Today Callum and I leave for vacation to the happiest, magical place on Earth - Disneyworld.
This trip is just him and I and I am considering making it a tradition for the last week of August each year. He enjoys Disneyworld and a few of the rides that they have; the roller coaster and Dumbo, the elephant ride in the children's section. They now have a 7 Dwarfs roller coaster ride that is through the diamond mine so I am hoping that he will try that. He also likes the teacups in Fantasyworld and It's a Small World; and, in Tomorrowland the AstroOrbit.
I have bought a park hopper pass so that we can also go to Epcot Center and Animal Kingdom during the day and in the evening we can end with his absolute favorite, the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom.
Since I will be on vacation and Callum will be occupying ALL of my time - I will not be writing another blog until I come back. Enjoy.
When I moved into my home 10 years ago and I had it renovated I insisted on a jetted tub in the main bathroom - and I got it.
After my insistence on this little piece of luxury I have only used it about 15 times in the 10 years - you can consistently find me in the tub on New Year's Eve - my little ritual.
Callum takes a bath every time that he is here; but, this time he asked me to put on the jets - well he was in the tub for 45 minutes and 2 hours later he asked if he could take another bath.
Now I know that the money I spent on that tub will not go to waste - thank goodness for Callum who will put it to good use.
I have a companion for these past few days as Callum spends a few nights with me - what we enjoy doing together is simple errands.
I usually go to the grocery store every day and Callum is happy to join me, yesterday we also had to stop by the bank and he wanted to go to the bookstore. There is a large Barnes & Noble about a mile from my home and in the children's section they have a Thomas wooden board and he plays with the trains. Usually he also wants a chocolate cupcake.
I am looking forward to our traveling together - he is a great companion for a little guy.
Callum is here until Wednesday and we have a daily routine, get up, make the bed, I brush my teeth, take a shower, get dressed and then we go downstairs for breakfast.
Well yesterday morning he decided to tell me what he would like me to wear. I normally pull out my clothes the evening before and this week as I will be remote for the whole week I have capris and shorts with summer tops to wear. He saw an orange outfit ankle pants and a long sleeveless top and decided that is what I had to wear today.
He is a fashionista and loves clothing and wants to always look put together - and fortunately or unfortunately I feed into this need of his.
Callum and I will be leaving on Friday to spend a week at Disneyworld; his favorite vacation place.
This past weekend I went ahead and put our clothes together for our trip - bathing suits, extra clothes, suntan lotion, etc. On Friday morning I will collect all the electronics that he will need personal DVD player, iPad and the various connections I will need.
I am looking forward to this first vacation of just Callum and myself - it will be interesting to see how he will like it on his own terms doing what he wants to do.
Today would have been my mother's 79th birthday and few days go by that I do not think of her although she has been gone for 43 years.
I am my mother's daughter and child - as I have grown older I look more like her and less like my father. Not only is my body shape like hers; but, so are my mannerisms. I take care of myself and always have money available - I learned that from my mother who always stated, "there is nothing more embaressing than asking your husband for money to buy underwear". She impressed upon me to be independent, to embrace education, to give respect; but, also to expect it.
Family, the truth and honesty were tantamount in her life as was being neat and clean no matter how little you had in money or items. From her I take pride in keeping a clean home, always looking put together and that people can depend upon me - I am true to my word.
Mom, I always think of you and thank you for making me the woman I am.
On Thursday I received my new laptop - a Lenovo x240 Thinkpad - and I couldn't be happier.
Not only is it much lighter and helps me not carry a 20 pound briefcase; but, it is also extremely fast. I was getting used to my Lenovo T420 taking 5 to 7 minutes to boot up each morning and then I won't speak to how slow it was to do other work. I actually could type faster than the letters showed up on the screen.
I was fortunate that our policy is a laptop refresh every 3 years and I was due in June of this past year - I am also thankful that although the organization was looking to place a bulk order they went ahead and expedited mine through.
Much of this was done because I am taking Callum to Disneyworld at the end of next week and did not want to carry my 7 pound computer along with my iPad and the personal DVD player - this is much lighter and now it is not an issue.
Yes, I am on PTO or vacation; but, I also have to sign off on timesheets so that my staff can get paid - very important.
Why can't the road construction crew not adhere to the hours that they post?
