God Laughs in Flowers

January 31, 2012

I love flowers.  All flowers.  Anyone who has ever gone anywhere with me will tell you that I will stop and take a picture of flowers again and again during any trip or event.  Daisies are my favorite.  My Grandma Susie and my Aunt Peggy both loved daisies and they remind me of these two special people every time I see them.  And, they're such a happy looking flower.  When planning our wedding, Wayne told me to choose the flowers and my choice was daisies...everywhere.  Bouquets, altar flowers, boutonnieres, table flowers, cake...and I thought it was beautiful.

Oliver and Dubb

January 30, 2012

These are the dogs with whom (which?) I grew up - Oliver and Dubb.  We got Oliver when I was about 8 and then Dubb when I was 16 or 17.  Oliver was, as you can see, multi-colored and multi-breed.  Dubb was rescued from the woods in Alabama and came home to invade Oliver's space. Oliver wasn't thrilled at first, but warmed up quickly.
Oliver was a friend, a companion, and a protector.  He loved most people and was very friendly, but if someone approached one of us or came in the house when Daddy wasn't there, Oliver made sure they didn't get near us.  He didn't bark much, but when he did it meant something.  He loved to run and seemed happiest when he could run through the woods while we rode motorcycles.   Oliver was also quite the "ladies' dog"...he populated every neighborhood we lived in!  (Yes, I know that's not politically correct these days, but it was what it was).  His offspring had a very distinctive look (just like him)!  He was a great traveler...rode in the car with us all over the country (and even into Mexico once) - either in the front passenger floor board or stretched out on the back seat with Diana and I.  Oliver had epilepsy (probably caused by being hit by a car as a puppy) and had to take daily oral meds.  That was challenge - sometimes he would take the pills just fine inside a piece of cheese or hotdog, but sometimes he just ate the treat and spit out the pill!  Giving him the meds was preferable to sitting by and watching the seizures, though.  Oliver didn't like to drink water from a dish - he either ate ice cubes or drank from the pool!
Dubb was...Dubb.  He wasn't the smartest dog in the world, but we loved him.  He had some strange little quirks that probably had roots in his abandonment in the woods and from possible abuse before that.  He was a little skittish, especially at first.  But, he got over most of the quirks and became another cherished member of our family.

Sunset

January 29, 2012

One of the wonders of Florida...it's the end of January and we went to the beach to walk and watch the sunset.  It was a little breezy and chilly, but still a very pleasant evening.  The beach is a favorite place of mine.  I like it best early in the morning and in the evening.  I find the sounds of the waves and the birds, the feel of the breeze on my face, the feel of the sand under my feet, and the smell of the salt water to be calming and peaceful and filled with the feeling that all is well with my world and God is in control. The sight of the sun setting the sky on fire with yellows, reds, oranges, and sometimes purples fills me with awe and wonder.  It's one of the places where I feel God's presence most concretely.

Saturdays Are Supposed to Be Like This

January 28, 2012

Today was one of those days that just don't happen often enough.  We slept in (no alarm set!) and then had a leisurely breakfast while reading the paper.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing some and working some - wrapping up some tasks we didn't have time to get to until today.  We continued working our way through watching the first season of "JAG", and just generally enjoyed being together.  An added bonus was that it was a cool, sunny day so we had the windows open all afternoon.  This evening we went to the grocery store and picked up dinner from our favorite Chinese place (China Village in Twelve Oaks Plaza on SR70 - family owned and run - great food) and ate dinner while watching the NHL All-Star Skills competition.
Sadly, in the busyness of our lives, this was an unusual day.  Happily, days like this DO happen now and then and are so much sweeter in their rarity.

One For the Money

January 27, 2012

This was a great way to end the week, and one we've been looking forward to for quite a while.  A fun Girls' Night at the movies.  We've all read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series that starts with "One for the Money".  The books are laugh-out-loud funny, sexy, and just downright fun.  As is normal with movies made from books, there were glaring differences, but it was still well done.  Katherine Heigl was a great casting choice for Stephanie Plum and Jason O'Mara as Morelli put me firmly in the Team Morelli camp (not quite swooning, but he is...wow!).  I was a little disappointed in the casting of Ranger and Grandma Mazur.  I'm hoping they make the second book into a movie also!
We decided that this is an event we need to turn into a tradition...looking forward to our next movie night!

