Wednesday: Wild and Wacky Women and Wild Flowers

“Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with them.

-Carrie Bradshaw” 

― Candace Bushnell

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Today, a bunch of wild and wacky women met on the Square to celebrate Lynne’s birthday. It’s always a fun time because these great girlfriends always come up with the best presents.   We have lunch, share stories and laugh. For old times sake, we took a group photo by the Holsum Bread sign, as we had done so many times before.  (Nostalgia)

  
What a “Holsum” group of lovely ladies!

  
Yellow roses and yellow rose wine glasses…a Texas theme from Toni.

After a leisurely three hour lunch, Lynne invited me to join her to drive up to Mellissa to see the beautiful irises and wild flowers at Martha’s Iris Garden.

  
Here are just a few pictures. I’ll share more another time.

   
   

I adore these wild wacky women!

  

Tuesday: Today’s Forecast: Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” 

― Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds

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Another cloudy, drizzly day!  But, like the quote, the clouds add color to my sunset sky and my life. When the going gets gloomy, the gloomy go to Zumba. The one hour of fast-paced jumpin’, jivin’, and Latin music can bring energy to any dark day. I wore a fluorescent pink shirt and wiggled myself happy. 

Later, I met a friend for coffee and conversation and decided to wear a bright red blouse. Color brightens my disposition and my day. When I got home, I went for a long walk in the chilly misty afternoon wearing my bright pink jacket. The clouds were so amazing. The sky was a palette of color, even if that color was fifty shades of grey. (Little humor.)
   
     Now here is my favorite picture. Flags waving against the cloudy sky. A glimmer of sunshine peeking through.

  
  
Oh yes… The meatballs…my dinner. When I went to the St, Gabriel’s Spaghetti dinner Saturday night, I asked for mine to go. Left overs tonight.

  

Montage Monday: A Week in Peek

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” 

― Ansel Adams

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A good week. Friends, rain, sunshine, walks, talks and church. Faith, hope and charity all rolled into one.

  

  

Sunday Sermon: Shepherds Guarding Their Sheep~ Some More Grey Skies

“Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God. Be a person in whom they can have faith. When you are old, nothing else you’ve done will have mattered as much.” 
― Lisa Wingate

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Today’s Gospel was about the GOOD SHEPHERD. My abridged version…no one is going to love, protect, or care for a child like a parent. A parent would give their life to protect their child. As a mother, I would lay down my life for my child. I would do it willingly without hesitation. Jesus did the same.

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Gospel JN 10:11-18

Jesus said:

“I am the good shepherd.

A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

A hired man, who is not a shepherd

and whose sheep are not his own,

sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,

and the wolf catches and scatters them.

This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd,

and I know mine and mine know me………

  

Protecting their young. My neighboring ducks.

More grey skies and rain in the forecast. I’m starting to build the ARK in the back yard.   
   

Saturday: St. Gabriel’s Spaghetti Dinner and Stepping Outside the Box

“We all want to break our orbits, float like a satellite gone wild in space, run the risk of disintegration. We all want to take our lives in our own hands and hurl them out among the stars.” 

― David Bottoms

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After gloomy days of rain and grey, today was sunny and downright warm, getting up to 89degrees. I went to my writing group, had lunch with Mandy, did some shopping, bought nothing, had an ice cream cone at Sweet Spot on the square, then came home for a long steamy walk. 

I debated with myself about going to the Knights of Columbus Spaghetti dinner  Karaoke night at St. Gabriel’s.  I didn’t think I’d know anyone there and I don’t like doing things alone. I’m tired of doing things alone. But, I’ve been telling myself to step out of my little lonely box and try new things. (I talk to myself a lot)  So, I showered and went off to St. Gabriel’s. 

When I walked in, Father Don was kicking off the karaoke segment with “Sweet Caroline.” He has a very nice voice, so I grabbed my phone to take a video.

http://youtu.be/jn0uV7-yViw

  
I didn’t see any familiar faces, so I sat with a group people I didn’t know. I smiled, laughed, and clapped along. I struck up a conversation with the lady sitting next to me. We talked a while, exchanged pleasantries, and I gave her my card and asked her to call me some time and perhaps we could have lunch. I made a new friend. I stepped outside my box. 

  
Teresa. “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.”

   
 

Friday: Frustrating Rain and Frito Frenzy

“The only noise now was the rain, pattering softly with the magnificent indifference of nature for the tangled passions of humans.” 

