Cars

Triumph Spitfire
Ford Thunderbird

I can honestly say, those are the only two cars I've ever truly took notice of, ever really cared about.
The Spitfire being my back in the day wish list vehicle,
& a burnt orange T-bird, my today dream
oh ! & a good friend of mine has built a couple of cars from scratch which I think is pretty darn cool !!
But, other than that ?
Cars + Me = meh

whatever

Until the Indianapolis 500 rolls around each year
& like an alarm sounding off in my brain
helloooooooo cars !!
Where did YOU come from and WHY have I not paid attention ?!?

History.
The history of it all hits me right smack dab in the heart every, single May.

Early days.
I always think, early days.
Founders.
Believers.

When you're sitting on an idea and everybody you know stares at you with that same "SAY WHAT ?!?" face
& you hear the endlessly negative choir of 'it can't, it won't'
Where dream and dreamer meet
& know
Oh Yes, It Can.
Oh Yes, It WILL

Carl G. Fisher
James A Allison
Frank H Wheeler
Arthur C Newby

Google them if you'd like to read a few interesting life stories today.
They are the pioneers who took that simple, some would say crazy idea of placing a racetrack in a cornfield 100 + years ago
&
WOW

wow

I'm glad they didn't listen to their doubters.

They heard.
They followed.
They maintained and believed.

Next time someone tells you 'it can't be done" do me a favor and remember these men, their families and their uniqueness
& remind yourself it has,
It does.
It will.
IT CAN.

Dang !! I love a dream believer !!

Thanks for the yearly inspiration Indianapolis 500 !!
weeeeeee
& I would promise that I will absolutely notice cars beyond today but, I cannot tell a lie.

Cars + Me ?

meh

:)

I Am My Feelings

Corn Cob Contest

For those who have heard this one before, prepare yourself, you are about to experience it again ! because it's the unofficial, official start of SUMMER !
yippee ! !
& Summer = corn on the cob
& corn on the cob = Corn Cob Contests.

! YaY  !

Corn Cob Contests came into existence as Family and I sat around the table one warm, lovely evening.
With bellies full of summertime goodies, we all kicked back to digest when some observant someone noticed Youngest Sister's very neat, oh so tidy, no sign of kernels, corn on the cob.

Hey ! look at that. HaHa.
Yep.
We all agreed, it was Pretty. Darn. Impressive.
& so, in remarkable unison,  Mom, Dad, siblings and I looked down at our plates.
hmmmmm.
We just HAD to compare.

Uh huh, there was no doubt about it.
Hands down.
Youngest Sister's was the prettiest corn cob of all.

Hellooooooo Corn Cob Contest.

Rules.
We had to establish rules.

No double backing allowed.
aka: no fair going back to pluck off the strays.
One.
& buddy we mean ONE go around only.

Automatic disqualification for not eating the very ends of the cob.
I know that seems harsh on those who don't like eating the very ends of the cob but, you gotta do what you gotta do.
It was all about winning.

No eyeballing others' corn cobs or stealing their strategies.
Just pay attention to your own business, fella
& nope
It didn't matter how you ate your corn.
Round and around and around or straight down across the line.
We weren't all that picky about the differences in eating styles.

Yes ! It was fun.
Pictures were taken.
Winners declared.
Memories made.

Sadly though, for no apparent reason, Corn Cob Contests disappeared from our lives for a few too many years but, I am delighted to report,
It's backkkkkkkk.
Oh, yes.
It's back

But, I gotta tell you, this year's competition is TOUGH.
These people of mine are serious
& Youngest Sister still has her winning ways.
So, yep.
Watch. Out.

Something tells me I should have eyeballed that strategy a long,  longgggggg time ago.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Welcome Back

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Eve !
& if you happen to be wondering,
nope
I won't be one of the millions traveling the highways and byways this year.

This year, I will be happily kicking back with a whole lotta nothing.
No. Thing.
A burnt hot dog, a fire in the pit, a lawn chair and ahhhhh
that's all I ask out of life.
But, since so many of you will be hitting the road and driving off to your happy place destinations, I thought I'd send you on your merry little way with some words from my archives.

Welcome back to 'Jesus On Wheels'
written March, 2016

Enjoy ! !

--------------------

He came into my life a few years ago.
Sister and Daughter found him in a novelty shop and knew that we belonged together.
They wrapped him up and handed him over with a just because smile
& we've been together ever since.

'He' is my Jesus on wheels
& I take him everywhere with me.
Why he's on wheels, I really don't know.
I think he was made to be some kind of action figure.
Maybe ?
Whatever.
Having him and his wheels nearby just works for me.

