Through The Tulips Words of 'Wiz'dom

June 25, 2009

Not Today

Filed under: Health/ Fitness — gardener @ 12:21 am

“They” (they being Mr. Weatherman) say it’s going to be the warmest day of the week today- with temps around 75 degrees.   I know, I know-  it’s nothing compared to what’s happening at my parents place, with the high temp yesterday at the 100 degree mark, and that’s without the heat index by.  I’m sure it was more like 115 or something, which does not make for time well spent outside, unless you’re at the beach, or in the shade with something cool to drink.

Even though our temps aren’t going to be nearly as hot, my poor legs are still killing me from the stair climbing adventure on Monday.  Thankfully, it is getting better, but I’m not there yet.  It still hurts to walk, which means no ellipticals for me today. It also means no biking, no long distance walking. I guess what it does mean, is that I’m going to relax and enjoy myself yet another day.

I do need to hobble to the grocery store for a few things, but I do believe that’s going to be the extent of it.

Tomorrow, Marcel’s graduation. Yeah!

June 24, 2009

Grateful

Filed under: Gratitude — gardener @ 11:54 am

I’ve spent the day doing exactly what I wanted to do- and that was catching up on emails, tv shows that I’d DVR’d and not had the opportunity to watch, plus writing a few letters, the old fashioned way.

It has been a gorgeous day, and in spite of making plans to lounge in the hammock with a book, I didn’t manage to get that far, but tomorrow is another day.  It has been a good day, and I’m grateful for having the chance to not have anything on schedule and enjoying a day at home.

I leave you today with this-   Take the time to be grateful for ALL the great things you have in your life, not being sad for the things you don’t have.

June 22, 2009

Best Things….

Filed under: Uncategorized — gardener @ 8:25 am

The best things in life really aren’t “things” at all, but instead moments that bring a smile to our face, warmth to our souls, that leave heartprints on our lives.

Todays “best things” include, but are definitely not limited to:

Climbing the tower with my friend Vivi- all 465 steps.

Lunch at the Stairway To Heaven Cafe, and the last can be summed up in a photo.

June 17, 2009

Little Things

Filed under: Gratitude — gardener @ 11:25 am

Little things excite me. Some people think it’s silly, but I can’t help it. Sometimes some of the tiniest gestures make my day. Today has been one of those days when many small things have made for a great day.

I’ll give you an example.

We met with some friends who are in town visiting family for lunch. I had a Greek Salad, which was fantastic, but it was chocked full of purple onions, one of the few onions that I’ll actually eat raw. Afterwards, it left me with some serious ‘onion breath’, and no one had gum or peppermint. As we were walking along from store to store after lunch, I figured I’d stop in somewhere and pick me up a pack of gum or something- anything to get rid of the dreaded ‘onion breath’, but while I was picking up a birthday gift for Marcel’s neice, Desere came inside the store and handed me a peppermint. I’d told her I wanted to get something, and while I was doing that, she picked some up.. Wheww! bad breath averted.

It’s tiny- I know- but it made me smile, and it was something she didn’t have to do, but she did anyway, and it meant a great deal to me- so THANKS Desere 🙂

Another thing- Tonia had two individual servings of hazelnut coffee cream that she gave me when she heard that I liked it. You can’t find it here, and she’d bought a box to bring with her ‘just in case’, and she’d been carrying those in her purse. Granted- it’s only two little servings of flavored coffee cream, but when you love it and can’t get it- it’s something to make a girl smile- or at least this one.

See what I mean? Those little things bring a smile to my face, lift my spirits and make me SMILE!

What about you? What little things have happened today to bring a smile to YOUR face?

My Gratitude List for June 17, 2009.

Today I’m Grateful For:

  • The peppermints that Desere bought to get rid of my ‘onion breath’.
  • Two individual servings of Hazelnut coffee cream from Tonia.
  • The Greek salad I ate today for lunch.  Deeelisssh.
  • Marcel helping me water all the plants.
  • Finding out that we can pick up the car on Tuesday.

Time Has Come

Filed under: Life — gardener @ 11:15 am

We finally received the call today that our car has arrived at the dealership, and now they have to get everything ready for us to pick it up.   Of course, that also means making sure they have the moolah in their account before we head over on Tuesday afternoon to pick it up, otherwise we won’t be taking anything home, but the time has finally arrived- well almost anyway.

Marcel is excited, and I’m really excited for him.  I’m sure he’ll have me taking loads of photos so he can add them to his facebook for his friends who don’t live locally to see.   I’m sure I’ll be adding a few ‘girly’ things to the inside when he isn’t looking, but we won’t tell him that- we’ll let him find out on his own.

We’ve got to let our insurance agent know, so when we drive off the lot we’ll have insurance, plus I was talking to someone yesterday and realized that we only have a small life insurance policy on me.  Marcel has great coverage, but if something were to happen to me, it would be a different story.  

