Lazy

I've been a very lazy blogger, sadly it has been nearly a month since I last bothered to post. Now that I'm back in Delhi I'm hoping my life will settle into enough of a routine that I'll make the time to post a bit more often and that the differences in life here will inspire me.

For now, here is a song I loved at first listen and haven't gotten out of my head since, Holly Williams's "Alone"

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Present

I've had a couple of great conversations with friends in the past week about living life in the present and not falling into this trap:

"Life will be great / perfect / better when I (insert goal here - find a great guy, have kids, finish this project, get home from Delhi, etc.")

Living in the present is something I'm always striving to do, but I often need a reminder that some of my best memories are the ones that come from me surrendering and enjoying the journey and not being so focused on some destination.

As I drove home from dinner last night my trusty 3 Doors Down cd came on and a line from the first cut really hit a nerve with me - "I swear right now I'm right where I belong."

I realized that I may not know exactly where my life is headed or what else is around the bend, but I do know that I'm living the life I am supposed to right now - and I've resolved to enjoy it more for what it is and not spend so much time worried about what is next and how I'm going to get there.

Right Where I Belong - 3 Doors Down

If you want a little something else to ponder today, how about this line from the same song:

"There's a difference in spending time with me and killing time while I'm there."

Just a couple of reasons I love 3 Doors Down. Pin It

Toad

I'm holding down the fort at my parent's house while my dad has knee surgery and last night things got a little exciting.

I took the dogs out before putting them to bed so they could take care of business. After a minute or two, I noticed my dog, Sadie, had stopped to play with something, which I quickly realized was a toad. I started yelling at her trying to get her to leave it alone because it just seemed mean to play with the little toad that way. Of course I didn't go over and make her stop, I just stood and yelled - not because I'm lazy but because I have a thing about toads and didn't really want to get to close.

She finally listened and finished up her business. As she came in I started shaking my finger at her and telling her she was going to get warts if she played with toads. That's when I noticed she was foaming at the mouth. I tried to grab her, but since I'd just spent the last 5 minutes yelling at her she dashed off. I kept trying to grab her but finally called down to my brother J for help. I was starting to envision a very large vet bill in my future. As he walked up the stairs he asked me what she ate, I told him nothing that I knew of but that she'd been playing with a toad. He started to laugh.

Luckily he knew that toads emit something that causes their predators (like Sadie) to foam at the mouth and we just needed to wash her mouth out. He was able to catch her and soon she was foam free. I'm happy to report no lasting effects, aside from having a good story to tell.

Guys - if I have any male readers that is - don't take this song as a dig, I'm just posting it because how many other songs can you think of that include both frogs and dogs in them?

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Fourth

For the first time in years (I honestly can't remember how many) I got to spend the 4th of July with my family in my home town. We started the weekend at the the city park for a beautiful fireworks show Friday evening - I don't know that I've ever been that up close and personal with fireworks before.

Saturday morning the town firefighters kept up a long-time tradition of blasting us all of out bed with a series of explosions starting at 5:30. After sleeping in to make up for the early morning, we headed back down to the park for lunch, games and the races. For some of my photos of my adorable niece and nephew enjoying the 4th, see my sister's post.

Next up was the parade - we managed to snag one of the last empty spaces on main street - in front of the bar, I guess no one else wanted to be seen sitting there?

One of my favorite entries came from the local waste disposal company - when was the last time you saw guys dressed as garbage cans and port-a-potties in a parade?


But loyal girl that I am, the best float was the patriotic one pulled by my brother and his fiancee in their shiny Dodge, built by the people my dad and brother work with. And, yes, that is J filling up Miss M's candy supply the easy way.


During the fireworks on the 3rd they played an old Montgomery Gentry song, My Town, that gave me a warm fuzzy - mostly because it felt so good to be home with my family celebrating my country in my hometown.

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Adventure

As soon as I learned I was going to be an aunt to a little girl I started planning the adventures we were going to have together, and while Miss M is still to young for most of my plans, we did get to have our first adventure together last weekend.

