Just A Quick Note To Self …

Hey me –

Remember how sad and overwhelmed you were this morning? Remember how you felt like you were in such a rut and nothing seemed to be going your way? Remember how you *finally* turned to God about all the “stuff” going on in your life that’s been making you feel so helpless, hopeless,  and out of control?

It’s rather amazing what God can do if we’ll just get out of the way, isn’t it? He can do wonders if we lay the problems at His feet and then step back and say, “I trust you. I know you want only the best for me. I know you know what I need (even before I do) and the best way to provide for me. So Father, it’s all yours.”

I know that one of the areas I need to work on is believing that God wants to provide for my needs. It’s sad that I try to micromanage everything and stick my nose into everything, even being foolish enough to try to dicate the how and when of it all.

And now — look what He was able to accomplish — without your help I might add. Your needs were met (abundantly) and your cares lifted.

What an AWESOME God!!

Intro to Korean Food and Daisies Galore!

I promised a review of my first real introduction to Korean food and, as a woman who likes to keep her promises, here it is!

First, we had to change our plans a bit and instead of going to The Korean House for dinner, we went to Young’s Korean Restaurant. As it turns out, they are practically across the street from one another and I guess it was just our good fortune that The Korean House was closed to the public last night due to a private wedding party.

I’m sure that gives you a heads up about what’s to follow — I LOVED Young’s Korean Restaurant! We had such a great experience. Our waitress, believe it or not, mentioned how we all look familiar and as it turns out, she works at the post office that is right up the road from where we live! She willingly gave us some great suggestions and information that explained the menu to us a bit better and we were all able to make dinner choices that we enjoyed. (In fact, I brought a little box home filled with yummy leftovers and just had it for breakfast!) On top of that, she had a great sense of humor and kept us laughing

David and I both decided to have … argh. I can’t remember what it’s called in Korean. But it was basically a stir fry filled with meat and veggies and served in a spicy sauce — mine had chicken and David’s had shrimp. Mary had a beef dish that she thought was terrific and Markie had a seafood “pancake” that was fantastic! (We all shared a bit.) Everything seemed so fresh. 

We had a great time having a cup of hot tea and sampling all the banach — various side dishes such as kim chee, spicy cucumbers, fish cakes, tofu, bean sprouts — that were served before our meals were brought out.

Of course, the fun part was watching us all trying to use chopsticks. Mary had a little bit of experience having spent some time in Japan when she was younger and Mark seemed to know what he was doing. David seemed to be holding his own as well. Me? Well, I figured it was going to be one of the longest dinners of my life! I don’t remember another time when I honestly wondered if my fingers were working against me

I hated to be the one to give in and ask for a fork, but eventually when our waitress came to check on us and I responded by asking how late they were open she took my hint and brought us all forks. As much as that was a relief, I was so glad that I gave the chopsticks a try. I secretly plan to keep working on perfecting (ok — improving) my abilities at home so I can WOW everybody next time we venture out for Asian cuisine.

Once we’d all finished our dinners, we headed back to our house and celebrated my upcoming birthday. Actually, our evening started out with a birthday treat — Daisies!!! Mark and Mary took special notice of my “25 Random Things About Me” post and surprised me with a huge bouquet of my favorite flowers.

Then — also noticing that I mentioned how much I love Mounds bars — Mary made me a Mounds Bar Cake! To say “simply delicious” is an understatement. And how touching to think that she took the time to go on the internet, search to see if she could find a “mounds-like” dessert and then to take the time to make it! I felt especially — well — special

And then — there were gifts! Yes-indeedy. Mark and Mary never miss an opportunity to amaze me. This next part needs a little bit of set-up since I’m sure most people aren’t aware of my love for the comic strip “For Better or For Worse”.

A couple of years ago, knowing how much I loved the comic strip and my admiration for its creator, Lynn Johnston,  Mary sent a birthday card to Lynn asking her to sign the card as a special treat for my birthday. Lynn went above and beyond and actually drew a personalized message to me (which I have since framed in a memory box along with pictures of me opening the gift, a copy of the letter Mary sent her, etc.) It was a thrill that I thought could not be matched.

