Do you believe this quote?     I thought one could do anything if they put a serious mind into action.   You could attempt to become a writer and put those words in a diary or write stories.    Or how about an artist, painting and creating and sketching.   Taking art classes.   Or playing MahJongg with friends while learning something new about it every week.   Working out at Planet Fitness four times a week started a year ago last November.   Going for lunch on Tuesdays and Garden Club on Thursdays.   Eating dinner out on Friday nights and brunches on Sunday.  Belonging to a book club.  Taking walks with a camera.    Going on cruises.

I've traded sailing for painting and golf for playing games.   I've given up bridge for MahJongg.    Now I'm creating a book about my life and placing my daily writings on  BeingBarb.com while keeping in touch with friends on FACEBOOK.

Cooking has become that special something I've never done.    I'm learning now and  having a ball with Leon by my side explaining things.

Looking over this I must say I totally believe the quote: "You can do anything but not everything".    There are not enough hours in a day or days in a week to participate in all that I want to do.    So, let's just take it a day at a time and be happy that I'm still able to LEARN something new.   And what a gift that has become.

This statement came up many times in my life, but I remember one vividly in the early 80's.  I taught at a magnet school being opened for the first time that required master teachers.   It was Hamilton Park Elementary in the Richardson School District in Dallas/Richardson.  

At each grade level there was a team of 8 teachers - 5 classroom, 2 assistant teachers and 1 special ed teacher, plus a wealth of excellent staff.  The whole school, 1st-6th grades, just opened and they needed it to succeed, hoping students wanted to be there.

We worked hard spending many hours at the school getting our classrooms ready for bused in students from 41 elementary classrooms throughout the district while also serving the community that lived there.    Working to meet the needs of all those kids served as a challenge but never have I loved teaching so much as during that time.

One Friday, or was it Saturday, night there was a gathering at the Bausch house where food and drink often took place on the weekends.    Smoking ruled as one could picture a cigarette in most people's hands along with that glass of wine.   It was a time to relax and enjoy the whole teaching staff as the school day called for much attention to being the best.  

We partied on the weekends.   One such evening at the Bausch house comes to mind.  That evening found several of us girls standing out at the pool and someone suggested we go skinny dipping.   "I'll do it if you do it" came out of someone's mouth.   Four of us agreed, taking off our clothes and while grabbing a towel from the bedroom.    As we each took a quick jump into the pool we could feel the fresh clean water in the silence of darkness.  We played like the students we cared for during the day - sneaking and silently laughing.

No one else presented themselves, in fact they didn't even know we were out in the water.  Then one new teacher happen to enter the patio and couldn't believe his eyes.   A crowd began to gather but we didn't care, probably because we were living off that bottle of wine.

There came a time when the party ended and people were departing.   Several of them spent the night til morning coffee was being served and aspirin being taken.  

I will never forget that evening.   I existed in a dream having the time of my life,   Leon there helping me every step of the way.     I wonder if those teaching friends who joined me remember that night.    What fun we experienced.   We needed a little of that childish behavior ourselves!    

                                                "It’s All About the Flowers”! 

​“Maine is one great flower pot”, says my Mother, who has spent many summers visiting us in Rockport.   While I continue to share photos of our flower garden, she is always totally amazed at the changes that have occurred.   Each year seems to be the “best ever”.   These flowers splattered all over were our creation last year.   We begin a fun and different field of beauty this year.

​Our garden carpets the backyard, as it provides one picture of beauty each day.   In the morning the sun shines right on those specs of yellow and white or reds and purples.   I sit glancing out of the living room windows or the bedroom windows or the kitchen windows, as the budding plants call with a somewhat indescribable elegance.   There are blooming flowers all around, peeking out as the gardens seem to grow bigger and bigger - constantly changing.   The growth appears daily, bringing us a gift added with a bit of charm to the whole scene.   A painting without a brush stroke.

This picturesque act of nature happens during our Maine summers and speaks loudly  of poise and grace, offering new shades of fascination while splashes of change are taking place.   Looking out each day as summer moves along, wondering what magic will appear right here in our backyard.   What a gift!

Integrity:  the practice of being honest showing moral and ethical values.   

C.S. Lewis, a British writer, became a friend when reading the Chronicles of Narnia to a classroom of elementary students.   He practiced integrity in his writing many times over, slipping in story examples in many pieces of his writing.   

I thought about this quote for several days, read articles about it, trying to think when "integrity" was practiced in my own daily life.   Things that stood out were "putting others' needs above their own".   Someone with true integrity is only interested in doing the right thing.   You don't think about it - you just do it!

If you possess true integrity you will be found helping those in need.   I have friends volunteering all over the place:  in the local food bank, providing clothes for those in need, spending their time at the Chamber of Commerce, participating in the Restorative Justice program.  They hold a great deal of integrity in my book.

My brother, my sister, my cousin, Mary, all hold much integrity in their lives.   Just helping out without thought.    I'm still not able to think where "integrity"enters in this life I lead.     

