Periwinkle Lane

I recently got this quilt out to put on a guest bed - I've had a lot of guests lately!


It's called Periwinkle Lane.  Each block is embroidered and I machine-quilted it myself too!


This quilt always makes me smile - it's whimsical and colorful and warm! 

J

Decaf Americano

I just want to state here and now that there are medicinal properties to decaf americanos.

I used to drink decaf coffee after 3:00 pm because if I drank real coffee I would be up at 2:00 am wondering how clean I could get my bathroom!  Anyway, the decaf coffee is just so…..decaf coffee, but decaf Americanos are just amazing and truly medicinal.

My daughter, a former barista, likes to say, “Death before decaf.”  So – having decaf espresso is just a slight move toward the real deal and still be able to enjoy a full night’s sleep.

There is something about coffee that is calming to me.  Whenever I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, I just look for a coffee shop – now there might be an argument that it’s not the coffee, but the coffee shop. This would likely be a significant argument! 

A decaf Americano in a coffee shop is calming and delicious and it makes me smile!

J

San Francisco

We took Mom Vail to San Francisco today – it was such a nice day!  Clear blue skies and really cold temperatures, but still lots of fun!

We went to the Ferry Building first and had coffee and homemade cinnamon rolls, and then we strolled through the shops and took in the sights and smells. 

We then went across the street into the craft fair, they have photography, sculpture, lots of homemade hats and gloves, paintings, puzzles, jewelry – it’s a neat place to look around.

Pier 39 was our next stop; we had a great time watching the crepe makers.  Alcatraz was clear and beautiful, as well as the Golden Gate.  They have all kinds of street performers at Pier 39, today there was a juggler and he was pretty good.  Lindsay, my niece, made her way to be an assistant for him and it was pretty funny! 

We had a great day – going to San Francisco always makes me smile!

J

Smile Is A Sign Of......

A smile is a sign of love A smile is a sign of care A smile tells how much to others You are important and also dear A smile is a sign of cheer A smile is a sign of trust A smile shows how you can Be happy even in hard crust A smile is a sign of joy A smile is a sign of hope A smile teaches you how you can Remove the clouds of mope For nothing but only a smile Takes away your pain and trial And pick your trouble's pile And let you smile, smile and smile. Seema Chowdhury J

Bowling Makes Me Smile

I love to bowl – I love the movement and the action of the balls and pins.  I love watching the others around me bowl, some great, some not so great.  I love watching families and people having a good time and cheering each other on and trying to help each other figure out why they spend so much time in the gutters.

I have two really great bowlers in my family – they are the best bowlers I know, they are so good, I consider them part of my 15 minutes of fame.  One is my 87 year old mother-in-law (you read that correctly) and the other is my husband.  They have fantastic averages and they are fun to watch because they are so smooth and in control and consistent too. 

We went bowling today – the day after Thanksgiving – and these two unbelievable bowlers got beat – at least in the first game by…….ME!!!  It was a great game and I won by 12 pins.  I really think this smile will last a long time. 

Yep, still smiling…..

J

Happy Thanksgiving

We are celebrating a special day in America.  I suppose it shouldn’t be just one day in America – thanksgiving should be a part of every day of our lives wherever we are.

I am thankful for too many things to list here…but I am thankful for my family – past, present, and future.  For friends who love you even though you struggle sometimes, for perspective that can change and bring new light to dark thinking.  I am thankful for the beauty all around us, for good food and happy people to share it.  I am thankful for each new day.

I am thankful for the challenges too – because without the challenges, the wonderful things wouldn’t be so wonderful.  Those difficult things we all go through teach us so much, and help us to become richer, fuller, better people.

Happy giving of thanks…for the tangible and the intangible – so many things that make me smile!

J

Thrifty Thinking

I love thrift stores.  It’s not so much about buying things – it’s really about the hunt.  To me it’s a treasure hunt.  First of all, it’s amazing what people give away, sometimes, really nice things!  Secondly, why would I pay full price when I could pay a fourth of the price for the same product which is still in good condition?

So, it’s a hunt, for the unusual, the expensive, and the really nice things that people give away.  I enjoy the hunt!  You have to go in knowing that you may not find what you’re looking for, or anything worth keeping at all.  Once and awhile, though, you come away with some treasures and that’s a very happy thing!

