Simply Smile, Heart Burn Savior, Christmas Shopping

~ While visiting Aunt Jeannie in the hospital, a nurse walking down the hall looks at me and smiles. I don't know her, she doesn't know me, but the kindness of a random smile is truly powerful and encouraging.

~ Heading to HiGrade's for a cheeseburger (done rare, just the way I like 'em) deluxe, the thought of Chile Fries on the side seems delicious. I place my order and the fries come back plain. Fate is watching out for my health sometimes, Chile Fries and a rare cheeseburger may have knocked me for a loop!

~ Thanks to Amazon.com, I completed my Christmas shopping within 15 minutes, in the comfort of my own comfy chair, while watching Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, and eating leftover Thanksgiving pie.

Thanksgiving Dinner, Kitchen Fun, Itty Bitty Gerbils

~ Dad and I joined Dave, Carole, Anne and Sara for a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. Carole made turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, and she placed jellied cranberry and pickle spears (~she said she bought pickles especially for me!) on mom's antique relish tray. She also had an apple pie, and a yummy pumpkin pie. She's a great cook!

~ I made Chuck's Favorite Mac And Cheese and a Cream Cheese Brownie Pie this morning to bring with us. They turned out quite good -thank God! My first pie was ruined this morning and I had to make a quick run to Kroger's to buy the ingredients I wasted! I had softened the cream cheese but didn't include the vanilla, egg, or sugar that was supposed to be blended in with it before I put it into the oven! I laugh and say "oops" now but I think I may have scared Smokie a bit when it happened!

~ Anne (9) and Sara (7) are proud "parents" of the cutest little gerbils. Anne's is named Sandy, and Sara's is Daisy. The gerbil's little homes are so cute -much nicer than mine in the mid-80's!

Songs By Susan, Day Shift Disappears, A Little Act Of Kindness

~ Received my Susan Boyle CD in the mail, and it's so good! I love her voice -she's awesome!

~ The day shift is now working a different schedule -it's nice to be able to actually sit down when our shift gets into the office, and I've been early enough to actually sit in the seat I like the best!

~Tonight I did something I always wanted to do, I told the Taco Bell drive-thru cashier "Here, I'm paying for the car behind me too." ~it was only $1.05, but it was fun to do!

Like Minds, Donny's Girl, Smokie Song

~ A friendly woman watches me as I look a bit confused at the grocery store. "What are you looking for?", she asks. "Actually in this aisle I'm looking for a couple things.", I reply. She smiles and says "Of course! It's the baking aisle!" I laugh and say "yep!"

~ Pam, who sits behind me at work and is a life-long 49-year-old MAJOR Donny Osmond fanatic, was incredibly EXALTED after he won on Dancing With The Stars tonight. Her passion for her man glowed throughout the room.

~ Smokie, relaxed in my arms, looks so soothed as I sing his name to the tune of Silent Night

Switching Mags, 2012, Dad Singing

~ I received a free "Science Of Mind" magazine in the mail. It was sent to me because I had a subscription to Pure Inspiration, which unfortunately will no longer be printed. I've sensed that this seasonal magazine was going to fold, and I've wanted to start reading Science Of Mind monthly. One door sadly closes, another opens.

~ Saw the movie 2012, and really liked it. I had been looking forward to seeing it but after I heard a few reviews I was a bit apprehensive. I'm happy I went -it was much better than I expected.

~ Visited dad in the hospital. His heart beat is in the 60's now, much better than a few days ago. He sang "School Days, School Days" to me. He sang it very low as he was remembering it. He use to sing to me at bedtime when I was a toddler, I remember Playmates (my favorite), School Days, Sweet Violets, and a song about a rooster getting into someone's yard.

Childrens Songs widget by 6L &

Dancin' & A-Prancin', Magical Chant, Pause Time

~ I love the ElfYourself dance videos! This is me and Smokie after we "cleaned up the garage!"

~ Chanting "Spirits bring me luck, Spirits bring me peace" going to work, and then getting an ideal parking space after I pull into the crowded lot.

~ The work computer system is on the fritz, giving us extended pause time and a chance to just chill out for awhile.

Free Turkey, Remaining Peaceful, Drummer Girl

~ We received free turkeys at work today! My 13-pounder will be cooked by Carole next Thursday on Thanksgiving!

~ Desks are hard to get when we arrive at work these days, so I plunked down at "LaRhonda's desk" when I got there (nobody can claim that a certain desk is theirs though). She gets angry when she sees someone at her desk, comes by and grabs her stuff (pushed way beneath the desk and behind the monitor). I understand how she feels, I don't get upset. She returns later to give me a small backrub and to say she's so sorry she had been mean. As I walk past her and Sherice a few hours later she told me she told Sherice, our supervisor, how meanly she acted and she's sorry. I really had just let it blow over as quickly as it happenned. Sherice told her "If it's Melissa you did this to there's really no problem. She doesn't get upset."

~ My first frame drum came in the mail today! I'm looking forward to learning meditative drumming and joining in on drumming circles!