Another Year Older…

Oh my goodness, but the last year went by rather quickly! How does that happen anyway? Lately I’ve been wondering if dear Autumn’s magic has been at work! 😉 Makes you think about all the fairies and magical creatures she has around, doesn’t it? 😉 So kind readers, Autumn and I are now one year older. But it’s OK since age is only a number, right? Of course it is, the close you get to the once dreaded numerical age the more it  only just gets better.

So, this little post isn’t really about our birthday and begging for attention. Did any of you kind readers think we were like that? 😉 Hopefully that answer is…Of course you didn’t! The funny thing is, we both have been told for years that we never looked our real age. That is such a blessing and it sure saves lying our ages! 😉 🙂  I’m kidding of course! It’s a time for these Twinnies to just be reflecting on the last 365 days and how and what’s gone on. How we have learned those life’s lessons and all, how to make this year only better. To the best of our ability of course, since we can’t control unexpected events.

I have a secret to spill, too! 🙂 Autumn is planning a big year, her engagement will be turning into a wedding I hear tell. The date is top-secret 😉 I’m kidding they haven’t set it but we will keep  you all posted, never fear. Anyway, this is where we need to ask you kind readers a question! Do you embrace your birthday, how do you celebrate and also what thoughts do you have? Come on, it’s time to share…Humor the birthday girls! 😉 🙂

Late Night Thunderstorm

 

When I fell asleep I had no idea I would be woken up with loud crashing, an exciting light show of lots of lightning and just one wild thunderstorm. Wow, but it was loud and that rain was really coming down like crazy. I raced to the windows and got them shut, but hung out enjoying the sights…I love those thunderstorms. Some of you kind readers may perhaps be thinking I am a bit of a nut, but others have to enjoy these storms. If so, please do speak up and share your love of summer storms.

It reminded me of the thunderstorms when we were kids, at first they seemed scary. Being blessed with a Dad and Mom who turned those storms into fun! It sounds silly, and I don’t know how many parents told their kids this same story. It was started so early on with Autumn and me since we are the oldest of 6 girls…I so love the story. Even as a grownup I will always remember Dad and Mom telling us God decided furniture needed to be moved about in Heaven.

OK, that explained the crashes of thunder, right? Well, how did they explain the lightning to us? It was big, big night lights so everybody could see what and where they were moving the furniture of course! Why could we see it on earth both of us young Twinnies had to ask. That was explained as God thought it was nice to share the sights and sounds with his children here on earth. Wasn’t it nice he thought of all of us, and it was nothing to fear. It worked for Autumn and me, then our younger sisters and we thought it quite interesting as well as exciting.

I have heard other people who got told this story that our parents told, I have it on good authority that this story is still being told to the young kids. I have to say I love it, it saves so much stress on the fear factor! I sure wish everybody grew up with this thunderstorm story because sadly I have known friends who just shudder and shake over any thunderstorms. They hate the lightning the worst and jump out of their skins when the thunder starts. That just makes me sad, I don’t like the thoughts of anyone having fear or anxiety.

How about you kind readers? Do you like thunderstorms or do you just kind of deal with the whole thing until it all passes? I have to ask of course, because it’s what I tend to do…I ask a lot of questions! Autumn was curious to know about you kind readers thoughts on this subject, too. So, I’m not alone in my curiosity which is a nice thing as always…Inquiring twins just want to know! I enjoyed my thunderstorm of late last night while Autumn slept her way through it, go figure!

 

Marching to the Beat of Your Own Drummer

I’ve been known to take this term to a whole other level at times. But, it’s OK since we are all different and we have to do it our way, right? Surely we can’t all be alike, that would make life so awfully boring! I will tell all of you kind readers a secret…Autumn marches to the beat of her own drummer, too! Did  anyone really doubt that for a minute?

Anyway, I was thinking over this phrase and wondering how many people really choose to conform just to be accepted more easily. You know what I’m saying, they just don’t want to call attention to the individuality that is in each of us. Well, come on…That just isn’t good either! We all need to be ourselves and just have a joyful time of doing so is my opinion!

I have been known to dance in the rain (Autumn loves doing this herself), lead a spur of the moment parade around the block one time with a few friends (this was done with Autumn by the way who was co-leading), and the neighbors so dearly loved this one!

