March....like a LION!!!!

March 2019
Central NY

I started March out full of ambition and get up and go. I was into a month + of my internship and feeling a bit more comfortable in my role there, I was awarded Employee of the month at my job, and I had big plans to get myself back into working out/getting outdoor and really taking care of myself. February had been a short month but snowy busy and seemed soooo long. I was ready for anything...and nothing was going to get me down......

The first Saturday in March was spent enjoying a day with pancakes and snow shoes. I can not remember the last time that I went snowshoeing, but I had an amazing time. Meet up with Tammy at Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville NY. This was part of the Outdoor Women's group.

 first up was pancakes and real maple syrup. Yum. These were delicious.

We went out on the trail with these women from the outdoor women's group. I took the picture from the website. We all look a little fuzzy. I'm not sure why? Mary had extra snowshoes so Tammy and I got to play too.

 We saw some nature. Although these guys were not on the trail. I viewed these cuties through a viewing window.

 Taking a break to stretch. This was quite the hike. I haven't moved my body since last year and this 2+ miles on snow shoes kicked my butt. (I was feeling the pinch three days later.)

 The frozen lake.

 The fields of snowy fun. It actually turned out to be a beautiful day. Perfect for snowshoeing.

 We ventured out pretty far and had a few obstacle. We had to step over logs, and shimmy down step embankments. This was where my body felt it the most.

 Looking ready for some fun.

I'm not sure why my body looks all twisted like that.

Later I went out with friends to have some fun at Karaoke.

 There were several of us out enjoying the evening. I didn't do any singing, but Carmen and Charles did.

 Mark acting as a Mean Girl in training.

On Sunday, Mark and I went out to Gander sporting good. I was on the lookout for a pair of snowshoes of my very own. Neither of us had ever been there before. I was actually surprised at the prices. Everything was pretty steep. I did not come home with my very own snowshoes. We also had lunch at Cracker Barrel. I love that place. I did come home with a new article of clothing and lots of left overs. Looks like my lunch is covered on Monday.

Feeling full and since we were very close we headed off to Point Place for a little gaming action. We had no idea it was Point Place's one year anniversary until we arrived. Happy Anniversary Point Place!
My FB status even popped up as Memories at Point Place.
 I did not do well. (I never do, who am I fooling?) But Mark did. He had won yesterday too. He hit another jackpot! He sure is LUCKY! I got a $100- cup cake!

Back to work and Becky who is also a winner gained an extra $400- on a scratch off and got all of us Cheesecake for Fat Tuesday!!!! Thank you Becky

Mark and I had a dinner at Turning Stone for St. Patrick's Day weekend. The banquet hall was pretty quiet for a change. There was only two other guests at the table with us, and one of the guys complained the whole time that there was no Irish music. My thoughts; at least we had music and just look at the meal you have right in front of you....hello!

and dessert tooo!!!!

I took home some pretty flowers as well.

It was sometime around mid-month, that things started to get out of control...….You can see it in my face, just how hurting I am putting in all these hours at my job and my internship. More on that later...

As dinner was ending, Mark headed to the restroom. I waited and waited and waited for him to return...No Mark. I finally left and found him at a machine. He had won a jackpot. At first I yelled at him for leaving me waiting. Then I had to shut my mouth and enjoy his excitement.

Mark and I had a room at the lodge for the night, so we met up with his friends at The Gig after dinner.

Things were certainly getting interesting. The gentleman to my right has the same last name as my pre-married  name. (My long lost cousin?????)

It was a long day and a long night, I was ready for bed! The next morning I found Mark in the casino and LOOKIE LOOKIE.....

Another JACKPOT winner!!!!

We have been working on the house for some time now, and I decided to actually decorate for Easter.

We had been searching for someone to install our exterior doors since November. We finally got this done! Our contractor even fixed the hole in our kitchen ceiling (that has been there going on two years, if not more). Nick, Mark and I have been planning on sanding and painting the livingroom, this project is at a standstill as Nick has had Overtime at his job for the last two weeks.

Two of my gal pals are soon to be Grandma....I attended two baby showers over the last few months. Becky's son had a shower in February, and Barb's son had his this month. I simply loved the diaper cake.

