Remember how far you’ve come

Sometimes while we are weathering a storm in our lives we forget to remember how far we have already gone. We look around and see obstacles everywhere. It distracts from keeping our mind focused on the goals of where we really want to go.

When I was told it would take five years to complete the schooling to become a physical therapist, it seemed like an eternity to me. But those I worked with in Special Populations at the local college I was attending asked me how fast the previous five years had passed? I had to admit that they had gone quickly. Then I was asked what made me think the next five years would go any slower. It seemed logical so I accepted it as my new reality.

Some days seemed to last forever but the weeks and months flew by. The next thing I knew I was at a point in time where I had to decide whether I wanted to become a physical therapist or a physician’s assistant. Another area in medicine I was interested in. Frankly I wanted to be a doctor but waited too long before having “Take Two” at resuming my college career.

I decided on physical therapy because I could begin helping people heal immediately after graduation from Grad School where I would have had two more years of high stress schooling to go. I wanted to be a healer too much to delay any longer.

I had the privilege of being very helpful for five years before developing Lupus and my health taking a nosedive and ending in retirement long before I wanted to.

So once again I was where I didn’t want to be. Nor was I where I used to be.

I had to redefine what feeling good meant. And I also began the process of reinventing myself again.

I truly enjoy reading and writing, getting to know my son’s girlfriend and her family who I have already claimed as my grandchildren, all seven of them!

I am most assuredly not where I was and I am most grateful for being where I am. Are there other storms on the immediate horizon? Too numerous to count but I am letting them take care of themselves until it’s time to deal with them directly. I intend to live life to the fullest along the way.

Today after leaving the confines of a wonderful church thrift store the warm rain was truly pouring from the sky. We giggled all the way to the car and were drenched by the time we could pile into its warm confines. Two grown woman and three teenagers giggling at the adventure we went through together! It was so much fun. They made what would have been a boring day by myself to a wonderful bonding time with everyone! Storms are in the sidelines waiting to pop up and cause grief, but until they get here I want to focus on good times with all my new almost relatives. I love them all immeasurably!

Next week’s adventure is going to visit with my dad while Danielle, Hailey, Clare and Klowey take care of households duties for him. Dad will also have a chance to become acquainted with these wonderful girls too. He will enjoy it immensely because they are so full of life which is something he enjoys so very much.

Hang on Daddy! We are going to rock your world next week!

Maybe we will get to play in the rain again too. I love to go for long walks in the rain. It is so refreshing and it smells good too!

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Tired Achy Feet Rejoice!

Yesterday we went to visit my father to celebrate Father’s Day. Usually I keep my feet elevated but they were in a dependent position most of the afternoon and evening so my piggies were feeling swollen and uncomfortable. But I just took a shower instead of soaking my feet. Tonight I ate some relatively salty fried chicken from the deli in our grocery store. My feet swelled and began protesting. However, as my furbabies and I walked around half our block I became lost in the sights of stars peaking out from the clouds scudding across the sky, the rich aroma of the pines on a hot summer night along with a few adventurous toads singing to attract a mate. And in the distance the low growling sounds of thunder over Lake Michigan.

Thunder over the open water has a special echoey growls. It is a warning promise that the storm will soon come ashore, but tonight it keeps breaking up when it hits the shore. So before the storms gained enough power to come on shore and actually rain, the dogs and I had our big adventure for the day and went for a walk. We have been cooped up in the house due to the heat. This crone doesn’t do well in the sun due to Lupus, but I can go for walks at night. I felt much better all around having a bit of outdoor adventure and decided to treat myself to a detoxifying foot soak with epsom salt and three drops of eucalyptus essential oil in warm water when we got back home.

I must admit I never thought a foot soak could feel so good but it certainly helps me feel better. It is relaxing, the gentle pressure from the water helps work swelling out of your feet and ankles and you just feel better. It is so soothing that about 50% of the time I just doze off for awhile.

Give it a try! Your little piggies will thank you for taking such good care of them – of yourself. You will be glad that you did!

Love and light to everyone. I hope to hear from you soon!

Sweeping Spell

Spells are merely a different way to say a prayer, Cite an intention.

Tuesday I found my broom at a wonderful church thrift store. Actually I found two. They are both handcrafted. They have both served me well in the short time I have had them.

The larger one of the two has a crooked stick for the handle and the bristles are sewn into a fan shape. I loved it at first sight. Yesterday I swept the hardwood and the tiled floors with it. All the while saying, “Sweep, sweep, sweep the ground.

Negative energies shall be bound.

Banish harm, spoil and pain.

Only positive shall remain.”

I felt better and better as I swept. In my mind I was protecting my family and home from anyone who has ill intentions toward any of us. I disturbed the energy flowing around me by the sweeping motion I was doing and focusing my attention through my words spoken aloud and trying to maintain control over my broom which is no easy feat due to the crooked handle.

Later in the evening a spider crawling around on the wall in front of me caught my attention. I was sitting there watching him and willing it to leave my sight. Anyone who knows me understands I really don’t like spiders at all but they are attracted to me. I find them everywhere.

