Life Is Hard

Sometimes, life is just hard. First, a dear friend had to take her SO to the emergency room. He had a lung transplant about a year and a half ago and was having problems breathing. They waited 8 hours...finally, the hospital sends them home and tells them to go to his doctor (200 miles away) tomorrow. They are both exhausted and worried about the trip tomorrow. My heart hurts for both. My friend is trying so hard to hold it all together. All I can do is offer moral support and prayers. Then, I am told by a co-worker that his wife has been diagnoised with stage 4 cancer. Once again, all I can offer is support and prayers. Is it enough? I hope so...Hug your loved ones this evening, be kind to one another.

Coffee With Creamer...Or Creamer With Coffee?

I am one of those odd people that did not drink my first cup of coffee until I was about 40 years old. Not that I had any problem with caffine, I can knock it back with the best of them. I leave tea bags in my sun tea until the container is empty and have been known to drink two or three diet Mountain Dews a day. So no, it was not a caffine thing, it was a coffee taste thing. I know, I know, how could you even think of drinking coffee if you don't like the taste? I have one word. Starbucks. Yep, the over-priced coffee house of the world. It started innocently enough, a Frappacino Grande, yes to the whipped cream. Add the carmel topping and I was in heaven! Then it was the Cafe Mocha, then it was the Pumpkin Latte. I was hooked. But I knew that I could do it cheaper. First purchase, a coffee grinder. If I was going to do this coffee thing, let's start from scratch. Then, a stop at Smart and Final (kind of a warehouse store in California) to pick up a bottle of flavoring. Hit the liquid creamer section and I was set. Oh, the flavors I could find...and don't even get me started on holiday flavors. Peppermint Mocha? Yes, please. Pumpkin Spice? Sign me up for that. And that Bailey's Creamer? I like that better than the original Bailey's! If it is foo-foo coffee, I will try it. So, do I drink my coffee with creamer? Or, do I drink my creamer with coffee? I think you have enough information to make that decision. LOL Be kind to one another.

Is Your Glass Half Full?

I have been married to the same man for almost 33 years. In that time, I have realized, that while I am "the glass is half full" kind of person, he is a "the glass is half empty" kind of guy. Nothing is ever simple for him. If the brakes on my car are making a noise, then it can't just be that the pads need to be replaced, it must be that I need new rotors, or even a new suspension! If the fridge is making an odd clicking noise, he is sure that the compressor is going out, not just that someone forgot to set the level wire on the ice maker. I have always wondered how you can go through life always expecting the worse, it seems so tiring. I am well aware that not every day is going to be sunshine and happiness, but I still look forward to each day. What adventure will I have? What new facts will I learn? Today, I learned that butterflies taste with their feet. How can I make a difference? I know that some people will not be happy with my happy, but I'm okay with that...my glass is still half full. And just in case you wanted to know, I have asked him why he always looks for the worse. His answer made me smile. He said that he knows that I will always be looking for the best and that I am usually right. Be kind to one another.

The Time Has Come, But Not For Me

I have worked in the same field for over 29 years. Since I started my career so early in my life, I am at least 2 years from retirement. Next month, someone I have worked with for 25 years will be DONE! I am so excited, but also a little sad. There is really no one left who remembers "the old days". She gets all the jokes, remembers the good times and bad times, and laughs at all the mistakes we have both made over the last quarter century (sounds like a really, really long time when you say it that way!). But I am also very happy. She made it out alive, still healthy, both physically and mentally, and has a new course to run. I finished my gift to her and her other half just last night. I cannot wait to see her face. I expect a few tears, both from her and from me, but they will be good tears. I wish her only the best and look forward to that day when I will have a chance to start a new course. Be kind to one another.

