Sunshine Sunday

It's been a cold and dreary weekend but sunshine today, the sun is in fact shining brightly right now as I type, even though it is fighting its way through heavy fog which I've no doubt will burn off in no time at all. And so already the sun has blessed me with JOY today. I welcome it because I don't believe we've seen it all week.

And speaking of last week, it was not my best, personally. Lot of stuff on my mind, personal relationships challenging, my eldest son and his life, chaotic as always. I've got to get things moving on things I've got to take care of so I can go on with the changes I want/need to make in my life. And so, I hope for better times. Peace. It's all I've ever wanted really.

I have to work today, it is my turn.
Happy Sunday to you all, I hope you have a wonderful day.

Barbara Delinsky's New Novel

"Deborah Monroe and her daughter, Grace, are driving home from a party when their car hits a man running in the dark. Grace is at the wheel, but Deborah sends her home before the police arrive, determined to shoulder the blame for the accident. Her decision then turns into a deception that takes on a life of its own and threatens the special bond between mother and daughter."

I've not been in a reading mood for a few weeks now but I got a new book today by a favorite author and above is what is on the inside jacket. Sounds like a good story so I am anxious to start it. So, JOY that I have a new book.

I like Barbara Delinsky because she usually writes about real people that I can relate to and her characters stick with me for quite some time. Like new old friends. You know, someone you just meet but feel like you've known them forever?

We had a pretty pleasant day at work today, and it is suppose to be cold again tonight (it had warmed up quite a bit) and then warm again in a few days. That's how a southern winter goes. It's not that we don't get cold weather, it does just doesn't stick around for long.

It seems as if this week has flown by. This is my weekend to work Sunday too but the up side of that is I get two days off next week. I can live with that.

Ok, so I'm off to have supper and start my new book. Pleasant night to all!

Feeling a little off today, not sick, just don't feel all that good. So, JOY is in the fact it is my day off and I didn't have to leave the house. That's a good thing. I've not accomplished much at all. But some days are like that.

A Lost Night

I'm off today. Last night was my closing night and I was so tired I fell asleep fairly early and no blogging for me. Coffee is making as I type and it smells so good. Sometimes I think coffee smells much better than it actually taste.

Anyway since I didn't blog last night I didn't report the JOY I found during the day. And I wanted to do that first thing this morning.

JOY came to be by way of a little couple yesterday at work, my first customers who entered our store and broke into a smile when they saw me and said, " We were hoping you would be here this morning."

He had broken his glasses and I was able to help them. It's rewarding to have a job to be able to help people when they need to see. It is what I like about my job most. And when managing a store and feeling like you come up short as a manager sometimes, it feels good to know you can at least still make your customers happy. I hope I never lose that.

Monday, Monday....

Rough Monday at the office and glad I am home.
And that's about all I have the energy or the notion to say but I do need to report JOY. I find it simply in the fact that I have leftovers from yesterday and I can just microwave supper and I don't have to cook~THANK GOODNESS!

Oh look! The moon is almost full, 97% full in fact. I love the moon. It is amazing to me, if you didn't already know that about me.
JOY in the beauty of the moon tonight.

How to eat a Kumquat

These are kumquats or cumquats, both spellings are correct.


This is how they compare in size to a fairly large navel orange.


This how they look inside.

Now the really cool thing is how you eat them. You pop one in your mouth and eat rind and all. The inside would probably not taste too good without the contrast of the peel. It is sour, the peel or rind is sweet. The rind is tender and easy to chew. There are usually two or three big seeds that you very lady like (if you're a lady) spit out. And your tastebuds crave another one right away. You can't eat just one!

I've always loved Norman Rockwell

I started wondering if Norman Rockwell was alive today and painting what his paintings would look like? For instance, maybe he'd paint a setting in an airport with sleeping travelers whose flights had been canceled. A big red headed guy sprawled out in an airport seat, sound asleep with his mouth wide open, I can see that.

Or perhaps a painting of a check out line in Walmart with all the customers with that weird bluetooth contraption hooked to their ears......that would be about right.

Perhaps an older woman, frumpy in her curlers and robe, sitting at her computer quite confused.

Maybe he'd paint a group of teenage girls comparing their new cell phones in various colors of blue and pink and purple.

How about a couple sitting on the couch with the remote flicking through a million chanels they are able to get on television these day?

