Saying Goodbye

I have started to write this so many times. It never seems to be good enough. It never seems to say what I want to say in the way that I want to say it. I can't explain it, maybe because of the pain I feel I am unable to express what is in my heart to make it seem real. It isn't real, not really. How can it be?
Last Thursday my husband's family in Mexico was trying to get in touch with him. He was at work but still they tried and tried. They even tried messaging me on Facebook. I called him and he said he kept getting cut off when he answered their calls.
 "It's my mother," he said later that night when he came home. "She's dying. They said she hasn't eaten in a week and they are going to do x-rays on her stomach tomorrow."
All day Friday he tried to get more information but couldn't get anything definitive. Early Saturday I was getting ready to take Jacob to his hockey game when my husband came out into the living room. He looked at me and shook his head. Neither of us spoke, I don't think either of us was capable. Hot tears welled up in my eyes and I began sobbing uncontrollably.
This woman was so beautiful. She was generous and she was kind. Her heart and her love knew no bounds. She had 13 children and all of them were so dedicated to her. Each felt special and loved. She told my husband all the time (we didn't speak the same language) that she loved me and that I was beautiful just for the fact that I loved him and loved his two children (that he had before we met). She loved me just for loving those children! She made me feel cherished and I loved her for that. She was a light that can never be replaced and I will spend the rest of my life honoring her memory. Rest in peace Mama Chelo.

The Christmas Card Photo Shoot

I really liked the concept, but we were battling the low, setting sun.

Jacob got Alex in the frame... but what are these looks?

Ding ding ding! This is the winning shot.

Look how happy they are to be here!

Alex, was actually on board with taking the pictures, unfortunately he had just woken up from a nap and didn't have his usual "twinkle."

Jacob, on the other hand, absolutely DID NOT want to have his picture taken but you can't really tell from this smile!  Unless of course he is plotting his revenge?

No Thanksgiving Zone

I knew it was a bad idea. I mean, who, in their right mind, starts a kitchen remodel project a week before Thanksgiving? No one. No one in their right mind that is. I knew it was a bad idea. I knew it in my heart. I knew it in my mind... but I went along with it anyway. My husband was so excited about it and I got caught up in the possibilities of how awesome it was going to look and how clean my kitchen would be when it was done. We've been planning it for a long time. What we wanted to do, how we wanted it to look. What materials we would need, how much we could spend and who we were going to hire to do it for us.
Then? All of the sudden, after a good couple of weeks of bar tending at the Sharks' games my husband announces that he talked to a contractor that had done some work for us in the past and he was coming by to start work on our kitchen.
Wait. What?
"We have the money," he rationalized. "Let's do it now before the money is gone."
"What about Thanksgiving?" I asked.
"I already talked to him about it. He'll be done before then."
In my defense? It was possible. In ideal circumstances... anything is possible. What wasn't  possible was what we wanted done and the time frame in which to actually get it done. And? I knew that. The rational, intelligent part of me (that really does exist, I swear) knew it would never come to fruition. Thus, we have, the "No Thanksgiving Zone."
My kitchen? The one where I cook up a Thanksgiving storm? Is totally cut off from me. We can't even go in there. Total disaster. We are eating off of paper plates. I am at the point where I don't ever want to eat out again. Ever. Fast food? Ugh, can't even think about it. I've eaten so much fast food in the last week-and a-half to last me a lifetime. And? My hips agree.
I have no idea where we'll be eating for Thanksgiving tomorrow... but I do know it won't be in my old little kitchen/dining room. *sigh*
Hopefully we will be ready for Christmas.
Hopefully.

Dear Kids -

Love,

Mom

Dear DVR

Dear DVR -

I just wanted to thank your for making each day worth looking forward to. I am so down right now with what is going on and it is a nice distraction to know that I can come home everyday and you will provide me with a full menu of options with which I can lose myself in for an hour or two.

Even though you can be temperamental at times and not want to record more than two things at once, I forgive you for your technological shortcomings. I know there are other, more advanced, digital recording devices available out there on the market but you and I both know I am much to lazy and set in my ways to bother researching prices and ultimately upgrading you for something better. Nope, it is you and me until the bitter end. Or until you stop working, because I am loyal like that.

I know I never really express my true gratitude or appreciation for all you do but please know that you have taken my television watching to a whole new level. Commercials are less annoying because you and I can fast forward right through them. If I miss something while watching live tv? You and I can rewind back to the spot and never have to miss something important again.

