I Am Thankful ...

Inspiring and inspired writing, like the work I see here on a regular basis.

Another blogging “challenge” that drives me to stretch myself artistically.
My husband, whose presence in my life has changed it immeasurably.


Technology that has helped me learn, grow and become a better person.
Home and the feeling of security I get knowing it’s always there for me.
Acquaintances who have developed into supportive allies and partners.
New occasions daily to live life to its fullest.
Knowledge I can share with and gather from all who surround me.
Family, friends and the myriad opportunities to connect and reconnect.
Urges that move me to tap my creativity, for better or for worse.
Love and laughter, after all, what’s life without them?

For all this and much more, I am thankful.

Written for BFF Inspiration #143. Theme: What I’m Thankful For

I Wanna Grow Up…

A Buddhist monk in New York City walks up to a hot dog vendor, hands him $20 and says, “Make me one with everything.”

The vendor pockets the money and hands the monk his frank. After a short while, the monk says politely, “My change?” The vendor smiles and says, “Change comes from within.”

Today is my nephew’s 18^th birthday. Whoa! I need to say that again. Today is my nephew’s 18^th birthday.

I can’t believe it. I remember when he was so little that he could fit into a large turkey pan and I – affectionately, of course – called him, “Oven stuffer roaster.” (My sister wasn't too pleased with that moniker, truth be told….)

I feel like I blinked and 18 years flew by.

Fast forwarding a bit, continuing the transformation begun when I got my hair styled for the first time in 2½ years, two weeks ago I got glasses. I look undeniably “hip” (C’mon folks, humor me here…) but as I take in my new look, a voice says, “You’re getting older.”

Sadly, I’m not yet at that age where I can say whatever I want to and everyone will have to find it charming…. Of late, however, I am more of a curmudgeon than I used to be, especially when watching television, which, it seems, I have less and less interest in each day.

And there’s that little voice again saying, “This is how old people act.”

I feel like I’m being bombarded from every direction with signs that I’m aging and in the immortal words of Peter Pan, “I don’t wanna grow up.”

But then I stop and think about all the exciting aspects of growing up:

·         I can eat dessert before dinner!

·         I don’t have to eat my veggies if I don’t want them (although that’s never happened…)!

·         I can stay up (and out) as late as I want to without breaking curfew!

·         No more homework!

 Y’know what? Growing up is okay. In fact, there are lots of things I like about it. 

My absolute favorite thing about growing up has been living on my own, by which, I mean with my husband. Despite the presence of more gray hair, less patience, more aches and pains and less resilience, in the past six years with Gary, I feel like I've gotten younger. So much so, that yesterday I fairly leapt out of bed at 5 AM to get Gary ready for an early morning on the job.

I don’t typically jump out of bed at “o’dark thirty,” but yesterday was special. At 5:05 AM autumn officially began. At 5:06 AM I celebrated the arrival of autumn by dragging out my slow cooker.

Change definitely comes from within. In my case, within my stomach, and it’s all good. 

Written for The Writers’ Post weekly blog hop # 15. Theme: “Changes”

I love you, whoever you are...

If you have a significant other, admit it. You have a "pet name" for him or her. Right? Don't deny it. Honest to God, there are times when I can't remember my husband's name for all the nicknames he has. It's like being unable to see the forest for the trees. Caught up in details, y'know? For the record, my husband's name is Gary.

Among the many things I call him, is one "cutesy" name that I can't reveal that he tolerates, but doesn't really like, because he doesn't think it's "manly." And it probably isn't, but I love him and I love it. It's a permutation of "Babydoll." For the sake of this blog post, we'll say that's what it is.

So we're with my parents at Union Station in Washington, DC on Saturday along with half the world, it seems -- all there for National Train Day. Very cool! On display, among other things, were several cars from the early 1900s that had been rehabbed under the auspices of private owners. They were extremely luxurious with carpeting and plush sofas and most of them were mahogany paneled. Wow! Now, anyone who has taken a train knows that when you walk from one car to the next, you look in the direction you are going in and rarely look behind you. I've just set the scene....

So I've walked through the train and now I'm out on the platform waiting for my parents who are a bit further behind me to come out. I know that Gary is right behind me and I can see him out of the corner of my eye. I'm carrying some papers that I want him to hold for me, so, as I turn around to give them to him, I say, "Babydoll, can you put these papers in your...." What?! No way?! I'm facing a complete stranger who's looking at me with a rather shocked expression and Gary is just now exiting the train. When my parents came out of the train seconds later, they wanted to know why everyone was doubled over laughing. The joke was definitely on me and it was hilarious! Fortunately, no feelings of anyone involved in this rather grand faux pas were hurt.