Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I hope that 2015 was ushered in on the wings of hope.

As many of you know, each day I try to put a memory of the day, a lesson learned or a thought down on a slip of paper and deposit them into a jar.

Each day of the new year, I reach into an old jar and pull one out from the year before. It helps me start each day with a blessing and reminds me of how grateful I am for family, friends and those magical moments.

One of these days, I am going to type them all up and share them on the blog, after which, I think I will cut each one out and decoupage my old desk with them so I can look at those messages and stay inspired.


***

Speaking about being ushered in on the wings of hope. How many of you know what Usher Syndrome is?

Below is a link that will define its clinical description. I want to share the human side with you.

I have been blessed to meet many wonderful people that have Usher Syndrome. I have been inspired by their stories. Many struggle but all triumph.

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Usher_Syndrome

To learn more about Usher Syndrome here is a groups I recommend. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/525203447494044/

My Usher Friends are working on a wonderful 

project and I will share the information here as more

details roll in. 

There are many groups available to those with visual 

impairment and I will be posting more of them soon.

***

Penning Again

It has been months since I have posted. I have been relatively busy as I am sure you have all been.

I began penning again about 3 months ago and I have had the honor of meeting several writers. Their works are inspiring and I hope to showcase a writer here and there as I go along.

My friend and published author Michelle Anne Noonan has been invited to do a one hour panel talk on one of her local radio stations.

She will be reading some of her works and is 

honoring me by reading some of mine.

Please stop by Mishy's website to learn more about her life as a poet, author and Australian.

http://mishyanne73.wix.com/mishy

Below you will find a link to her first book,

"Sensual Whispers" 

It is available in paperback and Kindle editions.

http://www.amazon.com/Sensual-Whispers-Michelle-Anne-Noonan/dp/1499013434/ref=la_B00ODI5O9W_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420914892&sr=1-1

The show airs on Friday noon to 1:30 Melbourne time.

Here are links to the station's facebook page and website.

https://www.facebook.com/3wbc941

http://www.3wbc.org.au/

I will let you know how it goes.

*** 

Amy Bovaird, Author - "Mobility Matters"

I know it has been awhile since I have posted to the blog. I am behind. I have written many posts but have not published them yet, but I will soon.

Today, I want to just focus on what is timely and exciting.

My friend and author Amy Bovaird, is allowing me to share with you her upbeat inspiring story and tidbits from her new book "Mobility Matters" 

The tentative release date of Amy's book is September 25th and the Launch Date is October 12th.  At some point in the near future the books should be available in an audio format.

I was one of the fortunate ones that had the opportunity to review Amy's book.

"Mobility Matters" is not only an inspirational faith-filled journey of coping with the loss of sight and hearing, but the triumphant arrival of independence and the rebirth of new vision.

There were many things I could relate to from denial to cane shame. This is a great read for the visually impaired and those that want to learn more about the visually impaired. I appreciate the humor

and insight the book offers its readers. There is a take-away for anyone who reads this book 
 
There is so much more I could say. Amy, thank you

for sharing your book with me!  

Meet Amy! Be sure to check out her website!

Stop by Amy's website at www.amybovaird.com  and learn more about her and her adventures. If you want you can also go to amybovaird.com/mobility-matters/ and learn more about the book or download a sample chapter!

Amy will also have autographed books available. Please see website for details

+++++++++++++

I am also working on a new page for Unsung Heroes that offers us all the opportunity to thank all of those that help others. Many go unnoticed and they provide us so much. 

Until next time

Eliot, Ezra and 4000 Pounds

Has anyone read the Waste Land by T.S. Eliot? He wrote if for Ezra Pound. The poem is riddled with symbolism. "April is the cruelest month," is just the beginning of the first line of the poem. I too, sometimes think April is the cruelest month, at least until I get focused on the really important things in life.

Three years ago, in April, I hit a car. Yes, you read that correctly. The car did not hit me...I ran into it. I did not see it. I know a car is big, but not on this particular day. I was not hurt, just extremely embarrassed. The poor woman driving the car was more shook up. I couldn't tell if  I could hear her heart beating...or mine.

I tried to rationalize the incident. After all, how could I admit that I did not see 4,000 pounds of mobility? I will say that it was a silver car and we had recently Sprung Forward, so I blamed it on the lighting. I did not hear it because it was a newer car.

