Long Hollow

Birthday Snow

 

It snowed in Texas today, and it's not even Thanksgiving yet. 

Granted, it was in Lubbock, up in the Panhandle, farther north than most of Texas. My son and daughter-in-law (a Texas Tech graduate) were there this weekend, celebrating her birthday, and she welcomed the snow as a special birthday gift. (I just hope it doesn't interfere with their drive home!)

I'm glad she had a special day, and a fun weekend, because she is such a special young woman. I feel so blessed that she is part of our family.

A daughter is a gift of love.  ~Author Unknown

We've had unseasonably cold weather here in Austin, too, this past week. When winter decided to move south, it didn't waste any time. 

I'm enjoying the change, though. I love the way a brisk cold wind slaps me truly awake on morning walks and seems to blow through my brain, like Mary Poppins in the nursery, putting things in order.

I know I'll be ready for warm days way before they actually return, but for now I'll enjoy a different wardrobe, the smell of woodsmoke, and not having to douse myself with mosquito spray before my morning walk.

Yesterday morning I wandered down to the little pond and for a change was able to linger awhile, without mosquitoes buzzing my face. I watched tiny birds flit from tree to tree, chattering to each other. A few American Beautyberries still graced a bush by the edge of the pond, but the paved terrace was littered with gold and rust colored leaves. 

It was a typical Austin winter day and I won't complain, but I'll still keep my fingers crossed that at least one of these Canadian blasts brings a little snow with it all the way to Long Hollow.

 

Here are a few more sweet! moments from the past week...

 

Monday - your mom agreeing to get out of bed for physical therapy; sticking to your healthy eating regimen

Tuesday - the briskness of that first really cold morning; helping college students find housing; remembering those who sacrifice to keep your country safe

 

 

Wednesday: beautiful weather when showing properties; the first fire of the season; your mom up eating in the dining room when you expected to find her still lying in bed

Thursday: hot showers on cold mornings; helping your mom celebrate her birthday again; a haircut and re-blonding, a la Michael; homemade chili on a cold night

Friday: finding out you used to work with your new client's stepfather; discovering a healthy fast food restaurant; a husband who can start a fire in the blink of an eye

 

 

Saturday: your puppy letting you sleep in; a leisurely morning walk to your small pond with your puppy; working out details for a contract; a break from work to enjoy a Wes Anderson double-feature with your son

Sunday: Chicken Adobo that is yummy and easy to make; more time than usual to visit your mom; help getting groceries into the house on cold, misty evenings

I hope all of you had a great week (share your sweet!s in the comments!) and I hope this winter is just the right kind for you.

 

 There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself.

~Ruth Stout

Party Girl

 

This evening my family commandeered the sunroom where my mom lives to celebrate her 83rd birthday a few days early. It was the only day we could all be together, but besides that, when you're turning 83, you really should start celebrating early, don't you think?

 

 

I know Mama loves being with all of my kids, but I also know that if her birthday wish had come true, we would have been sharing fajitas, chocolate cake, and stories around our old kitchen table in our house in Deepwater, and Daddy would have been there with us, too... in body, not just in spirit.  

When you live long enough, there's often bitter mixed with the sweet.

But I think it's important to focus on the sweet, which for me was having my husband, my mom, every one of my kids, and even my grandpuppy Josie all together this evening. That doesn't happen often enough these days.

Here are some other sweet!s from the past week...

 

 

Monday: morning skies; working out for the first time in a week; the arrival of your new boots in the mail

Tuesday: catching up with a friend while on a property tour through the Texas hill country; the tug on your heart when you see the final resting spot of some beloved pets nestled under a tree; the freedom to vote, and standing in a line to exercise that right

 

 

Wednesday: walking in the rain with your puppy, the sound of raindrops on your umbrella your soundtrack; new clients; winning a gift card to Panera Bread

Thursday: customer service people who truly care about customer service; a husband who knows how to find great deals on Craig's List... in particular treadmills and ellipticals so you don't have to run on your caliche road

 

 

Friday: the return of sunshine to your Hollow; trees dressed in their autumn colors; finishing something you've wanted to do all week; not having to wear huge bandaids on your elbows anymore

 

 

Saturday: discovering a living jewel crawling on your road; baby showers; watching a movie with your mom; an overdue get-together with friends

 

Sunday: a walk through the woods with your puppy before Mass; talking real estate with Realtor friends; celebrating your mom's birthday early with all of your kids and your grandpuppy

 

 

 Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
~George Cooper

 

  

What were the sweet moments of your past week? Please share them in the comments. I hope you have twice as many in the coming week!

I took a walk...

 

After a long day of driving and showing houses to clients all over Austin, then a never-long-enough visit with my mom, I arrived back home yesterday evening just as the sun started its goodbyes. The light was golden, the sky a crisp and an ever-deepening blue. 

I set aside the list of things I still needed to do and headed down my caliche road with Belle, feeling lighter with every step.

"Solvitur ambulando, St. Jerome was fond of saying. To solve a problem, walk around."

~Gregory McNamee

 

 

"The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand."

~Frederick L. Knowles

 

Along the way, our new neighbors overtook us on their 4-wheel drive ATV, their golden retriever running alongside them. Belle and I heard them coming, stepped off the road, and waited. 

When the golden spotted us, he veered over to investigate. I'm ashamed to tell you that Belle wasn't very friendly to him. However, she responded to my commands and stayed beside me.

The golden couldn't help himself. He kept coming around to investigate. They finally all turned and headed back to their house, and we continued on our walk, once again enjoying the last rays of the sun and the peace of the Hollow, despite the interruption. 

 

 

 

Then, as usual, Belle and I headed out again this morning for a walk before church.

Near the curve of the road, we encountered neighbors who live up the hill. They like to walk their three dogs on our road.

This time Belle minded her manners and stayed friendly. Unfortunately, two of theirs weren't so friendly. One - the largest one - even lunged at Belle. No actual contact was made, thank goodness.

The owner scolded it, grabbed it by its collar, and they headed on down the road in one direction while we continued on our walk in the other. 

Sigh. Our road is getting much too crowded. And perhaps I'm becoming a snob. Or a hermit.

 

 

 

Belle is a fast walker. To keep up with her - and to get in a little work-out, not to mention save time, on busy mornings - I've started jogging. 

I stopped jogging on our road a few years ago because it's made of caliche... essentially gravel and loose rocks on top of uneven solid rock. It's tough on the feet and there's a high risk of tripping or twisting your ankle. 

But (did I mention this already?) Belle walks really, really fast. She needs the exercise, and I need the exercise, and this past week has been so crazy busy that there was no other time to work-out otherwise.

I never saw that rock. The one that reached up and grabbed my toe, sending me flying and slipping an anticipatory curse word into my Rosary.

I mostly landed on my forearms, sliding a few centimeters along the gravel. I'm now sporting huge bandaids on my elbows and one knee, and bruises are still popping up on my arms and left leg.

But...nothing was broken, except skin. Not even my phone.

That's pretty amazing and sweet! when you get to be my age!

Here are a few other sweet!s from the past week...

 

Tuesday: a new client and a referral from a colleague; dinner and reminiscing with your sister, her friend, and your cousin; a sweet card in the mail from your work family

 

 

Wednesday: taking classes so you can stay informed about your business; your puppy barking in her sleep behind you as you work; new clients

 

 

Thursday: not breaking anything except skin when you trip and fall while running on your caliche road with your puppy; closings and happy clients; finally meeting a client in person for the first time after helping her relocate from Illinois to Texas; networking with friends/colleagues and meeting new ones; bumping into a high school friend of your son's; trying new restaurants with your daughter

 

 

 

Friday: watching the sunrise color a gray world; corn chowder a la the Avenue B Grocery, eaten outside on a gorgeous autumn day; a text containing a photo of your sweet great-niece dressed up for Halloween

 

Saturday: helping the daughter of a high school friend find a home in Austin; exploring homes all around the University of Texas with college girls; finding out your phone isn't completely dead; a walk on a country road at dusk with your puppy after a long day

 

 

Sunday: discovering your husband and son made it home safe in the middle of the night from their Arkansas canoeing adventure; a glimpse of their adventure through their photographs; your son relocating a turtle to a pond with water in it; commemorating All Soul's Day with a candlelight ceremony outside of your church

"Is death the last sleep? No, it is the last and final awakening. "

~ Sir Walter Scott

 

 As always, please share your sweet moments from the past week in the comments!

House dogs, Hangar Parties, October(fests), and other sweet!s

 

Belle is snoring behind me, curled up on a purple and pink fringed blanket TG gave to her. The past couple of nights she's slept beside my bed on a small rug. She's getting better about sleeping through the night without waking me for attention. Just like a baby. 

I've never had a house dog before now. For one thing, I'm allergic to dogs, and it amazes me that I'm not a sniffling, wheezing mess right now. I haven't even taken an allergy pill.

Way back in the '70's, when I first brought my Siamese kitten home, I sneezed constantly for a week.  Then, like magic, I was fine. Maybe I built up a tolerance for Belle during those weeks she and Max lounged in the laundry room, out of the summer heat.

As much as I loved my cat (and miss having one) I have to admit that house dogs - especially country ones, used to being outside - are so much easier. No litter boxes to clean, for one thing. And when we leave, Belle just goes outside and guards the house from her bed on the porch until we return.

She follows me from room to room, and I'm really enjoying her company. It's eased that place in my heart that still misses my Max.

I dreamed of him two nights ago. He was lying beside me and I ran my hand through his long fur. It was a sweet dream, and having Belle near has been a calming, sweet comfort in a crazy-busy week which culminated in a crazy-busy, but fun, fun weekend.

Friday night I helped celebrate the anniversary of Waddle Auctioneers by dancing with friends to the music of  Groove Knight, an awesome band, in my friend Rachel's airplane hangar. It was bittersweet, though, since it was probably the very last party in that hangar. It's currently on the market.

(Know anyone who wants to buy an airplane hangar with a 5 bedroom home attached? You can catch some beautiful sunrises and sunsets!)

 

Saturday I spent the day pouring beer for customers and taking photos at my church's annual Oktoberfest. A friend's son works at a local brewery - Live Oak - and they donated a keg to our cause. (Thank you, Live Oak Brewing Company!)

The weather was perfect, I saw tons of familiar faces, and we ended up raising a lot of money that will be given back to our community.  

Sunday turned out all different than originally planned, but I'm learning to be flexible and it turned into a wonderful day, as well.

I had registered to run 5K in the Run for the Water downtown. However, by this weekend the rest of the family made plans to be out of town, and I realized there wouldn't be anyone home to feed or walk Belle!

So instead of driving downtown to run 5K at 7 am, I slept until 7 am and then ran a mile with Belle at dawn.  I figured the Gazelle Foundation benefited from my entry fee and it didn't really matter where I ran.

All in all, it was a good week. My mom made it through surgery just fine, and even though she isn't getting the quality of care I expect at the moment, I'm grateful she's close enough that I can step in and raise a little, um, heck until it gets on track. 

(Don't mess with my mama!)

Here are some other sweet!s from the past week...

 

 

Monday: pink clouds in the morning; a message from a potential new client waiting in your inbox when you wake up; your husband home safe and sound from his roadtrip; watching a family of cardinals have a bedtime snack at your feeder

Tuesday: catching up with friends and learning about personal safety at your office meeting; moving forward on a contract; a text from one of your mom's nurses, checking on her after a fall and ambulance ride to the hospital; being able to be by your mom's side when she's in great pain from a broken femur and facing surgery

Wednesday: good wishes, thoughts, and prayers from all over the world (thanks to Facebook!) for your mom as she undergoes surgery; laptops, smart phones, and wi-fi so you can work and stay in touch with loved ones while you wait; calls from potential new clients 

Thursday: cousins who visit your mom in the hospital; watching old movies with your mom; nurses who show special care for your mom

Friday: your mom making such great progress she's released from the hospital earlier than you expected; dancing with friends in a hangar to the awesome band Groove Knight

 

 

Saturday: working with your son in a church festival booth; a visit from your oldest; being close enough to see your mom every day and be sure she's getting the care she needs

 

 

Sunday: cutting yourself some slack by not trying to do everything; running at dawn with your puppy; watching an old, silly movie with your son; new real estate leads

Monday: waking to another new lead; hearing that your son and husband made it to their destination safe and sound; visiting your mom twice in one day; cheese popcorn; a dog snoring beside you as you work

 

I hope you all had a great week and this next is even better!

 

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

--Roger Caras

 

 

Nightowls, Revisiting Spring, and other Sweet!s

 

Temperatures here have been in the 70's and 80's. Wildflowers, mostly yellows and purples, line the roadside and dot the woods.

Birds chatter and sing in the treetops, bright green bushes dotted with new blooms hum with industrious bees, and Monarch butterflies dance among the snow-on-the-prairie.

 

 

Is this spring or autumn? It doesn't matter to me what you call it... I'm loving it!

It's been a busy week, starting with my son's birthday on Monday, a Google City Expert event downtown Tuesday night, my church pastoral council meeting Wednesday night, and another church committee meeting Thursday night, for our Oktoberfest scheduled for October 25.

(It's our major fundraiser and we're down to the wire. If you'll be in my area this Saturday, plan to stop by. It's going to be a lot of fun!)

I was grateful I had contracts and property searches to do for clients Friday and Saturday night that kept me home. Later, with work out of the way, I was able to relax and watch movies with my kids.

Overall, it was a week dotted with sweets, much like the woods dotted with wildflowers right now.

 

 

Here are a few other sweet!s from the week...

 

Monday: celebrating your son's birthday; driving through the Texas hill country on a glorious autumn day; a reuben sandwich at the Double Horn Brewing Company; laughing so hard at your kids you choke on a sip of water; Cyclops Cookies

 

Tuesday: office meetings, where you can catch up with friends, learn something new, and get a free lunch; Google City Expert events with your kids; the Austin skyline at night; hearing the band "The NightOwls" for the first time

 

  

Wednesday: sleeping in an extra hour; autumn wildflowers; reaching an agreement on an offer; getting referrals from friends 

Thursday: running at dawn with your puppy; a haircut; being part of your church's Oktoberfest team

Friday: pink mornings; being an advocate for your mom; new clients;  puppy kisses; a movie with your son

Saturday: sleeping in; meeting your new neighbor in person; Monarch butterflies passing through on their way to Mexico; a surprise gift from a friend waiting for you in your mailbox; enjoying episodes of "The Tick" with your kids

Sunday: moving forward with two separate contracts; caregivers who truly care; hearing that your friend's audiobook is coming out in paperback and he's sending you an autographed copy!

I'm wishing for you a week dotted with sweet moments. Remember...

 

 

The best things in life are nearest:

 

Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. 

 

Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.

