Raige Creations

Original Artwork by Paige These boots were made for art class actually,  by my daughter. But how can you see a picture of boots and not think of Nancy Sinatra and These Boots Are Made For Walkin' ?  It didn't help that we found  Austin Powers  on the telly last week. It is a good tune to start the week, especially when last week was sort of my 'week off' and I really could use a boost to get some crap done this week!  Last week, -I took the week off from running (and even walking) ,  -I took the week off from blogging (was 2 months of NaBloPoMo too much? perhaps. But I wonder this week if I had that to get me blogging I wouldn't have dropped the ball there) , -I even took the week off from putting real pants on! (I did put on leggings and sweatpants, don't worry.) I did manage to: -list some Jewelry for Bridget (all the jewelry from the Blue Rage , with still loads more to list)  ( Artfire section for AF shoppers , Zibbet se...

Oh, the horror.  Oh, the disappointment. I missed a day of NaBloPoMo.  A NaBloPoMo FAIL! Oh The HORROR  by  hybristophilia666  on  Polyvore It's not like I didn't know it was going to happen. I did. I had a very busy day and after dinner last night I just wanted to relax. I sat on the couch, Kindle in hand  new book waiting, full belly, family all around chillin', and said "Oh CRAP, I didn't post a blog today!" Then, I turned on my Kindle while hubby found a movie for us to watch (I can read and watch a movie at the same time. Multitasking...you Mom's know what I mean), I settled in on the couch, and the thought of blogging evaporated. It's not that I am short of ideas! I have 4 drafts going, and I even have handwritten in my journal ideas for other posts. If NaBloPoMo  right after NaBloWriMo  has done anything for me, it has got me to write every day, whether I actually post or not.  But last night, I just couldn't...

Well, it's late on a Friday. I am sitting here watching a movie with my family, stressing about what to write about for the first day of National Blog Posting Month .  Fall Country Road photo courtesy of  Raige Creations "Didn't she just do that?" I hear you asking.  Well, kind of. Well, yes I took part in National Blog Writing Month , where the goal was to write every day in the month of October.  But National Blog Posting Month is the month of November, and I joined a group on Blogher.com . As the day wore on, I felt so uninspired, yet felt the pressure of getting something posted. I realized, not for the first time actually, that I am tired of stressing . Camouflage Tree photo courtesy of  Raige Creations Dinnertime came. Pizza was on the menu (see tired of stressing above, and I DO stress about dinner regularly), but we had to go to the place to order it, and wait for it.  (They don't have to-go menus, and I actually find...

Bones sez Happy Halloween Happy Halloween! It is a sad one for me today, as it marks the last day of NaBloWriMo 2013 .  And yes, it's Halloween, but we really don't celebrate that much anymore. For one, I have no candy for trick-or-treaters (we don't get any because of our long, beautiful yet potentially creepy even on a normal day, driveway). Second, my teens don't dress up for Halloween anymore (well, except my daughter who gets to dress as a literary character in AP English class - she is Elizabeth from Frankenstein, but I won't get to see her in costume!)  The most I do for Halloween is hang up my dear old friend Bones . He was an excellent Toekini model, but lately he just hangs around. I have really enjoyed this year's NaBloWriMo . I made some good new blogging friends, and my passion for blogging is even stronger now. I am sad in a way that it is done for this year. Also, I suddenly have a desire to make more Toekini's ! How diffe...

That is all I can think of right now. No other title for the day. Though there is plenty on my to-do list (neglected yesterday), I am going through the pictures of the beautiful day I had yesterday. View from Craggy Pinnacle Hike photo by Raige Creations The kids were off school, I have family in town, and we all spent the day together. The lunch at 12 Bones was great! First time I tried grits. I know, I know, living here in the south and first time trying proper Southern grits. I never thought I would like them, having only tried instant grits as a child. Since I tried those instant grits (like cardboard baby food), I never even considered trying them. But when I saw them on my son's plate, they looked nothing like the ones I tried as a child. And let me tell you, they are damn good, especially at 12 bones ! Lunch at 12 Bones hope they don't mind I shared this. you can tell my son is not too happy... photo by  Raige Creations Full bellies, we traveled up th...