When I arrived at work. One of my co-workers knew I was upset. She had never seen me even remotely emotional. I blamed that on menopause. It certainly seemed fitting. Later, I had to admit that I had been batted around by menopause for the previous six years.

The cold April showers cleared away my illusions and I had to face the truth. I had an issue that I referred to as a minor inconvenience that  needed to be addressed. In reality, the car was not the obstacle...my denial was.

I have to say, that most mishaps now are comical and the ones that are not, are at least entertaining. I am just warning all of you, that you never know what I might do next. I don't even know. I have a new cane, that I refer to as Sidekick. I only use it if I have to. On bright sunny days he comes out to play and sometimes when the shadows aren't playing nice. He seemed to have come with another new friend, the tenebrous cloud who follows to my right. I will name him soon. The names I am coming up with now seem rather harsh.

April is cruel for other reasons too, but that is a blog post for another day. On a positive note, April also brings renewed life and lilacs. I love lilacs.

I messaged back and forth recently with a child hood friend and so many memories came flooding back. I had to smile. It also made me realize that I need to write some of these memories down, while I still can remember so much detail. I could write forever...and then I remember forever is not really that long. One memory led to another and the writing began.

Recalling those memories, makes me picture a beautiful, giant quilt showcasing in its majestic splendor an array of photos of  family and friends both  new and old. I will write about that later.

May your April be just a stepping stone of things yet to be and a quiet time of renewal.

Until, I find the pen again... 

Angels and Challenges!

      Since my last blog post many things have happened. Most were good, some were absolutely amazing and all were educational!

     I don't know if it has been the weather or if  I have found myself in a rut, but I am an adrenaline junkie and I am bored. I decided it will be fun to try to do one  thing each month, that I have never done before. I have also added to learn one new thing each month.

       There is this really cool challenge in China, first you get to climb the Heavenly Stairs of Mt. Hua Shan, then you have the opportunity to tackle the world’s most dangerous trail, the Hua Shan plank path. The plank trail leads high up the Hua Shan mountain just outside the city Xi’an.

     The stairs themselves are the easiest part of the climb and the secrets and landscape you will view is spectacular. When you get high enough up the mountain you can take a gondola to the plank trail. At the very top of the southern peak is a Taoist temple that was converted into a teahouse. Here is the link to learn more if curiosity should get the best of you http://www.viralnova.com/dangerous-trail-huashan/

     Obviously, I am interested. I know it is crazy but.... my friend Cat said she will not climb with me but will meet me at the teahouse at the end of the journey.

     She said that when we were angels we could tackle some of the scary, challenging stuff.

     Speaking of Angels...there are many here on earth. As you may recall in my last blog post that we did not win the magnifier for Noah, but we had many votes.

     Quincy donated a Butterfly Magnifier to Noah and Marion saw its first butterfly of the year and Marion also had the opportunity to see a glimpse of one of the many angels here on earth!

     Janice out of the kindness of her heart, will be surprised to learn that the check she sent for anything that Noah might need was just the kick-off to the Noah Fund.   See the photos below.

    

    
There are many other angels out there. I would love to acknowledge them all but I do not know all of them personally. I offer a big heart-felt thank you to all of those angels!     Ever wonder what I do when I am not  dodging puddles and keeping my feet dry? I clean screens and windows...ok if I have to confess, I break windows trying to clean screens. I am not a fan of clear glass.

     Had the chance to help celebrate a couple of birthdays...Jenny Collin Hughes and Vallery Donahue!

     My father is doing better and my step-mother will be leaving the hospital today.

     Please keep all of those struggling in your thoughts and prayers. Next time we will discuss black holes...until then


 

Puddles, Muddles and Wet Socks

     This month's adventures have kept me busy and amused. As you know by now, it doesn't take much. If we try hard enough I think we can all find something to reflect on each day.

     Most of us around here are a little sick of Winter. He has not been overly friendly this year...but he has made himself known, even in Florida.

     This year we have had temperatures so low that they have surpassed the temps at the most northern point of Alaska.

     Of course we have had snow, record breaking snowfall throughout the country. I see that we are now enjoying water and flooding but the temperatures are warmer, well at least until we see that Polar Vortex that is coming our way. Michigan seems to be reeling in the aftermath from their latest storm. 

