Energy Healing

So...
With the new slant to my blog for the (few) people who read it, I've had some questions:

"What do you mean by 'Energy Healing'?"
"What is 'Energy Work', anyway?"
"How does this 'Energy thing' work?"
"What are you peddlin', woman?!"
"Are you talking about electricity when you say 'Energy'?"
and "What are you into now..."

Okay.
So allow me to try to explain a bit...

I began taking Yoga classes in 2008.  I immediately fell in love with it because it's "precise-ness" reminded me of Ballet, which I began taking at the age of 11, and steadily took classes until I was 18 or 19.

I *loved* Ballet.  The gracefulness.  The beauty.  The precision.  
Every body part was supposed to be in a certain position, with each part being paid physical & mental attention to, all at the same time.  Plus, all of that was put to music; co-ordinated, graceful, precise.
A "Discipline", if you will.

I LOVED it.

I could be in the worst mood on my way to Ballet class, but by the time class was over, I felt Wonderful again!  
True Love.

Well, after 25 years of *not* having Ballet in my life (but always having it at the back of my mind, as much a part of me as knowing how to ride a bike, or how to swim), I went into a Yoga class at the Y, not expecting much.  
Not really knowing what to expect AT ALL... when...

B-A-M!!!

Precision.  Beauty.  Discipline.

Much like Ballet, Yoga requires each body part to be "active", all parts at the same time.

I loved it right away!
I started doing Yoga every weekday.  I quickly learned the English names of the poses.  It took me a while to learn about the breath...
With Yoga, it helps to inhale into poses and exhale out of poses.  It took me a *while* (and a very good teacher) to realize that when she said, "Exhale into Down Dog", she really meant to EXHALE as you go into Down Dog!  Once I started moving WITH the breath, it really became a "Dance of Magic" for me.   =-)
Once again, I could be in a horrible mood (or going into my Depression), but by the time I left Yoga class, I would be feeling Good again.   =-)  So...

I Fell In Love!

I stopped going to the Y and started taking Yoga at a studio, and got "deeper" into Yoga.  The inhaling and exhaling.  The movement and stillness.  The "Reaching up and rooting down".  The "Opposites coming together to create Balance".  I loved it all.  

At the Studio, I found that each posture had *another* name, and it was in another language called Sanskrit.  I learned that the breath should be more "at the back of the throat, and rolling" (called "Ujayyi", or "Conqueror's" or "Victor's" breath).  I learned that there are many, many breathing exercises that have different effects on the body and the mind.  I learned a little bit about Meditation.
I learned that there is so much to learn in Yoga that I took the Yoga Teacher Training in 2011/2012.

In Teacher Training, they talked about a LOT of "new" (to me) things:
Yoga history.
Yoga philosophy.
Thai Yoga (intro).
Chair Yoga (intro).
Prenatal Yoga (intro).
More about Meditation.
Ayurveda (the "sister science" to Yoga).
Energy.
Pranayama (the "Breath of Life").

Some things, I "took to" right away.
Other things took me time to "assimilate" in my brain.

...like "that Energy stuff"...   


(As a "side note"... One of my Teacher Training "sisters" told me last month that as soon as we started touching each other in the Teacher Training classes, she knew "right away" that I would get into "this Energy stuff".  She said that my Touch was "just different".  She's intuitive like that.  I wondered why she never told me about that...)

...

So... What *do* I mean by "Energy Work"?

Well, not to tease you or anything, but now that I've written so much about Yoga, I think it best to wait until my next post to really tell you about Energy Work and how I got here.
Sorry.

I'll be back soon (-ish!).

Have a Beautiful Day!

<>< <>< <><   ><> ><> ><>   

.

Epiphany!

So...
I had a cup of coffee this morning, and it got my brain jumping!

I realize that I have a lot of stuff to catch you up on, but...
I'm not really interested in doing that right now.  Sorry.
Honestly.  
I apologize for that.  I'm not being flippant.

