Firsts

March will be here before we know it and I am challenging you

 to do a *first* each month! You know, like trying a new drink,

 food or restaurant! Or start really small and buy a new kind of soap, shampoo 

or dish cleaner. Small changes can pave the way for bigger ones!

All of us have probably celebrated *firsts* in the lives of children we love. 

First steps, first words, first holidays, birthdays, tooth and 

day of school. But why stop in childhood? All firsts can be celebrated and 

add something exciting to our everyday lives!

  Stop into a store you have to visit and try on clothes

 that represent the new YOU!

Schedule a hot air balloon ride.

See a film or play from a genre you didn't think you would enjoy. 

Take a “do-it-yourself” class at Lowe’s or Home Depot and

 learn how to lay ceramic tile, repair a leaky faucet, 

or give your bathroom a fresh coat of paint.

Listen to music by performers you have never experienced.  

Expand your horizons!

Plan a trip to a place you have never been. 

Step outside of your comfort zone and you just might find you like it! 

Try a new hobby. You never know where it will take you. 

All of us are getting older and, if we are really lucky we will get old.

 Elderly. Ancient. Why get that way predictably?

 Nope, let's do it with flair. I am game. How about you?

Warmly,

Susie Q

The Little Things...

Let's all take the time, in 2012, to celebrate the small things. 

You know, the smell of a Summer rose, the laughter of children, 

an understanding glance from a friend or family member. The aroma and taste of

 a hot cup of tea or coffee, perfectly brewed. 

An unexpected phone call from 

an old buddy. Taking a nice, long hot shower or bubble bath, watching the sunrise 

or the sunset, seeing a great film or play. How about settling in with a cozy throw and

a wonderful book? Ah...go ahead. You can picture it can't you?

The rustle of Autumn leaves...

...or the first Winter snowfall.

Going with your family to a Summer carnival...

...the unconditional love of a pet.

Each day we are showered with precious, little gifts that can bring us so much joy.

 Let's celebrate the fact that you can see and hear and smell, taste, cry, laugh,

 hug and be hugged. The simple fact that you woke up today, got out of

 bed, that fact that you CAN make a difference in so many lives, that you CAN love and

 be loved in return...let's celebrate the little things that surround us every day!

Happy New Year to each one of you...sending you all much love!

Morning

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

~Marcus Aurelius

 

 

Wishing all of you a sweet morning and a lovely late Spring day!

I am linking to Sally's Blue Monday!

 

 

 

Where Did That Week Go?

                                                                     Our ball player!

                           I wish I knew where the days went and how they go by so, so fast! Whew! It has been a week since I last posted and I have, as usual, been an awful visitor. I am always truly grateful that so many of yo stop by and say hello even when I seem lax at making my blog rounds! Bless yor hearts, I love you all!

       So, where did that last week go? It flew by in a cloud of softball games, a concert, a funbdraiser,   2 celebrations, every day errands and housework and, well, life! I know you all understand how that goes!

 

One evening our family took a little drive to enjoy the sunshine and sweet Spring temperatures. We ended up near Cincinnati and the Brazenhead Pub so we stopped in for dinner. I love this place...so much like a *real* English or Irish pub. Well, at least it is similar to some of the ones I was in!

                                                And yes, my brother does make silly faces...a lot!

This was so good! Grilled chicken and ratatouille! Yes! Ratatouille! A delicious French peasant dish, also a movie...an animated Pixar movie featuring the voice of one Brian Dennehy as Django the rat...but I digress. Ahem...

And we celebrated Bill's birthday! Uh huh,my handsome husband turned 54!

His party request? All the family over for chili, cornbread, salad and cake!

He got lots of gifts...

...and lots of cake

Yes, Kipper IS thinking, "Drop it...drop it...drop it pleeeeaaase!"

Oh, and uh huh. Kip IS sporting a banana sticker on his head. As soon as I come in from the grocery with a new bunch we KNOW Danny will be putting the stickers on Kip! It is THEIR little game...: )

On Mother's Day morning our knock out roses began blooming! What a pretty sight!

