TGIF

!! Happy Friday !!
I'm not particularly a drinker
actually
it's rare for me to have more
than 3 alcoholic beverages per year
but
there are times
when a drink comes along that
intrigues
Try this one
and
enjoy your weekend


Recipe: 1 part Cranberry Juice, 1 part apple pucker, 1 part crown royal

Integrity

~Integrity~

it attracts me like no other quality

but

the problem

with

loving someone with integrity

is

when they do the right thing

which is inherently so part of their make up

who they are

and

it goes against what you both want

it means

we

(there's a me in there too)

also have to live

with the

consequences

Loose Women

Worry Wart

I live with worry

I've lived with it for 28 years

as a cop's wife

never knowing as I kiss my husband goodbye

if thats the last time

as he heads off to work

trying not

to have cross words

just in case

something happens

and yeah

he has been shot at

gotten stitches from a bar fight

had pit bulls set upon him

and thats just the stuff

he's told me

I've heard there is

a lot more

but

The scariest thing

is wondering

if your son

the underwater welder

who is in the Gulf

diving on an oil rig

is

OK

Since texts

emails

and

calls to his company based in Texas

have gone

unanswered

Update: My son was outwater, and has done work on this particular platform...but was not part of this disaster. My heart goes out to the 11 missing and presumed dead.

WWJD?

Wes had left the television

on

when he went to bed

tonight

As I read

I absently listened

to an

infomercial for skin care

then

a

television reverend came on the air

shouting how close to Jesus

he was

and how

he

should be

followed without question

As I heard this

I was wondering about his unseen life

what his private world was like

who he really

was in the dark

(where it counts)

Then

I started

thinking to myself

that

its apparent that

most preachers

encourage people to pray

as

they themselves

prey

Ignorance is Bliss

Over the years

various good friends and family

have said to me

''If I act like XX, let me know..I'm serious''

What I have found

is they really don't mean

it

based upon their reactions

when I do gather up my courage

and

say something

no matter how gently

I try to approach

the

subject

And so now

when someone says that to me

I refuse

right then and there

and have no guilt

in

doing so

Hitting a Wall

For the most part

I like being married to a big guy

I am protected

since nobody messes with a big guy

who carries a gun for a living

Granted

dancing is a challenge

as I stare at his belt buckle

I guess it's just

what I'm used to

but

when I'm scurrying around

being busy

and

I run into my husband

it's like hitting a brick wall

He's solid

and tall

and

his shoulders are ridiculous

so

for the past 28 years

I have shoved him

out of the way

and told him sternly to

"MOVE"

when

he stood directly in my path

He's always given me a puzzled look

kinda hurt

I finally figured out

he had no idea of my 5'3'' un-tall

perspective

So

the other day

in the kitchen

I stood on a stool

with a couple of towels

laid over my arms

to simulate wide shoulders

and

told him to try to get around me

He couldn't

I was unmoveable

and tall

and big

just like the wall

I had accused him of being

I could tell he finally

had a breakthrough

when

he got frustrated

and

now he realizes

what I mean when I say

I can't get around him

or see over him

now that he has

experienced it too

So I wonder

Why didn't I think of doing this

28 years

ago

?

Yeah, I'm a fan

Vintage Threads

I

love love love love

embroidered pillowcases

so very much

I

cannot be entrusted to go onto ebay

and not overbid

to make sure

I get them

It's so nice to think

of the talent and work involved

knowing embroidery isn't a lost art

and

people still take the time

and effort

to make something as mundane and boring

and unseen as a pillowcase

pretty

Besides I think there

just isn't anything

better

than waking up in the morning

with a basket of flowers

or a butterfly

imprinted upon

my cheek

Small World

I've had such a wonderful, bizarre day

Today

I found out

''Rose''

whom I had helped mentor

thru

hygiene school

a few years ago

was actually

the daughter

of a very good friend of mine

''Heather''

who

I went to school with

The bizarre part

is

I had no idea

and

she had no idea

since we had lost touch in 1981

and

we are in a different state

so

what are the chances

of this

happening?

Enough

My Father Retires Today

For him to hang up his hat

was a tough decision

I'm hoping he makes

peace with his choice

and

relaxes a little

In his line of business

(as someone not of the corporate world)

he won't get a party

he won't get cards and well wishes

and

he wont get a gold watch

or a pension

but

as he retires to tend to his

orchards

of

nuts and oranges and olives

I certainly hope

he thinks of this

not as an 'ending up'

but

as a new

beginning

Mine, Mine, MINE!

