Long Hollow

A sweet!-speckled day and SxSW...almost

 

 

Now, as a REALTOR®, this t-shirt from the Etsy shop SpikeStuff goes against everything I stand for. I want people to move here! And I want them to let me help them find a home! Austin is an awesome place to live and there's still plenty of room for everyone!

But tonight, as an Austinite, I let the logistics of traffic and parking overcome the excitement of going to a private SxSW party downtown in the Google Fiber Space. 

Yes, the dread of traffic and the challenge of finding a parking spot was more powerful than the allure of free food and alcohol, and the (very) slight possibility of catching a glimpse of a celebrity. 

Because at this time of year, Austin is not just full... it's overflowing! Thousands flock downtown for SxSW, and the Austin Rodeo draws a huge crowd, too.

And there really are celebrity sightings. Phil Collins visited the State Library and Archives last week, where my son works. 

I had actually been looking forward to the event tonight, very excited that I had won a spot. I would have gone despite the traffic and parking challenges, but I was busy working on an offer for a precious young couple trying to buy their first home and just lost track of the time.

When I finally looked at the clock, I realized I would barely get to the party before it would be time to leave.

So... I decided to write a blog post instead, and tell you about some sweet!s I gathered today...

...As soon as the sun rose enough to light my path, Belle and I headed out for our morning walk. (She's ready to go when it's still dark, but I draw the line at walking by flashlight, as much as possible!) It was cool, but not cold, and gray clouds were peeling away to reveal a clear blue sky and a crescent moon slow to say goodbye. 

We followed our normal path, jogging down the caliche road, then making a large loop through a neighbor-who-doesn't-live-here-yet's property. His pond actually has water in it, now, and as we followed the trail close to it, we heard a loud ruckus on the other side. Belle barked and dashed forward. I arrived in time to see the tails of three deer disappear into the woods.

Life is returning to the hollow, along with the water.

Here's a photo of our pond. Not full, but more full than it's been in awhile!

 

...Mama was still lying down when I arrived for my visit this afternoon, but the aides soon had her up in her wheelchair. I fetched hot water from the kitchen for her afternoon cup of Cafe Vienna (General Foods International Coffee - her addiction for twenty-plus years) while she had her nebulizer treatment. Once the mask was removed, I brushed her hair as she sipped her coffee.

It's longer than I ever remember it. She has no interest in going to the beauty parlor there in the nursing home and getting it cut. The beautician did a fantastic job last time, but that was months ago. Now her silver-white waves flow below her ears.

I enjoy smoothing the bed-head tangles away, chatting as I move the brush. Mostly I enjoy touching her, doing something for her. Being with her. 

 

...Our caliche road runs down a small hill, then curves around its base, paralleling the creek that gives the hollow its name. This afternoon I had rounded the curve at the bottom and was approaching our house when I spotted something that gave me flashbacks to my beloved Frankie: a huge wild turkey was crossing the road just beyond our house. He wasn't in a big hurry, but moved in a steady path, disappearing before I even turned in to park. 

I thought about trying to track him down and maybe snap a photo with my phone, but decided instead, to let him be, and just be grateful for the sight of him. Maybe he'll stay.

And adopt us. And eat birdseed on our windowsill. And come inside to inspect my bookshelves. And go on morning walks with me and Belle.

(Yeah, I know I'm dreaming. There was only one Frankie bird.)

 

 

I hope your Monday was speckled with sweet!s, too! If it wasn't (or even if it was!) here's a wish for you in honor of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow...

A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.
~Irish Blessing

 

 

The Great Austin Ice Storm of 2015

  

 

This past Thursday - the morning of the Great Ice Storm - I slept in, made myself a delicious veggie omelette, then took the girls (Belle and my grandpuppy Josie) for a long walk through the hollow.

 

It was cold, but the cloudless sky was a brilliant blue and the sunshine was a welcome sight after days of drizzly gray.

The girls were excited about getting out of the house.

 

 

 

The city pretty much shut down in anticipation of what could have been a very dangerous situation due to a cold front and warm front crossing paths above us.

 

 

However, we lucked out because of timing. The rain fell before the temperatures had a chance to drop low enough to be a problem ... or something like that. I can't remember the weatherman's exact explanation for the no-show-ice-storm.

 

 

 

All I found to photograph was a little frost and some tiny frozen droplets. 

I really didn't care.

My last GRI Marketing class was postponed until Friday, so Thursday was a much-needed deep breath in an exhausting week, and I took full advantage of a day at home.

 

 

Josie and Belle were happy about it, too.

 

 

But since I teased you about an ice storm, I'll share my photos from earlier in the week...

 

 

That's about all the winter I want, thank you very much.

I think this little yellow flower agrees.

 

Instead of compiling my sweet! moments in one post, I'm going to try to share some of them separately. This was definitely a sweet! spot in my week!

What was one of yours?

I'm Still Here! (and other sweet!s)

I took advantage of the "icy roads" warning yesterday and just huddled inside my toasty warm house, not even venturing down the highway to see my mom. I was probably being over-cautious, but when the roads you travel are twisty and hilly, and not made to resist icing, it's better to play it safe than find yourself sliding out-of-control down a hillside, in my opinion. 

Besides...I really, really needed a whole day at home, both mentally and practically. I didn't accomplish as much as I'd hoped, despite working about 15 hours answering emails, making phone calls, and fulfilling promises I'd made. But I made a dent, and that feels good. 

In between I kept the fire going in our wood-burning stove, moved the laundry along in its never-ending cycle, and made a pot of chili. Not a bad day, at all. 

Maybe that helps you understand why I haven't posted lately - if you've noticed, that is. There have been plenty of sweet! moments over the past couple of weeks... my son and daughter-in-law completed the Austin Marathon, I helped a friend celebrate a birthday, and experienced a Frankie Valli concert, just to name a few.

We've even celebrated Valentine's Day and started the season of Lent, all without a single post from me. That's hard for me to believe!

This is where I would normally vow to be sure to publish a post at least once a week from here on out, but I know better than to make any vows or promises when it comes to blogging.  

I know this hectic, over-stuffed period of time will eventually slow and lighten. Before I know it, I'll have more time for photography and blogging and Facebook, but I'm sure I'll also complain that I need more business.

So I'm grateful for the current busy-ness of my business, for my clients and the opportunity to help them find homes they love.

I love that people from my past are asking me to help them or referring me to their friends and family. People who knew me from high school or as a scout leader or band mom or their elementary school librarian.

I treasure those long-time connections and their trust in me. The vow I will make is to put my heart and soul into helping them. 

But now, back to my sweet! post....

I managed to jot a few down ...

 

 

Discovering another colorful fence near a college campus; functioning on 4 hours of sleep; taking a professional headshot of your handsome insurance salesman-son; a late visit with your mom

...and recorded a couple in my phone while on my morning walks...

Standing in a clearing in the woods on a crisp cloudless winter morning, listening to bird song all round you and watching sunshine drip down tree branches; the way your puppy's nose twitches as she investigates the air

But for the most part I just snapped photos. So here is a mostly pictorial version of my sweet! moments from the past two (three?) weeks ...

 

 Gorgeous sunrises.

 
 

 My house.

 

Eating hot lentil soup outside at Avenue B Grocery in Hyde Park on a cold day.  

 

Water in your little pond (and walks with your puppy!)

 

Stopping to visit a friend and catching a gorgeous Hill Country sunset from his back porch.

 

A Valentine's Day filled with flowers from your kids.

 

Discovering a new restaurant in Georgetown while helping a dear friend celebrate her birthday 

 

 

A photo op with George Strait (sort of)... 

 

 

A surprise card in your mailbox containing coffee money from a friend, for no reason.  

 

Cheering your son and daughter-in-law on in the Austin Marathon and watching them cross the finish line holding hands.

 

Somehow remembering all the words to "Rag Doll" and singing them along with Frankie Valli and a few hundred other people.

  

A long walk with your puppy down to the little pond after four intensive days in your first GRI designation class. 

 

A woodburning stove on a cold night... 

 

 

I hope your days are filled with sweet moments, whether you write them down or not. Just be sure to take the time to recognize them, soak them up, and give thanks.

The key to enjoying the moment is to always carry a list of "Things I Gotta Do That Can Wait."  

~Robert Brault

Treasure Boxes and other sweet!s...

 

I drove Tom's truck to Houston on Saturday. The kids and I made a one-day trip there to continue sorting through things at my parents' house, my childhood home, where every square inch and every random object holds a special memory. 

What to keep and what to sell from a lifetime of memories, when you're already weeding and tossing at your own home because you have no room? I wasn't looking forward to it.

But my kids provided the perfect balance of reminiscing, mourning, laughing, and staying on task to get the job done and be back on the road before the sun set.

My main goal for this trip, and the ulterior motive in having the kids there, was to retrieve the big items I wasn't ready to sell. But I also wanted to give the kids a chance to say goodbye to a house where they had spent much of their childhood, just as I did.

