~ Happy Birthday ...

.... to my baby.

My son .... my baby .... will be 38 tomorrow (October 26th).

Thirty-eight!!!!  How the heck did that happen?

Where have the years gone?

 

1.  Here is his birth announcement. 

We spotted it while shopping one day but I didn't want to buy it yet.

We didn't know what we were having and although we both secretly

hoped for a boy

we didn't want to jinx it by buying it ahead of time.

So, after Keith was born and we were settled in our room for the night

my husband went out and drove 45 minutes away to buy

the announcements.

What a guy!!!

 

 

2.  My water broke while we were at a Halloween Party.

Yes, I was in costume.

I was dressed as a nun.

 

3.  Labor didn't start right away.  It felt like it took forever.

In fact, it was taking its sweet time so much that they decided

to wheel me up to my room to wait around up there.

Once in my room I announced I had to pee.

I tinkled and labor started immediately.

It started up so fast and furious that the nurse thought I was kidding.

She checked. 

Baby was crowning.

They plop me on a gurney and they are speeding down the hall ...

into the elevator ... down another hall ... 

and to the delivery room.

Just in time!

 

4.  Once in the delivery room it was a blink or two and ....

 

... this little guy was born!

Labor started at 10:30 a.m. ...

Keith was born at 11:59 a.m!!!

 

5.  Giving birth is quite the experience.

The range of emotions you go through during and after

is beyond description.

The same goes for motherhood.

It's an emotional occupation.

I worry that I haven't been the best mother that I could have been.

I still worry about him ....

is he okay?  Is he safe?  Is he healthy?

I can't take him by the hand anymore

and steer him away from things that aren't good.

He's a grown man.

He has his own life .... his own choices .... his own decisions.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Keith!

 

♥

 

Played along with Nancy and  Random 5 Friday

 

~ Let's Meditate .....

... and I found the perfect spot to do this.

I was out and about ... just me and my "friend" ... and came across this porch.
Sigh!
It looked so inviting ... so peaceful.
I thought "What a great place to just sit and meditate."
It even has the items used for meditation tucked in the corner.
How convenient!
So, let's quietly head onto the porch and grab a chair and sit and meditate on our
Random 5 Friday!

1.  I had a much better week.  I am coming down from my pity party and ...
well ... I am starting to think about my lessons learned from this lost friendship.
And there are a few many.  But I won't get into them now.

"The moment you feel like you have to prove your worth to someone
is the moment to absolutely and utterly walk away."
~ Alysia Harris


2.  I had my physical on Wednesday ... my annual "look under the hood".
Physically, I am doing well ... for my age (snort!).
I had a Bone Density Scan and Doc says I have
a very very very mild case of osteoporosis ... nothing to worry about ...
right now.
So, I have to stock up on yogurt ... discipline myself to take my calcium pills ...
and sadly I will have to put away my stripper pole.
Can't take a chance of falling off it and breaking a bone.
Just kidding!!! 
I did speak to Doc about my state of mind ... and with winter just around the corner
(brrrrrr......shiver me timbers!) I wasn't sure if last season's
sadness was just a fluke or if I really do have SAD.
So, we decided to go forward with medication on a trial basis.
I'm fine with that.
If it works ... yippee!!!
If it doesn't ... well, we'll discuss that if we get there.

"Eat healthily, sleep well, breathe deeply, move harmoniously."
~ Jean Pierre Barrel

3.  Isn't October a beautiful month?
Absofrigginlutely beautiful.
Its crispness.  Its colors.  Its smells.  Its sounds.

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on
and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings as October."
~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

4.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Most of us probably know someone who has battled/is battling with this monster.
I had been neglecting getting a yearly mammogram.
The last time I had one was ... ummmm ... about 8 years ago!
But this year I decided to stop being a wimp and git 'er done!
I did.
I'm fine.
So, get out there and get those ta-tas squished ... it only smarts for a second.

"When life kicks you, let it kick you forward."
~ Kay Yow

5.  I need to get my groove back. 
I need to start picking up the things that I used to enjoy.
Reading.  Photography.  Knitting.  Crocheting.  Crafting.
I need to pull out all of my craft paraphernalia and give myself
a shot in the arm and just craft my little butt off.
Stop stressing.  Start crafting.
Yup!  Imma gonna do that.

"Give your stress wings and let it fly away." ~ Terri Guillemets

Alrighty then!
Let's start meditating ...

Ohhhmmmmmmmm!

♥ 

~ We Meet Again ....

..... Random 5 Friday!

Gonna do it up a little differently today.

Starting with the bottom ....

 

5.   Yup!  I changed up my blog look ... again!

I wanted to give it a little "Halloween" look.  Did I succeed? 

