Gerri's Place

Finding Peace In Nature

2011-05-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. ~John Burroughs

My family and I have been through some of the most difficult trials of our lives over the past eighteen months. We were saddened to experience the loss of a great friend and neighbor, Steve, who had battled colon cancer and passed last February. In April, my sister Carolyn would be diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She would battle this horrible disease for 7 months before it took her life on October 30th. Watching as she battled this horrible disease was excruciating. To have been there with the rest of my sisters and our families as she took her last breath was the most gut wrenching experience of my life. But I am glad we were all there for her and had that closure. In the midst of this, I was trying to keep my world from falling apart around me. My husband would be hospitalized 3 times, once with a mild heart attack. My daughter Sara and her boyfriend were in a car accident, leaving Sara with a broken ankle, followed by the loss of her job. My son broke his hand and required surgery to insert pins. My mother and her husband both became gravely ill and were hospitalized. Mom endured several life and limb saving procedures and suffered many complications and set backs, spent two months in the hospital, followed by 6 weeks in a rehabilitation facility. Her husband became fatally ill during this time and passed away on February 20th. A few weeks later, we would be dealt another blow. A very close friend, my husband's best friend of 25 years suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. Mom would continue to battle illness, but eventually became well enough to go home in April and things would finally settle down.

Grief, anger and frustration had become all too common during this past year and I have frequently wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. To say the least, I was almost completely physically and emotionally drained. I feared at times I would fall into a deep depression. But I managed to keep my mental well being in check by making time to escape to one of my favorite local nature preserves to take long walks and clear my head.

The best therapy I have found for me is what I like to call "nature therapy". I am not what you would call a really religious person, but I do consider myself to be a spiritual person. I feel closest to God and most at peace when I am outdoors. While I'm walking along a trail through a forest, I am meditating, praying, talking to God, sometimes even talking to myself. It is how I clear my head and calm my spirit. Sometimes I just stop and listen to the wind gently blowing through the trees, a woodpecker hammering away in the top of a tree, the ospreys and hawks screeching as they fly just over the tree tops and squirrels chattering to each other or scurrying around the forest floor in search of nuts. I can stop and sit on a bench by a stream and enjoy the sound of the water as it flows through the forest.

I am at peace in places like this and it is all I can do to pull myself away. These walks have helped me to find some peace amid all the turmoil over these past months. I can go back and face each situation with a clear head and a little more perspective.

Lose yourself in nature and find peace.

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.
Anne Frank

Stewey

2011-02-27T20:09:00.000-08:00

Stewey at about 5 weeks old

We nursed him with an eye dropper

Stewey now at about 1 1/2 yrs.

We never planned on keeping Stewey as a pet, but he adopted us anyway. Stewey was rescued from a downed tree in a friend's yard about a year and a half ago. We figured we'd nurse him and prepare him for a life in the wild. We slowly introduced him to the outdoors, watching as he ran around the back yard, climbing up the tree and then back down. Then one day he discovered other squirrels and would spend hours at a time running with his new friends. Eventually he disappeared for a week; we figured we had done our job and if we were lucky he would make an occasional appearance. One afternoon my son Matt was sitting in the garage when he was startled by Stewey, who came running in and leaped into his lap. From that point on he would only venture out for a little while and then come running back in. My husband has become very attached to his little buddy. Did you know that a squirrel in captivity can live up to 20 years? Looks like he's going to be around for a while.

2011-02-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin

2010-12-03T20:21:00.000-08:00

http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/

I've been following Gretchen Rubin since last year after reading her book, The Happiness Project. Since we're getting close to another new year, most of us are thinking ahead to our new year's resolutions. I personally have never really been one to make resolutions because like most of us, I usually fail to achieve them. Today I read Gretchen's post looking at this from another perspective. Instead of making new year's resolutions, think about a one word theme for the coming year. Think about what one word would encompass what you want or need to accomplish. I gave it some thought and to be honest, I have not been able to nail down one word, but I have narrowed it down to 3. My words are, GOALS, CHANGE AND THRIVE. I'm leaning towards change because goals and thriving can fall under the category of change. I like the idea of THRIVE, because as another reader stated in her comment, she wants to "thrive instead of survive." I like that idea a lot, because that's exactly how I feel, like I've just been surviving and not thriving and that needs to change. There's that word again....CHANGE.

Think about it, what would your word be?

Memories of A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

2010-12-03T18:23:00.000-08:00

Every year at Christmas time I can't help but remember a very sweet memory. It was seventeen years ago; we were broke and in the process of moving back to Jacksonville from Georgia. I was depressed about our situation and stressed beyond belief. We would be making the move on Christmas Eve, so I definitely had no plans of putting up a Christmas tree, let alone even doing Christmas. My kids were young, Sara 3 and Matt was 8 months, I figured it really wouldn't matter. I was frantically packing and cleaning while trying to look after the kids. Matthew, as always, was crying. He cried all the time, hour after hour, it never seemed to stop and I was frazzled to say the least. Amid all the craziness, Sara wanted to put up a Christmas tree. All I could think about was how I didn't have time for this, we're moving, we're not going to be here for Christmas and I didn't even know where any Christmas decorations were among all the boxes. The next thing I remember was Richard taking Sara out to the woods behind the house to look for a Christmas tree. I was standing at the kitchen sink and looked up in time to see Sara and dad coming around the back of the house dragging a pitiful little pine tree. She was beaming, she was so excited about her little Christmas tree. The first thing I thought about was that sad little tree in the classic Charlie Brown Christmas. It wasn't quite that bad, but it was close. So, we decorated our little tree with some odds and ends from around the house and made an aluminum foil star for the top. We didn't have any presents to put under it, but I had a memory that would last me a lifetime.

Well, life as we know it has it's ups and downs. It's a roller coaster ride full of twists and turns and occasionally we get thrown for a loop and things get turned upside down. This year has been one of those years for us and I'm just happy we're all in one piece and healthy. This year I lost a good friend and a sister to cancer. These huge losses have certainly put things in perspective and have caused me to think a lot about priorities. There have been broken bones, illnesses and financial struggles this year due to reduced hours at work and pay cuts due to the economy. We're in the same boat with many, many others across the country. So, this year may be another "Charlie Brown Christmas", not just for my family, but for many others as well. We'll get through it though, we always do. I will just pray that the coming year will bring much more joy than heartache for all of us.

Currently Reading

2010-10-25T07:37:00.001-07:00

Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

I was intrigued when I browsed through this book in the book store several months ago. Eric Weiner travels the world in search of the happiest places on earth. I read an excerpt from it online and decided I had to go back and get it. A witty combination of geography, psychology and philosophy. I am finding it to be a very interesting read so far, I'll keep you posted.

Ways to Celebrate National Book Month

2010-10-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ways to Celebrate National Book Month
Click on the link above

I just thought I'd share this. It's good that we take time to promote reading, but as far as I'm concerned, this is a year round event.

October

2010-10-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October. - Nathaniel Hawthorne

"I love October!" "What is your favorite thing about October?"

Those were the comments from a friend on Facebook recently. The temperatures have finally cooled and we have been experiencing the most beautiful weather of the year the last couple of weeks. October is probably the best month of the year in Florida as far as I am concerned. After a long hot summer, there is no sweeter relief than October's pleasant weather, especially the cool crisp nights. October means that I can open my windows and let the fresh air flow through the house. I spend more time sitting in my back yard reading, or just watching the squirrels and birds that visit the feeder in my yard. I look forward to the more frequent day trips to state parks and preserves where we can enjoy all that nature has to offer this time of year, walking trails, observing the wildlife, and enjoying a picnic. One of the best things about this time of year is the food. As soon as we have our first cool snap, it's time for homemade vegetable or chicken soup, chicken and dumplings, chili, beef stew and biscuits. Cooler weather means camping, and we always enjoy a camping trip in late October. It's so relaxing to disconnect from the world, no phones, no tv, just the sights and sounds of nature. I guess in response to my friends question, "What's your favorite thing about October?" I would have to say, "just about everything."

Big Talbot Island State Park

2010-09-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

The temperatures in North Florida are finally cooling off a bit signaling the arrival of fall. This is my favorite time of year because it means it's time to get back out and enjoy some of my favorite places around Jacksonville. When I'm in need of an escape, my favorite thing to do is hit the road and head to one of Florida's many state parks or nature preserves. Big Talbot Island is one of few undeveloped barrier islands along the Atlantic coastline, which makes it a great place for a nature enthusiast to enjoy wildlife viewing and beautiful scenery. Enjoy a picnic in a very shaded picnic area overlooking the ocean. After you eat, take a short walk through the forest along the trail down to the beach. You're likely to see plenty of osprey, pelicans and other sea birds, and if you're really lucky, you may even spot a bald eagle. You won't find people sunbathing or swimming along the beaches of Big Talbot. The only thing you'll see laying on the beaches here are the remains of live oak and cedar trees that used to grow along this barrier island. They have been white washed and weathered from years of exposure to the elements. The shoreline has suffered severe beach erosion in the past several years which has created bluffs, exposing clay like soil and extensive root systems. Take your time walking along the beach, but use caution as you may have to make your away over or around some of the trees, but that's half the fun. And on your way out of the park, look up, you may see a raccoon keeping a watchful eye to make sure you don't take any souvenirs with you when you go.

