Attitude Changes Everything!

Where Does The Time Go?

2010-06-23T12:01:00.001-07:00

Methinks I see the wanton hours flee,

And as they pass, turn back and laugh at me.

~ George Villiers

Has it truly been a year and a half since I posted last?? How is it possible that this much time has gone by, in the blink of an eye?

Much has happened since I last wrote... my middle daughter got married; hubby and I celebrated our ten year anniversary; my stepson graduated from high school and started at our local junior college; my oldest daughter got engaged (and her wedding is this weekend. Egad!); and my youngest daughter will bless us with our first grandchild next month. I've thrown more bridal showers and baby showers in the past 18 months than I can shake a stick at!

In between the big events, many books have been read, a couple of quilts have been created (that's my grandson's quilt in the photo above) and a few aches and pains from being another year older have settled in. I also became the president of my local branch of AAUW, which keeps me busier than a one-armed paper-hanger!

Life is sweet these days, but I find that I still must remind myself that attitude changes everything. Even when I'm surrounded by so many happy things, I have to tell myself to focus on the good stuff. I went through a down period a few months back where I had to literally tell myself, "Choose to be happy, Pattie!" For some of us, it's just easier to focus on what's missing, on the negative.

If you happen to be one of those people, here's your wakeup call: life is slipping through our fingers! Take time right this minute and list all that's good and positive in your life. For me, it's babies and weddings and being creative and busy. It's giving and receiving love to family and friends. It's being blessed in more ways than I can begin to count.

How about you? What's right in your life?

Until next time (which will be sooner than 18 months - I promise, Leslie!)...

The Promise of Spring

2009-01-31T10:08:00.000-08:00

O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?

~ Percy Bysshe Shelley

Remember me? Gosh, it's been a long time since I've posted anything. I just haven’t been into blogging these past few months: reading, writing, or otherwise. But I have thought quite often of the friends I've made here, and have wondered how you’re all doing. Funny how we touch each other's lives, even though we've never met. Many thanks to those of you who’ve written and wondered where I've been. Your emails have meant more than you can know.

I've certainly been busy: quilting, reading, overseeing a hardscape re-do on our backyard (I can't wait start planting!) I've become more and more involved with the American Association of University Women, helping to raise money for science-camp scholarships for local middle-school girls. I'm also deep into plans for my middle daughter's wedding in May. It's a joyous time, and a hectic time - all rolled into one! Somehow, I bet you can relate (is anyone’s life not hectic these days??)

Some of you may remember Mark, the first student I tutored at the jail? He was released in December, in time to spend Christmas with his family. I'm now tutoring a new inmate, Salvador, who's in his mid-30's and reads at a third grade level. My time with him will be short: he'll be released mid-February. My goal is to help him realize that he can learn, and that reading is enjoyable. We're hoping he'll transition into an adult literacy center in his community once he's released.

My whole reason for posting today was to share a couple of photos of my neighbor’s trees. The pictures are nothing special, even though the blossoms are! I can’t help thinking of how much of the country is suffering in this bitter cold winter we're having. Here in southern California, the trees are in glorious bloom.

So take heart, everyone – and keep your spirits up: spring is coming!

Until next time…

The Craziness of the Season

2008-12-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

It is Christmas in the heart

that puts Christmas in the air. ~ W.T. Ellis

The day before yesterday, I was getting ready to go to my quilt guild's annual Christmas potluck and quilt give-away. I was running behind and multi-tasking like crazy: blow-drying my hair, putting on make-up, finishing the appetizer I was bringing to the party, etc. My heart was racing; I felt frantic. There was just too much to do in too short a time.

You know the feeling?

But as my frenzied emotions were building to a crescendo, the strangest thing happened. I literally heard a voice inside my head say STOP! YOU'RE MISSING IT!

I took a deep breath and realized that I was letting this magical time of year slip through my fingers.

I love Christmas. It's my favorite time of year. I'm known among friends and family as being a little over-the-top about the season. But here I was, focusing on all the things that needed to get done, the lack of time, the frantic feeling of being overwhelmed - and I was missing it.

This was a real turning point for me. I don't want January 2009 to roll around, bringing of feeling of sadness that the holidays weren't all I wanted them to be. By golly, I am in control of how my holiday season will go - and I want it slower, more meaningful, and lots more enjoyable.

How about you?

I must admit that even after living here in southern California for almost ten years, it doesn't quite feel like the holidays without snow – or at least, cold weather. It's even tougher this year because we're having exceptionally warm weather. I saw people doing holiday shopping yesterday in shorts and tank tops! But the skies are incredibly blue these days, which can't help but lift one's spirits. And that should be what the Christmas season is all about, don’t you think: brighter spirits, gratitude for all our blessings, and remembrance of the true reason we celebrate this time of year.

So I'm making a conscious decision to slow down and enjoy the moments of this season. I know it won’t always be possible: I'm bound to go a little crazy with everything that still needs doing. But I made an attitude adjustment day before yesterday so that even as I'm running around, I'm doing so with a smile on my face, a “Happy Holidays!” on my lips, and a Christmas carol in my heart. Ho ho ho!

Hubby and I are hosting our annual holiday Open House this Saturday night. It's a chance for us to throw open our doors and let family, friends, coworkers and neighbors come by for a few minutes, or a few hours. We usually have somewhere between 50 to 75 people attend, but I think we'll have a smaller group this year (everyone is so busy!)

The festivities start at 6:00 - hope you can stop by!

Until next time...

Great-Fullness

2008-11-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it

is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

~ William Arthur Ward

When was the last time you gave a silent “thank you” for all the good things in your life?

I think I’ve accidentally omitted that piece of the happiness puzzle lately. I seemed to be more focused recently on the things missing in my life, rather than on all the many blessings that are right under my nose. I have a tendency to do this if I’m not careful: I look at what’s wrong instead of what’s right.

That stops today.

The November issue of Better Homes and Gardens has a wonderful article that I’ve read through a couple of times now. It addresses the benefit of counting our blessings all year round – not just at Thanksgiving. Here’s the paragraph I've been mulling over:

...Research shows that making gratitude a part of everyday living promotes good health, elevates happiness, and boosts relationships. Psychologists say that perpetually grateful people are optimistic and energetic, which helps than handle stress and illness better than those who focus on the negative.

This is not new information to me: I’ve known it for years now and preach it to anyone who'll listen! But remembering to put it into practice myself is a whole different story. It’s amazing to me how easy it is to give in to that pull toward the negative.

When I think about it, gratitude is what’s been missing lately during this time of “I don’t give a darn about anything” mood I’ve been in. I’ve been lethargic, pessimistic, and let’s not even talk about the amount of food I’ve been consuming to make all those icky feelings go away!

There’s a wonderful quote in the magazine article mentioned above. Patricia Carlson of the nonprofit A Network for Grateful Living, states: “Gratefulness has to do with experiencing the fullness of life. Sometimes we look at it as a play on words – it’s the great-fullness.”

So – attitude changes everything! I’m flipping my switch and turning on a grateful outlook starting today, not just for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, but for every day of the year. I'll need to stay focused and stop those "poor me" thoughts from sneaking into my brain. But I know that being aware of all that's good in my life, then taking the time to say "thank you" for those blessings, will make a huge difference.

Care to join me?

Until next time…

Ennui

2008-11-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

The cure for boredom is curiosity.

There is no cure for curiosity. ~Dorothy Parker

Hi - remember me?

I used to post to my blog on a fairly regular basis. I used to read blogs on a regular basis, as well.

Lately, I haven't done much of either.

Nothing's really been wrong - I think I've just been in a state of ennui. Yep, that's it: a general lack of interest. Not just in blogging - in everything. I think I'll blame it on hormones. I blame everything on hormones these days!

Oh, I've kept busy...

I've been tutoring at the jail twice a week.

Mark is doing extremely well, and really keeps me on my toes. We've moved into high gear because he's due to be released December 23. I want to expose him to as much GED preparation reading and writing as I can before he enters an adult education program in January.

I've been quilting.

I finished this little cowboy-themed table-topper for two dear friends of mine who recently married. I'm also working on several Christmas gifts, which I can't post here until after the holiday, just in case certain people read my blog!

I led a discussion for the first time at my book club.

We talked about the book Pope Joan, which is fascinating for those of you who love historical fiction, like I do. It takes place in the 9th century, so we had an interesting discussion about women's roles then versus now. Thank goodness a lot has changed! Was there really a female pope? Read the book and see what you think.

And today, I volunteered for four hours at a local polling place.

I think this is what drove me to blog after such a long absence: I want to share with everyone what a wonderful experience it was this morning, to be part of the voting process. We had been warned of issues that might come up with voters or demonstrators, asking us to document things with camera phones, etc. I was pretty upset about it all yesterday, wondering what in the world has happened to our country that we're so bitterly divided.

But opening the polls this morning at 7:00 AM and finding a line of cheerful and proud people waiting to vote contradicted every bad thing we'd heard might happen. Yes, we are still very much divided in our nation, and I hope whichever person is elected will work very hard to unite our country once again.

However, the greatest thing I saw this morning was a Mom and Dad with their young adult son. It was his first time voting. They were taking pictures of him in front of the fire station where we were located, standing next to the "polling place" sign and the American flag. The young man was grinning from ear to ear, pointing to his "I Voted Today" sticker. I know it sounds corny, but it was a proud moment to be an American.

* * * * *

So, I'm hoping that my feeling of ennui has passed and I can once again feel engaged in life. The holidays are fast approaching and this is way too busy of a time to feel blah! Forgive me for not keeping up on your blogs, but know that I'm going to do my best to catch up on things.

Until next time...

Just for Fun: Four Things Meme

2008-10-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

We are driven by five genetic needs:

survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.

~ William Glasser

Quite some time ago, Wendy over at The Bend in the Road tagged me with a meme, which I completely forgot about. Oh, I created it right away - I just forgot to post it. Boy oh boy: my memory is like a sieve these days!

So after a little updating to make it current, I present...

Four Things About Me

Four things I did today:

1. Facilitated a Healthy Lifestyle meeting of six women, where we discussed the role of spirituality in leading a balanced life. What do you think: does it play a part?

2. Watched last night’s episode of Brothers & Sisters. Love that show!

3. Laundry (are you jealous??)

4. Tutored Mark at the jail on more GED preparation. Adverbs and adjectives and paraphrasing – oh my!

Four things on my to-do list:

1. Email my sister the directions on brining a turkey. We usually have Thanksgiving here, and I brine the bird every year. She’s hosting this year, and wants to learn how to make such a moist turkey.

2. Quilt. I haven’t had a chance to do so in over a week, and my fingers are itching to sit at the sewing machine!

3. Vacuum (again – are you jealous??)

4. Light a fire under our contractor to get the backyard finished.

Four of my guilty pleasures:

1. Crossword puzzles. Love ‘em! I’ve always got one going.

2. The computer. Emailing, blogging, surfing the net. I spend waaaay too much time on this thing!

3. Strolling through bookstores. I could spend hours picking out just one special book to read.

4. Taking a nap on a Saturday afternoon. Heaven!

Four random facts about me:

1. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre. I used to perform, a long time ago. Now I just act like I know what I’m doing!

2. I’m addicted to reading magazines. I subscribe to all kinds: Time, Ladies Home Journal, Psychology Today, McCall’s Quilting, Country Home, Cooking Light, Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion, etc., etc., etc.

3. I am a history buff, and find the cultural and social history from 1890-1950 to be especially fascinating.

4. I love the Christmas season. Everything about it: the decorations, the smells, gift giving, the carols. I usually start listening to Christmas music in August. Yes, really.

* * * * *

Ok, that's it for me. Please feel free to play along and tell us four things about you.

Until next time...

Halloween Costumes of Days Past

2008-10-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

One should either be a work of art,

or wear a work of art. ~Oscar Wilde

I ran across some photos that I thought might be fun to share - photos of Halloween costumes past, many moons ago. Since it is getting to be the time for trick-or-treating and Halloween parties, maybe one of these will spark an idea. All the costumes you're about to see are hand-made, which is very obvious in the earlier shots! Please click on each photo for better details.

There were four of us who used to dress as a group, in some kind of theme. The bottom photo in this group of two was actually our first attempt: we went as The Four Seasons. My ex-husband (left) was Summer, I was Winter, Chris was Autumn, Scott was Spring. It's very hard to tell, but our hats lit up. We hid battery packs inside the hats to run the lights.

The top of the two photos was the next Halloween. Our theme was The Las Vegas Strip. We each went as a hotel: Brian was The Aladdin, I was The Stardust, Chris was Caesar's Palace, and Scott was The Flamingo. I think I'm probably dating us here because I'm not sure that all these hotels exist any more! Again, it's hard to tell but not only did our hats light up, but so did our costumes. In the photo, you can perhaps see the twinkle lights in my skirt, but when we'd walk down the street, we lit up the night!

Finally, the last year we did a group theme - well, it was the pièce de résistance! We recruited friends and family to take part, and we became The Seven Deadly Sins. Scott knew a professional photographer, who took a few shots of us in all our sinful finery!

From left to right: Greed (Brian's hat said, "Money is the root of all evil," and he had play money and coins popping out everywhere); Anger (my hat said, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!" and my sash was a red dragon); Envy (aka Jan Brady from the Brady Bunch. Kim went around the entire evening saying, "Marsha! Marsha! Marsha! It's always about Marsha!"); Vanity (Claudia wore a gorgeous peacock headdress with hand-mirrors for a necklace); Sloth (Lisa dressed in pj's with a pillow behind her head, covered in candy-bar wrappers); Gluttony (that's my sister Marilyn, with food and drink all over her hat and clothes); and finally, Lust (Scott's costume speaks for itself, and you don't want to know what's in his hat!)

Here's another shot:

Once again, the hats and the costumes lit up, thanks to those hidden battery packs. With seven of us all lit up, you could see our glow coming from a mile away! We won first place at the parties we attended, although we had to duck through every door frame. Those hats made us mighty tall!

* * * * *

As I said, this was a long time ago, in a different life. My Halloween costume these days resembles a tired housewife at the end of a long day. I'm no longer covered in lights and sequins, but rather in pet fur and quilting threads! And I wouldn't have it any other way.

But it is fun to look back, and remember! Thanks for joining me on a trip down memory lane.

Until next time...

Cheers for Number Fifteen!

2008-10-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

Really I don't dislike to cook, but what you cook

is eaten so quickly. When you sew, you have

something that will last to show for your efforts.

~ Elizabeth Travis Johnson

Wow! When I decided to take part in the Fall into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway, I had no idea of the number of entries I'd receive! There were over 135 submissions, although only 129 actually answered the required, "what I love about quilts" question.

I just transferred all qualifying entries into Excel, so I could number each one. Then I did a random number generator, and got the following...

So who, you may ask, is lucky number 15?

The winner is Sunny from Seam 2 B Sewing!

Here's what Sunny said she loves about quilts:

I love this book. Please enter my name in your giveaway! I love the wrinkly drapey feel of a quilt and all the beautiful designs. I have a blanket addiction anyway and quilts fit the bill nicely!

I can't argue with that! Sunny, if you'll email me your mailing address, I'll put your prize in the mail right away. Here's the Thimbleberries book she won:

I loved reading everyone's comments on what they love about quilts. For many, it brought back fond memories of mothers and grandmothers who have passed on. So let's remember that when we create and give a quilt -- or any hand-made gift, for that matter -- we're actually giving a piece of ourselves by which we'll one day be remembered.

I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that thought.

Thank you to all who entered!

Until next time...

CAN'T is a Four Letter Word!

2008-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

If you think you can do a thing,
or think you can’t do a thing
– you’re right. ~ Henry Ford

I received an email this morning from a friend, saying she’d thought about me when she read the article she’d attached. It had to do with changing negative attitudes by changing our language. I was thrilled and honored that the item made her think of me (thanks for the compliment, Margie!)

The article, written by a fitness and nutrition coach, deals with the words, “I can’t.” The author feels particularly challenged working with a new client, who has 75 pounds to lose. It’s not the amount of weight that is the hurdle: it’s the woman’s mental attitude. The client sees the world in terms of things she can’t do: she can’t exercise because she has a bad knee; she can’t find a large variety of fruits and vegetables at her small, local market.

Can you see the barriers this person is creating for herself with the words she uses?It amazes me how we do this to ourselves in so many areas of our life, be it weight loss, continuing our education, or changing our spending habits. We set our own limitations and create our own failures with our attitude, and the words we choose to express how we feel.

For many, many years, I told myself that I just wasn’t a very crafty person. Oh, I could write well, play the guitar, sing a lovely song with the best of them, etc. But I had no talent to do handcrafts or artistic things. My creative spirit was stifled by my self-imposed limitations.

When I decided to learn quilting, I struggled against that inner critic that kept saying, “You don’t have talent for artistic projects.” I can’t tell you how many times I cried and thought, “Oh, what’s the use? I’ll never be any good at this!” Then one day, it dawned on me that it doesn’t matter whether I’m good at something or not. What matters is that I enjoy the process - and I sure do.

A creative, artsy person was born! Now I look through craft magazines and know I can create any project I see, given enough time and patience. I likely won't win any prizes, and I just don't care. I'm doing something I told myself I could never do, and that's what matters to me.

Throughout this past decade, I’ve learned that how we think about our life determines how happy we’re going to be living it. If you’re struggling to make changes in your life, take an honest look at your attitude toward the change your seek. Become aware of those subtle ways you tell yourself, “I can’t” -- and change them into the much more powerful phrase, “I CAN!”

Until next time…

Halloween Table Topper

2008-10-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

When witches go riding,

and black cats are seen,

the moon laughs and whispers,

‘tis near Halloween. ~ Author Unknown

I've been secretly working on a little quilted table-topper for my youngest daughter over the past two weeks. I didn't want to post it because she often reads my blog.

But now that I've given it to her, I thought I'd share it.

Megan loves all those bright, fun Halloween fabrics, and had teased me about doing something when they first started appearing. I thought it would be fun to create something for her, since she's the true Halloween nut in the family (I wear that title at Christmas time!)

Here's the whole project, photographed from above. The center is an Ohio Star, one of my favorite blocks. I must confess, however, to never having made one with skull fabrics!

And here's a close up of all that fun material. The green spider and the green polka-dots came from two separate stores, and I was pleased how they well the worked and complimented each other -- if you can call glow-in-the-dark complimentary!

This was a relatively quick project to do, and I have to admit that the fabrics always made me smile. I think I may do a few more for the coming holiday season, although I'd better start now: I am sooooo slow at quilting!

* * * * *

On a non-quilting note...

I had my first-ever bone density scan today. My doctor just wanted a baseline since I am of a "certain age." The test, of course, is no big deal: it's like having an x-ray taken. But my jaw dropped when they took my height. She had me stand very tall and erect -- and I've shrunk! I used to be 5'7'. Now I'm 5'6 1/4. I've lost almost an entire inch in height. When did that happen??

As I left the office, I couldn't help smiling at that old joke: "I'm not fat - I'm just too short for my weight!"

Until next time...

Celebrity Sighting

2008-10-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

Fame is fickle and I know it. It has its compensations,
but it also has its drawbacks

and I've experienced them both.

~ Marilyn Monroe

On Friday, hubby and I were at the Do-It Center, a home-improvement chain here in southern California. We were getting ready to leave when he came up and whispered in my ear, "You know that actor with the handle bar mustache - the one in all those westerns?" I thought for a minute and said, "You mean, Wilford Brimley?" and hubby says, "Yeah! I think I just saw him!"

So I wandered past the isle of the "sighting" and there stood a very tall, skinny man. Ok, that let out Wilford Brimley (celebrity names are not hubby's forte!) But the fellow I was seeing bore a striking resemblance to another actor we both enjoy. Except this man had on glasses and was very disheveled, with gray hair standing up all over his head. He was wearing a baggy t-shirt, shorts and sandals. I thought that if I could just hear him speak, I'd know for sure if he was who I thought he was.

As the man was leaving, another gentleman came up and spoke with him, and then I knew for sure...

