Leftover Friday

This is the day I make leftover turkey soup. I boil the carcass, adding chopped onion and celery to the pot. After picking off the meat and adding some smaller pieces from last nights turkey I add whatever pasta I have and some vegetables and seasoning. I did add a can of chicken broth for a little more flavor. That's all it takes to make leftover Friday soup!

So much for Thanksgiving!

Gratitude challenge

I just answered #28 on a 30 day gratitude challenge. My answers were interesting. I noticed that they were all pretty much internal or didn't cost much. Is that the Universe speaking to me again? Probably.

My life isn't perfect, but I am where I am supposed to be at this time in the history of my life.

This will be the fifth Thanksgiving since my oldest son moved back home. Lucky for me he likes to cook so the turkey is left to his expertise. The rest of dinner is up to me, just the way I like it! We ate out last night because he wanted tamales. Only in New Mexico would people desire Mexican food before devouring the turkey the next day.

There are a lot of things I am thankful for, but I think the most important are family members and friends who still communicate with me.

Happy Thanksgiving

 To all my readers I would like to wish you a very peaceful Thanksgiving! 

What color is this?

My second husband (now deceased) and I were married for 27 years. He rarely said anything about what I chose to wear, but one day he told me he didn't like me wearing purple. Who asked you, I thought! From that day on it gave me pleasure to purchase items in purple. Recently I bought myself a purple sweatshirt with two cute kittens on the front, sitting in matching winter mittens. Today I wore it for the first time to exercise. On my way home I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few items. As I walked through the produce department I was stopped by an employee who went to school with my second son. I had to laugh when out of the blue he said, "I like you in purple." It made my day!

Time moves on

Time does fly by when you aren't paying attention. I just realized it has been 20 years since I decided to stop smoking. In all that time I have never once had a desire to pick up the nasty habit. The decision to stop started an avalanche that has not stopped. Today I am sharing a piece I wrote to encourage others to make the same move. Enjoy!

            I KILLED MY BEST FRIEND

For a variety of reasons I grew up having very little self-esteem. When I graduated from high school I had no clue what I was supposed to do with the rest of my life. I had been an average student who finished school because it was expected. At 19 I was a very lonely person who desperately needed a best friend.

The friend I choose for the next forty years was three inches tall, smelled bad, controlled my life and led me in the direction of poor health. The relationship was what would be considered abusive today. At the beginning no one warned me of danger and in all those years nobody offered to help me let go of my destructive companion.

There were of course, those who shook their heads and fingers at me making rude comments about how disgusting this relationship was. They probably thought they were helping, but they only made me angry and caused me to stubbornly refuse to let go.

When I was 62 years old I looked in the mirror and did not like what I saw. I decided I did not deserve to be controlled by an object that could not possibly move from my hand to my mouth without my help. I realized I was the only one who could end the relationship and I have never been sorry that I did.

Believe me when I say, the only way you will successfully stop smoking or any other negative addiction is to become self centered and care about yourself. Whoever you are, believe that you are a valuable person who deserves the very best life has to offer.

There are many people around you who want to help. The hardest thing you have to do is learn to care about yourself and be willing to accept their help. I know from personal experience that once you do that the rest is a breeze.

Do you really want a best friend who is three inches tall, smells bad, controls your life and is leading you in the direction of poor health and perhaps death? If the answer is no, follow my example and give yourself permission to live the healthy life you deserve.

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Do I exist?

This morning I am wondering if I am an invisable person who really does not exist in the real world.

I have been writing this blog since 2009 and for the most part no one cares to comment on my posts. What in the hell is going on with that? I can plainly see by the stats that people read what I write. Are they invisible too I wonder?

I have had an online writing group for over a year, which now includes 24 people. Only a handful of those members care to participate in writing on the prompts. Are the majority invisible too?

I have three E-books currently offered on Amazon.com. Even though some have sold, there are almost no comments on my work. Are these people invisible too?

Most of my biological family does not even care to acknowledge me. Perhaps there really is such a thing as a stork delivery and I had nothing to do with their being here?

Three years ago I attended my ex-husband's memorial service. Even though I have papers to prove we were married for 27 years, my name was not even mentioned by my daughter, who was in charge of the service. See, there is that stork thing again!

My grandchildren (with the exception of my oldest grandson) do not communicate, not even to acknowledge gifts I have sent. If I don't really exist, I can save a bunch of money on future purchases.

In a world that doesn't seem to know I exist, I am beginning to wonder if I really do.

Playing a game

Once a week I have been sharing a photo for my online writing group, "Write On", for members to caption. This morning I posted one that was left over from my local writing group, that no longer exists. In that group we were asked to pick a photo and write about it. This is the one I chose. It is also the one I shared with my online group today.

My caption was: "We are not meant to see into the future."

What I originally wrote about the picture was:

This picture reminds me of the path one takes on their human journey. The varied leaves with their unique colors and shapes are the experiences we have. Some are dried as they represent memories long buried in the past. Some are still fresh. The rocks and water represent the obstacles on our path. As in our life journey, the furthest view is slightly unclear.

