Saturday, May 16, 2015

Lesson 360: Egad, an Adage!

Mrs. Eloise is giving you an old-fashioned,
English class, refresher this week, Readers.

I heard you through my screen:

Catchy blog title, Mrs. Eloise, but
what's an adage?
It's been a long time since Junior High.

Here is your answer, Avid Learners:

Adage Definition

An adage is a short, pointed and memorable saying based on facts, and is considered a veritable truth by the majority of people. Famous adages become popular due to their usage over a long period of time. In fact, an adage expresses a general fact or truth about life. As it becomes popular, it is then accepted as a universal truth. For instance, “God helps those who help themselves” is now considered a universal truth because of its usage throughout the human history. Often repeated sayings and quotes become adages that pass on to many generations. However, some adages are metaphoric, having hidden meanings, and embody common observations. Sometimes, proverbs are also referred as adages, but there is a slight difference.

My favorite adage comes from the story Tortoise and the Hare:

Slow And Steady Wins The Race - #quote #inspiration

That phrase is Eloise's approach to fitness:
I keep at things.
I'm slow and steady.
I don't win many races,
but in the end, I feel like I am going to finish first--
like when I beat Heather Cass in a 5K in the 80 and over category
in the year 2051.


Summer is fast approaching, and I have a challenge planned for my family
so we remain fit and focused on good health this summer.
Perhaps you locals will like to join in.


Only the locals would be interested,
but Eloise is wondering if I could find 7 more people
 to purchase my Lamp Post Training Shirt.

I found a new, really great guy that makes t-shirts locally:

Phantom Signs and Graphics


They can print my shirts, but I need to order 12 at the minimum.
I pulled out my handy calculator and figured:

12 needed
minus five Lamp Post Dwellers
Equals
7 more needed to run a print batch

The shirt is athletic, light weight, water-wicking material.
I chose a sunny yellow to represent Summer 2015.

Here is my sketch I'm sending to the artists:\


My Summer Training Challenge is titled
What the Hill?


I've come to learn that hill training is great for anyone,
no matter what your goal.

Kenyan (Avid diva*), my speedy-fast sister who is running ANOTHER marathon this weekend
uses hills to improve her speed time.

Doc, friend and my Team Adrenaline leader
uses hills to prepare for 24 hour bike rides and journeys across our entire state.

Leslie, my friend and Fitness Motivator loves hills.
Over two and a half years of knowing her,
she's taught me to embrace them, as well.

Why You Need to Go the Extra Mile (Click to read my blog post)

The cool part is that I've chosen 11 area hills to tackle,
jogging,
biking,
running,
or walking.

The cryptic listing appears on the back of the shirt.


If you sign up for the challenge and the shirt,
you get access to a facebook page
and a Sharpie Marker to X off or date the hills as you complete them,
in the best way that you are able to:
run them
jog them 
jog them when cars go by and walk when no one is looking
bike them
or
steadily climb them.
My facebook page will contain a detailed list of the hill locations.
It also will allow you to motivational photos of you atop your high hill,
as you conquer each one.
Of course a prize will be involved for completion of the challenge.
Who is in?
I need seven of you.
Who will be the Lucky 7?
Please message me if you are interested.


Thanks in advance to all those who take part in my summertime fun.
You'll love me for a moment,
but IN the moment
this may be your mantra.
Hills are HARD!


26 Reasons You Should DEFINITELY Be A Runner | Buzzfeed

I got big other news, Readers!
BIG.

A slut nixes sex in Tulsa

And bigger yet---

A Santa dog lived as a devil God at NASA.

Fox News update?
Nope.
Sorry to disappoint.
Both sentences are palindromes--
 defined as:  
a word, phrase, or sequence read the same backwards and forwards.

And for those who are really, really, REALLY sharp,
you caught that the title of this blog was an adage itself!

Friend and Klein Colleague Amy informed me that this week was *Palindrome Week.
Looky here!


If you want to see some very interesting
(and quite funny) palindromes, 
click the link below.


For added fun, 
I'll insert them into my blog tonight,
but will denote them in BOLD RED,
so I don't confuse my mother.
She lives next door to me, you know.
Grandma is not one to tick off.
Kenyan isn't really an *avid diva (that often).

After clicking my link above,
I know you tried to call
Dial laid
and it rang busy---
so stay here,
under the Lamp Post light, instead.


We spent Mother's Day weekend at the family camp.
I could go on and on forever about how much I love that place,
but
In words, alas, drown I.


It was 88 degrees and sunny last weekend!


I traded my Erie Sea Wolves baseball cap
for this pink one:


With his OWN money, may I add.


