Christmas

This year Christmas was something different. For the first time in years I had the opportunity to cook and prepare fun food for a gracious meal. We had dinner on Christmas Eve and leftovers on Christmas day. We opened gifts between breakfast and lunch. What nice things! I always feel let down because I don't have money to give big gifts. Such fun, but a quick opening of gifts! Everyone was so jolly, but something was lacking. Maybe the time to enjoy the house and time together. I don't really know what just too much rushing around goings and comings. I think I like Thanksgiving better.
What to expect for the next year? What adventures are in store?

Ironing!

Today among other things I ironed.Ironing is good.It gets the wrinkles out and makes some otherwise unusable napkins usable. However, I discovered that I had forgotten how to iron! With cotton items it is important to sprinkle them down and then when they are damp, not dry, iron them. So to compensate for not sprinkling I put damp wash cloths between the napkins, that helped somewhat, but as a note to myself I need to remember to by a sprinkling can or a sprayer. I can see my moms can even now as I write about this. How did the pioneer ladies do it? Irons weren't plugged in and they weren't stainless and lots of the clothes were white! Ah the questions of time.....

Sewing

I now remember why I don't sew Halloween costumes or clothes or quilts or even curtains anymore. It is such a project! First I had to find the sewing box to get some scissors and pins. NO scissors there. Pins in the hutch. Then I had to read the directions to remember how to thread the machine. The directions are in a large booklet and in four separate languages. About half way through, the bobbin ran out of thread. It took three tries and three readings and rereading of the directions to get decently wound bobbin. As I am sewing I find that I had to pin and re pin the casing. Finally I had one curtain done. It only took 1 and 1/2 hours and It wasn't really the right fit. I will wait on the other curtain. I was thinking about pillows, but that too will have to wait! I prefere wrapping gifts, baking cookies and even dusting to sewing!

Merry Lexmus

I just watched Smallville and learned from Lex that the secret to a happily ever after life is Money and power.
Clark meanwhile delivered presents to underpriviledged kids.
So which is the true meaning of Christmas?

Time to tell it all

To tell it all I would neeed a lot of time.
Had a great night tonight catching up with old friends. Actually they are younger than I am, but we hadn't spent time together in a long time.
I need a camera to keep up the blogging here. Maybe I will get one of the ones from Lita's purse!
Hope I feel bettter tomorrow I have been having some bad sugar lows!

Snow

Attention maker of the snow:
I would like some this week preferably enough to close school but a two hour delay would be nice too.
We had some festive lights, watched a movie, made cookies and hot coffee, saw the train displays, and read the Christmas story,this weekend.
Now it is time to Have a snow day.

Oh we need a little Christmas!

Do you remember the song from Auntie Mame the play? Or the movie with Angela Landsbury? Oh we need a little Christmas right this very minute, candles in the window carols at the spinet... ( well for the record I thought a spinet was a type of record player)
That is what Lita found for me on the what ever you get on to get songs! We were singing Alvin too. Christmas Christmas time is near. Time for joy and Time for Cheer. we've been good but we can't last...Hurry Christmas hurry fast!
Today I showed a Christmas DVD at school that actually talked about the birth of Christ. I wonder if anyone will comment to their parents. One of my students asked me if I was religious and went to church... there is a loaded question.
Where is my snowman nativity that Debbie gave me?
Where is the tiny one Katie gave me?

Well I started iwth chocolate cookies and tomorrow I will make Candycane ones and iced sugar cookies too cut out with cutters.
Do I have enough aprons for everyone?
Will it snow?

December!

It is December and I want snow! I want some sticky and sparkley and pearly white flakes. I really want a snow day!
What can you do with snow? You can shovel it. You can build with it. You can put snow down someones back!!
of course you can sled and skii if you know how!! I would love to put up some snow pictures but I don't have any!

