Life – Page 4 – Swimming With The Rain

I Miss Writing…

December 25, 2020

I haven’t written in awhile. It’s been over four months and I have wanted to sit and put words down, but I haven’t.

I keep a running list of subjects, and I add to from time to time, or read through, looking for inspiration. Ideas come to me in a conversation, a lot of times while listening to podcasts, or maybe just observing the interactions of people…

When going through heartbreak, knowing this day will end. Time keeps moving.
Reading article about George returning to Grey’s and his husband told him that sometimes, closure is shutting a door and sometimes its revisiting a familiar room and finding what brought you joy.
The upside of arguing
Watching Steve Harvey video – if God was done with you, you wouldn’t wake up in the morning.
When all the pillars of your identity vanish – no longer having kids in the house.
Hold on to me because I’m a little unsteady.
If you want to completely paralyze an easily paralyzed person, push push push. Don’t. Instead, tell them “I know you’ve got this and I’ve got your back.”
Not thanking kids when they do their chores because it’s their job is teaching them to not be thankful for a spouse working and helping to provide.
Forward the character 5%.
Seeing your kids showing their own individuality, becoming their own person.
When we don’t value ourselves, we overly focus on other things to give us a sense of purpose.
Quit putting JUST in front of your name. You are not JUST a wife, JUST a receptionist, JUST a mom…

Having not looked at my website since August (but thinking of it every day), I went to it when a family friend asked for the link. Little does she know, she gave me a gift. I looked at my creation and realized how much I missed touching my keyboard and letting my mind wander, as I would find ways to express the words I was holding in. I began to read each post and was taken back, feeling lost in the moments of a different life. A sense of satisfaction and clarity started to seep in as I remembered what it was like to combine words to bring clarity to my thoughts. Satisfaction would come from creating words and integrating photos until I found just the right combination of each. Previewing the draft countless times, editing the small details, ensuring I had what I needed. But, the clarity… That was the special part. Because even if I was just writing about a movie, I always felt like I learned something about myself. My eyes were lifted and sometimes, that meant my heart was opened just a bit more.

Maybe that is why I haven’t written lately… I’ve been afraid of letting my heart open back up. In the last five months, I have been working on starting a new life and have only been focused on what is in front of me, adjusting to a new way of doing things. If I write, I might realize things what I don’t want to admit. Oh, let’s be honest… I realize quite a bit, I just don’t want to say them out loud. Because once things are written down, it’s been admitted and I have to take ownership. Friends I let down, men that used me, co-workers that made me feel inferior, friends that let me down…

There. That was it right there. The moment of clarity. I guess it’s time to edit so I will feel that brief euphoria of satisfaction. Then I need to work on acknowledging some things and continue to develop my words.

The Last Train to Key West, by Chanel Cleeton

August 16, 2020

July’s book club choice was Chanel Cleeton’s third book in her series based on the Perez family, and since we had previously read Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba, we were very excited about the follow up. Following is the description by Amazon…

In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys.

For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler’s legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget the economic depression gripping the nation. But one person’s paradise can be another’s prison, and Key West-native Helen Berner yearns to escape.

After the Cuban Revolution of 1933 leaves Mirta Perez’s family in a precarious position, she agrees to an arranged marriage with a notorious American. Following her wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can’t deny the growing attraction to her new husband, his illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life.

Elizabeth Preston’s trip to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles after the Wall Street crash. Her quest takes her to the camps occupied by veterans of the Great War and pairs her with an unlikely ally on a treacherous hunt of his own.

Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women’s paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys.

I am just going to say it… I was not as thrilled with this book as I was with the others. It was a very easy read, but it felt like either some plot moments dragged on, while others could have been enhanced. We felt that the book was written in a rush and we were not able to develop a strong bond with any of the three main characters. Although their stories did entwine at the end, it would have been better if it was written as three books so we could feel the depth of each character, instead of having it given to us in such rapid fire. However, like I said, it was an easy read and it did lead each of us in our book club to research more about that era and to learn about the camps set up in Key West for the WWI Veterans.

Do not read any further if you have not read the book.

