More Moon

Jordan just called.  He had to tell us to go and look at the moon now!  There is a blue ring around it and it is shinning as bright as can be.  This  morning he and his mom made sure we saw the eclipse.
Who knows what he will accomplish as an adult, but this I know now, he loves science.  He has been fascinated by the moon since he was a baby.  Moon was one of the first words he spoke.  Maybe he will be an astronaut.

I didn't make it to work today, Menieres migraine and vertigo hit hard but am better tonight.  For those of you who don't know about the disease, stress, fatigue and dehydration are triggers.  Stress and fatigue have been my sidekicks for the past few weeks, I paid their bill today.

I know cloud cover has been an issue for many of you this week.  I hope the clouds part tonight and you get to see truly one of the most beautiful full moons ever.
Be kind, give love, spread joy.

Full Blue

I walked to my car tonight in the parking lot at work.  The moon rise took my breath.
Full, blue, magical moon...gives me hope, gives me joy, gives me peace.  Getting up in the morning to watch the lunar eclipse.

Moment

My quote on the board today.


"Be happy for this moment.  This moment is your life."
- Omar Khayyan

Jordan is Ten

Tomorrow Jordan will be ten years old.  It just can't be.  It seems like yesterday I kept telling everyone he looked like a baby Buddha.   He and his mom have been in Huntsville all weekend at a swim meet.  He did really well.  He goes to state competition in two weeks.  I am so proud of him.

He asked me to make vanilla cupcakes and chicken and dumplings for his dinner this evening.  We had bought him a microscope for Christmas.  He wanted a book of experiments and a box of glass slides for his birthday, that's what we got him.

They came by on their way home from swim meet today.  He ate two bowls of chicken and dumplings.  He took the cupcakes home, they are probably gone by now.  I asked him if he was having a birthday party at swim practice tomorrow, his reply, " yeah, the coach said I had to do two extra laps."  And then he laughed.

My body and spirit are finally getting back to normal after the stress of last week.  Back to work tomorrow.   Three more of days of January 2018 and then January is gone.  I wonder what it would be like if we didn't have clocks, if we never knew what time or day it was.  I think it would be really nice.

Be kind tomorrow, show some love to those you meet.

Finally

Thursday we sang at our friend Tom's memorial service.  Last night we paid our respects to our friend Deidra's father.  Yesterday was the 26th anniversary of my father's death.
Tonight finally, we had a delightful dinner with our friends Kaye and Jamie and escaped the shadow of death in exchange for good food and laughter.

I am drained.  I might make it through one PBS show tonight and then I promise I am going to bed.

I think we might have found me a new vehicle.  We have been looking for a one owner Outback, with  fairly low milage.  If they still have it Tuesday morning, I hope I am driving it Tuesday evening.

Enjoy your Sunday tomorrow.  I hope there is peace and kindness for us all.

Example

I wrote  this quote on my board at work today.  It reminds me of my friend Tom, whose funeral we sang at yesterday.  He truly lived by example.  The outpouring of love by all those who attended the service was staggering.  I am sure he never realized how many lives he had touched because he lived by example.


"The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion."
- Paulo Coelho

Grief

This has been an emotional roller coaster week.  One of our dearest friends died Sunday, a victim of pancreatic cancer.  Through the years he and his wife ( we have been friends around 40 years) joked about Rick and I playing for his funeral .  At Christmas he called and once again he asked if we would play.  Today was his service.  It is such and honor and act of love to be asked to play at someone's memorial service, but this was such a hard gig.  But I like to think that he was somewhere listening and smiling.  I think he would have been pleased with our songs.

Tomorrow is the 26th anniversary of my father's death.  You would think after 26 years it would be easier, trust me it is not.  He died with a massive heart attack, my  mom found him in the bathroom floor  and called us that Sunday morning somewhere between 1:00 and 2:00.  Every morning this week I have awoken between 1:00 and 2:00 and not been able to go back to sleep.  I am emotionally raw and fatigued.

Yesterday we got the call that a good friend ,who lives in south Alabama , her father had died.  After work tomorrow we will drive to Tuscaloosa to be with more friends who are grieving.

We have grief classes at work for our patients.  For so many of them it is the first time they have faced their grief and dealt with it.  Those days for them are exhausting, they walk through my door like victims from a battle field searching for comfort in the storm. 

