Happy Thursday everyone. It is a beautiful day here in NC after the torrential rain we had late yesterday. Lord knows we needed the rain but not all at the same time. Didn't know until this morning that there was severe damage in some areas with high winds and rain. So, actually we were blessed.


 There appears to be a trend that has caught on in and around the area I live with people getting serious about losing weight. Linda's daughter, Beth is selling a product that you mix into a shake that replaces 2 meals a day and then you eat sensible at the other meal. Many have lost up to 30 lbs so I decided to give it a try myself. You see I am the kind of person that if I have a structured system to go by I can stay on it better than just trying to choose the right things to eat. Yesterday I started and weighed to get a starting point and it was 202 lbs so time will tell how it will be by the time I go for my next surgery on February 2nd. I hope to really surprise the doctors with a significant amount lost.


 Linda is already noticing a difference in her energy level and is walking a lot more.  She also showed me where she has a lot more room in her clothes and has her excited. I won't go into what brand they are using because I found that Sam's Club has a product called Naturade Total Soy that does the same thing with only a few calories over the other product and costs about $19 for 24 days. I discovered that if you add a couple of spoon fulls of butterscotch pudding mix and low fat peanut butter you end up with a shake that tastes like you are drinking a Butterfinger. I just had my third one and I can't wait for the next one they are so good.


 We have scales here at my office that are actually like the ones found in doctors offices that we use for UPS so they are really accurate and yesterday I weighed to get a starting point and as I said above it was 202 and this morning before eating breakfast it read 198 which amazed me. Honestly I think this will actually work. I will keep you posted.


 This is Thursday and I am thankful today for so many areas of my life. Last Saturday being with my two sisters and all 3 of my girls made me realize how blessed I am with family that loves me unconditionally. I am thankful for my health which is awesome considering I will be 65 in March. A little over a year ago I never even thought about blogging and now it is a part of my life and I am blessed with friends literally all over the world and I am so thankful for the impact they have on my life as I share with them and read their posts that move me, inspire me, make me laugh or want to cry. I consider myself a rich man today with all that God has blessed me with, not material things or piles of cash but the important blessings of friends and family. 

Thankful Thursday

Hey there blog family. Today this old guy is so very thankful for all of my blog family who are all so good at showing compassion when others are hurting. I was overwhelmed at the responses I got concerning my daughter Rachel and her operation. Still waiting to hear how the operation went today and I will keep you all posted.

Also thankful to have a couple of days off to enjoy some quiet and special time with Rocky. It is 6 PM and it has been a good day. We managed to get outside and burn most of the remnants of Irene and then took a long nap in the recliner. I enjoyed trying to catch up on reading most of your posts today and will try to stay current during the long weekend I have.

Take care everyone and have a restful night.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for "HUMOR" that makes us smile and takes away the troubles if for even a brief moment. Belle got me started with Jeff Foxworthy and Canada so here is Jeff's take on North Carolina.

If you are 'fixin' to go anywhere, you may live in North Carolina.

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Myrtle Beach for the weekend, you may live in North Carolina.

If you find 60 degrees 'a little chilly', you may live in North Carolina.

If you and all your friends live for basketball season, be it high school, college, or Pro, you may live in North Carolina.

If you know that Charlotte is not really the state capital, you may live in North Carolina.

If you know three different recipes for baked beans, and which one to take to a funeral, you may live in North Carolina.

If you know two or more friends named 'Trey', you may live in North Carolina.

If you can name two hurricanes that blew away your neighbor's trailer, you may live in North Carolina.

If you think all students that graduate from Duke move back home to New York, you may live in North Carolina.

If you think the tobacco barn out front is part of your home, you may live in North Carolina.

If you actually understand these jokes, and share them with your North Carolina friends and others, you definately live in North Carolina.

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday to all my friends in the blog world. Today I am thankful for a couple of days off from the office making it a long weekend. Of course it's not all fun and games. You see for many years I have worn a full upper plate in my mouth. A few months ago it developed a crack which I have been able to stabilize with super glue.

Well, I figured it was time to take care of business so I found this place in Rocky Mount that would take it one day and have it back to me either that day or the next so, not wanting to be at my office with no upper teeth in, I took this opportunity to get it repaired.

That means another couple of Rocky & Odie days which sounds pretty good to this old boy. The off time will allow me to get into the book I just got written by Karen Walker, one of my blog family, titled "Following The Whispers". Under the title it says, "Creating a life of inner peace and self-acceptance from the depths of despair." She is a wonderful writer and I encourage you to check the book out at Amazon. Com. They have some really good deals on it.

Have a good one folks.

Thankful Thursday- My Blog Family

It never fails, I whine a little bit and all of you just pour on the love. I really do appreciate each and every one of you in my wonderful blog family and I thank you so very much for all the great comments you have posted lately. That's the kind of stuff that keeps a guy blogging.

