Beautiful Sunday

The Boyz woke me up early! It was a slightly foggy, crisp, cool morning. The moon and a few planets managed to peek through the mist as dawn began to break. As I stood in the middle of the back yard listening to the birds and frogs harmonize, I thanked God once more for His creation and all His blessings.

I hadn't been to church in a few weeks so after I made my coffee and fed the pups I started getting ready. By the time I left the house the fog had lifted and the sun was shining brightly through a few random clouds. The message was simple but so very relevant for this day. It was about being thankful. How cool was that? I had already been thanking Him all morning!!

I had planned to spend the afternoon with my sister and her hubby. Their two grandsons were visiting for the weekend and I wanted to see them. By the time church was over, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I opened the roof of my car, turned up the music and headed for sis's house. Shortly after I arrived, favorite bro in law returned from a spin on his Harley. Well, he knows how I love to ride, so he didn't have to ask me twice to suit up! I threw my half eaten salad in the frige and away we went, headed straight for the toll road. It's close to the house and usually pretty wide open on Sunday. We rode north, all the way to The Woodlands, turned around and went back south towards downtown Houston, made another U-turn, headed toward Beltway 8 and home. It was a 50 mile ride and believe it or not, there is quite a bit of scenery along the toll road.

As we rode along, I couldn't help but think about my mom. She loved to ride, also. I imagined her on the back of a bike, with the sun on her face and wind in her hair...loving every minute of it! I was sure she was looking down from Heaven, getting a kick out of watching me and her beloved son in law tearing down the Hardy toll road on his beautiful orange bike. Yes, Mom was a church-going lady, but she knew how to let her hair down and have fun. More and more, I've come to realize, I truly am my mother's daughter. Thanks Mom, you taught me well!

Let's ride, ya'll!

Valentine's Update

Well, another Valentine's Day has come and gone. I know it's not as big as Christmas or Easter, but I think this day set aside for love is sweet and fun. Even if you don't have someone special, it's still a nice time to send cards and remembrances to friends and family. I sent both my kids and their families a simple Valentine card filled with glittery hearts. The grandkids got a kick out of seeing all those shiney little hearts fall all over the place. I also sent cards and hearts to several of my special gal friends. What fun!

OK, I won't get all mushy..but.. A Special Someone invited me to dinner for Valentine's Day, only we went on Wednesday, the 13th. Cupid, I think you aimed in the right direction!

Everything

You're a falling star

You're the getaway car

You're the line in the sand when I go too far

You're the swimming pool on a August day

You're the perfect thing to say

And you play it coy

But it's kind of cute

When you smile at me, you know exactly what you do

Baby, don't pretend that you don't know it's true

'Cause you can see it when I look at you

And in this crazy life

And through these crazy times

It's you, It's you

Ya make me sing

Your every line

Your every word

You're everything

I love this song by Michael Buble! I didn't include all the lyrics, you'll have to listen for yourself. In fact, the entire CD is awesome. Check it out at http://www.michaelbuble.com/

Love Ya'll!

Valentine's Day

I recently discovered that I have been suffering from 'The Januarys'. I was talking to a friend recently about the general 'blahness' of the first month of the new year. He had heard this malady called The Januarys. It sounded like a fitting description for the blue funk many of us experience this time of year. The weather is cold and nasty and everyone is exhausted and broke from the recent holiday rush. Half of the population has the flu or the sniffles. We all seem to hibernate as much as possible, leaving our homes only when absolutely necessary. And, yours truly didn't even feel like blogging! Most evenings after work, I was curled up on the sofa in front of the TV, trying to get warm. Of course, my faithful pups, Elvis and Presley were always by my side. Those little guys are always ready to snuggle!

Well, it is now February and I have recovered. Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Just walk thru any store. The retailers started putting out all the red hearts right after Christmas. I tried to ignore them but finally decided to get with the program. Even though my *love life* has been rather uneventful the last few years, I still like the general concept of the holiday. As I've said before, my cynical self still holds out hope that Cupid is alive and well, waiting in the wings with his tiny bow and arrow aimed in the right direction!

So, in honor of this sweet Hallmark holiday, I'd like to share a little love trivia with you. I found these tidbits in a cute little book titled 'The Ladies Room Reader' by Alicia Alvarez:

The first known Valentine's Day card was sent in 1415, when the duke of Orleans, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London, sent a love note to his wife. The note is on display today in the British Museum.

Americans send more Valentine's Day cards than on any other holiday except Christmas.

There's an old wives tale that if you want to attract a lover, or to strengthen the love you already have, you should make something by hand and give it to the beloved as a gift. The energy you imbue in the item will bind the person to you.

Ms Alvarez also included a few interesting quotes from some well known ladies:

'Women want mediocre men, and men are working hard to be as mediocre as possible'. Margaret Mead

'The people I am furious with are the women's liberationists. They keep getting up on soapboxes and proclaiming women are brighter than men. That's true, but it should be kept quiet or it ruins the whole racket.' Anita Loos

'During the feminist revolution, the battle lines were again simple. It was easy to tell the enemy, he was the one with the penis. This is no longer strictly true. Some men are okay now. We're allowed to like them again. We still have to keep them in line, of course, but we no longer have to shoot them on sight.'
Cynthia Heimel

These women sound a bit bitter, don't they? Ouchie! But not me! I'm not bitter. I find the opposite sex to be fascinating. I do wonder sometimes what God was thinking when he made these charming creatures. However, In His infinte wisdom, He did put us ladies here to help them. What a divine plan! Now, if they would only listen....but, that's another story. Let's move on.

Oprah Winfrey said: 'Nothing compares to being in love.'

I like this positive statement from Cher too: 'If grass can grow through cement, love can find you anywhere.'

And now, a classic poem from Robert Louis Stevenson:

Love, What is Love

Love, what is love? A great and aching heart;

Wrung hands; and silence; and a long dispair.

Life, what is life? Upon a moorland bare

To see love coming and see love depart.

Of course, the Bible speaks of love in 1 Corinthians 13.

Verse 13 says: 'And now these three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.'

Happy Valentine's Day, ya'll!