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 LIVING HAPPY     
UPLIFTING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING NEWS FOR OUR MIND, BODY,AND SPIRIT   

From Carole Kane


  Vol. 2  No. 20                                                   July 29, 2012

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Click here to meet our writers, read past issues, and see comments

 

www.livinghappycenter.com  

 

in this issue
Chance and Murphy - by Kim Purdy
Meeting POTUS - by Rev. Victor Langhorne
Beets - by Maryann Hall
Poetry Corner: Smile - by Don Seiler, Jr.
On The Road: Order Out of Chaos - by Dr. Brad Holway
Think a little, laugh a little

Dear Friends,

Carole Kane

Carole Kane 

M.A., N.C.C. ret.

Welcome to Living Happy,  a nice way to feel and be our best!   

 

This week, in "Chance and Murphy", my good neighbor Kim Purdy shares her story of how she met these two furry characters, and the joy they have provided since they joined the family.

 

Then, Victor Langhorne tells what it was like to be in a presidential motorcade, and then to actually meet the president and have a photo session with him!

 

 

Next, we join Maryann Hall as she tries her hand at preparing beets for the first time - and see what happens to her hands in the process,  in her entertaining story, "Beets."

 


In our Poetry Corner, Don Seiler, Jr. gives us some sage advice in his poem "Smile."  It's something we and our fellow creatures all need and enjoy.

Then, Brad Holway tells how he turns his long driving trips into familiar, comfortable, and treasured experiences, in "On The Road:  Order Out of Chaos."

 

Happy reading!

   

Love, Carole XXX OOO

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Chance and Murphy                                By Kim Purdy
 

Today marks two years since we brought our dog Chance home from the breeder.  Yesterday it was two years since we lost his brother Lucky. And three weeks from now it will be two years since we went and picked up Murphy from the same breeder.

  

Everyone thought we should wait to get another dog after the loss.  I was beginning to think the same, when I couldn't find one that I could connect with out of the 100 pups there... until I turned to leave the last cage with the pups. Something was tugging hard on my pant leg, and not letting go. When I turned around and looked down, there was this seven-week-old pup, who now sat and turned his head sideways, looking up to me as if to say "What about me?"; and at the same time I said, "This is him!"    The breeder argued about not releasing him for another week, but soon realized he wasn't winning this argument with me - and home Chance came.  

 

Murphy and Chance July 4 2011
Murphy (left) and Chance (right)

Who knew that three weeks later we'd be heading back for Murphy?!  It's been a busy two years here...  but a lot of laughs with these two characters, and many more to come! 

 

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Meeting POTUS                               By Rev. Victor Langhorne

 

For the second time in less than two months I shook hands with President Barack Obama. The first time was in Richmond, VA. This time, I was not in a line with hundreds, behind a rope as the First Lady and he went by shaking hands.  

 

We were at Phoebus High School in Hampton, VA. My name, first and last, came out of his mouth. He repeated it just the way I had spoken it to him, introducing myself.   He had listened.

 

Earlier, as I was driving the "wire" service members in a provided van to this event, I had thought of us as ants, busy and purposeful. The motorcade route was peopled with observers recording the parade of presidential limousines, vans, and motorcycles. We travelled from Langley Air Force Base where Air Force One had just touched down to Phoebus High. The schedule included us, seven selected volunteer drivers, having a photo opportunity with him.

 

During the drive I thought "I would willingly take a bullet for this president, if the circumstances presented." The feeling reminded me of what I experienced after the birth of my first child, when his well being suddenly became a higher priority than mine.

 

The minutes seemed like an eternity. We had already been screened and given a lapel pin to evidence the clearance. Yet, the door keeper agent wanted a superior to approve our entry. I appreciated the security consideration, but I also wanted the promised meeting. Finally, approval came. Our advance coordinator rushed to the president and advised him who we were. The president left his group strode over to meet us. He shook my hand, repeated my name, first and last, then, summoned his photographer.

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Beets                                                               By Maryann Hall

   

I have never cooked beets before.  Out of the clear blue, I could remember my mother's delicious Harvard Beets and knew that she prepared them herself from scratch.   The bottled ones do not do it for me.  I can get by with their pickled ones.

 

While speaking to a friend recently, I learned that she saves the bottled juice when the beets are gone, and uses it for pickling juice.  There always seems to be quite a bit in the jars when finished.  I decided that I would try from scratch myself. "From scratch" being putting bare beets into the leftover juice.

