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The Benefit of Pets… To Many to Even Count!

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Quote About the Benefit of Pets

Quote About the Benefit of Pets!

During the pandemic, I’ve noticed many changes in people’s lives and in the way they look at life in general. One thing seems to be a return to the love of and focus on HOME. As I often say, this is actually one of the rare beautiful things that has come out of what is overall a complete nightmare. More people have realized the importance of making their home as beautiful, comfortable, and enjoyable as possible.

Basically, everyone has refocused their attention to making home a place they want to be.

If I can make a confessions, this has always been at the core of who I am simply because I am quite the home body! It is, however, interesting to see more people searching for ways to make their home a more fun, comfortable, and happy place to be.

I’ve also noticed more people seeking out companionship – possibly more than ever before. I think there are several reasons for this:

  • During bad times, we are reminded that family (which pets most certainly are, in addition to humans!) is absolutely everything. Not possessions, not appearance, not money… they’re fine and good, of course, but the ones who make us smile and FEEL the most are the ones who breathe.
  • Some people are feeling more lonely than ever. Tragically, many people lost loved ones during the past few years, but there’s another (nearly as tragic) phenomenon… many have lost friends and relationships due to the insanely frustrating division that have occurred the past few years.
  • People are socializing less and, again, spending more time at home. The amazing (and I think wonderful) thing is, not all of them are home more often because they think it’s healthier… many are home more often because they realize it’s a happier place to be!

This is where pets can can come in like the little superheroes they are. I have had pets all of my life and cannot imagine a home without them. My only experience with “coming home’ to a place where at least one pet doesn’t meet me at the door has been hotels and, quite frankly, it’s a cold feeling when you’re accustomed to warm greetings!

While I caution that one should always be completely certain they have the time, energy, and affection for adding a furry member to their family… (more about that in a minute) I simply couldn’t recommend it more. Their love and companionship are immeasurable and the entertainment they provide is greater than any movie (even westerns!).

Before adding a cat or dog, please consider:

  • Pets are completely dependent upon you. You have to have time and patience and be willing to feed them, clean up after them, and potty train them… basically they’re babies covered in fur!
  • Realize that things like dog or cat food, litter boxes, litter, vet visits, immunizations, and toys (animals love toys as much as human kids) will require an increase to your spending. Trust me, they give back FAR more than they take.
  • Make sure you have the space required and can provide them with a safe and happy environment.
  • Make your mind up to provide for them (find a loving home) IF things don’t work out. PLEASE never turn a cat or dog loose to fend for themselves. It’s a cruel thing to do – and an animal shelter isn’t much better. IF things don’t work out for whatever reasons and you’ve given it a few weeks, find a loving home by asking around and even putting notifications on Facebook, in local veterinarian offices, etc.

More times than not (MANY more times than not), when you give a precious animal a forever home and forever family… you find yourself asking, “Okay. Who rescued who, here?!”

I hope you consider adopting a cat (or two!) or dog (or two!) from your local animal shelter. You won’t only be adding to your family with a face you’ll wonder how you ever lived without… you’ll be literally saving a life (or two!).

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Tulip and Huck

Two of my babies!

Sometimes it Truly is the Little Things… So Always Keep Your Eyes, Ears, and Hearts Open!

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Quote Graphic About Finding Happiness in the Small things

“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

I’ve been thinking a lot about happiness lately. A global pandemic…. with constant bickering and dissention among most people affected by it… an unstable economy, and challenging trips to the store (when will they EVER load up on cat food again?!!) may seem like a crazy time to think about happiness.

Then again, maybe it’s the perfect time to think about happiness.

Sadly, “how to be happy” has always been one of the most searched for things, online and off. The past few years has made it even more so. While it may seem like an understatement of epic proportions, the truth is it’s often better to simply allow happiness to find you than to go seeking for it.

It is, after all, an even better hider than Bigfoot in the game of hide and seek.

I think one of the reasons is, no one knows just exactly what it looks like. How are you supposed to find something if it doesn’t have a readily available profile bio or description of its vital statistics?!

I do, actually, have one theory about looking for happiness and, depending upon your mood at the moment, you will either think I may have a point or think I may need to be locked up.

I hope it isn’t the latter… I mean, sure I’m a homebody, but I don’t like lockdowns!

Here’s my theory: Looking for happiness is actually a waste of time and energy because it’s already in the room with us… hiding behind a temporary fog of disappointment, worries, anxieties, or grief.

It is there!

When we go through really tough  periods of time – whether it’s a horrible day or week at the office, a broken dream, any kind of loss (big or small) – a kind of fog descends upon us. It hinders our view of things that could make us smile – if we could only see them.

It’s during these trying times that we have to make a conscious effort to lean in toward the happiness and make a concentrated effort to see them. We won’t find them with a Google search, we’ll only find them with a search of our own life.