It was Sam Elliot. There is no mistaking that "Beef: It's What's for Dinner" voice of his (cue the Aaron Copland soundtrack!) He was buying home improvement stuff at our local store. Shh... don't tell hubby, but I've always had a secret crush on Mr. Elliot!

I must admit to still being slightly star-struck. We didn't see too many celebrities in Utah, where I grew up -- although I did see and speak to Robert Redford at Sundance, back in the late 1970's. Rather, he spoke to my friend Jeanne and I: we were awestruck and just stood there with our mouths hanging open! He was shorter than we'd realized, and so incredibly handsome.

But here in southern California, celebrity sightings happen much more frequently. My girls have told stories of seeing Will Smith playing basketball with his buddies at a neighborhood park. Gosh, I guess they're real people, just like us!

I literally ran into Heather Locklear a few years ago. We were both getting our hair done at the same salon, and I bumped into to her. We both said, "Excuse me," and she went on to sit in her stylists' chair. My first impression of her is that she's very tiny, and extremely pretty - even without makeup. I couldn't help stealing glances at her as I got my hair done. That must be so disconcerting if one is a celebrity, don't you think? I can't imagine living life in a fishbowl like that.

Another friend and I were leaving a restaurant one night in Hollywood, headed to a production at the Pantages Theatre. As we were coming out, Quentin Tarantino was coming in.

I excitedly commented on this to my friend and she said, "Who's Quentin Tarantino??" I guess 'celebrity' is a relative term, eh? This same friend and I saw Kristin Chenoweth in concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall a few years ago (she is an incredible performer, by the way.) There were all kinds of celebrities in the audience that night, coming to see her show. It was fun sitting in the cheap seats, pointing down on the floor and going, "Oh looks, there' so-and-so. And there's whatshername."

Lastly, I have to admit to having been inside Larry Hagman's home. No, really. He and his wife Maj love the arts and support local arts organizations. I was working for a museum in Ventura at the time, and somebody who knew somebody who knew Maj Hagman arranged for our museum to hold a fundraiser at the Hagman's hilltop home in Ojai. Hubby came with me and we both had the opportunity to meet old JR Ewing, who spent a good deal of time in his den, watching whatever sporting event was on TV at the time. In-between, he'd come out and pour drinks for the attendees and talk about the art that was for sale... he seemed like a very nice man.

Seeing a celebrity in a normal, everyday setting is rather a surreal experience - like fantasy come to life. How about you? Have you ever run into someone famous? What was the experience like?

C'mon - dish!

Until next time...

Time Flies

2008-10-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

You must have been warned against letting the
golden hours slip by; but some of them are golden

only because we let them slip by. ~ J.M. Barrie

First, I have to thank everyone who entered the drawing for the Thimbleberries quilting book. I'm a bit overwhelmed with the response, but promise that all of those who left a comment on why they love quilts will be entered in the drawing. Thank you for stopping by!

Second, click on the photo above and look closely. It's a fabric clock, and the face is made of sewing implements! Isn't that clever? I found it on a fun website I want to explore in more detail called Fiber Artists at Loose Ends. Boy, there are such creative people in this world of ours!

* * * * *

But now I have a question...

Who stole September? Where did it go?

For that matter, where has this year gone? Isn't it still March, with the whole year ahead of us? How can it be October already??

I had my annual physical this week and my doctor and I were talking about this idea that time flies by faster, the older we get. He said he has a clear memory of sitting in elementary school one day, where classes let out at 3:00. It was 2:45 and he was watching the clock slowly move. Dr. W. said he distinctly remembers the minutes just crawling by, as if those hands would never reach 3:00. It took an eternity for 15 minutes to pass.

Now, he says he blinks and another month has gone by.

I agree completely.

What is it about this feeling of time speeding up the older we get? Is it because our days are just more full now, with several to-do's and have-to's on our list? Or does time become more precious as we age because we realize that we have more time behind us than in front of us?

I don't know that I can explain the phenomenon, but it sure is real.

I'm working very hard to stay conscious of the days so they don't slip by in a blur. I didn't do so well in September, probably because we were gone for half the month in Alaska, then my dear cousin came for a visit. I relished every minute of both events, but before I knew it, it was time to change the calendars and pull out the Halloween decorations. Of course, my sense of time distortion is not helped at all by the fact that the stores already have Christmas decorations out. (I'm the queen of Christmas and revel in the season, but this is ridiculous!)

There's an old expression about living in the moment: not wasting time fretting over the past or worrying about the future. I want to work on this area -- to really savor each hour of my life because they're disappearing so quickly.

Many of us have blogged recently about all the things we love about autumn. So let's take time to really enjoy every minute of October this year. Smile when you see the leaves falling, and laugh at the kids jumping into a freshly-raked pile. Heck, go jump in one yourself! Enjoy a warm cup of tea or hot cocoa when the afternoon turns chilly. Treat yourself to a cozy knitted scarf or mittens, in your favorite fall colors.

Let's savor these days of autumn before they disappear!

Until next time...

October Give-Away!

2008-10-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

Everyone must take time to sit

and watch the leaves turn.

~ Elizabeth Lawrence

Happy October, everyone! What a great time of year! To celebrate the month, I'm hosting a contest as part of the Fall Into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway. Don't worry: you don't need to be a quilter to enter. Even non-quilters will enjoy this prize...

I'm giving away a wonderful book by Lynette Jensen called Thimbleberries New Collection of Classic Quilts. It is a thing of beauty: hardbound with over 200 pages of quilts, patterns, instructions, and decorating ideas for the home (don't let my poor photography deter you: the book is gorgeous!).

There are projects for all levels of quilting, created in those scrumptious Thimbleberries country fabrics. Heck, even if you don't quilt, it's a beautiful book to look through, and dream!

Here's what you need to do to enter: leave a comment telling me what it is you love about quilts. Pretty simple, eh? If you don't have a blog, leave me an email address so I'll know how to reach you. I'll use a random number generator to draw a winner on October 15th, and the book will be on its way from my home, to yours!

Be sure to go here for a complete list of the blogs taking part. Go to those sites and enter their giveaways, too.

Happy October!

Until next time...

It's a Privilege

2008-09-30T06:48:00.000-07:00

A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight

for democracy, but won't cross the street to

vote in a national election. ~Bill Vaughan

I'm a political person. I have very strong opinions about who should be elected president in November (ask my hubby: he supports the other guy!) But I keep that side of me out of my blog because - well - I just want this space to be about the positive things in life. And right now, politics isn't very positive.

But I have to put in a pitch for something about which I feel extremely passionate: getting registered and voting.

I just signed up to work a polling place on November 4th. I'm doing it as part of the American Association of University Women, so several of us in our branch will be there as volunteers. I wanted to take the 10-2 shift, but help wasn't needed at that time. So I instead volunteered for the morning shift, starting at 6:00 AM.

You gotta know how strongly I feel about this issue if I'm willing to be up and at 'em at that hour!

I know that it sounds so corny, but I can't help thinking of the people who came before us, who fought long and hard for the privilege to vote. And it is a privilege! Think of all the countries around the world ruled by dictators and tyrants, where free elections are only the stuff of dreams. The young man I tutor can't vote: he's a convicted felon and it's one of the rights he lost when he was sentenced to prison.

There's a great deal of apathy in our country, which stems from a feeling that we can't make a difference in Washington. I always hear talk of "the government did this," or "the government did that." What we've all seemed to have forgotten is that the government is US: you and me and our neighbors and co-workers.

So if you haven't done so already, get registered to vote (check here for the deadline in your state) then get to the polls on November 4th. I'm not much into exercising lately, but I will exercise my right to vote! I hope you're planning to do the same.

Until next time...

Autumn is a State of Mind

2008-09-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it,

and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth

seeking the successive autumns. ~ George Eliot

When I first moved to southern California in February 1999, I applied for a position at a museum in Ventura. I was interviewed by the director and associate director, both of whom become dear friends after I got the job. They asked what I'd miss about living in Utah, and I immediately said, "Autumn. Not the winters that follow it - but definitely autumn." The associate director replied with a statement that has stuck with me through the years:

In California, autumn is a state of mind.

He was right about that!

I've learned over the years that we made not have the overt signs of autumn here, but autumn does occur. The leaves on the tree in our neighbor's yard turn red and gold, and flutter to the ground every October. There aren't a lot of trees here that do that, so it's a real treat to have one right across the street. The nights develop a nip in the air. Granted, it's not the nip of frost and snow, but it's a nip nonetheless!

Hey, we take our seasonal pleasures where we can find them, right?

I've really enjoyed bringing out the autumn decor this year. Little touches here and there that make me smile. I have the pumpkin (above) sitting on my dining room table, and these little spooky candles sitting in popcorn (thanks for the idea, Kelli!) in the kitchen window...

They shed a lovely glow at night...

Autumn is definitely my favorite season, and I've often wondered why. My husband much prefers summer and the long, warm evenings sitting outside. I like getting cozy on the couch, with a fire in the fireplace. I love cooking this time of year, making soups and stews. I may even get brave this year and try baking bread (but don't hold your breath!)

There is just something about this time of year... maybe it goes back to when we were kids and we'd head off to school in September. Maybe it's the ancient celebration of the harvest. Perhaps it's knowing that autumn's glory is a harbinger of the winter to follow. Whatever it is, September and October are a lovely time of year for me, leading into the holidays and the joy they bring.

* * * * *

There are two great giveaways going on right now in blogland ...

Carole over at Pea's Corner is giving away some absolutely darling Halloween decorations. Check it out and enter. On second thought- don't enter: I want to win! :-)

And there's a great giveaway being coordinated by Debbi called Fall into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway. I'm taking part, although I have yet to decide what I'm going to give-away. Stay tuned, but check out the Giveaway site for details.

* * * * *

No wonder I love this time of year! It brings out the best in all of us. What about you? Are you an autumn person, and if so - why?

Until next time...

The Glue That Binds Us

2008-09-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Family faces are magic mirrors.
Looking at people who belong to us,
we see the past, present, and future.

~ Gail Lumet Buckley

My cousin Kristi was here for a visit, coming from her home in southern Idaho. That's us, pictured above (she's the thin one!) You'd never guess by looking at her that she's a mother of four grown children and grandmother of seven, would you?

She and I have always been a happily envious of one another. I wanted to be thin and pretty, like her; she wanted to be able to sing like me. I wanted her straight hair; she wanted my curls. She's always claimed (erroneously) that I'm more creative: I know for a fact that she's the better cook. We've joked through the years about the human condition of always wanting what we don't have. We're not only family, we're dear freinds -- and that's a great thing!

We've been close since we were small kids. I grew up in Salt Lake City and every summer, my folks would put me on the bus (alone - can you imagine doing such a thing nowadays?) and send me three hours north to my Grandma's house, in southern Idaho. I'd get to play for a few weeks with all my cousins in that area: capturing frogs and lizards in jars; feeding the deer that would wander up to Grandma's back door; going to the annual rodeo fair. It was a wonderful experience for a "city" kid from Salt Lake.

As we got older, we grew apart somewhat. She got married to a dairy farmer and started having those four kids. I went to school and started working. We'd write letters back and forth, and occasionally see each other when her Mom would come to visit my Mom, or we'd go to Idaho for family reunions.

Then in the mid-90's, her husband was severely burned in a accident on their farm. He was flown to the burn center in Salt Lake, where he remained hospitalized for four months. During that time, Kristi lived with my ex-husband and I (and my Mom, whom my ex and I cared for) so she could be with her husband every day. It was a long and emotionally painful time. But Jim slowly recovered, and they both lived with us after his release so he could make his follow-up appointments every day.

As often happens, good things come out of the worst things. While her husband was healing, Kristi and I bonded once again -- this time, as mature married women. She helped see me through my divorce; she stayed with me while I was healing from gall bladder surgery; she was there for me when my Mom died in 1998. When I moved away in 1999, to remarry and start a new life, she'd fly out and visit. We always see each other when I go "home" to Salt Lake.

So I guess you can tell that she's a pretty special person in my life, and I loved having her here for a visit. My spirit has been fed.

I have been blessed to make new friends here in California. But there's nothing quite like family and old friends to keep me connected and grounded. Sharing a long history just feels so comforting. It feels good knowing there's someone who can look at me and think, "still crazy after all these years!"

Until next time...

The Seven Dwarfs

2008-09-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm
wrinkles the soul. ~ Samuel Ullman

My cousin is here, visiting from Idaho, so I'm once again behind on my blog writing and reading. But I can't tell you how much fun we're having, laughing over old times and planning for new adventures! She's not just family - she's a cherished friend.

I thought I'd post this cartoon to let you know that I'm still alive, and to hopefully bring a smile to some of you. Ah heck, even if you're not at this stage in life, I bet you can still appreciate the humor! I know that these days, I'm living as either Forgetful or Sweaty - how about you?

Hope you're well and being happy!

Until next time...

Alaska

2008-09-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

I go to nature to be soothed and healed,

and to have my senses put in order. ~ John Burroughs

Welcome to Alaska -- or at least, the small corner of it we visited!

I'd like to share a few photos of the many wonderful things we experienced. We spent two weeks on the Kenai Peninsula, southwest of Anchorage. As previously mentioned, the weather was, for the most part, cloudy, rainy and overcast - so the photos tend to be gray, which is unfortunate. Please double click on any of them for closer details.

This is Surprise Glacier on Prince William Sound. Amazing - and it's incredibly blue. One of the crewmen said we were actually lucky to see it in such gloomy weather because in bright sunlight, it doesn't look so blue. How's that for a positive attitude? :-)

Yep, it was this cold and this rainy! Brrr!

But not all views were gloomy. Look at this gorgeous fjord...

And we did see greenery on our hikes, like this beautiful field of autumn colors...

My favorite part of the whole trip was the wildlife we saw. Here are seals in Kenai Fjords National Park. These creatures are disappearing at an alarming rate, and no one knows for sure why it's happening.

Everywhere we'd go, we'd keep an eye open for moose. You just never know when you're going to spy one having lunch along the roadside...

There were magnificent bald eagles everywhere we went. Imagine getting to the point of thinking, "Ho hum - another bald eagle!"

The greatest treat of our trip was seeing caribou. We thought we were too far south and too early in the season. When we asked about wildlife viewing, the nice folks at the Kenai Visitors Center suggested we drive out past the airport because the caribou sometimes come out onto the tundra there. We headed straight there, in the middle of the afternoon, and drove for miles seeing nothing. Disappointed, we left and went on about our day. At dusk, I suggested we drive back out there and try one more time. We were richly rewarded! Again, I'm only sorry that the photos aren't brighter. It was amazing to see these glorious creatures so close...

After they grazed to our right side, we watched them cross the road in front of us to graze on the other side. Here is the huge male that led the small herd. He was incredible!

Another surprise waited for us as we rounded a corner by the house we rented in Homer. There, standing by the mail box on a neighboring yard, were two Sandhill Cranes. We stopped and watched them, and were lucky enough to see them "dancing" with one another. They bowed and jumped and flapped their wings. I guess they got tired of having an audience of two, because they just slowly walked away, disappearing over the hill.

One more shot of my beloved puffins, this time at the Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward...

Our one wildlife disappointment is that we didn't see bears. We had the same experience a few years ago in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Everywhere we'd go, people would say, "Oh, two bears were just here!" But we never saw a one. However, we had to take a picture of this warning sign at the foot of the hiking trail to Exit Glacier. Read what it instructs you to do if a brown bear attacks (again, double click on it to enlarge.) I'm sure it wouldn't be funny if I were in that situation, but the sign made us laugh!

We stayed in some pretty special places. Here are two spots I'd like to share. The first is the bedroom of the house we rented in Homer. It was called The Nest, and it sat on a cliff over looking Kachemak Bay. The view from the rooms and the deck was outstanding! And there were quilts on every bed...

The house was decorated with lots of dark green (my favorite color!) But what really convinced me that I'd found a kindred spirit in the home's owner was a wall we discovered by the washer and dryer...

It was filled with little framed quotes! Quilts, green decor, and a wall of quotes - what more could I ask for? Oh - and a view to die for!

Here's where we stayed in the town of Kenai... the Harborside Cottages, over-looking the area where the Kenai River meets Cook Inlet...

The view from our cottage at night...

Look what I found in Homer! Pehaps there's a new career is waiting for me?

There is a famous bar in Homer called The Salty Dawg Saloon. It's kind of a hole-in-the-wall place we just had to see! The walls and ceiling are covered with dollar bills. The legend is that the trappers would come in for a drink and leave money behind to pay for drinks for the trappers they knew would be passing through in a week or so. They'd write their name on the money and put it on the wall, where their friends would find it.

Nice story, eh? But check this out... this bill was tacked up right over my head:

Now, I'm not a Mormon but I am from Utah. Funny that I'd sit right under this one, don't 'cha think? :-)

What would a trip to Alaska be without fishing? Here's hubby throwing in his first line the second day of our trip...

He didn't have a lot of luck fishing the lakes and streams, but he had fun trying. As he always says, "The fishing's great: the catching, not so good!"

But he did have luck on a halibut charter out of Homer...

He shipped home 35 pounds of halibut fillets, which just arrived today. YUM!

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this funny sign at the halibut ("butt") processing place (click for details)...

Now, you may be wondering what I did why hubby fished for halibut (fishing's not my thing.) I treated myself to a massage - a loooong massage, with an herbal body wrap... in a small, heated yurt on the shores of Kachemak Bay. I could hear the waves and the gulls as I lay there, experiencing something very close to nirvana! Here's the view...

Ah, it was such a wonderful trip! Hubby and I are both from states where the snow flies each winter, but we now live in southern California. So it was such a treat for both of us to once again experience autumn in all it's glory. Those are the images I'll keep in my heart -- not the clouds and the rain.

How incredibly lucky we are to have been able to go to Alaska! Thanks for letting me share some of my memories with you.

And many thanks to Mary and Jill, for teaching me how to post more than five photos at a time on Blogger. It appears that this old dog can learn new tricks!

Until next time...

There's No Place Like Home

2008-09-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel

until he comes home and rests his head

on his old, familiar pillow. ~ Lin Yutang

We're back from our Alaskan adventure, and what a journey it was! Hubby and I (pictured above in Resurrection Bay) hiked to glaciers and walked in autumn forests: watched caribou and spawning salmon; enjoyed gourmet meals and got soaked in the freezing rain. Alaska was everything we'd dreamed it would be.

And as for my main goal at the time I left? Yep, I saw puffins -- lots of puffins!

This shot was taken in the Kenai Fjords National Park, and it was really cloudy that day. You may have to click on it to get a better glimpse of the little guy hiding in the rocks because boy, is he cute!

We got a much clearer and closer view of puffins (and seals and otters) at the Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward...

I was like a little kid -- so excited, and couldn't stop grinning at all the puffins!

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with us on this trip. I think we can count the sunshine we experienced in terms of hours rather than in days. Locals we spoke with all over the Kenai Peninsula said the same thing: this has been the rainiest summer in Alaska's history. How could we have known that when we booked everything back in February?

For the most part, we said to heck with the weather and got out and enjoyed everything we wanted to do. This was taken during our cruise on Prince William Sound...

Those are glaciers, which are incredible to witness. But you can get a sense from this photo how cold it was that day. The wind was fierce and drove the rain even harder. Brrrr!

However, we also had moments like this, when we were able to get out and enjoy the gorgeous scenery...

Alaska is beautiful, vast and clean. I'll be sharing a few more photos over my next couple of posts, since I can't figure out how to load more than five pictures at a time. Maybe that's a good thing: saves you from having to view the 200+ shots we took! I promise to share only a few of the most interesting ones with you.

I'll be around to catch up with your blogs over the next few days. I've missed you all! Two weeks is a long time to be on the road, and I'm very glad to be sleeping in our own bed once again. I love to travel and hope to do much more in the years to come because it's great to go -- but it's even better to come home.

Until next time...

Show and Tell Friday / Farewell

2008-08-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's surprising how much memory is built around
things unnoticed at the time. ~ Barbara Kingsolver

Today is Show and Tell Friday, hosted by Kelli at There is No Place Like Home. She's a talented crafter and fabulous cook, and her blog always brings me joy when I visit. Check her out when you have a moment.

