You've got to make your own kind of music.....

sing your own special song......(The Mamas and the Papas)

It was a gorgeous day here in Maryland - sunshine, low humidity, temperature just about perfect.  I mowed the lawn, took some branches off my crepe myrtle, planted a couple of daylilies that I found on clearance and took Batcat for a walk.

And as I was relaxing on the back deck, pondering how much it would cost to turn it into a screenroom, I looked up and noticed a couple of magnolia blooms on my tree.  That's very odd because the tree is a spring bloomer - I guess these two buds got confused.

Unexpected and wonderful because its different.

Something I need to remember - that its more than OK to be different, as long as you are yourself.

PMS, Anyone?

This happens to be one of my favorite IPA's but it also accurately describes my attitude this evening.  (sidenote - what is this - cheerleaders at the Olympics?)

Yep , Aunt Flo must be on her way for the 470th time.  OK, so I don't know its exactly the 470th time-  I just did a rough calculation.

But still - there are a LOT of things in my life I haven't done near that many times - like eat crabs or go to the movies.  I know I haven't bought that many pairs of shoes or wallets or handbags or even jeans.

Which led me to calculate that I've probably spent more than fifteen hundred dollars on products to take care of these visits......and another two thousand or more on assorted pain and cramp relievers not to mention the things I've had to replace due to stains, sigh.

And then there's the emotional cost -  the romantic possibilities that didn't occur, the issues with coworkers, and the need to beg for forgiveness from my friends and loved ones - all due to evil hormones.

As I watch NASA and JPL proudly post pictures of the Martian landscape , I have to think that if men menstruated, our brilliant researchers would have found a way to stop it decades ago ;)

A Wonderful Life

San Antonio, TX

Nashville, TN

Atlantic City, NJ

Today I was printing out some photos for my bedroom travel gallery and I had one of those "aha" moments. 

 

I spend too much time thinking about what I don't have, and not nearly enough reflecting on what I do have.

 

I don't have a life partner which sometimes keeps me from going out and doing things because its not so much fun alone - and has me wondering what I'm going to

do if a time comes when I need help looking after myself.

 

I don't have a great body - or even a properly sized one , I'm much too fat and although I'm blessed with good health, excess weight leads to higher risks for about everything which is more likely to cause me to need help looking after myself (see #1 above)

 

And I could go on and on, but you get the point. 

 

Now, I don't believe for a minute that I should give up on ever losing weight, or finding a partner, or any of the other things that I don't have but would like to.  Goals are important to me - in fact, I found myself a bit lost once I finished school after all those years - I need to find something else to strive for longterm - maybe retirement - maybe a change in career - maybe a new hobby. 

 

But I have so many wonderful things in my life as it is - a truly amazing son, dil, and granddaughter who make me proud - a brother who may drive me nuts, but is always there for me, and the furballs who worship my existance (or so I tell myself).  Then there's my best friend who has put up with me for more than forty years how.

 

I've visited many  different places, and met lots of special people, many who have become good friends.  And because I have my health and adequate income, I can keep on travelling to visit those friends and even make new ones.

 

Happy accidents brought me my dream career and my dream house - and all in all, its pretty close to a dream life......something I will try to appreciate every day.