Oy......

Seriously--she slept holding my head.  3:30am she's 'hearing screaming--did you hear screaming, Nana?'.  Up she crawls, in she goes 'we're going to cuddle'-- and if holding my head to her belly as she stretches out on the pillow is 'cuddling'.....yup, that's what we did.
5:10am--'bathroom, I need to go potty'.  Right...good time for Nana to rise and Bug to claim my spot, I say!

Man!  She's still got herself all snuggled in with Mr. Bunny and I'm....nursing the third pot of coffee.  LOL  Yes, THIRD.

It's all good.  She'll be in much better spirits for the sleep.
I, however, will remain grumpy.  LOLOL

Hopefully that'll hit later in the day once she's returned to the parental units that have packed up a HOST of stuff--moving is such a chore!

Thinkin' I'll take that last cuppa coffee on the patio now! ;-)

The Clean Up Man

Fairy Dust

One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy 

over the good fortune of others.

Turtle Rider

Fun Day

Four hours of the museum is enough to make ME weary...so the melt down when it was time for dinner, the "time out" that was necessary when it was time to pick up toys, the sudden "afraid of the dark" despite the usual nightlight and hallway light, the demand for a drink of water and ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE pillow half way down down the bed attempted power struggle....

THOSE are nothin' compared to the whinings this tired Nana is about to begin.  ROFLMAO!!

Oh but we saw snakes and turtles and otters and crayfish and eels and boats and STUFF!!

:-)

Today's Fairy Thought

If you are excited about forming a relationship based on

what it looks like you can get, rather than what you can give,

you have started off on the wrong foot entirely, and you

could be heading for a big disappointment.

The purpose of all relationships is to create a sacred context

within which you can express the fulness of who you are.

And who you are is an experience you have before

you enter relationsh

ip, not because you did.

Recycled

Yup--spoilt!

$88.23

Seriously?
The Bug is coming for the weekend.
That's Friday night, all of Saturday and Sunday until mid-afternoon.
The mom and dad need the time to pack cuz they're moving house come July.
Well, that and Nana needs some Bug time.
She's excitedly talked with me the past three days in a row--reminding me she's coming for the weekend.
YEAH!!!  And don't think Nana's not equally happy!

Right:

Oreos of the 'sherbet' kind
Coconut cookies with dark chocolate drizzle
Cookie dough ice cream
Mac and Cheese times three (of Monster Inc, no less!!)
Cherry tomatoes  *yes, the 4 year old loves cherry tomatoes
Grapes
Pineapple
Cantelope
Hot dogs
Chicken nuggets
Corn dogs
Salad *Bug is the only 4 year old I know who loves 'bunny food'
Carrots *more 'bunny food'
Cheese sticks
Fruit pops of the freezer kind
Fish crackers
Chip dip
Potato chips
Bananas
Chocolate bars
Graham crackers *yep--s'mores!
Spaghetti'os

Oh gee..off the top of the head--that's some of it.
OH wait!  Despicable ME video!!

Seriously?  She's 4 and we'll be outside with water or at the park climbing and getting filthy dirty!  She'll help Nana garden, blow bubbles, play with sidewalk chalk, douse grandad with her squirty thingy and chase lightening bugs.
WHEN will she have time to eat all THAT?!
*shaking head*

You'd think the child was spoilt by the grandad.
Cuz she is?

No worries--I'm sure we'll start off the weekend with a trip to the ice cream shop--
*laughing*

Fairy Keeper

Acceptance is the acknowledgment of the inherent perfection in every person, situation and experience regardless of how difficult or challenging it may appear or feel.

Acceptance does not depend or rely upon what is going on externally. It is an internal state of awareness and being.

Acceptance of others as doing the best they can, regardless of what they do or how they do it, eliminates judgment. In order to come to a place of acceptance, you must be willing to relinquish your position (e.g. being right, what is fair, what you should or should not do, etc.)

In the midst of a difficult experience, you are called to acceptance. You cannot change the past. Only by acceptance of the feelings and memories associated with the past are you able to change your choices and responses to similar experiences.

Acceptance requires that you embrace all seeming imperfections which present themselves, knowing that you can set a new course for your life, one minute at a time, one day at a time. Acceptance of experiences is realized as an outgrowth of acceptance of self. Acceptance of who you are and what you have experienced is the foundation of unconditional loving of self.

They're baaaaackkkk

Repeat....
Rain.
Rain.
More rain.

