Friends are You and Me

When in Rome . . .

2010-10-22T06:34:00.002-05:00

I decided to forego the usual sights; I mean once you've seen St Peter's, how interesting can the rest be. The Trevi Countain is overrated - OK, I'm just being cute. But, based on my upbringing in a funeral home, I decided to tour the catacombs. What a disappointment! I wanted to see bones and skulls and stuff. Ooops. Wrong catacombs. We saw a sterilized version and then back on the bus. Then off the bus, then back on the bus, then off the bus. And, so the day went. We did visit the summer village of the Pope. Casel Gondolfo - a lovely little village with a great fresh bread store where I availed myself of some hot fresh bread that was a tad salty and crunchy. Then off to lunch. it was billed as a farm house but was really a high-priced B&B. Two of the tour rats helped to make the pasta and then we devoured a fairly good lunch. Of course, anything you eat off the ship is fairly good compared to food on the ship. The tour guide was great; she had bronchitis and kept coughing and sneezing into the mike. Oh yes, and even though the tour said it was along the Appian Way, what they really meant was along the new Appian Way, which is a four-lane highway. The bus did slow for pictures as we crossed the old Appian Way. I hope I remember what the picture is when I get home.

Monte Carlo

2010-10-19T08:38:00.002-05:00

Well, we survived a storm on the way to Barcelona - 77 mile an hour winds and 16 foot seas. Time for a patch, green apples and ginger. Joe's scooter came on board, and he's happy exploring. I went into Monte Carlo and had a great croque monsieur and a glass of wine (it was vinegar not long ago). Then into the Grand Casino and what to my wondering eyes should appear but the ever lucrative meerkats. I put 10 Euros in and in a matter of about four minutes was able to cash out with .20 Euros. It'll make a great scrapbook addition. We're back in the closet, but I had them take all the bed-making stuff out of the drawers and bring me a clothes rack. Can't wait til we set sail for Livorgno, then i can get back to my favorite little meerkats. Obviously French snootiness has attached itself to the meerkats in Monoco. Au revoir.

I have just got ot get a grip . . .

2010-10-16T09:30:00.003-05:00

There are a few positive things happening on this cruise, but I am overwhelmed with how inaccessible it is. We went to a pub crawl the other night and I won a lighted glass cause I was the oldest one there, which is certainly not to imply that I am the oldest one on the ship. We visited four different bars and savored a variety of fruity drinks. The casino staff is really friendly and always encouraging. Gee, wonder why but we've been very lucky at the craps table and a totally addicting slot machine consisting of meerkats and another with lemings. Today is Livorgno, tomorrow Barcelona, then back to our crackerbox for the remainder of the cruise. But our new travel agent (not the one who booked this stupid ship) has been able to get Joe and electric scooter tomorrow all the way to Ft Lauderdale.

The weather's turned cool (cold when you don't have enough warm clothes) and rainy. Some cheery sort just told us a bad storm was brewing and it was going to be ugly tonight. That's OK, I still have a supply of Transderm patches. Yesterday I visited some catacombs and the Pope's summer palace. And I found a oven-grilled bread store. Yummy.

There are some fun people on board. A young couple on their honeymoon share our disgust with the food and tours. Misery loves copany regardless of the age. Well, think I'll go sit in the hydrotherapy pool and warm up. There are worse options.

Second Leg

2010-10-12T04:47:00.002-05:00

Things have gone down hill since we left Celebrity. Handicaapped water taxis, a broken electric wheelchair, exhorbitant manual wheelchair rental. poorly organized ground crew, disgusting room, inaccessible swimming pools, mediocre food, but hey, we're cruising in the Mediterranean.

There are a few items that I don't send to the laundry - mostly underwear - but I've always put it on the verandah to dry. The Aegean Sea is apparently a little windier than most because my La Mystere bra ended up on the verandah two doors down - the one belonging to two gay guys. The stateroom steward got a great chuckle as did the neighbors. My job is to keep people amused.

I've checked the boxes for Croatia (Dubrovnik is a beautiful walled city that is clean and grafitti-free) and Albania (remnants of Communist poverty in abundance) and Santorini. There was only our ship in port and the cities were packed. The next day there were supposed to be seven - that should be disgusting.

I'm going to try accupunture from a wholeistic practitioner from Austin, TX. My trust level is high.

Athens

2010-10-03T03:02:00.004-05:00

After a day's rest at sea, we docked in Pirreaus and I took a trip to the Acropolis - one of those things you just are supposed to do if it's your first trip to Athens. Been there, done that. I appreciate the fact that they're trying to preserve the structure, but it's really being rebuilt. And, the last time they preserved it, they did it incorrectly, so now are fixing previous mistakes. Next time I'll go to Corinth. My knees went on strike after four days of climbing. And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but no Motrin. I found all sorts of little stuff that didn't get packed. Urghhhh. And all sorts of stuff that I could do without. So, I've convinced a great couple that we met to take my rolling carry-on home with them to Colorado Springs to be collected at some later date. I'm not sure what I was thinking, or maybe more importantly, I wasn't thinking. I feel lighter already. Today, we're in Messina, tomorrow at sea, and then into Rome before flying to Venice. We still have four weeks left. Good grief. What were we thinking.

One more for the Bucket List

2010-10-03T02:44:00.002-05:00

Egypt greeted us with high 90s and sun, lots of sun. Our tour guide met us as promised and we were off to Cairo. A great guide - he filled us in on the history of the Upper and Lower Kingdom. We headed for the Giza Pyramids only to discover that the wheelchair they provided for Joe was broken. When he put his feet on the footrests, they fell to the ground. As usual, he was undeterred. This was the highlight of the cruise for him. I crawled into the Great Pyramid and had the obligatory pictures taken. The, off for a camel ride. Having a guide is a good thing. It seems culturally, that Egyptians make the most of any opportunity to get money. Of course, when you see the poverty all around it's understandable. The camel owner led me off and then turned over the rains to one of Oliver Twist's small crooks. He told me a tip of $5-10 would be appropriate. (I'd left all money in the van.) After several charming photos, he pocketed my camera. Being of sound mind, I wasn't going to argue - I'm on top of a tall camel, afterall. The guide met us when I returned and I asked he could tip the small thief and he said he would take care of it. I pointed out that my camera was in his pocket, which earned him a swat from the camel owner. Then there was face-saving ministrations.

We then checked into the hotel - a beautiful old British hotel. (Always go for 5 stars in Egypt.) They upgraded us to a room with a pyramid view. There was nothing between us and the Great Pyramid but a few palm trees and a narrow road. The view was worth every penney. Supper was meager as we were concerned about what was safe to eat and what wasn't. The sign in the bathroom saying not to ingest the tap water was our first clue. I left Joe to nap and went to the light show, which was beautiful. The next morning, after eating granola with no milk, it was off to Sakkara as well as the Alabaster Mosque built by Mohammed Ali. After a stifling visit to the Egyptian Museum, we set off for Alexandria. The state of the museum is disheartening. No air conditioning, thousands of artifacts in old glass cases, an elevator that barely works - certainly not the Smithsonian. I think a perfect setting for a third "Night in the Museum" movie.

One thing that we did notice is that (like Bangkok), everywhere we stopped, the guide simply motioned to some guys standing about and they all pitched in to lift Joe out of the van or carry his wheelchair up or down steps. Try that in Atlanta. Where did we lose sight of common courtesy? We returned safely to Alexandria after a death-defying stop in the middle of the highway because the driver was waiting for something. Another car drove up, parked in front of us (again, remember this is on a four-lane highway with no shoulder) and gave the driver a package which turned out to be a stuffed camel for me. Joe, who hates camels, was nonplussed.

Whew!!

2010-10-03T02:38:00.003-05:00

Jerusalem seems a distant memory. The second day included a trip to Palestinian Bethlehem. And, of course, to shop in a store run by Christians. The tour guide explained that it's important to support the Christians in Bethlehem or they'll leave Bethlehem to the Muslims. Hmmmm. There was a different feeling in Bethlehem. Rushed, pushed, . . .. Then back to the Old City of Jerusalem. In restrospect, the Garden of Gethsemene had the most impact. A quiet oasis in the heat of the continuing struggle between Jews and Palestinians. We returned late in the day to the ship and collapsed - only to get ready the next day for an overnight trip to Egypt.

