Bank Your Basil

Bank Your Basil (The Food Section)

A small pot on our kitchen table is serving up fresh sweet basil regularly. The seeds took 7 days to germinate and I have been using this yummy basil in crockpots full of black eyed peas and ham hocks as well as stewpots of homemade spaghetti sauce. In fact, this basil is being used so quickly, I may plant some more.

The herb saver caught my eye as I have tried to keep herbs fresh in the frig in the past with little luck. I think it is worth the initial investment. Nothing like fresh herbs!!!

My Daily Decisions....Hmmmmm

Sounds

Sounds are emotional eyes.

Some sounds make me feel jittery or on edge,
like listening to a chain saw or wood chipper.
Dogs constantly barking kick the jitters up a notch.

I am privileged to share a home office that is also a studio, so I work at my computer while listening to beautiful music being composed. Since music feeds my soul, I am well fed but not full.

A Visit To The Local Library

It has been years since I visited a library. I had forgotten how easy it is to sign up for a library card and then to pick from thousands of books and check some books and DVD's and CD's out and bring them home. All I have to do is return the items by the designated date and then I get to check out some more.

My computer is so convenient for searching blogs, for finding facts, and googling for information on any subject. But to curl up with a good book I want to be sitting in a big comfy chair with my cup of coffee nearby.

Because we don't watch TV we have lots of time to read in our house. We read so many books that the local thrift stores have run out of the books that interest us.

The library is a perfect solution.

Sore All Over

The bike riding is going better. Another adjustment to the bicycle seat helped and the gel bike seat cover is supposed to arrive today.

The ride yesterday was hard though. The previous night there was a major storm in the area but the sky was pretty clear in the morning and the wind didn't seem too strong as we drove to the parking area to leave the car and start riding.

It should have been a clue to me though that we did the first 4 miles in less time than ever before. So on the return ride we were trying to ride against the wind, which had by then become stronger. Possible 45 mph winds. The wind kept trying to push me and the bike over off the bike path. I am not the strongest bike rider (yet) so I was holding on and determined to finish on the bike and not get off and walk the bike all the way back to the car.

Bugs flew into my eyes and mouth. Yuck.

Mud on me and the bike.

The feeling of accomplishment when I rode all the way back to the car was awesome even if I couldn't talk for another half hour from all the exertion. Today my shoulders and neck and back and arms are so sore from trying to brace against the wind yesterday but after I decided I would not go riding today I still felt like I had accomplished something yesterday. And today I will work out to the Qigong DVD.

Home Deliveries

We have been living in this part of the country about a month and a half now. It is so peaceful and pretty here. The mailman introduced himself and the neighbors welcomed us to the neighborhood.

Because of the long move, we did not bring all our things with us, knowing we would replace some smaller items when we got here. That being the case, we have had several UPS and FedEX and mail deliveries.

Where we used to live if there was not someone at home to sign for a delivery, the delivery person had to leave a note on your door and you had to sign the delivery ticket and request they try again. It was impossible for a package to be left at an empty house because of the problem with theft. So the theft problem caused more work and consequently cost more money for the consumers.

Where we are living now, a pleasant delivery person walks up to a front door, sets down the package and gets back in the truck and goes on delivering packages. They don't even ring the front door. This is the standard operating procedure here. And the best part is the packages are safe on the doorstep. What a concept; people here leave their hands off things that don't belong to them. Wonder if some of the natives here would be willing to teach classes in other states on Thou Shalt Not Steal!

Riding A Bike

I have heard the saying "It's just like riding a bike" when people are encouraging someone to get back up and do something again.

In my case IT IS riding a bike.

I had not ridden a bike in so many years that I did not see that as being part of my life again. When I was a young mother, I would ride with my kids and I would put the youngest one on the child bike seat with a helmet and we would ride all over. And then one afternoon I rode my bike to the local convenience store, put some glass liter bottles of sodas in my bike basket, and headed home. There was a slight incline that I did not anticipate and I fell, bottles breaking all over the gas station lot, and when I drove myself to the emergency room the next day, I was told my left elbow was broken. Bummer.

