The Lucky Ones...

 While driving to Ossineke, the farther north we progressed, the snowier it was.  As kids, Lisa, Steve and I did all winter sports and were known to play outside in the coldest weather.   We skated, skied, sledded, snowmobiled-all the 'S' things!  But now, I am an avowed wuss and grumble when the temp goes below 72 degrees.  But, taking a moment to notice the trees that looked like they were decorated in snowballs was a beautiful thing.  I simply forgot how gorgeous a wooded area looks dressed in a coat of fresh white snow.  

On Friday night we headed up to Cedar Grove for pizza.  The place was full of old friends (and family!) that I haven't seen in a while.  We received the warmest welcome you can imagine and had a great time catching up.  Living in the city can be quite anonymous when you are used to a small town.  I forgot how good it feels to have history and familiarity with people.

On Saturday we celebrated a belated Thanksgiving-known in our family as 'Ducksgiving' as ducks are our fowl of choice.  (belated because Someone was in the hospital in November!)  Steve and Lisa put on a most tasty dinner, cooked with love.  And I forgot how delicious duck a l'orange is!  

With all of life's struggles, I am reminded not to forget the most important things.  Looking past the 'stuff'' to find the joy in nature, food and old friends.   These are the things sustain me.

In other words, taking time to smell the duck!

P.S.  It seems like thanking people is a huge part of my life right now.  Your smiles, hugs, care and concern make me want to be a better person.  Never underestimate that power !XOXO

Gonna Fly Now...

It was a day of surprises.  Randy decided that it was finally time for him to go to work for a few hours and 'surprise' our fabulous employees with his return.  Our staff has been busting their collective backs keeping the boat afloat while Randy concentrates on his recovery.  But he has been fiending to get back to the office for, say, about 3 months now, so today was the day.  We dusted off our finery, boarded a limo and popped the bubbly.  Upon arriving to 'surprise' everyone, the script was flipped and the joke was on the Boss Man.  (Boss Lady was in on it all along!)

As we rolled up to work, the garage door slowly raised to reveal a red carpet.  Randy and I were treated to the paparazzi star treatment as the camera's flashed and we walked the walk.  The Main Event had the 'kids' lined up holding sings that proclaimed, 'Home of a Fighter.'  The theme from Rocky played as Randy greeted the most fabulous staff known to man.  The 'Fight' theme continued with staff signed boxing gloves and a boxing themed cake.  Champagne was poured and passed around as the Champ Himself delivered a heartfelt and teary toast.  Lunch followed and Randy actually sat at his desk for a few hours.   (I was content to champagne and cake the afternoon away!)

Upon arriving home-before naps-we had to rehash the day as well as our lives.  We are blessed with improving health and the best staff ever that has shown us more support than you can imagine.  You never know what hits you will take in this life as we punch our way through.  Mike Tyson was once quoted as saying, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face."  How true that is but in this case its Covid-19 Zero vs Randy Dale #1!  A unanimous and wonderful decision!

Thank you to all the R.S. Dale employees who made this special day happen and kept the secret.  We love you all.  XOXO

Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah...

 Anyone want some good news?  The restaurants are opening!!  No more of this outdoor dining in frigid Michigan temperatures!  Unpitch those tents, thaw out those igloos and get those fishing shanty's on the ice where they belong!  As well you all know, Randy and I are professional diners-a label we are anxious to reactivate-inside, with the heat on.  Craft cocktails to be tried, new menus to be perused and luscious deserts to diet off.  And I can't wait.  I am limited in my cooking expertise and am happily folding up my apron as we speak.  Plus, I want to dress up and socialize-something not required with carryout or delivery.  It's the first step to our culinary normalcy.  

As 02-02-21 approaches, I look back fondly 21 years ago,  remembering how Randy and I eloped in the Everglades.  It's been a wonderful and crazy ride that has gone faster than an airboat ride.  Here's to the adventure continuing for 21 years (or so) more.

And the last and final good thing is that Randy has been steadily progressing.  He is now able to spend a considerable amount of time-up to 8 hours-without supplemental oxygen.  He has been carefully working out and is gaining strength everyday.  It's a process, but one that is definitely moving in the right direction.  And truly all other news pales in comparison.

Looking forward to Randy's continued progress, and toasting our anniversary in a heated restaurant soon. Things that I used to take for granted are coming our way. 

My oh my, what a wonderful day! 
 OXO

Patience...

 "Patience is a virtue-cultivate it!"     Nancy Vam  (Mom)

If I am not the most impatient person you know, I'm surely in the top two.

All my life I have struggled with this character flaw.  My Mother's words were repeated often growing up and I still hear her voice almost daily as my frustration is possibly mounting over one thing or another.  

But Jodi, aren't you a yogi and bang on about the benefits of meditation?  Yes, and yes.  I will also add that 'patience' has been part of my New Year's resolutions for about, say 55 years or so as well as almost a daily prayer request.  

