My Reading Blog

In December, I received a letter from Social Security stating that my check would be deposited into my bank account.  I thought, "well that's silly that's where it has been deposited for the past four years!"  I put the letter aside and didn't think any more about it.  Christmas happened and then... I checked my bank account and no check had been deposited.  My heart dropped and I felt sick.  I could only think that someone had stolen my identity.  Monday morning we went to the Social Security Office in Illinois (we were visiting the kids).  Fortunately, we didn't have to wait too long before we met with a rep.  I explained my situation and he started doing some checking.  He found that a certain bank had sent a request using my SSN instructing them to send my check to a different bank account.  He asked questions, I answered and he assured me that he thought someone had put in a wrong SSN and there was no fraud.  Made me feel...

As I sit here looking out the window this morning, I see snow and feel the cold temperature.  We've been very fortunate this winter here in the Ozarks until yesterday.  Still not much snow, but wind and temperature has us shivering.  I loaded my pictures from Florida onto my computer yesterday and thought today when we are all freezing that some pictures of flowers and peaceful settings were in order and will help all of feel better.  These were taken at the Bok Tower and Gardens (last week's slice).  Enjoy! Hope you have a little more peace and warmth in your day!

Last week I wrote about our Jar of Memory Questions.  Today, I'm sharing my answer to one of them. What did you enjoy in the winter? This question didn't trigger any fond or exciting memories.  I grew up in Central Illinois and we had snow and cold.  I never learned to ice skate or ski.  I remember we played in the snow, built snowmen, forts, had snowball fights and sledded.  I remember walking the five blocks to school in the snow and cold.  When I was going to college, I remember we had an extremely bad snowstorm.  I was about 15 miles from home, the roads were terrible.  It was a blinding snow and blowing across the open highway.  I made it home by going very slowly.  I pulled into our driveway and promptly got stuck.  Dad wasn't too happy, but I was so glad to have arrived home. Maybe that's why I don't really like winter, cold and snow and why we moved to Arkansas to get away from the bad winters.  Of course, we ...

Several years ago I was looking for a meaningful gift to give to some family and friends.  If my memory serves me, I found it on Everyday Cheapskate website.  It was a glass jar filled with strips of paper with thought provoking questions written on them which would spur a trip down memory lane.  I printed out the questions, cut them apart, put them in a quart glass jar.  Along with the jar of questions, I gave each recipient a blank journal to answer the questions. I also made one for hubby and me and we started out on a roll, answering at least one or two questions a week.  Since hubby isn't a "writer", he would tell me his story and I would write it down.  As I said, this was several years ago (more like four or five).  We haven't progressed very far, but the jar and journal are still on my table. I've been trying to come up with my OLW since December and nothing hit me, but this morning as I was pondering what to write about, the word "rememb...

Last week was my "first" week of RETIRED.  Humm.... just what does that mean? I can't say that it felt any different.  We just got back from being out of town for 10 days, so it was catch up time.  Picking up Max, unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning up the dead lady bugs that had accumulated on the floor, grocery shopping, mail...  The list seemed endless - retired???? Then a voice mail saying my aunt was in the hospital in Florida.  Many calls trying to figure out what was happening.  Many more calls checking up on her on a daily basis.  Thinks are improving. Now this week, things are slowing down, but how do I wrap my head around being retired?  How do I stop my brain from making my mental "to do list" of things that HAVE to be accomplished?  How do I decide what I REALLY want to do as opposed to what NEEDS to be done and when?  How do I answer people when they ask "what are you going to do now that you're retired?" This is go...

Our Holidays seemed jam packed with lots of pleasant memories and today I'm reminded of my OLW for 2014 - Embrace.  Here's some of the moments that I embraced during Christmas and New Year's. Christmas Eve - dinner with our dearest friends and then worship embracing the birth of Baby Jesus. Christmas Day - spending time with friends, good food, lots of laughs and preparing for our trip to IL. Day after Christmas - early to rise so we can get an early start for our 10 hour drive.  Hugs and kisses from the girls (and Mommy too).  Gyros -  a must when we are in IL.  Look what Santa brought us, come play with us... Saturday - Christmas dinner with our kids and granddaughters.  The smiles on the girls faces - the delight in helping others open presents, Chinese gift exchange, laughs, oohs, I want that, pouts, trades, steals.   A sleepover.  Learned to play Mario on the Wii - Grandma has a lot to learn. Sunday - playing and reading....

