Paying It Forward.......

I've thought a lot about how to honour my youngest son, Clay's , memory this year.

This will be his 8th Angelversary.  
And I've decided to ask a favour of all my friends and loved ones.
Clay was always such a kind and generous soul...he always stopped and helped people broken down on the side of the road, or bought a homeless person a meal, or helped the elderly load their groceries into their car.( Actually, all my children do these type things but this is in memory of Clay for now...they understand and support me fully)
So for the days from now until his Angelversary on Wednesday the 26th of August, I want to ask that we all do at least one random act of kindness in his memory.
Pay for a persons drink or meal..visit an elderly person..help someone with something they are struggling with -physically or mentally...
Or just tell someone how much you appreciate everything someone does..for the community...or the city...or the country.
Feed a stray animal...or drop a bag of food by the local animal shelter - he loved animals.
Just do a good deed in his memory. I'm going to call it "Claying It Forward".
And Thank y'all.

LYNDSAY BUCKINGHAM - HOLIDAY ROAD- The countdown has begun!!!

The Countdown has begun!!!! (For the second time, since I went into work on THIS past Monday thinking it was the following week, only to realize MUCH to my disappointment that I was WRO.... WRON...... Oh, I can't do it- I''ve gone all Fonzie on y'all)..... SO -Only SIX days until Paul and I take our 10 day holiday- the first of the new year!!!

I'm really excited about it- it's the first holiday I've taken in a couple of years that I've made no plans(so much) for- nor had any kind of medical appointment or testing scheduled in.

I do have a few tentative plans lined up- in case I get bored with just sitting around resting and relaxing tho.

This short list includes things such as:

*Reading a couple of books at my leisure.

* Listening to my favorite music- classical. Full orchestra, Piano and Guitar solos as well.

* Going a new route on a Photo walk.......weather permitting, of course.

* Walking into the village to have a bite of lunch at a pub or cafe I've seen as we rode past on our way into / home from work every day since moving here.

* Painting or drawing something new to hang on the walls- or if I get a particularly fetching photo- framing it to hang......I like to change up the artwork in our home occasionally.

 *And watching two of my favorite NON-Christmas movies (If I can find them)... National Lampoons Vacation (Chevy Chase)& The Great Outdoors(John Candy). I would say DUTCH too- but I saw that last weekend-(it was GREAT!!!)

Otherwise, I'm planning on blitzing the house one room at a time this week so there is absolutely NOTHING to detract from our R&R on those 10 days.......other than go on Saturday to buy groceries.

And as an added bonus, one of Hubby's office mates(an intern) has come to the end of his time with the company, so they're all going out to the pub to give him a send off and I've been invited. It's been awhile since hubby and I went out to the pub so I think I'll defo accept and go with them to say goodbye to Jon.

Anyway, the countdown has begun......Yay!!!

Funny Story......

Sitting here re-reading some of my old posts and I ran across this one from 2010..... I'm sitting here in front my 3D TV ....how ironic.... See? Dreams really DO come true- and it cost a LOT less than the $9,000 they were back then.

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Bits & Bobs........

