If I ever get married (which I think I’d shock myself if it ever happened), I’d want to get married barefoot on the beach. There’s just something about the sound of the ocean that seems so romantic and I’m really not a big fan of shoes. So, my wedding invitations would say something like no shoes, no problem and bring a swimming suit and sun screen. I would ask that you don’t come with stinky, dirty feet. I don’t want memories of my wedding of funky feet. You should have taken a shower before coming anyway.

It was chilly, but I let the fresh air in which gave me more energy. The 50 degree weather felt so refreshing and so good and energy-lifting. Yes. I have spring fever, that’s a fact.

After being in the house most of the time during the winter just opening a window and smelling the freshness of nature and feeling it’s energy boosting, mood enhancing negative ions that are floating all around us in the air that we breathe. There are even more of them to inhale at the beach, on the mountains and under a waterfall. Just the type of nature that my soul is yearning to be enveloped in.

I took a break from writing this blog post so I could go to the store. No matter that the sky is covered in grey clouds and there’s no sun to be seen and it’s not as warm as it was yesterday or as warm as I thought it was. Just seeing that more snow has melted and knowing that the first day of spring truly is just around the corner is enough to feel the new beginnings of the season are upon us and walks will be plentiful, weather permitting.

Of course we don’t want to forget that exercise is one of if not the best ways to boost your energy. Just don’t do it before you go to bed if it will keep you awake.  I don’t know how my daughter can sleep so quickly after she does her exercises.

When I’d see advertisements for fitness equipment, I’d think how nice it would be to have some of them, but for how long I ask myself. I’m thinking about getting a hula hoop and a jump rope. Oh, but I’ve got to get me a bra. Preferably a sports bra. I did some jumping jacks last night and “the ladies” caused me some unnecessary pain. They like the freedom that they’ve had all these years to be sure, but for the bouncing around type of exercising they have to be confined. Bouncing boobs hurt.

My favorite energy booster, though is chocolate. What else?:)

Both me and my daughter are surprised that she’s OK with not having a television to watch. She thought she was gonna go crazy without it. And I haven’t let her get online any more than usual because that would have made it too easy for her. This gave her a chance to think and even to take up some reading. And she’s saving money to buy herself a portable dvd player. She’s discovered that TV isn’t all that important, but she’d still like some entertainment. Something she’s never been too big on. Movies.

I don’t plan on buying a new TV. Since I don’t know how long we’re going to be living here, I’d rather not spend the money on something we can obviously do without. It’s a big distraction, anyway. I have been inspired and energized by some programs, but there are many other sources that can offer me that.

I’ve been reading more, too. It only took a couple days to read Falling Bodies. Then I found The Lovely Bones on the shelf along with about 50 other books. Books that have been gathering dust because although I read a little, I haven’t been in much of a reading mood, so it takes me forever and a day to read one book.

Most of the reading I do are blogs and web sites with inspirational articles. That won’t stop, but now I’m just doing some extra novel reading, too. It’s a great escape from this boring or crazy (depending on your perspective and life style) world we live in.

Since there is one less distraction and because I haven’t replaced one noise for more of another, like more music, I’ve had more quiet time and that has inspired me to go back to journaling. I didn’t think I would enjoy the process or that I’d have much to write about, but I proved myself wrong.

There might  come a time when I want to have a television again and maybe I’ll even desire a Slingbox. But for now I’m content on reading, journaling, talking with my daughter and doing what I do online.

As far as giving up the ghost, you could say that I’m the one who falls into that category. I loved Ghost Whisperer and Medium from the beginning until the beginning of this season. Ever since Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Jim Clancy’s (David Conrad) son, Aiden Lucas (Conner Gibbs) was born (and aged 5 years), it just hasn’t been the same. It’s more cheesy than ever and the boy needs a better story line. They’re off to a good start, but he’s in bed too much.

Medium bores me now and I don’t like how Allison confronts the people she believes did the crimes. I don’t like the tone of her voice and I don’t like how her husband still doesn’t trust her dreams.

Everything happens for a reason. It seems like that reason might be that since I don’t like these shows, not having a television isn’t a big deal to me. But then again, this also means I won’t be able to watch Hawaii Five-O with sexy Alex O’Loughlin.

At least I don’t have to turn the channel when a boring commercial comes on about auto insurance quotes. There’s nothing I can do about it right now and I’m not going to get worked up about it, either. I do miss having the choice to watch television, but I’m not going to get worked up about it. I don’t have the money to buy a new one. And even if I did, I’d choose to get a laptop first.

If I would have had the money, I would have done whatever I could to help her through this. I would have even read a skin id review (or several) to see if something like that would have been the answer for her. I probably would have tried it anyway. But I’m glad that it got better over time with something less expensive and it was only one bottle. Most importantly, my daughter feels better about herself

Many people want to add more than just a touch of color  to their skin. I know a few women who have darker skin than my daughter whose skin is naturally tanned because her father is from Guatemala. Their skin also makes them look much older than they really are.

