Talk Turkey To Me

I'm sure I've mentioned a time or two that our Marketing Department (of which I'm a member) has an official Fun Committee. Every month it's something fun, crazy, or inspiring. They never disappoint.

Today we had the opportunity to gather, eat Arbuckle's pizza and Sweet Juanjo's cookies, while coloring thank you/gratitude cards for whoever we wanted to.

I did one card and was completely transfixed over this box of cookies! Such talent and creativity. I see these everywhere, at every craft & vendor show, and have no clue how they do them. But the creative side of me is jealous I don't know how!

I mean I did pick up quite a few cake decorating skills in that period of my childhood/teenhood when Mom was taking a community class on that and going nuts with it. So fun.

But I also should recognize at my age that I'd probably need to wear my readers to make those tiny, straight lines. I mean part of me says I want to learn this, but do I NEED to? I absolutely do not need another hobby. Of any kind.

Guess I'll just enjoy eating them and tasting that heavenly sweet frosting. So amazing! And yes, I'm in awe of all of you who can do this.

Our Daily Bread

I'm late to the Gratitude Month party! But this is the column I wrote for our monthly church newsletter on the subject. Since it's finally November (plus some), I can share....

Our Daily Bread

At least once a week – without fail – we pray the Lord’s Prayer. But sometimes we get so used to praying it that we end up reciting it instead. Do we ever stop to think that we’re merely asking God to provide us our “daily bread” – our daily needs – and nothing more than that? Could we live with just what we need?

This fall, like usual, Mother Nature hit our country with a variety of tropical storms and hurricanes. And this year, at least two big ones that caused extensive flooding and damage and led to power outages and destruction of homes, business, even national treasures.

I personally am grateful I got to spend a week in the Asheville, N.C., last year – including a day at the impressive and historic Biltmore Estate – before this year’s storm put the city and an extravagant piece of history under water. You can’t take anything for granted – even after a century.

My heart goes out to the millions in the Southeast who lost what we would consider our daily bread – our necessities: Shelter, water, food, clothing, electricity, and more.

I feel blessed to be part of a church and community who immediately rallied to send aid to the victims. Semi-trucks parked around town were quickly filled with donations of water, blankets, and clothing. It’s amazing how caring and selfless we can be when responding to a crisis. 

Galatians 6:2 instructs, "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Christians tend to respond to disasters by extending hands of help, offering prayers, and providing comfort to those in need. But what about the disasters that don’t make national headlines?

Each year, as the holidays approach, we get a wake-up call about the growing population of people in our own community trying to get by without their daily bread. And the many opportunities we have to band together – like we do with natural disasters – to help those suffering personal disasters.

The Red Kettle, our Charlie Brown tree, Operation Christmas Child, and more. These are evidence of the growing needs of many of our neighbors. 

Let’s enter Gratitude Month with appreciation for our daily bread and see how we can respond with faith, hope, and love to those who go without.

Mama Love

My book club has an amazing track record of picking out interesting books we often haven't heard of or think of reading. The 6 of us core members rotate choosing books each month so the group reads 2 of our choices per year. Mostly fiction, we occasionally have a good nonfiction title, too.

Such was the case for October and The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing, where New York Times bestselling author Lara Love Hardin's memoir recounts her slide from soccer mom to opioid addict to jailhouse shot caller and her unlikely comeback as a highly successful ghostwriter.

If you haven't heard of it this year, here's the synopsis:

No one expects the police to knock on the door of the million-dollar two-story home of the perfect cul-de-sac housewife. But soccer mom Lara Love Hardin has been hiding a shady secret: she is funding her heroin addiction by stealing her neighbors’ credit cards.

Lara is convicted of 32 felonies and becomes inmate S32179. She finds that jail is a class system with a power structure that is somewhere between an adolescent sleepover party and Lord of the Flies. Furniture is made from tampon boxes, and Snickers bars are currency. But Lara quickly learns the rules and brings love and healing to her fellow inmates as she climbs the social ladder and acquires the nickname “Mama Love,” showing that jailhouse politics aren’t that different from the PTA meetings she used to attend.

When she’s released, she reinvents herself as a ghostwriter. Now, she’s legally co-opting other people’s identities and getting to meet Oprah, meditate with the Dalai Lama, and have dinner with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. But the shadow of her past follows her. Shame is a poison worse than heroin—there is no way to detox. Lara must learn how to forgive herself and others, navigate life as a felon on probation, and prove to herself that she is more good than bad, among other essential lessons.

