So much to do, so little time

     Seven states in nine days. Four new states visited. When we plan a trip, we try to visit a few states at a time. Most of the time we try to visit at least three states. Sometimes we take historical trips. Other times they are more treasure finding or maybe even a hiking trip. This trip was a combination, visit friends, find treasures and throw in some amazing history for good measure. Here is a rundown of the states.
     We started in Oklahoma
      Drove to Texas
      Flew to Charlotte, North Carolina
      Drove to Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
      From there drove down through North Carolina to South Carolina then Savannah Georgia on down to Amelia Island Florida and on Cocoa Beach
      Then we flew home from Orlando.
       Whew.......golly what a trip. Now, I could list everything we did but it would probably turn out to be the length of a novel so let me just hit the highlights and hopefully it will make you want to book a trip to one of these beautiful places.

     When I say beautiful, I have to admit, while we were driving we saw some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen. We missed the trees in their full color by probably a week but that still didn't take away from the scenery. The roads were windy up in the Virginia mountains but the scenery looked like something out of a painting.



One of my favorite stops was Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Now if you are a fan of old television shows, you may know that Mt. Airy is better known as MAYBERRY!




The TV show was based off the town where Andy Griffith grew up. Downtown Mt. Airy has been converted into Mayberry complete with old time police cars, Floyd's Barber Shop and Wally's gas station.

And of course, you can't have Mayberry without Andy and Opie.

As we made our way down to South Carolina, we decided to make a stop in Charleston. This city is rich with history and we got a taste of it while we were there. 

Just outside of Charleston Harbor is Ft. Sumter. 

Some history buffs will know that Ft. Sumter is the spot where it is said, that the civil war began. South Carolina had seceded from the union but the union still had possession of Ft. Sumter and wouldn't give it up so, a cannon was fired from a nearby Battery in the harbor and made a direct hit on the fort. 

 The fort is in ruins but still provides plenty to see.












After visiting the fort, a short ferry ride back to the mainland brought us to another war. Sitting at Patriots Point in Charleston harbor is the Aircraft carrier The USS Yorktown, the Destroyer USS Laffey and the submarine The USS Clamagore.







The Yorktown was home to over 3300 soldiers during WWII and played a vital roll in several battles but was lost in the battle at Midway. You could spend hours on this vessel and not see the whole thing. There are about forty planes and helicopters on display.

The USS Destroyer Laffey took on fifty Kamikaze fighters off Okinawa in WWII but they didn't sink her. Exploring this battleship was quite interesting. You could almost feel like you were pulled back in time.

The USS Clamagore was by far the strangest vessel to tour. I can't imagine being on the crew of a submarine. The doorways that you had to climb through were only large enough for one person at a time and that was the only way to get from one location to the next. There was no other hallway. It was one long tube. Bunks hung above torpedoes and along narrow walls. Although exploring it was fascinating, I think I would quickly get claustrophobic. 

Also part of the tour at Patriot's Point was a recreated medical unit from the Vietnam War. The walking tour took you through different areas of a camp. One of the interesting pieces on display was an amphibious helicopter. 

After Charleston we continued our historical trip along the coast to Amelia Island in Florida. There, we visited Fort Clinch. This fort was also part of the Civil War but was in much better shape.

Much of the fort has been preserved and each building is set up to show just how the soldiers would have lived.









Fort Clinch also was surrounded by beautiful beaches.

And what do you do when you are faced with miles and miles of sand? You hunt for seashells. 










But the beaches of Fort Clinch are also known for something else.

       SHARKS TEETH.

This was the part of our trip where we got to hunt for treasures and boy, was it a hunt. It's always fun to walk for miles along the beach but searching for these little black beauties was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But, we were successful!

Random Acts

     Today is a very special day for me. It happens every year. As a kid, I waited with anticipation for this day, because I knew it meant presents. As the years went by, it seemed like they came more rapidly and all I wanted was for time to slow down.

