WINTER WONDERLAND

HI,I am back! Sorry that I have not blogged for such a long time..but life has been very busy and just plain no time for blogging.
But today is such a serene and relaxing day that I just wanted to share it with all of you. Last night our snow started falling here on the Jersey Shore around 10pm and is still snowing ever so lightly for now.It is a beautiful snow storm.We were very lucky and only have received 6-8 in so far(another front is still coming with more later in the day). But at 3:30am my small dog just had to go out,so she ever so patiently waited by my bed(I can actually sense when she is there and I awake rather quickly),so I awoke and let her out the back door.As I stood there and watched out for her,I so enjoyed the calmness that the storm was bringing with it,complete quiet,no snowplow,no one had walked on it's beauty yet(except for the few dog prints that Lady had made) and such a pure whiteness to it .The tree limbs were covered softly as if angels had just dusted them lightly with angel dust!
I never before could enjoy a snow storm.I always feared the worst part of one,I awaited the loss of power,the shoveling of it,the cleaning off of the cars etc.But as I grow older I now realize that I will worry about those things as they happen,not before and just enjoy the beauty of the moment "in that moment".So for my friends down in Florida and south that were not affected by the snow,I am glad that I can share with you some of it's beauty for most of you migrated from the East Coast to South! Have a wonderful day,Jackie

Rain,Rain,Another Gain

Here in NJ we have been having ALOT of rain this spring/summer. Now I could look at it in a very pessimistic way(as I have been doing( Or I could choose to look at it in a very opptimistic way..Which is what I am going to try to do TODAY! I figure that I do not like to go outside and do all kinds of errands on a rainy day,so most of the time I lose the whole day to a great book or some other self indulgent way wo whittle it away.) But for Today I am going to TRY to be quite productive(as I did whenever I was at my real job years ago).I am going to tackle a few of those many endless tasks which I tend to put off now that I am retired and seem to "Have all the time in the world".HA HA!!!!
1st. thing,I am going to go back to sleep for just 1 more hour...to muster up some more energy
2.nd I am going to dust with my new microfiber cloths all of my knic knacs or chatcha's in the living rooom.(believe me,I am a collector when it comes to small little collectibles!)
So many times when I clean I find myself working around them and just never seem to get back to them!
3. then I am going to tackle hand washing all of the displayed dishes in my rather large pine hutch in the dining/kitchen combo room! I just love to stand back and see and smell it sparkle when I am finished with that task!
4. I am going to attempt to get to my dresser perfume tray and washed and rearrange it!
5.I figure by then,the time must be about ready to start dinner.Tonight my hubby is getting homeade spaghetti sauce and sausage.(Me I am still watching my diet and sugars and salt,so I will be having a large salad and a no salt soup!(just yummy).
6. My goal for today is to be so exhausted by tonight that I finally can get a good night's sleep..all night long,not just waking up every few hours and then not being able to get back to sleep which seems like forever.(of course I am on medicines again with an asthmatic attack and a bout of bronchitis which tend to make me hyper a bit,so that is probably why I am up most of the night..so maybe if I tire myself out today..It will swithch things around.
Well..here's to a plan and I am stickin to it!!(hopefully..I will update you tomorrow as to how much I actually accomplished today)!!!!!!!!!! "That is why today's header is cvalled Rain,Rain,
Anothr Gain"

FOURTH OF JULY

Here's wishing you all a safe and wonderful July 4th. Please remember with a pray our troops who are fighting for our Independance as you CELEBRATE it!

MEETING OLE FRIENDS

Late this afternoon I went with my husband,Nick, to his fishing tournament celebration party that was at one of the Fire Houses,which was nice enough to accomadate all of us. They had to quickly set up at another location as the weather here did not cooperate at all.We had rain all day long!(the Party was weather permitting to have been in a local park owned by the town which has swings and all kind of stuff for the kids,picnic tables and is on the water). Anyway all went very well,I will tell you that the women and young girls(all related to the fisherman who fished in this tournament today in the rain) did a magnificent job of making the best barbecue set up that I have been to in years. They did not miss a thing and the fire house even had lots of games and toys available Or brought by the parents in a seperate room to keep the children very busy!
Everything was homemade salads,etc and the desserts were the best,nothing beats homemade chocolate and oatmeal raisin cookies and a two flavored blondie/choc type brownie and more. The hamburgers were donated by one the most expensive meat markets in town,so they were out of this world! However the very BEST part of the afternoon and into the early evening for ME was seeing ole friends that I grew up with in my early 20's!!!! Many of them I had not run into over the years,yet as we chatted we felt like we just were together yesterday.It sure felt wonderful to not only see them,but to have the time to sit and visit awhile. The atmosphere was so comfortable that you felt as if we were teens again..yet we realized that our journeys thru life has included many ups and downs..but were are the fortunate ones to be here still and able to have this special time together! I was surprised that so many of them,both male and females remembered me right away..but then I recognized them right away also! I now realize that you never really change completely on the outside..your eyes remain the same, your smile is the same, the inflection in your voice is the same,your laughter sounds the same as it always did. We may change the color of our hair,our weight may change, we may now wear glasses etc..but on the INSIDE our HEART has never changed..WE ARE THE SAME PERSON that we were when we were friends way back then. Life is amazing! So I really the day if you can't tell by now and my ole friends. Some say they will call and that since we all live so nearby each other that we should plan to get together..we will see if that ever comes to be...but rather it does or not..I enjoyed my special time today..Also it was great to see my husband 's face when the boat that he and his friend(only the two of them) came in second place in the tournament! So I know that he had a really great day also,even fishing in the rain!

