Category: Daily Prompt

The Latest

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I was driving to Florida yesterday on my way to visit my friend from high school.  Her husband had surgery and I came down to give her a hand so she can return to work.

While driving through South Carolina I picked up a Virginia radio station.  I still am not sure which program was on but it was a talk show.  Apparently there is a new law in Virginia which will make it mandatory for schools to teach teenagers how to handle being pulled over by police while driving.

Let me tell you that the host of the show was beside himself because as he put it “the responsibility of safety from police misconduct will fall on the children.”  What a farce! I really got the impression that he wanted to just stir things up.  In no way was police being trained to deal with teens behind the wheel something that was off the table.  He insinuated that the police were the trained professionals but that in only 6 months you could become a cop and he felt that was insufficient.  I wonder what he thinks about becoming parents.  There is no training for that.  Maybe that’s where we should start.

In most incidents with teenagers driving and being pulled over there is zero respect shown to the officer.  Now I am not saying that there aren’t a portion of bad police, just as there is a portion of teens that are respectful.  But, have you noticed the complete lack of respect for authority in this country today?  Just walking through the mall and hearing the way children talk to not only their parents, but to each other.  It’s appalling.

The co-host of the show said that the person who was responsible for initiating the law said she did so because she had had many conversations with her husband and son regarding being stopped by the police and their son’s  behavior expected by them if that should happen.  The son stated that many of his friends parents didn’t have any conversations with them about being respectful.  In an attempt to keep teens from being injured or worse she thought that while learning to drive in school this would be a beneficial endeavor for the safety not only for the children but also the police.

I was becoming furious as I was driving 70 miles an hour down 95.  I finally had to turn it off.  All the host did was belittle the idea of giving the kids a perspective on traffic stops.  Of course when I tried to call into the station I couldn’t get through.  It’s probably a good thing.  My feel is that if parents were responsible and taught their kids respect from the time they were little, there probably wouldn’t be many episodes of teens being manhandled by police.

For too long parents have undermined the authority of the police and the teachers in the schools.  I wanted to ask this man if a person is any less dead if the one pulling the trigger is a kid?  Our culture has turned into one of irresponsibility where anything goes and you can do whatever you want no matter how it affects anyone else.  Then authority is blamed for the consequences.

OK, I am off my soapbox.  It is wonderful to be here with Dottie and Frank.  I think I’ll go sit by the pool for a bit and cool off.

Wanda

Just An Idea

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Daily Prompt:  Collaboration, Hospitality, Final, Maze and Pink

It was the last week of school. I was just about at the end of my tolerance for finals. What’s the point I wondered. Does a letter grade really define me? If I don’t achieve that A will I really be a nothing? I think that’s a terrible way to evaluate someone. I can’t say that I was seeing red, but maybe a shade of pink. Anyway, I am almost done with this until the same time next semester.

As I traversed the pink maze I began to see that others were also having second thoughts about the need for achieving these insignificant grades. Well, I think they are insignificant and I bet you do too, don’t you? No? Ok maybe they are necessary, maybe for some things anyway. I concede there needs to be a way to measure what you have learned during a given period of time in order to know what you are ready for in the next period of time. But, the emphasis on a grade leaves me feeling unfulfilled.

I have always loved going to school. I love to learn. What I don’t love is the stress of finals or the stress of attaining a specific grade. It has been my experience that one can be a wonderful student with a 4.0 GPA and a failure in your chosen field. The ablility to learn from books does not equate to being proficient in practice.

My idea would be a collaboration with education and practical experience. This would support what knowledge you gleaned from study and be hospitable to practical experience. I also think college should be deferred until after spending a year doing some sort of service work or a stint in the service. It gives kids a chance to mature a little so they are more apt to dedicated themselves to higher education.

Wanda

Winter

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Daily Prompt:  Bitter, Temporary, Pursue

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Image Borrowed from Wallpaper Cave

There is no denying the beauty of winter.

I remember when I was young, I loved winter. I loved the sledding and ice skating and snowball fights and making snowmen with the kids in the neighborhood, then crowding around a fire sipping hot chocolate to warm up. It was great fun.

