The Date

Over the years, a marriage grows stronger and love deepens for that special someone. There are articles written, debates given and TV advice given that provides us with a wealth of information on how to have a successful marriage. We each attribute our marriage longevity to various reasons and everyone has their own opinion. For me, I think the keep is to not only love each other, but to become best friends with your spouse. Think back to those first days when you met. The excitement of going out on a day. What time will he pick me up? Where will we go? What will I wear? Too many of us lose site of those oh so special early days of a relationship. We get "comfortable" in our marriage. We know longer need to make sure our hair is done and make up on before they see us. They have lived with us and know us at our best and at our worst. But that doesn't mean they no longer have those same feelings they had when you were dating. Dating your husband is one of the greatest joys in life. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. Just a simple dinner out, going somewhere you normally don't go or going back to a special place you enjoy. It can be as simple as shopping together for a special item or getting out of the house for the day and just being together. And even though he loves you just the same, makeup or not, take a little time to look special just for him. So fix that hair and slat on a little makeup and go out and enjoy the day together.

When it's a good thing, it's a God thing.

Today is a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing. Life is good. And I'm chained to my desk. The benefit of having your own business is being able to work your own hours and take off when you want. One of the bad points of having your own business is sometimes you just can't take off. Today is one of those days. It's 3:00 and I took a break to walk up to the mailbox and had 2 phone calls and 6 new emails while I was outside...and it's a short walk. Eighteen months ago, I woke up and thought "I'm going to quit my job and start my own business." So I did. That same day. I hoped to be able to do well enough to keep my head above water. The Lord has really blessed me. I have over 70 clients and stay very busy. He has also blessed me with a wonderful assistant who takes a lot of the pressure off just by being a good friend and letting me vent. I have worked over the years with many people who could not be trusted, who did not like to work, who did not care about the company they worked for. I thank the Lord everyday for sending me someone who's work ethics are like mine and who really enjoys what she does. She has been a Godsend since day one. When I decided to expand, I had someone in mind but didn't know if she wanted to work from home or not. One day, I just sent her an email and asked. She had been praying that very day to find work she could do from home. And, as they say, the rest is history. He knew what He was doing when he matched us together. Some may say it was coincidence, others may call it fate. But my friend and co-worker says it best ..... "It's a God thing."

The Way we Were

The older I get, the fonder my memories seem to be. I like to sit and think about things that take me back to my childhood days. The sites, the sounds, the smells. The little things that put a smile on my lips. Playing jacks, jumping rope, leap frog, right-foot still, tag, hide and seek, Easter egg hunts, trick-or-treat, church Christmas plays, frilly dresses and white patent leather shoes for Easter. White straw purses and little white gloves. Playing house, playing school, playing restuarant. Playing with my brother-cars, trucks, marbles, horses, cowboys and indians. Eating Tootsie pops and looking for the Indian on the wrapper that meant you were going to have good luck. Walking to the store with a quarter and buying a bag of penny candy - straws, Kits, BB Bats, Sixlets. Getting library books and having cheese sandwiches and grape Kool-aid with lemon on a blanket under the shade tree while we read the new books. Walking uptown once a week to get an ice cream cone from the corner grill. Drinking ice cold water from a ladel and bucket at Mrs. Gibson's house. Long Sunday afternoon walks in the woods, on the golf course or up to the cow pasture. Mamaw's bathroom smelling like Dove soap. Mom washing our hair with Prell shampoo and rolling it on pink spongy curlers. Free cups in Quaker Oatmeal, free dishrags and dishtowels in laundry detergent. Wringer washers and clothes hanging out on the line. Tents made from blankets on the clothesline. Badminton, baseball and football games in the yard, the ice cream man. Homemade cakes, pies, candy and cookies. Milk in glass jugs with paper caps for the lid. The milk man. Archie comics, Richie Rich, Casper and Wendy. And always and forever Mommy and Daddy and their love holding us all together.

