tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288405342024-03-27T00:38:03.059-06:00Never Ending JourneyLyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.comBlogger2355125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-11747245813974579092016-09-23T00:02:00.001-06:002016-09-23T00:02:14.777-06:00GingerThe story of Ginger<br />
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When I began to look for another little girl to be a playmate for LolaBella, now that her buddy Jewel (Jewelli, I called her, like "Julie")was too sick to play, I was surprised when I found her face within a few days of deciding that I had to do this for both my girls. LolaBella needed a playmate very much. She didn't understand why Jewelli wasn't playing with her any more. She tried, then looked so sad when Jewelli didn't follow her and run and wrestle anymore. And Jewelli desperately needed to be able to rest without being poked and pulled by LolaBella.<br />
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So, anyway, this little face popped up at my favorite rescue, one that I trust because of their treatment and ethics for the lives of their little charges. One look, and I knew she belonged. I made the call, and after a few bumps in timing, we got it worked out.<br />
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I was relieved when they offered to meet me almost halfway, because the drive is longer than I can do in one day by myself now. If they had not done that, it would have meant two days going and two days returning. I couldn't do that. Bless them for their help!<br />
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Her background story......<br />
She was reported to have been found in an alley by a young woman with a small child. She took this little pup home and named her "Alli," reflecting her origin. After a time, the young woman had financial problems and needed to return to her mother's home for a while to get back on her feet. The woman's mother had some tiny Chihuahuas, and she was afraid that Alli would hurt one of them. She wouldn't allow her to come to the house. I can understand her concern, because this dog is bursting with energy! I will come back to that point later. Apparently, the younger woman was heartbroken about it, but she didn't see a choice, so she relinquished Alli for adoption.<br />
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So Alli was at the rescue only a few days. Then I brought her home. And why is she named "Ginger," not "Alli"? Well, as I was driving home, she was curled up in the seat beside me, nervous, I'm sure, but also very tired because she had been spayed in those few days and was still recovering. As we drove, then spent a night in a hotel once I was too tired to make it home, I talked and talked to her. And strangely, she didn't particularly respond to the name "Alli." Oh, she would look at me, but she didn't "spark." So I said to her, "Is "Alli" not the right name for you?" and she cocked her head at me. So I started saying all kinds of names that I thought might suit her. I probably ran through 12-14 names, but nothing seems right to me and she didn't react in particular, either. I said, "Well, you're a spicy little thing from what I hear. Hmmm. Is your name "Ginger?" With this, her ears perked up, her eyes opened wide and her tail wagged. So I kept trying "Alli" and "Ginger" and a couple others, and she chose Ginger every time. Ginger she was!!<br />
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Once we were home and she met the others, everything went smoothly. Of course, she was mobbed while they got acquainted, but within minutes, everyone was OK. Her adjustment was good. In the first few days, she dived under the covers of the bed and staked her claim to sleeping between my ankles for a short time. After a few nights of this, she came out and has been my sidekick ever since. And :sidekick" is literally correct. She wants to be right beside me when we all go to bed. Winter is coming, and she will be my back-warmer, I'm quite sure!<br />
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Ginger has no fear! Well, very little. She has more energy than any ten pound dog should! She's only about 1-2 years old, and she acts like most toddlers do....run, run, jump, race, tear across the couch, run, jump off the bed, run, jump off the back steps, run again! Oh, Mom's home! Jump up on her, bounce off her thigh(OUCH!!), race the others into the house, jump on Mom again! She is very rambunctious. I now understand why the older woman was worried about her fragile Chihuahuas. BUT........Ginger is very smart and she learns quickly. I have to correct her just once, or occasionally twice, and she is trained. The jumping on Mom? It's over. She still jumps or bounces AROUND me, but she does not jump ON me. And she doesn't run into or over her older sibling-pups. She is incredibly active, but doesn't run willy-nilly. As I said, she does insist on sleeping glued to me in the bed, but after all, she DOES rule the world! Or at least our house!<br />
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Ginger has fallen perfectly into her prescribed role. She and LolaBella are absolutely best buds. The chase each other and wrestle a lot. Interestingly, their play has inspired a couple of the older kids to play with them a little also. That's good for everyone. She sometimes gets a little bossy with the others, but a simple "No," and she sits down and it is over. Their personalities are so different, very opposite, to be sure. Lola is shy, timid, but when they play she gets just as rough as Gin. And Ginger is often the submissive one in their play. So interesting!<br />
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She is a real blessing. She is a sweetheart. She is full of love and shows it often. She brings a bunch of life and happiness in the house She completes our family, for sure.<br />
<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-27172868559207907932016-09-11T06:40:00.003-06:002016-09-11T16:17:50.514-06:00Admiration and strengthI work with a woman for whom I have a great deal of admiration, for who she is, for how she handles challenge, for everything she stands for and pushes back against.<br />
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She is young, in her early 30s. She is a single mom to her three small children. She is a hard worker, dedicated to our patients in home health and hospice, where she has applied her education and training as a Certified Nurse's Aide (CNA) as a Home Health Aide, helping people to take care of their daily personal needs. She has gained the trust and appreciation of our patients for her warm, sweet nature, her wisdom and insight. She is wonderful to work with, as she is reliable, honest and has a great sense of humor.<br />
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And a while back, she was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).<br />
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And her world crashed down around her.<br />
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She couldn't walk. Her vision was affected for a period of time. She was helpless and had to depend on others for everything. <br />
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She was advised to put her life affairs in order. So, at an age when most of us are not thinking at all about end-of-life for ourselves, she was signing forms that defined her final wishes, the medical measure she would want or not, should she be unable to voice that at the time. She contacted the father of her children, who has been totally non supportive financially, and only vaguely involved in the lives of the children, to tell him that she has arranged for the children to come to him at the end of her life.<br />
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She was devastated beyond description. <br />
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She has endured unbelievable medical interventions, but a treatment regimen restored much of her motor skills and enabled her to return to her job. Periodically, the vile MS struck, without warning on most occasions, and she would have to be off work to receive the treatments for a few days, and then she would return to work, to the delight of her coworkers and the patients.<br />
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Recently, the "attacks" became more frequent, and it was clear that she was not able to consistently help the patients. She was becoming weaker, so tending to their needs was a struggle for her.<br />
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The company we work for has made arrangements for her to become a full time office employee so that her waning strength is not drained, and keeps her from personal physical danger. This allows her to continue to support herself and her children. It is a win-win, as we needed another administrative assistant. Of course, she is having to learn a whole new skill set, as she is only vaguely familiar with a computer, so she is challenged daily with wrapping her head around these new tasks. She is bright, but the whole thing is off the track she has been on for years.<br />
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She came to my office today, just taking a break, and sat down to let off steam. I know it is hard for her. Everything in her life is now just upended, not even near the path she thought she was on, say, three years ago. It is frustrating to be in the learning mode now, when she is so very good at her chosen career, and she feels like she is swimming upstream in an unfamiliar stream.<br />
