Weekly Challenge #83

This week's challenge finds us reflecting inward and may require you to dig deep.

Do you have a grudge you've been holding onto?

This is the week to set it free.

This is the week to forgive yourself and others.

In my opinion, life is too short for grudges.

They take up precious room in your life.

They can do more harm than good.

Let them go. Let.Them.Go.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Arrrrg!

Meet my new doormat, the Jolly Roger.

I will more than likely replace this with another mat when football season approaches but for now this will greet you at the entrance of my home.

I selected this one for a couple of reasons. One is to have a little bit of fun with a door mat. Another reason is the simplicity of the black and white, which leads directly to part of the color scheme inside.

I hope everyone sees the humor in it and has fun with it like I am.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Special Delivery

Fresh flowers from Fiwa's garden this afternoon just because.

Thank you girlfriend. I love them and you!

Blessing or Curse?

Outside my kitchen window I am treated to the view of a beautiful tree which stays green all year round.

I know not everyone has the opportunity to see the wonder of nature right before their very own eyes like this tree treats me to day in and day out.

Which means not everyone is cursed by the pollen blowing in the wind while the pine cones do their thing.

Pretty much everything is coated with a fine layer of yellow pollen dust.

This makes having the windows open somewhat of a pain in my arse.

I like the cool breeze.

I don't like the pollen on the counters, the toaster, in the sink, on the floor. It gets everywhere and on every surface.

I like waking up each morning to see newly formed cones.

I don't like the baby formations flicking me off.

With all that being said, I am not sure this beautiful tree outside my window is a blessing or a curse.

For now there isn't much I can do other than continue to wipe and rinse things while watching the beauty with a sense of wonder to make the situation tolerable and enjoyable.

It is mind over matter right y'all?

Mind over matter.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Would You...?

Go on ahead and let me hear it.

A holiday weekend with little to no pictures taken. Yes, you read that correctly.

I did not take pictures while I was out and about this weekend. I think I may have gotten dinner with Mars and Fiwa captured but that is about it.

To sum up my holiday weekend it goes a little something like this.

Friday: work, shopping for me with Fiwa followed by dinner (pho) with Angie and Fiwa

Saturday: cleaning, sleeping, dinner with Fiwa and Mars (thai), and a jaunt through Wal-Mart

Sunday: pedicure with Kyla and V followed by BBQ at Angie's

Monday: home bound in which I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to but had a good day all the same

I really would have liked to have snapped some pictures of the mullet wearing Rock Band playing Marines Sunday night but to respect their wishes, no footage was captured. Just know Steve Perry and Rick James were in da house and some of America's finest know how to bring it.

Fire rules, especially when you are sitting under the stars, listening to tree frogs, discussing 80s - 90s music/movies, and talking with some of your favorite peeps.

I hope your holiday weekend brought you joy like mine did.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Weekly Challenge #82

Do you have a closet or area in your home in need of organization, cleaning, a little TLC?

I do.

Meet my laundry area in the current state.

Not so pretty. Me no likey.

My challenge this week is to get this area and a few other "hot spots" in my home in order.

I challenge you to join me and do the same.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Whadda Ya Think?

Hang the picture on the wall or leave it propped against the wall like it currently is?

Mixed opinions and views on this currently so I am very interested in what your thoughts are.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Pretty in Pink

Spring can be absolutely beautiful, regardless of what part of the country you live in.

Cherry blossoms in bloom outside of my bedroom window are a sure sign of the arrival of Spring where I live.

Being greeted by a crystal clear blue sky offset by the pink blossoms is a gift from Mother Nature in my opinion.

Unfortunately these blossoms don't stick around all that long. When they fall, they fall everywhere.

I think it looks a little bit like snow. Like snow, the fallen blossoms land all over the place.

Right now my car is covered as is the ground, the inside of my car, the inside of my home.

Get what I am saying here?

