Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Thought for the Day

"Better late than never, but never late is better"

---Unknown---

A Time To Pause

As the holidays approach I can feel the hustle and bustle start to fill the air. It makes me unhappy.

I remember only too well the holidays with the family when I was a good bit younger. They were a whirlwind. I see now that I was so wrapped up in the "doing" of the holiday I never really got to fully enjoy or experience the true holiday time.

We had a family of three children, were working two jobs, and going to college part time. To get everything done we were going all the time. To add to the business, the one job we both had at the time had their year end in December which meant that we had to take a physical inventory. Being a lumber company in Ohio it meant counting every nut screw and bolt not to mention the lumber outside in the snow where it was so cold your pens wouldn't write. Then we had to grab the calculators and extend all the prices and double check it. It also meant that your job depended on the results of that magical ending figure. Not the good makings for a happy holiday!
We never gave it a real thought. We were extremely busy but thought that was how life was. And it is that way with so many people today. I also know that it most times it can't be helped. That is what makes me unhappy.

So it is my wish for everyone, to be able somehow to slow their lives in this busy maze we find ourselves, take a deep breath and pause long enough to gather in the real spirit of the holidays. I know it is sometimes almost impossible, but we still need to maneuver things just a little so it happens. Life only comes round once to us. Don't let the most precious times slip away.

I have to show you something. I have been so busy trying to get my digi things organized that I have not scrapped in such a long time. Well, due to the nudging of Terry I got myself in gear and here is a layout I did for my new friend Joanna.

This is Joanna and her wonderful son, Robert. Robert has just won a ribbon in the Special Olympics and I am going to scrap the event for her. I am so thrilled to be able to do this for her. So I just started with this picture of Robert and her. Isn't it a great picture? Hope you like it.

I am hoping to have more time the next few days to scrap, scrap, scrap. It feels so good to be away from the organizing. What a pain. But I can't find anything if I don't get the stuff into ACDSee. Oh the woes I have!!! LOL

Hoping you all have a very beautiful Thanksgiving. Pause and take time to thank God for all your wonderful blessings.

My thought for today.

Enjoy.





Friday, November 14, 2008

Thought for the Day

"When times get tough, at some point, people instinctively know they need to lighten up in order to get through it."

"You may not be able to change a situation, but with humor you can change your attitude about it"

---Allen Klein---

It's A LULU of a Day!!!

I found this out early in the day!!!

I subscribe to an inspirational thought for the day. Along with the inspirational thought every morning, they tell you what that day is...you know...like St. Patrick's Day, Love Your Mom Day...Smile At Someone You Don't Know Day or whatever. I figure in my position as Office Administrator I need to be kept informed of these things so I look at least somewhat informed.

So today is LULU. In case some of you are not kept abreast of these types of important facts...that is short for Loosen Up Lighten Up Day.

What a wonderful idea for a special day. So for at least this day we need to try to loosen up and lighten up.

How is this for a start???

I have had this thing for so many years. I use it on special occasions! Like when someone is in a really bad mood or they are bugging me and I would really rather growl at them! It breaks the mood and we all end up laughing!! I can not even remember where it came from but I love it and would love to find more to hand out!!! Isn't it a scream?? To see that when I turn around in my chair when you are not expecting it brings a belly laugh from everyone!!! Love it!!

Business has been picking up for us. While still not at a peak by a far cry, it is getting better...thus I have had less time to blog!! Ugh! I hope we get some relief soon with all of this. We just got word this week that Florida Power is getting a 25% rate increase a month. Tell me how people are going to deal with that one. They said it was because of the fuel increases. Well, what is happening with the fuel decreases??? Someone doesn't get the picture and I am not that sure it is the public.

It has been in the mid to upper 80's this week and now over the weekend it is to drop the bottom out. 80 Saturday and 66 Sunday with a low of 43. Dag gone cold for us!!! Well, on goes the heat and more money to the power company. Hummm. Never thought I would call it the power company. In Ohio it was always called the electric company!!! Guess you can teach old dogs new tricks!

Been dreaming this week. Besides wanting that Mac, now my boss has been tantalizing me with the ipod touch. Oh how I would love one of those. I don't need one. I just want one. Everyone should have a dream...and those two are mine right now. Well...maybe three dreams...as long as I am dreaming...someone can throw in one of those Treo phones. Wow! I am just so hooked on techno things. Just love them. So if you want to donate any of those products, just leave a comment and I can make it possible for you to get them to me. I have been begging my boss...since he is constantly blatantly flaunting them before me...that he needs to get me at least one of those for Christmas, but he just smiles at me and chuckles. Nice guy.

Well, I guess since it is LULU Day I need to come clean with you all. Take a look at this. This is what the pic looked like before I ran it though editing! Thought we needed a laugh! Yikes!! I'm more wrinkled than I thought!!! But never forget...I earned every one of those wrinkles and gray hairs!!!

LOL LOL Pretty bad huh?

Anyway, I know I am posting this late in the day...so let's change this from LULU Day to LULU Weekend. Have a Loosened Up and Lightened Up Weekend. Take the time to have some special fun in your weekend...even if things are pretty rotten right now. It is just a time to put at least a bit of joy and laughter in your life. Giggle. Be silly. Do something special for someone. Do something out of the ordinary. Have some fun. It will be good for all of us.

What's that?

Do I hear laughing?

Hope so!