I suggested while he’s got the insurance company on the line tomorrow, he may as well see if they can give him life insurance quote, so that we can maybe change our policy. Life is short, and you just never know.

I think alot about those things these days. I’m really not sure why. Part of me thinks it’s because of getting older, and other parts of me feel like it’s seeing more and more people become sick, or pass away suddenly for various reasons.

Treasure every moment- it’s all you are guaranteed.

June 16, 2009

The Best Things In Life Are….

Filed under: Life — gardener @ 11:33 am

Yep, you guessed it- some of the very best things in life are F-R-E-E, or at least pretty close to it.

With summer a few days away, I thought it would be a great time to talk about some of my favorite affordable pleasures.   You know the ones-  those little things that we love, ohhh soooo muchhh that don’t break the bank to enjoy.

Ten of my own personal favorites are:

  • Reading-  You don’t have to buy a book to enjoy it-  Head over to your local library and borrow one, or check out some of the book swapping sites online.
  • Bike Riding-  The bike I currently own was given to me by one of my best friends when she bought a new one, and it sat in the storage shed for close to a year before I ever decided to venture out.   Now that I have, I LOVE it and would bike every single day if the weather permitted.
  • Museums- I’ve recently discovered that many of our local museums are either free or admission is very inexpensive.  On those rainy days- it’s the perfect place to spend your time.
  • Letter Writing- Forget e-mail- grab your favorite pen, a piece of paper and scribble out a few words to some of your favorite people.   Give it to them the next time you see them, or add a postage stamp and send it the old fashioned way- through the mail.   Not only is it fun- knowing that you made someones day is a wonderful feeling.  Trust me, more people want to hear from you than you think.
  • Walk in the park- There is usually a park to be found somewhere in most neighborhoods, so put on your walking shoes and walk, walk, walk.  You never know what you’ll run into while you’re out walking.  Take the time to enjoy your surroundings.
  • Go to the beach- If you live near the beach- pack yourself a bottle of water, a sandwich and head off to the beach.   Spread out a blanket, enjoy the sound of the waves, and relax.  It’s one of my very favorite things ever- and if I’m feeling weary, stressed or even frustrated- my troubles magically melt away.
  • Window Shopping- I live in a place where the stores close fairly early, and one of my favorite things to do is to visit a nearby city and walk along the store fronts window shopping. 
  • Music- Turn on the radio and listen to some music.  I love music, and nothing can bring me out of a slump like a good song on the radio.
  • Photography- With the age of digital cameras being so affordable,  almost everyone can grab a digital camera and go on their own personal photo shoot.   The great thing is- no expense of processing photos you don’t want-  just click and choose the ones you’d really love to keep.
  • Painting- Technically speaking you could paint with mud if you wanted to, but I prefer acrylics and water colors.  Not that I’m very good mind you, but it’s fun, and fairly inexpensive. 

Your turn!   Please share some of your affordable pleasures with us.    Who knows, it may become one of mine as well.

June 14, 2009

Counting Down

Filed under: Gratitude,Life — gardener @ 6:48 am

It’s hard for me to believe that the days are flying by at the rate of speed that they are, and that tomorrow is the 15th of the month of JUNE.  JUNE!   Where have the days gone?   I know this isn’t the first time that I’ve mentioned how fast the time seems to be flying, and trust me- it probably won’t be the last. 

Over the next few months, I have so much to look forward to.  Granted- I look forward to each and every day, as it always brings something new, and usually something unexpected.  I also usually learn something each and every day, useful tidbits of information that I can pack in my suitcase of knowledge and carry with me on this continued journey called life.

Marcel and I are still undecided about a vacation this year.  We have a few ideas, but with the new car and other expenses, I’m just not sure we want to fork out the cash- but we’ll see what happens as the days and weeks unfold.

In less than three weeks one of my oldest, and dearest friends will arrive for 11 days of fun!  I’ve already begun the countdown and been planning things that we can do on her arrival day, and the subsequent days that follow.   She’ll turn 40 while she’s here, and I’ll turn 42.  It will be great to celebrate my birthday with someone from home for a change, and we plan to do it in style, with lots of photographs to follow.

Next Sunday, I have the opportunity to meet up with someone I went to high school with.  He and a team of five others are flying to Rwanda on a missionary trip and have an almost 12 hour layover here in Neverland.   I’ve offered to spend most of the day with them, show them around, and give them a little feel of the city.  It will be fun, plus I’m really excited about seeing Chris again after more than 20 years.  

There is also the possiblity of meeting up with another friend that I know from online in October, because she may also have a layover here.  She’s a wonderful person, and I hope we’ll have the opportunity to finally meet after all these years of knowing each other online. 

Also in October, a friend of my brothers is going to be in the area.  He and his wife are possibly going to add A’dam to their list of travels, and if they d0, Marcel and I will spend some time showing them around, plus getting to know them.  I’m looking forward to it, and hope that the opportunity presents itself.   I’m always excited when I get to spend time with people from home.

