Sunday Salutations, Silliness, and a Surprise

"I think I've discovered the secret of life --
you just hang around until you get used to it."
Charles M. Schulz

It's a glorious sunny day in Southern California and lots of folks have taken a Sunday drive to the ocean so there are people everywhere. Molly and I have walked already and she's played fetch with me (and several friendly neighbors) plus she's romped with a couple of her fur-friends ... so she's a happy pooch, especially since she knows it's almost time for her late afternoon meal. She'll be bugging me in about a half hour, if not before. A dog's life is pretty simple and hers is a good one indeed. Apparently mine is too, albeit less than exciting ... according to this Blogthing.

Your Life is Rated PG

Your life is pretty family friendly. The worse someone is going to get from you is brief nudity or toilet humor.

What is Your Life Rated?

In chatting with my neighbors, I learned that J's company may be sold and he might be transferred to a branch in New York or Dallas. I'm hoping that doesn't happen because I'd miss them if they moved. Of course, they're hoping they don't have to leave the area either ... but no matter what, they don't plan to sell their house here. I suppose that means I could be living between TWO "vacation rentals" at some point.

I started writing this at about 3:30, however a friend called as I was creating this post to "check in" and remind me that tomorrow is Retired Ladies Lunch, and we talked for almost an hour. She and her husband have been planning a "room remodel" of the master bedroom & bath and work begins tomorrow, so I'm invited over in the late afternoon to see the demolition. That could be interesting since I'm thinking about having my master bathroom redone sooner or later.

A couple of my Red Hat sisters are planning to take a 10 day Mediterranean cruise next Fall. If I decide to join them, I'd either need to put the "remodel" on hold or come into a financial windfall soon like yesterday's fortune cookie promised.

Both Molly and Ms. Kitty have eaten and I'm beginning to think about dinner too, although I don't know where the day has gone! I did some reading, checked a few blogs (though I'm way behind in that department and hope to catch up soon), and spent a bit of time trying to deal with MSN regarding my "Email Woes" (but gave up fairly quickly so as not to spoil my day).




Sandy of Momisodes recently passed this Spread the Love Award along (that she received from Baby-Amore), and I'd like to share it with those who visit here and share their thoughts. Please feel free to pass it along to others who support and encourage you at your blog too.


Thought for Today

"All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." Walt Disney

Saturday Stuph Shared

I'm picking up a couple of my Red Hat "sisters" at 11:15 to drive to a Valentine Luncheon, so I'm a bit "crunched" for time.







Molly wants a walk and isn't taking "In a little while" for an answer. Does she know it's a Red Hat Saturday I wonder?





(In the spirit of full-disclosure, this photo isn't actually of my sweet fur-friend, but I'm in a rush and it looks enough like Molly
to BE her ... sort of ... and this IS what Molly is doing right now ... staring at me expectantly).

I plan to do a "real" post here later this afternoon, so this is a "tide-me-over" to whet the appetite and/or explain where I am
& what's up. Below this is a T-13 on "Healing Affirmations" and a Haiku Friday on "MSN Email Woes" in case you missed them. I did create a 2nd belated Haiku at Sacred Ruminations this morning "On Change" ... but for now, it's a glorious day so Molly and I are headed to the beach!

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend too!

* * * * * * *

6:41 PM addendum
Our walk was fun this morning even though we didn't go to Dog Beach since I didn't have time to give Molly a bath afterwards and pick up my friends on time. Perhaps we'll do that one day next week if the weather stays warm enough.

My visit with the ladies was delightful and lunch delicious. I enjoyed catching up with what everyone has done since the holidays. We celebrated my birthday and another gal's early with cupcakes, but I brought mine home because I didn't want to count the points.

I'm back home with Molly and Ms. Kitty ... checking email and responding to comments ... hoping to read a few blogs this evening before I shut down the computer for the night.

My sister and I finally connected for a phone chat after playing telephone tag for the past several days. They enjoyed their visit to Disney World and Epcott, spent a day at a local County Fair, and are now camped along the ocean somewhere near Daytona where I understand the race is to take place this weekend making their RV site more expensive than usual.

My MSN email is still messed up but I'm planning to devote some time tomorrow to that problem. Hopefully I'll make some progress on that front.

Imaginative Ideas

"It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards."
Lewis Carroll

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities."
Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss)

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
Henry David Thoreau

Haiku Friday #11 - Email Woes

MSN email ...
What a nightmare nemesis!
I am at wits end.

Tech support and I
endlessly discuss the mess,
yet it's not resolved.

