Did You Miss It????

This is a wall at the local Barnes & Noble store. Just a stone wall; the kind they use at lots & lots of shopping centers. Just a wall you walk/drive by weekly or more. Now, look, really look at the wall. Do you see it? Some one had the creative vision to look at the wall & SEE more than stone & mortar.

There you go! Now you see it! Someone looked at the pattern of this plain old, ordinary stone & saw the soul within!! This kitty cat came to reside at Barnes & Noble when the place was built, and has hidden for all these years. Well, I don't actually know when the kitty was released, but I've been going to the store since it opened & didn't see it til hubby pointed it out. And I thought he wasn't into the arts!! ha ha

This makes me wonder how many millions of opportunities we miss in the ordinary. How many insights we walk right by on our way to "getting there"!



Remember as a child lying on the ground and seeing the visions in clouds? Well, hallelujah! They aren't just in the clouds. They are in the each & every day that we glide through. They are in the trees, the stones, the clouds, and possibly, the faces of those around us. You know, the ones we hurry past--don't want to take any more time than necessary to get where we are going; so we can turn around and not take any more time than necessary to get back---just so we can turn around and get there again!



Well, I challenge you to seek out the opportunities for blessings today. And every day. Look further than surface value--or look at the surface more intently. Peer into what the wall, nature or the eyes looking back at you are really like. And, in the process, reveal yourself. Don't be afraid to take a picture, give a hug, truly care "how it's going".



Open your mind to the possibilities.

All Quiet?????

A friend mentioned on my facebook page that all had been quiet around my place. NOT!!!!!!

This is what it looks like inside my head--ha ha! Over the past 4 weeks my mother in law has had 4 ambulance rides to the hospital & one lifeflight ride. She has had a mild heart attack, and a week later, a serious heart attack. She went to the ER all times with excessive nosebleeds and didn't even know that she was having the heart attacks. In fact, the last "serious" one was pointed out by the EMTs on the ambulance ride!!!

Well, (fingers crossed) we think all is well. The serious heart attack involved 99% blockage of a major artery that was the result of taking her off her Plavix for 6 days to stop the nosebleed! No damage but she did have a stint put in.

As for the bleeds? Well the ENT Dr has a plan. She must take the Plavix, and they can't give her anethseatic (sp) to cauterize the nose, so they have adjusted her blood pressure meds, and at keeping the pressure to 120 or under, her nose won't bleed.

Now aren't you glad I shared that with you????? The really stressful happening is that hubby is the "go to" child & is the one who goes to the house in the middle of the night, rides to the hospital, and stays to hear Dr reports. Bless his heart, he hasn't had much rest the past 4 weeks.

And this has been another BUSY catering time. For which we are extremely grateful! But it does take away from times that could be used for catching up on "zzzzz's".

And ---the GOOD NEWS---- Hank is going to be a Big Brother!!!!! Yea!!!!! I am sooooo excited. And so are Hank's parents! I've been so blessed by having Hank in my life that I am ready for more! The arrival will happen around the 6th of December--which happens to be my son's birthday!! Can't wait to find out what it will be so I can start the "packrat" syndrome for babies! So many sales right now & so much I want to begin making. I can feel the projects keeping me up into the wee hours. Yippee!!!

I just read an article in an area newspaper that was entitled "Making Memories". I always want to plan these "big events" to make memories for family & friends. And then I'm so tired that I don't even remember them!! But it is important to make memories--that's all we can really hold on to. Today Hank & I took a walk and talked about all the things we saw. I know at 3 he won't remember that, but I will---it's one for my books! And then we sat and put stickers in proper places in his Hot Wheels sticker book. Talk about fun. Just listening to the words of a child can be so uplifting (and doggone funny!).

He put a sticker on his wooden table and when I told him not to, that it would ruin the table he looked me straight in the eye and said "It will not wuin it! What;s a wuin anyway?" Good question!! What is a "wuin"!!! I'm certain my kids said the same cute phrases, but I've learned to pay closer attention to Hank. I want to hang on his each & every word. They go by so quickly.

Well, I feel I've captured your ear long enough with my boring recounts of life as I experience it. So I'll close for now and wish all of you a memory filled weekend!

What Movie Are YOU Watching????

Tonight Hank has come to spend the night---and we went to watch this movie. It's cute, but not up to the Pixar standard. However, Hank liked it and that's what matters.