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But the thing is......I admire her so greatly. Even before she was slapped in the face with this medical mess, she was determined to make her way and to raise her children with honor and manners and to be ethical citizens. In spite of everything, she remains in that mode, daily instilling her strong values in her three little kiddos, and making the best of every situation.<br />
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Can you imagine yourself in this situation? I can't. I'm nearly twice her age, and becoming more aware every day with the limitations I experience. I took a fall recently. Long story and not pertinent here, but at the time I considered what might have happened, how my life might have changed if I had broken something or been seriously injured. I considered how I might have spent the rest of my life with serious handicaps. But the "rest of my life" is nothing compared to how my young friend must see things. The rest of her life can be as long as the distance between our ages. Unfathomable. And yet she journeys on, bravely.<br />
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So, all this said, I just want to close with, again, stating my admiration for the person she is. She is a person of quality, of determination and strength, and I'm proud to be part of her circle.<br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-67816769297468967522016-08-28T07:39:00.003-06:002016-08-28T07:39:59.866-06:00Didja know?Miracle. All of it.<br />by David Kanigan<br /><br />Each hair on your head is replaced every 2 to 7 years<br />A hundred hairs fall out every day and new ones grow back in their place<br />And look at your fingernails - they're completely new every six months or so<br /><br />The lining of your stomach and intestines gets pretty beat up -- it's constantly exposed to acid and bile and so those cells get replaced every few days<br /><br />Every few weeks, your outer layer of skin is completely renewed every four months you have a fresh army of red blood cells<br /><br />A hundred million new cells are born every minute and a hundred million old cells are destroyed. It's actually the breakdown products of these red blood cells that turn your bruises and urine yellow<br /><br />Every 10 years, you've got a new skeleton, a special team of cells breaks down old bone<br />and another builds new bone<br /><br />Every 15 years your muscles are refreshed<br /><br />You might think you gain and lose fat cells when you gain and lose weight but they actually just get bigger and smaller<br />Over the course of 25 years though, most of them turn over<br /><br />But there are a few things that stick around for your entire life<br />About half of your heart stays with you from birth to death because those cells are replaced very slowly<br /><br />Certain parts of your brain add a few new neurons over the course of your life but the vast majority of your neurons developed before you were born<br />It's the connections between those neurons -- the circuits that store memories — that are constantly changing<br /><br />And there's one more part of you that lasts your whole life (your eyes)<br />Months before you were born, little cluster of cells stretched and filled themselves with transparent protein As you grew, even after birth, more and more fibers were added, but that center endured<br />This is your lens the window through which you are watching this video right now and its core has remained the same since the moment you first opened your eyes<br /><br />~ Adam Cole and Ryan Kellman, excerpts from Your Body's Real AgeLyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-76511341426110390932016-08-27T08:17:00.004-06:002016-08-27T08:19:31.461-06:00Our Horses are GONE!!!I'm pretty much beyond words at this time. I ranted and wailed and cried last night. See the article in the first link, then if you are in New Mexico, please be sure to follow the second link and sign the petition.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ruidosonews.com/story/news/local/2016/08/26/alto-horse-herd-rounded-up/89432320/">http://www.ruidosonews.com/story/news/local/2016/08/26/alto-horse-herd-rounded-up/89432320/</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.change.org/p/new-mexico-governor-save-alto-wild-horses">https://www.change.org/p/new-mexico-governor-save-alto-wild-horses</a>Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-65230828159774124352016-08-19T08:15:00.001-06:002016-08-19T08:15:36.410-06:00I am not "YOU"Trump's "apology" or "confession".... he started with "Sometimes, in the heat of debate, and speaking on a multitude of issues,YOU don’t choose the right words or YOU say the wrong thing. I have done that, and believe it or not I regret it." In an attempt to normalize what he has said, he attempts to align himself with the public by inferring that we all say "those things.” He needs to own his mistakes without minimizing or trying to normalize what he has said. <br />
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Mr. Trump, do not drag me into your presence with that “you” in your vocabulary. In the heat of the moment, of course I have said regretful things, but NOT EVEN CLOSE to the disparaging remarks you have spent the last few months repeatedly throwing around. You are still xenophobic, racist, misogynist, Islamophobic, birther and a bully and display a total lack of ethics and conscience.<br />
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No, I’m not part of that “you” in your rhetoric. Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-85563965857290975822016-08-09T20:01:00.001-06:002016-08-09T20:01:50.329-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Trust<br />
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There are different kinds and degrees of trust.<br />
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I generally trust people until I'm given reason to do otherwise.<br />
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Trust that people will perform jobs ethically and fairly.<br />
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Trust that friends will stand by you, even if they don't understand the situation. Even when you have no words to explain what is inside you.<br />
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Trust that loved ones will be there for you.<br />
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Trust that people in positions of power will do "the right thing."<br />
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Trust that others give you the same right of choice that you give them.<br />
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Trust that if someone has a problem with me, they talk to me rather than gossiping so it comes back to me from someone else.<br />
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When I find that once my trust has been broken, I have little tolerance.<br />
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I don't understand people who break trust, yet seem to expect me to suck up and carry on.<br />
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Or people who break ties but don't let go.<br />
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Over the years, I've had several heartbreaks from people who took advantage of my trusting nature. A friend who put me in a tough situation that threatened my marriage; coworkers who fudged on rules, then left me or others to try to pick up the pieces; a friend who just disappeared from my life with no word; a boss who said one thing and did the opposite.<br />
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Every time something like this happens, it shaves away at my trust. Not trust for those who harmed me; trust for them is already gone. But trust for other people I meet and deal with in the present time. A person can only take so many of those damaging blows before one backs away, becomes more reserved and less willing to open up to new relationships. How sad that is.<br />
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A person goes through grief when a relationship ends, not just with death. Generally, the stages are accepted as set out by Kübler-Ross: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. There are other, more recent theories, but for ease, I'll just talk about this model. I find usually myself first dealing with disbelief or denial ("No, this can't be happening.") and then I start bargaining ("Now wait, can we talk about this?"). After that, it depends of the circumstances, but I often vacillate between anger and depression for a time before finally being able to let it go and accept the loss.<br />
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I've learned that there is one important step before acceptance comes to me. I have to forgive. I forgive the other person, even though I
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14px;">’m often no longer in touch with them, but turning loose of it and letting it go, just as if I could say it to the person's face. Then I forgive myself for being sucked in. Again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14px;">There will be more hurts and betrayals because people are people. We are all flawed and make mistakes. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14px;">I will continue to trust until a person gives me a reason to do otherwise. Then I'll hurt and grieve and forgive and life will go on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14px;">I wonder why we humans do that. I'm sure I've hurt some people along the way, too, and for that, I'm sorry.</span><br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-358866547405896812016-07-07T07:37:00.001-06:002016-07-07T22:05:10.209-06:00...And my own changesSince last post in 2013, my life has changed in more ways than the pup family. It has been a busy three years, sometimes a bit too busy. But I would not change it.<br />