Videos

Just watched a video farm tour starring an old friend of mine. Yes, my friend does look old, but kind and cheerful! Loved the southern accent, too.
I was reminded that we all change over time.
A prime example are photos of my Gram pa Mel Kelly. I don't ever remember him having hair but obviously he did! He was a great guy, always willing to play a game of cards with a bored teenager. Always happy to have you join him at mass and always quick to ask Granny to get off her soap box!
We all get old and all our bodies age some more gracefully than others though!
May I live to play a game of gin rummy with my grandchildren and take a farm tour with an old friend!
You can't go back again though; you can only go on and have no regrets for anything.

Be cheerful!

Try to be cheerful even when you are not feeling cheerful. It will make others laugh. When my friend asked how I was today I answered~cheerful and that brought a smile.
C---creative
H---hopeful
E---eager
E---excited
R---rowdy
F---fancy
U---under God's Care
L---living
Today one of my third graders wrote a really great paragraph. So much voice in that selection- that made me cheerful. Nora got pictures of her grandkids and that made her cheerful. Brian made an announcement about come and see the photos on the PA and that made all of us cheerful.
It is the little things that brighten up the day. What can I do to brighten up someone's day?
Here is a favorite- chocolate!

I know I know it has been a long time since I blogged, but in keeping with the season I should list the blessings of the times.
1. A new house to live in with a dishwasher and a garage door opener and a washing machine.
2. What about the dinosaurs at church.
3. Generous friends
4. Helpful and kind loving children
5. A direct message from above- not to retire
6. A friend who is going to Afganistan to help the farmers there
7. Turkeys large and small!
8. A real conversation in English with a ESL student
9. Children who are supportive and encouraging even when the times are tough
10. A birthday soon 57 interesting years!

Walking and thinking

I walked the track today. Walking and thinking. I looked up the clouds and saw them as big and beautiful White puffs. I felt the track new and springy under my feet. The numbers and arrows on the track were new and bright, too. It was a good day for a walk. I was thinking about my God, how big he is and how powerful is and how caring he is. This same God has a plan for me and He knows the plan he has for my life and all I have to do is step on the track and walk it. I can't wait to see and experience the plan.

Samaritans' Purse

Today when I was driving home from work I was listening to an interview from the woman who started Samaritans" Purse. She was talking about a little child in a foreign country who opened up a gift box and found candy. Now this child had never hardly had candy. Can you believe it? He was chatting to his friend and got so excited about the candy. He called hey come over as see this. They both looked in the shoe box and said Candy with smiles. Then he opened the roll of life savers and gave his friend two pieces.
A little while later the boy was in the same room as a very rich and famous surgeon who was there doing some free clinic surgery. The same little boy went up to the surgeon and gave him 2 pieces of candy too. The surgeon took it while tears rolled down his checks. Though this man made thousands of dollars and could buy any candy he wanted the boys gift was so precious. In America children give adults gifts every day and we are glad to receive them. Kids make cards for mom and send notes to each other and we love to receive the gifts. I have a drawer in one of my filing cabinets of gifts my children have given to me. I cherish all of them. Even when you are poor you still like to give. And when you give to others they turn around and give to others.
I am not sure why I wanted to write this story except to remember it. I am not even sure that I told it right, it just really spoke to me. What a blessing to give to others!

OMG

This Saturday is it. I am going to take Lita to the DMV to get her driver's license. Look out America, here she comes. I can't believe she is old enough to drive.

Flash back to when I was in high school. My senior year Sharon and I took driver's ed. class together. I was scared to death to drive the blue driver's ed car. I did fine on the book test, but I knew I would fail the actual driving test. No one in my family would take me out driving.
To give mom and dad credit, they did pay for a driving school to drive me. I scared the driver by driving too close to cars parked on the side of the road in Carole Highlands. He had the enjoyment of teaching me to drive a stick shift. The sad part about the test was true! I failed the test twice at the parallel parking part. On the final test, I drove my Auntie Dode's tan (also know as grandma beige) corvair. I had never driven it before! (Or since.) But it was a bit easier to shift into reverse so I got through the test. When I walked into French class, Dr. Majec asked me in French of course, "Did I get my driver's license?" I said, "Yes." The whole class cheered. ( Actually this was a class of too smart seniors so they just clapped.)

