Happy New Year...

...a dog's tale.

I had a much different post intended for New Years and meant to do it a few days ago but as life, and of course my life, things didn't work out quite the way we had planned.

We were all settled in for a nice warm (as warm as you can be when your furnace stops working) evening watching "noir" movies, my favourite.   We had just enjoyed a lovely day sharing our Christmas with our children and grands, a little late as they were all out of town this year visiting inlaws.  I should have never taught them to share!  Anyway, there we were coming down from the festivities and settling in, hubby had to work on new years day so he was about to head to bed and put the dog out for one last time.  This was around 8pm.

Just as the dog got out into our newly fenced yard someone in the neighborhood let off one of those 'booming' fireworks.  A little early perhaps?? And there he went shimmying up the fence over and gone in an instant.  

We live in a gated community, there are very few homes here, so we hoped that he was still in the neighborhood.  Hubby spent hours driving around calling his name "Charlie" and offering him treats and a ride in the car which he loves.  Nothing.  He went outside the gates and looked in the neighboring parks, golf course and river. Nothing.  More and more fireworks now and each one had us thinking he was getting further away. 

Hubs went to bed for two hours then had to get to work all the way in looking for the dog.  I tried to sleep but got up several times to head to the front door and call his name all the while thinking of those dreadful commercials of dogs freezing in the cold and being abused.

This dog is a rescue.  He has had a miserable history from being chained to being thrown out of a moving vehicle.  He is very sweet and is just starting to trust us.  He is also riddled with anxiety.  He is chipped, had tags, and is registered with a 24hour emergency number.

About 8:30 the next morning, after a fitful night, we got a call.  I was afraid to answer it...it was the 24hr emergency line.  He had been found!  He was over the next block, really just a few houses away.  The man living there, a widower, was resting in his recliner when his motion lights alarmed, he looked out the window and there was Charlie wagging his tail and looking pathetic.

This wonderful man took Charlie into his home, fed him (they went to the store for a bag of dog food) and stayed up with him all night trying to comfort him.  Truthfully, he spoiled this dog to pieces!  I think he wants to go back!  In the morning this good Samaritan decided to call the number on the tag.  And a few hours later he brought him home.

I was thinking that the dog bolting was the perfect ending to the crappiest year of our lives.  We just didn't think we would see him again.  But we started the new year with the blessing of a kind hearted old man.  We are forever grateful.

mug shot

May your New Year be filled with crazy, wonderful adventures, many blessings, health, happiness, encouragement and peace.  It's up to us to shine our light and change the world...one person or dog at a time.  ;j

be, thrive, nourish...

...all wonderful words that have served me well over the last few years as my 'guideposts.'  Rather than make New Years resolutions I have chosen, for several years, to make goals for myself and use a "word" as an anchor of sorts to keep me on track, or from drowning.  It has worked in ways I would have never imagined but as I look back at those words I notice that all of them have to do with surviving.  That certainly would have been an appropriate word for last year; survive.  It seems that 2015 was one long fight with my health, my relationships, my health...am I repeating myself??  That happens at my age I hear, or heard somewhere!

Every year I treat myself to a silver bracelet with my anchor word engraved on it.  I am getting quite a collection but I am a bangle bracelet kind of girl so I just love it.  here.
Hoping to get myself to a better place this year, this month, today.  It's just plain time for me (if you were to ask my children or siblings they would say it's always about me, but they don't realize that the strongest of us are really the weakest and most vulnerable at times).  With that said and enough of my rambling I will leave you with RENEW.   

Let's all take care of ourselves this year so we can be better stewards of each other and our home here on this blue dot.

three. sixty. five...

May you find 365 reasons for joy, 365 reasons for celebrations, 365 reasons to say "thank-you," 365 reasons to touch another life with Peace, Love and Tenderness.  Blessings to you all for a wonderful, healthy, happy 365!

last Monday snap 2014...

wow, I don't know how it is possible that another year has flown by.  It seems as I get older, whether good or bad, time just disappears somehow.  I wish it would slow down, my children, my grandbabies and us are all growing up too fast (and old)!  Glad I'm here to see it, which just happens to be my number one item on the thankfulness list.

