I’m Good at….

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I’m really good at having my head somewhere in the clouds! I love day dreaming and that is my current preoccupation. Spending time in the garden watching the clouds roll by is a nice thing to do. No worries, no headaches, no hassles and no stress! It is a good way to relax as well.

However, seriously, I’m very detail-oriented. I pay attention to detail and love getting assignments finished on time. The Daily Prompt can attest to my diligence of getting a post out everyday and this is a goal I have in mind and I get it done. It is not only good for my mind but it helps to bring my scattered thoughts in line. Sometimes things I had forgotten about and put away in the farthest corner of my mind emerge and I don’t know if that is a good thing but sometimes it helps to give clarity to the whole picture.

The other thing I am good at is organizing. I detest clutter both at home and in the office space. Paperwork is another thing altogether but all the other stuff I’ve got a pretty good handle on. I know where to look for things I need and usually have them within a few minutes of looking. I find that to be a good thing and it saves time and some unwanted frustration.

Lastly, I think I’m a good friend. I tend to be dependable, loyal and someone you can trust. Add being punctual and you’ve got a good friend who is always on time and one who will listen when you need to get something out and one who will give you a shoulder to cry on if it is needed.

I THINK I am good at other things too but they’ve gone hiding because I can’t think of anything else. Oh well, enough already. Time to go day dream and watch the birds in flight!

Daily writing prompt
What are you good at?

Is Having It All Attainable?

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I am looking for peace in my life and so having it all would mean also having all of the other things that go towards bringing peace in my life. Basically, it means freedom to be who I am, the ability to think freely, living a life that is free of stress, worries and fear and last but not least having someone by my side who will help me achieve all of those things.

Is it attainable? Honestly, I don’t know. I am trying to achieve peace but it is not of the lasting kind and that is the problem. Life happens and peace is nowhere to be seen at those times or I need to learn better ways of managing stress and dealing with problems. Once I have that in line, perhaps peace will happen. I am not holding my breath because as I said life has a way of testing to see if it can rattle my search for inner wisdom and PEACE. So far, life has had the upper hand.

What about the guy? The guy is still somewhere out there and he is refusing to ask for directions! Typical man thing. Attainable? Perhaps, perhaps not. Only time will tell.

Who would I like to talk to soon?

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I would say it is my little love. The guy with the fur coat. He has been acting up and wants to have things his way, I am okay with it to a point but when he comes in wearing the pants that’s when it’s time to pull the plug!

Last night was another one of those nights when Chachi, the cat, or rather Little Einstein as he likes to be called decided that he was going to run riot and show me who’s the boss! It started with him doing the cat walk back and forth from my end to the other end of the bed and it went on and on. When I put a stop to it, he jumped off to get a drink of water and some food. Then he decided that the dry food pieces made good football material. He kicked them around for a while until I raised my voice and he took off running. After a minute or two of peace and quiet, I called him and he was a no show. So I went looking and as I rounded a corner, he jumped out with what sounded like a bark and ran up the stairs with a giggle no less! Sometimes I think he was a dog in his past life.

The problem is talking to the little brat is almost impossible. He knows when he’s in trouble and before I can say a word, he walks up to me, brushes against me and looks up with those puppy dog eyes. He’s a cat but the little guy plays dog tricks very well! Anyway, I plan to set aside some alone time tomorrow and me and the little man who wears the pants around here will pow wow together. I know he’ll pull out every trick in his cat arsenal to get away with murder but tomorrow’s the day. I’ll keep you posted as to how it went. If you’re thinking it will be a losing battle, you may be right. He may just walk out of that meeting with his John Wayne stride intact, pants hitched up higher than ever and with a grin plastered on his face!

Daily writing prompt
Who would you like to talk to soon?

Personal Belongings I Hold Dear

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First and foremost is a picture of my young son when he was about three years old. He was a cute kid and I was totally hooked on him. I was a first time mom and my world revolved around him. The little guy was cheeky even at that young age.

One day he had just had his bath and was standing on the table naked waiting to be dressed when I got this great idea. I decided to take a picture of him in his birthday suit. He gave me this look and a smile erupted on his face. I grabbed my cell phone and snapped the pic! He giggled and just as I finished, I felt the spray hit my face! When it did, he chuckled and started jumping on the table. It became a game after that with him. Every time I tried to dress him and when I saw that grin come on his face, I knew what was coming and I learned to duck in time! That pic has a special place in my heart because it was one of those times when life was simple and it was all about giggles and chuckles.

The other thing I hold close and still wear around my neck is a heart-shaped diamond pendant. It’s a beautiful piece and it belonged to my mom. I remember her wearing it all the time and it was her special piece of jewelry. I loved it when the sun hit the stones and made them glisten and shine. I inherited it when she met her untimely death. My brother decided that it was one of the pieces I should have. It is a daily companion along with a diamond solitaire pendant that was given to me by the friend I lost a couple of years ago. Both bring back precious memories. They are both gone now but those two pieces of jewelry bring back a time when I felt special and knew that I was loved.

What may seem like trinkets to some may mean a whole different story to someone else.

Daily writing prompt
What personal belongings do you hold most dear?

Collections?

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I don’t know if I should answer this question!

I used to have a shoe tick but that is wearing off as I can’t wear most of them here. Heels and cobblestones don’t go together. Decluttering helped get rid of several pairs of shoes but with a heavy heart.

I do have one collection that is gathering dust simply because my constant companion now is a hiking rucksack! I am talking about my bag collection and I have one in almost every color and designer. You name it and I have it. Why?

