Garlic might seem like a funny thing to connect with but this was more of an observation.
Today, while I was at a very busy grocery store (it was the pre-game rush!) the checkout lines wrapped all the way back into the food aisles. I waited forever in the self-checkout line but then a checker lane opened up so I jumped over to that lane.
None of the lines were moving very fast but I finally made it through and with bags in cart started wheeling my way out the store.
Just then a checker ran through the crowd carrying one clove of garlic. She ran until she tracked a woman down with her cart and stopped her to hand the root over. The woman smiled and thanked the checker.
I thought it was a beautiful moment of connection…and kindness.
In this year of Connections, I am starting to connect with the cooler weather, darker skies, and nightfall which is coming way too early already. Daylight Savings ends in one week but it already feels like we are moving closer to winter.
At least these fuzzy socks will keep me warm. I bought them today from a really nice woman at a local store.
Today’s connection is dedicated to Michelle and her amazing quilts.
This gift landed in our mailbox today. It was a surprise.
Actually, it was delivered by the FedEx delivery driver right to our door.
It is a handmade quilt for Justin celebrating his lifelong fanship and following of Pearl Jam in the colors that he loves (can you spot the hidden “PJ”).
If you have ever met Justin you would know he is a diehard, card-carrying Pearl Jam fan with a matching tattoo too. What he loves, he loves with passion and loyalty and that is something I have always loved about him. The brilliant thing about Michelle’s quilt (other than the fact that it was a total surprise and amazing gift from the heart and the hands) is that it perfectly captures this element of Justin.
Her quilting prowess not only encapsulates the very essence of Justin, it also captured both of our hearts. In this year of “Connections” I can’t think of a better way to share a link between miles and years and family and memories.
As Justin said, “Honored is not a strong enough word, thank you very, very much!”
Today’s post is dedicated to heat… as in my space heater. Isn’t it cute?
This is the heater that sits under my desk…and I have to admit that I have totally taken it for granted.
Now that the power is back in our place and the heater can be plugged in again (and actually work) I am feeling VERY CONNECTED to it. I am appreciating it in a way that I can honestly say I have not before.
This storm was a doozy. I hope those who still do not have electricity will have it turned back on soon.
It is amazing what we take for granted – both the big things in life (our health!) and the little ones too (our heaters!) until we really, really need them to work.
Here’s to connecting to what matters most in your life both the big and little.
Today’s connection is dedicated to Fall, as in, Fall Storms are officially here.
Yesterday I took this photo of the beautiful fall leaves.
Today they are mostly blown off the trees.
We woke up in the middle of the night without power. No electricity, no heat, no lights, nothing but the dark and stormy skies bellowing out our window. With daylight we were able to finally see the wreckage from the strength of a massive wind storm. Trees and lines downed, debris throughout the streets, construction site cones blown over into our driveway.
The beautiful leaves that were up on the trees just yesterday are now down on the ground, pelted with rain and soaked and strewn across the streets. Welcome to Fall in New England. This was the first official storm of the season and came with hurricane gust winds and a power outage for over 500,000 people. It’s just another reminder to me about the power of Mother Nature and how we are all connected to her, always.
Justin and I huddled under blankets for most of the day to keep warm until I finally had to leave the house and find something warm to drink. I landed at Starbucks (which luckily had power and was open) along with everyone else in the area! The line went all the way out the door and they let us in one at a time.
Each table was full of people in front of their computers trying to get some sort of WiFi for the day. It was the first time I had a vision of what life was like before Covid with a full Starbucks before me.
Even the woman in line in front of me stood chatting nonchalantly with me about the weather. It reminded me of life before the big 2020 and how we used to connect with each other over day-to-day workings while waiting in line.
The best news is that when I arrived home with Venti Tea in hand, the power came back on. More power to you Starbucks!
Now…Let’s see if we can make it through tonight with the power still intact.
Today’s connection is dedicated to the weather and those that report on it.
It’s a rainy, rainy day here in New England, or as they like to say, a Nor’easter kind of storm.
On my way back from Scituate I caught the beginnings of “the show” — and if you have ever lived in Scituate (on the edge of the Earth) then you know what I mean. The waves rock and roll all the way up to the shore, under the houses on pylons, and everywhere in between.
As I drove past the lighthouse I spotted those who always rush into the storm. The local weather crew was out to capture everything. It made me think about all they do to make sure everyone in the comfort of their homes stay connected to the eye of the storm.
Today’s post is dedicated to Sara and her kitchen.
I recently met Sara through my friend Amy and we all Facetimed this week.
While we talked, Sara showed me the cake she just baked for their book club. It looked so scrumptious I wanted to reach right through my phone to try it.
I soon learned that Sara isn’t just a baker she is a magician in the kitchen. A kitchen witch, if you will, as she mixes together both love and song into what she bakes.
Whereas I follow a recipe to a “T” Sara told me about how she just knows what ingredients to add to her baked goods. A little more honey for sweetness or cinnamon for spice or whatever the cake (or recipient) needs more of in that moment.
I was so impressed with her ability to bake from the heart that it reminded me of my own Mama Sling. How we used to sing in the kitchen and dance with spatulas in our hands. No wonder her cooking always tasted so good. It was all made with love.
Could there be a more powerful connection?
More tomorrow, Jamie
P.S. So nice to meet you Sara, I can’t wait to taste what you’re baking!
Pam and I worked together in Chicago and it was so good to Re-Connect with her today. The last time I saw Pam was at her wedding, in the pre-Covid years. Both of our lives have changed and evolved since then but so much has stayed the same.
Including her sharp wit, infectious laugh and beautiful smile.