Victoria Gaines » Blog Archive » Quote Attic: When I’m Not Up to Par -

2010-05-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

Victoria Gaines » Blog Archive » Quote Attic: When I’m Not Up to Par

Words To Help in A Dry Spell

I can always count on Victoria Gaines to lift me up. She always has beautiful devotionals, wonderful stories, great quotes and more that inspire me. I have needed inspiration lately, I've been in a dry spell and I've missed writing on my blog, I just haven't been able to concentrate on any of my writing projects lately. My daughter Sara and her boyfriend were in a car accident recently and Sara suffered a broken ankle. I have been a little busier with trying to help her out. Since she has been unable to drive and go out to see her friends, there have been more frequent visitors here. A friend's daughter that is attending college here stayed for several days after moving out of her dorm for the summer. During and after the spring break we've had company off and on and I feel as if I've been running a hostel for young travelers. I have enjoyed it, but needless to say, it's been a little crazy around here. We did have our annual spring camping trip, but that's another story. Now, my family is faced with a major crisis as one of my sister's has just recently been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and is in the battle for her life. We are all coming together to help her and her family in every way we can, we are sending out requests for prayer for Carolyn as she faces this extremely difficult time in her life. We took a very spontaneous trip to my sister Dieonna's place in Orlando this weekend to spend some time together just having fun. Carolyn wanted to take a couple of days to enjoy herself before beginning treatment this week. We had a great time playing in the pool, playing the new dice game "Farkel", enjoying good food, a few good glasses of wine and a lot of good conversation. I could see that Carolyn was not looking forward to returning home Sunday, knowing what she had to face. We are all doing our best to be strong for her.

Meanwhile, I have been getting in my reading, it's my escape from all the craziness. I did finish two books, and am reading two more and absolutely enjoying both of them.

Books I Read:   Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart Thirty True Things You Need to Know Now by Gordon Livingston, M.D.

     Layers, by Sandi Patty, Uncovering and     Celebrating God's Original Idea of You

Books I am Reading:

God Never Blinks - 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours by Regina Brett
I picked this up and started reading it in the store, had to get it, I am loving it.



   The Journal Keeper, A Memoir by Phyllis Theroux
I wish I could write as beautifully in my own journal. This is a
wonderful book. I'm almost finished, will share more about
this one soon.

Spring Reading Thing 2010

2010-03-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

This is my first year participating in the Spring Reading Thing. I'm excited about it and I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone in the group is reading. I have a couple of books that I recently started; I'm really bad about starting a book and then something new comes out that grabs my attention and the other is set aside. So, now I have a stack of books I have yet to finish reading. So, first I'd like to concentrate on finishing two particular books and then on to something new.

Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart - Thirty True Things You Need To Know Now by Gordon Livingston, M.D.
Layers, by Sandy Patti
The Dead Guy Interviews, by Michael A. Stusser
The Journal Keeper, by Phyllis Theroux
The Art of Choosing, by Sheena Iyengar
The Last Time I Saw You, by Elizabeth Berg

With my schedule, I think I'll be doing good to get all of those in. But, if time allows, I'd also like to read another book by Gordon Livingston And Never Stop Dancing, Thirty More True Things You Need To Know

Others that I am very intrigued with that I'd like to get to as soon as I can are:

Making Toast, by Roger Rosenblatt
So Much For That, by Lionel Shriver
This Year I Will, by M.J. Ryan (Although by the time I get to it, I might be thinking about Next Year I Will)

There are just so many great books out there and just not enough hours in the day. In fact, I read a book once called, So Many Books, So Little Time, A Year of Passionate Reading, by Sara Nelson. I really enjoyed the book; her goal was 52 books in 52 weeks. She actually surpassed her goal and what I want to know is, what did her house look like at the end of that year. How do you accomplish that much reading and keep up with everything else?

Well, I'll have to stick with a more realistic goal and just do what I can do. I'm looking forward to many hours on the back porch with a good book. If you'd like to join in on the fun, you can find more details at Callapidder Days at http:www.callapidderdays.com.

**Note: The Last Time I Saw You, by Elizabeth Berg will be available on April 6, 2010
I'm looking forward to it as she is my favorite author.

Less Is More: Showing Kids That a Little Creativity and Imagination Go A Long Way

2010-03-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

I read an article tonight in Yes! Magazine titled, The Birthday Balloon, by Shannon Hayes, author of the book, Radical Homemakers. These are parents that have chosen to raise their children in an ecologically responsible way. The article discusses the fact that it is not necessary to give children a table full of presents to know that they are loved. One short phrase really stuck with me, referring to eco-parenting and what it means to her, ".....It's about discovering what I don't need."

"Do children need a pile of wrapped toys in order to know that their family and friends are delighted and honored that they share this lifetime with us? Somewhere in our consumer culture, we have confused material items with expressions of love."

I completely agree with her article. I am constantly dumbfounded when I see the hundreds of dollars parents put out to throw lavish birthday parties for their children. Each year it seems that they have to top the year before, and most children don't appreciate the hard work, money and effort their parents have spent to make them happy, they just want more. Besides, have you been to those birthday parties at The Chuckee Cheese or some other place like it where there's ten birthday parties going on and the noise level is enough to make you want to bang your head against a brick wall. I much preferred to grill hot dogs or burgers and just let the kids go crazy in the back yard.

My kids are grown now, but I have fond memories from their younger years when they would play for hours outside, with very few "toys". One reason was that we lived on a tight budget, but also, I think one of the best things you can teach your children is to use their imagination.. They built forts with boxes and old sheets, pulled leaves and small branches from the bushes in the back yard and made indian costumes. They collected twigs and built pretend campfires, dug a moat around the fort, which was their playhouse. We built that play house from scrap lumber from a construction project my husband had worked. We made it a family project, everyone did their part and I will treasure those memories of building house number 8530 & 1/2. The backyard was their domain, I could grow grass later, I wanted my kids to have the freedom to be kids and PLAY. We made homemade play dough in many different colors and covered the kitchen
table with it, pulled out all their little plastic animals and created a play dough zoo or some other animal refuge. A friend of my daughter's actually made a comment years later how much she enjoyed coming to our house and making play dough. Some people might find this little tidbit a bit gross, but the kids even made brown play dough poop once, leaving little "piles" around the house to see how dad would react when he got home. It was rather funny...once he realized it wasn't real. Oh, and Easter eggs, they were seldomly the typical pastel colored eggs. We usually had rainbow colored, retro and dinosaur eggs. I got in trouble once in my son's kindergarten class for letting the kids mix the colors; we were told, "We don't
mix the colors." Well, we do at my house!

Parents, the moral of the story here is, you don't have to try to keep up with the Jones. It isn't necessary to mortgage your house to buy all the latest toys and gadgets for your kids. You'll save your budget and your sanity by encouraging the kids use their imagination and a litte ingenuity. Think about this, with all that money you saved, you can take a great vacation!

Stop Saying “Impossible” and Start Saying “I’m Possible!”

2010-03-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Stop Saying “Impossible” and Start Saying “I’m Possible!”
Do you remember the song High Hopes sung by Frank Sinatra? Okay, maybe some of you don't, if you're not a member of the baby boom generation.

Just what makes that little ant
think he'll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can't
move a rubber tree plant.

But he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes......

That is of course the song that came to mind when I read the above post in Simple Truths today. This is a great little story that inspired me today and I wanted to pass it on.
Just click on the link above.

*Words to High Hopes by Sammy Cohn and Jimmy Van Heusen

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

2010-03-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

The Stephen Foster Culture Center State Park, situated on the Suwannee River was built in honor of composer Stephen Foster. He is of course the author of the famous folk song, "Old Folks At Home", which is also the state song of Florida. The park includes the Stephen Foster Carillon Tower Museum, where you can view beautiful dioramas of Foster's songs, antique pianos and other instruments he used for writing and composing his music. The carillon tower houses the largest tubular bell instrument ever constructed, from which you will hear Foster's most famous tunes played in concerts throughout the day.

We enjoyed visiting the different craft shops in Craft Square, watching as pottery, beaded jewelry and quilts were being made. There was also the blacksmith's shop and an aroma therapist selling her home made candles and and scented oils. They all smelled so delicious and there were so many to choose from, floral scents, citrus, vanilla, cinnamon, sandalwood, and more. There was an older gentleman selling canes he had carved from tree branches, they were beautiful. My favorite craft shop was the pottery shop, I love pottery. We spent quite a while talking with the owner as she created a quirky sculpture of a rooster, which as it turns out, I am a collector of quirky roosters. She invited us to come back some
time for a class and I would love to take her up on the offer, but it's a long way to drive for a pottery class. There is of course the gift shop which sells the work of these local artists in addition to t-shirts, hats, pictures, candies and preserves and many other items, and of course plenty of Stephen Foster memorabilia.

This is a great place to picnic; there are picnic areas throughout the park. These are some of the nicest we have seen in any of the parks we have visited. After lunch, we of course had to take a hike down one of several trails in the park and eventually made our way around to the river. One of the things you will notice about the Suwannee River is the really dark water; you may think it is polluted, but it is actually what is known as a black water river. The dark water is caused by organic acids which stain the water, thereby making it appear black.

This is a very popular area for those who enjoy canoeing and kayaking. There is a lot of beautiful scenery and plenty of wildlife to enjoy while you paddle along the river. There is plenty to do and see at the Stephen Foster Culture Center. There are festivals, craft fairs, concerts and other events here throughout the year. You can see a schedule of events by going to the Florida State Parks website at www.floridastateparks.org/stephenfoster.

Heal Foundation - Heal Walk at Jacksonville Zoo

2010-03-12T19:02:00.001-08:00

Help Raise Funds for a very worthy cause and help my buddy Jayson!

Heal Foundation Inc - online fundraising made easy for any nonprofit organization - Jill Carter's Fu

www.firstgiving.com

As many of you know, the HEAL Foundation is very near and dear to my heart. They are the only organization that I have found that actualy helps enrich the lives of children with autism in our community ...

