563.

Busy bees make lots of honey.

Amen.

562.

Truth will out.

My faith remains resolute.

Amen.

561.

There are many versions of this song. This one is my favorite:

Indeed...

560.

Nothing like a good morning to get you in the mood for some good Chaka:

558.

I'm not sure if I dream more than most folk but I dream a lot. Usually several dreams per sleep session and probably every night. I say "probably" because I can't recall a time when I've slept without dreaming.

There are times when I awake and can't recall what I dreamed about but I know I did dream. If I can't recall at least the last dream I had before waking, my day feels like it's starting off wrong.

I feel like I've missed a vital communiqué from God and that just won't do.

So I began researching methods for better dream recall. One of the suggestions was to take extra time to lie in bed after waking, to recall as much dream as possible.

It helps.

Another suggestion is to journal the dream (which I've been doing for decades) in the present tense (new to me), as if the action is taking place as I write.

That helps as well but it only works if you can recall the dream(s) in the first place.

Which brings me to today's last dream before waking, whose sparse details only came back to me when I saw a news article on the web this morning. (Not an uncommon occurrence, as "dream reminders" tend to pop up randomly during my day. If I'm paying attention, I notice.)

What I remember of this morning's dream:

My daughter and I were out at night, walking. She pointed out an alligator (or was it a croc?) coming toward us from our right. She walked too close to it and I panicked, warning her loudly not to do so.

In the next few moments, she disappeared around a corner and I ran to search for her. I didn't her but a guy came to tell me she'd been bitten on the ankle by a gator (or a croc).

Bitten on the ankle but still in one piece... I wondered aloud why she hadn't kicked its teeth in.

***

Although we see critters in our current neighborhood that just didn't live amongst civilized folk where I grew up, I've never seen anything resembling a gator or a croc.

Thank you God for keeping those critters away from here because if one makes it this far inland, it's time to move.

On another note, my daughter and I were out shopping yesterday. As usual, I was scanning radio stations in search of something she and I could stand to listen to. As we pulled into a parking space, I tuned into one of my favorite songs, about half over but it didn't matter.

No way could we leave the car until I heard the whole thing. Although we are a musical family (we sing, play, eat, sleep, live music) and this was one of my favorite songs, it hadn't gotten a lot of airplay around here in the past three years because it was a sad reminder of things past.

Yesterday I was able to listen and sing with nostalgia but not a tear fell. It might not always be that way but it's a measure of progress for me, big crybaby that I am.

My daughter sang along with me and surprised me at the end by telling me the group that performed the song.

Without further ado, you too can listen and sing along here, if Spirit moves you:

It's such a beautifully simple song, lyrics and instrumentation meshing perfectly to transport me into a realm beyond my physical body.

Thank you God for the reminder and the realization.

Amen.

557.

Dear God,

Thank you for such a beautiful day. Good food, good company, good conversation...

Wonderful.

On another note, I finally got around to getting some much-needed screws. Time to get to work!

Amen.

556.

I should be asleep but I'm listening to the rain. It's one of my favorite sounds.

I'm also breathing in it's freshness and wondering whether it's cold or warm.

It's tempting to find out. But not tonight. The spiders are probably lounging about the porch eaves.

One day I'll dance in the rain.

Preferably in Italy.

555.

Dear God,

You are the funniest comedian I know.

Your message, whether obvious or obscure, is always right on time.

Saying "thank you" is not enough but You know the depths of the emotion and gratitude behind those words.

With never-ending appreciation, I say...

Amen.

554.

It's turned into an Eric Claption kinda day around here.

(Currently playing: I Can't Stand It. Next up: Knocking on Heaven's Door.)

Our living room, flooded with sunshine and good conversation.

My daughter, talking about her latest dream. Me, discussing my jitters over something that normally wouldn't get an eyelash bat from me.

Our shared awe at not knowing (or for me, remembering) that Eric Clapton is British.

And now that it's sunny out, I want to get out of here. My daughter invited me to lunch with her and a friend but I don't want to be the third wheel.

It's possible I'll sit on the porch to read and crochet.

There are errands I could run but I'm not a Saturday-errand-running kinda gal. I prefer to run my errands when the masses are happily ensconced in their cubicles. Or beds.

Which means it's likely I'll make a run to the hardware store around 7 or so. Maybe dinner out after.

And maybe I can sweet-talk my daughter to go to the tennis court with me. I learned today that it's open until 10:30 p.m. in summer.

Well, we'll see...

553.

This morning's soundtrack:

The Very Best of the Stylistics

(Currently playing: You Are Everything.)

***

My party-all-night lifestyle finally caught up to me.*

Read on for the details...

This week has been busy in its own way. Nothing truly urgent on my to-do list but there was the matter of a project waiting to be completed and returned to a client.

I received it a week after the promised date and there was no note of urgency accompanying it so I took my time completing it. Yesterday afternoon, satisfied with the finalized version, I returned the project to its rightful owner.

Hurray for me!

My thoughts: Yay! I'm free to roam the country! Or at least the county.

Ha!

Soon after, my body told me I was late for lunch. I felt lightheaded and dizzy, like I might actually pass out.

Scary.

I whipped up a quick (and very small) tray of nachos. Healthy nachos.

Healthy-er nachos:

1. 14 chips, slightly toasted
2. crumbled goat cheese
3. 2 TBS of organic black beans
4. lots of organic green leaf lettuce

Delicious.

After I ate, I went out to the porch to greet my Sol Sista up close and personally, swept the porch, took out the trash, watered my plants. I danced a little, hoping to throw off the sleepy-mist of lethargy that had descended upon me. 

My daughter emerged from her cave and asked me to read the first chapter of the new book she's working on. Lots of typos but what an entertaining read! I'm excited for her and ecstatic that she's become so enthusiastic about her writing again. 

Maybe it will rub off on me and I can get back to my own writing...  Oh, but dang it, that will be difficult because silly me didn't immediately transfer all my data from the external hard drive when I got the new machine.

There is a remedy for it but it's a risky one. But life is all about stepping out on faith, right? Yeah... 

But let's not go too far down the side road here.

After I read the chapter, my daughter and I discussed the rest of the story (plot, characters, etc.).

I found myself nodding.

Quelle horreur!

It was only 7 p.m. No way should I be sleepy.

But yes, I was. Too many late nights and early mornings. Bad combination as well as a bad habit that needs breaking.

It's not like I need to be up past midnight. Especially since I can't seem to sleep past 7:30 or 8 a.m.

I fought it as long as I could (another 20 minutes or so) then I finally gave in. As someone I once knew liked to say, "Nature will not be cheated".

Amen brother. 

I laid it down and slept until this morning. 

Lots of dreams but I only remember the one I had right before waking. 

Which I won't detail in this post because I'm needed elsewhere in the building.

Wishing everyone a beautiful day of love and sunshine.

Be blessed, be a blessing...  💓

552.

I take everyone at face value.

But I'm a realist so when that red flag pops up, I say give 'em just enough rope.

If it's all good, it works itself out.

And as much as I think I've seen and done in life, it amazes me that I'm still amazed at how swiftly some self-destruct.

My prayers for those who have yet to feel the freedom that comes with taking off the mask.

Amen.

551.

What I learned today:


Bullsh*t is as clear as glass, if we pay attention and proceed with patience.

Thank you God for the gift of discernment.

Amen.