My vow at that point was to always help any teen that needed a person to drive with them. (Unfortunately, I didn't help JJ, sorry I had forgotten the vow. Don't hate me forever.) But when I was 8 months pregnant I did help Virgie get her driver's license. We drove to North Gate for practice. I was still scared to be in the passenger seat, but I grinned and beared it! Jonathan was alright and so were we. But now... will I be able to do it again? What was I thinking to have a baby at 40?

Third birthdays

Three years ago my friend Karen became a grandma and today she was working on prize bags for her granddaughter's birthday.
Ah! toddler birthdays. Jono's first birthday we went to play miniature golf with the Schlichters at the Putt-Putt place in Hamilton, forgot the camera though. JJ got a fire engine for his third birthday. Katie, and JJ went to King's Island for birthday 5 and 7 courtesy of the Andreas. Then there's the party we had for Jonathan. It had a circus theme, a pinata, bunch of balloons to throw at a clown, and fun on the climbing tower. My favorite part was the water balloons.
Somewhere there is a picture of JJ in a stripped shirt from that birthday party. Who can forget Jono's party at McDonald's right after Lita was born? Joe's first birthday party with friends was there, too!
Good times cake and ice cream and the simple life. What is the first birthday party you remember?

I love my Job!

Where else can you say good morning and have 21 kids say it back? Where else can you be exhausted and yet get up the next morning anticipating an adventure?
I remember a kindergartner asking me to marry him. Thank you Bamadele Babjedi. Isn't that a great name?
I remember a first grader building me house on blocks. Literally he used blocks of wood from the wood pile with a drawing on it of a house.
I remember a first grader saying the pledge backwards because we forgot one day.
I remember another first grader standing in the drinking fountain to wash his shoes so he didn't get into trouble from him mom. Then there was another one walking down the hall on his hands because he just felt like it.
Just on Friday as we are walking to recess~ one boy asked, "Can we study robotics?" Well,no, not next week; next week we are studying eyes and how they work.
But it got me thinking, who do I know that could come in and teach something about that?
Teaching is a good thing. I am so lucky, I love my job!

Back to School Time

It is almost ready to go. School is almost in session. Where did the summer go? It melted away in trips to the doctor and to the pool.
I am truly lucky to have a job that I love! I can't wait to see the class and get started. I hope that things go well this year.
Can't think of anything more I want to say!

Birmingham, Alabama

One of the places I want to go someday- Besides Savannah, Georgia-is Birmingham, Alabama. I want to climb the statue of Vulcan there. One of my favorite writers Anne George comes from Birmingham. She writes mysteries with a humorous twist. The mysteries happen around the town. Her humor makes me want to go there and experience both the statue and the town for myself. I love her two characters Aunt-sister and Mouse. I really relate to Aunt-sister in that we are both big, bold and bossy.

The Dentist

Today I went to the dentist. When I was brushing my teeth, the tooth brush bumped my front tooth and cracked it. So I went to have it filed the porcelain one not the real tooth. The sound of drilling and the taste of tooth dust is till in my mouth.
Later today the receptionist said there was a cleaning opening so I had my teeth cleaned in the afternoon. Wow! That was sore on my jaw and the sound of scratching is still in my ears.
In between I played school.
Then tonight we had soup and crackers for diner. I was biting the cracker when my tooth broke in half! so now I have an appointment for the dentist agin on thursday at 8:30 a.m. bright ad early.
Did I ever tell you the story of why I have a dead front tooth? In 10th grade you have to take gym or at least in 1967-68 you did. One of the activities in the winter is gymnastics and that includes trampoline. As I was learning to do a flip on the trampoline and the gym teacher was holding on to me, I flipped over her and landed on the floor. Actually it was one of those blue gym mats. My teeth bit my leg and it was loosened. So I had a root canal. To prevent infection the dentist gave me antibiotics, which gave me an intestinal problem that lasted for months. (probably was only a week but it seemed like months) The only good thing that came out of it was that in the end I weighed all of 120 pounds, and stayed that thin for 8 years. So that is the story of the dead front tooth. It didn't turn black though until 2000 or so. At that point it was time to get it capped and now I have to get it recapped!