As a side note I just have to share about my Aunt Katie who as you may know is working on the big 103 come September. Over the last year or so she has had various problems with levels of stuff like platelets and changes in medications. She went for a checkup last week and everything is back to normal, she is eating very well, having no trouble with going to the bathroom and being very active inside and outside the house. My sister Linda took her to that appointment last week & asked her if she wanted to get something to eat before going home. She said it would be fine and when asked where she would like to go she said she didn't know and finally said that Bojangles would be alright. Now Bojangles is good fast food but Linda got the idea to take her to Red Lobster and that got her excited since she had never been. She fell in love with their cheese biscuits, ate scallops for the first time and was like a child at Christmas time which of course made my sister happier than she has been in a long time just watching her enjoy herself.

We love her more than I can say and rejoice that she is doing so well and enjoying life@ 102. So today my friends I am especially thankful for my blog family and for my wonderful Aunt Katie.

T. G. I. F.

Have you ever had one of those weeks when it seemed that every day was filled with confusion, negative vibes and irritations. Mine has fulfilled all those requirements and this old boy sure needs a couple of days away from my office.

Here's hoping that everyone in my blog world is well or getting much better, happy and feeling blessed to have a blog family like I do.

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday everyone. Today I am thankful for "Free Food". Yes, I said free. You see I was in the post office last week and being the frugal kind of guy I am my eye is always on the prowl for money saving coupons that may be visible in the large trash cans on either side of the table in the outer area of the post office.

I have already posted here before about how much I like our new Sheetz stores in Rocky mount, NC. I spotted the red Sheetz emblem and examined it. It had a selection of coupons, not for so much off, I am talking free. Made to order hot sandwiches like subs, hot dogs, made to go deli type sandwiches, specialty coffee drinks like the ever popular frappe that costs over $3 everywhere, even packages of cookies. Also on the mail out was a rip off card good for a free cup of coffee every day for the month of April. I've given numerous people free coffee cards to enjoy this month and Linda and I have enjoyed free evening meals every night this week that I pick up on the way home. Oddly, some folks still wonder why I like Sheetz so much. Go figure!

Thankful Thursday

My sweet wife, Linda and our precious Rocky. If I didn't have these two in my life I would be one messed up old man. All Linda has to do is hear me say anything about something or somewhere I like and before long she has made arrangements for me to have an item or travel to the place I desire. She is always doing for or thinking about others and is definately my better half because without her I would be one sad critter.

Our little "man" Rocky the element that truly makes our house a home. His unconditional love to both of us can add calmness to the worst possible day. The only thing he really requires is love and we are overflowing with that for him. When we return after being gone for either an hour or a week he greets us with such enthusiasm that in the excitement he pees wherever we are at the moment so we do try to choose our point of contact.

So today I am thankful for my constant companions that make my life richer and full of joy.

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for birthdays. Today marks number 64 for this old guy and I can remember back when I thought someone in their 60's was really ancient. Now that I am actually living those numbers and being around my Aunt Katie who will be 103 in September my thought pattern goes from ancient to young as you feel. I can remember back to a time when I honestly thought I would not see another year but God helped me through that time and taught me that trying to make it through this life without Him is truly a lonesome experience and one without hope. Now I greet each new day with a joy for what it may show me and for what I may be able to do for someone else with God's spirit in me.

Thankful Thursday

You all have probably heard the expression, "it was a good idea while it lasted". Well my friends I had one this morning but it just didn't make it to the blog world. I was thinking that for my thankful thursday I would list my friends individually with links to their blogs so others could click on them if they had not been there before. I started making my list and carefully noting the URL so I could link them and after a good while of doing this I realized that OMG, I have too many friends to do that. The list would be so long it would overwhelm whoever is reading it.

I said all that to say that I am so very thankful today for all my blog friends that have truly enriched this old guy's life. Along the way there have been a roller coaster of emotions shared. Happy times, sad times, confused times. The good part is that we were not alone during those times. Today I have 75 people follow The Simple Life and I thank you for stopping by and sharing what I have to say.

Life

Life can seem ungrateful, and not always kind.
Life can pull at your heartstrings, and play with your mind.
Life can be blissful, and happy and free.
Life can put beauty, in the things that you see.

Life can place challenges, right at your feet.
Life can make good, of the hardships that we meet.
Life can overwhelm you, and make your head spin.
Life can reward those, determined to win.

Life can be hurtful, and not always fair.
Life can surround you, with people who care.
Life clearly does offer, its ups and its downs.
Life's days can bring you, both smiles and frowns.
Life teaches us to tak, the good with the bad.
Life is a mixture, of happy and sad.

So.......

Take the life that you have, and give it your best.
Think positive, be happy, let God do the rest.
Take the challenges, that life has laid at your feet.
Take pride and be thankful, for each one you meet.
To yourself give forgiveness, if you stumble and fall.
Take each day that is dealt you, and give it your all.

