09/08/2021

So interesting to suss out the things

we oldsters do in retirement . . .

So fun!

We just spent an entire afternoon

watching a series whilst drinking

margs. So fun!

I like the times we spend cooking

together in the kitchen. I cook the

vege dishes and he, the meat dishes.

Still, I like the eating together that

happens after the fact! So fun!

I enjoy the odd ride we take in the

mountains. I get a kick out of stopping

at different bits and pieces along our

way, some temptations to buy, others

to eat. So fun!

I love the spontaneity available whilst

on our adventures. A garage sale, an

antique store, a farmer's market . . . 

So fun!

And, best of all weekends with the

different kids in our fams. Me thinks

that's the most fun of all! So fun!

I refuse to even think about those 

pesky parts are aren't fun! Sooooo

NOT fun at all!

aging can be fun

a little scary as well

positive thoughts help

09/07/2021

Me thinks I should never, ever

watch the news! Makes me shed

tears it's so sad . . .

Watching the poor souls dealing

with storms, hurricanes and floods

just makes me cringe. I can't even

imagine the courage it must take

to soldier on when everything you

own is ravaged and taken.

The absolute worst . . . those lives

lost! How to help? What can we

actually do? Prayers are not enough;

action is needed. I know shekels are

lacking, along with health care and

rebuilding.

Let's all join in doing whatever we

can to help. I pray God steps in and

gives a hand!

pray lend me strength lord

people in times of trouble

im all out of faith

09/06/2021

Pets ahoy . . .

Spent the weekend with pets and

loved every moment of it. Kept

asking myself, "When did we stop

having them?" My guy says we 

all had pets while our kids were

growing up and that it was quite

important for them to have these

different learning experiences.

I actually get that! Playing with

dogs especially, training them, 

walking them everyday . . . all 

good! So, I asked him why don't 

we have a dog or two, or better 

yet, a couple of cats?

He explained that as retired

oldsters, we need to be free to

go at any moment, roam around,

have fun and not worry about

animals or getting someone

to take care of them. Me thinks

that was quite sneaky of him,

right?!

So, when we visit our daughter,

I'll just have to get my dog fix!

a hound dog or two

here kitty kitty kitty

loving me my pets

09/05/2021

Colorado is such an amazing

state. Living in the mountains,

we are graced with aspens,

pine trees, rivers and streams,

to say naught of the forest

bouquets of wildflowers.

And the . . .

 . . . you take a drive and

are assailed by an entirely

different geography. The

Colorado plains are absolutely

unreal! Mountains are visible

in the far background.

And then . . .

 . . . you take a look around!

360 degrees of sky and clouds

right down to the ground!

Let me add that I have never

seen sunrises and sunsets

more spectacular! Wow!

And then . . .

 . . . just choose a road, a

highway or byway and see

where it takes you. You will

have no idea whether you'll

be surprised by small country

towns, or amazing cities.

Oh beautiful, colorful Colorado!

I am ever so fortunate to live

here. You have graced my life

with such beauty and adventure.

I can hardly wait until the next

one!

we are invited

oh to endure such wonder

allow me to stay

09/04/2021

"She has always had a thing for full

moons, a sky full of stars and freedom."

~j. iron word

Me thinks he's talking about moi again!

Love this author, his work, his content.

And, I so appreciate how he honors both

the She and Mother Nature.

Both are interesting, exciting and even

changeable. Yesterday, we awoke to

such a beautiful day. We got outside

early to enjoy . . . and no more had we

sat down, than we received a torrential 

rain and pounding hail.

Obviously, we made a run for it; we 

watched this amazing summer storm

with a kind of awe. And the thing is,

it lasted! Once finished, the ground

was so covered in hail, it looked like

snow.

Capricious she may be, but we needed

the moisture and are grateful for it. The

water in the pond rose roughly 4". 

autumn approaches

soon to bid summer adieu 

hard to say goodbye 

09/03/2021

"We breathe air exhaled from trees

whose leaves are made of starlight.

Our veins echo the patterns of rivers,

branches, and root systems. We are

not a part of Nature. We are Nature!"

~Marysia Miernowska

How I love our Mother Nature! As

a small child, my father used to take

us out. I recall everything from short

walks to long hikes. We rested when

needed. Mom always packed picnics.

It may have been the same food, but

it tasted better outdoors!

I remember that sometimes my bro

and I would become querulous, Mom

and dad would exchange that secret

parental look and off to the hills we

would go. Amazing! They were so

wise.

Even though this was prior to any

littering campaign, my parents were

sticklers about leaving zero trace of

our presence. I so honor them for

that! 

Just now, I'm feeling a tad querulous!

Me thinks a trip out in Mother Nature

is just what the doc ordered!

let me walk in you

so loving me my mother

remedy for ills

09/02/2021

Get into the habit of asking

yourself, "Does this support 

the life I'm trying to create?"

Beautiful Mess

Fab reminder! Me thinks I needed

this! At 101, I'm somewhere 'twixt

and 'tween, 'Will I ever learn what

I need to learn' and death!

Pondering just how much of life is 

existing as opposed to actually living.

Making that effort to live more and

exist less, striving for balance . . . 

if that's even possible.

Wonder if I might just make the odd

New Year's resolution in September?!

It is back to school month, after all!

So here goes . . .

3) Live a little more; exist a tad less.

2) Honor both being and becoming.

