Currently

Outside my window...

I think it is possible that spring has sprung. It is a clear blue sky, very slight breeze, sun shining,61* kind of day here in Kansas. And I could not be happier!!


Pondering..

I am going to be animal/house sitting for the next 11 days. 3 dogs, 3 cats, 12 rabbits, a snail, some house plants. One of the dogs is really, really big. And old! I will take Bailey with me if he is not scared out of his mind. Otherwise I will just come and go several times a day. The family I am sitting for are on their way to London, Paris, and Amsterdam. The trip of a lifetime. Hope I get a good souvenir. LOL!



Watching...

I've been watching my normal usual shows. Some of them are done for the season. Since the family I am sitting for does not have cable, I will probably watch more Netflix. I recently watched Abducted in Plain Sight. This was another documentary. And people warned me that I would be saying "what the hell, a lot" and they were right. Have you watched it??


Reading...

I just finished reading/listening to Girls of Glass by Brianna Labuskes. It was very good. I did NOT have the right perpetrator picked out. A surprise ending for me. I got this off my Kindle Unlimited to read/listen for free. Lots of good books there. I have started on Cut and Run by Mary Burton. What are you reading? 

Learning...

I am learning more about snails that I really want to know.


Planning....

Nothing much being planned here right now. Just house/animal sitting. 



Growing..

The daffodils are poking out of the ground and that is about it around here. I don't know if I am going to do much planting. My one African Violet and five orchids are still doing okay. Not great, but okay!



A quote to share...

A final thought...

Looking forward to warmer weather. I have a few outdoor projects. And I am still working on the inside (downsizing). I really have not done much this winter. And I have abandoned my bullet journal so I need to pick it up again. What are you all up to?

God Knows Where I Am

I don't get into Netflix as much as I once thought I would. I am not much of a movie person. But I do like series and I love documentaries. Recently, through a friend who does You Tube, I picked up some Netflix shows I want to watch. She was so enthusiastic about one that I went and immediately watched it. WOW! I am glad I did. But, I warn you, it is somewhat sad.

GOD KNOWS WHERE I AM

This is the real life story of Linda Bishop. Linda was a mother, a sister, a friend. But she died alone in an abandoned farm house in one of the coldest winters New Hampshire had seen in years. Along with her body, discovered in the spring of 2008, they also found a journal. This journal documented her journey through starvation and insanity. The story is told through the eyes of her sister, her daughter, her friends, a police officer and medical professionals. 

Linda had been in an institution for 2 years but she was able to convince a judge she did not need a guardian and that she could make decisions for herself. She did not want her family notified about anything. She was paranoid and did not trust them. 

Linda was estranged from her daughter for a variety of reasons, but her sister did her best to help her. When Linda refused all medication she was released from the mental institution and because of HIPPA no one was notified. HIPPA laws were instituted in 1996 and ensures that medical records are kept private from anyone the patient does not want to see them. Linda had schizophrenia or a bi-polar disorder. Maybe both. 

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are an estimated 9.8 million Americans over the age of 18 with serious mental illness that impairs or interferes with one's life activities.

Upon Linda's release she made her way to this abandoned farm house and this is where she spent the remainder of her life. About four months. With only apples to eat.And water to drink. The water came from a creek behind the house. Or collected rainwater. Or melted snow. For four months. She rarely ventured out. Although there were neighbors right across the street. She could sit in the attic of the abandoned house and watch their big screen TV. She was sure her husband would find her. However, she was not married. He was a made up husband. Just existed in her mind.Linda died of starvation according to the autopsy. But she did know that GOD KNEW WHERE SHE WAS.

A  quote by Todd Wider, the producer of God Knows where I Am: "Some say Linda Bishop had a right to go there and die. But you can't exercise free will when the mind is not free."

If you haven't seen this documentary please watch. It is very profound.

A Basket of Comfort

I have been reading Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.It is written in a journal type form and you can read a bit each day. I got a bit behind and I am almost caught up again. One of the things she recommends is having a 'comfort drawer.' She feels this is some place you can put things that will bring you comfort when you are needing it. Mine is in a basket by my recliner. I have just started gathering the things that go in my comfort basket.

It will definitely have a dish of Lindor truffles. I like a variety but my favorite is the simple milk chocolate. Nothing brings comfort like letting one of these melt on my tongue. The secret will be not to eat all of them in one sitting.


