05/30/2024

"It's okay that you don't know

how to move on. Start with

something easier . . . like not

going back." ~Unknown

Methinks, maybe, just maybe,

I'm finally drumming up the

courage to recognize, to accept

that I am indeed an ole dame

these days!

Praise God from whom all

blessings flow, I am still straight

and walk a strong stride!

But, that pesky little nag that I

don't recall something?! Does

it mean I'm losing my memory?

Don't cook much any more. 

Just open the fridge and see 

what falls out, right?!

Don't like to go out much . . . 

so enjoy when people come by.

It's spring, finally! Let's sit out

front and have a beer or three!

I like what Ms. Unknown said

about not going back . . . Still,

one can't do so anyway so might 

as well get on with that whole

acceptance bit! 

~!@#$%^&*()_+

05/29/2024

"You are not responsible 

for the versions of you 

that exist in other people's 

minds." ~shrinkchicks

I imagine we all wonder 

from time to time what 

other people think of us.

I know I do.

Alas, if you ask someone,

it's likely they'll think you

are seeking compliments.

If they take you seriously,

you might just get more

than you bargained for.

Every now and then, you

will hear the odd thing 

about yourself. Might just

be in for a surprise.

Shame we couldn't go to

our own funerals . . . see

who's there and what's

said. 

Might be so amazing you

would want to go back. 

Or, so god awful, you need 

to go back and haunt them!

Methinks 'tis not worth the

fuss! Just be nice and call

it a day, already!

05/28/2024

"Release & let go of every

thing that is toxic to your 

being. Cleanse your soul." 

~muses from a mystic

Methinks, I've always been

more about accumulating

than letting go. Rather makes

it hard to cleanse one's soul.

I tend to think of these things

like a filing system. Keep all,

keep filed, look back when

needed. Doesn't do much for

cleaning out, does it?!

Can't help but wonder if one

could do about half and half

rather than cleaning out all?!

Maybe it's rather like cleaning

house . . . dust, mop 'n glow!

And while you're at it . . .

   a) put away

   b) give away

   c) throw away

I like my version of letting go

much better!

05/27/2024

A walk down friendship lane . . .

When I came back from my 

20 years in Old Mexico, I 

was hired to teach in a middle

school in Commerce City.

Interestingly enough, a woman

just returning from a similar

stint in Canada was hired at the

same school, same time.

Obviously, we became fast 

besties! And, one of the things 

I love about the Universe would 

be friendships such as this.

Thirty five years later and we 

still card, letter and e-mail. We 

get together for lunch and a 

catch me up from time to time. 

We share tales out of school

and chuckle over our growing 

old together.

Methinks 'tis Valentine's Day

every time I see her . . . 

 . . . ever so grateful!

05/26/2024

"I lay my words down 

on paper to understand 

the weight of my soul." 

~janine tamis

Never been one to actually 

keep a diary . . .

I keep a Book of Shadows,

a BOS, that's somewhat a 

cross between a diary and 

a scrapbook.

I work in it and on it when 

the mood arises. Some days, 

hours, others, minutes.

I suppose I have a dozen or 

more that I've chosen to keep. 

Others I've burned over the

years for privacy reasons. 

So enjoy looking through 

them from time to time.

This particular indulgence 

is ever so dear to me. Rather

makes me wish all good souls

could do so . . .

 . . . 'tis never too late!

05/25/2024

"Today, soak in what's real

and what's real is unhurried.

The ground. The air. The

exhale. The planted seed. 

The shift. The season."

~Victoria Erickson

This really touched me. We

tend to get boggled down in

our everyday lives, forgetting

the absolute glories of Mother

Nature.

Not able to walk as far as I

once did, still just sitting out

in my yard and beholding the

vast forest above me tends to

do the trick.

Taking a long ride up forest

ridden hills and valleys is yet

another treasure.

I grew up taking rides . . . 

gas prices being quite different 

than they are today. But, every

now and then, I'm able to brow

beat my guy into a short one.

Absolutely breathtaking!!!

Today we're doing this, taking

a ride. I can hardly wait . . .

. . . and then, we're ending up

at our daughter's! Great fun!

05/23/2024

I much enjoy our cabin life,

in an 1876 tiny place it may

be. 

Having said that, just love it

when company comes, albeit

our kids, old friends, new

neighbors.

We have no actual next door 

neighbors, so it's always a

surprise when some unknown

knocks on the door.

Last night, 'twas a couple of

teens asking to buy our old

pickup. Wish my guy would

just sell it, give it away and/

or be done with it, but he 

wants to keep it.

