I Love Labor Day Weekend!

I went to the Fair last night - that is a completely separate blog...soon to come. It's the reason I am tired today, but how happy am I that it is a LONG weekend?! Well I'll tell you - very! I am excited because this the weekend for Tina, the Labor Day Llama! long story - if you're interested - ask me. lol Anywho, I don't really have a lot going on (well a lot for me; I'm trying take it easy for while), but what I do have I am looking forward to:

Today: I'm getting out of work at 3. I was originally going to see if I could go swimming at my cousin's but not sure now. It's not exactly hot out. Soooo I may just head to the mall and start looking for a dress for Chris and Lauren's wedding. Then I'll head to my cousin's for the b'day party for G'ma Russell, Daniel and Patrick. OMG could these kids stop growing up so fast. Daniel is going to be 13!! I was just heading to Le Moyne when he was born! Wow I just felt another gray hair sprout. Fabulous. After seeing the fam, I need to head to Jaime and Dan's for my Lucy lesson. I am watching her this weekend while they are away. Wish me luck! She is a dog not a kid for anyone wondering. ha ha I would be okay with a child too - I have a Goddaughter after all! I need to visit her and her parents as well soon.

Saturday: Well after I drink coffee and watch Spongebob, I need to move into grown up mode and balance my checkbook and pay some bills. Ick. Wait until the school loan bills start rolling in! That is going to be so much fun! ("I sense your sarcasm." "I should hope so because I'm laying it on pretty thick.") Anywho, then I think I'll do my part to wear out the Parkway black top. It's time to get the blades back out! Oh man I hope it isn't supposed to rain tomorrow. Saturday evening my college roommate, who is in town from N.C., are supposed to meet for dinner. I hope she isn't going to stand me up! That's a guy's job, not a college buddy. ha ha Catching up and reminiscing about Le Moyne is always a good time. Love it! PLUS the Mets and Braves are going to be on Fox at 3:55! ha ha what timing since I am a Mets fan and she is a Braves fan! I need to call her now and point out this little fact. We are definitely heading to Hafner's to watch!

Sunday: Labor Day weekend used to be Friday to Sunday, full on family weekend. My family still has farm land in Otisco, way off the beaten path. You think Otisco is off the beaten path? Ha! It gets better. But family that we don't see all year used to gather "down back" all weekend with campers, tents, trucks and eat, I mean eat all weekend! When we weren't eating, we sat by the fire and chatted until it was time to eat again. As a kid it was even better b/c we had the pond to swim in with a raft that my g'pa built. We used to get the thing rocking back and forth! Lol omg it was great. I still remember the first time I swam out to the raft from the dock! Holy it is so vivid in my mind. I haven't thought about that in a long time. But many things in our lives, people come and go and times and things change.

Okay now comes a little emotional part. G'pa Russell passed away Feb. 5, 2005. Oh still hard to say and think about. And I guess I didn't quite get how instrumental he was until after we passed (see my post 2-11-05), and it becomes clearer every year around this time. Even though as we got older, there was less camping out and family attendance decreased at Labor Day weekend, it definitely seems different since G'pa's passing. My sister has been great at revamping it with gathering those who have come into town and taking them to the park for a game of kickball (which I missed a couple years ago for an SU football game! I still feel bad for not being there) or softball. Those games really added to the weekend. Last year I was there for the softball game and pitched (of course). It was such a blast. I am going to miss that this year.

Our Labor Day weekend is now basically only one day - Sunday. I understand though. Families have expanded and moved away, so it is hard to get back here for some. So it was realized that not a lot of family was coming this year. Donna was just up for a funeral a few weeks ago, so will be at the beach this weekend (I think this is the first time ever I won't see her on Labor Day weekend - so weird! but I have seen her a ton this summer. lol), which is something I considered doing as well or heading to the Adirondacks with my other family, the Averys. But after I decided I better stay in town this weekend, I heard about some of the family that is coming back Sunday! I thought sweet! It's not completely faded this year! Good thing because I have a bazillion hot dogs left over from last Saturday's party so I could feed an Army. So Sunday I'll be "down back" eating and playing who knows what game the kids will sign me up for. It's tradition! It's different but I'll take it!

Monday: Relaxation day! No plans - probably more Parkway. Love that place! It's great when you only live 2 miles from it. ha ha I am just glad I don't have to work that day.

I hope everyone has a fabulous and safe weekend. And hit the Fair if you get a chance with some friends that like to play car racing games and act silly for 5 hours. It could be the highlight of the weekend.

Leg up!!

Frustration

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Tension breaker; had to be done. (Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp, "Summer School" starring Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley, Courtney Thorne-Smith, 1987). Holy crap - 1987?!?! 20 years ago - I was freakin' 11!!!!!!!!!

Another frustrating day at work. I am still happy to have the new position as Controller. I am not surprised that I ended up an accountant, but not having all the schooling for it can take a toll on my brain! I mean I know Jason, the CPA who has been helping us out in the transition, said it's all about having experience but come on I can't imagine that taking one bookkeeping class would be useless. I don't know - maybe it's just the mood I have been in. I am still trying to get my sleep pattern back on track. I slept like a rock last night after that walk, eating a banana before bed, and of course the Tylenol PM. Tonight will be a repeat of that remedy.