Birthdays

This is a week of birthdays. Several of my favorite people have them this week. August is a good time to have a birthday, but a bad time to be pregnant. It was so hot, and humid.
I remember when Jonathan was born, I was in labor and didn't know it. Katie and Jj were at the pool and I couldn't have a baby yet. So I went home. When Lita was born, well, Rachel was there to help with all those children. It was a scarey night when she was born because I was worried something was wrong with her. All turned out all right, though.
Happy birthday to all of you with August birthdays! Cupcakes for you!

Looking at Things

Have you ever been to place that is so restful that you just want to sit and enjoy the peace? Eagle Harbor is like that. Being there helps you to regain your perspective on life. Being there helps you know what is and isn't important. Being there makes you remember who created the world. Being there let's you know who is in control and that you will not be forsaken.
I like walking along the beach and feeling the chilly water between my toes and hearing the lap lap as is covers them. The sand is rust brown and different from the sand at the ocean. I like sitting on the beach and seeing the shimmering water just before sunset. I like standing on the rocks and looking out and seeing nothing but water. The wind blows through your hair but the sun is warm so it doesn't feel chilly. Sometimes the big lake is rough and tears over the rocks with a wild abandonment and you realize how those little grains of sand got that way. But then in the evening it calms down. All is peaceful.

Driving to work

Everyday when I drive to work I see this: Corn to the left of me and corn to the right of me. Stuck in the middle with corn! Never in a million years did I think I could and would live in the country, but low and behold I do. I thought of the beach~been there did that. I thought of a white house with black shutters and porch that went all the way around it~been there did that. But not living in the country.
Where would I like to live? In a little white house with no steps. It should have three bedrooms,two bathrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a laundry room, a patio, and a garage. No basement and a tiny yard. I would like to live where it is warm and where I can go swimming in a pool or maybe near the ocean! I also do not want snakes or mosquitos! Hmmm... that could be hard to find a place like that.
Do you know what happened to us? Someone tipped over my flowers off the porch the other day? Why would someone want to do that? But they survived and look good still. Just one more thing to make me sad.

Favorite Foods

I recently found out that I am diabetic. I am not surprised as my dad is and probably Uncle Freddie was too. And though I thought I was like my grandmother Dessie it seems I cam like my Dad's side of the family too. So now I am going to make a list of favorite foods I can no longer eat.
1. Sweet and sour meatballs.
2. Pineapple upside down cake
3. Mint chocolate chip ice cream
4. Barbecued spare ribs
5. Long John Silver's fish and hush puppies
6. Pizza
7. Rice
8. Crab Rangoon
9. Coke
10. Chocolate Chip cookies/toll house marble squares
There are probably others but I can't think of them now.
These are things I can still eat!
1. Mooshu pork
2. homemade applesauce
3. raisins, apricots and other dried fruit
4. watermelon
5. strawberries
6. turkey
7. salad
8. Thai curry soup
9. Black bean soup, just not in a bread bowl
10. Egg whites
I am feeling not so happy about the good things I can not eat and sometimes it makes me cry.....
But If you concentrate on the good the bad won't seem so awful.

