Colorful Friday

Happy post Thanksgiving, everyone!

I hope you all enjoyed time with your family, and delicious foods!!

I have to say, I'm a little disappointed with the lack of Facebook posts about friends' super duper Black Friday deals. I know many of them were planning on shopping today, and while a few years ago, I'd have given anything to go, these past few years I have had NO desire. Don't get me wrong, I love to shop, I just don't like throngs of crazy, self-absorbed people surrounding me, fighting over things that are few and far between on this particular day. All products currently sold out today, will be replenished on Monday. Maybe not at the same price, but my fluctuating like and dislike of other humans does not need any negative reinforcement. Oh, and I'm not calling my friends self-absorbed, I think it's something that overtakes people when they're in that type of situation. Competition or something... whew... craziness!

Honestly, I think I'm really starting to show my age. Yesterday, the family was so excited about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade... but not me. It was too much loud, obnoxious music, that didn't inspire any type of Christmas spirit at all. I mean, why couldn't it be like this? I really think my past life was lived in this time period. Take no notice of the last float... "politically incorrect" didn't exist back then, right???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKbMq3di4aM

The unseasonably warm weather didn't help with my lack of holiday spirit, either. I did take a walk with my Cammy though, and took pictures of the pretty Fall trees. It's nothing like pictures I've seen of Maine, but still something to be appreciated. Especially when we have no trees around our house.

I love trees. When we lived in Dallas, we had the most spectacular back yard, full of trees. The bedroom was like a huge treehouse, with windows, and a balcony all the way around. I loved going out there to sit, and it was especially beautiful in the Fall, when the leaves were falling. It was like a colorful snow! Most would say we have a spectacular back yard now, and we do, but I miss my trees.

SO, I think I'll post some pictures of yesterday's tree walk, and I was going to try to download some pics from Dallas too, but Google is trying to make me purchase storage!?!?!?! When on earth did this happen? Ridiculous... I may have to blog from Facebook. I love posting pictures, but not for a monthly fee.

Anyway, we plan on spending our day relaxing, and Christmas decorating. The wife apparently got started last night... I was in bed at 10. I KNOW... way too early!

What do you guys do the day after Thanksgiving?

Dear...

Today is Thanksgiving here... a day we're supposed to take time out, to give pause to our actually very blessed lives. From the richest, to the poorest, from Christian, to Muslim, to Buddhism, if you live in America, you are truly blessed.

We can worship what, and where we want, shop where we want, wear what we want, eat what we want, carry guns, speak our minds, we do have access to medical care whether we end up in a county hospital or a private one, and we can wake up every morning, to the sound of traffic, birds, whatever surrounds you, and know when walking out our door, that we will more than likely make it back home later that day, alive and well. No, we don't have it all... but we have more than most. We are blessed.

Last night, I was in bed, trying so hard to sleep, and I was thinking about God... I talk to Him a lot, and I always start our conversation out "Dear God..." I'm not sure if it's because of that song I used to listen to long ago, that was considered so sacrilege, but I loved it, or if it's because of the book I've seen on shelves called "Letters to God."

Never mind the reason though... it always starts the same, and just know, that this isn't a super religious post about a certain religion. This is about God. Whether we believe in His existence, or not, most of us do believe in something, and have faith in something bigger. For me, this is God. It's what fuels us, drives us, it's who/what we turn to when our souls need sustenance, it's what we worship, what we pay homage to. SO, just know when I talk about God, I know that our ideas and beliefs may be different, but they are still based on the same basic principles.... mostly. ;)

Anyway, lets move past the disclaimer! Last night went kind of like this...


"Dear God,

What do you think? Are you proud of us? Our accomplishments? It doesn't seem to me, that what we've got going on here is something to be proud of. That scares me, because we as humans, are very proud of our accomplishments. Our technology, our inventiveness, our way of life. It scares me, because we are SO proud, that we don't stop to ask you, "Are you proud?"

Even the way we worship has become something to be proud of. These HUGE churches, gathering tons of money, to build bigger and better places, when you provided us with plenty of space to pray, to sing, to show our love. I'm talking about mountains, and valley's, and fields, and forests... the perfect place to quietly contemplate, and talk to you.