And neither fervent petition has worked.  Not even a little.  I still hate to be kept waiting and stand there shifting foot to foot while snorting quietly out of flared nostrils.  It's embarrassing and does nothing to speed along whatever has me waiting.  And the look is not even a little cute....

My dear friend and cousin Dayna recently had an amazing insight to my efforts to grow or somehow be bestowed of the virtue of patience.  As a fellow impatient person, Dayna thinks that all my begging is futile and I should just accept the whole flared nostril effect as a part of my personality.  I was born with  it and hence, it's meant to be.  Hmmm.mmmmmm.mmmm

The 'virtue' part of patience is described as "behavior showing high moral standards."  Okay, I'm all about high moral standards, I think that part is easy.  But the patience thing?  Please pray for me...

Just do it QUICKLY!!   XOXO

  

Dream On...

 Consider Martin Luther King Jr. Day.... Yes, there is no mail or school and some of us have a holiday.  But it's important to remember his message.  His gentle and insistent message is still unanswered and relevant today.  I feel like we are still struggling for perfect equality without violence, prejudice and hate.  It says so much about our progress and lack of empathy and shows how very little we have progressed.  All the passion of Martin Luther King Jr. STILL has been unable to change that and make the world realize that we are all children of the universe and equal in all ways.

I have a dream, too.  That the world heals from division and hate and that we once again, realize that we all come from different places and have different views based on that.  Our experiences are not 'equal' and we have to look ahead to overcome old thought patterns that make us entitled to behave that we are somehow 'better' than the next person.  I dream of the day when those rough edges of prejudice are smoothed off and harmony persists-when our commonalities are more important than our differences.  When looking at homeless and addicts, that we understand they may have a disease and can't help their situation.  And then helping them.

I dream of a world where disease is minimized and efforts to advocate for our health is a top priority.  Responsibility for ourselves while displaying tolerance for those that don't.  Realizing that our judgement of others says nothing about them but everything about ourselves.  I dream of personally maintaining the optimism that things WILL get better and closer to the normal that we are comfortable with. My bubblehead wishes for a healthy Randy to go to work everyday while I hit up my gym classes and return to my quiet house of comfort. I dream of the phone call,  'put on something cute, we are going out for dinner!'  (it's the small stuff that I miss!)  

What's your dream and what are you doing to achieve it?  I would love to know!  XOXO

Jeopardy...

 With all that's going on in the jspot world, I have neglected to pay my respects to the loss of my long time crush.  After all, I rendezvoued with him five times a week for over thirty years!  This infatuation is no secret and Randy is totally comfortable with my ardent adoration.  Truly an affair of the heart.

 So lets talk about him...

Alex Trebek was the perfect man-in my opinion.  He's was the stunning combination of brains and good looks.  The 'Silver Fox' quality was set off by the gorgeous Armani suits that were tailored exactly to him.  Add all that to his confidence, and you've got the total package.

As long as I can remember, I have watched Jeopardy.  Dane shared my passion and we had many embattled nights competing for answers.  I loved to tune in to just discover how very little I know, but Alex never made me feel inferior.  I occasionally had to chide him for being a bit condescending and smug-after all he had the answers right in front of him!  I admired his perfect diction as he pronounced international words with ease and the proper accent.  He was charming and had a natural grace about him.  

So with a sad heart, I watched Alex's final episode on January 8.  Battling pancreatic cancer, he still handled himself with the style and class that I admire.  It's truly the end of an era for the world as well as myself.  There will never be another Alex.   R.I.P.  XO

P.S. What is a person unable to edit a screenshot called?  Answer: Thejspotjodi!

Safety Dance...

 I watched him walk out of the gas station.  He was minimally fifty pounds overweight and carrying a two liter of  Mt. Dew in one hand and a case of cigarettes in the other.  However; his mask was securely in place so he was being 'safe.'  Who's going to protect him from diabetes, heart disease and cancer?  Please.  Can you explain the logic in that thinking?  And you wonder why our health insurance costs so much.  

And why in the interest of keeping us 'safe' are people allowed to smoke three feet away from the door at Target and some restaurants?  I gag on the secondhand smoke as I approach the door while biting my tongue.  I guess my 'safety' doesn't matter on that account.  And we don't have to even talk about the litter on the ground and in the flower pots.  Buttheads!

Meanwhile, the lunch line at McDonalds circles the golden arches peddling the food with the highest fat and sodium content known to man.  And there are ten varieties of  'energy drinks'-you know, the ones that are banned in Europe-available at any store.  Who's going to keep those people 'safe' as they increase their odds of obesity and high blood pressure?

 And how about the house on my street that had up the most gorgeous Christmas light display the very day after Thanksgiving?  Well, now those lights are down and the lighted pink hearts are up in anticipation of Valentines Day.  Wow.  People like that both amuse me and and amaze me.   I am continuously impressed with their ambition and love seeing the creativity.  I just hope somebody was holding the ladder steady while the decoration went up on that third story!   'Safe'ty first!

So dear friends, now that you have endured my first rant of the new year, can I just say that I'm ready for a new buzzword?  How about 'use common sense!'

Happy New Year!   Much luv, xo