The Many Lives of Mama Love is a heartbreaking and tender journey from shame to redemption, despite a system that makes it almost impossible for us to move beyond the worst thing we have ever done.

It was as good and interesting as it sounds. We all gave it a 5 out of 5 rating! I listened to the audiobook so I got to hear it in her own words and voice. That always adds impact for me. 

It's actually a story many of us can identify with – sans the heroin and Oprah meet-up. I mean we've all done something in our lives we are ashamed of or, if not, someone has made us feel ashamed about. Or worthless. 

In her 15-minute Ted Talk called Thieves of Hope, Lara talks about how good people who make a bad decision often carry that shame with them for the rest of their lives. Unless they find hope. Hope and shame cannot coexist. If you have shame, you can't have hope. And vice versa. That's why shame is the thief of hope.

If you can relate, you know it's not always easy to let go of the past and move on. No matter the scale of how "bad" or "stupid" you think you were. Most of our lives we aren't fighting the people who are shaming us, we're fighting ourselves and our inability to forgive ourselves for mistakes or poor judgment.

Throw in a fragile self-esteem and it's chaos.

As I shared with the club tonight (over an always delicious meal at El Mezcal), the way I personally combat it is practicing gratitude. If you thank God every night for your blessings that day, you'll start to see the big picture of your life in terms of what you have, not what you don't have – and certainly not what you've done. 

Thanks for reading my Robyn Talk. Isn't it great to start the week in a positive frame of mind? We've got this!

Just Chillin'

 

The wake-up temp today was something like 5 degrees. How was I supposed to rebound from that? Who knows. But I found a way.

So today I acted in the best interest and carried on to the best outcome for us ladies. Work friends, that is.

Pretty sure we were just chillin' by now. And team holiday shopping was done, too.

Plus, it was enlightening that once the daylight turned dark, the relaxation turned on.

Keep chillin' my friends.

Color Us Happy

Since one of our work teammates was in town this week, we scheduled a volunteer event for all of our team. We went to a nursing home in Stevens Point and helped them color Thanksgiving pictures with either colored pencils or fine-tipped markers. Whatever worked best with their motor skills.

In my group, we had a few ladies earnestly coloring a picture they could hang on their door.

Some were simple and some (like this one) were more complex. But they enjoyed the quiet time visiting with us.

Naturally, we had to color along with them so the conversation flowed more naturally. Here's my co-worker Tom's finished product who the one nursing home resident called "undercooked turkey." LOL.

And here's what I putzed away at. You can't tell, but there is some purple and yellow in there! Hey, it's fall and football season!

I'm grateful to work for a company that gives us "volunteer time off" so we can support the communities where we work and live. We help others and bond as a team.

Be super grateful if you can say the same! 

Random Acts of Appreciation

In a random coincidence tonight, I received three gifts of appreciation while I was shooting pictures at the boys basketball game (including these lovely flowers above). 

There was no way these three people planned to do this the same evening. I think they just figured I might be there taking pictures since it was a home game.

There was also no way they knew I had the crappiest, most stressful day at work and I really, really, really needed something uplifting in my life. I guess God knew. Thanks for putting these three in my path so that when I was frustrated and filled with self-doubt today, they were there to boost my self-confidence by pointing out how my talents touched their lives.

I needed that so much!

I can now commence to weekending with a smile on my face. Yes, even though our Royals lost a tough battle with Edgar, I will still think positive thoughts and move forward.

Thanks for being special and thinking I'm special, too!

Off The Griddy

Much like this Amish buggy I recently saw on my road trip to Minnesota, I was blissfully off the grid today. 

My exhaustion caught up with me and I was in bed until 9:25 a.m.! No way I was getting to 9:30 church on time. So I stayed home. And pretty much stayed put all day. I had one quick run to Wal-Mart to get a printer cartridge, but otherwise was in my office typing up address labels for funeral thank-yous and editing hoops pictures from yesterday.

I relaxed and watched a little Hallmark, too. There's nothing else on for us purple people. We have our W for the week and are off the Griddy for today, too!

As we wrap up Gratitude month, may we all find a reason to do a little dance this week!

Warm Fuzzy Friday

Sometimes when it's been a tough week, you just need a warm fuzzy. And something warm AND fuzzy works, too!

And of course, she only sat on my lap like this for like 3 minutes. But it was nice while it lasted.

I think she wanted me to forget about the poop piles and puke piles she's left me this week. But I will admit that it was probably payback for not feeding her Wednesday morning before I left for work! I was distracted by having to take out garbage and driving in the snow.

Thankfully my good patient chose that day to do stairs in the morning. I'm sure he saved her 7th life or something.

