A Tale from the Past to the Present

 As I write this blog, I'm sitting on an airplane returning from an unforgettable weekend in Los Angeles.  I rarely travel to LA anymore, California holds memories that I love and some that I'd rather forget.  This trip after 5 years, was to attend my 50th high school reunion.  How fun the evening turned out and a wonderful time was had by all. We were all asking the same questions, as it seemed.  We were all older, so many had grey hair, tummies and reading glasses (me).  Are we really this old and who is that man, I can't remember his name (me probably)?  Where did the 50 years go?  Just yesterday we were sitting on the football field, receiving our diplomas and looking forward to the summer before adulthood was to begin.  But here we were, the class of '73, 50 years later, together again and celebrating life!

The stories we all recounted, the memories of the past and catching up on the present were just wonderful.  Seeing my old friends from girl scouts, Tri-Hi-Y and classes that we can't remember now, brought plenty of laughter to be sure.  Even Mr. Kanner was there and reminded me I was in his algebra prep class!  Figures, I was horrible at math.  Some of our other memories were dimmed with the passing of time. Who would have thought, 50 years ago, we'd be in the last third of life, celebrating together the times we live in now, once again.  

We all had a story to tell, and since this is my story, I'll lead you dear reader into the present.  Some know my story, most do not, as I keep my life off social media except for a joke, an inspirational quote or two, and a worthwhile news article.  I'll tell my story from my heart and through my fingers on the keyboard of life.

I always felt out of place, awkward, and very self-conscience growing up.  I never felt like I fit in, I was not in the in-crowd, nor did I live up in the first tier of San Marino.  I lived down on the bottom third tier, below Loraine Road, on Sycamore Drive.  My ride to school was my feet, my ten speed and in my senior year, I occasionally got to drive the family car.   Bob Dylan and John Denver posters were pinned on my bedroom wall, and we did have a swimming pool, which my dad had built in 1966.  I'd love to see the inside of that house now, the breakfast nook my dad designed and built, the swimming pool and the back fence line, where the Neville boys looked over at us when we went skinny-dipping.  Life was simple, normal, and sweet.

I went on to PCC after graduation, down to Long Beach State in 1975 and stayed in the South LA/North Orange County area for many years.  John got a job offer to move to Boeing in Seattle so for the next 20 years, I raised a family, worked hard, and settled into life in the PNW.  As so many of you know, ten years ago we lost daddy and husband to cancer, and I then recreated my life and began once again.  

Retirement came easy for me; I was burned out and exhausted, so I retired early 9 years ago.  I set my intentions to live well, travel and invest wisely.  I had attended our 40th reunion stressed out, worn out from the months prior, and frustrated at having to leave a terminally ill husband, a rebellious teenage daughter and two dogs without their circus ring master.  When the 45th reunion rolled around, yours truly decided to go once again, this time in a better frame of mind and twenty pounds lighter.

The 45th sounded fun.  I was ready to face the past, smack dab in the face.  I went with no preconceived ideas of how it would turn out, only I was ready for the party.  That April, I had been in the UK and broke the bone connecting my leg to my ankle bone.  Long story short, I fell down three narrow stairs in an old hotel in Berwick on Tweed.  For the rest of my UK journey, I walked on the blasted thing, pumped full of Advil and a pressure bandage.  I got home and went for my well check 3 weeks later.  What the heck, I had my foot x-rayed and got the diagnosis I did not expect.  Therefore, I walked into the 45th reunion wearing a foot boot and a smile. 

After the event, I was invited for drinks with a fun group of old friends at the old Huntington Hotel lobby bar.  The magical massage on my "war wound" not only touched my foot but my heart and soul as well.  My life changed for the better after that healing touch from strong hands and that pure soul.  This girl has never looked back again. Yes, there have been challenges, yes plenty of tears but they're only tears of joy now and my heart is full.  Saturday night, and the Class of '73 witnessed what a heart looks like healed, opened again and where the magic is allowed to happen. Yes, we know we caught most of our friends by surprise and many asked me; "how did this happen, when and are you really seeing each other?"  Yes, yes, and yes again and I am incredibly grateful.

Therefore, to end this tale of knowledge from the past, and present, cheers to the Class of 1973!  Cheers to the wonderful friendships that have endured and cheers towards the next 50 years.  Until the next reunion that I have named, "55 for 55's," may God bless and keep each one of you.  XXOO  

1985 Sycamore Drive, June 2023

 

Joke's On Me

The joke is clearly on me this month.  I realized several months ago I was becoming burned out trying to write a tome every month.  Here I am again, however, the month of May and it just so happens to be Mother's Day.  Being that I am a mother and had a wonderful mother and grandmother's, I thought I'd write about motherhood and the meaning it has in my own life.  You see, being a mother is my greatest blessing and the most profound experience I have ever had. 