Don't worry ... it'll change again next month.

To what?  Hhhmmmmm......Not sure.

Why can't I just find something I like and just stick with it? 

 

4.   I am seeing birds around my feeder less and less as the weather

gets cooler and cooler.

I may just keep the feeder out through the winter just in case a fine feathered

friend decides to stop by for a little snack.

 

 

3.  Dear Blogging Friends ...  I want to thank all of you for your wonderful support

during my lost friendship last week.   Wow!

I received so many lovely comments and e-mails.  I was overwhelmed!

Having the door closed on one friendship led me back to a friend

that I had been neglecting for too long.

This friend is there whenever I need a friend.

I can push this friend's buttons and this friend doesn't get upset

and shut me out.   Nope!

This friend lets me make mistakes.  Yup!

 

Say hello to my little friend ....

 

 

2.  My "friend" and I took advantage of a gorgeous day and headed out the door.

I grabbed some props and looked for the perfect spot.

As I put the items down on the ground and was changing the settings on the camera,

I accidentally clicked the button and ....

well....

took this....

... and I did  not notice the visiting Mr.DaddyLongLegs until I looked at the shot on the computer!

I just love it when stuff like that happens!!!

 

1.  This one is for Kelly. 

We've been cyber friends for a few years now.

We've never met in person.  We will......someday.

Kelly has been having a really tough year.  Really tough.

To add to her burden, she just found out her Mother has cancer.

 Please visit Kelly and give her hugs.

 

Dear Kelly,

Saying "I'm sorry" just doesn't seem like enough.

I wish I could do or say more to help you through this difficult time.

I wish I could find Aladdin's Lamp and wish away all of the pain and sorrow

that you are facing.

Know that I am here for you .... always.

Text me anytime.

Call me if you ever want to talk or scream....I'll listen.

And if the pain is too strong ... and you can't talk ... or scream ... but can only cry

then FaceTime me.

I'll put the phone on my shoulder

and let you cry on it

for as long as you need.

xoxoxo

 

♥

 

 



~ A Question....A Comment....

.... injured a friendship.

 

I am still in disbelief.

I have been crying off and on since yesterday.

I have read and re-read the email at least a dozen times.

I am confused.  I am hurt.

Shouldn't we be able to say pretty much anything to a true friend?

Not a hurtful thing .... but an opinion?

A thought?

A "this is how I felt" comment?

I said these things to open the door for more conversation about what happened.

NOT to close it.

She said I closed it.   I didn't.

My door is still open.

 

"Where do they go,

the people who sail into our lives

like green leaves

and disappear like snow." ~ Rod McKuen

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

1.  Phew.....it's been a tough couple of days.
I lost a good friend....a best friend. 
It doesn't matter who was right ... or who was wrong.
The door has been closed to that friendship
over something that happened six months ago!!!!
Over a comment about how I felt at that time.
Over being honest.
I have been crying all day. 

I have that "ugly cry" look.  

It is not flattering.

 

2.  I'd call my friend  ex-friend

but I'll only cry and won't be able to say a single word coherently.

 

3.  I wonder if she knows how hurt I am?
I wonder if she is as hurt as I am?
How can a friendship that I thought was so deep just dissolve
over .... what???  Seriously, what???
I want to roll up my sleeves and talk it out.
She has opted to "go our separate ways". 

 

4.  Is this friendship even fixable? 
"If the other person in the friendship is worth it,
then the broken friendship can be fixed,
no matter what." ~ Anonymous
Is that true?
I just don't know.
What I do know is that I am Hurting.Like.Hell right now.
I go from sad to angry to sad to angry......

 

5.  She blames me for "closing the door" on the friendship but to me
she slammed it shut.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It's sad when people you know
become people you knew.

Crying my eyes out over at Nancy's

♥

 



~ Berry Burst ....

..... before I tell you about Berry Burst

let me first say that I try to do my best.

 

1.  I walk 4.25 miles 5 days a week.  

It takes me an hour. 

 

2.  I feel GREAT after a walk.   I think its a combination of the

endorphin rush and listening to music while I walk. 

Note to self:   I probably should stop singing while I walk .....

a.  I can't carry a tune

b.  I swallowed a bug this week.  

Yay!  Protein!!!

 

3.  With that said.....no matter how much walking I do....

no matter how much hula hooping I do.....

why is my waist still expanding? 

They say that the average woman's waist is 34.4 inches.....

7 inches larger than 50 years ago!

I used to have a svelte 28 inch waist.

What the heck happened???? 

One day.....I looked at myself......saw my waist line and said

"How did my mother get here?"  

Right now I am above average with my waist measurement.

Do I get a prize for that?

