FAT TUESDAY

Today is Mardi Gras aka Fat Tuesday.  Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. Growing up Catholic I’d always thought only Catholics gave up something for Lent. I find anyone can do so or my opinion.  As a child we always were required to give something up for Lent.  Generally what we would give up would be sometime we really liked such as candy, dessert or soda.  Most of the time it was soda pop.  The reason I picked soda pop because it was such a treat to actually have in my home.  A twelve ounce bottle or two would be opened and only half would be poured into a glass.  The bottle was shared with one of my step-siblings.  I don’t think I ever had a whole twelve ounce bottle by myself until I was a teenager.  Now days, I don’t indulge in soda and have no problem with only six ounces.  As Lent approaches, many are thinking of giving something up until Easter.  I wonder why don’t we try to do something besides abstinence from certain foods or drinks.  One idea is to give up having a grudge against another. Perhaps someone did you wrong in the past; you hold a grudge towards them. Just give up that grudge feeling and get on with things in your life. Rid yourself from feelings of discord and discontent from that person.  You don’t have to go all BFF on them; just rid those negative thoughts and feelings.  

Perhaps you are one who over purchases at times.  During this Lenten season buy only what you need.  If there is something you feel you need, wait to make the purchase. You just might find in the long run it’s an item you can do without.  You can also spend less time on social media for these days of Lent and more time on a hobby you enjoy.  Like at Christmas do a few kind acts during Lent.  Give of yourself to help a family member, friend or acquaintance in need.  Spend time each day (five minutes) to reflect on the meaning of Lent and Easter.  Lent does not always mean you need to give something up; it could be giving up on how you perceive things and make a change.  This Lenten season I plan to stop having a grudge against one who hurt my feelings and treated me badly.  Instead of cringing when I see them, I plan to stand tall and get on with my life.  I refuse to let them bring me sadness or discontent.  I feel I don’t need negative feelings inside me; I plan to say hello and be polite but not go out of my way for them as in the past.  I refuse to be treated badly again by this person; but I will give up my grudge and mark it down in my book as experience what to do and not what to do in the future. 

Think about what, if anything, you plan to give up or perhaps do for Lent. 

Until next time....today let’s all enjoy Fat Tuesday!

THINK BEFORE YOU POST

Posts on social media can be confusing at times. People need to clarify specifically what they are conveying to the masses.  A good example occurred a few days ago. An individual showed a photo of a residence fire and posted it was their house.  Reading the post and looking at the photo it appeared this was their home, when in fact it WAS NOT. 

Now just because a person once lived in a certain residence at one time does not mean it’s theirs now or ever was owned by them in the past. 

What the post should have stated was that they had once lived there for a few short years. In fact why post some else’s unfortunate troubles at all.  When posting on social media you need to clarify just what you want to convey; write it out; read it over for content; think how another would interpret it before you hit the post button.  I’ve reread a few of my posts after I hit the post button and realized I needed to do an edit; which I did immediately. 

As I read that specific post that day it sounded like the individual was the home owner and not a past tenant.  I showed a few people the post; they too were under the same impression.  Think before you post is all I can say.  Secondly I felt the person had no rights in putting the incident on social media as it is not or ever was their property in the first place.  The property owner, I learned, did not want the unfortunate incident blabbered all over the social media world.  Newspaper stories and television news stories were sufficient.  I guess some people have no respect for other people or their privacy.  Please think before you post; would you want others blabbing your troubles to the world?  I’m sure you would not.  Remember there’s that old saying about what goes around will come around.  Don’t forget once something is put out on social media trying to correct it may not always work.  People only see and read what they want.  

Until next time....think before you write; reread once or twice; clarify what you’re conveying.  

BIRTHDAY

February 16th

Today I’m having a birthday.  It seems the past year sped by quickly.  I can’t fathom where the time went and all I did this past year.  I did accomplish a few goals but not as many as I hoped.  A few years ago I wrote that birthdays are your own personal New Year’s Day as it’s another year in your life.  Another year to make changes, begin again.  Many people have birthday parties; I’ve only had one in my sixty plus years.  That birthday was when I was in the first grade. At the time I lived with my mother’s brother and his family.  My aunt arranged a party with classmates being invited as well as a few others from my church school class.  I remember my favorite of all the gifts.  It came from a girl named Judy who was in my class at school.  The item was a small white, red and green plastic  lunch box with a tiny red thermos.  Inside the lunch box were lollipops.  I loved this gift.  There was something about this small lunch box that I found intriguing.   A few days later I shared the candy with two of my cousins.  I kept this gift until my mother had married my step-father and I had to live with her and my new step-family.  Somewhere along the way moving into this new home the lunch box was no longer among my things as well as a few other items.  I remember being told now that I was eight years old I no longer needed toys or stupid things; I needed to grow up and learn to do adult things.  No more play time for me.  I had to learn to do dishes, iron, hang laundry, clean, change bedding, sweep floors, sew, rake leaves, shovel snow and trim the edgings around the yard after the grass cut.  No longer did play time be part of my life.  I was eight years old. My step-grandmother became the one who took over my care along with my two step-siblings.  My mother worked a forty hour then plus at times.  I felt I missed a lot of my childhood.  I found solace in reading.  I read Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and anything girls my age could get their hands upon. Evidently reading was an okay way to pass the time as well as coloring in books when not doing chores.  How I missed playing with dolls and other fun toys.  Birthdays were just another day in our life.  Perhaps that is why I want to go out and enjoy my day as I got older.  It’s terrible to think I had no real childhood to speak about. We were not poor; both my mother and step-father had decent jobs.  It was the fact that the person left to raise us felt different.  I digress of course; back to my current situation.  Today I wore a headband tiara like a Queen and went out for a brunch and drinks.  Tomorrow I’ll do the same as I go on a veterans bus trip.  I don’t ask for gifts, but wish I could find a little lunch box with candy inside.  I’d share with others. 