Tonight I feel as if I have weathered a storm, but it is nothing compared to what my friend who lost her husband and the one who lost her dad are feeling tonight.  Life goes on after you loose someone you love with all your heart, but it is never the same.  Yes we have memories, but there are days that I would give anything to feel my daddy's hugs, hear his voice, smell the Old Spice on his skin.

Be kind to all you meet tomorrow, for all its beauty and goodness, there is always a great deal of pain in the world around us.

Do No Harm

I taught a women's class on ahimsa today.  Ahimsa...do no harm.  We all think do no harm, means to animals ( eat no meat) to physically hurt someone, to kill.  Do no harm has much broader meaning.
Think about all the times you called yourself stupid or dumb or ugly or fat or old or skinny, it's an endless list.   The times you did not feel worthy, the times you felt invisible, the times you never felt good enough.

Our thoughts can destroy us.  They can stop us from having the life we were born to live.  They can stand in the way of happiness and peace.  Often they are the words we have heard others say about us, but many times that voice in our head becomes a loop that we replay daily.

Today I sat with a group of women in a yoga class and hopefully convinced them to "do no harm."
I hope I encouraged them to see themselves in a different light.  To like themselves and understand their value as a human.  Most importantly to know that they are worthy of love, joy and peace.

The class ended with laughter, smiles, tears and hugs.  I needed it as much as they did.
Tomorrow may we all remember, we are all worthy of love, joy and peace.  Tomorrow may we all remember, "do no harm."

Humility

sharing another quote with you tonight.


"Life is a long lesson in humility."   - J.M. Barrie

Coin

Sharing a quote with all of you tonight. 

"Time is the most valuable coin in your life.  You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent.  Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.  "  - Carl Sandburg

Jordan's Birthday

Jordan's birthday party was today.  Sam gathered all the family at UAB's aquatic center for a taco bar/swim party.  The kids all loved it.  And of course, if the kids have fun, so do the adults.
Lots of January babies in our family.  Last Monday was Rick's birthday, tomorrow is my brother Ricky's birthday and next Monday is Jordan's and Breeze's was on the 11th.    It has been one month of parties.

70 degrees today, but a cold front complete with thunderstorms comes in tomorrow.
Back to school, back to work and the last full week of January.   Remember to be kind.

Good/Bad Change

Our lives change, sometimes for the better and then there are the times it gets worse.  My older brother is sick so we visited him today.  He was having a good day, but he looked so very frail.
Then we visited one of our oldest friends and I hope that he knew we were there.  It seems we know so many who are sick right now.   This is when change gets scary.

It has been a beautiful day, 60 degrees with sunshine and more to come tomorrow.  It's January so by the end of next week we could have snow and ice again.  You just have to take the best from each day, spread some love and kindness and keep going.

Our personal lives are changing.  Rick's job at the college/AARP is ending this month.  He will be off the month of February and then he starts with local daily paper.  He has written a column for them for a few years so he will be moving into familiar surroundings and he will have a desk there.

We are excited because we have some bookings for gigs for the upcoming spring and summer.
Can't wait to get started!

Tomorrow is Jordan's birthday party, once again this has been a packed weekend.
Sending hopes out for a peaceful Sunday.  Please be kind. 

Dream or Visit

One of the highlights of our musical career together  was getting to open for the late, great John Stewart in Birmingham many years ago.  John was a musical hero when he played with the Kingston Trio but as he evolved into an amazing songwriter and performer on his own I grew to respect his talents even more.

A couple of years ago on FB I was lucky enough to become friends with his wife Buffy ( a wonderful singer/writer on her own).  It is so obvious with her FB posts the wonderful relationship and love affair that she and John had.

The night Rick and I opened for John in Birmingham he was so very kind and generous to us.  We saw him a couple of years later and he  remembered us and once again was so kind and gracious.

Last night I dreamed of John.  I dreamed that Rick and I were in Woodside California.  We saw a small cafe and there were so many people sitting outside eating, listening to someone on a small stage play music.  Everyone was smiling, just enjoying the moment.  In my dream, I walked into the cafe to get some food and there was John Stewart standing at the counter.  I said hello to him and he smiled.

He then looked at me and said I know you.  I laughed and reminded him of the time so many years ago that Rick and I had opened for him in Birmingham.  With all his kindness and grace and a twinkle in his eye, he smiled and said of course I remember you.  He wanted to know if we were still playing and writing and encouraged us to never stop.  I looked at him and told him how magical this cafe was, how wonderful and friendly all the people were.  He smiled and said yes he would be going on stage next.  I looked at him and exclaimed that this was the most wonderful place I had ever been and I never wanted to leave.  He looked at me and said but you can't stay, you have to go.  Then I woke up.

