Let's Sing, Mommy

My mother's birthday is October 7th.  This whole month I've had her on my mind more intensely, it seems.  Missing her more.  Wanting to hear her laughter.  Feel her joy.  Feed on it.  Breathe it.  Live it.  Her joy had a contagious quality to it.  Much like a catchy tune that seems to stick in your head all day.  Her joy was obvious and commanding.  You couldn't ignore it even if you tried.  She was a "greeter" at her church -- is it any wonder? -- welcoming newcomers and members alike each Sunday morning into God's house, showering them with a joy inescapable.  Countless people made it a point to share with me after her passing how much they missed seeing her at the doors of the church each Sunday, the kindness that she was so quick to share with everyone.

Now and then when sullenness hits for whatever reason, I find myself missing her more.  Needing to see her broad, genuine smile.  Her life was not easy -- and that's an understatement.  Yet she always drew upon the wellsprings of that inner joy to sustain her.  Spirit-filled joy.

When I was a little girl, often I would say to her just before going to sleep, "Let's sing, Mommy."  And we'd sing and sing and sing.  Hymn after hymn....into peaceful slumber.

Last night I was practicing a solo along with our church choir that I'll be singing this coming Sunday.  My cousin sings in the choir too, and following practice she came up to me with tears in her eyes and said, "It gave me chills, hearing you sing tonight.  I could see your mom in you, all over you, in your voice.  It was like hearing her sing again."

And THAT will sustain me Sunday morning as I sing.  She sings with me once more.  Together we will BLESS HIS NAME.

Some midnight hour if you should find 

You’re in a prison in your mind 

Reach out and praise - defy those chains 

And they will fall in Jesus’ name 

I bless your name 

I bless your name 

I give you honor, give you praise 

You are the life, the truth, the way 

I bless your name

Bone Tired

Bone tired.

This description is implicit and "bona" fide.  It speaks for itself.

Tired to the bone is how I felt pretty much all day yesterday, intensifying even more after arriving home from work.  It took effort to move, much less accomplish anything worthwhile.  My bones actually felt sluggish.  I get that!



I get that way every now and then.  It's a billboard shout from my body to pay attention, dial it back, and GET SOME SLEEP, lots more.

I took a nap on my lunch hour yesterday, another nap after work, and went to bed at the normal time and slept through the night.

Maybe I'm caught up.  We shall see.

Speaking of bones, my dog Chessie is a precious peke-a-poo.  She's the most loving, forgiving dog on the planet.  She appreciates EVERY toy and bone we give to her, never playing favorites.  She often will rest her little head atop her bone, like a pillow, before falling off to sleep.  (I can't believe I've never taken a picture of this priceless pasttime.)  Never once has she chewed on anything that has not been "given" to her.  She knows what is uniquely HERS and what is not, making that distinction:  THEIRS.  MINE.

Chessie likes to pile all her toys and bones up under the kitchen table.  Her stash on display.  When I try to move them to another inconspicuous place to tidy up, it hurts her feelings.  She sneaks with her tail between her legs, a "frown" on her face, her eyes drooping even more than they already do, and one by one carries them back to their place of honor.

How can I complain?

She loves me unconditionally.  She's the best dog on the planet.  Chessie is a sweetie.

Capturing Mercies I See

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Just a sprinkling of some of the photos I took on this glorious autumn weekend.

The colors on Saturday's drive to Washington PA were nothing short of breathtaking.  I couldn't even form words to express my appreciation of this beautiful display.  Unfortunately, I was driving, so I couldn't take pictures along the way.

But I include in this blog post some pictures that I managed to capture on Sunday upon arriving home from worship that help to preserve some of the "mercies I see."

 (My neighbor's maple tree - stunning color!)

Week in Review

Some people like weighing themselves every day when trying to lose weight.  ("Lose weight."  What a loose, ambiguous phrase!)  I do not.  The numbers drive me frikkin crazy.  It has caused me to hallucinate, weighing every day -- the scale grows horns, evil laughter fills the air, smoke and venom emanate from under its surface, and I find myself premeditating malice and destruction.  This, despite knowing that it's all an illusion.  All of it.  The scales are a tool.  One generalized form of measurement.  But they are by no means The Gospel of progress in the wonderful world of "weight loss."

I like weighing on Fridays and/or Saturdays.  I tend to have more carbs on the weekends, which causes water retention often -- usually -- and I don't need to see PROOF of that on Sunday or Monday, setting my mood and upsetting my focus for the rest of the week.  From last Saturday to today -- one week -- I've dropped two pounds on the scale.  Again, a general measurement.  Yay me.  Bravo.  Rejoice.  But weighing this morning was like celebrating the New Year a day late.  I KNEW I was making progress simply by the way my clothes were fitting and my encounters with the mirror each morning.  "Coming attractions."  The scale only served to validate those sneek previews.