Motherhood for me was somewhat of a joke because I really wasn't sure I ever wanted to raise children.  My motherly instincts in days of yore, was coddling cats and dreaming of puppies.  I lived vicariously through my friends who had children and followed the lives of my nieces and nephew closely.  Then, low and behold, there I was, the age of thirty-nine and expecting my one and only.  Yes, it was a shock but a good shock and one that I got over very quickly.  At the time I was worried that I was too old, too long in the tooth to handle a baby but yes I did and here we are 28 years later, looking back at the wonders of motherhood and thanking God for the greatest blessing of my life.

Over the last dozen years, I have studied my family genealogy.  My maternal grandmother was a younger mother when my own mother was born.  My paternal grandmother was an older mother at the time of my father's birth, but all four great grannies were all the same age as me, at the time my grandparents were all born.  Of course, my grandparents were all at the younger end of the line of siblings, but I can't imagine giving birth in my late 30's and early 40's in the late1800's.  No drugs, no hospitals, only midwives in the most primitive of conditions.  Yikes, I was a big baby when I gave birth to my kid, can you only imagine giving birth in a 2-room home in Victorian England, a ranch in the hills of rural California, or in a log home in the Ozarks?  NO!  These are women who should be revered and thanked profusely.  

Meanwhile, circling back to my life and my motherhood experience, it was challenging to say the least.  My one and only will always admit she was not always very cooperative.  She was a bit of a handful, but a sweeter, more beautiful baby will never be unless it's my future grandchild.  The lessons this handful taught me were about patience, pure love, and complete devotion.  She taught me how to give fully and completely and with love in my heart.  This is what motherhood is about.

Over the years, as I raised my handful, I wondered how my own mother had the stamina to raise the two of us.  I'd guess it was easier as we entertained ourselves.  But then I began to look back, and all my grandparents were part of 8 to 9 siblings.  I worked outside of my home all the years the one and only was growing up; can you just imagine raising 9 kids and trying to keep them all straight in your mind?  Imagine the arguments, squabbles, and expense it took to raise that many kids!  Yes, they were spaced out, yes, the oldest was usually gone by the time the last kid arrived, but just imagine!  I can't but I give my great grandparents plenty of accolades for raising fine, upstanding citizens who knew the value of hard work, dedication to their families and country.  These great grandparents were the backbone of their children's families.  They were and still are admired and loved.

Therefore, to end this diatribe on motherhood, I want to thank my mother, my grandmothers and the four great grannies and beyond.  Your love, devotion, hard work and worn-out bodies are all to be thanked.  My own mother, who I love and miss desperately, is remembered always and lives daily in my heart.  My grannies are always in my heart and when I look at my family trees, see the faces of the greats who in some cases, look similar to my own, I smile and say thank you.   You are all to be saluted and thanked.  Happy Mother's Day! 

"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.  She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness"    Proverbs 31: 26-27

My paternal grandmother Henrietta Lee Lancaster 1892-1963 She was a true southern belle 

My maternal grandmother, Gladys Mary Hawkins 1896-1991 An English Rose

      My mother Margaret Sinclair 1925-2014 The darling of Santa Catalina Island

 

 

I Am Who I Am

I missed posting my April blog at the beginning of the month, not from a Senior Moment or time not permitting me to do so; I simply had no interest in writing one.  My life has started in a new direction and frankly, I need to focus on what serves me currently.  It's not that I don't have anything to say, I have a lot to say but I'm not sure if I'm interested in sharing those thoughts and my life with the world any longer.    

Over time, I was a soul longing for more.  I can honestly say now, I have all I need.  My little house here in Boise will not be my last home but for now it serves me well.  I know once I have grandbabies, I'll head in their direction as I want to know and love my grandchildren and be close.  I can't blame anyone for wanting that, so I sit and wait patiently until the time arises, and I know where I'm heading off to.  No pressure to be applied on my one and only, but I will be Granny some day and will live up to the name when the time is right!

I've learned a valuable lesson, and that is not everyone is who or what they seem to be.  I'm sure I'm not either as we are all an enigma of sorts.  We are not everyone's cup of tea so with that, I move gracefully on with my life and no apologies will be offered for just being me.  I have a good heart, do most things out of love, therefore I am of clear conscience.  

