My laptop died, just as my son, who knows how to fix it, left to go back to school. *sigh* And my daughter and I are now sharing a computer, with her schoolwork taking precedence. By the end of this month, everything will have resolved itself and I’ll be back to my ‘usual’.

{{{Grace}}} Relativity is sure a trip, for those shoes of yours look pretty spiffy and dressy to me…as I look down at my earth shoes splattered in paint. I guess it simply depends on the surface we’re walking through. I’m *country* and you’re *city*. Your shoes would be wasted in a matter of hours walking the terrain of my jaunts.

I used to have a pair similar, only mine had tweety bird on them!

{{{tumel}}} There is a joke I tell but it doesn’t come across as funny in writing for it is based on phonics. I ask, ‘what do we do if we have to and don’t want to?’ And the answer is…give one(1) away.

My son in particular likes to procrastinate. I talked to him about one time, telling him that he did so, so he could have an experience of surmounting and rising above the task. I really think that’s what we all do.

As in, doing a load or two of laundry doesn’t feel like any big task has been accomplished. However, if we let it pile up to 10-12 loads, then by the time we finish, we really feel like we’ve accomplished something.

It’s allowing things to rise to *crisis* proportions, that helps us tap into and REALIZE what we’ve got within us.

“Obligations”? Me, I’m not “obliged” to do anything. First and foremost, I have a Responsibility to mySelf and maintaining my Integrity by being True and Honoring mySelf.
Regardless of what other people may think or how they may feel about me refusing to be “obligated”.

{{{tess}}} Yes, FROZEN. And the *darn* stuff was slow in melting, too. I’ve decided snow and ice are like horses. Having a friends who owns a horse is much better then me owning one. Just like visiting snow is a lot better then living with it!

I guess it was a week past, that our whole area was flooded. We were cut off, no way in or out. But we didn’t know about it. We were warm and snug and comfortable and not even trying to go anyplace. It was 2 days later, in reading the local paper online, that I became aware “we” were having problems with flood waters. Of course, the sandbags piled up in front of stores in town might have been a clue, if I had been in town. *smiling*

Would you please send me your info again, as it was on my laptop and I can’t *get* to it until I figure out a way to turn it on!

{{{{hugs}}}}

Overhere, I came back to a country anticipating a possible “elfstedentocht” – it is so rare to have ice these wet winter decades. Now we’ve had some everyone is going mad with the faint possibility of winterwonderland and skating the classic tour of 11 towns (200km). Some thaw this weekend but minus 9 for tomorrow! The icemasters are conferring. This is our national hope for the new year… Beam over some of yours! (you know, ice, hope, love, either one will do)

Yesterday, I stood my baby on his first tiny patch of ice – frozen over puddle. Don’t think he got the historical meaning, but I did : )

Am listening to the Dutch alarm system test, sirens going off every first monday of the month at 12.00.

@tumel: that’s how I feel, too. Go with the flow, as long as the flow keeps going. Keep on moving, and try to let my heart make any important decisions. When it’s that hard to decide, there’s always the: I don’t know! I’ll take a wildcard (random)! Take both or a whole different one altogether!

I especially like the last option. There’s always other options. Like writing to do lists. I usually end up doing something that’s not on my freshly poured out to do list – the list just served to empty my brain of some apparent garbage (stuff that is not relevant to my here & now).

Like feeling pressed, some kind of urgency, but not knowing what it is that needs to be done so urgently. Usually none of the things that are occupying the mind.

A reminder of Steve Covey’s 7 habits. It’s the nonurgent, but important things that matter.

Usually love.

Getting in touch with someone.

Not that pile of books or that housework that your conscience makes you feel guilty for.

Then again, frozen pipes…

Wishing you lots of joy for 2009, and the ability to see it in every and any moment.

HUGS al round! Reluctant to leave this partee!! : )

My mom used to tell me:

Be GOOD
and if you can’t be good

be CAREFUL

hahahahahaha

You know what, Sue Ann? you’re the first person to ask me about my avatar photo.

Just me ….taking life’s journey one step at a time. Walking easy…dressed for a long trip. Want to walk in mile in my shoes? Can I walk in yours?
big hugs to you. real big and warm ones.

And…

that’s when I caught on that choosing ‘and’, made life a lot simpler. Why conflict with my tendency to be lazy?

Embrace ALL of Life and forget the conditions and limits.

*K I S S*

Keep It Simple Sweetheart.

So I guess we can now throw in Valentine’s Day, too.

(grinning)

We dug up our pipes, cut them into sections and carried them inside the house to thaw. We installed new couplings while also in the house, and dried those outside with heat guns…BEFORE the ice and snow came.

Since then, it takes a crew to get us out of our driveway but once on the road and out of our valley, the streets are clear. And we only lost our power for a short time, a few hours at most.

Our temps are now rising and we live on the coast where a marine layer normally blankets us. We’re not going to receive the same conditions as Seattle. We’ll be back up to what’s normal within a couple of days.

My niece, was taken by ambulance to the hospital and gave birth to a healthy baby boy, named Caleb, early in the morning on Winter’s Solstice.

You are {{welcome}} my friend. It has been an Honor, Privilege and a Blessing to serve you. Thank You for the opportunity. And may you enJOY an expanded version of it in 2009!

Happy Holidays {{tobeme}}! I bet you’re enjoying the role of Santa this year, too, even if you didn’t get dressed up in a red suit! It is simply your way, your Spirit. And Christmas is such a perfect time for you to give full expression to it, isn’t it?

Merry Christmas {{{Grace}}}

{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}

I give up…why the feet? Or maybe it’s shoes and you’re inspiring us to throw 100’s of 1000’s of pairs of shoes on the White House lawn before Bush leaves office?

To see a lame duck, duck…*priceless*.

Merry Christ Mass to you, too, {{cordieb}}!!! I enjoy your example. Along the lines of “move it or milk it”.

I am known to say, “If we find ourselves in the middle of hell, keep going. It’s equal distance out of there, no matter which way we go.”

Have a Joyous season everyone, enjoying whatever brings Joy, no matter what. As my Mom used to say:

If you can’t be good, be good at what you do.

Blessings

Celebrate our new landscape rising on the horizon! Our WHOLE World’s Value System has just been successfully shifted!!!!

So is it OK if I compromise on both?

Thanks so much for your guidance during 2008!

And I also wish you a full functioning house for the holidays!

Have a wonderful Christmas and an enlightening New Year today and always!