Month of Love

It's the last day of January; February begins tomorrow. The month of hearts, chocolates and flowers.  For those who have someone with to share Valentine's Day, I am blogging about the holiday. It seems florists charge outrageous prices for roses and other flowers few days prior.  Restaurants offer deals for the day but most places you need to go early or make a reservation.  

A few years back my husband did something different.  Instead of one big type of Valentine's gift he gave me little cute items from the first of February up to the day.  It was well received and very thoughtful. I enjoyed it more than just celebrating on the 14th. 

You can find little whimsical items at a dollar type store.  Last year I recall seeing the most prettiest scarves.  As a person who wears them I had picked up one for myself.  Other interesting things can be found from mugs to drinking glasses as well as candy. 

One does not have to go overboard with this idea; think out of the box.  Each day I plan to post a Valentine's idea to my blog as well as on my Facebook page. 

As day one is tomorrow here is the first idea. 

Day One.....Tee shirt with a heart design. 

The idea of the tee shirt is that the individual can wear it during the days beforehand.  There are cute shirts I have seen for under $10.00.  They need not be in red or pink; the one I received from my husband was black with a heart on the front and the word "Love".  The other I received the same year (few days later) was red with a teddy bear holding a heart on the front.  Yes two tee shirts were given in different days so I'd have a change of shirts. 

Yes it would seem a bit odd for a man to receive a shirt with
hearts or a teddy bear.  So for a guy how about a tee shirt or sweatshirt
in red.  No one has too much red shirts. In fact they can use that particular shirt
to wear on Fridays (RED. Remember Everyone Deployed).

Also with each blog I will be posting a love poem/poem relating to live at the end. 

The first one was written by my husband and is included in a book of poetry.  Enjoy

For those who may not have someone with who to share Valentine's Day you can use this as a random act of kindness idea to perhaps a friend, acquaintance or family member who may need some cheering up.  

A tee shirt can be given to anyone to wear.

Until tomorrow.....why not consider this as a challenge of LOVE; do the
Fourteen Days of Celebrating Valentine's Day with that special
person. 

*******************************

       GIVE ME a REASON 

     ©Murph (Jimmy Murphy)

Love is more or less then

  It should be

      Or

        I want

But it is not easily said 

     Or

       Implied

Without saying "I Love You"

Where can I go 

    And stay

Not believing in the words I say

One more chance is all I want

To see a new tomorrow with you 

******************************

January Almost Over

Well the first month of the new year is more than half over. 

Where did the past days go?

I know for about seven days I was housebound with some bug going around. This is the time of year where most get colds; flu or whatever is being passed from one person to another.  If you had this crud that is being spread, hope you are feeling better. If you have not fallen victim to this, as of yet, I hope it passes you by. 

I always say this "if you are not feeling well; stay home and don't go out spreading germs".  I do know for some it's hard to do but if possible try your best. 

This time of year I don't want to shake hands at church during the sign of peace. I don't want hugs of greetings from people I have not seen for awhile and I don't want someone with a cold or sniffles getting too close. 

I am a fan of the grocery store cart wipes they have available.  Actually I have been taking a paper towel with me to the store; put it on the cart handle to protect my hands before I can get a cart wipe to use. Of course nothing can protect you from picking up a grocery item that another may have handled before you; but you can try to be vigilant during the cold and flu season. 

So more than half a month into the new year and I spent a good portion staying home with a bug and feeling miserable.  What has your first half of January 2018 been like?  Hopefully you have been keeping or trying to keep goals; hope you have not caught the latest flu or cold making its way around. 

Until next time....keep vigilant and stay away from anyone sneezing, coughing and sniffling if you can. 

Week One Down....Fifty-one to Go

This is a brief 'ramble' about week one if the new year. 

The first week of the new year has past.  It seems like it sped by so quickly. We just celebrated the welcome of the new year and here we are week one gone. 

So far I have been keeping goals. I have posted blogs and written in my journal each day.  

Feel like the days are just speeding by so quickly.  

This first week of the year has been the coldest I have experienced since my move to Florida.  The air conditioner has been turned off and heat turned on.  Socks, sweaters and long pants brought out of storage. I even donned a pair of gloves due to chill on steering wheel of the car. Of course I should not complain as in many other places temperatures were in the minus zero with wind chill making it even worse.  

Only time I ventured out was when I absolutely needed to go out.  It was interesting to see those here in the 'Sunshine State' bundled up like Nanook of the North.  

With my staying put inside it gave me time to do other indoor activities such as catch up on reading, writing in my journal and polishing up a few writing pieces I had written years prior.  Perhaps this brief period of cold weather here in Florida was a good thing for me to work on those writing pieces.  No doubt I may not have gotten around to working on them if the weather was warmer. So far in one week of the new year I have kept my goals but  another week begins.  I wonder what challenges this week will bring. Will I fall off the good intention wagon or forge ahead to keep my goals?  Time will tell and I can't predict what the days ahead will bring. All I know is if I fail I will not look back at the failure but begin again. 

Have you kept your goals for these first seven days of 2018?

If you began them but slacked off; begin again.  A new day is here and new week has started.  

Until next time, enjoy week two of 2018. For those in areas of cold, snowy and winters weather keep warm and toasty; spring is about seventy-one days away. 