It was one of those dreams that seemed so real, and I was so happy and felt so great when I awoke.

Rick was up making coffee and I could not wait to tell him.  As I sat on the sofa waiting for Rick to bring the coffee to the great room, I glanced at FB.  The first post I saw was from John's wife Buffy stating that today was the 10th anniversary of his death.   Wow...was it a dream or a visit?  I will never know.  But I sure hope I get to visit that place again someday. 

Out with the Old

It has been an interesting few months here at the Watson house.  Back in the fall our heat pump/cooling unit died and then our microwave died and then this week our dishwasher died and oh yeah, my hair dryer died.  We also bought a new mower this summer, the old one died.  It seems we live in a disposable life.  Nothing lasts long, a few years here a few years there and then gone.  So it goes.  The sad thing, it costs as much or almost as much to repair as it does to replace.

The weather moderated today.  38 degrees for a high, can we sing Heat Wave?   Honestly I am loving the weather.  I own warm clothes.  Unless it has been pouring rain, we have walked the dogs every day this winter.  We just bundle up and it is exhilarating on our morning walks.

There is a new moon tonight and boy was it beautiful on the drive home.  New moon, new beginnings and all sorts of new energy.  Time to begin again and get things done.

Ready for my cup of hot tea tonight.  One class on chronic pain today, one on breath work, all new new faces this week.
Be kind tomorrow, be kind all weekend.

Better

I worked with a young woman in class this evening who was in pain.  They all are in pain emotionally but she was in extreme physical pain.    The saddest words came out of her mouth, she told me she had been in physical pain for several years, every day, that she had just gotten use to hurting.  This is not the first time I have heard those words, but it breaks my heart each time I hear them.

After spending a few minutes discussing her health history, we began to breathe.  For almost ten minutes we did slow deliberate breathing and visualizations.  For the next twenty-five minutes I took her through a series of slow, restorative asanas, including about fifteen minutes of somatics.
Then I got her as comfortable as I could and took her through a fifteen minute guided meditation.

As we ended the class, she expressed how much better she felt.  She was definitely moving better.
I gave her one of my cds with meditations on it ( down load yours for free at jilda.com)
I straightened the room, went downstairs to clock out and she was at the front desk.  As I left the building she told me again how much better she felt.

It is not always the big full classes that remind you why you teach, often it's that one student.
To know that she felt better because of my help made my day.

Tomorrow be kind, it doesn't cost anything and you might change someone's day.  I know it will make your day better.

Snow

A cold dry snow came in around noon today.  The snow in December was wet and sticky and Taz wanted no part of it.
Today was different, she didn't seem to mind at all.

I didn't make it to work, but those who did are there till the thaw.  My friend sent a note tonight which said that being snowed in was all about being a member of the A-team.
That's ok.  I am all right with not being a member of that particular A-team.  :)

Tomorrow is not looking so good either.  No thaw until Thursday. 

I love the silent sound  of snow.  I love the crisp clean smell of the air when it snows.  It has been a good day.

A Great Truth

I used this quote on my board today.  It is probably my favorite Martin Luther King quote.
It is such a great truth.


"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that;
Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."  Martin Luther King

Sunday's Thoughts

Since we have yoga class tomorrow night, and tomorrow is Rick's birthday I cooked his home cooked
birthday dinner tonight.  Grilled salmon filets, asparagus, mashed potatoes and cheesecake.  I think he might be a little spoiled don't you?

The weather guys are saying the snow word again, this time for Tuesday.  Enough of the teasing, I want snow guys!  It was beautiful when we walked the dogs today, clear cold and blinding blue skies.  Calliou thinks he has died and gone to heaven, this weather is perfect for him and his thick furry coat.

Tomorrow is January 15, this month is half over.  Another full moon on the 31, blue moon now and again in March with no full moon in February.   This year is starting with interesting celestial energies taking place.  May we all be kind.

Treat those around you with kindness tomorrow. 
Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Birthday Dinner

Since we changed travel plans due to weather for Rick's birthday we treated ourselves to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner tonight, Black Rock Grill in Jasper.  If you are ever in the neighbor hood do yourself a favor and go there, it truly is a wonderful place to eat.