And maybe, just maybe, he could capture the scene in our office yesterday. A 30 something lady, with a tatoo on her neck, waiting to see the Doctor. She had an ipod in her ear and she was singing out loud (much to everyone's distress) to her music.

Yep, if Norman lived today I believe his paintings would be quite different but hold the same charm as always and he'd capture life as we know it today, just as he did when he lived.

Old Man Winter is Visiting South Georgia Tonight...

...and it is rainy and cold and I'm settled in until Monday morning, I hope.

JOY came in the form of Mocha Java Coffee with very good quality white chocolate shavings in it when I got home........it is yummy! And warm. And rich. And in my favorite mug, even though I'm not a Navy Mom anymore, I used to be. Wish you could share some with me.

I have a new pasta to try. Going to make pasta salad with it tonight.

Neighbor Donkeys

I love to see these little guys when I stop to get my mail from the mailbox.On the afternoons they are close to the fence they make me smile. So....they are what brings me JOY today. Go figure!

Hell Hound

Meet Ching. A couple of years ago my parent's Chow got hit by a car. Missing her a bunch they found a dog in a "foster home" that had had a hard time finding a home. They went and met her and decided to adopt her. Sounds nice huh?
I'm a big animal lover, have been around dogs all my life. The first time I met Ching she made me a little nervous. I tried to make friends with her but all at once this look came in her eyes and she lunged toward me, growling like a mad dog. She was on a leash at the time and my stepfather controlled her that time.
I tried a few other times but she'd always do the same thing. I became concerned but they assured me she was nice to them and a really gentle dog. And then she attacked my little dog.

Sweetie suffered tooth marks in the top of her head before my stepfather got Ching off of her. That was it. I was done and convinced this dog was not a safe pet for them but they assured me she was.

They keep her outside in a huge pen, they have "Beware of Dog" signs out and I guess she is the kind of dog they want. After she attacked Sweetie a second time, I've learned to be careful letting Sweetie out if I'm not sure she is penned up. And my parents have acknowledged she is not to be trusted around other people or animals but they love her and have kept her.

I live on the same property as they do and this afternoon when I came home there Ching is, out and my parents nowhere in sight. I figure they are around some place so I just sit in my car and wait. In the mean time, Ching barks and growls and jumps up on my car in attack mode and foams at the mouth. Finally they realize that she is down here in my yard and that I can't get out of the car and they drive the golf cart down to get her. They think it is so funny. I AM not amused very much.

Life as We Know It

Today was just an ordinary Thursday except for the fact that we had a store visit at work from our district manager. It was all good. We had a good report basically, she has to find something to suggest or change, it is her job but it is all mostly little things.

My parents called me before I got off work to invite me for supper as my mother had cooked a pot of spaghetti and that was nice not to have to cook or worry about what I was going to eat.

Joy came to me in just the fact that I'm alive, have a job, live in a wonderful country, have healthy parents, healthy children and grandchild and that I am warm tonight, have food in my house and clothes to wear.

I read recently these facts:

Electricity: About 2 billion people in this world have none. That's 30 percent of the world's population.

Food: Worldwide there are 840 million people starving.

Water: 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water and 2.6 people lack basic sanitation.

Energy: On average 1 American uses as much energy as 531 Ethiopians. (This one really blows me away!)

Think about how we come home, flick a switch for instant light, can't decide if we want fish or chicken for supper and take a bath in a tub full of hot water.

I've decided to be more aware and try and not take anything for granted.

Lance Armstrong put it well, "I take nothing for granted. I now have only good days or great days."

I'm so excited.....

...because I have a new camera. I've needed one for a long time and it's had to charge up, so I've not had a lot of time to play with it. (Actually, I keep bothering it and it's taking longer because I keep using up whatever charge it gets.)

I really need to go to sleep now. OH.....I almost forgot, it is snowing in Atlanta tonight. We only have rain down here, not even sleet.

A Nice Wednesday

It's been a cold and rainy day and it was also my day off. I like cold and rainy days if I don't have to get out in it and I didn't so it was a good day.
JOY came in the way of a box in the mail full of good things from someone who loves me. That's always a good thing. The box was nice but it's the love part that brings me the JOY.

And.....today was another special day for someone in my life. One of my associates at work has a little girl named Winter Hope and she turned two today!
"Happy Birthday, Winnie!" I love you.
Maybe her Mom will email me a picture so I can post it. (hint, hint).
Seems like nearly everyone in my life has a December or a January birthday!