My Show and Tell Friday is for the birds! I've posted before about how much I enjoy bird watching and bird listening (is there such a term??) I also bring birds into my home.

Well, not real birds... at least, not while I have two cats!

I want to share with you a few things sitting on top of a cabinet in my dining room:

Everything here has special meaning to me. The metal apple planter was a gift from my best friend Jeanne. The little birds tucked into the ivy came from a plant given to me by coworkers when my Mom passed away ten years ago. The wooden cardinal came from a brief time I lived in Ohio, and had those beautiful birds outside my window every day. Even the cat, hidden in the ivy and watching the birds closely, was a gift from a former coworker at the Humane Society of Utah.

Let me show you a few of my favorite pieces...

This goose is designed by Jim Shore. Isn’t the detail exquisite? I discovered Shore's work long before I became a quilter, then had to laugh when I started into the craft. No wonder I was drawn to his work, since he incorporates quilt designs in many of his pieces! I have a large collection of his Santas and holiday angels, which I'll share in a future Show and Tell.

This little guy is pretty special. I love quail, for one thing. I don’t see them much in our yard here in southern CA (although I can hear them) but back home in Utah, they came every day. We had a covey we called Dan Quail and all the little quails! But this little carving is doubly special because of the letter Q. Many years ago, my dear friend Scott nicknamed me (now don’t laugh!) Queen Dottie, but in our email exchanges, I usually just go by Q. So this little quail has a double meaning.

This charming little birdhouse and nest was a gift from my middle stepdaughter Lizzie. Marjolein Bastin, who creates so many cute things for Hallmark, designed it. When you lift the lid of the bird house, the inscription inside reads: Like sweet moments in nature, Friendship fills life with special delights

Amen to that!

Finally, I had to show a cute wall hanging from my youngest stepdaughter. The kids all know how much I love birds, and Megan felt this little metal angel was perfect for me - and she's right: my heart IS for the birds!

* * * * *

This will be my last post for a few weeks. We fly to Alaska on Sunday and won't be back until mid-September. Yes, my fondest wish is to see lots of birds, especially puffins! Be safe and have fun this Labor Day holiday.

Until next time...

Thanks!

2008-08-27T22:37:00.000-07:00

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell

where his influence stops. ~ Henry Brooks Adams

I had another tutoring session tonight with Mark (the last before a two week break for Alaska!) and all I can say is, "thanks!"

Thank you to all the teachers who had the patience to instruct me throughout the years. Trying to return the favor now by helping my adult student learn to be a better reader is a real challenge. I am so grateful to those who did their best to get all this information into my young brain. My old brain is finding it tough to bring all that deeply buried data into the light of day!

One aspect of this tutoring process that I'm really enjoying is the chance to put my personal spin on how I conduct our time together. For instance: if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know by now that I love quotes. So I open every tutoring session with a quote. Here's the one I used tonight:

I started this a few weeks ago, showing Mark an uplifting quote, then asking him what he thought it meant. Now that I've explained what paraphrasing is all about, I ask him to paraphrase the quote for me. Then we discuss whether the quote is literal or figurative. I'm finding quotes to be a great teaching tool, and I'm hoping some of their messages are getting through to my twenty-year-old incarcerated student.

As Mark has grown to trust me, I've learned that he is prison with a felony conviction for armed robbery. He'll be released in December, right before Christmas. The other night, he mentioned in the context of a passage we were studying that his first trip to juvenile hall happened when he was eleven years old. Eleven! I find it all so hard to imagine. I truly hope that he's ready to turn his life around and put all that behind him. I hope he's strong enough to do so.

Mark is working hard to learn to write essays, a skill he'll need to pass his GED. Right now, I've got him working on an essay comparing and contrasting the poetry of Langston Hughes with the lyrics of Tupac Shakur - Mark's favorite rap artist. Even stodgy old me has to admit that there are quite a number of similarities. I'm glad I thought to give him this assignment: he's finding it fun to do, and I like watching his face light up when he thinks of another topic sentence.

Tonight we discussed synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, and homophones. Oy - my brain hurt by the time I left! But to help him work on increasing his vocabulary, I took in a little gift for him tonight:

He seemed genuinely touched by such a small thing, and I wondered if anyone had ever given him the gift of a book? I hope these help him come to believe in himself a bit more. He's such a bright young man who has made some monumentally stupid mistakes in his short life.

So, as the kids are heading back to school, I once again say thanks to all teachers. I can't imagine the many hours you put in, preparing lessons and staying late. I know you don't get paid anywhere near what your profession is worth. But I'm so grateful for all you do, for all my teachers did for me. I am a passionate reader and a decent writer, and I have a life-long love of learning. I'm hoping that I can pass along even a small piece of this to Mark.

Until next time...

Making a List, Checking it Twice...

2008-08-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

When preparing to travel,

lay out all your clothes and all your money.

Then take half the clothes and twice the money.

~ Susan Heller

I mentioned a few posts back that I had planned to make a leaf block, using up the fabrics in my stash. I wanted to do something scrappy in Autumn colors, which I gravitate toward and so have lots of extra fabric pieces. Each block will be unique, but I'm using only my reds, browns, greens, etc. so the over-all look will say FALL. The lovely green fabric of the appliquéd stem will also make up the sashing around each block. As you can probably see, the stem is still pinned in place. This may be as far as I get on this piece before we leave for Alaska this weekend.

THIS WEEKEND.

EGAD!

We're in major countdown mode this week, which means making lists, starting to lay out items that we want to take along, etc. We'll be gone for two weeks, so there's a lot to take with us. We're flying into Anchorage, renting a car, and spending the full two weeks on the Kenai Peninsula. We'll take a marine wildlife day cruise on Prince William Sound, another day cruise through the Kenai Fjords National Park... we'll spend four days in Homer, visiting both museums and tide pools. Hubby will fish for halibut while I fish for quilt fabric! If we're not too late in the season, we'll see whales in Cook Inlet while we fish for salmon, outside the town of Kenai. We'll end our trip back at Anchorage.

I've always teased my husband about his analytical mind, but I have to admit that I'm very grateful right now for his way of thinking. He's an engineer and has a calm, orderly way of thinking through what needs to be done. I would likely get to Anchorage and realize I'd forgotten to pack the camera charger or all my underwear, or something! But we make a good team: he'll remember the maps, which will get us around; I'll remember the music for the car, which will make the journey pleasant.

And speaking of pleasant... see the house in the photo below, overlooking Katchemak Bay?

That's where we'll be staying for those four nights in Homer. Ahhhh... you can probably see why this trip is all I can think about these days!

Until next time...

A Surprise in the Mail!

2008-08-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

How beautiful a day can be

When kindness touches it! ~ George Elliston

Look at the cute note cards I received in the mail this week from my sister-in-law Sue, who lives in Wisconsin. She says she thought of me as soon as she saw the quilt designs. Aren't they darling? They're embossed so you can feel the quilted pattern of each design. Thank you, Sue!

The cards above are the traditional double-wedding ring pattern (click on any photo for a closer view.) Both sets of cards have pretty matching envelopes.

This pack is based on quilted hexagons...

They look a little like a honeycomb, don't you think? Obviously the designer thought so, too because there is the cutest little embossed bee right in the center...

I have to admit to being partial to the hexagon cards, simply because of the fall colors. Plus it's a design I particularly like. Sue doesn’t know how timely her gift is: look at one of the projects I'm currently working on...

These are little hexagon flowers I've been creating for months now, made with cheery Mary Engelbreit fabrics. My photo doesn't do it justice: the colors are vibrant and bright. This project will travel with me to Alaska, since it's very portable and can be worked on in the car, in the cabin, or on a kayak.

Ok, maybe not a kayak - but you get my point!

* * * * *

Speaking of Alaska... this is our last weekend before our trip. We leave a week from this Sunday! Boy, that's hard to believe: where has this year gone? I made all the arrangements back in February and March, when August seemed so far away.

I'm actually considering trying kayaking while we're in Homer. Have any of you done it? I'm rather nervous at the idea because, you see - ahem - I don't swim. But I think it would be a great way to see wildlife and to have some beautiful, quiet time in nature. We're considering using an outfitter who would send a guide, and he/she could be in my kayak to keep me ~~from drowning~~ upright.

We have a lot to do this weekend, to get things ready around here so we can be gone for two weeks. We went through all the reservations last night, and our itinerary day-by-day so we could be sure everything is in place. I made a to-do list (which is very short, thank goodness) and Hubby made a packing reminder list, so we don't forget anything. Nine days and counting!

Have a great weekend!

Until next time...

The Future's So Bright...

2008-08-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

If I could wish for my life to be perfect,
it would be tempting but I would have to decline,
for life would no longer teach me anything.

~ Allyson Jones

I gained 1/2 pound last night at weigh in, and I'm ok with that. I know I'm losing: my clothes feel so much looser. One lesson I learned from successfully losing weight once is that the scale is not always the best indicator of how I'm truly doing. It's simply feedback. As the leader of my private weight loss group always says, "The scale is evil and fickle!" Amen to that!

But we had an interesting discussion last night that's been running through my head today. This question was posed to each of us:

If you had to choose an object that represented your future,
what would it be?

It’s an interesting question, don't you think?

The very first thing that came to my mind, without even thinking, was the sun. Why? The sun represents my future because I believe my future is very bright.

I thought after the meeting that the others might have found my answer to be a bit egotistical. It isn’t at all. I don’t think I'm going to cure cancer, or win the lottery, or become the next superstar from American Idol.

But my future feels very bright to me because I'm finally - finally! - beginning to feel at peace with myself.

If you had asked me this question 18 months ago, I would have had a very different response. That was a hard time for me... I had gained back the weight I worked so hard to lose (I was fat!), I was turning 50 (I was old!), and I was finding that my life-long dream of being in business for myself really wasn’t going to work for me (I was a loser!) I felt that I’d let myself down in so many ways. My future felt very dark and unfulfilling.

I guess that’s where the image of the sun comes in. It’s shining once again, and illuminating the path ahead. It's taken me 18 months but I now know that I have many gifts that I can share without being thin, or young, or in business for myself. There is a great sense of peace that comes from knowing you’re not going to be the world’s greatest anything – you’re just going to be who you are, and that’s enough!

Because I’m the curious type, let me pose the same question to you (Leslie, if you’re reading this, I hope you’ll post your wonderful answer from last night!):

If you had to choose an object that represented your future,
what would it be – and why?

Until next time...

HYC / Light a Candle

2008-08-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

There are two ways of spreading light:
to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

~ Edith Wharton

Tonight is weigh-in, and I'm not sure what results I'll see. It's been an up-and-down week as far as food is concerned. Most of it's been good: I've journaled, but not as carefully as in weeks past. So we'll see what happens tonight. Either way, the week is over as of this evening, and I can put it behind me and have a fresh start in the morning.

* * * * *

Do you like candles?

I'm kinda crazy about 'em. Maybe obsessive might be a better term! I find the flickering flame to be so soothing to my spirit. A lovely scent doesn't hurt, either.

Hubby and I spent time last summer in upper Wisconsin, at the lakeside cottage of his twin brother and his wife. They are very early risers, usually getting up before the sun did. Hubby and I, not so much (besides, we were on California time!) When we did finally crawl out of bed, we'd find a glowing candle burning on the kitchen counter each morning. I thought it was such a nice way to begin the day. So I started the same tradition in my home.

As I type this, an Autumn Gold Yankee Candle is glowing here on the computer desk. I wish blogs came with scratch-and-sniff, so you could smell it! It brings a feeling of Fall to the air.

I light this one when I'm sewing. It smells like fresh cut grass. And it's made with soy wax, which I understand is a better way to go than traditional wax. I don't know about that: I just know that it smells wonderful!

This one is in our bedroom. True Bliss - isn't that great name? Again, I wish you could smell the tangerine/vanilla combination. It's a little slice of heaven!

Now, lest you be thinking otherwise, I do NOT own stock in Yankee Candle Company! I just happen to like theirs best. But really, when you're looking for something to calm you down or perhaps to lift your mood, any candle will do. I think it's the act of lighting it, of taking a moment to do something special for yourself that makes it work. The lovely scent is just an added bonus.

What simple things do you do to feed your spirit and soothe your soul? I hope you'll share a thought or two. We can all use ideas on simple ways to care for ourselves.

Until next time...

Little Quilts

2008-08-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces,

joy and sorrow, stitched with love. ~ Unknown

Jeanne is my oldest and dearest friend. We met when we were 15 years old, and have been BFF's ever since. So when I took up quilting, the first project I actually finished was a gift for her. I wanted to do a little mini-quilt for a couple of reasons: I wanted to actually finish a project (I have lots of UFOs - unfinished objects!) But I also needed to mail it to her in Japan, so little was good.

Like me, Jeanne was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. But for the past 18 months, she's been living in the area of Fukui, where she teaches English as a second language. I knew there wasn't a lot of room in the small apartment she shares with her husband and teenaged son. So a mini-quilt fit the bill perfectly. She recently emailed me the photo above, to show me where it hangs. She tells me it greets her every morning. I'm glad!

Here's the back of her quilt, with the label I created (click on any of the quilt photos below for a closer view of the fabrics):

After I made that little quilt, I turned right around and made a second one for my sister. When I made the first mini, I followed the pattern exactly, using different fabrics for each area. When I did my sister's mini-quilt, I wanted a more unified look. The little heart in the middle is an addition I made, and it was my first attempt at appliqué. The whole quilt is 24 inches square:

Finally... several people have asked about the "grand prize" table runner I gave away for Scale Junkie's Summer Blog Party Contest. Here's a photo of the finished piece. No one can say it isn't bright!

Rebecca over at Ready Maid won the runner. But I'm wondering if any of you have heard from her recently? She hasn't posted anything in quite some time, and I haven't heard if my package arrived. I’m not so concerned about the latter, but I'm praying that everything is ok with her.

So, there you have it: a couple of quilt pieces I've created over the past year. I can certainly see that my quilting has come a long way from those beginning attempts, yet somehow they still hold a special place in my heart. I hope that one day, I can look back at the pieces I'm creating today and say that I've come even farther.

Hey, my weight-loss expression applies to quilting, too -- and actually, to every part of our lives, if you think about it:

Progress, not perfection!

Until next time...

Mish Mash Friday Post

2008-08-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

There is little chance that meteorologists can solve

the mysteries of weather until they gain an

understanding of the mutual attraction of

rain and weekends. ~ Arnot Sheppard

Ahhh, it's the weekend! I'm very grateful Friday is here. I don't even have a formal job, and I'm still thinking, "TGIF!" Some weeks are just like that, and this was one of them.

* * * * *

Hubby and I were awakened at 1:30 this morning by the strangest sound. We had to lie there and listen for quite some time to recognize it, since it had been so darn long since we'd last heard it...

It was raining!

I realize that this would be no big deal for many of you. But here in my corner of southern California, rain is a rare thing. We've been in a draught for so long that I honestly can’t remember the last time it stormed. It was wonderful to lie in bed this morning, listening to the rain come down. What a soothing sound!

My tomatoes are happy this morning...

So are the pomegranates. Our bush is loaded this year! They won't be ready to harvest until October and November, though. Only a few of them are just starting to turn red.

* * * * *

Part of why I'm so glad it's Friday is that this old brain of mine is tired. It's been asked to think about things it hasn't accessed in 30 years or more!

When was the last time you sat down and diagramed a sentence? I'm talking verbs and nouns and subjects and predicates? Now, if you're a teacher, you're not allowed to answer my question: you probably do it for a living (and God bless you for it!) But for those of us who are not professionals...

I did two tutoring session with Mark this week, and I honestly feel like I'm only one step ahead of him when it comes to this stuff. It's not that I don’t know how to write a proper sentence: most of us who blog are fairly decent writers, and we can spot grammatical errors a mile away. But trying to teach someone these basic ideas we learned decades ago is really taxing. As I keep telling Mark, our brains are like a muscle that just needs to be stretched and strengthened, to get in top shape. Well folks, my brain is sore from working out this week! I'm truly not complaining: I love what I'm doing. I just wish my recall was a bit better!

* * * * *

Do you like blueberries? If so, head over to Pea's Corner. She's giving away blueberries - well, not real berries, but the next best thing! It's a basket full of blueberry-themed goodies such as tea and soap and note cards, etc. Be sure to stop by and tell her hello.

* * * * *

I hope you have plans to do something fun and relaxing this weekend? We've got friends coming for dinner Saturday night, which is always nice. I'm going to be studying sentence structure at some point this weekend. Oh boy! But I'm also starting another quilting project. I'm designing a scrappy quilt, to use up some of my leftover fabrics from other projects...

I've got lots of little three-inch squares already cut, ready to be pieced into what I hope will be a leaf block. Pretty apropos for autumn, don’t you think – which is just around the corner. Stay tuned, and watch it grow!

Have a great weekend!

Until next time...

A Lighter Heart

2008-08-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

Flaming enthusiasm,

backed up by horse sense and persistence,

is the quality that most frequently makes for success.

~Dale Carnegie

My heart and I are celebrating this morning.

I dropped 3.5 pounds at last night's weigh in! That brings my five-week total to 12 pounds, which means I earned some bling (see my side bar.) All that journaling I've been doing is paying off big time. Yay me (heck no, I'm not proud of myself!)

Yesterday when I was rearranging things in one of our closets, I ran across two five-pound dumbbells. When I lifted them to move them to a different spot, I was amazed at how heavy they were. Last night, when I got home from my meeting, I picked up those dumbbells again and handed them to my hubby. I said, "This is how much less weight my legs will have to haul around on our hikes in Alaska. This is how much lighter my heart will be."

He was impressed.

For those of us who have 50, 100, 200 pounds to lose, it can feel overwhelming to think about how far we have to go. And the more you have to lose, the less significant the beginning losses can feel. So do yourself a favor next time you're at the grocery store. Pick up something that weighs the same amount you've lost: a five-pound bag of sugar; a ten-pound sack of potatoes; a 28-pound container of cat litter, etc. Pick up two of everything, if you've worked hard to lose that much! The idea is to realize how much less of a burden your body has to carry. Then put down your load and celebrate the lighter feeling. Your knees, your feet, and your heart will thank you!

Another trick I've learned is to not look too far ahead on this journey. After you celebrate how far you've come, it's easy to get discouraged when you then think how far you still have to go. So don’t do it! Set your sites on your next milestone. I've lost 12 pounds so for me, that milestone is 15 pounds. For right now, I'm not thinking any farther than that. I hope I can encourage you to do the same.

I'm going to celebrate my success this morning by going to Starbucks for a non-fat latte with one Splenda. I need some time to think about how I'm going to teach verbs to my student tonight. He's a wiz at nouns and adjectives and pronouns, but I need to find a way to teach him that verbs are all about action. Maybe I'll have him look at this sentence to pick out the verbs:

Pattie has lost 12 pounds, and she's one very happy camper!

Until next time...

HYC / Less Neurotic?

2008-08-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds

if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.

~ Doug Larson

My weigh-in won’t happen until Tuesday night, but I’m feeling good about the past two weeks. I haven’t been perfect, but I’ve been pretty darn fine! I’ve tracked my food for 12 out the past 14 days, and I know that will help at the scale. More importantly, I can feel a difference in my body. Progress, not perfection!

The latest issue of Bon Appétit magazine has a fascinating article called "The Food Writer’s Diet." Melissa Clark, food writer and cookbook author, eats for a living (can you imagine such a thing??) Yet she maintains a svelte figure – and evidently, is not the only one of her colleagues with this distinction.

Clark claims the key to being a thin professional eater is eating only the foods she truly loves, but less of them – and none of the foods she doesn’t like or want. She eats a little of the yummy stuff, then supplements with fruits and veggies to help keep her full. She also won’t eat foods that are bland and unappetizing.

I can’t honestly say the same about my diet. I can think of many times I’ve continued to eat something that wasn’t very exciting, not even particularly tasty -- but it was there. So I continued eating it. Does that sound at all familiar?

The article offers a few other tips worth noting, some of which we already know. Never skip a meal; have a healthy snack like an apple before dinner; practice portion control and conscious eating; always leave food on your plate; exercise often and with intensity.

