2nd installment of 10 things.....

Happy Wednesday

We are heading into a Charleston Summer, hot and because we are totally surrounded by water humid. Bugs love us here. Did I ever tell you about the alligator that lives in the pond at the park?

This is part two of the 100 things you never knew about me, the next 10.

1. I graduated from De Paul University in Chicago. I was also born in Chicago, I only lived there for a minute.

2. I can't Swim. Not one little bit. But my favorite place to be is the Beach. 

3. I love Classical music, and going to the Ballet. I took Ballet for years and wanted to b a dancer. I gave it up in College and decided to be a teacher instead.

4.  I am an Ice Cream Addict. I can eat Ice Cream all day long  and do. Strawberry Cheesecake, has to be Breyers I practically lived on it for a year when I was living alone. Ice cream and yogurt. 

5. I am 5'7" and used to weigh 260.00 pounds. I now weight 169.00. long time a lot of work. No ice cream :(

6. It is my lifelong dream to go to Israel. And I'm going. 

7. I read all the time. I forget to change the books on my blog, but I have read 9 sets of books since I posted that. I should update it.

8. I am a Amazing Race Fan. Big Time. Also used to like the Apprentice, but this time  it was boring. 

9. See me on the computer at 2 and 3 am? I am an insomniac, 

10. my favorite way to relax is to take a really hot bath, with a glass of champagne and Hersey Bar. I read it in a book, it works! no stress. So on really stressful days or night  I do it. you just chill the champagne, (or sparkling wine) until it is really cold and nibble on a couple of squares of chocolate. The combination of the two release something that relaxes y ou or maybe not. Maybe it is just a good combination of relaxer agents. Don't forget the book, or just mediate. 

Bonus: I think Chocolate is a Vegetable. Isn' it? Come on you think so too.  On any given night you will find me and a Wendy's Chocolate  frosty on the computer or reading a book.  Takes care of two cravings at once. 

Are you listening to your world?

Quiet. Stillness. Our world is so bombarded with noise we hardly know what to do when it is quiet. We had a power failure yesterday for about 10 minutes, and there was total silence in the house. I didn't realize how many little noises we just don't here during the day. 

Tasha and I crawled in bed for the time, it was cold so we snuggled,played finger games and read books. About 30 minutes later I heard a sound like humming and the refrigerator was on, funny I had never heard that before. it was so loud! Tasha jumped out and bed and turned on the big noisemaker, the Television. 

I had to stop and think, before I realize that is the first thing turned on every morning. Even though we don't watch it, it is always in the background. Until night and it is the last thing we turn off. 

I wondered if we were just afraid of silence? so I turned the set off. We spent the day listening. 

We went outside, what could i hear I haven't heard before?

we live two blocks from a major  street, the first thing I heard was the familiar cars, an occasional truck. then I thought about the people in those cars.

Where were they rushing to today? I prayed for the people the fire engine was going to, that no one was hurt. Funny I never thought  about that.

Then I heard the unfamiliar. 

I heard a bird scolding her mate. It had to be because I saw Him fly away a blue jay. I heardsquerrils scurrying trough the leaves. 

I heard way in the distance a baby crying, and I heard a little girl laughing up the road.

the neighbors had a disagreement, i heard their voices but not their words, the UPS man truck stopped across the street. It has a very distict engine i recognized it without seeing it. funny I never noticed before. All UPS trucks sound alike

When my kids were little and I home schooled we listened for the sound of that engine, it meant new school supplies, or presents from California and Grammy and Grandpa.

I spent a few minutes and talked to God. It is, after all His world. 

In our backyard we have a Huge oak tree, and the wind was blowing the branches. A cat meowed and the blue jay went crazy. I know she now she has babies in the tree. We will watch that carefully. 

The Cat, a Siamese who visits us from across the street took off in a fright. The mama blue jay, stood at the top of her nest and scolded.

What a look into nature.

We went back inside, it was after all, time for Dora. And that in Tasha's life is earth shattering. 

I found thinking that I need to listen more. 

How many times has Tasha been chattering to me, and i just nodded my head bu didn't hear?

How many times has an old friend talked to me  and I have only have listened to what was said because i have heard the story before?

I called a friend in Virginia, and really listened to our conversation. She is busily planning her daughters wedding. I learned a lot about the wedding, but a lot of it was prefaced by: I know I told you before but...

HMM, no, I don't remember. but I will remember from now on. Because I listened

I think starting to day, I will listen more. How much of life do we miss because we half listen to what is said, pay no attention to what is gong on around us? We don't take time to listen to nature.

Even our bodies talk to us and we don't listen. 

Ever had a fever and ignore it? then was surprised when you were very sick a week later?

Ever had a little pain and ended up at the doctors office because you ignored the warning?

We should listen to ourselves and other. We should listen to nature because that is God's way of calming us and keeping in in sync and mostly we should just listen because some day, maybe like my ex father in law we won't be able to listen without help. He told me, sadly, when his hearing was going, he always wished he had listened more, because now he couldn't.He tried, but it was all a blur to him.   He's gone now, but I remember.So today I am going to start to listen more.

Beforethe gift is gone.