Book Club Questions ~

Helen ~ from Key West, married to Tom since 16, they had been childhood sweet hearts.

John ~ Veteran living in the WWI camp, frequent patron at restaurant that Helen works for

Mirta ~ from Havana, married Anthony because he paid her father in a poker game.

Elizabeth ~ from NYC, went to Key West to find her brother, a WWI Vet.

Tom ~ husband of Helen, fisherman, abusive.

Anthony ~ involved in mafia, owns casinos, husband of Mirta.

Sam ~ works for FBI, went down to Key West per the request of Frank to follow Elizabeth.

What did you think of The Last Train to Key West compared to the other books in the Perez family series?
What did you know about this book’s subject (hurricane, WWI camp) before you read the book? Did you learn anything new?
Was there a narrative better than the others?
Helen and John have both experienced trauma due to violence. How does it shape them and are there any similarities? What doy ou think of their relationship and how they build it?
Mirta and Anthony’s marriage changes throughout the novel. What shifts do you see in their relationship? What roles do they take on, and how do they evolve in those roles?
Do you think that Elizabeth flirts out of habit or because this is what helps her get what she wants? Were you surprised at finding out who Sam really was?
Mirta and Elizabeth both come from wealthy families that have fallen on hard times. What similarities and differences do they have and how do those influence the choices they make throughout the novel?
During the Depression, marriage rates dropped significantly. At the same time, marriage plays an important role in the characters lives. How do the heroines view on marriage change throughout the novel? Do the women find power in their relationships?
What parallels do you see between the effects the hurricane has on the characters and that of fighting the Great War?
Were you surprised to hear about the Veterans lives after they came home from the war and some of the challenges they faced?
What did you like best about the book?
What did you like least about the book?
Which characters in the book did you like best?
which characters did you like least?
If you were making a movie of this book, who would you cast?
Which character in the book would you most like to meet?
If you could hear this same story from another person’s point of view, who would you choose?
What questions do you still have?

Commentary ~

Helen and John seemed to have had the most organic feel to the “couples” developed within the story. Their personalities really drew us in, however it could have been because they were the first narrative in the book. They did find power in their own selves, being able to lean on each other. Mirta and Anthony’s love story didn’t ring true, probably because it was pushed too fast and you were just supposed to buy in to this sudden development. Had it been a longer book or time to develop their stories, it would have been plausible. Yet, Mirta found strength and learned to become more assertive, finally telling Anthony, “You can’t lie to me.” While we appreciated Elizabeth and her seeking of independence, we didn’t feel the overwhelming love that her and Sam all of a sudden announce. But, she did join the FBI, which says a lot for a woman of that era recognizing her own value.

I wasn’t overly thrilled with the comparison of a War and a hurricane. I live in a military community, and although I have been through a hurricane, I have heard the stories of war. But, in comparing for the book, with both, you think you can prepare and you try. You do all of this training and purchase supplies, yet you have no control over either situation. I have been through a Cat 3 hurricane and although I had “flashbacks” for about a year, I will not compare a hurricane to wartime as every day of war would be like going through a hurricane every single day, repeated trauma and constantly on edge.

Some in our book club felt that there wasn’t enough scenery to describe the locations; I did not have a problem with it. I live in Florida and my mind knew just enough to create my visions. That being said, I have never been a fan of overly descriptive locations, just give me the basics.

Aunt Ruby, now that is a character that should be developed for her own book. We were given just a glimpse of her, but we felt that she has a back story that is worth exploring

The Last Train to Key West ended like a bow put on a present… “Here, everything is tied up all nicely and everyone will live happily ever after”, it felt too orchestrated, but we did like finding the thread to what finally connected them all.

Finally, we still have questions ~ Why exactly was Elizabeth searching for her brother? I mean, we understand wanting to find your brother that took off after the war. But, there were very non-specific comments that we were never given a good reasoning. How was he supposed to save her from her marriage or what was she hoping would happen?

Like I said, it is an easy read and I do hope that Chanel Cleeton develops the characters in this book, because each one would be a great story in itself, but it just felt too rushed.