 

 ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Silver Linings of a Not-So-Empty-Nest

 

On Monday my middle son turned 26. He celebrated by taking the day off from work, sleeping in, and then relaxing on the back porch with Belle, reading and drinking his coffee. 

He's definitely a child after my own heart. 

The day started out a rainy one. But by the time Belle and I went for a walk, the sun was fighting for the day and we were blessed with a rainbow.

 

Of course, Daniel missed all of that.

He had originally planned to meet his brother for dinner... until both of them realized they would have to fight traffic to do so, with one coming from the north side and the other from the south. 

That's no way to celebrate your birthday.

So, since the rain pushed past and it turned into a gorgeous day, he, TG, and I headed away from traffic into the hill country to Marble Falls, where we celebrated with an early dinner at Doublehorn Brewing Company, which I happened to catch on an episode of Daytripper. 

Daniel appreciates beer. I love trying new places. TG likes to eat. It was a win-win, all around.

 

 

Later, I made the traditional birthday Cyclops Cookies.  Yum.

(Tom's in Florida visiting his mom and a few brothers. He missed out.)

 

I admit that when these two kids moved back home after being mostly gone for a few years, it required quite an adjustment. We had gotten used to, and actually really, really enjoyed, our empty nest. Less laundry, less cooking, more quiet, more, um, freedom.

On top of that, when kids leave, they accumulate stuff. When they move back home, their stuff no longer fits in their old bedrooms.  It kind of overflows into the rest of the house.

But the move home is temporary, so you don't want them to get rid of the stuff. Consequently, my house feels a bit like a warehouse.

The past two years have been a real challenge for me, though, and  having these two kids home has been such a blessing, for me, besides a way for them to save money. Not only do they help out around the house, but they've provided emotional support as I've dealt with my dad's illness and death, my mom's issues, starting a new business, and most recently, dealing with an aging puppy.

When twenty-something kids come home, it's not the same as when they were teenagers. It's more like having roommates. They pay rent and they're expected to pull their weight.

Mine have specific jobs around the house. Plus, without being asked, they help with my mom's laundry, visit her, and help with the dogs. If I have any special requests, they are on it. 

Most important of all these days, they make me laugh.

Your kids are always your kids, of course. You worry about them. You want to give them advice. But if you're lucky, like I've been, they're also now your friends.

When the stuff - or the noise - irritates me, I remember that before I know it, they'll be gone again, only coming home for a day or a few hours every now and then.

So I will ignore the extra boxes, tune out the noise, and cherish these days with them now, before they're just memories.

 

P.S. Thanks to all of you for your condolensces and prayers for my old puppy Max. I appreciate all of you who say you'll miss him, too. 

Sweets and Sorrows

 

 

Each morning since my old puppy Max passed away, Belle and I have ended our walk in the little cemetery where he, Charly, Chewy, Ruthie, and Frankie are all buried. It may seem like a bittersweet way to start the day, but I believe it has helped me, and maybe Belle, transition to life without him.

The cross above is actually the one marking Charly's grave. I need to find another one like it for Max.

I started the week determined to keep track of my sweet!s again. Although by Tuesday, I knew my heart was soon going to break, I was determined to keep making note of at least one sweet a day.

On the darkest days, it helps to remember the sun is still shining somewhere, right?

 

 

Monday - an executed contract on one of your listings and finding a home for a family relocating from Illinois 

Tuesday - your husband's plumbing and construction skills

Wednesday - your daughter calling you as she's driving to school to tell you to go see the blood moon; your friends praying for your sweet old puppy

Thursday - being able to spend your puppy's last hours beside him, petting him and telling him you love him; a vet who will travel to your home so your puppy can transition in his own home, surrounded by his family

Friday - seeing old friends while passing out flyers to your church's Oktoberfest; crossing heavy items off of your to-do list

Saturday - sleeping late to the sound of rain outside your window; finally cleaning up piles of paperwork in your office

Sunday - hearing rain outside your window two mornings in a row; submitting an offer for a client; seeing a friend's grandbaby for the first time; Blue Bell's Spiced Pumpkin Pecan ice cream; your husband's safe arrival at his mom's for a visit

 

 

I hope no matter what troubles or heartbreak you're experiencing, you're able to see the rays of sweet light shining in your darkness.

Good boy, Max.

 

"Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really."

~ Agnes Sligh Turnbull

 

 

He wandered up to our house from the woods almost 11 years ago, a not-so-small puppy with crooked ears and a face so black you could barely see his eyes. We never found out where he came from, but within days, we didn't care. We knew he belonged with us.

 

His timing was just right; he brought Charly-dog back to life after the death of his brother, Chewy, and distracted me as my eldest prepared to head off to college.

 

 

Max was an angel, straight from heaven. I truly believe that.

 

 

But I guess angels can't live forever on earth, at least not when they take on mortal bodies. Max's finally wore out, and his beautiful spirit took flight yesterday as we whispered See-you-later and Thank-you and I-love-you-Max.

I spent the last few hours of his life beside him in the laundry room, working on my laptop, reading, and at times just sitting silently on the floor, watching him, petting him, remembering...

He would have tried to hang on, no telling how long - his devotion was so strong. But any doubts about our decision were squelched with one glance at him. He was nothing but fur and bones. He wouldn't eat and could no longer stand, much less walk.

He went downhill fast and I knew there wouldn't be another rally.

I'm grateful to our wonderful veterinarian and her assistant who braved the rough road to our house to ease my sweet Max into the next world, where I'm certain Charly welcomed him and he's no longer limited by that old, lame, beloved body, but able to run and pounce and play like he used to. 

 

 

When my legs grew too weak to carry me, And my tired eyes could no longer see,

When it pained me to struggle for each new breath,

When my heart beat weaker, and I drew closer to death,

You did me the kindness of letting me go.

You didn't make me hang on when I was suffering so.

I promise I don't think that you loved me any less,

And I love you all the more for your selflessness.

You freed my spirit from its body so wracked with pain,

And let me run the fields of Heaven, where I'm sure we'll meet again.

 

 

 

…Grieve not,

 

   nor speak of me with tears,

 

but laugh and talk of me

 

   as if I were beside you…

 

I loved you so –

 

   ‘twas Heaven here with you.

 

 

 

                                        Isla Paschal Richardson

 

 

 

 

"You think dogs will not be in heaven?

I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

 

 

 

 

“It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them.  And every new dog that comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart.  If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be a dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they.”

 

~Anonymous 

  

Sunday afternoons and belated sweets

 

Just before sunset this afternoon, I escaped to the front porch swing with a glass of wine and a long-lost book from my childhood. I'd spent the day taking care of the dogs, going to church, fixing one of my signs that got knocked over by city mowers, visitng my mom, and finally making it to the grocery store.

I was pooped.

It was an overdue appointment with myself, the book, and Belle, who joined me on the porch and dozed on her bed while I read.

This whole past week has been exhausting, although not necessarily in a bad way. One of my listings had multiple offers, and while I hate telling anyone they lost, it's the best scenario you can wish for for your seller.

I've also been busy trying to snag a lease for out-of-state buyers who are moving to Austin next week. They want to get a feel for Austin before buying. I don't blame them, but I think they finally believe what I told them about leasing being tougher than buying in some ways.

And then there are searches for other buyers, promotions for other sellers, and the neverending need to get more clients in your pipeline. 

It felt good to slip away from all of that for half an hour this afternoon...

 

 

I searched for this book for 40 years, before finally coming across it last year in an online bookstore, priced far beyond my budget. My son Daniel - more of a booklover than me, if that's possible - came to the rescue and bought it for me as an early Christmas present.

When it arrived in the mail, it was like seeing an old friend for the first time in so many years... but I was so busy at the time that it sat untouched on my bookshelf until last week, when I decided I'd had enough of just reading real estate books and magazines. I was ready for an escape, the kind only a work of fiction can provide.

And what better escape when you're pressed on all sides with grownup problems, than to dive back into your childhood?

 

 

These small iris-shaped flowers line our dirt road again. They never appeared last autumn, I guess because of the drought, so what a sweet surprise to spot them popping up this year.

 

 

After a brief rally, Max has gotten picky about eating again, changing his preferences from one day to another and turning his nose up at whatever we're offering more than actually eating. 

Consequently, he's gotten weak again, and has skipped the past two morning walks, although he still climbs the hill from his doghouse to lounge in his porch bed, and he seems very happy there, occasionally barking to prove he's got our backs.

So Belle and I have gone on without him. She's in such a hurry to cover a lot of ground but get back to check on him that I've ended up having to run to keep up. It's been good for both of us.

 

 

Thursday evening's forecast included a line of thunderstorms passing through, thanks to a cold front. 

Somehow it passed by us without so much as a drop, but then stalled for a few hours so that we had the most amazing lightshow on our horizon, like a strobe light caught inside of a huge cloud.

Daniel and I stood in the middle of our road watching it for at least half an hour, totally mesmerized. There was no thunder, no rain. It was one of the weirdest, most beautiful things I've ever witnessed.

I took several shots without much hope that I could actually capture it. I'm pleasantly surprised they came out as good as they did, although none of them truly did it justice. 

Earlier that evening I had joined a bunch of other Austin Realtors for a networking party at The Thinkery, a new children's museum. We're members of Broker Underground ... essentially a Facebook group where we can promote our listings, find properties for our buyers, share information about vendors, and keep up to date with what's happening in Austin real estate. 

While it's true in a way that agents are competing against each other, it's also true that we have to work together to help our clients and help continually improve our industry. Events like this, where we come face-to-face in a relaxed environment, help us connect... plus they're just a lot of fun and a great way to relieve stress.

 

 

Last Sunday I was lucky enough to sit on the front row at a house concert and listen to the music of Shake Russell, Michael Hearne, and Mike Roberts.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard some of those songs over the past four decades, but they still go straight to my heart and soul. 

 

I've missed keeping an official record of my weekly sweet! moments. I plan to start it back up and invite you to do the same, because...

The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions - the little, soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or a smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment, and the countless infinitesimals of pleasurable and genial feeling.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

A Rollercoaster Ride with Max

 

 

 

Two days ago I knelt beside Max and whispered in his ear that it was okay if he just let go. I told him he had trained Belle well, and she would take awesome care of us, and if Charly was close by, asking him to come play, that it was okay. Go play with Charly.

That's how weak he was, lying there on my laundry room floor. He hadn't eaten in a couple of days again.

We thought we'd discovered the secret: vienna sausages and potted meat. In his last weak spell, we'd tried everything, trying to get him to eat, and he had gobbled these right up.

But I guess even dogs can get too many vienna sausages. He was turning his nose up at them, and everything else we offered, including real beef Ballpark weiners. 

However, the next morning, instead of huddling in the dark of his huge doghouse, he was up on the hill in the woods in front of our house, taking care of business (which is always a good sign) and he's subsequently spent the last two days lounging on the front porch, seemingly loving the warm breeze and the sound of birds gossiping at the nearby feeder. 

It was Tom who suggested giving him some of Belle's dry food. Max has been eating expensive Science Diet food targeted at joint issues all of his life, while we give Belle a cheap-in-comparison Purina dry food targeting weight issues. 

We tried it... and Max loves it. (At least, for now. I'm worried he'll get sick of it, too, and then what will we do?)

For now, we're taking it a day at a time, watching him for signs of distress. So far, there have been none. If we see them, we'll know what to do.

But I'm earnestly praying it's taken out of our hands, that when the time comes... before there's any pain or distress... this sweet old boy of ours closes his eyes and drifts off to some woods very similar to ours to go exploring with his Charly dog.

Maybe Frankie, the guinea hen, will tag along, too, like he used to. I like to think so.

 

 

Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really.

~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

 

A Max Update

 

Earlier this week I let you know that my old puppy Max had slid downhill, health-wise. Thank you so much for all of your well wishes, both here and on Facebook. 

There is power in well-wishes. I truly believe that, especially after watching Max rally the past few days.

His rally isn't 100%. He's an old dog, after all. But he's eating again, and for five mornings in a row, he's been waiting for me on the porch at sunrise, ready for our walk. 

Monday morning, we only made it a short way down our road before he decided it was time to head back home, but that was an improvement!

The next morning, thinking it was going to be a repeat performance and we wouldn't step foot into the woods, I skipped my routine dousing in mosquito spray for the first time in months.

And so naturally Max decided we were going to take a long walk, all around our property. We went to the far side of the big pond, up the hill, back down to the little pond, where he wobbled his way across the stone dam and then went swimming.

I was ecstatic. I didn't rush him, just let him wander where he wanted (except not through the fence bordering our property, even though it was tough telling him no about something), grateful I didn't have anywhere I needed to be for a few hours.

 

 

That long walk must have worn him out; Wednesday morning was another short jaunt to the dumpsters and back. But the past two days he's ventured farther once again, checking out all his favorite places. 

I realize he still has congestive heart failure. Cataracts. Hip Dysplasia. Elbow Dysplasia. He's having a tough time controlling his bladder, like so many other older men and women.

But I know he can't stay with me forever, so I wash the blankets over and over, and keep an eye on him for any signs of real distress or discomfort. The day will come, I know, and I know what I'll need to do, and I'll do it.

Because I love him.

Until then, you'll find me heading out the door each morning just as night gives way to dawn, carrying a fragile hope in my heart that Max is waiting there for me, ready for our walk, just one more time.

 

 

Old puppies, morning walks, and other sweet!s

 

Whether it's the heat or just old age catching up to him, Max has gone down a pretty steep hill lately.

Just last week we took the long walk, around the curve and down into the creekbed. But now he can't walk far before having to stop and rest. Our walks have gotten shorter and shorter. This morning we barely made it past the next property before he was ready to head back home.

I'm not sure if that's due to his congestive heart failure, or because he hasn't eaten much of anything in several days, despite our coaxing. TG even tries to feed him by hand, a trick that has always worked in the past. (He's a little spoiled.)

He's still drinking and "marking his territory", if you get my drift, so that's a good thing, but I sure wish he'd start eating again.

I'm hoping it's just the heat. We're keeping him and Belle inside all day and half the night. It hasn't made a difference in his appetite, but it obviously makes him happy, and I'm grateful for the chance to repay some of the happiness he's provided me in his short life.

It's only been about ten years since he wandered up to our house and adopted us. Sure, he's a big dog - a German Shepherd/Great Dane mix, our vet guessed - and typically they don't live long lives, and yeah, the orthopedic doctor who diagnosed his elbow dysplasia when he was 18 months old said he could be lame by the time he was 7 years old even if we fed him the right food and gave him all the supplements.

But still ... ten years just isn't enough time with that old puppy.