It sure is pretty in the Allegheny Forest.
When I'm vacationing there,
This is my gym.


The place is so beautiful
it's as if the
devil never even lived.


At camp, we relax on healthy living rules, just a bit.
Everyone gets to choose their favorite drink,
and we tote a whole cooler full, downstate.

Rum, rum, I murmur

(Not really, I'm a beer girl,
but it worked for this picture).


Someone even snuck in a two pound canister of Cheese Balls!

Dammit, I'm Mad!


The ride downstate was gorgeous.

Sir, I eye, iris

Not really, they are dandelions.




Mr Owl ate my metal worm
while I drank out of this metal can.
Thank you Coca Cola for another fun summer of
the Share a Coke advertising campaign!


Eloise managed to throw a baseball into her own Mom Van windshield this week!
To idiot:
dumb move!


The shape of the shatter reminded me somewhat
 of this photo that I snapped 
on the little league field while the sun was setting.

Oh cameras are macho


A snapshot such as this shows the delicacy of our world.
Include God in your life on a daily basis, and you will see it, too.
If not, you are in for a sad, sad fate.

Swap God for a janitor, rot in a jar of dog paws.



I caught another couple of prize moments this week:





This one surely makes me think
What the hi11?
When I come up with the best captions,
I'll repost this one.
For this week, 
we'll have to settle for
you bozo boy!



Speaking of bozos,
my pesty, window pecking bird still won't go away,
even after we put the screens up!



This insane bird,
who has pecked every window at my parents house to my own,
has now started attacking his own image in the mirror in the Lamp Post garage.
We had to cover the mirror with a t-shirt to keep him out of there!

Yo banana boy,
that bird in the reflection is YOU!


In the nest on Sam's play set, Momma is nesting comfortably.
I'm awaiting her two eggs to hatch!


All this talk about birds
reminds me of a GREAT novel I am reading.
Add this to your summer reading list ASAP.


This novel is set in 1940 France,
right after the German army invaded Paris.

Evil, a sin, is alive.

I try to read a War War II book every year,
so I don't forget the sacrifices others made for my freedom.
Kristen Hannah is a remarkable storyteller.
Don't miss this one.

WWII always reminds me of my favorite musical,
The Sound of Music.

DONE - The Sound of Music Tour near Salzburg, Austria. Interesting to learn while on the tour; many Austrians have never heard of The Sound of Music.

The song,
Sixteen Going on Seventeen
has been going through my head all week.

Natalie will turn 17 on Tuesday.


I've always loved that song and the famous movie scene.
For the full movie clip, scroll to the bottom of the blog.

I always wanted to dance in a gazebo during a thunderstorm like Liesl and Ralph did.

Blog post: I missed the only year of my life when I could sing, "I am sixteen going on seventeen."

Too bad Ralph ended up getting brainwashed.
Still, it never stopped me from asking hubby to construct this in my backyard.

Sound of Music Gazebo - Salzburg Austria. They had to close it to the public after an elderly woman fell while dancing from bench to bench singing "I am sixteen going on seventeen..."


When I do my hill climbing this summer,
I plan on bursting into song as I reach each summit.

I am a tune nut, am I?

I tried to put my head onto this, but I don't have the right angle.
Maybe I'll pose for the cropping when I complete my 11 hill goal.


Dresses: Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music," 1965

I found some great photos taken while filming on the set:

Gretl und Liesl. behind the scenes of Sound of Music :) (FYI it's the original, the good one.)

Who doesn't love Gretl?

The Sound of Music. I used to look forward to and watch this movie this movie every year when they played it on tv. I need to watch it again.

This movie has had such an impact on my life.
Maybe it answers why I have such a love for

dancing,

the sound of music -  julie Andrews & Christopher Plummer.

hats,
guitars,


The Sound of Music (1965) Maria! A woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval officer widower. Beautiful, classic musical.


puppetry,

high on the hill lives a lonely goatherd....The Sound of Music!!!!

and picnics.




"The Sound of Music"  - a classic for all ages - enchants generation after generation with sounds and images that are truly timeless... our fashion designers at Isabella G. by GEIGER know the value of timeless classics and for SS 2014 we had fun again re-interpreting tradition for our customers. Enjoy!

Climb the mountain with me this summer, Readers.
When you get to the top, spin a 360, and look around.
See where you've come from,
and look up,
to see where you are headed.

Even if you're struggling,
remember this famous line from the musical:

I wouldn't consider myself very religious, but I truly believe this and have living proof. Better days are always yet to come.


For more Sound of Music enjoyment,
here is the clip of Lady Gaga singing with Julie Andrews at this year's Oscars.



