Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day is here. My son served in the Air National Guard shortly after 9-11. I remember how sad I was as I watched his plane leave the base. A day I have never forgotten. I can relive it in my memory just as it was happening today. I can also relive the day he returned. He was in the Middle East for a few months and a war was going on. People were trying to hurt my child. It was a bad time for me. I tell that simple stroy to lead up to this. So many mothers, wives, brothers and sisters, parents, children and husbands have lived through what I lived through. It is not easy. So many of them do not have the wonderful memory of the return of their loved one. Everyone must make a sacrifice that is involved with the military. Many have made the biggest sacrifice of all and gave their lives defending the freedom we as American's enjoy. A freedom we all take for granted.
I saw something on Facebook just this week. It said: People who are wearing helments defending our country should make more money that people wearing helments defending a football.
We need to be more grateful to our men and women of our military groups. They make great sacrifices every day so we can live like we do. Take the time this weekend to say "Thank-You to a veteran and let them know that we do appreciate everything they do and all the sacrifices they make for us.
Everyone had a good long weekend and be kind to someone. Just smile at them. Thanks for reading.

It Has Almost Been a Year!!!!

If you read my blog you already know this is Sage and myself. This picture was taken just a couple of days ago. Amazing as it may seem, the 1 year aniversary of the day Sage came to live at my home is fast approaching. It will be a very big day. This day looms very large in my life. My luck with horses has not been the very best. Actually it has been really bad. I wrote about my first horse, Pepper and how with this horse I came to meet one of the best friends I have ever had, Gerald. I wrote about how after a very short time I had to put this horse down due to colic. I told of how Gerald found me another horse. This horse I also had to put down after a very short time. I could not believe my luck. Even Gerald said to me, "Honey you are just having rotten luck. I can't believe it."  Well my luck continued to go from bad to worse, with 2 more horses. They survived, but my luck was bad. The first one launched me like a torpedo one afternoon and I had a trip to the emergency. She had to go. She was replaced with a beautiful Quarter Horse Gelding that I loved. He was a little nervous in his new home and one afternoon shot out from under me in a panic and I came off, breaking 2 ribs. I was so discouraged. Really people, you could not imagine how down I was. Well, in December, here comes Gerald pulling up to my barn with what he said he thought would be a good horse for me. Quarter Horse Mare was what he said. There is a story behind this that I will save for a later blog, but he unloaded this beautiful chestnut mare and told me her name was Sage. I still had broken ribs, but nothing would do I had to get on her that day. Friends, I was scared to death. I was. Gerald led me around on this horse and then he rode her around for me, showing me how great she was. He left her with me and said to let my ribs heal and he would be back in a couple of weeks and we would ride again. I remember looking at this horse and saying to her, "Honey if I keep you, you will be dead in less than 6 months." Sage and I spent a few months getting to know each other. I rode her some and brushed her and loved on her. Finally I decided she was the one and we would be friends. Two weeks before the 6 month aniversary I almost held my breath constantly. 6 months came and went and one week later I called Gerald and told him I had made it past 6 months. By this time Gerald was sick, (as I have also wrote about in a previous blog). He did not feel very well that day, but he did say to me, "I told you your luck would change." As Gerald illness gradually got worse I begin to worry that I might lose him. My love for Sage grew more and more with each day. We rode some, but not as much as we should, but it was still good. Early in the Fall the news came that Gerald would not survive his illness and would leave this world very soon. I went to the barn and Sage was in the barn waiting. I cried into her mane for the longest time. The horse he had told me would be the one was waiting on me to comfort me when I was loosing the one person who had supported me and taught me and guided me through all of my horse trials. He was right and she was the one. He was always right when it came to horses. I lost Gerald, but this wonderful horse is still with me. Our 1 year aniversary is fast approaching. One year. If my luck holds for just a few more weeks, I will have owned a horse for an entire year. Such a small statement, but one that means so very much to me. The countdown is on Gerald. I am once again holding my breath while I wait for this date. I feel in my heart Sage and I will make this aniversary date and there will be more to come afterwards. She is the one. Thanks for all you did for me getting me to this day and thanks for the horse that will celebrate this date with me. But I promise my eyes will look to heaven on that day and say a Thank You to you for all of it. One Year. My life had changed so much in this one year. Good and Bad, Happiness and Sadness, Joy and Sorrow. One Year. Holding my breath and waiting. We are going to be OK.

Making new friends

I have been given a wonderful opportunity the last few weeks. I have made some new friends. Making new friends is an exciting time for me. I do not trust easily so I approach everything with great caution. But a couple of things have happen in the last few weeks that make me hopeful that I have a few new friends. I really do have trust issues. I have a funny story about my very best friend in the whole entire world. I love her so very much and she is means more to me than she will ever know. When I first met her I really did not trust her and could almost say I was not sure I even liked her. She came to my parents house as my brother's date. She was slightly older than him, and he was only 18 at the time. I am normally not one to make age an issue, but there was something that I just did not approve of. Not even sure it was the age, but something. I expressed my concern to my mother who just thought she was wonderful and so things progressed forward. Well after a few months my brother announced they were going to be married. I still did not think this was a good idea. I had found her to be a nice enough person and kind and all the things that were good, but did not have a good feeling about the marriage. Just one of those things you cannot explain. Well anyway they married and she and I got to know each other. The more time I spent around her the more I liked her. We really began to hit it off. Honestly I do not remember how many years, but maybe 4 or 5, the marriage begin to crumble. As things like this happen, I tried very hard to remain neutral. Really hard when one of the parties is your brother. They divorced but I remained very good friends with her. The friendship continued to grow and folks still grows to this day, many years later. She is the most wonderful friend anyone could ever ask for. We have great times together and love each other very much. We have both changed and evolved in our lives but always been there for each other. She has remarried and gone on with her life and I stood up for her at this wedding. We are just always there for each other through good and bad. She has the best shoulder to cry on that I have ever used and hope will always be there. I do my very best to give her one as well. We just plain old enjoy each other and laugh and have a great time. And it never gets old. I love her.
I tell this story to say this. If you do not give people a chance you might miss out on a wonderful friendship. I am so grateful I did not close my heart and mind to her when I first met her like I was tempted to do. Look at what I would have missed out on. Something wonderful that has brought so many great things into my life.
I have made some new friends in the last few weeks and I really hope they grow into better friendships.
It is an exciting time.
Smile at someone today and you might make a new friend.
Everyone have a really wonderful day and thanks for reading.