However, this is a sweet! post, so I'll focus on the sweet moments with him over the past week...how happy he is to see me first thing in the morning ... how eager he is to get started on our morning walks ... the joy in his eyes when Belle kisses his whole face ... the pride in his eyes when he watches her run circles around us ... the way he snuggles against me, almost knocking me down ... his "Look how cute I am" pose, with one paw looped over his nose ...

It's amazing how they fit right into places in your heart you didn't realize were empty, isn't it?

 

I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat.

For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.

~W. Dayton Wedgefarth

 

 

 

Here are a few other sweet!s from the past week or so...

 

Wednesday: spending hours with your mom; celebrating your baby girl's birthday with pizza and chocolate cake; laughing and reciting lines while watching "Goonies" with your son and daughter

 

 

Thursday: discovering your aloe plant survived the winter after all

Friday: your mom winning in dominoes; an evening with all of your kids, your husband, and your brother-in-law from Arizona; a message from a longtime friend; a beautiful bracelet from your goddaughter

 

 

Saturday: showing houses in the morning and again in the evening; bridal showers; your brother-in-law wanting to visit your mom; playing 3-13 with family

 

 

Sunday: when everything falls into place, despite some disappointments along the way; steady traffic at your open house; visiting a dear friend from church with your mom 

Monday: your husband noticing, and fixing, your flat tire, even though it made him hit traffic on his way to work 

Tuesday: getting to work early and accomplishing a lot before lunchtime; the flexibility to run home and let your puppies in the house on a hot day; sharing cookies and watching "Andy Griffith" with your mom

Wednesday: a morning walk with your puppies for the first time in five days; time with good friends you don't see often enough; coconut milk chocolate mint ice cream with pecans and hot fudge

Thursday: the feel of raindrops on your skin; cancelled meetings that allow you to work from home; lots of showings on your listings; social time with your colleague-friends; ping-pong, ping-pong, ping-pong (especially when you win!)

 

 

I hope you've had a week full of sweet!s (share them in the comments!) and this next week you find so many more your cup overflows!

 

Daughters (and other sweet!s)

 

 

 

They grow so fast, don't they? One minute they're crawling around on your stylish-at-the-time-rose-colored carpet, exploring and investigating... picking on their older brothers, trying to stir things up...cuddling in your arms because they're still shorter than you and easy to pick up...

...and then suddenly they're wanting to explore far beyond your carpeted floors. And while they may still be picking on their older brothers, and every once in awhile they'll snuggle their head on your shoulder, they're now several inches taller than you and impossible to pick up. 

Yes, one minute you're holding them in your arms, counting tiny toes and fingers and praising God for the miracle that is a baby girl, and then somehow in the next you're wishing them a happy 23rd birthday (but still praising God for the miracle that is a baby girl, all grown up.)

Gosh, they grow so fast. And what a sweet! it is to witness the jouney.

 

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart. 

 ~Author Unknown

  

Happy birthday to my baby girl, my hero these days, who does such an awesome job of taking up my slack around the house so I can focus on my real estate business. May she always believe in herself and her gifts, and see her own dreams come true.

 

 

 

Here are some other sweet!s from this past week. Despite my intentions of writing less more often, the week got totally crazy...but in a good way.  Be sure to add your sweet!s in the comments!

 

Wednesday: precious five-year-old boys who talk to you at Starbucks and tell you about their birthday parties; roadrunners

 

 

Thursday: moonlight glazing your hollow; authentic Indian food on a beautiful evening with friends and laughter after a long day; your client's offer accepted after ping-pong-ish negotiations; two new listings

Friday: helping your son's friends find a new home; watching a movie with your son when you've hardly seen him all week

 

 

Saturday: meeting the neighbor to one of your new listings and his dog, Otis; the neighbor putting the "For Sale" sign up on the lot while you visit with Otis; watching "Fiddler on the Roof" with your daughter

 

 

Sunday: a slow-paced morning; watching your old dog swim and dragonflies play tag from the bank of your pond before church; inspirational boosts from Joel Osteen and the Garden of Eatin'; Reuben sandwiches; brave friends who will spray wasp nests for you; hanging out with dear friends all afternoon

 

 

 

Monday: joining others on committees to make things better; taking time to work out on a crazy, busy day; completing things that have been weighing on you; sisters, for a million reasons

 

 

Tuesday: discovering a Deepwater/Deer Park girl in Spicewood, Texas (Debbie, DPHS Class of '71!); rain falling through sunshine; visits with your mom; potential offers on your listings

Wednesday: reflecting on all of the ages of your beautiful daughter, and giving thanks that she's yours

 

As you twirl through the coming week, I hope you find tons of sweet! moments to treasure!

 A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour.

~Author Unknown

 

Chuck-Will's-Widows, and other sweet!s

After a long day, I pulled up to my house at dusk and stepped out of the car, my brain whirring with the day's events and to-do's still left on my mental list.

Then the chuck-will's-widow sang to me, pulling me back into the moment and the beauty around me...

...the dusky blue horizon ... the glint of our metal roof, peeking out from the hollow, surrounded by cedars and oaks ... the quiet of the dirt road, and the soothing sound of a night bird's song.

Between grandpuppy-sitting and the 4th of July... and winning a multiple offer situation, yay!... this has mostly been a great week, so I had another title in mind for this post, involving puppies and parades (I like alliteration.) 

But after spending a few hours with a friend who is mourning her dad, followed by a visit with my mom, I knew when the chuck-will's-widow sang to me this evening that he would get top billing.

 

Birds sing after a storm;

why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever remains to them? 

~Rose F. Kennedy

 

And here are a few other sweet!s from the past week...

 

Tuesday - going on a property tour for first time in awhile; watching your mama walking, even if it's with the help of her awesome therapists; having your client's offer on a home accepted over three others

 

 

Wednesday - a backseat full of dog; your daughter's help taking both of your puppies to the vet for check-ups;  clean reports on your puppies from the vet; surprise parties; taking a belly dancing class with a good friend you never see otherwise

Thursday: pancakes; accountability meetings that keep you on track for your goals; getting another year-long promotional price on your phone and internet service; visits from grandpuppies

 

 

Friday: celebrating your country's birthday by sleeping in and walking your puppies; watching fireworks pop above the horizon from your back porch

 

 

Saturday:  riding on a float and sipping mimosas in a 4th of July parade in a small town; your friends' Model A painted Longhorn Orange; finally meeting someone in person who you met via your blog, who has property in your town he wants to sell; bobbing in a lake on a gorgeous day for a few hours while catching up with a friend

Sunday: knowing your kids arrived home safe and sound from a weekend in Chicago; spoiling your grandpuppy; showing houses; a great inspection report on your client's new home

Monday: your husband fixing your favorite shoes for you; lunch from Yummi Tacos with a friend; seeing friends you haven't seen in awhile; getting a hug from your oldest

 

 

Tuesday: office meetings and free lunches; La Grange, Texas; memories of road trips and eating at the Cottonwood Inn restaurant with your Daddy; being there for a friend who is mourning her daddy; seeing a longtime friend and the parents of another friend who you haven't seen in decades; a neck massage from your son

 

What made your heart soar, or at least sigh,  this week? Share it in the comments! I hope this next week is sprinkled with sweet! moments for you!

Piddle-farting on the 4th of July

I'm rocking out on my back deck (literally...in my rocking chair), sipping iced coffee, listening to a few birds chattering nearby. It's a hot summer day, but I'm in the shade. It feels great, thanks to a breeze.

My grandpuppy Josie lies nearby. Her mama and daddy are off on an adventure and we were happy to puppysit. I don't get to see her very often.

Belle and Max are both lounging in the air-conditioned laundry room. It's too hot for old Max, and Belle doesn't stray far from his side.

No, it's not an exciting Independence Day, by any means, but I'm savoring the slow pace of it...the freedom to sleep in and take a long morning walk with my puppies, to start one thing and go off on a tangent without feeling guilty. 

Tomorrow morning I'll ride in a parade and enjoy fireworks after dark in my little town. For some reason I still don't understand, we're celebrating the 4th on the 5th this year.

I hope you're having a wonderful Independence Day!

Happy birthday, America!

 

  

 

 

 

 

How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy. 

~Paul Sweeney

 

 

Happy Birthday, Long Hollow...and other long overdue sweet!s

 

Today is life - the only life you are sure of.

Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you.

Live today with gusto.

~Dale Carnegie

 

On my left, a chuck-will's-widow sang to the sliver moon hanging in the dusky sky. On my right, a frog answered from the pond in a deep baritone. And in between cicadas chirped a staccato rhythm.

Belle at my feet, I rocked in my chair, adding my own squeaks to the evening symphony.

A strong breeze playing along the deck.I thought it was sweeping the mosquitoes away, but when I finally stepped back inside last night, the tiny bites on my arms let me know I had been wrong. But those brief moments catching my breath were worth a few little bites.

There's no definitive line between work and play for me anymore. My phone is never far away and I wear my Keller Williams name badge just about every where I go... because you just never know when you're going to meet the next person you can help.

But there are times I don't answer my phone, like during visits with my mom or in church or meeting with a client...or at a Shake Russell concert, like Sunday (although I did wear my name badge! You just never know....)

 

Shake Russell is a Texas music icon, one of my favorite artists for several decades, so I treated myself by going to an afternoon concert at the Saxon Pub on Sunday with my friend Maggie. She's been a fan of Shake's even longer than I have and had been urging me to go for over a month.

I'm so glad she did. It was long overdue, just like the rest of these sweet!s, so I'll get right to them...

 

 

Wednesday - a class on Facebook and a Realtor/happy hour/networking event, where you bump into a friend of your son's who you've known since they were in middle school

 

Friday - an afternoon spent visiting with a friend at her sister's house that has an awesome view of the Colorado River, aka Lake Austin; dancing under the stars with friends at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse; finding a parking spot when the lot is technically full

 

 

Saturday -  your son putting together a dresser for your mom; watching him with your mom, along with a half dozen episodes of "Who's the Boss"

Monday - the joy on your old dog's face as he swims in a pond on a summer morning;  word that ground is breaking on your client's new home

Tuesday - fawn triplets following their mama; a meeting with a buyer in the afternoon and a seller in the evening

Wednesday - giving thanks for lasting friendships with amazing people...whispering "goodbye" to one and shouting "happy birthday" to another

 

 

Thursday - working while cheering on the U.S.  in the world cup with your daughter; celebrating a friend becoming a U.S. citizen; watching the sun set on Lake Travis with colleagues; evening breezes; dancing with friends on a Thursday night

 

 

Friday - a friend reporting to you about the memorial service for another friend, because he knows you wanted to be there but couldn't; great finds at Goodwill, thanks to your daughter's sharp eye; celebrating a dear friend's birthday; Siamese cats and sweet dogs

Saturday - touring model homes; being able to stop and visit your mom on your way home, no matter where you've been; grilled chicken for dinner, courtesy of your daughter

Sunday:  Shake Russell's distinctive voice; the face of a dear friend you've missed; still being able to vent to your mom; a roadrunner couple crossing the dirt road in front of you; fajitas for dinner, courtesy of your son

Monday: new leads; showing cute houses to friends; your daughter keeping up with the laundry, dishes, and the home invasion of ants trying to escape the summer heat; your husband making it home safely after working 24 hours

 

 

 

"This is a big step for me - putting my thoughts out there for anyone...or no one...to read. Why am I doing it? I think it's to satisfy my conflicting needs of writing (a solitary journey) and connecting with other people. I really have no idea what I'm doing yet, so it will be fun to see how it evolves..."

 

That's what I wrote in my very first blog post ever, here on "Long Hollow" six years ago this month.  And it has been fun to see how it's evolved, and to think about how it expanded my world, connecting me to wonderful friends around the world. 

Happy birthday, Long Hollow!

I had completely forgotten about its birthday until someone wished me a "happy work anniversary" on LinkedIn. I'm so glad LinkedIn is keeping track!

Many of my posts were short and sweet back then. I need to get back to that, instead of waiting until I have two weeks' worth of thoughts to dump on you. 

Nevertheless, I'm going to leave you with one of my first, and favorite, posts, because rediscovering it this morning was another sweet!

I needed the reminder.

 

Coming back from the doctor this afternoon, tired from the weekend and too little sleep, and feeling depressed because I always believe the worst-case scenario when something is wrong, I stopped at HEB.  

"How's your day going?" the check-out boy asked. He was only about seventeen, tall, thin. Shaggy-ish brown hair. 

 "It's great," I said, but he was still looking at me. His question had been a real one, not just an automatic greeting. "I'm just a little worn out," I added. 

 "I thought so. I see it in your face." 

 I couldn't bear to spread this "down" that had taken control of me, and especially not to this sweet kid. I was ashamed that I had let it get to me - I have so much to be grateful for.

I smiled at him. "Every day is a great day."  That's what I believe, even if can't always feel it.  But he made me remember. So...I said a prayer for him on my way out. 

God has a way of dropping gifts in our path. Somehow, he knows just what we need. God bless that check-out boy.

  

And God bless all of you today! Thank you so much for stopping by to say hello, whether you've been coming around for six years or this is your first time.

Don't forget to share your sweet!s with me in the comments!

 

 

 

Outrage, blood, and other sweet!s

It might seem strange to count outrage as a sweet! But today I found out another real estate agent approached one of my clients when he was working in his yard and tried to seduce him away from me.

Not only is that a huge breach of ethics, but it hurt my feelings and made me mad!

I posted about it in one of my Realtor groups on Facebook and was so relieved to have one after another Realtor express disgust and dismay about it. Several had experienced the same thing. Most urged me to report him to our board, and I would if I knew his name.

One even referred to the guy as a snake. Sweet!

So, yes, shared outrage and supportive anger can be very therapeutic, and definitely sweet! 

 

 

A few decades ago, I donated blood after working several 12-hour night shifts in a row. I didn't crawl out of my bed for a couple of days. I was completely wiped out.

Soon after that, I married Tom, a Rh+ man. Since I was Rh-, I had to have a Rhogam shot after my babies were born, which prevented me from giving blood for awhile.

Secretly, I was relieved. I just didn't have time to be that worn out ever again!

But the knowledge that I'm O-, very rare, kept gnawing at me, and I began to feel guilty about not donating. So today, when I realized the Bloodmobile was right there in our parking lot, I didn't even think about it. I just went out and did it.

I gave blood.

And then proceeded to have a normal day. Go figure.

If you've been hesitant like me, just go do it. You'll be glad you did.

Before this week gets away from me, I want to post the sweet!s I've gathered since my last post. I'm going to start with a photo I spotted on Facebook. I'm not sure where it originated, but I'm grateful for it. I feel it was written just for me: 

 

 

Coffee and wine. Always two unspoken sweet!s of my week.

And now for the rest...