I have been trying to not need to kill them all, but I made some progress in this direction yesterday. The blessed little creature began crawling up the vaulted ceiling and I just couldn’t deal with it being in a position to potentially drop down on me. I absolutely draw the line in the sand right there.

So I quickly walked over to the corner by my front door and picked up my spider broom and gently extended it toward him. Like a good little spider it hopped right on the bristles and I carried him out the front door and shook him out of the broom to be free to live his life outside. I really am making progress because only a month ago he would have become either a flat or drowned arachnid without a second thought from me.

There was a third handmade broom at the thrift shop and if it is still there next week it will be coming home with me. I really liked it too but was trying not to buy them all at once and give other people a chance to claim it for themselves. However, if it is still there when I go back I will have no difficulty claiming it as my own. I really don’t see a need to resist laying claim to as many brooms as you are attracted to. I know I am not limiting myself by an ambiguous number which implies any more exceeding it is just being greedy. I would like to have the broom I met Tuesday and two of the broom my father had. He buys high quality brooms to do cleaning with at home. But his health is slowly fading so when he is done with his brooms they will be mine. They will be very powerful besoms indeed. And they will fit perfectly with the happy green glittery broom and the black glittery one from Cracker Barrel ones my hubby bought me last Halloween.

I love quality made brooms in all shapes and sizes. Frankly I am considering beautifying some of them with feathers, beads, and crystals. I have not been able to visualize them transitioning to their new forms as of this writing. If it begin to see them being transformed I will decorate them and post pictures of them so you know appreciate their transformation too

Blessed be. I urge you to search for your tools such as brooms and wands in unlikely places like thrift stores because you will never be able to predict what you will find and you are only limited on how to utilize them by your imagination. It is a fun way to discover tools to help others!

What we think we become

What we think we become

What we feel we attract

What we imagine we create

I did not write those words. I read them today. It didn’t give the author credit where credit is due. However, it did create in me visualizations of what it means.

Our brains latch on to the things we say to ourselves as truths. So if you say to yourself that you are stupid, sooner or later you begin to believe it. But if you say to yourself I can do that then you begin moving in that direction. You make it a point to learn what you need to know to become what you want to be. If you are interested in becoming a professional you seek out a school to educate yourself. If you want to be an artist you begin watching others perform the tasks you need to learn or become an apprentice.

In the school of life you will attract people of similar interests, similar viewpoints, similar vibrations. If you want calm and peacefulness you will seek out others who also want that or on the flip side if you like being busy you will surround yourself with active people.

So it is important for you to be your own best cheerleader. Practice visualizing your dream life and you will create an atmosphere in which to accomplish just that. Creating a vision board where you place pictures of how you want to live can be an effective way to march toward your goals. Picture yourself living in the way that will make you and those you love happy. No dream is too big. Success is waiting there for you!

Using witch hazel

My mom taught me about using witch hazel when I was a teenager fighting with zits. If dabbed on a blemish with a piece of a cotton ball, it worked as an astringent to clear away excess oils at the same time reducing swelling to the blemished skin.

Then after the birth of my daughter one of the gifts I received as a new mom was a container of Tucks pads for treatment of hemorrhoids, which I didn’t have at the time so I really wasn’t impressed and gave them away.

I have been able to control itching from hemorrhoids for the past several years with Gold Bond Comfort powder. Applying directly to the itchy skin soothed it immediately, for which I was truly thankful. However, for the past two days the powder which brought such relief was failing me.

Last Sunday my children and husband joined forces with my son’s girlfriend and five of her seven kids and took me to the park I love to celebrate my birthday. I was gifted drawings colored by Danielle and her daughters. All the love had me bursting into tears at their thoughtfulness.

We walked a very short trail while it was raining and a few of the newly hatched females mosquitoes decided I was a source of fine dining and tested their wonderful little probes through my skin making a meal out of me. I will be the first to admit that I don’t do well at bites and scratch the ever loving daylights out of them. I still have scars from scratching them as a child. Apparently I never outgrew this tendency because they were growing itchier everytime I so much as touched them.

I had recently bought a bottle of witch hazel but hadn’t tried it on anything yet. The mosquito bites seemed a perfect starting point. So I poured a small amount on some toilet tissue and swiped it across all the bites. The itching was reduced immediately. A second application a few hours later and all itching ceased. I was duly impressed!

Tonight after my shower I applied witch hazel to those nasty hemorrhoids. Again the relief began with contact with the affected area.

Now I am reading that witch hazel primarily used externally on sores, bruises and to reduce swelling from injuries. The astringent is made from the leaves and bark of the North American Witch Hazel shrub that grows throughout Canada and the United States. If you aren’t into making your own a distilled version is sold at pharmacies and in my case, the grocery store.

I highly recommend buying a bottle to have on hand for treating cuts, bruises and even soothing poison ivy rashes so prevalent this time of year. And if blemishes are a problem you may find help for that too.

Oh, and before I forget to mention it you don’t have to spend a lot on Preparation H to reduce bags under your eyes as part of your beauty routine because the main ingredient there is – you guessed it – witch hazel. Just dab over closed eyes. If you have been crying a lot dabbing witch hazel over closed eyelids will help reduce swelling and getting back to your beautiful pre-crying self.