Friends and family
constantly frustrated that
I do not respond

though I do attempt
regularly to log on
only to receive

error messages ...
"MSN must now shut down"
Please log on again.

Sighing, I back off
opening my g-mail box
wishing they would send

emails here where I
can access them easily.
Why is change so hard?

Smallreflections at
g-mail isn't difficult
but somehow they don't

make the shift within
their email to access me.
It's a puzzlement!

For the moment I
shall relax and let it be.
I would rather read

Haiku Friday posts.
Later I shall try again
(or not) ... time will tell!

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.


Click for Volume 12
A Belated Haiku on Change

To see my previous odd- numbered Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post.
Even numbered Haikus are here.

Note:
Thanks for visiting Small Reflections. If you're a regular reader of Haiku Friday, a 1st time visitor, or a "lurker" you're invited to pick up one or both of the following:
--"I'm a good blogging friend" award here (or from my sidebar) to give to everyone who visits your blog.
--"You Make MY Day award" here (or from my sidebar) to take back to your own blog to display and pass along to bloggers who make YOUR day.

If you choose to do either (or both), I hope you'll link back here and introduce me to your friends. Have a delightful day!

Thought for Today
"Be kind whenever possible. It's always possible." the Dalai Lama

Thursday Thirteen #11 Healing Affirmations

Thirteen Healing Affirmations

In 1987 I discovered a copy of YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE by Louise Hay. This amazing little book was written and 1st published in 1984 (when she was in her mid-50s) with the following dedication:

"May this offering help you find the place within where you know your own self-worth, the part of you that is pure love and self-acceptance."

She went on to establish a publishing house of her own, and at 84 she looks as young as ever!

I've returned to this book so often in the past 21 years repeatedly ... so often that it's falling apart. Occasionally I think of buying a new copy, but the notes in the margins of this one keep me from giving it up. Every page contains wisdom for living healthily, but time and again I return to "The List" in Chapter 15, arranged in 3 columns labeled ... Problem, Probable Cause, & New Thought Pattern ... whenever I become symptomatic. Here are just thirteen examples to whet your appetite and perhaps try for yourself if you experience any of these symptoms.

1. Allergies - Who are you allergic to? Denying your own power. "The world is safe and friendly. I am safe. I am at peace with life."

2. Bruises - The little bumps in life. Self-punishment. "I love and cherish myself. I am kind and gentle with me. All is well."

3. Cellulite - Getting stuck in early childhood pain. Holding onto the lumps and bumps of the past. Difficulty in moving forward. Fear of choosing your own direction. "I forgive everyone. I forgive myself, I forgive all past experiences. I am free."

4. Dizziness - Flight, scattered thinking. A refusal to look. "I am deeply centered and peaceful in life. It is safe for me to be alive and joyous."

5. Eyes - Represent the capacity to see clearly -- past, present, and future. "I see with love and joy."

6. Fingers - Represent the details of life. "I am peaceful with the details of life."

7. Glands - Represent holding stations. Self-starting activity. "I am the creative power in my world."

8. Hypoglycemia - Overwhelmed by the burdens in life. What's the use? "I now choose to make my life light and easy and joyful."

9. Insomnia - Fear. Not trusting the process of life. Guilt. "I lovingly release the day and slip into peaceful sleep, knowing tomorrow will take care of itself."

10. Knee problems - Stubborn ego and pride. Inability to bend. Fear. Inflexibility. Won't give in. "Forgiveness. Understanding. Compassion. I bend and flow with ease, and all is well."

11. Laryngitis - So mad you can't speak. Fear of speaking up. Resentment of authority. "I am free to ask for what I want. It is safe to express myself. I am at peace."

12. Mouth problems - Set opinions. Closed mind. Incapacity to take in new ideas. "I welcome new ideas and new concepts and prepare them for digestion and assimilation."

13. Neck Problems - Refusing to see other sides of a question. Stubbornness, inflexibility. "It is with flexibility and ease that I see all sides of an issue. There are endless ways of doing things and seeing things. I am safe."

Bonus - When the book is not handy for reference, my favorite affirmation is a generalized one that goes something like this.

"I release the need for this symptom in my body. It is safe for me to be alive. It is safe to be me. I am good enough just as I am and I trust myself."

Note:
Thanks for visiting Small Reflections. If you're a regular reader of T-13, a 1st time visitor, or a "lurker" you're invited to pick up one or both of the following:
--"I'm a good blogging friend" award here (or from my sidebar) to give to everyone who visits your blog.
--"You Make MY Day award" here (or from my sidebar) to take back to your own blog to display and pass along to bloggers who make YOUR day.

