Tenacity...and I Mean It.

I am kind of proud of myself at the moment. And the whole reason that I am proud is because of a set of tires. Seems funny to be proud of, doesn't it? So I am sure that you are waiting for me to explain.

So here goes.

I bought my first car on my own after I left Crazy Land. I was pretty happy about that as well. This is the car that has to last me until I am 85. I try to take good care of it, and save it from as much Lab hair as I can. Which takes doing, I might add. But Kitty loves to ride in the car, and she listens to me when I sing off key..so she deserves  it.

I knew that I needed new tires for some time. I was in denial that I did, however. Although I did have my friends that were men check on the status of my tires. I am not in total denial, I might add. When I went for my 25,000 checkup (I am doing my best to take good care of my car, as you can see) I was told that my tires were on their last legs, so to speak. Something about having 2/13 or something of tread left on the tires. I gathered this was not a good thing.

So off I went to Discount Tires, with great trepidation, I might add as well.  I am a "rip off" magnet for tire guys. I'm single, naive, and know absolutely nothing about tires..except there are four of them, and they are black.  I am fortunate and have a little light thingy that looks like a tire (I think) that tells me when the air in my tires are low. So that means I go to Discount Tires and they refill them for me so I can drive, and so the light goes out.

At Discount Tire I talked to a young man named Tyler that looked like he was 15. Maybe 16 on a good day. Tyler explained to me that I needed tires that had a "V" rating, since it seems as if my tires and car are equipped to go at least 139 miles an hour. (Does he not know that I am a principal and can end up in the paper for things like that? And that I am terrified of heights and stuff?) I don't know if heights adds into the equation of going fast, but I thought I'd throw it out there just in case.  He described some tire that I have never heard of in my life..since I apparently don't do much out of town driving, and this tire has good gas mileage for some reason. (Makes me wonder if the tires hold extra gas in them for the better gas mileage). What is the difference between a "good gas mileage" tire and one that apparently has "bad gas mileage"? That is something for me to investigate later, or when I get more interested in tires. I can't see that happening, however.

I thanked Tyler, and went home. I did ask my head custodian, who is a man type guy if he recognized the tire brand, and he told me that he didn't but his brother did. This was not helpful. So since this was my weekend to go to Costco to get batteries to replace the ones that have been in the smoke and carbon dioxide detectors for a year, I stopped by the Costco Tire Center to see what kind of deal they had. They had a better deal, with Bridgestone tires, that also had "good gas mileage"..and they were over a hundred dollars less. So since Discount Tires price matched, I called them..and of course they would do this.

So why am I sitting at the nearest Starbucks instead of being home at the moment? I know you can hardly wait to find out.

I left my tires, went to Starbucks to work on my church curriculum things, and waited. When they were ready, I got my keys..and then I looked at the receipt. (Sometimes I am smart).

Guess what tires they put on my car?

The "I don't have a clue how to pronounce or even spell" tires.

Grrrrr.

So I marched myself back to the counter, and very nicely (but firmly explained) that these were not the tires I bought. Tyler (we are now on first name terms now) explained to me that he thought I was price matching his original deal.

Wrong. I was not.

So I disregarded Tyler, and spoke to an older Discount Tire man who I think is named Craig. He at least looks as if he is in his 30s. He apologized, and gave me Yokohama tires that cost 200 hundred dollars more for the same price. He said that I was getting "an amazing deal."

I hope he is truthful. If not, may all the tires that have grease and gunk on them fall down on him, and trap him in the oil trap.

Tenacity does pay off. 

Home Alone

If there is one lesson that I have learned since being propelled from the bubble, it is that things happen for a reason. (Kind along the same lines that there are no coincidences). When I look back at the things that have happened to me, I am extremely thankful that even though I didn't like it at the time, the things that happened saved me from myself.

One of the hardest things for me since I left Crazy Land was the being alone part. When I look back, I really never have lived on my own. I lived with my mom and sisters, my college roommates, Whitney and Reid's Dad, then just Reid and Whitney, and then with the Mayor. So I went from a world that was big and filled with people, to one that was small and filled with...dogs.  I think a lab counts as at least two or three dogs.

I must admit that I did not like this alone thing at first. At all. Those of you who are my friends (and I owe you an apology) can attest to this. It went kind of like this; "I don't like being alone waa...waaaa...what am I going to do? Whine...whine...I don't like this AT ALL.  waaa....waaaa...whine...whine...whine." And my friends would tell me the following things, that usually went like this:

• You will be fine.
• You will be ok.
• Go walk Kitty.

So (since I really didn't know what was going to happen to me at this point) shook my head to mean "yes" (I didn't really mean yes, but I did figure out that they knew better than I did at this point). And then I went to go walk Kitty. 