Well — think again Barbara. To my absolute delight, Mark and Mary gave me a copy of Lynn’s book “The Big 5-0″ with — yep! — a personal wish from Lynn for a happy 50th birthday and another drawing on the opening page of the book.

How could anyone be so blessed?

Well, now that I’ve shared all the highlights of the evening, I should probably mention a few other fun things that happened as well.

Throughout the evening we were entertained with frequent text messages (that seemed to come at very appropriate times now that I think about it) that kept us informed about the much-anticipated arrival of Mark and Mary’s new grandson. (As of this moment, I understand that Tammy is pushing and Joseph’s arrival is imminent!)

And — we planned out several fun adventures for the coming year that will keep The A-Team busy, busy, busy as we discover Rochester and take in the sites, sounds, and culture of our hometown.

What a wonderful evening. Great friends, great food, great gifts, and the promise of more fun in the future. Doesn’t get much better than that!

It’s The Weekend — Woo Hoo!!

When Sunday night arrives, I find myself mourning the weekend that is now gone and somewhat dreading the week ahead. It isn’t that I don’t enjoy what transpires between Monday and Friday, it’s just that I so dearly LOVE what happens on Saturday and Sunday.

This weekend arrived with a foot of snow that officially brought the Spring-like weather we’d been experiencing here in Western New York to an end. No matter. I have plenty of things in store for today!

While the house needs cleaning and the laundry has gotten backed up (again) I’m planning to squeeze in a little bit of reading time with a trip to the library and then a grocery store run.

We have plans to go out to dinner with our friends Mark and Mary (otherwise known as “The A-Team”) to a Korean restaurant called … well … The Korean House. This should be a fun experience as we get a chance to sample the cuisine native to our daughter’s birth country and where my hubby will be spending a month or so for work later this year.

Afterwards we’re going to come back to our house (hence the need to clean) for dessert, a 2009 A-Team Adventure planning session, and then, possibly, a rousing game of Dominoes. Might sound like a dull evening to some, but for us it will be a blast.

Hubby and I may, however, be forced to resort to Plan B should Mark and Mary’s new grandson decide to make an appearance today.

I’m hoping to post a review of the restaurant from a complete newbie to Korean food perspective sometime tomorrow — so stay tuned.

P.S. If anyone has any great suggestions on food we should be sure to order — please leave a comment asap! Thanks

Replaying The Day

It’s been hours since I left the collection lab where I was assigned this week. In fact, it’s actually the wee hours of the morning but I’m awake and my mind seems intent on running through the events of the day.

One stands out and while I keep trying to push past it, this one keeps finding its way back to the front of the line. I suppose I’m meant to give it a little extra “processing” time.

I tend to think that the people who cross my path each day are meant to teach me something. It’s not that each and every person I encounter has a divine purpose in my life (but now that I think about it, why would God waste any opportunity to make a point, bring home a message, teach me something He’d like me to know? Perhaps I am *ahem* underestimating God — again?)

Anyway, back to my point — I believe that MANY of the people who cross my path do so for a very definite reason. And now, I find myself trying to figure out what I was supposed to learn from this one particular man that came in today for a blood draw.

He didn’t really stand out. He didn’t have a distinctive look, he didn’t walk with a limp or seem disabled in any way (as so many of our patients do). I couldn’t begin to tell you what he looked like (well, beyond dark hair, thin, tall …) but I remember he was wearing a blue sweatshirt. What I do recall is that he seemed nervous. More than most (but certainly not as much as some.) I guess I’m saying he was just a typical patient — nothing outwardly “special” about him that would signal to me that I should be expecting what was to come. Or that he might be there to teach me something.

He sat down in the chair that we use for drawing blood. As I lowered the armrest in front of him I saw him kind of wince. “That’s strange,” I thought but that was the extent of my notice.

I made small talk — or tried to — as I took down his identifying information and readied my supplies. Are the roads any better than they were this morning? Was he on his lunch break? Looking forward to the weekend? Any special plans?