 

Wednesday: watching a hummingbird flit around your yard and rest on a tiny branch; finding out the issues with your iphone aren't terminal; coffee and conversation with your mom and her friends

 

 

Thursday: cardinals serenading you on your morning walk; touring million dollar homes and wedding venues; fortune cookie wisdom; a quick visit with friends

 

 

Friday: a job where you're continuously learning something new; a hug from your precious great-niece, visiting from Montana; finally experiencing a Torchy's Taco

 

 

Saturday: your old puppy swimming; a butterfly fluttering outside your window when you're feeling blue; an orange moon rising

 

 

Sunday: Garden of Eatin' inspiration; two new leads before you get home from church; your sons helping you with your mom; all of your kids together to honor their awesome father; watching the season finale of "Game of Thrones" with your kids

 

 

Monday: chocolate cake, baked by your daughter for no particular reason; a son who will rescue daddy-long-legs

 

 

Tuesday: sticking to your time-blocking schedule; giving blood; watching "Walker, Texas Ranger" with your mom 

 

It's been a fast, up and down, roller coaster week. In other words, normal. So here's a random quote to finish up my post, just because I think it's beautiful.

I wish all of you lots of love...

 

"Love is watchful.

Sleeping, it does not slumber.

Wearied, it is not tired.

Pressed, it is not straitened.

Alarmed, it is not confused, but like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle."

~Thomas a Kempis 

 

A Sweet Blur

Last Friday I made a quick road trip to Houston to take care of some business for my mom. My friend Debra graciously opened her home in Seabrook to me and TG for the night.

On our way to meet friends for dinner, I was mesmerized by the sunlight bathing pastel houses...the cloudless sky...the gulls swooping and singing...

Tension melted away.

I came to just in time to snap this photo over my shoulder and out of the passenger window. I'm pleasantly surprised it came out as well as it did, considering it was an afterthought.

 

 

Sometimes gathering my sweet!s is a lot like this photo, a blurry afterthought.

The beginning of last week was especially blurry. The days were so similar that I'm lumping Monday through Thursday all together.

There were walks with my puppies, new listings, classes and trainings via phone and webinars, watching "Ellen" with my mom, and the first blooms of the Mountain Pinks...

 

 

By the weekend, everything became clearer...

Friday: a road trip with your daughter; Panda Express fortunes; sunset on a watertown; the song of seagulls; Mexican food and margaritas with dear friends

Saturday: sorting through decades of memories with your sister and daughter; a visit with a dear friend; the way you can count on finding a Subway sandwich shop in whatever little town you're passing through; the movie "Happy Feet", especially when shared with your son and daughter

Sunday:  waking without an alarm clock; Mass with your son; your husband cleaning all of the travel bugs off of your windshield; "Game of Thrones" with your kids; your advice about being a mother-in-law included in a friend's Huffington post article  

 

 

Monday: window-screen-cleaning squirrels; dreaming of helping a client buy a million dollar property; a son who stops to visit his grandmother on his way home from work; getting another new listing 

Tuesday: glorious, cool summer mornings; winning a door prize; property tours; catching up with friends; a call from a friend asking for your help in finding a home for her dad; the generous and helpful spirit of colleagues; a wiggly puppy happy to see you home

 

 

There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.

~Mignon McLaughlin

 

Time to slow down, focus, pay attention to and give thanks for each and every moment.

(Don't forget to add your sweet!s in the comments!)

They made it home! (plus a few belated sweet!s)

Tom and his brother straggled in later than expected from Florida this evening. They had to spend an extra four hours in Louisiana due to the muffler on Tom's car trying to make a break for it.

It didn't succeed in getting totally away, but it did break loose of whatever major part it's supposed to stay connected to. (I am not a mechanic and don't pretend to be one!)

Thank goodness they are both McGyvers (as my sister-in-law puts it) so they diagnosed and treated the problem themselves, and continued on their way to Texas. 

They were a sweet sight, stepping through the door this evening, that's for sure!

While they were working on the car, I was working to help a friend get a home she fell in love with, despite us getting to the party late and having to rush through the application process.

The house had already been on the market 5 whole days, enough time to collect multiple offers within 30 minutes of our viewing. But I convinced the other agent to delay their decision, scrambled and submitted our offer through our paperless system, only to get an email from the agent three hours later saying she had been unable to open the offer, and perhaps next time I should send it as a PDF attachment. 

It wasn't something I had considered before; up until now, no one has had a problem opening the documents I sent through that system. But I'll definitely take the advice. I only wish she had let me know right away so I could have emailed them.

But I consider it a lesson learned, and even though my friend most likely lost her chance at this house because the agent couldn't open the documents, I believe it just wasn't "meant to be" as one of my other buyer clients kept saying...until she finally did find and buy her dream house. 

That was pretty sweet...and I'll trust in a sweet home-buying ending for my friend, too. We'll keep searching and I'm sure the right one will appear for her.

Meanwhile, here are some other sweet!s from the past week and a half. Be sure to add yours in the comments!

 

Thursday: graduations and trophies

Friday: making time to run for the first time in a long while; nurses who care about your mom; a quick visit with your brother-in-law

Saturday: sleeping in; your real estate seeds beginning to bloom; turning door-knocking solicitors into leads; your husband and his brother arriving in Florida, safe and sound;  "The Lego Movie"

 

 

Sunday: a field of Mexican hats; First Communicants; meeting your new neighbors; talking your kids into watching "Saving Mr. Banks"

 

 

Monday: rain, rain, rain, breaking long enough to take your puppies for a walk and go visit your mom; getting your new neighbors' puppies home safe when they've escaped to explore the neighborhood; watching "Mary Poppins" after watching "Saving Mr. Banks"

Tuesday: taking on the challenge of a new long-term class; finally finishing the editing of the photos of your friend's grandchildren you took a few weeks ago

Wednesday: meeting with a dear friend to help her become a homeowner; meeting new people and exploring a beautiful home

 

 

Thursday: learning about historic homes; finally visiting Hill's Cafe; a quick visit with your son, daughter-in-law, and grandpuppy

Friday: visiting with neighbors; your daughter making sure you stay awake through a movie

 

 

Saturday: potential buyers calling from one of your yard signs; birthday parties that include live music wonderful friends, and a wine tasting; a phone conversation with your mother-in-law on her birthday

 

 

Sunday: a morning walk before Mass; high school seniors, ready to take on the world; trying to help a dear friend buy a home she loves; your husband and his brother making it home from their Florida adventure, safe and sound

 

I hope no matter what is going on in your life, you're able to spot some sweetness in what first seems to be unbearably sour circumstances! 

Just remember...

 

 

Hello, Frio...and other sweet!s of the past week

 

I spent a long, lazy weekend with friends I've known since high school (several much longer than that)... just lying around a pool, eating, drinking, talking about our health issues, our parent issues, and whatever other issues happened to be on our minds. 

(Hence, I learned a whole lot about the benefits of extra virgin coconut oil! Apparently it cures just about everything!)

We took morning walks through the rural neighborhood, explored junk shops in town, and danced on the back porch when the sun went down.

 

It was absolutely just what I needed... but would you believe I almost backed out, thinking I had way too much work to do? 

The call of the Frio River turned out to be louder than the call of responsibility.

I fell in love with the sight, smell, and feel of it the first time I visited Garner State Park more than four decades ago, and couldn't resist the chance to dip my toes in its frigid waters once again.

I've only been back once since high school, and I knew I may never get another opportunity.

Of course, time with my girlfriends is always precious. News that another one of our classmates passed away this week reminded me that I'm not guaranteed other chances to spend time with them, either.

 

It was a weekend full of sweet moments to treasure, and even though it had me playing catch-up ever since (posting my Sunday Sweet!s on Wednesday!), I know I made the right decision.

Here are some other sweet!s from this past week...

 

Monday: the sound of rain outside your window as you work; rain that lasts all day and night

 

 

Tuesday: glorious, cool clear-sky mornings; your puppy waiting patiently outside your French doors for a glimpse of you; raindrops glistening in the woods like jewels; free pizza when you're really hungry

Wednesday: motivated clients; listening to interesting people; a haircut when you really, really need it; finding out about the Christ Child Society; fundraising dinners with fun ladies, margaritas, live bands, and dancing

Thursday: your husband celebrating another birthday; listening to an expert in your field give away his secrets; lunch on the patio at Kerbey Lane with friends/colleagues

Friday: a road trip with a friend; relaxing by a pool with friends, feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin; remembering to pack your sunscreen and hat for a weekend by a pool

 

 

Saturday: the sight, smell, and feel of the Frio River; the way just the smell of a river can take you back a few decades to your youth, to dances under the stars and summer love; exploring junk stores with friends; spending an afternoon being lazy around a pool; dancing on a porch with friends on a beautiful night; unexpected jewelry orders

Sunday: baby deer; your friend's Prius, because it only used 1/4 tank of gas on a road trip; getting back to eating healthy after a weekend of sweets, dips, and carbs

 

 

Monday: spotting a spider web across your path before you walk right into it; picking up a new client; helping women find closure after the loss of a friend; a client referral from your son

Tuesday: property tours that take you from Lake Travis and the hill country to downtown Austin; Panera Bread's Asiago Steak Sandwich; therapeutic and educational discussions with colleagues; referrals from friends; double fortune cookie inspiration; a request to photograph a wedding

 

 

Wednesday: watching the sun break through morning clouds; hanging out in your office, working, venting, and learning from colleagues; saying thanks to your team leader with a big send-off party; seeing a friend you haven't seen in a long time; discussing men and marriage with your mom and her friends 

I hope you all have an awesome week! Share your sweet!s in the comments!

 

 

“May what I do flow from me like a river, no forcing and no holding back, the way it is with children.” 

~Rainer Maria Rilke
 

Sleep, surprises...and other sweet!s

 

Friday evening, after dinner at a friend's home, I collapsed into my bed and slept almost twelve hours.

That...felt...so...good.

For months I had been planning to get up early Saturday morning and drive the four hours to my hometown for a gathering of high school friends. At some point on Friday I realized I would have to miss it. Too much to do and too many nights of five hours or less sleep.

I hit my brick wall.

As much as I hated to miss a get-together (with live music, no less!) I'm grateful for the busy-ness of my business right now, and grateful I listened to my voice of reason. I made progress on several projects that required big chunks of time...for example, editing the wedding photos I took on Good Friday. (I told you I was behind on things!)

I'm still not finished with the photos, but I made a lot of progress. It's always such a relief to scratch dusty things like that off of a to-do list, so I'll be working on them again tonight after I publish this post. The bride should be rewarded for her patience.

Here are a few other sweet!s from my past week. I'm trying to get back on schedule!

I hope you're still keeping track of yours. Please share them in the comments.

 

Thursday: affirmations and inspiration that push you beyond your self-doubts

Friday: watching your puppies run with joy; playing catch-up with friends over fajitas and wine

Saturday: sleeping twelve hours; news that a friend has become a grandmother!; news that a friend will become a mother-in-law!; catching up on your work-outs

Sunday: wildflowers; late Mass with your son and daughter; watching Game of Thrones with your son; a cool night breeze blowing in from an open window

Monday: a morning spent making headway on your to-do list, and an evening helping a desperate client in her quest to find a home

An extra sweet! tonight...when taking a look at the photos of wildflowers I snapped earlier in the week, I discovered this one.

 

 

 

What a sweet surprise! I had no idea that little bee-like bug was coming in for a landing when I snapped the photo.

I hope the rest of your week is full of sweet surprises!

 

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

~Lao Tzu

Whew! I made it! (and other sweet!s in a birthday week)

 

Considering it's past midnight on a long Tuesday...which means it's actually Wednesday...which means this post is at least two days late...this sweet! list is going to be a little more blurry and jumbly than most.

My excuse is I'm a whole year older than I was last week...which means time is going by ten times faster.

The biggest sweet! was turning 55 over the weekend, and celebrating with friends and family. Sure, it seems like only yesterday I was turning 50, and all excited about this new decade, but 55 has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

My friend Joanie started the celebration by buying me lunch on Friday, including my first birthday shot (strawberry cheesecake!)

That night, thanks to another friend, Clint, I experienced Austin's Esther's Follies for the first time. I laughed for a solid hour and a half, and didn't want it to end. 

Saturday evening several friends joined me for a night of music and dancing, and then Sunday (my actual birthday) I took my mom to lunch ... because it was kind of a big day for her, too, 55 years ago.

(I believe the older you get, the longer you need to drag out the celebrations, don't you?)

All in all, it was a great weekend following a week full of jumbled, blurry sweet!s... and here they are, in no particular order...

 

 

a tower of cookies

rain

laughing with your kids over vaudeville acts and magic tricks

hearing Spirit in the Sky, Bang a Gong, Stairway to Heaven, and Respect in one car ride 

a friend buying you a ticket to an amazing seminar...and winning a door prize you can give back to him in repayment

a new Realtor friend sending you the audiotape CD's you hoped you'd win instead of the 4-member team in a charity golf tournament, when you don't play golf

roadsides splashed with colorful wildflowers

sitting around a fire pit with friends, listening to music played by another friend's band

dancing

morning sunlight

 

 

texts and emails from friends, wishing you a happy birthday

spotting a mallard couple taking a break in your pond

investing in yourself and your business

watching Game of Thrones with your son

a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" by your goddaughter, nephews, brother- and sister-in-law, via the phone, from Arizona

using your Realtor skills to help a friend who is going through a tough time

birthday cards waiting in your mailbox

the Austin skyline

 

I hope you all had a week overflowing in  sweet!s, even if they got all blurred and jumbled together like mine. Share them here, if you remember them!

 

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest. ~Larry Lorenzoni

 

 

My Bluebonnet Fix (and other sweets of the week)

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite times of the year, when bluebonnets appear almost overnight, splashing the roadsides as if the sky leaked blue.

I spend a lot of time driving those roads and I've been aching to stop and say hello to our brief visitors. They'll be gone in just a few weeks.

But I'm usually on the verge of being late to my next whatever, so until this weekend, I've just been able to enjoy the blue blur out of my car window. 

Still pretty sweet in itself.

However, headed home from a visit with my mom late Saturday afternoon, I swerved off onto a dirt road where a particular blue field had been catching my eye. Just me, my camera, and a lot of bluebonnets.

Well, and some Yellow Bastard Cabbage. That's what a newscaster said this flower is called, although I can't verify that anywhere. I loved the name and couldn't wait to take its picture, too. 

 

 

Sunday I took advantage of the gorgeous weather to visit my listing on the Pedernales River, where wildflowers - including bluebonnets - are keeping the cactus company.

 

 

You can see the river is still down in front of this one acre lot, but weather forecasters say an El Nino is headed our way. Even with the water down, I think the view is beautiful. And oh! the breeze on the cliff.

Now is the time to buy!

 

 

Here are some other sweet!s from my past week. Share yours in the comments! 

