Caddo Lake and Other Things

Travel: I finally got my long awaited trip. My family had such fun at Caddo Lake in east Texas! I have wanted to visit for a long time, and the area didn’t disappoint. The only thing I think that would have made it better is waiting another month for it to “green up.” Otherwise a lot of memories were made! We especially enjoyed Captain Ron’s Swamp Tour. So informative! We learned about the “trees knees” and the markings used by travelers to navigate through the cypress trees. Who knew paddleboats used this waterway back in the day??

Exercise: This month is my one year anniversary of my knee replacement! I’m still very glad I did it. Yoga and Pilates require me to get on my knees, so I still need a cushion of some sort. Guess I always will! I’m still trying to shed these extra pounds (maybe give up my extra libations? Nah!). But while I am busy beating myself up about what I NEED to do, I stopped and realized what I HAVE done. I consistently walk at least two miles each day, I attend regular exercise classes at the Y (yoga, Pilates, Zumba), and I do strength training at least once a week. It’s all about the small accomplishments. Don’t worry about what you aren’t doing. Keep focused and moving forward in your journey!

Essential Oils: Young Living is still my favorite choice of all of the essential oils on the market. A favorite (that I make sure also travels with me) is Citrus Fresh.

It’s a combination of orange, grapefruit, mandarin, lemon and spearmint. I love to put a few drops in my hands, rub them together, and inhale after a workout. Put a few drops on a cotton ball and tuck under your car seat. And of course, diffuse alone in your home or mix with a woodsy oil (eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress) for springtime freshness!

And it might be two weeks until I talk to you again. Got tickets to see Ashley McBryde in KANSAS CITY next week! Woo hoo! So excited! I’ll be sure to give you the low down on the concert and the city!

The Evolution of a Blog

Hello everyone! I took a little hiatus but I’m back at it!

My daughter Allison and I started this blog four years ago (say wutttt). We had just come back from a destination wedding in Florence, Italy (yes like WOW). She was still teaching elementary school and trying to corral two youngsters, while I was also teaching at a local community college. We worded our blog from two unique perspectives: teacher/wife/mother and teacher/grandmother/traveler. Allison has since moved on to other projects (she’s been able to retire from teaching and be a full-time mom while working on building a side business). I am now retired (mostly thanks to Covid) but still very active!

But I forget that EVERY year starts off cold and/or rainy and generally dreary. It often messes with your head, doesn’t it? It can’t be just me! So when my husband accidentally banged up my Mercedes convertible (fondly known as Maybelline) I guess I just went into a funk! Writing this blog was just not high on my To Do list. I just couldn’t make myself sit and write about, well, anything!

As we all know life goes on and you should choose how to live it! One thing I have neglected to do is choose my word. “The practice of choosing a “Word of the Year” is that, instead of setting a lot of different New Years Resolutions, you select one single word to be your focus for the year. You can use that word to set goals or intentions for each area of your life but have them all tie back to the single word.” So this year I choose EMBRACE. I am going to embrace my people (literally and figuratively, which means letting go of past differences), embrace opportunities and embrace challenges. I may be 65 years young but I was put here for a purpose, and if my purpose is to be a light then so be it!

So here we/I go! I’m done fretting about things I have no control over and will keep looking forward and embrace. My grandkids are at an age of getting involved in activities, so I see a lot of baseball games and gymnastics in my future! This weekend we are going to Caddo Lake in east Texas. Did you know that it is the only naturally made lake in Texas? After this weekend I will be able to tell you a lot more about it–and with visual aids! Ha ha!

Thank you faithful readers and I hope I haven’t lost too many of you. I’ll be back each week on Wednesdays to share my adventures with you, as well as keep you informed of my exercising and weight loss success. Not too sure about that, because I sure do like my wine! Ha ha ha.

As for Essential Oils (Young Living being my chosen brand), my first recommendation this year is purification.

Purification® essential oil blend is a combination of Citronella, Lavandin, Lemongrass, Myrtle, Rosemary, and Tea Tree that is formulated for diffusing to neutralize and cleanse your home and work environment. It is also soothing to your skin for everyday irritations.

See you next week!

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!