If you're in Jax, follow the link and come out to support a great cause. Sunday, April 25, 2010

Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens

2010-03-11T08:37:00.001-08:00

This is one of the most recent nature preserves opened in Jacksonville and it's a real gem. It has become one of my favorite places to walk. You can enjoy walking one of the nature trails and view plenty of wildlife. There is the Ravine Trail which loops around a large ravine and intersects with the Jones Creek Trail (my favorite), which runs along a creek that winds its way through the woods. You can stop along the way and sit on one of the benches placed near the creek and enjoy the view and listen to the sounds of the flowing stream. You can take the Lake Loop around Lake Ray, named for Councilman (now Representative) Lake Ray, who pushed for funding for the preserve. If you enjoy bird watching, there is plenty to see. During several different visits, I've spotted a great blue heron, egrets, cormorants, ducks, an anhinga, and a barred owl. There are of course many other varieties of birds such as robins, wrens, chickadees, grackles, blue jays and cardinals. If you get there early enough you could have a close encounter with opossums or maybe a raccoon; I don't know who was more startled one morning as I came upon a raccoon who quickly darted across the creek and off into the woods. There is also the Live Oak Trail, appropriately named for all the large, stately live oak trees draped in spanish moss. With spring approaching, the red buds are blooming, wild azaleas, beauty berries, atamaso lily and other types of flora will soon provide for beautiful color throughout the arboretum.

The Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens can only get better as the city and volunteers continue to work towards making this a first class nature preserve, recreational and educational facility. There are plans for a butterfly and hummingbird garden, a picnic area, visitor center, amphitheater and more. You can visit their website for events and activities and check out their
master plan at www.jacksonvillearboretum.org.

10 Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein - by Dumb Little Man

2010-03-09T09:11:00.001-08:00

10 Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein - by Dumb Little Man

Posted using ShareThis
I love this site and thought I'd share this article.

Speaking of Winter

2010-03-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

After finishing my last post, I found this on my facebook. So, all of my thin blooded Florida friends, let's be happy we don't have this to deal with.

Battling Winter Blues

2010-03-07T20:13:00.001-08:00

The winter of 2010 was a very hard winter for Floridians, especially in North Florida and the panhandle area. We've had weeks of frigid temperatures, seemingly endless periods of cold, wet, gray days that have left many of us with a case of winter time blues. I myself had to fight that "funk" frequently over the past few months. For some people, it's more than just a case of the winter time blues or cabin fever; they have a more serious condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. People suffering from this disorder often fall into a deep depression during the winter months. They may even need to seek medical attention to find a way to deal with their situation. For most of us though, we muddle through and there are things we can do to keep those winter blues at bay. It may be a bit late but here are some of the things I do to try to make those gray days more bearable, I'm sure we're not quite finished with winter just yet.

Open up the blinds or curtains and let in as much natural light as possible.
Keep candles burning with pleasant scents, my favorites are apple cinnamon or vanilla
If you have a fireplace, use it, light a fire, there's nothing like sitting around a warm fire
Winter is a good time to enjoy fresh homemade soups
Make hot chocolate and curl up under a warm blanket with a good book
Get together with friends, get out of the house
Put on some Jimmy Buffet and dream about being in the Florida Keys where it's always warm.
Winter is a good time to catch up on indoor projects, cleaning out closets and drawers are biggies for me; use those dreary days to accomplish something inside so when the weather is nice, you can enjoy doing those outdoor activities.

Try to keep in mind, we live in Florida, our winters are shorter and we'll be enjoying spring weather very soon; we haven't had it half as bad as those who live up north trying to dig their way out of several feet of snow.

Hang in there friends, spring is coming and before you know it, summer will be here and we'll all be complaining about the heat and wishing for cooler weather.

So Many Books to Choose From

2010-03-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

I'm really beginning to think I may need an intervention. I need to join Bookaholics Anonymous; I've developed a serious addiction and I fear I am losing control. It's not as if I don't have enough books sitting around my house that I have yet to read. I can't help myself, I love to read. One of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice is to sit out on my back porch with a good glass of iced tea and a good book. And that time of year is right around the corner. And there's the matter of that annual spring camping trip coming up in a few weeks. I'm going to need a good book to read while I'm basking in the sun by the springs. Some people are out shopping for their spring wardrobe, I'm out shopping for spring reading. I was just browsing the latest Book Page Magazine and there are several that sounded very intriguing to me. I narrowed it down to four that I feel like I just have to read.

The Journal Keeper, by Phyllis Theroux
Making Toast, by Roger Rosenblatt
So Much For That, by Lional Shriver
The Art of Choosing, by Sheena Iyengar

Of course The Great Jacksonville Book Sale is this weekend and I'll be there when the doors open.
Is there a 12 step program for me?

Thoughts on Reading

2010-03-02T19:09:00.001-08:00

I was at a bit of a loss tonight as to what today's post would be. I'm currently reading a good book on which I will be sharing my thoughts at a later date. I read a few interesting articles last night which gave me an idea or two. But, nothing really inspired me today. So, I was chatting with a friend on facebook and eventually as it often does, the topic of books came up. I of course had seen another book I want to read, my list grows ever longer. Then I remembered that this week is the 2010 NEA Read Across America. So, I hope everyone has found something good to read and for those with young children, please spend time every night reading with them.

I was browsing through a book of quotes and found some quotes on reading that I'd thought I'd share.

"If we encountered a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he read."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"There is hardly any grief that an hour's reading will not dissipate." L. de Montesquieu

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body" - Richard Steele

"You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be -
I had a mother who read to me. - Strickland Gillilan

"When we read we may not only be kings and live in palaces, but, what is far better,
we may transport ourselves to the mountains or the seashore, and visit the most beautiful parts of the earth, without fatigue, inconvenience, or expense. " -John Lubbock

"To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting" - Edmund Burke

"He that loves reading has everything within his reach." -William Godwin

Quotes found in Phillips' Book of Great Thoughts, Funny Sayings, Bob Philips 1993
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." -Dr. Seuss

The first books I ever learned to read were by Dr. Seuss. When I was a little girl, I lived right across the street from the public library. Every summer I would participate in the summer reading contest. The winner got their picture in the local newspaper.. One summer I won; I remember getting a free book and a big bag of tootsie pops! I still love tootsie pops, and I got my picture in the paper; I still have that paper today. Some days I would spend hours sitting at a table, or on the floor by the bookshelves reading. I remember when I wanted to check out a book about Hiroshima, the librarian thought it might be just a little advanced for me and encouraged me to make another choice, but no, I wanted that book and I read it all the way through. I've always had a love for books, my favorite subject in high school was English Literature and Composition. Maybe it was the teachers I had, who were so passionate about what they taught. We read some great books, Camelot, Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Flowers for Algernon, Pride and Prejudice and more, I still have some of those books. By the way, The Great Gatsby is when I discovered Robert Redford! When I go to a book store, I can be there for hours. I have to browse through books in nearly every genre and I have to have great self control, because I always spend more than I set out to. It's a joke in my house that if you're invited to go to the bookstore with mom you had better pack a lunch, you may be there all day.

Twelve Good Things About Winter

2010-03-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

We have had an unusually cold, wet, dreary winter here in North Florida this year, in fact the entire state has seen some very cold, occasionally record breaking temperatures this year. We are normally blessed with relatively mild winters here in Florida, so when we do have an actual cold winter, we don't like it. That couple of weeks of arctic chill we had in January were brutal and I'll add that the electric bill to follow was also brutal, OUCH! We've all done our share of complaining about the weather these last couple of months, myself included. But as I sat on couch last night, wrapped in a quilt with my dog Ziggy cuddled up next to me while I read a good book, I thought to myself, this is nice, I like this. I started thinking, there are some things I like about the cold weather.

Snuggling under a blanket reading a good book with your dog (or cat for some people) snuggled up next to you
Hot Chocolate!
Toasted Doughnuts
No mosquitos, and a lot less of the other bugs too
A big pot of homemade soup, my personal favorites, Chicken Noodle or Vegetable Beef with a grilled cheese sandwich.
Being able to enjoy sitting around a fire in the outdoor fire pit while sipping hot chocolate or whatever your choice of cocktail
Being able to pull my sweaters out of storage, I love my sweaters
Hanging around the house in my big baggy sweatshirt and flannel pants
It's nice to get in my car and it not feel like it's 200 degrees
I like the fact that it's not 98 degrees outside
NOT SWEATING - And at my current stage of life, that's rare.
When spring does arrive, we're really going to appreciate the beautiful weather even more.

So fix yourself a cup of hot chocolate, wrap up in your favorite quilt, grab a good book and your favorite furry friend and hang in there for a little while longer. We'll all be complaining about the heat soon enough.

Note:
If you're a northerner reading this I know what you're thinking, we should stop whining about the cold, we don't have it nearly as bad as our friends up north. I completely agree, I watch the weather reports, see the pictures and I am very thankful to be a Floridian. I can't imagine battling the elements the folks up north have had to contend with this year.

Tomoka State Park and Bulow Creek State Park

2010-02-27T17:13:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Richard and I took advantage of the beautiful weather we had last Sunday to take another day trip. We ended up at Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach. This is a beautiful park located along the Tomoka River and the Halifax River and join with the Intracoastal Waterway at the north end of the park. You can enjoy picnicking, camping, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and if you're a birder, there are many species of birds to watch. Richard and I enjoyed a picnic in a secluded little picnic area overlooking the Tomoka River near the boat ramp. After lunch, we walked along the shore and watched as the mullet continuously sprang from the water. We spoke with an older gentleman while he fished, not much luck this day, but he said there was usually very good fishing along this river. We took some time to check out the camping areas of which there are plenty. They were nice, but a little too small and close together for our taste. We generally like a large area with room to spread out. If you're in need of fishing tackle, snacks, drinks, firewood, toiletries or other supplies, there is the Tomoka Outpost which is located at the boat ramp. This was definitely worth the short drive down, a really nice place to spend an afternoon. At the recommendation of the young man at the outpost, on the way back we drove a few miles down the scenic Old Dixie Highway to stop off at Bulow Creek State Park. This is a great little park to enjoy a picnic and see some of the oldest standing live oak trees around. The main attraction at the park is The Fairchild Oak, named in honor of American Botanist David Fairchild. This is a beautiful, majestic live oak tree that has branches that were so large, they grew into the ground and back out again. Also on the grounds are the remains of a historic coquina building built in 1915 that was to be the land sales office for the purpose of building a residential community at this location. Fortunately for all of us, this did not happen. There are also 2 walking trails, which I'd love to go back to take advantage of some time. One is the 6.8 mile Bulow Wood Trail which takes you to the Bulow Plantation Ruins State Park; the other is a short loop around a groundwater spring that seeps from a coquina rock bluff.

