Coffee is happiness!

I've decided to share my little addiction with everyone, hopefully you won't think any less of me. I kind of have a thing for "flavored" coffee. And I am not talking about using flavored syrups or anything like that.

My little problem has gotten so bad that I won't drink that boring plain regular stuff anymore unless forced to. I will search in a store and see what kinds of coffee are available. The Holy Grail of coffee for me is found in Target. Archer Farms coffee makes so many delicious flavors; Vanilla Bean Crème Brule, Buttery Caramel, Caramel Macchiato etc.; oh it's like being in flavored coffee heaven!

(And no; I'm not being paid to write this post by either company. BUT if they happen to see it? I'm not looking for any financial compensation.......I'll take a coffee-for-life deal though!)

Now when I first met my regular Doctor and had a physical she asked me all kinds of health related questions.
"Do you smoke?" - Nope.
"Do you drink?"- hmmm I have a drink or two during the holidays, but the real answer is No.
"Do you do drugs?" Nope!
"What about Coffee?" Yes...... " How many cups?" Hmmm....about 5 or 6. "OH???? That's a lot of coffee Pat. Maybe you should think about cutting down?" Say WHAT????

I told her that I'd had a lot of knee and back issues and she should really worry about me getting addicted to painkillers instead of coffee. She looked at me suspiciously; " are you addicted to painkillers? NO, but it COULD happen couldn't it? Especially if I had to cut down on coffee. She gave me an odd look and wrote something in my file.

That is when I started wondering if I should look for another doctor. But, I liked Dr. M so I decided to work with her on this coffee problem of hers.

Next time I went in to see her she ran through the same list of questions. "Are you still drinking coffee Pat? Have you cut down at all?" I smiled sweetly at her. Yes, Doctor M, I don't drink as many cups anymore. I'm down to 2 or 3!

She was so happy. She wrote something else in my file and smiled back.

I know that you can ingest too much caffeine and it can affect your health and I'm certainly not telling everyone to completely disregard their doctor's advice if they are told to cut back. Caffeine is actually a drug, a stimulant to be exact.

But it is also a lifeblood in the morning. I don't know about you but it takes me a bit to get going in the morning. I look forward to picking my flavor of the day. And I really don't want anyone bothering me until I've had a cup or two or maybe three. My boyfriend has learned to let me caffeinate in peace.

Coffee is happiness.

Don't you agree?

You never know what other people are dealing with - "IF WE COULD SEE INSIDE OTHERS' HEARTS":

Take the time to watch this video. Everyone is so self possessed and busy these days. Maybe showing a little kindness to the sad stranger you see in the grocery store will make their day. It doesn't take a lot of time or energy to be nice. A small act of kindness can cause an avalanche of hope to someone having a bad day.

Thanksgiving Eve - is tomorrow time for family, friends and football?

Actually I'd rather change that to family, friends and PIE!

When I think of Thanksgiving back when I was a child, I remember my Mother in the kitchen preparing the turkey and her sausage stuffing. I was much younger than my three siblings and I couldn't wait for all of them to come over with their spouses and children. Of course I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and waited for Santa to arrive! After the parade; "March of the Wooden Soldiers" aka "Babes in Toyland" was always on. My favorite part was when the 6 foot tall Toy Soldiers come to life and save everyone in Toyland from the scary bogeymen!

It was great to see all of my family sitting together enjoying our delicious turkey dinner. And then pumpkin pie and whipped cream for dessert! The holidays were very special times to me.

The years have gone by, our parents have passed on and my siblings and their children and grandchildren have moved away. But we'll always have those good memories of long ago.

Be thankful for your family and friends; even if you can't spend the day with them.

Be thankful that you're still here on this beautiful earth, many are not anymore.

Be thankful for what you have, many people have so much less.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the pie! I know I will!

Why is comfort food so damn comforting?

I was thinking about why certain "not so healthy" foods appeal to us as I was making a big casserole of homemade Mac and cheese yesterday. There have been scientific studies that say it's because of the fat content or the way carbohydrates make us feel.

But I think it's more than that. It's about the memories that certain foods evoke in us. Usually I would make a dish like this when my kids were little or we were having company or a big family get together. Happy times! Thoughts of parents, relatives and friends; some that aren't here anymore.

My boyfriend asked " Why go to all of that trouble? Just use a box mix."