Right now, I’m going to pour myself a cup of java- head outside and spend some time in the sunshine.   I need to vacuum, and I may do that before I go, but the rest of the day is mine- and I plan to enjoy every second of it.

My Gratitude List for June 14, 2009

Today I’m Grateful for:

  • My dear friend Maggie, who is celebrating her birthday today.
  • All the little things in life worth celebrating.
  • Factory rebates on both my camera AND Marcel’s TomTom. Yeah!!
  • Finally getting my updated budget done, which has been on my ‘to do’ list for a long time..
  • Downward movement of the scale.

June 12, 2009

So Much- So Little Time

Filed under: Gratitude,Life — gardener @ 11:28 am

I have so much to tell, but so little time the last few days. Wonderful things have been happening to people that I love- with my parents celebrating their 44th anniversary yesterday, to my friends Maggie and Kimmie celebrating their birthday’s tomorrow. It’s times like these- those wonderful celebration moments, that I wish I could zap myself from one place to another, to share in these special moments with these people who mean such a great deal to me.

I have also been splurging a little the past couple of days- buying a ‘fold-up’ hammock for myself, a new camera, and a Tom-Tom Navigation system for Marcel. I figured since he has the car, he needs to make sure he doesn’t get lost along the way.

I hope to have more time this weekend to spend on the computer, but right now, my coffee awaits.

My Gratitude List for June 12, 2009.

Today I’m Grateful For:

  • Sleeping late, and the cut in my mouth finally healing a little.
  • My new camera, which takes awesome photos- and will be great to carry with me everywhere I go.
  • Friendship.
  • Birthday’s and anniversaries of people I love.
  • Ice Cold Green Tea.

June 9, 2009

Family Ties

Filed under: Life — gardener @ 8:12 am

There was a time when I never considered where I came from.  I knew that I was a child born to mom and diddy, and knew who my grandparents were, and that was always enough for me.   I have friends who are very much into finding out their ancestry and I always wondered if they did it for fun, or just out of curiosity of their ancestry dna.

Several years ago, Marcel and I had the opportunity to visit Scotland with my parents. It had been a dream of my diddy’s for many years- as his ancestors came over to the U.S. from Scotland- the Isle of Skye to be exact. To see him realize that dream was one of the most memorable moments of my life, and I can imagine it always will be. I remember standing behind he and mom as they walked towards the entrance of our ancestrial castle and having tears in my eyes at the magnitude of that particular moment.

It was then that I believe I also became curious as to what other mysteries lie in our families past, and what stories they could tell. When you think about it- it’s fascinating, and now I have a much better understanding as to why people spend years researching their family history.

What about you? Do you know where your family history lies?

June 8, 2009

Visits and Visitors

Filed under: Gratitude,Life — gardener @ 2:58 pm

I’m home alone this evening- the second of two while Marcel is off working.  I had big plans of how I was going to spend my time, but somewhere I lost track and two hours have passed and I’m not sure where they went.  

Well, I shouldn’t say that I’m not sure where they went, because I’ve been trying to play ‘catch-up’  because I haven’t spent that much time online lately, and while I’ve made some progress, I’m still not fully caught up with emails- but there’s tomorrow.  

 I did make tenative plans to meet up with an old friend from High School who will be in the area for a layover while headed with a group of six for a missions trip.  I’m excited about meeting up with them and showing them around a little.  I’ll find out more details later this week.

I also made plans to meet up with my friend Vivi who lives several hours away.  We’ve been talking about getting together for a while, but our schedules haven’t allowed- but we’ve finally been able to work something out.  I’m looking forward to it.  Even though we’ve only met once,  I really like her and I know we’ll have a blast.  

Since I’m talking about travels- and friends-  I’m on the countdown until Samantha arrives for her trip.  Just a little over three weeks and she’ll be headed this way. I can’t wait!!   I’ve been planning and plotting, and I hope to make this trip not only special but memorable for her.  I love visitors from home!!

Since it’s getting late, I guess I should drink a glass of milk and go curl up on the couch and watch a little television.  That shouldn’t take long to lull me into sleep.  

Tomorrow, I’ve promised to make some of Marcel’s favorites for dinner.   Homemade fried chicken breast strips, italian seasoned breaded zucchini, and potatoes.   I know- it isn’t exactly what I’d call ‘healthy’  but he’s been asking for a while, and I decided that tomorrow I’d make it for him.  The moment I told him, his face lit up with excitement- and that makes it all worth the effort of cooking two meals.    I’ll stick to baked chicken with fresh zucchini, mushrooms, peppers and grape tomatoes.  YUM!

My Gratitude List for June 8, 2009.

Today I’m Grateful For:

  • Making plans to spend the day with my friend Vivi.
  • Notes on menapause from my friend Maggie. (Thank you!)
  • Sleeping late this morning, and Marcel getting enough rest after working all night.
  • One of my favorite shows starting a new season next week!
  • The circus coming to town-  I’m going visit the animals!
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