Things That Make Your Day

I was having a couple of weeks where things were frustrating me. I'm not saying they were valid frustrations, but that is what was happening. Frustration seems to me to be something that will bring you down. I was lucky in that something came along yesterday that totally made my day. I had a friend from long ago contact me through Facebook. Nina used to live across the street from me and in the summer of 1986 I would say our group of friends were inseparable. We had a lot of fun. Nina moved while we were in junior high and I only have seen her once since then and that was a little less than 15 years ago. I was actually thinking of Nina just a couple of days ago when something sparked a memory from that time. I tried to look her up on Facebook when I joined a couple of months ago, along with any other long lost friends I could think of. I was so thrilled that she joined and looked for me too. We had a good email conversation yesterday and it really made my day. I know I probably look too much in the past in my life, maybe that's the part of me that loves history too. But something I tend to regret is that I've never been good at staying in contact with my friends. I'm not the type to make a lot of friends, but the friends I do make I consider to be very good friends. I don't know why, if these friendships are so important to me, that I allow them to slip away over time. Maybe we're all like that, I guess my friends have let me slip away too. At least I've been given a chance at redemption. Now if only all of my other friends from eras past would sign up on Facebook.

Here's a picture of the group, minus me (I'm taking the picture).

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

I know most of you already know this, but I cut my hair again. I'm pretty lazy about hair cuts and eventually my hair is long again. Not too long, but long enough I think about a hair cut. But if I'm patient and wait a few months more, I know I'll have enough to donate it. So, this is the third time I've done it. It is so much fun because it is such a dramatic change, not just the taking of a few inches off. It takes 10 inches to donate and while I never really know how long it is (I never measure), I know it's at least that. Plus, I love the thought that something so simple to me as my hair can help a child who is in need because of cancer or whatever. My sister-in-law Kristi introduced me to Locks of Love, an organization that helps provide wigs to children in need, due to cancer treatments or other medical conditions. They either will use your hair to make wigs or sell it to offset any costs. It makes me feel really good that something that comes so easy to me with growing my hair can do something for others.

Dancing Monkeys

I was having a weekend where everything was driving me crazy. I was trying so hard to keep it under control, but I felt like I was heading towards a nervous breakdown. Just one of those things. I had the best thing happen to me though . . . a good laugh. We were driving to visit family Sunday evening and stopped at a stoplight next to a giant electronic sign. One of those full color ones with all the animation. A couple of fully feathered, beautiful turkeys pop up and I get Zach to look at it - "Zach, look at the turkeys!" He looks just as the sign changes to line of about five or so "dead" turkeys - you know, just how they look cooked. Plus, they are dancing. I'm thinking "Oh no, how am I going to explain this one to Zach?" Bless his heart, Zach says "Look, dancing monkeys." I know it wasn't that funny, but I couldn't stop laughing for a good couple of minutes. I'd just have to say "dancing monkeys" to get myself laughing again. I think Brad was considering committing me though at one point. Oh, but it was the best medicine for a cranky weekend.