Birthday Yesterday

 Yesterday was my birthday. I have had many birthdays and, thanks to my friends, this one was a doozie. It started off with my walk with Renie, and you will be glad to know we have solved all of the world's problems.  Happy Hour, Sandi passed around Shipley's birthday donuts. They are the best! Bill and Sandy treated me to a birthday supper at Dirty Al's, which you all know by now is the best place and my favorite place to eat. Shrimp and Fish Combo with coleslaw side, Yum! Darrel and Linda Millard joined us as Linda's birthday is March 8th. You would think we are done, but Noooo, we came back to Bill and Sandies to enjoy a birthday cake provided by friends Gina and Carl! Thanks to all my friends, I had a perfect birthday event.

This morning, I went with Bill and Sandi for breakfast at the Alamo Cafe as usual, but I decided to have something different, so instead of having a veggie omelet, I had a waffle with strawberries! I did not know what I was in for! 

Dee-liscious!

                               

This House of Sky

I do not recommend books often because tastes are so very different among us all. I could not pass this one up. Butch was a fan of Ivan Doig, the author of this book, so when I ran across it, I decided to test it out. This is by far one of the best-written books I have ever read. The sentence that left me thinking this morning was "The two I remember the best were as alike and different as salt and sugar." When a sentence pulls you up short and makes you think, it's a good one! This book is full of them.

This House of Sky: Landscapes of a Western Mind

 "Ivan Doig grew up in the rugged wilderness of western Montana among the sheepherders and denizens of small-town saloons and valley ranches. What he deciphers from his past with piercing clarity is not only a raw sense of land and how it shapes us, but also of the ties to our mothers and fathers, to those who love us, and our inextricable connection to those who shaped our values in our search for intimacy, independence, love, and family.

 
A powerfully told story, This House of Sky is uniquely American—yet also universal in its ability to awaken a longing for an explicable past.
 
"Engrossing and moving."—Time"

I wandered

 I wandered back to 2003 in my blog. Yes, 2003! And one of the first entries I come upon was on "Downtime". I have not changed a bit on this subject.

Tuesday, December 30, 2003
I subscribe to www.powerquotes.net. They send a quote and a question pertaining to it every weekday in my email. Recently, the quote and question were about downtime.

"Downtime is where we become ourselves, looking into the
middle distance, kicking at the curb, lying on the grass
or sitting on the stoop and staring at the tedious blue of
the summer sky. I don't believe you can write poetry, or
compose music, or become an actor without downtime, and
plenty of it, a hiatus that passes for boredom but is
really the quiet moving of the wheels inside that fuel
creativity."

-- Anna Quindlen, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer


Questions to Ponder

Do I get enough downtime?

How can I get more?
How will it benefit me?

I have long known the value of downtime for creative processes to kick in. Early morning, after awakening and before arising, is one of the times when ideas, projects, and solutions, etc., and the other end of the day is another one. A third time is while walking or biking if I am doing it alone. I also believe we are all talented, creative people, but we need to not only listen to our internal dialogue, but also take the time to let our creativity blossom. I also feel that if we are deprived of that time, our spirit declines, perhaps only minutely, but declines all the same.

While on our walk last night, I took some pictures of unusual and beautiful sky conditions. It was good walking weather. We needed a jacket but pleasantly comfortable.

Seasonal and other stuff

Some things happen seasonally here. This time of year can be hectic. So many things to do and obligations to take care of...and then in mid-March it slows down considerably. I am ready for the slowdown.

Renie and I are getting our walks in as the weather has warmed, green foliage is happening on the trees, and the early morning temps hover around 69 degrees. Rain is desperately needed. The last rain was 21 days ago. I looked it up. It also said we are way below a 30-year average. 

This photo was taken a few days ago. Things are greening up!

This mornings "walk" photo. Meeting up with Renie.

This was taken about a week ago when it was cooler. Notice the change in the sun.

The best advice ever!!!

Renie and Barb

Sure, this is what Renie and I look like on Trivia night!

 

Wedding Rings

 Due to Butch's job, he could not wear his wedding ring much. After he retired, he wore it more. My ring would fit inside his, and when I noticed this, I came up with the idea of having them attached and wear them as a necklace.  I brought both rings with me because I knew there was a jeweler at the DonWes flea market. Of course, I procrastinated. But when Lil Droogsma came to visit me, I asked her about it. Lil and her husband, Ray, had a booth at DonWes for many years. She told me about Phil Walker, also with a booth at DonWes, and said he was very good. Lil did the legwork for me, and I now have the necklace pictured below. It turned out beautifully!

Another change for me is about my beading endeavor. I am now able to create the projects I had in mind. Pictured below are two sets of earrings. I timed myself and found I can make one of these style earrings in 1 1/2 hours.

Other stuff: We are in the busiest time of each season. If a person participated in every activity, they would need hospitalization. It is too much for this old lady to even attempt, and truth be known, I am quite happy to be a hermit. I pick and choose carefully.

We will now be seeing the exodus back home. By mid-march, the number of people in the park is much less, and this coincides with the number of activities that end for the season.  It is still cold back there, and I am happy with the weather here.

Till next time...

Some Roads

And it is okay...

Happy!

 A long, long time ago, an old lady told Butch and me that if she were any happier, she would have to take a pill. I think I would have to say that I, too, am that happy.

I talked with Evergreen Ridge (independent living facility) a few days ago, and they have a place for me. That means I will be putting my house on the market when I get back to Jefferson in April. Lots of changes are taking place. I am excited about this one, and I think my kids are too. They won't worry about me.

This is a picture of Butch taken last February at Fast Eddy's Pool Hall in McAllen. I think his medal was silver.

This is my friend and neighbor Sandi Danielson and me at Dirty Alls in McAllen!

I was hungry for fish and shrimp, and that is the very best place to get it.

Candy takes a pic of me every week at Trivia, and this is a recent one.

Last week, I was called to sub for a mixed team of league players outside the park. We played at Tropic Star. The protocol is that you play 5 games, once with each member of the other team. I expected to get whopped, but I won two of the five games. I was surprised and pleased!

Also, last week, the top-notch men's league played the team from Casa de Sol. That is the park that our friends from Magnolia moved to when the Magnolia fell apart. I had not seen them since we moved 6 or so years ago. Dick and Leslie Cleavland, Leslie was a scorekeeper, and Ray and Lil Droogsma. Lil didn't have anything to do but talk to me. Lil and I started talking when they came, we didn't stop till it was time to go home!

Last week, on one of our walk mornings, I took this pic of the sun. That is the golf course area.