MY NEW CHRISTMAS WINE GLASS

Since Thanksgiving I've been searching for (during my ongoing shopping excursions) a special WINE GLASS to enjoy during this 2016 CHRISTMAS season. I was "on the hunt" for something BRIGHT, CHEERFUL, UNIQUE and FESTIVE. I wasn't having any luck....... 

But this past weekend, at the GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKET in downtown PHILADELPHIA, I found it!!! I fell in love with it the minute I saw it and knew it would be perfect for both of my favored ROSE and RED wines.  

ISN'T IT DELIGHFUL??

It's HAND-BLOWN GLASS from EGYPT (go figure). The vendor was featuring beautiful hand-blown glass ORNAMENTS, but tucked along the side were a few of these wine glasses. Some had gold-colored stripes and some had rose-colored stripes, but all were decorated with dots of gold. PERFECTION!!

I was just getting my money out to buy it when my AUNT MARTA rushed over, pushed me aside (yes, she's GERMAN) and INSISTED to buy it for me. THANK YOU AUNT MARTA!!

I'll close with a tiny bit of CHRISTMAS MUSIC from the GERMAN MARKET for your LISTENING PLEASURE......

CHEERS!!

JOAN

CHRISTMAS DECORATING - INSIDE

Okay.......... don't take this photo seriously, I just wanted to give you a hearty LAUGH!!

Last year I didn't decorate much inside. CLOVER!!! was a YOUNG PUPPY and I had NO extra energy. This year the bug bit me early, so I started to make the house look "FESTIVE".

First out - my ANDY SMITH original, mini, CHRISTMAS watercolors. I have 3 of them. ANDY paints one each day, which is featured on his BLOG at 7pm and you have to be the first to call. Lots of pressure to remember to look each day at that exact time at this time of year........ THANKFULLY I already have 3 that I LOVE.

This last painting is grouped with 2 PRIMITIVE, BELL, CHRISTMAS TREES and an ANGEL.

The MANTLE is decorated differently this year, with 2 light-up items and several other treasures.

And what is CHRISTMAS without a few, adorable, stuffed REINDEER?

I won this white one in a sorority alumni GIFT EXCHANGE earlier this month. Soooo cute.

SANTAS on my window sill............

And REINDEER at my front door.

Only $4.50 at a HOLIDAY BAZAAR a few weeks ago (how could I resist??), this rustic TIN STOCKING hangs on a door handle.

This BEAUTIFUL ADVENT CALENDAR is from my sister. We exchange one every year.  

BUT, how is she ever going to top this one?!!

Would this JOYFUL, LOVING, CHEERFUL time of year be complete without something else about CLOVER!!!? She discovered my TRASH CAN DRAWER............

Thankfully, she just ripped up some styrofoam packing material and didn't swallow any of it!

LAST but NOT LEAST, I have to be FESTIVE with my WINE BOTTLES, right?!!  My next Blog post is full of fun photos!!

JOAN

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT HIT ME EARLY AGAIN

NOVEMBER 1st is the date I like to have my CHRISTMAS CARD PHOTO completed, so this year, I had to set-the-stage and cross my fingers that CLOVER!!! would cooperate.  As you can see, it seemed as if it was going to take PATIENCE and TIME to get the perfect SELFIE. Surprise, Surprise. It only took 4 tries this year! This is not the one I'd consider "PERFECT", although looking back on it, perhaps I should have chosen this one. I like it. I LIKE IT A LOT.

Christmas SHOPPING usually begins in August (at the latest) and since I do things now to remove/reduce STRESS from my life, I like to have all gifts purchased and most wrapped by THANKSGIVING, when I deliver them to my sister's house in MD.

Mission Accomplised.

Since most people decorate outside over the THANKSGIVING weekend I felt the pressure to do so as well. I already have a beautiful wooden ANGEL to hang on the front door, and decided to stick with that theme this year. 

I purchased a lighted angel for the front yard.  But when I got it home, I realized it had to be put together.  DUH.  It wasn't that hard, but you know those little sparklies?  They make a BIG MESS!!

But the end result is beautiful.

I also bought 2 DOVES for the ground beside the angel, but one arrived defective and the other, once assembled and placed in the ground, caught CLOVER!!!'s eye and she made off with it, breaking the electrical connection. So that's the end of THAT!

