Tag Archives: ideas

May3

Travel Adventure

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I recently took a mini vacation up north to visit my daughter, and her family. They have a small ranch, and live in a very rural area. I love it up there because I can sit in the middle of nature, and talk to all the animals.

I usually fly when I’m traveling alone, as I did this time. But things are different these days. The airlines have changed policies, and it’s a bit stressful trying to figure out exactly what is required of you. After watching many Youtube videos on the airline’s “New Rules,” I still wasn’t any further along than when I started.

I just didn’t want to get to the gate, and be turned away because my case was too large, or I had something inside that was the tiniest bit larger than they required. I’ve had my luggage gone through before, had things taken out and tossed. Some of it was my fault, I should have known better. Other times they pulled something that wasn’t too large and tossed it. That one really got to me!

All in all, because it was my daughter, there were many things that I didn’t need to bring because it was already up there. Lucky for me, the cary on’s that are required are really small now, and one has to be a really efficient packer to be able to get away with a mini cary-on.

The next thing was for me to mark my luggage so it would be easily identified. After spending hours selecting a bag that was just the proper fit at TJ Max, I then had to decide what to put on the side so it could be recognized. That took another day or so. After all it had to be my signature look!

Finally, after trying many different things, this is what I decided on. It took me about three days due to drying time. I’m happy with it, and it didn’t get scrapped up even after being thrown around by the people that love throwing baggage around.

I stayed twelve days, and had a very relaxing visit. My Granddaughter turned eighteen the 4th of April, and I love seeing her on her birthday. She picked a dinner place for us all to enjoy, and just to top it off, she had a very excellent place for the three of us girls to go for lunch the following day. It’s never an inexpensive trip, but it’s always a memorable trip.

How do all of you find these little get aways, or even big vacations? Do you get stressed out, or are you a chill traveler? Is it more stressful unpacking when you get home? If you are traveling with family, do you end up being host? My husband joyfully play host, and hostess every time. After all, what is Grandpa, and Grandma for?

I love going, but it’s really nice to get back to the comfort of my own home. Never do I feel unwelcome, but I am aware of the fact that my family needs to make me feel comfortable. I always feel relief when I can get on the plane, allowing my daughter and her family to take a deep breath, and get back to normal.

Thank you for stopping by and allowing me to share my little adventure with you. Until next time, “United we stand,” Karen

These are just a few pictures of the ranch, there are many more, and many more animals to be seen…

Mar29

Having Fun Too!

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Fun is different as we get older. Did you use to go to concerts, or big parties? I did, and loved the energy. I don’t know how you feel, but I really don’t like large crowds anymore, or the chaotic energy. Don’t get me wrong, I love people, and getting to know their culture, colors, or even the different music. But, I really don’t like large crowds or rallies, meetings, and gatherings. Well, that just about covers everything that involves people doesn’t it? Maybe you are much the same. It looks like I might be antisocial, but I’m really not!

I really enjoy my home, and maybe having a few friends in for tapas, and a glass of wine, or a beer. One might say I’m a home body. I guess I am now. It’s more comfortable to be in my own home curled up with a good movie, a book, or even a friend. However, I’m missing my furry companions, (not my husband, he’s not fury! and he is my life partner!) but my dog, and cat. They use to curl up with me especially when it was raining, or just cold.

You might feel the same way. Is it because we are tired, and don’t enjoy the effort it takes to get dressed up to go out, or are we past putting up with a bunch of people that many times feels a waste of time. Sometimes I just can’t justify socializing with people that either don’t have the same interests, or complain a lot.

I don’t happen to enjoy drinking like I used to. And, I particularly don’t like being around people that don’t know when to stop drinking! I’m not against drinking, just excessive drinking.

Maybe it is more about driving. I still enjoy driving, but many of my friends don’t enjoy driving at night, or even at all. I’ll get there I’m sure, but not yet! There are ways to get around not wanting to drive. How about Uber, or share a ride with a friend? Something like, you fly, I’ll buy!

If you like to play board games, I’m told they are a lot of fun. Card games can be fun also, try a simple game to start, and work up to something more complicated. I’d have to do that since I haven’t played cards or board games in years.

As I close this blog, I’m reminded that I have a beautiful back yard to enjoy. My chimes hang from almost every tree, and they are beautiful to listen to. When the weather gets warm, I sit on my patio, or in my garden and quietly listen to the birds singing, or the trees whispering in the breeze. I am very blessed!

Thank you for stopping to read my blog. I know many of you have been with me for a very long time, and I really appreciate that,

Remember we stand together, share issues, send out love, while always supporting each other.

