Highlights of the Week

It's time for a day of appreciating the little things (or big things) that made me smile during the week, and it was a fairly eventful one.

Kent came home!  On Monday I got to pick him up from the airport, and I also found out that he will be around a good bit longer than I previously thought.  Pretty awesome if you ask me. :)

Since he got back early in the day, he decided to treat me to a mini "date night" and take me out for dinner.  We went downtown to enjoy a nice evening.

When we got back home, however, I was terribly afraid my nice evening was going to end in disaster.

I don't remember if I've shared this little tidbit about my four-legged love named Duke, but he's a sneaky little thief when left alone in the house for longer than an hour.

Don't let that innocent face fool you...

Don't get me wrong.  He's a wonderful, very well-behaved, sweet dog.  He just gets a little anxious when we leave him home alone, and he starts searching for things to get into... mainly food.  I've gotten very good about remembering to keep food items well out of his reach after several stolen hamburger patties, a bag of frozen chicken breasts thawing in the sink, and two bags of tortilla chips that were demolished, among others.  I had gone without incident for months.  Kent, however, didn't turn on the "oh yes, I have a big dog that can jump on counters and reach high shelves" part of his brain upon his return.  Without my knowledge, he placed a zip-lock bag of chocolate flavored protein powder from his last trip on a shelf that Duke could reach.  Let's just say that when we returned from out night out, it looked like a chocolate powder explosion had occurred in the carpeted areas of my house.

Powder was on the carpet.  Powder that had been moistened from doggie tongues formed three great big chocolate pudding-like splotches in my light colored carpet.  Chocolate pudding-like gunk was caked on my little red and white Murphy's chest, feet, and face, along with Duke's legs and face.  Chocolate pudding-like gunk was smeared on some of the walls, and tracked by little paws into the kitchen.  I wanted to scream.

Not only did I flip out about the ginormous mess that I was going to have to clean, but I immediately started worrying myself sick that my dogs had ingested enough cocoa to harm them or potentially kill them.  I started cleaning while Kent called the vet who then told him to call Poison Control who then said they wouldn't give advice without charging $39... What?!?!  Add that to my frustration.  We then did our own research online and our own calculations.  According to the small amount of cocoa in the small amount of powder that he had put in the baggie, we finally determined that there was no way they had ingested enough cocoa to truly harm them.  They were only "intoxicated" from the chocolate for a couple of hours.  Just to be on the safe side, we gave them the recommended amount of hydrogen peroxide so they would clear their stomachs.  Needless to say, I was a nervous wreck for half the night cleaning, walking dogs until they cleared their tummies, and watching them for signs of distress.  

As bad as all of that was, I'm incredibly thankful that it all turned out just fine.  I don't know what I would do without my furry "boys." We ended up with a funny story and a good reminder to pay more attention.

When all of the smoke had cleared from that episode, Kent and I had a few errands to run and things to take care of.  While visiting the Satellite City Hall, which happens to be inside a mall, Kent decided to stop by the Verizon store to talk about rates for switching back after the last couple of years with AT&T.  I thought he was only going to talk, but all of a sudden, he decided on impulse to switch over right then and there.  We walked out with brand new iPhones.  It sounds silly, but I'm thankful for such awesome technology that allows me to talk to my friends and family back home, and I'm thankful for a husband that takes care of business and does all he can to keep me connected to everything I miss, all while spending wonderful quality time with me every chance he gets.

It's been a good week for me.  How about you guys?  What put a smile on your face?

Happy Little Things

In an effort to keep my own spirits up and appreciate the good things around me, I've decided to once again start posting the little things for which I'm thankful.  In the future, I'll probably do this post on Fridays, but this week, I thought it should be today.

Since I've been alone for the month of January, I've had lots of time to work on crochet and knitting projects.  Unfortunately, I'm in the midst of about half a dozen time-consuming projects, so I'm making progress but not getting finished products to share just yet.  However, I am enjoying myself.

I've been knitting away...

Currently, I'm working on a scarf that is a combination of knit and crochet.  I started it back in Georgia, but it's super duper slow progress since the yarn is so thin.  I'm excited to see the finished product though.

I've also been spending some time with my favorite furry guys.  Murphy and Duke are such sweet company.  My constant companions put a smile on my face daily...

Know what else can put a smile on your face?

A nice fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies made from scratch.  Yum yum. :)  

Sometimes I just need to remind myself to look around and recognize all the little blessings I have.  All too often, I completely overlook them.  It's the little things that come together to really make you smile.

What little things have helped make your day (or week) lately?

Pretty Pick Me Ups...