Another Special Day

She turned seven today. She is my best friend's daughter, my little namesake and even though I didn't get to see her today, I got joy in buying her a pair of cowgirl boots and I can't wait to see her with them on.
"Happy Birthday" Little Robbin with two b's. I love you and hope you had a great day and I cannot believe you are growing up so fast!

Thank Goodness

Yesterday was quite a day. We were at the hospital from 11 o'clock a.m. until after midnight and by the time we got home it was 1:30 in the morning. Since it is Tuesday I had to be up and ready for conference call by 7:30 this morning, so needless to say, I'm a little out of it. BUT......the good news is my stepfather's heart is fine. No big blockages and that relieved him and my mother. So I'm grateful for that.

I have to work today but don't go in until noon, so maybe I can sneak a little nap in. Happy Tuesday to all!

Matters of the Heart.......

.......at least those of my stepfather's heart. He has to have a heart catherization today and my mother asked me to go with them. She is afraid of what they may find and if he has to have heart surgery, they'll do it right there and she is afraid she'll be too upset to drive home. Plus she just wants some company during the whole waiting game at the hospital. So, I'm taking a personal day to be with them.
My stepfather is really a young man, only 59, my mother married him 30 years ago when she was forty and he was 29. He was in a terrible accident before she met him and they think all the meds he had to take after that time may have weakened his heart. He is having shortness of breath and has no energy, so they decided to make sure things are ok and if they aren't, they can take care it before it gets worse.
SO, sent some good thoughts and prayers our way if you will.

A SPECIAL DAY.

Today is her birthday! She is the wife of my son, the mother of my granddaughter and someone I love dearly. She and I share a lot of the same interests, a lot of the same thoughts, (which is really scary for one of us). In the almost ten years that I've known her, she has grown into her own and is a caring, thinking, very conscious person of all things in her world and the world around her. I consider her my friend, a confidant, and she couldn't feel more like a daughter if I'd given birth to her. I hope her day is just perfect and she feels every bit as special as she really is! It is my joy to have her in our lives.
"Happy Birthday, Amy!"

A Nice Day

A perfect pot of vanilla nut coffee.
A nice quiet day off.
Hot air pop corn and a good movie.
A nice long nap.
ALL JOY to me today.

A Resting Mind Day

Normally my mind moves so fast, my body has never been able to keep up with it but every once in a while, it slows down and I swear I don't think much at all. At least not about anything too important. And for me that's a good thing, it gives my poor brain a much needed rest.

For all I know, every one's thoughts race around a million miles an hour like mine do, but the only brain I can see inside of is mine, so I can only speak for it. Today has been one of those days. The truth is when you can stop from thinking so much, you don't have to worry about what is going to happen tomorrow, or what happened yesterday or even what is actually happening now. You just let it happen and you have no opinion one way or the other. That's the way I am today.

I have in fact been thinking about what makes certain people like certain kinds of music. And is it a clue to how they feel inside because music reaches your very soul you know, if you listen to it and allow it to.

Music was such a part of my father's life. He loved bluegrass and whining Kitty Wells type country music. And that kind of mirrors his life.

Music was never really that important to my mother and when she does listen to it, it's nothing very heavy, and the lyrics mean much more to her than the actual music.

I go through stages of different types of music and at times it has meant more in my life than at others.

My ex-husband loved heavy duty hard rock and maybe that's how he felt inside. In fact I'm pretty sure that's how he felt inside.

See what I mean about not thinking about anything. My mind wonders, it thinks of things that really mean nothing. And I let it because soon enough it will be flying a million miles an hour again, worrying about things and remembering a million other things to think about all at once.

Just another Saturday

Today was a hard day at work. Not a bad day, just hard. Nothing came easily. But still we were busy and that's a good thing and the day went fast.

I have to admit my "complaint free world" bracelet got swapped several times from one wrist to the other.

And somedays Joy is easy to find, somedays I have to look for it.

So, what made my heart sing today? What was a moment? Well, it is this moment, relaxing with a nice cup of tea and some Maria cookies.

Sometimes JOY is right in front of you when you least expect it.
I discovered Maria cookies or biscuits at the dollar store last week. Never heard of them before that, but they are thin and crispy and not too sweet and go great with tea or coffee. I need to go back and stock up.

I have two movies to watch but maybe not tonight. I'm off tomorrow so I have time then. Tonight I'm thinking my bedtime will come soon. I'm tired.

