Don't Mess with Mother Nature...

So I survived Hurricane Irene…
Well sorta.

By the time Irene hit us early Sunday morning she had been downgraded to a tropical storm.
Easy Peasy!

I lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast – trust me; I have weathered some hurricanes in my day and I surely could handle a tropical storm!

Sure, we had some trees down and uprooted, tons of debris, and one house in my neighborhood actually had a tree fall on their roof; thankfully doing minimal damage.
But the worst was the power outages.

We lost our power at about 8:30 Sunday morning – which I have to admit shocked the crap outta me. I truly didn’t think we would lose power, let alone so early in the day.
Well I was MAJORLY wrong.
I just regained power about three hours ago and we literally did a dance of joy!

But YES – we went 4 ½ days without power!
No lights, no refridgeration, no AC, no hot water, no TV, no phone, no internet, no nothing.

Thank goodness for my dear friend Angela who not only graciously offered me freezer space and a hot shower whenever I needed it – but she let me charge all of our cell phones and various electronic devices! Without the very minimal internet on my phone – we would have been painfully out of the loop!
I love you Angela and family!

And I don’t mean to sound like a pampered bitch – but it SUCKEDDDDDDDDDDDD!
It makes me appreciate what a comfy life we really lead.

Here are some photos from Sunday…

Some of the damages in my neighborhood…

Our pool took a beating in regards to debris…

When the storm calmed a bit and the worst was declared over – Brian, Skylar, and I took a walk. We look happy because at this point we are totally unaware what lies ahead in regards to our power outage – lol!

Skylar was in her glory splashing in puddles *just like Peppa Pig*!


Hurricane Skylar!

That evening we had to get out due to utter boredom -- also before realizing we would ultimately MASTER utter boredom -- we decided to try Red Robin for the first time. And YUM and just what we needed!

Having some fun despite being water logged!

The boys were at their Dad’s most of the weekend but decided to spend the night camping out in the living room due to the PITCH blackness that was us our upstairs!

Thank golly for LED lights!

All in all, as much of a TOTAL inconvience the whole situation was -- I know it could have been worse and PLENTY had/have it worse.

We are all safe and our house is intact -- so I am grateful for that.

I will say this...
Rhode Island had around 377,000 homes lose power and I am guessing a good 100,000 or so are STILL without power.
I hope this is a lesson for us all -- I for one, will never be complacent again!

Next hurricane, tropical storm, depression, whatever -- I WILL be ready for your ass!

♥cyn♥

Weirdly Perfect

Today was weirdly perfect...
Especially for being the day before a hurricane and everyone in a panic to get out for provisions.
(for some that could be milk, bread, and batteries, and for others than may entail booze -- just sayin')

But getting back to my weirdly perfect day...

I got to sleep in late; such a treat and rarity!
I got my nails done and am madly in love with the color -- OPI black cherry chutney just so ya know.
I FINALLY made it to the gym after WEEKS (maybe even months) without stepping a toe in there.
I stopped by Angela's shop for the first time since Goddess Group went on summer break -- and I scored some A-Mazing Oya oil made with love and all things powerful, witchy, and Goddessy.
(Tomorrow I will be conjuring up some magic...)
I got mega kisses, hugs, and *I missed you Mommy* from Skylar when I got home from my two hour jaunt to the nail salon and gym.
I had some killer pizza, watched UFC, and had cheap wine with Brian!

Does this count as a date?
In our world, definitely yes!
*heh*

As I said... weirdly perfect!

Here are some photos of my neck of the woods batting down the hatches for Miss Irene.
I pray she spares us her total wrath...

The sky about midday when the rain began...



Skylar's backyard kingdom fastened down and ready to ride out the storm!

Wonder if Dunkin' will be open tomorrow... I am guessing yes! Rhode Islander's without their coffee is far worse than a storm!

Sand bags everywhere!


Local fire departments prepare...


My gym -- ready to weather the storm but determined to stay open!
Did ya know that Planet Fitness is offering their shower and locker room facilities to anyone displaced or in need during Hurrican Irene? Even non-members!

Angela's shop!
How awesome is this???
Stay safe blogdom!
♥cyn♥

JuSt BeCaUsE...

for my wannabe stalkers...




and just because I am a show-off...

HoLLa: Update on Life

I have been attempting to write something since about Monday – obviously failing miserably as I have yet to post – but today I am determined to FINALLY get something on my blog!

So what’s new blogdom?

Well…
Hunter got home safe and sound from his travels yesterday evening. He had a great time but has decided that *country living* is not for him and he has a new-found respect for living in Rhode Island where everything is SO close.
Indeed!

Can you believe the kids go back to school on Tuesday?

In other news…

I quit my job.

I was offered the choice to transfer to another studio and intially I thought that would work, but the more I digested the whole situation, the more I decided that I needed to completely break ties.
Ultimately it came down to doing what was best for myself.

And yes, there is SO much more I could say about the situation, but I choose to let it lay where it lies and move on.