Instead, I added a CHEERFUL, lighted FA-LA-LA. That ALSO caught CLOVER!!!'s eye........  She literally stole the LA from FA-LA-LA. And again, broke the electrical connection, so the LA wouldn't light up anymore. Hello TRASH and goodbye $56.

Time to start decorating inside............

JOAN

HONEY and EBATES SAVE YOU MONEY WHILE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ONLINE!!!

My goodness. Has it really been 2 months since I wrote something? I know you've been wondering where I've been....... hahahaha..... Well, how about I tell you that I was in ITALY for 2 weeks in October. PUGLIA - the heel of the boot. LOVED IT THERE. But, the "out-of-this-world" homemade pasta and wine twice a day was a deal-killer when it comes to weight - I came back with a few extra pounds and BAD EATING HABITS. UGH. "I'll start Monday".......

OK, you're gonna hate me, but I'm already finished with my CHRISTMAS shopping. And wrapping. YUP. I CAN'T STAND "STRESS", so I start very early (like August), taking advantage of every possible SALE that I can. It annoys me to pay full price on anything but groceries, so I SHOP and COMPARE. Clothing for the littlest ones is the last thing I buy - on BLACK FRIDAY and CYBER MONDAY.  

Yeah to make you even hate me more........ EVERYTHING is wrapped and already delivered to my sister's house, where the family spends CHRISTMAS together.  TEEHEE

Now that I have you shaking your head and breathing hard, I have some GREAT NEWS to share with you about SAVING MONEY when shopping ONLINE. Just as I told you about EBATES a few years ago, which I continue to use (see the last paragraph here in my August 30, 2014 post - EBATES), last week I found out about HONEY.  It's an online "gadget" that checks for the lowest price on AMAZON (purchase, shipping and tax). AND on other sites, it checks for available online coupon codes and applies the best one to your checkout basket. IT WORKS. Yesterday it saved me an unexpected 20% on an order. WOW.  

Click here ----> HONEY  to read an article and get the link to start using it!!!

THINK CHRISTMAS JOY!!!

xoxo

Joan

SECRETS TO READING MY BLOG POSTS

Not everyone follows Blogs so I thought perhaps you'd be interested in SEVEN "Blog-Reading-Tips"........

YES, YES, YES, you can certainly just read it and be done with it, but there is so much more!!  

Check it out.......

1.  HIGHLIGHTED WORD(S) (not just bolded) - 

• If you click on it/them, you will be taken directly to the website referenced. Go ahead and try it now ----> "The Lake House"

2.  "LIKE" THE POST - 

• If you enjoyed what you read, just check the box next to the "I LIKED THIS POST" button at the bottom. 
• You can also let me know if you didn't like it. But keep in mind, I'm sensitive......

3.  "COMMENT" ON THE POST - 

• Sometimes you just can't resist, right?  At the bottom of the post you can leave a comment or ask a question.  
• Click on the word "COMMENTS" (it may say "No Comments" or "2 Comments" etc.). 
• If you DO comment, be sure to FIRST (so you don't forget) click "NOTIFY ME" in the bottom right corner of the comment box, and when I or someone else responds, you'll be "notified" by email, so you don't have to check back on your own. 
• DO NOT click on the "SIGN OUT" button.  
• When you're finished your comment, click "PUBLISH". 
• Oh, and sign your name if you're registered as ANONYMOUS, if you want me to know who commented. 
• Of course, there is NO need for you to leave a "Comment" for the world to see, but if you feel compelled, there you go!

4.  FOLLOW MY POSTS - 

• You DON'T want to miss anything, right? 
• On the right side of the page, a little below my photo, you'll see a tiny, rectangular open box that says "email address".  Type yours in, click on "SUBMIT" and VOILA! 
• VERY IMPORTANT - You'll receive an email within moments (check your spam folder) asking you to VERIFY that you're a real person and not a robot trying to sign up. There will be a link to click in the email and then a few letters/numbers to retype AND submit. 
• I don't think you can do this from a cell phone, but you certainly can on the computer or iPad. 

