Loni's Life

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/2011/09/friday-fill-ins_29.html 1. I need  to knit . 2. How lucky we were. 3. A great deal  is not always as great as you think . 4.  Mama's Texas Tea arrived in a   big tall glass. 5. It was announced  at the annual conference . 6.  Outback Steakhouse makes yummy steak and has great  steak knives. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to  relaxing , tomorrow my plans include  yarn and quilt shop hopping  and Sunday, I want to  swim well and enjoy watching my relay teammates for the Trek Women's Triathlon !

Happy Mocha Monday!

Hooray!

Last weekend I splurged on taking some pampering downtime just for me and went and had new photos taken.  Here's one of the new Diva shots.  

I know it is still months away, but I am excited about finally getting to go on a Dream Vacation that has been 30+ years in the dream bucket. It is an extraordinary splurge on just the cruise itself; but I've also budgeted for the extras that will make it what I hope will be a trip full of great memories.    I'll get to spend downtime with 5 of the BEST people on the face of the planet and I LOVE them all very much.

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/2011/09/friday-fill-ins_22.html 1. When I walk around my neighborhood I see  horses, donkeys, and cows . 2.  Chocolate chip cookies  is my favorite thing to cook. 3. Life is  ever changing . 4. My  kitty  makes me feel all warm and fuzzy 5.  Green beans  are my favorite Autumn vegetable. 6.  Life  is better when it is  shared with those you love . 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to  college kid coming home , tomorrow my plans include  picking up my Make a Wish ride packet (even though I will be out of town for the ride)  and Sunday, I want to enjoy a chocolate mousse muffin at Mimi's Cafe   !

It was a good morning at the dentist.  Only a small amount of bleeding in one area; but generally my hygeniest was very happy with the home health care.   All areas (even the small bleeding area) had improved or maintained; there was no excess build-up going on anywhere.   She extended me to a 12-week recall.   So it's SonicCare and Crest ProHealth until then. Since I've maxed out this year's dental insurance on crown work, we'll replace the last remaining chipped crown (cosmetic only; the tooth is still protected) and I'll get fit with a night guard as well to see if that also helps improve the perio-maintenance with the back molars. But overall, a happy dance DDS visit today :)

Mommie making me work for my treats  Catnip bliss  Oh look, Timeshare Dog is here again Hey, look at me And the winner of Mommie's SU STARS Blog Candy is Robbie at Inkedx2 Wow I am impressed with the length of your ride. Great layout. ~ Robbie Hugs and Blessings,

I read an interview with Robin Roberts in Ladies Home Journal.. and in this post-divorce recovery, resilience, rebuilding period, this question/answer just sticks with me. Lee Woodruff: Have your relationships changed? Robin Roberts: I tell people I love them more. And hey, I'm Southern. We believe in hospitality. I sometimes get accused of being soft as a journalist, but I believe you don't have to grill people to get the best answer out of them. You can still be nice and be fair. I interviewed Sarah Ferguson recently and she was in tears because she told me I was so nice to her. But I have also found I have no time for people who don't add joy to my life. I am not going to spend my time with negative energy and I tell people who are going through treatment to let the negativity go. If someone crosses my path now and they are dark, they're gone.

Post-divorce life has its ups and downs.. it's only been a week; so I imagine as time passes, it will have more ups than downs. Friday night, Mama C and I were supposed to meet my BFF for dinner at Olive Garden.   Unfortunately, due to thunderstorms, she was delayed at DFW airport waiting for her luggage since they were on ground stop due to lightning within 2 miles of the airport.   She called us to indicate that she would be at least another hour before luggage; plus another 30 to 60 minutes travel time and that we could go ahead and eat without her if we were hungry.    Since I was very hungry, I opted to take her up on that and Mama and I went to Olive Garden where I enjoyed my all-time favorite Olive Garden dish of pasta fagioli, chicken fettucine alfred sans parsley, and plenty of breadsticks.    After dinner, Mama and I watched the finale of Karaoke Battle USA.   Much like the America's Got Talent finale, the final 4 a...

Welcome to Loni's Life and the 4th stop on the SU Stars monthly Blog Hop.   You've most likely arrived here from  Raissa Stamps  or you can start at the top of the hop at the SU Stars Home . This month's challenge was to share a scrapbook creation.. admittedly not my strongest area, but My Digital Studio by Stampin' Up!  makes it quick and easy.     Here is a quick layout of my recent ride in the 30th Annual Hotter N Hell in Wichita Falls, Texas of my BFF(883) and me (882).   Don't we look Happy at the Finish line! We left before sunrise with the early 100 milers to beat the heat.  Made the 10-mile turnoff around 7...hit Shepherd AFB by 8 and back to the car by 8:30.  Was any easy Zone 3 cruise and a beautiful sunrise ride.  We were all smiles at the finish line this year which was a far cry from our first ride in 2006.  That year we were totally exhausted, dehydrated, nauseated, overheated, a bit sunburned and miser...

