H – is for all the hours of Homework help, and for never once making us feel stupid
A – is for all of our kiddie ‘Artwork’ you so proudly displayed on the fridge
P – is for all the Praise you heaped on us, no matter how big or small the accomplishment
P – is for Paying the bills, so we could just be kids
Y – is for our great back Yard, in which took place some of the best barbecues ever

F – is for being a Friend as often as you were a Father
A – is for pretending to act like an Adult every time Mom got mad catching you being as goofy as we were
T – is for wearing – with a big smile – every single one of those tacky Ties we gave you as presents over the years
H – is for stapling the Hem of my dress that time in the third grade when it ripped and Mom had already left for work
E – is for Eating every bite of our culinary experiments, no matter how many antacids you had to the pop afterwards
R – is for teaching us to Ride a bike – a major rite of passage
S – is for the extraordinary Strength you displayed as you handled life’s ups and downs

D – is for telling us to never give up on our Dreams…anything is possible
A – is for all of the wise, witty and wacky Advice you gave over the years…still fondly remembered
Y – is for the You-and-Me time – we are who we are because of that special bond.

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder
will remain with me forever.
(Author Unknown)

H – is for all the Hootin’ and Hollerin’ you’ve done on our behalf at all our games, whether we won or lost

A – is for the Ambulance you called when we fell out of that tree in the front yard

P – is for not giving up on the Potty Training, which has ended up paying off after all

P – is for all the Parties, birthday and otherwise, you’ve thrown over the years, each one better than the last

Y – is for saying “Yes” as many times as you had to say “No”

M – is for Marrying Dad so we could be here in the first place

O – is for celebrating our Oddities, telling us one day we would appreciate them…and you were right

T – is for Tasting our strained peas so we could see how yummy they were

H – is for the warm and loving Home you provided, a safe place to learn, laugh and grow

E – is for the Eyes in the back of your head that never missed a trick

R – is so we’ll always Remember, thanks to all the pictures you took, ad nauseum, of each memory big or small

S – is for all the bedtime Stories, making even the 82^nd reading sound as fresh as the first

D – is for teaching us to Drive, putting your own life at risk, because you knew eventually you could use this to your advantage

A – is for the other Ambulance you called when we fell out of that same tree a month later

Y – is for not making us quit our Yodeling lessons, even when you had to start self-medicating

Did You Know?  Anna Jarvis is recognized as the Mother of Mothers Day, even though she never married and never had kids.  She was inspired by her desire to honor her own mother.

To the world you might just be one person,

but to one person you might just be the world.

(Author Unknown)

To those of us for whom computers have always been, and always will be, a blessing AND a curse, this will hit the spot…

At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry, stating ‘If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.’

General Motors responded with its own press release.

If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following attributes:

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash…twice a day.
2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
3. Occasionally, inexplicably, your car would die on the freeway.  You would then be required to pull to the side of the road, close all windows, shut off the car, restart, and reopen windows before you could continue. You would simply accept this procedure without question.
4. Executing a maneuver such as a left turn would sporadically cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you must reinstall the engine.
5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive -  but would run on only five percent of the roads.
6. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single ‘This Car Has Performed an Illegal Operation’ warning light.
7. The airbag system would ask ‘Are you sure?’ before deploying.
8. At times your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
9. Every time a new car was introduced, buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
10. When all else fails, you would be expected to call Customer Service in a foreign country to receive instructions in the local lingo on how to fix your car yourself.

We did a little digging and found several informative resources stating that where you take the first bite of your Easter bunny apparently speaks volumes about your persona.  Want to discover more about yourself?  Who needs a shrink – read on…

Ears –You know what you want in life and how to get it. Whether it’s chocolate, money, or power, you take what you can get and act quickly. You have energy to spare and often cause anxiety in others due to the sheer force of your determination. You don’t lose sleep over this, though, as you’ve never been one to apologize for who you are.

We’re questioning this characterization, however, as polling results show that over 75% of us begin our delicious journey with the ears. If that’s the case, we’d all be Attila the Hun.

Eyes – You are a very expressive and sensitive person. Connections to people and animals mean a lot to you. You’re adventurous and love to regale others with your stories. An enthusiastic talker, you’re naturally charming and make friends easily. You’re the type most likely to pass out chocolate for Easter.

On the flip side, we’re wondering if it isn’t a bit twisted to start with the eyes of an innocent little bunny that never harmed a ‘hare’ on your head.

Feet – You are logical, rational, consistent, and take big decisions fairly seriously. You can be considered a bit aloof at times, but you’re probably just in analyzing mode. You’re disciplined and don’t let emotions control you. You prefer to be hands on, and are, at times, uncomfortable in large groups and certain social situations.

Tail – You are friendly, optimistic and kind hearted. You don’t have a harsh word for anyone. You’re creative and artistic, and cheerfully live in your own little world. You live your life freely, without guilt or restrictions.

An alternate source supports these conclusions, stating “Take It Easy” is your motto. Rampant ambition is not high your list and you don’t mind ‘working on the bottom’ for spell.

Wherever you begin, may your adventure be sweet.  Happy Easter!

"Create" by Chris Foster (Fine Art)

We’ve heard it before and known it all along, but this is so important it bears repeating – it has been scientifically proven that there’s a reason we go to the store for one item and come back with 12.  Shopping boosts your mood, makes you feel good.  Apparently, “retail therapy” has actual visceral rewards – shopping triggers the release of brain chemicals that bring on that buying high.  And really, who can think of a better drug?