5.  READ MY EARLIER POSTS - 

• Scroll down the right hand side to "BLOG ARCHIVE", below which you can pick any month/year to locate and read posts that were previously published, which you may have missed.

6.  SEARCH BY KEY WORD - 

• Below the "BLOG ARCHIVE" is a space to type in a word(s) to search my Posts.  For instance, if you type in the word "Lavender" today, 4 posts will be listed that include that word in it.

7.  EMAIL THE POST TO A FRIEND (FEEL FREE!!) - 

• If I happened to share something that you feel would be meaningful or entertaining to one of your friends or family members, you can email it to them.
• At the bottom of the post is small ENVELOPE with an arrow in it.  Click on the envelope. OR there is a small box with an M in it, to the right of the Pencil. This is an additional email option.
• You'll be prompted to fill in the email address to whom you want to send it.
• The other boxes to the right of the Pencil give you the ability to share the post(s) on Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and/or Google+.

I hope you picked up at least one little nugget. Yeah, I know, I have so many SMART friends, you probably knew all of this already.....

OK, OK, on to my next Post......

JOAN

ANDY SMITH - WATERCOLOR ARTIST AND FRIEND

I was asked to write something for my artist friend, ANDY SMITH's Blog.  He has an extraordinary talent for watercolor realism and he is inspired everywhere he goes. We traveled last year to Europe together - this photo was taken outside of Amsterdam (duh!).

In 1976 LINDA and I met. We were both recently separated, became immediate friends and then roommates the following year. Shortly thereafter she started dating ANDY. His personality then, as it is now, was engaging, warm, honest and thoughtful. He also had impeccable manners (and still does), which really impressed me.

ANDY'S natural skill for realistic watercolor painting always fascinated me. I was an Art Education major in college and then taught HS Art for 4 years. I had the appreciation for ART and was a born teacher, but watercolor painting was one skill I could never even wrap my mind around. Andy made it look so easy but I simply couldn't understand how he did it. His "thumbnail" sketches, in themselves are each a work of art - just as you'll notice from many of the Great Masters' thumbnails housed in museums around the world.

At first I could only afford ONE of Andy's PRINTS here and there, and then finally a larger print "THE STAR BARN", purchased at the MT GRETNA ART SHOW. What a marvelous building and ANDY really captured its essence for me. My niece inherited it not long after I started to collect A originals and it continues to proudly hand in their home.

My first ORIGINAL was "SUNNY SIDE". It pained me to pay the price for an original, BUT I've never looked back nor been disappointed in any of my purchases. My love for "windows" continues to this day and attracts me when taking photographs during my travels. Andy's unobstructed window made me want to climb in there and see what was inside (still does). Perhaps ANDY was also wondering what was inside and his intent was to draw the observer in. I'll have to ask him....

One of my next ORIGINALS was also a window (of course), surrounded by a brick wall. His brickwork astounds me. Who can have the patience? ANDY. And the shadows.... I love his shadows...... (sorry for the glare on the photo).

Most recently I've been mesmerized by ANDY'S MINIATURES and all of the detail he can share in such a small space. An avid reader, my favorite author, JULIAN BARNES has my heart because he can tell a full, very detailed, engaging story, bringing the reader into his world in under 200 pages. Succinct yet an abundance of detail. ANDY and Julian Barnes BOTH have this gift.

EVERY DAY I stop and look at ANDY'S paintings placed throughout my home. They bring me great JOY. They make me SMILE. They make me appreciate the God-given talent that ANDY is committed to perfect every single day. His dedication to his work is part of his soul. 

ANDY has my total RESPECT for his work-ethic, his talent, his Christian belief, his love and devotion to his daughter ABBEY and to my best friend, LINDA. I feel quite blessed to have been a part of their lives for the past 40 YEARS and to have had the opportunity to watch both ANDY grow and perfect his talent and LINDA creatively and tirelessly run their business, while allowing ANDY the freedom to follow his dream. Does it get any better than that?!

JOAN

STEM CELL THERAPY FOR MY HIP AND KNEE???

Exploring PAIN RELIEF WITHOUT SURGERY in my KNEE and HIP.......

Five years ago I was told I am "a candidate for" a LEFT KNEE replacement.

Last month I was told that I am "a candidate for" a RIGHT HIP replacement.

