any given day...


With the readily availabilty of techonology, we are going mobile, more and more everyday. That means we travel with more things than we use to. You can tell alot about a person from the stuff they carry with them.

I told a friend the other day that I loved following a mutual friend on Pinterist because I can tell where her head was on any given day by her pins. Her boards would give you the overall theme of her life but a round of daily pins might take you in a completely different direction.

Why do we like to sleep with someone's tshirt when they are gone? We miss them and their smell makes us feel like they are right next to us. We miss the people and hence, their stuff becomes precious to us.

She was gone for a minute, but as I saw her stuff all together, it made me smile and that is the way it should be...

telling...


This is not the first time I have taken his picture. He is at Flying M about as much as I am. One can not be a creature of habit here, sometimes you have to take whatever table is available. This is no place to expect your favorite spot to be waiting for you.

As a watched him, he seemed to have no prefence as to his seating. I imagine that in his Real Life, he would be the same way. He seems to move like he knows any place here, is not one that belongs to him. Would also further imagine that he loves to travel. Always moving, not expecting to settle.

I know several people that seem to go from place to place. Literally. If they are talking to you, they grab the closest chair and when they are done, move on. I imagine their lives are fluid and in turn, are a bit easier.

The areas where I am able to be fluid, are not here. Chair seating appear to be a big issue with me. I am well aware of it. Am I working on it? Had not thought about it until just now but, maybe.

We are telling all kinds of things about ourselves and can be totally unaware of it. We all have our quirks, ticks and oddities. It is ok, it is part of the human experience but I can't help but wonder if I was able to change the whole chair thing, if it wouldn't change other parts of my life and be a very good thing. Imagine, never having to imagine...

to be known...


The two ladies at the post office known me, pretty well now. Well, they don't know me but when they see the Hello Kitty duck tape on my packages, then, they know me. They also know Brianna and her Story.

They ask me how she is doing, we chat a bit. I explain how after the bone marrow transplant, her blood will change to the donor's type. I have told them about the paintings of butterflies she does on canvas.

They know the Hello Kitty duck tape. The instant they look at the packages because I put it on everything I send. They have gone as far as Minnesota and Missouri and as close as home.

Yesterday after a bit of small talk, the mail lady looked right at me and said, It is going to be alright. She is young and she will bounce back fine.. Not particularly though-proving words but by the time I got out to the car, I knew they were words of comfort, and not necessarily from her. It was just a feeling. I have had these kind of feelings before. Can't expalin it, don't understand it but firmly, believe it.

Hello Kitty duck tape, who knew?...

the color purple...



I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. Alice Walker

I think we would all be surprised at what pisses God off. I can about guarantee it won't be the things we think and suspect that what hurts him the worse, is the things we never suspected.

He has alread seen it all. With Adam and Eve, it didn't take long and after that, things pretty much went off the rail and have pretty much stayed that way. The things that make us shudder are not news to Him. There is nothing that we can do that would take him by surprise. His expectations are of the hope kind, not the expected kind. It is not about the things we do for Him or in His name. I imagine he would be all about the little things that we take little or no notice of. The ones that impress us the most, probably impress Him, the least.

Purple is one of my least favorite colors but I can guarantee you the next time I see it, Miss Alice's words will haunt me and there will be ,an instant correction course. I am going to miss alot but my hope is that I will be able to see a bit of what He sees. If I have done that, I will be the lucky one...

Oh my God...


At our house, we don't say, Oh my God, as an adjective for all Things That Make Us Crazy. Our grandchildren have been taught it is a form of taking the Lord's name in vain. You can say other words and it is highly suggested, that they do.
We don't say it lightly or often but when we do this is what we mean. Here is the absolute best argument I have heard on the correct usage of these three words.