Don’t let this old fashioned remedy be overlooked just to be trendy. I am too frugal to be persuaded to spend money on trappings rather than on other activities to make my life fulfilling, like writing about my discoveries.

I would love to hear how you use this amazingly simple remedy that works so well.

Go in peace and find all that helps you live a most fulfilling life!

My brooms

Today I went to a thrift store with my husband. We took extra things we had around the house to be donated to help others. It only seemed fair.

When I first walked in I couldn’t believe my eyes. They had brooms! I am pulled by handcrafted brooms! I resisted the urge to run over to check them out, choosing instead to explore all that was available. But I was vibrating with the energy I felt coming off of them. When I walked over to them It was exciting. I immediately picked up a spider broom.

Its bristles were bundled together in a circle. The price tag said $7.50. It was mine! I picked up the besom whose bristles were stitched into a fan shape. The moment I hoped it would be mine was when I saw the very crooked stick that was the handle. The only thing that kept me from claiming it at that moment was the fact there was no price tag. My mind flashed back twenty years ago when my mom and I were looking at a display of handcrafted brooms at a festival we were attending. All the brooms were so expensive. I really didn’t understand at that time why anyone would pay over $100 for a handmade broom when they could go to the store and buy one for so much less! The energy was far beyond my comprehension at that time. However, I have learned so much about the significance of brooms since that day.

I literally held my breath after asking the price. The older gentleman who was checking us out picked it up and was dumbfounded by the crooked handle. He showed it to the woman helping him and stated his amazement. Not that I blamed him. My reaction to the brooms twenty years ago was very similar. I totally understood. When he said $5, he was sure he was overcharging me. I, on the other hand, was finding it very difficult to not jump up and down with joy! I finally found my broom and though I love them both the crooked one is my favorite. They are both standing by my front door.

I have included a sweeping spell for you, along with the prayer that you too find your broom. I hope to hear from you soon. May you only find blessings at your door!

Sweep, sweep, sweep the ground.

Negative energies shall be bound.

Banish harm, spoil and pain.

Only positive shall remain.

As I will it, so mote it be.

Bonefish Grille

Last night was my husband and my 47th anniversary. Money has gotten really tight since my long term disability has run out. Lakeland hospital decided that 65 years old was old enough to graduate to being taken care of by Medicare thus they discontinued paying money I had purchased with long term disability insurance. Thereby cutting my monthly income in half.

My brother and sister-in-law gave Jim and I a gift certificate for Christmas to the Bonefish Grille in Mishawaka. They have such good food at reasonable prices!

We started out with Bang Bang shrimp to share. They are so delicious! They bring out a small loaf of crusty bread to dip in olive oil mixed with basil pesto along with the shrimp. The bread cools your mouth down from the spicy shrimp for a great taste treat!

Our entree was Tilapia Imperial which is a light flaky fish stuffed with shrimp, scallops and cheese with lemon caper sauce. I chose garlic whipped potatoes and sautéed spinach to go with my fish. Jim had the same but with green beans.

To finish off our meal we split a piece of cheesecake drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauces.

Our whole experience was wonderful there and hope to go back soon.

We highly recommend trying this restaurant at bonefishgrille.com You won’t be disappointed!

Mother’s Day

Today was a very special day. I got to meet my seven future grandchildren. My son has a very special lady who happens to be a mama to eight children, seven who live with her. My daughter and son arranged to have a picnic together with Danielle and her beautiful children at a local park called Grande Mere.

The weather here was a bit cooler and breezier than was comfortable without jackets, but we all had a joyous time together. The kids got to run and play as well as fish from the shore. None of the fish were large enough to keep but not one child complained about having to let them swim away. They are such adorable kids and I enjoyed their company immensely.

I am looking forward to being able to spend more time together for future parties celebrating birthdays and Father’s Day. I had a truly wonderful day. I feel honored to meet everyone and experience all the energy and them feeling so full of life.

April, my daughter, and my husband Jim came back to our house and enjoyed dinner that April made and relished eating two cupcakes.

Just before midnight I took the dogs for a walk to the corner and snapped another of my nighttime photos. I have lupus so I don’t get along well with the sun, but I love to go for walks at night.

This is my latest offering of a Magnolia blossom. Hope you thoroughly enjoy it. Many blessings are coming your way. Open your mind and receive them with open arms! I look forward to to talking with you.

Oranges in my tree

Every year in early May Baltimore Orioles migrate through our area. They only stay a couple of weeks so spotting them is a fun experience for our family.

I thread a string though oranges 🍊 and hang them in our tree. They will land on the orange and feed on the juice. It is a great way to feed them and let them rest awhile before they continue on their journey.

Today I was a little late getting my oranges in the tree but I spotted an Oriole as it flew away from the hummingbird feeder it had grabbed a drink from and got to watch it feed from the apple flavored suet cake before it went on its merry way. I was so happy to see it!

Yesterday we got to see a hummingbird drink from the feeder while we were having our family dinner together. We all love hummingbirds!

Blessings are all around us. We just need to keep our eyes and hearts open to see them everyday!

Many blessings to you! Please follow my blog. I love hearing from you!