The In-Laws

We made the trek up to Mem's cabin on the mountain on Christmas day. Pictured here is Miguel's mother, Bertie, Me, Mal...Miguel's brother, Britts and his wife Pam. Also here are Mem's chihuahuas, Markie and Cuppie. It was a warm, sunny day...nice, but I still prefer a little snow during Christmas. Maybe next year.

Some of the people that I love

I suppose this will have to do for the family Christmas photo. We're an informal crowd. It is getting harder and harder to get everyone together in the same room at the same time...everyone has such busy lives. I'm just thankful I got to see everyone during the holidays. Quite a motley crew, but they're mine (no one else will have them!).

Merry Merry from the gals in the office

It's the annual Christmas celebration and staff party at my boss's lovely home. She made the traditional lasagna and spinach/strawberry salad. Beth made a "real" cocoanut cake which was to DIE for. OMG, she actually got a cocoanut and milked it and grated the stuff. It took a whole week to make. It was awesome. As part of our annual "sharing" campaign, we collected household goods to donate to the battered women's shelter in Pittsboro. Even Sadie, the dog, got into the action.

More family photos

Just wanted to post this one from Thanksgiving Day at my brother's house. My nieces and daughter in the back and the grandfathers in the front. That would be my dad and the other grandfather...my brother's father in law.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just got back from Virginia. My brother is hosting Thanksgiving at his home this weekend. His in-laws, about 40 of them, have come in from all parts of the country, so Dad thought this would be a good time to meet that side of the family. It was great to see my little nieces again. The girls are 16, 14 and 11 now. I can't believe it. The younger girls are taking harp lessons, so they played a few songs for us. It was wonderful. I thought about how much mom would have enjoyed seeing them. She absolutely adored having her children perform music. I used to have to play the piano anytime we had guests and I just hated it. Of course now I wish I had been a better sport about it....for mom's sake. Oh well. Anyhoo, I'm glad we had the chance to visit and I'm glad to be back home. I'm looking forward to a long, uneventfull weekend.

Dead Sea Scrolls

Today I went to Raleigh to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science. I'm taking a class on the Old Testament at UNC (non-degree seeking adult) and I was lucky enough to score a ticket at the student rate. Otherwise, I probably never would have gone--it's kind of pricey. Our instructor said unless we travel to Israel on a regular basis, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm glad I went. Very interesting stuff. Unfortunately you don't get to actually handle the fragments...I was hoping they would tear a piece off for me to take home as a souvenir. Oh well. After checking out the scrolls, I had a little time to scoot through the other exhibits...dinosaurs, bugs, native plants, etc. I love museums. I also love Hershey's chocolate cherry kisses and I think I hear them calling my name. I'll be right there, my little darlings!

Happy Halloween, Ya'll

Just got back from a church-sanctioned pot-luck and Halloween trick-or-treating party. It was great fun. I had forgotten much I enjoy this holiday. The kids were squeally and excited on their sugar highs and even I gave up my endless dieting for the evening. There's really no point even trying to diet until New Year's day. Mike is working at the club, as usual. I decided to pass on the festivities downtown this year. I wasn't in the mood for an alcohol-fueled bachanalia. Maybe it's my age, or my weird state of mind, but I prefer the quiet activities these days. Home and church is where it's at for me.

State Fair 2008

Our department was back to the State Fair this year for our annual "team building" exercise, which in all honesty is just an excuse to get out of the office and goof off for a day. One of my coworkers has a niece in the pre-vet program at NC State and she entered a cow in the livestock competition. I don't know if she won or not. I prefer NOT to spend too much time in the livestock exhibits...you know, I get enough of that sort of thing over at mom's nursing home. I like the crafts exhibits--crochet, knitting, quilting, and the flowers. There are a lot of talented people out there and someday I hope to be one of them! I have no interest in the games or rides and I had to avoid most of the fried food...I've got this wonky gall bladder, so the only fair food I ate this year was an egg biscuit and some apple fritters. Both were excellent.