It's transplant time for my African Violets since the bloom cycle looked about done.    One of the plants is quite big and the other quite small; I hope that both will heal their roots and blossom again.  I also picked up a new African Violet for Mama's kitchen so that she will have one at some point when I move back out on my own.  The maroon blossoms seemed a nice color for her kitchen.    It will still be a little while before I move, as Mr. Ex and I are still separating financials and then I need to find just the right new home for Mocha and me.    I am blessed to have so many temporary homes available to me during this time in my life.   Larger of 2 plants being re-planted Smaller of plants being re-planted New kid on the block

On this 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, I'm doing OK as I work through my own personal tragedy of this divorce.    Nearly 3000 people were killed on that day between the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville, PA downed plane... so many families that lost integral parts all at one time.  Such a senseless loss of life. I got my Berroco Linked scarf finished; and another secret project finished.   I got the Patrick Lose Project Linus quilt quilted, it just needs binding.   I enjoyed time with Mama C and Hunter.   I enjoyed breakfast with my BFF before she headed out on another traveling work week.    I have received many emails and texts with good thoughts and prayers for my well being. Right now, I feel like I'm just surviving this divorce and getting through the best that I can,  one day at a time.  Someday, I hope that shifts to thriving.   Perhaps that is the lesson I'm learning from my African Violet plant..... ...

I am a knitter.. and the knitting queue has suffered a bit during the past few months as I went through this suckville journey known as Divorce.   I am happiest and de-stressed when I have been knitting.   I always have at least one project on needles.. even thru the divorce negotiations I had projects on needles... even one project that is referred to as the My Husband is an A-hole scarf...   it's just that sometimes I was just flat out too darn sad to knit. Truthfully, how I felt on the inside has been like I have been doing good just to get myself up and out of bed and to and from the office every day.    There were days in there I don't know how I made it through....   From crying in the shower, then crying on the short drive to the office; hold it together for a few hours to go cry quietly in the ladies room; to glue it back together long enough to get to the lunch hour where I would go offsite and cry for another hour out loud in the car; glue it t...

It is official; I  am newly unmarried or rather the term may be Divorced.    The  Court date was this morning; and I must say, getting married was a heck of a lot easier to do then to get unmarried.  To get married it was like $20 for the license fee and you got a 1 page really pretty document (Marriage License) in return.   Plus only one question.. ok, a really long question with multiple parts... but still, it was only 1 question..  Do you take this man  to be your husband; to love him;  comfort him, honour and keep him, in for richer and for poorer; in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live? To get unmarried it was a hefty price of a small used automobile or a top-notch 20th anniversary vacation trip; plus a 30 page decree; along with about 6 other multi-page notarized property transfer things and whatnot.  Then 20 questions in court that were boiled down to yes and no's and a I hereby grant th...

As sad as I am over the divorce.. with a court date in less than 24 hours.. I truly have a lot in my life for which to be thankful... including lots of time in the past 21 years with my husband. It's official that I'll be going on an Alaskan Cruisetour with 5 of the people that I love most in the world.. and while I wish that it would have been 6 of the people that I love most in the world... or even if it was just the 1 that I've treasured the most... it's not what is meant to be.. and life will go on. An Alaskan Cruise has been a dream vacation since my adolescent days watching Love Boat.  So here's to making new memories and a bright future!

Giving thanks for the many Blessings that have been bestowed upon me.    Even though one particular aspect of my life is quite sad and challenging, I have much in my life for which to be truly grateful and thankful.

You know you are a Regular Customer at a local restaurant, when you walk in and both the Hostess and the Seater/Greeter know which waitstaff's section you usually sit in.. and when that regular staff member pretty much already knows both your beverage order and your dinner order, unless you throw in an odd curveball by either arriving on a different day/time -or- by just being in the mood for something else.  You also know you are a Regular Customer when the waitstaff calls you by name; knows that you may or may not eat your salad depending on the dressing; and also your regular order.  I am very blessed to live in a land where dining options are so plentiful and to have waitstaff that know my regular order as well as that of others in my group. 

Mama C recently finished hand-quilting of the cats on my Cat Quilt... it is soooooo cute... and so me.   It made it through its first wash ~ the anxiety of that first wash when you pray that nothing goes wrong and that you don't empty the washer or dryer with just bits of fabric and fuzz.   It only needs a label and then it is waiting for its new post-divorce home.    I love the quilt; but I love the quilter more.

Hunter! Oh well, the kid is great and I learn new things from him... plus he makes me laugh.

A fairly quiet and restful weekend.    Soon to be Ex is on a cross-country jaunt to deliver his mom's car to Seattle.   I spent some time at home with Mocha.  I had intended to work on packing some things; but since I got another injection in my left heel, I took it easy on that.   Plus the whole thing just makes me quite sad. Mama's youngest was home from school this weekend.   Per his request, we had some specific meals along the weekend including donuts on Saturday morning and a trip to Chili's Saturday afternoon.   Eggs and bacon on Sunday morning and biscuits on Monday morning.    We had spaghetti Sunday night and Wendy's last night. I weighed in with a turtle at JC on Friday; had a trip to The Woolie Ewe on Saturday and got some great yarn for autumn and holiday knitting.    I got Auntie Jill's quilt sandwiched along with a Project Linus creation by Patrick Lose which is sandwiched and ha...

Start time: 6:27:32 AM Bacon Switch Road turn towards Shepherd AFB 7:49:23AM Finish time: 8:24:03AM Elapsed time: 1:56:31-- Under 2 hours!!! Woohoo!!!   (Last year's time: 2:26:11.188)   Start line - Before Sunrise   At the turn for the 10 mile breakpoint on the 25m route   Finish Line   Finish Line   Cheesy Riders Rule   Another great year at Hotter N Hell