If you choose to do either (or both), I hope you'll link back here and introduce me to your friends as I've done here, here, here, and here. I hope you have a delightful day!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Get the Thursday Thirteeen code here!

For easy access, I’ve listed more T-13 links along with the Thursday Thirteen Blogroll to the bottom of my sidebar.

To see more of my T-13s ,
click on Thursday Thirteen in labels below.

Wacky Whimsical Wednesday

Your Fortune Is

He who fishes in another man's well often catches crab.

The Wacky Fortune Cookie Generator

I'm taking a little blogging mini-break today before the busy-ness of end of the week memes ... T-13 and Friday Haiku. I did post something substantive and inspirational at Sacred Ruminations earlier today if frivolous blogthings don't strike your fancy. In addition to playing with and walking Molly, I did some pruning of my lime tree this morning to keep it from getting out of control again and visited with a friend this afternoon.

You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe

But don't think plain - instead think, uncomplicated You're a low maintenance kind of girl... who can hang with the guys Down to earth, easy going, and fun! Yup, that's you: the friend everyone invites. And your dependable too. Both for a laugh and a sympathetic ear.

What Kind of Coffee Girl (or Guy) Are You?

No surprise here for me. The 1st thing I do in the morning is make coffee ... every day, and occasionally in the afternoon I meet friends to visit over coffee. How about you?

Thought for Today

"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." John Powell (1834 - 1902)

Super Tuesday

I voted and hope you did too if you live in one of the states involved. I even let myself get talked into signing up to work at the polls in future elections.

Voting Reference Information from my sidebar

• League of Women Voters
• Project Vote Smart
• Vote 411.org Election Information

Thought for Today
"Yours is not the task of making your way in the world, but the task of remaking the world which you will find before you."
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

8:20 PM addendum
I've been watching election results on ABC for about an hour. Now that the polls are closed in California we should begin to get results from here. This is the 1st time we've voted so early in this state. Since our primary used to be in June, it seems strange to be voting so early in the year. I'm surprised at how close things are between Obama and Clinton across the Nation, and because Democratic states aren't "winner take all" ... following the delegate count should prove exciting ... so I'm going to sign off for the night.

Wednesday 2-6-08 addendum at 4:30 am
Just woke up a little while and turned on the television to see what happened while I slept. I've also logged on to CNN's Election Center 2008 Primaries and Caucuses and am watching with interest as the page get updated every minute or so as the results come in. As someone born before television existed (and when telephones had "party" re: shared lines), I'm often amazed at what technology can do. Unfortunately, I'm not as technically skilled as some and my attempts to include data here have resulted in frustration ... so methinks I'll give up in that regard (at least for the time being). The two pages I've found most interesting are these with results for Democratic and Republican races.

Marvelous Monday Memento

Recently Sandy of Momisodes passed along this gorgeous floral bouquet to some of her "devoted readers and blog friends who keep her going everyday with their comments and emails" and I'd like to do the same thing. You know who you are, and anyone who reads the comments along with my posts & responses knows too. What you write never fails to bring a smile to my face and encourages me to post something each day. Even when inspiration fails me and I resort to sharing a Blogthing (or 3), you find something to say ... whether or not you choose to take the Quiz and/or post the results. I feel accepted for who I am ... just as I am ... and that's truly special! So grab a copy and take it back to your blog to share with your devoted readers and blog friends.

If you took the weekend off, be advised that I didn't :-)

Sunday's post contains another blog friend award for everyone to take and share with others and a video link worth watching if time permits.

Saturday's posts offers 3 Blogthings for your amusement (and mine).

As usual, Friday's post is a Haiku & Thursday's a T-13.

My list of 101 Things About Myself is finally complete (thanks to everyone who offered encouragement and feedback along the way).

I'm fully recovered from last week's flu/cold bug and met a friend I haven't seen for a decade or more for lunch so MY day was delightful ... and I hope YOURS was too!

Thought for Today

“Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For indeed, that's all who ever have.” Margaret Mead

Sunday Sharing - Success and Smiles

I appreciate
all the good wishes this week!
I'm feeling lots better and managed to
complete my 101 Things About Me list today.
That's a huge relief!

Because the passing on of awards to some (rather than all) sometimes results it hurt or sad feelings for those who may be overlooked at times, miss*R at Tales of Inglewood has created this "blogging award" to share with every one who visits there. She encourages us to take, post, and pass this award on to every single blogging friend who visits our blog(s) ... and so forth so that it gets shared with love to all in the hope that no one will feel left out again. Here it is for you to take, display on your blog, and pass along to YOUR readers ... and I hope you'll encourage them to do likewise .

