Driving Along Life's Highway

Unfortunately, no one is immunized from life's struggling economy. It happens far to frequently then any one of us would like to admit but we hope that we can make lemonade out of life's lemons.

Even in our little town of 23,000+ we see homeless people. Either standing at the end of the parking lot at the local Walmart or walking around town. You never know what their situations are but one of the first things I think of is I would hate to end up like them. Sometimes due to mental illness, substance abuse or sometimes just generalized reasons; it is sad.

I worked for several years blocks away from Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles. Most would not ask for handouts but just lay on the bus benches or on the curb sides or walk down the street amongst the working class. The shelters are usually filled to capacity each night so many sleep where ever they can.

The other day David and I needed to drive to Columbia to get some things done. While we were waiting to turn onto the street from the freeway I looked to my left next to the freeway underpass where I saw a shabbily dressed man with a sleeping bag and backpack on the ground gathering his small amount of belongings. As we sat in our car I thought to myself this is all this man probably has--what is laying there on the ground. It made me think how extremely fortunate we are to have a house, food and clothes to wear.

When ever I get frustrated about the daily struggles that are so small, I think I shall think about those people I remember from my days in L.A. when I was more desensitized. I guess it's the fact as we get older and worry about life more frequently it comes to the forefront that things can happen in the blink of an eye, even driving along life's highway.

Preparing Your Own Therapy

People find different experiences therapeutic. Some exercise, some read, garden or work on their cars. I have many things I like to do that help me to de-stress but one I put at the top of my list is cooking.

As a kid I would watch my family prepare different items, my grandparents loved baking. Especially during the holidays their were always those special cookies and once a year items. I did more watching than helping back then but now I love to create different things. Those observation sessions were wonderful but it's also great to concoct your own things too.

This past week I needed to come up with several items for an auction/bazaar at our annual church chili dinner. Since cranberries are a seasonal favorite I prepared my cranberry/white chocolate cookies and cranberry orange glazed mini loaves. Our annual dinner includes dessert for each person so I also made coconut pies. These items kept me busy for a couple days but again this was my therapy.

Then it was what to make for a progressive dinner. I had agreed to make an appetizer but again I wanted to make something different so I made little mini muffins with Gouda, Sundried Tomatoes and Maple Syrup. Yummy!! They actually seemed to have a pizza flavor to them in a little bit.

Usually my best critic is David. I can always gauge how good something is buy two things. One if he takes multiple portions; that's a good thing. If you ask him how something is and his reply is "It's alright". You probably don't want to make it again. I have been lucky he doesn't say this very often but over the years their has been a few.

It's taken me along time to learn how to cook in "bulk". Now when I really don't have too, I still do sometimes but hey their is always leftovers.

Another good point of this "therapy" is it's probably cheaper than a real therapist.

Trick or Treat

The trees are almost completely bare, the wind is blowing and it's that time of year again when you just can't stay out of the candy dish. I always seem to blow my diet and eat a good percentage of the candy I have bought for trick or treaters. Maybe I should buy candy I don't like and that might help me out? You would think I would learn but alas it brings back the memories of my childhood and the usual lack of getting to go trick or treat.

I could probably count the amount of times I was able to participate. Usually I got really sick before with a cold or some such illness. Let's face it fall/winter babies just don't seem to stay as healthy.

My actually fondest memory of this time was going to my granma and granpas house and filling the individual candy bags they gave out. Each year we would pick out between five and six types of candy, spill them out onto the table and we would bag six pieces per wax baggy and staple them shut.. The kids always loved coming to granmas because she gave out so much candy. Funny what memories can do for us.

While living in California Halloween would be a pretty big deal we could have as much as 110-150 kids any given year so five to six pieces per kid just wasn't in the budget.. Over the years the numbers have dwindled with more families doing group activities rather than going from door to door but it is always fun seeing the little kids dressed up.

Well I guess I am off to buy more candy and set a rule for next year. Wait until the day of Halloween to buy candy.

The Pink Maytag

I grew up during a time when orange, avocado and gold were the "in" colors. I guess I am giving away my age but this is one aspect of my life I rarely keep secret anyway. Every decade has its color choices in the 50's it was pink.

One of the first things I noticed when I first visited my biological granma was her pink breakfast nook in her kitchen. She took pride in that it was custom made and also had a small pink booster seat that my half-sister sat in as a little girl. All her appliances at one time were pink. Pink was a significant color in their lives. One of her sister's had a custom-made pink couch and love seat. All this pink ended up in my granma's position at one time or another. She couldn't part with a pink Maytag washer and dryer set that belonged to this same sister so it sat in my granma's garage for many years.

This week in the news was a story that brought me back to all this pink. In 1957 a woman in Oklahoma bought her mother a pink Maytag set for Mother's Day. Her mom was so excited to have this new modern convenience in her favorite color. But the real kicker in this story is that it has lasted for 51 years!! Anytime it needed small repairs they were able to fix it but they handle on the dryer wouldn't stay shut and they had to prop a barrel to keep the door closed while it was operating. A call was made to see if they could replace the broken item but they no longer made the part to do so. Sadly, the mother gave up the appliances but the good thing was that they were going to the Maytag Museum.. The salesman who sold the new set to her daughter was amazed that the set was older than he was.

Today's appliance last usually 5-7 years if you are lucky. They aren't made to repair but to replace..

Women Today--Have Things Changed?