But the thing that keeps running through my head is the closing paragraphs:

… the most important way that food writers control their eating is, ironically, by not being too controlling… I really think the happier and less neurotic you are about what you’re eating, the less likely you’ll become big as a house.

Think about the basic idea behind that hugely popular book, The Secret. The Law of Attraction says that we draw to ourselves the same energy we expend into the world. So if we’re miserable and constantly thinking about how deprived we feel when we’re dieting, doesn’t it stand to reason that this is exactly the kind of negative energy we’ll keep attracting back to ourselves?

Or to put it in a less new-agey kind of way: if you hate what you’re eating and hate your life because you can’t have any of the good stuff – why in the world do you expect to successful at losing weight? How long can you keep it up?

Not for long. I know. Been there and done that. Willpower doesn’t work for very long; deprivation doesn’t work at all. Tell me I can’t have a slice of cake and that’s exactly what I focus on – having a slice of cake (or two or three because I felt so deprived, poor me!)

So what do you think? Is there something to the idea of being less neurotic and obsessive about what we put in our mouths, and choosing to eat a little of the foods that make us happiest? Would this make a difference on our journey toward good health? I'm curious what you think.

Until next time…

A Day at the Beach

2008-08-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon

is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing

was not boring - it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

We spent a couple of hours this afternoon at the beach. It was our first visit to a spot that allows dogs so of course, we took our "grand-dog" Jenna.

We don’t have grandchildren yet. But we do have three pets that once belonged to the kids, all of whom felt the animals would be better off staying with us when they moved out. So we started referring to them as our "grand" animals: Jenna, an almost 100-pound lab mix, and Boo Boo and her daughter Buster, two black and white 'cow' cats. Those three live with us, but we have other grand-animals who live with their owners, our daughters. Hubby and I are affectingly known as Grandpa and Grandma.

Yeah, I know: it's a little odd. But we love all of our four-legged family members. I do sometimes wonder how confusing this might be when the actual grandchildren come along!

We had a great time at the beach. The weather was beautiful; the skies were blue as can be. Our middle daughter brought her dog Lady, and her friends had their dogs, too. At one point, there were five happy dogs playing in the sand, chasing a tennis ball through the waves, and making friends all up and down the beach with the other dogs (and their humans) who had come for some fun in the sun.

We don’t get to the ocean very often, and every time we go, I wonder why we don’t do it more often. We're only about 15 minutes away. But something else always seems to be more important. Isn’t that how it goes: it's hard to take time away, just to relax and enjoy friends and family, to take advantage of the incredible weather and the beautiful setting.

The dogs certainly had the right idea. They played long and hard today! Jenna's snoring soundly on the couch as I type this, exhausted from her day in the sun. And the cats?

They're wondering why they weren’t invited to go to the beach. But they would have hated it there today: too many dogs!

Until next time...

The Pen Is Mightier Than The Scale

2008-08-06T22:01:00.001-07:00

If you bite it, you write it!

If you nibble it, you scribble it!

~ Weight Watchers mantra

Have you seen the latest news? A new study finds that dieters can double their weight loss by writing down everything they eat.

A pain the rear? Amen! But effective? You betcha!

Time magazine, and several other news outlets, are reporting the striking new results of a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. Time states:

Scientists at several clinical-research centers in the U.S. found that dieters who kept a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who didn't.

I'm certainly not surprised, since I'm living proof of the theory. When I write down the foods I consume, I lose weight. When I don't keep my journal, I tend to gain weight.

Why? Again, the Time article says it best:

While most people think they know what they eat, they really have only a general idea and tend to have selective memory, especially when it comes to the foods that aren't so good for us. With a detailed food diary, you can see where those extra calories are coming from.

Tracking what I'm consuming every day keeps me conscious and aware of how much I'm eating AND of what kinds of foods I'm choosing. I track not only food and Points (yes, I follow Weight Watchers) but also how many fruits and veggies I eat each day, how much dairy I get in, and how many glasses of water I down.

I also try and take it one step beyond by noting the exercise I do and then, at the end of the day, to note three things I'm grateful for. I have to admit that I don't always take time to do the latter, but I also don't always get in all my fruits, nor do I get out and walk as often as I'd like. Sue me - I'm not perfect! And that's ok. If I write down what I eat and stay within my daily calorie limit, I'll likely lose weight.

Here's the latest version of my food diary, created as an Excel spreadsheet then cut in half. Click on the photo if you want to see the gory details:

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I get so incredibly bored with keeping track of my eating. So I need to mix up the format every once in a while. I used to put fun stickers all over the sheets of a small spiral notebook. Seeing the food entries surrounded by stickers saying, "You Rock!" or "Great Job!" would always make me smile. Now I don't need that so much (hey, I get my cheerleading from all of you -- and boy, am I grateful!)

Just like with everything having to do with good health in general and weight loss in particular, no one way is right for everyone. But I believe that this latest study is pretty compelling. So if you've been on the fence about tracking your food intake, just to see what you truly do consume in a day, let these latest findings give you that nudge over the edge. Remember, even doing it for a couple of days will likely prove very enlightening, as long as you're honest with yourself and write down every morsel (yes, those three M&M's do count!)

None of us have to be perfect at this process. We just have to keep moving forward. It's all about progress, not perfection!

Until next time...

HYC / The Call of the Wild

2008-08-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most

wonderful countries in the world. ~ John Muir

Today is Healthy Me Check In, but I don't have much to report. I won’t be weighing in this week, since I'll be attending a board meeting tonight rather than my meeting. This makes me a little nervous: that feeling of not having to be accountable, you know? I got a little sidetracked Sunday night, which stretched into yesterday. Nothing major: just struggling to write down my intake - which is dangerous for me. So my mini-goal for today is to write it all down, every single bite.

* * * * *

See that vehicle in the photo above? That's hubby and me driving along the Seward Highway in Alaska (can you see me waving?) Or rather, it will be us, in 26 days!

I can’t believe that our dream trip is almost here. Isn’t it amazing how fast the time goes? When I started making all the reservations up and down the Kenai Peninsula, it seemed that it was so far in the future, and now the time is almost here.

Everything is in place: the hotels in Homer, Seward, Kenai and Anchorage; the day-cruises on Prince William Sound and through the Kenai Fjords National Park. Just yesterday, I did a little research and found a couple of fairly easy hiking trails we can take in Kachemak Bay State Park, which is only accessible from Homer by boat or airplane.

I'm going to have to do the easier trails, since I didn't do what I'd planned to do when I installed that counter-widget on my blog six months ago: I didn't get myself into hiking shape. I spent those months coasting along, thinking, "Ah, I've got plenty of time. I'll start tomorrow." Sound familiar to anyone? :-) But I made up my mind three weeks ago that I'm going into this trip with the right attitude. I can be anxious and fearful because I'm not in great shape, which will overshadow every choice we make along the trip. Or I can go with the attitude that I'm up for adventure and want to have fun, no matter what. Now I'm not stupid: I won't tackle the trails marked 'difficult.' But I refuse to let my soft muscles deter me from seeing the beauty of this area. We'll just have to go a little slower and take lots of catch-my-breath/water stops!

The fishing opportunities have Hubby as excited as a little kid at Christmas. We've booked him for an all-day halibut charter while we're in Homer, and he's bringing his gear so he can throw in a line and maybe bring home a salmon or three or four. Me? I plan to explore the shops in Homer while he's on his charter. He'll be hunting for halibut: I'll be hunting for quilt fabric!

And as long as I can see puffins -- and maybe moose and eagles and bears and whales -- I'll be happy. Sore from hiking, but happy!

Have any of you been to the Kenai? If so, I'd love your suggestions for fun places to visit and great places to eat.

26 days and counting!

Until next time...

Pattie Needs...

2008-08-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

It is far more impressive when others discover

your good qualities without your help. ~ Miss Manners

I think I hit a nerve with my post about ta-tas on display. Thank you for the insightful, and in some cases hysterical, comments that you made! It seems we all agree: less is more. While a little cleavage showing can be a lovely thing, too much is just uncomfortable for all who are viewing -- except for the guys who see it, I guess. But then I have to wonder about the message that's being sent to those men.

Oh well, I'm not the morality police -- and I don't want to come off that way. I have no control over fashion and what people chose to wear. I'll just have to learn to keep my eyes closed when I'm getting my hair done!

* * * * *

On a sillier note... I pulled this little piece from Hootin' Anni's post today. Her list peaked my curiosity, so I wanted to try it. Please play along, if you feel like it. The results were kinda funny!

The rules: All you have to do is Google your first name with the word 'needs' behind it, and post the first 10 results. Here's what Google listed, although I had to use the second page to come up with ten:

Pattie needs to go back to law school and finish getting her degree (What if never started one??)

Pattie needs water (Can't argue with that one.)

Pattie needs a job (I have one: domestic goddess.)

Pattie needs a new background (Oh no: they found out about my mob connections!)

Pattie needs our prayers ( Always. No joke.)

Patti needs a man! (Got a good one: thanks so much.)

Pattie needs a copy of our insurance (Did you back into my car again??)

Pattie needs sweatpants (C'mon - it's WAY too hot for sweatpants!)

Pattie needs to be a guest judge on ANTM with Twiggy, her compatriot and friend (Somebody's been reading my diary. How else could they have learned about me and Twiggy, BFF??)

Now, I have to tell you what Pattie really needs...

Ahhhh! Wouldn't that feel nice? I'd be grinning like that kitty too, if someone would rub my back!

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Until next time...

Maybe I'm Just Getting Old...

2008-07-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

I am not one of those who in expressing opinions

confine themselves to facts. ~ Mark Twain

I've been thinking lately (a dangerous thing to do!) about a couple of things that bug me. Well, let's be honest: lots more than a couple of things bug me, but these happen to be in the front of my mind, so to speak. I'm going to put on my Andy Rooney hat for a moment because I'm kinda curious to see if anyone else shares my feelings.

Have you noticed how tricky spammers are getting lately?

Nobody likes SPAM mail. I've learned through the years to just delete it because as of this moment, I haven't found a way to stop it from getting in. 99% gets put into my Spam folder, so it's easy to pick out. But unfortunately, a lot of real email gets put there too, so I can't just blindly delete all of it. I have to sort the wheat from the chaff, as it were.

But the new trend I'm seeing is how well the spam mail is disguised. They're making it look like a politically-themed email. The older I'm getting, the more I'm getting into all things political, so I'm very interested in reading emails about the upcoming presidential race. So if the subject line references John McCain or Barack Omama, I open it...

... and find links to porn sites. Grrrr.

Now while many people might think politics and porn are the same thing, I don't. So stop sending me this junk, ok?

* * * * *

The other thing I want to rant about is not related to porn. It's about women's breasts (hmmm... maybe there is a tie-in.) :-)

Have you noticed that breasts are everywhere, displayed for all the world to see? Don't get me wrong: I love breasts. I happen to have two that I'm very fond of (even if they aren't as perky as they once were!) I think breasts are a beautiful thing and a great part of being a woman.

I just don't want to see them every time I turn around.

I went in to get my hair done last week, and my stylist greeted me wearing jeans and one of those spaghetti-strapped baby-doll tops. She looked fantastic: she's got a figure that I would kill for. She's also got a large, proud pair of ta-tas that were right there. The whole time she's coloring my hair and shampooing me, I kept my eyes closed. Seriously. Because I was sitting and she was standing, her girls were literally at eye level for me and frankly, it's hard to carry on a conversation when all you can see are breasts (and I'm a straight female. Imagine how flustered her poor male and lesbian clients feel!)

This trend to show more and more seems to be everywhere: in the mall, at restaurants. A few months back, hubby and I were having lunch at one of those places that has one continuous bench a long one wall, and small tables with a chair facing it. We were happily munching away when two young women were seated next to us. The gal facing me was lovely and very well-endowed -- and all I could see when I looked her way were her girls. I finally admitted to hubby that I couldn't help looking: they were so right there. Hubby calmly (and wisely) said, "I think that's what she's after - to be stared at."

Don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating that we go back to Victorian dress, when women were covered from head to toe. I'm truly not a prude, and I think if ya got 'em, flaunt 'em. But be choosy about when and around whom you do it, ladies. There's a time and a place for everything.

* * * * *

So there you have it. And now I'm curious: what are your thoughts? Am I just getting to be an old fart?

Maybe you shouldn't answer that last question!

Until next time...

One Step Forward

2008-07-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

Dreams and dedication are a powerful combination.

~ William Longgood

Thanks to all of you who posted words of encouragement yesterday. I sure appreciate being able to write out all the conflicting emotions that were going on inside my head over the tutoring experience. I'm feeling much calmer about it today, after speaking yesterday to the folks who run the literacy program. I am prepared now to go back tonight and give Mark the help he needs -- at the more advanced level he's at. It's all good!

MizFit hit the nail on the head when she left a comment, asking about my almost-overwhelming need to hit a fast food joint after I tutored. She wondered if I knew what triggered it:

... the overwhelmingness of the situation/experience? ( I so felt that when I tutored. prepared to help and yet felt wholly inadequate at times...)

That's exactly the feeling had when I left the Work Furlough facility. So anxious, so conflicted. But I did not give in to the siren call of fast food because I knew I was looking for comfort that food could not bring me. I just wanted the anxiety I was feeling to stop, and that's not on the menu at Taco Bell (think of the fortune they'd make, if it were!) Instead, I was comforted by my hubby when I got home, had my fears allied by the folks at the literacy program, and I got lots of support from everyone here in blogland! Thank you.

AND I'm very proud to report that I lost another 2.5 pounds last night at weigh in. That's 8.5 pounds in three weeks. I am one happy camper!

We CAN do whatever we set our minds to!

Until next time...

Healthy Me Check-in and Encouragement

2008-07-29T06:57:00.001-07:00

Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble
the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of
praise or encouragement -- and we will make the goal.

~ Jerome P. Fleishman

It's been another good week for me, as far as healthy eating goes. I've written down everything I've eaten (included that fabulous hot dog and popcorn at Saturday night's movie!) I've stayed within my Points, with a few to spare. But I have to admit that it was tougher this week. I wasn’t quite as calm about it all as I was the first two weeks. Nerves? Hormones? Who knows! I was tempted more often, but I stuck it out. Weigh in is tonight... we'll see.

* * * * *

Last night was my first tutoring event. Talk about an emotional eating experience! I was far too nervous to eat anything before I went, but after... boy, the pull to stop on my way home for some kind of fast-food comfort fix was incredibly strong! I just kept telling myself, "Go home and eat something good there." I made it - but again, the temptation to calm myself with food was really strong (which as we all know, brings about five actual minutes of comfort, then you're back to square one!)

It was an interesting experience, going into this minimum security facility to tutor. The room where we meet is in the men's section and luckily, one of my fellow tutors was there to escort me to the room we're allowed to use. She and I chatted while we set up, then I waited for Mark. Turns out he's a young man of 20, with deep piercing eyes and arms covered with tattoos. I started out by asking him to tell me a little about himself and his goals. One of the things he mentioned a few times is that he loves to draw. And he's really motivated to earn his GED. That's his primary goal at this point, and he's been studying hard on his own to make that happen. He'll be released in December and is ready to pull his life together.

I have to admit to being at a bit of a loss of what to do to help him, however. I had him do some cold reading of material I thought for sure he'd stumble on. He didn’t falter one bit. Even the words I'd thought might catch him up were not a problem. I had him answer the questions following the reading, to check on his comprehension. No problem there: he got every one right. Then I gave him pencil and paper and asked him to write down his goals for me. He wrote a full paragraph, correctly spelled and punctuated. I found myself thinking, "Now what??" I went in expecting to teach this young man phonetics and site words and find that he's a very capable young man. I'm so pleased for him, but I've got a call in to the folks who supervise the literacy program to ask where I go next.

Part of my goal last night was to encourage him as much as possible, and I found that very easy to do since he is so capable. At the end of our time together, we shook hands and he left the room. As I was gathering my things, feeling a bit confused on where to go next with him, I heard the door open. I looked up and it was Mark. He said, "I wanted to show you some of the drawings I did." He brought in two pencil sketches he'd done of eagles, their talons clasping wood in one picture, and fish in another. The drawings were incredibly well done - this guy is really good! I encouraged him to think about pursuing graphic design training after he gets his GED.

Can I tell you how good that felt to me, that he went back to his cell and got these drawings to show me? I left there beaming! It truly reinforced my belief that what most of us need in life is a little encouragement, someone to say, "You bet you can do it!"

One last thing... and don’t you dare laugh! When I'm nervous, I tend to perspire from my head. Well, I was very nervous last night. For some reason, this triggered a hot flash. The whole time I was with my learner, trying to be helpful and encouraging, I'm mopping my face and fanning myself for dear life! He must have thought I was melting - and I was!

So much for first impressions, eh? :-)

Until next time...

Outside the Comfort Zone

2008-07-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

Habit is necessary; it is the habit of having habits,
of turning a trail into a rut, that must be incessantly

fought against if one is to remain alive.

~ Edith Wharton

Last night, hubby and I had a fun evening out. We saw the new Batman movie Dark Knight, which was pretty incredible (I'll second those who are voting for a posthumous Oscar nomination for Heath Ledger.) We don’t often go to movies while they're in the theatre, preferring instead to get them from Netflix so we can take potty and stretch breaks when needed. But sometimes, seeing a movie in a darken theatre, with one hundred of your closest friends (yes, it was packed last night) is an experience in itself. Don't you agree that there's something about the crowd that feeds the excitement of an action movie?

The other unusual thing we did last night was having "dinner" while we watched the movie. I don’t think I've ever eaten a hot dog at a movie theatre. I know it sounds silly, but it was so fun (and so yummy!)

What this all made me realize is how important it is to break out of our ruts, to do something different once in a while. How nice it is to see ourselves in a new situation, in a new light (in our case, with mustard dripping down our chins!)

I think the same idea applies when we're trying to progress as individuals. There certainly is comfort in routine, but there isn’t growth. It's important to step outside our comfort zone once in a while - that place that feels safe and familiar - and stretch our wings. We'll never know what we're fully capable of until we do.

All of this thinking about ruts and new adventures is in the forefront of my mind today, as I prepare to do my first-ever tutoring session tomorrow night. I am incredibly nervous, and incredibly excited all at once. I know I will grow from the experience, and I can’t seem to settle the butterflies in my stomach. But I know it’s all part of stepping outside of my comfort zone.

We all get in a rut in our lives. Good emotional health requires that we occasionally do something new to shake things up. I can highly recommend a hot dog and a movie -- just not too often. That treat ate up a lot of my calories for the week. But what a great way to spend them!

Until next time...

Ready to Begin

2008-07-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

To teach is to learn twice. ~ Joseph Joubert, 1842

I just got word last night that I'm cleared and ready to begin as an adult literacy tutor. Best of all, I have an eager student waiting for me!

I'll be working with adult offenders through the work furlough program of our county probation offices. These folks have been convicted of a minor crime of some kind, but rather than receiving jail time, they were sentenced to probation. They're offered lots of opportunities to improve their lives, making them better citizens who hopefully won't break the law again. One of those opportunities is studying for their GED's. From that group of students, some are recognized as needing individual help learning to read. That's where we volunteer literacy tutors come in.

All I know at this point is that my student's name is Mark, and I'll be meeting with him twice a week for an hour each time, helping him learn to read. He's very eager to get his GED, and has been waiting for my security clearance to come through (background check, finger-printing, etc.) I've not yet met him, but I keep hearing from other tutors that he's enthusiastic and raring to go. I couldn't ask for more in my first assignment!

As I mentioned in a post a month or so ago, I can't image how difficult it is for an adult to step forward and say, "I don't know how to read. Please help me." I love to read, and always have my nose buried in a book or magazine of some kind. What would it be like to go through life not being able to escape into a good novel? Or more importantly, to be unable to read a menu or a perscription bottle or street signs? We take so much for granted when we can read, don't we?