With you I have freedom! I don't have to be sitting in my living room at a certain time to catch a certain show, football game or hockey game. I can be out doing stuff! Fun stuff, regular stuff, it doesn't matter because I can be out doing it and when I come home you will have saved something for me. I can't believe I ever watched regular television before. You have been an amazing miracle in my life and I will treasure you always.

Love always,

Babaloo

Baby Star

Saw this on an episode of Criminal Minds. It turns out this was an original poem/children's story written by the show's writers after they found it difficult to gain license to write in an actual bedtime story into their story line.

It was moving to me personally... for a lot of reasons.

Baby Star

Once there was a baby star.

He lived up near the sun.

And every night at bedtime that baby star wanted to have some fun.

He would shine and shine, fall and shoot and twinkle oh so bright.

He said “Mommy, I’ll run away if you make me say goodnight.”

And then his mommy kissed his sparkly nose and said,

“No matter where you go, no matter where you are.

No matter how big you grow and even if you stray far.

I’ll love you forever, because you’ll always be my baby star.”

Most Quotable Friday

Quotes and Quotables from my Twitter Timeline. Enjoy!

1. Shining like a star is not important, just glow like moon and be a light in a dark for others.

2. Faking a smile is the most painful lie, but the most effective way to hide from all the questions.

3. It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not.

4. Vision is the art of seeing the invisible.

5. Normal is just a setting on your dryer.

6. Face your problems. Don't Facebook your problems.

7. "We each do the best we can. My best may not be as good as your best, but it's my best. The fact is that we know when we are doing our best and when we are not. If we are not doing our best, it leaves us with a gnawing hunger and frustration. But when we do our level best, we experience a peace."  ~ Marjorie Pay Hinckley

8. The early bird gets the worm, but the angry bird gets the pig.

9. Life is like a storm, the strong may survive, but the wise know where to turn when the turmoil is over.

10. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” ~ Mark Twain

11. If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done…

12. Just when you think you’ve finally hit the bottom, someone tosses you a shovel.

13, When I say “wow, that’s crazy”, 99% of the time, it means I haven’t been listening to a word of your conversation.

Thursday Blurbs

1. Funniest, "out of the blue," random, text from my cousin, ever:

Hmm. Just noticed our nanny has a personalized license plate that says "GR8TBUNZ"...

2. Followed up with...

She is a 65 year old great-grandma

Apparently with great buns!

3. Then another one today:

Didn't need to know that this exists: boobiebeanie.com 

Enough said.

4. I had a very rude awakening last weekend. I don't want to get into it here. But let's just say that a brand new perspective was born and I will never be the same again.

5. While the awakening was shocking and rude it had nothing to do with my 49ers who came off their bye week with a bang and now have the 2nd, yes, SECOND best record in the NFL. LOL! It is only week 8 (halfway thru the season) and their magic number to clinch the NFC West is, 6! I hope they can keep it up. GO NINERS!

6. Well my friends you are hearing it here first (unless of course you saw it on Twitter), I am officially losing it. There is no explaining it a way, there is no laughing it off and there is no denying it. Last night I was making dinner for my family and had a few things going on the stove. While I had a few minutes in betweein stiring, sauteeing and baking I decided to prepare my coffee for the next morning. I put the filter in the coffee maker and then proceeded to open the flavor packet for the rice-a-roni I was about to make... and put it in the filter. *sigh*

7. If Starbuck's comes out with at "rice pilaf" flavored latte anytime soon... please let me know. I might need to invest in a good copyright infringement lawyer.

8. There are so many reasons I love my husband, but one of them is the following: After telling him my story about making pilaf flavored coffee his reaction was classic. He could have laughed at me (well, he did a little) and made me feel stupid... but instead he told me a story of when he bought an instant noodle soup from the catering truck at work and when he opened it up to eat it he realized instead of filling it up with hot water he had filled it up with hot coffee. LOL! We are both losing it!

9. Oh and if Starbuck's comes out with a "beef ramen" flavored coffee... well, you know what to do.

A Day in the Life of My Pet - Writer's Workshop

 From the writing prompts, I present:

5.) A day in the life of my pet...how bad does he have it?

This is me, Nico. I don't like to take pictures. The following  is a typical day in my life:

Oh my God, it's 4:30am. Why does this man have to get up so early? Let me burrow deeper into my blanket so the light doesn't bother me.

An hour and a half later...