Take the love that you're given, and return it with care.
Have faith that when needed, it will always be there.
Take time to find the beauty, in the things that you see.
Take life's simple pleasures, let them set your heart free.

The idea here is simply, to even the score.
As you are met and faced with, Life's Tug of War.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my job. Especially in a time when so many people are unemployed and struggling. I am the service manager for our company and I have 5 technicians that I try to keep busy and productive. Sometimes it is like riding on a roller coaster when you have days that the phone never stops ringing and there are more service calls to repair copiers or fax machines than I have men to send out and then there are days that we almost no calls come in the we get a breather to take care of internal matters or do courtesy calls on customers we have not seen in 5 or 6 months.

Our company is a family owned business and we think of each other like family which makes working there more of a joy. I do feel blessed to have the opportunity to work for my employer who is also a friend.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for God's Word. It offers me instruction, joy, hope, healing, compassion, blessings, deliverance, forgiveness, grace and a fresh start for each new day. I like this scripture from Psalm 19:12-14 (Message)

"Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!

Keep me from stupid sins,

from thinking I can take over your work;

then I can start this day sun-washed,

scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.

These are the words in my mouth;

These are what I chew on and pray.

Accept them when I place them on the morning altar,

O God, my Altar-Rock, God, my Priest-of-my-Altar."

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful that North Carolina is being blessed with no storms, cyclones, snow, ice or any terrible calamities. Being able to enjoy time outside with Rocky, seeing the ground and thinking of even greater times ahead. I pray for all my friends that are in harms way with the floods & cyclones in Australia and the snow/ice in other parts of our blog world. Praying that you stay safe & warm.

Thankful Thursday

Short & sweet today. I am thankful that I received the motivation to start my healthier lifestyle, which I have already started, but will go into full action this monday. Before too long I hope to feel more energetic and pounds lighter.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am sooooooooo thankful for a computer that works. The people that do our computer repairs did an outstanding job of getting mine repaired quickly and I am so thankful since my computer is unique in our office. I have all the service history records in mine so yesterday the guys had to go out into the field with less than the information they usually have but they seemed to manage quite well.

I was fortunate yesterday to have one in our sales office that was available so I could keep up with my blog checking from time to time. If I get too far behind it seems to take me forever to get caught up because I do try to read everyones blog and let them know I am here.

Yesterday I was also thankful for NC's weather. It started off cool but by early afternoon it was hot enough in a vehicle that A/C or at least an open window was necessary.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for our pets that add peace, love and calm to our days especially when the stress level has been really high. All they require in return is our love and they are beyond happy. Of course the first picture is my Rocky who will be 2 next month. He has made a real difference in our home and we love him soooooooooooooo much.

The other dogs pictured are part of my daughter Karen's zoo. She has 3 outside dogs and 1 inside dog as well as 2 cats that have their own room upstairs. Max her oldest cat is 16 and still doing fine. The black dog with the collar is Molly, queen of the house and a real sweetheart.

The kitten at the end is new to our home and is an outside cat that has done really well during our current blizzard. Her name is Lilley.

Have you hugged your pet today? You should, frequently.

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful that I was able to drive to work this morning on clear, dry highways after all the talk about winter weather and 2 hour delays for schools. Sometimes I believe people have more faith in their local weatherman than they do in God. I love it when they are wrong. It may still get messy but at least I am warm and safe in my office. Hope everyone has the best Thursday ever.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for a busy week. I had breakfast with my sister Linda yesterday like we try to do every week and it was great having that special time to start our day. It would be easy to say things are too busy and just not do it but we won't let that happen and we are better for it.

Tonight I have the priviledge of going to see my grandson Kaden in his Christmas program at church where he goes for day care during the week. It also give me the opportuninty to be with two of my girls and my other grandson Matthew after the performance. It will be quality time for my wife and I to spend with them.

Tomorrow night after work we will all meet over in my old home town of Nashville for my company Christmas party. We will start the evening at a place called the "Nashville Exchange" for a wonderful meal and time for employee's families to share time together and give thanks for yet another year being blessed to have a job and to work for a family that loves us like family. That is unique in this day and time. After the meal we will walk up the street to the Old Baptist Church which is now the Nash County Cultural Center for a performance of The Christmas Carol which should be wonderful.

So you see it is a busy week but a good week and for that I am truly thankful.

It's Kleenex Time

I have a couple of friends in the blog world that touched my heart with a post each lately that I just felt like they needed to be shared. Each one has a posting of a precious letter given to them by their husband.

Barb's husband died but before he departed he wrote her this wonderful piece sharing how much he loves her. Read it slowly and feel the love.

Mel and her husband just completed one of many moves because of her husband's work and she received this letter from him and also needs to be read slowly and feel his undying love towards Mel.

I know they will touch you as they did me. Enjoy.