Carol and I attended the shower. Carol, Barb and I went to High School together, We even lived together for a short time when I was in my twenty's off of Westcott St in Syracuse.

 Below is Barb and her son Nate!

 Enjoying the Baby Shower....

March was suppose to me the month I got things TOGETHER....well the LION came in and ate me up.  I mentioned that I am SO Tired (above) due to work and my internship. At current I am working my real job 30 hours per week. Thank you Circare for allowing me to adjust and reduce my hours, however, originally my internship work hours were suppose to be 20-21 hours per week. This would make my average week of work related hours 60-61 hours. A lot, but not killing me. What I have found is after everything is said and done. (BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PAPERWORK) I am putting in on average 28-30 hours into my internship, plus 3 hours of class time. By the end of March I was/am dying. I hate to admit it but the stress has put me over the edge. I am not eating healthy because we are eating junk and rushed every night, I have little time for myself, I've gained 8 pounds, I'm a nervous nut job all the time, I am not sleeping and I am pretty much a big mess! My hubby who was in Florida when I pretty much hit my breaking point....said enough. My poor supervisor got the tail end of my 8 weeks of juggling in one short hour. I lost it, I was a mess in her office.  That same day, I had to bolt out after work and attend a Gala that I really did not need to add to my already full life....

I put on a happy face, had a beer and just let the whole thing melt....I realized that day that I had to do something different...but what?

How I do not have bags under my eyes is a miracle.

Mark returned from Florida early Sunday morning…..and offered me once again the opportunity to quit my job and focus on me. It has been so tempting, but if you know me....you know I don't like to let go and change really sucks.

Will February ever END?

2/20/19-2/29/29
Central NY

Wow what a strange last few days. Last Thursday there was this strange smell lingering all though our office space. No skin off my back, I was scheduled in the clinic anyways. Spent the morning in the clinic and was informed the whole agency was closing and would be closed Friday as well. This should be a time for celebration hun? Not for me. I need my hours for my internship. WOW.
So anyways I did some work from home and I plan to count every minute.

Friday was uneventful I actually wish I was in the office as I spent most of the day waffling through tx plans and no one to bounce my frustrations off of.
Saturday I planned to go snow shoeing or cross county skiing, but there was no snow for either and I left my boots at the clinic on Thursday when we evacuated the office anyways.   (It ended up being some electrical burning or something weird like that.)
Saturday evening Hubby and I went to a local pub, that is within walking distance of our house. It has been many names since we have lived there, but it finally looks like this one is actually taking in business.

It is called Home Town Pub. It is sports themed place and focused on Syracuse of course. We went on the SU vs Duke day and it got pretty crowded. Food was pretty good too. I would not recommended the burger but the pizza and wings I tried were amazing.

Entering into week 5 of my internship and I will have 91 hours into the 300 I need for this semester. Every time I add the hours up, somehow I get a different result, so I am NOT going to worry about meeting the hourly requirement, I may need to worry about direct hours however.Clients NS or work CA.....it is making me CRAZY. Snow days have made life miserable too. Hurry up and get her spring.

WElcome 2019

Jan. 1-31 2019

What can I report. 2019 started out Wonderful.  New years day (also my anniversary) Mark and I played a few slots and I won over $300-

 had an amazing breakfast.

 and added another year to the many (17) years that I have been married to my best friend.

I even started to get the New Year going by cleaning out the cabinets, organizing my life and had big plans to get back to the gym and be healthier. 

Just some of the food that has expired that I cleared out of the cabinet. 

Since that day....it has not been oh so wonderful.

Somehow we missed that we owed state taxes and we were both garnished. 3x over what we owed. Then my bank account was attacked for fraud.
I have not made it to the gym once and my eating habits have continued to be "junk".

Work has been less then exciting....I start my internship in a week, and the hours I thought I needed to take were doubled to 600 which means I will be working 50 hours a week for the next 8 months.
The weather has been cold snowy and just plain miserable.

The worst thing is that my uncle has gone missing.  Just like that, he's missing. He left his residence late one night to where it's believed a local burger king, and has not been seen since.  Our family is worried sick. He left his cell phone, his medications and a social security check at his home.
There has been no leads, no information, no nothing. It's like he just disappeared.
We are praying that he makes a safe return home.