The Holy Land

2010-09-28T00:55:00.004-05:00

A whirlwind tour of the Holy Land is complete. You can't upload pictures on the ship's computers, so I'll have to do that when we get home. Also, I'm writing this without notes, so I'll fill in later. The first day consisted mostly of getting on and off the bus. We began in Nazareth at the Church of the Annunciation - where Gabriel appeared to Mary. There is a continuing struggle with the Muslims in Nazareth and they are currently protesting because they want to build a mosque adjoining the church. Sound familiar? Then it was off through a thick haze (the guide said not smog, just dust and humidity) to the Sea of Galilee. Up the mount where Christ delivered the Beatitudes, then down to Sea. My left brain was amazed at distances - how far it was from the mount to the sea to Capernaum. I washed my hands in the Sea of Galilee but was distracted from any contemplation by a guy doing figure 8's on his jet ski. From there we visited the ruins of Capernaum, which are under excavation. There is a church built on stilts over what are purported to be the runis of St Peter's mother-in-law's house. I say purportedly because I believe many of the sights in the Holy Land are built on estimations or are simply memorials to the idea. Not that it matters. After that, a wonderful meal at a Kibbutz and a stop at the River Jordan.

Then off to Jerusalem, through the Judean Desert where temperatures were at 38 degrees centigrade. I'm not sure of the conversion, but it was hot regardless. I had not paid attention to the politics and learned later that the agreement to halt building in the West Bank expired at midnight. Now I understand the bulldozers and cement trucks along the side of the road. These week is Succoth (sp?) and it is a week-long holiday. When we arrived in Jerusalem, it was the Priest's Blessing Day, which occurs during Passover and Succoth. We visited the Old City at about 10 p.m. and it was packed with people. The ultra-orthodox Jewish men with hats of every size and fabric made quite a display. Then it was back to the hotel.

Monday was clear and hot. But I shall have to leave y'all handing as Joe and I are off to Egypt in a few minutes. Let me just say that the Holy Spirit is ever-present in the Garden of Gethsemene.

Full moon over Vesuvius

2010-09-23T14:34:00.003-05:00

As we pulled away from Naples, the moon highlighted Mt Vesuvius. Maybe not breathtaking but certainly worth noting. Yesterday seemed like old home week. Two waiters in the dining room hugged me and welcomed us back (we must have tipped well). Then, I thought I saw an old co-worker from the Pentagon, but wrote it off as the "I've been away from home so long people are starting to look like someone I know" syndrome. But, later I saw his wife. They live in San Antonio, but it takes an ocean to meet up.

Today was a long road trip. The Amalifi Coast (55 kilometers of curves)and a short stop in Positano - a village built into the side of the mountain. Then back to Sorento for sightseeing and lunch at a 5-star hotel. Ok, the Italians have pasta down to a science. Then, on to Pompeii, somewhere I've wanted to visit since grade school history class. The eruption that buried the city was in 79 a.d. The last eruption in 1944. Pompeii was a city of 10,000 to 20,000 people complete with 143 wine bars, several bordellos and assorted other places of note.

When we could barely walk another step, a woman and her husband whom I met during the course of the day, convinced me we could not leave without sharing a piece of pizza. Just like Julia Roberts in the disappointing "Eat, Pray, Love." Unlike her I do believe I gained 10 lbs today alone - and we have 40 days left. Ah well, swimming tomorrow and maybe even the gym. I am proud to say, it's been four days without a soda. Way to go, Janny.

Arrivederci Roma

2010-09-22T09:22:00.002-05:00

Well, I have no idea how to spell "goodbye" in Italian, but that was my best shot. The luggage, Joe and I have arrive on the Celebrity Equinox safely, although he had just one blip left on his wheelchair, and if the battery goes dead, there is no resurrection. A long 9 1/2 hour flight to Rome made easier by a last minute upgrade to Business Class. i think I'm spoiled. A suicide driver in a Mercedes mini-van got us safely to the Hotel Cicerone, which was close to the Vatican. We checked in, had a good lunch, followed by a nap and a good dinner, followed by several Italian white wines and a Benedictine and Bailey. I was able to find the air conditioning switch about 3:00 a.m. this morning and it made it much more comfortable. After another harrowing ride to Civeteveccia, we are save and sound. Ciao.

Off on a great adventure tomorrow

2010-09-19T21:17:00.005-05:00

Well, the party has come and gone. 100+ people, family, and friends all enjoying football and great conversation. Bob and the crew worked their magic once again. Barb and I did have to sneak six large black trash bags to a closeby dumpster cause something in the garbage was smelling like chicken left outside in the heat - and we didn't have chicken.

Now I'm on to packing and trying to keep the suitcases under 50 lbs. That's hard for a 42-day vacation. And, every weather forecast seems to predict temperatures diametrically different than one another. But, right now, I wish the suitcase didn't weigh so much empty. I'm getting cheated out of 14 lbs. Of course, I've had lighter suitcases which the airlines manage to annihilate in one brief trip. Fortune did smile briefly today while checking in on-line. Your could upgrade to Business Class for a high, but manageable amount. So, for 9 hours and 15 minutes we should be as comfortable as possible. Bring it on and Ciao.

Ooops

2010-09-14T16:41:00.008-05:00

I forgot to put the pictures from the World War I Symposium in Kansas City at the WWI Museum. Here they are. Why would I want an SLR camera when I can barely work this one. The field of silk poppies gives pause. There are 9000 poppies, each one representing 1000 people who were killed during the war. Lest anyone forget . . . . It was a moving place to remember 9/11.

On the road again. . .

2010-09-12T19:28:00.004-05:00

After a couple days at home (think laundry), we took off again to a World War I Symposium in Kansas City. A simple journey north on I35. Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Hermine also decided to go north along I35 the entire three days. They closed 35 in Dallas as we went by; it rained 11.6 inches in Killeen as we went by. Boy was that fun. Good times in KC. I had lunch with an old friend from Pentagon days, who hasn't changed a bit. It gave me hope that I hadn't either. Saturday was the piece de resistance, however. We got up early and I got Joe off to the seminar. And, Daisy got a chance to run and run and run. Then it was my turn. I crawled back into bed and watched two Law and Orders and drifted in and out of sleep. Utter decadence. Then Room Service. A personal pizza, apple pie and a Diet Dr. Pepper. Back into bed and watched Runaway Bride. Mindless idiocy, but I can't remember the last time I got to do that. Maybe the morning Princess Di and Charles got married. That maybe an exaggeration but not by much.

Now the National Baptist Convention was at the hotel and the membership really knew how to dress. Hats, suits, hats, bow ties and more hats. I wish I could carry off some of those outfits. I owe a big vote of thanks to two of the guys standing outside the hotel. I went out to walk Daisy, and they called after me, gesturing wildly. Seems my cute little skirt was tucked in my panties. See, I could never carry off the elegant outfits the women were wearing.

The 9th anniversary of September 11th has come and gone. Polly called to tell me she was thinking of us. That touched me more than I would have anticipated. The memories continue to fade; the only concrete remnant is a strong startle response. I guess I'm at peace with what was done or not done. Someone said today that we should focus on the survivors of that day. I liked that. Virtually everyone was changed in someway. Maybe we should all take a moment to thank God that we're survivors and to savor that fact.

Well, after too much to eat at a rib place in Norman, OK, I guess I snuggle in for a long winter's nap.

I'm Baaaaaack

2010-09-04T23:46:00.020-05:00

I can hardly believe that it's been almost a year since a sallied forth. But, good friends reminded me of the obvious. Joe and I and our favorite lap dog started out on a two-week roadtrip to points west. We hoofed it to Ruidosa with a stop in Ft Stockton, one of our favorite resting places (that was tongue in cheek) but if you live in San Antonio and want to go west, it's stop there or nowhere. We descended on Bruce and Nancy and Daisy's sister, Pali. Daisy decided to stay with them when we went to Chandler to Creative Escapes scrapbook extravaganza.

We made the yearly pilgrimage to the Heart Attack Grill and stuffed ourself with lard, cream and Mexican cokes - the really syrupy kind. Fred and Joe had found it (by accident) last year, so we invited Nancy and Bruce and we all had burgers dripping with grease. After 3 hard days of scrapbooking, we left Patty and Fred at the airport and went to retrieve Daisy.
Joe and I had decided to drive to the Grand Canyon but when we learned Nancy (another highschool friend) and Don, her husband, were back in town, we opted to have lunch with them and then the six of us could drive to Vegas instead. What a great choice.
Boys in one car and girls in the other. We told funny stories, reminisced, and just had an all around good time. Once there, we had great Italian food; bad craps tables, good Oz and Monopoly slot machines. It must have been a good time cause we never left the hotel. You just can't take for granted friendships that last over time. We have been truly blessed. And another blessing is that our husbands really appear to like each other. I'm sure sometimes they feel left our of the stories, but they benevolently hang in there. Here's to them.
After all of that, the ride home was a bit of an afterthought, but Daisy joined us in the front seat and we returned home to laundry, mail, and other assorted mundane stuff. And packing for a trip to Kansas City. Thank you Lord for friends.

Time Flies By

2009-11-15T11:16:00.015-06:00

and suddenly this tiny 14-year old has her Texas A&M class ring. I don't think I even got a college class ring (my roommate Ellen had stolen my high school ring), but at A&M it's one of the great traditions. You are entitled to order one when you have the right number of hours. The morning you get your ring, you receive a time. Maggie had 5:15 p.m. and we went at 5:45 and avoided the rush.