That was many years ago.

Then about 5 or 6 years ago, I slipped and fell on a misty morning and hurt my tail bone, my shoulder, broke my wrist, and broke my RIGHT elbow. Again, bummer.

A couple years ago I started riding a bike again. Trying to. Determined to. For the exercise this time. I have bought at least 5 different bike seats, and a couple different types of bike seat covers. My tail bone hurts regardless of what I sit on. When I am sitting on a couch or a soft chair, I eventually find that I have scooted down (very poor posture) because my tail bone hurts. I don't usually think much about that though because at my age lots of things hurt from time to time. There is yet another bike seat cover in the mail; this one has gel cushioning.

We rode about 8 miles today. The handlebars are now the height that fits my size best. The seat is at a good height. I am working the gears better. So all that is needed is a comfy seat.

Bad Karma With Coffeemakers

Is it just us, or are coffeemakers a problem for everyone?

Two years ago we were using a new fancy brand name coffeemaker with a timer, built-in coffee bean grinder, pause and serve feature, automatic shut off and special features we did not even use. It died. Kaput. Since we gotta have our coffee every day, we ran to the store and bought a different brand coffeemaker with less fancy features but still auto shut off and pause and serve. Since we are usually in a hurry to drink that first cup of coffee, we thought we should have the pause and serve feature at a minimum.

Three days ago (Surprise, the coffeemaker died) we drove to Best Buy and purchased our third coffeemaker in two years. No extra features. It is either on or off. Period. The first two days it worked fine and by last night the evening decaf ritual was tainted by a nasty surprise of coffee grounds in the coffee. This morning's pot of coffee overflowed all over the counter. Since this is only three days old, we are NOT going to return it but rather we are going to make some adjustments. A couple things have now been removed and now there is no springy thing under the basket. No fuss, no muss. Nothing to clog. There is just a hole in the basket and the coffee goes from the filter into the pot. Whew.

Maybe we have moved past the coffeemaker dilemma and can move on to the office printer sleep mystery. That's another story.

Sisters

I have always wanted a sister. I have one brother and throughout my teenage years I was in foster homes so I have a foster sister from the last foster home. We have managed to remain in sporadic communication throughout the years. Still not the same as having a sister. I have envied people I have known who have sisters and do things with their sisters and have that special sister bond.

Now I have a sister-in-law and she is awesome. She accepts me just as I am. She has challenges in her own life and works to understand them and then to deal with them. She is clear thinking and speaks openly. She is self-assured but not at all controlling. She is busy and talented and accomplishes more in one day than I do in two days. Best of all, she is FUN, and FUNNY, and SMART. It must run in the family because she and her two brothers are borderline brilliant fast thinking and fast talking solid people. They are three of my favorite people.

I am no longer feeling like I am missing something. I carried around the deep dark secret sad place in my heart. I always pushed it away and did not acknowledge it. That is another thing I admire about my sister-in-law, she faces things head on. My way has been to hide it away and tell myself I will deal with it later or some other time. That is worse than procrastination; that is denial.

These days I have the best of both worlds. I have learned from my past and appreciate the present. I have a sister-in-law that I can relate to and admire. There are too many miles between us to hang out together. I am interested in her flower businesses and would love to help her sometimes. Her enthusiasm for her wedding and party designs is contagious. She takes pride in her work. Her blog lists her occupation as florist and event decorator. Actually she is so much more, making sure her clients receive her best work as well as bringing her unique and sparkling personality into the equation.

I thank her brother for adding me into this family and for bringing my SISTER into my life at long last. I am so blessed!

Memorial Day 2008

This is a memorable Memorial Day!

This is the first Memorial Day holiday in a new area about 1500 miles from where we were living for quite a few years.

The memorable part is that I have very little memory of where we were living until about a month ago! It is so peaceful and pleasant in this part of the country that all the stress and rush and noise and foul moods and crime and traffic jams and smog and high prices are distant memories. Not part of my everyday life anymore.

