Thinking too much hijacks my thoughts.

Some mornings stun me into silence

 As from today I will NOT allow my mind to HIJACK my thoughts.

“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; 

simply for the reason that they are heavy.” 

~ anon.

I’ve been having a confidence crisis.

3 markets down since the significant other was incarcerated and each time I participate,

 I’m more and more fearful.

It’s a mind game.  

One that my mind is playing far too well.

Franky trying to pinch the hound's log

Thoughts can be my best friend and my worst enemy.  

They pop into my head without permission and faster than the eye can blink.  

They don’t leave quite as quickly though and the emotions they stir up are distracting.

Until I learn to OBSERVE what’s on the inside of my mind without being judgmental, 

the external world that I perceive and experience around me 

will continue to be a reflection of those thoughts.  

They’re not always good ones.

Wet and misty morning at the view-site

It’s that thinking too much thingy.

Almost as bad as the words falling out of my mouth thingy.

The words falling out of my mouth thingy DOESN’T hijack my thoughts though.  

The thinking too much thingy does.

Franky running rings around the hound and barking at her!

“ ... the problem most people have is NOT knowing how to STOP thinking."

~ Eckhard Tolle

Guilty as charged.

I alone am responsible for creating the world in which I live.

Something the oldest lemming keeps reminding me of.

On Sunday I had the privilege of dining out with T.  

I don’t think she knows how much of an impact she has on my life.  

She is a light-bringer.  

She allows me to see things through her eyes and, when viewed from that perspective, 

they’re not quite as scary as I once thought.

We laugh a lot too and I like that.

We also feed each others souls.

I like that even more.

My world is just awesome

“The free soul is rare but you know it when you see it because you feel good, 

very good, when you are near or with them."

~ Charles Bukowski

Playing with sunsets and silhouettes

A trio of chocolate mousse ....

“My mind NOT only wanders .... sometimes it leaves me completely.” 

Quote courtesy of the Nutters Club NZ

I NEED more time in my day .... 24 hours is just NOT long enough for all the things I want to do ..... WANT being the operative word.

Getting up with the sparrows to walk with Julia was the furthest thing from my mind when the alarm went off this morning. I was even late for meeting Carol to go to Waiatarua. Trying to fit too much into one’s day does that to you.

The shop was heaving yesterday. I re-dressed the 2 mannequins in the side window 7 times ... YES, SEVEN times!! Every time I sold the dress the mannequin was wearing and replaced it with another, that one sold TOO! Those mannequins sure did a GOOD job ... they DESERVE a Christmas bonus!

Ebony and Sam racing for the ball.

Even the mannequin outside on the main road, who lost her hat to the wind and had it kindly returned to the shop by a passing pedestrian ..... sold HER outfit 3 times. Thankfully Head Office didn’t visit yesterday .... they would have wondered why so many of the mannequins were in a perpetual state of undress!

Neck and neck ....

Even if Ebony had got there first, Sam would have taken the ball off her
- she's used to being muged!

Working in a fashion store is quite an education. Women in general ... and there are a few exceptions .... are incredibly unsure of their bodies and the styles that suit them. They don’t allow themselves to listen to their instincts. A lot of them believe that society dictates that their hem lines should be a certain length .... that blondes shouldn’t wear certain colours ... that when you reach a certain age, you can’t wear certain styles. 

A trio of chocolate mousse .... WITH requisite rugby balls.

It’s a load of bollocks. I firmly believe that if you feel good about yourself in a garment you should wear it. CONFIDENCE comes from wearing something you’re COMFORTABLE in and that you BELIEVE you look good in

 .... it’s all a mind game. 

It’s a hard task though trying to persuade women to believe in themselves .... especially where their appearance is concerned. I can empathise with that. NONE of us are immune to the damage a lack of self-confidence can create. 

Thank goodness the hounds have no such hang-ups!

They .... the Labrador Gang that is .... believe their owners sole purpose here on earth is to throw/kick rugby balls for them in perpetuity. 

Shadow loves to try and catch the ball BEFORE it hits the water!

Even Ebony’s getting in the groove. She was waiting at the dog pond for us when we got to Waiatarua. Anthony had no need to tell us where he was going as he walked up the path towards us .... we already knew he was on his way to his car to fetch Ebony’s rugby ball.

Shadow, the wannabee Labrador,  is deemed an ‘honorary’ member" of the Labrador Gang. He’s slowly but surely working up the courage to leap in the water to retrieve a rugby ball. I’m not sure if it’s the hounds or the rugby balls that are the incentive but, whichever it is, it’s working.

Sarah trying to retrieve Shadow's ball. I had the camera ready
just in case she fell in.

My hound is, quite literally, “dog-tired” .... no pun intended .... and I hope Sam is too. He’s been showing Carol his mischievous side! Yesterday while she was out, he pinched some of the Christmas presents from underneath the tree, took them upstairs to what he considers to be “his space” .... and opened them! There’s no damage done to the presents but Carol has to re-wrap them. The day before that he decorated the house with a toilet roll! Hopefully today, after all the chasing of rugby balls, he’ll have exhausted his naughty streak!

I’ve taken the liberty of editing this quotation from Albert Schweitzer as it’s just so applicable to my life ... and I guess the lives of so many others. Thank you Albert Schweitzer.

Another "Trio of Chocolate Mousse" .... love them to bits!

Some day I know all the jig-saw puzzle pieces of my life will fall into place. Until then, I’ll laugh at the confusion .... of which there is plenty, live in and for the moment and believe that everything happens for a reason. 

Amen to that!