So it all started here. 1976. My first baby, tiny little blue eyed girl. Stole my heart and introduced me to a new experience: Nurturing. Prior to this moment, as the baby of my family, my nurturing experiences were limited to furry kittens. AKA Smelly Cats.Starting at about age 30 or perhaps a year or two sooner, I began to dream about retirement. You may relate. Just looking forward to the day when the alarm clocks stop loudly interfering with our blissful sleep. Forcing us to put on happy faces and head off to work. Day after day after day. Cruel behavior, those pesky alarm clocks. Continue reading “Small things”
Do you simply adore the picture on your driver’s license? Is it pure joy to pull that precious picture out and show it to airport security, or at checkout counters, or to the police officer when you’ve been pulled over for traffic violations? Continue reading “Can I see your photo ID, please?”
Do you ever think about how much telephone technology has changed over the years? Even over the past decade with all the smart phone advances…. simply mind boggling.
Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s most every home had a stationary telephone. Attached to the wall by a long cord. I remember a time when we merely lifted the handset and waited for the operator to answer: “Operator”, and then we’d give her the name of the person we wanted to talk to. “Connect me to so and so”. Just that simple. Continue reading “From party lines to selfies”
Sometimes grocery store shopping can be irritating, almost a torture.
But sometimes it can be quite the opposite.
I was at Dillons the other day and found myself next to a young female customer in the produce department. As I reached up to select a container of fresh pico de gallo she asked me my opinion of the pico. We had a really nice conversation and she was so friendly. We visited for quite a while. She once operated a restaurant. And she actually enjoys chopping up jalapenos and onions by hand! At the end of the conversation she gave me a warm smile and said, “I hope you have a very blessed day.” I reciprocated with “I hope you do, too.” Continue reading “Chance encounters of the Grocery Store kind. The power of kindness.”
A couple weeks ago I was on a walk and ran into someone I hadn’t seen for some time. I waved and loudly called out “Well hello there how are you? Haven’t seen you in years.” As the distance between us lessened I was faced with the unfortunate reality that not only had I not seen her in years, I’d actually never seen this person. Ever. Did not know her. She just kind of looked at me and kind of awkwardly said “Hi. Fine.” Looked a little frightened as she walked on by. And I just kind of awkwardly moseyed out of her range of vision. Man, I really don’t enjoy those moments of mistaken identity.
Continue reading “Who? What? I thought I knew. And a bonus recipe for you.”
Continue reading “Beside the still waters and bicycling against the wind. It’s all good”
What was your first job? Mine was probably babysitting my cousins. But my first real job was the summer between my 8th and 9th grade years of school, if memory serves me.
Today marks the end of a glorious two week trip to Savannah, Ga, with my husband the IT consultant. He travels 1600 miles from home every week to earn a living. This is his career. He’s had this traveling gig for the past 13 years. He provides income for us. To put food on the table and pay bills. To buy our home where I am the main occupant. He spends more time living in a hotel than in our home, if I do the math correctly. If nothing else, this trip has made me acutely aware of the sacrifice required in being a consultant. He doesn’t complain. I believe I might tend to whine a bit if I were in his shoes. But whining does come natural to me regardless of circumstances. We all have our gifts. 😃 Continue reading “Observations from 1600 miles southeast of home”
In the past 13 years the hubby has spent more time living in a hotel than time living in our Kansas home. He has experienced every Starwood, Hilton and Marriott brand hotel known to man, and can give you detailed descriptions of them all. Continue reading “Comfort? Style? Or Companions?”
A few days ago I had lunch with a dear friend. Over Panera deliciousness, we caught up on life and the goings-on in our individual families. Always a blessing to hang out with Sandy.
We both have new camping vehicles and part of our conversation involved our individual trips we have planned as soon as spring arrives. It seems that both of us and our husbands are almost fixated on the need to just go camping. Just be in the great outdoors. Breathe the fresh air and let our souls relax and our batteries recharge. Quality time with our Creator. Continue reading “Go ahead. Live. Now. (and forever!!)”
We have reached that part of the year when the short days and long nights start to wear on me. Just kind of mess with my psyche. You, too?
Mid-January every year, I will google “how many days until spring”, and come up with stuff like you see in the above picture. Brings me a bit of hope. Continue reading “64 days and counting.”
Do you watch HGTV? House Hunters, Flip or Flop, or my favorite Fixer Upper? I’m guessing you have watched at least one episode of these shows, as well as perhaps Property Brothers, HH International, etc. I’ll be honest, I love to watch this channel. No real political undertones, no real drama, and no disgusting commercials that would make you hope your grandkids aren’t watching, and make you wish you weren’t watching. Ick. (talking about you, Sports Networks). HGTV is just stuff about home. Home is a precious topic for most everyone. Continue reading “HGTV and contentment”
I’ll start this post with the “remarkable gadgetry” section of the title.
We moved into this house and found these toilet paper holders.
These qualify as remarkable because you simply slide the toilet paper roll onto the rod. No need to dislodge a spring loaded, annoying toilet paper holder rod, reload a new roll, and then struggle to push that spring loaded bar back over before the new roll flies off. Quick, easy, and eliminates the need for ugly loud verbiage leaving your lips. Possibly in the middle of the night when you’re trying to just sleep through a trip to the bathroom. Continue reading “Odd treasures & remarkable gadgetry”
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It’s not officially winter yet but some of the coldest temperatures of the year have descended upon us Kansans. Temperatures that can bring a squeaky whine from even the toughest of us. Probably need to exclude myself from that “toughest of us” group. I just want to be near the fireplace with a cup of coffee and a good book. I was designed to hibernate.
I’d like to give you something to at least dream about. Sanibel Island, Florida. A slice of heaven off the gulf coast near Fort Myers (which in itself is another lovely spot for a getaway, but it is just a bit more lively & commercial).
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| View from our rental condo, 2010, at Oceans Reach Resort. Screened-in lanai. Bliss, I tell ya. |
Continue reading “Winter blues? Maybe it’s time to visit an island.”
If you’re old enough you should remember the day when taking a photograph involved quite the procedure. My mom had what I think was a Kodak Brownie camera (? maybe) that she was ecstatic about. The process was slow. Film to buy at a store and then load into the camera. Then you had to remember to advance the film after taking the picture or risk double exposures. And the blinding flash that was so easy to forget to use, and of course when you really needed it you’d learn the bulb was burned out. Yes, little bitty light bulbs. Yes, we had to replace them. Yes, in a CAMERA, children of today!!! Then you had to use up all the film before having the pictures processed. Which always resulted in random shots of nothingness. Often we had more random nothings than good pictures.
Back in those days in order to even look at the picture you just took it required printing them, which was a 10 day-2 week process. You waited all that time, sifted through 12 to 24 to 36 to 48 prints for possibly that ONE picture you really wanted to see. And often, every stinking one of them was icky and unusable. Useful only for gag gifts or the like.
Simply B 
