The Downtown Farmhouse

I was recently going through old blog posts that were in “Drafts.” I sometimes get an idea but never finish it.

This morning, my heart was heavy so I turned on some worship music and started my day.

Clean the shower

Order new lights for pool house

Put crap away (does the crap multiply where you live?)

Fold the towels for the pool house (yea this must be added to the list. There are a lot of towels)

Figure out what’s for dinner

Mundane stuff, right?

Stop for a second and remember something I read this week.

This was from an excerpt in a book I read years ago and it recently came to my attention again:

“ I tell them all the same thing each time: sit in the chair and answer the questions, but do it with your hands palms up the whole time. I tell them to literally have the backs of their hands on their knees and their palms toward the bottom of the table. I’m very serious about this. In fact, I threaten to kick them in the shins if I look down and they don’t have their palms up. When their palms are up, they have an easier time being calm, honest, and accurate. And this is important, because it’s harder for them to get defensive. When people get angry or defensive they tend to make mistakes. But nobody can be defensive with their palms up. Go ahead and try it. Right now, wherever you are. Set your hands on your knees and turn your palms toward the sky. You can try the opposite too. Clinch your fists. Most people could get angry at a grapefruit when their fists are clinched. Something about the hardwiring that God gave each of us links the position of our bodies and position of our hearts. I’m not sure why we’re wired this way, but I rarely have a client get frustrated or confused or get tempted to exaggerate or tell a lie when his palms are up. I learned this technique from Jesus actually. I used to walk around with my fists clinched, defensive, afraid people were going to take advantage of me. There are also many evils in the world that caused me to clinch my fists. I wanted to be angry and swing at the horrible things people do to one another, especially the things done to kids. But it was Jesus who taught me there was nothing I could really lose if I had Him. He taught me to be palms up, just like He was. Palms up means you have nothing to hide and nothing to gain or lose. Palms up means you are strong enough to be vulnerable, even with your enemies. Even when you have been tremendously wronged. Jesus was palms up, to the end. When people ask me what it looks like to follow Jesus, I usually say that following Him looks like dealing with all of the issues everyone else does—disappointments, tremendous joy, uncertainty, the whole bit—and having your mind change all the time as you learn how Jesus would’ve dealt with things. Following Jesus is about having your paradigms shift as you navigate a wide range of emotions while living the big life Jesus invites us into. Because I know Jesus, where I once thought of things in one way, now I think of them in another way. It happens all the time, every day. Jesus seemed to say that a lot Himself. He would say, “You once thought this, but now I tell you that it’s different.” And through the many paradigm shifts I’ve had following Jesus, the one that seems to universally apply is that we should be palms up.”

Stop Charma.

Stop your brain from swirling

Stop thinking about your TO DO list as mundane and boring as it is.

Stop just for a second

Place your hands on your knees palms up.

I’m praying for my friend who sees her cancer Dr today.

Pray for her Mom, the caregiver and the person who keeps it all together currently.

Praying for my family:

My traveling husband and for his safety.

Praying for my kids and their kids. Life is BIG right now.

Praying for my friends

Praying for decisions currently in the pipeline of life.

I pray for a coworkers grandson who will be having surgery this afternoon.

So often I wonder if praying is enough when it seems like tangible would be so much bigger and better. But Palms up allows us the vulnerability to hear what God is telling us.

He will lead us to what’s next.

He will give us strength we need to continue

Palms up is kind of scary but I’m all in.

Sleep didn’t come easy last night.

Nothing astounding happened but sometimes the brain swirls and doesn’t rest well.

I’m planning an event and while I can’t share details yet…it’s a doozy.

It needs to be perfect.

It needs to raise a lot of money.

It needs to do a lot of things.

It’s really REALLY important.

I’m not so good at new. I like the feelings of familiar. but directly opposite of that, I love a new project.

Hey babe, let’s sell the RV and get another one to renovate.