There are a few more boxes to unpack but they are stacked in the garage and out of the way, so when I need something I read the list on the boxes and find what I want.

This is still a great country to live in, and Memorial Day has more meaning than big sales at the furniture stores and barbequed hot dogs and burgers. Now more than ever!

Priveleged Parking-No Permit Required

Driving around the local mall yesterday, searching for a parking space, we noticed signs saying "Expectant Mother Parking". I don't go shopping much, so this may not be new, but it is new to me. I was wondering if the expectant mother had to be showing to qualify, or if someone a month pregnant would be able to avoid a ticket, or if someone not pregnant but looked pregnant could get away with using the special parking space. Would the "expectant mother" have to display a special sign in order to use the space?

When will we have these signs in parking lots (just to name a few):

Grandmother/Grandfather Parking
Bipolar Disorder Parking
Smoking/Non-Smoking Parking Sections
Patrons With Pets Parking
Busy Executives Parking
Student Drivers Parking
Parking For Bloggers Only

The Golden Rule (My Way)

For years I have heard about The Golden Rule and attempted to live my life using that philosophy.

People relate to hearing or seeing "The Golden Rule" so much, that the original name of JC Penney was The Golden Rule. Catchy, huh.

Found here:
"To apply the golden rule adequately, we need knowledge and imagination. We need to know what effect our actions have on the lives of others. And we need to be able to imagine ourselves, vividly and accurately, in the other person's place on the receiving end of the action."

I have imagination but I cannot know what effect my words, looks, or actions have on anyone else unless I am living within their being.

To do unto others as I would have them do unto me is to assume that the others are running on the same ethical steam that I am. Not so. I aspire to complete honesty. That means honest in my relationships as well as honest in business dealings and even honest in filing taxes. Sound corny?

These days I follow a standard of a golden rule that is tailored to my very own lifestyle and beliefs. I have no expectations of a certain response or behavior from anyone else. That means freedom on my part to keep myself in check and not be concerned with the consequences because I act in good conscience just because that is how I choose to live. I work on my shortcomings and live in the present (most of the time) and forgive myself when necessary.

This is not the same thing as "Live and Let Live". Nor is it the same as "To Thine Own Self Be True". This is more like don't expect the same thing from other people that I expect of myself and don't judge others, just keep working on myself.

Color Inside The Lines

Found here:

"Binney & Smith first introduced Crayola Crayons in 1903 with a box of eight colors: Black, Brown, Orange, Violet, Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow. For the next 45 years, the color mix and the color names remained unchanged."

Wow! 1903!!!

"In 1949, the choices increased six-fold, bringing the total in the box to 48 colors."

"In 1958 additional crayons were added, expanding the selection to 64 colors."

"The fluorescent hues of the 70’s found their way into the Crayola box in 1972 with the addition of eight neon-bright crayons."

"Consumers named 16 new colors in 1993, bringing the total to 96."

"In 1998, 24 new colors were added, bringing the total to 120."

And crayons are still being used by kids of all ages all over the world.

Recycling

Found here.

I have enough old CD's for a stool, a short three legged stool.

These Shoes Were Made For Walkin'

These are my tennies. They are the most comfortable shoes I own. We walk over an hour every day now and these shoes are what I wear for walking and exercising.

My sister-in-law likes these shoes. They are pretty cute, kinda girly.
White tennis shoes with two sets of shoelaces. One shoelace white.
One shoelace is white with bright pink checks. It takes a little more time
to put these shoes on and take off because I have to tighten or loosen two
sets of shoelaces.

So worth it. So comfy.

Remembered And Still Not Repaired Part II

Because it was almost her ninth birthday, she was feeling more carefree than usual. When she got to the country store and purchased the loaf of bread, the change in her hand was exciting. She had been on many errands to the store, but today the change was suddenly interesting.