Pam reported to me back in the day and I have absolutely enjoyed watching her career unfold. I often tell my teammates that they will always have me in their lives for support or mentorship — and I mean it. But today, Pam proved it.
It’s nice to know that while the world has changed around us in so many unfathomable ways that we are still connected to those who have touched our lives forever. Sometimes I wonder if the working world brings people into our lives for the moment in order to impact us for eternity.
Thank you, Pam, for being part of my life. You are and always have been a rockstar! And, I am always rooting for you.
If you knew me back in high school then you probably saw me driving Big Blue around town. She looked much like this photo below:
Big Blue is a 1976 Ford Supercab according to my dad but to me she was my independence.
Big Blue was already “old” when I was in high school but she was always the extra vehicle that I could drive without fighting with my sister over our shared car. I could pack all my friends into the large “supercab” to go to games or the Drive-In. She saw many date nights and ran out of gas a few times too (my fault). But Big Blue was always there for me.
Tonight my dad confirmed that Big Blue is in the shop getting a bit of fix up, a new heat sender. I am actually impressed that Big Blue can still run with the best of them.
Just the memories of Big Blue bring me back to being in high school, gaining the independence to drive, and spending endless summer night with friends. What a connection.
It also reminds me that time can go by but some things will always remain timeless. Go Big Blue! You will always be a classic.
The immersive experience felt like a walk back in time and a stroll into the paintings of the artist, while also listening to the words from his letters and writing.
I have never experienced an art display that felt so, well, immersive. It’s the only word to describe all the paintings coming to life all around you.
My favorite was the Virtual Reality exhibit that took you right into Van Gogh’s studio in the one bedroom apartment, then down the stairs and into the house where you walked right out the front door into the yellow drenched countryside that he painted. From there you walked into the town and down to the water of Starry Night fame.
It literally came to life. Both his paintings and his life.
Hi, I’m Jamie. This blog started on January 1, 2011. …because I made a promise to myself.
I did not purchase clothes or shoes or other frivolous things (things I love mind you) for an entire year and wrote about it every single day. For 365 Days. Then I went on to make promises and blog every single day for 9 years (yes, that’s right). Want to read more? The adventure begins below…
Year 2: Lovemore+Fearless
2012 sent me rafting down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon where I slept next to scorpions. I tossed my old engagement ring in a fountain in Paris, and swam with sharks in the Bahamas. In the end, I learned more about LOVE than fear.
Year 3: Abundance
My promise in year 3 was to dive deep into abundance, which included a promise to give away a gift a day. Ironically, there was something else in store for me as I found myself moving across the country, having surgery, and giving away my thyroid. It all started a little Card Crusade and my biggest lesson yet was to come in the form of a doozy: health is our greatest wealth. Abundance indeed.
Year 4: Peak Performance
Surprise! 2014 sent me back to the surgical routine. Getting a surprise diagnosis, mastectomy and reconstructive surgery all in one swoop. Overall, it probably saved my life. Ironically, I ended up with two NIKE swooshes in the form of scars across my chest. The sign of Peak Performance?
Year 5: BLISS!
It’s all about that bliss, ’bout that bliss, no trouble. This year was all about FOLLOWING OUR BLISS. And follow it we did…. all the way to Bellingham, WA! Who would have thought?
Year 6: Yoga for a Year
Yoga every single day. I did it. Really, I did it! Not every single day was amazing but I downward dogged it on planes, trains, across the “plains” crisscrossing this country. What did I learn? To be kinder to myself. And this: just showing up creates miracles (for me that’s Crow!). In the unprecedented events of 2016, I also learned our world needs a whole heaping dose of kindness.
Year 7: Intentional Acts of Kindness
This year’s promise was all about kindness – the intentional kind. We ended up getting married in a surprise pop up ceremony in Estes Park, Colorado. Could there be anything more kind?
Year 8: JOY
When I made a promise for “joy” I found a new job, new city and new adventure on the east coast. We said goodbye to our #1 Pup, who lived for 17 joyful years. I never know what will happen, but I do report back here every day.
Year 9: Trust
The year I learned to trust the adventure was complete, and celebrated the grand finale of thepromise365 as a daily blog. Then COVID-19 hit.
Year 10: Connections
Hear we go again! In this post-Covid world there is something to say about making connections.
TGIF. F*ing Fridays are back! And, they will continue to occur on Friday. I mentioned some of my favorite F words back on Day 5 in Year 1, including: Fearless, Fabulous, Fine, Fun, Faith, Freedom, Forgiveness, to name a Few. Last week I dove into the word Flip Flops. Today’s F*ing Friday is dedicated to the […]
TGIF. Today continues the weekly series, F*ing Fridays, which will coincidentally occur on Friday. I mentioned some of my favorite F words back on Day 5, including: Fearless, Fabulous, Fine, Fun, Faith, Freedom, Forgiveness, to name a Few. Last week I dove into the word Festivities. Today’s F*ing Friday is dedicated to the word: Finale. […]
You’ve made it. Over the hump of 2011 and looking directly at the other side. Approximately six months left to go, 181 days to mark on the calendar. Today concludes this four-part series, In The Middle. Day 4: Soul I wonder what Lewis and Clark thought as they hoofed it across North America, did they high-five […]
Have you ever felt like you were just supposed to be somewhere at a certain time ~ even though it wasn’t planned, you couldn’t predict it and never expected it? But there you found yourself anyway? That’s how I felt this week having to rush off the island with Pup’s little emergency. It put me […]
It feels like summertime and the shopping is easy. Here in Mexico one can’t escape the local vendors. They come to you. Whether sitting at a restaurant or sitting on the beach. Se vende? Want a new silver bracelet? Want a bright pink strapless beach dress? Want a kabob with shrimp and papaya? It’s so […]
The Promise 365 