My prayer for each of you: May you find Joy, Peace, Love and Happiness in each moment of every day. May you be blessed with abundance of all that you need. May you be surrounded by family and friends. May you continue to discover all of those little Slices of Life to write and share with us. Merry Christmas!  Happy Hanukkah!

Next week it's over. I'm done. I'm retiring (for the 3rd time). Winding down Training Preparing Thinking Planning Wondering The last couple of weeks I've been training my replacement.  A challenge to try to tell her everything I do.   To show her what needs to be accomplished.  To share all the things I have learned over the past six years.  She asks "what's your routine?"  I laugh and say "whatever the days brings".  There are no set things that need to be accomplished - just be prepared for the day.  Only four more days to share all that needs to be learned. And after the training, after the worrying, after the daily routine - what's next? Everyone asks, "What are you going to do?" Hmm. No plans, whatever the day brings. Reading Making cards Scrapbooking Traveling Learning a new craft Annoying Hubby Embracing being retired and enjoying all that each day brings.  

As I addressed our Christmas cards over the weekend, I pondered... Should I just write a note in each card?  Should I just sign our names? or Should I write my usual Christmas update letter? I wondered if the family and friends that I send these updates to, really care about hearing what is happening in our lives. Then I thought about how I felt when I received a card only to have it signed and no news.  It makes me sad to think that some people only have time to address and sign a card, put a stamp on it and send it on its merry way.  I wonder what's happening in their lives that they are so busy they can't take the time to jot a quick note to let us know all is well. So, I sat down at the computer and composed a newspaper style letter with pictures to bring everyone up to date with what has been happening in our lives during the year. What do you do?  Do you just send a card or do you share the happenings of your lives with those you only have conta...

The day before Thanksgiving the house filled with chatter. Daughter, Son-in-law and  Granddaughters (4-1/2 years old) arrived, tired from being in a car for 10 hours. In came the luggage, the bags, the toys and books. Hugs and kisses. Let the fun begin. Investigating, searching, talking a mile a minute. "I just adore this bunny, Grandma" "This is so pretty, Grandma" "Can we play on your Nook, Grandma?" "Can you read me a book, Grandma?" A new place to sleep, an air mattress and bed on the floor.  Struggling to get settled in for the night. A day of thanksgiving,  A delicious meal (for the adults) A day of sharing and playing. Snuggles in the early morning for Grandma & P.   A whisper in my ear,  "I want to stay here forever". "I love you, Grandma". A little later, down comes M More snuggles & giggles. "I love you, Grammy". A surprise adventure on Friday. ...

As we flew towards Guatemala City, I looked out the window and saw clouds and more clouds and then something dark and big jutting above the clouds.  The mountains loomed large ahead and beside us.  Their peaks pushing upward thru the clouds and then the sky opened and below us was lots and lots of buildings and roads - closely pushed together in the bowl between the mountains.  Guatemala City is a big city with lots of people and traffic.  Fortunately, we didn't spend much time there and headed northwest toward Antigua, where we spent our first night.  Familiar territory.  It was where stayed last year. The next morning we headed to Xela.  It was a five hour drive and the scenery was beautiful and yet, so much poverty all around.   Buildings in need of repair or still being constructed. People everywhere cramped into buses, pickup trucks or walking. Mountains and clouds, lakes and trees. Green, lush, fertile.  Cows tied to the ...

I'd like to introduce you to some of the people that I was privileged and blessed to work with and spend time with during my Guatemala adventure this year. Allan & me with a view of a volcano at Lake Attilan My brother, Allan, was moved to once again join in our journey to Quetzaltenago, aka Xela (pronounced Shay-la).  It is the second largest city in Guatemala, toward to western coast at approximately 8000 feet above sea level. Our Team - Willie (with the machette) is our Thrivent Team Coordinator Our team consisted of 13 people from Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio and Oregon.  We were joined with another team of 11 people from Florida, Tennessee, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, plus three Habitat coordinators.  With this amount of people, we could divide into three groups and work on three different houses. Our Habitat coordinator is Fredy.  He has been been with Habitat Guatemala for five months and lives in San Juan de Laguana with his w...