Blog Archives
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 44
Today, like the first day of school when my son started kindergarten 11 years ago, will forever be preserved in photographs.
As my daughter begins seventh grade and my son begins tenth, they are well beyond being the excited children they once were.
But I, just like my mom, still insist on taking obligatory pictures. Maybe that’s because it’s one of the few times I get a picture of my two children together.
Or maybe it’s because I’m watching them grow up too quickly.
Or maybe it’s because I still enjoy the 
first day of school pictures from my own childhood.
For whatever reason, the taking first day of school photos is a family tradition that I’ve held onto.
And it always makes me smile.
Day 44: First Day of School Pictures
Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers
Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly
Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 43
My favorite comic strip of all times seems to be making a come back lately. Everywhere I go, I run into Calvin and Hobbes.
And I’m enjoying all those run-ins.
Even though Bill Watterson’s last syndicated strip in the series ran on December 31, 1995, the musings of Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, are classic.
And classics always make me smile.
Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers
Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly
Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 42
When I came home for lunch the other day, my neighbor was walking her four dogs by my house. As I walked down the driveway to greet them, she commented on a recent blog I wrote.
I had no idea she’d ever read my blog and was so surprised I almost missed her supportive words.
Even though I get feedback about my writing from my friends and family, getting it from a random acquaintance is different.
There is something completely rewarding in knowing that my written words can touch people with whom I have no other connection.
And that always makes me smile.
Day 42: Appreciative Readers
Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly
Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 41
My life, like me, is far from perfect.
I make mistakes and say the wrong thing almost every day. Sometimes, I even hurt other people.
In return, the people around me say and do the wrong thing and sometimes even hurt me.
Thus, imperfection surrounds me.
But, I’ve also come to realize that I’m lucky, because no one expects me to be perfect. Celebrities are the people who carry that burden.
So even though Marilyn Monroe and I have absolutely nothing in common, I will always love her quote about understanding that something good usually grows out of our less than perfect moments.
Say what you will about Marilyn, but she nailed the need for all of us to turn disappointment into hope.
And that always makes me smile.
Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly
Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 38
I was checking out at the grocery store the other day when the clerk’s head suddenly shot up. She seemed to attentively listen for a minute then broke into a broad grin.
“That sounds just like my grand baby,” she said.
Up to that point, I’d been oblivious to the high-pitched screech coming from one of the aisles.
“How old is your grandchild?” I asked.
“She’s turning two today,” the clerk said. “And she is quite the handful.”
I can’t believe more than 15 years have passed since this photo of my dad and my son was taken.
Despite her words, the smile on her face indicated that the little girl brought her nothing but joy, and her enthusiasm made me light up too.
There is absolutely nothing like witnessing people enjoy their grandchildren.
That always makes me smile.
Day 38: Proud Grandparents
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 37
I have absolutely no right to complain about my childhood. I had caring parents, and all my basic needs were met.
In fact, my basic needs were met to such an extent that there wasn’t room for guilty pleasures.
At least that’s what my mom thought.
She was the queen of making sure her children never ate an empty calorie.
Instead of dough, her pizza crust was made of zucchini, and I was 12 before I discovered how great fish tasted when it was fried instead of broiled.
But her biggest concern was our sugar intake.
In hindsight, I appreciate her efforts to convince us that whole wheat, carob cookies with half the sugar were a treat. But as a child, I thought I was being 
tortured.
I swore I’d never subject my own children to fake comfort food.
And I never did.
Even though I don’t particularly enjoy cooking or baking, everyone raves about my chocolate chip cookies.
And that always makes me smile.
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 36
When I was in second grade, my teacher told our class that everyone needed to bring in two pieces of bread for an art project.
The night before the project, my mother wrapped two slices of bread in wax paper, and I carried the slices to school in anticipation of the project.
When art time arrived, my classmates and I carefully followed Mrs. Roth’s instructions. But when everyone else miraculously made bread play dough, I simply made a mess.
The teacher hadn’t told us to bring store-bought bread, something my family never had. My mom took pride in baking all of our bread from scratch.
And rightly so. Her bread was wonderful. It just wasn’t soft and sticky. Instead it crumbled.
Apparently you need sticky bread to make bread play dough. I think Mrs. Roth felt sorry for me, and initially I felt sorry for myself as well as embarrassed that once again my family had to be different from everyone else’s.
But after a few days, I discovered my debacle during art class made a really good story.
And over the years, I’ve found that being different is much more interesting than being like everyone else and that my greatest failures often become my greatest stories.
And that always wakes me smile.
Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 35
Last week, my husband told me that one of my best qualities is that I’m like a dog with a bone. In other words, I don’t easily give up and am very persistent.
He also said one of my biggest weaknesses is that I’m like a dog with a bone. In other words, sometimes I don’t let things go when I should.
He’s right, which is why I struggle when, despite my best attempts, things don’t go the way I think they should.
This doesn’t go unnoticed.
When I left my first real job after college, my parting gift was a plaque that said, “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”
Those words still ring true today, and age and many, many years of “experience” have taught me something else as well.
We don’t learn life’s most important lessons when we get what we want, and we often don’t recognize the lessons we really need.
And that explains why a certain Rolling Stones song always makes me smile.
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory
Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids
Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity
Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay
Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial
Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember
Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons
Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles
Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 34
My early morning bike rides are getting more difficult.
T
he sun is rising later, which means I’m leaving in the dark.
The benefit of starting so early is that I get to watch the sunrise.
The downside is that I have to be more cautious of cars, deer and other hazards.
And then there’s the weather.
On Tuesday, I was caught in an unexpected rainstorm that not only left me soaked but also left me questioning why I didn’t look at the radar. When I ride during the day, I ALWAYS check the radar.
Yesterday morning, the fog that rolled in matched my general frustrations: I wanted to clearly see where I was going, but I just couldn’t.
Then I noticed something.
The fog was always just out of reach.
A tree hidden in the fog was completely clear when I actually rode by it, and the drops of moisture on a spider web made it more visible than normal.
And then I realized that trying to get ahead of the fog is impossible, but appreciating the beauty of the moment is essential.
I also realized that I don’t need to chase or escape the fog. Instead, I need to accept the unknown.
Getting such clear insight always makes me smile.
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory
Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids
Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity
Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay
Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial
Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember
Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons
Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles
Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 33
One of my first memories is of sitting with my family watching a moon landing on the screen of our only television, a black and white Sony with dials with very few channels.
I don’t know which moon landing we were watching, but I do remember thinking that the event had to be much more interesting in live color.
I put on the hand-knitted brown sweater, which I had always wished was pink, and told my parents I was going out in the front yard.
I marched my chubby legs down the front porch steps and stared up at the moon expectantly. I was sure at any moment I would see a couple of ant-sized specks jumping around on it just as I had seen the astronauts jumping on the larger moon on television.
But no matter how hard I stared, I never saw anything moving on the moon.
Eventually, I trudged back up the stairs, removed my ugly brown sweater and rejoined my family.
I never told anyone why I had gone outside, but I think my mom instinctively knew.
She also knew I much I loved singing a song about the moon with her.
“I see the moon and the moon sees me. The moon sees somebody I want to see. So God bless the moon and God bless me. And God bless the somebody I want to see.”
I had to pass that on.
From the moment she was born, I sang that song to my daughter. Since she was singing before she could talk, she was soon singing the song with me.
And to this day, that song always makes me smile.
Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory
Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids
Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity
Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay
Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial
Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember
Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons
Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles
Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs
Just So You Know 