I sometimes sing loudly in the middle of a store by mistake. Well, this happens when I get carried away when hearing a favorite song and Autumn has also joined in or started this one all by herself. Rode our chosen merry go round horses like princesses waving to all who were watching. I know, all kids do that you may be thinking to yourselves…But this was just last week! These are just a few examples, but there’s more of course.

Oh, I almost forgot  one really fun time Autumn and I crawled out on a roof to star gaze and how exciting it was, too. Until our Dad happened to notice what we were doing and hustled us back inside, we were only young teenagers and thought it was fun what can I say? Dad didn’t agree of course, since it wasn’t the wisest of moves in safety. It was better to wait until we had our houses to go stargazing on the roof, try it sometime because it’s really exciting fun.

I  think I better keep it to myself about any more of the Twinnies examples of how we do have given it a whirl quite often, this marching to the beat of our very own drummer thing. Lest you kind readers start worrying about our sanity, unique ways and all. Yeah, right…Like that’s ever stopped me before! How many of you kind readers have fun and exciting things you have done when doing your own thing? Please do share, but only if you’d like to! It was just a passing thought today and I just had to write a little post about marching to the beat of our drummer. I just couldn’t resist, it seemed a pretty awesome topic to chat about. I do hope all of you have a grand time marching to the beat of your own drummer.

Please, please…Do not let anyone stop you! March on is what Autumn and I have to say! 🙂 🙂

National Pizza Party Day

What an amazing day…Today, May 18th is National Pizza Party Day! I am so loving this one and plan on celebrating with throwing a good old pizza party, Yay for pizza! It has got to be one of the best foods to be found, who doesn’t love pizza? Please don’t tell me there really is somebody out there who dislikes pizza! Really…Don’t tell me if it’s so, I am kidding of course. If somebody dislikes pizza, so be it because we are all different. Everyone has a right to like, dislike or even detest pizza, right? I just find it hard to believe though, so please do forgive my questioning this fact.

Both Autumn and I totally love, love, love pizza! We like it with different toppings, we like it warm and we have also been known to eat it cold for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! So, we are loving this day and will be celebrating in style…We just simply have to! It would be a disgrace not to acknowledge this National Pizza Party Day and not thoroughly embrace this day. Who among you kind readers is with us? Anyone planning on having a pizza party? It can be a pizza party for one if you don’t feel like company. Do share if you are busy making plans, you are among friends here and we need to unite if we love our pizza! You can just have a fine time of it all…A whole day of pizza party fun!

When we were growing up and throughout most of our lives at home we Twinnies were blessed with homemade pizza. Our Dad and Mom were the best pizza makers ever, we had a pizza day at least once or twice a month. We still get together for a pizza day as a family…Just not as often as we would like. We are all finally living here in Pennsylvania, but life does unfortunately get busy. When we do get together for those pizza party days we do it with such gusto and really do have a great time. I am also happy to report there is nobody who doesn’t like pizza among our big family, thank goodness…Even the kids love it and all those brave men that are hitched up with the sisters love it, too. Of course, Dave is no longer here on earth, but my husband did simply love pizza, too. Our Dad, who also is in Heaven, probably throws the best of pizza parties of all I bet! Anyway, I just had to share the news about today…Happy National Pizza Party Day to everyone! 🙂 🙂

The Twinnies and the Canoe Trip

I happened upon a picture of a canoe in a magazine I was reading. That’s all it took and my mind was going back to a wonderful and treasured memory. Autumn’s and my very first canoe trip when we were very young Twinnies. We must have been maybe about 7 years old and the trip was with our Dad and beloved Uncle Tony. It was such an anticipated trip and Autumn and I had been told a couple weeks in advance. Dad was probably sorry he shared the happy upcoming event too early, we about drove him crazy with questions! When was the day we were going? He patiently pointed out the day on the calendar and marked it with a big red star for us, too.

Still, Autumn and I had other questions, did anyone doubt it? Needless to say, when the big day arrived the pair of us were just literally jumping for joy! Yay, off we went to pick up Uncle Tony and on our way to our much loved Pine Creek for our canoe ride! It was maybe a half hour drive from our house, enough of a car ride to have both of us Twinnies being overly chatty.

I know, that sure never changed kind readers…Autumn and I always have plenty to say it seems. We also loved singing with our Dad, so we had a song or two with Uncle Tony joining in also. Autumn and I only bugged them a couple times about when we would get there, how much longer? Anyway, we arrived at where the canoe was docked and got on our life jackets with Dad’s and Uncle Tony’s help of course.

