Author: Lorene

The life of Maddie.
She looks as exhausted as I feel.

I am truly blessed.

I’m sure my quick healing is due to over 200 comments of prayers, good vibes and well wishes.
It’s amazing to learn that many people like you!

Today I could smile without my lip hurting.
My eyes never went black, but a rainbow of red, oranges and yellows.

I think my hair grayed a little faster than normal.
I’ll take it.
My shoulder is still bruised up and muscles are tight. Those hot water showers sure help.

I really expected the pain to be more than it is. Aleeve and ibuprofen have been my close friends.
No headaches, a little light headed and nauseous here and there, but with a concussion, that is expected.
I still dribble a little when I drink from a cup, and slurp.
Note to self: buy straws.
I keep playing with my lip trying to get the pieces of dead skin to fall off.

Thank you all again for the texts, PMs, and putting me on your prayer lists.
You are sending positive vibes to the universe and it is reaching me 10 fold.

I am enduring the jokes, and it hurts to laugh too hard. But laughter is a good medicine.
So laugh away my friends.

I am ready to get out again, and soak up some rays and friendship.
Keep throwing your positivity my way!
I dont like slowing down.

Thank you for Loving Big!
Lorene

I received what I felt like was a compliment from Troy yesterday.
He said it was a good thing I wasnt a vain woman.
Um, I’m glad he thinks that. But I do dye my hair. There is a reason for that. 😂😂

I was having a wonderful Saturday afternoon with friends at the lake. I love this group. They are fun, nonjudgmental, (I know this because they have seen me in a 2 piece)and on Saturday they proved to be a well oiled machine, my own personal EMT team.

I remember absolutely nothing about what happened. When I regained consciousness I heard the familiar voices. A commanding nurse, and others barking out orders, getting me up off my face, calling an ambulance asking me my name and what day of the week it was.
It’s hard for me to answer those questions on a good day, let alone after being knocked out.

I apparently decided to miss the top step of the ladder getting up in the boat and introduce myself to the top of the opened gate.
Up close and personal.

I ended up with a small gash on my hairline, deep enough to show bone. 3 stitches.
Ripped the skin off my nose, lost a piece, so 7 stitches.
Lost a piece of my lip, the shape of my front tooth, just 1 stitch.
My right knee is a victim of outdoor carpet burn. Rug burn and didnt even enjoy getting it.

The next morning I found bruises and scratches I didnt realize I had. My wedding ring caught something and cut my finger.
I cant raise my arms too high.
And I dribble a bit when I drink from a cup.
I’m a sight.

But I am a tough old broad.
Yesterday I helped troy make salsa, and I made him some cornbread salad, because he deserves it.
And today?
Here I am at work, looking like a raccoon. 🦝
I really just want to put that bag of frozen peas on my face.

Good side:
I did not lose an eye, life or limb, tooth or even a fingernail! ❤❤
I’ll have more scars to brag about and mark my way in the world.
I had a first,
first time ever in an ambulance.
And oh, the stories I can make up about what happened.

As sore and as tired as I am, I am also truly grateful.
God wasn’t watching my step for me, that’s my job, but he did make sure I had a boat full of Angels to take care of me.
They even drove my car back to me the next day. (We were at Lawtonka)

I also have the most wonderful husband at home who will tease me while he takes care of me, had to pick me up from the ER like some wild teenager and has shook his head and laughed all Sunday.
I will never hear the end of this, not from him or the shop group.
And I deserve it.
Tease away!

I wanted to update you all before you heard from the grapevine.
I also wanted to publicly thank everyone that had my back and made sure I lived to tell the tale. If I missed tagging you, please tag yourself! Love you! ❤
Much love!
Big loves!
Gratitude!

Lorene

How many toads have you kissed in your lifetime?
This is for you guys too.
We know it’s hard to find your princess.
Royalty is in short supply.

How many of you kept kissing the toad thinking eventually it would transform?
I see you nodding your heads.
Of course you did.
We all did.
Some of you may be doing it right now.

Have you ever asked yourself WHY?
Looked in the mirror and asked why you still have a toad, no matter how many times you cover it in kisses?
Maybe you’ve even asked the toad and they say “I’m trying.”

So let’s face this now and together….
Sometimes a toad wants to be a toad
Louder for those in the back..
SOMETIMES A TOAD WANTS TO BE A TOAD!!

No matter how many times you kiss, hug and love someone, change only happens on their terms.
Some of us like kissing toads with no expectation of change.
(Bad boy. Bad girl attraction)
It’s fun, exciting and sometimes becomes permanent.
It’s amazing how relationships bloom.

Food for thought:
We have all been someone else’s toad in life.
What? Me? A toad?
Calm down,
It’s not a bad thing.
We just like being who we are and wouldn’t conform to their idea of the perfect prince or princess.

Being happy is being you.
Being someone you are not to make someone else happy is not healthy to your well being.
Spending time and energy to change someone else will only make you tired.

Some day your prince will come.
He may be running late trying to conform a toad.
Or possibly just wont stop and ask for directions.
But when he does arrive, you will know it.
It may take just one kiss, or a few.
Both of you will feel like royalty.
Because you are.

Patience my friends.
Love Big
Lorene

Snapping beans is so relaxing.
It doesn’t really take any thought. It is just a repetitive movement that is calming.
You could actually do it with your eyes closed.

I think our garden knows me.
Knows when I need some quiet, no thinking time. I say this because there are enough fresh green beans to feed a small army and hours worth of snapping.

Some days I need help. Not just with veggies but with anything that may pop up.
It is hard to ask for assistance.
I am the worst.
I want to do things myself, know it is getting done the way I want it done.
Those of you that knew me during my Bistro Lorene days know how crazy I was about my plates.
I am like that about a few things in life.

I will be 56 next month and if I’ve learned anything. It is I cant do everything by myself.
There will be a time I need to ask for help.

And that is ok.

The hard part is the asking.
We all know it, so why not be the one to offer help?
We can make life so much easier for each other if we offer our hand.
Simple phrases, easy to say….

Do you need anything from me before I go?
What can I do to help?
Let me do that for you.
I’ve got this, go have a cup of coffee.
You look like you need a breather, let me finish that.
Here, let me help.

But don’t wait for an offer of help. Be kind to yourself. Take care of you. These bodies don’t last forever. The less wear and tear we put on them the better.
The same goes for your mind.
Stress can tear down your immune system, weaken you mentally and physically.

Thank you to all of you that help me on a daily basis. It may be a task on my to do list or just a motivating chat, urging me to take a breather.
I appreciate your kindness.
And if you ever need help relaxing, I have a basket of beans with your name on them.

Love Big.
Lorene

I am going to dive into something here, and it’s not political.
It’s about being a decent human.

I try to keep my page drama free, up beat and motivating.
I love scrolling and seeing my friends post about their grand kids, fur babies and some awesome pictures of nature.
Then I come across some posts that are just hateful.
Name calling, disrespectful, slapping hateful graffiti on their walls for the world to see.

Yes, it is their wall.
Like mine is mine and we have the right to post what we believe.
And I can believe those things without name calling, referring to someone as a moron, or horse face, etching things in stone like they are facts and not just opinion.

What does that say about us?
Wagging your finger at someone that doesn’t believe like you.
You might even convince someone to think like you, share your bashing.
Make you proud??
Teaching someone to spread hate, help you tear down a reputation?
What if you are wrong?

Remember, one day it may be your reputation, family, or livelihood on the line.

I read a rant on a public site, that should have been private in my opinion.
My opinion is mine, so there is that.

This person posted about his father.
He also added outsiders to the mix that although hurting his father and his fathers reputation, he also hurt these other non family members.

My heart hurt for this family.
Hurt for the author and his father.
Obviously there is a need for communication. But reading it on a public forum, with names, addresses, businesses, etc. Threw me for a loop.

To add insult to injury, the self proclaimed psychiatrists piped in. Using one side of the story, they were judge and jury in a matter of minutes.
A few people did say that was not the place for such a post, and asked admins to take it down. I was told they refused. I do hope they change their mind.

I guess what I am trying to say is, be careful what you put out to the universe.
It will come back 10 fold.
Your opinion isn’t always fact.
And “based on fact” isn’t always the whole truth.

Before you push “post”, replace the person’s name with your own.
Would you want your family and friends to read this about you?
Your children that look up to you and following each foot step you make?
Your boss?
Your preacher, priest, rabbi?

Think
Think
Think
Use common sense as an every day tool.

