Inspirations

Today seemed to be a day that I was struggling some with inspiration.  So I looked over our beach pictures because that certainly is one thing that inspires me.  Then I thought that I would make my Friday blog a list of things that inspire me.  The list is quite a list and one that I came up with in less than 5 minutes.  No thinking involved........ just inspirations pouring out from my brain.  What I am trying to tell you is that if I had taken time, the list would probably have 500 more items added on it. In that respect, I know that I am a very lucky person.  Lots of people, places and things inspire me to be the best at being me. Sometimes, I just need a reminder or a swift kick in the rear!

INSPIRATIONS

the Love of my life SGM                     our children and grandchildren                     family

friends                                                  babies                                                             music

roses                                                    daisies                                                             sunflowers

laughing                                               shoes                                                               cooking

reading                                                 Texas                                                              writing

bacon                                                    books                                                              journals

smiles                                                   yeast rolls                                                       Oprah

meditation                                            new notebooks and pens                                humming birds

colored printer paper                           Downton Abbey                                             yoga

people watching                                  sharp pencils                                                   travel

Mexican or Italian cuisine                   the beach                                                        gelato

Sunday Crossword Puzzle                   Google                                                            Sudoku

jewelry                                                 Sephora                                                           coupons

cherry blossoms                                   dogs                                                                shopping

cats                                                       IPhone                                                            cuppa tea

Angel perfume                                     hats                                                                 fairies

luxuriously high thread count cotton sheets                                                               fluffy filled duvet

Here is a list of 50 just off the top of my head.  I could explain them.  Some, I am sure need no explanation, as I am sure some of my list may be on others' inspiring lists, too. Ans those that are not?Well that is what makes the world go round............. we are all different in our own unique ways.  Ain't that grand?  Make the most of your upcoming weekend!  

Parent Manual

When I think about having my first child, and yes, I had one and then seventeen months later had number two child, I remember questioning myself, how is this going to be possible to take care of one, much less two?  Not quite twins, as our son and daughter-in-law just had and did not have the luxury (for lack of a better word) of having one very special child as "the child" for coming up four years as our daughter has had because it really doesn't matter the number and the order when they are born.  There is still a fear that creeps in to a mother's psyche of what do I do now?  Where is the parent manual?

My Mom came up to to help with my first born child.  She was there for two weeks.  She helped in the middle of the night and before it was time for her to go back this infant was sleeping through the night from 9 or 10 pm all the way until 7 am.  She taught me how to swaddle, she sang, she rocked and I watched, learned and listened.

Then it was time for her to go back home to her life, one thousand miles away.  And that is when I felt like all hell broke loose.  For real!  True, I know that I can be the drama queen, yet this was my reality because it was my perception.  This sweet precious infant screamed and cried all the time.  I rocked, I swaddled, I sang, I danced with her snuggled in to me.  All I could ask is what was I doing wrong?

Would you (especially, if you are a new parent or know someone who is) like to know the secret?  Infants can truly pick up on what is happening around them.  This baby knew that I was scared to death that I would do something wrong and picked up on my fear.  It took me about two weeks to realize this and to take charge of what was going on.  The key is to KEEP CALM.

There is no parent manual.  Yes, you can get all kinds of books on babies and what to do for this and what to do for that.  During the Stone Ages, my go to book was Dr. Spock.  And even Dr. Spock did not know it all.  You know your baby best of all.

So today, I am going to bullet some interesting little tidbits to remember:

• Know that your baby will teach you more than you ever will teach them
• You know your baby best and always trust your gut feeling
• Share with others going through the same as you are to help you realize you are not alone
• There is always a consistency in having routines
• Celebrate the milestones
• Always remember to take care of yourself
• Be flexible
• Comparing will do more harm than good
• Keep a sense of humor and don't be afraid to laugh at yourself (outloud!)
• There is no such thing as the perfect parent  -  be the parent that loves unconditionally
• See things through your child's eyes, as if for the very first time (it is for them)

There are books and books out there with many more little tidbits that focus in on specific information that you may want or need to know.  These that I listed are just a broad overview to help new parents and parents that are going through the toddler stages all the way through their school years.  After that, there is a whole new phase that at this time, I had really rather not get in to just now.  We shall save that for another time.  Smile  -  laugh  -  love  -  and HAVE FUN!

Taking Turns

On the first day of Kindergarten, and everyday afterward, our teachers instilled in everyone the importance of taking turns. Actually, as I think back to my own Kindergarten days and then the book by Robert Fulghum titled, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, there was an enormous amount of knowledge shared with us.  Things like:
1.  Say you are sorry when you hurt someone
2.  Keep your hands and feet to yourself
3.  Play fair
4.  Put things back where you found them
5.  Flush
6.  Wash your hands
The list goes on and on.  If you missed that book on the first go around, then I highly suggest a good read for now.  (Unless you have time to go and sit in a Kindergarten class again).