Alums hand you the ring and take pictures - I'm the one with the lump in my throat.

Maybe later I'll try to figure out how to get the pix in better, but not today.

Then you have your picture taken. We chose the fountain rather than the enormous class ring since it was dark.

Another great tradition is that only Seniors are allowed to do certain cheers. She's a real senior now.

The joys of home ownership . . .

2009-10-25T11:18:00.003-05:00

It hasn't rained much this summer. Or, should I say not at all. Then came a rain of 5 inches in an hour during our house party for 100 people. But, it was in the master bath so no unmanageable crisis. The tarp guys came on Sun as well as the ServPro guys. Our insurance company representative, USAA, said no problem. We didn't believe them, but they said so. What they meant was there was no problem in denying our claim. I saw a wonderful billboard about USAA, "Serving America's Military." I wanted to spray paint it to add "A little less each year." It took the adjustor 12 days to come look at the damage, which of course got worse every day and we had two more hellacious storms. But, at day 12, of course, it didn't look like storm damage. YOYO. You're On Your Own. USAA'a motto. Not to worry though. We didn't have anything else to spend $9000 on. USAA says they're passionate about their service. I'm passionate about there lack of it. It's just as well. If they'd have paid the claim, they would have cancelled our insurance.

Enough already

2009-10-15T14:12:00.004-05:00

There I was minding my own business driving to the clinic for my allergy shot. A billboard caught my eye. It was an add for a maternity store. It said, "Knocked up or not, we have clothes for you." If that's not the most tasteless bit of advertising I've seen lately! I'm still irritated. But the drive was saved by a bumper sticker that I thought was great. My husband was nonplussed. (I had to look up nonplussed to check it's meaning, and I'm using it in the more modern way; in other words, he wasn't impressed.) It said "Since guns don't kill people, do pencils misspell words?" I like that. I don't think I remember the exact wording, but you get the point.

I am not of this world . . . .

2009-10-13T22:27:00.005-05:00

It all started innocently enough. I was driving across town to get my monthly allergy shot, and I made my traditional stop at Sonic for a large Diet Dr Pepper. I had surreptitiously purchased an "Us" magazine and was going to take a few minutes to skim through it before I headed to the clinic. (No, I do not read the trashy Enquirer, etc although we do get the Star in our Sunday paper). I found out that Padma Lakshmi's pregnant; that Lady Gaga's tour is off; 25 things about Selena Gomez that no one knows. I also found out that I have never heard of these people. And more, I don't care. Where's the news about people I've heard of ( or about whom I've heard, if you care about dangling prepositions). Elizabeth Taylor? Cher? Air Supply? OK, I do know about Nicole Richie and Jennifer Garner, and Penelope Cruz, so I'm not a complete idiot. What is the world coming to? Or for better or for worse - why have I become my mother?

When I am an Old Woman . . .

2009-09-06T22:57:00.003-05:00

I know the poem says that when I am an old woman "I shall go out in my slippers in the rain and pick the flowers in other people's gardens and learn to spit." Well, as to spitting, there's no way. I have tried and tried and I end up spitting on my shoe or car window or car doorframe. That alone negates going out in my slippers. Do Crocs count? But, there's something else I shall refuse to do. I will no longer buy anything in a package that I can't open in the store in which I bought it. No more CDs or DVDs for me. There is no way I can split the tiny film now, let alone when my eyesight loses it's current flexibility. So, whoever is peddling the latest movies, well your product is toast in my opinion. I can't get to the jewel case. I bought a pair of electric scissors to cut through the titanium plastic that covers some things. Is there some type of insurance that covers plastic cuts?

In fact, I'm not sure I'll be able to pursue anything. Gone will be the days of opening packages and applying cosmetic touches. Scrapbooking days will be at an end; ever try to open one of the adhesive packages? I'd have had better luck, but my fake fingernails precluded that. And speaking of the fingernails, I couldn't get that package open either. Next it will be milk cartons, and ice cream packages. Wonder if my dental work will stand up to ripping things open with my teeth. So, opening beer bottles with my teeth is a no go. And, by the way, I'm stockpiling regular light bulbs. I don't like the curly q ones that last barely six months, which I then have to worry about disposing. At least I can open those packages. But, I digress. And, isn't that a good thing? Next I won't be able to open emails.

It just gets better and better . . .

2009-09-02T16:29:00.004-05:00

Patty and I just got back (I'm almost back) from Creative Escapes, a scrapbooking phenomenon. Now, I've talked before about the value of women friendships, but what I learned in Chandler, AZ that there's a certain power in a group of women, whether they know each other or not. Nearly 700 women gathered together because they have a common interest - scrapbooking. Some older, some not that old, some beginners, some professionals, some of us wannabees. But, put us all in a room together and the electricity could power a small town.

I was also blessed to spend time with two friends of 50 years, give or take. The Nancy's have each played such an important part in my life. They've taught me about life in general, how it can be challenging and how to persevere in the face of obstacles I can't imagine. You guys are my inspiration. And to one of our high school friends who has decided men make better friends than women - shame on you. We won't wine and dine you, but we will be there for you, even when you've lost your way. Too bad she doesn't read this blog.

Shoes

2009-08-17T21:32:00.005-05:00

OK. I have a lot of shoes but not so many that I can't count them. I have most of them in plastic boxes with labels. I really don't want to count them. But, I know I have fewer than Nancy because she has one of every Enzio flats ever made. What concerns me about these shoes, though, was that we're more than half way through the summer, and I had yet to wear my white sandals. If the truth were known, I'd forgotten about them. So, now, most of the people with whom I come in contact with think I only have one pair of summer shoes - the white ones. My daughter tries to tell me that no one pays attention to that rule of "no white shoes after Labor Day," but she's not constrained by the "old thinking." In fact, she wears white slacks far longer than I would and the thought of carrying a white purse in the winter seems fine to her. I want to appear modern, but I ain't giving into white shoes after Labor Day. So, for all of you that think I only have one pair of shoe this summer, just wait til after Labor Day.

Who knew

2009-08-12T21:13:00.002-05:00

that a TV show could generate such excitement on so many levels. We've watched 24, but with sinking expectations. What are we missing? With the many distractions, maybe Lost has captured our imaginations. Poor Charlie. I think his demise has punctured the bubble. Moving on - Maggie goes back to school sometime this week. Mixed emotions. It's been remarkable watching her grow up this summer. And, there's a month to go.

Breathe deeplyq

2009-08-10T22:38:00.002-05:00

I've been watching Lost past episode. Whoooo! What a series. I can picture myself in the forest. I feel the heat and humidity of the episodes. I've decided thery\ll all dead. So much for TV acquaintances.

I went to a tea party today . . .

2009-08-06T14:41:00.003-05:00

they are a dyeing art. Who had the time or inclination to cut tiny sandwiches, make the egg salad, polish the silver, wash the cups, press the linens, make the tea, roll the salmon rolls? It was absolutely lovely. The best part was that the hostess was assisted by her granddaughter, who is 12. She was dressed in a lovely dress with matching sandals. Her brother, also appropriately dressed, helped with the tea. Tea Party - what comes to mind? Graciousness, formal, by-gone era, antique tea cups, cucumber sandwiches, petite fours? If my mother were still alive, I'd have worn white gloves. I know there are groups that ensure the art of quilt-making doesn't die out. There needs to be one for tea parties.

It's a good day to begin again . . .

2009-08-04T13:52:00.006-05:00

It's been a month and a half and I guess I've been hibernating. I've accomplished a couple of things, not in any order of importance. I tackled a couple of long-held squeamish ideas - fish tacos and banana/peanut butter sandwiches. Fish tacos, not so bad. I guess the secret is fried fish and a strong enough cabbage taste to mask the fish. I ate the whole thing! On to the banana/peanut butter. Ooofdah. I'll revisit them as soon as I buy more bananas. Potassium combined with fat. How can that not be delicious.

The second event and far more important was my 45th HS reunion. Why anyone would hold a reunion in SD in the summer is beyond me. In their defense, however, the weather was great. They may have to do more with the fact that we've had a record-breaking heat wave and drought in San Antonio. It's amazing that you can see your HS friends and pick up as if nothing had changed. Why is that? We can laugh, reminisce, and gossip (just a little) and the time goes by so quickly. Too quickly. I believe that should we attend another, one night for the whole class is enough. You've told everyone how well they look and how glad you are to see them and asked what they've been doing and ooohed over their grandchildren. The precious time is investing it with friends from forever. (Notice I did not say, "old friends"). Collectively shared joy and sadness is the foundation of our lives.