We enjoyed church and a nice drive then headed downtown to the Oregon District in Dayton.

                                               We enjoyed a fantastic seafood brunch at Jay's.

Parmesan encrusted Haddock...can you say Mmmmmm?

The 2 reasons I am such a proud mom, Dan and Grace.

They are posing here with their Grandma, my lovely mom, Miriam.

The kids and the moms...that's me on the right. The chubby blonde with the wild hair!

And then...well, I don't want to bore you more than I already have so I will stop for now!

I will work at hoppin' 'round to see all of you during the next few days.

Enjoy the rest of your week...

Love to you all!

                                                                                
  

What An Attitude!

I recieved this from a dear friend today and wow. This is exactly how I feel about life now that I am over 50.

I would never trade my friends, my life or my family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be a teensy bit extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance by myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet is lost? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.

I've even earned the right to be wrong.

 I like being older. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever,

but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day(if I feel like it!

 

 

 

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

Simply Sweet

There is so much beauty to be found in the simple things...

Fresh strawberries in a beloved Grandmother's tea cup...

Reading a favorite magazine...

The stillness of a Winter morning...

and being greeted by new blooms on a bitter cold day!

There is joy all around us...and isn't that simply sweet!

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

Oh my!

How I wish that lots of fun things I write about inspired the sort of mail that I have recieved over my posts about blessings! Many of you understood what I meant, some agreed and some disagreed. Most of you who disagreed did so with love and respect and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. One of the many reasons I do not discuss religion or politics on this blog is due to the fact that we all have different ideas, come from different places, worship in different churches (and some who do not attend church at all), have different beliefs...well, you know what I mean! And boy are those two subjects hot button issues!

I never said that I do not believe that God does not grant blessings! Of course I do. Sometimes in the midst of our lowest days, a blessing is given! Sometimes it comes so quietly, so softly that we could easily miss it if we are not looking! I simply said that I am careful about saying that everything  in our life IS a blessing directly from God. Also, I do not believe that everything bad is due to something we did wrong. My beliefs may well differ from yours...

But I was raised in a church that looked at things differently than some of those who wrote me. Oh my. The emails I received! As I said in one of those previous posts, I will most assuredly lose many readers for writing anything at all about how I feel but it is just that...how I feel! What I have come to believe after living for 53 years! We all have opinions, beliefs and ideas...none are more valid than anyone else's. Mine are certainly no more right or wrong than any of yours are. I fully respect your beliefs and all I have ever asked was that you do the same for me. Not too much to ask for right?

And even if we do disagree on some things, I think we can agree that God is good and loves us all. As a Priest that I came to know and respect once told me, "God gave you the gift of a brain and he wants you to use it...and He loves you, no matter what as long as you keep His love in your heart and share it with others by being kind and doing good for your fellow man and woman."  If my brain comes up with ideas that God finds foolish, then it will be God that, one day, will tell me so!

Perhaps I should not have posted such a thing at the very time I am considering pulling our of blogging all together. The unkind emails alone would serve to make my decision an easy one.

See Sue? Stick to decorating posts and no one gets hurt!

It's funny how most of the  "less than understanding" mail has come from those who know me the least...or, in many cases, don't know me at all. I am being judged on this and this alone. How sad!

Lest I be labeled overly sensitive, trust me. I am not as sensitive as some would have me be. I am a pretty tough cookie about most things that people say or do to me personally. If age has one virtue, that has been it! But why bother at all when so many would brand me a Heathen based on this and this alone?

I have a busy and fun week ahead and planned to *take you all along* with us...

I hope to see most of you next week...here and at your sweet cyber homes.

Love and Hugs to you all,

Susie Q

Blessings

Oh, and the photos have nothing to do with the topic except that all animals ARE blessings from God...that and I just like 'em! *smile*

Thank you to all who have commented and sent emails about the last post. You all ARE true blessings to me. I do want to apologize for having to become comment moderated...yes, that pesky spam was just getting in the path of our fun. So, for now, I will just leave it on moderate status...hopefully that will be removed in the near future!