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I've been working at a home health and hospice agency for five and a half years now. I started out as a part time coordinator of hospice volunteers and coordinator of bereavement services. I've enjoyed it a lot. People often say "How can you do something that is so sad?" It is not sad. Supporting people who are nearing the end of their lives and the families who are there with them, is a real blessing. People are usually very real, genuine at this stage of life. Being a part of the support system to help make the transition as painless as possible is sobering, but is also one of the most reassuring experiences ever. Sometimes, there is forgiveness and healing; occasionally, people learn a lot about themselves and their loved ones; at times, it is filled with love and sweetness; rarely, it is stressful and agonizing, as families find out things about themselves long hidden away. With the bereavement program, I am privileged to be with the family as they begin to heal, to find their way back to normalcy.<br />
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Our agency was locally owned. That is nice, more personal. But competing against the large companies around the country is very difficult. About three years ago, the agency was sold to a large nationwide corporation. The change was very difficult for many of us. We stumbled along for a long several months until things began to fall into a recognizable form. Believe me, going from a small staff of about 20-25 to being part of a huge company like that, one that is "ruled" from afar, is a tough change. After a few months of rearranging, relearning, readjusting, we began to be comfortable except for one thing. Our social worker had left and a replacement could not be found. The position was part time, so finding someone in this small, rural community who was not already working full or was interested in working in part time was not happening.<br />
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Then, the VP of Hospice flew into Ruidoso to talk to me. Would I be interested in taking the position? I had retired my license in 2005, while Glenn was dying. After thinking it over a couple weeks, I agreed. The company paid for the relicensing expenses (a nearly year long process!!) and I became a full time employee as Medical Social Worker, Bereavement Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator!<br />
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I'm working 32 hours a week, Monday through Thursday, so I have three days off to rest and recuperate. It is working pretty well for me, and I'm loving being back in the field again. I enjoyed retirement, but I missed the work, too. Having long weekends allows me to have lots of time with friends, the pups, and to enjoy life, balanced with doing the work I love. Sometimes, it is hard. I'm actually on a vacation as I write this. I began to feel stress a few weeks ago, not for anything wrong, but just needing a break. So I'm enjoying a ten day reprieve. I've enjoyed being lazy!<br />
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Otherwise, my life is about the same as always. I'm still single, and I probably will always be. I have no inclinations toward remarrying, and I enjoy living alone, believe it or not. I know better than to say "never," but I don't see it. I was in a singles group for a year, and that was nice because no one was looking for dates. It was just a group of great people who enjoyed company, playing board games, taking short trips, having potlucks, and dancing. But in the end, I'm very contented with my job, my circle of friends, and the four-legged family I have. I enjoy life.<br />
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Yes, life is good, for sure! And I still have that wonderful view!<br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-38771414314990564512016-07-06T19:31:00.002-06:002016-07-06T19:31:12.270-06:00The little familyI'm thinking about resurrecting the blog. It's mostly a matter of finding time, energy, and creative juices. I've been busy enough for several years now that I don't know if it will happen, but we will see.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUhmR7YH5NS2TMVQNZU066CQudLX3HxPhnBcP-qm3KPeWgrb3pjPa4n-0ZVh7m1u4ZJKuUBdPu7v-lf09UqQRccW1ZO1DIv33SwZLZWIvdLY-WDZsZ8-nwDy5fYk3FmJzRZI8/s1600/IMG_0179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUhmR7YH5NS2TMVQNZU066CQudLX3HxPhnBcP-qm3KPeWgrb3pjPa4n-0ZVh7m1u4ZJKuUBdPu7v-lf09UqQRccW1ZO1DIv33SwZLZWIvdLY-WDZsZ8-nwDy5fYk3FmJzRZI8/s320/IMG_0179.jpg" width="320" /></a>A lot has happened since I last published. My sweet Lolita died. She had cancer and was gone rather quickly once we knew it. I miss her often. Actually, we miss her very much. She was such a lively spirit. She was the active, funny, flirty little sweetie of the gang. When she passed away, Joey especially grieved her. He quit eating and just laid down. I had to feed him special foods and carried him in and out to potty for a couple weeks before he finally began to come out of the funk. Before that, they didn't show a lot of connection, but we humans don't always know, do we?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZxNVymWRdIPPymYC67ZVMHXH0M5iltLFOM9eo8XxskngricDAxJB8ovn4Bm9Qd3EvcgEs9U_RRBv573Nm-Bug7VsGm_JFQ3GEUq0SCF21XLXYqCD1yYoKmz3ThuckTMtSz5d/s1600/download-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZxNVymWRdIPPymYC67ZVMHXH0M5iltLFOM9eo8XxskngricDAxJB8ovn4Bm9Qd3EvcgEs9U_RRBv573Nm-Bug7VsGm_JFQ3GEUq0SCF21XLXYqCD1yYoKmz3ThuckTMtSz5d/s320/download-12.jpg" width="320" /></a>I added Bella, a Havanese. She is a sweetheart, although she has a "spooky" nature, and even after being with us for over a year, is still a bit skittish. It's OK. She will get there, and in the meantime, she is just a cuddly little love. She doesn't come to me when I call her name (which she came with), but I recently called her Lola by mistake, and she perked up her ears. I'm calling her "LolaBella" and she seems to like that! Who knew?<br />
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She was originally from a breeder, but didn't work out in that family. Apparently she never bonded with the man in the family, so they gave her up. My rescue people in Oklahoma got her, and I brought her home a little over a year ago. <br />
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Since my older dogs are....well, older, they play a few minutes, then they want to rest, but LolaBella has a lot of energy and wants to play a lot, so I got a precious little Maltese named Jewel to be her playmate. Oh, she was such a love! I brought her home, and within a couple months, we found that she had congestive heart failure. She was with us just 7 months, to my great sadness. When I say she was such a love, that just begins to describe her. She imprinted on my heart in that short time in a way I can't even describe. She blessed us greatly, as all the dogs seemed to love her.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFt3Ubo45iVEkB7KeF71PeF-y2iLBHbAUx_FH9w7J0ePKnRL7GboEJAJnccZDqFRuW_96PJSaPEzw9EC6t-gJEFDPk9EkAVDg7lxNqlTJ0NVVECxnNvv5w2KAGplpzLMyrfjhu/s1600/download-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFt3Ubo45iVEkB7KeF71PeF-y2iLBHbAUx_FH9w7J0ePKnRL7GboEJAJnccZDqFRuW_96PJSaPEzw9EC6t-gJEFDPk9EkAVDg7lxNqlTJ0NVVECxnNvv5w2KAGplpzLMyrfjhu/s320/download-6.jpg" width="320" /></a> LolaBella was lost without her playmate, Jewel, so I brought home our newest family member, Ginger. She is different from the others who are all long haired (Shih Tzu, Havanese, Shih-Poo). She is supposed to be a Yorkie mix, and she is colored like that, but she is as big as my others, around 10 pounds, with shorter, wiry hair. I think the "mix" part might be Jack Russell. Lawdy, does she have energy!! She is bouncy, runs everywhere she goes, and is just a character! She is just just over a year old. She fell right into the family as if she knew she belonged here with us. She and LolaBella are great buds, chasing, wrestling, and being "kids" all the time. She has been a good addition.<br />
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Ginger has made herself at home! She has claimed one of the kennels as her private quarters, thank you very much! Would you look at the stash of toys in there with her??<br />
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So, now the family consists of................<br />
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Joey, our senior citizen at 14 years old. He and Jazi were found wandering the roads of Oklahoma, and he was her protector. He is a love if ever there was one. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzjKGVYA0fFkdksOhIQiZ96YtyaqrkS2djbxhqjw0fHjIVeOOM8AS700HO6FNLPuLEaeR1WsKBonxBam-2xH3MEppGKk8UXMqusP6qJnFrKew66rxcqUtLXFmaSPQ-PvGG681/s1600/Jazmyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzjKGVYA0fFkdksOhIQiZ96YtyaqrkS2djbxhqjw0fHjIVeOOM8AS700HO6FNLPuLEaeR1WsKBonxBam-2xH3MEppGKk8UXMqusP6qJnFrKew66rxcqUtLXFmaSPQ-PvGG681/s320/Jazmyn.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Jazi, the leader of the pack, our Alpha dog at 10 pounds and 10 years. She is really a pistol, but like Joey, showing her age. They both have glaucoma, but when I say "eyes," they line up front and center for the eye drops.<br />
