Like a Frog...Spring comes bouncing in....

I am getting excited about SPRINGTIME...I need the refreshing change. I have loved the last few days of UNseasonably beautiful sunshine....can you believe...almost 100 degrees yesterday and this is still February in Central Texas?

We had the joy of traveling a couple of weekends ago (on Valentines Day) to see our son & daughter-in-law and 3 little energy boxes, often referred to as kiddoes. ha ha Oh, how my BODY in it's old age and medicated world... wanted to borrow some of their energy & power.

We had a blast. They were the very GREATEST of host & hostesses...each and all. Wonderful awesome 'steaks by son' and over all yummy foods and decorations!!!

We had the greatest pleasure of going for an awesome mornings drive...perfect day...clear skies/sunshine...to see the great Indian territory of Buffalo Gap--where BOTH the Indians and our early pioneering Texans drove herds of buffalo BETWEEN two mountains in order to slaughter. Sadly...the Indians did so for FOOD...and the early cowboys did it 'just for the MONEY that the buffalo hides would bring.


Then we traveled on--up and down valleys---at an awesome speed of 90 mph---no other traffic ANYWHERE folks....(this Grama had a blast teaching her grandkids...how to FLY and sing as we raced DOWN each empty valley...and then to 'groan' as we climbed UP the next mountain. The Kids adored it...as my OWN used to do when they were little). Then the JOY of seeing the beauty of the awesome flat top mountain and eventually to see the massive WIND FARMS of gigantic wind turbines/mills...as tall as buildings---covering every mountain, for as far as you could see---which seemed like FOREVER. So neat.... Remarkable site...remarkable science.

Above is family on top of a mountain viewing the wind turbines...awesome sight and hard to visualize the vastness of it all.

Additionally another fun venture we did with the kids....was VISIT ....Prairie Dog Town!!! This is something that I have always loved since our own kids were little. We often visited the one south of San Marcos. These little animals are so cute and so entertaining! It was all such fun that it was hard to come back home...to the every day things of life. And yes, I AM very, very grateful for LIFE...but isn't fun to just 'break away' and do something different once in a while. We had such fun.

There is only one drawback from having a wonderful time....the OLDER you are..the MORE you get JET LAG....even when you weren't on a jet. hahaha Well, just like clockwork...after the nice venture....my body WENT into Jet Lag mode....just like this frog!!! Pain was my reward for being up and enjoying life....and pain likes to bring along it's buddy...negative thinking and depression...grrr...regardless how you try. And like a FROG...these are waters that I swim in almost daily ---ha ha So, you can see why I sort of enjoy the little frogs world. ha ha


After our wonderful adventure...I simply went 'Kaputttt'. So, I was grateful that my daughter in law chose to write a wonderful blog about our great weekend. Her pictures helped me 'get through' the jet lag and swim in the "froggie" water of medications & hurting physically. ha ha

I have written poetry since Jr high about animals/bugs and loved to watch people reaction as they read. Sometimes poetry....like songs/music.... are funny...sometimes wise...and sometimes sad or lonely. The last two ....come much too often for people who have pain---

(and isn't it so doggone hard to 'fake it' and when somebody ask you, 'how are you doing'... and you know darn well they really don't want to hear the truth...so you don't tell the truth and simply say "oh fine" Sic joke.. hahahaha We humans are so 'off-the-wall' in some things. But at least its fun to be able to laugh at ourselves.


Amuzingly...I read once that a Cynic is a person who smells 'flowers' and quickly looks around the room for the 'casket'. ha ha

Mercy...that's the last thing I want to be...but sometimes---I AM...I have to admit...I see more caskets than I smell the awesome flowers of life. ha ha Esp. when I hurt. And from talking to a jillion people from all walks of life....who trust me and tell me their problems ....& ask for my advise or prayers....often both---I know...for sure--- that I'm not alone. ha ha


A couple of months ago the doctors tv show said 'that it takes us 70 HOURS to physically overcome just one NEGATIVE thought. Whew...that's tough. I have some friends who could 'certainly... use a TIME OUT. HA HA....(they are the type of people that make ME count my blessings really quick...ha ha) And I can honestly say that I am thankful that most of my real friends are not like that---it helps me Not to be, as well.

