Does Any Of This Count?

  Resolutions...Does this count? ~

 1.  Play golf...Playing Wii golf.

 2.  Play tennis...Again with the Wii.

 3.  Learn to speak Spanish...My friend greeted me, "Hola, bella."  I said, "Hola!"

 4.  Make an Indian meal...Poured Jalfrezi simmer sauce by Seeds of Change onto baked tofu and vegetables. Holy curry! Delicious!

 5.  Remind everyone about the importance of hand-holding..."Elsa, Lucas...you are going to get smooshed if you don't hold my hand...it is dark and we are in a parking lot."

 6.  Kids in the kitchen!...I made pumpkin muffins while the kids were in the kitchen.

 7. Read a book by a local author...Just finished "What the Dead Know" by Laura Lippman. She is from Baltimore. So am I. Locals.

 8.   Go out with the girls...According to an urban dictionary, "the girls" can be a reference to one's breasts. If that's the case, then I am always out with the girls.

 9.  Ride a roller coaster...I get out of bed every morning. Let the ride begin!

Car-ma

Today, the kids and I drove to an indoor play area. We parked in a spot that had an actual meter - as opposed to the system where you have to walk a mile, swipe your credit card through a machine, take a ticket,  then walk another mile returning to your car to place the ticket in the window.

Clink. Nothing happened.
Of course, that wasn't enough for me to realize there was an issue with this particular parking-space monitor.
Clink. Nada.

So, we moved our car to another space. This meter appeared to be working. There were arrows...one faced the "right" spot, which was where Joy ( I have a Saab...sounds so sad...so I named her Joy) was stationed. The other arrow pointed "left." I noticed the time had expired for that vehicle. Yippee! I could fulfill another resolution.
I put money into the meter for Joy's neighbor. That's good Car-ma.

Feeding The Soul

My Nana had a wonderful sense of humor. When she would tell a funny story or joke, she'd punctuate every line with theatrical pauses or dramatic facial expressions. Then, when it was time for the punch line, she'd sing with laughter. Her face would turn red. She'd slap her hands on the table, instead of her lap, as her eyes welled with joyful tears. If her sisters ~ Katie, Virginia, or Bernice ~ happened to be in the same room, the laughter was amplified. A gaggle * of gigglers! You could hear the cackling throughout the house. It's the kind of laughter that makes other people join in, even if they haven't a clue as to what is so funny.

Whatever the gene is that steers people to view things in an amusing light and laugh uncontrollably - even at things that others might not find humorous (like ourselves) - I have it. Thank-you, God!

Over the last year or so, I've connected via facebook with family and friends from so many different times in my life...people I've known since childhood, as well as those who I met last month. And I'm blessed to count on both hands (Yes, I borrowed this line from Mr. Vedder) people who I interact with in and around my Colorado home. While everyone comes from different circumstances, the thing I've realized is that the people in my life - (maybe all people?) - are FUNNY! I'm so grateful for this! What a gift! Daily - sometimes hourly - I laugh, long and loud. And there are times when I'm able to bring the laughter forth in others. What a joy!

We are taught to love one another. And absolutely, we should.
But there is somethig else that lifts people up, heals broken hearts, bridges misunderstandings, creates peace of mind, feeds the soul...it's laughter.
So, I propose that we not only love one another, but we laugh with one another!

Here's to Nana! Cheers!


Word of the day ~
Gaggle ~ 1.  A group :
2. A flock, as in geese

I Have Lots of Patches in the Sewing Kit

Elsa came to me, favorite pair of jeans in hand. She had taken a tumble and there was a small tear in the knee.
"Mom, please fix this."
"Ok, pumpkin pie. I'll stitch it up for you." (I said this with confidence, even though sewing is not my forte. Especially, sewing denim. Ouch.)
"You can put a cute patch on it. You aren't that good at sewing (Whew...off the hook! She knows me so well.) I like the ladybug that is in the sewing box."

Done.

Once the torn area had been addressed, she couldn't stop raving about the pants. They were so special to her...even more so now than before the damaged occurred.

The way Elsa feels about her jeans is the way I feel about relationshsips that have been ripped a little...even torn apart. People create relationships. And because we err, our relationships - at one time or another  - bear the brunt of our falls.

Throwing away a perfectly good pair of jeans isn't an option to me. Neither is throwing away a person who is one of my favorites. I value the relationships in my life, just as I appreciate the comfort of an old pair of jeans.
They're soft. They fit. They've walked through all sorts of experiences with me.  Frayed edges are always welcome.

Mending takes time and patience. It's done with love in my heart. And I always look forward to the end product...seeing something that at one time was so lovely, now renewed and revitalized.

What's New?

My friend, Elizabeth, was at the gym the other day. We were walking toward each other. I could see it in her hand. The smell of it was coming out of that teensy-weensey hole in the lid. Starbuck's coffee. Temptress!

We stood and yapped for a bit. She moves her hands while she talks. The coffee cup was swirling through the air...moving this way and that. My eyes were doing the same...darting, following the cup. We decided to circle the track a few times while we chatted. The java came with us.

I confessed that I was having a tough time without my mugs of coffee in the morning. She said that she wasn't surprised I was having withdrawal..it's always difficult to give up something delicious. Plus, she pointed out, there are some really great health benefits to drinking coffee.

I like healthy treats.

I went home and looked at my list. When I wrote it, I noted that I needed to LIMIT my consumption to one cup per day. YEAH!

So, I brewed up a dark roast and had some joe while I read the letter from my pen pal!

Life is too short to give up on delicious.

Tongue Biting Is Far Worse Than Nail Biting And...

I won't be doing either.
*
I never was a nail biter. Not even during scary movies.
I never was a tongue biter. Not even during daring moves while kissing.
*
"Bite my tongue" is on my list of resolutions.
I did it. I bit it.
*
Over the last few weeks I haven't said a peep about Robertson, Reid, Limbaugh, Brown, or Bauer,
Nor about the vile remarks of facebook fans that show up every hour.
I've been watching and reading as others post their non-sensical writ,
(Achoo! Achoo! Excuse me, I forgot...I'm allergic to bullshit).
I welcome a difference of opinion, a variety of views,
As long as they aren't simply talking points lifted from the babbling heads at Fox News.
Friends who truly love me aren't offended by what I say,
Speaking out rather than shutting up...they wouldn't have me any other way.
Please remember, friends, that I love you so my intent isn't to offend,
Rather, I believe communication is a step toward a nation on the mend.

Peace.
http://www.nationalpriorities.org/

Senior Center Field Trip

The kids and I took a trip to the Senior Center, which is attached to one of the recreation centers in town. We delivered the Valentine's (read Heart To Heart if you aren't up on the making of these gems)  and some cookies. There were a handful of folks who were reading papers, chatting, and registering for classes When they saw us arrive they fussed over Elsa and Lucas. Both parties loved the attention!

I'm going to return at the end of the week to see if they hung the hearts.

*******

Word is...Webster is taking the night off! Be back tomorrow.