Now I am basically putting my resume out there and focusing on the belief that all of this happened for a reason and I am meant to be somewhere else doing something else.

I LOVE photography and it IS a true passion of mine –- but retail photography is a whole other animal and I would think long and hard before returning to it.
I wish I had the spare funds to just buy the equipment I need and finally get my own biz underway…
Someday I WILL be living that dream!

And yeah the potential financial crunch of up and quitting my job is a wee bit scary.
Just when Brian finally gets his promotion and things are looking up I have job issues. Sometimes it feels like we will never get a break? But I keep telling myself that all of this is for a reason…
Not sure just yet what the reason is, but I insist on having a positive attitude and hope!

Moving along…

So I haven’t written about my diet and/or exercise in eons and well, basically that is because it has taken a backseat to everything else going on in my life.

I put my focus on getting myself better and getting a hold of the depression – so my weight loss journey needed to be put on a short hiatus.
I have to get better from the inside out after all…

But as of Monday I am back on track and happy to say that even despite completely throwing diet caution to the wind for a month or better I only regained about 1.5 lbs. – shocking I know!

I am sad to say that I completely fell of the vegan and even the vegetarian wagon…
I made it four months without one bite of meat and just caved for a hamburger on the grill and went downhill from there…
Not very proud of my lack of self-control but I am proud that I intially vowed to go vegetarian for 30 days and far surpassed that goal. I am not a total carnivore again – but I have partaken and certainly cannot call myself a vegetarian.
Maybe in time I will go back to eating vegetarian? But vegan was just too restricted and not right for me.

Right now my goals are –
• Eat healthy -- less processed garbage and more whole/clean foods.
• Exercise – gym, walking, and finally CONQUERING The 30 Day Shred.


Also NO OBSESSING over dieting, food, weight, the scale and all of that stuff because obsessing over it does the polar opposite of what I am trying to achieve.
And in all honesty -- I am friggen sick of feeling bad about myself and inadequate because I am not at a certain weight.
That is just utter crappola.

Until recently I have NEVER felt overly inadequate in ANY aspect of my life – matter of fact I felt QUITE adequate and screw anyone who thought otherwise.
And that is the attitude I am slowly regaining.

Maybe it’s the new meds?
They have given me this intense sense of clarity and so much of what bothered me before is slowly being weeded out of my life.
I feel like old kickass, take no crap, rockin it no matter what ME again.
And it feels good to be that gal again because she wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought she was.

And that dear blog-o-sphere is all that is fit to be told!
Well other than this...

*snicker*
cyn

How to Spend a Saturday...

HaPPy SaTuRdaY!

With the boys gone – Brian, myself, and Miss Skylar decided to head out for the day…
Hunter is on a six day trip with his best friend to upstate New York – I am still in disbelief that I allowed him to go. But his friend is a good kid with a nice family and I need to loosen the umbilical cord a bit.
Peyton is off helping his Dad move – poor kid got the sh*t-end of the stick on this deal, but he said at least he would get a take-out dinner outta the deal. Heh!

So we decided to venture to Pagan Pride Day and check it out…





It was fun enough, a gorgeous locale, and the people were amazingly nice. I do have to say that while there were plenty of vendors and lots to see and choose from there wasn’t anything there minus a few items that my friend Angela doesn’t sell in her shop. Aren’t I lucky to be privy to somewhere so cool?

I did buy a pretty pendulum – it’s purple and for $3 including a cute little bag -- it was a steal. Also I bought a peacock feather and tulle hat scarf for my yet to be purchased witch hat. I am sucha sucker for peacock feathers and it will be awesome for Halloween or any witch-hat-wearing-occasion.


Skylar was happy just to be outside and in a park…





Pagan Pride behind us we moved along with our day…



*sigh*
I am so very blessed...


**On a side and very sad note -- I learned this week that a guy I went to high school with passed away from a massive heart attack he suffered earlier this month. He was two classes ahead of me but a very likeable and popular guy. Even now 20+ years later the outpouring of saddness and admiration for him is endearing and a true testament to what a wonderful person he was.
It is surreal when someone so vibrant and full of life passes away -- especially at the young age of 42 and so unexpectedly.
Obviously people I went to high school have passed away before -- usually young and accidentally. To have someone die like this is almost unreal. I think even 20+ years later we all still feel invincible and so obviously we aren't.
Life is precious and oh-so-fragile -- Marty's passing is proof of that.
So RIP Marty -- you were ahead of your time and such a class act!

♥cyn♥

Six Flags!

Yesterday was a SUPER fun day. Despite blazing temperatures, an over-crowded park, long lines, expensive food, and being on our feet all day we had a BLAST!
But I will let the photos tell the story as they do it way better than I ever could.

Road trip!
I LOVE road trips – sadly I am the only one who shares this fondness for the long road. And it was only a two hour ride! Obviously my dreams of driving cross-country in a Winnebago will never come to pass unless I plan to go alone…

Finally there!





Some sights...











Having fun...







A perfect day!
♥cyn♥