TheBanyanTree: The Last Busy Day

[Margaret R. Kramer]

The snowstorms have gone north or south of us, but we still are getting the
cold air pouring down from Canada.  When I look outside the window, the
morning sun seems pleasant and warm, but it is still bone chilling cold out
there.  That sun is only an illusion of warmth.  We have March to get
through and maybe we’ll get a snowstorm or two and winter won’t completely
abandon us before spring slides in.

This past week was a wild one with dog training, University of Minnesota men
’s and women’s basketball games, and my women’s organization meetings.  I
haven’t been this busy for a very long time and I don’t think I like it too
much.  Some people feed off of full calendars, but my approach to life is a
slow, steady one with less clutter.

Our little beagle, Axel, is doing great at dog training, and that’s
surprising since I never work with him.  I frantically try to run him
through his lessons the night of dog training class.  Somehow, Axel has
learned to heel, but doesn’t like to sit for me, although he will for Ray.
He does go down when I walk on the leash and kind of force him down.  He
does his sit/stays OK.  He’s making progress, but not because of me.

This is the third dog I’ve trained and I’m much less competitive about it
this time around.  I enjoy the other dogs in the club, as well as meeting
some of the dog owners.  I enjoy the melding of dog and human into a unit,
and I think Axel is getting closer to us because of the training, even if we
don’t do much with him at home.

Last Saturday afternoon my family and one of my co-workers went to the
University of Minnesota men’s basketball game.  This team couldn’t win a
game at the beginning of the season, but has come on like gang busters at
the end.  Our game was with 18th ranked Iowa and our men, in spite of a
close back and forth game, managed to pull ahead at the end and win.  My
older grandson watches the game intently, but doesn’t cheer or get too
excited.  The younger one just enjoys being in the crowd and he will cheer,
although he doesn’t know what he’s cheering for, I think.

Two of my co-workers, plus Ray and I went to the women’s game on Thursday
night.  I think our women were ranked 21st or something like that, but had
lost four games in a row.  They needed a win desperately and got one over
hapless Indiana.  The game was close and exciting through the second half,
but the women, with intense physical play, like elbows flying and lots of
tripping, got a win.

My women’s organization also took up a lot of my time this week.  Our local
organization had its regular program meeting on Wednesday night.  We honored
a legislator of the year.  We had a good discussion with him about the
upcoming legislative session and other political topics.

Finally, yesterday, my women’s organization had their state winter board of
directors meeting, which is an all day event, including dinner.  We go
through our business, have a speaker, and then conduct a Young Careerist
competition, with a speak-off and interviews with four young women under 35
years old.  The winner goes to the national competition in July.

I enjoy this organization, but the numbers are steadily dwindling in spite
of many attempts to plug the holes.  My own local is down to seven members
and just four of us come to meetings with any regularity.  And I’m losing my
passion, too, so this will be my last year in the organization.  I feel bad,
but there’s no point in staying around for the end.

So I’m done for now with meetings, basketball games, and training.  When I’m
busy, things pile up, so today is devoted to shrinking the pile.  I have
bills to pay and I have a web site to update.  I’d like to work on our
taxes.  I’ve skipped my workouts this week because of the late nights and so
tomorrow morning I’ll be back on the treadmill.  My eating has spiraled out
of control and my calories need to back to a reasonable level.  My March
calendar is much less cluttered than February’s.

We had five showings of our house yesterday and one so far is scheduled for
today.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.  Ray said one group stayed in the
house for one hour and 10 minutes!  I would love to clutter up March with
packing and getting ready to move.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net

http://www.bpwmn.org
Business and Professional Women of Minnesota

kisses are a better fate
than wisdom.
~e. e. cummings