I smell coffee. *sniff* That weird machine-thing goes on by itself every morning....which means, My mom should be coming out soon! Yippee! I can't wait!. Here she comes. Here she comes, I can hear her waking up Alex, here she comes, here she comes here she...where did she go?

25 minutes later... 

There she is, there she is, there she is!. She's opening the door to my kennel, yes! Aaahhh, looooong stretch (It's kind of cramped in there), Oooh, now the other leg.Streeeeeeeeeeeeeetch. Can you open that sliding door, please? I have to pee. Thank you thank you thank you...

What's that smell? It's kind of cold out here. Hmm... Something has been over here near the garbage can. Hey, that garbage smells kind of good. What just jumped over the fence? Is that a siren?

"Bark, bark-bark-bark-bark, bark."

Time to go back inside. Score! Mom is putting out the food. A peperoni stick, broken in half, just the way I like it. My moist & meaty and two milk bones... Oh and fresh water. I'll drink that later. Oh, there she is! The most wonderful, perfect human that ever walked this earth! Hi Mommy! I must feel you scratch my ears the way that no one else can.... yes, yes, yes, a little to the left, yes, yes, yes, the other side, oh right there. Best. Mommy. Ever.

Ugh. There is that gate thing again blocking my way into the living room It's not fair you know. I used to be able to go wherever I wanted. Now? When no one is home I have to stay in the kitchen. It is so BORING in here. Ever since they got that new furniture I've been stuck here. No one asked me if I wanted new furniture. I thought the old stuff was fine. They said it smelled bad, especially MY couch where I used to sleep all the time. I liked that the stuffing was coming out of the hole that I made in the cushion. Look, It's not my fault that I may have barfed there a couple of times and didn't tell anyone. They eventually figured it out. And? I only peed by the T.V.  a couple of times. It's my nature... I have to mark what's mine. Especially when I'm mad at someone for not taking me on a walk. It's not my fault they don't like the smell. Humans and their delicate sensibilities. Sheesh.

Mom just left to drive Alex to the bus stop. Well, now what do I do? I guess I'll plop on the blanket. She'll be back in a few minutes.

10 minutes later...

There she is again, mommy! mommy! and... she's gone. Oh wait! She's waking up Jacob! I wonder what he's having for breakfast? I hope it's one of those breakfast burritos again. How awesome was that last week when he dropped half of it on the ground? Yum! Here he comes. He's putting something in the microwave, what, hey! Watch it! You almost stepped on me! I just want to see what you're doing... What? Don't yell at me. You watch where YOU"RE going! So, what is it? what is it? what is it? what is it? Are you going to share? Can I have some? can I have some? can I have some? can I... Yes! Thank you thank you thank you.... is there more? is there more? is there more?

30 minutes later...

"Bark!" Doorbell! "Bark!" Doorbell!

Hey! Someone is at the door! Are you gonna get that?  Hello? I can't go over there because I'm sequestered over here in the kitchen! Hello?
It's Raul (Jacob's friend)! Hi Raul! Come over and say hi. Please? please? please?

What? Where are you going? Wow, that was fast. You guys are leaving me already? What am I going to do all day? Well, alright.  Bye... have a good....(door closes) day. *sigh*

7 hours later...

Oh man, what's that noise? Is it... It is, it is! Jacob's home from school! Wow where did the day go? I was in such a deep sleep for most of it. I don't remember anything after dozing in the morning sun. How did I get back on my blanket? Oh well, never mind. Jacob's home and he's going to open the gate. Happy dance, happy dance happy dance... I'm so happy to have company again... I love my Jakey poo! Oh, yes. I do need to go outside. Nice! Thank you Jacob!

1 hour later...

Alex and Dad are home! More company! I'm going to go hang out with Alex in his room. I hope he brings chips.

1 hour later...

It's almost time. She's almost home. I can sense it. My heart is beating so fast... I can't wait to see her. Is that her car? It is, it is, it is... I know it, I know it. SHE's HOME! MOMMY! I love you, I love you,  I love you, I love you! Aahh, that feels so good, yes, now scratch my neck, now my ear again.... I've been waiting for that all day! Can we go out? I know I'm not allowed in your room, but I'm following you down the hall anyway to remind you that I need to go out on a walk. Are you gonna... can we...(door closes in my face). Okay. I'll just wait here. Take your time! *sigh*

I hope she's changing her clothes. If she puts on her sneakers that TOTALLY means we are going on a walk. Here she comes! Omg! Omg! Omg! let me spin around to show my joy! Spin! Spin! Is she going to grab the leash.... YES! I AM THE HAPPIEST DOG E-VER! LET'S GO, LET'S GO, LET'S GO!

