Friendship

Well, I was intending to continue my book study of True Love and write about the chapter titled Love is Being There. I sat down to type out my thoughts on the chapter FIVE different times. Each time I sat down to type out my thoughts, the phone would ring and it was a friend asking me how I was doing. I thought what a wonderful illustration of the chapter in motion. The basis of the chapter is that loving someone is taking time to be present, not just in body but mind also. So, if you are spending time with someone be completely with them. Don't let your thoughts or mind wander to other things but simply be present with that person. I want to take this time to thank my friends for being present with me both physically and in thought.

Thank you Marianne for the long walk, and talk over coffee. Thank you Chris, Nancy, Connie and Helen for keeping me in your thoughts and for taking the time to phone me to let me know I was in your thoughts. Thank you Fiona, Mary, and Dee for letting me know I was in your thoughts. I had each of you on my mind today and was so grateful you took the time to reach out to me.

I'm getting back into my cooking mode now. I haven't wanted to cook or bake for a while now because the person(s) that I typically want to cook for are no longer present in my life. But because of the wonderful friends who've remained constant in my life I am cooking it up this week! Log onto the blog for the recipes if you want to see what's cooking and even join me in the feasting! Or, if you just want to peruse the recipes and fix it up for yourself and your loved ones, GREAT!

Monday's Menu: Smoky Barbecue Chili! (Check the blog for the recipe YUMMY! or stop by Monday! - If you're on my blog address list you're always welcome!) Maybe warm corn muffins to go along with the chili. What do you think?

Thursday's Menu: Pork Chops with Plum Sauce and fried sweet potatoes!

Next Monday: My famous mac & cheese and a movie. I'm thinking "PS: I Love You." My new 52 inch flat screen will be installed. Can't wait ladies! It'll be a great night!

Take the time to be present in someone's life today.

Compassion, Joy and Freedom

The second element of true love is compassion, or karuna. As in yesterday's element of loving kindness, the second element means not only the desire to express compassion - but the ability to be compassionate as well. To practise compassion you must look deeply at the one you love to understand their suffering in order to help them change. It takes knowledge and understanding of the one you love to illustrate compassion.

This is probably my favorite of the 4 elements. The times I've felt the most cared about is when someone has shown me compassion. It is such an easy thing to offer. Sometimes just a smile, or a touch of a hand, a hug, or spending time listening - is all it takes to demonstrate compassion. But this little thing can mean the world to the person you love.

The third element of true love is joy, or mudita. If there is no joy, then the love isn't true. True love doesn't cause suffering, or make another person cry all the time. Rather true love, brings joy.

The fourth element of true love is freedom. In true love you attain freedom. You must love in such a way that the person feels freedom in your love. Although I think freedom comes from within oneself. I don't know that freedom can completely come from another person if you don't already feel freedom within yourself.

Tomorrow, I'll discuss the second chapter of True Love titled Being There.

Unconditional Love

Did you ever see such a look of unconditional love? As you may have noticed from my last blog post "Putting on a Brave Face" I've been facing some trying times. With these trying times, I've been feeling unattractive and well...to be honest a bit unlovable. Although I know that is not true, at times those feelings creep up. So, to help myself heal and remind myself of how much love I have around me and within me - I'm going to post photographs of times that remind me of the wonderfulness of giving and receiving love. This photo came to mind right away. I was trying to get Sparky to look at the camera but all he wanted to do was adore me. How wonderful is that?

I'm also reading a book called True Love and I'll post something from it each day, as well as something from a book I'm reading about healing a broken heart. So, my theme for the upcoming weeks is going to be a bit self-indulgent. Well, more self-indulgent than a blog about myself is anyhow. I'm laughing at that notion.

According to Buddhism there are four elements of true love. Today I'll focus on the first which is called Maitri which means loving-kindness or benevolence. Maitri is both the desire to bring joy and happiness to the one(s) you love via loving and kind acts, but also the ability to bring joy and happiness to the one(s) you love. According to Buddhism it takes training to love properly. One way to train yourself to love properly is to practise looking deeply into the person(s) you love to truly see and understand them. It is in this understanding of who that person is that enables one to have the ability to bring forth joy and happiness to that person. Because you will truly understand what their needs are and have both the desire and ability to meet those needs. Without understanding love is impossible, but love is a true thing when it is made up of understanding. (True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh)

In your relationship be sure to look at the one you love to truly understand who they are. Conversely, ask yourself is that person truly loving you and understanding who you truly are.
If you are nursing an aching heart right now, just remember if your beloved isn't able to see and appreciate the fantastic person you are than don't let the door hit them on the way out.

More to come tomorrow I'll post about the second element of true love, compassion.