Put On Your Angry Eyes

I will admit, I love cartoons. I am especially fond of Pixar, but will hit the couch with a remote at a moment's notice. I watch Toy Story every chance I get. There are not any children left in my home, but plenty of feature length cartoons. The first time I watched Woody and the gang, I laughed and thought it was a great cartoon. After the fourth time, I really started to notice the amount of adult humor. I love when Mr. Potato Head takes off his lips and kisses his butt while the little dinosaur is sucking up to Woody. And when Mrs. Potato Head puts on her angry eyes...classic. I think that everyone should have a set of angry eyes. When you've had enough, just pop them on...all the attitude without saying a word. So I ask myself, do cartoons tell it best? Are cartoons real and we are pretend? Who knows? Either way, I'm keeping the shelf stocked, you can never watch too many cartoons.

I Love Hula Hooping

As I drove aimlessly up and down the parking lot at the grocery store, I noticed the most interesting bumper sticker. I LOVE HULA HOOPING. I immediately visualized this most fun person. She (of course it is a she) will be tall, young, and perfect with a great sense of humor and a zest for life. How could she not? Not with that sticker! She would love loud music and drive fast, keeping up with the rest of the fun people. Maybe she was even a cheerleader! Yes, I knew exactly who this woman was...except I was wrong. I pulled into the stall next to the car and it so happened that she chose that exact moment to return. Tall? No, maybe 5 feet 5 inches. Young? Hmmm, looked about my age and did not try to disguise that fact by coloring her hair. Perfect? Hard for me to tell from this angle, but not a cheerleader. Could all my guesses be wrong? By this time, she noticed that I was staring at her. She gives me a big smile and a wave. She zips out of her spot, loud music coming from the open windows. Well, she has a sense of humor, hence the sticker and she definitely seems to have a zest for life, the friendly wave felt right. So the moral of the story, be careful what you put on the back bumper of your car, because I have a bad habit of day dreaming and am liable to make up a new life for you. LOL Be kind to one another.

Is BlogWorld Real?

I asked myself yesterday, is BlogWorld real? Do I care about the people and places that I only read about? I find myself attracted to blogs that cover cross stitch, quilting, and such. It seems that these particular groups are intertwined. Most crafters find themselves involved in multiple mediums. It is so much fun to aquire stash and if you have several crafts, you can fill lots of rooms and closets with your hoarding. I pour a cup of coffee each morning before work and check out what my "friends" have been up to the day before. I have friends that only check in once a week, others that are a bit more prolific. Sometimes I feel a bit like a stalker, peeking into other's lives, hoping that they are home that day. Do they know that I am lurking around the corner? Not me, but by the sheer act of sharing, they open themselves up to the world. I was born in the 1960's, way before computers and the internet. I know people that do not even own a computer. I understand that some prefer to stay under the radar, or perhaps are uncomfortable learning a new skill, but I was forced to learn the computer for work and have never looked back! So, I ask myself again, is BlogWorld real? A few weeks ago, the owner of a particular blog passed away. For those who stitch, you would recognise Cathey from Pumpkin Patch and Company. I had followed her blog for about three years. I had never spoken to her, had any true interaction with her, and had a picture of her in my mind that matched the avatar on the corner of her blog. But, I had followed her progress on projects, joined her while she celebrated her pregnancy and birth of Junior, and prayed while she fought cancer. I was so very sad when she passed. I went from blog to blog, reading what others had to say, sharing the sadness in BlogWorld. My family didn't really get it. I tried to explain, but know that I fell short, not able to really tell them of her sense of humor, her grace, her devotion to family. I will miss my "friend" and pray for her family. I know that the world is not fair. I am sad. So, is BlogWorld real? Yes. Be kind to one another.

A New Day, A New Habit

I have read other blogs for years, and just this morning, decided it was time to jump in with both feet. I do not have a particularly exciting life, or have superstar friends, or live in an exotic locale. But, I have a family that I love (and on most days, loves me), hobbies that keep me busy, a job that I like on most days, and a love of life. I sincerely feel that every day is filled with possibilities. Not that some days don't crash. LOL But, I do the best I can, be kind to at least one person a day, and try to sort through the rest. I have decided that my catch phrase will be...as Ellen DeGeneres says...be kind to one another.