If
by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it . . .

My husband signed the divorce papers today. This is good news. So, why can't I stop crying?

I am going back to LizzieAlone.blogspot.com
See you there!

Follow the link at the top of the page

Happy New Year

  ~Desiderata~
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
And remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
Be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
And listen to others,
Even to the dull and ignorant;
They too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
They are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
You may become vain or bitter,
For always, there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble,
It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
For the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
Many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere
Life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
For in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
It is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
Gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
Be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe
No less than the trees and the stars;
You have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with your higher power,
Whatever you conceive it to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life,
Keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
It is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.


Namaste, Happy New Year and the Brightest of Blessings,

Love, LizzieAlone 

I saw this old girl in her jeep outside the Winn Dixie yesterday, Jimmy Buffet blasting on the radio, not a human in sight.

Sue and I drove up to the Miccosukee Indian Village for their annual arts festival where we met up with Gloria, David, Marilyn and Maryann. I am not naming names here but we got hopelessly lost and it took hours to get there due to someone thinking she knew where she was going. She didn't.  I'm just saying...  Anyhoo, they have world champion dancers from Santa Fe, from Saskatchewan, from all over the U.S. and Canada and they are just fabulous. Here are some pictures for your perusal . . .

These guys were the drummers and singers for the dancers. I was practically deaf by the time I left. They were awesome.

 

An observation: The women have the most boring dances, can't even move their arms, just get to make their fringe swing, which apparently the men think is something to brag about. Ooooh, buckskin dancers... while the men get the best outfits, the best feathers and the best dances. hmmmmm

I must say though, the obvious pride these people take in their heritage and their desire to share it with others is really inspiring.

Sweet grass braids, white sage (I got a bundle), lavender (G and M bought me some-thanks!), and every herb, bark and berry you could think of and then some. Smelled heavenly.

Unlike the food on offer. Spam and tomato. Really?? The food totally sucked. I had the Indian Taco. Don't ask.

ya think??

And finally, I like to think this gator and the turtle are snuggling up together in the cold Florida weather (20 degrees below normal today, but I'm not going to complain even a little about a high temp of 66 degrees -- I watched the news this morning. Zoiks!)  So, all in all a fun day - in spite of all the driving. Let's not go there again . . .   Sue.

The girls and I went for a walk before bed tonight. Christmas night. Kind of tough to look through lighted windows in the neighborhood and see people celebrating, hear the music, the laughter, around a table, tree lit up, and not think of years past.

My husband and I celebrated together, just the two of us, every single year for 27 years. Over half of my life - and his.

Now, don't get me wrong. Karen and Chuck, Mary, all invited me to their homes last night, Lu and Tom for tonight; Leslie and Tom brought by lobster ceviche on their way to Miami today; Gloria and David and Marilyn came by for a swim.

A secret Santa left flowers on my stairway.

I opened presents from my mom and dad, my sister, and Rita and Sue.  Family called from Chattanooga, Michigan and Massachusetts.

I feel incredibly lucky. And ridiculously sad.

just can't help myself

It's impossible to avoid Christmas. Everywhere you go, all over the TV, on the radio, you are bombarded with it. Probably why I have this song stuck in my head - just can't turn it off . . .
 
XXXX'snuts roasting on an open fire . . .