A Long Overdue Pot of Miscellany Stew

My friend Pam asked for a "Miscellany Stew" update. I like this fast paced update - it helps me not to get bogged down in details - which reminds me - to the person that asked, "Can you tell any story without going back to when God created Adam and Eve?" - the answer is YES! and here goes~

The extended family front: Mother is doing well as far as recuperating from lung cancer, but fell again and hurt her arm pretty badly. It required a visit to the emergency room - but she is better. Pop is having a few issues, but the biggest headache is how to keep all his girlfriends separated on Valentine's Day. My niece and her new husband bought a new house and their baby is due in April. My nephew got engaged to his long time girlfriend and we're very excited about that. My big brother's business is in the toilet and my little brother is hanging on to his job for dear life - all due to the economy. Tom's brother's family is well - getting ready for Tom's nephew to graduate from high school, and keeping up with his niece's softball schedule.

The boy front: Foster has been sick for almost a week. He had an abscess in a baby molar that we thought was the culprit, but turns out not to be the case. It's a "flu-like" virus. When something slows him down - we ALL pay attention. Trey made the varsity soccer team and is going through the trials of being the new young kid on the block - and the heartbreak of his best buddies being on the other team. He's having to make some tough choices, too. He plays the bass guitar for all the Auburn City School's choirs - (4 I think - not sure) and it is beginning to conflict with his soccer and other activities. He takes all of this overly seriously, and he/we are working through it. He gets his driver's license in 85 days. Both boys' grades are still good.

The Tom front: Tom is still taking golf lessons and practicing a lot. In all of our married life - 20 years - when he has stressful times - he takes up a hobby/skill to help him through. I should learn from that, huh? He has been working what amounts to two jobs since mid-summer or so. It's nice to finally see some of the fruit of his labor. Auburn University, UAB, Siemens Corp. and the State of Alabama are going to announce in the next few weeks that they have established the Siemens/MRI Research Center. That is if I haven't jinx it by announcing it here. Most everyone on campus knows about it, but there is still a lot of work to do before the official announcement is made. It's an amazingly big deal for him - I'm so proud of him I could burst. He deserves this. I can't get used to seeing him in a tie, though, and am over wrought with jealously because he'll have a parking place.

The Melissa front: If you don't know that I finished my Master of Public Administration degree in December, you must live under a rock. I've been shouting it from every roof top. It feels good to finish - it took 6 years. The job that I applied for didn't work out - it was excruciating to go through that interview process and come in second - I'd rather be last. I like the man who got the job, but it's still hard. That means I'm still doing the development work for Rural Studio. Of course I love the Rural Studio, the CADC, the School of Architecture, my colleagues are a hoot, but I'm tired of fighting the same battles for 7 years.

I am machine quilting most everyday. I love that I'm back into it. I plan a real life F2F every week with a person/friend I've neglected during my school. I read some fiction everyday - I feel like Stephanie Plum is a BFF - fun fun mind candy. I've been exercising to video tapes, which is hilarious - I love to laugh at myself. I'm biking some when the weather cooperates - thank you Cindy. I'm planning a 5K in April - thank you Tara. I've lost about 1/2 of the stress weight that I gained the last two years - my strategy is to eat less, move more and not obsess over it. My only "diet requirement" is to weigh myself on Monday mornings - THAT'S IT! I don't have a solid goal, I don't write anything down, I don't weigh any food- just eat less and move more. It feels good not to carry that obsession around with me anymore.


Other Miscellany: My BFF Kim Scarborough's son Will is in Boston at Children's Hospital having brain surgery on Monday. I'm in very close contact with her. She has handled the stress of this and of losing our other BFF in stride. When we lost Cindy, she and I have become so close. I can not wait for this ordeal to be over for her and for Will. I was a mentor for Ben Strickland for his confirmation into the Episcopal Church recently. I learned a lot about the Church, about Ben and about myself. It was a humbling experience. I've enjoyed getting back involved at church, too. I'm not missing school, yet.

OK, so maybe I DID go back to when God created Adam and Eve, but it's been a while~

I hope catch up with my Internet friends more often.

PEACE OUT.