Susan Senator

This is my one year as a blogger!!! Happy Blogoversary!
(But, did I mention that I HATE Blogger? It SUX!!!! I can’t get my pics onto it anymore. Max is telling me to go to WordPress, a suggestion that makes Ned groan. Any other opinions on that?)

What a wonderful year it has been, other than the bad parts.
Good: 1) Book success; 2) Nat’s communication success; 3) Ben’s social life blossomed; 4) Max is acing high school; 5) Ned loves his new job; 6) Attended three galas; 7) White House dinner; 8) Cape vacation; 9) Learned to belly dance; 10) Wrote a pretty good novel; 11) Republicans having a lousy time of it in Congress; 12) Massachusetts may end up with a Democrat for Governor, first time in 16 years; 13) Kept weight off (20 pounds) for four years now; 14) Gave/giving tons of talks; 15) Got elected to Town Meeting

Bad: 1) One very painful relationship, which I still sometimes miss (that’s also bad!); 2) House too expensive for us; 3) Can’t seem to write another non-fiction; 4) Knee injury; 5) Car too expensive; 6) Lifestyle too expensive; 7) Eric Clapton no longer any good; 8) Bob Dylan’s voice is worse than ever; 9) War in Iraq goes on; 10) Tough year for Israel; 11) Got elected to Town Meeting

And today has been a wonderful day:

1) I love my new gym!!!!!
I linked to it in case any of you female readers want to join and live nearby. If you join, tell them I sent you and I’ll get some cash! Join me in the Wednesday morning Belly Dance class!

First, I tried spinning, which I had never done, but had figured I was a natural for it since I love to ride my bike hard. The instructor knew me from a gala we had attended together! She showed me how to use the bike, how to adjust the flywheel and the three different riding positions. Then she introduced me to the class, (as a “famous author” and they applauded me) which was full of slim, ropey-armed women my age and older. I figured, great, no problem!

Twenty minutes into it I think I was sweating blood. My throat felt as if I had swallowed sandpaper, or maybe glass. I had no water, but a woman gave me hers. My face was hot scarlet and my hair was clinging to my head. I had to stop. I did the elliptical after that, and ran into my friend Ruth! She told me I should take a dip in the hot tub, even if I had no swimsuit.

So I did that. It was one of those with all the churning bubbles. That felt amazing on my overtaxed muscles. (See, liberal that I am, I never mind overtaxing in any sense, but I understand the need for occasional relief from it!) Then a shower: they had gorgeous shampoos, conditioners, and soaps in pumps in every beautifully tiled shower.

I felt like a queen, or perhaps a princess…

2) Then, home, and Ned took the boys out to buy me birthday presents. I called Laura and caught up. She is finishing her kitchen; they have had a hell of a time renovating it, but Mom tells me it is gorgeous now: salt-and-pepper granite, cherry Shaker cabs, sage green walls, Wolfe range with fat red knobs, Subzero fridge, hardwood floors! Hooray for Syeestyer! I love it when my loved ones take care of themselves. Thank God John loves to cook, cause Syeestyer sure don’t even boil water! She looks great sitting at the table, though!

3) Caught a woodpecker on my house. Ran outside, yelling at him and throwing acorns at him. He flew away. Problem solved. Right??? (Really, how do you get rid of a woodpecker? Turn on your sound and travel down memory lane: Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Hehhehhehhehhehheh)

4) Ned got home and took me out to lunch in the South End! This is Boston’s hip and edgy part of town; kind of SoHo-ish, very gay, very young. So I wore a new mini skirt (bought marked down at Anthropologie; see, Mom, I can be taught!) and black tights and my Lulu Guinness maryjanes (definitely not on sale, from SoHo).

I love blogging and I love October because all kinds of yummy things usually happen this month!
1) Blogoversary
2) Birthday (October 18)
3) Halloween