Wait....it didn't rain during the overnight hours--this is a good thing!  230am is a bit much for a 1st class thunderstorm that dumps 2" of rain on you.  Not to worry--we didn't get the 7" that the area north of us got! Right....that only means 'what's north comes south' in terms of the river.
*sigh*  Yes...flooded.  With more flooding to come.
The good news is we have no plans until Friday.
The bad news--the river isn't set to crest until Friday evening.
Already there are closed roads in town--already we've lost the north entry road.  Hopefully we'll keep the south entry but if not, I know the backroads from here to another entry.

Ohhh...but the lightening bugs are CRAZY right now.  Heat and humidity does that.  It also breeds mosquitos.
Out on the patio it's laugh and swat time right about dusk.
Well, it was last night!  First night this week that I've been able to sit on a DRY patio swing and watch the show!

The other nights....I had a wet rear.  LOLOLOL

Portrait Setting

TFTD

There is no such thing as "change for the worse."

Change is the process of Life itself, and that process could be

called by the name "evolution." And evolution moves in only

one direction: forward, and toward improvement.

Therefore, when change visits your life, you can be sure

things are turning for the better. It may not look that way

in the very moment change arrives, but if you will

wait a while and have faith in the process, you will see

that this is true.

The Two Babies

Fairy Reading

Resolve to be thyself; and know that who finds himself, loses his misery. --Matthew Arnold  

Our need for approval compels us to try to look good - no matter what's going on. We imagine that somehow everything will be okay as long as it looks okay. Our hearts may be breaking from fear, disillusionment, and rejection, real or imagined, but we keep smiling so that no one will guess. 

Why do we do this to ourselves? Is it so hard to turn to a friend and say, "Hey, I'm hurting. I've been having a bad time and I need help"? Would the earth tremble if we said it right out, just like that?  We're not likely to get what we don't ask for. Instead of denying that our knees are shaking, our hands are sweating, and our stomachs are in torment, we can admit and share the truth. 

We don't have to say "Fine!" when someone asks us how we're doing. Our real friends aren't impressed by stiff upper lips; they're impressed by personal honesty. 

Yup....

Rain.
Rain.
And more rain.

I keep waking up to storms.
Yesterday we were in the basement with tornado warnings--and this morning when the town's siren went off in the midst of the storm (literally) I was pulling myself up to go BACK to the basement when the lightbulb moment happened.....the noisy weather alert thingy hadn't made a noise.  OH yes......ending of the siren means that the volunteer fireman are jumping in their cars and dashing off to the firehouse!  No basement required for that one.
But the skies have been ominous the past few days.  High humidity and hot days--it's summer in the midwest.
I have flowers on the buddleias.
I have pinwheels whirling around in the garden.  FAST....cuz in 65mph winds they whirl around like crazy!
And I have sidewalk chalk that's not been out of the box forEVER.
*sigh*
Oh, but the sunsets have been awesome.

And the rivers and creeks have been past full.
But the fields look amazing!!
Umm.....the ones that aren't submerged in the waters.

It's summer.
Oh!!

Sweetcorn!!!
I can feel it approaching....

:-)

Out for a Stroll

TFTD

Reasons for gratitude are easy to find. If we're breathing, we can think of people hooked up to oxygen tanks. If our skin is smooth, we can remember people suffering in burn units. If we ran into a store for a minute to buy a gallon of milk today, we can remember the long lines people in other cultures endure for the same errand.  And we exist! That alone is miraculous. We have survived a chronic, often fatal disease. For many of us, life is better than before, because we've found a new appreciation for life, a new depth and peace, a new calmness. And we can continue to grow in each beautiful day that is given to us. 

Super Sunset

Today's Reading

When love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep.
--Kahlil Gibran

There will be many opportunities to express love in the days ahead, and some may be cloaked in harsh wrappings. Perhaps an argument will wound and then be healed by the exchange of loving words and intimate gestures.

Maybe a friend or lover will be called away for a while, and the painful loneliness will make us question our commitment to love. Yet, in loving unconditionally, we'll find peace.

Love, though a soft word and a gentle image, doesn't always promise us soft, gentle moments. Sometimes love offers us a pained heart and empty arms. We know love comforts, but not always. Love heals, but in its own time. The desire to know love draws us together, always.

Patriotic Whirlings

Friday's Hail

Sunday....

