Simple Pleasures

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish all my readers a Happy 2008! May it be a prosperous, enjoyable year filled will whatever you want it to be.

I hope you were able to enjoy the holiday season without too much stress or anxiety. I spent most of November and the first part of December getting a family genealogy newsletter done. I was able to enjoy the two weeks before Christmas as all my extra chores were done. It was nice because I usually become so overwhelmed with stress and fatigue that I really don't find the Christmas spirit. This year I scaled back a bit and was able to enjoy it much more. Sometimes less is more.

Happy New Year!

2007-07-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day!

Wishing everyone a very happy 4th of July!

Free Genealogy Anyone?

2007-05-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

In honor of Memorial Day, www.ancestry.com is offering it's military collection for free. This includes civil war records, American Revolution records, the WWI Draft Registration cards, the WWII draft registration cards for 1942, and much more.

Honor your ancestors. Look up their records then share the information with your family. Then their stories won't be forgotten.

Offer expires June 6, 2007.

Do a Little Bird Watching from Your Desktop

2007-05-23T18:32:00.003-07:00

A neighbor passed on this website to me. It's called the Sutro Forest.

The Sutro Forest website has a webcam that's set on a backyard. If you register (it's free), you can use the webcam and take photos of the various birds that visit the yard.

Sometimes the best shots get mentioned by the website owners.

There's a New Bird in my Backyard!

2007-03-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

I really love Spring. I can open the sliding door again and let in some fresh air. The sunshine beckons me to sit outside. I don't feel like a member of a monastery anymore. I'm free!!! LOL

I was outside Saturday with my dog. I kept hearing a bird song that I knew was not normal to our backyard. The bird was in our avocado tree but I couldn't see it.

Later in the day, I was talking to a neighbor when I heard the song behind me. I told them to hang on a minute while I went to look. Sure enough, there was this little yellow bird sitting on one of the lower branches of the tree next door chirping it's heart out.

We don't have any yellow birds in this neighborhood, so he's either lost or we've got a new breed in town. He's a cute little thing. My neighbor thinks it's a finch. Maybe we'll be seeing little yellow bird babies learning to fly soon.

It's Random Acts of Kindness Week

2007-02-12T19:29:00.001-08:00

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has declared February 11 through February 17 as Random Acts of Kindness Week. During this week everyone is encouraged to do a spontaneous act of kindness. Your act can be as simple as holding a door open for someone at the store or as grand as paying for someones meal at a restaurant. The point is do something nice that isn't expected.

I did my random act today. I swap books at paperbackswap.com. There is a woman who I've met online that I've swapped with before. She orders books from me from time to time. I finished a book last night that I think she will like, so I slipped it into her order. I hope that she will enjoy it.

By adding an act of kindness to our days, we make the world a little brighter. While we all love getting big gifts, we often remember the small kindnesses the most. You might have been having a bad day and then a stranger gave you their place in line. You might have been flustered while waiting in a doctors office and the person waiting next to you struck up a conversation and made the time go quicker. Your teenager saw that you were tired and washed the dishes without being asked. We cherish these small moments because they make each day a little easier to get through.

Will you participate? If so, post a comment and tell us what you did this week to bring kindness to another human being. You can visit the Random Acts of Kindness website to see what others are doing.

In Celebrate of Me

2007-01-28T18:12:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my 43rd birthday today. I'm not too crazy about being another year older, but I love the day of my birth. I've always believe that this was the one day of year that was mine alone. It's a day to do whatever I want, whenever I want. It's a day to celebrate me.

I spent my birthday in a very lazy fashion. I read a little of Barack Obama's "Dreams From My Father". I opened presents from friends. I spent some time working on my family tree. I had a visit from my Mother and Sister who brought my favorite treat--chow mein. I then indulged in the chow mein for lunch and dinner. I took phone calls from family and friends wishing me happy birthday. I played all my online greetings. I spent the evening watching Jane Eyre on Masterpiece Theatre.