1) Remember, love matters above all.

So, here's moi, still learning,

still learning . . .

09/01/2021

Perhaps 'twas a day like any other,

but it wasn't actually, it was a true 

gift of a day. A former colleague, 

lo these many years not seen, shared 

a few delicious hours and memories 

with me.

What a delight to sift through those

few stories of students and fellow

teachers that we loved throughout

the years of teaching and counseling. 

Whilst enjoying the delightful repast

she provided, we chuckled, belly

laughed, sighed . . . even shed a few 

tears.

One of the blessings derived from 

the day was the reiteration of a

career well chosen, enjoyed and

revered. 

Indeed, it has been so hard for me  

to let go; I loved teaching ever so 

much. My students meant the world 

to me, but today was a reminder that 

it is time, time to bid adieu to that

part of my life.

Perhaps the best part of today . . .

a professional colleague may

have come to visit, but she left 

as a friend.

*Dedicated to Patricia Salas,

phenomenal teacher and counselor.

08/31/2021

"Let everything happen to you.

Beauty and terror. Just keep 

going. No feeling is final."

~Rainer Maria Rilke

So love Rainer Maria Rilke! Seems

about the time I begin to lose it, I run 

across one of his quotes and it jolts

me right out my mood.

This weekend I was so wrapped up in

the joy of spending time with my children, 

it was nigh onto impossible to remember 

said joy when faced with the sorrow of the 

goodbyes.

Doubt very much I'll be breaking into

song a la Julie Andrews with my favorite

things any time soon. Having said that, 

I suppose there's naught wrong with 

reminding oneself of a few happys!

I swear I am going to enjoy every moment

of the waning days of summer rather than

worry about the soon approaching autumn.

I may as well go for broke and celebrate

the new and improved bod as opposed to

all that needs yet to be accomplished!

And by the way, me thinks Santa isn't the 

only one who can make a list and check 

it twice. Careful, I may just go off the deep 

end here and burst into song!

Hey Julie, I'm really getting into this; 

want to come on over?!

08/30/2021

Sooooo many goodbyes, ever

so many! From time to time, I am

reminded of just how many there have 

been in my life.

Perhaps the most difficult are those

long goodbyes that are forever . . .

my grandparents, brother, dad, mom.

There are those that I love ever so

much who have simply moved out of

reach. Thank goodness there are letters,

cards, e-mails.

Sometimes I find myself missing those

I love who are quite near. The good

thing about this is that something can

be done about it! Am ever so grateful

for that!

Once in a while, I think about a child

hood friend I haven't seen in forever.

I imagine the conversations we would

have in our catching up. I even wonder

if we would still like each other. Still,

'twould be most wondrous to see them.

And, there are even our animal friends

we've had to say goodbye to. Wouldn't

think that were as hard as it turns out

to be. Ever so loyal, always glad to see

us, tails awag with joy . . .

I find I'm rather sad and tired of good

byes. I pray this doesn't mean I'm on 

my way . . .

08/29/2021

OMG . . . I'm tempted to say,

Oh, my fucking God, but I did

promise my daughter I would

no longer say that . . .  but, what

can you say when your entire

family coalesces around you?!

I am sooooo NOT kidding!

Moments shared, memories

reiterated and fought about,

glorious times out of times . . .

Frankly, there are NO WORDS!

Special glimpses into the past,

fave foods shared and enjoyed,

the retelling of tales told out of

school; did I say GLORIOUS?!

Indeed, I do praise all the gods

in creation for moments such as

these.  They are not to be taken

lightly, nor for granted. I pray

the powers at be know just how

much I value these glimpses into

my own eternity. Wow!

Dear hearts, know that I love you,

understand that you are adored,

I would die for you . . . indeed, 

alas, I prefer to live for you . . . but 

whatever the universe exacts from

me,  I'm sooooo there for you!!!

08/28/2021

"Those who do not move 

do not notice their chains."

~Rosa Luxenburg

Wow! Time and time again, I 

notice what must be messages

from the Universe . . .

 . . . They might be found in the

book you're currently reading.

A road sign just might have a 

special meaning. A lovely thing 

about FB is the published quotes.

Bottom line, we must pay attention 

to these post scripts the Universe

sends out to us! I tend to think

they're reminders to stay on our

chosen path and continually move

forward, no matter the pace.

Today is a new day. I want to pay

attention to these special messages.

Within my soul, I find I need to

understand, wish to grow, and so

want to arrive at a better 

understanding of my own path!

a new day dawning

search for truth at every turn

need to walk my path 

08/27/2021

"There's something about being

broken at various times in your

life that makes you a more

complete person." ~j. iron word

I find this statement such a great

consolation! Me thinks we are

somewhat trained to believe we

are less in our broken times. And,

we've all been there.

Looking back over my life, I can

clearly see those specific times

when I was indeed broken and

barely coping. My heart so goes 

out to that young girl, that middle 

aged woman, that older gal . . .

all of my other me's.

I remember thinking I was really

messed up, incapable of wholeness,

 . . . broken and thus a failure. I'd

work so hard to come 'round, grow, 

return to normal. And when I felt

better, oh how I would look down 

on the me that had surrendered to 

her own dark side.

I'm a Libra! I have a dual name!!

One of me should have been

understanding and supportive of

the other me whilst I was down.

I sorrow to have learned this so

late in my own life. But perhaps,

I'll be less judgmental next time

around.