Random Monday Musings

On turning a negative into a positive...

• It is dreary and supposed to rain all week. We have been in a drought situation, water is good. Water is in a constant state of movement and fascinating to watch in all its forms.

• My head hurts, my face hurts, my eyes are watering, however the azaleas, dogwoods, forsythia, wisteria and honeysuckle are absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking (in more ways than one).
  

• Chocolate comes from a bean so it can be considered a vegetable, correct, or at the very least a legume.
  

Hillary misspoke as opposed to outright lying. To give her some credit we do get caught up in the moment and sometimes the story gets better each time we tell it. We in the Loose Lemons household refer to it as romancing the truth.

• The door handle on my Boxster sprung a spring and what was to be a one day effort is now going to require an overnight stay at the repair shop. Thus causing me to drive father-in-law's big ole truck to the bank. It is interesting what you can see from that height. Parking too becomes an adventure. Who knew that when the door handle sprung its spring that the window would roll down and the interior light would come on when you encounter a bump in the road. Interesting stuff, huh...

• Puzzlers... why do we still have soooo much laundry when just two (2) of us inhabit said household. We (ha,ha) do laundry as often now as we did when all the kiddies were home. We have an enormous amount of trash for two people. We spend as much on groceries for two as I did for five (this one is not difficult to figure out). Who is making such a mess in said house? (Two people, one cat) It must be the cat!!! Actually, I think little elves, brownies or fairies come out at night and play with our stuff and leave it everywhere.

I leave you with this inspirational thought from Mother Theresa:

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

There you have it Random Monday Morning Musings.

Flashback Friday - Speaking of Fashion

What shall I wear today?

As I was browsing through my closet yet one more time...my thoughts were which shade of black should I wear today. Spring and Summer will soon be upon us and I should probably find an alternate color. I live in black pants, skirts, sweaters and shirts. I wear jeans several days of the week as well . Fortunately, I work in a casual environment and am pretty well dressed for said work place. Additionally, I am NOT a morning person, grab something black and you are good to go. I did notice that I was wearing two different textures of black socks recently. Oh well. Dear Husband and I were watching the movie, "Elizabeth, The Golden Age" this weekend. The costuming in the movie was spectacular. Can you just imagine having to put on those layers upon layers every morning!? Not to mention those ruffs, you know they would have to irritate the stuffing out of you. Elizabeth and the ladies of her court used white lead and vinegar as a base makeup, red dye and egg white as rouge. No wonder they did not smile much. Between the poisonous makeup and the corsets with bone in them, you would definitely be miserable. I'm also thinking you would not eat or drink much because who wants to go to the bathroom in all that gear. Course, you did have a whole crew of people who could hold your dress up and attend your more intimate needs, if you were royalty. If you were a peasant I guess you did not have quite so much to cope with but still big dresses, slips, and bloomers, no thanks. Makes a bra, pantyhose or spanx seem like such a small thing! I have certain fashion must haves:

• excellent haircut and color
• bare escentuals mineral makeup
• a good moisturizer
• fabulous earrings!
• hand knitted scarves for winter
• a good quality jacket
• black pants - (I have about 6 pairs)
• black skirts (various lengths and styles)
• black shirts and sweaters
• bootleg jeans
• bright cotton t shirts or tanks to go under black stuff!
• good quality bras and undies (the girls need good support ya know)
• fun socks
• Hand made necklaces and bracelets, (I make my own)
• Silver stuff
• Comfortable shoes that are made well and look good, trust me it is worth it to pay a little more to have happy, good looking feet!
• several handbags, as soon as I find the perfect "one" I'll let you know.

I like for my clothing and accessories to look fashionable, however, comfort is a must. I can't do stilettos or anything extreme. Being the expert that I am I will be glad to offer advice on what not to wear! Did I mention I am also very funny?! Enough said, I am off to clean my closet.