A Great Story

At the end of the ABC news tonight, they named this boy their person of the week. If you have time, read this. It inspires me and I bet it will you too. (and yes, it is where I found JOY today.)

A Miami Shores sixth-grader is behind a bill that would help restaurants and hotels donate leftover food to the homeless.

By JENNIFER LEBOVICH

Jack Davis, 11, was told by a buffet manager to eat up one morning because any food that was left uneaten would have to be thrown out. That idea didn’t sit well with Jack.

As a fifth-grader, Jack Davis learned about how government works, even drafting pretend legislation in his social studies class.

A year later, 11-year-old Jack is pressing for a real law—one that could help feed Florida’s homeless.

The sixth-grader is being credited for inspiring a bill that will allow restaurants and hotels to donate leftover food to places like homeless shelters and not face legal liabilities.

For years, many eateries and other places have simply thrown the food away, rather than face a lawsuit if someone got sick.

‘’I kind of used my social studies teacher’s advice,’’ said Jack, a sixth-grader at Ransom Everglades School. ``She told us to make a difference.’’

Jack, with the help of his attorney dad, Jeff Davis, got in touch with a friend, Miami attorney Stephen Marino. Marino, a board member of the Florida Justice Association, a statewide association of consumer advocates, brought Jack’s idea up a few days later during lunch with State Rep. Ari Porth, the bill’s House sponsor.

‘’I’ve never been contacted by someone so young about an idea for a bill,’’ Porth said. ``I think it’s highly unusual and very impressive.’’

It all started one summer morning after breakfast as Jack and his family finished eating at a buffet in Chattanooga, Tenn.

He was one of the last at the buffet line—a typical spread of biscuits, bacon and eggs—and a manager told the family to eat as much as they could.

Jack asked why? The manager told him the rest would be thrown away.

‘’He explained to me if they gave the food to a homeless shelter they could be sued for sickness or food poisoning,’’ Jack said.

The thought of throwing away food bothered Jack, who had taken trips to Peru, the home country of his mother, Yasmin Davis. Traveling through the country, he had seen the poor begging for food.

A school trip last year to a homeless shelter also made him think about those in need in Miami.

‘’I thought: Is there anything we can do?’’ said Jack, who aspires to be a lawyer and who over the summer attended a leadership conference in Washington, D.C. ‘He said, `You’d have to change the law.’ ‘’

He talked it over with his dad, an injury lawyer, who helped him understand what the manager said.

‘’It actually affected him,’’ said Jeff Davis, of Miami Shores. ``It was something he thought was just a crime to waste.’’

BROAD SUPPORT

After Jack got the ball rolling, Porth contacted the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association to see what stood in the way of restaurants donating food.

‘’Sure enough, it wasn’t because restaurants didn’t want to—it was because of the liability issue,’’ said Porth, a Coral Springs Democrat.

The restaurant association supports the bill, said Jennifer Garner, director of communications for the association that represents 10,000 restaurants and hotels in the state.

Because of increased litigation against restaurants, the association had been seeing a decrease in donations, she said.

‘’A lot more restaurants are concerned about the liability issue,’’ Garner said. ``There has been a decline in restaurants that are donating to homeless shelters. This is something that will definitely help. We know a lot of our members are interested in doing something like this, but with the concern over being sued it’s always a little bit harder.’’

A change in the law to give restaurants and hotels additional protection ‘’would be superb,’’ said Frank Ferrara, food services director at Miami’s Camillus House, which prepares about 1,500 meals a day for the homeless. ``Look at how much food is wasted every day; picture a brunch at one of the major hotels.’’

Ferrara said Camillus House doesn’t get many donations from restaurants or hotels because they are concerned about liability.

‘’The major hotels and restaurants are too frightened,’’ Ferrara said, adding that the shelter does occasionally get leftovers from private catering jobs.

On Tuesday, the Florida Restaurant Lending a Helping Hand Act was presented to the state Legislature. The Senate Business Regulation Committee approved the bill unanimously.

Said Sen. Jim King, a Jacksonville Republican: ``It’s about time.’’

It has only one more stop before it moves to a full vote in the Senate.

`A REAL ROLE MODEL’

That the idea came from an 11-year-old is ‘’the best part of the bill,’’ said Sen. Nan Rich, a Weston Democrat, who presented the bill.

‘’It was exciting to me that a young person would take time to do this,’’ Rich said. ``He’s a real role model for young people.’’

