To Jane & Julianna with all my love...

Well after a two year hiatus from blogging a lot has changed in my life. I actually made the jump and have been working full time as a veterinary technician for two years now. I am also happily in a relationship with an amazing guy who seems to fill in all the voids I have while at the same time enhancing all that we have in common. I feel very blessed.

Today did hold some sadness though. Many years ago my beloved grandmother passed away after a battle with Alzheimer's. At the same time I met my, at the time, boyfriend's grandmother. Grams was so much like my own Grandma that I think without meaning to my subconscious just replaced the one with the other. I was unable to attend my Grandmother's funeral and that coupled with Gram's living next door to me for two+ years clinched my mental swap. Unfortunately as I met Grams she began her own slide into late stage Alzheimer's. I would sit with Grams almost every day, for hours at times, and let her tell me story after story of her life. Those were wonderful times. After my relationship ended it became harder for me to spend time with her because in her mind nothing had changed and I was still supposed to be living next door to her with her grandson. He was with someone else and I didn't want to confuse things for Grams more than necessary. So, I stayed away, but my heart never left her side. On Monday Grams passed away and today I attended her funeral. It was harder than I would have ever imagined because I was not only saying goodbye to her but to both amazing women, Grams and my own Grandma. I will always love you both. You both taught me wonderful things about being a strong and loving woman. I want to thank you both for everything, you were truly some of life's greatest blessings.

Mermaid in the Tub

I have created a store on etsy, Mermaid in the Tub!

I am making and selling jewelry inspired by the ocean and all its beauty.

Stop on by and I hope you like what you see.

smooches...

I'm trying to get back into the blogging frame of mind....so here is another iHeartFaces contest entry...I've been torn between two different kissey entries for this special Valentine's day entry theme. Hmm a picture of me with my main man, my little dog, Buckley or one from New Years Eve with my bestie....which to chose??!!!

Well in honor of love I am going with the one with the T, since she has found love and got married to the man of her dreams on Friday! Here she is back in the good ol' days of the two of us being single and crazy ladies. I love you the T and am so happy for you and Ben and love! This smooch is for you...

i hate february...

A friend recommended a wonderful musician named Ingrid Michaelson, her songs have recently shown up on Grey's Anatomy and on any radio station that plays GOOD music. Go check her out, I'm all for people that actually write and play their own music. Anyway...enough about the background....

February has arrived in all it's wretchedness...I really hate February...plus the big 3-0 is lurking around the corner. I've had enough of cold and grayness and winter. There is a lot of joy around me, but despite it making me very happy for the people it is affecting it is also making me a tad on the down side. My best friend just got married to a great guy yesterday...big big congrats to The T and her brand new hubbie! I wish I could have been with her but the just had a civil service yesterday and the real wedding is in Hawaii in October and you can count on me being there!!! I also became an aunt for the second time this morning at 8:05! Welcome to the world Cutie Face #2 (better moniker to follow) and awesome job Monkey's Mamma, I can't wait to see you guys really soon. Yup lots and lots of joy all around but Sledgie is feeling kind of blechy. This song is a beautiful representation of a bit of how I'm feeling right now.

Now I am going to try to snap out of my funk with some girlie rock/folk songs and a little sexy underthings shopping with a good friend....sunshine please show up soon...

LOCKED UP
Written by Ingrid Michaelson

I have taken a wrong turn
When will I learn. When will I learn?
Should I show them all my scars?
Cherry red bleeding burn

Like an angry apple tree
I throw my apples if you get too close to me

But if I look to my right, will I see the one I fight for
If I look to my right
Or if I turn to my left, will I see that I have kept my heart
Locked up, locked up so tight

Love, love, love is everywhere
But not a drop for me to drink
Tie me up and bind my feet
Drop me in and watch me sink

Like an angry apple tree
I throw my apples if you get too close to me

But if I look to my right, will I see the one I fight for
If I look to my right
Or if I turn to my left, will I see that I have kept my heart
Locked up, locked up

If I was 17 I could find it in-between
The cushions of somebody's couch
I could find it. I could find it
If I was 17 I could find it in a dream
A dime a dozen kind of love
I could find it. I could find it
But I'm not 17 and I lost it in-between
The birthday cakes and fast mistakes
That roll by
Ba da ba ba da ba ba, ba da ba ba da ba da dum

But if I look to my right, will I see the one I fight for
If I look to my right
Or if I turn to my left, will I see that I have kept my heart
Locked up, locked up

Balloons=happiness

iHeartFaces has a contest this week that I have actually been excitedly anticipating for weeks since I saw it was on the list of future themes. I took this photo when I was in England visiting my brother, J, and sister-in-law, Monkey's Mamma or A. I loved watching all the school kids in their uniforms (why can't American school uniforms be this good?) as they walked through the city streets. When I saw this one he instantly made me smile. I am glad to finally be able to share it with all of you!