The price is nice too; I can go “shopping” in every sense of the word, look through the furniture department, the clothing department, the kitchen department, the art, books and craft departments and barely spend a $20.  When people ask where I got that beautiful jacket, or skirt or whatever, I usually just say at my favorite department store….they never seem to need more information! 

Today thrift store shopping has become “green.”  It’s a way to reuse things that aren’t used up and that’s good for the environment.  I won’t argue with that either.

We have a store near our home that boasts “4000 New Items Everyday” – and I believe it.  The store is clean and well-organized and if I don’t find anything today, there will be four thousand new things for me to look through tomorrow. 

Thankfully, for this Thanksgiving time, I have been blessed with three women staying in my home who love thrift store shopping too – it’s even more fun when you have friends along – and it makes me smile!

J

I have a piano...

I have a piano.  It’s a nice piano and I really love having it in my house.  Unfortunately, my piano doesn’t get a lot of playing.  When Jen comes home for a visit, my piano is happy.  Those are some of my happiest times too!

When she comes home for a visit, everyone gets a hug, but within minutes she’s sitting down and playing the piano – and it’s wonderful!

Jen has a way of playing the piano that makes you feel it; I mean really feel the notes and the melody.  There’s a lot of emotion in her playing and I love it.  She tends to play several melodies over and over while she’s here, locking them in my brain for months.  Thankfully – for months!

When she has to return to her home, those songs in my head bring me a bit of sadness, but there is happiness too.  Fortunately, they seem to last in my head until she returns to plant them again.

Right now those songs are beginning to find the crevices of my heart and mind and fill them with appreciation and smiles.

J

Anticipation

As hard as it is for me to have a couple of my kids living far away, there is a smile on my face as I anticipate their arrival for a visit.  I try to focus on good time with them while they are here. I try to concentrate on listening and enjoying their new adventures and fresh perspectives.  I try very hard not to think about their departures. 

I have a lot to do in preparation today, cleaning and vacuuming, making beds and making food.  All of these chores take on an exciting new purpose when they are for loved ones coming from far places. 

Thinking about all the work that has to be done today and then the multiple airport runs and especially all the hugs and warmth and happiness in the house this week really makes me smile!

J

Smile for the Biscotti

Since my post with the muffin recipe was such a big hit, I thought I’d give you another one today – this biscotti recipe is pretty straight-forward.  No trick here – just good biscotti.  This recipe makes a lot – plenty to share with a friend….a sure way to see a smile!

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces butter 1 3/4 cups white sugar 6 eggs 1 teaspoon anise extract (or other) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 8 ounces chopped almonds - I don't put in the dough

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time; beat until fluffy. Stir in the anise and vanilla extracts. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; Add them to the egg mixture along with the chopped almonds. Stir with a spoon and as the dough comes together, Knead by hand.
3.	Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each piece into a log about 15 inches long. Place logs onto cookie sheets, 2 to a sheet, the long way. Flatten the logs out until they are about 3 inches wide with a slight hump going down the middle. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, loaves should be firm. Cut the loaves into diagonal slices 1/2 inch wide, place the slices onto the cookie sheets and return to the oven. Toast on one side, and then turn them over to do the other side. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes. When cooled – dip in dipping chocolate or dipping vanilla melted disks.  Roll in nuts or other crumbled goodies – these are delicious! J

Think of Someone to Thank

This is kind of a follow-up to last Saturday’s post about appreciation banishing fear.  Sometimes, appreciation takes practice and so you may want to try this little exercise – in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday coming this next week.

From the book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all Small Stuff,

By Richard Carlson, Ph.D.:

“This simple strategy, which may take only a few seconds to complete, has long been one of the most important habits I have ever engaged in.  I try to remember to start my day thinking of someone to thank.  To me, gratitude and inner peace go hand in hand.  The more genuinely grateful I feel for the gift of my life, the more peaceful I feel.  Gratitude, then, is worthy of a little practice.

If you’re anything like me, you probably have many people in your life to feel grateful for:  friends, family members, people from your past, teachers, gurus, people from work, someone who gave you a break, as well as countless others.  You may want to thank a higher power for the gift of life itself, or for the beauty of nature.