Rich sent an e-mail to Jack on Monday, saying she hopes the bill passes and that he can be there when the governor signs it.

His fifth-grade social studies teacher is delighted Jack took her lesson to heart.

‘’I pretty much want all my students to be as much as they can be and to go for it,’’ said Deborah Rogero, a fifth-grade teacher at Saint Thomas Episcopal Parish in Coral Gables. ``It’s their responsibility to make the world a better place.’’

Jack said he hopes his involvement encourages kids his age to help others.

‘’I can really believe in myself because I’m just a kid, and kids are usually not the ones who change the world,’’ Jack said. ``I thought it would be a change.’’

It's Nice to be Appreciated

One small action by one single person can cause a trickle down effect of joy and that is what happened today in my life.

As the manager of our little optical store, customer service is a big issue to me. I've been in retail sales more years than I can say and in optics for 13 years and in our store we are all about caring for our patients. We love big sales, we love to meet sales budgets but mostly we love to help our customers. We try to sell from our hearts, we try to listen to the customers to find out just what would be best for them.

Yesterday one little lady took out the time to call our company's customer service number to brag on our store and on the associate that waited on her. The customer service rep went on and on to tell me all the nice things she said about Vicki, who gave her the best customer service she could offer. She in fact went above what is expected of her and there is where the difference lies.

And as a bonus, the customer rep told me that the customer service Vicki gave said a lot about management. She said, "I can hear your spirit in your voice and even though I don't know you, I can tell customer service is important to you."

And that's what the lady said about Vicki too, that she was genuine and took the extra time to explain things to her.

So there you go, in a world where complaining is prominent, one little lady happened into our store, acknowledged our good service, brought joy to the customer rep, brought joy to Vicki, my associate and brought JOY to me.

Think about that next time you receive excellent customer service and let it be known. You will never know how much it means!

How to Cure a Headache

My day off! I like the sound of that. Only thing is I have to do laundry and such and run a few errands. But I woke up with a killer headache. Not sure why but after taking something for sinus (thinking maybe it is just a sinus headache) I am so drowsy, I'm not able to do much but sit in the recliner and doze in a drug induced dreamy state of mind.

My little dog decides she must go out. No, not later, it has to be NOW, right NOW! "COME on Woman!" she seems to say, "Get up, let me out, I have business to tend to, urgent business! There are squirrels out there to chase, new smells to sniff, I MUST GO OUT RIGHT NOW!"

And so I drag myself out of the chair, she dances with excitement at my feet, and I shuffle to the door and open it. She shoots out like a cannon. I know from experience she will not want to stay out long so there is no use in settling down again comfortably.

I busy myself washing a few dishes, going through some mail, and peek out the window to see if she is waiting patiently to come back in. She is no where to be seen. "Um, I say to myself, she must have caught a very interesting scent."

I eye the chair and want so much to plop back in it. I know as soon as I do, she will be barking those quick little yaps she does to come back in, so I resist the urge and start sorting laundry.

After that chore, I can't believe she is not yet ready to come back in. I open the door and call out her name, she doesn't appear. She never wanders off very far so I am a little concerned.

I slip on my shoes and walk outside to get a wider view of the yard and then I see her. She is just a little ways down the driveway and she has her back to me, sitting comfortably watching something quite contently. She completely ignores me when I say her name. My eyes try to follow what she is looking at so contently but I'm not where I can see straight in front of her. I walk closer and call her name again but it is as if she has suddenly lost her hearing.

A little irritated now, I walk up and turn to get a straight view and and then I see it. Down the driveway, about 100 yards from where she sits is a rabbit, staring right back at her.

It's as if they have each other hypnotized. I stop, charmed myself by this sight but then suddenly the rabbit shoots off in the woods and Sweetie, my little dog jumps up, turns around and runs as fast as she can towards me, past me, and straight to the door of the house, where she looks back at me, a bit impatiently, as if to say, "Hurry up Woman, I'm ready to go in now, come on!"

When we go inside I realize my headache is completely gone. And I no longer wish to just vegetate in my chair. Sweetie, on the other hand is completely exhausted now and jumps in her little basket bed and is snoring away, probably dreaming of magic rabbits or such.

And yes, it is my little dog Sweetie who brings me JOY today and mostly everyday. Without her my life would be very dull sometimes and I may have spent my day off in a recliner with a killer headache. Thanks Sweetie.