Where I lived, my street was horseshoe shaped. All of the back yards connected into a big circle. One year we had so much snow that our dads made igloos for us kids with a big tunnel that connected them. They lasted for a few weeks. That was in the fifties.

I remember when my kids were little. I would spend ten minutes with each one of them getting them into their snow suits and all wrapped up to go sledding just to have one of them tell me they needed to go to the bathroom. So, I would have to get them out of their snow suits so they could pee. Then start all over again. It’s a wonder we ever made it outside to play.

I also remember the year I was working at the hospital and it snowed so bad that staff could not make it in. I was stuck working for three days straight. We were temporarily assigned beds so we could each sleep in four hour shifts. When I was finally able to go home, my area was still not clear. I was transported home in a snow plow. My street was the first one to be cleared in the neighborhood only because they needed to get me home. That was definitely an experience. The truck was so high that when I tried to get out of it I fell into a snow drift. My husband came running out of the house to help me up. It took a while because I started laughing. Meanwhile the truck driver was looking at us like we were crazy. By the time I got into the house I was frozen. I had no boots on because when I had gone to work three day before it was not snowing. My feet were soaked. I think that was the year I started hating winter.

It was also the year we visited my in-laws in North Carolina for the first time. They had retired that year and moved there. I fell in love with the area. Sunset Beach quickly became my very favorite beach. We talked on the way home about how nice it would be to retire in the area and get away from the cold winters. We began to pursue buying property and the next visit to the in-laws we bought a small vacation home.

Finally the time came for us to move south permanently.  I was so happy to be out of those bitter cold winters in Pennsylvania.

My daughter finally gave us grandkids but they still lived in Pennsylvania. We left North Carolina the week before Christmas one year to spend the holidays with them.  We were planning to return home the first week of January. Well, before we could head out, it started snowing. We were stuck there until February. One bitter cold day I remember standing at the front door of the house watching my grandkids in the snow thinking who would want to be out here in this weather? But then I remembered that kids love snow and I bundled myself up and headed outside to play in the snow with my grandkids. I am so happy I share those memories with them.

Wanda

 

The Presentation

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Daily Prompt: Exposed

It was 1988 and I had just returned to college to finish my degree in nursing. What was I thinking? It had been so many years since I had attended school. I must be crazy I thought. But here I was with my back pack full of the books I needed to complete my degree.

Surprised as I was, I loved being in class. I couldn’t get enough of learning. Why had I put this off for so long. Oh, yeah, I remembered, I was raising a family. Ok, so it made perfect sense to me that my priorities were in the right place.

As my first semester went along I was actually feeling a little guilty that I was having so much fun. Then, as I checked my syllabus I began to feel a panick take over me. I had to present a paper. I can’t stand up and talk to the whole class I thought. I will never pass this class if I can’t. What was I going to do?

Well, I researched my topic very well. I put my words on paper and practiced and practiced in front of a mirror until the day came when it was my turn to present.
I dressed in a professional suit with my hair and makeup done. I knew I was prepared, but my stomach was full of butterflies. I began sweating. And that was before I even got to class.

Finally, as I was seated in class and the professor called me to the front of the room. I couldn’t hear, there was a whooshing sound in my ears. As I approached the front of the room I was feeling a little dizzy and I could feel a trickle of sweat running down my back. I felt totally exposed as if everyone could see my innermost thoughts and just knew I didn’t have a clue about what I was going to say.

Then, as I said good morning to the class something changed. All of a sudden I had an overwhelming confidence. I began my presentation. My voice was strong. I actually knew what I was talking about. I wowed my audience. After my presentation I answered questions and was amazed at how many of my fellow students were actually interested in the content I had presented.

I guess I had to attribute my success that day to being well prepared and to the fact that I was a married woman with children and had been speaking in front of people for years. I had been in countless meetings at the schools my children attended, was involved in politics, demonstrated Tupperware, and was often team leader at the hospital during my shifts. I just never thought about how that prepared me for my presentation, or the fact that preparing for my classes had become a priority since I was footing the bill. Something I had failed to do the first time around when my dad was paying.