In The Moment

August 16, 2020

The power of a look. How can a look say so much? We look people in the eyes every day, but when there is a certain glance… Across a room, in the mirror, when looking up from reading… So much is said, it’s as if you can read that person’s mind. A slight touch when passing by… Why do people take this for granted? Do they not feel someones finger tips brush their arm… Can they not feel the warmth that is passed through the skin… What about the butterflies when you can feel the person near but not touching… The stolen kisses in a doorway on a crowded street. The sense of belonging to each other for just a short amount of time… Knowing that this is it. This is the only time that we will have. Living in the moment.

There will be certain things and places that you will never look at the same again ~ a particular meal, a sweet tasting wine, the faded blanket, hint of cologne, a rain drenched car… All of these will bring back a feeling and you will sit. And you will smile. And you will remember the feeling of enjoyment. You will remember briefly the intensity of the eyes that sparkle with life and burn with desire at the same time. You will remember the touch that felt like you couldn’t let go. The hand that felt like a feather as it brushed the hair away from your face…

Go ahead, remember the first kiss that was so light and soft where your breath was taken away, knowing in that instant, you could have fallen in love… Instead, we didn’t.

We look back with fond memories that pop up at the oddest of times… A song on the radio that isn’t even about love, yet it serves as a reminder of the laughing and smiling, a moment that just the two of us shared. Leaning back in your chair at work looking out the window and a certain vehicle drives by, and you will remember… Just for a moment.

I’m glad that I had this chance, just for a moment, to feel delicate, beautiful, smart, sexy, like I could move mountains… All of this because of the way you looked at me. Keep that look. Look at me again one day, just like that. And smile. Smile at the memories that were made. Don’t have any regrets. We lived in the moment…

Shrimp, Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup Recipe

July 25, 2020

I’ve been on a soup kick lately because it is such a great way to add veggies in to my food. Not that I don’t normally eat veggies, but I just don’t get creative with how they are prepared so I tend to get bored.

Yesterday and today, I searched Pinterest looking for some kind of Shrimp soup recipe but I just wasn’t feeling it. Plus, as I have said before, I do not like buying ingredients that I will probably only use once. So, knowing that I had to stock up on certain food anyways, I decided to come up with my own little concoction, while still being healthy.

The great thing about this is that you can make it Keto by leaving out the potatoes and adding additional meat. OR, you can add more seafood to make it more of a seafood chowder. OR, you could leave out the sausage and seafood, add more veggies, and have it that way. The great thing is, this is a pretty versatile base.

Since I prefer when trying new things to have step by step instructions, that’s what you will find here. But, if you prefer to just skip to the ingredients and do it your way, just scroll on down to the bottom.

Green pepper, red pepper, onion, celery, and garlic. Here’s the thing, while I love the flavoring of the green & red peppers, and onion, I HATE biting in to them. Something about the texture… I don’t know. So, I diced them up even finer than this. You do it how you like.

I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, “I love Pampered Chef!” Their manual food processor makes it super easy to get the veggies just the right size. You can use a regular food processor, also, but I don’t have easy to get to outlets so this one comes in super handy. No, I am not being paid for that statement nor do I receive any kickbacks from it.

***Use a nice sized pot with your temperature at Medium Low. After each step, cover. It will help to keep the temp in and slowly meld all of the flavors together.

While your veggies are slowly sauteing, dice your potatoes in to bite size pieces. Remember, they will get mushy when cooked so you don’t want them TOO small.

Break up your Italian Sausage and throw it in. I used Butterball Sweet Italian Turkey sausage to keep it healthy. Now comes the part with kale… Some people like it, some people don’t. I really don’t notice the taste of it when mixed with other things. So, if you don’t want kale, use spinach. The point is to make the most out of getting as many veggies in as possible.

Kale has a tendency to shrink when cooked. So, the recipe calls for two cups, that means FIRMLY PACKED. Get as much kale as you can in to that measuring cup. Now, put all of that kale back on to your chopping board and chop away! Mix it in to what you already have and this is what it should look like, everything sauteing and steaming nicely.

My kitchen was smelling quite nice by this point! One of the benefits to making this soup is that it is easy enough to make, but you feel like you are actually doing something and creating your own personal dish. I had a podcast going and was just chopping away, feeling awfully relaxed.