I was fortunate that my parents watched Tommy and Daniel after they were born when I had to return to work. When TG was born, I quit work, and just a few years later we moved to Austin, but each Christmas vacation, spring break, and a week every summer found us at my parents' home. 

My own memories are in layers; you have to peel away quite a few to understand why I brought back the items I did.

 

 

 

My mother's cedar chest. It's dry and cracking in places, but still aromatic and beautiful. I often pleaded with my mother to open it and let me look (again!) at the items she kept inside. 

 

 

The cabinet sewing machine. It's an old Domestic that swings up when you open the cabinet. My mother and grandmother worked magic with this machine, that I could never duplicate. Clown and ballerina costumes, school clothes, my sister's wedding dress and my homecoming queen dress, along with so much more. 

(However, I did sew on it. It's the only machine I've ever felt comfortable with, sewing many a Barbie doll and Liddle Kiddle outfit, plus patching up and/or decorating my jeans because the needle had no problem going through denim.)

 

 

The console stereo that stood front and center in our living room for decades even after the stereo quit working. From it I first heard Bill Cosby telling his jokes, sang along with the Beach Boys, and listened to the Mary Poppins soundtrack for hours when I could do nothing else because of my asthma. 

How could I leave it behind? It now sits in a special place in my office, and I can't wait to listen to those albums again. There's a portable stereo sitting where the original used to be. If I can only figure out how to hook it up to the speakers...

 

 

My brother Buster's footlocker. Truthfully, it holds no memories for me, but it's priceless, nonetheless. In it you'll find his Vietnam-era medals and other things which were important to him, and therefore to me and my mom. It had to come along as well. 

I had no idea where I would put these treasure boxes in my home, which I've already mentioned feels overcrowded with my own stuff.

But I decided not to worry about that. I had the boys load them all up, along with an old suitcase we found filled with some of my Daddy's papers, an old bridle, my grandmother's sewing basket, a portrait of my parents' dog Little Bull painted by my Aunt Bertha Lee ...

Anyway, despite my worrying, I've already found places for them in spots that now seem were made for them. It alway seems to work out, when you follow your heart, doesn't it?

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

 

 

 

Monday: pink skies; taking a little extra time on your morning walk to snap photos; being a help to your mom

Tuesday: no traffic on your way downtown; catching up with friends at an office meeting; an afternoon at home to work; baby daddy-long-legs

 

Wednesday: a quick lunch with your daughter;  jewelry parties and new leads; your husband finding new tires for your car, cheap, on Craig's List

Thursday: a cardinal singing to you on your morning walk; the way your mom's eyes light up at the sight of you; networking with your son and some of his friends at the Buzz Mill on a gorgeous night; vodka fused with mango and Blue Ox barbecue 

 

 

Friday: connecting with a creative friend focused on helping your business; making your mom laugh; colorful old houses

 

 

Saturday: frogs singing to you on your morning walk; photography challenges; discovering a bird's nest hidden beside a path you walk every morning

 

 

Sunday: "watching" the Super Bowl with lots of fun people; Franklin's barbecue, without having to stand in line

 

 

Monday: a motivational reminder appearing in your mailbox, just when you need it; fellow agents brainstorming options for a friend who is about to be evicted

 

 

Tuesday: showing properties; a splash of color on a rainy day; being asked to help a friend's parents move to Austin; your son calling you outside so you don't miss the full moon surrounded by clouds

Wednesday: an early morning phone chat with your cousin; foggy mornings; meeting your mom's new roommate's daughter and granddaughter

 

 

Thursday: winning a Starbucks gift card and collecting free pens and koozies and a Realtor event; finding those special Red Velvet Oreos; helping to thank a valued coach and wishing him well on his new adventure

Friday: coffee and catching up with a past client; long overdue phone visits with your mother-in-law and sister-in-law

 

 

Saturday: your kids lessening your load with laughter and support as you begin to clear out your childhood home; your son volunteering to check out the attic for you; a visit and hugs from your sister and a dear friend; a sunset from Hruska's parking lot

 

 

Sunday: chatting with a friend over chocolate pancakes at the Garden of Eatin' after church; Sunday inspiration; cherished relics of your childhood home settled in your grown-up home; your husband taking care of the awful noise your car was making

Monday: your mom being close enough to stop by and reassure her when she's having a bad day; meeting another Realtor in the grocery store and stopping to talk shop for half an hour

 

I'm way overdue with posting my sweet!s, but I'm managing to look for them each day, and that's really what matters, isn't it? I hope you are, too. 

"Gratitude is the memory of the heart."

~Jean Baptiste Massieu, translated from French

There's water in the ponds!

 

Despite my gratitude for rain while we're in this drought, it's really tough for me to embrace day after day after day of the constant cold, wet stuff like we had earlier this week.  I was so happy when sunshine finally returned Friday afternoon.

But now I'm ready for more rain. Those four days of rain actually made a difference - our ponds have water again! However, the big one is still about twenty feet low, and the waterfalls aren't falling, so come back soon, Rainy Days! I will welcome you with open arms!

 

 

Belle's happy about it, too.

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

 

Friday: dancing with friends to 80's music, courtesy of LC Rocks

Saturday: finishing the last module in your luxury marketing class; watching and listening to your puppy as she dreams of a hunt 

Sunday: showing property on a warm, sunny day; passing your final exam and becoming a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing

Monday: no bugs on your morning walks; making progress in organizing your cluttered office

Tuesday: catching up with friends and colleagues at office meetings; sponsored lunches; real estate networking events; red Ferraris (and blue ones, and gray ones....)

 

 

Wednesday: a favorite aide returning to your mom's home; a buyer lead from a new friend

Thursday: waking to the sound of a steady rainfall; joining other agents for a luncheon in a fabulous house; Beef Burgundy and built-in espresso machines

 

Friday: the rain clearing in time to show property; a friend thinking of you when a friend of his needs to sell her home

Saturday: a morning walk when the world is still frozen; getting trained in CPR so you're prepared to save a life, if necessary; "Silver Linings Playbook" (again) and Bradley Cooper's eyes

Sunday: discovering your ponds have water in them again; a husband who will fix your car's flats and change its oil; sharing Girl Scout cookies with your mom; yellow flowers still blooming in January

 

 

Now it's your turn. What were some of the sweet! moments of your past week? Share them in the comments!

I hope sweets fall like raindrops on you in this coming week!

 

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

Austin Winters and other sweet!s

I just heard on the news that the first 15 days of January here in Austin set a record: so far it's officially the 10th coldest winter since 1897. 

People who live up north, who have to live with snow from November through March, will probably laugh at that. I'm sure they think what we experience here in Austin could hardly be called "wintry weather".

But it does get cold here - icy, even. In fact, we heat our entire house with our woodburning stove, and we've almost used up all of our wood already!

The good news is our "wintry weather" comes and goes. The first 15 days might have set a "cold" record, but tomorrow it will warm from the low 30's to 70 by afternoon, with plenty of sunshine. As much as I whine about not getting any snow, I'd rather have the warm January afternoons. 

Yes, Texas winters are mighty sweet!

 

 

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

  

Wednesday: spicy chili on a chilly evening; the warmth of a wood-burning stove

Thursday: the crunch, crunch, crunch when you walk on frozen caliche; a tree full of birds breakfasting on juniper berries; a call from your sister after her surgery; haircuts and head massages; clients leaving great reviews for you on your business pages

Friday: an early morning call from your mom; a buyer's long-awaited closing on her new home; sharing a peanut butter cookie with your mom; finally starting the last season of "Breaking Bad"

Saturday: getting to visit your mom when you thought you'd be iced-in all day; your Christmas decorations all boxed up; the smell of a roast in the oven; the sound of rain outside, when you and all of your loved ones are safe and warm inside

 

 

Sunday: Garden of Eatin' inspiration; experiencing new restaurants; helping a friend celebrate her birthday; sharing a creme brulee with friends; watching the end of "Annie Hall" with your mom

 

 

Monday: a walk on a foggy morning; meeting with a CPA in anticipation of making money in 2015

 

 

Tuesday: dinner and the movie "Jersey Boys" with friends, in preparation for seeing Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in February

Wednesday: making progress in organizing your office; watching your first hockey game with colleagues and 3/4 of your kids

 

 

Thursday: the return of sunshine after too many cold, wet, gray days; finally getting all of the Christmas boxes out of your living room

 

 

Friday: working out five days in a row for the first time in weeks; having enough money to pay your bills; your sister getting a good report from her doctor following her surgery; gorgeous sunsets; finally posting your sweet!s

 

 

 

When scattered clouds are resting on the bosoms of hills, it seems as if one might climb into the heavenly region, earth being so intermixed with sky, and gradually transformed into it.

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

 

(What were some sweet! moments of your past week? Share them in the comments and make them twice as sweet!)