My Happiness Project

2010-02-25T20:22:00.001-08:00

While reading the book The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin, I gave a lot of thought to what I would do this year to make myself, my family and my friends happier. I have to agree with one of her 12 commandments, act the way I want to feel; this is definitely one rule that I am trying very hard to adhere to. I want to be happy, so why not act happy. I try to steer clear of people who are constant downers, why would I want to be that way myself; it makes for a very lonely existence.

I have to admit, I really need to do what ought to be done and tackle that nagging project. I admit, I've been procrastinating on that one. It's a major project that I have been putting off for a long time. Let's just say if someone were to open my bedroom closet, I would be very embarrassed. It will require that I buy a few needful things, for the purpose of organization, but it will be worth it once I am finished. It will go towards that theory of outer order makes for inner peace. A small investment in this case will buy a little happiness, my husband will be VERY happy once this "nagging task" has been completed.

I am back in the habit of doing one or two extra chores a day, so that I can have more free time on the weekend to do the things I want to do, like spend time with friends or family, take a day trip, or spend time reading a good book. Like Gretchen, I can get completely absorbed in a book and neglect everyone and everything around me. I have a few craft projects I plan to work on, I'm not exactly an artist, but I dabble and it's a way to stretch myself a little, I find that doing something creative can really lift your mood. I am also spending more time doing working on one of my favorite activities, just what I am doing right now, blogging. This has been a fun hobby for me that has challenged me to learn something new, and it has been worth the effort.

Do Good, Feel Good, there are other takes on this, all mean pretty much the same thing -
Live by the golden rule; do unto others what you would have done to you.
What goes around, comes around.
The good you do comes back to you.
Give and it shall be given unto you.
No matter how you put it, when you do good deeds, bless others, it always comes back around, and often just in the nick of time.

We all definitely need to make time to play; you're never too old for a little fun. In today's world, we all really do need to lighten up. Have some fun, laugh, relax, it's good for you; ask any doctor, too much stress is detrimental to your health, so take a little time each day to laugh and play.
If there is one statement in The Happiness Project that couldn't be more true, "The days are long, but the years are short." I think I'm going to paint that on a plaque and hang it over my desk.

Daybreak at Salt Springs

2010-02-24T19:08:00.000-08:00

While on a camping trip with my family, I woke up early one morning while most of the other campers were still sleeping. I was awakened by the sounds of pileated woodpeckers hammering away high in the pine trees surrounding our campsite. Nature's alarm clock was sounding, telling us it was time to greet the day. I decided to take a walk down to the springs while it was still quiet. As I walked the path down to the springs, I noticed a couple of deer and a fawn, still with its spots, standing at the edge of the woods. I stood motionless for a moment and watched them until they spotted me and darted off into the woods. As I continued my walk, I was caught by surprise by several wild turkeys gobbling loudly as they crossed the path in front of me. The site of them made me chuckle. Looking out over the springs and toward the lake, there was a thin layer of fog lying over the water like a blanket. The sun was coming up and looked as if it were just perched on the water, slowly rising to start a new day. The otters came out to play; I watched in utter delight as they frolicked in the cool water as if they hadn't a care in the world. Suddenly the springs were bustling with activity; there were coots, ducks, and cormorants gliding across the water occasionally dunking their heads below for a bite to eat. Several egrets and a great blue heron took flight and landed on the banks of the water in search of their morning meal. I watched as the fish performed a ballet, springing from the water as if elated at the site of this beautiful morning. As I witnessed this miracle of nature, I thought to myself, it just doesn't get any better than this. There is no better way to start a day, and I was grateful to have been able to see it.

Life With Ziggy

2010-02-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

You think Marley was bad, you haven't met Ziggy!

"Ziggy, that's not a rug you're sitting on!" Sweet Lula, she's so tolerant.

Time for a little R&R

"Night Night!"

Ziggy was an unexpected addition to our family a year ago. He's quite the handful, but he has brought me so much joy and laughter. Every morning I wake up to this adorable face, how sweet is that. Our dog Lula welcomed her new playmate, although at times, he really wears her out. She is so tolerant of his antics, as you can see above.

Book Review

2010-02-23T18:09:00.001-08:00

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Gretchen Rubin has come to the realization that she is not focusing on the things in life that really matter. While riding the city bus one day she looks out the window to see a woman about her age trying to balance an umbrella and look at her cell phone, while pushing a stroller and carrying a child. The sight of it gave her a jolt. She saw herself, riding the same crosstown bus everyday, back and forth; "This is my life-but I never give any thought to it." She realized she was suffering from a mid-life malaise; although she lived a very fortunate life, something was still missing. As she states early in the book, she had everything she could possibly want, but failed to appreciate it. Like most of us, she was caught up in the day to day routine of life. We just go through each day and fail to realize the things that really matter in life. The more she thought about this, she realized she needed a better perspective; she needed to be more grateful for just an ordinary day. That's when she decided she would start a happiness project.

Rubin creates a list of twelve resolutions to focus on each month known as her Twelve Commandments, she lists what she believes to be some of the secrets of adulthood, and along the way discovers what she calls Four Splendid Truths. She reads countless books on the subject of happiness from the likes of the Dalai Lama, Martin Seligman, Aristotle, Elizabeth Gilbert, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Johnson and many others. She studies a great deal of scientific research, tries meditation, begins a strength training exercise program, studies various spiritual leaders and their philosophies, tries journaling and many other ideas in the pursuit of a happier life.

It is obvious Rubin is very passionate about this project. At times maybe a bit too analytical, however, I found the book to be very enlightening and I really did enjoy it. While reading The Happiness Project, I was inspired by much of the wisdom she shared from various books she read on the subject; I have added several of the books to my personal book list. I think anything book that promotes the pursuit of a happier, more fulfilled life is worth reading.

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Missing Book

2010-01-26T19:33:00.000-08:00

I am a bit freakish about my books. This morning I went looking for a certain book, only to discover it was not on my bookshelf. I searched all over the house and could not find it. So, my concern is that I might have inadvertently given it away during a recent cleaning out and de-cluttering. We hauled off several boxes and bags of clothes, books, nick knacks etc. I read the book once already, but I want to read it again because the subject matter is something of which I have first hand knowledge and would like to write about here on my blog. This will drive me crazy, wondering what has happened to it; I'm very protective of my books. I will admit, some may think it's crazy, but I'm very selfish with my books. Most of the time if I read a book that I think a friend will like, I will likely go out and buy them their own copy, rather than give away mine. I have quite a few books that I would like to reread because at the time I was reading it there may have been a lot of distractions and I wasn't able to fully absorb the material. I'll go back at a later date to read it again to really absorb the book. So the search is on, it has to be here somewhere.

The Most Depressing Day of the Year?

2010-01-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

The Most Depressing Day of the Year?

Here is a link to one of my favorite blogs, Simple Truths, by Mac Anderson who is a wonderful motivational speaker. Like he says in this post, I too need constant reinforcement to stay positive. I'm sure many of us these days in the midst of some difficult times in our country feel the same way. You can subscribe to Simple Truths and receive regular newsletters and short inspirational movies to lift your spirits, give encouragement and advice to help succeed in life and business.
Enjoy!

Castaway Island Preserve, Jacksonville, FL

2010-01-24T12:52:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about living in Jacksonville is that there are so many great parks and recreation areas to get away without driving very far. Castaway Island Preserve is a beautiful nature preserve tucked away in the middle of neighborhoods off San Pablo Road, along the intracoastal waterway. This is a great place to take the kids for a nature walk or school field trips. There is an education center just across from the picnic area. The Island Trail is lined with animal tracks that you can identify to see which animal lives in this type of habitat. At the end of the trail of footprints is an information board that will tell you what kind of animal prints you have been following along with more detailed information about that particular animal. There are a few observation decks along the way that give a beautiful view of the marshlands, and benches to sit and rest or enjoy the view. This is a great place for birders to see many species of birds, such as hawks, osprey, egrets, storks, bald eagles, and many more. You can spend the day canoeing or kayaking along the intracoastal and get a close up view of the wildlife. After you've enjoyed the nature trails, enjoy a picnic at the shaded picnic tables. A note about this, there are no garbage cans at this park and that is noted at the entrance. They do provide you with trash bags through a dispenser, but it wouldn't hurt to bring one from home, just in case. Please, whatever you do, don't leave your trash. This park is definitely a gem, and we want to keep it that way.

NOTE: Castaway Island Preserve is part of the Preservation Project Jacksonville; a massive land conservation program instituted by former Mayor John Delaney in 1999. As a result of this program, Jacksonville now has the largest urban park system in the country.

The Happiness Project

2010-01-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

During a recent book search on the Books-A-Million website I stumbled across an ad for a book called "The Happiness Project". The book is written by Gretchen Rubin, who after having an epiphany while riding a city bus with her young daughter, realizes how something that she dreads every day, means the world to her daughter. Thus begins her 1 year long happiness project, which she wrote about on her blog. After reading about the book, I suddenly began to hear about it everywhere, including The Today Show. You can see the video clip of that on her website. The book has inspired a "happiness movement" to make 2010 a happier year. So, after hearing and reading so much about it, and, sense I am at a crossroads in my life feeling somewhat stressed out and dissatisfied with the way things have been going in my life, I decided I have to read this book. So, I ordered it a few days ago and am eagerly awaiting its arrival, which should be Monday. So, I know what I'll be doing Monday evening. I have a good feeling about this book and have already gone to the happiness project website and signed on to be a part of this movement to make 2010 a happier year. Regardless of any book, you can't go wrong being a part of a movement that is designed to help people find some happiness. You can check out her website at www.happiness-project.com. So, stay tuned........I can't help but think of the song from the popular 70's tv show, The Partridge Family, "Come On Get Happy"!