Election

Today is election. Please go out and vote. We live in a country where we have the freedom to elect our goverment officials, so please go out today and do this. How many times have we all heard, if you do not vote, then do not complain about how things are done. I know we all have heard it and many have even said it, but it is somewhat true.
Be an American today and travel to the Polls and vote for the person (s) of your choice.
Everyone have a wonderful day and thanks for reading.

Seriously????

I will never understand people. Honestly. The more you find out the more you really want to say, What were you thinking?  I know the answer. They were thinking they would never get found out and would not have to explain their actions. Whatever happen to ethics and old fashiond loyalty to a loved one or friend. I will not go into detail about what I have found out, but sadly I have found out something really disturbing about a friend and it really bothers me. I guess I am old fashioned but I really believe when you call yourself someone's friend you owe them a certain about of loyalty and behavior. No cheating or lying or doing things that would damage the friendship. Why bother to be a friend if you are not going to behave in such a way that you would be ashamed if anyone found out. I also believe you must consider others feelings and life when you make some decisions. It is OK to think of yourself but to be totally self-centered is way beyond acceptable.
I will not get on my soapbox today but I just want to say this: Friendship is a very wonderful thing. To have someone who is truely a friend is a great gift. Why would you every do anything do damage this? I will never understand.
Everyone have a great Monday and tell your friend that you value them and mean it and act like it.
Thanks for reading.

November the month of Thanks

A friend of mine that also writes a blog uses all the days of November to write about things she is thankful for. Great idea. I have many things to be thankful for, but will not copy her and write about them each day. I did see something once that said, What would you do if you woke up this morning with only the things you thanked God for yesterday. Interesting statement. Watched a movie many years ago, and really do not remember the name, but the theme was, Would you give up everything you ever had for everything you ever wanted. I do remember in the movie the guy thought this was great until it happen and he realized his life had not been that bad after all. All the things he thought he wanted meant he had to give up all the wonderful things he had. It really changed his life.
Many years ago there was an accident that almost took my father's life. This accident happen in early October, but my Dad survived and was at the table for Thanksgiving. My grandmother was alive then and my Dad's sister was also there for Thanksgiving dinner. She said let's all go around the table and say what we are thankful for today. Honestly I do not remember what everyone was thankful for on that Thanksgiving day, but we were all thankful for my Dad to be there with us. There have been many changes in my life since that Thanksgiving day so many years ago. Many. I will not write about all of them, but trust me on this one, there are so many it would take me a very long time to tell you about each of them.
As we grow older we become more and more thankful for small things we took for granted in our young life. As loved ones pass and go on to their next life, we appreciate the time we have with the ones we still have. We are thankful for true and honest friends. We are thankful for lessons learned about life and love and honesty.
During great saddness I have learned to be thankful for the time I had with someone and try not to dwell on the fact that they are gone. I have learned that replacing the hurt in your heart for that person with fond memories is a great thing.
As my parents grow older and their health gets worse I am thankful for the memories of my childhood and healthier times for them.
I am thankful for new found friends and have learned not to take them for granted. Really thankful for old friends and espically the one I love so dearly that is like a sister to me. She has often been the rock I leaned on when I thought I was going to just fall over from despair.
November is here and it is the month of giving thanks. Take a moment and look around you. Be thankful for what you have. Someone is out there wishing they had just half of what you have.
Open your heart to new friends that are sincere and open your mind to new thoughts that will make you happy. Be kind to someone. Be thankful.
Thank you to everyone who reads the ramblings I write and I hope each of you have a great weekend. Smile at someone and mean it this weekend.

The Morning After

Halloween was a huge success this year. We are judging success on the amount of candy that was brought home. From Trick or Treating at school, my work, and then the trip into the night, I think I have 5 lbs of candy in my house. Now, this year we got lots of the good stuff. Great for Sky, but bad for me. This means I have to turn on extra will power to stay out of it. Hopefully, the ones I really love will be gone soon and it will not be too hard to stay out of the other.
Trick or Treating this year was unique. We encountered a very scarey clown. Sky does not like clowns anyway, but this one really scared her. We saw the Cat in the Hat, but Thing 1 and Thing 2 were not there. I really think I saw about 25 Spidermen. A wearwolf with orange hair was out on the prowl. We saw a policeman. I think he might have been a real policeman, but was not sure. The gun looked real. A few houses had tunnels set up where Sky had to walk down to get candy. She walked right on in before I could check out the situation. Oh, we also saw a Giant Queen Bee. She was very friendly. I even saw a box walking down the opposite side of the street. It had hands, so I felt comfortable with a walking box. Even Dorothy and ToTo was out and about. We also saw 5 or 6 little mermaids and maybe 100 SpongeBob. Pretty eventful night.
Now the count down to Thanksgiving. Mixed feelings this year, but more on that one later. Everyone have a great day and thanks for reading.