“Every morning you have two choices; continue to sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them.” Carmelo Anthony
I’ve found that it’s easy to stay where you’re at. It doesn’t take much effort and it is comforting. You can mope, scream at whoever wants to listen and sometimes look for someone to blame for all your woes but what does that bring you? You’re not going anywhere if you stay put. It takes strength to stand back up. It takes courage to fight the battle and it takes the fire within you to keep on going. There were times when I wanted the world to go away and to leave me be. Let me wallow in misery was what I screamed but when all was said and done, I stood back up as I have done many times before. It takes putting one foot in front of the other and to just keep moving. I didn’t know where I was going, I only knew that I couldn’t stay where I was.
“It’s ok if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire.” Unknown
One thing is for sure, standing back up is not for the weak of heart but there is no other choice. You can claw your way back up, grasp at a helping hand to give you the boost you need or you can do it on your own. Whichever way you choose, there is only one way to go. Rise up and stand tall. It’s scary I know and it takes superhuman strength to move even an inch at times and that rabbit hole is inviting. If truth be told, it is not a permanent solution. If you want to feel the light back on your face again, you’ve got to move. You are fully capable of doing it.
“Do not forget who you are and where you come from. You are made of the brightest stars and the widest oceans. You are made of the highest mountains and the tallest trees. You are made of magic and dreams, wishes and light. You have heroes, warriors, kings, queens, gods and goddesses flowing through your veins. You come from infinite possibilities and incredible odds. You are here for a reason.” Nikki Banas
Make that reason count. You, my friend, are invincible. There is magic within you and that wand you hold in your hand, invisible though it may be, it has the power to change your life. Put it to good use and don’t give that rabbit hole a second look, it’s a thing of the past. You are meant for bigger and better things. You are powerful, you are beautiful and you are enough as you are.
“Fall seven times, stand up eight, and with each rise, you’ll find your strength will multiply.” Unknown
Sometimes you wake up and you have this perfect plan in mind. Mine was to have a nice and relaxing day today. I was going to head to town after breakfast and get the Christmas presents for the people I mentioned in my post yesterday. The day was brighter than it was yesterday but there was a wind blowing. Bundle up, I told myself.
The village where I usually go to was jam-packed with people! It was still pretty early but I guess everybody had the same thing in mind. I decided to get some money from the ATM and that was where my day took a turn for the worse. The first one said, “Card declined.” Hmm….no big deal, there was a bank around the corner so I tried there. Again, “Card declined!” It was a new card and I got the pin activated successfully or so the confirmation email said. So, I went to the supermarket and the same thing! I was PISSED! Nope, not a good start to the day but luckily I had cash with me. So I bought the box of chocolates for the mail delivery person and I got a box of dates for the people at the cafe.
It was time to have a good cup of Italian coffee so I headed to my favorite place in town. They had a skeleton crew going. Most of the regulars were gone and won’t be back till next year. I took my usual seat and the boss showed up. I gave him the box of dates and his eyes lit up. “I love sweet stuff!” I said, “Enjoy.” We talked for a while and then I left still pissed about the card. Pulling into my driveway, I noticed the neighbor lady and I realized I had forgotten the bouquet of flowers for her. It was still early so I made a mental note to get it done the next time around. She waved and smiled. We talked for a while and she told me about the health issues she was having. Normal stuff in this village. We have an aging population here. I didn’t realize it then but my day was about to get worse!
I walked in, put the shopping away and decided to call stateside about my card. I was transferred here and there, business as usual. I waited and finally a supervisor came on, I told her my problem and she said, “You need to send us some information.” I was getting PISSED again! It doesn’t happen often this pissing thing, but today it was there and ready to go off the rails! I told her you have all that information already. Nope, you’ll have to do it again.
