"Always organizing - never organized." My day is running off in all directions, once again. All I did was go upstairs with a cup of coffee. That did it. I saw things. Things that needed to be moved, or opened, or "organized", or put into a pile for a yard sale. Six hatboxes were waiting to be emptied. Most contained hats. One, however, is my "Happy" box. And it hadn't been opened in a long, long time.Maybe you can tell what it contains...if not, here's a brief list: favorite cartoons that make me laugh, a list of "30 Tips To Trigger Happiness", ripped out of a magazine, and many years-worth of the MOST hilarious, sentimental, meaningful and or touching cards I've received from dear friends over the years. I mean, they have to be REALLY good to be included in the Happy Box.
For example, one of many funny cards from my friend, Julie, whose greeting is: "Hi, you voluptuous, sultry, she-devil of the skies!" (None of which I am....but that just makes me laugh!)
As you can see, I really do have too many hats. (...the background portrait is the first object I ever purchased at an auction. I still love it. I'd love my amazing and talented art-wise friend, Lisa, to dig up more on the artist - Goddard. I can't find much. )
"Is that a PITH helmet?", you may ask. Indeed it is, and it's fabulous when mowing three acres, so don't mock it! But here's my favorite: a Panama...love, love, LOVE this hat! Anyway, these are just my SUMMER hats...so, as you can imagine, since I rarely don any of them, I needed to go through them.
Ironically, the little Demdaco girl with bluebirds, is called: "Happiness", and was given to me by a dear friend, who also makes me happy.In attempting to share the list of happiness "triggers" with you, I scanned the article, but it's not displaying well....so I'll reference it by informing you that it was written by Helen D. Wright, Ph.D., and is from "Relief From Depression" ...and I'm hoping the feds don't come after me for copying it. I encourage you to Google away.
Yeah, I know...I probably shouldn't have even put that photo up.
Like my ol' fave clock advises (in another less-than-great-photo): Have a Happy Day!
I know, I know. It's been so long since my last entry, you probably thought I'd given up. There's just not much happening at CasaTini in the winter months. It's so darn cold out, warming up the logs at Camp Liz could take all day. It's a tiny place, and a tiny electric fireplace that heats it up.
So, today, I write from the warmth of my home, in full pajama regalia. Down slippers, to boot!
I'm thinking about "lines" I've heard through life - sentences that someone said to me long ago, that still resonate strongly in my memory. Some are important, some touching, some completely absurd...and most are nothing that the person who said them would expect me to remember.
Of course we remember the cute lines of those children we love: "You touldn't wun awound a pool cuz Mommy PANK you!", a niece once said. When I called a young nephew for his third birthday, his response was: "I don't Be-mem-bo you!" Heartbreaking!
I was once given a note from a little freckle-faced red-headed boy passenger on one of the worst flights I'd ever worked as a flight attendant. On it, he'd drawn a picture of me, with stars all around, and the exclamation: "You are happy!" It was so untrue that night, you can bet I still have THAT drawing!
(2-24-09: I just found it! Of course, I had to post it!)Some "lines from life" are voices from the past, or advice from our elders. "Just go to sleep, and everything will look better in the morning". Dad was usually right on that one. "Maybe you should get a job that doesn't wear you out so much." (Thanks, Grandma! I periodically wish I'd listened!) A lady I respected gave me peace, when she said "Those schools have been around a lot longer than you have, and they're not going anywhere just because you take a year off!"
When I land in Chicago at night, I still think it looks "like a glistening tiara!", which is a line that my friend and I thought was so hilarious for some reason over twenty years ago. Soon to be followed by the words of a catering man - words so succint, they're etched in my memory, too. "It comes wif da turf, Baaaa-by! It comes wif da turf!"
We all joke about the "lines" we've heard during the days of dating. So I won't even go there. But I did have one unforgettable line (from a passenger who was NOT trying to pick me up), which was the most unforgettable compliment ever: "Your eyes are like two spoonsful of the Mediterranean!" I've never been to the Mediterranean to check that out, but it WAS quite nice to hear!
Speaking of passengers, I'll never forget the two most distinctive answers I've gotten in response to the question, "How do you take your coffee?" (because, oddly, most people don't seem to know!) One man said, "The color of a buff cocker spaniel." Perfect! But not as funny as the man who responded, simply, "Orally."
Does anyone else hear lyrics, and wish that some of the lines of those songs had been said to them? Boy, some of those songwriters have great lines. Wish I could think of one. Feel free to comment with your own memorable lyric.
It humors me to think of the "important" things we'd like our younger generations to remember. We give them sage advice, only to have them remember nothing, except the "lines" you said to them about something else. One must be careful of the things one says!
Admittedly, I'll never forget the words, "I will", nor the look on his face when my husband said them. Wow. Talk about a powerful line. (...and, he has!)
I look forward to hearing your favorite "Life Lines"...and to having plenty more of my own in the coming years!
Hello friends...new friends, used friends.....(who wants to be an OLD friend?!)...okay, I do. Which brings me to todays topic....a lifetime of friends!
As I get into "this blogging thing", I've made numerous realizations. I've found that there are "gazillions" of interesting people out there! That, in itself, is no surprise, but that there are so many whose blogs make me want to sit down and have a cup of coffee with them, or tour Europe together - now THAT surprises me!
See, I've moved - MOVED - 30 times in my life. (...and I don't even consider myself to be "mid-life" yet!) My childish attitude of not wanting "new" friends - "I just want my OLD friends - closer!" keeps popping up. When that attitude is just about to destroy my chances of ever ironing pillowcases for company again, I meet someone...somewhere. An ACQUAINTANCE.
Whether it be online, in a class, at work, travelling, or a friend of my mom's that I just "have" to meet...I keep meeting people, in life and online...who I find absolutely fascinating.
What I find funny, being a lover of words, is that a REacquaintance brings warmer, fuzzier thoughts than an acquaintance! Usually, words that start with "re" have a USED, do-it-again feeling. Recycle. Repair. Regress. Regret. But to be reacquainted? It's not a word one generally uses with people or things not enjoyed! Which brings me to the picture of the bike.
Yesterday, I was compelled to take pictures of my old Western Flyer, thinking I might sell it on Etsy. It's not been used for ages, and I felt like "clearing out". I hadn't even looked at it in months, except to move it, in order to reach something else stored in the garage. But I got reacquainted with it, as I polished it for it's modeling debut. It looks so pretty, and the darn thing just makes me HAPPY! Like an old friend! So, the fact that the pictures were too large to upload on Etsy convinced me (temporarily) that I'm meant to keep it! Also, like an old friend!
Old friends have been returning to my life more regularly in the past few months. Some, I've hunted down. Others, have reappeared by pure happenstance. All have been refreshingly welcome. There is a bit of joy that comes with aging, despite what people will tell you. When one is young, people seem to leave....whether breaking up, moving, or moving on to other friends. When one is old, people migrate back - like a homecoming - returning to the warmth of an old friendship. And THAT, my friends, also makes me HAPPY!
Is it time for you to get back in touch with an old friend?