UGH, first of all you can't compare the two. When something is made from scratch with love it just tastes better! Not to mention not having additives and preservatives in it.

Of course after it was done and he tasted it he said "WOW, this really is good".

It seems like a lot of people don't cook anymore and they don't eat together as a family. Everyone is working and things aren't like they used to be and that's too bad.

I think sometimes we're looking for that comforting feeling, like when we were kids and life was so much simpler. So if you want to have some comfort food, go ahead and enjoy it. But I bet there are some good memories associated with that special food you're craving.

Doggie Destiny

I was thinking about how destiny affects our lives. I've had a dog since I was little. After I got married we always had two dogs. In 2008 I was faced with a situation I never thought would happen. Both of my dogs got very sick. Our lovable chocolate Lab Coco got intestinal lymphoma and our beautiful Dalmatian Daisy developed senility and her back legs gave out. So between working and taking care of a house and my family I had to deal with two very sick dogs. I never knew what kind of terrible mess I would find when I woke up or got home. It was physically and mentally exhausting. But they were like my children and I loved them and cared for them until the end. Coco had to be euthanized 10 days before my birthday and only a month later I had to go through the same heartache with Daisy. The entire Veterinary office cried with me because they were so affected by my losing Daisy so soon after Coco.

That was it I decided, I will NEVER have another dog. I can not ever go through this ordeal again! It was just too much to bear.

A month or two went by and my daughter and granddaughter asked me why don't we get another dog? "NO, NO, NO, I don't even want to talk about it!"

Another month goes by, hmmm I really miss having a dog. I start checking out pet adoption sites.

October rolls around and I'm reading the paper and I see a dog posted for adoption.

I was instantly drawn to her; I want this dog!

So I go online and fill out the lengthy application.

Adoption day is held every Sunday at our Vet.

The organization strongly suggests that we all come down to meet Princess. So on Sunday the three of us drive over there.

We go in and tell them we're here to adopt Princess and the woman's face falls. "Oh, I'm so sorry but a young man got here earlier and wants to adopt her. He'll be back soon".

Well the three of us were quite disappointed.

I asked if we could still meet her.

So another volunteer who had her on a leash brought her over.

Princess happily trotted over with her tail wagging. But instead of just standing in front of us all. She came right to me, turned around and sat down next to me and leaned against my leg. Then she just looked up at the ladies and stared at them like " OK, this is where I belong". The lady in charge was staring at us with her mouth open. I said "boy it's too bad we didn't get here sooner, I wish we could adopt her."

She said "You can, we talked it over and since you actually applied before the young man we think you should have her. We never saw Princess act like that with anyone ever before! It's like she chose YOU!"

I think she did choose us. I think we were supposed to be together. She had some issues; she had been attacked by another dog and was covered with scars on her belly and chest. She had also been abused by a former owner. So she had some fear aggression;  a lot of baggage for a dog. I think she found the right owner who could see past her faults and still love her. She knew I would never give up on her. She knew she would be safe.

I really think that fate brought us together.

She gave us 8 years of love and devotion.

I hope to see her on the other side one day.

Actively looking for a Sponsor or advertisements on my blog.

I am hoping to find a great Sponsor for my blog. Anything to do with optimism and inspiring ideas.

Don't tell my boyfriend that I've fallen in love with the guy next door.

Okay, so maybe he isn't really a "guy"; he's a BIG beautiful black lab named Doc.
He kind of looks like this:

My boyfriend and I were out in the back yard doing some gardening. Now I had seen Doc from afar but I never actually met him until today. We were by the fence and Doc ran over and started barking. He's kind of big so before I stuck my arm over the fence I asked our neighbor if his dog was friendly.

I got a "Yes" from the neighbor and before I could pet him, Doc was standing with his paws on top of the fence and staring into my eyes. It was instant love, Doc was wagging his tail and I was petting him telling him how wonderful he was. Somehow Doc had slobber on the top of his head and my arm was covered with it. We were sharing a special moment when who comes up behind me but the pesky boyfriend to remind me that we had leaves to take care of.......

So, I sadly said goodbye to my new friend on the other side of the fence. I dragged the rakes out to the front lawn to finish the leaves.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Doc in the back yard. He looks up and spots me too. He leaves his owner and comes down along the fence, wagging his tail the entire time. He's watching me the whole time, he comes around the fence and right over to me. Then he sits right down and gives me his paw. That was it, I completely melted. We spent about 20 minutes together, he wouldn't leave my side.

Again, here comes the aforementioned boyfriend telling me that I was going to get the dog in trouble for leaving his property. Trouble! Boy if he knew what was going on in my head. I had a very quick thought about kidnapping Doc and hiding him in our house. But then I realized it would be hard to hide this giant lovable dog from his real family next door. ( Sometimes I have these crazy little fantasies- don't worry I haven't acted on any of them YET.)

But my little love affair with Doc made me realize even more that I need to have another dog in my life. We had to have our Beloved dog Princess put down in August because of a brain tumor. It was quite devastating as anyone who has loved an animal knows. She was like our child. And I understand that my boyfriend hasn't grieved enough over her loss. He doesn't ever want to go through that terrible pain again. I know it very well, I've experienced it with 6 dogs and many other pets.

But I know that in time we will rescue another dog. It may take a while for me to convince him. But everyone who knows me, knows how persistent I can be. Until then I'll be waiting outside for my friend Doc.

Seasonal Affective Disorder also known as SAD - Is it time to LIGHT UP your life?

Some people are very affected by daylight savings time and the change of seasons; especially when Fall arrives and we know we have a LONG Winter ahead of us. It's okay to feel sad sometimes, but if you have prolonged periods of sadness that happen around the same time of the year then maybe you are suffering from "Seasonal Affective Disorder"- SAD. It is also know as Seasonal Depression.

It is easily helped with light therapy, talk therapy and medications.

Don't let the winter time get you down; go for a walk outside or call a good friend.

                                                          

             Or invest in a light box!

Cowboy Hero

I love this story. A wonderful friend emailed it to me to brighten my day!

When the reporter asked this young man why he did what he did; he said " I just figured it was the right thing to do".

We need more people like this. We need more people to do the right thing and help others.

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.

The Happiness Jar -

The New Year will be here before we know it. Traditionally we all reminisce over the past year and think about the things that have happened; good and bad. By capturing the good things that have happened we can learn to think more optimistically. Turn off the TV and don't dwell on the negativity. Even if you aren't having the best day, you can still find something good about it.

Then when you're having a "bad" day, pull out one of your memories and maybe it will make you smile?


I got the message below in my fortune cookie the other day:

The rare supermoon - NASA Video

This amazing Supermoon is the brightest moon in the last 68 years! That is a lifetime for some of us. You won't get to see another one as bright and big as this moon until 2034; if you are lucky enough to still be here then.

The moon  has been an inspiration for astrologers, scientists, poets, songwriters and the common man. Just think, people all over the world are gazing up and looking at the same beautiful moon as you and I.

We need to unite in hope of a better future.

There are many people in our country that are not happy with the election results. I understand that, but there is no reason for such hatred and violence. We have to make this world a better place for everyone; no matter what color, religion or gender.

We need to unite as a country and stay hopeful that things will get better for everyone.

Thank you to all Veterans for their service and sacrifices!

A Vote For Good - Pedigree commercial

I thought this was a great commercial! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we shouldn't be fighting with someone because they aren't voting the same as us.

The is what makes America great!

I love the title of the video: " A Vote for Good "!

10 Scientific ways to be happy!

                                        
Sounds like some good advice!

Raking Autumn Leaves

It's time to take care of all of the leaves that are falling! Now I know many people truly hate this chore, I guess a lot depends on how many leaves you have in your yard?

I decided long ago not to look at this as an onerous chore but as a way to get some exercise and appreciate being outside and enjoying the bright colors.

Fall is a beautiful time of the year, not everyone in the world gets to appreciate the 4 seasons like we have here in Northwest NJ.

A successful Halloween!

Halloween has come and gone. I'm still taking down the outside decorations. Some people think I'm crazy to spend so much time and effort decorating for a bunch of kids trick or treating....

Well everyone that came that day told my boyfriend and I how great the house looked! They took pictures and videos and thanked us for doing it. One Mom told me that her son had been talking about how excited he was to finally come to OUR house on Halloween. He's been watching and waiting for days. Another little boy exclaimed " You must REALLY like Halloween!" with a big smile on his face!

THAT is why I do it! It makes me happy!