A Beautiful And Peaceful Christmas Movie

The link below is a link to a Christmas movie that is done by my favorite musical artist, Tami Briggs. I am hoping when you click on the link you will be able to view her beautiful movie and will also visit her website.

It is my pleasure to introduce Tami Briggs Christmas movie! May peace and joy be with all of you!

http://www.musicalreflections.com/christmas08.cfm

I Was There And It Feels Incredible

I received this link in my email and when I played it I was so overtaken with emotion to realize that I was IN the Basilica of St. Peter's with my grandson, Christopher, when he and I visited Italy and Greece in June 2007. I have seen this ceiling and the sculptures and the paintings on the walls. I was there! I don't even know how to describe how it feels. The music and the place temporarily, as I listen and watch, transcend the here and now. Those of you who know me well, know that I tend to live in the moment. But, this little video transports me to another place...a place of beauty.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=v6g5X2hGab0

The Buck Stops Here

You just never know what you will see when you sit at our kitchen table. I read something yesterday about .... no, wait a minute. I think it was a power point show I received in my email. It had to do with the importance of touching and being one with nature.

I love living here!

A Good Day

Yesterday was a nice day. It was cold, crisp, sunny and eventful I guess one might say. Tom and I were sitting at the kitchen table talking and Tom casually said, there is a deer in the back yard. Then, he said, "Oh, my goodness, there is a big buck in the back yard!"

We see quite a few doe, but rarely see a buck. The buck we saw yesterday was beautiful and majestic. It was really exciting!

Beautiful buck

I think he is so majestic

We also purchased Tom a new car. He has been driving his late father's car for a number of years and, sadly, it has to be replaced. The heat no longer works and it has been running pretty rough for a while. Minnesota winters just aren't the time for no heat and possible breakdowns and to fix it would have cost more than the value of the car.

So, we bit the bullet and we will keep the memory of the car in a photograph and Tom will get to drive his new car that has lovely heat and doesn't make funny noises that make me think it is going to break down. It is a beautiful car. We chose a Toyota Avalon.

Tom in his dad's car. I think it was a 1992 Cadillac


Tom's new car...2008 Toyota Avalon

Here is a short video of the buck

Brothers Playing

The videos were taken Monday, November 17th. Jackson Toby is 5 months old now and he is a lucky little boy to have such nice brothers.

Great Neighbors

I have been starting to decorate for Christma this weekend as you can see by this first picture. I love the tree in the shadows with the light coming in the curtains. My day was going to get a little more fun though when I looked out the window. I saw my neighbors outside in their yard and to me this presented an opportunity to have some fun.

The story and video follow...................

Scene if my front room where we have the Christmas tree

Ben and Joan out in their yard with their ladder

They are such great neighbors. They are nice, fun, kind, playful, hard workers and good sports! Meet Ben and Joan who live next door to us. I saw them outside today looking like they were about to do some serious business on their house. I couldn't help but find my camera and turn this scene into a little fun. Not only are they all the things I mentioned above, but when our friend, Joe from Ireland was here in June and July, they invited us to dinner and served us a great steak dinner after which we all walked down to the cul de sac and looked at the moon. Now, how nice was that! Yep, Ben and Joan are neighbors you want to have! And, yes, they know I am putting this on my blog. Thanks guys!

It's Official

(Dante's Prayer) Please click to play

Yep, it's official. I am now fully 65. While I have been 65 since March I have, as of today, completed my "Get down and take care of the old people stuff" stuff. Yep, this morning I had my phone conversation with the Social Security office to apply for retirement benefits.

I will be 66 in March of 2009, but I can start collecting my social security checks starting in January. Where did the time go? How can I feel so young and yet I now qualify as an old person. Every time I write that kind of thing I laugh!

I know that age is just a number. I know that our lives are determined by how we feel on the inside and whether or not we keep our "spirit" alive. In fact, I love my age. I love being 65. I love all the good things that come with being this age. Gosh, I get a senior citizen's discount at Perkins restaurant and drugstores and department stores have senior citizen days which means if we can toddle on in there we can get 15% off lots of stuff we really don't need and some that we do. I love the confidence and wisdom that come with having lived life for this many years.

It was a short 15 minute phone conversation. It dealt with a significant life transition. I had been looking forward to it. It is over now and I feel oddly and happily excited and elated. Does this mean I am finally an adult? Now, that makes me laugh! Somedays I wonder what it will take to make me feel like an adult. This wasn't it!

I think I am going to be waiting and watching for a long time!

