~just simply liz~

2013-10-09T18:55:00.001-05:00

~Wordless Wednesday ~

LOVE AND HUGS

~JUST SIMPLY LIZ~

To Crunch or Pop?

2013-10-08T20:33:00.005-05:00

BlogHer's NaBloPoMo October 2013 Challenge!

I was thrilled to come across the NaBloPoMo Blog Challenge! Since I am new to the blogging world it hasn't become habit for me to post as often as I had planned to. BlogHer has been a wealth of information for me and find this challenge at the end of September must have been destiny. October is my favorite month of the year and always has been my time for new resolutions so here's to 31 days of posting with NaBloPoMo!

http://www.blogher.com/blogher-topics/blogging-social-media/nablopomo

Hello all, I missed my posting yesterday so it will remain a mystery as to which kind of apple I am... Although, I am sure Red Delicious suits me quite well!

Anyway on to the question of the day. Which do I prefer, the crunching of leaves underfoot or the popping of bubble wrap? This question has taken me some thought and I've had to delve into the imaginative recesses of my thoughts to come up with my answer. Why did I need my imagination for this? Well it comes down to being on the coast in Rockport, Texas. We have trees, we have numerous Live Oak trees all over our property but these trees drop their leaves in the Spring and even at that time they just aren't the type of leaves that crunch underfoot. When I walk across my yard and have crunching underfoot, it means my grass is dying and I need to water. But in my imagination, I can picture all the beautiful red, gold and yellow leaves drifting slowly with the wind till they are in a beautiful glorious pile that not only crunches under your feet but that you can actually rake into a pile and fall into! With this thought you can truly envision what Fall can be and one of these days, I will experience it to the fullest!

Until that time comes, I can always enjoy the action of popping bubble wrap but can't see myself enjoying the sound of the bubble wrap. Definitely not like I can close my eyes and let my imagination hear those leaves!

Love and hugs!

~just simply liz~

Sunday Afternoon...

2013-10-06T23:07:00.001-05:00

There's just something wonderfully relaxing about a Sunday afternoon in the Fall. My favorite ones are the cool days with the breeze blowing through the open windows. A pot of beans cooking on the stove with cornbread in the oven and homemade chow chow in the fridge.

It's great to cuddle on the couch with the hubs and Princess Patches with a random football game on TV. To dose off and on throughout the afternoon is my thought of pure bliss!

I hope everyone has enjoyed there Sunday afternoon... Mine wasn't what I just described but it's in my mind to think about when I'm out here on shift work.

hugs and love.

Fall... Are you really here?

2013-10-05T22:51:00.000-05:00

Here we are a few days into October and I've been writing from the NaBloPoMo promts about my love of Fall and all the tastes, sights and fun that accompanies this time of year. Now this hasn't all been a bunch of hogwash, I really do love the Fall it's just been a wee bit tough to really get into the spirit when as I sit here tonight it's still 81* in good ol' South Texas. A Pumpkin Spice cappuccino just isn't the same when you have to put ice in it because its to hot outside to enjoy it.

So tonight I am anxiously awaiting our first cool front of the season. By morning it should be a fabulous 58*! I can buy that cappuccino and enjoy it in that brisk cool air because by the time afternoon rolls around we will be back at 80 but that's better than 90 so it's all good!

Welcome Fall, I' ready!

My favorite costume of Halloween's Past...

2013-10-04T22:28:00.000-05:00

BlogHer's NaBloPoMo October 2013 Challenge!

http://www.blogher.com/blogher-topics/blogging-social-media/nablopomo

Day four of NaBloPoMo October 2013 Challenge and the question is. What was your favorite Halloween costume as a child? This has a very simple answer because for as long as I can remember back into those childhood years, I was always the same thing... A Black Cat!

It was always a very simple thing, some kitty ears and a tail, a little makeup on my face for some whiskers and a pink nose and I was all set. I've always loved animals but have a special bond with cats. I remember as a little girl we always had lots of cats around and I had my little dog, Fefe. I would play outside with Fefe and the cats all day. A memory comes to mind of a house we had out in the country in the tiny town of Bonnieview, TX. I remember sitting outside and holding Fefe or one of the cats and taking their paw to teach them how to write their names. Funny now to think back on that and see them clearly in my mind patiently letting me pick them up, hold their paw and complete the task!