Funny, it's worrisome when

strangers come by . . . this 

particular visit seemed a bit

off.

So glad I have my guy; he

makes me feel safe!

05/23/2024

"Your thoughts are energy."

~Panache Desai

Alas, I keep forgetting this bit

of wisdom . . .

Methinks those of us who tend

to watch our tongues, feel free

to indulge in thoughts. At least,

'tis the way with moi.

Good thoughts, bad thoughts,

sad thoughts, any thoughts!

Never even occurred to me

they needed watching.

Might just be that our thoughts

can be a mine field for creating

many a thing we actually wish

to avoid?!

Obviously, there are things that

need thinking about. Having 

said that, perhaps one should

look at a menu of thoughts and

choose, rather like a dish at a

restaurant or cafe.

All of our mental meanderings

cannot necessarily be positive.

Nonetheless, choosing carefully

rather than giving negativity

free rein, might be a good idea.

I'll think about it . . .

05/22/2024

"I feel like I'm constantly

worrying about the next part

of my life without realizing

that I'm right in the middle of

what I used to look forward to"

~Taisha Makainai

Perhaps this is a new way to

look at, "Live in the Now" . . .

I saw the above statement this

early morn and it wowed me. 

I've always had issue with

living in the now. But, never

once had I thought about this.

I'm living now for what I once

wished for.

This truly gives one pause! Add

in the fact that I'm soon to turn

75 and get where my mind is at.

Think I'll ponder this for a bit

and find whatever gratitude is

lurking around . . .

-fam and friends

-hearth and home

-decent health

-just enough shekels

Frankly, what more could one

want?! Just got to make the

effort . . . Live in the NOW, 

 . . . a now I dreamed of in 

yesteryear.

05/21/2024

"I have been many different

versions of me, but even in the

darkest of days, I keep coming

back to the same heart, same

passion, same purpose, and 

same soul, just a little bit more

weathered and a little bit wiser."

~janine tamis

Methinks 'tis rare to find such

wisdom in one so young . . .

Might just have something to

do with the things she's gone

through in her life.

And perhaps, that would apply

to all of us. We each have our

journeys, our stories to tell, our

endurance to be proud of.

In my own life, I would confess

I haven't always come out on

top. But surely, survival counts

for something. I'm here, nigh

onto a hundred years old and

still trying, still growing. 

Good days and bad days, but I 

swear on all that is holy, I'm

going to go down fighting; make

no mistake!

05/20/2024

Learning many a life lessons

from my guy, but perhaps the

most important is all the ways

he says, "I love you" w/o the

words.

He never said the words. If I

did, he would say, "me too."

And, he would say them to 

his children ending phone

calls.

Then, little by little, I began

to notice . . .

"I'm going downstairs, 

can I get you anything?"

"I know you hate it, but

I need you to buckle up."

"While I was at the grocery

I got you the salad stuff you

like."

"Here, let me help you with

that."

Obviously, I'm ever so glad

I've come to understand his

way. Can't help but wonder

if there aren't other gals out

there who haven't sussed

out the code yet?!

It's how I've come to think

of it . . .

05/19/2024

"Kind hearts guide faded 

flowers to soul gardens, 

and sit with them until 

they regain their color."

~janine tamis

So enjoy Janine Tamis! Wise

beyond her years; make no

mistake!

Looking at my sweet friends,

those who have hung in there

with me all these years, I see 

them in the above verse.

Friends who have cried with

me, laughed with me and sat

with me . . . oh how I honor

them, love them, cherish them.

'Tis quite amazing how friends

find each other. Methinks it is

written . . . I do know I'm alive

today because of the love and

caring of special friends.

One of the most fab things I've

found in life is that some of my

greatest friends reside right in

my family circle. Maybe I was

a fab mom because I look at my

children and see true friendship.

May we all be the friend to others

we wish to have in our own lives.

05/18/2024

"If only our eyes saw souls

instead of bodies . . .  how 

different our world would 

be." ~Lauren Jauregui

Methinks all we need is a

closer look! Most people

wear their hearts on their

sleeves anyway . . .

We spend way too much

time being distracted by

beauty instead of enjoying

personalities, intellect and

humor.

There is naught wrong with

beauty. But, it is not the be

all, end all. There has to be

something behind the facade

to make the person interesting.

So enjoy listening to a person

of decent intellect. All said in

conversation captivates me.

Some are beautiful and some

not! Seems to me, they don't

pay any attention to looks.

They enjoy learning, reading,

forming their own opinions

and sharing in conversations.

Just who I want to be when

I grow up . . .