Anyway.
My epiphany this morning was rather eye-opening for me, and  I just have to get it down in words.   =-)
Hopefully I can explain it sufficiently.
Usually, when I have one of these epiphanies, it's more like just a concept in my head, and I can't sufficiently put it in physical Words...
I'll try anyway.   =-)

So.
We are all made up of Energy, just as we're made up of skin and bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, and individual cells, right?

Well, that Energy flows.  Just like Water.

And sometimes, Energy gets stagnant, just like Water.
Or sometimes that Energy gets "overwhelming" (over-active), just like Water.

Think about it.

You've seen water before that's just sitting.
It can become stale and stagnant.
(And when I'm talking about Water here, I mean water either in Nature, or in your Kitchen Sink.  Water is Water.  Right?)
So you've most likely seen water that's "trapped" somewhere.
It becomes stale.  And eventually, if it's "trapped" long enough, it becomes stagnant and "yucky".  Perhaps molded.  Or with algae growing in and/or on it.  It smells bad.  It looks bad.  It feels bad.  (I assume it tastes bad; I've never tried it.)

But then, there's "healthy" water, too.
Water that's flowing, whether slowly or strongly.
Water that's fresh and clear and moving.
That's "healthy" water.  You want to play in it, or bathe in it, or drink it in.  You "just know" that it's "Good" Water.

And then there's water that's "over-active".  "Too much for it's own good."  Water that's in the form of a tsunami, or a flood, or rain just *pouring* down.  That's an "excess" of water.

(I later realized that I can use the metaphors of any of the other Elements, as well.  Earth, Air, Fire.  It's just that Water happened to "settle in my understanding" first.)

Well.  
Energy is just the same way.
You can have Energy that's stagnant and/or blocked in some way.
You can also have Energy that's tooo much.  Overflowing, or overbearing.
And then, you can have Energy that's moving, flowing, Healthy.  "Just right".

And I correlate this stagnant Energy with Depression,
and the "over-active" Energy with Anger.
And a mixture of the two I correlate with Anxiety and/or Panic Attacks.

So.
How does this Energy become stagnant?  Or "over-flowing"?

That happens from our emotions, trauma, drama, illness, injury, surgery, worry, and/or stress.  
So.

What can we do about it?
What if you feel "out of sorts"?

There are many exercises in Energy books and on websites.
I tend to like many of the exercises recommended by Donna Eden in her book, Energy Medicine.
My Dad likes the ones that Ann Marie Chiasson does in her book, Energy Healing.
I'll try to put up a few links to some in the coming days.  Otherwise, you can just look on Google and you'll find *tons* of them for yourself.
Do what "resonates" with you.
Do the ones that "sound right" and "feel right" in YOUR body.

I also am becoming a staunch "believer" in ("supporter" of) Meditation.
Or Prayer, if you prefer.  But when I say Prayer, I mean more of a "sitting with God" and just listening.  Ask him/her a question and then sit in stillness and wait for the Answer, while you simply breathe in and out.
That's really what Meditation is, and I correlate it with Prayer.

I am also realizing I'm an Energy Worker.  I would say "Energy Healer", but I seriously hesitate to use that statement.
For me, it's more like I am a vessel, or a conduit for "the Angels", and They use me and "do healings" through me.
I've been working with others for a number of months now, and they always feel better after a session with me.
...

There is a TON I could write about here, but I mustn't.
This post is supposed to be only about my Epiphany from this morning.
This is supposed to be about the metaphor of Water and Energy.
I'll leave the "explanations" of how I got to Energy Work for another post.

...

So.  Anyway.

Energy is all around us, in us, on us, "through" us and we are governed by it.

Two years ago, I thought this "stuff" was TOTAL Bullshit!

But with Yoga, my Yoga teacher training classes, meditating, reading, and experiencing things in my own body and mind, I've come to realize that it's True.
Call it Energy.  Call it Angels.  Call it a "crazy woman who just turned 50!" Call it whatever you wish, but I'm here to tell you that, for me at least, this realization has made a huge difference in my life.

I haven't suffered from my Depression in a looong time.
And I attribute that to this "Energy Healing Stuff".