I took out the paperwork and tried sending the information but Microsoft wasn’t having it! It decided to add more oil to the fire! I got the message that my password was wrong and they needed to verify my ID! God! Passwords and me don’t jive. There’s just too many of them and I found out just how many! After going back and forth, I decided to take a step back, figured it out, and got the mail off to where it needed to go. By now, half the day was gone. I had a quick lunch, put on my boots, jacket, and scarf and headed to the fields. I needed to destress.
Once I saw the fields before me, I felt myself deflating! It was cold, the wind was blowing and there was a horde of crows having a conference of some sort cawing up a storm. The witches were not there yet but just a matter of time I figured the way my day was going! I stayed on the graveled pathway, the rest were too muddy. Taking some deep breaths, I let it go. The stress, the anger, the pissed off mood, and whatever else that needed to go. It took minutes and I found myself relaxing. It never fails, nature always has that effect on me.
After half an hour, I headed home feeling like myself again. It was time for a nice hot cup of green tea, a slice of cheesecake, yes cheesecake, and some quiet time with my little sweetheart, Chachi, the cat.
The streets are alight with Christmas decorations and it looks pretty. I love it when it is all lighted up, the darkness that rolls in at around 5 p.m. doesn’t seem so dark anymore and it helps to brighten up the mood. I haven’t been in the Christmas mood lately, but I’m trying and looking outside at the lights makes me want to get in the holiday mood as well.
One neighbor has a big Christmas tree out front and it looks gorgeous all lighted up and wearing its festive wear. Another has fairy lights framing a window and yet another has some kind of mural playing on a wall. I can’t make out what it is but it is festive. I’ve got a Christmas bouquet of cream-colored Poinsettias in a vase out front, lighted up with fairy lights and instead of my big Santa with the friendly smile, I have a big star with the Poinsettias. Santa will have to stay in the cellar as he is too heavy to lug up and down the stairs. Too bad because he made a fantastic showing every Christmas in years past. I am toning it down this year as I did last year. There is a really cute Santa bear hanging on the door instead of a wreath to complete the picture and to make it Christmassy.
Nothing indoors yet. I’ll get to it once I get some shopping done tomorrow. I plan on getting some Christmas presents. Mostly for the people who’ve been really nice throughout the year and who do the work that we sometimes overlook. The hard work, that is. The post delivery person is one of them. She is a middle-aged lady who seldom has a smile on her face but delivering mail in any kind of weather is not a nice job so I understand her attitude. The smile comes on when she gets a small token of appreciation before Christmas. Then there is the gardener who helps throughout the year to keep the garden in tip- top shape, so I always make sure he gets a little something. The neighbor lady across the street is next. She always watches out for me and calls when I forget to shut the garage door. She gets a Christmas bouquet of flowers. The people at the cafe are next. They’ll get a box of chocolates or cookies, I decided on stuffed dates, because the boss loves sweet stuff!
I hope doing all that will put me in a Christmas mood. Perhaps, I’ll start decorating the house later in the afternoon. I’m going to keep it simple this year. Just some of my favorite decorations to make the living room and fireplace area light up like a Christmas tree! I love lights and Christmas is the time to amp it up without going too crazy! I’m going for the quiet glow this year.
Christmas is on the way and it seems to be arriving with bells on! It is almost upon us and I haven’t done much at all. Got to get moving.
It is one of the hardest things to do. You’ve got a plan in hand, all set to go, you take off and then you come to a screeching halt! What happened? Life did. Your focus is not on what you need to get done, the noise surrounding you is too loud, it is hard to concentrate and “giving up” is less work and easier to do. You are at a standstill not knowing which direction to take or worse still, you don’t have the energy to carry on.
“Starve your distractions, feed your focus.” Unknown
How do you starve your distractions? First, what are distractions? They are defined as, “things like technology (phones, social media, websites, YouTube, video games, Netflix), other people, or noises around you,” all vying for your attention and quite often they win.
“Stay focused on your goals and ignore the noise.” Unknown
Not easy to do, I know. I’ve let distractions get the better of me and what I could have achieved in a short amount of time took forever and a longer route to get there. You have a plan? If not, make one. You want to get somewhere? You’ve got to focus. Here’s the truth. If you don’t focus, you’re left by the wayside. Tony Robbins once said, “Your life is controlled by what you focus on.”