My mother was hospitalized when I was in 9th grade, but I don't remember her having "girlfriends." She was in everything - book clubs, PEO, Eastern Star and others. But I don't remember coming home to find her immersed in a friendly cup of coffee with a best friend. I had to learn on my own that girlfriends are what keep you grounded. I hope I can pass this on to my daughter.

Read "We are our Mothers' Daughters" by Cokie Roberts

2009-06-16T19:13:00.003-05:00

It's a compilation of great stories about women who have made a difference and pathed the road for the lives we live today. Her Chapter on "Friends" is particularly special as I just spent five days with friends from long ago and relatively new friends.

Just a couple of quotes that caught my imagination. "We were part of the grouop of kids who ran the student government, acted in the plays, organized the events . . . . Little did we know then that the friendships formed from those silly pastimes, the countless hours on the telephone, the sleepovers where no one slept, would in later years bring us back together through happy times and sad--through marriages and births and deaths, runaway kids and runaway husbands." All of us who have those friends are so blessed. Two of them flew all the way to Seattle for my stepson's wedding. And, it was as if no time had passed. Two other friends could not come for personal reasons and we missed them.

And three other friends also made the trip with their husbands. We all joined together as if we'd known each other forever. Another thought from Cokie is that we sometimes get so busy with mundane tasks and trivia that we don't take time to enjoy each other. The wedding provided time out to do that. She again points out that girlfriend lunches are "food for the soul." My soul was enriched this week. They made me take a time out to relax. They took over little tasks that I hadn't finished. I cherish my friends.

Go West, Robinsons, Go West

2009-06-07T13:05:00.004-05:00

We've begun the trek to WA state to Joe's oldest son's wedding. We've got a van packed to the gills, one dog ( a lap dog Labrador), and two geezers as our daughter is wont to say. I have to remind her that 50 is the new 30 and geezers don't start until the mid-eighties. And when I'm 80, it'll move. We're sailing through seven states. On the first day, we traveled 8 hours and were still in TX. When you look at an Atlas, TX is not to scale of the other states. We took refuge from a hail storm under the entry way to a nursing home. I'm a big off-the-freeway sort of person and we were on some less traveled roads. The wind generators that dot the landscape are wonderful to watch, rather like large herons. My observation is that the further north and west we go, the higher the gas prices and the lower the octane. Why do gas prices go up during the summer? I cannot believe it doesn't have something to do with gouging, but what do I know. More observations to come.

She just can't be 21!!!

2009-06-03T21:21:00.005-05:00

Joe, Maggie and I flew to Las Vegas to celebrate her 21st birthday. Where did all those years go? I remember other birthday parties - sweet sixteen,etc. But 21? Hmmm. At any rate, we met Nancy and Bruce Oyen and began the celebration going to "O," which ended after the enchanted hour. And, we took in "Jersey Boys" as well. What a delight to see this beautiful young woman emerge. There were times I thought it would never come. But, it has, and she is the delight of my life. We told her that the advantage of celebrating her 21st birthday with her parents and their friends was that she would remember it. Tee hee. She does and so do we.

Free Your Arms

2009-05-18T17:12:00.004-05:00

I've just come to a startling revelation! Nobody cares if my arms are fat; they're not offended; I'm not sure anyone really notices. I had an inkling of that when we moved to Texas. Bountiful arms didn't seem to preclude anyone from wearing sleeveless tops, dresses, blouses. My old school thinking just wouldn't let me join in the freedom, however. (And, yes, I do know that's an incorrect use of the word "however" and I don't really care about that either). The real eye opener came when I was getting ready for my soon-to-be daughter-in-law's shower. My careful outfit planning hit a snag and what I had planned to wear wouldn't work. I looked like a nomadic tent. I quickly found a sleeveless top that matched the skirt but had nothing to wear over it. (I'm the one in the turquoise.) Melissa and her mom looked at me like I had two heads when I said I couldn't wear it because my arms were too fat. Bless them. I raised my chin and said, "to heck with it." You know, no one cared. Now, when I reviewed the pictures, I experienced a moment of terror - I really should have worn my Le Mystere bra then my stomach wouldn't have showed. But, stomachs are a different issue. I'll worry about that later.

Time Flies

2009-04-24T09:38:00.011-05:00

and not always when you're having fun. It seems I woke up today and thought, "Oh, I have a blog." Gracious. There are some excuses, but they remain excuses. One of my hobbies is hospitals. The last visit was fascinating. I swallowed a pill cam and it recorded everything it saw on the way down. If I can get the movie, it'll be quite fun to watch.

Actually, I have been having fun, for the most part. I spent many days getting ready for company. Joe's oldest son is getting married and his fiancee and her parents came to visit. They came as friends and left as family. We are blessed to share our children. They are warm, wonderful and felt like lifetime friends.

It's my girlfriends that helped carry it off. Patty got me ready food wise. Barb went through my house and stashed all those things I couldn't see. And, I got a massage right before they came, thanks to Patty's planning.

On Sunday, Patty and Maggie hosted a shower for Melissa.

We played games, ate great food and enjoyed friends. There seems to be a consistent theme of "friends" here, have you noticed? And then, we celebrated San Antonio Fiesta. San Antonio can party like no other city. It's a cascarones free-for-all.

My Grandmother

2009-03-31T17:30:00.004-05:00

What an amazing woman!! Alice Flickinger Schenk. I wish I knew more of the details of her early life. I am blessed to have a copy of a small book that she wrote about life in the Badlands of South Dakota. Tracking her genealogy has been fun. We lived in a duplex of sorts, with my grandparents upstairs and my family downstairs. If I'd done something wrong you could generally find me hiding under my grandmother's apron. She used to give me rides on her carpet sweeper and kept a record of my height on the knotty pine wall of her breakfast nook. She fed the squirrels from the window there and more than once my father was called to help an errant squirrel back out side. She told me I had short stubby hands that were made for work and handed me a duster.

She wrote poetry and music and books; drank a small glass of red wine at bedtime; and lived into her 90s. While cleaning my scrapbook room (although it's so messy it's hard to determine it's a space) I came across one of her poems:

"Give Me a Friend"

Give me a friend, just one good friend,
to walk along the way.
A friend who cares, a friend who shares
my joys and sorrows too.
Give me a friend, just one good friend,
who stays when the road is rough,
And the hills are steep and dark clouds
roll in before the sun breaks through.
Give me a friend, just one good friend,
and I'll be satisfied.

She was truly a jewel. Thanks to all my friends who have walked with me along the way.

Nothing like a trip to Laredo

2009-03-27T14:53:00.002-05:00

to spur on your shopping urges. No, we didn't cross the border, although from the looks of things the bridge into Mexico was crowded. Seven of us braved terrorist warnings and took a van on the the three-hour trip south of San Antonio. Our designated driver was superb. She endured six other chatty, laughing women; rain and fog. We mad an early stop at a pottery store and bought enough to fill the van. Undeterred, we moved on to a hearty lunch in order to keep up our stamina. Jewelry was the next targeted purchase. And, a fine job we did. Then the iron works where we were able to fit a huge pink flamingo and iron circle into non-existent space. We looked like clowns at the circus emerging from a VW bug. The great thing was that although we knew each other at the start not all of us were close friends. Nothing creates a bond like shopping, though, and when we returned, we joined the husbands (who came to unload the van) for a glass of wine and to toast a successful adventure. Why is it that men haven't caught on to the value of "boyfriends" like we have "girlfriends." Their loss. Here's to girlfriends.

Sometimes your best friend . . .

2009-03-24T10:29:00.010-05:00

turns out to be your daughter.
This year Joe gave Maggie and me a five-day trip to Ireland. Left lane driving, Guinness, Irishmen, mussels, and the love of my daughter, . . . could there be a better gift? We landed at Shannon on Wed morning and left from Dublin on Sun. In between was magic. Maggie served as navigator (she is blessed with a keen sense of direction). We had perfect weather, always sunny, no rain. We found little out of the way places, not on the "schedule" and Maggie's excitement got me to stop and enjoy things I never would have, had she not been there. It's great to see Ireland through the eyes of a twenty year-old. Through shouts of "left, left, left," we only drove on the wrong side one time.
The Dingle Peninsula was straight from the brochures. I found the B&B that Joe and I had stayed in 9 years ago. Wonderful Irish hospitality and homemade scones. Then we left the slow lane for Dublin. My mother always dragged me to things so I could say I'd done them. Maggie has now seen Dublin and had scones at Bewley's. Along the way, there was a stop at the Guinness Brewery, for medicinal purposes only.
And, we ended the trip watching Ireland win the Grand Slam Rugby play-offs. (So much better than American football.) Suffice it to say we packed a lot into four days. But the best thing, was traveling with and sharingg Ireland with Maggie. I love her dearly.

Another list . . .

2009-03-10T23:04:00.001-05:00

A friend sent me this; I thought it was worth sharing. . .