 

Tuesday: the first rays of the sun sparkling through the trees; a cardinal singing morning praises; spotting a hummingbird out your office window investigating a stepladder

Wednesday: eavesdropping on talkative high schoolers when you're subbing; seeing someone you didn't expect to see and haven't seen in a long time; a windy walk with your puppies; taking a FlickR break

Thursday: investing and believing in yourself; dancing a sitting-down version of the Chicken Dance with your mom and daughter; accordian music; a new lead from your ad in the church bulletin; chicken enchiladas and watching "Saving Mr. Banks" with dear friends; personalized water bottle labels for your open house, thanks to a dear friend

 

 

Friday: a hailstorm stopping long enough to say hello before moving along; teaming up with your husband, son, and daughter to clean up after your church's fish fry; watching more "Game of Thrones" with your son

Saturday:  a hug and catch-up-visit with a friend you haven't seen in a long while; a free iced Cafe Americana at Starbucks just because you agree to be flexible when they run out of Iced Coffee; exploring houses with clients

Sunday: a gift of a bottle of wine from new clients who make it themselves; your kids helping you with your open house; a visit to Spicewood, Texas on a gorgeous spring day; meeting sweet puppies and their friendly owners when you're checking on one of your listings; fields of bluebonnets

Monday: finally spotting the tiny bird singing a different song, very loudly, on your morning walk; locating your mom's pajama pants and missing pillow in the nursing home laundry; a request for more information about one of your listings; getting buzzed by a hummingbird on your back deck; a good phone visit with a friend

 

I hope the end of this week finds you closer to whatever goals or dreams you hold in your heart, even if it's something simple, like saying hello to a favorite flower. 

For me, my goal is to reach out to at least 100 people by phone or in person to see if I can help them or someone they know with a real estate need. Wish me luck! (If you know of someone, feel free to call me!)

 

Sweet Reflection

I have a confession: I often forget to write down my sweet!s right when I notice them.

...if I even notice them to begin with. 

That's when composing this weekly post of mine becomes a real challenge, but even more important to accomplish.

It forces me to stop and reflect on the seven days just passed ... to dig out the overlooked sweet!s from under the rubble of too-busy-days and a bad memory, to polish them up and set them in a place of honor, befitting special gifts from above, where I can see them and remember.

I encourage you to try it, especially if you've had a week that seemed full of one disappointment after another. I guarantee there were sweet! moments in there, too, waiting to be noticed, to brighten your day, to make you smile or give you hope if you're running dry.

 

 

Here are the ones I managed to dig up from my cluttered mind, which I think often resembles those dead weeds up there...

 

Tuesday: exploring gorgeous homes; enjoying fresh-grilled hamburgers outside near a lake in springtime; your lease clients' application being accepted; your friends sending your mom "Happy St. Patrick's Day!" cards

 

 

Wednesday: discovering castles; numbing medications when you're having the second part of a root canal; the balance of your bill being a fraction of what you were expecting to pay

Thursday: a mostly-full moon accompanying you on your morning walk; showing houses to lease clients; driving through Austin on a perfect spring day; news that a friend is pregnant; bluebonnets on the roadsides; helping a friend celebrate her birthday with Chinese food and a movie; discovering Muppet movies

Friday: support, encouragement, and ideas from colleagues; showing houses to buyer clients; beginning the second season of "Game of Thrones" with your son

 

 

Saturday: sleeping in; lazy days at home; the redbuds rebounding from the ice storm; more "Game of Thrones"

 

 

Sunday: Garden of Eatin' inspiration; your mom feeling better after a night of nausea; someone else cooking dinner; more "Game of Thrones"

Monday: a whole week of sticking to your new morning time-blocked routine; visiting with friends you haven't seen in a long time; puppies and horses; friends who take the time to send your mom sweet cards

 

 *******************************************************

 

“I love finding gems. However I’m not talking about ludicrously expensive diamonds, or priceless sapphires. I mean the impetuous, primitive rushes of passion and love we experience so rarely that they become impossible to ignore.

That overwhelming sense of selflessness and beauty. Hope and desire. Happiness and strength.

These are the moments that define us as people. As individuals.

Should it be falling in love, playing a guitar for the first time, donating to charity, meeting new people, staying up till three in the morning listening to old Bob Marley Vinyls or beating the elite 4 on Pokemon.

Whatever it is, it’s moments like these that are worth more than any gem or diamond. Treasure or material goods.”

― George MacDonald

  

Blame it on the Moon

 

 

I'm not really blaming the moon for anything. It accompanied me on one of my morning walks this week and I just wanted to share the photos with you. I just thought it was a catchy title!

I slept in this morning. I've looked forward to it for days and it lived up to my expectations.

I'll be scrambling the rest of the weekend to "get stuff done", but it was totally worth it.

 

 

I spotted a small patch of bluebonnets Tuesday. By Thursday, I noticed them blooming all along Austin's roadsides, together with Indian Paintbrushes.

So it's official: Spring has arrived in Austin!

No photos yet, unfortunately. For some reason bluebonnets don't bloom in Long Hollow, but my big girl camera is going back in my bag in case I see a safe place to pull over when I'm out driving to snap some. 

 

 

After meeting every two weeks for two years ... supporting, critiquing, and encouraging each other ... my writing group has disbanded. Temporarily, we hope.

I admitted defeat in my battle for writing time last week, and stepped out of the group. I was the third of the original members to do so in just a few weeks because of the demands of our lives.

Then this past week a fourth announced she was pregnant with her first child. She knew she wouldn't be able to focus on her writing or give the group the attention it required for several months. 

It's bittersweet, to say the least, but I know we'll all still be there for one another... supporting, encouraging, and even critiquing each other's work. Just not in person every two weeks.

 

 

I got together with friends on Thursday night to celebrate my friend Karen's 54th birthday with dinner and a movie. She chose "The Muppets Most Wanted". 

I have nothing against the muppets, mind you, and love some of the characters, but it wouldn't have been my first choice by a long shot. I wasn't alone. We joked that our gift to Karen was watching it with her.

But I'll admit to the world that I loved it! So creative, and the supporting actors like Tina Fey were hilarious. It had us laughing out loud, probably scaring the little boy watching it with his dad a few rows in front of us. They were the only other ones in the theater with us.

Time to search for the other muppet movies on Netflix.

 

 

My mom is doing much better lately. She had so many changes in her life in such a short time that sent her reeling, but she's settling into a routine, learning to accept the realities she's been given.

I'm grateful she's so close and that the home where she's staying is, for the most part, full of people who truly care about the residents. 

Thank you to all my friends who took the time to send her a card or note to brighten her day.

It's the smallest things we do that often make the biggest difference in someone's life, isn't it?

Canyon Wrens, Laptops, Irish Beer, and other Sweet!s

 

I sat on the front porch for a few hours this afternoon. The sunshine and blue sky were so crisp I couldn't stand to be inside any longer.

I grabbed my laptop and planted myself in a rocking chair to listen to training webinars while watching a cardinal and tufted titmouse take turns at the birdfeeder, always keeping one eye on me.

Eventually I also had my camera and a glass of wine with me. Unfortunately, as soon as the cardinal spotted the zoom lens, he disappeared into the oak trees. They are such chickens.

But the little bird above appeared, hopping around on the rocks of the retaining wall. One often appears on the window of my office, intent on cleaning bugs off my screen. I love watching it, but didn't know what it was. So tonight I searched and searched until I found its name. 

It's a Canyon Wren. Of course.

The titmouse was a bit of a chicken, too, but I managed to capture this photo when he flew into the tree to groom himself. He thought I couldn't see him.

 

For me, it was a gloriously sweet! way to spend an afternoon. 

But, except for the concert of Irish ballads I caught at my mom's nursing home today, it didn't feel much like St. Patrick's Day to me until my son came home, bearing Irish beer and pulling up Irish music on his computer.

Having adult kids living at home isn't so bad. Erin Go Bragh!

Here are some other sweet!s from the past week... (remember to share yours in the comments!)

 

Tuesday: enjoying "margaritas" and a musical performance with your mom at her nursing home 

Wednesday: finding out your daughter-in-law sang onstage for the audience at Jimmy Kimmel's SXSW show; a stranger in the eye doctor's waiting room offering to let you show it to your mom on his iPhone because your phone is dead; your mom's successful eye surgery

Thursday: beautiful cards and letters from your friends to your mom; news that your cataract hasn't grown or moved; your daughter entertaining a client's children; grilled shrimp tacos

Friday: glowing recommendations from clients on your website; showing homes to clients; popcorn and movies with your daughter

 

Saturday: a baby shower to welcome a friend's first grandchild; winning a game at the baby shower!

Sunday: taking time to catch up with a friend after church; visiting a recently widowed neighbor; helping a precious young family get into a home; your husband and sons making it back from Florida, safe and sound; surprising your mom and her roommate with brownies; courtesy of your daughter

 

Monday: getting back on your exercise schedule; paychecks; hugs from friends in your office; listening to Irish ballads and eating tiny cupcakes with your mom; an afternoon of birdwatching/working on your front porch; Irish music, thanks to Pandora, and Irish beer, thanks to your son

Here's an extra sweet! ... 

Spring is finally getting the best of Winter, here in Austin. Hallelujah! 

 

 

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. 

~Adrienne Cook

A Lenten Rambling

 

The simplicity of winter has a deep moral. The return of Nature, after such a career of splendor and prodigality, to habits so simple and austere, is not lost either upon the head or the heart. It is the philosopher coming back from the banquet and the wine to a cup of water and a crust of bread.

~John Burroughs, "The Snow-Walkers," 1866

 

 

Tuesday morning, just days after spring-like temperatures which tempted yellow flowers and redbuds alike to blossom, 

I woke to a world sparkling in tiny icicles. 

 

 

That's like life, isn't it? Things are progressing quite well and we take it for granted it will continue.

Then winter returns.

 

 

A friend said goodbye to her mother today, so mortality was on my mind more than ever on this first day of Lent.

For my peers, this past year has been one of saying goodbye, of watching loved ones laid to rest, including my own precious Daddy. I guess we've just reached that age.

 

Ah, if you knew what peace there is in an accepted sorrow!

~ Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Motte Guyon

 

Sorrow sits on my shoulder. You might not see it, but it settled there more than a year ago when we said goodbye to my father-in-law, and remained as we watched the steady decline of my parents.

I've come to accept its presence. After all, death is part of life, and feeling sorrow is just proof that we love. 

But I've learned that sorrow and joy can live together. In fact, the presence of sorrow often heightens the feeling of joy, by reminding me that life on this earth is short. Time is precious, not to be wasted by half attempts at anything or on things that aren't important in the grand scheme of things.

 

We offer You our failures,
we offer You attempts;
The gifts not fully given,
the dreams not fully dreamt.
Give our stumblings direction,
give our visions wider view,
An offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

~Tim Conroy

 

Lent is a time to reflect, to consider what is important in the grand scheme, so you don't waste time on what isn't. To step back and see how well you're doing with the gifts you've been given ... to recognize the rough edges that need sanding ... to take a breath, and refocus ...

... to vow to love fully and completely.

And what could be more important in the grand scheme of things?

 

"Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."

-Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

  

Signs of Spring...and other sweet!s

Cedar Waxwings have returned to the Hollow! A huge flock of them graced the tall leafless willows near the pond most of the morning, just kind of hanging out. I ventured as near as I dared and snapped about a thousand photos with my zoom. 

I'm not sure if any of the pics will do them justice - it was a gray morning and I was still pretty far away, because I didn't want to spook them. But it doesn't matter. It was enough to just stand there and exist with them for a little while.

If any are worth sharing, I'll post them later over at Confessions. In the meantime, here are a few definite signs that Spring is moving back in..

I spotted this odd couple Saturday morning...a Cedar Waxwing and a Robin.

 

Rosemary is blooming in front of one of my listings. Bees were going crazy!

 

And here are a few other sweet!s from the past week...

Monday: getting to watch a portion of your company conference in Phoenix from the comfort of your Austin office with friends, while sipping on a cocktail and snacking; coupons for free Chik-Fil-A sandwiches; dining outside on a balmy Austin evening with your daughter

 

Tuesday: property tours; gorgeous Lake Travis scenery; a call from a neighbor you didn't know before, thanks to the neighborhood group you formed; a new haircut and re-blonding

 

 

Wednesday: your son's help in getting a copy of your mom's birth certificate easier and faster than it was going to be; your errant puppies heading home with just a single "Go home now!" command given through your car window

 

 

Thursday: the Flight Path coffee shop; a Turkey Reuben eaten outside at Avenue B Grocery; your adventuresome puppies (apparently) staying home without their shock collars; learning how to add emoticons to your text messages

Friday: classes with free lunches; a referral by a friend; picking up a lead at the grocery store; warm brownies, thanks to your daughter 

Saturday:  Robins and Cedar Waxwings returning to your hollow; meeting with potential buyer clients; watching and critiquing movies with your kids

 

 

Sunday: inspiration on an A-frame sign; Quiche Lorraine; encouragement for your writing; a visit with your mom, son, and daughter-in-law, all at the same time; writing critique group meetings; quesadillas for dinner, courtesy of your daughter

Monday: taking time to just watch a flock of Cedar Waxwings; a glimpse of bright yellow bird in the bushes; your mom just suffering a couple of bruises from a fall; taking 10 minutes from an over-busy day to play your neglected drums

I wish I could send our warm weather, bees, and blossoms up to those of you in the north still stuck in signs of winter! I hope you still find plenty of sweet!s in each day.

 

"Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience."  

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."  

~John Quincy Adams

Number 1: Laughing Hard Times into Wine

 

 

 

 

1. This is my new favorite quote:

“The woman had laughed the hard times into wine.”
-Ann Voskamp 

I'm not sure if it's possible to laugh hard times into wine, except theoretically, of course... but I love the imagery of it. Thanks to Jennifer at Ripplespeak for posting it. (And for all of her own beautiful words full of imagery and inspiration!)

 

 

 

2. I've had to spend a lot of time dealing with the Social Security Administration and other agencies lately, trying to get things straightened out for my mom. It can be pretty frustrating and confusing.

So when I was having trouble getting my mom's birth certificate last week at the Bureau of Vital Statistics, my son Daniel moved up to total Rock Star status with me when he provided the information and advice via text that I needed to help the Bureau employees figure out what to do in only one trip!

I forgave him any headaches he gave me when he was little.

 

 

3. Have you heard of Sundown Syndrome? I hadn't until my mom started showing signs of it. Sigh.

 

 

4. I just created a Nextdoor.com group for my neighborhood. It's kind of like Neighborhood Watch, only online.

"Nextdoor is the private social network for you, your neighbors and your community. It's the easiest way for you and your neighbors to talk online and make all of your lives better in the real world. And it's free." (from the website)

I heard about it in a real estate class and thought it would be perfect for my little area where walking next-door is a bit of a hike and the potential for wildfires is very, very real.

