Janet's Smiles

I don’t know how she does it but Linda often picks the prompts that are just right for what’s happening with me.  Today’s “OW” is an example.

My right knee is misaligned as you can see from this X-ray.  It is a little off center and I had been having a problem with it being sore off and on for years.   

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Ever heard the term “Pig in a poke?”  I thought of that when I read Linda’s prompt for today.  I had to look it up and it means buying something without really knowing everything about it.  I try really hard to pay attention to what I’m buying, especially if it is expensive.

I’d have to say that buying our Dodge Journey was like buying a pig in a poke.  I really wanted the car because of the name, Journey, which is one of my all time favorite groups (the Steve Perry years).  We didn’t have much money and so I went online to find a used one, which I did at a dealer near us.  It had been on the lot for quite a while (which in itself should have told me something) but I just used that to try and get a better deal (which I didn’t).

This car had lots of secret hiding places and not much mileage so I thought it was a good bargain.  Unfortunately, it also had some problems that became apparent after we had it for a while – like the habit of not starting occasionally.  I would go out to run some errands and get stuck when I tried to get back.  Of course, most of the time when I called my husband to come and rescue me, it would start right up!  Eventually we got a recall notice about it and there was a problem with something, I can’t even remember now what it was.  We had them fix it but shortly thereafter we got our CRV which I loved.  One good thing is that we got money back on our income taxes that year since I use my vehicle for work and somehow what we got in trade in value was less than what the depreciation was or something like that (a refund is a refund, who cares really why?)

So, got a pig in a poke story to share?

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The prompt for today in #JusJoJan is to share a photo taken in the last week.  Gotta use three to tell the story.  Benny decided he wanted to try on some lipstick.

Good thing the next day was bath and a haircut day.

Oh that Benny!

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Linda is leading the Just Jot January for us again and since today is Wednesday, the prompt is the same as One Liner Wednesday.  I’m going to try and find one-liners that have to do with my Word of the Year, Drive.  Here goes:

Sometimes the best therapy is a long drive and music.  (From Lessonslearnedinlife.com)

Me, circa 1983, in the car I used to get my therapy in.  I thought I was so cool.  I also think that was pretty close to the goal weight I’m aiming for.  At that time I thought I was fat.  I was just a kid, what did I know?

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Here are the full moons I was able to capture this year and the selfies I take every month, just to keep a record in one place in case I need to find one.

Do you have a year long project?  I know I like looking back at these so I’ll keep doing it.  I also put a smaller version in my planner each month. 

Here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to us all! 

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Every year for the last 6 years I’ve chosen a Word of the Year to guide me.

2014 – Courage

2015 – Change

2016 – Focus

2017 – Believe

2018 – Create

2019 – Dance

For 2020 I’ve chosen “Drive.”  Here is the picture I’m using to visualize it.  It is from the little scrapbook I made for my sister when I taught her to drive.

I also put a phrase in a locket that I wear so I have a reminder all the time.

Follow One Course Until Successful

Believe in what you feel inside and give your dreams the wings to fly.

I may use the same phrase as under the picture of the car, above, or find another one to put in the locket this year.

If you are interested in choosing a word for the year, I recommend the “Find Your Word” free course from Susannah Conway.  She will send a short email each day for 5 days to help you find “your” word.  It is surprising how often the word comes up during the year, even when I am not particularly thinking about it.  Try it and see!

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The prompt for today is “Thank you for…” and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank you all for reading and commenting on my posts this year.  Between my Blogger site and the WordPress edition I’ve had over 3000 comments, likes and views and about 200 followers.  Not that the numbers really matter, it just surprises me that so many people not related to me actually take an interest in what I have to say.  In fact, the people who ARE related to me don’t even take that much interest – LOL.  

I’d also like to thank:

Linda G. Hill for her fun challenges:  Just Jot It January, The Escapist Coloring Club, One Liner Wednesday and Stream of Consciousness Saturday.  I know that it takes a lot to keep these going strong year after year and I appreciate the opportunity to play along.  

Jim Adams for continuing the Song Lyric Sunday musical roundup.  It is such fun to hear everyone’s different picks each week.  

   

Arlee Bird, John Holton and the rest of the A to Z Challenge team.  I’m starting to worry if I’ll be able to come up with something fun this year.  I have no clue yet.  

James J. Cudney, IV for his continued support of my blog AND my Etsy Shop.

