Ramble to Ramble

In the midst of “kneeling gate” I woke up feeling the need to write about how awesome this rainy cool morning is and anything else that comes to mind not related to “kneeling gate.”

What a blessing today is! Today in Dalhart, TX it is a cool 63 degrees with rain in the forecast most of the day. It is truly a beautiful fall day. A day when a warm mug and light jacket is just the ticket. This morning I snuggled down in bed a few extra minutes before getting up and getting ready for work. I enjoyed my bowl of oatmeal and loved on the furry butterball. The smell of my Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice coffee filled my barndominum and I had the TV on. I wasn’t really listening as it was the news.

I like going to work, but some mornings are harder than others. A great example is this morning, I would have loved to stay home snuggled up in my over-sized chair with my over-sized cat, but alas like most people, I gotta get paid! My drive to work was normal. I talked to Jarret on the drive while scanning the highway for stray animals. Trust me I hear the weirdness in that, but the amount of strays I see on my drive to work is alarming. I keep my eye out for a rescue situation. I get to work before most do in the office. In this quiet time I get myself set up for success and ready for the day.

I am blessed to have a job that I enjoy coming to. My job requires me to organize, multitask, direct, and be helpful. I love these aspects of my job. On days I don’t want to come to work I remind myself that I am blessed to have a job as some do not. All day as people have come and gone from my desk the common theme has been, “how much I love this weather.” I think most everyone I’ve visited with is not the least bit disappointed with having to get out a jacket today. This will be the first official day that I use hot chocolate as a pick me up from that afternoon slump. It is a hot chocolate kind of day. Land-O-Lakes makes hot chocolate that is individually packaged, located by the coffee and you can generally get them 2/$1.00. I suggest them all, but the raspberry is my favorite. 

Does anyone else feel the need to bake when weather like this rolls in (I am raising my hand)? Last Saturday I made some healthy pumpkin cookies. My second batch in three weeks. These cookies are probably my favorite fall treat, short of pumpkin pie or pecan pie. I also tried my hand at homemade oatmeal pies, like the Little Debbie ones. They were a success! My filling was more icing(ish), it didn’t taste like the filling in the actual Little Debbie oatmeal pies, but I figure who knows what they put in that filling, so mine has to be okay. This weekend I’m going to stick to a classic. Peanut butter cookies! I’ve told you how I love my peanut butter!? I am sure you have already seen the problem to all the baking?!? I don’t need it!! The people I share these sweet baked goods keep telling me they don’t need it. My freezer is loaded with pumpkin cookies and oatmeal pies! However, I feel the need…the need to bake. I may have some takers after reading that would be happy to help me out and if the price is right I might be willing to ship (winky face). 

The weather changing, the baking happening, these are signs in my wonderful world that fall has arrived. The number one indicator for the official fall season? Fall TV show premieres!! Here are the oldies, but goodies that I am excited about.

1.       Grey’s Anatomy is back with a TWO HOUR premiere.

2.       Will and Grace returns to NBC. The (older) series was also just released on Hulu, I’ve been binging

3.       This is Us is one of the best shows on TV at the moment.

4.       Law & Order SUV. Classic!

The new shows coming out that I am excited about are!

1.  The Brave. It debuted last night. Since I don’t have cable and stream. I’ll be watching it later tonight.
2.  The Good Doctor. Also debuted last night.
3. Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Brothers. Debut’s tonight.

Let’s see we’ve covered sweet treats for rainy cool days, we’ve covered television for rainy cool days, what am I missing? Oh! How about food!! I had left over chili for lunch today with my last cornbread muffin and was it delicious!! I made a roast last Sunday that made everything smell divine. I’ve been craving meatloaf like a crazy person and the amount of soup recipes I have pinned on Pinterest is ridiculous. Soup is not only delicious and awesome, but easy! Soup or meatloaf next?? Ummm…I’ll have to think on it.

A blessed day indeed! I was allowed to wake for another day and come to work and enjoy those I come in contact with. A blessed life that I am thankful to Jesus Christ for, but also to those that protect and serve so I can ramble on about my day and let’s face it in the grand scheme of life the menial things like baking and television shows. This rambling today is exactly that. Either I have bored you or made you smile.

-Ramble on my friends and have a happy day!

Live life like a Song -Jimmy Buffet

Music is something we all have in common. Music is a universal language. It’s a language that we all understand. It makes us feel. The feeling is different for each and everyone, but never the less we all get the feels. 