 

 

(photo from the Duluth Animal Hospital Facebook Page)

5.And last but not least, just in case I'm NOT the last person in the world to meet this adorable couple, I'm introducing you to Roo and Penny, best buddies who were both adopted by Alicia Williams of the Duluth Animal Hospital. Daniel introduced them to me. 

I have fallen totally head over heels, wanting to reach in and cuddle both of them, in love with them! 

If you're like me and can't get enough of their cuteness, go HERE to learn more about their stories.

God bless Alicia for saving them.

 

 

Joining with Nancy's...

 

Not the Sweetest Valentine's Day...

 

I received my Valentine's Day surprise early Friday morning - a stomach bug. It knocked me out all day and left me feeling like a ragdoll all weekend. 

Thank goodness my son Daniel was able to deliver the fancy box of Millionaire candy I bought for Mama, so she still had something special, and I'm so grateful to TG for staying home to take care of me and the puppies.

But I had to cancel appointments, scrap my plans of dropping Valentine surprises by my clients' houses, and didn't even have the energy to work on my computer or read.

If you've already had this cursed virus, I give you my full sympathy. If you haven't, I pray it misses you!

And I hope your Valentine's Day was a lot sweeter than mine! Share them with me in the comments.

I still collected a few sweet!s this week, though... 

 

 

Sunday: helping a dear friend celebrate her birthday; sitting with friends on a deck, watching deer watch us

 

 

Monday: your clients pleased with the photos you took of the Women's Gala; picking up an extra phone duty; getting to see your mom for the first time in three days; learning that one of the ladies your mom eats with every day is a friend's mother-in-law

Tuesday: property tours; the photo you took on a friend's beautiful business card; enough hot coals still alive in your woodburning stove when you get home to get a fire going easily

 

 

Wednesday: yellow flowers that continue to bloom along your path despite the freezing temperatures; support in your new career; picking up another extra phone duty; hand and arm massages; listening to your mom's memories

Thursday: nurses who keep you posted on your mom's health issues; subbing in a high school classroom and listening to their mock job interviews (impressive!); getting a potential lease client while on phone duty

Friday: your daughter taking care of you and the things that need to be done around the house when you get knocked out of commission by a stomach bug; get-well wishes from friends on Facebook; your son delivering your Valentine's Day box of candy to your mom for you; finally being able to take some medicine for a day-long headache without fear of it coming back up again; your mom's fever staying low; care givers who keep a close watch on your mom, especially when you can't

 

 

Saturday: a full night's rest and waking to sunlight splashing into your bedroom; breakfast, after a 36 hour involuntary fast; enough energy for a morning walk with your puppies; a Mexican Jay posing for you; your mom testing negative for pneumonia; relaxing on your porch, watching the cardinals visit your birdfeeder, even though they wait until it's too dark for you to get a good photo of them

 

 

Sunday: Mass with your kids; Shirley Temple movies; visiting your mom after not seeing her for three days - again!; listening to your body and going to bed at 8pm

Monday: realizing you slept for 10 hours!

 

The best things in life are nearest: 
Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. 
Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life. 

~Robert Louis Stevenson

 

P.S. Happy Presidents' Day, by the way! Whether you have the day off, or you have to work (like me) I hope you enjoy it!

 

Better Late Than Never! (and other sweet!s)

I'm sure we passed each other in the hallways of our junior high and high school. We might have even shared a class or two. Perhaps we even spoke once or twice.

But if we did, I don't remember.

So even though her face and name were familiar, I truly didn't know Debbie until Facebook revealed that she, too, lived in the Austin area and I invited her to a Shake Russell concert.

My first memory of speaking to her was at that concert in the Saxon Pub about five years ago. That's when I realized what a sweetheart she is...quiet, smart, and strong.

Since then we've shared many evenings dancing and listening to live music. She's always one of the first to give me encouragement and support, or offer prayers and a shoulder to cry on, even as she went through some heartbreaking times of her own. 

I could waste time lamenting all those years of my youth when I didn't make an effort to know her, but instead, I'll be grateful to Facebook for eventually bringing us together so that I could help this wonderful woman through tough times and celebrations...

...such as the one for her birthday this afternoon with other friends who walked those halls with us so many years ago.

Happy birthday, Debbie! I'm so very grateful for you and your friendship. Better late than never!

 

 

Monday: getting an issue resolved at the Social Security Administration even if you have to wait three hours to do it; meeting people in waiting rooms; a real estate referral on Facebook by someone you've watched grow up; seeing your mom twice in one day; dinner and dessert, courtesy of your son and daughter

Tuesday: puppy kisses; touring properties with friend-colleagues; fajitas and margaritas; the happiness in your mom's eyes at the sight of you

Wednesday: the return of birds to your hollow; time for a quick visit with your mom before heading to a meeting; grilled chicken, courtesy of your son

Thursday: Realtors who share their knowledge with associates and their lasagna with hungry colleagues; making new friends every day

Friday: a call from your mother-in-law; a day at home with your family; watching funny movies with your kids; heating your whole house with just your wood-burning stove, thanks to your husband's awesome design; the God made a Realtor video

 

 

Saturday: blue skies and balmy breezes after too many days of gray skies and freezing temperatures; French toast, courtesy of your husband; your mom feeling better after being hit with a stomach virus; two walks in one day with your puppies

Sunday: the morning sun kissing your Hollow and shining through the stained glass in your church; Mass with your husband; new church directories; the anticipation of helping a dear friend celebrate her birthday

 

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive. 

~Anäis Nin

Galas, Volunteering, Photography and other Sweet!s

Last night I spent hours with a camera around my neck, stalking guests at the local Women's Club fundraising gala.

Now, mind you, it's pretty standard for me to have my camera hanging around my neck at any function I attend...well, anywhere I go... but last night was different: instead of complaining about me taking too many photos, people were asking me to take more, because I was the official photographer!

It was truly photographer heaven!

Because it was a fundraiser for the Women's Club, my only payment was a delicious dinner and a glass of wine. The Women's Club supports our community in so many ways, including awarding scholarships to several graduating seniors. My daughter was a recipient a few years ago, and I volunteered to show my appreciation.

Not only did I get to snap photos to my heart's content, but I bumped into several friends, met new ones, listened to an awesome band...the Vintage 15...and enjoyed scenes from the Wizard of Oz, created almost entirely from toilet paper rolls.

 

 

Monday: new dog beds made from an old mattress; French toast, courtesy of your husband; a call about one of your Craig's List posts

Tuesday: an extended property tour through your small town; a son who stops by after work to see your mom even though it gets him home really late

Wednesday: friends downloading and sharing your real estate mobile app to improve your chances of winning $20K

Thursday: a stranger helping you scrape ice from your windshield; making it home before the roadways are covered in ice

 

 

Friday: a snow day...long walks, warm fires, and chili simmering on the stove; an email from an old friend, asking you to photograph his daughter's April wedding at a gorgeous outdoor chapel

 

Saturday: exploring new homes; getting to see your oldest son and your mom in one visit; being the official photographer at a Gala; works of creative wonder made from toilet paper rolls; big bands; staying up late watching episodes of American Horror Story with your kids

 

 

Sunday: a flash of blue in the woods, signaling the return of the Mexican Jays; Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies; watching a trio of Brady Bunch episodes with your mom

 

 

I hope you've all collected a bunch of sweet!s this week, too.

Share them here!

If you do a good job for others, you heal yourself at the same time,
because a dose of joy is a spiritual cure.
It transcends all barriers.

~ Ed Sullivan

 

An Austin Winter

A sky of faded gray flannel. The swoosh of a cold wind bullying the treetops, making the old cedars creak and groan down to their roots. Frozen toes eager to be back inside, warming near a fire.

After days of sunshine and spring-like temperatures that sent juniper spores partying through the atmosphere, we're reminded that it's still just January.

I'm actually relishing this down time, despite the possibility of icy roads when I hit the highway after phone duty this evening, and it's not just because it shuts down the cedar fever party. If the forecast of snow in the morning comes true, it will be a good excuse to slow down and catch my breath.

But I know a day - or a few hours - of forced slowing down will be enough. I can only take so much gray flannel before yearning for golden mornings.

 

 

Whether your sky is wearing gray flannel or gold, I hope you're staying warm!

A Cousin, a Mom, and Mexican Food. Sweet Sunday!

 

 

Tomorrow is my cousin Patricia's birthday.

She's always held a special place in my heart, beginning when she was a teenager. Unlike some of my other teenage cousins, she was consistently nice to me when we went to visit, even though I was a brat.

I haven't forgotten.

Her dad was one of my favorite uncles, too...a self-taught artist and musician who made me laugh and triggered my interest in antiques and family history.

However, even though Pat doesn't live far from me, we've only gotten together a few times over the past twenty years, for an occasional lunch or hike through a cemetery. (We're both into genealogy.)

But soon after Daddy died, she made a one-day trip to Houston, just to see Mama. Then she sent Mama a care package around Thanksgiving, full of cookies, snacks, and I don't know what else. And as soon as I brought Mama up to Austin, Pat was there...bearing gifts, of course. 

Love is, above all else, the gift of oneself.
~Jean Anouilh

So this afternoon, Mama and I took Pat out to dinner. It's just a drop in the bucket of repayment, and pales in comparison to her thoughtfulness (especially since she brought another basket full of goodies for Mama) but I hope it helps her understand how much we love and appreciate her.

She's a sweet! all by herself, for sure!

 

"I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich."  

~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford

 

 

Here are a few others from the past week...

Monday: finally having your camera when you spot ducks on a pond; learning the tricks of real estate photography

 

 

Tuesday: time to walk with your puppies and pray before getting caught up in the busy-ness of your day; a friend saving you a seat at a meeting when you're running late; sponsored lunches; interest in a beautiful house you just posted on MLS

Wednesday: your first closing; a hug from your sister who travelled up to see your mom; finally getting all of your Christmas decorations boxed up; taking time to watch a gorgeous full moon rise from behind the hills

 

 

Thursday: safely spotting - and photographing - a gorgeous coyote; saving ducks from getting eaten by a coyote; obedient puppies

 

 

Friday: getting a lead while on phone duty; making progress on some to-do's; a movie with your son

Saturday: catching the end of a Shirley Temple movie and traveling to Wales with Rick Steves while eating breakfast, checking email, and sipping your morning coffee;  your tall son helping you hang portraits in your mom's room

Sunday: helping your cousin celebrate her birthday with your mom; Green Chili Tortilla Soup and spicy salsa that opens your sinuses when you're suffering from cedar fever; a quick phone visit with your eldest; selling one of your many "For Sale"s

 

What were some sweet! moments from your past week? I hope you've been paying attention!

Oops! I almost forgot one of the sweetest moments of the week. (My days blend together so much lately. That's one reason it's important for me to sit down here and count my sweet's! at the end of the week.)

Anyway, on Wednesday my sister and her husband took an overnight road trip to Austin so she could spend time with Mama. I didn't get much time with her, but enough for a sister-hug and a quick visit. 

Very, very sweet!

 

 

 

 

Closings and Close Encounters

"...and suddenly, it was Thursday night."

That was going to be the title of this post, because there I was, still chipping away at my Monday To-Do list,

"...and suddenly, it was Thursday night."

Does that ever happen to you?

I did have a couple of exciting things happen this week I want to tell you about, though...

On Tuesday I had my first real estate closing! Remember Lisa, my friend with the beautiful horses? She bought a lot that adjoins her property to give her horses more space to run. I'm so glad I was able to help her realize that dream. 

Then, this morning on my usual walk with the puppies I encountered a different kind of excitement...

A flock of mallard ducks on a nearby pond was raising a ruckus. While sneaking up on them with my camera, I noticed something else sneaking up on them from the other side of the pond: a coyote. A great big coyote! To me, it looked as big as Max, who thank goodness obeyed my command to 'stay'. Belle, too.

 

 

I knew coyotes were out here. I've heard them howling at night, driving my dogs crazy. I've seen the torn, bloody remains of their prey/dinner...and their scat.

But until this morning, I've never actually seen one so up close and personal here in the Hollow. 

The click of my camera alerted it that I was there, and it melted back into the brush. All the way home I searched the woods, wondering if it was watching us.

Part of me is unsettled by the knowledge of its presence...but most of me feels grateful that I caught a glimpse of it, and that I had my camera with me. Also, of course, that no ducks, dogs, or people were harmed in the process.

It's really quite beautiful, isn't it?

 

 

Last night I had a close encounter with another beautiful, yet much less harmful, object: the full moon rising over Lake Travis and the small village of Point Venture...

 

 

Hope you have a great weekend!

 

 

From reunions to George...what a week!

Tuesday I drove to Houston for a reunion of the DuPont Deer Park Old Farts Club, an exclusive group of people who helped start-up the DuPont Syngas/Methanol plant and worked there in its infancy. I was part of the second group of plant technicians to be hired (#43) in November of 1978, when the plant was still under construction.

The reunion wasn't just for us plant technicians who operated the plant, but also for the engineers who guided us, the maintenance and instrumentation crews, the office staff...you name it. We were a team and shared the adventure.

Too many have passed on, and that's why we decided a couple of years ago it was high time to get together. This was our second reunion. Why have it on a Tuesday? Ky was returning to the U.S. from vacation abroad the day before, Oscar was scheduled to fly out to Saudi Arabia for work the next morning, and Ken was returning to Panama, where he now lives, on the 10th.

It's amazing it worked out, when I think about it.

Even though some don't seem to be interested in the get-togethers, many of us cherish those friendships and memories and enjoy seeing each other again. 

Still, it can be a bit of a headache sending out emails and getting people to commit. Thank goodness Mark, one of the engineers, stepped up to reserve a spot for us. Thank you, Mark!

 

Oscar sent an email the next day that made all of the preparations totally worthwhile. 

Morning All,

 

Thanks again Barbara, for going that extra mile, literally, to bring everyone together. The food was outstanding, great friends with whom just to laugh, a little moment to share that something (talent) we were all so blessed and gifted with and all shared together. My God, we lived our lives all together for more hours than we spent with our families...  This is what true friendship is all about, those 3 beautiful hours were worth more then money can ever buy. I loved this moment we shared with all of you, my family and old friends. Thank you all for being there and Donny, please stop saying your days are numbered. You will out live us all. Well, heading back to the airport for my 20 plus hour journey back to Saudi. We will do this again, be safe and stay healthy everyone. Happy New Year and send the photos please. If we don't see you all again, I promise we will see you in heaven. Later Oscar ( O G )

 

Thank you, Oscar, and be safe!