My calendar, myself | Jacksonville.com

2010-01-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

My calendar, myself | Jacksonville.com

Above is a link to a column by Laura Capitano, Lifestyle columnist for the Florida Times Union. I got such a giggle out of this recent column. It reminded me so much of myself. Just a week before, a friend at work was showing me how to set up my "digital calender", telling me I needed to open it first thing every morning, and all day long it would chime and give me pop up reminders of what I needed to do or where to go. The problem is, I rarely think to open it. Well, recently, while trying to organize my desk, I actually took the time to open up my calendar and update it. I thought of Laura Capitano's recent column and laughed. She was right, it just wasn't the same. My large desk calender was not only a reminder of important dates and appointments, it served many purposes. It was my note pad, where I would jot down reminders, phone numbers and grocery lists. It's my personal "sketch book", where I doodle when I'm on long phone conversations; it's a large coaster for my giant mug of tea that I'm almost never without and a placemat for lunch. My calendar was like a diary in a way, a reminder of how I spent my days and yes, sometimes, like Laura, a reminder of what I ate and drank. I miss my big desk calendar and I've decided there are some technological advances I can live without. So goodbye digital calendar, tomorrow you will be replaced with the old fashioned desk calendar.

Animoto.com

2010-01-09T18:05:00.001-08:00

I tried Animoto and they put together this video. Day trips with the kids and I love the song, Time for Time.

Keeping Warm

2010-01-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

We're having a long spell of very cold weather here in North Florida. Ziggy and Lula snuggle up in my bed to keep warm! Too bad I had to go to work and couldn't crawl back under the covers myself. Ziggy had been sleeping under the blankets at my feet and is usually an early riser, but lately when the alarm goes off, he just moans and snuggles up a little closer, which makes it even harder to get out of bed on a cold morning.

Review: The Power of Respect, by Deborah Norville

2009-11-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

Deborah Norville's previous book, Thank You Power, reminded us of the importance and benefits of saying thank you and being grateful. In this next book, The Power of Respect, she reminds us of another one of the most important virtues, in business, in education, and in our personal life. Through personal stories and the stories of other very successful leaders in corporate America, we are reminded how important respect is in order to succeed.

Schools around the country that were having serious issues with bullying and apathetic attitudes from students have instituted behavioral intervention programs teaching the value of respect. These programs have resulted in a dramatic decrease in bullying, better attitudes toward learning and is changing student's lives for the better. These students are not only learning the importance of respect for their teachers, but for their peers and themselves. Successful CEOs from Zappos, Macy's, Glaxo, Time Inc., and others share with us how respect plays a major roll in the success of their companies. When employees are treated with respect, they are happier and more productive. When customers are treated with respect, they will return again.

There are also tips and strategies given to help develop more self respect for ourselves and our children. Through making positive changes in our lives, such as having a positive attitude, becoming more active, eating better, surrounding ourselves with the right people and other suggestions, we can develop more self respect and become more successful.

This book was an easy, engaging and enlightening read that I will recommend to others.

Review: Home Safe, By Elizabeth Berg

2009-11-16T18:52:00.000-08:00

Home Safe: A Novel by Elizabeth Berg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Helen Ames's doesn't know what to do with herself after the sudden death of her husband Dan. She finds herself unable to write and becomes more and more dependent on her 27 year old daughter, Tessa. Then one day she receives a call that will completely change her world. She and her husband had always saved money for their retirement, but she is shocked to find out that he made a very large withdrawal before his death. Now she must find a way to support herself and she takes a job doing something she had never really wanted to do, as a writing teacher. Much to her surprise, it will turn out to be more rewarding than she possibly could have imagined.
She will teach a class of unlikely characters, who will not only learn something about writing a good novel; they will teach her some very important lessons in return. I really enjoyed this book as I have all of Elizabeth Berg's books. If you're a true book lover, you'll appreciate how she summed it up on page 229 when Helen Ames speaks to a group of students at a book reading. Here are a few quotes:

"...while the author may describe in some detail how a character looks, it is the reader's imagination that completes the image, making it his or her own.....She talked, too, about how books educate and inpire, and how they soothe souls-"like comfort food without calories", she said.
....She talked about how people complain that they don't have time to read...."Books don't take time away from us," she said. "They give it back."

I completely agree with that statement; time reading a good book is time well spent.

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Enjoy one of my favorite John Denver songs...

2009-11-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

My Space

2009-11-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

I have spent this evening setting up my work space at home, reclaiming a room that used to be what I considered my room before the kids took over. I read a few articles about how to decorate and organize a room or an area of your home to work in. I finally decided that I'll just do what works for me. One thing I can't stand is a closed in room with no window, no natural light. My computer desk is in the front living room of the house where there is a large picture window, so the room is very bright, I like that. There is a love seat in front of the window where the dogs hang out and keep watch and I like that too. I have stewey, our squirrel in here also. I love having my pets around; when I need a break I can stop and watch Stewey do his acrobatics in his cage and my dog Ziggy is a constant source of laughter. I have plants in here, because I love plants and believe they bring life to a home. There is no phone or tv in the room, I don't want or need those distractions. I have my book shelves packed with books I have read, and those I intend to read. I have at my fingertips a few of the necessary reference books, a couple of dictionaries, thesaurus, and English handbooks. I have books of quotes and devotionals that inspire me. I have my trusty electric pencil sharpener and desk lamp that once sat on my mother-in-laws desk. In fact, now that I think about it, this desk I am sitting at came from my in-laws, along with the large maple magazine holder that I plan to use to help organize my space. There are pictures of my family, and mementos from my husband and kids. There are the rocks my husband painted as a child that reflected his budding talent as an artist. There are the shells that my daughter, Sara painted recently that show she too is a very talented artist like her father. I have the granite rock that my son Matthew got off a mountain in North Carolina. Since I couldn't go, I had asked him to bring me back a piece of the mountain, he did. There is the perfectly in tact starfish the kids found on the beach after a tropical storm had passed. There are a few silly items such as the very large eraser I found at a dollar store that says, "For BIG Mistakes". The pencils from the bahamas with "bobble fish" on the erasers that a friend picked up for me on her vacation. My silly rooster on the bookshelf, I am a rooster collector. I have a fuzzy pink ribbon pen that lights up when you write, which is fun, but also reminds me of a friend that died about a year and a half ago from breast cancer. All I have to do is look around and be inspired. I do still have some work to do in here, there is some clutter in the room that has to go, I really want to paint and hopefully will be able to do that soon. But, little by little, it's coming together. It won't be long before this will be my version of "my space".

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

2009-11-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy hiking and want close up encounters with real wildlife, then Paynes Prairie is just the place. This was our first visit here. We wanted to check the place out as a possible spot for a future camping trip. We went to the visitor center for a little information about the trails, and to get a view of the prairie from the observation tower. It is a spectacular view. After that, we went to a picnic area and grilled some burgers while enjoying the sight of two bald eagles circling just over the tree tops, occasionally landing long enough to admire them and get a quick photo. There were of course many other feathered friends around, hawks, woodpeckers, sparrows, wrens, cardinals and many others.

There are several trails to choose from, paved and unpaved to the more challenging Cones Dike Trail. We chose to walk the Cones Dike Trail along the prairie. We were informed and warned, there was no place to stop and sit, no water, and we may come across wild animals, so be careful. Well, that's exactly what we were hoping for and just what we got. We took about a 6 mile hike along the prairie and had close up encounters with at least a dozen baby gators sunning themselves and several sandhill cranes out for an afternoon stroll. Matt spotted a bobcat peeking out from the brush, who quickly made his exit. We came upon some wild horses, one of which was a young colt. They were grazing just off the path, and eventually came out and crossed in front of us. They didn't seem to mind us being there at all, so long as we kept our distance. At one point, the colt started trotting towards us and the other horses were very quick to surround him and protect him from curious strangers. We had hoped to see bison which have been spotted on the prairie, but unfortunately, there were none to be found today. As we walked the last bit of the trail back up toward the visitor center, through a wooded area, we spotted several deer. It's such a thrill to see them in their natural habitat. They were absolutely beautiful; I only wish they hadn't been moving so quickly so we could have gotten a picture. Driving home, there was an almost full moon. It was a beautiful sight, seeing the moon light up the sky over the prairie. What a perfect end to a perfect day.

Review: What Difference Do It Make? : Stories of Hope and Healing by Ron Hall, Denver Moore & Lynn Vincent

2009-10-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Ron Hall and Denver Moore, authors of "Same Kind of Different As Me", share more of their stories about their quest to end homelessness. Ron also shares his struggle of how he came to grips with the death of his wife Debbie, who was responsible for bringing him and Denver together and was the inspiration for these books. He writes very honestly about his strained relationship with his alcoholic father and how they eventually made their peace.

Denver Moore, an uneducated homeless man who came from very humble beginnings as a boy working the plantations of Louisiana to a New York Times best selling author. Although he is unable to read or write, he is an incredibly wise man who tells it like it is. Denver's stories of life on the streets are honest and sometimes heart wrenching. You will never look at a homeless person the same way again. Most of us are guilty of believing that all homeless people are just a bunch of useless drunks and alcoholics who have no one to blame but themselves for their circumstances. This book will change your way of thinking about the homeless. You will come to find that many of them suffer from various physical and mental conditions that have caused their lives to spiral out of control and eventually found themselves living on the streets. It can happen to people from all walks of life, blue collar and white collar alike.