The Written Word

A couple of things brought me JOY today, like I said before, a reader left a comment that meant a lot to me, and then when I got home from work, an email from my little namesake who will turn 7 years old next week. It read like this:

Dear Aunt Robbin,

Thank you for the Shirley Temple stuff,
I loved it!
Especially my doll!

Did you have a good Christmas?
I did!

I've been in Florida with my cousins for Christmas Vacation.
But I'm back!
Love,
Robbin

A special thank you from a special little girl that I love, doesn't get better than that!

A New Book

I started a new book yesterday by a new author(for me) and although I barely got started it is beckoning me, I think I'm going to enjoy it. There is so much I'd rather be doing than going to work. I've not been able to do any jewelry making for some time now and I'm itching to make some. I sold about 200 dollars worth for Christmas (ok, mostly my mother sold it for me) but it was stuff I had made up. I didn't even give jewelry much for gifts like I mostly do. (Some people may be glad of that).

I'm grateful I have a job, and a good job it is too. I love the company I work for and I surely must work but somehow I've got to find some balance again so that I can get back to doing what I love. Balance is hard to find, I've never been too good at it and by the time I figure I'm all out of balance, it's hard to regain it but not impossible. I shall persevere!

Tuesday Morning Ramblings

With this being the first really normal week after the holidays as far as work goes, our conference call was rather interesting this morning. With our meeting in Atlanta and then the holidays we've not had one for three or maybe even four weeks. So we had a lot of pent up comments I guess and it was quite lively. Sometimes we do have a lot to share and discuss and funny thing is on these occasions our leader, our district manager kind of gets lost in it all. That is what happened today. Although of course she knows the operations of things, she no longer actually works in a store and is lost to some of what we discuss. That frustrates her a little I think but she understands and she just lets us go to a certain amount of time but then she has to gain control again and we go back to listening to numbers and goals and that sort of thing.

I work late tonight so I don't go in until noon thirty.

And I have a thought on my "Complaint Free World" bracelet. Although I know I am ultimately responsible for what I say and think, the challenge here lies in being around other people who are not on this campaign with me. I have to dodge agreeing with complaints that come from others, and that is hard. Sometimes I think I agree with complaining people to be nice. Does that make since? For example, a customer says "This weather is terrible, cold last week, hot this week." and I smile and say, "I know it." ok, I just complained too. I guess I should learn to say something like "Oh yes but isn't it wonderful that the sun is shining?"

What sounds like a simple thing to do is simple when you are alone, or at least it is for me but we seem to feed each other with complaints and negativity. I wonder how that happened and when that happened and maybe it has always been that way? And so this is the whole concept of the bracelet I know, but it dawned on me that complaining spreads like wildfire and I've got to learn it stops HERE, with me. I refuse to let other people's complaints become my own. If I have to swap my bracelet from one arm to the other, it is at least going to be from my own complaints!

And a pleasant bonus this morning already. A reader commented on my finding JOY every day blogging and it so brought me JOY today already. She told me I was spreading JOY by doing this, and that makes me happier than anyone can know.
Thank you so much Teri for taking the time to say that.

Ok, off to have a good day, I hope the same for you.

All the Little Children of the World

Today was a pleasant day at work and when I thought about blogging I first intended to blog about a little kid I had the opportunity to have a conversation with while his mom was getting her eyes checked. I thought back though and it was not just he who brought me JOY today but three or four little children that visited the store.


There was the little girl, nine years old, who was getting glasses for the first time. She was able to carry on a conversation much better than some adults I've come in contact with. With her pecan colored skin and long braid down her back, her beauty was breath taking.

And then there was the little two year old girl who peaked at me while I was in my little office and smiled and waved and flirted with me. Big bright blue eyes and short curly hair that would bring a smile to the grouchiest person.

A five year old little boy came in to get his glasses adjusted and played with my squishy stress ball while I worked on his glasses, his giggles were contagious.

And last but not least, the cute little six year old that was foremost in my mind. He was quite interested in a case we sell for glasses that starts out as blue and gray and opens all the way and ends up being gray and black. I asked him if he liked our magic case and he proceeded to inform me that it was not magic. He explained to me in detail how it was made to work like it did. A budding engineer I think. When I told him I really thought it was magic he said, "Well, you can believe that if you need to."

And so today all these different children, each so beautiful in their own way, made me smile and brought much JOY to my life.

JOY today came in the form of oranges,
tangerines,
grapefruit,
and kumquats
not too many days off the trees in Florida. Like eating sunshine!

