Rationality

Today I was in a situation where I could've lost my temper and been crabby and made the situation way worse for everyone or I could be calm and rational. As I was stewing I got a happy text and saw a fabulous Internet video and I was blessed with that calm, rational mindset. 

As a result of this blessing I may have found a solution to a problem that will benefit everyone.

 

Tummy trouble

Little Charlie did not feel good this morning. I've never seen her feel so bad, she even wanted to lay in my bed and that's not really normal. I worried about her all day. She is feeling better now and that is a huge blessing! She just has a sensitive tummy and we are still learning what she can handle. She sure did enjoy her rice though!

Celebratory tailgate and various activities

So. Late football game last night and we lost...by one point. Yesterday was about more than celebrating football though. Our little "village" came together to celebrate one of the best friends I'll ever have.  We all got together to have a little tailgate party for Ashlee and I think it's safe to say it was successful.  Even had an added bonus with out of town friends we hadn't seen in years, also a blessing! Ashlee always makes us smile. We all love her dearly and are blessed to call her friend. 

After getting home about 1:30 this morning (for the love of God someone fix the post game traffic flow) and having tennis and kickball today I can safely say it will be an early night tonight. I was actually pretty...well...let's say irritable after tennis today.  We lost in tie break in a match I felt like we should've won. I was mad at myself, double faulted, hit some stupid shots, even hit my partner with the ball. 😱. Basically I felt like I beat myself. We had kickball right after though and that actually helped. We are showing signs of improvement!  After I calmed down and thought about it the tennis match wasn't all that terrible and I was actually blessed with some pretty good skills in the match today. I hit some near impossible shots, had some power behind a few, my partner jumped like Jordan once even with a bad ankle, and we played hard. The fact we are able to play is awesome and I need to take a breath. 

Treats

Guess who can bake?! Well, I can at least bake dog treats today. I discovered the blessing of homemade dog treats. I've read about them and my cousin had made some before but I had never tried. These things are a blessing in several aspects. 1.) I actually mixed ingredients in a bowl and put them in the oven and something edible came out and I was not injured in the process. 2.) I was able to do something nice for the girls and they actually liked them! As in wanted more. 3.) Molly is suppose to have low sodium and these had no salt.  4.) Did I mention they liked them. They are actually all gone and it's okay cause they are all natural!

It felt good to make something that they enjoyed. I'll never be a gourmet chef and I didn't inherit my grandmother's or my mother's cooking skills but if I can make a couple things and some pet treats I'm pretty lucky. 

Nice Things

I kinda punked out last night, hence the double entries tonight. 

If you watch animals and actual pay attention they really are remarkable creatures. They help and care for each other and communicate in their own way. Humans can learn a lot from other animals. I was blessed to see Molly prove this to me the other night. Their friend Snick that is here visiting walked up to the fence looking for the neighbor dogs. Molly runs the fence with them and Snick likes to smell through and say hi. I noticed Molly was watching Snick at a distance but the neighbor dogs didn't come to the fence for Snick. After a little bit Molly let out one bark and the dogs came running. She went on over to the fence then and Snick was satisfied. Molly called those dogs over to see Snick. It was so nice. I've noticed them doing little things like that a lot. Like I said, humans can learn a lot from other animals. 

There has only been two of us in the office this week so we decided to try something new for lunch. Let me tell you why this is a big deal, deciding on lunch when everyone is there can be kinda like passing a bill through Congress. None of us ever want to pick and usually someone doesn't like someplace and, well, I'm finicky. However, today we were blessed to enjoy a new place!  The Chicken Salad Chic. Apparently it's a chain, I never heard of before I saw this one but it was good. We will also have something new to introduce next week and that's always good for reducing stress and tension!

Fall

Fall is here. The first official day came in true form. It was cold today, at least in SC for September...and for me. Granted, I said I was ready for Fall this year I kinda thought it would come a little more gradual. I am looking forward to football games in a hoodie and blue jeans. All things pumpkin are indeed a bonus. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, then winter and Christmas!  So it may be cold and allergies may sneaking around, but Fall is a blessing!  Time for some pretty leaves!

The Owl

On this day, 16 years ago, my little cousin Matthew was born. While it was just in the last few years we have been able to really get to know each other it has been a great blessing to have him in my life. It's also fun to have someone that I can be a smart alec with that understands dry wit.  He is also the only owl I don't freak out around. 

This weekend

This weekend has been busy and filled with great people. Friday our furry friend snick came to visit for the weekend, the girls and Lexi always enjoy that. 

Then Saturday some friends came over to watch the game (we won, GO COCKS!). We were also blessed with my friends three fabulous boys to play with. It's always nice to hear kids laughing and playing. Plus I just enjoy spending time with them. 