Writer's Notebook

Writing is a good thing. Being a writer is a good thing. I keep my writings in a writer's notebook. Katie gave it to me. I think someone decorated it for her, but maybe she decorated it for me. I love the brown colors and the ribbon to tie it shut! When you blog sometimes you can't think of a thing to write about but since I found my writer's notebook, now I can come up with lots of thoughts.
One thing you do with a writer's notebook is make lists. Lists like pets and favorite foods and favorite songs and colors and holidays and people. Another thing is to recall favorite events and places and people. Oh don't forget things.
My favorite thing as a little girl was my brown dog. I loved that brown dog, I took it everywhere and i especially had to have it when I went to sleep. The worst thing I ever did as a little kid was to forget my brown dog. I once forgot it at a friend's house and cried until the cabbie turned around and we went back for it. In those days my parents didn't have a car and we went places by bus or cab or trolley car. I once left it at my grandmother's home in Chicago and she had to mail it back to me.
I loved that brown dog so much I chewed the ears right off, rubbed the fur off. In fact it doesn't have much stuffing now. I know because my mother sent me a box with some childhood mementos in it and there was my brown dog.
See what I mean? Just thinking about a thing can make a person come up with a writing idea. I wonder if that dog is still in the box? Should I take a photo of that and add it to this good idea? Why not? It was a good thing back in the 1950s when I was a little girl!

Sunday

At Mass today I was reminded of all the things that Jesus taught us about himself. I particularly remembered I am the Resurrection and the Light and I am the bread of life. Yet though he dies and he lives. Such confusing concepts. Then on tv the morning paper had lovely paintings of the last supper and Jesus. Truly Jesus made a stamp on the world as none other. I am so glad that I trusted Jesus.
ON to other thoughts.
School days are fast approaching. I am starting to think of school. Did I ever stop? Here is a pleasant thought 23 days left of vacation!
I like this picture, the clouds predict a wonderful storm. Most of all I like the windmill. It makes me think of wooden shoes. One day I would like to go and see the windmills of Holland.

The Creek!

When I saw this picture I remembered how much....I love the Creek.
I love getting my feet wet as I am walking in the creek! The water is so cool. The snakes are so black. The shady areas are so green. The rocks are so wobbly and slippery with green slime. There is that certain decadent odor from a creek and the sand glitters from the mica in the tiny pieces of rock.
Many years ago I used to walk along Sligo Creek and every time I would fall in~even when I wasn't supposed to get wet. I would take a hike over it as a short cut walking to Rollingcrest.
At Miami I loved the science classes for teachers where we would walk along the Hueston Woods creek beds. We would turn big chunks of rock over and look at the little critters under the rock. We would hunt along the rocky shores for fossils like the pointy horn coral crinoids that reminded me cows, brachiopods (those tiny double bumped grey ridge ones) and bryozoa (the little sticky things). See I even recall the names of the darn things!
But my favorite creek to hunt along was at Peiffer Park. It was such fun to hike along the Bluffs and then slide down the hill and into the creek at the bottom. Many a summer day I took my kids there after church on Sunday. As we would walk along it we would see the baby black snakes or maybe even find a box turtle. Ah, now I can hardly walk along the creek bed. I worry that I will fall in and being not much more coordinated than I was 50 years ago I probably will fall in!
Yep a creek is a good thing.

What do you really need?

Or you can't take it with you so why buy it to begin with?
A strong healthy body, someone to love and a place to live.
Hmm don't forget food and clean clothes.

Happy moments

There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day. So we have 20,600 moments every day to be happy!
What did you do today to be happy?
I ate two healthy meals ( so far) and enjoyed going to the library. I did a little genealogy research and wrote a few friends.
I cancelled my hair appointment until the next flex med check comes back. And planned to go to a social studies curriculum meeting next week.
I called and e-mailed friends. It is so good to keep connections. I think I will go to Ky. in a few weeks before school starts.
I read my Bible and prayed (several times) and took my daughter some money for tonight at the competition.
I am going to be happy for more moments I just don't know what they will be.
What were your happy moments today?

So Sad

I am afraid that I am no longer a Big Ben fan. He has been accused of rape. Someone involved with the case is quoted as saying, " that fan shouldn't be taking him to court, She should be thankful that he had sex with her.." I really didn't like that comment. So.... though I am glad he helped the Steelers win games, including the Super Bowl and I am glad I got to see him as an M.U. student, He is no longer An A child.
Another sad thing today~ the 4-H fair has been really rainy and those poor kids had to show cows in it. I don't have picture of the fair, too much rain to walk over there! I do have one of the rainy street and the cow trucks.

