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February 21, 2026
by JoAnna 21 Comments

SoCS: Preciousness, a Mini Beach Vacation, and Back to the Present

Today’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with ‘pre’.” Find a word that starts with “pre” and use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

This planet, Earth, is precious. If only more people would realize how precious our natural world is.

Time is precious. It zooms by even when we thought it was crawling. Time can be deceptive in that way.

The word precious means of great value. I didn’t look it up, I just think that’s what it means. Value. We value different things, but we all have things in common.

The word precious has sometimes been used in a derogatory way: Well, isn’t she precious, with a snarky tone (or maybe in a genuine tone which would be complimentary) Gollum in Lord of the Rings calls his object of addiction, the ring, “Precious.” That of course is creepy, so let’s not go there.

Now, I have an earworm of the song, Precious and Few … are the moments we two can share… from the early 70s I think. Sigh. I don’t want to write about that. Why not? I liked it in the 70s. But that was then and this is now. Now as in the present moment, a topic or focus on mindfulness meditation which I am trying to practice more.

Still, there’s something to be said for nostalgia – good memories. Like the ones that came up when we visited Wilmington for Fat Tuesday/Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras in a low key church potluck kind of way. We went to our old church in Wilmington because David missed the oyster roast/potluck they do every year instead of a pancake supper. We took Marley who was a very good boy and stayed two nights at a Kure beach motel that was very pet friendly.

I had not predicted the strong feelings of nostalgia and discomfort as we drove across the Cape Fear River into Wilmington. It felt like we should turn left to go “home” to our old neighborhood. You don’t live in a house for almost 40 years and not feel like you’re supposed to go in that direction. We did not go that way. I miss the old neighborhood, but I think it’s the fond memories tickling my brain. I do NOT miss the abundance of mosquitoes, or the big cockroaches we called “waterbugs” so prolific in warm climates, or the heavy humidity of summer that does not lift at night. David and I both agreed we do NOT miss the traffic of a city growing so fast. I do not miss the parking meters, though I sometimes miss access to all kinds of stores and restaurants. I guess that’s where the traffic comes in. It was nice to smell the ocean, but it’s also nice to smell the earthy freshness of the foothills and nearby mountains.

Where we live now is closer to my grown kids and grandkids. Where we live now has FIREFLIES that will emerge soon! We see snow in winter and sometimes deer from the back deck. The summer nights are cool. Where we live now is where I prefer to be. I want what I have.

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow’s a mystery.

Today is a gift.

That’s why they call it, the present.

~~~

Below are photos of Wilmington traffic, a restaurant I DO miss and a view of the river front from the bridge:

…and Kure Beach:

~~~

For more streams of consciousness, rules, etc.

visit our host, Linda Hill,

by clicking HERE.

September 24, 2022
by JoAnna 26 Comments

SoCS: Staying Home and Watching Christmas Movies

Today’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “home.” Use it as a noun, a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. Enjoy!

The first thing I thought of was the song, “Home,” by Cat Stevens, from the album, Numbers. I’ll share that at the end of the post because that’s where it traditionally goes. Not that tradition is the be all and end all of everything. In the episcopal church tradition is one leg of the three-legged stool, along with scripture and reason. That reason part is part of the reason I go to an episcopal church as my home church.

I haven’t been to church in three weeks since I’ve been home sick. I like staying home most of the time, but I do miss singing in church. It will be a while before I can do that because of this nagging, dry cough. I got a new medication for it, so maybe it’s on its way out. Ricola cough drops have come in pretty handy.

Yesterday was the first cool day we’ve had here in a very long time. The high was in the 70s! It was wonderful! I love autumn. I got so excited to put in my orange, glowy, flickering light bulb on the front porch. I think I’ll make soup today. Looking forward to pumpkin or sweet potato pie and feeling well enough to walk Marley to the park. When we come back home, and walk through the gate, I tell him, “GO HOME,” at least twice, so if he ever runs off and someone tells him to GO HOME, he will know what that means.

I wish everyone had a safe home, a place where they feel comfortable, at least a safe, comfortable room or corner. Home really should be safe. If it’s not, get help. Please. Everyone deserves to have a safe place.