 

4.  I really try to eat reasonably healthy.

I've eaten my share of salads .....

veggies .....

They say you are what you eat.

The thing is, I really don't overeat AND I really watch my portions.

But I.CAN.NOT.LOSE.WEIGHT.  

I'm stuck at @*# lbs.

Sometimes it's just downright depressing!!!

 

5.   So ..... instead of punishing myself

day after day after day after day

I rarely  occasionally  generously treat myself to .....

..........

drum roll please ..... ♫

♪  ......a Berry Burst Oreo!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah!!!!

You know you want one.

I think they're a summer special .....

.... they are delicious

and so well worth the guilt.

Heck, they are so decadent that they deserve

to be served up with one of those luxury napkins.

 

'nuff said.....

 

grab a cookie!!!

♥

 

Played along with Nancy at "A Rural Journal"

 

 



~ It's Fall Y'all .....

....well, at least it will be on Sunday.

Fall.  My favorite season.

For so many reasons.

One of them being Butternut Squash Bisque.

At the first sign of crisp fall air, apple cider and apple cider donuts

I get the urge to make Butternut Squash Bisque.

The original recipe was found here allrecipes

Although it was yummy,

I decided to doctor it up a bit.

So, get that apron on ... pull out your soup pot and let's get started!

~~~~~

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large pot over medium heat.

Throw in 1/2 cup (or more) of diced onion and cook until tender.

Throw in about half a small bag of baby carrots and 4 cups

of peeled and cubed butternut squash.

Now, I have struggled with peeling and cubing that bad boy

soooooooooooo

I now buy the squash already peeled and cubed.

I KNOW, RIGHT!!!!!

Now, here's where I changed it up a little.

I also add 2 small or 1 large Cortland apple (peeled and cut)

and 1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut).

Then pour in 3 to 4 cups of stock. 

This recipe calls for vegetable stock.

I've also made it with chicken stock or beef stock.

I really didn't notice much of a difference in the taste.

Oh!  And season with salt and pepper (to taste)

aaaaaaannnnnddddd

nutmeg (to taste)!

Yup!  Nutmeg!

 

Bring this to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until everything becomes tender.

I know, it looks mushy .... but that's okay.

 

Now, remove the pot from the stove and grab your hand blender (or food processor)

and puree the heck out of it ... until it looks smooth and thick.

I usually find that using my left hand to control the hand blender

allows me to use my right hand to ....

wipe down the splatters I just made....

or sip on a glass of wine....

or make a phone call....

or wave to the neighbor....

Okay.....now that that's all pureed,

return the pot to the stove and stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional).

Stir and heat (but don't boil).

♫ Ta-da ♪

You are done!!!!

Get yourself a cup (or bowl), fill it up with the Butternut Squash Bisque,

add a little (or a lot) of nutmeg,

tear apart some French bread and dig in!!!!

Huh?  Huh??

Is that good or what? 

~~~~~~

Okay, so while you're eating that

let me tell you about this week's

Random 5

with Nancy:

 

1.  I don't particularly like to cook ... I KNOW, RIGHT???

You'd think with the above masterpiece that I would be a chef!!!!

NOT!!!

 

2.  I don't like grocery shopping ...

.

3.  .... and I tend to buy crap stuff even if we don't need it.

Why do I do that?  Why did I need to purchase that jar of applesauce?

So I could place it next to the two jars I already have?

 

4.  I cannot pass a craft store.  I have to go in.

I'm like a dog marking my territory ... up and down every aisle.

Sniffing everything.  

I need to get a grip!

 

5.  I do love a bargain.  And coupons.

And saying "I couldn't afford NOT to buy it."

What does that mean????

LOL

 

♥

 

 

 



~ Monday Listicles ...

 

If you haven't been to visit Stasha @ Northwest Mommy,

then you really should stop by.

Today is "Monday Listicles" over there

and today's list of

"10 Things I Have a Crush On"

was suggested by my girl Kelly.

 

 

So, here goes.

10 Things I Have A Crush On

In no particular order .... well, except for #1 ....

 

10.  "Artful Blogging" magazine.   I have discovered some amazing bloggers through that magazine. 

9.  Becky over at TIMEWASHED .... her stuff makes me sigh !

8.  My neighbor's two boys.......Landon who is 3 and Logan who is 1. 

They make me smile! 

7.  Crisp autumn air and the sound of leaves crunching under my feet.   **sigh**

6.  Cloudy days.

5.  Flea markets.

4.  Old bottles.

3.  Anything vintage.

2.  Gumby.

......... and .........

 

1.  Tom.....my husband of 42 years.

 

This photo is circa 2000.

We look so dang young!!!  LOL

 

♥