Birthday party

Today was little princess G's birthday party. She is the cutest little doll with the most adorable curls. Liv didn't really warm up until there was some playing of dress-up. THEN she was the mac-daddy of party people. Yep. My little girl, the fashionista. Nope. No pix of that. Sorry. But I do have a pic of El Freddo in a blue party hat; that should be some consolation.

Um...anyone looking for a gently used wife?

I have been toying around with the idea of getting in good enough shape and taking classes to get credentialed as a trainer recently. El Freddo, perhaps foolhardily, suggested I practice by training him.

I demurred. Surely it would spoil the balance of marital power? Surely it would make it awkward when he didn't want to go to the gym to train?

Nope, quoth he. Give it a shot.

So today was day one. (The photo is of me post-workout; my hair is so dark because it is soaked. You do the math.)

El Freddo says I'm not his favorite person right now. In fact, when I asked if he still wants to stay married to me, he said he's "thinking about it."

*sigh* So. Anyone looking for a gently used wife? Room and board OBO.

Yearly Six Flags photo

Getting back in shape has unexpected drawbacks

The following is the slightly redacted version of an email I sent to a buddy of mine about my workout this morning. Bear in mind that I wear NO makeup and baggy, unglamorous clothes to the gym. I talk only to people I know well or if courtesy demands it. I just mind my own business, listen to my iPod, do my workout and leave. This is my adventure from today:

What is it with men? WHY is it that the dorkiest guy in the weight room never fails to follow me around? The weight room is not enormous, granted, but this dumb-sock-wearing, skinny-a$$ $#%^ followed me around ALL $%#^ morning and watched me. It was creepy. And it's not like I was the only workout queen in the room either-- there was at least one other instructor and a couple of younger gals in decent shape there, too. I'm pretty sure I was neither the best-looking nor worst-looking gal in the room.

Here I am, trying to do incline flies and this moron HAS to get in my mirror space. Hello? And for the rest of the workout, he is right behind me in the mirror. I can't imagine what the #$%& body part that geek was working since he basically hopped on whatever was right behind me. Dumb *&&%$ worked his shoulders, his chest, his tri's, his legs, the tops of his arms and I don't know what-all else.

And, to make it worse, every time I got on a pulley machine, he'd ask me if he could use one of the attachments. And if I got on a bench, then he'd ask me if he could use some other bench I'd never so much as GLANCED at. Every time, I had stop what I was doing and pull out one ear bud so I could hear what the #$@%% the moron was asking for. GOD. It almost goes without saying that he grunted louder than was absolutely necessary at all times. I blasted my iPod and I could still hear him.

So finally, I started moving so that, whenever he was behind me in the mirror, I'd block his view.

That violation of etiquette barely slowed him down.

So then, every time I saw him behind me, I rolled my eyes DRAMATICALLY. I swear to God it took like SIX times of me rolling my eyes every time he appeared behind me. FINALLY, finally, finally it sank in that I was rolling my eyes AT HIM and he retreated hastily with no small degree of evident embarrassment.

Do you think it would be a violation of YMCA policy if I brought a squirt gun? or maybe a paint ball gun? Do I have a "stupid wanna-be's please come bother me" sign on my back, or what? GAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

Okay. Rant over.

My buddy suggested pepper spray. I don't think a jury with any women on it at all would convict me.

Photo booth pix from Six Flags

While Fred, Mel and Princess T went on the Tony Hawk ride, Liv and I got our pictures taken at a photo booth. Good thing I had these made before we rode the spinning balloon ride. After urging me to "spin faster!" Liv decided she might very well get sick.

She didn't. But it was a clear warning to mama about Liv's current capacity for spin rides! It could've been a real disaster for many reasons, not least of which being that I was carrying Mel's leather purse while they went on Tony Hawk. Can you imagine? Oof.

