One a Day

Well, I've decided to do at least one thing each day to improve my life. I took a good look at myself this past week while my entire family was here during our dad's heart surgery...and I didn't like what I saw. I'd given in to the fybromyalgia I suffer with so badly and let it get the best of me. I let myself go, my house go, everything in my life has been on a downward slide. No more. It's time to take it up to where it belongs.

So each day I am choosing one or two things to concentrate on to reach my goals. Today I got myself a tool set...sound trivial, right? But for me, it's huge! I haven't had a tool set in ages, not since my kids were little and totally took the entire set apart and lost the pieces. So when I need to do a little home repair, I never have the tools I need! Now I do.

I'm also taking myself on a little shape-up journey. Now this is a journey I've started many times before. I go a little way and I stop. I'd get tired or I'd get discouraged and give up. Well...no more. I'll never give up. I remember how it felt to be in shape, to be proud of the way I looked. I don't like hiding behind people in photographs or feeling ashamed that my family is going to see that I haven't changed since last time they saw me...or changed for the worse. I want to feel good and I want to look good. And I am getting there, even as I speak!

So today I have my sneakers and a great track waiting for me after work. Four times around is a mile. I can do that. I can do five times around. And someday, I'll be running it again like I used to. Or at least a really fast walk. Because I have places to go still. I thought the ballgame was over after my mom died. Felt like just giving up on everything. But that wouldn't make her happy. I might be in the 9th inning, but this is one ballgame that I'm going to win.

The Calm After the Storm

Well, it's been quite a week. Our sweet dad went in for a triple by-pass which scared us all but he did really great and is recovering well...a real trooper. My entire family came in to be with him, and my sister Meg stayed at our place with her sweet 3 year old, Annie. Now they've gone back home and I have to say, the house is way too quiet! I miss that sweet little voice saying "good morning, Keekoo, I love you." What a gift she is.

So this post is about gifts...we receive them every single day and sometimes don't even realize it. I miss them when I'm out looking for them...because they are right in front of my face and I just need to stop and see. My children, my family, my legs that get me where I need to go! My good friends who will always be there for me, my music, my voice, my love of good books, good movies, good food and the health to enjoy them and the (sometimes) money to buy them! And most of all...my God...the greatest gift of all and the One I often turn a blind eye to, so wrapped up in the craziness of it all, the want, the need. We have everything we'll ever need right inside of us. All we need to do is tap into it and give thanks for it...every single day.

Happy Earth Day! Maybe today is the day I won't see kids throwing their garbage out of the car window on the highway (unreal!), or the guy aiming for the garbage with his coffee cup, missing and leaving it on the ground...or hey, even my kids picking up after themselves, not wasting water (20 minute showers?!?!) or electricity and actually thinking of someone besides themselves!

Wouldn't it be great if we thought of every day as Earth Day, and made a real conscious effort to do even one small thing every day to preserve this beautiful planet? Then maybe our kids and their kids will have a special place to live and breathe and enjoy. That's just my two (maybe three!) cents worth!

Computer challenged!

OK, I'm finding out more and more how technically challenged I am!

I can't seem to make the fonts smaller when I add a Post...
I don't know where to Paste the Button from Maternal Lens on my homepage (hey, I said homepage!)...
I tried to leave a Love Note on Maternal Lens and couldn't get my URL correct to add my name so now I am Anonymous!...
I can't for the life of me get a photo of myself uploaded...maybe that one just isn't meant to be!...
I finally purchased a laptop and I can't get the internet to work on it...

Challenged! Perhaps I need to go back to the times of manual typewriters, I'll wear my sweater set with my nice pearls and my swirly skirt down to my knees...and take dictation! Oh, does that come with a machine?...

To Meg

We lost our mom and life will never be the same again. Now our family home is being sold and our dad is leaving for a new life. It's all so difficult to understand, "how did the years go so fast, or did we just lose track?" (Karla Bonoff)...but we remember.

Memories of you so young, so small. My baby sister and better still, my best friend. I took you everywhere with me, my friends all knew that no matter what we had planned, our plans included my Meg. We delighted in your sweetness, your unending happiness, your love. You showed us what is most important in life, the innocence and the kindness.

I watched you grow in our family home, each day bringing something new and wonderful. You came into your own, a special person with so many talents and so excited to share them every day. Your special room with all of the touches that made it uniquely yours. My day was made with your beautiful smile and the lovely compliments you would give your big sister...for a little while, I was the world to you...and you to me.

Nobody can ever take away our memories, they lie safe deep within our hearts. Our beautiful mom, our sweet dad, our happy home where we grew and loved and laughed. I will carry it with me wherever I go, to the ends of the earth, to the moon and the stars. And I see the love and laughter reflected in our daughter's eyes, our true legacy, a testament to the love from which we came.

Happy Spring!

What a storm last night, the thunder and lightening was amazing! The entire back yard lit up for almost an hour and the rain just poured down! I love thunder storms! But part of me is still like that kid who hid under the covers!

Happy Spring! It's finally here and warm weather is around the corner. Can't wait!

My daughter and I tried a weekend "getaway" on Saturday, just a couple of towns over...a "resort" special, we were very excited. But when we arrived, the parking lot was full of decorated vans shouting "Go Team!" Oh, great!

We found out that there were three basketball teams, numerous cheerleaders and...oh yes! Five family reunions at the resort! "Getaway?" Yes, we got away! Quickly! We'll try again another time. Next time I'll be sure to ask that little question..."what do you have going on this weekend?"

Dashing off to work...here's to a good day, thank you for visiting "The Vintage Word." Kerry

Staying healthy!

Is it just me, or has this been one of the longest and tougest winters? Perhaps with our economy hitting such a low and bringing with it so many different kinds of problems, things seemed just a bit tougher this year. So it's easy to get run down, right? Right...run down, it's more like mowed down by a semi!

First Leah was sick...or was it me? Pneumonia...both of us. Then Adam went into the annual bronchitis & asthma attacks...still with him. Then Leah again...then me! Around and around go the germs, it's like playing a game of Ring Around the Rosy without the fun...we just all fall down!

Today everyone is feeling pretty good...the sun was shining this morning and the temp got up to 52 degrees! We spent most of the day outside, and look forward to many more, warmer and warmer days. Hope you're all feeling fine and enjoying your day!