MINDFUL MOMENTS

There's something special about late July. It's still summer and the summer moments appear in different ways; amusement parks, bike rides, fresh squeezed lemonade, picnics on the beach, swimming in a lake, ocean, or outdoor swimming pool, eating ice cream, picking blueberries, enjoying the sunshine, boating, paddle boarding, camping in the woods....there's plenty more to add to the list. I even remember coming across "Late July" organic crackers in an adorable box that I loved eating in late July. Now the company is famous for their "Late July" tortilla chips available nationwide and I'm certain sales are the highest in late July. I have my reasons for liking the 27th of July, my favorite uncle was born on July 27th, I had one of the best days of my life in Vermont on July 27th, and today on July 27th I did some incredible swimming in a pure fresh water lake, got to paddle board for free. was treated to a meal at a Mexican restaurant by a friend and ...

When we get depressed it can sometimes be challenging to stay motivated but it's important to keep moving and to keep trying. Yesterday I decided to drop in on choir practice and was so enchanted by the new musical director at the church named "Kellie." I was in awe of how she conduced the choir. This beautiful and young 20 year old is so musically gifted. She can play the piano, organ, and violin, her singing voice is lovely, she knows Latin, and her method of teaching and conducting music is impeccable. Kellie inspired me so much yesterday at practice that my insecurities vanished, and my singing voice returned to its professional sound, making me realize I can still sing. Hooray!!!! Kellie will have much success in her life because she's so hardworking. She hasn't even received her college degree yet, one more year to go but this woman just doesn't stop. She's so motivated and driven, and remains so grounded despite her extraordinary talents. Thank You ...

They only come once a year, BIRTHDAYS!   Some people celebrate their birthdays, others not so much. I personally think everyone should celebrate their day of birth, because they've lived yet another year on the earth and that's a gift especially in times like these; inflation, pandemics, mass shootings, wars!! It's all mentally draining, heck just going to work day after day can be stressful.  Yesterday I talked to an acquaintance of mine and told her that every year I do something fun for my birthday. Her reply was, "That's the best thing ever. You know my Grandmother acts and looks twenty years younger than she is. In fact I asked her once what keeps her so enthusiastic, happy and youthful and she told me that she celebrates her BIRTHDAY t hree months before and three months after her actual birthday. She believes in precious moments and having just plain fun, and it makes her life so much brighter." Since I just had my birthday it made me happy that I did s...

May 28th, Saturday....this is the last day that I saw my colleague and friend AMIE. She came to work that day cheerful and kind. I was managing that day and Amie's day was short as she only had to come in for a few hours to give the sales advisors their breaks. I was supposed to give Amie a belated Birthday present that day and I forgot to bring it in. I NEVER thought it would be the last time I'd see AMIE. Two days later Amie's husband Ron called to say that AMIE was in the hospital. Two days after that Amie's husband Ron came in person to the business to let our event manager know that AMIE had passed away. When I first heard the news I was in shock, then in denial, then depressed. One and half years earlier I had written a story about AMIE because I found her to be so inspiring and such a storyteller. One month earlier AMIE and I had run into each other at the local supermarket. We stopped at a resale shop to look at clothes and afterwards she drove me home with her ...

Most of us have to wear shoes, unless we're at home or perhaps hanging out on a sandy beach or doing yoga. Did you every have a malfunction with a shoe or shoes? I did today. Out the door by 6:30 am I put on the wrong pair of shoes, sandals that I bought at Costco last summer. By the time I got to the bus stop I knew something would go wrong with those sandals. Sure enough after a meeting in the morning I took a walk to the supermarket and while at the supermarket my entire back of the sandal tore off and tumbled onto the floor. Just the straps of the sandal kept my foot stable but the entire bottom was torn off and all I had was a bit of cloth. I still had errands to run and I knew I couldn't spend my day limping with a destroyed sandal. Fortunately I was able to get a bus into town and I headed straight to a resale shop called "The Roost Consignment Boutique." I told the saleslady what happened and she walked me over to a shoe rack and informed me that more shoes we...

I have this philosophy that once a year for your birthday you should just take it easy and give yourself a "me" day.  I've been doing that for years but today is different. I woke up this morning and did one task after another, cleaning, laundry, washing dishes, helping a friend with a task.....I didn't even have breakfast yet. That's okay though, I've decided that even though todays my BIRTHDAY, I still need to do some work. Surprisingly in the early afternoon my adventure began and I was blessed with some delightful "birthday moments' indeed. Celebrate your BIRTHDAY for it only comes but once a year! Eat Cake and Ice Cream, Go Out for Lunch or Dinner, Go To The Beach, Take A Boat Ride,  Visit an Amusement Park, See a Show....the choices are endless.