I did receive one comment that had to do with me "not being a good Christian" and not believing that all good things are blessings from the Lord. Now, I have always said that I will never write about religion or politics on this blog. And I have not...okay, not much. *grin* But I do want to clarify what I said...just a wee bit!

I DO believe in God and I DO believe that He can give us blessings...but I do not believe that everything good is directly related to a blessing from our Maker. Like wise, I do not believe that everything bad is a punishment from Him. Some things just happen...sometimes things are just related to luck. Before I am tarred and feathered, I want to point out that this is a viewpoint that was told to me years ago by members of the clergy. I once worked in a Navy Relief office and we were attached to the offices of the base chaplains. I used to love to chat with them about life, religion, world events, you name it. There were 2 Protestant chaplains, a Catholic chaplain and a Jewish chaplain. Oh what interesting conversations we had!

It was these chaplains who told me that God didn't play favorites with His people and we should all think before we label everything we have *good* in our life as a blessing from God. God does not arbitrarily decide who should have healthy babies and who should face infertility or the birth of a handicapped child, who should own luxury homes while others live in squalor, who should be striken with illness and who should be healthy. Yes, God does give us blessings. Yes, God does answer prayers, even when that answer is not the one for which we had originally prayed. And yes, God DOES give us the strength to face the bad things that happen to us and the comfronting shoulder to cry on when we are the most disillusioned.

This idea was a huge blessing to me at a time when I was living in very UN-House Beautiful Navy quarters and facing the possibility of never having a baby.

I had been told, by one who fancied herself a "God fearing woman", that she had been "blessed" with healthy babies and a lovely home so it was "obvious that (Me) was not sitting well with God since He had not blessed (Me)." To quote one of the chaplains, "What a pompous, ridiculous woman! If anyone is not sitting well with God, it is most assuredly HER". That began our conversations about life and luck and blessings...

While watching coverage of the aftermath of a tornado recently, I heard a man say that God had blessed him as his house was virtually unharmed while his neighbor's homes were all destroyed and 3 people were killed. This chilled me to the bone. I understand that he *felt* blessed but to say that God had blessed him, while choosing NOT to bless the others, (and isn't that what he is really saying?) is a bit (to quote the chaplain) "pompous and ridiculous!" This is a situation where luck played a part...just plain old luck.

So, this is simply what I believe...that a little good luck is often the only thing that separates us from those bad things that befall so many. If you have been lucky enough to live a happy, secure life, be glad and rejoice in it and remember to help those who have been less fortunate.

Just know that if you have faced disappointment, despair and unhappiness, that God IS there with you...

And with that, so ends the only post I have ever really done concerning religion! I hope I have not frightened all of you away...now on to far less serious topics!

And, yes, all of you truly ARE blessings to me!

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

Quiet Reflection

This was a sunset, as seen from my front porch, last week...a burst of fiery color on a cold Winter's evening.

It doesn't get more beautiful than that now does it?

I live in a smaller house. I don't have lots of bells and whistles. In touring the blog community it is easy to become disenchanted...well...for me at least. So many are doing so much with their homes. I look around our place and see that it pales in comparison...yes. I know that it does. But after 4 days of coverage on the horrific Haitian situation, I know that I am so, so lucky. You will never hear me use the word *blessed*.

I just do not think God chooses who to *bless* with a fine life while others suffer. No, not blessed. It is luck...having a good education yes. Hard work, yes. But luck plays the biggest part. Most of the time it comes down to just that. Yes, some occupations earn more income. Some folks inherit money. Some save and save for years. But much comes down to luck. And I am grateful for the good luck I have received.

I do not have the fanciest of homes but I am grateful to have a warm bed, clean water and heat on a cold night. So many in this country and the world at large do not have these luxuries. Yes, luxuries. The very things that many take for granted are the very things that others live without. My heart is filled with pain just now, to see what so many are forced to endure.

