Merry Christmas

Wishing you warmth and joy this holiday season - And may peace fill your soul.

Merry Christmas

My Big Fat Menopausal Wishlist

It's the holiday gift giving season. I don't know about you, but sometimes I get stumped! Well if you have a seasoned lady (that's a nice way to say old) and you don't know what she might like, let me help you!




But seriously folks - Here are some great ideas for gifts for your mom or your grandma -

Oh Deer - A Terrible Day

How many of you see a deer and admire it's beauty? I know I do. I'm an animal lover.

And I've never hit an animal. Until now.

Last Friday, on my way to work, I was driving on the Interstate. I noticed the car ahead of me in the middle lane start to move to my lane, nearly hitting the car in front of me. We were already traveling at a low speed because of traffic, but I slowed just a little more - thankfully. It was at that moment I saw the doe come from behind that car and right into the front of mine. I swerved to the shoulder but there was nothing I could do. I hit it.

I pulled over to the side about 20 yards ahead and sobbed. I couldn't stop. I called 911 because I didn't know if there would be traffic issues, although everything behind me seemed to be moving fine.

When the police officer came to the side of my door, I was still crying. She said the deer was no where in site and most likely had been able to run away. They are pretty tough critters. And, if I had hurt it seriously, my car would have had more damage. That made me feel a little better.

But wait - damage to my car? That hadn't occurred to me. It didn't feel that hard and the airbags didn't deploy. I couldn't be that bad.

It was an experience I never want to repeat. My heart broke and, even though she most likely is OK, I'll never forget those eyes. Every time I look at my car I almost cry. Not for the car, but for the creature I almost killed. For all the creatures that are moving into our "civilized" areas because their wild areas are getting smaller. For all those creatures just trying to survive.

But I am also grateful that this little deer has another chance.

Our wildlife is our responsibility to protect. If they are moving in on us, it's because we've moved in on them. They simply need to survive.

 

 

 

10 Things to do on Black Friday that Aren't in the Mall

I know some people absolutely love going shopping on black Friday, getting shoved and pushed by the crowds and coming home with deals on things they needed and didn't. But I am not one of them.

The first black Friday sale (called an after Thanksgiving sale back then) I went to was at a fabric store. They had lace for a penny a yard!! What a deal. I got there about 10 minutes before the store opened and saw a line starting to form. I got out of my car and got in line. When the door opened I had no choice but move - I was literally sucked through with the masses!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Grateful

Out with the Old and In with the New

Every year I pick a word to be my annual "word". I chose Adventure for 2018 and yesterday I started a huge, new adventure.

Time Flies...

Yikes - it's been almost a month since I wrote anything here. I've been so busy getting Early Learning Tools going, preparing to change jobs, looking for medical insurance, taking care of medical things while I still have insurance, getting things done at the old job so the new person isn't overwhelmed...(breath)...And trying to enjoy the start of the holiday season. Can you believe it's Halloween today?

With everything going on and all the craziness around me, I intend to spend this evening with my husband, passing out candy and treats (I give non-food items too) and sipping wine and allowing myself to relax for a moment.

What will you be doing?

Changes

I'm stretching my comfort zone. The job I do today is comfortable. I know what is expected of me. I have established relationships and understand the flow. And I'm changing jobs.

I'm moving to a new place - but still a little familiar. I'm moving to a place I worked before, more than 10 years ago. I hired some of the people that work there. But there is a new owner - new expectations - new relationships to build. There will be new ways of doing things and new things to learn. And I'm up for it!

With Gratitude

Today is World Gratitude day. I think we need more days like this. Especially this time of year. We are so busy getting ready for back to school - shopping for new clothes, packing lunches, trying to find time to get everything done, ending up exhausted and cranky.

Then we move into Halloween. Gimme gimme gimme. I want candy. It's clear in the phrase the kids use (and used when I was a kid) going door to door. Trick or Treat. Gimme gimme gimme or get a nasty trick.

And then there's Christmas. All I want for Christmas... is not to go broke! Gift buying, food prep, cookie exchanges so you have enough cookies to make sure anyone that gives you anything gets something in return.

Positive Thinking Day

Yep - there is a day for everything - but this is a good one. How often we drop into the doldrums when things don't go they way we expect or the way we think they should. But thinking positive can change the whole course of the day.

When things start to go south, take step back. Put a smile on your face. There's an old adage, fake it till you make it. Wear that smile until it starts to smile inside you. Do you feel the world changing now too?

