Friday, November 30, 2018

I'm Back

Three hours at the doc's yesterday, shots in the ear.  Almost home, the vertigo hit the worst it has in 6 months, a very rough night.  But a better day today.  It has been a day spent on the sofa.  I started to fret this afternoon about doing nothin, but I remembered all those classes that I teach and remembered it was time to give my body what it needed...rest.

It has rained most of the day, so it has been a good one to spend on the sofa drinking hot tea.
The dogs have napped most of the day as well.  Rick has written most of the day.

It will be an early bedtime tonight.  I hope you are all warm and cozy.
It is the last day of November.  Only one month left in 2018, make every day, every moment count.
Be kind.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Weather and Life

My men's classes have been amazing.  Their participation, enthusiasm and energy that they bring to class is every teacher's dream.  New students today, all left with smiles saying that they couldn't wait until the next class.

The north wind moved through the past couple of days and most of our color left with it.  It is still beautiful, just different.  Not as cold tonight, rain moving back through in the next couple of days.
The weather is a good teacher of life, always changing, just like life.

I get my shots tomorrow.  I know it is strange to be looking forward to something painful.  The pain doesn't last long and the shots bring the benefits of being symptom free for months.  Can't wait for the vertigo to subside.  The amazing thing, the last shots were about 5 months ago, and even though I am in the midst of a flare, the symptoms are much milder than they were before.

I have drawn several prototypes for my Christmas cards.  Rick and I will make a decision tomorrow on which design we both like the most...and then I start painting.  Can you believe Christmas is less than a month away????

I hope your Thursday brings good surprises and much kindness.  Tomorrow afternoon if you have time and the energy, send me a few good thoughts, that the shots will be effective, the results long lasting.  Thanks in advance.

Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Tuesday Random Thoughts

Driving home tonight, the air was so cold it seemed to sparkle.  You know that type of air with each breath you feel refreshed, that is how I felt when I walked out to my car.  On the dark country roads holiday lights are appearing more frequently each night.  Those lights twinkled in the cold stillness.

As I rounded the last curve to our house, I gasped.  Our neighbors had decorated their entire front yard today.  I was met with a Christmas fantasy of color and light.  Very beautiful.

The meds have controlled the vertigo today.  But the meds make me feel as though every nerve in my body is raw and exposed.  Can't wait for those shots, keep good thoughts that they work for a very long time.

Three more days in November and then December will roll in and be gone in a flash.  Take a deep breath and hold on.  We are in the middle of all sorts of holidays.  No matter what or how you celebrate, Happy Holidays!  Please be kind to one another.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Be Valued

I didn't make it to work today, another round of vertigo.  Thursday, more shots in the ear, but the last ones kept the vertigo away for about 5 months.  Worth the pain.

Here's the quote that would have gone on my board today.  It will make it there tomorrow.

" There's a difference between being liked and being valued.
A lot of people like you.  Not many value you.  Be valued."


I couldn't find the person responsible for this quote, but it is such an inspiring one.
Last week of November, be kind, be grateful, share some joy.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Favorite Fall Tree

Out of the hundreds, maybe thousands? of trees on our property, this one is my absolute favorite in the fall.  It is one of the last to change color and it undergoes a daily transformation for about a week  before all the leaves are gone.  Today it was yellow gold,  tomorrow who knows what it will be.

It was shaped by an ice storm or maybe a tornado but it forms an arch  or sorts there in the middle of the woods.  Underneath its shade is where yellow jackets build their nests in late summer and Hook so foolishly digs them up.

It has been a great holiday weekend.  Peaceful and restful, no shopping or mall, just hanging out on the farm.

Can you believe this is the last week of November?  In just a few short weeks we will say goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019.  Make this week special, be kind, be extra kind, show love  and share joy.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Wish You Were Here

Morning walks, damp and chilly , the dogs run into the woods, Rick leads the pack and me and Taz follow.   A very nice laid back Saturday.  Wish you were here.

Friday, November 23, 2018

All Grown Up

Rick had to shoot pictures for the paper this evening at the local Christmas Festival.  As we were walking down the street I heard someone call my name.  It was a young woman that I had known since she was a toddler, all grown up and now a local business owner.  She was still just as beautiful as always, so proud of the successful young woman she has become.   Here we are, me and Paula.


Thursday, November 22, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving

We have had way bigger groups, but Thanksgiving is good no matter who is here.  We miss the ones who have passed on, but their memories were with us.

I am tired, but it is truly a good tired.  About to go raid the fridge for leftovers and just chill.

