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New Year's Resolutions.
1. Lose weight.
2. Swim everyday.
3. Drink more water.4. Drink less lattes.5. Practice guitar regularly.
1. Savor happiness and find joy in simple things.
(p.s. If you're in need of a good read, check out this story in Sunday's SF Chronicle Magazine that seemed so simple, so right. It discusses how we can cultivate happiness and help our children learn gratitude. Good stuff.)
The day I was told I had walking pneumonia, I turned to my doctor with a wishful look and asked, "So I guess swimming probably isn't a good idea?" He raised his eyebrows to say "Lady, you can't be serious -- you have pneumonia." Instead he politely smiled and said, "You might want to give your body a rest for the next few weeks. And if you do decide to swim, you're going to be coughing up alot of shit." Enough said.
Little did he know that when he said this I was craving a swim. My lessons were a few days away and not only did I have to cancel one, I canceled the remaining classes for December. There would be no diving in for me in 2007.
But there's another chickadee in the house who was born to swim but hadn't tried her paws at it yet.
On Saturday morning, Luna Lovegood and I headed to the coast with my in-laws and their two labs (a yellow and a black) for a little swim and training session at a private lake. It was a chilly, foggy, drizzly morning near Pescadero State Beach. As we bundled up and took Luna out of the truck, every ounce of her pedigree was oozing from her black furry body. She wanted to run, play, fetch and swim as a Lab does.
I stood on the side of the lake as my father-in-law tossed a duck decoy for her to retrieve. She tugged and writhed, eager to jump into the ice-cold water. "Luna!" he yelled and she was gone, baby, gone. Then we all cheered her on like proud parents as she doggy-paddled her way out to the middle of the lake and back to land, decoy in her mouth. She was visibly pleased with her actions, sopping wet and eager for more.
It was surreal and simply so cool to see Luna Lovegood running like a crazy dog, gracefully speeding through a field on strong legs. To see her splashing around like a baby who has just discovered the joys of a swimming pool. Her badges of honor, two scars on each hip from her TPO surgery, were the only signs that something had once been wrong.
In the water, she was perfect.
The boys are busy playing with their new Christmas stash from Santa (a list of favorites to come). As for mom and dad, we're enjoying the sound of giggles and little boy conversation. Pure peace and joy.
Merry Christmas from casa crazedparent!
(Card made with Pizzazil paper, Sprites floral embellishments and chipboard letters by, um, I have no idea. All the supplies were a present from my pal, Mrs. Geek!)
While yesterday (the 23rd) was Six's birthday, today is the birthday of my father in law. He's one cool cat. He hunts, fishes and dog trains like nobody's business (and he's a pretty awesome Gramps to Six and Q.). And while I'm not a big fan of the killing of ducks, I will gladly partake in the duck kabobs he grills up every season and usually on Christmas Eve.
Here's another secret about my father in law: he's a published writer. I think he wrote a recent story, called "A Dog Named %#$*?", just for me and my better half because it hit the presses shortly after we brought Luna home when she was a tiny six weeks old (you'll have to download the article from CWA and hopefully I don't get in trouble for posting it). The running joke is that he wants to take Luna from us because he'll need a new hunting dog soon. But I think by now he's figured out that she's too much of a diva. She'd be amazing in the duck blind, no question; this Lab is all about birds. It's the 5 am wake up call to crawl on the bed that would drive him nuts, especially when she sneaks her way up to your pillow and you find yourself snuggling with a 50-pound snoring dog.
But Luna goes doggy bonkers when she sees my father in law so it seemed fitting to dress her up for the birthday occasion.
So happy birthday, Gramps, from Birthday Luna and the rest of the crazedparent clan!
Walking pneumonia is exhausting. It's been nearly two weeks since it hit me and by the time the kids are in bed, I crumble and wilt. I've been told that I should feel back to normal in another week, but something tells me this thing called Christmas will manage to wear me to the bone.
Of course, it doesn't help that Q. is recovering from a double ear infection and a secondary virus that caused his throat to visibly swell, inflamed his tonsils and created pus pockets so he couldn't swallow. And a raging fever. But it was his snoring that sent us into an abyss of sleep deprivation for a week. The poor little guy was so congested that his snore could be heard across the house. At 3am he would cry every morning to come in our bed, hot with his fever, and he would proceed to fall asleep next us. And my god, the snoring nearly made me rip my ears off my head. There were several nights of sleeping on the couch, on the sofa bed, on the top bunk bed in the boys' room, while Q. took over our bed.
But we're much better now, after a week where Q. and I hibernated in casa crazedparent.
The beauty and gift of good health -- for me and my boys -- is something I thank my lucky stars for each and every day.
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Do you even remember the two pink HP Photo Memory Books I was giving away before Winter Sickfest hit? Congrats to Elisa and LuAnn -- email me your addresses and I'll pop them in the mail after the holiday frenzy.
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Do any of you watch General Hospital? Because now that I have outed myself as a YouTube GH junkie, I feel this need to soap dish. I know the vast majority of you could care less if Elizabeth and Jason have a secret romance or if the young Dr. Drake inseminates Dr. Scorpio (do it! do it!), but there has to be at least one reader who can help solve the mystery of the TM strangler (Coop is off my list. It's gotta' be that freak, Daniel).
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I found a new blog (or perhaps I am late to the party) through crafty gal Ali Edwards -- it's called Zen Habits and I am addicted. As soon as I get over my health woes, and I diving deep into Rising Early. Love this blog.
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Finally, if you want to know what this photo madness is all about, read this -- some holiday goofiness, crazedparent style.