One of the best things about an i-pod

is the individual can pick their own music

To allow otherwise

They would have called it a u-pod

I suppose

what I'm saying here

is

My musical choices are my own business

My own choices

And

While I'm on a roll here

Myspace is called MYspace

for a

reason as well

People get to post what they want to it

and really

isn't that the point?

If you don't like the content

of what is written in a blog

myspace, facebook or twitter

or a myriad of venues

there is an easy cure

*Don't read it*

It's a pretty simple concept

Anymore

I sort of chuckle

if people get upset about something

they read

whether it be here

there

or

everywhere

Once

Someone very special

told me

(and trust me, he ought to know)

''Entertainment is Selfish''

So

for the record

I probably should tell you

I'm not really writing for your entertainment

I'm writing for

mine

Pivot Points

Have you ever sat down

and

taken a minute

to

think about all the people

who have touched

your life?

Supported you?

Who has influenced you ?

As far as being influenced or inspired

I believe we already have the answers

to what we want

and

what we need

within ourselves

but

sometimes it takes that one person

that one spirit

to unlock

our potential

at that very split second

we choose

to

listen

Keeping up

In addition to my beloved Kindle reader.....
(omg omg omg.......did I mention I love that thing?)
Guess what else I got for my birthday?
Well
It's a pretty color
Has shiny bits
Roars down the road
rather quickly
and
makes me very happy
Ta-DA!
It's
a
Honda VTX 1300
I just need to get a few more things adjusted
because I'm rather small
and
it's rather big
but
I'm sure in time
we'll become the best
of
friends

Wee Ones

Yesterday in the City

I saw a woman walking rapidly

She was on her cell phone

clutching the hand of a young child

a dog on a leash

and had obviously

been grocery shopping

and had picked up her

dry cleaning

I actually stopped and stared at her

because the key point she was missing

was the abject misery

I saw etched on her child's face

While I know not all days

are filled with sweetnes and light

This scene brought me back

to really what is more important

than clean laundry

(I dare you not to smile when you see this video)

Bright Lights, Big City

The past couple of days I've been at a dental conference
It's always interesting to hear what is going on in the world of dental
catching up with people I know
I just wish I were more comfortable
in a city type atmosphere
Between the huge amount of traffic I encountered
(an hour sitting in traffic to go 3 miles)
to getting lost
(more than a few times)
the people are different in a city
They sit closer
They push
They talk faster
And louder
They certainly move and walk faster
and
even the young people
have a certain hardness about them
That is almost palpable
In seeing this
I realize how blessed I have been
I grew up with a lot of open space
around me
big sky above me
and
a pace that is leisurely
and calm
I live in a smallish town
and
the worst traffic jam happens when there are
4 people waiting at the 4 way stop
and nobody will go
since
they are all waving each other through
(yes, seriously this IS a problem where I live)
so
while a big city is conducive
to a certain lifestyle
I don't think it's for me
because
I kind of like waving to the mayor
down the street
and knowing
while I’m digging in my purse
to find a quarter for the parking meter
some stranger invariably will
hand me some change
then walk away
whistling
a
happy tune

It's Complicated

I have been called complicated

many

many

many

times

over the years

from those who know me

or

those that think they do

(or did)

While it's true

I don't fit into

pigeon-holed molds

nor do I

have a conventional

sensibility about most things

I can assure you, dear reader

friends and family

you cannot possibly

know how complicated

I really am

inside

Since

I hold back a mountain

of emotion

with a single quivering finger

Strangely

I don't care who you are

or

where you're from

when I'm criticized

it's much easier for me

to believe

than the

good stuff I'm told

And yes

I do get hurt

But

I will never, ever

let you see

it

The Truth Said Aloud

In Seach of.....

Excellence

It's a word that had been used loosely

recently

but

I think

if someone can be

excellent

at one thing

just one

like

maybe being

a

stellar husband

fantastic cook

maybe

amazing at photography

or

even the best driver

to hit the interstate

I believe

something wonderful will happen

I think

everything else

(the rest of the puzzle)

will simply

fall into

place

Thanks for the great day....!

Some things are just too cool for a lot of words

and

the bottom line

is

once in awhile

it's pretty good

to be

me

I am 47.

If you're reading this, it means I have turned 47

For some reason

Birthdays come faster and faster

the older you get

There was a time

when

I didn't think I'd make it to 47

and

today I realize

that 47, 57, 67, 77, 87, 97

are

just numbers

and

they don't define who you are

because your spirit

gets to be

whatever age

you want it to

be