Trudy's Transformation + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

If you think this is a make-over post, the kind where one takes the 'before' shot and then we see the miraculous transformation in the 'after' shot, it's not that. For one thing, there's no 'before' shot!

This summer I took our classroom plant home with me. It has been languishing in our room for almost 4 years. I took pity on it early on because it was almost dead from lack of water and care. Every so often, when I thought about it, in between caring for our students and getting them organized and situated, I watered it. That's it. I simply watered it when I could. That's pretty standard in our classroom---no one gets my undivided attention for more than a few minutes at a time, but they all get at least something.

I didn't want to come back in the fall to an almost dead plant once again. She didn't look so great even when we left for the summer--just a few sparse leaves hanging on for dear life, but not so bad that someone would throw her in the trash. 

Sometime this past year I had begun to respect the valiant effort she has put up to stay alive after some pretty sorry neglect. So I asked Mr. Lucy, to whom the plant had originally been gifted from a student, if I could take it home for the summer. He was all for it, since caring for and nurturing plants isn't on his top priority list.

It has been 5 weeks since Trudy (the name I have bestowed upon her since she arrived here) has been on my kitchen counter. And wow, I wish I had taken a "before"  photo. She has just thrived! All I did was put a bit more soil into the pot she was in and have been watering her every other day. Nothing more, but she is a different plant. I think people are going to be amazed.

Meet Trudy!

 

Now, I've started to wonder about the actual humans in our room. Every year we get an assorted variety of students, at the very awkward stage between childhood and adolescence. Very awkward indeed. Then add onto that, various disabilities, home environments, parental situations and outside elements. Sometimes I wonder if being in our room is just barely enough to keep some of them hanging on to dear life. Now I'm wondering what would happen if I was able to bring one or two of them home with me for the summer. Would I see the kind of progress I am seeing with Trudy? Would they start developing new skills, new interests, gain greater self-esteem? It makes me wonder....I wish I could just ask someone for permission to take a couple of them home with me. Just for the summer. Just to keep them going until they can return in the fall.... 

 Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of my picks of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)

Among Us + #MyPostMonday Linky - The Week's Best Original Content

 I was talking to one of the new learning assistants that joined our staff this year, post-pandemic. She is young, unattached to anyone right now, has great goals for her future, and frankly, is one of America's great hopes. I thought we were going to have her around awhile. But today she said, "I'll be leaving after this school year. And actually, you couldn't pay me enough to stick around." It was said in semi-jest, lots of smiles and laughs to go around, and I said, "Good decision, get out while you're young!" Apparently the antics of the middle-school grade level students aren't for her. What I didn't tell her is that these students energize me each and every day! I love being there! But obviously, it isn't for everyone!

One of the games that many in our home room like to play is called "Among Us". Ever heard of it? I finally downloaded it on my phone to see just how to play it. Although I haven't played it more than a couple times, the gist of it is to prowl around a big house and look for the imposters or fake people. They hide in unlikely places. You get lots of points and kudos if you find and terminate an imposter. If you end up killing someone who is a genuine player, not an impersonator, you get docked.

It reminds me somewhat of society today. We have all kinds of people here in our country. Some are the kindest, sweetest people, who wouldn't hurt a fly and then there are the not-so-nice people, the n'er do wells, who would just as soon shank you than have compassion. But they blend in and act the part until something comes along that brings out their true colors.  It's really hard, sometimes, to distinguish who our true friends are vs. the users and abusers. 

Pulling Out The Gratitude Card + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Have you ever heard the old story about the waiter who asked a customer whether he had enjoyed the meal he had been served? The guest replied that everything was fine, but it would have been better if they had served more bread. The next day, when the man returned, the waiter doubled the amount of bread, giving him four slices instead of two, but still the man wasn't happy. Ever persevering, the waiter doubled the bread again the next day, without success.

On the fourth day, the waiter was extra determined to make the man happy. And so he took a nine-foot-long loaf of bread, cut it in half, and with a smile, served it to the customer. The waiter could hardly wait for the man's reaction.

