Boomin' the Baby Along

Thinking of you...

2011-05-04T18:11:00.001-07:00

Dear Dad,

It has been 33 years since we last saw each other but I've seen you since, in the souls of your grandsons, great grandsons, cousins and strangers. I remember stories you told of starting work at 11 years of age. The pain you felt trying to keep your family together. Family was everything to you and the definition was not exclusive to blood relatives. I am a better person for having been your daughter. There are times when I get fused about something and I think...what would my dad have done. Your heart was huge, it knew no stranger. Your physical life may have been short but your imprint on this life was huge. I learned to think outside the box by listening and watching you.

You'd be so proud of the family you have. Mom, in her 80's is a force to be reckoned with and has led a rich life filled with travel. She has met all the challenges put before her, being a widow at a young age. Your daughters are happy! and your son in laws are awesome. But, it is in your grandchildren and great grandchildren that the real miracle you help create occurs. What your daughters learned from you is passed to their children and your grandsons are amazing men. Each is an individual in their own right but, I see some of you in each of them...and your great grandchildren are amazing. They are 3 strong little men.

They say that one never truly dies who is remembered. You are remembered and talked about...and today I miss you.

Love, Anna

The Ugly Cry

2011-03-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

As I watch the news I am struck not only of the devastation in Japan but, of the honor shown to each other. There is no looting, no pushing or shoving for goods. As people wait in the shelters, they take their shoes off. Yesterday someone told me that they were surprised at how composed people were...but, I know of the ugly cry. In the face of great stress the Asian culture maintains calmness but it does not mean there is not pain. Occasionally the camera will pan towards someone who is in the midst of the ugly cry.

The ugly cry is rare, especially in public. In my entire life I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen my mother cry...and, never the ugly cry. The cry that is from the gut...where your eye swell and your nose runs. Although I am a crier...I myself can only remember crying the ugly cry twice in my life. Once seeing my dad's body and once in response to parental guilt.

There is so much crying...so much of the ugly cry...it is from the gut...and I wish there was something I could do.

Who Has The Best Deal?

2011-02-22T10:13:00.001-08:00

I was reading an article this weekend that was debunking myths and one of the myths that intrigued me was the one that said married men live longer than single men. Although this is in fact a truth, the other side of the coin is that married women do not live longer than divorced or widowed women. hummm

So a guy who is married live 10% longer than an unmarried guy but there is no discernible difference between a married woman and on who is not...hummm WHY?

I thought about the married guy, he has a wife who is thinking about his health, making his doctor and dentist appts. Mostly buying the food that comes in the house, not only is taking care of the running of the home but usually works outside the home. AND, does a majority of the household worrying. I listened to a friend of mine worrying about her husband's health yesterday, her kids, her life and I wondered...hummm no wonder the male life expectancy is higher married. The male brain processes information entirely differently and I think anything that started with a "W" as in a worry just passes on through. While in the female brain the "W" does a hard stop and hanging around a while.

hummmm.

My Favorite Ground Hog

2011-02-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

Is it the one on the top or the one on the bottom? Of course it is the one on the top! He is my favorite groundhog! Happy Birthday! and guess what...Phil says there is going to be an early Spring! You are the best friend I could ever hope for and on top of that you a absolutely gorgeous, incredibly smart, can cook and make me laugh! I plan on celebrating many more Ground Hog Days with you!

What Do You See

2011-01-25T08:56:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine was bemoaning the lines showing up on her face and the sagging of her jowls. Since we work in surgery and talk to surgeons on and off all day she stopped one of the "plastic" guys and asked them if there was something that could be done. He told her she was fine and to stop looking at her face with one of those 10x mirrors!

It is important to accept that we do age and that there is a different kind of beauty in aging. I think those mirrors are made to help us with our aging eye sight...not to view who we are. I feel powerful these days when I look in the mirror and this morning I was wondering why?

I realized that somewhere along the recent days and weeks...I started liking what I was seeing. I stopped highlighting my hair, and I like my hair with little sprinkles of gray. I stopped looking at my jowls and started seeing my cheeks. I stopped using harsh make up and began using something more natural...and now...

When I look in the mirror I see me...and for 57 yrs old...I am pretty darn cute.

Laugh Out Loud

2011-01-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Today is a busy one with a class in Sisters at the Stitchin Post...so I decided to post this funny email that Greg sent me because it made me laugh out loud...and laughing out loud is good not only for your soul but your body!

Year to date statistics regarding the new airport passenger screening procedures from the TSA Section of the Department of Homeland Security:

Terrorist Plots Discovered 0
Transvestites 133
Hernias 1,485
Hemorrhoid Cases 3,172
Enlarged Prostates 8,249
Breast Implants 59,351
Natural Blondes 3

Yoga VS Vertigo

2011-01-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

Now that I am a few days out from this I can chuckle...a little. This year as the beginning of each year I try to figure out what is going to work for me...keep me healthy and moving forward. Although I own the most beautiful yoga mat given to me by my sister who SWEARS yoga is going to save us all...I think it may not be for me.

It might have been the trip to the ER after yoga class. A room with the temp set a 85 degrees, filled with mostly die-hard yoga people except for in the back row where I was...and, holding poses for 3-5 minutes. Class is supposed to make you feel better, more limber and refreshed. Not me...by minute 50 I realized my balance was off...I made it gingerly out of the room but then had to sit because I was dizzy. Then I made the walk down the hallway for water...but that is as far as I got. So as people trickled out of the class I thought...what the hey...what is wrong with me that I can't handle a little yoga class! BUT, one of the things I gave up this year was back talking to myself. I no longer plan on feeling bad about things that I can't accomplish or successfully perform.

Since I had a hard time walking...I thought maybe I would head to the Immediate Care. They didn't want me...boo hoo...so across the parking lot to the ER I went...NO I was not driving, Robin was, while my friend Lori picked up Greg and my car...which last longer at Juniper than I did!

3 hours later, with a liter of fluid and a little Zofran I not longer felt like I was going to upchuck the last weeks meals and I could walk...kind like I had only one cocktail instead of 10. Now 2 days later my balance is back.

What did I learn...I can't hold my head below my waist for 3 mintues...my body can, but my head can't handle it. I am no less of who I am because I couldn't handle Yoga. Enzo is happy cause it is going to be more walking for us and I didn't miss the Golden Globes, I just got to watch them on a gurney.

I think I am going to have to get some tips from Emily's mom who teaches Yoga sometimes...to special people.

2011-01-15T14:57:00.000-08:00

Oh my how fast a year passes. I had a "AH HA" moment when I was pulling out of my street and saw the crowded convention center. The Annual Wedding Fair. That's right, only a year ago I picked up my friend Colleen from the airport and we went directly to the fair. I was in high gear to gather the most information to help my then future daughter in law so she could have some choices. They lived out of town so it was up to me to get the facts.

Colleen and I sampled the cakes, appetizers, picked up brochures on photos, venues and even rode in a limo. WOW, it is hard to believe a year has passed! Those were exciting time, fun, crazy and the emails were flying

A Year...and in the end we now have a wonderful daughter in law and a beautiful grandson...life is good.

Meeting

2011-01-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

I had to attend a meeting yesterday and while thinking about the outcome I ran across this poster which totally made me laugh out loud!!!!! Impress my colleagues...NOT. Feel important ...SO NOT. Give the appearce of progress, now we are talking. Meet other people...I'd rather do that over a nice cup of coffee...oh yeah that was a budget cut item.

Ah, the world is changing and I am trying to figure out how to make it change in a positive way, how much do I want to give. Because what I do know is if you fight for it to remain the same...you're history. It is going to change, whether you like it or not. AND, it is going to come at a price. So, how to I set the price I am willing to pay, what can I contribute that will make it not so painful? Because if I don't figure this out...it is going to be totally decided by someone higher up the food chain and this truth I know to be true...if, that happens I am NOT gonna like the price!

Retire Not

2011-01-13T04:12:00.000-08:00

I woke up at 0315. I laid there for about 15 minutes trying to decide if I should fall back asleep until the alarm went off at 0400. In that 15 minutes I started thinking about the benefits of just quitting...or retiring!

1. I'd lose weight because I couldn't afford to buy food

2. I would never have indigestion because I could never go out to eat

3. I would become a tea drinker...cheaper than coffee

4. No happy hour, which I am not sure is a benefit

5. I'd never have to punch a clock for my measly 30 minute lunch

6. My house would be spotless because I couldn't afford any other entertainment but cleaning

the house.

7. My dog would be happy because our entertainment would be walking and throwing a ball.

The issues if I quit my job and retired would be that I would then become the full time employee of BSJ enterprises and I am sure...almost 100% sure she does not allow unionization. And I wouldn't get any breaks or lunch and I would have to become a lawyer.

So you know what...I love my job, I love my job, I love my job and off to work I go.

Backwards

2011-01-10T04:58:00.000-08:00

Have you ever put you shirt on backwards and gone about your business without a clue? I did that this week. It was a nice long sleeved tee shirt and I just put it on backwards. I head to the first appointment of the day, my physical therapist...who is my new guru. We are sitting across from each other talking about my spectacular progress and something starts feeling funny...first in my brain, then at my neck. So I touch the neckline and realized I have my shirt on backwards.

Most people would just ignore it until they were in the privacy of a bathroom and switch it around. Not me...I am a what you see kinda gal who just lives right out there. When I fall down, I don't try to jump right back up and hope no one notices...I sit there and cry out loud, "I fell down" in case no one did notice. I can tap into my 4 year old heart in a mintue. So as soon as my fingers realized the neckline was wrong and my brain registered that my shirt was backwards...I looked at Stewart, PT and said, "my shirts on backwards!" He chuckled...and I said "weird that I would put my shirt on backwards." and so when we were going to move to the next room I told him, "I gotta fix my shirt" and I did.

I think it is a positive thing to be able to face something, and just accept and adjust. I am going to remember this today as I head to work....cause right now my work like is backwards.

Watch Out!

2011-01-06T07:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know...after reading this article this morning I not only was intrigued by Romania but worried for it government. It is funny how little superstitions can make you nervous. Spending a good portion of my life in the Catholic church and even though I have not been a practicing Catholic for several years...I can't seem to throw this little palm frond into the garbage that I received on Palm Sunday several years ago. I just found it tucked away a couple of days ago cleaning and was going to throw it away...but now I think I am going to have to burn it as I was instructed when I was little. I do not think of myself as a superstitious person but...why tempt the gods...we really don't know what it all means...do we???

With that being said I think the government officials are tempting fate with the idea of taxing the witches...if the curse doesn't scare you, having cat excrement thrown at me would freak me out...from a germ point of view!

Curses! Romania’s witches forced to pay income tax
By Alison Mutler / The Associated Press
Published: January 06. 2011 4:00AM PST advertisement:MOGOSOIA, Romania — Everyone curses the tax man, but Romanian witches angry about having to pay up for the first time are planning to use cat excrement and dead dogs to cast spells on the president and government.

Also among Romania’s newest taxpayers are fortune tellers — but they probably should have seen it coming.

Superstitions are no laughing matter in Romania — the land of the medieval ruler who inspired the “Dracula” tale — and have been part of its culture for centuries. President Traian Basescu and his aides have been known to wear purple on certain days, supposedly to ward off evil.

Romanian witches from the east and west will head to the southern plains and the Danube River on Thursday to threaten the government with spells and spirits because of the tax law, which came into effect Jan. 1.

A dozen witches will hurl the poisonous mandrake plant into the Danube to put a hex on government officials “so evil will befall them,” said a witch named Alisia. She identified herself with one name — customary among Romania’s witches.

“This law is foolish. What is there to tax, when we hardly earn anything?” she said by telephone Wednesday. “The lawmakers don’t look at themselves, at how much they make, their tricks; they steal and they come to us asking us to put spells on their enemies.”

The new law is part of the government’s drive to collect more revenue and crack down on tax evasion in a country that is in recession.

In the past, the less mainstream professions of witch, astrologer and fortune teller were not listed in the Romanian labor code, as were those of embalmer, valet and driving instructor. Those who worked those jobs used their lack of registration to evade paying income tax.

Under the new law, like any self-employed person, they will pay 16 percent income tax and make contributions to health and pension programs.

Some argue the law will be hard to enforce, as the payments to witches and astrologers usually are made in cash and relatively small at 20 to 30 lei ($7 to $10) per consultation.

Mircea Geoana, who lost the presidential race to Basescu in 2009, performed poorly during a crucial debate, and his camp blamed attacks of negative energy by their opponent’s aides.

Geoana aide Viorel Hrebenciuc alleged there was a “violet flame” conspiracy during the campaign, saying Basescu and other aides dressed in purple on Thursdays to increase his chance of victory. They continue to be seen wearing purple clothing on important days, because the color supposedly makes the wearer superior and wards off evil.

