It was Pops practice night on the Esplanade and we were there. The fireworks will be tomorrow but we got the same show including the Queen herself, Queen Latifa.
Before the Pops and the fireworks light up the fourth it was fun to watch the stars light up the night sky. Even sans fireworks spectacular, it was still magical.
Trust me!
More tomorrow.
Jamie
{trust}
#lovemore
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Day 277: A fall day.
Pup and I went on a small adventure today. Through the Starbucks drive-thru and then on to the park. Oh, the smells, and dogs, and leaves!
It was just a small adventure. Didn’t take long. Didn’t go very far.
But it reminded me of the importance of a small adventure in our everyday lives. And the added bonus of a sweet companion along for the ride.
Now, a little yoga stretch tonight, and then on to tomorrow’s adventure.
More tomorrow.
Lovemore,
Jamie
{adventure}
#lovemoredomore
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Through a walk in the forest today I was reminded about gravity. As in waterfalls.
Water goes where gravity takes it. Carving out a path without second-guessing, without hesitation, without pushing back. It just is where it is, whenever it is, how it is, passing by the scenery, falling to the earth, and then moving on.
Such a good reminder.
To be like water.
More tomorrow.
Lovemore,
Jamie
{grounded?}
#lovemoredomore
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It’s amazing what happens when you get out. Get out of your house, get outside, get out of your own way.
As we wait for the car part to arrive for the Beetle we find ourselves arriving in our own backyard. As in taking to the streets. Walking places. Good old fashioned fresh air. And guess what we found?
A Park! With tennis courts!
Like ….RIGHT behind us
….With a Labyrinth…
…So we walked it
…And in the center we met some new friends (and learned a few new tips about the town we live in!)
…Then before we left I did a little yoga
(You know… because…when in Rome… or the center of a Labrynth)
But possibly the best find of the day was when Justin spotted this…
Looks “lichen” a red heart to me!
As we left Justin said… “See… if the car didn’t break down maybe we wouldn’t have discovered this!”
Yes… behold. A park. With tennis courts. And a labyrinth. And really nice people. And red-shaped hearts poking out of the ground. Like it was built just for us.
Serendipity? Maybe.
Coincidence? Possibly.
Worth it? Absolutely.
Like I said yesterday….Be. Hold.
And now I say…Get. Out!
More tomorrow.
Lovemore,
Jamie
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One dog wanted to smell the grass. The other dog wanted to smell something much more unpleasant which shall remain unnamed. I wanted them both to walk next to me and stick to the path so I could get back to my desk in time for a conference call.
They didn’t care.
This reminds me of a walk I did once while visiting friends in Vermont. My friend Karen, also a card carrying dog owner, came up with the brilliant idea that we should take our dogs for a walk out in the country (which is pretty much any road in Vermont). She thought to invite other dog owners who might want to join in. They all did. I had Pup in tow, who was and still is a Vizsla. Everyone else had their well behaved Labs and Goldens.
This was the first time I noticed there was something wrong with my dog. Everyone else had four-legged friends who walked nicely next to them, strolling along with the adults, as if they were listening to the conversation and taking notes. Their leashes were limp, following after, as if an afterthought.
I had Pup. A Vizsla, born and bread to hunt, smell and point out all the oddities of mother nature. For every step I took forward Pup took two steps back. I spent the entire walk tugging at the end of his taught leash hissing, “Come on Pup!” while trying (and failing) to keep up with the others.
This is life with a Viszla.
I am now resigned to this fact: we do not and probably never will, have picture perfect walks. We have Pup led adventures. We go wherever his nose goes. Add Brady to the mix and I end up twisted between the two leashes, being pulled in two different directions, between fallen leaves, fire hydrant posts, fence corners and tree stumps.
And yet, something about this total chaotic mess feels like a walk in the park. They make me stand still. Even if my feet are twisted between their leashes. They make me stop and feel the cool October air. Even if I am hissing under my breath for them to catch up, stop it, keep moving, come here, don’t do that.
They make me slow down and take life one smell at a time.
And maybe that is their secret recipe for bliss?
