Broken, But Not

 

Almost to 100 Days

 

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will." (George Bernard Shaw)

 

Hello, my lovely friends! 

 

    Wow, we're already zooming towards the 100-day mark of 2025! Feels like January 1st was just around the corner, right? Remember that fresh start energy, all those plans bubbling up for a more organized, healthier you? Have you had a chance to dive into those goals yet? What were the big things you were hoping to accomplish this year?

 

     Feeling stuck in a rut? Now's the perfect time to shake things up and inject some fresh energy into your routine! Or, if you haven't quite gotten around to starting those new habits or projects, consider this your official launchpad. Take a moment to reflect on your goals and aspirations, and map out a clear plan of action. I'm even revisiting my own resolutions from the beginning of the year, taking stock of what I've accomplished and identifying areas where I can refocus my efforts. 

 

Here's a glimpse into what I envisioned for myself back then:

1. Clean Eating
2. Stick to a Fitness Routine
3. Write it down
4. Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins
5. Get Organized
6. Let it Go
7. Be Selfish
8. Be Positive
9. Pamper Myself
10. Live Life with Passion 

 

    You know, I've been putting in the work on all of it. But honestly? I could definitely dig a little deeper and push myself harder. I mean, I've been focused, sure, but there's always that extra gear you can find if you really try. It's like, I've been running a marathon, but I've been pacing myself for a casual jog. I can feel that I have the energy to sprint, to really push past my current limits and see what I'm truly capable of. I've been ticking off the tasks, sure, but I haven't been truly challenging myself to exceed expectations, to innovate, to find new and more efficient ways of doing things. I've been comfortable, and comfort is the enemy of progress. I need to break out of that comfort zone and really strive for excellence, not just adequacy. It's got me thinking about what I've actually done and where I can really step it up.

 

 Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope your morning/afternoon/evening is extra cozy and delightful. Until our paths cross again!

Just the Facts #8

 

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." (From A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh)

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

 

You know the drill, it’s Friday Funday! Let’s talk about all the animals in my life through the years. Let us all know about the special animals in your life.

 

 

1.  Okay, so our first dog was this majestic beast, a German Shepherd named Charlie. Now, picture this: I'm this tiny human, like three years old, right? So, my memories of Charlie are kinda fuzzy, mostly because he was clearly in cahoots with my sister. I think he saw me as more of a chew toy than a companion. Anyway, the drama! One day, poof! Vanished! We think some dog-napper swiped him right out of our backyard. We never saw that fluffy cloud of German Shepherd again. It was probably the first time I experienced true heartbreak... or maybe I was just bummed someone took my sister's favorite slobber machine. Who knows at that age?

 

 

2. We finally ditch the apartment life and BAM! New house, new rules, and most importantly, a new furry overlord. I'm maybe six or seven, still figuring out which end of the crayon goes in my mouth, and suddenly we're at the animal shelter. It felt like a puppy buffet! All these hopeful, slobbery faces, and then... there she was. A black poodle. We, in our infinite childhood wisdom, christened her Buffy. Yeah, like the vampire slayer, only way less stabby and way more prone to chasing squirrels. That fluffy black tornado stuck with us through awkward school dances and questionable fashion choices until I was about fifteen. Then, just like that, our little Buffy went off to chase the ultimate squeaky toy in the great beyond.

 

 

3. So then there was the Great Goldfish Era. It started innocently enough, right? A little bowl, a couple of orange dudes swimming in circles. But oh no, that wasn't gonna last. Suddenly, we needed an upgrade. Next thing you know, we've got a full-blown aquarium, practically a tiny public pool for these scaled celebrities. And of course, they all got names. Why wouldn't they? They were practically family... until they weren't.

Then came the solemn backyard burials. Tiny cardboard coffins for tiny departed souls. Seriously, imagine being the poor folks who bought our house later. They're out there planting petunias and BAM! They unearth a miniature graveyard of former finned friends. I bet they thought the place was haunted by the ghosts of forgotten goldfish. Good times. For me, anyway. Maybe not so much for the future gardeners.

 

4. On my 17th birthday rolled around, and you know what a cool teenager wants? A cat, obviously. Specifically, a black cat. So, off we trekked to the local animal shelter, which, let's be honest, always smells faintly of hope and a little bit of pee.

I was on a mission, people. I was strolling past all the cages, giving a little tap-tap-tap on the glass, expecting some kind of dramatic feline recognition. Nada. Zilch. These cats were clearly unimpressed with my window-tapping skills.

Then, BAM! This little dude – a black and white cat, mind you, totally not according to my meticulously crafted plan – sees my tap and goes full-on bouncy castle. He's leaping, he's pawing, he's practically screaming, "Pick me! Pick me, you magnificent window-tapper!"