Being this close to "goal weight," -- again, ambiguous terms -- I have to maintain vigilance and initiate attacks as necessary from time to time.  I lose a few, gain a few, maintain a few, repeat.  It's called living.  Life.  The important detail being -- keeping an eye on balance and control.  Too far across center line, or too far off the edge of the road, things can get ugly.  Vigilance.  Maintaining control, cruising.  These allow you to enjoy the ride

My strategies for my "attack" this past week included:

• Carbs very low 2-3 days, slight increase for one day; repeat
• Calories controlled to a slight-to-moderate deficit daily
• Egg whites (with one yolk) omelettes each morning; Tilapia for Meal 2  (creature of habit and I like the taste of both)
• Weight training at the gym:  Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday -- approx one hour, followed by light cardio 15-20 mins
• Morning fasted cardio 25-30 mins -- walk/run intervals; endurance running
• One full session of Callanetics (45 mins); Callanetics stretches every day; Callanetics hip/thigh session only x 1
• Sufficient rest and ample water

Today I'll be traveling to watch Big G's game.  It is my rest day.  No exercise.  It is also likely to be a carb up day -- not full-go-crazy-caution-to-the-wind, not even close, but slight indulgences to keep my metabolism and hormones happy, diffusing the alarm mode.  Tomorrow I'll do some light cardio only.  And then I'll repeat that weekly plan once more and continue until I hit a road block or until the mirror or my clothes say --- THERE!  YOU DID IT!  NICE JOB.

Looking forward to a repeat at The Union Grill this evening.  All my sons will be present this time, a whole family affair.  Should be fun -- AND DELICIOUS!

Let's Get It Straight

I have naturally wavy hair.

And I fight it every day.  Why?  Well, don't we always want what we DON'T have?

This is my hair after showering and blowing it dry for about three minutes, then letting it dry naturally for the next 45 mins. 

untouched -- T-style

Since 2009 I've been getting Keratin treatments to keep it straight, silky, smooth.  The way I PREFER it.  

Using a flat iron every day to get the same result?  Yes.  I can.  I have.  I DO.  

But with Keratin, it's SO much easier.  

I can take a shower, blow dry my hair, and barely have to smooth the ends at all ... ready in a flash with a fresh Keratin treatment.  The Keratin Complex treatments last about three to four months, depending on the weather and a few other variables.  

Back-Porch Fridays

Las Vegas

After the first six weeks, I have to begin flat-ironing it just a tad.  High humidity days, even more -- in fact, when vacationing at Marco, even with a fresh Keratin treatment, I still have to rely on the flat iron to counter the humid summer climate there.

Does that mean people out west, Arizona or Nevada... 

do they have great hair all the time?

Yes, I'm overdue for a Keratin treatment, but I'm a little low on funds these days, so I just keep putting it off.  It's not cheap!  (But can you put a price on no-fuss, smooth, sexy, carefree primp time?)  So I spend a little more time every other day, progressively more and MORE time -- flat-ironing my hair.  Fortunately, I'm one of the lucky ones who can get by with washing my hair every OTHER day.  But without a fresh Keratin treatment, the second day I have two choices -- either au naturel or a ponytail day.

Not sure I can fight the "frizz and waves" much longer...even having the luxury of great styling products at my disposal -- my husband is in the industry!  Perks!  Freebies!  

My hair is color-treated, and the crazier/wavier it is, the more porous it becomes.  After a while I find that I'm working even harder to keep the ends silky and shiny while doing the
 au naturel thing than I would be trying to flat-iron it.  

After all, my time is worth SOMETHING ---- No, it's worth a lot.  The "fringe" benefits of Keratin Complex!

For a bit longer...just a bit, hopefully... I'm stuck with workin' it... goin' with the "flow."

Que Sera Sera…
Good hair day vs. bad hair days ... 
frustrations ONLY MY HAIRDRESSER KNOWS. 

World's Best-Smelling Candle

HOT MAPLE TODDY

I've commented on this candle in my blog before.

I have never in my life smelled a better candle.

how, oh HOW this stirs the senses…

In fact, the yumminess of this scent sends me straight over the top –

headfirst into orgasmic paradise.

where is THAT?

I don’t know…

but I'm pretty sure this is it.

Yeah, I found it.

I've arrived.

I'm there!

It's THIS candle.

There is no reason to ever stray,

to ever buy any other brand

or scent

because it will NEVER live up to Candleberry's

 HOT MAPLE TODDY

Never.

This is the Beginning and End 

of all heavenly-scented things.

Jeremiahs

I subscribe to Word a Day ... comes to my email inbox each morning.  Today's word...
OH.HOW.IT.RANG.TRUE.

Although there are many people in my world who would fit this description

there IS one in particular...
prompting an instant freeze-frame mug shot in my mind...

Every

single

time

we

speak.

WHY???

Wish I had the nerve, just once, to put my fingers in my ears and shout
LA LA LA LA LA LAHHHHH!