OPTIMISTIC CLOCK WATCHER----

As I watch the tired white faced clock on the wall hand me the minutes of my life----one-----by one-----what will I do with them? I cherish every single one of the them. A single moment can change everything. And, every day has 1,440 of them. I believe in myself, Whatever challenges come my way, I can meet them. Whatever obstacles I encounter, I can find my way around them. Any roadblock, detour or setback along the way in my life are only temporary. I am on the way to a succesful and happy life.
So with all those positive thoughts, I welcome two new members to my extended family. The picture above is of Nicci and Bill and today they are bringing home a new "Havenese puppy" named Oliver! I didn't know the word "Havenese", but it was explained to me this breed was developed in Havana, Cuba. They were not allowed outside the country, but someone smuggled out the puppies that are now bred in the United States. Heck, all my relatives have foreign ancesters. Congratulations new parents......AND ,today a very special niece is being married in the Snowflake Temple. Congratulations to Korina and Bill. And the minutes of my life continue to tick on with wonderful fulfilment.

GOOD WORDS- BAD WORDS

In my 70+ years I have spoken, learned and listened to many, many words. I have never researched how many words you use in one day but I have been thinking some words I don't need any more. Take "jump".......I have taken that out of my vocabulary. Run and hop are seldom used. I couldn't jump if you paid me to, my poor knees would rebel.

Then there is this word forever? F O R E V E R......forever. You can't live forever, your clothes don't last forever. Your car, furniture and health don't last forever. When you get married you promise each other in front of God and sign the marriage certificate indicating you are promising to keep your vows forever. As far as I am concerned forever is a joke. Parents die, Pets die, friends die, heath changes and jobs end, seasons come and go. You aren't young forever, you grow up. You aren't old forever, you die. I can't think of one thing that is forever. So I have this question........If nothing lasts forever, then what is forever for? That is another word that I can drop from my vocabulary!However, there are a few words I find myself using more lately. Wrinkles, aches, pain.....slow!

Each chapter that is ending---- Leads us to a new beginning.

A past we are leaving-----means a future we are starting. I try to always move forward.........

WEATHER??????

We watch the news every morning to see what the weather is forcast for the next few days.....or week. Some times the weather man gets it right and sometimes he does not! So I have decided what the heck......I'm just going to make my own good weather! At my age I have decided every days a good day when I "wake up" and can "get out of bed by myself." Those two things can really make a persons day a "good day." Did you realize, your greatest wealth is your health? So today was a good day, Karrie came by to help me with a computer question. Later in the day, Darren and Sherrie dropped Kennedy off to spend the afternoon with me, then came back for a short visit before they meet the boys for dinner and go to their cabin in Park City. Then Pam called and wanted to go swimming. It is so nice when the children come around without you begging them to. They don't realize how lonesome you get sometimes. AND someday, if they don't set a good example, their children may not feel it necessary to take the time to visit their parents. It's just one of those things.......what goes around, comes around!

THROUGH THE LENS OF TIME

HAPPY 24th OF JULY........This is Utah's special holiday. The day the Mormon Pioneers' came into the Salt Lake Valley to settle. No other state celebrates like we do with big parade, rodeo etc. Making a 3 day holiday for many in Utah.

I love taking pictures of my family in all their various doings. My children have given me wonderful cameras on birthdays. The small one fits in my purse and comes in handy at all those unexpected "Kodak Moments." The big one you take with you to special functions, kids programs, family reunions etc. I sometimes think my family think of me as their camera-totin gram, hovering like the paparazzi around the pope! I just got my last pictures printed. There were several taken of the grandkids on the 4th of July when I went up the canyon with the Cooks to cook breakfast. Then Saturaday at the fund raising fair at the Pioneer Farm up the canyon I got some cute ones. And at my bridge party Monday I updated the pictures of the girls I have been playing bridge with for over fifty years. Tomorrow is the local 24th of July Parade and I will be there aiming at my cheer-leader granddaughter who will be marching in it! It's fun these little bits of my life being snapped along my path of life. Yes, I get the ducks and hands covering the face sometimes. But I just say, "Suck it up cupcake-----its a camera not a shark attack.....Someday when you all realize that life is sweeping up family and friends in one big swirl of milestones and minutiae and you see my "In the Moment" shots it will be a fun reminder of the good times we have had and make you smile.