I hope everyone is going to have a blessed Easter. After the past week, I have plenty of blessings to count! My mother in law suffered a serious heart attack on Monday; she was released on Thursday and is doing quite well. Makes you stop and take stock of priorities and important issues. And it makes me stop and appreciate the lives that are so entertwined with mine. Family, friends and acquaintances. I am so blessed to have family that is close by, that we love, that are active parts of our lives. I have friends that are ready to stop & listen or kick up their heels in fun at a moment's notice. And I have acquaintances who bring such interest into my life. I can't imagine being secluded from family, not having close friends, and not having all the characters who round out this life. The old adage "others come in to your life for a time, a reason, or a season" is true beyond belief. And we can learn so very much from all those who cross our paths. And I give thanks for each & every life I've had the privilege to cross paths with!

And I am so thankful for this Easter season to stop and be reminded of the resurrection. And what it means to me. And what it has given to me.

Tomorrow morning we're having chocolate chip pancakes and hot tea---Hank's request! And while he's eating breakfast, I'm going to hide plastic eggs and then we'll have a private Easter egg hunt! Without all the hoopla that will happen on Sunday with all the family around. Not that I don't want that too, but this year I have Hank captive for a time and I'm going to take full advantage!! Making memories!

Well, it's time to call it quits for the night & convince Hank that it's bedtime. That should be fun!! And then--off to bed for me.

Have a happy Easter!

Hellooooo Monday!!!

I have never been so glad to see a Monday! The past week was B.U.S.Y.----overbooked again. It seems to be my mode of operation. I just hate turning people down. And so, on Thursday evening it began--we had 2 events in town. I sent one crew to feed 150 and I took the other crew to feed 70. Of course that made for a late night. And we had a breakfast and two lunches the next day!!! And I was preparing a three tiered 9 layer wedding cake for Saturday. That made for a late Friday night. We got home and at 10:30 my mother in law was taken to the hospital--hubby had to go out and wait for the ambulance with father in law, then ride to the hospital with him. She had a voracious nosebleed. They sent her home around midnight--after we went & got her meds filled. Then up again and work on the cake Saturday. In the snow. Heavy snow! It snowed and snowed and snowed. It was beautiful--and treacherous for cake delivery. Anyway, the cake was delivered and set up and --- began to lean. Like the Tower of Pisa! The bride had requested a fruit filling, which was not too stable. And I learned the hard way that the remaining layers & the design she chose would work! So we took the top 2 layers off, removed the leaning layer, reset the top 2 and went on. Totally exhausted. But there was still some finishing up to do at the kitchen. Got home and thought we were settled in for the night---midnight phone call---mother in law back to hospital. Nosebleed again. But this time they sent her on to the Tulsa hospital and called for an ENT specialist; he deemed her nose the least of the problem--her resting heart rate was 125. And so she's in the hospital. We're home. And all of us have lots of rest to catch up on!!!!


I'm glad Monday is finally here!




This week isn't quite as busy--except for Friday and Saturday!!! Here we go again!!!!




So, I know this isn't much of a fun post---I'm mainly shooting off steam. Thanks for listening.




Hopefully my funnybone will return soon.




Have a good evening!

I've Been Tagged---WATCH OUT!!!

I've been tagged---this is my first official tag! Michelle the Mosaic Queen tagged me & it goes like this--

Take a picture of yourself right now--do not go freshen up the face, do not straighten your hair or change clothes--take your picture. And then you must tag 5 others. Hmmm---do I know 5 people to tag??? I'll tag Penny, Kari, Tommie, Amber & Erin. And as I don't have links, I'll have to leave them all a messsage on their blogs!

We had the obligatory 3rd birthday party for Hank today. It was his first "real" party with people outside of family and it was at Chuck E Cheese! Rowdy, raucious, loud, chaotic---everything that appeals to Hank. He was in his element. And he was very, very good. Even ate 2 pieces of pizza and cupcakes! Even thanked everyone for the gifts & for coming. What a doll!

We've been at the kitchen for 7 days a week for the past 2 months. It's been hard to come home & blog, but I'll try to do better. We've had daytime, evening and weekend deliveries & work--hey, I'm NOT complaining, just explaining why I have been elusive in blogland---and why my blogs aren't toooooo interesting. I have "iron poor tired brain " syndrome; at times I can't even think!

Well, I'm gonna go & veg out for the rest of tonight.

Have a great Sunday! Be Blessed!

I Miss Mayberry

I miss Mayberry--ok, I've never been to Mayberry; don't know if there really is one. I guess I miss the "essence" of what Mayberry represented.

You see, Opie & I are the same age. And my childhood was much like his--small town, values, respect, honesty--all those traits that made life in Mayberry seem so unreal. And yet they were. And, lately, I miss those simple, understated traits so very much.