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Sammy, the first of these babies to come to my home. Terrified puppy mill survivor who is the <br />
absolutely sweetest little guy in the world. He is now 12.<br />
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Max. Oh, does he want to be Alpha, but it is not to be! He was a street dog, a survivor, as proven by escaping the yard when I was out of town and living on his own for a week in a foot of snow. Max is now 10.<br />
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LolaBella, little squirrel. She is the shyest, most lovable little 5 year old you'll ever meet. She loves her siblings, she loves to play and she is really glad to have her new sissy, Ginger.<br />
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Ginger, just a year old, has more energy than any dog should have! She is precious. She is smart. One redirection and she has the rule down.....well, except for eviscerating stuffed toys. I figure it is just an uncontrollable urge to protect the whole family from those little furry monsters, so.....<br />
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So there you go, the update on the family. It's all good. We miss Lolita and Jewel, but they had a good life here with us. I think their spirits live on, still with us. <br />
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Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-66186157260679407712013-11-20T22:00:00.000-07:002013-11-20T22:00:01.109-07:00Witness description of a car accidentThis is very, very funny! I seriously laughed until tears were rolling and I was coughing! Maybe you should go pee before you listen to this. I know it shouldn't be this funny to talk about a car accident, but you'll understand when you hear it!<br />
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Here is what the intro said:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When this guy calls his boss to tell him he’s running a little late,
he witnesses a car accident and begins the best play-by-play commentary
you’ll ever hear.<span id="more-109078"></span><br />
Right after the car accident happens, the caller states that a man
gets out of his car as if the other car was at fault. What happens next
is pure entertainment.<br />
The witness leaves the literal blow-by-blow action to his boss while laughing hysterically.<br />
Apparently this is the real deal, and how could it not be? This is too good to make up.</blockquote>
Sorry, I couldn't post the vid here. Something wasn't working right, just not blog-friendly, but just click on the link below.<br />
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<a href="http://95rockfm.com/best-voicemail-giving-play-by-play-of-car-accident/">http://95rockfm.com/best-voicemail-giving-play-by-play-of-car-accident/</a>Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-7680209634822071262013-11-20T20:57:00.000-07:002013-11-20T20:57:51.263-07:00Kids Lip-Syncing A Wonderful Christmas SongThis was sent to me via an email, and it is a fabulous, funny, sweet video! These kids are truly priceless! I laughed so hard the dogs were checking me out, and I had to watch it again. And again! It's great!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flixxy.com/kids-lip-syncing-a-wonderful-christmas-song.htm#.Uotsx4SM8f8.blogger">Kids Lip-Syncing A Wonderful Christmas Song</a>Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-17215993436925321022013-11-19T06:46:00.001-07:002013-11-19T06:46:38.687-07:00Existential BummerThis came from a friend whose life is winding down, perhaps more rapidly
than some of the rest of us. We had a long, sweet talk about living
life fully, whatever that means to each of us, and the joys of having
friends who are there to the end, those who love us in spite of
ourselves. It is sweet and wise.<br />
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Remember to enjoy life as much as possible, to live it as big as you can, because you just never know .....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Yb-OYmHVchQ" width="480"></iframe><br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-25527809127669108722013-11-05T06:38:00.000-07:002013-11-05T06:38:00.241-07:00Random thoughts<ul>
<li>I am a big fan of 1950s oldies music. Always have been. It's the music I grew up with, through grade school (older sibling listened to it), through junior high and high school. Just recently, I wanted something different, and I thought, "Well, I liked some of the '60s music, too," so I flipped the Sirius radio in the car to that station. I'm so glad I did! I'd forgotten about a lot of that music, yet I enjoyed it "back in the day." I graduated from high school in 1962, so it was the music of those couple years, and then through my young adult years it is what I listened to. So glad I found the other part of my memory-music! </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As I've listened to that era, I have been reminded how much I like Neil Diamond's music. Almost all his songs touch me deeply for some reason. Haven't figured out the reason, but they do. And always did, but I forgot! </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I've had a little crush on Harrison Ford for years, but I didn't realize it until just recently! </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>It is interesting to watch the trackers on the blog. Recently (last few days), there has been a huge influx of visitors from all around the world: Brazil, Argentina, France, Italy, Poland, Macedonia, Japan, Mexico, Honduras, Russian Federation, Kuwait, Finland, Israel, Switzerland, .... and of course, the usual ....UK, and Canada. I wonder why? </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I've noticed something that bothers me. In this age of media addiction, with people spending more and more time with TV, movies, the internet, there are some awful examples of what examples we give our children. Lines such as: little girl, "What is a humanitarian?" father, "Someone who hasn't won an Oscar." and the dad walks out of the room. If a parent in real life says such a thing and doesn't explain the "satire" in it, I wonder what youngsters and young parents take away from that movie about how to parent.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My life is good! </li>
</ul>
Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-51728949681687904792013-10-06T17:02:00.000-06:002013-10-06T17:02:17.768-06:00What's up with Jazmyn?<br />
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Since early September, Jazmyn has been very determined to be close to me. It's not that she is clingy, never leaves my side, but she has been more likely to want to be beside me on the couch or in bed. She has always "assumed" that she belongs near me, as she is the alpha dog, but this is above and beyond that.<br />
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Like right now. She has wedged herself between my thigh and the back of the couch. Then she rolled herself back, so she is leaning against the couch, sitting up like a little person, tucked under my arm, and against my ribs. She sits like this a lot. She used to do it occasionally, but now it is every day, more than once if the chance presents.<br />
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So why is she doing this? What brought it on? I don't know, but there are several things that have happened in the time frame around this.<br />
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First, this summer I learned a new way to deal with the dogs when they are frightened by thunder. Jazi has been afraid of thunder for quite a long time, I want to say about 4-5 years. Gradually the other dogs have picked up on her fear, so when there is thunder, I have five dogs on me, near me, close by. Sometimes, it smothers me! I was talking to a friend who is a psychic. She uses her skills, free of charge to help bring lost animals back. If you've read here for a while, you might remember when I was in Florida and Max ran away. She helped me and the house sitter to bring him home. Anyway, I was at her house one day this summer, and it began thundering. I said I should get home because of the dogs. She mentioned that her dogs (Great Pyrenees) were afraid of it, too, but she told them "It's just government business." When she does, they are OK. Strange, right? Well, I asked her what that means, and she said she really doesn't know, but one of her dog spirits told her that. When she asked what it meant, the spirit just laughed and didn't give her an answer to that. But it worked, so she didn't care. <br />
<br />
So I began using that phrase. <i>It worked!!!</i> It took several attempts before it worked, but within a couple weeks, the thunder wasn't a big deal! Now, I admit, they still like to sit near me when there is a storm or if the jets from the Air Force base are flying patterns over us, but none of them lose their cool anymore. Jaz used to shake so hard that she could hardly breathe, and now she just stays close to me, looking a bit worried, but no shaking.<br />
<br />
So .... is Jaz relieved and thankful that I gave her peace and a quality of life free of that wrenching fear with the silly phrase "It's just government business"?<br />
<br />
I finally .... <i>finally</i> .... secured the deck so that she can no longer escape. I've wondered if she feels safe at long last. She is finally able to be in our home spot with no fear and with fear no longer driving her to seek whatever it is that she has sought before.<br />
<br />
So .... is it the security that causes her to be comfortable and contented. Does she understand that I did that for her? <br />
<br />