The list goes on and on.  All good common sense social rules to get along with others.  However, lately I have been wondering if some people either never learned these rules or just by-passed Kindergarten totally.  

Today, I witnessed three different times, and I probably drove a total of 6 miles, drivers who did not know how to take turns.  
Obviously, they were much more important than the other person, or perhaps it was who they were going to see or what they were going to do that was more important so they simply cut in front of others and did not see any reason to take their place in line and share to take turns.

The good news is that the driver being given the shaft had the good sense to just sit back and let the uneducated driver have the road so as to not cause an accident or even worse  --  road rage!  The way that I tend to handle it is to talk to myself as if I were talking to them.  And no, it does not always involve four letter words.  It just seems to help me to talk calmly, as if that person really cared or could hear me, and say, "Oh, OK Missie or Buddy..... I see that you are much more important than I am so I will give you the right of way and you go for it!"  What is amusing to me is that most of the time they end up one or two cars ahead of me.  So what did they accomplish? Simply that they were more important and have no social skills and obviously do not care.

We all will continue to hear of horrors that happen out on the byways and highways, which includes the road rage, as well as the crookedness and corruption of politicians on the take or the doctors or lawyers and even policemen who lie.  This is news because these are the exceptions.  There are more good people out there than bad. The stories that people want to hear about are the ones filled with drama.

If everyone would just go back to what they learned in kindergarten and take their turn, this world would function on a totally different level.  And for those who can't do that, the rest of us need to just be the winner in the game of life and know that what counts is how you play the game.  Cheaters eventually get caught. Just give them the space.   

Two Sides to Every Story

There are always two sides to every story.  Sometimes both sides have truths and then the not so truths mixed in the stories.  And sometimes, there could be some malicious reasoning behind it all, while other times it is simply the perceptions of those telling the stories.

Today I saw a very relevant quote posted on FaceBook with credit given to Mark Twain.  (In fact, I clicked that I liked it and would be sharing it). It really seemed to hit home with me, especially with all of the bantering going on with the elections..."If you don't read the newspapers you are uninformed.  If you do read the newspapers you are misinformed."

This has some very real legitimate truth to it.  Let's start with the obvious of yes, you will be uninformed if you do not read the newspapers.  And in today's age, this could be a real hold in your hand paper or on line with all of the different sources and news agencies available, including turning on the TV and/or radio to have it told to you.  You need to do something to get your information.

Ahhh!  There is where the potential problems not only could, but do have a starting source.  You need to ask yourself if you are using critical reading/listening practices.  Who is responsible for the sources that you are reading/hearing?  Are the sources recent or at the very least updated?  Who would be the intended audience?  What does the writer have to gain? Who did the author interview to get the story?  Is it based on one side?  Remember?  There are two sides to every story.

All of these questions should be filtered through your own processes.before you make a judgment call after gathering your information.  And is there any reason to be quick to jump on a bandwagon until you feel that you have all of the facts?  Absolutely not.  Unless, you want to be a part of spreading incorrect information to those poor uninformed souls who never took the time to read.

EXTRA              EXTRA

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Cooking is Good for the Soul

Yes, cooking is so very good for the soul, that is if the soul is feeling energetic and well.  Normally, both myself and my husband love to create new dishes, as well as embellish on some of the tried and true ones.  However, when one or the other or both are just a bit under the weather, it is hard to get your heart, body and soul to cooperate.

We have even been told that we should open our own restaurant with our signature dishes.  You see, one of us is very Southern while the other one is very British.  So the name that was suggested for our restaurant, should we ever decide to head in that direction should be The Brit and The Belle.

Now I daresay, it would be a major undertaking.  And just by how hard it was to come up with a meal for last night and now tonight?  Not sure that a restaurant business is in our future.  : )  Although, I have been told of a locally owned nearby restaurant where by the owner only opens on days he feels like cooking.  Not so sure how long that will remain open and solvent.

So, for all of you working or not working outside of the home, I know that you have to know the angst that I am going through on what to do for dinner.  Most people have shared with me that they have these feelings quite frequently.  Perhaps, I should consider myself quite lucky because my soulmate and I do not have this problem very often.

Today will just have to be a very short blog due to several reasons.  One is that I have to do a little cookbook research plus check out freezer, fridge and pantry for what dinner could possibly be and then on another end, we are in the middle of a pretty severe thunderstorm and I really do not like being on the computer  by the window during this kind of storm.  So forgive me today.  I will try to make up for it on Friday and be a bit more creative.  Definitely....keeping it simple tonight.

Pure Love

Recently in our lives, we have gone from having the special love of one beautiful granddaughter, who is 3 1/2 years old, to newborn granddaughters.  Now having three granddaughters, I have been reflecting on how that actually feels........and to keep my writing skills moving along, I have kept a journal for feelings of things happening in the our lives with Bailey Grace, granddaughter number 1, so I am continuing this same pattern for Emma James and Hazel Elizabeth.  They are all so very special and maybe one day when they are older, the journal written by me, their 'Lola,' will mean something important to them.  It will at least let them know what I was thinking at the time, with no holds barred and how much they were loved.