Are you singing a tune in your head? Have you gone back to a special time and place? You may have just started tapping your foot or snapping your finger. I’ve been working on this blog post for a few weeks and this morning as I pulled out my record player I was inspired to finish it. It's been a music filled Saturday!

I’ve heard this joke growing up that my sister and I were born “with a jam box up our butt.” What I believe is meant by this is Shana and I knew music growing up. We’d play this game when Dalhart still had the XIT/Communications channel. The channel that played music, but flashed the current events of Dalhart, TX across the screen. Does Dalhart still have that channel? Dad would flip to that channel we’d get just about 8 seconds of the song and we’d have to name the title or artist. We’d race to see who could get it first and then scream it out for the win. We knew every single word to American Pie by Don McLean. Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer was our favorite music video to watch while wanting to Dance with Somebody with Whitney Houston. My Mom loves the story that Warrior by Pat Benatar was my favorite song to sing at two years old. I’ll let you imagine how it sounded coming out of a two year olds mouth.

My most frequented Pandora stations are George Harrison Radio and Beach Boys Radio. I love music from the 60’s and 70’s. At a young age, I fell in love with The Beatles. I remember like it was yesterday. I was 13 and ABC was doing a three day anthology special during Thanksgiving. It was a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening. From that first night I was a goner. I remember being irritated because this was also Thanksgiving break and we had family over and as you can imagine they were loud. I’d get the TV loud enough to hear and my Mom would stick her head in and say, “Shelly turn it down.” She didn’t know at that very moment I was experiencing a life changing music moment. I recorded these three life changing nights on VHS and wore that tape out watching it over and over and over; memorizing and educating myself on all Beatles trivia (I now have the box set on DVD). I went to school and forced the awesomeness upon my friends. Everybody needed to love the Beatles like I loved the Beatles. By high school my walls were covered with posters and I owned every Beatles CD. When we took our family vacation to New York we went to Strawberry Fields and the John Lennon Imagine Memorial in Central Park and stopped by the Dakota building where John and Yoko lived. I was beyond obsessed. It was love. I don’t listen to them nearly as often as I use to, but my love for them is still as strong. My Aunt Toni has started a wonderful collection of Beatles records for me. My collection makes this girls Beatles heart soar!! I could talk about my love of the Beatles all day. My childhood crush on John Lennon, my new found love for George Harrison as a solo artist and how I heard some girl talking bad about a Paul McCartney concert she attended while in line at the airport and why I didn’t lecture her. They are The Beatles for a reason. I am not alone when it comes to loving their music. Beatlemania may not be what it once was, but Beatlemania still exists in every Beatles lover’s heart.

Throughout my musical journey I have loved some music that could make anyone cringe. More than likely they too were secretly singing along. I mean Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus is catchy and fun to sing. I also have a love for New Kids on the Block and have been known to sing my heart out to the BackStreet Boys. Every now and again I enjoy listening back and remembering how much fun they made slumber parties and hanging with friends fun.

In 2010, Shana and I along with two friends decided we were going to Bonnaroo. Bonnaroo is a music festival on a farm in Manchester, TN in June that brings about 80,000 people from all over to rock out to about 100 different bands. There are three large main stages and numerous smaller ones, along with art tents, awesome food vendors, and a mushroom water fountain. This type of festival is not for the faint of heart. If you have personal space issues, don’t go. If you have a problem with heat, don’t go. If you have a problem with sweating, don’t go. If you have a problem with hot sweating strangers, don’t go. If you have a problem with a hippie lifestyle, don’t go. However, if you love music and can overlook some of these things. GO! It was an amazing time and experience! I saw Stevie Wonder. I saw Jay-Z. I saw Weezer. I saw Jack White. These are artists that I never imagined that I would ever see. EVER! On the way home from our musical trip we stopped at Graceland in Memphis, TN. It’s hard to put into words the extravagance and the wow-factor. I mean, Elvis. Enough said. This trip left me with melodic memories and stories I’ll carry and share forever.

Many musical memories have flooded me as I write this. This post could go on for days!!

·         The concerts I’ve been able to attend!

·         The Musicals that I love!

·         Taking care to not forget my CD player when away for basketball/volleyball games in school!

·         Karaoke with my Aunts!

·         Road trips with friends singing my heart out!

·         Nights I can’t sleep and turn on my ipod and before I know it I am up dancing around my room!

·         Walking around SXSW in Austin to listen to the next and upcoming band!

·         80’s hair band concerts with my Mom!