I'M FALLING APART!!

For the past 5 years, I've been having my knee treated with Orthovisc injections and cortisone shots. So far, so good - until I did a "face plant" in France last September for no reason (nothing broken thankfully) and then fell again this past June (again in France) landing on my hand/fingers, (thankfully nothing broken again - but still "healing"). The most recent "stumble" made me think, when I turned abruptly each time, perhaps my knee gave out. I certainly don't need any broken bones, SOOOOO..... time to explore my options.

Being a real BABY and NOT wanting SURGERY, I decided to explore STEM CELL THERAPY to regrow the cartilage that's wearing away from OSTEOARTHRITIS (hereditary) in both my knee AND hip. Perhaps this would buy me a few years before surgery.......

The INTERNET - what a beautiful thing....... hours and hours and hours of researching and reading and compiling my findings recently, so I could come to a decision about the effectiveness of STEM CELL THERAPY.

This week I attended a STEM CELL SEMINAR, met with my PRIMARY PHYSICIAN to discuss the pros and cons and spoke to a nurse at BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL in Boston. I also had a discussion with a friend's sister who had stem cell injections in her knee - that didn't work.

From what I've read and heard, the younger you are, the more dramatic results you'll probably have, because younger cells replicate faster. Injuries, rather than "wear-and-tear" might show better results too. But that's just what I'm gathering.

Seems that there is not enough "SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE" yet, therefore NOT many MD's are recommending it, but there ARE CLINICAL TRIALS going on. I'm energized by the future of REGENERATIVE MEDICINE and have high hopes for its future use. However, currently STEM CELL THERAPY seems to be administered mostly by Alternative Medicine MDs and Chiropractic offices. Most are using stem cells from AMNIOTIC FLUID, donated by the mother after child delivery - the stem cells being harvested and frozen in a lab for sale to practices who will administer the shot later. Not covered by insurance, I can pay out-of-pocket $3,000 - $5,000 (in the USA) for ONE KNEE with no guarantee of results, IF I want to try it.

If you want to use YOUR OWN STEM CELLS, they must be harvested from your fat cells via liposuction and/or from bone marrow in the hip. These procedures add an element of risk too, of course. And at my older age (64 - ok, is that really possible?!!), they would mix my own stem cells with amniotic stem cells that will multiply faster for the regrowth process. EMBRYONIC stem cell usage is ILLEGAL in the United States, THANKFULLY!!

My knee doesn't have "POTHOLES" to fill, it needs "RESURFACING". Stem cells seem to work best when "filling potholes" for cell regrowth.

The last step in my "research" - I have a call in to my Orthopedic doc at the ROTHMAN INSTITUTE (Dr. Good), asking if he thinks I'm "a candidate for stem cell therapy". Dr. Tucker at ROTHMAN INSTITUTE in Egg Harbor, NJ administers it.

If Dr. Good says I'm too far gone (typically if replacement is recommended or if you are already bone on bone, you are too far gone....), then I guess I'm going to have to "bite the bullet". At his suggestion I would replace the hip first, probably next year.

BUT naturally I will have to coordinate any surgery with my beloved travel schedule..........

JOAN

REMEMBERING MY FRIEND, BETTY ANN

Let me start out by saying that I'm VERY SPIRITUAL. I believe in GOD and ANGELS and our SPECTACULAR, MIRACULOUS, MYSTERIOUS, EVER-PRESENT, RESPONSIVE and GENEROUS UNIVERSE.

I've always had an aversion to "organized religion" for myself, but I totally understand the need and desire and commitment for others to be a part of something that provides not only spiritual comfort, but inspirational readings, music, consistency and a social aspect as well. My HEART and SOUL are FILLED with all of these aspects (ok, maybe not "consistency".......).

I've never read nor studied the BIBLE (nor any other sacred religious book). I've been encouraged to read excerpts through the years and have taken them seriously and am often "moved" by what it says.

All of this is a preface to my short story about a BIBLE reading at a service I attended this week to celebrate the life of my friend, BETTY ANN at the 1-Year Anniversary of her death. BETTY ANN started this family tradition on the 1-Year Anniversary of the death of her son, BART. She wanted a "CELEBRATION" of his life, despite the family's ongoing grief and the hole in her heart that would never, ever heal.