     Then, a few years ago, I noticed a post from a friend who celebrated their birthday just a few days before me. They decided to celebrate their birthday in a unique way. For each year of their age, they performed a random act of kindness. I thought it was an amazing idea so I tried it. I hate to say it but being that I am past middle age, it was actually kind of difficult to squeeze in that many different random acts in one day. So, the next year, I spread it out over a week.

     The past couple of years I have asked my friends to join in and that is what I am doing today. Below is a list of ideas. In the comments at the end of the blog, let me know what you did.

     These acts of kindness are the best birthday present because I know others have been blessed.

     Here's the list of ideas.
1. buy someone coffee or breakfast
2. take some toiletry items to the homeless shelter
3. take some food items to the food bank
4. put quarters on the machines at the grocery store for kids to find
5. buy someones groceries
6. pay for someones lunch in the drive through
7. bake cookies and give them to the police department, fire department, EMS, Urgent Care, hospital
or any of the places that deliver a service to you. (hair salon, dentist, eye doctor etc.)
8. take supplies to a teacher
9. This is one of my favorites-take old towels to the animal shelter
10. Leave a generous tip at a restaurant
11. Send someone flowers
12. Take socks and blankets to a nursing home
13. Leave a treat in the mailbox for your mail carrier
14. call a friend or relative you haven't talked to in a while
15. compliment a stranger
16. Invite a neighbor for dinner
17. donate blood
18. take some toys to the pediatric hospital
19. read to kids at the library
20. send a care package to some soldiers

One thing that doesn't cost and is always appreciated is Time. Take time today to listen to someone, encourage someone love on someone.

Kindness knows no color or social status and always returns the blessing.

When the unexpected happens

     I have had many instances when I have been thrown into unexpected circumstances. I am not much of a planner but I have found there are times when you definitely want to be prepared.

     When my son was about three we went to a hotel. I don't remember what it was for actually, probably visiting family. My son was in the shallow end of the pool hanging onto the side. There were several adults watching but yet, in an instant, he was under the water. We pulled him out sputtering and spitting pool water. I was thankful things had turned out okay, but it got me thinking. I needed to know what to do in an emergency.

     I checked into some classes and signed up to take a Standard First Aid and Safety class through the Red Cross. https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class
   
     Many businesses request you take the class now. I think it's a smart idea. You really never know when you might need it.

     After taking the class, I chose to take it one step further and became a trainer. I did it both to instill the skills in me and guide others in learning the emergency procedures.

     One of the main skills they teach you in the class is what to do if someone's heart stops. Honestly, I never thought I would use it. I was wrong. A man collapsed in our grocery store and no one knew what to do. Do you? Once you learn the steps, it helps keep you on track when you are faced with an emergency.

     Here are a few simple steps when someone collapses or is found unconscious.

1. Check the scene. Make sure the scene is safe for you.
2. Tap the person and ask if they are okay loudly.
3. Call 911 or ask someone with you to call. If you are in a business check to see if they have an AED(If so follow the directions on the box.)
4. Lift the chin and tilt the head back to open the airway
5. Check for breathing. Listen for 10 seconds.(short gasps is not considered breathing) If you do not hear breathing or see the rise and fall of the chest you begin CPR
6. Find the bottom of the sternum or where the ribs divide, move up two finger spaces and place the heel of your hand. Interlace your fingers

Keep the bottom hand tilted where the heel of the hand touches but not the fingers.

7. Push hard and fast in the middle of the chest. Use your body weight to administer compression. This helps get the compressions deep and keeps your arms from wearing out so fast. The compressions need to be 2 inches deep and at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. Some say singing the song "Stayin Alive" helps give you a good rate.

8. Give at least 15 chest compressions before delivering 2 rescue breaths. Some studies now say give 30 compressions between breaths.

9. To give a rescue breath, tilt the persons head back and chin up, pinch the nose and seal your mouth over theirs exhaling into their mouth. If the chest doesn't rise and fall with your breath, reposition the head and try again. Give two breaths then resume CPR.

10. Only end the cycle if help arrives, if the scene becomes unsafe or you are too exhausted to continue.

The class also teaches techniques for infant and child CPR as well as other emergency situations. 

You never know when an unexpected emergency may occur. It's better to have the knowledge and not use it then to have an emergency and not know what to do.