I am smiling and my heart sings as these cross my mind.

Music for me is like food. There isn't much I won't listen too or at least try. It allows me to be eclectic. I get to be a hippie, folksy, country, a rock goddess or a diva all in one day! My taste in music changes as easily as my mood.

If I am going to be completely honest I will confess that current main stream country music is hit or miss for me. I am not a Luke Bryan or Florida Georgia Line fan. I know, but I do not apologize. I want to send strongly worded letters to each asking them to wear pants that fit and clothes that make sense. You are performing at the Nickelodeon Kids awards, why in the hell are you wearing a poncho? Their image distracts me from their music. I have tried listening to their music with no visual aids and I still cannot find an ear for it. There is some country music on the radio I can handle, but most of it drives me nuts. I believe what they call True Country is more my speed. I call it 90’s country. You know exactly who I am talking about and I bet you like them better too. Those like Alan Jackson, Sammy Kershaw, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless. This is country music to me. A few artists today could fall in this group, but they are few and far in-between.

 To live your life like a song is a wonderful idea. Music opens your heart. Music inspires you to stand up for yourself or something you believe in. Music opens your mind to seeing something differently. Music gives you hope in despair. Music can help heal wounds. I cannot imagine a world without music, even if I have suffer through ASPCA commercial with Sarah McLachlan playing in the background.

Sing your favorite power ballad in the shower. Dance around your room. Go to a music festival. Crank up the radio and belt your favorite song out! Live life like a song.

-Have a happy music filled Saturday!                                                                                                

Eye Cream

I was just telling my Mom and Sister a few weekends ago that I was thinking I should invest in a good eye cream. Today I am wishing I’d bought the eye cream.

This morning washing my hair was not a morning of happy memories and enlightened thoughts. This morning washing my hair I felt old. I should rephrase. I felt 35. I was up at 5:30 am, which is whole hour earlier than I normally am. For me this is an indication I didn’t sleep well and I woke with a sore throat and achy ears.

Scrolling through msn.com this morning there was an article that said “50 Ways to Age in Reverse” so you can imagine how excited I was that there were experts out there to help me this morning when I was feeling particularly sorry for myself. I am not going to list all 50 to you, but I will list the ones I felt would benefit me the most.

#1. Start your day with an omelet

#6. Practice mindfulness

#14. Get Guac on that

#17. Don’t act your age

#28. Make happiness a priority

Now of course they had tips like walking, running, interval training, yoga and all those other types of heart healthy tips, but I hear about those all the time.

Starting my day with an omelet sounds like a win-win. It will help me age in reverse and make my empty belly happy in the mornings. If you’ve read my blogs before you know how I feel about breakfast, so eating an omelet in the morning also directly affects tip #28. Only seems logical I should make omelets a priority.

I will not lie, I Googled exactly what “practice mindfulness” is. This is what Google said,

As thoughts about the day pop into your mind, let them go and return to your breath. Next, when you get to the office, take 10 minutes at your desk or in your car to boost your brain with a short mindfulness practice before you dive into activity. Close your eyes, relax, and sit upright.

I know it sounds kind of hippie dippy, but how often do we just go from place to place in a rush and in a hurry because our schedule is packed full of this or that. If I am running just a few minutes behind on my schedule, I am not being mindful of anything and then I am operating an automobile. Have you have driven someplace and don’t remember driving there at all?? I do it all the time! I apologize Mom! We give her a hard time for the days she would be driving us to school and drove right past the school with us still in the car. I understand!! There are some mornings my mind is filled with the “to-do’s” of the day and I won’t remember brushing my teeth. Please tell me I am not the only woman that does this? I figure if there are days I can’t remember brushing my teeth then what do I have to lose from practicing mindfulness. Right?

This tip made my day! Guacamole or just plain avocado is a food we should thank God for. I know why this one made the list. Avocado is packed full of fatty acids that are good for my heart. Did you know there are people that don’t like avocado? I won’t name names, but the weirdoes know who they are. Next time you want to add guacamole to your order and the person tells you it cost extra- pay for it! You are reversing age, it’s worth every penny.

I can without a doubt say I don’t think I have ever acted my age. Why would I start now and how exactly does a 35 year old act? I go to bed early like a 75 year old women and I giggle at TV shows like FRIENDS as I did when I was 15. Acting your age is warranted in the course of a lifetime, I have bills that don’t pay themselves and my parents stopped buying me the pretty things I wanted long ago. I read a cute saying on Pinterest, “Forget dancing like no one is watching, dance like a toddler. They don’t even care if there’s music” and I whole heartedly agree.