Such spiritualism has long been tolerated by the Orthodox Church in Romania, and the late Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, had their own personal witch.

Queen witch Bratara Buzea, 63, who was imprisoned in 1977 for witchcraft under Ceausescu’s repressive regime, is furious about the new law.

Sitting cross-legged in her villa in the lake resort of Mogosoaia, just north of Bucharest, she said Wednesday she planned to cast a spell using a particularly effective concoction of cat excrement and a dead dog, along with a chorus of witches.

“We do harm to those who harm us,” she said. “They want to take the country out of this crisis using us? They should get us out of the crisis because they brought us into it.”

“My curses always work!” she cackled in a smoky voice. She sat next to her wood-burning stove, surrounded by potions, charms, holy water and ceramic pots.

Not every witch is threatening fire and brimstone.

“This law is very good,” said Mihaela Minca. “It means that our magic gifts are recognized and I can open my own practice.”

It's In The Photo

2011-01-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

In this day and age of social networking and online dating a photo can make you or break you. It can determine if you are passed over or if you get so many hits you can't keep up with the choices. The two photos below, same guy (my son Connor) different dog. I actually think the dog has a huge say in whether a prospective on line dater would stop and click for more information or shake their head and move on. Good thing he is in love and doesn't have to make a decision on the photo...as a mother I would chose the one with the big dog...yep...the big dog would be better....

I totally get why Connor would love this woman...a photo says so much about how comfortable you are in your own skin. If this photo were on a dating site there would be thousands of guys intrigued by this woman!

Words

2011-01-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

I love words and if I come across a word while reading that I do not know I will stop and look it up...it would seem that at my age, college educated that there wouldn't be a word out there that I did not know. Sounds presumptuous of me, doesn't it. But in fact I regularly come across some unknowns. I also get fixated on words that sound great rolling off the tongue. Language, so rich and yet so confusing...and in the blog world they can be macerated. Thus, when I came across this article I had to laugh out loud...yes, a word can come into fashion and go out of fashion...it is sooooo American.

BOSTON (Reuters) – This story might be epic, and could even go viral, but not if Lake Superior State University has anything to do with it. Just sayin.'

The small college in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, released on Friday its annual list of "banished words" -- terms so overused, misused and hackneyed they deserve to be sent to a permanent linguistic trash can in the year ahead.

"Viral," often used to describe the rapid spreading of videos or other content over the Internet, leads the list for 2011.

"This linguistic disease of a term must be quarantined," Kuahmel Allah of Los Angeles said in making a nomination.

Runners-up included "epic" and "fail," often twinned to describe a blunder of monumental proportions.

A total of 14 words were on the list.

Cliched terms such as "wow factor," "a-ha moment," "back story" and "BFF" (Best Friends Forever) rated highly. The very au courant use of "Facebook" and "Google" as verbs got a thumbs down as well.

As usual, election-cycle zingers and catchwords quickly look as worn out as last year's campaign posters.

In that vein, voters suggested the banning of "Mama Grizzlies," used to describe right-wing female politicians in the mold of Sarah Palin, and "man up," famously used by Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharon Angle in a testy debate with Democrat Harry Reid and a favorite Palin expression as well.

"A stupid phrase when directed at men. Even more stupid when directed at a woman, as in 'Alexis, you need to man up and join that Pilates class!'" said Sherry Edwards of Clarkston, Michigan.

LSSU began its popular list in 1976, when it named "at this point in time," as substituted for the concise and elegant "now," as a linguistic dud. The college now receives well over 1,000 nominations each year through its website, lssu.edu/banished.

Previous winners and nominees include the terms "shovel ready" for 2010, "battleground states" for 2005, "24/7" for 2000 and "family values" for 1995.

Delete

2011-01-01T07:55:00.001-08:00

After a wonderful New Year Eve...this morning I hit the delete! Oh yeah...when I got on my email and looked at how many emails there were and how long I have just let the junk emails pile...and how many times I have hit the do not compress box that comes up from my computer...I deleted!

What a great first day of the new year tasks, that made me feel sooooo dang good! Deleted whole sections of junk mails, emptying out the sent and deleted files...ahhhh my email is clean. We always want to start the new year fresh and what a simple way to give my self a boost into the new year!

Delete both in the cyber world and the real world can do a world of good for the disposition! LOL

0330

2010-12-30T04:29:00.000-08:00

This one of my favorite photos that my son took...because I have many moods and I feel a change coming on...yes, it is that time of year and lots of monkey jumpin' in the brain. Maybe that is why I am up at 0330. The only thing about being up a 0330 is that I know my girlfriend Robin is already out in the moon light...no, not howling at it...but walking her dog before we have to show up at work.

This next year will bring major changes in both my personal life and work life. Do I know what they are? No. But I can feel them and for me...my third eye is always my guide except when the monkeys poke it!

So I make my lunch, drink a cup of coffee to face a day that I know is going to be slammin'...end of the year surgeries and people breaking stuff either on the mountain or just walking around town on the ice. But, what I do know...is I can do anything for a day!

Putting It In Perspective

2010-12-28T07:14:00.000-08:00

When people complain about the snow and the berm that is created by the plow in Central Oregon...you gotta just put it in perspective! Although there have been years where I remember piles of snow, I have never seen snow like this! My mom was reminiscing in an email this week about our lives in New York City. Just she and I, while my dad was overseas on an active duty assignment. She said there was a 24 hour period where 27 inches of snow fell and we couldn't leave the apartment for 3 days. Lonely times for a foreign woman with a baby.

Putting life in perspective helps you keep the "hebegebbies", the oh my god, the sky in fallin in, did you hear that...away.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T21:50:00.001-08:00

This free slideshow generated with Smilebox

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T06:22:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe it is Christmas Eve! It crept up on me in a quiet way. I think it is because there is no family in town this holiday and life is quiet. We have never had a holiday where it was just the 2 of us but, I do know that this year does not feel good or bad...it is just this year. I am taking it all in and doing only what I like...except for today.

Love is a powerful force and because of it...on Christmas Eve...I am going to be sitting in a theater...watching...with a bag of popcorn...TRUE GRIT...by the Cohen Brothers! Ahhh, I am such a sucka for love!

Howling at the Moon

2010-12-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

I sooooo wanted to stay up and watch the total eclipse of the moon...but my body clock was getting sleepy at 8:00 pm and I didn't take a nap in preparation...so, off to bed I went. Then a little after midnight I woke up to go to the bathroom and remembered the moon! I quietly went from window to window upstairs looking for the eclipse. The sky was dark so I new the moon was shrouded in his cloak but the snow provided a beautiful landscape.

The issue was I had no idea where the moon was...I couldn't see the eclipse from any of the windows! So I went back to bed. Early the next morning Greg asked how his Galileo was and I told him of my frustration at not being able to find the moon. He asked what time was it when I was dashing around? Midnight. He pointed straight up. The moon was directly overhead and wouldn't be viewable from our windows.

The most wonderful thing is being in love with someone who can tell you where your moon is....

OHHHH The Future

2010-12-17T06:58:00.001-08:00

I don't know...I am so enjoying the present that why get worked up about the future??? The mantra of questions I hear all around me are...What If? Do You Think That Could Happen? It Feels Scary, what do you think is going to happen? What will we do???

My answer...I don't know, let me whip out my crystal ball! What I can do is live fully in the present. Make choices in my life that are fulfilling, kind, stimulating, honest...and you know what...if I do that, pretty much the future most likely will be good. What can I say, I'm a cup half full kind of gal who occasionally likes to stick her head in a nice warm beach full of sand.

John Kennedy may be right and I have often said it myself, "Change is the only thing you can count on." But it is coming whether I worry about it or not and if I live the present fully...the future is mine.

One Of The Seven Deadly Sins

2010-12-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

by Marta Dahlig

Envy, one of the seven deadly sins. I avoid envy because she is a trickster. When you let Envy creep into your heart you begin to evaluate your own life through filtered glasses. That old saying that the grass looks greener on the other side...well, green with envy can lead you down a path of decisions that are not in your best interest.

Poor Bernie Madoff, nobody would sympathize with him now...but many envied him 5 years ago. On top of the world (with other people's money) he looked like the symbol of financially and familial success and was envied by many. Now he sits in prison, his son has committed suicide and his grandchildren are possbily working on having their last names changed so as to not be associated with him.

Envy has a way of putting blinders on your sight...you only see the surface which looks sooooo good but envy does not allow you to see below that surface.

Making New Traditions

2010-12-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

One of the most important things that I have always wanted to pass to my children was the importance of making "traditions." It is such little things that make such a huge difference as you get older.

Christmas was always a big deal around our house...although the holiday cheer was generated by my dad and myself as his assistant. Decorating the tree was a time to be together and have snack dinner.

As life and work does need to go on...Greg and I will be bringing in the holiday cheer sans family...so we decided that we needed to create some new traditions that will be ours, together. Yesterday as we decorated the house, I reminisced about my dad, we had snack dinner and we made Spanish coffees! Fire and all!!! It was so much fun that we are now going to make Spanish coffees our decorating tradition!

I went to the OR's party for the first time and danced my tootsies off. I am not sure it will be a tradition...but it was fun. I may take Enzo to get a picture with Santa!

I guess what I realize is that traditions can evolve and new one created and still be a tradition...maybe the tradition is to be open to new traditions!

One Pet Per House!

2010-12-02T08:26:00.001-08:00

I have to admit he was kinda cute sitting between 2 cans of beans looking at me...but, at first he made me pee my pants!!!! I bent over to take a eye level look at him and he just stared back...then I shook my red apron hanging on the door and he retreated to the back of the pantry.

I looked at Enzo (useless pet) who looked at me with an expression of "what the hey is this woman doing looking in the pantry when she should obviously go change her pants!" I was freaked!!!!!!!! I have never seen a mouse nor any clues that a mouse has been inside my house since we moved here over 3 years ago. So I ran out to the garage and got a package of mouse traps that we had from one of our old houses and spread peanut butter on it...left a note for Greg and headed to work. By the time he came down from his shower...Enzo was saying a passage from the mouse bible.

Of course being one of those people who is a slight germaphobe, the next day I spent all afternoon bringing everything out of my pantry, washing the tops of my can goods, throwing away anything that looked like my dear departed friend might have looked at, sniffed, or nibbled!

Then I set 2 more traps and am happy to say he was a single guy with no date who just came in from the cold to party.

Pause

2010-12-01T05:37:00.000-08:00

I was almost asleep last night when the word "Pause" entered my brain. It bounced around in there and then as I started looking at it and thinking about it I came to believe that it may be the most important word in our dictionary today! Just think if that guy who pressed the "fire missile" button in North Korea had just paused for a second and really thought about the repercussions.

How many times have we regretted something we had said because our mouth was in gear before our brain realized "what the hey" was going on...Pause. Such a simple word...but so powerful.

My "Pause" button is nice shiny red thing that sits in the middle of my brain. I use it often, to prevent heartache, to prevent over scheduling myself...to really think about how I want my life to play out day to day. Every so often I take a "leap of mouth" and then I realize that I need to shine my pause button...think before speaking...chose who to share my thoughts with and slow down. Some days at work I have to employ the little monkey in my brain and have him jump up and down on the button all day long...whewwww...on those days we have both worked hard...to PAUSE.

Life was much easier before the email warnings I recieved this past year

2010-11-30T04:47:00.000-08:00

This so cracked me up when I recieved it in an email that I had to post it to my blog...most of these have been sent by my own mother who in her love is convinced that the world is out to get me!

I want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery.

I no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel, or have the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel.

I can’t use the remote in a hotel room because I don’t know what the last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie channels.

I can’t sit down on the hotel bedspread because I can only imagine what has happened on it since it was last washed ... hmmmm

I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking one’s nose.

Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have consumed over the years.

I can’t touch any woman’s purse for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public bathroom.

I MUST ALSO SEND MY SPECIAL THANKS to whoever sent me the one about rat crap in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing.

ALSO, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa’s Novena has granted my every wish.

I can’t have a drink in any bar because I’ll wake up in a bathtub full of ice with my kidneys gone.

I can’t eat at KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes, feet or feathers.

I can’t use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

BECAUSE OF YOUR CONCERN, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer buy gas without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer doesn’t crawl in my back seat when I’m filling up.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Fanta since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put ‘Under God’ on their cans.

I no longer use Cling Wrap in the microwave because it causes twenty-seven different types of cancer.

AND THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW I can’t boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face.. Disfiguring me for life.

I no longer go to the movies because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS when I sit down

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or Fed Ex since they are actually Al Qaeda agents in disguise. And I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore , and Uzbekistan .

I no longer buy cookies from Neiman-Marcus since I now have their recipe.