With glasses lying atop the nose holder, a piece of paper sits next to it.   "Recalibrate" had to be looked up to gather several synonyms to catch the meaning of this thought.   Change.  Modify.  Revamp.   All come to mind when using the word recalibrate.    Example:   I just got the book club read, was not excited about reading it.   But when I browsed some reviews and skimmed throughout the book, I recalibrated my thinking.    I am "willing to comprise"!

"Never regret anything that made you smile".    
Mark Twain

Smiling or laughing makes troubles disappear.   I love Leon because he gives that special grin or hearty laugh all the time.   My heart just melts when he's doing it.

No matter if it's a TV show we are watching, a funny piece that pops up on the computer, just a happening that occurs or the sharing of a story - a grin, a laugh or that huge smile comes out.

I was at the gym yesterday and this guy had a whole sheet of exercises he was trying to complete.   He brings it every time he's working out.    Standing there rather tall in nature, around 70, with a receding hairline and seeming to focus on completing the job he started.   I stopped to talk.   With a grin, I asked him if he did all that every time he was working out.   His response ran across his face with a huge smile.   "I forget doing these things if I don't stop and record".   I told him "what a great idea" and I must start doing that.   As I walked off I could see that smile he offered.

We can't help but react with smile of our own when we see some else smiling.   It's an "infectious loop of happiness" all the way around!     So share some joy with one BIG SMILE after another.

Friends are the sweet stuff inside, adding taste to the cookie.   I think back of all the fun I had being around friends as I sit here in my 70's still treasuring the times that devious behavior exhibited where those buddies came through for me.  

This happened  during high school years, where  I teamed up with my buddies to show just how cool we were.   Whether it was sneaking out of my second floor bedroom window around midnight to meet up with a neighborhood boyfriend to just walk around and share thoughts.    Of course, our crafty and often times deceitful behavior got me into trouble, but boy was it fun.   FRIENDS were there to help out with those mishaps sticking up for such awful behavior.

I remember riding in Joey's top down as we girls were headed to find some trouble.   She owned a fabulous convertible and what else would  think nothing of picking up a hitch hiker.  We let him off at our local gas station upon arriving back home.   I didn't know that my parents knew of such an act until months later!    The owner of that station was a friend and shared this information with them.   My friends stuck up for me explaining "there is nothing wrong in being kind"!

When I attended college at UNI I lived in a dorm not 7 miles from home!    I  climbed out of a third story window with sheets tied together.   Again a group of girlfriends were headed for trouble.   It was late in the evening and curfew time was in position.    Certainly retribution occurred in that late night plotted scheme.    I can't even recall the reason for such an act, but I had a ball!   True friends helping out once again.

The word "LIE" to my parents took over a large part of my vocabulary during those years.   I put them through much pain as they often wondered how they produced such a untrustworthy and deceitful child.   After flunking out of college, because working at the pizza joint, modeling for BLACK'S department store and having a ball my buddies seemed more important at the time.   It was my friends who got me through some sticky situations as dealing with my mother and father...and sister and brother!

My parents were the happiest people around when I got married to Leon.   There was now someone else that could deal with me.  Through thick and thin my husband was the hero.   

Throughout my life I attempted to pay my family back for all the heartache I caused while growing up.   I must say I could not have handled the few situations mentioned here without my dear FRIENDS!    This was just the beginning of how important those "chocolate chips" called friendship were to me from the beginning of time through right now in my 70's.

I've heard this my entire life!    From my parents, my friends, those I work with and new acquaintances.   Those who we surround ourselves with have a
huge impact on us.   

I think the most important part of a happy life is having a dream.  That takes remaining optimistic and looking for the good happenings.    I am always dreaming, especially when I spend the afternoon relaxing and thoughts about trying something new arise.    

Happy people bounce back from failures.   They switch things around so the positive happens eventually or there are changes made.   The happiest people have one thing in common:  they are life long learners.    Thinking on this I have many friends who live life this way.   Always willing to hop in and learn something new!

I hope I am one of them.   I explore new adventures whether it is as simple as figuring out how to put something together, taking classes, attending a lecture, going to listen to classical music, meeting friends to paint with or enjoying a drive.    We always learn something through our daily routine.

I want to open a place where 4 or 5 friends get together and share their talents in one of the empty store fronts in Rockland.   I'm thinking about that and encouraging  friends to join me with specific things they love to do, make, share.   It's fun to search the possibilities out.   To see exactly what it would take to this.   Always dreaming!

We live in a world of abundance and GIVING makes us happier in the end.   Maine is the perfect place that demonstrates this giving.   Through mentoring, volunteering at the Chamber of Commerce, providing the needed help to a friend, raising money for charity, teaching others the skills we possess - just volunteering where we can.    

It's fun to do these things.   Life carries on while I am learning.    The quiet time is greatly appreciated, thinking about these happenings...as I "take time to smell the roses"!

I always try to find the good in each day.   However, today Leon backed into the cleaning gal's car and knocked out her tail light.   I got up late and had quite a time getting started, dropping things and spilling my coffee.   But there is a "gift" in every day.  I just need to find it.

Perhaps it will be when I am out walking Spencer.  Or maybe when I'm reading I will come across a new word that I have no idea what it means, but can look it up
​and begin using it.  

Whatever happens there is an enlightened experience that will take place and I will totally count it a gift.