Fog Happens

January 26, 2012

I love fog. It's eerie and beautiful at the same time.  It hides and reveals, and swirls around like a living being, hovers and lifts. The sun peeks through a little at a time, then burns a hole in the fog that gets bigger and bigger until there's no fog left.  
Even with all the beauty, there's an edge of danger.  Two instances come to mind.  The first was many years ago in Illinois and Wisconsin.  We had driven to Illinois for an ordination and were on our way back to Nashotah House.  The fog was so thick we could barely see a few feet in front of the car.  It was a pretty intense trip.  The second was a few years ago on I-4 and, thank goodness, I only have second-hand knowledge of it.  There was a controlled burn and thick fog that caused a multi-vehicle pile-up that closed I-4 for a couple of days.
Beautiful, dangerous, mysterious...

Just Be Nice

January 25, 2012

This seems simple enough.  How hard can it be?  Just be nice.  What would it cost you to just be nice?  A smile, a kind word, patience, a hug, a handwritten letter, an encouraging text message, a drink of water, a sandwich, letting someone else go first, listening, a pat on the back, a "great job", a "try it again...you can do it"...what else comes to mind that you could do?  So often during the day we say something rude, show our impatience, laugh at another's problems, snap at someone who doesn't move fast enough or do things just the way we think they should, pass by someone who needs a smile, etc.  We become preoccupied with our own lives and our own problems and forget that those things are not caused by all those people around us.  What if we forgot our own problems for a minute and decided to Just Be Nice?  If we all did that even once a day, wouldn't our world be a kinder and gentler place to live?  Just a thought...

Be The Thunder

January 24, 2012

This evening we went to the Tampa Bay Times Forum to watch the Lightning play Columbia.  We had great seats and thoroughly enjoyed our evening of watching hockey and watching people.  I never would have thought I'd become a hockey fan, but Wayne has turned me into one.  It's a fun game to watch - lots of action and not much downtime.  Tonight we got to see Angelidas score his first NHL goal and then watch as the Lightning went on the win.  The Forum has just been remodeled and they've added an amazing new organ (with a very enthusiastic and talented organist), poles that actually produce lightning during the pre-game and every Lightning goal, lots of open spaces from which you can see the ice while walking around, and more.  Fans are selected to play crazy games on the ice during intermission, there's Thunderbug (the mascot), and there are half-naked girls with stupid smiles who prance around looking pretty brainless and acting like they're making some kind of a difference in the game.  I struggle with that - haven't exactly figured out how they belong in this environment.  The rest of it makes for a great evening, though, and I look forward to the next time we get to go!

In this classroom

January 23, 2012

This is my classroom at McIntosh Middle School where I teach 6th and 7th Grade General Math and Pre Algebra.  I spend my days pushing, pulling, poking, prodding, encouraging, and questioning students in an effort to get them to think and try and stretch themselves.  My goal for them is not only to learn the math procedures, but to gain confidence in their math abilities AND in their ability to go out on a limb.  I want them to be willing to be wrong and to learn from that, to try something and if it doesn't work to be able to let go of it and try something else.   One thing my students know is that I make a lot of mistakes and I'm willing to allow them to point those mistakes out (as long as they do it nicely!).  I don't get mad or give up - I go back and fix it and we move on.  That's exactly what I want them to learn to do.

Fire

January 22, 2012

Fire ignites a variety of feelings in me.  I can sit and watch the flames for long periods of time as they change and move as if they are alive.  Fire can be beautiful and peaceful.  It provides heat and a way to cook food.  Fire is nature's way of cleaning an area and allowing for new growth.   Fire is mentioned throughout the Bible - the burning bush encountered by Moses and the flames of Pentecost come to mind.   There are historical fires such as the fire that destroyed San Francisco and the one in Chicago allegedly started by Mrs. O'Leary's cow.  This aspect of fire is terrifying.
When I was 8 or 9 there was an afternoon thunderstorm (normal and expected in Florida).  Mom, Diana, and I were in the living room.  I went to my room to get something and there were flames shooting out of the little tv in my room!  I turned and ran through the house and out the door to the carport screaming "Fire! Fire!".  Diana had no idea about what I was screaming, but she started screaming also and followed me out the door. Mom ran toward the bedroom, picked up the burning tv, and ran to the carport where she threw the tv out into the rain.  Her act or heroism kept the house from being set on fire.  Seeing her carrying the burning tv scared me even more and it was quite a while before she could get Diana or I calmed down.