An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more.. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone. REPEAT...every day, FIND time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problemsin the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus .'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe..
36 Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.
GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

'If God is for us, who can be against us?'

(Romans 8:31)

What makes a friend?

2009-03-05T17:01:00.005-06:00

What makes a friend? Off the top of my head I would probably list such things as shared experiences, trust, similar passions . . .. I look at my current girlfriends, and we have those things in common. I'm blessed with friends from high school but not so many from college. I have friends from my previous work environment, but I don't talk to them often. And, I have friends in San Antonio with whom I share hobbies, shopping and just spending time.

But I'm in Louisville right now at a big yearly militaria show that my husband lives for. It's his chance to laugh and tell funny stories with other guys who collect items from Imperial Germany (spiked helmets and such). Rather like a Diva weekend.

There are two other wives that come along. We are as different as can be. I'm the oldest; retired, etc. Another wife lives in a rural area and grinds her own flour from wheat, shears sheep and cards it to spin; and the other has been a pre-school teacher for twenty years. What we have in common is our husbands'love of collecting.

Once again, we're together. We have breakfast at 0945 at the La Quinta (right before they clean it up) and plan our day. On Day One, it's getting vittles for our husbands and taking them to the show; the guys appear to have invited everyone to stop by for sandwiches. That done, we have lunch, shop at consignment stores and Target, take naps and buy beer for the inevitable pizza party on Thurs, etc. I'm still fascinated with wheat grinding and sheep sheering as a way of life. We couldn't be more different. Our passions are different, we have no shared experiences except for once a year with our husbands. And yet, we are friends. Why? No particular reason, except we are friends. I learn so much from them and love them dearly.

Here's a toast to girlfriends - although we don't know why. We just feel that they are vital to life.

Another look at yesterday. . . from one of those recurring emails.

2009-02-17T16:15:00.003-06:00

Black and White
(Under age 40? You won't understand.)

I saw this email awhile ago but just got it today again. Lots of memories of all the fun things we did way back when. And we're all OK today. So here goes.

You could hardly see for all the snow, Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go. Pull a chair up to the TV set,
'Good Night, David. Good Night, Chet.'

My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning. My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter AND I used to eat it raw sometimes, too. Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice-pack coolers, but I can't remember getting e.coli.

Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring), no beach closures then.

The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system. We all took gym, not PE .. and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now. Flunking gym was not an option .. even for stupid kids! I guess PE must be much harder than gym.

Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention. We must have had horribly damaged psyches. What an archaic health system we had then. Remember school nurses? Ours wore a hat and everything. I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself...

I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations.
Oh yeah ... and where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!
We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel left on vacant construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48-cent bottle of Mercurochrome (kids liked it better because it didn't sting like iodine did) and then we got our butt spanked.
Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $49 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat.

We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either because if we did, we got our butt spanked there and then we got butt spanked again when we got home. I recall Donny Reynolds from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop, just before he fell off. Little did his Mom know that she could have owned our house. Instead, she picked him up and swatted him for being such a goof. It was a neighborhood run amuck. To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family..
How could we possibly have known we needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes? We were obviously so duped by so many societal ills that we didn't even notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac! How did we ever survive?

LOVE TO ALL OF US WHO SHARED THIS ERA, AND TO ALL WHO DIDN'T. SORRY FOR WHAT YOU MISSED. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING.

Sage Advice

2009-02-15T21:26:00.001-06:00

Laundry List for Life

Written By Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio to celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 90 in August, so here goes:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Full Moon

2009-02-10T22:33:00.004-06:00

I'm not sure it's a full moon today, but it could have been. Either that or there's something funky with karma going on. Uneventful awakening, but glad I did, given the alternative. I had a nice breakfast with Joe while reading the idiotic stories that make up the news these days, and I'm not even talking about politics. It was then my intention to read my lesson for tonight's class. Well, I couldn't find my notebook - it's large and impossible to hide, but I apparently did. Then Joe wanted to see my Kindle - could I find it . . . no. Somewhere there's a brain that fits inside my head, but it's missing also.

I finished reading through the 5th crusade when a friend in need called. She has suffered a family tragedy and needed help. She and I went grocery shopping and while she organized her list, I volunteered to buy us something to drink. Now, I gave up diet sodas and artificial sweeteners on the cruise. I still don't know why. I do know, however, that I crave something sweet mid-day and rather than a diet Dr Pepper, I'm choosing chocolate and candy. II was already feeling a little nauseous because the only thing that got me through the crusades was a pack of peanut butter Girl Scout cookies. I got her a hot chocolate, and I got a milkshake. Nothing artificial about that.

So then, we went to her house where our friend Barb met us. It was Barb's and my task to make two recipes so Patty could finish up some other work. Barb is a master cooker; I'm a slug. We laid out the ingredients for the crockpot beef and everything went fairly smoothly til Barb broke (temporarily) the pepper grinder and the peppercorns went everywhere. Have you ever tried to vacuum them. If you can get them picked up, the vacuum grinds them and spits them out the back as ground pepper, which means you have to start over. It was perpetual motion because those that didn't get ground up went flying everywhere. Do you remember the old videos of a room full of mousetraps with ping pong balls on them, and you trigger one and they all go? Well, it works with peppercorns as well. So there we were, Barb and I trying to clean while keeping it from Patty so she wouldn't worry. OK, the beef is ready and we put it in a plastic bag in the fridge. Only to find out in a bit that it's leaked all over the eggs in the refrigerator. And, these are pasteurized eggs to prevent salmonella. Nothing we can't fix.

Then, we move on to an extraordinary dessert. It requires beating egg whites into stiff peaks. Do you think two women with master's degrees could get the beaters into the hand mixer? How about separating the yolks and whites? Not easy. We finally finish up by pouring the batter into a flat jelly roll pan and down my pant leg. Not to worry, I have to go to church in about 45 minutes, but Baxter (the dog) licks it off my leg so I'm good to go.

Barb runs me home while the cake is baking for ten minutes and I rush into the house to fix Joe something to eat before I go to church. My dog attempts further cleaning efforts on my pant leg while I fix Joe a dragon roll. I just hate those little packages of soy sauce. They just won't open and they're slippery. I finally get it open, so I think, and pour it on the dragon bites. What I don't immediately recognize is that it's spraying my shirt in the process in quite an artistic design. Urghhh. I'm trying to get to the church on time. So, I peel off my light pink shirt and begin to spray it. The spray bottle isn't working, and I'm really quite frustrated as I toss the bottle in the garbage. It's at that point I realize that it's a bottle of Febreeze, not the OxyClean bottle.

Well, the story is nearing it's end. I go to my class at church and when we finish it's hailing. San Antonio is in a drought and it decides to pelt us with hail as well.

All I can say is I wouldn't trade my friends for anything. The sisterhood simply can't be replaced. I know if something were to befall me tomorrow, my girlfriends would be there, no matter what was happening in their lives. I am blessed.

The Value of Women Friends

2009-02-06T15:51:00.005-06:00

If you haven't checked out "Girlfriendology.com," you really must. It's an interactive website, filled with "all things girlfriend." I'm back from my cruise, still haven't fully unpacked and am feeling the stress of cooking. My friend, Patty, told me last Tues, when I picked up Daisy, to save this Friday morning. She had booked us a "chocolate" manicure and pedicure that was just heavenly. The scrub and moisturizer were some magic formula of chocolate. I can still smell it. After three hours of pampering, she took me to lunch. Both of us get too wrapped up in doing stuff. This "forced" relaxation was heaven and I stlll smell like chocolate. We've made another appointment for next month. Yayyy!!!!

Then, I checked out Girlfriendology and found the following excerpt from an article: Reducing Stress for Women.
10 Great Ways for a Woman to Manage Stress - By Spending Time with Her Girlfriends!