Before I left the island a few weeks ago, my one flower in my one little flower pot had died on me.  I've told you guys before that I wasn't born with a green thumb.  I had planted the little guy back in March, and I shared some photos in this post.  At the time, my goal had been to keep it alive for more than a month, and I definitely succeeded in that.  It lived nearly a whole five months, and for once, I don't think my flower died because of me.  The poor little flowers had simply run their course.  Anyhoo... the point of this story is that when I came back from my trip, I was not only met with a break in and a hurt pooch, but I also had to look at dead flowers by my front door.  The other day I decided that enough was enough.  I needed to brighten my world with some new flowers. 

So.... I went to Home Depot and got myself new plant for beside my front door.  This time, I decided to go with one from the "House Plant" section since the spot beside my front door never gets direct sunlight, and I can't remember to drag the pot into the sunshine for "x" amount of hours per day. 

I got an "anthurium" for beside the front door.

I chose it because, according to my research, it thrives in tropical climates with temperatures that range from 70-90 degrees.  It also doesn't need direct sunlight, and it doesn't need water every single day (perfect for people like me who lack a green thumb).  Let's hope this one will do well.

Immediately after I got home with my new Anthurium, I regretted not getting one of the Aloe plants that I saw.  Growing up, my Mimi always had Aloe, and it was fantastic for burns, sunburns, and even bug bites.  I thought I could use one around my house.

So I turned around and went back for an Aloe plant. 

And I couldn't stop with just that one.  I got two other little house plants to experiment with on my lanai.

Here they are...

They aren't very big, and like the Anthurium out front, they supposedly don't require a lot of water.  (And just in case you're wondering, from left to right they are Euphorbia, Echeveria, and Aloe.)

Let's hope I can keep these pretty little guys alive for a good long while.

What do you guys think?  Anyone besides me want desperately to be surrounded by pretty flowers and plants but you just don't have a green thumb? 

These are a few of my favorite things...

To sum up my posts about my trip to Georgia, I thought I would list some of my very favorite things about the trip.  There were entirely too many wonderful things to name them all, so today I'll go with my five favorites.

1.  Visiting with my Mimi. 

I love visiting with everyone in my family, but my sweet Mimi and I have always had a special connection.  This woman is the most genuinely caring and compassionate person I've ever known.  She has taught me so much about giving selflessly and loving your family with every ounce of your being.  Here in Hawaii, I struggle daily with the guilt that comes from being so far away from my family that I love so much, and that guilt hits really hard when I start thinking about all the precious moments I miss with Mimi.  I'm so thankful that I got to see this sweet woman, sit with her, and hold her hand on my visit home.  It was really a blessing.

2.  Enjoying time with my whole family... plus Kent's family.

Kent and I are so blessed to have families that live 15 minutes away from each other.  It makes every trip home an awesome one in which we get to see every single family member.  My mom, dad, brother, sister, grandparents, his mom, his dad, his brothers, his grandparents... it's truly wonderful.  I cherished each moment with all of these awesome people.

3.  Being around animals again! (Aside from just dogs.)

You guys know I love animals, but this island is not the place for much more than about two dogs or cats.  I miss the critters from back home.  Growing up, we had just about everything... chickens, goats, a donkey, cows, horses, cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, birds, you name it.  Not that my brother and sister and I are older, my parents have cut it back, but it sure was nice to see (and smell) the horses!  I also loved visiting with the old kitty cats.  (They may not look like much in the photo, but I think they look pretty spectacular for 17 year old outdoor cats... haha)

4.  The green, green grass everywhere and the pretty flowers that are different from what I see in Hawaii

  Yes, Hawaii has lots of beautiful flowers and tropical plants, but I just missed what was back home.  It's funny because I think of everything as being green here in Hawaii since the mountains are always so super green, but I'd forgotten just how GREEN things can be in Georgia.  I think it's because the trees on the sides of the roads are so much  more dense than anything you ever really see here.

5.  Visiting places I don't get to go unless I'm on the mainland.

 [source]

     

It may sounds silly, but I was super duper excited to visit the places that we don't have in Hawaii.  Hobby Lobby was a big one.  That place is like my own personal Disney World.  I was overwhelmed by all the home decor, art supplies, and yarn!  Here in Hawaii, the only "arts and crafts" people seem to do are lei making and scrapbooking.  Plus, few people find a need for yarn in the consistently 70-80 degree weather, so the selection is generally pretty sparse. Aside from Hobby Lobby, I thoroughly enjoyed going to Chick-fil-a (best chicken biscuits EVER), Zaxby's (another fantastic place for chicken), Applebee's, and, of course, Olive Garden.  Yummy yummy!  Now if only I could get those places to deliver out here for me...

That just about sums up my trip home. :)  Hope you guys are having a fantastic Wednesday! 
 

Little Reminders...

**Let me take a moment right now to say that I am not trying to use this post for being all whiny, and I'm in no way, shape, or form looking for sympathy... It's just an outlet where I'm being honest about the happenings in my life right now.  That being said... on to the "real post."*

I woke up in a rotten mood this morning.

Actually, I went to bed in a rotten mood last night, and it just carried over into this morning. It's not a bad mood as in I'm mad.  It's just a bad mood as in I'm feeling a lot of emotions, and it's overwhelming. 

I've been super happy for the past two weeks because I finally felt a little bit of "normalcy" in my life since the hubby came back.  Well, it wasn't quite "real normal" because he's had some time off, and we've been doing lots of fun things, but just having him around has been nice. 

I've also been super excited that I booked a ticket to go home to Georgia in the beginning of August.  I'm so incredibly excited to see my family for the first time in 7 months (I know people go way longer than that, but we're a close bunch, so it feels like forever for me.)  

Since I booked the ticket home, I'm also experiencing intense guilt about leaving these guys in a kennel for a week and a half.

I know they are "just dogs," but having come from turmoil in their lives before living with me, I'm afraid they are going to think they are being abandoned again, and it rips my heart out.  They are always there for me when I need them, so I feel like scum when I ditch them to go do something fun with my family back home.  (And no, with Hawaii's ridiculousness when it comes to bringing animals onto the island, it's not worth it to bring them along for a trip shorter than a year...)  The logical part of me believes that dogs live in the moment and it will just be a blip on their radar, and they'll be back home with me, but the emotional part of me is super guilty and sad about it.

In addition to these things, the husband has to leave again for another few short trips here, there, and everywhere in a few days.  Of course I'll be sad to be without him again for a little while, but he'll be headed home to our families at the same time as me, so it's really not the "loneliness factor" that's getting me here... it's frustration instead.  You see, I'm that personality where I crave structure, order, and routine in my life.  This particular lifestyle does not provide that.  Just when I settle into my comfortable "by myself" routine, he shows up (of course I'm happy about that!) just long enough to get me used to him being there again.  Just as I'm really feeling good about a sort of "couple routine" again, he has to split.  I mean, what the heck?!?  The logical part of me knows it's what he has to do for his job, but the irrational and emotional side of me gets intensely frustrated, a little hurt, and a little angry every time I have to transition... which seems to be constantly.  I'll get over it soon enough though.  I always do.

Anyhoo... As you might imagine, since I'm dealing with this roller coaster range of emotions from giddiness to frustration and everything in between, I was feeling overwhelmed when I woke up this morning.  Even though I wasn't feeling it, I decided to go to my Thursday morning spin class in hopes to sweat it out and feel a heck of a lot better when I got out.  It worked... sort of.   For an hour, I forgot everything and lost myself in music, sweat, and some physical pain (the good kind, of course).  Then, when I walked out the door, everything hit me again.  Crap... It didn't work...

Then, as I was walking to my car, I noticed one single hibiscus in the hedge next to the building.  It was obvious that the plants had just been seriously cut and trimmed back, as there were barely any leaves on the branches, yet this one beautifully brilliant, vibrant pink hibiscus had bloomed and was sitting there in all it's glory. 

It may sound silly, but for some reason it spoke to me.  It seemed to say that even in all the turmoil you might go through or feel, there is a bright spot.  You just have to find it and work with it.  That little bloom sure did, and if it could do it, I can too.  

I needed to focus more on the positive.  (1) I've enjoyed two splendid weeks with my other half, and I'll soon enjoy one more with him and my family.  (2) I'm incredibly blessed that I was able to book a ticket home to Georgia when it's not even a holiday... Flying from Hawaii is expensive!  (3) Even though I feel guilty about leaving my two best furry buddies, they will be fine.  It's only a week, and I know that they will come back home to live with me where they will be loved and spoiled rotten... in a good way.  I took them in so that they would have a good home and no longer be in a shelter or a kennel waiting on their forever homes, so I don't think they will mind a week or so here and there away.  I'd say it's worth the attention they get from me and Kent.  (4) The husband may be going off yet again, but the light at the end of the tunnel is much closer this go round, and there are definite times I can look forward to.  Plus, I can call or Skype or whatever.  It's no biggie. 

It's pretty amazing what a positive attitude and some optimistic thinking can do.  :)  Hopefully I can keep this up so I can fully enjoy a beach day with the hubby today and a lazy evening at home. 

Oh Happy Day...

I'm a happy girl.

The husband finally came back home on Friday, and he'll be around for at least a few weeks. Yay!

Over the weekend I was adjusting to having another human being in the house, along with all the things that entails.  Things like:

~having a toothbrush/toothpaste/shaving cream left by the bathroom sink.

~having all the clutter that comes along with him strewn all over the house.

~having cups/bottles/plates left all over the counter.

~having the toilet seat left up.

~having a ginormous pair of flip-flops left just outside the front door so that I trip on them.

and

~having lost complete control over the remote.

Of course there were plenty of good and wonderful things to get used to, as well.  Things like:

~having a reason to pull out dishes and cook something.

~thinking I'm talking to myself but then having someone answer back.

~being a passenger instead of a driver in the car because I can't stand to drive!

~having someone to run errands with.