Rick's Thinking Bench got used as a hangout today.
I hope your tables were full of food, your hearts full of love and your house full of laughter today.
Happy Thanksgiving


Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Thanksgiving Moon

It's been an unusual sight the past couple of evenings, to walk out while there is still light and see the moon so bright.  The picture doesn't do it justice but me and my phone tried our best.

If you are celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, I hope you are blessed with a bounty of food, family, friends and joy. 

Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Sensory Treat

As I left the building this evening I stood and watched the moon rise above the trees in the dark autumn sky.  I looked to the west and the sun was saying goodbye with vivid orange and fuchsia .  It was quite a sensory experience, standing in the cold seeing the moon rise and the sun set at the same time.  The smell of logs burning in someone's fireplace added that little extra joy.

I find this time of year so invigorating, my energy  seems to be climbing every day and I am sleeping soundly every night.  Almost home, a big buck danced across the road in front of me and I was grateful for him and myself that he was fleet of hoof.

Tomorrow will be the end of the work week for me, a long holiday weekend is so nice.
I hope your hump day is a good one as so  many of your get ready to see friends and family this weekend.  I don't do black Friday or shop on Thanksgiving day.  Thursday evening I will sit in front of the fire and be grateful and Friday, no shopping stress for me.  I spent many years working retail,
I am almost mall-phobic.

Rick is bringing home Chinese tonight, I am so excited.  Already in my pj's.
May your Wednesday bring joy and kindness.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Create

A quote to ponder tonight.....



"Creativity is an inherent human quality of the highest order.
When we create, we become more than the sum of our parts."
- Yanni

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Prayer

I have a book that I bought around 1995.  It is a book of daily thoughts and meditations.  There are years that I read it daily, then put it on my bookshelf for another time.  It has been a few years now since I pulled the pink book off the shelf.    It is Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.  Each time I began to read these mediations they speak to me in a different and profound way.

I started this book again on November 8 and several of the meditations have reopened my eyes to things I needed to see and think about.  Books are truly old friends and they come into your life when you need them most.

The meditation on November 8 was about prayer.  Not a prayer, but the fact that most of us pray twenty four hours a day.  It is not a about kneeling to pray, but it is in caregiving sick parents, children, helping friends and neighbors, nourishing bodies and souls.  Every day life is prayer.
One way or another, prayer is conversation and when we do this prayer in our daily life, it is what my mother use to call putting feet on our prayers.

Sarah ends this particular meditation with an interesting statement...."women pray because we need to talk to someone who's really listening."

It has been a good day.  Thanksgiving lunch with my sister Pat and her family.  Rest this afternoon, a recharge of our batteries for the work week.  It is a week of Thanksgiving, a week to remember to be grateful...actually something we need to practice daily.

May we be kind, may we spread joy.

I shot this picture of Calliou yesterday,he seems to always be looking for the beauty around him.

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Busy Saturday

Rick had to work at the newspaper office today.  I took advantage of a few hours at home alone and cleaned house, did laundry and washed my yoga blankets.  When he got home tonight, I did steak, salad and baked potato, I think he's happy.

It has been a difficult couple of weeks.  I dealt with a sinus/bronchial infection for about six weeks and now that I am finally over it, the Meniere's did a little flare up.  Nothing like it use to, but just sudden bouts of vertigo with migraines.  Today has been awesome, no flares at off.  I am hoping that this bout is over and will be gone for a few months, if not it will be time for shots in the ear drum again.

I can't believe Thanksgiving is this Thursday.  I love Thanksgiving, it is all about food and gratitude, not gifts.  For me it has never dealt my life the stress that Christmas holidays have.  I love Christmas time, the cards, the tree, baking cookies.  The stress has always been trying to make everyone happy.
It took me most of my life to realize that I didn't have to make anyone happy during the holidays except myself.  I still have my moments when family members start a guilt moment about where/when/what, but I handle things  now, much better than my younger days.

Many of my students will get to go home for the holiday.  A few won't but sometimes being at the center for a holiday is best for some.  My work week will be a short one, just Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  I will cook some lunch on Thursday, but nothing big like I have often done in the past.  I need some rest this year.

Enjoy your Sunday, think of something to be grateful for, be kind and spread joy.

Friday, November 16, 2018

Jordan's Honor

Jordan was inducted into the National Honor Society today.  We are thrilled, though he shrugged his shoulders and told me it was nothing to cheer about.  He is an A student and I think that is something to cheer about.

His mom Sam, her mom( his Nana) and Rick and I went to the ceremony.  We also went to his mom's ceremony and her older brother James'.  Proud of all them.  My brother Ricky and his wife Deb have raised 3 awesome kids, James ( who is a newspaper publisher) Haven ( who is Ricky's partner in their plumbing business) and Sam ( Jordan's mom who works as a PTA) and since they grew up next door to us, we figure they are our surrogate kids.

