A Half Inch Matters

 Over the past few months our dear friends of 50 years have been downsizing their three bedroom home in order to move into a much smaller retirement cottage.  Meals and housekeeping services are provided in the new residence.  Needless to say almost everything from furniture to cookware needed to be “repurposed”.

 

Doc and I both REALLY liked a well-made wood Media Cabinet.  It held over 1,000 CDs which were part of Donald’s prized music collection.  (See photo).  Doc and I took measurements and tried to fit it in all sorts of places inside our house.  There seemed to be no place where it would work.  We were so disappointed.  

The media cabinets (there were two) were put up for sale at the Estate Sale and then on line.  Eventually one of the cabinets was sold.  After a few weeks, Jeanne asked me to contact the buyer of those 1000+ CDs and DVDs to see if he wanted to purchase that second cabinet.  My heart was heavy.  I did not want to give up on that piece.  Aside from being practical and beautiful, it also held sentimental value for us.  Donald was Best Man at our wedding, so this cabinet sort of represented him and things he valued

 

As I set out for a brief walk last week I started brainstorming with the Angels/Powers that Be.  “Hi Guys.  Would you talk to me for a few minutes about that media cabinet?  I only have a few CDs, so that cabinet would look pretty empty and underused for that purpose.  WHAT ELSE could it be used for?  Books?  Not wide enough.  Office supplies?  Ugly.”

 

Then I had this “impression” of the Media Cabinet fitting under our spiral staircase with TRAVEL MUGS in it!  Several people had recently asked me about displaying the mugs Doc and I have collected from the countries we have visited.  Wow!  What a great concept!  Thanks Angels.  

 

COINcidence?  Recently Doc and I were on a long drive.  To pass the time we listed all the countries we had visited together.  Came up with about 18.  There are approximately 20 shelves in this cabinet.  A shelf for each mug!!!!

 

Doc and I measured the height under the staircase at 61 ¼ inches.  The cabinet is 62” high!!!  POOP!!!!!  ¾” too tall.  Doc said to get the unit anyhow and we would figure out something.

 

We went to obtain the unit.  The base was solid, but there were little feetsies which could be removed to gain ¼”.  But that still left A HALF INCH to deal with.  The entire way home I was “discussing things” with Source/God/the Angels or any other Divine beings which cared to get involved.  I was challenging them: “YOU showed me the vision of this cabinet under the spiral staircase.  Why would you do that if it was not going to fit?  So are you going to raise my spiral staircase by ½”?  Are you going to shrink the wood cabinet?  I don’t have any answers, so this is now YOUR problem.  YOU figure it out!”

When we arrived home Doc suggested we put the cabinet close to where we wanted it to be positioned.  Then we could determine some strategies.  We put it up against the wall and slid it toward the staircase.  IT FIT!!!!!!  No way!  How could this be?  It turns out that Doc and I had measured the clearance at the center pole of the spiral staircase.  The stair treads actually taper ever so slightly on each step.  Can you believe it?  The Universe/God/Source essentially raised the staircase!!!!!

 

Once again the Penny Palace experienced an example of the seemingly Impossible Becoming Possible.

 

Anniversary Garden

Earlier this month (July 3), I wrote about Doc and I hauling dirt for our 39^th Anniversary. As of today, that Anniversary Garden is completed.  We cleared the unkept area, put in some river pebbles, laid weed cloth, spread a few hundred pounds of white marble chips, added a red gazing ball, and created two interlocking hearts filled with red glass pieces.

 

 

 

 

The Anniversary Project was completed over several weeks, with a few memorable moments and statements.

“Sweetheart you Rock!”

 

“Our Two Hearts are Linked Together.  (Or at least welded together).

 

Tina:  “I want ROCKS for our Anniversary.  No, NOT diamonds or gemstones – I mean Rocks!”

 

 

 

 

The gazing ball says “Let’s look forward together.”

The river of rocks says “Keep on flowing; ever changing”.

The weed cloth says “Prevent unwanted things from growing in our garden (marriage)”.

The hedge says “Give us some privacy.”

The solar flowers say “You light up my life.”

 

 

This Garden pretty much shouts, “I LOVE YOU!”

 

 

I challenge YOU today to give a Shout Out “I LOVE YOU!” to someone who may not be expecting it from you. Make their day!

 

 

 

Sunflower Smiles

 Currently the Penny Palace front yard and Grand Room are decorated with Sunflowers and ladybugs.  The décor looks so cheerful and brings Joy to people passing by.

 

 

Tonight a local artist center was holding a 2 hour workshop on painting sunflowers!!!  That caught my eye.  I had never tried canvas painting and was nervous, yet curious to try it.  Yesterday I was lamenting to Doc.  “I sure wish I had a “buddy” whom I could call to do things like this with me.  His reply “Aren’t I your best buddy?”   “Yes, but I didn’t think you would want to do something like this.”  His reply “Not really, but I will because we do almost everything together!”

 

It’s pretty intimidating to start with a blank canvas.

 

Shortly after painting the blue background we realized it might be more fun if I painted a mirror image of what Doc was painting.  It would be interesting to see how well matched or different the two pieces would be.  Like handwriting, each person has unique brush strokes.

 

Here are our finished pieces.  What do you think?  Which is Doc’s?  Which is mine?

 

 

This was the painting created by the instructor and used to advertise the workshop.

 

 

 

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Last week I read an article about Sunflowers.  The sunflowers have a message: they always look to the light.  As the flowers grow, the face of the flowers constantly turn to the sun in the east and follow the sun throughout the day as it moves to the west.  During the night they again turn to the east anticipating the dawn of a new day.  

We can be like the sunflower – always anticipating the light of tomorrow.

 

 

Dirt Hauling

 Today is our 39th Wedding Anniversary, so we are beginning to "pretty up" an unattractive and unkept area of the yard where the air conditioners and some debris reside. 

Doc says we should go out for dinner or do something special - I say we are doing something special!  We are creating a beautiful area which will last a lot longer than a meal which will shortly turn into  SH__.  Now I am emailing to our friends in order to SHARE our Anniversary evening and JOY with them.  

 

Can't get any better than that!

 

QUIZ:  If given a choice for an 'Anniversary Date', which would YOU choose?  Spending $50-$60 on some fancy dinner or spending $30 on a load of dirt?  We chose DIRT!

Be of Service

 Last night I was speaking with a woman K.D.  She was discouraged because she was having trouble paying her rent, buying groceries, finding a job, dealing with medical issues, etc.  Understandably these issues were causing her stress, which in turn was causing her severe headaches.

 

In our conversation I suggested that K.D. release her concerns to the Universe.  Instead of asking Source for a specific job, I suggested she ask “How can I be of Service?”  “Place me where I am needed”.  I also asked Source last night to “Please look after K.D. and place her where she can be of Service.”

 

This evening K.D. has written “Guess what Tina I just got hired!  I went to a short interview this morning around 11:45 and they hired me isn’t that great?”

 

What a QUICK response to that prayer request!  And where is this new job?  At a SERVICE Station!  (Petrol station for you international readers).  Source certainly has a CENTS of humour.  Where better to Be of Service?

Gosh!  That looks like my Pippy Truck at the pump!