January 3rd

Sick.
Nauseated, cough, can't get warm, other lovely assorted features.
Had to take a day off.  I didn't want to.

Off to such a good start and it comes crashing down today.  Bleah.

No exercising, I have moved only from the bed to the couch.

Tomorrow is another day.  Not going to get too bent out of shape.

I did it.

I went back to work today.  Got up instead of hitting the snooze.  Gave myself a little more time to wake up.  I really dislike being in a rush in the morning.  I didn't want to commit hari kari when I saw my email.  I even remembered to do an errand today and got to the gym.  I am back on call tonight, so I am not trying to focus on that and just go with the flow if I get called out.  I am pretty pleased for my first day back in the new year. Tomorrow, it may be more likely that I wake up thinking, "Whadayamean?  I have to do this...again?  LOL

Geek alert:  My Battlestar Galactica bomber jacket is being made.

Awesome.

January 1, 2013

Today was another quiet day.  Thinking about going back to work and mentally gearing up for that.  I will be glad to get back to the routine, but I have not missed work a bit.

The Christmas tree was taken down.  I made a run to Wal-Mart (bleah) to get some items so I could repair some damage to some precious ornaments. (Festus has chewed the end of a snowwoman doll's nose.  He must have wanted some carrots. BTW...he had a horrible case of the wildbutts this morning.) My cousin Delmas had made me some wooden reindeer several years ago.  Festus had knocked one over and it's antler needed gluing.  (Yeah, he's the reason we can't have nice things.)  So both are repaired and tucked away.

I tried a couple of different makeup looks today.  Using the "no makeup" look. Yeah, I know, why not just go without makeup.  Um...no.  I've seen me. I am thinking this is a nice weekend makeup, especially when I am on call and have to get out of the house to get to the hospital.  Just enough that I look somewhat pulled together.

I've seem to have become a makeup junkie.  Not sure when that happened.

We got to have Muttley for a few hours tonight.  We ended up going to Greenville.  Jeff slipped on some ice on the drive way.  He ripped his jeans an scuffed his knee.  Funny, I didn't hear any lumberjack yell TIMBER when he fell.  Anyway, needed to go and get him some new jeans.  On the way Muttley made this huge horking sound, which always breaks me into laughter.  He's a good boy.

Dinner is made and clean up done.  (Biscuits and gravy)

Now I am just kicking back and journaling.  There is already stuff up in the stores for Valentine's Day.  Some places have Easter items out, I am told.  No down time whatsoever.  No wonder our society is one big bundle of adrenaline junkies/ADHD.  So, I guess the point of this entry is that there is joy in the mundane, the every day.

Best meme I saw today...I remember 2012 like it was yesterday.

IBS/Colitis

Today was the first day in a month an a half that I have had an attack.  I spent the morning throwing up and being very unsettled in my stomach.  I hate these days.  This evening I made myself get back in the routine by walking on my NordicTrack.  I am feeling a little better.

Jeff is busy studying for a Cisco certification.  He works very hard.  Festus has been his little study partner.

Tomorrow I will go into work late and start a new Prime program.  I very much like this program.

Bob Marley quote

Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.

— Bob Marley

The Girl who lived

I have thought I had a lot in common with Harry Potter.  
For one, we both wear glasses. 
We both think that magic is absolutely cool. 


I mostly related to having family that did not seem to like us very much.  Both of us came alive once we were at school and were able to make friends. 


I can remember very much spending a lot of time away from my house and feeling trapped once I was there. 


Themes that carried to my relationship with my first husband.  He may have loved me, but he did not like me.


I see where a lot of teachers became surrogate parents as well as my friend's family.There were those teachers who did not have my best interest at heart and many moments of truth and insight came from my surrogate family. As I wrote before in my note "Patchwork Quilts", I have had to put together a family.


I think Jeff would be amazed that his family is the Weasleys.  

Author unknown

The Awakening(Author unknown)

A time comes in your life when you finally get…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out…ENOUGH1 Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon. You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance. You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are…and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. Your stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you – or didn’t do for you – and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and everything isn’t always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with. You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not you job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake. Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms. You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people…and you lean not to always take it personally. You learn that nobody’s punishing you and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You lean that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than you heart’s desire. You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. Finally, with courage in you heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.