Pond Hopper

Last week I asked for blogging ideas to help me along with getting back into blogging regularly. The following entry was inspired by the suggestion of writing about my most embarrassing moments... When I was 17, I met and began dating my first love (because I don't like to use names 'I'll call him Ashley). Before I met him, I had only had one other boyfriend. My high school sweetheart and I dated for the 3 years prior and because we were so young, we didn't really 'date' we just went from being friends to being a couple. So, dating was a new experience for me when Ashley and I got together. He was nearly 4 years older than me, he was charming and very good looking - because of this combination, in the beginning I was completely intimidated (not to mention smitten) and a nervous wreck every time I had to be alone with him. At the time, neither one of us had a car so when we went out I had to borrow my brother's car and pick him up. I was always so nervous an...

Wayne and I aren't big drinkers. We can go months at a time without even a glass of wine with dinner, but every once in a while we go out to tie one on. It's usually to celebrate something (or in this case - to concede to me turning 35). Last night was one of those nights. We always have a good time going out just the two of us. There's never a lack of conversation and when we're out at pubs or clubs - our favorite activity is people watching. It's always a good laugh. We drank quite a bit last night - We shared a bottle of wine at dinner, at the first pub we went to we had a drink each, again at the 2nd pub and at the 3rd - we had two more. We were out till 1AM, up till about 3:30 and I've been awake and hung over since 7:30. I wish I was one of those people who slept through it, but I never do. I have a hang over ritual I go through. It starts with a hot shower and a facial scrub. I always feel like my skin looks dull and tired from all the smoke in th...

Since moving here, Wayne and I have had an on going debate on weather or not the media in this country is anti-American or not. I have always felt as if it is and Wayne says I am just sensitive and it's really not the case. I feel that the news always seems to have an anti-American spin to it when talking about anything relating to the US. Today, I found the following quote that I think confirms my opinion of not only the media, but the opinion of the British public on the American way of life ... 'America is often portrayed as an ignorant, unsophisticated sort of place, full of bible bashers and ruled to a dangerous extent by trashy television, superstition and religious bigotry, a place lacking in respect for evidence based knowledge. I know that is how it is portrayed because I have done my bit to paint that picture...' Taken from an article written by BBC's Washington correspondent Justin Webb, in a remarkably frank admission of his role in misinforming the Britis...

Yesterday, I asked for suggestions on blogging topics. One of my first suggestions was 'life lessons' I had a good think on it and here is the first life lesson I could remember having... When I was in Jr high school, on my 13th birthday, I got beat up. The girl who beat me up was Tracy Yuhas. Why Tracy beat me up - The boy I had just broken up with (sounds silly to describe a relationship that took place at the age of 12 in such a way) told Tracy that I called her a whore (sounds quite mature for a bunch of 12 year-olds doesn't it?) to get back at me for breaking up with him. By the way, he lied - until that day, I really didn't know Tracy (to any real extent anyway). The way it went down was quite the well planned event. Tracy had a friend of mine ask me to meet her after school and then bring me to a place off of school property, but close enough so that spectators could easily make their way. My 'friend' well aware of my fate, got me there and when I ...

I don't know if they're a hit in the US or not, but the lead singer of the band 'The Ordinary Boys' is a celebrity here in the UK. He did 'Celebrity Big Brother' on TV and now he's really well known. Anyway, his picture is all over magazines & the tabloids and every time I see his face, I feel like I know him (kind of like a different lead singer of a famous British boy band who looks very much like my first love - his photo is EVERYWHERE and every time I see him - I feel like I should wave because that's what you do when you know each other intimately). I digress...the lead singer of the Ordinary Boys (his name is Preston) - for the longest time, I've felt like know him, but haven't been able to place where I know him from. Then, it hit me - he looks a lot like a Canadian I met years ago on a business trip (and during another trip, spent a drunken - yet highly enjoyable evening with). Mystery solved. This morning, I saw a link to thei...

We had snow today on the south coast of England. This is my 3rd winter living here and it's never happened before. It was beautiful to wake up to (considering I didn't have a car to clean the snow off of). On my way to the meet Dan at the gym, I wasn't enjoying the cold temperatures, icy walkways and wind in my face. That soon changed though when I passed several workman having snowball fights and loving every minute of it. It was a delight to watch grown men laughing and behaving like children in a winter wonderland they don't often get to experience. When Dan arrived for our appointment, his face was all pink from the cold as he walked up to me with bright eyes saying 'Isn't it great?!' Coming from Jersey, I can't say I get terribly excited about the snow and wasn't sorry to see it was gone within a few hours, but I must admit that it was really nice seeing the people around me get such pleasure out of it.

One week from today, I turn 35. I hate these milestone birthdays (although I was quite happy thinking 35 wasn't a milestone, but people keep referring to it as one so...). Next week, I'll be officially be closer to 40 than 30. In my mind, I don't feel 35. I still feel 20-something. I must admit though that lately, I look in the mirror and I look 35. I'm over weight (just gained those dreaded 12 lbs back I struggled to lose) so I'm looking puffy, my skin looks somehow duller and I should also confess I recently started using anti-aging products and I've been pulling out random gray hairs for over a year now. My body has started changing too. I never had weight issues before in my life, but now I have to work really hard to lose the smallest amount of weight. I've spent the last several years dieting, working out and never actually reaching my goal weight. Teenagers refer to me as mam and I suddenly feel too old to be shopping in trendy stores, but too...

My walk to the gym was extremely unpleasant today. It's rained nearly every day since we've been back. It's not just rain - it's cold, huge drops of rain and heavy winds. I dreaded leaving the house since getting out of bed, and when the time came for my appointment with Dan (my friend & trainer), I had no choice but to face the elements... I lost my third umbrella this season to the wind not 500 yards from my house and was forced to walk the rest of the way in the rain. I cursed to myself the entire way and dreamed of the day we can move back to the States - where I can drive myself where ever I need to go without having to face the weather except on my walks to and from the car!

I keep meaning to blog regularly, but it just never happens. During our trip to the states, we were lucky to find it unseasonably warm. We hardly had to wear our coats at all. It was also sunny most days - It rained once in 3 weeks. It was really wonderful, but the down side is that since we've been back, my body has had to re-adjust to the colder much damper climate (it's rained every day but 2 days since we've been back) and I've been suffering with my arthritis the last couple of weeks something fierce. The good news is that the winter will seem shorter because of the trip. As soon as I'm feeling a bit better I'll write more often...

We got back on Friday and on Saturday morning, I had to do a wedding for my beauty business. Jet lag is still affecting me, but I'm feeling better than I did yesterday, so I guess I can't complain. Coming back is always difficult. Our trips to the US are far from relaxing. We spend the entire trip driving from house to house visiting friends and family all over NJ and NY. We