Much love, Karen

Sep26

A Little Halloween Fun

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A Little Halloween Fun

Since I don’t really participate in Halloween any more, I thought I’d post a little collection of Halloween treasures my girlfriends and I have made over the years.

The pumpkin is real with succulents hot glued to the top. As long as you spray the succulents with water every couple of days, they last quite a long time.

I’ll bet you can’t imagine how much fun I had creating skulls! Each different, with their own personality.

The little skulls are even fun to decorate…

This skull is my favorite. By the time I painted, and decorated it, it started to speak to me. Something only artists may understand .

I hope you enjoyed seeing all my skulls, now I just have to pull them out this year.

Happy Halloween

Together we stand, Karen

Aug24

What Do Our Words Really Say

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I’ve been reading a new book titled, The Man Made of Words, by N. Scott Momaday.

It brought to mind that the words we use, the words we say, and how we say them can be of great impact to others. Just think about the ways we can or do get a point across. Sometimes we will repeat a story 900 times, other times we forget and leave things out, but other times we can be impatient, and be cutting, or even cruel. We all have said something that we didn’t quite mean the way it came out, but did any of us ever think of how those words made the other person feel. My son tells me I beat a dead horse, and he is not happy about it!

I’m an impatient person by nature, so I’m usually trying to pull back and be more patient. This takes an incredible amount of self control at times. Most of the time I can do it, but sometimes I can be nippy, & regretfully bitchy! At that moment, I never stopped to think about how my sharp words have made someone else feel. (Patience is my New Years Resolution! Always) This book has brought so many things to mind, and the way words can cut deep into the people listening, or to whom the words are directed. I don’t want to do that to anyone, and that certainly would never be my intention.

I watched this man of the Nations, N. Scott Momaday on a talk show a couple years ago, and decided to purchase this book for my husband for Christmas. When it arrived I stuck it away to be wrapped later, and put it in a place that even I couldn’t find it. So the next week it occurred to me that I hadn’t wrapped it for my husband, and since I was sick all of that December, I hadn’t bought anything but a flashlight for him. I felt terrible, but my kids didn’t even get much. Lo and behold, I had purchased two books for him without realizing it, and neither of them were found in time. It was to be the Christmas that goes on giving!

Next time I feel myself loosing patience, I need to slow down and think about how those words are going to sound, or have an impact on the other person. Everyone has their own problems, and sometimes they don’t show them, so a little bit of kindness, patience, and the more careful selection of my words might put everyone in a better place.

Thank you for slowing down to read Karen’s Stone Soup, see you next time.

This is a post I had long forgotten, but I decided to publish it as a reminder to myself to be a little kinder, and more compassionate.

I also want to let everyone know that going forward my focus will be on aging gracefully, and loving who we are in the so called “Golden Years!”

Oct6

The Older I Get…..

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The Older I Get…..
The photos of me at the end of 6th grade wouldn’t load, so art is what you get!

When I was at the end of sixth grade, I thought I was pretty darn grown up. Then I started what was then called “Junior High,” and things really changed. I no longer thought I was the cats pajamas because I now was a small fish in a big pond.

Fast forward to high school…..

Again I thought I was going to be the cool one in school because I was entering a new phase in my life, High School! I went to Van Nuys High in the San Fernando Valley. In those days VNH was the place all the kids from families that were in the film industry went to school, and I was going to school with them. Natalie Wood, Stacy Keach both went there, but I didn’t know either of them. High School wasn’t quite as glamorous as I thought it would be, but there I was trying to be a cool kid, and still keeping up with my grades. That wasn’t easy since I was basically majoring in “Boys!” To be honest, the boys situation was a bit discouraging as well. There wasn’t the selection I had anticipated, but what was available had to do!

Faster forward…..

Once out of high school, again I thought my knowledge was primmer and with nothing more to learn, I tried my hand at a local community college. The thought of studying literally made me sick to my stomach, so I decided to once again major in “boys!” There I had a much better selection, however still not quite up to my expectations.

My next door neighbor was just entering a university, and invited me to go to one of the groups of interest she signed up for. This one was a skiing club, and reluctantly I went to her first meeting with her. Wow, now this was what I was talking about!!!

BOYS…

They were everywhere, tall ones, short ones, skinny ones, stocky ones. There was a boy for every occasion. They looked at both of us like they had never seen girls before, and we were in seventh heaven! Conversations were easy, not like those lowly high school boys. They hadn’t learned how to talk to girls yet. Before we knew it, we were both invited by the boys to go skiing with them, and hang out. My friend wasn’t intimidated, but I was passing myself off as a college student, and I wasn’t. So after the meeting I quickly disappeared into the sunset, not to be heard of since. I lived out my days in high school quietly, and as quickly as I could.