I can't believe it's the end of August and the Fair is in session. I spent much of my summer in car. lol People aren't kidding when they say as you get older, time goes by quicker. JC slow down! But that's why you have to enjoy every minute of it. No time to spend on things that piss you off or make you unhappy including people. Again why tolerate those things that just bring on frustration? The trade off has to be worth it. Like my job, I may be frustrated but I love my company, I make good money, and I do enjoy the job itself. I just wish I had all the answers. Who doesn't?! Story of everyone's life, right? So I am preaching to the choir...well I doubt enough people read this blog to make up a choir. lol

Anywho, time to start planning and working on tonight's coma.

Leg up!!

Back to the Park

Since I started feeling better, I figured I'd head to the parkway. My energy level was in the tank today since I had a bout of insomnia last night. I went from falling asleep anywhere between 7:30 and 10:30 last week (granted I would also wake up for an hour during the night), to not being able to get to sleep until 1am last night! I was beat today, and concentration was nowhere to be found. And my Tylenol PM had expired to boot! Anyway, I figured a walk in the park would help my energy and accelerate my road to recovery from the random, mystery virus. It was beautiful today. I think it was about mid-70s and sunny. After my 2.5 mile walk, I hit Wegman's for some veggies, fruit (bananas help me sleep!), and of course, more Tylenol PM!! I will be hitting the pharmacia tonight!! I am not a fan of doing that but my head still aches and I need to sleep through the night. Hopefully by the weekend I'll feel good enough to get back to rollerblading. I miss my blades!! I need to start working out harder because soccer starts in less than a month! I can't wait - the competition, the exercise and sweat, the fun! We aren't the best out there, but my team is so much fun and an awesome workout! Softball doesn't quite have the same affect.

I also had some more deep thoughts while at the parkway, but once again I get in front of my computer and I can't remember a single one. See it's the pressure to write, it erases my brain, hence the title of my blog. ha ha

Well I just finished downloading and uploading pics from my camera from various events this summer. My myspace photo section is chock full now! And it's time for bed. The Mets are losing to the stupid Phillies 9-2 so no sense in torturing myself with this game. G'night please!

Leg up!!

So Many Miles

My poor car. I have had it since January and I have over 12,000 miles on it. A whole year's worth of mileage in 7 months. Yikes! And it's a lease. Double yikes! ha ha

I'm not worried about it. I refuse to stay home because I'm worried about miles on my car. The good infinitely outways the bad. I have had such a fun summer traveling. I feel like I now have a line of friends along the Eastern Seaboard! I went to the beach three times and now I am in Virginia for the weekend to see our beloved Mets trounce (well, hopefully) the Nationals. And of course besides going to the games, we will be site seeing. And by that I mean we are going to hang out near the hotel where the Mets are staying to see if we can catch a glimpse of our team members. Last year Donna got a few good pics of Pedro, Billy Wagner, Glavine...I'm sure there is a previous blog about this somewhere in my archive! Anyway it will be fun to sit and relax watching live baseball again. It'll be a slight change of pace than being at the beach...fun but relaxing in a completely different way!

The fall promises to be just as fun in different locations around the state and country. Labor Day weekend I may be venturing to the Adirondacks with the crew. Since little of my family will be around for Labor Day weekend, Donna is heading to the beach and figured I'd try a different scene since the opportunity is there. The following weekend will be spent celebrating the last of Lauren's single life as a group of girls take over a bed and breakfast in Skaneateles. Dinner at Bluewater Friday, wine tour on Saturday, and brunch for her shower in Cazenovia on Sunday. Good times! It seems like something is going on the next weekend, but at the moment I can't remember! Rats. The rest of the month is low key - family party on the 29th which will also be Mom's 60th! crazy. But THEN!! The following weekend.....

PUT-IN BAY, OHIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To date, the best weekend of my life took place in Put-In and it'll be exactly one year that weekend since that best time. So fun and one in which you have to say - you had to be there. The crew is slightly modified this year but the most part, for the best! TT will stay home this year since she was quite violated when I wasn't around. lol I saw the pics. This year's mascot is yet to be determined but there are some options, like Wickett the Ewok from Return of the Jedi. Something smaller may be more ideal. It'll be interesting to see who we makes friends with this year. We chucked dead batteries at the guys next door last year; by the end of the second night, they were drinking on our deck with us. And we can't forget our friendly cab drivers. "Hi, Tim? Yeah, we need to go." lol OMG so many awesome sayings were recorded in the trusty geisha, who will make her return to catch future famous quotes. I equate her with pictures - you go over and over it and laugh every time as memories flow back. I can't wait to get up at 4 am on Friday, October 5th and head West!

Well time to start getting ready for the game even though it's about 8 hours away. ha ha

Leg up to the Mets!!!!!!!!!!!!