Hey!! Let’s sell the golf cart that we JUST finished and get another one. Maybe bigger and holds more people!

Let’s build this!

Let’s go here!

How about if we rest?

How about if we enjoy the RV?

Let’s go on a golf cart ride?

Let’s sit on the porch and swing.

Let’s swim and maybe float around on a Sunday afternoon.

Let’s play a game (candy land is the current favorite)

I watch as life speeds by like a locomotive. Time stops for no one and while I like new things, I love the comfort of knowing where my head hits the pillow each night.

I love knowing I have people I can count on.

I love the daily grind of laundry, food prep and housework (love might be a stretch)

I love old friends and making new.

I’m really trying hard to sit in today. Not rush to later, tomorrow or even next week. It’s not easy but I read recently that shorts cuts aren’t for anything worth doing well.

Happy Monday friends. I’m heading south for a couple of days to spend time with old friends.

They are worth it

I write on this page because I want to remember.

Life is a blur most days and while not every event is worthy to remember, sometimes an extraordinary thing happens and each and every year when it comes up in the memory section of social media, I want to remember.

Yesterday was Tuesday. Anyone that knows me, knows that a group of women meet at my house. Sometimes it’s 15 women and sometimes it’s 5. No matter the size, it’s usually a blast. We laugh like nobody’s business, we share stories, we share heartache. We do life together, we pray for one another. One person usually goes through life with a few people you can really count on. I am blessed to have more than a few.

Yesterday we sat around the pool house table. We have a sweet friend who is currently in treatment for an illness. We sign up to bring the family food and to help in anyway we can. Most of the time, there’s nothing to do but wait for news.

It’s hard to sit and wait.

I asked one of our girls to bring communion items and anointing oil yesterday.

I looked for something to anoint to give to our sweet friend. Annointing with oil is a physical way of expressing a spiritual truth. We belong to God and have committed ourselves wholly into His care.

A golden girls blanket might seem like an odd choice but there is significance.

Here is the note I wrote to go along with the blanket

“My dearest friend,

As we spoke of you this Tuesday morning, there was so much love. There was kindness and concern. There was love and care.
I can’t really explain how a table full of women can fill space the way they do. It is a genuine feeling of care that I can not really put my finger on. You have experienced it, and while at this moment you are unable to participate, know that without a shadow of a doubt, you are here.
Your wit.
Your banter.
Your knowledge.
Your openness and honesty.
Your strenth.
Your tenancity.
Your bravery.
Your beauty.

All of you.

This morning we shared communion together as a group. It was so lovely. We then decided we wanted to give you something.
Something that when you wrap yourself in it, you can know that you are thought of, prayed for and so very loved.

I fought for this Golden Girls blanket at a white elephant gift exchange at Kate’s house this year. The moment I saw it, I wanted it.
Charitys boyfriend Craig also wanted it. I thought I might have to fight him for it and he doesnt know me very well. I might be small in stature, and he most certainly is not, but my Daddy used to call me “Tiny but Tough” and I would show him my toughness if he thought he was going to get this blanket. I don’t know why I wanted it so badly then, but I for sure know why now!
The Golden Girls resinates with my girlfriends. my porch girls, my closest lady friends, the fiercest of women whom I am honored to be friends with. Today this blanket is yours my wonderful friend. as you battle…….know you are not alone. you have your golden girls (porch girls) in your corner with their boxing gloves on ready to stand beside you, or in front of you, or in your place. The blanket has been anointed with frankencense oil. As you smell the sweet aroma of the oil, remember who loves you.
God first
your family
your friends
so many that you could never count high enough.

We love you so much today on this day and so many more,
Charma and all the porch girls.”

Today, the day after the blanket was delivered, I sit on the porch thinking of our friend. I’m never alone so Luke sits with me while I type this note to myself. We have prayed together and listened to a couple of songs that are currently on repeat.

Today on this beautiful day, celebrate the goodness.