Here are 10 ways women can reduce stress, with their girlfriends:

Volunteer with a friend. Animal shelter or senior center, through a church or a neighborhood organization - wherever you prefer, volunteering together makes it more fun. Knowing that you’re helping others takes your mind off your own stress. In addition to doing something helpful for others, you and your girlfriend will have the wonderful experience of being thankful for all the blessings in your life.
Simplify your lives - together. Take turns helping each other organize closets. Help the other with household projects or cleaning out the basement. Make it your goal to organize, de-clutter and to trust your girlfriend to help you make good choices in what to keep and what to donate or toss.
Phone a friend. Sure, we send a quick email or forward a funny joke, but you need personal communication to connect with another indivdual. Give her a call to catch up. Plan a phone date at a time that’s good for both of you. I’ve had coffee phone dates with a long-distance girlfriend. We plan a time to talk on the weekend when the free minutes are rolling, and call each other from home or the corner place over a good cup of coffee. A few minutes on the phone together can totally erase the worries of the day simply through a caring conversation between girlfriends.
Start a girlfriend group, and don’t make it a one-time thing. Gather friends and start a book club, running club, mommies’ group or gourmet club. Having a plan to get together with several girlfriends on a regular basis is like having an upcoming vacation - it gives you something fun to look forward to.
Make plans to do dinner or lunch. Make it an adventure and try a new restaurant or share appetizers for a girlfriend catch-up happy hour of your own.
Take a yoga or Pilates class with a girlfriend. The exercise will help you physically, the girlfriend will help you emotionally - both wonderful outcomes for an hour of your time. Plus, you’re bound to find things to giggle about in class, which is worth the effort simply for the comic relief.
Try some animal therapy. Pets, like girlfriends, are a proven source of stress relief. Join the two and visit a dog park with a girlfriend. You’ll laugh at the dog antics and all the kinds of creatures and their personalities. Or, take a dog for a walk together. That combines exercise, animals and friendship - add a nice day and you’re set for a super stress-relieving session.
Be creative. Enjoy time together and forget about the stress in your lives by getting creative. Take a knitting class, plan a day to scrapbook, make cards, bead or try a new craft together. Crafting is also a wonderful way to get your mind thinking creatively which can lead to new solutions for your stressful life. There’s a reason women are so passionate about their pastimes - find your passion and some girlfriends who share that hobby with you and you’re on your way to happiness. And, you can make gifts for your girlfriends!
Pamper thine self. This could mean shoe shopping or a new haircut, a massage or a cup of fancy organic tea. Allow yourself some time together to take care of your inner girlie girl.
Get healthy - together. Weight gain or unhealthy eating often accompanies stress. Find an approach that works for both of you to be healthier - be it a diet or exercise plan, or perhaps by joining Weight Watchers or a boot camp class. Work together to eat right, exercise together, encourage each other and celebrate your successes. Stress diminishes when you’re healthy, happy and beautiful!

In one fell swoop Patty took care of half the list. God bless her.

Home again, home again.

2009-02-04T08:56:00.002-06:00

Ahhh. It's quiet in the house. Joe has taken Daisy out for a run, no TV, no sound. . . How often do we have the time to enjoy silence? How often do we fill the silence with list-making or busywork? I vote for silence. Finding a quiet niche each day and fill it with nothing. And then, slowly transition into prayer or meditation or just breathing deeply. There is an exercise in Breathwalking where you walk while concentrating on one sense at a time. First seeing, looking intensely at your surroundings, then hearing - tuning everything else out, then smelling, then tasting. I usually close my eyes as much as I can without walking into a tree. At the very end, you open your eyes and tune in all your senses and it's just like an explosion. Ahhhh.

End of the Cruise

2009-02-01T11:45:00.003-06:00

Here's a toast from Punta Arenas, Chile. Aural Patagona beer is something to export. At the end of a cruise, I always am torn. Wanting to stay and explore further and wanting to go home. Most of my laundry is done so I won't have tons when I get home. It's been glorious. What stands out? Being on the Falklands, walking on the beach with penguins, cruising Antarctica, unbelievable ice flows and mountains (I never really pictured mountains, just ice), walking all over Punta Arenas in search of a rosary for a friend, laying in the sun today so I'd have a little tan, reading on the 5th deck (I've read three books and run out of any more on my Kindle), loving Joe's company, eating ice cream with abandon, and just "being." There are 44 different nationalities of passengers - 42 different nationalities of cruise personnel. And, a large contingent of transvestites. Who knew, no pun intended? I think working on a cruise ship would have been fun just out of college. Save your money, work hard, visit the world. There are many young Japanese passengers, who have been traveling the world for 1-2 years, each by her/himself. Most are in their late 20s and have been staying in hostels, using rail passes, hitchhiking. The food on the ship is nirvana for them. They were sad to be returning to "on-the-road" food - meaning meager and not much. Ahh, the joys of wanderlust.

Antarctic Peninsula

2009-01-25T10:10:00.003-06:00

What could be more glorious for a birthday than sailing through the Antarctic Peninsula. Since it's my birthday I decided to blow off my morning workout, but it would be silly to sleep through these vistas (or is that vistae)? The sun has shown through the clouds; it's just like I anticipated it would look, only more so. At one point we were going so slowly that the mountains reflected in the water. I'm not sure a $$$ camera could do it justice, but my point and shoot surely doesn't.

Joe ordered me a champagne breakfast with more food than four people could eat - salmon that looked like a rose, crab legs, broiled tomoateos, some strange asian slaw, fruit galore and of course, some tasty sweets.

The temperature is a little above freezing and it's quite pleasant outside, as long as you're dressed within an inch of your life. They warn about sunburn. My geographical ignorance didn't allow for mountains - but they're here. The fog cuts off the top of them, but someplaces look like the Rockies with much more snow.

We met another crew member, Edgar, from our ill-fated cruise on the Sapphire Princess. Several nightmares emanated from that cruise, one of them being terrible food. Edgar was our waiter. He says that memorable passengers stand out and he remembers them. I'm hoping it's because Joe's in a wheelchair, not that we complained loudly about the food.

And, p.s. I got my hair makeover. I've also tried to have highlights that look natural; not this time, baby. I've got chunks of "copper" and "blonde." This morning when I got up, I looked like a rockhopper penguin. Joe was kind enough to comment that he like the color. The last time i got it cut short, he told me several times he hated it. I believe good friends Barb and Patty suggested to him that he might work for more tact. It's working, ladies.

And another p.s. If I haven't mentioned how much I love Joe, here it is. He has made this a magical birthday and given me a wonderful life. I love him dearly.

It's snowing!!!

2009-01-23T08:40:00.005-06:00

It seems the only thing I forgot to pack were Joe's socks. Drat. It's day seven - I think. The spa has convinced me to change my look. This should be fun. But, I digress. Glorious sea days - I even got a couple days in the sun. We've attempted to be good when it comes to eating, but Fernando keeps bringing me chocolate croissants whenever he sees me. STOP. They are my favorite, however. Ah yes, and Ramon, the room steward leaves me an excessive amount of chocolate every night. It's a plot.

I spent the day in the Falkland Islands. We took an offroad trip to Volunteer Point to see the penguins. First we had to fit into our four-wheel drive cars. I say that because I had to give up my front seat because of one of the passengers who was too big to fit into any other vehicle. It was the only spot to wedge him in. It turned out well, though as I shared a back seat with another Kappa Alpha Theta; what a small world.

The most glorious were the King penguins. They stand between three and four foot tall and don't mind a whit that you're watching them. Some even oblige by preening for you and showing off. If I eat more I'll really be able to do the penguin walk. There were also Gentoo and Jackass penguins - fun to watch but not as regal. We got there by four-wheel drive overland, through ruts and mud and even lost our front bumper. Bummer for the driver - it was her boss' car.

Today is a real treat. We're sailing around Elephant Island in the South Shetlands. There's a gentle snowfall and spectacular views. We're blessed in that it is often too foggy to see anything. We're fortunate to have a balcony, so we're sheltered from much of the wind. But, an Aran Island sweater, a goretex jacket, North Face pants, hat and gloves - heck, it's almost balmy. The down side, of course, is that the sweatpants I packed for Joe are apparently our daughters. It was a stretch (literally) to get them pulled up to Joe's waist. Drat.

Well, it's lunch time, heaven forbid we miss one. And, my internet minutes are fleeting. More later.

Don't cry for me Argentina . . . .

2009-01-17T17:07:00.003-06:00

Ahhh, at long last. The cruise. Why should we whine? Does anyone work for Delta? If so, shame on the baggage department. We got Joe's electric wheelchair in Buenos Aires - in many pieces. I figure to cause that much damage they must have dropped it from the airplane onto the tarmac. We've been a lot of places and it's suffered a lot of dings, but nothing that I couldn't fix. This poor thing is beyond recognition.

But, that was yesterday. We have a manual wheelchair and a strong pusher (me, the kickboxing queen). We were relatively exhausted yesterday after a day flying, but undaunted, I took an afternoon tour of Buenos Aires. We saw the normal big sites - I'd been there in 1961, but memory being what it is - they were mostly all new to me. I really wanted to see the cemetery and almost got to. When I woke up, the bus was empty except for me. Drat. Otherwise, we found Buenos Aires to be delightful. Tremendously friendly and helpful people and good food except for an overcooked steak - mine, not Joe's.

We stopped for a drink at the piano bar tonight, and I got Joe a Beck's. Then Elbert came by and asked why Joe wasn't drinking Bass. Seems he was on our cruise a year ago Christmas. He remembered us and that Nick and Joe drank Bass and that I drank white wine. (He also remembered Maggie, go figure.) I could never work on a cruise ship, I CRS. Miss y'all.

Off we go . . . .

