CHANGE.........

"A slave is one who waits for someone else to come and free him..."

Can you imagine your life without change? Without change, you would have nothing to hope for, plan for, or look forward to. You would never grow or learn anything new. Change is the creative energy of our lives....the source of all learning and growing. It would be nice to have the change fairy just tap you and all would be well, but it isn't always that easy. When we put ourselves into new situations or our environment changers around us, we have to respond in new ways. We have to change, and when we change, we learn something new about our capabilities and limitations. Change challenges our view of the world.....it inspires and surprises us. Because change is an inevitable part of life, the real question is: how much direction will you give your changes? Will you be a passenger of your changes or will you take the drivers seat and direct them? We have the power to be a director of change in our life.

There are many kinds of risks in life........emotional, intellectual and physical. The important ones are those that help you grow and express your values.

"Man is troubled not by events themselves, but by the views he takes of them."

Becoming A "formally".....

On this beautiful Sunday in September I know that my life is good. Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections. You know the art of Wabi-Sabi.
I love this thought: we all have an inner editor. The doubting, self-critical voice that we all inherited around puberty as an unfortunate door prize for surviving childhood. The Inner Editor is a busy-body and perfectionist, happiest when it is tsk-tsking our short comings and weaving our past blunders into a rich tapestry of personal failure!. I love the presupposition "There is no such thing as failure......only feedback."
It's hard to admit we are all becoming "Formallies".....You know, formally hot, athletic, young, wild, free, happy, joyful, ambitious, pretty, thin, and full of energy. But, at my age I have nothing to prove to anyone. We are who we are, how we are and where we are from the choices we've made. Formally I was all the things listed above but that was in my teens, 20's, 30's, 40's, but after that it started changing. It was slow and kinda creeps up on you, but I look around at the friends my age and I can definitely say they have become "Formallies" also. No good, not bad, just the way life is! It seems to me we grow neither better nor worse as we get old, but more like ourselves...........

The Clock Keeps ticking......

What in the world is better than grand-children? On the left is a picture of me and six of my nine grand-children all dressed up on Mother's day at the Willow Creek Country Club. On the right are six of my grand-children at a birthday party at my pool this summer. My brightest days are spent with one or more of my nine grand-children. Last night I went to the Home Coming Foot-ball game at Brighton High to watch Richard play foot ball. Brighton won and Rich played some. Today I spent a couple of hours watching Scottie play little league foot ball and it was grandparents day. It was a beautiful sun shinny day and last night was a great fall night to watch a game. A couple of years ago it was my oldest grandson William that played football as we sat out under the stars and enjoyed the games. Today he is a Sophomore at the University of Utah. They do grow up! And isn't that what you want them to do? But, I have a selfish wish that these good times could just go on and on and on.........I do know they won't so I'm really enjoying that the children love me and want me around. Some grandmothers aren't so lucky. Two weeks from today, Tiffany will be getting married, that's what we raised her to do, but are you ever ready for all the changes? Alex graduates from high school this year, Richie next year, yesterday they were babies. Why did I buy a highchair at a garage sale today????

I'm A Sucker For Flowers.........

Well, I did it again........let someone set up a blind date for me. But surprise, he was really a nice guy, especially when he showed up with yellow carnations just for a coffee date. Like my grandmother always told me, you never get a second chance to make a first impression and I believe that! My granddaughter's sorority sister that came to a couple of Christmas parties at my house had met this man at a puppy training class. He asked if she knew any nice ladies, not to young, not to old and she thought of me. She asked Tiff about it and in a weak moment I said "why not?" Gerald called later that night and I thought what the heck, nothing to drastic can go wrong if we meet for coffee. We had a very enjoyable two hour chat, him finding out I hate to cook and me finding out he was learning to cook AND can foods and was really enjoying it. Both born in Colorado, liked dogs and each had three children. It certainly turned out better than my last date before him when I swore off men. That date took me across the street to Taco Bell, ordered three tacos for a dollar and two lemon aids and had to write a check for $3.32 cents AND he ate two of the three tacos and didn't even offer me a bite. That was one of the times my Grandmother was talking about.......You never get a second chance to make a first impression, because for that guy there was no second chance. My thoughts were, "Suck it up Cupcake......I'll can buy my own tacos."