Call it survivors guilt, call me a hippie...yes, I have been called that a time or two...but I look around and even with all I lack, I know I have so, so much. So, instead of doing some of what I had planned to our home, we will give away what we can. I realize that my readership will dwindle even more but that is not what matters now...

I will post about our home and the little tweaks here and there (Mostly done with no money at all!) or about the little viginettes that I play with...but most posts will be about the beauty around us, the silliness found in life, the joy of being in a busy family. Yes, many will see this as unimaginative, boring even. But it is just my *luck* to live such a boring life.

I hope that most of you will stay with me...and we will see where this all takes me.

Wishing you all peace of heart and spirit. Wishing you joy and happy smiles.

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

Brilliant Days...Deep Thoughts

* Update on my giveaway. I have the books ready to mail.  *grin* I will be away this weekend so all three books will be mailed on Monday. I apologize for being late. Bring sick is one thing, having a really sick kid is another! I know you all understand that! I am slow but I do get things done eventually! I promise!

I wanted to share some of our glorious Autumn color with you...I am glad I was able to get out and do a ltttle photographing before the last of this brilliant color was gone. I was so ill with whatever virus is upon us and then Grace came down sick too. We are both on the road to recovery, she more quickly than me for which I am very grateful!

Our seasonal color was just amazingly stunning this year. I would just ooh and ahh as I ran my daily errands around town. What a lovely area I am blessed to live in and what a beautiful world we ALL share!

I wanted to thank those of you who left such sweet comments on my previous post and those who have also sent uplifting emails. As some of you guessed, I have been in a bit of a bloggy funk. These 3 years have brought me so much joy but lately, I have been re-thinking my place in the blog world. I came very close to deleting Rabbit Run Cottage, the blog, on Monday. This will be news to some of you who I speak with often as I kept it to myself. *smile* I have decided to keep at it, albeit differently. I am, and will always be, so grateful that so many of you have been loyal friends and visit me even when I am a neglectful poster and visitor/commentor on your own blogs. You have been so understanding that I just don't have the time I once did and have had to face the fact that blogging must take a back seat all too often to real life!

PLEASE know I am not asking for comments telling me why you read my blog or that you still love me (Heck, IF you come here to visit, there must be somethin' you like right?) as I know who does and I love ya back. *grin* I never set out to blog for *numbers*, for glory, for money. The good and special friends I have made through blogging made every moment I have spent writing and working at improving photos, well, well worth it. But I write for me, for those who I KNOW I reach and who share many of my passions.

I write for the 22 people who have, over the last year, sent me emails that shared how a post I wrote made them laugh while they were under going chemotherapy, or made them feel good for the first time since they suffered a great loss. Some let me know that they shared my silly sense of humor and love of life,the joy that IS Brian Dennehy, the imperfect home and busy family. They *got* me. They said I *got* them. These 22 emails, these 22 people made it ALL worth while.

I have never taken blogging lightly. I spend far too long on most posts and stress when I can't or if I don't feel one is done well. I spend way too much time making sure each photo looks good and is something that you might like to see. I know I do not always get it *right* but oh how hard I try.

Still, the funk came over me. It has been there for months now but darkened last week. Let me explain. Among the 22 emails that were so positive and spirit lifting were 5 that were sour indeed. How did I expect to have blog visitors when *I* was negligent in commenting and making rounds myself? That was just one of the 5 but all had the same bent. Well, to sum it up as succinctly as I can, I DON'T!  If the only reason you come here to visit is because I visit you, well, I release you from your duty! I have no desire to make anyone adhere to such a silly rule. 'Nuff said. I have been *told* I am too long winded in my posts. Well, I am a talker. Born and bred. If you don't like to read, I give you my blessing to pass me by. I was told I needed to do more posts about home decor. I will address this in a second...

I was left feeling angry, more than a little flummoxed and ready to shuck it all.