The good news about a new 'reader' is it's something new to play with!
The bad news about a new 'reader' is it has all sortsa settings you can play with--and screw up.  LOLOL

That's okay--it's a learning curve, I'm sure.
Right. Tried to catch up on what I've missed that I didn't KNOW I was missing, did the usual morning deal--and now I think I'll head out to the patio.......where I'll melt in the heat and humidity.

I didn't get very 'far' in the decorating quest.  Fact is I had a bit of a meltdown.  Never, ever try to force something creative to 'happen'.  Cuz that never works for me and it just frustrates me to the point of a meltdown.  Which is what himself found me doing when he emerged from his 'laying down with a headache'. *sigh*  Lovely....  Oh, and the remains of decorating supplies at the store--notsomuch.  I did purchase a pinwheel.  And decided that adventure didn't really serve it's purpose, other than to get me a bit of space from the physical issue at hand.  Today I'll try to attack the decorating from a different angle--or not.  Face it, if I put it out, it only means having to haul it back in.  And 'minimal' isn't a bad plan.  I'll shoot for minimal.

And I'll finish the wreath with the supplies I have on hand cuz....it ain't like I don't HAVE stuff on hand!
'New stuff' won't solve the real issue here.  Only me altering my attitude and perception will do that.

Right!  Patio!!

Daily Reminder

Resentments are sneaky, tricky little things. They can convince us they're justified. They can dry up our hearts. They can sabotage our happiness. They can sabotage love.

Most of us have been at the receiving end of an injustice at some time in our lives. Most of us know someone who's complained of an injustice we've done to him or her. Life can be a breeding ground for resentments, if we let it.

"Yes, but this time I really was wronged," we complain.

Maybe you were. But harboring resentment isn't the solution. If it were, our resentment list would resemble the Los Angeles telephone directory. Deal with your feelings. Learn whatever lesson is at hand. Then let the feelings go.

Resentments are a coping behavior, a tool of someone settling for survival in life. They're a form or revenge. The problem is, no matter whom we're resenting, the anger is ultimately directed against ourselves.

Take a moment. Search your heart. Have you tricked yourself into harboring resentment? If you have, take another moment and let that resentment go.

ohmygosh....

What is WRONG with me?!
The whole of my decorations for the 4th....one lonely bow on the wreath and shove some wee flags into some flowerpots.
Right...one of THE busiest times at the house and that's it?!

I'll condiser this my stern talking to and get my head wrapped around something more than that.  For goodness sakes--it's not like red, white and blue are hard to find right now!  Right...it just means getting from here to there, in, out,...take a wee bag I can stuff STUFF into and crutch my way around!

...k....  Stop whining and start doing?
Why do I not wanna even bother?

SHUSH.
Do it anyway.

....k....going shopping I think...
OMG...

Ha!

"Awwwww.....remember when I had to lift your leg and tuck you in with pillows and a rolled up towel?" says he-who-was-sorta-mushy last night.

Oh yes...I DO remember.
It's kinda nice to lift my own darn leg and not wince or hold my breath or mutter a few colourful words.  LOL.....k.....more than a 'few'.....
It's nice to just climb into bed and make my pillow conform to my demands.  It's even nicer to actually TURN and sleep on my side--even if it's with a pillow stuck to the side to support the leg.  Ohhhhhhh...it's sooooooooo nice to flop around and FIND a spot that's more comfy as opposed to being stuck in a position that's 'required'.

And it's GOOD that I can yank a stuffy from the headboard and toss it at he-who-says-something-catty as he's off to go fix coffee for the morning.  Twisting around to grab one of those used to not be a painful experience.

Dodging Mr. Giraffe, I got a "I don't know that I've missed THAT."
*snickering*

Direct hit with Mr. Zebra!!
SCORE!!!!!

(*I* missed it!)

Giant Flowering....thingy

Reminder

It is often the fear of rejection that makes us afraid to give of ourselves. The person who is reluctant to share may be holding back because of this fear. To share is to reveal who we are and where we are. If we feel inadequate, we do not want to expose this imagined inadequacy to other people.

If our self-image is too grand and inflated, we cannot possibly live up to it in reality. Expecting ourselves to be perfect sets us up for frustration and fear, since we know deep down that we do not measure up to our image of perfection.

With humility comes the willingness to give of what we have and what we are right now, without waiting until we are more eloquent or more accomplished. What we have to share is what someone else needs to receive. By focusing more on the needs of others and less on the imaginary concept of ourselves, which is our ego, we learn to overcome our fear of giving. What we have to give now is enough for today.