Looking forward to a New Year and the new start as the traditions hold.  Cleaned out my refrigerator today in anticipation of eating healthier and working on a 'clean' diet.  Not a cleanse but a way of eating more superfoods and organic/local/fresh.  It could be interesting during the winter months.

so far that is my only resolution.  I've got my compass word waiting in the wings and will reveal it in my next post.  For now I want to wish you all the best in 2015 as I take a break until then.  Many changes coming to the blog and possibly the end of this one...still working on that.

Whatever it is your heart desires, 
whatever it is your soul is craving,
whatever it is that makes you 'whole,'
is what I wish for you in the New Year.
love and peace my friends.

it's here, it's here, it's finally here...

 ...it's finally here, the beginning of a New Year.  Not being one to look too far forward or too far back I must admit that I am glad to see 2013 come to an end.  Many wonderful memories and experiences have graced our lives; our daughter's first child (a grandson), celebrating birthdays of our children, grandchildren and loved ones, our long awaited debacle 60/40 vacation, celebrating 40 years of weddedness, and turning 6-0.  Still don't know how that happened!  I feel like a child inside, maybe because I am surrounded by them!  The tough times were tough indeed.  A lost spring and summer due to emergency surgery and continued health problems for me and impending surgery for a surprise diagnosis for hubby.   I think looking back any further would negate the lessons learned from 2013 and possibly taint the things I am so grateful for.

Thus I come to my new word for the year.

Last year's 'nourish' did serve me quite well.  I was often reminded to nourish my body during my long recovery, and worked diligently to nourish my soul, to cherish each and every relationship I have and nourish those friendships that have sadly slipped away.  I took on the challenge of renewing my relationship with my sister but after ten years I am afraid it is lost.   I truly believe I have done everything in my power to invite her back into my life and thought maybe that would happen when I was so ill in the hospital but once again she walked out of my life without a single word as to why.  So I am giving her what she seems to want...peace.  The door is and always will be open for her if she decides to return but I must move forward now, this has taken far too much from me.

And that new word for 2014.

COURAGE;

to face my fears and step out of my comfort zone.
to keep my promises no matter the difficulty.
to get my life back to 'normal' after such a difficult summer.
to get caught up on all the things I let go during my recovery.
to get back in the car and drive again.
to eat right, exercise...take that first step.
to care for my husband.
to believe.

No resolutions here, I gave up on those long ago.  Life is not about depriving yourself of something, within limits, but it is a journey of discovery, of learning, of becoming.

What are your wishes for the New Year?

be well friends, be safe, be blessed.


there are great things waiting on the other side of fear.

looking up...

...to all my bloggy friends, my family, and my beloved, I wish you a wonderful New Year full of promise, excitement, good-health, companionship, friendship and love.  Be well, be safe, be blessed and Happy New Year.  See you all soon!

my Epiphany...

...on Sunday it will officially be Epiphany.  If you are a former Catholic school girl then you might remember Epiphany as the day the three wise men, the Magi, appeared to the baby Jesus.  In our house it is the tradition of taking down the Christmas decorations, including the tree.  As one of our family traditions we have a special ornament, a baby bird in a nest, that always goes on the tree first and always comes off the tree last.  A story that was brought forth from our young son many years ago and a tradition that has stayed with us since.  Nothing happens without that little bird.

The past three years have brought a change to our regular New Years tradition of making resolutions.  I would always write them on the next years calendar at the end of December so we could look back and see how we did.  When our children were younger these were quite funny and often, seeing the world through their little eyes, quite simple and obtainable.  Those years have gone too quickly and I am thrilled to be able to look back with them now and remember them.  The last three years have, for me, been changed to reflect a "word," one word.  A word to help guide me, teach me, change me and maybe even change another in a good way.  Always my goal is to be changing myself for the better and hopefully to touch someone else's heart in a kind and generous way.

Last year I had an easy time choosing a word.  I had a different one chosen when suddenly a tragedy in our area touched me so. so much that the word "listen" became my word of words.  If you read my last post then you know that word has served me well and has taught me much.  This year I had so many possibilities that I had to make a list. I had narrowed it down to four, one of them being on last years list, but was still unsure.  They all have great  meaning to me and as I look around the blogosphere I see that these same words have touched many hearts already.  Then one day last week, while making the rounds and going from here to there as you do when making the rounds, and ending up who knows where, there it was.  The word for me.  I'm sure it will be a good one with many opportunities and possibilities.

