46.99cm

....that's how much they chopped off before they washed and cut it.

It's bagged up and ready to be sent in.
Do I even wanna remember what the gal told me the going price for 'extensions' was?!  O.M.G.



It's all good.
Every bit of it's good.  I didn't even panic.
The GAL panicked....himself panicked....I did not.


Done deal.
Someone else will gain.
I'm very good with that.

On the other hand....yup, dam cold!!

Another One......

I will radiate love and good will to others that I may open a channel for God's love to come to all. --Paramahansa Yogananda  

Our spiritual well-being is hindered whenever we isolate ourselves, whenever we withhold our care and attention from strangers or a friend. During these moments, our self-centeredness cuts off our connection to our Higher Power, causing peace to elude us and fear to set in.  

The converse is also true. 

Whenever we selflessly express love and genuine concern for others, we can know the presence of God and can be exhilarated by that knowledge.  In this, we have freedom. 

No one else controls our thoughts or our decisions to give unconditional love and genuine attention to others. We are in charge. It is up to us to keep the channel always open, always freely flowing. Our spiritual health is our responsibility and it's an easy one to handle. The only requirement is that we offer love and good will to others.  

Not so dam cold

TENS....or maybe 5.5

< --  Mighty Max!!  (Yes, he's got a name...no surprise there!)

< --  Is staying with me for the weekend...

< -- Will  either have a successful working relationship with me or will be kicked to the curb.



I will give that it's kinda like having a stuck hiccup when Mighty Max is doing his thing to mess with the nerve pain.  Leastwise that was the experience this morning.  Now, this afternoon Mighty Max did nothing with the "I need to tear my clothes off" pain down the back half of my calf muscle.  But that mighta been cuz he was hangin' around my hip.  LOL...Maybe he has a brother!!

Ouch Ms. Fairy......

Without discipline, there's no life at all. --Katharine Hepburn

We all have deadlines we must meet. We have bills to pay, responsibilities at work, children with school projects - all the innumerable small markers that push life forward. 

When we realize we're procrastinating, we need to be committed to not shaming ourselves. Procrastination is not an indication that we have failed. How realistic would it be if we looked forward to doing unpleasant things? It's human to avoid what we'd rather not do. 

As we free ourselves from the burden of perfectionism, we're free to better accept our responsibilities. Meeting deadlines as well as we can, one at a time, pays off in serenity and a manageable life. 

When we are crisis ridden, we are forced to live by other peoples' demands, rather than by our choices. 

In the face of procrastination, resentment, or perfectionism, we can forgive ourselves, try to laugh at ourselves, live in the present, and keep going. 

Today can be better than yesterday.   But I may as well admit it - there's probably something I'm avoiding. Is today the day to do it?

Right then.......

Exactly what did I accomplish this week that I was granted for 'taking care of Mel'?

I've gone to four meetings and let the old farts harass me cuz that's what they like to do.

I've offered to sponsor a young gal and met with her for a few hours over coffee.

I've showed up every day to get on that elliptical machine and do the exercises.

I've showed up for the PT appointments and let them do what they do.

I went to the doctor's appointment.

I've made a time line of all this pain stuff, talked to the nurse and asked questions I didn't like the answers to.
I've talked with himself about his perception and feelings about all of this--including pain.

I've gotten in the car and gone eagle watching at the damn.
I've been to antique stores (where I bought nothing) and grocery stores and other assorted stores cuz he-who-likes-to-shop likes to shop.

I've been to the park and did some bird watching.

I've done some cursing, crying and general 'feeling sorry for myself'.

And today--back to the elliptical machine, exercises and PT.  And then.........ummmmm....  I have no clue, but I KNOW it's going to involve coffee!
:-D

Daily Reading

I came to understand that it was all right to do things for people as long as I did it for the sake of doing it... the value being more in the act than in the result. --Joanna Field  

We've all heard the sentiment that it is better to give than to receive. Yet we may find it difficult to give to others, whether that giving involves an actual gift or an act of giving of ourselves: caring for someone who is ill, running an errand for someone, giving a backrub, or extending an invitation to someone who is alone.  

We may feel afraid to do for others without any expectations of receiving something in return. 

To give unselfishly exposes our feelings and shows we care. 

Yet if we can look beyond our fears to the selflessness of our giving actions, there is a great reward -- knowing we had the courage to risk giving to someone.  

The risks we take in giving to others are lessons for ourselves as well as for those whose lives we touch.  The gift of giving opens doors to the homes of our souls.