I live with a forgiving heart.  I'm not a negative person but when negative people enter my space, negativity is mirrored back.  Therefore, I'm learning to eliminate negative, judgmental, and dark energies out of my existence and replace them with love and light.  I pray we all take this to heart and eliminate what is no longer serving our best interests and move on.  Life is too short.

I made the commitment to raise these two young dogs and I will do so with a heart full of love and devotion.  These two dudes are almost grown men, and they provide me with laughs beyond measure and devotion only true love offers.  My guys are funny, sweet, full of love and they love people.  I've learned a lesson from them about unconditional love.  The saying love me, love my dogs is true here.   If one can't stand the friendly open attitude in my humble abode, well then don't come over.  We are simply who we are.

I have also learned that prayer can be answered.  When one prays with a loving heart and is open to what God will give, we all can have whatever it is we truly desire.  I've been on my knees praying with earnest and my prayers have been answered, I thank God with a humble and thankful heart.  I am living proof of answered prayer.

And finally, after careful consideration, this will be my last monthly blog.  I'll write periodically when time permits and ideas come to me.   I've got plenty on my plate to keep me busy, travels planned to take me to the end of the year and new lessons to be learned.  You'll hear from me, my dear friends, but frankly, this engine has run out of steam. I'm going to regroup, grow in spirit and offer myself to the world when the time is right.  One can never be sure of when I'll publish something I feel is interesting and relevant.  I'm not gone, just on a sabbatical of sorts.  With that, blessings to all who have read these blogs over the last three years.  I love you all and thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart. XXOO

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever.  Psalm 136:1

Best Friends

Heart to Heart

This month my friends, we're going to have a heart-to-heart chat.  I've worn my heart on my sleeve more than once these past three years and stepped out of my comfort zone more times than I care to remember.  Now it's time for me to lay it all on the line, stop pussy footing around and speak my truth as I see it.  This is not an easy blog for me to write as I'm sure I'll tick off more than a few but as Rhett said to Scarlet; "frankly my dear I don't give a damn."

As we enter the spring of 2023, war is imminent, taxes are out of control, and the price of gasoline is once again going up.  Russia recently pulled out of the Nuclear Arms Treaty, and the idea of a nuclear attack is being bantered around in "thinking" circles.  Our power grids are weak, there's rolling black outs in some states and then the idiots in DC want to do away with gas heat and appliances!  How, if we are not repairing our basic electrical grids, can we rely on electric energy?  Of course, the Keystone Pipeline was stopped so natural energy is in question.  I swear, they're trying to starve us, freeze us, make us deathly ill, or destroy us in whatever way possible while making themselves look like heroes.  Please don't get me started on train derailments, food processing plants being burned to the ground, our electric transformer stations being shot up along with schools and shopping malls!  I'm honestly at a loss for words.

Our way of life as decent hardworking Americans is under attack and those of us with a faith-based system of living, are being slowly eliminated.  The truth of man and women is now being questioned, and basic biology is being undermined.  Children as young as kindergarten are being exposed to gender studies and told to question who and what they are!  What is happening to our society as a whole?  The United States of America is crumbling under this "woke" way of thinking.  Corruption at the highest levels is being revealed and nothing is being done to correct it! So many of our major cities are shitholes, criminals roam the streets without a thought, and no one seems to be punished anymore for their misdeeds and criminal offenses.  Fentanyl is coming in through our porous southern border and killing Americans daily. It's time we wake up, build the wall, and make it secure.  Enough is enough!

So, where are you going with this blog one may ask?  I have given this question much thought and the following are my eight remedies to fix the situation we now find ourselves in.