It Keeps Getting Better

New email from Kara............WOW WOW AND WOW

"Christopher came home with a letter from his art teacher today letting us know that some of his artwork has been chosen to be on display in the Chaska High School Art Show at the Chan Rec Center. This particluar piece is a casserole dish with a lid to go with the dinnerware set that he made. The show runs from Nov 19 - Jan 1. They are having an opening reception on Nov 20 from 6:30 - 7:30. You are all welcome to come! (Adam - I know you won't be able to make it )"

Kara

Email From My Daughter Kara

"A reporter from the Chaska Herald came to the high school yesterday to interview Christopher about his pottery!! He took some pictures, too, of Christopher throwing and one of him and his 50lb pot. How cool is that!?!

I will let you know when the article gets printed!

Kara (the proud mom!)"

Christopher Age 16

My response..........

"WOW WOW AND WOW...........that is terribly exciting and
this is written by the PROUD GRANDMA.........can I put this
on my blog?.............your email? I would really like to!!"

Kara's response......

"Sure!!!"

I am so happy and excited for you Christopher! What wonderful recognition for something you love doing so much!! I love you! Grandma

Early Morning

It is almost 6:30 a.m. and I am up for the day. I woke early. I think it was 4:45 a.m. and I did not go back to sleep. Sometimes, when that happens, I wish I could go back to sleep. Usually I don't. I guess that is OK. It gives me time to think....kind of like when I am at a stoplight.

I think of these things, waking early and stopping at stoplights, as pauses in my day and they give me time to think, contemplate and maybe even figure things out that are on my mind. I see them as opportunities to be in the moment and for the most part I enjoy my own company and internal conversation. (As my family knows, it is not always internal!)

I got a quote in my email this morning that got me to thinking. It made me smile and that is what prompted my early morning thoughts. The quote is....

"We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." Carlos Castaneda

It is all about attitude. Life happens especially when we think we have control. Then I think about the old saying, "Control is an illusion!"

As I head into the holiday season I am ever so aware that I hope for some control of things like money, time and mood to name a few. I know I have some control but it is so hard when I start looking at Christmas things in the Christmas section at Target. There is something that happens to me and I think it is the magic of Christmas that still captures me. I look, I touch, I smile, I go into little scenes in my head. I want to buy the feeling I get while I am standing there. Sometimes I do.

The simplest way to say it is, my senses wake up and come alive in a special way standing in the Christmas aisle at Target. I don't ever want to lose the magic. I can't imagine ever losing the magic.

Welcome to my world! Welcome to my early morning world! I am going to get some breakfast now. I am going to get some coffee now.

I Was Lost But Now Am Found

You know the line, "A funny thing happened on the way to.....?" Well, yesterday a not really funny but a really nice thing happened when I was in Target. I was standing in one of the Christmas decoration aisles looking at things, when I heard someone say, "Judy?" It was spoken so softly I wasn't sure I had heard it. I turned and I saw a woman looking at me. I said, "Yes?" We looked at each other for a few moments and she said, "Do you recognize me?" I said, "No." She said, "It is Eleanor!" Even at that it took me a moment to let it sink in. When it did, I smiled and flew toward her and said, "Ohhhhh, Eleanor!" And, gave her a big hug with many exclamations of happiness and joy to see her!

I have known Eleanor since I was five years old. I haven't seen her for about eight years and between being lost in my own world yesterday and not expecting to see her in this context, I simply didn't recognize her. Do you know what I mean? When you see people out of context it just doesn't register.

We started to talk and then we talked some more and then we talked some more until I bet an hour and a half had gone by while we blocked the Christmas decorations aisle. I learned I had been lost to Eleanor and my other school friends for a number of years. She said my name has come up and they have been wondering where I was, if I was still around and shhhhhhhhhh probably even still alive.

The good news is I am all of those things....I am around and where I have been for twenty nine years, right here in Plymouth, and very much alive!

We exchanged email addresses, promised to get in contact with my other friends, and who knows where that will lead and what will happen next.

Do you know what one of the nicest things about the whole chance meeting was? I said to her, "How on earth did you recognize me? I was standing sideways in the aisle." She said, "It was your hands...something about the way you were holding your hands!" I loved hearing that....it was amazing to me. It was so personal. After all these years she recognized me by the way I was holding my hands.

It was so good to see you Eleanor. Thank you for finding me!

Hopes Exceeded Reality

I thought I was out of the woods last night. I thought I was going to wake up this morning after a full night's sleep and start the day with renewed vigor! Have you heard the joke about how to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans!

There is no doubt I am feeling better, but I am not ready to leave the house yet. It is a good thing there are plenty of things for me to do IN the house should I decide to push the envelope a little.

Right now it is going on 7:45 a.m. and I am thinking about the New Adventures party Kara and I were going to have yesterday. It was a party where I was going to share my new CafePress online business and Kara was going to do a short presentation on Coaching. One of the responses we got was, "What a fabulous idea. If I didn't have to teach today I would be there!" That was such great affirmation it has made me smile for the last 24 hours. Thanks Paula! We will schedule the party for another time and hope the timing works out better for people.