Stop putting yourself down. Start finding something amazing about yourself and work on believing it! Sit in the park or stand on the beach, savor the moment with yourself. You are amazing - you are comfortable to be with. Enjoy yourself.

Look for something that went right. Expound on that. We had a tree fall on our house. Not fun. There was a lot to feel upset about - but thank heavens no one was in the back yard when it fell. The results could have been disastrous! But we were all safe. Already I'm feeling some relief!

Now step outside your box and do something nice for someone else. I like to practice those "random acts of kindness" from time to time (that's another post all together) and doing something kind makes me feel uplifted. What better way to start thinking positive than to uplift your heart?

And Laugh!!

So here is how I've started my day...

I woke up and told myself, "it's going to be a great day!" And so far it is.
And I've decided to pay attention to each moment, to steer away from those negative thoughts as they creep into my day and replace them with positive thoughts.

What will you do to celebrate Positive Thinking Day?

Bring on Fall!

I'm getting tired of the hot weather. You can't sleep. You can't go out and work in the yard. You have no energy. Summer be gone!

Make the Weekend Rock! Linky #2

I don't know about you, but after a long week of working hard, I'm looking for ways to spend my week end that are rejuvenating. I love to cook - do crafts - garden - hike - go places - do nothing - read...

What do you like to do? This party is an almost anything goes - other parties are welcome! Share up to FIVE posts! There are just two simple rules:

Do not link to a site that has items for sale (i.e. etsy, eBay, etc)!
Visit other bloggers! See what fun things they have going! The party runs from Friday to Wednesday - spread the word!

This is our very first week - so lets make it rock!

Spread the word - lets have a big crowd this week!

An InLinkz Link-up

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Make the Weekend Rock Linky #1

I don't know about you, but after a long week of working hard, I'm looking for ways to spend my week end that are rejuvenating. I love to cook - do crafts - garden - hike - go places - do nothing - read...

What do you like to do? This party is an almost anything goes - other parties are welcome! Share up to FIVE posts! There are just two simple rules:

Do not link to a site that has items for sale (i.e. etsy, eBay, etc)!
Visit other bloggers! See what fun things they have going! The party runs from Friday to Wednesday - spread the word!

This is our very first week - so lets make it rock!

An InLinkz Link-up

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

I am Grateful

While perusing on facebook I saw a meme with this quote:

Don't wait for things to get better

Life will always be complicated.

Learn to be happy right now, 

Otherwise you'll run out of time.

It's Amazon Prime Day!!

What is Amazon Prime?? Well it's like a cyber black Friday in the middle of the summer! If you aren't already a prime member (saves a LOT on shipping if you shop as much on Amazon as I do!), I suggest you check it out - then check out all the deals you can get. But hurry - it's all over tomorrow!

Opportunity

I've been in a funk. I'm sad and stressed and sick to my stomach. I need a respite.

Last year at this time, we had four cats. I love my cats. I truly am the crazy cat lady. In October, my buddy, Bucky, went into congestive heart failure and we had to say good bye. The middle of June, Shidd got sick. The vet couldn't figure out what was going on. Then one day, he went for his morning walk and never came back. Shortly after Shidd was gone, Mrs. Black started declining. For two weeks we've gone back and forth to, is she going to die or is she getting better. Trying to work with the vet to figure it out, but rapidly running out of money from vet bills!

My job is stressful. I'm finding myself not keeping up - being disorganized - not following through. All things that simply are not me. I'm finding myself counting the days instead of the years to retirement (955).

I don't want to do anything. My blogs have gotten behind. My training business sits waiting. I cry all the time. I simply want to hibernate until it's all over.

So why am I telling you this? Because today I vow to move forward. To put one foot in front of the other and move beyond the circumstances. Today I will work harder at taking care of myself and not just everyone else. Today is my day.

Life isn't always the easy path. Those rough trails build our character. They lead us into place we might not otherwise go. And, as Albert Einstein said,
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity".

Today I claim it.

Finger Towels

My husband and I are sitting here talking about finger towels.

Me: We need to have those little finger towels in the bathroom so when people wash their hands there's something to dry them with.

Dennis: huh?

Me: You know. When people wash their hands they need to have a place to dry them besides out bath (body) towels. That's all that' in there right now.

Dennis: People use our towels to dry their hands?

Me: NO! Well, maybe. That's why we need finger towels!

Dennis: huh?

Me: You know! Those little towels that you set on the sink top so people can use them to dry their hands.

Dennis: That's your department.

Me: huh?

Letting Go

In October we had to put my big yellow cat, Bucky, to sleep. It was so hard. This week we've said good bye to another furbaby - Shidd.