This week has been a surprising one in many different ways.
I've learned that being a sweet southern girl isn't always the thing to do, I've learned to hold my tongue in check, that your family can still surprise you -even tho you think you know them like the back of your hand -and that your friends aren't always who you think they are.
That being said- I decided to do a bit of Spring Cleaning again since I have taken a bit of time off from the rat-race. It's the first REAL time off I've had in 6 years, since our honeymoon, that hasn't involved a death in the family or a hospital stay for me. Strange But True.
I've been going thru quite a bit of the household stores and such, cleaning, clearing, and de-cluttering, trying to put some order in the confines of my home.
I'm going thru pictures, looking back on times past and remembering the sweet times we had and the sweet memories of days gone by.
My BFF Rhonni is in the hospital again- for the second time this week- and I decided to bring- and give her the Yearbooks from our Junior High & High School years. Hers have gotten misplaced in past years and I thought she would like to have them. I only kept the signature pages that were in them since those were wrote particularly to me. I hope she enjoys them as much as I have over the years.
I realized that even tho I gave away/ donated so many of my book collection last month- I STILL have a LOAD more I could dispose of. I have maybe a dozen or so I really want to keep for later use when Paul and I finally decide to take the leap and buy our own home.
I walked with Paul today- a bit over two miles. Then we came in, ate breakfast, and then went to the hospital to visit Rhonni for a little while. Then on the way home- we decided to ride by the theater and see what was playing. There was a really cool 3-D movie(Clash of The Titans 3-D) playing, so we used the gift cards our DIL, Kathy, had given us for Christmas to see it. It was AWESOME!!!! it was the first 3-D movie I've ever seen on the big screen. I'm secretly(or maybe NOT so Secretly Now) hoping they come out with 3-D TV soon!!!!
It's been quite the week for sure.
And I'm sure there's more to follow.........Such is the misadventures of my crazy upside down life.

1 comment:

Paulius said...

They have come out with 3D TV

They cost around $9000 though, which is kinda ridiculous considering they use EXACTLY the same shutter glasses technology you can get for your PC for about sixty bucks now.

10:05 AM

Trouble Ahead...or in My Head.....

I was just letting my mind wander the other day and thought I would share a few thoughts I had...

*People are inherently lazy. If there is someone else to do something- let someone else take charge.
I, myself, do this sometimes. If there is something that needs doing- I usually sit back and wait. If it's more important to someone else that it be done quickly and they take responsibility and do it before me- fine. If it reaches the point where I think it's imperative it be done- then I do it. No biggie- it gets done either way. I wasn't like that always, if something needed doing- I'd be the first to say I'll do it....but then people began realizing that I would take care of it- and all the sudden I wasn't doing anyone a favor- it was just my JOB. It was mostly left up to me to do EVERYTHING while everyone else lazed about and had fun.
Ummmm...no. Not anymore.

*There is an office idiot in every building.
Oh yes there is. The Bumbling Fool. The Clueless Klutz. The Mindless Moron.

*There is a Drama Queen in every Group.
The one person who feels the need to be the centre of attention every minute. The one who has to one-up any story that's told or any pain that's ever been had. EVERYTHING is a competition and they must win.

*There are always going to people who does something that will totally gross you out or annoy the hell out of you.
The guy that's reading and mindlessly picks his nose- and then the finger goes straight from the nose to the mouth. The one who sits and clicks his/her pen constantly as they work or carry on a phone conversation. The guy who ALWAYS leaves their mobile phone on the desk on full volume with the most awful ring tone  and lets it ring constantly while they go to take their lunch hour because they don't want to be annoyed with it while they're on lunch. Really?  How about either taking it with you- or turn the volume off or to vibrate so it doesn't annoy US while we're trying to get work done.

* There are too few people in the world you can honestly call a friend.
You have lots of acquaintances, people to have a chat with or do the occasional thing with, but when it comes down to it- how many people REALLY know the true you? The you that can have long conversations about what's really going on in your life and how you honestly feel about those things- and how many people do you really know and want to know that same amount about THEIR life?

* We don't spend nearly enough time Living -and way too much making a living.
There's a huge difference. Making a living is making money. Doing what you have to do to have food on the table, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head....and in most cases making all those things bigger and better and never being satisfied. Living is saying I have Enough- then being able to sit  back and enjoy what you have done and made. Have time to sit down and read a book on a quiet afternoon, or have breakfast in the garden so you can watch your surroundings awaken and get going. It's sleeping in instead of jumping up to make the next appointment. It's watching the kids play in the park, or going for a stroll or a long drive to nowhere in particular and enjoying the nothingness of the day.

And finally....