Where's my Brain

    I have an amazing mom. So much of her inspires me every single day. She taught me many things that molded me into the person I am today. One thing she used to tell me was 'kill'em with kindness.' Which meant even when someone was being less than kind to me, be kind. It will confuse them. It paints kind of a funny picture in your head. I passed that on to my kids.
   
     Something else she taught me was 'never stop believing you can achieve your dreams. If a door shuts, look for a window.'My life has revolved around that motto. So many people see others achieving their dreams but think they could never pursue what they really want out of life. You see athletes on the football or baseball field or Olympians and think, "Wow, that's so amazing. What a great accomplishment, but I would never be able to do that." And, you won't...if you don't try.
   
     Let's be honest here, what's the worse that could happen if you try? It just doesn't happen. Yes, it could be disappointing but you move on and possibly look for a different way to make it happen . If you don't try you will always have that nagging thought in the back of your head saying "What if I actually did achieve my dream?"

     I have had moments where I pursued a dream and it worked out well, and other times when I got a less than stellar response.

     I have always loved to write. At thirteen I started writing music. In my twenties and thirties I wrote skits and plays. There was just something so cathartic for me when I sat down to write.
   
     About two years ago, I was on a trip and I happened to pick up a romance novel. I had never really been a reader but I needed something to read on the plane. The story captured me and pulled me in. I fell in love with the characters and the story line so much so every chance I got I picked up the book so I could continue on the journey. When I finished the book I offhandedly told my husband I would like to write like that. Where my characters felt like the people next door. His comment, basically, was why don't you? That one comment along with my mom's 'believe you can achieve your dreams' lit a fire within me.

     I sat down one day with an idea and started writing. The more I wrote the more the story came to life. The characters developed their own personalities. I could see their story playing out. It was like a movie playing in my head.

     I met a local author who encouraged me and gave me pointers and I applied them to my writing. Then one day she told me about something she called Jano. It was a challenge she put in front of me to write a novel in one month. Now a romance novel is normally around seventy thousand words so the idea of writing that much in one month was kind of daunting but I wanted to try.

     I had an idea for a story and on New Year's Day, I started. Every time I had some down time I grabbed my laptop and wrote. By the end of the month, I hit my goal. I wrote a romance novel. The next step was, what to do with it. My author friend, being the wonderful encouraging lady she was, told me to publish it. At first, I thought that was a big leap. This was my first completed novel and though I loved the story, I figured it probably needed quite a bit of work to measure up to the other romance novels out there. But, that was what I wanted, wasn't it? Didn't I set out to do exactly that? My mom's voice popped into my head again.

    I followed my friend's advice and started revising and editing the story. I just knew how to put words to the page but not understand all the rules for writing a romance novel plus it had been forty years since I had been in school so my grammar and punctuation knowledge was very rusty. It was an interesting learning curve but I pushed on. Then, I let a few people read it. That moment, when I allowed others to read my novel was nerve wracking. The thought played through my head on constant replay, "What if they hate it."

    They didn't. One more step forward.

    I finally got to the point where I was ready to submit the story to a publisher. I researched a few and picked three to submit to. Most said it would take several weeks to get a response so in the mean time I decided to start on another book.

     After several weeks I did get a response from one. They liked the story, but being a novice writer took it's toll and they rejected my manuscript. But, they offered advice and told me I could submit again after some more revisions. 'When a door shuts, look for an open window.' I wasn't going to give up. At first it felt like a huge task. I was told I needed to push the climax closer to the end of the story. That meant taking several chapters away. But, I started revising, adding some to the front of the story, taking away from the end of the story, adjusting the punctuation, taking away unneeded words. In the end, I was happier with the revised version.

    I resubmitted the story and waited. Finally I got the e-mail. My dream came true.

   

 
 

 

I took a trip...that changed my life

     Any trip you take for the first time is exciting. Memories are made that will probably last a lifetime. Most of my trips over the years have been what I call scenic trips. You go to see the sites of a new location. See what the place has to offer. I have been to the coast of Florida, Texas and Mississippi and there isn't anything quite like sticking your toes in the wet sand and letting the waves wash over your feet.