Wild, wet weekend

Thursday a great time with Tony and Tracy. Saturday, a day-long zoo trip with friends from high school and their kids, and Sunday a trip to Six Flag with Mel and her kiddo. (The picture on the right is immediately after riding "The Tidal Wave" ride!)

And the miracle? No sunburn.

A grand time was had by all.

My 15 minutes

Here's me and Deborah in the BJC Today newspaper posing for Survivors' Week. Ta daa!

Behind me are hangings signed by my Survivor predecessors. Each year has one. I signed mine the same day this picture was taken.

World domination is within my grasp!

Bwaa haaa haaa! Another water aerobics class taught and...get this...they let me use WEIGHTS on my class.

Ha! Another way of inflicting pain on the unsuspecting populace. (Okay, well the unsuspecting populace of a local YMCA exercise class, but ya gotta work up to world domination, people.)

First Day of Kindergarten!!

Gratuitous cute kiddo pix

L'il bits camping out, watching TV

El Jeffe hair pic

Darling Jeffe, clearly I've been neglecting you! I couldn't sleep so I decided to post another hair pic for you! No need to thank me, really.

It's now hit the stage where it's unruly. The spikes at the top happened when I took a shower at the gym after my workout and then stood in front of the hand dryer. It blew my hair forward into a little "Alfalfa" points on the top of my head!

Not only that, but I had to have the hair on the back of my neck actually trimmed. Can you believe it? But I plan to keep my hair its usual short length and the back was getting pretty ragged.

I had to trim my hair, people! Whoohooo!

Most excellent dinner

Another fab dinner with Yosh and Dennis! Lots of laughs, lots of pasta (we were on the Hill, after all) and a comparatively minimal amount of Liv poking me in the head with a straw. Brought camera, forgot pix.

Awesome night!

First visit to kindergarten

OMG. I think I signed up for every committee and every event on the K***** kindergarten calendar. I'm classroom mom, I'm helping with two parties, I'm volunteering at the library, I'm working on the trivia night and I'm in the PTO.

Holy crap. What just happened?

Anyway, the school was too cute for words and the teacher adorable. Liv is now in a.m. kindergarten at K rather than p.m. at W. It's all good.

Darling Miz Carolyn took Liv to the zoo today while I got to be a real live human woman instead of a mom for a few hours. Of course I went shoe shopping.

AND I bought a new pair of jeans. The ones I just bought are too big. I dropped another dress size. It's great, but it's getting expensive. heh.

Date night!

Well, it seems that Liv will not be changing elementary schools after all. There is now an opening at K****, and that's where she'll be going! Fred is a bit disappointed that she won't attend his alma mater, if a kindergarten merits such an appellation. But I have to confess to being delighted. I already befriended a lot of folks at K***** and Liv and I have spent a lot of time there in pre-K activities.

So...since the W****** night was supposed to be tonight and we already had babysitting, I got to doll up (yep, slinky wrap dress and HIGH heels) and we had a date night!

We went to one of our favorite restauarnts-- everyone knows us there. When we were first married and I was making a lot of cash, we went there at least twice a week.

Our darling waitress, Chris, bought me a Macallan 18 as a congratulatory present. She put it on ice, but I forgive her: it was still a $22 glass of heaven. (A luscious single malt scotch, for you non-drinkers.)

The evening ended as one would expect such festivities to do and then Caroline brought Liv back shortly thereafter.

Now as I'm preparing to cuddle into bed and read a good book, I can hear the rain pattering on my windows.

A glorious evening.

Footloose and Cancer-free

It's official as of this afternoon's mammogram. I am footloose and cancer-free.

Dancing with NED, baby.

One more page

Okay, this is just fun.

Found a pic of grandpa (bottom right, hands on his belt) and Grandma Mary with a fish. Apparently I come by my love of fishing honestly.

Grandpa Culp in his salad days

This is a page from his scrapbook with photos of his buddies in the finals. He is a University of Illinois Champagne-Urbana grad, but I can't tell whether this is where the finals took place.

