TRUTH

 

“The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything.”

​

– THEODORE ROOSEVELT

JUNGLE JIM’S

 INTERNATIONAL MARKET

4450 Eastgate S Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45245

ORDINARY

  “Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary,”

;

 A darling friend ended her life this week. Never would I have imagined that her life would end this way. 

Everything about her seemed so great, so perfect. She was a truly charming and accomplished young woman, with so much future ahead of her. 

To say this was a shock to everyone, is a fact. No one who knew her could have imagined this. 

Our lives were all better for having known her. She was such a great person. 

Her death is truly unbelievable. I cannot wrap my head around this at all. 

Everyone who knew Avery is deeply saddened. 

She was loved.

COURAGE

 

Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use.

THE VOICE OF NATURE

Happy 100th Birthday to Sir David Attenborough!

 

“It seems to me that the natural world is the great source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”

IN THE YARD

 

MEANING & PURPOSE

 

BELIEVE

Your mind will always believe what you tell it. 

So fill it with hope, 

fill it with truth, 

but most of all, fill it 

with love. 

 

LET IT GO

 

MEANINGFUL MAY

 

TODAYS TRUTH

Surround yourself with people who make you happy, who make you laugh, who help you when you are in need. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping in your life. Everyone else is just passing through.

PROTECTING ME

 Years ago a really catchy song came out. I loved the tune. My son was about 17 at the time, and when it came on the radio I turned it up and told him that I loved this song. Mark asked me if I had listened to the lyrics. I said no, it was hard to decipher so I just went with what I thought the words were. My sweet son said that the song was really catchy but he asked me not to ever look at the lyrics. 

That was about a decade ago. You rarely hear that song on the radio now. But the other day I was modifying a play list and that song came up as one that I may like to add. When I listened to it, I instantly loved it all over again. I was about to add it to my playlist, when I thought, maybe, since I’m not the only person that follows my playlist, I should know the lyrics. 

So I read them as I listened. And like so many great songs, I found out that the lyrics are nothing like I thought they were. I was sad. This tune that I really liked is all about a subject that I cannot glorify. 

I did not add the song to my playlist. I cannot promote, in my life or anyone else’s, such negativity. No matter how fun it sounded and no matter how catchy the tune. 

I am so pleased with my children, for watching out for their mom. For wanting to protect me from the rathe of the world, even when it’s on the Top 40. 

TRUST THE PROCESS

 

You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.

EARTH DAY

 

There are no passengers 

on Spaceship Earth.

We are all crew. 

M.M.

A PERFECT DAY

 

ZEN

 https://paint.toys/zen-garden/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4bf685d78644b3aa504c9

STICKS OF JOY

 My senior year of high school, I went to the Student Store every morning and bought a 

Jolly Rancher Stick

Back then, each stick was about 5 inches long. My favorite flavors were lemon, green apple and watermelon.

Now, I am not a big fan of hard candy. I just don't love that much straight sugar. 

But….

Today, a coworker left a small Green Apple Jolly Rancher on my desk. 

And what great memories it brought back! 

HAPPY ICE

I make it a habit to bring water from home when ever I go anywhere. I am sure it is an instilled desert dweller thing (it is too hot in Phoenix to not always have hydration with you at all times). 

So every day I prep my beverages and take them with me to work. I own several cute bottles. 

Here at work we have an ice machine. I have never used it. (I worked in a kitchen in another life time, and the things I saw when cleaning that ice maker were not pretty)

But the one here was just professionally cleaned. 

So...

To my hearts delight, the ice maker has pebble size ice. I never knew! The kind you get at Sonic. Oh what a happy thing! I even love the way the water sloshes in all that ice. 

Ice makes me happy! 

TOOLBOX

 Sometimes we step outside our comfort zone and surprise ourselves by our accomplishments. 

I’m a big believer in the fact that you can learn new things at any age, and that you are capable of achieving what you didn’t think you could. 

Today my son Chris, one of the most knowledgeable sports statistics gurus I have ever met, did something outside his wheelhouse. 

He took charge of a situation, took care of the issues at hand, got the job done and followed up to ensure that any future issues are resolved as well. 

His dad and I are proud of him. But more important than that is the pride Chris took in his own work, the knowledge that he was bigger than the problem and he alone could conquer the obstacles. 

Self confidence is often the most powerful tool in your toolbox. 🧰 

DEVILED EGGS

Our Easter Luncheon included deviled eggs.

And little did I know that my grandson Derek loves deviled eggs. 

He ate nearly all the deviled eggs. And when he had eaten the last of them, and asked for more, I had him follow me to the kitchen. Where we made more deviled eggs. 

Derek helped with every step. And as he was filling the new batch of eggs, I asked him to teach me how to make deviled eggs. 

So he told me every step. And I told him how proud I was of him. I hope that this simple skill, will help Derek feel successful and help him with future pot-lucks!

