Hi Everyone.

I’m just gearing up for the New Year.

Isn’t it the best time. I love to make my goals and think about what I want to accomplish in the new year.

I don’t mean like resolutions really because they always get weird but I mean like a clean vision board of things to come.

My sister-in-law Kimmi does this thing and Bobby and I have taken it on. You take a box and you put a list of nine things in the box you want to happen in the new year and on the outside of the box you put nine things you want to give away or remove from your  life.

We have been doing this for a few years now and the results are quite amazing.

It’s always fun to read your lists the next year and see what happened.

Kimmi also does on New Years’ Day what she wants more of in the coming year. She relaxes and just does stuff she likes. Kind of fun.

I heard someone else say at the stroke of midnight you should be doing what you want more of during the next year. Maybe that’s why people kiss at midnight. I wonder if they get a smoochie year?

I get this feng shui email and it said to make sure you have your wallet full on this day. Makes sense.

So that’s it for now. Write and let me know what you do on New Years’ Eve.

A quote for you.

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Until we meet again, Sharon.

Welcome.

What a Wonderful Day it is my Friends. How are you all out there in Blogland?

Men need not stay unless they are being growled at by their wives and haven’t done anything (I use this term loosely obviously) to deserve it.

I wanted to tell you about my experience with BHRT. I heard about it through my sister and other people that are doing it so I thought maybe it will make me feel better.

I didn’t realize I was feeling so crappy until after I started this therapy. I realized after when my body started to come alive again that I felt like I was encased in a gray substance that had hardened almost like I was a paper mache balloon that someone had painted gray. My skin was dry, my hair was dry, my body felt numb, I was moody, the list can go on here forever.

If I wasn’t rolling my eyes at my husband I was growling at him about something. I could see the horror behind his eyes like “OMG” I love this woman but is she going to be like this for another 35 years? Keep in mind he’s a lot younger than I am.

There were too many warnings with the artificial hormones so I wasn’t going near them but I felt good about BHRT.

So off I go to the office for my appointment. Now I feel like I’m in the room with the Stepford Wives. Everyone around my age is really just a little too happy. People are coming in trying to get appointments on the long waiting list. Everyone is smiling. My antenna was up wondering what was going on.

My friend said that aging is something we should do with Grace. I do agree with her but I’ll chat with her again when she’s 50. When we are in our 30’s we can say stuff like that. I know I could never have imagined that I would feel the way I do when I was 30.

A little background.  I had a lot of radiation when I was in my young teens for Hodgkin’s Disease and I read somewhere that menopause comes fast and furious when you have had radiation at a young age. I wasn’t wrong. It started in my early 40’s and I’m completely out of it already except for this “gray” situation.

So I go get my cream and I’m not expecting any miracles or anything.

I used it for a few days when I started noticing strange things. Nerves in my body started twitching. Not unlike when you have a nervous twitch in your eyelid or belly button that won’t go away. Weird places like the top of my leg on the front. It was almost like my body was coming alive again. My skin was soft and I found myself smiling more. The gray mass that surrounded me started to break away and my body came alive again. I was laughing again and couldn’t possibly walk by my husband without a hug and a kiss like I used to do.

I went and got my ears repierced. I dyed my hair dark instead of the blond that I had for so many years. It wasn’t too much effort to look in the mirror anymore.

I wanted to tell you all this in case you are feeling the same way and it can help you.

Suzanne Somers has a book out called Breakthrough that discusses it more at length.  She’s doing something right because she never ages.

So that’s it. I’m just telling you my story. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything as everyone is different. If we convince ourselves in our head that something like this is bad for us then it probably is but I know I love it so far.

For your quote today I’m giving you Sophia from Golden Girls. I’ll never forget this episode. I crack up every time I think of it. I thought it was fitting for my blog.

“Dorothy: [on menopause] What is the big deal, Blanche? It’s nothing. Look at it this way: you don’t get cramps once a month. You don’t go on eating binges once a month. You don’t get crazy once a month.
Sophia: You just grow a beard.
Dorothy: Don’t listen to her, Blanche.
Sophia: You grow a beard, Dorothy! Believe me, I woke up one morning, I looked like Arafat!
Blanche: Oh, my GOD!
Rose: I never grew a beard!
Sophia: You never grew brains, either!”

Until we meet again, Sharon

Hello my dear Friends. Welcome to the TPC Blog.