Nourish

 nourish my soul

  nourish my spirit

  nourish my relationships

  nourish

nour·ish

[nur-ish, nuhr-] 

verb (used with object)

1.

to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth.

2.

to cherish, foster, keep alive, etc.

3.

to strengthen, build up, or promote

if you are a word-chooser, have you chosen it yet?  If you make resolutions, have you done so?  What ever you decide to do or not to do enjoy your new year, your clean slate.  Take the chalk of your life and draw on the slate, write in big letters, make new promises to yourself.  I'm going to take a few new risks this year and can't wait to share them, hopefully one day Maude and H will want to read them!

simple pleasures, lasting treasures...

as we all count down the last remaining hours of 2012 many of us will be looking ahead with anticipation that a new year offers us a new beginning.  Out with the old...and so we begin again with the new. New Year, new diet, new resolutions, wipe the slate clean so to say.  For some of us there will be unfinished business to take care of.  The turmoil, the bumps and bruises of 2012 still fresh in our minds. For others the fresh, clean newness awaits us, filling us with hope and healing.

 for me, it always seems to be a little of both.  Exhaling deeply, knowing that I kicked another year in the pants...made it through, but always fearful of what lies ahead.   Learning to live in the moment has been a difficult lesson for me this year.  Learning to listen (my word for 2012) not only to my heart but to those around me.  To listen to their hearts has deeply changed me.  Listen to the world that surrounds me and how I react and live in this place we call Earth.  Trying harder to listen to what she is saying to us all, and trying to make changes to help her survive, to help all of us survive and thrive.  Listening to my inner compass.

As I snapped these photos of the paper whites blooming in my kitchen I couldn't help but think that in just mere moments Spring will be gracing us with her glory.   Mere moments that pass in the whisper of a baby's breath.
Wishing you the strength to put this year in the past, with all it's memories and mistakes, and to move forward with courage and hope for a joy filled, peaceful, healthy, grateful, happy new year. 

The greatest lesson that 2012 has taught me is that love is a choice, as is peace, joy, forgiveness and happyness. We have the choice to look for something to be thankful for during every storm, during every day of our lives.  We have the choice to listen.

Happy New Year All

snug as a bug...

...I had a rather lazy New Year's eve here, made it 'till midnight then watched a movie and went to bed around the normal for me time.  Yesterday was also another lazy day, I had gotten up late and didn't even get dressed for the day.  Just lounging around in my jammies, snacking on leftovers, and mindlessly watching what ever was on the tele.

Again, I went to bed at the normal for me  time.  All warm and snuggly was I as I heard the hubs talking to the dog, getting ready for work, kissing me good-bye.  lalalalalalala I was in dreamland.  I awoke a few times but each and every time it was still dark out and I refuse to look at the clock if it's still dark out for it can only mean that it's just too early for me.  Snug as a bug in the rug I slept, all warm and dreamy.

Did I hear the hubs talking to the dog?  Must be a dream...he's gone to work and it's still dark out...I will.not.look.at.the.clock.  Besides, I have my alarm set for 9:00 and it hasn't gone off yet...what a restless night.  Dreamy, sleep, groggy I heard the voice again.  This time it seemed closer.  I opened up one eye squinting in the darkness only to see the shadow of my hubby hovering over the bed.  I was started as my first thought was that he has come home from work early due to illness.  Darn, not a great start to the new year.  I asked him in my sleepy groggyness if he was alright?  And he answered with the same question..."are you alright?"   Of course I am, it's still night, I'm all snug and sleeping quite well...what is the problem?

Problem is/was it is 4:00 pm.  I have slept through the entire night and the entire day and would have probably gone into the next day if he hadn't checked on me.  Oh my gawd!  I didn't know that was possible and  yes, blood sugar was perfectly normal.  My only defense....it was still dark out!

Happy New Year all...hope to be back soon.  *yawn*

a multitude of promise...

