Desert Magnolia

Emotional fitness, humility and a grace-filled mind will take you where you need to go. Let go of the judgments. Let go of the expectations and just show up fully with whatever you are feeling today. But do not turn back. Stay in the fire. You are not being burned – you are being purified.   (Mastin Kipp -- http://thedailylove.com/) Because she sends me stuff like this. And knows it speaks to me, and somehow exactly when a musing of this nature will resonate. Thanks, J.

I have no idea where the last couple of weeks have gone other than to say that the following happened, in no particular order, but when you see the list you might understand why I've been quiet. Son came home for a week. Daughter came back from San Diego. Life was lived in the form of family dinners, long conversations at strange and wonderful hours, and we reconnected. I went to Chicago for a week on business. I'm back, but pretty well wiped out. Son went to NY for the summer. To work. And to reconnect with his friends. And to be OUT of the middle east for a couple of months. I have begun my yoga practice in earnest, and managed to do it all but one day while I was in Chicago which helped immensely! Yay yoga.... Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and I'm taking off tomorrow to extend it a bit. Plans for the weekend include but aren't limited to: Workouts Pedicure Hanging out with Daughter while Hubby does his annual male bonding backpacking ...

So, I was sitting here just now, and thought to myself, 'What is that yummy coconutty smell? It's making me hungry!' I'm not sure what's more appealing, the smell or the taste of a ripe coconut. And then I realized it's my new Burt's Bees lotion that my daughter just gave me. Ha! I made myself hungry. And I don't see this ending anytime soon, at least it won't until my next shower, right? Fab.u.lous.

Occasionally I find myself with time on my hands, more than when the nest was full, but not tons because I don't want tons, just enough to go, 'Hey, I have a few hours to do whatever I want!'... Sometimes when I have this time, I do my toes. I know, but I do. Pink Pedi And sometimes I hang out in my favorite recliner with my cat Tipper Ann. Tipper Ann And sometimes I do my toes AND hang out in my recliner with Tipper Ann. French Pedi and Hangin with Tipper Ann I'm flexible, it seems.

So this freaky little man is one I've mentioned while synopsizing my monthly lunches with Grandma and her retirement home cronies. He's the activities director who used to be a teacher many moons back. And who also used to be married but that ended badly, and after today's conversation, clearly I'm on the side of the ex because wowza. Anyway, this little man is likable enough, energetic, positive, and possesses many characteristics that are important while directing the activity efforts for a retirement home. Retirees, after all, are famous for their opinions about everything , and tend to get cranky when they don't get their way. I mean, if you've made it past your 85th birthday, you can get a little cranky if you thought you were going to the theater with your friends and you end up at the mall, right? I do, for heaven's sake....and I can't claim to have celebrated past my 50th yet... He's also, as it turns out, a wee bit neurotic. (He wears a ...