12-31-14

So it's the last day of 2014. I have so much to be thankful for! My husband, my children, my extended family and all the lovely relationships that go along with those. 

What more could I ever wish for? I wish that those I know and care for have blessed lives, they know they are loved and thought of often, they find themselves feeling blessed and content with their lives and those they surround themselves with! 

One smile!

This little one's smile is what I have been reminded of all day long! How thankful I am for a beautiful smile to remind me of my very wonderful life!

Morning

The sun is just coming up here while I sit outside with my blanket wrapped around me. There is a pink hue on the mountains to the west and the crickets are still chirping. Normally I would be running however lately if the mood doesn't strike I don't go. Oh I will still still either run or bike ride later but for the moment I amenjoying  'now'. The white cat on my lap doesn't hurt either. 

Fall is coming and you can feel it in the air! This the time of year the chill begins to make an appearance. The Candian geese start to fly across the skies and the pumpkins ripen. It might be time finally for some baking!

Perceptions

I went to Georgia last week. My perception for the most part of how things would look when I got there didn't match up with the reality. I found that fact very interesting. I had looked and read about both Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia. We went to most places on my Georgia bucket list and yet we really didn't as these places were not the places I envisioned. 

What makes a person romanticize somewhere they have never been? 

Georgia didn't disappoint me however as she has so many beautiful people and places to visit. They were just not what I had pictured. Well with the exception of one. The Book Tavern in Augusta was better than my 'mental picture'. The gentleman (glasses, a beard and thin) who owned and worked there made that site! He was exactly what you'd expect! Very knowledgeable about his collection. He talked to everyone in his own quiet reserved way. He had a wide selection of his craft and I just knew that when I looked to see if he had my recommended selection, Willa Cather's 'Death Comes for the Archbishop', it would be on his shelf!

What more could I require from this used/new bookstore?

I had already had coffee at The New Moon cafe next door! Although I am hunting for the soda 'Georgia coffee' that I noticed on our The World of Coca-Cola tour. I really imagine that will be the best soft drink ever!? ;-D

Not as easy as it would seem

On July 22, 2014 I started out my day with the thought of trying something new everyday. I had just read a book full of ideas promoting this type of creative, out of the box thinking. Well that didn't seem to last long, the trying something new everyday. I might be lazy. I tried to say here that I might not be as creative as I thought I was however that is not true. I think I also may not be lazy either. I think it goes back to routines and liking your routines. Perhaps I will scale this back to trying something new once a week. Which is really what the book promoted, I was a bit over zealous. The book promoting ideas if you were 'stuck' or needed to 'jog' your creative side. Or even better rather than trying anything new with a resolution type thinking maybe I will just pick up the book when I am seeking inspiration. Well I gave it a shot anyway. 

Bubbles

My grand-daughter (check out her smile) and I played 'Bubbles' today while eating breakfast outside. Want to remember what it's like to be a kid? Break out the bubbles! Want to cheer someone up? Break out the BUBBLES! You get to laugh so much when you're with kids! How lucky am I to be a grandparent? (Hint: I felt pretty darn lucky to become a parent!)

Hope yours was a good day, too.

Playing Favorites?!

This little guy is my favorite, we have two cats and two dogs. His name is Snowy (original, right?)

The cat follows me everywhere I go. He has so many mannerisms similar to a dog. He is loyal, loves to be brushed, comes when you call his name. In this picture I have only called his name and he looked at me. I feel guilt when we leave for vacation but I imagine unlike a dog he probably would have no desire to join us!?

Struggle

Just curious. How much is enough? 

Street Sweeping

At just before 5am I awoke to the sound of the street sweeper. You should know that I get very excited when I hear him on our street, I have been know to run outside and move a car off the street and into the driveway while still in my pajamas! Today I jokingly told my mom that I am so delighted when I hear him I want to go outside and offer him breakfast. Our house is on a very low point of the street. When it rains, it is as if all the street's collections end up in our gutter in front of our house. After a few days the water becomes a festering putrid puddle. Side note, our cat drinks from this! Anyway, part of my excitement today is that this service seems to have resumed. Last year we went about 9 months without it. When I finally thought to call the city the gentleman I spoke to told me the driver had been pulled off of our route to do another! What?! It took about 6 weeks before he made an appearance. This morning was his 2nd appearance since I had called. I can only hope our block is now once again part of the city wide street sweeping plan?! As I lay there listening to his approach, I mentally checked off, "both cars in the driveway" Check. "Should I go outside an applaud?" Not this time. Perhaps when he visits our neighborhood with a little more regularity. I used to pass the street sweepers in the early mornings waving as the dogs and I ran by wondering, do they know how much they are appeciated? I can hear them back at the office "Did the crazy lady with the dogs wave at you today?" "Yeah, I wonder when she is going to make us breakfast?"

Last thought. Today's new thing was posting a picture taken earlier. I was not quite sure how to do it. As yesterday's picture of Em I took while in the blog app. Today's pic was taken earlier while on a bike ride.

It turned out to be much easier than I thought so perhaps that didn't count as something new. I tried today one other new idea that I will report. Switching up my swim routine. Sound easy? Not for me when it comes to swimming. I want to just get it over with. So I swim 8 laps of breaststroke, 8 laps of the crawl which I still find I dislike even after tweaking my stroke and then 4 laps of the breaststroke to finish. I have swam this routine for years, no kidding. Today as I started the crawl,  I had enough! I said to myself, you can do this, it is part of trying new things, so I switched to sidestroke instead of the crawl. I was pleased although it did take a bit longer. Now I wonder when I will attempt doing a full 8 laps of the backstroke? 

I hope yours was a good day and you challenged yourself in someway if you, like me found that was needed!

Emilee

Emilee loves the water. Last summer we would go on walks and finish up at the ditch. She would jump in and cool off. You just knew she loved this especially after a long walk or run being off leash she would just head to the ditch. Seemingly to say what walk/run would or could ever be complete without a little swim. At some point a sign was posted indicating 'no dogs' on school grounds (the ditch is behind a school). Realizing Emilee had not gotten to swim yet this summer today's walk was entirely devoted to Emilee, this was a first. Usually I want to get my work out in and my dogs accompany me in accordance with MY plans. Not today, I took them to the riverwalk trail and Emilee was able to get in and out of the river all along the trail. It was a nice outing for me and my two dogs. It was still early enough that the temperature was pleasant. We saw some beautiful horses grazing across the river and listened to some fox kits yelping. We saw evidence of a bear reminding us this was his riverwalk and to watch where you step. Surprisingly I didn't seem to be too upset when these two dogs of mine seemed to stop at several scents left just for them to interpret. As Emilee is beginning to show quite a few signs of her advanced age I know I am going to miss her when she's gone. I only hope she goes gently and gracefully as this pose/picture of hers seems to indicate. 

Something New Everyday

It is a bit hot outside. I could be outside staining our fence or not. I wanted to experiment with blogging again. I love reading my daughter's blog. Not sure if mine will ever be as interesting. However I have taken on a year long project to learn or experiment with something new to me everyday. Something new everyday can encompass a wide array of ideas. New recipes. Meeting a new person. Learn a new skill.

I did a Google Post. I had the account. Why not? Maybe you learn lots of new things everyday but don't necessarily recognize it. The Google posts and blogs are going to be where I try to recognize this.

My sister's smile. Utilizing Skype to meet her in-laws for the first time today. I have seen her smile however it was nice to see it first thing today (does that count as a first...stretching I know). Meeting her in-laws was a first. How precious that was to me!

Good luck with your day. I hope it is precious to you!