My thought for the day.

Enjoy.




Monday, November 10, 2008

Thought for the Day

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."

---Bill Watterson---

Lazy Weekend In Florida

It was a nice weekend in Tampa Bay this weekend. Actually, it might have been just a tad warmer, but the way I look at it...you can always put clothes on...but if it is too hot there is a limit to how many clothes you can take off and then you are STILL too hot! It was about 78 out and the sun was shining in a beautiful blue sky. A rather lazy couple days to be exact.

Saturday breakfast turned out to be a challenge. It was one of many people's least favorite days in the St. Pete/Clearwater/Largo area. It was the Iron Man contest or whatever they call it. It is terrible for the residents around here when that comes to the area. We know that it brings in a lot of money but it is pure hassle for the rest of us.

I am not positive about this because I am totally not interested in it, but I think there is swimming, running and biking in the contest. Supposed to be gruelling. Because of the running and biking they close so many streets in the area that as everyone says...you can not get from point A to point B. It is a gigantic pain to get anywhere. So getting to breakfast was indeed a challenge...and not being able to get to where we had planned we pulled into the first available restaurant. It was OK but not what I had wanted.

Come to find out, the owner of the place we had intended to eat at was on TV that night complaining that he lost about $1000 for breakfast trade because of it! That might not seem like much, but to a Ma and Pa place, that is a big chunk of income! Oh well, enough said, but it definitely is a huge pain!! Glad it is over.

After getting errands done, we got back home and spent the remainder of the day having fun with laundry, surfing the Net and organizing in ACDSee. I am really putting time in on ACDSee. I was getting nowhere because I have been doing more downloading than organizing, so I decided to change my ways and really get some organizing done.

Sunday we took off to Busch Gardens. Spent most of the day there. It was such a pleasant day. Everyone our age was really taking it easy. Those with small children...well, forget it. You can imagine!!

Look at this guy. This is how nice it was. Even the roaring lion decided to sit in the sun and enjoy! Isn't it great when you can get this close to these animals!! Blow this up bigger and take a close look at him!
And the flamingos loved the sun as well and took some time to prune in the warmth of the afternoon sun.
So went our weekend. Nothing got done but we had a great time doing it! (Well, we do have clean clothes!) That is what weekends are for...R&R! We can work during the week. That is why they call it the work week!! Hope you all had a great one, too.

Till next time,

My thought for the day.

Enjoy!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Thought for the Day

"The spiritual eyesight improves as the physical eyesight declines."

---Plato---

Wowser!!

In the mornings while we are getting ready for work we watch the old old show "What's My Line" It is so old. We both used to watch it as children. Love love love it. They dressed so nicely and everyone was so polite to each other. Nothing suggestive in comments. So refreshing to us. I know. We are old prudes but we like being prudes and can't do anything about being old.

Today the "Mystery Guest" was Robert Wagner. Wow was he ever young! It took a while but they finally guessed who he was. Such a simple show yet everyone had such a good time. We continued to get ready for work.

As we pulled out of the driveway I happened to be thinking about Robert Wagner and realized I had seen him on a commercial right before I started getting ready. One of those mortgage ads, you know the ones. And my how he had aged. Thought to myself...I don't think I have aged that much but I sure didn't pull the mirror down and take a look!

So off I go down my pondering way. I was thinking about growing up and growing old. I have this theory. The way I see it...God in the beginning of puberty makes us attracted to each other because of looks. What else could he do??? We sure don't have much else going for us at that age!! So at that point we get together because we just like the way we "look" to each other. And that is great...the way I think it is meant to be.

But then...oh my...the pounds begin to creep on and the hair starts to get thin and/or gray. Soon you see wrinkles. But you know...you don't see it on each other. Isn't that funny? That is how it is supposed to be. God got us together on "looks" but he hopes that after he gets us together we will develop to much more than just "liking" each other for looks. You see...we mature...and find out what love really is. Love is about who you are...not what you look like. That doesn't enter into the equation as much as it used to. That is why most often we don't notice it in each other. While we still enjoy each other's looks, we see it in a totally different mode.

I also got to thinking about some dear friends at our church in Ohio. The Herbert's. Charlie and Francis. Dear folks. They were the kind of strong Christians you don't find many of in churches anymore...at least the churches we have found.

Charlie was bent over with arthritis. He had had many bones fused in his neck and back. Yet he always had a smile for us and wanted to talk. Francis was a sweet little lady. Tiny. Reminded me of a cute little sparrow. She had been a school teacher...I bet a good one, too. They loved each other so much.

One Sunday I was talking with Francis and I will always remember that day. She had put Charlie's walker in the trunk...all by herself...and of course with no complaining.

I went to talk with her. Charlie, she said, was having a hard time that day. I told her it was too bad that after people had worked all their lives and got to their older years that they felt so bad. And she looked at me and said, the best I can recall...Barbara, it's the way God meant it to be. You see, if we always felt young, and vigorous and well, we would never want to go back home. This is the way it is meant to be. It's OK.

Some lady, huh? She taught me so much in less than a minute. She was special and I will always remember that minute talk we had. It took less than a minute for her to explain getting old to me. It was great. She was a very wise lady indeed.

So those were my thoughts on the way to work today. I don't know why, but they were. Maybe someone needed to read this today...I don't know...but I felt right away that I had to blog this.
But it's just.............

My thought for today!

Enjoy.