He wasn’t the talkative type, giving just short one word answers, so I decided to just go about my business and finish up as quickly as possible so he (and I) could move on.

Definitely nothing special about this guy.

I was just about to re-apply the tourniquet when I noticed he had turned his face into his shoulder. I hadn’t even started the blood draw yet. And he was shaking ever so slightly.

Uh oh. Was he going to be a fainter? Should I call Lois in and have her there to assist — just in case? Maybe I was over-reacting and he was simply one of those people who just hates needles  …

Something told me it wasn’t going to be necessary, but of course, I asked him if he was all right. “Sir — are you okay? Would you like to lie down?” By now just about all the color had drained from his face and the fist I’d asked him to make was turning his knuckles white.

“I’m fine — I just want to get this over with. Can we just get this over with?” he asked. His voice let on that he was a bit annoyed at my concern and the delay it was creating. Of course, now I’m thinking that he probably IS a fainter and is hoping if I hurry up, he won’t have time to faint and he’ll be able to escape the embarrassment of it all. 

“Of course,” I said. “Just try to relax and we’ll be finished in just a couple of seconds.”

I glanced out into the main drawing area and caught the eye of Lois, our lead phlebotomist. She saw my head give a little jerk towards the patient and knew immediately that I was signaling I might need her help in some way. She silently stepped into the room as I drew the man’s blood … filling up the tubes as quickly as I could. It didn’t take much — with his blood pressure as high as I suspect it was, the tubes filled up in record time and before I knew it, my security blanket (Lois) had stepped back out of the room, the danger seemingly over, and I was processing the specimens.

I was ready to tape him up and send him on his way, thankful he hadn’t fainted, thinking he was probably just another Nervous Nelly that hated having their blood drawn and nothing more. Situation under control. Phew!

But now as I turned my attention back to him once more I realized he was still just as tense as he was before the draw. His fist had reclenched. He seemed like he was in another place. 

“Sir — are you okay?” I was wishing Lois hadn’t left the room so quickly.

Silence.

“Sir?” Trying to get his attention and a better handle about what was going on, I placed my hand on his ice cold fist and again asked if he was okay. Finally …

“I used to be a junkie …”  Almost a confession, his words slipped out and I wasn’t even sure he meant for me to hear them. But I did. And I understood.

Coming in for bloodwork had been a trip down Memory Lane … which could be found in the city of Pure Hell. In my sheltered little world, it had never occured to me what it must be like for people who’ve left a life of drug use behind to have a needle stuck in their arm. What was he trying to hide from as he pushed his face into his sleeve? I can’t help but wonder but realize I’ll never know. And I really don’t even want to imagine.

I patted his arm (I’m a patter — it happens before I even realize it and seems to be a habit I can’t break …) and simply said, “We’re all done … you’re all set.” As I lifted the armrest he practically jumped out of the chair. “You did great …” I offered.

He acknowledged my comment with an ever-so-slight nod of his head but without any form of eye contact – and then he was gone.

So many thoughts ran through my head at once — Why hadn’t I realized he’d been a junkie? What could I have done differently? What had this man’s life been like? Did I say the right thing? Was he going to be okay?

I started to kick myself a bit as I reflected on my actions. I acquiesed that I’d been just a tad bit annoyed when the man hadn’t returned my cheerful chatter or attempts to build rapport and help him relax. Admittedly my decision to speed things up as he requested was as much for my own benefit as it was for his. After all — if he wasn’t going to make an attempt at being pleasant, why should I?

The next patient had already appeared and I abandoned the entire discussion to the back of my mind as I moved on with my day. It wasn’t until just a few minutes ago that I’d taken the time to think about it again.

It occurs to me now that God wanted to use this man and his circumstances to teach me a lesson. Perhaps He wanted to remind me that we can never truly understand exactly what another person is going through. We can’t read minds and can’t possibly know all the circumstances that enter into a person’s actions. Maybe this man crossed my path today to remind me to be compassionate whether I think the situation (or person) warrants it or not.  