I feel better than I have in a looong time.
The arthritis in my knees hasn't bothered me in a long time, either.  Now most of that I attribute to Yoga.  But I honestly believe that Yoga moves Energy in the body in ways that it needs to move.  Especially if you have a Good Yoga teacher.   =-)
Find one who "resonates" with you.  You'll know what I mean once you find one (or 2 or 3).   =-)  ('Cause I think it's good to have more than one Yoga teacher.  It's good to "shake things up"!)   =-)

So.
Meditation or Prayer.
Yoga (or *some* type of regular movement that makes your Heart "shine" or "sing").
And the eventual "Opening Up" to other Human Beings that is the reason we are here on this Earth.
Those are the things I "recommend" for each of us.

...

I'll be back.
I'll try to find the time to "catch you up" on how I got here to this point of "believing" in Energy.
I'll try to give you some links to some Energy exercises for your "betterment".
I'll try to continue to give Encouragement where I can.
I'll try to explain what it is I'm doing, and how *you* too can do this, if you want.   =-)



I discovered this summer that I am here simply to Love Others.
THAT was quite a revelation!
I shall *try* to explain that one to you, too.   =-)

In the meantime,  
Love Life!
And remember...
Self-criticism *never* leads to Self-improvement.

(Try telling yourself that each day, at least once a day, but preferrably THREE times a day!)   =-)

Back soon (-ish)!!!
=-)


.

Sunday, Nov 24th, 2013

Whoa!  It's been almost SIX MONTHS since I last posted?!?!?
  
Whoa.  How did that happen?  Where did the time go?

Actually, I've been very busy.

I've been reading and reading and reading.
I've been growing and changing.
I've been listening and trying to learn to hear.
I've been learning and doing and breathing.

Lots has happened.

Boyfriend and I went to the beach in June.  
Actually, lots happened to/with/for me in June and July.

...where to begin?
Well, let's begin with the incident that happened in May, shall we?   =-)
...

I honestly don't remember what started me thinking or feeling that I can heal with Love through my hands...  (I've found out it's called "Energy Healing".)

But my daughters and I were at Miles & Snooze's house (2 "alternate-religions" friends), and their dog, Muggsy, was lying down in front of me, & he had these "spots" (like tumors) in different places on him.

So I decided, "Let's see what I can do."  
I started rubbing on him "with intention".  My hands started warming up, and pretty soon the warmth went up my arms, even.  The more I rubbed him with intention, the further up the warmth went.  Soon, I was hot up my arms to my armpits!  I was almost sweating!  (And if you know me, you know this is totally not like me!)  
Soon, Miles said, "Man, I can feel that from here."  I knew *deep down* what he was talking about, but I pretended I didn't, and I just kept doing what I was doing.  
Then after awhile, I stopped & Snooze said, "Domo origato!" and bowed to me...
Then she said, "I can use all the help I can get for him.  Thank you."

And I said, "What are you thanking me for?" and she said, "The Healing."
And I said, "But how did you know that's what I was doing?!"
And they both said, "'Cause I can feel it!"

Wow, right?
They could *feel* it!  From more than 3 feet away!
(I wasn't even positive that I was *doing* anything, and *they* could feel it!)

Miles said, for him, it feels like a dip in a warm floral tea.  (He's from Wales, so he relates to an afternoon tea.)
Snooze said, "You know how, when you're wading & you can feel the ripples come across the water?  It's like that.  And you know how you go through cool sections and warm sections?  It's like that."
Then she said, "You've *always* been able to do that.  I thought you knew!"
(She also later said that it's in my quilts and all of my handwork [beading, sewing, etc].)

That was quite an experience!

Suddenly, Miles offered me a book to borrow on Crystals & the Chakras.
And that begins *another* story!

...

If you'd have told me two years ago that I was going to be doing this "crazy, weird, Hippie woo-woo shit", I'd have laughed in your FACE!!!
But, boy, do I have lots to tell you.
I've been reading about Chakras, Meridians, Auras, Chinese Reflexology, Acupuncture, and all sorts of things related to the Energy Body.  

