It's Going to Be OK

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                   It's going to be Ok.

     I know how you are feeling, because I am feeling the same way too.

It's the Eve of the Presidential election and almost everyone feels....

 Anxious

         Angry 

                Depressed

                          Doubtful

                                    Weary

                                         

 Its hard to get a handle on what has happened this past year. 

While I was grocery shopping today looked around and suddenly realized what has now become "normal". Everyone was wearing a mask and it was Normal. I had forgotten I had one on. 

I watch the news for a few minutes each day and I turn it off. I want to shout at the top of my lungs "STOP!!!"

Can't we just stop?!

But would anyone listen?

I pray and beg God "please".

But I am just me and God is God and HE knows the plan and outcome of all this chaos. 

So tomorrow I will exercise my right to vote and I will accept and respect whoever becomes the leader of my beautiful country, We are bruised and battered but we will continue...God willing. 

The first line to my post was "It's going to be OK"

Sometimes we have to just keep repeating that to comfort others and ourselves. I say it because I need to believe it. 

It will be true. 

I virtually hold each and every one of you who may need that hug and assurance and pray along with you.

              AMEN

Weekend Away

 

                     So last weekend we went "camping" (Is it considered camping if you're in a cabin?) with some church family. This is our third time with them and our hundredth time in our happy place in upstate New York.  It was sooooooo needed. I had no idea how much I needed to get away. We were away from TV, internet and all negative distractions. 

In the morning the lake was covered in a misty veil (of which I forgot to take a picture). I stood there in silent awe as if I had never seen it before. Every year the lake touches my heart with its beauty.

We visited just a few weeks before the trees would burst with color. Summer was hanging on by a thread and the Autumn cool would nudge its way in at night.

We laughed and played silly games during the day. The men took over the grilling. We had SIX grills!

Dinner Menu

Thursday

Thick steaks, Spanish rice, salad

Friday

Smoked ribs, potatoes, fresh homemade coleslaw

Saturday

Adobo Chicken, Jasmine white rice, Grilled Pork Butt Steaks sliced thin

needless to say we ate very very well.

We played Christian Music and then switched to 60's and 70's too. I was surprised at how familiar all the kids were with our "Oldies songs". 

At night as we sat around the fire cooking our "schmoes" (smores, but I like saying it the "TOY Story" way) We played silly pranks, and retold hysterical stories. lastly we said our sleepy "goodnights". I was sad to see yet another day end, but as much as I tried I could not make it last longer.

Before we knew it the weekend ended and the sad pack-up began early on the last day. I went into town early for some fresh bagels for breakfast...no cooking, greasy clean-up or waiting for grills to cool down. We sat down to an assortment of bagels and cream cheese and butter, fruit, coffee cake, orange juice and apple danishes.

We gave hugs and lingered in the beautiful surroundings til it was almost silly considering we all live within minutes of each other!!!

Goodbye Lake, see you again soon

Just a Thought

    

                   Strange times we are living in.

                         Pandemic

                            violence

                                Hate

                                   Fires

                                      Floods

                                         Death to our bodies

                                             Death to our Humanity

                                                 Death to our very souls

                        

                                                        source

         ...and what is left?

     What is left after all that? 

             

     What is there after being stripped, and left with raw skin and heart exposed.

In the swirling darkness of sadness and despair, hate, fear and despondency...There is a NOTHING that swallows us and destroys us until we're part of that swirling seething emptiness.

I have to keep reminding myself...

                       There is HOPE

                          There is healing

                            There is Kindness

                                There is LOVE

                                    There is disagreement without Violence

                                        There is beauty

                                            There is God

   And once we can seek and see and feel that

             Then those who would rather we hate and hurt will have no power

                       and maybe we can heal, forgive, and start again.

                      

                                                             source

               we can put down that stone and dare not cross that line.

                        and we can encourage others to do the same

                                      God please help us

                                         It can be done

                                            Let us try

               

                        

           

Artsy Fartsy Friday....Street Art by David Zinn...Guaranteed Smiles

                

                 Happy Friday, Its been ages since I've done a Artsy Fartsy Friday post. 

But I woke up determined.... 

                               and you will not be disappointed. 