So I'm excited to begin on Monday -- and scared as heck! Every time I misspell a word, or make a blunder in one of my crossword puzzles, I think, "Good grief, who am I to be teaching somehow how to read??" But then I remember that old expression about how in life, there will always be someone more knowledgeable than you, and always someone not quite as skilled. I've had some incredible teachers in my lifetime - both in traditional classrooms settings and out in the world. Now it's my turn to give something back.

Until next time...

You Become What You Think About

2008-07-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Listen to the Musn't's child,

Listen to the Don't's.
Listen to the Shouldn't's,

the Impossibles, the Won't's.
Listen to the Never Haves,

then Listen close to me:
Anything can happen, child,

Anything can Be!

~ Shel Silverstein

Drum roll, please... I lost six pounds last night at weigh in! Woo hoo! I'm a happy camper!

I've been thinking a lot lately about thinking. Specifically, how our thoughts can make or break us in life. I'm reading a great little book right now (recommend by Rebecca over at Ready Maid) called Being in Balance, by Dr. Wayne Dyer. He has a wonderful way of putting it:

You get what you think about, whether you want it or not.

Pretty simple, but pretty powerful. If you think that making a change in your life (like paying your bills on time, or losing weight, or being a better a friend) is hard, then it will be hard. But if you look at the positive aspects of what you're doing, the experience will be positive. Yep, it's that old Law of Attraction idea: you draw to you the same energy you put out to the world.

I struggle with being too hard on myself, and I know from experience that I'm not alone in that. I am encouraging of others who take a step and fall. But when I do it? Oh boy - the inner tirades begin! But these past two weeks, I worked on letting go of past mistakes and instead focused on how good it felt to be eating healthy again. I created very positive thoughts that translated into very positive actions.

So here's an idea:

What if we all focus on the positive things about ourselves?

Quick! Name all the areas where you think you’re lacking. Go ahead - I'll wait. :-)

You can probably make a long list, can’t you? I’m not smart, I’m not thin, I’m not wealthy, I’m not stylish, I’m not active… I’m not, I’m not, I’m not!

How about listing all the things you are?

Focusing on the positive parts of ourselves is much more of a challenge because we’re used to looking at all the ways we think we don’t measure up. We’ve set a self-imposed standard inside us that constantly points out our shortcomings.

So here's my challenge for all of us today: take time to write down all of the good things you are. If you’re having trouble making a list, ask a trusted friend or loved one what they see as your strengths. It’s time we start defining ourselves in terms of what we ARE, not what we aren't. Remember Dr. Dyer's words: You become what you think about.

I'm a proud and capable woman who is six pounds lighter today! What are you?

Until next time...

Healthy Me: The Courage to Try Again

2008-07-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

Courage doesn't always roar.

Sometimes courage is the little voice

at the end of the day that says

I'll try again tomorrow.

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

It’s been a long time since I posted as part of the Healthy You Challenge. I’ve done lots of good things to keep my mind and spirit healthy and active, but not so much having to do with my body.

Until two weeks ago.

You may remember a post I wrote called I Need Help. It was written on a Monday, when I hit the wall but felt so cynical about trying to lose weight. But the next day, I found the courage to once again put my feet back on the path to respecting and loving myself enough to take care of health.

Today, I am completing two weeks of what I refer to as clean, healthy eating. For me, that means writing down every single morsel that goes into my mouth. It means staying within my allotted Weight Watcher Points.

But it also means working hard to eat a combination of five fruits and/or vegetables every day, to get some amount of a healthy protein at every meal, to make sure I give my body the calcium it needs, and drinking lots and lots of water.

So I’m giving myself a Healthy You Badge (thanks Diana, for creating these!)

I’ll have my official weigh in Tuesday night, and am curious to see what feedback the scale will give me (it wasn’t pretty the last time I weighed.) But the reality is that whatever it says, it’s just a number. I know how much better I feel today than fourteen days ago. I know I haven’t taken a Tums since the day I posted my cry for help. I know that I feel so much calmer now that I’ve taken control of my eating again (can anyone relate to that feeling?)

Yes, I’m hoping for good results Tuesday night, but no reading on the scale can match how positive I’m feeling about my choices again. It's surely one day at a time, and I’m on my way!

Until next time…

"5 Things" Meme

2008-07-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter,
and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things
the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

~ Kahlil Gibran

I've been tagged once again with another meme, this time from The Incredible Shrinking Katschi - who posts the yummiest looking photos of the healthy foods she eats! How can I say no to a fellow birder? So here goes...

5 things in your bag:
1. Wallet
2. Planner/calendar
3. Breath mints
4. Bottled water
5. Cell phone

5 things in your bedroom:
1. LOTS of books
2. Wreathe made out of bird eggs (like the one pictured above)
3. A messy closet that needs organizing
4. Two cats that ‘nest’ under the bed
5. A little plaque that reads, Things To Do Today: Breathe In – Breathe Out.

5 things you have always wanted:
1. To be healthy until the day I drop dead!
2. A long, happy marriage
3. Lots of visits with family and friends
4. A cabin in the mountains, by a stream
5. To travel

5 things you're really into:
1. Quilting
2. Reading
3. Learning new things (there's so much I don't know!)
4. Blogging
5. Crossword puzzles

5 people I’m tagging:
Everyone who reads this and wants to play along! Feel free to opt out. My feelings won’t be hurt at all (sniff.) No really, it’s ok… (sniff, sniff.) :-)

Until next time...

A Few of My Favorite Things

2008-07-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love,

the things you are, the things you never want to lose.

~ From the television show The Wonder Years

I was just sitting and sewing a bit, and looked over at my cork board, hanging in the sewing room. It makes me smile every time I look at it.

I love the things pinned on to this board. Much of it rotates depending on what strikes my fancy. I have lots of quotes pinned up, and little mementos of various events. But some things remain constant, including the word "Believe" created in metal and given to me by my cousin Kristi, and two photos of one of my favorite people in the whole world, my ex-brother in law, Chris.

Here are a few close-ups of some things I'd like to share. Click on the images for an even better view...

Don't you just love this little illustration by Mary Engelbreit? It was in the most recent edition of her magazine and I had to cut it out. I love how close these three women appear to be. But I think perhaps what draws me to it most is that little round lady in the front, with the brown curls and big smile, reminds me of me! My goal is to be filled with that much happiness all the time (and a big bouquet of flowers wouldn't hurt, either!)

This is a mini-poster that my dear friend Claudia gave me when my ex and I were going through a painful divorce. I've carried with me and put it somewhere in my home for over 12 years now. The quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, about the strength of a woman, has become one of my favorites. And what a peaceful, calm image.

I have no idea who this little guy is. I saw this photo in Parade Magazine a year or so ago, where it had been entered in a photography contest. It just made me grin! How can you look at that face and not laugh? What a great expression!

Finally, I wanted to share a picture of my sewing machine, which means a great deal to me. Not only does it provide hours of enjoyment through quilting (notice that I'm almost done with the prizes for my contest winners?) but I learn something new every time I use it. But what makes it extra special is that it was my Mom's machine. Yep, it's a 1960 Singer - almost as old as I am! It doesn't do any of the fancy things the new machines do, but it sure is a workhorse.

So that's where I spend a great deal of my leisure time these days. I have good music playing when I sew, and light a softly scented candle. I surround myself with things I love, and items that make me smile. Life is too short to do otherwise!

Until next time...

Silly Stuff

2008-07-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

I woke up this morning on the wrong side of the bed.

I was grouchy, I was hungry and I had menstrual cramps (I'm 51, for heaven's sake: much too old for this nonsense!) I tried blogging first thing, which always makes me feel good. But Blogger's image upload program has apparently been down for the past two hours. So I used the time to figure out why my previously almost-perfect credit score has recently been dinged -- only to find that a final payment I made in the huge amount of $28 is showing as being 30 days late. The payment was applied to my daughter's account in error, so now I need to jump through the hoops to get that fixed (and my credit score back to where it was. Grrr!)

So what's a person to do, when the morning starts like this?

BE GOOFY!

Being silly can go a long way toward fighting off those blues that can ruin a day started on a sour note. So in that spirit, I offer you the following silly MEME, sent to me by my friend Marsha. I invite you to post a personalized version for yourself, using only the first initial of your first name in your answers. It's not as easy as it looks!

1. What is your name? Pattie
2. A four-letter word: Path
3. A vehicle: Prius
4. A city: Paris
5. A boy's name: Peter
6. A girl's name: Priscilla
7. Drink: Pepsi
8. An occupation: Paralegal
9. Something you wear: Pants
10. A celebrity: Paula Poundstone
11. A food: Pizza
12. Something found in a bathroom: Pills
13. Reason for being late: Pottying
14. Something you shout: Par-Tay!
15. An animal: Panther
16. A body part: Penis (Hey, it didn’t say a body part on ME!)

* * * * *

One last silly thing, then I'll stop. If you're not familiar with LOLCats, let me introduce you to something that makes me laugh each and every morning:

The website is called I Can Has Cheeseburger and it features goofy photos of cats and other animals. What makes them so funny are the captions, written as if the animal in the photo is speaking. I know, I know - humor is very subjective, but I find these things so funny! I subscribe so I get a few LOL Cats in email every morning. It's a great way to start the day.

* * * * *

So here's to lots of laughter in your day! And always remember: never do anything that you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics! :-)

Until next time...

Simplifying Life

2008-07-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

From the Shaker song Simple Gifts,
written by Joseph Brackett, Jr. in 1848

There's a lot of talk these days about finding balance in our lives. I know it's certainly something I'm always after... a way to be healthy yet enjoy good food; finding time for myself vs. time for community involvement... slowing down to smell the roses yet getting everything done I want to do in a day.

I know you understand exactly what I'm talking about.

I can get distracted and off balance from seeing something in my house that I should take care of, or something I want to do. So as I'm doing one thing, I stop and do another thing, then forget what the first thing was as I begin to do yet a third thing.

Again, I bet that sounds familiar to many of you.

For me, finding balance in my life involves two things: slowing down enough to plan my day, and simplifying my life enough to focus on what's really most important. I don't know about you, but I can SO easily get pulled in twenty different directions (I can even do it to myself!) unless I know what I want to accomplish, and follow the plan. And the plan comes out of knowing what matters most to me.

We've known for many months that our oldest would be moving out at some point this year. I knew that when she left, I wanted to make her room into a guest room. When she was here, my sewing room served also as a guest room/home office/library/mess. I let the room get out of control with too much stuff stacked here and there. It's amazing how much stress that kind of chaos causes for me!

So I've finally taken the time to get things organized once again. And I decided it would be a great time to de-clutter and simplify. I donated three huge boxes of books to our local library; I sent another three boxes of miscellaneous stuff to Goodwill. These are all things I've thought I HAD to have around me. But in the end, it was just stuff taking up space in my house and weighing down my spirit. I simplified it down to the things that matter most to me, and I let the rest of it go.

My daughter left her bed but took her linens with her when she moved, so I needed to start from scratch setting up the guest room. The photo above is the chenille bedspread I ordered. The room looks nothing like the one pictured, but you get the idea. The bedspread is soft and plain and simple. My plan is to finish off one of the many UFO (unfinished objects, otherwise known as quilts!) I have going and lay it at the foot of the bed, with a matching pillow at the head of the bed. I've moved my office into the guest room, too - and organized shelves within the closet to keep all my records and files.

The sewing room has been organized as well, with labeled bins for fabrics, notions, and those aforementioned UFO's. I moved my sewing machine under the window for more light, and so I can look outside as I work. Hubby put together a small bookcase in there so I have a spot for my quilting books now. There's even room to add a plant, to bring some greenery into the room.

I'm truly breathing much easier today, now that so much stuff has gone away, and my home is organized. I posted last week about cleaning the garbage foods out of my kitchen. That's made a huge impact on my ability to eat healthy this past week. I'm not fooling myself: I've lived long enough to know that I'll have to do this again in a year or so: being a pack-rat is part of my personality (especially when it comes to books!)

But I've made a vow to work toward balance in my life -- my health, my family, my creativity and volunteer work -- and much of that begins by simplifying my environment.

How about you?

Until next time...

I Blew It!

2008-07-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

Boy, is my face red.

In yesterday's post, I left off one of the best entries in my Par-tay with Attitude Contest.

Deborah over at A Mountain of Weight to Lose wrote a fabulous post about ADHD: Attitude, Diligence, Habit and Determination. How could I have forgotten to list it yesterday? It was one of my favorites!

Deborah, a public apology goes out to you. I am so sorry, and I hope you can forgive my perimenopausal memory. I use the expression quite often these days of having a "Swiss cheese moment," when my head seems to be full of holes. Yesterday was a major Swiss cheese post! Please forgive me, and email me your address so I can send off a little nine-patch mini-mini quilt for you, as well (qdinca@aol.com).

I think they'll be a whole bunch of crow included with your prize!

How embarrassing! Please let me know if I've forgotten anyone else. And thank you, Cammy, for the gentle reminder.

Until next time...

And The Winner Is...

2008-07-11T06:27:00.000-07:00

One characteristic of winners is they
always look upon themselves as a
do it yourself project. ~ Denis Waitley

It's time to announce the winner of the Par-Tay with Attitude Summer Blog Contest!

I've taken far too long to do this, for two reasons: 1) It was hard to pick just one person to win the table runner and, 2) I've been trying like crazy to get the table runner finished! You know that old expression, "My eyes were bigger than my stomach"? A version of that applies to this contest: "My heart is bigger than my quilting skills!" I really was hoping to have it done and ready to mail, but there you go: life gets in the way.

So, without further ado, the winner of the contest is:

Every one who entered!

I'm serious! The bloggers who choose to post about how attitude changes everything are all winners in my book, and as such, they deserve a prize. I knew I couldn't do a table runner for everyone (or I'd be sewing until this time next year. Yeah, I'm that slow!) So I'm creating something like this for the runner-ups:

It won't be anything fancy: just a simple nine-patch block done in those fun fruit fabrics. Let it remind you to eat more fruits and vegetables, something we can all improve on (me included!)

Here is the top of the table runner, which I need to quilt and bind...

I'm lousy at taking pictures of my projects, so the color looks really flat. Believe me, the colors are anything but bland! Here's a close-up of one of the blocks:

And this bright reminder of why attitude changes everything will go to:

Rebecca at Ready Maid

Her post about her life-long struggle with weight and self-esteem really hit home for me. By reading the experts, then adopting her own 'can-do' attitude, she's been able to make some powerful changes in her personal life. Rebecca, thanks for being a shining example of how Attitude Changes Everything!

Here is a list/link to all the winners.

Jill at Life with Nature Girl
Karen at Never 2 Many Quilts
Manuela at A New Decade
Terry at Quilt Nut

Please drop by their blogs and give them a note of congratulations. And ladies, please email me your mailing address so I can send your prize to you as soon as it's finished. (qdinca@aol.com)

And while you're at it, why not drop by Scale Junkie and thank Diana for thinking up and coordinating this whole Summer Block Party idea. She's the mastermind behind it all, so be sure to toast her with a diet drink, with a fun umbrella in it!

Winners, your posts on attitude were terrific!

For me, that's what this journey called life is all about. There isn't a whole lot in this world we can control: we can't control the weather; we can't control the price of gas; we can't even control how fast those of us who give out prizes get the darn things done! :-)

But one thing we have 100% control over, 100% of the time, is our attitude.

May yours always be positive!

Until next time...

Feeling Hopeful

2008-07-09T06:31:00.001-07:00

A woman is like a tea bag.
You never know how strong she is
until she gets into hot water. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

First, I must tell you how overwhelmed I am by the outpouring of support I received from my "meltdown" post. Thank you to every one of you who took time to write some of the kindest, most compassionate words I've ever read.

I am feeling much better about this journey, and took some good steps yesterday to set my feet on the path to being well. The first step was getting rid of the unhealthy food I have allowed back into my life. The full container of ice cream (the real stuff) went down the garbage disposal, followed by two containers of full-fat/full-sugar coffee creamer (which I love, but I seem to drink more creamer than coffee in the morning.) I packed up the cookies, chips, and crackers, and sent them to work with hubby. His staff will gobble them up.

The next action step yesterday was writing down what I ate. As much as I fight doing this, I'm always amazed by the sense of calm I feel when I do it. Maybe it's a feeling of control? Maybe it's about focus? Whatever it is, it helps me to see what I've put in my mouth. I worked on adding more fruits and veggies into my day (who can say no a tomato picked fresh from the garden?) My food day was not "perfect," and I'm ok with that because it's one heckuva lot better than the day that preceded it!

One step, one day at a time.

* * * * *

When I led Weight Watcher meetings, I used to give away to my members a little bookmark I'd made with the ABC's of Successful Weight Loss. I think it applies to any goal we've set for ourselves, any time we're trying to make positive changes. I'm listing my thoughts here from three years ago, to remind me of what that smart woman back then knew:

Accept responsibility for your choices and actions.

Believe that you're worth the time and the effort.

Commit and don't quit until your dreams come true.

Here's to all of us living lives of good health and joy!

Until next time...

I Need Help

2008-07-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

Eating everything you want is not that much fun.

When you live a life with no boundaries,

there’s less joy. ~ Tom Hanks

First: For those of you who entered, I’ll be announcing the winner of my contest at some point this week. I promise!

* * * * *

I am the queen of a positive attitude. I believe with all my heart that how we think about the world becomes how we experience the world. So I try to always look at the good in every situation, to smile at others so they'll pass it along to someone else, to stay optimistic.

Well, the queen is having an attitude meltdown and needs some help.

I have issues with food. Some people can’t handle alcohol; others can’t handle gambling. Some people turn to drugs for comfort, others run up their credit cards.

Me? I eat. Waaaay too much. Food becomes little green monster that rules my life.

This is not news. I've had this problem since I was a child. But what continues to surprise me, at the ripe old age of 51, is that I still abuse food - even though I know better. I know it never meets my needs; I know it causes my body tremendous harm. I know these things, yet I eat food that's bad for me, and way too much of it.

I have GERD - you know, that condition they call acid reflux? It gets worse as I gain weight and right now, it's the worst it's ever been because my weight is the highest it's ever been. I had a bad attack at 2:00 this morning, and as I sat here desperate to breathe without the burning, sipping baking soda water to neutralize the acid in my esophagus, I just kept thinking, "Why? Why do you do this? Why did you eat that big steak for dinner, knowing this could happen?"

I have spent my entire life as an overweight person. The only time I have been at a normal weight was when I lost 50 pounds with Weight Watchers a few years back. It took me two years to lose the weight (I had many lessons to learn!) and I kept it off successfully for a little over two years. Then I gained it all back within seven months, and gradually have put on another 15 pounds. I say this only to put things into context...

I know I can lose the weight. I did it once; I can do it again. But what's taken the place of my usual positive attitude in this instance is cynicism. There is a voice inside me that says, "Why bother trying: you're just going to gain it all back again."

Does that sound familiar to anyone?

I hit a wall at 2:00 this morning. It’s time to make changes back to the things that used to feel so good. I loved walking every day; I loved searching out new fruits and veggies to try. I loved watching my medications disappear one by one, as I got more and more healthy (the pill for GERD was the first to go.) And I loved having the energy to live the kind of life I enjoy. I do NOT want to make this journey about the number on the scale. I want it to be about vigor and health, about having the strength to embrace and experience life as I want to live it.

I am humbled once again by how hard this process is. When I lost those 50 pounds, I think I got cocky and felt that I’d never gain them back. Hell, I was an enthusiastic and insightful Weight Watcher leader: I had all the answers! I had done tremendous internal work about why I overate – I was cured!

But I’m not cured, and I never will be.

(sigh) The journey begins once again.

Until next time…

Freedom Isn't Free

2008-07-03T06:26:00.001-07:00

Seek freedom and become captive of your desires.

Seek discipline and find your liberty.

~ Frank Herbert

I finished my training to teach adults to read last week, and now I’m jumping through the hoops required in order to tutor through the country probation offices. One of those hoops is getting fingerprinted, as part of a background check they’ll do on me. I had to go up to the juvenile justice center yesterday, and it was an interesting experience. After I filled in the paperwork, they asked me to take my purse back to my car and lock it up. They then led me through a maze of locked doors, into the fingerprinting area. There were doors all around marked "holding cell." As we were finishing, two officers brought in a young man in hand cuffs and made him stand facing one of the doors until we left. He looked so young. I wondered what he'd done.