In between my activities, I spent a little time reflecting. I hold the belief that my birthday is the true start of my new year. All things are possible on a birthday. And so, I made a list of some projects I'd like to complete this year and got a sense of where I'd like the year to go.

Do you have a birthday ritual? Do you spend the day in celebration of yourself or do you ignore it until it's over?

I Resolve...

2007-01-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

This time of year people are throwing around New Year's Resolution like crazy. Most of the resolutions will never be met. Oh, you might start will the best of intentions, but sooner or later you forget that you ever made them. Then on December 31st, you resolve to do the same things all over again.

I thought it would be fun to make resolutions that I would actually be able to achieve. Simple resolutions that in and over themselves are not so difficult. They are things are I can do every day without much effort.

Would you like to join me in making some smaller than life resolutions? Let's start...

I resolve to...
1. Take three breaths in a row througout the day.
2. To eat less sugar.
3. To listen to music every day.
4. To pet my dog to ease her arthritis.
5. To read every day.
6. To write in one of my blogs daily, 5 days a week.
7. To write in all my blogs once a week.
8. To have an IM conversation with a friend every week.
9. To smile every morning when I get up even if I don't feel like it.
10.Go outside for fresh air once every day even if it's only for a minute.

Well, that's my resolution list. None of what I wrote seems pretty difficult. I just need to remember them and do them.

What did you come up with?

Winter Sky

2007-01-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

I was outside yesterday about 4pm. The sky had that hazy, faded look of winter. The sun was enshrouded in cloud cover.

Low in the sky just rising was the moon. The full moon appeared to be balancing on the houses atop the hillside. Clouds swam across it, obscuring it. Then it would reappear.

I hope to go out at the same time this afternoon...wish I had a really good camera because it was an amazing view.

A Day for a Parade

2007-01-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

One of the joys of New Years Day is the Tournament of Roses Parade. A million people or more get up early just to stand on the street to see those magnificent floats go by. Aren't we lucky we got to see if from our warm, cozy living rooms?

I watched about a half hour of the parade. Every year I am in awe of how much work must go into each presentation-- from planning to driving the float. I can't imagine the hours spent arranging each flower, making sure the animated parts of the float work, and making sure it all gets together on time.

The floats were truly inspired. There were the Star Wars themed floats in honor of George Lucas. Their was the animation winner--a huge movie frog. There was the Dino Rock Band...and many more. I wonder how they get their ideas?

You can see more of Pasadena's legendary parade at the Tournament of Roses website.

Ringing in the New Year

2006-12-31T12:08:00.000-08:00

How did you celebrate the New Year? Did you tie one on or spend it at home?

There can be so much pressure to do something spectacular for the new year. But, I find that a quiet night at home serves me best. I usually watch a movie and then spend some time in reflection. I might phone a friend or catch some online.

I try to set the mood for the new year. It is a fresh start, a new chance to be positive. You can wipe the slate clean and start anew.

Whatever you do, celebrate in a way you want. If you want to be in a crowd do so. If you'd rather make it a "me" day do that too!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-24T12:33:00.001-08:00

My Christmas Eve wish for you...

May your celebrations be festive.
May your feast be enjoyable.
May you be surrounded by family and friends.
May you remember those whose Christmas may not be so merry.
May the spirit of giving shine through you.
May their be peace at your dinner table and peace on Earth!

Sharing the Season!

2006-12-21T12:24:00.000-08:00

This time of year it's very easy to get so caught up in everything so that you enjoy nothing. Since this blog is about simple pleasures, let's remember some of those that we share during the holidays...

a holiday card from a friend we haven't heard from
singing Christmas carols with people who can't remember the words
eating cookie dough
the joy of giving to those who might not be having a Merry Christmas
the smell of the pine tree
trimming the tree and finding ornaments the kids made years ago
cutting up paper snowflakes
children sitting under the tree in anticipation
following Santa on the Norad website
going out to see lights
festivities with friends and family
dinner smells wafting through the house
sharing laughter over presents with the wrong tags
receiving and giving in the spirit of Christmas

Smell of Rain

2006-11-05T12:54:00.000-08:00

Last week, we had our first real rain storm of the year. I enjoy the rain (at least in the beginning of the season). And, I love the smell of rain.