To everyone I offer this brief but powerful video

May You Be Blessed

My environment may be cluttered but ...

apparently my MIND is free (relatively speaking) according to this Blogthing. Of course I do have a head cold creating some congestion and causing me to be without energy or inspiration. Hopefully I'll be myself soon ... until then do you want to play along or not?

Your Mind is 31% Cluttered

Your mind is very free. You've liberated yourself from most worries and problems. And even if something does start to clutter your mind, you're easily able to let it go.

How Cluttered is Your Mind?

or (for those whose minds are sharper)
you can give THIS one a try
but remember I taught school
for 34 years.

You Scored an A

You got 10/10 questions correct. It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors. As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human. It's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

FINALLY ...
Melissa suggested I try THIS one
and you might choose
to give it a go
or not :-)

You Are 45% Addicted to Blogthings

You're a Blogthings fiend - addicted but not totally dependent. So what if you know your personality type by heart? And while you may feel like Blogthings is crack... There are people much worse off than you!

How Addicted To Blogthings Are You?

Wordless Wednesday Post Archive

Links to my Wordless Wednesday Posts

1. Christmas Eve: Morning sunrise in the West with the full moon in the East.
2. Dramatic stormy sky views from my neighborhood.
3. My desk area at home.
4. Sunsets in my neighborhood and over the ocean.
5. A lovely red rose from my front yard.
   
6. Amazing Origami
   
7. Photobucket Meme
   
8. Spring Flowers - courtesy of Flickzzzz.
9. Sacred Life Sunday: Nine Really Good Things
10. What is Hula Pie? Come See and Celebrate
11. Rainy Sunday Morning in Southern California
    
12. Ten Things I Love
13. Spring in my front yard near the beach in Southern California
14. Unusual Moon Shots
15. Moms and Babies
16. Unlikely Friends
17. Savoring Spring Flowers
18. One Single Impression: Stranded- Hurricane Heliocopter Rescue
19. One Single Impression: Stranded - Global Warming & Polar Bears
20. One Single Impression: Glory (almost wordless with awards)
    
21. One Single Impression: Glorious (almost wordless)
22. Colorful Comeback
    
23. (Anything but) ... 200th Milestone post/OSI: Flowering
24. Stop and smell the ...
25. Almost WW/One Single Impression: Deserted
26. Almost WW/OSI - Week 11: Warm (puppies)
27. PSE6 lesson - now you see it, now you don't
28. Photo Fun - More PSE6 lessons
29. (Sort of) WW (PSE6 Collage - Taos, NM) - One Single Impression: Freedom
    
30. Photo Challenges
    
31. PSE6 - Hydrangea Collage
    
32. PSE6 - Enhancement Tools (Walls Collage)
    
33. Unexpected Shots
    
34. 13 Cute Critter Photos
    
35. Remembering ... (St. John's Island in the Caribbean)
36. More PSE6 Results - CD & DVD Jackets
    
37. Amazing Lion Love Story #1
38. Molly really does watch television
39. (Wordless) T-13 - Nature Photos
40. Lion Love Story #2
    
41. (Almost Wordless) Lest you think I'm sleeping on the job
42. (Almost Wordless) OSI: Week24 Musings of Molly on Stairs
43. (Almost Wordless) OSI: Week24 Memories of Taos Stairways
44. WW on Friday - PhotoHunt#14: Colorful
45. WW on Friday - PhotoHunt#15: Colorful
    
46. (Almost Wordless) Photo Experimentations: Using filters in PSE6
47. (Almost Wordless) - More Filter Experimentations (desert scene)
    
48. WW (on Tuesday) Ruby Fuschia
    

Addendum
There are, of course, more Wordless (and almost Wordless Wednesdays) ... but remembering to keep this post current is proving challenging. Therefore, from now on simply click the Wordless Wednesday links in my sidebars to find them ... WW at Sacred Ruminations and WW at Small Reflections.

Thought for Today
"Things are only impossible until they're not." Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation

My Early ... Blog Awards and Bling

To clear out my cluttered sidebar and restore order,

I've created this special page for
Blog Awards & Bling

Originally created in February of 2008 (here at Small Reflections) and updated it periodically through mid- June as I received new awards ... the contents of this post have been MOVED on January 19th to a different location: storyteller's Blog Rolls, Awards, and Bling Blog. I've made this change in an attempt to 'fix' some problems I've encountered recently and address 'issues' other folks have experienced while trying to access & leave comments on this blog in recent months. Instead of simply deleting everything here once I put it there, I decided to create this note of explanation instead and redirect visitors to the new location. I am leaving a small selection of my earliest bits of 'bling' ... just because. I hope you'll visit my new 3rd blog to find links to my various Blog Rolls (removed from the sidebar here for the same reasons) and see ALL my awards & bling!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

14. This week when MPJ left her comment on this post (while writing my response) it occurred to me that I had neglected to acknowledge receipt of two 'Thank Yous' from A Room of Mama's Own ... so I'm correcting that now. MPJ shared 'cookies' with her blogging buddies in December and this 'Thank You sign' in January.