Another phrase that I heard (and hear) a lot is that "Time takes care of a lot of stuff you don't like." (This is a profound phrase paraphrased by me).  I didn't like hearing that..cause I am the kind of person who would like to wiggle her nose like Samantha the Witch and things would be all perfect like. However, that is what happened before (or I pretended it happened) when I was in the Bubble.  Life doesn't work that way. Sometimes you have to really work for the things that you want..and work to figure out what is important..and what doesn't mean a jiggle in the scheme of things.

I love Holidays. I always have. In the past, one of the best parts of the holidays for me were all the people that I loved and cared about..getting to see them, and spend time with them, and fight over who got to stir the dressing and lick the lemon pound cake batter.  Those days are gone for me. But I now have others things in place that are just as meaningful for me..just in different ways.

Whitney is going to be gone for Christmas. This is a really good thing for her and her dad. She hasn't seen him and his family for many Christmases, so it is time for her to go. I wasn't really sure if she was going, cause she hadn't quite made her mind up yet. I also know that she worries about me a little bit being alone. So when she called me this week to let me know she was going to spend Christmas in Georgia, I was a little surprised. She explained the reasons to me, and of course I wanted her to go. Then I hung up the phone.

Then I waited.

I waited for the feelings of despair and "poor me" and sadness to come.

And guess what?

They weren't there.

(Angels doing the wave, Reid blowing his Tuba, God giving my guardian angels time off from their hazardous pay duty from supervising me).

I am ok with it. I really am. I can make my own Christmas, and start some things that I can do during the Christmas season. I can do a lot about giving to others, instead of moping around and feeling sorry for myself. Which amazingly, I don't. 

Of course I will miss Whitney, but I am happy that she can spend time with her wonderful father, who doesn't see her as much as I do. And it's really nice to have the peace inside knowing that I am fine with who I am and what I do.

And if I hadn't had the time, and the lessons that I learned about being alone before now...I wouldn't be at the peaceful stage that I am about myself.

So looking back, what happened to me led to good things happening now. That and that word, time. Still don't like that word, but it's true. Rats.  

Perhaps I shall go Christmas Caroling with the dogs. Wonder if they can howl to "Silent Night"?  :)

The Happy of Me-the second edition

Since it is Thanksgiving, it is now time for the second edition of the "Happy of Me." I feel sad for Thanksgiving. It seems as these days that the Christmas season just steamrolls over Thanksgiving, and it does not get the credit that it deserves. The one thing that I have learned (angels applauding here) is that I have many, many, many, many (did I mention many?) things to be thankful for..and that is what the Thanksgiving season is for. (Not to mention the yummy Thanksgiving meal leftovers..after all, there is nothing better than a turkey sandwich with Miracle Whip, cranberry sauce, and left over dressing. Nothing).

So here are the things that I am thankful for-the second edition. To be honest, I am not sure if I have a first edition, but I know I have talked about things I am thankful for before..so I am counting this as the second edition. Besides, it sounds better.

Here we go..prepare for major rambling.

1. My job. I know this may sound strange, as much grumbling that I have done in previous blogs. But the fact of the matter is that even though my job may be tricky at times, and I feel at times that I am highly inadequate to the task at hand, the fact of the matter is that I am exactly where I am supposed to be at the moment, doing exactly what I need to be doing. And when I look around and see families that have lost homes and possessions due to losing a job, I am very thankful indeed.  And seeing the children that go to Colinas makes me realize just how fortunate I am . I am also thankful for the people that I work with everyday, even though they do make a scrunchy face and flee when I threaten to sing. So thank you Rio Rancho Public Schools for hiring me. (even though I still contend that they were desperate.)
2. Whitney and Dena. Both amazing..both love me..and I sure love them. 

3. My friends. I am not sure where I would be without them today..they support me, laugh with me,  and love me as I continue to learn many, many, many life lessons..and I hope that they know how much I love them and would do anything for them.  I can't imagine what my life would be without them. I hope I never have to imagine.

4. Kitty and Tila. They give me a purpose, and are always entertaining. Always. They are the best therapy a dork like me could have. 

5. My job at Sagebrush. I get to work with amazing and wonderful  people..and finally, there is a purpose to my goofiness and dorkyness. Double bonus.

6. My home. It IS my home. I am happy when I am here, I am happy when I work on it..and for the first time in I can't tell you, I am even happy when it's a bit messy. That never EVER happened before.  I think it goes to show you when you let go and let things happen like they should, things take care of themselves. And control is not so important as peace.

7. My crepe myrtles. They bloomed this summer, and are a happy reminder of the South for me. Kind of like having a bit of North Carolina in my New Mexico backyard.