Below are just a few hiding places Happiness may be waiting for you…

  • a cat’s meow
  • a spouse telling you supper was “fantastic”
  • the smell of coffee in the morning
  • the smell of coffee in the afternoon
  • the smell of coffee in the evening
  • try not to judge my coffee obsession
  • a child’s laughter (pretty sure they have healing potential)
  • an old episode of Sanford and Son, I Love Lucy, or Andy Griffith
  • a great old Western you used to watch with your dad
  • an Agatha Christie mystery
  • Christmas songs!
  • birds at the bird feeder
  • a perfect sunrise
  • a perfect sunset
  • a dog’s joy when you come home from the store
  • a cat’s indifference when you come home from anywhere
  • cooking
  • the beauty and deliciousness of sushi
  • the artistry of a butterfly
  • coloring in a coloring book (one for adults or children!)
  • reading the book of Psalms
  • losing yourself in a History Channel show about Amelia Earhart or a favorite time in history
  • baking cupcakes
  • eating cupcakes!
  • redesigning a room in your house
  • cleaning your garage (okay, happiness doesn’t hide in the work, but it sure is there when it’s done!)
  • yoga
  • Motown!
  • turning on the Boomerang channel and watching old Tom and Jerry cartoons
  • a 15 minute walk, with your eyes, ears, and heart all open and taking in every moment
  • taking pictures of trees, grandbabies, cats, the sky… anything that fascinates you

The list goes on and on and on and on…

The steps to having more happiness in your life are simple..

  1. Keep your eyes open to see all of your blessings.
  2. Keep your ears on guard for every whisper and echo of joy.
  3. Stay completely in the moment… you just never know when happiness is going to brush against your skin.

Always be open to the magic around you! ~ Joi (“Joy”)


September is National Self-Care Awareness Month!

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Quote About Accepting Yourself

Quote About Accepting Yourself

The majority of us struggle, regularly, with our self-esteem. Whether it’s our body, our mind, our age… or all three!… we tend to beat ourselves up over our perceived shortcomings and imagined imperfections more than anyone else would even dream of. If you stop to think about it, that’s madness, isn’t it!?! Wouldn’t it be far better (and healthier) to build ourselves up rather than tear ourselves down by inflicting harm on our psyches?

Like all positive change, it takes effort and commitment. Not only do you have to STOP focusing on things you don’t like, you have to make peace with them. THEN… you have to commit to keeping the positivity going. In time, it will become as natural as smiling when you see a kitten. September is National Self-Care Awareness Month and I applaud the timing. As we’ve all been focusing so much on negativity due to the pandemic, we need to flip the switch and start focusing more on positivity and on things we can control – us!

I’d love to point you in the direction of a wonderful compilation of 40 encouraging self-love quotes to help remind you of the importance of being kind to your body and mind.  While I love all of the quotes… and have written most of them down!… my favorite is below.

“And I said to my body softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.’”~ Nayyirah Waheed, Poet

Please see: 40 Body Positivity Quotes to Help You Practice Self-Love


Back to School: Making Masks Easier for Children

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First of all, rest assured, this is not a preachy post and I have ZERO intention of telling anyone how to live their life in any fashion. I also will not EVER take something like a virus and life and death situations and politicize them.

I like to think I’m a better person…. and smarter!… than that.

I’m also not here to say with absolute certainty that this way or that way is the perfect way. From my vantage point, when it comes to getting out of this horrific pandemic and to outrunning the COVID virus nationally and internationally, there is no ONE right way. There are only attempts – multiple attempts – to keep as many people safe and well as possible.

There are only attempts to keep from overwhelming out hospitals and hard-working, dedicated medical professionals.

There are only attempts to keep the precious children in our lives from being traumatized or negatively affected any more than they already have been WHILE keeping them as safe and as healthy as possible. Like immunization shots for a 1 year old, keeping children safe isn’t always pretty to behold. Sometimes it gets downright sad and you just want to jump in there and save them from any discomfort or pain.

Thing is, the very temporary  thing we want to save them from is often the thing that will save them from a far worse fate.

Again, I’m not here to debate anything… masks included. Do I have my own opinions? Of course. And I will go ahead and say that I, personally, believe masks are effective. I’ve believed it all along (after all we’re talking about a respiratory virus, after all) but my beliefs were confirmed when (after the masks were lifted and removed) numbers went through the roof again.

For those who say that social distancing would be as effective – I agree, social distancing would be as effective. However, we can’t always determine how close someone gets to us in public and we darn sure can’t assume kids will adhere to distancing themselves from anyone.

Those little cuties want to get right up on everyone!

I know it can be debated, too, that children don’t get “as sick” as adults but, frankly, I raised three daughters and cannot remember ever thinking… “Oh, shucks, I’m going to let them play with those kids who have the flu… after all, my girls won’t get that sick.” I have three grandbabies now and cannot for the life of me imagine be willing to expose them to a virus simply because they MAY NOT get “as sick” as adults.

Sometimes the solution to a problem isn’t very attractive, but if you compare it to the alternative, it gets a little bit more agreeable.

Again, there is no one clear RIGHT answer to any of this. Chances are when your child (grandchild, niece, nephew, brother, sister…) starts the school year here in a matter of days, he or she will be required to wear a mask.