I just kept thinking of that expression, "Freedom isn't free." Usually we think of that in terms of those who bravely defend our country. But there are prices those of us at home pay for freedom, as well. One of them is following the law. If you can't do that, then you lose your liberty. I can't imagine how it felt to be that young man, facing a cell and whatever the future holds for him.

But there are other prices we pay to be free. No matter what we want in life, we must give up something to get it. I’m thinking in terms of personal freedom here, of making our lives better. And I’m not preaching: this is a lesson I’m thinking about a great deal and am taking very personally today.

If you want to own a home, you have to pay the price of going without the extras so you can pay your bills on time and build your credit. If you don’t want to smoke any more, you have the pay the price of withdrawal until the cravings go away (the good news is that they will go away: it’s 20 years and counting since I smoked!) If you want to live at a healthy weight, you've got to pay the price by committing to the hard and continuous work it takes to get there and stay there.

The greater the value of what you want personally, the greater the sacrifice you will have to make. There are no short cuts, no detours.

Freedom isn’t free. There is a price to be paid if we want to make our lives better. But more importantly, there is a price that will be paid if we do nothing and leave things as they are.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone. Let freedom ring!

Until next time...

The Party's Over

2008-07-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

If you don't like something change it;

if you can't change it, change the way

you think about it. ~ Mary Engelbreit

My portion of the Summer Blog Party 2008 is over. The Par-Tay with Attitude! contest is officially closed. Thank you to everyone who entered.

But this doesn't mean people can't continue to post about how attitude makes a difference when you're trying to make positive changes in your life. It's a subject I find fascinating, so I hope you'll let me know if you decide to write something. There may not be a prize involved for focusing on the positive, but the personal rewards are immeasurable.

That being said, there are three more entries in the contest that you've gotta check out!

Nana Karen at Never 2 Many Quilts posted about how attitude made a difference when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Wow! She's a seven-year survivor so I think she knows what she's talking about!

Manuela at A New Decade took time out between running and gardening to write a thoughtful post about how a positive attitude has made a huge difference in this new phase of her life. Happy Canada Day to you, girl!

And finally, dear Rebecca at Ready Maid got in under the wire last night with a great post about why her attitude is making a difference in her weight loss journey this time around. "My body manifested my thoughts." I love that phrase!

Now comes the hard part: choosing a winner. I'm going to take a few days to read over each post again before I make a decision. That also gives me time to work on the runner a bit more (sneaky, eh?) I spent time on Saturday with friends, who helped me pick out the fabric for the borders. Wait until you see it: no one will ever be able to say the runner isn't bright and cheerful!

Happy July, everyone! I'm kind of a patriotic sap, so I love this time of year. Back home in Utah, it's a month long celebration of spirit and pride. We'd start the month with the traditional Fourth of July festivities, but the 24th of July marked the arrival of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake valley. It was (and still is) a huge celebration (whether you're Mormon or not) of statehood, country, mom and apple pie!

I know things are rough right now in our country: high gas prices, high food prices, the mortgage mess, flooding and/or wildfires (depending on where you live) not to mention a divisive presidential campaign. Let's all do what we can to help one another get through this, and continue to focus on all that's good in our lives. I believe with all my heart that if we seek out the positive, that's what we'll find because attitude really does change everything!

Until next time...

Projects

2008-06-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

When you go the extra mile,

you are seldom delayed by a traffic jam. ~ Zig Ziglar

The deadline is fast approaching for the Par-tay with Attitude! Summer Blog Party contest, but there's still time to enter. The rules are simple: write a post on your blog about why and how attitude makes a difference when you're working to live a healthy lifestyle. Link your post back to my blog, and you're entered: it's that easy!

My favorite entry will win a quilted table-topper I'm creating out of the fun fabrics pictured above. Talk about a bright reminder to eat your fruits and veggies every day! The last day to enter is Monday, June 30th, so put on your thinking caps and and answer one question: does attitude really change everything?

* * * * *

As you can see by the photo above, I've just started on the table runner project. I've been busy the last two weeks working on an altogether different kind of endeavor. This is what my back yard looked like for a few days...

No, I haven't gone into the hardware business! I've been creating awards to thank my fellow Master Gardener volunteers.

Last night was our annual Volunteer Recognition dinner. I was approached by the organization's volunteer coordinator to think up and create some fun awards - light-hearted things that would still make note of each person's valuable contribution to the program. She and I sat down and did some brainstorming over her list of people she wanted to recognize. There were about two dozen awards in all. The spray-painted items above turned into the following:

The Golden Trowel Award, for service above and beyond.

The Sterling Communicator Award, for the people who handle all our internal email.

The Golden Nozzle Award, for a couple of folks who faithfully water the gardens at the farm where the Master Gardener program is based.

We shared a yummy dinner in the big red barn, did a little organizational business, then heard a fascinating talk about the revival of Victory Gardens around the country (given the high price of fuel, which is driving the cost of food sky-high, their resurgence makes perfect sense, doesn't it?) We then handed out the awards. I think everyone was pleased: it's always good to be recognized for going the extra mile. And I was thanked with a gift of darling tote bag. That was a nice surprise!

I have to be honest, though: I'm glad that project is behind me. Now I can go back to what I love doing most: quilting!

Until next time...

Life Goes On

2008-06-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

How lucky I am to have something

that makes saying goodbye so hard.

~ Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie

My oldest stepdaughter Katie is settled into her new home in San Jose. She's pictured above with her boyfriend Devin, in front of the house they're renting. It's a cute place, perfect for them for now.

It felt like a long drive home, knowing that the house would be empty when we got here. But I was looking forward to making one stop along the way. We pulled off in Arroyo Grande, so I could visit my favorite little store, Susan Branch's Heart of the Home.

Guess what? They're closed on Sundays!

I stood outside with my nose pressed against the window, looking at all the lovely items I couldn't buy (which was probably for the best, given my melancholy mood!) The store is three hours away from my home, so it's not like I can go there whenever it strikes my fancy. I was so disappointed.

So it felt all the more special yesterday when I found at my door a package from my "sister" Marci:

She had sent this charming book by Susan Branch, filled with recipes and Branch's darling illustrations and stories. It's out-of-print, but Marci found a copy and knew I would cherish it. I've been taking my time, reading it slowly and savoring every page. Thank you, Sis!

So now that the move is over, life goes on...

I did some grocery shopping yesterday. The young man placed my purchases into plastic bags and I happily headed out to my car. I opened my trunk and what did I see?

THE CLOTH GROCERY BAGS I WAS SO EXCITED TO USE!

I swear, sometimes I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached. So now I have a cloth bag on the passenger seat of my car, to remind me to take the darn things into the store next time I go.

Katie may have moved out, but her stepmom still has a memory like Swiss cheese!

Until next time...

Life Is Good

2008-06-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

While we try to teach our children all about life,

Our children teach us what life is all about.

~ Angela Schwindt

I've had another entry in the Par-tay with Attitude! Summer Blog Contest. Wonderfully creative Jill at Life with Nature Girl has written a terrific post about choosing one's attitude. I especially love that she's passing these ideas on to her child, the darling little "nature girl" mentioned in the blog's title. Check out Jill's post, and maybe pick up the book she mentions next time you're in the market for a good children's story. Keep scrolling through until you see some of the photos of that sweet little girl.

I hope you're thinking about what you want to write, so you can enter the contest. I'm working slowly but surely on creating the quilted table runner. Those fruit and veggie fabrics are so much fun to work with! See the details here.

* * * * *

Well, only one more day until my oldest stepdaughter moves out. Not only out, but away! I mentioned in a previous post that she's moving to San Jose, which is about six hours north of here. Not too bad, I know: at least she'll still be in the same state! I finally finished her quilt, the one I started last year and hoped to complete by her January birthday. HA! I almost made that deadline, all but the binding. When I knew she was moving, I vowed to get it all done so she could take it with her. Here's a photo:

I wish you could see the detail in the fabrics she chose: the purple batik is especially pretty. And no, I didn't do the quilting: I had a long-arm quilter do it.

Now, can anyone give me suggestions on how to take better photos of my quilts?? They're just not an easy thing to photograph!

I guess I'm feeling a little melancholy, now that the last daughter is leaving home. But I have to tell you just what a lucky woman I am. I could never have children of my own, so the good Lord brought into my life a man who had four children, three of whom had lost their mother when they were very young. I've never tried to take their mom's place, but I sure feel fortunate to be able to share with them all the maternal feelings I have inside. Sometimes that includes wanting to strangle them (and I'm sure the feeling is, at times, mutual!) But most often, what I feel for them is love, pure and simple. I consider myself incredibly blessed to be where I am today.

Life is good!

Until next time...

What’s Your Priority?

2008-06-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Don't be a time manager; be a priority manager.

~ Denis Waitley

I facilitate a gathering of women that meets every Monday morning, called the Healthy Lifestyle Group. It's a special interest group of our local branch of the American Association of University Women. We support each other in eating more nutritiously, being more active, and keeping a positive attitude.

This morning, I asked those present to do some brainstorming with me about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Besides the obvious of eating in moderation and exercising, we came up with the following:

* Keeping a journal - both of food eaten, and of feelings/attitudes
* Setting goals, and building in rewards all along the way
* Breaking old habits, which starts by being aware that they exist
* Eating at home as often as possible, so we control what goes in our bodies
* Prioritizing: what's really most important?
* Making time for yourself

That last one is hard for many people, I think especially so for women. We're trained from an early age to take care of those around us. We can become so busy that it's hard to make sure we're on our own to-do list every day.

But I know that making yourself a priority is crucial to living a healthy lifestyle. It isn’t about being selfish. It doesn’t mean that we stop taking care of the people and commitments in our lives: it means that we have more energy to do it! It means we’re saner and calmer, and have more to give to those we love because we care enough to give to ourselves first. It also means that we’re teaching our children and grandchildren to love and respect themselves by setting a good example of what self-care is all about.

Just like any other new habit we're working to adopt, making yourself a priority takes time. We must stay conscious every day of doing something good for ourselves - something that feeds our spirit, nurtures our body, and promotes our good health. It may be hard to squeeze in that time, but aren't you worth it?

There's an old expression that says we make time for what's most important in our lives. So let me ask you this:

Where are you on your priority list?

* * * * *

There's still time to enter my Summer Blog Party Attitude Changes Everything Contest! For all the details, click here.

Until next time...

Go Ahead - Hug a Tree

2008-06-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

We shall require a substantially new

manner of thinking if mankind

is to survive. ~ Albert Einstein

Egad! I pulled into our local cheap-o gas station today, and just about fainted. I paid $4.63 a gallon -- at the cheap station! It was $4.67 at a Mobil station I passed on the way home. I keep hearing predictions that we're going to reach a national average of $5.00 a gallon before the end of summer.

Folks, I think we'll hit that here in southern California by the end of this month.

It's really getting scary, isn't it? The price of fuel is driving up the price of everything these days: groceries, manufactured goods that have to be transported, air travel -- you name it. I'm truly not a doomsayer, but it does make me wonder when it's going to end?

One piece of good news that I ran into today: Albertsons, one of our local supermarket chains in here in the West, was giving away a free cloth grocery bag with every $50 spent. I got three free bags today (see previous note about the rising cost of food!) and I bought three more bags for a dollar each. I've been meaning to convert to cloth grocery bags for a while now, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been thinking along those lines. Kudos to Albertsons for pushing me to do something easy that's also good for the environment.

Now, if I can just remember to get them out of my trunk each time I shop!

I have never consider myself to be an environmentalist per se, but my eyes are sure being opened to what the rising cost of fuel is doing to the world. I'm horrified by the stories I read and hear on the news lately: people are going hungry because of the high price of food? Here we are, a nation of overweight people (myself included) who have an abundance of food, while people in Afghanistan and elsewhere can't afford to buy bread. What's wrong with this picture??

I don't think anyone can argue that things need to change. I can't make an impact on what OPEC charges for a barrel of oil. But I can use cloth grocery bags, and drive less often, and buy produce from my local farmers market. Every little bit helps.

How about you? I'm interested in hearing about the small (and large) things you do to help the environment. Maybe we can all learn from each other and together, make a bigger impact

Until next time...

Goodbye to the Halls of Justice

2008-06-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

I'm convinced that every boy, in his heart,

would rather steal second base

than an automobile. ~Tom Clark

Today is my last day to serve as a federal grand jury member. It’s hard to believe so much time has gone by: I’ve been doing this every Friday since February. How is it possible that we’re now in the middle of June?

The good news is that for whatever reason, they’re releasing us early. We were supposed to serve until August. I sure won’t miss getting up at 0-dawn-hundred on Friday mornings, or that nasty freeway drive into Los Angeles, and coming home in Friday afternoon traffic.

But what I will miss are the people with whom I’ve served. This experience really bonded a number of us, and we look forward to seeing each other every week. I don’t even know their last names…

There’s Alex, who twice brought me blood oranges from the tree in his back yard, and Bill, who works as a location manager for the television industry. He has the quickest sense of humor: we keep each other laughing! Then there's Betty, who will retire next year after 35 years of teaching second grade; Kenny, a tall, skinny dude who lives in Compton, and always asks about whatever hand-quilting project I've brought with me that week. Ben is quiet and thoughtful, sings in a band and has bright-red spiked hair; Alison, who is doing Weight Watchers and has lost 60 pounds, works at Disneyland, in the shops on Main Street.

Our group of 24 (the amount required for a federal grand jury) really is a cross section of America: young and old; black, brown, white; male and female; seemingly wealthy to seemingly not-so. We're an interesting mix, and I will miss seeing them.

We’ve also heard our fair share of note-worthy cases, everything from counterfeiting and bank robbery, to passport fraud and assault on a postal worker (which is a federal crime – who knew?) The child pornography cases were few and far between, which was a blessing. Those were the worst. The drug cases were numerous, and almost got boring in their repetitious nature. But I have to share one with you that made our day last Friday. It’s a little crass, but it’s all true!

We only had two cases that morning, both of them drug cases. In the second one, the defendant had crack cocaine in his pockets, and he was trying to hide it before he was arrested. The United States Attorney was questioning the D.E.A. witness and asked (and I quote), "Isn't it true that the defendant tried to hide the packets of crack between his butt checks, in his anal canal?" The agent somberly answered, "Yes."

Do you have ANY idea how hard it was for all of us to keep from laughing out loud? You should have heard the eruption when the attorney and the agent left the room so we could deliberate. I mean, crack in the crack?? It doesn't get much better than that!

And on that note folks, I’m off to serve my last day!

Until next time…

Quilters are the Best!

2008-06-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

We must give more in order to get more.
It is the generous giving of ourselves
that produces the generous harvest.

~ Orison Swett Marden

We've got another entry in the Attitude Changes Everything Summer Blog Party -- this time, from a fabulous quilter!

Terry over at Quilt Nut has written a touching reminder that each one of us has the ability to choose how we go through life. We can be scared and stay within our small comfort zone, or we can spread our wings and get out into the world, giving ourselves the opportunity to grow and to thrive. As she points out, it's not easy, but the rewards are sure worth it. Check out her post. Terry, you rock! Thanks for entering.

For details on how you can enter the contest - and what you might win! - click here.

* * * * *

I titled this post Quilters are the Best because it's true! My blogger friend Mary (Needled Mom) and I attended our second meeting of a local quilt guild yesterday. I learned that the guild has several small groups that do quilts for charities, then three times a year, they have representatives from those charities come to the guild meeting and accept the quilts. Yesterday was one of those meetings. We got to hear from each group: what they do, some of their success stories, and how the quilts make a difference to the women and children these organizations help. Then the quilts were paraded around the room so we could all ooh and aah over them.

Folks, this one guild gave away 202 quilts yesterday! Isn't that amazing? And I know this effort goes on in quilt groups all over the country. Our guild's quilts went to places that house mothers and kids in crisis, the neo-natal unit of one of our local hospital, another place that helps troubled teenaged girls. It was an amazing experience, to not only see the talent and artistry of the quilt makers, but to glimpse their generous hearts, as well.

* * * * *

As Mary pointed out yesterday, this is a great time of year to be reading blogs because everyone's posting pictures from their garden. So, I'm jumping on the bandwagon! My hydrangea has its first mop-head ball. Isn't it beautiful?

And my one lone tomato plant, which flourishes in a half-whiskey barrel outside my bedroom window, actually has a few tomatoes that are almost ready for harvest - in June!

I can hardly wait until one of them is ripe enough to pick and eat right off the vine. In my humble opinion, there isn't much in this world that tastes better than that!

Until next time...

You Go, Girl!

2008-06-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples,

don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~Bill Meyer

Well folks, Deborah over at A Mountain of Weight to Lose has thrown down the gauntlet! She's the first to complete a fabulous post about the ways attitude makes a difference when trying to get healthy. She's come up with a clever way to work it around the term ADHD.

And she knows what she's talking about. Check out her weight loss stats and see how far she's come. You're doing a great job, Deborah. YOU GO, GIRL! -- and thanks for entering the Summer Blog Party contest.

Who's next? :-) For details, click here.

* * * * *

I also want to offer a YOU GO, GIRL! to my three stepdaughters. Each of them have made strides recently to move forward with their lives, either personally or professionally (or both.) The oldest will be moving out of our home and to a city five hours north of here on the 21st of this month. She's the last girl living at home... I'm feeling a case of empty-nest coming on! Katie, Lizzie, Megan: I am so happy for all you're doing, and am incredibly proud to be your stepmom!

* * * * *

Last, but far from least, a YOU GO, GIRL! to my sister Marilyn, who recently graduated as a Master Gardener in Salt Lake City. Not only did she pass the final exam, she aced it! Now she's working on getting in the required number of volunteer hours so she can become certified. She took her initial inspiration from my work at becoming a Master Gardener here in southern California, but she's far exceeded her little sister - and I'm so proud of her!

What about you? Is there a woman in your life today to whom you'd like to say YOU GO, GIRL! Life is too short: give them a shout out today!

Until next time...

Par-tay with Attitude!

2008-06-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party
because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
~ Nancie J. Carmody

Summer officially starts here in the U.S. on June 21st, but here in Blogland, we’re celebrating early. Diana over at Scale Junkie is coordinating a Summer Blog Party, and you’re invited to take part via my blog.

Woo hoo – it’s party time!

You know my thoughts about attitude. Heck, I think it changes everything! So my challenge to you is to write a post about how and why attitude makes a difference in your quest to live a healthy lifestyle.

I’m not just talking about trying to lose weight. We all know that people can be thin and still not be healthy. I’m talking about exercise and plenty of sleep; quiet time and group involvement; feeding both your body and your spirit in healthy ways. Moderation in all things.

In short, a healthy lifestyle is about living a life in balance. And it’s not an easy thing for any of us to do.

So what role does your attitude play? Take time to think about this, then dedicate a post on your blog** to how and why attitude makes a difference in living a healthy lifestyle. Link your post back to my blog, then let me know that you’ve entered the contest.

Contest? Did I say contest?

Doesn’t that mean a prize??

Why yes -- it does!

The person who writes the most compelling post (in my humble and very subjective opinion!) will win a quilted summer table runner, handmade by me. Here’s a photo of the fabrics (click on it to see more detail) which will help remind you to eat lots of fruits and veggies every day!

I’m not sure yet exactly what pattern this table-topper will use, so stay tuned: I’ll post photos as it is created. The contest will run through the end of June, with the prize being mailed in July (when I've finished it!)

** If you don't have a blog, but want to enter the contest, leave me a comment telling me so, along with your email address. I'll post your essay on my blog, with your persmission, so you can tell the world if you think attitude changes everything.

So, put on your thinking caps and, more importantly, search your heart to find out how your attitude affects your journey to be healthy and to live a life in balance.

Until next time…

Friends and Good Health

2008-06-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

Each friend represents a world in us,

a world possibly not born until they arrive. ~ Anäis Nin

All good things must come to an end. Isn't that what they say? My 15-week beginning quilting series is over. (sniff!)

