Random Ramblings

What a slow, lackluster week this has been so far. Thanks heavens for the rain this morning. Not only did our plants desperately crave the cool drink, but it also broke the monotony of the predictably hot, dry summer days. Sid and I dressed for a morning walk, opened the front door, saw the drizzle, and stepped out into the delightful wetness anyway. Refreshing!

I completed the Velvet series by Jude Devereaux on Monday (my second go around), about 4 handsome English knights and the women who capture their hearts. Sniff. I’ll miss my Montgomery men, and women for that matter, as well as the English countryside and the Scottish shores. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century on the wrong continent. I’ve never felt the magnetism of the American Dream. I’ve never felt driven by career aspirations or an accumulation of wealth to buy bigger better things (don’t get me wrong – I would love to be rich, but only so we could travel the world without hesitation), and until very recently, I felt lost and off course, as if not wanting a career meant I had no place.

It dawned on me that I simply connect more with a “European Dream” philosophy. If you believe this makes me un-American, so be it, but I AM proud to be American. I simply admire a work-to-live vs. a live-to-work mentality, and cultures with passion for great food, beautiful art, history, and exploration. I’ll never find my purpose in the arms of a career, and I’ve learned to stop looking for it there. I thank God for those who DO find purpose in their professions – doctors, engineers, teachers, veterinarians, scientists. Where in the world would be without those people? I’ve just learned, finally, to stop beating myself up for not being one of them. Sid and I have discussed, many times, selling our house and cars and traveling the world until the money ran out. We’re still young and childless, so you never know!

Wow…from Jude Devereaux to my life philosophy. How did that happen?

Introducing Ryan Walker

Ryan Walker, all 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and 22 inches of him, entered the world on July 25 while a waiting room full of cousins, Moms, Dads, sisters, aunts and uncles waited on pins and needles for his arrival. I'm not sure who was more excited - Cindy, who had to endure a summer pregnancy with Houston heat and humidity (not that I ever heard her complain), or Makenzie, sporting her "Big Sister" t-shirt, and chanting "I can't wait to see the baby!" over and over as her Daddy rushed down the hall to get her. When they embraced, she hollered, "I want him, I want him!" Mommy and Daddy thought Makenzie should have baby brother all to herself for a few minutes before the mob rushed in and demanded face time with baby Ryan.

The "mob" entered the room to a most precious sight - Cindy and Makenzie snuggled in the hospital bed with baby Ryan held protectively in his big sister's arms. Kenzie's oohs and ahhs were followed by her announcement that Ryan was only wearing a diaper, and asking Mommy when he was going to get some clothes on. As the adults chattered about labor and epidurals, Makenzie quietly introduced Ryan to her cousin and best friend, Lane, "This is your little boy cousin, Lane. He's already zero." When baby Ryan began to "talk" to Makenzie, still snuggled in her little arms, everyone's eyes were on her asking the same silly question, "He's talking to you, Ken Ken. What's he saying?" She looked up at Mommy with a puzzled, slightly irritated expression and responded with all the sass she could muster, "I don't know!"

Makenzie finally decided she was ready to share and asked her older cousin, Haley, if she wanted to hold him. She looked up at her Mommy and reassured her, "She'll be okay, Mommy" (meaning that Haley could be trusted with the precious cargo). It was a precious day and we were all blessed to be in the presence of God's miracle.

Sweet Waiting Room Moments:

1. Makenzie to cousin Lane: God is my friend. He loves me. Do you see him up there? (she points out the window to the sky) He's sitting on top of the sun.

2. Lane, spoken quietly to his Mommy at least a dozen times: When am I gonna see that baby? I want to meet that baby."

3. I have Makenzie on video at least three times over the last couple of years claiming that she is going to marry Jaden, a boy from her school. In the waiting room, while fighting for control of the chair she's sharing with Lane, Makenzie demands that we all hum the wedding march. Nana asks her, "Aren't you gonna marry Jaden?" Makenzie responds with a huge grin, "Yeeeeeeessss. He wanted to marry me, and he asked his Momma." Pawpaw replies, "If he had to ask his momma, you don't want to marry him."

To Blog or Not to Blog

I feel a compelling urge to blog tonight, but I have nothing significant to share. Goody for you!