Life is strange sometimes. As bad as it gets is how good as it gets. That pendulum of life can go so far into chaos and then brings us back into the feeling of love and appreciation and gratefulness.  My sister and her husband just experienced this along with our family.

They love to travel and are always all about but on this holiday they had a life altering experience. They went into a bank and when they came out while standing there a car pulled up and they were surrounded by three men. One went to take my sister’s purse and told her husband to empty his pockets. My sister being quite feisty started screaming for someone to come, her husband tried to talk to them. This provoked them to pull out a gun and put it against her husband’s chest. My sister being travel savvy didn’t have her passport or anything major in her purse but they got her camera and all her credit cards. Lots of cash but it was a small price to pay for them to leave them alone untouched. She said it was like in slow motion.

I asked her what did they take and she said “a bit of my soul”. She will never travel again outside Canada and US.

The other side of the pendulum came after. Everyone helped them and were there in an instant. They wanted to come home immediately and as they cancelled their credit cards this young man who they didn’t even know put their home flight on his credit card. All the people in the hotel asked them to stay and enjoy their holiday and they finally agreed and this young man again cancelled with his credit card and when there was a cancellation fee he talked to the placed they booked the flight with and got it taken away. She said every one’s hearts and kindness came out and gave her a glimpse of the other side of life.

When my brother told me what happened I kind of freaked. I couldn’t imagine life without my sister or my brother-in-law. They are two of the most kindest people around. Of course my love for them goes deep and if they passed a piece of me would go with them. Not having children of their own they have become aunt and uncle extraordinaire to my children and they are those kind of people that make you relax in life because you know they will always have your back. No matter what happens they aren’t about to judge but just be there to talk it through and help you through.

I’m not sure what the universe had planned with this one. Maybe it was to appreciate every minute for them and for us and be grateful. I know in all this my prayers have been beefed up for those people I love.

Quote for you:

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” Desmond Tutu

Until we meet again, Sharon

Hello Dear Friends.

I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

I received the following from Angela a writer friend of mine and I thought I would share it with you as it is brilliant in that it made me and I’m sure others who read it a chance to remember to be grateful. She said I could share it with you. Enjoy.

“As another exciting year comes to its end, people tend to sit back in disbelief that it’s already over.  I’m surprised how each year speeds by faster than the last. This year was full of joy for me and I thank my lucky stars.  I’m sad to see the end draw near but I’m overwhelmed by the excitement 2009 will bring.

I am thankful to 2008 for the following: 1) I remain healthy; 2) I am blissfully in love with a man that consistently exceeds all of my expectations; 3) I was given a great opportunity to continue expanding my career experience; 4) I have met a lot of new people whom have enriched my life in ways that I never expected; 5) September 6, 2008, Mark asked me to marry him; 6) My family and friends have all learned from and enjoyed the 2008 year, even with it’s ups and downs and twists and turns; 7) I continue to love in ways that are so easy, yet often overlooked; 8 ) I have found my passion for writing again which was lost for a brief time; and 9) each and everyday I wake up and choose to remain happy.  Looking back on the year and acknowledging your fortunes is a great way to prepare for the upcoming year.  Appreciating your time and experiences takes only a moment but leaves a lasting happiness to carry you through the holidays.

While visualizing the upcoming year, the power of positive thinking can bring so much to your life.  As easy as it is to get lost in the chaos of life, it’s just as easy to get lost in the beauty of it.  If you could elect one environment over the other, wouldn’t you prefer beauty?  I know I would…and I do.  I know I am fortunate for so many things and I try to never lose sight of that.  To help me focus on the beauty of life, I reflect on all the gifts my journey has provided to me and I look forward to the gifts that will be coming my way.  2009 will be filled with happiness because that is what I believe.  Thinking positively allows me the courage to be confident with each new day because I believe everything will work out and everything happens for a reason.

In 2009, I hope for: 1) passionate loving companionship; 2) health and fitness; 3) ease of financial burdens; 4) confidence and respect; and 5) laughter.  I know 2009 will provide these to me, because it’s within my control to find them all.  We are responsible for our lessons and our lives; even though at times we feel lost. It’s natural to feel you’ve lost your way but trying to find your way back may be one of your greatest lessons.

To find happiness you must find yourself.  I’m lucky enough to have found myself at the same place I found my love, Mark.  Where were you found?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!”

Blessings to you at this time for a wonderful Christmas time.

A Quote for You.

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” Norman Vincent Peale

Until we meet again, Sharon

Hello my Friends. How are you all out there in snowy blog land.