Whatever that may be.

One time

Two times

Three times

Four times

I’m 4 days post op back surgery today. I remember telling a friend a couple of weeks ago that I would be back to normal in a week.

I just knew it.

Boy was I wrong.

I’m doing pretty good. But normal in a week?

I think not.

I walked around the block today and already made it around the driveway 8 times, two different times.

I mostly sit on the ice pack and walk. I’m busy trying to get through Gilmore Girls. When in the world are Luke and Lorelei going to finally get together?

I’m NOT a good sitter and while I walk, I see things I want to do. I know I can’t, but a girl can make a list right?

Our driveway shows a plethora of items I love and can’t wait to get back to.

Steve is repairing some wood rot on the front porch. I’m usually the wood cutter for him.

My ever faithful Duke the Labrador follows me around each and every time. He’s so cute and is a really good boy.

I scheduled camping time for the end of the year. With gas prices being what they are, it looks like we will be staying close to home this summer

Dads favorite blackberry bushes are producing great this year. They got moved to the side yard and little boys love to look every single day for the ripe ones

Every time I circle around the driveway, I see the hands of the ones I love. They were created in 2019 so there are some missing 😍

#266 is getting a mini makeover as soon as I’m cleared to work.

I want to make a mini library book swap in the front yard soon.

My list is increasing. as well as my will to get busy.

Happy Saturday!

I found out late Friday night that Uncle Harless met Jesus.

While I know most people call them James and Dorothy, I’m sorry but that just doesn’t work for me.

My sweet cousin made a call to tell me the news. While I know Uncle Har had been suffering with poor health for a while now, when you hear the news, it’s still a shock. I immediately went to Moms house, which is down the hall and through a door, to share with her the news. She actually grabbed her chest. Uncle Har is her brother in law and I’ve always felt that Aunt Toots and Har were second parents.

My immediate thought was that my Dad met Uncle Harless at heavens gates and welcomed him with a giant bear hug and a “welcome home” brother. Tears of joy filled my eyes while tears of sadness filled my heart thinking of my sweet aunt bearing the sorrow of losing her husband of 73 years. So much of their lives spent together, raising a family and enjoying retirement.

While I spoke with Joy and Toots on Saturday morning we spoke of all the things needed to be done on the first day of her new normal. It will not feel like normal today or for weeks and months to come, maybe never. I shared that I wished I could be there but she was in good hands with Joy because the girl can boss around the best of them.

Aunt T spoke of how the old had to learn how to live a new way.

Joy and I spoke of being of “Medium” age and she mentioned how she and her co-workers call it “living in the crack.”

Huh? What exactly is living in the crack?

She said that it could go either way. You can be living in the crack of fine china or you can be living in the crack of a nasty crack that everyone knows what I’m referring to and doesn’t want to talk about. Somethings you have the ability to choose and sometimes you are dealt what you get.

I’ve always referred to it as living in the dash. The dash between your birthdate and your death date.

Uncle lived his dash to the fullest.

He always loved me. He always made me feel like I was the most important person in the room. I remember his love of electronics. He played a mean game of volleyball and he and dad were very competitive at horseshoes and don’t even get me started on his harmonica. I believe that his playing brought such joy to others but it also gave him great happiness. Harless played for people but he really played for Jesus. He would sit on the platform at church and I would watch him ooze with happiness. Jesus gives us our gifts and talents and Harless used his for good.

Uncle Har always was so anxious to show me his new invention or creation.

The last time we were at their house we rode around in his new golf cart and he was like a little kid showing me all its bells and whistles.

I am so guilty of wanting the next best thing to come instead of relishing in the present. Every time someone leaves us, I want to be better about telling those around me how important they are to me.

How my life is better with them in it.