8. My lawnmower. I love to mow, and it was "What a bargain." Can't ask for more than that. 

9. My new glasses. I can FINALLY wear glasses, and not have crowds running screaming out of the room. They are very hip and trendy. And even though Tila got ahold of them, and chomped them (not a happy moment) I am even more thankful that they were under warranty and didn't cost a lung transplant to replace them. 

10. My ficus plant. This is a story about the power of Facebook. I had been looking for one for sometime, but I didn't have any luck finding one. And I really needed one for the empty corner of my den. So one day I asked on Facebook if anyone knew where I could get one that didn't weigh as much as a two-ton truck. And one of my friends, Debbie, actually gave me one that is now sitting very happily in my den. Thank you, Debbie.

11. Jackson Reid. Best and happiest baby (well, I guess he is a toddler) ever. And no, I am not in the least bit biased. 

12. My iPhone. It does almost everything except washing dishes...and I am sure if I looked, there would be an app for that. 

13. The lessons that I keep learning. Once again, I know that I grumble and complain about going through stuff, but I have realized that there are reasons I go through these lessons. With every experience I have, I learn more about who I am, and what I want. Not what I think others want, or about what someone I like might want, but about what I need, and the standards that I have. At times this makes me feel a bit guilty still, but then I stop and realize that taking care of me means just that...if I care enough about myself, I need to make myself a priority. Least I hope that's the path I'm on. 

14. .Learning that I am really not that bad. I am happy with who I am, and where I am in life. I am so thankful to wake up every morning, and realize that I am happy with me ..and that everyday is a chance to learn more about myself and realize it is more important to be happy in the present than wistful about the past, or worried about the future. Cause what happens is supposed to happen.  Of course, I have my moments..but they are getting fewer and less frequent. I think. At least that is my theory at the moment.

15. And last but not least...(I know you must be breathing a sigh of relief I'm almost done)

I am thankful for my new fuzzy red blanket that keeps me warm, and that best of all, I won as a present at Pokeno. I do like to win. And the fact that it is cute, fuzzy, and warm is a bonus. Now if it only came with a Sharpie, it would be perfect.

I hope you have a Thanksgiving that is full of things you are thankful for..and that you don't let Christmas run over it.  Just saying. :-)

The people you meet on planes..and Phoenix.

This week, I got to go on an exciting adventure. Due to a series of events (and the kindness of Robert) I got to go to a conference about Singapore Math in Phoenix. (Well, actually it was in Scottsdale, but we landed in Phoenix).

Usually I get on a plane, make small talk with the people beside me, and then read or look outside the plane trying to figure out where in the heck we are. I always thought they should have big balloons up in the sky that read "You are passing Dallas, Texas".  However, no one seems to like that idea. It would be a good way to pass the time while flying, though.

This time was different. The plane going to Phoenix was packed, and I sat next to a women that was on her way to Scottsdale. She is training to be a Life Coach, working with Martha Beck. Martha Beck is one of the people whose books I've been reading to be more in the now. (Isn't it interesting how there are no coincidences in  life?) We talked about how she is training and what is happening in her life, and she recommended a new author for me to read: Bryon Katie. So of course that new author is now on my iPad. She seems to have a life in which she has a home  in New Mexico with a man who gets upset if he has less than a million dollars in his checking account. (Really? I am happy if I have 1000 dollars in mine) And now she is looking for a home in Phoenix to be near her daughter and grandchildren.  But the best part was hearing about the Life Coaching classes, and thinking that perhaps that might be an option for me. If you think about it, most of my job is listening and problem solving with others. Or trying to, at least.  We traded phone numbers at the end of the trip, and she is going to let me know how her Martha Beck retreat went.

Then I landed in Phoenix. I have been to several nice conferences, but this one kept my mouth open most of the time in amazement. We were met at the airport by a stretch limousine .  A stretch limousine. Holy Cow. (I don't get out much, I know).  We got to the hotel, which was also amazing. I was in a suite with a balcony overlooking the pool and the golf course...with two beds, and an actual shower that worked.  (you know how hotel showers can be).

Then there was the conference. They had the actual inventor (well, author I guess is a better word) of the Singapore Math model who was the main speaker. He was from Singapore, naturally. They just call this model "math" in Singapore, not Singapore Math.  They also had several incredible keynote speakers as well. I met the lady who wrote the "Calendar Math" program that I used when I taught. THAT was exciting. I am sure she was thrilled as I explained to her how great I thought her program was, and how I wished I had brought the book for her to sign. Although I gave the book away. Rats.

I met a lot of professionals in the field of education as well. It was kind of reassuring to find out that most people are facing the same situations we are..and that we need to be appreciative in Rio Rancho. Most class sizes were a lot higher than what we complain about having. There were class sizes in some states of forty children. Forty children. Holy Cow.