     I have been hiking in the mountains of Utah and New Mexico and I think I could be very happy living among the pine trees or staring at a mountain range for my view.

     I love exploring new places and seeing what new cities have to offer. But, on a recent trip I was completely overwhelmed with emotion.

     We were traveling through Tennessee. It was an impromptu trip so we didn't have anything planned. We visited Nashville stopping at the Ryman Auditorium

just to say we had been there before taking in a hockey game. Nashville is so different than I pictured it.















It was fascinating but it was our next stop that brought me to my knees.

     When I checked the internet for things to do in Memphis, one item stood at the top of the page. The Civil Rights Museum. I was very interested in going although if I am going to be perfectly honest, I was a little nervous. I couldn't explain why. When we got there, it surprised me that the museum was the actual motel that Martin Luther King Jr. was killed at.

The motel sits just as it did the day he died. The room where he stayed is still exactly like it was the day he died. 

     The rest of the motel, though the same on the outside has been remodeled to show the history of the Civil Rights Era. One room shows a timeline of events that happened throughout history. Another shows a video taking you from slavery to the Civil Rights era. As I walked through, I realized just how much I didn't know. I don't know if my school just didn't teach much on it or I just didn't listen, but on this day, my heart was taking a massive hit. 

There was a room depicting the story of Rosa Parks. The voice of the bus driver berating her as she refused to leave the bus.

   Another room told the story of the Sit-In, where four African American college students walked into white only restaurant and asked for coffee. When service was refused, they sat peacefully waiting to be served and the sit-in was born. 

   














I walked from room to room, my heart beating furiously in my chest, wondering how I had missed so many of these stories. I knew a few, not well, by any stretch of the imagination, but so many of the stories I read, were so heart wrenching and I had never even heard of them.

     The one story that truly brought tears to my eyes was the Freedom Rides.  In 1961 The Congress of Racial Equality sought to test the Supreme Court decision of Boynton vs. Virginia which stated that segregation of Interstate Transportation facilities including bus terminals was unconstitutional. The original thirteen Freedom Riders were seven African Americans and six white. They started in Washington D.C. and planned to travel to New Orleans, Louisiana. They traveled through Virginia and North Carolina without incident. When they reached South Carolina three of the Freedom Riders, were attacked when they attempted to enter a white only waiting room.

     When the bus reached Atlanta Georgia, the thirteen split into two groups. One group rode Greyhound the other Trailways. On May 14, 1961 the first bus to reach Anniston, Alabama was the Greyhound bus. An angry mob of over two hundred was gathered outside of the bus terminal causing the bus drive to drive past. The mob followed the bus and blew out the tires. When the bus stopped a bomb was thrown on board. All the passengers got off safely but were then beaten by the mob.

      The second bus pulled up in Birmingham, Alabama to another angry mob and the riders were beaten with pipes. As the rides continued through Alabama the mobs grew and more riders were beaten until 600 Federal Marshalls were called in when a riot broke out after Martin Luther King held a church service in Montgomery in hopes of quelling the violence.

     In Jackson Mississippi there was no violence but when they tried to use any white only facility they were thrown into prison. The court case went all the way to the supreme court before being overturned.

     Finally, in the fall of 1961, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations prohibiting segregation in Interstate Transit Terminals.

     I have to admit, this whole story was new to me when I went to the museum. I walked away with such a pain inside me, I could barely speak. I didn't know.
   
    I got to thinking, maybe there are others who are in the same boat I am. People with fairer skin who love all colors of people but don't know the history of our friends of a different race and what exactly they have dealt with.

     Well, this might give you an idea. But, if you get a chance to travel to Memphis, make it a point to stop at the Civil Rights Museum. It will change your life.

Just Breathe

     Sometimes I get stressed. We all do. Things in life just hit us up side the head and spiral us into a never ending black hole. We allow ourselves to be "what ifed" to death by our imagination and before we know it we are completely and totally overwhelmed. It's not pretty.
   