After the meal, the man looked up and said "Good as always. But I see you're back to giving only two slices of bread." (As told by Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

And I'll bet you know someone like that. We all do---Someone who never acknowledges the good things that are happening around them, but are always noticing and mentioning what is wrong. It drives people up the wall. It's a toxic personality flaw. The person who can't be grateful.

And fortunately for everyone, there are those people who, no matter what they are going through, are always able to look around and see the good. Because in all actuality, we Americans have had it pretty good for a long, long time. 

The vast majority of Americans have been able to have food on the table, a place to stay, family, friends and endless entertainment options, whether that be vacations, movies, gaming, hobbies, social media, etc. Of late, I've felt to be more appreciative of the many things in my own life that give me comfort, ease, and fulfillment. I often wonder what it would be like if I had to live in a 3rd world situation. Would I be able to pull out my gratitude card then? 

Remmy - The Story Of A New Year's Rescue + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

 It was Saturday morning, the day after New Year's Day and Evee, my loyal border-collie, and I headed out on an errand. My sister and her family got Covid over the Christmas holiday and I wanted to leave her a care package at the door. I left the package at the door and was so glad that I'd brought Evee with me because I was itching to go out and try some new trails by their house in Holladay. We set out and found the Mount Olympus Trailhead about 3 miles away. 

Still recovering from a sprained ankle that I got over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was rather dismayed at how the trail started out with steps that were really high and uneven. I wasn't sure how far we were going to be able to go, since I hadn't thought that far ahead, thus hadn't put on my ankle brace or brought any hiking poles. But I wanted to give it a try and told myself I'd be really careful!

Sure enough, the climb was hard---even Evee was struggling a bit since she is just starting to get a hint of the dreaded hip dysplasia that older dogs tend to get. After all, she just turned 12 in December. 

We got as far as where the stairs ended and where the trail turned into a steep upward angle with no stairs, just slippery dirt. I knew that I'd better not risk going any further. So we went to look out over the valley and enjoy the view.

That's when off to my left, I saw a medium-sized dog standing by a huge boulder. "Oh my gosh, I think that's the dog that was on the flyer at the start pf the trail."   The flyer said that Remmy, a rescue dog, had disappeared on New Year's Eve when the fireworks started going off. It also said to not approach her because she would be frightened and would run! 

I looked at her and she looked so frightened and lost, as if she had no trust for anyone. But the look in her eyes said that she wanted to trust someone and she might be willing to trust us, if we did exactly the right thing. I honestly didn't know what the right thing was, since she was a "runner". The only thing we could do at this point was to get down those stairs and give the number on the flyer a call.

 

10 Of The Funniest Memes of 2020 + #MyPostMonday Featuring The Week's Best Original Content

 This is the last Monday in 2020! I can't believe we're this close to being DONE! Most of us are saying don't let the door hit you, 2020, on the way out! We want to move on to bigger and brighter things. I'm certainly all in for that. Please make it so, and not worse!

I have to say that one of the things that helped me get through this year were the funny memes, videos, and comments shared on social media throughout this year. I don't know if I would have been quite as optimistic or healthy if funny people everywhere didn't share their thoughts about quarantine, home schooling, or just life in general. I've listed 10 my favorite funny memes for this year.*

1.  I find this one funny because I've done this. I turn my head too quickly and I'm disabled for a week!

2. I find this funny because there were a lot of memes like this where the most hilarious "tips" were given and the contributor then had the hilarious audacity to ask for a follow for more of  the same! And truth be told, it was a brilliant way to get more follows and likes!

3.  This used to be the go-to strategy for robbers. I guess not anymore!

4. This is funny because it's like it literally happens that way for me! Lol!

5.  This is such a joke! Don't they know that is what cookie sleeves are for? 1 sleeve equals 1 serving!

Some Books I've Loved This Year + #MyPostMonday Featuring The Week's Best Original Content

 This year I'm batting about the same, if I can describe it that way. Last year, according to my Amazon Prime Reading Insights, I read 18 books. This year I'm halfway through my 18th read. Will I complete 19 before the new year? Only time will tell! Here are 3 of my favorites this year. All of them I read on my kindle and all were from Amazon. 