In early September, I was gone to a retreat for the Healing Touch. I wasn't gone completely, as I was home at night, but the four days were long with me leaving early in the morning, around 7:30, and not getting home until around 8:00 at night. I've thought about the fact that she might have been afraid I was going to leave her, and has decided to keep me in her sights.<br />
<br />
So .... is Jazmyn determined to stay as close as possible because I was gone too much?<br />
<br />
Recently I was talking with a friend about this, and she proposed something I hadn't thought about. She said that she has seen or felt a significant shift in me since the retreat. The shift is a good one, a healthy shift toward my spiritual side. She said she has sensed a truly warm, welcoming, loving aura that just keeps growing and expanding all the time. And her thought was that perhaps Jazi is sensing this and simply wants to be near me, connected to the aura. Hmm. Interesting thought. <br />
<br />
So .... is Jazi basking in the beautiful energy that I'm learning to work with?<br />
<br />
I have no idea, but I'm enjoying having her close. Jazmyn has been a special little dog since the get-go. I love all five, each in her/his own way, but Jazi is"my baby." And it's so sweet to have her being my special, close puppy-friend these days. <br />
<br />
My life is good these days. It is peaceful, low-key, simple. In fact, I haven't said this i a long time, but it seems quite appropriate .....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>.... </i></span></span><span style="color: #000099;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 180%;">Life is beautiful!!!!</span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-91963456435921624532013-10-02T06:56:00.001-06:002013-10-02T06:56:08.099-06:00Deep thoughts this morningA couple things I've read this morning have brought me to much thought:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage uiStreamHeadline" data-ft="{"tn":":"}" tabindex="-1">
<div class="actorDescription actorName" data-ft="{"type":2,"tn":":"}">
<a data-ft="{"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=115818088452122&extragetparams=%7B%22hc_location%22%3A%22stream%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/mysimplereminders?ref=stream&hc_location=stream" id="js_52">SimpleReminders.com</a></div>
</h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">“Make
a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which
you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to
attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will
not take the initiative to change their situation because they are
conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of
which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is
more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure
future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for
adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new
experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly
changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you
want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for
monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will
at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to
such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty." <br /> — Jon Krakauer</span></div>
</span></h5>
</blockquote>
<br />
and .....<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTZ2BeXtYrVT50_fEqxy_XNT0oFwirXK3yaf7btBtJLVe6uZHeHwBQ2LHmJGyXsh1DtY5Qa4mKUM5CYMmlXc16_plu-kmKAR0o4O2BWmtQL2Qs_EXs_6gZqJGJvLJ8rAVSv8M/s1600/1375323_574478322589526_825727693_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTZ2BeXtYrVT50_fEqxy_XNT0oFwirXK3yaf7btBtJLVe6uZHeHwBQ2LHmJGyXsh1DtY5Qa4mKUM5CYMmlXc16_plu-kmKAR0o4O2BWmtQL2Qs_EXs_6gZqJGJvLJ8rAVSv8M/s200/1375323_574478322589526_825727693_n.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage uiStreamHeadline" data-ft="{"tn":":"}" id="u_jsonp_3_2" tabindex="0">
<div class="actorDescription actorName" data-ft="{"type":2,"tn":":"}">
<a data-ft="{"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=130169753687054&extragetparams=%7B%22hc_location%22%3A%22stream%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/soulseeds?ref=stream&hc_location=stream" id="js_54">soulseeds</a></div>
</h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Eyes
wide open, expecting the best but camouflage spots prepared to hide.
The fawn is like the delicate and vulnerable part in all of us; wanting
to trust, but needing to protect. We live in this blurred space between
innocence and protection. Nurture your inner fawn so you can find your
feet, set healthy boundaries and experience as much love and wonder as
possible. </span></div>
</span></h5>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What do you think? Please think about this a moment before you read on, because I want your reflections, your response to my question to be yours, not influenced by my own thoughts.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~ ~ ~ ~</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
I agree with both. The first I had to re-read to absorb it, but after I did, I realize I do allow randomness in my life, more and more as time goes on, because I am finding peace in "allowing." I am allowing myself to be led by my higher spirit. There is great joy in that, and comfort in that I know I am guided in my randomness. I am growing so much since I have let go of many expectations for what I can and can't do, and I am letting myself expand beyond what I thought could be possible. <br />
<br />
As for the second ... I am cautious about decisions regarding who I will allow into my inner circle. What trips me up is having allowed a person in and then having something go wrong. Perhaps they have hidden a trait, perhaps I overlooked it, or we grow apart in some way, and the parting is, well, ungraceful. Balancing between caution and my natural habit of accepting people where they are, as they present themselves, can be tricky. I think I'm doing better, although the last couple years have been a challenge. I've let my guard down a few times, haven't minded my boundaries, and I've been pushed. The work problems have been mostly because I trusted others to be professional and ethical without giving it much thought. I should know that people aren't always honest about things when it comes to "getting ahead." In my personal life, I accept people as they present, but don't allow them close until I am sure who they are. A few mistakes here and there, but overall, a good balance, I think.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~ ~ ~ ~</div>
<br />
Be happy today!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-43823528569030535652013-09-29T09:51:00.000-06:002013-09-29T09:51:02.347-06:00Disguised blessings and love<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6wRJ1-9I6k_1Zu7NLaVbkP1rm-zWxU6nr3X1_WasESciWFjQg9nQ73Kz-qlX41xddfu6eyo9rRAUcrkwvS93w6buJkkO82QfpjTAEhWe4oBpN8-lBNMNIN0qt_SFVFyKUwvG/s1600/996717_474234239318436_1641584297_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6wRJ1-9I6k_1Zu7NLaVbkP1rm-zWxU6nr3X1_WasESciWFjQg9nQ73Kz-qlX41xddfu6eyo9rRAUcrkwvS93w6buJkkO82QfpjTAEhWe4oBpN8-lBNMNIN0qt_SFVFyKUwvG/s320/996717_474234239318436_1641584297_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Do you have moments when you wonder where you are going and when you're going to get there? I've come to the conclusion that the answer for me is "Everywhere and never"!! <br />
<br />
I'm so glad that God's plan is bigger than I can even imagine, because it takes me in so many directions that keep me alive and growing. I've finished all the classes for Healing Touch now, and I'm working on finishing up the final details for certification. Now that I've completed the classes, I'm slowing down and not pushing so hard as I have been over the last year. My deadlines are finished, and the actual certification can wait.<br />
<br />
The Healing Touch work I am doing is so fulfilling. I have believed in this work for a long time, but it is always a challenge for me to believe <i><b>I</b></i> am doing it. In the past weeks, I've been the facilitator of work that has improved the lives of several people I work with. And I'm always amazed. Should I be? I don't know. I believe in the work, the process. What is the amazing part is that I am capable of being part of it! Here's why ....<br />
<br />
I'm a "healer." I have been for a long time, as a friend, as a mom and a daughter and a sister, as a mental health counselor, and in many other roles. It is something that goes back to my childhood, as I can see in retrospect. I didn't identify it in that way until recently, although there are several people through my life who have said so to me. I poo-pooed it and just moved on. Or, in some of those remarks, I read it to be the skills I had as a clinical social worker, a mental health healer. I just didn't see the underlying trait that goes back to early childhood. Now I do, but I'm still in a state of amazement.<br />
<br />
The most amazing part of this for me is that it isn't me. Yes, I have that trait. But it isn't me, except that I have opened myself to possibilities. I have a mantra which I say almost every day. It is "Make me a vessel." I say that because I know my work is not me. It comes from a higher power, call it God or the Universe or Spirit. This energy or power is poured into me, the vessel, and I pour it into my clients, my friends, my family.<br />
<br />
When I say "I'm a healer," I don't mean "<i><b>I'm </b></i>a healer," I mean "I'm a <b><i>healer</i></b>." I don't believe I do the healing, but I'm a willing, trained conduit for the healing process.