THANKS TO YOU I can’t use anyone’s toilet but mine because a big black snake could be lurking under the seat and cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

AND THANKS TO YOUR GREAT ADVICE I can’t ever pick up a $5 bill someone dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting to grab me as I bend over..

I no longer drive my car because buying gas from some companies supports Al Qaeda, and buying gas from all the others supports South American dictators.

If you don’t send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, and the fleas from 120 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor’s ex-mother-in-law’s second husband’s cousin’s best friend’s beautician . . ..

Oh, by the way.....

A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse.

Don’t bother taking it off now, it’s too late.

PS: I now keep my toothbrush in the living room, because I was told by e-mail that water splashes over 6 ft. out of the toilet.

Reflections

2010-11-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving...I have so much to be thankful for...wonderful son's, a daughter in law who has a beautiful heart, a grandson who is fun to be with, a loyal dog, a safe trip over and back, my first BBQ's turkey, Becky's stuffing, Hostesses with the Mostest, Shean-Jones girls, seeing Mo again, making new friends, Kathy's mom's apple pie, seeing Kathy and Mike having a good time...oh yeah, life is sweet. The only thing that could have made it perfect is if I actually got a photo of Sarah and myself???? Now that I am a chef extroidinaire I am going to have to work on my photography skills!

Create your own scrapbook design

THANKSGIVING SONG ADAM SANDLER

2010-11-25T06:29:00.000-08:00

Burrrr...baby it's cold outside

2010-11-24T16:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know the snow looks beautiful...but when you have to shovel a long driveway full of it and it is only 12 degrees outside and the dog won't even come out to keep you company...well...baby it's cold outside.

When the weather flips over to "winter" your body goes into hibernation mode. I don't want to go to work, I don't want to go to the store, I don't want to go to the library, I don't want to go to the coffee shop! I want it all to come to ME!

But, it sure is pretty to look at and with a full moon...you swear your yard looks like diamonds are lying around.

Culinary Master

2010-11-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, so my cooking range just got too scary to use and the self cleaning feature on the oven didn't work. Besides, most of what I prepared just didn't turn out fantastic.

We decided to buy a new stove/oven. We went into the process trying to find the one that seemed the simplest to clean, which was one of those ones with the flat glass top.

What we came out with was, this one. It was love at first sight for both of us. All it took was for me to ask what this one feature on the top of the stove was used for...The sales persons said, "Oh, that is to hold a WOK!" We looked at each other and said, "we want this one!"

I can feel it in my bones...Bobby Flay, move over...Rachel Ray, Shut your mouth...Giada, go find a new sweater...cause there is a new cook in town. I am so excited that I got up at 0530 this morning just to organize all the recipes papers I have collected this year out of the newpaper.

Tonight we are going to WOK the veggies!

Going Going Gone

2010-11-19T09:12:00.001-08:00

It is hard to believe but my son's motorcycle was stolen. That is...a chained up parked in front of a car in his carport...stolen. I have been reading in the news about the rash of property crimes...most likely due to the hard times being felt but so many...but come on...

Several years ago we had a burglar enter our house while we were gone and he took all my jewelery, a coin collection that my father in law had passed down and Greg's watches and pawnable possessions. Having had someone in my home pawing through my clothing drawers...well it so creeped me out that I never rested comfortably in my bedroom after that event because we had a low lying window and secluded deck with door off our bedroom. Lovely home...but so glad when we decided to move.

There is a violation of one's life when something is stolen...it is not as if you are rolling in the dough...we work hard for what we have and to think that someone thinks it is OK to take something is...well...just morally corrupt.

Tossing and Turning

2010-11-18T04:47:00.001-08:00

Last night I tossed and turned from 0100 to about 0230. It seemed my brain was trying to solve the problems of the world. And, as if the problems of the world weren't enough by 0200 I started worrying about how I was going to perform my duties when I had to get up at 0400 to get ready for work???

I had read that counting backwards from 800 by 4's will drop you off to sleep. Well, I tried that several time reaching 770's before giving up. I struggled with the idea of calling in sick...but I never do this unless I am reallllly sick. And I can't even remember when I called in sick...I think it was last year.

Finally what made me fall asleep was a mantra...you are a good person and worth loving...ahhhh. There is nothing like a loving thought wrapped around your soul to make you relax.

And so sleep came and the alarm went off at 0400. I am ready for the day but boy do I feel sorry for the person I must take care of at around 2:00 PM...I should be toast by then.

Love From A Distance

2010-11-17T04:39:00.000-08:00

I realized last night in my dreams why I was having to hold a note of happiness in my hand as a reminder of how happy I am. I couldn't figure it out. By last night I gave up and just relaxed about it...which allowed me to put down the note.

It was my dream...that gave me the clue. There are those people in our lives that we want to love from a distance. I truly love my "long distance love" but if they get too close I get burned. It is like you have to wear a hazmat suit so you can see their love but not feel the pain that can come with it...

And so there is this constant cycle of love, fear, guilt. It is kind of funny because in my dream the character changed their mind and decided to keep some distance and I was so happy and filled with love for them...at the very least I now know what was bugging me yesterday, it was the safety zone of my brain trying to let me know...there is hard love coming.

Happiness

2010-11-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

I had one of those days where I cherished happiness...cause today it was no where to be found. It might be that I am facing two 10 hour days at work...of what I am trying to believe with be wonderful. Or maybe it is empathizing with a girlfriend who is having a very hard time and knowing there is not a thing I can do about it...or maybe is it just plain seasonal affect stuff...but that can't be...cause it was sunny today.

Enzo waited all day for me to take him on a jaunt...but he is still waiting. I did not step one foot into my sewing room. I did not read one page of a book...nor did I talk to a neighbor.

Some days are just that, days...to just let move by while you carry your happiness in your hands to bring out when you are ready to really appreciate how very blessed you are.

Yeah...I am happy...it is just today I needed to carry a note around with me as a reminder! lol

Words

2010-11-14T10:23:00.001-08:00

"The power of life and death are in the tongue" This words are the truest and most powerful in the Bible. If we only understood the power of our words on others we would be slower to speak and quicker to bite our tongues.

The power of our words can either build someone up or tear him down. I think it may be that we believe our words are RIGHT and that they need to be heard and taken heed...or something will not turn out correctly. How short sighted and self absorbed we can be about our words.

If only parents could relax and remember that their children are at the beginning of their experiences and that mistakes will happen and those mistakes will have their own consequences...they do not need to hear unkind words or words of judgement when they do.

If only husbands and wives can understand that some words, kind and hurtful are stored in a secret vault within the heart and are never forgotten.

Words should speak and instill life, not death. The should not be spoken if there is no good to come from them. They are man's most powerful weapon and thus should be used with discretion.

Girlfriends Are A Sheltering Tree

2010-11-10T04:38:00.000-08:00

Having spent last weekend with a girlfriend I must reflect on exactly how important are girlfriends in ones life. As we grow we pickup friendships and the friendships between girlfriends when you are young are usually quite volatile. I remember my neighborhood girlfriends and I constantly fighting...spending sometimes a whole hour not talking to each other!

In high school I had several friends but only one girlfriend. I can't remember us fighting??? but we shared important stuff...like who was cooler, John, Paul, George or Ringo...no question it was John! If you are lucky enough to have hung on to a childhood girlfriend into adulthood then you have a friend that has truly shared your joys and your heartaches during a very vunerable period of life, they share a common history...they share a mutual memory of a time gone bye...they are like a sheltering tree.

I am blessed to have a hand full of girlfriends who I can trust to be there when I need them, who will tell me the truth, who will listen to me as if they really hear me, share advice when I ask for it, and stand up with me if there is a fight...they have touched the memories of my children's growing years and they are still around after witnessing my highs and lows. Some are my age, some are older than me...and some are related to me...but ALL are a sheltering tree.

How Do You Sign Off Your Mail?

2010-11-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

I was reading an article about how people sign off their letters, whether it be snail mail or email. It is the one area of a letter that speaks about the writer.

I have one friend who signs off every correspondence with the word, "Later." It is simple, denotes a future connection and keeps it non-emotional. I find that I sometimes struggle when I get to that part of the letter...do I sign off with "Love, Anna?" do I love this person...or want to share the love?? Sometimes you feel stupid right at the moment you press send...when you see how you have signed off. I will sometimes pre-program a sign off...currently it is "Momento Vivere"..."Remember to Live" But we are all living...so if you send it to a concrete personality are they looking at that saying...why wouldn't I remember to live??? Besides...why sign off in a foreign language, am I supposed to know what the means or do I have to look it up????

Sincerely, sounds toooo formal and detached for most letters I write. Best Wishes, has to fit the letter. I used to sign off my emails to Greg, "Love, me" because I figured he knew it was me so signing Anna seemed...well dumb. And, I do love him so love seemed appropriate...but Love, me...sounded like a plea. So I stopped.

My previous sign off was, "I live in the Possibilities." So was I trying to convince others of who I am???

So, for a while I am going to change my sign off daily...and have it reflect what I am doing. Below are a list of potential sign offs for your letters.

Hangin' with the dog, Anna

•All you need is love
•Happy trails to you
•Hasta la vista, baby
•Keep your stick on the ice
•Kiss kiss bang bang
•Live long and prosper
•May the force be with you
•Over and out
•Over to you
•Peace, love, and unity
•Start the engines
•Stay tuned
•Tag! You’re it
•To be continued…
•Yabba dabba do
•Cheerful greetings to all
•Hugs
•Kind thoughts
•Take care
•Wishing you the best
•Write soon
•Your friend
•Yours in friendship
•Be good/well
•Cheerio
•Cheers
•I’m out
•More to come
•Smiles
•Ta ta for now
•Take care
•Take it easy
•Until next time

What's Love Got To Do With It?

2010-11-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was having a conversation about love. How do you know exactly what love is and what has it got to do with relationships. As women, we are drowning in everyone else perception of love and what it should be. Movies, romance novels, periodicals and girlfriends...share with us what love is and what is the correct way to be in love. The thing about it is, love is one of those things that never is the same from one heart to the next. How love resides with myself is different than how it resides within my best friend. There can be no judgement about love because we never truly know the full body of it, in each and every person...because it is different...kind of like the mood rings of the 60's. They used to sell these rings where the color would change depending on the mood of the wearer...what really was happening was the color was changing due to the chemistry and temperature of the wearer which was totally different for each individual.

I reflect back on where I learned about love...I grew up each and every day hearing my dad say "I love you" to my mother. My mother never said it back. Did she not love him...did he love her too much? Did he need her more than she needed him? Who knows...what I do know is these were my first templates. As a teenage girl I read every steaming romanitic novel in publication. I now knew that love has to be a 24/7 passionate, heated kind of love...lots of emotion...loves of highs and lows...hummmm didn't work out that way. Dating, I learned that love was for some, conditional....hummm was this how love was to be???

All the cues and sound bites of what love is...and in reality I find that love...is a risk and it is worth risking your heart for. That although the love of my life does not wake up every day and say...I love you...I see it when he cooks dinner. I see it when he outlines a safety plan for my travel. I see it in the way he extends himself in so many ways. He does not need me...he wants me, and that choice is love. It is conscious choice, not filter through what others idea of love is.

Love is like a mystery book, one that brings new chapters with each year we spend together. I never want to know it all...I never want to reach the last chapter...I want to savor each page.

Fall On Clubhouse

2010-11-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

I took a moment to look around the place and capture Fall.

Slideshow created with Smilebox

Who Would Have Thunk It!?

2010-11-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

Last week Greg and I went and saw the movie,"RED." It was a action comedy and was very entertaining. But one line has stuck with me all week. All the characters were retired spies. Morgan Freeman resided in a "rest home." When Bruce Willis visits him and warns him about a contract killer...Freeman says, "who would have thought it would come to this. We survived Vietnam, Afghanistan...and now we're just old...and who would have thought I would end up here."

As I head out this weekend to spend time with my childhood girlfriend...I realize we ARE old. We met when we were 14 years old and have remained friends for over 40 years. We both get AARP...for christ sakes...when did this happen. It is surprising because my brain still thinks I am HOT! But the mirror says NOT! The thing about getting older is that you start weeding out what doesn't absolutely bring you some semblance of joy. Time has more commodity than money. Family...well family is everything.

As I age I realize that holding onto pain...serves no purpose and so I can get rid of it faster. Life keeps marching on whether I am happy or not...so why not choose happy. It is the little things that can make your day...yesterday on my lunch break I figured out how to get my grandson's photo as wall paper on my phone...sweet...see getting older doesn't mean you can't figure it out!
Although I now know how important it is to know where the next "facilities" are located when traveling...and, that I need a comfortable bed and my routine...I am content with this age. It is who I am.