Before I start, I need to let you know I have a favorite genre of book that I love to read. That genre would be historical fiction. I love historical fiction in that I feel that I am actually learning something while being immersed in a good story. Most good historical fiction authors do extensive research about the time period they are writing about, so that they can give a quite accurate view of what life was like within the time and events surrounding their story. I love it. The only thing in historical fiction I'm tired of reading about is Nazi Germany World War II. I've read so many books during that particular time and place that when I see another Nazi Germany WWII book, I generally bypass it for another choice. Whether that is fair or not, I'm not sure. There are probably great books still needing to be written about that period of time. But I feel like I want to broaden my knowledge in different places and times as well.

1. Along The Broken Bay by Flora J. Solomon 

Setting: WWII Pacific Island Occupation of Manila, Philippines

The story follows Gina, a military wife based in Manila, waiting for her husband as he fulfills his duties as an American Reserves officer during WWII. The island turns from being the "safest place in the Orient"  to being occupied by the Japanese and the citizens there being terrorized. Gina and her friends have to make hard and fast decisions about how they will navigate these new hostile circumstances. Only the most cunning and brave will survive. 

I loved the book because first of all, it gives a rendering of something other than WWII Nazi Germany! It gives one a good sense about how things were before the occupation in Manila (actually very Americanized and quite glamorous), how things were upon initial occupation, and how things descended into an unrecognizable state once occupation was complete. It felt authentic and at the same time, the plot was exciting and heart wrenching at the same time.  It shows how courageous the residents of Manila and the entire island of Luzon were and it made me imagine myself as a player in that dangerous arena. 

Quote: "Be very careful. Hate strips the vitality out of one's life. It consumes energy that can be channeled elsewhere."

  2. Lessons From A Hard Teacher by Marnie Spencer

Setting: Suburban Utah

This is an autobiography encompassing a period of about 6 years about an LDS woman who had the storybook life that she never knew she had, until she got an extremely aggressive form of cancer. But rather than take a bleak outlook on her life and try to live out what time was left to her, she decides to fight hard not just to live, but to live the best life she possibly can---loving, laughing, serving and being. She shares some incredible insights she learns on this journey. 

I loved the book because it shows the role that faith in a higher power has and the power and love it can render to those who dare surrender their own wants and the need to be in control at all times. I learned that investing in joy is not only for this life, but in the life to come. I learned to be grateful for little things. I learned that humor can take us a long way and that taking oneself too seriously is a real impediment to personal development. 

Quote: "With new insight, I saw that even in my own heart, there were dark corners I had never examined. I found myself struggling to accept my diagnosis, thinking. 'But I haven't done anything that would cause me to get cancer'. I realized that this kind of reasoning could only come from a prideful heart. Without being conscious of it, I had been wrongly judging people who had problems like cancer, assuming that they must have done something to deserve it. I know now that I was wrong."

3. Life by Lu Yao (Translated by Chloe Estop)

Setting: Rural Mainland China

This book was fascinating to me because it captures what life was like in rural village life in the northern Shaanxi Province. It is written by a man who lived a similar life and who eventually became one of China's most published and awarded authors, although he didn't live to see it translated into English. The story focuses on a young man who wants to better himself and who makes hard decisions in order to propel him towards his goals. Some of those decisions affect his life forever. 

At first it was hard to accustom myself to the different names in the story. They were all similar yet slightly different and very foreign. Once I did, however, the story moved smoothly and showed how peasant life in China can be just as complicated as some of our own 1st World problems. Everything is relative and when immersed in the story, it is possible for you to feel as involved in these people's lives as much as anything in your own. Very well written and the translation over to English was wonderful and the nuances and descriptive passages were as if they had been written in our own language. Highly recommend! 

Quote: Happiness! You young people don't realize, but when I pick the fruit from my trees and give it to the children, my heart is so....happy! ....You're too young to understand, but when I plant a tree, I think about how when I die, later generations will pick fruit from that tree, and they'll say, 'This is one of the trees that old Deshun planted.' "

These are just 3 of the 18 books I read last year. I loved more than that. Maybe I will share a few more next week! Thanks for letting me share!

Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of my picks of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)

A Language Understood By All + #MyPostMonday Linky Featuring The Week's Best Original Content

Have you ever had a favorite teacher who inspired you to do more than you ever thought possible? An example of pure motivation during my elementary school years was Mrs. Dietrich my 6th grade teacher. She most likely motivated me to do more than any of my other teachers up to that point. And believe me, that was hard because school in general bored me. Her reading group was more than just a monotonous reading group. We not only read the stories, but she had us make something tangible to represent what we were reading. It intrigued me. I remember one time making a wooden bed and fashioning a little pillow to represent something from a book we were reading. I know that I must have been motivated because I never did homework, until this special reading group.  I thought about schoolwork beyond the time I was actually in school....which turned out to not be a whole lot after 6th grade.

Another teacher that motivated and inspired me, even shaping my life for the better, was my piano teacher, Auldine Dycus. She was the most patient teacher ever! She never got upset--not even stern--if I came back without having practiced much, but she carefully taught me all that I was willing to learn under her tutelage. I learned about the circle of 5ths, major and minor scales, arpeggios, chromatic scales, relative minor keys, and other music theory. I learned the 'Moonlight Sonota' by Beethoven, 'Fur d'Elise' by Debussy, 'Liebestraum' by Liszt, and other beautiful songs. But what I learned most was because of her kindness and charity. 

I was an independent and strong-willed child during my middle school years. I would ditch school any time I could, despite knowing that my grades would suffer and that I would be looked upon with disapproval. I felt like I'd fallen through the cracks. I wasn't in honors classes and I wasn't on any particular teams or clubs. I didn't have many friends, and the ones I did have weren't really close. So I left. I'd end up at the craziest places---anywhere but school. Sometimes I would walk for miles to Mrs. Dycus' home and ask her if I might play on her piano and practice. She said I certainly could and let me stay there while she went and ran errands. I'm sure she told my mom about it, although it was never mentioned. Eventually I was sent to a private christian school that was out of town to finish 8th and 9th grades. It was a day prep school that had a great choir program. I thrived there. I think I stopped piano lessons soon after that. But I know that it was the kindness and influence of Mrs. Dycus that got me entrance into that amazing school for 2 years.  And  because piano was never something that felt like drudgery to me, I continued my interest in music and eventually minored in music in college. 

Of the two teachers I've mentioned here, I have to say that Mrs. Dycus had the more far-reaching effect. Although both were very motivating, something extra happened with Mrs. Dycus. She was kind. She heard me. She gifted me grace. 

The High Road + #MyPostMonday Featuring The Week's Best Original Content

I'm an off-season kind of gal. If it's a high traveled, well-attended, often frequented place, that is where I won't be. I crave the solitary. The less traveled. The undiscovered. 

I also think that civility is not a well-traveled road these days. The high road is not somewhere many people want to go. Maybe that's where I should be going. There's less traffic!

Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of my picks of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)

A New Narrative + #MyPostMonday Linky

Some people never change, and then some do! It's funny how some people I haven't seen in many years will reappear and somehow they are different than when I knew them back in the day.

For instance, one of my high school friends whom I knew quite well was so boy crazy! Everything she did was done to impress and snag a boy! I used to think, "Girl, get a grip. There is more to life than just boys!" Needless to say she met someone right out of high school, her prince charming, and got married. Unfortunately, it ended in divorce.

To know her now is to see her minus the boy crazy, self-absorbed personality she once had. Now, she is all about her children, her grandchildren and about making a better world around her. She is absolutely wonderful to be around. My thoughts about her are that she has really changed and has caught hold of the important things in life. I know she will again find love because she is a beautiful person. But it isn't the all-consuming passion of her life that it once was. She has broadened her scope.

Have I changed too? How have my experiences changed and shaped me? Do former acquaintances see a gentler, more compassionate person or do they see the same impulsive, crazy, moody person I once was?

3 Resources That Everyone Has + #MyPostMonday Linky

As I was browsing around the internet last week, I happened upon an idea that resonated with me. Something that held promise to help me with a problem I have. 