You know what? I love to blog. Just sitting here thinking how nice it is to just share life. A post doesn't have to be about anything big or important. It doesn't have to be earth shattering. Most of life is just stuff...stuff that happens..big stuff..little stuff...inconsequential stuff. But, it is worth sharing.

I will invite you to have a cup of coffee with me now. I am having my coffee this morning in my CafePress Tranquility mug. I figured I could use a little tranquility and it seems to be working. I am following my own ideas and advice. If there is something you need, why not hold it in your hands or wear it. Below the picture of the Tranquility mug you will see the CafePress sweatshirt I am wearing this morning, although I look better in the picture than I do this morning. It is just true, sick doesn't look as good as well!

You will see that the sweatshirt has a picture of trees on it. I took this picture in SC a year ago. The sun was shining on the trees and it was so beautiful. For those with a discerning eye maybe you can see a word written at the bottom of the picture. I wanted to put the word Clarity on the picture and I made a mistake when I was doing it and it made me laugh. Clarity came out upside down and backwards. It struck me so funny that I kept it that way.

You know what the beauty of all that is? You have to look in the mirror to see Clarity clearly. It looks perfect in the mirror! Somehow, there is a message in that.

So, that is it for now. Judy's early morning thoughts on a day her hopes exceeded her reality!

Tranquility Mug

Judy wearing her Clarity sweatshirt

It Feels Good To Feel Good

Today was the day Kara and I were supposed to have our New Adventures party. We had to cancel it due to scheduling conflicts. That actually turned out OK because I was sick. I am feeling better tonight and am really glad.

Whatever it was that got its grip on me, I hope it doesn't get its grip on anybody else. It lasted maybe 36 hours and I have never had such bad stomach cramping outside of childbirth contractions.

It snowed a little bit more today and I just took it easy. It feels good to feel good again!

First Snow Of 2008

It is November 7, 2008 and we are getting our first snowfall of the year. It is what we call "wet snow." It is great snow for making snowmen and snowballs, neither of which I will be doing today because I am sick.

So, when you watch and listen to the video, that is why I sound the way I do and why I might leave out a few words. For example, you might notice that at the end I say something about seeing snow on my neighbor........I left out mentioning their house or roof.

I am glad I am not going to work today. I have on sweats, a turtleneck, snuggy fleece top with a high neck, two pairs of socks and a blanket. I feel warm enough now...my hands are warm and my feet are warm.

I hope you enjoy the video!

While America Is Voting The Doe Makes Me Smile

What a day today was. It still isn't over. Our local news is televising election pandemonium, hysteria and results. It is an historic election for President this year and an election year that will be talked about for generations to come.

I wonder how many truly historic things I have been alive for. I don't know.

I do know that in the midst of history being made, groceries still need to be bought and planning for the holiday season still must be done. So, today after I voted, I bought both groceries and some Christmas gifts.

And, when I came home, I pulled into the garage and got out of the car to unload the trunk, I saw something that made history seem less important and made life in the moment something to smile about.

Lucky for me I had my camera handy. I hope you enjoy the video!

Life

Derek as Spiderman, Jackson Toby as little Superman and Davey as Big Superman

Lots has happened in the last few days. First of all, Davey called me on October 29 and was all excited about Halloween. We talked for a bit and then he said he would call me on Halloween and we could say "Good Morning!" I believe I wrote that in my last post.

Well, that happened! It was so great! Punkin (Davey) called me on the morning of Halloween and we talked a bit. It made me smile!

Secondly, my dad called on Friday morning. Friday is the day he usually calls because I often don't work on Fridays. He told me he got to go to Wisconsin to see his younger brother of five years or so which would make him 91. My sister, Linda and her husband Dave, took him. He was glad to see his brother and wife because they have been having some health problems. My dad is like me. If someone is not doing well, I want to see them with my own eyes. It was a short but a good visit.

Thirdly, the video on my digital camera went kaput, so I was in a position where I had to go out to look for a new digital camera with the specifications I knew I would need. Those specifications were that it had to have good quality high resolution pictures and good quality video.

Tom and I shopped yesterday, Saturday, for a camera and I came home with one only to be dissatisfied with it. I took it back today after hours of trying to see if I could make the quality be what I wanted. But, I couldn't.

So, back I went to National Camera with my yesterday's purchase in tow. I think I spent three hours talking with a very nice customer service representative by the name of Mike. Mike and I looked at and tested both the picture and video quality of several cameras. I ended up buying a Canon PowerShot G10, which I think I will be very happy with.

I, also, did some online Christmas shopping which I have not really done before. It was a great experience. I did Christmas shopping and laundry while wearing my sweats! What is wrong with that picture? Absolutely nothing!!

So, all in all, I had a really nice weekend getting some things done that were on my "to do" list, and dealing with and solving the unexpected problem of replacing my digital camera.

Not a very interesting post, but a post about real life and my real life weekend!