Hey Claudia!

As Claudia requested a picture of my trainer...this is Tyson. Cute eh?  I spent my Monday morning (early) with him and he seriously kicked my ass butt.  It feels good to be able to move the body (sans pain).  This is the best money I've spent in a long time. Better than yarn.  Gasp! Blasphemy, I know, but a body that moves correctly, with all muscles 'firing', as he calls it, is a happy body.  I highly recommend a trainer to whip help you into shape.  It's the only way to play.

We did have some loads of fun and a little sorrow this weekend.  A call came on Friday night from my father's wife, Helen.  Dad is not doing well ...it's his heart.  More test will be conducted next week to find the extent of the problem and if it can be fixed easily or will involved more extensive procedures. 

Quiet times this weekend were spent in contemplation of my relationship with my father.  He is sometimes a hard man to like. One minute he is charming, full of fun and life, a wonderful teacher, and a sweet father.  The next minute, for no apparent reason, he will be explosive, petulant, frustrated and sometimes mean.  Chaos theory was alive and well in our household.  His tendency is to take everything personally, from road construction to the weather.  The lesson learned from his behavior was to not take anything you can't control personally. There is also a constant struggle, vigilance, to keep myself in balance and to stay positive. While I wouldn't call our relationship strained, it can be stressful and prone to negative moments.  He lives in Flagstaff and that makes it easier in some ways and harder in others, like now when I can't easily be there with him.  In conversation he often says life is too hard and he isn't happy to be here. When I try to turn the direction to something more positive he tells me of his old hobby, stereo photography, becoming new again, of the old pictures he's redoing and new pictures he has taken.  The gifts he has given me are the love of landscape, especially Utah's extreme and diverse beauty, love of music, learning and travel, to name just a few. At this point we don't know what the future holds, but if you're so inclined please send him good thoughts and prayers. 

We did have a great time with friends and kept busy the whole weekend.  We packed in as much as we could on Saturday and Sunday because there was threat of thunderstorms on Monday.  At 4:00 that morning we were awakened by loud thunder, lightning and a very scared dog.  Poor Moxie!  It rained off and on all day.  The promise is for sun to return today with unsettled conditions ahead.  I have loads of pictures and little time to get a proper post ready so, stay tuned for a report on our weekend shenanigans.

Check out my Weekly Zen, Nona Knits.  Her blog has posts on techniques such as short rows (all the different methods!) and one you may not find in any book, the M&M method of finishing.

Comments

[Bridget]

My thoughts are with you, as well as your dad. I hope the tests reveal that the problem is easily resolved.

I have a cat named Moxie! Your Moxie is too cute.

[Kathleen]

Keeping you and your Dad...and your family in my thoughts. Peaceful thoughts your way.

[sandy]

Nice Trainer Shot! :) He's a star of the day!
I will keep your father and you in my thoughts and prayers today.
Having also come from a family complete with a "difficult" father, I have accepted the fact that I would not be the person I am today if I had not had the past that I did.
A positive way of thinking which I share with you.
xo

[Laurie]

Positive thoughts and hope are both winging their way to you and your dad.

[Cassie]

Good thoughts for your dad. Interesting to me the complexity involved in relationships with parents. Even if they're difficult people, their children probably know them better than anyone, and thus also know their best sides as well. The trick is remembering to see it when they show their rough side. And it sounds like you have a great grasp on the gifts you've received from your dad.

[Kim]

We are sending good thoughts for your dad from NH! It is never easy to see a parent struggle, even when the relationship is not an easy one.

Hmmm.........I could be tempted to work with a trainer, if he looked like yours!

[Jackie]

Yor father, your family will be in my prayers this week - I hop eyou get good news soon.
And your trainer - oh, man!! I would work hard for him, too! :)

[michele]

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your Dad. I thought you eloquently described your relationship with him...it was nice. Take care.

[Susan]

Well, Margene, it wasn't the usual scenery that opens the week, but a very pleasing photo indeed!

I hope that things with your dad go well. One of my grandmothers has been going back and forth lately with the feeling that there's no more life to be lived and the feeling that there are things she still wants to enjoy. It's hard not to take that personally (for me), but sometimes I have to step back and realize that I'm not in that place in life and I don't know how it feels to be there. It sounds as though you are stepping back and engaging in some reflection, so I hope that helps you, no matter what happens.

[Kate]

I'd get up early to work out with him for sure!

Sorry about the family health problems, will be thinking of you this week.

[Christine]

Your trainer is cute! Hmmmm.... makes me think I need a trainer! ;) Actually, aches and pains are more prevalent these days; I need to take better care of myself! Prayers for your dad and you, too.

[Janine]

Taking care of one's body and one's spirit seems to be the theme... Thank you for sharing so freely about your life. Few of us come to adulthood with "clear" relationships with our parents, which can be made much more difficult by the sense that we are alone with our ambivalence. The lesson I have been given by my family is that those who focus outward on the world are aging so much more happily than those who focus on themselves alone--but the pull of self is very, very strong. You and your father are in my thoughts...

[Sydney]

Learning not to take things personally is a great lesson. I know my life has been improved by the realization that there are many things I can't control and shouldn't worry over. Good thoughts to you and your dad.

[claudia]

That is, indeed, some seriously nice eye candy. And *of course* his name is Tyson.

Best wishes for your dad's health.