It occurs to me that I sometimes take it personally if someone doesn’t respond to my attempts at small talk and I sheepishly admit I sometimes assume they just aren’t very sociable or pleasant — and I give up on them. I somehow make it all about me.

God wants me to make it all about them.

As I sit here now, growing sleepy again and wanting to go back to bed, I lift up a prayer for the man that crossed my path and served as a reminder that everyone has a different story, everyone has a purpose to their lives, everyone can (and will) be used by God in wondrous, even if seemingly very small, ways.

And once again, I am blessed.

Sometimes I Just Feel Crabby …

I guess there isn’t any shame in admitting that I’m kind of grumpy today. And I hate that. To me there’s just not much worse than being a bit ornery. It’s definitely fair to say that being in a crabby mood just makes me … well, crabbier.

It seems like the grumpies appear out of nowhere. I’ll be going along, just fine and dandy and then — BAM! I’m hit with a streak of cynicism that just won’t quit. And of course, I don’t dare start doing my Oscar the Grouch impersonation for the whole world to see so what do I do? I stuff it. I try to carry on as if I’m happy as a lark. But — I’m not. And I’m not that good of an actress either.

I think part of the problem is that I don’t address upsets quickly enough. I keep trying to push them aside, planning to deal with “whatever” when I’m alone and have time to think things through. But as the day wears on and the issues go unaddressed I only become more miserable. So clearly, that doesn’t work.

Now I don’t want to make it sound like these crabby moods come around on a regular basis. They don’t. I’d say maybe once every couple of weeks — if that. But when the bad mood shows up, it sticks around a tad bit too long.

I’ve had a little time to think about this today since I stayed home nursing an aching body and a splitting headache — and yes, I got a bit cranky about not feeling well. But hanging out on the couch gave me a chance to make a few decisions and I’m going to give this a try the next time I feel a case of the grumpies about to erupt.

First — I’m going to acknowledge that I’m feeling a little out of sorts. And once I’ve done that I’m going to take a couple minutes and try to figure out what’s causing this to happen. Did someone say something that bothered me? Did I do something that I’m wishing I hadn’t? I’m going to try to figure out exactly what’s wrong so hopefully I can nip it in the bud.

Second — I’m going to try to address whatever it is that’s setting me off. Maybe I need to be more honest with myself or with those around me about how things make me feel. Maybe I need to try to fix a mistake or right a wrong. Maybe I just need to take a deep breath and forgive myself (or whoever might need forgiving) and let it go.

Third — I’m going to remind myself that doing a little EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) does wonders. A couple rounds of tapping can really take the edge off and help turn my mood around. And it really incorporates both steps one and two in the process. Nice.

Fourth – If I’m still not feeling like my normal happy self, I’m going to give myself five minutes to sulk, pout, or complain — whatever it takes to get whatever is bugging me out of my system. But when the five minutes are up — that’s it. It’s time to let it go and move forward.

Now I don’t know if this plan is going to work but I suspect it will certainly be a step in the right direction. I really hate to let a crabby mood ruin my day, not to mention the damper it puts on those who have to put up with me.

Honestly, I feel better already. Just having a plan of attack seems to lighten my mood and make me feel brighter.

I’d love to know what you do when you feel out of sorts. How do you turn it around? Go ahead and share your best tips in the comment section!

A Day Of Ordinary Miracles

I received this message from a friend today and it touched my heart. I couldn’t help but think that if I would only give myself permission at the beginning of each day to enjoy the ordinary miracles that I experience, I might just realize how blessed I really am.

So — I’m sharing this sweet message with the hope that you’ll take the time to notice and appreciate the “ordinary miracles” happening in your life today. And remember, there is always, always, ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

I wish you a day of ordinary miracles –

A fresh pot of coffee you didn’t have to make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.

I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in –

The fastest line at the grocery store.
A good sing along song on the radio.
Your keys right where you look.

I wish you a day of happiness and perfection –
little bite-size pieces of perfection that give you
the funny feeling that the Lord is smiling on you,
holding you so gently because you are someone special and rare.

I wish you a day of peace, happiness, and joy.

