Practicing My ABC's

I have begun my 3rd 40 day writing practice. Finishing Day 2 and still trying to consciously make changes to my writing. After 80 days of practicing the letter S, I still revert to my old script as I signed a check today and I realize that another 40 days are needed. (Maybe more)

I wrote today in my Book of Positive Aspects and as I write each word I must be here - giving attention - consciously instructing my hand to move in this new way. Often I cross a word out, or re-write a letter of a word over and over. I have filled pages and pages with letters and words, with my signature and initials, more words, more names, more practice.

After every practice there is a pride I feel for my effort. The pages may not be exactly as I had hoped, but I know I have been present, -mostly, and I am humbled by this experience - this practice of writing.

Here's to the Ride!

A Child of Joy!

Rollin has come to spend the night with us and we are excited to have his energy filling our home. There is something about being around children that makes life so joyful! We cannot not smile at his smile. We cannot not laugh at his laughter. This beautiful child of Joy enlivens our home and our lives and gives new meaning to our Joy!

Here's to the Ride!

Building History

It is Wednesday morning and I have missed writing for two days - but with good excuse! Our beautiful friends from Michigan, Larry & Alma, just spent a couple of days with us on their way home from Florida.

It is always good to be with dear friends. To recount stories from our vacations together. Skiing in Michigan. Beach walks on Amelia Island. Sunning in Cozumel and so more! Story after story, memory after memory bubbling to the surface to bring all of us to smiles and to laughter!

To our stories have been added sons-in-laws, grand children (they have 8 we have 3), retirements and new travels. Every story, every memory adds to the bond of our friendship. Every minute spent together strengthens the love and respect we have for each other.

Now our friends are heading home to be with their families and we will settle back into the routine of our lives. But these past two days will not be forgotten and our next time together will include stories of this visit. Joy is building history with wonderful friends!

Here's to the Ride!

Sunday Revivification

Jim and I worked for just a couple of hours this morning to finish up the backyard and then shifted gears to enjoy our Sunday! We stopped at Starbucks first and bought Grandma her first Starbucks (EVER). We strolled through the Antique Mall looking at cool old stuff. We drove to Liz and Thad's house for a little family visit. And somehow, we are now ready to face the week. We have been revived, refreshed and renewed! That's what I love about Sundays!

Here's to the Ride!

Starbucks Interlude

For the past several weeks, as we have been preparing for our new patio and grass, we have tracked sand everywhere. So today I dismantled the house and cleaned every single square inch and swept out what felt like buckets of sand. (not really buckets but it was a lot!) Around 3:30 I decided that an interlude was in order. So I slipped away from everyone, drove straight to Starbucks and enjoyed my favorite Americano with a little dark chocolate! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Joy is a sparkling clean house and a little quite time with my hands wrapped around a cup of delicious coffee!

Here's to the ride!

Great Expectations!

I Expect Great Things! I expect everything to work out perfectly! I expect to be Joyful! I expect to be divinely guided! I expect all good things from the Universe! My life motto is founded on these two words: GREAT EXPECTATIONS! And I will not expect anything less!!!!

Here's to the Ride!

Hummmmmmming Joy!

Last night as I crawled into bed feeling too tired to do anything more, I decided that I just might skip my morning walk. But when my eyes popped open at 4:50 I felt so good that I just had to get up and take a look at the stars! So I walked under a moon lit sky with beautiful stars and I found myself humming a song I made up about being so happy and healthy and all the good stuff in life! All day long I have continued to hum - fixing breakfast, hauling sod to the back yard, sweeping the new patio, watering the new grass, sitting in the sun with my eyes closed. And all day long I have felt Joy flowing through me in rhythm to my song. .........................Joy! Joy! Joy!

Here's to the Ride!

Working Hard for Joy!

There is joy (sometimes) in working very hard. Our pavers were delivered before 7:30 this morning, and we (Jim, Liz and I) carried all of them (425) to the back yard and Jim laid our 15 x 30 foot patio. Sod is coming tomorrow morning, and I hope to get an early start to get it all in place. But this evening, tired from pushing wheel barrels of pavers, and from passing pavers to Liz and to Jim, I am enjoying the strength and courage of my body. We all worked so hard, and I feel tremendous satisfaction from this job well done. That is my Joy!

Here's to the Ride!

More of Everything

We had a wonderful family dinner tonight on our back porch with Granny Great and Liz and her family. We crammed 8 chairs around my patio table and enjoyed the best dinner yet. Granny made her homemade noodles and beef, and everyone ate their fill. Liz made a homemade cake with pink glaze icing which was totally delicious and wrapped the evening up nicely.

I love the way a meal can bring us together. Talking, laughing, eating with people that are important to me touches something deep inside. My heart always longs for more time, more talking, more laughing, more eating - more Joy!! And every time we share these little interludes together, I feel blessed beyond words. Blessed beyond description. Blessed and Blessed!