Let’s talk seasoning. This is when you make it your own and add whatever you have in your house. I added in a teaspoon each of these, plus sea salt and black pepper. Oh! And four rosemary leaves.

Now, the liquid… I used the low sodium chicken broth and vanilla flavored almond milk. Why use low sodium broth when you are adding in sea salt? Great question! Because I can add salt, but I can’t take it away. Make sense? Regarding milk, if you want to use normal milk, go for it! I can’t use regular milk (lactose intolerant issues, good times!) and I really like the flavor that the vanilla almond milk adds to things.

My personal opinion, let this simmer for awhile. Remember, you want to make sure that your potatoes and sausage are cooked through. Plus, the seasonings need time to meld together. (I sound like an expert here, huh? haha)

Shrimp. I could eat it every day. LOVE IT! Now, I bought two bags of the frozen large shrimp (raw, tail off, deveined), and let them thaw. Not to when warm, just that they weren’t frozen like a rock. Then I rinsed them. Why? Because I didn’t want to add too much of the seafood “juice” to the flavor and take away from the other spices. I then cut them up in to bite size pieces. Yes,I could have bought small or medium shrimp and may not have had to do that, but they were out at the store.

Pour the shrimp in, stir, cover, and go do something else. Let it slowly simmer for however long you want to, just make sure the shrimp is cooked when you pour yourself a bowl. Shrimp is cooked when it pinkens.

Based on the ingredients I used and the calorie counter, all of this comes in at 2,541 calories. Since you’re not eating all of this in one seating (but it is good enough that you will want to), and it measures approximately 10 cups, it is only 254 calories. But, if you’re like me, you poured 2 cups and called it a good meal!

This soup is hearty enough for a cold winter day, but doesn’t feel so heavy as to make you feel blah on a hot day, thanks to the shrimp.

For a list of ingredients and quick instructions, HERE.

Enjoy!

11 Different Types Of Pasta

July 15, 2020

Lately, I have been on a whole wheat pasta kick. Surprisingly, it is much better than you would think! I have found that the trick is that just before it’s completely done, drain the majority of the water (I just use the lid to drain instead of breaking out the strainer) and mix it in with the sauce. By letting it finish cooking this way, the noodles soak up the flavor of the sauce, and I can’t even tell if I am missing out on anything!

For some reason this morning, pasta crossed my mind and I thought, “Why are there so many types of pasta and are they used for different things?” So, off to Google Land I went. But, here’s the thing… The first two things that came up, were almost EXACTLY the same exact wording. Now, I know from writing blogs for work that there is a percentage you can get away with, but I prefer to write my own words. So, because I am nosy and want to know WHY, I kept researching for even more in depth information.

Would you put spaghetti noodles in Mac & Cheese? No way! But, WHY??? Because, we want the shell that holds all that ooey gooey goodness, so it makes perfectly good sense that different types of pasta, due to the thickness, texture, and shape, will be beneficial to different types of sauces. But, how was this all discovered of what noodle goes best with what sauce? One theory explains it as this ~ Italians appreciate and love artistry in all aspects of their lives. Doesn’t that make you have this wistful feeling? Then there is this theory that will make you think of your own Grandma and her cooking or quilting ~ Old Italian women didn’t spend time making every family member a new quilt, they perfected their slow cooked meals and passed that down.

Are you ready for your pasta lesson? FYI – from the website (SwimmingWithTheRain.com), you can print this out for reference.

Angel Hair (Capelli d’angelo) has the clue in its common name… It is more delicate and cannot hold the chunky sauces. Great for soups, oil based sauces, or my personal favorite – Shrimp Scampi!

Cavatappi has tight spirals that pull in flavor, which is why it is generally referred to as “Corkscrew”. Suggested to use in thicker sauces, with chunks of meat and vegetables, which can get “caught” in the spirals. A great idea for pasta salads, too!

Elbow Macaroni isn’t just for your kid’s art projects! This pasta is used with sauce, baked dishes, soups, macaroni salad… Probably one of the most versatile and popular.