After graduating I thought my life was my own. I’m free as a bird, with nothing to stop me! Sure that’s what I thought, then reality set in. My parents were very strict, and I still couldn’t go anywhere without their approval….I was humiliated! I was an all knowing, graduate, and adult now, how could they treat me that way? I know they were just trying to do the best they could, but at the time I couldn’t understand why their job wasn’t finished.

Me at “21”

The following year, I met the love of my life, we married soon after, and started our family. First a son, then three years later another son. By five years later, I had divorced, remarried, and had a daughter. I was a young, all knowing mother of three with one divorce under my belt. Boy was I cool!

Fast forward a few years!

Almost seventeen years later, my kids are getting big with two boys in high school, and a daughter in elementary school. My hands were full, and I was running a business., and holding down a full time job. As I look back, I wonder how I found the energy, or the time to do all of this. But I did, and it worked. I had a lot of energy, and of course I was all knowing. That helped! I knew exactly what I was doing, and where I was going. How cool was I?

Then the stuff hit the fan…..

One day my husband came home and told me he was dating a blond waitress, and because I was so cool, he knew I’d understand & be OK with it. I certainly was OK with it! I guess I figured it was time… and so I decided since I knew everything there was to know, it was time for my children and I to go. And we went…

It was a struggle, but somehow we did it. The kids and I had a Charlie Brown Christmas , and ate hotdogs & baked beans for some time, but we did it, and we were better for it. My dad use to say, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger!” “Thank you Dad, I hate to admit it, but you were right!” How true that was… We have all grown, and become stronger, and better people because of this little bump in the road. Looking back, that’s all it was, just a bump in the road.

Many years later in the middle of working my second job, I met a local man, we dated for a while, and decided to marry. They say the third time is the charm. Apparently they were right, because we are now going on thirty years of marriage. Everyone is doing well, and we are all happy.

The point of this entire story is this, I have learned by trial and error that the Older I get, the less I know! Yup I was cool then, and slightly cooler now.

As most of us do get older, and each day I learn something I didn’t know, and each day I reflect on how much is in our world to yet learn, I’m curious, I want to know things, and I learn every day. But every day I’m on this amazing earth, I realize how much there is to learn, how much it has to offer, and we only have so much time. It’s undetermined, Don’t waste it!

With much love, I thank you for stopping to read Stone Soup.

See you next time, Karen

Sep15

Each Day A New Opportunity

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I’m laying in bed looking out the window, with clean, crispy fresh air pushing it’s way into the room giving me newfound energy to start my day. What will this day bring me? Will it stay cool, or get hot & muggy? Whatever it brings, I am ready and willing to jump out of bed, brush my teeth, wash my face, and start my beautiful day with a cup of coffee, and a little meditation. I know, It’s not for everyone…some people would rather have a cup of tea!

I

I have always loved the coolness in the morning, especially when it’s a bit overcast, and quiet. When my children were small I would get up early so I could sit quietly with a cup of coffee, and just start my day slowly while the kids were asleep. That was the plan, but many times my plan was foiled by an aggressive little munchkin getting up too early, and reuining my plan.

Today after feeding my kitty Kramer, and letting Daisy dog out, I’m drinking coffee with my husband, but the kids are grown, and gone. The things that inspire me aren’t the things that inspired me many years ago when my kids were small. Now I get inspired by birds chirping, or a gentle breeze in the air. Some days I’m inspired to read, or paint, sketching out on our patio, or take a walk through the neighborhood. Things I couldn’t do when I had a young family.

On this morning with sweetness in the air, I’m inspired to listen to the crows. They are very verbal this morning, and I feel like they are letting me know to “keep looking.” Sitting on my patio, I’m trying to keep looking, but I’m also trying to figure out what else the crows are telling me. In my Animal Speak Book by Ted Andrews, it tells me that crows bring you magic and creativity. OK! Now we’re talking. I’m all about magic, and creativity….bring it on.

Even though I am not interested in venturing too far from home, I still very much invested in nature. For now nature means to me, that I walk through my back yard where peace, & serenity hang in the air. I love my trees, & it won’t surprise some of you to know I even talk to the trees, & the birds. Ok, so they don’t talk back in the way we do, but they do respond if you pay attention. I try to pay attention knowing if I’m really quiet & concentrate, I will hear their answers!

Thank you for stopping to read Stone Soup, I’m really happy to share with you my thoughts, & ideas about my life. See you next time. Karen