Her mom bravely allowed me to take Miss M to grandma's house a day early for our 4th of July celebration. I know it isn't a huge adventure, just a 2 1/2 hour drive on our own, but once we got to Aurora we managed to make it memorable.



Grandma bought Miss M a swimming pool, so we asked grandpa to blow it up that night so we could play the next day. We even asked him to put some water in so the sun could start warming it up. That's where the fun really began. Miss M was out with grandpa watching him fill the pool and she quickly discovered how fun it was to splash around - we of course grabbed the camera and moved outside to watch.


Soon it became apparent she wasn't going to be satisfied just splashing. And quick thinking Uncle J and our new Aunt J added some warm water to the mix.


Now, if her mom had been around, I'm sure Miss M would have found herself in a swimsuit and a swimming diaper. But, we just sat back and enjoyed the spectacle of Miss M jumping in the pool fully dressed.
All of you parents out there probably know what happens when a baby swims in a regular diaper - but we're novices and we didn't know her diaper would grow and expand quite the way it did - this girl ended up with a serious badonkadonk.


Eventually the diaper was down to her knees and pulling her skirt down with it, so we just pulled it off and let her keep playing.


I can't wait for our next adventure!

Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison Pin It

Sad

I've been reminded today how many great song's Michael Jackson had, and what an important part they were in my life's soundtrack as a girl. It really is hard to pick a favorite but if I'm honest the one that I spent the most time listening to is fromf the Bad album - Dirty Diana.



I hope in the next life he can find a little peace. Pin It

Time

The time has finally arrived, in a few hours I'll head to the airport for the long journey home.  I love the feeling I get when I know I'm finally on my way home - the homecoming may be one of the reason I love to travel - you can't come home if you don't go away.

The trip home isn't easy:

• 2 hours or so at the Delhi airport - not my favorite place
• 15 1/2 hours on the plane from Delhi to Chicago
• a 5 hour lay-over in Chicago
• a 3 1/2 hour flight the rest of the way home

Add it up and that's 26 hours of travel and yet I get home about 12 hours later than I left - gotta love that time change.  The trip should give me plenty of time to read, listen to music and, hopefully catch up on a few movies (if there is anything decent playing on the plane.)

I've been listening to one of my favorite albums of the year today as I pack, Dido's "Safe Trip Home" it just seemed to be appropriate.  Here's a bit of one of my favorite songs - "Quiet Times:"

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Awkward

I wasted more time than I want to admit looking at Awkward Family Photos - but I couldn't stop laughing.

My favorite is a family the site calls the Bon Family - I think I might have gone to High School with this couple.


The name is obviously in honor of Bon Jovi, who thanks to an article I read today, I no longer need to be embarrassed to admit I love.

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Concerts

Thanks to Your Heart Out I got my hands on the line up for The Gallivan Center's 2009 Twilight Concert Series (it's in Salt Lake City for those of you outside of the great state of Utah.)

There are several acts I'd love to see - so this post is me searching for concert buddies.

I'll be in town and would love to see the following:

July 9 - Bon Iver & Jenny Lewis
July 23 - M. Ward & Land of Talk
July 30 - Sonic Youth & Awesome Color

A little something to tide you over til July.

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City

I loved the contradictions of the architecture in Dubai - some of the world's most beautiful modern architecture - including the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building, and buildings such as my hotel built with a more traditional Arabic feel. I love seeing the two styles exist side by side.

Dubai is a city known for its shopping so it is no surprise they also have the world's largest shopping mall. I spent a day trying to see the entire mall and wasn't successful - but I sure enjoyed the attempt.


Best of all I enjoyed coming back to my hotel and relaxing in my beautiful room with the giant tub and heavenly bed.


Dubai probably isn't a city I would travel all the way from the US to see - but since I'm already over here it was well worth a weekends visit. I have a feeling I'll return again a time or two over the next 18 months - the shopping really was amazing.

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