A little piece of history...gone

So I get home this afternoon from work and I just on facebook, only to find out that a fire has destroyed the Dairy Queen in my hometown (Greensburg, KY). I was sad, but had not really fully absorbed the idea of what was lost. A few hours later, I return home again, head to facebook and begin to read the comments from so many of my high school friends about what the it meant to them. Now, it's my turn to reminisce...

When you grow up in a small town (population 2,500), the having a fast food restaurant is a big deal. By the time I left for college, Greensburg sported a Lee's Famous Recipe Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and Druthers (somehow associated with Burger Queen). I can remember when construction of Druthers was taking place. As high schoolers, we hung out there after ball games...there really isn't much to do in a town with no theatre, no bowling alley, etc. It was either sit at Druthers or sit at Mercers parking lot. Somewhere along the way, Druthers gave way to Dairy Queen or DQ as my folks call it. It's been several years since I have been to the Greensburg DQ. It's another one of those things that you take for granted will always be there on your visits home. I am sure they will rebuild (or something will), but it just won't be the same.

I have 2 vivid memories of Druthers. They are nothing special, but for some reason, they are embedded in my mind. The first, I was driving my grandmothers chocolate brown full size station wagon...a tank. I hated that car, but it was available for my use and I took advantage. I pulled into the parking lot after a basketball game and parked in back row to hide my shame in driving such an ugly car. Unfortunately, I left my headlights on and someone came in and announced it. I had to shamefully retreat to the parking lot. Silly I know, but at 16, I was embarrassed to be seen in that vehicle! My second memory...I was having a "pool party" at Legion Park to celebrate my 15th birthday. The Legion baseball team had a game the same night and most of the players crashed the party. I ended leaving with some folks and going to Druthers. In my haste to be "cool" and leave the party, I left shoeless. No shoes, no shirt, no service still haunts me. I was wearing a pair of sweat pants, so I pulled them over my feet. I walked around on that greasy fast food floor with white sweat pants that needless to say were no longer white. I couldn't explain to my mom what had happened because I would have been in trouble for leaving my own party. All of this for a cute baseball player that I soon found out had a girlfriend. I eventually ended up dating that ball player for a couple of years, but it was awhile after that night that we finally went on a date. I recall that he didn't even remember being there with me. I guess I didn't make the impression I had hoped for! HA HA HA

And so it goes...another landmark and a piece of my past is gone...time makes you bolder, children get older, and I'm getting older, too.

Here I go again

Here I go again...my attempt at blogging.

I just read an article in Good Housekeeping (yes, I have been a big fan for 20+ years) on achieving and maintaining weight loss. Since I have dropped a few pounds in the past few months, I almost skipped over the article, but something about setting goals and motivation to keep those goals caught my eye. The article stated that all too often we set unrealistic goals for ourselves and when we don't achieve them, we give up. The idea is to set small achievable goals on your way to the ultimate goal you have for yourself. It also discusses setting "defined" goals, not abstract goals. Don't set a goal like "I want to be a good mom". Honestly, who sets out with the idea of wanting to be a bad mom. Instead, set goals to help yourself be a good mom: play games instead of cleaning house on occasion, etc. With that being said, here are a couple of my achievable goals...

1. Instead of wallering (sp?) in self pity when I am home alone without the kids, I will embrace the time and do one thing for myself. Don't get me wrong, I miss them terribly when they are not here, but I also know that they are well cared for and happy. So, I am going to take some time for me. I am not sure what that "thing for me" will be, but I vow to figure it out.

2. Blogging - my goal is to blog at least 3 times a week. I hope to find it therapuetic, since therapy that costs is sort of out of my budget right now. I think that more often than not, I just need to get some things out. I have thought about a journal, but I can type much faster than I can write. I don't plan on writing about my woes daily, but occasionally, they might turn up!

Ok, that's enough for now. I know it's a small, simple list, but I have to start somewhere. The last few months have, well, for lack of better word, sucked. But, I know, that somewhere down the road, I am going to be ready to give my heart away again. This blog is my first step toward the future. A future that I can't wait to embrace.