There were small toys in plastic casings hanging from metal hooks. Mesmerized by these objects, she took important time to handle each one and examine the miniature toys with such joy. And then she had to have one. She handed the cashier the change from the previous purchase and held the miniature toy to her heart. Her first purchase. Ever.

The return walk that day was unlike the other walks previously. There was a bounce in her step and a shy smile on her lips. Maybe life could be nice after all.

As she walked into the house her mother asked for the change. She showed the beautiful toy to her mother. She was so devastated by the loud words from her mother; she did not understand at first that she was being told to walk back to the store and return the toy and bring back the money.

When she did return with the change her mother broke a limb off a tree and stripped off the leaves and swatted the little girl's legs.

To Be Continued in a Future Post.

Natural Foods and Fresh Bread

I found a great post here about someone learning to make breads and switching to natural foods.

We have been making our own bread for a couple years, usually whole wheat or whole grain bread, with some experimentation into other flavors.

We are now ready to try making onion bread, focaccia bread (which is also what is the goal at UltraCrepidate), olive/cheese bread.

This is getting to be so much fun being retired. There are so many things to try and now I have the time to try them.

Solar Sunshine

Found here:

"Welsh designer Ross Lovegrove (’Captain Organic’) placed several glowing Solar Trees in the streets of Vienna (October 2007). These solar powered streetlights could save cities energy. Unlike regular streetlights, they do not require costly underground wiring to install, they are immune to blackouts."

"The lights have 10 solar panels arrayed at the top of tree-like branches, which charge built-in batteries."

"The trees also incorporate light detectors, so the lights automatically turn on sunset and off at sunrise."

This makes sense to me so I can expect that it will not be introduced into the cities in the United States.

Romance

Is romance the same as being sentimental?

Is romance just something people do once in awhile to get something?

Are we born with romance in our souls or do we acquire it along the way?

Or not.

I have known some people that I think to myself "that person has absolutely NO romance" and then I have also known some people that in my opinion were way too mushy.

So I guess the idea of romance is like everything in life: An individual opinion. Of course, since I am the one living inside this suitcase of a body and in my own journey of life, I listen to my instincts and go with my gut feeling on most things. More so than my head.

I really like the idea of romance, not just an idea, but a way of life. I like to think of romance in this modern day as a sweetness that is left in this world among the weeds of corruption and callousness and shrewdness we are all wandering around in as we deal with other human beings. Especially in our intimate relationships.

I think romance stands on its own; sweetness and kindness and love are not required for romance to flourish and ripen. Ah, but what an awesome experience to be in the company of someone who incorporates those virtues into their life and shares with others. Yes indeed.

Growing UP Blog Friendly

I like my little blog. It is helping me to finish growing up. I am deliberately keeping it light when I write in this blog. I can carry on conversations about politics and nutrition and world events. But when I write in this blog I want to keep it uncomplicated and random.

There are times that a subject means more to me than others, but in my writing here I still keep it light. For some reason this helps me say things and step back.

There are so many blogs online and we all have our own reasons for "owning" them. In my case, I am owning up to my feelings and when I write it helps me understand myself better. I find out so many things I am interested in when I google something or something comes into my mind when I am not at the computer.

The appearance of simplicity in this format and the simple language I use to express things here are what I am comfortable with. When I wander through the other blogs it gets to be too much, all the ads down both sides, all the different colors, the different font sizes. I just want to read something, not have to wade through all the distractions to get to something worth reading. I am not judging other blogs, I am only helping myself understand what I like about the simplicity in my blog.

When I check out other bloggers' profiles, many of them have more than one blog. I am content with one.

Sunday

Probably half the people I know are celebrating Easter Sunday today.

I send greetings for a momentous day.

My day is just as I would like it to be.

Free. Peaceful. Simple. Loving.

Not just today.

Everyday.

SUNLIGHT

Found here:

"Here’s something completely different that might be just the ticket. Sunrise Serenade ($150) uses a soothing translucent orb that gradually changes the amount of light to wake you up to a simulated sunrise. You can also change it around and fall asleep to a calming sunset."