I also believe that the sponsors of this conference felt as if we had been in some kind of German concentration camp, and needed to be fed. A lot. There was a lot of food, in all varieties and specialities..like a cheesecake chimichanga. Let me just say that after being persuaded to take one bite, the heavens opened and the angels sang. It took all the willpower I had to not stab my fork and eat the rest of it.  But I thought of Torturous Dave, the trainer, and resisted.

Then it was time to go, sadly. We departed in the stretch limousine, and traveled back to the airport. This time I sat next to a lady who looked like an older version of a model on the cover of Vogue..(and this is the best part) she had a Louis Vuitton purse.

The mother ship of purses, I might add.

Being me, I complemented her on her good taste, and she shared with me that she inherited a whole collection of Luis Vuitton ware from her late mother. Purse, garment bag, suitcases, etc. Once again, my mouth was open in awe. This fact led to her story of life..in which she has dual lives...one outside of Phoenix, where she lives in her late mother's home. The other life she has is in Corrales, where she shares a gigantic house with her boyfriend, who actually searched for her..and found her, since they were a couple in high school. He is a lawyer that travels to Wyoming , where he visits his adult children and grandchildren. I'm not sure if he gets anxious if he has less  than a million dollars in his checking account...but I don't think the issue of money is an issue with either one of them. 

We talked about the dating world, and how all her gorgeous friends are having trouble finding a man who is actually normal. (This does not bode well for me, then, I might add). She did say that I should come and visit them in their huge house. Perhaps she will give me a leftover Luis Vuitton purse.

I am always hopeful. :-)

The "Mature Ladies of Valle Alto" weekends

Kitty and I really enjoy our weekends. Let me clarify, in case you are wondering why this is. (And if you are not wondering, it is best just to stop reading now...because I am sure I am going to ramble).

My Whitney moved out of my house at the beginning of the school year. She and her friends are living in this little house in Albuquerque..in which I am sure that they have a great time, and do things that 20 year olds do..most of it in which I don't want to know. When she did so, I still had Kitty and the amazing Tila Monster in my possession. And although I am very fond of Tila on many levels, there are some things about Tila that make living with her an endurance event:

1. She is slightly crazy..and those of you who know her will agree.
2. She is VERY excited to see anyone and everyone. There is not a part of her body that doesn't move when someone has the fortune to stop by my house. Her body moves kind of like a highly agitated washing machine on the spin cycle. 
3. She considers it her duty in life to up my aerobic training by constantly grabbing items from places that I haven't put high enough out of her reach. And then she considers it a game for me to get it from her.  I have become very adept at the phrase, "Drop it!" And although she is getting better at listening to that phrase, there are times I wish I could run like a very fast runner (whose name escapes me at the moment) so I can catch her. This doesn't happen, however...because she is a very fast dog. 
4. If I do sit down, she spends a lot of time (I think she is in contact with my trainer) putting bones, chew toys, her wubba in my lap so I can spend time tossing them, tugging them, or petting her. Shame on me for forgetting my duties as a dog grandma.
5. She also gets up in the night, because she IS  potty trained..and she needs to go outside to do her business. However, the other night (when I had to do my business) I walked out of the bathroom to find her with my BRAND NEW (and expensive, I might add) glasses in her mouth. I am amazed I could see this, because it was dark, and I am extremely near sighted. She did drop them, but not before she twisted the arm of the frame, and put a small chomp in one of the lenses. The only reason that she is alive at this moment is because (Thank God) my glasses are under warranty, and only cost  forty dollars to replace.

In short, she is a puppy. 

When you have children, there is a mantra that goes like this..." Mom, I want (fill in the blank here), and I PROMISE that I will do all the work, take care of it, and you won't have to worry about it AT ALL." And when you have children, you KNOW that the mantra was made with all the best intentions in the world, but sometimes the follow-through doesn't...well...doesn't follow through. 

This was the case with Tila.. 

However, when Whit did move out, she did a wonderful thing. We now share "joint dog custody" of Tila. I have her weekdays, and she has her weekends, allowing Kitty and I some respite from a one year old puppy who considers it her duty in life to bug poor Kitty, who is just trying to take a nap and rest. 

So Kitty and I enjoy our "Mature Ladies of Valle Alto" weekends...in which we can sit without being licked to death, put objects in normal places where they will not be snatched by the "Tilanator" and generally rest up for her return on Monday morning. And it is nice....

But I have to say, she does bring a bit of dog excitement to my life, and I'm glad to see her when she returns.

Wonder where I can hide my new glasses at now? 

(Tila plotting her next item to snatch...I think she really is concerned about my aerobic health, after all).

Have a Mature, relaxing, weekend too.