Rockin' in the garden

almost?

Just for the record, I sat in the office and read 99 pages of that book that I wanted to hand back.
And I lived through the meeting with the boss.
And I did the other meetings, one after another.
And I came home, promptly parked it on the patio and contemplated the meaning of life.
*rolling eyes*

I'd whine about being limited in my circumstances.
I'd whine about not being allowed to go up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down (is that seven times?) the steps at the work site.
I'd whine about NOT being allowed on the unit currently.
I'd whine about not being able to be present for some things that I truly wanna BE present for...
........but it doesn't change the circumstances and I simply need to find the 'acceptance' and move on.

I figure I'll get another 99 pages of the book read today--after a get together with a couple folks.
Whaddaya gonna do.....whatever's in front of me, I guess.
And that's the book that I soooooooo don't have the patience to read but that I'm reading anyway.

Ewwwwww.

Today's Thought

Living life means responding, wholly, to our joys and our pitfalls. 

It means not avoiding the experiences or activities that we fear we can't handle. 

Only through our survival of them do we come to know who we really are; we come to understand the strength available to us at every moment. 

And that is wisdom.  

When we approach life tentatively, we reap only a portion of its gifts.

 It's like watching a movie in black and white that's supposed to be in Technicolor. 

Our lives are in color, but we must have courage to let the colors emerge, to feel them, absorb them, be changed by them. 

Within our depths, we find our true selves. The complexities of life teach us wisdom. 

And becoming wise eases the many pitfalls in our path.  

Living life is much more than just being alive. I can choose to jump in with both feet. 

Wisdom awaits me in the depths.

Rollin' on the River

.....rawr?

And I tossed and turned all night because???

*sigh*  Thinking too much?  Inventorying other people instead of myself?  Second guessing others agenda's?  The stupid book on 'vulnerability'?  (I do NOT like that word.)  The meeting with the boss who's gonna ask about where I'm at with the surgery stuff?
I'll settle on 'thinking too much'.  That probably encompasses everything.

I cannot afford sleeplessness.  I used to spend it doing all sorts of creative, time filling things.  Now a days-- It just plain irritates me.  And I do NOT need more things to be irritated over.
Yes, I know I'm in control of my attitude.

I have back to back to back to back meetings today.  Some won't be pleasant, I'm sure--others will be a stretch......but that's okay.  I'm good for stretching.  NOT so sure I'm up for the unpleasantries.  But, being who I am, I'll figure out a way to 'act as if'....and act as if!

Anger, fear--PRETTY sure those two boogers are in the thick of what's making me toss and turn.
I don't sleep well with either of those two.

So--another cuppa coffee, a wander around the patio and a bit of sunshine and flowers before I start the back to back to back ordeal.

Oh.......and hand the book BACK to the 'gifter'.
Pffffftttttt!

Fairy Reading

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. --Joseph Addison  

Having someone to bestow our love on - a child, friend, or lover, perhaps a pet - will provide us with a time each day for intimacy, a time for sharing affection, a time, which assures us our presence is counted on.  

But having someone to love is not all we need for happiness. 

We must have dreams for the future, reasons for getting out of bed in the present, and the well-earned glow that accompanies past achievements. 

Dreams lose their glamour if that's all we have.

 If the reasons for rising don't excite us any longer, or the achievements ring hollow, we'll not come to know the happiness for which we've been created.  

Happiness is our birthright so long as we live fully and love truly.

Glory

Ahhh...Fairy Wisdom

We hear a lot about becoming whole. "Become a complete human being." "Start on the pathway to becoming whole." "You won't find romantic love until you know you're complete."

 Frankly, these kinds of comments often confused me. 

But then I decided that wholeness relates directly to the process of detaching - letting go.  

It's admirable to go after our dreams and know what we want to accomplish. 

But after we identify what it is we're after, we need to let it go. 

We need to know in our hearts and souls that we're okay whether we ever get what we're after or not.  

Another friend described it this way, "It's the old Zen Buddhist thing," he said. "When you're one with yourself, life becomes magical. You can get whatever you want." 

 The most powerful and magical words we can say in the language of letting go are these: I am.  Then we step it up one notch by learning to say, I am complete just as I am. 

Stormy bit

Diddy from the Fairy

I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.

 -- Winston Churchill  

A touch of sun

Ah ha......