In the same vein, when I was doing psychotherapy, I didn't see myself
as the one who did the change, rather the one who guided clients to make
choices that changed their lives. I was good at my job, but <i>they</i> made the changes. I was the vessel. I am the vessel now. <br /><br />
Over the last several years, but particularly the last 18 months, I've experienced a number of tough events. Health issues, nasty work events, people who chose to not be in my life, fear of losing my home to fire, a senseless rear-end wreck, etc. I've questioned why. I've no answers. Until recently.<br />
<br />
I'm finally understanding some of it. I was reluctant to take the steps to become trained in Healing Touch, and some of these events which challenged my faith in my Higher Power or at least in the wisdom and sense of fairness of that higher power, have encouraged changes in my path, my decisions. I'm stubborn. I'm hard headed. Sometimes I need a kick in the tush to make changes in my life. I see the hardships as pivotal. I've not lost anything of importance, only things that were holding me back from making decisions. And what I've gained .... unbelievable!<br />
<br />
Every day I'm realizing my blessings, old ones and new. I love this work. I love seeing the improvement in lives as I work with people. Energy is everywhere, <i>we </i>are energy, and energy has no bounds. Our energies overlap, or more accurately all energy is one. So when I work with a client, I'm simply directing our energy in helpful ways. It still blows my socks off when I see the result! I have three clients who have had chronic pain lasting years. After a few weeks, all three are markedly improved, having only minor pain occasionally. In another person, I discovered a spinal curvature, probably result of a serious fall she had almost a year ago which damaged many parts of her body. After working on her, the spine actually straightened! I was humbled to be the vessel in all of these, but actually seeing the bones of the spine being moved into alignment .... how could I not believe in the power?<br />
<br />
And it's not me. I'm just the guide, the facilitator. I'm just happy to be trained to help this happen. And I'm really thankful for the events that led me to this work.<br />
<br />
Namasté.Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-6637451361921950712013-09-17T09:48:00.001-06:002013-09-17T09:51:14.791-06:00Feeling a bit of outrage today.My knickers are in a knot.<br />
<br />
I just posted this on FB:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
</h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><span class="userContent">I've
worked with dysfunctional families, and I've come to "understand" some
of the idiosyncracies that make it work for them. But I've encountered
one I can't get resolved in my mind.</span></span> </h5>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><span class="userContent"> An acquaintance left her husband
because "he is an alcoholic and mentally abusive." OK, got that. Then
she said she was leaving the children with him while she completed her
education "so she could support the kids." Hmm. She already has a degree
and a job teaching, but if it would "improve her situation
substantially." Why leave the kids in a potentially abusive situation
(historically, when the object of abuse leave, the anger is redirected
onto others in the immediate area), even if it means scraping to support
them? Next she finished the degree and MOVED 1500 MILES AWAY FROM THE
KIDS!!!<br /> <br /> Nope, I can't reconcile this in my head, not at all. If
being a parent isn't your forte, own it, but don't throw the children
to the wolves or be untruthful about the other parent to cover your own
guilt. I don't know which is true, but either way it is just w.r.o.n.g.
Children are not incidental.</span></span></h5>
</blockquote>
I unfriended the acquaintance because I don't care to be an observer any longer. I really don't know what is going on, I haven't asked details since shortly after she finished school. At that time, she said "I don't want to uproot the kids until I'm settled." I kept waiting for over four years to hear about the children, an update of some sort, but she never says anything. But now a year and a half or perhaps two years after she finished school, she doesn't even write about them, except for a brief acknowledgement of the eldest graduating from high school. That was in May. Her posts on FB are all about her activities, how her life is "growing and changing," how much she loves her job teaching(!!!). I finally couldn't take it any more and unfriended her today.<br />
<br />
I donno. Maybe I expect too much, but I don't see how she can love teaching other kids when her own are in what she described as a jeapardous situation. I've considered that perhaps she <i>can't</i> get her children back, perhaps because of something <i>she</i> did, rather than by choice, but whether she chooses to not have her children or isn't allowed, it just seems wrong. We talked a bit when she left the home, and she merely insisted it was because of him. Whatever, I just can't imagine (1) putting her children in danger, or (2) not owning her truth, even if it is painful.<br />
<br />
OK, I'm through. Sorry for the rant. But I needed to vent. Thanks for your patience!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-73425172709157999512013-08-24T16:44:00.001-06:002013-08-24T16:44:27.149-06:00Well, I've been on a long vacation, I guess! Six weeks, can you imagine? When I looked at the dates I was astounded.<br />
<br />
I've been busy.<br />
<br />
It's nothing exciting to write about, but I really have been very busy. Two weeks from now I'm taking my final class of Healing Touch, and I've been working really hard to get my requirements out of the way. It is not imperative that I have them all finished by the time I take the class, but it will be nice to have most of them out of the way.<br />
<br />
I've been reading like crazy and writing reports. I've been working on clients at every spare moment and writing up the sessions. I've revised my resume. I have identified important mile markers and written my review of my journey through this process. In short, I've really had little time to sit down and write a post for here.<br />
<br />
I don't know how long it will be before I resume a regular habit here again, but I'm sure I will. I just have to get this done before I can be casual chatty again.<br />
<br />
So hang in there and check back occasionally, if you're so inclined. Meetcha on the flip-flop!Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-37727493338206777612013-07-08T21:34:00.001-06:002013-07-08T21:35:43.424-06:00Back with a blast. Or maybe a flutter. But I'm hereI'll bet you thought I was gone forever from Blogville, didn't you? Nah, just have been busy and, frankly, out of the mood.<br />
<br />
<u>Wildlife in the 'hood</u><br />
<br />
As I was leaving for work this morning, about 1/4 mile from the house, a doe ran across the road in front of me, followed by a tiny little fawn. They were far enough away that I didn't have to slam on the brakes, but I let off the gas, and I was doing just 15 mph or so. Well, momma walked into an open field, but poor little baby went about 5 feet to the side where there was a fence. I stopped so it could come back toward momma, but, like a good baby, it stopped behind a small tree, semi hidden, and waited. And waited. I pulled to the far side of the road and began to creep ahead. The baby panicked and began butting into the fence! I stopped again, but the frightened waif just keep butting!! Finally, the little squirt squeezed it's tiny body through one of the 4" openings of the mesh fencing and dashed to momma! I believe it was not as tall at the shoulder as my knee, but I was still stunned when it managed to get through that little hole!<br />
<br />
It's fun to live where I can see so much of nature on a regular basis. I was talking with a man recently who has suffered a series of strokes, leaving him essentially in a wheel chair. He can move a couple steps, but that is it. He and I were sitting by a big picture window, watching runrunners and other birds in the yard beyond the window. I asked him what he wishes for, and he answered without a hesitation, "To walk like normal people and be out in nature again."<br />
<br />
I understood his desire. We had a fabulous view, including a couple deer that wandered among the trees 25-30 feet from the window, but I'd rather be out, sitting under a tree to watch the critters, than sitting behind that window. There is a beautiful wraparound porch on the house, and he spends a lot of time out there. But putting your feet on the ground, walking through the grasses and wildflowers, smelling the juniper, cedars and pines up close .... that just can't be substituted.<br />
<br />