We Twinnies got another going over about water safety, we were taught quite early about it all. But Dad went over it all one more time, just to be safe and sound he explained. Wow, the sights and sounds when floating along on the water! The water so clear, you could see all the underwater treasures! The birds singing happily, those beautiful and awesome mountains surrounding us. Autumn and I were being well behaved for us, we only got a warning about trailing our hands in the water.

Oh yeah, we had made up a song about the water, the canoe and after singing the same couple verses for too long…Well, Dad asked us nicely to give it a rest. The canoe trip was truly such a magical experience and so wonderous to us Twinnies we weren’t going to do anything dumb to mess it up for ourselves! We might have our moments, but we were no fools! The ride ended much too soon for Autumn and me of course because we would happily have ridden for hours. It was a magic day, one that sticks in my mind as so special and happy. Dad and Uncle Tony are both in Heaven now, so the memories are a joy to have.

Do any of you kind readers have any memories of an adventure like this one? If you would like to share, it would be great hearing all about it! 🙂 PS The only small mishap of this perfect day was after docking the canoe Autumn and I got our socks and sneakers wet stepping into the very shallow water. Never fear, our Mom had packed extras! 😉 🙂

Young Twinnies Create a New Hairstyle

Oh yes we Twinnies did! At a young age of maybe about  8 years old, Autumn and I decided to give ourselves a hair style makeover. Well, that spelled trouble in the making…I will never forget the grand plans we were hatching. What brought this memory to my mind, a friend had told me of her niece giving herself and her doll a haircut. That’s all it took and my memories were flowing!

Autumn and I had very long curly hair, and we liked that part just fine. We still both do by the way! What we didn’t have were bangs, so we Twinnies would just have to get ourselves some! We had some rather blunt, safe kid’s scissors and obviously not meant for cutting hair. Also, really not supposed to be used without permission. Needless to say, Autumn and I had it in our heads we were going to have “the new look” and we would surprise everyone!

Mom was busy with our two younger sisters who were about 2 1/2 and 4 years old. So, Autumn and I thought we would be nice and not bother her…Oh, the mistakes of the young! Well, we Twinnies happily chatted as we set to cutting each others hair, creating those much longed for bangs. Oops, why was our hair looking so not right?!  Where were those pretty bangs we wanted so badly? We both started crying at the horrible results, the happy chatting was now over. Oh my goodness, we had a real disaster going on! Mom had heard our crying and had just put the little sisters down for a nap. We sure had her undivided attention now…Uh oh, she wasn’t looking too happy. The look on her face, well I do remember it to this day…Mom didn’t cry, but it sure looked like she wanted to.

Autumn and I had made a royal mess going on with our bangs, they looked like we had perhaps cut them with pinking shears! Up and down, so uneven but thankfully we hadn’t messed around with the rest of our hair. Mom fixed up our bangs, she did a pretty good job of straightening out our mess I must say. But the Twinnies were not at all happy with our new bangs, so we were still crying and asking Mom to glue on our real hair and get rid of those now hated bangs. Oh my, we were so delusional weren’t we? Well, we were young and you know how that goes!

Of course you can’t glue hair back on, we had bangs like it or not. Mom gave us a cheery little talk about how cute and stylish they were, making it a wonderful new thing. She was good because, soon our tears had dried and we were looking in our mirror and smiling…Mom sure had worked her magic! The dreaded bangs took awhile to grow out and what a lesson learned for Autumn and me. The story being told to all the younger sisters, none of them attempted such a stunt, thankfully for our poor Mom’s sake!

Have any of you kind readers did such a haircutting thing when you were young? Care to share? Oh, come on do share…You are among friends here! 🙂 🙂

Flashback to a Broken Toe, Oh No!

I sometimes run around my house with bare feet, not always the smartest choice. For me anyway it would seem, yet I continue doing it. Maybe it’s fine for other people who don’t run into things randomly with their poor toes. Maybe you watch what you are doing, where you are going better than me? Maybe I am just sometimes in too much of a rush? Maybe other people are more mindful of these things… Well, In that case, you are safe! Today I just had a flashback to my broken toe of 3 years ago. What a really horrible thing that broken toe was, don’t let anyone tell you it doesn’t hurt either! They are clearly lying to make themselves sound brave is all I have to say on the matter. Anyway, the toe incident today was thankfully a bruised one and not a broken one, Yay! It sort of hurts of course, but I can deal with it!  After having that evil broken one, I know the difference now…I learned the hard way.

