Kansas City Here We Came!

A few months back I had a wild idea (anyone who knows me knows that happens frequently!) to see Ashley McBryde in concert. Now, if you don’t know who she is you HAVE to take a listen! Check her out on YouTube. Anyway, I found she was going to be at a quaint venue… in Kansas City MO! My daughter Allison’s birthday is in a few months and I asked if she wanted to go, presumably as an early birthday present. Of course she said yes. Like her momma–always up for an adventure! We also scooped up Allison’s sister-in-law Stacy, left the kids with the hubbies, and off we went to Kansas City. It sure was good to be traveling again!

The weather was still cold but we packed accordingly. Still made it happen in a carry-on; to me the only way to go! We checked into our hotel, close to a lot of activities. If you haven’t stayed at an Indigo Hotel, the upscale boutique style for Holiday Inn, you must! Ours was delightfully appointed with all kinds of artwork, even in the rooms. Not free food in the lobby but served by an actual person, and at a fair price. Our bartender, Ray, did a GREAT job with our lemon drop and pomegranate martinis!

Our trip around Kansas City was fast and furious. Wish we had more time! I already told Rick we were going back. Here are some highlights:

And even though we were so tired from walking, there was no way we were going to pass up an evening listening to jazz! The place near our hotel, the Green Lady Lounge, suited us to a tee!

The main event, our concert with Ashley McBryde, was simply amazing. She is truly a one-of-a-kind artist. So enjoyed her heartfelt songs.

And the food! Can’t say enough about Kansas City barbecue. Jack Stack did us right! And breakfast at Foodlove the morning we were leaving. Yum!

It took me forever to get this blog done, and I did get my exercise walking around the town. But I’d do it all again in a heartbeat!

Essential Oils: Young Living is still my favorite choice of all of the essential oils on the market. A blend that I love is En-r-gee.

En-R-Gee™ essential oil blend is a combination of Rosemary, Juniper, Lemongrass, Nutmeg, Idaho Grand Fir, Clove, and Black Pepper for an invigorating aromatic boost when preparing for any of life’s challenges or demanding performances when you need it most.

See you all again soon!

Now Is The Time

My husband Rick and I recently had a discussion about trips/vacations and traveling in general. We talked about 2022 and how we’ve been locked down and are looking forward to venturing out a bit. I told him that one of my “have to’s” is Caddo Lake in east Texas. Have you heard of it? All of that Spanish moss hanging from the cypress trees, looking all spooky and eerie. I’ve seen so many pictures that I HAVE to see it for myself! I went ahead and booked us (and the kids and grandkids) a place for March. I am really looking forward to this adventure!

Which brings me to the question: Do YOU have a bucket list?

According to dictionary.com, a bucket list is defined as a list of things a person wants to achieve or experience, as before reaching a certain age or dying. Surprise surprise, I have always had a bucket list! When my 17 year old Jeep was beginning to have major problems (and I loved that Jeep), Rick suggested I look for another vehicle. Boy was he shocked when I told him my next car would be a Mercedes convertible! He about flipped his lid. But it has been on my bucket list for a long time, so, no time like the present! And now I am driving my beautiful little black Maybelline (do you name your car? Can’t be just me).

And of course traveling is way up there. Maybe it comes from having lived in a number of places when I was growing up (Newport, Rhode Island, McLean, Virginia, Del Mar, California, even Yokohama Japan!) because my dad was in the service. My mom, even after dragging five kids all over the US and abroad, loved exploring new places and it has definitely rubbed off on me.

So back to our discussion. I asked Rick if he even had a bucket list (I guess I never thought about it because I’ve always been the planner). And the answer was no! How can that be? I thought everyone had some sort of list of what they wanted to do, places they wanted to go, things they wanted to see. As recent events have showed us even more, there is no time like the present to do the things you want to do, and with the people you like. I’m retired and Rick is still working, but I’ve made him think more about things we want to do while we’re able. If you’re like me, you probably know a few friends or relatives that have put things off until their bucket list is a passing thought. That’s such a shame!

As this year is coming to a close, I hope you will reassess your priorities. Take time to make yourself an agenda. Write it down! Do you want to travel? Learn to play the guitar? Visit an old friend? Skydive? There’s no time like the present, as the saying goes!

And of course, you need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself! Get in the habit of taking a daily walk, even if it’s a short one. Find a buddy, join a gym, listen to an audiobook while you work out (free from your local library). Do it not just for you, but for those who love you. Believe it or not, you are special to someone!

I almost forgot! This past weekend our wonderful town of Granbury brought back the Living Christmas Cards! We had a great time down on the Square.

THE SCIENCE OF ESSENTIAL OIL PERFECTION

I’ll continue to promote Young Living oils–I think they are the best! The holidays are one of the best times to fill your house with fragrance! Try diffusing wintergreen, peppermint and cinnamon, or something woodsy like cedarwood, frankincense, and orange! Ahhhhh…

Thank you for being a loyal reader! If you enjoy the blog, I would love it if you would Follow Me and I’ll come straight to your email. Until next time!

Patience/Tolerance: Same Difference!

I hope you are all having good times and making happy memories these last couple of months of 2021. I don’t know about you, but I will be glad to see this year go! With a lockdown for 2020, we were hoping that this year would be a bit more lenient. We did get in some family trips but were still constantly reminded of COVID-19 restrictions. And then there was a bit of family drama over the Thanksgiving holiday. I was reminded (by my husband) that I needed to take a “patient pill.” What?! Who are you calling impatient?! Ummm, obviously me. Have you ever been right about something and feel the need to drive the point home because those around you don’t seem to get it? You get the idea. I definitely should have taken a different tack with my situation. Isn’t hindsight always 20/20? The misunderstanding has been rectified, but from now on I will be a little more introspective if and when a similar situation arises. Could you, too, use a little humbling?

I’ve mentioned that we are blessed to have a place in Ruidoso, New Mexico. I was also lucky enough to spend some time there by myself a few weeks ago. I did some maintenance and turned to see this bad boy walking by!

Later I ventured over to the Inn of the Mountain Gods. Unfortunately the bar area was not open at the time (!), but I did manage to get this beautiful sunset image from their back patio!

I’m still hard at work on my daily exercise. Daily walks are such a habit now that I feel badly if I don’t get one in. That’s why you sometimes have to force yourself to do something you do not like temporarily until you like it consistently! But everything in moderation, too. Tuesday was yoga, followed by 30 minutes on the exercise bike (I need to keep working that “new” knee), and then yesterday was Zumba. Maybe a little too much back to back, says my thighs! Ha ha!

I’ll continue to promote Young Living oils–I think they are the best! And speaking of achy muscles (!), try diffusing these oils individually to ease your pain: Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Wintergreen, and Rosemary.

Thank you for being a loyal reader! If you enjoy the blog, I would love it if you would Follow Me and I’ll come straight to your email. Until next time!