     I spent the last few days walking around puddles.
I have to confess, I would rather be cold than have wet feet. There is something about it that I just cannot stand. I hate it so much that I keep dry socks at work and in my purse. This leads me to one of my latest adventures.

     I get up fairly early most mornings. Slacker is my alarm clock and when I am lucky he lets me sleep until about 5 thirty am, if I scold him he lets me rest for about 5 additional minutes. This was the case on Tuesday.

    I got up and fed the felines and headed for the coffee pot. I love that first cup or two of coffee in the morning when the house is completely silent and I reflect for a bit and get the day's game plan in order, at least mentally.

    As I was looking around, I saw it...there it was in plain sight...a puddle of liquid resting comfortably on my hardwood floor. What was it? Where did it come from? Why was it there?

     I walked over to it and around it, I did not want to get my feet wet! I thought I should get that boy of mine up and ask him why he made a mess and didn't clean it up. I could just picture his response too, "Mom, you love your new floor cleaner and I was going to clean it up but I was in the middle of a video game and I forgot."

     I sat back down and finished my coffee and then I went to get the mop. I came back to clean up the puddle and that is when it began...yes the new insanity! I pushed that mop through that puddle 10 or 15 times and it was still there. I knelt down and touched it with my hand...because I am NOT going to get my feet wet. It was not wet. It was a shadow.

     I am glad that I did not wake Andrew up to clean up his mess. I am more than certain that he is glad that I didn't. He suffers enough.

     I now spend my mornings chasing shadows.  On  a good note they seem to respect my love of quiet in the morning.

     Well, we did not win the Video Magnifier for Noah, but certainly not because of lack of effort. I cannot thank you all enough for your votes and support. Don't worry, I have another idea. That little guy will get his magnifier!

     Ok, so I named the cane...Stevie Patron, the Peace Keeping Momentary Wonder Cane. If I am in a good mood he goes by Stevie, otherwise he is known as Patron. He was addressed as Patron recently because he didn't see the glass of water either.

     I enjoyed lunch with the Star Lunch Ladies and Book Club. We meet for lunch once a month and talk about the book we read and select a new one.  Does anyone have any suggestions? Have you read anything good lately?

    I enjoyed a visit with a good friend who moved. It was good to hang out with Joey.  I will say that I will pass on getting the car stuck again.

     I had fun last night at Karaoke with Missy, Dawn and David. It is always good to laugh.

    I want to thank everyone for their prayers for my father who was just released from CCU and my step mother Bette who is recovering from emergency surgery. I saw them both on Thursday, and now if they can just behave and slow down they may both get to go home by the end of the month.

    Jenny Hughes made a beautiful photo box for me to give to a friend. I can hardly wait to share it with you. I have to give my friend the box first, Hopefully soon!

     Until next time :)



   

     

Love, Inspire, Encourage and Name the Cane!

Those that know me well know that I love to post about the positives in life. We all need to lift each other up. I thoroughly enjoyed being a participant in Amber Stone Cameron's RWOE#14. If you are not sure what that is, please send me a private message and I will do my best to explain it to you. It was awe inspiring to see those messages around my community. I look forward to next year's event!

I am still trying to win the magnifier for Noah. He is 7 and is struggling with vision loss. I saw him this week. He is truly amazing and entertaining. That boy always makes me smile. He draws me pictures which I proudly hang in my cubicle at work and when there is enough, he and I are going to write a book. He is bubbly and very loving. The world is still a wonder to him and it is beautiful to see it through his eyes.

Noah and I talked about Valentine's Day. He is quite the catch for most little girls. He was sharing some of his girlfriend experiences with me. I had a smile in my heart from his stories that lasted the rest of the day. He is also diabetic. I gave him some heart suckers for his many girlfriends. Of course he has to have his carb count checked before he can have any suckers. Please continue to like my comment on this link so we can win this magnifier for Little Noah.
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/photo.php?fbid=559085070840465&set=a.341095785972729.80640.296358023779839&type=1&theater
All you have to do is like my comment about what I would do if I won the magnifier. I know that Noah is still in the running. Zoomax holds several contests a year and I know some of the people who have benefited from their technology.