The birthday boy got a rib eye and it looked so yummy.  I got the house specialty,  Ponchatrain catfish , blackened, stuffed with shrimp and sausage and peppers and onions and celery in a cream sauce.
Wow.  We had bread pudding for desert.  They also have an in house bakery so all the bread is made there.  Birthday boy was happy.

I am full and happy and sleepy.  It was 25 degrees when we got home, more cold to come.
But hot tea awaits and so does a warm and cozy bed.
Be kind tomorrow.

 

Breeze is 13

Our great niece Breeze celebrated her 13th birthday party tonight.   There was pizza and cake and it all took place at this huge building full of trampolines.  Loud music, crazy lights, lots of purple and teal color and the kids LOVED it.

We had a pretty good time too.  This was ZuZu's first party and she was loving being held by her sister Breeze and everyone else there.  What will we do when the kids get older and don't want us around anymore?

Snow flurries today and really cold air.  Time for hot tea and bed.
Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness, in the world we live in it is hard to be mindful.  Most of us gulp our food, we could never tell you what we had for breakfast or lunch or dinner, much less how it tasted, how it smelled, what the dinning experience was like. 

We live our lives that way.  If you drive to work can you remember any details, any landmarks or signs of nature that you pass by.  If you commute with public transportation do you make eye contact with anyone around you, could you describe the person sitting next to you?.

At work or at play are you mindful of those around you?  Do you notice if they are sad or happy, well or sick?  Are you mindful of doing your job or do you just go through the motions.

If you are with family and friends do you listen to what they say? Or are you busy thinking of what you might say or what you have to do tomorrow?

It comes down to those two questions I ask my students every day.  What time is it?  Now.  Where are you?  Here.   Be Here Now.

Just for one meal tomorrow, taste your food, savor each bite.  If you are sharing a meal with someone,  take the time to talk with them to experience the moment.  Just for one conversation take the time to listen, to hear what the other person is saying and then take a breath before you speak.
At work pay attention to one detail, be with those you work with, not wishing you were someplace else. ( if that is the case, maybe it's time to get another job.)  If you are with friends or family, be with them.  Not on your phone, or watching tv or reminding yourself of that needs to be done.

Tomorrow practice mindfulness.  If just for moments, be here, now.

Topsy Turvy

My schedule at work changed this week.  In the past our classes were mixed gender, but after talking with many of our counselors and our director we all felt that separating the genders would be best.
So now the men have their own classes and the women have theirs.  For whatever reason this week's classes have been the smallest they have ever been.  Not sure why but hopefully all will be back to normal soon.

We had planned a beach trip for Rick's birthday this weekend, but the weather is getting iffy here with a cold front moving in just as a front from the Gulf of Mexico moves in as well.  Cold air and moisture does not usually bode well and we could get anything from freezing rain to sleet to snow and ice.  We will reschedule and I will still plan something fun for Rick.

I am finally getting over the Menier's episode Monday night.  It takes a while, between the meds and the loss of fluids from the vomiting I have had a rough couple of days.    This has been a topsy-turvy week.

We are almost mid-January of 2018.  I hope your New Year has treated you kind and you in return have treated those around you kind.  May we all know joy and kindness tomorrow.
Goodnight, Sweet dreams 

No Mercy

I was teaching my last class last night, almost to the end of that class, we were in child pose.
Mienere's decided to flare and vertigo hit with a vengeance.  It showed  no mercy.  I can't tell you how appalling it is to throw up in front of a class.  But, I always have a small trash bag in my purse, car and yoga bag, so at least I was prepared.

Thankfully Rick had decided to go to class with me and watch the game when we got home.  We made it home, the meds kicked in, I passed out and Rick watched the game.  He told me about it this morning.  Roll Tide.

This is the second flare in about a month, when I talked with the doctor's nurse today she warned me I had to come in if I have another flare.  I am so hoping it goes away for a few months.

I taught today, I am tired and drained and maybe after I have dinner tonight my body will start to bounce back.  Sorry I didn't post last night.  Tomorrow I should be back to my old self.
Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Accomplished

It has been such a good weekend, nothing spectacular, just time to accomplish things that needed to be done and rest a little.   Rick finished the apple and peach trees today.  I delivered Christmas gifts to my sister Nell and her family and to my niece Pam. Yoga blankets are washed and vision boards are done.