A new question

Do wonders ever cease?

For the last couple of days I have been having pain in my lower back that is also causing problems in my leg and even sometimes my knee. I finally made an appointment with my chiropractor for this morning. I am used to stiffness in the left side of my neck. It is just something I have learned to deal with, but this was different.

I made a comment to my chiropractor, who I have been going to for several years, that I didn't really worry about my neck problems anymore. She asked me if I had ever been involved in an accident. A light flashed in my memory as I remembered that we were once rear ended, about forty years ago. My daughter was in her car seat and I was in the passenger seat sitting next to her. I knew what was going to happen so I turned sideways to put my arms in front of her, protecting her from going forward. It is the reason I first began seeing a chiropractor. I had injured my left neck. My current doctor said that probably caused a life long injury, which caused regeneration in my neck as I got older.

Then I began wondering about the spinal stenosis I have been diagnosed with. Most likely a contributing factor is seven years standing on the cement floors at Walmart for six hours straight, doing food demos. 

After all this time thanks for giving me a heads up! 

Goodbye mercury

Mercury retrograde only has a couple more days to screw up our communication. I must say it has not caused me much of a problem. In fact things seem to be taking a turn for the better. Although I am not looking forward to the upcoming holidays.They have become a lonely time for me since my family has dwindled down to almost nothing.

Thanksgiving is shared with my oldest son, who usually cooks the turkey, while I cook everything else. It gives us a lot of leftovers since it is just the two of us. This year I am planning to invite a couple of friends who are alone. Waiting to see how that turns out.

Christmas is another matter. For me it is the saddest day of the year. I miss having family to cook for. Most of my family now lives in other states and the ones who are here, with the exception of my oldest son, don't care to include me in their plans. As someone said to me this morning- that's their problem. And it is!

I try to the best of my ability to do for others. I just finished crocheting another dozen baby caps and a blanket for the first baby of 2000, born at Cibola General Hospital. I always make fudge and share it with friends, especially with the husband of a deceased friend.

This year I had fun ordering outfits for my youngest great granddaughter, who was two in September. I have never meet her, but I enjoy seeing pictures of her on Facebook. She looks like a handful!

Even though the holidays are not my favorite time of the year, I try to make the best of them.

On this Veterans Day

During the four years that I was a columnist for the Cibola Beacon I was honored to have the opportunity to interview this local veteran as the traveling Vietnam Wall was displayed in Grants, NM. James is since deceased, but remains a hero in my book, "Spirits of Cibola County". This is his story:

            James A. knows firsthand that following and trusting an all-knowing entity greater than oneself will lead us to extraordinary experiences. James was the most talked about veteran during the recent viewing of the Vietnam Moving Wall in Grants. I am honored that he trusted me to tell his story.

            A member of the Sioux tribe, James was born in South Dakota. There were eighteen children in the family and fourteen lived to be adults. Both his father and grandfather were Presbyterian ministers. James remembers prejudice, almost hatred, between the Sioux and the white man.

            Because the Bureau of Indian Affairs could not pronounce tribal names they were changed to biblical ones. His father’s name, Fights the Bear (because he was mauled by a bear) was changed to David. His mother, Morning Dove, became Mary.

            With such a large family, James said, “I had to work to buy my own clothes and learned early that if I wanted something I would have to work for it.”

            He began working on a cattle ranch when he was eleven. After being shamed by a boy for wearing a second hand shirt he had purchased, James vowed he would always have money to buy new clothes.

             In school James was interested in sports. He was a runner, played baseball and basketball and participated in track. Even though he was the only Native American in his high school, he does not recall prejudice touching him. James joined the Marine Corps in 1957, shortly after graduation.

            Among other assignment s, James volunteered for several tours of duty in Vietnam. His most harrowing experience occurred in 1969 as a staff sergeant, in charge of seven men. They were on a special operations mission.

            James recalls, “We were given the wrong maps and dropped off in them wrong location.” Their confusion lasted for two months.

            James trusted his training and his spirit guide. He said their daily goal was to find a way out. Their biggest concerns were ambush and heat stroke. The temperatures rose to 120 degrees during the day, causing them to consume salt tablets like popcorn. They traveled mostly at night because it was cooler, moving less than a mile each night.

            James said, “We survived off of Mother Nature. We made water from leaves and ate snakes and lizards.”

            As time went on the parents of the men were informed they were missing in action and presumed dead or prisoners of war. James finally led his men to a place he knew, ironically called Indian Country. It took another month for the military to officially inform families that the men were not dead.

            James was not honored for getting his men out alive. He was actually reprimanded for getting them lost, even though it was not his fault. This might have caused an ordinary man to become angry and give up. James rose above the injustice of the experience and moved on.

            During an ambush in 1971, James fell behind a termite mound and was bitten by a cobra snake.

            Reliving the experience, he said, “I was in such intense pain I walked toward the battle field hoping to get a bullet in my head or heart. Then my Indian guide took over and I forgot about my pain.”