2009-01-14T23:34:00.003-06:00

Joe and I are off on a great adventure. Daisy has gone to visit her boyfriend and surrogate parents, Patty and Fred. (She was initially sad because Maggie's puppy has made her life intolerable) but if anyone can fix that Patty can. And Daisy does like the special early morning time with Fred when he's reading the paper and she get her ears scratched.

We're nearly packed; I'm wondering what I will discover I left in the bathroom when we get to Atlanta. All the chargers are packed, I think. I believe I have more clothes than are necessary, but at two bags each, what the heck. Besides, what would I want to buy in Argentina and Chile anyway? Certainly not wine. p.s. I've had a really low iron count so the doctor asked me if I'd had any weird food cravings. Like chocolate, I asked? No, more like blackboard chalk or dirt. Whew! No weird cravings for me. Thank goodness, I'm normal. Bring on the chocolate. I did tell him that my daughter's lab puppy had been eating dirt - did he think she was anemic? No, just a destructive puppy.

I've pledged to exercise and eat sensibly on this cruise. I have 500 hundred "free" minutes on board to access the internet. I'll keep you posted. Actually, it will be more like an open diary. I thought maybe I could give up diet sodas and processed sugar (including Splenda) on the cruise. Seems a lofty goal, much like eating chalk. Notice there was nothing about chocolate. I do like their chocolate croissants, which they have every other day. Maybe if I sleep til 1000 on those days, they'll be gone. That's a concept. Help! What have I forgotten? Maybe to go to sleep.

Tune in for stories of our great adventures. Penguin pictures to follow.

The Wireless Connection

2009-01-03T21:09:00.002-06:00

We're getting ready to go on a three-week cruise. While I was stressing about the cutback in luggage allowance, it occurred to me that I nearly have a small suitcase filled with wires. When Nancy and I and her parents drove to Chicago back in ( well never mind when)we sang songs all the way there. No need for a radio, we just belted them out (God bless her parents for not pulling their hair out). Now, I have to pack two cell phone chargers, a camera charger, the electric cord for my notebook, the charger for my Kindle, Joe's wheelchair charger, my IPod cradle and its cord. We could take our electric toothbrushes and the charger and the charger for Joe's electric razor. I will probably also break down and take my Nintendo DS - for those lazy At Sea days. That will require another charger though. Surely I'm forgetting something.

New Year?!?

2008-12-30T15:40:00.005-06:00

It's December 30 - almost New Year's Eve. I think back to all the one's that have come and gone and I'm not sure I can remember many of them. Wonder why! I do remember last year's. Joe, Nick and Maggie and I were on a South Pacific cruise. We spent Christmas Eve at Easter Island and made it to Peru for New Year's. I went to Machu Picchu, breathed the rarified air and returned to the ship for the celebration. Joe and I even stayed up for the celebration which included the traditional champagne fountain. There may even be pictures of me pouring some of the champagne.

Another I remember is one spent in New York City with my intrepid friend, Mary. Planning ahead, we knew we had to have black-eyed peas and cornbread. There aren't a lot of shopping opportunities under the Verrazano Bridge. Our first mistake was looking for a ham bone in a Jewish deli. Undeterred, we finally found one and were able to talk a fast food restaurant out of some chopped onions. The piece de resistance was the stale corn muffins we bought at a Quicky Mart right by the subway.

Prepared for New Year's Eve, we dolled up in our fur coats, caught an off-Broadway play and joined the throng in Times Square. About two hours before midnight, we decided we should leave and watch the festivities on TV rather than being caught in the crowds. Her son gave us each a champagne bottle for protection and off we went to the subway. We were staying at Ft Hamilton and thought we'd work our way back there by way of Chinatown/Little Italy. I'm not sure why that sounded like a good idea. Undaunted, we got to Chinatown; it was cold and obviously pitch black. Chinatown looks entirely different at that hour. We had to step around several guys who didn't quite make New Year's, and then avoid the white body outline of someone who had been shot. Our plan, such as it was, was to find a cozy Italian restaurant where we could watch the ball come down. All were closed for private parties, to which we hadn't been invited. At last some kind restraunteer took us in, and we were able to have a glass of champagne and cheesecake right before the clock struck midnight. I think I remember that one because we made it alive. And besides having to improvise in our tacky kitchen, we did get our black-eyed peas.

I remember roasting chestnuts once (I must have misread the directions) and cooking a live lobster. We've gone out, but it's tough to be the life of the party, when the party goes on forever. We did "do" Vegas one New Year's with our friends Nancy and Bruce. We even saw Gladys Knight and one pip. This was before budget cuts. This year it's steaks and couscous and champagne. Add a nice warm, cheery fire and Joe and I think I've got all the ingredients.

I know if I listed all my blessings in 2008, it would go on forever. Suffice it to say I'm grateful for a loving family and friends, good health and all of God's many blessings. So, if I can't remember the details - so be it. I've got the important stuff.

2008-12-29T16:07:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Christmas Circle of Love

2008-12-25T21:36:00.005-06:00

Santa arrive about 3:00 a.m. this morning, at which point all three dogs thought it was time to eat and to go outside. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, but one of them fell down while Santa was at working causing the dogs to bark and Santa's helper to wake up. Thankfully, the fire had gone out. Since it was in the mid-50s, Santa wasn't all bundled up and could make a quick run to the car where he'd left the lotto tickets that were to go into the stockings. Fortunately, Security was not strolling by. While looking at the sleigh, I was reminded of the political cartoon that showed Santa with only one reindeer due to lay-offs. Sad, but true, so he had to work fast and furiously.

Mama in her kerchief returned to bed for another four hours of sleep. Then, let the day begin. I spend a little more time combing my hair as it seems Christmas pictures for the last four years are so horrid of me, they've been deleted. Plus, I had bought a warm comfie red thing from Soma. There are two visiting dog guests. All were decked out in holiday finery, much to their disgust. As gift opening time arrived, the camera was charged, the trash bag was positioned, everyone had drinks (coffee, water and Diet Dr. Pepper) and Christmas tree donuts. Let the madness of unwrapping presents begin.

Santa's helper got close and an infrared mouse. Momma got Nintendo DS games and an IMac. The kiddies got necessary fun stuff and the puppies got lots and lots of treats. But despite the flurry of Christmas paper and bows flying everywhere, it was the family circle that made the morning. Four of us gathered to talk, laugh, reflect, tell funny stories and love each other. For all the pre-planned activities, it is the circle of love that represents Christmas. Then, off to church at 10:00. Time to take a deep breath, sing carols, feel God's love, give thanks for all our blessings, pray for those in need.

We'd tried something new this year and that was to buy a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings at Target. I mastered the guilt of not slaving over the stove and thought I was home free. That was until I went to pick up the dinner and Target team members told me they had no record of my order. After a sharp intake of breath, the Christmas spirit prevailed, and they put a dinner together for me, but the turkey was frozen. Does anyone else remember how cold your hands get trying to pry out he turkey parts from inside the turkey? Brrrr. A wonderful dinner was had by all (we've yet to have the pumpkin pie) and then the tryptophan kicked in. I'm becoming very fond of siestas - tryptophan induced or not.

We woke up in time to spruce up for Christmas dinner with friends. Tamales, pulled-pork sandwiches, chocolate-covered cherries, whew! I remember when a box of chocolate-covered cherries had about 24 cherries in in. There are now 10. Ten! Talk about a waste of packaging.

We're home now. Mellow, happy, loved, full, sleepy, satiated. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T17:40:00.002-06:00

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”- Luke 2:11-14

Chaos Reigns Supreme

2008-12-19T12:52:00.003-06:00

But, that's OK. There's a small terrorist puppy visiting which is inciting two big dogs to total frustration. She feels better having thrown up a pair of panties that she ate two days ago. Small as she is (14-week lab) she managed to carry a small, heavy rocking horse and stash it in the older labs bed. Also three dogs who go out in the mud require some floor cleaning.

My daughter just had four wisdom teeth out. Poor thing. I'm sending out Christmas cards that didn't go out the first time - I didn't know how much postage for Pitcairn Island.

But all is cool. The woman who does my hair has called and is available for my appointment next week. I've only gained four pounds from eating M&Ms non-stop and there's a Kindle under the tree waiting for me to unwrap it. Merry Advent.

This isn't funny . . .

2008-12-16T23:57:00.003-06:00

So, today I called the salon where I get the color of my hair enhanced to check on my appointment time. Oh, Janet, they said, your stylist is no longer with us!!???. What!! It's a week before Christmas and the hair closest to my scalp looks a lot like Santas. This is no "ho ho" matter.

Dear God

2008-12-15T14:04:00.003-06:00

To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: GOD
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

This is God. Today I will be handling All of your problems for you. I do Not need your help. So, have a nice day.
I love you.

And, remember...
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do Not attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

Now, you have a nice day.
God

The Magic of Music

2008-12-12T18:36:00.003-06:00

I went to a luncheon today - the food was fabulous, lots of friends to hug - but the best part was 24 high school students who sang and danced and warmed everyone's spirits. What talent! Everyone was smiling and nodding. There was foot tapping as well. They weren't selling anything; they were just celebrating the season. What a joy.