As you think of people to be grateful for, remember that it can be anyone – someone who allowed you to merge into traffic, someone who held the door open for you, or a physician who saved your life.  The point is to gear your attention toward gratitude, preferably first thing in the morning.

I learned a long time ago that it’s easy to allow my mind to slip into various forms of negativity.  When I do, the first thing that leaves me is my sense of gratitude.  I begin to take the people in my life for granted, and the love that I often feel is replaced with resentment and frustration.  What this exercise reminds me to do is to focus on the good in my life.  Invariably as I think of one person to feel gratitude for, the image of another person pops into my head, then another and another.  Pretty soon I’m thinking of other things to be grateful for – my health, my children, my home, my career, the readers of my books, my freedom, and on and on it goes.

It may seem like a awfully simple suggestion, but it really works!  If you wake up in the morning with gratitude on your mind, it’s pretty difficult, in fact almost impossible, to feel anything but peace.”

Along with all these thoughts of gratitude, there's sure to be a smile or two!

J

Chalkboard

This last week, something was transformed in our home.  It changed a room dramatically and I think everyone really likes the change.

We painted a very boring, regular door from the family room into the garage.  I had painted it several years ago when I painted the family room, but this paint job was a lot more exciting!

We (I mean Ken) painted that door with chalkboard paint!  The entire door got two coats of black, chalkboard paint and it is glorious!  I bought some colored chalk and some white chalk and an eraser and now I have a place to display artwork.

It didn’t take very long, first there was a large smiley face with a funny eye, then there were a couple of little smileys, then there was a very colorful and well-drawn image of Link from “The Legend of Zelda”, then there was a rabbit….all of these pictures drawn by different people! 

I know this door will be a big hit with all the kids (young and old) who come to my house to visit – I hope they all take a turn adding something wonderful to my chalkboard door – who knows I may just have to do a whole wall or something!

That door and the thought of happy graffiti decorating my family room makes me smile!

J

Joy

Something that always makes me smile during this time of year is all the many ways people use my name to advertise.  I've seen my name at coffee shops, burger joints and BMW has an ad right now that says, "Joy is BMW."  Actually, in my life - in the automobile department - "Joy is Honda."  

JY

I have many signs around my house that say, "JOY" - some in my sewing room, one in the office and one in the bedroom.  Some of my favorite things are coffee mugs - I even have a couple with my name on them!  

Joy is an interesting name, I've been asked many times before, "Are you joyful because of your name, or did they name you Joy because you were joyful?"  That's a difficult one to answer - as far as I know, my parents didn't wait long enough to really know before they named me Joy....so maybe it's something to live up to.  I like to think it helps me look at things from a joyful perspective, but I know that doesn't happen all the time.  

So, I'll take it as it comes, I'll keep trying to see the little "joys" in every day - especially during this time of year when my name is plastered everywhere.  Thankfully, even though it's a bit over-used, it still makes me smile!

J

Patience

My husband is a painter, he paints pictures of cityscapes, sea turtles, and he’s even done a few portraits.  His paintings are beautiful!  My favorite part of his paintings is how the picture comes into view on the canvas.  Every day there is more and more of the total picture coming into focus.

It’s like that too with my quilts and other sewing projects.  Large pieces of fabric are cut into smaller pieces and then sewn back into colorful works of art. 

The process is something that requires patience – which isn’t very easy to have sometimes, but when working with art it becomes part of its beauty.  

The finished project is always fantastic, but it’s the creation or the process of something beautiful that makes me smile!

J

Catcher

So, Buster Posey, from the San Francisco Giants, won the Rookie of Year award.  I have to say, that made me smile!  He was a lot of fun to watch in the post season as well as in the World Series.

Buster is a well-rounded player; he was one of their clean-up batters as well as their catcher.  What really made me smile was what his coach said about him, “Here’s a guy that hit in the heart of our order, handling our pitching staff.  We threw a lot at him, but what a great job he did…”

“We threw a lot at him…”  He’s a catcher – catchers have a lot thrown at them.  What makes me smile is that we are all catchers in one way or another.  We have a lot thrown at us, some good, some difficult.  Success comes to each of us as we catch what’s thrown to us and do our best to deal with it.