It is showing up sort of small, but I hope that it speaks large enough for itself despite its size!

contemplative and silly cats...or should i say contemplative about silly cats

Another iHeartFaces entry time! This week's theme is "contemplative," with an added bonus of a non-judged pet entry. I still don't have access to many of my photos due to the computer death/switcheroo but here is one that I do have that I feel fits a bit.

And here is my animal post, the every hilarious TugBoat fishing (for me I think) in the tub.

nostalgia

Here goes entry #2 for iHeartFaces! This weeks theme is nostalgia, unfortunately due to the whole computer dying/new computer/moving apartments fiasco of this summer I don't have access to many of my photos but I did think of this one.

Not sure why it's showing up so small, but hopefully it is big enough for viewing.  Nothing says nostalgia like Johnny Cash.

back again...

Well, I am back!  My computer decided to completely die on me and after weeks of seeing if it was at all fixable I gave in and bought a new one.  So weird to go almost 2 months without having a working computer.  I missed a lot of what it offers but it was also sort of ok to just be completely unplugged during the summer months.  I am very glad to have it back though, no denying that.  And, despite my love of my old computer this one is amazing!  Being the mac lover I am I got a MacBook Pro, but I went with Apple's refurbished deal and got it for the same price as a regular MacBook, quite the deal!  A lot has happened in my life since my last post so now that I am computer-ized again I will be updating this blog more regularly.  But for now, it is time for me to go to 148th annual Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair!  Sheep sheering, rides, funnel cakes, veggie judging, ax throwing, alpaca petting, here I come!

fun times great cause!

Last night was the official launch of Vineyard Pinup's first calendar, Fish'N'Chicks! It's a great 40's style pinup calendar with a fishing theme and 20% of the proceeds go towards the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group, a wonderful non-profit organization that I worked for all through high school. Of course I couldn't say no to being a part of the fun and photos, so here I give you the official Miss August, none other than yours truly! Please go to the website, www.vineyardpinups.com and buy a calendar for all those fishing fanatics you know and help out a great cause at the same time.

dead computer

My computer's hard drive has decided it doesn't want to work any more. I am borrowing an external hard drive and hoping to get a new one of my own. I will be back up and running soon, I hope! And thank you all for your comments on my last post.

my first iHeartFaces entry!

My sis-in-law A found a great blog site for anyone who loves photos, it is iHeartFaces and they have weekly photo contests on all sorts of themes.  This week's theme is "Wedding Bells" and my brother J insisted that I enter a photo I took at J & A's wedding, so here goes my first attempt with the iHeartFaces contests.  I'm sure more will follow...

sorry...

I know I have been neglecting the blog recently.  I apologize and there will be more to come soon, I promise.  A blog is in the works...but I am taking a brief vacation since Noops is coming to visit me in 2 days!!!

On a side note, Tug is home and healthy and eating well.  He even manned it up really well when I gave him a bath, no scratches!  Poor wet, drowndy Tug.

Ironic...

Not that I believe in horoscopes, but this one seemed too spot on to not mull over it for a moment...here it is:

"An idea about a big change could surface in your life now - one related to work, or a relationship, or a big trip, or a living situation, or all of the above.  So it's a whale of a concept; that doesn't mean you have to panic and start raising the alarms on the ship of your life.  Watch it calmly and see how you like the looks of it.  What you should do will become clear in the fullness of time."

Hmmm....ironic?!

The ups and downs of pet ownership...

My pets are the little joys of my life.  I have 2 dogs, Buckley Roo and Pearl, a cat Tug Boat, and some random fish.  Buckley and Pearl are both rescued abused dogs and the most kind and loving dogs in the world.  Tug Boat is also a rescue but unlike the other guys I actually got him as a tiny kitten.  Growing up we were known as the family with the zoo.  We always had a plethora of different species, from sheep and chickens to your run of the mill "normal" pets like cats, dogs, hamsters....etc.  My dad (hmm he needs a nickname, we shall call him The Old Man) used to threaten to move out into the shed if we got one more pet, we always told him that we hoped he would be warm enough out there and kept bringing in more.  He never actually moved out on us, and now even after he has no more fatherly duties to our pets he got one all of his own, Sancho Sunshine the cat, so I think secretly he loved all the animals.  My mom (from henceforth MomBear) has her own little animal collection, a dog, Star, and several birds of different species.  J, A, and Baby C have 2 wonderful cats, Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.  Just Noops is pet-less right now but he's not happy about it.