Not waste a minute on unimportant things and fill my life full of joy and abundance. Not abundance of things but abundance of fun, joy, hard work doing the things I love, visiting places near and far, sitting on the floor and talking to my grand boys and letting them know how much I dearly love them. Sharing with my children the joy they have brought to my life. Listening to my Mom as she relishes in her golden years. Spending time with my guy.

I fail every day but today I think back on how much Uncle James “Harless “ Ratliff meant to me, I’m mad at myself for not telling him more often.

But then I smile because I think he knew.

Heaven is a brighter place today , if that’s possible, with Uncle Harless there.

Give dad a hug from me. Give love to Mammaw and Pappaw and all the aunt uncles and cousins.

Heavens promises are real and one day all the loved ones that I miss today will meet me at the gate.

I’ll be the one with the big smile.

We just returned from a week long vacation with friends. One whole week, everyday with the same people.

For us…..it worked.

Find people that have the same likes.

Are in the same season of life as you.

While no one has the exact same tastes, our travel partners were easy. We gravitated towards the same foods, the same excursions and most nights, except for one, we were tired at the same time. One evening, they “put the kids to bed” and went to the bar. We ordered room service and watched a movie.

I have been nursing an injury and sometimes I needed to stop and rest. I was so afraid of being a nuisance or the invalid that couldn’t keep up with everyone else. I did not ever feel “less than.” I felt cared for and loved by not only my guy, who is always caring for me but also our traveling friends who were so considerate and understanding of limitations.

Our first day in Providence Rhode Island, Becky was entering the next stop into the Maps. The directions said it was a longer trip than what we were expecting. I double checked the address and my Maps said it was 3 minutes away.

What was wrong??? How could there be such a discrepancy?

Always make sure you put DRIVING into your maps instead of WALKING.

Our last hotel had a Starbucks coffee bar area on every floor. Nice! I decided one morning to hop over to make some coffee. Steve was in the shower. I was still in Jammie’s, no glasses, no bra (TMI) but our room was really close, it was early and I guaranteed myself that no one would be there.

Well I was wrong.

It wasn’t a coffee pot to pour from. It was a dang machine I had to pick the coffee bean, the size cup and all sorts of ridiculousness. I couldn’t see a thing and of course a woman, looking like she had it ALL TOGETHER came to the machine while I’m squinting and tying to figure out what the heck I’m doing.

She also decides to ask me all sorts of questions while we stand there. Me, completely embarrassed by my appearance. Of course she is from Orlando and we are on the same flight the next day.

Always wear a bra to the hotel coffee bar.

Makeup is unwanted and very unnecessary on vacation.

We determined that it didn’t take much to amuse us

Your people at home will miss you.

Little boys and their parents would check in often and send funny pictures. Luke was throwing a tantrum because he wanted to see Nana. He fell asleep on the floor in front of her door. He had been running a fever and we try and protect Nana from little kids germs as much as possible.

My Porch girls met at the old house even when I wasn’t there. That is dedication and the “want” to still be together. I loved it and it made my heart swell.

Today we are home. Amidst loads of laundry, picking up contact lenses, treating the pool for a shade of green it acquired and so many other things that need attention.

The big house welcomed us with all its glory. Little boy hugs, big people greetings of “we missed you.”

No matter where we go or what we do…..home is still my favorite place.

We started out this morning with breakfast at the best little restaurant directly across from our hotel.

The Rigby Yard used to be a Train Depot. I might have taken a few inspirations pictures to recreate at home.

We left just in time for a Portland Tour on a 1972 Ferrara pumper. The weather was a little chilly for us Florida people but it was really fun and an informative excursion.

We looked across the street after being let off the fire truck and knew we needed a snack from the Standard Baking Company. Fresh croissants and cookies filled the spot.

Our next stop was the Portland Ferry which took us to Peak island full of vacation homes for the rich!

Our last stop of the day was to Becky’s Diner. It would be a crime to leave Portland without honoring our very own traveling partner Becky O’Connor.

It has a been a fantastic week full of so much fun, laughter and a few surprises.

