I Was At Woodstock - Anyway It Felt Like Woodstock

My husband and I got to go to concert one week ago. The line-up was Richie Havens, Judy Collins, Crosby, Stills and Nash. I had so much fun.

Anyway, the lady sitting beside me started to get excited too when C,S,&N started singing. We wanted to charge the stage. These guys can still sing and Stephen Stills was amazing on the guitar.

Too bad God didn't design us to go back in time and visit every once in a while.

Enjoy a little of the past with me. 1969 at Woodstock.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzF_MoXOU1E&feature=related

Lovey

Reading Shannon

I am reading the book Shannon by Frank Delaney. Actually, I'm listening to the audio book. Anyway, tonight I pulled in to the driveway right as the book was about to end. I was miserable. Should I sit in the car and listen to the rest or save the ending for my trip to work in the morning. I decided to save it. Anyway, I hope the ending is explosive and not simply like the blowing out of a candle. When a book leads me to believe there is going to be a some great climax, but the author decides to wind up all the loose ends in 2-3 sentences, I get really mad.

Crossing my fingers that by 9:00 in the morning I will say, "What a great book."

Lovey

Just Sitting

Always looking forward keeps you mentally busy and can be really tiresome. For some reason I've been under the impression that I will always have enough time in my life to do the things I want to do, so the planning in my head never stops. Growing older never seemed real, but now reality is setting in. I'm not that old, but boy does every day get a little harder.

I wonder about those people who are just sitting on their porch as you drive by in the country. They're not reading a book, not texting, not watching tv, and they don't look like they're getting ready to get up and go anywhere. Just sitting. They might raise their hand for a wave when they see someone pass by or on the other hand, there may be no indication that they notice anyone or anything around them. How do they do it? Maybe they're exhausted from hard work like everyone else, but they have sense enough to know when to recognize the need to stop pushing and call it a day.

I bet when you are able to sit and relax without constant interference, the days seem a little longer and the years don't whiz by. A sitters life might seem 20 or 30 years longer than one of the busy bees who must always be in motion. An extra 20 or 30 years might not be too bad, so maybe someday I'll stop and ask for a lesson in just sitting. It might not be easy, but I'm teachable.


Lovey

Amazed

I am amazed by the fact that through blogs, Facebook, online games, Twitter, etc. it is possible to communicate with people near and far, quickly and often. How wonderful to live in a time when it is possible to share common interests with someone thousands of miles away, someone that you will probably never meet in person.

To those of you who have read my blog, thank you for spending time listening to the result of a mind that wanders often. It is also fun for me to read about your day, how faith is so important to your life, about your growing children and grandchildren, good reads, lovely pictures, and all the other joys that are shared.

Keep reading and writing and I will try to do the same.

Lovey

Toast

I just ate toast for supper. That's right. Toast. When I can't think of anything else or the idea of other foods makes me a little queasy, I go to my old standby. My closest friends know this "is" or at least "is one" of my favorite things to eat.

Could I be more boring?

Lovey

Feeling Good

Today is a good day.

It is the first day of spring and a time of opportunity.

I am so happy to say that my life will be changing soon and for the better. Woo Hoo!!!!!!

2010 Travels

Another new year and I slept through the festivities because I have been sick for a week. Anyway, I'm happy to look forward to the coming events of this year. Some travel plans so far...

I'm heading to Florida at the end of this month for work. The days aren't confirmed yet.

I hope to go to Atlanta sometime this month or the first of February. I miss my friend there a lot so as soon as I feel better, I'm going.

In June I'm going to take my mom to Iowa for the 2010 Capitol Heights reunion. The gang from Capitol Heights grew up together during the 30's 40's 50's and though many have moved away or passed away, there is still excitement as they meet at the United Methodist Church they attended as children. Can't wait to go and hear the stories about my mom, aunt, and uncles.

In July I will undoubtedly go to The Upper Room's yearly gathering called "Soulfeast." A week of singing, worship, and workshops in the North Carolina mountains. Since I'm a worker bee I don't get to the workshops, but it is still a time for me to grow spiritually. Even though it is a great deal of much work for so many people it is worth it. The event is open to people of all denominations, adults and children.

July will be the maiden voyage for my husband, brother, sister-in-law and myself to begin taking 1-2 trips a year to various ball parks in the US. It is my brother's dream to see them all so we begin in Chicago. Should be fun and I plan to take an architectural tour. I've only been to Chicago once and took the buildings tour. Now I want to see various neighborhoods. Yes!

My husband would love to go back to Las Vegas. We had fun in November, so I think shooting for another November trip should be in the plans.

Lovey

Laziest Blogger

I am committed to blogging at least one sentence quarterly.

Breaking all the blogging rules.


Lovey

Off For A Few Days

I will not think about work. I will not think about work. I will not think about work.

I'm going to have to repeat this over and over to enjoy a few days off. I hope it works and I will not think about work!!!!

Lovey

Planes

I am heading to Florida for work tomorrow. It is okay with me, but I don't like planes. Unlike many others, it is not because I'm afraid of crashing. It is because of the re-cycled air and the need to sit right on top of each other in a tube shooting through the air. It gives me a headache and when others says their ears have popped open after landing, mine don't recover from the air pressure change for hours.

So to get through it I have Dramamine and Earplanes ear plugs. I end up being very smiley and lazy with 2 blue rubber "springs" sticking out of my ears. It ain't pretty!

Lovey

Family Connections

It has been over 25 years since I have talked to some of my cousins. Who would have thought that Facebook would have brought us together. Writing letters, the telephone, and visiting used to be the way we made contact. Writing became cumbersome, telephone calls were expensive, and visiting relatives spread across the country took too much time.