Never“When people see my images a lot of times they will say ‘Oh my God.’ Have you ever wondered what that meant? The ‘oh means it caught your attention, it makes you present, it makes you mindful. The ‘my’ means it connects with something deep inside your soul, it creates a gateway for your inner voice to rise up and be heard. And God, ‘God’ is that personal journey we all want to be on, to be inspired, to feel like we are connected to a universe that celebrates life.” thought of it this way. Louie Schwartzberg.

Whatever your feelings about those three words, remember this. It might just make your day!

my favorite week of the year...


Sickness took over the end of the week. A couple days with Miss M and then Papa. Everyone is on the mend and it is the eve of my favorite week of the year.

Three days of being able to soak in all that Thanksgiving week is before the swooshing sounds of retail clamoring, hit our personal airwaves. I love hustle and bustle, the energy of the holidays and over the years, have learned, how to enjoy without going as crazy. This week, these three little days, bring a spirit of what is to come, yet allows us to kick back and thoroughly, take it all in.

Whether we start our Black Friday experience Thanksgiving night or at 4am the next morning, it will remind us in grand style, that Christmas is coming. The more Christmases I have under my belt, the less it bothers me that we humans have turned it into something it was never meant to be. You take the good with the bad and make it work for you and yours. A little Jingle Bell Rock, never killed anyone.

Some of my family will be spending Thanksgiving in a hospital this year. Never in a million years, would they have guessed that summer would turn into fall and they would still find themselves, in a hospital room. We will be thinking about them and wishing them a wonderful Thanksgiving. That despite the location, they are all together. So very much to be thankful for.

May you and yours enjoy this week. May your Thanksgiving be a day of truly being thankful, no matter where you find yourself. Whatever the circumstances of your life, may you be able to say, thank you, for what you do have. May you learn to love living in the Moment, and adjust accordingly. May your heart be full, no matter what...

PS See you next week!

spreading the Word...


When it comes to getting the word out about the important things in our lives, it doesn't get any better than using technology.

Got a call last night from Brianna's mom and nana and trying to get the word out. They are gearing up for a Bone Marrow Transplant and Miss B is needing healthy cells to replace hers that just aren't getting the job done. The family wanted to do a nation wide blood drive but the hospital will only accept local donors. The site is The Children's Hospital in Orange, California.

If you have a Facebook or Twitter and are able, would you spread the word with me? Even if you don't know anyone in California, maybe someone who would see your post, does.

I believe that we are all able to do something, even if we think we don't have much to offer. You have more than you think and together, we can do this thing... Thank you so much!

exercise...


Halfway through my fifth month of 5 days a week. Miss Shelli was right, it doesn't get any easier and that was with warm weather. Now that is is cold, it is a bit harder to do, yet - so far, so good.

I know intellectually that is is good for weight and heart.
I know I need to do it.
but I have learned, there are other benefits.

Mental. I have noticed that the stress I may come in with on any given day, is dialed down or even gone, after a bit of exercise. It is a time to think thoughts and day dream. Getting one's mental ducks in a row, hard not to see the payoff there. For that only, the bright shirts are worth it.

There have been days when the last thing I wanted to do was put on those clothes and go work out. If you would look into my closet, it is a sea of black and denim. Still is. My gym clothes have their own basket. There is also every color you could imagine in that basket. All my workout shirts are bright colors. I hate bright colors.
However, laundry is easier and the brights are something of an icon. If I ever love exercise, the shirts will go black. Or grey, starting to like grey...

Living the Moment...


Saturday night with the grands and a game of Monopoly...

I am well aware that the days and nights of kids being with their grandparents is fleeting. Keaton is beginning to be of the age where his friends count the most. I get that. I remember being his age and, anywhere but home, was my anthem. So I make the most of my time, and watching for the signals when it is time to let go.

We might have a few more years with Gage and Morgan but the point is to live being in the Moment and in the meantime, put on your Big Girl training wheels and start learning to, let go.