Pictured above are my classmates and teacher (and literally, the teacher's pet: Zoey, the quilt shop dog.) Eileen (our instructor) is seated, holding the flowers we gave her on the last night of class. Standing behind her, left to right, are Carole, me, Sue and Heidi. We really bonded through this class, sharing family stories and tales of sewing woes. I think it's what women do best: talking, sharing, and providing a nurturing environment by really hearing what other women have to say. I don't believe we ever discussed anything earth-shattering during our time together. But I know that I always walked away from those weekly lessons feeling a bit more cared for and certainly more connected.

I was also usually exhausted from all we had learned about quilting in one evening!

I found an interesting article online called The Healing Power of Female Friendships, by Kathy English. Here's a small excerpt:

Actually, our girlfriends may play a far greater role in our lives than even the glam gals from Sex and the City -- today's poster girls for female friendships -- might imagine. New studies on women and stress provide strong evidence that those long gabfests with your girlfriends are vital to your health and may well help prolong your life. In June 2001, the renowned Harvard Medical School's Nurses' Health Study concluded that women's social networks play an important role in enhancing our health and quality of life. The study went so far as to conclude that not having at least one good confidante is as detrimental to a woman's health as being overweight or a heavy smoker [emphasis is mine].

Wow! I think that's a pretty powerful incentive for us to make sure we allow time for other women. We spend so much of each day working, caring for our children or grandchildren, keeping our houses clean and our partners fed, running errands, etc., etc. It's easy to put our female friendships on the back burner. After all, our friends are just as busy as we are, so who better to understand when we need to cancel a lunch get-together or a movie date?

But if we truly want to live a healthy life, we simply must make time to spend with our friends.

My oldest and dearest friends (including my sister and a cousin) are scattered around the globe: Boston, Georgia, Salt Lake, Idaho, and even Japan. The closest one is over 800 miles away. We keep in contact via emails, letters and phone calls, but I miss each one of them dearly. So having the opportunity to spend time with other women locally through classes, volunteer work or my weight support group is vital for my health, both emotionally and physically.

The same is true for you, don't you think?

I'm hoping that I'll see my quilting buddies again soon. We may take more classes together, and Carole is planning a barbecue for sometime in July. But even if our paths never cross again, my spirit has been fed by these wonderful gals. That's just what we women do for each other!

Until next time...

Learning to Read

2008-05-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.

~ Frederick Douglass

Did you know that 1 our of 4 high school graduates lack basic skills in reading and math? That's 25% of our society. But that number doesn't take into account the massive amount of people who dropped out before reaching graduation. Their skill levels are even lower.

I learned these startling facts yesterday when I attended my first training session to become a literacy tutor through our county library system.

Most illiterate adults have learned over the years how to mask their inability. They've gotten pretty good at covering up the fact that they have a low literacy level. So imagine for a moment what it must be like, to be an adult who can't read...

* You can't read a ballot, so you never vote.

* You can't write out a check, so you always deal in cash.

* Your child gets sick and you can't read the package labels to know what will make them feel better.

I also learned yesterday that most of the adults who seek literacy tutoring read at a fourth grade level. That's because our way of teaching children changes in the fourth grade. Prior to that, children are learning to read. In fourth grade, they start reading to learn: reading becomes the basis for learning history, science, math, etc. That's when some children begin to fall behind, and start learning ways to disguise the fact that they can't read.

I'm an avid reader: books, magazines, newspapers, blogs -- you name it. So it's hard for me to imagine how isolating life would feel if I couldn't read. I hope I can help change this for a few adults I'll be tutoring, once I'm fully trained. They won't turn me loose until sometime in July, which is a good thing because right now, I have no idea how to teach someone to read! I asked about that yesterday: I have no teaching experience - can I be an effective tutor? The facilitator said all that's required is compassion.

When an adult has the courage to step forward and say, "Help me: I don't know how to read," I feel nothing but compassion. How about you?

Until next time...

Fabric Flowers

2008-05-25T00:09:00.000-07:00

Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern;

it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that -

one stitch at a time taken patiently…

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

The last class of my beginning quilting series takes place this Thursday, and I’m glad it’s almost over. I’ve really enjoyed it, and I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible. But 15 weeks is a big chunk of time. It will be nice to have my Thursday nights free again.

I’m also anxious to move on to other quilt projects. In fact, I’ve started something new, a part of which is pictured above. This block design is called, I believe, Grandmother’s Flower Garden, but it’s made of little individual hexagons, so I think of it as a hexagon block. We did this block in the sampler quilt for class, and I fell in love with the technique. I dreaded doing it at first, thinking it would be tedious and boring, with all those tiny little stitches done by hand. But I love it. Sewing by hand is a great thing to do while I’m watching TV with hubby at night. I’ve also found it to be a lifesaver during those long Fridays when I’m serving as a federal grand juror. I can’t fall asleep and sew at the same time!

I’m using fabrics from my stash for this project. Last year, I bought a bunch of fat quarters of various Mary Englebreit fabrics off of Ebay. I had no idea what I’d do with them, but I had to have them! I’m finally putting them to good use. Each “flower” will be different, but they’re all made with her darling fabrics (if you click on either photo, you can see more details in her patterns.) Here’s another sample of one I have yet to start sewing together:

You can see the cheery little Engelbreit cherries in these hexagons. So cute!

Now, what should these “Mary” little flowers grow up to be? I truly can’t imagine doing an entire quilt made of nothing but these little 1-inch hexagons. I don’t think I’ve got that kind of patience! But maybe a table runner, or a wall hanging? Any suggestions?

Until next time…

A Walk on the Wild Side

2008-05-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

An animal's eyes have the power

to speak a great language.

~ Martin Buber

Look who came to visit my yard today! It's Peter Cottontale, or perhaps his cousin. Whoever he is, he's darn cute, isn't he (or she)? It's a good thing all my flowers and veggies are in pots, though. I wouldn't think he was so cute if he ate my plants.

I'm a little crazy about seeing animals in the wild. I've posted before about my passion for birds, but it goes beyond that. I love seeing creatures in their natural habitat (or in my yard - whichever happens first!) We live on the edge of some undeveloped areas and will occasionally see a coyote wandering the streets at dusk. We hear them howling almost every night. Our cats are indoor cats, and our dog Jenna is bigger than any of them, so I don’t worry. It's kinda cool to know they're out there.

My ex used to tease that I have a Snow White complex -- that I'd love nothing more than to sit in the forest and sing, gathering all the wild animals to me. I hate to admit it, but I think he was right! Can you imagine all of them snuggling up to you, with their cute little faces, not frightened or defensive, but drawn by your singing and your gentle nature?

Ok, I'll stop that train of thought before you all think I'm totally crazy (or is it too late?)

I mentioned in my last post that I'd touched a whale. To be more specific, I've touched the inside of a whale's mouth, actually stroked her baleen. It didn’t happen in an aquarium: it was in San Ignacio Bay, in the Pacific Ocean. The photo above isn’t me (obviously) but this is what the experience was like. I was escorting a group of museum members from Utah on an educational whale-watching trip to Baja, California. We were in boats that were a third the size of the gray whales that inhabited the bay. But the amazing thing is that the whales came to us, seeking our stroking and petting. They were/are incredibly gentle, playfully pushing the boats and as curious about us as we were of them. It truly was a life-altering experience.

I wasn’t singing, but it was likely as close to my Snow White fantasy as I’ll ever come!

All our plans are in place for our trip to Alaska this September, and we've chosen the various activities based on our odds of seeing wildlife. Puffins are number one on my list: I've never seen one, in captivity or in the wild. I'd love to see a bear or two, as well. I've seen bears in Yellowstone and even a few along the roadside in the forests of Wisconsin. But in the wilds of Alaska - that would be an experience! I don’t think we're going far enough north to see caribou, so I'll settle for deer and perhaps elk. Throw in a moose or two or three, some bald eagles, a few wild salmon, and I'll be a happy camper.

Go ahead and make me jealous: what wild animals have you seen (zoos don’t count)? And while you’re at it, tell me this:

Were you singing? :-)

Until next time…

California Dreaming

2008-05-20T23:32:00.001-07:00

For fast-acting relief, try slowing down. ~Lily Tomlin

Ah, vacations! Hubby and I just returned from a four-day get-away up the coast of California, where the weather was gorgeous and the days were relaxing.

That's me in the photo above, posing in front of one of my favorite little shops, Heart of the Home, in Arroyo Grande. Susan Branch is a wonderful illustrator who has branched out into books and fabric and all kinds of darling things that I just adore. You may not know her name but I bet you'd recognize her work (check her out here.) Her shop is about three hours from my home, so I don't often get there. But we had to make a stop on our way up the coast: I shopped; hubby strolled up and down Main Street!

We had planned on taking the 101 Freeway all the way up to Salinas, which would have taken us about two hours from Arroyo Grande. But we made a last minute change of plans at San Luis Obispo and decided to take Highway 1. This actually doubled our driving time to our hotel to four hours. But I'm so glad we did it! Look at this example of the scenery along the coast:

Isn't it stunning? The water and sky were incredibly blue the day we traveled. And that portion of the California coast is like no other: we were driving through redwood forests at Big Sur. It almost felt unreal.

We spent the next day in the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, which has to be one of the most charming places I've ever visited. I was there 30 years ago, and it really hasn't changed much in all that time. We walked up and down its quaint streets (my calves were so sore from hiking the hills!) stopping in various shops, widow shopping in many more. Then we visited the Mission at Carmel:

Hubby and I have a goal to one day see all 21 of the California missions: so far, we've seen eight. Carmel's is by far one of the prettiest.

After the Mission, we took the famous 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach, on the Monterey Peninsula. It was like being in another world! Again, we were in a forest, growing along the ocean's edge. It was late afternoon and the fog came rolling in through the trees. It was very ethereal and so lovely. Here's a shot of the iconic Lone Cypress:

Yesterday was spent indoors rather than out. We spent two hours going through the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas (where I had planned on buying a copy of East of Eden -- and they were out! Can you imagine?) Then we headed to Cannery Row in Monterey and spent over two hours going through the Monterey Bay Aquarium. What a great place! We saw otters and penguins and beautiful jellyfish. It's an outstanding facility, and 50,000 of our closest friends agreed (yes, it was very crowded!)

After all this education and enlightment, we needed an adult beverage. So we stopped at A Taste of Monterey, where we relaxed with a nice glass of local wine in front of a floor-to-ceiling window over looking Monterey Bay. That was lovely enough as it was. But all of a sudden, at the mouth of the bay, we saw this:

The photo is grainy, but I think you can tell that it's a whale. A small humpback was breaching there in the bay, right before our eyes! It jumped out of the water, turned somersaults, slapped the surface with its tale flukes - s/he was having a great time for about twenty minutes, and gave us quite a show. It was one of those magical moments you know you'll likely never experience again (although did you know that I've actually touched the inside of a whale's mouth? Not one on display: a live creature, out in the ocean -- one who was three times bigger than the tiny boat I was in. But that's a subject for another post one day!)

It was wonderful to be away, and it felt good today to come home. This trip was quick, but very special in many ways. I'm going to try hard to hang on to the relaxed, peaceful feelings I experienced and recall them when life stresses get to me.

Yes, I know: easier said than done!

Until next time...

Friday Five - Walking

2008-05-16T05:22:00.000-07:00

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good

for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult

than all the medicine and psychology in the world.

~Paul Dudley White

Lookie what I got! Yep, I bought my new walking shoes, and aren’t they a thing of beauty? It's purely coincidence that green is my favorite color.

They're made by Mizuno, a brand I'd not heard of before. I told the helpful man at the store that they put me in Brooks last time I bought good shoes, but that I wanted a little more cushion. After watching me walk and listening to my foot issues (I have a neuroma in both feet and wear orthotic inserts) he brought out these for me to try - and it was love at first toe-wiggle! The whole thing was a very positive experience, which I was glad for. Last time I bought good shoes, I was walking an hour a day, up hills and down. This time, not so much - and it shows. But the salesman treated me with respect and acted as if I am a competitive runner. It was a pleasant change from how us overweight folks can sometimes be treated.

So, in honor of my new shoes, and to bolster my motivation for actually using them, I present today's Friday Five:

Pattie's Top Five Reasons for Walking!

1. Increased energy. Man, I feel like such a slug these days! I want to regain the energy I had when I was more active: to be able to do anything I want and know that I'll have the stamina to see it through.

2. It's good for my emotional state. There's nothing better for lifting depression and helping me see the bright side of life. If I could bottle and sell the emotional benefits of walking, I'd be a rich woman!

3. Being outside. I love quilting. In fact, as you may have guessed, I've become rather passionate about it. But one sits inside when one quilts, and I've allowed myself to do more and more of that this past year. I want the feel of sun on my body! Besides, it's fun to check out the yards in the neighborhood!

4. Increased flexibility. All that sitting has not done good things for my muscles. It's hard for me to bend and reach and do the simplest things these days. I believe in the mantra of "use it or lose it." It's time to put my belief into action.

5. And finally, weight loss. When I led Weight Watchers meetings, I always used to tell my members that weight loss should be at the bottom of the list of reasons we exercise. And it's true. It's usually what motivates most of us to be more active. But there are SO many good reasons to be active. Weight loss is just an added benefit.

So there you have it: my reasons for buying new shoes and implementing a walking program. I feel a bit overwhelmed about it all because I know I'm starting from scratch - and that's a hard thing to do, physically and emotionally. But it's time. Change is in the wind.

How about you? Why do you like to walk/run?

Hubby and I are going away for a four-day weekend starting tomorrow, up the coast to Carmel and Monterey. I can hardly wait! We'll do plenty of walking, I know. It won't be quite the power-walking I enjoy doing, but every little bit counts!

Until next time...

Camaraderie

2008-05-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

In everyone’s life, at some time,

our inner fire goes out.

It is then burst into flame by an encounter with

another human being. ~ Albert Schweitzer

I posted yesterday about meeting some of my emotional needs by hanging out with like-minded people. Well, it happened today. I attended my first-ever quilt guild meeting.

No, it didn't look quite like the old-fashioned picture above (does anyone still quilt like that, I wonder?) It was a group of about 150 women of all ages, sizes and colors. I felt right at home!

I also went with the intention of meeting my blogging buddy Mary. We had exchanged emails, figuring out how we'd find each other, where we'd wait, etc. Turns out, we pulled up together at the same moment, and met in the parking lot. She's a very warm and open woman with the prettiest smile! I'm glad we've met in person and look forward to getting to know her.

Talk about a small world: the membership person for the guild is a former member of mine, back when I was a Weight Watcher leader. It was great to see her again! I think I'm getting a bit more comfortable when this happens: my first instinct was not to run and hide, so she couldn't see the weight I've regained. Nope, I went right up to her, held out my hand and re-introduced myself. I'm so glad I did. We chatted for a while and she told me how much she used to love coming to my meetings - how sweet was that?

So I think I've found a fun way to get a few of my emotional needs met. And you want to know what's interesting? As I drove away from the meeting, I found myself thinking that it's time to get new walking shoes. I got a gift certificate to a fitness shoe store for Christmas, and haven't used it yet. But today, it feels like it might be time.

Funny how that works, isn’t it? When we take care of ourselves emotionally, it puts us in a good place to want to take care of ourselves physically. I like when that happens!

Until next time…

Emotional Needs

2008-05-12T11:38:00.001-07:00

Your intellect may be confused,

but your emotions will never lie to you. ~ Roger Ebert

Hello - remember me? I used to blog at least a couple of times a week. My goodness, life has felt very out of control since I last wrote anything. I didn't have time to post my Friday Five (which was going to be about mothers.) I feel like I've barely had time to catch my breath. I realized late yesterday afternoon that I need to take control again and slow things down. I don't like feeling this frenzied!

But when I have had a moment to think, I've been doing some important internal work that I'd like to share. Some of you will remember that I was waiting to hear about a job I very much wanted, as the volunteer coordinator at our library. Well, I didn't get it. I was ok at first, but as the days went on, I grew increasing sad about it. And I began to wonder why. I've certainly been turned down for jobs in the past: why was this one getting to me? Hence, the soul-searching.

I realized that I was looking forward to working again for the following reasons:

1. To be part of something bigger than my little world of homemaking, quilting, gardening, etc.

2. To work for a "cause." With a few brief exceptions, I've always worked in the non-profit sector, and the more purpose-driven the organization, the better I liked it.

3. More social interaction with like-minded people.

I've spent time over this past week, thinking of ways I can get these same needs met without going back to work full time. I've committed to some activities that I believe will help:

1. I've agreed to serve as chair of the Education Foundation Committee for our local branch of the American Association of University Women. I've been a member for a couple of years now, taking part in the various personal interest groups like the Daytime Literature group and the Good Health group (which I lead.) But this responsibility will get me more involved with the mission of AAUW, which is advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. There's a good cause if ever there was one! (Find out more at their website: AAUW.)

2. I start training at the end of this month to become a literacy tutor for adults. I've always had tremendous respect and admiration for those adults who can stand up and say that they don't know how to read, and want to learn. I look forward to introducing motivated individuals to the world of reading street signs, newspapers, books, etc. Again, what a great cause!

3. I'm joining one of our local quilt guilds tomorrow. It will be great to meet other woman (and men) who are as passionate about this hobby as I am. The group I'm joining offers opportunities to participate in charity quilting, as well. We'll see: it might be fun just to ooh and ahh over the work the more experienced quilters produce.

And you want to hear what a small world it is? There's a wonderful quilting blog I love to read called Needled Mom. Turns out Mary lives right here in my county, just miles from my house! We're hoping to meet in person tomorrow at the guild meeting.

So, there's my plan for meeting my current emotional needs. I'm hoping that by getting that part of my life in order, I can pay more attention to my physical needs, as well. But that's a subject for a different day!

[As an aside... you may have noticed that I've posted a new photo of myself. The previous photo was taken a few years ago, when I was at my Weight Watcher thinnest. I hated using it here, since I gained the weight back, but I didn't have a more current photo -- until yesterday. That's me as I am today: overweight but loving life and laughing as often as possible!]

How about you? What are you doing to make sure your emotional needs are being met?

Until next time...

Quilting Frenzy

2008-05-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

Really I don't dislike to cook, but what you

cook is eaten so quickly. When you sew,

you have something that will last to

show for your efforts. ~ Elizabeth Travis Johnson

I have been a quilting fool these last 36 hours! But I'm happy to say that I have only one block to tackle today and then I'll be ready for class tomorrow night.

We're making a sampler quilt, which means that each of the 20 blocks are a different traditional quilt pattern. They all use the same eight fabrics, however. This week, we'll pick out the sashing -- the fabric strips that will go in between all the blocks, which will unify the whole project.

The block above took almost all day yesterday to do. It's a take-off of the traditional Drunkard's Path pattern. Can I just tell you that all those curves were HUGE challenge for this fairly new quilter? I thought I'd never finish! But I'm pleased with how it turned out.

This block is called Flower Garden, and is all hand-stitched. Each little hexagon is stitched individually, then they're all hand-sewn together then appliquéd onto the background fabric. I don't care for appliqué (simply because I'm not very good at it yet) but I loved creating this block.

This pattern is called 54-40 or Fight. I'm very pleased with the outcome, although the upper left corner looks a little wonky. Not sure what I did there, but I guess that's why I'm a beginning quilter, eh?

The name of that block comes from a territory dispute between the US and Britain over the boundary of Canada and the Oregon Territory. For me, this is an added bonus of quilting: I'm a history buff, and there are such rich stories behind these traditional blocks. For instance, the Drunkard's Path pattern was a symbol of support for the temperance movement of the early 20th century. I enjoy learning about that piece of quilting.

Hopefully at some point in the next few months, I'll be able to post a photo of the completed quilt. Stay tuned!

Until next time...

Healthy You Check-In

2008-05-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

Ah, how good it feels! The hand of an old friend.

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I am way behind on my quilt blocks, which are all due for this Thursday night's class. So I'm posting Monday night for my Healthy You Check-in.

In short, the week was terrible as far as eating and exercise went.

But it was wonderful as far as nurturing my heart and spirit is concerned.