Since I do not have to use an alarm anymore, I wouldn't have the need for this alarm clock, but if I had known about this sooner, I would have owned one in a heartbeat!

My Friend Anthony

The first time I met Anthony was at a large hall. The interesting seating arrangement was the first thing that caught my eye. Instead of the usual rows of chairs, there were round tables, similar to card tables with padded table tops. And comfortable chairs around the tables. We were all there to hear a panel discussion so there were long tables in front and tables in the rear with coffee urns and brochures and books.

The table I was standing beside was nearest the front door, so when Anthony walked in the door we met. When Anthony's friend arrived a few minutes later, they both sat at the same table since we had already met.

Since that first meeting, I have come to know Anthony and consider him a friend. One of the things I like about him is learning that the quiet manner is not shyness, rather, he is not someone who talks to hear himself talk. When he says something it is usually important and sometimes profound. I am always happy to be someone in hearing range of this talented young man. And he is that: Very talented. An artist.

Another unusual trait is his hearing. He has the ability to listen. Listening with respect, without judgment, and truly hearing is something some people never learn. For someone so young to be able to listen like Anthony does, is a window to his soul.

I am looking forward to Anthony's visit today. He is coming to see us today. We are preparing loaves of bread, timing their completion to when Anthony will be here so we can share fresh bread with him.

Being friends with Anthony is a blessing for me. We can talk candidly about any subject and it teaches me that human beings can meet on even ground and teach one other many things no matter what age any of us are at the time. There are many years between Anthony and myself, but we are friends. Something I have had very few of in my life.

Building A Soup

Learning to cook has come late in my life. I was not taught how to cook or work in the kitchen like some children were, so when I was on my own in an apartment and working and supporting myself, I could make a sandwich or open a can of soup. I was not Suzy Homemaker. No offense to the true Suzy's I have admired and envied.

This past year I began experimenting with making soups in the crock pot. Sometimes using leftovers and sometimes trying something a little unusual.

This morning I went through the cupboards and the refrigerator, pulling out things and setting them on the counter. I could see how I was learning the art of building a soup. I can also understand why I was not able to do something like this before. I was not thinking clearly enough to build anything, even soup.

Today all the collected ingredients will go into the crock pot and will be another soup to nourish the body. For me, it will also provide sustenance for my soul.

I'm still not Suzy Homemaker, but I have tasted the joy of combining foods and having some soups turn out very well.

This is a good start. Building is a good thing, even just starting with building a soup.

I Like To See The Morning

One of the things I will now be able to do in a relaxed state is SEE THE MORNING.

Even as a very small child, one of my secret pleasures was seeing the morning arrive. We moved so often that Sunrise through the trees was one of the only constants. I understand this constant now.

I have always been a "morning person", not able to stay up very late, more in tune with nature, when the sun goes down my system gets ready to rest to be ready for the next awesome morning.

Every morning is awesome, whether it is cloudy or brilliant first sun. AWESOME.

Now that my mornings aren't busy with the pre-work rituals, I can get a cup of coffee and open the curtains and watch with an open heart, trusting that the first peep of sun is an indication for me that I will enjoy another day of natural sunlight and warmth for my soul.

I REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE MORNING!! To experience it and be part of it.

Oh, happy days ahead for me.

I Threw Away My Lunch Bag

Today is Monday. Usually on Monday I have to get up early and make my lunch and go to work.

NOT ANYMORE!!

This is a picture of me throwing away my lunch bag. I won't need to make my lunch anymore.

NOT ANYMORE!!

Today is the first day of my retirement. My last day to go to work was Friday. I won't go to work anymore.

NOT ANYMORE!!!