Shidd was formerly feral. He's lived with us for a little over five years and was an awesome cat. He'd come in for the evening and we would have conversations. He loved to talk.

The last month he's been sick. The vet couldn't figure out what was wrong. He'd start to get better, then relapse. I tried everything I could think of.

Monday morning we let him out for his  morning walk and he never came back. In all the time he's lived with us, he was never gone more than 12 hours. In my head I believe he went off somewhere to die. That's what cats do. But in my heart I'm struggling with letting go.

I keep going to the window to see if he's come home. I walk through the back calling, just in case he's hiding somewhere. But there's never anything there. When I think about him lying somewhere alone, I cry. When I think about the fact that I will never see his sweet face or talk with him again, I cry.

It's so hard to let go sometimes. I'll miss you Shidd.

(Almost) Anything Goes Blog Party #3

Yep - It's an anything goes party. Well, almost anything. Please do NOT post any adult content or items for sale. This party is for all women, young and old, with or without children. Please post things that are fun, relevant and non-offensive (negative posts will be deleted!)

Come on in and find something to inspire - and share your amazing thoughts and ideas!

 A BIG thank you to the folks who partied with us last week! 

So are you ready to go again? Do you have some fun Fourth of July decorations to make, or an inspiring story to share? Bring it here!

The party goes from Saturday through Friday

An InLinkz Link-up

So Much to Do! Why?

Where does the time go? I feel like I've been so busy I can't sit long enough to write - or think. I'm working hard getting everything ready to launch my training business in the fall. I'm planning recipes and working out kinks for my food blog. I've started to put my photos on Shutterstock - finding, refining, loading, etc. And there is so much to do around this house! The bamboo and blackberries have taken over and the ponds are begging for some clean up! It's almost into July and my Adirondack chair still sits in the overhang. Haven't had time to move it, let alone sit in it!

And this makes me wonder. Why?

Why do we make ourselves so busy that we neglect just being in the here and now and reveling in the moment? Why do we think we have to accomplish so much?

Well alrighty then. Tomorrow is the official first day of summer and my plan is to allow myself to relax and enjoy it! From this moment on, chores are off limits on Sunday. Sunday is my day to sit in my Adirondack chair under the mimosa tree and read. I have magazines from April that I haven't read. And while I'm there I think I'll close my eyes and listen to the sounds of the birds and squirrels and waterfalls. I think I'll simply "be in the moment".

I'm 62 years old. I've used up more than half of my summers. I intend to make this one count. How about you? How will you make your time matter?




Ahhh....

(Almost) Anything Goes Blog Party # 2 - The Summer Edition

Yep - It's an anything goes party. Well, almost anything. Please do NOT post any adult content or items for sale. This party is for all women, young and old, with or without children. Please post things that are fun, relevant and non-offensive (negative posts will be deleted!)

Can you believe it will officially be summer next week? Are you enjoying some sunshine and summer fun? Share it with us!

 A BIG thank you to the folks who partied with us last week! 

So are you ready to go again? Do you have some fun Fourth of July decorations to make, or an inspiring story to share? Bring it here!

The party goes from Saturday through Friday

(Almost) Anything Goes Blog Party #1

Yep - It's an anything goes party. Well, almost anything. Please do NOT post any adult content. This party is for all women, young and old, with or without children. Please post things that are fun, relevant and non-offensive (negative posts will be deleted!)

So lets get started! What great ideas and thoughts do you have?

An InLinkz Link-up

The Journey

Life is a journey. But it's not a straight and even path. It's not all roses and birds singing. It has twists and turns and thorns and unbearable obstacles. Life throws punches.

As I have been working through my own problems, discovering difficult things about myself and learning to rise above them, I see others around me dealing with things beyond my comprehension. Illness, death, deep personal loss.

As I ponder on my life and how many blessings I've had - how many hills and obstacles I've managed to overcome -  I am grateful for it all. Through it I've learned that we all need to hold on to each other. We are all a part of this journey.

If we humans reach out and hold each other, we can walk this journey of life so much better. Together we can traverse the darkness and together celebrate the joys.

Resting in the Beauty of Nature

My life gets crazy. I work full time as a child care center manager. I am developing a business to train Early Childhood professionals. I have a cooking blog, a photography blog, three cats and a husband. And sometimes I get overwhelmed.

That's when I take some time outdoors. Science tells us that being outdoors enhances creativity and boosts energy. It boosts our immune systems, gives us a good dose of vitamin D (a vitamin most of us are deficient in) and helps us create focus. And that's just being outdoors. Add being in nature to the equation.