Oscars--with Lady Gaga CLICK HERE

I'm working on Natalie's photo video for her birthday on Tuesday,
so no photo video this week.


Instead I linked you up with Liesl and Idiot Ralph's gazebo dance.

16 going on 17 FOR NATALIE

Eloise's final advice:
Stop and smell the roses--
Egad, that's an adage!
(and also a palindrome!)

XOXOX
Which is also a palindrome
Eloise

Friday, May 8, 2015

Lesson 359: Yesterday You Said Tomorrow


Happy weekend, Readers!
I said that last weekend, didn't I?
It's a good saying,
whether I wrote it yesterday or last week.
Spoiler Alert!
I'm going to say it again next weekend, too.

Why not choose to be happy?


It always seems like we're looking ahead or behind us,
especially this time of year when school years come to a close.

We attend ceremonies honoring the leaders of tomorrow,
selected according to their actions of the past.


This is Ellen signing the National Honor Society book.
Mother Eloise snapped a terrific pic of a hand, a pen, and a key.
However, the only thing she could think of was,

Drat!  I never could correct that incorrect pencil grip of hers!

I didn't fully enjoy the moment,
because I was kicking myself about the past.
Good thing I took a picture.


Today was yesterday's tomorrow.
So what about NOW?

I think Nike got this one just right.

I need to apply this to more things in my life

The older I get, 
the more I realize how important it is to celebrate today.

My friend Kristen posted this conversation between herself and her boys on facebook this week.
I told her it was blog worthy, and here's her proof that I'm true to my word.


This morning, the boys were looking for the next holiday to celebrate.
 We couldn't think of anything before Memorial Day,
 then Mason says, "How about tomorrow?" 

Me: "What's tomorrow?"

Mason: "It's the only time this year that that day will happen, so we should celebrate it!"

I think I'm going to celebrate today, because it's the only time this year it will happen:)


Why do I take so many photos?
Lots of reasons, I guess,
but really,
if you think about it,
each snapshot is a celebration of The Now.
What a nice way to think of a photograph.

"Do it now. Sometimes 'later' becomes 'never'." #Fitness #Inspiration #Quote


This weekend we celebrate mothers--
the great commonality in us all--
we all had a mother.
Every
single
one of us.

If your mother is with you,
tell her that you love her.
Even if your relationship is strained,
you were made from her love
and that lives on inside of you.

Never forget to tell someone u love them, tomorrow may never come...

Yesterday, you said you'd give her a call.
It's today,
so you better get on that.

Do it now ''''say it now '''''tomorrow may never come.....  Peace

If your mother is no longer with you,
say a prayer of thanks for giving you life.
You'll be seeing her again one day.
Make your actions today make her proud.



Grandma helps Kenyan and I out tremendously.



Her kind heart and good nature are noted within the first few minutes of seeing her.

Grandma's also a wicked-good kickball pitcher.



and the loudest and most avid fan in the stands.



Thanks, Mom.
We love you.

A momma robin has been nesting on Sam's play set.


We got three!
Eloise is happy!


My other robin's nest is still being hijacked.
I believe this is another cowbird egg.
Here it is one morning,


and here it was the same day after work.




Eloise got to spend Thursday in an outdoor classroom!



We took some students out to the middle school Envirothon
hosted by the Erie County Conservation District
at Headwaters Park.


Erieites,
if you haven't been there to walk through the park,
PLEASE DO!
It's right behind the Wendy's exit off of Interstate 90.

The aforementioned friend Kristen did an excellent job 
planning a day of learning and fun for the area students.

Keeping kids safe in an outdoor classroom is one tall order to fill.


The students and I had a great time 
and we learned a lot in the process.


We even returned to school with a respectable third place finish!


Don't make a promise to check out the park someday.
Do it TODAY.


Don't let this be you!

Tomorrow never comes! Click here now!!!


I got a new crew to keep me motivated for the summer.


Eloise is participating in Challenge Erie 6.


I can't wait for all of the fun to come!



Live your best life this weekend, My Friends.
Find what you love to do,
and go do it,


TODAY!

Eloise could only choose one perfect song to set this week's photos to--
The Zac Brown Band's Tomorrow Never Comes--acoustic version.



If you haven't purchased this one yet, do it!  
Just as the album title suggests, each song is as different as the next. 
 Song #3 has a gospel feel. 
 Song #4 is big band.  
Song #5 is grunge metal--
all blended with a country vibe.

It is clearly the best music I've purchased in a long time.
You'll be hearing lots of it this summer.
So go grab your favorite drink,
and sit down with some great tunes.
Do it NOW!

As they say.."tomorrow never comes"

Enjoy the photos and the song.
Have a great weekend.
ELOISE