This, that, and the other

• I've learned that there is such a thing as a Cadbury Egg McFlurry. Except they aren't in the US. But they're in New Zealand... Whoot!
• C-man is home from school because he doesn't feel well. No fever, but general crummies.
• The snow is coming tonight. Boo. I thought we were over that.
• Sigh. Monday.

Another character builder

We went to Menasha today. He lost all three and got a giant shiner in the process. Well, not so much a shiner as a giant face bruise. It was tough. It was character building. He learned a lot. And now, we get ready for Monday.

Doing the stuff to make it happen

It's a lovely Saturday. We took a nice walk. The laundry is done. The house is picked up. Beasley has been run. C-man has his new contacts and glasses ordered. You know, the good stuff that it takes in order for the rest of life to happen. And happen it does. Tomorrow, we're at a tournament in Menasha. And it's old school - with legit weigh-ins by 8:15. Ugh. It's going to be an early one. Until then, I'm going to enjoy the sunshine and laziness that is this day.

Finding Focus

I feel like I've lost my focus. Or maybe it's just lack of sleep... Come on, Friday...

Another day of stuff

• I passed my health exam at work today to earn a $500 credit on my insurance.
• Their scale weighed 3 pounds heavy. I know this, because C-man compares the official wrestling scales to ours weekly.
• Due to Lent, I'm not eating sweets. I've lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks.
• I am craving sweets hard, though. I mean, Scrooge McDuck swimming through a room of Cadbury Eggs hard.
• C-man is going to be a National as his baseball team this year. He wasn't happy because he didn't know anyone. But now, of course, he has learned he knows about half the team.
• Did we ever have any doubt?
• He is going to miss a couple of practices due to wrestling overlap. And then there's Spring Break. Oh well.
• Did I mention he's registered for football already, too?
• Still no official word on our place in Fiji. It sounds like the death toll continues to rise and electricity is sporadic. This could be interesting.

And it's Tuesday again

• So I was sleepwalking Monday night. I've never done that before. I'm blaming the Advil PM. Also never doing that again.
• Even thought I went to bed early last night, I am exhausted. I don't know what's going on with me, but I find it incredibly irritating.
• I learned last night what the Cement Mixer move is. So did C-man. On me. I'm just not cut out to be a wrestling mom/dummy.
• I was looking at my wrestling photos of this year vs last year. They are much better. The improved camera and a year's worth of experience to know what I'm looking for has really helped.
• This weekend is another wrestling-free weekend. Ri-ight. We're heading to Menasha on Sunday.
• The hotel we're supposed to stay at in Fiji is open, but with some limited services. Apparently one of those services is power, which is currently intermittent on the island.
• It feels kind of selfish to hope it doesn't affect our posh vacation after 29 people died and the island was leveled. But I really hope it doesn't affect our posh vacation too much.
• And with that, it's time for another cup of coffee.

3 Wins For First

What a difference a year makes. Last year, we went to Slinger, and C-man lost all his matches. He was so upset, I couldn't get him to stand on the podium. We agreed it would be our first and last time doing that. This year, he won all his matches, even finally beating a kid who has beaten him twice this year. (Decision 8-3, Fall at 1:46, Decision 4-3) I'm all for building character, but holy balls, this kid (and we) really needed this day.

82 piles of poo

Today's that day when the Mother Nature turns the page on Winter and gives you that brief assurance that Spring really is coming. But it's also a day that is pretty awful in the land of the arthritic. Which means it's a good thing that it's Saturday so I can do things at a slow pace - like pick up the dog poo post-Winter freeze, sort through my socks, and watch an episode or two on Netflix. But it doesn't change the pain or the depression that comes with it. I hate that part of the pain - the depression taht I know is irrational and inflammation-induced that I just can't escape.

And tomorrow, we're back to wrestling in Slinger.

Part 4 of a 5 part series

4 down. One more to go. My hairs are getting colored tonight. My life is glamorous.

Wordless Swimming

Day 2 of a 5 Part Series

These February winters sure do get long...

Bust

So we spent Valentines Day at a wrestling tournament in Mukwonago. C-man got so nervous he wouldn't eat. By the afternoon, when it came time to wrestle, he was an exhausted, emotional mess. At one point, he was talking to a friend and just started crying for no reason. He had a legitimate bid to win it all with this bracket (since he'd beaten several of the kids there in previous tournaments), and instead lost every single one in what was by far the worst I've ever seen him wrestle. It was a day fraught with learning, for sure - about nerves, eating, being too cocky, and not giving up.

Then we went out to eat after, and it ended up taking 2.5 hours with bad food. Apparently it was the server's first day, and there was no cook on site for the first 45 minutes. And then it took forever to get home because of the sleet.What a total bust of a day.

And now, the week.

Looking for Light

Successful photography is about knowing aperture and settings and cameras and lenses. But really, I think it's mostly about the light - looking at where it is coming from, going to, and highlighting. Or even where it isn't - what it's hiding or taking away. I think it's a big reason why I find photography as a hobby to be so calming - because I'm always composing shots in my head of feelings. And I'm always looking for the light.

I point this out, because it feels like things are a bit dark around my world lately. Sickness, death, sadness, cold wintry weather... And I really like thinking about the lighter things. Where there's hope. Sigh... I like looking for the light.