I drove to Fort Worth this morning to deliver product to FEMA. Wow, did I feel like an idiot. I had specific, dummy-proof instructions for locating the one warehouse I needed and still managed to get lost. Several men in Homeland Security trucks must've worried I was Osama Bin Ladin on the loose, the way they were eyeing me as I drove up and down the various parking lots. I suppose it could have been my striking beauty that turned their heads... no, I'm pretty sure I just looked like a nutcase. Finally a nice man stopped to help me, and with his baby steps, I found where I needed to be.

I walked 2.5 miles tonight and for half the walk, I swear I was being hunted. I kept hearing gunshots over the music blaring in my headphones - at least a dozen shots. Surely, the blasts were either from a farmer's gun on a critter hunt or a bratty kid popping leftover July 4th fireworks, but it was rather alarming. The oddest part is that even though there was a tiny possibility I was being tracked by a crazed gunman thirsty for my blood, I refused to show any sign of fear. Why? I have no idea! I kept trying to play it totally cool, as I subtly picked up the pace, throwing casual glances over my shoulder. I guess deep down I knew the odds that a demented, rifle toting, madman was loose on the streets of our quiet little town were pretty slim. (you should read the police reports they post weekly in the paper. My favorite? "a pack of wild dogs reported on the loose, vandalizing and knocking over trash cans"). So even though the most dangerous gang in town is a pack of stray dogs, I hope I excerise a tad more caution the next time gunfire rings out.

Over and Out.

I Hate Giselle

I am going to toot my own horn, and you are going to listen. If I weighed 120 pounds and looked like Giselle, my boasting would be completely inappropriate and worthy of your hatred. But…sigh…I don’t look anything like Giselle. Yet. (I'm considering posting photos of her on the fridge, the mirrors, the front door with post it note messages like, "Would Giselle eat that?" and "Would Giselle skip her workout?"....Sid would LOVE that!)

When it comes to trips, I am notorious for taking a highly successful routine, crumbling it into a tiny ball, rolling down the window, and tossing it into the open air as my wicked laugh echoes for miles and miles. Sid and I love to pig out on road trips, popping M&Ms and gulping Dr. Peppers like two starving bums who just robbed a convenience store. This time, however, we hit the road prepared with a bag of guilt free snacks (beef jerky, Triscuits, 100 calorie snack bags) and bottled water. And, we made a pact and sealed it with blood (not really) that we would exercise. I’m proud to say that we walked every night, except one, and I even took Bear Bear on a hike the morning we left my parent’s house. Yea me! I shall await your praise and adoration.

All that being said, I managed to lose one whole pound last week, for a grand loss of 11 pounds in about 4 weeks. It’s not much, but considering the old Leigh likely would have gained one pound, I feel as though my health goals were solidified. I'm now 999,999 steps away from becoming Giselle's twin.

Sometimes You Wake up on the Wrong Side of the Bed

Jury duty was a drag. I arrived promptly at 8:30, found my chair, and the waiting game began. Just as soon as I become immersed in my book, they turned on CNN and cranked the volume. Is there a more obnoxious news program on TV? If so, please don't tell me. I couldn't endure it long enough for a test. The journalists are so pompous and phony, they nearly drove me to madness, but maybe being stuck in a room with 300 people with a ginormous tv screen and blaring sound had something to do with it. I don't watch the news (I do, however, check the Dallas news online daily). It's not that I'm unconcerned with worldly affairs, it's that I truly believe the media is the spawn of the devil. If there is something I need to know, my dear husband will fill me in, because he loves the news. After three hours, I was dismissed from jury duty. Hooray for me.

I went to Chick Fil A on my way home and ordered a grilled chicken club with no tomatoes and a fruit cup instead of fries. I waited a million minutes to exit the parking lot, opened my bag, reached for the delicious sandwich that awaited me, and it was a chargrilled chicken sandwich WITH tomatoes (not SO bad, considering I order it about every 3rd time I go to Chick Fil A) and fries instead of the fruit I was craving. Sigh. The traffic in Mckinney was too horrendous to turn around so I threw half the fries out the window so I wouldn't be tempted to eat them and ate my lunch as I drove home.