Here's to the Ride!

Our To Do List

I walked this morning under a beautiful moon with great excitement for the coming day. We filled five hanging baskets with flowers as well as my flower bed and I am basking in the beauty of all the colors. Our patio should be finished by Sunday night and I can't wait to plan our first candle light dinner under the stars. And to invite our grandsons over to roast hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire pit. And to sit in the sun on a beautiful spring morning to drink our coffee. Oh...............the wonderful things we will do.

Here's to the Ride!

Pansies!

We are continuing to work on our back yard landscaping and I am excited for the pavers and sod that will be here this week. Grandma and I picked out (a ton) of pansies today to plant in my hanging baskets and in my flower bed. I have watered them and am waiting for tomorrow when we plan to sit on the back porch, sipping ice tea and planting flowers.

Life is good with flowers to plant!

Heres to the Ride!

Simple Pleasures

I spent most of the morning today with some beautiful women. And after the day was over, I realized that although I had admired many of them, I did not speak my admiration, or compliment them in any way. I sat by Christine, and while I admired her pretty pink and black and white sundress, I did not say the words. Grandma wore a beautiful pair of earrings, and again, words did not come. Liz looked so beautiful with her white scarf, fitted jeans and tiny little TOMS, and still I let the time together pass without the words. I chatted with a woman for several minutes who wore the cutest heeled shoes and black polka dot socks, and several times I thought the words, but sadly, I did not say them.

Tonight, as I thought about my day, I realized how I had let wonderful opportunities to increase my Joy and the Joy of others to slip past me. While I realize that I am always doing the best that I can at any given moment, I also know that with this realization, I will be more open to express admiration. For in doing this small thing of saying the words, I increase the simple pleasures of my life - and my pleasure will create Joy for others too. Here's to saying the words! and.........

Here's to the Ride!

Perfecta!

We just had the most wonderful dinner on our patio along with the most wonderful bottle of wine. (Brazin Old Vine Zin) Grandma is still here so we shared stories of good times. I love this wonderful spring weather - perfect days and nights. Perfect sunrises and sun sets. Perfect full moon and stars. Perfect time together. Perfect Love

Here's to the Ride!

C.....C.....C.....Cinderella

Today I caught myself resisting the sweatshirt I wear each morning when I jog. The shirt (which is from Columbus North) has a big "C" on the back and I have always felt awkward wearing it, but it is comfy for exercising. Today as I ran and cars passed me, I thought I need to get rid of this shirt - then I realized all I really have to do is change the way I "think" about this shirt. So I began to think of words that begin with the letter C....

Cute, Cutie

Creative, Co-creating, Co-ordinate, Cooperate

Candy, Cindy, Cat, Clue,

Car, Carry, Catherine, Clan, Can,

Christmas

Color, Cool, Coors, Computer,

And last but not least, Cinderella. I smiled at this last one and I know that in the morning when I put this shirt on I will be thinking of the name Cinderella and I will be thrilled to be wearing the letter C as I jog around my neighborhood.

Here's to the Ride!

What I Like About You

Granny Great and I have had a wonderful day spent here with Fynneus. He brought yarn (orange) so that Granny could crochet new "arm warmers" with a little thumb notch. She finished both of those today and he was happy to model for all of us. Then, at dinner tonight we shared what we like best about each other.

• Fynn likes that Poppa plays hockey with him.

• Jim likes when Fynn is sleeping.

• Fynn like that Granny Great Crochets.

• I like that Fynn always says "I love you too" when I tell him that I love him.

• Fynn likes the "Life is Good Place" (aka Starbucks)

• John Wayne likes everything about all of us.

So we are wrapping up a beautiful day. Soaking up as much Joy as we possibly can, reminding each other and ourselves that life is Joyful when we simply say I like what you do!

Here's to the Ride!

Sewing Joy!

I spent most of yesterday cutting out patterns to make a dress, a jacket and some slacks. I have had a strong desire for a very long time now to sew and I am slowly taking steps in that direction. A few patterns, a little fabric and a picture in my minds eye and I know I will be creating some beautiful things.

Today, as I sewed a button back on my favorite sweater I felt satisfaction at my little creation. I know buttons are not that big a deal, yet for me it feels like I am being guided (maybe propelled) to my sewing. The simple action of re-attaching a button felt like an urging to get that pattern pinned to the fabric. to break out the Fiskars (which are reserved ONLY to cut fabric) and get busy.

And now, my fabric is spread on the dining table. My pin cushion, neatly filled with pins, is ready to slip onto my wrist. My scissors are gleaming in the lamp light. And I have only to glide around the table - pinning, snipping and cutting - to bring to fruition this long held dream of a beautiful "something" designed, created, and crafted uniquely for me.

This is sounding like Joy to me!

