Thursday, August 27, 2015

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

"Life is a collection of moments.  
Some sear the soul like burning rain.  
Others lift the spirit and stir the imagination,
 captured in the stillness of a perfect memory.
from Educating Jack by Jack Sheffield



Friday, August 21, 2015

Friday Fotos....


Befores and Afters


my train set in the basement at old house....
new set up outdoors!




          
loose tooth before....
ready for the Tooth Fairy!

kitchen window before....
greenhouse window after!

Wishing everyone a cool, safe weekend!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

"Life is not always what one wants it to be, 
but to make the best of it as it is, 
is the only way of being happy."

~ Jennie Jerome Churchill


Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Wednesday's Wisdom....

I've learned that you shouldn't "pigeon hole" or label people, 
or make generalizations about them concerning their beliefs.  
I don't think it is accurate or fair.
I've learned that it is important to use words and labels properly.

For instance, there seem to be many statements being bandied about concerning immigration in this country.  Some Church leaders and politicians state that if you are not for illegal immigrants, you're against all immigration.  Based on my own personal experience on this issue, I can state the following:

There is a definite distinction....
between being in favor of "immigration" and not being in favor of "ILLEGAL immigration."

I am very much in favor of immigration.
All four of my grandparents were immigrants.  
They came to the United States from Europe - legally - one from Ireland, one from England and two from Lithuania.  
I even married an immigrant! - from England.
A legal immigrant.

My husband came to this country on a company sponsored work visa. 
After we met and married, I then became his "sponsor" for his Green Card.
And no - in answer to the question posed to me during our interview at the Immigration Office -
I did not "make a habit of marrying people so they could get a Green Card."
I actually married for love, not to give my husband legal status.
(For those who aren't familiar with the term: a Green Card is an immigration process of becoming a permanent resident. The green card serves as proof that its holder, a lawful permanent resident (LPR), has been officially granted immigration benefits, which include permission to reside and take employment in the United States.) 
It also means you automatically become a "tax resident" and pay taxes on your entire income.

There are many "solutions" being offered on how to deal with the illegal immigrant population, again by both Church leaders and politicians.
I don't pretend to know what the perfect solution is.

But, based on personal experience, I submit that if the government decides to issue any type of "blanket amnesty" for illegal immigrants, 
then in all fairness, 
they should issue a "blanket refund" to all those who entered this country legally.

A full monetary refund to the millions of applicants who followed the law, played by the rules 
and legally became citizens of the United States. 
Who have paid thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars in Federal and State income taxes while working their way through the immigration process; thousand of dollars in legal fees; 
who took time off from work for interviews and paperwork; 
who studied for and passed the US Citizenship test.

I don't think that "illegal" activity should be either ignored or rewarded.

And I still firmly believe in fairness - 
though I see less and less of it these days.






Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Tip for a Tuesday....

Vases, vases, everywhere!!
  

Every find yourself cleaning out your cabinets and wondering what to do with all those vases that have accumulated over the years?

I finally found a solution!!

 Because I hate to throw away something that might be useful to someone else, I generally just put all those extra vases straight back in the cupboard.  But having decided it's time to really clear out all those items that I don't actually use, I gave it some thought and took some action.

I stopped in at a local florist and asked the nice lady who approached me if she could use the vases in her shop.  She seemed taken aback at first, but once she understood what I was offering, she smiled and said she could definitely use them for Churches and Senior centers.
Wonderful!  said I.
She then tried to give me a few long stemmed flowers but I waved her off and said that knowing they would be put to good use was all I needed.

Easy Peasy.

Monday, August 17, 2015

A Monday Memory....

Now you tell me....

Was that the sound of thunder, coinciding with a recent announcement about butter. If so, I suspect it was my Dad's response to the news, from his Heavenly vantage point.

You see, when I was six years old, my Dad was diagnosed with having heart disease.  The doctor instructed both my parents that they should immediately make changes to his diet, stressing that they should ban butter from the house and use only margarine.  Mazola margarine to be precise, as well as Mazola corn oil for cooking.

A sacrifice to be sure, because my Dad in particular, was not a fan of the now required margarine. But wanting to improve his health, they complied.

Growing up, the only time I enjoyed the sweet taste of butter was on rare trips to a restaurant or at a friend's house.  One of numerous perks to my getting married was that real butter was the staple to be found in the fridge. 

And now they have the nerve to say not only that margarine is not better for your heart, but that in fact it could be harmful?  After all those years of toast, potatoes, and even cakes, devoid of the sweet, creamy taste of real butter. Ugh...

Makes me wonder what else the "experts" have been wrong about.



Thursday, August 13, 2015

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

"Trust yourself, 
you know more than you think you do."

~ Benjamin Spock
Chicken Soup for the Soul - A Tribute to Moms


Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Tip for a Tuesday....

Here are a few websites I've been visiting lately, 
which I highly recommend:



onsuttonplace.com 
(look for the free inspirational printables - they're fabulous!!)

marc & angel 
Hack Life
www.marcandangel.com

Everyday Life Lessons
everydaylifelessons.com


You can "like" all three on Facebook for updates, as well as sign up on their websites.

Easy Peasy!!