• Stop watching and listening to local and national news.  It's corrupt, it's biased (on both sides) and begin to read and study reasonable, well thought out, unbiased sources.  They're out there, look and find out for yourselves but not through the mainstream media.  The mainstream news is lying to us, and so many have been deceived.
• Social media is bull crap, plain and simple.  It's woke nonsense has permeated our society with lies and distortions.  Facebook, Tic Tock, Instagram, and other social media sites should be taken with a grain of salt and not relied upon for anything other than pictures of food, pets and family updates.  I do follow some awake people on Facebook and Twitter, but I check elsewhere for the truth.
• Criminals need to be taken off our streets and put away.  Rapists, murderers, child, and sex traffickers do not have a place in free society.  The punishment needs to fit the crime and be carried out with no allowance for good behavior. We should not be willing to sacrifice our children and future grandchildren to some pervert who happened to behave themselves while in prison.  I'm simply not forgiving anyone who would harm a child.  Lock them up and throw away the key or better in some cases...
• Arrest and prosecute those who have lied, cheated, and stolen from the American public.  This is on both sides of the aisle as neither side is free from corruption.  As Will Rogers said: "America has the best politician's money can buy." 
• Our government needs to listen to the people.  Many of us are wide awake to what is going on and are speaking out.  The elected officials work for us, not the other way around.  Make them do their job or vote out their sorry asses.
• Paper ballots need to be used in all fifty states, IMMEDIATELY!  It's becoming very apparent that the voting system in this country is a freaking nightmare.  Voter rolls need to be purged of dead people, who still have a voice even though they've gone to the great beyond.  After seeing the movie 2000 Mules, I'm convinced our election system is in a freefall.  When socialist/communists take over a country, they first gain control of the media and then the ballot boxes.  Fact, look it up if you don't believe me and do not use Wikipedia!
• Dr Fauci and his demonic group of lunatics need to be punished.  The Covid BS is over.  Take the therapeutics, Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine and enjoy life.  I can send you a link to buy these clinically proven harmless drugs, just ask.  They work, they're inexpensive and accessible.  No more booster shots, no more big pharma telling us what to do.  No more crazy loons like Fauci getting rich off the corpses of our relatives.  Sorry not sorry, I'm done with that demonic little monster.  He belongs in Gitmo for crimes against humanity.
• Finally, let our children be children again.  No more of trying to shove this woke BS down the throats of our babies.  No more gender reassigning ten-year-old's, no more basic pornography being taught in the public schools.  If I were to start over again, raising children, homeschool or faith-based schools would be the only way of instructing my child.  Kids are not learning the simple ABC's in public schools.  We are graduating uneducated, illiterate children from our public schools, with no idea how to read or write a simple sentence.  This is fact folks, and I'm not spinning right wing propaganda!  

Therefore, wake up America and see the truth.  This is a great country; we need to accept ALL people for who and what they are.  Basic good manners, common sense, and logic all but seem to have disappeared.  We're left with a crazy society hanging on by a thread. What I have detailed above is just a brief overview of the basic issues.  We are losing our country to a mob of woke, corrupt, and evil people who are trying to bring down the greatest country in the history of the world. It's time we wake up, it's not too late but getting close to it.  As I say, repeatedly, may God bless America.

"Never lose hope, my heart, miracles dwell in the invisible." 

~Rumi

Gifts of Gratitude

The attitude of gratitude is a gift and one of which we should constantly practice.  Recognizing this gift daily is one we all need for peace of mind, love, grace, and frankly, it gives our lives more meaning.  Being that the month of February is the month of love, I'd like this blog to be my love letter to you, my dear reader, as I'm incredibly grateful for the support this blog has had over the last three years. 

Gratitude is a practice embraced by all the world's major religions.  It has been proven that those who express gratitude are both happier and healthier.  Gratitude will bring great comfort and peace daily to those who practice the art of saying thank you.  Professor Jeff Wilson, an ordained teacher in Shin Buddhism and who is also a professor of Asian Studies at the University of Waterloo professes: "We practice simply to give thanks for what we have received.  It's a small shift in one's perspective, but when pursued, it can be transformative."  This is correct in my humble opinion and those who keep gratitude journals will confirm this to be true.  To give thanks daily for even the most mundane of things keeps us honest and true to the lives we lead.

I do not necessarily keep a gratitude journal.  I journal my thoughts, ideas, challenges, and deepest desires daily.  At the end of every entry, I always express what I am grateful for and give thanks to God for allowing it to be.  Therefore, listed below are six items that I am grateful for.  I could list more but frankly; it would be pages upon pages of reading, and I try to keep my readers from getting bored.

First, I'm grateful to know God.  God, you see, is the ultimate universal power.  God started and will end everything.  God is our one source; God is omnipresent and all encompassing.  God is all there is.  "Do not be conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2).  I am grateful, thank you.

Second, I'm grateful for the family I grew up with.  I had lovely parents and if I were to choose once again, I would pick them.  My childhood was what it was, and I moved forward many years ago.  I am grateful for all the rocky patches, unhappy experiences, and stressful situations.  These life lessons made me stronger, wiser, and able to successfully navigate my way today.  I am grateful, thank you.