Don't Poke A Skunk

2010-10-28T06:47:00.001-07:00

"One of the first rules of medicine is don't poke a skunk." according to Dr. David Peura, an industry consultant and former president of the American Gastroenterological Association. This is said in relation to the over use of medications as prescribed by doctors. A lot of people are on medication they probably don't need but, if is seems to be doing something or if in fact doesn't seem to overtly harming the patient then, doctors are reluctant to discontinue medication.

Thus, the success of the little purple pill and it's relatives designed to help with heartburn. Handed out like water and is a front line med if you so much as burp. Yet for a majority of people it is choices and behaviors that cause the burping and heartburn...yet we take the path of least resistance and take a pill. After years of taking the same medication we find that there are some serious side effects to this long term habit of popping a pill.

In one study a hospital found that 60% of their patients were started on acid-suppressing drugs with no valid explanation. Scientist have been concerned about the long term side effects such as bone fractures and pneumonia. In one study they found that the sudden stopping of the drug after long term use can actually cause the symptoms they are treating...we are a nation hooked on acid suppressors and other medications. A day does not go by when I interview a patient who's medication list includes several which they have no idea why they are taking it...or 2-3 of the same class of drug. When I ask, "what are you taking this medication for?" or "do you realize you are taking 3 different diuretics?" I get answers like, "I don't know." "My doctor put me on it." or "I take the little pink pill...you know the name." or "I don't have any idea of the dosage I am taking." WAKE UP...we are turning into pharmaceutical zombies!!!! Many people are their own worst enemy. Yes, it is good to get a second opinion...yes you need a doctor who you can relate too...but each doctor should be told what you are taking as prescribed by a previous physician. There are many people who have overlapping prescriptions because the doctor has no clue what is being prescribed by a another.

Rather than taking the heartburn med...maybe we could look at our stress levels, food choices, exercise options??? And maybe we can start being proactive about our health choices and be a contributor to decreasing the out of control health care costs by only using that which we truly need rather than that which is more convenient.

Hello Blog

2010-10-27T04:27:00.001-07:00

I have been incognito this last few days...having fun with friends, talking and trying to gain my balance. I have been picking the brains of friends on this process we call life and trying to figure out...what it means to me. Some have been successful traveling through this time in their lives and others are struggling just as much as I am. So this past week have been about letting off a little pressure and trying to quiet my noisy heart. Yes, it is usually my brain which is full swing but as of late it is my heart. I know life is all about change. I know that the things I want the most in life is for my children to live full lives. I want them to have the freedom to make mistakes and revel in their triumphs...I just can't quite figure out where I fit in the changing landscape of this ever moving desert. I know according to every article I read about people my age that this is the time to refocus on myself, my relationship and what we might want for the remaining years of our life.

It is a struggle, one parent died before I had barely spread my wings and the other culturally and personally needs to control every aspect of the lives of those she loves. I have spent a life time trying to ignore everything coming my way and thus have shot myself in the foot a few times...now I listen and discard what I, either don't agree with or don't need to hear. So, at the same time life is changing for my children I must figure out how to trust the change in my own life.

I think I need a conference call between my heart and my brain...after work today I will make a call.

I Need My Food Stress Free...

2010-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I read this article this morning and just had to put it on the blog...there is something creepy about all this...it has again made me think about where our priorities are....

"It comes free-range, cage-free, antibiotic-free, raised on vegetarian feed, organic, even air-chilled. Coming soon: stress-free?

Two premium chicken producers, Bell & Evans in Pennsylvania and Mary’s Chickens in California, are preparing to switch to a system of killing their birds that they consider more humane.

The new system uses carbon dioxide gas to gently render the birds unconscious before they are hung by their feet to have their throats slit, sparing them the potential suffering associated with conventional slaughter methods.

“When you grab a chicken, turn it upside down and put it on the line, it’s stress, stress, stress,” said Scott Sechler, the owner of Bell & Evans. “Our system is designed so that we put them to sleep without stress, and we kill them without stress.”

That is sure to appeal to a segment of the chicken-buying public. But telling them about it presents a marketing challenge.

“Most of the time, people don’t want to think about how the animal was killed,” said David Pitman, whose family owns Mary’s Chickens.

Anglia Autoflow, the company that is building the knockout systems for the two processors, calls the process “controlled atmosphere stunning,” but Pitman said his company is considering the phrase “sedation stunning” for use on its packages. Also on the short list: “humanely slaughtered,” “humanely processed” or “humanely handled.”

The trick, he said, is to communicate the goal of the new system, which is to ensure that the birds “not have any extra pain or discomfort in the last few minutes of their lives.”

Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and a prominent livestock expert, consulted with Bell & Evans as the company worked with Anglia to design its system. She said it was better because the chickens were not aware of what was happening to them.

Sechler said the system he chose, after years of research, was better than similar gas-stunning systems used in Europe. Those systems, he says, often deprive birds of oxygen too quickly, which may cause them to suffer. They are also designed to kill the birds rather than simply knock them out, something that Sechler is not comfortable with.

“I don’t want the public to say we gas our chickens,” he said.

Sechler said he expects the chickens to be more tender because they faced less stress when they died.

The new system is also meant to be better for workers. The live hang area today is usually dimly lit to keep birds from being startled, and workers have to contend with struggling, flapping chickens.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has been pushing chicken processors for years to switch to gas stunning systems, in part because it doesn’t believe that electrical stunning works.

But the National Chicken Council, which represents chicken processors, contends that electrical stunning systems are effective and humane.

Richard Lobb, a spokesman for the council, said that being shackled upside down was not overly stressful for the birds.

“They are shackled, and they typically stay there quietly,” Lobb said.

Bell & Evans said it would begin selling chickens slaughtered using the new technology in April. The company, which processes about 840,000 birds a week, distributes its chickens nationwide.

Mary’s, which distributes in several Western states, expects to install the technology in June. The company processes about 200,000 birds a week.

By comparison, a single plant run by a large processor like Tyson Foods may handle more than 1 million birds a week.

The gas technology is expensive. Each company said it would cost about $3 million to convert their operations and more over time to run the systems. That makes it a hard sell in a commodity-oriented industry that relies on huge volumes and low costs to turn narrow margins into profits.

Sechler predicted that consumers would come to demand birds slaughtered in the new way, which would force the industry to gradually switch over.

But to demand it, consumers have to know about it, which gets back to the language on the label.

In Britain, although many chicken processors use gas stunning, store packages typically don’t mention it.

“People don’t want to know too much,” said Marc Cooper, a senior scientific manager in the farm animals department of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in London. “It’s hard to sell humane killing as a concept.”

Have I Got A Story For You...

2010-10-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Greg was reminding me that if you get a group of people together in a circle and whisper a story to one person and they pass on the story...by the time it gets to the last person it would have morphed into an entirely different story. Which brings me to two different stories...one I believe morphed from the other.

About 3-4 weeks ago Robin introduced me to a patient of hers that lives up the hill on the golf course from us. I had shared earlier that Enzo woke up in the middle of the night barking at something outside and I had wondered what was out there. The patient said coyotes had taken down a deer in the early morning hours. Later when he went to investigate he found the deer was not dead but mortally wounded and called the police, who came out and shot the deer.

A week later I was told a story and asked if I had heard about it...a guy came out of his house on the golf course in front of golfers and the drink cart girl, shot a coyote. The drink cart girl was crying, the police were called who arrest the man for firing a gun (in front of golfers, inside city limits, at wild life).

This morning I was thinking about both stories, and there had been no news item of a gun being fired on the golf course, nor any record of an arrest. I told Greg, the first story was 1st person recount...but I think the other story was morphed though out the community with bits and peices of the first. The second story included, wildlife, a gun, the police and the golf course...the same as the first.

Which brings me back to what Greg was talking about...when a story is told over and over again it has a life of its own. I no longer take what I hear as fact. I wait, I research and then I decided if I believe what is being said.

Lists

2010-10-15T05:33:00.000-07:00

I am not a list maker. Last Monday I asked a group of friends at my quilt group if they make lists. 75% were list makers. They are religiously and fanatical about the benefits of list making. Especially when it comes to quilts they want, need or started. But the list makers also make lists to organize every day life.

I once made a list of "quilts in progress" and it only served to freak me out so I have never made another one...but the last 2 days I have made lists of things I needed to accomplish or pick up at the store. I write it on my calendar so as to not lose the list which has always been a problem in the past...and, I get it! There is a real satisfaction is crossing off something from a list that looks a mile long...and you feel less stress cause you are getting stuff done and not forgetting something important.

So I have decided to enter the world of list makers...but, only for things needing to get done on a specific day...NEVER, about my quilting!

The Dark Side

2010-10-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

I knew that the candy industry was supported by government officials who want Americans to be intoxicated by the sugar induced stupor...but I had not clue the extent of the damage by Halloween candy! until I read this article. I am so glad I am one of those underground resistance fighters who only partake of the dark side. Dark Chocolate is the way to freedom and if we keep looking for other like us we will create an army that can take down those that would control our bodies and minds. Join me, read and awaken to the subversive tactics that are being used by our own neighbors!!!

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/5-worst-halloween-candies-and-10-best-survival-tips

WWJD

2010-10-12T07:15:00.001-07:00

I remember a few years ago a lot of people were wearing bracelets that had the initials...WWJD. Finally after seeing several of these I asked someone what it meant. "What would Jesus Do?" I was stunned to say the least. These were mostly worn by teenagers...given to them either by a parent or a youth minister to get them to think about WWJD before they took that first drag off a cigarette, had sex, drank booze or any manner of heathen activity. REALLY...as my cousin would say...

I started thinking about this yesterday when I heard some say that Christ (with a capital C) saved their marriage. I wondered why a person couldn't save their own marriage? I have always been curious about the idea that people are only good when they have religion. Can a person not be good, kind, honest just because it feels good to be these things? Can we only be good, kind and honest if we have religion and Christ? And what about all they other "gods"...are they not as good as ours???? I wish the group that believed in mankind, was kind, honest, supportive without the rules of religion was larger...because it seems the world is fractured by "my god is better than your god"...and we're going to heaven but your not! I have been on this quest since childhood when I used to cry myself to sleep because my dad did not believe in religion. How could such a generous, honest man end up in hell while, myself the doubter but the church goer would end up in heaven. Even at 8 yrs old...I had questions. What I found in my young adult years was you didn't need religion to be kind...in adulthood, I feared I would lead my children down a heathen path without religion...and now coming full circle I realize they are good people and so am I, without religion.

I think God (with a capital G) is laughing at us...we were given the soul to be kind, generous, empathic but instead we depend on those outside ourselves to tell us what is right and what is wrong...god takes many forms for different people but in all forms they are laughing...the joke is one us.

Starry-eyed not lazy eyed...

2010-10-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

How is it that some couples seem to stay starry-eyed for years, and others let their sizzle, um… fizzle? Well, it appears that successful chemistry sustainers develop healthy coupled-up habits which allow them to keep their love alive and kicking. “People can have a lot of trouble staying close,” says Joyce Catlett, coauthor of Fear of Intimacy. “They get into relationships and think they’re automatically going to know how to make everything work, but figuring out how to stay passionate together is really a skill.” Luckily, they’re skills that anyone can learn. Here are six habits that you’d do well to adopt if you want your date to become your happily-ever-after mate.

This last line cracks me up...cause the real commitment to these habit means working on them after you have found your happily-ever-after mate.

Habit #1: Catch romance where you can
“You may start out with chocolates and roses, but the likelihood of being able to sustain that feeling with a busy schedule is pretty unlikely,” says JoAnn Magdoff, Ph.D., a New York City-based psychotherapist. Successful couples learn to build a bubble of romance at unexpected times — during their daily commute, while doing laundry — and in low-impact ways, whether that be a long, lingering smooch or just holding hands. In other words, the next time you hear yourself say “Oh, look, we’ve got 15 minutes to ourselves,” make use of it — that’s what keeps the spark alive.

Habit #2: Fight fair
Believe it or not, learning to fight right is an important part of keeping chemistry alive. Why? Because if you are constantly cutting each other down, it’s hard to feel mutually amorous. “There is no such thing as a relationship without disagreements,” says David Wygant, author of Always Talk to Strangers. “But if there is an understanding that your partner can come to you with any dissension without being attacked, you will have an honest relationship comprised of ‘open discussions’ rather than ‘fights.’” Debra Tobias, who has been happily married for almost 10 years to her husband Steve, agrees. “Steve and I have learned to listen to each other when we’re upset and we admit when we’re wrong,” says Tobias. “We also make a rule of never, ever saying ‘I told you so’ no matter how much we might want to say it.” The result is that their chemistry doesn’t wane because they never let their arguments escalate to a personal level. Focus on the issue at hand instead of throwing verbal punches.

