Blogging and Jogging

Now that fall is here and it's raining--yippeeee--I am feeling a bit more like doing some blogging. I got caught up with Facebook for awhile after coming home from Scotland so I could share the photographs and memories with the people we met there.

I had another goal to help my mom find our ancestors that would get us over the pond to Scotland. I subscribed to Ancestor.com and have been researching a few different branches of my and my husband's family tree. It's so fascinating; something I never thought I would be that interested in, but after I experienced the thrill of the hunt, I was hooked.

My interest really peaked when I discovered a relative named Isobel Muir who was born in Scotland around the same area as John Muir, the naturalist. Our family has spent many vacations around and about the Yosemite Valley and in the high country camping, hiking, and backpacking, so a connection with John Muir would be such a thrill!

Another branch of our family tree, the Sundays, is rumored to be distant cousins to the famous evangelist, Billy Sunday. That's another one I want to figure out...

We also had a full-blooded Iroquois indian gggggrandmother, if I'm not mistaken on the number if greats... I still need to research that.

The main one I have been trying to crack is my gggrandfather, Alexander McGregor, who was born 1820 in the US and died 1902 in Hespillar, Ontario. There are a few Alexander McGregors born in 1820 in the US, so it's important to find the right one. We have been looking at one for years that turned out to be the wrong one! Some nice lady sent me a copy of handwritten pages from their family Bible that showed the births, deaths, marriages--dates and places. Our Alexander didn't match up with theirs! That was so nice to confirm so we didn't continue to look for evidence of that link!

Our other quest is to find my husband's long-lost brother that was given up for adoption a couple years before he was born. We have nothing but the mother's name and an approximate year of birth! My new favorite show is "Find My Family". I know it's hokey and the novelty will probably wear off after awhile, but I just think it's a neat concept for a show. A lot of babies were given away for adoption, so they should be on the air for awhile.

The jogging part of this blog is the balance I intend to have so I don't turn into Jabba the Hut. It's very sneaky that weight gain thing, especially since I am nearing 53 in a month, I have experienced the weight creep that happens when I'm not paying attention and enjoying life haphazardly. So now that we have a running store nearby with running groups and clubs, I'M ALL IN! I jogged/walked 6 miles this weekend! Woo hooo! It's nice to have a group of people to encourage me and to be accountable to. I didn't realize how many people there were that were so dedicated to running; am I the only one? This group I have been invited to join starts at 6:42 in the morning on Sundays and 6 am on weekdays! I guess that's great for the summer heat, but the winter I would think it'd be different. Nope... It does feel good though and even after 2 3-mile runs I can see a hint of my waistline coming back! I guess I need to start going to bed earlier... That's okay, my hubby needs to leave by 6:45 in the morning to get to work now, so we are up at 6 am anyway.

Funny thing about this group I have been invited to join is that most are over 50 and the nice man and his wife that invited me are in their 70's! I got to jog with the man Sunday morning, and he was in better shape than I am... He was sympathetic knowing I was just getting into it and ran at a slower pace than he normally does! I really want to keep it up. Since we are getting into a more rainy season, I asked what they do when it rains. His answer was: get a 33 gallon trash bag and cut a hole in the top and run. Huh? Like that's gonna happen... Hasn't he heard of rain gear?

Well, that's my new goal. I gotta do something! Desperate times mean desperate measures! Go, go, go, get in there and fight--grrrrrrrrrrrrr.......

Until next time, Barb

PS The picture above was taken after my 3-mile jog/walk... A nice man sends everyone e-mails of the people that were at the event from the group I running club. I am the newest "member" and the slowest--waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

Where Was I?

I feel like I've been to the moon and back, or something. Scotland was fun and a great adventure for me. Traveling to Idaho for Bill's cousin's wedding was an event not to be missed as far as family events go... Then Facebook started to become a diversion to my normal life that continued some of the friendships made while we were in Scotland. The fun part was sharing--sharing pictures we took with each other, sharing information about our family trees, and even sharing post-trip posts and pictures of what we are like in our normal environments...

All this is good and lots of fun since there are so many different personalities interacting with each other. I think I have reached the point, though, where I need to get back to normal and re-evaluate what I'm doing in life... And what activities are worth pursuing in this short time I have been given here one earth.

At first I was interested in sharing my thoughts and things going on in my life in paper journals, but then learned about the fascinating blog world. I thought, how cool--a place where I could put my thoughts, experiences, and possibly share them with friends and relatives, as well as, some people who just happened to stop by... It opened a whole world of great places to go to to meet beautiful, creative blog ladies that shared connections with lots of other beautiful & creative blog ladies. I've even made a couple friends here, and that makes me very happy! Ever since I started blogging last November; this has been the best place to be, right here...

The numbers of different kinds of people and the need to know how to do all the various privacy settings and the potential for 3rd-party kooks to invade your world is much greater on Facebook. I think, after experiencing all the various viewpoints, antics, and personalities in the FB world, I have reached a "been there, done that" kind of feeling. The novelty has passed.. I am more comfortable here on my blog. This is where I can share what's on my heart. And that's important to me...

So I'm saying No to Facebook from now on. I will miss my friends there, but I want to get back to basics since I really am a very low-tech person and I don't want to lose contact with the the sweetness of the outdoors and nature, real relationships, and the FB-free life...

My Kiddies....

Make a Smilebox slideshow

In Vacation Mode--Please Stand By...

Just in case anyone's wondering... The scoop is that it's summer now and I spend a lot of time out doors and travelling so I am sitting in front of the computer a lot less. I'm leaving in 13 days for an exciting trip to Scotland and England for the historical all-clan Scottish Gathering!

Then when we land in San Francisco, I will start another 2-week trip up to the Pacific Northwest to attend a wedding and family reunion on my husband's side of the family...

