Hair & Aging

So what is fair about this? My friend Norma has not a gray hair in her head! She looks younger every time I see her! She is not coloring her hair or highlighting it. I think it's the vitamins she takes. Certainly her sister has some gray... certainly I have a mop full of white hair except in the back by my neck...NO FAIR I SAY!!!!




My mother had a beautiful head of white hair...so did my Dad! Why does mine have some other tone in it that I don't like? NO FAIR I SAY!!!!

Revlon has come to my rescue! Now that is FAIR! A product that can take away the gray 100% it says! I know its lurking there at the roots waiting to grow -- probably faster than I want -- but this works for me!!

I'm coming up on a birthday in about a month and while its a very old age, I feel like I'm still 19 .. okay 29....but certainly nowhere near 68!! Good grief....NO FAIR I SAY!!

Grateful that I feel younger! Grateful that I have all this wisdom built up over the many years - oh that I could go back and fix everything I was so stupid about - but alas, not possible. Grateful that I am still kickin' it pretty good!!!

And that, my friends, is all I am concerned about

right at this very moment.

Shallow? Admittedly VERY!!!

Weekend Getaway & Bagels

I'm watching FOOD TV Network at 1:23 am....Giada's Weekend Getaway has taken her to New York City. She's finding the best food at the best places. She just went to a REAL bagel bakery in Brooklyn and bought one along with some salmon spread. Now I'm wishing for a real bakery bagel.






The bagels we now are able to buy are NOT real. They are fluff compared to the real thing. Like Giada said, the crunch outside and the soft inside...oh yes!!! Not the soft stupid bagel in a bag or even the ones in local bagel shops compare to a REAL bagel. Ok Noah's isn't so bad! ;)



This brings me back to a good memory with my former neighbor, Stephanie. She had lived in Berkeley prior to the suburbs where I met her. She lived across the street. She knew where a REAL bagel shop was..down on Gilman Street in Berkeley. I forget the name now. It's probably still there across the street from the Community Co-op Grocery Store.

Most often on Fridays you could count on the fact that the two of us were zooming through the Caldecott Tunnel heading to get our dozen bagels for the week for our families. It was always crowded inside the small shop of course...we didn't mind the wait!

The Salt bagel was my favorite! Big sea salt on the top...perfect on the inside. We would buy a little pot of cream cheese and break into our bags of bagels to eat one on the way home. We usually drove around the neighborhoods so Stephanie could show me the houses she loved best. Mostly she loved the ones with doors that were arched and unusual. There were so many, it was kind of a fun trippy thing to do. Berkeley is a fun place to find such architecture.

There's an area up by University of California that has some very fabulous old homes. The Craftman style are not unusual in this neighborhood. On one street there is one grand home that is known because of the fact that a spy lived and operated out of it during WWII.



I worked in Berkeley for a dermatologist for a couple of years so I knew some of the roads quite well. I also dated someone from Berkeley who lived near the spy house (which is how I know the history).




When we would get back to Lafayette, we'd stop in town and buy fresh Dungeness Crabs at the local fish place. They had them cooking out front..ready to crack and clean for us . Also lines there every Friday when Dungeness were in season!
Lines didn't seem to bother me when I was in my 30s!!!

I might have to head to Berkeley tomorrow to find that bagel bakery and call it a weekend getaway. Thanks Giada!!!

OH NO! Now on FOOD NETWORK TV it's Rachel Ray and her husband on their getaway weekend in the San Juan Islands in Washington State which I also love. Riding the ferries up there is so fun and the scenery outrageous!! I actually have been on 90% of the ferries on different vacations up in WA. Maybe I'll head to Orcas Island and eat whatever Rachel is having!!! (I WISH)!!!!

Berkeley will have to do!

A Time of Reflection and A Time to Look Forward

Ready or not, here comes the New Year!

2011

We often ask where the year went; it seems to have passed so quickly. At the end of 2010 we sit and think about what events occurred that blessed us and those that were difficult and challenging.We think about what we have accomplished and what we let slide. We make our New Year's resolutions with the greatest intent to keep them. It's very good time for such reflection.

I'm ready for the new year with my workout tape, my Dave Ramsey financial handcuffs, my journal and I signed up for Tuesday am bible study at church. Oh Lord, that I will be faithful to attend to these disciplines.

Two of my favorite verses are Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

You can figure out why I cling to that verse, eh? Oh, yes, I need that mercy daily!



Looking toward 2011 I am committed to living simply, to making each moment count for good by loving God and loving people. I am secure in the knowledge that He loves me and has a plan for my life in the new year.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Just want to share a disclaimer if you will...plans to prosper you is often taken to mean financially prosper and while He may do just that, please consider there are many other ways for the Lord to prosper our lives...

good health, a life of meaning and purpose, a lesson, a challenge, a heart for others and a content spirit.


Whatever He brings...let us rejoice and love one another.

--oOo--

Time of Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year...singing....

I'm just full of the holiday spirit this year. It's a nice change for me.

My blessings seem larger than life!

I know there are so many who are struggling in many ways here in the US and abroad. For them it is a blue Christmas and there probably isn't a more difficult time of the year than Christmas if you are sick, having financial troubles, are alone, or any other number of reasons. My prayers are with them; I've been sick, had financial troubles, been alone and a few other reasons to feel sad during this blessed time of year.

Reach out and bless someone who needs you; sometimes it's just a smile, a cup of coffee, a book, a ride, $20, a hug...so easy!!