So yes, Jim's recovery is going well. Can't believe that 3 weeks after surgery he is walking cane-less and can do some stairs and can drive his big-ass truck. He's not completely pain-free by any means, but wow, recovery is going well. Thanks for all the prayers and support.

Keep those warm fuzzies coming. Between recovery and some other stressors, we can certainly use them. Thank you. We're grateful. 

#gratitudemonth

From Sunrise to Sunset

This inspirational quote for the day could not be more spot on. I'll admit I was in a bit of a down mood leaving for work in the dark. But darned if God didn't give me the most glorious sunrise on my commute!

Yep. I was snapping pix while watching the road and not focusing just to see if I could capture some of it. Good thing I cleaned my windshield yesterday!

Isn't that glorious? It totally put me in a good mood, that's for sure. You know what also helped?

Now that's crazy for November. But we'll take it!

A group of us from my team at work took our lunches outside to eat in the courtyard and just soak up the last nice day of 2022. I mean, Mother Nature, feel free to prove me wrong. We'll take this any day.

And yes, it does lift the spirits. Beauty and warmth. Hope and peace. I knew God was with me all day long. And for that, I'm very grateful.

#gratitudemonth 

It's Gratitude Month

I feel so behind. I realized today that it's November, which I always observe as Gratitude Month. As this lovely illustration shows, some days I need a crap-ton of coffee to get that gratitude train a-chuggin'.

Today I am grateful for health. That even though my heart is hurting, I am physically OK. Even though hubby is recovering from surgery, he's going to be OK. And hopefully more mobile.

We just have to look at all the people we're praying for and we know we're grateful that for this moment in time, we don't carry their health burdens. We don't have cancer or a child with cancer, we don't have diabetes, we don't suffer from dementia or osteoporosis, we don't have COVID (long or short), we don't have crippling diseases like MS or even fibromyalgia. We aren't recovering from a miscarriage, heart attack, stroke, or rare infection.

We're just plugging along and thanking God that for today, we've got it pretty good in that department. We also know, from very recent experience, that it could all change in the blink of an eye.

So thank you, Lord, for our health. Today.

#gratitudemonth

The Week Ahead

I love starting my day with Sweatpants and Coffee. Yes the comfy clothes and caffeinated drink. But also an inspirational Facebook page. Today's message is spot-on for the Monday following an uplifting weekend.

My favorite part is "May you take the time to notice a good moment while you are in it."

When tragedy or some ill befalls us, we often realize we didn't know how good we had it when we had it. 

I've been reminded of that plenty lately as I pray for loved ones who are going through tough times physically and mentally. I just want them to get past it and return to the good part of life. We just don't know it's good when it's good.

Think about that this week when you find yourself smiling or laughing about something this week. You're in a good moment. Something good is happening and it makes you feel good.

May we all strive to carry that good moment with us for as long as we can. Have a great week!

Happy Thanksgiving

Woke up to a Thanksgiving Day dusting of snow today. Well, a little more than a dusting, but we were still surprised. Pretty sure it was not in our forecast unless we read right over it knowing we were staying put today.

We hosted my in-laws and Carter and that was it. Just 5 of us. But I'll glad I baked 2 pumpkin pies. Yum.

I cooked two turkey breasts and successfully made my mother-in-law's dressing. And had the usual corn, cranberries and mashed potatoes. Nothing fancy but it sure eats up a day preparing. 

Now we're in our tryptophan comas. Had dinner at 4-ish (had to go on the elders' eating schedule). And was fighting sleep by 6 p.m. Gonna power through and hope to make it until 9!

Hope you had a Thanksgiving filled with as many blessings as the calories consumed today. Wow. I am VERY blessed then! 

And full.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gratitude Challenge Day 22 :: Smell

Today's Gratitude Challenge is kind of a trick question. The sense of smell has become very important these days.

Day 22. A favorite smell.

While the delightful fragrance of a Farmhouse Pumpkin Patch is wafting through my house, we're all grateful we can smell anything since loss of smell is one of the common symptoms/side effects of COVID-19.

So I'm super thankful I can smell this and, knock on wood, will smell the pumpkin pies baking and turkey cooking later this week. 

I do really love the smell of certain things baking. Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake or brownies, my Hornets Nest Cake, and banana break. I'm thankful when I smell things baking because it usually means something special is about to happen – a birthday, a potluck for work (when I was AT an office), or a cookie exchange. (Looking forward to our annual family one this Saturday!)