Holiday Push

   

   Now that the Christmas has ended decorations are taken off the tree, brought from outside the home and stored away until next year.  Many do this on or right after New Year's Day.  As a child my family did not put away anything until after Epiphany.  It seemed like the house stayed decorated forever. There are a few I know who celebrate Orthodox Christmas the 7th of January and New Years which is the 14th of January. They keep their home decorated until then. 

I enjoy Christmas and the holiday decorations; I have no problem with them being out for Orthodox holidays but with the stores putting out displays in September, enough is enough. 

On January first I needed to pick up something at the store, long and behold, there were Valentines items for sale. A friend told me they had actually seen Valentines items in December.  I am sure if I look hard enough I'll see St. Patrick's Day ☘️decorations and Easter 🐣 someplace.  

The holidays are being pushed at us too soon.  

What is the rush to begin celebrating months in advance for the next holiday?  Can't we just get over one before we think about the next? 

I just put away my Christmas decorations.  My valentines don't make an appearance till about January 25th or so.  That's enough time to enjoy heart shaped knickknacks, silk red roses🌹in vases, Cupids etc... all dust collectors in my opinion.  

I have had the opportunity to met a few women who have a collection of holiday tops. They have quite a few they wear in October for Halloween; they have a collection for December; shirts for Valentine's holiday and let's not forget St. Patty's day in March.  Since they only wear them a short while during that holiday month they don't have to replace them for years.  

The past few years I have become cynical about  holidays. Don't get me wrong I enjoy each one as they arrive, but do wonder if big business is just pushing them a tad too much on us consumers.  There are decorating items for many, clothing items, candy (yes candy) and restaurants running meal specials. 

I am not sure which will have more of a push the next few weeks; the upcoming football playoff games and Super Bowl, Mardi Gras or Valentine's Day?  Yes we get inundated with ads and commercials regarding football playoff games and the Super Bowl. I have seen store displays already during their big push for purchasing drinks and snacks; and the Super Bowl is almost a month from now. 

At the moment I am just winding down from Christmas and New Years. As for any other upcoming holiday/holidays, I will wait awhile before getting into the spirit and hoopla of each.  

Until next time.....enjoy whatever you're doing.  Get ready for the next big celebration 🎉 whatever that may be for you (Super Bowl, Ground Hog Day, Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day). 

Day Two of the New Year

    Day one of the new year is recent history in our lives; it's past.  Now onto a new day.  

Yesterday many began with their new year resolutions many will wait till day after the holiday to begin.  I begin yesterday with one goal that has been transferred from year to year list. I started again to write in my 📓 journal. 

Secondly I posted my first blog for the year.  Now here I am working on a new blog today. 

Yesterday I was out and about stopping here and there.  I had the pleasure of seeing someone I had not seen in years. It was a pleasant visit and we had nice chat.  Wished everyone a happy new year.  I spoke with many who made resolutions that they plan to begin immediately; a few mentioned they begin theirs on the second of the month. 

I guess it does not matter when you feel you begin your goals, as long as you at some point. 

Now that the holidays are over we will go back to our normal lives. We will go to work, go to school, attend organization meetings, go to the store, run errands etc...

Many of us may not remember the acts of kindness we did during the holidays. I'm not saying you need to do something everyday, but why not something once a week if possible.  Think about some of the acts you did in December; if they are too Holiday related you can taper it to fit the here and now.  

Let's start this week with giving to a food bank or food pantry.  During the holidays the shelves get bare and supplies depleted.  A few non-perishable items can go a long way to help someone in need.  

Until next time....which will be next week have a great week and stay warm.  Yes even us here in the sunny south is feeling the cold. 

    

New Year's Day....A New Beginning

  

       HAPPY NEW YEAR 

 So another year has bid us farewell. Another year arrives. 

What will this year hold?  Will there be heartaches, sadness, sorrow, joy, contentment, peace, good fortune, prosperity etc...

No one knows what the next twelve months will hold for them. No one can predict what the outcome of the year will be in their lives.  We all 

just hope and pray for the best. 

Today we begin our New Year's resolutions.  With good intentions we start our new regime for the year.  

We wish everyone we see today a happy, healthy, blessed and prosperous new year. Some of us follow old traditions with certain foods eaten on New Year's Day. Many will watch the college football games; a few will try to recuperate from too much celebrating the night before; then there are those who will relax and do nothing special.  

Whatever you do today just remember  it's a new year; a new beginning; new adventures to enjoy; new roads to travel and obstacles to overcome.  

Until next time.....a Blessed, happy, healthy and prosperous 2018 to all.  Thank you for reading my blog and check back again for new postings. 

I wrote the following years ago but it still rings true each year. 

            HAPPY NEW YEAR

           ©Scottie-ann Murphy

How fast the year has come to an     

          end

And we wonder, "where did the 

     time go?"

Past twelve months sped by 

     quickly 

Pondering at year's end, we recall    

     all we had done 

Yet we wonder......"were all our goals accomplished?"

Now another year will begin    

     again....another chance

Each of us makes goals for the 

      next twelve months

Will we follow them through from 

     beginning to end? 

Year after year......good intentions 

     by us are made 

Each objective......carefully 

       thought through

A promise made to our own self, 

       no one else

Resolutions made this New Year's 

       Day.....will we keep?