Runner Girl

January 21, 2012

This morning I ran the 4 Mile Ringling Bridge Run in Sarasota.  I only had to slow to a walk twice and I finished the race in an official time of 45:30.0 (an 11:23 min/mi).  I was 54th out of 110 in my age group.  I'm very pleased!  Thanks to Yvonne and Kim, who encouraged me to do this, and to Kim and Todd who kept me going at a good pace for the entire run!  Kim talked me through the last quarter-mile or so and even pushed me to sprint over the finish line!  And, Yvonne was there at the end cheering both of us on.  Wayne was there with me taking pictures and encouraging me.
It was a beautiful south Florida morning - cool enough to make it pleasant and very sunny.  I felt great through the entire 4 miles except for the "Darth Vader" effect going up the bridge both times and that nasty little incline right before the end.  And, once I caught my breath, I was fine.  This was a great experience and I'm seriously thinking about participating in another one in February or March.  Yeah, I seem to be hooked!  I'd love to improve my time and my rank in my age group!
Wayne made a funny, but very true, comment this afternoon.  After telling me how proud he was of me for working toward and meeting this goal, he said he was even more impressed with it because running is not easy for me.  Some people make it look graceful and easy, but when I run it's not a particularly pretty thing (think about the difference between a gazelle and an elephant).  He wasn't being mean, just making a pretty astute observation (the gazelle and elephant reference is mine, not his).
Several interesting notes - there were 3000 people participating in this event, the overall winner ran it in a little over 20 minutes, and my bib number was 911!

Can You Hear Me Now?

January 20, 2012

In the backyard of the first house in which we lived in Orlando there were several trees - some pines in the far back corner and then a tree we called the Ear Tree closer to the house.  I have no idea what the real, scientific name is for this tree, but we called it the Ear Tree because the seed pods resembled ears.  It was a great tree that provided shade (the leaves are rather like ferns), one of our bases when we played softball in the backyard, entertainment as we used the ears as projectiles (second only to the chinaberries in the backyard next door), and, of course, climbing.  One of the characteristics of this tree is that the roots often come up above the ground rather than growing straight down.  This is challenging when trying to mow around the tree or run around it in the dark.  It was a relatively easy tree to climb, so I decided one day that it would be a great place to sit and read.  Up I went into the tree, found a fork that seemed big enough, and settled in to read.  This was great - reading, fresh air, up in the tree - a perfect setup.  That is, until I suddenly found myself on the ground under the tree and unable to catch my breath because I had fallen out of the tree and landed on my back on one of the above-ground roots!!  Mom just happened to be standing in the kitchen looking out the window when I fell.  She came running to check on me and I'm sure it scared her pretty badly since I couldn't speak for a few minutes (not enough air!).  Luckily, I wasn't injured and have laughed about it many times in the years since it happened.  However, I don't think I ever tried to sit in a tree and read again!

Girl Time

January 19, 2012

Every once in a while, someone says, "We need some Girl Time away from work" and we arrange a time to go to lunch or dinner.  The group (which is a fluid one, as not everyone can make it every time) consists of teachers who work at the same school or have at one time or another worked together.  Some of us work at McIntosh, some at SMA, one lucky one is in her first year of retirement.  These get-togethers are a chance for us to unwind and catch up on each other's lives and families.  The conversations are varied and often there are several going on at the same time.  We laugh and share and enjoy spending time with each other outside of the school setting and catching up with those we don't see every day.  I love these friendships and I'm thankful we all take the time to nurture these relationships.  Thanks, girls, for a fun evening!