No matter how old I get, my precious Mama (Mother) Alexandra is always the #1 person in my life. I'm so blessed to have such an incredible Mother but now that her Alzheimers has advanced rapidly it's sad to see her declining so much. She was always so full of life, such a kind and talented soul who could do so much from cooking a fantastic meal, to playing the piano and teaching lessons. She was a church organist and  a choir director. She spoke two to three languages and traveled to many places. She excelled at Scrabble and was an amazing actress. Her house and backyard were immaculate and she always made everyone feel welcome in her home. She fed the birds, squirrels, and stray cats, She was a wonderful writer, a brilliant storyteller, and loved reading books. She owned adorable cats that she treated so well, and a greyhound dog too. She liked arts and crafts, baking, cooking, and exercising. A beautiful woman inside and out with a models figure. She was a dear and devoted fr...

Gosh....it's hard to diet these days. All around me, people are losing weight. They're so disciplined with their "keto diet," "weight watchers diet," "gluten free diet," "vegan diet" "30 day challenge diet," "paleo diet," "Mediterranean diet,"and a host of other diets. I envy them because I just can't get on track. Exercising isn't the problem, that's easy, bicycling, walking, pilates, yoga, skiing, paddle boarding....that's fun but giving up comfort foods isn't easy. Every time I challenge myself to give up something tasty, I find myself eating it the next day. That's why I'm writing this post. I'm pretending that 5 million people are reading this post and encouraging me to "eat strictly to survive." You know... living on healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, salads, and soups. Gotta do it, gotta get into that size 2 dress I got for free on Friday. Such a lovely dre...

IRIS, that's the name of the adorable pekin duck who lives at a historic ski lodge. My connection with Iris made me realize just how amazing these ducks can be as pets. Last week my friend took me to the historic ski lodge that he works at and it was there that I met Iris, the pekin duck. She was so beautiful but even more profound was her delightful personality. She came inside the kitchen to eat and drink water out of her bowls, she was held and cuddled, she followed my friend and I on our long walks through the woods (which is quite a challenge for a duck), Iris ate fresh popped popcorn with us, she played with Joe the golden lab who belongs to Sam the owner of the ski lodge, and Iris even slept in her own special bed inside the lodge during a snow blizzard on one of the nights I was there.  Yes, life for Iris is good these days but last year things weren't so good. Poor Iris was found in an abandoned car with her baby. The two of them were hungry and frightened but thankful...

On Monday, late afternoon my friend and I got two large cheesy bread orders from a local pizzeria. I remember going up to the counter to pay for my order and thinking, "Wow, $25.00 for this meal seems like a lot of money." Today is Thursday and I've changed my mind. I was able to have 5 meals from those two large cheesy breads. My friend had two meals out of them and I had three. Four sauces were included with our cheesy bread too. The reason I feel fortunate today is because I had a long day at work and when I got home I was hungry. I remember putting some of the cheesy bread that lacked cheese on it in a storage bag and wanting to feed the birds but instead I warmed up a pan with olive oil and grilled the leftover bread. I sprinkled some cheese on top and dipped the bread in marinara sauce and thoroughly enjoyed every bite of my meal. Sometimes we fret about mistakes we think we've made but now I have no regrets because that $25.00 meal on Monday ended up costing on...

It comes every year, March 17th, the day to celebrate Saint Patricks Day with music, parades, parties, drinking, eating, and wearing green.  There are over 70 million people worldwide who claim Irish heritage so the joyful celebration is enjoyed in many countries. IRELAND, the Emerald Isle with enchanting beauty is a country famous for many things; Leprechauns, Shamrocks, Guinness Beer, Irish Coffee, Irish Whiskey, Music, Riverdance, Genius riters, Farms with Cows and Sheep, Amazing Cheese, Ice Cream, Beef Stew, Soda Bread, Shepherds Pie, Salmon, Corned Beef, Cabbage, and more. When it comes to scenery, Ireland has it all from the ocean waters to the towering cliffs, to lush farmland and majestic mountains, crystal clear lakes, and winding country roads with charming villages in each county. Yes, the Irish certainly are lucky.  I've been to Ireland twice, the first time I travelled solo through Dublin, Dingle Peninsula, Killarney National Park,  and the Ring of Kerry. I s...

CUPCAKE: A small cake baked in a cup-shaped container and typically iced. When you make cupcakes you mix up cake batter and instead of baking it in large pans, pour it into a cupcake or muffin pan. Cupcakes are wonderful for celebrations and are a popular dessert with kids and adults. After church service today I went downstairs to the piano room in hope of practicing but instead I found a large table filled with all kinds of cupcakes. Minutes later folks gathered in line to enjoy cupcakes, donuts, and coffee. Those cupcakes caught my eye immediately and I couldn't resist taking a picture of them before they were snatched. I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to a table to sit down. It was so relaxing to sit and watch kids anxiously heading back and forth to the table for more cupcakes and donuts. About a half hour later everyone slowly left and I headed to the piano room to play some songs but I couldn't stop thinking about those  CUPCAKES! Although eating too many ...