     I have found myself more than once wadded up in the corner of a sofa with my arms tightly wrapped around my waist thinking what am I going to do, when in reality, when it was all said and done, the answer was quite simple. We have all been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

     But recently I have been taught something that has helped me. Mindfulness.

Some people would call it meditation. But, for me it's just a way of refocusing.

     Now I know what some of you are thinking, meditation is a religious practice. Trust me, I have thought the same thing but just like yoga, it doesn't have to be. Yoga is a way of stretching your body and strengthening your core by holding positions. Can you add some religious practice to it? Sure, but it can be any religion or none at all. Same with meditation.

     Meditation is just a way to relax and refocus. Period. And it works. It helps move you from the scattered "I gotta do something" mind to the "What is most important at the moment."

     I'm going to give you a few simple prompts to work with. You can do it with or without music, I choose without. I like the quiet.

     Get into a relaxed position. You can sit in a chair, prop your feet up, lay down, whatever works.

     Now, close your eyes. Sit quietly for a moment. Take inventory of how your body feels. The fabric against your body. Maybe the cushions you are sitting on. Where are your hands resting? Now, relax your face. Relax your arms. Relax your stomach. Relax your legs.

   





Next breathe.

Take a deep breath in. Focus on your breath coming in through your nose, filling your lungs, then going out through your nose. Feel the coolness as it comes in and moves down your throat. Feel your lungs expand.

   






Now focus on your thoughts. Picture them rolling through like waves. They roll in and then fade. Rest in your thoughts for a moment.














     Return your focus to your breathing. Focus on the air coming in, your chest expanding and the air leaving. Take a deep breath, let it stay for a moment then release it slowly.

                                                                      Open your eyes.

     This should take about 3 minutes of your time and trust me, when you are done, you will feel relaxed and much more capable of taking on whatever you have in front of you. Try it out.
I have attached a link to one on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEfs5TJZ6Nk

     Let me know what you think.

In the Eye of the Storm

     Today I was thinking about firsts. That feeling you get when you are doing things for the first time. It's exhilarating. Do you remember the first time you got behind the steering wheel of a car? Or the first time you stood before an audience. Okay, so that might not have been as exhilarating as terrifying but...doing something for the first time always comes with a few heart palpitations.

     The news of hurricane Dorian triggered the thought of a first I had several years ago. I watched in horror as the video feeds poured in from the Bahamas as the hurricane approached. Now my heart is aching after seeing just how devastating the storm was.

     You see, the Bahamas was a first for me.

It was the first time for me to venture out of the US. Yes, I know it wasn't much of a stretch but the whole idea of needing a passport to go to this place just felt special. It was a brand new adventure. The only other time I had stepped across the border was walking over to Juarez Mexico from Texas for a day trip. No passport needed. No, this trip meant something far greater.

     Even though I had taken trips to the beach before, when we arrived, it felt like I had stepped into another world. The beach was pristine. The water was a deep blue. Conk shells littered the water's edge and there were starfish in every color of the rainbow. Our hotel had this airy feel to it. We walked through the bar area which was open on two sides. The backside of the bar opened to a large pool with a deck and past that was this beach. It looked like something from a postcard.

I remember so much about that trip. They had a grand dining hall with tons of fresh fruit including Papaya. That was also a first. It was my favorite. The flesh of the fruit was similar to a peach and just as juicy and sweet. I have tried it several times since and I can't find anything that comes close to what I had there.

   



We snorkeled one day. Because it was the end of February we had to wear wet suits. Again, another first for me. I can remember seeing all the fish that you would normally see at the aquarium. The water was crystal clear.

 

     One day we ventured outside of the resort and ate at one of the local restaurants. It was the first time I had ever eaten fried conk. Let me stop right here. I had no idea really what a conk was until this trip. But, evidently, they are a staple as far as meals are concerned. I honestly, wasn't too impressed. They were a little chewy. 

     Another first during the trip was driving on the wrong side of the road. Well, technically I was riding but let me tell you, it feels really weird.

 But, during our exploration of the area we found remnants of a US missile base and, 

A lighthouse.

We also made a stop at a really pretty cavern. 