Yes today is my own personal New Year’s Day. I have goals that I want to accomplish before my next birthday. Think about your own birthday.  Do you have one that stands out?  Or were you fortunate to have more than one?  Hope your memories are pleasant.  

Until next time....make each day be special. 

POST VALENTINE’S DAY

February 15th

It’s the day after Valentine’s Day.  I hope everyone had a nice enjoyable day.  I know I did.  My husband and I had to do some banking and ended up of course at the bank. On Friday the credit union gives out popcorn, lollipops and wrapped mints to customers. I took the woman who does this job (she works on Friday only) a small valentine card with heart shaped lollipop.  The woman was giving away pens with silk roses attached to them to the woman who came into the bank. One of the male customers asked her about the pens.  She explained they were for the ladies for Valentine’s Day.  He said oh no, he forgot that it was today.  She gave him one of the pens for his wife and I ended up giving him the valentine card and lollipop.  He told us we saved his bacon.  I laughed and told him the stores are opened for shopping.  It was my nice gesture of the day.  I continued giving out the remaining cards and lollipops to veterans at my Amvets post.  These guys seemed happy and it gave me a nice feeling that it may have made their day. I was thinking of spreading a bit of happiness and letting these guys know they are not forgotten.  My husband did enjoy his last e-card which had a bottle of champagne on it with few other items.  I put the words ‘you’re the champagne of my heart, valentine’.  He liked the card and bought me two glasses of champagne for Valentine’s Day during our stop at the club. I like champagne and have it on special occasions.  Next time will be my birthday which is tomorrow.  All in all I did enjoy my Valentine’s Day and like doing the simple things that made it special.  Remember just because Valentine’s Day has past, doesn’t mean you forget to keep being romantic.  Tell that special one in your life how you feel each day.  Make a date night once a week if possible.  It can be as simple as going out for coffee, drinks or pizza; if it’s summer maybe an ice cream cone, Italian ice or stroll in a park.  Just keep showing your special someone how much they mean to you.  I read something earlier today about that if you’re in a relationship or commitment to another every day should be Valentine’s Day.  

Until next time....take care and enjoy your day. 

 

VALENTINE’S DAY

February 14th

It Valentine’s Day and that one day a year that is set aside for lovers; the day we show that special person in our life how much we care for them.  Why is it we are expected to show this on just one day a year? If we truly care for someone shouldn’t we show them each and every day?  In the piece I wrote and posted a few days ago, I mentioned how this holiday is a big money making business.  Sometime to help the candy manufacturers with sales after Christmas and before Easter.  Florists for some reason seem to up the price of flowers, red roses in particular on Valentine’s Day.  Years ago, after moving to Florida, my husband and I noticed a outdoor sign at a florist shop.  It had the price of roses at twenty dollars for a dozen.  A few days before Valentine’s Day the price more than doubled.  Restaurants seem to all vie for those wanting to go out for a romantic dinner.  They will offer a special deal (or so they want you to think) for the holiday.  Some will offer this a day or two prior and sometimes continue it for a day or two after Valentine’s Day ends.  It seems people crowd restaurants cause it is February the fourteenth.  When I made my ‘TWENTY DAYS of LOVE’ list, I put two days before Valentine’s Day as a day to do the romantic dinner.  If you read yesterday’s ramble you’d see the place my husband and I chose was quite busy.  In fact for lunch there was a wait list.  We opted to sit in the bar area and dine at the bar.  After telling the server why we were out (as I was wearing all my apparel) she thought it a great idea to celebrate early.  We found a few others were doing the same also.  One couple mentioned they wanted to avoid the holiday crowd and they have been doing early valentine’s lunch for the past few years.  Other manufacturers are involved with the holiday sales; clothing, card companies, those who make holiday decorations and yes even the liquor industry.  On social media I noticed an advertisement for a heart shape box filled with miniature bottles of a popular drink.  I do know liquor manufacturers go all out for gift sets at Christmas, but this is a first that I noticed for Valentine’s Day.  

