Friday, January 2


We went to a dance in the park for a couple of hours on New Years eve and then we
came home an listened and watched the fireworks till long past midnight. It was all around us. Fireworks are a big deal down here on New Years. It felt somewhat like being in a war zone!

The park is filling up with Midwesterners. We heard about a fellow who calls this place Wrinkle Ranch. That tickled my funny bone.
I have been on some tech support stuff. I am trying to configure Bill’s Arkansas webmail through Outlook Express and having a fair amount of trouble with it. As yet the issue is not resolved.

Tuesday, December 30

We picked up cat food at H.E.B (grocery store). I had been buying IAM’s because only the best is good for our Angel. Butch was also nearly out of treats for her. I noticed that if we bought Purina Cat Chow we could get her favorite treats free so we decided to take a chance and see if she would eat it. Cats are not usually fond of change but she seemed to have an unusual interest in the bag when we brought it home. When I opened the bag she nearly climbed in it! I think she is living with champagne people and she is a beer cat so to speak. Hey, if she prefers the cheap stuff she can have the cheap stuff.;-)


Tuesday, December 30, 2003
I subscribe to www.powerquotes.net. They send a quote and a question pertaining to it every week day in my email. Recently the quote and question was 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 we need the downtime to let our creativity blossom. I also feel if we are deprived of that time that 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.

Sunday, December 28

Written Sunday, December 28, 2003
We have had several summer-like days. Highs in the 80’s, lows in the 60’s sleeping with the windows open.
The pool and spa have been repaired and filled but not being fond of icy plunges I am waiting for Mother Nature to warm it up. There is a heater but it cost money to turn it on so I have doubts that will happen.
Bill, Jo and Maggie arrived Friday afternoon from Arkansas via Houston.
Yesterday Marlene and Bernard came over from Harlingen so we all walked down to the flea market. While there we ran into Rod Christensen from Atlantic, Iowa who we know through our long-time association with the Nishna Hills Golf Club. That was a surprise. After picking up a few items we returned to the park and then decided to eat at Fat Daddys. I took a picture of the guys you can find it at http://community.webshots.com/user/barbie1943We enjoyed catching up on family happenings.
I finished a book yesterday, one of those you live in for awhile and hate to leave. Many years ago I read “The Clan of the Cave Bear” by Jean M. Auel and became a fan. It is a series of books set in prehistoric times. The latest one in the series took her years to finish, “The Shelter of Stone”. Ms. Auel says there will be one more. I certainly hope it doesn’t take her another 4 or 5 years.
So now I have the fun of starting a new one but for me that is like trying on new clothes; it takes me some time to know if it is a comfortable fit.