Anyone ever notice that I ramble from one subject to another? That is how my mind works. I am not trying to tell you that it is a good thing but it does keep me entertained.

Things are changing in my life...I would imagine in all of our lives. I know many people that are struggling to overcome grief, illness, relationship issues and life's usual ups and downs. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. My mind never stops. I have been looking for the elusive off switch for years.

I am going to share a story with you from last Sunday. I belong to a C-Group at church and we meet every other Sunday at 6pm. Around 5:30 pm, my seventeen year old son comes up to me and says, "Mom, I have something to tell you, that I don't want to tell you." Of course, my heart dropped to my feet for a few frantic moments and then I prepared myself for the news.

I am so glad that I did not overreact. My son said "Mom, I changed the lightbulb in your bedroom" Of course I thanked him and then he went on to tell me that it had been out for weeks. I said ok. He then asked me if I was trying to conserve energy. Of course we should all try to conserve energy, but somehow I knew this was not where the conversation was going.  I said not more than usual and then he went on to tell me that the house was practically pitch black...there were five other light bulbs out and three were in the living room. He was concerned because I did not notice. I did not really have a good response at that moment for him. I told him he could change them.

Suddenly, it all began to make sense. One of my friends came to pick me up earlier in the week and she called when she was in the driveway. She called to make sure I was home. That seemed a bit odd to me and a coworker said to me, is that boy of yours ever home? They questioned these things because from the street my house was pitch black.  This all came to me as I was walking to the church.

The meeting went well and I whipped out my cane and started walking home. I had a lot on my mind. I was thinking how hard it must have been for Andy to tell me that I had not noticed the darkness. The darkness did not bother me exactly, but the impact it had on him did! I was thinking about how I was going to handle that when I got home but I kept getting distracted because I felt like someone was following me in a car. I am not a timid person. I could hear the car creeping along but when I tried to see all I could see was the glare from two headlights that looked like a white out. I sensed that they knew that I knew that I was being followed and they turned around and drove off, then when I got closer to my house it appeared that a car was idling in front of my house, its headlights again blinding me, again as I got closer it turned around and drove off. I would think about that later, but first I had to talk to my son.

Well, when I walked through the door it was blinding. Huge amounts of light in the living room since I had just come in from the darkness outside. I knew he was watching me so I went into the my room and changed into shorts and a tank top and went in the living room and sprawled out on the sofa. Of course he asked what I was doing, I told him I was getting a tan and that seemed to be all it took to dissipate the tension.

A couple of people at work seemed to notice a change too and can I tell you how much it amuses me to be studied like I am under a microscope. Just talk to me if you question something. I am using my cane more...not always...but more. I think it is time that I gave it a name besides albatross. Will take suggestions. Post some names for me or send me a private message.

A good friend came to town last night we shared a few laughs and had a great dinner. Marion misses Joey Sink-Oiler as much as she misses Marion. Glad she had a good time. I have another friend celebrating her 50th birthday ( Lois Miller) this weekend. Would love to help her celebrate and will if I can.

I also received a private message from my dear friend Carolyn Thompson Chute. It is precious and a great reminder of how our childhood friends stay with us. Did you know that if you have a friend for seven years you are usually friends for life. I AM SO RICHLY BLESSED!

I have the greatest friends...many are my family. I have been friends with many since my childhood, Cathy, Shirley, Carolyn and many more. God has blessed me with a great group of friends I hang with on a regular basis-Kat, Missy, Pilar, Brad, Beth, Brenda and many more and then there are my newer friends like Quincy, Janice, Jessica, Sarah, Amanda, Tamby, Rob and Wendy who all share the blind crazy train with me and offer great humor and inspiration. I have the cackling hens, and the lunch ladies-half of which helped raise me, lol. Of course I have great family too. I cannot begin to list all of the great friends I have. I know that I am blessed! If THERE IS SO MUCH SUNSHNE IN THE DARKNESS!

I have been writing more poetry lately. It always comes in phases.

After my last post, I asked for everyone's favorite memories from 2013. I am still waiting to hear them. I did receive one from Steve Messenger about our trip to the Beachfront. I have fond memories with Steve and the girls here but would love to hear from more of you for my next post.

Until next time...keep loving one another. Don't forget to learn and inspire each other!