I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO YOU?

Forgive and forget? Sorry, but no!

Over this past year, I have done all that I could do to protect myself, my family and the rest of society. How? By simply wearing my mask. I have been able to go anywhere and do anything that I chose to do. The only thing stopping me has been you, the maskless people who 'choose' to put the entire nation at risk by enabling a virus to continually spread and at this point kill over a half a million fellow citizens.

When businesses reopened and my job was available to me once more, I returned to work. As a responsible adult, I was contributing to the economy and supporting myself. My job does not offer insurance so if I were to get sick, it would be an extreme financial burden for me. The risk had been low until Covid came along. Even so, I was ready to do what needed to be done. I took the precautions available to me and continued to do my job.

In November, after many months of doing my part and being ridiculed for being a 'sheep' and being 'afraid' and being 'controlled' while protecting these same people, I was tired of placing myself and my family at risk while being treated so poorly. It is very hard to work in customer service, smile and be pleasant to people who obviously cared nothing at all about you (or others for that matter).

When our local firehall decided to go ahead with their annual gun raffle, usually the social event of the year, complete with the all-you-can-eat buffet and the all-you-can-drink beer tent just one week before the Thanksgiving weekend, the writing was on the wall. Covid was about to surge in my area. I opted out. I quit my job and stayed home just as these anti-mask people had been saying to do.

I have been unemployed now for four months with no income. The only thing I did get was insurance, Medicaid. Yep, I'm a drain on society. Too bad folks.

I recently have had the opportunity to receive the Covid vaccine and jumped on the chance of returning to a more normal life. Research and statistics show that these vaccines provide extremely good protection against the virus and total protection against hospitalization and death. I can reenter the world with confidence.

The varients that are appearing are more contagious and possibly more likely to lead to hospitalization for those who had previously avoided the worst outcomes overall, the young adults. I see these people going about their days as if there were no pandemic, gathering together without masks. As we go forward and these people now start falling very ill, I find that I have no pity for them. I really don't care, in the words of the former first lady. Let them reap what they have sown!

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

The world is definitely changing. As difficult as it is to accept all the craziness that is going on all around us, change is a necessary and positive thing.
Letting go of the past to allow for the new is never easy. We see the world that we grew up in being torn apart and grasp for the familiar. The thing is, the new may be something so much better than we ever could have expected.
Consider this; children who are reaching adulthood today never experienced 9/11. They never experienced a world without school shootings. They've been raised with anti-bullying campaigns and can recognize that behavior even in their own parents when we are unaware of it ourselves. They know what global warming is and the things we can do to lessen its impact.
These are the newlyweds, the parents to be. There are very few things in life that bring into focus what kind of world we want to live in than impending parenthood.
As a person of some age, I knew how to navigate the world that I spent my lifetime in. It doesn't seem to exist anymore but I believe something better is coming. We are going to survive these growing pains.
You and I might have opposing views of what this new world will or should look like. Doesn't matter, we'll both probably be proven wrong. If we trust that God is in charge, neither of us has reason to fear the change.

PANDORA'S BOX

Back in February it was easy. I could watch the news and feel confidant in my decisions. I followed the events in Italy closely because we seemed to be about two weeks behind them. I decided to clear my debts, make sure that my pantry and freezer had enough to keep us fed for two to three weeks. I prepared for the inevitable shelter in place. I was ready. 
I waited for our President to make the announcement. It never came. Eventually the governors finally did the job. It fell to them to prepare, to procure what was necessary to keep their citizens safe while we learned what this disease was, how to treat it most effectively, how quickly it could spread, what the mortality rate might be. No one had seen this virus before and no one could say with any certainty what to expect.
Today we know that this disease is extremely contagious. We know that over 90% of those that get it recover. We know that those who suffer the most or die from it are predominantly elderly or have underlying conditions. We have learned a lot. Do we know everything? Certainly not.
I'm old enough to remember chickenpox. We knew then that it was a one time disease. Once you had it, you had immunity. It was much harder on adults than on children so when a kid came down with it, there were chickenpox parties to intentionally infect the kids so we could get it over with while we were young. It wasn't deadly, we only needed to avoid aspirin so as not to get Reye's syndrome. Most children today are vaccinated against this disease but these days people of my age are getting shingles vaccines because the chickenpox we had as kids never completely left our bodies. It laid in wait for when our bodies grew older and weaker.
The point is, we rarely know what we think we know.
As a person who falls into the vulnerable population for Covid, I really would prefer to not take my chances of recovering well from this disease. Most of my friends are also vulnerable to the worst of what this disease can hand out and I certainly wouldn't want to put them at risk.
I am not old enough to retire yet so I have to go to work. When we first opened the economy, people were wearing their masks and I could feel that at least the attempt was being made and if I kept my hands clean and did my part, I stood a reasonable chance of staying safe. 
These days, few people are wearing masks and all of the hand washing in the world doesn't remove their contagions from the air. While at work I do not have the option to remove myself from the situation. Out of the hundreds of people that come through the door, it only takes one to pass this virus to me and from me to my partner.
I don't know how many of you have dogs but if you have ever travelled with one you'll be familiar with the window. Those nose prints are gross and hard to clean. That is how my plexiglass screen gets at work if we don't stay on top of it. That shows me that people put out more nastiness when they breathe than they think they do,
As I go about life outside of work, I've become more aware of the people around me. There are fewer and fewer places that I feel confident to be in. My world is slowly shrinking. 
I no longer feel capable of preparing for what may come. I watch the news and seek information from other countries to gauge what actions will be best for me and my family and get no answers. No other country is in our position. Pandora's box has already been opened and the lid lifted off.