Wanda

Practice Makes Perfect, At Least Better

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Daily Prompt:  Better
I have always loved to take pictures. Until the 90’s they were just to mark memorable occasions, birthdays, holidays, trips, etc. But during the 90’s I developed an interest in learning how to take really good photos as a hobby.

This started when my son took photography in high school. I was amazed at his talent and the beauty his expensive Nikon camera captured. I vowed at that time that I would pursue this hobby when I retired.

In 2003 when we moved to NC in retirement, I began taking pictures. I took pictures of everything. I couldn’t afford a good camera, but had my sons Nikon camera so I was able to practice with settings. I found that having film developed became expensive especially since most of what I took was not worth keeping.

In 2005 I purchased a kodak camera that took really nice pictures. I could manually adjust settings or use it as an automatic setting camera. I joined a photo club in my area and my photos began to get better. I used that camera until 2013 when it died.

Still not being able to afford an SLR digital camera, my son insisted that the new phones had great cameras in them and I really didn’t need a camera. However, I wanted a new camera so badly.   He got me a fujifilm bridge camera for my birthday which I love. It has a great zoom capability and I can adjust the settings. Yes, I am blessed to have a son who has always taken good care of his mother.

I have been taking part in the wordpress photo challenges and member sponsored photo challenges since moving my blog here to wordpress from blogger. It is my hope that as I continue to follow the challenges my photos will continue to get better.

Wanda

Paleo AKA Caveman Diet Is A Lifestyle Not Just A Diet

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Daily Prompt:  Lifestyle

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I began my Paleo lifestyle in January 2017.  When my husband died suddenly in August 2016 it was a wake up call for me.  He was only 63 years old.  I believe with my whole heart and soul that Gary’s death is part of God’s plan for us, but I also believe that He helps those who help themselves.  Also, Gary had a hereditary genetic clotting factor condition which made him a bit of a time bomb.  We both felt very blessed he had never had any problems from the condition until 2009 when he had a huge Pulmonary Embolism and was diagnosed.  But he was over weight and didn’t eat well at all.

Anyway, In August I was over 30 pounds heavier, and was taking two doses of regular and long acting insulin daily.  My A1C was over 7 and I was having trouble getting it down lower.  I was on strong pain medication for Fibromyalgia which I have had since a severe fall in 2001 followed by a complicated reaction to a medication which caused heart and lung damage.  That’s just a little bit about my history which is necessary for you to know so that you can judge for yourself just how well this lifestyle change has been for me.

My youngest daughter, Samantha did her first Whole30 challenge in 2015.  She lost weight, but the most important thing she noticed was that the pain she often had in her knees and ankles from being a runner was greatly improved.  Her migraines were greatly improved in amount and severity and she just generally had more energy.

Sam began trying to talk me into trying this lifestyle saying she thought I would benefit greatly from it.  Finally, the first week of January I cleaned out my pantry, refrigerator and freezer eliminating all the nasty stuff that could very well be causing me problems.  I gave the 5000 packet box of sweet and low away, because lets face it, that’s just poison in a pink envelope  I bought the Whole30 Challenge book and downloaded recipes and meal plans for the first week ofmy Paleo Lifestyle.

First I would like to say that the amount of free information and support that is available to you online about Paleo is phenomenal.  And this information is backed by science and therefore the information is consistent.  Strategies may differ for organizing, planning and preparing your meals, but the meat and bones remain just that, meat and bones.

Second it is very important that for the first thirty days you do not eat anything other than the foods listed.  There are scientific reasons for this.  Combinations of foods, spices and fats are what convert your body into a fat burning machine.  Following this diet converts your body into using fats for energy instead of carbs.

After your thirty-day challenge, you can begin to introduce other foods into your diet paying close attention to how they affect your body.  If you have a negative reaction, you probably should not continue to eat that particular food.  All illnesses are caused by inflammation which is an effect of an overstimulated allergic response.  Our paleolithic ancestors didn’t have the diseases we have today.  They ate what they could hunt and vegetables and berries they found growing in the wild.