Since we don't come with instructions, when it is time to let go, seems pretty murky territory. Some hang on too long, some, too short. Both have devestating consequences. The whole we are playing the game, I am fully aware of what is to come. We always tell Keaton, if he has something else to do, to do it. We will wait.

Wanting to have a wonderful relationship, complete with trust and respect for them, is what I hope for. For them to share what they want, if they want, when they want. That all takes work on my part, not theirs.

I love them so. They will never know what wonderful life they have brought to me. Living in the Moment is one of the best things they have ever shown.

Train a grandparent in the way they should go and they won't depart from it.

We have had the best. The very best. Thank you darlins, Love nana and poppa

hug...



I got to hug someone a few weeks ago.
that I never thought I would see again, let alone, hug.
I got to hug her three times.
I am still amazed and so thankful.

It is easy to be thankful about the big things. Every time we dodge one of life's potentially, devestating bullets, we breathe a sigh of relief. Whew, that was close. If we are young, we imagine that we have dodged them until Someday Down The Road. If we are older, we know SDTR, is close.

It is true that the older we get, the less energy we have for drama unless you are fueled by drama but most of us just don't have the energy it takes to sustain it. One has to do something with all that time and if we haven't in the past, there is no time like today to be thankful for something in our lives.

First Hurricane Sandy, yesterday the noreaster winds. Those people might have to dig a bit deep for their gratitude. Maybe just being alive is enough. I hope for many of them, that it is. Their needs may be overwhelming and maybe you are in the same boat and all you can offer is a hug, wouldn't that be enough?

Wherever we find ourselves today, whether in need or want, we are capable of doing something. Whether a hug, a word or sharing the idea of thankfulness, we can each do something. Find your something today...

Thankful...


We tell each other that we are on vacation, everyday. Retirement seems like something that our parents would be doing if they were alive. Still had to believe that were have been married for almost 41 years, that is until we look in the mirror.

I don't know when the wrinkles started or when they became so pronounced. I feel much younger until I see myself, then reality sets in. This photo is going on a blanket for a Christmas gift. Hoping I look better on fabric than on paper.

The feeling that you are younger on the inside than the outside is one that is universal to all of us. We still feel events of life at the age we experienced them. That is why we know every word of the music of our youth. They are all there for the taking, and when the radio starts playing, I am in jr high all over again. The Beach Boys take me back to being 16 and having a driver license and free to go however far the gas I could afford, would take me. The year I found out the truth about Santa, still feels like it did that Christmas morning.

These vacation days, are our new normal. We can take a picture, see a movie or stay home. We can go to the store whenever we want, and see our family whenever they are home. No more missed holidays and on those days we need to rock out, their is no lines or waiting. Let the music go...



Too close to call...


Couple of things I learned today about voting.

The company you work for is by law, required to let you off work to vote.

If you are in line when the polls close in your state, they have to allow you to vote.

Dh had to register this year before he could vote. His job has kept him from voting more than once. Those days are behind him now. We got to our polling place a bit before 9am to check it out and it was the perfect time to go. By the time we left, the lines were out the front door of the elementary school.

It is just past 6pm here and the polls are closing on the East Coast. Waiting for Ohio and Virginia returns to come in and perhaps give us the numbers we need to see a winner.

My state is a done deal. Red, through and through. There are many states just like us. No surprises, done deal.

Too close to call...

I love this night. Every four years, it is Must See TV, for me. All the money, and time we have invested. The millions of Facebook postings and repostings. Predictions are about to become true and false.The amount of stats that will be given tonight, makes me giddy. Who is voting, how they voted in 2000 and which counties are changing because the college kids are now older and able to vote.

Whether my guys wins or not, we win. The process that lasts for years, and makes us crazy is still the best in the world. Lots of men and women gave their lives so we could have the honor of voting. Would want them to be proud, that they didn't give their lives in vain. Thank you, each and every one...

sheep...


Notes from Goat and Sheep sermon.