I miss knowing my neighbors. Granted this is my own fault--who has time to get to know the neighbors, or even visit with the ones you do know, when the race of getting through life has become so fast paced! The last time I saw my NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR was at the funeral of a mutual friend. My neighbor was my employer for more than a decade, and now I don't see him at all. And when we do see the neighbors in the yard, we scurry past, maybe wave, cause we don't want to impose on their time.

I miss shopping here in town. Oh, I still try, but like everyone else in the world, I'm looking for the store with the most variety and the best prices. At the expense of forcing my home town merchants to carry less than premium stock, and reduce the selections. And then I gripe about what I can't get here! I like walking into the local grocery store and having the manager greet me with "hey how are you today? how's the husband and kids?" Yes, he actually knows that about me. He watched me grow up--his sister even babysat for my kids for a time. I miss the local clothing store. The one where you went in and the owner's wife would strike up a conversation and talk your leg off---maybe even offer you some of her homemade cooking that she had in the back. I think everyone female in my family (except me!) worked for them during the holiday season! My sister tells how she & her girlfriend would drive the owner nuts using way too much ribbon on presents only to have him rant at them about waste. They would respond "oh, we'll be more careful"; as soon as he was out of earshot they giggled like little girls and went on about their business of driving him nuts--yes, they used the extra ribbon just to push his buttons! And then, if you had a family tragedy of any sort, there were the owner & his wife bringing you large plates of food and sympathy. That hasn't happened too much with me & J C Penny!

I miss the respect of the kids in the town. When I was a kid, we had a respectful fear for all adults, regardless of what they wore, what they drove, where they worked. We knew if an adult spoke, we should listen. And if that adult represented authority (teacher, policeman, etc.) word had better not get back to mom & dad that we "dissed" them! They'd have us by the ear, skipping at break neck speed to apologize and offer to clean their windows--or whatever other form of retribution we could offer. We certainly didn't talk back. And we didn't tear up their possessions, lawns, streets, storefronts, etc. If we got in trouble at school, katy-bar-the-door when mom & dad found out. They actually TRUSTED that teachers & principals were adult enough to lead & discipline! And they actually UNDERSTOOD that children would color stories to their benefit!

I miss one car families, moms who stayed home, homemade clothes, one TV per household, no cell phones, porches made for use, church socials, mowing one's own lawn, new shoes at Easter and the start of school, chores that had to be finished by day's end, the county fair, HS football games, homeroom moms, homemade Valentine cards, --- I guess the list could go on and on. And I am just as guilty of anyone in my greed for the American Dream. Only, I think the jokes on all of us because it's the American Fantasy! We have conditioned ourselved to want more, more, more and we don't even enjoy what we have. You know, in those buildings we put in the back yard full of our "things" that sit unused and rotting. But we HAD to have them.

I miss only having what we needed at the moment, and saving for what we thought we might want later. Sometimes we found we didn't even really want them enough to spend what we had saved.

Ok, so I'm a bit nostalgic for the old days--won't even say they were good--they were just more stable. I miss stability. I miss Mayberry.

Summer Approaches

I just received an email from Spiegel---the new swimsuit & travel fashions are available--YIPPEE!!!

Is anyone else out there so "summerphobic" as I? I can't remember the last time I actually WORE a swimsuit. I only wear them when I'm in a group of WOMEN who look like I do in a swimsuit--you know, the cast of Cocoon! I own a couple. They were suitable in the day. Now, if I broke down and put one on, I'm afraid it would do irreparable damage to my psyche.

Granted, hubby says "oh you look fine" when I mention that I won't wear one, but then he says that about nearly anything I appear out of the changing room in---and I can still evaluate the mirror's image. And the camera's. And I know he actually just wants to stay in this marriage with benefits.

There was a time, even after I gave birth, that I would wear swimsuits to the lake, on the boats, etc. That time has "gone with the wind". Considering cellulite, spider veins (that could road map in detail the entire street system of NYC), pasty white legs, belly fat (nope, none of those infomercials worked), etc, etc, I don't think anyone above the point of being inebriated to the passing out stage, would want me to show up at their pool in a swimsuit.

So what to do? Well, most men won't realize this, but gals--don't you wear big t-shirts or shorts over you suits? If you don't, and still look fashionable in yours, I HATE YOU!!! This is not a feeling I'm asking the good Lord to help me overcome. I am reveling in this hate--and the fact that you have the time to spend at the gym/tanning salon.

Ok Spiegel, thanks for the reminder! I'm sure you won't miss my order.