New years, new phones, birthday wishes, and other overdue sweet!s

 

 

First of all... Happy New Year! I can't believe this is my first post of 2015. I have had so many ideas for posts, but alas, no time to write or publish them.

Have you picked a word for 2015? I have, but I'm going to save it for another post. I hope you don't mind. I just hope I actually publish it before 2016!

Yesterday was my dear friend Darla's birthday. We spent hours on the road together Friday driving to Houston in the rain to be by another friend's side as she said goodbye to her sister. I enjoyed getting to spend time with Darla, and see my other friends Rae and Ann, and Ann's kids face-to-face (for the first time in 20 years!), even if the reason was bittersweet. 

My mom is much better, thank you, and by all reports is progressing in her physical therapy. She still has a long way to go before she can come to our house again, but I'm grateful for a move forward, however small. 

I broke down and ordered a new iPhone, just in the nick of time. My old one had been warning me it was getting sick (rebooting in the middle of a phone call!), but I ignored it as long as possible. Yesterday, it was really acting whacky, moving in slow motion, but just like the cavalry coming to the rescue, the FedEx man drove up with my new, shiny gold one. Whew!

Photography has, by necessity, fallen by the wayside over the past year. I admit I've missed the camaraderie of my photography friends. So I was elated to receive an invitation to join a 365 FlickR group by a friend I first met years ago in my first 365.

The same day another friend tagged me for a 5 day black & white challenge on Facebook. I'm not going to pressure myself to post something on FlickR every day this year, but these challenges are great motivation to pick up my camera and see things in a different way, and to reconnect with my blog and photography friends.  

Putting on my Realtor hat, I have a long-awaited closing coming up Friday for a client who has been waiting months for her new home. Also, I spent a day last week exploring a ranch and learning more about farm & ranch real estate. And I'm almost finished with my luxury real estate online class. 

My Christmas tree and decorations are still glittering throughout my house... however, technically we're still in the Christmas season until this weekend. I put off decorating, so I might as well enjoy it as long as possible!

Anyway... here are some other sweet!s from my past week and a half...

 

Monday: getting back into your daily routine; a walk on a frosty dawn

Tuesday: experiencing a taste from your childhood again... La Colmena Mexican candy from 40 years ago that is being manufactured by the same family again and available online

 

Wednesday: exploring ranches with a client; listening to stories about old Austin; greeting the new year with sparklers and good friends

 

 

Thursday: a visit from your brother-in-law and his family, including your goddaughter; sister-in-laws; a house full of kids and dogs

 

 

Friday: knowing your brother-in-law and his family made it safely through the ice in West Texas on their way home to Arizona; joining with other friends to help another say a final farewell to her sister

Saturday: the sun returning after days and days of wet, cold, and gray; watching "Cat Ballou" with your mom

Sunday: visiting with friends after church; getting to spend time with your oldest and his wife while helping another friend celebrate her 50th birthday

Monday: your new iPhone arriving via FedEx just as your old one is giving up; invitations from photography friends to join in 1) a 5-day black & white photography challenge and 2) a FlickR 365 Photo Group with friends you met via FlickR years ago; making time for photography

 

 

Tuesday: light from the pre-dawn full moon splashing into your house; news that your mom is making progress in physical therapy; a creative handmade greeting card from a friend in your mailbox

Wednesday: watching your puppy hunt for lizards on a crisp morning walk;  finally posting your overdue sweet!s

 

 

Here's to new adventures and overflowing blessings to all of you in 2015!

 

One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things.

~John Burroughs

Surprise! and other Christmas sweet!s

Wednesday afternoon a friend and her husband braved our dirt road to deliver a huge bag of Christmas goodies to my family. They do this every year. Seriously, they're crazy!

They give each of us something and there are always lots of cookies and other treats. We've just learned to accept the gifts with gratitude. 

But this year, my friend went overboard. Besides a couple of cute Texas ornaments, she gave me a ticket to see Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in February! I'm pretty sure she has one for herself and that two other friends received them, as well, because last year she treated us to a Harry Connick Jr. concert! 

Crazy friends are the best, aren't they?

(I really have to figure out a way to repay her. Any ideas? She's nuts about Matthew McConaughey and Josh Groban.)

I was able to be on the other side of a Christmas surprise this year, too. A friend's kids wanted to surprise their parents with portraits of themselves, and approached me about taking the photos.

So last month we spent a few hours at a beautiful wedding venue near my house snapping photos. (Thank you, Lynn, at Villa Antonia!) This friend always coordinates our annual Port Aransas trips - no easy feat! So I was happy for the chance to do something for her.

Now that the surprise is over, I can reveal the photos. I'll post the rest on my photography blog, but here's one of them...

 

 

 

Aren't these kids gorgeous? They are so photogenic, it was an easy job!

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

 

Monday: nurses who are proactive about treating your mom's cough; seeing one of the 'kids' you've watched grow up and meeting her husband; one of your son's student loans being forgiven; a gorgeous sunset when you leave the grocery store

 

 

Tuesday: prayers for your mom when she's diagnosed with pneumonia; Christmas partying with your mom at her nursing home, including a visit from Santa and gifts from the staff to the residents

Wednesday: children performing the Christmas pageant; watching "It's a Wonderful Life" while baking cookies; Mucinex, so you can sleep without coughing when the cedar pollen count tops 3000

Thursday: sleeping in; breakfast, courtesy of your son; Shirley Temple movies; a phone visit with your mother-in-law, goddaughter, and other friends and relatives; celebrating Christmas with your mom, husband, and kids; a ticket from a friend to see Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in February; watching a movie with all of your kids for the first time in ages

 

 

Friday: introducing your mom and her roommate to the movie "Elf"; time to catch up with friends on Facebook; yellow wildflowers still blooming in December

 

 

Saturday: sleeping in three days in a row; finally straightening up your laundry room, like you've been wanting to do for months; physical therapists who are willing to give your mom a second chance

Sunday: a cousin who visits your mom, bearing Christmas gifts, and getting to see her when you visit your mom; making someone's day by finding their lost glasses; helping yourself and someone else by weeding out stuff to give to Goodwill; sunlight-woven gold on a late afternoon walk through the woods

 

 

Even when there are plenty of sweet! moments, the holidays aren't protected from sadness. A classmate's mother passed away earlier this week and a dear friend's sister lost her battle with cancer today. Please keep them and others who are suffering in your prayers, that they may still find something sweet in these days. 

 

Christmas — that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance — a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.

~Augusta E. Rundel

Perseverance, Christmas Parties, and other sweet!s

On my way to a friend's Christmas party last night, I stopped to buy a bottle of wine. It didn't take me long to find just the right one: Perseverance.

I had no idea if it was any good, but I loved the name and it was affordable. That's the kind of wine afficianado I am. I ended up buying three: one for the party, one for a client, and one for me. 

 

 

The party was at my friend Darla's house. She's the ultimate hostess, always going overboard. I've been lucky enough to have her throw a couple of surprise birthday parties for me in the past. She's the main reason I'm now typing on this gorgeous Mac!

So I wasn't surprised to find a tableful of irresistable culinary delights in the dining room (bacon with pecans and syrup!) and several stations set up outside on the deck: a hot chocolate station, a popcorn station, and a s'more station. She also had two firepits, a heater, and a basket of blankets out there, with plenty of cute signs and candles. 

She's nuts! But I love going to her parties. 

 

 

This afternoon I finally decorated my house for Christmas and, with Daniel's help, emptied my living room of boxes. I'll leave it all up until Epiphany, January 6, so it's really not too late.  

Most of my decorations are sentimental - a lot of them handmade by my kids years ago - so decorating is always a trip down Christmas-memory lane for me. I don't think I've bought anything new since the mid-90's.  It's pure kitsch, but I love it. 

One of my favorites - a collection of Christmas books. I finally gathered most of them together last year out of a dozen different boxes. 

Now, for the time to sit and read each one again... that would be pretty sweet!

 

 

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

 

Monday: a day at home to try to get caught up; a friend taking the time to visit your mom; real estate closings; helping a friend buy a lakefront lot; decorating your Christmas tree and watching "Elf" with your kids

Tuesday: learning about commercial real estate and visiting with a past client; a fellow pastoral council member opening his home for your December meeting, providing a hearty stew, good wine, and great fellowship

 

 

Wednesday: morning walks with your puppy; finally ordering the bifocals you've been holding off on for years, thanks to some leftover health account money; paydays

Thursday: winning a Mary Kay Cosmetics door prize; a good report from your mom's physical and occupational therapist; watching "Guns of Navarone" with your mom

Friday: visiting with a friend and meeting her sweet puppy dog; patient aides who work with your mom; a sister who takes care of your mom's Medicaid paperwork; a pot of chili on a chilly night; a good movie with your son

Saturday: a visit with, and a blessing from, your Confirmation priest; your son dusting and vacuuming for you; getting together with friends at a Christmas party; neighborhood Christmas lights; fun gifts from friends who know you really well

 

 

Sunday: your son blocking your puppy in his room so she doesn't wake you up too early; swapping real estate horror stories with friends; watching Christmas Hallmark movies with your mom; finally decorating your house for Christmas and clearing the boxes from your living room

I hope you've had a week full of sweet!s, and the next overflows with blessings! 