Happy

Sparkly

do - over

shiny

blank canvas

full of promise

hopeful

brand spankin'

NEW YEAR!!!

"Well we have

a whole New Year ahead of us.

And wouldn't it be wonderful

if we could all be a little more

gentle

with each other

and a little more loving.

have a little more

empathy,

and maybe next year at this time...

we'll like

each other

a

little more."

judy garland

Happy New Year friends~~~see you soon!

Sad, lonely, a little empty...

...and in need of a good wipe-down.

Just a few short weeks days ago my home was shiny and bright.  It was full of laughter, food, love and celebration.  It was a happy place as were her owners.  But now...now...the party is over my friends.  The New Year has begun in earnest and slowly, ever so slowly, my home is making it's way back to it's humble pre-holiday beginnings.  *sigh*

Embracing the New Year...

...I have be strolling through all your wonderful blogs today, catching up on your holiday celebrations and anxiously reading your New Years' resolutions.  Oh my, do you ever have some lofty goals for the year!

I decided, this year, to do something different for me.  I saw this a few weeks ago on a few other blogs and thought I would give it a try.  Choosing a word, a mantra perhaps, that will be your guide throughout the coming year.

Oh yes, I still have all the same old, tired resolutions; *take better care of myself *exercise more *lose 10,20,30 OK 40lbs  *go to church more often  *purge the house  *be more frugal...

This year I decided that I would begin the year, end the year, and live every moment of the year...to embrace the year and all it's possibilities.  I've decided to stop being an observer in my life and to jump in and live it.  Sounds ridiculous doesn't it, but when you are mired in illness and depression the hardest thing to do is participate...in anything.  I will embrace life and live it with joy.  *to play *to dance *to sing in the rain *to run through the sprinkler *to fly kites at the beach *to build sand-castles *to go on picnics *to learn how to play mah-jong *to take more photos, even if I am a sotc girl  *to bake *to read  *to...*to...*to...

embrace life
embrace joy
embrace new ideas
embrace forgiveness
embrace possibilities
embrace passion
embrace love
embrace, embrace, embrace

Welcome to 2011 Jj, this is your life, now go forth and live it, live well, embrace your dreams.



Embrace

1. ( also intr ) (of a person) to take or clasp (another person) in the arms, or (of two people) to clasp each other, as in affection, greeting, etc; hug


2. to accept (an opportunity, challenge, etc) willingly or eagerly

3. to take up (a new idea, faith, etc); adopt: to embrace Judaism

4. to comprise or include as an integral part: geology embraces the science of mineralogy

5. to encircle or enclose

thank you Merriam-Webster

Cheers to YOU...

it was a rough year

wasn't it

it was wrought with

painful

moments

and

unbearable

loss.

but, in the midst

of it all

there was much

joy

there was

peace

and

understanding

there was

strength

from above

and there

were

wonderful

generous

friendships

made that will

carry me

through

the

New Year.

Thank you my

friends.

May

2011

be kind to you

and

fill your

hearts and lives

with

many

Blessings.

Happy New Year

The MacKenzie Brothers...

son-in-law, son, and hubs on Christmas Eve

...am I the only one who remembers the Mackenzie brothers from SCTV?  I swear that is the first thing that came to mind when I saw this picture...

There really isn't much going on here after all the hustle and bustle of last week.  We still have all our decorations up and will until Epiphany on January 6th.  We had Christmas eve at our house this year, as is the tradition I always had with my family.  It's so nice to carry that memory forward with my own family and now theirs.  We were also joined by my daughters' in-laws this year, a very interesting and thoughtful couple.

Of course there were lots of goodies to be had, both present wise and food wise, and we are indeed blessed to be in this place at this time with the people we love so much. 

On Friday I begin my "low-iodine-pre-radiation-diet" and I could not be more excited (sarcasm).  The diet is very limited, and I mean very.  There is absolutely no dairy allowed which for me, a child of the 50's, is unheard of!  Nothing with salt is allowed either which means no processed foods period.  Not that I eat a lot of processed foods but the amount of foods that have salt in them is staggering and none of them are allowed. I will be going to Starbucks tomorrow for a giant coffee/mocha WITH whip, and I will be eating the last of the Christmas cookies!  Cranky.  It's my word for January!