I love being outside! Oh, I remember this bush right here... oh, uh huh, this mailbox smells the same, good.  la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. I'm so happy, I'm so happy. Smell that fresh air. Excuse me a minute while I do some business, right over here. Oh, yeah, that's the spot. I wish I could whistle. I feel like whistling right now. Why yes, I am prancing. I didn't know there was a name for it, but I like it. Pant, pant, pant, pant... I love you but you walk way to slow. Who's that over there? Can we go meet him? Why is he barking at me? What did I do? C'mon, just for a second... I want to smell his... what? why? I never get to do anything fun.

Okay, back home. Dinner time! I'll just sit right here, very patiently, next to my food dish until my mom realizes it's time to unlock the deliciousness that is my Caesar's dinner. I really hope it is fillet mignon. Or? Maybe chicken. Haven't had that in a while. Dupety-doo, dumpty- dum. If I had fingers I think I'd be twiddling them right now. Why yes, I do want to eat! Thank you much for asking! You are so amazing. It's like you read my mind.! Yum, yum, gulp, gulp. aaahhh! That was good!

I Wonder what they are eating for dinner?

2 hours later...

Oh man, that smells so good. What are they making? Can I have some? Can I? What's that? Did something drop? Oh, gross. *sniff sniff* That's an onion. Disgusting. What? Dinner time. Let's eat! Let me just take my spot over here under the table so I can observe everyone. Let's see, who is going to drop something first? Ouch! Hey watch it, that was my nose! Don't act like you didn't know I was here. I'm ALWAYS here. Where else would I be during DINNER TIME?  Waiting, waiting... yes, there it is. The hand of the most awesome-est lady around, and what does she have? Meat? For me? Oh, I am humbled by your kindness. Yes, I will accept your kind offer and gulp it down without chewing. Yum!

1 hour later...

Well, it looks like everyone is kind of settling in for the night. I'll hang out here on the floor by the couch and hope for some attention. It's not like I'm allowed up on the couch anymore and can fall asleep on next to someone's leg. Why don't they feel sorry for me? It is so unfair! Oh wow, is that Jacob fresh out of the shower? Omg, he smells so good after the shower... I must nip at his toes and spin around in excitement. Wait, what are you doing? Ugh. You know I don't like it when you pick me up.

"Grrrr..." Put me down. I said, "GRRRRRRRR."

Okay, that's better. Well, it is getting kind of late. I'm not feeling very social anymore so I think I'll go into my kennel and go to sleep. *yawn* Let me just arrange these blankets the way I like them, okay, just like that. Goodnight.

1 hour later...

What is that? Oh, you're putting the door on the kennel. You had to wake me for that? Jeez, a guy pees under the table a few times and you have to put him in jail for the entire night?

"Grrrrr..."

Whatever, leave me alone. I'm sleeping.

Happy Halloween!

Most Quotable Friday

More quotables that I have plucked right off my Twitter timeline... Enjoy!

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

The longer you keep your anger in, the greater the size of the eventual explosion.

I don't have an attitude problem, I have a personality you can't handle.

Obstacles are put in your way so that you can discover the magnitude of the strength you possess.

I am eagerly awaiting my next disappointment.

“If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.” ~ Stephen Covey

It's not easy taking my problems one at a time when they refuse to get in line.

As long as there are successes that still lie ahead, we should never be defined by the mistakes of our past.

When life seems to be spinning out of control, you just have to stop and ask yourself, "How much ice cream would Jesus eat?"

Believe, and do it until the end of the day.

So often we are depressed by what remains to be done and forget to be thankful for all that has been done.

Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

Thursday Blurbs

1. In case no one noticed I was on vacation last weekend! Well, a virtual vacation anyway. My friend surprised me on Friday with a text that said "on my way to Vegas!" What? She didn't tell me she was going to Vegas. I wanted to go. So? I decided to go with her virtually. I had a blast! I sat by the pool and sipped cocktails, I went out to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, I... um. Well there was a bit of a blank for about 12 hours there, so I'm not sure exactly what I did after that. Whatever it was I'm sure it wasn't laundry, cleaning my kitchen or grocery shopping because those are things someone, who isn't in Vegas for the weekend, does.