Clothes , shoes, bags and jewelry used to mean a lot during my working days. My current laid-back style of living doesn’t require the same meticulous way of dressing to the nines. I have been recouping and parting ways with a lot of my collections but those bags are something else altogether. They are lined up on top of cupboards, in cupboards and in the cellar. Get the picture?

Some I bought myself but most are gifts from a close friend who thought the way to my heart was to buy me an expensive bag each time a special occasion rolled by. It didn’t quite work but my bag collection started growing and I won’t say how many I have but it is a huge collection. All brand spanking new too! One day I will gather up my no nonsense attitude and sell them or part ways with them but for now they are gathering dust and grinning at me just like that cheesecake does!

My Legacy

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When my son and friends think back about me, I want them to say she was a good person with a good heart and she used her time here on earth as a vessel for spreading good.

A friend told me a week ago that I am the least egotistical person he knows. It was in reply to my telling him that someone had called me “egotistical.” I think I am kind, compassionate, gentle, loving and trustworthy. Add to that a person who is always working for the good of others and you’ve got my spirit down pat. I think the quote below says it all.

“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” Unknown

When my time on earth is done, I want my legacy to say, “She was a good person.”

Cold Weather Blues

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I’m just kidding. I love cold weather! Strange? Not really. I’ve lived in the tropics and I used to enjoy running wild along the beach or in the jungles as a young girl and it was fantastic at that point in my life, but as I grew older and moved to Europe, my mindset changed. I wouldn’t say for the better but something shifted and I became a fan of cold weather.

Most people love summer but in Europe where air-conditioning is seen as a sin or rather as not being environmentally-friendly, people sweat it out for all the wrong reasons I think but that is just my opinion. Plus, there are those who think that going deodorant-free is a good thing. All fine and good but try standing in line at the supermarket and imbibing all that goodness!

I usually wait for fall when the weather turns and everything has a nicer feeling about it. Walking becomes a pleasurable activity again and sweating takes a backseat. I love it when the first snow hits and everything is pristine and covered in white but ice is something I can do without. I’d rather stay home when it is icy outside but it doesn’t happen that often so that is another good thing.

I’ll take cold weather all year round! Weirdo? Call me whatever but I simply love bundling up in heavy coats although they’ve made them light as air now which is another plus and add all the other accessories such as gloves, scarves and the rest and I’m in wonderland!

Ever Broken a Bone?

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Hmm….not that I can remember. I recall one time when I was in a hurry. I had just got out of the shower and had minutes to get to where I needed to go. The floor was wet but I rushed out of the bathroom and then had to run back in to get something when I slipped and hit the side of the bathtub really hard.

I felt a searing pain shoot up my ribs on the right side. The fall knocked the wind out of me. I stood up slowly, felt around to see what I had done but except for the pain nothing else seemed to be amiss. I got dressed and took off to pick someone up at the train station. It was almost midnight and I needed to hurry.

I made it there and as I sat there at the train station, I wondered if I had broken a rib or two. The person finally got there and I told him what had happened. He suggested that I see a doctor the next day. The next morning, I was bruised, the pain was there but not as bad. I didn’t see a doctor, I am stubborn that way. I rubbed some ointment on it, refrained from doing my workouts and after a week of tender loving care, it got better.

That was the closest I came to breaking something. TOUCH WOOD!

Balancing Work and Home Life

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Nothing much to say here. I am my own “boss” meaning I work from home so I do as I please. However, I do have a routine of sorts.

First thing’s first. A light breakfast is a must and add a cup of hot coffee and I am good to go. Then comes a walk or meditation or both. After that my real day starts. Quite often it has to do with writing. Some days I add a few more pages to the novel and on other days I let it all drift!

Playing with Chachi, the cat, is a must. Cleaning house and keeping things tidy is something I do everyday. I am a neat freak. Chachi doesn’t make it easy. He wears a fur coat and today as I was coming up the stairs, I noticed tufts of hair on the carpet! I yelled, “Chachi, what is this?”

He answered, “It’s hair mommy! I can’t help it!”

Another once-over with the vacuum did the job and the dark brown carpet is as good as new. The routine is boring but I do a good job of balancing both. Work is down to a very boring level but who cares! I’m loving it.

Sacrifices I Made For Love

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The sacrifices I made for love have been many but leaving to start life in another country was a huge one. Leaving the U.S. was a hard decision. I didn’t want to but it needed to be done because I was pregnant at the time and I didn’t have a choice. Oh, I could have stayed where I was but I was in “LOVE” and love makes you do things that you wouldn’t do otherwise.

One of the hardest things I had to cope with when I got here was not being able to speak the language and a culture that was in many ways alien to mine. Being heavy with child did not help matters much either. The newness of the place didn’t set too well especially when I couldn’t communicate what I wanted and needed. Independence was out the door and I was dependent on the in-laws and my new husband for help and that didn’t set too well with me either.

I did eventually learn the language, it was that or give up and go back home. I did grasp how everything worked in the village and even learned to like it. However, my advice to someone who is planning the same is to take a good hard look and to have a backup plan if everything goes down south. Love doesn’t last as I found out and the sacrifices I made in the name of love didn’t matter when I found myself alone in a country that was not mine.

It took time, focus, energy and learning to speak the language to feel at home here. Also, having a son meant that I had to somehow manage and to make this place my home. Being able to speak the language almost fluently has helped and of course integrating in a closed society is a must and that is another hurdle altogether. Not everyone is able to overcome what it takes and I have known many women through the years who gave up, packed their belongings and went back to where they came from. Sacrifice is defined as giving up (something valued) for the sake of other considerations so do not let your heart rule. Love is fleeting at best so think beyond that when making the decision to sacrifice what you are used to and to move to another country. Would I do it again? Knowing what I know now, I would say a definite NO!