Wedding Crasher

Wedding Crasher. 

My daughter and son-in-law attended a wedding this weekend with my two adorable grandsons. Now I'm sure when the youngest gets a little older, both he and his brother will be a tag team of cuteness, but for now his older brother represented for the both of them at the wedding ceremonies. 

Apparently he had a fabulous time, especially hanging out at the photo booth, and was quite a hit with random wedding guests. Not only did he get his picture made with his parents, but also with an older woman and a teenaged girl. I guess that smile was hard to resist. 

At one point he made himself at home when a grandmother extraordinaire pulled out the healthy snacks. He and his running buddies took a break from all the cuteness to recharge on some apple slices and fruit snacks. 

But perhaps the highlight of the evening was when he and his two friends literally crashed on the dance floor enjoying a view of the overhead lights and the blue sky above. Luckily, he had the good sense to not spill his drink as he lifted his glass to the sky. 

"Stay thirsty my friend," and don't let a party pass you by. 

The Opinion of Others

The opinions of others. 

I suppose for many of us the opinion of others matter. If you are like me you find yourself striving to be liked, and upset when you feel you are not. 

Recently, I had someone share her opinion of me. It was not very complimentary, and it hurt my feelings. I found myself battling tears for days, and really questioning myself. 

I had not asked for her opinion, but she had offered it non-the-less. I knew there was some truth in what she had said, and I think this is why it bothered me so much. As much as I had tried to change, it seemed to be part of who I was. 

I wish I could say that I just brushed off her words, and got on with life, but I didn't. I dwelled on them for weeks feeling worse each time I replayed our conversation. I found myself engaging less with others, perhaps thinking that they too might share her less than positive opinion of me. 

What I eventually realized was that I was allowing her opinion to define me. After all, it was just what she thought, and why did I give it so much credence? I kept thinking that if I could come up with enough people who felt differently, I might somehow be able to prove her wrong. 

But in doing so I would once again be defining myself through the eyes and opinions of others. Learning to not only accept yourself, but to like yourself can be a life-long struggle for some. What I've come to understand is that not everyone will like you, just as you probably don't necessarily like everyone you meet. 

Looking towards others for confirmation either positively or negatively in the long run can be counterproductive. We all can probably improve or grow, but that will never be accomplished if we hold too fast to others' opinions, and find ourselves holding back what we may have to offer to the world. 

Hygge

Hygge. 

Hygge, pronounced 'hoo-ga' is a Danish word which does not appear to have an American vocabulary equivalent. It actually is more of a feeling than a word, but since the Danish people rank highest on the happiness scale it might be worth inquiring about. 

I found a book entitled, Hygge Comfort and Food For the Soul at the library, and began reading more about this strange sounding word. 

"There are many words and terms which can be used to describe Hygge-cosiness, comfort, contentment, bliss, happiness, warmth, friendship, family, gratitude, appreciation of simplicity and the here and now."

 It appears that, "The pursuit of hygge is a way of life for Danes." The actual definition of pursuit is, "an effort to secure or attain; a quest." I've written before about the allure of quests, and found myself intrigued by this simple way of life. 

The philosophy behind hygee is that, "life needs moments of pleasure-the more the better." These moments allow people to live more mindfully, and result in a happier, less stressed life. After observing my two-year old grandson this past weekend I think he must live in a state of hygge. I think I'd like to follow his lead when even waking up is a moment of wonder as he takes on the day. 

 As I read through the book I found examples like eating cake as a way to include hygge in your daily life. Eating cake without guilt seems to go against the grain of today's world. Except, making room for a little cake in our lives might not actually be such a bad thing. I think I might see a bundtlet or two in my future. 

No wonder my walks by the lake were always so restorative as they embodied hygge to the tee. Candles, soft lights, music, warm sweaters and comfort foods are all things that bring a sense of well-being to our days, and express the idea of hygge. 

Perhaps Brene Brown says it best when she recounts, "Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary."

Ear-resistible

Ear-resistible.

I was sitting at the Toyota dealership yesterday waiting for my car to be serviced. Suddenly I heard the familiar pop, pop, pop of a popcorn machine. Add to that the irresistible smell, and there was no turning back. 

I can honestly say that popcorn is one of my favorite foods. I probably eat popcorn almost every day. At home I pop it in a brown paper bag in the microwave without oil. I spritz it with olive oil, sprinkle it with salt, and add a faux Parmesan made of slivered almonds, nutritional yeast, and salt. 

