It’s True, Pets Can Make Us Cry Babies

Pop-Up Thoughts:

If you’re a pet owner or have ever had a connection to a pet in your life then you have experienced how they seem to find and settle into a special spot in your heart.  Admit it or not...they do!

I was a young girl when I lost my first pet, a poodle bulldog mix named Sparky. He was my buddy growing up and the most outstanding high jumper I’ve ever seen. Whenever someone came to visit and knocked at the back door, Sparky would leap high enough to the door’s window to get a quick look. Imagine being on the other side of the door and seeing those airlifted flying ears and doggy face popping up in the window like a jack-in-the-box. Sparky was just that... a little spark of joy for me.  At a young age, I was right there beside him when Sparky took his last breath. Needless to say, I was completely distraught. 

Now, fast forward about 45 years to my current dog, Lucy, who is going on 14 years old and has been a very healthy dog until this week when she got very sick.  Foolishly, I thought my older more mature self would be a little stronger and immune to the snotty and ugly cry for a pet. Frankly, I thought I’d have a better grasp of my emotions. 

Extra Breaking News: Coming Full Circle Are Life’s Little Rewards!

Coming Full Circle is defined as landing in the original place, source, or circumstance through a cycle of developments. 

The summer after I graduated from high school, I took a part-time job working for the advertising department in my hometown’s newspaper. It helped that I had connections since it’s where my mom had worked for like a hundred years. Okay, I’m exaggerating here, but for as long as I can remember growing up in this small town, my mom worked for the local newspaper as an advertising sales rep.

My Comfort Zone Was Tested and It Was Exhilarating!

Have you ever tried something new, panicked and realized you just might be terrible at it?

Recently, I started a new side hustle pouring wine at a vineyard’s tasting room. How hard could it be? It’s just pouring wine. Nothing to it...right? Greet your wine tasters, pour a little wine, learn a few wine terms and enjoy the camaraderie. 

Turns out, my first day I felt clueless and my comfort zone was challenged. Pouring wine was the one thing I thought I could do with some degree of ability. I mean, having more than a few years of experience pouring wine into my own glass this was sure to be a breeze. 

Truth is... this task even seemed a bit fumbled on my first day. Normally, I could uncork a bottle, pour a glass, and do a jig before you could say Pinot Noir. 

In my defense, I thought I’d have more time to learn about their wines, get acclimated with the wine bar and test drive a few corkscrews before being put in the trenches. 

The first and most important piece of learning the job was the cash register. Well, of course, it was! They’re in the business of selling wine...to make money! So, naturally, charging for wine and getting the cash was a priority.  How silly of me to overlook this important fact. 

Who Wants to Polar Plunge?

Pop-Up Thoughts:

Here’s the deal and what’s on my mind today…if living through a Minnesota winter and a polar vortex isn’t enough torture (as some would see it), there are people that actually gather in droves in the freezing temps to jump in an ice-cold lake.  Some might think they would need their head examined or that the feeling of a thousand ice picks penetrating their body is somehow exhilarating.  

Personally, I’m quite content being bundled up in my boots, parka, mittens and hand warmers (best invention ever) while I watched from the sidelines as my son did the Polar Plunge into Minnesota’s Lake Superior.  This was all for a good cause, of course.  The money raised in donations every year is for the Special Olympics organization.

Polar Plunge event in Duluth, MN

Love Potion No. 9: Revealing the Magic Ingredients

Are you a believer in magic love potions? The unique elements that can make up any couple’s love potion can be as individual or special as the lovebirds themselves.  In this story, the following potion ingredients are only one example of how simple and unexpected they can be. 

This couple's love potion is an elixir of a rustic mountain cabin, bottled water, fly tape, a trash bag, and a bunny hill. 

Before I explain why this combination of ingredients has the magical potion power it does, let me first share a couple of throwback moments.  The 1959 song lyrics from Love Potion No. 9 by the original artists, The Clovers, tells the story of a young man having troubles finding love when he discovers a gypsy mixing up a magical potion that will cure his failing love life. After he drinks the potion, it gives him a little bump of passionate desire in the way of an unwilling recipient...a COP.  Just for fun, have a listen to the catchy lyrics.