The problem is this: I find that when the warm weather comes, I start getting really motivated. After the long, dark winter, I have a bijillion things on my To-Do List, all vying for the top spot. And I WANT to do all of them. I make a valiant attempt to accomplish everything. But alas, my day doesn't leave me room for it all. It has always been a rather discouraging prospect. I feel like a hamster in the perpetually turning hamster wheel. And then, I hit bottom. The feeling of failure is so intense. 

But I'm the type of person that doesn't like complicated plans and life changes in order to achieve a goal. My life is complicated enough without adding more. But the following idea made me stop and think.

The idea is that everyone has 3 resources at the beginning of each day. No matter who we are, we are given an allotment of time, a certain amount of energy, and an opportunity to focus that time and energy. Everyone has a different amount of each resource. Someone may have much more time than energy, another may have more focus and less time. Someone else has focus to spare, but less time and energy. But no matter which way those three resources are divided, there is a way to get exactly what you want, if you want it badly enough. 

One of the nice things about staying home was that I was able to focus on what my priorities outside of work are. When I'm working, a good portion of my daily time, energy and focus are dedicated to my job. When I get home, I have a limited amount of those resources left. It's up to me how I utilize the remainder of them. 

An exercise to do is to figure out how much time I have left after work. Next, I need to realistically assess how much energy I have left for the rest of the day. This is where it gets interesting. Some days I have more energy and some days I have less, depending upon what happened at work, how much sleep I got the night before, etc. But the real key is deciding where my focus should be. I really need to prioritize my priorities so that I can match them to my time and energy. It may mean that I'll have to cut out a couple of things each day in order to have energy for the things that are deserving of my top focus. When I have a  clear-cut and realistic vision of my time, energy and focus, then I can really move forward! I think that Mr. Noel DeJesus really has a great idea here, and I'd like to learn more about it!  

 Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of my picks of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)

Priorities + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Wow, the winter went by slowly! And now we're into Spring, one of my 3 favorite seasons! But just to be fair, I love winter for it's renewing effect and time spent in gloriously soft blankets, immersed in a plethora of pillows, and drowning in books of various genres. 

And now I've emerged, ready to dial into the tasks at hand!

Gardening is at the forefront for sure! I've got some seeds in little containers, sprouting or trying to sprout, early spring annuals and perennials blooming in various places around the yard, and we have big plans for the smallish space we use for a garden. We will be putting in a drip system! I'm so excited at the prospect! No more dragging the hose halfway around the house every day to spray the garden! 

Biking is going to start once more, as well as some hiking! We did one really great snowshoe hike this past winter, but unfortunately, I spent most of the winter recovering from a nasty knee sprain that occurred at my work. For awhile there, I thought I might be permanently hampered in my ability to hike and bike. But happily, each day I feel better and better! 

I've become somewhat of an essential oil connoisseur, having collected around 60 pure, undiluted oils from around the world! I would love to share my excitement, experience and knowledge of said oils. And no, I'm not a DoTerra distributor. I get mine wholesale from another extremely reputable company. I have the option to become a distributor for that company, but I haven't quite decided how I want to pursue that, if at all.

I will be caring more extensively for my 91 year old father. He still is very diligent about getting 30 minutes of walking daily and even some weight training, which I believe is keeping him as healthy as he is, but he is getting more and more dependent upon me to make sure he gets meals, his laundry done, and other things. 

Evee, my sweet border collie has become a companion animal for my dad. She spends half the time with him and half the time with me. We go on walks every day and she was a welcome pile of fluff on my lap this winter. We liked to watch t.v. and nap when I got home from work. 

Summer is the time when we see many of our extended family from out of state. We usually have guests starting from mid-April out to August. So all my time can't be spent on my wonderful hobbies!

As Long As We Can + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

When the notion of labeling people by their social tendencies of either loving to be around people or avoiding them like the plague became a hot topic, I started to analyze some of my own tendencies. Was I an introvert or an extrovert? It's not that I don't like people, but when I'm dealing with my seasonal depression, I don't naturally tend to like being around people. It's exhausting. Ask my husband, if I'm really overwhelmed, all I want is to be alone and try and recover in my own way. On the other hand, when I'm not depressed (usually in the warm weather, post daylight savings time) I love to get out and be with people. As a result I captioned the phrase "reclusive extrovert" to describe myself.