Sisters

I want to wish my sister a very happy birthday today. We is my older sister by 14 months. We were inseparable growing up and though we are over 300 miles apart, we are as close today as we were back then. I know it couldn't always have been easy having a kid sister hanging around, but she never made me feel unwanted. I want to dedicate my blog today to my sister, Rachel. Happy birthday. I love you. Sisters When she was one, she approached the crib. Her small steps were slow and a little unsteady as she was but a mere babe herself. The folks had tried to explain this little creature to her. But she did not understand. She gazed in awe at the little one and wondered, what exactly is this thing they call "Sisters"? But so much is not understood when you are one. When she was six, she could hardly sleep. She whispered across the room to her sister. "Tomorrow is the first day of school and I can't wait to go, but I hate to leave you." The kid sister just smiled. She knows her big sister has no choice. For that's how it is when you are six. When she was thirteen, she sat in her room trying to read. She's thinking what a pain kid sisters can be. All she wants is her own room. But all she gets is a kid sister who is a pain in the neck. But that's how it is when you are thirteen. When she was sixteen, she learned to drive. She discovered it's pretty good having a kid sister. Parents are less suspecting if you offer to take Sis along. But sometimes kid sisters can be so immature and embarrassing in front of the boys. But that's how it is when you're sixteen. When she is eighteen, she sits in the room they shared and stares at the wall. Tomorrow she will wed. A lone, silent tear slowly glides down her cheek. She thinks back on the times they've shared and the memories they've made. So much time has passed and so much love has grown. As she starts her new life, she knows she will never be alone. That other half will always be with her in her heart. Cause that's how it is when you're sisters.

Feed the birds

As we come upon the cooler season, don't forget to put out feed for your winter friends. My summer flowers died off last week that hang outside my window. As I took them down, I thought of all the vivid colors I was going to miss seeing every day.

I decided to attract some of the neighborhood birdies by hanging a bird feeder. The activity has been unbelievable. I've had a pair of Carolina wrens, a pair of tufted titmouse, and a beautiful little chickadee so far. They make a hundred trips a day to the feeder. My feeder is on a shepherds hook right outside my window. My desk is right in front of the window. We have a lot of bird activity in our yard. Just yesterday, I watched a belted kingfisher (see photo) as he perched on a branch in a dead tree on the river bank. We see those frequently. They will sit and wait patiently before diving down in the river to catch a fresh fish.

We've seen scarlet tanagers, indigo buntings, bluebirds, blue jays, cardinals, finches, just about everything you can imagine.

On the river we have mallards, Canadian geese, Bald eagles, and herons. It is so much fun to watch them scoop fish out of the river and land on the far bank for lunch.

In the winter, there are a variety of birds that migrate from Canada to Tennessee for the winter months. So I'm looking forward to having these "visitors" and seeing what will land on my bird feeder. As I'm typing I'm listening to the chirping of the chickadee as he fusses at the titmouse to run him off the feeder. The chickadee won. He's enjoying his breakfast now.

Have a great day and check out the birds in your yard.

A Beautiful Day

Oh what a beautiful morning! I'm sitting here looking outside the window. There is a light dew on the grass. The temperature is a crisp 40 degrees. A slight mist is rising off the river, but you can see the sunshine starting to break through. I woke up with aches and pains all over this morning. I really overdid it yesterday. I have got to remember I'm not 26 anymore. I heard a saying many years ago and it really stuck with me. "You don't quit playing because you get old; you get old because you quit playing" I have adopted that philosophy for the past 10 years. Many women see becoming a grandmother as a sign of age. A time to settle down and accept old age gracefully. Not me! I see being a grandmother as an opportunity to relive my youth. A time to get out the games and the toys and be young again. A time to remember what it is like to be a child and have your whole life ahead of you. A grandmother's job is to love her grandchildren. It's that simple. Grandma's have their own set of rules. We get to let them stay up late. We can feed them ice cream for breakfast once in a while. We can buy them something totally frivolous.....just because they want it. We can say "heck with the housework" and sit in the floor for hours playing dinosaurs, hauling in semi's, reading books, or feeding dolls. And not feel a moment's guilt. So I'll continue to play and have a good time. I'll deal with the aches and pains as they come. But most of all, I'll enjoy these "grandma" years before they get older and too busy with friends to visit much.

Life is precious - Enjoy every moment

I have been away for a few days in West Virginia. They say that death comes in threes. I am starting to notice this more and more as I get older. In this past week, I have had three deaths of people who were special to me. My friend for over 50 years lost her father. We grew up as neighbors and spent many, many hours at each others houses. Even though we all have grown and went our separate ways, we have remained in touch. My cousin's wife passed away this week after years of being ill. She was the first one to introduce me to "smores". I think of her often and know that she will be missed dearly. My second grade teacher, who was also my daughter's first grade teacher, made a huge impact on everyone who's life she touched. She passed away this week after a long illness. They will be holding a memorial for her later in the month. I was able to attend one of the visitations. I saw people who I haven't seen in over 30 years or more. It was amazing to see that we could sit down and have conversations and visit and be so relaxed with each other. It was like I just saw them yesterday. No awkward silences, no "what do I say". These people touched my life in one way or another from the time I was old enough to walk and talk. Each one had some type of memory that we shared. As I think back on all the memories I have thanks to the people I grew up with and the neighbors we had, I thank God for those good time. Stop and take the time to enjoy the simple moments, the laughter, and the joys you find each day. You never know whose life you are touching and what fond memories you are making for them to enjoy in their golden years.