Classic TV Shows

I really miss the classic TV shows.  Some of my favourites are:  The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, The Waltons, Green Acres...just to name a few.  I can watch reruns of these shows and never tire of them.  You could watch these shows with young children and never worry about having to watch out for coarse language, offensive material or anything of the sort.  They were family friendly, wholesome and taught family values and respect.

I was able to get The Waltons for a while on one network, but I no longer get this network, thus I don't see it anymore.  As far as the other 3 shows I named above, no networks that I get show them at this time.


Those were the days!  

Pets and Benefits of having them

It is a well-known fact that the survival rate after heart attacks is significantly higher among pet owners than non-owners, and that human blood pressure falls in the presence of companion animals - especially cats.

- Dr. Maya Patel

I have no doubt that this is most likely because of the cat's ability to purr.  For the most part, it doesn't take much to get a cat to purr...a gentle word, a touch, even a look.  Personally, I find the sound of a cat's purr very soothing and a real comfort. 

I think it is a great thing that hospitals and senior's residences are implementing pet therapy programs.  An animal has the capacity to love unconditionally and are able to connect with us on a special level.

Thank you all for visiting me here, and I wish you all a fantastic day!

Kindness

I have noticed that kindness can be contagious.  It can have what I like to call a "domino effect."  Kindness can come in many forms...a gentle, timely word or phrase to someone, a warm smile, a hug, cooking a meal for someone who is sick or disabled, etc.  To me, kindness is more a frame of mind than an act.  For example, you can give someone something in a mechanical sort of way, but if your heart is not in it, it is just that...mechanical.


However, when you give something to someone or do something for them in a spontaneous way and your heart is really in it, this can have amazing results.  You are doing it out of love, from your heart, and because you care.  


I hope you all have a fantastic day!  Thank you all so much for visiting me here!

Reminiscing & Relaxation

Those of you who know me well will undoubtedly be aware of how much I love to reminisce about days gone by!  In fact, not only "my" days, per se, but decades before my time.  


Everyone has their way(s) to relieve and/or reduce stress in their lives.  I have several ways, and I will share them here with you all.  


1.  Reminiscing about days gone by...music, events, scenes.


2.  Soothing shower, soft music, candles.


3.  Being in nature.  I love to go for walks when the weather is comfortable, and this includes when it is cold...so long as it isn't freezing or slippery.


4.  Watching nature documentaries or classic comedy.


5.  Listening to birds singing, a cat's purr, watching sunsets, the sound of the ocean.


With all the stress that can happen in life, it is good and healthy to be able to relax and unwind, allowing our minds and hearts to heal and rejuvenate.


Thank you all so much for visiting me here, and I hope you enjoy my posts!

Television

I thought I would change the template on the blog so that I could learn how to do this.  :)  It is lovely and sunny out today;  it is chilly with the wind.  For those of you who may not realize this, you can comment on my posts...if you wish to.  You just need to click on the "comments" link at the bottom of my post(s).  


I chose to have a flag option here and find it very interesting in that I can see what parts of the world my visitors here are coming from.  A very good friend was kind enough to help me with the beginnings of this blog, as I really had no clue how to do things at first.  For example, I was trying to set up the ability for people to comment but wasn't sure how.  It is a great learning experience for me as well as a good thing in that I can share personal things with you all.  


I am not sure what channels you all get in your area...but I get the Animal Planet and National Geographic, which I just love!  I love to watch animal and other documentaries as well as classic TV shows such as The Andy Griffith Show and Bewitched.  Unfortunately, though, none of the networks I get air them, but perhaps one day.  I know perhaps many of you would suggest to me to buy DVDs of those shows, but I don't own a DVD player.  I do sometimes check out some of these on YouTube from time to time, though.


For any of you who wish to comment, I would be interested in hearing what TV shows and channels you like.


Have a great day, dear friends!  Thanks so much for visiting me here.