Well a little off track of topic but I guess that's why it was always a cat costume and since it was Halloween it was a black cat for a "Witch's" cat. Now a days my costume is being Witch and this Witch has a special Calico cat!

What to be for Halloween!

2013-10-03T23:12:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year that the question always arises? What will you be for Halloween? Now understand, Halloween is my favorite holiday and this is my favorite time of the year but even though I always have big thoughts and plans of what I'm going to do for Halloween. And then the night comes and guess what? I never end up pulling off the great costume.

I love to see all the great costumes and ideas that people come up with. The time and effort put in to it all is worthy of applause! But for me, will I dress up? I will just have to put on my hat and go as myself!
What will you be???

My Hat!

The Flavors of Fall

2013-10-02T23:41:00.001-05:00

Oh yummy, the Flavors of Fall! In the words of my daughter about mid September when we were discussing how ready we were for Summer to be over and for cooler weather to come. She said to me "I'm ready for Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING!!!

2013-10-01T22:40:00.000-05:00

BlogHer's NaBloPoMo October 2013 Challenge!

http://www.blogher.com/blogher-topics/blogging-social-media/nablopomo

My Love of Fall...

I have truly had a love for Autumn for as long as I can remember. The feeling that many people get in the Spring has always happened for me in the Fall. I anxiously await that first cool front that blows through. I open all the windows and become invigorated listening to the rusting of the leaves mingled with the wind chimes on my porch. I would have a spot of heave on earth if the rustling leaves had the colors of Autumn but living in South Texas we have green, brown and gone. I always try to look for the positive in life so we do have some nice shades of brown!

For some reason my spirit just seems to be drained by September but the changing of the winds in October lift me up and I have renewed hope and a brighter outlook. For many people the Fall and Winter months bring on a sense of gloom with the grey skies and rainy days. I find those days to be my most productive and peaceful.

There is nothing better on a crisp fall morning than to start the day snuggled in my fluffy robe relaxing with a hot cup of cocoa, coffee or tea. On those mornings I love to get lost in a book while rocking in porch chair. My cat, Princess Patches enjoys the fall as well. It brings me such joy to watch her jump and play like a kitten when she feels the chilly breeze. I guess she is like her moma and loves the fall too!

Love and hugs,

~justsimplyliz~

The choice is yours!

2013-09-21T00:55:00.001-05:00

After three weeks of being down with a flare from my lovely array of chronic illnesses I am now back to work and back to all the stress of the reality of life. I'm really not sure I want to be a grown up. But I have an idea after seeing all my friend's children starting back to school it brought back memories of my first days of school. The elementary years where it's all fun and exciting, that's how I want my life to be now!

Wouldn't that be great?

It would be, but life is life and as an adult I think that feeling is limited in our lives. I know it is in mine, once I wake up my brain kicks in and sometimes my adult life leaves little to be excited over in starting the day. I can't change all the stress and struggles of life. But I can challenge myself every day upon waking to put at the top of the to do lists that begins streaming in my head to be excited! Why, because I am alive and that in itself is something to be truly excited over!

So, be alive my friends! It really is a choice to be happy and to find happiness in even the smallest of things.

What choice will you make???

Love and hugs!
~just simply liz~

2013-09-03T17:15:00.002-05:00

Hello friends...

Find a piece of nature to be your inspiration today!

Mine will come from the roots of a tree...

~Blessed Be~

Welcome September!

2013-09-01T19:07:00.001-05:00

Hello friends!

I am making an official welcome to September! I know so many people are enjoying the last big weekend of Summer but I have to be honest. I'm very much over this Summer. It has been beyond hot and humid this year and I haven't had much "fun in the Sun".

Now I know that Fall doesn't truly begin till September 22nd. But I have hope if we lay out the red carpet for a grand welcome that the first cool North breeze will blow in!

The coming of Fall was summed up beautifully by my baby girl earlier today when we talked about the end of Summer. Her words "I'm ready for Pumpkin Spice everything"!

Blessings and love friends,

~just simply liz~

Paint away the pain...

2013-08-31T13:29:00.000-05:00

Princess Patches supervising!

Hi friends!

Doing the best to keep a positive attitude while dealing with this flare so going to work a little on my continuing project! A paint roller and a chair will be my therapy for today.

About two months ago I decided to redecorate my kitchen. Just a few small jobs, like paint the walls, stain the cabinets and resurface the counter tops. No big deal, the folks on HGTV do this kind of thing in one day! Between work, illness and just life in general I'm not through yet. Progress has been made but it sure hasn't happened in the span of a 60 minute episode.

Of course I don't seem to have any hunky carpenters around helping me out either. I do, however have Princess Patches always at my side to lift a helping paw! It's nice to have a little encouragement though since "Mr. K" can't seem to follow the images of my vision. I keep telling him it will all pull together when the projects done. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

So for today, I'm going to try to get a little bit done today and paint away my pain...

I hope you all have a blessed day and find a way to paint through your pains!

A little positive energy sealed in the paint!

another day...

2013-08-27T16:57:00.000-05:00

Greetings!

Well as the title says, it's another day! Things are a little rough for me right now but I'm sure they will be back on track soon. Oh, who am I kidding they may just skid right the hell off the track. But whether things get better or worse for me one thing is for sure...

Tomorrow will be another day!

XOXOXO

Blessed Be
~just simply liz~

Let's get this thing going!

2013-08-25T10:16:00.001-05:00

Greetings!

I am doing it, I am going to blog. Why, because I want to. Will anyone read it? I have no idea. So, why do it? Because I have to many thoughts jumbled in my head and I just feel like setting them free. So, what will this be about? Knowing me, it will be quite random just like the aforementioned thoughts... For today I will write about my experience with how little is known about chronic illness unless you're living with it, because today it's whats in my jumbled head. This was going to be a Facebook status but there was just to many things that came to mind to fit plus I truly like for my Facebook to be happy filled with cute kitties and love of friends and family so thus the blog
~Just Simply Liz~ was born today!

A day or two ago I was talking to someone that had seen my post on Facebook about working around my home and how good I felt. I didn't think much of it until today. I don't feel very well today and I came across this same person who said this. "Oh, you're sick again... I thought you were doing better, I thought you were over all that stuff".
When I gained my composure and overcame my urge to not punch him in the face which would have only hurt my hands more, I explained my illness like this.

I have Fibromyalgia, Systemic Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis all three considered chronic illnesses of which there is no cure and in many ways invisible upon appearance. I think that is why it can be so hard to understand for those afflicted and so frustrating for those of us who are. I don't always "look" sick so it's easy for some to forget that I am. My life has now become a big surprise that changes daily and sometimes even during the course of the day. What do I mean by a big surprise? I will explain.

There is always some type of pain in my body, yes always. The surprise is how much and how badly is it going to affect me. It may be just the small amount of pain that I can get out and function, have fun or go to work without to much trouble. That's a great day! Or the surprise maybe the day where the pain is more demanding, my head is fuzzy, I have a fever and feel like the mixture of a hangover and the beginning of the flu all at the same time. One of those days where you would like to stay curled up in bed but you know you can't because life must go on. This type of day is frequent for me and is usually the day that I make it through work or whatever things I have to do but cancel out on the fun things I had planned to do. Then there are the bad surprise days. On these days, there is no pushing through the pain the brain fog and myriad of other symptoms that I have awoken to or have crept upon me throughout the day like a stalker. These are the days that will be spent totally in bed needing help with the simplest of routine things, like getting up to walk to the bathroom. This last type of day just plain sucks. I am a positive person by nature and therefore I can (usually) be thankful that my illnesses are mild in comparison to others. We all have our own battles and I do my very best to remember that.

So, no I'm not over all of this and unless a cure is found I will never be. I hope I helped him to understand a little more about chronic illness and I hope that maybe someone else will come across this and learn from it too.

~just simply liz~