But then I realized that I do not blog for those 5, I blog for the 22 who found *something* of value here.

I once had a much wider base. There was a time that a giveaway post would net over 100 comments. Did I like that? Hey, I am human right? Now, if I get 25 on such a post I am lucky. But, as I mentioned earlier, I never set out to write for *numbers*. I write for those 22 and for the loyal and dear friends that I have met along this blogging path. I try to visit you all as best I can and yes, I fall short often. For that I apologize but it is my reality.

I also do not post as much decorating as I once did. I know those posts get a lot more traffic. But the time I have to DO them has decreased dramatically. So the traffic will just move on down a different road I am afraid. *smile* But I WILL do posts about our home, our very much less than perfect abode.

I have projects that are still waiting to be finished and many that have yet to be started. Yes, we have lived here for almost 8 years and yet *SHOCK*, *HORRORS*, I am still living with what I see "lovingly" referred to in many blogs as "boring, stock" cabinets, "ugly, builder light fixtures", non exceptional counters, floors and furniture. 3 long years ago I thought I had a pretty sweet house but reading blogs almost had me believing I was living in cluttered squalor! Egads! All right, so I am indulging in a bit of hyperbole here but you get my point. So I posted less and less about home and hearth. I LET it get to me. But after receiving an extraordinary email from a reader, I now know that MOST of us live in less than perfect homes. I have written about this before but it kept rearing it's nasty head and I had to face it once again.

After adopting Grace, our pot of available monies for home projects dried up. But I also began re-thinking my desire to always want to change something. I had to but I needed to.

I came to realize that I was happier driving around snapping photos than I was cleaning and painting.

I was happier hitting garage and estate sales with my buddy Sue than I was going from store to store looking for the perfect home accessory. I am happier planning the next trip or get away than I am planning a home project. Do I LOVE home projects? You bet your noodle. And I have a few on the back burner that will see the light of day when we save up for it. I have tossed all the home to do lists and replaced them with

 to do lists that include weekend getaways, parks to visit, trails to walk, cities to explore. If you don't find that interesting, I give you permission to take me off your blog rolls. If you don't see the humor in a middle aged lady having a crush on an aging actor, pass me by. If you expect to see me do a weekly mind altering tablescape, I am not the blog for you. I am not wealthy or creative enough for that I am afraid! You have to be one or the other and I am neither! I will always look for those who make their homes warm and cozy via creativity rather than bucks everytime. It is just more ineteresting to me! If you don't like that about me, say bye bye for your own sanity! *laugh*

I will alienate some I know who will think I am being hard edged or that I am being unfriendly. I know that those who actually KNOW me will know I am neither of those things. But I must be truthful to myself.

I wll continue to write posts that are often long. I will continue to be silly and write about Brian Dennehy from time to time. I will try to be funny, often missing the mark. I will write more about family and movies and books and trips and my area far more than my skills as a decorator which are vastly limited. I WILL show you my house but in its all too glorious imperfectness.

I will share my inadequacies as a home maker, decorator, mother, wife and human being.

I will write for me and hope you find something that makes you smile or think. I hope most of you will remain my friends. Those who do not, I wish you well and wish you a sweet life. I may ever stop into your blogs from time to time. I may even leave you one of those coveted comments!

For those who, like me, have little time to post and visit my blog or others, I will be understanding and never chide you for it! Hey, you will do what you can when you can!

I will just love ya, admire ya and send ya lots of hugs. We are in this together. Together as imperfectly as possible. And, as I have said before, being IMperfect is PERfect in my eyes.

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q 

Wow...What A Life!

A wonderful, wonderful  life as Jimmy Stewart, as George Bailey, would surely agree. *smile*

 But a life that doesn't always allow me time to post here as I would like. Yes, I know I am so behind in writing and visting. I feel just awful about not getting around to see you all I as love to do but I am sure you understand why. Life just gets busy doesn't it?