So, I won't be home for a month!!!!! Ahhhhhrgh, that's a long time to be away, but I say, you gotta go for the gusto, and hope for the best!!! Getting to go to Scotland with my mom, the honorable Dorothy McGregor Seager and attend a once-in-a-lifetime wedding for a cherished relative and a family reunion are things that I don't want to miss, if at all possible, you know, Lord willing... Family experiences are way more important to me than anything material in this world and I am very, very thankful to have the chance to participate and be a part of them--even if it takes a lot of effort and can be stressful, I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Six Things about Me....

A friend over at Gingerbread Crumbs & Company asked her blog girls if anyone was game to do a 6 Things About Me list and since I haven't done one in awhile--I'm all in!

1. I love everything that has to do with having tea or tea parties--the beautiful tea cups, tables set with delightful scones and tea sandwiches, tea pots and flowers. My Grandma left us a some pretty tea cups and I have collected some too, so it's a blast to use them! (For pretty teacup viewing, go to my other blogspot Cottage Beautiful!)

2. I'm a novice quilter, a mediocre knitter/crocheter, a wannabe painter--you get the picture; I love all the arts and don't spend time on just one, so I haven't perfected any of them.

3. I'm crazy about jewelry--mostly the kind that has a folk artsy or cultural feel... I like to pile them on; the chunkier or more layered the better... Colorful, cultural beads and vintage buttons are my passion; I use recycled jewelry to make necklaces, bracelets, and earrings too.

4. I love words and the wonderful things you can do with them, but I don't read books unless I can grow and learn from them or if they are special. My mom was reading "Gift from the Sea" in the delivery room before I was born; that's one of my favorites, besides the Holy Bible...

5. I'm an adventureous person--I love to meander around a quaint area and stop to explore at the drop of a hat. Love serendipity and spontaneity...

6. I love people, especially when they're creative, adventurous, and spontaneous!

VideoCam Computer Calling

I feel like I've just had a breakthrough; I feel like I've just walked on the moon! Okay, I've only just discovered how to use the videocam on my laptop to make video calls to my dear sister and all others who may be in the room at the time---yipppee!!!!

Okay, you might think, why does she think this is such a big deal? Well, the thing is that I only get to SEE my relatives every so often since they live in Northern California and we live down in Southern California. Sure we do a lot of talking on the phone since we got our friends and family cell phone plans, but this is much better, I think... It's so great to see everybody's face and smile and especially see how the little ones are growing and starting to talk. I'm so jazzed!!! Someday, I'm sure I'll look back and laugh probably like the people who first drove the Model T and couldn't believe they were riding around in a horseless carriage.

Well, if this type of phone catches on, I guess the days would be gone that I could talk on the phone in any type of dress or undress... and any old wild type of hairdo! Typically around the house when the weather goes over 80 I usually wear a bathing suit and/or a sarong since I don't like to use the air conditioner and it makes me feel like I live near the beach, even though it is 25 miles away.

We're pretty casual around here, we love to eat our meals outside in our little courtyard, and let the breezes blow though the open doors and windows--natural air conditioning--and turn on the misters if it gets unbareably hot... I like to have a theme for our home, so right now anyway, I call it our "Sea Cottage". I could even "do a tour" with the videocam for anyone who hasn't had a chance to visit lately or ever since we live so far away... eh, well, we won't go in the back room though; not a pretty sight! Well, I can't wait to make my next video call, yahoooo!!!

20 of My Favorite Things--Right Now

1. Color-Cool Red

2. Dessert-Berries with yogurt

3. Smell-Star Jasmine

4. Flower-Plumeria

5. Animal-Cat

6. Month-May

7. Beverage-Sweet Lemon Delight
(One lemon juice ice cube in a glass of ice water sweetened with stevia.)

8. Pair of shoes-Fuschia flip flops...

9. Snack-grapes

10. Song-Slow Fade

11. Book-Praying for Purpose

12. Fruit-Avocado

13. Hairstyle-Frannnch Twist, Daahling!

14. Piece of clothing-Denim stretch capris from Chicos

15. Store to clothes shop-Family Thrift, Orange, CA

16. Season-Autumn

17. Hobby-Beading

18. Thing to collect-Anything Americana

19. Movie-Pride and Prejudice

20. Restaurant-Rutabagorz, Oange, CA

Care to join along for fun? Go to the Simple Woman blog to get started! Enjoy!!!

Funny Blog from "Letters from Midlife"!

Here's a funny post I saw on a new blog I've added to my bloglist; I'm lovin' her posts at http://lettersfrommidlife.blogspot.com/ Get yer laughin' shoes on!

Some people have trouble with all those 'shalls' and 'shall nots' listed in the Ten Commandments. Folks just aren't used to talking in those terms. So, in middle Tennessee they translated the 'King James' into 'Jackson County' language.....no joke! Posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Gainesboro, Tennessee you'll find the Ten Commandments listed this way...

1. Just one God
2. Put nothin' before God
3. Watch yer mouth
4. Git yourself to Sunday meetin'
5. Honor yer Ma & Pa
6. No killin'
7. No foolin' around with another fellow's gal
8. Don't take what ain't yers
9. No tellin' tales or gossipin'
10. Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff

Now that's plain an' simple.

Y'all have a nice week now! Ye hear?

Hope that brought a smile to your face...

A Fun Way to Learn!

I was just over at Rhinestone Armadillo and saw the UTube video of a Sesame Street song--I haven't watched in a while, but they sure are getting hip...

Feist on Sesame Street

If I was learning my numbers, what fun that would be to watch. They're so creative and entertaining, aren't they?

This is another UTube video from my friend over at The Reluctant Entertainer that was very good..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLZAWtdFhio&feature=related