Happy Hour Chatter

OK - rarely do I manage to rent one good movie in a weekend - but let alone...two? Well, I managed to rent two great ones. I already mentioned The Bucket List . The second one is August Rush. I liked it so much, I might just watch it a 2nd time! For those with children, it is a family movie with a very good story line about having faith. And, the music is awesome! I'm going to look for the soundtrack! Two Thumbs Up! :-)

Wow! For those of you who missed it, I'm sorry. Today's airshow at the airport was wonderful! I was very impressed at the caliber of the event. The stunt flying was spectacular, as was the dogfight between the bomber and the two Russian Mig's. And the weather turned out to be absolutely beautiful! We had a fabulous time. We were even fortunate to sit with my sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Gil. It was fun to watch the crowds and see people that I hadn't seen for a while. The only drawback was waiting for the buses at the end of the event - that could have been planned a little bit better, but I'm sure they'll chalk it up to learning and make better arrangments for the next airshow that hits town. Congratulations to everyone that planned the event! It was the highlight of the weekend! Thought for the Day: If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. - Katherine Hepburn

Today is a fine how-do-you-do! For the end of June, the weather today stinks! It's cold, typhoon-like winds, and it's raining off and on. I can handle the rain, but the other stuff needs to stop....NOW! ~hahahaha~ Today was supposed to be packed with activity at the local airport for the airshow. But, with the weather such as it is, it has been postponed until tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and the show will go on without a hitch. So, what am I doing instead? After my last June Gentle Flow (Seniors) class this morning, I hit the gym for about an hour. I'm finding that I'm not getting there as much as I need and I need to start rectifying that situation or I won't fit in to my britches any more (insert very unladylike snort here!). I've worked so hard to take the weight off and I want to keep it off, but unfortunately I'm in that age bracket where the ghastly middle aged spread starts to creep up on a person if they're not careful. I'm...

I don't know who said it, but I like it... "I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit." -Author Uknown

Hey...whassup? Me? Nuttin! (Ha) Literally - I'm not doing much of anything today. My day yesterday - Saturday- was jam packed though! I started out with my own Yoga practice, then went in to town and did my Seniors class at the AC. That went pretty well. The group was especially chatty though - which is good cuz it means they're comfortable with me. After that, I went up to the high school to watch my best friend's daughter play in a volleyball tournament. She's quite good! I couldn't help noticing how much she's grown up since I've known her. My oh my what a young lady she is. I got to spend a little time with Becky while we watched the game. Though we work at the same place, we seldom get to see each other. What is worse is that between her and her daughter's schedule, and my yoga teaching schedule, we don't get to see each other near enough. She's still my very good friend, but darnit, we have to make more time for each other. ...

This is simply beautiful. This is beautiful!! Take a few moments to really watch and hear this.... Click on the link below. http://www.hasanyonetoldyou.com/

Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.

When making coffee in the morning, it is always advisable to make sure that the carafe is actually IN the coffee maker to collect the freshly brewed coffee!

Friday night was the local Relay for Life event in our area. This is the 3rd year that I've been involved with the team through my Church - albeit this year not quite as involved as I should have been due to my schedule. It never ceases to amaze me how everyone turns out for this event. It has steadily grown in the past few years. It's fun to walk the track and run in to people that I know - walk a few laps with them and then run in to someone else - and walk with them. The money raised was outstanding! We have big hearts around these parts and something like Cancer doesn't stand a chance! Something to be said for the northerners spirit! As I walked the track though - and read the names on the luminaries, something hit me like a ton of bricks. I know - or have known - too many people with cancer. Family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances..... 15 people in all. Far too many to my liking. Hopefully the money raised is going to good research on a cure for this nasty disease. ...