Since I still have no internet at home, I grabbed my laptop and my package for Marie (Twilight is on it's way, Marie!) and drove to the Post Office in town. Naturally, they were closed for lunch! Have you ever heard of a Post Office that closes for lunch? I continued my journey to Starbucks and thank heavens my favorite orange chair sat empty and ready for my butt to fill it. Now, to further add fuel to my growing irritation, the lady behind the counter is laughing hysterically every five seconds and it has to be the most annoying sound known to man. And, about five minutes ago, a very chipper woman asked if she could sit in the chair right beside mine (do I look like the chair police? Who would say no to such a request??) so I smiled graciously and told her to help herself, making a mental note of the "crazy" in her eyes. Ever since, she has been staring at me and I can tell she is dying to start a conversation. Normally, I would have no problem sharing in a little meaningless chatter, but not today, my friends. Not today.


So, the little grump completes her tale. Sometimes you just wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

Happenings

I'm typing tonight from "my" room at my parent's new house. Sid and I drove down on Wednesday because he had to visit the San Antonio and Austin branches for work and I thought it would be fun to tag along. While Sid worked and slaved during the day, Mom and I shopped, lunched, visited with Granny, and lounged on the back porch. Paul babysat the dogs for us while we were out and about, and he even fenced in a little yard for them. Sid is heading to his parent's house tomorrow so he can visit the Houston branch for work, and I'll drive back to Dallas because I have jury duty. Oh joy. I missed the first date (shame on me) and if I miss the second, I will be hanged in the town square, or maybe it was just a fine. I don't remember.

Because Sid had to haul a trailer anyway to pick up a Jeep he bought from his Dad, we decided to tow my Jeep so that I could drive home instead of fly. Why, you might ask? Because I didn't want to pay $130 for a one way plane ticket, beg one of my friends to pick me up at the airport, and pay $150 to board two dogs. Now I'm only out about $80 in fuel for the drive home.

It's been a fabulous visit, and I hate to go home to an empty house (hmmm, Mom taught me never to let on that I'm home alone, so be warned: we are heavily armed, have two vicious attack dogs and a high tech security system). BUT...things to look forward to: baby Ryan will be born next Friday so Sid and I will drive down Thursday to The Woodlands, of course! And we have a date with Colin and Amanda to see the Dark Knight, probably next Saturday. And, Breaking Dawn is released in two weeks! Yah!

Nighty Night.

Music Is Medicine

I could never survive without music. My ridiculously talented stepbrother, Sam, is studying to be a Music Therapist and I wholeheartedly believe in his mission. One application is working with Hospice patients - developing a personal music program to help them cope with pain and death. We've all experienced the power of a song, heard tales of people being awakened from a coma by their favorite song playing in the room, or felt a beautiful hymn draw us closer to our God. Music is medicine, no doubt about it.

I feel silly after typing all of that, because I intended to simply add a list of my favorite bands and now it seems trivial! Oh well. As I've written before, I love Napster with my whole heart. I will spend hours listening to my favorite songs and exploring new music and artists I've never heard of. I could never stay committed to a workout program without having music flowing in my ears.


Here are my top five new (new to ME) bands with a tiny excerpt of some of my favorite lyrics:

1. Muse - these guys are genius. The combine electronica, alternative, hard rock, progressive rock and classical music into mesmerizing melodies that blow me away.

"Tip toe to your room, A starlight in the gloom. I only dream of you and you never knew. Sing for absolution - I will be singing, and falling from your grace."


2. My Chemical Romance - I like the new stuff. Their old stuff sounds like utter choas to my little ears, like they hadn't quite figured out who they wanted to be and were learning as they go. The new stuff is incredible. These dudes keep me pumped up during workouts, even when it's 100 degrees outside.

"Now come one, come all to this tragic affair. Wipe off that make-up-what's in it's despair. So throw on the black dress, mix in with the lot. You might wake up and notice you're someone you're not. "

3. Carolina Liar - You have to hear them to understand. I can't really put a label on them. They have that delicious British sound with a dash of 80's rock. I love the sound, I love the lyrics, I love them, period.

"Sunlight creeps in between the curtains. Lose the sheets, there’s no time for sleep. I lie, I pretend ‘til I’m almost certain, it’s a beautiful world"

4. Keane - I adore this British piano rock band. Their music is hypnotizing and beautiful.

"Say a word or two to brighten my day. Do you think that you could see your way to lay yourself down? And make it so, but you don't want to know. You take much more than I'd ever ask for."