Farafelle or better known as Bowtie Pasta, is one of my favorites. Why? It looks fun! It is a thicker noodle that can hold its own with a variety of sauces, but is perfect to mix with vegetables of the same size. The next time you are making a creamy type of sauce, use this and see if you can notice how the sauce sneaks in to the center.

Fettuccine ~ Long cut and flat, generally used with heavy cream sauce. For instance, Fettuccine Alfredo with it’s heavy cream, thick chicken cuts and vegetables.

How do you say “little tongues” in Italian? Linguine! It’s not as wide as fettuccine or as round as spaghetti or as thick as fettuccini, so it is perfect for the lighter sauces such as pesto, or white wine and Shrimp (my favorite).

Orzo seems to be gaining popularity these days. Larger than rice, it would be lost in a normal sauce, so it is best used in soup when needing to add in some “bulk”, or by itself with some butter and parmesan cheese.

I have to admit that the first time I had Penne Pasta in my mid-20’s, I felt like I was in the “high class” life. I had never heard of such a thing and fell in love with the way the Alfredo flowed inside the pasta and stuck to the ridges. This is why the edges are cut diagonal (main difference between Ziti and Penne). Try not to use as chunky of a sauce so that the mixture can move through the tubes.

Rigatoni is similar to Penne but is slightly larger, and instead of an angled opening, it is simply round. With the space being even more hollow, you can use the chunkier version of sauces.

Conchiglie or let’s just call it what it is ~ Shells! These can be used for Mac & Cheese, soups, cold pasta salads or one of my favorites if you buy the large variety ~ Stuffed Shells.

Spaghetti… Does it really need an explanation? Typically served with tomato sauce, but it is really the most versatile of all pastas. Thick enough it doesn’t get overpowered by a traditional meat sauce, but thin enough to mix with some olive oil, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. So, go ahead and swirl that fork around and around!

Now that your taste buds are heightened, remember that the concept is to have the perfect balance of pasta and sauce. While some pasta lends an aesthetic look to the meal, they each serve a purpose to compliment the sauce and the type of meal you are preparing. Just remember, thinner sauces go with thinner noodles, and heartier noodles go with chunkier sauces.

Or better yet, you do you! Just enjoy your meal and be proud of the creation you have made!

God, Balance, and a Heart Chakra

July 14, 2020

One of the things that I exceed at is floating in a pool, and not just on a float (which if you have a graceful way to get on, please share). I’m talking about the kind where you lay flat on your back, arms at your sides, toes in the air… Quietly clearing my mind, focusing on my breathing, buoyancy supporting my body. After a bit, I no longer have to concentrate and I begin to stare up at the sky, letting the conversation around me continue as muffled sounds. As crazy as it sounds, I have a hard time balancing on my two feet but ask me to tread water, I can do that! Until this past summer…

I started to realize that something was off a few weeks ago, when I was unable to stay balanced while floating. My left shoulder kept pulling me down, which is strange because in the normal world, it felt perfectly fine. I tried to concentrate harder, I tried to not concentrate, I tried to pull down with my right side, I tried to pull up with my left. Nothing was working. I knew that I was fighting with some inner emotional turmoil but I did not put two and two together that this could affect me in such a way.

In frustration, I googled… I couldn’t find too much but what I did find led me to something about the Heart Chakra. The what?!? Nope. I am not going to buy in to that whole peace, love, and happiness craze… It’s just not how I was raised, and I think it goes against God. (Stay with me on this, please.) So, I push all of this new age information aside and head up to Indiana to see friends that have known me for over 20 years, because with them, I feel myself.

That first evening, with lightning bugs floating nearby and Jason Aldean coming out of the speakers, we swam around in the pool just laughing and feeling free. Out of habit, I immediately went in to floating position so I could stare up at the summer sky… Left shoulder pulled down. It’s never been A LOT, just enough for me to know that something isn’t right. A couple of hours and Rumplemintz shots later, a song comes on that reminds us of a dear friend that passed away several years back. We toast to him and smile…

But then something happens to me. I start to sob. And I can’t stop! For over 30 minutes, it’s like someone turned a faucet on in my eyes and they were just continuing to leak, THEY WOULD NOT STOP! I wiped away tears, I went underneath the water, I looked up at the starry sky… Nothing but tears.

