I missed them today

October 31, 2011 / Sheila / 9 Comments

Two little kids used to be part of my life. They were constant companions, buddies, small partners in our parade of daily adventures. Life was rich for many years with family, sharing, and all the annual milestones that mark the years. Then they grew up and launched their own lives. Most days I’m good with that. I’ve adjusted to them being all grown up. I love this time of life for them, and for myself and Rob. It is mostly good. But now and then, when there’s an event that particularly brings their childhood to mind, I miss them all over again. For a few hours there’s a fresh ache, and it isn’t my 24 and 28 year-olds I miss, but the four and eight year-olds. The ones who couldn’t wait to carve the pumpkin and choose a costume, buy candy to pass out at the door, blow the eggs and dye them at Easter, decorate the tree.

There’s a little prick at my heart each season. I know the time of children has passed for me, and that is as it should be. I have new life experiences around every corner, a lot yet to enjoy and explore, and Rob and I have dreams for our lives together. But just for a while tonight, I missed them.

Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2011 / Sheila / 5 Comments

This little cartoon is near and dear to my heart. It was the end of a Disney Channel Halloween special that my kids used to watch every year. A friend posted the little song on her blog, set to a video of classic cartoon characters. Made me curious to see if the Disney version was posted on You Tube. Of course it is. Is there anything not on You Tube?! Thanks for the tip, MJ!

Disney magic

October 27, 2011October 29, 2011 / Sheila / 4 Comments

My kids love Disney. They can’t help themselves, they were raised on it. For most of their early childhood, their tv exposure was limited to the Disney Channel and classic Disney movies. That grew into a love of the parks and an ongoing appreciation of the best of Disney music and inspiration.

I admit I shamelessly fostered their interest, fueled by my own youthful exposure to the House of Mouse, and a sense of security that if the tv was tuned to the Disney Channel I could relax and know their little minds were being exposed to wholesome fare. Alright, sometimes corny, but in the 80s and early 90s, Disney served very wholesome fare every day.

What is it about the formula that has worked so well for so long? The best of Disney, the classic animation, is both charming and clever. The art and music are witty, and hold up well. Best of all, the characters and stories are innocent, hopeful, idealistic…all qualities that nurture, especially today, when childhood is threatened by a too-early loss of innocence.

So this week my son, just out of the army, and his wife, still in the army, are at Disney World. It warms my heart that they chose to go there for vacation. Maybe they feel the need of sweetness and light when their daily lives are grounded in a very different reality. Not sure of the draw, but whatever it is, I support it. You can’t have too much innocence in this world, I’m thinking.

Stephanie and Matt went to Disneyland earlier this month and took little Riley for her first visit. She loved the teacup ride and got to sample several others that were just her speed. She got a Minnie doll and another toy or two that will serve as reminders of her first visit. She’s a 4th generation fan.

Not sure when I’ll get another Disney trip in. Rob and I were in Orlando last year for a conference and I had to carve out a day to visit Disney World, the first time we’d been in several years. It was odd to be there, two adults lining up for rides and wandering through the crowds. No kids in tow, no strollers, no small hands to keep hold of. I missed that a bit. And yet it didn’t stop me from enjoying the nostalgia of being in the park, seeing what had changed, being completely charmed by the amazing fireworks display at the end of the day.

As much as I love some things that are current, modern, up-to-date (think phones, computers, internet), I am equally enthralled by the timeless and classic era that Disney represents. Want to see cute and clever? Watch some of the old Disney cartoons. Or for even more fun, look up some of the Disney live action movies from the 50s and 60s. I promise, you’ll be transported to an America far, far away. And it’s a good place to visit now and then.

I’m not one to look backward, believing that everything from an earlier era was perfect, just because things have been whitewashed by the passing of time, or sentiment for the past and frustration with the present. But there are some things that only seem better as they age. Here’s to you, Mickey! May the House of Mouse stand a long time, entertaining and reminding that humor and cleverness can be kid-friendly and still appeal to the adults in the room. Oh, and some of the current stuff works pretty well too. Can you say Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom? “Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me!”

One year old today

October 25, 2011 / Sheila / 8 Comments

A year ago I posted my first blog. This little milestone is particularly meaningful to me because this has been the most challenging year of my life. I’d never thought about blogging until October of last year, and within a couple of weeks of deciding to try it, I was up and going.

There are a number of sites that offer free blog hosting, with a variety of support and features built into the programming. I use WordPress.com, but this is only one of many options. The point is, you too could start a blog. You can write about anything, as often as you want. You can spend a lot to add bells and whistles, or pay no money at all and still create a site with a professional appearance.