Habit #3: Nurture your separate selves
Going off to your book club when your sweetie’s out golfing isn’t a sign you two are drifting apart. On the contrary, developing individual interests allows for a richer life as a couple. By taking little “couple breaks,” you gain a greater appreciation of the gifts your partner brings to your life and you have more to offer as well. “It’s very attractive to be independent sometimes,” says Magdoff. “You feel better about yourself and you’re less demanding of your partner when you’re together.” After all, taking some personal responsibility for your own well-being relieves the other person of the pressure to “provide” happiness — so go ahead and nurture some solo adventures. That’ll also keep each of you stocked with plenty of adventures to chat about, which also builds your bond.

Habit #4: Take on a project together
Separate interests aside, exploring new ground together is also important since it strengthens your history of shared experiences. Jo Smith and her husband of four years found this out when they committed to running their first 10K together. “We were training together, carbo-loading and hydrating together, running the race together and ultimately succeeding together when we both finished,” says Smith. “It brought a whole new level of closeness to our relationship because of the time we spent learning as a duo during this endeavor.” Couples who take on adventures together get a sense of daring and accomplishment that can really kick up their chemistry!

Habit #5: Don’t let your physical attraction for each other dwindle
No doubt about it, couples with healthy libidos have no problem keeping chemistry cooking. (That whole “couples’ desire for each other naturally fades over time” excuse? Not true.) The trick to injecting more electricity into a lagging love life has to do with trying new things — sure, it can be easy to work on tricks and techniques when you first meet, but people’s preferences can, and do, change over time. “In interviewing people on the topic of physical intimacy, it became clear that the couples who were the most satisfied were also the ones who were open to some experimentation,” says Catlett. This isn’t to say you suddenly have to become a wild thing, though. Even returning to the basics you may have abandoned along the way — lots of kissing and eye contact, for example — can make the usual encounter feel very different… and much more intimate.

Habit #6: Engage in some mutual admiration
In order for chemistry between two people to thrive, there needs to be mutual respect. “It’s about putting yourself in the role of an observer of your partner,” says Magdoff. “Watch them ‘perform’ — I’m not saying they need to do a song and dance for you — just pay attention to the everyday things that remind you why you find them so special.” Then, make it a point to lob compliments their way. “A good exercise is to occasionally create a mental list of the qualities you dig about your partner, and to occasionally share one of your thoughts with the one you love,” says Wygant. Because the reality is, you’ll always want to be around someone who thinks you’re fantastic.

Surprise

2010-10-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

As I sat at my dining room table on my birthday looking at news on the computer I saw a man walking up my walkway with flowers in his hands. I was not only amazed that flowers were being delivered to my house...(he must be at the wrong address) but I was noticing how I was feeling.

I was raised by a romantic man and a practical woman. Gifts were extraordinary when the romantic man shopped but not received with excitement. I watched my mother exchange or return most gift. Thus I became a practical receiver and giver. Which means, it is better to not to risk giving or getting a gift that could be rejected. I have over the years asked, "what do you need, what do you want." I like to go shopping with the receiver so I know I am getting exactly what they want and it won't be returned to the store. I love stores that have registries for showers and wedding. No risk.

But, on my birthday...I saw and felt the excitement of getting a surprise. And even more interesting was that the surprise was fresh flowers, which in my childhood household were the ultimate waste of money. I remember telling Greg early in our marriage...don't get me fresh flowers they are just a waste of money and don't last long. Was that me talking or my mother? Because I can tell you watching that man arrive with fresh flowers and hoping that he was at the right address...gave me a thrill. Signing for the flowers...well everything about receiving them made me realize that getting a surprise can be so good for the soul.

Miracles Do Happen...

2010-10-07T05:24:00.001-07:00

Miracles do happen. But, we contribute to the miracle. Some believe that "God" is in charge of all miracles and in the sense that is true, there is a touch of blessing in every part of our lives...but the miracles happen because we believe we can do something and we can make it happen. And so our little Will had a 4+ hour surgery, had his head taken apart and put back together less than a week ago! This photo was taken post op day 4.

Because a boy believed he could become a doctor who could put the tiniest of humans back together when they are broken.

Because 2 parents had the strength to search for the right answer

Because grandparents supported their children and grandchildren with love and compassion.

Because a brother lives with empathy and is accepting of life's challenges and keep on going.

Miracles do happen. But, we all have a hand with God's blessing in meeting each new day.

I'm At It Again

2010-10-05T16:32:00.001-07:00

It might be that I am doing this cause I am going to turn 57! Or maybe I have just had a religious experience? Maybe it was the story that Emily told me about the woman who died under the pile of her hoarding and her husband didn't find her for weeks...Or maybe I just want to be free....what ever the reason, it is amazing.

Since organizing my sewing room and feeling the high that comes from feeling in control of my little world...I decided to tackle the paper. I have talked about my struggle with controlling the mail and it was manageable when people were really running scared with the economic downturn because there was half the junk mail. But, the economy MUST be on the upswing cause the junk mail has doubled!

I have to admit the junk mail is only the tip of the iceberg. The really daunting paper is the paper we have been hauling around for 20 + years. It is a filing cabinet so packed that even if I wanted to be organized, there is no room...cause god forbid I should throw out the bank statements from a bank I used to belong to back in California! Well no more! For several hours this morning dressed in my PJ's and a sweatshirt I stood in the garage with a cup of coffee and the file cabinet! I had the giant recycle paper can next to me and I purged. All the "sensitive" information papers I put in 2 large leaf bags...all the rest in the recycle. I found several of the boys report cards...I did recycle them...but first I enjoyed the moments of...and why did you get an "F" in that class. Maybe I should have saved them to use as blackmail at a later date...hummm...maybe recycle bin diving is in order.

I found a poem that Greg wrote back in 1991...saved. I found my youngest son's baptismal certificate filed under "important stuff." Lots of photos...why are they in the file cabinet? And what was that girls name you went to the prom with???Anyhoo...The bin is full, the rest of the stuff I took down to the SecurShred at Bend Garbage and had them shred it...oh my god!!!! It was like stepping on the scale and finding out you lost 10 lbs since yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!

Cleaning out the cobwebs of our lives is a wonderful feeling. Get rid of stuff you don't use, suck up the dust of too much stuff...and shred the paper!

Soft Isn't Necessarily Better

2010-10-04T04:45:00.000-07:00

We took the soft foam mattress off our bed. We had bought it about 3 years ago at Costco. The latest thing for a blissful nights sleep. Cost us over $100 and it did feel like lying on a cloud. It was suppose to contour around your body and support every point. Our mattress was a great pillow top type mattress and now it was really tall and soft. What we have found is soft is not always better, because over the last year it seems having a soft mattress makes for more aches and pains. So after spending 3 nights on a hotel bed and one night sleeping over at our son's place we found that...well we ached less. So we took off the foam mattress and I have been sleeping like a rock!

On another note...I was reading the internet news and came across this...absolutely yuck!!! Another reason soft isn't necessarily better....

"This is mechanically separated chicken. Chickens are turned into this goop so we can create delicious chicken nuggets and juicy chicken patties. It's obscenely gross and borderline alien but it's not going to stop me from eating nuggets. They're too good.

The process works a little something like this:

There's more: because it's crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually. Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color."

A Season For Every Man

2010-09-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

Every season has its gifts. Winter, bring beautiful snow falls, soup steaming on the stove, good books and snow shoeing.

Spring brings leafed out trees, flowers and the return of the birds.

Summer brings festivals, all manner of outdoor activities, warm weather, sitting on the deck for happy hour.

But, Fall is my favorite. Foremost...there is the color! That vivid red, orange and gold that appears. The occasional warm, warm day followed by a crisp night. My body want to get outside even more this time of year because I know there are winter days coming. I tend to want to get orgainized because I know I am going to be spending more days inside than out. Fall is my favorite time of year...it was the time of year I was born and I am forever linked to this season....it is my most peaceful season.

Thoughts

2010-09-29T04:59:00.001-07:00

I have been in transition this entire year. I don't have a clear idea of what has precipitated this or if it is different than any other year...after all life is transitioning from one point to another. But this year feels different...more momentous and I like the tingly sense that life is really unfolding in a interesting way.

It could be that with the marriage of my oldest child my role opened up...I became a mother in law and a grandmother! 2 new roles and ones that I love and feel loved in return. It could be that my youngest is on the precipice of a new adventure.

Whatever the reason I am feeling energized, ready for new ideas, ready to give up old ideas. Ready for new relationships, ready to let go of old ones. I read that your 50's is a time of discovery...it can be about you, for the first time. I am lucky in that I have no regrets...for me every mistake I have made was a clue to the next step.

The best quote I read this week, "All compulsions whether it be food, gambling, cleaning...is about filling the anorexia of the soul." I can't stop thinking about that...there is a nugget of truth in there and I am enjoying the puzzle.

Do Over

2010-09-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today is the beginning of my "Do Over." Most people pick a Monday for a do over but I decided today was my day. I was reading an article on living longer and the number one thing you can do is lose weight and get healthy. Most Americans do not save money for health emergencies because they thing their health insurance will be there...but health care cost far surpass what insurance can cover and the number one reason people file bankruptcy is medical bills.

So, since I do not want to save money for medical bills that are not covered by my health insurance I am going to do the one thing I can do...lose weight and get healthy.

Now that my quilt room is in order...it is time to move on to the next task...myself. I am good with this. It feels good, I don't feel bad about myself nor am I judging myself. I am approaching this as another task to examine and work on...Do overs are soooo refreshing...I love a good do over.

Failure to Launch

2010-09-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

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Interestingly enough, out of the hundreds of seagulls on our beach only one was a "failure to launch." He would non-stop screech at his mom...constantly following her and trying to get food out of her mouth. When I say non-stop...I mean the entire day. Both he and his mom were residence of the hotel grounds where we were staying and had risen to celebrity status...for both his persistence and her patients. For some motherhood can last longer than the breast feeding stage.

The Butterfly Effect

2010-09-25T11:11:00.001-07:00

As we sat on the deck watching the ocean, people and seagulls our discussion naturally came around to "The Butterfly Effect."

"The term "butterfly effect" itself is related to the work of Edward Lorenz, and is based in chaos theory and sensitive dependence on initial conditions, already described in the literature in a particular case of the three-body problem by Henri Poincaré in 1890[1]. He even later proposed that such phenomena could be common, say in meteorology. In 1898[2] Jacques Hadamard noted general divergence of trajectories in spaces of negative curvature, and Pierre Duhem discussed the possible general significance of this in 1908[3]. The idea that one butterfly could eventually have a far-reaching ripple effect on subsequent historic events seems first to have appeared in a 1952 short story by Ray Bradbury about time travel (see Literature and print here) although Lorenz made the term popular. In 1961, Lorenz was using a numerical computer model to rerun a weather prediction, when, as a shortcut on a number in the sequence, he entered the decimal .506 instead of entering the full .506127 the computer would hold."

"The result was a completely different weather scenario.[4] Lorenz published his findings in a 1963 paper[5] for the New York Academy of Sciences noting[citation needed] that "One meteorologist remarked that if the theory were correct, one flap of a seagull's wings could change the course of weather forever." Later speeches and papers by Lorenz used the more poetic butterfly. According to Lorenz, upon failing to provide a title for a talk he was to present at the 139th meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1972, Philip Merilees concocted Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas? as a title. Although a butterfly flapping its wings has remained constant in the expression of this concept, the location of the butterfly, the consequences, and the location of the consequences have varied widely.[6] "

"The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that may ultimately alter the path of a tornado or delay, accelerate or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in a certain location. The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale alterations of events (compare: domino effect). Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different. While the butterfly does not "cause" the tornado in the sense of providing the energy for the tornado, it does "cause" it in the sense that the flap of its wings is an essential part of the initial conditions resulting in a tornado, and without that flap that particular tornado would not have existed."

So, we pondered...Would a fart by this man set off a tornado in Texas??? (This question was before happy hour.)

Happy 33rd Anniversary!

2010-09-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

This slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Ocean Air

2010-09-23T15:09:00.001-07:00

There is something about the sound, smell and look of the ocean that just makes life stresses melt away. Whenever I am at the beach I can almost hear and feel my dad. For me...it matters not if the beach is filled with sunshine or rain...it all reminds me of my childhood.

2010-09-22T05:10:00.001-07:00

My fridge arrived yesterday morning. On an earlier blog I talked about what a fridge says about you inside and out. The photos, magnets, artwork that are hanging on the front and also what items you have on the inside.

