Today it is too cold to have ice cream. What am I saying...there is always hot fudge, lol.  Hope everyone enjoys a safe and nice President's Day.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Saw this posted online, author unknown. Thought it was somehow appropriate today.
The Tax PoemTax his land, tax his wage,

Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.

Tax his cow, tax his goat,
Tax his pants, tax his coat.
Tax his ties, tax his shirts,
Tax his work, tax his dirt.

Tax his chew, tax his smoke,
Teach him taxes are no joke.
Tax his car, tax his grass,
Tax the roads he must pass.

Tax his food, tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his sodas, tax his beers,
If he cries, tax his tears.

Tax his bills, tax his gas,
Tax his notes, tax his cash.
Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers, tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.
Tax his coffin, tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me to my doom!"
And when he's gone, we won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance tax.

THE AWFUL TRUTH

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?' And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?!

Washington - The Peace Corps has announced a strategic partnership with the Water and Development Alliance (WADA) - a long-standing public-private partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola) - to improve local capacity to deliver sustainable water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for the reduction of waterborne disease around the world. WADA will work with the Peace Corps' WASH initiative to raise awareness and build capacity among Peace Corps and community trainers around sustainable water supply and sanitation services, as well as improved hygiene behaviors. The program will focus especially on women in the communities and countries served.

"Life is truly a ride. We're all strapped in and no one can stop it. When the doctor slaps your behind, he's ripping your ticket and away you go. As you make each passage from youth to adulthood to maturity, sometimes you put your arms up and scream, sometimes you just hang onto that bar in front of you. But the ride is the thing. I think the most you can hope for at the end of life is that your hair is messed, you're out of breath and you didn't throw up."  Unknown

I worked with a lovely lady, Jody when I was at Tradewinds and she told me that when we find feathers in unexpected places it is a message from someone who has gone before sending us loving wishes. I have found several such feathers over the years and keep them on the bookshelf in my bedroom as a happy reminder that although my parents and friends have died they live forever in my memory and heart. I also have come to look at the stars as windows in heaven and like to think that the people we love look down and watch over us. Maybe it is the act of noticing the presence of the unexpected and turning our eyes upward that is important. A dear lady died yesterday and my prayers are for her family. Florence is at peace. May their memories bring them comfort.

Hoping the Ravens win the Super Bowl today.  It would be fun to see Michael Orr who was the subject of the movie, The Blind Side, win a Super Bowl ring.