So, this week at the CELEBRATION of BETTY ANN'S LIFE, I was truly moved by a BIBLE passage that was read by her oldest of 4 sons, BRAD (Philippians 4:6-9).  He told us that his Mom repeatedly reminded BRAD of this passage when he needed it most, many years ago.

Interestingly enough, a 11/17/2014 HUFFINGTON POST article points out:

• "According to data released by AMAZON about the most highlighted passage in Kindle ebooks, the most popular passage from the BIBLE is one on reducing anxiety and finding trust in GOD. (Philippians 4:6-7)" 

A few verses longer, here is the passage BRAD read to us, which I DO try to put into practice every day:

• "Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
• And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me - everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."

I miss my friend BETTY ANN, one of the smartest and most gutsy women I've known.

JOAN

OUR MORNING (TRUE STORY)

My 12 year old grandniece, GRACE is staying with me for the week to attend CAMP at the local YMCA. Showered, dressed, fed and packed up, GRACE asked to take "the other car" to camp today. Sure. No problem. Of course, CLOVER!!! joins us for the ride each day. The Counselors love to pet her, etc. Normally cars line up and a Counselor checks GRACE in and takes her from the car to her camp group. This morning we arrive to find that check-in is inside (threat of rain) - which means we have to park the car, stand in line and enter the building to check her in. UH OH..... we have CLOVER!!! What do I do? There is NO leash in this car (my bad) and it's far too hot to leave her in the car for even 5 minutes. Time to get creative....... We took GRACE'S TINY bathing suit top and tied it to CLOVER!!!'s collar, to act as a leash. That should work, right? OK - it's unfamiliar territory and CLOVER!!! is not particularly well leash trained yet (clearing my throat - "we're working on it") and she started out like a rocket, pulling on the bathing suit top, stretching it to the max (can you visualize this???). Unable to get her under good control, I decided pretty quickly that this was a bad idea. In addition, I worried about standing in line with all of the kids and adults (CLOVER!!! still jumps on people when she gets excited - We're working on that too.......). Oh my. Back to the car for a PLAN B. Let's untie the bathing suit top from CLOVER!!!'s collar first. Well, at this point, because she had pulled so hard on her "leash", the knot is IMPOSSIBLE to undo. Searching frantically for a sharp object to assist, we came up empty-handed. UGH. Finally, it's 10 min past the drop-off time, so I drive right up to the building, to the "NO PARKING SIGN" and park (RULES BREAKER!!). No one is in line anymore and kids are already dispersing with their Counselors. GRACE ran into the building and brought a Counselor out to the car to have me sign the check-in. Good security there - I like that! It's all good. CLOVER!!! and I are home, the bathing suit knot is now untied (thanks to a Phillips screwdriver) and it's only 9:30 AM. Who needs COFFEE with a start like that, right?!! ENJOY YOUR DAY! JOAN PS Do NOT ask why I didn't get a picture of this!

I BELIEVE IN LIFE BEYOND LIFE

It's long been a belief of mine that our "SOUL", the essence of LIFE is actually a "VIBRATING ENERGY" - vibrating at a frequency that works with our Earthly bodies. Yet when we "DIE", I believe the "SOUL", this "ENERGY", continues on, free from the bounds of the "BODY" and goes on VIBRATING at a slower speed, becoming invisible to the human eye.

When I watched my Mom die, and then a year later my Dad die, and a few years later, my Uncle die, I tried to make sense of where she/he/they went? How could they be here one minute, full of energy and life..... and then in an instant their body became still and their ENERGY, their ESSENCE was gone. As my Dad described it, "POOF! GONE."

Naturally during my grief, I obsessed - trying to come to terms with this whole concept of "here one day and gone the next"........

Although not an original thought I'm sure, a compelling concept came to me a few years ago and I've thought about it quite a bit since - the concept of what JESUS, GOD and/or A UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS was trying to SHOW us when JESUS died. Where did HE go? When He reappeared, wasn't He showing us, PROVING to us that there is LIFE AFTER DEATH? LIFE AFTER LIFE? PROOF that there is EVERLASTING LIFE? PROOF that we don't just die and cease to exist?

