Spring Cleaning

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.”
Erma Bombeck

Spring Cleaning

Today I took advantage of the gloomy weather and decided to do some cleaning out of the closets. I found lots of clothes and items to take to Goodwill to be repurposed.

I don’t have a lot of items that I hang on to, because about every six months, I go through and clean out my closets. But, I did have a lot of old paper work that needed to be trashed and also shredded.

It’s such a great feeling to get rid of all this excess baggage that I’ve been hanging on to. However, my back and sides are suffering a bit from all this spring cleaning.

Shine On

Looking Back

Posted on April 19, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
Dr. Seuss

Standing at the stern watching Catalina sail away.

The boat ride from Catalina to the mainland was quick. Getting back into the swing of things, well that didn’t take long either.

But, driving around today taking care of all my errands, I’m reminded how courteous and friendly everyone on Catalina is: It’s such a contrast to the Angeleno lifestyle.

So, I’m already planning my next return trip to captivating Catalina. Hopefully, my husband will be able to join me, and am looking forward instead of looking back.

Shine On

Hooting in the House

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“When cats run home and light is come,
And dew is cold upon the ground,
And the far-off stream is dumb,
And the whirring sail goes round,
And the whirring sail goes round;
Alone and warming his five wits,
The white owl in the belfry sits.”
Alfred Tennyson

The California Great Horned Owl

Late every evening, for the past two months I hear the sound of an owl hooting. To hear the owl clearly, you must be outside the front door. The calls from the owl are coming from the roof and echo and bounce off the outside walls of our nine story building.

Like a well tuned clock, the owls hooting begins at ten o’clock each night. Unfortunately, because I have night blindness and have no access to the roof, I have not actually seen this owl.

Being the owl fan I am, everyone I know has heard about this owl. They all look at me like I’m nuts and tell me “that’s nice.” My husband just thinks I have bats in my belfry. (That’s another post at another time.)

Last night when my owl buddy began to hoot, I turned to my husband and asked.

“Can you hear it? Can you hear it?”

“I don’t hear anything.” Said my husband.

I grabbed my husband by the hand, led him off the sofa, away from his car show to the front door and opened the door. We stood at the door for a few seconds, and then the owl gave his distinguished hoot. We both listened as the owl hooted several times.

I was excited as a school girl that my husband had finally witnessed the hoots from my visiting friend. Excited that we had shared the sounds from one of natures most majestic creatures. On the other hand, my husband didn’t share my excitement and just replied “that’s nice”, and returned to the sofa and his car show.

To me its the little things in life that make me happy and give me hope. I love nature and all its wonder. Why has this owl chose our building? Is it because it is the tallest spot facing the ocean? Is it because his hooting echo’s and carries farther for other owls to hear and find him?

I’d like to believe the arrival of this owl and his hooting every night is a sign. A sign of hope. A sign of all the good to come. A sign of wisdom and what knowledge can bring.

But, that is the never-ending romantic in me. For whatever the reason this owl arrived at our building, I’m enjoying all the hooting in the house.

Shine On

Our Lives

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth,
so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind.
To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again.
To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over
the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”
Henry David Thoreau

On my afternoon walk, I noticed that the city of Redondo Beach added more mosaics to the pillars along the Esplanade. I took some photos and just had to share these beautiful works of art. Click on the pictures to see a more detailed photo of the mosaic.

Shine On

The Nitty-Gritty

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Successful organizing is based on the recognition
that people get organized because
they too have a vision.”
Paul Wellstone

My First PDA, the Palm Pilot circa 1997.

I like to think of myself as a very detail oriented person. Making “TO DO” lists daily helps me to keep on top of everything. I’m proud to say, rarely does anything fall through the cracks. Also, crossing off each accomplishment throughout my day, gives me great satisfaction when I complete a task.

In the past I used a “Day Runner”. Some of you might remember this company from the 1970s. I actually carried around two of these notebooks, one for work and one for personal appointments.

Then in 1997 my thoughtful husband noticed how much these notebooks weighted me down, so he bought me my first PDA, a “Palm Pilot”. This device was basically the forerunner of the Apple iPhone. This little device held all my work and personal information in one hand with a touch of a stylus-pen (the little pointy-thing).

Enter the new millennium where I began using applications on my laptop, my iPhone, and then my iPad to keep me organized. I very rarely use a pen and paper any more as a “TO DO” list. I’ve probably saved a hundred trees by not writing things down.

This brings me to my husband. He seems to have an aversion to writing down his “TO DOs”. He barks his list at me and wants me to “write it down” for him. Sometimes, when we are in the car and he gives me some tasks to take care of, and it doesn’t get added to my digital “TO DOs”, his request goes in one ear and out the other.

I kinda resolved this problem. I handed him a spiral notepad and a pen. He has been starting to write some things down to remind me, but I still have to tell him, “if it ain’t written down, it ain’t gonna get done”. My mind can’t seem to remember all the details of everyday life, unless he writes it down or I input it into one of my digital devices.

Got to run. My husband just phoned and gave me a task to take care of for him, and he asked me to “write it down” for him.

Excuse me while I get down to the nitty-gritty.

Shine On