Rockin' in Kernersville

******* Stratocruiser played an outdoor thing this past weekend up in Kernersville. That's near Winston-Salem for all you out-of-towners. Here's a couple pix of the boys: Clay, Miguel, and Matt. It was rather cold and windy, but they still brought the rock. And as for other news...I suppose I should throw my 2 cents in, since everyone seems to be all political and opinionated these days. Well, here's my take on the whole deal...TURN YOUR TV OFF. Don't listen to the radio. Throw your newspapers and magazines away. If you value your mental health, you will run and hide. Here's something that will help...I just discovered that you can watch old TV episodes on IMDB.com. It's so incredibly cool. I've been watching Hawaii Five-O and Starsky and Hutch. Excellent!! But, I haven't been wasting my time around here. Oh no. Not at all. I've been whipping up homemade stuff for holiday gift giving time. I'll be posting pictures at some point. But not now...I'm going to watch some Star Trek.

the cat has a problem

All these problems in the stock market have really taken a toll on the poor old gal. I guess I better pack her up and get her into kitty rehab before she does something really stupid...like try to drive the car or something...

Hurricane Hanna!

We've been watching the weather with interest ever since we found out there was tropical storm by the name of Hanna brewing out in the Atlantic. We were hoping it would turn into a real hurricane and it did! Not that we aren't concerned about the loss of life and property and all that, but how cool is it to have a hurricane named after you. My daughter is so excited...she said, "I hope that people will be talking about Hurricane Hanna for years." Mike wants to get a t-shirt that reads "I survived Hurricane Hanna" and put her birthdate on it. Funny. We should know by Friday if the storm is going to affect us.

Bert and Bro

Another pix of my broseph and my BFF Bertie. Bert just found out she was selected to attend the Aveda Congress (their big annual hair and fashion extravaganza) in Minneapolis next month. She had to write an essay and submit a portfolio of her work. Aveda picks one student from each Institute and pays airfare and hotel for the 4 day event. She'll be taking advanced classes and then helping out behind the scenes doing the hair for the runway models. It's quite an honor. She is so excited. We're very proud of her. Although in all honesty, we'd be proud of her no matter what she did. We were a little reticent about this cosmetology thing in the beginning, but she has been great. What a terrific kid. And the best part--I'm now sure she'll be able to support her parents in their old age!

My BRO

My little brohan, my broseph...Mr. T...was in town for a couple of days. I met him for lunch before he headed back home to Virginia. He's the one who got the brains and most of the looks in this family for sure. Although he is considerably younger than I...by 6 years. So, just wait, in a few years he'll be just as haggardly and wretched as the rest of us 50 somethings. He is working on his Ph.D. right now in atmospheric sciences, whereas I was lucky to get out of the 6th grade. So, I'll have to hand that one to him...he's definitely the whiz kid. It was wonderful to see him. We all have these crazy busy lives so we never see each other as much as as we probably should.

Reunion

From the mid to the late 90s I was working at Home Health of Chapel Hill, as a home health nurse, doing visits mostly in the Durham area. I worked there about 4 years, then the company was bought out and I moved on to other things...eventually getting to my current job. Some of us got together for lunch last Saturday. It was such fun to see people I had not seen since I left Home Health 10 years ago and to find out what they had been doing in the past decade. It was particularly interesting to hear about the different directions we had all gone in. Although I have not gotten my PhD in nursing, or started my own business, or married a rich guy, or talked any of my kids into making me a grandma...I came away feeling very happy for all of them and pretty satisfied with my own lot in life. I didn't really plan the way it all worked, but it did work out. You know, stuff happens...but when all is said and done...happiness is a choice.

Happy Feet

Well, it happened again...about this time, every single year, I officially get older. So, I'm up to 51 now, but who's counting?? I had breakfast with Dad this morning, then went to the Aveda salon where my darling Bertie treated me to a pedicure. It was relaxing, even though the room was kind of cold and there was a fire drill right in the middle of the proceedings. Yeah, that's about how my life works these days. We stopped in at Carrburritos (a burrito joint in Carrboro--I mean, how clever is that for a name!) for my birthday taco. They make the BEST salsa in the world. Miquel is playing a gig today...an outdoor festival type thing way out in the middle of nowhere. I decided to pass on this one. I prefer to enjoy music in the comfort of my own air-conditioned home, close to a bathroom and the refrigerator. I'm getting kind of spoiled in my old age. Well, I guess I better close for now...that TV isn't going to watch itself.

Nothing to say

Usually I wait to post on this thing until I have something to write about. However, there is absolutely nothing going on right now. Been nowhere, done nothing. Got no plans, no hopes, no dreams...why else would I watch so much bad TV. But, I decided to post a couple of pictures of me and the kids anyway. Hey, in this case, no news is good news.

Wrestling in the Carolinas

So, it turns out there's this long history of semi-pro wrestling in this state. My significant other, Miguelito, and I decided to indulge ourselves in some decidedly anti-intellectual entertainment. We enticed an unwitting accomplice, Sam, and headed to the sports arena in Burlington for some CWF Mid-Atlantic wrestling action. Miguel agreed to accompany me strictly as a sociological experiment. I went out of curiosity, and to support local athletics. Well, let me tell you...it was $10 well spent. I had a blast. I think Miguel was in a state of shock so he wasn't able to appreciate it as fully as I did. I was impressed...it was a very professional effort. The story lines were tight, the fights well choreographed, the acrobatics completely believable and the wrestlers themselves were mostly youngish, slim built, cute guys. I was expecting a bunch of old fat dudes. OK, so I like wrestling. What's next...NASCAR? Cock fighting? Tractor pulls?!


Check out the news about the fight here: http://www.indyinsiders.com/pro/cwf0/dojo.html

Pioneer Day

The church had its annual Pioneer Day celebration last Saturday. I learned some important new skills; like setting up camp, reading a compass, grinding wheat and making bread in a cast iron skillet over an open fire. The most valuable lesson I learned--that there is no substitute for indoor plumbing.

The OTHER Nicholsons

Miguel and his brother, Britts. And then me with Britts and his wife, Pam. I thought me and Mikey were a couple of freaks because we never watch TV shows made after 1979. Apparently they never watch any shows made after 1969. I was sad to learn that all 3 of their cats passed away a few months ago. One died of congestive heart failure, one had diabetes and died of kidney failure and one just plain died. bummer. They still have their dogs...two incorrigible Boston Terriers, Petey and Norton. They call them the Boston Terrorists.

Happy 4th of July

We spent the weekend at the Charlotte Pop Festival...which, strangely enough, was held at a club in downtown Charlotte. Charlotte is about a 2 and a half hour drive from beautiful downtown Bynum, or for you non-Southerners who don't measure distance in time, that is 141 miles. A lot of the usual suspects from Miguel's pop festival (Sparklefest) were there, so it was like a family reunion. Actually it was exactly like a family reunion because we also went to see Miguel's brother and sister-in-law. We took a short side trip to South Carolina because Miguel wanted to buy fireworks. The fireworks laws in SC are quite a bit more relaxed than in NC, so you can buy all kinds of explosives and WMDs that are illegal here. It's a good thing we've had so much rain, otherwise he might set the county on fire.

Birdwatching

It's Mr. Jones...hanging out on the deck hoping a bird will fly into his mouth. I can't believe the year is half over! It's time to start thinking about Christmas again. Good grief. Since there's nothing on the TV (as usual), we're back to renting DVDs of old shows from the 60s and 70s. Miguel has us watching a show "The Invaders." It's this really cool sci-fi show about aliens who take over a human body and wreak all kinds of havoc. It's a lot like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." It's very dark and edgy. Really wild, considering how old it is. And it's so superior to just about everything that's currently on the tube. Of course, I'm still engrossed in "Doctor Who." I'm so thrilled that I've made a convert of Bert. She is now watching with me. We've started renting episodes from the 70s, with Tom Baker as the Doctor. I finally got to see "I Am Legend." I liked it, but you know how I feel about zombie movies.

Are we there yet?