So, as our fridge was on it's last breath I went out shopping for a new one. I had definite size restrictions because of the cabinetry...which resulted in a style restriction. I had been taking a poll on what style people liked and why. The majority liked french doors, freezer on the bottom. So that is what I went looking for and found out that it just wouldn't fit into our space. Much like our expectations about lots of things in our lives...it just won't fit. Once I accepted the limitations I then went looking for what would fit, compared cost, amenities and style...made a choice and now will live with it.

I found shopping for a fridge such a parody to life.

The fridge arrives...but, first the old had to be removed, the area cleaned and the new one placed. As with new things we choose in life, you have to see...does it fit, do I like it...And so goes with the fridge. It looks pretty, it fit in the space but the process of getting it to running temperature allowed me to let it be for a while. Enzo also had to adjust...at first he was reluctant to accept the new fridge...staying out of the kitchen, checking it out from afar...he gets it, that anything we choose new in our lives has to be examined and adjusted too...and giving up the old takes time.

By 3:00 PM it was ready to be filled. It was a clean slate, ready to have something written upon it...I was amazed that by cleaning out the old and filling in something new, it fit better...I could see better and I had made a good choice.

The big surprise, magnets do not stick to the front. WOW, no photos, no funny saying on magnets, no special cards...no reminders of the old. WOW...a clean slate forever. I feel cleansed. Sometimes giving up the old patterns, choices, behaviors and stuff can allow you to choose something new for yourself...and sometimes the new fits into the old spaces.

Mindfulness

2010-09-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

Today is a day for mindfulness. That is to pay attention to what I learned yesterday and to practice it today.

1. I need new work shoes, cause my feet were killing me yesterday

2. Those that are above me really don't want to hear what I have to say...or maybe it is just that they can't do anything about what I am saying...so shut up and just show up, survive the day and go home...cause you have a great life when you get home.

3. Occasionally a work day does require you share a cookie with your best friend.

4. I am getting a new fridge today...I don't think I have ever owned a brand new fridge...there is some about cleaning out the back of the fridge that feels like cleaning out the cobwebs of your brain.

5. Today I get to have breakfast with two friends, one from Texas, both quilters and both have been shopping at Holly Hills in the last week...which means I get to live vicariously through their spending.

6. Enjoy the moments...enjoy the space you inhabit...enjoy the friends, family and creativity you have at your disposal...cause some days, that is how you survive.

Ahhhh, it's Saturday

2010-09-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an extremely difficulty day not only physically must mentally. By the time I got home after 10+ hours of work, my feet hurt, my back hurt, my legs were tired, my knee hurt and my eyes were tired...but it was worth it cause I helped people.....and today is Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What I know is I am going to enjoy the entire day, the entire weekend before I "have" to go back on Monday.

In fact I am going to change my verbage and say, "What I know is I am going to enjoy this entire day, the entire weekend before I am "lucky" enough to go back on Monday"...cause working hard makes you soooo appreciate a good day off.

Life Is A Series Of Hardships

2010-09-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

We seem to believe that happiness is a 24/7 experience. But in fact life, is a series of hardships and depending on how you handle these hardships you will experience more moments of happiness. Digging through the dirt and looking for that perfect prize is worth it.

It is a waste of time looking other people's dirt pile and wishing it was yours...you really never know what their dirt holds. As I watch a family member go some terrible hardships I also see the love and support. Our hardships lose their sharp edges when we hunker down and circle the wagons and help each other. I keep trying to amend the soil of my own dirt so I can grow a flower garden.

Message From An 85 yr. old Woman

2010-09-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

If I had my life to live over again,
I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
I'd relax. I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones…

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.

It's A Wild Life!

2010-09-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

Greg loves the desert and will spend 6 hours a day enjoying the fresh air, hiking where rarely a 2 footed beast will go and taking in vistas that are breath taking. It is bow hunting season and the animals know it. He can be out there and not see one critter. There are signs where limbs have been bent and there are tracks but nary a critter is about.

But, sit on our deck and life is on the move. Around our deck we have seen raccoon, squirrels, chipmunks of several varieties, eagles, hawks and birds/bats galore. We have seen skunks....this week a very healthy coyote was trotting down the middle of the 5th fairway right in front of our deck...trotted a stones throw around a golf car that had pulled up. Enzo, he could have cared less...didn't even notice.

There are things going on off our deck that he could give a hoot about (no pun intended) and he never barks at anything...but this week when 2 bucks and does climbed across our hill side he stopped and intently watched their progress. Enzo runs like a deer, hopping and trotting so maybe he recognized a kinder spirit. What really gets his attention is the quail. As soon as they start talking he stops and walks to the railing, poking his nose through. A covey of about 20 came across our hill as we sat on the deck yesterday while we enjoyed one of those perfect Sept. evenings when suddenly there was a "big swoosh." Landing right in front of us on the branch of the closest pine tree to the deck in clear view was a Great Horned Owl. The quail went crazy talking in that way a group of teenage girls talk...constant. The covey was separated into 2 groups on either side of the yard and they were in constant communication. The owl stayed there for about 10 minutes, turning his head 180 to take a look at us and then watching the quail. WOW, we never take our life for granted and as the owl swooshed away we looked at each other and said, "what a great life...we are blessed."

Happy Birthday Peter

2010-09-10T15:57:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday...31 years...wow! I remember when I found out I was going to have a baby. Surprised and excited! My pregnancy was a breeze in terms of morning sickness, mild and only occasionally in the first 3 months. What was unusual about it was...I ate watermelon at least 3 times a day. Greg would have to go out and find me some MELON!!!! We were living in a one bedroom apartment and decided we needed to move to create family space for this new addition. We bought our first place, a 2 bedroom townhouse and I set out to decorate the baby's room. It was bright and cheery, life was changing faster than we could have imagined.

My pregnancy was so mild that I worked up until 2 days before I went into labor. I started labor in the afternoon and wondered if this was it??? Piece of cake! Over the next few hours I called the doctor a couple of times, stayed up most of the night watching old black and white movies. Early evening the next day we went to the hospital and although I can say my labor and delivery ended up not being the most pleasant experience I have had...it was a first step towards my going back to school and becoming a labor nurse.

Labor and Delivery was hard on my sweet baby...he had a pointed head...and I mean SNL Cone Heads kind of cone head. But you were soooo knowing...I knew my baby had an old soul and I would teach him as much as I would learn from him.

Happy Birthday Baby!

What Kind Of Day Is Today...

2010-09-09T04:56:00.000-07:00

I noticed something about myself this morning while getting ready for work. It took me about a minute or more to decide what earring I was going to wear. Was today a big earring day...or a small earring day...and the choice was directly related to how I was feeling. My earring choice is a symbol of the mood I am in...I didn't know this. But now that I think about it...I have a large collection of earring only a few of which I myself have purchased, the rest have been gifts. The giver has always told me...when I saw these earring I though of you. Maybe that is why my earring have an emotional component.

Kind of like the mood rings of the 60's and 70's I guess my earring are my mood symbol. I have flashy earring, big hoops, small hoops and studs. I have earring that have people hanging from umbrellas. I have earring that were my mother in laws and so they remind me of her. I have dangle ones, jeweled ones...I have ones that I purchased in Hungary.

Today is a small hoop day...I am a little tired, slightly down in the dumps and can't wait for tomorrow when I am off and can play in my sewing room...so I am wearing small sliver hoops...just enough to know they are there, not too flashy...the perfect earrings for my mood.

In America, Even Idiots Get A Voice

2010-09-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The leader of a small Florida church that espouses anti-Islam philosophy said he was still praying about whether go through with his plan to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11, which the White House, religious leaders and others are pressuring him to call off.

The Rev. Terry Jones said he has received more than 100 death threats and has started wearing a .40-caliber pistol strapped to his hip but still did not back off his plan Tuesday to burn the book Muslims consider the word of God and insist be treated with the utmost respect. The 58-year-old minister said the death threats started not long after he proclaimed in July that he would stage "International Burn-a-Quran Day."

And So religion continues to be the source of hate. I totally get that a person can find real personal peace within the walls of a church, but to support the dogma of any particular religion against other religions...or to believe that your particular religion is the chosen religion...well, give me a break. You would think in the 21st century that we are intelligent enough to understand that we are all human, that God does not exist for only the chosen...

My prayer today...God, help me to listen with an open mind, to except all men for their grace and short comings...and please God, help the man in Florida see the light...and the other 50 people of his church...for they live in darkness and darkness only begets darkness.

Love ~ Hate

2010-09-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

Today I have a love - hate feeling about BJ...formally of BJ's Quilt Basket. I learned to quilt at BJ's Quilt Basket located in Scandia Plaza. She was a tough task master but, I learned well and I fell in love with the world of quilting!

After a week of organizing my fabric, weeding through the...WHY DID I BUY THIS? I realized that BJ was my "Fabric Pusher" and I was her willing "Fabric Druggie." She needed cash and I needed fabric. I can still hear her voice in my head. If you're not sure, buy a fat quarter. If you like it, buy a yard. If you love it, buy 3 yards! The issue is...I loved a lot of it!

And now the biggest question I have is...WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING WITH 4 YARDS OF FORTUNE COOKIES PRINTED ON RED???? I guess...as with all addicts we can't always remember where, when and how we ended up with our drug of choice.

How To Make Your First $1 Million

2010-09-06T06:36:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of 100 million dollars. Wow. I was reading an article on how several billionaires lead frugal lives. We all hear about the 66,000 sq. ft Bill Gates house...but, there are in fact several billionaires who live in the first home they ever bought, who drive domestic cars until they fall apart, who walk, bike or use public transportation...who don't own designer clothes but buy off the rack...who do not have planes, yachts or a collection of cars and as Warren Buffets says, "all those toys are just a pain in the butt." When we look at our fellow citizens and marvel at all they have, their fancy cars, tropic vacations, designer purses...you have to know that most of that is deprecating possessions and a lot of it is not yet paid for...

I used to laugh at some the things my mother did as I was growing up but many of them I have adopted in my own life. She is an active, comfortable senior citizen who doesn't have to worry about how she will make the next months bills...so why wouldn't I pay attention to the choices she is making...and as I near retirement age I wish I hadn't had all those lattes...because now I can see maybe I could have retired a year earlier????

As a parent I know the examples we set for our children can serve them or create problems for them...but what I love is that I am open enough to learn from my children...and I am finding that I do not have to buy a $3-5 dollar coffee...I can just have plain coffee or make my own latte at home...

Here is an interesting slide show...I am finally getting it...

How To Make Your First $1 Million - Investopedia Slideshows

I'm Cell-less

2010-09-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

I am almost reaching 24 hours cell-less. It feels weird. How easy it is to become dependent on such a small item. The weird thing is how I am dependent. Once I started carrying a cell phone I stopped wearing a watch. The cell became my time keeper...now I don't know what time of day it is!

I am used to being accessible...and now...I am incognito. There is a real advantage to being anonymous...but I miss my phone. I joke that one of my friends can't live without her phone...now the joke is on me. But...a part of me wants to embrace this new life. This fall is all about embracing the space, creating new boundaries and seeing how it feels to be my own best friend. Maybe I don't need a cell phone.

Waaaahhhhh, where is my phone...people need me!!!!

May We Have The Envelope Please

2010-09-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article on the need for frugality...duh...but, how this need is leading us back to cash. over the last couple of decades we have moved to the use of plastic...not only credit cards but debit cards. It is convenient and after all it does come out of our account immediately so it is kinda like cash. I actually feel myself get a little stressed when I am behind a person who is either writing a check, filling out their check register or counting out pennies. Why don't they just come to the dark side and use a debit card...it makes the line go faster!

Except when the money comes off a debit card...it is just easier to spend. You don't see immediately that the amount is decreasing. Cash takes discipline. It takes planning and it worked for Grannie. Although I am a debit card user I automatically only use cash when I go on a quilt retreat...why...to reign in any impulsive spending.

I remember my son telling me that his girlfriend at the time used a "cash in envelope" system. I am sooooo glad she became my daughter in law! The author of this article was introduced to the cash envelope system by her boyfriend and she said...using a cash envelope system takes discipline. It seems now there are a few more people who are willing to become more disciplined and challenge themselves to save, pay off their debt and deny themselves when the envelope is empty. Wow...what would the world be like if we learned self discipline?

Here is the link if you think you want control of your life!

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/dave-ramseys-envelope-system/lifeandmoney_budgeting/

September 1st????

2010-09-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

September 1st! How did that happen? I love it...this is my favorite time of year...cool mornings, warm afternoons and still a chance of a hot day. I am not a resolution on January 1st kind of gal...I'm a September person...how do I want my life to look and what do I have to do to make it happen? hummmm, already making some changes and feeling good. When ever I make a choice, I stop and listen to my heart. If it feels lighter I know I made the right choice for me.

So here's to September and the choices I make!