If truth be known my love affair with popcorn probably began at the Sears Roebuck store of my youth where the wafting scent of freshly popped corn would find me making a beeline to the center of the store money in hand. 

The movies also were never complete without the buttery goodness of movie theater popcorn. I'm assuming its cost must have been more budget friendly during my childhood because I don't think I ever watched a movie sans popcorn growing up. 

Of course, the highlight of home popping back in the sixties was always Jiffy Pop. The song played over and over in our heads, "Jiffy Pop, Jiffy Pop the magic treat, as much fun to make as it is to eat." I don't remember it being a regular occurance at our house, but the few times it did made a lasting impression on me. 

Over the years I've owned a variety of popcorn poppers including electric, air popper, and even a microwave variety. I've considered purchasing a glass microwave popper lately, but I don't think I really need another appliance. 

I was contemplating making a return trip to the machine, as the attendant had assured me I could have all I wanted, but unfortunately my name was called before I could retrieve a second bag. I guess we have another rendezvous in about five thousand miles. 

A Walk By the Lake

A walk by the lake. 

Cooper and I made a return visit to our favorite walking path around Lake Carolyn yesterday. Up until now the weather has been awfully chilly for spring, and the wind has prohibited taking a walk along the lake.

Cooper seemed to know where we were when we turned off the highway, and was excited to be back at our old stomping grounds. As we made our way around I found myself with mixed emotions.  Although, I am very happy to be in our new home, I couldn't help but remember how much I enjoyed our first few months in our apartment. 

One of the things I really enjoyed was the built-in community. Just walking down to get the mail might put you in contact with someone you knew. Cooper and my daily walk resulted in many familiar faces of other dog owners. Our monthly social events were always a great way to interact with others. 

It's interesting how life really does seem to be a series of trade-offs. As much as I enjoyed apartment living eventually our noisy upstairs neighbor made life pretty unpleasant, and becoming homeowners again just seemed to make more sense for the next several years. 

However, returning to the peacefulness of the lake also brought another surprise when I was able to capture a crane in flight as we rounded the corner on our walk yesterday. It wasn't until I got home and checked my pictures that I realized I had. It was just a reminder of a time in my life that will always hold a special place in my heart. 

The Last One Left

The last one left. 

This weekend we traveled to our daughter and son-in-law's home for a community garage sale. Rain had been threatening, and we were not sure what the turn out would actually be. As luck would have it we had a dry day, and plenty of customers. 

Near the end of the sale during the early afternoon an elderly gentleman pulled in to take a look around. He appeared to be in his late seventies, and as is my custom I began a conversation with him. In our short time together I learned that he had lived just down the road for sixty-one years, was a machinist by trade, and had shut down his business almost fifteen years ago. 

I inquired about his family, and he confided that he was the only one left. His actual age was eighty-eight, and he seemed to be in both good physical and mental health. We continued to talk for several minutes about how much change he must have seen in his long life. We said our good-byes, and he slowly turned his car around, and headed home. 

I looked at my daughter, and said it was sad to hear that he had outlived all of his family except for a couple of nieces who lived out of state. It reminded me of my Dad's only living sibling, Aunt Theresa who lives in Massachusetts. I then said that for many older folks the only time they may have social interaction is when they are out and about in their community taking care of errands. 

I was pleased that he had stopped by to check out our garage sale. Although, he admitted he really didn't need anything, I think maybe he did. He needed the friendly talk of another who took the time out of their day to connect with him, and let him know he still had value. 

Pinterest Page

Pinterest page. 

I was pinning something the other morning when it hit me that your Pinterest page really is a snapshot of who you are. All your interests are neatly categorized, and are easily accessible to both you, and your followers. 

What I've started doing lately is requesting that my boards be kept secret. I'm not sure if you know it or not, but when you set up a new board the notification comes across to all who follow you. 

This is how I discovered that a former neighbor of mine was pregnant before it became Face Book official. Trips people are considering, new hobbies, and interests all become public knowledge. With all the controversy over Face Book data mining, Pinterest is basically an open book. 

I kind of look at our Pinterest page as a modern day archeological dig. What books you read, or recipes you tried are all recorded for the annals of time. How you decorated your house, what crafts or projects you tried are all there for the world to see. Any passing fancy such as Zero Waste or Danish Hygge are all a window into who you are. 

I kind of feel the same way about the grocery store. I wonder if the cashier likes to speculate about the customer based on their purchases? Junk food junkie, health food nut, or even crazy cat lady might all cross his or her mind.