I have a young doe who has been visiting here almost every evening, too. She's a pretty thing, and she is completely unafraid of my dogs. She comes right up the fence out back and looks at them with great curiosity. Usually, all five of my 15 pound "bruisers" are out there barking at her, but she just looks at them like "So what's all the ruckus?"<br />
<br />
I got these photos last night, but it was nearly too dark to get a good shot.<br />
<br />
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Isn't she a pretty girl?<br />
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<u>Hot, dry, yuck</u><br />
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We had a hot spell that lasted a couple weeks. This area, this elevation, rarely gets over 90°. And when it does get that hot, it doesn't last but a couple days. Also, the usual, normal high is around 85°. But this recent ickiness was between 90° and 95°. ....... blech ....... I was really miserable. Add to that mix that we are in an "extreme" drought. The reports I saw stated this is the worst drought in New Mexico history. There are wildfires in several places around the state, but not near here, thank goodness. We desperately need rain, and we've had a little, but not nearly enough. The added problem is that when it rains, the accompanying lightning makes all of us hold our breaths. Lightning is what started the fire last year. We are very sensitive and concerned. Fortunately, the temperatures are now more normal, mostly low 80s. I'm a lot more comfortable. In fact, today's high was just 79°. Niiiice!<br />
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<u>Lifestyle changes</u><br />
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A while back, about 2-3 months ago, my diet changed. It wasn't by plan, but just that my tastes were different. I was craving almost no meat. A couple times a week, I'd have 2-3 ounces, but I was mostly wanting vegetables and fruits. I've eaten well, and I've not been hungry. I feel better! The other benefit is that I've lost something in the neighborhood of 12-15 pounds. I'm not sure because I rarely weigh. I know roughly what I weighed the last time I was at the doctor's office, so I am using that as my baseline. I'm still in the nearly-vegetarian mode, feeling better and happy! I hope this remains my path. I'd like to lose about 20 or even 30 more. If I continue like this, it will come eventually.<br />
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I'm also taking good care of myself in other ways. I'm getting regular massages, which helps with the fibromyalgia. It helps a lot. I'm also getting frequent and regular Healing Touch treatments. Between these to and the dietary tune-up, I'm generally feeling pretty good. This past weekend was an anomaly to that, I think because the weather was damp-ish all weekend long. I had trouble with my leg muscles. All weekend, I struggled to walk, to straighten my legs. I looked like some prehistoric being, walking with my knees bent and slightly stooped over, as you have to be when your legs aren't straight. Other than that, I'm feeling great! Life is good!<br />
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I've recently, amost two weeks, started using all natural, homemade body wash, shampoo (or "no-poo," as some call it), and conditioner. My skin is awesome! I can hardly wait to see how it is in another three or four weeks, after my skin begins to adjust and I can see how it is working in the longer term.<br />
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I've been using homemade cleaners around the house for a while and I really like them. They clean well, and I'm glad to be away from the abundance of chemicals that are in the commercial products. I'm doing this out of common sense and a desire to keep our world as clean as possible, but it's also because of the fibromyalgia. FMS is often very sensitive to chemicals, and exposure to them can make the symptoms worse. Given that knowledge, why would I not get rid of as many of those from my environment as I can?<br />
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One of the things that started me looking into "natural" cleaners, laundry soap, fabric softeners, etc., was when I noticed the fabric softener cup in my washer was always coated with a thick slimy coat of the softener. I washed it out frequently, but it would build up again and again. I started thinking .... if it built up like that in the cup, what was it leaving in my clothes, and perhaps even in the air? Now I use .... plain white vinegar! There is no build-up in the washer, and it is unbelievably cheaper. And my clothes smell fresh! The list of cleaning components I use is short, but their effect is powerful, and I feel my health is protected.<br />
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Now adding the personal care things just makes it that much better! I love this!<br />
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OK, time to go, girls and boys. Y'all take care!<br />
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Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-42264492157109770102013-06-16T06:45:00.000-06:002013-06-16T06:45:06.066-06:00Father's DayFor whatever reason, this Father's Day is more difficult for me than usual. I'm missing my dad a lot.<br />
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Happy Father's Day, Daddy. Peace.<br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-23729108511005201262013-06-15T09:00:00.000-06:002013-06-15T09:00:05.148-06:00Good things to remember .........<br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-7694315668057575092013-06-13T20:55:00.002-06:002013-06-13T20:55:25.025-06:00<br />
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<br /><br />This makes me smile all over myself!!<br />
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Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-33336235797079370402013-06-05T20:41:00.002-06:002013-06-05T20:41:28.259-06:00Random ramblings<b><u>Sam and the shoes</u></b><br />
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If you've read my blog for a while, you might remember that when I began bringing home my current pack of rescued dogs, I had a problem with Sam. He kept chewing up my shoes! If I remember correctly, he destroyed 10-12 pairs, some he mangled both shoes, others he mess with just one, but .... I think it was all part of his anxiety after being taken from the previous, assumedly horrible setting (based on the behavioral problems the poor guy had in the beginning). I had to be very careful to put all shoes in the closet and c.l.o.s.e the door. If I left the door slightly ajar, he would pull a shoe out.<br />
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Eventually, he stopped chewing them up on occasions I goofed and left them where he could reach them, but if I did so, he has carried them to the deck or the back yard, and there is often evidence of some sort of "mouth action" because I find them wet. Now, he may be just licking them, because they haven't shown tooth marks. Thank goodness!<br />
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Well, yesterday I left my sandals out when I changed after work. A couple hours later I was on the couch, watching a movie, and Sam came up to my feet with his head hanging low. And in his mouth was one of my sandals! I checked it over, and it was OK, so I told him "No, Sam, no shoes." His hanging head never came up, and I thought it was odd that he brought me the shoe, already knowing it was a no-no. I walked to the bedroom to put it away, and discovered the other one was missing. Oh, no.<br />
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I found the second shoe on the deck, totally saturated with slobber, but not harmed!! Funny little dog! Do you suppose his hanging head and bringing me the shoe was his way of saying, "Mom, PLEASE put your shoes away so I don't get in trouble!"? I'm kinda leaning that way!<br />
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<u><b>Stay in your lane and keep to the right</b></u><br />
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This morning I was going to work, driving up a long, steep, very curvy hill. Like many mountain highways, this one has two lanes going up and one going down. A car behind me was driving in the left hand or inside lane, as I see so many people doing. Makes me crazy. We are supposed to stay right except to pass, aren't we? So many drive in the inside lane, regardless of whether there is a slower vehicle in the outside or right lane. This car was about 2-3 car lengths behind me, and it was not gaining on me, so it should have pulled right.<br />
