I'M HERE!

Yes I'm still around.  I know I said I would be better about posting but I guess that I haven't.  Maybe my excuse is the weather still isn't so hot that I don't want to be out and about.  Actually I'm not sure that is will ever be down here.  One of the things I find so different about the heat here compared to MD summer heat is that here there is always a wonderful breeze.  Also most places I go have so much available shade that between the breeze and being able to often get out of the direct sun the heat is very bearable and for me even enjoyable.  Also the humidity, at least so far has not been at all oppressive. I think that also has to do with the breezes.

So what have I been up to?  Still meeting people though I have seemed to settle into 6 different groups and am focusing on meeting and getting to know people within these groups.  Some are purely social groups, others are craft oriented ones and others are groups that deal with issues of being single in a couples world.
 
 One of the groups is focused on learning how to use Photo Shop Elements and edit pictures that are less than perfect.  This is what I did last Friday.  I have owned and attempted to use PSE for quite a few years.  I could do a bit with it; lots of cropping and auto fixing.  I knew it could do so much more though. Not being particularly "computer literate" I struggled with understanding how to do anything but the basics.  The PSE Club which meets once a month has been a wonderful learning experience.  This Friday I learned one method for taking a photo and making it better.  The instructor said she used it on basically all photos even the ones that originally look very nice.  This is the picture we learned on:

 A beautiful passion flower.  Not a bad picture by most standards, at least not in my mind.

Here is what we ended up with after doing a bit of photo editing:

I think after the editing the flower really pulls out from the background and pops.  Even the colors are more vibrant. It probably still isn't the best it could be, but I was impressed. One thing that does pother me about photo editing on a lap top though is that I'm still not sure how it really looks since it changes with how I have my screen angled.  So I guess until you do a test print I really wouldn't know how it truly is.  You may actually be seeing on your monitor a not so good picture.  I don't know, but for me I am very happy with it.

Next I tackled a picture that I took after Stephanie's graduation.  I didn't think the picture was going to turn out too well because of the direction of the sun and when I downloaded it I was so right.  It was not at all a good picture.  Before the class I played around with some auto correction, but I still was not happy with it.

Here is what I ended up with after the class.  Still not perfect but I think much better.  Maybe in future classes I will learn some other techniques to fix some of the remaining problems like the white spots on her robe.  Maybe I will get up the courage to try and figure out how to fix them on my own now that I am understanding some of the ways PSE does things.

 Ah yes life in The Villages is good on many levels.  I like the weather so far, I like the people I am meeting, and I really like the opportunities I have to learn new things without having to pay for each class.  The clubs here are amazing and people are so willing to share their knowledge with others. 

LOVIN' FL!!!!

I'm still loving FL.  Loving it so much in fact I don't find time to post here.  I will try to do better.  Maybe when it gets too hot to be outside the house much......

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome to 2012.  I can't say I am sad to see 2011 end.  It was a rather turbulent year; not only for me but so many of my friends.  There were so many losses.  I pray that 2012 is a calmer and more peaceful year for all.

THE EXPECTANT ATTITUDE OF FAITH

Once again a statement from my morning devotion struck me as an important one for my life.  A question actually and one I need to work on the answer for.  I know it has been a question I have not been able to answer in the affirmative for a very long time. I think once I could and I want to be able to say yes once again.  I want to be able to say yes without reservation, but I don't think I'm there yet.  The question...

"Can you get the expectant attitude of faith?"

The devotion goes on to explain what is meant by this with another quesation.  It is what actually caught my attention.  

"Not waiting for the next evil to befall you but awaiting with a child's joyful trust the next good in store?"

It's been a long time in my life since I have trusted that good was in store for me.  Even when I knew there was good I always waited for things to go bad, because in my experience they always did.  Good never lasted forever.  It always ended and that was life.  Even now as good as life has been for the two months I find myself not trusting it.  Waiting for the "other shoe to drop".  I know there are still mountains to be climbed and challenges to  be faced in my life.  Many things are not yet settled, but why not face them with an expectant attitude of faith trusting that good is in store not more pain?  Past life would tell me this is naive.   God would tell me this is true trust and faith in Him rather than faith in others, myself, and the world.

FIRST SIGHTING!

