Huckleberry Row

HONESTY POLL : To those of you who have been adulting for more than seven minutes... When someone shows their appreciation for a kind act or job well done, are you more or less likely to repeat your appreciated behavior?  I would be more inclined to repeat behavior, knowing my efforts are being recognized and appreciated.   Another person's appreciation of my work or activities has no bearing on my performance level.  Regardless of your own response, being in a healthy relationship means knowing how your partner would answer this question.   If you're a person who requires frequent affirmations, and your partner has never once thanked you for sending his mother a birthday card . Without feeling appreciated, over time you may start to feel taken for granted, angry, even resentful. It's more than about the birthday cards, isn't it? Here's where it gets personal.  Our family has been undergoing major changes over the past year, the majori...

Honoring Veterans today, especially my favorite - my husband. He never stops learning, teaching, believing or giving his best. Works from pre-sunrise to post-sunset every single day and seldom complains. To my all-time favorite cherished veteran, you never cease to amaze me with your willingness to help others, steadfast moral compass and refusal to budge on your principles. THANK YOU for your service to our country. Just when I think I couldn't possibly love you more, you prove me wrong.  And I'm fine with that.

Yesterday, my husband and I spent the day together. We began the day picking up some secondhand camera lenses. Bargain of the day, great investment. We shared breakfast at Cracker Barrel, picked up some groceries, attended the memorial service for a dear friend of mine and did a bit of shopping. We drove on back roads, twisting through small towns, enjoying the autumn breeze and absolutely perfect weather. On our way back home, we stopped in West Concord, the town where my husband attended grade school. The original school building, built in 1902, has since been converted into a community center and historical society. Walking around the partially dilapidated building, I asked my husband to share memories of his childhood with me. He showed me where the cafeteria was, places kids on the playground hung out, and the room where he learned to use his very first tool. A hand saw. If only that teacher knew how important introducing that hand saw in kindergarten would be to ...

Today is wedding anniversary #9 for my husband and I. As a general rule, I do not speak details of my personal relationships on Facebook. My opinion, old school as it may be, is that one person's intimate life details are not eligible for another person to publicize on social media. Drama, please... The one clear and purposeful exception I make is in the explanation of love I have for my husband Keith. I could mush on and on about him all day. He never stops surprising me with new ways of showing how much he loves me.  And honestly, after nine years, I love the guy more every day. I tell you these details, not to make you believe we live a fairytale life. But to show an example of what getting back up after being knocked down looks like. We've both been married before, that will give you enough trust issues to float an ark. But it's different being in a marriage with someone who wants the same things you want, who you can openly communicate with without fear of retributi...

I set out on an adventure today to find an arbor for my garden. This great arbor hunt started from a Facebook post in a community group I belong to, accompanied by some fantastic photos that really reeled me in. After my afternoon errands were finished, I headed to the edge of town and found a quaint farm. I expected to find some neat stuff because of the photos I had seen online, but what I hadn't expected to find was the truly enjoyable, relaxing peace that this farm held. Upon arriving, I met Brenda who was working on pricing and organizing her amazing collection she had amassed from traveling throughout the country. I had no qualms telling her what a fantastic picker she was! Brenda and I shared an easygoing conversation about topics from animals to children to death to God. In my humble opinion, when you meet someone who believes, it doesn't take long for you to recognize that in each other and begin speaking of God and His precious son. Brenda told me about some very ...

This year for Valentine's Day, my husband and I decided to skip the crowded restaurant/getting dressed up/pomp and circumstance required to dine out in a decent restaurant. Honestly, by the end of the weekend, we are both ready to kick up our feet and catch up on Netflix. One of the tricks we used at the grocery store was to pick up a fancy dessert and the side dishes. A small chocolate ganache mousse cake was $5.99, which breaks down to less than $1.00/serving. The cake was amazing and cost much less than you'd find in any restaurant, especially on a holiday. The fresh pasta salads from the deli department had roughly the same cost of $1.00/serving. Delicious! As a person who lives with Fibromyalgia, cooking is a rare occurrence for me. Were it not for the pain that comes from prolonged standing, chopping, stirring, etc., I would be whipping things up in my kitchen every day. Fortunately, Praise the Lord, Sunday was a good day good me and I was able to cook our meal. ...