            One by one James helped six fellow Marines to safety. Others noticed the seriousness of his leg wound and he was given needed medical care. He was recommended for the Navy Cross and awarded the Silver Star. He still has mixed feelings about the award.

            In 1972 James was wounded during a medical evacuation and lost his right kidney as a result. He fought three medical boards to stay in the service. He has had one failed kidney transplant and has been on hemodialysis for sixteen years. He also suffered a stroke in 1986 due to the snake bite.

            James retired in 1979 with the rank of First Sergeant E-8. He and his wife, Louise, of Acoma were married in 1970. At the time he was a recruiter for the Marine Corps. James is very proud that one of his grandsons is planning to become a Marine.

            Characteristics that are important to James are honesty and respect. Even though he is retired he is still “a dedicated Marine who believes in God, country and duty- in that order”. He would like to see young men who are having trouble adapting consider the military for new direction.

            James made daily trips to the Vietnam Moving Wall while it was in Grants. He was drawn to the wall because of respect for his fallen comrades. Perhaps he was sent to touch the hearts of people who were not in Vietnam and still do not understand what happened there.

            James knows that any material award pales in comparison to knowing deep inside that he does his best every single day to trust and follow his spirit guide. He is a real live hero we can all learn from.

Spur of the moment

I noticed that the Grants High School band director was offering a Veterans Day performance and also was asking for pictures of veterans. I asked my son, who is a 35 year veteran of the US Army, if he had a better picture than the one I had on file. He did and I sent it on. I also asked if he wanted to attend the performance. He said he did.

 Sergeant Major Jeffrey A. Gunn, US Army, retired. The photographs of the veterans were displayed on the wall behind the band as they played a variety of military based music.

Neither of us had ever been in the Performing Arts Auditorium. It was built after my three children graduated from Grants High School. It is a beautiful building and seats 600. The performance was wonderful and we were glad that we attended.

Gratitude

November does seem to be a month when our thoughts go to what we are grateful for. It is easy to be grateful for those souls who agree with us, but what about those who do not? In looking back at my life I now have a different opinion of those souls.

There have been several people in my life who have taught me by their example what I do not want. They have acted much like a mirror. It is very possible that I am most grateful for them. I also feel sorry for them because they are still stuck exactly where I left them. It is interesting how we can get ourselves caught in a web of negative energy. Sometimes it takes years to break free of the tangle.

We go along walking on a path, following someone who we believe has all the answers. Then one day we wake up and realize that we are not on this planet, called earth, to follow anyone else.

Sharing a positive idea

One of my Facebook friends offered a positive idea a couple of days ago. It was a 30 day gratitude challenge. It included simple things like, what smell are you grateful for and what technology are you grateful for? I thought it was a wonderful idea that can be adapted to anyone's life.

Day two was about technology and I am still thinking about my answer, which was a computer. It has allowed me to connect with friends all over the world and I am very grateful that I have one. I can keep track of not only my friends but, their family members and their pets. I love seeing a picture of a dog or cat and knowing exactly who it belongs to. The same is true of babies and children. My computer has given me access to friends and their lives that never would have been possible otherwise.

My computer also makes it possible for my writing to be shared through Amazon, absolutely free, making it possible for my thoughts to assist others going through similar situations. I am no expert on life, but I do believe sharing my experiences is what I am supposed to do. It is my purpose while I am here. At the moment I have three E-books on Amazon, all reasonably priced.

In the past, if it were not for the fact that I have a computer I would not have been able to spend four years as a columnist for our local newspaper, which gave me a push to become a motivational writer. So there you are, the reasons I am grateful for the technology creating a computer.

Seriously what time is it?

I usually get up at 7:00 a.m. to take my blood pressure medication and let my dog out, even though I wake up about an hour earlier. This morning was the dreaded change the clocks back to standard time. I think Arizona has the right idea. Just leave the clocks alone.

Back and forth every year. Then I have to adjust my meds, which I take three times a day. Plus my dog has an internal clock and needs to be be let out no matter what time the clock says it is. I really wish someone would decide on something and stick to it.  

Don't be afraid

Here we go again! Another Mercury Retrograde. So far I am finding the energy of the universe very positive. For the last few years mercury has not caused me any problems. I know to be aware of communication snags and not to sign any important documents. I do not feel it is anything to be afraid of. It is just a shift in energy.

It is causing me to think of people who are afraid of black cats and Friday the 13th. I don't fall for that. I think a lot of the fear generated is the result of believing what others tell us to believe. I am learning to take one day at a time and to find things to be grateful for. I believe it is all about how we react to the things that happen. There are always two choices- a negative or a positive reaction.

I remember at the end of 1999 there were those who got a kick out of convincing people that something horrific was going to happen at the stroke of 12:00. I don't recall much happening except that it turned into 2000.

I suppose there are bad things everywhere, but you have to use your own brain and stay grounded. I am a firm believer in following your intuition, the voice of your soul. You can't go wrong staying on the path it leads you to.