 

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!

~Author Unknown

Blessings in Disguise...

 

 

Mama and I were visiting in her room yesterday when the sound of Christmas carols reached our ears, even over the high volume of her roommate's television. I stepped into the hall. It was coming from the dining room. 

She wanted to go listen, so a couple of aides helped get her situated in the hoyer and into her chair. It's a lot more difficult than it sounds, requiring Mama to roll from side to side as they get the canvas sling beneath her. The large mechanical lift itself has to be retrieved from another hall. 

Consequently, just as we reached the dining room, the performance ended.

I wheeled her back to her room. It was time for me to go, so I gathered up her laundry basket, gave her a kiss, and headed down the hallway. But on a whim I made a detour into the dining room. Sure enough, a few carolers lingered. 

Five minutes later, the carolers crowded into Mama's small room and gave her a short, private performance. She beamed and sang along. 

It was much easier to tell her goodbye after that.

My tree still stands naked ... boxes of decorations are gathering dust in the middle of my livingroom ... I have yet to order my Christmas cards, much less address and mail them ... I've done no shopping, and have barely thought about what we'll have for Christmas dinner. 

But when holiday stress over these yet-to-do's starts building, I'm going to remind myself of those few moments with Mama and of those carolers who agreed on a private encore just to make her happy. Those are the memories that make Christmas special.

 

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. ~Peg Bracken

 

Mama has only been back in her room a couple of days. She made another trip to the emergency room on Tuesday. Not a fall, but just as scary: She choked on a tater tot. Her nurse said they couldn't get her breathing under control, and she even turned blue on them a couple of times. 

However, by the time I caught up to Mama in the ER, she was breathing without wheezing and her color was great, thanks to numerous nebulizer treatments and a steroid IV. In fact, she was her twinkly, flirty self. 

Even though her chest X-ray looked fine, they decided to keep her overnight for observation, in case she aspirated some of the tot. It would irritate and inflame the lungs, causing a type of pneumonia.

Thank goodness the follow-up X-ray the next day looked okay, and she passed a swallow test, but it was already so late in the day by the time they finished, they felt they should watch her another night just to make sure.

Everyone made a big fuss over her when she arrived back at the nursing home the next day. I didn't even nag her about eating lunch in bed. 

It was a huge relief that she suffered no ill-effects from the incident, of course, but the surprise blessing is she gets a brand-new session of physical and occupational therapy, thanks to the stint in the hospital. 

I'll keep trying to stop by there or call her early each day to nag... um, encourage her to get out of bed when physical therapy comes calling. It will be a Christmas miracle if she's strong enough to leave the home and celebrate at our house, but then, I believe in miracles. 

 

 

 

Despite the unexpected visit to the hospital,  there were plenty of sweet!s this past week....

Monday: being able to slow down enough to let a roadrunner cross the highway in front of you safely; your mom moving herself through the halls to see the Christmas tree in the foyer of her nursing home; being able to spend lots of time with her; an orange egg-shaped moon playing peek-a-boo on the hilly horizon with you

Tuesday: calls on your listings; finally having a closing date for one of your new home buyers; caregivers who act fast getting her to the emergency room when your mom chokes on her food

Wednesday: a glorious sunrise; meeting your new neighbor; the doctor determining your mother did NOT aspirate any tater tot; your mom released from the hospital; your daughter making the four dozen cookies you need for a cookie exchange because you're too busy with your mom; cookie exchanges

Thursday: morning sounds... your feet shuffling through dried leaves, the distant crow of a rooster, and the chirps of birds just waking up; a glimpse of the moon peeking through morning clouds

Friday: hitching a ride on a golf cart from the parking lot when you're wearing heels; dancing at Christmas parties with friends; photo booths; a shooting star flashing right in front of you; enjoying a meteor shower with your daughter

 No silly ones - I had a tough enough time trying to figure out where to look!

Saturday: meeting a new client while trying out a new coffee bistro; stopping by their home for a visit with your son, daughter-in-law, and grandpuppy; the sight of Santa riding down South Congress on a horse; catching up with old friends at a Christmas party

Sunday: enjoying Christmas music with your mom; carolers who will give your mom a private performance; the rain waiting until you're in the grocery store to start, and then stopping before you come back out; a son who will cook dinner; a call from a dear friend

 

I hope you have a blessed week full of love and miracles, no matter what holiday you're celebrating this season. Be sure to share your sweet! moments from the past week in the comments! I'm sure you can think of something!

 

When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?

~G.K. Chesterton

Don't Stop Believing!

I didn't become Catholic because they consider it okay to dance and drink, but I have to admit, those are great fringe benefits!

Every year I look forward to our parish "adult" Christmas party, where there's always great food, great dance music, a huge dance floor, and a mostly older crowd who make me feel young and old at the same time. There are some 80+-year-olds who can out-dance me!

Tonight I expected to go, eat, and leave, because I had so much work to do. I didn't even bring my big-girl camera. But I met new people at my table, saw some old friends, and this great band was playing...

The next thing I knew, I was one of the last ones there, as always.

There were four of us women still on the dance floor when the band said good night. We convinced them to play an encore. They acquiesced, choosing "Don't Stop Believing", the perfect lead-in for the post I'd already written for today...

It's been almost a year since my mom made the move from Houston to Austin. Things haven't gone quite as well as I hoped ... she's had two trips to the emergency room and is much weaker now than when we made that 4 hour road trip last year. 

But she is still my mom. I can talk to her about everything that's going on in my life, just as I always could. I am blessed that way. She's still a great support and sounding board. And I think it helps her to know I still need her that way.

But in the same breath, she'll refer to my dad as if he's alive. We're on a totally different playing field, and it's taken some getting used to. She knows he's passed on, but there are times she just refuses to accept it. 

In her previous life, my mom was a CPS - a Certified Professional Secretary. It was a big deal. You had to pass a test. She worked all while I was growing up, and then beginning in 1975, she also took care of my quadriplegic brother in the evening when she got home from work. 

Her nature has always been that of a nightowl who loved staying up late and sleeping half the day, unless she had to get up for work or some other good reason.

It's unfortunate that nursing homes don't operate on that time schedule. Physical therapy comes by in the morning. She refuses them. By the time she's awake enough to participate, they're gone for the day. 

Consequently, she's gotten weaker and weaker. This week, they categorized her as a hoyer-lift patient because they say it took four people to weigh her. A hoyer-lift patient is pretty much a jellyfish, not having to use any muscles to get in and out of bed, or even to the bathroom.

However, when they said they had to move her to another hall because she was now a hoyer patient, I reminded them that she did fine with two people assisting her until one aide ignored the "Two Person" assistance notice and tried to move her on her own. Consequently, Mama landed on her knees. The very next day, it took four people to weigh her.

So, they gave me a week. If she shows improvement and cooperates, she won't have to move.

I am now officially her coach. 

Yesterday morning I arrived at 11:30 and she was still in bed. I pushed the button to call the aides to get her out of bed and when they asked her if she would eat lunch in the dining room, I answered for her: Yes. 

She eats really, really slow. We were the last ones in the dining room. Her nurse had her nebulizer treatment already set up, so I got her started on that, then went to find a portable oxygen tank. When she finished her treatment, I hooked her up to the portable tank so she could take a "stroll" down the hall, using her hands and feet to propel herself, rather than someone pushing her.

I want her to build her strength. I don't want her to be a jellyfish on the other hall, and she doesn't want to be, either. I told her she had to want that in an active way, not just a theoretical way.

That's true for all of us, isn't it? If we want something, we have to take the action that will get us there, not just wish for it to magically happen.

I was there four hours yesterday, and two today,  but most days I can only be with her an hour. So please, please, please keep my mom in your prayers, as well as her aides and nurses. They have a tough job. I'm depending on them to keep her moving and gaining strength.

Don't stop believing... (and please keep her in your prayers!)

Being there for my mom and dancing tonight are definitely both sweet!s of this week.

Here are a few more...

 

 

Tuesday: property tours that include lots of lake views; singing Christmas carols with your mom; investor clients; online classes you can attend at your convenience

Wednesday: your son's 29th birthday; remembering the day you became a mom; spending time with your own mom

 

Thursday: the silence of a foggy morning; showing properties; bathroom inspiration; discovering new restaurants with your daughter; remembering your sister's wedding 10 years ago; hanging out with twenty-somethings 

Friday: showing more properties; seeing results from nagging your mom; reaching the halfway mark in your new class; watching a full moon climb up through the tree branches

Saturday: the company of house-dogs; working out six days in a row; getting to spend four hours with your mom; sunsets in the hill country; quick catch-ups with friends; new clients

 

Sunday: walking through a carpet of autumn leaves; enjoying beautiful Christmas and gospel music with your mom; an evening spent visiting with friends, making new ones, and dancing

 

I hope you had a week full of sweet! moments, and the next is overflowing. Share them here!