A couple of days ago, I packed up mom, her wheelchair, some diapers and the last of my sanity, for a trip to the dental school at UNC Hospital. Getting her out of the nursing home is no small fete, let me tell you. I had to go there the night before her appointment to give her a shower and wash her hair. I know she doesn't care anymore, but I did not want her out in public looking like some demented bag lady. I got to the nursing home early the next morning to be sure she ate breakfast and that she had her morning "constitutional" BEFORE we left. It was bad enough dealing with diapers in a public bathroom, but I surely did not want to have to deal with a poopy mess. She is difficult to change because she won't stand still. Just try and get an adult diaper on a moving target. Take my word for it...it's not fun. The dude with the wheelchair van picked us up and strapped mom in like she was getting ready to orbit Mars. The dental exam went fairly well, although mom was less than cooperative with the xrays. We had a quick lunch then I called the wheelchair van guy to pick us up. Unfortunately, they were very busy and we ended up waiting hour after hour. Mom does not wait well...she is like a hyperactive toddler in that respect. After chasing her around the lobby for 2 and half hours, I ended up calling Miguel to please come rescue us. I was truly at the very end of my rope, hanging on by a thread. He was there in a flash, God Bless Him! and we got mom back to the nursing home in time for dinner. I do believe this will be mom's last trip out, except of course for that one last final trip. It occurred to me that we have been dealing with this situation for 4 years now. That's 4 years, non-stop, every hour of every day. We're all getting tired.

Blast from the Past

My "oldest" friend came to visit. I certainly appreciate her braving the traffic, the heat and the price of gas to come see me. This is the kind of person she is: she didn't mind the chaos, the filth, or the fact that she had to sleep on the floor because I don't have any extra beds. What a pal. In fact, she is the kind of person who wouldn't have complained if I had made her sleep outside on the porch. We met in the 3rd grade, Sierra Elementary School in Alamogordo NM, right after my family relocated from Lawton OK. If you want to see what she looked like back then, check out the archives for July of last year. I wanted Carol to get a "taste" of the true south, so I dragged her to my favorite diner in Sanford...The Fairview Dairy Bar. Good food--cheap and greasy--and friendly service. I got a picture of Carol chatting with one of the locals. She only stayed 2 days. Her motto is "visitors and fish start to stink after 3 days." So, she certainly didn't wear out her welcome. Happy (early) Birthday, Carol!

wow

I'm in awe of her beauty. She was a cute baby, a darling toddler, a sweet kid, a surprisingly well behaved teenager with a quirky sense of fashion...and now she's drop dead gorgeous. I can brag because I take none of the credit. Her grandmother was a stunningly beautiful woman back in the day. Actually mom still looks great...hardly a wrinkle. I should be so lucky! But Bert's real beauty is more than skin deep. She's so smart and she's a wonderfully sensitive and caring person. I'm truly blessed.

How does my garden grow

Miguel bought me a new camera! It's the Ashton Kutcher Nikon Coolpix. I was kind of hoping Ashton would be there to sell it to me, because I happen to know he likes OLDER women. So, I took the thing for a test drive and using the macro setting, I took a picture of my cherry tomato plant. I've got tomatoes! Aren't they just adorable. So cute! They look huge here, but in actuality they are about the size of my thumbnail. I'm hoping this heat wave we're having doesn't cook them on the vine. It's been about 100 degrees everyday for the past 4 or 5 days. I'm happy to report the hummingbirds finally showed up. I've been waiting since the first week in April. We had a cold April so I guess they stayed in Acapulco or wherever it is they winter over. I don't blame them. I haven't seen much of Miguel the past few weeks. I work days and he usually works evenings until late. Tonight I went to the club to visit him. He is still doing sound at 506 a couple nights a week. Tonight was a "battle of the bands" show...5 or 6 bands each playing 30 minutes. Let me just set the record straight...I like all kinds of music, ALL kinds, a dazzling variety of styles and types and I am TOLERANT of even more kinds of music (I may not love it, but I can listen politely and appreciate the effort of the musicians). However, I have to draw the line at metal. I really, really don't like metal. In fact, I am certain that after the judgement, those that are consigned to spend eternity in hell will have to listen to metal music. But, that's just one woman's opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

