Sums It Up

Saturdays help you sum the past week's happenings and realize ya gotta treat yourself to a little good will for YOU! !

For instance, I treated myself to a Down Home Cookin' kinda eatery, called Po' Melvin's -which is 5 mins from my house. Pass it every day and never stopped in.

And today I did. Po Melvin's had a breakfast buffet goin' on! Even omelets made to your specification. Let's say said visit to Po' Melvin's tummy was happy!

After my tummy fill, I headed to finally see multi Oscar nominated "Avatar." Went early enough that the movie price was still $4.50. And I think I'm glad. Folks I knew, who were skeptical about "Avatar." wound up enjoying it. Me? Well, I saw a lot of very tall, thin, striped blue cat people. I didn't hate "Avatar." in fact toward the end I kinda got into it. Was I spellbound? Was it something I'd never seen before? I saw lots of pinks, lavender and also where the millions of dollars James Cameron spent on "Avatar-" The movie's colors were quite vibrant, however was I captivated? Considering the characters looked like a cats, I shoulda been.

I wasn't.

Nonetheless I was glad I saw "Avatar" so, I'd have my own opinion. Come March 7th, James Cameron just might be King of the World again, as he totes a Titanic filled Oscar statues.

I also summed up stuff today, as I walked around the park by my old apartment complex. Like in days of yore, I made friends with the dogs walking their humans. Then I sat on my Forrest Gump bench, where I sat so many times during my recuperation from open heart surgery. I can't daily drive 20 miles, to just walk around this park, when I have parks and a rec center close at hand. Yet there's something about just being there...comfort. Security.

Saturdays help to sum things up. Makes you realize how far you've come, especially when there are times it feels as if you haven't taken one step.

Tuesday Twinkle

Had the day off. So nice. Jaunted to see my Heart Doc for my 6 month check up. Said all my numbers looked good. I looked good. My mechanical mitral valve sounded good. And silently I was glad the medical assistant didn't weigh me. Said their scale was outta whack. Being told tidbit that lowered my blood pressure about 10 points alone. The only thing my Heart Doc says is, "You need to be exercising more."

I laughed. I told her how I hadn't been doing it as much of recent times (months?) as I should.

Heart Doc laughed back and said they could tell. Turns out my recent ECHO (ultrasound of my heart) showed them my dirty little secret. My Heart Doc says we need to make sure my heart muscle remains strong so.....And I so agreed. After my appointment with her, I sauntered to my Coumadin check aka my POKE test (which lets me know if my blood to thick or too thin, where my valve is concerned), I headed to the park I walked so many laps around during my open-heart surgery recuperation. This was at the apartment complex I lived in prior to the purchase of the house. Had the park there, plus a work out room for the days I couldn't get outside. I still miss the convenience of the two.

Lastly, after my laps of the park. I sat on my Forrest Gump bench. How many times had I sat and contemplated how life would be as each day I grew stronger? All in all, a nice walk. Pet a couple of dogs out walking their humans. Nice to realize time has moved on. Nice to realize I've had no set backs.

Nice to know I am blessed.

Twinkle in my eye indeed.

Sun Short

Stepped on the scale today. It screamed so loud, was afraid the neighbors would hear. Gotta change all that. More exercise is needed and less food--well, BETTER food. Stay tuned for an update.

Today is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it! Great service today at Inspiring Body of Christ Church with Pastor Rickie Rush-from the books of Hosea and Luke. Hit a home run---again. I've said before how Pastor Rush has been an acquired taste. for me over the years. Gives pause to ponder. Maybe we both had to grow...
And to quote Forrest Gump on this Sunday: That's all I got to say about that.

Enjoy this day.

I am blessed.

My Birthday...My Bench

My day isn't over yet. Phone still rings with those to add their wishes for a great birthday. Feels quite nice. Even my cats have been good and plus, I'm off again tomorrow...LOVE that!

Most of my day was spent with friends, as will be the rest of the week. In fact, I just came from dining with Movie Man. He looked all spiff in his shirt and slacks-just came straight from work-while me in my shorts, Tazmainian Devil t-shirt and tenny shoes. Perfect pair. :) See, before I met up with Movie Man, I think I did my most fun thing today.

I went for a walk. After all it was National Walking Day--I LOVE being national!--and I walked around the park I spent so much time on. Especially during my recuperation from open-heart surgery, in 2006, when I wondered if I would ever get around it -just once- and not have to sit on one of the benches-before I continued on.

My walk around the park, which is about 20 miles from my house, was my chance to reflect and be grateful. Honestly, I couldn't wait to sit on my Forrest Gump bench. I've missed it. How many times, in the last three years I sat there after my laps? Just to look up to the trees, the sky and talk out loud to God? Then smiled when the wind's kiss rustled thru the trees and carressed my face. I knew I had been heard.

Funny how things change. In yester-decades' birthdays I was always out. Usually partied pretty hard too. I reminded a chum of my 35th birthday where--well...hmm...let's just say, another time another place. A good time was had by all that night and I got home about 4 am. Even at my 40th birthday, some guy tried to tell me how his wife just didn't understand him, and why don't we just take a bath together?

I digress.

The point I'm trying to make, my birthdays have been memorable, some more than others. But these days, there's a small thing that sticks out. And today that was my walk. I walked for my parents and for me. I walked for the fact I was their last chance at a baby after four stillborns. Because of one more try, I'm here. My mom and I stayed in the hospital for almost a month after my birth because she wasn't well enough to go home. I walked for the memory my dad's annual story of how the nurse whisked me past him. I screamed at the top of my lungs while the nurse said, "Don, it's a girl!' and Dad said he just saw all this black hair. And I walked to remember Dad would call me at 4:37 am on each April 8 to wish me Happy Birthday. He's been gone eight years and I still expect that call. I walked because even at this age, my gift is to my parents is to do the best I can. For them. To make them proud. Then my bench gave me rest.

Happy Birthday to ME!

Stay tuned.

And So...

It was so hard to get outta bed this Monday morning! I mean, I was so curled under my blankets, while some cat cut off circulation in my side and...

Huh? It's not Monday? Oh wait. It's FRIDAY. Christmas messed me up on my days. Unfortunately I did have to head to work today. Took my taco soup again. I got not a taste of it--again. Yet the folks liked it. And we left at 2:30pm today. That's a good kind of Friday.

Thought about a jaunt to the movie theatre. I did see Curious Case of Benjamin Button yesterday. I've had a thing about for Brad's hot-ness for quite a while now, plus never having really been a Cate Blanchett fan--her performance won me over. Sincerely recommend the movie even if it is this decade's version of Forrest Gump minus a box of chocolates. I thought twice on the movie, and came on home.

I like the serenity of my cluttered cottage. Plus some corn needs to be popped (I'm out of Blue Bell ice cream) and the decision for once and all if the splotch of color I have on my living room wall, will be the color for the entire wall.

With it being Friday, which brings us to the Weekend--makes it all SO good. Can you feel it? Cue a little Jacksons Action--a song repeated over and over on my stereo back in the long ago century...