This weekend has not been a good weekend for Tuggy, but it has been an informative weekend for me in terms of some thoughts I had for the future.  I have been thinking about training to become a vet tech, well I got myself a quick course in cat care.  I came home on Saturday to find Tug howling in pain, so made a quick call to the on-call vet and raced him over there.  I don't want to gross anyone out, but basically male cats don't have the best designed urinary system so he was completely blocked and needed a belly shave and drugs and minor surgery of sorts.  I tried to make the best out of a difficult situation by plying the vet for information about becoming a tech and she was great!  She said given my history of animals and various previous animal injuries and treatments that I would be more than qualified for this sort of career.  She also taught me how to care for Tug for the rest of the weekend till I could get him to his normal vet on Monday.  I was responsible to do what Tug's poor little bladder couldn't do.  Like I said flash course in being a vet tech.  It was very motivating for me to really start looking into some schooling.  I will be much happier to work on an animal that isn't mine though, very nerve wracking and upsetting.  Little Tug is now staying for a few nights with his normal vet, so though I am thankful to be getting the sleep I missed out on over the weekend of care I am very freaked out about what the vet bill is going to look like.

If anyone has any information on good schools or programs, let me know!  But for now I will end this post with some fun pictures of my "kids", enjoy! (umm posting the pics at the end of this post doesn't seem to be working so they are on top now...)

Coming soon...

Now that the summer is upon us here on good ol'MV I am forced to park a 10-15 minute walk from my car.  Not so fun with all the late spring rain but good for the legs and a good time to listen to my ipod to prep for and decompress from work.  I was skimming through songs yesterday morning and came across one that I don't really love musically but the lyrics really speak to me.  It's Jewel's "Stronger Woman."  Here it is:

"I guess you could say I'm one of those girls 

That's always been with one of those guys 

You know the type 

Like right now, he sleeps while I write 

But it's better than crying 

I'm worn out from trying 

From loving a man who always makes it clear 

I'm not welcome here 

Just till he's horny and hungry 

or needs something cleaned 

And you know what I mean 

But not tonight 

'Cause come the morning light, oh 

I'm gonna love myself more than anyone else 

Believe in me, even if someone can't see 

The stronger woman in me 

I'm going to be my own best friend 

Stick with me till the end 

Won't lose myself again, never, no, 

'Cause there's a stronger woman, 

A stronger woman in me 

Light bulbs buzz, 

I get up 

And head to my drawer 

I wish there was more 

I could say 

Another fairytale fades to gray 

I've lived on hope 

Just like a child 

Walking that mile 

Faking that smile 

All the while 

Wishing my heart had wings 

Well tonight, I'm going to be 

The kind of woman I'd want my daughter to be, oh 

This is me, packing up my bags 

And this is me, headed for the door 

And this is me, the best you ever had 

I'm going to love myself 

More than anyone else 

Believe in me even if someone cannot see 

There's a stronger woman in me 

I'm going to be my own best friend 

Stay with me till the end 

Won't lose myself again, never, no 

'Cause there's a stronger woman 

A stronger woman 

There's a stronger woman, 

A stronger woman in me."

Kinda speaks for itself, but I'm going to talk about it a bit anyway.  I have been there (the beginning part).  I am there (the realization part).  I hope to keep the motivation to stay there (the moving on part).

I was in a relationship that I gave everything to but never got the same commitment and respect back.  Did get myself a big chunk of heartbreak, but also learned a lot about myself and what I want out of life too.  I try my best to live without regret but to find the best I can out of the worst situations.  When things were good they were incredible I had a glimpse of the life I always wanted, but I also let slide some things that are important to me.  I won't give up on myself or my needs ever again.

There is more to say about me and the song, but I'm not sure I'm ready to say it all yet in this forum.  So this blog entry might be a "to be continued."  For all of you women (and men too) out there focus on being the strongest person you can be and do it for you not for anyone else.  Stay true to what makes you you and what you need out of life.

Hope this wasn't a combo of being too deep but yet not quite deep enough I'm still new to this whole blogging thing.  So there you have it....to be continued...

A new start...

Ok, so I've never even thought about having a blog, cuz lets face it I'm not really sure I have a lot to say that interests anyone other than me and I'm not even sure I'm interested in it most of the time.  But my lovely sister in law suggested I start one up, so here goes.  I guess the first start I've noticed from reading other blogs is nicknames, so from here on out you will know me as Sledge, for those of you close to me the nickname makes sense, for anyone else just roll with it.  The people close to me are of course my family my sister in law is known on her 2 blogs as A with my brother J and my beautiful neice C, or Cutie Face!  I also have a younger brother who to his mortification I shall call Noops.  I guess that's a start other nicknames shall be doled out as necessary.

So a blog...I guess the "Sledge on the edge" name came in part from a suggestion by my good friend CValley (wow another nickname already) and then after the suggestion I actually thought it made some sense.  I'm in one of those transition periods.  About to enter the 30's, in a dead end job, and the only thing I have to come home to are my pets.  Hmmm.  So yeah an edge is definitely there, just need to figure out how to cross over it into something new.  This blog will be mostly a sounding board for me and my future.  I welcome any and all feedback, the more the merrier.  Here's to new beginnings and changes!  Buckle in for the ride.