Bring on the night lights

I'm a light-needy person and don't like these short days we're having. But tonight I'm looking forward to darkness because my new neighbor has been out all day stringing lights on his house.

Not many people on our street go all-out with the holiday yard decor. One neighbor has a big white reindeer with sparkling lights that he nestles among the trees. It's quite pretty. Another has a giant inflatable snowman but it must be in need of patching because it doesn't stand for more than a few hours before it's a big plastic puddle at his doorstep.

So tonight we'll be anxious to see what happens when our neighbor flips the switch on his work of art. I hope we don't lose power!

Angel on a Leash

When my mother was recovering from illness in a nursing facility, we visited her and took our loving dog, Sophie. With her sweet disposition and laid-back attitude, Sophie was a hit with my mother and other residents.

We walked the halls with our chunky terrier mix and many residents stopped for a visit and a pat of Sophie's head. She basked in the attention as if she understood the smiles she brought to some lonely faces.

The magic that Sophie's presence worked made me want to learn more about the benefits of therapy dogs. I heard about Angel on a Leash, an organization in New York, that trains dogs and their owners to work in hospitals and extended care facilities. According to the web site, Angel on a Leash promotes the role of human-canine bonding in enhancing health and quality of life.

Although Sophie has a gentle personality, she is probably too old to be trained as a therapy dog. So I'm making a contribution in her honor to Angel on a Leash so that a "younger" pup's companionship might help someone deal with fear, sickness or sorrow.

She will always be my "angel on a leash."

Busy Black Friday

So were you out among the crowds at 3 a.m. this morning? Standing in the cold for a great bargain or just to experience the chaos of Black Friday?

My daughter and I figured we could be at PetSmart at 3 a.m., Kohl's at 4 a.m., Target at 5 a.m., and JC Penney at 6 a.m. Instead, we decided to be underneath the warm blankets at 8 a.m.!

There's a big holiday sale through Cyber Monday on Etsy, and I've got many items in my shop marked down to gift-giving prices. I know there isn't a huge portion of the population that needs a lanyard, but if you know a teacher or a nurse or someone who wears a badge to work, I've got a creative handmade design just for them!

Enjoy the rest of your busy Friday. I am happy to be off work!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for family and a home that I love. I'm thankful for those who watch over from above.

I'm thankful for Sophie and salsa and tea, and blessed by the friends who put up with me.

I'm thankful for slippers and a room full of beads, and a hobby that addresses my therapy needs!

I'm thankful for laughter and my creative gifts, and most grateful to you bloggers who give me a lift!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Don't make me crazy, part deux

My recent post about things that drive me crazy elicited some hilarious responses! Had to share cause we all need a pre-holiday de-stressing laugh!

"Yes, I have things that drive me crazy, crazy!," wrote Cathryn of Chile Cats. "When there's a few dishes in the sink and one of my family members tells me they "did the big things so it didn't pile up." Like they couldn't spend the five minutes to do the rest of them????"

The ever-cool, calm and collected Kathy of Four Dog Day said, "I try not to let anything bother me at all and I do pretty well with it. There are a lot of little things I don't like, but my new way of thinking is to not think about them. If I were to start posting them here....it would take up pages and pages. So, let's just suffice to say that Yes, there are things that I find extremely annoying, but I choose to not get annoyed by them. How's that? HAHA!"

Oklahoma Granny wrote that this time of year the thing that annoys her the most is trying to go down a grocery aisle and finding someone who has parked their cart in the middle of the aisle to get something off a shelf - or even worse - to visit with someone, rather than parking the cart on the side of the aisle. "Don't they realize it causes a terrific traffic jam for heaven's sake!," she wrote. "And if you say, "Excuse me" or try to move their cart to the side - you receive a scowling look from them."

So friends, are you cooking yet?