I managed to get an in focus photo of a Harris’s Hawk who made a landing in our tree and immediately took off into the desert.
Today, my husband comes home. I had three days to myself while he traveled for a class. I was apprehensive about his trip and realized it was due to our last long weekend “trip” that turned into a disaster with me falling and breaking my ankle on our first hike! I was also a little worried about how I’d get along, but my husband stocked the fridge and freezer like I’d be eating for a month, not three days.
I had two friends take me out for lunch. We used to work together 30 years ago! They are both graphic designers and I was the PR person who hired them for brochures, ads and billboards. We get together about once a month after not seeing each other for 15 years. That’s when they both left Palm Springs for Arizona. We live a few miles apart now and it’s been wonderful to rekindle our friendships.
My surgeon told me I should start getting out of the house and I’d feel much better. So lunch was a good idea — as well as my mornings outside getting sun and enjoying nature.
Then I quit the board where I was in charge of communications. It’s a woman’s group where we fundraised to support victims of sex trafficking. A post of Wynne Leon’s of Surprised by Joy this week about leadership made me realize exactly why I made this decision. You can read her post HERE called How to Share Direction. A new year began for our group and we have a new leader.
Our group is very small, around 30, and in March we held a fundraiser, a casino night. Literally five of us pulled it off with a silent auction, prizes, menu planning, and me doing communications. I spent the better part of three months working on the program, fliers, invitations, press releases, public service announcements and contacting newspapers, magazines, radio and TV.
We voted at a recent board meeting to focus on growing membership and that a fundraiser like casino night is too much work for us at this point. It was a unanimous vote. Our new leader at a meeting I missed because of my ankle surgery made the unilateral decision that casino night was a piece of cake and we’d have one next March. She told another member to “book it.” That was it for me. No vote was taken. The board also decided to no longer fundraise for sex-trafficked victims because some members find it to be distasteful. Out again for a second time!
Meanwhile my laptop that is only three years old suddenly died. I have a MacBook Air and it’s my second one dying in six years. I remember when my Mac computers lived for 10 years or more. I was sitting on the sofa with my leg iced and elevated with the laptop on my sundress, when the laptop went black. I went to Apple’s website to figure out what to do. It turns out that it said not to use a MacBook Air on fabric, bed or on clothing. Who knew! It overheated and went kaput. According to my daughter, I needed to get a sturdier, more solid laptop, so I did and I’m back in business.
So that’s my week in a post plus a surprise photo I managed to get of Red and Mrs. together!
What are your plans for the weekend?
I’ll be doing my PT and trying to get though the food my husband left me.
I think you made the right choice by leaving the group. Unilateral decisions don’t bode well for good working conditions. The pictures are amazing. Stay well and heal well too.
Thank you. I was putting off my decision to leave the board. It’s a relief to have it announced and over! Thanks for your encouraging words.
You’re very welcome ☺️
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Smart move to resign from the volunteer board. I’ve been in a similar situation, did the same thing, and never regretted moving on. Also happy to know you’re moving on from being home all the time. Progress.
I’m so relieved that I quit that board. I honestly don’t see a bright future for the group. Interesting that you’ve had the same experience. It feels good to not be home bound all the time. 😊
Interesting…I always believed the overarching purpose of a “board” was to make decisions as a group consensus and not allow a unilateral head to call the shots. Seems as if that sort of trend is very popular in society right now. Keep up the good work of moving and getting back to normal. I love that your husband wanted to make sure you would have enough food 🙂 I also love that photo of Red and Mrs. 🙂
I wasn’t at the meeting with the unilateral decision. I was shocked to hear about it considering last month we voted unanimously to not have casino night — which included the woman who is now president! I was so excited to get that photo of Red and Mrs. I’m glad you like it!
You had a busy week! It sounds you have a nice, restful weekend planned.
So true! I have nothing planned for the weekend. Plus I’ll have my husband home to take care of me!
I LOVE your photos, Elizabeth! I think your decision to quit is a good one. Glad you had a great lunch with your designer friends. So fun that you’ve kept that friendship going over 30 years!
Thank you Wynne. Your post really confirmed that I made the correct decision. I really enjoy my friends and that we are consistently getting together after so many years apart.
Gorgeous 🥰
Thank you!
Hope you’re healing well!! Movies, sone nature, and the big one…cleaning out my closet!!