What we didn’t realize before is that it’s partly genetic, i.e., the aforementioned delirious-inducing chemical named dopamine can be hereditary.  It could also have something to do with how much mall schlepping we did with mom and/or dad when we were kids; could have picked up a real flair for the process by watching and learning.

Wherever you formed your inclinations, however you inherited this delicious fixation, allow us to be your supplier, your “pusher,” so to speak.  It’s Spring, the weather is warming up, the flowers are blooming, we’re smiling and doing our little skippy-dances…perfect time to celebrate what is basically a foregone conclusion anyway, right? Enjoy the fruits of our labors!

You can’t swing a used teabag these days without stumbling across a celebrity tea-sipping photo op or famous face jumping on the brew bandwagon and backing or launching his or her own brand (Donald Trump? Ex-squeeze me??).  Therefore, let us take full advantage as well, and offer these expert tips that perfectionists (translation: tea snobs) maintain are the steps to brewing the perfect pot of tea…or, as we call it, Brewing for Dummies:

Large whole leaves are preferred over tiny tea balls, which apparently don’t give the leaves room to unfurl and infuse the water with flavor.  Place about 2 ½ teaspoons of leaves in a large strainer.  To avoid burning the tea leaves, the water should not be boiling hot.  After approximately three minutes (up to seven minutes for more delicate varieties), remove the strainer.  Purists don’t add milk or sugar (sniff), and believe that lemon overpowers the taste of the tea.  Now stick that pinky up in the air and start sipping!

Spiced Bourbon Tea
(A “subtle, exotic” tea cocktail)

1 tea bag, Earl Gray or black tea
2 star anise pods
5 cardamom pods
2 oz. Maker’s Mark or other high-quality bourbon
1 oz. simple syrup
1 orange slice

Place tea bag and spices in a large mug.  Fill with 6 ounces of boiling water.
Steep for 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove tea bag, but leave spices for
another 10 minutes; remove.
Add bourbon and simple syrup.  Stir lightly.
Garnish with orange slice.

OK, it’s midway through Month #2.  By now we have a pretty good idea in which direction we’re headed.  Ideally, we’re sprinting down Path A, smug and sanctimonious and feeling pretty darn good about ourselves, thank you very much.  We’re on track, meeting objectives, target clearly in view.  Those of us pacing ourselves down Path B are hanging in, can still look at ourselves in the mirror every morning – we haven’t given up.  Perhaps we were a bit too optimistic in our strategy, but we’ll defiantly tell you we’re proud of our accomplishments so far.  Then there are those of us sludging down Path C (or sitting by the side of it…grumbling about a torn ligament, and heat stroke, plus we broke a nail – eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s…washing it down with a big ole’ Slurpee).  But I digress.

As Mark Twain so eloquently put it:  New Years Day – Time to make your regular annual good resolutions; next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.  Why do we do continue to do this to ourselves every single year?  Put the pressure on, only so we can feel even lousier about ourselves when we don’t live up to those lofty expectations?  Seems like such a good idea at the time – new year, fresh start, motivation is high.

Problem is, last year’s life is still with you this year.  The kids still fuss, traffic doesn’t move, that employee (or boss) continues to drive you nuts, the toilet still runs, the dog gets in the trash and the spouse doesn’t magically start picking up his socks.  And that’s just Monday.  So be honest – are you really going to drop everything and run to the gym or control your temper/stress level or communicate without judging or not reach for that well-hidden package of Double Stuf Oreos?

Time to give yourself a break.  Yes, we can do it all, just not at the same time.  Mini-goals are the key…monthly, weekly.  I’ve even set hourly goals for a particularly challenging undertaking.  Now take a deep breath, give yourself huge kudos for all the things you have accomplished, and repeat after me:

If you can’t ride two horses at the same time you shouldn’t be in the circus.

And remember, when all else fails, there’s always next year…

He said:

For the children you bear to grow our family’s tree,

Then feed, burp and change them on five minutes sleep.

And read the same books till your brain feels like mush;

Delight in every accomplishment as you cheerfully gush.

For the meals you create and the cookies you bake,

Suppressing the yawns while good lovin’ you fake.

For picking out my ties and washing my socks,

And roll your eyes at me and my goof buddy jocks.

The ways that I love thee are infinite and rife,

My friend through it all…my partner for life.

She said:

For helping me bear those children you feed,

Tho we can do much, we still need your seed.

For mastering the BBQ and tending the lawn,

Starting my car when it’s cold at the harsh break of dawn.

For trying to repair the cracks and the gapes

With yet another new gadget and roll of duct tape.

As I calmly reach for the phone and start to dial,

To tell the real handyman he’s going to be here awhile.

The ways that I love thee are infinite and rife,

My friend through it all…my partner for life.

We say:

How can you say thanks, acknowledge this love?

Express how you feel to your sweet turtle dove?

We have wonderful pieces, many of them red,

To satisfy even the choosiest “He” or “She” said…

According to its founder, the Red Hat Society “began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor and élan. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next.” Now put together the color palette – red sassy hat, vibrant purple outfit – and an inspired alliance is born.

We say any organization associated with verve and silliness is right up our alley, so we were delighted to connect with a new artisan, Helen Lay (aka Butterfly Knits), creator of beautiful hand knit, hand felted, hand woven fashions. And as an homage to the Red Hat Society’s unique and inspirational mission, she created four ‘color appropriate’ purses, each hand knit, hand felted wool and lined with coordinating fabric…her signature ‘butterfly’ charm adds a wink.

So we tip our hat (red or not) to the newest member of our family, and hope you love her gorgeous, quality expressions as much as we do!

“We should be engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we’ve established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.”

Earl Nightingale

Celebrate Originality!