 

 

Heladio (what a great name!) and Oscar. (Oscar is the best whistler I've ever heard.)

 

 

Here are a few other sweet!s from my past week...

 

 

 

Tuesday: a pond reflection framed in ice; frisky dogs; your husband getting a fire going in your woodburning stove for you before leaving for work; a friend letting you crash at her house when in town for a quick visit; your mobile mapquest app guiding you around a traffic jam so you're in time for your reunion; hugs and visits and laughter with longtime friends; staying up late visiting with your sweet friend

 

 

Brian and Cliff - these two guys could make me laugh till I cried - and probably still could!

 

Ky introduced me to classical music while carpooling, along with Brian, and Chinese/Viet Nam history during breaks on nightshifts; Howard and I shared books, and he had my back when I voiced concerns about fumes in the lab while I was pregnant. (If you've read "A View from a Catwalk", he's the friend who was knocked off of his bicycle in an explosion.)

 

Henry and Donnie...oh, I have lots of stories about Donnie. Unfortunately, most I can't share. 

 

Groundbreakers. Imagine us all in hard hats and safety glasses. Well, and thirty years younger. These are just a few of the interesting, smart, talented women I worked with.  

 

 

Wednesday: a deal coming through you thought was lost; breakfast at a friend's restaurant with another friend and your sister; making it home safe, despite constant rain and traffic; being able to stop and visit your mom on your way home;  your daughter making you a quesadilla for dinner

 

 

Thursday: making lots of progress on a project; finally taking two boxes of stuff to Goodwill

Friday: a glimpse of the Mallard couple, even though you don't have your camera; feeling optimistic about your listing; your son surprising you with a ticket to see George Strait in concert

 

 

Saturday: an evening at home with your mom, husband, and kids, eating hamburgers and watching "Enchanted"

Sunday: attending Mass with your husband; another day hanging out with your mom; Realtor friends who think of you when they need someone to cover for them at an open house

I hope you remember to notice the sweet! moments in your week!

"Do not take anything for granted — not one smile or one person or one rainbow or one breath, or one night in your cozy bed."

~Terri Guillemets

Christmas Firsts

 

 

I was on the road early Monday morning with TG, heading east to Houston. We gathered my mom's belongings from the nursing home, spent a few hours at the house gathering more things and visiting with my sister and friends before loading up and heading west into the sunset, back to Austin to start a new chapter in both of our lives.

Tom helped me get her settled in her new room on Tuesday. Her roommate is a character. The two of them together might be trouble.

 

 

This was the first Christmas my son and daughter-in-law spent as a married couple, the first in their new home.

I think they felt tugged and pulled by all of the family celebrations - his and hers...we all live in Austin - so I am grateful we had so much time to celebrate with them on Christmas Day, including a game of ping-pong.

 

 

This was our first Christmas without my Daddy.

I know Mama felt it more than the rest of us, but, as usual, she kept a smile on her face, only fussing about getting too many presents. 

 

 

To better accomodate Mama's wheelchair, Tom added a stone 'ramp' to the pathway leading to our house.

He is amazing in both his skill and his thoughtfulness. He truly loves my mom and, believe me, the feeling is mutual. 

 

 

I saw Mama twice today, first on my way into town to deliver earnest money to a title company and stop by the grocery store, and then on my way home, dropping off snacks and picking up her laundry.

I wish she could just stay with us, but this is the next best thing, to have her so close.

 

In honor and encouragement of my new career (and because she's nuts and goes overboard at Christmas), my friend Mary Kay made me this ornament/wreath. It's on the tree now, but will have a place in my office once the tree and other decorations are boxed up.

 

 

My first closing as a Realtor is Monday. Another first to close out 2013, a year that brought us much happiness with Tommy and Kirby's wedding, hope and faith in the future with my new career, but also heartache in the passing of my sweet Daddy. 

 

 

I wish all of you the peace and comfort of Christmas throughout the coming year, and sweet memories to treasure the rest of your life. 

(Bitter)sweet

Tomorrow is going to be a day of transition, of goodbyes and new beginnings. I'm traveling to Houston and bringing my mother back here to live in a nursing home minutes from my house.

Except for occasional weekends in her house - my childhood home - she has been living in a nursing home near Houston since she and Daddy were released from the hospital in July. She has been whirling through one transition after another for months, including my Daddy's death, hoping the day would come when she could just go back to the house she'd called home for almost sixty years and live in peace. The house she vowed she would live in forever. 

It took time, but she finally agreed moving closer to me might be the best thing. It will certainly bring me peace of mind having her close enough that I can just jump in the car when I can't reach her on the phone, or when I have questions about her care.

I'll be able to stop for a hug on my way to and from work. On rare days when I can't go see her, Tom and the kids will be there. I plan to take her on outings, to my house or my son's, or the mall or out to eat or wherever she wants to go.

But first we have to get through tomorrow, and Tuesday, and Christmas. I have to watch her say goodbye to her house and familiar streets, and then help her look forward, reminding her she'll carry those places and memories in her heart wherever she goes. 

It will be a bittersweet day at best.

But I'll still be on the lookout for purely sweet! moments, those little gifts of light God sends to brighten the dark days. I know they'll be there. 

Here are a few more from this past week...

 

Tuesday: flexibility in your job; delivering Texas-shaped gingerbread to clients; finding a beautiful ornament from a friend in your mailbox

 

 

Wednesday: gorgeous sunrises through your window; a productive day at home; Mucinex; watching The Grinch and decorating your tree with your daughter

Thursday: a photo of your mom with Santa, thanks to your sister; time to take care of things that have been nagging at you; going to the movies with your kids, even if it's not a good movie; a large bucket of theater popcorn

Friday: spotting a Mallard duck couple swimming on a pond; watching a movie with your kids and laughing so hard your stomach hurts; an executed contract

Saturday: bumping into a friend you haven't seen in years in the post office and being asked to find property for her in Wyoming; an afternoon of baking; warm cookies fresh from the oven; Christmas parties with friends and family; dancing in an airplane hangar; fresh homemade empanadas

 

 

Sunday: seeing the magic of Santa in children's eyes; friends who are willing to dress up like elves; assurance that your mother hasn't developed sepsis; a walk with your puppies after church; a blue heron flying overhead; seeing a dear friend in the grocery store; watching the best parts of the old "Sound of Music" with your son and daughter 

 

May you spot the sweet! moments in your life, even on the bittersweet days. I promise they are there.

 

May we see after the rain, fair weather, after the darkness, light, after these storms and tempests, a gentle calm. Amen.

 

 - St. Cyprian of Carthage

 

Firewood and other sweet!s

My socks may not match, but my feet are always warm.

~Maureen McCullough

 

The drought took its toll on many of the oak trees in the Hollow. But Tom found the good in that this past weekend by cutting up the dead ones into woodburning stove sized pieces.

Our woodpile had dwindled so much that we'd actually resorted to turning on the heat for these cold, cold nights, but thanks to Tom, his new chainsaw blades, and Daniel for helping to carry and stack, we have a beautiful, replinished stack just outside the back door. 

 

 

Now that's a sweet! sight!

 

Here are a few other sweet!s from the past week...

Tuesday: a holiday office open house; making it to all four of the houses on your property tour; getting a quick haircut even though you were way late for your appointment because you couldn't find the new salon location; finally getting a new doctor for your mom; a potential client from phone duty; James Taylor and Carole King 

Wednesday: indoor plumbing and hot water heaters, especially on cold mornings; a reuben sandwich and cup of corn chowder from the Avenue B Grocery; holiday open houses full of familiar faces; doctors who reply to emails; a surprise gift from your husband to make planting For Sale signs easier

 

 

Thursday: working from home; an Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass, followed by a dinner of homemade tamales and pan dulce

 

Friday: Friday the 13ths, period; your Christmas cards finally ready to mail; finding Christmas cards from others in your mailbox

Saturday: trading old books for hard cash...and resisting the temptation to spend it on more old books; dancing to live music, catching up with good friends, and watching a sky light drift into the stars 

 

 

Sunday: Giving Trees; a partially clean house dotted and dripping with shiny Christmas memories; smoked turkey for dinner, thanks to your husband

Monday: a frost-covered morning; eating Chick-fil-A in a parking lot with your daughter, watching people pass on the street; a dear friend stopping to check on your mom for you; warm gingerbread, fresh from the oven

 

 

 

Wishing you plenty of warmth and sweetness in the week ahead!

 

 

"And I had but one penny in the world. Thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread."

 

– William Shakespeare, Love’s Labours Lost

 

Dancing, Sunshine, and other sweets

 

 

 

 

 

After several days of gray skies and temperatures below freezing, the sun finally made an appearance yesterday afternoon. And the clouds even stayed away long enough for me to say hello to a half moon and a sky full of stars that dripped all the way to the tree tops.

Hallelujah! My spirit soars under a clear sky, and even though this morning I woke to another gray sky and cold drizzle, I feel recharged. 

Here are some other sweet!s from my past week...

 

Monday: finding a lucky penny, reminding you "In God We Trust" just when you're feeling overwhelmed; getting a lease client while on phone duty; your first real estate paycheck; finally finishing the weeding of your library

 

 

Tuesday: remembering the day you became a mother, and wishing your oldest a happy birthday; touring a million dollar home set in the hills near Austin; juniper trees lining the roadsides decorated for Christmas; a long-overdue re-blonding

Wednesday: guidance for your 2014 business plan; God's art in the sky, made of wind and clouds

Thursday: a bus ride with colleagues to Fredericksburg, Texas; the Christmas light displays in Johnson City

 

 

Friday: dry roads so you can attend your company party and enjoy dancing, photo booth sessions, making new friends, and chocolate fountains

 

 

Saturday: your sister home safe after a cruise; not having to leave your house except to walk your puppies

Sunday: your husband walking in with an armload of firewood on a cold morning, and assurance that his car is loaded down with more; a telephone visit with your sister-in-law, even if it isn't all great news; your son learning how to make Terry Boer's Chicken and Rice casserole; an evening of visiting with friends; couples in their 80's who are still tearing up the dance floor

 

Monday: attending a class that supports your belief that a Realtor is more public servant than salesperson; getting a new customer while your watch gets a new battery in the mall; nurses who put their patients above job security

 

How's the weather where you are?

If it's cold and gray, I hope you find a way to recharge, too! (Try dancing!)

 

There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good.

~ Edwin Denby

Raindrops are falling on my head...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and I'm glad of it! We've needed the rain! Ponds are filling up and I'm already envisioning the fields of wildflowers we'll have in the spring.

The rain brought other gifts, too. I've been trying to capture a tiny reflection in a raindrop for a long, long, long time. This week I finally did it! Can you see it up there? 

Here are a few more sweet!s from the past week...

 

Monday: a friend who will change her plans to go check on your mom for you; a growing collection of clients and potential clients; the full moon rising over the horizon; friends' prayers for your mom

Tuesday: your mom NOT having pneumonia; attending an event downtown with your son...and bumping into a friend there 

Wednesday: publishing your first listing on MLS...and friends helping to get the word out about it; the Knights of Columbus Silver Rose visiting your church

 

 

Thursday: working in your church for a week so the secretary can take a vacation; good news on a parishioner's surgery; Giving Trees; church volunteers

Friday: the first fire in your wood-burning stove; spicy chili; having a double-oven when one decides to break; sharing popcorn and silly movies with your kids

Saturday: a morning walk with no mosquitoes buzzing in your face; not having to leave the Hollow on a cold, wet day; referrals from friends

Sunday: raindrops falling on the surface of a pond that was recently a dry field covered in snow-on-the-prairies flowers; meeting long-distance clients in person for the first time and welcoming them to Austin; making it to your writing group meeting for the first time in weeks

Monday: ordering your Christmas cards in time to mail them before Christmas for the first time in a few years; colleagues who are willing to share what they've learned; homemade chicken soup on a cold night; submitting paperwork so you can get paid; your husband figuring out what's wrong with your oven and fixing it, without having to buy a single part, so you're ready for Thanksgiving...

 

What were some of your sweet! moments from the past week? Please share! And have a blessed Thanksgiving week!!

 

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. 

~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

 

 

Random 5 Friday

 

1. Max can still run. Considering all the times over the past couple of years I thought the "early lameness" diagnosis was coming true, watching him disappear into the woods with Belle after a deer makes my heart soar!

 

2. After a year of posting an old piano on Craig's List, I finally sold it back in August. The woman asked if she could pick it up in a week or so because they were going on vacation.

I haven't heard a word since and she doesn't respond to my emails. So...can I sell it again? Anyone know the protocol on things like this?

 

3. Two years ago I started using minoxidil for my thinning hair. I blogged about it at the beginning, and then a year later with the results. I also published that post on Vibrant Nation, where it triggered conversations that are still going on today.

It makes me feel good knowing my post triggered that dialog, and possibly provided a solution, for other women who struggle with the same problem. 

 

4. Yesterday it was in the 80's here. This morning we woke to drizzly 40's that steadily dropped all day.

Brrrr! How do you people up north live with this for months and months?

 

5. I spent a lot of time looking up this week...

 

Butterflies and other sweet!s

 

I'm still behind on emails and blog reading and writing my children's story, which means I still haven't figured out how to squeeze more time out of a day, but...

...from the back porch I can see the hollow changing colors; and hear the music of our little waterfall joined by a chorus of frogs.

...my little real estate train is moving a little faster and farther down the track.

...and tonight I get to go hear Harry Connick Jr. perform live, thanks to a generous friend.

Sweet! Sweet! Sweet!

Here are a few others from the past week...

 

Monday: joining other bloggers in calling for peace around the world; soft sound of rain falling on the leaves above you; systems finally falling into place; your car passing inspection; friends who keep your business in mind and give you real estate referrals; seasoned agents who generously share advice and tips for success; new listings

Tuesday: photography shoots; property tours with friends; sweet potato french fries; a call from your mom

Wednesday: your name drawn to win a $50 Visa card; appointments with client-friends; helping a young couple find just the right house to lease for them and their two big dogs

Thursday: cotton candy clouds at sunrise; bundling up for a morning walk; mist rising from your pond; colleagues who share their tips for success; the way Photoshop can erase wrinkles; moving closer to closing deals; taking part in a discernment; Terry Boer's Chicken and Rice Casserole (recipe to come soon!)

Friday: colorful sunrises; enthusiastic, supportive colleagues; lunch with your daughter; spicy soup on a cool day; a funny-movie-double-feature-evening with your kids

Saturday: mornings with no alarm clocks; moving forward on a transaction; dropping in on a friend; Mary Kay's homemade corn chowder; a UT Longhorn win, shared with friends

Sunday: Mass with your family; talking with your mom, even if it's just over the phone; butterflies; researching a haunted house for a customer; anticipation of hearing Harry Connick Jr. in person!