You will see how a book slowly catches on with thousands of people around the country and begins a movement to end the problem of homelessness across the country. From a woman with cystic fibrosis who builds blessing boxes for children to save money to donate to a book being picked up in a library in New York and begins a series of events that will save a marriage on the other side of the country in Washington State. There are a lot of other inspiring stories that will make you laugh or move you to tears. My favorite being the story about Denver's visit to The White House and meeting President and Mrs. Laura Bush and Barbara Bush.

"And now here I was, an ol' cropper with a prison record, shakin hands with the most powerfulest man on earth. Ain't nothin that can do somethin like that but love......while the president still had ahold a' my hand, God reminded me of that scripture where He says, "Through Me, All things are possible."

This is a wonderful book that will inspire you and cause you to think twice about judging others.
It is a lesson to everyone about being more accepting of others and stepping outside of your comfort zone to help those in need. My hope is that it will inspire many more of us to become part of this movement to end the plight of the homeless in America.

The Great Jacksonville Book Sale

2009-10-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

It's coming soon and I can't wait. I'm a book nut and I look forward to this event every year. It's The Great Jacksonville Book Sale, usually only once a year, now it's twice. If you're a true book lover like me, grab a little cash and a large tote bag and spend a few hours, or for some it could be all day browsing through the thousands of books to choose from. Prices range from .50 to $2.00! You can't beat that. It's a chance to expand your personal library.

Here's my game plan for the day:

1. Make a list of books I am looking for.

2. Get up early and have a cup of tea and a good breakfast - it will be a long morning of book searching and I will need to energy.

3. Take cash and a large tote bag for all those books.

4. Arrive at book sale a little early so I'm there when the doors open, "the early bird gets the worm", or in this case, the books.

5. First I look for the specific books on my list and hopefully will have good luck with that, one year I ended up with an autographed copy of a book by Claire Cook, you may remember Must Love Dogs

6. After I have finished with my list, now it's time to just browse amongst the thousands of other books to choose from.

7. Stand in line and be patient. Pay for my books, grab a cold soft drink and go sit outside and start thumbing through the pages of one of probably a bag full of good books.

8. Go home, grab a big glass of iced tea, put my feet up and READ! I deserve this after a long exhausting day book shopping.

Good News

2009-10-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

It can be so depressing to read the newspaper or turn on the news these days. It seems so much more attention is given to bad news than good. So much of the time I just skim the paper and completely avoid reading the bad news and search out the positive and uplifting stories. One of my favorite local columnists in the Florida Times Union is Mark Woods. I look forward to his column every week. His column this past Sunday was so heartwarming, while reading it I got a little teary eyed. The title of the column is "Ducks lucky, loved" It's a story with a tragic beginning, but a happy ending with a rather eclectic family of ducks. A man was out walking his dog when a speeding car hit a couple of ducks crossing the street and didn't stop. This gentleman, with his wife and a local vet, didn't have to get involved, but they did. This badly maimed duck survived after much TLC and several surgeries. After spending some time at the vet being nursed back to health, then living at the home of the couple who saved her, with her own little pool to swim in, she was eventually taken to her home at what is known in that neighborhood as Duck Pond. She now shares the pond with several other ducks, three of whom are named, Nelson Mandela, who spent months in a cage and is now free, Harriet Nelson from Ozzie and Harriet and Lucky who had also been previously injured and rescued by a woman and her children. I love stories like this, it may seem pretty sappy to some, but it makes you feel good to hear stories about people that care enough about God's creatures to get involved. These are my kind of people and we need more stories like this.

Stewey

2009-10-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we decided it was time to release Stewey. We have had such a great time caring for him and watching him grow. We took him out into the back yard, set him at the base of one of the magnolia trees and stepped back to see what he would do. He immediately turned right around and jumped on my leg and climbed up to my shoulder. We giggled about this, knowing this must be a little overwhelming for him. We set him back down and he started climbing up the tree. He climbed up about 15 feet and attempted to jump to another branch and nearly fell. It took my breath away for a second and I'm pretty sure Stewey was spooked too. He scurried around the tree, climbed a little higher and continued to explore his new surroundings. Other squirrels were higher in the top of the tree gathering seeds from the magnolia cones and I wondered what they thought of this. I know it sounds silly, but I wondered (as I have never done this before) if Stewey would make friends with the other squirrels. Would he get busy building his nest, as he had already done in his cage. Well, as it turns out, none of that was going to happen on this day. We watched as he ran down the tree, took a leap and was on my shoulder in an instant. Well, maybe he's not quite ready, I guess we'll try again tomorrow.

Review: A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

2009-09-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Donald Miller's memoir Blue Like Jazz was a big success. Then his life stalled and he was avoiding his publisher, in spite of having a deadline for a book. He was tired of thinking and writing about his own life. Then one day he received a call from a film maker who wants to make a movie based on his memoir. In the process of making this film, he realizes the same principles used in editing a movie can be applied to our own lives.

We've all wished at some time or another that our lives were more meaningful, or at least more interesting. Who hasn't wanted to go back and do it again, but do it better. Miller realizes during the making of this film that he has a chance to edit his life story to mean something more. In the process of creating the fictional Don of the movie, he was creating the person he wanted to be. He realized he could also create a better story for his own life, one he can be proud of.

This book was wonderful, it inspired me. It made me pause to reflect on my own life and think about my story. I started to think about what I could do to rewrite my story, and make it one worth telling. Will I just continue to stay in the rut I'm in or am I ready to make some life changes?

I read this book in two sittings over a weekend because I couldn't put it down and I want to read it again. I will recommend this book to all my friends.

2009-09-27T17:00:00.001-07:00

2009-09-25T20:02:00.001-07:00

Tonight I have been trying to give my blog a bit of a face lift. That's not easy for me since I am technologically challenged. I am trying to add widgets, gadgets, links, photos and other items before I put myself out there in the blogosphere. Thank goodness for Matthew. I don't know where I'd be without Matt's knowledge of computers. Things like, html, xml,java script, what the heck is java script? When I hear java, I think coffee! And when they start talking gigabytes, megabytes, RAM, flash drives, zip files and compressed folders and other strange terms I am completely lost. It's like listening to someone speak a foreign language, it's so frustrating. But I'm sure it will all be worth the effort and I'm enjoying a new hobby.

Daily Quote

2009-09-25T18:36:00.001-07:00

Values.com | Link To Us

2009-09-25T18:33:00.001-07:00

Values.com | Link To Us

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Victoria Gaines

2009-09-13T18:59:00.001-07:00

Victoria Gaines

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2009-09-13T18:38:00.001-07:00

Just Another Day

2009-09-09T18:37:00.001-07:00

Not a particularly interesting day. Just the usual, went to work, had a long day and came home, had dinner and cleaned the kitchen. See, nothing interesting about my day. Richard went for a cortisone shot in his shoulder today, so he's in a fair amount of pain. They say he should feel better tomorrow and hopefully will get the go ahead to go back to work next week. After dinner, checked in on the squirrel we are raising for an undetermined amount of time - as I have become very attached. He is absolutely adorable, growing and becoming quite the hand full now. It has been fun to watch him grow, but he's going to need a pretty big cage if we keep him. That pretty much sums up my day, going to be signing off and reading for a bit, think I'm going to start The Alchemist tonight.

Hint of Fall

2009-09-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely a beautiful night tonight. I sat outside this evening reading a great book while enjoying the cool breeze. This weather is just a little hint of what is right around the corner. FALL...my favorite time of year. I love the cooler days and nights and being able to open all the windows and air out the house. I feel more energetic and alive in the fall, which motivates me to do things like clean the paneling in the den, clean windows, work in the yard, get in more walks. I tend to choose the outdoor projects this time of year and end up neglecting a lot of the indoor cleaning because I don't want to go inside. Richard and I were sitting outside tonight and looking up at the moon and thinking about our most favorite fall activity....camping. We hope to take a camping trip next month, I will be saying my prayers that things work out for us to do that and if we do, I will be keeping my fingers crossed that we get our favorite spot, #132 or is it 134?

2009-09-05T13:23:00.001-07:00

2009-05-16T20:09:00.001-07:00

It's late. I have been on the computer doing research, checking in with friends on facebook and trying to create a simple website. I always have good intentions about blogging, but my life is so hectic at times and there just aren't enough hours in the day. I have had the opportunity to finally enjoy some outings with my family and have enjoyed every moment. Richard and I have been taking an occasional Sunday drive with no particular destination in mind. We drove up to St. Simon's Island, Ga one Sunday, thinking it was such a beautiful day, although by the time we got there a front was blowing through and it was gray skies, windy and very chilly. We didn't let that spoil it for us though. We walked around for a bit and had lunch. It was good just to get out. Valentines Day this year was a day trip to St. Augustine where we had a great lunch, then spent the rest of the day walking around and doing a little shopping in some of the shops in the historic district. We finally got to take another camping trip to Salt Springs. We had a great time with the kids, just relaxing, enjoying the outdoors. I even saw a meteorite blazing across the sky one night! We roasted marshmallows, made s'mores and drank wine by a fire. How great is that! Then in April, Richard and I celebrated our 21st anniversary. He surprised me by reserving a room downtown at the Plaza Suites on the river. Now that was a nice weekend! We took a river taxi across to the Jacksonville Landing, where we had a wonderful dinner at Benny's Steak House. After dinner we went for a walk along the river, walked through the little landing mall where I spent a little time checking out a little book shop. We took the water taxi back to the hotel and sat on the balcony and had a drink and stared out at the beautiful skyline of downtown Jacksonville. The next morning after breakfast, we took off to the beach for the Beaches Opening and had lunch at Sneaker's and watched the Beaches Opening Parade. This week I had a reunion with a couple of friends, Mindy and Randy, from high school. We met at Olive Garden, had a great dinner and talked about our lives since school, about friends, kids, and had a great time. It was so hard to break away and say goodbye. Mindy lives in Norway, so thank heavens for facebook and e-mail! So, between our little adventures around the state and work and responsibilities at home, and a new Jack Russel puppy named Ziggy, we've been very busy. So now I am going to have to spend some weekend's at home catching up on a lot of chores here at home. I bought flowers to plant in the back yard, so tomorrow will be yard work and some house cleaning. I did of course visit one of my favorite spots today, Peb's Book Store & Paperback Exchange. I picked up a book for Matthew, Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card. It's part of the Ender's series that he loves. I purchased Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert because I have been hearing what a great book it is. I also ordered the latest Elizabeth Berg novel. She is my favorite author; I have read almost every book she has written. The latest is "Home Safe", and I am looking forward to starting it next week when it arrives.

