Will it Never End?!?!

This morning, after lugging my butt out of bed, strapping my bicycle to my dad's car, going to the park and riding for a half-hour, I get home, look down at the car gauges only to see a flashing light:

Oil Pressure Low

Good Grief!

I check the oil. It's fine. That means that it's the oil pump.

It has to go to the shop tomorrow.

I just want to cry.

Now I'm Repeating Myself

I just spent the past half-hour telling the story of my, seemingly, unending automobile troubles only to realize that I had already told most of the story.

I think that I have angered the Auto Gods.

We're all set to put the new engine in my car and my cousin, Michael suffers a heart-attack. At 48 years old--only 7 years older than me. Luckily, he survived and actually feels better now. He had a 90% blockage in one of his arteries and some blockage in the other three. They broke up the plaque and put a stint in the one artery and are going to wait and see on the other 3. He has to make some life-changes and I think he'll do it.

Needless to say, the engine is not in my car, yet. So I'm driving my Dad's 1990 Oldsmobile. It's nothing too pretty to look at and it's pretty dirty inside, but it gets me from place to place. However...The battery crapped out on me when I went to Abingdon and I had to buy a new one in order to get back to Asheville.

So the total is:
2 brand new batteries
1 used engine

It's just bad luck, I think.

What's Up?

Okay, so this happens so much in my life. I really should pay more attention. When I decide to make a change, the universe decides to throw even more at me, it seems, just to test me. I'm already mad at my coach because, in just making the commitment to changing, lots of issues have been brought to the surface (I drag my issues out every couple of years, prod at them like a sore tooth and then put some Anbesol on them) since the last time I decided my life wasn't working. I'm getting slapped in the face with it...or just really looking at it. It depends on what I'm feeling at the time it bobs to the top.

Secondly, it seems the universe, the gods, what have you, have a wicked sense of humor. I screw up the courage to ask my dad for $1500 to help me with this project and the very same day my car blows up...I need a new engine and I've just paid $150 for an oil change, new battery and fuel system treatment. What's that all about? It'll get fixed in the next few days. It pays to have a mechanic in the family...and he gets a discount. I just have to figure out how to pay him and my nephew for the labor. The engine will only be $400.

On the bright side, I got my contract to be the Production Supervisor for Almost Heaven. They pay in halves...$750 on signing the contract and $750 on opening night. So I don't have to wait until the middle of Sept. to get a little more money. I'll get it next week.....I really hate to have money issues. I guess I'll have to tackle that one next.

I'd better get to the bank to deposit Dad's check and then go and buy some weight training equipment....

A New Journey

Well, I've gone and hired a Life Coach to help me focus and lose weight. The program lasts for 3 months. I'll keep you all posted on my progress.

My 3 month goal is to lose 20 lbs (or get down to the equivalent size) and to bike from my house to downtown without having to get off and walk It's about 8 miles and a lot of it is uphill. Pretty cool, huh?

Aunt Connie Being Cool

I severly cropped this pic. But I'm on a jetski. At the time it wasn't moving, but I have the bruises to show for when I was on it and then off it while it was moving....

I'm About to Become a Godmother

We'll talk about the implications of that later given the fact that Ella will be christened in the Catholic Church and I'm the only non-Christian in the family... I'll write more about it after it happens. I just wanted to post this very cute picture of Ella at my nephew's wedding.

She was very good through the ceremony. But the fanfare of the recessional startled her and she started screaming while the bride & groom walked up the aisle.

Don't worry, they'll all soon grow up and I'll stop posting their pictures on my blog. By then I'll have at least one new pet to post pics of.

My new Favorite Sculptor

I really like Rodin. When I go to the Metropolitan Museum in NY, I run to the Rodin gallery and stand in front of his work and just weep. The one that always touches me the most is The Hand Of God:
BUT, last night I was watching The Power of Art on PBS an discovered Gian Lorenzo Bernini. I don't think I would be able to stay on my feet should I look at these sculptures in person. Here is his Apollo & Daphne. Just as Apollo catches Daphne, the gods grant her wish of salvation and turn her into a tree.
Of course, photos on a computer don't do them any justice. However, I am constantly amazed at how true artists can make marble--solid stone--take on life. Look like living, human flesh. And here's the piece he's most famous for:

The Ecstasy of St. Theresa.

Her robes look like satin caught in the action of falling back down around her body and the expression on her face is one of pure rapture. She is real. We feel as if we have walked in on something we shouldn't have, like we are voyeurs on a private, passionate moment between Theresa and the Angel.

I now have to start saving my pennies to make sure I get to Rome before I die. I have to see these sculptures in person.