Have a day full of loving kindness by expressing to someone you love an interest in understanding who they truly are.

I feel the need to call this "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy" from the old SNL skit.(lol)

Putting on a Brave Face

Life is made up of people who enhance our lives by bringing us joy, bringing us laughter, bringing us love and showing us kindess and generosity. Some show us a better side of ouselves that we didn't even know we had. Others show us empathy and sensitivity which helps to uplift us when we need someone's strength to lean on. But, there are others who bring us pain and sorrow. These people also show us a side of ourselves we didn't know we had good, or bad. I suppose all roles are necessary and life gives us the good with the bad. The bad helps us recognize and appreicate the good. Without a good cry, I couldn't completely appreciate a hearty laugh or moment of joy. To those who've made me cry. Thank you. Thank you for giving me the harmonious balance of feeling life deeply. I choose for myself today to be a source of joy, laughter and love to those that pass my way. I no longer have time for people who settle themselves in sorrow and want to wrap that chain of misery around my waist and drag me down with them. The chains are broken and I'm light as a feather, soaring free as a bird.

Here are some friends that share love, joy and laughter with me. Who have lent me their shoulders to cry on and given me strength when I couldn't find any on my own. Thank you! And Kelly - Here's to a wonderful life journey with the man you love. May it be filled with joy, laughter, love, kindess and passion!

Food and Cable Cars a Good Stress Reliever

Well life has dished me out plenty to be stressed about lately. So, I turn to the two things that give me comfort these days. Food and Alcohol. For those who know me you'll get a good laugh because you know I rarely drink, but do eat plenty! Well due to circumstances beyond my control, a crazy world producing crazy children who make my life, well generally crazy these days has led me to knitting, cooking and yes DRINKING - to alleviate some of the stress. Maybe you can think of a better stress reliever, but some of us must be a bit more creative.

Okay. Tonights destresser was chuck roast, sweet potatoes, onions and carrots in the crockpot stewing in it's wonderful juices all day. Seasoned with Worsteseir sauce, A-1 steak sauce, steak seasoning, a bit of red wine and rum, then just simmer and stew all day. Well, when I came home the house smelled delicious and my cable car called my name. Whom am I to deny it's call?

To those of you who think I've gone off the deep end and am drinking alone. Never fear. Chris joined in. The cable cars were beckoning to her as well. Well, either they were or my frantic phone call saying I've had a really bad day can you come over was. And, no I haven't completely turned into a lush. I'm still a lightweight with my first glasss 1/4 full 3 hours later. Now I am off to knitting another wonderful scarf. Thank God for crockpots, sweet potatoes, rum and little magic plastic wonds of destresser, a.ka. knitting needles. Those close to me will benefit this winter from the fruits of my pent up labor.

When my camera's battery is off it's sabatical I'll post pics of the bountiful feasts I've been fixing and the tremendous scarfs I've been knitting. I know you're white knuckled waiting for the photos of these riveting sights!

Cheers and Bon Apetit! Wish you were here feasting and drinking with me. Anyone spare a Pocket Full of Sunshine?

Tonights Menu

Well, I didn't take any pictures of tonights menu but thought I would share it with you anyhow because it was simply so wonderful! If you want the recipe, or cooking instructions for anything on the menu, just send me a comment.

Tonights menu: Cable Car Martinis (of course!), Boneless BBQ pork ribs (marinated 24 hrs, tender and juicy!), Acorn squash stuffed with baked apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter, and a touch of maple syrup (OMG!), corn on the cob baked in foil, so sweet and juicy!

Thank you Nancy for feasting with me!

Next Monday Texas BBQ chili with pork, beef and chipotles. Can't wait!

A weekend of Cable Cars, Family, Friends, Love, Laughter, Dancing and Fun!

My great niece Nevaya. She thought it was the coolest thing to be up high in the "tall" chairs.

Naomi just wanted to be a good aunt and love up to her little niece!

Kadin and Naomi are sure enjoying their candied apples. But it looks like someone behind Naomi is about to enjoy their Cable Car Martini even more!

Proudly displaying the evidence of having just enjoyed a carmel apple!

My nephew Dustin and his wife Aubree. Such a beautiful couple aren't they? No pressure Dustin and Aubree, but you two would have beautiful children!

Amanda and Naomi taking in a waft of Scentsy wax.

Naomi, little wonder of Grace smelling another scent.

My two wonderful nieces Desaree and Amanda sharing a laugh.

Bud is trying to explain just how Sarah Palin manages to get that perfect coif every time.

Little bundles of sweetness.

Sparky and Kadin share a special bond. Especially when Kadin has something to eat in his hand!