LOVE Big,
Not hate.

Lorene

Have you ever had a night where you slept so hard all you did was dream?
A continuous motion picture. Sometimes making no sense at all.
Then you wake up exhausted.

I dream almost every night. The most random dreams.
I try to remember them, other times something will wake up the memory in the middle of the day.

As a child I had a reoccurring nightmare that would have me screaming myself and the rest of the household awake. I wish I knew the meaning to that one.

Oh and then there are day dreams.
Those you control.
You can rewind and rewrite all day long.

I love to day dream.
They are the blueprints of life.

It is then truly nothing is impossible.
If you can think it, you can do it.
Day dreams could possibly be your future.
Picture yourself in the dream career, it can happen.
Picture your perfect partner, eye color, hair color, all of it.
Or maybe even a new home. Design it, decorated it. Picture yourself in a bubble bath or lounging by the pool. Entertaining guests in your custom kitchen.

Everything starts as a thought.
A dream.
Then someone makes it happen.
You can be that someone.

Every morning when you are sipping your coffee, meditating, planning your day, visualize your biggest desire.
See yourself there.
Dressed for the occasion.
People around you applauding your success.
Wrap your mind around the image and hold on.
It can all be yours.

May all your dreams come true.
Love big.
Lorene

Its early, and I wanted to catch you all before going on your Facebook scrolls or posting.

Make today complaint free Friday.
No negative posts today.
No arguing.
No name calling.
No us against them.

Post something that makes you happy.
Spread some love.
When a negative post pops up on your feed, hide it!
Don’t share it.
Even if you think its funny.

When you hide a post, replace it with your own positive, have a wonderful life message!

Make today a day that positive messages prevail!
Don’t feed into rants.
Don’t stir the pot.
Push them away.

Share every wonderful post you see.
Share this post, let your followers know today you want to see sunshine and rainbows!

If you do that today, I promise when you put your head on your pillow tonight, you will feel the difference.
The inner peace and happiness is so worth it.

Today.
Try it.
Pass it on!
Have an absolute complaint less day.

Love big!
Lorene

When I was 16. I had a different plan for my life.
I took an oath to the USN in the delayed entry program. My dream of being a lawyer would start in the Navy.
But life takes you down different roads and sometimes Divine intervention I believe throws a road block down with a left or right option.
That fork in the road led to interesting travels. People I would never have met, Loved and learned. Daughters that molded me as much as I did them. If not more.
Opportunities that made me say, what the hell, I can do that.
My bag of tricks contained a high school diploma, work ethic, and my dad as my guardian angel.
Seems like that was enough.
Now, almost 40 years later, I find myself wanting more adventures. Like I’m 30 again. I must be crazy. But my girls are grown, grand babies are driving. Yes driving. And I’m seeing more forks in the road. The retirement exit is not an option, I have another 20 years of building my empire. At least.
So if you see me speeding by on the road of life, wave or jump in, buckle up. hang on and take an adventure with me, I’ll let you off at a rest stop if you cant hang 😁
I’ve come a long way but have so much farther to go!
I may never be that lawyer, and that’s ok. I am who I want to be.
Be who you want to be. Take that right instead of left. Challenge yourself. It’s amazing to see yourself transform.
❤❤

Do you laugh out loud?
Seriously. Stop what you are doing and give a full belly laugh, sometimes so hard, tears run down your cheeks kind of laugh?

I have caught myself doing just that. Sometimes at things that aren’t really that funny. But I cant help myself.
Laughing is so good for the soul.

I love listening to my staff during the day.
When the right group of people are together, there are such good vibes coming out.
Singing, laughing.
All while working.
Music to my ears.

The opposite of drama.
Laughing and smiling as the hours tic by.
Enjoying what they do and the people they do it with and for.
It is so refreshing to work with happy people.

Happy is a mindset.
You make your own happiness.
I don’t dare let anyone steal my joy.
No one else will determine the type of day I will have.
Just me.
And I choose happy.

So I will LOL, LMBO. LMAO, ROTFL until I am crying.
When you laugh, you smile.
Its automatic.
It gonna happen, you cant stop it.
And smiling is contagious.

So today’s mission is to be contagious.
Make someone smile today.
Create your happiness and spread the love.
Laugh out loud.

Oh, and love big
Lorene