Hey Everyone! Looking for a SUPER photographer??? I have it on GREAT authority that Smash Dog Studios (based out of Valley City) is the most Awesomist photographer in the area! She currently works under the name of Paurus Designs, but as of July 1st, the name officially changes to Smash Dog! Kewl, huh? Check out this link and see what she has to offer. http://www.paurusdesign.com/

Wow, what a difference a week can make, huh? A week ago things were so bone dry that we were getting a little worried on the ranch, wondering if we were going to have enough hay this summer to sustain our herd through the fall and winter. I mean, we'd walk across the grass and it would crackle under our feet because it was dry and brittle. But no more! We received 3.5 inches of rain in the last 24 hours and I believe 1.5 inches last week Thursday/Friday. It's wonderful! Things are greening up nicely and I can't help but say "Thank you God for answering our prayers!" Today, Thursday, is a good day so far. "T" is a happy camper with the rain, the livestock even seem to be frolicking around (doesn't that visual just bring a smile to your face!) and the sun is shining! Yeah! Plans for today are Yoga.....go home and visit with my young newlywed neighbor who is bringing a friend over to view T's arrowhead collection. I didn't lay anything...

I am so thankful that I am a relatively positive person. Some would call it a flaw of mine as I'm typically looking at life through rose colored glasses. I've been through enough hard times in my life to know that life isn't always fair or easy. I've also learned that how I choose to look at things can make a big difference...not only in me, but in others as well. How sad it must be to go through life unhappy, negative, and always complaining about things. Really...does it make you feel better? No. I would imagine that it would only succeed in making you feel worse. It can be hard to change your outlook on life....but as I've heard a famous motivational speaker say once, "If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." A few years ago, I read a piece about "Attitude" that really makes sense to me. I want to share it with you. It's worth revisiting when you are having a particular rough time with your attitude - or th...

T and I learned that a close friend of T's - who has been suffering with cancer the last year - has been given a less than favorable prognosis. Doctor's apparently told Ron that he has a month to live. Quite sad, and I hope untrue. My heart aches for the family. No-one deserves news such as this. Miracles do happen though and I hope, through the strength of prayer, that one finds it's way to this family. It's Monday and I can tell it's going to be a busy week. I have something going on every night this week. I'm already tired just thinking of it! Tonight I have a party to attend that is a mini "spa" for the aching dogs. Really, I'm just going cuz she's serving wine! ~LOL~ Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday is Yoga....and Friday is Relay for Life. Saturday is Yoga. Sunday I'll sleep (in theory!) Ha The wedding on Saturday was great. The groom was handsome, the bride was beautiful and the ceremony was touching. The breakfast bake for Sunday turned ...

Ingredients 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups milk 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 eggs 10 slices French bread (regular bread works ok too), cut into 1-inch cubes (1-inch thick) 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries 1/2 cup chopped nuts powdered sugar blueberry syrup or maple syrup Directions 1 Generously grease a 2 1/2 quart casserole or 9/13 baking dish. 2 Beat flour, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs in a large bowl by hand until smooth. Stir in bread cubes until coated. 3 Pour bread mixture into pan. top evenly with cream cheese, blueberries and nuts. 4 Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Heat oven to 400 degrees. 5 Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. 6 Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with syrup.

Have you ever had one of those days when it seems that the "To Do" list never gets anything crossed off and things just keep getting added to it? Jeeez! I woke up this morning and realized that I had better be pretty darn efficient with time management today or I wasn't going to get anything accomplished. Today was the first day of my seniors yoga class, so I woke up rushing around because I realized that 1) I didn't have my registration list compiled (in my head - yes; on paper, no) 2) I didn't have registration forms made out for the anticipated number of participants 3) I had the class sequencing in my head, but needed to put it down on paper. So, on top of rushing around because I overslept, I had to do all of the work that I should have already had prepared. Choices - it's ALL about choices! If I hadn't gone out to Burger night last night with the hubster, I'd have had it all done. The price we pay for having fun! ~LOL~ I packed a gym bag with sh...

I'm back!!! I just survived a four day trip to Minneapolis!! Oh my goodness did I have fun with my girls. Ok....my girls AND Matt (my neice's hubster). Oh wait, slide Amy in to the mix too (she's my other neice's roommate). So, the cast of characters are Joan, Matt (he's married to Joan), Karen, and Amy (she's Karen's roommate). We all set? Ok, good. I don't know why I get so hyper about driving to the cities. I used to drive all over the place for crop insurance (Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Billings, Colorado, etc.) and some of that driving time took place in the dead of winter - and alone at that. But, I haven't done it for a while and I guess it's no longer part of my comfort zone. But, I made it and followed the instructions to Joan's and Matt's place with flying colors (Joan's directions were outstanding!). The whole weekend is kind of a blur, but I believe the first night I was there, we went to the Big Ten on...