I've been doing Energy Work, and Energy Healings.

I feel all sorts of weird/neat things in my hands, and my feet, and various parts of my body.
And I still have so much to learn.

I'm listening and learning to hear.
I'm going "places" I never thought I would.
I'm doing stuff I didn't even believe in a couple of years ago!

And I'm bringing others along with me for this crazy ride.   =-)

And my Dad, very fittingly I think, is walking with me, and he's even studying a bit about Shamanism.  I think he's going to become a Shaman!

And I feel so Good and At-Home in my body and my Spirit.

I'm loving Life.
I'm loving *my* Life.   =-)
I'm at peace.

I am Happy.



I hope YOU are Happy in this moment.

Have a Beautiful Day!

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You Realize...

...so...
I've been sitting here, selfishly, all morning.
I first ate my eggs and drank my coffee.
Then i got on the computer, "Just to check my e-mail, quickly."

Ha.
Famous last words...

And as i sat here, reading blogs, my lovely assistant sat patiently.

Waiting.
Waiting for *her* Breakfast.

Until...

The whining began:

 "You *do* realize, don't you, that it's waaay  past 9:00, right."

And then, the impatient huffing and deep sighs:

"I thought you were just gonna be 'a minute'!"

So now i'll set this infernal contraption down and get my Monday morning going!

I hope you have a Productive day!

(And, lest you feel too sorry for her, i honestly fed her at 10am today.

I just found myself unable to put the computer down again until i actually posted this!)

=-)

Om Jacket (Picture-Heavy Post)

So, i had this blue jean jacket, and i wanted to "put something on it", meaning embroider something on it.
I mentioned this to Boyfriend, and he started asking me questions like,

"What do you want to put on it?"  {I don't know}

"What colors do you want on it?"  {I don't know}

"How big do you want whatever-design to be?"  {i don't know}

"Okay, then...  Well, is there a symbol that 'you Yoga-people' use?" 

Well, that one got me thinking.   =-)

I decided to put an Om on the back of my jacket with rainbow colors swirling out from it.

(In case you don't know, the Om symbol represents the sound that is used in some Yoga classes and in meditation.  It really has no translation because it's a sound, like "buzz" or "cough" or "hum".  Just Google the word *Om* and you'll find ALLLLL kinds of information about it!  And it'll get pretty deep pretty quickly.)   =-)

So i began this project around October/November of 2011, i think.
I had a goal of finishing it by October of 2012.

...

I didn't make it.

There were many, many days that my jacket sat beside my chair in the living room.  Just sat.  Patiently waiting.

I would work on a color for a while,
and then let it sit for awhile.
Then i'd begin work on another color.
Then i'd let it sit.

I *finally* got all the colors DONE before October!  Yay!!!
...
But then i decided that i needed *something* inside the Om...
After a little "trial-and-error", i decided to use a specific bead.

But then...
Then October came, and went, and i got discouraged with myself.
I *didn't* meet my goal, and i was sad and disappointed and discouraged.

...

But now.
(Well, actually in April)

I finished it!!!!!

So i took these pictures on April 20th.
I don't remember the exact DAY that i finished it, but that really doesn't matter.  The important fact is that 

I finished it!!!!!
And i LOVE it!!!!!

So, without further blabbering from me, here it is,
my Beloved BlueJean Jacket with the Om/Rainbow Swirl:

(you can click on the picture to see it larger)

I always sign my work;

this is on the lower right "corner"

(sorry it's sideways)

I put a Heart on my left sleeve

I put a lining in it so you can't 

"see the ugly"!   =-)

This used to be one of my Mother's favorite shirts.

She gave it to me and told me to do something good with it.

It's really a cool fabric.

Shame i had to cut up her shirt.

(Makes me think of Zentangles.)