January and February 2019

Central NY 

Jan 1-Feb 20th 2019

After the new year..things have been pretty SLOW in the trip department. I started back to school and have incorporated an internship in addition to my job. This has meant very long days during the week and weekends spent on the couch! ReCoperating from the very busy week. 

We did celebrate a 16th Birthday (my youngest) He wanted a Black Kodak cake (His favorite artist.)

I  was unable to turn it for a better view. He and his friend ate everything but the center picture. (its still in a baggy at the house.) I wonder how long it will keep.

Mark and I almost bought a 6 thousand dollar bed!!!! ARE WE INSANE??? After spending several hours in the mattress section of Raymore and Flannigans, we walked out ready to have a very expensive bed delivered. Thank Goodness I smartened up over sleepless night (and not because of my lumpy bed) and CANCELED that ASAP Here is our current and very lovely bed. Price tag FREE

The weather has been a mix of freezing and thawing. REPEAT !!!Riley gets quite muddy during the thaw.

One evening was spent with my friends out having cocktails. Below is what you get when you leave your phone out.

One evening Barb, Renee and I had dinner at Bull & Bear!

Mark had us booked for a lovely weekend at Turing Stone Resort for the Superbowl PARTY, We stayed in the Lodge for two nights and pampered ourselves all weekend.

Afternoons in the pool and hot-tub.

and an evening of fun at one of the clubs- The Gig. the bands here have continued to be a great opportunity to enjoy music and it is free to get in. I think that there is an admission for the country bar and the dance club, but I have never been asked to pay to get into the Gig. Scars and Stripes was the band playing tonight. Not really my kind of music. (its a little more hard core rock and with a 90's cover) I much more enjoyed the 80's cover bands, but I did have a good time.

That Sunday I slept until 9:30 (which is very late for me) Had time at the spa and had a massage! Afternoon was spent at the hot-tub/pool and the evening was full of FOOTBALL FUN!

The food was INSANE!!!! Every superbowl snack you could imagine and more. I certainly ate well this weekend. To bad the game was so incredibly BORING! I didn't even enjoy the commercials this year or the half time show (And Adam is MY rock star husband just so you know.)

Mark and I fun and FILLED OUR FACES!!!

We had a nice family dinner out at TGIF Fridays.....

Valentines day offered another opportunity to celebrate at the Turning Stone. This time it was the "With Love" dinner. We did not stay over on this trip, but had a nice dinner and received complementary diamond earrings.

Other valentines day hauls included chocolates, cards and a stuffed owl from my daughter.

The weekends seem to be coming much to fast and leaving more quickly.They also seem to be very busy with things. My friend Becky's oldest is having a baby so Mark and I went to the Jack/Jill baby shower.

After the baby shower we headed to dinner at the Euclid with Mark's mother then out to Club 11 to attend a Benny Mardones benefit. The place was so crowded it was insane. The fire Marshalls even had to get involved. Although we could not see or even get near the stage the band was Hard Promises. I have seen/heard them play before they do 80's music (Tom Petty) tonight they did Benny Mardones.

So far working in the Clinic for my internship has only made me miss my JOB. I long for all those "frustrations." I am struggling so much with the computer system and what needs to get done. So where did the therapy part of therapy go anyways? It is really discouraging. Well....I only have like 26 weeks left. Oh my goodness. I'd rather not think about it. 

So that is it.  I am officially to date. It will be a while before our next trip taking adventure. School has made my vacation opportunities limited. I am excited to report a trip in April for a girls weekend to Woodstock in honor of the 50th anniversary. I considered looking into one of the two planned concert reunion weekends, but I am not sure if I have the stamina or tolerance for the crowds. It has been many years since my Grateful Dead days and my idea of camping out is in my travel trailer. Plus I already attempted to book an RV site for that weekend in Watkins Glen and there isn't even a tent site available. Oh well. Our next big trip looks like it will be in May for our Western Caribbean Cruise and then I have several rv weekends scheduled. Plans also might be a long weekend to Las Vegas!!!! TTFN