Woo Hoo!

Woo Hoo!

For the last five years I've had satellite radio in my car. To be honest, it is one of my favorite things. I've spent many an hour listening to my favorite talk show hosts, and have even had to drive around the block to listen to the end of an interview.

Our subscription was up for renewal, and Chuck made a call to negotiate the next year's rates. Not only did we get a great price, we also got the ability to listen to the radio on our phones and tablet. As he was setting it up I was doing the happy dance in the background. 

All I could think of was how many afternoons I would be spending with Dr. Laura, but then it got even better. Our salesperson casually mentioned that if we had Alexa we could listen to it on that devise. WHAT?????? I couldn't believe our luck. In a matter of seconds I was downloading the app. 

Now I'll be able to listen to satellite radio in my own home, on my high quality Sonos speaker. For this news loving nerd this was music to my ears. I guess it's the little things!

New to Me

New to me. 

I came across a posting from a former co-worker the other day advertising a new business she had started. I had never heard the term charcuterie before, and after a quick google search learned that a charcuterie board is a pairing of meat and cheese in an artisanal manner with fruit, nuts, crackers, and spreads all displayed on a wooden board. 

Her photograph was just beautiful, and intrigued me to see if the same thing could be replicated without the meat and cheese. As it turns out it is possible, and I found myself pinning examples of charcuterie boards, and looking forward to making one in the future. 

Sometimes I find myself thinking that maybe there isn't much left to learn, and then I find myself tripping over a French word I've never heard before. Come to find out these boards are truly pieces of art, and another way to express your creativity. I never want to lose sight of the next new thing. 

What is your charcuterie moment?

Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown

A tourist in your own hometown. 

Chuck and I visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Ft. Worth yesterday. This is one of two places in the United States that prints the paper money we use. 

If you haven't had a chance to visit, this really is worth your time to check it out. Your older children and grandchildren would  enjoy learning more about where their money comes from, and best of all this field trip is free. Just be reminded that you do need to leave your cell phones in the car. 

The facility includes an exhibit about the history of money, a short informational film, and a tour of how the money is produced. They even have specific age appropriate scavenger hunts to help keep the kids engaged. Before leaving we stopped by the gift shop to pick up a thimble for my collection. 

I was thinking about how many places are right in our own backyard that are often overlooked. After taking the tour I had a whole new appreciation for currency. It seems that I was just taking money for granted never really understanding all the work involved in the printing process. 

If given the chance I'd like to tour the US Mint in either Denver or Philadelphia to learn more about how our coins are made. I wish I had toured the facility prior to retiring because I always liked to bring firsthand knowledge to my classroom. 

A couple of summers ago Chuck and I made a point to visit the Bush Library and the Perot Museum. Last summer we checked out the Boy Scout Museum in Irving before it moved out of state.  Be a tourist in your own hometown, and make plans to visit a tourist spot in your own community this summer. 

Mint to Be

Mint to be. 

In late May when we were visiting my daughter and son-in-law we had some mint from their garden in our tea. The combination of mint and lemon made for a very refreshing drink. 

I commented on how I wish I had some, and my son-in-law proceeded to pull up a section of their mint plant to send home with me. I was excited to bring it home, but knew that with my limited gardening ability there was probably less than a fifty-fifty chance it would live to see the next week. 

Well I'm happy to report that my mint plant has not only survived the last month, but is actually thriving. Each morning as I step out my backdoor, I can't help but smile when I see how well it is doing. It must be getting the perfect combination of water, sun, and shade as it sits under my covered porch. 

My other venture into the world of herbs this year was rosemary and basil. Rosemary seems to be holding her own, but the basil fell prey to some Italian herb loving bug. I'm thinking if I get more basil it needs to remain inside. 

My only worry now is the incredible heat. Even with frequent watering the soil seems to be parched. These Texas summers can play havoc on anything green. 

God Bless America

God Bless America. 

I've suspected something for a while, but yesterday confirmed those suspicions. Apparently my cat, Abby, is a music lover. 

Yesterday after watching a video of two police officers singing God Bless America, I found myself singing the song as well, while cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Sitting contentedly in the dining room was Abby. As I continued to sing I made eye contact with her waiting to see what she would do. 

Sure enough she made her way over to me, and began to rub her head against my shoe, all the while purring. This was not the first time her reaction to my singing resulted in the same action. 

I think she must enjoy my singing, because she doesn't normally rub up against my shoe. Most of the time if she wants to show affection she waits for me to lie down so she can jump up onto my chest. There she stays waiting to be petted. 

As I sang I couldn't help but be reminded of a childhood memory of some movie where someone tamed a roaring lion just by singing. I do enjoy singing, but do not usually sing anywhere but church or my home. I'm wondering if I'm not giving myself enough credit, and might actually have the voice of an angel? I think Abby might agree. 

The Clarity of Action

The clarity of action. 

Bruce Hardy, a millennial, is featured in the book Roadtrip Nation.  As he attempts to find his way his advice gave this baby boomer pause. "Action makes the blur of uncertainty clear."

As one who has the tendency to live in my head more than I should, taking action is never something I just do naturally. Most of the time I've already talked myself out of doing something before the idea is even fully developed. 

I can always come up with a million reasons why I shouldn't take action, but like Hardy shares sometimes the action is the catalyst to clarity.  Just by doing something you can calibrate whether you should continue down that course or change direction. Doing nothing might just result in nothing. There are very few things I've DONE that I fully regret, it's usually the things I have failed to do that have brought regret. 

Lack of action might insulate you from embarrassment or humiliation, but living life protected by bubble wrap isn't really living. Actions don't always need to be grandiose, and those baby steps can help build up your confidence in knowing you are doing the right thing. 

There will always be uncertainty, but like I've written before that is not necessarily a bad thing. Life seems to be clearer when we are on the path that seems to work best for us. 

"Most of us live our lives by accident-we live as it happens. Fulfillment comes when we live our lives on purpose."

Simon Sinek

Together is Better: A Little Book of Inspiration

Like John Deere

Like John Deere. 

My two and a half year old grandson is a boy who knows what he likes. He might bypass the homemade waffles, and the maple syrup, but don't think he's going to let the strawberries go to waste. 

Given the opportunity to watch TV he's going to insist on Charlotte's Web, and not the cartoon version. He'll tell you that Templeton is a mouse, and not a rat. He knows how to check for okra in the garden, and he can turn on the sprinkler all by himself.  

He's been known to carry a  child-sized bale of hay to feed his horse Lilly, and is starting to enjoy singing with a make-shift microphone. As I've written before he'll dance on a dime, and keeps us all laughing. 

If given the chance he'd spend way too much time on my iPad watching colored marbles fall into the back of muti-colored dump trucks, all the while singing The Farmer in the Dell. Of course, his version is basically just, "Dell."

For all his many interests his love of tractors seems to be his favorite.  He hitches up trailers, plows, and spreaders, and entertains himself far longer than a two year old should with not only modern day versions, but with vintage tractors played with by his Dad and Pop. 

The other day he helped his Mom prepare dinner, as she was chopping up some green onions. She pointed out to him their name, and he responded, "Green, like John Deere." You gotta love this kid!