None of us will likely ever win “Rookie of the Year,” but we each have a chance every day to do a great job with whatever is thrown our way.  It’s a challenge, but next time something is thrown my way and I’m juggling with it or struggling with it, I will think of Buster Posey and smile.

J

Bonjour

It’s true if you look for smiles in everything you do – you will definitely find them!  Here’s a smile from a slice of French bread…..

It’s like he’s saying, “Bonjour, mon ami!”

I was getting ready to do some baking when I looked down and saw him smiling up at me from his cozy, little sandwich bag.  “Good morning to you too, my sweet,” I said. 

Then I snapped his picture before he ran away with the butter. ….

Happy Monday everyone!

J

Sunshine

As much as I love the rain, there’s something about sunshine in November that makes everything brighter.  We are gearing up for Thanksgiving at my house and it’s pretty cool to think we not only can decorate the inside of the house, we can plant new flowers outside.

While I know many people are raking leaves this time of year, I’m happy that I don’t have that chore, and I’m even happier to buy and plant new flowers that will keep blooming all through the winter here in the Bay Area and stay beautiful in a perennial way.

Today, I’m washing my new Thanksgiving fabric and preparing to paint the canvas of my home with leaves, turkeys and pumpkins and I’ll also be out in the 74° weather planting the colorful flowers to brighten my flower beds.

Today, more than one thing is making me smile!

J

Fear vs. Appreciation

Fear vs. Appreciation

Fear is a natural part of being human.  We all fear, sometimes it comes in disguises such as anxiety or  insecurity.  It would be great to have something to counter that fear – in whatever form it plagues us. 

Dan Baker, Ph.D., author of What Happy People Know, states, “It is a fact of neurology that the brain cannot be in a state of appreciation and a state of fear at the same time…..Thus, appreciation is the antidote to fear.”

Something that I try to do when I’m feeling fearful or anxious is to consider at least five things I’m thankful for.  I write them down or say them out loud or just mull them over in my mind. 

Feeling appreciative can banish fear of all kinds and it’s bound to make you smile too!

J

Crossword

My family enjoys crossword puzzles.  Everyone seems to get in on the fun of figuring out what the clues mean and filling in the boxes.  Of course, our different ages lend themselves to different pieces of knowledge – so we all seem to learn something new.

The young guys know the names of the Simpson’s characters, games and popular comedians and musicians. The older ones can come up with the answers to historical clues and the more technical questions.

There have been many reports about how doing crossword puzzles is good for your brain – it’s good to think outside the box, so to speak, and work on the skill of thinking and recalling bits of information. 

When you have a chance, start a crossword puzzle, leave it out on the kitchen table with an erasable pen and let any and all who see it add their two-bits.  Soon, you will be engaged in some interesting conversations, increased knowledge, and without a doubt a smile or two.

J

Eggnog

Do you remember eggnog?  Not the stuff they sell as eggnog in the stores today, but the real eggnog with eggs and milk and sugar and maybe a little vanilla and nutmeg sprinkled on top?  I remember eggnog – I loved eggnog, I thought it was one of the wonderful things in the world when I was a kid.

Today, eggnog is a processed drink, it has all kinds of flavorings and thickeners added and it just doesn’t taste the same.  Most people don’t make their own anymore because of Mr. Salmonella.

Last week we found ourselves in a Starbucks where the praises of eggnog were being discussed by the crew.  Starbucks is gearing up for their eggnog lattes and such.  One gal was saying how disgusting eggnog was, and another guy countered with, “Eggnog is heaven.”

We got our drinks and headed for the condiment bar when the guy who thought eggnog was “heaven” tried to end the argument by asking the gal to remember how in the Bible, Moses turned water into eggnog.

He didn’t see us leaving, but as we went out the door we were smiling from ear to ear…..

J

Perfect Stranger

This morning we decided to walk around Lake Chabot.  It’s about 5 minutes from our house and it really is a gorgeous place to walk.  Many people use the trails for jogging, walking and biking and it’s a great place to greet people.  Nearly everyone we passed smiled and wished us good morning!

Since we drove to the lake this morning, my husband tucked his driver’s license into his pants pocket along with his cell phone.  We stopped at one location to take some pictures and his license dropped out.  We didn’t realize it was missing until we arrived at home – about an hour later.

