Happy Valentine’s Day!

Weather in the Tries:
Wowser!! It looks like out freezing nights will be a thing of the past this coming week and our highs will be in the hi 50s to low 60s. Boy Howdy! Aren’t you glad I didn’t see my shadow on my day, Groundhog Day??? Well, I know some of you are 😉

Gratitudes:
I have a lot of things for which I am grateful. I’m going to share a few with you. You may share yours with me, if you’d like to.

The first, and maybe most important, I have Friends. Lots of friends. Most of whom I’ve met and gotten to know well, some are Facebook Friends, and many are poetry Friends.

Some of my friends are Book Friends, we meet monthly to discuss the book we read (we choose books for the year in Dec and all read the same one.) When the weather is clement (is that the opposite of inclement?) we meet in person. Usually have a potluck at someone’s house and meet outside. We used to meet in a restaurant, but Covid came… In November, we met at Carl’s. He has a small ranch, and horses, and a large yard. It was sunny, but cold. I didn’t know how cold until the other day, when we met by zoom and he held up my ring and asked if it belonged to anyone.

I knew I’d lost the ring, but thought it was inside the house. I had no idea it had fallen off at his place, and was trampled down into the grass. I just knew I’d lost it. I am so very grateful he found it before Crow Cousin did, and I got it back. If the diamonds are on top, it’s an elephant. If the diamonds are to the left, it’s a peacock. It is 24K gold and was made in China before WWII. A GI coming home gave it to my cousin in pay of the home cooked meal she made him. It normally fits tight, but I must have gotten so cold it slid off my finger. I wear fingerless gloves, and am so used to the ring I often don’t ‘see’ it. I am truly grateful to have it back.

I also wear a silver ring, of a bear’s paw. I’ve had it for many years, and silver is soft, and you can see it’s been hit a time or two. Fortunately, it saved my finger. It was given to me by a friend many years ago. We were very good friends, and she married and moved, and we’ve lost track of each other. I would love to rekindle that friendship. I miss her. But am so grateful for the years of friendship we had.

To celebrate my birthday, a good friend took me to Boiada’s for dinner. Boiada’s is an Authentic Brazilian Steakhouse with a salad bar to die for. The meat is skewered and brought to the table where they slice a piece to order. Oh. My. Gawd! We ate, and ate, and then ate some more. Fortunately, there was no rush. You can sit at the table and take all night eating if you want to. If you live near the Tri Cities, it’s a treat and a half. If you don’t live nearby, see if you have a Brazilian Grill or Steakhouse close to you. It’s worth it. I definitely believe that was the best dining-out experience I’ve ever had! And the company at dinner was superb, even better than the food and the food was spectacular! Thank you, Good Friend. I even wore a dress! And shoes (not my usual hiking boots!!)

More years ago than I can figure out, I decided it was time I learned to like myself, because I was probably going to be alone most, if not all, of my life. I read books on meeting me (and if you’ve never done it yourself, take my word for it—it’s scary as hell, but worth the time and trouble!). Two things, of many, I learned was that when the little voice in my brain started telling me I was no good, I had to stop it, and tell myself I was good. And one of the ways I worked on that was to start a Gratitude Journal. I worked on it for a long time, every night I would write whatever I was grateful for, until I found myself going to bed at night and smiling at all my gratitudes—from the flower by my door to the smile from someone at work, from the sunset to my kids’ laughter, from completing a job to getting praise from a persnickety boss. Everytime I think a negative thought, I try to counter it with at least 3 positive thoughts about the situation or person. 

I’m one of the richest people I know. Not in money, but in friends, and I am so grateful for all of you!

Photo of the week: 

Books: Remember, if I finish a book, I review it at Rainy Day Reads

Not His Dragon: Romantic Comedy (Not This Series Book 1) —by Annie Nicholas. Yes, you read that correctly, I actually read a romantic comedy and laughed until I hurt. It’s great fun and might still be free on Kindle. I hope to have the review posted in the next couple of days.

I read a couple other books, neither of which has been published. One I was asked to read and to write a cover blurb for. The other I volunteered to read and proof it. I am also reading a third book, as a writer, to let the author know if there is anything that needs “fixing” and of course, I’ll write a blurb for it, too. What a shame these books aren’t yet published, and I can’t tell you about them. Two are wonderful historical novels and the other is the debut edition of a quarterly anthology of poetry.

Earworm of the week: The Sound of Silence by Disturbed Betcha can’t not sing along!!

Quotes of the week from: Richard Bach’s Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.” 
― Richard Bach, 

“This is a test to see if your mission in this life is complete, if you are alive, it isn’t.” 
― Richard Bach, 

“Don’t be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.” 
― Richard Bach, 

And here we come to another Monday. Another day to impress the Boss you really are worth more than your paycheck. If you have a job, you probably have a boss, and that’s something! I no longer have a job. Or a boss. Oh. Wait. I do have a boss. A most demanding one, too! He doesn’t give me a paycheck, ever, but he does give me unlimited pupkisses 😉

HELP!!! Someone sent me a video some time ago, I saved it, but now it’s gone and I can’t find it. It showed a boy and a girl—she in a mini skirt, he in jeans, from the waist down, dancing very close to each other, and hands caressing butts, then the camera panned back and it’s a girl. Only. One leg in a jean leg, the other in a skirt. She starts to laugh, then a baby is shown laughing. I love that video. If any of you have it, or know where I can find it, please share.