The gang! We don't all get together near often enough. Thank you Aubree, Amanda, Desaree and Dustin for coming over for dinner. I miss you and love it whenever we can spend time together! Kadin, Naomi, Nevaya and Little Bobbi enjoying themselves immensly!

Can you tell they are related? Look at those smiles! I'm a happy aunt indeed!

Like I said. I'm a happy aunt!

Family get togethers aren't like they used to be. Once we thumbed through magazines, or played card and board games. Now we get out the laptops and research world affairs. I'm sure that's what Mom and Sherri are doing.

Meanwhile Kadin is doing his work the old fashioned way, with a pen and whiteboard.

In the background you can see Naomi moving onto technology. No time for pens and whiteboards. She's got bigger ideas.

I think she's trying to see how Obama will solve global warming and universal healthcare.

Like daughter, like mother.

Auntee Desi and baby Roberto/Bobbi.
How blessed I am with family and friends to enlighten and enrich my life. This should be all the partying I'll do until Thanksgiving. Check back often for recipes coming to a blog near you!

2008's Harvest Party

My good friend Marianne. A great walking and talking partner. Thank you Marianne for all the miles you've shared with me!

Nancy helped us kick off the fall season by being the best Cable Car Martiniti Mixologist in town!

As I've said, the fall is my favorite season. So, I decided to have a party to celebrate my favorite season with some of my favorite friends. We ate, laughed, talked, DANCED, and had a super fantastic time. I am so glad Lori, Nancy, Chris, Marriane, Jean and My mom could make it. My party was a great success due to great friends like Chris and Mom for helping set things up. Thank you to Nancy for preparing martinis! Thank you to Lori for bringing the salad and to Marriane for bringing the wonderful croissants which we'll enjoy at breakfast! What's a party without food! Here we are getting ourselves served up.

Bon Apetit'!

Jean and I enjoying the Cable Car's that Nancy prepared.

Chris proudly displaying her Cable Car!

My famous Mac & Cheese. Tune back in a day or so for the recipe. I'll post it on this blog.

Nancy's mixology lab.

Lori's awesome salad and Mom's beautiful display. Yummy candied apples waiting for the taking.

Enjoying the harvest meal. Pumpkin soup, mac & cheese, salad and of course Cable Car Martinis.

Great friends and just all around wonderful ladies that make my life infinitely better!
Nancy, Chris and Jean.

Cheers!

Okay Jean, move the hand up. I think you've had too many cable cars! (-:

Lori and Chris, such beautiful smiles!

My wonderful one of a kind mom! She helped me soooo very much prepare for this party. The sweetest lady to walk the planet with a heart bigger than than the universe.

Nancy and Lori contemplated how to solve the worlds issues.

Chris and Marianne just say "Eat, Love Pray. It'll all be okay!"

Just happy to be spending time together. Or just happy to be drinking martinis!

Warming up for our big night out dancing.

Making sure everything is in place before heading out to DANCE.

Ohhhh! Dancing, finally! Baby boomers dance. Even though technically, I'm not a baby boomer. I danced my socks off anyway!

Nancy having the time of her life.

Sharing a laugh and a jig.

Marianne and Chris. New friends having a great time at the dance.

Jean showing off her skills.

Jean looking like all is well in the world.

No one can shake her booty like Chris.

Good friends and making connections is what life is all about. These ladies have each taught me that in one way or another. Thank you! To my friends who couldn't make it. You were sorely missed and we thought about you, and talked about you....just a little. Mostly how much we missed your presence.

My niece Emily with my nephew Kadin, both just hamming it up! Does it get any sweeter?

With my sisters Sherri, and Lori. Lori is trying her best to keep her eyes open. They seem to magically disappear whenever a camera is in sight. This is after our meal at Chipotles which we had after the Dave Ramsey Seminar on Saturday. Thank you Lori and Paul for inviting me. A life changing experience!

I just thought this was a funny picture. We were trying to figure out how to work the timer on camera.

Paul finally got it working and could join us in the picture. Paul is the biggest man in the photo and married to the littlest girl. Opposites create balance and harmony. So, I guess they are very balanced and harmonious together!

Sherri looking very lovely showing off her "buyers remorse" purchase. The purse she loved until she got it home. Oh well Sherri. We all pay "stupid tax" as Dave Ramsey says. Although the purse is lovely.

Some of my favorite reds in the fall that I passed by on my Sunday walk with Dear Sparky.

More beautiful foliage from my Sunday walk.

Sparky waiting for me on the trail. Such a gentlemen. He's waiting for me to catch up. This is my favorite part of my weekend walks, going through this small patch of woods.

Sparky leading the way.

Helen, these photos are for you to live the season vicariously!

I'll just say it one last time. I love the red foliage.