Spring Arrives in Full Force

I am pleasantly surprised at how green our lawn is this early in the year. When the snow melted, the grass was already green over three-quarters of our yard. The recent rains contributed to a thick growth of green grass that spreads like a soft comfy carpet over our lawn.

As I write this post, it is 5:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning, the birds have awakened and are singing their morning song, and I, with a cup of coffee at hand, am doing what I love - writing and enjoying the quiet early morning atmosphere.

This Sunday, midway between Mother's Day and Memorial Day weekend, spend time, if you will, appreciating the beautiful Spring weather with it's accompanying promise of new beginnings, fresh starts, and warm and glorious sunny days ahead. I know I will!


Note: The picture above is not from our yard. I just enjoy the colors of this beautiful flower and its leaves.

MSU Rolled Over UConn - 82-73

The MSU basketball team rocked the Motor City last night as the Spartans whipped UConn 82-73! The Izzone was alive and well at Ford Field Saturday night.

Not a long post today - but you can read the story on the Spartans official site.

Here is a link to Coach Tom Izzo's website - CoachIzzo.com

Detroit needed good news and they got it Saturday night. Congrats to all who played a part.

Now, on to Monday night's final against North Carolina! Best of luck to the MSU Spartans!

Rainy Days and Sundays Always Bring Me....

Although I work from home, there still seems to be something special about early Sunday mornings. With a cup of coffee at hand and the computer warmed up and ready to cruise, I feel like I am this close to heaven.

What saddens me today is that I have not posted on this site in over a month. This is the favorite of my blogs - the one I truly enjoy posting. The other blogs I maintain seem more like a job, whereas this one is a fun, anything-goes kinda place to let loose and express myself.

This Sunday morning I'd like to share some good things that are happening in my realm:

Rain Can Be a Good Thing

Today, as I look out at the cloudy skies and light rain, I am so glad that we have our current weather. For some reason we have a lot of green grass after a very heavy snow-filled winter. This rain will help our grass grow and thrive. I feel for those who are battling the floods in Fargo, ND and the blizzards in the central plains area. The snow is heading towards my sister and brother, but hopefully it will settle down before it reaches us.

NetFlix is Cool

My daughter, Deb, really impressed upon me the benefits of NetFlix and how much enjoyment I could get from the variety of movies and TV shows they have available.

When the British TV show Midsomer Murders were showing on A&E, I could hardly wait for Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening to watch these magnificent mysteries staring John Nettles.

Unfortunately, A&E stopped showing all the good shows: Midsomer Murders, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and many more. I miss them all!

Now, thanks Deb!, I get to see all the Midsomer Murder shows. A&E only showed a very few, and then repeats. There are now more than sixty original shows completed, and with the recent announcement of John Nettles retirement (he is now 65 after all), there will not be very many more.

However, I have a list of the first 59 and have my NetFlix choices in order by episode so that I receive the shows as originally shown. So far I have watched eight. I will happily continue on with my very favorite movie pastime for quite some time.

I would also like to see if John Nettles' original very successful series, Bergerac, is available. I believe there are ten years worth of that British hit detective show. Can you see that I am a John Nettles fan?

Big Sunday Breakfast

Every morning I start off with a cup or two of coffee before eating a light breakfast. Why is it that I always feel the need for a large Sunday morning breakfast? Does that stem from my childhood? Or from going out to eat on many a Sunday morning over the years? Anyway, it is a pleasure that continues to this day.

Sunday Morning Country Music

Every Saturday and Sunday morning I listen/watch CMT's Top Twenty videos and Country Insider shows. Prior to those shows coming on, CMT plays about four hours of country videos. My recent favorite song/singer/video, Troubadour by George Strait has been replaced by Carrie Underwood's I Told You So.

I love where singer/song writer Randy Travis surprises Carrie by coming onstage from the back following her singing his song at the Grand Old Opry. It's a great moment of a young singer surprised onstage by an idol of hers.

