"I'VE LOOK AT CLOUDS FROM BOTH SIDES NOW"

It's cloud illusions I recall. . . just like life. . .lots of illusions.
Ive looked at life from both sides now--upside down, sideways, top, bottom. I think that is more than 2 sides!
From win and lose--I win some and lose some but if I worry about the failures, and keep banging my head against the wall, I will end up with a headache.
I really don't know life at all--every time I think I have life figured out, I get thrown a curve ball. Just trying to keep my balance from one moment to the next can, at times, take a great deal of effort.
Well, somethings lost, but somethings gained in living every day. It's one day at a time for me.

SCHOOL DAZE

School will be starting soon and it won't be long before you will be seeing all those bumper stickers--"PROUD PARENT OF HONOR STUDENT" or "MY CHILD IS AN HONOR STUDENT". Yada,Yada,Yada.

Maybe I will add a bumper sticker to my car. You can vote for which one I should use in comments! I probably will cut off the student part so it just says "DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY".

I FEEL THE SKY TUMBLING DOWN . . .

I was sitting at my mother's house in So Oregon, just watching the sunset, when a thunderstorm broke out. What a sound and light show as the sky snap, crackled and popped! Just spectacular. My mom grew a bit nervous and was trying to drag me inside, but I being of sound mind stood my ground. After all, I wasn't on a golf course. Growing up in the Midwest, I remember as a child, shaking with fear of thunderstorms. I would even have to go crawl in bed with my parents when I couldn't calm the terror. Now I sit in amazement and admiration of the storm. One of my big fears has been transformed into something of beauty to be enjoyed.

A FEW OF LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES

Sure, I am a sucker for a beautiful sunset any day. However, I would stop about anything for an Aeromint bar. I don't know why Nestle has not let these gems migrate to the US, cause it would be a huge hit!! Aero Mint bars are a chocolate bar with a green bubbly mint-flavored center. Like the package says, "laissez fondre les bulles". English translation-"feel the bubbles melt. . . " Back in the '80's, these were available in an icecream bar. So I like to pump up the flavor a notch by putting it in the freezer. If you have any connections to Nestle, let them know that they need to start marketing these in the US. For now, I will have an excuse to go to Canada to purchase these.

FRUIT OF THE EARTH

Don't need to add too many words to the photos. I sure do love that summer produce.

NEANDERTHALS

It appears that a couple of local neanderthals were released from their batting cages the other night. They proceeded to do “manly” things with their bats, proving to our rural neighborhood once again, that high levels of testosterone with alcohol and mailboxes do not mix

Why can't they just stick to t-ball??!!??

IT'S ALL ABOUT BALANCE . . .

Balance in life is very important. We are always hearing how we need to have a balanced checkbook, a balanced diet, a balanced budget, a balanced body, a balanced mind. Essentially be well-balanced. . . "BALANCE". . . Definitely don't want to be "imbalanced", which seems to scare everyone. So maintaining your "balance" is really important and not always so easy.

My husband lost his balance, which resulted in a visit to the ER and days in the ICU. . .The ICU with all it's bells, whistles, bright lights and alarms is not exactly where you would choose to get your balance restored. It is a slow process.

I would have chosen a day at the spa or weekend on the beach or just keeping my balance!!!!!!

ROOM WITH A VIEW

Just a few pics as I relax in my hotel at Lake Tahoe. Picture of tranquility and peace here. While just blocks away people are madly feeding the slot machines. I choose this winning landscape instead.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE POOL. . .

I was at the gym this morning and ran into my friend, Emily,(her name has been changed "to protect the guilty") in the locker room. She was worried about her husband cause he wasn't feeling so well and was having a lot of tests done. They are both in their mid eighties and their love for each other has weathered many storms of life. They are sooo active, usually working out for 2 hours at the gym. I tried to cheer her up with "do you still buy green bananas?", ha ha, but not having much luck. She suggested that we swim some laps. So the next thing I notice, is that her naked butt is heading out the door, she's holding a towel over her front and her swimming suit is in her other hand. I yelled at her that she might want to put on her suit before she got too far. . . She gasped and we erupted into howls of laughter, as in belly laughs. We couldn't look at each other the rest of the morning without breaking out into gales of laughter again. Just exactly what she needed.

Once again, laughter does the heart good like medicine!!

Dal centro della mia vita venne una grande fontana. . .

English translation should be close to: “from the center of my life came a great fountain” or at least that is what I have been told. That is the feeling I had after leaving my friends in Canada. When I started my trip, I was so ready for some rest and relaxation. After a couple of months dealing with loss, grief and other family issues, I was definitely in need of some recharging. My batteries were pretty low, if not just about dead. I was in need of some CPR and a couple of shocks to the heart. It was just marvelous to see what therapy an infusion of laughter, hiking, camping, awesome scenery, gourmet meals, crazy friends, and more laughter did to renew my soul and spirit! Bungee shorts, rot gut, hot springs, pizza on the grill, reruns, ting-tings, aeromint bars, lakes, rivers, sunsets, sunrises. These were just a few of my favorite things.

“A merry heart does good like a medicine”. I am so grateful to my friends for giving me a maximum dose of “merry” until “from the center of my life came a great fountain, deep blue shadows on azure sea water”.

XOXO