Open to life's winding road, continued...

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Examiner article

Andrew Taylor’s neighbor, and a dear friend of mine, arranged our interview. She adores him and it’s easy to see why. He’s a truly genuine person who makes it his mission in life to, in some small way, brighten the day of everyone he meets.

He explained to me, “I challenge myself to answer with a new adjective each time someone asks, ‘How are you?’ Or I’ll say, “Any day above ground is a good day. … Unless you’re an out of work spelunker.”

As you can see he’s a clever character with a smart sense of humor. If you’re local and Andrew’s article has peeked your interest, check out his profile page on Match.com. His member, user ID is HopefullyYours42.

I feel it’s a priceless treasure to find a life partner who’s ethical, extremely enthusiastic, and has a sense of humor; Andrew fits these criteria perfectly!

Are you looking for love? … If so, what traits are important to you?

Leave me a comment.

Turkey leftovers, continued...

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Examiner article

This is the first year that I do not have turkey leftovers. We went to my oldest sister's home and we had a wonderful traditional turkey meal. Her turkey turned out really tasty. The picture I posted with the article was her turkey. It was perfect.

It was a nice break this year to awake on Thanksgiving morning in the 8 o' clock hour instead of 5 to 6 AM to stuff a bird. I do miss the leftovers but since I'm trying to watch my calories over the holidays, it is easier to leave the stuffing, gravy and potatoes elsewhere!

I love the mix of turkey and pasta in the tetrazzini recipe I posted in today's article. It's different than the white chili or casserole dishes that are common leftover meals.

Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? If so, can you share any recipes for leftovers? Leave me a note! I love trying new ones.

Survive by believing you will

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Examiner article

Tomorrow, Thanksgiving, is my Dad's 71st birthday. If you follow my posts, you know he passed 2 years ago. I would have never imagined how his death has impacted my life. It helped me prioritize things, I changed careers in the aftermath and it has given me a new spiritual perspective. It has been life altering. I miss him dearly and I wish he was here so we could celebrate his birth tomorrow.

I will be with my family and we'll share memories of him although all of our lives altered dramatically after his loss. We have survived and my Mom who was married to him almost 50 years has learned how to cope without him. If we had a choice, we would take him back in a heartbeat but unfortunately, this isn't our choice!

The best thing we can do is make the most of our lives and make him proud!

How are you honoring the loss of your loved one? What has helped you survive? Leave me a comment and explain.

No veteran dies alone, continued...

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Examiner article

I hold a special place for the VA Ann Arbor hospital. When my father's insurance money ran out for hospice care, the VA stepped up and took him into their facility. They supported us and cared for him through the end of his life. They handled everything with professionalism, dignity and grace.

This is why I am going to volunteer for the program, No Veteran Dies Alone. I'm not sure how well or strong I'll be but I am sure it is a very worthy cause. I was so crazed with the thought of my Father dying while we weren't there, this is why we tried to be with him 24/7. It is very important to me that our veterans get the same priority.

Please, if you feel you are able to do this type of work, contact your local VA and reach out to help!

How are you making your community better? Drop a note and let me know. I'm sincerely interested!

One in the broader sense, continued...

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Examiner article

Call me crazy, and many will, but regardless if I'm physically with someone or not, I feel energies that surround me. This, in itself, assures me that I am never alone. I'm not telling you that I'm surrounded by ghost or that my life is haunted, I'm telling you there is a greater presence and I'm connected to it. The more I pray, meditate and focus, the more I feel this strength. The more I feel assured that "everything will be alright" regardless of what I'm currently going through. I believe this energy surrounds everyone but you have to become aware of it to be able to tap into it.

I'm curious if you understand what I'm conveying. Please send me a comment and confirm or deny this posting!

Come see me in the Ypsilanti Craft Show

I'll be at the Riverside Gallery in Ypsilanti tomorrow from 10AM-3PM with many Ann Arbor Woman Artists. If you have an opportunity and you're local stop in and see us:)

We are grateful, continued...

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Examiner article

Of course any of us can easily create a list of things that have went wrong in our life but it is a bit more difficult to look beneath the challenges and find silver linings that we probably reluctantly learned to appreciate. If you haven't, get ready for another round of heartache while the universe attempts to mentor you in a new direction!

I write 5 gratefuls down each day to get my mind processing positively. These articles also keep me on track. There are many times when I'm feeling down, I will thumb through the pages of my work and re-read an article or 2 as a reminder to keep my chin up.

I know things can get very tough but the message here is to make sure your focusing your energy on the positive stuff instead of energizing more mayhem!

Drop me a note and share what you are thankful for this year!