My dear friend Scott visited hubby and I this weekend. It was a short trip, so we tried to pack in as much as possible. We ate dinner by the ocean Saturday night, then played a board game here at home. Hubby had a commitment Sunday morning, so Scott and I went to breakfast then the three of us attended a Pink Martini concert that afternoon, as part of the Ventura Music Festival (if you don't know their music, treat yourself and download a tune or two.) We had drinks afterward by the ocean, then dinner at a fabulous Italian bistro where a friend is the head chef. This morning Scott and I again had breakfast while hubby was flying to Chicago on business. We shopped for books and music (our favorite past-time!) then I took him to the airport. It was an enjoyable weekend filled with good food, great drinks and fun activities.

But the best part was having time to visit face-to-face with an old friend. Scott and I have been through hell and high water together and have always been there to support one another in life's adventures. He makes me laugh and helps my heart feel light.

I can’t help thinking that on this journey of good health, laughter and a joyful spirit are just as important as diet and exercise -- maybe even more so. Having a dear friend close by is good medicine! So I do see this past week as a success on an emotional level.

But Scott and I both know the value of getting in exercise every day. So we've committed to one another that we'll be more active: not for the sake of the scale, but for our hearts and minds. He'll be walking in Utah and I'll be walking in California, but we'll stay connected through it all.

After all, it's that heart-felt connection that old friends do best.

Until next time...

Friday Five - Romantic Comedies

2008-05-02T05:09:00.000-07:00

There is a place you can touch a woman
that will drive her crazy. Her heart.
- from the movie Milk Money

First, as always, thanks to everyone who left a comment on last week’s Friday Five about flowers. I think it was a perfect timing to think about blossoms, given that many folks are still dealing with cold weather. It’s a good thing we have beautiful photos and a strong imagination, so we know that spring will eventually arrive!

This week’s list was really tough, not because I don’t enjoy the topic but because I perhaps enjoy it too much. It was nearly impossible to narrow my list to only five! I started by noting about fifteen sigh-inducing movies, then took out those that were romantic but not comedies (like Titanic, or Gone with the Wind.) Then I asked myself which ones I could watch over and over again. And that’s how I came up with this week’s list, which is alphabetical and not necessarily in order of preference. If you haven’t seen one that’s noted, treat yourself and rent it.

So, coming soon to a DVD player near you...

Pattie’s Top Five Romantic Comedies

1. The American President. I love a good 'opposites-attract' theme. And it was fun thinking how our country would react if a sitting president actually - gasp! - starting dating!

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding. This one made me wish I were Greek, with a strong family tradition and lots of crazy family members. John Corbett wouldn't be so bad, either!

3. Shakespeare in Love. Ahhh... Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts. The romance in this is certainly splendid, but I also love the clever screenplay which shows us how old Bill supposedly came up with his famous lines.

4. Sleepless in Seattle (pictured above.) Who can resist the pairing of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan? Throw in that darling little boy and the An Affair to Remember theme, and I'm a goner!

5. Love Actually. This movie makes my top five list because it shows the wonders of all kinds of love, not just romantic love. The cast is fabulous, the music's fun, and it takes place at Christmas time. I'm in heaven!

So that's it for this week's Friday Five. How about you? What’s your favorite romantic comedy?

Until next time…

There Was a Little Girl...

2008-04-29T05:01:00.000-07:00

There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead;
And when she was good, she was very, very good,
But when she was bad she was horrid.

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Several folks lately have been posting photos of themselves as wee ones. I think it started with a challenge from Felicia. I couldn't resist getting in on the act! Luckily, my dear cousin Kristi gave me a scrapbook for my 50th birthday last year, which contained several photos to choose from. The one above is me circa 1958.

I heard that poem recited to me from the time I can remember. Yes, I have naturally curly hair, which was the bane of my existence most of my life, until I got smart and realized it was a gift. And guess where I got it from?

Yep, that's me and my Mom, in a photo taken by my Dad. He was an amateur photographer and we were his favorite subjects. No wonder: there were a lot of curls between the two of us!

And then I started to grow up...

This was me in 1963, at the ripe old age of six. Hey, I think that cardigan is back in style again!

I've been thinking about Hanlie's comment on her post with her childhood photos, wondering what she would say to her younger self if she had the chance. I know I would like to somehow reach back in time, hug my little self, and say, "Yep, you're a little chubby. Don't worry about it: you're a terrific kid with so much to offer the world!" I know it's a tough lesson to teach a child, but some how I'd like little me to understand that she was good enough just as she was, extra pounds and all.

When I look at that photo in retrospect, I know there was such a rough road ahead. I really internalized the cultural message that being fat was not ok, which meant that I was not ok. As I grew older, anorexia became more prevalent. I remember thinking when Karen Carpenter died, "You mean, women would rather die than look like me? I must be disgusting." I wish I could somehow help mini-me to understand that I was not my body, and that I was a talented, funny, loving and compassionate girl. I think had I been able to understand and accept this about myself, instead of hating myself for being fat, I may not have had the need to eat to fill up the holes in my very young heart.

But who knows? Maybe I would have over-eaten just because it all tasted so good!

What I do know is that being an overweight child, young adult, and grown-up person has formed the woman I am today. It's like the wrinkles on my face: every one of them came from an expereince that has shaped who and what I am. I still battle those extra pounds, and probably will for the rest of my life. But at least now I know that I'm ok, that I am good enough just as I am.

Until next time...

For the Birds

2008-04-28T13:34:00.001-07:00

A bird does not sing because it has an answer.

It sings because it has a song. ~Chinese Proverb

Hubby and I were doing a little yard work yesterday, including cutting off a few branches from a bush that was in danger of falling over. As we were putting the debris into the bin, I noticed something fuzzy on one of the branches.

It was a hummingbird's nest, pictured above.

Isn't it an amazing creation? It's so tiny! I placed the penny next to it just for a sense of perspective. There were no eggs in the nest when I found it: I can only imagine how little they must be.

I love birds and bird watching. I'm kind of crazy about them, actually. I have several feeders and a birdbath, all of which my dear husband takes care of and refills because he knows the pleasure the birds bring me. I think he secretly enjoys them as much as I do, although he probably won’t admit it! Here's a photo he took through the blinds of an Oriole outside our window...

I guess I'm getting old, but I find it so enjoyable to watch a Robin frolic in the bird bath, or two Gold Finches fighting for space on their feeder. I get a sense of the circle of life when the Grosbeaks come back year after year, or when it's time to put out the feeder made especially for the returning Orioles, who winter elsewhere. It reminds me that we are part of a larger world, and that we're connected to all creatures through the web of life.

Now if I could just convince Boo Boo of that interconnection, so she'll leave the birds alone!

Until next time...

The iPod Shuffle

2008-04-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

You can't possibly hear the last movement

of Beethoven's Seventh and go slow!

~ Oscar Levant

(explaining his way out of a speeding ticket)

I’m stealing this from Hanlie, who in turn filched it from someone else… we’re just that kind of blogger gals!

The rules are simple: hit the shuffle on your iPod, then answer each question by hitting 'next.' No cheating! However, I have a lot of classical music on my iPod, and those titles made NO sense in answer to any question, so I skipped ‘em. Some of the songs that shuffled up are downright uncanny!

Q: What does next year have in store for you?
A: I Sill Dream – Boney James and Al Jarreau

Q: What does your love life look like next year?
A: Down on the Corner – Credence Clearwater Revival

Q: What do you say when life gets hard?
A: Who Are You? – The Who ... yeah, I do get a little introspective when things are tough

Q: Song that reminds you of good times?
A: Accentuate the Positive – Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters ... could this be more fitting for me?!

Q: What do you think when you get up in the morning?
A: Still in Love with You – Brooks & Dunn

Q: What song will you dance to at your wedding (or silver wedding anniversary?)
A: Dancing on the Ceiling – Lionel Richie

Q: Song that reminds you of your first kiss?
A: How Do I Live Without You – Leanne Rimes

Q: Your favorite saying?
A: I Wanna Shoop – Salt N Pepa ... I don’t word it in quite this way, however ;-)

Q: Favorite place?
A: Footloose – Kenny Loggins

Q: Most missed memory?
A: Letters from Home – John Michael Montgomery ... or emails from home, in my case

Q: What song describes your best friend?
A: Crazy Love – Poco ... this sort of fits her! Plus, we both used to love this song

Q: What song describes your ex?
A: Hiding Inside Myself – Kenny Rankin ... oh boy, this one really fits. Brian, you have to hear it!

Q: Where would you go on an important date?
A: I Can’t Get No Satisfaction – Rolling Stones

Q: Drug of choice?
A: Physical – Olivia Newton John ... I guess need to get myself addicted again!

Q: What song describes yourself?
A: Since I Fell for You – Al Jarreau

Q: What is the thing you like doing most?
A: Keeping the Faith – Billy Joel ... and staying positive!

Q: The song that best describes the President?
A: Theme to Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)… let’s hope it's soon

Q: Where will you be in 10 years?
A: Celebration – Kool and the Gang ... I like this one!

Q: Your love life right now?
A: Chasin’ that Neon Rainbow – Alan Jackson

Q: What is your state of mind like at the moment?
A: This is a Song for the Lonely – Cher ... it's the Weight Watchers theme song!

Q: How will you die?
A: No One is Alone – Mandy Patinkin ... I’m not making this one up!

Until next time...

Friday Five - Flowers

2008-04-25T05:31:00.000-07:00

When you have only two pennies left in the world,
buy a loaf of bread with one,

and a lily with the other. ~ Chinese Proverb

First, thank to everyone who contributed a favorite quote to last week’s Friday Five. I think that for every mood we humans experience, there is a quote to express our feelings, and I'm sure grateful for that!

Since it’s finally spring here in the United States, I thought I’d honor the season by making this week’s theme nature related. I must admit to “borrowing” all these images off the Internet. I’m also hoping I can get all five to upload, since seeing this week’s five is pretty important (if I could only figure out a way to do “smell-a-blog,” that would be even better!) Thanks to Wanda over at Exuberant Color for her guidance on uploading images.

So, without further ado, I present for your pleasure:

Pattie’s Top Five Favorite Flowers!

1. Casablanca Lilies (pictured above.) Ahhhh! These beauties are certainly magnificent to look at, with a pure white bloom the size of a dinner plate. But it’s their heavenly scent that places them at the top of my list. If you want to lift your spirits, buy yourself a single stem, sit back and enjoy. They’re intoxicating!

2. Lilacs. Another flower I love for its scent. Plus they’re a great way to welcome Spring into the garden!

3. Delphiniums. These guys aren’t scented, but they sure are beautiful – tall and grand and lovely. I have yet to try planting them in my California garden.

4. David Austin Rose. I was just introduced to this variety only a month or so ago, and it was love at first sight. Believe it or not, I’m not a huge fan of roses, but this old-fashioned blossom and heavenly fragrance just stole my heart. If I ever decide to plant a rose, it will be this one.

5. Hydrangea. I’ve fulfilled a life-long dream and have planted not one but two hydrangeas in my yard! One is a lace-cap variety like you see here; the other is the traditional “mophead” variety I keep in a pot so I can adjust the pH to keep it a lovely shade of blue.

So that’s it: my five favorite flowers. How about yours? I hope you’ll leave a comment and tell me your favorite blossom, and may it bring to mind images of Spring!

Until next time…

What Do You See?

2008-04-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

Could we change our attitude,
we should not only see life differently,
but life itself would come to be different.
~ Katherine Mansfield

I received the nicest email from Terry, a fellow blogger who creates the most amazing quilts. I hope to one day be half the quilter she is! Check out her Quilt Nut blog to see the incredible work she produces.

I asked for and received her permission to share her email on my blog. She said:

I love your positive attitude and it is something I work on everyday. I was born a pessimist and am trying to become an optimist with a positive attitude. I have made progress but it is hard. I fight it daily. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

First of all, thank you for your kind words, Terry! I am very proud of you, and those out there like you who work hard to look at things in a positive light. It isn’t always easy, but choosing to see things differently is half the battle.

I am by nature a fairly optimistic, positive person. I’ve even been accused of being perky (there are much worse titles to wear, in my humble opinion!) But those who know me well know that optimism is something I’ve had to hone over the years. I have down times when all I can see is the darkness and the sadness in life. I wouldn’t be human if that weren’t the case.

Twelve years ago, I was married to a wonderful man who was my best friend. We’d been married for sixteen years when he came to me and said he could no longer deny the fact that he was gay. We spent about a year trying to work things out, each of us in therapy, to accommodate what he needed and what I needed. At the end of that time, we knew our marriage was over and we split. I’m now happily remarried (to a delightfully straight man!) and my ex and I are still dear friends to this day.

I make it sound so easy, don’t I? It wasn’t – believe me.

He was my other half, my soul mate, my dearest friend. The thought of losing him as my husband brought thoughts of suicide, and even of a sex change (hey, if it meant not losing him, I was game! Thank goodness, his saner head prevailed!) My ailing mother was living with us at the time, and my marriage was literally falling apart. I was searching for ways to feel like I had some control over my destiny.

One day at the gym, I heard a new song being played overhead by an artist I didn’t know. It was Alanis Morissette singing, “You Learn.” Her lyrics caught my attention…

I, recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone…
I, recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone…
I, recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time…

You live you learn, you love you learn
You cry you learn, you lose you learn
You bleed you learn, you scream you learn
You grieve you learn, you choke you learn
You laugh you learn, you choose you learn
You pray you learn, you ask you learn
You live you learn.

I immediately ran out and bought her CD, and listened to this song over and over.

It was at that time that I started to look at my situation through different eyes. I decided that I could either become bitter over what happened, or I could become better. I could live the rest of my life the way some people do after a painful event (angry, hurt, sour on life.) Or I could grow and move forward, learning what I could from the experience. I realized that I couldn’t change anything in my situation – except my attitude.

I lost my husband, and my sweet mother passed away. We sold our home and I moved on with my life. It was an incredibly painful time, and boy, did I learn a lot about myself and what I wanted from life.

It’s about choosing to look for the good in life, choosing to find the lesson in every hard thing that comes our way. Lord knows, I’m not perfect at it. I can get on my pity-pot and really feel sorry for myself some days. But overall, I believe my life is a positive experience and because I look for the positive, that’s what I draw back into my life. It’s that whole Universal Law of Attraction idea.

So Terry, and anyone else who’s trying to be a more positive person, my advice to you is to stop the negative thoughts as soon as you’re aware of them. Ask yourself instead, “What can I learn from this?” As corny as it sounds, try to find the silver lining in everything you experience – one kernel of something positive in even the most negative incident.

I think cultivating an attitude of gratitude also helps. You can’t be grateful and negative at the same time! Look for things to feel grateful for every day. Write them down so you can visually see your blessings. This isn’t about being religious: it’s about looking for what’s right in your life, instead of what’s wrong.

Finally, remember that there truly is little in life we have total control over. We can’t control the weather; we can’t control the price of gasoline, we can’t even control how our family behaves most days! But we can control how we respond to the world, and that makes all the difference.

Always remember that Attitude Changes Everything!

Until next time…

Waiting to Hear...

2008-04-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Worrying is like a rocking chair:

it gives you something to do,

but it gets you nowhere. ~ Glenn Turner

I'm on pins and needles these days, waiting for the phone to ring.

Way back in January, I applied for a position as the volunteer coordinator for our city library. I didn't hear anything for quite some time, then one day got a call to come in for an interview. Then a few weeks later, I got a call to come for a second interview. Last week, after a few more weeks had gone by, I got called again.

Turns out, there were seventy applicants for this position, which is why the winnowing process has taken so long. I've made it into the final four. Yep, I'm really proud of that fact, regardless of the outcome!

At last week's meeting, I was given a tour of the library and its branch here in my neighborhood (who knew both places were so big??) They also took me to lunch. That gave me the chance to ask questions and get to know the woman who supervises this position. She's a great gal: funny, bright, articulate, and very warm. I'd love to be part of her team, and told her so.

Now the waiting begins.

Through all of this, I've kept the attitude that if this is meant to be, it will happen. I've built a life I love since I stopped working in November 2006. I do volunteer work, I quilt, I take classes and participate in a book club. My life is full and I'm blessed to be in a situation where I don't need to work, thanks to my very dear husband. But when I saw the job announcement for the volunteer coordinator, it just felt right -- and that feeling grows stronger with each interview.

So, send up a little prayer or positive thought for me, if you would. I'll be at peace no matter their decision, but I sure would like the opportunity to dig in and give that position my all!

Until next time...

Friday Five - Quotes

2008-04-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

Words - so innocent and powerless as they are,

as standing in a dictionary, how potent

for good and evil they become in the hands

of one who knows how to combine them.

~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

First, I have to thank everyone who took time last week to cast a vote for the most handsome male celebrity. That post received more comments than anything I’ve done so far. What does that tell you about all of us, my friends? LOL!

This week, I thought I’d move away from beautiful men, and instead look at beautiful words. Everyone who knows me knows that I’m crazy about quotes. In fact, for the two years prior to starting this blog, I emailed almost daily a motivational quote to subscribers, along with a few words from me. The positive words of others have helped me get through some pretty rough times in my life. I know – and still know – that I’m not alone in taking strength from others’ experiences.

I’m not going to make any comments on these: I think the words speak for themselves. So today I’m sharing with you my top five for this week:

The Five Most Inspirational Quotes

1. It's never too late to be what you might have been. ~ George Eliot

2. Your mental attitude will lead you into the light or hold you in darkness. It will lead you to hope or despair, to a glorious success or a miserable failure, and it is entirely within your own power to choose which it shall be. ~ Orison Swett Marden

3. We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ~ Joseph Campbell

4. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. ~ Veronica A. Shoffstall

5. When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly. ~ Edward Teller

How about you? What’s your favorite quote?

Here’s to all of us who are learning to fly!

Until next time…

But It Was On Sale, Dear

2008-04-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping.

Men invade another country. ~ Elayne Boosler

I ran into a sale yesterday.

Normally, I can bypass the BUY ME! BUY ME! urge, but not this time. It was quilting fabric, you see. On sale. That's kind of rare in my neck of the woods, where we normally pay about $10 a yard. My quilt shop had a small selection on sale for half off.

It was that darn paisley on the left that sucked me in. Isn't it gorgeous? It called my name! And of course, it can't go home alone... it needed some complimentary fabrics to keep it company (or so I tried to explain to my husband.)

I have no idea what I'll do with it, although I plan to add a few more colors from my stash of fabric: some greens, golds, and a black or two. I'll have to think about a design.

But first, I have to finish a quilt I'm working on for a dear friend in Salt Lake City. But that has to wait until I finish the blocks for the class I'm currently taking. Then I can play with the paisley.

So much wonderful fabric, so little time!

Ah, it's good to have a passion other than eating. :-)

Until next time...

Better Late Than Never

2008-04-16T03:43:00.001-07:00

Behavior is what a man does,

not what he thinks, feels, or believes. ~ Anonymous

I'm doing my Healthy You Check-In a day late because my weigh-in is Tuesday night. I guess I'll always be behind the rest of you, but better late than never, eh?

I'm down another two pounds! That makes four toward my mini-goal of losing 10.6 by July 1st. I'm a happy camper.

But I know this was an undeserved loss. You know what I'm talking about: the scale shows that you're down but in your heart, you know your behavior didn't warrant the results. Usually we feel that way when we've worked really hard and the scale shows only a tiny loss, or even a gain. But I'm feeling this week like I got away with something.

I'm not putting myself down: I'm being real. I did some things right, but not enough for two pounds. When I look at my behavior this past week - journaling only part of the time, no exercise, forgetting to write down the things I'm grateful for each day - I can see that the loss was a fluke.

And part of me is breathing a sigh of relief: I'm much rather see a loss than a gain. I am human, after all!

What this brings to mind for me is how we all give so much power to that darn scale. It can make or break our mood in the blink of an eye, and we forget to trust ourselves and in our behavior. If we know we're doing everything right, everything we need to be doing, why do we allow that stupid little gizmo to make us lose all confidence in ourselves?

Learn to trust in yourself and know that the scale will catch up to your behavior (good or bad!) in its own sweet time.

Until next time...