Focus on the good things and you get more of the same. Focus on doing better and you will. Focus on what’s in front of you and you’ll start moving forward.
FOCUS! FOCUS! FOCUS!
Oh, one more thing.
“You decide how to show up, and you’d better come correct: the way you look, what you say, how you act and react. No excuses! Get in front of the mirror and own what you see. You may have to drag your fabulousness out of hiding, but it’s there.” Alyssa Edwards
AND
“The more you focus on you, the better you become.” Unknown
Cut out the noise and the excuses. Zero in on what you want. You’re allowed to waver now and then but get back on track. FOCUS, and you’re halfway there, the rest needs work!
This one got a laugh out of me this morning. What can I say but that’s Trump for you!
So DONALD Trump
GOES TO THE VATICAN to
Meet the Pope.
He later said: “I met with Pope Francis today. He’s a really great Pope – great, great Pope. You know he’s the leader of the Catholic Church – big church. I couldn’t believe it when he told me how many Catholics there are. Way more than I thought. They have churches all over the world — Some are very, very close to my hotels and golf courses.
He tells me he’s elected for life, probably copying that Xi guy in China. Fantastic idea, though. Fantastic. It turns out the Pope is a lot like me, you never see him with his wife. He told me he’s infallible. I said that’s great, you’ll never have to worry about breaking a hip.
He told me about a Mary Magdalene, beautiful girl, beautiful. Apparently a hooker. I asked him for her number. Didn’t catch his answer. I’m told he said it in Latin. I give the guy credit because he doesn’t look Latino.
He took me into the Sistine Chapel. Beautiful ceiling. Not the usual white stucco stuff. I don’t think too many people even know about this place. The paintings are great, I’m telling you. Lots of colours. The Pope (great guy, by the way, knows more about the Bible than almost anybody. We got along great, I think he really likes me) told me the whole thing was painted by this young Italian. I think his name is Mike Langelo. At least that’s what Francis (we’re great friends) called him, I think.
Trust me, we’re going to hear more about this guy. He’s really artistic, and everybody tells me I have the greatest eye for the best art. It’s natural, just like my incredible understanding of science. All the renowned scientists say they can’t believe it.
I told Frank I’d like to buy some of Mike’s art. I asked if Mike’s done anything on velvet. He’ll check. I’ll hang his stuff at Mar-a-Lago or Trump Tower. This Mike guy needs more exposure. He’s too much with the churches. He could paint my presidential portrait on the Capitol Dome. Or maybe a mural on my big, beautiful border wall; but just on our side.
When we left, the Pope gave me a bible. Huge book. (Huge.) I told him I have the full set. You get one for free every time you take a porn star to a motel room.
Unbelievable. Just heard. The mainstream media are at it again. Fake news. (Fake news.) I just saw something on TV. They claim Mike the painter died 450 years ago. Sad. I’ve already got people looking into this and you won’t believe what they’re finding
The rooftops are sprinkled with white and so are the streets this morning. No snow yet but frost was there. It looked cold outside and it was. Brrr!!! I bundled up adding a thick scarf around my neck but no gloves and that was a mistake.
I walked as I usually do taking the same path and as I approached the apple trees, I noticed that the mountain was barely visible. It was shrouded in a haze. Yes, it was cold as I shoved my freezing hands deeper into my coat pockets. Nothing was moving out there, just a big fat crow cawing about something. My guess is, it was complaining about the weather as well. It kept me company for a while until a neighbor came into view with her dog. We stopped, exchanged niceties and the topic turned to our kids. She has twins, a boy and a girl, each one as different as night and day. The girl is dark-haired and the boy a blond. The boy sweet-natured and an absolute sweatheart and the girl, not so much. They are both the same age as my son. The conversation turned to the children and how they were doing. Turns out, I’m not the only one having to deal with the “walking on eggshells” concept. She was having the same problem which made me feel a little bit better. I waved her on and took the other path heading to the fields.
