TFTD

It's not unusual to think that everyone but us needs to change. Ask around. People will agree to thinking if we'd only learn how to get other people to change, certain that would make us happy. But that's not how happiness comes, and we're lucky for that.

If our happiness were tied to what others did, we'd always be in their control.

The happiness we desire will come when we do two things: first, take the power that is ours through becoming willing to accept others as they are and second, make a commitment to change what we need to change and then follow through.

Zing!!

Bug wipes.

Lawn chair.

Douse the lights inside.

Pitch black patio works great!

Get comfy.

Stare broadly over the neighbor's rooftop.

Giggle.
Giggle again and again.

Yup--23 times.

I counted.

There's something about meteor watching that appeals to me.

Ohhhh, and they were gorgeous as they streaked across the sky.

Himself saw three and promptly gave up to the bugs.
I did warn him about the need for bug wipes!

They're saying more tonight--2am is the optimum time for viewing.

I'm thinking alarm clock!

And I'm hoping for absence of cloud cover!

Ohhhhhh....I'll be so disappointed if there are clouds.....

Pin for the Day

Yup--

"Normal" is over-rated.
I've decided.....

Fairy Thought

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.

We strive for progress, not perfection.

A small dose of reality is better than no reality at all.

A peek from the peak

QOTW 8/11/10

Who is the last person you held hands with?

Easy--himself.
Prior to that--the bug.

She's definitely got 'OH look.....a chicken'-itus. We start in one direction and end up making a u-turn to go someplace else that's now caught her eye. So hand holding is a must--which she is well aware of cuz she's smart like that.

Himself--is another story. LOL He's just old. *laughing*

We've taken to walks after dinner.
Mel's quest to help his tummy issues AND grab a few photos along the way.
So far it's working--well, at least with the tummy stuff.
The handholdin'.....his way of making sure we don't get parted during the walk, I'm sure. *laughing* The bug comes by her 'OH look......a chicken' honestly.

Today's Fairy Reading

Being willing to change is often easier than doing it.

One of the biggest changes most of us need to make is learning to let others be who they are, regardless of who we want them to be.

Most of us think our lives would be far smoother and more productive if only other people lived up to our standards.

How wrong we are!

If we could change others as we wish, we would live far less enlightened lives.

In fact, we discover opportunities for personal development in our interactions with the men and women who frustrate us so.

The irony is that we wish they'd change, but if they did, we wouldn't experience the growth we need.

I will enhance my growth today by letting others be who they are and working on myself.

Silent visitor

Things that make me happy

....YUP....number one on the list--postcards from Polzeath! I LOVE 'em hugely, muchly and lotsa! (ty ty ty ty!)

....fresh cantaloupe straight off the farm! Omgosh.....yummmmmm!

....mosquito wipes. No foolin'!

....a freshly greased, no longer squeaking patio swing. :-)

...."the meeting has been cancelled".

....the no longer stopped drain in the basement! (thank you Mr. Plumber!!)

....when it's nite nite time--a house with central air.

Today's Reading

Fair play is primarily not blaming others for anything that is wrong with us.

--Eric Hoffer

As adults, we accept responsibility for our feelings and our circumstances. We haven't chosen our own troubles, but we have the job of dealing with them. If a man falls and breaks a leg, he might say to someone, "It's your fault, and I'll make you pay for this!" But that won't fix his leg. The healing still has to come from within.

Our impulse to blame others is an attempt to escape our responsibilities. We become overcritical. We want someone else to take the rap for our pain and our misdeeds, but this only delays our wholeness. There is no point in blaming ourselves either. When we first confront our discomfort directly and accept responsibility for dealing with it, we feel an inner urge to escape again. If we stay with the discomfort a while, a new stage begins -- the healing and acceptance stage. A feeling of wholeness comes, a feeling of being a real person, of having reached our full size.

May I not indulge in blame today - toward myself or anyone else. Instead, may I be strong and responsible.

Sleeping with Bread

The examen, based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, helps a person hold onto what spiritually nourishes him by looking at what is giving him consolation in his life or causing him desolation. It allows someone to express his gratitude to God for the good stuff and turn to him for solace for the bad stuff. It is quite simple. You simply ask yourself, in the last day/week/month what gave me consolation and what caused me desolation.

My greatest consolation is that somehow.......someway I've been able to build and earn enough integrity and trust that I was asked to put my signature on the paper.

"I don't want anyone else's name--just yours. You're the one I trust."

To be told that--was humbling.
I don't know what I've done--how I've 'earned' this place in her life....I'm just humbled that I have.

I'm grateful.
I'm in awe.

I'm humbled--truly....

And I'm sad.
.....And bit overwhelmed.


My greatest desolation in the past week came in the honour of being appointed "attorney for decisions concerning health matters".

I'll get to decide when it's 'enough'.


G-d will guide me.
He gave me a good heart.......