Susannah Conway for her wonderful prompts in April (April Love – which I actually haven’t been doing since I started the A to Z), August Break and December Reflections.  

Mary at Jingle, Jangle, Jungle for the Rocktober Music Fest.  I participated this year for the first time and it was fun. 

I know that it is easier for me to write when I have the prompts and inspiration from these great folks and I know I get more views when I link up with them.  

Thanks again to all of you for visiting me!  Looking forward to more fun next year.  2020 is so much easier to type than 2019 don’t you think?  

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Jim gives us the last prompt of the year, Crazy, to use for Song Lyric Sunday.  Thanks so much, Jim, for continuing to host this fun blog-along (not sure if that’s really a word but it is now). 

I’m hoping that not too many people will pick this song.  I thought the artist’s name was Gnarles Barkley, but I just learned from Wikipedia today that it is actually two people, Danger Mouse (Brian Joseph Burton) and CeeLo Green.   I love the use of ink blots in the video.  Hope you enjoy.

I learn so many interesting facts about the songs and the artists through the #SLS, don’t you?  Makes for a fun Sunday. 

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Lovely Linda tells us to use the word “Year” in our posts today, any way we like.  I am going to talk about reading goals for the year.  I said a few posts ago that I am not going to make my 40 as I am on 34 with James Cudney’s Haunted House Ghost, the signed book I won in his contest!  I’m okay with that and I’m keeping the goal at 40 for 2020.  I love the way Goodreads keeps tally of your reading year for you.  I have added their results to my yearly reading Pinterest board.   

I generally do the PopSugar Reading Challenge every year.  I am also going to add the Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Challenge to give me some more options.

But, the most fun I’m going to have is by trying to scratch off as many of these as I can:

This is the scratch off chart I got for Christmas from my daughter.  It is 100 Essential Novels.  I have already scratched off 3, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and 1984 but that’s because I just read them in the last few months.  There are others on here I have read before but I’m not going to scratch them until I read them again.  Some of them I’ve never heard of.  Pretty sure it’s going to take me more than one year to read all these.  I know a few of them are long ones.

Pop Charts makes a lot of different scratch off posters like this.  My daughter got one for her sister that was of 100 movies.  I also saw one that I almost got for my husband that was of all the major league ballparks.  Kind of fun to track your progress that way don’t you think? 

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I know there are a lot of folks who are taking the rest of the year off from blogging and social media and I have been frequenting it less and less because of the general busy-ness of Christmas and spending time with family.  Still, I have to get my fix occasionally so I may post something on Instagram or Facebook from time to time.  Here’s a recap of the last week. 

From the December Reflections prompts: 

Day 17 – I said Hello to…  I skipped this day.  It seems like I can use the same pictures over and over for some of these things (like Benny and the studio).

Day 18 – Favorite Photo of me.  I have posted a few pictures of me in the mirror demonstrating the weight loss this year but beside those, my favorite picture of me was a toss up between these two. 

I think I like the vibrant colors in the first one and that’s the one I posted on Instagram with the #Decemberreflections2019 tag but I do like my hat!

Day 19 – Cold – skipped this one too.  I think the day it came up it was a warm one so I just wasn’t feeling cold.  Still, I asked for a ski mask for Christmas so I can keep warm on my Benny walks.  I got one too!

Day 20 – Memorable meal in 2019.  I used the dessert we had when we went out for our 35th anniversary back in May.  It was a restaurant similar to the Benihana style but not as good.  Still, the meal was memorable for the occasion and I splurged off of my eating restrictions for the bananas foster!

Day 21 – I said goodbye to a bunch of stuff that we are going to try and sell at a garage sale when the weather is more predictable.  The picture is sideways but I don’t feel like taking the time to turn it over. 

Day 22 – Solstice light – skipped this one. 

Day 23 – A secret – Presents under the tree are all about secrets now.

Day 24 – Paper – could have used the wrapping paper all over the house but instead I used a picture of my tower of paper in the studio.  This is just the 12 x 12.  I have all kinds of paper in lots of different sizes.  I believe I mentioned once I am a paper addict.

Day 25 – Today is – Family – The family indulged me in getting a picture in.  I took only two the whole day.  I’m sad about that. 

Day 26 – Delicious – Our dinner last night was delicious but as noted above, I only took two pictures and the food was not one of them!  We had ham, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, asparagus, twice baked cauliflower, cranberry sauce and tortellini – something for everyone.

Up to date for now.  Are you getting things done or taking the rest of the year off?

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