I'M Back

Boy,have I been gone for a long time. I just checked in on myself and I noticed that I have not been chatting since April. Well I guess I really must have not had anything inspiring to say or at least I felt that way. Alot has changed in my life since then. The most important is that I have learned how to handle the STRESS in my life in a more mannerly fashion and to NOT let it rule me as it so often did. In fact it even put me into the hospital this past May into early June.
That was a REAL WAKE UP CALL for me again! Now I have been in the hospital before for many ailments that I have...but never because I could not control my thinking. I felt as tho I wanted to get out of my own brain.Sounds weird..I know..But unless you have experienced it yourself..it will not mean anything to you..don't worry..that part is not what is important. It is the learning how to handle STRESS and each day I am getting better at it and I am so very proud of myself! I thank our Lord,GOD, for helping to pull me thru my very darkest hours AGAIN! I prayed so very hard each day to HIM asking for His help and guidance. I always remember that He is always there,however He will answer in His time,not always yours! I now remember to THANK HIM each and everyday for His help and Guidance to get me thru this
past experience! Stress can become a physical and medical problem very quickly if not understood and placed under control. Now that I am happier with myself and where I am at in my life,my next post will be to update you all on how our family has grown...two new great-nephews to brag about and how the other great-nephews are doing.YEAH!

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

I feel really good tonight after spending the day getting ready for the warm weather we are expecting this weekend. They are predicting in the 80's.So I spent most of today working on what I call my "weights and measures"! To me this is working on my clothes closet and measuring out those clothes which do not fit the weight that I am at now....Thus weights and measures!!!!
So I made quite a nice dent in the pile and have a hefty size bag all ready for the church donation rummage sale.
My husband even FINALLY decided that he does not need all of those suits and sport jackets that have been stored for years now in plastic garment bags. So someone at the church is going to be lucky if they are his size.
So now that my clothes are happy and have more room to breathe in that closet..I have to work on my body for spring!! Winter left a few lbs behind on me that I need also to give away quickly!!! Happy weights and measure to you all!

EASTER BLESSINGS

I had such a wonderful Easter and so many things to be thankful for that I had to share them.
First,my husband for once said that he really enjoyed spending the day with ALL of my family.He does not say this very often as large gatherings and the noise of children and babies crying bother his tintunitis of the ear. Also he says that all of us talk at once and he can't seem to understand a what we are all chatting about(he is very hard of hearing also).
Anyway we had a really delightful day. First my niece's,Jaime, home is a log cabin and so quaint and sweet and she has it decorated just so special!
I finally got to meet my newest great-nephew,Andrew, who is just adorable. He is my sister's second oldest daughter,Tracey's first son(their first baby girl is in heaven with the angels,she was born stillborn two yrs ago).So I am so happy that Andrew,born in January is a healthy young baby.Also my oldest niece's two sons,Jackson age 3and 1/2 and Reid age 1 and 1/2 were so well behaved. We had a great time on the deck blowing bubbles.I felt like a kid again. To watch each bubble just form and then float away and to hear the giggles from the boys was like music to the ears! My mother at age 85 was doing quite well and always so enjoys being with all of our family(she lives with my sister). The appetizers and dinner was YUMMY and quite plentiful. I thank God that we have such a wonderful family and had such a good meal. For many have no homes to celebrate and maybe just a food pantry if any to eat at.Now i look forward to the arrival in about 18 days of my oldest niece,Jaime,the mother of the two sons,birth of her new baby on April 30th or maybe even before! Our family keeps growing!
Hope all of you had a day to be thankful for something in your lives also.