Wednesday's wisdom....

I found this on Pinterest.  Not sure where it comes from.

I suspect it could have originated in Britain, based on the spelling of words such as "humour" and "Practise".

 It is worth your time to read it.

As a young girl, I was taught to lay my clothes out for the next day the night before.  I still do it.  

It saves me time and decision making in the morning.

I do write things down, though the Englishman keeps urging me to use my technology tools more.

A few things I did both yesterday and today have made a huge difference in how I'm feeling:

Opening all the windows in the house to allow the breeze to come through.

Working in my garden - putting my hands deep in the soil.

Walking in the neighborhood.

There is a tiny park down the street from our new residence.  

The Englishman and I stopped there after dinner last night while going "walkabout".

As I eyed the swings, he informed me that in England the rule is "Over fourteen can not go on  swings." 

 I responded over my shoulder, "We're not in England," 

 sat on one of the swings, and sailed back and forth for several minutes. It was a glorious feeling!

I'm going to start paying closer attention to the suggestions above.

Then actually do them all.

Maybe I'll start with a bubble bath....

Tip for a Tuesday.....

A few suggestions.....

Buy Powerball tickets - currently up to $235 million!

Next drawing is tomorrow night.

There is a sale on at a favorite site:

But hurry - sale ends at midnight tonight!

Looking for some light television:

I also highly recommend the Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber in book form.

*If you are not already on Pinterest, immediately go to the red bar on the right hand side of this blog, click on "Follow Me On Pinterest"

It's, well, fabulous. And a little addictive. And worth every minute!

Monday memory....

Happy 8th Anniversary....

to daughter #2 and son-in-law #1!

It was a day full of love, joy and relief.

We celebrated the joining together of two young people, very much in love.

We equally celebrated the fact that the Groom, and several attendees at the wedding, had returned home safely to us from their recent tours of duty in Iraq.

I am continually grateful for both events.

                                                                              The dancing was pretty fabulous too!

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

             “Ten Spiritual Tonics

1. Stop worrying. Worry kills life.
2. Begin each day with a prayer. It will arm your soul.
3. Control appetite. Over-indulgence clogs body and mind.
4. Accept your limitations . . .
5. Don't envy. It wastes time and energy.
6. Have faith in people. Cynicism sours the disposition.
7. Find a hobby. It will relax your nerves.
8. Read a book a week to stimulate imagination and broaden your views.
9. Spend some time alone for the peace of solitude and silence.
10. Try to want what you have, instead of spending your strength trying to get what you want."

                                                      — Abraham L. Feinberg

Wednesday's wisdom....

Middle of the road is the place to be.....

in life, as well as on the highway.

While "motoring" in my Mini Cooper  through several states last week, I made a point of staying in the center lane as often as possible.  Statistically, they find that is the safest lane to be in.  You avoid the merging traffic on the right and those trying to pass on the left.

For the most part, I was successful in my choice of center lane and felt most comfortable there.

  But again, as in life, one has to adapt to the reality of the situation at hand.

For instance, not everyone follows the rules of the road, so to speak:

People insist on texting while driving, though I can't imagine what is so important that they put their (and my) life at risk.

Blinkers are optional.  Tailgating, especially by women, is standard behavior.

New Jersey drivers seem to think that the Garden State Parkway has been converted to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, thus requiring a weaving across three lanes, whilst narrowly missing other vehicles.

Which gives them, I suppose, the thrill and excitement of "Will we make it, won't we make it?"

Then there were the tractor trailers.

As I was growing up, I paid close attention to my Dad's suggestions as he would drive.  He often pointed out that the drivers of tractor trailers usually have a deadline to make and that you should not play games with them nor slow them down.

Trust me, when you look in the rear view mirror of a tiny vehicle and see the massive grille front of a tractor trailer barreling down and  heading straight for the "boot" of your car, you realize quite quickly (after invoking God's name) that switching lanes is the wisest course of action.

Highway driving also gives you the opportunity to do a kindness for someone.  For example, noticing that the slow down in traffic is due to compressing three lanes in to two, you can actually allow enough room for other cars to slip in front of you without effort. This can be met with a wave of gratitude.  

Which can be a welcome change from rude gestures.

What have I learned from my recent travels?  Several life lessons:

The "middle" is the best place to be.

Anticipate changes and adapt as necessary.

Be cautious, not fearful.

Give other people a break.

And most importantly, 

Enjoy the ride.

Tip for a Tuesday....

Organic Milk

 

The Englishman and I have made a wonderful discovery - organic milk.

The taste of the skim milk, as well as the 1% and 2%, are incredibly similar in taste to the whole milk we both loved as kids, and before our cholesterol numbers became important.

There are a couple of varieties to try.

Even better, they've been on sale in our local supermarkets.

Worth sampling - especially if you've found it hard to switch to skim!

I highly recommend it!

A Monday memory....

It's a boy!

"Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm today."

Wonderful news!

Have been watching and waiting since I woke this morning, listening to BBC radio and frequently checking various social media outlets.

(My thoughts were not only with the expectant mother, but with her parents, and mother in particular.  I know from experience what an anxious time it is when one's daughter is in labor!)

I recall rising well before dawn, with my own first baby, to watch the wedding of the new heir's grandparents.  The spectacular events of that day were well worth my loss of sleep.

The birth of their first son, William, was greeted with much excitement world-wide.  His mother, Princess Diana, appeared exhausted but delighted when she exited the hospital the following day with Prince Charles beside her.

Another historic and truly happy occasion in British history.

(I certainly hope the young couple will be given a few moments peace before the press start to speculate on when a possible "spare" will be born to join the new "heir.")