Here's a photo from today, Sam, Jordan, me and Debbie  (Nana).  It has been a good day.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Art and Music

We awoke to a few snow flurries this morning and the coldest day of the year.  We headed out this afternoon to our gig, which thankfully was south and not north.  Just made it in and unloaded equipment.  As always we had a fun show, we loving playing this gig.  It is a fundraiser for a museum and we have done it for the past few years.  Art and music, what a life.

Time to unwind, drink a cup of hot tea and hit the sack.
If you are traveling this weekend, safe travels, be kind, spread joy, show some gratitude.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Rainy Hump Day

New faces in my men's class today, that means soon, some of the familiar faces will be gone.
The new guys took to yoga and meditation like kids opening Christmas presents.  All were smiling when they left my room today, that is a good sign.

Still cold and rainy, but warmer days coming for the weekend.  Looks as though it will be one of those winters, wet, wet and wet.  That's ok, everything, even in the cold temps looks happy.

The dogs are loving the rainy days, especially when the logs are burning in the fireplace.  Hook gets as close as he can and then he grunts.

Tomorrow night is a gig we look forward to every year.  We play a lovely museum a couple of hours southeast of here.  We always have such a warm welcoming audience.

Another mild bout of vertigo today, so bedtime beckons.  We are over the hump day, it is now mid-November and this year is almost gone.  Keep spreading the kindness and joy, it matters. 

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Mary

I thought about our friend Mary as I cleaned a couple of kitchen drawers this morning.  She died a few years back and had fought cancer for several years before she made her transition.  We were talking one day about cleaning house.  She mentioned how much she hated cleaning her bookcases filled with books, and I agreed with her.  When you have floor to ceiling books, it is a major job to clean them.

She laughed and said "you know what I do, I decide to clean one shelf.  After you clean that one shelf, it looks so good and the others look so bad, well even if it takes a week of cleaning one shelf each day, you get it done."

I started with one drawer, and then I did another.  Then it was time to get ready to go to work, but I am going to do the same thing tomorrow.  I use to think I had to do it all in one day, but working one drawer or one shelf at a time is so much easier.

I miss my friend Mary, she was wise and kind and glowed with love.  But she was also loads of fun to hang with.  I can still hear her laugh.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Monday Musings

Fleeting moments of vertigo have hit this afternoon and tonight, never sure what triggers it.  Nothing bad, but truly unnerving.

Rain has come down most of the day.  Damp and chilly are two great words to describe the weather for this whole week.  Honestly, I had rather have damp and chilly than hot and humid.

I hope your week got off to a good start and if not, hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Spread some joy and kindness, even to those you don't know.

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Horn of Plenty

We both got the nesting bug this morning and did a light cleaning of shelves, desks and closets.  I am trying to make this a regular ritual so that clutter can be contained.  We are not sparse by any means, we live in a small cottage and clutter grows quickly, just  don't want to feel overwhelmed by stuff.

I took down the October flag and hung the cornucopia for November.  I love this flag, the colors and what it represents.  We do have a bounty in our lives and I am grateful every day.  Our life is truly one that would be well represented by a horn of plenty.

Let's start this week with kindness and see if we can make it last the whole week long.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Wonderful

Our local Veteran's celebration  was this morning.  It is small town at its best.  Always remembering those in our community who have served, recognizing them and paying tribute to those who are no longer here.

After the celebration, we went to the family owned business who restores used appliances and found once again, a great washer.  They will deliver Monday or Tuesday and take our old one and hopefully be able to rebuild it and resale it one more time.  I shudder to think of all the appliances in this country which have found a final resting place in a landfill.   I appreciate this family for what they do.

We walked the dogs this evening near sundown.  The light is so different then than in the mornings.
The tops of the trees shimmered in the glow of the evening sun.  I took deep breaths of the cold fresh air, grateful for such a wonderful day.

Take some time tomorrow to think about the upcoming week.  Take some time to be grateful for those in your life who are there for you, think about ways to share your joy and ways to extend kindness to those you see daily.  May your Sunday be filled with peace.

Friday, November 9, 2018

Welcome

A good day.  A little house cleaning, some laundry, grocery shopping and a haircut.  We will play a couple of songs at our local Veteran's Day celebration tomorrow and hopefully go shopping for a new washing machine.  Mine is dying a slow horrible death.  My brother Ricky, who is a plumber  says to let it go and buy another.  I can't complain.  We buy from a family owned business who restores used washing machines, dryers, stoves and fridges.  We bought this washer from them I am guessing maybe 10 years ago for very little.  It has served us well.  We will go visit them tomorrow.

It has been in the 40's today with rain coming down most of the day.  Tonight I made a steaming pot of potato cheese soup, Sam is on her way to take a bowl home with her.