My husband is the total opposite of me. He always craves social interaction and will strike up conversations with complete strangers just for the sake of socializing and finding common ground. Once I got a sunburn on top of a peak we had hiked together because he wanted to converse with another couple who had summited at the same time. The sun was blazing, I had left my sunscreen below to lighten my load when making summit, and there we were for 45 minutes blissfully, in his mind, talking to like-minded individuals, when all I wanted to do was get the heck off the peak and get some sunscreen!

I do realize how important it is to be people-oriented. It is so essential to love people and to find real connections and learn from their experiences and, in turn, share yours. There are many more similarities than differences among people. You just need to find them. And that takes discussion and time. I think one of the reasons why travel is so invigorating for lots of people are the possible connections one can make with people who may have different life experiences and customs. Maybe they don't even speak the same language! But given the chance, what amazing things can you learn from someone like that?

One of the best ways I've seen to meet awesome new people is to volunteer! I did that recently when I volunteered for a project serving children in need. We got together and were given assignments. I sat at a table where we were making quilts. I didn't know anyone at the table, but by the end of the project, I had made 2 new and fascinating friends and we had so much in common! It was one of the most fun days ever!

I highly recommend going out of your comfort zone once in awhile and meeting new people. It's an awesome, life-enriching experience!

Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of my picks of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)

Love Is A Choice + #MyPostMonday This Week's Best Original Content

 

Recently, I've had a dear member of my extended family tell me that he wants no contact with me. It really hurts. He has made choices that are contrary to what we have always understood are MY values and which I had hoped and thought would also be his. But now his choices have led him down a road that is really hard to turn back on. It has become a very narrow path, one with very few odds of return. Needless to say, I'm very worried about him. Apparently he feels judged and belittled because my values won't change to accommodate his philosophies and ideology. But my judging him and wanting to alienate him could not be further from the truth. I think we could still have a great relationship regardless of his choices. 

At first I tried reaching out and trying to let him know that I was there and wanted to talk and communicate. But that didn't go well. He only attacked me and told me I had betrayed him. I felt like I couldn't say anything right. It was all interpreted as condescending and judgmental. It wasn't meant to be at all. On the contrary, I tried to be so supportive, the best that I knew how. But to no avail. So I've chosen to step back and let him contact me when he feels like he wants to. Note: I also live across the country from this individual so personal contact is difficult at best.

National Working Parents Day + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Today is "National Working Parents Day."

When you're a working parent, you really have very limited "me" time. 

Personal development goes down the tubes.

Any real time is spent with your kids

Any leftover time is spent with your spouse, or if you're single, doing what would have been your spouses share of the work done at home.

Sometimes the yard and home don't look like you've spent hours on it. Probably because you've chosen getting a few hours of sleep over taking care of the yard. I certainly get it!

My single friend is a teacher at a charter school and she has a son and two dogs at home. She is so talented and is always volunteering and helping others when she isn't working. You might guess what gets put at the last of the list...Her yard. It's not terrible, but it's not designer and manicured like some of the other homes around her. I sincerely hope that her neighbors take that into account and aren't talking about her behind her back! Maybe some of them even help her occasionally with her yard work. There's my optimistic and altruistic thinking coming out!

It takes an extremely special person to handle parenting and working full-time.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 61 percent of families with children have both parents working outside the home.

I would be happy to see more paid time-off for parents of school-age and younger children. Children are so vulnerable and society would be well-served to see parents who work have the option to do more parenting, especially when their children are crying out for it. 

At my job at a local Middle School, I have seen young teachers or staff members working, with a baby on the way. I've talked to some who are very unclear about what their work future will be. Our school district does provide paid leave for new moms and dads, but many have said that it isn't long enough. The standard leave is 6 weeks. One mom decided to ditch the job and stay home with her baby. Another mom, after having her baby, is back to work! It's all what they decide is best for their situation and how they can work with the benefits provided. 

