More Choices.

Post 388 ~ ~ ~ Thursday, 3rd January, 2008.

Hello again folks ~~ I just realized that I posted my very first post on 28/12/2005
so I think that makes it my second anniversary. Peter started the blog for me as a
Christmas present and it was called Herons Nest until that got lost. He tried No 2
but that didn't work either, hence Third Time Lucky !!

I still have some very dear blogging friends from my first few feeble efforts, and the
odd brother and grand-daughter here and there. Among the first early days, there
are many familiar names ~ ~ Karen, Kenju, Miss Vickie, Mr. Eddie, Lazy Blogger,
Bubba, June, Ann and Joy. Peter, of course, and Bec and Rachael.

Most of you are still visiting, so I thank you most sincerely for your friendship
over the past two years. You are all much appreciated and have become a big
part of my life.

I may post a few of the earlier posts as I have some newer blogger friends, so
those who have seen it all before, please bear with me.
Meanwhile the last of the pictures from this trip at Christmas. Kate sent me.


Kathy's eldest and youngest, Kate 20 and Jorja 9 1/2.

Nick with Kate's puppy, Lil and a Santa hat.



Joh bought these boxing gloves for Nick for Christmas and had yo demonstrate.



The last of the family, Krissy who is almost 15, waving to sister, Kate.


This is an early post on Herons Nest that Peter put on when I was having
trouble to post. (As we all do when blogging) I am retyping this so am
probably paying for suggesting that blogger ever gives us strife !!!

A 92-year-old, petite, well poised and proud man, who is fully
dressed each morning at eight o'clock, shaved, with hair
fashionably coiffed, even though he is legally blind, moved to
a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed
away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting
patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly
when told his room was ready.

As he manoeuvred his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual
description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had
been hung on his window.

"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight year old
having been just presented with a new puppy.

"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room, just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.

"Happiness is something you decide ahead of time. Whether I
like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is
arranged . . . it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided
to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake
up.
I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting
the difficulty I have with parts of my body that no longer work,
or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on
the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.
Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from it what
you've put in.

So my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness
in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part
in filling my memory bank. I am still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy.

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

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Time for some jokes ~ ~ ~

A fellow said to a friend, "Could I ask your advice on a
rather important matter ?"
:Certainly," came the reply.

"Well, it's like this. I'm in love with two girls, that is
I think I am. But one is very beautiful but has no money,
while the other is very nice but rather plain, although
she is rolling. What would you do in this circumstance ?"

"Well," said the friend, "I'm sure that in your heart that
you love the beautiful one, so I should go ahead and
marry her."

"Right, " said the fellow, "That's what I will do."

As he prepared to depart, the friend said, "Oh by the way,
I wonder if you could give me the address of the other girl?"
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A little old lady was busy making herself a cup of tea one
afternoon when a fairy appeared in her kitchen.
"You've led a long and good life," said the fairy, "so I
have come to reward you and tell you that you can have
three wishes. Ask for anything you like and with a wave of
my magic wand,and you can have it,"

The old lady found it difficult to believe, so she asked the
fairy to turn the teapot into lots of lovely money. The fairy
waved her wand and the teapot turned into a pile of money.

"My !" she exclaimed, "this really does work. Now can you
make me look young and beautiful?" The fairy waved her
magic wand and in a few seconds the old lady was
transformed into someone young and beautiful.

"And now I'd like you to turn my dear old cat into a handsome
young man."
This too was done, and the fairy left the old-but-now-young-
and- beautiful-looking-lady alone in her kitchen with the
handsome young man who had formerly been a cat.

The lady turned to the man and sighed, "At last ! Now I want
to make love to you for the rest of the day and night !"

The man looked at her, then said in a very high pitched
voice: "Then you shouldn't have taken me to the vets,
should you ?"
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The mother of one of the servants came storming into the
lord's manor, demanding to see the lord.

"What is it you want >" asked the lord, when the angry woman
was brought before him.

"It's about my daughter, Jenny -- she works here ," said the
woman, "and you have made her pregnant !"

"Don't worry," replied the lord. "If she really is pregnant, I'll
give you some money -- and when the little one comes along
I'll set up a trust fund with at least half a million, Does
that seem fair ?"

"You're very kind," agreed the woman, "but if it doesn't
happen -- will you give her another chance ?"
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A father asked the headmaster for help informing him that
his son had got the gambling habit and that he was anxious
for the boy to grow out of it.

"I'll see what I can do." said the headmaster.
When the father called for the boy at the end of the term,
the headmaster said, "I think I have cured your son of his
gambling habit. I'll tell you what happened. One day, I
saw that he was looking at my beard and he said, " Sir, is
that a real beard or a false one? I wouldn't mind betting
five pounds that it is false." "All right," I replied. "I'll take
your bet. Now pull it and see." Of course I made the boy
pay me the five pounds, so I think I have cured him."

:Oh dear," groaned the father, "He bet me ten pounds
that he would pull your beard before the term ended !"
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My husband is a self made man who loves his maker.
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My wife has a slight impediment in her speech, Every now
and then she has to stop to take a breath.
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One man I know hasn't spoken to his wife for ten years -- he's
far too polite to interrupt her talking.
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Now for a few quotes, once again by Mark Twain. ~ ~

When angry, count to four. When very angry - swear.

"Classic" A book which people praise, but don't read.

In order to make men and boys covet something, it is only
necessary to make it difficult to obtain.

Do not put off till tomorrow what can be put off till the day
after tomorrow just as well.

Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does
anything about it.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - - - not
absence of fear.
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Well that is enough for tonight, I was going quite well, but
then had to retype from the photos down. So again time
has got away. Take care my friends and look after yourselves
and each other. Love and best wishes to you all.
Cheers, Merle.

Post 388 ~ ~ ~ Thursday, 3rd January, 2008.
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