I have been neglectful in posting my birthday fun, save for my perfect British Tea afternoon with Mom and 2 of my dearest friends in the world, P and M. Oh it was a sweet 2 weeks of birthday fun...I would still like to post some of it this week but wow. Things would really get out of hand then huh? *laugh* For a quick re-cap...

 I spent an evening with Bill, my brother Jim and some wonderful friends listening to my favorite local band, The Stumps. They even sang Happy Birthday for me as we munched on cupcakes from my beautiful friend J! The lovely B. gave me a bouquet of the prettiest flowers and well, that evening was a sweet, rocking good time! The next day we had a little family celebration at Mom's with lasagna and all the fixings, complete with a yummy german chocolate cake for dessert! The next night, Mom, Bill, Dan, Grace and her BFF K. joined me at one of my favorite restaurants for dinner.

The next afternoon found me with my buddies T. and C. at a great local restaurant. T. even brought a delicious cake for us! Then, tonight, we met more dear friends, T.C. and family, for Mongolian BBQ...a scrumptious way to end my October birthday extravaganza! I need to post pictures of the surprises for sure, but some very precious and special friends sent me wonderful cards and gifts (The most beautiful tea cup and yummy cookies ever! Thank you dear Sue A.!) and flowers too. The most beautiful peach roses in an Autumn inspired arrangement from sweet Sheila O. And yes, I KNOW I am blessed beyond measure. I never take it for granted. Never. I just hope that each of my friends and family members know how much I love them.

You already know I have been ill with respiratory problems and that has kept me from being here as often as I like. I needed to make sure I was recovering as quickly as possible since I am Grace's class homeroom mom. I had a big Halloween party to arrange and present! Thankfully I felt great that day and we all had fun!

They are a super group of kids and were quick to say thank you and offer a hug. Sure made my day!

Then came Halloween! I wanted to share a couple pictures...here is Grace and her BFF dressed as London and Maddie from the Disney Channel show, "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody". If you have ever seen the show you will know how great they really look!! They even had the voices and characterizations down pat!

Here are the girls with my nephew Brady, the Boo Man! He was a brave fire fighter, just like his late Grandpa Frank! My dad was surely looking down from Heaven and smiling a proud smile!

And then came our last football game of the season. Our squad had been undefeated this year in regular play. We went into the tournament and won the first game handedly.

Here are the football squad's Team Moms with a banner the team presented the girls! They were asked to run through it as they took the field! The girls LOVED it!

But as hard as the girls cheered, and as hard as the team played, this game was not to be theirs.

Their first loss and now the tournament is over for us. It was a fun season and the kids all had a great time.

Gosh but it was busy as any of you who have been, or are, sports parents will attest! It will be be good to have a little more free time on weekends, still, we will miss seeing our squad at practices and games.

I know this was a whirlwind catch up post and I will try to do a better job as a blogger!

Tomorrow is Ritter's Dog Night and we have promised Kip we will go!

Thursday is Grace's class play and she is involved so I will try to report on that as well!

Then it is off to Chicago for the weekend! *sigh* I KNOW! I KNOW! But as crazy as it often gets, I would not trade it for the world. There were days in the past, while stationed far away from this area that holds my heart, that I was so, so lonely. I never take for granted that I am back where I belong, back with old friends and family that mean more to me than I can say. And I well remember how I felt, wanting to be a mom so badly and praying that we would know the joy of parenthood. At long last our Daniel came to us and we loved each moment raising him but I always knew our family was not complete. Grace came to us when we were almost 50 and, even with

two arthritic knees, fibro and asthma, this 53 year old mom never loses her joy at having this gift of raising another child. I am slower and more addle brained but delighted each day!

So please try to forgive me when I neglect to post and (even worse) fail to get around to visit all of you, or visit and not leave a comment. For that I am truly sorry...but I adore you all! How often I think about each of you...each one of you is so special.

Until next time, have a sweet week, happy November to you all  and remember to be kind to yourselves!

Love and Many Hugs,

Susie Q