FOR YOUR OVERALL HAPPINESS

Do the things you love.

BAD LUCK

2020 His cruise was cancelled due to Covid. 

2021 His cruise was again cancelled due to Covid 

2022 He had to cancel his cruise due to prostate cancer

2023 He is a week away from his cruise and he takes the trash out, slips on ice, breaks his hip. 

Sure glad I sold him travel insurance. 

KNOW

 If 

You

Know

Where

You 

Are

You 

Will 

Always

Know 

Where 

You 

Stand

EVERY DAY

-Laugh and smile until it kills you!

-Don’t sweat the small stuff

-Age is a state of mind - never grow up

-Never give up

-Everything is fine

-Never lose your thirst and passion for LIVING!!

-Live life with morals, integrity and no regrets!

ROASTED GARLIC

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

SNOW DAY

 Not that the storm that went through the Midwest last night dropped a lot of snow here, but it dropped a lot of ice and left everything super slick. So I texted my boss and co workers and said I would be staying home. My hour drive to the office is one I’m not willing to make today. 

Hitting black ice and rolling your vehicle once in your life time is plenty for me. I think I’ll stay home and play domestic goddess today! 

SELF DISCOVERY

1. What do I like about myself?

2. What parts of my life do I want to see a change in?

3. What am I grateful for?

4. What are my deepest fears?

5. Am I happy with where I live? Why?

6. Am I happy doing what I am currently doing?

7. Who are my inspired by? Why?

8. What is the most recent lesson I learned?

9. What do I hope to have accomplished in the next 1 year? What am I doing about it?

10. What do I believe in?

11. What worries me most about the future?

12. If today was the last day of my life, what would I do differently?

13. How many of my friends can I depend on?

14. What do I want most out of life?

15. What am I passionate about?

16. How would I describe myself?

17. What stresses me out?

18. Who are the most important people in my life?

19. What don’t I like about myself?

20. What am I doing to improve myself?

21. What are my values?

22. Am I being true to my values?

23. What am I grateful for?

24. What kind of world do I want to live in?

25. In what ways am I contributing to the good of this life?

Now that you are starting to have a better awareness of who you really are;

• Start focusing on the things that make you happy.
• Focus on the things you want to change.
• Spend time doing things that you’re good at.
• Avoid doing things that are not in alignment with who you are.

That is all you really need to start doing. It may not be easy. People will question you and will let you know that you are changing. The ones who truly love you will accept your new journey. You are starting to learn about yourself, who you are and you can proceed to makes plans and goals that are true to you.

MAGICAL

IKIGAI

SEEN

REMINDER TO EACH OF US

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.

On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it".

Random acts of kindness, I think they call it?

 

DON'T BE BORING

 IRONING BOARDS

ARE SURFBOARDS THAT 

GAVE UP THEIR 

DREAMS

AND GOT 
BORING JOBS

DON'T BE AN IRONING BOARD!!!!!

SLEEPLESS

I decided I should use my time wisely since I couldn’t sleep. 

Ham and cheese pinwheels. 

SEX APPEAL

 “Sex appeal is 50 percent what you’ve got and 50 percent what people think you’ve got.” 

Sophia Loren

READ THAT TWICE

Ghosting is when someone cuts off communications without communication.

Ghosting is the providence of emotional and situational cowards. 

Ghosting is the operative default behavior of choice 

avoidant/ conflict adverse/ self-centered/ selfish people 

because it is easier to “ghost” than to deal with conflict. 

It is easier to blow someone off than to do introspection. 

Introspection: looking inward; specifically, the act or process of self-examination, or inspection of one’s own thoughts and feelings. 

Gaslighting is a form of physiological manipulation in which the abuser attempts to sow self-doubt and confusion in the victim’s mind. 

Typically, gaslighters are seeking to gain power and control over the other person, by distorting reality and forcing them to question their own judgment and intuition.

MEAL PREP

 I spent unspeakable amounts of money purchasing groceries. 

I brought it all home and the magic started. 

Two Meatloaves 

Marinated Pork-chops

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken

Tex Mex Cornbread Bake

Asian Pork Medallions 

Cast Iron Chicken Enchiladas 

Fried Rice with Wonton Soup

Then I ran out of steam. 

The Mac N Cheese w/Ham will have to wait. So will Swedish Meatballs. 

My kitchen is closed. 