The conga line

Fairy Alert

 A bird came down the walk: 

He did not know I saw; 

He bit an angle-worm in halves 

and ate the fellow, raw. --Emily Dickinson  

We must look very different to the birds than we do to each other. 

Likewise, birds seem different to us than they do to each other. 

Neither the way we see birds nor the way they see us is the "right" way. 

They are simply different ways of seeing.  

If we could turn birds into people so they would see things the way we do, eat the way we do, and think the way we do, we would lose the idea of flying. 

The knowledge that flight is possible is a gift birds have given us.  

We do well to remember this when we get upset at others for not doing things the way we would. 

Varieties of styles, appetites, and ideas are gifts that enrich the world and bring more possibilities into our lives.  

When others disagree with me today, will I accept their gift.

Trying for Spring....

Question of the Week

If the magic fairy was going to deliver a $100  gift card for any store as a surprise gift … which store would you want it to be for?




Bring me the coffee card!  Now there was an easy question.  LOL  
Oh, wait--what coffee shop?!..... I'm starting to appreciate Coffeesmiths. 

How could ya not love having your coffee in this environment with people who are just plain fun and curious.

And the coffee.....excellent!

Yup.......again with the Fairy......

If we are to learn to cope with our issues and our life, we must begin focusing on solutions, not just on our problems.  This means we must change our attitude and outlook. 

We can no longer live as if there are only problems in our lives. 

We can no longer consider ourselves victims and hold on to the attitude that our life will never change. 

Nor can we continue to be consumed by self-pity. 

If so, we will fail to take responsibility for finding solutions. 

We will continue to live within what we have grown to know so well: our problems.  

Do I let my problems define me today or do I seek solutions? 

okay....

I have my list.
I have my pictures of the man, filled in with circles and x's and /// and |||| and ^^^ to show where it's glass shards, where it's burning, where it's stabbing pain and where it's numb.
I have the updated note from the physical therapist.
I have a pharmacy report on the effectiveness of different medications on neurological pain.
I have a sick feeling in my stomach that comes with knowing this is NOT doc's atea of expertise, but knowing he made a promise to me when he took the case that he would stick with me through all of this.  But it's the absence of being able to point to a visible broken bit that makes my stomach turn...cuz I already feel nuts...what if he thinks I AM.  *sigh*  Then he does, I guess.  But I ain't leaving until he gives me a solution that's viable for ME.  Cuz I am not happy or functional in this state....leastwise not to a level I'm satisfied or comfortable with.  So....yippee.  I'll happily go to my OS appt now.  :-/

Things that make me happy....

....the return of the broken, and now fixed, camera!

....wandering through an antique store.

....watching the herd of (near) 100 deer on the hillside.  (no foolin'!)

....misty dam mornings.

....robins!  I saw robins!!

....watching the eagles take off from their perch.

....stickers!  :-)

Four of the Herd

Fairy Material

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on. --Robert Frost

  Most of us are afraid of anything we can't control. Life is one of these things. Sometimes we had checked out of life. We were sitting on the sidelines, pretending we could get back into it whenever we wanted. But life went on without us. Friends built careers and loving families, and we fell behind. Friends built deeper intimate relationships. They became skillful at living a life of values. 

We fell behind.  We need to get back into life and get working. Change takes action. At times we will want to stop and sit on the side of the road again. But we must go on! Go and help someone else. Go talk to a friend. Go to place where people will encourage you. We make changes to have a different life, not to sit on the sidelines. 

When fear says, "Stop!" Let that little voice whisper in my ear, "Go on, go on!" 

We Deliver

Daily Reminder

Example is the lesson that all men can read. -- Gilbert West  

Patterning our lives after others is familiar. Maybe as kids we emulated "toughies" or the teacher's pet. As we grew, the criteria changed, but we sought role models, nonetheless. The career we chose and the family relationships we developed may have been inspired by the example of another. 

Today may be no different. Seeing our friends and acquaintances pursue paths unlike our own gives us ideas to explore. How lucky we are that teaching is never done and learning is merely a decision.  The only thing that has actually changed is our age. 

The opportunities for growth continue to flow. Our purpose for being here remains the same. Our responsibility to ourselves never abates. 

It's comforting to count on these things. It makes our choices simpler.  There's always the right step to take, the right response to make, the right attitude to foster. But if ever we're in doubt, the impulse to forgive and to love will never be wrong.  

The Turn-around View