Gung Hay Fat Choy

In my humble opinion...there is always a reason to Celebrate! Since January is my birthday month I have begun earnest efforts to celebrate any and everything! Additionally, did you know the Chinese New Year is January 26th? Which to my mind means if you didn't get enough celebration in over the holidays, here's one more! Let the party start!

I received my lovely handmade scarf from Carrie http://carrielikethemovie.wordpress.com/

because I AM THE OFFICIAL WINNER of the tackiest Christmas decoration pictures! The winning entry below:

Yes, my friends those are artificial poinsettias stuck directly into the ground. We live in South Carolina, stuff grows even in Winter!!! Eat your heart out Curly Babe! Maybe you can win next time. (I am sure there is plenty of tacky stuff in Jersey)

Roosters in my Kitchen!!!

Have you ever had an invasion or infestation of some sort? My kitchen has run rampant with chickens and roosters!!! This guy right here is the instigator! He was spotted clucking around an art shop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and insisted on going home with me. He bobbles his head each morning in greeting. My darling husband brought home a few more crazed looking buddies and thus a collection of randy roosters and coquettish chickens was born. Of course, once your friends are aware of what they consider a "theme", chickens and roosters adorn each gift you receive. I am grateful for each and every rooster and chicken...however, the must visit on rotation or we would not have room to cook or eat! None of our roosters or chickens look remotely like anything you would see on a farm. They tend towards the unique...just like us!

I have some watercolor prints of a rooster and chicken in fabulous bright colors (they came home with the funky chicken/rooster above) One states, "The rooster crows because he knows Hope Dawns" and the other, "So many eggs in one basket, Celebrate" I think these are apt descriptions of the Loose Lemon's household. We are so very blessed and in being so must celebrate each day with JOY and GRATITUDE!!! And a healthy dose of laughter. As my friend Jayne always says, "No matter how dark the night, morning always comes" One of my neighbors had honest to goodness live chickens and roosters and sure enough...every morning that rooster would crow letting us know a new day was dawning.

With each new day begins a new opportunity...no matter what the yesterdays are like...today is a new day. I just love the very thought of having a new beginning each and every day! And I would really like some chickens and a rooster! I am truly not a morning person but the sound of the rooster always cheered me up...it is something about that cock a doodle doo...it is like I'm up, lets get this party started!!!

Happy Birthday Anna

To my sweet, loving, girly girl princess, Anna Banana...Happy 3rd Birthday - January 9th

I can hardly believe it has already been three years since I watched you "pop" into the world!

Thanks Meech and Kev for letting me be a part of the birth and the growing up years!!!

Alas Babylon

Rev. 18: 10 (King James Version of The Holy Bible)

10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Our book club meets tonight and the above book will be the topic of conversation. Written in 1959 at the height of the cold war with Russia amidst segregation and class differences...this novel explores what happens when society ceases to exist as we know it. Written 50 years ago (the year of my birth) it still has a timely message for us.

Once I delved into this book I could not stop reading until I finished the story. It is a story of tragedy tinged with hope. Hope for humanity and the return to some semblance of normalcy.

It is a story of people coming together despite differences. A story of neighbors working together to take care for one another, provide for one another and to guard one another against the desperate, barbaric, criminal element that comes out in weaker people. It is a thought provoking and inspiring read.

What would you do...

if your money no longer held any value?

if there was no medication, hospitals, doctors?

if there was no electricity, no water?

limited food supplies?

no law and order?

no gasoline, tires, oil...transport of any kind?

My hope is that you have made some kind of preparation in your life for emergencies. It doesn't have to be a disaster of epic proportions...it can be loss of job, reduction in wages or salary, medical emergency, soaring prices at the grocery store and gas pump. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been strongly suggesting to its members to store food and water, have emergency medical supplies and to be prepared for any contingency. It is not a gloom and doom message...it is a reality. Some of us live in areas of tornadoes and hurricanes or perhaps you live in an area of snow blizzards, are you prepared?

A Few other thoughts...will you help your neighbor in times of hunger or would your impulse be to horde everything for your family? Would you call on God or a higher power or would you blame God and denounce Him? Personally, my fervent hope is that my good, kind, compassionate self would overpower any base, dark traits that might be unmasked in times of true struggle.

Many sites are dedicated to emergency preparedness...you can "google" it and find a wealth of information. The American Red Cross has lots of good information as well. It is not a matter of hording, being paranoid or expecting the worst...it is for your well being and comfort and security.

It may be time for you to evaluate where you stand!