CHINESE NEW YEAR

FANCY THAT CAT

SHOE SHOPPING

I am not an avid shopper. 

I tend to be bargain hunting, 

out of necessity shopper. 

Today shoes were needed!

So shoes were purchased. 

NAPPING

 There is something to be said for giving in to an afternoon nap. No alarm, no noise. Just fluffy pillows and a flannel quilt. 

This is a thing of beauty!

NOW

RISK

 THE MOST DANGEROUS RISK OF ALL

THE RISK OF SPENDING YOUR LIFE NOT DOING WHAT YOU WANT

STREAMING

I woke at 1:30am and reached for my phone (bad habit, I know, but a habit non the less). My son had texted several hours earlier, with the link to watch him streaming. I’m sure the snipit of video I watched was recorded earlier, but there was my son, right on my screen. My bad dream washed away, my pounding heart calmed and moments later I was sleeping again. I love my boy. 

PERFORMANCE

 I watched a video last night of Mayberry singing. The video was fuzzy and the audio was too. But there was my little performer putting her days events into lyrics. 

She is a delight! I adore her!!!

RAINBOWS

I love the rain, 

even the metaphorical type, because I know rainbow is the frosting on the cake!

MR.FERRELL

 I met Mr. Ferrell today hoping I could help him. He reminded me of my boy, so I knew I would like him. Next week, Mr. Ferrell is heading to Canada, he has an important interview there. An interview that he is hoping will change his life. As we chatted, I watched the enthusiasm on his face, I also heard the uncertainty in his voice when he asked me questions. I helped him locate his destination, find a darling boutique hotel close to his interview, I answered the questions and the concerns. I gave some Travel Momma advice and shared some great info so he can make this trip into so much more than just an interview. It was easy to get excited with him, and just as easy to be a cheerleader for Team Ferrell! He is in his mid twenties, and I hope the universe fills this young man’s bucket.

Good Luck Mr. Ferrell

COURAGEOUS LIFE

BEHAVIOR

YOUR DEGREE IS JUST A PIECE OF PAPER, 

YOUR EDUCATION IS SEEN IN YOUR BEHAVIOR.

OH MY… YES PLEASE

 We stopped in a little gas and sip type place needing a beverage along the way. They were out of my favorite colored can of monster, but they had an interesting tasty looking thing on a stick. So I asked Grizzly Adams what the interesting morsel was, and all I can remember him saying was Sticky Honey Chicken before I said Yes Thank You. He put it in a white pasty bag. I don’t even know how much it cost or exactly where we were…but what I can tell you is that this was no ordinary gas and sip food fare. It was AMAZING! Every bite was scrumptious! I will call this treat Sticky Crispy Honey Fire Chicken on a Stick! Go find it, somewhere off of Highway 65 somewhere between Tennessee and Kentucky! 

Good Luck-

ROLL MODELS

Two of my very favorite people sent me a text, with this photo, to let me know all was well. I have helped them travel the world and they have taught me life lessons. 

They married in their late 60s early 70s, and are now somewhere around 80. Not only do they travel the world, but they volunteer their time to serve others. They have the hugest, well kept garden (that they tend), a great low impact workout schedule and socialize more than any other couple I know. They are very down to earth and you can’t help truly loving them. They have been described by their friends as GOOD PEOPLE. I have to say that they are perfect life roll models. I am blessed to know them.

GO PLAY

DOWN TIME

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FOREST

Frank… POPEYE

Frank 'Rocky' Fiegel, born in Poland on January 27, 1868. He emigrated with his family to America where in 1887 he joined the Navy.

When Popeye's creator met him, he was a retired sailor contracted by Wiebusch’s tavern in the city of Chester, Illinois, to clean and maintain order. He had a reputation to be always involved in fighting, so he had a deformed eye (“Pop-eye”). He had demonstrated his strength in so many fights that he became a local legend.  He always smoked his pipe, so he spoke only with one side of his mouth.

When he was with children he held the pipe with the corner of his mouth and told them the antics of his youth, often boasting of his physical strength and loudly claiming that spinach is the food that makes him invincible.

Popeye's character creator Elzie Crisler Segar was born in Chester and was one of the children who had the privilege of hearing 'live' the stories of the former sailor.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

SUNSET IN THE TREES

PARTING GAME

POSITIVELY

DIRECTION YOU ARE HEADED