This...That...and What's on my Mind

It's been over a year since I have blogged here and it's not that I have forgotten, just tons of things going on and this seemed to take a back burner.  I have been trying (with just a tad bit of success) to make a real go of my food blog, Blogghetti, and also keeping up with my classes. At my age, that seems to be harder than I thought it would.  Age does not always bring wisdom, sometimes you lose it.  Maybe, I can replace some of what I lost with new wisdom.  Haha!

Anyway, let's start with the classes.  I am in the process of changing my major from Business Admin to Public Service. Why? Because (again, at my age), I want to be able to enjoy what I am learning and doing as a career. Not just have a degree because it's what's expected and presumed to be on your resume.  Public Service is a much better fit for me. I love helping people and when I worked at the technical college, that's what I did and enjoyed every minute of helping others.  Sad that I quit that job after almost 10 years because I was not moving forward no matter how hard I tried and management seemed to want me to step back even though I was doing great there. Going back to college was a major factor of that decision to quit and only every now and then I regret quitting but only because of my addiction for Hobby Lobby, which requires money!

The food blog is an adventure, a hobby, and hopefully I can make it popular - more than what it is, which is not so much. I am not giving up though.  I am learning more every day about blogging, photography, and promoting blogs.  It's not as easy as some make it seem.  New recipes are fun to try and even if they turn out not great, it's a learning experience. Bless my family's hearts and stomachs for being guinea pigs! If you are so inclined (just a bit of begging here), please check the blog out and follow it as well as the Facebook page for it. I'd appreciate it tons!

Quitting my job put quite a few things into perspective for me along the lines of friends and coworkers.  You quit a job and those that you thought were your friends (coworkers) are never to be heard from again, not all but some.  I've always tried to be the best friend I could be to all those I considered friends because that's how I would like to be treated.  This worked well for me for many years, or did it really? Maybe treating others how you want to be treated is just a crock, it sure is exhausting at times with some "friends" and very easy with others.  The "others" are the ones who are worth it and remain true, no matter what.  Being the wife of a retired military man, I've moved a few times, made great friends only to have them or me move.  I love the fact that I have remained great friends with many of them. Over the last few years though, I've come to realize how hard it can be to be friends with some that only seem to want to be "friends" when it's convenient for them.  Why am I the friend that needs to call, or makes plans with you all the time? Why can't you be the one to do that?  I feel like I am being needy or desperate with some friends when I do this, or like you really don't want to be friends.  I shouldn't feel like that...ever...with friends.    I guess I just want those friends to treat me as I do them after all...as a friend and maybe even do the calling and planning sometimes.  Life, is busy...I know that and I have a busy schedule with full time classes and my family but I always make time for my friends.  If you care about people in your life, you make time for them.  It may seem petty that I am complaining about this and you're probably right but it's my blog and I can write whatever I want. Ha! I am blessed with a great family and some great friends, a great life as well. I know this but it doesn't take away the emotions I have about this...

Full House vs. Peace and Quiet

When my girls were teens, our house was not THE place to be. We didn't have a gaming system, pool table, or game room, etc - All of which were the "in" items among Jennifer's friends. Jennifer also did not like me (at times, I wasn't overly fond of her either) and so she didn't spend a lot of her time at the house with her friends over. There were times when she did though and one of them is like family now. Valerie, on the other hand, seemed to be 50-50 with this. I got to know most of her friends and they became part of the family. It got to be quiet at times in the house when no child at all was home.

Off to college, Jennifer went and when she came home she brought boyfriend and dog and sometimes a friend too. Since the two (boyfriend and Jennifer LOL) aren't married they do not sleep in the same room. SO that left Jennifer on the couch with the dog. Valerie always had someone (or two) spending the night so it was a busy place here. Noise was above what I was used to and so was the clutter of belongings. I felt like I had "company" in my house and I had to do this and that but that stopped fast when I realized, heck, it was my own kids!

Fast forward to Valerie in college now...we have just Mark, the cat and me in the house. So quiet. So peaceful. So oddly weird. So boring. So blah. So relaxing. You get the drift. Once a month we make the trip to pick up Valerie for a long weekend here and there and it's back to a houseful of kids. Valerie usually will have anywhere from one to three friends over and staying most of the time she is home. They go back and forth between the houses and I never know how many will be at mealtimes so I usually tell them what is for dinner and they will tell me if they will be here. Or I order pizza OR they make tacos. Sometimes they tell us they are eating elsewhere. It works out one way or another.

Now this Christmas break, I have had Jennifer, boyfriend, dog, Valerie, and 3 of her friends here ALL. THE. TIME. I am SO looking for that quiet, peace, relaxing and alone time. I can't stand the clutter, this and that out place. I am not, by any means, OCD, BUT..it is driving me crazy. They are HOME so yes they should feel like they can BE at home. Their rooms are cluttered just as if they were still living here...floor is barely there with all the stuff over it. Doors are nice to close, aren't they. They use dishes for everything and yes, they do put them in the sink. They do help in the kitchen at times. In fact, Jennifer and bf are cooking dinner tomorrow night. The dog will chew on things when left alone in the house for too long...good thing nothing he chewed on was mine! The cat and the dog do not like each other so Belle stays upstairs most of the time.

I look back and wonder if my house was one the places all the kids hung out if now I wouldn't care about the clutter, etc. I don't know and I am not stressing over it either. I know just as soon as next week comes and they ALL go back to college/their houses I will be missing them all like crazy. The clutter included. Well, maybe not the clutter.

My house will go back to quiet moments, and I will be thinking ahead to the next time they are all here.