I place him on my dashboard whenever I travel by car
& I put him in my suitcase if traveling by air.
He's a great travel mate.
He patiently listens, he understands my rambles and he is always willing to ease my every so often troubled mind.

When I was a child, I remember being extremely intrigued by a compass Grandpa had on his dashboard
& that stern looking Jesus statue Great Auntie had in her car.
I'd sit there and wonder if Grandpa used that compass to guide him or was it there for decoration
& what's up with that Jesus ?
Why does he look so mean ?
hmmm.
I decided it must be an old person thing
& I'd never, ever be old.
I'd never, ever do THAT.

Welp.
Except my Jesus smiles
& he's on wheels.
weeee.

Jesus and I are heading out on another adventure today.
Along with Husband, we are on our way to the land of fluffy clouds and sunshine.
The family awaits
& as we unpack the car to hunker down at Grandson's for a week I am certain a soon to be 2 year old will be looking for our friend 'E -sus'
You see, 'E -sus' likes to ride in Grandson's bus and trucks.
Likes to play in the farm and roll down the slide too.
He's a very fun, adventurous guy.

I get it now, Grandpa and Auntie.
The compass.
The statue.
But, I got 2 for the price of 1 that day this just because gift entered my life.
Because he's my guide and my friend.

He's my Jesus.
My Jesus on wheels.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Jump

Yesterday was one of those days.
A hunker down in a hole kind of day.
A day where I knew what my Mama meant when she'd say 'I feel like I could jump out of my skin"
Yep.
I wanted to catapult.

But, I didn't.
Instead, I complained and I griped and I whined,
to myself, mostly.
Lucky for Husband, his day found him a few miles away from this house and my grumbles.

grrrrr

& it was little things, really.
Pissy, silly, minuscule things.
But, when one is in the midst of the big HUMPH, one doesn't realize this until after the fact.

The weather guy was my first target
& btw, Weather Guy ?
Every flippin time you tell me a gigantic blob of rain is headed my way, I believe you
& I will change my walking plans to ride that oh so dreaded exercise bike.
uh,
guess what ?
You were wrong AGAIN, mister
& have I mentioned how me continually following your wrong advise really, REALLY gets on my nerves ??

gaaaa

Then it was the carbohydrates fault.
Husband and I are calculating our intake of those darn buggers
& so far, so good.
But, who knew I was so in love with carbohydrates ??
& yesterday, I missed them desperately.
DES PER ATE LY
hey, all I wanted was to spend some quality time with my good pal, Potato Chips.
Is that too much to ask ??

waaaaa

Add this to the fact that certain members of our Earth's population are walking a very, VERY fine line with me these days ??!?
& yeah
Watch out.

Goodbye skin

& all along this self imposed, miserable trek I kept looking, I kept thinking,
I'll find her.
I KNOW, I'll find her
& eventually, YaY 
I did.
My teeny, tiny, pull me out of my blues, ray of sunshine was there
because she is always, ALWAYS there.

This time she showed up in a book I just happened to be moving to get to something else
& ooops. drop.
As I reached to pick up, the words I had been needing leaped out with a wonderful TA DA !!
& presto !!
Life was good, once again.

& what were those fabulous words that brighten my gloomy day ?

"Search for deep treasure as you go through this day. You will find me all along the way"

I searched, I found
& my yesterday ended up being awesome and jolly.

weeeeee

& now, as I begin a brand new 24 hours, I will be seeking and finding again
and again
& yep, I'll most definitely be staying in this skin.

whew

errrr, ah Weather Guy ?
I forgive you.
& carbohydrates ?
I soooooo miss you so.

:)

I Am My Feelings

  

Sweetie

He doesn't know this but, every time I see him, I want to give him a hug
& I don't even know the man.
Seems this kind soul has awaken a little something in me, a reminder I love.

"Good Morning Sweetie!" he quietly exclaims as we pass each other on our walking trail.
Most every single day.
With a look me straight in my eyeballs and the sweetest grin.
Good Morning Sweetie.

Mom was a sweetie user.
Honey too.
She would begin every and all ring ring ring ! phone calls that simple, pleasant way.
"Oh ! Hi Honey !"
 and as her happy conversation moved along, we
(aka whoever happened to be in the room at the time)
would try to figure out which "Honey" was on the other side.

Brother  ??
no
Son # 2 ??
no
Daughter # 1  ??

That's who it is !
It's Daughter # 1

YaY
I knew I was right.

A certain bubbly sister of mine has carried on Mom's endearing tendencies.
She frequently uses the word 'honey' with pure, natural simplicity.
She has also been known to call perfect strangers 'sugar'.
I admire that ability.

