"Enough"

I remember being a kid, but old enough to recognize when my parent's birthdays were coming around, or around the holidays... you know, when you're old enough to think about what gifts to give your folks ...

Anyway, I remember asking my mom or my dad what they wanted, and they always seemed to say some version of "Oh, honey, I don't need anything."

And I can still feel how amazed I was at that! What?!?? You don't WANT anything??!?? Who doesn't WANT stuff??!? I mean, come on, I was maybe twelve.

So, o.k., I'm not twelve anymore.

And I get it.

"Enough" really is enough! In the last three years I've gone from an eight room house to a one bedroom condo, and along the way I've given over twenty-six packing-size boxes of "stuff" to the Goodwill, the kidney foundation resale shop, or to FISH (which everyone knows is where my mom volunteers 3+ days a week!).

So, basically, I've got a tiny kitchen, a dining room/living room, a huge bedroom, and a bathroom. And a couple of decks.

But really, I still need to get rid of some more stuff.

Like the clothes I truly don't wear. Really. How long do I really need to hold onto clothes I have not worn in two years??? Or jewelry I never really liked to begin with? Well, o.k., I have to say I've divested myself of quite a bit of (ugly!) jewelry since the Big "D". But still, I could get rid of more.

But the kicker is -- I go to the grocery store, and the gas station, and that's about it.

I'm just not that entertained by shopping anymore, much less in accumulating more "stuff".
I love what I have.

So I get it.

When you have what you love in your life, you have enough!

God love and bless all you wonderful people who make my life more than "enough"!

Be nice to the birds

It's been a week of 90+ degrees in St. Louis.....

And I'm hoping you all are putting out water for the birds. It's just one little thing we can each do to help out the cardinals, the finches, the chickadees, and, yes, even the pigeons and bluejays. As much as I hate the pigeons and really get annoyed at the bluejays, yes, even they get the water.

And all of my leftover french fries.

Which, really, the cardinals go crazy for. Go figure.

Gratitude

Sometimes, you just have to throw your hands up and walk away.

And then, express gratitude.

It changes the focus.

It occupies the space and diverts the energy and redirects the attention formerly being occupied, expended and paid to a negative situation. The anger, frustration, whatever! are dislodged from any moorings they might have had and are replaced with calm.

So throw your hands up, and walk away.

And then be grateful.

Coffee with the Girlfriends

Tomorrow morning two good girlfriends will show up around 10 am for coffee and talk. What could be better?

I gave in and went to the store for some pre-made goodies, put a bottle of cheap champagne and some not-from-concentrate o.j. (hey, cheap champagne is one thing - crappy o.j. is a whole 'nother thing!) right next to it, and all I'll have to do is crush some ice and put on a pot o'joe. What, you've never had mimosas and coffee??

The fact that my house isn't spotless, and I'm still here writing on my blog instead of cleaning, must be a testament to something. Maybe I just care less about having a spotless home. Maybe I'm tired. Maybe, in the long run, I've come to realize that when I visit my friends, I don't really notice if the carpet is freshly vacuumed, or if the picture frames have a spotless sparkle.

I notice how happy we all are to be together, talking, laughing, and sharing our lives.

Yep. I think that's it.