The picture tonight is what welcomes you as you drive into our driveway.  I think it is a pretty nice welcome.   Kindness and love, that is what it's all about, share some tomorrow.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Breathe

Some days I have to remind myself, just breathe.  Funny though, when I walk the dogs, I never have to remind myself to breathe.

Enjoy your Friday, share some joy, spread a little kindness.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

World of Gold

Pouring rain moved in around mid-morning, so we walked the dogs early.   The skies were gray and the chill touched your bones, but there is so much gold in the trees right now, the whole world seemed golden.

It has been an out of sorts day, but sometimes a new moon does that because it brings change.
Hump day is over and tomorrow is my Friday.  May our lives be touched with kindness tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Me and Hook, Again

Storms rolled through last night and this morning, but around lunch the clouds rolled away.
It has been a beautiful day and Hook and I enjoyed our daily dose of vitamin D before I had to go to work.

Rick and I voted today, I hope you did too.  Hook says he would vote if he could.

Monday, November 5, 2018

Life

This quote filled my board today, many of my students took the time to write it down.


"If you don't make the time to work on creating the life you want, you're eventually going to be forced to spend a LOT of time dealing with a life you don't want."   - Kevin Ngo

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Hook Hug

The morning was beautiful and it was a great day to get things done.  Just routine things around the house that we both enjoy doing, like cutting the grass and planting more collard greens.  The dogs were quite frisky on their morning walk.

The clouds moved in this afternoon and a gentle rain has been falling for a couple of hours.  The weather guys are talking storms tomorrow night, hope they are wrong.

Hook always has to have a morning hug.  Rick snapped this picture this morning, me giving ol' Hook a big good morning hug.

Saturday, November 3, 2018

Delightful Saturday

Our gig was one we love doing today.  It was at a senior living facility in Birmingham.  This was our third visit there this year and each time is a delight.  The seniors are delightful, attentive and so interacting.  Today I met a new lady who had moved in since we were there before.  She was very festive in a crimson outfit and I asked her what team she was cheering for today.

She smiled and told me she was cheering for any team in Alabama who had a game today.  She informed me that she was 90, a positive thinker and had been a cheerleader in her younger days.
Her quote "once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader."   She was so precious I just wanted to bring her home with us.

Several of our regulars showed up, always encouraging and sharing their stories.  Often they have family members who are visiting and they bring them to our show.  Today one of the ladies brought her daughter, and both were delightful.

Tonight, we helped our great-nephew Stone celebrate his 16 birthday.  His birthday was Halloween but the family celebrated tonight.

Rick is watching the Alabama/LSU game, honestly, I am too tired to watch.  Flipping through a magazine is about as much energy as I can muster tonight.

Wishing you all peace and kindness tomorrow.

Friday, November 2, 2018

Kids' Parade

If you read Rick's blog then you know our local high school celebrated their homecoming today, kicking off the festivities with a parade.  There is something about a parade that is all things good about a small town.  Maybe it is all the laughing kids, the sirens, the marching band and let's not forget all the candy that is tossed, but parades turn the mundane into the magical.

As I have for the past several years, I took Jordan to my sister Pat's house.  She has the perfect spot for parade watching on main street.  This year Anthony ( another great nephew) went as well and then for the first time, Jordan's mom got to come.  Rick and I picked the boys up at school, then on to Taco Bell and Sonic.  With growing boys you have to hit more than one fast food place for lunch.

It was cold and damp, and the kids didn't care.  The boys brought home sacks of candy, as much as Halloween.  On the way home Jordan announced that he never wanted to watch the parade from anywhere but Aunt's Pat house.  When I called her this evening, she laughed.  She is 75 and told me she hoped she lived many more years because she always wanted the kids to come to her house for the parade.  Two of her great grandkids came over as well...it was a  major kid event.

We loaded the car for our gig tomorrow, well Rick did, but I will help with the unload and load and unload tomorrow.  This weekend has gotten off to a good but busy start.  May kindness and joy continue to bless us all.
Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Thursday, November 1, 2018

November 1

November 1... probably my most favorite month of the year, the leaves are changing, temps are dropping

November 1... Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year...food, laughter...no frets about gifts

November 1...three gigs this month

November 1...time to design Christmas cards and start painting

November 1...time changes ( we fall back, thank goodness) I am not a fan of Daylight Savings

November 1...the first frost arrives

November 1...we try to eat seasonal, this means root veggies, stews, soups....comfort food

November 1...sunsets take your breath

November 1...sweaters, boots...I am so happy

November 1..this month is the anniversary of my mom's death, 14 years

November 1....I am grateful regardless of what month it is