Lorene Mentality

Today is the day.
The last day of the year.
The final Thursday.
The end of a rotation around the sun.
I see a lot of people bashing this year, calling it the worse ever. Nothing good has come out of it.
Doom
Gloom
You see it, hear it. You may even be one of those people saying it.
For me, its been a year of scars.
Gallbladder surgery, that was 5 new, face plant. 3 new and a knee scope, 2 more.
Doesn’t beat the year I died! That was a year to remember.
Those are just the physical scars.
I did not have Lulu weekends with my grandbabies this year. Places were shut down, covid scare, yada yada.
Gatherings were canceled.
Social life minimized.
Work hours increased.
A few emotional scars.
I refuse to think or say this year was a bad year.
Every day I wake with air in my lungs and blood pumping through my veins is a great day!
365 great days.
I’ve had sad times, emotional or exhausting times, but they were fleeting moments compared to the rest.
I lived out loud, loved crazy big, made new friends and oh my adventures!
The year really has flown by.
I sit here with my coffee looking back over the year. Satisfied I lived my best life all year long.
Best I could.
No regrets
Now it is time to look forward.
Learn from yesterday
Embrace today
Manifest tomorrow.
Speak about what you want to bring about.
There will be obstacles along the way, I promise.
Life is like an Oklahoma road.
Dodging potholes best you can.
Just rev that motor up and hit the road!
New destinations, New adventures.
You are behind the wheel!
Say your goodbyes today.
Pray for peace and prosperity.
Happiness and joy.
Most of all,
Love big,
Lorene

Monday
Positive notes;
There is only one a week.
This one is the last one this month, it is also the last one this year, and last but not least, the last one this decade.
Wow
Make this a Monday to remember.
Sip your coffee and look back over the past year, the past 10.
It’s been a crazy ride.
And a quick ride at that.
I’ve been here over half a century.
Jeez!!
I can say I have met new friends, had new adventures, learned to love who I am as I am, and not care when someone else doesnt.
Ive initiated a lot more self care.
What a difference that makes.
It’s crazy that 1980 was 40 years ago, not 20.
2 more years and it will be that long I graduated high school.
Whew!
Seriously?
I don’t feel that old.
And I’m sure not going to act it.
I have projects in mind for the coming decade.
I want to entertain more, cook more, attend functions with people with the same carefree attitude.
I’m going to enjoy life.
Day by day.
Period.
Distance myself from the sad Sams, because that can rub off! If you cant tell me anything good that happened to you any given day, you need to reevaluate your purpose and what you want from life. Surround yourself with good attitudes and happiness.
That rubs off too!
2020
A new outlook.
Clear and crisp.
Grab it by the horns and have your perfect 8 second ride, the rest will be a walk in the park.
And start today!
The final Monday.
What a better time.
You got this.
I got this.
Happiest and most meaningful of Mondays to you!
Lorene

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