Growing up, a very jovial family friend would always address us girls as 'Doll'.
"Hi Doll"
"How are you Doll ?" he would often ask as he puffed on that ever present cigar.
I think he dubbed us 'Doll' because he couldn't keep track of who was who, it was his easy out but,
that's ok.
It worked for us.

My list of honey, sweetie, babe, dear, doll and cutie users could go on and on and on.
Some people use these words with such incredible ease and confidence.
But, sigh and alas,
I am not one of these people.
I find it almost impossible to utter those tender sayings.
In fact, the closest I ever get to a heart tugging phrase is when I call Bro-in-Law 'Darling'
But, he and I have always called each other 'Darling'
So that one doesn't count.

I don't know why I cannot say such words.
I just can't.
Lovely little lovlies just don't flow from me.
No worries, though.
I just chalk it up to 'it is what it is and I am what I am'.
But, since we're being honest, I have to admit, yes.
I sometimes wish I was a user of sweeties
& yes
I am a bit envious of the uninhibited casualness of all the honey users out there.
They always sound so spontaneously comfortable.
So delightfully engaging.
So incredibly nice.
Yep, jealous.
Because it is an art I was born without, I was handed the weeeeeees, yippeeeeeeeees, woooo hooooos and yays instead.

So. YaY.

Hey there, Mr Good Morning Sweetie Guy ! thanks for the awesome memory rush.
You have tickled my heart, you have
& you don't even know me.
But, one of these days, along with that hug, I just might be telling you why.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Hey You

Yeah, YOU.

Wanna know a secret ?
I want to be just like you when I grow up.

Wanna know why ?
Because you are brave.

It takes courage to do what you are doing.
Facing changes and challenges is not easy
& stepping out of a comfort zone into an unknown can be terrifyingly overwhelming.
So, yes, WoW.
I admire your strong
& I need to take this moment to offer applause and bravos because I am so very proud of you.

When you look in that mirror today, you go right ahead and shout YaY

! ! ! YAY YAY YAY ! ! !

Realize where you have been and where you are now.
Acknowledge what you have accomplished
& congratulate yourself on where you will be going next.

You're doing.
You're trying.
You're adjusting.
You're deciding.
&
YOU are pretty darn awesome, if you ask me.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Living Livid

I once knew a woman who spent a good portion of her life, livid.
Every single time I saw her, she would be in a tizzy about something or another.
"Oooooh,  I'm so livid ...!"  she would huff
& then she'd rattle on about what got her worked up and why she was so perturbed.

I'd always giggle after talking to her
& our daily conversations became more of  'what's she mad about today?' than actually listening to her concerns.

Livid.
I googled the word.
It means 'furiously angry, enraged'.

yikes

I've been miffed.
I've been upset.
Ruffled ...?
Yep.
Ticked off ...?
Uh huh.
& I know I've been every single version of HUMPH.

humph.

But, livid ...?

I've often wondered if my livid loving friend just liked using the word livid
& I think she did.
But, along with the word came the emotion.
She was stewing and brewing almost all of the time.

I never asked why in the world she was so angry about everything.
I guess I was too intimidated to inquire.
But somewhere down the line, I came to the conclusion there are just some people in this world who enjoy negative.
They thrive on it.
Being and seeing the dismal side of life is just who they are & who they've become.

How sad.

I don't talk to my livid friend anymore.
I haven't seen her in years but, I sometimes wonder if she's still irate.
I hope not.

Livid.
Furiously angry.
Enraged.

You know what the opposite of  'being livid' is...?
I can tell you because I googled it.

"be happy"

Yep.
Be Happy.

Now, that sounds like a lovelier place to spend my time.

:)

I Am My Feelings

This Fridge

How it came into my life, I don't really remember.
Someone, somewhere down the line didn't want it anymore, I suppose, and we said "SURE !"
It sat in the garage until the day Husband decided it would serve us well if he jimmy rigged this and adjusted that and PRESTO
It's home is right outside our back door.

We call it the Porch Fridge now, but believe me, Beer Fridge it was dubbed and beer fridge it became
 & man oh man, if that guy could talk

wooo weeee

So many times family, friends gathered with nothing else on their mind but love and fun.

Sitting around the fire pit.
Kicking back, music cranked, telling tales.
The laughter, the joy,
& anytime someone would stand up, a 'hey, could you grab me a beer?'

& how about all the food we've crammed into that loyal appliance ?
It's known as the leftover hider too.
"put it in the porch fridge, I think there's room out there'
Thanksgiving
Christmas 
Easter
Fourth of July
Always with an overflow of YUM, saved until tomorrow because tomorrow we'd all be back, enjoying each other's company, once again.