The next morning, we all kind of laughed about my never ending crying, and chalked it up to the Rumplemintz mixed with the need to release pent up emotion. Yet, something had shifted in me… Exasperation had left my body. The angst I had been carrying of not being good enough, the fear of being the real me, the sadness of not being completely loved, the constant stress of the unknown with my job, the burden of trying to be everything to everyone… It was gone.

I was finally filled with an overwhelming peace and knew I was fully loved, right where I was at. Without being able to explain what I was feeling, I wanted to soak in the day and experience this feeling that felt so incredibly profound that words were not enough.

Without realizing it in the pool, I went in to my full body float and that is I had another discovery… I was laying completely still… Both shoulder blades where they needed to be, neither fighting for a different angle… Staring up at the Indiana sun, with a genuine smile.

A few days later, I sent my friend Marie a text to let her know I was heading back home. Her reply, “Are you sad? Refreshed? Rejuvenated?” I contemplated the best word to explain what I was going through… “Balanced. Does that make sense?” While that word made sense to me in a way, I still felt like I was meant to learn something from this. But, what? Not wanting to get in to this peace, love, happiness mumbo jumbo, I kept it in the back of my mind, yet it was pushing forward.

Thank goodness for my weekend pool days with Diana… She is my worldly traveler with an open mind, thinking before she speaks, but knowing she can be honest with me. Diana exudes a sense of wisdom and it is because of that, I have always had a natural calm around her. Explaining my release to her and brief findings of a heart chakra, but not sure what to make of it, I am 90% sure that she had a firm grasp on what I would find, but was confident that I would have to accept it myself… “You’re good at research. Look it up.”

What an intriguing lesson I found myself in the middle of… The heart chakra, when open to receive, is just between the shoulder blades, and your body takes in the energy of love, joy, abundance, forgiveness, trust, relationships… But, when this is closed off, a person will begin to feel apathetic, unforgiving, distrustful, and detached. The tension in the shoulder blades represents an inability to let go or forgive… Not just to others, but to ourselves. Finally, I found something that explained me almost word for word!

Here is where some would say that it gets tricky… How could I believe in something like this but also believe in God?

A gift had been handed to me as all of the pieces to this puzzle finally came together. These past several months and the struggle for connecting my thoughts all started to make sense… I have been working on putting my life back in to balance. I had not felt worthy of love, even from friends, and detached myself from anyone that I didn’t know if I could trust. By nature, I am a very distrustful person, always waiting for the ball to drop. Self-sabotage most would call it.

What I have realized the last several years, not everything is black and white. Just like when we are raising our children, they are not the same and generally need to be handled differently. Therefore, I believe that God allows us to learn in so many different ways, and that is what makes us unique. If you don’t think so, think about how one person feels God’s presence and has an ongoing conversation with Him while walking through a forest, but another feels it sitting silently in prayer. I have prayed to God to show me how to change my life and He chose to show me in a way that would bring me balance. By allowing God to explain to me that I need to allow love and trust in, I am still aware that HE is the one to nudge me and guide me to my purpose.

If your life is out of balance, I urge you to listen to your body. Is something feeling off? If so, pray, meditate, do whatever you do to help bring clarity to your life. Open yourself up to love and know that you are worthy of it. I promise, when you feel the answer, you will feel tension leave your body and it is quite profound.

Bucket List Ideas

July 11, 2020

I’m not sure if the term ‘Bucket List’ was used prior to the release of the movie “Bucket List” starring Jack Nicolson and Morgan Freeman, written and produced by Rob Reiner, but it is something that everyone now seems to have. In fact, I have kept a running list on my phone since 2012.

Why on my phone? Because each time I have an idea, I can immediately add to it and the list keeps growing. I have only been able to scratch two things off of there and that has been within the past year (lightning bugs and covered bridges).

So, what’s the difference between a bucket list and goals? To me, a bucket list is something you do that encourages you to experience life and fill your soul with memories, while a goal is something you work toward and even build on.