Seasons of Life

2010-08-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

This week for a couple of days we had 2 uncles and aunts visiting. It was a surprise visit, and what a lovely surprise. The uncles are the brothers of my mother in law who passed away several years ago. When a death occurs a vital link can be broken and since most of her family lives back east our relationship is connected by the thin thread of Christmas cards.

As with every family, there is pain, history, memories, joys, sadness and forgiveness. As time marches on and the seasons come and go...that which we thought was important has changed. These 2 brothers miss their long dead sister and Greg is their only connection to her...and so they reach out to see and touch not only him but her memory. Conversation was lively, reliving past experiences...reconnecting. You realize that each season has no meaning unless connected to the next...and it is as you have long heard...the circle of life that gives life meaning.

And so, as we hugged and said our goodbyes there were promises made to head out east...to make that thread into a rope braided with memories, love, joy, sadness...for it is with these that the rope is strong.

I'm In a Weekend State of Mind!

2010-08-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

I have discovered that a weekend state of mind does not have to be on Friday. Here it is on Wednesday and I am already on vacation in my brain. Even though there is laundry to finish, packing to be done...I know tomorrow I am heading off with girlfriends on a vacation of the soul. I think stepping away from the daily grind and doing what you love best...(quilting) gives your soul a rest.

At work today I told one friend that all I want to do is go home and go to sleep! My grandson told me that makes the fun come faster! lol He is a smart boy. So I took his advice, one load of laundry in and I took a nap! I am refreshed, ready to sit out on the deck with a cold drink (it is after all 96 degrees) and talk with Greg about how great this vacation already is unfolding!

Prepaying

2010-08-24T06:22:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article about "Prepaying." There are several ways companies make money...one is by getting customers to prepay. Cell phone service is one of the most common. Extended warranties on service contracts is another. The extended warranty service is a huge money make for retailers.

The problem with prepaying is you can get cheated. I remember once repaying a years gym membership because it was cheaper that month to month...only to show up one morning to a gym that had closed down. Guess what...I didn't get a refund of the unused balance. Now if I am going to prepay something I do a little more research, look at what the economy is doing, check out how healthy and the longevity of the business...before I prepay.

We used to get lots of advertisement through the mail to prepay funeral expenses...I did not even go there. Even people in the funeral industry agree that it is not a good idea.

The most prolific prepayment business out there is time share vacation spots. It amazes me that people still fall for that! You prepay for an "interest" in a vacation spot. Which right off the bat means you are going to the same spot every single vacation...sure they tell you that you can trade but having seen friends try to trade is amazing. They show you the beautiful room overlooking the ocean...but hey...when you arrive you get the room overlooking the parking lot. You have to make monthly payments for a vacation you haven't even gone on, plus a yearly fee. A few years ago I was sailing the Hawaiian islands and one of the other sailors and his son visited a former college friend who sold timeshares in Hawaii. He said that by his calculations if you went every year to the time share you bought for 20 years it cost you $300/night!!!!!!!!!! I have never staying in a hotel for $300/night and I do not want to go to the same place all the time. On our employee website there are always ads for "time share weeks" for sale, cause the person is paying the fees but can't afford to go. Either life gets in the way or they can't afford the airfare! Yep...just cause you payed $20,000 for a life time vacation...you still gotta pay airfare, food and entertainment...that time share is just for the bed.

When I was on Maui there were several store fronts called,"Time Share Resale" on the way to the regular timeshare...what about this picture are people not getting? And the hook about coming for a free weeks vacation to just listen to the timeshare presentation ...runnnnnn Forrest runnnnnn.

A Big Hole

2010-08-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/fiercefreeleancer

Weekend On

2010-08-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

On a rotating basis we will end up working a weekend. To the Monday through Friday people working a weekend sounds like a bust. What I can tell you is, I like my weekend on.

In the past I have actually worked every weekend...that was hard, especially when the rest of your family has a Monday through Friday schedule. At the time I did "the every weekend" we were trying to save money and my kids were too old for babysitters and too young to be left to their own devices for 8-10 hours a day during the summer months...and well, I just couldn't stand the worry about my children...their safety...and more importantly I wanted to help create a nice summer for all of us. So, I was the Monday through Friday parent and Greg was the weekend parent since I worked 12 hour shifts on Sat. and Sun. It did mean we rarely had time off together...but, overall there were more positives than negatives and I have no regrets about our decision.

The flavor of that time did imprint on my brain how wonderful it is to work weekends. The tempo of the work place is quieter. There are no chiefs asking you what you are doing and moving you around for greater productivity. When you are a hard worker by nature...just because the boss isn't around doesn't mean you suddenly become a slacker. You get to quietly work hard. All that occurs on the job is the same...it is the air that feels different on the weekend. Ahhhhh....I am heading off to work and it is Sunday.

Selecting A Family CFO

2010-08-21T05:46:00.000-07:00

I was reading this article in the newspaper titled, "Selecting a family CFO can limit money strife." Money is one of the top reasons for divorce. Families need to evaluate how they handle money to head off the headaches. Have one person in the family designated as the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) helps. This person would be responsible for managing the budget and investments.

Running a family's financial affairs is like running a business. You need a missions statement, track monthly cash flow, review it to avoid overspending , take advantage of legal tax breaks and work with professional people hired to assist the family, like accountants, lawyers and financial planners.

The missions statement is the outline of beliefs and goals the family is working towards. It can be as simple as paying all bills on time. Or it can included a plan for future retirement or vacations. The CFO of the family must be given the power of making decisions about what can and cannot be afforded and to find the best deal on purchases. The second hardest part is deciding how to invest the family's money. This article suggests that the husband and wife alternate the role every six month so there is no abuse of power and it makes both parties aware of the financial health or illness of the family finances.

This has never been the way we have done it...every six month switch off...would drive me nuts! I was raised to take care of the money and I like taking care of the money...and this works because Greg is ok with me being the CFO. It makes sense since he works full time, the least fun thing for him to do would be to come home and wade through the mail, pay bills and make decisions. He wants to come home and relax on the deck. So, I have been CFO since the first year we were married.

With that said, I have been a good CFO and bad CFO...now I am a great CFO. It was a learning process. How to handle the power??? Is to never use the power. Whenever we are going to spend anything over $100 we check with each other. We shop for big ticket items, check the sales, then go home and discuss what will be the financial and emotional cost to buying the items. Will it mean we can't go out for a while, will it mean no vacation this year??? And bottom line after much learning we do not carry a credit card balance. It we can only afford to buy something on a credit card...then we can't afford to buy it. We save for stuff...and life is less stressful.

We both work hard and so there is the understanding that you should enjoy some of the fruits of your labor...but not where it puts you in debt. So as CFO, I understand that I am the chief of our finances and Greg is the chief of the tribe...nice balance.

The Rebound Guy

2010-08-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

I feel sorry for this guy. He is the rebound guy. Just like in any relationship that has gone south...the next one is on thin ice. When ever they talk about divorce or break up the very next relationship has a greater chance of failure. So much to figure out...why didn't it work...maybe I need my space...maybe it was my fault...maybe I deserve better...

Everyone is all worked up about his health care plan, the economy, joblessness...but really, we started heading south with Reagan. Then we compounded it with "the bushes". This guy...he is the rebound guy. The one stuck with trying to make it up to us. To figure out what went wrong with our last relationship. To try and bale water out of the sinking ship with a thimble.

I have been hearing my entire life that social security is going to run out before I retire...so how can it be this guys fault??? Why are we angry at him???

Being the rebound guy makes you age faster and you don't see hide nor hair of the bushes...they are hiding cause they know that someone might ask them why they are hiding...

Triskaidekaphobia

2010-08-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

Such and innocent number. So many historical reason that now are obscure as to why...people fear the number 13. It could be as simple as a 13 year old child is known to drive a parent nuts. Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13, and especially Friday the 13th. On the other hand those born on the 13th day of a month find good luck on Friday the 13th.

As for me...I only have a few phobias...touching dirty door knobs, porta potties, bugs that bite you, moths, guacamole, public toilets, buffets, people who walk their cats on a leash, grocery carts, warm milk, fast food joints, golfers who wear cowboy boots, Motel 6's, white bread, milk chocolate, instant coffee, roller coasters, having to BBQ (that is, having to actually do the BBQing...not eating the BBQ)...well maybe these aren't all phobias but I don't like them anyway.

Creative Biological Clock

2010-08-12T06:36:00.001-07:00

I believe that time becomes very important in a different sort of way. When you tip over into your 50's and especially heading towards your 60's. You still feel pretty darn good physically and mentally but you can feel the slow down and there seems to be more obituaries in the paper of people in your age group.

The Creative Biological Clock starts ticking. What do you want to do with the time left to you. What have you always wished for, wanted to accomplish and or see. How do you want to break out of your daily routine. I think that is why "retirement" is so enticing. We see it as a forced break in the routine. But, then it arrives and we are not prepared for the vastness of time. I want to keep pushing my envelope now. I want to become a better person, I want to learn new things, I want to be a force in my creative biological clock instead of a bystander...watching my time tick down.

I saw a commercial for a new TV show and knew immediately it was going to become one of my weekly lineups. "The Big C" with Laura Linney. I have always liked her as a actress and this series is about a woman with stage 4 melanoma. It is about time. It is a comedy. What one woman does with the time she has left. What is important. Laura Linney was raised on the east coast, avoiding the Hollywood scene. I love what she said about L.A. "I think there are two viruses in L.A. There's the "what I have isn't enough" virus which is deadly. And the "what do they think of me" virus which will drive you insane. Everyone is going to be affected by this at one point...no one is immune. What you choose to do with your time and who you spend it with will have a great impact on how at 50, your creative biological clock ticks.

Hello muddah, hello faddah...

2010-08-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

A woman at the dog park told me I was a great dog handler.

Camp nana and papa is in full swing...I have hit the highs and the lows. I have been bitten by mosquito's and chipmunks. I have actually had a bath. We have dried fruit, made granola, made our bed every day, packed our own lunches. We have awakened every morning at 0630 to take the dog to the dog park and I have done some training (of the dog). We have picked up dog poop and fed him his meals. We have watched black and white cowboy shows and The Planet Earth. I have hoola hooped my brains out. I have emptied the dishwasher every evening...please can I come home.

I learned how to make my own pillow case.

(this narrative by nana)

Gas Prices

2010-08-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know we are all living it...and you can't go one block in Central Oregon without seeing a gas station...and interesting enough in one block the gas price can have a 10cent difference.

We have been told allllllll about the price of crude oil and the effects of war, hurricane and what someone on the other side of the world had for dinner can have on our gas price.

Sometimes I think the pretty cars must go to one gas station and pay a higher price and the clunkers go to another and pay less.

Either way...if I could get away with it and there was an exceptional transit system I would not own a car. Central Oregon is getting there but it is no Portland.

Grandparents Need To Work Out!

2010-08-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

After my first 24 hours with my grandson I realized grandparents really need to be in shape! My sister told me just last week that she was exhausted taking care of her grandson even though she was in shape.

I have to preface the above statement with an addendum. It has been great! I am challenged to not only keep up physically but, mentally. I know life needs to change around here because we need more stamina. Even Enzo is pooped...and he is loving every minute.

My grandson fell asleep at 8:00 PM. Sleeping till I woke him at 0630...cause we had to go to the dog park. Enzo needed his exercise and I mean exercise. He was in 7th heaven having a 8 years old boy running around with him! Now he is sound asleep at my feet and it is only 4:00 PM.

It is a learning experience for all of us. He made his lunch in anticipation of camp. Made his bed this morning and then spent the day at camp. All in the same moment he loved camp and then did not love camp. Life is like that at 8 yrs. old...you can want something and not want it, all in the same breath.

I had no idea how quiet Greg and I had settled into a routine until you have someone talking to you and asking you questions 24/7. I had no clue how quiet life was around here. But with an 8 year old brain in full wrinkle mode there is no quiet allowed. You have got to love the amount of learning that is going on in that brain...processing, processing, processing...

Parenting is definitely for the young but grand parenting is for the young at heart!

Courage

2010-08-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Courage come is such surprising ways. Sometimes it is quiet and no one know of your courage. The person who goes to work every day even when they hate their job...still gets up and heads out. It is a silent courage.

When parents makes a choice in the best interest of their child and not themselves, it is courage.

When you decide that you need to go to school and learn a profession, it is courage and faith.

Of course, then there is holding a 7 foot long snake (I have the most courageous daughter in law).

Thank goodness we all do not have to be courageous in the same way!

Piloerection

2010-08-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent all day in a class titled, "Managing Cardiac Issues in Acute and Critical Care Patients." A good majority of it was out of my scope of practice and thus the words flew over my head...as in, what was that swooshing sounds passing me by!

