Since the boys left...

The visit with the boys was great.  I am so lucky!  

I took them back to meet their dad on Saturday.  A drive that took me an hour and a half on a Wednesday took 3 hours on Saturday!  So many people 'from away' coming in to Maine.  I decided there should be a separate lane on the highway for Maine natives, so we can get back faster... not sure that would pass regulations... but I like the idea! When I got home I reached out to some friends... perhaps needing some adult time, and went to Shakespeare in the park, Romeo and Juliet.  It was fun... a contemporary version, as you can tell by the clothing and no set... I really enjoyed it! 

It was nice to get caught up with a couple of friends I hadn't see in a while... Summer is going by so fast! 

Sunday I decided to take a paddle... and needed to go to a lake where I had never taken pics and we are going to use it in the kayaking book... I got delayed because of a thunder storm, but still made it on the water.  It is not a place I would kayak often... too much boat traffic for me... but some people like that... It was a short paddle as the sky grew darker again and I was worried about  thunderstorms returning... the clouds were very cool!  here are some pics... 

This week I was back at work... it was a productive week.  I am really excited about our new principal.  We had a staff retreat for our leadership team and it was very cool!   Following the retreat I met up with a friend of mine who has been kayaking with me a few times and has been bitten by the kayaking bug!  She wants to buy one... one of her friends had one for sale and she had been wanting to try it out.  So... she asked if I could help her get it to a place to try.  We chose a secluded pond near where we picked up the other kayak.  At first I was not overly excited about the pond... I thought it was going to be boring.  And... there is a bit of a walk into the pond... longer than I would typically like to carry my kayak, but worth it... and I have a cart, so that helped.  

This may be one of my favorite pictures, ever... that I have taken... a dragonfly ON a TURTLE!  Two of the things I love photographing! 

This bird... I think... had just eaten a fish.. it kept moving its head in funky ways... think it is a cormorant... but not sure... 

I love being able to have a kayak I can take to places that are close to work... At least in the summer I can work and kayak in the same day... it is harder when I have after school activities, but am going to try to remind myself to paddle after work on some days this fall... try being the key word!  

Sinuses... I met with my  doctor on Monday... and we looked at my CT scan and he showed me where things are clogged... lots of clogs... the sinuses, on a CT scan are supposed to show black pockets when the sinuses are empty.. I had some black spots, but there was lots of gray.. which means inflammation or stuff that is stuck... He talked in more detail about surgery... and said it was ultimately my choice.  That threw me through a loop for a minute... scared that insurance wouldn't cover it (Though he said they will!)  his point was that it is not a life threatening situation... I could live without the surgery... but... he said it would be more of the same... he put me on antibiotics and steroids that I will need to take for a total of three weeks.... one week prior and two weeks following surgery.  Ironically the next morning I woke up feeling like my sinuses were filling ... again... and I had been worried that if I had an infection they would not do the surgery.  Dad and Betty are coming down... and I am relieved about that.  I have a little guilt.. knowing how fast summer is going by, they need to have as much time together as possible... at the lake or at the mountain... and I feel bad taking them away from it, but it also calms me knowing they will be here.  When I think about the surgery I have mixed emotions... I am excited about it, but obviously surgery is a big deal... and it makes me nervous.  I have been losing sleep this week... I think that is part of it.  (Plus the stuffiness!)  I am so hopeful that it is going to make a big difference in my life... the more I have suffered with it the more I have researched... and have found that people with chronic sinusitis often have chronic fatigue... and can be linked to weight issues because of the fatigue... so I am hopeful that surgery will kick start my energy again... and I can feel better overall.  

Totally shifting topics... I was in the grocery store the other day... I was picking out salad dressing... and heard some noise, someone yelling something, but didn't pay much attention... Then I heard it again and it was a little louder... and it took me a minute to realize I was involved... A man, probably early 60s, had come into the aisle I was in.. saw me and started yelling, repeatedly... as he pointed at me, "There's a giant in the store!  There's a giant in the store!"  The couple who was in the aisle looked on, seemingly horrified, but didn't say anything.  (Bystander effect?!)  I looked at the man with a confused and probably annoyed face and he said it again, the giant comment... I wanted to call him a name in return, but didn't want to make the scene worse... instead I said to him, "Do you think I appreciate you behaving towards me that way?" He paused... I continued... telling him he had a social skill set that was missing many pieces... and he asked if he had offended me.  I replied by saying that his lack of social skills was obviously preventing him from reading my body language and tone.  He then asked how tall I was... "taller than you," I replied...  he asked again and I started walking away.  He then started yelling again, "Hey, how tall are you? I just want to know.  You are so tall... Hey!  How tall are you?" Seriously? What other characteristics can someone possess that would make someone's behavior to point them out like that be seen as appropriate? Race? Religion? Disability? Sexual Orientation? Nope... Some people are just rude.  

I have a busy weekend ahead.. paddling galore!  I will not be able to kayak for a while after surgery... so I must capitalize on the time I have this weekend...