After After

I hope no one ever gets sick of seeing pictures of me. I know I don't. My little Bert had "model week" at school last week. She rounded up all her friends and family to come into the studio for haircuts and whatnot. Some of her friends got color and perms...I stuck with the basic wash and cut. So, this is NEW HAIRCUT, PART 2. It turned out just lovely, however, I may still go with a shorter doo. This is addictive. I had not had my hair cut in almost a year...now I've had it cut twice in 2 weeks. And I may have it cut again. Luckily it just keeps growing, so I won't run out any time soon (of hair, that is). Of course, if I actually had to pay for any of this, it would be a different story. Bert said she could do something about the gray, but I actually like my gray hair. I don't think it makes me look distinguished or anything...I just don't think it's anything to be ashamed of. It just is what it is. And I can live with it. God knows I have much worse faults...gray hair is the very LEAST of my concerns!

Before and After

I don't remember if I mentioned it before, but at the risk of being repetitive (forgive me...I'm old) here I go again...Bert is going to the Aveda Institute, so I got her to practice her newly developed hair cutting skills on me. First, me--an unkempt, gray haired hippy. And then ME again, totally gorgeous. Now if I can just lose 30 pounds and get a couple of botox injections...

Catching Up

I've gotten behind with my posts. SO...I'm throwing a couple of pictures up of some friends from church. First are some disinguished ladies I have dinner with about once a month. We can't think of a good name for our group....the old crones or old bags sounds rather harsh. How about the fabulous fifties...or the senior sisters. Which reminds me of a funny story...my brother is in town; we went to eat at a buffet and at the cashier line I was thinking out loud and said something like "I wonder how old you have to be to get the senior discount?" Now, I was with my son (who is 2 feet taller than me) my dad and my brother. So when it comes time to pay, my brother says, "2 seniors, 1 adult and 1 child." The cashier looked at him and then at us and back at him and back at us...and rang it up. I don't think they are allowed to ask for ID. The next picture I posted was of my dear friend Celeste and the Cottles. Eric just graduated from dental school.

NC Botanical Garden

It was a perfect day for a trip to the garden. It's really cool the way they have it set up. You can wander through the various sections and get a sampling of the great variety of plant life we have in this state...from the coastal wetlands to the piedmont to the sandhills and the mountains. Plus they have a nice herb garden. It was so peaceful in there and smelled so good. Next time I'm going to take a book and find a quiet place to sit and read for awhile. Afterwards I went to the old folks home and visited mom. I trimmed her hair, sort of...I'm not exactly trained in this. Then I gave her a shower. She was kind of sleepy, but cooperative. The thought occurred to me that as bad as being in a nursing home is...it's better than prison. But then I thought...wait a minute! Mom is doing life without the possibility of parole and she didn't do anything wrong! Bummer. Well, enjoy the pictures. I gotta go. I'm helping Bert with her housesitting duties at the neighbor's house. So, I'm on the way up the road right now to feed and walk her dogs. There's no rest for the wicked.

Something fun

It's me again. I just can't get enough of me. I took this picture at the building where I work. It's an awesome building, really unusual. Hey, like ME--awesome and unusual. Sorry...I'm just so full of myself today I can hardly stand it. Actually I have a cold and I'm zoning on Nyquil at the moment. So, Jon is 30 years old now. Wow, how old does that make me? OK, let me tell you how old I am. When I moved to NC 29 and half years ago, I started working at a convenience store. I remember one evening when the guy that delivered the gas came in and told me that very soon gas was going to be OVER a dollar a gallon. I didn't believe him. It was inconceivable to me that gas could ever be that expensive! The pumps were not even set up to register gas at that price. It could only go up to 99 cents. And in case you're interested, cigarettes were 48 cents a pack, 50 cents with tax. I think they're like $4 a pack now...I don't really care since I don't smoke. However, I do drive, so I'm extremely interested in the price of gas. Today it is $3.65. Mom fell last week at the home, but she is okay. She falls at least once a month and has to go to the ER for xrays. The woman has bones of iron. She's indestructible. She cannot be killed with conventional weapons. I went to see her Saturday with Dad and he made her laugh. It was wonderful.