They also went on to say that it takes us at least 21 days to stop an old bad habit and to start a new one. (why can't these two things be a little more BALANCED. HA HA) ---I'm sure that I stretch those numbers to the max---- it takes me years...not days...since I still....know my bad habits...I just can't seem to get to the... 21 days. ha ha)


So this morning, when I found the following poem about two little FROGs and I loved it's wisdom that it so cutely reflects.....and I couldn't help but think...'thanks Lord...I need this one today!


I love cute graphics and little animals...and poetry. (maybe this will brighten your day as well...with a cute closing: ....burr-ribbet, burribet....)

Once upon a time....

Two little frogs fell into a can of cream,
Or...at least...so it was told.
The sides of the can were shiny and steep,
The cream was deep and very, very cold.

"Oh, what's the Use?" said frog number one,
"Tis Fate...there's certainly no help around.
Good-bye, my friend! Good-bye sad world!''
And while weeping loudly....the little frog drowned.

Frog number two...of sterner stuff...
Began to 'dog paddle'...with vigor and surprise,
Then wiped away his Creamy face...
and he tried to dry his Creamy eyes...

He thought "At least I will swim for a while"
Or so the story went and so it was said...
"After all it really wouldn't help the world much...
If one more FROG was dead!" ***

For hours the frog kicked and swam,
And not once did he stop to mutter....
But he kicked and swam...and kicked and swam...
Then quickly he HOPPED right OUT....via the BUTTER!

(We gotta keep kicking, gotta keep swimming ---be safe, be happy & be blest

Happy Valentines Day.....

Valentines Day....Wow...the joy of Love, the joy of laughter, a sense of humor, the joy of Falling in Love,.... Being in Love,.... Being married and happy...or simply.... the love life....as Jesus provided as the creator and First love OF LIFE. As our first Valentine....may He bless your Day and you realize the Blessings! May the silly humor of the jokes belows bring you laughter,...a chuckle... or help you overcome some of the situations of life. Although I may not totally agree with all of the following...I do find great humor in creative writing and brain twisting silliness of every day events. So..I hope you will be blest and have a wonderful Valentines day loving and laughing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Ponderings of Every day life.....

The honeymoon is over when the husband calls home to say he'll be late for dinner and the answering machine says it is in the microwave.

Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage.They've experienced pain and bought jewelry.

How do most men define marriage? A very expensive way to get your laundry done.

A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" And the father replied, "I don't know, son, I'm still paying for it."

A couple was having a discussion about family finances. Finally the husband exploded, "If it weren't for my money, the house wouldn't be here!" The wife replied, "My dear, if it weren't for your money, I wouldn't be here."

A man said his credit card was stolen but he decided not to report it because the thief was spending less than his wife did.

Love is blind but marriage is an eye-opener.

The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once.

Cosmetics: A woman's way of keeping a man from reading between the lines.

Words to live by: Do not argue with a spouse who is packing your parachute or carrying a gun.

Boring husband: Honey, why are you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?
Bored wife: Because I married the wrong man!

First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"
Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive.

Marriage is grand -- and divorce is at least 100 grand.

Married life is very frustrating. In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.

When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: either the car is new or the wife.

(not so for everyone tho)

Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you say. After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish.

A ladies husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months yet she stayed by his bedside every single day. When he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he said, "You know what? You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business fell, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you gave me support. When my health started failing, you were still by my side.

When I think about it now. ....I think you bring me bad luck!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~and life goes on....ha ha ha

Happy Valentines Day.....lots of hearts, flowers and Chocolate hugs & kisses

Cruising the Caribbean...what a way to go?

