Pissy Missy

Courtney and I went grocery shopping yesterday (Saturday before Thanksgiving). When we arrived, the parking lot was packed which should have been my first clue.

Second clue was when I entered into the store and there were people EVERYWHERE! I embarked on my usual routine which would be produce first and work my way across the store to the bakery (ahem, of which I DID NOT purchase anything, thank you very much!)

I was annoyed, frustrated and very short fused. Everywhere I turned I was bumping into someone, an aisle was blocked or another individual was in my way of where I wanted to grab this item or that. I was just getting down right pissed off!!

After about two aisles of being a "pissy missy" I decided to change my attitude. I started to smile at people and laugh when we were going for the same thing or our carts almost would collide. It was kind of a challenge to get other people to respond in a positive way back to me. I even overheard two women chatting and one was saying, "well, maybe we can just do a turkey AND a ham!" As I was passing I said, "Wow! I think I'll just come over and join you for Thanksgiving!" They both looked up at me surprised and then started laughing. Then one responded with, "That would be fun! We sure are going to have plenty of food!"

I was having so much fun interacting with crabby people in a positive way that I was almost disappointed when it was time for us to enter the check stand. But enter it we did. Court and I were laughing and in a wonderful mood. I noticed that she was even starting to interact with people too. Funny how kids pick up your habits - good and bad (I'll have to re-enter that one in my mental filing cabinet for future reference).

So, do I want to head back out to the grocery store again before Thanksgiving? Heck no!!!

Smelly Girl!

I just read Brandilyn's blog and can one up her in an instant! Dig this!

I was in my yoga practice this morning with Laurie. Laurie's classes always promise to be wonderful and I was pretty excited about this one. Anyway, my body temp had just started to elevate and I was really into being present and focusing.

I kept smelling something pretty nasty. I mean REALLY nasty. I know that smell like I know my first name too. "Please God, don't let that smell be coming from me. Oh, please, please PLEASE!!!"

As soon as it was socially acceptable, I grabbed a section of my top and smelled. "Nnnnnooooo!!! It IS me. Nnnnnoooo!" Yup, it was cat pee. I have some really nasty cats with some really nasty habits. Oh, how I wanted them dead and NOW!!!

Fortunately, I had an extra top in my car. I quietly exited the studio, sprinted to my car, grabbed the top and went into the restroom and changed. I slipped back into the studio and resumed my practice. It appeared that nobody was the wiser (well, they haven't said anything if they are).

Needless to say, I had a marvelous practice inspite of my little "mishap." Oh, and the rest of the day was wonderful as well!

It's Over!

What's funny is that I really thought I prayed about it and it was the right direction to go. I so wanted to show Skip that I could do something good and actually make a little money doing it. I guess he's right. I'm just meant to stay home and do the "mom" and "wifey" thing. I'm not trying to feel sorry for myself - it's just the way it is.

Nancy told me today that she's pretty sure that she's not going to be doing massage any more. Kyle is closing up the shop at the end of the year and that leaves me high and dry. Unless I choose to be one of those people that go to other peeps homes and give zones, I'm just out of business. I don't really want to do that.

I've worked hard - well, in my opinion I have. I don't make as much $$ as my husband by any means but it was something that I loved. I love zoning people's feet. I love listening to their health concerns and offering natural alternatives to helping them. I love learning about oils and herbs and every other way to heal the body without meds.

Enough sniffling. Now, a new game plan. To pack up my office and move out. To find a way to utilize all the herbs and oils that I have purchased for clients. To get excited about just taking care of business at home.

Only if home was a little closer to town . . .

Better by the Call

The last few weeks have been . . . tumultous at best. We have had drama after drama lately and I'm so ready for the games to end!

The first call I got was when I arrived in Rexburg taking Brian up to school. It was a humdinger, at best! One of those calls you NEVER want to receive (no, nobody died - it wasn't THAT bad but close). It took the wind out of my sails and caused me to shed an abundance of tears.

The second one came last night. Brian's friend borrowed his truck, lost control of the vehicle on the ice and ended up rolling it a few times. The truck, needless to say, is totalled. The friend is okay - a miracle. The officer on the scene said that he couldn't believe that the young man survived the crash. With all of THAT drama, that call was easier to receive than the first one.

Today came call number three (everything seems to happen in threes). The plans we have had for Thanksgiving and Brian's birthday need to be changed because one of my children has been assigned some special work hours that change all of our plans. Yeah, that one was so not as big as #1 and #2.

I'm expecting the next call to be from some stranger informing me that I was their 1 millionth customer and they are rewarding me with $5,000,000 and a 1 hour shopping spree at the store of my choice (Hmm, I need to make it good). I mean, really! Isn't that the way these things work? I'll keep you informed . . .

I Love Feet

Today was a good day. Today was a great day. I was busier than heck. I hardly had time to breathe. I knew it was going to be great from the get-go, though.

I have had a lot of opportunities to zone people's feet in the last few days. A couple I've been paid for but several I have done as a service. I love helping people. I love massaging their feet after a session and just extending Christlike love to them.

