When you wish upon a star - or work really hard.....

your dreams can come true.  I just learned that a friend of mine has received a book contract, so now I don't want to disturb the "working author"  I'm to the point in life where my daydreams are being changed and shaped.  I wouldn't mind being an "AUTHOR" but I know that I need a big visit from a muse, and here is quite enough for me at the moment.  Here on the home-front we just adjusted the living spaces to accommodate the newest arrival - my son's fiancee and soon my first grand-baby will arrive in July as long as all goes well.  That is just one of the moderators of my dreams.  I've tried not to be a parent living via my children, just seeing them have opportunities and chances.  Sometimes seeing your child achieve a dream is as big as your own dream - as long as it is wholly their dream.  One of my co-workers got married last week, another watches as her husband's band is doing well. If grief shared is grief lightened - is joy shared joy increased?  I think so. As the news goes grey and gloomy - I prefer to seek the joy in others lives to have that increase.  I wish everyone a bit of good news to hear today.

The Rainbow Bridge

Tonight our family had to send one of our dear members over the "Rainbow Bridge"

Rambeau, our faithful Golden Retriever began to act strangely agitated this evening , panting and pacing while indoors, calm only outside.   The vet confirmed our worst fears, that this was a non recoverable cerebral event, so before Rambeau could suffer more, we sent him over.  It's a hard thing to do, but I know he was a great member of our family and always will be.

Rambeau

I will miss your muddy pawprints

Warm cuddles on cold nights

Sleeping with my babies when thunder filled the skies

greeting all who came to our door!

Rest Well

Momma

Best Part of my day

Smiles
yep, not the thank yous, not the times at work when all goes well, not anything I can think of thrills me as much as the wide eyed smiles of the 'kids' (of all ages) when my friends in the SW groups show up and costume. I was an assistant for our folks at a promo shoot for the upcoming museum exhibition and some of the staff mentioned that this was the best friday they'd had in a while. Someone mentioned that this had been a tense week and now everyone was in a good mood (Hey - WHO knew that DV could bring smiles) Even the weather was great yesterday at least no rain or snow and the sun was out. Back to work in a few hours, hope your day too is a great one, and you can make one folk smile!
Reb

Travel Tips

I'm going to call this one - When ya gotta go - but not so much dough!

I found a great deal on Travelocity? - hey, who knew - The Hyatt Summerfield suites in Schaumburg IL had some iffy reviews - but they were months old and indicated the hotel was under renovations - well the work is done, the lobby is elegant, modern but not stiff - very comfy, great rooms, great breakfast and great customer service - a few minor glitches but in the end it saved me a little money - the in room remote wasn't 100% working so I couldn't buy a movie - Dang!  I'll stay here again with the kids or better yet, the hubby

More on adventures in Chicagoland later!

have a good Sunday

Reb

The nail that sticks up

The nail that sticks up...... how we end that sentence is one of the things that sets Americans apart from other places. In Japan, the answer to that statement is - "Must be hammered down." Fitting in and confirming is high on their list of cultural expectations. Here, we might say - makes a great place to hang a tool, or a picture or even your hat. It might make us ask - Why is that nail sticking up? do we need a repair? or is there a design flaw? - or whatever. Most of our ancestors were WAY out of the box thinkers, heck they hopped out of the box, over a big pond and many couldn't look back. That took a lot of determination. That took lots of courage, self reliance and acceptance that their actions would not fit into the usual definitions. What, you might ask; brought up this train of thought? - The events of last week at Forest Lake high school - or rather the lack of an event. When I read on the district website that the event was canceled over, and I will quote from the website "Despite what is being circulated via the Internet, local and national media, and even gossip around town, the real reason for the cancellation of this event came down to student safety and maintaining our educational mission." From the Forest Lake Schools website: http://www.forestlake.k12.mn.us/
Ok, student safety - In a country where demonstrators have near free reign to demonstrate as a right in our constitution, what does it say about us when the school is afraid for what might happen. On the point of our educational mission - when do you teach how this country works?, when and how to demonstrate? How to handle being a holder of a controversial, maybe even out of the box idea? No, those lessons were overlooked again, along with respect for those who answer the call and serve. Honor, duty, country - things bigger than the needs of one, who can serve to lift all, those are important lessons that seem to have lost their place in classrooms where zero tolerance means no right or wrong, just punish everyone in the hope that this will fix the situation. As a parent I realize that the lessons I taught and continue to teach will have to be reinforced at home. School isn't what it used to be, and that nail won't be used or investigated - now it will just be hammered down or covered up.
Just my .02

What a week

TIGF - only my F is really a saturday and I am glad to see this week end.  The former Gov. of NY did the right thing and stepped down.  'Nuff said.

What was he thinking?

It's a busy week and a busy day - but I still caught a few moments of one man's comments on the situation with the Gov. of NY - he (the man giving the comment) claimed he was a democrat and was "fine" with what the Gov. did.....oh but if his wife did it he would divorce her in a minute - HOLD on here - can it be true that it's ok to just break vows and laws? and think that it is just a private matter? This is a man who set out to be a LEADER of his state, and his own wife and kids can't trust his word? Doesn't anyone still think that their word is important - that when you make a promise - or put one hand on a Bible - or take an oath - your word is your bond, your honor. Where did that go, how did we get here? I'm praying for his wife and children, and for grace for the Gov. I've taken oaths, sworn testimony and I felt the power and the duty that I was bound to - a thing greater than myself. My faith and my family are both high callings in my eyes - and my public duties and oaths as well