We be cruisin.........1st day at sea....oh, how sweet it is!!!
THEN WE are HIGH JACKED at Sea...... during evening dinner ......and yes, that is a real pirate with a gun in my face.....and his beard in my eyes.... :-)

These hilarious working girls were meer tourist ...not entertainers...just 3 chubby women who decided it would be fun to come on the ship dressed as '3 FAIRY PIGS'---AND THEY WERE!!!. ugly, funny, yet so darn entertaining. THEY HAD A BLAST and everybody loved them---- (we had a picture taken with them...but I am certainly NOT going to put it on the internet....HAHAHAHAHA

They have a 'talent night' on the ship where anyone can get on stage and 'show their talent'. It was hilarious....and some very, very talented people. One group of ladies dressed up as CLOWNS and put on a show---they do this as hospital volunteers back home. One of our own 93 year old lady from OUR bus group from Waco....played the harmonica....playing the 'Yellow Rose of Texas and The Eyes of Texas are Upon You....awesome/hilariously cute/bounced like rubber ball as she played....and she was the only TALENT that got a STANDING OVATION from the whole audience!!! And her name.... "HarveyLee" ??? never heard that before on a woman. (oh yes, we also went to the Karaoke bar...which is really an awesome theatre---saw the good, bad, pitiful and not so good talents there as well...but fun and posh to say the least)

Picture of our ship... This is a shot of our SISTER CARNIVAL SHIP, Fantasy, in Cozumel, Mexico. We docked side by side, unloaded at the same time. Awesome sight. Our ship the Ecstasy is voted by tourist as the #l, top ship of Carnival's 22 ships---No 1 in service to tourist, best food, best Entertainment and Entertainment Director. Our nightly shows were top rate, tons of color, music and glitz and glitter...talent....and head dresses and costumes from all eras and cultures. (but we couldn't take photos/videos)

INSIDE EVERY MAN....is a little boy.... ha ha

My hubby Just HAD to get a tattoo!!! temporary that is... and 'she was sooo cute''''hahaha He surprised me with his idea of the 'Best Present Ever" for our 50th wedding anniversary~~~~ his tattoo: Gloria & Jim 50 years in blue and a huge red heart outlined in blackwith an arrow! touching..tsk tsk (it really was cute and all our friends LOVED his silliness and reasonings.....jus jim :-)

Then the other arm....naturally....as a real Texan who is not fond of horses or cows....he HAD to have BARBED WIRE tattooed in blue and black. Again...and SHE was sooo cute...ha haha (yall got tha picture. ha ha...I loved it ...soon to be 70 years old and he still likes A touch of the WILD SIDE. HAHAHAHAHA) That's my guy of 52 yrs. :-)

Below: Jim and I are on the top deck of our ship....looking over the side (and yes, we held tightly and securely to the railing)....watching the TWO CARNIVAL SHIPS unload tourist at Coszumel, Mexico where Mayan dances and witch doctors danced and made photos to the entering tourist.

This is just a photo of the two ships Ecstasy and Fantasy both unloading at the same time. Most of the people had already gone through when I took the picture. It had been a massive mess of people...so funny to watch from above...like a fly on the wall.

This is the center Atrium of the ship. Absolutely beautiful and yet hard for the true colors of bluish purple to come through in photo. This was 7 or 8 stories high and the purple lights trimmed the whole Atrium. The gold staircase, trimmed in the awesome lighting was also note worthy; lots of creative art work. They had 12 or 14 elevators but naturally WE took these glass ones as many times as possible....even tho with my rolling walker....it gave me the WILLIES to stand on the outer edge of thing. Like floating in air....or 'falling 7 or 8 stories down' ha hahaha

This was just one portion of the port at Progresso, Yacatan. Huge immigration port complete with very large Mariache (sp) band greeters and gift shops every where....but ....this has been built rather recently.....waaaaay out in the sea....a long, long road built from the island OUT into the sea to a MAN MADE ISLAND in order to meet the huge tourist ships (at the depth...they have to have)
This is now popular because it is the closest port to the majority of Maya numerous pyramids and historical sites of the nation. I went to see the awesome most popular Chicken niza in 1996 and it was one of the most impressive events and sites of my whole life. The scientific technology is beyond and unknown to our scientist today....yet they were destroyed.