Sheep will eat plants right out of the ground.
Sheep are followers

Goats eat, and walk. Eat, and walk.
Goats are leaders.

So you mix goats and sheep together. Goats keep moving and sheep, being natural followers, follow thereby protecting the flora of the land.



PJ went on to explain how when sheep get scared, they freeze. They literally won't move for wolf or shepherd. If one strays, the shepherd must go find him and carry the lost sheep back to the fold.

People are likened to sheep but not sure it is accurate. While some freeze, I would think that most of us, run quite. wild. In any and all directions, giving little thought to consequence. We would be a better lot if we did stay still and wait to be rescued instead of heading into the wilderness of life without some kind of GPS.

What about if you stay still and a wolf comes to eat you? Do you stay or go?

Fight or flight?

I think some of us are like sheep. When we are fixed on something, we will run it into the ground. My motto is, if one is good, two is better. If a little is good, than alot is much better. That is what gets me in trouble, time and time again. Will I ever learn? I dare say, probably not. The flora around me will attest to that.

Maybe some of us are like goats. Always on the move, never staying in one place for too long. Combining the two makes alot of sense. It always comes back to balance, doesn't it?, and it takes it takes a lifetime to learn that...

inheritance...



Within our family, there is always the spoken or unspoken concerning inheritance. Whether your mother writes different family names on plates and bowls (true)or you are told outright, that is mine when she dies(also true), we all pretty much know how the stuff is going to be split.

That was true for my family. My father had a very sizable inheritance coming his way, he talked about it all the time. It would available late in his life but he would not have to worry about where his next meal was coming from, for the rest of his life. He would tell my sister and I about how we would also share in the inheritance of the Farm. There was emough for us all.


It was always in the back of our minds, that someday we too, would not have to worry about food or shelter. That came to an abrupt end when after my father passed away, we found out from my aunt that my father had sold his part of the inheritance to her for 1/100 of what it was worth. He never told us what he had done. It felt like a cruel joke but if you understood the history, you would say, but of course.

When my FIL passed away, my friend who was a realtor told me, Watch out! People will fight over the smallest of things. The worse comes out in people at times like this. She was right, it was but a few hours later that a relative helped himself not only into the house but to the specific thing he wanted. It would not end there. Another relative who had more personal stuff than nayone in the family, wanted to dismantle a photo to see who painted it because she wanted it if her mother was the artist. Wow.

It is no wonder that my favorite parable is the Prodigal Son. So unfair, from a human point of view but in the end, it is still stuff. Inheritance is the character, the humanities, that you have left behind. No amount of stuff can compare to the countenance of leaving a legacy of love, grace, kindness and joy. If you were robbed of your true inheritance, make sure you leave Something behind better than was left to you...

would you rather...


Before Trick or Treating last night at dinner, I posed the question that I heard asked early that morning, Would you rather have $100,000 at age 20 or 10,000,000 at age 60?
I thought it would be a no brainer, again, I was wrong.

Of course, the answer to this question depends on the age. If you had asked me the night before I turned 20 and 2 days before I got married, I would have taken the hundred grand, on the spot. It also goes without saying that it would be all gone way before my 21 birthday.

Ask me the same question at 30, 40 and 50 and the answer would be the same. Ask me on the eve of my 60 birthday, when for the next 12 hours I would be wearing a helmet and not leaving the house, then and only then, would I have picked Option#2.

So I asked a couple of teenagers, a 10 year old, a 7 year old and an almost 40 year old, the same question. They all gave the same answer which I didn't expect and they all answered ten million at 60. They also all said they would spend it all at 20. Never in a million years would I have expected that answer. Most of them come from my blood lineage and we are not good at delaying instant gratification.

We finished the night wandering neighborhoods, near and far. Bellys full of Snickers, Kit Kats and caramel apple suckers and still 2 days of school left, we move on. Still think it was an off night, maybe it was all the ghosts and goblins out last night. The stars were bright and it was a warm night. You just never know...