Here's to the Ride!

Family Dinner

Liz, Thad and the boys joined Jim and I and Granny Great (Jim's mom) for dinner tonight. There is absolutely nothing that compares with family time around the dining table. Telling stories, remembering times spent together or time spent with other family members and laughing. I think I like that the best, laughing at the dinner table. Life is good with laughter. Life is especially good and joyful with laughter and dinner and family.

Here's to the Ride!

Reveling

Jim and I are busy making plans to "finish" our back yard. Ordering pavers and sod, etc and dreaming about sitting on the patio holding hands, gazing at the moon and stars and reveling in each others love. That is Joy.

Here's to the Ride!

Spring

Today was beautiful - sunny and 70! Makes the appearance of Spring so exciting!

Here's to the Ride!

Company is coming......

Getting ready for company tonight. Granny Great, Marcee, Alyssa and Tara. Oh, and Rollin is here to help balance out the boy to girl ratio! Life is good with amazing women in the house!

Here's to the Ride!

I love you too!

I spent the day with my grandsons and it doesn't matter how many times I tell them "I love you" they will always respond with "I love you too!" This is Joy!

Here's to the Ride!

Tough Questions

This evening I picked up Tucker and Rollin to spend the night with us. Usually when I am driving the boys they talk to me, sing songs, play games, and tell jokes. Tonight was a new indication that they are passing this stage. All the way home they played "battle" games of shooting down helicopters. Launching missiles pulling in the tanks, etc. They did not have toys to play with, they were just using their imaginations.

Then, just as I was turning into our neighborhood, Tucker very seriously asked Rollin this question: "Would you eat guts if it would save you from being eaten by a Wolf?" Rollin pondered this question for some time, asked Tucker a few confirmation questions, then finally decided that Yes, he would eat guts if it would save his life and he would not be eaten by a wolf.

As we all got out of the car, I reminded the boys that they would not have to eat guts or worry about wolves at my house. And I reminded myself that listening in on young boy's conversations is going to teach me more ways to explore Joy.

Joy is confidently answering the tough questions in life!

Here's to the Ride!

Dreaming in Chocolate

I saw a commercial today for chocolate and my mind is busy trying to conjure up dreams of chocolate, however, I find that I am distracted by dreams of Coffee!

Dreaming in Chocolate or Dreaming in Coffee = Joyful Dreams!

Here's to the Ride!

A Day of Gratitude

I am grateful for this life!

Here's to the Ride!

Morning, Afternoon & Evening

We spent the morning working in the back yard. The afternoon wandering through the Antique Mall and the evening with Tucker and Rollin. I'm going to spend the rest of the night snuggled by Jim. Life is Good.

Here's to the Ride!

Saturday's Travels

Jim and I spent the day sight seeing in Tennessee. Bartlett. Millington. Covington. Memphis. Germantown. A few antique shops. A few specialty shops. One delicious Starbucks. Lunch somewhere on Hwy 51. Driving through the country in all directions. Ending the day at home, snuggled in for a romantic comedy and memories of the days travels. Life is good sight seeing in Tennessee!

Here's to the Ride!

Mrs Shimmel and the IRS

Yesterday I spent quite a long time on the phone with Mrs. Shimmel of the Internal Revenue Service. It seems one of Jim's past employers from 2008 provided incorrect information to the IRS and I have spent several months typing letters, overnighting documents, faxing copies and making phone calls. And then yesterday Mrs. Shimmel reviewed my file and dismissed everything! No past due taxes! No penalties! Just a clean slate!

And today as I walk around with my "clean slate" I marvel at the kindness of someone who took time out of their extremely busy day to look closely at what mattered to me. And I am grateful for Mrs. Shimmel and the IRS!

Here's to the Ride!

Little Boy Tackles

We just returned home from visiting Liz, Tucker, Rolllin and Fynneus. We played old car/new car. A ball game where the boys and I sit on the floor and roll 2 balls back and forth. When the evening was over I told the boys to give me kisses and hugs and they tackled me on the floor and took me down. With laugher everywhere, all three piled on top of me and I could NOT stop laughing myself.

This is Joy! This is my life! This is why I love it here!!!!!!

Here's to the Ride!

Tax Time

It's tax time again and while I usually wait until April 14th to file our taxes, Jim has been (strongly) encouraging me to get them done now. So I spent the day working on our taxes and at the same time feeling gratitude for all the wonderful amenities of our lives.

Tax time - another opportunity to appreciate my life!

Here's to the Ride!

Fish Stories

We went to the Mid South Fly Fishers monthly dinner meeting tonight. This group of men and women, who love to fly fish, get together and compare fish stories as well as fly tying stories! But tonight I met Barbara who, like me, always takes a book along on fishing trips.

We're thinking of starting a Book Club! Now that would make for some good fish stories............

Here's to the Ride!