Below:

This is OUR LAST NIGHT at dinner in the fanciest of fancy dining areas. Tons of lights ...not behind us but above. But truthfully....hubby was 'begging' to have his FEET ON DIRT by this time. We both...sadly caught AWFUL.... BAD bad COLDS the 2nd day out and felt horrible physically from the coughing...no meds or cough drops anywhere...lots of liquor but it doesn't mix with all my tons of meds and he wouldn't drink if I didn't--dummy...ha ha

but I luv im....ADD all that to the misery/pain galore.... of me having to be on a rolling walker on rolling waters ....pushing through rolling lines and crowds of 1000's of people in sometimes tiny places...like elevators. Yes, we had a blast and loved it all dearly.....but also....THIS PICTURES reflects that we DRY LANDERS were very tired, very sick of hurting and ready to feel grass and dirt beneath our feet.

I am a THREE DAY vacation person anyway....so I knew this would be a long stretch for me...but I didn't think my hubby would be RESTLESS by the 3rd day. ha ha But he was. Below, it was sort of a sad time~~~last evening away....we were pulling out of dock from Cozumel, Mexico...it was about 5 PM and most every one was enjoying the awesome warm top deck swimming pool contests, game, entertainment of Raggai music....sipping from cute Carnival cups of creations...tea and sodas and I looked back to shore.....and saw our sister ships STILL SITTING IN THE THE DOCK....and we were leaving....never to return...again. Yes, the sight of the two ships were truly awesomely beautiful but it did make my heart twist, knowing we had had the greatest of joys and now it was all coming to an end and we would never be able to do this again. So I relish this sight in my mind....us sailing away for home....the awesome sunshine glistening along all the jungled seashore, beaches and city----and yet above us and north of us was this huge BLACK ROLLING STORM CLOUDS rolling for us and us into them! INSTANTLY the winds CHANGED. Very strong, very dark and rain drops.....and COLD COLD COLD...and we could still see the land... that had been so warm, cozy and hot. Needless to say that deck emptied almost immediately and everyone showed up early for the 'last night of our most elegant dining and yummy, yummy foods---with names no one could pronounce properly and yes we all tried and had a blast 'trying to BE what we weren't"!

Yes, our last night to have the most awesome elegant meals....with super neat new friends of 10 table mates and 54 Bus mates (this was the greatest way to travel ever for older people)...and our last but fantastic stage show ever ....with our friends and even with them feeding us cough drops (theirs) treating us like kings and queens when they didn't have to--because we were so sick-we all had the most hilarious good time---all from different walks of life and us at the bottom of the ladder. ha ha but it didn't make any difference---people love your heart and character & everybody loves humor!

So, this is the end of the 50th Anniversary celebration---and my kids are probably glad---but now we have to anchor out and head for new waters, goals and events. The top of our agenda is on Feb 21st we get to see our favorite Christian Comedian and musician....Mark Lowery is coming to our church on tour (Bill Gaithers quartet)...and we also will have the No 1 Christian Ballet coming to my father in laws church as well. So, these are 2 neat events that certainly sound exciting, plus we are having/preparing for a city wide revival with Anne Graham Lotz (Rev. Billy Grahams daughter) leading. All our churches are adopting the motto: "Just Give Me Jesus' to build for the revival.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, hope you enjoyed it and will leave a comment before you leave or give me a call and I pray God's richest of blessings back to you.

Sail on sweet Spirit, sail on...........................