When we think of WINTER, we think of cold dark days and snow but there's another thing that WINTER comes with and that's ICE. There are wonderful things associated with the word ice; ice coffee, ice cubes, ice cream, ice fishing, and ice skating. However when ice accumulates and freezes up walking paths, parking lots, trails, sidewalks, and streets, that's another matter. Although "WINTER" is coming to a close, these past couple months in northern Michigan have been icy, icy, icy. So icy that many Michiganders have found themselves falling on ice. Let me tell you falling on ice is not only embarrassing but it's painful too. Some folks even end up in the hospital with broken bones concussions, and terrible cuts and bruises. I too fell on ice. A week ago this past Friday, I was heading to a stream to look at the ducks and boom, I slipped and fell on my back, buttocks, neck, and head....one after another, boom, boom, boom. Thankfully I got up without any broken b...

COMPETITION, it's all around us. There's competition in school, work, sports, relationships, heck even animals compete for food, and a mate. Now more than ever, competition seems even harder with social media and comparisons. It's so hard to stand out and be a shining star. Some people get lots of appreciation and attention, while others are just a tiny dot in this big vast world. No wonder some of get depressed and insecure. But we don't have to let completion control us. We can find contentment in being happy with the small things, like being satisfied that at least we tried our best. Success comes in all shapes and sizes. One doesn't have to be a famous politician, movie star, or sports figure to feel important. All of us are part of the big puzzle that keep the world ticking. If you're feeling defeated, just know that there's always an opportunity out there. Sooner or later, you'll have that chance to be a bright shining star in the vast sky. Recentl...

  What I thought was going to be a fun-filled Saturday with my male companion turned into a disaster. It was my day off and I had hoped to take a day trip to the countryside to ski or to go to the city to shop. I was quietly doing some work on my computer  that morning when all of a sudden my friend demanded that I cook him something to eat. While he was in the bathroom I got some ingredients together and began cooking on my stove top. Minutes later my male companion got into a rage and screamed, "How can you cook me such horrible food? Who do you think I am, a homeless person who eats food from a shelter?" He tossed the food into a pot and stormed out the door. I was so frustrated with Mr. Nameless that I went outside to take a walk. When I came back inside my condo, he was was back, this time screaming that he received a call to go to work and needed to borrow some gasoline money. I told him I was short on cash and then he really blew it. He began throwing everything he cou...

Do you own a wallet? Most people do because it's where they carry their driver's license, credit card, cash, and other important items. Imagine losing your wallet and frantically searching for it for hours and not finding it? That's what happened to me on Wednesday evening when I returned from work. I realized that I had misplaced my wallet when my friend invited me for dinner. Fortunately I didn't need my wallet since he was treating me to dinner but the next morning I had to go to work and still no sign of my wallet. I called the bus company BATA since I take the bus regularly. That was the last place that I had my wallet, on the #14 bus that departed my place of work at 5:55 pm. I called BATA and no lost wallet was found. I left a message with the supervisor Zack and less than an honor later he called me to find out what bus I was on and about what time I was on that bus. Zack was so kind and helpful. I prayed and prayed for a miracle and my miracle occurred thirty m...

A cold winter night, relaxing on the couch and listening to an old time radio drama series called "Suspense" which was broadcast on CBS Radio from 1940-1962. I discovered this program on "You Tube" and now I'm hooked. The stories are haunting, mysterious, full of suspense and major stars appeared in many of the episodes....Lucille Ball, Joseph Cotten, Tony Curtis,Kirk Douglas, Olivia De Havilland, Alan Ladd, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, James Stewart, Lana Turner, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Vincent Price.....the list goes on. One of my favorite episodes is "Drive-In" staring the one and only Judy Garland. I loved this particular episode so much that I listened to it three times. It's a rainy night and Mildred (Judy Garland) a server at a drive-in has one last customer to wait on. A male customer appears in his car close to midnight, ordering a coffee and ham sandwich and minutes later when Mildred comes to his car to give him his order she is shocke...

  Diva: A self-important person who is difficult to please (women are typically divas). As I sit here on my couch with pain in my back, foot, leg, and neck, I ask myself was it worth it to invite my friend to spend the night at my place with her dog? Last year I had stayed in her beautiful home back in the Spring and Fall. It was the perfect retreat to stay off the beaten path and be surrounded by nature so this time I felt it was my turn to have my friend come for a visit. It was a disaster from the beginning. First she was upset because she saw me get off the bus and right away assumed I'm still working at the same company. She told me several times to quit but the bills pile up so I was scared to quit. She was right, I had taken the bus to and from work and I was working the same position for the same company even though I had promised to quit to find something more meaningful. I guess she could have been more understanding but she wasn't. She ...

For those that celebrate Christmas, there's something extremely special at this time of year when people around the globe celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. As we all know it's a time to gather with family & friends, exchange presents, indulge in tasty beverages and food, and attend church services. Sometimes we wish for something special to sprinkle upon our lives when "faith and hope" are intertwined with the Christmas season. As you reflect back on your moments of Christmas, is there something that really touched you in a profound way? Christmas can be lonely too, for those that have no family,  no friends, no money, to spend on food or gifts. Then there are those that are sick at home or in the hospital and aren't in the mood to celebrate Christmas. Each person has a different experience with Christmas but with "faith and hope" a miracle can happen. If you've ever seen the film "Miracle on 34th Street" there's a famous line in...