Tonight I'm going to bed tired and happy.

Thank you to those who commented on my post yesterday. It's great to know that I have company in my camp (Brandilyn, you soooo are NOT being taken off of my list so forget it). If I could just give the gift of a foot zone to everyone on my list I would be the happiest person in the world. I love to do it and I know that almost everyone who has received a zone from me has left my chair relaxed and balanced.

Well . . . here's to sweet dreams!

Christmas . . . again

Grrrr. That's what I think about this blasted holiday. I'm really dreading it and want it to just go away. We don't have the $$ it takes to make it happen and I frankly don't give a rip. I know, I know, what a bad attitude from somebody who is typically so positive.

Christmas is just this commercial pain in the ass. Everybody is expected to buy gifts for everybody they can think of. Some peeps on the list just get all kinds of pissed off if you don't get them something (yup, and it better be just the right brand from the right store, too). Oh, and I hate it when someone gives you an unexpected gift and you just give them a blank, deer in the headlights look back. Yeah, that would be my favorite part of this ridiculous over-rated tradition.

What ever happened to putting Christ at the center of Christmas? Do ya think Christ would be out at the mall shopping until he drops for the perfect gift for everyone? Heck no!!! He gave us the perfect gift. The ultimate sacrifice. I'd like to be able to give everyone on my list a gift of service. Unfortunately, that won't go over very well to SOME peeps. It has to be a big fancy gift certificate to some fancy dancy store.

Well, I say, "Take my name out of the pool. I'm good with a happy family and some quality time together!"

Anyone who would even slightly entertain buying me a gift this year, please do me a favor: DON'T. Please just go out and do something nice for someone and tell them to "Pay it Forward."

Happy Holidays, Everyone!!!

The Box

We saw this movie last night. Probably one of the worst movies I've ever seen. It was pointless - or so I thought. Skip and I both were like, "Wow, we wasted our $$ on that?"

However, I spent the whole night tossing and turning thinking about this "pointless" movie. It bothered me a lot.

I may not have liked the movie but there was a message. Whether the message I got was what was intended, I'll never know. The message I took from this experience is:

Greed could very well be the author that pens our utter destruction.

Something to think about on a personal and global level!

Today

Some days you just can't win. I tried so hard today and still came up short. I'm feeling down right now so I'll just let that sit and simmer. Tomorrow will be better.

My Knight in Shining Armour

I miss my man, that's all there is to it. Since Marchish he has been working up in The City on a job and spends at least two nights a week there. He often has other important places to go that require him to sleep in other beds (alone).

I'm tired of holding the fort down by myself. I'm tired of being a single parent. I'm tired of all the extra trips up and down the hill. I'm tired of Skip coming home mentally and physically checked out only to repack his suitcase and be gone the next day. I'm tired of being tired.

However . . . he comes home tomorrow night (haven't seen him since Sunday this time) and he spends all weekend home! Yay, yay, yay! I'm so hoping that we can score a date night out of the deal somewhere in the next three days (Sunday is consumed by church and he almost always has evening meetings, grrrr).

Okay, the upside? Yup, there is one. My man has a job and he works frickin hard to support us. We get to have a home (ahem, a ranch with horses for the wifey-poo), good reliable vehicles to drive, two kids in college and one kid doing home school, food on the table and clothes (pretty decent ones at that) on our back.

I appreciate all you do for us, babe. I'm so grateful that you are willing to venture out into the wilderness and slay those nasty, vicious, wild dragons to keep your family safe and happy. I love you more than anything!

Green Thumb

So it goes. He buys me books, sends me to school and what do I do? Leave it all sitting on my desk ignored. Well, I finally got off my buttooski and put some of that education to work.

Nan I and recently attended a Winter Gardening Class. I learned so much that day. It took up a whole Saturday and we had classroom as well as out-in-the-field visual training. I took notes, collected paperwork, took home a large tray of seeds that I planted home (reminded me of 1st grade when you plant those seeds in the styrofoam cups and they sprout and you take them home and they . . . die). Well, I did all that I was told to do on those seeds and they . . . died. Yup, died.

I felt bad. I started to do all the things I was told and then I left town for 4 days. I planned on taking up where I left off when I got home except I didn't end up coming home for 11 days. My man discovered the seedlings and took great care of them in my absence (without even being asked to!). I came home and got caught up in getting caught up and forgot about them. So . . . I went out to the nursery this Saturday and bought some more plants.

I got some broccoli, kale, kohlrabi (don't know what to do with that yet), some Asian veggies that I can't pronounce (don't know what to do with them either), cilantro, chard and onions. I transformed my front flower bed into a flower/veggie bed. I dug and dug and dug to rid my garden of as much icky clay as I could. Skip even joined in the fun and brought up the tractor so that I could load that bad boy up. We brought in good soil and amended it and planted all of our cute little plants.

I'm pretty proud of our winter veggie garden. I even found another little spot that I'm going to put in another bed tomorrow. It's fun and I'm excited to be planting food in the spirit of what my father always says (he was raised in the Great Depression), "If you can't eat it, we aren't planting it."