Say It With Color

White:white lie, white elephant

Black:black as telephones, black sheep,black belt

Green:green with envy, green thumb, greenback, greener pastures, green-eyed monsters, green around the gills,green horn

Red:ruby red lips,rosy cheeks,seeing red, red carpet treatment, caught red handed, not worth a red cent, red letter day, red tape, in the red

Blue:feeling blue, true blue, out of the blue,blue plate special,once in a blue moon, blue blood, blue suede shoes

Brown: brown bagging, brown out, brownstone

Then And Now---Driving

Years ago when I was a teenager learning to drive, the rules of the road were written in cement. I attended drivers training classes at school, passed my driving tests at DMV (Dept of Motor Vehicles), earned a drivers license along with the privilege of driving my old klunker car up and down the main drag on the way to and from school.

During those times there was something called a "rolling stop" which was not making a complete stop at a stop sign. And guess what, there were consequences for not making a complete stop: A Traffic Ticket.

Today at least in the area of the country I live, most of the drivers do NOT make a full stop at a stop sign, in fact they don't attempt to slow down at a stop sign. I have to admit I have done the same thing myself at a corner that is very familiar to me and driving on a one way street and absolutely no traffic. One day I did the rolling stop at that corner in front of a local police person. And received a smirk from the driver of the police car and nothing else. The police these days have so much more to do than worry about a driver not making a complete stop at a stop sign.

Part of me is melancholy when I think back to the days of less traffic, less populace, simple rules.

Could it be that my memories are dim after all these years? I don't think so. I do remember riding in a car with other people who were pulled over and given tickets for not making a complete stop. That is why it is clear to me that there used to be interest in enforcing the minor traffic laws but like other things in this life there are way too many more things to do than the simple rules of yesteryear.

Driving Forward

Driving forward is a lot easier than driving in reverse.

In reverse, you can't see as clearly, you take the chance of running over something or hitting something head-on.

If the gear is in park, that means sitting still, not moving at all, not forward or backward.

As in my life, it doesn't get me anywhere constructive to look backward or live in the past and it sure doesn't get me anywhere to sit still and be stuck in the present even though I believe that living in the present is the healthy thing to do. But when I live in the present, it is healthy to be actively living there, to participate and BE present. When I do that, I am actually driving forward, seeing the road clearly and making wise decisions. I might have to stop once in awhile to clean the windshield and get focused again, and then the wheels begin rolling again in this earthly vehicle I call my life.

No Queues To Use The Head

Hopefully they cleaned the sinks first.

This is a pretty handy dandy restaurant.



Apparently the first Taiwanese Toilet Bowl Restaurant was so popular that they opened a second one … who knows, maybe this will become the next big global franchise. 10 years from now, instead of visiting the Golden Arches, you might just be stopping into the
Poo Poo Palace!

Dreaming In Multi-Color

Most of my dreams are in color. Brilliant colors. Brighter colors than on a television screen or a cinema screen. My life has certainly not been dull, so the fact that my dreams are such amazing colors seems as natural to me as having my first cup of coffee in the mornings.

I said most of my dreams are in color. There are a few stragglers from my distant childhood that remain black and white. Unpleasant dreams. Not of any actual events, but visions that were unnerving for the child experiencing the nocturnal nightmares.

Leftover dreams from my childhood are in black and white.

I don't have those dreams very often anymore.

Today's dreams feature people, pets, adventures. In brilliant color.

Missed Calls

This morning there were three missed calls on my cell phone. I am not one of the people walking around holding a cell phone to an ear or driving while trying to negotiate traffic. I don't begrudge anyone who uses a cell phone most of their waking hours. My lifestyle is different by choice.

To the best of my recollection, people used to use etiquette on the phone and this was taught to children in beginner telephone 101.

In the past, if I wanted to know if I missed a call I would install an answering machine to the home telephone and that way someone could LEAVE A MESSAGE. What a unique concept.

When I see the orange blinking light on my cell phone, I know I either have a message or there was a missed call.

If there is a missed call, I console myself with my standard approach of "hey, if it were important, they would LEAVE A MESSAGE".

Chili For Breakfast

We chopped green peppers, lots of onions, and opened cans of black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans while ground turkey and chili seasoning browned on the stove. These ingredients were placed in the crock pot and stewed tomatoes were added to the mix.