REOPENING THE ECONOMY

We all agree that small businesses need to be able to reopen. Before they do they need many permits, registrations etc .Covid or not, it is part of having a business. All of those cost a lot of money to procure. They also need employees that are able and willing to come to work. They put all of that expensive paperwork at risk if they don't comply with CDC guidelines, and most of their employees are not high income people. They come to work to earn a paycheck to pay their bills and feed their families just like anyone else. As more and more people come into a business 'choosing their freedom' to not wear a mask the risk per dollar earned grows less and less at the same time that the treatment that they receive from these customers gets more and more belligerent. It is rapidly reaching the point where the stress and risk is no longer worth the money that is made.

DEAR GOD, I'M ANGRY!

Dear God, I'm angry!

Right now, it seems as if everyone is angry. And why not, the whole world is in upheaval.

I learned a long time ago that anger is really fear and frustration over things we cannot change. Generally, I manage to overcome my anger by asking myself what I'm afraid of. Let's see, that would be; a pandemic of a highly contagious unknown virus, an economy that is barely holding on leaving many wondering where their next meal is coming from, a broken food supply system, an America that has become the Divided States over the past decade plus, and a future that nobody knows what it will look like. What do I have no control over; the virus, the economy, the food chain, American politics, the future.

The only thing I have control over is myself. Not other people, not Mother Nature, only me. So yes, I'm angry. I'm afraid and I'm frustrated and I'm praying for miracles. A miracle to heal our planet. A miracle to heal our nation. A miracle to heal our spirits.

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT

Dear Mr. President,
    I want you to know that while I do not identify as Democrat or Republican, I do identify as an American. I am proud of my country and believe in their can do spirit.
    I implore you to stay the course. I believe that the 15 Day Plan is the best and possibly the only hope for our country. I know that it has been over a week and seems to you as if we've made no progress in its goals. I want you to realize that in actuality we are closer to day one.
    Only four days ago I was standing at the register of the small business in which I work. Nearby all six Skills games were in use, retirees, working people, young people sitting shoulder to shoulder, swapping machines talking about which of the many places they frequent are paying out. As soon as one would leave, another would take their place. So many hands, so much close contact.
    As they sat and joked about the virus being 'fake', a 'conspiracy, only happening in the cities, I also had to wait on regular customers. The family of four stopping in on their way by along with their friends. Suddenly there are 14 people in this space. I sold one pack of cigarettes.
    This is rural America. The people are good hard-working patriotic citizens but they clearly haven't been getting the message. The shutting down of the non-lifesustaining businesses was the wake up they needed.
     If you do 'reopen' the economy at this time, the virus wins, America loses and the economy will still tank. Sick workers cannot work. Dead people do not buy goods.
   I believe in America. Conquer this virus and the economy will soar again. Keep America Great. Face what we must do, can do, will do and then with a collective sigh of relief we can move on.

OUR SHELTERS

I haven't been writing much lately. I don't like to write just for the sake of writing. I reserve it for when I actually have something I want to share. I would like to take a few minutes of your time to express how much our animal shelters need your help.

Where I live we are fortunate to have no-kill shelters.

This was where I found JoJo. I am ever so grateful for the care they gave him before I arrived. He was a case where the prior owners dumped him at the shelter in the middle of the night. With their cameras they were able to locate them and find out why they got rid of him. The man said that he bit him when he was disciplining him and showed them a small scratch. The first time I gave JoJo the sit command he did it but without eye contact and obvious fear. He certainly wasn't expecting the praise I gave him.