As easy as making happiness a priority sounds, I think it is the most difficult. Even with the best intentions of being thankful and happy on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 those intentions can fly out the window from the moment your feet touch the floor in the morning. Remember I was up an hour earlier than normal today. I make a constant effort to make happiness a priority, it makes the day better and those days- make up weeks- then months and before you know it a year. Those years become a lifetime. There are many things in my life that I get happiness from that require little to nothing from me. Sunsets, sunrises, coffee, ice cream, cool mornings, getting my favorite parking spot at work, sleeping in, shopping, crafting, and the list goes on. I have a morning affirmation at my desk that is helpful when I am having a hard time finding happiness. It reads: “Today is a day of happiness and peace. I am grounded and centered. I am grateful for my beautiful life that is filled with many blessings. I move through my day with consciousness, grace, and love.” I dislike myself when I cannot find the happiness in the course of a day. I am a normal person and get frustrated with others, can be quick with cruel words and have all around bad attitude. Days like that not only suck, but they piss me off. Life is short and having a day with a piss poor attitude is a waste of time. This one tip of the 50 made the most sense to me. You can be in the best shape of your life physically, but if you are not happy it shows in your face and in your spirit.

I was hoping that writing this blog today would help me work through feeling my age today. I still feel puffy eyed and a bit “blah.” The article that helped inspire my post was perfect timing and God’s way of telling me to get over myself. He truly does have a sense of humor. However, I am still strongly considering the eye cream. What are some of your ways you battle feeling your age? Do you recommend a good eye cream?

This Tuesday will pass along with my feelings and tomorrow I’ll not feel 35 and wonder what all the fuss was about. In the meantime if you’ll excuse me, I am going to go make an omelet with a large bowl of guacamole while watching an episode of FRIENDS all the while being mindful of how blessed and happy I am.

-Happy thoughts to you friends!

September is Here!

Is it just me or does this time of year make you want to be a homebody? I naturally like to stay home piddle and do things, but something about when the weather changes and these cool mornings roll in makes me want to bake, craft, drink coffee, enjoy the warmth of the fire pit and for lack of a better word, be a bum! The cooler weather and tease of fall makes me think warm thoughts. That make any sense?

I’ve started paroozing my Pinterest board for all the yummy crockpot recipes I’ve pinned. Warm sweet breakfast concoctions that would go well with a cup of coffee. I am shopping for comfy cardigans and ready to pull out my boots. Days off filled with movies and oversize knit blankets curled up in my oversize chair with my oversize furry butterball. Evenings filled with cozy sweaters outside with a crackling fire.

I also start to think about Christmas and because I just felt my Mother’s head explode, I will leave it at that for now.

We all know the story of what happens when washing my hair so this morning I was thinking about my trip to Amarillo tomorrow and working on my schedule for the day. I am going to dig through my storage (Jesus take the wheel) looking for some of my bakeware and a few things to help this Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas feel a bit more like it should for me in my little barndominum. September to Thanksgiving is my second favorite time of year. I am excited with thoughts of pumpkins, gourds, mums, and food. We can’t forget the food! Chili, pumpkin oatmeal cookies, chicken pot pies, soups and hot chocolate. I do have one negative thing to say about this time of year. Why does EVERYTHING have to be pumpkin spice flavored?? Have you seen your grocery store shelves about now? My apologize to the pumpkin spice fiend's out there, but we are quickly on our way to be pumpkin spiced out. Personally, I’ll just stick to pumpkin spiced lattes. The Hula Hut makes a fantastic one (I was not paid by the Hula Hut for that plug).

I know I am not the only one who enjoys the cold weather, but I find when I say that “I am looking forward to snow” people gawk at me like I’ve lost my ever loving mind. I do not apologize. My name is Shelly and I like snow. The first snowfall is something high on my “looking forward to” list and around here it’s not unheard of it coming sooner rather than later this time of year. Once it starts to fall I like to step outside and watch it float down to the ground and cover everything in the purest of white. It’s peaceful, that is if it’s not blowing sideways. I know it’s hard to be thinking about snow when he have beautiful 80 degree days ahead of us, but they won’t be far behind.

These are just a few of my favorite things (insert Julie Andrews here) and it’s making me cozy just thinking about them. I say this every year so to keep with tradition… This holiday season will be the best one yet!!

-Happy Friday Friends.