What an awesome storm

And it was right over the house. As I left work I was heading toward the lightening that looked as if it were hitting the ground... or my house! Serious thunder, heavy rain, hardly any visibility... I sat outside and got wet ~ it was incredible. One of the many things I missed when I lived in Scotland was summer storms like this!!

Work was slow -- I thought I was going to start making calls today, but no -- perhaps tomorrow.

I'm playing hookey from chorus tonight -- feeling overwhelmed with all that stuff going on ~ am thinking of dropping out of the show, still working on the committees etc... - staying active as a member except for the learning of 12+ new songs before October 28th... then go back in January for contest. Still working hard on the management board and doing my thing there, but just not going to stand for 3+ hours in a small room with 70 women for 3 hours in the middle of summer in Arizona. I'm really wussing out on the heat thing. I just can't take it, and I'm getting to the point that I'm not going to force myself.

I'm getting my performing fix with my singing for the seniors and within my quartet. :-) God is so Good!!

Himself is going to give me $1,000 to pay off my credit card - which still leaves me $500 for stamps (and crafts)!!!

Teaching the craft class on Saturday was really really fun! I had 12 residents, who all gave great feedback, and I think almost all of them will return for next month's class. We did cards, I'd pre-stamped 3 flower images per attendee, gave 3 folded cards with matching envelopes and 5 background colors. We then did watercolor pencil technique, which they'd never done before, and thought that was really awesome... and in general were very enthusiastic. I met with my former boss for lunch yesterday and we discussed the future of the craft classes - one a month between now and the end of the year, singing July, August, October & December for the birthday party, and then hopefully starting with scrapbooking classes in the new year. With some more money for my own stuff, I'll be able to create some more projects for the classes, which is exciting.

Back to my CA trip: It was also so awesome seeing my friend from 2nd grade in California - her mom and her children. It wasn't awkward at all -- and there is nothing like old friends. I'm so very grateful for good friends. That being said, I really miss my pal who is living in China now -- I spent 4 days scrapping with her at her folks in Tracy, and when I think about it too much, I start to cry because I don't have anyone like her in my life that lives ... like... on the same continent even!

Which brings me to some thoughts -- we are all so busy -- we get to know each other because we're working on the same project, or committee, or small group -- but how often do we take the time to get to know someone over a cup of coffee, sitting for 3 hours at Starbucks (I was lucky and did that with a gal from chorus a few months ago)...?!! I know I overschedule myself because then I don' t have to spend time with myself ~ the self that is the negative inner voice constantly criticizing and tearing myself down -- by keeping things really busy I don't have time to just be. Yet I also then don't have time to just BE with my coffee, my Bible, my praise music or my friends.

And this is typical for me -- get myself involved with a zillion things and then drop most of them because I'm burned out. Scrapping and Singing -- with a side of stamping and crafting, oh, and booking another entertainer... and trying to pick up after himself (why can't his clothes be piled on the clothes hamper?!), and keep my floors reasonable, along with keeping up with a much larger house now. I need to have a conversation with himself about this -- where our responsibilities lie, but these conversations usually have to take place on weekends because we're both tired and on the grumpy side during the week... but I've been gone. Another reason to cut back a bit.

I hope I can just ride this one out (because it usually is a wave to ride... these feelings), and get back to normal busy in a couple days.

And how cool was it to pay my first car payment with my paycheck wages that were in our Credit Union account today?!! Excellently Cool!