 Our store does a donation drive every year for this shelter which is located nearby. They have a capture/spay/release program for stray cats and sometimes bring animals up from high-kill shelters to find homes for those at high risk of euthanasia through no fault of their own.

 Most shelters don't have that luxury. There is only so much space to house all of the animals that come through their doors.

Some were found as strays. Some are lost pets whose owners need to be found (if possible). Some are owner surrenders. "I can't take care of him anymore." "I'm relocating due to work and can't find housing that allows pets." "This cat keeps escaping and coming back pregnant."

Some come from puppy mills. Some come from dogfighting situations.

Once in the shelter, they all are scanned for a microchip. If one exists, the hope is that it has been registered and updated. If an owner can be located, they are not always willing to pay the fee and collect their pet. If there is no owner looking for the animal they need to be checked by a vet to see if they have any communicable diseases. After they are determined to be adoptable, the wait for a forever home begins.

The kennel environment itself proves too much for many animals who either shutdown or become aggressive. This makes their odds even lower.

I once went to the shelter to adopt a cat. This was before it became a no kill shelter. I told them that I wanted the cat that was highest on the list for euthanasia. Muffy was a seven year old cat with 24 toes, six on each paw. She had 24 claws that had grown so long that they had curved back into her own paws. She was terribly matted. The vet told me that they could put her under and shave her if I wanted. I said no and took her home. I worked on those mats with my fingers and with scissors and my ex bathed her to loosen the ones that had formed around her feces. We clipped her claws and gently pulled the ends from her feet. The next challenge was teaching her to be a cat. I sat in the doorway until she got comfortable with that. Next was the sidewalk, and finally the yard. She was very cautious and concerned at the feel of grass. Eventually, her days consisted of laying in the yard and soaking up the heat of the sun. I am convinced that she had lived in a cage her entire life up until the day I adopted her. As she was, her odds were pretty poor. I am so glad that the second half of her life was a good one.

In the book. "ONE at a Time" the authors spent one week at a typical city shelter. This book was published in 2003 but the statistics overall still hold true. In just that one shelter, in that one city, in one week:

363 animals passed through the shelter

240 were brought in lost or stray

14 were brought in for euthanasia due to illness or old age

3 were taken in under protective custody

15 were found and claimed by their families

6 were dead on arrival

6 died after arriving

2 were stolen

2 were transferred to other shelters

215 were adopted to new homes

117 were euthanized

How to help

Volunteer (walk the dogs, give them a break from kennel time, give them human contact)

Donate (vets, food, running spay/ neuter programs are only some of the expenses)

Adopt (make room in the shelter for yet another animal, don't support the continued breeding for profit that exists everywhere.

Be a responsible pet owner. Spay or neuter your pet. License and microchip your pet. Provide vet care, love, training and commitment to your pet. You'll be well rewarded.

If you have rental property, agree to rent to responsible pet owners.

PLEASE, consider the shelter worker who chose this life because of their love for animals. They are forced to choose between this animal and that one, who lives and who dies. Instead of saving them all, they hold them and speak softly as they put them down to make room for the endless stream. It is heartbreaking beyond words. HELP THEM!!

RECENT READS

I am still devouring books. I average a book each week. I've been very fortunate in February to have found two exceptionally enjoyable reads.

First, I picked up 'A Dog's Way Home'. This is by the same author as 'A Dog's Purpose' which still holds the rank of my favorite book.

The dog hero of this novel finds himself searching for his way home to the man who loves him. Along the way he makes many unlikely friends and has numerous relationships, some of which last for quite some time but he never loses sight of his goal, to find his way home. Besides being entertaining, this book highlights the effects of antibulldog laws and many issues effecting veterans.

A great read that I highly recommend.

The second book I want to tell you about is 'A Man Called Ove'.

Ove is your classic curmudgeon. He is a widower who finds himself pushed into retirement. He feels as if his time on earth is pretty much finished. Fortunately for us, and for his neighbors, each time he finds a way to join his wife, someone needs him. As he grudgingly goes about being helpful to his neighbors and that annoying cat, he rediscovers a purpose in life. Although my description sounds quite somber, I guarantee you that you will smile as you recognize these characters in the people that you know in your own neighborhood. I can't wait to share this book with my friends!

BECOMING A BETTER PERSON

You need a dog!