Addictions and Committment

I have a chocolate hangover! It is so good while you are savoring the rich, velvety taste, but too much of a good thing is just the opposite, not good. Oh yeah, add the gallon of diet coke too and I feel pretty wicked today. I slept poorly, waking every hour or so, then overslept and was very late for work. I guess on days like this it is a good thing to work with your husband and your father- in-law. A friend of mine attends an addiction recovery class in an attempt to help those around her overcome their addictions. Shortly after attending the first class she mentioned to me that EVERYONE has addictions. At first I thought she was overstating it somewhat, I guess when I think of addictions it would be drug abuse and alcoholism, both of which I have had second hand experience with through various family, extended family and friends. She said she was addicted to Vanilla cokes, her cell phone and a few other things. Hmmm...I thought, she is definitely addicted to the cell phone but is that a real addiction? Addiction is loosely defined as having a compulsion towards something that causes a physical or psychological dependence on that behavior. I definitely notice a physical reaction when withdrawing from caffeine or sugar.
People definitely have compulsions to gamble, overexercise, overeat and so many other "compulsions". Is it an addiction or a strong compulsion? Are they one in the same? I know that eating too much food or too much sugar will result in weight gain not to mention feeling poorly. Does this stop me, sadly no. It is time to pay the piper so to speak...I have developed health issues, some directly related to over-eating or just eating the wrong things. Being sick and tired since about November has made me throw up my hands...something must be done and done starting right now (as soon as I finish the chocolate in my desk drawer)! Just kidding...seriously...I have along the way established healthier eating habits and just need to go downstairs to the exercise room. I have a fabulous treadmill, elliptical and some free weights with weight bench gathering dust! I realize I need some form of accountability...so...er...here goes...I am committing to a healthier nutrition plan and getting off my tired, lazy bottom! So now you know and we will all expect great things. I might be brave and post before and after photos, nah...that's pushing it! What changes do you need to make that have been put off? Let's get busy!

Easter Indulgence

Flashback Friday - So Many Eggs in One Basket!

Back by popular demand (who knew???) Flashback Friday! Wow, three generations of Easter. My brother and me circa 1964. Note the basket in the first picture and the second, Michelle was able to use it for about 3 years. Sadly, the basket would not hold up for the grandchildren!

Spring signifies a breath of fresh air after months of cold, dreary, dark days. It is not uncommon for us in the South to experience unseasonably warm weather in the traditional winter months. We still anticipate the beautiful weather with a healthy dose of Spring Fever! Spring also signals the advent of Easter. Originally Easter was the pagan festival of Eastre and was a celebration of rebirth. The rabbit symbolizes the Goddess Eastre in her earthly form. Eggs have been exchanged since before Christian times as a symbol of rebirth. The wealthy exchanged eggs with gold leafing and the poor dyed their eggs with flowers and grasses. Early Christians "scheduled" their holy days to coincide with the pagan festivals. Our family attends church on Easter Sunday to honor Jesus Christ with hymns of praise, worship and gratitude for our blessings. Afterwards we gather, enjoy a family meal and raid the Easter baskets. Even now, our grown children love the Easter baskets with each one having a favorite treat. One loves Cadbury eggs, another Lindt chocolate carrots and some like the Reeses eggs. The "babies" love to find the plastic eggs with a surprise inside!

So many eggs in one basket, so much joy in our family. I can't say it enough LIFE IS GOOD!!!
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Spring and a Happy Easter.

Happy Birthday Dear Husband

Happy (you're how old?!!!) Birthday Carl! Love Ya Bunches!

Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore!

Much fun was had at Girl's Night at Alona's house. Her husband prepared a delicious broccoli cheese soup and a minestrone soup. Yum! He also prepared some amazing stuffed mushrooms so he was immediately forgiven for not making the awesome breadsticks. It is always a pleasure to hang out with friends. My dear husband left early Saturday morning for motorcross racing somewhere in North Carolina. I remember a kiss before I returned to my state of torpor!

tor·por
1. A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility.2. Lethargy; apathy. See Synonyms at lethargy.3. The dormant, inactive state of a hibernating animal.

My plan for the day was to do a little homecaring or feathering my nest. As this was accomplished I sat in our living room to enjoy some reading, one of my most favorite pastimes!
Between reading and states of torpor...the wind began to blow ferociously, there was little visibility...at this point I honestly thought I was being attacked by something as hail the size of golf balls began pounding the roof and banging at the windows. Hail was bouncing off the lawn, I was in such a state of astonishment that I did not take any pictures. With electricity flickering and the house shuddering I switched on the television to learn that Elgin had been struck by tornados and I was one of the lucky ones. Roofs were ripped off, houses and cars damaged, trees uprooted and many homes were without electrical power. Our yard has some debris in it, not much though. The news kept reporting more sightings of tornados and a watch was on until 1:00 am or so. Needless to say, when I went to bed I left the television on and hoped we were done with the storms. Michelle called to make sure all was well, she knew I was home alone. My dear husband did call to check on me several times. He and his son were holed up in the RV due to rain.