I know that many feel guilt because they can't be there for some of those amazing milestones, like the assemblies, the award dinners, the many sports events. They sometimes also can't be there when their child is sick. They need to rely on pre-arranged plans or spur-of-the-moment favors. Some parents pay exorbitant child care fees because they don't want to entrust their children to just anyone. Because we've all heard the stories...

What I do know is that working parents are no slouches. Some of them go through extreme fatigue and pressure just to make sure they fulfill their job at work AND their full-time commitment to their families. To those who I see doing this, I am in awe and I salute you!

I love what Ann Landers said because it's so true!!! If we can remember and take comfort knowing that "It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings", then we can be confident that we have done our very best and they will remember our good intentions and the hard work that we did for their best life! So,here's to you working parents! Thanks for all you do!

 Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome) 

Getting Into The Halloween Spirit Early + #MyPostMonday - Week's Best Original Content

My husband is feeling pretty smug lately. Unbeknownst to me, he purchased a couple of horrible, furry, black spiders to be used for Halloween purposes! That's right, Halloween. We're in the 2nd week of September so nothing like that should be around yet, right?

I guess it had been too long since he had gotten me good, so he played it up. He furtively planted one on my side of the bed and let things play out. 

When I'm just done with the day and can't keep my eyes open anymore, that is when I will head up to bed. I'll yell out, "I'm going to bed, G'night!" and as quickly as my head hits the pillow, usually I'm out.  So I'm heading up and he is in the next room, probably just waiting for what  will happen next. I do my "git 'her done" face wash routine and teeth brushing, throw on some sleep wear, and go around the bed to get in. On the floor is an awful sight that I just can't deal with right now. 

I'm so scared that all I can muster is to do a sharp intake of breath. I'm thinking, "This is the biggest wolf spider I've ever seen. Either that, or a tarantula, but I've never seen one in these parts....I'm too experienced with the ways of Athropoda to even think of screaming. That would startle it and send it scurrying to who knows where?" This all goes through my head in all of 5 seconds. Then I realized that it was my dearest, playing brilliant "let's scare the wifey" games. I yelled at him hard! He laughed and I thought it was over. But no, it wasn't over. I pulled the covers back, and there was another one....in the bed! He's so done for. Just wait!

Of course then he tried it on the dog! He planted the spider where she would happen upon it in her travels. And of course, he's waiting in the wings, as I am too. 'Cause now, I'm an accomplice. I thought for sure she would either attack it or jump back, but I think it was too much like some of her other furry dog toys, so she just didn't register much at all!

I think there are many other people who just can't seem to wait until actual Halloween. They are so into it! I actually love the idea that some guy with a drone came up with. He attached a grim reaper to it! You've seen the YouTube videos where people are duped by fake scary things and they start running like crazy! If you haven't already, this grim reaper video is so funny! It's epic! So to get you in the Halloween Spirit, here's the link!! Enjoy!


Are you looking forward to Halloween or are you all about one of the other post summer holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas? Any others? 

 Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)    

I Left It On Clayton Peak + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Happy Labor Day! It was a much-needed long weekend because I went back to work way too early! I needed just one more last hurrah before Fall really begins. 

So early this morning, like 4am early, I started to get ready for an "easy"  hike up to Clayton Peak, a hike my husband assured me would be done in 4 hours, tops!

We started out at around 6:15, a little bit behind schedule. We always like to start before sunrise to beat the heat (today it was a sweltering 100 degrees in the valley, so around 80 up in the higher elevations.) But intent and execution are two different things---We always have good intent to get off early, but we rarely execute our intent! 

 We climbed and climbed. We actually went off-trail and found our own route. And what was supposed to have been a 3.5 round trip ended up being a 6.66 round trip! But hey, more time with my babes! 

This site uses both affiliate and non-affiliate links for information purposes

Laugh At It + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I have a ding on my front lower calf that is lingering a year later, after the incident originally happened. But every once in awhile, when I look at it, I am reminded of a couple of lessons I learned because of it.

It was late summer of last year and I was taking a walk with my dog in a beautiful part of where I live. I saw a massive storm cloud coming in quickly from the south. It was really close, but it wasn't raining on me. And so I watched the rain from a distance as I continued my walk. The rain shower was short. But then the most gorgeous rainbow appeared. It was a perfect bow and it seemed so close that I could literally touch it. I was blown away by the beauty of it.

