This morning I finished packing my carry on and I have to say that if you could see the inside that most people would probably gasp. It’s filled with specialty chocolates and cookies- all things that everyone back home love about the area in which we live. Mom said that we’d need to know what is three best diet pill on the market if we ate all the goodies in that carry on, and she’s right. It’s literally a rolling carry on of about 30,000 calories, which is about 8 1/2 pounds. It’s a good thing it’s not all going to one person.
November 13, 2010
Cookie Monster
Yesterday Marcel went to the Friday market to pick up these little specialty cookies that everyone at home absolutely drools over. Our area is the only place that sells them, so when he bought six bags of them, the guy commented that it looked like Marcel was going to have a party. Marcel laughed and explained to him that these cookies were famous outside of our area and that we were taking them with us on vacation. He laughed and said, “Yeah, right.” Marcel was serious and told him so. He was amazed and then handed Marcel two new specialty cookies. Very large heart shaped cookies with one half dipped in chocolate. We’re taking one home with us but the other we shared. I think it’s better than the originals- and I didn’t think that was possible.
November 11, 2010
Good Things
I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting over the past few days and trying to really be conscious about the good things in life. I’ve had a pretty difficult year (probably my most difficult to date) and I think I’ve lost my focus a little. I know that so much of what happens in life is in direct relation to how we react to it, so I’m trying to focus on the good and let the rest fall to the back burner.
Today has brought several good things- Me being almost finished with the preparations for our trip. Marcel finding a suitcase that we had been looking all over the place for, and cheap car insurance that’s better than our current coverage. All those things are something to smile about.
What makes you smile today?
Spammers- You Have a Lot to Learn
I don’t know why, but I get a LOT of SPAM on my sites. Granted, I don’t really have to worry about it, because the spam filter catches it and all I have to do is mark it as spam and then every so often empty out the spam folder. Right now- there are 186 spam messages in there. Out of those 186 messages, there are probably 5 or 6 different messages that are repeated again and again and AGAIN.
Not that I’m going to allow them to advertise free on my website, but the way I see it is that if they really want to get approved, one would think they’d first- use different IP addresses than the same one 20 times with different names, plus that they’d actually write messages that aren’t the same and that are relavent to the topic. Looks like they have a lot to learn.
November 10, 2010
Craving Silence
As I sit here and type this entry- I’m actually enjoying the fact that it’s silent in the house. Marcel and the 4-legged members of the family are sleeping, allowing me a few moments of silent bliss. I’ve always been one to appreciate a quiet moment, but yet it seems that lately, I’m craving those moments. I’m not sure if it’s because they aren’t coming often enough, or if that I’ve had so much rumbling around in the grey matter that the silence allows me time with my thoughts to process and work through things that otherwise would be hanging in the blance.
I’m really excited about our trip, but we haven’t even boarded the plane and already our first week is completely booked. Solid. From Wednesday morning through Sunday, we have something going on each day. I’m grateful- but I also know that I need to spend some time alone with my thoughts, preferably while lying in the middle of mom and dad’s field, surrounded by a plethora of cats. I want to watch the clouds roll by and process this year- something that up until now I haven’t been able to do.
6 day’s and we’ll be on our way. I’m ready and can’t wait to see and spend time with everyone who wants to spend part of their holidays with us.
November 9, 2010
Little Pleasures in Life
My Friend Maggie- wrote on her blog -“MaggsWorld” about some of the simple pleasures that bring a smile to her face and warmth to her heart. I became inspired by her list and decided that I’d share my own list.
Feel free to join us by doing the same!
- Waking up this morning and knowing that I have one week until my two month vacation.
- The bright and vibrant colors of the fall foliage making its way to the ground.
- Complete silence with the only sound being that of me tapping on the keyboard.
- The smell and flavor of steel-cut oats with cinnamon and a hint of cloves.
- Doing my best and finding that I’m being rewarded for it.
November 8, 2010
What Do You Think?
I was goofing off at the Macy’s website earlier today when I got finished working and came across this sweater. It is not something that I may typically wear, but I fell in love with it and have been trying to decide whether to order it or not. I love the colors, plus I love the clean lines. In addition- its only 20.00, which in my book is a bargain.
My only drawback is that I’m not generally a huge fan of turtlenecks, and I’ve recently ordered three solid colored ones. Still, I can’t help but think about how much I love this sweater. I’ve added it to my cart, I just have to make the decision.
What do you think?
November 7, 2010
Saying I Do- Again
Today I was asked to do a photography job in May and I accepted. Desere’s sister and her husband have decided to renew their vows in May and she’d hinted a while back that she’d like me to do the photography, but today I was officially asked. Even though I will be nervous, I’m more than happy to be doing the pictures for them and pray that we have great weather. They’ll be picked up at their home in a horse-drawn carriage and taken to the church. There they will recommit their lives to each other and then they are planning a lunch at a local restaurant for everyone. It’s going to be a great day and I’m honored that they have included me to be a part of it. I just hope the photos will be to their liking.
November 6, 2010
Brain Power
This is going to sound crazy (or maybe not), but lately I’ve had so much on my mind that I find I’m forgetting more than I’m retaining. That may not be 100% accurate, but that’s how I feel. I decided that maybe it would be a good idea to do something to challenge my brain a little and allow it to think more, but wasn’t sure what I could do.
I was lying in bed a couple of nights ago when after I finished checking email on my iPhone (the ‘eye’), I thought I’d browse through the App Store. I found a cute little trial game called “Cut the Rope” and it had great reviews. I figured since the light version was free, I’d check it out- after all it was free. It’s basically a little puzzle game where you have to feed this creature in a box candies. The candies look like Life Saver Cream Savers and well- it’s cute. It also challenged me.
It didn’t take long before I’d played all the levels on the free version and that left me thinking that the full version would be perfect. It was only .99 so I downloaded it. I’ve been playing it every spare moment since. I’m not exactly sure that I’m feeling smarter or forgetting less, but at least the grey matter is working and I’m having fun in the process.
November 4, 2010
Enveloped in Sadness
I called Sheila earlier to see how she was doing. I knew she’d been struggling but I know by talking to her I have to confront the very things that I’ve been trying to avoid- and that something is Carol’s death. I know- for someone who is a take-the-bull-by-the-horns kind of girl, I’ve been avoiding this whole thing. Not Sheila- I love her dearly, but anything that puts me in that path of the sadness I feel when I think about it. It being the life changing event of Carol’s death.
I love Sheila dearly and the truth of the matter is I WANT to be there for her. I wish that I could go back in time- wave a magic wand and give her the life that she deserved to have. It wasn’t that she had a bad life- she didn’t. She had parents who love her very much- but things should have been different, but they weren’t.
I put my own self aside and called her. We had the small talk and this time she opened up to me- really opened up to me and I was able to talk to her- cry with her and open up. When I hung up the phone- I felt gutted. I still do- I feel as though a blanket of sadness has been thrown over my head and I know there’s nothing I can do but walk through it.
Sometimes… if having a magic wand were enough- … I know this too shall pass- but it’s one of those things that will take a while. I’m trying to give it that time.
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