This week marks Business Women's Week. A local organization I belong to has events scheduled everyday this week to help women network with other women throughout the area. I have been around long enough to remember when it was once called Secretary's Day. Their was also Bring Your Daughter to Work Day. My how we have evolved. I do remember when my daughter was little taking her to work. She wasn't old enough to really fully absorb what this day should or would mean later in her life but I admit I think we have evolved just a little.

Although we still deal with the stigma of being able to multi-task and balance lifestyles that I think far outweigh our counterparts I believe women have come a long way. I think back to my grandmother's and mother's and each of them had a very different life.

My adoptive mom was a stay at home mom, I wonder sometimes whether it was by choice or because my dad wanted her to depend on him. I felt like she never really had a voice in how the household ran and yet I can remember one distinct saying from her, "Don't depend on anyone be independent". I truly think she was telling me don't do like she had... My granma Ruby lived through the Depression and World War II. Raising my adoptive mom while my granpa was in the war, she took in ironing and odd jobs to give my mom the special things in life. Although my granma's dad lived with them for most of my mom's young life it was my granma who made ends meet while granpa was fighting in the war. When granma got older she reversed and depended alot on granpa but I think he felt it was only fitting for all she had to do early on..

As far as my biological family my granma and my mom both were primarily single parents raising kids by themselves. Both were married two time each but most of their lives were spent working and raising their kids independently. So I guess you can say I get a little taste of all types of women in my life.

We still have a long, long way to go (yes I would like to see a woman president someday, I also believe that women should across the board be paid the same amount as men, if not more sometimes). I personally struggle with my roles in life everyday but every little bit of encouragement I get either from my family or peers helps in the everyday struggle we all have as women in this crazy, unpredictable world we live in.

Making the Most out of a "Working" Weekend

I spent part of this weekend at my other "job". Although our trucking business brings in the bacon for the past five years I have stepped out of my comfort zone and also am an Independent Consultant with Beauticontrol. They are for those who don't know a spa, skincare and make-up company that has been around for about 30 years. Most of your income is done through spa parties and customer sales. Let me tell you it hasn't been an easy task for me at all and probably won't be any easier in the unforeseeable future. I am not a gung-ho type person who can sell the shirt off my back. I don't feel you should pressure anyone into something they are not willing to try. I have a very small client base but am always looking for additional clients.

To find these clients I usually do on site shows or expos around the area. With the economy as it is these type shows have become increasingly harder to spend time at. People are not in the market, are not willing to try new things, and are stuck in their own proverbial ruts. But hey if I can get one client I am happy. This weekend I think I did but let's just say other than that the show was very slow.

During the 15+ hours I spent their I think the biggest thing that brings a smile or a chuckle to me are just the people watching you can do at one of these. In my boredom I almost came to the point of categorizing and counting some of the types of people you might see. The older elderly couples who are just their to get a walk in, the Amish/Mennonite's who have no less than 5 children, all dressed the same and looking the same. They never buy anything at the shows and rarely talk, but I guess it's a big outing to come to the "city"... Then their are the people who you really don't even want to make small talk with but you grin and bear it and send them on their way.

One new vendor this year was the local Humane Society on Saturday. They had several cuddly, cute puppies and kittens available. They provided a musical feel throughout the arena with their meowing and barking but it helped from the day before with 9 hours of silence. Several of the volunteers paraded the pups around on leashes. Hey who can't keep from smiling at those sad faces??

On the flip side of this their was a family of that walked by my booth that had their young daughter on a "leash". I know that children can be a handful but I draw the line at this types of methods on keeping your child in toe so to speak. Hey I had kids too don't get me wrong, sometimes my method was the playpen but a leash? Come on.. this is where you have verbal conversations on how important it is for Johnny or Jenny to hold your hand while walking...

You won't get bored people watching know matter where you are even at a small town business expo....

Veteran Honor Flight-Honoring Those Who Have Served

Sometimes I have to admit that our speakers for our Business and Professional Women's meetings don't always catch my attention but last night this wasn't the case.

First I have stated many times in my blogs that my grandfather was a World War II veteran. He was the stereotypical, closed mouth man who didn't like to talk about his time overseas. Although he kept a scrapbook while stationed in the South Pacific, I remember that most of the news clippings were about things that happened at home rather than what happened in the war. He came home with scares, tattoos and stories that he chose not to talk about.

When I heard that the Show Me Honor Flight representative was coming to speak I was excited. Although I in my heart I believe that my grandfather would probably not want to re-live those days by visiting a memorial I have always wondered why it took so long to have one in Washington D.C. for these truly special men and women. With more than 1,000 WWII veterans dying each day (20 in Missouri alone) time is ticking for these soldiers.

The speaker told about some highlights of trips he has taken as a Guardian/Escort of those who have made this 24 hour turn around trip (mind you these soldiers are now probably in their late 80's early 90's and health is definitely an issue). Some sadly after signing up to make the trip don't get the chance to visit due to untimely passing but in their hearts they made a far bigger sacrifice while being "over their".

The speaker also talked about how Sedalia is honoring all veterans in a very special way. Sedalia is currently going through a downtown revitalization project and the Honor Flight group is participating by doing brick pavers in honor of all veterans of all wars and conflicts. At $50.00 donation this is a small price to contribute to honor all veterans. Although my grandfather passed in 1977, I am purchasing a brick in his honor so when I walk the sidewalk here in town I can look down and see grandpa looking back up at me, in spirit.

I am considering also being a escort/guardian on a future trip to D.C. in honor of such a wonderful man that influences me still...