Ladies Day and Dominos

My turn to entertain the ladies of our travel group. I have known Ann Mosely since I go divorced and started working at Western Travel where she was a travel agent. We hit it off immediately. She was also divorced, she had five girls and I had three we were trying to get raised and out into the big world. We have traveled together extensively. Through Ann I met many other traveling ladies and two favorite are Shirley Stevens and Bonnie Young. We meet and travel regularly only are all slowing down. A big day is lunch at some one's house and a rowdy game of "Mexican Train." Old friends are the best in the world. Tonight my second grandson is in from Vernal to spend the night. He has a date with a Salt Lake girl and are off to a High School dance. I will go back to Vernal with him tomorrow to celebrate Halloween and a fun surprise on Sunday Sherrie said. So I'm doing laundry and packing tonight. I will be home Monday. I'm glad to be gone on Halloween as we never get more than two or three kids here in the condo unit and besides I don't like to open the door late at night when I am alone. So happy Halloween everyone!

"MAYBE"

Maybe.......don't you just love that word? You don't have to give a definite answer. Maybe I will and maybe I won't. It gives you some time to size up the situation and make a decision or to choose......These are some maybe thoughts. MAYBE.....we were suppose to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

MAYBE.....When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't even see the new one which has been opened to us.

MAYBE...It is true that we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.

MAYBE.....The happiness of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along the way.

MAYBE.....The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can't go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartbreaks.

MAYBE .....you should dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you only have one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do.

MAYBE..... Happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all those who have touched their lives.

MAYBE.....You should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to keep you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

So when you use that little word....maybe....there are always two roads to chose after it. Yes, we

love the maybe word and it gets us off the hook with the kids a lot! Glad Sherrie got home safe and sound. A huge storm last night blew over several big trees in our Condo Unit. No water all day, but could have been worse. I guess winter wants us to know it is serious. MAYBE......things will be nicer tomorrow!

Half Full or Half Empty?

What's your attitude?

Two buckets at the well: The first one says "I come up full and go down empty."

The second bucket says, "I go down empty and come up full!"

Are you a Positive Patty or a Negative Nelly? Our lives are one big choice. A choice is not something we have and can just lose, choice is something we are....waiting to be put into use. "At every moment in every situation we are free to choose a simpler expression of our being." At one time I was looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but then I realized it comes from within............it was there all the time. I've learned to accept a compliment with a simple, "Thank you". I find if I choose to say some thing nice or think something nice about myself, my self confidence is boosted. In stead of always saying, "I can't cook" I say "I don't like to cook, but I can entertain very nicely." I can do many things well and as I go forward I need to acknowledge this and feel good about myself.

So today I choose to be a Positive Patty. We are having what seems to be our first taste of winter, cold and rainy. This is good, we need the moisture. Sherrie just called to see how Cody is and they are in Atlanta on their way home from the Caribbean. The Hortins and the Panniers are sitting at the U watching a football game in the rain.....and me, I'm tucked in my nice warm house enjoying another great day in my life.

Just Try It.......

"It's nice to be important but, It's more important to be nice!"

I am so enjoying my "tiny notes" game of hiding little messages on a sticky note and leaving them any where I think some one will find them and smile. Like putting a thank-you for the clean restroom in Walmart. Stick it by their sign-in sheet on the wall. Or when someone picks up a can of chili they see a little note that says, "Being a great person comes naturally to you." Walk down the store isle and smile at every person, see the responses. It makes you feel better, even if it doesn't affect the other person.

I love this little poem.....

You Never Know

You never know when someone may catch a dream from you.

You never know when a little word or something you may do,

May open up the windows of a mind that seeks the light........

The way you live may not matter at all. But, you never know...... it might!

And just in case it could be, that another's life, through you,

Might possibly change for the better with a broader and brighter view.

It seems it might be worth a try at pointing the way to the right.....

Of course, it may not matter at all, but then again.......it might.

A sad day yesterday, an old friend's daughter was hit and killed while riding her bike on her lunch break. She was only 45 and I remember her as a cute chubby baby. My heart is breaking for her parents. Children should bury their parents, not parents bury their children. Help me make some ones day better God.