photo courtesy of Structure in an Unstructured Life on FB Would you care if you were a couple days late paying that cable bill? Would you care if you left that laundry in the living room for 2 days waiting to be folded? Would you think you should have taken that day off and spent it with family, or would you be glad you did? Even though I didn't get this posted yesterday (late for NaBloWriMo again!), I am sure glad I did take the time to enjoy yesterday. Keep things in perspective.

photo courtesy of Draculina on FB I am truly blessed, even though times have been rough. I can still smile, laugh a lot, and I never stop dreaming.  This powerful song is perhaps the best way to start a Monday.  Dream On.  link here for background of song , and link here for lyrics , both good reads. Does it sometimes take a great song or a great saying to get you going on a Monday? 

I get tired of roasts. They are just boring sometimes. I sometimes want something more cozy, comforting. Less dry.... So this time I decided to try a slow cooker stew.  I found some good recipes (like  this one that I AM going to try  when I get some squash), but ended up using several as a reference and tweaking, as usual. Potatoes and onions in the Crock-Pot photo courtesy of Raige Creations I started with using the same ingredients I would with a roast. Ingredients: Potatoes, onions, carrots, meat.  I cut up the potatoes and onions and popped them into the Crock Pot dish. Meat photo courtesy of  Raige Creations I got a Pork Loin Roast, it seemed like a better deal, and tried to cut off some of the fat. Leave a little, it adds to the flavor.  Cut that into cubes, about 2 inches square-ish. The supporting cast photo courtesy of  Raige Creations Then I assembled some spices and the juice needed to make it more stew-like, and ad...

Why did I get up so early today? Since we moved the business out of its downtown location, and I no longer have to work 6 days a week, including all weekend long, I have completely enjoyed sleeping in on Saturdays. I do still wake up, but the freedom of not having to get up, going back to sleep....ahhhh. There is nothing quite like it. But today, alarm went off the normal weekday time. I got up by 6:30 am (yes, I like to press snooze for an excessive amount of time), made coffee, fed the animals, the normal morning routine. WHY? My youngest son had to meet his drivers ed teacher at 7:30am! photo courtesy of   Travelers Point . Yup. It has happened.  All of my children are now drivers . I now have to dispense the advice that has been handed down from my father .    My youngest is now on the road. He took the class, and now is out there with all those other crazy drivers . I honestly don't know if I can handle sitting in the car with him while h...

Leaf Filled Path photo courtesy of Raige Creations Just as the leaves were falling, and changing color, we were hit with freezing temperatures! There was a chance of SNOW last night. (luckily that didn't happen here)  The sun is so very misleading.  It was 32 degrees this morning! I almost didn't go out for a run, almost.  But I did. And I rocked it.  It felt good, and somehow my pace was better than it has been in, well, ever maybe. That I am not sure of, but definitely recently.  I just may be ready for the Jingle Bell Run . 43 days left and there is still time to donate, click here ! But seriously, so many leaves with the chill doesn't make ya feel like raking. If only we could do this. photo courtesy of Diply (formerly Different Solutions) Does anyone else dislike raking?  (I do, especially when I realized it now really hurts to jump in a pile of leaves.)

Clarity Through the Mist photo courtesy of Raige Creations This is the beautiful scene as I was running on Monday. The fog was drifting over the water so brilliantly, it was a great distraction from the run. I was on a route that I don't often use, around Lake Louise.  I ended up going farther than usual, mainly because I had to go around the loop more than 3 times to get my usual 3 miles. Then I had to get back to where I head home, so I logged 3.38 miles. Almost all of it a run. The day started out pretty good.  Hard to believe how the day changed , but it is a lesson in enjoyment of the moment , because moments change, moods change, and if I didn't have that good morning I can't even image how truly bad the day would have turned out . I was glad to see this picture today. It reminded me of the beauty right outside my door. It reminded me that I will see clarity at some point, I will find my way. Even if I can't see it exactly, once I get settled after...