Third, it’s a very easy lifestyle to convert to.  You do not need to buy expensive special items.  All the food you eat is fresh easy to obtain unprocessed regular food.  The only thing is, you are encouraged to eat organic foods when at all possible and you get your carbs from vegetables not grains. The good news is, organic food is becoming easier and easier to find in regular food stores.

As I said, I started on this new path in January.  I have lost over thirty pounds and the best news is that I am no longer on any medication for diabetes.  The amount of pain medication I require is greatly lessened and my blood pressure has improved.

I do occasionally have food that is not paleo when I am not home to cook.  I have not found a problem doing this.  But, there are times I have discovered a sensitivity to certain foods.  Milk products for one.  I used to think I could not live without eating cheese.  But to my surprise I don’t miss it.

There are many very good recipes available online and they are free.  It’s a great starting point.  After you read the book,  It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways by Dallas Hartwig and you understand how this lifestyle works, you can begin to experiment with cooking.  I have had more fun in the kitchen cooking than I have had in years.

Wanda

The Choice

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Daily Prompt: None

I believe that happiness is a conscious choice.  It’s a decision you make from the minute you open your eyes in the morning until you close them at night.  A choice that becomes a living part of who you are.

When I was raising my children I tried to teach them about about taking responsibility for the choices you make in life.  As they got older, I would tell them that if they decided to choose to break the rules at home or at school they were also choosing the consequences of their actions.  If you stayed out after curfew you were grounded.  If you didn’t do your assignments, grounded.  You can see where I am going with this.

But, I also tried to instill in them the importance for choosing happiness.  For delighting in the beauty of our world.  The colors of  the seasons.  The support and camaraderie in good friendships, the benefit of a good education.  The love of their family.  The joy of honest competition.  To choose to be happy with who and what they are.  To learn that happiness is not measured in what you have but who you are as a person.  To be happy with the many, little things that make up everyday life.

Giving Up Control

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via Daily Prompt: Control

Since I grew up I have always needed to be in control of everything.  Myself, my family, my home, my job, etc.  I guess that came from my childhood.  My mother was an alcoholic.  I couldn’t do anything right and every choice I made from what I wanted to wear to what I wanted to eat was deemed unacceptable to my mother.  I had a little brother that would come into my room and just destroy my toys and the things I treasured.  My mother just allowed that to happen.

I don’t really think my mother liked me.  I believe she loved me in her own way, after all she gave birth to me and I don’t think you can do that and not have love for the child you bore.  The situation resolved itself when I was eleven.  My mother took off on New Year’s Eve with my brother leaving me and my dad.  I went to live with my paternal grandmother and she finished raising me.  I was so blessed to have her in my life.  I began to call her Mom.  When I referred to my mother, I called her Mother.

After college when I got married and had a family, I still needed to be in control.  I didn’t realize how difficult that was on my family.  I was driving everyone crazy.  One day Gary, my husband, said to me “The kids are starting to hate you.”  I became very upset and made up my mind right then and there that I would make a determined conscious effort to give up the control that was hurting my family.

This relenting of control didn’t happen over night.  It took quite a while, but I worked at it and finally I had achieved my goal.  Family life improved immensely and my relationships with my kids became wonderful.  I still have a great relationship with each of my kids today.  I can sometimes still feel the need to control things, but I have learned to push that idea right out of my head and let someone else take charge.

Quilting Apprentice

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Daily Prompt: Apprentice

In February 2005 I joined a quilt guild.  I had always wanted to learn how to quilt.  I never had cared much for sewing, but making quilts really interested me.  My mom was a wonderful seamstress but didn’t quilt.  I was fortunate to meet two wonderful women at my first quilt meeting.  They both took me under their wing and began teaching me the art of quilting.  That is how I became a quilting apprentice.