2. I got the bill for my speeding ticket in the mail today and almost fainted. I did feel a little lightheaded, no joke. I got "speed trapped" a couple of weeks ago downtown on my way home from work. I was going 40 in a 25. I thought for sure it was going to be a $50-60 ticket. I was even prepared for $75. Anything more than that I didn't even think was possible. I opened up the mail this morning and it is a $244 fine! Omg. I don't have $244 for a f#*%&^ ticket! How can this city possibly be broke if they are handing out $244 citations? Even better? If I want to go to traffic school it is $287! What?

3. I went to the dentist on Monday. I love my hygienist, at least I think I do, but I only see her every six months so I always seem to forget two things about my semi annual visits. The first thing I forget is that she likes to talk. She is a constant chatter box who never leaves a moment's pause go without filling in the silence. And with me as a captive audience, why not? Today we she discussed the "hot" weather in Santa Cruz, how she went to the beach yesterday but couldn't get a parking spot and how she woke up at 5 am (because it was to hot and she doesn't have a/c). She spent the morning cooking beans and ham hocks. She threw in some peppers from her garden a little garlic and is "so good for you." Before she knew it she had missed the last mass of the day because she gets all messed up with the time when she wakes up that early. She is also having some work done on her roof. The roofers used the wrong size nails and were nailing through to her ceiling so they had to start using a smaller size nail. She talked about her Thanksgiving plans, her daughter, her sister (whose daughter had a baby last Thanksgiving), oh and the doctor there at the office just had a baby two months ago. He brought the baby in about a month ago but she didn't get to hold her because she was talking working. My head was about to explode from all this information she was force feeding me.

4. The other thing that I forgot about my hygienist is that she is a violent flosser. She grabs that floss and goes to town on my poor sensitive teeth and gums. It hurts more than the cleaning and the scraping. I have no idea what she was chatting about (probably her ex husband at that point) while she was flossing because I was focusing on the pain and if I could just make it through the next couple of minutes I could get up and rinse.  I'm going to suggest some calming music next time or maybe inquire about getting my gums numbed before the flossing. Ouch.

5. Alex (my oldest) has just read my Body Snatchers post and thinks I should post it on Facebook.  He thought it was good and was not offended (because it is the TRUTH) unlike his brother, Jacob. He already posted it on his Facebook page where all his friends could see.... LOL! Some of them even commented (on FB). Alex will not be suing me for publishing this post, unlike Jacob, who is apparently still offended. Sorry Boo Boo.


6. I was telling my friends and co-workers Victoria and Jennifer the story of my cats and I remembered that I had written a post, er, two posts (a two parter) years ago about their story. It is a really special story so I would like to share it (again) here: Part 1 and Part 2. Enjoy!

7. I apologize for being vague in my Writer's Workshop post yesterday about #22 (I have had my dog kidnapped) Some commenters were asking whether I got him back and the answer is YES! It was a long and involved story that took place (of all days) on Mother's Day a few months ago. For all the (very long winded) details of that day please click here (part 1), here (part 2), here (part 3) and here (part 4). Yes there are 4 parts. It really was a horrible, horrible day.

22 Things I Have Done - Writer's Workshop

This week's Prompt:  1) Write about 22 things that you HAVE done.

I didn't choose last weeks prompt of 22 things I haven't done... because at my age that is kind of depressing. So this week I went all POSITIVE and made a list of 22 things I have done. I kind of impressed myself... but then again it just shows my age. Oh well... enjoy!


I am, gulp, 40-ish and I have:

1. Experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat..
2. Been a step-parent and a step-grandparent.
3. Been to the top of the Empire State Building and seen a Broadway play.
4. Driven from Guadalajara, Mexico to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico... and back (with small kids).
5. Been at the bedside of a loved one when they took their last breath.
6. Body surfed in two different parts of the Pacific ocean.
7. Been to a Superbowl.
8. Been to a World Series.
9. Been to a World Cup Soccer match.
10. Been to a Stanley Cup Playoff Game.
11. Taught 2 people how to drive.
12. Laid both of my grandparents to rest at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punch Bowl in Hawaii.
13. Had a broken bone.
14. Water skied in Lake Havasu, Arizona.
15. Experienced the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989.
16. Saved someone's life.
17. Nursed someone after surgery.
18. Cried when someone broke my son's heart.
19. Ran in the Bay to Breakers (SF, CA)
20. Participated in, and finished, a mini triathalon.
21. Seen U2 in concert.
22. Had my dog kidnapped.