Jesus came = Emmanuel = God with us! May we hold fast to Him who is always for us, who always cares about us, who loves us so. Hang on...victory comes in the morning!

Friendships

I probably talk about friendships

more than any other topic.

That's because I hold each one

tenderly in my heart.

Fortunate to have a group of very close friends, I am.

God knew we needed each other.

Coming from such diverse backgrounds,

interests and situations,

yet we are bonded tightly,

securely and gratefully.

I have considered my brother Kevin my best friend for many long years now.

He is tried and true, solid & committed to me.

My other best friend is also of the male species,

one who has gifted me with an example of true selfless giving.

I have learned more about living on another's behalf from

him in a few short years than any other time in my life.

Jeff's best friend, Luis, yet another man,

who has given of himself on my son's behalf

and mine as well in extraordinary ways.

(Couldn't have done it without the full

support of his wonderful wife, Joann).

**

And then there are my girlfriends

Incredible, bright, funny, wonderful girlfriends.

How could I have carried on this past decade without them?

God knew I could not.

They rose to the occasion and gifted me with prayer

when I could not pray, but felt above the fray of life

because I was being lifted UP.

They gifted me with time, treasure and talent

and they continue to do so.

I want to declare that I am grateful, blessed and deeply moved

each one bringing something I desperately needed

FRIENDSHIP, LOVE & CARE

How do I list them? So many deserve the first place on the list

but they need to be acknowledged...so here we go.

Norma, Elaine, Rose Marie, Patti

Donna, Donna, Lena, Mary

Pam, Brenda, Judy,Barb

Tina, Joann, Bernita, Jane

Margo, Connie, Maria

My goodness! This is like the Oscar thank you's...

I couldn't have done this without you

this thing we call living

Because of you I live large

and to the fullest

with wonder and delight!!!!

As I have had time to reflect on my return to California I have realized

deep within that I am healed and believe the grieving

about losing Jeff has been completed.

I am not who I was, I am profoundly changed.

The hole in my heart will not fill..nothing can fill that loss.

But I am smiling, positive and absolutely full of JOY.

So my dear friends, all of you, thank you for being there

God's hands and feet

Blessing me * Blessing me * Blessing me

xoxoxoxoxxox

Karen

December....

In the midst of all the crazy goings on this month to celebrate...please remember that

CHRISTMAS BEGAN

IN THE HEART OF GOD

AND

IT IS ONLY COMPLETE

WHEN IT REACHES THE HEART OF MAN

JESUS IS CHRISTMAS!

YOUR ULTIMATE GIFT!

If you haven't received

that gift, please consider

Him. He gave His life to

bridge you back to God

and eternal life.

There's More To Life Than Pumpkin Spice!

You are probably surprised to read that heading. Everyone knows I LOVE Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice, but right now I'm all about tea. I'm happily receiving deliveries daily of teas, tea accessories and supplies to create all things TEA for the boutique on November 27th....Oh yes, we have Christmas things, angels, jewelery and plenty more...do not worry if you don't drink tea! (Although someone you know drinks tea and we have great things you can give as gifts!)

Today it brought back a wonderful memory as I had a cup of a new TERRIFIC Pomegranate Green Tea that I have found for the boutique. It's my favorite taste of tea ever!

My Grandmother, Mary Thompson Houston from Scotland, drank a lot of tea! My mother and I lived with she and my Grandpa James Houston when my dad was in France during WWII. After that we lived a block away from her for many years. I've had a lot of tea and scones over the years; my grandpa had a bakery! I loved their kitchen. It had a Murphy table (yes, like a Murphy bed) open the doors, down came the table. This was too much trouble for my grandparent's last tea of the day. She would pull out the BREAD BOARD and cover it with a white tablecloth (must have been folded many times, eh?) Then the scones, butter, tea pot and cups. The three of us would sit and enjoy a bit of time together. This must have been after my dad was back from the war as I have no memory of my mother sitting there with us. I know I spent many a night at their home.

The memory rushed at me as I was sipping my tea. She never used a tea strainer in her pots of tea....so the tea leaves fell into the cup and you had to drink very carefully. When we were done with our cups of tea she would read my tea leaves! Yes, she went to church (High Street Presbyterian Church in Oakland, California which I hear is still going strong!)

This was a harmless activity and had no spiritual new age/old age twist to it. I read my tea leaves to myself the other day and had fun doing so. I'd say it has been approximately at least sixty years since I had tea leaves in my cup!

Then many memories flooded me of all the wonderful times I spent with my grandmother. I had another wonderful grandmother (Elizabeth Lyons) and I have a story to tell about she and I at another time. (That's for my Uncle Mike who will remind me that indeed I had another grandmother, his mother).

-oOo-

This is neither of my grandmothers but I thought it was the funniest picture of someone drinking tea that I might ever see and just had to share it with you.

I'm also into being frugal for the past four years and end up with lots and lots of very good bargains -- so many of them from The Frugal Find on Facebook!! When I was able to purchase tickets through Fandango with the code from Frugal Find for only $3.75 each and NO fee to Fandango I was happy I didn't have to go to the senior citizen day on Monday to get a $6 ticket!! Recently I paid $10 for $20 worth of products from soap.com with shipping included. Today...$16 for $35 worth of groceries from another source she shared. I only buy what I would use normally, of course!

So this little picture is for those who are frugal and want to save some pennies. Tea is NOT cheap; it's pretty pricey these days...get some little clothes pins (on sale of course) and have a second cup!

Sip, sip

K