at 07:31 AM

Here I am with another day off.
I'm down staying with Michelle for two days ... supposedly to take care of the kids while she gets her rest....
but said kids, along with my kid appear to be taking care of themselves, so we're just hangin' out and talking ... well, we were, and now the kids have had lunch, and are playing downstairs.... and she's napping .... and I'm on-line!
Not a bad day at all!
But I keep wondering what's going on back at work it's nice not to be thinking about work at all!

Posted by sunybank at 03:33 PM

so when I say good-bye to my daughter ~ on this the first afternoon of her staying alone for a few hours ... we have to wave three times, her from the porch, me from my car at the end of the driveway.
As I pull out the driveway I am thankful for living in the country, where it is safe umm.. safer than some other places.
I am reminded of just how rural our town it is as I watch the tractor with the long sickle bar slicing through the tall grasses and wildflowers along the road in front of our property ...

... 1/2 hour later, while still on my commute ... my daughter calls my cell phone to say "Mom! I can't watch TV! There's no picture!"
My mind races ... did I pay the cable bill? I ask her to check the computer ... yep, no internet ...
She is now in a complete panic because what on earth will she do????
I call the cable company from the car: "no outages in your area" ... and then it hits me ~ THE TRACTOR! THE SICKLE BAR! MY CABLE!
I call my husband, and as soon as he gets home he checks ... sure enough, cut clean through! He calls and the cable guy says they will be there first thing in the mornings ... ummm... what? no TV? (the METS are playing tonight) no internet? (thank God I'm at work!)
...no, this will not be! Birding Dad to the rescue! He goes out to the road with his roll of electrical tape and within a half hour the METS are on TV! ~ ~ ~
The cable company can fine tune the splice in the morning.
... and you thought this entry was about being disconnected from my daughter????? Nah.... she was fine. No TV so she read two books.

Posted by sunybank at 11:15 PM

The concert last night was awesome, (I'll put up some pictures as soon as I get a chance), beginning at sunset and ending under the stars with a campfire and a community drum circle complete with dancing around the fire. The kids were great! I wish you could all have been there.
~then~

Woke up this morning to my husband leaving the room to go walk the pup. Looked at the clock it was 7:30!!! EeeKK! I overslept! I know it's Saturday, but I still have a 6 am wake-up call from Brandy! But, no, my wonderful husband let me sleep in, and so I continued to. When I awoke 1/2 hour later to sounds of him working in the kitchen, I decided it was time to get up and shower. I know it was a small thing, but it meant the world to me and I came downstairs, dressed, showered, rested and wanting to give him a big hug! I am starting my day with a whole new outlook! Not tired, worn out, aggravated about all the stuff I have to do ... but happy and looking forward to the day. I know that should be normal, but it's not for me.
What about you? do you start your day with a positive outlook, or a negative one?

Posted by sunybank at 08:33 AM

Yuck!
After that great long weekend (you did check out the pictures didn't you?) It's Monday, it's raining, and my daughter started day camp today, at a new camp!
What a rotten way to experience a "nature camp".
She seemed a bit bummed out, but I assured her that this would just mean more crafts!!!

(now I just have to be nervous all day because my baby is with people she doesn't know, and I don't know and in a new place .... )

Posted by sunybank at 11:17 AM

My sister's comment today was "I feel like the day to day living is hard this week".
She has, like the rest of us at times been pulled emotionally is all directions.

* A friend loses a husband in a car accident.
* A teen with an undiagnosed illness.
* Third and last child graduating HS ~ and then the monumental party to organize.
* A friend who has been separated from her husband for a year now suddenly reconciling ~ yet can it be trusted?

I feel like this sometimes, our homes, our families, our jobs are not enough to deal with. Life throws us more and more ~ and we shoulder it until we finally break down and admit I'm just going to si