For instance, with the lightning bugs, growing up out west, we didn’t have these things. Although I had read about these little flying glow sticks in books, heard lyrics about summer evenings being lit up with them in songs, and saw them set the backdrop in movies, they always held a romantic mystery to me. While visiting Ann in Indiana last year, there they were! She caught one for me and put it on my arm and I smiled like a child that had just walked in to Disney Land. I experienced this moment and it was amazing. I was experiencing life!

But, a goal… Now that is something you work towards and even build on. Let’s look at this website I am working on. For most of my life, if you would have asked me, “What is your dream job?”, I would have said, “A photographic journalist”. I had been writing for years, sometimes reading things to people, sometimes keeping my words tucked away. This websites name, I had planned out during the summer of 2018, even checking to make sure it wasn’t in use. But, it took time for me to have the courage to do it and even once I did it, it took strength for me to announce it to the world.

I don’t have the specifics written down of how I want to achieve each Bucket List item… It is generally just a few words about each thing because to me, getting in to too much detail, takes away from the spontaneity of how things are meant to happen. Take the Covered Bridges as an example… I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen, I just knew that I wanted it to. I ended up seeing one from the back of a Harley and another from the passenger side of a Corvette. Now, doesn’t that beat a tour bus? Which, I would done except for some good friends that made it happen.

And now, my Bucket List as of mid-2020…

Visit Atlantic Ocean. I have seen the Atlantic twice – once from a parking lot in Miami and the other from a road in Daytona Beach. I want to actually put my toes in it and feel the sand. Growing up on the Pacific and living on the Gulf Coast, I think it is only suiting to feel another body of water that boarders our amazing country.

Road Trip without a destination. Not the whole Thelma and Louise thing, fyi.

Ireland, Italy, Greece, Holland… Basically all of Europe.

Skydiving.

Gulf of Alaska.

Sex in a hurricane. (Ignore that one, Dad)

Walk Paris streets at night.

Drive a race car.

Grape stomping.

Visit with monks / nuns. I have this desire to be filled with their peace.

~~Covered Bridge.~~

Mardi Gras. I’ve been to New Orleans and I’ve done Bourbon Street. But, I want to experience an actual Mardi Gras with the parades and floats!

Grand Canyon.

Stay at a Dude Ranch.

African Safari.

Broadway show. I’ve seen plays and productions, but I want to be in actual New York City and watch a true Broadway show.

Opera.

Outer Banks.

~~Lightning Bugs.~~

Northern Lights.

See the Pope. I’m not even Catholic and I think it would be amazing to see this world leader.

Zambia 338ft Waterfall.

Ice fishing.

Wild Horses.

Blue Water Paradise in Arizona.

Concert at Redrock.

Stay in a seaside village as a tourist. I already live in one and I am curious as to what it is like to not be a local.

So, what is in your Bucket List? Where do you keep it? If you have not started one yet, start today. It is ok to let your heart dream and wonder, that is what keeps your soul alive and thriving. Make sure to add in simple things like lightning bugs but also far reaching like an African Safari. Doing this ensures that you take pleasure in life’s little gifts but keeps you seeking more. As you add these moments to your life, get lost in your surroundings and soak it up. Because a photo will not truly capture it, but your senses will.

Reflecting on 2018…

July 11, 2020

As I was going through the notes section on my phone, I came across this and thought it was filled with so many reminders about life and things I still aspire to. Maybe it will inspire you, too.

2018 is coming to a close. I have chosen to be thankful that I am still alive after a severe asthma attack and I’m not taking this life for granted. I have chosen to walk away from people in my life because they weren’t good for me. I have chosen to strengthen my relationships with those that are. Life is about the choices that we make.

Anyways, what have I learned this year?

Love. The love of my boys I truly enjoy because they make me smile and fill me with so much happiness. They are my family and I am so proud watching them in this life and have renewed my strength to just enjoy them.

Friendship. Those that you can be yourself with, those are the ones that need to be kept around.

Trust. This was the big one for me because I had to trust that others would be there when I reached out.