Rainy days and Sundays have a special feel to them. Rainy days for staying in doors, reading, watching TV, napping, baking cookies, or whatever else we feel like doing at the time. Sundays have their own special laid-back vibe.

How about you? What are your favorite rainy day and Sunday moments?

A True Sign of Spring

Since my late 30's (sounds so long ago, doesn't it?), I have worn my hair fairly short. Imagine my surprise that for the last number of months I have been wearing an increasingly long ponytail. I told my daughter and sister I was finally in style.

There were several reasons for the longer hair. One was the pictures taken when my older daughter and her family visited over New Years 2008. Granted, I also had the flu while they were here, but my pictures were terrible - I blamed it on the short hair. Several weeks later my hairdresser trimmed my hair, and that was it.

The next time I got my haircut was yesterday. Let me explain.

About the time I was thinking about getting my hair trimmed last year, I found out my hairdresser was going through a terrible medical crisis. I thought about going somewhere else, but since I work at home and don't have a great need of looking tip-top at all times, I let it go - er grow.

Short Beginnings

First, I had a little tiny ponytail that actually resembled a little pig tail sticking out the back of my head. But then, wow, it kept getting longer. My hair is thick and grows fast, so before I knew it, I actually had a real ponytail. My hair ended up reaching below my shoulder blades.

Yesterday, my daughter's youngest sister came over to cut her hair. Deb kept asking me if I wanted mine cut too and I finally gave in to a short trim. When Sarah asked how much I wanted trimmed, I said just a half-inch or so.

Well, we were talking about vitamin D and how it helps with SAD with which I have struggled. Suddenly, the weight of my hair was pressing down on me and the girls were questioning did I really want it long. I decided to get it cut short.

Sarah gently asked, "So, how much do you want cut off?"

I said, "All of it!"

Questioning my sanity, we went through the question and answer period several times with my daughter, Deb, chiming in that she thought my decision would make a big difference in how I felt. As Sarah cut away all that long thick hair, my eyes started to well up in tears. Next thing I knew, tears were rolling down my cheeks.

Happy Endings

By the time everything was said and done, I had hair shorter than I have had in a very long time. However, Sarah did such a great job that it looks good on me and I feel a ton lighter. I feel like a heavy load was lifted off my shoulders.

Today I keep reaching back to tighten the ponytail or just run my fingers through my hair, and alas, there isn't any there. But it sure feels good. I have absolutely no regrets in getting all that heavy hair cut off.

I also realized this morning that, until last year, getting my hair cut short was always the first sign of spring.

Watch out, winter, your days are numbered!

What is your first sign of spring? Do you have a spring ritual in preparation of the big occasion? It is just us northeners who notice spring this much?

For a short, cute, related story from yesterday's haircutting session, check out this link.

I'm Dreaming of a White Valentine's Day

Oops! It's no dream. After several days of melting snow and increasingly visible grass, we now wake up to a white Valentine's Day. In fact, it is currently snowing as I write this post. By the looks of the sky, we may be in for quite a snowfall.

I hope everyone out there has a great Valentine's Day. I have already emailed my sibs and kids to wish them a happy day, and Dad and I have exchanged our Valentine's Day greetings. Now we can all go out and make snow angels, or not!

What I Like About A-Rod

The sports world is all abuzz today about A-Rod's admission that he took steroids during his 2001-2003 stint with the Texas Rangers. By his own admission, he stopped taking the steroids in 2003 because he didn't like what they were doing to his body.

He also admitted that he was young, stupid, under enormous pressure to perform, and to perform at a high level every single day. As Rodriguez said. "It's my fault. I'm responsible for this. And I'm deeply sorry. I've done things the right way since 2004and I'm proud of that."

The Yankee's concur by saying, "We urged Alex to be completely open, honest and forthcoming in addressing his use of performance-enhancing drugs. We take him at his word that he was. Although we are disappointed in the mistake he spoke to today, we realize Alex — like all of us — is a human being not immune to fault. We speak often about the members of this organization being part of a family, and that is never more true than in times of adversity."