You see, I believe "all of the answers" to life's complex questions are right here in front of us, if we can slow down and ponder, question and open our minds "beyond the box" to find solutions to our Earthly problems, if you know what I mean.

So, back to JESUS, who I absolutely believe existed......

I believe that by coming "back to life", JESUS was showing us - PROVING to us, that our energy, our SOUL doesn't disappear, but it continues to exist. I personally believe JESUS "humanly died" and subsequently vibrated his soul at such a high level that he was able to appear to us in his physical form once again. It looked as if he were still physically alive - we could "SEE" him - but I believe that if we look a little deeper, think outside the box, that JESUS was actually PROVING to us that "life" goes on after death in another form of ENERGY. That our SOUL continues to exist. When he stopped the highest energy of vibration, his Earthly body stopped "living", his energy left the physical body, but the ENERGY/SOUL still existed, now in another form.

Perhaps our loved ones who have passed, really CAN appear to us in the form of a butterfly or other animal. Perhaps at that moment when we feel their presence, they are truly there with us in another form. Perhaps they are vibrating their SOUL energy at such a high level that they are able to "APPEAR" to us in a form that we know about and believe exists - for example a butterfly. If you "FEEL" them in that moment or have a sense that they are communicating with you, I believe they are.

Perhaps their ENERGY can move objects as well - push a feather in your path or a penny or a dime........ Perhaps their ENERGY can mess with your mechanical or electrical items to give you a SIGN that they are there with you.

Many scholars contemplated and studied "energy" through the years. Naturally you've heard "the first law of thermodyamics" - "Energy is neither created nor destroyed".  Here is the definition I found on a Google search -

"The first law of thermodynamics, also known as Law of Conservation of Energy, states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; energy can only be transferred or changed from one form to another. For example, turning on a light would seem to produce energy; however, it is electrical energy that is converted."

So, doesn't it make perfect sense that we continue to exist as "ENERGY" in a different form after we die?

I don't even question this concept anymore. To me, it just "IS". But it continues to astound me to think about the change from Earthly existence to simply "SOUL ENERGY". Human comprehension is limited, right?

JOAN
PS As I was proofing and making changes to this Blog post, I was also boiling eggs for deviled eggs. I was interrupted from proofing when it was time to run cold water over the eggs. As I stood at the sink, I looked out my window and saw THE BLUE HERON, who I see walking in the creek about 1-3 times a year, always when I'm thinking "spiritually". You see, I believe my sister's deceased husband says "Hello" from time to time via THE BLUE HERON, his favorite bird. Today I truly believe that he appeared to confirm the thoughts that I shared in this Blog post.......

BOOK - "A MAN CALLED OVE" by FREDRIK BACKMAN (NO SPOILERS!!)

Every so often a book comes along that makes me GIGGLE - and actually "Giggle Out Loud". (GOL??)

"A MAN CALLED OVE" by Fredrik Backman was just the right book for me to read this week. After attempting to read a non-fiction book about war (that I just couldn't finish), then the tragic event in Nice, France and then a frightening military coup attempt in Turkey last night, I was happy to get lost in a book that made me GIGGLE. (GOL)

What a misinterpreted, grumpy old man he was (Old? YIKES, he was only 59!). I LOVED the way he fell in love with his wife when he laid eyes on her. And the quirky way he showed her he was interested. I LOVE that he LOVED her so, so much. I LOVED that the author made them so believably different from each other. And I loved the other characters and how they each interacted with OVE and he with them. 

Set in Sweden, the writing style is easy and the chapters are short. (I really like when chapters are short - probably because I feel "accomplished" when I end one chapter and start the next.) I found humor in the simple drawing at the top of each chapter. (Didn't notice it until Chapter 4, but from then I looked forward to what would be next.)

It's a VERY popular book with BOOK CLUBS right now. I imagine there will be a lot of discussion when we meet next week (and again for another BOOK CLUB later this year). BOOK CLUB discussions expand my thinking, will often shift my opinion about a book or will transform my judgement to view something differently than when I first read it.

It's a simple, heartwarming book. When reading the following passages, tell me you don't GOL just a little (come on, at least a little smile?). Feels good to GOL, doesn't it?