Staying healthy

For several months now I have ben trying (with varying degrees of success and lots of discouragement) to get healthier or just plain be healthy.
I am swimming for at least 30 minutes a day now with a few days off every now and then. I have seen the swimmers who are at least 35 years younger than I am and they are in good shape. May I become like one of them...hmm perky? probably not but they sure are cheerful.
I am eating fruit, vegetables, and fish, turkey, chicken, or nuts, only whole grain breads.
I am trying to only drink water.
I still have not lost any weight, but hopefully that will be happening soon.
And today I had to go for a blood test. They couldn't find my veins to get the blood out. Agh! I have a sore wrist,on both hands and a sore inner arm on the left side, Tomorrow there will be bruises I am sure. One good thing I didn't faint from the blood.

Ramblin' Woman

Whatcha doin' now?
Nothin'.
Whatcha do yesterday?
Nothin'.
Whatcha doin' tomorrow?
Nothin' that I know of right now.
I don't know if I will like being retired and on half salary; we hardly can do anything now. Maybe I should quit my teaching job and find another one that is more interesting and in another state near the ocean instead of retire.

Who invents cartoons? I was just (well two hours ago) watching cartoons about a sponge and a starfish and a place under the sea where you buy crabby patties. I don't know about this stuff. You can also buy t-shirts with good ol' Sponge Bob on them.And there is a lot of stuff on-line about him. Who knew? Tonight there is a Sponge Bob marathon with 10 new episodes. Who watches 5 hours of that stuff?

Another topic.
Nope can't think of a thing to write about. When I am thinking about getting on line I can think of plenty, but now I can't. Maybe I should start keeping a notebook about what to write about. Hmm that is exactly what I teach my class to do....

Wild Wednesday~

When you're really feeling low go shopping. I really like to go other places, but in a pinch Walmart will do. So why is Walmart wild?
Bright colors
Low prices
Fresh fruit and vegetables like apricots, rutabaga and artichoke
When you walk in a senior citizen says, "Hi! Welcome to Walmart!" (hmm that could soon be me! except I want to be a scrapbook lady instead.)
And SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR $1.00 OR LESS
Woo girls all together say WOOOOOO
That is all from this side of town.

I Love Summer!

I love summer. I love summer because I have time to read the Bible and other fun books. I love summer because I can clean on days other than Saturday. I love summer because I can go up to Indianapolis during the week and visit my kids...If they are home! I love summer because it is sunny and warm and the sky is blue and there are flowers out and green leaves and grass. I love summer because I get paid and don't have to work unless I feel like thinking about curriculum. I love summer because I can clean out the closet and have a yard sale, even if you only make $8.45. I love summer because I can go swimming.
But living in Indiana I really miss the beach.

Friendships

For three days I have been swimming at the reccenter. That has been fun, I saw some old friends and met some new ones. But the most exciting thing this week has been that I found a former student on Facebook. She and her mother were my great friends in Chesapeake Beach Md. about 31 years ago. Her mother now lives in Calabash, North Carolina. I hope to reconnect with her and maybe this is close enough to Wilmington that I can find a good place to retire.

Wild Wednesday!

Not so wild this Wednesday!
This week Lita has had band camp with fun activities in the evening afterward. We went to a friends farm for campfire and hotdogs. Then to the Jill Butterfield shelter for Karioke.
Today is supposed to be a pool party but looks like rain.
I spent the days swimming and scrapbooking.
Working on an old Michigan one and a Heritage one and a Christmas in D.C. one.

Note to those who go boating

Didn't your mother ever tell you never stand up in a boaT?