* There is way too much noise all the time.
Always, Noise......you can hear car engines, or music from the neighbors, or horns blaring. Explosions from a TV show somewhere in the neighborhood. Children yelling, the neighbors arguing, the buses, the trains, the computer keys clicking, pots and pans banging, the clinking of glasses and flatware the din of a hundred voices murmuring. Dogs barking, cats hissing, the teakettle whistling.....
When was the last time you experienced true silence?


Can you identify?....

InVisible Ink.....

.

Sad & Bored.

It's been a LONG time since I posted here.

It's been a whirlwind of activity here and I honestly just haven't had the heart to write much.

Ive been in and out of the hospital for various tests.....some results good- some not so good- all the while trying to get back on track and find a happy median.....
On the upside- I'm losing weight....slowly but surely.....I'm sleeping better(ish) I still have my bad nights but at least now they are interspersed with good nights occasionally.

I'm struggling tho with a couple of things. This is going to sound very UNGODDESSlike, but I,m struggling in my relationships department.  I miss the friendships I had back home terribly.
I ALWAYS had someone to talk to, someone to go and spend an hour or two- or a day- with. It was a very "Hey, I got a couple hours- wanna go shopping or just sit on the porch and have a bit of a chat?" kind of environment.
I didn't have to worry about making an appointment to see someone, we all  just dropped by and if they had something planned at least I got to see them long enough for a hug and a promise to see each other again soon...and then know it was gonna happen. I don't have a huge circle of friends and loved ones here to talk to and do things with when everyone else is busy and I feel alone. And right now I feel as tho I'm being put at the end of every ones list. I'm wondering if it's something I've said- or did- but seeing as I rarely see anyone anyway, I think that's highly unlikely.
Making new friends as an adult is difficult. I've never had a LOT of people I trusted until about 15 years ago. I had been hurt so many times by people(always females) I THOUGHT were my friends I didn't trust anyone and stayed in my shell.
And then- as if by magic- I happened into a time of life where I had a overflowing handful of people  that weren't relatives that were really good people and who I grew to love and trust as Chosen Sisters. (I'm still not very comfortable with having guys for friends after a few incidents when I was in my late teens and early twenties- and if I do consider you a friend and you are a guy- you should feel DAMN privileged cause there are less than the fingers on one hand I feel that way about.)
So I got used to having them to chat with and do things with, and there was (and is) always my Daughter and Blood Sisters and sometimes my mom.
Now I just feel out of sorts and alone and I don't like it. It feels horrible and altho I've tried to make a few new friends, truth be told I'm picky about who I spend my precious time with and there aren't THAT many people I WANT to spend my time with. They mostly seem to damn fickle and flighty and ....well...... either tend to be boring or they are just too trashy for words and I have more respect for myself and my life than to waste time with people like that. I prefer to enjoy my time in the company of lovely, positive people who care.
Maybe it's my own fault for wanting wonderful friends. Maybe if I could lower my standards a bit I would be able to find more friends.....but if I did- wouldnt that just make my life miserable because I wasnt being true to myself and what I want out of- and IN- my life?
I dont want to compromise- or settle for less anymore. I've done that before and it only ended in misery for me.

Why is it so difficult to make friends as an adult? As a child- you just walk up to someone- start talking and play together and that's it- you're friends. As an adult, it's rare to have it happen that way. There's so many things going on in each of our lives we just cant find time to cultivate new friendships.
And it's sad.
Ah well, enough being a crybaby about being lonely and such. It's on to other things. Like Laundry- and cooking Sunday dinner.
Things will work themselves out- they always do- somehow-someway.

I Am Goddess.

July 18th......

My heart is heavy.

On July 18th- both the Black Panthers AND the Ku Klux Klan will be "demonstrating" in Columbia, the state capitol of South Carolina.

Neither side is willing to change the date of their "Rally".

In case you didn't know- The Black Panthers promote "Anti-white" hate. The Klan promote "Anti- black" hate.