 And here i am, wearing my Jacket:

My Mother's husband saw the jacket while i was sewing the beads on, and he flipped out!  He went on and on about how Beautiful it is.  
Then he told me i shouldn't wear it.
He was emphatic about it!
He even offered to buy it from me, just so it would be hanging on a wall instead of being worn!
I tried explaining to him that i *made* it to be worn.  That it's actually GREAT to *wear* Art.
But he wouldn't hear me.  He kept insisting that i shouldn't wear something so beautiful.  That wearing it will wear it *out*, and that i should hang it somewhere where it won't get "ruined".
I *tried* telling him that by wearing it, *more* people will be able to see it than if it's hanging on a wall in somebody's house.
But he wouldn't hear of it.  He kept trying to convince me that Art shouldn't be worn.  That this jacket that i embroidered for me should be hanging on a wall somewhere.  (Preferably at his house.)
...

You know *my* solution to *that*?
I just don't wear it around him!!
That way, he doesn't think about my jacket, and i get to do what i wanted to do in the first place, without having someone fuss at me about it!

...

Sorry.
I apologize.
Whenever i start talking about him, i just get carried away.
He's the type of person who is "never wrong", and you can't tell him anything because he already knows everything, and you're never gonna be as smart as he is...
So when i think of him or talk about him, i tend to vent.
I apologize.
This post is about my Jacket
and how Happy i am about my Jacket.   =-)


I hope you do something today that makes YOU Happy!   


=-)

Wednesday?

I know it's not Wednesday, but...
I keep missing my intention of posting on Wednesdays!!!
I have a couple of minutes, so i thought i'd go ahead and post now.
I've sort of been taking photos for a while now, with the intention of posting about my days...
So now i "must" catch-up.
*warning:  Photo-filled post ahead...

April 15th thru 18th, i went to Nashville, Tennessee with Boyfriend.  He had to work, so i drove while he sent e-mails and made phone calls.
"And i helped!"  (Who remembers where that's from?!)
Anyway, here's a small part of a few of my days during our time in Nashville:

Boyfriend working

4-19-2013

 In my part of North Carolina, the beautiful Dogwood trees were in full bloom in April this year.  
GORGEOUS!
I sort of take them for granted, even while i'm admiring their beauty, because i've always lived where they live and bloom...
But Daddy's Lady-Friend came to make sure he was *truly* alright after his motorcycle wreck, and she couldn't believe how pretty they were.
And she didn't even really see them when they were at their fullest!
They came to my house one day to see if i still had any flowers left, 'cause she wanted to press one or two and take them home with her...
Sorry, but between the rain and the cold, they'd all fallen down.
Maybe next year!   =-)
(There are even PINK Dogwoods, but i don't have any in my yard.  You could Google it, though.)   =-)

Out my back door

4-19-2013

 The same tree, but from the front/side of my house:

Dogwood Tree

4-20-2013

And upon closer "inspection", you can see the pink Azalea that grows near the Dogwood.
I loved the combination of the two this year.   =-)

4-20-2013

  

Monday, the day before Daddy's motorcycle wreck, i did the ironing...

Which was weird because i *typically* iron on Tuesdays!

But, as luck/Fate would have it, i got that done early, which enabled me to be totally "with" Daddy on Tuesday...

4-22-2013

Wednesday mornings, i work the front desk at the Yoga Studio, so here's the "My Day" photo *before* i called the hospital to check on Daddy, who had to stay the night since he lost consciousness at the scene...

Gotta Yoga

Class in Session (behind those doors)

4-24-2013

But when i talked with him on the phone, he just didn't sound right and i got immediately concerned!
His speech was slurred, he was agitated, and he sort of fussed at me, so i had to "lay my eyes" on him as soon as i could!
So here's the "afternoon" photo of "My Day":

Daddy in the Hospital

4-24-2013

Daddy was fine... once the pain meds wore off.  He REALLY does NOT tolerate pain meds well!
He prefers to take Tylenol instead of anything stronger.
Everything else messes with his head, or makes him ill, or "blocks him up", or makes him feel weird all over, or makes him puke, or whatever.
But to reassure myself, i had to "put my eyes on him" first.
I wasn't sure if it was the pain med, or the concussion, so i had to go see him...  *Before* my "shift" was done.  Oh well.  Everybody understood.  I had to be where i *needed* to be.   =-)


Then, on Friday, Boyfriend needed to go to Greensboro for work, and we had already planned on going to his Mom's for the weekend, so we combined the two trips.
Here's a "My Day" photo of one spot where i parked for a bit, waiting on Boyfriend to finish up so we could head North:

Greensboro

4-26-2013

And then, there's this...
My Sweet "Assistant".
She's always ready to eat!  (Sound like anybody *you* know?!)   =-)
The plastic bin is where i store her big bag of store-bought dog food.
She loves that thing.   =-)
But it was empty on this day.
She wouldn't believe me, so i opened it up and laid it on its side so she could see for herself!

Ignoring me for a bit at first

5-4-2013

"Are you SURE it's empty?!?"

Me:  "Yes!  See for yourself."

"I still don't believe you!

You *GOTTA* have something *somewhere*!!"

(She HATES getting in "compromising situations",

so you KNOW she was *desperate* here!)

"That sucks!"

Well, that's it for now.
Hope you enjoyed the entertainment!
=-)


The weather is GORGEOUS here!
I hope you can find Beauty where you are.


.

Whoah!

Wow.  I really got "waylaid" for a while there.  
I wasn't neglecting you!  I just haven't had time to post these past few weeks.
Honest!

Okay, here's what happened.
On Tuesday, April 23rd, my Dad had a wreck on his motorcycle.
Before you panick, let me assure you that he's doing alright.

He was coming around a "blind curve" (a curve where you can't see very far ahead), and before he realized & had time to react properly, he saw a large almost-18-wheeler truck was stopped in his lane, waiting to make a left turn.
He panicked.
He squeezed on both brakes really hard.
Apparently you're not supposed to do that on a motorcycle.
Because that causes it to skid.
And since he was in a turn, the back tire starting coming around to the front, and the bike started "laying over", and he went down on his side (and the motorcycle did too), and he ended up rolling over and over in the road.
He lost conciousness in there somewhere, which *i* think probably saved him from getting hurt *much* worse than he actually did.  (You know how, when you're aware that you're falling, you tense up a lot, and try to "catch" yourself.  He didn't do that, and instead, rolled all loose-like.  Much easier on your body.)
Anyway, here's what much of my Tuesday evening and Wednesday looked like:

So now you know part of where i've been.   =-)
Daddy broke six bones in his face; his nose, 3 bones under his right eye on his cheek, a piece of his jaw bone, and a small bone under his right eye.
He also dislocated and broke his left thumb.
He also got a H-U-G-E bruise (hematoma) on his right hip.  (The blood from that is now starting to "gravitate" down his leg; it's past his knee now.)
He scraped up his right shoulder (on the top).
He also *possibly* broke his right big toe, and will most likely lose that nail.  (He asked the doc, "Why take an x-ray? What're you going to do if it *is* broken?" and the doc was like, "Well...  Okay.")
He also has a HUGE area on his right forearm where there's "no skin".  
I  say that, but you know you can't see the bone, right.
But the skin that *is* there is *not* "top layer" skin.  It's gonna take a *while* to heal and re-grow.
We're pretty sure that he also got a concussion.  The ER doc didn't say so, but we're assuming it.  I mean, hell, he broke 6 bones in his face, so you *know* he hit his head pretty hard!    =-)
He's been on a liquid diet, but he's slowly working up to "soft foods".  His jaw really hurts, both for chewing and for opening up very much.
It's difficult to live happily on a liquids/soft food diet.
Try it for 2 days and you'll see what i'm talking about.   =-)

Anyway, his spirits are high.
For the first week, he was saying that he "supposes" he "should" give up the bike.  He realizes his reaction-time and his eye-sight "isn't what it used to be."
But over the past few days, he's been feeling better and better, and is talking about *maybe* not giving it up.  
He REALLY loves riding a motorcycle.
Especially when it's beautiful weather!   =-)
But he *has* decided that the New England/Nova Scotia trip he's gonna make with his girlfriend in July is now gonna be in the car instead of on the bike! 
He just couldn't live with the guilt if *she* had been on the bike *with* him and he wrecked!

And i just can't argue with him!   =-)
It's what he LOVES to do.
And it's HIS life!
If it makes him happy, then who am *I* to tell him to quit?!
I'll go to his funeral know he was happy, and that he lived the way HE wanted.   =-)

So that's been my last (almost) two weeks!   =-)
Hospital for 2 days, and then doctor's visit after doctor's visit.
Took him to an oral maxillo-facial doctor.
Took him to an orthopedist.
Took him to his family doctor.
Missed a *few* Yoga classes.  But that's the "price" i pay for having an AWESOME Dad!   =-)
And then his Girlfriend came to town Wednesday, and i've been able to start catching up on housework and stuff.
So just today am i able to *finally* make a post here.   =-)
I'll try to get "back on schedule" now.   =-)

I hope you're having an AWESOME and Happy week!
'Til Wednesday!  (Unless *something else* waylays me!)

=-)


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Posting From Nashville

Yes, you read that correctly; Boyfriend and i are in Nashville, Tennessee today.  We drove here on Monday (4/15), and when i say we, i mean ME!  =-)

I'm glad that i'm able to drive because it helps him out a lot. 
He works on e-mails, phone calls, maps and other work-related "stuff" while i drive, so he doesn't "waste" his entire day.
Yes, entire day.  It took us just over 7 hours to get here.
We stop for bathroom breaks, lunch and what-not, so that's about how long it takes us.  For someone else, it would probably take less time.

...and for our oldest daughter, who has to pee *all* *the* *time* (like, every  15 minutes), it would most likely take much longer!  lol  =-)

We'll start heading back some time today, with a scheduled stop tonight in a hotel in either Knoxville TN or Asheville NC, and get back home on Thursday.
My Lovely Assistant will be SOOO happy when i get back!  'Cause i'll "save" her from the kennel!  (She hates it there!)
Anyway...

This is how my morning went for awhile:

Boyfriend working in our hotel room

while i watch "The Doctors"

But i spent time by myself, and *for* myself.

I sat around alllll day yesterday, watching the news (HORRIBLE news about the Boston Marathon!),

reading others' blog posts,

reading newspapers (yes they *still* *exist*!),

doing a little web-surfing,

watching a couple of talk shows,

and just generally lounging.

I had a leisurely day, doing "not much at all", and wishing Boyfriend could do the same...

So.

Today, i've already worked on a project i've been working on (and avoiding) for quite a while longer than i'd like to admit.

I have a blue jean jacket...

Just over a year ago, Boyfriend helped me come up with an idea to embroider something on the back of this jacket.

AND I LOVE IT!!!

Well...  

Guess what?!?!

I *just* this morning finished the beading on the jacket!!!

And *that* feels Really Really Good.   =-)

I'm not ready to show you the entire jacket because i'm not *really* done with this project...  I still "need" to put a lining on the inside, over the embroidery.

'Cause it's messy.

Really messy.

And that would bother me if "everyone" could see the inside mess.

So i'm gonna wait 'til i get home and find the "right" fabric to line the inside (back) with.  (I'm thinking of sewing it in by hand... with Red thread!)   =-)

Then i'll want to wait 'til a bright, sunshine-y day to take pictures of it.

Then i'll show you the jacket!   =-)

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I hope you're having a Beautiful Day!
And remember, your day begins with YOU!  See if you can give yourself a Reason to Smile.

=-)

Jane

So, after much back-and-forth, Spring has finally arrived here in my part of the World!

Yay!   =-)

It seemed like it took it *forever* to decide if it was gonna come around, but 

Finally!

So i've been taking a  few pictures here and there with my camera:

Jane Magnolia

Also known as a Tulip Tree around here

'Jane' again

 Jane last week...

 And Jane this week!

 'Jane' buds -n- blooms

 See Jane.

See Jane blossom.

(Showing my age a bit, huh.)   =-)

I hope you're able to go outside some and see the Glory that surrounds you!
And Smile!
Have a beautiful week!
=-)