The Joy FM

January 18, 2012

This morning I left a home a few minutes early so I could stop at The Joy FM's "sticker stop".  This is the radio station I listen to most of the time and the one I advertise on my car with a sticker.  I started listening to them more than 15 years ago when I moved to Bradenton.  The Joy FM plays contemporary Christian music by such artists as Casting Crowns, Brandon Heath, Mark Schultz, Francesca Battastelli, Amy Grant, Mercy Me, Third Day, Josh Wilson, Mandisa, and many, many more.  The songs are uplifting and, more times than I can possibly list here, have spoken to the deepest part of me at just the right time and in just the right way.  There have been times when I was in the deepest despair that I heard a song with a message of hope, times when I was feeling great joy when a song said just what I was feeling, and so many other times in between.  The songs are only part of it, though.  The people on the air are real and share their lives with the listeners - the good, the bad, and the ugly - in such a way that they feel more like friends than just a voice on the radio.  Listening to Dave, Bill, and Carmen on my way to work each morning I have laughed so hard I thought I was going to drive off the road and cried to the point I had to pull over.  They make me THINK with some of the topics they discuss.  The Joy FM also does great work  in the community - local, state, region, and world.  They involve the listeners in such outreach projects as providing turkeys to our local communities in November, collecting gift cards to send to those affected by the tornadoes in Alabama and victims of Hurricane Katrina, building houses for victims of the Tsunami in India.  It's a radio station, a family, a ministry, and so much more.  By the way, Atlanta-area folks - the Joy FM expanded to the Atlanta area in December (93.3).  And those of you out of the listening area - there's an app for that!  Check it out at www.thejoyfm.com.  Happy listening!

Professional?

January 17, 2012

These were the words on our school sign (and on the signs of many other signs throughout Sarasota County) today.  Over the years I've been bothered by the title of Professional Day.  It means (for those of you not "in the know") a day for teachers to use to grade papers, finalize grades for a grading period, plan lessons, write lesson plans, attend trainings, clean up the piles that have accumulated on the desk (oh, wait...that's probably just me!), and any one of a hundred other such tasks.   My first reaction to the title is always, "What?  I'm only a professional on those couple of days a year that the calendar says I am?  I'm not a professional on the other days of the year?"  I believe I am a professional all of the time.  After all, I have two college degrees (a Bachelor's and a Master's), additional classes toward Gifted Certification, a couple of thousand hours of Professional Development tranings, National Board Certification, a very good command of proper English, and 28 years of classroom experience.  And, I can conduct a meeting with other teachers and administrators, talk to parents and students, speak in public about my personal philosophy of teaching, and plan and run awards programs (and many other types of programs).  Yes, I believe I qualify as a professional - I'm certainly not an amateur!   In some places, this type of day is called a Teacher Work Day.  Oh, yes, THAT'S better (she says with a touch of sarcasm).  That implies that we only work on those days provided for that. Because teachers don't really work that hard, right?   I'll hold off on that soapbox until another day.

For Better or For Worse (and for Lunch)

January 16, 2012

Today was one of those days that I wish had more hours in it.  I had the day off (always a plus!) to do with as I wanted.  We got up fairly early and went to the gym (after all, there's less than a week until the 4 mile bridge run) and then Wayne went off to work and I went to do a task I have been putting off because it's a little overwhelming (inventory of my Creative Memories products).  I worked for a couple of hours and then sent Wayne a text to see if he wanted to meet me at Mixon's for lunch.  It was so nice to have the freedom to do that.  After lunch Wayne went back to work and I went back to do a little more inventory.  It was a gorgeous day (sun shining, low 70s) so I had the windows open, the music playing, and got quite a lot accomplished.  And, I stopped early enough to spend some time doing other things. I enjoyed having the time to myself and now I get to spend the evening with Wayne. It's nice being married to someone with whom I enjoy spending time.  I love days like this and am thankful when they happen.

A Love So Great

January 15, 2012

This window is in St. George's Episcopal Church, my church home.  It was given in memory of Bob Young who died in 2000.  Bob and Mary Young were were members of St. George's when we arrived in late 1996.  They were incredibly nice people and I enjoyed talking to them.   One of my strongest memories of them was during Mary's battle with breast cancer.  Every time I saw Bob, he looked completely lost and so forlorn.  On this particular Sunday, Mary had completed all of her treatments and was feeling well enough to come to church with Bob.  I could see in his face how happy he was to have her there beside him.  After church I was standing on the sidewalk outside of the parish hall when Bob came walking quickly toward me with a panic-stricken look on his face.  When I asked what was wrong he replied, "I can't find Mary.  I don't know where she is."  He was on the verge of tears. When I told him she was in the parish hall, the relieved look on his face said it all.  Ironically, Mary continued to regain her health while Bob fell ill not long after that and died pretty quickly.  I miss them both.
The love Mary and Bob shared is the kind we all hope for; the kind I have found with Wayne.  What I know about this love is that it is only a fraction of the love God has for me and for you.

