CRUMBLED

We've all heard it..."That's the way the cookie crumbles."

Usually that comment comes from a negative happening..a crumbled cookie.  After all, you can't dunk a crumbled cookie! You can sometimes dunk a broken cookie but not a crumbled cookie. How disappointing. What to do!? Well, I have this thought to offer... 

Crumbled cookies can make fantastic ingredients in other applications!          

Often, when faced with all manor of difficulties we find ourselves seeking out other opinions, input, and discoveries. And, most likely, we've bombarded our friends and family with similar comments, questions and ideas.  I don't have all the answers to be sure. But sometimes we really don't want answers, just a listening ear.  Not everything is as it seems...crumbled cookies??

We have two wonderful children, now adults, who brought with them all the experiences you're never told about at La Maze Classes.  My husband and I have shared 37 years of developing a wealth of opportunities for growth in more ways than we can count. Lost jobs, lost health, lost wealth but never lost hope. ...crumbled no more.

We have also journeyed through the incredibly difficult joy of care-giving for both of his parents in our home as they moved through the processes of  passing on from this life to the next.  First, his father with Parkinson's and Dementia. Then, his mother with Dementia and Alzheimer's. 

We will draw upon our experiences...clever ways to garden for example...to move me into the more positive perspective of living with, as opposed to suffering from, fibromyalgia and other chronic long-term pain...  When a sudden jolt and a gasp cause some concern for those in near proximity a split-second, and sometimes comedic announcement of “I'm fine” often follows. ( It's become my 'life theme' ...ha!) And life-readjustments following his prostate cancer treatments.

On the lighter side there are roller-coasters and other life-skills;  the skydiving surprise our daughter and son-in-law had for me for my 60th birthday,...still dreaming of bungee jumping...

Vacations gone wrong and camping trips that rival even the best of the Chevy Chase "Vacation" movies!.... crumbles along the way.

A lifetime garage sale-er I remember my Mom taking us in tow as soon as we were old enough to follow her around. I don't think I had a store bought piece of clothing until well into my teens.

Having grown up in a historical, Victorian style home I watched and learned as she was constantly in action. Mom was ahead of her time in her decorating style; always painting, wallpapering, gardening and cooking. If it weren't for the garage and estate sales we wouldn't have had much of anything. I have followed that path often for my home and life-style as well. Over the years my penchant for creativity in those same areas of finding and displaying and using my new treasures have prompted many a co-worker, friend, and even strangers say with fervor... “I never would have thought to do that!" Lots of tips to come from those years! ...crumbs into confections

So, whether it's the obviously important or the apparently mundane, the serious or the downright silly parts of life, maybe I will have something that will help and may cause you to say...”I never thought of that before. Thanks.”  Then, I will do “the Happy Dance”.

So relax... Enjoy your cookies!  crumbs and all !!   

I'll take mine with coffee.   :>)

Hi There!

Over the years I have made suggestions to co-workers, friends, family and even strangers in so many ways and on so many topics, big and small, serious and humorous, pretty much all over the charts, that I have finally succumbed to their insistence that “You should write a book!”.

So a new blog was born.

I'm not sure I'm ready for a book, but in this blog I hope to inspire “aha!” moments for you in a variety of areas of life. I hope that you, too, will share your insights and experiences as we join forces in finding another way, perhaps a better way or just a different way of strategising and coping with the important and the mundane and sometimes the downright silliness of our existence.

Like I say, “Every day is an adventure so you might as well enjoy the ride.”

Do you have a back-seat driver in your family? I'm particularly thinking this morning of mothers chauffeuring young children, say about the ages of 4 to 8 years, around town on various errands.

Eventually I hear “Mom, go faster.”

“I can't go faster, honey, there's another car in front of us.”

“Then, tell him to go faster! Honk your horn!”

“Well, we are going the speed limit so we'll just need to be patient.”

Then here it comes...the offending driver in front of us goes to make a turn at the intersection.

Did I say it was a rather w-i-d-e turn and a very s-l-o-w turn?

Objections abound. To which, my brain goes into automatic, rapid-fire possible scenarios.

“Well, maybe she is on her way to a luncheon and has a dish on the floor that might slide around. Or, maybe it's a liquid and she's afraid it might spill. She could have a baby on board who is sleeping and she doesn't want to wake it. Or maybe it's an infant and her head might bobble too much. Or, maybe she's had a number of driving violations and she is being especially careful. Or, maybe...”.

“MOM! STOP!! Okay! Okay!

After a few of these encounters it was amazing at how very far between these little episodes occurred.

And, when they did, I only got through one or two interjections before they succumbed to my creative wisdom.

Especially effective was the cute rhyming song that they had played what must have been a million times that went like this... at least it was cute when they were little but not so cute grown up at 3rd grade.

“Have patience. Have patience. Don't be in such a hurry. When you get impatient you only start to worry. Remember. Remember. That God is patient, too. And think of all the times when others had to wait for you.”

When you find yourselves in similar circumstances maybe you can try this instead and let me know how it went! So... that's it for now. Looking forward to hearing from you.