Sun Day

Fairy Reading

Many of us lived in situations where it wasn't okay to identify, have, or talk about problems. Denial became a way of life - our way of dealing with problems.

Many of us still fear problems. We may spend more time reacting to a problem than we do to solving it. We miss the point; we miss the lesson; we miss the gift. Problems are a part of life. So are solutions.

Today, we learn to focus on solving our problems. First, we make certain the problem is our problem. If it isn't, our problem is establishing boundaries. Then we seek the best solution. This may mean setting a goal, asking for help, gathering more information, taking an action, or letting go.

Face and solve today's problems. Don't worry needlessly about tomorrow's problems, because when they appear, we'll have the resources necessary to solve them.

TFTD

Love is an expression and assertion of self-esteem. . . .

--Ayn Rand

How easily we love others when we feel self-assured, when we're comfortable in our chosen work, with our families and friends, with our directions in life. But the way isn't always smooth, nor should it be, and for this we can thank God, our protector and mentor.

The challenges of a rough passage confront us when it's time to grow. Seldom do we cherish the growing, and yet the gifts promised by these challenges - the increased self-awareness, the heightened sensitivity to others, the greater humility - make every moment that lies ahead profoundly more personal.

Hindsight is convincing. The paradox is that the more we trip, but pick ourselves up and move ahead with determination, the more self-assured and thus loving we'll become.

Taking flight

He grumbles, he mutters, he makes certain to tell everyone it's my quirky deal....

He soooooooooo lies.

<-- baby cardinal

Not exactly the cutest thing on the block--but there ya have it!
Or there WE have it...or had it, if we're being 'technical'.

He tells me he was hoppin' around the back yard.

Seems himself couldn't stand to see the other birds dive bombing him while the parents tried to shoo 'em away, apparently without a whole lot of success. His poor little baby birdie wings just weren't quite where they needed to be to take off and get some flight time.

Did the parents dive bomb him-who-saved-the-baby-from-other-dive-bombing-birdies?
Well......yeah..... Like they knew he was trying to save their baby?

Mr. Cardinal did finally figure it out.....eventually.

NOT that he'd mention it--but of course we had to stay out with the mosquitoes to make sure Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal were doing their obligatory parental responsibilities--mainly upchucking seed and water into baby cardinal's little beak. *shudder*

They did!

What good little parents!!!

And this morning--empty box.

I'm choosing to believe baby cardinal bought enough time to get enough growth and enough encouragement to flap his little self outta there and move on with his little birdie life. :-)

And I'm choosing to believe that come fall he'll make it his mission to sing just for me.

*laughing*

Himself insists this fall the saved Mr. Cardinal will be singing just for HIM.

Hahahahahahaha....he's soooooooo funny.

Sheeeeeeshhh--I mean, gimme a break.
Everyone knows it's all about MEMEME.

;-)

Fairy Reminder

Sometimes new possibilities occur to us only through action. If we take the risk of the first step and keep our eyes open, we will see the next step.

Too much planning, too much carefulness and analysis, may block all action.

We saw sheepies!

The good news it was my idea.....

Not the sheepies, of course--but the walks.
Every evening for the past three nights....yup.....that's been the routine!

Mostly cuz himself has ulcers and they've been giving him problems.

(NO IT'S NOT CUZ OF ME.)

The man is a chronic worrier, I swear......
I tell him and I tell him and I tell him......but does he listen? NO!

Oy......

He wasn't willing to do other things I offered up as solutions--but he was willing to go for walks with me in tow.
Or, with him in tow--guess it's all in how ya look at it.

I DO tend to be a bit A.D.D....

Oh look! Pretty flowers!!!

OH LOOK!!! How cute is that puppy.....

OH LOOK!!!!!

.....yeah well...my feet tend to go in the direction of the OH LOOK and he's scrambling to catch up to the detour I take.

It's all good, though. Supposedly his tummy is a bit better with the past three nights of taking walks.



What's that got to do with sheepies?

Ummmm.....not a darn thing....... LOL

Bitty Thought

More of the same gets more of the same. What we were given to practice, we practiced. What we practiced, we became. What we became, we are continuing to become - only more so - every day of our lives. We can do ourselves a favor by being aware of what we practice.

Courtesy of the new bubble gun!

To delete or not to delete--that is the question.....

k.....

The whole idea of a storage harddrive is to clear room on the laptop for better performance.

It's a good idea!

Only...I cringe at the thought of destroying the photos that are on here.

I mean--what happens if I lose the storage harddrive?!

Shouldn't you have two of things--in case one fails and then you can fall back on the other?!

k.....that makes sense.

Probably makes more sense to upload a copy of the stored photos to the desktop and surrender the laptop copy.

On the other hand--three copies are good.

Cuz if some are good, more is better!

Yeah......well....what was the point of the storage then. *sigh*

I can do it!

I can!

I can DELETE!!!

Oh gawdddddd......LOL

I'm such a dweeb some moments.