Tea For Two

January 14, 2012

It's the end of the day and time for a cup of tea.   As much as I love my coffee in the morning, I also enjoy a cup a tea at other times.  On a cool day it's nice to sit down with a book and cup of tea to relax.  I find it to be a great way to unwind at the end of the day.  My favorite, though, is when I can go to afternoon tea with my girlfriends.  We've been to several local places for this and find that they each offer us delicious tea, scones, sandwiches, and cakes.  More importantly, they offer a time of relaxation, laughter, fun, and conversation uninterrupted by children, laundry, dishes, or other worries of our everyday lives.  There's something special about drinking tea out of beautiful china cups and spending time with friends in the middle of the afternoon.  Our lives tend to be so very busy and filled with lists and errands and activities that we don't take the time to tend to our relationships with our friends often enough.   While I would love to be able to do this more often, for now I will savor the times we do have.

Less is More

January 13, 2012

With today's cooler weather, I decided to make a pot of Vegetable Beef Soup.  It's simple, it's easy, it doesn't take long to make, and I love it.  One of my other favorites is Beef Barley Soup.  However, it's been about 7 years since the one and only time I've attempted to make it - Catherine refers to it as the Barley Loaf Incident.  When I cook, I use a recipe but usually modify it a bit to suit my tastes.  That often means adding more of an ingredient I particularly like - more cheese, more chocolate, more spices, and, in this case, more barley.  The amount of barley called for in the recipe just didn't look like much, so I added more than it said.  I left it to cook and went off to do other things.  When it was time for dinner, I lifted the lid to find that the pot was FULL of barley.  In fact, it was a solid mass of barley with pieces of beef throughout and was thoroughly disgusting.  I was so disappointed!

So Many Books...

January 12, 2012

This is one of my bookcases.  I don't think I've ever had a bookcase that wasn't crammed full to overflowing.  I have loved to read since I was 4 or 5, and have always had a large stack of books in my "to be read" stack (that would be the entire top shelf of this particular bookcase).  Most of what I read is fiction - every once in a while I decide I need to read a "serious" book, but I find it tedious and dull.  I do read a variety of fiction - contemporary Christian, crime drama, romance, and others.  I have many authors whose work I enjoy and also read books by authors of whom I've not heard but whose book sounds interesting.  I particularly like series of books -  I love the intertwining of characters from one book to another and the way the main characters develop based on what happens in each book.  Some of the authors I enjoy are Stuart Woods, Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, John Grisham (I find that I like his earlier works best), James Patterson (particularly the Women's Murder Club series), Nicholas Sparks, Danielle Steel, Dee Henderson (her O'Malley series is one I've read several times and her True series is riveting - she writes characters I would like to have as friends), Jan Karon, Madeleine L'Engle (her young adult books rather than her adult books; my favorite is "A Wrinkle In Time" and it's spin-offs, especially "Many Waters"), Terri Blackstock, and Karen Kingsbury (she has a series of series -I believe there are 5 of them, each one spinning off the one before with the same characters throughout).

Guilty Pleasures

January 11, 2012

Last night I was sitting on the couch with a friend when a commercial for the Big Mac came on.  Both of us sighed and said how much we loved Big Macs.  Yes, I admit it - I am a huge fan of McDonalds.  When I was in college I spent a couple of years working at McDonalds (hey, a paycheck AND free food!).  Often on my days off I would head to McDs to pick up a quick lunch or dinner.  Although I don't eat there often any more, it is one of my "guilty pleasures" - once in a while there is just nothing like a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or a Filet O Fish or a Big Mac and fries.
We all have guilty pleasures - those little things that we know we probably shouldn't do or eat or have but that make us happy for a short time.  I believe it's healthy to indulge in these pleasures now and then, although doing so too often could be detrimental.  For example, a Big Mac every few months isn't a problem but eating one every day would certainly have a negative impact on my health.  Taking an afternoon to read a book while ignoring the housework and other chores is a pleasurable way to relax on occasion, but would cause chaos in my house if I did so every day.  Occasionally buying a very expensive, high quality item instead of the more economical one nice, but would wreak havoc on the budget is done very often.
What I have come to realize is that there's no need to feel guilty over these little pleasures as long as they are occasional and not constant.