Blogging can be a digital diary, but it can also be much more. I’d be willing to bet that there’s no subject you could name that doesn’t have at least one blog devoted to it. There are photo blogs, list blogs, aggregate blogs. Endless variety!

My goal this next year is to migrate my blog to WordPress.org, the sibling of WordPress.com. The .org platform requires more user knowledge, and you pay a fee for a web hosting service. But the .org platform offers other possibilities, and I’m ready to explore the next steps.

I also want to attend a blog trade show. I know, I know, there’s a lot of noise and chatter at these types of events. But I don’t know what I don’t know, and I think it would be entertaining, at least, and possibly instructive, to see what exists in the blogosphere that I haven’t stumbled across yet. I’m pretty sure there’s enough to fill a convention hall or two. My usual method of discovery, accidentally tripping over something online, typically while looking for something totally unrelated to my real find, is just not efficient.

I don’t have a clear plan in mind for “next.” Mostly, I’m just curious about what I can do. The reality is that this little blog has played an important role in my life, giving me a positive and energizing outlet during a time that has otherwise felt more than a little daunting. I think I’ve rounded the corner on that, moving from fear to excitement. Oh, it’s good to reinvent myself in some ways at this stage of life!

But this is not about celebrating me. This is about celebrating new. Celebrating learning and joy.

I’ve known for a long time that I’m not a pioneer at heart in a physical sense. I would never have made it crossing the plains on a wagon train. I have no interest in going to the moon, or exploring the ocean depths. But the digital world?! Yes! See you out there!

Number 200!

October 21, 2011October 21, 2011 / Sheila / 13 Comments

I realized when I was looking at the dashboard for my blog that this will be post two hundred I’ve published since last October. I don’t post every day…only about 165 short of that mark! But still, two hundred posts…that’s a lot of words.

I want this blog to be a lens for viewing the positive and uplifting moments in life. I also celebrate humor, comfort, joy…all things wise and wonderful. The best things that have come from blogging in the past year?

Exercising my creativity
Finding the discipline to work on this project
Learning new skills and technology
Meeting new friends via WordPress and reconnecting with others
Finding all sorts of resources for whatever I’m writing about – the Internet never ceases to surprise me!
Being inspired, amused, touched, challenged, amazed by others – there are so many wise, clever, and incredibly funny people in the blogosphere.

So for this little milestone I’m sharing some of my favorite new quotes…oh, there’s a never-ending supply! These are a nice sampling of wisdom, humor, and cleverness. (All images from Pinterest.)

Enjoy!

To market, to market…

October 19, 2011 / Sheila / 8 Comments

Back in July I posted some photos of black bears that were fishing in one of the coves south of Ketchikan. That location is about seven miles out of town, and those bears were behaving just as bears should. But they do wander into Ketchikan, too, and when that happens, you may see something a bit out of the ordinary.

Check out this little guy:

Don’t worry, he was released after his venture into the produce aisle!

Catching up

October 17, 2011October 18, 2011 / Sheila / 2 Comments

Well, it’s back to basics after two weeks of Rob being home. He’s working OOT this week (love that acronym, brings a smile to my face!). And by basics I mean I’m home alone, catching up on a few things I largely allowed to slide, blogging being one of them. Along with much of the laundry, errands, and most of my to do list. While he’s home trading (stock market), I’m at work. By the time dinner is made and we share some evening time, it’s bed time.

In our past life, we lived together; in this lifestyle we’re sometimes together. Although we’re working to change our formula, it isn’t done yet. So when we’re together, pretty much everything else gets to wait. That’s by choice, not demand.

I felt a little guilty about this at first. I mean, letting chores pile up?! I’m no Martha Stewart, but I’m no slouch either. I like my lists to get done, thank you very much!

Then I realized: everyone recognizes that it’s important to make time for little ones; they grow so fast, if you’re not really tuned in, you can miss a lot in a hurry. How is it any different with the adults in our lives? I’ve been guilty in the past of seeing Rob as another adult who could occupy himself if I needed (or chose) to be busy. And of course he can occupy himself, and does, very nicely, when I’m at work. But especially since he’s not with me every day, when he’s home, I want to enjoy that to the fullest. I can run my errands or paint the laundry room at other times.

Just a word of reality…I don’t completely abandon my routine…some things must go on. I find we do need food, and we do the grocery or other errands as required. I just don’t want our time to be defined by all the second shift commitments.

So, I’ll catch up a bit this week, looking forward to Saturday when he’s home, and I have my dinner partner, my movie buddy, my heart back in my home. Till then, just the basics.

Homemade Vegetable Soup

October 10, 2011October 10, 2011 / Sheila / 10 Comments

We started out with a bang! The first full week of October was really nice, for SE Alaska, great fall days and just the right amount of crispness in the air. But now we’re back to rain, and every day’s forecast for the coming week has a little rain cloud and raindrops to remind me to wear my coat with a hood and bring my umbrella to work.