"Curb appeal" someone said to me this weekend when they gushed about the gorgeous flowers surrounding folk's front yards as they journeyed to visit on the patio.

UH oh....
Yeah, well.....notsomuch paying attention to the FRONT--I spend time on the patio, puttering around and swinging on the patio swing.
I looked at the front.  Oy.....

Overgrown bushes (now trimmed back).  Weeds in the flower bed (bye bye weeds). Nothing 'stuck out' as I tend to do for the season (still working on getting the bird houses into the flower bed BUT....I did get the wee birdie houses littered into the pots that are out there..sorta counts...k...not really--I stuck the sticks in dirt...LOL). Gotta put lights in the bushes for the 4th.  Gotta get back out and finish what I started.  Dunno where I put the decorations for the 4th......probably in the deep dark recesses of the basement....

I need to do things while I'm mobile enough TO do them.  I keep reminding myself--NO MORE FLOWER BUYING.  Quit putting things out that'll just need to be hauled back IN.  But really--we could use a few more splashes of colour out front.
 I have an abundance of empty pots.....

Seriously--it is a jungle on the patio, and it's all I can handle in my current state already.  Bit more, actually--but I get it done in shifts.
Oh, but it's good to decorate and have things spruced up a bit....
Sooooo.......I've decided HIS can be the front once it's a bit more orderly and decorated and pretty for the 4th!!

Which means we can get more flowers!  They're on sale!!

:-D
See how that works?  LOLOL

Today's Reading

Fear is as familiar as our image in a mirror. Although we have resolved many of the fears that bound us to old behavior, our original fears may have been replaced by new ones. Why are there so many things to be afraid of? New friends, old relationships, careers, family history, tomorrow...  

Acknowledging our fear is the first step to getting free of its control. Naming the fear puts us in charge. Remembering that we have a loving Higher Power who won't abandon us, even in the midst of our deepest fear, can help us get through too.  But loving our small, scared selves will be the most nurturing of all. Mothering ourselves, in the way we may have longed for mothering in our youth, will carry us through the most difficult times.  

Fears are part of living. They are neither bad nor good; instead, they can teach us. They can help us learn to love more of ourselves. 

*happy hum*

I get the best toys on the block!  I'm pretty sure of that.  People covet my bubble wand and I don't think folks visit my patio without playing with something.
Mostly cuz I hand 'em over while I'm playing and antagonize 'em into playing.
People are so funny about PLAY.

OH....but NOW--I have the handy dandy telescopic reel roaster--which makes THE most perfectly roasted marshmallows.  Yes, my tongue comes out while I'm turning the crank.  Yes, himself laughs at me, takes multiple photos and sends them on to everyone he knows.  Thank G-D he doesn't have a FB page.
Right...well, I'll note that he readily volunteered to roast me that second second marshmallow--to replace the one that committed suicide as I crutched my way to the patio swing with the plate in tow.  (Darn thing jumped.  NO, I didn't DROP IT.)  :-/
I'll also note that he smiled and laughed as he roasted and cranked the reel.
Proper English gent that he is......HA!
Let 'em crank the handy dandy reel roaster thingy.....and he's just another kid at heart.

AND he used the handy dandy reel roaster thingy to make a roasted marshmallow for HIMSELF.
Yaknow--the 'gross, sickly sweet thing' that he doesn't indulge in.

:-/

Note to self:
Buy more marshmallows.

TFTD

We hear of successful people who drop their old friends after moving up the ladder. Maybe, however, it wasn't their choice. Maybe they were driven to do so because their friends' jealousy made the friendship unworkable. We have little trouble accepting a stranger's good fortune; it's a different feeling, however, when friends and co-workers move ahead of us. 

 If the green demon of jealousy strikes during the day, we can come to terms with it in several ways. First, accept no guilt that it happens, because jealousy is part of the human condition. Next, depersonalize it by remembering that good fortune comes to all people in various ways. Then check your own gratitude level to make sure that it hasn't been sinking. This serves as a reminder that there's no shortage of the things that really make for happiness and personal well being in life.  

We can easily tell when we've been able to oust the green demon. We'll be able to be relaxed and gracious while extending congratulations for another person's good fortune. And months down the road, we'll be genuinely sympathetic - not vindictive - If the other person's luck turns sour.  

Happiness Fairy

In the pursuit of happiness many people are too busy to find that which they seek. Frequently the happiness we so passionately desire is found in little events that are but whispered. If we don't pay attention, we miss them.  There can be happiness in the way light falls through the trees. There can be happiness in the way our children call for us by name or in the familiar sight of our home as we round the corner two blocks away. 