We sat outside the other day. It was very humid. The air smell like a rain storm was about to head in.
Someone told me that the smell comes from ammonia. Another person told me that the rain her area smells like worms. I've always thought it smelled a bit like wet cement. LOL Maybe it takes on characteristics of landscape it falls upon.

There is something peaceful about rain. The sound of rain drops on the roof and crashing to the ground allows for introspection. You can't help but be still and listen to it.

Then after the storm, you go outside and take a deep breath. The air smells fresh perhaps for the first time in months. It invigorates you, doesn't it? It's if everything has had a good washing. All that pollution and smog is out of the air at least for one day.

Get Yer Free Music Downloads

2006-07-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

One thing about having no money is you never have any money! LOL It does put a crimp on one's style.

I really like music, but I get bored with the radio. CDs are too expensive. Online downloads costly as well. They also be a pain in the butt. Some want you to use their software and then download music in their format. I can never figure out how to convert songs for my MP3 player, so I give up.

Then I came across www.download.com. Now, before you get worked up, this is a legal FREE music download site. It's run by the folks at CNET.

Download.com has a ton of music to download. The main difference is most of the groups are relatively unknown. I like new music though. It's fun to go down the different genres, read the descriptions, and download some good stuff. Most of what I have found has been pretty darn good. And, it gives me a chance to explore all sorts of genres of music without plunking down $14.99 for a CD that I probably won't like anyway.

There are some better known groups within the database. Some have a free download posted. Others allow you to stream their songs online.

I just burned myself a new CD from groups I found at download.com. New music to listen to, yeah!!!

Finding a Deal on Something I Can't Live Without

2006-07-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

If you have chronic illness, then you are probably like me. You have a variety of ointments and accessories that are necessary for you to make it through each day. All this stuff gets expensive especially if you're already on prescription medication. A person can go broke pretty easily.

I use hot pepper lotion every day--twice a day! I think it works great. I don't have as much inflammation in my feet as I used to. But, this stuff is expensive. Depending on the brand and the potency (I need the highest potency), I can spend anywhere from $10-$15 for a one month supply.

The other day I was at the local 99 cents store. I found some hot pepper lotion by the name of "Dr. Sheffield's Therma Rub Creme". I was a tad skeptical. It was a little less potent than the stuff I buy, but $14 dollars cheaper. How could ol' Dr. Sheffield make the same stuff for 99 cents???

I tried it that night. The next morning my feet felt good. Dr. Sheffield's was just as good and saving me fourteen bucks! I can get 14 tubes of this stuff for the price of one. And, that's a deal!

Smile for the Camera, Dragonfly

2006-05-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

I was getting my dog ready for her walk yesterday. We went outside so she could take of business. I glanced over at the flowering plants and there was a yellow and black dragonfly.

I had not seen a dragonfly since I was a child--and maybe then, only out camping or hiking. I spied it for awhile then we went for our walk.

We we came back and took care of Sierra's after walk treat. I then went outside to see if it was still there. It was! I was delighted at my good fortune and hurried inside to get my camera. I don't usually get great photos of bugs and things, but I gave it a try anyway.

The dragonfly was sitting on one of the big, green leaves waiting for me. It must have known that I am a slow mover.

I had one of those dragonfly eyes a few years back. I wondered if he saw a hundred of me approaching. I fixed my camera settings and took a couple of shots.

This is the results of my endeavor...

Not bad for an amateur. Nice pose there, dragonfly!

Bird's Nest

2006-04-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was outside talking to my neighbor. I happened to glance out our basketball hoop. This little bird flew up to it and perched on the rim. It must have been dazzled by the net. It was so frayed that strands were blowing in the wind.

The little bird began to fight those strands. Soon enough, it had what it wanted and it flew up into the avocado tree.

About five minutes later, it was back. It battle the net once more. When it had a strand or two in it's beak, it flew back up into the tree.

