Funteresting Things About Friday

Hurry up breakfast!

Headed out for a walk this morning.  Decided that I surely love the days when the trail is less traveled. And that I much prefer a teensy bit slower pace.  At least my arthritic feet do.

Stood for a minute and watched this palomino.  Pacing.  He was hungry and waiting for breakfast. Expressing his impatience by pacing up and down his fence. Hadn't seen that behavior before.

Was kept company on part of my walk by a brood of chickens.  They seemed to match my pace.  When I pulled out my phone to snap a shot, though, they all became suddenly very shy and crawled back under the fence into their yard.

11 lbs. of Nutella would take me 11 years to use.

Headed out to Costco.  It's been a while since I was there.  They've done some re-arranging (as they are wont to do.) For the first time in all the years this particular Costco has been open they moved the salt for the water softeners.  Now instead of being in the farthest southwest corner of the store, it is in the farthest northeast corner of the store. We must really want those heavy items to carry them so far.

Watched - in the cart in front of me - a small young'un toss his cookies.  And his mother didn't have a single thing in her huge bag to clean him up.  Good Samaritans still exist. (Sad to say, though, it wasn't me.  I wasn't quick enough getting the wipes out of my bag.)

Came across the most ginormous bottle of Nutella I've ever seen.  Left it there. Was so surprised I didn't even check the price.

The granddaughters and I are very fond of Little MissMatched socks.  So much so that I've become more comfortable wearing mis-matched socks that aren't even supposed to be that way.  Still, though, got a chuckle out of the grandson - returned from school, shed his shoes & showed us his "yin-and-yang" socks.  Reminded me when our son used to do the very same thing when he was in school.  (His comment,"who says socks have to match, anyways?" was totally him/true.)

Socks don't have to match.  :^)

Been looking for a replacement chair for the living room.  Without much success.  Finally found the perfect chair in a catalog.  Do I dare order a chair from a catalog?  Thinking....

And as I proofread this recitation - it's been an ordinary day.  Nothing probably really even worth the time to write about.  Except: it was full of sunshine, and lovely puffy clouds, people who managed to be observant enough to help another in spite of how crowded and busy the store was, air-conditioned house and car, sunglasses, and enough money to pay for the things we need.

Today's gratitude:  for being whisked off to pick up sandwiches for an impromptu picnic lunch in the park.  Delightful.

Life Lessons From My Morning Bike Ride

Yes, I know.  Totally silly.  Humor me.  (When I ride I have a lot of time to think...perhaps too much time.)

• Choose the right bike -mountain, road, hybrid.  Bikes are not "one size fits all".  Neither is life.  Choose the right way for you to navigate your own unique path through life. Regardless of other people's opinion about your journey.

• Proper attire is important - helmet, closed toe shoes, padded bike pants. Likewise our clothes represent the respect and reverence we have for these amazing bodies we've been blessed with.

• Maintain your equipment - good brakes, proper tire inflation, lights for night riding.  Proper nutrition and rest helps us to do our best in our travels. (This from the woman who thinks the day a failure unless it includes a modest helping of chocolate.)

• Know your route.  The end goal helps us to take the right directions along the path.

• Watch your speed.  Flying through life can cause loss of control, in addition to the possibility of missing something important along the way.

• Maintain your balance.  Too much fun/leisure can cause distraction from those things worth effort and work.

• Share the trail/road.  Selfishness doesn't help anyone.

• Pay attention.  Focus not only on the road directly in front (so as to avoid obstacles) but also the road a bit ahead.  Helps us to maintain perspective.

• Enjoy the journey.  It isn't a race.  It isn't a competition.  This journey is meant to be full of love, learning, joy, compassion and every other emotion and experience to help us to return to Heavenly Father with our honor and integrity intact.  Having done all we could to further His work on earth.

Absurd?  Trivial?  Yep.  I never professed to be a deep thinker.  Do I have all the answers?  Not even close.  Just sharing my morning bike ride thoughts.

Middle Of The Week

And I've been doing probably w-a-y too much thinking.

• Headed out for my bike ride this morning.  I've quipped that I ride the route I do because it is uphill all the way out, and downhill all the way back.  I like to get the hard part over first then just meander along enjoying the ride without much effort.

If that philosophy were applied to life, the hard stuff would pretty much be over and I'd be coasting along, expending little effort to finishing out my years on earth.  Sounds sorta appealing.  On second thought, though, it might be kind of boring.  (I've often asked for a little boring, haven't had much luck with that request, either.) That would mean I'd learned all I'm meant to learn. Don't think we're - any of us - ready for that kind of existence.  Heavenly Father knows best.

• Noticed on my ride this morning that I haven't heard any meadowlarks in a while.  Instead, yesterday morning I was greeted with a deep, long m-o-o from the cow alongside the trail.  A comforting sound.

2 3/8" by 5" - it was so fun to do!

• Committed snail-slaughter while riding along.  Didn't mean to kill the snails.  (Could just hear The Husband (in my head) telling me to go ahead, get as many as possible.)

• Wondered at the cashier at the grocery.  I pay for my goods in cash 99% of the time.  Did so today.  As she handed me back my change, she said, "thanks, ______" and called me by name.  Now where did that come from?  How on earth does she know my name?  Even though it was pleasant to be called such, makes me wonder if I'm not spending too much time at the grocery.  They should put me on the payroll....

• Finished up my latest cross stitch project.  I so enjoy hand needlework.  I think this one might be one we frame.  Used a variegated silk floss on it - haven't worked with silk before, and it was delightful.  Luxurious, even.

Today's gratitude:  for hope.

Can't Forget...

• how lovely the sunrise was this morning.  It look me several minutes to delete all the sunrise photos - from days of walking -  from my phone.  Must be my favorite time of the day (next to jammie time.)

Sunrise - my favorite time of day.

• how much I enjoy coming home from errands to My Love.  (I'm so glad you're home!)

• what a blessing it is to have season tickets to see plays and hear the symphony.  What luxury.  We're off to Hale tonight to see a play that wasn't given very good reviews.  It will be fun even so.

• how fun the Grandchilluns are.  We so love to hear what comes out of their mouths.

• how much I love a shake made from gelato.  What a treat that was last night.

• how much I like stumbling across great quotes.  Like this one:

“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”

Charles Dickens