We awoke to the smell of chili.

We scrambled eggs and poured chili on top.

How's that for a hearty breakfast???

Like the shrimp in Forest Gump, we can do chili dogs, chili nachos, chili and cheese, chili on baked potato, chili rice, chili spaghetti, chili burritos, chili fries, chili casserole, chili macaroni, and chili and shrimp!

Guess that makes us full of beans!

This Baby Makes Sense

Lists, Lists, And More Lists

My life is ablaze with a myriad of lists.

Not just the standard grocery list. Or the Target list.

Nah, I have lists of chores to get done by next month. And then lists of chores to accomplish by two months from now.

I have attacked one of the lists this week and have put the items up for sale that will not go with us on our next move. The second car was snatched up in the first day. Only two other large items to sell and then we can have a yard sale.

Elimination can mean so many things.

Love and Romance

I Found My Heart In The Dust

On the tall dresser is a small box of gold leaf and etched glass. Inside are all my bracelets.

My dear husband casually mentioned that he had left me a note on the dresser. After searching later that afternoon, I saw something beautiful.

Written in the dust of the top of the etched glass was a heart and and arrow pointing to the heart. Since it was glass, it was not easy to see and did not stand out.

So when I walked back into the living room I said "I found my heart in the dust".

Ah, true love. It is so grand.

Scabs On My Knees

There is difference between scabs and callouses.

Callouses are like wearing a medal of honor to show continuous work.

Scabs show my inability to let it heal, my unwillingness to give up the pain and my pleasure in picking away at the sore and my enjoyment in the new pain.

Learning to live a healthy life is a circle of becoming aware of when I am picking at the scabs as opposed to building up the callouses.

Mushy Stuff

Valentine's Day is approaching. I am aware of that because of the advertisements in the newspapers strewn across the tables in the lunch room at work and hearing snippets of conversations between co-workers. There is an excitement akin to the Christmas holidays with people looking forward to presents, flowers, or at least a box of chocolates!

This is not a Bah-Humbug post. Not at all. In fact, I am one of the proponents of romance and love and mushy stuff. But in my case, I like that mushy stuff throughout the year, not on one day a year.

At our house we do not give each other Valentine's Day cards or presents or flowers or even chocolates. The reasons for this are:

We sneak little notes to each other several times a week, in a cupboard, in the medicine cabinet, on a pillow, inside a book one of us is currently reading or in an odd place that presents us with a happy surprise. There is no need to buy a card and sign it or even make a card when we do that all the time.

We do not buy presents for each other because we are at an age that we have what we need and want and the more important reason is that we have been the loveliest gift to each other and we are thankful for every day we have together. We are a gift to each other every day, not one day a year. Even when we argue, we don't want to hurt each other, we just want to be heard and get our opinion recognized as important.

Flowers are lovely and we each appreciate the glorious beauty of nature; however, seeing a smile on my beloved's face and the twinkle of the eyes brings more joy than a roomful of flowers could present.

Chocolates are not out of the question completely, except that we do not use any sugar; not natural sugar or synthetic sugars. The only sweeteners we have used for a year and a half are honey and pure maple syrup. We make our "candy" using carob and natural items and we share a piece of candy in a loving, peaceful atmosphere throughout the year.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day and maybe some of the sweetness of this particular holiday will find its way into your life more often throughout the year and not be absent in your life until the next Valentine's Day.

Little Red Wagon

A neighbor has a sweet older red wagon on her front porch.

Her name is stenciled on the sides in white paint.

I think we all should have a sweet little red wagon with our names on it to remind us of a time to play and laugh and run and share rides.

I never had a sweet little red wagon, and never had a childhood of laughter and play and shares. I do now though. My goal is this year to find a small sweet little red wagon and put my name on it.

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Music, Music, Music

"Guitar strings are the toner cartridges of the guitar industry"

explained James Winningham, guitar play extraordinaire, as he was relating the guitar playing business to a full time office employee person.