What I like about Alex Rodriguez:

1. He may have lied in the past, but he has now come forth with the truth. Unlike Barry Bonds and Roger Clements, A-Rod is laying it out and admitting his took steroids.

2. He admits he was young and stupid. He admits he was wrong. He apologizes to the public, the Yankees, and his fans.

3. Although he is still under tremendous pressure, since 2004 he has done things the right way. He turned his behavior around. That takes strength and courage.

For all those who are slamming him, how many can say they are perfect, they have never lied, they have never done a wrong thing to save their career or save face.

Remember, let him who casts the first stone be without sin. Those who are criticizing his behavior for something he did seven years ago when under intense pressure, need to take a look at what they have done with a whole lot less to lose than he had.

I am proud that A-Rod stepped forward, admitted his sin, apologized profusely for it, and acknowledged it hasn't happened again.

What the rest of us need to do is forgive him, and we need to move on. My respect for him has grown exponentially with his ability to man-up and admit his mistakes.

What do you think? How will this affect his future, especially his eligibility in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Christian Bale Outburst - a Good Thing?

This morning an interesting article caught my attention. Probably most everyone has heard of, or even listened to, Christian Bale's recent profanity ladened outburst on his current movie set.

The article, Christian Bale is a Corporate Hero, on the ASUWebDevil site is an interesting and much more positive take than most other accounts. Writer Christopher Ogino notes corporations should strive for quality and excellence as Bale was attempting to do in the scene that went awry.

If banks had only loaned money to those who could pay it back, instead of making bad loans and then selling securities backed by those bad loans, how much better off the economy would be. If corporations were more concerned with quality than with making higher profits, their sales would reflect consumer confidence in their products.

Christian Bale was concerned with quality; with making a good movie instead of putting out the trash that too often fills movie theaters, or worse, goes straight to DVD. For that he should be praised.

Now if he could just learn a better way of expressing his opinion, his voice might reach those who really need to hear what he has to say. One can only hope that lessons can be learned in all areas as a result of this unfortunate incident.

Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow - Six More Weeks of Winter

According to Punxsutawney Phil, who saw his shadow this morning, we will experience six more weeks of winter. Phil was joined by thousands of fans in the early morning of Monday, February 2nd. Legend has it that if he did not see his shadow, spring would arrive early. Therefore, winter will not end as soon as we would have liked.

He was greeted by his fans at his home in Gobbler's Knob, northeast of Pittsburgh. For a look at his official website and to see numerous photos of his fans who gathered this morning, click on the title of this post or on this link.

No doubt Phil was also celebrating the last minute Super Bowl win by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As an Arizona Cardinals fan, I would say neither Pittsburgh event was good news.

From Detroit to Pittsburgh with Love

Yahoo! Sports has an interesting and inspiring story about Sean McHugh, reserve fullback for the Super Bowl heading Steelers. Sean was cut by the Detroit Lions for not being good enough for the team, then three days later he was picked up by the Steelers.

Now he is headed to the Super Bowl and a chance to be a part of history.

The article is a testament to working hard and not giving up. As a lover of quotes, I found two in this article that pertain to life in general. They are:

"For people who work hard, things all seem to work out" Dan Campbell

"A door closed, and a world opened." Sean McHugh

I think those two quotes could provide encouragement to a lot of people during these tough times. Just because someone lost their job, doesn't mean it's the end of the road. For those who work hard, something will come up that could turn out better than where they were at in the first place.

Click on this link to read the inspirational article ==> Steelers McHugh Catches Break.

Have you caught a break in life that you are willing to share? We could all use an inspirational lift today. Thanks for sharing.

A Place of Rest

A rest area somewhere between Arizona and Colorado. You can tell I took great notes on my move back to Michigan. September 2006