This and that on a Saturday...

The phone rang at 6:15 this morning...it was the other baseball coach from the city wondering if it was sunny up here in the mountains...Yes...and it is gonna be cold.  6:15...on Saturday...after the week I had.  Thanks so much for calling and good luck...Not!

I have been living at what feels like, the speed of light...and my old, peri-pre-what the frick-brain can't seem to catalog it all.  I can't find words...simple ones.  The other day, Jim asked me, "Where is that meeting you are going to?"  I looked at him like he was stupid..."Its at...the restaurant"..."Which one?"he said.  "Oh, you know, the one by the, oh, you know the bridge, the gas station"...again, I look him like he is the stupid one, " THEY SERVE ITALIAN FOOD!"  "Oh, OK, you mean JJ Madwells?"  "Of course I say."  Come to find out, I missed the meeting totally...it was on a different night.  Funny thing is, I have the nerve to look at Jim like he is the one with the word finding problems!

I haven't had time to write...or, if I was to be honest...the energy to write.  But, with my brain in the state that it is, I better start!!!  So here goes...

Last weekend, I went to Canyon City for the Blossom Festival with my youngest.  The 8th grade band and orchestra played.  They sounded good and I would have some pictures but I FORGOT my camera. See what I mean?  Then we went to the Royal Gorge and spent the afternoon herding cats...no, I mean 8th graders that were given freedom.  Needless to say, I came home and had a glass of wine and went to bed.  Exhausted, old, swollen and sunburned.  It was a great time.  Really...

Sunday was Mother's day and the Queen is home from college until she goes to work at a camp.  We went to church, then to the grocery store, where I had my eye on some lawn furniture.  Jim and I walked by it, looked at it and I hinted and hinted that I liked it.  "Yeah, we do need something for the patio" He said and then moved on and asked "and what else do we need from here?"  I finally said, "I want to buy this table and chairs for the patio."  "Ohhhh, you want that...Ok...Ok then, you do, then lets ask about it..." he said.  We are getting better and better at communicating, huh?  We bought it and then brought it home.  My youngest asked, "Is this a Mother's day present or something for the family?"  "Of course, it's mine and you guys can't use it...what do you think?"  The typical "present" but at least it wasn't a vacuum or something like that!  It had to be put together so the men of the family got to work...

The group decided that a friendly game on whiffle ball in the driveway was the next fun thing to do for mother's day.  After about a 15 minute spirited discussion, read  fight, throw down, yell at each other including Jim and I, in an effort to have family peace...we went outside.  Here's a few pictures from the effort...

After a few minutes of making the rules which seemed to change when my oldest and his father decided, we started.  The game lasted until I was drilled with the whiffle ball on third  for the second time in my chest by my youngest.  In my true..."It's mother's day and I should be able to do what I want" fashion, I started to cry and said "I'm done", walked off the field/driveway, and slammed the door to the house.  I left them all shaking their heads at my fine acting skills.  Maturity at its finest.

But, in true Ritter fashion, we fought it out and had a great dinner that the Queen made and all was well. 

Monday came and went in a flash with visiting hospice patients, and a baseball game for the youngest.  We met over there and watched him.  I sat between my two omnipotent teenagers...and whenever I said something to cheer, I was told to be quiet...I mean, not in a disrespectful way but as if I didn't know the rules of baseball and sons.  I finally told them both off, not in "mean mother" way but in a "I'm almost 47 years old and I can do whatever I want" way.  It was like a comedy show on the bleachers.  Anyway, my youngest caught an outstanding game and hit the ball as well.  When he would jump up to threaten the runner on a base...my heart sang...because he was so cute.

Tuesday was a forgotten backpack incident so no exercise class, Hospice training, patients and the meeting that really was Monday but I had planned all day Tuesday to go to.  Thank God I called my friend and asked her because I would have been at that italian restaurant all evening waiting, probably at the bar...thinking the group was stupid.

Wednesday was kick boxing, a doctors appointment for the Queen's camp physical and shopping to get ready for camp.  Let me just say, I hate shopping.  I just do.  Its not that I don't want stuff but I just hate stuff.  Its kind of a weird head thing about having too much and wanting stuff I don't need but buying tons of stuff anyway.  Regardless of my hate for shopping, we shopped.  The Queen and I finished in time to go to church for my last confirmation class.  My 8th graders were in rare form.  I love them.  So cool yet so uncool at the same time but aware of it.  It has been a wonderful year with them and I am going to miss them.

Thursday morning, I went to one more Hospice training.  It was very different than what I have experienced in the past (this is my third training).  I left with a new look at what it must be like to be planning your death and saying good bye.  I can't even imagine really but I did learn alot about myself and what I would want the person taking care of me to be aware of.  Hard but really good stuff to learn.

Then it was Friday.  I didn't have a patient to visit until 1 so I decided to go to one of my favorite consulting jobs and do a little work.  The woman who owns the house is from Indonesia and she is just a hoot.  I got to the house and started to work, things looked great.  As I was finishing up, in she comes...like a worldwind...her usual behavior.  In her broken english...she says hello, comes and gives me a hug.  Then she backs away, looks at me and says, "Oooohhh, Terry, you got fat!"...There wasn't anything I could do but laugh.  "Yes, I have gotten fat, about 15 pounds" I say and "I hate it."  She keeps talking, "I can see it in your face..."  At that point, I realized that was the perfect way to end this week and move on.  Talk about just saying what is on your mind!!!!

Yesterday was my middle childs 17th birthday...I cannot believe it.  To write about him is a whole other post but I will say that he is a gem.  He wasn't home for his birthday so we will celebrate it later today.  I have a cake in the oven and the decorations are almost taped up.  I will try to take pictures this time. 

Time, time, time...My usual lecture includes such points as having 24 hours in a day...all of us and how we use it, etc, etc.  My lectures seem to always come back and haunt me...the time one, the diet one, the eating good one, even the money one.  But...usually I forget I did the lecture to so I start again.  The lectures always sound so good to me like I am doing it for the first time. 

Not really...but, have I told you what a crazy week it has been?

We'll tawk soon,

I love you all,

Terry