BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE....BRRR!!!

January 12th...and we are in the deep freeze. Fortunately, no ice on the ground. We did get a dusting of snow on Monday. I have much to do, much to plan, and yet I'm comforting and babying myself by not doing anything. Oh, laundry and dishes. But, I'm not stepping out there and trying to push myself by creating stepping stone goals so I can reach my dream.


I can dream and it will be a dream. But, if I take the time to create goals to make that dream come true. Then I can be responsible for making my dream come true. I think that might be it. The responsibility if I don't make it then the fault will lie with myself and lack of effort. 


Reality is, we are responsible for our happiness or disappointment on a daily basis. But, to step out there and make a dream come true well, that is pretty heavy. At least for me.........I was hoping somehow it would just happen. Guess not!


What a weiner schnitzel I am! Send me a comment and let me know how you handle the pressure of being responsible for making your dreams come true. Do you ignore them to? Do you just get "busy" with life and push aside your greater dreams? Or, do you grab them by the horns and make those stepping stone goals....?


Let me hear from you....I think the silence might be deafening.

Life As I Know It

The guy on the left has been a part of our lives for the better part of almost 14 years. He's family and he brings me joy throughout my day. His name is Maxwell Silver Hammer and he is my favorite black child. Teddy, sitting to his left,  our right,  is a great kid too and has all the charm as well. Teddy however, is my grand dog. I love to babysit Teddy and have him stay. Max is my first love though.

Max is 91 in human age. I can remember him jumping off the boat into the lake to retrieve each of our four children. Or, when we would throw out the ski ropes he retrieved them faster than the human could. Memories are so great and make our hearts full... don't they?

Max is starting to have trouble. He is practically deaf, going blind (God love him) and has hip dysplasia. He never complains though. He is having a hard time getting up these days and sometimes when he's standing suddenly he is sitting. The hip just having gone completely out having betrayed him. God love him, he still has his dignity though he pretends that he just wanted to sit down right there. But, a little piece of my heart just breaks each time it happens.

You see, he is the best damn dog there ever was. Quite simply it is true...he's carried in groceries, shut doors, babysat kids around the swimming pool, kept lonely folks company, entertained and loved us one and all. He has kept us safe, learned to stay with Dad on a run without a leash. Max has never known a cat or dog to be a stranger and has never picked a fight.

Can you tell I'm beginning to struggle with his age and limitations? It's breaking my heart...trying hard to deal with the reality. He fools us often with no whining and the tail always wagging. God love animals, they don't whine. Wow, they don't express their agony until it's agony. Respect - I have so much respect for this puppy that I love so much.

We've baked Sand Tart Christmas Cookies today. Maxwell was right in the middle of the kitchen making sure he didn't miss a move, or a drop of food.

Wowwwww....Christmas week, old puppy...shopping and baking and cooking still to be done. Good Lord don't forget the laundry and cleaning!

Please, now go hug...kiss...love...or call someone that needs you. You need them too.

Love will cure our world.......if only we will share it. Rick

Some Days Are Just Good Enough

Useless, that is the most correct definition of me today. I've accomplished little or nothing of substance. That is okay sometimes. At times you just need to let down or let go. Fortunately, I don't have any small children running about today. If there were small children - I most certainly would not have been allowed to be useless.

However, I have had multiple animals underneath my feet. Currently, we have the senior Maxwell Silver Hammer (13 year old Labrador Retriever), Noah (4 year old Great Pyrenees), Teddy (3 year old Miniature Schnauzer), Puss (mixed breed prissy cat), and Sammy (only cat in the world I've seen that will allow child mangling with no scratching). I cannot count the number of times the door has been opened and closed for these animals. How I love them....yet how hard is it to heat a home when the door is open all day in the winter? This is just an amateur photo of the puppies.

The big, the medium and the small. I love them one and all. Max is my puppy. Noah, is my eldest daughters who is living with us at this time. Teddy we are babysitting for my eldest son since he's moving. Can you tell that animals are a large part of my life?

The Christmas shopping isn't finished and neither is the decorating for goodness sake. Thank the Lord, I believe in leaving Christmas up beyond New Years! There is so much that I want to do...and lot's of inspiration but little activation.

Perhaps, a little background would be good. On December 9th, I was a part of a Reduction in Force (also known as RIF'd). If you work in corporate America you have probably witnessed this event. You lose your job through no fault of your own. The company has decided that they don't require your position any longer. Fortunately, severance helps your reaction as you are separated from your work identity. I am thankful that it is not the only identity I have. Hopeful, that employment arrives before the severance ends.

I am thankful too that it happened to me. Amazing isn't it at this time of year and with the economy? Let me simply explain that during the past 4 years I've experienced more stress than my entire lifetime. It wasn't the job, it was the boss. I've not had a complacent or uneventful life yet this person overwhelmed all! So, now I have high blood pressure BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I know what to avoid!

My SweetPea (my granddaughter) is on her way to Mom Mom's (my) house! I can't wait to see the baby and have her smiley beautiful face wake me in the morning. One thing I need to share with new Mom's versus old Grand Folks like me...cherish the mornings. I know they are hard and stressful and sooooooo complicated. I reared four kids...believe me I know. But, having a baby in your house after years of not makes you want to get out of bed and makes you want to do good fun intelligent things during your day.

Please, now go hug...kiss...love...or call someone that needs you. You need them too.

Love will cure our world.......if only we could share it. Rick