Facebook is Alive and Well

We have a growing number of friends and family joining us on Facebook and we are having a blast. So far, it is the best Social Media source for keeping in touch with family. I love most everything about the site, including the photos, all of the old friends and new that I am connecting with, the ease with which I can communicate with family, and did I mention photos?

I have photos of my grandson, my brother and his family and my sister all have their photos, and it is an easy way to see how each person has changed. We all live in different US states, and don't get to see each other all that often. Having such an easy availability of photos and the ability to comment is great.

If you haven't checked out Facebook as yet, why not give it a try. After all, you may connect with an old high school or college friend, relative you haven't heard from in quite a while, or meet new friends who have similar interests as you.

If you are reading this, go ahead and friend me. I would be glad to get to know you. If you do stop in there, please let me know what you think of the site.

Take care and have a great weekend.

Football Season in Full Swing

With football season well underway, and my football chick shirt available every Sunday (all day) and for Monday Night Football, I found this year my loyalties changed. For many years I have strongly supported certain teams. Not just because they were winning, but because I liked certain players or the coach, lived in the area during that season and supported the local team (Lions, Redskins, Cowboys, Cardinals - I've moved around a bit).

But this year, back in Michigan but not fully loving the Lions just yet, my heart moved towards Minneapolis. For one thing, it's not that far away from Michigan. But really, for some reason, I have taken a liking to Brett Favre for some reason. Not sure why, but there it is.

The other team I am keen on is the Arizona Cardinals. Prior to returning to Michigan in 2006, I lived in Arizona. Although I live in this sometimes freezing cold Northern state, my heart is still in the Southwest. I am so excited that Arizona is playing as well as they are. The win last Sunday was a highlight of this season.

I love fall! Not only for the beautiful fall colors as the leaves change and the great holidays that are associated with this time of year, but for the football games and camaraderie that comes with watching games with or at the same time as other family members no matter where we live. Numerous phone calls are sometimes exchanged when games and rivalries are getting hot.

Football season still has a couple of months to go, and of course the Super Bowl is the culmination of the season, but the week to week frenzy is a joy and continues on for a while longer. I am definitely looking forward to this next Sunday and will avidly follow my favorite teams.

How about you? Who is your favorite team or player? If you don't like football, what are you doing instead?

A True Sign of Spring

Since my late 30's (sounds so long ago, doesn't it?), I have worn my hair fairly short. Imagine my surprise that for the last number of months I have been wearing an increasingly long ponytail. I told my daughter and sister I was finally in style.

There were several reasons for the longer hair. One was the pictures taken when my older daughter and her family visited over New Years 2008. Granted, I also had the flu while they were here, but my pictures were terrible - I blamed it on the short hair. Several weeks later my hairdresser trimmed my hair, and that was it.

The next time I got my haircut was yesterday. Let me explain.

About the time I was thinking about getting my hair trimmed last year, I found out my hairdresser was going through a terrible medical crisis. I thought about going somewhere else, but since I work at home and don't have a great need of looking tip-top at all times, I let it go - er grow.

Short Beginnings

First, I had a little tiny ponytail that actually resembled a little pig tail sticking out the back of my head. But then, wow, it kept getting longer. My hair is thick and grows fast, so before I knew it, I actually had a real ponytail. My hair ended up reaching below my shoulder blades.

Yesterday, my daughter's youngest sister came over to cut her hair. Deb kept asking me if I wanted mine cut too and I finally gave in to a short trim. When Sarah asked how much I wanted trimmed, I said just a half-inch or so.

Well, we were talking about vitamin D and how it helps with SAD with which I have struggled. Suddenly, the weight of my hair was pressing down on me and the girls were questioning did I really want it long. I decided to get it cut short.

Sarah gently asked, "So, how much do you want cut off?"

I said, "All of it!"

Questioning my sanity, we went through the question and answer period several times with my daughter, Deb, chiming in that she thought my decision would make a big difference in how I felt. As Sarah cut away all that long thick hair, my eyes started to well up in tears. Next thing I knew, tears were rolling down my cheeks.

Happy Endings

By the time everything was said and done, I had hair shorter than I have had in a very long time. However, Sarah did such a great job that it looks good on me and I feel a ton lighter. I feel like a heavy load was lifted off my shoulders.

Today I keep reaching back to tighten the ponytail or just run my fingers through my hair, and alas, there isn't any there. But it sure feels good. I have absolutely no regrets in getting all that heavy hair cut off.

I also realized this morning that, until last year, getting my hair cut short was always the first sign of spring.

Watch out, winter, your days are numbered!

What is your first sign of spring? Do you have a spring ritual in preparation of the big occasion? It is just us northeners who notice spring this much?

For a short, cute, related story from yesterday's haircutting session, check out this link.

NY Times Article Highlights Bronner's Christmas Wonderland

Bronner's in Frankenmuth, MI was highlighted in a New York Times article published yesterday. Excuse Me, Where's Thanksgiving? focused on the year-round Christmas wonderland visited by thousands throughout the year.

Years ago, my family regularly visited Bronner's for their excellent family-style chicken dinners. More recently, I spent the weekend, several years in a row, with friends. We visited various stores and enjoyed the ambiance of Frankenmuth.

It is great to see Michigan on the world news map in a positive way.

Have you visited Bronner's? Did you try the world famous chicken dinners?

Photo from Public Domain on Wikimedia Commons.

It's Jean Season for a Reason

Back in the day, when I was growing up, there were strict rules regarding the changing of the seasons and what was appropriate to wear. Although we wore jeans around the house, after all we lived on a farm, we were strictly monitored when adventuring beyond our neighborhood, especially if we needed to dress up.

Now days, denim is seen all through the year. When I was young and on the fly, every fall several of us females would see our guys off to the local university football game, or at least seated at the bar watching the away games. Then we would take off on a road trip every Saturday afternoon without fail.

We had our jean skirts, jean jackets, denim purses with the jewels and what-sits on them, appropriate shoes or knee boots, and off we would go down back country roads to the bars we only visited once a year, for nachos and beer. What could get any better than that.

As we drove the back roads, to a different bar each week, we saw scenery we didn't get to see at any other time, leaves were changing, tongues were flying, we caught up with each others lives.

We have all scattered, over the years, one even died way too young, but the memories linger on every Saturday in fall, when I think back on the blue jean jacket and all.

What is your favorite fall memory? Was denim involved?