A Few Clicks on the Clock

Thanksgiving is a day of family, food, football, fun, and gratitude.  I'm a big believer in finding gratitude in every moment of the day...even when it's not my initial instinct.  It can feel like a challenge sometimes, and I'm not saying I always succeed, but I can usually look back and find a little parcel of positivity for which to be thankful.

It's easy for me to recount the more momentous events and reasons for my gratitude this year: a new job for my husband, pretty good health for my 2 and 4-legged family members, my kids' success in school, memorable moments with friends and family, meeting new friends in the blogosphere and the opportunity to attend BlogPaws, a fantastic 40th (gasp) birthday party...  But how about the little things that happen each and every day?  Are they really any less significant?  Do they impact our lives any less than the principal events and situations that initially pop into our minds?  Sure, the bigger moments may feel more monumental, but it's the tiny trickles that build a day, that mold our mood, and that keep us traversing time.  Sometimes these trickles become a part of a larger scenario, but many times they do not.  They are simply a few clicks on the clock.  

The past few days I've been trying to remain especially conscious of these moments -- here are a few of them:

• Last night I covered our fresh-baked pies with a towel and then Saffy proceeded to step across the towel, in search of a pre-Thanksgiving snack.  I'm grateful that there was a towel between her paws and the pies.  I am also grateful for the funny image of her walking across the pies.  Thank You.

• A few days ago we discovered the heater in my van would only work properly when the vehicle was in motion.  As soon as we stopped at a light, cold air poured from the vent.  This was not a particularly cozy feeling on a 20 degree Minnesota morning.  Yesterday the heat suddenly began working again.  Thank You.

• I just realized that, since I dusted and vacuumed on Tuesday, I won't have to do it again today before our family arrives for dinner.  I love it when housework doesn't even make it on to my to-do list!  Thank You.

• Cosmo slept under the covers with me last night and rested his little paw on my leg.  The feeling was so sweet that I remained in that position for much longer than my body was comfortable.  Thank You.

• I found a matching set of purple gloves and a scarf that I forgot I had.  They are incredibly soft, warm, and they are my favorite color! I felt elated when I found these -- like I'd just received a gift.  I guess I did.  Thank You.

• My husband went out in the blustery, snowy weather yesterday afternoon to pick up our Thanksgiving rolls from the bakery.  He's such a good guy.  Thank You.

• When we went for our family photo a few nights ago, my teenage son made a solid attempt at removing the wrinkles from his shirt by tossing it in the dryer for ten minutes.  It looked mostly wrinkle-free and none of the photos were close-ups.  Thank You.

• My teenage daughter played a song for me that she says she sings to our Phoebe most every night.  The thought of her lying on the bed, singing sweetly to our kitty made my heart feel crazy-full.  My kids love animals.  Thank You.

I could go on and on, but the point is I want to stop and fully experience these blips in time.  They may not be situations we recall ten years from now, but they are what's happening right now.  Those clicks on the clock are the make-up of our lives.  I want to savor those seconds. 

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!  Whether or not you celebrate this holiday, please know that I am grateful for each and every one of you!

In Gratitude,
Angie

Faces of Happy

In yesterday's entry, I posted a crankypants picture of Cosmo and indicated that cats never have to try and hide their feelings.  Cats make the best irritated faces, don't they?  They also make the most heart-melting, sweet, blissed-out happy faces.  I like those even better than the airplane-eared, narrowed-eyes look!

For your Sunday pleasure, I give you Faces of Feline Felicity!

Phoebe, settling into dreams of thieving Mama's new little black cardigan...

Saffy, staring longingly at the butter dish across the kitchen counter....

Even Cosmo slips on a pair of happypants now and again...especially when Mama offers up the neck scritches.

And as a special treat, because I'm feeling extra-generous, here's a bonus shot of dangling kitty feet.  You're welcome.

Now go get your happy on!!

Paws for Peace!

 

Is peace possible?  I think so...even in small ways.  Today I am participating in the Blog Blast for Peace, a creation of Mimi Lenox, who believes in the power of the word and the strength of the blog to spread powerful messages like this one.