Of course I have had my feelings hurt this year, but I have realized that their attitude is not my problem to deal with, it is theirs. Then again, it was my feelings that were hurt so I have had to take a step back and let myself realize why I let them hurt my feelings, and that is a lot of reflecting.

Why am I saying all of this… Because I made the choice to put a positive perspective on this past year. So get out there and feel love, nurture your friendships, and open yourself to trust.

Turn the music up and dance around your house. Soak up the moment you are in. Be willing to feel love and enjoyment. Learn to be at peace with yourself. Quit surrounding yourself with people that thrive off drama. Reach out to people just to say hi.

And most of all, love yourself.

The Dream Daughter, by Diane Chamberlain

July 10, 2020

On Mother’s Day this year, I “forced” my boys to wander the bookstore with me. I say forced because it is not their favorite thing to do because they know it’s going to take awhile. One of them always ends up looking at the stack of books I am holding and says, “Do you really need all of those books or do you just want them?”, to which my reply is always, “Both!” But, they are used to it growing up with a mom that loves to read.

So, there I was with my stack of books trying to figure out which one to read while on vacation. I posted the photo on Instagram and basically explained my dilemma. Yes, I tagged each author’s name, assuming that I would hear from the followers of each person. It is a rather nice selection and I am a fan of each author, which makes it even harder to decide which one I should start with.

Imagine my surprise when I did receive a reply. But, not from a follower, but from one of the actual author’s! Yes, you read that. The actual author of ‘The Dream Daughter’, Diane Chamberlain. Wow! To say that I was thrilled and shocked at the same time may not be a big enough description.

Having no clue what this book was about, I packed it for my vacation. Here’s the thing, I have read enough books and by particular authors that I don’t necessarily even read the description any longer. Sure, I open it just prior to reading to get a feel for it, but I know who I like and what I like.

When Carly Sears, a young woman widowed by the Vietnam war, receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970, and she is told that nothing can be done to help her child. But her brother-in-law, a physicist with a mysterious past, tells her that perhaps there is a way to save her baby. What he suggests is something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Carly has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage she never knew existed. Something that will mean an unimaginable leap of faith on Carly’s part.“
via Amazon

I have not read this good of a book in a very long time. Had I been left alone, I would have had it knocked out in a day. But, when you are visiting friends, the whole point is to spend time with them, soooo…. I found time to read while sitting next to the pool or on the outskirts of a group of people. Make sure that your household chores are done because you won’t want to get anything done and your kids might starve. Without giving the plot away, I have to admit that I was addicted to this book and ready to see just what would happen next. It makes you think about life and what you would do in that situation ~ Do you do as you are expected or do you take that chance?

Thank you to Diane Chamberlain for suggesting I read her book first. The Dream Daughter was excellent and I simply fell in love with these characters!

Back Extension Machine

June 30, 2020

When I started back to the gym a couple of years ago (prior to knee injury and broken tailbone), I studied articles that would tell me about the most beneficial machines in the gym. You know the ones that will work out several muscle groups at one time. Yes, I made notes, because that is what I do.

But, as I made my notes and started looking, I noticed a trend. One of my favorite machines was listed as one of the most useless. WHAT?!?! I love the Back Extension!!! So, I am going on record to say, I DISAGREE!

When I started my first adventure at a gym back in 2010, (YMCA – my boys could do swimming lessons or play basketball while I was sweating away), one of the trainers told me that people with back pain really like this machine. So, I added it to my routine, to give it a try. A few different gyms later, with stretches of not going in between, it is still my favorite machine. I use it as my goal ~ “Do all of the other machines and then you can get to that one to stretch!” As soon as I sit down and make sure everything is adjusted to how I want, I do my first push back, hold it, and stretch, continuing with my 3 sets of 10.

Since being back at the gym 5 days a week and using this machine each time, I no longer feel tension in my back, I seldom have to “pop” it, the pain behind my left shoulder blade is gone, and it gives me a bit of an ab workout.

Moral of this story… You do you! Yes, the experts know a thing or two, but you know your body. I can’t workout with all of the hard bodies on the free weights, but I do the machines that work for me, and isn’t that what we’re supposed to do to feel motivated?

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