[Tracy]

I'm just trying to put my tongue back in my mouth after seeing your trainer. How come everybody else's looks like Steven Segall yet mine (when I had one) managed to look more like Homer Simpson? Sending wishes that your father makes a speedy recovery and that it's not as bad as you might think.

[Norma]

I'm thinking about you and your dad. Others have said it eloquently before me, and you have said it yourself: Having "interesting" parents (and other experiences in life) makes us what we are, good or bad. Depending on the stuff we're born with - coping skills, intelligence, etc. - we can turn those "interesting" qualities into positive things or negative things. We can become whiney, needy, me-me-me "entitlement" types, or we can turn it into something positive and break the cycle, become better people. I think more people need a little adversity in their lives - make that a lot of adversity - to make them better people. You've accepted your dad's shortcomings as actual gifts to you, and that has made all the difference. Best to you and the other members in your family. (And a big hug!)

(And I bet having that hot trainer doesn't hurt, either, hee!)

[Liz]

My thoughts are with you and your family, Margene. As (yet) another one with a difficult dad, I can understand the complicated relationship you must have with him. Love the gifts you've received from him. My dad gave me the love of old things and doing things yourself. Take care.

[Carole]

I understand about challenging parental relationships. It's great that you recognize the gifts your dad has given you. I will be thinking of you and hope for your dad's swift recovery.

[su]

Ah yes, the yin and the yang. Cyber hugs to you and yours Margene. It's all good. su

[Birdsong]

I will be keeping good thoughts and prayers going for your dad, and for you. You have a very balanced perspective on the relationship issues. I know you will be doing what you can, while still taking care of your own body and recovery.

[Sharlene]

Sending good thoughts to your dad. This is hard for all of us dealing with the health issues of our parents. Big hugs to you too. :)

[monica]

I'm sorry to hear about your father. I'm sending warm fuzzies to you and your dad.

[keri]

Sending positive thoughts your way to you and your dad.

[Cathy]

Thinking of you and your family and your dad.

[rebecca]

i'm so sorry to hear your dad isn't feeling well. he'll be in my prayers.
good for you for getting a trainer! mine made a big difference in my workouts!

[lynette]

I'd have a new hobby if Tyson were my trainer ;). I will also say a prayer for your father and family as you handle this crisis.

[caroline]

You and your papa are in my thoughts and prayers, chica. I send you many hugs.

[Julia]

Very studly trainer - what fun! Thinking of you and your dad.

[Bliss]

Woo - I think I would get out of my wheelchair for that! (Oops...did I say that outloud?)

Sending lots of prayers and good thoughts for your dad and your family.

[Heather]

Sending prayers for your dad. ((hugs)) I like the Daily Zen and Tyson, hey, um, is he, um, single? *wink* Hope you had a good holiday weekend.

[Anne]

Did y'all get hail too? Monday a.m. was mind-boggling, wasn't it?

Thoughts to you and your dad. Hope things go okay for him.

[Laura]

Goodness. Tyson is worth waking up to!

I'm sorry about your Dad. As I am one of those inclined to do so, I'll send one up for him and for you.

[ann]

well Margene ---- all of your scenery is beautiful. Why would we think it ended with the landscape?

best wishes for you and your Dad (and Helen) ....

[Debi]

Hubba hubba on the trainer! If you gotta work out at least you have some eye candy to keep you smiling Margene!

I'm thinking good thoughts for your Dad and here's a hug for you...{{{{{{{{{Margene}}}}}}}}

[Teresa C]

It sounds as if you and I grew up with very similar dads. It took me a long time to figure out that he was what he was and I needed to find validation for myself from within. Funny, when we kids heard his car coming up the drive you never saw four people scatter so fast. You never knew what you were getting. Prayers for his health, I'll keep you both close in my thoughts.

[Steph]

Wondering what your trainer thinks about his pic on a knitting blog. :) Best wishes for your dad.

[Kimi]

"A body that moves correctly, with all muscles 'firing', as he calls it, is a happy body." Yes, and by the looks of it, I'm SO SURE that's why you enjoy having a personal trainer! ;) Maybe you should send him my way so that my muscles can be "firing" too! Bwahahaha. OK, I'm going to stop now.

I'm sorry to hear about your dad! I will keep him in my prayers!

[Amy Boogie]

Sending positive healthy thoughts about your dad.
Now that's some trainer! What an incentive to keep going to the gym :)

[Lee Ann]

Oh, Margene...here's hoping that something can be done to help your dad, with as little intrusiveness as possible. I know just what you're saying about how these kinds of situations make you think about relationships--where you have been, where you are now with each other. I have a difficult father, too, of the very silent variety, and it's only now as an adult in the middle of my own medical bullshit that we can bypass much of the strain and get to what really matters: we love each other deeply, no matter how flawed each of us can be.

If I had a trainer like Tyson, it would get my husband to work out too, because I can guarantee you he'd NEVER let me be alone in a room with a guy like that checking to see if my muscles are all firing... ;-)

[melissa]

Sorry to hear your dad is not well. I'm keeping you, your dad and the rest of your family in my thoughts and prayers - good luck.

[greta]

You and your Dad are in my thoughts and prayers, dearest...
thanks for the eye candy...keeeeeyoooooot!
Fire away!

[Lolly]

I wish the best for your dad, Margene. I will keep you all in my thoughts.

Your Moxie is adorable! So, Moxie is a schnauzer? I had two schnauzers when I was growing up, and I loved those dogs! :)

[Bookish Wendy]

Prayers and thoughts coming attcha lady.