How often do we allow our focus to linger on our differences instead of the similarities that bind us together?  Maybe we don't have the same political or religious views, but we can probably agree that we love to watch our children succeed, we thrive on love and acceptance, and we giggle watching our cats wiggle around in boxes. 

My three cats rarely (if ever) occupy the same space.  Check out the picture at the top of this post.  Behold, the power of the chipmunk!  See...a single common interest can bring even the most unlikely friends together, if only for a short time.  

So Catladyland's message is this:  When you feel frustrated about someone's beliefs or opinions, stop and look for something on which you can connect.  I'm pretty sure that we are never going agree with everyone 100% of the time, but we can find that common spark.  It's a small thing, but I call that peace.

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Urge to Merge

One of my biggest pet peeves is aggressive driving -- I call these drivers Road Bullies. They tail you, cut you off, don't let you merge, and basically act like the road is their personal NASCAR track. Not only do I feel aggravated by their inconsiderate behind-the-wheel etiquette, I feel a touch of pity for them because I know that their bully-behavior is nothing more than a metaphor for their lives in general. I have a feeling that these individuals have a serious superiority complex and need a swift kick in the tailpipe from Miss Manners.

Why am I ranting about Road Bullies? Because today I was bullied by someone I'll call Red Truck. I was driving in the fast lane of a highway (ten miles over the posted speed limit) and suddenly this giant red Dodge Ram was digging its horns into the rear of my little car. I couldn't move to the other lane because there was no opening and I refused to drive any faster. Red Truck was obviously angry and tailed as close as he possibly could before he was actually mating with my car. I'm serious -- there was some serious heavy petting going on.

Fast forward a mile or two and I saw signs that the left lane would soon be closing, due to construction. We would have to merge. I was ready to get out from under Red Truck anyway so I welcomed the impending merge. I turned on my blinker just in time to prevent Red Truck's head explosion and looked for an opportunity to switch lanes. A very kind and polite car I'll call Blue Oldsmobile slowed down and I shifted to join the slower traffic next door. Red Truck gunned his giant engine (compensating for something, perhaps?) and zipped past me so he didn't have to merge until the every last minute. As we approached the final cut-off, where the two lanes officially become one, the do-or-die moment in merge-world, I saw him frantically trying to move to my lane. Red Rover, Red Rover, Red Truck can't get over -- no one was letting the Road Bully into the game. As I zoomed past, I saw him in my rear-view mirror, his angry blinker pulsing to the beat of the happy tune on my radio.

Dear Red Truck,
Wherever you are tonight, I send you peace, love, and some chamomile tea to help you relax. Life is too short -- enjoy the ride, Red Truck.

Love, Sweet Justice

Dollops of Delight

Lately, I've been thinking about gratitude and all the things I love about my life. Because I'm feeling ooey-gooey and always looking for another opportunity to create a list, I give you 20 odd little dollops of delight that I absolutely adore.

1. Looking into the refrigerator or pantry and finding exactly what I am hungry for at the time
2. Listening to the very end of a great song just as I'm pulling into the driveway
3. The smell of a lilac bush
4. Dipping a potato chip into baked beans (see #1)
5. Finding a misplaced list and realizing I can cross-off multiple items
6. The cat-spit smell of my cats' fur
7. Reaching into my vortex of a purse and locating my keys right away (this is in contrast to the all-too-frequent event of having to dump my entire purse on the floor, curse, and finally locate my keys)
8. Watching Monty Python's Flying Circus with my kids and laughing our bums off
9. Watching Breakfast at Tiffany's by myself and crying at the end
10. That excited feeling when I've found something in common with a friend
11. Watching and listening to chubby little chickadees
12. Writing with a purple pen
13. Getting a strong cup of coffee and walking around the farmer's market early in the morning with John
14. The smell and taste of jasmine rice
15. A giant bucket of French fries at the State Fair
16. Becoming completely entranced and fascinated with beautiful poetry
17. Acting so completely silly with my friends that other people politely walk (run) away
18. Making up and listening to ridiculous puns
19. The thought of hugging a miniature horse
20. The feeling of waking up, thinking it's time to get up for the day, and realizing I still have six hours to sleep

I could think of at least two dozen more things, but I seriously feel the need to whip up some baked beans...