God's In Charge

If you ever doubted who is in charge of your life, think again. After reading the following, I say if God has a perfect plan for everything on earth, then why not me? Just have faith and trust your life is exactly how it was set up to be....(kinda)!

I didn't know the accuracy in hatching eggs...do you? Potato bugs hatch in seven days, canaries in 14, chickens in 21, ducks and geese in 28, parrots and ostrich in 42 days and all these are divisible by 7.

Entrust God with your life. Don't mess up, only the one who made the heart and brain can successfully guide you to a profitable end.

Also, every watermelon has an even number of stripes on the rind. Each orange even number of segments, each ear of corn even number of rows, each stalk of wheat even number of grains. Waves of the sea roll into shore every 26 minutes in all kinds of weather, all grains found in even number on their stalks. Only the god-planned safe life is successful. Only the life given over to the care of the Lord is fulfilled. As I get older I realize I have just taken all these wonderful plans that God put into motion from day one were just by accident...NOT....Every single thing God made he made perfect and for a reason, including you and me. I know if I have faith and follow God's plan for my life it can be nothing but the best. Having another beautiful Fall day......played bridge last night with good friends, off to a movie and lunch today with another fun friend. Tiff and Scott home from their honeymoon, Sherrie's family will be home from the Caribbean this weekend. Life is good!

NICCI

Last week was Nicole's 25th birthday. She is my second grandchild and keeps us all guessing. She has inherited my Gypsies blood and wonder of the world. When we think she has achieved all there is.........she surprises us with something else. "Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go"........
Nicci came home a couple of days early for Tiff's wedding and we celebrated her 25th birthday at the Cheese Cake Factory. She is always the life of the party and is always smiling. One of her "Favorite" aunts knew how much she always loved her mother's Zucchini casserole growing up (ugh) and couldn't resist getting a big zucchini out of her garden, putting a ribbon on it and giving it to her for a birthday present. One of her best dissertations was on how much she hated zucchini growing up. At the present Nicci loves Bill and so do we. He works for Proctor and Gamble and lives in Boston.s

Nicci has been accepted by two very well known companies for a job, Nestle's and a big cereal company that I can't remember. She is still looking and interviewing....why not? At Nicci's age and her

abilities why not test them all. I am so very proud to say, I am her grandmother.....

Excitment Around Every Corner........

As you go through life there should be excitement around every corner---if it amounts to nothing more than picking up the laundry at the corner or taking your dog to the vet or buying a new flower for the spot that is bare in front! It has been a week since I became an empty Nester and I am determined my life will only get better. As I look at these two pictures from the wedding last Saturday you can almost see the feelings of the parents as they survey their family group. Was three, now four.........someday grandchildren and Nicci and Will will add spouses to the group. That is the way it should be and has been in history forever. We hope Nicci will marry cute Bill when she graduates from graduate school and takes a job. Will is almost 20 and we hope he will grow up and enjoy college before he gets serious about anyone. Today I have a new project, you know what I said about keeping my life exciting.......I am making a Halloween Costume for Richie B. for a school dance. Purple pants, red shirt, orange vest and silver sash, I think he is a Gypsies! I have made many Halloween costumes in my days and I hope I can go on doing it a few more years, I love to sew for the people I love. Tending Cody for the Christensons while they vacation. It was a beautiful Fall day.

WE HAD A WEDDING.......

What can I say when I know her folks did a wonderful job, they are a happy couple and a ton of people had a wonderful Saturday night? We, and I say we, because Tiffany has lived with me the past five and a half years and I have been with her every step of the planning, decisions, controversies, ups and downs of planning a wedding and the excitement of being in love. The excitement of, if and when Scott would ask her to marry him and how he would do it.......Then March she received her diamond and the wedding was way off on October 9th. Then the big family decision of where to get married. Settled on the Salt Lake Country Club which was the perfect answer. Now to find the perfect dress, shoes, hair do, bridesmaid dresses, etc., etc, etc. It has been so exciting but got here to quickly for her grammy. They had the best wedding ever and Tiff and Scott are off on their honey moon, but as I sit in the quietness of my solitude I am just getting over a huge melt down.............I have been an "EMPTY NESTER" before, but it never gets any easier. Yes, I like me and living alone.....with GIGI... it will be like it was before Tiff moved in. I know she will be a wonderful roommate for Scott. The past four days were the nails and pedicures day and a Birthday luncheon for Nicci with all the girls. Friday was the day of rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, Will was my partner and Bill, Nicci's boyfriend, my buddy as we were just on lookers. Then Saturday early was hair appointments, make up appointments, getting everyone dressed and up there in time. Sunday Pam and Rob and a wonderful brunch for his family, Tiff's out of town friends and me and the couple opened the many wonderful wedding gifts they got. Now it's Monday and back to laundry and grocery shopping and it's Columbus Day! Can you be happy and sad at the same time????

