Getting Ready for the Heat

On Saturday I leave for five days. I'll be headed to Dallas, TX for my annual Mary Kay Seminar. Haven't missed one since 1992. Wow....my 15th one. The usual happens before any of my Mary Kay trips. I generally get more done in one day then I do in a week. (Proves to me how much we CAN accomplish when we have a goal and a deadline). Of course, the shoe shopping is a must....as my husband says, "Let me guess....black pumps?" It's a standing joke in our house...I need a shoe closet for just my black pumps. And, of course, finding the right gown to wear on stage. Usually I rotate gowns and just re-wear ones I've worn before. You guessed it....black ones...lol..But this year I bought two new gowns. One for my National's awards night and one for the Mary Kay awards night. I must have been feeling awfully special cuz I don't splurge like that. I'll splurge on my daughter but never on myself. My unit will be recognized in the Half Million Dollar Circle of Achievement and I'll stand on stage for about 5 minutes ( a huge 2000 square foot stage that resembles the Academy Awards stage) receive another walnut (or this year maybe cherry) plaque and a 4 carat diamond ring (only this year I'm taking the $4000 cash in lieu of the ring...I've earned 2 honking rings and this year's bling bling will be on my son's teeth instead...you guessed it...braces). It's humbling....cuz the first year we earned the right to receive such a beautiful prize it was ALL for me....the prize, the applause, the walk on stage....everything for me. This year, I really don't care. It's not about me....it's about my incredible unit members who will sit in the audience and say, "That's my director. I was a part of that." And then they'll spin their dreams of standing on a stage one day....and, somehow I know they'll make it happen.

It's also for my dad...for much of my life I've just wanted to make him proud of me. He laughed when I pulled up in his driveway in my first pink cadillac. I just wanted him to say how proud he was of me. He didn't to me.....but I know he did to many other people. Because they told me. I've always had a dream to sit on the Queen's throne at Seminar as the Queen of the Sapphire Division in Unit Sales.....I think I really just wanted to do that because when you do your whole family comes on stage and the company makes a big production of it. The person I wanted most standing on that stage with me was my father....just because I wanted to see the look of pride on his face when his little girl was crowned the queen. I'll never have that experience for real...but I will hold it in my heart. And, one day, when I am crowned the Queen of Unit Sales for the Sapphire Division I know my dad will know....I'll feel his presence and warmth and I'll receive that look of approval from him....I know I will....

Monday, Monday.....

Ba...da....ba da da da....Ba....da....ba da da da....you know the words....that's how I feel today. Now try getting that catchy tune out of your head. The Mamas and the papas summed it up....Monday, monday...can't trust that day.

Sometimes that's how Mondays are for me. Can't trust how I'll feel....especially after a relaxing weekend at the cabin, topped off by a day at the beach. It always takes me a while to just get going on Monday. And, here it is, already noon, I'm still in my pajamas and trying to find my purpose for the day. It's been that way a lot lately. Don't know if it's Dad's death, can't really put my finger on it. Maybe it's that "mid-life, peri-menopausal" thought process. Who knows? As for me, I guess I'll just have to go through the motions while I'm sifting it out.....yeah, just sifting and sorting it out.

Insanity, insanity!

Another eventful week in our household. This week we decided to add to the insanity by bringing in our dog. We have a black lab named Joe who is about 8 years old. He's been an outside dog all these years and we felt it was time to bring him in. First, of course, came a DEEP bath then the decision of where to put him. Well, his crate ended up on our 3 season porch and he has decided to confine himself to that room....never venturing out to the rest of the house. Until yesterday....he got brave and entered our family/kitchen area. That area has laminate floors and Joe doesn't like them. He's learned in the past few days to walk gingerly on them and is getting better at navigating from area rug to throw rug and back. Our two cats, Machito (Chito---he's NOT orange) and Tuxedo (he looks like a little man wearing a tuxedo, minus the bowtie) have also become braver. Chito is more daring of the two and he and Joe have even sniffed each other and walked around in circles with each other...like a little dance. Joe hasn't growled....I think he just got a little excited (actually a LOT excited) thinking that maybe he had a "partner". That's what happens when they're not neutered...lol. Tuxedo didn't get as close....maybe about 2 feet away...and when he did he got up on his hind paws and started batting at Joe. He looked like a little prize fighter....I laughed so hard!!

Now, Jake (our 11 year old) has the duty of morning and afternoon walks because he was the one that kept bugging us to bring him in the house. We've used the scare tactic that if he doesn't take him for a walk he's going to the humane society. I've never seen a little boy move so quickly.