Lost and Found

There's always such an odd little collection of things in a Lost and Found: a single mitten, a pair of sunglasses with one missing lens, a Beanie Baby, a lone key... I love it when I actually find something that belongs to me. It tells me that someone cared enough to pick up a wayward item, think that someone may miss it, and then take it to a safe place where the person may come looking for it.

Delivering something to the Lost and Found is a way of showing human kindness toward someone you've never even met and will likely never be able to thank you in person. I think that's pretty cool. So return something lost and find some good karma, friends.

Bites of Bliss

I was just thinking about those perfect little nuggets of time...those momentary glimpses of complete joy that fill my heart with so much happiness that I think I might burst with bliss. I treasure those twinkles. Just now Phoebe the cat was curled in my lap and I was stroking her silky tabby/calico coat. She looked up at me with those sweet, sleepy, adoring kitty eyes and I melted. That's the kind of moment I want to remember when I'm running late for work, spill coffee on my pants, and step barefoot in warm cat puke.

And there are many other of these flashes of euphoria. What is more satisfying than biting into a square of waffle that is completely filled with that exquisite elixir of warm syrup and melted butter? And speaking of butter, and as long as I'm food-swooning, how about the little caverns in English muffins that capture that melty buttery goodness? Now that's a glimpse of heaven.

I also love that feeling when I look at my Scrabble rack and realize I can create a perfect BINGO. My heart jumps, my eyes widen, and then I triumphantly place the tiles. To me, that feeling is pure elation.

Other momentary peeks of paradise include finding an unexpected parking space directly in front of a store, receiving a Facebook friend request from someone wonderful that I haven't heard from in years, finding money in a coat pocket, receiving thoughtful texts from my husband, when my 12 and 14 year old kids snuggle toward me on the sofa, the first application of brand new lipstick, seeing a card hand-addressed to me in the mailbox, hearing a refrain in a song that lures me into a perfect nostalgic trance, and climbing into bed that's just been made with freshly cleaned sheets.

There are so many more instants that elicit such ecstasy -- I'm certain I take most of them for granted. I'd like to bask in the glow of those moments more often. I want to take notice and allow myself to steep in that golden gratitude for a good long while. If that means I need to start eating more waffles, then so be it.

Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition

I've made a few changes over the past year: I let my hair grow, I got new glasses, I learned to sew clothing...I even changed my hair color! I figured it was time to give my little blog a makeover as well.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, right? I also thought that I'd be more motivated to write if I looked forward to seeing the pretty new colors and cute Phoebe paw images on my page. See, I'm very visually stimulated, to the point where my husband ends up saying, "They're just paper towels -- who cares about the pattern? Just pick one and let's go!" Oh, contraire! If I'm going to mop up piles of cat puke, I'd much rather use a paper towel adorned with cute birdies and daffodils -- visually pleasing and functional! Don't you think? I knew you'd agree.

Some of you know that, by nature, I am a great project starter. I sometimes (many times) create so much excitement for myself when an idea pops in my head and then somewhere down the creative highway, I stall. I have found that I need to find new ways to motivate myself and keep things fresh and new. Honestly, I'm completely blown away that I've actively maintained this blog for 16 straight months. That's longer than I've concentrated on any other creative endeavor (not counting my ongoing efforts at creatively figuring out ways to avoid housework).

So...if something like this blog can maintain my interest for nearly a year and a half, I believe she deserves a little facelift. If she continues to woo my creative affections, perhaps next year I'll take her on a Caribbean cruise!

Happy Anniversary to Two-in-a-Million!

