44 is Definately NOT Boring !! My CNN Interview

Who knew 44 could be so thrilling! On Tuesday, I was catching up on the nation's news for a moment at work on CNN online. There was this question asking what ideas regular people had for saving money. I wrote a couple of sentences about my adventures in garage saling. They emailed me and asked if they could call. David thought I was nuts. Then the phone rang and we talked for about 40 minutes. We discussed everything from starting a photography business at home, to affording school, to working for a non-profit during the recession, to having children getting married and planning weddings on a tight budget (without going into debt).

We spoke of my soon-to-be-born grandson and his crib that we found for $35 a day after we found out he was a part of our lives. It was either spend $35 nine months early or $350 in February. It is gorgeous (nearly new) and converts into a toddler bed.

They asked for a picture of me with the crib. I am holding a pair of new baby Nike shoes I found at a garage sale for 25 cents.

I thought I would be scared doing this, but it was a lot of fun! I guess 44 means crazy confidence to try the unimagined.

5k a Day -- not quite yet

Last Saturday, David and I ran in our very first 5k for Fields of Promise ($$ for schools in Ethiopia). He came in 2nd in his age group and I, well, finished. Please note in the first picture that there are people behind me so I was not the tail. It was cold and I had a cold. I perfected the clumsy art of blowing my nose, while sucking in breath, and keeping from completely stopping.

David loved doing this and is now addicted to running and medals and having something big like this that we do together. I, on the other hand, find satisfaction in knowing that I can do more than I ever imagined. The cold morning runs at 5:30 a.m. are not always pleasurable, but since I am usually half asleep when we start, I don't completely realize what I am doing until I am far enough from home to make the run back equal about 3 miles.

I told him that if we continue doing this, I want a cute Nike running outfit with new shoes so I can look great while running. He thinks I am silly, but he is a guy and knows nothing about the importance of looking good when you perspire (guys sweat, women perspire). And I am sure that bulky sweatshirt slowed me down!!

Days 6-9 Still Here Just No Time to Blog

I am shooting pics left and right. I've been working to sell lots of stuff on Ebay/Etsy to make Christmas $$.

Here are some of the items I've been taking pictures of...

These are some vintage Christmas ornaments of blown glass. I researched and found that they used mercury in the making so I guess this makes them pretty valuable. I sold one for $22 already and decided to group the rest to not bug with individual sales.

Day 5: Jes & James Getting Hitched (5 of 365)

I spent the afternoon taking pictures of Jessica and James. Being the nosey Mom I am, I pointed out that these were pictures of Jessica's current boyfriend and nothing more.

When we were finished, he marched in the house and sat with David to watch football. Then James changed the future of us all by asking David if he could marry our daughter. A date is not set yet, but we have known James since he was bitty, so he is family already.

Day 4: Falling Off the Photo Wagon (4 of 365)

I don't know what happened with today. An appointment at the salon, groceries, running with David, Ebaying, and the day was gone. I was pooped at 9 p.m. I guess all this birthday celebrating has caught up with me.

Here is one of the pictures from Thursday morning where I was trying to catch the car lights passing by at 5 a.m.

Day 3: Yum & Fun (3 of 365)

My 44th has turned into a several day celebration. Here is the amazing cake that Brandi Abram created for me with orange M & Ms and Twix Bars. She is a baker/realtor extraordinaire. I dove in and then gave it all away to the kiddos.

I played cards and ate no-no foods the entire night. If 44 is the new 34, then 11 p.m. is the new 2 a.m. for the party to be over and I tumble exhausted into bed.

Day 2 -- Photo Failure... so The Zombies Are Coming

My photo-a-day commitment falls on its face on Day 2. I was on my way to my 6:15 a.m. Bible Study and stopped at 6th & Lawrence Ave to take a picture of cars whizzing by under the street lights. Boring yes, but a photography challenge. Well the pictures were a bust and I obviously need to review my camera owner's manual!


This is a picture of the 3rd Annual Zombie walk on Mass St. in Downtown Lawrence. It occurred last Sunday evening and I knew it would be a photography challenge with low lighting and lots of movement (plus it was just a little creepy so I had to watch for camera shake). There were probably 300 Zombies participating in this event.

There were 2 unexpectedly funny things that evening: 1) watching teenage zombies shuffle by with ears glued to cell phones and 2) watching hordes of law-abiding zombies pile up on corners as they waited for the light to change so they could cross the street. My die-hard girl friends Susan & Ange joined me on the freezing adventure and kept the Zombies from messing with my camera.

Happy 44 Years to Me

October 14, 2009.

Happy 44th Year to me today! My goal this year is to take 365 pictures, one per day. I figure that I will do this for several reasons: 1) to become a better photographer, 2) to chronical the year of transition between raising children and starting out with an empty nest, and 3) to plant myself in a meaningful way every day of my life.

My first picture (1/365) is in terrible lighting and with lots of doggy movement. It is 5:30 a.m. and David and I are walking the dogs (Rowdy and Otis) in our new (self-designed) reflector vests. David wanted to sleep in and I wanted to go out. The birthday girl wins every battle for the next 24 hours.