Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

My first Don't Squander Opportunities came last evening at a get-together with friends. Smoked oysters. Eat one, my friend said. They'll bring good luck. So I stabbed a toothpick into a dark brown blob of flesh piled on a plate and plopped it into my mouth. The smokey flavor spread over my tongue and the roof of my mouth. The texture was soft, like a piece of smoked fish. I savored every second of the delicacy. Yummm, I said. I enjoy most seafoods, and the smoked oyster was yet another like to add to the list. My friend, in my phone contacts as Princess Leia because of her affinity for all things Star Wars , however, after very, very hesitantly biting just a small piece off an oyster, grimaced and spit out most of what she could. I wonder if the real Princess Leia would have reacted that way to smoked oysters. I kind of think she would have eaten them with gusto. Cricket sucker, anyone? And my second Don't Squander Opportunities happened as a result of me being ...

Last evening, I did something I've never done before in my 53 years of living. I showed my feet some love. Yep. I took an hour out of my evening to wash my feet with hot, soapy water then go over them with a pumice. From there I rubbed in some lotion, massaging my feet along the way. As I reveled in the relaxation brought about by the kneading of the muscles in my feet, I wondered what took me so long to realize the neglect I'd been showing two very important parts of my body. I mean, they do so much work each and every day. You'd think I'd have figured this out a long time ago and taken steps to make sure they were given the attention they truly deserve. Now that I've seen the light, I will see to it that my feet are given due care to keep them in working order. Part of my feet care was me finding other things to do than play Fallout: New Vegas . I wasn't so sure I was going to enjoy this version of Fallout when I first started it, but if the nine hours of ...

Hubby says it gives me an "edge." Friends told me now I'm truly "badass." One of my most favorite family members said, "You crack me up." It's funny how people react when they see my new tatt, but for me, it is a constant reminder of all my new friends from the ride this summer, all the beautiful scenery we witnessed as we rolled along at 15 miles and hour (sometimes only 7 miles an hour when we were climbing mountains like Monarch Pass), and Mom. Though the ride is only a teeny tiny fraction of my entire life, it's impact on me has been way bigger than I had ever dreamed.

Today my boys and I went to lunch at my most favorite place of all--Denny's. Just love Denny's. They often send me coupons for 20% off my bills, so yes, I love Denny's. After we had ordered, Hubby looked at me and asked, "Have you checked your Bike the US for MS profile today?" (Yes, if this sounds familiar, it should. He asked me the same thing yesterday.) I shook my head no as I made a promise to myself that I would only check it once a day from now on, later in the evening. He turned his phone towards me so I could see the screen. My total had jumped again, to $2356, putting me at 62% of goal. Another dream donation had been made, this one by a dear, dear friend. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Dear Friend. Yesterday's dream donation put me into a daze state. I went to the cupboard to get a glass for some chocolate milk. I pulled out a bowl and started pouring. When about a quarter of a cup pooled in the bottom, it struck me that I had a bowl inst...