Thursday Thirteen

1. C-man has dealt with a lot of death and dying lately. As if we ever needed a reminder to live in the moment...
2. Beerman is home again. Sick, but home again.
3. I haven't gotten C-man a Valentines gift yet. He doesn't want sweets due to Lent and weight. And the Google Cardboard I ordered won't be in on time. Does going to Mukwonago and sitting at a wrestling tournament count?
4. He's wanted a wrestling sweatshirt. Hopefully a vendor there will have his size.
5. I've given up sweets for Lent, too. Man, I hate when Valentines Day falls in Lent.
6. This whole finding evidence of gravitational waves thing is amazing, and I've been dorking out all day about it.
7. Today is a really high pain day. It really sucks.
8. I've been avoiding the gym in favor of doing Daily Burn, but maybe I need a trip to the steam shower tonight.
9. Tomorrow is the last week of ski club for C-man. Hard to believe, and awesome at the same time.
10. I got a new luggage set ordered today. This trip is coming, people!
11. Speaking of which, we should probably pay for the rest of it.
12. I don't talk about him or refer to him on social media because I think that just gives the movement ammunition. And it irritates me when people do. But THIS was great.
13. It's Friday Eve. Now that's something to be happy about.

So there's all this stuff

• I got C-man's Valentines all ready. And then I realized I didn't know when he was having a Valentines party. I don't think he's going to have one. Seriously.
• I've been trying to register my new lens for warranty. Of course, the site shuts down in the middle. I'm calling conspiracy.
• I finished The Man Called Ove. If you haven't read it, stop what you're doing and go do it. Now. I totally get Ove.
• Since it's Ash Wednesday, it's also sweet give up day. This shouldn't be as hard as it is. I'm an addict.
• Beerman comes home tonight. This state of constantly him being gone has gotten routine and old all at the same time.
• And we are one day closer to Spring Break...

Ten Things

1. I feel the need to do something extraordinary. Except then I realize that takes effort.
2. I think I may have diagnosed why I live in mediocrity.
3. It's Fat Tuesday. Someone brought in paczkis. Except they are just plain, regular old jelly donuts. There is no lard. Or raisins. Those are not paczkis.
4. However, it didn't stop me from pounding 2 of them.
5. I'm giving up sweets for Lent. Ugh. Lent.
6. I'm hoping I'll also give up gaining weight, because this turning 40 thing sucks.
7. C-man got a really great report card this quarter.
8. Except for the B in Social Studies. Seriously, a B in Social Studies? My heart weeped.
9. Although, I think I saw Beerman gloat at the Science A.
10. My new lens arrived yesterday. I'm back in business people!

Mom Goggles

C has repeatedly told me to remove my Mom Goggles when talking to him. ("Mom, I lost. That's not something to be proud of.") And of course, those goggles are firmly on. I absolutely know this. In spite of that, I have found myself so impressed with his resilience and perseverance lately. He willingly throws himself out there into the world, knowing he may get his ass kicked. And then willingly gets up and does it all over again the next day. It makes me a little embarrassed at how quickly I give up on things sometimes. I really hope he doesn't ever lose that drive, because it is truly something special.

Character building

C decided he wanted to go to De Pere to wrestle today. It was a tough bracket. His first match, he was tied 4-4 until about 3 seconds left. The kid scored 2 points with a reversal to beat him. We know they'll be in a tournament together next weekend, so there's always another shot.

He got stuck in his second match by a kid who was a state champion last year.

And in his final match, he lost 9-1, but went all three periods - the only kid today to do so with this opponent.

Character building, for sure. He's exhausted and disappointed. But he worked so hard, I think he'll be proud of his day before too long. That fourth place award may never see the light of day, though. But then again, that's okay too.

It's here

It's Friday. I actually made it. I'm hoping to clean up the house tonight while the child is at ski club so I don't have to worry about it on Sunday. I really live a glamorous life these days. TGIF.

Almost there

Holy Tired, Batman. It's like I haven't gotten any sleep at all. Come on, 5 p.m. Friday. I really, really need you.

Randomness

We're heading to De Pere on Saturday for C-man to wrestle. Good Lord. And here I thought I was in the clear. I can hardly fault the kid for wanting to get out there, though. I wouldn't last 12 seconds before giving up, and he wants to drive two hours to go compete.

The auto focus motor on my favorite lens quit working. I then learned it'd cost me only a wee more to buy a new one than fix the existing one. Damn.

Valentines Day is coming up. Double damn. I've got to get things organized. When asking C-man what he wanted to do, he wanted to repeat the honey sticks from last year. I can't believe I have to buy honey...

How is it not Friday yet?

Ten Things on Tuesday

1. Supposedly we have the weekend off wrestling. I was thrilled.
2. Except Beerman is coaching a beginners tournament on Sunday.
3. And C-man declared he wants to go somewhere on Saturday, because he can't possibly take a weekend off.
4. Today is the day of the 'big' storm. We're going to get a measley inch. What a disappointment.
5. C-man has strongly encouraged me to binge watch The Flash to catch up to where he and Beerman were. It was a tough job, but I managed - Season 2, episode 7. Boom.
6. I loan money via Kiva.org. Today, I got a thank you from a woman in Georgia (the country, not state). I love that.
7. Beasley was totally grumpy today. He didn't want to wake up, and was audibly sighing at things. What a funny dog.
8. C-man still doesn't have much of a voice since his sleepover extravaganza on Saturday.
9. I think he has a bit of a cold, but the crazy weekend sure didn't help.
10. How is it only Tuesday?

When 30" sounds like a great idea

People got me all excited about a 30" snowstorm this week. Bastards. We'll be lucky if it even snows. Can you even imagine getting 30"? That'd be two solid days at home. As in, get your beer and bread and put on your jammies to watch some Netflix. Damn. I really had my hopes up. Oh well. Maybe next time.