Morning Has Broken

January 10, 2012

I'm not much of a morning person.  Well, that's not entirely true.  I don't mind being up in the morning if I can be slow and intentional about getting started.  I love the mornings when I can wake up, drink coffee, read, wander around, walk on the beach, or some other activity that's quiet and doesn't take a lot of thought.  I love SEEING the morning and I love the QUIET of the morning.  What I don't like is getting up before light, rushing around getting ready for work, and leaving the house before I'm entirely sure I'm awake and aware.
This picture is my reward for the getting up before light and leaving the house so early - I get to see many such  sunrises on my way to work.  I give thanks to God for such a beautiful creation.

Midnight

January 9, 2012

This is Midnight.  She is 14 years old and looks quite serious in this picture.  Some days she is a very lethargic kitty who sleeps for hours on end.  Other times she is very playful.  Recently, some of her old toys that were lost (under furniture) were unearthed and she went crazy - she was running, leaping, throwing the toys in the air and chasing them - it was hysterical.  After playing for a few minutes, she would look around as if to say, "Did anyone see that?  Good, I'll just pretend it never happened and they'll never know!" and wander off to take a nap.  A couple of hours later, she repeated the whole process.
Midi has never really been a crawl-into-your-lap kind of cat.  Instead, she likes to sit on the top of the couch behind our heads and swish her tail so it hits whoever is sitting there or under the table in front of the couch.  Her favorite places, though, have to do with her routine.  In the morning when we get up, Midi follows Wayne to the kitchen, waits impatiently for him to turn the coffee pot on, and then starts fussing at him (it's a cross between a bark and a "mmmyat") until he follows her in to the laundry room to inspect her food and water.  She wants to make sure she gets more food put in her bowl because she only likes the big pieces and not the broken ones and crumbs.  If he tells her she has enough food she grumbles.  She then sits under the table while he reads the paper, hitting him with her tail so he knows she's there.  When Wayne gets home in the evening, Midnight greets him at the door (with me, she just raises up her head to look at me from wherever she's napping!) and waits rather impatiently while we cook and eat dinner so we can settle in for the evening.  She then jumps up on the arm of the recliner to sit with Wayne for the evening!  If he puts a magazine or paper on the arm, she complains until  he moves it!  When it's time for bed, she waits until the lights have been out for 15 minutes or so and then jumps up on the bed and curls up next to me.  She never sits next to me on the couch, and never gets up next to Wayne on the bed.  Funny cat.  She is most definitely a creature of habit and gets rattled when the routine is changed.   She's a sweetheart.

My Church

January 8, 2012

This is my church, St. George's Episcopal Church.  Well, that's not entirely accurate.  This is the inside of my church building.  It's just a building...a very nice one, but all the same, it is still just a building.  Without the people who make up the family of St. George's, this building would mean nothing.
At this altar I have knelt weekly for communion, on occasion in pain (physical, emotional, spiritual) asking for prayer, in thanksgiving...at this altar I stood before my friends and family and married Wayne almost 5 years ago...I sang to my Goddaughter at her baptism here...asked for support for our Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk team...at this altar I have met with Jesus.  For each of these I have had many others at my side - the people who are the family of St. George's.  These people are the hands, feet, eyes, hearts, ears, and voices of Jesus. They have prayed with me and for me, and I have prayed with and for them.  When I was too afraid to know how to pray, they prayed for me.  When I was in too much emotional pain to sing, they sang for me.  And I have done the same for them.  It's how it works in this family.
In the 15 years I have been a member of St. George's, the altar has not changed.  People have come, stayed for awhile, and gone - some have died, some have moved away, some have found other church homes, some have left and returned (and welcomed with open hearts and arms).  It's a place where when someone is missing, we notice and we pray for them.
These people are the Church - Jesus' disciples in a modern world.

Harold

January 7, 2012

In going through the boxes in the garage, Catherine and I have sorted through 5 or 6 rather sizable boxes of books from her childhood and one from my childhood.  We managed to narrow down the "keepables" to a more manageable amount and give a large number away.  One of the books that we were thrilled to find (and is definitely one of the keepers) is "Harold and the Purple Crayon".  For those of you who have never been introduced to Harold, he is a very creative and resourceful boy who uses his imagination and his purple crayon to go on an adventure. This is a book I believe every child should own and read often.  It's a very simple book, yet it has much to say in its simplicity.  Two of the lessons taught (in a subtle way) are that imagination will take you wherever you want to go and when things get scary just keep your wits about you and you'll be fine.  Just think how much better off we'd all be if we remembered those two lessons.