I LOVED art that I find out of the blue.   

No museum or show...Just art as I'm walking around.

 The people of Ann Arbor Michigan are very very lucky to have this artist in their area. 

His name is David Zinn and he creates art out of the cracks and imperfections we walk by, and step on.

Well, you'll see.  Here is David Zinn....amazing artist that will make you smile.

                        

                                         David Zinn Master Street Chalk Art

                                 Posted to YouTube by: ahloke cafe  

               

                     Have an amazing weekend! Be safe, be happy and smile  

                                               Blessings, Joanne

   

                                             

I'm Moving

              I've decided to move.

              I have loved living on Long Island. I moved here when I got married. I was a city girl through and through and even though Long Island was not that far away, it was quite the adjustment. 

The first, was the noise (or lack there of). I was so used to hearing sirens, fireworks, arguments and yes at times gunshots.

Here was a silence that kept me up at night.

In the city I lived in a dull colored building with dull colored walls and a metal elevator box whose walls were smeared with oil to discourage graffiti. 

The smell of urine was everywhere in the summer.

I LOVED that city.

                      

  

It was exciting, and open to all at all times.

                    

There was food from every culture available whenever the craving hit.

                                     

                                 source  

As a child I enjoyed the Henry Street Settlement and I think I saw the famous Paper Bags Players there.

               

                                               source

I was a proud tour guide to friends from out of town and looked upon the statue of liberty and other landmarks with new appreciative eyes each and every visit.

When I moved I found all new loves...

I loved the trees and colors and the ocean and so many beaches to chose from.

                 

                                                                source

I Love the Hamptons with its glimpses (through sky-high hedges) of the wealthy "summering" in their huge mansions.

I Love mom and pop stores and towns with an Old timey feel.

                                           

                 

                                          Cold Spring Harbor

My love of books finds me spending hours in the few books stores left here.

Book Revue is a gem and whenever I enter I drink in the scent of book pages and  friendly atmosphere.

                                                    

                                                 source

Even though I have lived here on the Island for 25 years and 31 in the city...

I'm moving.

I want to move to..... Sesame Street. Now, I know I'll be moving back to the city, but when I lived there I never found exactly where this street was located. I want to live there on that block....nowhere else will do.

                      

                                                         source

I want to move and I will let go of the beaches and my sweet little cottage style home to live in an apartment and block where its clean and colorful.

                                          

Singing takes the place of arguing.

All cultures are respected and celebrated.

There is no Hate....just a very grumpy grouch that lives in a magical trash can.

There is a giant bird that everyone looks after and cares for.

There are lessons to be learned and they are learned in loving gentle tones

No one calls anyone hateful names.

People don't bully each other just because they might believe differently, look differently

On Sesame Street kindness and understanding is the norm

Empathy is stressed... putting yourself in another's shoes...trying to understand whats in the heart of another....what a beautiful thing empathy can be.

I want to move there.

                     

  

                         In that empathetic, loving colorful sing-song world.

                   

                                        I want to live there.

It's Like a Bad Dream

                      Hi to All,

                      I am praying all of you are well and safe.


                      Surreal... isn't it?

                      Like a bad dream


  When we were all celebrating the new year never did I think that the whole world would be in the grips of this thing, this virus.


I am not going to go into describing how bad it is, because everyone knows. Here in NY things seemed to have changed overnight.

Even though I know I have to stay home, I can't really. I have a mom in her eighties and she needs me to do a lot for her. I want more than anything to bring her home to stay with me, but since my husband is considered an essential worker....I don't want to take the chance of her being exposed in my home. So I wipe down her groceries and I pray that whenever I enter her apartment I am not bringing the virus in with me. 

I guess what has surprised me the most is the constant knot in my stomach.
Even during hurricane Sandy and Katrina, we could move to safer ground. We could move to a place where there was no danger if we needed to or were forced to. 
With this there is nowhere to run. Everyone in the world is dealing with this.

Here in New York we are on lock-down sort of speak. I live on Long Island so it is a bit better than the city. There's a bit more room and not as crowded. Every time I have to go to the store the tension and fear is on everyone's faces. People keep their distance and no one talks to anyone. I try to smile at people even though all I want to do is run out of the store, but I make it a point to look at people and smile. 

