Wednesday Fun

Every Wednesday Ron (Papaw) gets to pick the kids (Joe and Joci) up from daycare and take Joci to Dance Class...Ballet. Of course Joe gets to go too!!! Last Wednesday it was Spring Break so when they got there a sign was posted on the door...no class. I got a visit at my office with lots of hugs and kisses and than Papaw took them to Wal*Mart...shopping. Oh they want to buy but with Papaw they take their time looking at everything. 2 hours at Wal*Mart...I can hardly get him to go in and out of a store shopping!!! After looking at everything they had a potty break and Papaw announced it was time to buy and leave. They both picked items under $5. Joci gets a little excited and wants to buy and go but Joe loves to walk around and look at everything. I'll bet he has to touch it too (just like grandma does!).
Next it was to McDonald's for milk, cheezy-burger, apples & carmel and play. Back to daycare and Papaw was pooped. What a fun day!!!! What is it they say......PRICELESS!!!!!!

Time

Giving of time is the absolute best present you can give anyone, anything but especially yourself.

I'm the type that has always needed to cram as much as possible into the time you have. Instead of thinking "there's always tomorrow" I have always thought "get it done today, there might not be a tomorrow" or "what if something else comes up" tomorrow. I have mentioned before that I am getting better at setting down and watching TV or taking a quick nap on the couch. Yesterday I actually laid down on the bed and watched TV almost all afternoon, early evening and than got under the covers...after all it was 9:00 pm. I even could have slept in longer this morning. Now I'm beginning to think I need some vitamins or something! :)
But you know, not once did I think about getting up and cleaning the kitchen or finishing some projects I'm working on at this time. I was lazy and I enjoyed it!

Now Saturday I did work in the front gravel, getting after weeds like I was killing snakes (old term) but I got it done...I stopped often to sit and rest and get a drink of water but I just knew I had to finish it before putting all the tools away.

Saturday was also garden planting day. Our grandson and granddaughter were quite the helpers for Ron. One had a shovel and one a rake and they pretty much touched everywhere Papaw needed a little assistance and than some. They were so excited and of course watering is the absolute best...wet feet and all. Joe found red worms and must have held them in his hand for at least half an hour. Papaw had to explain why it's good to have red worms in the garden. They are like little sponges soaking up all the information on the worms and the whys being answered.

Blogs

Boy do I have a lot to learn about blogs. I have visited many and they are outrageous...lots of photos, information, graphics, links, etc. etc. I am amazed at how detailed some are and colorful. Mine is pretty simple. However, I have put some photos on and am getting a little braver with links, etc. Now if only they had spell check!! :o)

BOOKS

Read a good book lately? That used to be a question often asked. Now it's TV shows, blogs, movies, etc. I can't say I love to read but I do enjoy to read. Time is the factor...taking the time to sit down and read. I love to open a book that is so good that every moment you are thinking about getting back to it. You literally can not put it down. I don't read while driving (although I have seen this) but I have picked up a book at a stop light a time or two. I tend to read fast. A while back I had a job that I needed to condense a legal deposition say 200 pages down to 10-20 pages with only the relative facts. That's where I picked up a scanning habit. But with a good book you don't scan your mind wants to say every word...you have to read it all.
I don't really care about magazines/articles. I have always thought that someone is paid to do an article on a subject that is so many words long or will fit into the appropriate space left open. I assume they do the research but it is still their opinion on the subject not necessarily the facts. Books are stories, stories that you can step into and be part of the background looking on as everything unfolds in front of you.
So, as of today, I plan to make the time to read at least 1 (probably more) book a month.
One of the best things a parent can do is not just take time to read a book but to read to your children.

Cabela's -- March 21 & 22

Saturday and Sunday, March 21 & 22, Casting for Recovery (CFR) will have a table at Cabela's for Great Outdoor Days. They are located in Glendale by the University of Phoenix Stadium. Wendy Gunn, a world known fly fishing woman/champion AND CFR's Arizona Retreat Fly Fishing Instructor/Lead will be doing an intro to fly fishing clinic. Definitely come to see Wendy, she is amazing and stop by our table and get to know Casting for Recovery!!

Gardening

Gardening is a lot of work. My husband has been working at growing tomatoes in Arizona ever since we moved here in 1979. Usually the little cherry or pearson tomatoes would grow but not the type that you grow in Indiana where you taste the dirt...it's a good taste!
This year our little ones helped so our onion and carrot rolls really need to be weeded out a bit and we have a few seeds intermingled. But we have tomatoes...good ones. And, onions, beets, peas, anise, lettuce, peppers, bay leaves, carrots...and they are all big enough to eat! Ron does most of the work but I do occasionally do some weeding and watering and I was there for the planting.
You forget how as a child everyone had a garden, a big one and they ate from it. I don't remember my mom buying vegetables at the store. And, I do remember those big, dirt tasting, bright red tomatoes!!!

Earlier: Do I or Don't I? Now: I Don't but I Do...Confused?

Earlier in my blog I had mentioned it was time to start thinking about our 4th Annual BUNCO for Breast Cancer Survivor event that supports Casting for Recovery. Get out the boxes, go thru the supplies, make lists. Due to the economic conditions I have decided that we will skip this year. I am a bit bummed. It was a lot of work but it was so much fun too. I have so many interested in not only donating to the event but participating too. My family and friends have been involved and so helpful as well. However,

I am still busy working with my various generous donators from the past years...and they have been and still are so generous. I already have received some items donated from them. This year these items will go toward the CFR retreat's Sunday drawing for the participants.

The retreat planning is moving along. There is so much to do in order for this retreat to happen. The women involved are all very strong, positive, and successful and put all this together to bring about the retreat for fourteen very deserving breast cancer survivors. There are no egos, no attitudes, there is only harmony...working together, being caring and supportive and making sure that each and every participant knows and feels how special they each are during their journey. This is what I felt when I attended in 2006. I knew they were there for me not for themselves. However, in reality you do get back...you cannot put a name on how you feel after having met and talked with these women....the tears of both sadness and joy. The strength they all have...we all have in order to complete our journeys.