Bowl At Your Own Risk

January 6, 2012

This evening we got together with the Hartmann family and went bowling.  It's an activity I've always enjoyed and wish I could do more often.  We had a great time - a chance to spend time laughing and catching up (and watching Catherine and Dani jump up and down and squeal!).  Bowling has always been one of those activities that could be a wholesome family outing, a date, a boys/girls night out, a league consisting of people from all walks of life, or a variety of other groups of people.  It's NOT a place where I expected to see a disclaimer to which you have to agree in order to play.  I have to wonder where common sense has gone and why people are no longer expected to use it.  It certainly makes sense that you should keep your hands out of the ball return, shouldn't cross the foul line, and should wipe up or report spills.  Perhaps we should add a few that aren't listed (you know, for those TRULY stupid people who might not realize these truths):
**Dropping a bowling ball on your foot could potentially cause physical damage
**Standing too close to the bowler taking his/her turn is dangerous
**Oh, and by the way, that coffee you brought in from McDonald's is HOT!

Away With It...

January 5, 2011
This is our garage.  Looking at it for the first time, it looks like a giant mess.  However, two weeks ago the workbench was piled high with stuff, there was a mountain of boxes in the middle of the floor, there was a bathroom vanity and sink, 6 or 7 large suitcases, and a variety of other unused items.  What you see now is a project that is three-fourths of the way completed.  Many items have been pushed to the side for a yard sale, several bags have been filled with trash, and 700+ items have been given to charity or to someone who could use them.
I am a keeper of stuff and have been all of my life.  I grow attached to things easily and don't want to part with them.  Some of these boxes have been moved from place to place for 50 years because I simply could not part with the contents.
In the past two weeks I have opened boxes and picked up each item and looked at it.  Some of them made me laugh and I was able to relay a story about each one.  Some of them made me sad and also had a story.  Some I looked at and realized I had no feelings about whatsoever.  Being able to part with such a large number of things that have been taking up space in my life for so many years has been a wonderfully freeing thing.  I haven't purged everything in that garage, but I now feel much less overwhelmed because the things that are left are meaningful and are organized!

Talents

January 4, 2012

(I hope this will be the last of my two-a-days as I am now caught up - if I can STAY caught up, there will be one post a day!)

This is the latest example of my mother's creative talents.  While she was here at Thanksgiving she created two of these valances to update my living room, and I love the new look.  She also made the ones that these new ones replaced.  Mom has an amazing talent for decorating and creating a magazine-perfect room.  She also has talents for sewing (even creating her own patterns if she doesn't find one to her liking), flower arranging, and many other creative talents. She's a good dancer.   I did not inherit ANY of those talents, so I find them all the more fascinating and I am quite appreciative of her efforts on my behalf.
My dad's talents lie in other areas:  he is very mechanically-minded - doing such things as erecting a water tank on his property (no wells and no running water otherwise) and then creating a pipe system into the house so that the water pressure is excellent, rebuilding vintage motorcycles and manufacturing his own parts when parts were unavailable (and then racing those bikes and placing!), and many other such tasks.  He is also quite a gardener and a woodworker. He also is a good dancer.  I also did not inherit ANY of those talents, although I certainly enjoy seeing his projects work.
So, here I am.  What talents did I inherit?  I'm not sure.  I have plenty of talents - music and photography come to mind.  I am a great thinker and have ideas I know will work (although I'm often a little short on follow-through).  I think I am a good baker. I love to perform in musicals. I am NOT a good dancer (I'm still stuck in the Dance Like a Dork days of Middle School), although I can learn a specific set of dance steps for a show.  Let's see, can I count Smart Alec and Excellent BS Detection as talents I inherited from my Dad?  (He and I are very much alike in that respect)
It is interesting to me how we are all like our parents in so many ways.  Yet, in other ways we are not like them at all.  Just think how boring this world would be if the only talents and traits we had were the exact same ones our parents had with nothing new or different added.  Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to be individuals!