Third, I'm grateful I had the opportunity to marriage a try.  Although it was not perfect, although we had our trials and tribulations, although we had our sad times, I would not have my greatest blessing, nor would I have the lifestyle I currently enjoy.  Yes, that part of my life is over, and I've moved forward, but I look back and only see now, the happy times, memories and the life that was shared.  I am grateful, thank you.

Fourth, I'm eternally grateful to have reestablished a relationship I thought was lost.  I will not go into detail about this other than to say what was lost has been found.  What I perceived was gone, is still intact.  What was easy, uncomplicated, and comfortable, still is. Jesus said:  "Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matthew 7:7).   I am grateful, thank you.

Fifth, the life I currently live is perfect.  I have made lifelong friends in these past two- and one-half years and I treasure them along with those who stayed with me along life's journey.  I am grateful, thank you.

Sixth and finally, I'm grateful to God for all that I have, all that I can give and all that comes to me with love.  I am grateful, thank you.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  For his mercy endures forever.

1Chronicles 16:34

 February 2019 - Pearl Harbour

 

Facing Our Fears

As we move into the year 2023, I've been pondering the subject of fear, the fears I have for the future, and the fears I've had over the last ten years.  As I reflect, so many of the fears I had at the beginning of 2013 and beyond, have resolved themselves and I've moved forward.  Therefore, the subject for my January blog is fear and how do we resolve those fears without driving ourselves completely crazy.  As normal, this is my story, I can only share it and hope someone reading this blog will take heart and take the steps necessary to face their own fears.

In January of 2013, John was not feeling well.  He was losing weight rapidly and I kept asking him if he was on a diet, knowing full well he wasn't, as I was cooking all the meals.  He could hardly eat and finally in February we found out he had pancreatic cancer, and the outcome would not be positive.  We stuck together as a family; he conquered each day with courage and dignity but sadly he passed away 10 months later.  When I think back now, he was as fearful as I was, but at the time he said he was not.  The fear of the unknown is one of the worst fears of all.  It wasn't an easy time for us, hurt feelings on both sides, profound sadness, and the fact I had no clue what I was going to do when the end came. I was next to my dad when he passed on but never had to even fathom the thought of finding a husband no longer breathing.  I feared that day for 10 months and when the time came, what I saw was peace.  I felt peace in the room as well, as he had been staring and talking to what I then and now perceive as spirit guides and angels in the corner of the ceiling.  When I found him, I knew he had moved on to a better place as those angels had taken him home.  Cancer had not beaten him; it only took him back to his oneness with God.  I believe he feared death, but there was no fear in his face when he transitioned onto his next journey.

The last ten years, after that terribly sad day, has been a roller coaster of fears, intense anxiety in some respects, and now simply peace of mind.  What I found by conquering my fears of the unknown is that, by placing one's trust in God hands, is the only way to conquer fear.  Franklin D Roosevelt said: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."  Oh, how true.  The Universe can handle anything we think is too big, of little significance or what we perceive as a burden. God will never let us down.  Put your fears in God's hands and let it be.

I knew when it was the right time to leave Washington State.  I left the life I had built for twenty years behind me, to build a new life here in Idaho.  My timing was impeccable but trust me, I feared the pure unknown before me.  I really knew no one here other than my realtor and a couple of acquaintances I knew fifty plus years ago.  Kristina was an off again, on again roommate, and I knew she'd be moving out eventually.  But once again, I put my fears in God's hands and have been blessed beyond measure over these last two and a half years.  My greatest blessing is in Florida now, we've conquered our first Christmas apart, not without a lot of tears mind you, and we're both on to our new challenges.  My fear of being alone has been conquered as I'm now blessed with love and support from many good-hearted kind new friends.  My fear of driving too far in the snow has been put behind me, as I now can successfully drive in inclement weather without even a whimper.  I recently drove the dudes out to Boise for their grooming and it was snowing buckets!   Snow driving is going to become second nature soon.

Fear of forming deep and lasting relationships has always been a fear I've faced, probably since high school.  I've been let down more times than I can count, and I'm sure I've most likely let a few down myself.  The many good-hearted people I've met on my life journey, however, have warmed my heart and soul.  I was afraid of being alone this Christmas and low and behold, I was blessed by two friends who shared dinner, participated in provocative conversation, and all the blessings Christmas day continues to bring.  Whenever I put my fears in God's hands, I always have a happy outcome.  I'm grateful beyond measure.

