On one of my recent trips I crested this hillside and was transported back to one of our family vacations. We were heading home from a trip to North Carolina, years before GPS became a household name. After realizing we’d somehow taken a wrong turn, Warren consulted the giant Rand McNally we kept in our car. There he … Read More
Flippin’ Funny
You know the drill. “Gown opens in the back.” Instructions for my recent colonoscopy and upper GI—a Flipper, they call it—however, included additional pieces of attire. “Everything off except your bra, socks, and shoes.” “And there’s a pair of shorts for you to put on,” the nurse said before she left the room. I couldn’t help chuckle at the fashion … Read More
Christmas Cheer
Four-o’clock Friday hit and I felt oh-so delightful!! I have a two week, much needed break from work! And yesterday I checked my lists (checked them twice!) and marked off many of the tasks I’ve been so far behind on. Like Professor Hinkle—you know, the mad magician in Frosty the Snowman—I am Happy. Happy! Happy!! Remember my cluttered desk? Finis! … Read More
Sowing Some Happiness
Just like I do every September, I purchased a bag of tulip bulbs for fall planting. Just like I do every year, I failed to place them in the ground before it began to harden from evening frosts. And just like every Autumn I can recall, there is always an Indian-Summer day or two. I was sure I had … Read More
My Morning Cup o’ Joe
When I was in high school I worked for a large grocery, one that was actually a Supermarket before Supermarkets became vogue. This chain had one of the first gourmet coffee centers and I was assigned to that department. “What would you recommend,” or “What does this taste like?” were common questions. To which I inevitably answered, “I don’t know. … Read More
The Whimsical Witch
“Why don’t we decorate for Halloween, like we do for Christmas?” my then nine-year-old Peanut asked. I thoroughly deck the halls the day after Thanksgiving, and wait as long as I possibly can to tear down the tree. I love the lights, the twinkle, the pure spirit that is the holiday, and if I could, I’d celebrate with some ornamentation … Read More
Explosions of Light and Laughter
There are too many moments that brightened my minutes this past week. Once you begin noticing the fleeting joy in your life, those instances are a bit like Lay’s™ potato chips, it’s almost impossible to pick just one. Here are a few of the highlights… This was taken in my work parking lot, at the end of a pretty grueling … Read More
Well Color Me Happy!
I was hurrying through the Dollar Store, in search of a tiara to give a friend who had been fighting turning fifty. Nothing like a little royal treatment to make someone feel special. This coloring book practically jumped off the shelf at me. I paused and then smiled as the memories of me—prone on the floor, carefully outlining and coloring … Read More
Oh, God Kinds of Goodness
Every once in a while you find a place, that special place that seems to have it all.We recently found such a treat, several such delights, actually.On our trip to Emerald Isle, North Carolina.Warren and me.Alone. On vacation. For the first time in twenty-some years. No friends, family or children… Just each other and oceans of discovery in front of … Read More
Rising Sun
My optimum sleep patterns are from 1:30 AM – 8:30. Classic night owl, I feel the most energized if I am awake outside of those hours, and my mind tends to generate some of its best thoughts when the world settles in to retire about ten. Needless to say, I knew when I went into my current line of work … Read More