Happy Hour Chatter

Today is Memorial Day. A quiet day of reflection to those special people who touched my life: Mom and Dad who loved me without question, supported me always, and embraced and enveloped me with their love when all I wanted to do was crawl in a hole and escape the world as I knew it then. Mom and Dad instilled in me the value of who I was - and made me who I am today. Memories flood through me, so happy and loving of the good times, remembrances of who you were and what you meant to me. I miss you...every day of my life! And what I wouldn't give to be able to sit down and talk with you, be near you, feel your loving embrace, or hear your laughter just one more time. Earl - who left this earth far too soon, and left behind a hole in our hearts for missing you so much. You gave tirelessly of yourself and asked nothing in return. Your daughters and wife miss you so - but it's not only them. The whole town mourns your loss, as do I. You were more than just my brother-in-law, you were...

Greetings Everyone, I received an email about 9 years ago from a far-away-friend that touched me to the core. It was entitled "Life's Lessons." I printed it out and tucked it away to read when I needed some inspiration. I ran across it awhile ago and, not surprisingly, it touched me as much now as it did then. So, to my friend Lee - wherever you may be, thank you for sending me something so beautiful and for thinking of me. Be well My friend. Life's Lessons Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be; your roommate, neighbor, professor, long lost friend, lover or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you and at the time they ma...

Good Morning Peoples, I hope this finds you all well and good on a beautiful Saturday morning. I'm drinking a cup of coffee and doing some reflecting. My brother, sister and I went to the cemetary on Thursday night in our annual visit to our parent's graves. We dutifully make it look pretty by triming around the stones, digging up dirt and planting live flowers, and triming the trees. This has been a yearly ritual for me every since I was a young child - going to the cemetary with my mother to spruce it up for my grandparents. Since 1991 when my father passed away, my brother and I have gone every year, and more recently, my sister has joined us. I look forward to it every year. Many people ask me why I look forward to going to the cemetary and do all that work. All I can tell them is.... family . It's a time for those wonderful memories of our parents to come out as we dig, plant, and trim things up. Thursday night I was admonishing my brother for destroying a bird...

Well - not quite "torture" but definitely not a pleasant walk through the tulips, if you get my drift! Oh my goodness! I have got to get to the gym more often. A few short months ago I was able to run full out on the treadmill at 6mph for interval training. Today? Well, let's just say that I managed interval training but it certainly wasn't at a full out 6mph. Quite humbling. Does anyone have any answers as to why it takes our bodies so long to build up strength and endurance, yet it takes just a blink of an eye to lose it if you're not using it? HATE it when that happens. An earlier blog stated that I had packed on some weight and I didn't know why or how. That's a cop out. I do know. Less time in the gym, that's why. Now, I know that I teach Yoga three nights a week - and that is a good workout in of itself however, the body needs some cardio training once in a while to keep the ole heart and lungs happy, know what I mean. I made it the the gym twice...

Yeah right! It's a freakin hurricane out there! Geeez Louise! Just for once I would like to have a day without wind. I must admit that the temperatures are pretty nice out there though. It really makes up for the last couple of weeks of cold stuff we've had. But now I need to get busy and do a LOT of outside stuff - like getting my decorative rock around me house looking...decorative again! Ha! Getting my deck scrapped and washed and maybe - just maybe - I'll paint it this year. NOT. I have too much on my plate to do that, but at least it won't look quite as ragged as it does now. I was telling a co-worker today that I started my annual batch of raspberry slush! Oh goodness good peoples...that stuff is WICKED! I had a batch last year and remember fondly the one Saturday afternoon when it was about 90 out. I thought I'd go sit on the deck, drink some slush and read a bodice-ripper. The first glass went down soooo well that I made myself another. After...

Gracious sakes - today went fast! Can't believe that I started Monday out by wishing it was already Friday, and here it is Thursday night and Friday is just a sleep away. Yeah! Today was a pretty good day all things considered. I spent the morning in a training class that was pretty interesting. The topic was "gangs" and I learned quite a bit, unfortunately there is a ton more to learn. It really is quite unfortunate that I have to even learn about it at all, but given where I work, it always best to know whom I have surrounding me and what type of activities they participate it. It was sad to learn that an average age of a "shooter" is 12-17 years of age. Given that I live in a rural state I always figured that gangs were part of the "city" life....but I understand that it is even here, in my small rural town. What drives a person to become a gang member? Is life really that bad for you that you need to join this "extended family" just so th...

Ok, I know what you are thinking - Happy Hour is for drinking. Au contraire my fellow peeps! Happy Hour is a place where you can unwind after the day - kick your shoes off, sip that pretty little drink with the umbrella in it and let the stress of the day roll off your shoulders. This little blog is meant to inform, enlighten, empower, provoke, invigorate, and inspire. I will do my rambling here and see what thought provoking responses I get from the other side of the monitor (that be you folks!). So, welcome to my Happy Hour! No designated driver needed here - just a healthy dose of humor! Remember - Do not hang all your clothes on one nail!