Mood

Mood affects everything.  I am referring to not only some one's attitude toward some one or some thing but I am also referring to the energy they bring in to that space.

If any one spends more than 3 seconds with me they know that I have my crabby moments.  I name them and claim them.  Most of the time I verbalize the crabbiness with a statement when I am there and I try to put up the force field to keep them to my self.  Unfortunately shields are breeched some times and a path of crabbiness is left like a tornado debris field.

What causes crabbiness?  That depends on the situation.  For me I know that most of the time I can't name it but when I do, it has to do with something I am processing in my brain that is taking a bit to reconcile.

So what does a person do to change a mood when it feels overwhelming?  First of all, it is important to know you can't change a mood of another person.  The old adage - "cheering someone else up" doesn't really work -- that person will need to be in a space of "wanting" to be cheered up.  When I say that I am not implying that a great phone call, note or Facebook post won't be helpful.  I am saying that I have to be ready to receive those things and that turns the corner for me.

I have many coping mechanisms for crabbiness:

One (and probably the one that works the best) is being by myself.  Just spending time alone - reading, cleaning, listening to music, etc - it helps to reset my brain and process through what ever is causing the crabbiness.

Two - drinking -- not the most healthy of coping skills, but a great glass of wine will just settle that mood right on down.

Third - retail therapy - again not the most healthy of coping skills, but it seems to help to go buy some stuff when I don't feel well.

What do you do?  Share -- maybe I can add something to the my list that works better than #2 or #3.

Here's to a better mood for the rest of the weekend -- CHEERS!

Yep - Curtain #2 Bob!

Amaze-balls weekend!

I am posting late or early or whatever perspective you have.  I couldn't wait until Saturday morning to talk about my amazing weekend.

First of all, I had just spent a week in Charlotte, NC (look for that blog later) for work.  I flew out on Memorial Day and came back that Friday -- an entire week in a hotel room is not my idea of fun, but the conference was great and I took away valuable information.

Earlier that weekend, Dawn emailed and said that she was supposed to go on a 5K with her family and that it was cancelled and that she decided not to go.  "Would I come visit her at 'the camper'?"  My first instinct was OMG - not after traveling for a week would I want to drive 3 hours to get to NE Iowa and camp.  She assured me that it was a NICE camper and that I would enjoy myself.  So I said "YES".  I would fly back in on Friday, get some laundry done, and then take off for Turkey River.

I knew it felt right because I was very excited.  Not just about seeing my friend (although THAT is a BIG part of my desire to go), but also about getting some much needed R & R.  And who couldn't enjoy this......

These two views of the Turkey River were right off the deck outside the "camper". 

So me and the little red Cobalt (and Mat D and Chad Elliott) ventured to the great Northeast and met up with Ron and Dawn at their campsite.  They just purchased a brand new camper and it is very nice:  Flush toilet and a very nice shower (MUSTS for camping I say).  They park their camper year round at the same spot and it is a premium one.  We can sit on the deck and watch wildlife, tubers, and snakes (yep swimming snakes).

First night we had some amazing pizza and I must have needed to relax because an entire bottle of Pinot Noir was consumed.  Went to bed about 11:30 and didn't wake up until 10:00 am the next day.  Seriously must have needed that rest (oh yeah - and some Ibuprofen).  Something about forgetting about the world and enjoying nature that makes me relax.  

After an amazing breakfast by my "chefs"

(Seriously, Ron cooked breakfast for us both mornings and Dawn made these amazing burgers on Saturday night - I was extremely spoiled)

....we ventured to Elkader.  It is a cute little town.  Those of you that don't know my friend Dawn, she has an amazing eye for things at garage sales and junk stores.  She can pick up a $5.00 chair - and with a little spray paint and fabric, resell it for about $25.00.  So we went shopping in Elkader.  I am a shopper, but not a "garage sale-r" so I went along to browse and about 3/4 of the way through the shops, was done.  But this is where my "talent" comes in -- THERE WAS AN IRISH PUB in Elkader.  I rested by drinking a Guinness.  Of course that was AFTER the Wedding Cake Malt from the coffee shop.  O-M-G!  I ate my way through the weekend.

In Elkader there is an amazing bridge that crosses the river.  It is an original structure that brings traffic into the downtown.  Here is the view from the walking part of the bridge.  

And here is a view of two HOT MAMAs......okay from the "hot flashes" but HOT none-the-less.

Elkader was a blast.  Loved the shopping, the malt, the GUINNESS, and of course the company.

So we headed back to the campsite and Dawn made Jalapeño Popper Burgers.  YUMMO!!!!!  I will replicate those babies on my own grill.  Another whole bottle of wine - MALBEC this time - seriously?  How much rest do I need?

All in all, it was an amazing, restful weekend with great company, great food, and amazing rest.  I hope to do it again real soon.  

OH Wait............My favorite picture I took on my phone.  Did I mention my friend Dawn's sense of style and repurposing everything?  This was awesome!

So I take from this that I just needed to "hang in there and enjoy the rest and relaxation".  That is exactly what I did!  Thank you GARBES CLAN!