As I mentioned yesterday, I really enjoyed my twenty days of love gifts I received plus the IOUs I’ll eventually use.  This morning I sent my husband the last of the e-card valentine’s at three in the morning.  Then when I came out from getting up for the day, I walked over to him gave him a big hug and kiss; said to him “Happy Valentine’s Day.  I love you and thank you for being you and all you do for me”.  Simply put and expressed without a lot of fanfare.   We will be out and about later today doing errands and giving cute valentine’s cards to few people.  Nothing extravagant planned as we always make the most of any outing and enjoy just being together.   

Hope each of you have a nice Valentine’s Day and remember it’s not what you purchase to give to another, it’s spending quality time and most of all telling that special person each day you love them. 

Until next time....take care. 

TWENTY DAYS of LOVE....Day Twenty

February 13th.....‘TWENTY DAYS of LOVE’

             Day Twenty

 Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and that means today is the last day of the twenty days of love.  Today sit down and write that special person a love letter.  Tell them why you feel as you do for them; let them know why they are special in your life.  Sometimes words are hard to say so let those words come through on paper.  This morning I found a small poem my husband wrote for me.  It said few words but the few words had an impacted meaning.  It is not the length of the letter or note, it’s the words you convey. In this day and age of electronics where we text and use emojis, a hand written letter or note is forgotten.  I’m guilty of using e-cards and emails to my husband, but he says my hand writing is hard to read.  He’s so right; and yes I took the lazy way out with an email note.  He can save it and it will last longer than one I write on paper or so that’s my thought on the subject.  Of course along with the letter you could put a few IOU Coupons for something such as do one chore in the future, foot massage, breakfast in bed or day out doing fun activities.  In case your wondering, yes I added IOU Coupons.  One was to do the one thing I dread, pumping gas and the other taking the car for oil change.  I hate waiting around at the service garage while I’m having that done; but I will honor my coupon. 

Yesterday’s gift idea worked out great.  We decided on lunch.  We told our server what we were doing then found out a few others at the restaurant were also doing the same thing.  Guess great minds think alike. 

I’ve enjoyed my twenty days of love.  Now tomorrow there will be no pressures to try to come up with the right gift or romantic gesture just because it’s Valentine’s Day. 

Hope you to had an enjoyable twenty days of love.  

Until tomorrow and next time I blog....enjoy your day. 

TWENTY DAYS of LOVE.....Day Nineteen

February 12th....TWENTY DAYS of LOVE’

     Day Nineteen

Restaurants are gearing up for Friday night. Valentine’s Day is two days away.  Eating establishments will be busy with those individuals going out for a romantic dinner especially with the holiday on a Friday.  Why wait till then for an evening of romance?  Why not celebrate a few days early?  That’s exactly what we have planned for today.  I’ll be wearing my apparel f days ten through thirteen; not the jewelry I still have not ordered anything as of yet.  I’ll wear the tee shirt, head piece, socks, scarf and yes the funky glasses.  We are still in a quandary as where to go.  It does not really matter to me. Oh by the way it’ll be a romantic lunch about one o’clock as opposed to early dinner.  As long as we’re together that is all that matters for us.  You don’t have to spend an arm and leg on a night out.  Go someplace where you enjoy the food and atmosphere.  Tell your server you’re doing an early valentine’s dinner.  You never know what could happen by doing this.  Perhaps you may be reading this before breakfast or lunch. Hey a romantic breakfast and/or lunch could work too; of course this would work if you’re retired and have all day for such an event.   The idea of this gift is to celebrate two days early to avoid over crowded restaurants and to ensure the cooks and servers are not being rushed with creating and delivering the meal. 

Until tomorrow....enjoy your romantic dinner or night out. 

Gift Idea Day Twenty

Write a love note or letter to that special person 

             

               SIMPLY PUT

                  © Scottie-ann Murphy

The day of proclaiming love has arrived 

Here we go....rushing out to make 

           purchases

   to present to the one we hold dear in our 

            heart 

Shopping is a pleasure for that special 

               person

Picking the perfect tokens to show our 

           undying love on Valentine’s Day

Many think they need to feed the senses

      with gifts of smell, hearing, touch, sight 

                and taste

Bouquet of roses that fragrance the air 

     Romantic music downloaded to an IPOD 

           A plush teddy bear soft as cotton 

              Words of love written inside a card

and the sweet candy nestled in the heart      

                  shaped box

Small fortunes are spent on Valentine’s Day

But....that special one....absolutely worth it

Although my craving for chocolate is all 

              grown up

I would welcome a cellophane bag of 

         Hershey’s kisses

    over the two pound box of 

                   Russell Stover’s

a single silk red rose from the dollar store

       and a song of love sung by you

As I ponder the day set aside for love

    and how to express our feelings for 

             one another

I decided this is how we do it this year....

Just say “I LOVE YOU” and give each other 

              a kiss

A gesture quite simple....priceless and from 

            the heart