White Shoes

"All day long, I've felt like white shoes after Labor Day."
Growing up, my mother, who was as about as fashionable as you could be when you shopped for your clothes at Sprouse Ritz (picture a place where Sears and Kmart were a step up!), always said you couldn't wear white shoes except from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This was one of those "old school" rules that everyone seemed to adhere to, even the fashion challenged.
Since Memorial Day was yesterday and June 1st is tomorrow, I thought it deserved a little consideration. Looking in my closest, where there resides about 100 pairs of shoes, I find there is not one pair of white shoes! I can't remember the last time I bought or wore a pair of white shoes. My daughter thinks white shoes are one of the worst fashion statements you can make and wearing them, immediately throws you into the old lady category. If that's all it takes to keep me from old lady status, my closet will continue to be free of a white pair of shoes! Who knew it could be so easy?

In or Out?

The business section of the paper today had an interesting article. In it, the question was asked by a seventh grader, "How can you tell if a country is good or bad?" The speaker replied that it was easy. When you open the gates of a country, are more people trying to run in or trying to run out? It got me thinking about people in general. When you think of people you look forward to seeing, either at work or socially, which ones would you run toward versus run away? What traits do they possess? Are they upbeat and positive or always a downer? Are they anxious to hear what's up in your life or do they go on and on about only what is happening in their life? Do they remember to ask you about something you discussed previously ~ How's your mom feeling? Did you recover the sofa? How does it look? When do you leave on vacation?, etc. Interacting with people is not a one-sided event. Relationships are formed by sharing information about each other, not just about one. We all have met the person that, no matter what story you are telling, they interject about the time it happened to them and it was ________(bigger, better, worse, etc. fill in the blank). The point is, they always turn it around to be about them. They only hear you as a springboard to launch the next story about them. I am pretty sure, this type of person is not aware they are like this. They are too busy thinking up the next thing they are going to say about themselves. If they were a country, people would be running out not in!
Try out my theory this weekend as you gather with people at the beach, barbecues, etc. Which people make you feel better by being around them and which don't? Which are you?

Would You If You Could?

People often say they wish they knew what the future held, but do we really? We all are writing the book of our own life, complete with successes, failures and everything in between. If you could "jump ahead" a few chapters, would you? What would you read? Part of me wants to know what the future holds and how I can make it the best it can be (control freak). Decisions made today often have a ripple effect on the future, both big and small. Sometimes we can foresee these effects and sometimes, not. It is often only in the after look that we see the whole picture. It often comes with that "Ahh haa" moment when, what was once muddled and uncertain, suddenly becomes totally clear to us. Each action does cause a reaction and, for this, we must be accountable.
If crystal balls are suddenly sold on the internet, would I buy one? Maybe yes, but, most probably, no. As painful and scary as it sometimes may be, I think I will continue to write the chapters of my life one page at a time and hope that "The End" is a long was off!

Wordless Wednesday - You Rock!

Drop Cloth Magic

Got an idea that I thought was worth sharing. This weekend, as far as our household is concerned, is the start of the summer season. I have been hunting for cute outdoor tablecloths to use for our many get-togethers and haven't really found any I like. Much of the themes for summer revolve around the good ol' red, white and blue, but sometimes you just want to celebrate lazy, long summer days with other colors as well.
I went to Home Depot and bought simple painter's drop cloths. The size I chose was about $8.00 and will easily fit the six foot tables we have out back. There are many types of drop cloths, but I chose the burlap-looking, canvas types. They are a perfect, neutral background upon which to decorate any table.
The package looks like this.
Opened, you can see they fit nicely on the table. They are thick and washable. I washed mine before their first use to make them a little softer. Now comes the fun, ever changing part.
You can use anything to decorate your table. I bought foam stars just to give you an example. I will be adding a red, white and blue flower arrangement and flags for the Memorial Day party. For another time, I also have plastic, black ants ~ perfect for a picnic theme, don't you think?
I will even use these drop cloths on the outdoor dining table with candles and sunflowers. The possibilities are endless! Use your imagination. You have extra money to buy "props" because the drop cloths are so inexpensive.
Now, my only problem is making sure my husband doesn't grab them for a job site!!

Full Moon Party

Always looking for a reason to party, I think a "Full Moon Party" sounds perfect! Full moons this summer are Wednesday, June 15, Friday, July 15, Saturday, August 13 and Monday, September 12. This gives you plenty of time to pick a date and plan ahead to enjoy dinner outside under the moon. Food is probably secondary to the wonder of nature under the full moon. It feels happy and magical and full of promise.I have fond memories of taking each grand baby outside to show them the moon. For some reason, it delighted them so much. "I see the moon & the moon sees me." was a line from one of their story books that stays with me even today.
No matter what you serve for dinner, I think moon pies are the required dessert!

Piece of Cake

These are not my words, but they moved me enough to want to share them with you..

Sometimes we wonder,'What did I do to deserve this?' or 'Why did God have to do this to me?'
Here is a wonderful explanation!
A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away. Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.' "Here, have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers. 'Yuck' says her daughter. 'How about a couple raw eggs?' 'Gross, Mom!' 'Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?' "Mom, those are all yucky!' To which the mother replies : 'Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves, but when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! '
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!
God is crazy about you!
Just a good thought for a Saturday morning.