Feeling helpless as I view the devastation on the TV, I remember the secure feeling of being a little girl growing up with sisters and a brother and a loving mom and dad.

I fixed comfort food for dinner tonight with no concern for calories.

I miss my family, friends and those I love who aren't within hugging reach.

My hopes and prayers are that we have seen the last of storms and hurricanes for this season and that miracles will come to those who need them so very much.

The news has been filled with pictures of the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It is hard for my mind and imagination to grasp the severity of all that has happened.

Even as the scenes of floods and destruction fill the screen, I know that we are only experiencing this disaster by sight. I am sure the smells, heat, sounds, feeling of hunger, fear, thirst and despair must make surviving this disaster or being there to cover the story or provide aid a totally heart wrenching experience.

Intertwined between the horrific pictures and stories of looting are amazing stories of human kindness and heroic rescues. People helping each other to survive. It is comforting in this hectic, fast paced world that seems all too often concerned with people putting themselves first, people concerned with "what's in it for me?" that disasters, times of tragety bring out the best in some people.

May miracles happen and may many more survivers be found and rescued. Time to write a check and send it on its way to the Red Cross. Please stay safe. Thank you for stopping by to read my ramblings.

As the clouds are rolling in and the waves are growing and splashing against the seawall, I have been going through old disks from a computer that I had years ago. I just found them and was curious to see what files and documents were archived on these discoveries.

To my surprise there was a story. As near as I can figure it was written nearly 7-8 years ago. As I read it I thought it might be written today, not as a story but more of fact. True I don't have an answering machine. My voicemail messages are captured within the phone system. But hearing from people from my past makes me feel extremely blessed during a time of impending changes and decisions in my life. Just another proof that I am truly a very fortunate lady, no matter how crazy my world becomes.

"Just Me"

Heavy rain fell from the dark sky as the thunder and wind shook the telephone booth. "It's just me," he said. "I was thinking about you and wanted to make sure you're okay. Be good to yourself."

He'd left her a message. She wasn't home. He pulled up the collar on his jacket and hurried through the rain to his truck.

Once inside he started the motor, turned on the lights and wipers and drove home. Home where he should be.

It was late when she arrived home. Her life was full of uncertainties right now.

She'd recently dared to imagine she could have a different life. She left a job where she worked from early morning until very late at night, six days a week. These hours left little time for her to take care of her health, find another job or enjoy her life.

Unfortunately things hadn't worked out as she had hoped. Life had thrown her a few unexpected obstacles. The new life she had dared to imagine hadn't yet become a reality.

She opened the door, slipped off her shoes and walked straight to her bedroom. She sat on the edge of her bed and gazed out the sliding glass door to the balcony. The moon was reflecting across the water as the stars seemed to dance in the sky. She turned on the light and picked up the telephone.

She heard the whooping sound that meant she had a message. She lay back on the bed, entered her code and listened to the message.... "It's just me. I was thinking about you and wanted to make sure you're okay. Be good to yourself."

She pressed 1 and listened to it again. The words worked like magic, lifting her spirits. She smiled. This man who had been such an important part of her yesterdays had taken time out of his day to think of her.

Despite the years and distance that separated them, this man would always be special to her. She would remember with gratitude and love all that he had done for her. He would forever have a special place in her heart.

The sky today and tonight looked like it was angry, then mysterious and even tumulturous.

I enjoy watching the sky. It seems like it is Mother Nature's expressions. Like a woman who shows her emotions written on her face, Mother Nature shows hers written across the sky. The clouds reflect her smiles, frowns, nervousness, exhilaration, and her deepest sadness when tears of rain fall from above.

I've always found a sense of security when I have been able to go the water's edge when my mind was swirling with thoughts, emotions and decisions to be made. The water is constant and yet ever changing. This fact of nature has always given me a sense of reassurance. Even when I was a little girl, I would go to the nearby creek and sit on the rocks to contemplate.

It is exciting that now I not only can sit on the beach to find comfort and clarity but also can find reassurance looking up to the sky and watching the ever changing clouds.

May I suggest that the next time you need to look inward you look upward.

"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic."

One of the magical things about each new day is that you never know when you may learn something new or receive a reminder. My glorious niece Valerie sent me an
e-mail today and this quote was at the bottom.

Thanks Valerie for a reminder that I needed. Enjoy your day!

Here I am in Chicago. I just printed off my boarding pass for my flight tomorrow. If you fly on Southwest you can check in at 12:01AM the day of your flight. It is a little bit of a challenge when you are in the Central Time Zone.