Today was our second kickball match.  We are still a work in progress but that's okay.  After kickball we were blessed to have a lovely, home cooked dinner with a friend, an extended family dinner.  I'm rather happy to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow too ;). 

Geese

I wish I had an actual picture or video of this to share but everything went very fast and I needed both hands on the girls anyway, but I'm going to describe it best I can. Canadian Geese are actually pretty populous around here but not usually within view of the house. I was trying to get Charlie to stop chasing butterflies and come in so I could run an errand and I looked up and saw about seven geese in the neighbors' yard across the street. Molly was inside so I brought her out and tried to show her through the fence, Charlie was still playing with the butterflies and wouldn't focus. I really wanted them to see them though, I don't think they have before, at least not like that. I brought them in from the back, got their leashes, and headed out front. That was so.much.fun.  Molly saw them first and it was very obvious she was thinking "what in the world is that?!" then she fussed at them some. Charlie just stared, she concentrates very hard on things.  The neighbor came out to see them and I think Molly was either telling them to get away from her or warning her to stay away from them. Then the geese meandered down the road.  The whole thing was a blessing; the geese are beautiful, graceful creatures, it was fun for us to see, and the girls were very excited. I tried to take Lexi out and show him but they were far enough down the road he didn't see them. Hopefully they will comeback!

Bills, bills, bills

Today I was blessed to get to do something I can say I don't get to do often - reduce bills!!  Yay!!  Usually they increase but today was the opposite, even got one of my mom's lowered. Couple of calls and messages and voila! This is a great time of year for that too. Now I can work toward paying some other stuff off. 

-from cartoonstock.com

The view from the on-ramp off-ramp

Driving in and out of the city there isn't much to look at. Lots of flat interstate, some trees, the muddy river is kinda cool but not always stimulating. All that really is okay though, I like the city. However, there is this one off-ramp from one interstate that becomes an on-ramp for another interstate that I take home everyday that has this absolutely beautiful view. It doesn't matter what the weather is like, when I get to the top of the curve there is always this amazing sky. It's very soothing. It's my little on ramp blessing ;). 

The kick of complacency

This is my lesson for the day, I seem to learn it the hard way more than I should...

com·pla·cen·cy:

1. a feeling of being satisfied with how things are and not wanting to try to make them better : a complacent feeling or condition

2. a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

Part 1, not so bad, is actually good depending on the situation, although I think contentment may be a better word for this. Part 2; hmmm... "DANGER, DANGER Will Robinson!!!"  This is the part I seem to get caught in at times and end up in trouble.  Then a swift kick comes around the corner and reminds me not to get too comfortable and to stay alert.  As much as that kick hurts, and believe me it hurts, I believe it's a blessing.  It's really tough sometimes but looking at it from a different angle it pushes me (or, well, kicks me) to look for better; better in myself, better in others, and better opportunities.  It's like okay, that was a nice break, but now wake up and strive for more.  Hopefully, now I will be better at separating the 'part 1s' from the 'part 2s' and keep myself from getting kicked.    

Stop, hobby time

I like Mondays that run on schedule. I especially like Mondays where I have a little down time to do something I find relaxing. You know, like hobbies. If you don't have one I strongly suggest you get one. Being blessed with something enjoyable that you can do alone or with others in a relaxing environment is really great.  I got to spend about an hour tonight enjoying some of my hobbies and come my 12 hour work day tomorrow I'm sure everyone will appreciate it!

Football one day, kickball another

First of all... GO GAMECOCKS!!!  We won yesterday!!  Just had to throw that in. After the game was delayed for weather and traffic was horrendous it was midnight before I got home from an originally scheduled 3:30 pm game.  I was actually a little nervous about going to this game and considered not going. I knew the crowd was going to be even more intense than normal and the weather was not favorable. I was right to be cautious but wrong to be nervous. Even though there were bad storms in the area, and occasional lightning in the distance, and plenty of rain, the game was played and we were safe. Traffic may have been bad but I dropped my friends off at there homes and made it to mine safely. Luckily a rainy, dreary day turned into a lot of fun and while I was soaked we were blessed to be alright and safe. 

Today was cloudy but thankfully not rainy.   I'm so glad it didn't rain today because I was blessed to play in our first official kickball match!! Yay!!!  Seemed like it would never happen. We lost but for our first game we learned some stuff and can prepare for next week. 

Floating

My afternoon was spent floating with this view, good company, and some most spectacular guava cheesecake. I do believe that's a great blessing :). 

 

Remember.

On this day, 13 years ago, a wonderful friend that has since gone to Heaven, called me and said to get up and turn on the TV. As was every Tuesday we were going to run errands and then I would go to work that night to close the restaurant. This Tuesday wouldn't be like every Tuesday though. 

When I turned on the TV the first tower was smoking. I called my mom at work and told her they better go turn on the TV at her office. Then the second tower was hit. Then the Pentagon. Then Flight 93.

