When you're down...and troubled...

It's been a full week since I blogged, which is crazy, since I posted at least every other day last month. I feel like I have so much to tell you all! What with the life-saving research, diplomatically maintaining international relations, and the star-studded premieres, it's amazing I have time at all for the usual job, sports, workouts, books, etc. It's a delicate balance, people.

Let's start with food - oh, I have fallen off the wagon and fallen hard. I have some serious thoughts about that, and it is a blog post all its own. Let's just say, I think I need to stick with a modified Whole 30, and we'll talk further about it tomorrow.

This past weekend was lovely. Our regional Odyssey of the Mind tournament was on Saturday. The Girl is no longer involved in OM, I volunteered to judge the regionals as a favor to a friend, and it was great fun. First of all, I was put in the position of timekeeper - who is also the announcer. These people who assigned jobs did not even know me, and yet, they put me in the perfect job. There are so few people who actually enjoy public speaking so much as I do, even when it simply consists of announcing the next group of 3rd graders to their own parents. This went on from 8AM until about 4PM. After that, I went home and hung out with my husband and did my taxes. Because a truly wild Saturday night includes taxes and a 9PM bedtime.

Sunday was even better - made a grocery list, handed it to my husband and washed my hands of it, as I did not have to do the shopping, huzzah! No, Sunday was for my "I finished the Whole 30!" pedicure with my friend, S, about whom I have been wanting to write for the past few days. Which I will do in a minute, as I want to finish out my lovely day - a visit to my mom, and then out to my friend J's, where we drank wine, ate tiny, delicious cheesecakes, laughed hysterically, and dumped sugar all over her stuff - I mean unpacked boxes. It was way too much fun to have been "helping."

Remember, about two years ago, instead of the whole "I am thankful for" November posts, I decided to pick an actual person to laud? I don't know that I ever described S, and perhaps that is because I am trying to hide her from all of you and keep her for myself. We met pretty soon after I moved to KY - we joined the same book club, and you know that is enough to make me love her. She is relatively quiet and reserved, which led me to think, "Oh, she won't like me..." But...she was one of the few in the book club who actually read, and wanted to discuss, the books. And we started chatting more, and then one day she invited me to lunch to discuss interesting spiritual matters, and I love a good spiritual discussion, which led to the birth of a rather short-lived spiritual discussion group...but not because we had nothing to discuss (people kept moving.) She has introduced me to some of my other favorite people, we still talk books all the time, and she is one of the few people with whom I always want to spend time.

S is smart - wicked smart, but she doesn't shove it down your throat, and she lets me babble incessantly, whether I know of which I speak or not, and does not try to make me out to be an idiot (sort of like you guys! Aww, thanks!) She also reads this blog, in addition to some awesome books. She is one of the people whose book suggestions almost always pan out (I am still slightly leery of the creepy smiley pastor, S, but I'll give him a try.) She has a very dry sense of humor, she is strong and independent, and she is an amazing mom. S is one of the reasons I am so thankful we moved to Kentucky, and I am one lucky ducky to call her friend.

Yesterday was International Women's Day, but every day is a great day to celebrate strong, beautiful women. Tell me about some of your favorite females.