Lessons from Grandma

 Happy 103rd Birthday to my Grandma Mary.

No, I'm not going to list 103 different pieces of advice.
Though I'm sure that if I really thought about it,
I could think of 103 things that my grandma Mary has told me about life.
But that's not going to happen.
Instead, I'm going to give you the top, most memorable advice.

5. Move.

A little every day.
Grandma was never one for formal exercise,
but she was always moving.
Whether it was gardening, walking her dog, or dancing around her living room, she moved.
Even at her birthday on Saturday, she refused to sit down very often because, "Honey.  I gotta keep moving and keep the circulation going."

4. Have a little snort.
Yes, Grandma says, "Drink a little."
Up until she turned 100 she would have a little bit of Brandy each day.
There must be something to that,
because doctors have also given that advice.
Thanks, Doctor Mary.

3. Vitamins.
Take them.
Take them all, everyday.
I actually don't know how many vitamins she takes on a daily basis.
It's a lot.
Handfuls.
I suggest starting out with a multi-vitamin and then add a vitamin every year of your life.
Then, by the time you're her age, you will be taking the same amount she does.


2. Apple Cider Vinegar is the elixir of life.
She drinks it everyday.
A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with honey helps in digestion,
and is what she claims has helped her stay healthy all of these years.

1. Athletics:
And my favorite piece of advice...given to the guests at her 88th birthday while she was a little tipsy. :)
"Honey.
Let me tell you.
Never.
And I mean NEVER go bowling in a strapless bra.
As soon as you go to release the ball, WHOOPS!!
Your boobs pop right out of the top!"

Ha!
Thanks Grandma.
That advice has stayed with me all of these years.
And yes, I have followed that advice explicitly.

Lessons from Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey.  Even Kristen Bell's dogs are addicted to this drama.

It's a show that could be boring, but it's not...it's intriguing.

The characters are unique, manipulative and mean...really mean. And they say things that you generally only think, right in the persons' face.  In their FACE!

Who does that?!?

They do.

Downton Abbey

Now you may think, "Whoa, what could anyone possibly learn from a show like this?"
Well, let me tell you.
Most things in life have lessons...this show has 5.




Top 5 Lessons from Downton Abbey

#5 Great meals take great preparation:
This is probably why I rarely have good meals that I create in my own home.  I have AMAZING meals in friends' homes and in local restaurants, but I don't enjoy cooking much so I don't...often.  I'm lucky if I make one dish each week!  Each night I just open up the refrigerator and scoot stuff around until I see a little inspiration.  Or I just make Mac 'n Cheese...sad, but true.

At Downton Abbey, meals are events and presentation is important.  But, the truth is that the staff works all day preparing these meals...I don't have a staff.  I guess that's for catering company's and very special occasions.  The idea is nice though.

#4 Breakfast in Bed:
The married women receive breakfast in bed, everyday...each day...which I think is a little strange, but I like the pampering. I never have breakfast in bed, unless you consider falling asleep with crackers and eating one in the morning, breakfast in bed. hehe...not that I've ever done that....(cough). But seriously, that sounds really nice. So don't wait unless a special day, instead surprise that person on a random day and make them feel extra special.


#3 Dress up for dinner: 

Now, really...in my world it seems that I dress down for dinner and you're lucky if I'm not in my pj's by dinner time.  But I like the idea of getting dressed up for fancy meals and making it feel like a special occasion.  Though, not so pretentious and stuffy...I'm sure that my fancy meal would have quite a bit of laughter too.



#2 Stand up for your beliefs:
This show is set in a time when women could not vote and people had rigid expectations for others. Stand up for what you believe in, even if you're the only one. 


#1 Always, always, put your children first:

Ethel has to make some difficult decisions regarding her son.  I don't have kids, but I can't even imagine having to do something that breaks your heart, but you know will give your child what they need.  Can't. Imagine. 
It's our job to care for them...prioritize correctly.

See...it's so much more than just a show,

it's a lesson in life.

Cheers!

Lori

Lessons from my dog

Everyday I see the same lady walking her dog, a sweet yellow lab.
She walks her dog talking on her cell phone...loudly.
The whole neighborhood can hear her personal conversations!
Each day, I think, "Man, that's so weird...I can't believe she would talk so loudly! 
Doesn't she realize how weird that is?!"

Then, I listened to myself walking around the neighborhood...
It would be better if I actually was talking on a cell phone, because then it would make sense that I was talking so loudly.  Nope, I'm not as normal as the lady walking her yellow lab.

I just have full-length conversations with my dog.

No, really.  I do.

I talk to Murphy as if he can respond and

interject ideas into the conversation.

This is my normal.

Strange...yeah, I guess so.

Does anyone ever say anything to me about it?

Nah...they see me everyday.

I'm that girl with the border collie that talks to him like a person.

Somehow, it seems totally normal to me.

And I'm not going to change a thing.

Lessons I learned from my dog:

8. Spend time out in nature everyday.
This can be a tough one...like today when we were walking against the wind and the rain was pelting straight in our faces.

7. Routines are helpful.
Murphy has very specific tasks to complete everyday.  Sniff, check his messages, sniff, go to his creek, look for critters, and the list goes on and on. 

6. SPLASH!
Splash in puddles.  Splash in the creek.  Splash in a kiddy pool.  Splash often and with great zest.  Not only will you get some exercise, but you will also have a lot of fun.

5. Discernment
Not everyone should be trusted. Murphy knows this and looks at strangers with a suspicious eye. I tend to be more trusting, but have learned that people need to earn that trust. It takes awhile to earn that trust...cautiously weighing whether or not someone is trustworthy. Murphy knows this well, but once he trusts someone, he trusts them wholeheartedly. I like that.

4. Small is better
Thirteen is Murphy's magic number...he has thirteen humans that he trusts.  I have a few more people that I trust, but I've been around a bit longer.  :0)  I agree with him though.  I would much rather have a small group of trusted people than a whole bunch of people that are just superficial friends. 





3. Challenge yourself.
Each day Murphy climbs a tree.  The first time he tried it, he was really nervous and only made it a step up onto the trunk.  Then, each day he would try again.  Sometimes he would fall, but he was determined to continue.  I would encourage him and soon he went higher and higher and higher.  Now, he can get 5 1/2 feet off the ground...and is determined to go even higher.











2. Use your imagination.
Sometimes we see a squirrel or five.  Sometimes we see birds.  We have never, ever seen a mole.  That doesn't stop Murphy from looking for moles every single day.  He believes that someday he will find one and enthusiastically hunts for them everyday.  Your imagination is vital and can be essential to achieving your dreams....even if your dream is just a mole.

1. Smile.
As we head home after playing in the park, Murphy always has a big smile plastered on his face.  Not only has he had a fantastic time, completed all of his tasks, but he is happy to have his human home.  Some people might think that dogs can't smile, but they just haven't met my dog.  He smiles all of the time...I like to think that he learned it from me, but he is a natural smiler.