Deviled Eggs

SHRIMP COCKTAIL

 We had shrimp cocktail for dinner tonight. It’s simple, yet always a bit on the elegant side. 

I was about three the first time I had shrimp cocktail. My Great Grandfather flew in from Pittsburgh to Phoenix to visit. It was the only time I ever saw him. But that night he made Shrimp Cocktail for dinner. I can still remember what he looked like, but those are my only memories of him. 

But each time I enjoy Shrimp Cocktail I remember my Great Grandfather.

HAPPY EASTER

 

TRUST IN

You have to trust in something-

Your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.

This approach has never let me down, and it makes all the difference in my life. 

SJ

I trust my gut, in my destiny, in life, I’m a true believer in karma too, but I think my faith in God is always going to be my guiding light.

am

SPRING

 

The weather is warm, 

the flowers are out. 

All the colors of spring are here. 

I Love Spring!

APRIL 2026

 

LIFE MONTRA

 

Coco Chanel ~ Champions ageless beauty and inner confidence.

“You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life.”

HAMMOCK TIME

Everything is blooming and growing in my yard. The tree above my hammock is covered in tiny pink flowers.

What you don’t see are the hundreds of bees. Their buzz is a beautiful hum. 

I FELL IN LOVE…AGAIN

 

She is dreaming about her first word being GiGi!

PICK A PATH

 

Your path is at your feet whether you realize it or not. 

Let’s go!!!

KEEP MOVING FORWARD

 

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

​SJ

My dear friend Mr Lopez said that looking back shows you how your path intersected with others. If you look carefully, you will see lots of intersections. All leading you to where you are. 

Trust the process, it’s planned by someone far more skilled than you.

ALLOW YOURSELF

 “One day, I woke up and realized 

I’d spent my entire adult life executing someone else’s dreams,” 

“I’d forgotten I was allowed to have my own.”

KB

HOPE

 

“Hope is an action verb. It requires us to envision a better future, have the will [to] pursue it, and chart a path from where we are to where we want to be.”

​

– J.Z.

SKILLS

 Skills

Commercial driving Assembly Moving Quality control Frying Casual dining experience Meal preparation Heavy lifting Food safety Mowing Supervising experience Hand hygiene Boiling cooking technique Inventory management Managing hospitality teams Serving Attention to detail Mechanical knowledge Organizational skills Manufacturing Cooking Sawing Driving Baking Processing cash transactions Dietary department experience RF scanner Time management Sanitizing surfaces Pan frying Cash register Hand tools Cash handling Outdoor work Food service Tape measure proficiency Packaging Customer communication Computer skills Distribution center Dishwashing Temperature control Food preparation Irrigation Basic knife skills Warehouse Experience Grilling Computer operation Deep frying Catering Food service workstation cleanliness Microsoft Office POS systems Team motivation (leadership skill) Cross-contamination prevention Power tools Landscaping Food handling Fast food restaurant experience Shipping & Receiving Vehicle maintenance Knife skills Delivery driver experience Fine dining experience Culinary experience Packing Kitchen experience Customer service Food date marking Proper food storage Materials Handling Pallet jack Sales Order picking Cleaning Leadership Lawn care Order placement Typing Boxtruck Management Communication skills Overseeing training Restaurant experience Cafeteria experience

This was on someone’s application. I found all of it funny, but my favorite was the Tape measure proficiency!!!

BEAUTIFUL PLACES

 

The Picos de Europa, a Spanish mountain range, named the Worlds most beautiful place.  By Time Out

I haven’t been there, but in my lifetime I have seen a lot of beautiful places. I plan on seeing lots more!

https://www.timeout.com/travel/worlds-most-beautiful-places

A DAY

 It’s Monday. And it felt like a Monday. 

The work day started of at a running pace, and it never slowed down. It wasn’t a bad day, it was just a day. But by the end of the work day I was grumpy. 

So I decided I needed some diversion.

I texted my guy “I’m in need of retail therapy, I’m heading to hobby lobby. I do not have plans for dinner nor do I think I am capable of making them tonight.”

I spent over an hour wandering through the craft store. As I was getting some fabric cut, the older woman waiting her turn started chatting with me. I told her that I missed JoannFabrics. She said she did too. I told her that it feels like I lost a life long friend. She agreed. 

On my way home, the road was closed for construction, so I had to go a different way. There was a truck in the lane next to me, when out of a side road a lady pulled out right in front of the truck. He slowed down. But when she tried to get in my lane, as we were now beside each other, I honked at her. At the stop light, she rolled her window down and was saying something to me… delightfully I’m sure. 

My window was up, and the light was still red, so after looking at her as she spoke at me for a good long minute, I just smiled at her. 

She stopped talking and nodded at me. The light changed color and I left. 

I came home and sat on the floor looking at the therapeutic treasures I bought. 

John made me get up off the floor to go stand outside, where it’s cold and windy. He had me listen to a charming bird in the tree and look at our new blossoms and budding plants.

And I think maybe I was hangry and needed a hug. 

He grilled me a burger and gave me a hug. 

I’m going to be okay. 

Thanks for listening. 

DEMOLITION

 

RAMPAGE

 

Rampage are the 

Champions of the 

Luck of Irish Tournament. 

Dereck Riley lead the way with 4 goals 

& 3 assist in 4 games.

MENTAL HEALTH

 

Do you remember this little guy from Saturday Morning Cartoons? He always swept up at the end.

  I was watching something on social today about retraining your brain with positive working thoughts. The Doctor said you just have to ask your inner Google what’s working positively in your life. When you think of the good things …a good meal you had, that your car is working well, that you have an abundance of laundry soap so you won’t run out… what ever it is. Think about it then take a deep breath. Your inner Google is going to find more positive good things that are working in your favor. You just reprogramed your brain! 

Now let’s get back to the little guy at the top. Since I was a kid, whenever I had a bad thought, I would imagine this little guy in my head sweeping out the bad thought. He sweeps it right out of my ear. (I’m not crazy, I’m just working on mental health here.) Anyway, it works for me. 

The other night I woke up from a very bad dream. It was a horror show in my dream. Blood and all kinds of bad stuff, and I was the villain in my nightmare. When I woke up, I was appalled… and super grossed out. So I had my little friend sleep it up and out. And I went back to sleep. 

Today I remembered that I had a bad dream…but my little guy had done such a great job sweeping the trash up, that I don’t remember anything about it. 

Mental health, you are in charge of keeping yours positive and in a happy state!

STELLIANS

I sure wanted this one, but I passed it up!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Am512oVEJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

FRIDAY NIGHT DATE

A 50 mile sunset ride and dinner at the new Mongolian spot! A great Friday Night!

WORLD QUILTING DAY

I was 18 and a Dental Assistant when I met the sweet older couple at Dr. Parl Larson’s office. She brought me this pieced quilt top and exposed me to the love affair of quilting.

There is something so magical and reverent about selecting just the right fabrics. Planing the design. Piecing the squares and assembling all the bit and pieces to create a work of art (all hidden in the form of a cozy blanket).

My collection of future quilt fabric is lovely. But I always feel the need for more.

I have pieced and hand stitched several quilts, tied several more. 

My children grew up with handmade quilts on their beds. Now my grandchildren do too.

I loved sitting around the quilt frame with family, generations of women, sharing techniques, stitches and stories. 

I have been gifted quilling frame with gears. It’s so very fancy compared to the hardware store clamps and two by twos I learned on. 

Definitely an art worth keeping alive!

Happy National Quilting Day

HAPPY SPRING

 

THIS WORKS

Two quick breaths in through your nose….

One exhale from your mouth.

In…In………Out

Repeat 8 to 10 times, in succession. 

When you finish you will feel all your tension is gone!

It’s amazing and wonderful!

LITTLE WINTERS

 

SEASONS

 I truly love all the seasons here in the Midwest. And before Spring arrives tomorrow, I just wanted to say a-dieu to Winter. 

This was my first winter with snow that lingered. It hung around for weeks. I never thought I would tire of the frozen white stuff, but I was sure sick of seeing it after so long. 

But all in all, it has been a very nice winter. I have worn all my sweaters and boots. I think I even used scarves I hadn’t used before. And I’m now a true believer in wearing two pair of socks at a time. 

So as Winter comes to a close, and we delight in seeing Spring bloom all around us, I once more marvel at the beauty of the seasons.

I truly love where I live!

DARKNESS

 In my lifetime I have lived through darkness. 

Early childhood, filled with abuse and neglect. A youth navigating an adult world. A young adult forging forward alone, with no support and little ones to guide. 

But a positive belief in a happy life always lit the end of my dark tunnel. 

And here on the other side of my mountain, the sun shines even when it’s poring rain!

“However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.”

​

– STANLEY KUBRICK

TELL THEM

I’m convinced the ‘Tell Them Theory’

would make the world a better place.

 

Think the waiter was friendly? Tell them.

Your friend looked good today? Tell them.

Someone’s work inspired you? Tell them.

 

The world is loud with criticism and quiet with appreciation.

Be the exception. It could make someone’s day.

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

This is something I have made a habit of doing often. It works! 

And my life is happier because of it! 

DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE

 Shout out to BRITTANY!!! 

With yummy THANKS for thinking of me! 

This tasty drink makes you feel like 

it should be summer!

https://www.owensborotimes.com/features/2025/12/owensboro-nutrition-celebrates-first-anniversary-offers-healthy-drink-options-and-free-delivery/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQfvo1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeI3H9tfl5-LRqU0pVSQOy2j1WLqpLrJw03_qgDBtFegNvCMMc_u-XqC7IQTw_aem_Jd-K6hni_ccpeD2Tdjtyeg

RIDING A BIKE

"Life is like riding a bicycle. 

To keep your balance, 

you just keep moving."

Albert Einstein