Gift Tag

A new thing is happening in my gaggle of friends. Gift Tag!

Random acts of gift mailings. And then the act is returned. Packages are flying around the world. You never know when or what. Sometimes it is some kitchen goodies. Sometimes more.

It's fun to surprise send and then get the magical phone call of receipt. And soon I find upon my doorstep a return suprise. And off it goes again!

Tag! You're it!

Grace

This popped up on my screen today and I thought it was sage advice.

Thought of the Moment:
Reveal not every secret you have to a friend, for how can you tell but that friend may hereafter become an enemy. And bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend.

-Saadi

New Recipes on Oh-Oh!

I came up with a couple of new recipes over the weekend and tried a new one last night. Take a look at what's cookin'!

Ballard Lox Quiche
Teri's Winter Peach Cobbler
Ground Nut Soup

Enjoy!

Thinking

I've done a lot of thinking these last few weeks. So many "things" have been placed on my plate already this year. Some great, some not so great. Some I can aid, some I can't. Some I can avoid, some I can't. Some are good, some are bad. Some follow the book that was read at my grandson's first yoga class: That's Good! That's Bad!

For some of it I have to fall back on my rule that deception has no place in my house. All who have engaged, have been evicted. Always and forever. I have many people I care for and tend to. Taking the time to guess the intention, honesty, integrity of my day-to day-interaction is a waste of grace.

I have had difficult outcomes based on honesty. Nothing is harder than to have to face a reality when it isn't the reality you want. But I'll take all of those, all over again, over the absence of trust.

My life has a pattern that I've learned to trust. One door will close and another one will open. It always has (it took me awhile to see that) and it always will (hasn't failed me yet). Because of all the flux, changes are happening and they are sweet. I take time to look back, revere and take in the lessons, and I'm better accepting the change and moving on.

My life gets more wonderful in every breath and that is what I choose to rejoice!

January-March

January though March are typically emotionally challening months for me.

My mother, Robert, SweetStuff. So many things running through my head and heart. If I stay vigilant I find myself prepared and I can stay light in spirit.

Being vigilant also allows me to take on things that were not anticipated with grace.

Yoga, my art, and a few special people are wrapping their wings around me this year. We're nearly a third of the way there. Thanks to you all.

Booty Bumping and Kissing in the White House

My heart is so light seeing all the "fun" in the Inauguaration festivities this week. How about that a tough businessman in the Oval Office that loves to play and loves his wife?

Kids in the White House - yay!

Mrs. Biden - WOW- that was the most beautiful red gown I have ever seen. You go girl!

That's American folks.

Thank you President Obama and Vice President Biden for stepping up to the plate.

Namaste!

Thursday!

Today is one fine day! Already!

Mondays

I'm liking Mondays this year.

I come to work, have a busy day, get lots of stuff done, go home. I have the choice of yoga or not and it's generally my collage night. I have usually made some wonderful treat over the weekend and can extend that into the week also.

Tonight I updated MyArtist's site, finished another House DVD, will have some dinner and dive in to some pieces that I've been working on, watch Buffy. I'm starting to get feedback from people on my work and it is encouraging.

Oh and about Sears. I took some of the English Lemon Bars over to the Outlet store yesterday. They looked a teeny bit stunned to see me. I told them if I could come in and be cranky, I could come in and express my gratitude for the solution too. I love my ovens!

One other note....I went to Sunflowers yesterday. They had a sign posted in the window: "You spoke we listened, we're now closed on Sundays." Huh? Who spoke, the two carloads of people staring at a sign in the window? Cars were streaming in and out of the parking lot. There was more on the sign directing people where to write if they had comments. I don't remember the exact address, but you can leave comments on their website. I did! You should too!

Linger

The sweetest gift:

Sweet, bittersweet. Kind and wonderful.

Yoga - Updated!

I'm am so happy to have found my practice again! It's nice to see how strong one can be with just a little effort.

I'm giving credit to the practice for things rolling off my back, a new found pragmatism and accountability stick. I'm also giving a lot of credit to it for my newly discovered creative and intutive streak.

There are certain parts of the practice that are quiet. At these times so much comes to me: understanding, clarity, peace, joy and thoughts for my art. I look forward to my "crystal ball" time.

Here are pictures of my grandson's first yoga class!

I just felt I needed to enter a gratitude post before I embarked on my evening.

Namaste little practice, namaste.

Another Week of Fun Stuff!

Yoga focus today - YAY!

Great plans for the weekend :)

Company for dinner tomorrow :)

Busy week - have weekend work - and that's OK

In tune and on track >-)

Dropped four pounds - don't plan on picking them up

Heard from Anika - YAY!

Weather report is snowless for awhile :D

Life is good!

January 15, 2009

I have to say that truly this year has been the most unique year of my soon to be completed 49 years. And we're only 15 days into it.

I've had some p-r-e-t-t-y exciting things happen to me in the past. Never quite so many in one concentrated dose.

My next goal is to beat the first 15. I have 350 days to work on that.

The only quandry is whether to focus on quantity or quality.

A BIG wink to those that already helping this goal along. WINK!

New Rules

Show me the kidney.
Show me your backside in a hospital gown.

I find myself in new relationships or friendships being the "will do" person and just pretty much being "all that" for the newcomer.

No longer.

Show me the willingness to give up your kidney and I might bite. And the hospital gown is just for my own personal edification.

P.S. Should the relationship develop into "happily after?"....I want a pre-nup. None of this in my camp: Divorce/Kidney. I keep the goodies.