& ooooh, how I love those stickers,
not only because I'm a sucker for stickers but, just look at them.
That's a walk down a wonderful lane, right there.
Reminders of everything, really.
Elementary school, I love America ! Chicago Bears, Little League.
Forever attached with a, "Hey Mom, here's a sticker !!" and a ! YaY !
I LOVE STICKERS.

I'll be revving up this extremely loyal friend of mine, any day now.
Mother Nature has handled his brrrr  through the cold months but, it's Spring dude !!  time to wake up !
& every year as I hear his hum and feel that coolness tumbling out I think, 'DANG, I sure do love this fridge".

I'm kinda, sorta thinking that he loves us too.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Every Day Possibles

I woke up this morning with such a wonderful feeling of possible running through my veins.
That excited anticipation.
That happy rush.

I ADORE Possible.

The zillion to one lottery winner.
The lost forever, suddenly found.
When 'it will never happen', suddenly happens.
YaY !!

& I thought, this is a very lovely way to start my day but, it's MONDAY.
No super duper plans are planned.
Nope. 
A normal looking, I'll be cutting the grass, miscellaneous this and that day is waiting on my horizon
& although I'll find a whole lotta happy within this day,
Extraordinary ?
um ... probably not.

So what's up, Possible ??
What do you know that I don't ?

& then, I glance out my window
& I see the prettiest of colors up, down, all around.
I hear the birds harmonizing to their beautiful song.
I view the sun's arrival
& I witness a gathering of rabbits nibbling, frolicking, quietly, lovingly enjoying it all 

& I am reminded, once again, that the possibilities of each and every single day are truly endless !

Look around and enjoy THIS today, my friends.
It's alllllll yours.
& yep. 
I do believe it's going to be a good one.

I can feel it.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Thirteen Words

Put a little smile on your face and make it a happy day.

Those words popped into my head when my youngest sister was three, maybe four years old.
I attached a fancy little tune to them and I would sing my song quite often.
It made her giggle.
Every. Time
& sometimes Youngest Sister would sing my song to me
& I would smile.
Every. Time.

Those thirteen little words have followed me through the years.
I'd pull them out and sing them loud and proud when my children were feeling the grumps
& I've used them on Older Brother multiple times.
Still do
& to this day, try as he might, he is laughing by the time I get to the second verse.

Yes.
There is a second verse.
It's the same as the first.

I love those words !
I love them so much I wrote a story around them.
The main character is a smile named Smile who goes on a determined adventure to hand big grins to the world, one person at a time
& Smile's motto is ... ? ...
Yep.
You guessed it.

btw ...
It's a very cute story, if I do say so myself.
:)

So on this beautiful beginning to a lovely Friday, I'd like to offer you my very simple song ...

Put a little smile on your face and make it a happy day !
& it will be !

Guaranteed.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Chime

I went to a middle school / high school choir concert last night.
I was there to see and support Grandniece
& to say it was delightful is an understatement.
There's just something about young voices chiming together that does the heart good.

But.
Let's be honest.
Once my certain someone's time on the stage was over, which was very early on, I glanced at my watch, my program and I did have that thought of ooooooh boy, this is going to be a L O N G night

& so,
I sat
and they sang
& sang
& sang
And as the evening moseyed along, I kept thinking the same thought.
One voice
Combined with another
& another
& another
& another
WoW
What a perfect little path to wonderful
& I can honestly say, by program's end, YaY !!
I enjoyed every single second

& then, we walked outside
& outside was a downpour.
No worries though, the hoodie was up, the car was close and Family and I found our way back to dry.
Got home, did some biz, sat my bottom on my comfy, cozy recliner and turned on the tv

& seriously, five minutes was all it took.
Depressed is what I became.
One person saying this, another person squawking that.
All is wrong and appalling
& word is, maybe I should hate you.
Hey, maybe you feel the same about me.

Ugh

UGH !!

So, I turned that noise off and listened to the rain instead.
ahhhhhhh

& again, I thought,
One voice
Combined with another
& another
& another
& another

WoW

hmmmm.

If given the choice
& I most certainly do have that choice,
I know what my simple voice chooses.

How about yours ?

:)

I Am My Feelings

rat ta tat tat

Its no secret that I love the morning.
It's my very favorite part of the day.
Just me and my coffee, waiting on the sunrise.

awwwwwww.

I especially love the sounds of the morning.
A clock ticking.
A distant train.
& quiet.
Lots and lots of quiet.