We went back to the lake to see if we could find it – it would have been where we parked or where we stopped to take photos.  We checked at the entrance gate and also at the marina, it had not been turned in.

We headed up the trail to the place where we’d stopped before and searched everywhere.  No license!  We decided that Ken would continue up the trail and I would go back to the marina and leave our phone number in case someone found it and turned it in.

While coming back down the trail – without his license, a perfect stranger looked at him and smiled.  Ken knew it – this man had found his license, but before he could say anything, this man said, “Ken?”  Sure enough, he’d found it where we had stopped for photos and was planning on turning it in.  On their walk back down together, Ken learned a little bit about this fine gentleman, they talked and laughed together.  It was amazing. 

It’s a wonderful thing to realize that someone you don’t know was looking out for you the whole time.  It’s definitely something that makes you smile…..a perfect stranger!

J

GPS Can Be Scary

I had never used my GPS while I was driving. I’ve only used it to help my husband find his way while traveling. So when I had to travel across town I decided to give the GPS a try.

Before I left the Costco parking lot, I entered the destination. The eloquent GPS woman said, “Proceed to the nearest road.” Good, I can do that…

I got myself out onto the road and headed toward the signal. During that time, I completely lost track of the fact that the GPS unit was sitting next to me riding shot-gun. When I neared the light, a loud voice to the right of me said, “In 300 feet, turn right.” I jumped completely out of my seat! 

That wonderful GPS woman riding shot-gun helped me find my way across town, onto two major freeways, and into a neighborhood I had never been in…without incident and definitely with a smile on my face!

J

New Things

Last week I acquired several “new” things:  a new haircut, a new coffee maker, a new pattern, new fabric.  I’m not sure why all of these things came to me last week, but they gave me something else that is new – a new idea.

It’s very good for us as human beings to have “new” things.  For the writers out there, it might be a new idea or a new journal.  For the cooks and bakers, maybe a new pan or a new recipe; for those who work on cars, a new carburetor; the painters, new paint or brushes.  For those who are moving it’ll be a new place to live; new jobs for those out of work; new cameras or lenses for those who take photos.  Old things might be new things to those who collect antiques.  Maybe, if you are young or young at heart, a new toy or game.  If you are a student, maybe your “new” thing is a skill or accomplishment.  Plants, flowers, clothes, books, music, letters in the mail, neighbors, and the list could go on forever.

One of the best “new” things ever is a new box of crayons.  I still believe that there is something transforming and comforting about a new box of crayons.  

One of my mother’s favorite new things – which didn’t cost a cent – was a new furniture arrangement.  It was interesting to come home from school and see the whole house rearranged – it took some getting used to which is part of the reason “new” is good for us. 

Henry Ford said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” 

Sometimes, we all need “new” things to help us keep learning – to help us stay young.  A new perspective can be a wonderfully youthful thing, a new attitude can be life-changing, and how about a new friend.  These won’t cost us anything, which is why finding the “new” things in your life, is as close as a re-“new”-ed look at what you already have. 

I hope the “new” things in your life this week will make you smile.  Share them with me and others in the comment section of the blog – we will all smile experiencing each other’s “new(s)”.

J

Rain

It’s raining.  I love waking up to rain!  Thankfully it’s still raining, it’s a constant rain too, steady, soft, and wet.

I was born in the Seattle area – it rains a lot in Seattle.  I was raised in Oregon – it rains a lot in Oregon too, so I think that’s the reason that I love the rain, not only love it, but need it.  There is something about rain that clears out the smog – both in the atmosphere and in my mind. 

I live in a nearly  perfect climate; we have a lot of sunshine and blue skies.  I need those too, but a rainy day is so refreshing in so many ways, it makes me smile!

J

Turn A Life Around

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

~ Leo F. Buscaglia J

Baking Smiles

Baking, as some of you may know, makes me smile.  It’s part of who I am.  It’s a wonderful feeling to pop something into the oven and smell the glorious aroma that takes over the house.  My home often smells like a bakery – which also makes me smile and hopefully, my family and neighbors too!

Today, I’m going to share one of my “go-to” recipes.  This recipe is very versatile and easy and the finished product is perfect every time.