Technically the grocery store, the library, and Amazon all have a record of what you have bought or read. I'm not sure if that is a bad thing as long as it's never used against you in a court of law. So for now I'll probably just keep secretly pinning away. 

Random

Random. 

I was reading the paper yesterday morning about a woman on Southwest Airlines who was killed in a freak accident. Apparently an engine failure caused the window next to her seat to break, and she was nearly sucked out of the plane, and was hit by debris which resulted in her death. 

I couldn't help, but think of the randomness of the entire thing. Did she choose her seat ahead of time when ordering her ticket? Did she think her self lucky that she was able to locate a seat by the window as she boarded? Or was she just the next person in line, and that was the available seat?

Whenever something like this happens to only one person it makes me wonder if it was just their time? That morning when she woke up she probably figured she'd be cooking dinner for her children that night.  Flying is relatively safe, although pretty much anything has some risk involved. That said, I don't think we can live our life in a panic about what might happen. If that was the case, we would probably never get out of bed in the morning. 

I think for me, what this tragic occurence meant was that you just never know what might happen, and that none of us is actually guaranteed tomorrow. Because of that I think we have the obligation to try to make today valuable. Now that doesn't mean every day will be a Disney vacation, and that is okay. Rather, making sure to stop and smell the roses, taking the time to express our love to our family and friends, and to laugh, and discover something new will make every day of our life better. 

Music to My Ears

Music to my ears. 

I have always loved music. Although, I never had confidence in my singing ability I would still find myself singing my favorite songs hoping secretly to be discovered some day.  My genre of choice was Pop, and during my early teenage years two of my girlfriends and I combined our 45 collection, and rotated it between the three of us. I've often wondered who actually ended up with that collection as it wasn't me, and it really was pretty extensive. 

I remember buying Carole King's Tapestry when it was on sale at Target for less than three dollars. I found her range easy to sing along to and listened repeatedly to her album. Other albums followed suite, and I found myself listening to The Best of Bread, Dan Fogelberg, and Cat Stevens. 

After graduating I became a huge John Denver fan, and spent many hours singing his songs along with a folk group that I had joined at church. The late seventies was all about disco, and in the eighties I listened to Lionel Richie, Celine Dionne, and Christopher Cross.  I side-tracked into country a little during the Urban Cowboy days, but didn't stay long. 

It was the nineties that found me "a man without a country." Rap music had begun to take over Pop, and I wasn't sure which station to listen to anymore. I do remember listening to The Spice Girls with my elementary school daughter, and even attended their concert. However, I found myself listening less and less to music. 

During the years of American Idol my CD collection grew with each new artist, but again I wasn't really too up on current music outside of the parameters of Idol. My presets were taken over by talk radio. Dr. Laura, Dave Ramsey, and conservative radio overshadowed my old reliable music stations. 

If I did find myself listening to music it was the "oldies" of the seventies and eighties that I would return to. I think it had more to do with knowing the lyrics, which is why I found myself drawn to Christmas music each year because I could always sing along. 

Just recently we were set up with Alexa at the house, and an on-line music streaming service through Amazon. Included in the package was a sweet sounding Sonos speaker which seems to rival our old Bose radio. Now with a simple command I can ask Alexa to play whatever I want.  

While watching this season's American Idol, with the duet feature, I was introduced to some current artists that caught my ear. I made a note of each name, and decided to try them out the next day. I'm convinced that my love of music never really left, it just took a really long hiatus.

I'm thinking with the ease of this new technology that music will once again become a regular part of my life, and that is just music to my ears. 

The Closet

The closet. 

I've had this reoccurring dream for many years. I'm either wandering through my own house or someone else's, and I come upon a room or a closet that I didn't know existed. 

Well it appears my dream has come true, and it's actually pretty crazy.  

This past weekend my daughter, Brittany was visiting, and was needing to use the restroom. Up until this point Chuck and I have only frequented the master bath and the powder room. Brittany actually was the first to use the guest bathroom. 

A few minutes later I heard her inquiring about a linen closet in that bathroom. I actually had NO idea what she was talking about. She then proceeded to show me the up until now undiscovered linen closet. It was basically hidden behind the door, and since I had NEVER closed the bathroom door from inside I was clueless about its existence. 

I'm not sure which I was more overtaken with, surprise or joy, but I was definitely excited to have more room. I had continually questioned why the house only had one small linen closet in the master bathroom, and was having to place overflow linen, and blankets in other closets and dressers throughout the house. 