Next Stop: Home 💙💙💙

We left Bangor this morning and headed to the last leg of our adventure.

We stopped at Judy’s for breakfast. We love a good dive. Who knew people drank beer at breakfast….No judging here.

We drove into Portland Maine (which took just over 2 hours).

We stopped into our hotel to see if we could check in early. We GET TO stay at this super bougie hotel. I wonder if my traveling mates will be embarrassed when I ask the hotel desk what color the walls are painted because I MUST know.

Driving in Portland is not the funnest so we set off on foot to explore. We are close to the water and found a piece of the Berlin Wall

Some magnificent boats

While we strolled, we stopped and asked a local artist selling her art where we should eat dinner. Her name was Lisa. As we got to know her, her son called and spoke of how he was so proud of the pot roast he was making.

And so we ate here:

Dimillo’s on the water.

A large boat converted into a restaurant.

It was yummy.

Clam chowder, bacon wrapped scallops, lobster stew, lazy lobster (already cut up) fish and blueberry cobbler were some of the items we enjoyed.

A side sorry:

We had purchased a few souvenirs and wanted to return them to the hotel room prior to dinner. The men took the packages upstairs while Becky and I sat outside on a planter. As we chatted, a gentlemen down the sidewalk from us, stood up, dropped his cellphone and stumbled, almost falling into the road . He is able to gather his balance and starts to stumble again. He loses his balance over and over again and starts to stumble towards where we are sitting. I believe my eyes are very wide by this time. Becky leans over to me and says “hold onto your ………” She realized I don’t have a purse. The man almost falls onto my lap but lands immediately next to me sitting down. We can instantly smell that he has had A LOT to drink. We gather our things and go inside the hotel. Upon leaving the hotel and walking towards where the man was, he had fallen into the planter bed and was asleep. He was breathing Thank God.

When we returned from dinner, he was no longer there but left his indentions

As I sat to write my thought from today, I’m able to look outside and see the prettiest of brick buildings with Ivy growing on it.

It was a lovely day.

Tomorrow will be our last day in Portland.

We drove from Quechee Vermont to Mount Washington New Hampshire this morning. It was just a little over two hours.

We rode the Mount Washington Cog Railway. The Cog (train) will take us to the Mount Washington Summit, the highest peak in the Northeast.

The Cog is the first mountain-climbing cog railway in the world. With an average grade of 25% (some sections approach nearly 38%), it’s also the second steepest! Motive power is primarily provided by a fleet of seven powerful biodiesel locomotives, each custom designed, built and maintained on site. It was such a great day. You can read more here if you are interested in the Cog ride.

https://www.thecog.com

We headed to Jackson NH for the evening. We are staying at the Eagle Mountain House and Golf Club.

We ate dinner at an Irish pub and ended the evening with ice cream. It’s funny how 80 degrees in NH might as well be 100 for the New Englanders.

Tomorrow we go to Bangor Maine!

We drove to Quechee Vermont this morning. It took us about 2 hours from Westborough, Massachusetts.

We visited the Quechee Gorge and had lunch at the Snack Bar. The weather was lovely.

We checked into our picture postcard inspired hotel the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm. It was original built in the 1700’s by Colonel Joseph and Dorothy Marsh who was also the first Lieutenant Governor.

Glenn and Becky were informed that their room could be visited by Mary, a former person (GHOST!) who lived here.

We drove into the Simon Pierce Flagship Store.

This establishment is fueled by the rushing Ottauquechee. The glass blowing studio is turbine-powered. It was fascinating to watch.

We then decided to visit the Sugarbush Farm. We spoke to the most charming woman who later we found out is the matriarch of the farm. We sampled cheese and maple syrup made completely on this working farm.

We had reservations at the restaurant in the hotel.

Strawberry rhubarb margarita.

We asked if we could please be rolled to our rooms.

It was a wonderful day!

Tomorrow we leave for New Hampshire