I love the smell of lilacs because it means spring is here. The smell of fresh cut grass because it's a sign of summer. I love the smell of jasmine and ginger – but only on Maui, ha. The smell of an orange as you're first peeling it.

I'm grateful for the smell of buttered popcorn because that means I'm at a movie with a friend. Or about to sit in my recliner and relax for a bit (which may or may not involve a Hallmark movie).

I'm probably getting way too many food-related smells here. So I'm doubly thankful I do not have the double-whammy of losing smell and taste as part of the fun virus.

Be careful out there. And be grateful!

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Day 21 :: Friend

Today's challenge is kind of tricky. It's the one time I don't want to single anyone out and end up offending someone I don't mention. So I may have to go a different route.

Day 21. A good friend.

Instead of saying I'm grateful for a specific friend, I'll tell you some things I'm grateful for in a good friend. (Again, not all inclusive.)

A good friend doesn't care you're Viking fans and still wants you to come to his birthday party on Packer Sunday. And a good friend tolerates a happy dance when we finally pull off a close win (even if it was against their team). Phew. 

A good friend shares their cake, too. And a good friend supports my sweet tooth in general – ice cream, Kringles, cheesecake... you know who you are.

A good friend makes time for a walk or coffee.

A good friend suggests the right book or Netflix series because they know me. (A good friend watches Hallmark movies, too!)

A good friend listens when I need it. And supports me even when I make mistakes.

A good friend doesn't mind that I curse on the golf course. And puts up with my 3-putts.

A good friend doesn't judge my wrinkles or my weight or the silver linings in my hair.

A good friend is a great hugger. For that, I'm super thankful!

Feeling blessed with the wonderful friend in my life.

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Day 20 :: Freedom

Today's challenge brought to you by... a pumpkin spice latte, of course! At least I didn't say eggnog something. I'm trying to stick with the current season! Although I do have the freedom to drink either whenever I want.

Day 20. Freedom.

Such a small word can encompass so much. I am so grateful for my freedom – from my freedom to vote to my freedom to pick fancy coffee drink flavors.

I can't even comprehend the amount of freedom I have compared to a lot of people in and outside our borders.

When I got up this morning, without needing permission, I had the freedom to drive a vehicle I own to a coffee shop, where we had the freedom to openly discuss a book. Unsupervised. We had the freedom to share opinions – on the book and other topics – without fear of persecution.

I had the freedom to stop into two local businesses – both owned by women, who are free to own property. I had the freedom to spend money I earned because I am free to pursue a career. By the way, I didn't exercise that freedom. But formed a wish list in my head.

I had the freedom today to enjoy nature by walking around the lake with a friend. No one charged us to use the path. No one told us which direction we had to go. Though we knew it would be counterclockwise since yesterday was a clockwise day.

Hubby and I did not participate in opening day of the gun-deer season, but we have the freedom to do so as law-abiding citizens.

While he is meeting with hunter buddies to hear their stories at a local establishment, I was free to watch a Hallmark movie or two. 

I also had the freedom to operate a broom and run my Dyson vacuum cleaner that I purchased with my own money years ago. But I passed on those. Not because I'm taking that freedom for granted. 

But I had the freedom to say "tomorrow."

Today, though, I'm really grateful for freedoms big and small. They sure add up to a good Saturday.

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Days 18 and 19

I wasn't planning to combine two days of the 25-day Gratitude Challenge again. But again, I skipped blogging because I was up pretty late editing pictures from the girls first hoops game of the season (at Stratford) – the Royals won, of course – and went to bed after midnight as it was. So here are days 18 and 19.

Day 18. A favorite sound.
Day 19. Something sweet.

Can you believe I can successfully combine two challenges with one answer again? I can!

One of my favorite sounds is a telephone call from boy, who as you know, is quite a sweetie!

I know I've shared this picture before but it's so Carter at that age. I just love it. Always, always wearing his backwards Nike cap. And most likely – even at age 4 – having a very grownup conversation with a grandparent.

Neither part has changed much. Except I can't hold him on my lap anymore when he's doing either of those things.

I'm grateful for memories and grateful for photos and scrapbooks that I can turn the page and turn back time when I want. At least until I see him again in, oh, 114 hours. That'll be sweet, too!

Hug your littles while they're little! They grow up so fast.

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Days 16 and 17

Due to a late evening posting some basketball photos – yes, tis the season finally – I opted to hit the sack last night instead of blogging. So I'll cheat and combine days 16 and 17 so I don't fall behind.

Day 16: Something that's helped you.
Day 17. Someone in your family.

Whoa. We have a double challenge that could be combined if I had the same answer. And I basically do. Something that's helped me is my family. All of them.