But really more than anything I was tickled that a dream I've had over and over had actually come true. I remember how in my dream finding that hidden room or closet was always such a satisfying feeling. In fact some nights I'd go to sleep hoping to have the dream again. 

When the absurdity of the fact that Chuck and I had never even known of the linen closet's existence came to light, it made the whole thing even more bizarre. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's not actually some secret portal to another world.  But until I find out differently I'll be filling it up!

Throwing Her Weight Around

Throwing her weight around. 

I returned home the other day from visiting my daughter to a big surprise. We have only been in the house for about two weeks, and I'm in the process of getting everything in place, including our security system. For the last year when we lived in the apartment I didn't have to worry about inadvertently setting the alarm off. So to say the least, I'm a little rusty when it comes to the alarm. 

As I unlocked the door in the garage, and began to enter the house I realized that the door was jammed. I couldn't open it more than about six inches. Meanwhile, since I had activated the alarm countdown I was trying to figure out how to reach the panel before it went off. 

Unable to reach the alarm panel I found myself running around to the front door to let myself in.  All the while the sixty second countdown was ticking away like a bomb. You know the whole red wire, blue wire conundrum. 

I wish I could say I made it there in time, but I did not. I must have arrived at exactly sixty-one seconds, and was met by the screech of the alarm. I quickly deactivated it, and looked down to see our daughter's old baby gate lying on the floor. 

I've been keeping Abby in the really large laundry room while I'm gone,  along with a comfy bed, plenty of food and water, and her litter box. In order to keep her from having free reign of the new house I was using the old baby gate to keep her in a smaller area. Apparently, that morning when Chuck left for work the gate mustn't have been firmly affixed. She had somehow managed to knock it over. 

Now I know she had not tried to jump over it as her size alone would have made that prohibitive. I think she just put her weight into it, and it crashed over. She found herself a jailbird having flown the coop that day. 

Along with our alarm system we also have one of those Ring doorbells. You can imagine my embarrassment as I captured my frantic self on video desperately trying to unlock the front door. After the fact I considered that I did have the option to disarm the alarm on my phone, but I think my feet are faster than my thumbs when it comes to the phone. 

Either way it made for a pretty good story, and video!

Honorary Texan

Honorary Texan. 

I was not born in Texas. I actually was an Army brat who spent the first eleven years of my life moving from place to place. After my father retired from the military we moved to Texas. At the time I literally expected to see everyone on horseback riding through the streets.

Since then Texas has been my home, and I have proudly claimed it as so.  Except, in my heart of hearts, I knew that because I wasn't a native born Texan, maybe I really shouldn't. However, after having lived here for fifty years I decided it might be time to claim full citizenship. I shared this desire with Chuck, and had even considered having a little celebration in honor of my fifty year anniversary. 

Chuck had other ideas. Without my knowledge he wrote a letter to Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, requesting honorary Texan status for me. He received the official proclamation in the mail, and made arrangements to have it framed. He had hoped to present it to me at the next family function. 

However, I think fate stepped in. As it would turn out we were invited to a political event that was being attended by Dan Patrick, the Lt. Governor of Texas. The hosts of the event were friends of Chuck and I, and Chuck contacted them asking if they thought Dan Patrick might consider presenting the award to me. 

You can imagine my surprise when my name was called out by the Lt. Governor, and I found myself before a crowd of guests. I literally had no idea why I was there. As the official proclamation was read by Dan Patrick, I began to beam with pride. It was probably one of the coolest moments of my life. 

Of course, when I learned that Chuck was behind the whole thing it made it even more awesome. He sure is a special husband, and Texan to boot! 

Letting Go of the Dream

Letting go of the dream. 

We all have dreams. It is especially apparent during this American Idol season where the heartbreak of dashed dreams is put on public display. For the rest of us the demise of our dreams might be a little less publicized, but it still can lead to disappointment when they are gone. 

When Brittany was little one of my dreams was to get her one of those green, Little Tykes turtle sandboxes. Except, at the time I really couldn't justify the $29.00 price. It seems weird today, because $29.00 doesn't really sound like a lot, but apparently its price was prohibitive almost thirty  years ago. 

I remember buying a Rubbermaid tub, and filling it with sand to use as her sandbox. It actually worked just fine, and could be sheltered from the elements, and any possible stray cat because it had a lid. Brittany didn't know the difference, and enjoyed playing in the make-shift sandbox. 