5. Travis - I was drawn to this Scottish alternative group immediately, and apparently, Sid was too. I asked him yesterday if he wanted me to add any songs to my S-pod for our upcoming roadtrip, and he said, "If you like Carolina Liar, check out Travis, especially the song 'Side.' I laughed, pushed a few buttons on the S-pod, which was faithfully plugged into my car stereo, and his song oozed out of the speakers. We jammed all the way home.

"We all try hard to live our lives in harmony, for fear of falling swiftly overboard. But life is both a major and a minor key, just open up the chord, ahhhhh...."

Heroes Come in Tiny Packages

I lounged on my sofa this morning, digging through my purse, when I spotted my spare Jeep key resting at the bottom of the bag. Normally, I wouldn't give this a second thought, but I never know where my spare key is and I was comforted that it lay in waiting for the day I would summon it for my rescue.

I loaded all my daily essentials in the Jeep moments later (laptop, purse, S-pod, cell phone, hairbrush, checks to deposit, lipgloss, gum), turned the key in the ignition, cranked the AC to full blast and walked to the back driver side door to retrieve something from the backseat. I turned back to my driver door, reached for the handle, and.....it was LOCKED! All the doors were locked! My Jeep was running, the AC taunted me with it’s cold breeze, my purse (with the spare key snuggled in the bottom, primed and ready for a gallant rescue) gave me a smug stare. What do I do? I'm locked out of my house and my Jeep. My cell phone is unreachable. It's a million and one degrees outside and I will surely melt. Ahhh!!!!

A lightbulb appeared over my head. I can crawl in the back window by unzipping the soft top! Naturally, the zipper is stuck from layers of dirt and dust and with the giant spare tire in the way, access is even more limited. Only an elf or a petite human could fit. The lightbulb appears again! My precious teenage neighbor is tiny and would certainly fit! I knock on the door, and ask her mom, Amy, if Katy is home. I am suddenly flooded with a billion childhood memories of knocking on doors, begging for so-and-so to come out and play. I try not to laugh out loud as Amy attempts to conceal her confusion and quickly explain my predicament. Amy stirs Katy from her deep summer slumber, and she cheerfully follows me to the Jeep (I told you she was precious). Katy gracefully climbs through the tiny opening of the back soft top window, and I contain a giggle as I imagine my attempt of this task. In 10 seconds, she has the doors unlocked and is standing next to me.

My tiny, angel neighbor saved my day! She's a hero, I tell you!

Weekend Happenings

I lost two pounds this week, for a total of 10 pounds lost. I gained a couple of pounds over the past two weeks when I started working out, but I persevered, with support from my friends and family, who promised that things would get back on track. Sid is walking with me now. I banned him at first, because normally I'm distracted by a walking partner, preferring to let my music transport me to another planet while my body moves along. He has been so great, though. My stumpy legs have to shift into overdrive to keep up with his long stride, and when I get tired, he demands that I keep going. We are up to three miles, 5 times per week. I think we could go further, but the hills are challenging.



I had such a great weekend. I spent Friday afternoon with Stacey on a shopping expedition. We hit up Stonebriar Mall, Barnes and Noble, Target and Sam Moon. She made me try sushi for the first time, and it was scrumptious. The hardest part was mastering chopsticks. I felt like an insecure child as Stacey offered encouragements like, "You're doing great! Good job! That's the spirit, kiddo (okay, I made that last one up)." We witnessed a lady nearly choking to death and the stranger beside her who lifted her up and performed the heimlich. The strangest thing was that the lady went back to chatting with her daughter and the man resumed eating his meal like nothing had happened. I would have smothered the man with hugs and hollered things like, "Give this man a round of applause. He saved my life! A hero is in our midst!" Oh well. I guess that only happens in the movies.