Happiness weaves its way through precious memories and keepsakes that have no monetary value but are priceless to us. Many take enormous delight in the presence of a beloved pet, just the way it looks at us or the unconditional love it pours out upon us. For some, there is genuine delight in the taste of a specially loved food.  We are surrounded by that which can be meaningful and full of delight. The question is, will we be still and quiet long enough to enjoy it?

G-d at work

TFTD

. . .we may surprise ourselves by discovering a treasure.  

Not all secrets are bad. Some secrets are more like unspoken, unacknowledged mysteries than sinister destructive forces. 

We may quietly know what it is like to be a man or a woman in a relationship, but we may never have told anyone in words. We may have a sense of how our lives have changed as a result of a relationship, but we may never have stopped to fully express it, even to ourselves. 

A piece of music may touch a place within us that does not have words. Those secrets are valuable and worth guarding like a precious treasure.  When we try to find words for these secrets, we may surprise ourselves by discovering a treasure. They may give us a sense of power or join us with others who understand us. These treasured secrets are an adventure in a relationship when we reveal them to each other. 

Wishy-Washy

And yet another...

If we see only ourselves, it's a very lonely world.  We can learn the difference between taking care of ourselves positively and being so negatively self-centered that we are forced into solitary confinement, where we dry up for lack of genuine interchange.  
We should know who we are. But we should also know who our neighbor is, and our friend, sister, boss, or child. 
To know other people and see beneath the exterior they present, we need to be comfortable enough with ourselves so we can relax and look and listen. 
We also need to be humble enough to realize we can learn from someone else and benefit from the gifts she or he brings to the relationship.  

Stolen White One

Uh huh....

I've forgotten how time flies when you're having fun...or working...  Maybe that's a good thing?  Yet to be seen, I guess.  Actually, when you're stuck in the house on the couch, it does drag and drag and drag.  Did for me.
Now, notsomuch slow!
Oh, but it's that time of year.  The kiddos have the 4th of July parade, the agency has a host of open houses, there's trainings up the whazzoo they'd like me to attend (which, unfortunately, are more than 30-40 minutes away and 'not a reason to make an exception' says the boss).
I keep trying to increase the weight and decrease the use of one crutch.  I think I'm getting lazy or it's all the rain we're getting that's getting in the way.  That, and I'm tired after 8 hours of work.  Me......tired.... After 8 hours?!

That's not the norm for me.  And yes, I realize the brokenness has something to do with it.  Dragging myself around with crutches isn't 'fun'.  Doable, but I can't say LOUD enough how tired I am of the crutches.  I can make adjustments and 'get it done'.  Rather happy with myself for not adjusting back to 'queendom' and allowing he-who-would-like-to-do-everything to go BACK to doing everything.  Afraid to say I won't have a choice about that if surgery happens.  And I'm afraid that'll be the end result of this past six months.

Oh, and happy anniversary to me as of yesterday!
Six months it's been.  Yup.......six months.

And we ain't done yet!

Oh, but at least we're back to time happening as usual.  With days filled with grown ups and kiddos and....excel spreadsheets.....  *groan*
Did I say it was GOOD to be back at work full time?
Yup--RIGHT on time to do all the budgety things...
Wooohoooooo!!!!

Fairy Dust

Real friends are those who, 

when you've made a fool of yourself, 

don't feel that you've done a permanent job. 

--Erwin T. Randall

Decked out in Old Glory

Eleven's

Sometimes someone asks me questions and I actually ANSWER.  Well, I answer to the best of my ability at that given moment in time.
The eleven were attached to an award, which was a kindly thing to do.  And I'll attempt (with some lack of caffeine) to answer.  The intent is to 'regift' the award--I'm pretty lousey at that, so anyone who'd like to answer is welcome.  Everyone's a winner in my book!  That being said....