And now, my yellow lab is lying at my feet snoring and my daughter's black lab puppy has finally settled down for a long winter's nap. Long being defined as 10 minutes. My Christmas cards are done and packages are ready to be mailed. I'm going to spend the rest of the month contemplating the reason for the season and loving my family and friends.

A Holiday Blessing

2008-12-11T16:16:00.004-06:00

for all those young people who borrowed their grandma's handicapped plackard. I'm sure they're helping the economy by shopping til they drop. Besides, they're parked close to the door so they don't have to lug all those gifts too far.

My sympathy to the woman in tall pumps getting out of a Hummer and proceeding to carry a box into the mall.

I also want to give a cheery greeting to the really overweight guys, who park in a handicapped spot so their sprightly spouses can run quickly into the store.

Also blessings to the folks who park over the striped area where a van's ramp is supposed to deploy. It's OK, my husband has a motorized wheelchair so we can park in the back of the lot and he can speed to the door.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Anyone need any cookies?

2008-12-08T12:57:00.006-06:00

I'd made a decision to whatch what I ate this week. Goodness knows last week was a bit chocolate-laden. And what to my wondering eyes should appear but a tin of cookies from another woman in my kickboxing torture session. I might add that's she's young, fit, sweet, energetic and great looking, even at 7:00 in the morning, with no make-up. You know the type. Well, you also know that to not eat the cookies would be ungracious. So much for watching what I eat. That really seems a misnomer. Of course, I watch what I eat; who eats with their eyes closed?

I subscribe to dailyom.com. I don't read them all especially when my mailbox is full. But, I did today. It's message, summarized, hit the spot today - as I was eating my cookies. . .

The Joy Of Being
Celebrating The In-Between Times

While celebrations are intended to honor life’s more momentous occasions, much of real life tends to happen during the in-between times. While moving from one moment in time to the next is seldom considered a significant occurrence, it is during those in-between times that we are most in tune with life’s most profound, albeit simple joys. . .

The in-between times are seldom about landmark moments. How you choose to celebrate them or which moments you choose to celebrate is up to you. You may want to celebrate the simple facts that you are alive and that every day is a chance to spend time with the people you care about or do the work that you love. Then again, when you look at the good that exists in your life, many reasons for celebrating the in-between times may become clear: a cup of your favorite tea, a beautiful sunrise, a good book, and the smell of fresh air can be reasons for celebration.

Celebrating the in-between times can be as easy as paying special attention to them when they do happen, rather than taking them for granted. It’s your focus of attention that can turn an in-between time into a celebration. You can also pay homage to the in-between times by slowing down and allowing yourself time to look around and allow your heart and mind to take in all of your life’s wonders. Far too often, we can let those simple moments of awe pass us by. The in-between times are when life happens to us between the pauses that we take to honor our milestones occasions. Without the in-between times, there would be no big moments to celebrate.

Thanksgiving Memories

2008-12-06T22:16:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

About the idea of "taking a break."

2008-11-30T11:58:00.004-06:00

What great advice. Breathe deeply, slow down. Have we had Thanksgiving yet? Surely it's not December already. Thanksgiving is a time to share the blessings. My friend, Katie, the hostess suprema, invited us to share her family's Thanksgiving meal. Family and friends and God's blessings. You could find them all at her house Thanksgiving evening. And, there are so many things to be thankful for. Or as my mother would have preferred, so many things for which we are thankful.

Now the aftermath. I printed the Christmas cards at Costco; bought the stamps, wrote a tiny little note to go in them. I think I need a nap.

I thought about not doing Christmas cards, by my husband explained that this is the time to let old friends know we were thinking about them. Two years ago I hand-made the cards. No one noticed. (Venting is often useful.) OK, I feel better now. He's right, of course. So happy holiday seasons, everyone.

2008-11-24T22:05:00.002-06:00

Speaking of friendship - and we were. . .sometimes places create the space where friendships can be nurtured. Camp Capers in West Texas is such a place. The open air chapel is just one of the places there that helps you find yourself. It's quiet, contemplative and a place where hundreds have gone to experience the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We should all have such a space to go. If not, at least a quiet sanctuary to go to give thanks for all the blessings of this world. Say a short prayer for everyone who needs one at the beginning of this holiday season. Please let them know that no one is in the fight alone. Happy Thanksgiving.

Whoa!

2008-11-21T23:00:00.007-06:00

This is the season to start the rat race. It's almost time for Black Friday. I'm exhausted thinking about it. I had so much to do today that everything to do in the house got postponed. Now, I really never feel guilty about postponing laundry, but I did today. I'm so busy running here and doing errands, that I've forgotten time for me and for a cup of coffee with friends. Whoa. Stop. Look at the calendar right now and schedule "Me Time." Time to pray, meditate, journal. Stop the insanity before it gets worse. Breathe in - breathe out.

I'd recommend a wonderful combination of meditation, breathing, and walking called "breathwalk." It is energizing, calming - whatever you need it to be. Check the website at "Breathwalk.com."

Vera Bradley

2008-11-19T21:45:00.004-06:00

As I've said before, my women friends are the foundation of my life. They can also have a mischievous streak. I have long thought Vera Bradley purses looked like diaper bags and why would anyone pay that kind of money? Mea culpa, mea culpa. Innocent as I am, I accepted Patty's invitation to lunch with Kerri, Lori and Kay. It was clear from the onset that I was the interloper. Although I had a really cute little black purse with ruffles, I was no match for the Vera girls with all their little Vera inserts. I began to succumb. To say I am easily influenced, well I just don't like to think of it like that.

Suffice it to say that we had lunch at a little cafe close to a Vera store. I left with a Night Owl on-the-go purse. How was I to know that I'd return this week to add a Yellow Bird Miller tote bag, billfold and assorted other items. I feel so much better and I just love my purse and tote. What was I thinking? I have to be strong. I will not buy every little thing just because it matches. And, no. I've not already booked a plane flight to Ohio or wherever that warehouse is.

Middle Aged Woman

2008-11-18T22:54:00.004-06:00

Yes indeedy. Been there.

Chain Mail

2008-11-18T14:03:00.000-06:00

'Worry looks around, Sorry looks back, Faith looks up

I'm never sure what to do with chain mail. Especially the ones that say send back to sender so they know you care. Maybe if i did a little better job letting them know how much they've added to my life, I wouldn't feel compelled to forward them back. (Can you forward something back?) At any rate, these seemed like good words to contemplate:

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.

2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

6. You mean the world to someone.

7. You are special and unique.

8.. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take another look.

11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

As an aside, however, there is a line (I think from Butch Cassidy) that goes something like . . . Morons, I have morons on my team. I met one of those yesterday. I live in a gated community with roving security. One of them stopped me because I had my Labrador, Daisy, in the golf cart with me. She loves to go for rides. Now, all dogs have to be on a leash, if not on your property. He stopped me and called his supervisor to see if a dog was in a golf cart, did it still need a leash. It must have been a slow day in the world of security. I'm trying to remember a compliment cause that just about ruined my sense of humor. My husband is grateful that I was not arrested. He does keep referring to Daisy and me as the felons. Ah well, I bought a new Vera Bradley Miller Bag to make me feel better and I'm taking Daisy out for a ride hoping I'll find the conscientious security moron.

Weekend Retreat

2008-11-17T16:58:00.001-06:00

I spent the weekend at a scrapbook retreat in the Texas Hill Country. What a delight. The surroundings were unbelievable. It was quiet; the stars were magnificent; the hundreds of butterflies magical. We were there to scrapbook – an opportunity to scrapbook for 24 hours a day, if you want. Now, if you’re not into scrapbooking, you probably can’t appreciate the concept; if you are, it was “over the top.” My friend Patty convinced me to go. It wasn’t really all that difficult. But, the women from Memories Across the Miles – Kay and Lori – set a new standard for retreats. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
The real topic here is friendship. Someone once said “my friends have made the story of my life.” And what a story it’s been. It’s amazing that opportunities for friendship pop up in the strangest of places – well, maybe not really so strangely. Having never scrapbooked, I sort of thought, how hard can it be. So, I had about four weeks to make a scrapbook of my daughter from birth to age 16. I checked the web for stores in the area and found Scrapbook Cottage. I’d found my home away from home. And, some really incredible women (OK, Fred’s pretty good, too). Patty, one of the owners, became a special friend. I love her to death as she listens to me vent, never criticizes, tackles my tiny problems as her own and has wonderful suggestions.
There is no greater treasure than the women friends we find – no matter where. But, you have to make time to invest in those friendships. Patty and I scrapped til late, ate chocolate without much guilt, ate again and suddenly it was Sunday.