TOTAL RELAXATION, COOL BEVERAGES, GREAT FOOD, and CHOCOLATE!!!

Just got back from three full days of total bliss on a beautiful lake in Wisconsin. Hard to come back to reality and laundry. Our good friends B & J truly delight in sharing their cabin home in the woods with their friends and family - year round. We are very grateful for their warm hospitality and their willingness to indulge Mike and I in a few dozen games of 500. We all like to cook and try new recipes - during this three-day bonanza we tried at least three new recipes: New-Postmodern Polynesian Grilled Chicken, Roll-Your-Own Fish Tacos with choice of grilled beef strips, grilled chicken strips, grilled shrimp, or grilled Halibut and all the makings, and last but not in the least bit least - HOLLY'S HOLYCOW THESE ARE SINFULLY DELICIOUS BROWNIES (made with a layer of Rolo caramel candies in the middle, plus butterscotch chips and brownie mix, did I mention the stick of melted butter? We could have stayed in that position, in that lake, with those friends for hours upon hours that day - but alas, the beer ran out. Beauty of drinking while floating in a very large lake - you don't have to excuse yourself for the restroom! Happy summer everyone!

ERMA BOMBECK - She lives on in all of us!

IN honor of women's history month and in memory of Erma Bombeck who lost her
fight with cancer. Every time I hear anything or read anything about Erma Bombeck I think of my mom, my aunts, and all the women of the 'neighborhood' when I was growing up on East Main Street. Here's to all of those great women - and to all the great women in my life now!

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer)

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would
go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in
storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or
the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less
about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his
youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day
because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while
watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't
show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every
moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance
in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go
get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More
'I'm sorry's.'

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute. Look at it
and really see it...... live it and never give it back.
STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

“There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.” ~ Erma Bombeck ~

“I've exercised with women so thin that buzzards followed them to their cars.”
~ Erma Bombeck ~
And finally, this quote below which I just love - not from Erma, but good advice to follow just the same. We're only here for a short amount of time in this thing called life, might as well have some fun while we're here! Now go ahead, JUMP!

When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.”
~ Cynthia Heimel ~

OLD FRIENDSHIPS - revisited!

I just spent the most wonderful weekend in Galena, IL with seven classmates from high school! Yep, that's me second from the left! We rented a condo together in the Eagle Ridge Resort neighborhood (great for families if you're looking for a fun getaway!!) We all brought coolers full of indulgences, ie; beer, wine, cheesecake, seven-layer bars, chocolate orgasm-like bars, frozen daiquiri makings, and lots of other munchies that are really bad for us and we ate them all up with passion! HUGE passion.

My girlfriends from high school are the coolest bunch of women on the planet! Can't share what all we did during the weekend, let's just say it was a BLAST and that what happens in Galena, stays in Galena!

I came home with a new appreciation for long-term friendships. These gals have known me since I was about 4 yrs old in some cases, and others for at least 35-40 years now! There are very few secrets among us all and we shared sooooo many good times as we grew up, experienced the teen years together, and became mothers. I cherish these friendships more than ever before. I LOVE YOU SOWODS!!!!!

When I returned home I was exhausted and tried to take a nap on my daughter's bed. Here are just a few of the lines she shared with me as I lay resting and trying to catch a quick nap, "I can pull the skin down over my knee with my toes, mom, look" and "decorating with duct tape is fun, have you ever tried it? you should mom!" and "my legs are longer than your legs, hey let's measure them together and check it out again" and "smell this, it smells like a hamster cage mom" (a cedar storage trinket box), and "I wonder if hamsters think about who their siblings are?" and "have you always had these?" (pointing to the freckles on my arm). Suffice it to say, I did not get a catnap taken, bless her heart. I pulled my lazy self back up out of the bed and headed to the kitchen to re-live the weekend and made myself a cold strawberry daiquiri.

Headed out to the patio to find hubby and son making dinner!! Wonderful end to a super weekend! They made grilled Iowa ribeye steaks and grilled zucchini/vegetable fritters with salsa - they are great guys!