Politics and bipartisanship didn't matter that day. We were all Americans, united, standing together hurt and angry.  Let us never forget those feelings or that day. I am truly blessed to be American. We are blessed to have survived that day, and to persevere.  

That November I was in NYC. There was still smoke coming from Ground Zero. I'll never forget that. Seeing that was probably the most humbling moment of my life. There was so much devastation and so much loss and mixed with all the pain, pride; pride in the heroes of the day and our ability to ban together as Americans. 

Let us also never forget those lost in the Benghazi attacks in 2012. God bless America. 

Individuality

The storms moved out along with my headache, yay!  That made for a much more productive and creative day. I had neglected my cleaning list this week so now I feel much better having worked on it. Yes, I know, eccentricities and all that. That's part of what makes me, me.  All my little quirks and habits are part of my make up and that's okay. We are all blessed with individuality and it's something to be proud of. I mean, how lame would it to be just like everyone else?  We should all embrace what makes us different, normal is boring. :)

Blessings in disguise

I've had a headache for a few days now. Barometric. Actually, that's why I didn't post last night and will do two tonight. Anyway, as I was fussing and wallowing about my headache I was reminded it could be a whole lot worse. I spoke with a client who had a close call and just got out of the hospital, a friend's grandparents are doing well but in the hospital, another client has been in the hospital for about a month. It's kinda humbling; a blessing to have just a headache. 

Tonight I was suppose to have to work late. Needless to say I'm not too upset that the seminar got cancelled.  Not that I mind the work, I just could use another good night's sleep. For some reason we just didn't have enough people to fill this event. It turned out to really be a blessing in disguise though. One couple (of the three people still registered) was looking for something a little different than what we were offering tonight. Luckily we have another in-house thing going on where you come in and it's more personable than a group function.  This was better suited for them. Had we just met them at the seminar it may not have worked out, but now we get more of a chance. Like I said, a blessing in disguise. 

Culinary fun and conversations

First, let me start with how great a football day it was yesterday!  All my teams won including my GAMECOCKS!!!!  Tailgate was a blast too. I'm not a cook. Not at all. I was blessed with some culinary skill yesterday though because my fajitas were a hit!  This may not be a blessing to most but to me it was!  

Today was suppose to be our first kickball game but...it got rained out. Most of us were already there when it got called so we hung out under the hatch of my car with umbrellas and chitchatted. Just having casual conversation with friends for 30 minutes that normally we wouldn't have slowed down enough to have was blessing. With all the busyness  of our lives normal, casual conversation is not as common practice as it should be. I might add it's rather relaxing too. 

Yum!

I love pumpkin. Anything pumpkin flavored. Pumpkin spice favored? Even better. I have never met anything pumpkin I don't like. I'm very finicky so this is a small miracle. Today I was blessed to find these:

Isn't it cool how something as simple as a special taste can make you so happy?

Computers and Car Window Repair

The last two days I've been in that shadowy corner of computer land where just as one thing starts to work something else goes awry. When I heard the magic words "let's go home" today a little after 3:00 I was a happy girl. The 'unless you want more time with the computer' that followed was easily answered with a NO. I have to say though, as much as the last couple of days, nay months, I have had moments where I wanted to chuck the computers through window, I've been blessed to be able to have good, educational help and patient people, even when I was a wee bit impatient. I have actually learned a lot from the changes and updates to the system.  Hopefully, a few more bugs our IT guy can work out and there will be sunny skies for a few months in computer land!

Since today was windshield repair day (yay) and I got off early it changed the repair location.  Luckily, I was blessed with a great company and a nice man that drove to our house on the other side of town and now I have a nice, new windshield!!!

Those little feelings

You know those little feelings you get sometimes that tell you just when you should or shouldn't do something. I think those are blessings; God's way of saying "Yes, it's the right time," or "No, just wait a bit."  That happened today, not on a huge scale or anything but enough that I took notice. My windshield has had a crack for several months now. I just kept putting off getting it fixed. It was probably about 6 inches total on the passenger side. I was talking to the insurance person about something totally unrelated and decided to ask about the windshield. I was told no deductible (yay!) and who to call. I was satisfied that they were coming out on Thursday to replace it while I am at work. A couple hours later a coworker and I ran out to grab lunch.  As I was about to back out I looked over and the crack had spread all the way up to the top of the glass, basically half an oval now. It wasn't like that when I was driving to work. It most definitely has to be replaced now. Good thing I had that feeling. 

Tumbling Trees

The tree in our neighbor's yard split and flew into our yard today. We had quite a storm here. We were blessed that there was no major damage and no one was hurt.  Some of the large branches in our pines broke too, but nothing drastic. It could've been was worse and I am very thankful it's just messy.