My daughter tans very easily and almost never burns. She doesn’t like being as pale as I am, but, after watching some talk shows, she also doesn’t want to get skin cancer. She keeps saying how she can’t wait for spring to get here. I don’t think it’s cabin fever because she gets out at least two or three times a week. She’s looking forward to going for walks. I probably won’t be going with her most of the time. Maybe none of the time. I don’t know. It depends on whether she wants me to an whether I feel like going.

I do want to get out, though. I’m gonna take the camera with me and see what I can see through the lens. Plus I want to get the weight off that I gained this winter. Since I don’t go out much at this time of year, it’s easy for me to put the weight on. Lucky for me it’s also pretty easy to take it back off. Not as easy as it is to put on, but it’s better than nothing.

I told my daughter that since she’s going to be outside in the sun so much she needs to get some sunscreen. I need to take my own advice. I have a sun spot on my face that’s been there for a few years. It’s light and doesn’t bother me so I’m not going to worry about getting age spot cream for it. But want to prevent any more from appearing as much as possible, so, I’ll be slathering on the sunscreen, too.

No use in complaining about what we did or didn’t do in the past. Learn the lessons, live in the moment and move forward. And always enjoy the journey, ’cause life’s a beach.

Yet, as I grew older, a distaste grew with age for anything vamp-related. Vampires completely turned me off. The intrigue resurfaced, however, with the introduction to the sexy Private I/vampire, Mick St. John (Moonlight), played by Alex O’Loughlin. My thoughts went from disgust to desire with just one look at him.

Sadly it didn’t last. But thankfully Alex has been given more opportunities to show his talents and his sexiness. First Three Rivers, then The Back-Up Plan with the beautiful Jennifer Lopez, and soon a remake of Hawaii Five-O. I watched it back in the 70s and I’ll watch it again. Especially with Alex O’Loughlin playing the leading role. Oh, I’d watch it no matter who he plays, but the more often he’s filmed, the better.

I hope he gives those sexy looks he used to give on Moonlight, too. They had sex written all over them. He definitely doesn’t need a testosterone booster. He’s all the man he needs to be. And then some.

There are substances in chocolate that help “set the mood”. Theobromine, phenylethylamine, dopamine, and serotonin are all mood enhancers found in chocolate and what a way to get your sweeheart in the mood on this day devoted to showing your love to them.

Here’s a name for a company that sells chocolate: Chocolate Rapture. I love it!

Rapture: extreme happiness or bliss.

Chocolate and rapture..the perfect word combination.

You know what sounds good to me? Lake Champlain Honey Caramel Gift Bag and Lake Champlain Chocolate Journeys (some have nuts and most are dark chocolate). They also have no sugar added boxed chocolates by Rose City. There are two Chocolate Rapture coupons to use for 10% off the entire order.

What would go good with chocolate and love? How about strawberries? And wine? On the My Wines Direct coupon page there are free shipping promo codes on any and all orders. So, you could, for example, buy one bottle of white or red wine, a six pack or 12 pack of either or a combination of both, or a choice of gift baskets with free shipping.

So, spice up your love life with wine and chocolates with love, whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just any ordinary day that you’d like to make special.

This is the first year that my daughter has been using more lotion than ever. She loves lotion anyway and uses it all year, but this winter she’s been itching a lot on her arms and legs. I think it could be the cheap body wash I got at a discount store. Or maybe it’s the laundry soap. I told her this, but she just bought some lotion for extra dry skin and I haven’t seen her itching nor has she been complaining about it.

Last week I called maintenance the morning to have someone come over to light the pilot light in my furnace. By 3:00 I began to wonder if he was going to make it over. My intuition told me that mine wasn’t the only furnace that he was fixing that day. He confirmed it when he told me that his boss had called him about mine while he was busy working on the other furnaces. He was upset because he said his boss wasn’t doing anything at the time and could have come over himself. It was almost quitting time when he got here, but at least he got the pilot light lit.

There was somethng wrong with the motor, too, but he told me he’d have to come back the next day. He came back with a filter for the furnace and said that he had been told to not worry about the motor unless it stopped working. I was hoping it could be fixed, that it would stop trying to start and stop (loudly) two or three times. But I didn’t let that bother me. It was warm in the house again. That’s what mattered.

Because of how dry my daughter’s skin has been and how dry mine can get some years (cracking and bleeding hands and fingers), I sometines wish they had a humidfier installed and that they would supply a humidifier filter like they do the furnace filter. But again, I’m grateful for the heat. It can get pretty dang cold in the house in the winter.

I’m also grateful for having a roof over my head. Not everyone is that fortunate. Wanna help? JustGive, a nonprofit organization which is registered in California, hey, just where I want to go, lists 35 ways to help the homeless.

I don’t want to have a bunch of veins popping out of my arms and legs. I don’t really like the few spider veins on my legs, but, what can I do? I don’t my face looking like I’m a man. I’m all woman, thank you very much. This includes having breasts that are not smaller than my muscles.

Do you think these strange species have been dosing up on the best muscle building supplement in town?

I’m sure this guy was once a cute little puppy. I wouldn’t want to go near him now. I sure hope it’s a male.

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The dog scares me more this beast.

Photo by Hussain Khorsheed

I sure would like to be where he is at Christmas time.

Photo by albany_tim