It was quiet, too quiet. The world was still asleep and the “cold” it was now kissing the tip of my nose and it was time to head back. The weather forecast is predicting snow for Saturday. I’m actually looking forward to some snow to get me in the Christmas spirit. My ex told me that our son will be heading home for the holidays. He doesn’t want to stay with me because I have strict rules about letting his friends using my place as party central. The last time it was late nights, lots of noise and a constant run to the bathroom! They are no longer scrawny kids but tall, strapping young men! So, my son has decided to stay at his Oma’s, just a stone’s throw from where I live. I won’t have the hassle and he will still come visit. A win-win situation either way.
It was time for another cup of coffee but Chachi, the cat, just walked in and let out a loud meow! He loves having his mommy at home 24/7 and absolutely hates it when I take off for an hour or two. Spoiled? Absolutely, but I’m not complaining. It is kiss and cuddle time with the little brat!
A man is talking to the family doctor, “Doc, I think my wife’s going deaf.”
The doctor answers, “Well, here’s something you can try on her to test her hearing. Stand some distance away from her and ask her a question. If she doesn’t answer, move a little closer and ask again. Keep repeating this until she answers. Then you’ll be able to tell just how hard of hearing she really is.”
The man goes home and tries it out.
He walks in the door and says, “Honey, what’s for dinner?”
He doesn’t hear an answer, so he moves closer to her.
“Honey, what’s for dinner?” Still no answer.
He repeats this several times until he’s standing just a few feet away from her.
Finally, she answers,
“For the eleventh time, I said we’re having MEATLOAF!”
It’s another Sunday morning and I had a sleepless night. Chachi, the cat, was in his element and sleep was the farthest thing on his mind! The little brat decided that he was going to do one better than Cristiano Ronaldo on doing the “bicycle kick!”
He spent most of the night dribbling dry kernels of food and dashing from room to room. Then he did the hoops, not a pretty sight as the little guy is a tad overweight and lands with a heavy thud every time he tries that move. If that wasn’t enough, he would run across the room meowing loudly, “Watch me mommy!” Lord, have mercy. I decided to let him have his way. He’ll eventually run out of energy but that’s where I was wrong. He was like an eveready battery with enormous amounts of energy. Note to self: Cut back on feeding him too much!
Just as I was dozing off, he jumped on the bed, came over and pressed his face on my face and rubbed it all over with his whiskers! I found out that he was marking his territory or rather his property! Cats! They’re the only household pets who need “property.” The others are contend with being fed and taken care of but this breed needs property to feel secure and to know that they have the upper hand!
After a while of listening to his loud purring, I told him to go to bed. “No way!” was his answer. It was time for another round of football and this time he upped it. He was going for Ronaldo’s bicycle kick and I must say, it was pure perfection! The Little Butterball was having the time of his life and me, not so much!
Finally, I gave up and fell asleep. This morning, the floor was covered with dried pellets of food and the little thing was fast asleep in his bed looking absolutely adorable and purring up a storm. It was time to clean up the mess so I did. What’s this thing about football? I don’t know but this little guy could give Cristiano Ronaldo a run for the money!
A man went to the doctor’s office to get a double dose of Viagra.
The doctor told him that he couldn’t allow him a double dose.
“Why not?” asked the man.
“Because it’s not safe,” replied the doctor.
“But I need it really bad,” said the man.
“Well, why do you need it so badly?” asked the doctor.
The man said, “My girlfriend is coming into town on Friday; my ex-wife will be here on Saturday; and my wife is coming home on Sunday. Can’t you see? I must have a double dose.”
The doctor finally relented saying, “Okay, I’ll give it to you, but you have to come in on Monday morning so that I can check you to see if there are any side effects.”
On Monday, the man dragged himself in; his arm in a sling.
Site Title 