 

As fate would have it I stopped at a local vegetable stand for some fresh corn, and what do I see but home grown beets.  I bought a bunch so I could make them entirely from scratch.  I put them in the fridge and conveniently forgot all about them until today, when I came across them tucked away in the back.  I pulled out my cookbook to see just how to cook them, only to find that for the most part - just like a potato.  I can do that.

   

I proceeded to cut the "greens" off, wash and pare them as instructed.  But nowhere did I read about the deep purple juice which came out all over my counter top.  I rushed to "sop" it all up before staining occurred.  Then I looked at my hands - in horror! I had 10 vivid beet-red fingers!  Once I got the beets into a pot I started washing my hands, to no avail.  I can't say how many times my hands were under the faucet before it finally came out.  By that time the beets were boiling away in beet-red juice. What was that juice going to do to the pot?!.

 

I am happy to say that everything in my kitchen, including my hands, have gone back to their proper color.  NOW to decide whether I am going to make Harvard or Pickled.  I will save that until another day as this one was traumatic enough.

  

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Smile    

By Don Seiler, Jr. 

 

It doesn't take much effort.

It doesn't take much time.

It even takes less muscles

Than the frown that you might find.

 

It's just a lone expression.

It's just a simple thing,

But so much joy and happiness

It can often bring.

smiling dog  

It's called a smile.

It's on the face.

Once you throw it out there

Nothing can take its place.

 

It isn't hard. In fact it's free.

It comes from deep inside.

Smile and smile,and laugh at life.

Let your heart confide;

 

Confide the love, confide the joy,

Confide the inner love.

Smile a smile, it isn't hard.  

It fits just like a glove.

 

Smile.

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On The Road:  Order Out of Chaos                                     By Dr. Brad Holway  

   

Since I retired and moved to Arizona, my life has developed a pattern wherein I tend to take two long automobile trips per year.  The first of these is an early summer trip to the town of Fort Bragg in northern California "Redwood Country", where I visit with some old friends and go salt water fishing in the Pacific.  The other occurs in December, when I drive to Florida and join my mother for the holidays and celebrate her birthday.

These long road trips can be daunting; they are arduous both physically and mentally. As all living things do under rough conditions, we humans adapt. That is what I have done over the years.  A stop at a farm near Bakersfield that sells beautiful fresh produce has become a regular feature of my California trips.  When I cross Louisiana during my drives to Florida, I put away my CD's and treat myself to a radio station that plays Cajun and Zydeco; I also make regular stops at a great Cajun-style seafood house.

Over the years, I have developed favorite towns, favorite motels and favorite restaurants along the way.  This has rendered my long road trips less threatening and more comfortable.  They can even be soothing, as I take in the scenery and take advantage of being alone with my own thoughts.  I have come to understand how long-distance truckers come to develop their favorite places.  This is all a part of the gift of the human mind to make order out of chaos.

     

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Think a Little, Laugh a Little
 

A man observed a sign in the window of a restaurant that read "Unique Breakfast" so he walked in and sat down. The waitress brought him his coffee and asked him what he wanted. 

 

"What's your 'Unique Breakfast?'" he asked.  

 

"Baked tongue of chicken," she replied.

 

"Baked tongue of chicken?... Do you have any idea how disgusting that is? I would never even consider eating anything that came out of a chicken's mouth!" he fumed.

Undaunted, the waitress asked, "What would you like then?"

 

"Just bring me scrambled eggs," the man replied.

 

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Remember This  

 

Don't let the fear of striking out

hold you back.

- - Babe Ruth - - 

   Change your thoughts and

You change your world 

- - Norman Vincent Peale - - 

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Your Space - For Guest Writers, Ghost Writers, and Commentators

 

THANK YOU!  to my favorite neighbor Kim Purdy, Rev. Victor Langhorne, Maryann Hall, Don Seiler, Jr., and Dr. Brad Holway for their outstanding, entertaining, well-written  contributions this week!   

 

Would you like to submit an article, around 250 to 300 words?   

     

This Could  be YOU!

Remember, every writer in the Living Happy Writers Group started out by offering a story or article.  You are invited to join this eminent group.  Just submit a story or a poem, and click on the Living Happy link below.  I look forward to  reading your work!   

  - - Carole - - 

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