The saving grace, the speakers were fabulous. Taking a difficult subject and making it entertaining. Class started at 0800 and ended at 1700...a full day of talking about the heart and what happens when it gets broken. I do believe I learned something...and the best word added to my vocabulary was "Piloerection." I love saying it because it sounds funny and it is a funny way to say what it is...I have piloerections...hey, you have piloerections...I can't see if my dog has piloerections...

go ahead try and ignore this blog...I bet you will be driven to look it up in the dictionary...Piloerection...

The Foodies of Napa

2010-08-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

My sister donated a Korean dinner for eight to the AAUW auction. The winning bid was by a dining group of 4 couples for $800! She organized her kitchen crew, Pat the Sommelier and master of the BBQ. Melinda the assistant server and bottle washer, myself...sous chef. And last but not least Michiko, queen of presentation.

Hor'Dourves and champagne were served on the back patio. The weather was wonderful and this group of couples had been dining together for several years.

It was fun to be "kitchen help" with a towel draped over my left forearm I periodically would walk out and replenish the appetizer plates while my brother in law kept the champagne and wine flowing.

Michiko said, "you not only eat with your mouth but with your eyes." Which means, presentation of the table and food is what guests first take in when being seated. My sister's son and DIL designed printed the menus and they were beautiful.

As I look at the photos of the table, people and the presentation I acknowledge that I came home filled with great cooking and presentation tips, a warm heart and a greater understanding of team work. It took a band of 5 to pull this wonderful dining experience off and now the word it out...we may have more meals to prepare!

Should VS. Could

2010-08-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

This past Friday I met with Jacqueline who helps people meditate and find the questions they want to ask and then answer them. I went in with a fairly open mind...more worried that I would come out depressed because what I learned ab out myself would create more questions.

She was very calming. We shared a little background information about both of us. Then I climbed on a massage table and she place pillows for comfort and a blanket for warmth. For the next 20+? minutes she spoke in a quiet voice taking me deeper into the meditative state. A couple of times I found myself snoring...but then she would ask me a question and I would indicate I had heard her by moving my hand or head...they felt so heavy and the movement was very slight. It seemed that I for the first time had reached a truly meditative state and maybe the reason I could achieve this every before is that I needed a guide. This alone pleased me. My busy mind could become quiet.

After she lead me back to the light we sat and talked about the path my mind had lead me on. Our discussion was very enlightening and...I felt I was close. So close to an answer. I was very rested but energized...energized to find an answer.

Today I being the next stage of my quest and I begin with giving up the shoulds. Whenever you say "I should...and fill in the blank" the should becomes a judgement, a shame of not doing something, not being something. The word should needs to be stricken from the vocabulary. I now substitute the word could...which makes the choice mine. I could do this...or I could do that. It places the power of my life in my own hands.

Listen to every time you say should and replace it with could...this one little change can have a huge impact.

Cleaning Out The Cobwebs

2010-07-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day cleaning out the cobwebs. I mainly was doing this because Greg had been dealing with sinus problems for weeks and I wondered if the air conditioning coming on and blowing dust around could be irritating his sinuses. We cleaned the downstairs last weekend and yesterday I was tackling the upstairs. I realized when I was in my sewing room that I hadn't peeled off the dates on one of those little meditation calendars. I decided not to waste the time reading each one (I hadn't turned it since Feb.!) I ripped off the bulk and brought it current. The wisdom message was, "The wisdom of life is the elimination of non essentials."

It was like a light bulb went off...here I was spending precious time dusting stuff that at one time had meaning or that I liked...but no longer do. So, I started packing up stuff to go to Goodwill. Wonderful treasures for someone to take home and clutter up their life with! I felt lighter, the non essentials were going out the door. That doesn't mean all my pretty stuff left but, I really took a look at what I had and thought, "does this bring me joy or do I look at it as a dust collector?"

I don't know about Greg but I slept better last night.

Fly On The Wall

2010-07-27T08:07:00.001-07:00

Facebook is an incredible way to keep in touch with a large amount of people. The question is...do you want to keep track of 100+ people? And do they need to know what you ate today??? It could be that I am maturing...LOL but I have read that the human brain can only keep track of 3 pieces of information at any one time...and so I know the name of my husband and 2 sons. I am already taxing the brain cells when I added the name of a daughter in law, a grandson and a girlfriend. When I was growing up my family knew how hard it was to remember every ones name so for a while all the women were called Kim. But that became too complicated when a phone call would come in...so we moved to Number 1 sister, number 2 sister...etc...

The thing about it...is that when you have a facebook page you want to see what everyone is up to and occasionally you want to comment on their photos, choices, jokes and commentaries. It is like being a fly on the wall and hearing all their secrets and not so secrets. I have reached a magic number of 10 friends. I like to check in...and I am finding that it is fun to check in...so how does one who is soooooo dang popular and has 500+ friends keep them strait?

Maybe you will have to resort to Friend 1, Friend 2, Friend 3....

Hurdles

2010-07-26T04:53:00.000-07:00

Life is a series of hurdles. Running forward at full speed and suddenly you have to lift, arch and stretch over the hurdle. There is a science to running hurdles...you actually have to stretch forward towards the hurdle...reaching...reaching...reaching...eyes on a space ahead of you. You never look at what anyone else is doing...always eyes forward.

We can take a lesson from the hurdler. Life is a series of hurdles. Bumps in the road, trying to make you stumble. But, if you can keep your heart positive and stretch above the bump, eyes to the future, you will land sure footed on the other side.

And if you were to continue along this analogy...as you are at the peak of the challenge and you are stretching towards the future, with you eyes focused ahead...the view can be beautiful.

(thinking of you baby Will)

Garden Lessons

2010-07-25T14:36:00.001-07:00

Working in the garden works not only your back but your soul. This weekend in some of the highest temperatures we have had...we decided to putter on our hillside. It is like a canvas in which the paint is rock. I laugh at how we can move a rock 3 times until we find a spot that is just perfect.

It is kind of like life. There are some hard edges, uneven ground and yet there is beauty.

I curse the deer who ate the flower on my red hot poker! And, I hand carry a frog to a safe spot. I squirt the squirrel with the hose who make a mess of my deck. But, I am quiet as the quail walk by...The garden is the place where all facets of my personality are displayed and amazingly they all get along...because my garden knows that when I show up, I bring all of me.

Humanity Is My Religion

2010-07-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article on "morality"...do you need religion to be a moral person? Basically the discussion centered on the fact that humans seek happiness...and happiness requires one to live in peace with each other...and thus humans by nature are moral. Morality means we seek to live honestly, supporting those around us and seeking support in return.

Religion provides a skeleton for teaching morality but, we all know people who are not religious who are moral and we know religious people who are not moral. Which brings me to the place I currently reside...that of a moral person who believes in God...a God, who believes in humanity and thus I pray to the moral health of humanity.

Three Strikes Your Out....

2010-07-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

The thought of an impending strike makes me ill. So much will be lost if my coworkers and I are forced into a position of striking. First and foremost the economic impact not only on the individual families but on the community will be huge. To wade our way through this impasse will mean we as employees of the largest employer will stop spending. Our community is already suffering with the national economic downturn.

As a community we are proud of what our town has to offer but that has been effected by the numerous empty houses, the closed businesses and the transient life that has resulted for some...add a strike by one of the largest organizations and you can bet it will affect the emotional balance of the town.

The sad part is that the strike is not about the money, but about maintaining our benefits and the security of our jobs. We take care of the community now we must look to the community to take of us if this results in a strike.

Feeling My Age...or...Age Is A State Of Mind

2010-07-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

I am trying to decided if lately I am feeling my age or if, how I am feeling is a state of mind? What ever it is...it is contagious! This past weekend with girlfriends our conversations would move towards our physical maladies...is this the way it is going to be?...or is it the only thing we can remember because of short term memory?!

We do go to bed early...as in 8:30 PM but it is because we have to get up early. I do feel bad when I am lying in bed and I can still hear golfers go by, birds carrying on and occasional walker. What the hey!!! I am in bed!!!

Yesterday our son was heading back over the mountain and so we decided to have dinner early, 4:30PM. The scary part...is I liked it! My digestion was better and I slept better when I got into bed at 8:30PM. OH MY GOD!!! Please GOD!!! don't let me start heading out to Izzy's for their early bird special...where is JJ North's when a senior citizen needs an early dinner!

Today, I am going to do something totally not in my age range of appropriate behavior...like float down the river on my inner tube...or garden in spiked heels...or put purple streaks in my hair and get a belly button piercing with a tattoo...or maybe I will just except that I am who I am and garden in my sensible boots, take the dog for a walk and quilt...ahhhhh I feel better all ready.

The Poster Chicks of Quilting

2010-07-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

It had been a long time since the four of us had done a girl trip or retreat. This past weekend the stars aligned and the gods smiled on our quilting lives. With work, family, and dog responsibilities we were still able to get away for an overnight trip! This photo was from the good 'ole days when life was less complicated...was it ever less complicated. I wonder if we allow "life" to take over our choices? I wonder if "life" is a bully?

As we traveled over the mountain and purged our souls of long held "pain", "guess what's" and "did you hear" I felt a warm glow of sisterhood and knew this was a good thing and I want to do it again!

Of course it did help that the first two quilt stores we visited had a "WOW" factor and we ran around like kids screaming, "come look at this!!!!" As is my common trait, I immediately made friends with the owner and her son which allowed us to venture behind closed doors to a brand new section which will open in the near future! Holly Hills in West Linn is by far the cutest quilt shop I have ever seen! We then headed over to Pioneer Quilts in Clackamas and they had the most amazing wool! Although the store did not have the same "WOW" factor as Holly Hill it was artistically stimulating enough to "make us" purchase fabric. The upside...the employees were very nice and there was fabulous hand dyed wool. The downside...the shop dog bit Dale! Evil little (*&^

The 3rd quilt store of the day...was of course Fabric Depot! And as birds migrating, lemmings driven to follow each other off a cliff or Emperor penguins making the same arduous trek...we ran into a couple more of our Fabric Stalkers in Fabric Depot who had traveled over the mountian...Like anthropologist seeking answers to our history and that perfect piece of fabric!

Happy Place

2010-07-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

In my entire career I have cried 3 times at work. Twice have been this month. Time to go to my happy place! I actually love my career, it is the processes around my career that make it difficult. My challenge is to figure out how to go to my happy place while continuing to try and function as an efficient, caring person. Hi Ho, Hi Ho...off to work I go....

A Gentleman

2010-07-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

Call me old fashioned by I like a gentleman. What makes a gentleman? I have been thinking about this since an experience we had at the grocery store. We were on our way in on a hot afternoon last Sunday when a senior citizen was lugging a watermelon from the outside of the store to place it in a cart on the inside. Greg grabbed a cart and brought it to her and helped her load her watermelon. The lady said, "Thank you so much! You don't see such helpfulness anymore."

My immediate reaction was...thank god I am married to a gentleman...cause I like them. I know there are some crabby people out there that don't want your help...don't want a door opened for them...or any assistance. But, I don't care. I kill them with kindness. There is not enough kindness in the world. Eye contact, noticing a person needs assistance or just down right conversation. While I was in another grocery store a elderly man saw me staring an the deli counter at a pile of really weirdly cut mac and cheese. The were cut into pie slices. He then proceeded to tell him a childhood story he remembered about a fight his parents had over chicken and dumplings. I stopped and listened...and heard his story. When I ran into him out in the parking lot he waved.

With all that is going on in the world I want to know there are kind people out there. I want to know that "the gentleman" still exists. What I know, is that living with me is a perfect gentleman...

Day Of Rest

2010-07-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

Quilt week has finally come to a close...at least for me. There are some quilters out there who are still shopping! It was a wonderful week for me filled with new experiences. I had never worked in a quilt store during Quilt Week. It was fun to meet all the traveling quilters and absorb their energy. I met a quilter from as far away as Ireland...we will travel the ends of the earth for fabric! lol There were a few quilters that recognized me from having taught at the Quilters Affair...go figure...the last time I taught during this week was about 5 years ago. I guess teachers do make an impression on their students...especially when they get a teacher who does comic entertainment also!

Today I take a day of rest. Usually on this day each year head out to the Bend Summer Festival, but there is nothing I need and I don't want to impulsively buy...nor do I want to eat something that is not good for me. So, I am going to rest at home, putter in my flower beds, read the paper at my leisure, do some quilting...soooo much inspiration at the show...and make granola...a perfect day of rest!

I started my day of rest this morning by taking a constitutional walk around the yard with Enzo and took a photo of my first blooming rose planted by a friend. Each time I walk out my front door I will think of him and how sweet it was of him to plant it for me. And so, since I do not know the name of this rose I will call it "Mo" after him.

Friends, family and more friends...life couldn't be sweeter.