Running...toward or away?

January 3, 2012

This is my workout on the treadmill on this 3rd day of January.  It was a walk/run (5 minutes of walking, then 5 minutes of running and so on) at a 1.0 incline.  At first glance, this isn't a bad workout for a 51 year old who has never really liked to run.  I made a decision back in November that I was going to start training with an eye toward running the 4-mile Ringling Bridge Run on January 21st.  Hmmmm...yes, ME, the one who has always said that "me", "bridge", and "run" should NOT be in the same sentence - in fact, not even in the same paragraph!  So, here I am with 2 and 1/2 weeks to go before this event and this workout is the best one I've had so far.  The good news is that my breathing only sounds like Darth Vader for half of my walk/run now (used to be during the entire walk/run!).  But, I will persevere, will be there on the 21st, and will finish the event even if I have to crawl (not entirely out of the realm of possibility).
So, the big question is WHY?   Am I running toward the rest of my life or running away from the idea of being over 50?  Or is it just one more thing that I can say, "OK, I've done that", check it off the list, and move on?   Those are questions I can't answer right now - we'll just have to see how this plays out.  In the meantime, I tell myself, "Just keep running, just keep running...".

Our Life in Ornaments

January 2, 2012

When I visit people's homes during Christmas I can often be found standing at their Christmas tree looking at the ornaments.  I find the collection of ornaments on each tree to be a fascinating story.
Decorating the tree (or trees) is a chance to relive events, funny moments, tough times, childhood memories, and so much more.  On our tree we have ornaments dating back to my childhood (including one I made at school from part of an egg carton and a piece of garland), my collection of churches, Wayne's collection of John Deere tractors, several French Horns, several flutes, tap shoes, a variety of Breast Cancer Awareness ornaments and mementos from the 3 Day Walk, glass candy, sparkly ornaments, Disney ornaments, some from a trip to Boston, two from our cruises, ornaments made for me by students, and many, many more.  Each one has a story and a feeling attached to it.  Each year the stories are told.  And each year we had more ornaments - trips we've taken, special sentiments, new activities in which we have participated, etc.
Next year will be bittersweet for me.  Starting with Catherine's very first Christmas, I have given her at least one special ornament each year.  Some years there have been several new ones.  Next Christmas it is highly likely she will have her own apartment and her own Christmas tree, so when we take the tree down and pack up the ornaments this year, there will be a separate container filled with Catherine's ornaments to take with her when she establishes her own home.  I know that's the way it's supposed to be...it's the way I planned it for all these years.  It will seem strange for those ornaments to be on a tree other than the one in my house, yet I am very much looking forward to seeing them on Catherine's tree and to hear her pass along the stories through the years.

Listen With Your Face

This picture was taken on January 1, 2012 just after midnight.  This is my husband, Wayne, and one of our Goddaughters, Rachael.  Rachael is 5 and 1/2 and is one of the loves of my life.  At this point she had consumed a large quantity of marshmallows and was up way past her bedtime so she was pretty animated.  What I love about this photo is that Wayne is focused solely on Rachael and whatever she is so enthusiastically telling him.  It reminds me of when Catherine was 2 or so and was talking to me.  I was busy doing something and she was talking (and talking and talking...) so I made the appropriate noises while she talked and continued doing whatever it was I was doing.  Suddenly, I felt her little hands on either side of my face; she turned my face to hers and said, "Mommy!  Listen with your face!".  This is something Wayne does well...when someone is talking to him, he focuses on that person and makes them feel that what they're saying is worth his time.

The Beginning

Since childhood I have taken pictures - lots of pictures.  And, I have shared those pictures in a variety of formats with a variety of people.  My love of pictures and the stories surrounding them led to my love of scrapbooking (and to my second job, that of a Creative Memories Consultant).  After seeing a post about a "photograph a day" project, I decided to create a blog and use a photograph a day as the inspiration for my writing.  Some of my entries may be very short, while others may be lengthy - some may be deep, while others may seem frivolous.  I won't know until I start writing!  On this 2nd day of January, I have my first two pictures chosen, but will have to post them and write about them tomorrow...this is a learning experience and that will be tomorrow's lesson for myself (uploading pictures to this site!).  I am looking forward to wherever this experience takes me, and I welcome you along for the ride!