Blog Challenge #9 - Day 7

Challenge Recap - Find a piece of joy in every day for a week.

This has been an interesting exercise - looking for joy on a daily basis. I've had a chance to ponder many things this week from health & fitness, activities that are special to me, recognition and special friends. Today's bit of joy is not something especially noteworthy, just a little something that made me feel good today - a simple nap.

I had big plans for the day. I was going to clean and run errands. But I didn't sleep well the night before waking up several times and I was tired. So I got my favorite penguin fleece throw and laid down on the bed and enjoyed the pleasure of an afternoon nap.

Blog Challenge #9 - Day 6

Challenge Recap: Find a piece of joy in every day for a week.

If it's Friday, it can only mean one thing...it's Friday Breakfast Club day or FBC as I like to call it. Every Friday at 9:30, the FBC gathers at the Third Street Diner to eat breakfast, talk a lot, and laugh even more!

As we sat in session yesterday morning, it struck me how wonderful it is to have such a disparate group of women come together in friendship. Our ages span a range of about 10 years. Our political beliefs range from the far right to the far left. Some have lived in the same town all their lives, others have lived in faraway places. Some have jobs, some don't. But we have been through so much together: the sad times - caring for ailing parents, parental death, death of a spouse, divorce, health problems and also the good times - graduations, weddings, new homes, grandchildren.

When you've got friends like this, who are fun to be with, who listen to you, who are ready to lend a hand whenever needed, who will be there to support you emotionally, that's certainly a reason to be joyful.

Blog Challenge #9 - Day 5

Challenge Recap: Find a piece of joy in every day for a week.

Today I received an e-mail that really surprised me! After almost 20 years of serving on the Friends of the Neenah Public Library board of directors, I decided this year that it was time to bring that part of my life to a close. For many years, I was the recording secretary, then a member-at-large, then the book sale chair. Yesterday was the Friends annual meeting which I had to miss due to another commitment. The library director e-mailed me today that I have been chosen as the Friends' Volunteer of the Year, the first person ever to repeat that honor. I was previously VotY in 1993.

So my name will go on the plaque in the library. An article & photo will go in the city newsletter and probably the regular newspaper. I get to select a book to have a commemorative bookplate placed in and I get to select some free Friends merchandise for myself. It's just so nice to receive this unexpected recognition for my volunteer efforts.

Blog Challenge #9 - Day 4

Challenge Recap: Find a piece of joy in every day for a week.

Books, books, books! I love books. I love reading books. I love owning books. I love taking books out of the library. I love talking about books I've read with other people. I love being in book clubs. Did I mention I love books?

I belong to two book clubs. One I joined three years ago when I became an AAUW member; the other I've been in for 19 years when it was part of the Newcomers Club interest groups. The way the groups are run is different. The AAUW club decides in May as a group what books we will be reading the next year; the other club lets the hostess for each month choose the book to read. The AAUW club uses a discussion leader who also researches and presents information about the author, the book, and any reviews; the other club we simply give each person a chance to talk about the book and let the discussion go from there. At first, I wished the AAUW club was more like the other club, but now I enjoy the differences. The bottom line is I now get the chance to read and discuss more books.

Today our AAUW book club met to discuss the book March by Geraldine Brooks. It is based on the character of Mr. March, the father who is away at war in the Louisa May Alcott story of Little Women. Ms. Brooks writes a compelling novel of what happens when an idealistic man volunteers to go to war and ends up facing some harsh realities. I very much enjoyed both the reading and discussing of the book. Now, on to the next story...

Blog Challenge #9 - Day 3

Challenge Recap: Find a piece of joy in every day for a week.

Every other Tuesday from September to May is my bridge group. I actually play in several groups, but this is the one dearest to my heart. This group got started 18 years ago when the original eight of us got organized to take lessons. After the lessons were finished, we played together every Tuesday to try and get a little better. After a while, we changed to every other week.

Over the years, the members in the group have changed a bit. Only four original members are left, but the newer members in the group are just as much, if not more fun. What is great about this group is that while we are semi-serious about the bridge-playing, we're really serious about being together as friends. There have definitely been times that the cards took second place to the therapy sessions. Whether it's been problems with kids, problems with parents, death, divorce, we've been there for each other. Sometimes when we get together it's just to laugh our tushies off and feel better that way.