What a very strange post of it this is making, but I do feel so compelled to share. Well, don’t I always? I was innocently minding my own business, when the edge of a dresser got in the way of my big toe earlier today. 😉 Yeah, sure it did and who am I kidding? I was racing around and oops, slammed it a good one. It will be OK, but memories of that poor little baby toe that got broken came flooding back.

The smallest toe on my left foot it was, what pain and it hurt to walk normally for weeks. With any kind of shoes on and even bare feet…It was just awful. How did I break that one you may want to know? I should feel very stupid to tell that little story, but again I will share. It may save someone reading this from making my mistake. Farfetched as it may probably be, doubtfully this could only happen to me I have a feeling.

OK, I was moving a piece of exercise equipment that was kind of heavy and my hand slipped and I saw stars, seriously! Landing right on my poor little toe, just so and Owww! I am not prone to exaggeration, so believe me when I say…I wouldn’t wish a broken toe on anyone ever. Hopefully none of you kind readers has ever broken a toe, if you have please do share!

Three years ago at the ER and with x-rays it was declared quite the break. I got told, we’re so sorry but we really can’t do anything. Well, short of taping it, trying to give me pain meds and advising ice to reduce swelling and staying off the foot. Yeah, like that was going to happen! I tried, but it wasn’t 100% possible so instead… I hobbled, hopped around, looking like a strange sight. I must confess I am a bit stubborn and quite determined, so I will always get through. So today, it was just a scare and an awful flashback and from now on…I am being very careful with these toes of mine! Wonder if I should look into a pair of steel toed shoes to keep those toes safe? 😉

I know I have shouldn’t complain about a broken toe, even this bruised one. People have had a lot of worse broken bones I know, so do forgive my complaining. The only other break I ever had in my life was a little finger on my right hand. Not pleasant, but I was a teenager and the memory doesn’t seem too bad. Well, there you have a rather strange sharing on this post today!

Wonder if any of you kind readers are wanting to know if Autumn ever broke a toe or other bone? No, the Twinnie did not I am happy to report! Although between us both we sure have had enough other very unusual and some very bad mishaps and injuries. I will save that for another blog perhaps? Or I will spare you all, or perhaps not! 😉 🙂

Messages of Love, Heaven Sent…

I was browsing through this one book of Dave’s, I hadn’t looked at this particular book since he’s been gone. I know, many of you kind readers know I lost my husband Dave to evil cancer. So, I won’t go into details here and this is a happy thing I found…So why make anyone sad?

Anyway, there I was looking through a book of Dave’s and checking out a certain chapter…What is this piece of paper? It was a little note with a poem he had written for me, while reading this book! That is really and truly like a wonderful gift  being handed to me.  I had read and listened to everything he had left for me almost 9 years ago. I still do as a matter of fact, from time to time. He has been in Heaven almost 9 years now.. It will be exactly 9 years on May 30th.

We recorded lots of things and he also left me special notes and some thoughts and feelings, too. But this one was a new discovery for me…Why I hadn’t opened this particular book sooner? Well, because I wasn’t supposed to! It was meant for today…I had been thinking of him, missing Dave today more than the usual. So this message from him…A love message kind of heaven-sent! Wow, Yay and what a blessing…it didn’t make me cry, I smiled and even laughed.

Dave had a wonderful sense of humor and also was always writing cute little notes here and there. Usually I found them quickly, they were usually in plain sight. I did the same thing for him, we were just kind of still romantic and things even after being together all those years. We just didn’t take each for granted, because after all…Love doesn’t do that. Kind of nice, I wish that kind of love for everybody. If you have it, treasure it each and every day remind yourselves how blessed you are. I was blessed in so many ways…it’s why I highly doubt I will ever love again. Nobody will ever come close to Dave and our whole love we shared together.

Strange thing, this divine order of things and I try hard not to question it. I will be meeting up with Dave again on the other side when it’s time and that’s that. What do I do? Many things, try to make the most and best out of my own life…It isn’t the same as it would be if Dave was still physically present of course. My soul mate and I just got separated a bit too early for me, anyway. But time passes by so swiftly, it really does…A thought to ponder  isn’t it? I am not planning to search madly for any more notes, those messages of love. Nope, I have a feeling they will show up just when they are supposed to. 🙂

Thoughts…I Have Many

Yes I certainly do, I will never be accused of not thinking enough that’s for sure. I know everybody has thoughts, I just seem to have an overabundance. Well, how do I know that is a true fact? There’s not some thought- a- meter that can check you out for that kind of thing. You know what I’m saying kind readers, right?