We don't do that though... quietly talk to you. We make it BIG, we expect others to be just like us, to do just like us, or we judge them. We can't co-exist. I guess we never could. Are you proud that we judge and kill in your name? I don't think you are. I think you shake your head at us, and hope we can finally get it right. Some people do... get it right I mean. Just not enough to really make a difference in this huge world you created.

There are stars in the sky, beautiful sunrises, amazing sunsets, the trees are so pretty right now (I just noticed yesterday that they're finally starting to change here!), little animals everywhere, that make it without all of the things we feel we need to survive on... all of it is SO fragile, yet not as fragile as we are with our amazing advances, and technology. Those are the things that have made us the most fragile, because we have become so advanced, that we would not be able to survive without it, now.

So, I don't know why I'm feeling so low on this Thanksgiving Eve... I guess because I see what's going on, and I'm not proud, I'm scared. I feel like I'm standing back, behind everyone else and watching. They hustle and bustle, and live, and exclaim, and disclaim. It's like watching subways rush by you, and not really even being able to distinguish the train's form in the blur. I'm really hoping that today, a day in America when MOST of us, regardless of religious beliefs, take time to give thanks, and that those subways will slow down, stop, and think reflectively."

SO that was last night...

Today, I woke up at 7, fed my zoo, listened to them play, and now I'm about to go wake my family. I'll be making them all breakfast, then taking my Cam dog for a walk. He needs mommy time, and I can take pictures of the beautiful trees with their pretty new colors.

I'm so thankful for the natural beauty that surrounds us, for my furry babies, for my family, for good, fattening food! Life is too short, it's meant to be lived, and we're meant to love each other. Every form of life deserves respect, and honor. So today, be sure to stop and look around... you would be surprised at what you see!!

Still Kicking!!

Hi all, if there is anyone left...

It's been forever! I've been so crazy busy. I think the last time you heard from me, I was trying to get my daughter out of the house and into the real world, our home had flooded, we had just rescued three kittens, and we had just bought a building for our business!

We have been nuts around here!!

SO here are the quick updates:

Daughter: She is now currently enrolled in art school and living in a dorm. She hates it, but doesn't want to come home because there are rules. We ended up letting her drive the car so she could get a job. She is probably smoking pot, and thinking it's cool. I don't know. She does want to come home a lot, and today she will be going with me to help me rescue two puppies. They're adorable, and the only dogs I can help are small breed puppies, because of Cam's psycho behavior. Remember my crazy, but adorable Morkie....

Home: The repairs after the flood were finally totally wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. We had to stay in a hotel, and all of the critters needed boarding. It was great because I slept like a baby. I should have taken one of those pillows... and paid for it of course. I just cannot find pillows that are comfortable, whether I'm shopping an expensive department store, or a Target.

Kittens: We are no longer kitten rescuers, we are kitten adopters. Yes, of course we ended up keeping them! I'm SO allergic though. So for the wife, who loves them so much, I am going today to get allergy tested so I can start my allergy shots. That should help a lot. In the meantime, I've been on prednisone, which is why I've been up for the past two hours, and it's only 7 am. I have to admit, though it makes me absolutely miserable (the prednisone), it sure does keep me going like the Energizer bunny!

Building: We bought it, we've loaded and taken things over, but we're currently waiting on a contractor to give us some quotes for some things we need done in it. Then we will need to purchase equipment, Then we should be able to open. We're looking at probably February. I mean, now we need to get past the holidays. Before we had to get past our own home repairs. We have been running a mobile unit... I got my car wrapped and everything. I love it, because friends will message, or call saying they saw me on the road today. The good thing about a small town, I guess! If you live in our town, and you own a business, your car is probably wrapped! We have quite a few clients, and the wife and I love them. The wife is amazing with these kiddos, so I'm hoping this will serve as her new motivation (aside from money).

Well, the sun is shining now, I have a puppy crate to put together, and I want to hit the grocery store before the crazy people get there!

I really need to get back here more often, and will work that out! I hope everyone has a terrific day!