And remember, don't stop believing!

 

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

~Author Unknown

 

Thanksgiving, Advent, and other sweet!s of the week...

 

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I did. I feel especially blessed that in my 55 years I've only been responsible for the whole dinner a handful of times, thanks to my mom and, more recently, my son and daughter-in-law.

 

 

For the second year in a row, my son did an amazing job on the turkey, a huge 21-pounder! There was a ton of other delicious stuff... gorgeous appetizers, casseroles, desserts. 

 

I brought the cornbread dressing, my mother's recipe. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving for me without it. 

(I also brought a green salad, but it was mostly for show. It takes up way too much room on a plate!) 

Even though my mom wasn't strong enough yet to join us at my son's, she was too stuffed with turkey and dressing to eat any of the goodies we brought her on our way home that evening. I'm grateful for that, and for the staff of her nursing home who made sure the residents celebrated. 

 

 

The next day we celebrated Thanksgiving again with friends. No skipping work-outs for me for the next few weeks, that's for sure!

 

 

Thanksgiving was just the first in this season of celebration. Yesterday was the first official day of Advent, a time when we (as in Christians) reflect on what we need to do to prepare for the second coming of Christ while commemorating his first coming - Christmas. A season for reflection of the past and the future. 

 

 

A few years ago I googled "Advent" for another post and found a description on Spirit Home that I thought was perfect. I've chopped out bits to save space, but here it is...

Advent is a season of preparation. So's Lent, but it is a different kind of preparation. Lent is very adult and serious, because it leads to a death; originally, Lent readied new Christian adults for baptism. In Advent, we thank God for Christ's first coming, prepare for his final coming at the end of time, and celebrate Christ's presence among us today through the Spirit. God loved us and wanted to share that love. But this existence isn't well-suited for a god; it's too broken, evil, painful, unjust. So, to rescue the created world from this evil, God chose to come here and walk the earth, to grow up, to live the truth, and to die. The only way to start such a thing is as a baby, and the only way to be a baby is to be born. Hence Christmas. Because Christmas is centered in the new hope brought by a baby, it's a very child-oriented holiday. Because Advent leads us up to that baby, Advent is also child-oriented.

There's a time to get ready by focusing on your own sinfulness and wrongdoing, a time for personal transformation and following Christ to the cross. That's Lent. There's a time to get ready by rejoicing that our God is not far away and unfamiliar with the struggles of human life, that Christ is here right now among His followers, that God has already begun to bring in the Kingdom, and that Christ will come again to make it clear who really runs the place. That's Advent. "Lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the age", says Jesus.

  

"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as if everything is."

~ Albert Einstein 

 

I love that quote. And I do believe each day is full of miracles.

Keeping track of my sweet!s has helped me recognize them. Here are a few from the past week...

Monday: being able to start a new week and every new day with a morning walk; your mom agreeing to do her physical therapy

Tuesday: starting a new real estate class; a happy hour at sunset with friends

Wednesday: a blogger/writer friend's op-ed published in the LA Times; open parking spaces and short check-out lines when you procrastinate grocery shopping until the day before Thanksgiving; a pre-Thanksgiving phone call with your mother-in-law

 

 

Thursday: only being responsible for the cornbread dressing and green salad for Thanksgiving dinner; truly liking your daughter-in-law's family; creative appetizers; no traffic when you hit the road for Thanksgiving; another Wes Anderson movie with your son

Friday: the smell of fresh-baked brownies; sons who love to visit their grandmother; Thanksgiving Part 2 with friends

 

 

Saturday: three days in a row with no alarm clock; a "hello" from a raven on your morning walk; learning the difference between a crow and a raven; a silly movie with your son; finishing the edits on a special photography job

 

Sunday: referrals from friends; a spring-like day in winter; a glimpse of a Great Blue Heron disappearing over the treetops; two walks in one day with your puppy; your son calling to see if you need anything from the grocery store on his way home 

Monday: the sound of the wind dancing in the treetops; your puppy running and running and running with joy and exuberance; spending a morning with a client viewing properties; a shadow-puppy/guard dog who follows you from room to room; your son getting a fire going when winter returns to your hollow

 

 

Beginning this Advent, I'm also going to work on being more aware and more supportive of my friends and family who are currently facing huge challenges. Time to pay it forward. 

Whether you think about Advent or not, I hope your next few weeks are full of reflection, hope and joy.  

The Power of a Wheat Penny

Like my Daddy, and his daddy before him, I have a coin collection. My coins aren't categorized into small blue books like theirs, though. Mine -all wheat pennies - jingle around in an old bourbon bottle.

 

This doesn't look like much of a collection after fifty years, does it?

 

I'm not sure when or why I became enamored of wheat pennies. Maybe because they stopped being minted the year before I was born. Maybe because, as far as old coins go, they weren't that rare when I started.

 

Whatever the reason, I'm sure it was Daddy who introduced me to them and contributed the majority of them to my collection. Daddy had an eye for coins. He gave me every wheat penny he found, and his excitement at finding one in his change was contagious. I scoured every penny I came across for years, searching for those two stalks of wheat.

 

For some reason, whether lack of time (kids? life?) or lack of luck finding them, I stopped. 

But earlier this week, on a day when my heart was feeling pretty heavy and wheat pennies were the last thing on my mind, I was reaching for my computer bag on the backseat when I spotted one resting alone, wheat-side up, smack dab in the middle of the rear floorboard hump of my car.

I think somehow Daddy put it there for me, encouraging me to hang in there, reminding me that he always believed in me, and always will. 

Thank you, Daddy.

 

 

 

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

 

Monday: finding out your kids survived their road trip, despite hitting a deer and encountering icy conditions; the knowledge that you did your best, even if things don't work out as well as you hoped; finding a wheat penny and feeling your daddy nearby

Tuesday: your mom agreeing to get out of bed, at least for a little while; meeting a new client in person; not having an accident in terrible stop-and-go traffic; a fun photo shoot with photogenic siblings

Wednesday: puppy kisses; continually learning; being able to offer support when loved ones lose their daddies

 

Thursday: free food and drinks, music, and a chance to catch up up with a sweet friend while touring beautiful new subdivisions; sunsets in the hill country; a Google City Expert event downtown with your son and daughter-in-law, where you get to sample some of the food, drink, and fun several Austin businesses have to offer

 

 

Friday: a Thanksgiving pot-luck gathering with your colleagues and time to visit with friends; clients ready to make an offer; still being able to talk to your mom about things weighing on your heart

Saturday: rain, rain, and more rain, but none of the dangerous thunderstorms that were predicted; watching yet another Wes Anderson movie with your son

Sunday: waking to sunshine and clear blue skies; the trickle of a little waterfall; a cousin who visits your mom and brings her gifts; a sliver moon floating on a sunset

 

 

Monday: watching the sun set treetops ablaze with golden morning light; forgiving yourself for not finishing your blog post on Sunday, as you intended; crossing a huge, dusty to-do off of your list

What was the sweetest moment of your past week? I hope this next one overflows with them for you.

Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.

~Ruth E. Renkel

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

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.

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

They've landed! (...and other sweet!s)

For the past week or so I've been living vicariously through a couple of my kids. Again.

My son and his wife have now experienced the beauty, beer, food, art, sights and sounds of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Amsterdam. And through the wonders of technology, I've been able to tag along through their photos and words, posted on Instagram and Facebook.

Having your kids visit the places of your dreams is the next best thing to seeing them yourself.

 

They're safe and sound, back in Austin now, although I haven't spoken to them to know that. I learned it while snooping in mom-fashion for updates on their Facebook pages tonight. 

I am so very grateful for Facebook and all of the hours of worrying it has saved me. 

Besides Facebook and kids arriving home, safe and sound, I've had a pretty sweet-filled week. Here are a few more....

 

Monday: adolescent cardinal triplets playing "King of the Mountain" on the birdfeeder; much needed rain on your hollow; staying up late, laughing over old clips of Robin Williams with your son

 

Tuesday: your client closing on her new home; sharing a private dinner at Franklin Barbecue with your son, courtesy of Google; watching the Austin Bomb Squad in action (and surviving!)

 

 

Wednesday: making the final payment on your car; reflecting on, and celebrating, the past 32 years with the love of your life

Thursday: watching your old puppy eat, without having to coax him or feed him by hand; dinner at Eddie V's with dear friends you haven't seen in a while

 

 

Friday: sitting outside on a clear night, listening to live music with friends; a glimpse of the baby fox living in your hollow

Saturday: receiving an offer on one of your listings and writing an offer for one of your buyers; watching "Sons of Katie Elder" with your mom, then later another movie with your son

Sunday: a taste of biscuits and gravy, thanks to a friend who doesn't mind sharing; helping old homes have a chance at new life; inspiration from the Garden of Eatin'

 

 

If you think hard enough, I bet you can think of some sweet! moments from your past week. Be sure to share them in the comments! 