Yesterday I had my first sighting that told me "Yes you do live in Florida".  I was coming home in my golf cart after watching the Christmas Parade which was held at the polo grounds.  (It by the way was wonderful.  I will try and get some pictures up here of it.)  Suddenly I saw a group of golf carts pulled off into the grass by a pond.  Being the curious person I am I stopped as well to see what was going on.  (You can do that when traveling by golf cart.  You just pull off onto the grass.) Everyone was pointing and there were a few cameras out.  I happened to have mine with me since I had been at the parade.  Off in the distance, not too far from peoples back yards was a gator sitting out and taking advantage of the afternoon sun. He was a pretty good sized one too!  This is one of the reasons I wouldn't pay a premium to be living with a pond or lake in my back yard.  Another would be slithery things that like to hang out in the tall grasses along the pond.  YUK! I like my nice small, just another house behind it back yard.  Suits me just fine!

STILL FINDING QUOTES

I just finished a book by Sue Monk Kidd.  It is called Firstlight.  The very last couple of sentences in the book are a keeper for me.

"Ultimately we are  reborn to love, because in this expanding, gracious space within us, we arrive at the astonishing presence of God at the core of our life.  We blunder into the heart of God and find our own. "

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS.......

 

My little Christmas tree is up and decorated.  Candles are placed.  A stocking is hung, though not by a chimney.  the nativity sets are displayed.  My home is ready for Christmas or at least as ready as it will be.  I even have a snowman hanging outside my front door.  Though my decorations are somewhat simple I can't say the same about many of the outside decorations on the homes in my neighborhood, and decorations in my neighborhood pale in comparison to others found elsewhere in The Villages. 

Here are a few pictures I took on an evening walk a few nights ago. 

The snowman head on the top of  a lamp post is seen throughout The Villages.  Many people have these and they have them for other holidays as well.  At Halloween and for Thanksgiving many lamp posts were topped by pumpkins.

One of these nights I plan to get into my golf carts and take a cruise around The Villages to see other decorations up close.  The newspaper is going to have a map of some of the best displays I think tomorrow so I will use that for my guide.  There are several locations I know that are not only large but they are synced up to music that you can tune in on your radio.  Of course my golf cart doesn't have a radio so I will miss that part.  But that's okay.

COOKING WITH GAS AND DRIVING WITH ELECTRICITY

One of the challenges for me here in my new home is learning to cook with gas.  I've been an electric girl my whole life.  It's not all that bad and I'm getting used to it.  I'm very happy with how the oven bakes.  This banana bread is yummy!

I'm meeting new challenges almost every day.  Some are more difficult than others.  One of the other challenges I have met and am really enjoying is traveling by golf cart.  For about two weeks the cart intimidated me.  I have now mastered it and love it.  I'm even driving it a night now.  It is a very relaxing way to travel.  Speed is not a factor with golf carts.  Especially not with electric ones.  I think my top speed is about 15 miles per hour.  I've also noticed that one sees so much more of the area you are traveling though when going by cart than by car.  As I get to know The Villages I've started taking a Sunday drive.  Going no where in particular, but just enjoying the sights of The Villages, discovering new neighborhoods and really enjoying being out in the sunshine and fresh air.  These little excursions remind me of Sunday drives from my youth.

TODAY'S TASK

Before I get to what I accomplished today let me say I think this place must be Camelot!  I woke up this morning at about 7am to pouring rain.  It was really coming down hard.  After listening to it for a while I decided I needed to go get the days newspaper out of the driveway before it was totally soaked and unreadable like my paper in MD was if caught in the rain.  On went the rain coat over the PJ's and I ran out barefoot and being amazed at the warmth since the sun had not yet come up.  There was no need to worry about the readability of my paper.  It was wrapped so well nothing was going to soak through.  Very, very nice!  The morning news said it was supposed to rain pretty much all day, but stop by early evening in time for trick or treating.  Well not in The Village!  Dawn came and by 9am the rain had stopped and by 10 the sun was out!  Another beautiful day in TV. 

Now on to the organizational task for the day.  One of the few pieces of furniture that I brought from Maryland, other than craft room stuff, was the desk that lived in the bedroom.  I took everything out of it to move it and not only had to put that stuff back but had found more to go in.   This is what it was looking like in its new home along the dining room wall. Not a pretty sight!  So I pulled up a chair and got to work. 

It took a while to find a place for everything, but after about an hour here is what it looked like.  Much improved!  Everything had a designated location.  One thing is for sure.  I don't think I will need to purchase any pens, pencils, markers or paper pads for the rest of my life,  I have more than enough......probably I have enough for several lifetimes.