What It Takes To Make My Day

I love it when some one or some thing makes my day. And when I say “makes my day” I’m not referring to a momentary bright spot or burst of happiness that is quickly forgotten — I mean that whatever it is that I’ve heard or witnessed stays with me throughout the day as its images or words keep popping into my head, encouraging me, inspiring me … giving me that warm happy feeling that makes me feel that life is worth living.

Yesterday I happened to be at just the right place at just the right time to take in a Makes My Day (MMD) moment. It’s one I’d like to remember for a long time because it just touched my heart in such an unexpected way. Even now as I think and write about it my eyes are welling up and I’m getting goosebumps.

I witnessed a car accident.

Now for most of us, seeing two cars collide is NOT a MMD event. And I’m guessing that for the two drivers who locked front bumpers in the Wegmans parking lot last night (on Friday the 13th no less) it was certainly not the highlight of their day. They were just two people, probably stopping off on their way home from work to pick up a few things for dinner or maybe to drop mail off at the post office. I imagine that, just like me, they were relieved to finally be finished with their 9 – 5 routine and excited to have the weekend begin. 

As fate would have it, however, these two drivers ended up exchanging insurance information instead of simply passing each other at the stop sign. I felt so bad for them. In the moment that I saw their cars sitting there and  the damage to each, my heart sank. We’ve had our share of auto mishaps in the past couple of years and I know what a complete pain it is to deal with in the aftermath — calling the tow trucks, filling out police reports, the calls back and forth between insurance companies, dealing with the repair shop, being without a car or having the expense of a rental. I couldn’t help but feel sad knowing what these two people had in store for the next month or so.

The drivers had gotten out of their cars and were surveying the damage. For half a second I held my breath as I waited for the angry exchange that I felt was sure to follow. And then the woman started to cry. I felt her pain, knowing that if it were me, I’d be crying too. 

The man walked around the front of the cars and approached the woman. I thought to myself, “Okay, here we go …”

And then it happened.

Rather than shaking his fist and shouting angry words, he reached out and put his arms around her and held her, gently patting her back. My heart skipped a beat as I saw him talking to her. I knew he was telling her it was all going to be okay. No need to be angry or upset, it was just one of those things that happen. Not worth crying about. Cars can be fixed. Thank goodness we’re both all right …

And so it was that in the midst of what was surely an unhappy point in his life, that man unknowingly made my day.

I know God was watching. In the depths of my heart I could almost see God smiling as he chalked up a few more points on the man’s scorepad.

Yes, indeed Mr. IGiveHugsNoMatterWhat. Two points for you.

25 Random Things About Me …

If you’re on Facebook, and maybe even if you aren’t, you’ve no doubt seen the lists where people share 25 random things about themselves. It could be a little-known fact, an observation, a quote … whatever you’re willing to tell the world about yourself is fair game.

I’ve been tagged several times now and have already posted my list on my Facebook page for all to see. I could easily have listed another 25 things without any trouble at all but I resisted. A little of me goes a long way …

I thought it might be fun to post the list here for those who aren’t into Facebook. I’d love to tag anyone who wants to share their list too. Either post a link to your list in the comment section or just post the list itself there. Sound like fun? You betcha. (Oh, how so very Sarah Palin of me!)

Okay — here we go:

1. I always wanted to be a florist (but am glad I’m not because strong floral scents give me terrible headaches.)
2. Daisies are my favorite flower. Daffodils run a close second.
3. I find the smell of freshly cut wood to be heavenly and I’ve had a crush on Norm Abrams of The New Yankee Workshop fame (flannel shirt and all) for years.
4. It’s been 25 years since my father died and I still miss him every single day.
5. I’m a certified hypnotist.
6. My favorite comic strip is “For Better or For Worse” and I have an TWO original drawings wishing me a happy birthday by it’s creator Lynn Johnston. Thanks Mary — for BOTH of them!
7. My mother’s nickname for me when I was growing up was “the little worrywort.”
8. I was hit by a pickup truck 3 weeks before my graduation from Alfred State College and almost didn’t graduate because I missed a whole week of classes while recovering (I know, here come the “So that’s what happened!” jokes …)
9. I am totally and completely head over heels in love with my new grandson.
10. I am technically challenged when it comes to TVs, DVD players, and DVRs. Remotes scare  me and seem to know they have the upper hand.
11. I have studied handwriting analysis and dabbled in palm reading, face reading, and body language for fun. I am still amazed at how accurately our bodies can reveal externally what we’re all about internally.
12. I absolutely love Mounds bars — but I’m not a fan of Almond Joy bars because I don’t like almonds.
13. I think it would not take much for me to become an agoraphobic.
14. I’m a Pisces and absolutely love to be near the water, feel drawn to it, and am completely soothed by it, but I can barely swim and I’m terrified of drowning.
15. For both ethical and health reasons I would love to become a vegetarian but I’ve never been able to pull it off (at least not yet.)
16. After 5 years of my son Daniel living in Atlanta I’m still trying to get used to the idea that he lives so far away and that he probably won’t be moving back home.
17. My favorite song is “Over the Rainbow” performed by Don Potter. I was lucky enough to hear him perform it live when he was here performing with Wynonna and our philharmonic orchestra.
18. I had tomato soup for the first time in my life last week and loved it.
19. I consider myself a hot sauce connoisseur (read that “snob”.)
20. I’ve never had a speeding ticket and still have (and use) the same keyring that I got when I passed my driving test at age 16 (it’s a big letter B made from leather and has teeth marks all over it from my kids gnawing on it in the grocery store lines when they were little.)
21. I can’t whistle, wink, or stick my tongue out. Of the three, I really, really, really, wish I could wink. Oh, and I’ve never broken a bone.
22. I love being inside on rainy days — when it’s so dark outside that you need the lights on in the house. I also love being snowed in. That might stem from my childhood growing up in Wisconsin.
23. I absolutely hate bees (and I can’t think of any insect that I’m particularly fond of.)
24. I would love nothing more than to have a work-from-home job that would let me be on the computer all day. I think my perfect job would be a researcher for writers (I’m thinking the kind of job Robin Wright’s character had in “Message In A Bottle”.)
25. I knew I wanted to marry my husband within minutes of our first conversation and broke up with the guy I was dating at the time so I’d be “available” when he was. After 30 years of marriage – he’s still the one.

So there you have it — a little bit of inside info about what makes me tick. Now it’s your turn. What are 25 things about yourself that you are willing to tell the world?

Once Upon A Mattress …

There comes a time when you know you’ve got to buy a new mattress. I knew that time had come about two years ago when I started waking up feeling even more achey than when I went to bed. I’d try sleeping on the couch for a few nights and then, when that didn’t help much, I’d try flipping the mattress, somehow finding enough relief that my constant complaints about the lumpy old mattress would get set aside while I moved on to more pressing issues.

Eventually, as we added a second puppy to our family (meaning that we now had TWO dogs sleeping with us) our queen-sized bed got even smaller than it already seemed. I’d find myself waking with a start several times a night with the feeling that I was falling off a cliff, only to realize that I was dangerously close to falling out of bed. And waking up feeling well-rested and ready to face the world? Well, that was something I could only wish for.

Now it seems that all that wishing might finally pay off. Yesterday my hubby woke up so stiff he could hardly move. He’s starting to have just as much trouble getting a good night’s sleep as I have. And so it’s been decided that the time has come to get a new mattress.

Now you have to realize that we’ve only purchased two mattress sets in the entire time we’ve been married. Somewhere in our heads we got the idea that a 15-year warranty meant that the mattress was actually going to be comfortable for 15 years. And mind you, we still have the same bedroom furniture that we bought 30 years ago as newlyweds. So I feel totally justified in saying we are due. In fact, we are long OVERDUE and the bags under our eyes and the moaning sound that escapes our lips as we roll over during the night proves it.

To add to the excitement we’ve decided to not only buy a new mattress set, but we’re also going to buy new furniture. AND — here’s the part that has me jumping up and down – we’re going to splurge and buy a KING-size bed that should easily accommodate all four of us. I can already envision Rascal and Daisy’s wiggles of happiness when they realize how much extra room they’ll have to stretch out (insert sarcastic tone here.)

