REST

"Night With Her Train of Stars And Her Great Gift Of Sleep"

by Edward Hughes, paints a nice picture of how I am feeling. I need to sleep on this blog for a little while. I am waiting for words to share. I'll be back after a brief respite or when the words come back.
I am continuing on with my photoblog so you can catch me there.

A Different Perspective...

In My Own Language

Valuable message! Be sure and watch the entire video.

Susan

Judith Orloff May Change My Life!

This book has been in my stack of "to be read" books for about 6 months now. Today, I picked it up and began reading. Can I just say "For such a time as this!" The advice in this book is perfect for my mountain climbing adventure, described here. ahhh, synchronicity!

If you want to read more about "Postive Energy", go here.

Susan

Inspiring the Artist Within!

“The aim of an artist is not to solve a problem irrefutably, but to make people love life in all its countless, inexhaustible manifestations. If I were told that I could write a novel whereby I might irrefutably establish what seemed to me the correct point of view on all social problems, I would not even devote two hours to such a novel; but if I were to be told that what I should write would be read in twenty years’ time by those by who are now children and that they would laugh and cry over it, and love life, I would devote all my own life and all my energies to it.”
Leo Tolstoy

Wise man, that Leo! You can read more about him here.

Carpe Diem!
Susan

Strapping On The Boots!

An online friend asked how my doctors appointment went yesterday. The appointment was to get the results of extensive blood work I had done mid-December. I am posting my response here, as a reminder of the mountain I have to climb and as a declaration that I do intend to climb it!

"Well, it was a follow-up to extensive blood work I had done. This past year I have not taken good care of my diabetes and it showed. I have HUGE work to do or I'll have to begin insulin shots instead of continuing with oral diabetic meds. The doctor believes I can do it IF I am willing to WORK really hard. I am willing but AM I willing? I think Rachel mentioned somewhere how we know what to do but we don't always do it. I "think" the bottom line for why I don't take care of myself comes down to 1)24 hours in a day where I am busy taking care of so many people and I put myself last 2)food is a reward and a cheap easy one 3)I don't think I can spend the time on myself to exercise and buy good food and cook good food.
I know this is all ridiculous because if I don't spend the time it will be harder on me and my family when I have major complications. So, I've got some mental/emotional work to do as well as major lifestyle changes.

I'm fighting the feel sorry for yourself because you can't help having this disease because your parents have it, it is rampant in both sides of your extended family, yada yada. However, it boils down to "YOU HAVE IT, SUSAN" and you need to get your head out of the sand and do something about it."

So, for the good news. My pulse is fantastic, my cholesterol is good, my thryoid levels are good(I have hypothyroidism), no damage to the liver from the diabetes, well doc says everything is good except the blood sugar levels.

I had the blood drawn mid December and made some changes right away. I bought a treadmill and tv. I'm consistently walking 3 days a week and working up to five. I stopped drinking Coke (well almost stopped, cut WAY back) and switched to Coke Zero, water or tea. I AM taking my medicines. I have had a hard time remembering to take them consistently. That is ridiculous too but something about me...maybe it's subconscious resistance...who knows?

John and I went out to dinner and then came home. My first step towards improving the diabetes was to only eat half my meal. There wasn't really anything we wanted to see at the movies and I needed to think about the doctor's orders. I had gone straight from the doctor to dinner with John, so I was a bit down during the meal. Anyway, it's weird but I came home and started cleaning out the medicine cabinet and the pantry. I threw away at least 6 bags of expired meds, old boxes of this and that, old jars of marinade, amazing what all was in there. My overriding motivation was TO KNOW what was in my pantry and medicine cabinets. Somehow that seemed a good place to start.



So, I'm making a list of more nutritious foods to get at the store today, I'm making a schedule for myself with taking care of myself as a priority and I'm counting my blessings that there is something I can do to improve my blood sugar levels.

I would appreciate prayers, good wishes, advice or anything people want to offer. I have a huge mountain to climb and I'm strapping on the boots."

Susan

FRIDAY MISCELLANY

1)I'm going on a date tonight, with my hubby of almost 22 years. We are going to "Texas Roadhouse" for a good steak and excellent margarita. Afterward, we plan to take in a movie. Any suggestions?

2)Check out THIS DAY IN HISTORY to find a bit of trivia about a great poet and author that was born on January 19th. Rather tragic life.

3)The ice has finally melted, so I will be out and about today. I did enjoy the ice dusting and crunching for a few days. Here is a photo from our backyard to prove that yes, we did have ice in Texas. Do you know the difference between an "ice spike" and an "icicle"?

4)Thought for the day, paraphrased from the book "Welcome To Your Crises".
Mourn your loss but also celebrate the doorways loss opens for you....you liberate your latent self by doing so.