Anyway, today was bridge day. I just marveled at these wonderful women that share my life and at the laughter and the tears that were shed. Surely one of the greatest joys to be had is that of friendship. Not to mention winning three bucks for placing second for the day! :-)

Blog Challenge #9 - Day 2

Challenge Recap: Find a piece of joy in every day for a week.

I take water exercise classes at the Y every day Monday through Friday. When I was in class this morning, it really struck me how much I enjoy these classes. My friends, Judy & Ann, and I have been doing these for 2+ years now and I've seen such a big improvement in my general physical fitness. When I first started, I could barely fill my lungs for those final deep breaths of our cool-down. I could barely balance. Many of the moves were difficult for me to do. Although there's still much room for improvement, my lung capacity has increased. My balance has definitely improved - I've made it through 2 winters (knock on wood) without any falls. And I can now do many of the moves much more easily. So, a little hurray for becoming healthier and more physically fit!

Blog Challenge #9 - Day 1

Melissa's challenge:
This week, my challenge to you is to blog one thing, each day, that has brought a smile to your face. Could be something as simple as the first bloom of spring, a silly comment from a child, or a blessing you've received. As I read through the prayer requests on ScrapShare, many of us are facing what seem to be insurmountable odds. I've had a hard time recently focusing on the joys in my life and have been letting our problems bring me down. I'm not suggesting we ignore issues; rather, let's find a piece of joy in each day.

Here's my piece of joy for Day 1 - Sunday. I'm wearing a new pair of jeans that are a size smaller! Hurray! I've officially lost 36.6 pounds following the Weight Watchers program and am absolutely ecstatic about reaching the point where I can start fitting into somewhat smaller sizes. The weight loss road is still a long one for me but I'm getting there slowly but surely.

My friend Mickey_lou

I've never met Marian or, as we knew her, Mickey_lou, in real life. But I call her a dear friend and today I am saddened by her loss. I know that she was still a young woman, that she was married to a wonderful man and had two cute little boys. I know that she lived in Australia. I know that her favorite colors were red and blue (something we have in common). I know that she faced the world with a cheerful attitude.

I met Mickey_lou in the wonderful virtual world of the internet. I am thankful that this technology brought us together. Too often, computers are said to cause alienation, that the solitary nature of personal computer use drives us further and further away from others. My experience has been the exact opposite. I am a participating member of an online community made up primarily of women, of all ages and stages of life, all shapes & sizes, of various religious and political views, each of them unique yet drawn together from around the globe by a love for scrapbooking, for both the idea and the process of cherishing our family, our friends, the memories and moments of our lives.

There's a little corner of that online community that began as a place called Simplifying Your Life that recently underwent a little updating to become Managing Your Life. That little corner was the ideal location for those of us who struggled with keeping our lives simple and manageable but was also for those to whom it came more naturally yet were ready to lend a helping hand and give moral support to those who were struggling. A little corner where people could get to know one another a little more. After all, when you've shown each other, through photos, the deepest, darkest secrets of the mess in your house, you're now the closest of friends!

That's where I met Mickey_lou. It was her suggestion that we have a separate (infamous for its length) chatting thread to prevent on-topic threads from being hijacked repeatedly. Each day for a long time, she began our daily to-do thread. Her cheeriness was infectious. We all felt her excitement as she awaited the arrival of her niece. We celebrated with her when it appeared her cancer was all gone. We cried with her when it returned. We were there with her as she went through her treatments. And for the last few months, we prayed for her and awaited updates from her husband as Mickey_lou could no longer share the news herself.

Thursday, March 13, 2008, we decided to hold a Tribute Day for Mickey_lou. Women around the world spent the day doing things that were important to her: being with their family members, cleaning and decluttering their homes even if it was only for 15 minutes, scrapbooking their memories and taking care of themselves by making appointments for health-related activities. We wore red and blue clothing while hoping and praying for a miracle for Mickey_lou.

Saturday, March 15, 2008, Mickey_lou departed this world, her pain and suffering at an end. We, her friends who never met her, are left behind to grieve, to turn to one another to share this feeling of sadness and perhaps, to resolve to each day remember Mickey_lou and what she taught us. Take care of yourself. Love your family and friends. Enjoy life's moments because you can clean up most anything 15 minutes at a time.