Now- A few years ago- this Confederate Battle flag issue came up and was VERY hotly debated. Various organizations got involved, but front and centre was the NAACP, I believe.
And so, after many weeks of arguing and debating and going back and forth,  it was decided and AGREED UPON by everyone concerned that the Battle flag of the South would stay flying- and there was an African-American Monument built to honor that particular race of peoples. Martin Luther Kings Birthday was also made a honest bank holiday. And Lo- and behold- most people were happy with that lovely compromise.

Until recently.  I rarely keep up with the news, I hate listening to the doom and gloom that's regularly spouted instead of uplifting stories, so I'm not exactly sure what the catalyst was- and lord someone PLEASE enlighten me if you have the time and inclination.....anyway.
Wait- it might have been that nut job Roof when he shot those poor people down in Charleston and his social media pages had all those photos of him holding the Battle flag and spouting about starting a race war. Looks like the little bastard is getting his wish. I feel so sorry for his family.
Anyway, next thing I know it's all over the news about Nikki Haley is speaking out in favor of removing the flag from the state house grounds.

Now we have the Black Panthers, The NAACP, the Klan, Lord knows who else coming to our state to  stir the pot. As the good people of Charleston said just after the tragedy, "Stay away- we getting along just fine down here in South Carolina- we don't need your kind coming and stirring up trouble where they ain't none."
But no- the pot stirrers just can't let it go and leave us alone. They all gotta come down here(there, I mean- sometimes I forget I'm not living back home now- but it's still my home no matter what and I still get my say at the end of the day.)And get everyone all riled up and fightin' each other.

On the other hand- we have groups like Sons of Southern Pride. People of ALL races joining together who are going out and doing good by showing pride in themselves and their community and their flags.  They plan visits to nursing homes and children's hospitals. They are holding car washes and bake sales for charities and to help out the less fortunate in their communities. They are good people just showing their support in any way they can.  They are peaceful, and kind people who don't go out looking for trouble- they just want to be able to be proud of their heritage and fly the flag their ancestors fought under. They are the kind of people that stop to help an elderly person or a woman with kids in the car, or a man with a arm in a sling change a tire  instead of riding past them.  Yes- they are proud of their heritage and of their flags. And why shouldn't they be? Every Race and Nationality has pride in their history. And every Race and Nationality has a part of history they would rather forget.

And most of all remember this- Under the Battle Flag of the South- the races all fought together. The Whites, The Blacks, AND The Native Americans.

What's my take on this?
I have mixed feelings.
On the one hand, I think it's time the flag should be removed from the state capitol. Not because it's racist- and it's not-....But because it IS stirring up so many bad feelings among folks. I think we should all get together and make a new flag- one that symbolizes the love of the south and the people that live here now. Put ...oh I don't know- some pic up trucks, and some BBQ Pulled pork sammiches and a glass of sweet tea on it.  Put The beach- and some banjos and a hammock on it. Put a whitetail buck on it and a big plate of Soul food like my  Friend Miss Belle used to make on Sunday Afternoon. Put some biscuits and tater salad on it....and a skeeter- lawd we ALL battle them critters in the summertime and don't none of us like 'em.

On the other hand...... I saw where some folks was getting mighty upset about that flag coming down off the state grounds and was calling for that beautiful African American Monument Memorial to be taken down too. And I don't think that's right either. I don't think ANYONE should have to have anything taken down, destroyed, removed. 

A flag....a monument or memorial....the kind of shoes we wear, piercings, tattoos, glasses, blue eyes, green eyes, brown eyes, smokers, non smokers, old, young,  or the color skin we have doesn't matter. We are all human beings, and bleed red blood and we really need to stop this damn foolishness and get along.

So whats the solution? Does everyone have to get rid of all their remembrances and memorials and flags- or does everyone get to keep them and teach each other of the history of our ancestors so we can learn and not make the same mistakes again?


Just Sayin'.......