One thing that I really like about this desk is that it has a lot of good work space when open, but when you don't want the whole world to see your paper work it closes up into a very compact cube. 

This is how it will look most of the time.  I will only open it when needing to work at it.  It really doesn't look at all bad sitting in the dining room while closed.  The picture sitting on the top of the desk is a very special going away gift given to me when I left Covenant UMC.  It is an amazing shadow box picture of the church's sanctuary.  It was made by the Church family.  They are all amazingly talented and I have counted them among my friends for over 20 years.  It will be cherished.

At this point pretty much everything is in place.  I still need to get a tall book case and a computer desk.  I'm going to look at a couple of the local furniture consignment stores.  I really am tired of building furniture.  

I DID IT!

I did it!  I've conquered my concerns over driving my golf cart.  Friday afternoon Pam came over and "held my hand" while I took my first spin around the block.  Well she didn't really hold my hand since both my hands were on the steering wheel, but you know what I mean. She encouraged me with periodic :you can do this" comments and little tips on what to be doing to ensure safe driving.  Like everyone had been telling me it was pretty easy.  The biggest things I had to get used to were no side view mirrors and no power brakes of steering.  After going around my neighborhood we headed father out and went to Lake Sumter Landing. 

Of additional import is that today I headed out on my own!  Check out the bag on the front seat.....groceries!

About four this afternoon I headed out to Sweetbay, one of the local grocery stores and the closest one to my home.  I made it without any issues.  I was going to go in and pick up some milk and jam when I thought why waste a perfectly good golf cart outing and headed back out to Johnny Rockets at Lake Sumter Landing.  I had a coupon for a free burger with the purchase of a milk shake.   I decided that would be my reward   for driving to grocery store in the cart rather than my car.  Now I need to find another route to somewhere else.  May be tomorrow I go out and just roam around a bit. 

Another major accomplishment today is I've pretty much gotten the craft room organized and in place. For pictures and a description of what I've done you will need to head over to my craft BLOG Stampin' & Kwiltin'.

 Tomorrow I may even allow myself time to play in the craft room though I should organize the desk which is in the dining room. 

OKTOBERFEST

The Villages is famous for its ability to have fun and celebrating life.  Today was the celebration of Oktoberfest. I decided I needed a break from unpacking and the challenge of finding a place for everything.   At 3pm I headed out for Spanish Springs where a parade was to begin at 4.  Something told me that I needed to get there plenty early to find a good viewing spot and hopefully a chair or bench to sit on.  Boy was I correct!  The area around the Square was already packed with people when I arrived.  The parade was something else.  It lasted over 30 minutes and included all elements needed to make it a fun event.

There were floats........

........walking units and also bands,  Speaking of bands, I'm not sure what connection bag pipes have to German culture, but there was a rather large group of bag pipers complete with the proper attire of kilts.   There were also horses and lots of flags.

 After the parade there was entertainment at the pavilion as well as at other venues around the Square. The entertainment was kicked off by a performance of The Village Cheerleaders.  They were so fun to watch and there were probably around 60 of them. The group actually has over 130 but many of them are snowbirds and are not yet down here for the winter.  I had heard about this group last week and wondered about cheerleaders that were over 55.  Actually I would say they are more a Pom group. but whatever they were fun to watch and they were obviously have fun.  

Then came the music and the dancing.  There is always dancing at the Squares when there is music. There were several couples like this one dressed in ethnic German attire and having a fantastic time as they waltzed and did the polka around the gazebo. 

I wandered around and listened to some of the music at other points around the Square then decided to head over to Lake Sumter Landing to see what Oktoberfest had to offer over there.  When I arrived I discovered it wasn't so much what they had to offer but what they didn't have. There was no power!  The main thing this lack did was cause the stores along Main Street to close up and restaurants weren't serving food but were still doing a booming bar business.  Most of the vendors who were around Market Square and set up for Oktoberfest had generators so they were up and operational.

I ran into Pam and Allen, some friends here and then after a chat with them went off to find some dinner.  Since I was celebrating Oktoberfest I bi-passed Chik-Filet, Sonny;s Bar-b-Que, and Greek food and had Beer and Brats with a funnel cake for dessert!  Then after a bit more music and watch a bit more dancing I headed back home after a fun afternoon and evening.