Who knew I could get so excited about flowers? For most of my life flowers were what followed me around hospitals and surgeries. Or what I didn’t receive on Valentine’s Day.
Until we had a garden I thought flowers came from the store, or a florist, or FTD.com.
Now, they are what lights me up from the inside out, what grows in the garden, what blooms with life. So tonight, I decided to start sharing some of my flower photos from our trip. Starting with clover.We spent some time in the park looking for a four leaf clover. For a moment I questioned if these even exist… is it just a myth?
This is what Wikipedia has to say on the matter:
Somatic mutation:
The somatic mutation is me. I am a genetic conundrum. I like to say I am now the bionic woman with so many surgeries, removed organs and implants, well, let’s just call them new parts… the transition seems complete. I have mutated.
And now, as I sit here with clean bill of health in hand, I realize that as I was looking over that bed of clover, searching for the lucky leaf, it was with me all along.
I am the four leaf clover. A somatic mutation. And, if I don’t say so myself, one hell of a lucky girl. Instead of counting leaves I am counting my blessings. And all the well wishes and love notes and FLOWERS I have received on this journey from the people who have held my hand and uplifted my soul – friends, family, nurses, doctors, medicine people and angels.
Thank you for your love and support.
May it return to you a million times over.
And may beautiful flowers be with you.
More tomorrow.
Lovemore,
Jamie
Today I decided to go look for beauty. It’s a bit like a walk in the park I suppose. I wasn’t sure what I would find but I knew it would be an adventure. So I begged Justin to come along and off we went.
Random Adventure + Beauty Mission = Beauty Quest.
Here’s what happened on my first Beauty Quest (more than I could have imagined!).
We found flowers…
And trees….
And the inside of trees…
And red roses….
And ducks kissing…
And baby geese learning to ruffle their feathers…
An ugly duckling that didn’t fit in… (But we know the end of that story!)
And a kind soul who gave us some bread so we could feed the birds too!
It was beautiful. A surprise. And a really quick, fast, easy way to add beauty to the end of the weekend.
Beauty Quest it.
I highly recommend it.
(Sometimes free is the best kind of fun.)
More tomorrow.
Lovemore,
Jamie
It rained this morning. Scratch that, it poured — as if the earth cried a blustery sob.
And then blew its nose on all of us.
The rain kept me inside all morning, until finally the sun gave way and I left my perch above my laptop. I had errands to run. The Post Office awaited.
After mailing my parcels I turned right instead of left out of the parking lot (to avoid one crazy intersection). Just that one move, that split decision, sent me in a whole new direction.
As I drove a different road home I spotted something I have not done for years, maybe even decades. A park swing. Memories of swinging rushed back to me. College days and lazy afternoons with my roommate Laura, where we grown women too-old-to-play-on-a-swingset sought them out and sang in the sunshine as our bodies tipped up and down and back up again.
There’s really nothing else that makes you feel like a child.
So today, as I passed the park swing I abruptly turned around and drove back. Why not?
The park was empty. The swingset was all alone. I grabbed the widest, most sturdy looking rubber seat and gave it a go. I even (tried) to take a photo with camera phone in one hand, the other gripping tightly to the chains.
It was fun!
And freeing!
If I thought I was too old for a swingset at eighteen, as a freshman in college, then I don’t know what that makes me at thirty-eight? Call me the Grandma of Swingtown. I don’t care, it was worth it.
As my feet pumped me up and down, through the air and back to the earth again, I felt a little voice inside me scream, Wheeeeee!
And then another belted out: You’re too old for this!
Then again it said: Whhheeeeeeee!
And I retorted: You’re too old for this!
To which I finally landed on: Who cares!!
And, then it occurred to me that I had to LAND somewhere.
When I was young I would just jump out of the swing, waiting for it to reach its peak and then fly out of the saddle without a care. But, now, I’m not so young. But, I’m not so old either, so who says I can’t jump right out of the saddle?
I decided to go for it. No fear.
1 – 2 – 3 – JUMP!
I thankfully landed on my feet. No bruises or scrapes.
Just a big smile on my face.
And, isn’t that how it goes?
Once you decide to jump there is always a safe landing. Somewhere.
Wheeeeee!
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