However, I always said when I had a grandchild I was going to get him or her a turtle sandbox. Although, its price hadn't changed much in thirty years, my discretionary funds had. I was all excited about buying one when my daughter's family moved to a new house in the country. 

The house came with a large covered back porch, and the biggest sandbox I'd ever seen. Right where the porch ended, but still under the roofline was the perfect sandbox for a two year old boy. It was then that I had to let go of my turtle dream. 

The reality was that there was no need for a tiny turtle sandbox when just out their backyard was an Olympic sized one. Oh well, I guess the more important thing is the hours of fun my two grandsons will have digging to China with room to spare. 

To be honest, turtle sandbox or not, I do feel that I'm living the dream when I get to spend time with them. 

The Bluebird of Happiness

The Bluebird of Happiness. 

I had a real treat the other day when I looked out into my backyard. Perched along my fence was a beautiful Bluebird. Now I'm not talking about a Bluejay, but an actual Bluebird. 

I have seen them at our farm in Northeast Texas, but never at our last house in Frisco. In fact, at our farm we have a couple of Bluebird boxes set out for them to nest. I hadn't even considered that I would find one at our new home. 

This particular one was exceptionally stunning, with its iridescent blue wings, and its rust colored chest. It actually was a little larger than the ones I had seen at the farm. I couldn't help, but smile and watched it until it flew away. 

Coincidentally, my sister had brought me a handmade Terra Studios Bluebird of Happiness for my house after her trip to Arkansas. It sits prominently on the window sill of my kitchen where the sun catches its beautiful blue color. 

Each time I see it I am reminded that it is the simple things that really bring much happiness. 

"Cat"astrophe

"Cat"astrophe.

My cat, Abby, has been "purrfectly" content since we moved into our new home. She has been especially happy about our new furniture, so much so that she has basically claimed the four upholstered dining room chairs, and one upholstered living room chair as her own. Nothing like a chair full of hair when guests come to visit. 

I thought I was ahead of the game when I laid a towel on the first chair I found her on. Except, the next time I caught her she was on a different chair, not the one with the towel. Before it was over I had a towel on each chair, and was feeling quite smug that I had finally outwitted her!

Earlier in the week I had fought the battle in the living room, and ended up buying a gray towel for the new chair. Abby has made it quite plain that she rules the roost, and she will basically roost wherever she pleases.

To be honest, though, it's hard to be too upset with her when she looks so sweet sleeping contentedly on her throne. Her nickname of Princess Honeybun really does seems to fit. 

The Best

The best. 

I'm happy to say that I'm finding a little more time to read lately now that the house is taking shape. I have even had a chance to get my new library card, which I must say is the prettiest library card I've ever owned!

I came across something the other day in my reading that I took to heart. Author Matthew Kelly wrote, "If you want to be good at something study the best."

When you study something it generally requires time and effort. I've been guilty of wanting to take the fast track when it comes to improvement. I like to do things quickly, and don't often put in the work that is required to really master something. 

I had not really thought about studying the habits of someone considered an expert to improve my abilities. Not ever having been an athlete I was unfamiliar with this strategy that seems commonplace in the sports world. 

However, it makes perfect sense to try to emulate those who have come before you who have mastered something you are interested in learning. Of course, you still have to account for your own uniqueness, but looking towards others as a mentor sounds like a good idea to me. 

Interestingly the context of Kelly's writing was  in looking toward Jesus as to how we should treat others, and live our lives with true purpose. I'd say you couldn't go wrong with His example. 

Unpacking

Unpacking. 

Well slowly, but surely our house is becoming a home. 

The challenge has been where to put everything, and I do mean everything. Overall, I've been very pleased at how it is all coming together. With the addition of some new furniture, and the guidance of our sales associate at Haverty's I'm finding it easy to choose the accessories needed to finish each room. 

I'm enjoying getting to display my china and Grandmother's tea cups again. The dressers are displaying favorite photos, and my extensive collection of scrapbooks are being housed in an accessible manner. 

The boxes in the garage have been whittled down, and some Christmas tubs are ready for the attic. I found out a few days ago that my daughter's small town is hosting a garage sale on the square, and she has already reserved us a spot for those things we no longer want. 

I find myself working hard throughout the day racking up the steps on my Fitbit, and my weigh in at Weight Watchers this week did not disappoint. I'm hoping next week to get out, and explore the area a little more. 

But for now I need to get back to work. 

Automated

Automated. 

I did something the other day that I really don't care to do. However, at the moment I really had little choice. 