Any minute now, I'll be hearing the sound of my new buddy.
A woodpecker has set up shop somewhere on my big, bald  tree
& although I've looked, I haven't spotted him yet.
But, I sure can hear him.

rat ta tat tat
pause
rat ta tat tat
pause
rat ta tat tat
pause

& since I've taken notice of his wonderful sound, I know he works from early morning until late evening.

Doesn't matter that his tree is big and he is not.
Doesn't matter that the weather isn't all that perfect.
Doesn't matter what is happening in the confusing, chaotic world around him.
The other bird's opinions sure don't seem to bother him.
The little guy is on a mission
& he is getting it done.

That lovely, continual drumbeat is becoming my simple, morning reminder.

rat ta tat tat.
pause
rat ta tat tat.
pause.
rat ta tat tat.
pause

Yep.
No matter the distraction, the time, the opinions or the noise.
Oh Yes, I Can.
Oh Yes, I Will.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Hats Hats Hats

Every year, when the Kentucky Derby rolls around and I see all those ladies with their big, fluffy, stop everything and look at my hat hats on ...

Yeah.
I'll admit it.
I'm jealous.

Why ?

Because there are hat people in this world and then there are the nots
& yep.
I am a Not.

Most of the time, I am very ok with being a not.
I'm more of a hoodie kinda gal anyways ....so hey, no worries.

But when I see an eye popping, jaw dropping hat on a look at my hat !! confident somebody
Uh huh.
I wish I could carry that look.

Just once.
At the Kentucky Derby.

My hat would be orange.
Very over the top, stop traffic orange.
Keep your sunglasses on, I just might distract the horses orange.
People would be talking about my hat for days, months, years.
It would be that orange.
It would be that incredible.

& if you try to copy my orange hat style ...?
Sorry.
Only one person in this whole, wide, lovely universe can handle this much orange
& that would be me.

If only ...If only ...
If only I were a hat person.
But, I am not.

I. Am. A. Not.

Oh well.
Guess I'll just stick with my orange hoodie instead.
It's awesome too.

YaY.


:)

I Am My Feelings

Love Thy Neighbor

It sounds so incredibly easy
& as I sit here in the early morning quiet anticipating today's sunrise, I am absolutely dumbfounded as to why some find this so difficult.

Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Well, duh.
What's so hard about that ??

Seriously.
What is so hard about that ??

& yet, here we are.
Clamoring about in a world where love often seems astonishingly elusive, extremely impossible.

Why ?

WHY ?

To love and to be loved is THE most precious feeling in this whole entire universe !
There ain't nothing that tops that joy.
It is priceless.
It is true.
It is gold

so ...
so ???
So what's the problem, my people who prefer to hate, peeps ?
WHY would you choose dark over bright ?
Dismal over Delightful ?
Ugly over Beautiful ?

why ?

oy.

I'll never understand it.
Ever.
But, I'll certainly do my absolute best to try.
Because I choose to love.

I love myself.
I love my neighbor.
I love my neighbor as myself.

done.

It is powerful.
It is eye opening.
It is remarkable and amazing
& so very, very, very,
easy.

It's easy if you try.

:)

I Am My Feelings

 

Randomness

Miscellaneous thoughts, this, that's and babbles from our long ride back to home ...

Don't look now but, look at that guy picking his nose.

Give me an 70's oldies station and I will take it every time.

It's always too hot, too cold, too rainy or too dry for someone, somewhere.

Dang ! I love a side road.

I hate the smell of rest area soap.

I'm not a fan of vending machine coffee.

If I leave this life by choking on a Milk Dud, please know that I died happy.

This is the second time we heard this song today.

How many people do you figure visit those Adult Superstores in an average week ?

I wish I had a voice like Stevie Nicks.

or Adele.

or Wynonna Judd.

or Janis Joplin.

Did Michael Jackson play any instruments ?

Pecan pie is dangerously delicious.

I wonder if moonshine jelly is good ?

I should learn how to juggle.

Echo-y cb radios really get on my nerves.

Do you ever see yourself in your own dream ?

I can't tell you the last time I drank a pop.

Have we ever driven through Atlanta, GA without experiencing a traffic jam ?

Exactly WHY did you do that, Mr Pass To Get In Front Of Me Then Slow Down Guy ??

The Speeder Upper When I Try To Pass You guy is equally irritating.

Chattanooga, TN has the best bridges.

Turn that blinker off, girl.

At least she uses her blinker.

I need to Google HOV lanes.

There's that song again.

I prefer Central Standard Time.

Oooooo ! what a beautiful sunset.

Man I adore a good road trip.

Hope this place has a good Continental Breakfast.

We're leaving bright and early in the morning, right ?

YaY.

America. Baby.

:)

I Am My Feelings