Friday night, we went to Colin and Amanda's to watch Batman Begins in preparation for the release of Dark Knight. I LOVED it! Our supplemental dialogue didn't hurt, especially Colin who I swear must sit up at night rehearsing halrious things to say. No one can be that witty on the spot, unless he or she was trained as a Magnet Mannequin (inside joke). They have two adorable daschunds, Zoe and Charlie, who kept me in stiches all night. Zoe has a unique obsession - light. Her parent's scarred her for life as a puppy by teasing her with a laser pointer. Now, whenever she sees anything shiny, she flips out. Amanda says that even opening a DVD case is enough for her to relapse, because she sees the glimmer from the mirrored finish. Zoe also likes to drag herself across the floor like a total spaz, and walk right up to the wall just to sit and stare at it. She is precious. Charlie is equally precious, minus the mental illness.

Saturday night we met Scott and Stacey at Trulucks in Southlake to stuff our faces full of seafood in celebration of Scott turning a year older. Yummmmmy!

Randomness

In case any of you have been waiting on pins and needles for my review of The Host, rest easy - I finished up a few days ago. If Stephenie Meyer is not the most remarkable author of the decade, I don't know who is, and I challenge you to a debate that you will surely lose because you have obviously ignored my demands to read her work. Like her Twilight series, Meyer writes The Host from a first person perspective, letting the story and the characters reveal themselves to us and making us active participants in her story. I won't comment any further on the book because I would hate to give anything away, but it's on the top of my recommended reading list right under the Twilight series.

My computer is still internet-less, with the exception of our time together at Starbucks. The computer doctor told me my wireless card was on the fritz, but he's an idiot because obviously I'm on the internet now at Starbucks, and it's certainly not my laptop's love of cafeinated beverages that does the trick. I know a call to Dell Support will cure my computer woes, but who wants to spend hours on the phone with a technician who will no doubt treat me like I've never touched a computer. "Do you see that big button on the top of your keyboard? That's the power button. Press it real hard until lights come on in your screen." Ugh. I've always been able to self-diagnose my computer problems until now, and it's extremely annoying.

I'm still staying diet-strong these days, but I don't know why I bother. The scale is barely budging. I'm eating healthy, I'm working out every day, my clothes are fitting looser, but the scale is as stubborn as I am. My brain tells me, "Chill out, chubbs. If your clothes are loose, you're burning fat and adding muscle," but my heart says, " If I'm doing such a good job, why doesn't the stupid scale get the freaking memo? And, who the heck are you calling chubbs?" Regardless, I will keep marching on. My goal is to lose 25 pounds by Labor Day, and I still have 8 weeks to lose about 15 pounds - totally doable.

That's all for now!

Update

I finally updated my Photo Blog.

Diet Update

Ugh. I walked 6 days last week. I ate healthy. I splurged on July 4th, but nothing outrageous. I walked twice on Sunday to make up for my July 4th cheating. I didn't lose a single pound this week. I tell myself that muscle weighs more than fat. And I know that I've been sort of starving myself, thinking I would lose weight faster, and that is only slowing my metabolism. Yada yada yada. If I don't lose any weight this week, I will morph into a demon woman.

Distractions

If you haven't read Twilight, then no doubt you think I'm insane, obsessive, annoying or, most likely, all of the above. To all of you who share this sentiment, I urge you to open your eyes. Your sisters, friends, daughters, mothers, cashiers (my friend Amanda and I both spent 10 minutes discussing the book with our Target cashiers...on the same day...in separate stores), and wives are reading this book and falling in love with fictional heroes. Men, you have big shoes to fill. Ladies, a line has already formed, millions in number, behind our beloved Edward...the longer you wait, the less likely he will ever love you back.


If you HAVE been enlightened (no, this is not hyperbole), you completely empathize with the Edward/Jacob/Bella withdrawals I am experiencing because you, my dear friend, are feeling them too. Book number 4 won't be released for 30 days. How do we cope? How do we fill our days and nights? Does Edward miss us as much as we miss him? Ahhh...what I need is a distraction.


Like a gift from God, Stephenie Meyer released The Host, her first adult book, which I started reading this afternoon. It's supposed to be an incredible science fiction romance like none of us have ever seen (actually, I must admit I never dreamed books of this genre existed, much less seen or read one). To quote a review, The Host is "a startling and addictive Invasion of the Body Snatchers alien fest for the 21st century....an epic story of love, family and loyalty. The novel has that element required of all human-vs.-predator dramas — a ragtag group of rebels who have somehow evaded the aliens." The key words: addictive, epic love story. Just what I need to fill the Twilight void.