WONDERS OF THE WORLD.....

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders Of The World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes.
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids......2. Taj Mahal......3. Grand Canyon.....
4. Panama Canal......5. Empire State Building.....6.St Peter's Basilica.....7. China's Great Wall.
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.......The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there are so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." the girl hesitated then read, "I think the Seven Wonders Of the World are:
1. To see.....2. To hear......3. To touch.....4. To taste......5. To feel.....6. To laugh....7. And to love.
The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous. A gentle reminder.....that the most precious things in life cannot be built by hand or bought by man. This made me think that to the above list, I would add FAMILY.....I had three babies, twins yet, isn't birth one of the Wonders of the world? And they have each had three babies, 9 grandchildren, a wonderful family unit. The picture is of a get together for my oldest daughter's birthday. Three daughters, two of my granddaughters. I do not take these for granite. Yes, I have seen six of the seven wonders first listed, never made it to the Taj Mahal and the others are truly wonders. But, I created just as many wonders of my own world! Of course, God had his hand in all the real wonders of the world.
Today was a fun day with friends, a fashion show and a luncheon at the Town Club, I was Elaine Sorensons guest. Nicci gets home tonight for Tiff's wedding Saturday.........

Attitude

Having a good or positive attitude can get you a long ways. If the menu is in Spanish you can always say I didn't know what I was ordering and go for the double cheese burger and fries with a clear conscious. If you are a very positive person in life you will love this story..............A woman woke up one morning and found she only had 3 hairs on her head. "Well, I think I will braid my hair today", she did and had a wonderful day.

Next morning she woke up to find she had only 2 hairs on her head, "Well, I guess I'll part my hair in the middle today".....she did and had a wonderful day.

Next morning she woke up and she only had one hair on her head, "well, I guess today I will wear my hair in a ponytail" and she did and had a wonderful day.

Next morning she woke up and looked in the mirror only to find she didn't have a single hair on her head. "Yea, she exclaimed" I don't have to fix my hair today!" ATTITUDE in life is everything. When you begin to realize that attitude is a powerful tool, it can change your life for the better forever. Stay away from the Negative Nellies and hang out with the Positive Patties.

Had a nice week end with Korina and Bill who came up from Arizona for the LDS conference and stayed with me. Went out to dinner Friday night with them, Mike, Andrea, Dukane, Chelsey, Jamie and Kortney....regular family reunion. Dinner last night at the Panniers so a busy weekend.

OCTOBER HAS ARRIVED

Today is the first day of October............My life is flying by!

Two years ago Leslie and I were on a road trip in the North West to take in their fabulous fall foliage. We loved Vermont , New Hampshire, Maine......well all of it. Our hills are turning now even though we are still having weather in the high eighties. This weekend is LDS Conference and we very seldom have conference and nice weather at the same time, we're lucking out. Korina and Bill are driving up from Arizona to spend the weekend with me. Tonight we are all going to dinner with Mike, Andrea, Dukane and Kortney. Seems Mike always has a crowd when we meet. Also, Linda and Jim Cox, want me to come down for lunch tomorrow, but I didn't promise. Yesterday went and watched Richie play football at Hillside Hi, they won...... One week from tomorrow Tiffany is getting married. She has spent the whole week at Scott's to tend his dog, as he and his family have been deer hunting all week. Yesterday Bud Pannier was operated on for liver cancer, everyone worried. About half through with my Christmas shopping, that will be here too soon. Next week will be busy, busy,

this is good, then I won't have time to think about how lonesome I'll be without my sweet roommate.