Today is the 45th wedding anniversary of Harlan and Maureen Bailey and for nearly 19 years, I've enjoyed the privilege of being their one and only daughter-in-law. Some people can't stand to be around their in-laws and dread family gatherings, but I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Truly, I couldn't ask for a better pair of second-parents.

* They welcomed me into their home when I moved from Florida to Minnesota... after only having met me a couple of times a few months earlier. If only they'd known how weird I am, they may have rescinded their invitation...

* They are generous beyond compare, in every imaginable way.

* They adore my children and want to spend time with them. Maureen has even mastered the tricky art of picking out clothes that Katie loves. And she always finds a good sale!

* Harlan can never talk about holding Katie for this first time without getting tears. This is also true for when he talks about the first time she said, "Papa."

* They are cat people. They love their grandcats and dote on them as every good grandparent should do. When Phoebe does something silly, I always want to call Maureen because I know she will laugh too.

* They are thoughtful. They remember everything, keep track of the events in our lives, and always ask about them. I feel loved.

* When we visit in the afternoon, they always have good snacks. And Harlan makes a mean pitcher of sangria.

* They love me like a daughter. In fact, Harlan often says that he had to send John to Florida in order for him to get a daughter. I feel happy when he says that.

* They are tolerant and forgiving. As far as family dynamics go, this is golden.

* They gave me my first sewing machine and it has brought me so much pleasure. It lasted almost 20 years and sewed its final stitch last month. They recently called and told me they want to buy me a new one. They did this because they love me and like to contribute to my happiness. That's just how they roll...

* They raised a son who is sensitive, generous, funny, tolerant, thoughtful, and loving. This alone has forever changed my life.

I could go on and on... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am so grateful for their presence in my life. I know there are plenty of times when I didn't say it or show it, but I love and appreciate both of them more than they know. Happy Anniversary!

Everday Gratitude: Bring on the Prancing Horses

On Thanksgiving, it's pretty typical for us to express gratitude for significant parts of our lives: family, health, friends, pets, bacon... you know, the important stuff. I am grateful every day for these gifts; however, I am also a big believer in regular appreciation for the little things. I once read something that felt really significant to me and I seriously try and remember this as often as my sometimes-chaotic brain allows me. The concept is to express gratitude all day long, even for the tiny things. You score a great parking spot -- thank you. You easily find the specific brand of chocolate chips for which you are looking -- thank you. You grab the last piece of chocolate cake before the kids clutch it with their grubby little hands -- thank you. Did I just use two chocolate references? Boy, do I love chocolate -- thank you. Sometimes I say it out loud and sometimes I internally breathe it in, but either way, I feel a rush of peacefulness through my body each and every time. If I've learned anything on my near-40 year hike on this topsy-turvy trail, it's that gratitude is the one true-tested way that I can instantly find peace even in the darkest of times.

As I lay in bed this morning, I thought about some of the little day-to-day things for which I am thankful. Here's a sprinkling of grateful to go with your mashed potatoes and gravy.

* A couple of years ago I realized that I could attach a Target bag between the two front seats of my van. This makes a great trash receptacle... when my children choose to use it -- thank you.

* My cats are not nocturnal. They go to sleep with us and wake up with us, thus allowing their people many hours of peaceful slumber. I know not all cat families are that lucky and deal with what sounds like Kitty UFC all though the night -- thank you.

* My route to work doesn't involve any highway time. Do you know what I see on my drive to work (when it's light outside)? I see mules, mini donkeys, mini horses, rustic farm houses, and corn. One day I may also see my van drive into a corn field because I am busy watching the mini horses prance and play. Seriously... have you seen a mini horse prance? Instant jolt of happy -- thank you.

* The first sip of magical coffee in the morning... that's all I have to say about that -- thank you.

* Sometimes I hear the perfect song at the precise time that I need to hear a specific message. It's a symphony of synchronicity and it happens all the time -- thank you.

I could keep typing for days -- really, when I look for the good, I find it. Not every moment of every day is picture perfect -- sometimes far from it. But when I notice the shiny parts, my life just feels more meaningful and I realize how truly blessed I am -- THANK YOU!