Sisters (and other sweet!s)

 

It would have been intimidating growing up with such a beautiful big sister if she had been the type to criticize or belittle.

But I was blessed with Brenda. 

 

 

Sure, she liked to tease me sometimes, and even lost her temper with me once or twice, but given that I was a brat for at least the first ten years of my life...okay, twenty... the way she treated me could qualify her for sainthood.

 

 

How many teenage girls let their baby sisters tag along on dates? (Did I mention I was a brat?) How many volunteer to go on school field trips? How many take their little sisters and her friends to the beach, or Astroworld, or on crazy fast spins through the neighborhood in their Volkwagon Bugs? (Don't tell anyone about that one!)

How many buy their family a green artificial Christmas tree and new ornaments to hang on it without being asked because their little sister ended up in the emergency room the year before with asthma triggered by a real tree?

When their parents are overwhelmed with worry and care over their recently paralyzed son, how many big sisters go overboard with gifts for their baby sister to make sure she still has a Merry Christmas?

When their nineteen-year-old sister finishes a stupidly scary book (Amityville Horror!), how many big sisters not only allow her to spend the night, but agree to sleep in the same room with her, as well, despite her husband's grumbling?

Yes, growing up with a big sister who is your best friend is one of the sweetest sweet!s ever. And since today is her birthday, I hope the coming year is jam-packed and overflowing with sweetness for her, because she has given everyone around her so much sweetness all of her life.

 

 

And here are a few more sweet!s from the past two weeks (how did I get so far behind?)...

Friday: lunch with a dear long-time friend, and then surprising your mom with a visit from her

Saturday: sleeping in, when you're exhausted; a visit with your mom and son and grandpuppy, all at the same time

Sunday: Garden of Eatin' inspiration

 

Monday: your old puppy waiting for you on the porch, stronger and eager for a morning walk; the miracle of arriving on time when you've left late and hit lots of traffic; finding just the right place for two of your clients after a long search

 

Tuesday: watching your old puppy swim again; a friend reminding you to stay positive; seeing your coach on television during her mission trip to help the children on the border; exploring east Austin with your son, including free food and drinks, courtesy of Google; learning how to be a DJ

 

Wednesday: singing along to the Cowboy and the Princess with your mom; making it to your belly-dancing class after missing two weeks; the neighbor to your lot listing helping you hammer your sign back in when some other useless being has pulled it up and tossed it onto your lot

Thursday: your old puppy's appetite returning, slowly but surely; a friend taking the time to teach your mom how to create newborn knitted caps

Friday: an offer on one of your residential listings and a call on one of your lot listings; issues with Russia calming down as your son and daughter-in-law prepare to leave for a vacation in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Amsterdam

Saturday: negotiations; two more calls on your listings; getting together with long-time friends you've known since high school or beyond

 

Sunday: catching a young fox in your headlights; Facebook, so you can enjoy photos of your son's trip to Russia

Monday: saving a wolf spider; a closing for one of your buyers!; just the inspiration you need waiting for you in your mailbox, thanks to a dear friend

 

Tuesday: hiking around two Texas Hill Country acres with a client; Chinese food with friends and great fortune-cookie fortunes

 

Wednesday: meeting Leon at HEB who give you a free car wash because your car really needs it; finally getting the hang of some of your belly-dancing moves

 

Thursday: joining forces with other parishioners to make your church Oktoberfest a success

 

Friday: learning more about the Circuit of the Americas racetrack at a local Chamber of Commerce meeting; getting a tour of the wedding venue that happens to be your neighbor

 

 

Saturday: getting to drive your own car after two days, thanks to your husband fixing your flat tire (yes, another one!); a gorgeous sunset and then moonrise over your hollow

 

Sunday: being able to wish your sister a happy birthday, and let her know how grateful you are for her

 

 

An older sister is a friend and defender - a listener, conspirator, a counsellor and a sharer of delights.  And sorrows too. 

 ~Pam Brown

 

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!

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
 

Being a Mom...and sweet!s of the week

For most of this day, I sat at my kitchen table, close to all of my kids plus my mom, constantly giving thanks that I could do so.

I can't think of a better way to spend Mother's Day. I am blessed and I know it.

 

 "I got to grow up with a mother who taught me to believe in me." ~ Antonio Villaraigosa

 

There were so many things I wanted to write posts about this week. But because there were so many things, I didn't have a minute to spare, and those posts didn't get written. 

I've consolidated them a little bit here in my sweet!s. It's a great way to remember the good things that happen...and good practice for squeezing sweet! out of something that seemed totally sour at the time.

 

Tuesday: purple thistle; discovering catered food in the company break room when you're starving; touring the new high school and seeing old friends at the same time; strawberries and blackberries straight out of a friend's garden; a bag of onions to take home

 

 

Wednesday: a good morning text from a friend; cactus blossoms; a room filled with love and laughter, celebrating the 20th anniversary of your priest's ordination with friends

 

 

 

Thursday: being part of a company that completely shuts down one day a year to give back to its community by helping a nonprofit business in the area; helping to build a memorial garden in a local no-kill animal shelter (Texas Humane Heroes - so many precious animals waiting to adopted!)

Friday: getting to the other side of the mock listing presentation you've been dreading; puppy kisses; the soreness that comes from physical labor

 

 

Saturday: sleeping in, then taking a leisurely walk with your puppies; spotting a fox; clearing away the piles of paperwork that were growing in your office; joining your mom in a Mother's Day reception

 

 

Sunday: Mass with your kids and husband; a huge bacon and egg brunch, courtesy of your son; kids who are always willing to help out; spending Mother's Day with your mom and all of your kids; seeing your brother and his wife; a bouquet of yellow and purple flowers from your son and daughter-in-law

 

 

To all mothers, in all shapes and forms, I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.

To those who couldn't be with their mothers this weekend, or with their sons or daughters, remember their love is always with you, inside and out.

 

“Being a mom has made me so tired. And so happy.” — Tina Fey 

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

Sometimes it's a God Thing

 

I first met Rosa over the phone several weeks ago when I was working phone duty. She called inquiring about a house for lease. The next day I met her and her daughter, a law student, at the house.

"I like it," her daughter said. But I could tell Rosa wasn't quite sold on it.

"I have to tell you something, Barbara." We stood at the kitchen island in the little house. "I want to buy a home. I've been working with a lender for awhile, but she says I won't be qualified for another four to six months." 

The home she had been leasing for several years was about to be sold. She had to find someplace to live for those six months until she could buy, so we kept looking and looking and looking. None of them caught her fancy.

"I know the right one will appear in time. I'm not worried," she'd say every time.

She might have been calm about it, but I was getting a little anxious!

Then right after Easter, she got the exciting news from her lender that her credit score was up, earlier than expected. Instead of searching for houses to lease, we could search for houses to buy! Yay!!

We learned that was easier said than done. Many of the few houses that fit her criteria had multiple offers on them before we could even go view them! 

Heading home after looking at several homes this past Saturday with her, I noticed an "open house" sign at a builder's model home, and decided to stop, just for my own research on the market.

It was a gorgeous home. I knew Rosa would have loved the open floorplan and huge granite island in the kitchen, but it was a few thousand out of her loan ceiling.

The next day - after viewing yet another disappointing house - she admitted to me that she had stopped to look at new homes the day before. I told her about the one I had seen. She called her lender....and got approved for the higher amount!

As Rosa says, it was a God thing that none of the other homes worked out. 

Today I had the pleasure of helping her pick the granite, tile, carpet, exterior rock, and paint color for her new home, as well as the lot where it will be built. We even met her future next-door-neighbor.

I can't describe the joy it gives me to know I played a part in helping her find a home she will love.

Sweet! will have to do. And you can see it in her smile.

 

 

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

Monday: blog friends who email you and persevere to leave comments on your post when your platform isn't working; nurses who want to make sure your mom doesn't get pneumonia following her surgery; calling a friend from your past and picking up right where you left off; finishing Season 3 of Game of Thrones with your son, even though it means you stay up way past your bedtime 

Tuesday: touring gorgeous Austin homes with friends

 

 

Wednesday: morning sunlight shining on a field of bluebonnets beside a lake; spending time with a sweet friend

Thursday: growing and learning; being part of an awesome team

 

 

Friday: a day at home to play catch-up

Saturday: taking photos of your friend's grandkids in a beautiful park by the lake on a gorgeous afternoon, and running into another friend who is there with her family

 

 

Sunday: remembering your son and daughter-in-law's beautiful wedding one year ago

Monday: a good report on your mom from the surgeon; hanging out with your mom, eating cookies, while waiting on your Yellow Taxi transport; a hug and quick visit with your sister and her friend who drove up to see your mom; sitting outside watching the sun set on a warm evening, listening to the birds and frogs get social

Tuesday: a class on new homes when you have a client in the process of buying one; cold fronts when your air-conditioning is broken

Wednesday: spotting the first blooms of the Indian Blankets; supporting your client as she moves forward in seeing her real estate dreams come true; meeting 5 new potential clients in two hours

Time continues to be my biggest challenge...trying to maintain some kind of balance between work and not-work...and finding time to sleep.

It's tough because there's always something I need to do, whether it's helping a client, trying to find more clients, or just educating myself...and then keeping up with my photography clients, my mom's needs, my family's needs, and my own needs. 

One thing is for sure - I can honestly say I'm not bored!

Here's wishing you and me both a week full of sweet!s and balance!

 

 

If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!

 

~St. Catherine of Siena

 

 

Easter Sweet

 

We shared Easter dinner with all of our kids today, no small feat once your kids get married and other families expect to see them on the holidays, too. 

It's been a busy week. Besides Mama's hospital adventure, I started an intense 7-week real estate training course, which includes journaling and other homework, like contacting at least 100 people a week voice-to-voice about their real estate needs.

To reach my hundred before the deadline, I even stopped at a gas station Wednesday night and asked all the patrons in there if they knew anyone who was in the market to buy, sell, or invest in real estate.

I made six contacts and got one good lead from it! You just don't know until you ask who needs help... and they don't know you can help them until you tell them.

(Would you believe I used to be shy?)

Anyway, I didn't have time to decorate for Easter until last night, pulling out the beautiful hand-painted eggs my mother gave to my kids every Easter for years...

 

 

 

...displaying Easter photos from the past...

 

 

...and setting a few ceramic bunnies around the house.

 

 

I have tons; the Easter Bunny always left one in each of my children's baskets... every Easter for years and years...

 

 

I'm not sure what he was thinking. Most of them stay boxed up these days. I have more bunnies than I have surface space to put them on!

 

 

They're cute, though, aren't they? I'm really not sorry the Easter Bunny left them.

 

We had planned for Mama to join us for Easter, but had to settle for visiting her after dinner because of her gall bladder surgery earlier this week. The trip down our bumpy dirt road and rock-paved front walk would have caused her excrutiating pain.

 She got plenty of goodies, though. I gave her some chocolate eggs yesterday, then my cousin stopped by with a basket of treats and some chocolate-covered strawberries. 

My son and his wife took her another basket today. I know the biggest treat for her was getting to see them, though.

Seeing them was a treat for me, too!

 

 

Easter is the ultimate sweet!, isn't it? It's proof that we are loved and that miracles can happen... a source of hope that even simple things we believe are dead - a friendship or a dream - can come back to life.

Sweetest of all... the assurance that we can see our loved ones again someday.

Here are a few other sweet!s from the past couple of weeks (playing catch up!) ...

Thursday: investing and believing in yourself; becoming part of a team

Friday: attending a Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the restaurant where you used to work; catching up with your former co-workers and friends you never get to see

Saturday: finally getting a chance to gather up your tax documents

Sunday: the relief you feel when the ambulance takes your mom to the hospital you requested; smart, caring emergency room doctors and nurses; being able to be at your mom's side in an emergency

Monday: your cousin taking off work to be at your side during your mom's surgery

Tuesday: lunch with a sweet friend; the flexibility of working from a hospital room so you can be with your mom

Wednesday: your mom well enough to be released from the hospital; friends who remember your mom at Easter

 

 

Thursday: challenging yourself to grow; helping clients find just the right home; the humbling experience of having your feet washed by your priest in a Holy Thursday ceremony

 

 

Friday: photographing a cute couple getting married at Chapel Dulcinea (they're ringing the bells after the ceremony in the photo above); recognizing and talking to the chaplain who married your son and daughter-in-law last year; finally seeing a dear friend after 22 years 

 

(I spent hours and hours talking to Terry in the control room of our chemical plant. He's the one who introduced me to Rick Steves! He talked a lot about his kids - what a shock to see them all grown up. Really hit home how long ago those talks were! His daughter is the lovely bride...who looks just like him!)

 

Saturday: getting two real estate leads in two different grocery stores in two days; a husband who knows how to fix plumbing problems

Sunday: Easter Mass; Easter dinner with your husband and kids, and a hug from your mom; chocolate

I hope all of you who celebrate had a beautiful Easter ... and that the peace and hope of Easter remains in your heart forever.

Here's a snippet of one of my new favorite songs that I think reflects that peace, hope, and faith. I find encouragement, assurance, and inspiration in the words during these days of new beginnings and great unknowns. I hope you do, too.

 

"You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand"

~ Hillside United

 

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

  

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

Life in the Underground (and other sweet!s)

Austin is a wild place right now, caught up in South by Southwest fever. I wish I had the time to just hang out downtown all day and night, catching interesting seminars and random stars performing.

Maybe next year...

But I moved a little closer this year by attending a kickoff party downtown for Austin Realtors who are members of an exclusive Facebook group called "Brokers Underground". Mainly we just share information about listings and learn from each other's experiences, but it's a wonderful, supportive group, and it was so cool to meet some of the other members face to face on Thursday night at The Market, a downtown, multi-level bar.

Free food. Open bar. Music by Johnny Gray who performed on "The Voice". A gorgeous Austin night in a rooftop bar, surrounded by familiar faces and meeting new friends. 

Sweet!

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

 

 

Monday: watching your mom and her friends play dominoes

Tuesday: your Hollow sparkling in ice

 

 

Wednesday: an email requesting a listing appointment; your son meeting you at your office 

Thursday: catered lunches and new home tours; a rooftop Realtor party in downtown Austin kicking off SXSW, and featuring Johnny Gray from The Voice; free food and drinks and music; familiar faces and new friends; caviar for the first time

 

 

Friday: a Keller Williams Annual Awards lunch; photobooths; inspiration from colleagues; friends sending your mom cards and letters, even if they don't know her

 

 

Saturday: helping a client get the home she had her heart set on; your husband and sons arriving safe and sound in Florida; the rain ending just when you need to bring groceries into the house; dinner at a friend's house

Sunday: a morning walk with your puppies; homemade kolaches; Sunday sign inspiration; news that your client's lease application was accepted; your daughter getting a fire started when you're about to give up on it; eating Caramel Turtle Cheesecake ice cream and watching "Girl With a Pearl Earring" with your daughter; a call from your mom to tell you she loves and appreciates you

Monday: sleeping in until 7:30 am on a Monday; being able to work from home; a smile on your mom's face; ice cream and popcorn for dinner, while watching "Shawshank Redemption" with your daughter

 

I hope you had a fun week, although I hope it didn't zoom by as fast as mine. And I hope you're getting more sleep. 

No matter what's going on, don't forget to open your eyes to the blessings around you!

 

 

I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.

~ Agatha Christie

 

 

 

A Saturday Morning at Austin's Franklin Barbecue

On the surface, getting up extra early on a Saturday morning to wait in line four hours for lunch doesn't sound very appealing, especially when the weather is kind of chilly and drippy.

But I did it this past Saturday anyway, just to experience Franklin Barbecue for myself. I'm on a continual quest to discover all the gems Austin has to offer, and from all reports, this sounded like one.

So I met my sons, daughter-in-law, her sister, and two of their friends in Franklin's parking lot down on 11th Street in east Austin at 8 am. I forgot a chair, but fortunately they came prepared with chairs, mimosa ingredients, and the game Uno.

Drinking mimosas and playing Uno with my grown kids would be enough fun for me anytime and anywhere, but doing it in a downtown Austin parking lot where you can watch people and make new friends and eventually eat your fill of delicious barbecue...well, that's my kind of Saturday morning.

Four hours is also plenty of time to take lots of iPhone photos, too...

 

Our little group is just this side of the building...in front of all the UT orange.

 

 

The females in our group.

 

The line.

 

 My boys playing Uno. My oldest gave me his chair and his jacket. What a sweetheart!

 

 Meet Kenzie. She was so good the whole time.

 

 

If you saw the movie "The Help" then you know what this means.

 

 

Another group played horseshoes instead of Uno.

 

 My oldest and his love. Getting close to the door!

 

We made it inside!

 

 So close. We were drooling by this time.

 

Now that's a pile of meat! Sausage, brisket, pork ribs, a beef rib, smoked turkey, and pulled pork. 

Add bread and sauce and that's a meal, right?

 

Franklin Barbecue is good about communicating with the people in line about when they can expect to be served. And they give samples.

They also go down the line getting a guesstimate of what each group is going to order so they can figure out who the last person is who will be served...that's the Last Man Standing. That way the latecomers don't stand in line for hours only to be told at the last minute "Sorry! We ran out!"