So to add to our ever mad household we now have a man, a peri-menopausal woman, a menstrating teenage girl, a prepubescent boy, a testosterone-filled black lab and 2 neurotic cats. How's that for insanity?

Slow Down...I want to get off!

Another weekend whizzes by us. Not much time to sit and relax and enjoy the scenery. Had a very busy weekend. Started with heading over to Port Washington, WI (beautiful little town right on Lake Michigan) early Saturday for their annual celebration Fish Day. Scott's cousin and wife live there and we had a fun day, capped off with an awesome firework's display.

Then Sunday, our nephew had his 11th birthday party so we were in Watertown celebrating that event. Lots of friends and family there and because of the extreme heat and humidity most people sat in the air conditioning. Some brave souls ventured outside to play hillbilly golf. If you're looking for a fun game to play, easy to make, similar to horseshoes and bringing out the competitive spirit in people, then this game is for you. I watched as people just about got their necks wrung with the flying golfballs, but it sure was fun(ny) to watch.

Our oldest daughter wasn't with us for most of the weekend. Her boyfriend was returning from a two week band trip to Calgary, Alberta Canada and she just couldnt go another day without seeing him. So she spent the time with his family and then they reunited with us at the birthday party.

The weekend just whizzed by. Like a ride....slow down...I want to get off!

Get off the Road!!

Yesterday, Stefanie got her temporary license (temps). And I was the first to sit in the passenger's seat and let her chauffeur me around the neighborhood. She did well.....other than going left to turn right at times. Then in the evening Scott was more adventurous and let her hit our downtown and roads with 45 mph speed limit signs. He, I must admit is more daring, AND patient then me.

Her Uncle Paul remarked that Stef was beaming with pride when she came home after her drive with her Dad. Hhhmmm....brings back floods of memories. I, too, enjoyed driving with my dad more than my mom. He was calm, cool and collected (at least he made it look like that) and my mom was white-knuckling the door and slamming on her imaginary brakes all the time while she raised her voice a notch or two to let me know, in no uncertain terms, that I sucked as a new driver.....

Her temporary license picture is a great one. Big cheesy smile. Usually driver's license photos look like mug shots. The lady who took the picture remarked, "How could a girl this pretty ever take a bad photo?" She was right....

Back to Routine

Well...it's back to routine after Dad's death and funeral. The sympathy cards still come rolling in and I find myself very emotional as I read them. It seems final and yet it doesn't seem possible that Dad's gone.

Mom came into my office today (she's my office assistant). I told her she didn't have to, but she just felt like she wanted to do something ordinary instead of the atypical (which we've been doing). I said, "Great!" My office was in serious need of my bookkeeper. She balanced the checkbook that she couldn't balance right before Dad's recent decline. I knew it was bugging her. A bookkeeper for as many years as she was couldn't possibly get that off her mind. It was a sense of accomplishment for her today, I'm sure.

Then she said goodbye to Paul, Nicki and the little precious granddaughter, Kate. That was hard. She sobbed long and then quickly tried to compose herself. In a way...another loss...her only son and daughter-in-law and newest grandbaby heading two thirds of the way across the country back to their home in California. It will be a bit of time before she sees them again. I will definitely encourage her to visit often. It will be easier now, because Mom is spry and she won't have the extra work that it took with Dad in tow.

And, I'm back to my Mary Kay meeting tonight. Surrounded by my other "family". I have received oodles of cards and calls and emails from them. It's nice to be so loved and remembered. I can't wait to see them and yet I know it will be another vale of tears this evening.

Robert B. Gero (May 4, 1929 - July 3, 2006)

Well...the inevitable has arrived. My father passed away last night at around 11:15 PM central time. I was up at our cabin with my family. It was weird...I fell asleep watching Jay Leno. Scott turned the TV off. I woke up very abruptly at 11 and lay in bed unable to fall back to sleep. I now know why. At 11:18 PM my cell phone vibrated and I saw my sister Peggy on caller id. I knew...I answered the phone by saying, "Dad's gone, isn't he?" And, Peg said, "Dad's gone." I was okay on the phone and after we disconnected I laid in bed sobbing. Fortunately, Scott was there to comfort me and reassure me that Dad was in a better place. I know that. And I also know in a "blink of an eye" I will reunite with him.

Dad...I miss you already. You taught me much and loved me more. Enjoy heaven and the mansion God prepared for you.

You can read my sister and brother's blog entries as well.....