Look Up

Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.
- Louisa May Alcott

Find Yourself

Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, "This is the real me," and when you have found that attitude, follow it.
- William James

Classy

Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life.
- Ann Landers

Chocolate

Chocolate is one of my favorite weaknesses or treats (depending on how you look at it), and I am not alone. It has long has been heralded as an aphrodisiac and is said to raise the serotonin levels in the body, thereby helping to chase away the blues. Dark chocolate has recently been classified as an antioxidant, meaning that it reduces the free radicals in the body. That is certainly more than a mouthful to say of this gastric delight. But have you ever wondered how this pleasurable sweet came to be?

Dating back more than 2,000 years ago to the time of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans who occupied what is now Central America, chocolate was cherished even back then. The Mayans were the first to discover that they could make a frothy, slightly bitter, beverage from crushed cacao beans. This beverage was reserved for royalty, priests, and the highest levels of society. The Aztecs created a warm drink from the beans called chcoclatl, meaning "warm liquid," and they so valued cocoa beans that they used them as currency.

Christopher Columbus was the first to bring cacao beans back from the New World, but it was not until the conquistador, Hernando Cortez, actually tasted chocolatl in 1519 that the pleasures of chocolate were truly experienced by someone from the "civilized" western world. Cortez was the one to add sugar cane to the cocoa to soften the bitter taste. And upon his return to Spain, he re-introduced the modified chocolate beverage to the Spanish court.

The drink was such a hit that it led to the agricultural production of cocoa beans in Jamaica, Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru. Spanish monks were even pressed into service to process the beans, and a new agricultural industry was born. The joys of chocolate spread throughout Europe, and the rest is history! Today chocolate is a highly popular treat for all and is served in numerous forms.

So, the next time you indulge in a chocolaty treat, say a little thank you to the Aztecs and Mayans who discovered the first cacao beans and to Hernando Cortez who made it all possible. You might also want to add a thank you to the scientists who have found all kinds of wonderful benefits to enjoying a chocolate treat.

Happy Valentine's Day

Let your heart soar.

Love Note

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage." -- Lao Tzu

Living Will

MY LIVING WILL

Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and

I said to her, "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."

She got up, unplugged the TV, and threw out my wine.

She's such a bitch.....

OUT SICK

I've been out sick the last several days with the flu and resperatory infection.
In other words "The Super Crud" that has been going a round.
Friday started with coughing and a soar throat that I let progress until the next day I woke up and could barely talk or move. I didn't feel I had the strength to get dressed and drive to the store for supplies I would need. I broke down and called my brother, who lives down the road and asked if he'd run the errand for me. I told him that I felt really bad having to ask for help but he was happy to help me out with my list that included maxi pads, he only baulked for a second.Scott brought the goods by, free of charge even and chatted a bit before going.
I hunkered down on the couch with my pillows, blanket extra strength Tylenol,OJ, throat spray and Kleenex prepared to do battle against a cold. A couple of nights later I was sure I was gonna die, moaning, shivering, aching, sweating and sinus pressure so great I thought my eyes, ears and teeth were going to explode off my face, but alas I kept waking up every 1/2 hour or so still in pain, even my hair hurt. Oh, did I mention I lost my voice too.
It was the weekend and I could not make myself go to the Emergency Room for this. Monday morning at 8:00 I had called one of the main clinics in town to get an appt.I was barely whispering and the nurse goes I guess I dont have to ask what's wrong, huh?
I go in at 10:40, fill out papers, see a nurse who weighs me, takes my temp and blood pressure and asks routine questions. Then I see the doctor, an Indian man wearing tons of gold jewelry and reading the nurses chart looking me over. Seems like I answered yes to everything he asked. Yes, my head hurt, yes my sinus's hurt, yes my ears ached, yes coughing hurt my chest, yes I knew I had white crud on my tongue..Yes Yes Yes...Stop the Madness!! Just write the script for my meds already.
I know I was only there 10 minutes, but it seemed like eternity. He gives me 4 sample packs of something I take once a day for congestion, writes scripts for E-Miocin antibiotic and cough syrup, tells me the instructions for all, says get better and barely taps me on the shoulder on his way out.
I make my way out to the reception desk, get out my Visa card and charge $90 for the office visit. OMG! $90 for that? No wonder it's been years (6-7) since I've been to a doctor. I shove my coat on and go to my car, that has to warm up 5 minutes in the ZERO degree weather. I try to cuss, but my voice won't work. My fever has gone down a little, the cold air helped something anyway. I drive to the pharmacy and pick up my package. The Doc forgot to call in the cough syrup, I buy cough drops and juice and head home.
It's now two days later and I've finally turned the corner on this. My head is not quite so full of shit and I can move it, my bones aren't screaming in pain, I can eat oatmeal and soup,I can sit at the computer desk for more than 10 minutes with out feeling like I need a nap and the voice is starting to come back, deep and raspy(how sexy)and best of all my sense of humor is returning. Me and God's serious talks/pleadings(take me now) were getting worn thin.

Just in case anyone actually reads my blog I didn't want you to wonder what became of me. The ol' broad was down but not out. I'll see ya. I need a nap, all that typing wore me out.

Happy Birthday Holly

Happy Birthday to my niece Holly.
What a sweet and sassy cutie pie.