1) Who was your favorite celebrity as a child?
Hahahaha.....I don't remember celebrities as a child.  Oh, maybe Redford and Newman--I was a fan of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  Not the ending of the movie mind you...that made me mad...  But oops...now we're talking teenage and not child. Is this where I confess that not much of my childhood is remembered?
2) What is your greatest accomplishment?
Getting to HERE.  Literally and figuratively.  Being allowed to BE on the planet to do some things, to touch some lives.....that's not 'my' accomplishment, but I think it sorta counts.
3) If you were invisible, where would you go?
Ohhhhh....  I think I'd wander my way into the military complex to see the aliens!
4) What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?
*laughing*  No iPod!  No iPad.  No i-anything.  But right now, my #1 most played song is "Unforgettable".
5) What is one of your favorite quotes?
The one that was hanging over my 'take coffee in the morning' spot "Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship."
6) If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?
Ummmm...40.  Old enough to know 'enough' and young enough to still physically DO some things.  (LOL...oh gosh, NOW I'm pouting)
7) If you were immortal for a day, what would you do?
Immortal for a day--OH!!  I'd go for a wander inside the perimeter of an active volcano so I could SEE how it was working!  Wow...how cool would that be!
8) If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?
Ummm......pass!
9) What would you name the autobiography of your life?
Blank Page--after all, we write our own story, yes?
10) What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
I decided to go for the 'NO more' round of chemotherapy, even when it wasn't working.
11) What is your first memory of being really excited?
Funny thing, memory--I search and I come up with nothing.  I'm sure I was excited about owning a house, becoming the "Nana"....and getting some toy I really wanted.  And what I pull up, is the box of sidewalk chalk that's on the patio, calling my name.  *laughing*


And for those who want to play along(feel free!)--steal that cute little polka dotted animated thingy.  It's just adorable! :-)

1. What's your favorite time of day?
2. What's sitting on your bedside table?
3. Who are you 'proud of' this week?
4. What's your least favorite thing to do?
5. What's a line you draw that you won't move?
6. How many clocks do you 'reset' when daylight savings time happens?
7. What constitutes a 'good day' for you?
8. Who parented you?
9. How do you decide what to wear for the day?
10. Just for the record--how many pairs of shoes are in your closet?
11. Give an example of a time you chose to do something in the face of adversity.
    
    

Fairy Reminder

There is no advantage, no profit and certainly no growth when I deceive myself merely to escape the consequences of my own mistakes. When I realize this, I know I'll be making progress. 

"We must be true inside, true to ourselves, before we can know a truth that is outside us," wrote Thomas Merton in No Man Is an Island. "But we make ourselves true inside by manifesting the truth as we see it." Am I true to myself?

A shared moment

More....

Nature is the Art of God.

--Sir Thomas Browne

The most relaxing activities may be the ones in which we do absolutely nothing. And if we can do nothing amid the sounds of nature - birds chirping, water bubbling in a brook, the wind rustling in the trees - so much the better. During these moments, away from the noise and chaos of our fast-paced, stress-filled lives, we commune most directly with nature and with the sense of something 'bigger' than us. Without distraction, our bodies can totally relax; there is no danger, no need to be ready to respond to anything. All we have to do is be.

If we live in the city, we can take refuge in its parks, a quiet room, or the library. We can listen to the sounds of nature on records or cassette tapes. The point is to slow down, to smell and taste the rain, to hear the chirping of crickets and the rustling of leaves and our own thoughts. When we remember nature, we remember - our bodies remember - that we are a part of nature, part of something

greater than ourselves.

The title possibilities are too great....LOL

What's left....is right

• Trim the yard
• Weed the back flowerbeds
• Fill birdie feeders
• Change the hummer's food
• Deadhead flowers
• FIX THE SQUEAKING PATIO SWING
• Change the wreath
• Replace bulb on the patio lights
• Put out patio toys that were hidden in the basement
• Trim the front bushes/put out birdie houses
• Feed the potted plants
• Go for a walk
• Algea killer, hibiscus, terra cotta bowl, birdie food (MUST have!)
• Weed front flower bed
• CLEAN  the front porch

It would appear I spent my energies on the patio/back yard yesterday.  NOT an all bad plan since this is where I hobble my way to and spend most of my time.  However--it's the front yard that folks get to look at every time (which ain't often...LOL) they drive by the house! If they stop however, they're coming to the back yard!  k....that's my rationalization for spending time on the back yard and I'm keeping it.  Drive by, get whatcha get.  Stop and you can swing on the patio and tell me what a jungle I have goin' on back there.  LOL  THAT is soooooooo true.  