Sunday School

I taught a Sunday school class about 30 years ago.  This class had several young children (perhaps 6 to 8 boys and girls), and I was informed by the mother of one of the children that I was to have in my class on one particular Sunday that her son was autistic.  I knew this child and had seen him in another class taught by another teacher.  He would go into a fetal position and hide beneath the table.  I have to admit that I was a bit uncomfortable in that I really wasn't sure how he was going to be in my class.  I prayed about him, though, and when the moment came for him to come into the class, I greeted him warmly with a smile and offered him a seat among the other children.  I did my best to not expect anything from him that he wasn't either ready or able to give.  I just treated him with the kindness and respect he deserved.  
To his mother's total amazement, her son was fine in my class.  In fact, not only did he sit on the chair among the other children, but he listened intently to what I was saying...and even asked questions!  His mother was so happy about this that her son ended up being in my class every Sunday after that.  Within about a few months, he began to be my helper...he was very good with the children and set a great example for them, and he was a huge help to me.  This boy grew up to be a fine man.  He drives a car, and very well, I might add, as I was a passenger in his car many years ago and can attest to the fact.  


Sometimes we, even without intending to, judge people and/or expect either too much or too little from them...if we try to love unconditionally and accept a person as he or she is, amazing things can happen.


I hope you all have a great Saturday!  Thanks so much for visiting me today.

Blizzard

The snow that we were going to get came...and it was snowing and blowing, ending up being a blizzard.  It's all good, though, as the ground is covered with a beautiful, fresh blanket of white snow.  

Thanks to the help of a dear friend, my blog is now set up and fully operational.  I am very grateful to have this avenue where I can share thoughts and experiences.  

Thanks to all who visit me here, I really appreciate your presence!  

It started snowing here not long ago, and we are expected to get between 10 and 15 centimeters by the end of it.  I know that I am most likely in the minority, but I must say that I love the winter...and the snow!  The only hard time I have is when it is below 20 degrees celsius and when there is a lot of ice around.  I am afraid of falling.  Fortunately I have fallen only once this winter, but if I am not mistaken, I fell more than that last winter!  (as well as the winter before that).  

While I am making this post, I have to be honest with you all...I really don't know how to use this blog as yet, so this is a learning experience for me.  I actually opened it at the end of 2005 and had forgotten all about it.  Once I realized that I still had it, which was yesterday, I decided that it would be nice to have this avenue where I could share my thoughts with my close friends.  As I become more familiar and comfortable with it, I will experiment more....but for now, I am just glad to have this to share my feelings and experiences.

It is Friday...have a great weekend!

Today's thoughts

Wow, I had forgotten all about the fact that I even had this blog!  I figured that it would be kind of neat to have this avenue where I could share my thoughts and ideas with my friends.  


You know, I remember when I was a little girl, when my parents told me what to do, like most children, I resisted and didn't like when they told me what to do.  I was an obedient and respectful child, though, in spite of this.  


One example that I can share is when I asked my mother what smoking was like.  Rather than give me the "third degree" such as telling me that I shouldn't smoke, etc., she allowed me to take one puff of her cigarette.  I was so disgusted with it, I NEVER smoked as a result.  Had she handled it differently, telling me not to smoke (meanwhile here she was smoking herself), I might have succumbed to the peer pressure at school as I got older.  However, since she handled this the way she did, I am glad to say that since she didn't "forbid" me harshly, as she could have, I never picked up the habit.


Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that every parent should handle this situation in this way...what I am saying is that it worked with me.  Many children like to do things that they are "forbidden" to do, just to show that they can do it...sort of a rebellion.


I am finding that, as an adult especially, I don't like to be told what to do.  I appreciate gentle and kind words and acts, encouragement and love, but I don't like it when someone tells me what to do.  On the same token, I do my very best not to tell others what to do.  Who am I to tell someone how to run their lives?  I am always glad to encourage others and make suggestions when I feel it is warranted, but always in a kind and respectful way, not telling them what to do.


Thanks for listening and for reading my posts here.