LIFE IS VERY BUSY

My life is very full and very busy right now, but I wanted to declare myself officially moved.  I no longer live in MD but have move to FL and a community called The Villages.  If you have never heard of The Villages I must tell you it is like nothing I have ever seen before.  People are genuinely happy here and they are so friendly and welcoming.  I went out for a walk this morning and not only did other people out walking say "Hi" but those in golf carts did also and even a few driving by in cars smiled and waved.  I've met several neighbors and attended a very nice church on Sunday.  In the word of a quilting and cruising friend "Life is good!"  It's been so long since I have been able to say that and it feels real good to be able to do so and mean it. By no means is everything perfect or resolved but it is good.  I think the daily dose of bright sunshine and delightfully warm weather has a great deal to do with this.  So do you want to see where I live.......

This is how I will travel about The Villages when I get up the courage to get behind the wheel.  Everyone tells me it is real easy, but for some reason it intimidates me.  Maybe tomorrow I'll give it a try going around the neighborhood.  For now I either walk or drive.  Today I walked up to my mail box which is up at the neighborhood pool.  I love walking here.  It's nice and flat.  And if you go out early enough in the morning it's not too hot.  Even at 75 when it is so sunny out I've discovered you can work up quite a sweat.  It was about 65 when I went out to mailbox.  It took me about 30 minutes to get there and back.  Also while up there I got a local newspaper.

The rest of my day was spent working down this pile in the garage.  I'm about 3/4 done with the unpacking.  Some of the boxes will not be unpacked.  I don't have any book shelves for the books so they will stay boxed up for now.  I think they will be fine in the garage until summer and maybe by then I will figure out where to put them.  I also don't really have anywhere to put the items I brought from the china cabinet.  I may send a few boxes of that stuff back to NC with my sister when she is down here next week.  I'll get down on my knees and beg......PLEASE!!!!!  Store them for me. 

At the end of a long day if I stay home this is where you will find me.  It's also where I can start my day.  When my friend Thelma was still here helping me unpack and get set up we took a CD player out and had our afternoon sangria and chips with salsa.  It was delightful. 

So this is where I am. Tomorrow I get to experience my first big celebration at the market squares.  It is Oktoberfest.  There will be a parade and strolling entertainment of all kinds as well as German foods and beer.  I will try and get some pictures.  I'm told there will be a lot of ethnic attire and loads of fun. 

Oh if anyone wants to find out more about The Villages check this out.

ONCE AGAIN JUST WHAT I NEED!

Once a gain God has heard my prayer and he sent a message through my daily devotional "in-basket" that he knew I needed to read and hear at this time. It was in the form of a poem written by Sam Hamilton-Poore  I don't want to write out the whole thing do to copywrite issues but here are the first few lines.

MAY THE SPIRIT of life move you
from apathy to action,
from observing to doing,
from despair to hope. 

To read the rest you can go to the Upper Room Reflections site.It deals with the pain and joy of change. The Devotion is for October 12. 

This is my prayer for today.  I currently have 4 days left to call the state of MD home.  Sunday I will be leaving to start a journey to a new life.  At the moment I find myself fighting apathy brought on by the despair of all going on.  There is so much I need to do and all I want to do is go back to bed and pull the cover over my heads and make it all go away.  For a while know I have been in a state of observing.  Its too painful to allow myself to feel and be moved to action.  I pray that God's spirit will live with me and grant me the strength for the days ahead.  

I am looking forward to next week at this time.  I will be in my new home and I pray I will be a bit more happy, content and relaxed as well as excited to discover all that is in store for me in my future.  

AIMS & GOALS

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our
aim is too high & we miss it.  Rather, it's that we aim
too low & we reach it."    – Michelangelo

WHAT A WEEK!

First a earthquake that literally rocked my world and now a hurricane that brings us in MoCo tropical storm winds and rains.....bring it on Irene.  I'm ready for you I've been through worse!

READING ALOT!

Yes, I am, reading a lot these days.  I don't sleep so might as well read and then that puts me to sleep for an hour or two then I wake again and read again and repeat the cycle.  I'm also trying to read books I don't really want to move but do want to read.  Most of them hav e been on my shelf for way to long. I just finished a book that I remember years ago that someone , I think it was Stephanie, told me was really bizarre.  It's Our Lady of the Lost and Found by Diane Schoemperlen.  It's a bout a visit by the Virgin Mary to a writer, and yes it was rather bizarre.  Not so much for the story, but more how it was written.  However, as is usual when I read lately I found a quote in it that I don't want to lose.  So here it is.