I learned so much from these two ladies.  Donna especially, and Anne was always there to support me in my quilting adventures.  I attended classes with professional internationally known teachers like Pat Sloan, Cathy Wiggins, Bonnie Hunter, Becky Goldsmith, Joan Shay and many more.  I was so amazed to see all the different ways of making quilts and how to embellish them.  I thrived on learning new techniques.

I joined two more quilt guilds in the area.  It kept me busy and I met such wonderful people.  One thing about quilters, we are always ready and willing to share our knowledge and techniques with each other and especially someone new to the art of quilting.

I began making quilts for members of my family and friends.  Then I began making table runners, placemats, wall hangings and purses.  It became an all-encompassing hobby which I was sure I would never give up.  I had a hard time remembering what I had done in my free time before quilting.

Then one day I realized I was teaching classes at my guild.  How could this be?  I was just a beginner.  But, in just a couple of years my skill had advanced to that of a seasoned quilter.  I wasn’t an apprentice any more.

The most rewarding aspect of belonging to my quilt guild is the outreach work we do. We support so many wonderful organizations with our quilting.  We supply Habitat Homes with bed quilts.  We supply the Veteran’s Hospital with lap quilts, the home for abused women and children with quilts, and many nursing homes receive quilts and walker bags from us.

The Snuggy

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via Daily Prompt: Blanket

When my first grandchild was a toddler, I visited he and his family.  I hadn’t seen them in a few months.  He had really grown and was finally walking.   I noticed he didn’t go anywhere without carrying a blue shiny satin baby blanket.  I asked his mom what the deal was.  She explained that it was his snuggy.  She went on to explain that it was his security blanket but he called it a snuggy.

When my daughter saw how much having the blue snuggy worked to soothe my grandson, she immediately went to the store and purchased another one just like it for a back up.

Along comes my second grandson.  He latched onto a blue bunny for his snuggy.    Again my daughter purchased another bunny just like it for a back up.  Two years later my third grandchild arrived.  A girl.  Now, my daughter had her hands full with the two boys and the first thing she did, was picked out a blanket to give the baby so she could also have a snuggy.

When my granddaughter was a toddler, I again was visiting.  My daughter, granddaughter, and I went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things.  We no sooner arrived when my granddaughter became inconsolable.  You guessed it, mom had forgotten her snuggy.  So, in the store we go and this sweet, beautiful little girl is screaming at the top of her lungs she wants her nug.  As we pass a very kind looking older gentleman he says, “Lady I don’t know what a nug is, but please just give it to her.”  My daughter and I just looked at each other and began to chuckle.

I said to my daughter, “Follow me.”  I led them into the baby department and began the search for a blanket that was close to the one she had at home.  Finally she settled on one and I opened the package and gave it to my granddaughter.  She immediately went quiet and we were able to complete our shopping.  As we passed that same kind looking gentleman on the way out of the store he smiled at us and winked saying, “Ahh you gave her the nug.”  If he could have only seen the trial and error of selecting the blanket in the baby department.

All of this reminded me of my youngest daughter.  When she was about three, she had to have eye surgery.  A dear priest friend of ours came to see her when she got home from the hospital and gave her a little pink hippo.  She loved it.  At the time there was a kids show on TV called the New Zoo Review.  Maybe you have seen it.  Anyway, the hippo on the show was named Henrietta Hippo.  My daughter called her hippo Henri the Etta. Now talk about security blankets.  She began sleeping with Henri the Etta every night and played with it every day.  It became Samantha’s security blanket.  She took it with her where ever she went, even sleep overs when she was older in high school.  My daughter attended college six hundred miles away from home and she continued to sleep with Henri the Etta.

Finally on one visit to her apartment when she was a senior in college, I noticed Henri the Etta was missing.  I asked her about it.  She told me that she still had her, but decided it was time to put her away.  Then she opened the top drawer of her chest in her bedroom and there Henri the Etta was lying in wait to be needed again.

Security blankets come in many shapes and sizes.  They can be a soft and cuddly blanket, a favorite stuffed toy, or be a special object that just sits on your night stand when you go to sleep or need some comfort.  They are called security blankets because they cover you with comfort and reassure you that all will be OK.