Anyway, my thoughts…One certain one stuck in my mind earlier. I was thinking of daylight savings time starting here in the United States, it’s on March 11th. I was going over all the clocks and watches I have to change so they can “Spring Ahead” an hour. Setting each and every watch and clock ahead an hour. For an ordinary person, it may just take a short while…Not for me I’m afraid.

In the fall when we did the “Fall Back” thing, setting them back an hour I wrote a post about this. Also telling of my many clocks and watches, which over the years spells out I have a lot of both. I won’t get into all that here, but I kept thinking about the chore of doing it all over again. There’s no escaping the chore, but I was thinking that maybe there was a short cut of sorts to doing this time consuming task. I pondered and I wondered about it…Notice I did not say obsessed! 😉 There is no shortcut, there just isn’t!

I was actually considering maybe giving some of the clocks away, I had to banish that thought very quickly! That’s just not going to happen…Many of the clocks have sentimental meaning. The majority of the clocks and watches, too have memories of Dave attached to them. I thought about that and took my stroll down memory lane. My husband left this earth way too soon, evil cancer and I won’t got into it all many of you kind readers already know. Giving clocks away, not an option…Banish that thought forever is right!!

I just thought about it all realisticaly, I would be cheerful and make it a fun happening, Yay! I will do just that. sometimes thinking does pay off, doesn’t it? I am thinking I may just have a small group of family and friends over to make a party out of it all, it’s a nice thought isn’t it? Well, it was until I told Autumn. That Twinnie laughed herself silly for just way too long! 😉 OK, maybe it was a wacky thought and I have a feeling she just may be right, maybe. Autumn pointed out a very kind fact…Did I really want to draw attention to all my clocks and watches to the family and friends again? Is that ever true, they all do tend to worry about the clock/watch collection. Why have them all over to my house? Each and every room looked at with all the clocks, just not the best idea. Hmm…Autumn has a good point, I think I will celebrate the clock setting ritual all by myself. It’s my final thought on the whole matter…I think.   P.S. Was anyone paying attention to each and every time I said thoughts and thinking? *Counting the last 2 and also the one in the title, it was 17…That’s a lot of thoughts and thinking I do believe! 😉 🙂

Valentine’s Day ~ by Gabby

It’s here, February 14th has arrived! It does that every single year and Valentine’s Day is here once again. How is everyone celebrating? Any plans or thoughts on the day? It is a day to celebrate love, so of course the Twinnie is on board with this one. Autumn is just glowing everyday with the love and she doesn’t need a special day. How do I feel on this day? As some of you kind readers already know…My husband Dave is in Heaven. Well, I am of course missing him as always but I do celebrate the day. Dave wouldn’t want me to spend the day being sad. I had a good many Valentine’s Days that are very cherished memories we spent together.

I won’t be sad, after all I do have two very special Valentines! Who are they? My two youngest and very special nephews, they make sure to give me a valentine and a special drawing and sometimes other little surprises. How sweet is that I ask? 🙂

When Autumn and I were young, but old enough to understand Valentines Day we learned how it was done! Our Dad gave us Valentine cards along with a little heart-shaped box filled with chocolates or some other little treat, right along with our Mom. 🙂 That is such a treasured memory, it started with Dad giving us twinnies the special Valentine gifts. It continued with each new sister that came along, too. Six sisters and Mom, Dad was handing out lots of special Valentines through the years!

Well, didn’t we all get a head start on what to expect from the boyfriends and husbands to come? Yes, we sure did and if they were slackers woe on to them! The either got a good talking to or…Yes, Autumn once dumped a boyfriend over the Valentine’s Day neglect. That Twinnie sure didn’t fool around…Thankfully she won’t have to worry this year with such things. Her darling man is quite the romantic and also a very nice guy, he asked me for hints over a month ago concerning special gift choices for her. 🙂 I know, Wow he is a keeper for the Twinnie! In case he didn’t give her the special gift, I just better keep his gift choice to myself. Maybe she will share with us though! 🙂

Well, how about you kind readers? Anyone care to share their plans or perhaps some thoughts? Sharing is always fun I say! Aso we twinnies are wishing all of you a very special and Happy Valentine’s Day!! 🙂 🙂