"....the hardest person in the world to forgive is yourself.  And..the hardest person in the world to have faith in is also yourself.  I am still trying to reconcile who I am now with who I was then.  I know my former self is still there, waving to me through time just like a phantom limb.  I am still trying to figure out how I am both am and am not the person I was then, the person I appear to be now, the person that I think I am; how I both am and am not the person that I will eventually become.  If who I am now is the "real" me, than who was the person I used to be; an impostor, a fugitive in disguise, the out -of-focus shadow of my future self?  If who I am now is the :real" me, than who is the person I will be twenty or thirty years from now?"

Yep?  Just who was I, who am I and who will I become?????

BROKEN LIFE????

Well as the days progress more things in my life continue to break down...two weeks ago health broke down and shingles broke out....last week car broke down.....this week wireless system in the house seems to be dead.  Ah that is life.  The good news is the the shingles have receded....car is fixed, of course at a major cost,...I do have a wire that I can use to still get on the Internet AND soon everything will be or will have broken and there will be nothing left to break down.  Fortunately at the moment my sense of humor is still in tact and I will just take things one moment at a time......and look toward what I hope will be a "fixed up" future. 

I found this on a friends FaceBook status this morning.  She had read it on one of her friends FB pages.  I needed to keep it somewhere safe to be able to read on a regular basis; at least for the next few months or so.  At least till life settles down for me which it has to do sometime......well it better sometime! So of course for me there is no better place to keep things but here.  So here it is:

"There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living."

Thank you Melissa for reposting this from your friend.  This morning it seemed to be a message meant for me!

HOT! HOT! HOT!!!!!!!!

Yep the heat has moved east......today got up to 100+.  Tomorrow is to be hotter and the humidity is well lets just say tonight you if could wring out the air you could get lots of water out of it. From my drive down the interstate this morning to get to a Doctor's visit my unscientific observation is that as the temps go up it seems drivers speed goes up as well.  I was driving along in the far right lane minding my own business when suddenly I thought geez I must be too relaxed and impeding traffic by going slower than I thought.  The cars in the three lanes to the left of me were whizzing by leaving me in the dust.  Quickly I checked my speedometer....I was doing almost 10 miles over the speed limit!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So glad I was on the road this morning and not at the height of the heat!  Funny thing is.  I wanted to stay on my car as long as possible.  No need to be in a hurry to get anywhere.  The A/C in the car is much colder than that in my house!

MEDITATION I NEED TO PRACTICE

This morning as is my usual practice I went to my e-mail and first read the Upper Room Reflection for the day.  Often this short devotion seems aimed directly at me and my needs.  Today was a case of this.  The devotion reminded me of a bible verse I have posted on my refrigerator and that I have been trying to live by since 1998 when I began to work of our church and things where in a struggle there.  I began praying it and claiming in as a verse for the church.  Over time I claimed it as my own.  The verse is Jeremiah 29:11.  It is highlighted in my bible. Probably I have written about in in past posts on this BLOG.

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope."

This is where my refrigerator magnet ends.  But as I read it today I realize that I need to go on to verse 12-14.

"Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.  When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord,  and I will restore your fortunes and gather you up from all the nations, and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you in exile."

Jeremiah is speaking in these verses to the Israelite people who have been taken out of Jerusalem and into captivity by the Babylonians I believe,  He is giving them hope that they have not been abandoned by their God.  That God indeed does have a plan for them and it is a plan for their good.  Jeremiah is also calling the people back to God.  Calling them to turn to God and seek him.  I believe God does no less for his people today.  That he does no less for me.  The Israelite people felt abandoned by their God.  Yes, I at times also feel abandoned.  Yet God does not; he can not abandon his people or me.  I need to remember this no matter how dark my nights get.  I need to remember Jeremiah 29:11 it daily.  I need to not just walk by as it sits on my refrigerator.

Ah....but what does all this have to do with the title of this post. Not really anything.  My ADD kicked in and I got sidetracked from where I began.  At the bottom of the daily reflections devotion are a series of weekly suggestions for other helps in daily living with faith and God.  Among the helps this week was a link to an article on Meditation for Distress, Disease or Pain by Robert Corin Morris. Having a lot of all three of these things in my life at the moment it caught my attention.  I read it thought maybe this is something that could help me get through the coming days and months.  I don't want to forget where it is so the best place to put it is here.  The title of the BLOG post has a link to the article as does it's mention here.  So hopefully I will remember it is here when I need it!