Sunday morning was bright and beautiful. As I reflected on the storms on Saturday I was grateful for my blessings. Events like this also bring to mind the necessity of being aware of what is happening and having an emergency plan. Do you have an emergency plan? The American Red Cross and other organizations provide free information on every contingency. You can stop by their offices for literature or go online and look at Emergency Preparedness. You owe it to yourself and your family to stay as safe as possible and Be Prepared!!!

Sometimes you feel like a NUT

CAUTION: Roaring Laughter is contagious!

I have been accused of having an infectious laugh. This is meant in the most complimentary way. I never gave it much thought, however, laughter and humor play a Huge part in my well-being, mental and physical health. My thinking has always been that I would rather laugh than cry. You can find humor in almost any circumstance and often laughter will diffuse a difficult situation. Humor and laughter bring joy into our lives as well as positive physical effects. Dr. David S. Sobel states, "Laughter is called "inner jogging." A robust laugh gives the muscles of your face, shoulders, diaphragm, and abdomen a good workout, and sometimes even your arms and legs. Heart rate and blood pressure temporarily rise, breathing becomes faster and deeper, and oxygen surges throughout your bloodstream." Ha, I knew I was getting exercise everyday! A good laugh can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, elevate mood, boost the immune system, improve brain functioning, protect your heart, connect you to others. Laughter instantly relaxes you and makes you feel good. We need humor in all aspects of our lives, work, marriage, the family, the DMV, the grocery store at 5:30. Humor brings us together, lightens one anothers burdens and helps us keep things in perspective. If you are not laughing enough (come see me or Darla) incorporate a few of the following to develop a sense of humor: smile, count your blessings, spend time with people who are fun and happy, take yourself less seriously, follow the laughter and join in the fun. Humor and laughter should never be at someone's expense. Laughing WITH someone is okay, laughing AT someone is totally unacceptable.

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people" --Viktor Borge.

I attended our monthly book club last night, as usual we had an enlightening discussion about the book, followed by hilarious stories from our group. Fun was had by all! This evening a friend is having a Girl's Night at her house and it promises to be highly entertaining. Broccoli and Cheese Soup (with homemade breadsticks, I hope) will be prepared by her husband. What's not to love about good friends, good food and LOTS of Laughter!!!

Time Change Alerts!

It's that time of year again, the clocks are moved forward one hour so that we can have light well into the night. The darkness in the morning really confuses my mind and body. It is hard to coordinate the two and get out of bed. I know this is temporary and I will soon adapt. I feel like I lost something and want it back. Throw in a bout of bronchitis that won't go away, a wicked virus and you have a recipe for some massive confusion! We change our clocks and go about our business. I read an article recently about setting your internal clock. Karen Salmansohn writes, "Be sure to set your internal clock to live in the NOW--everywhere you go. This reminder will save you lots of lost love and happiness--jolt you into living your best life possible!" So is your internal clock set on NOW? "The Buddhist author Rinpoche warned that if we humans are not careful, we can sleepwalk through our lives, afraid to feel our deepest feelings, afraid to risk going for our truest desires." (Karen Salmansohn) She also paraphases Rinpoche stating, "We have a 'Western' tendency called Active Laziness, our urgent need to cram up our lives with compulsive unimportant activities, leaving little leftover time to confront our most important issues. He jokingly renamed all the petty projects which we call our Responsibilities as our Irresponsibilities because they stop us from finding the time to do what matters most." Well shucks, who knew, I have been very irresponsible! I make these massive to do lists, get side-tracked, proscrastinate and then stress out when certain goals are not met in a timely fashion.

I guess I should eat the elephant one bite at a time instead of trying to swallow it whole! Consider making reasonable and sound choices about what is really important in your life. Is it necessary to accept every invitation, volunteer for everything, cram so much little stuff into each and every day that you end up in survivor mode rather than slowing down and enjoying the scenery along the way? Children live in the present moment, in the now...they don't make to do lists and then scurry around trying to accomplish the stuff on the list. They sure don't dwell on the past and the future is too much of an abstract thought for younger children. Attending an event with children allows you to see things in a whole different light. Enjoying the now. So my big plan is to make wiser choices, learn from the past, move on, plan for the future but live fully and enjoy the NOW! As soon as I quit coughing....