I have laryngitis and must confess to being a bit weary around the edges. I traveled on a sales blitz throughout Florida all last week with a rep from SouthWest Vacations and was up here in Chicago to participate in a GoGo worldwide Vacations Tradeshow. I seemed to have used up what little voice and energy I had left.

As long as I was online checking-in for my flight tomorrow morning, I thought I would take this opportunity to say a quick hello to all of you who take time out of your busy life to stop by my Blog and read it. There is truly no greater compliment than when someone shares their "time".

I wish you a most excellent day, pleasant dreams and a wealth of possibilities that you dream for yourself to come true. Good night.

If only reprogramming our thought processes could be as simple as setting the VCR or TIVO. Then again I am not very technically adept either.

I am planning to carve out some relaxation time today to read my new issue of "O Magazine". The theme is "What's Next For You?"

In Oprah's editorial blurb she refers to reprogramming your brain to record the things that matter and delete the stuff that doesn't bear a second viewing. I like that. I seem to record everything and spend way too much time in the present rewinding and reviewing the past trying to find clues so I don't rerun the same mistakes. That may be one obstacle to moving forward that I need to change.

I have lots of garbage on my computer that needs to be deleted so it will run more efficiently. Maybe I need to do the same with my brain? Hmm, where is that mental delete button?

I just finished watching, "Extreme Home Makeover". After her daughter disappeared a Mom went on to found an organization to search for missing and exploited children. To date her daughter is still missing but thanks to this woman's efforts 100 children have been found and returned to their homes.

They received a beautiful home tonight however this family's story is what is truly incredible. One person can be the catalyst to make a positive difference in the lives of many. They believe, "Love Always Hopes".

I pray this mom's daughter returns home safely someday soon and for all the parents and people missing loved ones waiting to hear something, to learn where they are.

I wish my sons, grandchildren and family were here to hug them close to me. I am a very lucky lady.

They showed the phone number 1-800-the-lost. May they get calls that bring them guidance and clues to returning more missing people to their homes and loved ones.

I'm counting my blessings.

Tonight I went to a bike show in Zephyrhills, Florida. Sturgess comes to Florida. It was fun and there were hundreds of assorted bikes.

A delightful surprise came when we went to dinner at "Lupton's - The Original Fat Man's Bar-B-Que".

We were greeted with a smile and although the restaurant was busy and the staff was hustling and bustling you never felt rushed.

During dinner several different people stopped by our table to check that everything was to our liking and to inquire if we needed anything. They weren't intrusive, nor did they visit the table just as our mouths were full to see if everything was okay which seems to be typical behavior at restaurants. Everyone seemed genuinely interested in making sure we were having a good time and enjoying the food.

The food was varied and plentiful. The containers on the buffet looked like they held 10-12 servings that they kept refilling so you felt things hadn't been under heat lamps for a prolonged time. Items were fresh.

There was a festive, happy air in the restaurant. Twice there were celebrations for patrons birthdays. Once for someone affectionately known as Meatball and the second for a lady sitting across the room. The celebration included the pounding on pans as the whole restaurant was encouraged to sing.

If you are ever in the area I highly recommend that you give it a try. You will leave with a happy full belly, a smile on your face and it won't bankrupt your wallet. They will smile and welcome you when you arrive and wish you well and say thank you for coming when you leave.

Lupton's
Open 7AM - 9PM Daily
5130 Gall Road
Zephyrhills, FL 33542

I read an inspiring book today entitled "Shift" by Carlos Ghosn.



He spoke about the Renault - Nissan Alliance as a state of becoming. I am in a personal state of becoming.

I particularily love a quote from the book: "I live each moment intensely, more so than I've ever done in the past. I'm lucky enough to be living through the experience at a moment when I'm neither too young nor too old. I've had enough previous experience to be confident without having lost my enthusiasm."

Sounds familiar (smile).

Abundant thanks to my son Jim for adding postcards from the road to my blog.

In addition to sales calls to travel agents (telling them of the "just let go" experience their clients will enjoy as guests of the TradeWinds Resorts in St. Petersburg, Florida) I also participated in the TAT Conference in Nashville, collected much needed hugs from loved ones, played with my son's puppies, and ate heart clogging fried food from the Cock On The Walk Restaurant.

When I got to Atlanta I enjoyed a catch up call with my fantastic nephew, Josh, participated in sales calls and a dinner with our Convention & Visitors Bureau and Delta Vacations, and even managed the energy to climb up and down Stone Mountain.
Back home this week-end with time to rest and relax, I instead, choose to go on a spontaneous random drive in my new Eclipse Spider from my home on Tampa Bay across the state my hair in windy chaos until I found myself splashing in the Atlantic at Vero Beach. A starlit ride home and I'm ready to take care of my "have tos".