The picture above is of my second grandson the night before his graduation. I gave him a picture of he and his father in tuxs when he was all of two......in the back ground is his father's mother and his mother's father visiting with his brother. There are so many stories in just one moments flash. All I can say is "put up with it cause I'm on the prowl and I will get you."

WHY IT WORKS

I am a list maker, always have been, but seems the older I get the more I have relied on them. I read where your conscious mind can handle 40 pieces of information---including what you see, hear, smell, taste, feel and think--per second. Our subconscious mind--which manages all our involuntary physical processes, like breathing and digestion--can handle more than 100 million pieces of information per second. Our wonderful subconscious mind with just a few suggestions, hints and reminders will follow through for you. You know like when you have to get up at five, and even though you set your alarm, you wake up several times anticipating the alarm, that's your subconscious doing its job. "Send your subconscious the right messages, and your body will act on them." If your serious about losing weight, send your subconscious some instructions to let you know if what you are eating is healthy or junk, let your food satisfy you for hours, and really desire good tasting, healthy food. Another interesting thing about our wonderful mind: if you want someone to listen to you.......talk into or in the direction of their RIGHT ear. It was found most people are more likely to do someone a favor when it's spoken in their right ear rather than their left. That's because the right ear corresponds with the left hemisphere of the brain, which helps process information and find solutions to problems. The right side of the brain, on the other hand, is more involved with withdrawl and avoidance behavior. So when you want your husband, kids of friends to do something for you.........remember to stand on their right side when telling or requesting anything!!!! Pam texted they are having fun at the lake, Sherrie called and they are having fun at the sand dunes in Idaho. Karrie called and they were off to clean the church. Well, thats life.

ENJOYING MY GARDEN.......

I'm not much for hiking in the wilds, cooking over a campfire or sleeping under the stars. No, my idea of spending time with Mother Nature is reclining in a comfy chair in my own garden. Yes, there was a time when I was growing up and also when my children were small ,(you do about any thing for your children), I camped out in rain, wind and mesquitos and bear. I do still love cooking out, but as for sleeping under the stars.......been there done that!
Because of the four seasons where I live and my outside garden goes to sleep for months I just bring my garden to the patio and then inside. I have plants everywhere. I have a fountain that brings the sound of water into the house to sooth. Then I usually have a fun fish bowl with one or two little critters that are unnecessary, but fun . This way I am never faced with dead, dull, dried up outside to look at. Life is just to short to have to wait for that short window of beautiful summer flowers. I am not much for dried flowers, but I find year around you can always buy beautiful fresh bouquets of flowers at Costco or your neighborhood stores. This then is my message to myself; I can become only who I am. And I can live only this particular life that I have been given so why not fill it full of all the beautiful things of life. Sherrie spent the night with me and we had a fun visit. Today she took me to Costco and I bought a safe to put all my treasures in. I have them hid all over the house.......in pockets of clothes in the closets, shoe toes, behind pictures, shoe boxes, under the bed, in books, you know all those wonderful hiding places that you soon forget about 10 minutes after you put them there. I don't really have a lot that others would consider treasures, but they are to me!!!!!! Tonight is board meeting for the condo, every third Thursday of the month.

25th YEAR CELEBRATION!

I'll drink to that! 25 years ago today my husband of 30 years waltzes in and announces that he had just been to see a lawyer and had filed for divorce and was suing me for mental cruelty!!!!! Not a favorite day back then. I didn't argue, cry, scream or yell. I just went to the pantry got a box of big black garbage bags and told him to start packing......Oh yes, I opened a bottle of Metuse wine and got a straw and followed him around the house telling him what he could take and what he couldn't. When the pickup truck was full he drove out of the children and my lives. 25 years ago today......Yes, it took me awhile to get over REJECTION and then I realized how lucky the kids and I were. After my last daughter was married and I was off to Morooco in a few days, I went in and got my hair done and was moaning to my hairdresser. He listened patiently and then suggested I send my X a thankyou note for leaving and opening many new doors for a whole new life. I went home and did just that which seemed to finally close the door on 30 years of marriage. The family and I ralleyed and bonded together and have had a great 25 years of having and raising nine wonderful grandchildren, the loves of my life. I hadn't planned ahead when I set up bridge at my house tonight, then remembered the date and thought why not make it a party........a 25 year single party for me! Any time you get together with old friends is party time.........maybe a little bridge too.