     As I watched the news this week, I realized that most of the places I saw on our trip, are probably gone now. I can't be sure, but it broke my heart to see the video of the devastation. The thought kept rolling through my mind, I was there. I know that place. It was so beautiful.
                                                    My heart goes out to those who live there.

Well that was really unexpected...

          I am not a golfer. I have been happily wedded to one for thirty-six years but during that time, I think I could count on one hand the number of times I have played golf with him. He takes it very seriously. 

     Over the years, I have watched probably thousands of hours of golf tournaments on the golf channel and I've actually been to a couple championship tournaments. It's been fun. I've always found a player I could root for. 

    

     I have been a golf widow at least one weekend a year for the past twenty years when my hubby has gone off on his "Mancation" with a group of buddies. They all play an ungodly amount of golf for three days. When he returns home he tells me all the crazy stories from the trip. 

    But, even though I supported his love for the sport, I still had this nagging thought inside me that I was somehow not connecting with a very important aspect of his life. Don't get me wrong, we do other things together, but I just didn't feel like I shared in the one thing that he enjoyed the most.  So, I decided to try it.

     I took some lessons and started hitting balls at the driving range. I stunk it up pretty bad but I kept going. For an entire summer and into the fall I made it a point to hit balls at least once a week at the range. 

     

     Finally, he took me out to a practice course to see how I was doing. He made me so nervous that I failed at every turn which sent me back to the driving range.

     He took me to a few more easy courses and every once in a while I would nail a good shot but for the most part, I still stunk. I wanted so bad to impress him that I talked myself into a tizzy and would hit it off into the wild blue yonder or barely get it off the tee. 

     So after the weather turned cold I stopped practicing and when spring came around I had all but forgotten about playing until a friend invited us to go out and play sometime. My stomach clenched at the idea. She had had lessons and she was playing regularly and I hadn't picked a club up in months. I wanted to go but I just knew I would embarrass myself. 

     When she mentioned it again a few weeks later I decided this might actually happen and I better get to practicing. I made it a point to head out to the driving range again and started hitting balls. At that point, I KNEW I would embarrass myself but a little voice inside me said, "Who cares, it's just a game." The thing is, when I picked the clubs up again, I realized, I kind of enjoyed it, especially when I made that perfect connection(which lets face it, wasn't too often.)

     The next time we were at dinner together we decided to play a round at a local par three course. It was going to be my hubby against my friend and I playing best ball. Her hubby was going to be the "Official."

     My nerves were on high alert when we got to the course. I was excited but I also had no idea how well she could play and the last thing I wanted to do was slow everyone down trying to find my ball that I hit somewhere out in the boondocks. 

     When she teed off, she hit a pretty good drive and my nerves kicked up a few notches. I teed my ball up and went through my routine to get my form right and swung. To my happy surprise I actually hit a decent drive. Of course, my brain kept telling me, that was probably the last of the good shots.

     But although I did have some definite flubs, I hit some good shots and started to relax and enjoy playing after about the third or fourth hole. 

     We got to hole number twelve and I would like to tell you it was a par 3, 112 yards with a dogleg off to the right and the pin at the back of the green. But in all honesty, I haven't a clue what it looked like. If you asked my hubby he could  probably give you every aspect of the hole including where the sprinklers were located. 

     I hit my drive and it looked pretty decent. I thought it might have gone a little long and probably went over the green, but how far I didn't know. As we approached the green, I found out I was only about four feet from the pin! If I were able to somehow get the ball into the cup, I would get a birdie. One under the allotted number of ball strikes for the hole, for those of you who don't play golf. So, I lined up my putter, said a little prayer and lightly tapped the ball and low and behold, that ball rolled right into the cup. I jumped and screamed and did everything you probably aren't supposed to do in the very proper game of golf. Of course, we were way behind my avid golfing husband in the overall score but I didn't care because he got a par on the hole and I got a birdie. I BEAT HIM!