Long Work Day

Today was a very long day for me. I left home this morning at 7:00 A.M. and just got home at 7:00 P.M. Saturday is usually not that long of a work day but this morning we had our store meeting and I have to close on Saturday so, that is the way it came down.

But it was not an unpleasant day, we really had a good meeting and a good day. But I am glad to be home at last and I don't have to work tomorrow. So that is a good thing.

On my way to work this morning the sun was rising behind me and what a show it made. I never actually saw it rise but I saw the preparation for its spectacular entry in those beautiful shades of color that only nature can furnish. So, JOY was in the sunrise this morning.

And I am also thankful that my parents raised me to be able to have respect for all kinds of people and not to be afraid of them if they are different, or in this case, quite bizarre. We are after all , creatures of the universe and deserve to be treated well by others.

Not Complainin' but my lips are chapped!

Back in October I told you I'd heard about "A Complaint Free World" campaign by a minister I saw on the Today Show. You can read about it here. Well, today I got the rubber bracelet. So I'm starting my 21 day try to not complain period. It's very timely too because I'm having a store meeting early in the morning and we've gotten a little negative about our customers. I'm including myself here.

And this is what brought me JOY today.

And I'd like to say that I have chapped lips. Now this in itself is no big deal probably but the fact is, I've never had chapped lips before. Not that I remember. Not that I knew and I know they are chapped for sure. THEY hurt! Chapped lips HURT! And now I understand why they make chapstick and why people use it.

This is the chapstick I bought and it is very soothing. Thank you Chapstick for making chapstick.

Bread! The Staff of Life

Remember that Panini maker sandwich press thing my mother bought me last week? The one I really wasn't even sure why she thought I'd want one? Well......I've had fun with it this past week. I've had a steak and cheese pita bread panini, I've had a Reuben, I've had grilled chicken and cheese and brocoli.

Tonight I am carmelizing onions for a roast beef panini. And the best part is I'm having this luciuos yummy sandwich on homemade whole wheat bread!

And that is the JOY I've experienced today because it was a whole loaf delivered to me at work, still a little warm, by my mom's cousin's wife. It is crusty on the outside and warm and chewy on the inside~ my oh my!

I wish my digital camera wasn't dead. I'd take a pic!

It's Cold in Georgia Tonight

Tonight it will be in the teens here, single digits in some parts of the state but listen to this

........snow flurries predicted for Daytona Beach Florida tonight!

One of my most favorite places in the world is a town in Florida called Plant City. It is the strawberry capitol of the world. They have a huge strawberry festival in February where you can get the best strawberry shortcake you've ever had in your life.

The berries could be in trouble tonight, but I saw on the news where the farmers run sprinklers on them and that way they will freeze inside the water and stay at 32 degrees. If the temp goes lower it won't hurt them, maybe. AND that is where I find JOY today. I love those strawberries and I hope they survive!

WOW!

Ok, my new look is a little bold but I am needing color in my life so I hope it doesn't knock you out. If you have a minute and are interested, I found this Cherokee writing. It is "The Legend of the Cedar Tree". It appeals to me because of my love of American Indian heritage and because the Cedar Tree has a special meaning for me.

Finding "Joy"

I forgot to say in the post below that I am going to post something I found joy in every day. My best friend's name in grammer school was "Joy". There's name you don't see used much anymore. It's a beautiful name. It should come back in style.
Ok, what made my heart sing today, what did I find JOY in? I found it in the pictures of my granddaughter's birthday party her mother posted on her blog today.

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature."
Anne Frank

I am seeking for the year to come, pure joy in everything I experience. I need JOY! I've lost it along the way and I want it!

Some people believe that happiness is simply a state of mind. Some people find it spiritually, some people believe it can only come from helping others.

I can not answer the question right now what it would take to make me happy but I know of things that are making me unhappy at this odd time in my life. Some of these things I can change, some I can't.



That sort of reminds me of a Chinese Proverb I read once. I'm not quoting it right probably but it goes something like,

"The bird sings not because he knows the answers but because he has a song."

I've got to find my song!

Well would you look at this. We have a new year.
2008!

Can't wait to see what it will bring to us.

I know without doubt it will be a year of change for me.

I read somewhere that things happen in the even numbered years and that the number eight stands for infinity.

I wish for all of you a wonderful year full of love and peace and happinesss.

"Happy New Year!"

Love,

Robbin