I had run into Walmart to pick up a couple of things for the house, and was looking for a checkout aisle. As you probably know Walmart always builds a plethora of checkouts, I suppose anticipating Black Friday sales, but generally only opens two or three aisles at a time any other day of the year. 

Now you know how I feel about the self-checkout kiosks. Besides requiring more work on my part, I see them as the eventual demise of jobs for real people as cashiers. That particular day all two of the lanes that were open had a long line of customers with overflowing baskets. 

Common sense dictated that the self checkout made more sense. Except, I really wasn't too happy about it, and made a comment to the person behind me about my concerns. I checked out, remarkably, without any trouble or assistance, and made my way back to the car. 

The next day I needed to take Coooer to be groomed. Rather than returning home, which is a little further away now, I ran to McDonalds for some breakfast and a large iced tea. Upon leaving I noticed that McDonalds had also installed automatic order stations. I had heard they were coming, but don't frequent McDonalds as often as I used to, so I had not run across any on my own. 

I had walked up to the counter to order out of habit, and didn't know I had a choice between the two ordering options. I suppose it is just a matter of time before there will be no need for cashiers. That push for fifteen dollars an hour has really turned out to be "counter" productive for the employees. 

On a happier note I was at my bank branch in Las Colinas the other day, and ran into one of the tellers from my old Frisco branch. We took a few minutes to catch up, and lament the change to automation at the Frisco branches. I suppose this is considered progress, but I'm not sure that always is a good thing. 

Fresh Flowers

Fresh flowers. 

One of my sweet sisters came by to see the house the other day, and brought me a beautiful pitcher and cut flowers to go with it. 

At the time I had nothing on my kitchen table, and it found its home there. I commented to my sister, that I'd now have to buy flowers weekly. The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea. 

I've enjoyed seeing the colorful bouquet on my kitchen table this week, and am sure I could work it into the budget. I've been told that Trader Joe's offers them for a reasonable price. Sometimes it's the little things that really can make a difference in the quality of life. 

When Chuck and I were newly married he sent me flowers on a regular basis. I'm sure there probably was a more practical way to spend our hard earned dollars, but it sure meant a lot to me. We had both delivered flowers as part-time jobs back in our younger days, and Chuck knew first hand how they could brighten someone's day. 

When our house was being built I mentioned to Chuck that I would really like to add some flowers to our front yard landscaping. You can imagine my delight when we pulled up one day greeted by beautiful, purple pansies. My wish had come true without any effort on my part! 

"April showers bring May flowers."

Alexa, Clean the Bathroom

"Alexa, clean the bathroom."

Our new Lennar home is a certified Smart Home.  Now to be honest I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. What I do know is that in a couple of weeks Amazon is coming out to get us all set up, and will be bring us Alexa. 

Now recently in the news I've heard some creepy things about Alexa mysteriously laughing in people's homes. You know what they say, "Laughter is good medicine," so how bad can that be?  I'm a little concerned with all the talk about Face Book and Google breaches of privacy that there might be a possibility of a direct link to the White House. I can imagine Trump sitting there checking in on the American people in his spare time via Amazon. 

I've been told you can give voice directions to Alexa about things like music, lights, and temperature controls, and she will adjust them for you. I'm hoping my Alexa will be able to clean the bathroom or wash the dishes. 

I'm not sure if we are getting that model or not, but a girl can always hope!

Off the Beaten Path

Off the beaten path. 

This weekend I traveled to visit a friend from high school who lives over an hour away. Since moving to the new house I wasn't exactly sure which would be the best way to go so I turned to Google Maps for directions. 

Sure enough it sent me down 35W instead of my usual 35E route. Except, it also took me off through the most amazing country roads to finish my journey. I was greeted with rolling hills, fields full of yellow flowers, and even some Longhorns grazing peacefully in a pasture. 

I couldn't help but think about how often I stick to the expediency of the highways, but how much better it was getting off the beaten path. The beauty of spring was all around, and what had begun as a long drive became a real joy. 

Chuck and I have found this to be true also about the alternate route we take to our daughter and son-in-law's house.  Although, it is a few minutes longer, as soon as we turn onto Hwy 16 we are taken aback by the beauty, and diversity of the landscape. There are no stoplights, or passing lanes, but it sure makes for a relaxing drive, and we'll take it every time we can. 

In the constant barrage of traffic and concrete surrounding us, it's good for the soul to venture off the beaten path now and then, and soak in the beauty of the countryside.