     So, on to the next hole. Hole number thirteen. Nothing good could ever come from playing on hole thirteen. It's got bad juju. But, I lined up my drive and took a whack and it shot off like a bullet. It didn't have any loft like it was supposed to so after a short distance it hit the ground and started to roll. I watched it for a moment then lost site of it. It looked like it was going straight at least. My friend hit her ball and then my husband and off we went looking for our balls except mine was nowhere to be found. I looked all over and there was no sign of it. After a little bit we decided to go ahead and play my friends. My hubby's was already on the green so my friend and I took turns hitting the ball until we managed to get to the green. We were already laying up four shots before we ever even got close to the cup. 

     My husband was up to putt. I continued to wonder where my ball had gone off to. It really did look like it was rolling toward the green the last time I saw it. I glanced at my hubby hitting the ball and continued to look around. Out of the corner of my eye I watched his ball drop into the cup but what came out of his mouth next completely blew my mind. "Hey there's another ball in this cup. What were you playing with?"

     "A Nike, I think," I responded still only halfway paying attention.

     He pulled the ball out of the cup and sure enough, it was a Nike ball! I had hit a hole in ONE. Again, I was jumping up and down, screaming at the top of my lungs to the point that the guys playing on an adjoining green asked what happened. Of course, I had to tell them. I giggled and stuck the ball in my pocket and got another one. No way was I going to play with it again and risk losing it.

    

     We got to the next hole and my husband said, "I have been playing fifty years and I have never hit a hole in one. Not many people can say they have."

I can.

Through the Eyes of a Child

                I recently had the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a child.

     

     It was absolutely fascinating. If you have never had that opportunity, I highly recommend it. It will warm your heart and might possibly change the way you look at the world.

     

Spending even a day, just allowing yourself to wander in their world, listening to their imagination run wild, can fill you with life and make you look at your world differently. 

Suddenly, fallen leaves are beautiful treasures. 

Or a rose past it's bloom is a loving offering. 

     Somehow, the things you take for granted on a daily basis, you look passed more often then not, come in to focus and you can see their beauty. You begin to watch, as they do, as a dragonfly hovers over a plant ready to land.

     You take in the iridescent colors of their wings. Had they always been that pretty? 

     Then, as the child holds out their hand, they speak to the tiny insect hoping the creature will take their offering of the friendly gesture. Surely, not. The insect take flight and suddenly your heart hopes. The child's eyes widen and you watch in utter disbelief as the tiny creature lands on the outstretched hand.

    

     Nothing is impossible in a child's world. 

Creatures are not creatures, they are friends. 

     They have lives and stories and families just like us and it's absolutely wonderful.

   Looking at it through adult eyes you wonder when your view changed. When was it exactly that you lost the ability to appreciate the world around you? 

   

    I took a walk this morning. A dragonfly was perched on the top of a beautiful withering leaf and I held out my hand.

Welcome to the Stage

     One of my favorite things to do on a night out is go to a concert. I honestly have no idea how many concerts I have been to. I started as a teen. I have seen everything from rock concerts to country to Christian to philharmonic symphonies and I have enjoyed them all. I've even been back stage a time or two.

     There is something about seeing a band, that you have heard on the radio, live. There's an energy, an excitement. I can remember seeing bic lighters light up the room when a band played. Now people hold up their phones with the flashlight on.

     I can't exactly remember the first concert I went to. I was definitely into rock as a teen. I saw Rush, AC/DC, Styx just to name a few. But there was one concert that stood way above the rest.

 
  BOSTON. I saw them at the Frank Irwin Center in Austin Texas. To this day their concert stands as my all time favorite, and here's why. Imagine you are sitting in a huge concert venue listening to one of your favorite bands when suddenly the lights go out. After a moment you hear a low rumble that shakes your seat. Then a lone light slowly goes from dim to bright shining on something gold on the stage. You see something moving but you can't quite make it out. The low rumble becomes louder, the light becomes brighter and you finally see one of the band members twirling a cape while standing on the seat of a HUGE pipe organ that has just risen out of the stage floor. Hands down my all time favorite concert.