I'm happy that Facebook has given me the opportunity to say hello and even schedule some visits with my family. I just think it is very weird that we now communicate almost entirely through computers.

Lovey

My Struggle With God

I've heard people say "You know that you know that you know." That is the only way that I can believe in God.

There are days when I don't know if I really believe in Christianity and want to become a Buddhist. Other days I want to reject all religion because I start to think it is just too much trouble. It is too hard to follow the rules. Don't covet, love others as yourself, yada yada yada. I wonder if even Billy Graham felt this way on occasion. Did he get up to the microphone and preach on days when he didn't really know if there is a God or just wanted to go home and take care of his own business.

My maiden name is Thomas and it is sure reflective of the "doubting Thomas" attitude I have had throughout my life. But, I often remember the time when my little 7 & 8 year olds in Sunday School asked, "How do you know God is really there?" I responded with no doubt, you feel God in your heart. And they all nodded knowingly.

So there it is. I doubt. I don't doubt. I doubt. I don't doubt. But in the end, I know that I know that I know.

Lovey

Fr. John Corapi

I can't sleep. I'm going to be tired in the morning, but there is nothing I can do about it.

I watched Father John Corapi a little earlier this evening on TV and he spoke about having a conscience. He said if a person doesn't use their conscience it is the same as letting a body part weaken. The more it weakens, the less you can use it. Letting one bad thing into your life weakens the conscience and soon other wrongs don't seem so bad. Finally the conscience is so weakened that wrongs seem normal and right.

Thanks Father Corapi for shooting straight with your listeners. You don't tell them what they want to hear, but what you know they should hear.

Father Corapi is going to be in Buffalo, NY August 15. I would have love to hear him speak in person but have already scheduled other plans. I'll just keep watching on the TV.

Father Corapi's website link is: http://www.fathercorapi.com/about.aspx
Here is the link to spiritual 911: http://www.fathercorapi.com/PDF/911.pdf

For those of you who are having trouble sleeping, an evening prayer.

O eternal God and Ruler of all creation, You have allowed me to reach this hour. Forgive the sins I have committed this day by word, deed or thought. Purify me, O Lord, from every spiritual and physical stain. Grant that I may rise from this sleep to glorify You by my deeds throughout my entire lifetime, and that I be victorious over every spiritual and physical enemy. Deliver me, O Lord, from all vain thoughts and from evil desires, for yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen. (By Saint Macarius)

Lovey

Junior High

We didn't call it middle school then. The top pic as at the Grand Canyon. I was having such a good time! I had my hair pulled back in a braid and my moccasins on. I sewed this dress myself and as you can see, I knew how to hem. I am very unfriendly looking, but that is because I have always hated having my picture taken. I was hard pressed to find a pic that was close-up. Also, this is the year I decided to color my hair. I became a blonde. Nine months later I had longer hair and it looked like I was considering smiling. The one at the bottom is in happier days when hair was not an issue as long as your wore a cowgirl hat.

Lovey

The Tennessee River

The Tennessee River is 652 miles long and snakes from the east side of Knoxville south to Chattanooga and in to Alabama. It then flows to create a border between Alabama and Mississippi before it moves northward again, back to Tennessee. I chose a picture of the river for the header of my blog because I think it is beautiful as it winds its way through the mountains and my son is a diver and works on the locks and dams of the river. For those of you who ever have the opportunity go to a UT VOLS football home game, you will find the river accessorized by large numbers of boats, floating in to Knoxville arrayed in Big Orange and White. The areas between Knoxville and Chattanooga have also become filled with resort-like communities on the river. In Chattanooga the river flows through the middle of town and can be viewed from a beautiful pedestrian bridge. I love this area of the country and I'm so glad that it is just a couple of hours away.

Always Looking Forward?

Well, everybody. I say that I am always looking forward, but after the last post I did take a very short trip down memory lane. Here I am in 1978 - 21 years old. The funny thing is I think I'm having a better time now. It was not easy going through the growing pains of becoming an adult. You can't see them, but my husband is sitting beside me and I'm holding my 9 month old daughter.

As I said, it is much easier being me now, but I wouldn't mind having my old body back. LOL

Lovey

Still Rockin' It

In the 1970s I loved listening to Ann and Nancy Wilson, Heart. When they performed Straight On For You, I was hooked.

Today I saw the two of them on a satellite concert special and the girls still have it. Yes, they are near 60, but don't be fooled by their chronological age. They are "still rockin'it."

It made me think about all of the women I know personally that have changed the way I have come to view growing older. So, if you are over 50 and feel like 25, I'd like to have you send me a picture of yourself when you were much younger and another picture of you as you look now. I know you girls are still rockin' it in some way - and I don't mean rocking chair. Whether you are learning new skills, hobbies, or just consider yourself young at heart, please join me. I want to post the pictures and show how much fun it is to be over 50.

Send your photos to bobbyandjanice@hotmail.com. Can't wait to see them.

Lovey

Glad to Be Alive

Instead of taking the interstate, tonight I chose to drive home from a neighboring town using the back roads. I rolled down my window, drove slower than usual and smelled honeysuckle in the air. The weather is warm and summer is almost here. I'm glad to be alive.

Lovey

Cancer

Farrah Fawcett was on prime time this week. She has chosen to let others follow her as she faces cancer and the probability of death. Just this past Friday a lady I work with lost her 9 year old grand daughter to cancer. The funeral is tomorrow. My mom's friend is currently in treatment. And then I remember with sadness, my cousin who passed away earlier this year from cancer. For those who are facing cancer in one way or another, Fear Not - Learning From Your Cancer is a book that will provide comfort and strength. A friend and colleague wrote it after experiencing cancer. You can find it Amazon ISBN 978-0881775389.

Lovey

The Beach

It sure would be nice to be at the beach tonight.

Lovey