Playing Patty Cake

Last night we had so much fun at our dance lessons.  We went in early and went to the beginner's dance class before our lesson, and got exposed to 2 more types of dance...the merengue and the tango.  That puts the total number of dances we've been exposed to at about 6...in 4 lessons.  We're finally learning turns too, so that should make our practice sessions at home more fun.  (We got 3 different ballroom dance albums on iTunes, and the other night moved the table out of the way in the kitchen, then practiced for about an hour or so.)  Our teacher told us she could really see evidence of our practicing in the way we moved together too...more in synch, more smoothly, I followed better....  We still are (as she puts it) "playing patty cake"...meaning we join palms between us.  No dance hold yet...but hopefully soon.  Another thing that she noticed that she said was HUGE was that we consistently were on our own finding not just the beat, but also starting on the one (as opposed to another beat).  Pretty cool.  Now we've just got to figure out how we're gonna pay for it until we get the inheritance coming our way in a couple months.

Its sooo nice to be able to get dressed up, get out of the house and just be a couple on a date without worrying about the girls.  We found a neighbor in high school that they adore who is really good with them.  Minime had been having such a hard time whenever we went out, crying and clinging....until Shannon.  Now she's fine...last night she gave me a hug and kiss then went over to Shannon, then LK hugged and kissed me, then she said to Minime didn't she want to hug and kiss me?  (LK hadn't seen Minime hug and kiss me just before.)  She hugged me, but said she'd already kissed me and didn't want to again!  Talk about feeling put in my place!

RIP Mufasa

So HG and I had the talk that I'd alluded to in a previous post ( http://amithesaneone.blogspot.com/2011/07/talk.html ).  While we were on vacation we had "Fussy" boarded so that he wouldn't pee all over while we were gone.  It was kinda nice coming home to a house that didn't smell like a kennel.  My parents had watched our dog Hershey while we were gone, and when they came over to bring him back on Sunday, Dad noticed that though he loved the attention of being petted he didn't purr at all.  (This is HUGE, as he's always been purring up a storm any time he's around anyone he loves.)  He also noticed that he seemed kind of dazed.  Of course, he didn't tell me this until I was on the way to the vet with him.  HG had started to talk to the vet about it earlier today, and couldn't continue...he was crying too much, so I got the pleasant task of taking him.  When we got there and were taken to a room, I opened the top of the cat carrier so he could get out to explore if he wanted....it took more than 10 minutes for him to do so.  I was also petting him most of the time we were there (I stayed through the time the first injection made him sleepy but left before they gave him the overdose of anesthesia), and as Dad had said, he never purred.

We're Back

So last week we were off on adventures.  First was Cedar Point in OH (HUGE amusement Park and water park), pic number one was when we were waiting out the rain wen at the water park, the second was the last day at the amusement park...I wouldn't have been in the pic, but minima wouldn't get over by Snoopy otherwise!

Last stop was Niagra Falls on the way home.  The first pic below was taken on the Cave of the Winds tour on one of the platforms, and the second was taken from the Observation Tower.

Its hard to get back to the daily grind...and it was really nice family time...a first for us (to have a full family vacation with all 5 of us).

Doing the Box Step....For Now

So HG and I have started ballroom dancing.  We've had 2 classes so far, and our instructor is really cool.  We're going to Arthur Murray, and the way they teach dance is different...you don't just learn all about one type of dance at a time, or per lesson...they teach you how the dances are all similar.  That way, you don't have to wait until a certain type of song gets played...you can figure out which dance goes with the music and can move with it.  So far we've learned a bit of foxtrot, rhumba, and waltz.  Surprisingly, HG is having a really good time with it.  (Ive wanted to get into ballroom dancing since like college, when I had a day of ballroom dance in my jazz dance class.  So I'm totally there.)  HG has been talking about getting me some special shoes for dancing in, and tonight he came home from work with 2 pair.  (Unfortunately, my feet are just a wee bit wide for them.  Both of the pairs he got have to be returned Monday, which means he'll have to lug them all day so he can exchange them on his way home...the store thats right on his route from the T into work isn't open when he goes in.)

Attitude Adjustments

My Mom sells Mary Kay.  The reason I tell you this is because she is now a team builder...she has three people that she has signed up, which is a big deal.  Monday night was a special recognition rally for her, and some family friends of ours, one of my aunts, and I all came to it as well.  (Dad was there too, to take pictures.)  In order for me to do this, HG had to get home by the time he normally leaves the office, which he did.  So I leave, not in time to get to Mom and Dad's house, then go to the meeting, but I got to the meeting before Mom and Dad did.  So I was texting HG about some things that had happened that day (namely the dance studio where we're taking ballroom dancing calling back), and he got all pissy on me and came down on me for not calling them like he'd asked me to.  Rather than taking it, getting defensive, and it starting an argument (which would have happened back a year or two ago), I just said back that I had  called and had to leave a message, and they were returning my call, as I'd expected them to back on Friday, and I told him to "lose the attitude."  He didn't read the message until some time while Mom's rally was going on, but when I called after to tell him about it, the attitude was gone.