I have graduated from this therapy group. I am not like any of them here, except maybe the ghost. I am not the woman I used to be, hopefully I am a better person, wiser and stronger.

If you celebrate Halloween, have a good one. Hope it is frightfully good for you.

Deserving Of A Mention

Today is my ex-husband's birthday.  He has been moving from one hospital to the next for the past six months, then last week he moved to an assisted living facility, which could be a permanent home for him.

Friday a friend went with me to deliver his belongings we stored in her garage. He looks good and is settling into his new place.  This has been a most difficult year for him.

Send good wishes to him along with mine. The universe will deliver our collected greetings.

Tissues In Every Room

It's not a cold. No fever. Some slight sinus pressure.

But the nose is running like a faucet left on, as soon as my feet hit the floor.

Must be allergies.

At least each tissue box is a different color and design. Designer tissue boxes. That makes me smile even as I blow my nose. Again.

Too Many Numbers

So many times I have felt just like this. Different passwords for each company I purchase from online. Each bank. Each email address. Each debit card. (I don't have credit cards, or there would be passwords needed for them too.) And on and on.

How do others handle this?

Glass Of Milk

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk.
He drank it so slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."

He said ....... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Many year's later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they
called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.
Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

 Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.

He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill
was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something
caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words...

"Paid in full with one glass of milk."

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

This was forwarded to me in an email. We all know a story like this one, perhaps even have been involved in a true story like this. Do something kind for someone else, every chance you have. Not to reap the rewards yourself some day. But because showing kindness to others can help heal a nation. 

According to snopes.com, this story is true. Dr Howard Kelly, 1858 - 1943, was one of four founding doctors of Johns Hopkins. 

Go After Your Dreams

Sometimes going back to sleep for another hour can be the best sleep of the night. But waking up completely, facing the day with enthusiasm, and going forward each day determined to live the day to the fullest opens up the opportunities presented to me each hour and each minute.

Womens Business

One woman volunteered to drive. Two cars of us drove about 50 miles from here to a small town. On the way there one woman pointed out where she grew up, the barn can be seen from the road but the house could not. A woman showed us where cousins live. I call them country roads, just because I am used to freeways.

Our car arrived a little early, so our driver showed the homes and the businesses and churches in the town to us. There were some very large, newer homes there.  One man was walking on his house roof  removing the fallen leaves with his blower. Other men were mowing the leaves on the ground. The colors of the trees were definitely shouting FALL.

After parking at the Womens Club, we joined the women in line. Over 300 women were there for the same thing. The annual salad luncheon and fashion show. This was the 34th year for this event.

There were about 40 long tables, each one decorated in a different theme. They were wonderful. Some were glamorous, some were glitzy, some had animal themes. Each table had matching sets of dishes, napkins, silverware, and a candy dish at each place setting. Our table had mint patties, others had nuts, still others had various colors of M & M's. The most formal table had black and white M & M's.

Since I eat gluten free, there aren't many food events I attend. But the salad affairs provide an abundance of food for someone like me. One trip to the four long tables filled with salads was enough to satisfy my appetite.

After the women removed our plates, the first half of the fashion show began. Clothes being modeled were from a higher end womens store in Lincoln. The models were all ages and all sizes.

There were donated gifts ranging from bags of local apples to beauty products and many gift certificates, some for elegant dinners and some for hair salons. There were so many prizes being doled out, my mind began to drift, and then I heard my number. I double checked the number on my ticket in front of me, then stood up so the girls helping their mothers could bring me my prize.  A large very soft stuffed dog with the Bass Pro Shop tag in his ear. My cat thinks he is hers.

Lola talking to her new friend.

Lola cleaning her new friend.

Growing Old And Glad Of It

Growing older is better than the alternative. I just spent time with my mother and she has a difficult time getting things done for herself and navigating in her wheelchair. At this stage in my life, I am so grateful for my health and my peaceful life. Keeping things simple has become my way of life. There is joy in so much in my life surrounding me each day. 

For Sale: One Sentimental Cat.

A friend sent these pictures to me in an email. 

I changed the words.

This is not my cat Lola, who is four times the size of this kitten and different colors.

Depression Awareness Month

October is a busy month. Breast Cancer Awareness month. Depression awareness month. AIDS awareness month. National Hispanic Awareness month.

Then there is Yom Kuppur. Columbus Day. Canada Thanksgiving Day. Train Your Brain Day (one of my favorites). International Forgiveness Day (another favorite). Mother-In-Law Day.
United Nations Day. Ramadan.

Oktoberfest. 

Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work Day is also in October, but I didn't want to include something that would seem silly. Smile.

Kind of puts Halloween into perspective.

Best wishes to each one reading this for a month of blessings and lots of joy.