I hadn't realized how resourceful birds are. I've seen them break up branches and grass for their nests. The hoop has been there for at least 15 years. This is the first time I saw a bird take pieces of it for it's nest.

Burst of Spring

2006-03-30T18:35:00.000-08:00

I hadn't taking any walks outdoors since Sierra's operation. She need full time care, so I had to stay around the house. We also were bombarded with rain. One storm after another for 2 or 3 weeks.

Just before her operation, the vine that lines the corner house's front yard was a brambly, leafless mess. All the leaves had fallen off two months earlier and it didn't look like the plant would survive.

When Sierra got her "walking" orders two weeks ago, we were back on the pavement. I was quite surprised at the beautiful sight around the corner. The near dead vine was coming to life. Each branch holds 10 to 20 cone shaped buds. Light purple flowers are bursting out everywhere. Each day, more and more cones bloom.

It's strange. There are still no leaves. Yet, the vine is moving along with it's spring time schedule. The skies may be grey and dreary, but it's nice to see this little burst of spring on our street.

A Note about my absense

2006-03-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

I apologize for not blogging this past week. My dog was diagnosed with a soft tissue tumor three weeks ago. We saw a specialist who laid out the treatment plans. The options were so extreme! Choice one was surgery to remove the tumor, skin graphs, and then radiation treatment. Choice two was to amputate her leg.

They lead us to believe we had several weeks to decide on how to handle the situation. However, within the short two week period she went from happy go lucky to losing blood. She was bleeding through bandages twice a day by last Monday. It was horrible to see her suffer.

On Tuesday 2/28, we arranged to go to our regular veterinarian to see if there was any hope. We had talked to several people including another vet about amputation. After talking to our vet, we decided this was her only chance. She would not survive another month bleeding the way she was.

To make a long story short, Sierra went into surgery that day and is now a week into recovery. It takes all of my time as she needs round the clock care. She can walk already (in fact, she walked 7 hours after the surgery) but must be watched so she doesn't hurt herself.

The vet bills are mounting up. If anyone would like to make a donation, we would appreciate in very much. I've set up a page for donation and also updates on her recovery.Here's the link: http://www.islandroutes.com/donation.shtml

She is doing amazingly well. She is such a great dog with an incredible spirit.

I hope to be back blogging next week.

Thanks for your support and patience!

Lost in a Good Book

2006-02-26T12:13:00.000-08:00

I read the book Sister of my Heart by Chitra Banjerjee Divakaruni a couple of years ago. I enjoyed the book but was irritated by the ending. It was untidy and incomplete. What happened to Sunil and Anju? Did Sudha make it to America? How did the three characters make out? It drove me nuts! (Books can do that to me) Why did she leave me hanging!!??!!

For Christmas, I got another book by the same author called "Vines of Desire". I was pleased to find that it was book two to Sister of My Heart! As the weekend was filled with rain, rain, and more rain reading seemed like a good thing to do.

I was sucked immediately and I could not put the book down. For three days, I devoured part two of the tale. The author has such a way with capturing life's difficulties and dilemmas. Now I am sad that the tale is over. I will think about those characters for days. (If you are a book lover, you'll know what I mean!)

One thing I can do whether "disabled" or "abled" is read. I enjoy books more than movies and always have. It's a good diversion for a person whose day may be filled with pain, medication, and frustration. For a few hours, you can forget your own troubles and get lost in someone else's.

You can learn more about Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni from her website.

Get Out and Nature Watch

2006-02-22T18:54:00.000-08:00

I really needed a break from my living room last year. We had something like four months of solid rain. One day I was outside and we spotted a woodpecker. You don't see woodpeckers everyday in my neighborhood. So, I went online and I found enature.com. As I was trying to identify the bird, I found out that I could set up my own wildlife list. I've been doing it for a year. I am amazed and the different creatures I've found in my back yard and neighborhood. I guess I just wasn't looking before.

Are you sick and tired of your white walls, the blarring tv, the messy couch cushions? You can get out and enjoy nature just like I did. It's right there in your backyard.