Believe

Believe - Merriam Webster's online dictionary:

1 a: to have a firm religious faith b: to accept as true, genuine, or real

2: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something

3: to hold an opinion

or

1 a: to consider to be true or honest

b: to accept the word or evidence of

2: to hold as an opinion or suppose

A couple of years ago I came across Christine Kane, an amazing folk singer, blogger and songwriter. Christine also leads retreats for women. My life has greatly been touched by attending two of her retreats and an e-seminar. When I first started reading her blog several years ago...she suggested choosing a word for the year rather than a "New Year's Resolution"
This sounded like fun and has been very enlightening for me. I typed up the usual New Year's Resolution one year, taped it in my closet (where I would see it each day) and with good intentions began my new year. A year later, I read the "resolution" only to find that just about everything on the list still applied...so I left it in the closet for another year. Obviously, this method was NOT working. I do accomplish many goals but not the ones on my "list". I mentioned the word of the year to my friend Jayne and we thought it would be great fun to do this together. We nagged each other back and forth about choosing the right word and we finally chose! I am noticing on many of the blogs I read that this seems to be gaining in popularity. If you are on the fence about your goals...this is a great way to think in a one word term about what you wish to accomplish. Jayne and I have a lot of friends that are pursuing this option as well with a good success rate! So thanks, Christine for the idea/suggestion.

I have been tossing around several words for weeks...believe just kept "popping up" I will be fifty years young in 19 days. I am looking towards a half century with excitement and some trepidation, mostly excitement! It has taken me quite awhile to just BE and to LIVE in the present moment, to be true to myself and to love myself for who I am. As is my way, I set a huge amount of goals before turning fifty...some doable and others not so much. There were a few things I didn't factor in the plan, however I am back on task with a more realistic idea of where I am heading. There are many things I do BELIEVE without hesitation...I believe in God the Father and his son Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit...I have personal experiences with Faith and the lack thereof...Faith is absolutely better! I have a belief in the power of love and peace to overcome many obstacles. I believe in the goodness of people. I believe in my family and the unconditional love we have for each other. So with all these beliefs and then some, why would I choose the word believe...simply because I wish to continue to believe in myself...believe that I can overcome my health issues, believe that I can continue to be an asset to our family's company and mostly to believe that I can create something wonderful each day! The added bonus to the word believe is that the words BE and LIVE are within this word. I want to live each day with Joy and Vitality. I just want to BE who I am unequivocally and just BE in the present moment. "The past is history, the future a mystery, the present is a gift" I do not remember the origin of the quote.

My challenge to you, my friends, is to try the word of the year or theme if you will...let me know how it works out for you. And no that is not me in the t shirt, maybe next year...sigh!

3rd Annual Silly String War and Holiday Recap!

Ah, the Loose Lemons household does not have a Norman Rockwell or Hallmark Christmas...we have supreme and utter chaos with a heck of a LOT of fun...participants were threatened with a spanking if silly string was sprayed in house (Moi, had to clean that mess up for two hours last year) As you can see we take our silly string very seriously, Carl III "come and get me sucka"

McKinley evaluating the level of silly string coverage! Everyone must participate in silly string removal before re- entering the casa!!!!

Lovely Picture, thank you, in the midst of a hot flash, hair up and a mouth full of silly string...I was just here to take the pictures...thank you very much!

Enough already!!! The grown children and the children ran around and played and played....great grandma (MiMi) chased great grandchildren through the house and then she was chased...you can imagine the hilarity of that moment!

Meech and the "Charlie's Angels" pose. Do not mess with me!!!

No, no. no you can't make me laugh...

Engagement announcement, Carl III and the very lovely Kay with an October wedding coming up! Woohoo! We are sooooooooo excited and happy about this development and the ring is stunning!

Playing nicely together after many years of making each other cry. Thank goodness!!!

Taking a break from the chase! Notice MiMi coming SLOWLY around the corner! We had one of our best Christmas festivus ever!

I will be on the couch in my pjs ringing in the New Year as I am relapsing with the creeping crud respiratory infection...two painful injections (and I am no wimp) later and antibiotics has me throwing up the white flag in surrender. I am chillaxin until Monday!!!! I wish each of you a very safe and Happy New Year!!!! Peace and Love!

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL

Tick, tock as the clock winds itself down to the last minute preparations and I have scads to do...I am off the clock so to speak until Monday! Woohoo! I gifted myself with a teeny, tiny Canon Elph camera for those times when you want to take pictures and do not want to carry the big clunky camera around...so now I have to learn how to use it! Leaving you with these few simple offerings....I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, or anything else you celebrate!

How to amuse or irritate your cat...

I hope the "panoramic view" did not give you a headache! I obviously need more practice!

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL!!!!!