Camping

Note to campers:
Blue tarps and ropes.
When you go camping- you put a blue tarp under the tent and dig a trough around it. to drain water away from your tent. Then you get a blue tarp and stretch it over your tent and tie it off down low to the ground to the nearest trees so that the rain rolls off the tarp and away from your tent. Otherwise all your stuff gets wet.
Another solution to rainy camping- get a pop up camper or a camper on the back of your truck.

Good Things

When You live in a small town there are some good things.
You really can know your neighbors. When you walk around the block you can stop and chat with people who have lived there like you for 15 years.
You know their kids and they know yours and you feel connected as you catch up.
When you pay your doctor bill you know that your neighbor will continue to have a job.
When you buy something made of plastic, your neighbor who works in a plastic factory will still have a job.
You can celebrate the 4th of July with a tradition- A parade with tractors and Water ball.
Your co-workers are on the fire department and if you get sick or injured a stranger won't be caring for you, someone you know will.
Your friends can sit on your porch and see the parade and you can tell how much the kids have grown up since last year.
You can go to the grocery store five times a day everyday and see your friends who work there laugh at you because you're forgetful.
You can meet someone new and discover they live in the house down the street with the beautiful ferns and get invited over to have a cup of coffee.
It is a good thing in a small town.

Happy Birthday America!

Hello!
It is time to say Happy Birthday to America!
I am so thankful to live in a nation where women are free to learn, to vote, and to be a part of society, not something left on the side to wait on the men.
I read the book the Kite Runner and this was a good time to read it as it reminded me of how great it is to be a part of America.
Festival downtown today. With a waterball show!
Tomorrow is a parade.

Journey to the Top of the Mackinac Bridge | Upper Peninsula Blog

Journey to the Top of the Mackinac Bridge | Upper Peninsula Blog

Shared via AddThis

You are what you think!

Don't worry be Happy? Recall that song? Well, it is true.

A person is a product of his or her own thoughts. Thoughts form the thermostat which regulates what we accomplish in life. Isn't this the truth?
Some people are so happy while others are so discouraging.
It is because your body responds and reacts to the input from your mind. When you feed it with doubt, worry, and discouragement, that is what comes out.
Adjust the thermostat forward---to thoughts filled with vision, hope, and victory---and count on that kind of day. You become what you think about.


Thoughts, positive or negative, grow stronger when fertilized with
constant repetition. That may explain why so many who are gloomy and
gray stay in that mood, and why others who are cheery and enthusiastic
continue to be so, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Happiness (like winning) is a matter of right thinking, not intelligence, age, or position. Our performance is directly related to the thoughts we deposit in our memory bank. We can only draw on what we deposit.
Excerpted from Come Before Winter and Share My Hope

These ideas come from Chuck Swindle and are so true!
I am going to be a positive person- I love my job and I love my life and I can keep up the diet and loose weight and be a thin person again. I can exercise and swim and walk and be thinner.

Wild? Wednesday

Today I planted and watered some flowers. Thought about writing a story/novel/book. Thought about how great it would be to live in Hawaii. Looked up living in South Carolina~ and went swimming in Oxford at 6:30 p.m. The most fun thing was all of it. So little makes me happy!

Growing Old- And the secrets of such

I read this scripture to day and found it very meaningful especially in light of growing old and moving on.

"My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding;
For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;
If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
And discover the knowledge of God."


Starting last winter I began to think about what comes next.
Lots of unanswered questions:
Where do I want to live out my days?
How do I keep in touch with old friends? And my family?
Who will do these things when the oldest die out?
What is important about being older and wiser?

First point: getting old is a trial, but the alternative is worse... Actually I am not afraid of that....
Eat less exercise more Stay away from processed foods
Connect with friends from the past, you never know what will come next. I spent time in Ky. with JoAnn and Jo-Ann Kristensen came here and Sharon and I have reconnected. Through facebook. When Suanne McMillan died I saw lots of friends former teachers and that was good. If we move elsewhere we will lose friends from 25 to 40 years of our lives. So maybe going to N.Carolina or Georgia or ST. Joe/Benton Harbor isn't a good idea. You need to keep your history.