We need smiles

We need to feel a bit or normalcy

We need love and a smile says..."Hey, It's ok. You're going to be ok".

we need to pray.

pray hard.

shout it out loud

I look forward to every Sunday as my family and I attend our church online.

There, on our screen are our friends playing their instruments and a bit later is our pastor giving us encouragement with God's word.
I always feel better.
Our church is a "Huggy" church.
We give hugs freely and often. I miss those hugs and I miss giving them.

Many of my friends are hospital personnel and I worry for them too.

If you are living in one of the places where it hasn't hit hard yet...please take heed. Make sure you have what you need for a couple weeks stuck at home. I would say save a bit more than that quite frankly....

If you can't find stuff like purell or hand sanitizing wipes...don't panic. The virus has a fat coating that is washed away from good old fashioned hand-washing. Remember those commercials where it shows Dawn liquid being used to clean off oil soaked wildlife?

Don't touch your eyes, face, mouth when you're out or until you can wash your hands.

When you go food shopping clean and disinfect half of your kitchen table. The other half will be considered "dirty". The dirty side is where you will put your groceries and wipe them down with disinfecting wipes or if you don't have that... wash the containers off with dish soap. Dry them with a clean paper towel or super clean towel. place the now clean container on the "clean" side of the table. I open potato chip bags and fold over the top a couple of inches. Then I take a gallon sized baggie and pour the chips inside. Even if the sides of the bag touches the baggie....its ok, remember you have folded the sides over.

When all are clean, put everything away and clean off the "dirty" side of the table. Cloth bags are great because you can simply throw them in the wash. After that wash your hands and relax.

Whenever a person comes in from outside, wipe down the door knobs and make sure the first thing they do is wash their hands.

Have them take off their shoes at the door and put their clothes directly into a laundry bag or better yet right into the washing machine.

Don't listen to the news all day. It will only bring you down. Listen, for a few minutes then turn off the TV or watch something that brings you joy. For me ( believe it or not) it's the Andy Griffith show. I have many many episodes on my DVR and everyday I watch one or two.

I started painting again and I'm working on a new idea for a youtube channel. We shall see what happens.

My best friend sent me these three books and I can't wait to start them.
                          

It's a collection of fairy tales but with a twist. I think they are meant for a much younger reader but you know what? I need to escape reality for a bit.

I guess that's it for now.

I'll be praying for each and every one of you and if you can please pray for those who are in the grips of this horrible evil thing. Over and over again (in the bible) God heard the cries of HIS people. Lets humble ourselves before HIM.

Be Safe and Healthy
Blessings, Joanne

His First Road Trip

So my son is going on his first unchaperoned "Guy's road trip".

Let it be known that I, Joanne (AKA nervous Mom) was never on board with this stupid stinkin' idea.

He's 18

Leaving in the middle of the night

Going out of state

to go snowboarding

(He's never gone snowboarding before)

In a huge truck

I HATE this stupid stinkin' idea

I HATE the fact that both my kids are old enough to do these things on their own and to top things off the HUBSTER is on board with the STUPID STINKIN" IDEA.

All I know is that my son just left and its 3:30 am and I'm up and The Hubster is fast asleep.

I feel like slowly pushing him off the bed until his snoring body hits the floor!

OK, Listen up people...I know that my son is old enough to vote and fight for his country ( though I doubt the armed forces would take a kid who needs three alarms to get up in the morning and still I have to yell for him to get the heck out of bed!!! Tuition is 40,000 a year and heck yeah I'm going to yell! But I still see him as teeny tiny and needing to hold my hand.

So my son is off and I worry about ever possible scenario.

                              Drunk drivers


      
                      source







                         

                                               

                                                           Speeding
                                        
                                         

                                                                            source

                                                 Bad Weather
                                                   
                                                         
                                                   source

                                             

 And Shameless Hussies 
                                                                         

                                                                                                Source

     
So as you can tell, I don't particularly like this new stage in Momhood...and if I were to be graded...I'd get an "F" for being uncooperative, talking too much and not playing nice. I need detention...that's right put me in a quiet room where all I have to do is read or sleep.....heaven.