November 30--Ready for HOME!

But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever.  --Jane Austen

    I think it is quite cool that there is always something new to learn about someone. Looking at my brother at the end of his days, one would never suspect that he had graduated from West Point and was once a kick-ass-and-take-names U.S. Army Ranger.

    So far, so good on my clear-weather drive-home plan. I went through several batches of light snow flurries, but never any snow sticking on the roads. The 600 miles took me about 10.5 hours. I'm so grateful to have the bigger part of the journey behind me. 

    Keep up the good work, my mighty (overworked) angels!

        Leta

My destination today!!!

November 29--Love Overflowing

If you can learn from hard knocks, you can also learn from soft touches. 
--Carolyn Kenmore

    My niece and I started the Thanksgiving holiday by "hard knocking" each other into a chilly 2-mile walk, leaving us with the "soft touch" of self-righteousness to eat whatever we wanted. I'm pleased to say that although there was plenty of food to OD on, I managed to eat moderately. My intake was kept at bay due to heavy-duty game playing, including a couple card games and of course, Rummikub. 

    It was a very blessed holiday because I spent it with a niece, two nephews, a niece-in-law, and three great-nephews. These are all descendants of my brother Arlie who passed in April. My niece bought the "whole nine yards" Thanksgiving meal from Bob Evans Restaurant, making the entire production so yummy and so much easier for her. 

    I was treated to a holiday video-chat with my son and the older grandson, who is becoming quite the talker. I turned in around 11pm, looking ahead to my 600 mile drive today, back to my in-laws' home in Wentzville, Missouri. 

    My guardian angels rock!!!

        Leta

More fun from "Wild Winter Lights,"
Cleveland Zoo

November 28--Millions of Them!

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.  --Oscar Wilde

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

    I have decided for the time being to use my morning prayer time to simply say "Thank You!" I typically run through a bunch of lovely visions I have for my loved ones and me. Spirit knows all that, and I figure must get bored with the daily repetition. A simple "Thank You!" feels good. 

    Yesterday I did my final lap swim of this visit, 11 days in a row, over seven miles total. Then I helped my niece with holiday prep, which wore us out, thus necessitating naps 😉😉 The big event of the day--niece Debi drove son Bryce and I to the Cleveland Zoo for "Wild Winter Lights." Being the light-and-color-freak that I am, it was heaven. The couple-mile trek around the Zoo was decorated with millions of lights, and even had a big field of light trees and displays set to music. It was chilly but dry and calm, so it was a super night to roam. We even saw two tigers. 

    Celebrate! Celebrate!

        Leta

November 27--They Add Up

How we spend days is, of course, how we spend our lives.  --Annie Dillard

    I'm going to be really good at eternity because I love to nap so much! 

    I suspect that most of us feel like our days are not that exciting. We hang out with loved ones, work, go to school, enjoy hobbies and activities, eat, sleep, shop, keep appointments, maintain a home, etc. It seems to me that the key to this, and to "how we spend days," is all about attitude. We can do our "stuff" with a good attitude or a bad one, and we are continually choosing. I've pulled myself out of many a funk with the question, "If this was my last day alive, would I want to be living it in this crappy mood?!?!" 

    My niece has the plaque shown below hanging in one of her rooms. I'd say it is a good way to apply Ms. Dillard's quote. 

    Prepping for Thanksgiving Day and family coming to town,

        Leta

November 26--Some Days (Years) Were Messy

These are the days that must happen to you.  --Walt Whitman

    A couple weeks ago, I was lap-swimming at the West Wichita YMCA and the (loving reference) old-lady water-exercise class was happening. The instructor plays oldies music for that class on Fridays, and I was amused to hear her playing "One Toke Over the Line" by Brewer & Shipley. Any individual in the class would have either been completely clueless, or like me, would have smiled thinking of the many times I was "one toke over the line." This song came out in 1970. I would say I was stoned at least half of my college years, 1973-1979 (that includes grad school). I could not run for president ever because I was smart enough to inhale 😉😉 I listened to the song's lyrics hoping that they were somehow profound in some way, but nope. 

    Yesterday's Ohio adventures included grocery shopping, lap-swimming, napping, and cooking tamale pie for supper. I must note the rare event that I actually beat my niece at Rummikub last night. Woohoo!!

        Leta

What could be more 70s??!?!?!?

November 25--Today--Please Be Kind

The greatest happiness is to transform one's feelings into actions. 
--Germaine de Stael

    Helping my niece put out Christmas decorations is encouraging my not-so-grumpy feelings about Christmas. I assembled a totally flimsy plastic old-time-red-truck-with-Chr-tree-in-the-back for her. I'm predicting that the squirrels and chipmunks will make a banquet out of it.     

    In addition to decorating, we were both motivated enough to do a 2-mile walk and an afternoon lap swim. Two college students live with my niece (her son and one of his friends). Last night we taught them Rummikub, so we have created two more addicts. 

    Today includes swimming, grocery shopping, decorating and cooking (tamale pie!). 

    Be kind today,

        Leta

This gorgeous hydrangea is
in my niece's neightborhood.

November 24--Cousin Fun

Love is [like the sea.] It's [a] moving thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from [the] shore it meets, and it's different with every shore.  --Zora Neale Hurston

    Love is different with every person, and that's a good thing. 

    The father of my two grandsons called yesterday. It was lovely to talk with him, but even better was hearing the squeaks and coos of baby Remy lying in his lap. 

    My niece drove us north to Beachwood where we picked up my cousin Marlene and took her out to lunch. Marlene's mother and my mother were sisters. It is comical in that each of us have less-than-Pollyanna feelings about our own mothers, but each of us thought the aunt was the best ever. Her mom bought me my first pair of overalls (RED!) which infuriated my mother because all she wanted to do was dress me up in frilly, scratchy dresses. Mom's plan mightily backfired as I hate to dress up to this day. 

    We visited a new-to-us brewpub and had a beer, which fortified us for a trip to Menards. Mostly we wandered around the Christmas decorations, and we both bought some cool lights. I will help my niece with her holiday decorations which will hopefully get me going in a positive mental direction for the season. 

    In shocking developments--it was a Saturday without a nap!!! But, of course, Rummikub finished off our day. 

        Leta

Been seeing lots of 
snowflakes here!