I'll put up with it and shut up only because it is so pretty in pink and really I have no choice but to embrace this time of year.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Soothes My Soul

It is currently raining with a cool breeze.

I have my kitchen and bedroom windows open to maximize the airflow, to hear the wind chimes, and to listen to the rain gently fall on the evergreens.

Some may find tonight's weather depressing, especially compared to what we experienced over the weekend in these parts, but I for one am enjoying it.

The current conditions soothe my soul. The sounds comfort me. The breeze invigorates my mind.

I'm going to sleep very well tonight after this nighttime treat from Mother Nature.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Weekly Challenge #81

Socks.

How many loose, unpaired ones do you have running around your place?

Depending on the type of sock or socks I have running loose, some will become dusters and others are destined for the garbage.

I don't need spares taking up room in my space. I bet you don't either so this is the week I challenge us all to match 'em or toss 'em.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Yay!

I am home and it feels sooooo goood.

I woke up irritated by one situation.

I quickly corrected my thoughts when I realized it was worth no more of time and decided to focus on what was good to change the flow and vibe of the day.

First off, I woke up. How many times do we take this for granted?

Upon waking, in my own bed!!!, I gave thanks for being able to see, to hear, to think, for being in my right mind, for knowing I was gonna be able to walk to the bathroom without assistance, that even though my voice is still kinda squeaky today at least I have a voice and am healthy.

I gave thanks for having a job, which I very much enjoy. More thanks for the roof over my head, the food in my pantry and fridge, and the playful kitty sitting next to me. Right next to a hacked up hairball but hey, she's healthy too!

Then I noticed the sun was shining and remembered today is supposed to be one of those picture perfect Pacific Northwest days.

I also gave thanks for safe travels, for time with Ace and Fiwa yesterday, and knowing all my other friends and family were healthy, happy, and safe too.

Life is good. Life is really, really good.

The irritating thought this morning? It's a thing of the past. I've got my smiley face on.

I hope you do too.

Peace and Love Peeps.

I Shouldn't but I Am

At this stage of the game I shouldn't be surprised that I can pack a suitcase in less than 10 minutes.

At this stage of the game I shouldn't be surprised that half of the time I don't remember packing the suitcase.

At this stage of the game I shouldn't be sad to leave the fur baby because I know she is well taken care of in my absence.

At this stage of the game I shouldn't be but I am.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Owie

I've talked about my love of massages before I believe.

It's two fold for me; relaxing and necessary.

I carry a lot, and I mean a lot (just ask Mars), of tension in my upper body - namely my shoulders and neck - but my entire back is usually tighter than tight.

I get all knotted up, which make sense when you think of how I spend my days and nights.

I am now trying to get a massage weekly to help with this. I used to try for monthly.

I no longer go in asking for a full body. I now say just spend your time working on my upper body. Get those crunchies out!

Yesterday was an especially successful crunchies be gone session. I felt loose like a goose and now?

Now my upper body is sore in a good way and the two knots I usually sport on the sides of my neck have minimized down to one.

But I have a feeling I am gonna have to reach for the ibuprofen to function today.

I drank my water to flush the toxins out but apparently there was a lot more than I thought taking advantage of the free rent.

Here I was thinking this would be a better week than others since I was home based versus being on the road. I can't wait to see what next week's appointment brings.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Ch-Ching

Did you know the price of postage goes up once again Monday, May 11?

It will now cost you .44 to mail a letter; a nice little .02 increase.

It will now cost .28 to mail a postcard; a nice little .01 increase.

The price to mail internationally has gone up too.

You can read the reasons why the price increase occurred here if you want to.

I'm good to go with my supply of Forever stamps. Go Liberty Bell go.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Weekly Challenge #80 and Reflection

I woke up this morning with this weighing on my mind.

Balance

I know why it is there. Not so much because of my current state of being but more so for two friends of mine who are struggling with striking a balance in their lives.