Simple Pleasures

I love that the weather is getting warmer. One of my favorite things to do is visit a farmer's market. We have them all over where I live. This last Saturday I spent some time at a small one in Salem. 

There wasn't a lot of produce yet, but there were plenty of plants. I perused for a bit then spent some cash. I bought the plants I needed for my garden - tomatillos, peppers and some herbs. I found some early strawberries and they were so sweet and juicy! One booth sold radishes. Many different varieties of radishes - and sweet Japanese turnips. These little white, radish sized roots were fabulous just as a snack! Carrots, rainbow chard...A bag full of fresh goodness.

When I returned home to put everything away and plant the herbs and vegetables, I was reminded how blessed I am to live in the place I do. Yes, we get a lot of rain here in the Pacific Northwest, but that rain is what makes the forests so lush with flowers and ferns and greenery.

 It's what turns a dry, barren field into a picturesque scene from a painting. I am driving distance from the desert, the mountains or the beach. There are wilderness hiking trails close enough to traverse every day if I choose. 

My backyard is 1/4 acre of trees and birds and peace. 

I am grateful for this wonderful place I live.

© Copyright 2018 Helen Fern

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated!

National Wear Your PJs to Work Day

What? Wear you PJs to work? Now that could cause quite a stir depending on what you call PJs! Who comes up with these things? #WearYourPajamastoWork - There is even a website dedicated to it! National Wear your Pajamas to Work Day - There's a movement!

It's a day to relax after working so hard on getting your taxes done (mine were done in February). It's the day after tax day every year - except this year tax day is April 17, so it's the day before tax day!

Now I don't know about you, but what I wear to bed is not for public viewing. I suppose I could wear my sweats, or perhaps my leggings and a long shirt. You know, the stuff you wear when you sit around the house. And what if you don't wear PJs? What then?

Hmmm....

Just a few thoughts to ponder on this day of relaxations. Happy Wear your Pajamas to Work Day!

(Note: this is as close as you get to me in my PJs)

Hoppy Easter

American Diabetes Alert Day

It’s the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Alert Day. Type 2 diabetes is different than type 1. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition. The immune system attacks cells in the pancreas causing it to produce very little insulin, and ultimately shut down. So far, no one quite knows what causes it. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is not an autoimmune condition. It is an insulin resistance condition, caused by a combination of heredity and lifestyle. More than 23 million people in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes and that is only the ones that have been diagnosed. Statistics show that there are most likley more than 8 million more that don’t even know they have it! And it’s on the rise! The ADA reported that since 1988 the number of people with the condition has risen by more than 380 percent!

It's National Let's Laugh Day!

Well who knows who thought of this one, but I think it's a great idea. We live with so much stress in our lives these days, a day dedicated to laughter really is the best medicine! Laughter gives us joy. Laughter gives us peace. Laughter just makes us feel good all over - and it makes everyone around you feel the same.

So what makes me laugh?

I love to watch my crazy cats playing in the house. Their antics almost always bring a smile!

I work with young children. The things they say and do can make you laugh - and their laughter is so contagious! You can't help but join them.

My grandkids can really crack me up. And what better thing to do than to laugh with your grandchildren?

I'd love to hear the things that make you laugh! Share them in the comments below!

Have a silly day!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Daylight Savings?

Time changes. What the heck? Why do we do this? Daylight savings, then standard, then back again. So why?


                                                                     

Well I hear that it all started with the farmers. They moved one hour from the morning hours to the evening hours. It gave them more time to work in the fields. But the truth is, this time changing habit didn't become a regular practice until WWs I and II. It was done in an effort to have more daylight for war production - so out the window with the farmer idea! The problem here was that times were so different in each city that congress decided to standardize it in 1966. Now everyone did it together.

So then, what is the point? For the daylight savings, there have been studies that energy was actually saved by having more daylight at the end of the day than in the morning. They say that energy consumption is related to when we go to bed! OK - that makes a little sense. Problem here - many of us are up before the sun with this new time. So on go the lights and the TVs and stereos - and computers. So where is the energy saving now? We use it in the AM instead of the PM. When I get home I relax with a glass of wine and read! And the closer you are to the equator, the less sense it makes.

And then there is "falling back" in November. Why? We just got used to this new time to save daylight for the afternoon and use up energy in the morning. Why do we switch back? Do we really gain an hour? Of course not. It just feels that way because we now need to reset our body clocks - again.

Oh well - now off I go to use up energy in the dark morning hours to get ready for work.