I have been noticing more often how much a dog can influence the lives of their owners in positive ways. I always knew it but sometimes it becomes more apparent.

The other evening my neighbors dog came to visit. I never mind, he is a great dog, but I also know that it isn't permitted. Apparently he had wandered off while they were working on the numerous projects that accumulate over the winter months.

The next evening I spotted their entire family headed out for a hike. Sometimes it takes a dog to remind us of the importance of taking time out for fresh air, exercise, family time and nature.

These winter months have left my dog and I with a few extra pounds. He is young and energetic. Me, not so much. I thought the ideal solution, besides walking along the road all the time, might be a flirt pole. This is similar to a cat toy. It's a pole with a stretchy cord and a stretchy toy at the end. Terrific for exercising a dog while you stand in one place. However, before we can begin to use this new wonder we have to conquer a few new skills. 

We need to learn the game of fetch. Apparently this is not an automatic thing for dogs, at least not my dog. I had to break it down. Throw the toy. "Fetch" "Bring it" "Give" "Good boy" Treat

Repeat. Seems easy right? Once or twice we get through the chain.

Throw, fetch, drop toy halfway back. "Get it. The toy. Get it." "Good, bring it. Give. No tug of war, Give. Good. Treat." 

It is a lesson in patience and in figuring out how to get through to him what he needs to do to make the game continue.

I have found myself breaking down many command/responses this way over the past year. I learned the power of yes!

Bringing a dog into your life is a rewarding and challenging thing. Every dog is unique and no matter how many dogs you have had, each has a special gift to bring.

I recently read a book by Erin Taylor Young. The book is 'Surviving Henry - Adventures in Loving a Canine Catastrophe'.

It was definitely a laugh out load read. I know, I've seen that phrase on many a dust jacket too and barely cracked a smile but this book actually lives up to it. Her Henry is definitely a handful! Her humor through the frustration and damage a dog can cause is wonderful. Her conclusion is even more so.

She writes:

"Through Henry, God has been giving me not needless suffering, but a lesson in real love - God's love. The kind of love he has for me. The kind that's the hope for all of us flawed creatures.

Real love can't be about satisfying a feeling. It's too hard for that. It costs and it hurts and it's one life-wrenching mess of a lesson. Its choices and challenges and changes that are about you and not about the other person. It's embracing - no, embodying - the notion of unconditional giving. Of mercy. Of commitment.

It's becoming a better person for having lived through the crucible.

God did not punish me with a whacko dog. Henry is a gift. An opportunity day by day, minute by minute, disaster by disaster, to discover not what Henry can become, but what I can become.

I wouldn't trade this adventure for anything.

Maybe, after all is said and done, this isn't a dog's redemption story at all.

Maybe it's mine."

I know that the love, joy, pain, sorrow of sharing a lifetime with a dog has changed me in profound ways. I am becoming a better person.

THE POWER OF YES

(Or what my dog has taught me)

When I first brought JoJo home, I was afraid I may have made a big mistake. This little dog barked at everything. He hoarded his food dish, running off with it after gulping down his meals. Nothing was safe from his chewing. He cowered whenever he got yelled at.

We began slowly. First step, 'sit'. At first he cowered and tried to slink away as if I were yelling at him. When instead, he got a reward and praise he began to understand his first "YES!" 

We continued finding new things to do and tricks to get more praise. He sure enjoys hearing that 'Yes'.

Still, we have some issues to work through. He has run off on me more than once and I find myself keeping him on a lead or a leash. He seems to tune me out when I call him. Then it struck me, he hadn't learned the associated 'yes' yet. I've extended his lead so that he has the entire side yard for his playground. I use treats to put him into a sit/stay and walk around the corner. Wait a moment and call out, "JoJo, Come!" He comes flying to get his treat, praise and 'yes'. I have stopped rewarding with the treat every time and do so at random, but he is coming when called, even when he's out on his own and I'm just calling him in.

How remarkable the transformation since the days of hollering "no" and generating even more fear and nervousness in this poor animal. The simple act of recognizing that he didn't know what I do want as opposed to me simply appearing to not wanting anything he was doing has resulted in incredible changes in both of us.

We truly enjoy our time together and finding new things to say yes to.

I wish I had such an epiphany when I was raising children. With the advantage of age, I see so clearly now how always correcting kids does little in teaching them the joy of "Yes, I'm proud of you. You did a good job!" Give children the opportunities to do the 'right' thing at every stage of their lives and be sure to reward them when they do. The results are astounding.