It is very possible that I have shared Cat Stevens’ “Home” here and not that long ago. Well, maybe everyone didn’t see it or hear it. I don’t mind listening to it again. Here it is: https://youtu.be/OmnIOc3WN5o

I was checking my photos and had taken some of the TV when I watched the Home Alone movies, 1 and 2. They are two of the many movies I can watch over and over again, along with Elf. When my son was about five or six, people were always saying, “He looks like that kid in the Home Alone movie.” He actually did. Now, not so much.

Here’s a picture of my son, age 7, with his new baby sister in 1993: (That was almost 30 years ago!)

Here’s the feel good ending of Home Alone 2. Kevin is giving a gift to the homeless lady who became his friend and saved him from the bad guys.

~~~

For more homey streams of consciousness, visit out host, Linda Hill by clicking HERE.

April 16, 2019
by JoAnna 8 Comments

Good News Tuesday: Helpers in Paris, Baby Rescue, and I’m Back Home!

Seeking Balance One Tuesday at a Time

Hope From Paris

It was so sad to hear about Notre Dame Cathedral burning, but all is not lost. Here are some headlines of hope from my weekly Goodnewsletter followed by a video story reporting firefighters formed a human chain to save artifacts like Jesus’s crown of thorns.

…

Police officer and Big Sister Save Baby

Big sister flagged down the police officer who successfully saved the 10 month old. The video includes a demonstration about how to help a choking baby which is good to review. However, the reporter says to continue to do back blows and chest compressions until help arrives. What I recall from my CPR training is that you can stop the compressions and back blows if the baby is clearly breathing or crying as the officer did.

…

Personal Good News: We’re Home!

There’s still plenty to do, but we’re back home after 7 months while our house was being renovated and re-wired. Yesterday we transported a few basic pieces of furniture in David’s truck and the weather was perfect! The washer and dryer aren’t hooked up yet, but the new fiber internet and direct TV are working. Today I’m painting the kitchen and some trim and getting organized.

…

Got good news? Please share in the comments!

It can be global, local, or personal!

August 8, 2017
by JoAnna Leave a comment

Ella Finds Help Getting Home

Rescue workers didn’t see the dog. After the accident, she collected what she could find of her family’s possessions and waited. Two weeks later, she asked a stranger for help.

Home Deliverance

heart-on-my-front-door

Home is where I love to be these days. For thirty years or more, it was Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, it’s off to work I go. Not digging in the mines like the seven dwarfs, but digging through layers of paperwork and computer records more than one would imagine when the job is being a counselor. Now, I do that job just one day a week.

Home is not ho hum to me like it might have been when I was in my teens and twenties – when I met the man who would some day make it possible for me to stay home more.

Home is comfortable, peaceful, an introvert’s heaven. Now, I have the time to make it even more comfortable. My cozy little cottage, without the seven dwarfs, is safe. I’m not saying dwarfs would not be safe. I have nothing against dwarfs. Clowns, now that’s another story….let’s not go there.

My husband offered me the opportunity to quit my job last year as he approached the age when he could dip into his retirement savings. I kept asking him, are you sure it’s okay for me to do that? I even talked with his accountant. I hadn’t been supported financially by a man since….since I lived with my parents which seems like a whole lot of time ago. There I used the prompt in the middle of a word. And it wasn’t that hard, not planning it exactly.

I don’t hate my job that paid the bills for 30 plus years, I love parts of it, that’s why I’m still doing it one day a week. I like helping people and the decrease in paperwork. But there was a time when I prayed for deliverance, when I was working late at night, trying to catch up on the paperwork.

Deliverance came in a way I never would have imagined. When the time was right, my soulmate found me again. It took a long time, but the timing was perfect – when he was close to retiring from his career job, and when we were ready. Which reminds me to never give up hope. God and the whole universe are working for us, if we just put our hearts desires out there on a starry night or two, get ready, and believe that anything is possible.

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Linda’s prompt for today’s Stream of Consciousness post was, “ho,” with instructions to find a word with those two letter in that order and use it in your post.

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!

Anything is Possible!

With Love, Hope, and Perseverance

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