Looking on line for a place to move- I really want to go to the beach or nearer to the beach. But the on line words don't really tell you what the place is like to live. Neither does it tell you what the problems are and everywhere they have problems.

So to stay or to go?

Chairs

I think today we should consider chairs.
Chairs are very functional. They have four legs to hold you up and some have arms to help you up. Some are low slung and some are stiff and sturdy. You can rest there. You can sleep there. Although you might get a crook in your neck, if you sleep there for too long a time. And they are very useful when you are shopping and need to rest!
Katie needs some for her house--particularly kitchen chairs, though she has some great ones that work well outside.
My outside ones are plastic and have lasted a long time.
In the classroom I have blue ones and light weight blue ones but only two with wheels and three grown up chairs. Once I had a rocking chair but a student broke it, ( this happened on a day I was absent.) He stuck his head between the rungs in the back support part of the chair.
In our living room we have a rocking chair and a recliner and two chairs with wheels, one is for the computer and one the scrapbooking tables.
I used to like to sit in a chair at the pool and watch as my children were swimming and diving. Now though I can't sit in the pool chairs and get up gracefully as they are too low.
I like the chairs at my parent's cabin in Michigan. They are caned, by my father and some have arms which make them easy to get out of. They are arranged across from the couch so that guests can take a seat when they come into the cabin. Others are pushed into the table so that you can sit on them during dinner.
We all need to sit in chairs. If a chair is empty then anybody should be welcome to sit in it. In my classroom people get to sit in the teacher's chair or in the rolling chair as a reward. A.M. Smith says in the book tea Time For the Traditionally Built that the problem with the modern world is that not enough of us are prepared to share our chairs.

That is true for many things. We are not prepared to share we just use and throw aside.
I chose the photo in honor of Thea's birthday today and Father's Day on Sunday. FYI they are sitting in chairs. Yep! Chairs are great!

Birthdays

Tomorrow is my baby sister's birthday. She will be 50. I remember when she was born. One of our grandmothers was with us. In the morning when I got up I went to see mom and dad and they were gone- not in their bed. Thea was born. Lots of good memories about her.
She was a smart little girl. She learned to read before kindergarten. She taught herself to whistle a unique way through her teeth. Now she has the loudest whistle around. I think I heard this from someone. My sister had staight A's through 12 grade. Though she didn't go to college she could have and would have done extremely well there. She got my parents to stop smoking and to use plain, white kleenex to save the environment. She is kind, helpful, and very patient. She loves to dress up and she loves to play games. She loves music (can't sing so she says) and she loves her family.
Happy Birthday little sis!

Books and thoughts

As a ninth grader in 1967 I was captivated by the Soviet Union/Russia/ and Tsar Nicholas and his wife. So on the Saturday I began a book called The Romanov Bride. Today I finished it and decided to read some more about the Romanovs and got a book called the Last Chapter. It is interesting because it tells their final story and final hours and it also includes the struggles of the scientists to find exhume and prove the bones identity.

Thoughts- Revolution sure is/was bloody and violent. I am glad that in America in my lifetime we have not had this kind of rebellion. I am also glad that there is no more royalty- well maybe there is you just don't really see or hear much about it any more. They (the really rich and noble) keep a very low profile.

Books and cats

I have been reading, what 's new? It is summer and hot and sticky and rainy at least this week. Started a couple of books and couldn't finish them.
One was Called the Other Queen the other about the Romanov dynasty
Now I am reading a knitting book about Blossom Street,
I think that is the type I am preferring now.
Gentle stories... nothing heavy or depressing or violent
I will gladly take suggestions for lite lit...
Have a good day today everyone who reads this.

I think my cat is nuts.
At about 8:30 she started jumping up here on the computer desk to play with me. She must always play with John then. I had to throw some rings for her to catch and chase across the room.
Now she is sleeping.

Guess where we are in the photos!