I just said to Bobby I’m going to write a blog and his response was “why don’t we clean together and then you can write your blog”. Giggles explode out of me as he is kidding of course which if you knew me you would know this without me telling you. So I attend to my blog while he makes our breakfast.

On to my story. After many years of being blond I dyed my hair dark back to its natural colour before the grey. It’s fun. I look like my wonderful Mom when she was young before she went grey too. Bobby read somewhere on the internet that women dye their hair red when they want out of a marriage or they were wanting more “action”.  He was concerned yet hopeful at the same time.

So, remember my last blog when I said it was so crazy out there when I drove to the store, I kind of sheepishly forgot to fess up to something about that day.

Daisy as you know is my new old car which is a little new for me as she’s standard. I had such a hard time driving her the other day in the snow. It was dragging all the way and “yes” once I realized that I had the parking brake on she did drive much faster but the part that was scary was that I couldn’t see because the ice wouldn’t leave the window.

I was so worried about driving since so I said to Bobby that we have to go for a ride because I think the defogger is broken. I went on and on about it.  Bobby finally said as I’m sure he was sick of listening ok let’s go for a drive.

I was taking some of the snow off Daisy waiting for Bobby to come from the house and he gets in the car and I hear him laughing and laughing he can’t even tell me what he found. I’m like what? I know it’s going to be something I did at this point and he’s like “you had on the air conditioning” that’s why your windows were icing up. I think he said at this point something about maybe I suited to be blond more.

I too laughed mostly relieved that it was nothing. He promised not to laugh anymore although I did see the odd smirk from him. It didn’t take being psychic to know what he was thinking. If it were him I wouldn’t have let him off the hook so easily.

So that’s it my friends.  Lesson is if you have icy windows in winter check if the air conditioning is on.

This blog is of course in fun.

So instead of a quote today I’m adding a joke. This joke is for my friend Kaleigh who knits “everywhere” even in church.

“A highway patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car on the freeway. Glancing at the car, he was astounded to see that the blond behind the wheel was knitting! Realizing that she was oblivious to his flashing lights and siren, the trooper cranked down his window, turned on his bullhorn and yelled, “PULL OVER!”
“NO!” the blond yelled back, “IT’S A SCARF!” ”

Until we meet again, Sharon

P.S. I’m receiving a bit of flack on this one but please keep in mind that this blog was totally in fun. I think everyone is gifted in their own way and it has nothing to do with their sex or appearance, especially hair colour. I can laugh at things I do just like Bobby laughs at things he does. We spend a lot of our time giggling in hysterics about nothing really. Sometimes we find it hard to fall asleep because we are laughing so hard. Not to worry as in my sister’s words  “no one will ever control my sister” and she’s totally right. It just would never happen. Let’s just all Chillax a bit, ok? Abundant Blessings to Everyone.

Hi Everyone out there in Blog Land.

I stayed home today from work because I didn’t want to get stuck in the snow and I just popped out to get some groceries and it’s so crazy out there. It’s windy and freezing and the snow is coming from everywhere.

My goodness. Mother nature is having a field day.  I read on line it snowed in Las Vegas too. Can you imagine? What’s up with the Universe?

Totally a day to stay in if you can. Safe and Sound.   If you have a fire place even better my Friends.

Here’s my Quote for You:

“Nature has no mercy at all. Nature says, “I’m going to snow. If you have on a bikini and no snowshoes, that’s tough. I am going to snow anyway.” Maya Angelou

Be careful out there.

Until we meet again, Sharon

Hi Everyone. Welcome to the TPC Blog.

I was thinking today about vision boards. What do you do when you receive something? I had our second car on our vision board which is actually our fridge (hmmm. that might be the reason the two of us can’t stop eating…I might have to move it), and Bobby got his job he wanted, and on and on and on.

I am totally grateful but I feel somehow ungrateful to just chuck the paper wish come true in the garbage after it came.

It bothered me all day of what to do with them and then I came up with something. A Gratitude Board! Isn’t that a great idea?

I will make another board and put all the things on it that we have received and put it somewhere where we can see it all the time and remember how easy it is to manifest things in our lives and how God is Good.

I really believe I’m onto something here! Hold onto your hats she’s thinking again.

Quote for you:

“When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.” Anthony Robbins

Until we meet again, Sharon

P.S. If you haven’t looked at my blog entry on Send Out Cards now is the perfect time because it’s just way too much fun especially for Christmas Cards.