What sweet!s did you collect over the past week? Share them!

(And if you've figured out how to squeeze more seconds from a day, please share that, too!)

‎"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament.

Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Random Five on Friday

 

1.

Do yellow wildflowers lining roadsides count as "Autumn Color"? (I love them whether they do or not!)

 

2.

This morning at an orientation at the Austin Board of Realtors, I won two door prizes in a row, first a bottle of wine and then a canvas bag that tells the world I'm a REALTOR©! 

Since I never, ever, ever win anything, you can imagine it felt like a miracle that my name was called twice in a row!

It was obviously my lucky day, so you better believe I stopped by a convenience store this afternoon and bought a lottery ticket.

Nada. Zip. Zero. Except a reminder that I should never, ever, ever waste my money on lottery tickets.

 

3.

I have my own, personalized "For Sale" sign! Now I just need a yard to plop it in...

 

4.

A girl ran into the back of my son's car today. Well, she ran her car into the back of his car. You know what I mean.

I'm so grateful he wasn't hurt and that he can still drive his car...and that his brother is our insurance agent so I don't have to do a thing about it!

 

5.

Night before last it rained...and rained...and rained.

Definitely an answer to prayers, but we still didn't get enough to fill our pond, much less Lake Travis. 

However, just a few miles away, in areas south and east of us, it continued to rain and rain and rain until creeks flooded and people had to be lifted from their rooftops. 

Feast or famine. Drought or flood. Will nature ever balance itself out? It must be going through menopause.

(More rain is projected for this coming week, so please keep those people in your prayers!)

 

Linking with...

Slow down, you move too fast...

 

It wasn't a dramatic sunset, just soft faded blues and pinks, that grew deeper and darker as the sun slipped out of sight.

I could have gone to the movies with friends tonight. Instead, I opted to stay home and take care of some crabby gray-haired to-do's and head off a few youngsters that I can tell will be troublemakers if I don't put them in their place now.

My challenge these days is time management, making sure I use that valuable resource in the best way possible, taking care of myself as well as the never-ending, ever-increasing, to-do's that come with learning a new industry, building a new business, while trying to maintain the ones I've already got going...and have a life.

And that's why I poured a glass of wine and headed out to the back deck to my rocking chair tonight to take a deep breath,  just as the sky started it's quiet show...

Just a thirty minute investment that reaped the energy and motivation I needed to finish a project.

(Thank you to my sweet friend, Ann, who texted me a portion of the 59th Street Bridge Song lyrics this morning when I told her how busy I had been lately...reminding me to at least stop a minute to watch a sunset.)

Life, I love you. All is groovy.

New Careers, Full Moons, Church Bazaars, and other sweet!s

Long ago I dreamed of having the job I have now...only I didn't know what it was at the time. Does that make sense?

As with any entrepreneurial endeavor, it's agonizingly slow getting started, but I'm confident in my abilities and that I'm on the right track. That's sweet! all by itself. (But if you, or anyone you know, needs/wants to buy, sell, or invest in real estate, please send them my way! I can use all the referrals I can get!)

Anyway, this past week I attended the Realty Roundup in Austin, a conference sponsored by the Austin Board of Realtors that brought together people in all different areas of the industry.

And people in the real estate industry are some of the friendliest, most giving and supportive people I've ever met. In fact, just a chance encounter on the stairs turned into a friendship with an agent from another Keller Williams market center in Austin. We hung out together the rest of the day, going from booth to booth picking up freebies, talking to vendors, and tossing business cards into fish bowls in hopes of winning a drawing.

She won a big basket,  but my name was never called. However, I don't hold a grudge. We look forward to getting together again soon. 

Dr. Jim Gaines from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University was one of the main speakers at the Roundup. Using lots of charts and graphs, he assured us the Austin market was just going to get bigger and bigger and bigger.

For an Austin Realtor, the news that everyone wants to live in Austin is pretty sweet! As good as a gift basket any day!

And here are some other sweet!s from my past week...

Tuesday: spotting old trucks when you're out on a property tour with friends; photo shoots; meeting clients

Wednesday: rush hour traffic in the rain when you share it with your daughter; rain; a random encounter with a stranger turning into a friendship; great news about the Austin real estate market 

Thursday: walking at sunrise; meetings with vendors over morning coffee and lunch; an afternoon walk with your puppies; baby geckos; playing around on MLS; a longtime friend getting married; homemade pumpkin bread, courtesy of your daughter-in-law

Friday: friends becoming prayer warriors for other friends; dancing under a full moon with friends and strangers in your church parking lot; making it home in time to watch the end of "The Lost Boys" with your daughter

Saturday: sleeping in; walks with your puppies on crisp autumn days; butterflies and fall wildflowers; sipping on a Bloody Mary while you work at your church bazaar; cake walks, washer tournaments, and ziplines; watching Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail for the zillionth time with 1/2 of your kids

 

Sunday: waking early without an alarm clock, in time to walk your puppies before Mass; chipping away at your to-do list; working on your laptop on the back porch, watching the sunset, listening to the little creek below you singing its gratitude for the recent rain; a good report from a friend with cancer

 

Last, but not least, getting comments on your blog even though you haven't had time to make your rounds lately.

Blogging is a give-and-take thing, and I'm so grateful to those blog friends who continue to have patience with me as I try to find my balance in this new time-sucking career of mine. I miss making my regular blog rounds, but I'm finding my footing and will be back soon.

The essence of true friendship is to make allowance for another's little lapses. 

~David Storey

Please share one of your sweet!s from the past week in the comments! And don't forget to keep your eyes open for them in the coming week. They're there, I promise!

The Sweet Sound of Rain

When it rains, you grow.

~ On a local church sign

 

I woke to the sound of rain Sunday morning.

Such a sweet sound when you live near a lake that now resembles a creek after months...well, years...of too much sunshine and too little precipitation.

Tonight the frogs living near our pond are singing in celebration. Another sweet sound.

The rain has slowed for now, allowing the half moon to come out and smile on us tonight, but more rain is expected to continue off and on for the next several days. 

I admit if we're going to have too much of something, I would rather have too much sunshine, but I realize that to be healthy, whether you're human or the Earth, you need some of each. 

Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger. 

~Saint Basil

 

Here are some other sweet!s from my past week... 

Monday: working out before letting your day get away from you; pink and blue variegated sunrise skies; brisk mornings and frisky puppies; discovering Asian Fusion; warm Turtle brownies, courtesy of your daughter

Tuesday: your husband making an old, dirty rug you love look brand new with a pressure washer; a sale from your etsy shop; free lunches; property tours; a friend calling to check on you  

Wednesday: discussing marketing strategies with your son; photo shoots; getting to see a dear friend while she's in town, meeting her colleagues, and finally (sort of) riding a mechanical bull

Thursday: making new connections; chipping away in all to-do areas; a check in your mailbox; being able to talk to your mom at least once every day

Friday: new buds on your crape myrtles; learning something new and making new friends every day; making time to work on your children's story for the first time in a couple of months

Saturday: free training; your son's friend arriving just in time to help carry groceries into the house; joining your writing group at an ice cream parlor to celebrate meeting our writing goals; watching "Cactus Flower" while making cyclops cookies with your son 

Sunday: waking to the sound of rain; being able to wish your son a happy 25th birthday in person; your son wanting to help a stray dog; being able to make someone happy with simple gifts like fried chicken tenders you only make once or twice a year on special occasions; making it to a writer's group meeting for the first time in ages; watching Galaxy Quest with your son 

Monday: yellow and purple wildflowers decorating the roadsides; a second day of rain; the healthy birth of a brand-new niece; getting to know members of your church better through a Bible study; capturing the sight of a frog hopping in your car headlights

What sweet!s did you collect this week? I hope all of you have a balance of whatever you need to help you grow!

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?
What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?
 

~ Laura Mixon Story

 

 

Five Things on Friday

 

 

1.

Wildflowers are blooming like it's springtime instead of autumn. Plants I thought had died are sprouting blossoms again.

Maybe it's like this every year, and I just forget. That's okay. I love the surprise of it!

2.

Waller Creek runs through Austin down to Lady Bird Lake. Near downtown, it's dirty, stinky, and can be dangerous during flash floods.

Thank goodness there are people working to change that. A representative of the Waller Creek Conservancy spoke at our office meeting last week, describing the tunnel which will control flooding problems, as well as the walks and green spaces planned that will help Austinites and visitors enjoy the creek.

I can't wait to see the finished product!

3.

If you're planning to sell your home, here's a tip: make sure all of the toilets have seats. You're welcome.

4.

I'm still bringing my camera to work, using it to take business portraits of fellow agents for their business cards. It's a great way to get to know my colleagues. Photography can be a useful addiction!

Meet Patrick....

5.

I grew up in Pasadena, Texas, and spent a lot of Saturday nights at Gilley's, but for some reason I never sat my bottom on that mechanical bull Debra Winger made famous in "Urban Cowboy".

So of course I had to change that by climbing on the one in The Trophy Club Wednesday night for a photo with my friend who was in town for the City Government Convention.

We just wanted our picture taken, but the operator started moving the bull a little bit, setting us to giggling. 

 

 Now I can say I rode a mechanical bull without being thrown off! Yay!

 

Linking with Nancy at Random 5 Friday.

After every storm the sun will smile...

"After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul's indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer."

~ William R. Alger

We finally had enough rain this week to leave small pools in limestone bed of Long Hollow creek and set the frogs singing in celebration of several feet of water in the pond again.

And if that's not sweet enough, yesterday morning dawned clear and bright and cooler than it's been in six months, as if the rain just washed summer away. A gorgeous welcome for autumn.

On this morning's walk, I noticed these little moths (or something) dancing in the sunlight...

Sweet!

Here are a few other sweet!s from the past week...

 

Monday: a morning at home to work on your to-do list; grocery shopping with your daughter; Bible study groups; finding more cards full of sweetness, sympathy, and friendship in your mailbox

Tuesday: waking without a stuffy nose for the first time in several weeks; the sun spilling over the hills into your Hollow; having an excuse to tour beautiful houses; real estate leads

Wednesday: walking under the stars; finding back roads to skirt clogged highways; a full moon lighting your way down a dirt road; finally having time to open your mail and finding a gift card from your writing group to help you buy a new printer; a hug from your brother-in-law, visiting from Arizona

Thursday: experiencing a real estate convention with your sister-in-law and a dear friend; friends who keep bandaids in their purse when you have blisters on your feet; the smell of rain

Friday: enough rain falling for the second day to make a difference in a drought; having your daughter for company when you're stuck in traffic; introducing your sister-in-law to Whataburger; the rain spigot shutting off almost every time you need to get in or out of your car, but then starting up again; giving thanks for your parents on their 64th wedding anniversary; the two-hour version of The.Most.Beautiful.Wedding.Ever

Saturday: a heron waiting for you to wake up and take its picture; a morning walk with your puppies for the first time in days; blue skies, cooler temperatures, and the golden glow of autumn in the sunshine; lunch overlooking a lake with your husband and in-laws and wandering through gift stores with your camera; a second evening spent around the table with loved ones playing 3-13

Sunday: sleeping in and still having time for a morning walk before Mass; a call from a dear friend; finishing your 'sweet' post on Sunday, in time to go sit on the front porch and just soak in the day

Whether your week is filled with sunshine or storms, I hope you experience enough sweet!s to fill your soul with good cheer! Share them here!

The windows of my soul I throw wide open to the sun.

 ~John Greenleaf Whittier

 

 

 

Bittersweet

 

 

 

I spotted it when I stepped out onto the front porch one morning this past week, in between trips to Houston. I noticed the fossil first, thinking it had fallen from its spot on the windowsill above the bench where it now rested.

Then I realized it had been placed there to hold down a handwritten note.

"...I wanted to drop you a note and let you know you and your family are in my prayers..." 

It was from my longtime friend George. He has been making multiple trips from Houston to San Angelo to see his mother-in-law, who they discovered had lung cancer earlier this summer, and tries to vary it by taking different routes.

He left the note on Sunday. On Monday, a few hours after I found the note, his mother-in-law passed away. On Tuesday, while I said my last goodbye to my Daddy, he was on his way to San Angelo again, to help his wife say goodbye to her mother.

Considering my house is a mile down a dirt road, off of a small highway that twists and turns and isn't a shortcut between San Angelo and Houston by any means, it's a huge honor that he took the time to go that way to ease my pain over losing my dad, especially when he knew I wasn't home.

A few years ago in a post about friendship, I spoke of it as a garden that needs to be watered. Ever since then, we've referred to our infrequent emails as 'watering the garden'. 

So on the back of the note he sketched a flower and added these words: "You are a daisy in my garden...May God continue to shine through you and give you Peace...Can you feel the water?"

All those years ago, when we worked on the high school yearbook together and planned to go sky-diving, we never imagined that one day our friendship would include these days of mourning each other's losses. And I'm glad we didn't.

However, I am so very grateful we're still friends, flowers in each other's gardens.

(Please keep George, his wife, and their family in your prayers!)

A good friend is a connection to life -

a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. 

~Lois Wyse

 

Here are a few other bittersweets from my past week...

 

Sunday: joining with your siblings to support your mom after your father's passing; a safe journey home after a heartbreaking weekend  

Monday: a day to immerse yourself in images from your father's life that will become a slideshow memorial; a safe journey back to your childhood home with two of your kids, and the safe arrival of two more

Tuesday: helping your mom prepare for your dad's funeral; an ice chest full of eggs, bacon, and biscuits waiting on your parents' doorstep, courtesy of a friend; a limo driver named Paul, who provides just the right amount of conversation on a tough day; friends who help you mourn your father; "Day is Done" by a solitary trumpet, in honor of your father's service to his country 

 

Wednesday: breakfast, courtesy of and the friend who left the ice chest full of food on the porch the day before, and your son, who took his Granddaddy's place at the stove; fitting the huge schefflera plant from your Divas and other plants from friends into your car trunk; a safe journey home; Whataburger in LaGrange at sunset with your kids

Thursday: winning a book you wanted in a contest in your lead generation class; love, in the form of cards, waiting for you in your mailbox

 

Friday: lunch with new friends/colleagues; your new business cards waiting for you on the front porch; a walk with your puppies at sunset

 

Saturday: a day at home to catch your breath; your cousin traveling to see your mom and take her to lunch; tiny purple flowers shaped like Easter lilies

 

Sunday: Mass with your kids and hugs from your friends; cleaning and organizing sprees, even if they only make a dent; your husband making it home, safe and sound, after his own long journey to support his brother during a sad time

I hope your week has been full of more sweet!s than bittersweets. Share them here! If nothing else, look around at those you call friends, and give thanks. 

“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.” 

 ~ Shauna Niequist