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Suddenly, a car bound down the hill came around the corner, flashers on, and it was in our uphill lanes! Yes, not just the inner lane, but it was over in my lane, the outside one! The driver swerved back to the correct lane, but it also forced the car behind me to swerve into my lane, too. Whew! Near miss! Had I been in the inside lane, I would have been hit! I could not have avoided it.<br />
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But then, do you know what the car following me did? Pulled back into the inside lane!! WTF?? I would think the driver would have been happy to stay in the right lane after that! The rest of the way up the mountainside, it stayed in the left lane! It didn't pass me until just before the road narrows to 2 lanes on the flat area, and the driver suddenly goosed it to get in front of me! Goofy driving! I don't get why someone purposely drives in the inside lane, as this event proves. I don't know if the downward bound car was having trouble, thus the flashers being on, but I prefer to be as far from that possibility as I can. I stick to the right lane unless I'm passing a slower vehicle.<br />
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<u><b>Thin skin</b></u><br />
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I recently had to go to the police department to be fingerprinted. Don't get excited. I didn't do anything wrong. With the agency being acquired but the big corporation, all of us had to be fingerprinted for a background check, even though our previous ones were on file. Whatever.<br />
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During the process, the technician was having trouble getting my prints to show up on some fingers. She is probably within 10 years of my age, and she said, "As we age our skin thins, and it is harder to get readable prints on us." Well, that makes sense. Over and done.<br />
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Then just a couple days ago I noticed something else. I've been a barefooter all my life. When it is cold, of course I put on shoes and socks, if appropriate. Otherwise, I love being free of footwear. Recently, I have been opting to slip into a house shoe or sandals, even around the house. And when I wear sandals outside, I am very sensitive to a bit of sand that gets between my foot and the shoe. Oh, sure, it bothers most of us, but I used to be able to tolerate it better than I do now. I absolutely have to stop and shake out the sandal. There's that thin skin again! <br />
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<u><b>Hmmmmm</b></u><br />
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I thought I had something else, but I'm drawing a blank. OK, so I'll see you in the next go-round! Be happy, everyone!<u><b> </b></u><br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-10092296867515440202013-05-26T14:59:00.000-06:002013-05-26T14:59:51.159-06:00Move on<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">~ </span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> </span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">We
cry over friends we will never have back, people we once loved, bridges
that have been burnt. But there's a reason, the past is in the past.
You only have so much room in your life save it for people who deserve
it. Chances are if someones in the past, they deserve to stay there.Mend
fences, build bridges, forgive trespasses, grieve losses and let toxic
grudges go. Then move on.<br /> </span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">~ Jerose</span></span></span></span></span></h5>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> </span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">~ </span></span></span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Moving on is a good thing. Knowing when to move on it even better. And once the decision is made to move on is made, it's a good thing to follow that instinct and just move on. Life is good. :)</span></span></span></span></span></h5>
Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-26854976395502560362013-05-15T20:22:00.001-06:002013-05-15T20:22:41.423-06:00What's new and different ....I've had some changes, some planned, others just have happened. And it is all good.<br />
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My diet has changed, not as a purposeful thing, but I've been trying to respond to my body's signals. As a result, my diet is what I'm calling "near vegetarian." I wasn't intending to eliminate or even reduce meat intake, but I've just been craving veggies and fruits. As a result, I'm eating probably just six to eight ounces of meat in a week. I am eating cheeses and drinking soy and other sources of protein. I'm feeling very well.<br />
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I've also been eating "Breakfast Cookies" every morning. the recipe was on FB, and it sounded good, so I made a batch, added my own touches, and I'm really enjoying them. No sugar is added to the oats, dried fruits, nuts, applesauce, etc., and it makes for a nice start of the day. I hate fixing breakfast during the week, because it is so much trouble to cook and clean up before I leave, so these are a godsend. I don't eat cereal. I'm hungry an hour after eating it. This change seems to be a good thing. I feel really good, and this morning, I got on the scales, something I rarely do, and discovered I've lost a few pounds. Since I don't weigh often, I'm not sure how much but it is somewhere between five and eight pounds. I'll take it!<br />
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Second change is a thoughtful, planned one. I have turned off my satellite TV. That might not sound like a big deal, but we get zero reception in these mountains, so it means I'm without TV now. I thought I was going to miss it, but I'm not, at all! I bought a Roku, so I have access to a lot of entertainment with that. I will later get access to streamed TV shows at a very small cost, so I can watch the five or six shows I actually like, but for now, I'm OK with movie channels and music, all free. I spend a lot of time listening to music on my iPod through the sound system or via Pandora. I haven't tried the other music stations in Roku just yet, but I will soon.<br />
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This all came about when I realized that I had the TV on a lot without really watching it. It was just a "filler" for the stillness of living alone. Then I made a list of what I actually watch, and I was startled at how few I have a real interest in. With Roku I can watch those few, waiting 24 hours after they are aired. Heck, half the time I record things and watch them later, anyway, so this is a great solution, I believe. I'm saving a bundle!<br />
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One of my worries about shutting off the dish was getting weather information, but I get that from the internet. The "local" stations are out of Albuquerque, three hours away, and their weather is often much different than ours. We are such a small, somewhat isolated community that the details given from those stations was usually less than five to ten seconds in length. No, I'm not kidding. If I hadn't had the DVR to back up and see it again, I would have missed it most of the time. And the content of that few seconds was very poor, not giving us much to go on, even to know how to dress the next day. I haven't watched those sources for more than a year! <br />
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Isn't it interesting how we get into habits, eating, TV, whatever, and we don't even think about changing until something jumps up in our faces and says, "Hey you!"<br />
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I talked with friends today and learned that several of them have made the move to Roku, too. And all had the same basic story .... got into the habit of whatever was on TV without much thought. And they all agreed that they are interested in just five or six programs. Man, we humans can be sold lots of "stuff," can't we? I had access to something over 200 channels, but actually attended to less than 5 hours a week! Crazy! I've had the attitude for a long time that I had to have the full range of programs, in part so guests would be able to have choices. Guess what? My guests have almost never watched TV in my house, but I continued to pay for it! Whew! Nice change!<br />
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Soooo .... is there anything new in your life? <br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28840534.post-30699522962423850512013-05-12T11:49:00.000-06:002013-05-12T11:49:05.421-06:00Missing Mama.<br />
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Happy Mother's Day in Heaven to life's sweetest Mom.<br />
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<br />Lyniluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04742585512852240355noreply@blogger.com6