     I have even seen some bands recently that I saw as a teen. One of the bands that have stood the test of time is the band KANSAS.
I saw them in the 70s and then again at a local
 fair a couple of years ago. I am a sucker for good harmonies and these guys were spot on. They weren't flashy, they were just great musicians and put out some excellent music.

I think my second favorite of all concerts I have been to was just because of an unexpected event. I had gone to the local Blues Festival. All of the venues were outside. I specifically wanted to see Jonny Lang. Now for those who don't know who Jonny Lang is, he is a master guitarist who could just about rival Stevie Ray Vaughn.  So as I was standing there listening, he starts into his hit song Still Raining. And just as if he planned it, the skies open up and it starts raining. It was absolutely perfect timing. And as the song finished, guess what? So did the rain.

I got to see Jonny Lang recently in concert. He still puts on a great show and man can that guy play the guitar, but we were in an inside venue so no chance at seeing it rain. Oh well.



I love my rock 'n' roll, but I am a country fan too.


 I have seen a few of those artists also. I saw Reba several years ago.

I haven't been to too many country concerts lately but I will be getting a chance soon and I'm excited.







   The one thing I love about country music, is the stories they tell. Country artists are the best at painting a picture in song.  So if you are looking for something fun to do for a night out, see if there are concerts in the area and...go!

 

LIfe's Too Short

     One of my all time favorite movies is Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In the opening scene Ferris says,
     "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it."
     This has become my mantra in  recent years.
   
      It's true, you know. Life does move fast. You blink and you are out of high school, married with a couple of kids and then, suddenly, you are a grandparent. How did that happen????
   
      As a kid, I was fairly cautious. My sister was the daredevil between the two of us. Don't get me wrong I had my moments but for the most part I was happy sitting on the sideline watching others take chances. It could have had something to do with the fact I was somewhat of an accident waiting to happen, so I didn't need to take risks. Living for me was a risk. I was scared of just about everything.
   
     But, around the time when my kids were hitting high school, I decided to stop being scared and to live. We had planned a trip to Universal Studios in Florida. I knew there were tons of roller coasters. On our previous trips to amusement parks I would never get on the big roller coasters. But this time, I made a commitment to my kids and it changed my life. I told them, any ride you ride, I will ride. Whether it was loopy roller coasters or free falling from ten stories up, I was game.

This roller coaster is called the Dueling Dragons. It was hands down my favorite, especially if you                                                                                                          sat in the front seat.

     Something ignited in me from that trip. I had never really pushed myself to take a chance until then. Once I did, I realized I was missing out on some amazing opportunities.
   
     From that time forward, I told myself I wouldn't shy away from things that might be a bit riskier.

     So, I tried my hand at a trapeze. Let me say this, it's harder than it looks. You need some upper body strength which at the time I had very little. But, it was crazy fun.

My sister and I did the 5K color run. Although it wasn't so much of a risk, it was a challenge. I highly suggest, if you plan to do a 5k or half marathon or you go for the gusto and do the full marathon, find one that is fun! The Color Run was AMAZING.

     For Mother's Day one year, my son asked if I wanted to go rock climbing at a local gym. I had never been, and to be perfectly honest, it scared the bejeebers out of me, but I was game. It was one of the most AMAZING experiences I have ever had. We didn't have tethers. It was all free climbing but there was a big spongy mat below in case you fell. Which I did. But, it was after I accomplished an upside down grab. I have never felt so strong in all my life.

    For my daughter's birthday a couple of years ago, she wanted to try skydiving. I haven't gotten the guts up to actually jump from a plane yet, but neither had she so we opted for the next best thing. We went to IFly! Again, this was something that I had no clue would be so difficult. I thought the big fan just blew you up in the air and there you were. It's not quite that simple. You have to put your body in specific positions to capture the air, but when you do...WOW!!!! What an AMAZING feeling.

The most recent opportunity I got was to go Ziplining with my niece. We actually went as the sun was setting and a storm was rolling in. There is nothing better than flying above the trees with the rainbow colored clouds above and lightening in the distance.

Life does move too fast. So, don't just sit and watch it go by. Participate. Take some risks. Step out of your comfort zone. Let your heart beat a little faster. You might find your greatest memories when you do.