Goodwill Avocado Hunting

This is my neighbor "Dan's" avocado tree. Isn't it gorgeous? Not only is it huge, but the branches have grown over the years and many of them hang over onto our property. I could be wrong (I haven't researched any property laws) but I think, technically, if an avocado from this tree were to fall into our yard it would become "our" avocado. Right? I said right? Okay, that's what I thought.

This, on the other hand, is the stage of our avocado tree. It's not quite there yet. Okay, it's not even in the ground yet. We are trying, but this is about as far as we've been able to get. Being the impatient people that we are, we don't want to wait for 5-10 (20?) years to grow our own avocados when we practically have an orchard of them next door. Dan's tree has over a hundred avocados right now that are ripening to perfection  How many avocados can he possibly need or eat?

These are some of the branches that are hanging over the fence. One of them (below) is all the way over our roof. My husband believes we are entitled to not only these beautiful avocados but also some of the other ones that aren't "quite" on our side of the property line. So do I, of course, but the difference is that he doesn't want to just ask Dan if we can pick the avocados. It's like he equates it to asking directions, or some other "guy" thing that I just don't get. I'm sure Dan wouldn't mind. In fact I think he'd probably be proud that we had an interest in his avocados. I am absolutely positive that Dan would be more than happy that we wanted to take some for ourselves. But, no, we will not ask Dan if we can pick his avocados.

Instead my husband has decided to hunt for the avocados in cognito. This has presented several obstacles. One is that he has to wait for when Dan is not at home. Dan is a fireman... so his schedule is, er, irregular. Second, my husband has to be home at a time when Dan isn't at home.  My husband works two jobs, so his opportunities are few and far between. Also, you can't just pick the avocados before they are ready. You have to wait. But? If you wait to long, the birds or the squirrels may get to a ripe avocado first. It is a very difficult balance. When all the stars are aligned, Dan is not home and there is a ripe avocado ready to be plucked that hasn't been touched by an opportunistic squirrel or bird... then there presents a third obstacle. Dan's dog.

Dan's dog will bark and bark (and bark) every time my husband comes near the fence. Fortunately (despite how hubs feels about him), we also have a dog. And our dog? Has treats! A whole cupboard full of them. So, my husband will gather his hand made tool (an old basket he attached to what used to be a broom or shovel handle), his ladder and a pocketful of dog treats and set up for his avocado gathering.

It is a painstaking procedure, which I haven't seen for myself, but apparently he gets up on the ladder, reaches over the fence and tries to pry any avocados that are loose and ripe enough to come off their branch into (hopefully) the basket. He has been pretty successful so far and gotten a few avocados for our table. And? They are delicious. Smooth, creamy and with a hint of nutty after taste. So worth all the cloak and dagger. So. Worth. It.

Which? Leads me to my next endeavor. Limes. This (below, right) is where I walk the dog in my neighborhood. See that tree over on the right of the sidewalk?  No, a little further down... see, here (below, left)? That, is a lime tree.

 FYI: We have a lime tree in our back yard. A newly planted lime tree. That has no limes.

This lime tree? Has limes. Limes that are just sitting there. Branches sticking right out on the public sidewalk. I'm the public, aren't I? It doesn't even look like the people who live in this house even know they have a lime tree, that is ripe... with limes. So? Sometimes. When I'm walking the dog. I may (or may not) pluck one or two limes and slip them into my pocket. I mean? I don't know about the rest of you, but limes here, where I live, are currently two for a dollar. Fifty cents people. For a lime! That is criminal. I think I am justified. And if I'm not? Sue me. The limes are good. Although, maybe next time I walk by there I'll throw some quarters on the front porch, or just ask if I can have some!

Smiley Face Birds

Most Quotable Friday

Twitterable Quotables from my Twitter Timeline... Happy Friday!

1. Sow seeds of doubt and expect insecurity. Sow seeds of hope and enjoy optimism.

Fruit Salad

2. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

3. “He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he that loses courage loses all.” ~ Cervantes

4. Listen to your feelings; give them a voice, they are messengers from your heart for mending your broken spirit.

5. Acceptance is not about denying or hiding. It is about struggling, surrendering, and finally transforming through the power of grace.

6. “Extraordinary people live their lives backward. They create a future, and then they live into it.” ~ Unknown

7. “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll

8. You are where you are in life because of your thoughts.

9. You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time. But you can fool yourself anytime.

10. “It is not how big you are, it’s how big you play.” ~ Unknown

11. I no longer jump to conclusions because it hurts my back.