Claim Jumping

Thank you all so much for your comments, e-mails and phone calls. Each and every one of them is dear to me because of the love and concern that prompted them. While it may be hard to understand...just knowing that y'all are in my corner is helping me to heal...that and my faith. Knowing my savior sees to all my needs is humbling.

Silly as it sounds, one thing that has helped is going back and reading comments on old posts. Rereading the words and seeing the names of those who have had my back from the get-go was comforting. It was also wonderful seeing new names pop up who became old friends. I'm hoping 2011 provides even more.

I wish I had more to post on, but this past Saturday was the first time I've really ventured out...then the snow came! So unless y'all want to hear about my cleaning secrets...I got nothin'. I guess y'all know what that means...doncha? Yeppers...it's SQUIRREL TIME.

I spent time each night secretly visiting y'all. I'm sorry I wasn't leaving comments, but sadly the words just weren't gushing out. I did take notice of what seemed to be THE main gift this year...new cameras and lenses. Seems photography is the new thing in blogland, but people I gotta tell ya...it ain't my bag. I can play around on Picnik with the best of them, but I'm just too old to learn any new tricks. Wait...let me rephrase that...I'm too old to want to! That my friends is the beauty of aging gracefully. One is expected to be a tad dotty, outspoken and outrageous...traits I intend to totally embrace in 2011. That said...here goes!

I had fully intended to do a post on my lofty ambitions for twenty-eleven, complete with the word "change" to represent what I hoped to accomplish. Jakie's passing New Year's Day changed all that...and me.

While visiting blogs and seeing the changes that were occurring on them, I came very close to closing mine down. I thought to myself...now how on earth can I compete with all these beautiful photos and wonderful layouts. Who is gonna want to come and read some crazy lady's rants when she can't even take an in focus shot? Is this one of the changes I'd have to make to entice new followers? Was I going to have to rethink (and y'all know how much I hate thinking) and change my whole style of blogging to get to be one of the cool kids or at least get to sit at their table as a tag-along? Then it hit me...or rather I hit myself. Deb (I asked myself), when you started blogging what were your reasons? Easy question to answer. I started blogging for simple reasons. To create an identity for myself that didn't begin with Debbieanddanny (always said as one word), to promote our business, journal memories for my family, and finally, to have fun...lots of it. Along the way I found a voice and a love for words...not just in reading them, but in writing them. It certainly wasn't to create work for myself and trying to change my blog would require a lot of work that I'm not ready to put in (have I mentioned I'm a little lazy?).

I'll be 60 (gasp!) this coming May. Hard to believe I know...don't look a day past 55...right? Point being, at this stage of life...I don't want to change to fit in. I like me...maybe a little too much and I enjoy living the life I've been given. In the words of the great Popeye...I y'am what I y'am. I refuse to offer up anything less than the real me and I pray when we get to meet face to face, you find I'm the same person you've read.

To repeat myself, therein lies the real beauty of aging...no fear of offending. At my age, I can say what I want and do what I want and I double dog dare you to try and stop me. I'm going to continue to write as I darn well please, with my tongue fully ensconced within my cheek (or as a dear reader said, with it sticking out at the world) and I may or may not improve my photo skills (never isn't in my vocabulary), but if I do...it'll be 'cause I want to...not 'cause I have to! One thing for sure I will be doing is not posting as often. I found by not being on the computer as much these past days...a lot more got done around the Casita de Trash...a lot more!

My epiphany really came while staring out the window of my office last week. I watched the squirrels jumping from tree limb to tree limb...never stopping to wonder if the limbs would hold them or if they'd even make it. It reminded me of how Jakie would jump when my oldest melonhead would pat his chest. Jake never stopped to question whether Joey would catch him or even doubted OM would...he just jumped and ran straight up Joey's legs to a pair of waiting arms and a hug.

This is the word I've chosen for the new year...JUMP!

In 2011 I intend to jump start my life, jump on it whenever possible, to jump and jive without breaking a hip, to high jump life hurdles, jump outta a cake, but never off a ledge, and to jump for joy. I don't intend to jump the shark, jump the gun, jump to conclusions, jump ship just 'cause the going gets rough, jump off a cliff...just 'cause everyone else is doing it, or jump on the bandwagon. Heck...I'm gonna try and be the bandwagon!

I may jump off track from time to time...but that won't be a surprise to anyone...including me! I promise up and down to jump right back!

Y'all are the jumper cables of this part of my life and if you care to join me...when I say jump...you say how high!

The sky's the limit!

I'll close with a little of one of my favorite songs and a quote.

~I could hurt someone like me, out of spite and jealousy

I don't steal and I don't lie, but I can feel and I can cry

A fact I'll bet you never knew, but to cry in front of you

That's the worst thing I could do."~Rizzo-Grease

~I have just met you, and I love you~Dug-UP (I know this is what Jake was saying to me the first day we met and he chose me.)