I cannot tell you how many times I take longer to get to work because the cones have not been removed from the road on time. It happened yesterday morning on the Taconic State Parkway going southbound - it was backed up from the Bear Mountain to beyond Baldwin Road.
Two lanes were closed because they had not removed the cones - which by the way were supposed to be gone at 6AM in the morning. I left my house at 6:10 and did not get beyond the area about 7 miles from my home until 6:43.
It would be great if they could understand the impact they are having on all of us who expect to get to work on time and give ourselves plenty of time to do so - wish they would just do their jobs on time.
It is never a good time to have a cold - but it really is horrible to have one during the summer.
I knew Callum had a cold as I could hear him sniffling and when he coughed I could hear that his chest was congested. Why did I think I would not be susceptible? Sure enough I have had the sniffles and I have been blowing my nose - I have decided to take my trusty medication which always makes my sniffles go away at least during the day, Contact.
Callum at least has gone to the doctor and now has antibiotics that will help him with his sniffles and congestion - we will be back together on Sunday and I hope that we are both healthy by then.
My house has been Callumized - as you can see he has taken over the living room.
The vacuum cleaner never gets more usage than when Callum is spending the night - then the vacuum cleaner is in every room on the lower level including the sofa and loveseat to get rid of the corn muffin crumbs from all the furniture.
I am able to make my fitness steps because I am constantly up and down getting him something to drink, something to eat, the iPad, putting on a DVD for him or any myriad of requests that he has.
My issue is that because I am so OCD regarding how to keep my house clean I spend much time vacuuming, swiffering the floors, taking out garbage and washing dishes.
I will never be relaxed regarding my house looking messy as that it not how I like it to be - I would much rather be jumping up and down cleaning it after "Hurricane Callum".
I never go shopping on Monday mornings - usually because I was just there on Sunday so no need to stop by.
Yesterday though I had to go to the grocery store to pick up some things that Callum would need fr the next couple of days and next week. We picked up lots of milk and some other things - but - what I really noticed is that much older people are shopping on Monday morning.
They were taking their time going down the aisles and were going down the middle of the aisle instead of staying to the right; but, they were so kind to Callum who said "hello" to everyone he met at the market.
We got our errands done in record time - didn't matter to us who was out there grocery shopping.
Last night I began my annual ritual of having Callum with me for the next three weeks - camp is over and he needs to be watched until school begins again in September.
I am fortunate that I can work remotely and have advised my Manager that I need to watch Callum on the days that his parents work. That means for the next couple of weeks he will be with me beginning on Sunday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon. I will continue to attend conference calls, work on presentations and respond to emails - he will build his towers with his blocks, play on the iPad, watch "Max and Ruby" on my personal computer and watch his DVDs which he will want on the 'big TV'.
We enjoy our time together and after two weeks of his visiting me on the third week we will go to Disneyworld - just him and me - a new tradition.
It must be mating season for the deer - as they are now more apparent on the road and causing me to be more cautious and slow down.
Yesterday on my way home from the gym and errands on a road that we can do 55 mph I had to slow down very quickly as a deer jumped out of the woods and right in front of me on the road, jumped the median and kept on going.
I was glad that the person behind me was not right on my tail and did not hit me as I had to slow down very quickly.
This is the time of year that the deer are all over the roads and in the neighborhood - means that I have to be ever watchful.
I spent the $60 in reward coupons that I had from Pier 1 on four pumpkins for my fall decor.
I have been told by Ryan that I am a little pumpkin obsessed as throughout September until the end of November I have them scattered in every room of my house and even color coordinated. I have been lucky to find a purple pumpkin that goes into the spare bedroom and a blue one that is in the powder room. Several sit on the coffee table and the dining room table - setting the season.
So I was happy to buy 4 more for my collection that didn't cost me a dime!
It is not a phenomena that I am used to in New York, it is more something for a Caribbean island - one rain cloud.
I ran out to do some errands yesterday afternoon and there was only one semi dark cloud in the sky. Somehow I managed to always be under it and experienced the few rain drops that it had to deliver.
This phenomena is one I have only seen and experienced when I have been at a Caribbean island like Puerto Rico - I have actually walked on one side of the street and it isn't raining; but, on the other it is. The most beautiful thing is that there usually is a rainbow at the end of the dark cloud.