Bridge, bridge, bridge......

I love all the girls in my two bridge clubs and look forward to seeing everyone once a month. But I hate it when it is at my house as it means clean, clean, clean. How embarrassing for someone to see a cobweb, or a corner that doesn't get dusted regularly. So you spend a week with a to do list a mile long of long forgotten corners to clean up. It is a good feeling when it is all done and you have a nice clean house for awhile. I use to be able to whip through the house, set a great table and plan a fun treat or luncheon without batting an eye, but now days it is a big project. Got to find all the nice dishes and silver, bring up the tables and chairs and get the shopping done. I'm so tired by the time bridge arrives I can hardly enjoy it. Last night I had the night bridge club at my house.......and survived. Today it was one of the other girls turn for day bridge which makes you know how hard she had worked getting ready for a fun lunch. There are three of us in both groups, Jane Laver, Pat Noall and I. The night girls are Marge Plant, Bev Taft, Bonnie Lyngle, Barbara Lusty and Micky Lymm when she is in town other wise Peggy Dean fills in. The daytime club has Bettie Barlow, or sister-in-law Joan, Florence Bertnole, Mae Taylor, and Gloria Morrison. I have a confession, I don't think playing bridge is a high priority with either group, just a good excuse to get together!

Times Flying

Well, it seems like yesterday that I got the notice ..... "To Save The Date"! This morning my sweet roommate informed me 19 more days till the wedding. Where has the time gone? Yes, I have been here as the days rolled by, finding the right dress and shoes, picking out the brides maids clothes, getting them fitted. The place for the affair, the food, the decorations, flowers, cake, agreeing on the invitations was....... big, then came the guest list....big! Once the invitations were mailed, the hair due decided and I even got to go to my nieces to witness the taking of the pictures in the wedding gown. She was so beautiful and is so happy and ready to become Mrs Scott Hortin. This was when I realized, yes, this is real. So now I needed to decide what I was going to wear, you know nice grandma stuff. Well, Karrie helped me find a dress, then the next thing shoes. They really don't make to many dresses "grandma" shoes, but I did find a pair that will be nice. Saturday her aunts Karrie and Sherrie and I had a shower for her in Karrie's backyard which was so pretty on the golf course. Yesterday her Pannier relatives had a bar-b-q dinner shower for couples and tonight her parent's friends are having a shower. Scott's family had a shower a couple of weeks ago. Things have so changed since I got married 54 years ago, even my last daughter just celebrated her 19th wedding anniversary and I don't remember all this 19 years ago. I dare to think what the next dozen years will bring. Anyway it has been so much fun with her living with me I have been on the front row to watch it all.....19 days will pass in a blink of the eye. Congratulations Tiff and I'm excited for you.

Nineteen Years and counting.............

Yesterday was the Cook's nineteenth wedding anniversary...........Look what 19 years can bring you! They are now a family of five, plus two very BIG dogs......and a turtle. They are a darling family and so very busy. Richard Benjamin is 16 now and driving. Just got a green pick-up truck that is his pride and joy. Rich loves football and La Cross. He has a job at Firehouse subs. Andrea is15 and just got her drivers permit. She golfs, dances and is smart and beautiful. Then there is the baby Scottie who will be nine in a month,he is really going on 14 or 15! This is Scott's first year at football and his dad is the coach. Richard's first love is golf, but that doesn't put food on the table. Karrie has been/is the family chauffeur, 3 very busy children seem to keep her on the go. The church also takes up some time. They have a big house and lawn and Karrie is chief gardener. I wish them many more years of a happy, busy life. Nineteen years ago today, I was packing for Morocco, Africa and happy to have the last of my three daughters happily married. Time certainly does fly.