Don't get me wrong. I don't have this completely figured out but I have come a long in way in the last five years.

My secrets?

Some of them are

Making time for myself.

Taking time to play and to just be.

Engaging in activities that keep me centered.

Enjoying the smallest of the small and the largest of the large too.

Scheduling downtime.

Not being afraid to say no.

Not feeling guilty for saying no.

Building and maintaining a support network.

Some weeks, heck months, are more out of whack than others but through it all, I listen to my body, to my mind, to those around me.

I don't let whispers become yells.

I challenge you to do the same. Find a balance and not only maintain it, embrace it.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Alrighty Then

Alrighty then.

I've been saying that a lot lately.

I'm not trying to channel Ace Ventura. It simply seems to work for the time being and kind of sums up what I might be or not be feeling in a few words.

It's a phrase that can be interpreted as good, bad, or indifferent.

The purpose it is serving me right now is allowing me to let it flow. More things and situations than not lately seem to be bigger than they should be in the depths of my mind so if I say alrighty then, aloud or internally, it helps put a perspective on things.

Right this moment my alrighty then statement is about the reading glasses and realizing yes, I do need them on top of my new contacts. Wearing said glasses helps me to see the computer better but holy heck, wearing them also makes the bags and lines under my eyes appear bigger than they actually are.

So I'm just sayin'...alrighty then.

Happy Cinco De Mayo

I totally missed my chance yesterday to text or say to people "May the 4th be with you".

There is always next year.

The PacNW doesn't do Cinco quite like Texas does but I have had some fabulous celebrations up here in the past.

I don't think tonight is gonna be one of those years though. It is a school night after all.

We sorta pre-celebrated Sunday night. On the other hand, I do always have the stuff to make margaritas on hand and there are a few Dos Equis Ambers chilling in the fridge I could consume.

We'll see how the day develops. In the meanwhile I wish you and yours a Happy Cinco de Mayo and leave you with this picture of Mars and me from our 2007 celebration. We were more than feeling it this night.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Save Your Money

Yesterday afternoon Fiwa, Mars and I went to seeWe suggest you save your money.

It was predictable said Fiwa.

Mars said it was like a Lifetime movie playing in the theater.

I found myself willing the movie to move along and was distracted by some of the editing.

Don't get us wrong. It is entertaining but I think each of us went in expecting a little bit more than what we were treated to.

Thank goodness it was a matinee.

After the movie we headed over to Azteca to get our grub and drink on.

The salsa was salty and the bean dip came without cheese. Yet another disappointment.

Ahh, a margarita can make it all better though.

Pretty much the entire time we were gabbin', laughin', and confessin' a little boy from the next table over was eye spyin' Spanky.

I didn't really see him but Fiwa and Mars did. Fiwa took matters into her own hands and moved him from the side of the table closer to the wall so we didn't lose him.

What would we do without our Spanky?

Thank goodness we didn't find out this particular Sunday afternoon.

We were so busy catching up I failed to take pictures of our dinner selections.

Fiwa and I both opted for one cheese enchilada with rice and beans. Mars chose a fajita burrito and took the leftovers home to J.

Post dinner and 'ritas we headed over to Trader Joe's and then went our separate ways with a promise to see each other later in the week for dinner with the rest of the crew.

Good times y'all. Good times.

Peace and Love Peeps.

65 Random Questions Compliments of Facebook

1. First thing you wash in the shower? Arms

2. What color is your favorite hoodie? longhorn orange and black

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Yes

4. Do you plan outfits: Sadly weeks at a time

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? A tad under the weather

6. What's the closest thing to you that's red? Big Red (my palm centro)

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having? Skiing down a trail with a few work peeps; competition and inclusion to the end baby!