There's something about family that's so wonderful, yet brutally honest. On the plus side, they know everything about you. They know your history and don't judge you. On the flip side, they know you so well you can't B.S. them either!

Combine that with a sense of humor and a ton creativity, and it's the right recipe for us. For the 8 R's.

Our parents say we're a bit of an anomaly. Beyond the R-R-R-un on the letter R. Here we are ages 50-70 and we still like each other. Still want to see each when we can. Still place emphasis on attending family gatherings. And keeping in touch. 

And still, with our 8 competitive streaks (well 9, counting Mom), can sit down and play cards or some game and, win or lose, laugh until our faces are red (redder than usual) and our sides ache. 

That's what saves me. That's what helps me... Humor. Laughter. And sharing a joyful moment with the people I'm most grateful for!

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Day 15 :: More Food

I know I already talked about ice cream as a food I love (see day 3), but now we are moving onto other yummies we enjoy.

Day 15. Your favorite foods.

I'll just say right off the bat that I like spicy food. Like buffalo or Thai curry or mango habanero. But there's a reason I'm actually grateful for it. No, this has nothing to do with the digestive system!

Here's my buffalo chicken sandwich from tonight at Guu's on Main in Stevens Point.  I never make buffalo chicken anything at home but I love it. So I order it when I'm out to eat. And that's never when I'm by myself.

So I'm grateful for buffalo chicken. That means I'm enjoying a meal with hubby or family or, in tonight's case, some friends from work. It's more than tasty food. It's a sign of good company, good conversation, and usually a good amount of laughs.

Food does that in a lot of scenarios, doesn't it? I mean the big holidays are centered around meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and a good old Easter or Mother's Day brunches. Holidays mean food. And for me, means family. 

So if I never had to step on a scale again – or fit into work clothes again – I'd be super thankful for food in my life. Now, it's mainly the treat that goes with it. Bon apetit!

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Day 14 :: Unique

Today's gratitude challenge is supposed to be like no other. Sort of. 

Day 14. Something unique.

I would say experiencing simultaneous seasons is unique. Not so much in Wisconsin and Minnesota, but still it's unusual to see. And even pretty sometimes.

This morning we woke up to this view...

Just a couple inches but definitely shouting "It's winter now!" to us. 

And obviously Mr. Deck Chair was shouting too. At me for not putting him away sooner. Not his idea of chilling out on the deck on a Sunday.

Me neither.

But I smiled when I pulled into the church parking lot and saw this tree. Beautiful autumn colors with leaves just starting to fall – even after the snowfall. Winter wasn't burying fall. Fall was sprinkling its confetti on top of winter. 

Unusual but pretty. 

Also unique today was a Vikings win. And in regulation. That's unusual this season, too! Guess we have to be thankful for unusual gifts – big

I hope something uniquely wonderful happens to you this week!

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Day 13 :: Funny

They say laughter is the best medicine. And I believe it. Even when you laugh so hard you can't breathe – as shown in this picture of spontaneous laughter from sister weekend – it still feels so good.

Day 13. Something funny.

I am grateful that I find plenty of moments to smile and laugh each day. It helps that my hubby has a great sense of humor and that when he's not around, I crack myself up. Hey, I'm a great audience! 

But I do love hearing funny stories or great puns. 

We had a wedding today for Jim's cousin's daughter. There was always a funny anecdote shared during the toasts at tonight's reception. Even if you didn't know some of the people involved in the little stories, they were still worth a chuckle at least. 

Especially when the DJ informed the crowd that the bride and groom would not kiss if you clinked your glasses. You had to come up and tell a story about them. So one of the little flower girls went up there, grabbed the mic and said, "Once upon a time, Hannah and Gary got married. And they lived happily ever after!"  

How precious is that?

Humor is often best when it's not planned out – despite the popularity of comedians. Jim and I still laugh about something funny Carter said years and years ago. And it was about being funny of all things...

It was probably his most memorable "lost in translation" moment. I don't recall exactly what it was that Carter did or said, but we told him he was funny. He said, "Like Larry?" And we're thinking, Larry who? Is that an imaginary friend or what? So we ask him, "Like Larry?" And he replies, "Yeah, funny how Larry is."

How Larry is. 

How. Larry. Is? 

Oh, that's how-larry-is. Hilarious!

Every time we'd hear something and point out it's was hilarious, he thought we were saying that's "how Larry is"! 

That is hilarious, isn't it?

Thank you, Lord, for reason to smile! So grateful.

#gratitudemonth