Each day I either take a short walk or meander around my neighborhood. There are sights and sounds that pull me away from my illness and remind me that there's much to be enjoyed in life. Birds are making nests, catepillars are spinning silk, spiders are weaving webs. It's a wonderful world. When I find something new, I go to my nature list and I add it.

Try to get out each day and breath some fresh air. Observe the trees and plants. See what nature brings. It will do a world of good to your attitude. You won't feel so pent up. And, life won't seem as dreary.

You can set up your own eNature Wildlife List. When you begin to look outside your house, you'll find there is much more to your day than disabilities.

Websites that have Nothing to do with Illness

2006-02-22T18:26:00.000-08:00

You're probably sick and tired of hearing about your disease, reading about it, or getting sympathy for it. Explore some websites that has nothing to do with illess.

CRAFTS
Free craft ideas

HOBBIES
Join a genealogy chat group at genealogyforum.org

INSPIRATION
The Daily Motivator
Collection of Prayers from around the world and many religions

LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Explore new ideas at PBS.org
Folklore
Mythology and Folklore

MISCELLANEOUS
Queenie at Large

WEBSITE DESIGN AND COMMUNITIES
Free Website at Nexus Webs
WebHosting Facts

Fill Your Day

2006-02-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

By Melody Lassalle

One of the hardest parts of having chronic illness is finding ways to fill your day. This becomes especially difficult when mobility is limited--and your wallet is in the same shape! Here's some ideas to get you off the couch or at least away from the television.

Online Activities:

Try some crafts
There are many free crafts sites to tempt you into crafting! This one is my fave:
AllFreeCrafts
This website has a wonderful collection of craft ideas for kids and adults. All are fairly easy to make (some are even printable!) I highly recommend the layered bathsalt project. I've made several as well as my 7 year old niece.

Take A Class
There are many opportunities online to take a class, email tutorial, etc. There are many materials in the pay and free categories that can be found through a google search. Here's one to get you started:

BBC Learning
The BBC has a small collection of classes covering history, computers, health, and nature. If you're interested in history, the "history trail" section includes archaelogy, Victorian Britain, How to do history, Family History, and more. All class can be printed out. Some have online games and quizzes. No fees or cost for materials.

Coursepal.com
This website provides links to several free course including family history, editing digital photographs, human genetics, introduction to web design, amusement park physics, and more.

Free-Ed.Net Astronomy Course
This is a free college level astronomy course. All material is online.

The National Geographic Online Classroom
The National Geographic offers assignments in several categories. Though these are aimed at school kids, many are high school level and higher. If you're interested in archaeology, paleontology, science, and so forth, this would be a good place to waste a day.

Games
Dyson Telescope Game
This one is a challenger and highly addictive! It starts out easy but gets very challenging.

Learn to Draw
Learn to Draw with Billy Bear
There are many examples of how to draw various animals. Each is fairly easy to follow.

Trace Your Family Tree
Genealogy is great way to expand your mind and your knowledge of your family history. There are millions of websites to help you get started. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Golden Gates Genealogy Forum
GGGF has many resources for started your family tree and pursuing it. Forms, resources, and message boards can be found here.

GenealogyForum.org
Have you already started your family tree? Looking for tips on how to get started? Stop in for a genealogy chat at genealogyforum.org. These chats range from beginners to general to foreign nations.

RootsWeb
One of the best free website for genealogy on the net. There are many resources, indexes, and databases available at rootsweb.com--all for free.

Offline Activities:
Read a book
Start an indoor herb garden
Write in a journal
Play with your dog or cat
Spend time with kids
Bake yourself some cookies
Take a short walk in the backyard
Put on some music and sing
Sing in the shower (one of my favorites!)
Meditate
Buy some easy to make craft projects
Watch some baseball
Sit outside and get some sun
Fill your bird feeder and watch the visitors
Plant some easy to manage flowering plants
Learn a foreign language (see the education links above to learn a language online)
Label your old photographs