Gods and Goddesses

Which God or Goddess are you like? Your Result: Budha You are Budha. You are a very peaceful person, you love all who love you. You are a cheerful personality, and you have a great sense of humor. Congratulations!! You are Budha!!
God Zeus
Goddess Bast
Jesus
The Christian God
Goddess Sekhemet
You are your own God or Goddess
Satan
Which God or Goddess are you like? Make Your Own Quiz

While doing a little "blog hopping" I came across an interesting little quiz. The questions are so vague that you cannot really decide for yourself what the outcome will be. I have no idea where the data comes from that determines the outcome. It is just for fun. I have discovered I am like Budha/Buddha, the description suits me just fine. I believe that we all have the potential to become Gods and Goddesses and inherit all our Father bestows upon us. The catch here is that you must have more than just good intentions you actually have to follow through with those intentions. Are you treating your body as a temple? Are you expressing Gratitude each day? Are you serving your fellow beings? Practicing the Golden Rule...do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Do you love yourself as much as you love others? This is the stuff that makes life rich and fulfilling. These are some great beginning steps to becoming a God or Goddess. I believe in a benevolent, loving, kind, merciful Heavenly Father. I want to follow the example of his son, Jesus Christ, who did all his Father asked of him. What about you...Benevolent, loving, kind and merciful God or Goddess and AWESOME or a vengeful, judgemental and selfish God or Goddess? It really is up to YOU!

Hats Not Optional

Must you really take my picture?

Hmmmm...everything is soooo good!

The "Birthday Girl" in Bunny Ears

We are no ordinary H*O*R*SES. Joan's British accent made this sound quite different!
She and I were riding in the back of a van and felt a bit like livestock!

Don't you just LOVE the Cobra Hat!

The Diva and our favorite waiter, Jay

Several years ago, our friend, the "Diva" decided to combine a group of friends into what was going to be a Red Hat thing. As it turns out, we don't really like other people's rules too much and we like all kinds of hats when forced to wear one by our Queen Motha, the Diva. Lest you forget your hat, the Diva and her Princess in Training will provide a tacky hat or headband for your wearing enjoyment. Basically, we get together at least once a month, eat, laugh, and socialize. Our group is very diverse and hails from different parts of the world and different parts of the United States. Many attend dance functions together, some work/worked together at a local high school, affectionately known as "The Big House" , mainly we all knew the Diva in one of her incarnations. We have approximately twelve "members" give or take a few each month. Everyone is not pictured, I am not sure where my group photos are...the beauty may overwhelm you...so it's just as well that you see a few at a time! I only knew a few of the ladies in the group and it took me awhile to feel comfortable. As time went on, as we shared tales of our adventures and our everyday lives, I have come to feel very close to these gals. We know how to have a great time. They make me laugh and feel good about myself. We meet at Travinia's Restaurant, more often than anywhere else, we have a favorite waiter and we usually get to sit in the private "wine room". Which is good because we are L*O*U*D!!! I am looking forward to many more years of friendship! Hats off to you, "Girls" (pun intended)! LYMI

Swan Lake And Iris Gardens

My daughter and I decided Saturday would be a great day to give the other daughter a day off from child rearing. After a quick lunch, we picked up sippy cups and filled up the gas tank.

We did not have an exact plan, but after some consideration decided that Sumter's Swan Lake and Iris garden would be fun for the children and grownups. Swan Lake has gorgeous gardens with boardwalks leading through the swamps and cypress trees. It has bathrooms, ample picnic areas and playgrounds for the children. There are a number of beautiful bronze statues. Swan Lake is home to all eight species of swans, mallards, egrets, Canada geese, herons and many other birds and wildlife. Swans pair for life, when one swan dies, usually its mate will not live much longer. The Whooper Swan is the exception having a divorce rate of 6% which is still pretty good given our human percentage of divorce! The swans can be quite vocal and territorial during their early spring mating season. Fortunately, our visit was still a little early for any aggressive behavior from the swans. The camelias and pansies were in bloom along with some ornamental cabbages. It was too early for all the beautiful spring flowers. Swan Lake hosts an Iris Festival around the end of March or early April. The children were enthralled feeding the swans, ducks and geese. As you can see by the pictures, they showed NO fear of any creatures. A few times I thought I might have to fish one or both out of the lake! We walked the entire trail around the lake and then crossed in the overpass and walked part of the boardwalk through the swamp. There was a wedding in progress in the gazebo. The weather was absolutely beautiful. I made a vow that day to spend more time communing with nature.

I love doing so and spend way too much time indoors. I feel close to my Heavenly Father when surrounded by so much beauty. I am so richly blessed. It was a good day. Have you been outside recently? I highly recommend taking your children or borrow someone else's children and look through their eyes it will amaze and astound you!