I'm grateful for both
and I've decided to pass along the cookies here
to anyone who happens to see this post and add a comment.

I shared the 'Thank You Sign' this past week
on my T-13 Oronym challenge to all who played along.

13. This award came from Lucy at Diamonds in the Sky with Lucy and I shared it here with anyone who commented at Sacred Ruminations on the Monday Addendum to Saturday's Surprise post there.


12. Lucy (at Lucy Creates) bestowed the Excellent Blog Award to me for my Sacred Ruminations blog, and I passed it along to 11 others.


11. At her Writing Nook, Mary shared a variety of awards shown below that I, in turn, passed along here.

Two Belated Valentines
for all my friends at Small Reflections

Shared with 13 supportively caring blogging friends.

For everyone on my Blogroll

For all visitors

10. Joy surprised me in mid-February with this lovely award and some delightfully kind words at Joy of Six and I am most humbly grateful and appreciative.


9. Yolanda of Perfectly Imperfect shared a "Blessings Award" together with a call for prayer for those affected by the recent tornados.


8. Sandy of Momisodes recently shared this lovely Pink Floral Bouquet to "devoted readers and blog friends who keep her going everyday with comments" and this Spread the Love Award (that she received from Baby-Amore), and I passed both along.

The gorgeous Pink Bouquet went to anyone who visits and comments regularly at Small Reflections ... keeping ME going with their enthusiasm and support.

The Spread the Love Award went to all who stopped to share their thoughts at Small Reflections and to anyone who decided to tag themselves and do the Kind Fives Meme at Sacred Ruminations.

7. Miss*R at Tales of Inglewood created this blogging award to share with everyone who visits her blog, and I've passed it along on at each of my blogs ... here and here.

6. Mary of Mary's Writing Nook created two unique awards especially for me and my Small Reflections blog ... one to keep and one to share with others.

Best Blogging Buddies to Share with Others
(Shared on 2-29-08 on Haiku Thank You)

Young at Heart Award to Keep

5. About the same time, Mary P Jones of A Room of Mama's Own honored Sacred Ruminations with this Bloggin Blessing that I shared with three others.



4. Sandy of Momisodes shared this award with me for my Small Reflections blog and I passed it along in turn to 10 blogs that I find filled with rare gems and treasures.



3. Annie gave me my very 1st Blogging Award and I passed it along to 5 bloggers at Small Reflections and 5 more at Sacred Ruminations. When Karen awarded it to me a 2nd time, I shared it with 10 more bloggers at Sacred Ruminations ... and when Yolanda offered the award a 3rd time I passed it along to all visitors to Small Reflections.

I shared the following awards
with my Blogging Buddies in December of 2007
and add them here for the fun of it.

Best Blogging Buddies Ever

2. Akelamalu at Everything and Nothing created and shared these two Christmas Carol Quiz Awards with those who participated in her two Christmas Carol Quizzes here and here.

Quiz Two

Quiz One

1. Mary of Mary's Writing Nook created this Christmas Carol Quiz Award for me to offer to those who participated in my 1st Blog Quiz. I added the "snowy effects" myself. In addition, she created and shared with me the following:

Christmas Wreath

Modified with Snowy Effects

Original Award

Haiku Friday - Volume 9

What a marathon
time of writing this has been
authoring two blogs.

Fifteen items left
to complete "One Hundred One
Things About Myself"

I've run out of steam
for the moment, but I hope
I will finish soon.

Read it if you wish
but be warned, I've been obsessed
ruminating here.

Sick I've been for three
days so I have cut myself
just a bit of slack.

Even so each day
I've done what I could to keep
up with everything

passing on awards
blogging friends bestowed upon
me ... and thus today

I invite each one
reading now to click this link
for YOU Make MY Day.

Meet some bloggers and
take a copy for yourself,
post it if you choose,

pass it on like me
to your blogging buddies and
share the love with links

of your own ... and now
as I've finished this Haiku,
I shall say adieu.

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.


Click for Haiku Friday Volume 10

To see my previous odd- numbered Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post.
Even numbered Haikus are here.

Thought for Today

"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
Diane Ackerman