These days, I fear for the future.  It all seems so tenuous, so fragile, so out of the normal realm of our natural state of mind.  The world is undergoing continued upheaval, a great reset, enveloped by a cloud of uncertainty and anxiousness.  I am an awakened soul, as are so many who know of the same mindset.  Our trust in a positive outcome is now once again, in God's hands.  I know the outcome will be fine, as it should be, but we have a bumpy road in front of us.  All we can do is trust and let it be.  Therefore, Happy New Year my dear friends and may God continue to bless America and the world beyond.

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me

Seeking words of wisdom, let it be, let it be.

~ Lennon and McCartney ~

Da Boyz Looking toward 2023

Enjoy The Moments

I'll confess up front, this month I've had a case of writer's block.  The topic and content for the month has eluded me, as has the want to sit down and write. I enjoy writing, it's become my newfound hobby but, I struggle with the relevance of these blogs, the topics I wish to explore and frankly I worry they've become stale and boring.  How many topics can one produce every month and stay true to one's heart and soul?  How many thoughts and desires do I have that I want to express on paper for the "world" to read?  I honestly don't know, but tonight as I was pondering once again, the idea for this month was to simply enjoy the writing process for what it is, and the energy that is assisting me to express my thoughts on paper.  Therefore, this will be a blog for enjoyment purposes only so bear with me if I ramble and please enjoy the moments!

2022, for yours truly, has been an interesting year as I've raised up two wild babies into wild men and, reconnected with a friendship I thought was lost forever.  Frankly, I began to weed out those who are of toxic energy, while adding to my sphere of influence those who are upbeat, kind and portray mirrored beliefs and attitudes.  Those who are of positive energy, love and kindness are those who have become trusted and lifelong friends.  I've also found out that spirit has an interesting sense of humor and I keep laughing at the wonders that continue to unfold. 

To begin with, I started this year with tears in my eyes, missing my Bonnie Girl and trying to figure out what to do next.  I wanted another dog, but how soon?  The two terrorists arrived by February 5th and the enjoyment of the moments, good and bad, has been amazing.  Bonnie and I enjoyed our moments, but I'd forgotten the pure enjoyment that little boys will bring into your life.  The dudes are grown up now, both have turned a year old, and they're settling down to be normal terrier dogs.  We still have a way to go, and I will keep my sense of humor.  I'm trying not to sweat the small stuff, like the holes in my lawn, the torn to shreds plug off my heating pad or that pair of new socks with the chew holes.  Toby my Westie is a dapper little dude, sweet, kind and a rascal.  His beautiful white fur is usually silver as dirt sticks to him like glue and he hates being bathed.  It doesn't help that the grass is his favorite rolling place, unless it's bird poop or something worse.  Stuart on the other hand is built like a linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks.  He's about forty pounds now, and if he wore pants, he'd have a gut and a plumber's butt.  He's also a lap dog, as sweet as sugar and funnier than hell.  I love these dudes; we enjoy our moments with each other (them for the treats and me for the pleasure of their company).

Enough of my canine companions as I have more to express regarding those enjoyable moments.  This past year, I've learned to enjoy the moments presented to me.  Eighty percent of the moments in our lives are those we should embrace with gusto and enjoyment.  Living in the moment is the easiest way to enjoy life.  I've stated this fact before, but once one puts the past behind them and lets the future take care of itself, the present enjoyment of each moment can be attained.  It's okay to reminisce upon the good times in life.  The memories these special moments hold can assist us through trying times.   Since it's the holiday season, I tend to remember past Christmas's with long gone family and friends.  I've always said I'd give anything for one last Christmas with my parents and grandparents.  I can't do that, it's not possible, therefore now I hold tight to the new memories and enjoyable moments I'm spending with those close.  The one and only doesn't live close by anymore, so we will enjoy Christmas in January in sunny Florida.  Meanwhile, I will spend Christmas here in the cold with my boys, and my blessed friends.  Yes, I wish she were here, along with her dad and grandparents but it's okay, it's all the way the universe planned our lives.  

With all this said, Christmas is in three weeks from this writing.  I'm not a holiday type gal frankly, it's overhyped and overrated.  What I am is an enjoy the moment girl and I plan to do just that!  Therefore, to end this blog, this last tome of 2022, let's begin to focus on enjoying our lives again.  Now that Covid is put behind us, let's begin to truly focus on making memories, travel, and enjoying the moments the divine puts in our path.  Life is for living, to enjoy, to embrace with gusto and to make precious memories.  Merry Christmas dear friends and Happy New Year. 

Love, like life, flows through the heart.  Feel the thrill of the flow and say nothing.

~ Rumi

The Boys Age One