8. Did you meet anybody new today? Not yet but the day is still young

9. What are you craving right now? a foot rub

10. Do you floss? Yes

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Corned Beef

12. Are you emotional? I can be

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? Not that I can recall

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? Depends

15. Do you like your hair? For the most part yes

16. Do you like yourself? For the most part yes

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? Sure

18. What are you listening to right now? John Legend/one of my dinner party iPod playlists

19. Are your parents strict? Back in the day at some points in my life yes

20. Would you go sky diving? Yes

21. Do you like cottage cheese? Not really

22. Have you ever met a celebrity? Yes

23. Do you rent movies often? No

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? My blinged out iPod case Kyla gifted to me for a bday present

25. How many countries have you visited? 2

26. Have you made a prank phone call? Not in a very long time

27. Ever been on a train? Yes

28. Brown or white eggs? Brown

29.Do you have a cell-phone? Can't seem to live without it

30. Do you use chap stick? Burt's Bees

31. Do you own a gun? No

32. Can you use chop sticks? I'm getting better at using them

33. Who are you going to be with tonight? Some of my crew

34. Are you too forgiving? I can be

35. Ever been in love? Yes

36. Who is your best friend(s)? The immediate circle in alphabetical order is Ace, Kari, Kyla, Maricel, Melissa

37. Ever have cream puffs? Yes

38. Last time you cried? When my kitty Jasmine passed away

39. What was the last question you asked? Healthy?

40. Favorite time of the year? Fall

41. Do you have any tattoos? Yes, one

42. Are you sarcastic? Not really

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? Yes

44. Ever walked into a wall? Yes

45. Favorite color? Cranberry Red

46. Have you ever slapped someone? Yes

47. Is your hair curly? When I want it to be

48. What was the last CD you bought? Jamie Foxx

49. Do looks matter? Not so much

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? I have

51. Is your phone bill sky high? To some yes

52. Do you like your life right now? Yes, there are a few things I would like to change though

53. Do you sleep with the TV on? No

54. Can you handle the truth? Yes

55. Do you have good vision? No

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? I don't hate anyone

57. How often do you talk on the phone? Too many times to count

58. The last person you held hands with? Kari at church

59. What are you wearing? White t-shirt, red lounging pants, and glasses

60. What is your favorite animal? I like the monkeys at the zoo

61. Where was your default picture taken at? My bedroom

62. Can you hula hoop? Yes

63. Do you have a job? Yes

64. What was the most recent thing you bought? A hoodie because I was freezing

65. Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes

Weekly Challenge #79

The challenge this week finds us in the bathroom.

It's time for us to clean and/or replace the shower liner and curtain, if your bathroom has one that is.

I noticed the other day my liner was looking a little worse for wear so it is time to do something about it.

I challenge you to do the same.

For those of us with a shower liner in need of cleaning, I found this little bit of advice today, "To get rid of the deposits you don't have to buy a new curtain, just take it down and throw it in the washing machine with some old towels or rags. Don't use detergent, instead throw in a cup of white vinegar and run the cycle. When it's done, take the curtain out immediately and hang it where it can dry."

I'm gonna give this a try before I buy a new plastic liner.

For those of us that don't have a shower curtain or liner, how about you get down and dirty and really clean the doors? None of that little bit of squeegee action. Make it sparkle. Get rid of the soap scum.

Peace and Love Peeps.

Covering My Bases

I arrived home last night and did the "I'm home" routine with the kitty.

Princess feels the need to attack both the suitcase and myself at least once before we kiss and make up.

On my way home from the airport, or from where ever I might be coming back from, I stop at Taco Bell and pick up a chili cheese burrito. She loves the filling and even though she eats only a little bit, it's her treat.

After this is done, we cuddle on the couch. Last night was a tad different as I was feeling crappy.

No couch for us. We promptly went to bed, after I took some Nyquil that is. Today it is all about the Dayquil.

I started to feel kinda crappy yesterday and I am taking no chances, especially since I leave again Monday mid morning.

Here's to covering my bases and to the aid of medicine!

Peace and Love Peeps.