You just reminded me that I need to start on my photo albums. I’m going to sort out the photos I want to keep and throw out dozens of albums to make room in the guest closet!
I’m stressing about the spot where I keep mementos
I need to get started on the project. I find that is the hardest part.
After I replied yesterday I went through the stuff and ordered a pretty yet functional box from container store. By tomorrow night my problem will be solved
Good for you! I ordered a few photo boxes for the pictures I want to keep. I plan on throwing out about 20 photo albums.
You got this;!
I started it this morning and went through one album. I was excited to find photos of my kids age one and four with my mom and aunt at our cabin in Washington state. Great memories.
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Moving on from committees is always a good decision.
That may not be Red and mate. It is more likely Red feeding a young one. Unless Cardinals feed each other. Sometimes birds will feed their mate when she is on the nest.
Cardinals feed each other when they are nesting and act affectionate with each other. Red has been feeding her for a few weeks. I haven’t been able to catch a photo of it before. The females and youths have similar coloring and the males don’t get the brilliant red color for a while. I’m relieved to be off the committee.
Thanks for letting me know about Cardinals Elizabeth 😀
I looked it up after watching Red feed his mate. It’s part of their mating ritual. So sweet. I’m hoping for young ones.
Going to dinner tonight with my brother and his wife – should be fun. Otherwise, just a quiet weekend. Both kids are home – should be fodder for blog next week as there’s always something that happens. LOL Hope you have a lovely weekend!!
That sounds like fun. I look forward to reading about your weekend with kids home.
Oh my goodness. Red and the “Mrs” put a massive smile on my face. Thank you!
Sending big hugs your way! 🥰
Aren’t those two something? They put a big smile on my face every day I see them! Thanks for the hugs!
You betcha! Hugs, hugs, hugs! 🥰
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It sounds like you made the right decision, Elizabeth, and nice to get together with your old friends. Love the photos!
Thanks! It’s a relief to make a decision and tell the board. I didn’t want to disappoint the former president. I think my accident put things in perspective for me. I am fortunate to connect with old friends all these years later. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos!
That is nice to have good friends from your past living nearby. Be well and enjoy your time watching nature.
Thank you! It’s been fun to reconnect.
It sounds like you made the right decision for yourself. If the new leader continues to make unilateral decisions, I imagine that you won’t be the only one leaving.
Great pictures of the hawk and Mr. & Mrs.!
Thank you. Yes, I know of one other person leaving so far. It’s not a good way to run a board. I was surprised at catching the hawk and my cardinal couple. A nice surprise!
Those moments are so cool when you actually get the shot before they fly off. 😊 Also, yay for solo time but even bigger yay for your husband stocking the fridge like it’s the apocalypse 😂 That’s sweet though.
Hope the new laptop holds up better 🙌
Thank you so much. Yes to everything you said! 😊
Sweet photos!
I can’t believe someone actually said they didn’t want to raise funds for something because it’s distasteful. WHAT IN THE WORLD? That is ridiculous. I don’t understand people.
It’s a surprise for sure! These are women in desperate need and a residential facility that offers medical and mental health care.
I applaud you for your decision to quit the board that you were a member of. Sounds wise to me.
Aww, on Red and his Mrs! Beautiful close-up photo of them!
Keep taking it easy with your ankle. Enjoy the food that your sweet husband prepared. Glad you got to go out with friends for lunch! Friends are great at lifting spirits.
I’m relieved to make a decision and follow through! I’m glad you enjoyed the photo of Red and Mrs. I see them together and I’m not quick enough, or it’s out of focus. Finally, I got it!
Persistence pays off!
Yes, glad that burden is off your shoulders now. Always hard when we are debating about what to do in a situation.
Yay for persistence. I was talking to a friend about not wanting to continue on the board. She advised me to call the former president right then and follow through with what I wanted to do!
You sure captured Red and Mrs Red in a “moment.” 😉
Yes, it took me weeks to get that shot! They were too quick for me.
Fabulous! Oh, and good for you, watching out for yourself and quitting the Board. At our age, we’ve done a lot of fundraising and board stuff. It’s a lot of work and often we are treated like a full time employee after a while when the job was supposed to be volunteer work. I’ve done my time, leave that to the young people, my opinion.
I agree with you 100%. I was on this board for one year and it became a full time job. That’s after doing this for years. I wish we had younger people in the group to carry on.