― Sherwood Smith

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 A little rain is good for the grass. A lot of rain is good for the lakes. Too much rain is not good for my spirits. I’m going crazy! I waited for the rain and mist to stop so I could go for a walk. Well, it didn’t stop. I need my walk! After sitting on the couch for hours, checking emails, looking at Facebook, and wasting most of the day, I finally laced up my gym shoes, put on my windbreaker, and flipped up my hood. Off I went.

  

Not sure if you can see the pond in the background, but it’s ready to spill over. The ducks are happy. I ain’t happy.

I was able to to get out for a little over an hour before the skies opened up. I made it home before the deluge. That’s when the Frito frenzy set in. I ate half a bag of Fritos. Not because I had self control, but because I had already eaten the other half earlier.

  
By now, I was going stir crazy, so I did some laundry, cleaned and wiped down all the kitchen counters, and pulled out the vacuum. I vacuumed the entire downstairs, carpet and tile floors. I haven’t vacuumed since the Clinton administration! Well, almost.

  
Rain, rain, go away

My house is clean

The skies are grey.

If you don’t stop

I’m going to cry

And eat a whole

Entire pie.

  

Theme Song Thursday:Celebration

“To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story, and that is the only celebration we mortals really know.” 

― Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible

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I had the honor of being invited to the McKinney Magazine unveiling and reception at the Grand Hotel Ballroom this evening. The story I had submitted about the Art Club of McKinney Centennial was in this May issue, along with the 2015 photography contest winners, and other local stories. 

The best part of this celebration, for me at least, is the many friends that I ran into and chatted with. The first time I went to one of these events about eight years ago, I knew only one person, Robb Temple, a neighbor who had recommended me to write for the magazine. I was quiet, shy, and sat in the corner. NOW, “No one puts baby in the corner.” (Sorry, old movie analogy.) But really, today I knew half of the attendees, and many hugs and kisses, were exchanged. I have become part of the amazing McKinney community and it has become a part of me. A very important part. Where else can you go where the mayor says, “Hi Toni. How are you?”

“I love that every day is a story, a celebration of life.”~Toni Andrukaitis

http://youtu.be/rw1P7gdtAeY
   

 

  
These are one of the many days that I love being a writer, an artist, and a part of the #1 Best City to live.

  

Wednesday Words of Wisdom and Families that Waddle

The bond that links your family is not one of bold, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.

~ Richard Bach

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We can learn a lot about life from the animal kingdom. They live simply, adapt to their environment, raise their families, are faithful, and protect one another, especially their young.

I’ve had the pleasure of watching a beautiful family of ducks waddle around the pond down the street on my daily walks. A couple of days ago, a new addition of little baby ducks made an appearance. The little floating balls of fluff paddled very closely to their mamma while daddy duck proudly guarded his family. A lovely sight.

   
 

Yes, nature reminds us of the true meaning of what is most important in life.

Family!

   
 

Tuesday: TOTS Table Of Talent Sisters~ Old Friends and New Friends

If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. A man should keep his friendships in constant repair.

 ~Samuel Johnson

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New friends become old friends, always making room for new friends.

~ME

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Today, our little core group of girlfriends (known as the TOTS- Table Of Talent Sisters) had an impromptu get together to celebrate Lynda’s birthday. Unless I’m in the emergency room or out of town, a quick call or text for lunch is met with…”What time and where we goin’?” That’s what girlfriends do, especially good old friends. Actually, good friends. Nobody old here.

  

So, now to a new friend. When I’m out walking everyday, I usually wave or say HI to people passing by or sitting in front of their house. It’s a new neighborhood and everyone is pretty friendly. So, last night, I passed a neighbor sitting on her front porch, enjoying a glass of wine. I trudged along and asked, “You have an extra glass for me?” As I passed, the response was,”Sure, we’ll be here.” When I passed the second time around, she asked, “Ready for your glass of wine?” I laughed and said, “I’m almost done walking, I’ll be back.”

It was starting to get dark. I finished my walk and went home. I giggled to myself, unlocked the front door, grabbed one of my hand-painted wine glasses, and walked back around the corner. I introduced myself and Darla poured me a glass of white wine. We talked for over an hour. I have a new friend and Darla has a new wine glass. She said she’d keep it ready for me.

  
  

Montage Monday: A Week in a Peek

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” 

― Albert Einstein

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Everything is a miracle!!!!!!