Now the big question is — what kind of mattress should we be looking for? I’m tempted to call the innkeepers at Chambery Cottage (a wonderful bed and breakfast where we’ve stayed in the past) to ask what kind of mattress they have in their Chambery Suite. I swear I’ve never had a more blissful night of sleep than I did there and if it’s at all possible, THAT’s the mattress I want!

Of course, I sense hubby is getting nervous because I’ve already started talking about redecorating the room, putting some fresh paint on the walls and having the carpets cleaned before anything new arrives (he knows these won’t be “we” jobs, they’ll be “he” jobs.) 

He also knows that buying new furniture isn’t going to be cheap so mentioning that I’ll need to pick out a new comforter and curtains (as well as sheets and blankets) might not have been exactly the kind of conversation to have over breakfast this morning. It has since dawned on me that in my excitement, I just might be scaring the poor guy (and subsequently his wallet) sending him into “freeze the credit cards” mode. I’m thinking I might need to slow down a bit (read that “shut up”) and secretly do all my preliminary shopping and number crunching before I drag him off to the furniture stores (where he’s sure to have a sticker shock attack.)

I’m also thinking I probably shouldn’t have suggested that he try sleeping in the guest room for a couple of nights (where there’s a new mattress that we bought because our son was coming home for the holidays.) I’m afraid he’ll find it all too comfy and I’ll not only lose a bedmate but I’ll find myself stuck with a worn out mattress and two dogs to keep me warm for the rest of the winter.

Ok, cancel that thought. Think positive. Deep breath. Forward march.

Yes, I’m just going to continue hoping for the best. In the meantime, however, I’m wondering if anyone has any great information about how to select the perfect mattress when you have a bad back. And since we’re going to be switching to king-size, is there anything I should know before picking one out? If my current track record is any indication, this is a once every 15 years purchase and I SO want to get it right!

My very sore back and aching joints thank you in advance.

On Being Rich …

The beginning of my blog. It’s kind of like holding a shiny new penny — I can’t help but wonder where it will take me. Will I record (as I intend) the adventures of my life, the little things that happen throughout my days, so I’ll have a way to look back and remember? Will my ramblings (as I intend) be a venue for offering perspective and insight into what would otherwise just be meaningless occurrences during the course of my life? Will I totally abandon the entire idea of blogging after only a few days, weeks, or perhaps even months (although it seems hard to imagine that it would take me that long to decide this just isn’t for me.)

Who knows. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. All I know at this stage in the game (seeing as how it’s my first post) is that I feel like anything is possible. I feel like I’ve got something special to share. It’s like the way I felt as a little girl standing next to my daddy as he emptied his pockets of all his loose change at the end of the day. “I’ll keep the silver ones, but the pennies are for you.”

He’d hand over however many of those copper coins he’d collected that day and I would joyfully slip them into my pocket. And for the rest of the day, until it was time to empty my riches into the old glass mayonnaise jar that served as my piggy bank, my little hand would find its way down to the secret place that’s normally reserved for lint and candy wrappers.  There my fingers would start the jingling. Over and over I’d let the pennies fall from one finger to the next, jingling, making a sound that to this day I find soothing and reminiscent of childhood joy. Pennies in my pocket. It doesn’t take a lot to feel rich.

These days I find myself once again taking the time to notice (and be comforted by) the ”pennies” life offers.  It’s the little things I look forward to — pups that greet me at the door, jumping and spinning as they show how delighted they are to see me home again, email messages from friends and family telling me what’s happening in their lives, kisses from my hubby and his sweet smile telling me that after all these years I’m still the one — these are the pennies in my pocket. The crackers in my soup. The little extras that bring flavor and texture to a life that is already rich beyond measure.

It seems only right that I should occasionally empty the loose change that I’ve collected and share it with you, my family and friends. May you know the joy of  jingling pennies in your pocket and savor the crackers in your soup. It’s the little things that make life worth living.