I do a lot of my baking on Friday – to me it’s one of the markers of the beginning of the weekend, it says….slow down, enjoy, rest.  So have a wonderful weekend and try this recipe – it’s sure to make you smile!


J

SOUR CREAM COFFEECAKE

1 c. butter – room temperature

1 ¼ c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add beaten eggs and blend well.  Add sour cream and vanilla.

2 c. flour (I use whole wheat)

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

Blend flour mixture into creamed mixture.  Pour half of the batter into prepared (greased) 10-cup bundt or tube pan.  Sprinkle half of topping evenly over batter.  Add remaining batter and top with remaining topping.  Bake for 1 hour at 350°.

Topping

¾ c. chopped nuts

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Variations

Most of the time I make this recipe into muffins.  I just use pan spray or muffin cups and scoop the batter into the cups.  Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the topping mixture and bake for about 18-20 minutes.

You can add blueberries, or other fruit to this recipe and it will be delicious!

My Quilting Ladies

Today is Thursday and I always smile on Thursdays!  I gather with about forty wonderful women in the afternoon and then about another forty wonderful women in the evening.


These ladies are artists…their palettes include wonderful colors and textures.  Fabrics and threads and pieces of yarn are used to create treasures for all time.  Some of their treasures make beds more comfy and beautiful, some hang on the walls in homes across the world.  Many tables around the country look better because of these women and their talent. 

We spend a lot of time talking and encouraging and helping each other.  We share our greatest joys and our most difficult trials with one another.  We reckon it’s about 90% therapy and 10% creativity.  The most important things we will ever make are strong relationships.  These will last a lifetime and beyond.  

These wonderful, generous, caring women create the most beautiful pieces of art, but most importantly they make time to share with others and in the process make a lot of people smile….including me!

J

Re-boot

Every so often I get a call from a dear friend.  We don’t talk very often, but when we do, it seems that we start right where we left off.  We don’t usually talk for very long and still there is oneness of mind and heart and a genuine appreciation for where we’ve been, where we are and where we are headed.

When we hang up we both feel better – we seem to be able to handle our challenges more patiently and we see our problems with a lot more perspective.

I don’t take it lightly that I enjoy many friends who fit this description.  It’s a rare thing in this world of technological wonders that a simple phone call and a loving voice can both encourage me and challenge me to do better. It’s like a person-to-person “re-boot” with fantastic results.

Thank you dear friend!  You make me smile!

J

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Smiles

Today I refer you to another blog - a photo blog.....where you will find at least a thousand smiles and maybe even a laugh or two!

http://glenniferjen.blogspot.com/2010/11/zoo.html

J

I'm Not A Cyclist

My husband is a cyclist, he rides bicycles and he’s very good at it, he also has the scars to prove that he’s put in his time to become good at it.  When compared to him, I am not a cyclist; however, I love to ride bikes! 

Yesterday we took the bikes out to a well-known trail.  It’s pretty flat and wide and you don’t have to worry about cars, etc.  We planned to start down that trail when we noticed a sign near where we parked.  “Alamo Creek Bike Trail” – that sounded wonderful, but I had a little fear creep in, not knowing what the trail would hold.  If it’s all uphill, ugh…would I be able to make it?

We took the Alamo Creek Trail – I’m a sucker for seeing new things!  It was very nice, winding and picturesque.  It took us along the Alamo Creek and into Alamo Creek Park which was beautiful and green.  As we wound around the park, we came to a gate which is locked up when the park is closed.  Looking up from the gate we could see a hill, a slight hill, a hill with marked speed bumps.  We couldn’t see what was on the other side, and that makes for some interesting thoughts when your legs are burning already and you have to decide which way to go.

Up we went, I kept thinking about how those speed bumps were taunting me, I mean, why would you need speed bumps going up hill?  Then I began to look at them as a bit of challenge/reward bump.  I challenged myself to get to the top of each one, and then basked in the reward of coming off of the other side with a bit of speed. 

I made it up that hill, in pretty good time too!  I’m still smiling because I made it, but more importantly, I’m smiling because when my husband looked back, he didn’t see me off my bike, walking up that hill, he saw me right behind him!  His smile made me smile!

J