I have a Yankee Candle in my basket. I take it out to burn when I am feeling blue and the scent reminds me of Richard. The scent is called Summer Storm. I don't know why it reminds me of Richard. The notes are Eucalyptus and patchouli. He hated eucalyptus. But Darian bought it for me for Christmas because it reminded him of his Papa. So there must be something there. I love the smell. 

I have also taken a dive into the world of essential oils. I think I have told you that before. So interesting to learn how to use them. And such fun. And oh the smells. I have a diffuser in my living room. I use it almost everyday. I also started getting a monthly box from Simply Earth. This has helped me to build my collection and has also taught me how to use them. This month we got an inhaler (much like the Vick's Inhaler) to use with our oils. The recipe I have used for mine is Blood orange and Coriander. These are placed on the cotton insert and then inhaled as frequently as needed. These oils help with anxiety. I feel like it does help. It could be mind over matter but that's okay too. 

Also into my comfort basket are my earphones so that I can sit down and listen to a bit of Audible several times a day. I'm really not a big music person. But I do enjoy the audio books. And they bring me comfort. 

Another thing I have placed in my comfort basket is the free Peppermint Tea I received from Grove Collaborative. Peppermint tea with honey is refreshing, uplifting and soothing to the digestive system. I enjoy a cup in the evening. Maybe I won't like it as much in the warmer months and I'll have to look for something else to put in my comfort basket. 

On my coffee table is a spinning picture frame with small snapshots of my family and my dog. When I am missing them and need to see their smiling faces the frame is there

fun pic of Justin and Heather

for me to spin through the pictures. Much comfort found there, my friend! 



And last, but not least, is a tiny zip lock baggie of Cesar Softies for Bailey. Because if I am needing comfort then surely he is too. I am telling you this is a spoiled little Yorkie.  

What do you think of this idea? Would you have a 'comfort basket'? I am looking for a card from Richard, some of my mom's handwriting, a piece of embroidery from my mom! Other little tidbits to put in my basket. Little things go a long way in making one feel loved with these little gifts of the heart.

What I Have Been Listening to

 I love a good series with the same main characters. This is my latest find. I have listened to all three on Audible. I also download the print form on my Kindle (free) so I can read if I'm not in the listening mood. In the first book, An Innocent Client, the author introduces us to defense lawyer Joe Dillard. The book opens with a preacher being killed after he has gone to a strip club. A young girl, Angel,  who is working at the club is charged with the murder. Joe is hired by the club owner to defend the girl. Joe is burned out on defending guilty clients and he states he is going to quit being a defense lawyer just as soon as he gets an innocent client. Will Angel be the one? The book is set in Tennessee and the narrator has a southern accent and does a good job. While defending Angel, Joe has to deal with the preacher's crazy son and with his own drug addicted sister. I really like Joe, even though he goes to great lengths to defend his guilty clients and some are set free even though they should spend the rest of their lives in jail. You will have to read the book to see if Angel is his one innocent client.

 The second book in the series starts with Joe no longer being a defense lawyer. (Does that mean Angel was innocent?)He feels like he needs time off because he is so burned out with the kinds of clients he was representing. He is bored. And he is talked into going to work for the District Attorney as a prosecutor. He is not well accepted because of having been on the other side of the courtroom. His first case involves the ruthless murder of a family of four at a roadside park. They find signs of 'devil worship' as they investigate. Then an older couple is killed with the same MO. The killers are three teenage Satan worshipers. They are quickly able to arrest the two boys but the teenage girl, who is the leader, is harder to pin down. During the story Joe's wife is diagnosed with breast cancer. The book details what this does to him and his teenage children. He investigates the killings with Special Agent Hank Fraley who becomes a friend. Will Joe be able to send these teenagers to prison for the rest of their lives? You will have to read the book to see. I really like legal suspense.

#3 in this series finds Joe and his wife continuing with her cancer journey. This book starts out with a father killing his entire family. Except one daughter survives the horrifying wounds. She goes to live with an aunt. This is a side story that is tied into the book towards the end. This story doesn't have as much courtroom drama but is still a very good book. One of Joe's best friends commits suicide in the courtroom after a judge has ruined the lawyer's career. The judge is then murdered and the friend's son, Tommy, is blamed. It is up to Joe to solve the crime. Along with a couple of investigators they are able to solve all the crimes and tie the story together. The author does an excellent job of character development. I feel like I know exactly who they are and what they look like. 