~having someone else around who can let the dogs out.

~having someone to sit with on my lanai and talk and laugh with.

and

~having a date!

Speaking of a date...  I finally got my date night opportunity to wear my crochet dress!

Even before I knew he would be home this weekend, I had planned to go to downtown Honolulu to photograph a friend and her fiance before an Army ball, so when my hubby returned, I told him he had to come too.  (He didn't complain at all.)  

I took the photographs at one of the hotels there, and then we wandered through the hotel to a little bar down by the beach.  We sat in pool furniture listening to a live two-man band play The Eagles and just about any other good ol' music you can think of, sipping Mai Tai's, watching the ocean and the palm trees while the sun set.  (Does it really get any better than that?)  Then we wandered down the road for some yummy Japanese food at Benihana's.  Boy, oh boy, I can't tell you how nice it was to go on a date... even though it really hadn't been a super duper long time, it had been plenty long enough.

Since it was just the two of us and I still wanted a picture before we left, I set up the tripod and set my camera for some consecutive shots in hopes we might get at least one good one.  (If you know my husband, you know he turns into a clown when the camera comes out... so although we did get a few "good" shots, we got a few goofy ones too.)  Here are a few out-takes...

Happy Monday!  Hope your week is off to a great start!

A Few Little Things....

Happy 4th of July!  I hope everyone has enjoyed their long weekend and some fireworks!

I know I've had a pretty great weekend.  :)  I did some babysitting for two precious little girls, read by the pool, and gave myself crochet lessons.  

I just love learning new things, and I picked up a pretty great book to teach myself some new crochet stitches.

I saw this book Crochet! Techniques*Stitches*Patterns in the store the other day and couldn't resist.  It has lots of stitches with detailed instructions and pictures, it shows you how to read patterns, and it has several cool projects.  I spent all of yesterday afternoon trying out various stitches so I'll be able to use them in new creations soon.  I'm really excited, and can't wait for my next crochet date with my sweet friend SueAnn!

I'll keep this nice and short since it's a holiday, but I just wanted to say hello and share my new find. :)  Enjoy this lovely day and time you might have with friends and family!

Oh.... And I can't help but share that after over a month of zero communication with my hubby, I got an e-mail last night!!!! I was thrilled, and can't stop smiling.  :)

Old Soul Fun

Have I told you lately that I'm an "old soul"?

Well, I am. 

Old movies? Love them.  

WWII era fashion and hairstyles? Adore them. 

Big band music? It's all I listen to when I paint. 

So does it surprise you when I tell you that I had a "crochet date" yesterday?  It probably shouldn't.

Yep, you heard, er... read, that right.  I had a super fabulous and amazing "crochet date" with my lovely friend SueAnn yesterday.  We met up at a nearby Starbucks.

We sipped yummy drinks and ate delicious goodies.

We did all this while we worked on crochet projects and people watched.

Yep... We're the dorks who sit around in 80+ degree summertime weather in Hawaii and crochet blankets and scarves.  But you know what?

We were happy as clams while we were doing it. :)

 

It's nice to enjoy a relaxing hobby with someone you really enjoy being around and who is in the same boat as you.  We were able to talk and enjoy some company for a while, even if it was just a few hours.  It sure does help when you haven't heard a peep out of your husbands in nearly a month.  I'm so blessed to know wonderful people like this.

 

Anyone else an "old soul"?  If so, how? :)

 

P.S.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway!!!  There's still not much competition.  You have a super chance of winning, and entering is as easy as leaving a comment! :)

Five Things Friday

This Friday I'm linking up with my bloggie friend Erika from Rouge and Whimsy.  (If you've never seen her shop, you should totally check it out.  She has beautiful things for your hair.  I own a couple of her pieces and LOVE them!)  She's starting a new series called Five Things Friday.  It's where you list five things that you are grateful for each week, and it's a little reminder not to dwell on the "yucky" parts because there really are many more better things.

1.  It may sound silly, but I'm thankful for my cell phone.  During the past weeks with no contact from the hubby, hearing the voices of my sweet family and friends back home has made me smile more than once.  Technology is awesome!

2.  I made a couple new friends this week.  It's always so nice to know more sweet people when you're away from your family.

3.  The sun finally came out long enough for me to enjoy some outdoor time and catch a few rays!  It sure makes you feel rejuvenated to enjoy some nice fresh air, a good breeze, and some warm sunshine.

4.  My doggies are finally feeling better, I've stayed nice and busy, and I met up with friends.  Add all that together, and it means I didn't see much of my unwelcome guest (anxiety) this week!

5.  I got some custom orders this week (and some paintings purchased from my shop) that renewed my confidence and will keep me busy and productive in the next few weeks. :)

So there you have it!  Five reasons that this was a good week!

Wherever there is light...

"Wherever there is light, one can photograph"

~Alfred Stieglitz

 

Lately, I've been missing photography... not taking digital pictures....

I mean I miss photography.  

You know... the artsy side of it.

I miss using a good ol' film SLR or a super fabulous Holga or an amazing twin lense reflex.  I miss playing with the shutter speed, f-stop, and all that jazz.  I miss taking that roll of film into the dark room, winding it up in the pitch black dark, and praying that something would turn out.  Then, if I was lucky enough to have something turn out on the film, I miss taking it into the dark room for developing.  Playing around with exposure time, dodging and burning certain areas, and then that purely magical feeling of watching the image appear when dropped into the developer.  ...:sigh:....

One day..... One day, I will have a place in my home for a dark room.  I will.

Since the dark room thing is entirely out of the question in our little base housing situation right now, and since I was feeling that longing for photography (not simply taking pictures), I decided to go out and play with my digital SLR the other night.  It's definitely not the same, but I did have a lot of fun playing with the manual settings to manipulate my images.  

When the inspiration struck, I decided to do "double duty" and go on my photo expedition while I rode my cruiser taking Duke on his evening jog.  I loaded up my little bike basket with my camera and my tripod, and we went down by the water in my neighborhood to see what we could do.  I hadn't attempted much nighttime photography with my DSLR.  I thought the light from the full moon would make things a little easier though. (Each photo I'm going to show you was taken after 9:00PM.)

On this particular adventure, I mostly played with exposure time.  It sure is cool how a couple of seconds can make such a difference.  Check it out...

I took several photos down by the water.  Here are a few that I thought turned out okay.  (I've done very little/if any editing.)

 

And then I had a little fun going crazy editing a few...

I know they aren't anything super spectacular, and I didn't get to take as many as I would have liked because of the dern mosquitoes.  (They must have been super desperate the other night because mosquitoes NEVER bother me... like EVER.)  I enjoyed my little expedition, nonetheless, and I plan to do it again soon.  

Even though it still doesn't compare to film, it is fun to have more control than the "automatic" setting.  :)

Oh, and just because I haven't asked in a while... If you read regularly, please, please, pretty please show me some love and become an "official" follower through Google Friend Connect.  (Click "Follow" to the right of this post.)  I love knowing who drops in and feeling the love! ;)

The Unwelcome Guest....

 Thought I'd share a pretty picture before getting into the "real" post... :)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Let me just start by saying that this is a somewhat difficult post for me to write.  I'm writing it because I know that other people deal with this, so I feel like it shouldn't be pushed under the rug.  If I'm not honest, what am I?  So... here it goes.  

For the past few days, an unwelcome guest has come back into my life.

It's not a who... it's a what.

It's anxiety.  Anxiety accompanied by pesky panic attacks.  Real ones.  Not what people say they are having in passing.


I've been lucky though.  Compared to some people, what's happened to me has been been mild, but that doesn't make it suck any less.  Even as I write this, I feel a ping of embarrassment... like I'm weak or I'm whining by sharing.  However, I know I'm not the only one who deals with it.  In fact, I'm far from the only one, and it should be okay to talk about it. It shouldn't be looked down upon or something to feel embarrassed about.

My mom has dealt with it before (and I don't think she would mind me sharing this since it could potentially help someone else not feel alone), and for a very long time I thought it wasn't real.  I honestly thought it was all in her head.

And then it happened to me.

Imagine how your body would react if you walked into your dark house one night to find someone holding a gun at your face.  Your heart would start pounding, you would start breathing hard (or maybe not at all), you might feel faint, you might want to run, or you might start to shake.  For sure, you would feel sheer terror, or at least be very afraid.

Now imagine feeling that for no apparent reason.  It happens while you're walking into the gym or when you're standing in line at the grocery store or while you're watching your favorite show in the evening or when you wake up in the middle of the night.  You feel out of control and afraid.  Then, you start to feel more afraid because you don't understand why it's happening for no apparent reason.  Suddenly, your logical mind's lightbulb goes off.... Oh, I'm having one of those spells!  However, that doesn't change the fact that your heart is still beating so fast it's hard not to hyperventilate, and you still have the urge to run away.  You simply have to remind yourself to breathe in and out slowly and that it will soon pass.

I'm not sharing any of this for sympathy or pity or anything like that.  It's just something I feel strongly about sharing because I don't want anyone to ever feel like they are alone.  It's simply something I've been dealing with for the past week or so, and it's on my mind.  It had been a long time since I'd last dealt with it, so I was hopeful it wouldn't come back.  I had no such luck.

Being here on this island "alone" (even though I have friends, I don't get to see them everyday, and it's never the same as having your family), dealing with some things by myself in the past few weeks when I really would have appreciated my spouse's input, worrying over my "fur babies" not feeling well, not being able to communicate with my husband or know where he is, missing my family, and feeling very alone on my anniversary was just a little much for me.  Maybe I'm weak, and maybe I should be able to deal with all that, no problem, but it just wasn't sitting well with me.  I was having a difficult time.

After dealing with lots of anxiety from stress over various issues and a few episodes of panic for a week, I had to take my sweet Murphy to the vet because of some complications from an ear infection (common with those long, floppy ears).  The vet was super nice and did a thorough exam.  He noticed some swollen lymph nodes, a tooth that wasn't looking so swell, and potentially some tonsil issues... in addition to the heart murmur that little Murph has. (At times like that I wish I'd had him his whole life so he could have had better preventative care, but that's another story entirely.)  I had woken up that morning with a very anxious feeling, and after that information overload from the doctor (and probably from locking my knees), I literally almost passed out in the vet's office, and I had to sit down to regain my equilibrium (I never do well with ANYthing medical-related).  I know to some people that sounds so silly, but when I'm so alone here, Murphy is my family that keeps me company, so worrying if he would be okay and if I would have some astronomical vet bill to make him okay was overwhelming.  After that visit, the vet referred me to another vet that I had to see a few days later.

As you can imagine, I was a little worried (call me the crazy dog lady... I'm cool with that).  The appointment happened to be on our anniversary, so between the worry over my furry family and my hubby that I hadn't communicated with in a while, I was beyond anxious.  Basically, I was a wreck before I left for that second appointment.  Really, I just needed a friendly face and someone to talk to.  I texted my mom, which helped, but then I had to go.  I said a little prayer that my anxiety over life in general would ease soon.  I was tired of feeling faint and like my heart was fluttering away from me.  My anxiety continued until I sat down and waited to be called back.  Then, this super sweet lady I'd never me sat down beside me, started loving on my Murphy, and talked to me.  She asked me about Murphy, where I was from, what I did, and all the usual small talk.  Then she told me that she, herself, had a Cavalier that she loved to death.  We chatted easily for probably 20 minutes until we were called back.  As I was walking back, I noticed I felt fine.  I wasn't shaking, I wasn't anxious, and I didn't feel nervous anymore.  The simple kindness of that sweet stranger made my evening so much better.  (Then, after hearing the second vet tell me Murphy didn't look as bad as the first one had said, I felt SO much better.)

Moral of this story:  (Well, there are actually two.)  The first is that God works in mysterious ways.  He sends comforts in unexpected ways.  In the past, He sent little Murphy my way so I wouldn't be here alone, and then He helped me to meet a few wonderful friends here.  The other day, He sent a sweet stranger to talk to me with kindness when I needed it the most.  All we have to do is ask and trust in Him.  The second moral to this story is that you never know what the person beside you is going through.  A kind smile or a polite conversation could make all the difference in the world for them, so never underestimate the power of kindness.   

If you or someone you know deals with these issues, please remember that it's not something you can help.  No one would ever choose to feel that way.  It's not something to be embarrassed about or kept "hush hush."  I'm so lucky to have a wonderful family that will talk to me whenever I need it, will support me, and will make me feel better.  I only wish everyone had that.

Size Doesn't Really Matter

Ahhh, get your mind out of the gutter... I know at least someone clicked to read this just from the title...  Anyhoo...

Funny little tale for you today...  It has to do with my furry guys and how they teach me a lot.  You all know my little Murphy.

Yep, this little guy with the innocent eyes.

I may not have told you guys, but Murphy rarely ever barks.  I mean it's not something that happens even once a day.  He only barks when he wants to play with a dog on the other side of the fence at the dog park or if he is really into playing with one of his toys.  He never ever barks at people, and I often joke that if a burglar came in, he would welcome them with a wagging tail and say, "Hey!  Welcome!  I'll show you the good stuff!"  

Well, since the hubby has been away, I've signed up for a program where the yard guys in my neighborhood will cut my grass for free.  They come once a week, and I never know exactly when they might pop in.  They just open the gate to my backyard, cut the grass in literally 5 minutes, and go on their way.  This uncertainty messed with my schedule, though, because I usually leave my sliding glass door and lanai door cracked so the dogs can go in and out as they need to while I'm home.  

The other day I came home from the grocery store, opened the doors to let the dogs out, and came back inside to put away groceries.  Duke followed me inside, and I thought Murphy did too.  You can imagine my surprise when I hear my little Murphy barking his head off and growling outside in the backyard!

Can you imagine this guy growling?

When I ran outside to see what was going on, the yard man was there about to come inside the gate, Murphy was still barking, growling, and running in circles, and Duke just stood there eying the guy really suspiciously.  I told Duke to go inside, and he did, but Murphy was too busy losing his mind to listen to me.  I had to pick him up and bring him in.

 

I wanted to be a little mad, but I couldn't help laughing.  All this little guy (who is usually as docile as a wet dish rag) knew was that no one ever comes in the back gate (except his family... and that's rare).  He knew that it wasn't normal, and that this yard guy with the crazy sounding machine was a stranger... And he had on some weird clothes (long sleeves, long pants, and a mask thing to protect him from flying debris).  In Murphy's little mind, that should not be happening and he had to take action!  It didn't matter to him that the guy weighed 200 pounds, and he only weighs 20.  He was going to take care of business and get rid of him if he could... and if he couldn't, he was going to at least let me know. 

Looking back on it later, I saw the lesson in his little example.  We may be small in this big world, and we may not be able to do everything on our own, but if we see an injustice or something that just isn't right, we have to do something.  We have to start by using our voice to bring attention to it, and then take any little action we can that might help.  If you love something, you fight for it... even if you're not sure you'll win.  You just have to try.  

I've told you before, my dogs teach me a lot... and if they're not teaching something new, they are giving me little reminders of things I need a refresher on.  :)

Because of this little lesson, I want to take a step towards helping a cause that means a lot to me.  You all know I love animals.  I want to help them and let you help, as well.  I plan to donate 20% of the profits from the next 5 pet portraits I book to the Humane Society (or animal charity of the buyer's choice).  Contact me at TailsToTell [at] Live [dot] com if you are interested in a pet portrait, and I'll be happy to give you details.  :)  Or just check out my shop for the portrait listing. 

Have a fantastic Wednesday! 

Oh, and don't forget I'm on Twitter now... Follow me at Tails2Tell if you tweet.  :)

P.S.  If you read regularly, please become an official follower through Google Friend Connect by clicking the "Follow" button to the right of this post.  I love knowing who reads, and I love getting your feedback through comments.  It always makes my day!

It Doesn't Take Much...

Even though I've been trying desperately not to, I have still been feeling just a little down lately.  I guess it's partially being lonely,  but the really weird thing is that I don't really want to "go and do" all that much even with friends.  It's almost like feeling "burned out," but I don't really know what I'm burned out on.  I think it's probably just that it's been a stressful week or two, and I'm tired of doing everything around the house completely by myself instead of sharing the responsibility with someone.  (I know people live alone all the time... I just didn't really choose to do it.)  I think the monotony of the little daily chores get to me sometimes... as silly as it sounds.  If the trash is going to get taken out, I have to do it every time.  If the dogs are getting walked, I do it.  If groceries are needed, I go to the store, unload them, and put them up by myself.  Just things like that...

It's all good, though.  I'm really not complaining.  I just need a few days to recharge and refresh.  Lazy days.  Nothing days.  The kind where I lay by the pool and read, go on easy walks with my dogs, or veg out watching old movies.  A few of those, and I'll be good as new.  In the meantime, I've been doing a few little things to add some interest and "happiness" to the space around me.

It really is amazing what adding a little color, a little rug, or a little curtain will do for you.  Each time I do something to "prettify" my house, it refreshes me and makes me feel more ready to create something else.  Creative spaces, I am pretty sure, lead to more creative minds. 


If you remember a while back when I was making plans, I wanted to make my lanai a more fun place to hang out.  I've been working on that for the last month or so, little by little.  My hope is that we'll be able to use that space much more when Kent comes home-- a place to have dinner with friends or just a place to relax in the evenings.  I've put up some lights, recovered cushions, rescued a papasan chair, and yesterday I added a rug.  I think it has made all the difference.  (I keep wanting to spend a lot of time out there... just need someone to talk to now... haha)  What do you think?

And from the other side...

Those few simple changes were huge for me.  It finally feels like a "real" room.

The other little change I've made in the past few days was making a simple valance for my half bath.  I had a little extra yellow fabric, so I decided a cute yellow curtain would bring a little sunshine to my world.

I didn't have a before picture.  This little bathroom is so tiny, it's super awkward to photograph.

As silly as it might sound, I smile when I walk by and see that little curtain.  It's such a little window, so I think it's cute.  Funny how simple little things like that make such a big difference...

Hope everyone is having a happy Thursday!

Feathers, Finds, and Flower Stuff

This week has flown by!  I don't even know where it went, and I don't feel like I've been all that productive.  Usually by this time in the week, I have at least some kind finished project to make me feel like I've accomplished something.  Looking back on this week so far, I thought it hadn't been productive because I didn't have any new artwork, painted furniture, or sewing projects to show.  Then, I realized that this week has been productive in a different way.

This week, I enjoyed spending time with some good friends here on the island, found some neat things, and enjoyed some time for myself.  Sometimes I think those things are just as much "accomplishments" as any material thing you produce.

On Monday, I went to visit with my friend Sara and her little girls.  We worked together on sewing some chair covers for her dining room, talked about anything and everything, and I made an appointment for her to cut my hair the next day.  

On Tuesday, I started my day off with what I consider to be one of the best things ever.... a hair cut!  Nothing makes my day like a fresh hair cut.  You get to feel pretty and stylish all day long.  This time, though, I didn't want just a haircut.  I wanted to do something fun and different.  Since Sara had told me about some feather hair extensions she had done (and her precious little girls each had a feather in their hair), I thought it sounded like a cool, non-permanent way to add a little spice to my "hair life."  So I went for it....