5)TGIF!!!!!!!!!! Do something fantastically fun today and then tell us about it!

ADIOS AMIGOS!

Getting To Know You!

1)If you could travel anywhere, where would you like to go?
2)If you were sure you could not fail, what would you attempt to do?
3)If you had one month to live, how would you choose to spend your time?

If I could travel anywhere, I would visit England, Ireland and Scotland. Those three count as one place to go. ha! I'm part Scotch, English, German and French so I could see two of my native lands with this one trip. Practical,eh?

If I was sure I could not fail, I would write a best seller or hike the Appalachian Trail from end to end.

If I had a month to live, I would spend it with those I love the most. Plus, I'd eat lobster three times a day!

How about you?

Susan

A Two Post Kind of Day!

"I HAVE A DREAM!"

If you have never listened to Martin Luther King's famous speech, here is your chance to do so. I hope that we all have dreams such as this one.

Susan

Library Haul

I left my list of y'alls book recommendations at home, due to the unexpected nature of yesterday's library trip, but managed to come home with quite a haul of books. I have the usual suspects: quirky home design books, yummy cookbooks and self-help books.

The roads are icey and we are home- snug as a bug in a rug-and happy to read the afternoon away.

Susan

FLOOD!

After 24 hours of rain, our normally gentle creek rose about 10 feet and became quite ferocious! We determined that is was going to overflow the retaining wall and flood our lower terrace about 15 minutes before it did so. Actually, I had been predicting this for over an hour but we won't go there. We scurried around in heavy cold rain, sans umbrellas, moving the gazebo furniture and benches so that they wouldn't be swept away or broken by the powerful water.


The gazebo under about 4 inches of water. One watches helplessly.

The rain has abated and the creek is back to "almost" normal. We will see what the next few days of icey rain bring. Fortuanately,for now, our fence held and none of the terrace bricks were swept away. We are without internet access and I'm having withdrawal. Nathan asked me to take him to the library and it didn't take much to persuade me, as I knew there were computers with internet access available. haha!
Icey roads may keep us home for a few days.

Stay warm and dry, everyone!

Susan

FRIDAY MISCELLANY

1)Did you know that a CORD of wood measures 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 8 ft? You country types probably know this. We are having a cord of wood dropped off in our driveway and I do mean "dropped" off. There will be chunks of wood all over the driveway. As we have done, for the past several years, the family will carry wood in antlike fashion from the driveway to the far corner of the backyard, where we will stack the cord of wood into a large rectangle...4 ft. x 4ft. x 8ft. I understand it will be raining this afternoon, which will add to the moving adventure. I think maybe I'll be cooking up some grub while the others move the firewood. They will be hungry when the project is completed.

2)Have you heard of Altered Books? My eldest daughters made one in their college collage class this year. They are the newest rage and quite unique.

3)MOVEON.org is a good place to look for rallys and other activities aimed at getting us out of Iraq or at least letting the powers to be know that some of us want to get out of Iraq asap. There was a rally last night, 30 miles from my home, but I had a prior comittment. I hope to make the next one.

4)I might as well share a recipe that would be good for Super Bowl, or anytime for that matter.

HOT BEAN DIP
1 can(16oz) refried beans
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. montery jack with jalapeno, grated
4 oz sharp cheddar, grated
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 taco seasoning packet
20 drops hot sauce
Mix softened cream cheese and sour cream. Add 4 oz of both cheeses in and save the rest for the top. Add beans and spices. Pour into buttered dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or till hot. Serve with chips. It's also good in flour tortillas with slices of avocadoe.

5) "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao-tzu
This is a favorite quote of mine that inspires when the task seems daunting. How about sharing a quote that inspires you?

Susan

How Many People Have YOUR Name?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 5 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

"CRIMSON DAWN" by Edward Raymes


"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn."
Henry David Thoreau

How do you keep yourself awake?

Susan

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS, PLEASE

I am starting my 2007 book list and would like to solicit recommendations from you! I am a sucker for books, with shelves overflowing throughout the house, and I truly believe you can't have too many books! This is the one place where I part company with the wise simplicity gurus. I love simplicity books, and own several of them, but they take it a bit too far when they suggest limiting books. haha

What would you recommend I read this year?

My recommendations for you:
Fiction: "The Scent of Water", Elisabeth Goudge
NonFiction: "A Walk On The Beach", Joan Anderson

Happy Reading in 2007!

Susan

After The Rain...

The overturned backyard whiskey barrel, also used as a goldfish pond in warmer weather, topped with leaves and a sheet of glassy water. Mesmerizing.