The Flu Bug Has Invaded

2009-03-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

Talk about bad timing. I had planned to go to The Great Jacksonville Book Sale today, but those plans had to be cancelled. I have come down with the flu which led to bronchitis and a horrible sinus infection. I hope to be able to get to the sale tomorrow afternoon to see what is left. That's it for today, just not feeling up to posting much right now.

2009-03-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

WE LOVE OUR ALFREDO
My son Matthew and I love our Chicken Tortellini (or Fettucini) Alfredo. This is a perfect example of just how far Matthew will go to protect his leftovers for the next days lunch. A few weeks ago, we made some Chicken Tortellini Alfredo and there was some leftover, which I took to work with me the next day. Matthew was not happy about it. So, the next time we made some, he hid the leftovers from me and this is what I found in the refrigerator the next morning

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Happy New Year

2009-01-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

Happy new year to everyone! We rang in the new year at home. We had a great dinner, watched Mama Mia, what a fun movie, had some wine and watched the fireworks set off by various neighbors. We watched the ball drop in Times Square and I personally went to bed shortly after. I had had a long day and was very tired. Today I am just relaxing, just sitting around the house in my flannel pj's, sipping hot chocolate, reading Marley and Me, checking e-mails, checking in on facebook to see what others are up to. My idea of a perfect day, well almost, perfect would be about 75 degrees outside and me sitting out on the back porch with my book. But this is close enough for now. Our new years dinner will be chicken wings, steamed squash and carrots and probably some rolls or bread sticks. Sorry folks, I'm just not one for the tradtional black eyed peas and ham, the ham is good, but I personally can't stand black eyed peas.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy 2009!

The 12 Days of Christmas

2008-12-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

A certain someone or someone's did a really nice thing for me this year. I was in a pretty grumpy mood and pretty depressed. Our family has been through a lot the last couple of years and I was not at all in the Christmas spirit. Then, one morning about 2 weeks ago, Richard opened the front door and found two gift bags sitting on the front porch. He brought them and and said they were for me. I was puzzled and a little curious. Each note had a little card, one said, "the 1st day of Christmas", and of course the other "the 2nd day of Christmas". The first had a silly ornament, a chubby mermaid in in sunglasses and holding a drink. The second gift was 2 pairs of thick fuzzy socks, the kind I like to wear around the house when it gets cold. I had no idea who could have left the gifts, I thought at first my daughter Sara, she swears she had nothing to do with it. The next night, Sara came home and brought in another gift bag, "Mom, this was on the front porch for you." Now I was very curious, who could this secret santa be? The 3rd gift was a large Princess House mug with a package of tea and a tea infuser. Well, now I'm beginning to have a few clues as to who the culprit is, I have a very good friend who happens to be a Princess House rep. Two days later, guess they got busy the previous night, but this would become the pattern now, every other night. This 4th package included, 4 candles and 4 candle holders. Whoever was doing this was really good at sneaking up on us without being caught, especially with someone almost constantly in the front living room. There is a large window in my front living room and right outside is a bench in plain view where most of the gifts were found. One was found just outside the garage, I suspect maybe they were afraid of being seen and dropped it and ran. I was amazed that this person was never caught in the act, they were very sneaky. My "secret stealth santa". The next 2 packages included a 2 liter Dr. Pepper and a hershey's cookies and cream candy bar, okay, now I think there are a couple of people in on this, certain people know I love my Dr. Pepper. Matthew of course also being a Dr. Pepper addict and having a sweet tooth said, "you are going to share, right?" The other gifts that night were a set of 4 books by Karen Kingsbury and a set of planters, as I love plants and gardening. A couple of nights later the next gifts arrived, a tin of cookies, potatoe chips, goldfish, some Peterbrook chocolates...yuuuuum, large box of raisins and an apple. We were beginning to have a lot of laughs over this, and really enjoying the goodies. A couple of nights later and my list of potential suspects grows based on the contents of the bags. A 5 lb bag of sugar, 5lb bag of flour, baking soda, baking powder, walnuts, a bag of chocolate chips, brown sugar and some gardening gloves? I'm thinking they were supposed to be in the bag with the planters. But suffice it to say, I'll be doing some baking very soon. A couple of days later and the final packages arrive, last night I received 4 movies, the book "The Love Dare", if you saw the movie Fireproof, you'd know what that is about, a journal and pen, (I used to journal on a regular basis and mentioned to someone that I'd gotten out of the habit. Along with those items was 4 bags of my favorite popcorn and 4 boxes of assorted chocolates and candies and some Lindor's chocolates. Looks like we're going to have a movie night. I can honestly say whoever was behind this scheme certainly brightened my holidays and brought me a lot of smiles, some laughs and probably a few extra pounds. I tried to get a few friends to fess up, but they all insist they know nothing and that maybe some things just aren't meant to be found out. So, I'll just say how greatful for the blessing of good friends and some wonderful gifts that I will certainly enjoy and share with others. And next year if I know someone who is facing a difficult time and needs a little cheering up, what a great idea this would be. Thank you, whoever you are, for blessing me with your friendship and your gifts. You made this a Christmas to remember.

Christmas 2007

2007-12-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, what am I doing on the computer on Christmas day? This is one of very few days during the year that I refuse to be on a schedule. We used to spend our Christmas holidays like a lot of families, Christmas Eve was spent at my sister-in-laws where we stuffed ourselves and exchanged gifts, Santa came to visit the kids and hand out more presents, that is the gathering I do miss. Then, we would get up before the sun Christmas morning to open presents with the kids, eat breakfast, get dressed and it was off to the grandparents and friends houses to visit and exchange gifts. Although it is always good to spend the holidays with friends and family, the schedule could be stressful and exhausting. So, since my sister-in-law and her husband sold their house to purchase an RV and travel, we began to change the routine. Christmas dinner was moved to Christmas Eve, this left more time to just relax the next day and take a nap! Now that my husbands parents have passed, Christmas day is even quieter.
We are having Christmas dinner tonight, it's just the four of us and we'll eat when it's ready.
With working full time, 2 teenagers, one having a very busy schedule with school, work, church and her social life, life is stressful. So, we decided to not be on a schedule this year. Last night, after wrapping presents, we put on a movie, had nachos, homemade cookies and other munchies. It was very relaxing. Today, we can stay in our PJ's all day if we like, I can take this time to work on my blog, which I want to edit and add and change features to and link up with others out there. And of course, my daughter has a boyfriend and is splitting her time between here and there. I guess I always knew this day would come, but I didn't say I would have to like it. One other things is really different about this year. I think it's the first time since the birth of my children that I didn't have someone waking me up in the predawn hours giddy with excitement and ready to tear open Christmas presents. I thought my son would wake us bright and early, he was so excited. Matt was inspecting presents, picking up what was obviously a CD, "Gee mom, wonder what that is?" Then he inspected another package, "Let's see, it's kind of big, it gives a little, so it's not electronic." I pleaded with him as I do every year to leave the packages alone until morning.....why do we do that? Do we really think they aren't going to try to figure out what it is they are getting? Of course, in years past I have tricked them by putting bricks in boxes, marbles or other items that would make noise so that they wouldn't be able to figure out what was inside, putting items in boxes that aren't what the contents say. However, it was amusing when my son unwrapped a box with a picture of an Immersion Blender, (a hand held blender) and said to me, "I know this can't be a hand blender.....he opened the box to find a hand held blender and looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Mom, why did you buy me a hand held blender?" I told him it was because he loves to make milkshakes a lot and other frothy drinks. To which he smiled and said thanks and thought it was pretty cool. My 17 year old daughter Sara, who normally is not a morning person was so wired on cold medicine and caffeine this morning, that and giddy because her boyfriend had given her a Christmas morning wake up call. I have to say, she really scored some points with mom today. My present from her is a ticket to see Micheal Buble in concert this February, my friend Maggie got the other ticket, so it'll be a girls night out! Now there's something I haven't done in a while. Our dog Lula was very happy with her stocking full of new toys, one of which she is peacefully sleeping next to at my feet. My husband was happy with his new coffee pot, which he'd been saying for weeks he needed a new one. I wasn't quite sure how to respond to the gift card to the hair stylist. You see, we are coming off a very difficult year, especially the last few months and have been left in a bit of a financial bind, so I have put off getting a haircut, besides, Matt needed it more, he was beginning to look like cousin IT from The Munsters. But, I have to admit, I am excited about it now, having my hair done is high on the list of relaxing things I love to do. I always tell the girl that does my hair to just take her time so that I can savor these few moments spent on myself.
Well, time to think about putting that rib-roast in the oven. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