Now, if I can only figure out how to reinforce the 'yes' to not barking whenever the fuel truck backs up the driveway!

CACOPHONY

There are times when I feel overwhelmed by the world in which we live. Terrorist groups, school shootings, the opioid epidemic, the Tide Pod challenge. How did we ever get here?
I see and hear from people all the time about gun control, immigration, violent video games, pharmaceutical lobbies, discipline, the list goes on and on.
I am left to wonder just what has changed over all these decades. I see technology as the root of our problems, or more specifically, our use of technology.
The further back in time that we look, the closer our family ties were. Transportation was slower and our communities were more rural in nature. This meant that most of our time was spent with family. We also spent time in our schools and places of worship. Our upbringing was defined by those that we were exposed to.
Enter the television.

When I was young there were three stations and PBS if you used the UHF dial. The news was one hour nightly and most of the programming was variety shows and sitcoms. There we became aware of things happening beyond our community. Still, we watched TV as a family. 

It wasn't long before we developed the TV dinner and tray tables. The family meal was becoming a thing of the past. Soon, TV became the babysitter, keeping the kids occupied and out of their parents hair.

Today we have 100+ channels and in order to fill all of that time the networks have had to create programming that is often meaningless. We have channels dedicated to sports, food, news, weather, history. We have information (and disinformation) overload. 

I remember the first home video game.

It really wasn't much more than a way to pass some time. Board games and card games with family and friends was still much more entertaining. Today's games are much more realistic looking, more addictive and solitary.

Along came the home computer and with it came the internet, although at 2400 baud it was slow. 

The computers of today allow us access to pretty much anything and everything that we can conceive of. It is wonderful to be able to keep in touch with friends and family that live all over this country. I love finding new recipes with just a few clicks of the mouse. But I also find my inbox full of links to 'cheap viagra', 'meet singles', 'bitcoin opportunities', yada, yada, yada.

When we are young, we're taught how to be a contributing family member. Then we are taught how to be a member of our school and our church. In high school we are taught how to be a member of our community. It was in early adulthood that we learned how to be a member of the world at large.

Society these days, exposes children of very young ages to the world at large. We expect them to be able to develop a worldview without laying the groundwork in our homes first. 

In my time, kindergarten was a fairly new concept. Now we have preschool. Children need that time to experience and learn family membership and to have the people in their lives model how to be 'good' people before they are sent forth into the larger world.

We have abdicated our roles as parents to the so-called experts and to technology. 

There was a time when communication occurred face-to-face or over landlines. You actually had to sit where the phone was located, (and where you were within earshot of your parents) in order to use it.

In the modern world, children compete with technology for their parents' attention. Parents compete with technology for their children's attention. Look around on any street  and you will see people walking around with a phone capable of delivering violent games,, internet craziness, news and nonnews, viewpoints with which we strongly agree and viewpoints with which we strongly disagree. Our young people have developed an addiction to these phones and we are the ones who give it to them.

DON'T FORGET - YESTERDAY

It seems that lately the books I read, the conversations I have, the news I hear, a recurring theme is Alzheimers and forgetting. Since this disease runs in my family and is the thing I fear most, I have given a lot of thought as to all of the things I don't want to forget.
It really isn't the places I've been or have lived. I have many fond memories but if they were to fade away, I don't think it would destroy me.
I would like to remember the people that I have loved and those that have influenced me. Knowing who I can turn to, who I can trust would be a very good thing. Even so, if my memory of them was lost, I doubt if I would know that it matters.
The things that I have experienced such as childhood, parenthood, life experiences are things that I could let go of too. I have already lived them and they are part of my past.
What I truly want to hold on to is the lessons that have been the end result of the places, people and experiences of my life. The me that I have become. The knowing of my place in the universe, as small as it may be.
Confronting those things that had held me in their grip from my past, when I looked honestly at them, showed me that at every age of my life, it was I that had the greatest influence on every level. Rage, guilt, shame washed way.
The lesson that I determine my life is a lesson I never wish to forget.
The lesson that guilt and shame creates a wall between myself and spirit, a sin even greater than any 'crime' I may have committed is one that I hold dear. I never want to forget that.
Learning to be grateful in the face of adversity knowing that all things lead back to spirit is another lesson that was hard to learn and that I never want to forget.
Every life is an opportunity to learn, to advance the spirit. The lessons of my life have created a me that I can live with, a me that I don't want to forget.

A FULL CUP

I love my morning cup of coffee when I have the day off from work. The day lies in wait for whatever I choose to do with it.