Page 57

"The first time the doorbell goes he assumes he's made a mistake and ignores the sound for that very reason. The second time he realizes that there's actually someone ringing the bell, and he ignores it for that very reason."

Page 79

"And so it turned out that Ove became a night cleaner instead. And if this hadn't happened, he would never have come off his shift that morning and caught sight of her. With those red shoes and the gold brooch and all her burnished brown hair. And that laughter of hers, which, for the rest of his life, would make him feel as if someone was running around barefoot on the inside of his breast."

Page 128

"He had never been spontaneous before in his life. But when he saw her it was as if something malfunctioned."

Page 140

"Ove always had a clear travel strategy. His wife, on the other hand, always came up with insanities like "going by a sense of feel" and "taking it easy." As if that was a way for an adult person to get anywhere in life. And then she always remembered that she had to make a call or had forgotten some scarf or other. Or she didn't know which coat to pack at the last moment. Or something else. She always forgot the thermos of coffee on the draining board, which was actually the only important thing. There were four coats in those damned bags but no coffee....."

JOAN

MY BUTTERFLY STORY

Before my MOM died (1999) we knew she was terminal. Thankfully we had 2.5 years to prepare (but can one ever be prepared when the time comes?). 

Nine months before she died, MOM and I went to France together. We had always planned to travel together after my DAD died, who with his multiple health problems, we felt certain would go first. We had a beautiful time in France and created memories that will last my lifetime.

Shortly before we left for France, I had to put my first dog, NIKKI to sleep (almost 13). It broke my heart. She and I had had such a deep, loving connection. She taught me about communicating on a higher level, since we had 2 different Earth Languages. She also taught be about unconditional love - an "Introductory Course" that I've chosen to repeat over and over again...... now with my 7th German Shepherd Dog. My deep love for NIKKI made it terribly difficult to say goodbye. Looking back on it, I believe it was part of the "Grand Plan" to help me to prepare for saying goodbye to MOM - proving to me that life does go on after we lose a loved one.........  

FIVE MONTHS after NIKKI died, my second dog, PEPPER died suddenly from a blood cancer. FIVE MONTHS later, my MOM died. FIVE MONTHS later, my DAD was diagnosed with terminal cancer and 8 months later he passed. An emotionally charged couple of years.

PEPPER was recovering from surgery to stop some internal bleeding from earlier that month. The vet told me that she was on "borrowed time" - weeks to months. The night that she died, I was sitting on the floor in the 2nd bedroom doing some filing. PEPPER walked past the door to the room, looked in at me and walked away as I heard her say "IT'S TIME". PEPPER literally communicated that to me. I raced down the stairs to her as she was then swaying and stumbling, picked her up (70 pounds) and carried her down outdoor steps to the car (had to be "super-human strength"). She died on the way to the vet hospital.

Ok, that is all background info for my BUTTERFLY STORY........

Before my MOM died she said she would communicate with me from "the other side" but since she didn't know how it was going to work, I was to PAY ATTENTION. 

MOM died in June 1999 and I had 2 dogs at the time - CINDER and CURRY. CURRY was just a puppy - only a few weeks before she died, MOM came up with the name. The Mommy's name was SPICE so I needed a "Spice" name........ 

In early July, my 2 sisters and I were returning to Florida to help my DAD go through MOM's things. Naturally my senses and emotions were heightened. I was outside with the dogs before leaving for the airport when I saw a large, BLACK BUTTERFLY flying around them. And it kept flying and circling each dog - circling one dog and then the other. I thought about how strange it was for a butterfly to hang around for that long. That's all I was thinking at the moment, but it DID catch and hold my attention.  

On my way to the airport I broke down in tears, because it "came to me" that the BUTTERFLY was my mom's way of telling me to think of the dogs and also think of her and put two and two together - it was her way of telling me that she was united with my 2 dogs, NIKKI and PEPPER. They were all together and all was ok. What a validation of life after death! I was certain of the message and comforted.  

I do believe that our "SPIRIT" has great powers and perhaps even more so after this lifetime when we reconnect with the universal consciousness and gain greater understanding of our powers. I firmly believe that if we as humans just pay attention, listen and remain open to messages from those who have passed, they will know when we need something and will figure out a way to communicate with us. Validation that they are still with us on a higher level.

JOAN