Quick picker-uppers

As you all know Bounty is known as the quicker picker-upper. And mabe that is why they have started having such great quotes on their paper towels so now they not only pick up spills but also pick up your spirits. I just have to share the ones on the paper towels I have right now because they make me smile while I am doing my least favorite job--the dishes.
--I never met a mess I couln't laugh about.
--Turn over a new leaf.
--Dream with your heart.
--Dream big, start small.
--Remember to play a little each day.
--Live, Love, laugh, and be happy!
--Let your Spirit shine!
--Live in the moment.
--Laugh some every day.
--Keep growing, keep dreaming.
--Till the soil of your dreams...
--Discover! Dream! Believe!
--A daydream is time well-spent.
--Today is your day.
--The heart of any home is the kitchen.
--Happiness is just around the corner.
--The time is now.
--Share. Smile. Stay awhile.
--Laughter is the spice of life.
--Friends like flowers, brighten every day.
Hope at least one of these gave you a quick pick-up! (Now I must roll up my paper towels)

Who has seen the wind?

Actually, this blog is looking for an answer as to where the wind comes from. OK, here's the situation...I awoke this morning to a Robin singing, which happens to be the first one I've heard this spring. I got up and it looked to be a beautiful spring morning, just right for a walk. There was no wind, the sun had not yet appeared on the horizon so I decided to have my devotions first. Then as the sun is just peeking over the horizon, I hear it...the wind! Where did it come from? It had just been so peaceful. Is there some correlation to the sun coming up and the wind starting to blow? If anyone has a scientific explanation, I would like to know.
However, I did go on my walk anyway, even though it was only 30 degrees out and quite windy, but yesterday I let the wind deter me from my walk and it was 49 degrees out then. I was feeling a bit guilty. It was invigorating none the less.

Am I going crazy?!

Have you ever had a moment where you thought you were losing your mind? Well, I did on Friday. It started out great, I slept from 8 am to 2:30 pm(after working all night) without even waking to use the bathroom and then went grocery shopping, since we are having Mom and Warren and Carol here on Sunday for Easter dinner. Then as I was putting away the groceries I became increasingly agitated thinking about all the cleaning I needed to do since I was having company that by the time I got to putting the eggs away it took everything in me not to throw the eggs and break every one. And then I began my tirade. I became angry with myself because I had forgotten to mail a gift for Elle, who's birthday is the 25th, and had forgotten to drop off some bags of clothes at the Goodwill. So I ordered Curt to do those errands for me and then proceeded to throw anything that was on the floor in a box, a trunk, a closet or the garage. And I mean throw! I am shocked I didn't break something. I couldn't even talk because everything that came out was harsh and biting. So I was going around like a whirling dervish and poor Curt was just trying to stay out of my way. When I finally got most everything thrown somewhere out of sight I sat down on the couch and started crying, sobbing, because I couldn't get rid of the anger. I felt so out of control and the worst thing was I wasn't even sure what had prompted the whole thing. It took everything I had just to pull it together so I could go to work.
In a small way, I could almost understand how someone could shake their baby, stab their husband or something totally irrational. And people saying I can't believe they could do that, they seemed like such a nice person. Because I almost felt that I could have been capable of doing someone bodily harm if they would have gotten in my way or added one more bit of stress on me. It was really a very frightening feeling of being so angry and out of control and I was trying so hard to get over it but couldn't shake it.
But I am better now even though I am still feeling a bit melancholy. But I get this way on holidays when my children can't come home and I can't go see them and I feel sorry for myself and wish that things could be different. But I will make it through with God's help and a little help from my friends.
Here's praying for happier times!

Spring clean-up

Every spring after the snow melts there seems to be an abundance of trash along the street. During my walk yesterday I was noticeing this so I decided to bring some grocery sacks along with me today. I found that picking up trash while on ones walk is quite good exercise. All the stooping and bending adds to the workout and carrying three bulging sacks of trash can get quite heavy by the time you get home. But it makes me feel good knowing, that in a small way, maybe I have made everyones walks a little more pleasant. I needed a little pick-me-up today. Don't know if it's spring fever, needing a vacation, missing my kids or a combo of all the above but I have been feeling a little out of sorts. But taking walks always helps me put life into perspective.
Here's a haiku for today: The snow has melted
Exposing the thoughtlessness
Of many people

Never say never

Well, Friday night I did something I said I would never do, and that is dye my hair. I have always loved my hair color, thought of it as one of my finer features. But I had determined that I would not become vain in my middle age years and resort to dying my hair. When I go grey, I go grey. But then,(I'll blame my husband here) when Curt was buying some hair color to cover up the grey in his beard, he convinced me I should try coloring mine. So I bought a box and brought it home and put it away thinking I would probably never use it and it was just a waste of money. But for some reason Friday night I decided to try it out...I was very nervous about the whole thing but got everything ready and as I am applying the dye it is a lavender color which really made me wonder what was going to happen here. And then I had to wait for 30 minutes, so I set the timer and went into the living room to read while I waited. After about 20 minutes I happened to look in the mirror and started to panic! My hair was carrot red! So I immediately start washing the dye out hoping that this indeed would not be the final result. After I got out of the shower and got it dried it wasn't as bad as I had feared. In fact the next morning I was waiting for Curt to say something but he didn't even notice until I asked him if he notice anything different about me and only then with some close examination did he realize I had dyed my hair. As you can tell by the picture it is a bit lighter than before but not too drastic. Whether I continue with this ruse only time will tell.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Well, I just returned from McDonald's for my annual Shamrock shake. I'm not sure when it all started but for many years this has been our way of celebrating St. Patrick's Day. So I hope that all my children will continue on with the tradition. It makes me feel connected with them today knowing that they too will be visiting McDonald's and enjoying that minty green ice cream delight.

Hope springs eternal

At least my hope is that Spring is here to stay. On Monday it actually got up to 50 degrees and I thought I was in heaven. I have lived in North Dakota most of my life and usually get through winter without too many thoughts of moving away for good but for some reason this winter was one of those where I began to think that I must be crazy for living here. Maybe because the below zero temperatures started at the end of November and continued on until March. I remember one morning after I got home from work in late February and it was -29 degrees, I checked the temperatures in Alaska and the coldest spot was Barrow at 9 degrees. Even in Alberta, Canada the coldest temp was -9 degrees. So tell me where was the frigid air coming from? That was the day I seriously thought that we North Dakotans are crazy for living here. But now that spring is on the way, I am reminded of why we live here...the fresh spring air, blue skies, birds singing, wide open spaces, taking long walks along the river and enjoying the beauty that God has provided for our enjoyment! That's what I love most about spring is that it brings with it hope of better times ahead.
I think you can think of winter in North Dakota like childbirth. As you are going through the experience you think you are never going to go through this again. But then the baby comes and the joy it brings to your life helps you to forget the pain you went through and soon you are ready to have another one. That is what spring does, it brings back the beauty of nature and reminds you of all the reasons you love North Dakota and it makes the winter not seem so bad. So here's to better times ahead!