Those calm quiet moments, waiting for daylight to come, are a joy for me. I sip and ponder what the day will bring.

On workdays, I tend to hurry through two cups, counting on the caffeine to help jump start my day. I have a time frame to go by after all. That's not a bad thing. It's nice to have the decisions already made for me as to how to proceed with the day.

No matter which type of day it is, one of the things I do as I drink my morning joe is to try to greet the day with a smile. I find that if I can intentionally bring a positive attitude to my morning the day will nearly always continue to be a good day.

I saw this gem on my Facebook feed and found it definitely worth sharing. Perhaps it will give you something to pause and think upon.

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH

When this ugly thing left the bathroom, I was happy to see it go. We have them in every room and paint does not make them look any better.

After replacing the floor, toilet, sink, and basically redoing the entire bathroom, it was time to replace the heat source. You can imagine my dismay when I realized that we would be using one of these.

"It will look good." he said.

"I'd like to put them in all the rooms," he says.

"Aack," I think.

I need to learn to have a little faith and trust his judgment more. I love my radiator! It just needed some less than tender loving care. It needed sandblasted.

PROGRESS

I had been posting about our home improvement project, renovating the bathroom. For two old folk, this was a major undertaking. Although we still haven't completed the details (a new mirror, a radiator, a door) I have to look back and realize just how much we have accomplished.

We managed to turn this into...

this!

We have recently undertaken another major task. Our one year old dog who has had four families before becoming part of ours has proven to be quite a task as well.
JoJo arrived a fearful dog. He barked at every new sound. He had trouble focusing. He was full of nervous energy.
It has been a slow process of introducing him to many new experiences (like water and swimming), sounds (children, traffic, chickens), and feelings (like being cradled, scolded, praised) to help him overcome most of his fears.
The more things that he succeeds at the more confidant he is in facing new things. His focus is getting better as we worked on 'sit' and have now added 'shake hands'.
He no longer fears that we'll take his toys (although I trade them out occasionally to keep them fresh and not boring) or that his food will disappear. He grazes now instead of gobbling it and trying to hide the bowl.

From this to

This.

I remind myself to enjoy where we are, even though there will always be more work to be done.

Celebrate the Progress!

MY PERSONAL EVOLUTION

As usual, I've been reading. The topic was the theory of evolution and the survival of the fittest versus intelligent design.
Like most people, I grew up seeing the chart of ape to man and was taught that earth's origins began with the big bang. I was told that all that I see began with primordial ooze.
The problem is, there are too many gaps and too many leaps to make this believable. How many cells had to develop and be found to be useful and thus retained to develop a single eye? Hundreds? Thousands?
I can accept that animals that don't necessarily need eyes do not have the vision of a human. I can accept that a human doesn't have the vision of an eagle. But I can't fathom how simple cells could develop into such complexity. Did nature determine that a means to see the world meant the necessity of incorporating a multitude of individual cells each performing a specific purpose in unison could be achieved all at one time?
Speaking of eyes, looking into the eyes of a fellow human being or a dog or a cat I see something that is not physical. I see sentience. I see a living being that is capable of joy, anger, jealousy, love.

Emotions have been explained as a result of chemicals in the brain. Certainly, there are drugs that alter those chemical levels and thus alter mood. I accept that fact. However, my next question is this,

What chemicals make it possible for me to even think about these things? Does that soul exist? Could a soul have been developed from primordial ooze?

Personally, I do believe in intelligent design. I believe that certain features of all species have changed over time to adapt to their environment. I do not see evidence that one species developed into another. I do not see the desire to live as having a molecular component but rather as a feature of the soul.

Life is a truly wondrous thing and I obviously do not have the answers to the questions that have been asked since at least all of recorded history but I do believe that the answers that I feel I have work for me and that releases chemicals in my brain (ie. I am happy with that.)

GENERATIONS

So how does it happen that this little girl grew to raise these two little girls?

And then, they raise these beautiful families of their own. Amazing!

BEST NEIGHBORS EVER

You know you have the most wonderful neighbors when this is what you come home to....

These personal cards gave me such cheer and comfort.

I'm truly blessed to have friends and neighbors such as these!

SNOW DAY!

Apparently God has decided that I needed to have a day off today. To be certain, my vehicle has been pretty much immobilized.

Even if I were to break it loose, where would I go? The road out front has nearly disappeared, although obviously someone with decent clearance managed to find it.

What to do with this extra day? Should I clean? Rest? Go out and play? Probably all of the above. I intend to appreciate the gift and I hope that you will too.