A really special day

I wanted to post something to mark this occasion. I went to the Temple for the first time today and got my endowments. It would be inappropriate to go into detail...let's just say it was really wonderful. You wouldn't believe what it took to get to this point in my life. This is such a tremendous blessing. I wanted to thank these dear friends who came with me and all the others who supported me in prayer. And to top it all off, this is also Jon's birthday. I can't believe I have a CHILD that is 30 years old. Life just keeps getting better.

Quiet afternoon

Kitty Boy Jones resting in the "garden." I planted a couple of tomatoes (cherry and grape) to go with the herbs. I don't have space for much more...we're out here under the trees and don't get enough direct sunlight. Maybe I should try growing mushrooms instead. So, last weekend we had our branch cookout at Vista Point (on the shores of mighty Jordan Lake). I came for the food, but left before the sleep over. I told them if they ever have a camp out at Embassy Suites to count me in. Otherwise, I have to go home and sleep on my mattress in my climate controlled bedroom. I did enough camping as a kid to last a lifetime. I went to see mom yesterday after work. I gave her a shower and washed her hair, which I do about once every week....because for some reason the nursing home staff can't seem to get around to it...but that's okay, I'm glad to be of service. She never said a word the whole time. After about a hour and a half I called Dad on the cell phone and let him say hello to her. I asked her loudly (because she's deaf as a post), "Can you hear Dad?" She smiled and said, "I can hear him." I told Dad that was the first thing she had spoken. He told me he had said "I love you" in Japanese. She had indeed heard and understood. That made us all happy. We have to hang on to these little moments because they're so increasingly rare.

WOW

My little Bert is a student at Aveda now. She just loves it. She's is their fashion show tomorrow and will be proudly representing Japan. One of the other students cut and colored her hair, geisha-girl style. She looks so incredibly adorable, I just had to take a picture and share it with the world. What more can I say...she's a stunner.

Today

A tulip volunteered in the front yard. Everything is getting green again. We finally bid a fond farewell to Bronwyn. Apparently his owner moved out and forgot to take him with her. I won't go into detail about my feelings regarding people who abandon their pets...anywho, one of Mike's guitar students volunteers at the local animal shelter and she made sure Bronwyn went to a good home. So, all is well. I had lunch today with a couple of my coworkers. A fun time was had by all. The parents are doing well. Kids are doing well. Cats are doing well. All's right with my world.

Oh, my aching memory...

OK, it's officially spring. Even though it's freezing outside and I had to bring my "garden" inside for the night. The robins are back, the cherry trees are blooming, my joints are aching...by all accounts, it's spring. I've got several projects underway...nothing finished of course, but I promise to have pictures up shortly. I have rediscovered "Doctor Who." I used to watch this old British sci-fi show on PBS back in college. That was when the actor Tom Baker was the doctor. I was so enthralled with the show I routinely ditched my nutrition class to watch it (this was before I had the technology in place to tape shows and watch them later). I got a C in Nutrition and Doctor Who went off the air in America. Well, BBC America has revived the show and has a bunch of brand new episodes out. I adore the new Doctor. This show has been on the air in the UK since the early 60s, the doctors change their appearance every 5 years or so, you know, like the phoenix being reborn out of the ashes....and a new actor plays him. It's such a fun show, kind of goofy with these cheesy-looking aliens, but also deeply intelligent in a weird way---hey! Kind of like ME. Just kidding. Actually I'm deeply weird in an intelligent way. Or, at least that's what I'm told....and my thousands of loyal fans CAN'T be wrong. Alright, and just in case I hadn't completely convinced you of just how nerdy I really can be---I'm also watching Star Trek for the millionth time. One of those cable networks that I can't remember is running it and they must be using some sort of digitally remastered version, because it's an excellent print. Very sharp, like it was filmed yesterday rather than back in the dark ages when I first saw it. Miguel likes "Land of the Giants" and "Time Tunnel." They aren't my favorites, but I do like the fashions. Well, you know what this means...I'm OLD. I only want to watch the shows I watched when I was a kid. I am only interested in movies and music from the 70s. If I could afford the gas I'd be driving one of those V-8 land yacht muscle cars. Yeah, I remember when gas was 25 cents a gallon. Talk about the good old days!!!