Dog Tales + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Let's talk about dogs, shall we? This summer my own sweet Evee is into her twilight years. Her snout is turning grey, she has trouble getting up when in resting position, she doesn't run after frisbees like she used to (she's good for about 5 minutes and then she's done). When we go on our morning walks, she really loves it, but it pretty much wears her out for the rest of the day. She and my dad are the biggest pals. They love taking naps together, he in his recliner and Evee at his feet. She's had a happy life. I've gone above and beyond trying to make her life happy. And she has certainly made mine sweeter.

But it's not Evee that I'll be perseverating on today. I have a few recent stories I'd like to share!

Story 1: I occasionally see a certain fellow dog-owner on my walks. She has two dogs with her and she has them leashed per the park ordinance that all dogs must be leashed. One of them isn't so friendly, by her own admission, so she doesn't appreciate people with dogs that aren't leashed because usually those dogs want to approach other dogs and demonstrate their amazing hiney-sniffing skills. Just as an FYI, some dogs and humans don't appreciate being approached by uninvited dogs or pets. It leads to awkward encounters that shouldn't have to be endured when you're out on a walk, minding your own business. But beyond that, some encounters go way past mere awkwardness. For instance this woman told me about a leashed dog who was approached by, not only an unleashed dog, but an unleashed pit bull and true to the stereotype, the pit bull launched into the leashed dog and ripped the unsuspecting dog up. This was documented on the neighborhood app and an alert went out to watch out for that owner and dog. But not to be reliant on an app, my leash-loving friend with the two dogs now carries a gun. She claims she wants to enjoy her walks. Believe me, whenever we cross paths, I make sure to move over and give her a wide berth! But are her fears unfounded? Who wants to meet someone's crazy dog and get into harm's way?

The Brain Drain + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

This summer I have decided to do some things for my own self-improvement and also do some projects that haven't had the chance to get done because of work during the school year. 

I have made some lists, some goals, and some resolutions to that end. There are some long range goals, weekly goals, and daily goals.  

I feel pretty motivated so far and some things definitely have been accomplished. But what I've come to realize is that no matter how much free time I have, no matter how motivated I am, there will always be something that makes the accomplishment of my goals more difficult than I had originally planned. 

My brain really wants to accomplish things, but my body isn't cooperating so much. So many wasted minutes and seconds, doing mindless activities like looking at my phone, staring into space, forgetting what I went into a room to do, remembering something I wanted to do but didn't include on my master list and doing it anyway.  Binge eating, binge napping, binge t.v. watching...

Quote

The Season Of Roses + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I've noticed that this year the roses are looking so gorgeous!
Is it because of the inordinate amount of rainfall we received in May? Finally tomorrow on June 11th we will be getting our 80 degree temperatures typical of this time of year.

Whatever the reason, the roses are absolutely breathtaking. And here in the desert, rose season doesn't last very long. They're here for a short while and then they're gone.

The only consolation is that we'll get to see them once again in bloom next year. And then we can capture them on our cameras and film to treasure because no rose is ever the same.

I was once told that I was like a rose--beautiful, innocent, and pure. I was also told that once I let myself be "sullied" outside of marriage, my petals would be faded and I would be just a wilted flower, including kissing. 

The unfortunate thing is that I truly believed it. So soon after 12 years of age, I felt like I was a wilted rose. I never shook that belief until many years later, I learned that I am so much more than that, and that purity is a process of becoming--- much more than a single act or series of acts.

I seldom hear that condemning rhetoric nowadays. We have come so much further than what I grew up with. Women can know that moral responsibility doesn't rest solely upon themselves and that men are equally responsible for honor and virtue. 

Furthermore, when mistakes happen, we can have every chance of being pure and full of virtue. Some don't care about that kind of thing. But for those who do, know that it isn't too late if something happened to you or if you made a mistake that you regret. You will bloom as beautifully and brightly as the first day of Spring. Healing will happen, and with it, deeper conviction, firmer roots, and your face will be raised to the sun!

Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)