I'm going to take a break from Joe and finish my book club selection for March, A Year in Provence, by Peter Mayle. What are you reading or listening to right now?

FYI

Today I heard from a blogging friend that she was having trouble commenting on my blog. I know that Google is causing a lot of problems. So if you ever have trouble just shoot me an email. My email is rbeale@cox.net. It's over there on the right!! I love hearing from all of you. And if you know how to fix the problem let me know that as well.

This is What I've Been up To

7 inches of snow last week

It's been awhile! But here I am! I have not been doing much. Trying to stay warm and looking forward to the end of winter. We have had some crazy weather here in Kansas. But, I think the country has had some crazy weather. We had days with the temperatures reaching almost 70 and then plunging to the 20's almost overnight. And we have had more snow this winter than in several winters all together in years past. Last night we got another 4 inches of snow and the wind chills are -15. I don't like this kind of weather. And neither does little Bailey. I have to beg him to go outside. But I also tell him if he pees in the house I won't be really mad at him cause I can't imagine what it would be like to have to go outside to pee. So far he has been good. I did put the belly band on him a couple of nights when he wouldn't pee before bedtime. And I was glad that I had.

Darian

You would think that with all of this forced indoor time I would be getting a lot done. But you would be wrong. I just don't have the energy to do anything. Like I have said before I think I am just happy to sit in my recliner and watch TV. Depressed?? Maybe! Having Darian home for 3 weeks at Christmas really helped. He is working for a private military security contractor that MAY be going to Syria soon. He missed the last opportunity because he didn't have a passport. But he is waiting on one now. I am not sure how I feel about him going. But he has to live his life and do what makes him happy. And if he had stayed in the Army it would not have been an option. He seems happy doing what he is doing. And he loves living in Tennessee. 

With her new (to her) car

Harley is still going to college and living with the boyfriend. She bought her first car in February. She is working part-time in the nursing home and loves the elderly. She is learning all about being an adult. Doing a good job for the most part. Did find out that college is much harder than high school. But I think most freshman have to learn that lesson. She is still seeking a degree in nursing.

Paige

Paige is going to college and living back home with her mom. But is wanting to move out. She, too, has a boyfriend that lives in another town and she would like to move with him. He is going to a private college on a basketball scholarship so her time with him has been limited. She is going to Wichita State University. And she, too, is learning the hard freshman lessons. She has changed her major and thinking of going into nursing too. I have highly encouraged her to try a CNA course first to see if nursing is something she wants. We'll see what she decides.

Little Bailey is doing just fine. He is starting to warm up to me more. He still does not jump up in my lap. But he is starting to jump onto the couch next to me when I am lying down. He doesn't stay long. But that is a start. He likes to go outside. (When there isn't snow or rain) and he loves car rides. So I take him with me when I am going somewhere that I don't need to get out of the car. He is eating good and filling out. He was pretty thin when he first came. He loves his treats too. That is something my brother was pretty free with. He's even started barking some. Not a big barker (which is okay with me) but has started barking to let me know when he wants to go out. He didn't bark at all the first two months he lived here. He turned 13 in January. We will be seeing the vet sometime this month and get him all caught up with his vaccinations. I took him to the groomer and had some of the long hair cut off in January. 

Christmas sweater inside out
He needs another sweater

Likes watching out the window

right after his haircut

I had jury duty the entire month of February. We had to call in every Sunday evening to see if our number came up. I was #384 and the day I was called was the day of our first big snowstorm"Learnand they canceled the jury trial and closed the courthouse. So I never once had to report. I wouldn't have minded going. I have been called for jury duty several times. They seem to like my name. LOL But I wasn't sorry I didn't have to get out into the snow.

Justin is doing good. He works too hard but he has an awesome lady friend that we all like a lot. She has 3 kids (who I haven't yet met but I have Facetimed with them). It gives me great comfort that he has a lady that cares so much for him. And he is happy. 

Justin and Heather

I miss all my blogging friends and I am hoping I get back into visiting you and writing here. There is a lot of good that comes from sharing my thoughts. My feelings. My fears. And believe me I have a lot of them. 

How are you all? And what have you been up to this winter?

Leaving you with this quote from one of my favorites:

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in your life has a purpose"

~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross