Re-Post! The World Needs More Smiles

From 5 Feb 2024, I’m re-sharing to draw attention back to the this beautiful, strong, amazing woman who has no idea how much she has influenced my life. Tis vacation week on the island, so I’m soaking up the sun and celebrating Christmas with copious amounts of crustaceans. See you all soon.

This woman inspires me to sing louder, love harder, and laugh for as long as possible. The impact she has had and still has on my life is immeasurable. Her smile! She’s more patient than I could ever imagine being. I hope she doesn’t mind my use of her photo here because she is simply the most beautiful woman I know and I want to share her joy with everyone I meet.

These goofballs – we spend a lot of time laughing at each other and alternately rolling our eyes. The gnome addiction is real. Very real. I find myself searching high and low everywhere I go for unique gnomes I can gift her. To be clear, I’m speaking of Parts, not mini. Mini has a collection of a thousand other things, she does not need any gnomes.

Sometimes it can feel like the world is completely mad. But, make an effort to smile. It’s lifechanging.

_________________________

I ask you –

Do you make an effort to smile often?

Have you and (anyone) ever owned matching pajamas?

Tell me what things you collect!

(The post Re-Post! The World Needs More Smiles first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Re-Post: Love Notes

A few times a year, when I’ll be gone, I phone it in and do a re-post. Allow me some time to recuperate and I’ll be back with new material! xoxo, RoF

Surely in the last 4 yrs (update: 5 yrs now) of Running on Fumes I have mentioned my sweet great aunt, my daughter’s namesake, the woman who taught me that life is for giving. But, if you’re new here, allow me to introduce her once again.

It’s very difficult for her to hear on the phone so occasionally I break out the pen and paper and send her a love note. At 96, her ears may not be what they once were but her sight is adequate. She is love epitomized into one small woman with the most beautiful laugh and a smile that lights up the entire world.

She’s a God-fearing woman with a heart of genuine gold. I try to be a woman she is proud of, an incredible mom like she filled that role for me, and an overall good person. And her deep baritone singing voice? Well, nothing I do could ever come close.

Sure, this post is short today but there’s so much meaning behind it. Call the person, send them a love note, tell them how much they are missed. It’s not for you. It’s for them.

________________

I ask you –

Do you have a special person in your life?

How is your singing voice?

Tell me the last time you sent someone a personal letter or note!

(The post Love Notes first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

A Party to Post About!

My favorite great aunt recently celebrated 97 years!

That’s my favorite cousin, James, named after my dad. His look has spanned many generations but one thing remains the same: he’s quite possibly the most brilliant person I know with a genuine laugh and an easy ability to talk about subjects that most people know nothing about.

As a young girl, I would sit in the same room with my older 2nd and 3rd cousins and aunts just to listen to “the adults talk”. They always engaged me with questions about what I thought of the subjects and encouraged me to speak my mind. These are some of the hardest working women I’ve ever met, from lifelong grade school and collegiate-level educators to a businesswoman with a strong penchant for coffee. They get me. This time there was discussion of the 2 traits that most Humphries women are handed a measure of – back pain, and longevity. Fortunately, it seems our family’s women live to their late 80s/90s. Conversely, back pain abounds, notably from carrying around our sparkling personality. My words, not theirs.

It was a short visit but exactly what was needed. Although Aunt Mary Catherine may not remember names as easily as before, her smile still lights up the room and her laugh is the same baritone that once commanded a room’s attention. Her heart is the most beautiful part of her. She has now outlived every family member in our shortened family tree. And her stubbornness? Well, let’s just say it runs in the family.

________________

I ask you –

Who is the oldest living person in your family?

Who’s birthday party did you last attend?

Surprise parties: yay or nay? Nay. Please don’t. I like knowing what to expect and a surprise party is not it.

(The post A Party to Post About! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Impressive

Not only am I alive but I’m also creating models of decision making, which is mostly unbelievable seeing as the way I’ve lived my life thus far is one questionable decision after another. haHA

Random thought inline with the above – the dissertation process is working well. I don’t want to sound too confident but I put in more hours stressing those seemingly unconnected papers than I have in the past few weeks prepping this giant novel of a dissertation. Alas, I’m thankful I developed a very strict habit of waking early and focusing most evenings on writing. I read somewhere that even if you only wrote 250 words per day, the benefit at the end of a semester is immeasurable. Believe it. Sometimes my discipline is impressive, even to me, but now it’s such a habit, such an integral part of me that I don’t know any other way. Whether I like it or not, the paper continues to flesh out.

The weekly chats with my chair, although a scheduling challenge at times, are rewarding and I am always amazed at when the chat is over how much good information I’ve garnered from her. She is assuredly a blessing in my life. Speaking of amazing women, there’s an incredible woman in my life who will soon be 97. Ninety-seven years on planet Earth. She’s older than the (former) Queen. And, in my opinion, the most impressive woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of loving.

Updates coming soon as we visit her.

_______________

I ask you –

What are your skills?

How do you feel about decision-making?

Tell me the age of the oldest living person in your life!

(The post Impressive first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

The World Needs More Smiles

Sometimes it can feel like the world is completely mad. But, make an effort to smile. It’s lifechanging.

_________________________

I ask you –

Do you make an effort to smile often?

Have you and (anyone) ever owned matching pajamas?

Tell me what things you collect!

(The post The World Needs More Smiles first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Love Notes

Surely in the last 4 yrs of Running on Fumes I have mentioned my sweet great aunt, my daughter’s namesake, the woman who taught me that life is for giving. But, if you’re new here, allow me to introduce her once again.

Sure, this post is short today but there’s so much meaning behind it. Call the person, send them a love note, tell them how much they are missed. It’s not for you. It’s for them.

________________

I ask you –

Do you have a special person in your life?

How is your singing voice?

Tell me the last time you sent someone a personal letter or note!

(The post Love Notes first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

What Frustration Looks Like + A Moment of Joy

Some days just suck the life right out of you. It’s like the universe has found a way to keep you humble. I probably go through this cycle at least twice a week. Hello, humility, my old friend. But it really puts a damper on my faith in humanity, especially when it becomes so laden with negativity and completely ridiculous requests. We’re a needy, selfish society. We’re human. But, sometimes … I just want to slap some sense into people!

Nonetheless, I take a long walk, ponder, pray, consider throat punching a few folks, keep walking until it passes, and then reach my destination with a big smile because they have no idea I wanted to kick them in the shins. If only they’d let me sit closer in that meeting…

My muse explained how moments where you can just “be” are vital to strong mental health and staying grounded when life gets out of control. Just be. But what does that look like exactly? In a changing perspective of how to get to yes, it feels almost impossible. And why do I have to get to yes? Yes is hard and has responsibilities. I don’t want to get to yes. I want to say no! Alas, bending whilst not breaking is an art I have yet to perfect.

You know who does have life figured out? That beautiful woman above. In my eyes, she walks on water. She probably has wings hidden beneath her blouse. Her smile is everything to me. And I’m pretty partial to the mini me standing beside her, too. It was a short visit but one that my heart remembers long after we’ve left. What’s to be frustrated about at 95 yrs old?

Which reminds me of sitting at a restaurant some nights ago. A lovely older woman walked in with cash in her hand and a big smile on her face. For whatever reason, I looked up, made eye contact, and smiled back. Because the world needs more happy people. She walked directly over to me and said “He wants a burger and look at how I’m dressed!” I assumed she meant her spouse or someone who had driven her. As she opened her coat and showed me her wrinkled attire, I smiled and told her she looked beautiful. She replied, “Well, at 94, I don’t think anyone will notice!” She waved as she left with her to-go order.

I’ll probably never see her again but it’s a joy when someone comes along and brightens your day without any ulterior motives. Maybe it is possible to just be.

___________________

I ask you –

Is there a phrase that resonates with you?

How often do you want to kick someone in the shin?

Tell me your thoughts on being 94/95 years old! I hope I have a false cane to whack people with!

(The post What Frustration Looks Like + A Moment of Joy first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

I Take My Chances

Anything shorter than 10 pages is a break. I’m just counting down the days until spring break. For me, that’s 10 whole days of no due dates. For mini, it’s a vacation from school and a trip to Tennessee.

First, we have to navigate parent-teacher conferences, class parties, and probably something else I’m forgetting. Book fair. That’s what it was. I wrote a post last year on the quality of book fairs and how they are definitely not what I remember. It was sad. But like any good parent with a short memory and dumbfounded hope, I will attend the book fair again and most likely be talked into $50 worth of easily lost erasers and a book that interests neither of us. Remind me of this conversation later.

I often forget to take care of myself but lately – just the last week, really – I’ve attempted to fill my bucket, so to speak. First, a coffee date with an amazing mentor who reminds me we’re fighting the good fight and we have each other. Then, a phone call with the one and only Aunt Mary Catherine who I can hear smile through the speakers. We’re visiting soon and just the thought of seeing her gives me renewed joy and hope.

Finally, a mad dash to course completion in the hopes that I can read a book other than required readings. Possibility? I might have a better chance at running more than once per week. And that’s saying something because I haven’t managed this successfully in weeks. Right now, I’m just living for the tiny zing I get when I realize I’ve written another page in a long line of pages.

Details, you know.

_________________________

I ask you –

Any upcoming vacation plans?

How much will I spend at the book fair?

Tell me some chances you’ve taken lately!

(The post I Take My Chances first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Reminiscing

Of all the strange things we go (and grow) through in life, one I’m definitely having a hard time wrapping my mind around is my beautiful, great Aunt Mary Catherine not living in the home I’ve only ever known for her to live in.

Her voice is that of an angel, she is so very humorous, and her kindness cannot be rivaled. You have no idea how much it’s been tried. But I believe she’s embracing her new life in new surroundings near her sons. She joyfully stated apartment living would do until she “ran out of money or ran out of life!” I mentioned running out of patience. We had a good laugh. Alas, her home “is not Boxelder” anymore; yet she maintains a pleasant disposition toward the “old, gray-haired women” whom she says are both nice and sweet, but she’d rather not have so many meals with “a lot of women I don’t remember the names of”. Ditto.

Fortunately, we were able to visit her recently in her new abode. Mini has been asking me for weeks when we were going to see her; unfortunately, it took me entirely too long to actually plan a trip. In reality, her new accommodations are actually closer than where she previously lived (+/- 3 hrs versus 4 hrs). As her birthday is in April (she’ll be 95), I’m hoping our family has a big birthday celebration planned. Remind me to ask them about this.

“Whispering Hope” by Percy Faith is a song she mentioned as one of her favorites. Growing up in the big band, big orchestra years, she shared a story of questioning our hometown’s funeral director why this song wasn’t played at funerals and her expectation that it very well should be. I’m making note of it here as a reminder she has a desire for it to be played when she passes. Her wish is my command. In the meantime, I treasure every hug, every smile, every ‘I love you’ we share.

And, of course, there was a warm blueberry pie awaiting our arrival! Mini ate two pieces. Aunt MC shared another story of when she and my Uncle Jack were newly married and driving up the East Coast, my uncle noticed a roadside stand selling blueberries. At that time, Aunt MC had never eaten a blueberry and didn’t know what one was! Turns out, my uncle loved blueberries and once they became easily located in grocery stores, she had to figure out what to do with them all the time. Introducing the most famous (in my world and family) blueberry pie. Every minute I spend with her is such a blessing and a lesson in our family’s history.

I wish everyone had an Aunt Mary Catherine. But not mine; she’s spoken for.

________________________________

I ask you –

Do you have someone in your life like my Aunt MC?

Is there a family recipe you love the most?

On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love blueberries? I’m a 12!