Monthly Archives: May 2011

Memorable Day

I’m a little out of whack so am looking at today as interminable instead of full of possibilities. So if I could create a memorable day I would fill it with magic instead of the mundane gray things I see that need to be done.

1. A picnic full of delectable things. No calories no carbs count today.

2. A porch full of happy people.

3. A cooler full of ice cold rehydration.

4. Carol’s list made me ponder a gathering of all those I love to be around.

6. Music blasting ,every song a sing a long.

7. Recalling that wonderful feeling that the first day o summer brought.

8.Watching the children draw pictures on the sidewalk with giant chalk.

9. When will the fireflies appear, soon I bet with these warm summer nights.

10. How truly remarkable it is that we have such a storehouse of memories so that we remember loved ones, aromas,tastes,sights and feelings.

Have a memorable Memorial Day!

Remembering with Gratitude

1.  My best friend, Mary Elizabeth, who passed when I was 12 years old.  I named my daughter Maribeth after her.  Mary’s memory is still strong in my heart.

2.  My precious father-in-law — I fell in love with him before I fell in love with his son!  So curious, so fun, so loving.  The best Pawpoo ever!

3.  My precious mother-in-law — I fell in love with her before I fell in love with her son!  Hardworking, loving, and so very caring.  The best Mamoo ever!

4.  My dear, dear Mother — so fragile in some ways, so tough in others.  Dearly loved by all of us, and sadly missed always.

5.  My dear friend, Lynne, who left before we were ready for her to go.  So full of life, creativity, fun, and adventure.

6.  Our former neighbor, Art, who was part of our family — not quite Dad, not quite brother, with humor and steadiness, he helped us raise our family.

7.  Our former neighbor, Peggy (Art’s wife), a wild and wonderful redhead, whose middle name was “love”.  So creative and famous for her artistry and her tacos.

8.  My beloved brother, who passed before his time in the mountains of Colorado, a drummer who was elusive, but loving and my baby brother no matter what.

9.  My big sister Barbara, my go to person, who taught me unconditional love by example.  She was a force for good and generosity in my life.

10.  Many people have come and gone in my life.  I carry them all in my heart.  Their spirits are still alive in the words and thoughts of the people who are still living who remember them.  Thank you, God, for every second I got to be in their lives.

11.  Remembering with gratitude, every veteran who has sacrificed his or her life for our country.  And all the veterans, who continue to sacrifice by putting themselves in harms’ way.  Blessings on all of them, and all of the veterans who are disabled as a result of their service.

Book recommendation:  CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO HEAVEN – Fannie Flagg

 

 

 

Breathing into Gratitude

1. God

2. Children who are fun to be with and pleasant and courteous towards others

3. Neighbors

4. Giving Donny a ride

5. Having a pamphlet in my car that was useful to another

6. Cassie getting into the spirit of things

7. Jenn making us laugh, even at things that happened to her that assuredly were not funny at the time

8. Cheryl and Alan having us over for a barbecue

9. Justin being an all-around good kid working hard and willing to help

10. Soldiers overcoming overwhelming odds, in revolutionary times fighting extremes in weather, deprivation, the unwillingness of fellow citizens to the ones who hallowed grounds at Gettysburg and throughout the South, to those who endured unimaginable fire in places like Normandy, and many more, and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and their families and loved ones.

Sunday

1. Locking myself away in the basement and tie-dying for hours

2. Being prepared

3. Playing outside with my dog

4. Dinner guests

5. Our awesome next door neighbor that let us use his propane tank when we ran out in the middle of grilling our dinner…Thanks, Buzz!!!

6. Our backyard filled with happy children

7. It was so hot that we got out the dogs little pool today…It’s so fun to see her enjoy it. :)

8. Trading recipes

9. Being missed by the bad weather

10. Bonfires…complete with s’mores

Nothing new has changed

1. God

2. Cassie bought me an iPhone.  Love it!  Thank you, Cassie.  then the irony of finding this in my email this AM

3. Dinner at Charlene and Richard’s house.  They are good friends for many years and both ailing, it is sad.  The warmth of the evening on their patio.  Later, inside talking about gadgets and how people always seem “plugged in.”  Charlene remarked that the TV, phone and internet were always on in their house, except when they were reading books. “On my Kindle,” Richard remarked dryly.  A nice evening, thank you to our hosts.

4. This writing on the sacredness of everything by Marjory, reminding me it is about my intention, that life is not what I think it is, more, and that I am not who I think I am.

5. Our group, and Isabella, Mike, Sarah, John, Ellen and Chuck sharing their stories and a recurrent theme of causing pain to our children, across a continuum, and living differently now.

6. Riding with Isabella and getting aware of her situation and learning that we have much in common that I didn’t know about, even as we’ve known each other for several years.

7. Chocolate orgasms at Rosie’s (what can I say, it was calling me, once every decade is OK, right?)

8. Miles Davis

9. Huntley supporting me when I was at my lowest.

10. Lisa reminding me of what I do well.

11.  Reflecting on our conversation last night, at one point Richard said life is very different than ten years ago, maybe he was focusing on technology, and yet as I looked around the room, at the furniture, considered the house, the street, the city, the physical surroundings, much has not changed probably.  And I am still in the same body that has walked an ungraphable unmappable route, how many steps, how many times sitting, how many times lying down.  And a preacher said it more simply and succinctly than I ever could.

Colorful Gratitude

1. Tie dye
2. A video project turning out more crazy and imperfect and glorious than I could’ve imagined
3. Beautiful collaborators
4. Getting more done than I thought I could
5. Receiving a reminder to rest
6. Playdates for grownups!
7. Weaving gratitude into the fabric of my life
8. Going further
9. Exciting new projects
10. Bright colors!

All That I Have…

I had my list done and my dog came over with her big noggin and erased it! She was on that list, too! Lol! Let me try this again…

1. My amazing husband

2. Our sweet, sweet boy

3. Our beautiful dog…Love her!

4. A house that we are very comfortable in

5. Our garden

6. Fabulous friends…old and new

7. Parents that I can count on without fail

8. My bike and the awesome family rides that we go on

9. Gratitude

10. I have everything I need