It's Unofficially Spring

The first day of spring is next week, but since the robins have returned and the Bradford pears and forsythia are blooming...it's spring as far as I'm concerned. The birds are visiting the birdfeeders I put up. I thought birds got up early to eat. Apparently my birds all sleep late. They don't show up until mid-morning. So far the cats haven't bothered them and the squirrels are keeping their distance. Life goes on. Everyone is doing well, thanks for asking. My baby Bert is going to be 20 next week. Yikes. I no longer have kids...I have young adult children. I can't get used to this old age stuff. Inside, I'm still 12 years old. But on the outside I'm 112. It's not a bad thing, it's just kinda weird.

Some things that make me happy

I've been on a sort of quest the past few months to find real peace of mind. It's been a struggle, what with all the negativity and hate-mongering out there in the world. But I've persevered, because I want to BE happy. So, with that in mind, I have compiled a partial list of the things that always bring me joy:

1. Seeing/hearing birds. There's something almost mystical about birds in the wild. They neither toil, nor spin, and take no care for tomorrow...they just bopp around having a good ol' time. This is one reason I've taking up bird watching as a serious hobby...to learn from them how to increase my joy.
2. Petting my cats. True story--researchers at the Minnesota Stroke Institute found that the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke was increased by 40% for people who have never had cats. Wellllll, it's good to know they're good for something besides disemboweling rodents.
3. Looking at pictures of my kids when they were babies. My, how time flies...seeing those round little faces always makes me smile.
4. I love hanging out with my kids. They're amazing. Now that they're all grown up, it's wonderful to still be involved in their lives, in a different way. We're friends. We talk.
5. Having a new recipe turn out really well. What a fun surprise. I don't cook as often as I should, I suppose...but when I do make the effort and test drive a new recipe, it's gratifying to have the family enjoy it well enough to put it into regular rotation.
6. Finding a great bargain. Since I do my shopping almost exclusively at the Thrift Shop, a "bargain" is a relative term. Occasionally I find the HOLY GRAIL...a brand new, name brand item with the original tags in my size. Latest acquisition--a pair of new Levi's 506 jeans for $8. It's better than winning the lottery!!
7. Catching up with old friends. I have a few people in my life I have known for over 30 years and a couple for over 40! It's wonderful to hear from them and find out what they're up to.
8. Going to church. Don't laugh. I LOVE my church. I look forward to Sunday each week. It's the best way I know to end the week...or start the week, depending on how you look at it.

I've figured out one thing. I will share it with you: happiness is a conscious choice. No one and no thing is going to MAKE you happy...it all comes from within. I got tired of waiting around for things to be right so I could start being happy...I decided to go on and be happy now and then work on getting everything else straightened out. And hey! If things don't get straightened out....no problem, I'm still happy!!

Baby Picture

My coworker's brother works at a big cat sanctuary in Florida. Here he is with a 4 week old cougar kitten...or is it a cub? Either way, it's a cute little baby.

Spring is coming

And I have proof! The jonquils are pushing their little heads through the cold ground and starting to bloom. The camelia bush out front is also starting to bloom, but it might be because it is confused. The plants and trees get all excited when we have these warms days in the middle of winter. My new hobby is birdwatching. It's like the cheapest thing I can do...and never have to leave my neighborhood. I was hiking around this weekend checking out the local bird populations and I saw this awesome woodpecker. I'm not sure what kind it was...the more experienced birdwatchers tell me it may have been a Pileated Woodpecker. Well, whatever it was...it was huge. It looked like a black and white turkey hanging on that tree. Do you want to know when a hawk is in the air? OK, I'll tell you. Listen for the crows. They go crazy when a hawk is circling. I'm going to put up some birdfeeders. The hummingbirds will be back in April, so I'll need to get a feeder for those little guys. Nicholsonia has been officially declared a bird sanctuary..with stiff penalties for the cats if they transgress.