So soup sounds good, and as we’re still in harvest season, I think of big pots chock full of garden veggies. But I don’t have a garden, so I have to improvise a bit. I make this soup from a combination of fresh, frozen, and canned ingredients. You can use your favorite veggies and in amounts to your preference. Add pasta if you like, or you can even add beef or chicken. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches for the perfect comfort meal on a chilly rainy October day.

Vegetable Soup

~3 cans of petite diced tomatoes
~frozen green beans, corn, green peas, baby Lima beans, one box each
~3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
~1 medium onion, diced
~2 stalks celery, finely chopped
~2-3 carrots, sliced, or an equal amount of baby carrots, sliced
~2 cans of beef or chicken broth
~salt and pepper to taste
~tomato sauce and/or water to bring the ingredients to a soup consistency.

Put all ingredients together into a large stock pot. Let the soup simmer for an hour or longer to combine and develop flavor. Adjust seasonings. Add pasta and bite-sized pieces of beef or chicken, if desired. Simmer to incorporate flavors of the pasta and/or meat. This is also a perfect soup to prepare in a crock pot. Perfect for an end of day satisfying meal that is ready when you are!

Serve with sandwiches, fresh crusty bread, or, if you’re in the South, with cornbread (almost said “homemade” cornbread, but really, is there any other kind?!).

Makes many servings, and reheats well. Enjoy for dinner and for multiple lunches during the week.

Happy Fall!

Thoughts for a Thursday

October 6, 2011October 6, 2011 / Sheila / 4 Comments

So I told you about my new favorite site, Pinterest? It is wonderful! One of my favorite things about the site is that everything you see is shown as an image, so you can literally see at a glance if the posted item is of interest, raises your curiosity, starts your taste buds watering, or brings a smile to your face. The site showcases the items “pinned” to virtual bulletin boards by site members. The whole thing is free, fun, and a great way to collect ideas, quotes, inspiration, recipes…whatever you’re looking for. I highly recommend it as the most fun way to stash “next” ideas!

So for today, a few fun quotes, gathered from the bounty available through Pinterest:

A smile is the most beautiful curve on a woman’s body.
We never really grow up. We only learn how to act in public.
Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.
Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.
Dear Math, I am not a therapist. Solve your own problems.
Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life. {J.K. Rowling}
May the bridges I burn light the way.

Check it out for yourself! Enjoy!

Date night

October 5, 2011October 6, 2011 / Sheila / 6 Comments

Last night Rob and I had a date. Tuesday night, nothing particularly special about it. But we made it special. We made it movie night, grocery night, talk night.

Last year I read the book, The Help, and like so many, loved it for its humor and touches of tragedy, yet over-riding triumph of the human spirit. It is a wonderful story of awakening minds, standing up for what is right, and the dignity of spirit that can’t be diminished by work or position, however lowly those may be. Character shines through.

Ketchikan has a two-screen theater, but I’ve noticed that we’re consistently behind the rest of the world by about six weeks with movie release dates. So while everyone else was seeing this movie back in August, we are only just now seeing it in October.

I grew up in Mississippi. But I’m happy to say that I didn’t witness the types of scenes that the movie portrays. I know they happened. I’ve heard stories here and there. But I didn’t grow up with a maid in my home. So I can relate to some things, and yet I can’t.

The southern accents, the homes, so much of the movie rang true to me. Although I don’t remember the specific historic time (I was a bit young, less than three years old when the events in the movie occurred), the general look and feel seemed authentic. Some of the events really happened, of course. Medgar Evers was killed in June of 1963. The civil rights movement wasn’t an era to be studied in a history class, it was a current event. There are other signs of the times that seem strange viewed from 2011: the hairstyles, the dress, the cars. In several scenes people are smoking. But it isn’t the smoking itself that catches the attention: it’s the location. In one scene, a receptionist at the local newspaper office is smoking, on the job, during work hours. That would never happen today. The painful discussions of the practical side of segregation would not occur today. No one is sending sanitation initiatives to government officials in 2011.

But the best parts of the movie are the timeless bits: the scenes that show people living up to what is best in themselves, challenging others to see the value of humans, not of color; and recognition of the most basic values of life. Children, women, the elderly, minorities, and the poor are all celebrated in this film. But it is not done in a condescending or patronizing way. The emphasis is on the worth of people in general, the recognition that all have value and a contribution to make.

The film is also about redemption and growth. The main characters all grow throughout the story, and we are allowed to see them shifting their opinions, embracing a different view of life. In the end, the movie is about claiming the potential we have, and treating people right along the way.