One Door Closes....

And another one opens.

:)

Everybody's Thinking

I'm kind of annoyed and kind of amused at the same time. A bunch of people keep informing me of what I'm thinking and feeling and "doing because" and the reality is....only a few have actually ASKED. I mean, really took the time to find out how what the heck has caused a shift.

Usually I'm an open book. I haven't been. Certain people, over the decades, have shown they can be relied upon to hold my heart. And they'll continue to get it.


Some know I'm dealing with some stuff and have passed on hugs and that's fine. Perfect. But please world, don't tell me why I did this or that I'll be fine because of that. You haven't a clue. And if you did and you walked over it anyway - shame on you.

At Peace

I've worked through all my personal angst from the week. I let it go. All the happys and all the hurt.

My heart is open. (Camel helps)

I am at peace with ALL of it.

And THANK YOU Sears! You really do rock!

Highlights of the Week

I had dreams (I usually don't dream) - painful memories re-lived!
MyArtist decided to paint on a different canvas.
I gave a presentation to 40+ colleagues
The oven parts had not really been ordered three weeks ago!
I got my salary information for this coming year.
And I think the Dish is runnng away with the Spoon!
Joop wrote wonderful missives about skating in Holland.
I only went to yoga once.
I was sicker than a dog earlier today.
And based on all of the above, the melt down I had in the Sears store, resolved the oven issue.

So good week, bad week. I'm wrung out, cried out, intuitioned out, frustrated out and have a bucket load of subject matter to collage. And most of all, at this point in the day...I'm back to being my happy, contented, looking forward to tomorrow self.

(Disclaimer: no drugs, alcohol, or being, contributed to this state.).

Next week can only get better.

Collecting Hugs

Rough week for Teri. Lots of highs and some low - lows.

Visions Of Holland

I woke up in the middle of the night and checked my email (I have night owls for friends - there's always a night-time treat to be found).

My dear friend Joop had written. He's Dutch and he told me it has been about 12 years since the canals have frozen. He shared a very poetic and detailed description of their love of ice skating, of contacting his friend with only a couple of words to plan their skating party.

How blessed I am to have this kind of love surrounding me. It is poetry in motion. Books come to life. Music to my ears.

I'm of to sleep with visions of my wonderful friends dancing in my head.

New Baby

My youngest step-daughter had another little boy this aternoon. Everything went fine.

I think about her dad a lot each time a child is born. He would have loved to be a part of their lives.

Robert, I see you in the girls faces, I see you in their hearts. I look at the grandchildren and see you there too.

Know that you're missed and your legacy continues.

Where Did The Time Go?

I felt a little guilty as I turned in my timesheet for last week and saw that I'd only had 37 hours (instead of 40). I did a quick average of the year.

I don't feel so guilty any more.

I worked an average of 52 hours a week for the year. I had eight weeks that exceeded 70 hours.

Was it worth it?

Yes.

Christmas Elves - NOT

OK - Christmas elves put up the tree. Where is the brigade to take it down. I'm almost done - and it wasn't much of a chore. I'm restless today and need to wander the county a bit. This is my favorite weekend to shop. Everyone else has rushed into thes sales and have spent their bounty. They are partied out and it is usually cold so they stay in.

This is the time to shop in peace, mull over the thoughts of the Universe and enjoy the feeling.

Here I go!

Spit and Vinegar

I woke up today full of spit and vinegar. I'm shaking the cobwebs from the window sills and my silly self. There's so much to be and do in this world. I say either come along for the ride or enjoy the view. And you can't say one and be the other. Woo hoo!

This is a nine year and that means it is meant for fun, memories and movement.

Let's go!

Feliz Año Nuevo

I woke up yesterday thinking - Feliz Año Nuevo. I would have said I said it out loud and you would have thought I went looneytoons. No, it was definitely inside my head because I remember my eyes rolling up as I was trying to think what order the words needed to said.

More to the point. At 12:00:01 AM, January 1, 2009, I could no longer say "last year" and "mi Camino' in the same sentence. That was a sad realization for my head and heart. It seems so yesterday and so long ago at the same time. It was surreal to me as the date approached to start. It was surreal when I was walking day after day. And it is surreal to think that I did it at all. Except....

When January 1, 2009 I hear from Harald and Joop wishing me a happy new year. And my dear friends beckon me to their homelands for a visit.

Joop, bless his poetic, sweet heart wrote: "Since we have met there has not been a single day that I did not think of you....."

And this is why whistfully I retreat from "last year" and enthusiastically embrace "soon" and look forward to 2012 when the "gang" all converges on Santiago once again to rejoice in our "saintly" friendships.

Chucking The Icky Stuff

I'm cleaning out drawers, emails, computer desktops and whatever crosses my path the last few days. Oh my the things I'm finding! And some of the stuff is interesting as I have found my emotion is very neutral and no longer at the extremes of joyed or pained. Looks like I'm cleaning out dust bunnies on multiple planes.


I am honoring all that I have. That which I've lost, I have labored long in trying to preserve, but going foward I choose no longer to mourn. It has been set free.

2009

I attended a meditation at my yoga center this morning. It was so blissful. While many women described the event as enlightening, moving, emotional, etc. I found it to be still.

Still, for me, is an accomplishment. I think, I move, I do - ALL the time. To be still for nearly 90 minutes and just take in the other's and not feel I needed to adopt their goals or enlightenment was so peaceful.

It also so said a lot about where I am in finishing off last year and starting this one.

I'm content.