Here he's the one doing the handstand and on the beach at (I think) Lake Michigan with my mother.





The images are full-size if you click on them.

Olympic history

This is an opportune moment to mention that my maternal grandfather was first alternate in wrestling for the US Olympic team in 1928. I was lucky to find a bunch of photo albums recently.

Blogger's not cooperating, so I'll post the photos later.

The Princesses T

Today we had some really good news from the T family!! Greg and the gang will have their dossier ready to go to Ethiopia NEXT WEEK! That means there should be at least one new princess in West County early next year.

Already I'm thinking about the shopping I'll be doing!

Mmmmm....shopping...aaauuuughhhhh....

Rock star!

Thanks, darling Kim, for calling me a rock star!

Today I actually feel like one. Today, one day after my last radiation treatment, I taught my first water aerobics class! It felt really great, like I'd been doing it my whole life (rather than many, many years ago intermittently and on land).

The ladies in the class were awesome and they applauded at the end.

Hey-- look at me! I'm (old) Elvis!

More celebration

We went to Incredible Pizza today after ballet class to celebrate my escape from the Dreaded Cancer Center of Doom!

Anyway, the most important news is that, for the first time EVER in the history of the world, I beat El Freddo at mini-bowling! Mind you it was by something like three points, but by GAWD the win goes to ME! (I got within 10 points of him in shooting; I've yet to get him there.)

In related news, Livi did not injure herself or others while mini-bowling and, notably, succeeded in actually getting a strike at one point!

Sadly, I was unable, despite my VASTLY SUPERIOR** driving skills, to beat El Freddo at Go-Karts. It appears that they are all set to the exact same speed, so if you're lucky enough to be the car directed to the left, you will always stay ahead.

I wonder if this is how Nascar works?

**This point will be revisited at Grand Prix Speedways the next time we can get a babysitter. I understand those bad boys go 60 mph.

LAST DAY!!!

Here I am with Ros, Donna, my "little brother," Brett, and Chelle. How my dearest, sweet Angie escaped without getting in a photo I have NO idea! I am SO going back and getting a picture when I'm there for my checkup. My Legion of Doom buddy Donna brought me the flower balloon-- said she couldn't find one that cheery that also made noise or it'd have been perfect! heh.

Anyway, MUCH joy in Mudville today!

Starting to say goodbye

Here I am on Friday with some of my favorite people from the cancer center. The picture under the "coconut tree" is me with The Legion of Doom fellow members, Donna and Al.

The dark-haired fellow, Tom, I owe a huge debt of gratitude. He's the one who first did my telemetry for radiation and was there for most of my treatments. He set the tone-- light, funny, friendly -- for the whole experience. He always looked happy to see me and I enjoyed his company thoroughly. It helped that he's from a small town in Southern Missouri that I know very well and we know some of the same people. But even if we hadn't, I know he'd have made me feel right at home anyway. In a radiation room, that's quite an accomplishment. (Jodie, the lovely redhead on my other side is a sweet, gentle soul. Liv thinks she looks like Ariel.)

Anyway, by the end of treatment, Tom and Brett (hope I get a picture of him for the blog by the time I'm done on Tuesday) had been declared my "little" brothers. We teased each other and laughed uproariously like the best siblings could be-- it was a joy to see them every morning.

The sweet, blonde nurses are two of my infusion nurses-- Keely and Christine. They were always good for a smile and a laugh, even when things were horrid in chemo. That, too, is a feat.

And Nancy. God bless Nancy. Even when my veins were torn up and insanely difficult to puncture, she took her time (sometimes a very long time) and didn't stick me until she was sure she'd hit the vein. Speaking as a woman who's had her arm mangled frequently over the last six months, I am telling you this woman is a national treasure. We should decree a holiday in her honor.

I am surprised at how emotional I am about leaving all these wonderful folks.