"Guitar players hate to change strings, so there are new tech strings coated or wrapped in something, called Elixir Strings, that are twice the price of regular strings."

Listen to the clip of James' music in the sidebar of this blog. He is currently finalizing 7 original tunes for an upcoming CD.
I found some info on the Elixir Strings on Guitar Talk:

"If you like the smoothness of the Elixir strings, I highly recommend the D'Addario Flat Tops and D'Addario Chromes. I exclusively use Flat Tops and Chromes, and have never experienced breakage or defects with any of them. Two of my instruments actually had the same set of Flat Tops on them for nearly three years, and they never broke or sounded "old." I finally changed the string sets on both instruments, out of sheer embarrassment that I left the same strings on my instruments for such an insane amount of time. D'Addario Flat Tops were the obvious choice for the new sets!"

At Key Note Music:

"Strings are not just strings. They are the connection between you and your music. When strings go dead, so goes the inspiration to play. After all, who wants to play when strings feel crusty and their sound is dull and muddy? It's a curse we lived with for years.
With a vision to change the world one set of strings at a time, Elixir set out to develop the cure for the common string. Strings that deliver great tone for a really long time. Strings that stay feeling clean and smooth."

Living with a guitar player has its rewards: He plays for ME!! He sings to ME! He is marrying ME! And I am learning more every day from a wonderfully talented musician/composer.

Beautiful Women

Put your sound on, relax, enjoy the many faces through the
progression of earth time.

Good Neighbor Policy?

Found
the
graphic
at
rottenneighbor.com.

Cute idea, huh.

Also found some good words about neighboring at can you hear me now:

"All of us have a neighbor or two that is less than desirable.
They say that one out of three homes are owned by rotten type neighbors.
Look around you. If the neighbors on either side of you are OK;
GUESS WHAT?

If you find out that such a site exists for your area, would you be afraid to go there and check it out?

If you answered YES! to that question perhaps some radical changes are needed on your part.

Have you noticed this awful odor and it's pretty strong where you are sitting? That's another clue that there's something wrong and it's closer in the mirror of life than you suspect."

Taking A Personal Inventory

It is taking a long time for me to take a personal inventory. This is something I want to do and that I think I will benefit immensely when it is completed. I am writing down a few significant people in my life during different age groups up to and including the age I am now. And then I am building upon that by writing about an event that I remember that was significant to me at that time. And then I am writing what was my part in it and how did it impact my life; what behaviors did I begin or what reactions did I reinforce.

This didn't sound like a difficult task. Until I started doing it.

There were so many different people who have been significant in my life, so picking the top three or four for each age group was the first challenge. Then for me to really be honest and to see my part in each incident requires some soul searching.

I know that many other people have done this same type of personal work and have lived through it and gained insight into their past. I know that many people have done soul searching work and benefited from the honesty and self evaluation. To do this kind of work on myself and fly through it and not do a rigorous personal inventory would be like calling myself an honest thief or an anorexic chef or a blind bird watcher. I have to give it my all. I want to. This is taking more time than I thought it would. But I have lots of time. I have the rest of my life. And the rest of my life is looking healthier and happier and serene.

Memories

I found a wonderful post on The Art Of Intimacy:

"A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen."by Edward de Bono.

Our memories are what keeps us connected to reality. Read this post and the rest of her blog. Very encouraging and enlightening.

Kids Will Eat Anything If It Is In McDonald's Wrapper

According to this story in the New York Daily News, young children think

"anything in a McDonald's wrapper - even a vegetable - tastes better than the same food in a plain wrapper."

...and...

"It's not just burgers and fries. Carrots, milk and apple juice tasted better to the kids when they were wrapped in the the Golden Arches.

The study had youngsters sample identical McDonald's foods in name-brand and unmarked wrappers. The unmarked foods always lost the taste test. Robinson said it was remarkable how children so young were already so influenced by advertising.

The study involved 63 low-income children ages 3 to 5 from Head Start centers in San Mateo County, California."

I raised my kids on McDonald's. Yikes!!!