Staying Connected

2007-12-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

I sit here and stare at the empty box on my blog screen and can't even think of what to say.
This is all new to me. This blogging thing is pretty incredible when you think about it. It wasn't so long ago when I first heard the term "blog". I remember thinking, "what the heck is a blog?"
A local soldier was "blogging" about his experiences in Iraq to the people at home and his blogs were being published in the local newspaper. I remember thinking what a great idea that was. Blogging and e-mail are in my opinion 2 of the best things about the internet. What a great way for family and friends to stay connected. About 10 years ago, (wow, has it been that long?) e-mail became a vital part of my life and the life of my in-laws. When my kids were younger and my husband's parents were still with us, we e-mailed nearly every day. We wrote what we often referred to as "the dailies". These were letters back and forth about the daily grind. I would talk about what the kids and I had done each day, visits to the park, the beach, school events, and all the silly and not so silly things they were up to. Being able to send pictures over the internet was the best so that we could see how all the kids were growing. We could see how Cathy's garden was growing and Carol's place on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Butch could send us pictures of his progress with the airplane he was building. (Note: unfortunately the newly finished airplane was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina). I used to love getting my sister-in-law Cathy's gardening stories, even though she thought they were pretty boring. They were always dealing with critters getting into their gardens and some of the deterrents they would use were amusing, especially the ones of Alex fighting off snakes with a stick and pine-sol spray. Oma loved getting her e-mail every night so she could hear about what the kids were up to. If for some reason I didn't get around to writing for a couple of days she would call and want to know when her next story was coming. It didn't matter how insignificant it might seem to me, it meant a lot to her and Opa. They said it made them feel like they were more a part of our lives and that was very important to them. As the kids got a little older, they were able to e-mail their own notes to Oma and Opa. That wasn't always a good thing for me. I got a call from Oma one day that Sara had written her a note about me and that she was told what a mean momma I was because she had gotten in trouble. We giggled over that one for a while. Then as Oma and Opa grew older and their health failed, e-mail became a lifeline. Oma and Opa had a growing list of health problems which left them in need of a lot of assistance. As we were the only family that lived in the same city, it was up to us to take on a good bit of the responsibility for a while. We shopped for them, did housecleaning, repairs from time to time, took them to doctors appointments and sometimes just a social visit to let the kids spend time with their grandparents. As their health declined and more specialized care was needed, and more frequent visits to check on them, I e-mailed other family members almost daily with news of how their parents were really doing. I kept them informed about what doctors were saying, medicines they were taking, discontinuing, and changing. They called them often, but Oma and Opa weren't always forthcoming with information. So it was up to me to give the real scoop. Now Oma and Opa have passed, the kids are teenagers and our lives have gotten so much busier we we're not writing "the dailies" anymore and I miss that. I still have copies of a lot of those e-mails and from time to time I get them out and read them and wonder how I didn't lose my sanity. I think it was because through it all, we stayed connected by sharing with each other. Many years ago, the indians would sit around the campfire and share stories, there was a sense of family. Maybe we didn't sit around the campfire and share our stories, but we did sit around our PC's waiting for the next e-mail to come.

Menopause

2007-08-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

I'M NOT CRAZY, I'M IN MENOPAUSE

I am 43 and I have entered into what experts call perimenopause. The premenopausal stages when you start to notice some troubling changes. I have to say the fatigue and weight gain came first. You know, when your body starts turning into that resembles that of a sharpea, you know, the little dog with all the wrinkles and rolls. Unfortunately for us, it's just not as cute. I have noticed over the last couple of years that I seem to be a little on the warm side, I sweat more than I ever have. I noticed last winter that on those really (rare) cold nights that I don't necessarily reach for the long flannel pants, fuzzy slippers and a robe and get underneath two blankets and a comforter the way I used to. No, thanks to my new internal heater, a light blanket will suffice, and chances are during the night, that will be tossed aside. My husband even noticed the change one freezing night as he sat next to his space heater and I got up and turned the thermostat down. He asked me if I was going through "the change".

A couple of nights ago I had what I think must have been my first official hot flash. I have occasions when I complain of being unusually hot and break out in a sweat and stick my head in the freezer. This however, was something different. I was getting ready for bed when I felt it coming on. It was like someone had flipped a switch, my face felt like it was on fire and the heat engulfed my entire body, I began to sweat and said to my husband, "It is so hot in here!" He of course was fine, it could be 80 degrees in our room and he'd be complaining it was too cold. I climbed into bed and pushed all the covers aside. After about 10 minutes, I felt a bit of a cool down pulled a sheet over me, only to toss it aside again a couple of times during the night when I woke up warm and a little sweaty. I was talking to my husband about this the next night as we were going to bed and he responded, "Oh, Goody!"

That's not the only problem I'm having. I was in the middle of making a pitcher of tea the other day, when I went to the pantry to get the sugar I forgot what it was I wanted. This sort of thing happens all the time now. I frequently go to another room in the house to retrieve something,
only to forget what it was I wanted when I get there. Heck, sometimes I forget to go to the bathroom, I get to the point where I can no longer hold it and think, "Oh, I meant to do that an hour ago." The issue of forgetting where I parked my car, especially in the Super Walmart parking lot, as been resolved. I park on the same aisle every time, straight out from the entrance. I had to resort to this after spending about 15 humiliating minutes roaming around the parking lot with a full cart of groceries searching for my car.

The big joke around our house is my lack of ability to keep track of my reading glasses. I walk around the house searching for them at least a dozen times a day. It is a running joke around here and my husband swears he's going to get me one of those chains you attach to your glasses and wear around your neck. I don't think so! I might as well hand a sign around my neck that says, "I'M OLD, BLIND AND FORGETFUL!"

Speaking of bad eyesight, yesterday I had to look up a phone number in the phone book. I grabbed my readers and stared at the page then pushed the book a little further across the table. I got very frustrated as this did no good at all. It has happened, I can no longer read the phone book! Do they make a large print edition of the phone book? I'd like to speak to whoever is in charge at the phone company and explain to them that I live in state that is heavily populated with aging baby boomers and senior citizens with bad eyesight. I am sure they would argue that this would not be cost effective, so I guess I'll have to get some stronger glasses or purchase a good magnifying glass.

There is a more serious side to this stage of life. It's the mood swings. I'm sure the people around me must have whip lash from my ups and downs. I'm sure they think I'm crazy. Sometimes I feel as if I am in a constant state of PMS, except now I think instead of pre-menstrual syndrome, I'll call it perimenopausal syndrome. I get very moody and depressed at times and feel like I'm losing my mind. I want to get in my car and drive as far away from here as I can. Then the feeling subsides and I start to feel like my old self again.....but for how long?

I have an older sister who has been complaining for the last few years about the weight gain, the mood swings, irritability, the heat. I told her last year while visiting her that she was probably in the early stages of menopause. She'd had a hysterectomy a few years earlier, but they did leave one of her ovaries. I never occured to her that she could be going through this at her age.
While at a doctors appointment recently for a physical, she told her doctor what she was experiencing. He did all the necessary tests and bloodwork and confirmed, as she said to me,
"I'm not crazy, I'm in menopause."

Simple Truths of Customer Service

2007-06-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is wonderful piece from The Simple Truths Newsletter by Mac Anderson.
Get out a hanky!

Dear Gerri,

“Customer service is not a department . . . it is an attitude.” How true it is! A few months ago we published a gift book by best selling authors, Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz titled: The Simple Truths of Service; Inspired by Johnny the Bagger.

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The book leads with an unforgettable true story about a young man with Downs Syndrome who changes the culture of a grocery store by giving the customers a little more than they expect. Here’s a warning: Once you read it, you’ll never forget it!

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In the back of the book Ken and Barbara write ten short chapters about the Simple Truths of Great Service. I’d like to share with you the last one that was written by Barbara. I loved it and think you will too! Don’t forget to share with friends and co-workers.

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To Life,

Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths

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Great Service Comes from the Heart
By Barbara Glanz

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Great customer service has to come from the inside out. You cannot mandate it. You can’t threaten, reward, or coerce people to care. You can only awaken the desire and then give them the permission and encouragement to make it come alive in their work.

Simply said, if people don’t have in their hearts the desire to serve and make a difference for others, they will not give great service. Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, often said that the secret of her success was hiring nice people and then allowing them to be as nice as they could be.

Johnny’s idea wasn’t nearly as innovative as it was loving. During my speech, I challenged him to go home and think of something he could do to make his customers feel special. He thought about that idea and framed it in a way he could understand. He didn’t bother reading management books or looking for the trend of the month; he searched inside himself for a solution. What he found – his thought of the day – was real. And it came from his heart and that’s the part you can’t pretend.

At the core of great customer service lies the heart of each employee. When I work with an organization, I often walk around and ask people, “What is your work?” What they almost always tell me is a job description or a job title. Yet we are all so much more than that. We can bring our hearts to work with us! When you think about the question – “What is your work?” – think about this:

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How is what you do every day making someone’s life better?

That is your very important work!

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Johnny brought his heart to his job. He focused on what he could do in his daily work to make his customers feel special and their lives a little better.

No matter what our job or position may be, we each possess a unique understanding of this world and have our own ideas and gifts to share. Our truest gift, like the one Johnny shared, can be found in our hearts if we look deeply enough and listen closely. When the heart is in the right place, the ego gets out of the way. That’s when great service comes shining through.

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P.S. If you have an interest in finding out more about Johnny, you can click on the image below; or, if you haven’t seen our three minute movie on The Simple Truths of Service, you can click here.

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Buy 2 or More of The Same Book and Save!

Only $19.95

The Simple Truths of Service
Hardcover, 64 pages, 6.75" square
By Ken Blanchard & Barbara Glanz
DVD Movie Included

An unforgettable true story about a young man with Down's Syndrome who changes the culture of a grocery store by being creative and giving the customers more than they expect.

Best-selling authors Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz have written a book that any company can use to reshape their culture around serving the customer.

Designed by Michael McMillan (The Race and Paper Airplane), this book will become a customer-service classic. This story will grab
your heart and get your creative juices flowing on
ways to create "customer enthusiasm" in your
organization.
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The article above was excerpted from the book "The Simple Truths of Service" by Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz. It is reprinted here with permission. You may share this

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Mac Anderson is the founder of Simple Truths, a company dedicated to publishing great gift books that reinforce

core values. Mac also founded Successories, Inc. the leader in designing and marketing products for motivation

and recognition.

Mac regularly speaks to corporate audiences on a variety of topics, including leadership, motivation, and team building. Mac has written three books and co-authored 5 more all available at www.simpletruths.com

Simple Truths, LLC., 1952 McDowell Road, Ste. 205, Naperville, IL 60563, USA

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