Even though the temps are above freezing for the first time in almost two weeks I have felt the chill today.  The humidity is rising, rain is  moving in tonight and the dampness made the 40's feel like 20's.

Tomorrow night will be the first community yoga class since the week before Christmas.  I can't wait to see my students.  Many of them have been coming to class for years, so to go a couple of weeks without seeing them is strange.   And yes, I know the college national championship game is on tv tomorrow night, and yes I know Alabama is playing.

My tea is waiting for me, I think I hear rain drops hitting the tin roof.  Good night, Sweet dreams.

Saturday

Today has been a day of chores.  Buying our niece Breeze a birthday gift, pruning fruit trees, and working on our vision boards.  The boards should be done by tomorrow, the trees maybe in a couple of more sessions.

Jordan and Anthony came over and we thought they might help with the moving of all the limbs from the fruit trees, but it was cold and soon even the promise of hot coco would not encourage their help.
This is probably the coldest winter they both have experienced and they are not lovers of the cold.
A day of snow was fun, but they are ready for warmer days now.

I have loved having a weekend of no obligations.  Chores seem to pile up quickly and it is always nice to get the place back in some reasonable order.  We have gotten an inquiry for our first gig of 2018, thanks to a good friend for a recommendation.

Chicken pot pie is in the over, no homemade tonight, sorry, just really good frozen ones from Costco.
Enjoy your Sunday, find some time to meditate, spread some kindness and throw in a little joy and gratitude as well.
Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Discounts

This quote resonated with me and my students this week.  I think it is a good one to share at the beginning of this new year.


"When you realize how much you are worth, you will stop giving people discounts."    -Karen Salmansohn

A Breather

My schedule at work officially changed today.  I have to admit I miss getting up and teaching that early morning class on Wednesdays.  The patients seemed a little upset, but anytime there is change it is tough.  This new schedule will be more beneficial for them.

I am glad to have nothing on the planner for this weekend.  From Thanksgiving until New Years we had something every weekend, glad for the breather.

It is still cold here, but there are rumors of highs in the 50's next week before the next cold front dips down.  I hope our friends in the north and east are hanging in there.  Stay warm and safe yall.

My cup of hot tea is ready.  Red zinger tonight.  Spread some kindness tomorrow.
Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Changes

What a day.  I have not slowed down, but the tree is now sitting in the front yard waiting to be planted this weekend and all the decorations are down and stored.  Laundry and house cleaning and cooking a pot of black bean soup as well. My bed is calling my name.

I love our home, but it is at it's absolute most charming during Christmas.  I have amassed some sweet and beautiful Christmas decorations through the years.  They all have meaning for me.
I miss them tonight, but I will see them again next December.

No more early Wednesday morning classes for me at work.  They were for the staff and while many said they would love to come, rarely did more than a couple show up.  So starting soon I will do an extra class for the patients on Wednesday afternoons.  The third day of the New Year and already changes taking place.

This weekend Rick and I will work on our Vision Boards, so excited.  But for now, a cup of hot tea awaits me and then my bed.
Goodnight, Sweet dreams

A Gift

Walking across the parking lot in the dark tonight I looked up to find the  moon.  There were wispy clouds covering much of the sky.  But there in the midst of those veils there appeared a golden lake with a river flowing from it.  I had never seen the sky look quite like it did then.  The moon was just rising and as the wisps spread across it it truly looked like a golden lake with a river shimmering below it.  What a gift!

It is still very cold.  But it is invigorating.  I have had so much more energy since our winter began.
I think my body needed the cold as much as the bare trees, as much as the earth does.

Tomorrow I will take down the tree, and as soon as the ground thaws this weekend we will plant it.
Warmer temps and rain moving in should make for a good planting.  I hope it thrives, it is such a beautiful tree.

Tomorrow is hump day.  Remember be kind.

January 1, 2018

January 1...full moon tonight, another one on January 31

January 1...cold, like 12 degrees cold

January 1...a new day, a new month, a new year

January 1...back to work after a week off

January 1...Rick's birthday is this month, so is my brother Ricky's and my niece Breeze and Jordan's

January 1...time to make a vision board

January 1...finally winter weather for the first time in two years, our fruit trees are singing

January 1...this month is the 27th anniversary of my dad's death, it just seems like yesterday

January 1...the holidays were great but glad for the slow down

January 1...time to take the Christmas decorations down, I love them so much

January 1...reflection, hopes, plans and dreams

January 1...this year may we all know kindness, may we all practice kindness