It is a jungle.  And that's why I bought that hibiscus!  It's also my little 'place' once the weather calms down.  I take my coffee there.  I read my book there.  I sit and swing there.........and it's where I colour and blow bubbles and shoot my nerf gun at squirrels who stare and do what they wanna anyway.  (MIGHT help the nerf gun actually had the range to get to the little fellas--it doesn't so they just stare at the little yellow dart that's a good 15 feet away and go about their business)

But yes, thankyou--I'll get to the front yard today!  Maybe......it's sorta kinda cloudy and right now it's early and I have a get together with a gal (which'll take place on the patio.LOL). And THEN I'll dedicate some time to the front.

Or....maybe, since he-who-noted-it NOTED it, he-who-noted-it oughta adopt the front of the house!!

Ohhhh.....that is SUCH a great idea!!!!

I'm gonna implement it!  :-D

Today's Reading

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.

--Doug Larson

Life is never just one thing. It is quite possible to feel optimistic and happy even when some things are not right with us. An optimistic outlook gives us energy to handle the harder things that we have to deal with. Research shows that people who have a positive attitude have a stronger immune system, are healthier, live longer, and are even more likely to recover from serious illness.

To believe in hopeful outcomes is largely a matter of choice. Many of us have experienced big disappointments and defeats in life. But having come this far, we can look back and see that somehow we had the capacity to deal with it. We believe in hopeful possibilities. We can't say that things will always turn out just the way we hope, but that we can cope with whatever happens.

Fairy Diddy

Reality can be a difficult place to live. Sometimes it seems impossible to stay in the here and now.

From time to time we all revisit the past and yearn for the future. This is natural. Being present every minute of the day is impossible for anyone.

Still, we can strive to be present for as many minutes as we can.

Little boxes on the hillside

TFTD

 . . love is a great beautifier.

  —Louisa May Alcott

Meeting life head-on, with a smile, attracts to us people and situations. Our attitudes shape our world - which is not to deny that problems do occur. However, problems can be viewed as special opportunities for personal growth -- as gifts, more or less, that we are ready to receive. When the student is ready, the teacher appears. The stumbling blocks we encounter push us beyond our present awareness. They teach us that we are stronger and more creative than we'd thought. Problem solving is esteem-building.

Negatively confronting the day is sure to complicate any experiences. A simple misunderstanding can be exaggerated into a grave situation, requiring the energy of many people to handle it. On the other hand, a patient, trusting, loving attitude can turn a grave situation into a positive learning experience for all affected.

We can beautify the day by smiling at it and throughout all the experiences it offers us. The expression of love to everyone we meet guarantees to make us more lovable in return.

Sunset's Reminder

OMG I have a slight attitude issue goin' on here....

Seriously.
I don't like crutches.
I don't like hobbling along at .07314mph.
I especially don't like stopping on stairs and waiting for the folks to pass me, getting all sorts of 'attention' and questions about the crutches.
I can't tell ya how many times someone's asked if I've had knee surgery, how many times someone stops to 'empathize' with me for getting to be on crutches, how many times I've heard someone elses' story about some injury they had to endure.

And does my brain go "oh, you poor dear....what a difficult time for you"?
Rest assured my mouth does.

And people offer to get doors for me
Does my brain go "oh, how kind....thank you..."?
Thank GOODNESS my mouth does.

And they wait to pass you while they're out for their 'power walk'.
Does my brain go "what a great day to just be outside!"?
Darn good thing I have a STOP sign between my brain and my mouth right now.

"Like I care?", "Don't &%$#  DO that!", "Show off...." are undoubtedly best STOPPED before they eek out.  It's not like I could catch up to 'em to tell 'em that was WRONG and apologize for my attitude which has absolutely JACK to do with them.

*sigh*
I sooooooooooooooooo need an attitude adjustment.
One of these times I'm gonna ignore that STOP sign and find myself trying to flag down the poor vicitim--which would probably be a good reason to slip a tennis ball into my pocket.  I'm thinking I could wing it and get their attention long enough to wave 'em back to do my apology.
On the other hand.....wounding someone with a tennis ball is probably a bad plan, too.....

MAYBE adjusting the attitude would be the better plan....

Fairy Wisdom

"It's no use; I'll screw it up anyway." This is an attitude. Some attitudes sound like this: "I'm great and people should try to please me," or, "I deserve good breaks," or, "Rules and laws are for others, but not for me."

Some attitudes can wreck our mental health, families, jobs, education, love life, financial well being, and spiritual growth. 
The good news is attitudes can change. It takes practice but, if we really decide to pay attention and change the ones that are harmful to us, we can succeed. In this way we guide our own growth and create a better, more positive world for ourselves.