Well, what was I supposed to do? Resist that kind of enthusiasm? No way. He was the one. Turns out, some folks had just dropped him off like an hour before. Seriously? Their loss was totally my gain. It was like the universe knew I needed a slightly off-brand black cat in my life.

So, I named him Rio, after my absolute fave Duran Duran album (because, you know, I was a cool teenager with excellent taste). We had nearly ten years of pure, unadulterated cat shenanigans. Then, the absolute worst happened feline leukemia came along. Saying goodbye was the pits. But man, those years with Rio? Totally worth every single window tap.

 

5. After my awesome cat Rio crossed the rainbow bridge, I was done with pets. Ten whole years of peace and quiet! Then, wouldn't you know it, some bonehead tried to break into my house. Suddenly, the universe was like, "Hey, guess what you need? A furry alarm system!"

So, off to the shelter we went. It wasn't exactly love at first sight with any of the pups at first. We made a few trips, kinda like Goldilocks looking for the perfect porridge, until BAM! There she was: Miss Bella, our beagle. Turns out, this sweet girl had been living the street life before some kind soul scooped her up and took her to the shelter. And get this – she'd already done a shelter tour! Apparently, she was a bit of a scaredy-cat, so the shelters were hesitant to place her with a family with kids. Jokes on them, right?

We had that little beagle for a glorious ten years. Then, in December of 2017, the same year my dad passed from old age, Bella's body just started giving up. It was heartbreaking, but we knew the kindest thing was to let her go. Talk about a tough year!

 

6. Back in March 2018, it was just Mom and me, and it felt like something was missing – a dog! We checked out a few places, but nobody really clicked. Then one night, scrolling online, I saw this big dog's description, and it just screamed "Bella" to me – no kids, found as a scared stray. It felt like a sign from our Bella that this was the one.

We went the next day to see him, but someone else was already in there. Then this sweet little old lady was holding this tiny dog, and he was just glued to her lap. We figured we'd take a peek at the little guy while we waited for the other dog. Well, this cutie waddled in, did this adorable little wiggle walk, and that was it. My heart melted. This was our dog. And that's how Scooter came into our lives. I even thought about naming him Hamilton, after Lewis Hamilton, the F1 driver, but yeah, Scooter just suits him perfectly.

 

 Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope your morning/afternoon/evening is extra cozy and delightful. Until our paths cross again!

Is It April Already?

 April is a time of wonder, when the spring peepers emerge from hibernation and begin to call, when robins and redwing blackbirds come back north, and when new green life appears. That is one of the greatest of all wonders, the growth of a bud and a leaf from a seed or a root that has lain dormant in the earth all winter. ~Hal Borland

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

     Okay, so here it is April, and it's always a tough one for me. Part of me is so ready to shake off the past and get back to really living, but it feels like a cruel twist that this feeling hits just as this month rolls around. The 14th... that'll be eight years since I lost my Dad. Sometimes I sit here and think it's only been eight, you know? It can feel like yesterday. Honestly, there isn't a single day that goes by where he doesn't pop into my head, multiple times even. It used to be that those thoughts were tangled up with a lot of sadness, guilt, and regret.

 

    It's funny, isn't it? For so long, when I thought of Dad, it was just... his death. A black hole of sadness. But over time, that's shifted. Now, when he pops into my head, it's not just about that last day. It's about him.

 

    I find myself smiling at the silly things he used to do, the way he'd always call me "Paula Rachel" – just him, no one else ever did that. And I can almost hear his voice sometimes. Sure, there's still a pang, a sadness that he's not here. But I try to steer my thoughts toward those happy, funny memories. That's who he really was, you know? Not just the end, but all the life he lived.

 

     It seems Mother Nature has decided to take center stage this week, orchestrating a full-blown symphony of rain, snow, and a persistent chill that's going to keep us indoors. Monday's brief window of sunshine feels like a fleeting intermission in her grand performance. With the outdoors essentially off-limits, I'm seizing this opportunity to immerse myself in the world of my garden. I'll meticulously sort through my seed collection, envisioning the vibrant tapestry of plants I want to cultivate. I'll sketch out detailed plans, mapping the garden's layout and considering companion planting strategies to maximize yields. I should also make a trip to the local nursery to pick up some high-quality potting soil, ensuring my seedlings get the best possible start. And I'll need to organize the grow bags I acquired, figuring out the optimal arrangement for each, taking into account sunlight exposure and plant needs.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope your morning/afternoon/evening is extra cozy and delightful. Until our paths cross again!