Do It in 2020!

Happy New Year to everyone!

The idea of an entire year filled with unlimited possibilities stirs the creativity in my heart. There’s so much to do for those who want to do it. Time is in the hands of those who want to help, create and serve. The other humans must wait. They feel time is sluggish. My old boss called them clock-watchers. At five o'clock they'd dash for the door, racing out of the parking lot as if something exciting waited at home. (Though the mannerisms looked exhilarating, these fast-moving coworkers were going home simply to feed their children and pets.)

Hopefully, though these type of folks feel the day is taking forever, they are filled with gratitude. Perhaps these individuals will be your audience or your patient. They will attend your recital, your gallery, visit your showroom and read your book. You will be counting on these other people to review your business. They will go to your medical office, listen to your speeches, find inspiration in your sales spiel and give you five stars.

★★★★★

And, don’t forget the satisfaction of starting and completing something wonderful. Think about how fast time flies when you’re literally putting out fires? Saving a life? Guiding a river raft tour? Or parking a cruise ship, driving a cab, even baking a cake? Isn't doing something--anything--better than waiting in line? 

Within reason, you can make your dreams come true. Set a goal. Write it down and think of all the positive energy you will bring to your project. Stay focused. Meet with friends who support your endeavors. Teamwork can be magic!

Think of each day as a stepping stone crossing a mighty river. There will be those slippery, weird days filling you with trepidation. But you have a plan, and a brand-new year in front of you. Anything is possible. After all, it's 2020!

Here's hoping all your dreams come true!

Holiday Greetings from Pinky Claus

Mommy told me to say ho, ho, ho instead of ruff, ruff and ruff. And since the mailman isn’t here yet, I’ll be quiet. Ruff or not, this has been a rough year. Get it?

Anyway, she made this silly hat, and thought I should model it for all the world to see. Isn’t that hilarious? I can count her blog followers on one paw. It’s not like she’s some sort of 'influencer'. Do you think I listen to her? Hardly, ever. But it’s the holidays and the area around my heart is filled with gas and something called unconditional love. So, here I am in the hat. (Small shout out to my online friends Agatha and Winston who are probably dying of laughter. Wish we could sniff each other. If you want to meet them click here:)

The stuff mom’s been passing off as health food sucks. Plus, dad tries to sneak in some gross liver pill. Everything they eat smells better than the stuff in my bowl. It’s so unfair. When I beg for a scrap, they give me a pat on the head telling me I’m cute. Liars! How can I believe them? I’m losing weight and they still won’t make me a rib-eye steak!

Well, as I mentioned above, this past year has been an obstacle course. Not just for me, but for all of us. I’m tired of it. Especially that vet place where the other patients look big and mean like they want to eat me. Sorry, I’m still having flashbacks regarding my little sister who met a big mean dog near the park. (Very sad story but she’s at some rainbow place.) Mom says I have a dog version of PTSD. Personally, I think she does. I cheer her up with licks.

I’m even boycotting my tennis ball. She throws it, and I watch as it lands on the grass, and for some strange reason I think it looks nice sitting right there on the lawn. Guess my bones don’t feel like running and lunging anymore. Man, I used to be hyper. I’d dash around the house like a racehorse and jump onto the dining room table looking for leftover morsels. At least I still have energy to yell at that mailman. And, with any luck I’ll still be slinking around here next year at this time.  Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday filled with fabulous belly rubs and the awesome snacks from my dreams. 

Wishing all of you the Happiest, most joyous New Year ever! 

My Intangible Slant on The Twelve Days of Christmas

The original Twelve Days of Christmas is a popular carol written in 1909, by an English composer named Frederic Austin. The song refers to some strange, expensive gifts. I mean why would anyone want seven Lord's a leaping for a Christmas gift, unless they're putting on a show, and need a group of guys to dance in front of the chorus? (Believe it or not, I've been there.) 

Truthfully, I think it's a unique, annoying song that permeates the holiday season with repetitive lyrics we've heard a gazillion times. So, I changed it up a bit in order to reflect true, intangible love, which is not supposed to be based on high-priced gifts or partridges in a pear tree. (This doesn't mean we don't like gifts--especially expensive ones. But come on!) 

Items in the original song would probably cost at least $50,000 dollars in today's money. Five gold rings? Swans and geese? Sheesh, we have zoning laws that prohibit poultry and French hens in my community. I guess true love can be impractical. Take for example my book Penniless Hearts which takes place a week before Christmas in the Hawaiian islands. I think my book demonstrates that romance and sanity are sisters from another mother. The bad guys want the money and all Penny wants is love. John loves Penny with all his heart. A breakdown of communication causes everything to go haywire. But remember, it's Hawaii. What can go wrong?   

On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
A garden of flowers and trees.

On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Two smoochy kisses
in a garden of flowers and trees.

On the third day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses
In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses
In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses,
In a garden of flowers and trees

On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Six romantic smiles
Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses.

In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Seven love poems,
Six romantic smiles,

I tried to draw a woman showing her surprise. 

Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses,
In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Eight uplifting emails,

Seven love poems,
Six romantic smiles
Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses,
In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Nine back massages,
Eight uplifting emails,

Seven love poems,
Six romantic smiles
Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses,
In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Ten truthful-sounding compliments,

Nine back massages,
Eight uplifting emails,

Seven love poems,
Six romantic smiles
Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses,
In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Eleven cups a brewing,

Ten truthful-sounding compliments,

Nine back massages,
Eight uplifting emails,

Seven love poems,
Six romantic smiles
Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses,
In a garden of flowers and trees.

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Twelve advent chocolates,

Eleven cups a brewing,

Ten truthful-sounding compliments,

Nine back massages,
Eight uplifting emails,

Seven love poems,
Six romantic smiles,
Five bear hugs,
Four blooming rose bushes,
Three home-cooked meals,
Two smoochy kisses,
In a garden of flowers and trees.

Merry Christmas to you! 

Thank you Bees

The month of November reminds us to be grateful for the little things. Can you imagine Thanksgiving dinner without vegetables, salad, green beans, potatoes, pies or even the centerpiece of flowers? Without bees there wouldn't be honey-roasted carrots, or honey-mustard dressings, all-important herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. The delicious and festive holiday would be bland and rather boring. Of course, the bee is not responsible for our cooking or dull and dreary relatives. 😁 

Here’s a little poem I wrote about bees.

Every year,

they forget.

Arms flailing,

they live in fear.

Our hive abuzz with laughter.

But not for long.

Little guy in our garden next to a small twig.

Joyfully busy,

we make time to

land on colorful petals.

Proud part of a team. 

Until they spray.

And my family fades.

A Post of Memes

Thought I'd write a few inspirational memes.

 I took the photos too, and don't mind if you share these.

Hope you liked this post. I'd love to see your comments. Thank you!

Tricks or Treats?

Halloween is a fun time to celebrate life. Death should wait somewhere far away, out of town, on a hill, under a tree, behind a gate, in a cemetery. Sadly, not everyone agrees. Even walking by a few homes here in my neighborhood gives me the creeps.

This is an old, actual, cemetery in Julian, California
 There are homes around here that could compete with this view.

Needless to say, that doesn’t mean we don't honor and remember those who have gone before us. Though our loved ones remain in our hearts and walk with God, it's a special blessing to have days on the calendar set aside for spiritual reflection.  I'm sure you probably know that faith-filled memorials follow all the trick-or-treat hoopla on Hallows' eve. 

November 1^st is the day of the children and All the Saints. 

All Soul’s Day or Day of the Dead is on November 2. 

My favorite part of a holiday celebration can best be defined as wicked. As in, sugary cupcakes, chocolates, nuts, cookies and maybe a pumpkin latte. We have a basket brimming with the (killer) snacks near the door. Though our decorations are minimal, we look forward to seeing the cute costumes at our door. When a five-year old Wonder Woman shouts, 'Trick or treat', it melts our hearts. Little soldiers, firemen and tiny ghouls add to the fun of the evening. 

 Happy Halloween!

How about you? Do you use vats of chocolate syrup for fake blood? Do you like to decorate with bats and rats, carved pumpkins, spider webs and coffins on the lawn? Laughing skeletons and headstones? Glow in the dark witches? Ghosts flying from your trees? Signs that say 'Boo'? Yikes. It's scary out there!

 What's your favorite part of Halloween?

Retrograde Heart

There’s a character in my novel, Penniless Hearts who reads her horoscope each morning, to find out whether she’s going to have a good day. Though my characters are all fictional, I knew someone who did the same thing every day. If her horoscope sounded undesirable, this colleague would throw the newspaper to the side, in a quest for something better, and march off to find the competing newspapers. The rest of us would snicker in our cubicle waiting for her to return. We waited, hoping the stars aligned, and she’d be placated by finding something positive in her search for another horoscope. When things went well there’d be stealth thumbs up signs, notifying the oblivious or busier employees. Sometimes, we could hear a bit of slamming and sighing, if the search came up negative. Of course, all of this was before everyone had cell phones connected to the internet. Today, she can probably pull up ten different charts from various astrologists per day, and yet, I doubt the stars have anything to do with her happiness.

Sadly, I’ve had a punishing month filled with switchbacks and turns that took my heart into unexpected agony. Those who follow the stars call it a time of retrograde. But, and this is a big but, even through the toughest times I felt the unconditional love of God. There will always be bad days, confusing days and painful days. There will always be tears. The road of life isn’t easy for anyone and even in the darkest times, I’ve felt favored and blessed by the Almighty. I’m confident He has a plan. While I don't think my life has much to do with the planets, I wait for positive news. Prayers bring me comfort. Knowing He listens brings me assurance. 

Yesterday, I looked out the window and saw our garden hose. I pitied the poor ant who might think he would take an easy trip across the yard by traveling on a smooth, rubber pathway. I imagined him with his tiny knapsack setting out to see the world, only to end up right back where he started. I wondered about his determination and the reason he might try again and again, only to end up failing. Perhaps he’d never discover the delicious crumbs in my neighbor’s backyard. Most likely, he wasn’t 

meant to discover them. If, by chance a big breeze comes along, it might lift him, carrying him away, and then he’d have to reassess his priorities. Either way, putting too much credence in something like that shiny garden hose might distract him from important things. Like appreciating and accepting the life he has, and the sunshine warming his way.
Today.

What do you think? Do you believe in misaligned stars? Do you agree God has a plan for us?