Thinking on the characteristics of what so many grandparents may feel, I would like to share some of my feelings.  It is sheer pleasure together for my husband and I to be around our grandchildren.  After the visits we think, who else can make us do such foolish things and we love it.  It is a moment that I am given permission to be the "Crazy Lady and my husband can be the "Magic Man!"  You live in the moment, as the children do.  It is all about the here and now.  Joy is simple.  It is discovering the joy of life through their eyes.

As a grandparent you get to be a role model in a different way from the parents.  It is an opportunity shared only with grandparents. Children think of grandparents totally different than their parents.  I know what is important and can let go easier than I could as a parent  -  things that don't matter down the road are pushed aside  -  what matters most is if each grandchild is happy, healthy and is becoming productive in their own way.  Helping them to let their own creativity out.  It is much easier to do this as a grandparent than as a parent.

The freedom of no longer being "in charge" actually frees me of making the mundane day to day decisions and being there more for the fun, fun, fun.  No, don't get me wrong, if my opinion is asked about something, then I will certainly do my best to give up to date information that my children may choose to use or may choose to go with something else, which is totally their prerogative. This is the part that many grandparents miss.  I encourage you to allow yourself to no longer be the one in charge.  Let your children make those decisions and only if you are asked do you need to become involved.
 
You are able to come and go and make everyone happy.  You have your own limitations to watch for. Keep your eyes open and always ready to learn from your grandchildren.  They know so much more than we give them credit for.  Listen, watch and learn.  Most of all  -  LOVE!

Pet Peeves

Ok, now I know that we all have some pet peeves.  Some are stronger than others, and sometimes it just depends on where and how it whops you upside the head, so to speak.  Well, today in the grocery store one of my pet peeves came to life and truly, I had to use all of my emotional intelligence to get through my list, pay and get out of that store.

It all started when I parked, got out of my car and two people were walking near me.  One in front and one in back.  Both were talking,  Were they talking to me, to each other?  I looked at one and then the other.  I had not a clue and they were in their own little world, also clueless that everyone around them was hearing their conversations that were in fact, rather dull and boring.  They must have had some kind of hidden blue tooth and were chatting away, obviously not to me nor to one another.

No sooner had I gone through the doors, got my grocery cart and entered the land of produce as two more cell phone chatters were carrying on conversations, in their own world and now they were in my way of getting a bag to put bananas in and a chance to pick out the asparagus and spring onions that I wanted.  The thing of it was, I could hear, as could everyone else, what they were saying.  Is there something written somewhere that if you want to seem even more unsocial and ignorant than others, then be sure to talk on your cell phone very loudly so that all can hear, usually, about the boring life that you live.  (I don't care if Aunt Jane, bless her heart, does not know how to make decent potato salad nor that Grandpa does not want a birthday party).

The trip through the grocery aisles pretty much continued on this same path.  I must have missed the memo that said to be sure to go to this grocery and talk loudly on your cell phone Friday at 1 p.m. But wait!  There is more.  I had to get in line to pick up our Powerball ticket for the week.  As I was waiting, there was a lady behind me having a conversation (since I only heard her side, obviously on the cell phone) concerning a friend of hers and the person that she was talking to.  She repeated loudly over and over that this friend had the audacity to argue with her about a verse in the Bible. This conversation went on not only about the verse but into the interpretation.  By hearing this lady say to the other one, "Yes, you know that is right.  Yes, she is all wrong and we will have to sit her down and show her where her beliefs have gone wrong. She needs to be with us on this matter."

She then added that the two of them need to take her some article about Disney World starting a war with the Christians.  This would show her just how wrong she was when she saw what Apple, Disney and other major corporations were doing.  Somehow, I missed the news on this upcoming war.

Now, I can tell you, and my close friends can attest to the fact, that I do not get involved in political or religious beliefs. Please go ahead and believe what you believe and leave what I believe out of it and I will be just as courteous and do the same.  Debating over such strongly held issues and beliefs goes nowhere fast because people talk past each other and then label it as conversation. So it was at this stage that I really wanted to ask if it would help if you all sat down, held hands and just sang, "Kum Ba Yah?"

Instead, it was finally my turn to get my Powerball ticket.  I am now feeling LUCKY!  Why? Because I walked out of that store with a smile on my face and held my emotional intelligence together and did not whop anyone up side the head.  As I was loading my groceries into my car, my faith in the human race was also restored because a precious, cute, feisty little old lady parked beside me and talked about her days of driving her Z3.  So I decided to end my exciting grocery store trip with a little treat of a low-fat coffee frappuccino to go.