Month: January 2021

I woke up at my regular 5 am time this morning. I am out of practice since I have been off. Sleeping in, staying up late.
I didn’t get out of bed until 6ish.
I just laid there in the dark.
I could feel Troy’s heaving breathing on my neck. His arm around my waist. Maddie was snuggled up against my feet.
I could smell the cool air coming in through the window on my side of the bed and hear the hum of the fan on the other side.
My knee is throbbing just a bit but it wasn’t enough to wake me last night. I slept well and had several dreams. One, I opened a take out place inside a convention hall of sorts. Strange.
I still feel tired.
My body really.
Exhausted.
Sometimes I feel like I could sleep for days, but that wouldn’t happen. My back starts hurting if I lay around too long.
Anyway.
I had some thinking time.
No phone
No television
No writing
Just me and my thoughts.
I had such plans of decluttering while I was home recuperating, but I found out quick that was not going to happen.
I did need to stop and heal.
I expected to jump right back into life after 3 days.
Because that’s what I do.
Down time isn’t normally an option for me.
Even when I had the boating accident, I was back to work, didn’t skip a beat.
Being forced to stay at home sucked to say the least. But secretly it was nice the first few days. Then I got bored.
I did work from home a few days to make sure payroll and ordering was done with the help of a team member.
That did keep my brain in work mode.
So now, I am wrapped in a fuzzy robe, coffee in hand and enjoying what I love to do
Write and share my thoughts.
I’m sure they are boring to some, and others probably wonder what goes through my head on a daily basis.
If I am lucky. My words stay on subject.
But most of the time I see a squirrel and jump here and there.
I hope you can keep up.
This morning I really didn’t have a subject so to speak.
Maybe it is about healing.
Sometimes you have to physically
STOP
so you can heal.
Your body
Mind
And soul.
Coffee helps.
Love big my friends
Lorene

Beauty
You can find it anywhere.
Sometimes it’s not obvious.
A beautiful heart is a gem to discover. One so big they can love the hurt away. Be a big cushion when you fall, and strong arms when you just need to BE.
A heart with so much love, there is plenty to share.
Keeping love to yourself is selfish.
If you feel it, show it. I’m not talking romantic love necessarily, there are so many forms.
From loving a furbaby, family member, close friend or spouse, it’s all different and yet the same.
Love is not jealous, ugly or demanding.
It is given freely from the heart and soul.
Genuine feelings that show you truly care about the existence and happiness of another.
And the greatest gift is love.
Fitting for a giving holiday season.
Never be afraid to show how much you care. For some, it may be all they have to look forward to and give them a reason to move on.
So I jumped from beauty to love. This is why I dont write for a living. I guess my brain is telling me they are one in the same.
Be beautiful.
Be Love.
Lorene

My internal clock is set to 330 am.
No idea why.
My first alarm is at 4 whenever I open.
I hear the older you get, the less sleep you need. That could be to my advantage.
I have a lot of experiences waiting for me. I plan on living each one!
We dont know how much time we have. I know I say I am immortal and still work on that daily.
Too much to see and do and not much time to do it.
We postpone living life for numerous reasons.
College, raising a family, career, money, guilt, lots of reasons and excuses.
We wait until the excuse is….
I’m too old for that.
What is too old?
Age is just a number. The amount of times we went around the sun.
Birthdays that were celebrated. Or not.
Time passes whether we count the days or years. Quicker than we would like.
So now is the time and age to live life to its fullest.
It’s ok to say NO to someone so you can say YES to you.
As a matter of fact, it’s about damn time!
Pick something off of your bucket list and plan it for 2020.
Start now.
Make it happen and post it for all of us to see.
Encourage each other to live!
Out loud!
No more excuses.
Lorene

Another early morning, cooking breakfast at the hospital.
The day after Christmas just seems like another day.
Whoever decided that Thanksgiving should be later in November really messed up the holiday mojo. It was too swift, the weather was tropic, things just didnt seem like the holiday.
I worked, I private catered.
I did get some family time after work.
Then I took a nap.
It was an exhausting day.
Not near as exhausting for some.
A friend of mine lost her husband early Christmas morning, my heart hurt for her all day. I would catch myself crying and feeling helpless to help her.
Sometimes bad things to happen to good people.
And she is good people.
I cant imagine nor ever want to feel the pain she must be enduring. I can only pray and send my love to help soften the blows.
I hope she knows she has a support system in the wings to step in and hold her up.
This particular Christmas, Love is needed the most.
Hug your babies, kiss your loved ones, love everyday like its the last.
Lorene

Merry Christmas.
You will hear that a lot today!
It is the representation of our Lord’s earthly birth.
A celebration of promise,
Hope
Love.
This year we even experienced the same celestial miracle in the night sky.
Then there is Santa, gifts, egg nog and football. Big family gatherings, at times the only one for the year.
And food.
Crispy skinned turkey stuffed with butter soaked bread with chestnuts or oysters. A perfectly baked ham dotted with cloves, pineapple and cherries.
And the desserts…..sweet potato pie, cheese cake loaded with cherry pie filling and whipped cream, or warm gooey pecan pie with enough sugar to induce a coma.
I could go on and on about the food….
Christmas smells….
Pumpkin spice, evergreen, snickerdoodle all captured in a candle or if you are lucky, some coming from grandma’s kitchen.
The smell of crisp, clean, cold air on the patio.
The cleansing of the past year.
Christmas time is the winding down of a year. The closing of a chapter.
But also a beginning.
Time for reflection, not regret.
Blank planners begging to be filled with fun and festivities.
Promises of change.
A promise.
Remember the reason for the celebration.
God sent us his son.
Family.
For a short time so we may later spend eternity.
Oh, the reason for the season.
Time with family.
The best gift of all.
Merry Christmas my friends and family.
Enjoy your time.
Here it is limited.
Love big
Lorene

Merry Christmas everyone.
I am up early so I can go in and open the kitchen this morning.
No real quiet time for me.
But I wanted to stop and remind everyone today is about love.
What we do for those we love.
Offer our life for them.
Live for them.
And everything in between.
It’s not about gifts, ribbons and bows.
It’s about friends, family and the human race.
It’s a birthday celebration for those that believe and a promise for those that are waiting.
Love
Love
Love
Lorene

Merry Christmas Eve!
Wooooweeee!!!
Last night was an adventure thanks to Taco Mayo, mother nature and knee scope.
Up all night, tossing and turning, hot flashes so severe I thought it would light up the gas I was expelling. 🔥🔥🔥
Talk about a burning bed!
Proof Troy loves me.
I kept twisting my knee and that was a reminder to take it easy. I blame the blankets I was trying desperately to kick off.
And then pull on.
Mother nature was reminding me who really is in charge.
I laid in bed until 730. Way past my scheduled time. Thinking about the holiday. It is Christmas Eve.
I laid there with a fur baby at my feet, my life partner at my side.
I think about my children and grand children. We usually celebrate after Christmas day so we can all be together. Not sure how that will work this year.
But it will work.
Because I have a perfect life.
It is filled with silver linings.
There are times I need to search for them, and it may take time, but they are always there.
I witness everyday miracles .
The sun rising.
The wind blowing.
Grass growing.
Birds singing.
And so many more.
Today as you go about your holiday activities, my wish for you is for it to be filled with ordinary miracles.
And you recognize them as such.
Start with the one in your mirror.
Gods most precious of miracles.
Love big
Lorene

Merry Christmas to all my family, friends, associates, coworkers, neighbors and strangers.
There are few times in your life that a day, season or event will soften your heart. Some look at the season as stressful. Never smiling, striving to find that perfect gift worried it won’t be enough.
Stop.
Just stop.
Breathe. Smile. Say hello or Merry Christmas to everyone that walks by. Drop some change in the Salvation Army kettle, choose an Angel from the tree. Slow down and enjoy a cup of coffee and watch people come and go. Take time to enjoy the season and the reason you celebrate the holiday.
Stop worrying if your daughter will love that baby doll, or your teen will be upset you can’t afford that iPhone. They will not remember minor disappointments when they are older, they will remember you getting excited over the finger painting they gave you, and how you proudly hung it for everyone to see all year long. They will remember your family traditions of hot cocoa and cookies before bed Christmas Eve. Traditions they may carry on with their own little families.
You’ve raise your children to appreciate the fact someone took the time to choose a gift for them, thought about them and gave them a token of their love. Love the gift or not, they say thank you and get excited.
We do not have little ones living at home, and have to wait to see the excited faces of grandkids opening gifts now. The greatest gift for me is all year. Spending snippets of time with my grand babies, watching them grow up and having conversations with them. Watching my children raising their families.
Making memories.
This puts the joy in my holidays and in my life all year long.
So stop.
Breathe
And enjoy the wonders of your life.
Merry Christmas and Happy Living my friends.
Lorene Wood 2017

One of the positive things about facebook are the memories. I love scrolling through the past 10 years or so and see what I was doing, thinking and even eating.
And I love seeing what my friends were doing, and how much they change over the years.
I love seeing all your faces!!!
That said.
Soon, memories will pop up and your beautiful faces will be covered.
I understand wearing your mask when and where needed.
This isn’t a political statement.
This is personal.
I look forward to your smiles.
Happy faces.
I could never live in a society where it was mandatory to cover my face.
So much can be shared with expression.
No words needed.
Your face is who you are.
The laugh lines, the twinkle in your eyes, your smile, your rosey cheeks, the beauty mark, the scar with a funny story attached.
I truly wish to see less masks and more faces.
Some memories are best left in the dark. Know they are there, learn from them but don’t give them the light of day.
Today, on the eve of Christmas Eve, show me those smiles! Send me a selfie of you thinking about me.
Its the best gift ever!
Love big
Lorene

December isn’t my favorite month.
I do my best to keep it light hearted especially because of the holidays. But sometimes it just hits me.
Right in the pit of my stomach.
Being home this week to heal leaves me with thinking time and that’s not always a good thing.
I worked today from home and that kept me occupied most of the day.
I have Food Network Holiday Baking Championship on the TV.
I don’t bake.
These people amaze me.
Makes me want to bake.
Makes me think of the holidays and family gatherings. Cousins running amok, the kitchen smells, and just being together.
Grandparents are gone.
Daddy and Momma are gone.
Father is ill and about to have heart surgery.
And this year has people afraid to be with the ones they love.
I havent spent Lulu time with my grandchildren.
I’ve worked more for less.
Watched others make more for doing nothing.
So when I stop, I tend to think.
I miss my family.
I miss my friends.
My heart hurts.
I slip off into a funk and work hard to pull myself back up.
But I do and I will.
I know dwelling doesn’t help. A quick trip to feeling sad and then back to the real world.
Big Daddy comes home and makes me smile. Maddie snugs her warm body against me and reminds me I am loved unconditionally.
I am back.
Have a wonderful night.
Check out the Christmas Star.
And love big
Lorene