And I really like them!

They are subtle, but make me feel fun...

and a little funky...

and pretty artsy...

and I love that!

I think they will be a fun change for a little while.

If you haven't seen or heard about feather extensions, just Google them, and you'll see celebrities like Hilary Duff and Jennifer Love Hewitt who rocked them in a classy way.  Aaand you'll also see some like Miley Cyrus who killed them by pretty much wearing a bird's backside in their hair.  At least they are easy to put in and remove... If you ever try them and don't like them, it's as easy as using a pair of pliers to take them out.  

Yeah, that sounded a little scary... but it's definitely not.  It's super easy.  

They are just put on with these little crimp beads.  You pull a little piece of hair through the bead with a special tool (or even a loop of fishing line if you don't have that tool), insert the feather ends, and squeeze the bead with the pliers.  

Then, when you're ready to take them out, you just squeeze the bead in the other direction.  It's as simple as that.  (You can find tons of feathers online and on Etsy if anyone is interested.)

After all my excitement about a new "do,"  I didn't know that my day could get much better.  And then I found a cute little watering can for my front step while on a visit to Wal-Mart.  

 

Cute, right?  :)  And might I point out that my flowers are STILL alive!

I think it's a world record for me!

  Then, to cap off a super great day on Tuesday, I found an awesome little piece of furniture while on my nightly cruise around the neighborhood with Duke.  It's a coffee table-- I think.  Someone in my neighborhood was throwing out, so Duke and I went back in the truck to get it.  It was in great condition when I found it, so I think I'm going to turn it into a future makeover project.

It is in really awesome condition except several places where some kiddos missed their paper while coloring with markers and crayons.  I haven't decided if I'm going to paint it or stain it.  I think that will depend on how many of the marker stains I can remove.  :)

Finally, my Wednesday was spent in my super awesome spin class followed by lunch with another sweet friend. 

Even if I don't have any new "projects" to show this week so far, I'd still say it was a productive week... even if it was in a different way.  

Tail Wagging Tuesday: The Little Things...

For the past few weeks, it's just been me and "my boys" in the house since the hubby has been away.  I'm so very thankful to have them around to keep me company (even if some people think it's crazy to say a dog keeps you company).  They are always a constant source of entertainment, and when I have random lonely spells in some evenings like I've had the past few days, they help me not feel so alone, so I wanted to take today to list some of the wonderful ways my furry guys continue to inspire me everyday. 

1) Each day they wake up ready to face the day with a "smile" on their face.

 Every morning, Duke is the most excited guy EVER.  He's ready to get downstairs and get the day going, ready to face anything that might come his way.  Isn't that how we all should be?

2)  They know how to take a break, relax, and recharge.

Murphy and Duke, both, know how to get comfy and relax when they need to.  I, on the other hand, have a hard time taking time out to take a nap even when I'm exhausted.  I stay up too late, and sometimes try to do too much.  Don't we all need to know how to take a break and relax?

 

3)  They have no preconceived notions about anyone.  They don't care about size, age, color, career, family situation, or anything else that could possibly matter to us humans.

Everyone they meet gets the same treatment.  Everyone gets a chance, and nothing matters except the way that person is acting in that moment.  Isn't that something we should all strive to do?

 

4) They love with every ounce of their being, and are forever loyal.

Murphy and Duke are always there for me, and as long as I spend time with them and take care of them-- essentially, "hold up my end of the bargain," they will never leave me.  No "better friend" is going to come along and take my place simply because they are bored with me.  Just one more example we should all try to follow...

5)  They are always patient with people of all ages.

 Duke is a big guy, and if he were to be impatient with anyone, they could easily be hurt.  Luckily, thanks to his good graces, he is always incredibly patient. The kids in the neighborhood can rub his hair in the wrong direction and try to feed him rocks, and he will just politely stand there and give them "kisses."  I know I need to remember this kind of patience much more often... especially in traffic.

6)  Nothing seems impossible to them.

If they want something, they go for it.  Even when a rawhide bone is as big as Murphy, he doesn't let it stop him from going for it anyway.  He simply gives it his best effort, and he's happy with that.  I know I sometimes look at a task that seems entirely too grand in my mind, so I never even attempt it.  I should try to be more like Murphy and never see anything as impossible.

 

7)  They know how to fully appreciate the little things like a walk around the block or a nice breeze on a summer day.

 Nothing makes them happier than spending an afternoon in the park or feeling the wind in their face when I roll the windows down in the car.  They let the little things make them happy, and I know I need to do that more often.  Many times, when certain things don't go my way, I can't think of anything else.  Instead, I need to look at the positive and appreciate all the little things that make life good.  Shouldn't we all?

Happy Tuesday everybody!