Susan

ANIMAL FOSTER CARE, PART 2

We only thought we had a home for Little Vanilla. As it turns out, the family was unable to meet the criteria we set forth for adoption. Seriously, pekingnese need to be inside most of the time, at least kept out of extreme temperatures, and this family wasn't sure they could do that. Plus, pekingnese aren't that happy to share their family with other dogs and these folks had two german sheperds. We all wanted it to work but in the end, we felt Little Vanilla had a better chance of finding the best home, if he went to the Animal Shelter.

This morning, John and I took this most adorable dog to the Animal Shelter. Prior to our leaving, tears had been shed by all the girls in the family. It was rough. John and I pull into the Animal Shelter and there are two carloads of families getting out. I say "Hurry John, let's get him inside and I'll talk to these people and tell them what a great dog he is." We scurry in as fast as we can....carrying this gigantic dog crate....and I eye the crowd in the waiting area. I announce, to no one in particular, "We have the perfect dog here. He is the sweetest thing, if anyone is looking for a dog." The Animal Control person comes over and takes him out of the cage. They run the scanner over him and there is no microchip. They ask if he is neutered and I shrug. She proceeds to feel around a bit and pronounces him "neutured" and says "Oh, that's really good." John asks "How do you know he is neutered?" I say "John!" and all the little kids standing around are all ears now. The woman says "The packaging is missing." John sort of snickers and thankfully, we proceed without further discussion of neutering technique. Everyone is oohing and ahhing over him, even though the folks that have come in are looking for kittens. I ask the lady, "What will happen to him?" and she says "He is neutered, so we will keep him until he is adopted." I didn't let myself think about what happens to those poor critters that aren't neutered. Then she says, "With a face like this, he will be adopted in no time." I said, "Oh I hope so but please make sure it's someone that will keep him inside because these kind of dogs have breathing problems." She sort of looks at me like, "Lady, you are asking a little bit much here." Anyway, so we are filling out paperwork and she said she was going to check the phone register to see if anyone had called in with a lost pekingnese. Lo and behold, she proclaims "Yes, we have a call describing this dog, lost in the Bird Creek area!" We excitedly said, "Yes, we live on Bird Creek." So, she calls the number and finds Little Vanilla's owner.
I break out into the HALLELUJIAH chorus(at least inside I"m singing). The owner will pick up Little Vanilla this afternoon. YAY But I'm not done yet. I say to the Animal Control woman, "Have you noticed how matted his fur is? That seems sort of odd to me. I hope these people take good care of him." The woman said, "Oh no, his fur is great compared to what I've seen before. We had a pekingnese come in here last week and I had to completely shave him." I say "OK" sort of skeptically. Then John asks if she would have the owner call us, so we can know that everything is ok with Little Vanilla. Then he laughs and says "Our kids might want to visit him sometime." Another woman that works there came over to me and said, "Y'all sure are nice people." awww I turned around to Little Vanilla because I wanted to pet him one last time and he was gone. gulp
So as we head home, I call the kids with the good news. John has managed to get the name of the owner and looks up her address on the internet. They go find the house and come to report the condition. It's a nice house and only 1 1/2 blocks away. Why I didn't think to call Animal Control on Tuesday, I'll never know. Maybe it had something to do with the four of us having the flu. Or maybe we just needed Little Vanilla in our lives for a few days.

It's been good knowing you little Vanilla and I hope we meet again!



Susan

If you REALLY knew me....

Have you heard of the "If you REALLY knew me" game? I played it last night,
with a couple of good friends.

OK, I'll start with 3 "REALLY knew me" statements, to give you an idea of the game.

1)"If you REALLY knew me, you would know I love to ride horses but haven't in years."
2)"If you REALLY knew me, you would know I get angry when someone is mistreated or belitted."
3)"If you REALLY knew me, you would know I could eat lobster 3 times a day".

So, let's play the "If you REALLY knew me" game. Tell me at least one(but you can tell more)thing about yourself that if I REALLY knew you, I would know!

TGIF!

Susan

Color Today Blue!

I have a dream of equality for all people, no matter their race, their gender, their orientation, their loud voice, their quiet voice, their stilled voice....I have a dream that that all people can have a voice that counts.

Today, I despair of that ever happening. Feeling blue and hoping to see sunshine tommorrow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

What would you like to create, do, see or enjoy in 2007?

Susan

Naivete

"Naïveté (from French; commonly Anglicised to naivety) is the state of lacking experience or understanding and/or having a lack of sophistication; innocent simplicity. Much usage of the term appears pejorative — employed when the speaker does not wish to value child-like innocence or a child-like state."

I've been told that my perspective on some things is "naive". Do you see the characteristic of naivete in a negative light? Do you respect the opinions of those you consider "naive"?

I've been chewin on my newest label. It's not actually that new as I've been called "Naive" before. I do find it generally used in a dismissive way. When I agree that "yes, I am naive", am I dismissing myself or accepting a truth?

Just something I'm pondering this morning.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Susan