To experience that today is to be able to appreciate nature and all its wonder.
Yesterday I went ahead and used a gift certificate and added some of my own money for a nice treat - a hot stone massage.
I used to get a hot stone massage quite often; but, it has been awhile and I thought, "it's my birthday and I deserve this". I had a gift certificate that was given to me for Christmas a few years ago to the Elizabeth Arden salon. I booked my appointment and enjoyed someone working on my muscles for 50 minutes. It feels great to not have your shoulder muscles ache.
Every now and then it is good to take care of yourself and get 'pampered'.
Today is my birthday and I turn 59 - a number for me - as I don't know what 59 should be.
I remember what 59 was like for my aunts and my grandmother; but, I am not those women. I exercise, I eat right, I buy tailored clothing and jewelry. Nothing that my aunts or grandmother did. It was a different generation and for them 59 was old - they were looking forward to retirement and not doing much more with their lives.
That is not for me - I want to continue to have a successful and rewarding career, to travel and appreciate different countries, cultures and cuisine. To be there for special events in my nephew's lives.
All of this is possible - continue to just look at 59 as a number and not have it define you as an individual by society's standards.
This is not the way I want to start my day - with a headache as soon as I wake up.
I can't imagine what it is that causes me to wake up with a headache first thing in the morning - it makes it difficult to get motivated to start the day. The first thing I did was to check my blood pressure - was my BP elevated and that is why I had the headache? It was only 7AM - I usually don't have caffeine until 7:30 so it wasn't because I didn't have my first cup of coffee.
The best thing to do was have my breakfast, drink my BP pills with a large strong cup of coffee and relax to let the headache begin to subside.
This past weekend I took aqua Zumba on Saturday and then regular Zumba on Sunday. Saturday was no issue - Sunday a different story.
As you know a few weeks ago I managed to stress my right ankle a bit and it was fine, I could continue to walk and it didn't swell that much - just got back and blue. Generally it doesn't hurt until I do Zumba. Two weeks ago I realized I should have worn a brace to class and I didn't. Yesterday I didn't wear a brace either and realize as I was performing the various steps that I should have.
You are moving your legs a lot in dance steps, etc. and I could feel my ankle hurting as I did it. I know my ankle is strong; but, I want to ensure that I don't injure it further and for it to heal quickly.
I will need to remember to put that brace on next Sunday when I take Zumba or any time this week if I take any classes that has me moving my feet a lot.
I don't very often see a foreign film with subtitles; but, just about once a year there is a film on cable TV that I want to watch.
I saw one yesterday about the French revolution - it is a period of time that fascinates me as there doesn't seem to be a true rendering of Marie Antoinette. Was she really an evil individual who ran France to the ground or was she an innocent of the times?
My great great grandfather was a French marquis who left the country and went to the Caribbean islands and made a new life there. When I was in Paris I went to Versailles and was amazed at its largesse and how many people it must have taken to keep it in its shining state during its heyday.
There are times in history that each of us wish we new more about - the French revolution is one that I wouldn't mind becoming more educated on.
I managed to get some errands done yesterday and I am hoping it gives me time this weekend to focus on some work projects.
I know it is the weekend I should be relaxing and doing crazy things especially since it is the summer; but, it is supposed to rain which means that after I have been to the gym, grocery store I will be home for the rest of the day - housebound.
Good time to focus on a flowchart, standards and processes. If I can get a handle on this and out to everyone by Monday morning I will feel really good about the weekend.
My ultimate goal is to schedule more exercise into my schedule - doing this on the weekend will let me figure out how to workout during this week.
I know it is difficult to follow my train of thought; but, there is a method to my madness.
I am not sure if I am an anomaly or like most folks - I need to be alone to get work done.
I am one of those individuals who has a hard time thinking, developing or strategizing when I am in a crowd of folks. My creative juices really only start flowing when I am alone - I can be in a variety of places; the shower, in the car, walking through the grocery store - but, I am alone not listening to anyone speak to me.
I do my best work when I am in an office alone or I am working from home - do I need white noise - ABSOLUTELY - but none of it do I have to respond to. I can remember doing presentations once while listening to the Phantom of the Opera CD and my boss walking into my office to see what was going on.
So if you want something from me - the best thing is to let me be alone in my home to get it done.
