25 Things ....

My Bloggie friend "Pat" over at

Gypsy Heart 

put up her list of "25 Things"

I thought I'd give it a try.

These are both  things I love, and love not so much, so bear with me...

1)  Living my life all these years on the go.  I've lived in 5 countries and 13 states. Yes, since birth, moving every few years and it's getting tiring to say the least.  But this past 6 years I've been in the same house, in the same city, on the West Coast of Florida and I've told my family "I'm here to stay and to have me cremated when I die, then toss my ashes in the back yard!"

2)  The bug man. He comes once a month and I'm always chasing him with his bug spray out of my yard.  The HOA sends him.  My yard is registered with the "National Wildlife Federation" as a back yard habitat..... Why does he want to kill wildlife, no matter how small?  I've finally got the bees to return!

3)  The early morning is my time of day.  For some reason I wake about 4:30am and make my coffee, check my e'mail then go out on the back deck to listen to the gators talking to one another and watch the sun come up.  It's my time to thank the Lord for what I have and for letting me live another day.

4)  Family.  Mine is especially close to me. No not in distance but in heart and soul.  The closest in distance is one of my daughters, 4 hrs away.  Then the rest in different countries.  Guam, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, New Jersey, NY, Alaska, Palm Beach and an assortment of States. I have always wondered how it might be to have everyone just down the street or at least in a 50 mile radius? 

5)  Traveling.  I'm so done with that. Especially the "Sick Ships".  Yes cruise ships.  I will get in the car and drive somewhere, or fly to visit one of my children but never again out of the country.  It's just too much trouble.  My sister and all the kids come to me now!

6)  Food.  In the past 10 years I've given up meat totally.  I eat loads of green veggies and a bit of dairy but not milk. No sugar and no soft drinks of any kind.  No bags of munchies come into my pantry.   I love that all my blood work comes back with great results and I have had great results keeping my weight in check.  But, I do eat Dark Chocolate and have a glass of red wine.

7)  My Garden.  I've always loved to garden but for some reason I picked the house with a yard that slopes into a creek.  Every time I put in new soil and plant really nice flowers it turns into rainy season here and all the plantings wash down into the creek.  No one has to tell me to create a flower bed.. been there done that with bricks.  The raging water just flows over the brick walls and away it all go's!

8)  The home phone that is connected to the modem.  I want it out of the house.  I have my iPhone and no longer need it.  The only time it rings is when an 800 number shows on the caller ID.  The only reason it's here to connect my heart monitor that relays my pacer activity directly to the doctors office.  Why can't the pc modem do that?

9)  Vertigo that has plagued me for years.  I'm happy to say this week I'm going into rehab to get the crystals out of my ears.  Don't ask me what that means, it's just what the doctor said.  I call them my "Swarovski" crystals. Getting dizzy all the time is not fun!

10)  Walking on the beach is where I like to meditate.  Hearing the Gulls squawk and feeling the sea breeze is wonderful.

11)  My neighbor, down the street who tells me "I need to remove some of my yard ornaments"... really!  He said, it's like a trailer park in my front yard!  If he was not so old and in a wheel chair I might confront him?

12)  Yogurt.  I could eat that every meal.  With blueberries in it.

13)  White paint.  My friends and family look at me strange when they walk into my home.  I've painted everything white.  It's shabby and white.  I have accent colors scattered but that does not make them see what I see?  Oh Well!

14)  My 4 grandsons and one grand daughter.  The joy of my life. One, the oldest just turned 22 and is now a member of the US Coast Guard. The other three are still very young and live on the Island of Guam My new grand daughter lives in Alaska. We are always in touch and they know me well but so far from me.

15) The United States Military.  I have this enormous  pride for anyone who ventures into the military.  My family is rich in the history, from my grandfather to my kids. Our country would not be as great with out our military.

16) My great pet peeve, those who live in these United States and complain about everything.  Being one who has lived in third world countries I've seen how those poor people live... If some of the complainers just went to live in some of the  countries that are poor or have dictators, as those humans do, the complainers would kiss the ground the moment the airplane landed back on our soil.

17)  I'm proud of me and my creative self.  I'm a thrifter and refuse to buy anything new.  Well maybe the coffee pot or some needed appliance, but every piece of furniture in my home came from a thrift store or garage sale... or I build what I want.  I refinish everything. I call it, "My part to keep it out of the landfills". We are such a wasteful civilization.

18)  My adult mind.  I never want to go back to being a child or young adult.  I love how mature my mind is now.  I'm wiser and read everything I can get my hands on.  I love to know how things work or why we are the way we are.  

19)  Unhappy People.  I have no time for unhappy people.  They seem to ooze unhappiness on everyone around them.  If life gives you troubles, then it's just life.  I found that every crisis comes and go's in the proper amount of time.  The sun comes out every day no matter how bad things seem. I found that out 6 years ago when I was told I had 3 months to live... really!  Well the doctors helped me and ever since that time, no matter what comes my way I take it with a smile.  I know I could have sudden death at any moment still but I take it with a smile because I'm at peace with life.  When you think about life, sudden death could come to any one of us from some sort of trauma.  So to all those unhappy people... "Smile for the moment", it's all we have.

20)  People who use other people. I'm one who is always doing for others and there are a few people I've been forced to say no to now.  Seems when I ask for their services or help they always are too busy or have other things to do.

21)  Tulips.  I love Tulips.   Living in Florida makes it hard to grow them, so every few weeks I buy myself a bunch and tenderly place them in a vase on my dining room table.

I love how they start to bend in all directions as they age. 

This weeks potted Tulips in such a pretty shade of yellow. I'll  plant the bulbs in the garden. Never know, they might  come up next spring?

22)  Wishing I could write.  Words taken and put on paper to tell a story.  I read so many of the blogs and the words seem to flow in such interesting ways.  I did take journalism in college and they did teach me to write, but when I start putting my fingers to the keys I'm blank!  So many have told me to write my story in a book... Seems I have a lot to tell. People, places and such.  To me it might not be interesting but others say a book will sell?

Am thinking of taking a refresher course at the local college?

23)  Of all the humans I've encountered in my life the ones that have given me the most joy are my children.  Two daughters, one Step-daughter and my son.  These kids have given me not an ounce of trouble in all their years.  Really!  My girls, may sound silly to some, but their so nice to me.  Anything to make me safe and happy in this life, they are always there for me although they live far from me.  My son, well, he made me proud by going into the family business, the US Coast Guard.  Today he is an officer living in Alaska with his new wife and daughter.  

24)  My sister, my friend, my savior.  She has to be the most important person in my life because she has been there since birth.  My first memory of her is the string going down the center of our bedroom.  "Do not cross" were her orders,,, but, but the door is on your side. "How do I get out"?  We separated at the age of 19, she stayed in Saudi and I came back to the states.  Not one year has gone by that we did not get together.  Our children played together on those visits and we have always remained as close as small girls.

25)  Tangerine.  This is my new color of the season.  I walk the shops and this color is everywhere and I'm going to incorporate it into my home this year. 

There, I finished my "25 Things"

Although not many will take the time to read it, it was therapeutic. 

In fact, it felt good!

   Have a great Sunday!