I've been strolling through blog land the last few day and noticed that many people are choosing a word for the year.  It is my understanding that the word is in place of resolutions and all the other broken promises of a new year.  This is a word to live by, to improve ones self, a positive.  I've been thinking of a word that I would like to use and have two that keep coming to mind.  I will let you know, on New Years Day just what I have chosen.  This year I tried to live my life with 'intent,' not realizing that I had chosen a 'word.'  Oh my!

Are you a resolution type person, an intentional word, all or nothing?  And do you have New Year's Eve plans?

We call it a reVolution...

...I have so many things to say yet when I sit myself down to do so I am suddenly at a loss for a coherent sentence.  I feel such a disconnect lately and when I tell you that I have done nothing for the last few days it is a vast understatement.  We are on a new page (of the calendar), a new year...a new decade.  Forward we must go for the alternative is completely unacceptable to me.

I am not one for resolutions.  I rarely make them and even more rarely do I keep them.  Thus the forty ten pounds that I need to lose keep climbing, and the exercise daily three times a week has dropped to one...o.k. none.


Some people call them "resolutions," some "goals," some just don't call them anything at all.  This year I am trying something new, that I shamelessly stole from someone else (Hi Kelee), and I'm calling it "intentions."  There is a book called "The Power of Intention" by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer that I have not read yet, but intend to read this year, and writing down said intentions is a great way to keep them in the here and now.  With that in mind...here goes:


*my first and most important intention is a very personal and private one and will remain so, except to say that it involves my walk with the Lord.


* I would like to become a more friendly person.  Not that I consider myself unfriendly but I know that I can step outside of my comfort zone a little more, especially on days when I feel like crap under the weather.


* I would like to learn to live with imperfection (not the hubs) and to stop beating myself up for not only my personal imperfections but also my inability to forgive myself.


* I would love to nurture and embrace creativity.


* more...more family time, more travel, more reading, more movie-watching, more time.


* less...drama, worry, stuff.  While I am sure it will not keep me from the thrift shop I am trying to purge my home of 'stuff' and live more frugally.


there you have it in a nutshell.  The only little problem I see here is that every time I refer to my "intention" all I can think of is the road to hell is paved with good intentions!   Happy New Year y'all.

Tick-tock...

"another fresh new year is here...

another year to live!

to banish worry, doubt, and fear,

to love, and laugh, and give!

this bright new year is given me

to live each day with zest...

to daily grow and try to be

my highest and my best!

I have the opportunity

once more to right some wrongs,

to pray for peace, to plant a tree,

and sing more joyful songs."

william arthur ward


...amist a flurry of unexpected, particularly annoying unusual circumstances we were unable to 'celebrate' Christmas together, as a family, unitl Monday evening.   While it was well worth waiting  for to spend the day/evening with our children and their spouses it just did not hold the same Christmas Eve/Christmas morning excitement.  I've always been the one to say it doesn't matter what day we choose as long as we are together and in the past that was true.  This year, however, it was odd.  I think it's that we have always celebrated before the actual day so everyone was still wearing their Christmas cheer and anticipation.  Waiting until after just didn't feel as festive.  Everyone else having already packed up their decorations, lights, gifts etc., and getting ready to celebrate the New Year.

I am pleased to see that so many of you have had a wonderful Christmas with your families, celebrated with much love, food and gifts (whatever they may be).  Ours was tempered this year with yet another loss in our areas Police Department.  Six officers in six weeks has taken a heavy toll on our surrounding communities.  The sadness runs deep and the anger deeper.  I pray the New Year will keep us all safe.

I am excited for the New Year and to see what you all have planned to keep me entertained and motivated!  I am so grateful that you have come into my life in such a wonderful and generous  way.  Your kind hearts and warm-spirits are a balm to my spirit and a Blessing to my soul.  Happy New Year friends!

what are your New Year's Eve plans?  Resolutions?

Resolution Number One...

2009...bring it ON

dance as if no one were watching

sing as if no one were listening

and live every day as if it were your last.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Blessings to you all of good health,

joy and happiness.