It has been a week since we returned from our vacation on Skaneateles Lake.  The beauty, peace and serenity of lake life have been replaced with the cold, hard facts of real life.  Bummer.  Humor me as I  recap my week for you,  both highlights and lowlights.

I thought I had accounted for feeding the fish with one of those “extended feeding tablets” that is supposed to supply enough food for 2 weeks.  Well, sadly we have come to the end of our Godfather Fish dynasty.  Our beta, Luca Brasi, now literally sleeps with the fish. (Clip from The Godfather) I felt so bad when I came home Saturday and found him on the bottom of the tank.  The little bottom feeder was not far behind.  I cannot remember his name, it may be Pauli, or Tony Soprano.  Anyway, he is on death’s door so I remove him and put him in some fresh water.  It is bad Karma to flush a live fish so I have nursed him back.  One week later, he is eating shrimp pellets and living large.

On Sunday, Chip and I thought we would have fish for dinner.  Coincidence? Anyway, we drive up to this little fish market in Saratoga  for some mahi mahi for fish tacos.  We are standing in the fish store and the man in front of us is fidgety and antsy and all of a sudden he turns and ‘makes an adjustment’ if you get my drift.  God, Really? Oh, I miss the lake….

Monday morning, I am back in my early morning gym routine.  Can’t wait to see Terri and the gang and take spin class.  I get there and head toward the spin room.  Someone is on ‘my bike’.  MY BIKE, Number 97, the bike I have ridden now for probably a year. Karla is a nice woman and I don’t think she knew she was on MY BIKE, Number 97.  Talk about karma…she does not wear clips and the basket to hold her foot was broken.  She could not use my bike…she moved!!  I stayed on the other bike and finished the class.  It felt odd.  Tuesday I was back on MY BIKE, Number 97.  Ahhh…

Some additional highlights for the week:

1. We moved into a new office space in downtown Albany. It is all freshly painted and carpeted and I love it.  The team in Albany is great and best news: I can take the stairs up and down the 8 flights…no more old nasty elevator that shakes and screeches.

2.  Colored my hair and it is is no longer gray.  I don’t look like a skunk and the sun lighted my hair naturally. Score.

3. I got a great report from the nephrologist.  He came into the exam room while I was sitting on his stool, plugged into his outlet and working on my phone and notebook. He laughed out loud. We continued to review my blood work . The potassium/sodium issues are under control all systems are a go. We sat and chatted a bit longer discussing my health , he told me I was ‘very unique’. Hmm. is that like when you are getting fixed up on a blind date and they say , “she is a nice girl?”.  Just sayin’.

Amelia is driving and being a passenger with Chip driving is bad enough, now there is a little Chip. (well, not THAT bad.)  I drove with her up to Saratoga racetrack this morning. It is about a 35 minute ride.  She was doing great.  We pull into the main gate and she flashes her credentials to the two very cute parking attendants and head to the media trailer parking area.  She looks good driving Fredrick and he is kind to her. Not too fast, good handling and very forgiving on turns and acceleration.  Anyway, Amelia is enamored with these two young men and turns to me with a ‘thanks Mom, see ya later”.  She jumps out of the car without putting the car in PARK. I open the door and realize Fredrick is still in motion.  I slam Fredrick into park and look over at Amelia.  “Sorry mom”. God I hope she marries well.  Maybe she will be able to afford a driver.

I am glad to be back. Back to non-vacation life.  Back to work life.  I may feel differently tomorrow morning sitting on the Tappan Zee Bridge but Fredrick and I will crank a little Pitbull on the iPod and life will be good. At least I hope so.