The true test of any relationship is the assembly of cheap-ass Chinese pressboard furniture. We have spent the last 20 years testing our relationship doing this. This Ikea furniture thing wasn't around back then like it is now, but I imagine it's the same kind of test. photo courtesy of George Takei on FB Monday was one of the more recent tests. When the day started, we had no idea we would end up putting together 5 big-ass displays, with no directions, but a memory of how they went together. We started out the day looking forward to spending it together. Normally a treat.  But as the day went on, after moving a huge amount of heavy furniture, (remember, we have been moving crap for the last 2 weeks....) after re-arranging our new booth at The Regeneration Station , and "disagreeing" over many, many things along the way, we were then tasked with putting together those Chinese made, pressboard displays with some very heavy parts. Keep in mind too, that we ha...

Yesterday I just couldn't find a song I related to. Well, I did while running, but couldn't remember what those songs were by the time I was done. So instead I randomly searched for inspiration. I spent a long time looking for a song. Somehow, Born Slippy got on my 'suggestions'. I forgot how much I liked this song! And wouldn't this be great for a running playlist? YES! I just hope I am not on my way to a new tension headache..... Why Born Slippy ? The title of the song comes from a greyhound the band bet on and won . Then the 'suggested list' showed Iggy Pop , Lust For Life . (If you hadn't noticed the Trainspotting theme, yes these are on the soundtrack . Great movie !)  Well, that's like hypnotizing chickens.  ( My new favorite lyric.) Nothing is better than Iggy's endless energy, never a shirt, dancing around like a crazy person. I might add this to my running playlist too..... If these songs don't get your day going,...

Second full day at home, doing home things, and I love it! I am much more relaxed today, in leggings and a big-ass old stained sweatshirt, and my fuzzy socks .  It is amazing what 2 days in a row off can do. For one, I got back to running. I took 2 days off this week, and could run more today than the last workout. Plus, I still have 5 days working out for the week.  Rest is good! Still 5 days on the calendar for the week! photo courtesy of Raige Creations (This is what I want my calendar to look like most of the time, between 4 and 5 workouts, walking or running, each week.) Believe it or not, this run today WAS relaxing for me today. There was no rushing, nothing plaguing my mind that I had to get done today (except for dinner, which I thankfully already have planned as Chicken and Noodles! recipe here ). Oh, and getting a blog in today for NaBloWriMo , still keeping with that goal of making writing more a part of my life. Today, my run could be as fast ...

Huh? Wha? "You look like you need some water" she said to me. I stopped in my tracks. Did I look that bad? photo courtesy of world pics dot com Kosovo   Yes, I did misplace my bottle of water 4 hours ago. Okay, I hadn't showered that morning either, so my hair was a little frizzy, and perhaps the makeup I put on had worn off with the sweat as I was unloading boxes and unpacking and tagging.    "You need to eat something too" she said again. Well, yes I didn't eat any breakfast that morning, and that doughnut hole just gave me sugar rush 2 hours ago. But was it that obvious?    "We have a drinking fountain over there by the men's room, you know." No, I didn't know that!!!    I have spent the last 2 weeks, almost every day full, moving our business out of its downtown location. My days, each one, for these past 2 weeks has looked something like this: get up, coffee, run maybe, clean something in the house, shower, blog, ...

photo courtesy of Pinterest . I just want to know when the chaos will end. The only thing that has helped me through this crazy chaos is the vision of less stress, more family time, and greater creativity. I still see it ahead, but am not quite done with the chaos. I am taking a chance on something new. I am starting again, right after closing one door. I have questions that this is the right move, but a fter voicing my uncertainty to my daughter, she simply said 'you don't know if you don't try.' The wise words of my daughter are getting me through. I think I can handle just a little more chaos, then take a real break and enjoy the little things in life again. Wish me luck!

  When will it sink in? Will it sink in? Door Closed photo courtesy of Raige Creations What will I do, now that the move is done?  Even the moving truck is tired. photo courtesy of  Raige Creations The truck was filled once on Monday, and 4 times today. Empty. photo courtesy of  Raige Creations Now I can re-group and focus. But focus on what? 'An Open Road?' photo courtesy of  Raige Creations Well, I suppose the way forward! I can now walk down that road! I can get to the next door, actually pick the next door maybe. photo courtesy Pinterest Just don't let me get caught up in the hallway while I open that next door.