Good business!

That was a sweet Saturday morning, for sure. Here are some other sweet!s from the past week...

 

Monday: turning on the television just in time to catch an amazing lip sync battle between Jimmy Fallon and Paul Rudd

Tuesday: baby goats; touring new homes with a friend/colleague; hearing from old friends

Wednesday: rainy days; the return of blue skies, in time for a glorious sunset

 

 

Thursday: hearing a hawk and watching it fly in a cloudless blue sky; your mom receiving cards and letters from your friends to boost her spirits

Friday: somehow reining in your temper when people haven't done what they said they were going to do; showing your mom her birth certificate; getting an iPad on sale; watching "Ghostbusters" with your daughter 

Saturday: spending the morning with 3/4 of your kids, drinking mimosas and playing Uno; Franklin Barbecue, especially when you are really, really hungry; picking up good clients while on phone duty; watching "Ghostbusters 2"** with your daughter

Sunday: Texas Independence Day; Mass with your husband; helping a friend with an open house 

 

 

Monday: watching your mom play dominoes with Margarite, Jewel, and Lila Sue; your son vacuuming the dog hair from the laundry room without being asked; the sound of thunder, lightning, and rain outside your window, when there's a warm fire nearby

 

**Have you ever watched "Ghostbusters 2"?

All I had really remembered about it was the baby being kidnapped by the evil guy, which freaked me out because Daniel was a baby when it first came out.

Apparently baby-kidnapping was a going theme in the late 80's because that's also what happened in "Willow". What the heck??

Anyway, this time what struck me was its overall message that love and good-will toward one another can conquer evil. 

I wish they could have conveyed it without kidnapping a baby, but oh, well.

 

 

“I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world.”

 

― Charles Dickens

 

 

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

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

Simple Sweets

 

Steve and Lisa, a couple in my church, took it upon themselves to form what they call a "hospitality" ministry several months ago. Almost every Sunday they prepare and offer some special brunch item after each Mass. Just the two of them.

 

Today it was French toast. Yum!

They also offer fruit in waffle cones, muffins, chocolate-covered strawberries...with culinary presentation the best restaurants would envy. And they do it all through donations or personal funds. The church only paid for upgrades to the kitchen area.

Lisa has turned our once-drab Parish Activity Center into a delightful bistro, with cute wine bottle centerpieces on the table and whimsical artwork on the walls. Thanks to her and Steve, parishioners now linger over coffee, getting to know one another better, instead of rushing home after Mass.

But one of the things I love best about their ministry is the sign above, where Lisa writes a different inspirational, encouraging, motivational message each week. You don't see it until you're leaving the PAC.

A sweet! to send us back off into the world, well-fed and inspired.

A funny thing about this particular message... Before seeing it this morning, I had just thanked another parishioner who I don't know very well for sending a card years ago when Tom was in his serious head-on accident. That little gesture meant so much at the time, and still occupies a large part of my heart, reminding me how important those little things can be to others.

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

  

Monday: friendly, helpful people in the Social Security Administration office; having an iPhone so you can catch up on email when you have a two-hour wait

Tuesday: being able to work from home on icy mornings; finishing a project you've been working on for weeks; restoring email to your iPhone without having to visit the Apple store; earning $300 worth of free jewelry just by hosting a catalog party

Wednesday: a cardinal's morning serenade; your son visiting you at work so you can show him off to your colleagues; a glorious sunset after days of gray skies

 

 

Thursday: resolving your mom's banking issues; touring vintage homes; a happy hour at your office; Deep Eddy's Cranberry Vodka

Friday: Yellow Cab vans with wheelchair seating; news that your mom's knee doesn't need surgery, only time to heal; dancing for hours with friends to Disco Inferno (and other great dance songs) 

Saturday: sleeping in; enough free time for a leisurely walk with your puppies; peanut butter-chocolate chip muffins, courtesy of your son; your new jewelry waiting in your mailbox; getting to visit with your mom and oldest son at the same time

Sunday: the Garden of Eatin'...food, friends, and inspiration; warm brownies; helping a friend by posting a link to her Etsy shop, where her beautiful driftwood crosses are for sale

 

 (this is the one she gave me for Christmas)

 

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up. 

~Mark Twain

 

P.S. Philip Seymour Hoffman,  thank you for sharing your talent with us.
I'm sorry we couldn't help you with your problems.
May you find peace now.

 

 

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

 

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!

 

 

 

 

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

Epiphanies (and other sweet!s from the past week)

 

epiph·a·ny

 noun \i-ˈpi-fə-nē\

Epiphany : a Christian festival held on January 6 in honor of the coming of the three kings to the infant Jesus Christ

: a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way

 

Yesterday was Epiphany in the Catholic world. It's the 12th day after Christmas, celebrating the visit of the three kings or wise men to the Christ Child, signifying the extension of salvation to the Gentiles.

It's a light shining into darkness, revealing and guiding and reassuring. I love that it's celebrated in January, giving us hope and calming our trepidation as we face the unknowns of the coming year...especially when we look back and see what we survived in the last one.

Sweet!s are like little epiphanies...points of light that shine in the shadows of our day, helping us move forward and not get lost in the darkness. They are there; we just have to see them. Which is pretty sweet! all by itself.

And here are a few more from the past week...

 

 

 

Monday: fiery sunsets; the peace that comes from having your mom close by and the sense that she's in good hands

 

 

Tuesday: listing a beautiful home with views of Lake Travis; welcoming the new year watching movies with your kids; adults kids who can share a bottle of champagne with you...and realizing champagne does go with popcorn!

 

 

Wednesday: celebrating a new year with your family...including your mom; smoked ribs, a la your husband; time to sit on your deck with family, soaking up the sunshine; a husband who loves your mother enough to build ramps for her wheelchair

 

 

Thursday: morning walks with your puppies; sunlight glistening on your pond, now full of water again

Friday: finding time to revise your children's story; watching movies with your kids

Saturday: a day spent helping clients; visits with your mom and cousin at the same time

 

 

Sunday: helping to celebrate a dear friend's birthday; restaurant staff who sing "Happy Birthday" with gusto; strawberry cake topped with chocolate covered strawberries; writing critique group meetings with amazing women

Monday: a glimmer of hope that a deal you thought had died might come back alive; your son and husband stopping to visit your mom

Tuesday: the anticipation of a reunion with co-workers from your past who stayed in your life as friends

I hope you notice the points of light along your path. Have a great week! 

 

Keep your flame lit, and you will never feel darkness. ~J. Parker

Searching for Silver Linings

  

Let's just say...

 

I found this card in my mailbox yesterday. Inside it says "Hang in there, girlfriend," with a sweet note of encouragement from my friend Rae. She knows me, she knows my mom, and she knew this transition wouldn't be without some bumps.

It's perfect and made me smile. Thank you, sweet Rae! And thank you to all of you who have offered words of advice and support...or just prayed.  

I still feel in my heart that moving my mom closer to me is the best thing for her, which will help me in those times when unhappiness over her life's recent turn of events overwhelms her...and she takes it out on me, while I'm also trying to take care of my family, myself, and my infant business.

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

 

Monday: driving into the sunrise and the sunset in one day; bringing your mom to live closer to you, with help from your daughter and son; friends who drop by to offer hugs and words of encouragement; the gift of a handmade driftwood cross from a friend; sharing burgers and fries with your mom and daughter in a Whataburger parking lot; your husband building stone and wooden ramps to make it easier for your mom's wheelchair to get into your house, and his foresight to build doors big enough to accomodate it

Tuesday: your husband's help getting your mom settled in a new place; watching "It's a Wonderful Life" with your husband on Christmas Eve; your kids waking you both up in time to attend Midnight Mass; attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve with your family

Wednesday: "Merry Christmas" texts from friends first thing on Christmas morning; the silence in a house when everyone else is still sleeping; your son and daughter-in-law picking up your mom so she can spend Christmas with you; your son and daughter cooking a bacon and egg breakfast for you, and then chopping and grilling all of the peppers and onions to go with the fajita dinner; a game of ping-pong with your son

Thursday: spotting a Mallard duck couple swimming on a nearby pond; being able to stop and see your mom on your way into town to deliver earnest money, and on your way back home; watching Shrek 1 and 2 with your kids

Friday: joining your mom for lunch and meeting some spunky ladies; helping your mom get her hair cut and styled for the first time in months; watching a funny movie with your son and husband

Saturday: visits with your mom becoming part of your daily routine; exploring model homes; a sweet card from a friend in your mailbox; chopping away at much-needed projects; another movie with your son

 

 

Sunday: making up for missing Mass by taking a long walk with your son and puppies; watching a funny movie with your mom; nurses who take a personal interest in their patients; great hamburgers, courtesy of your husband

 

Hoping you can spot silver linings in those inevitable gray clouds life blows our way.

 

"'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops

 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 Story

(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