Friday, February 14, 2025

February 14--❤😍 ❤😍 ❤😍

Love is what you've been through with somebody.  --James Thurber 

    My husband, therefore, loves me, because he went through the DEAD cell phone panic with me. That would be me panicking, not him. He set me up with an old phone temporarily and did the online research that ultimately landed me with a Google Pixel 8A from Best Buy. The setup was amazingly easy, and now order has been restored in my life! 
    OK, isn't it weird that the word is "panicking" and not "panicing"? What great grammar god decided the "k" needed to be there? I think both versions look strange.
    Many years ago, when I was scheduled to attend a retreat with Edwene Gaines, she sent out a "tie up all loose ends" list to complete before we left home. It included such things as pay the bills, return borrowed items, get necessary appointments done or scheduled, clean and declutter, etc. It was so rigorous that my husband asked me if I was coming back home. Remembering that list inspired me to deep-clean the woman cave in advance of my upcoming 6-week trip. The other inspiration was to be able to hang my artwork on the walls. The effort took me three days. I washed the walls and woodwork (furry), made a new sparkly curtain for the window, dusted and vacuumed, pitched and donated a bunch of stuff, and best of all, put my paintings on the walls. 
    Onward, to conquer more "loose ends"!
        Leta
My artwork in the CLEAN woman cave

Thursday, February 13, 2025

February 13--Yes, I Am Totally Phone-Dependent

Don't imagine that love, to be true and burning, must be extraordinary. No; what we need in our love is the continuous desire to love the one we love. 
--Mother Teresa

It is not where we are going or how fast we get there that gives this day worth. It is how much we are able to radiate love to everyone who crosses our path, no matter who they are or what we are trying to get done. Love is what a successful day is built upon.  --Mary Davis

    It may take me a few days to get back into the swing of things. 
    Last night my phone died. DEAD. The screen went black and it was not to be revived. Since I am leaving in nine days on a six-week trip to the other side of the world, this was cause for total freak-out, melt-down panic. Fortunately, my dear husband came to the rescue before the freakage went too far. He got an old phone of his working for me, and offered to shop for a new one today while I am spending the day being a simulated patient with a lower back ache. Let's just say that pretending to have a "pain in the ass" is not much of a stretch for me today!!! 
    Leta
The "before" photo--woman cave cleaning chaos...
a story for another day...

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

February 12--I'm Back, Sort Of

That's what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway.  --John Green

    I'm finally able to return to the blog posts without crying. I'm just going to pick up with the quotes where I left off, since they are all about LOVE anyway. 
    I don't know if I'm back really. However, a week from Saturday, I leave on a six-week tour of Australia, New Zealand and Bali. I leave winter here, go to summer there, and return in early April to spring here. I think that's about the best planning ever! I intend to use the blog as my travel log as many folks have asked me to do so. 
    SIX weeks!???! I want to go to all three places, and I only want to make the LLLOOONNNGGG journey over there one time. I've waited literally for years for the two tours to line up. We leave on the 22nd and fly to Houston, then San Francisco, then across the Pacific Ocean to Melbourne, arriving on the 24th. So I'm not sure when my first actual travel-log post will be. Therefore...
    STAY TUNED!!
        Leta
One of our Bali resorts
(can you say "died and gone to heaven!!"??)

Saturday, January 11, 2025

January 11--Likely "The End"

The art of love... is largely the art of persistence.  --Albert Ellis

    I have been quite persistent in my blog-writing, but alas, I think this is the end. It has been demanded that I not write about a large part of my life because it may offend the folks involved. Therefore, I just can't muster the heart to write a post anymore. This distresses me to no end, involving much soul-rinsing. If I can't write freely, if I'm paranoid about it, there's no point. Of course, I shall continue writing, as it is important to my spiritual growth. It just won't be published. 
    Please make a mental note to ponder how censorship kills creativity. I suspect we are going to see a lot more censorship attempted in the next few years.
    Thank you, dear readers, for being persistent in reading. That has been a wonderful act of love, and I appreciate it. 
        Leta
A nighttime shot of our recent glorious snowfall

Friday, January 10, 2025

January 10--Priceless Pets

The greatest gift we can make to others is our true presence.  --Thich Nhat Hanh

    When all else fails, pet the dog or cat. That's what our pets are--a right-with-you presence of love. That is why they are so priceless. We really lucked out with Barney in that he mostly likes being with his people, and he totally chills when he has both my husband and me in sight. It is hard to express his presence in the house, but it is huge. I miss him even when he's out on a short "ride in the truck" (OH, BOY!!!) with my husband. He's a great traveler, too. Barney's ecstasy over belly-rubs reminds me that life need not be taken so seriously. 
    Simple pleasures are the best!
        Leta
Our sweet bud Barney

Thursday, January 9, 2025

January 9--Fingertips Are Empty

Things of great wonder come to those who give their all to love. 
--Hadewijch of Brabant

Anticipate beauty. Believe in miracles. Count on grace. Decide on joy. Expect peace. 
--Mary Davis

    I am in a state of "writer's block" due to a very bad mood. Generally, life sails along nicely with the occasional slam. I'm not the first person to have the block. Nothing I write is that earth-shattering anyway. Here's a cute bunny photo to remind us of spring. 
        Leta

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

January 8--Love Is "Stronger Than Dirt"

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.  --Maya Angelou

    It drives on snow-packed roads to arrive at the YMCA for a lap-swim. Yes, I did. Cabin fever pushed me over the edge. But the reward, besides a lovely swim, was seeing the brilliant sunlight on the ice-coated trees--utterly magnificent. The photo below doesn't come close to the spectacular beauty, but I tried!
    I have to cling to the fact that "love recognizes no barriers." I am entering this year with a combination of hope and despair relative to our country. I've made it fairly clear that I no longer have a place in my life for organized religion. Obviously I am not alone in that sentiment. Alas, part of the catalyst for this was working at a church for 6+ years. Here is a message of hope from Rev. Dr. Elaine Heath:
Because we can’t afford to keep squabbling about things like buildings, budgets, pews, stoles, handbells, praise bands, and carpet…. We must stop that at once. God needs all hands on deck. We cannot continue operating as if we are a private club with members, dues, and privileges. Why? Because Jesus never acts like that. Our neighbors need us. God needs us. We need us too.
    A simple act of kindness is a good place to start.
        Leta

Ice-coated trees in Wichita, January 2025