Below are a few tips that can help them… because, let’s be adults, here… they are absolutely the ones we should be thinking about:

  • Try to never EVER talk in an angry manner (and, for Heaven’s sakes, don’t cry!) about masks or mask mandates in front of your child. Children (of all ages) are incredibly, incredibly sensitive and will pick up on your emotions. What they pick up on will greatly effect their own emotions and outlook. Regardless of your personal feelings (and, trust me, I understand completely – the thought of children, especially small ones, having to wear masks all day breaks my heart)… be as strong as you’ve ever been in your life and treat it all as an adventure, something that, while temporary, has to be done. The children in our lives very often reflect us and if you’re stressed, angry, and overwhelmed, they will be as well. That’s the last thing they need to deal with on top of the stress of a new school year… which is, of course, on top of the pandemic!
  • When you talk about masks, try very hard to be as matter of fact as possible. The bigger an issue you make of it, the bigger an issue it will be to them.
  • Keep in mind how incredibly resilient and adaptable children are. They always amaze me at how they adjust and adapt – they do so far better than those of us who consider ourselves adults!
  • If your child has a health issue that would prohibit them from wearing a mask for extended periods of time, talk to your child’s physician and educators to find the best solution. I have (and have always had) chronic asthma and would not (today or as a child) be able to wear a mask for extended periods of time. I have no idea what could be done to help a child with asthma, but something would desperately need to be done. What seems like “no big deal,” to an asthmatic is a big deal. Yes, you can still breath through the mask, but… and remember, I know what I’m talking about, here, first hand… when you have asthma, even the slightest reduction in oxygen flow seems like you’re breathing through a collapsed straw. Children with anxiety would also need to have special considerations. Please talk to doctors and educators about the best thing for your child. If they are unwilling to help you, you will have a big decision to make – one I know that will put your child’s needs first.
  • As an asthmatic, I’ve found that disposable masks often feel less restrictive. My youngest daughter has clinical anxiety and has also found that disposable ones feel better to her. You just have to make sure you have a really, really good number of these masks and be sure to throw them away each day. It’s very unhealthy to wear one more than one day at a time. Amazon has wonderful Disposable Kids Masks in a wide variety of colors. Kids would get a kick out of matching them to their different outfits.
  • Children who are a little hard of hearing and tend to read lips also will need special consideration. If this is an issue for your child, be sure to talk to his/her teachers and ask for their help. Given that teachers have so many children to take care of, it may be something you need to mention several times over the weeks or months that masks will be in use. You could always simply say, “Thanks again so much for helping my child with this situation…”
  • Show your child photos of children wearing masks and being happy – SHOW them that it’s all going to be okay. They need this from you right now more than anything. BE the positive energy they need to feed on.
  • Finally, let your child pick out masks they like. Not only do stores have a wide selection of children’s masks, Amazon has MANY in different colors and styles. There are masks for every interest. Children love to express themselves, whether they’re in 1st grade or high school and masks allow them to do just that. Be sure to get them a good number of masks, so that one is always washed, dried, and ready to go. Some of the coolest, most FUN children’s face masks can be found here. Again, kids will get a kick out of matching masks to their outfits and favorite sports teams.

Whether it’s mask mandates, vaccine controversies, closed restaurants, quarantine, or any of the other things that have become part of our daily routines, remember this – we WILL get through this. There will be better days…. normal days… and we will never take a single one of them for granted! Everything is going to be better one day, and I believe that one day will be very soon. In the meantime, try to keep the best attitude and outlook you can.

Keep your sense of humor as much as humanly possible and don’t let any of the stress make you turn into someone that would have horrified you two years ago. Becoming a bitter, angry, and judgmental person does NOT have to be anyone’s destiny, no matter how ugly the valley is.

I know much too smart to let that happen!

Remember we are all in this together – none of us are the enemy… the virus is the enemy and it will take all of us to kick it’s vile butt to the curb!

Make each moment count double,

~ Joi (“Joy”)


A Quote About Courage and a Few Co ntroversial Thoughts About the Pandemic

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“The difference between a hero and a coward is one step sideways”–  Gene Hackman

There is so much talk (and by talk, I mean TALK… as in very often loud, heated talk!) about masks, vaccines, lockdowns, and social distancing.

Don’t worry, I have absolutely no intention of telling you what to do or what not to do. I figure I really only need to take care of the crazy cat lady I see in the mirror and, trust me, I have my hands full with her!

All I want to do here today is share the quote above and give a little something in the way of encouragement – a reminder, if you will, for all of us.

We have become a very self-absorbed society, haven’t we? I mean, how many times do you see someone on social media announce that they’re at the beach, in the mountains, or visiting an exotic locale only to show themselves in every photo! Heck they could be catfishing all of us and be in their own backyard for all we know lmao! All they truly care about is that THEY are there and all they feel you should care about is that THEY are there.

How about the people on social media who only talk about themselves or show photos of themselves… only to one day mention their spouse, dog, or child and make you go, “Oh! I didn’t know anyone else was in their life but them!”

When the pandemic hit, this self-absorbed nonsense hit a whole new level.

“I’M not wearing a mask in the store!”

“If I get it, it won’t kill ME!”

“I’m not afraid I’LL get it. I’LL be okay”

It honestly often feels like people think they’re the only ones in the world, doesn’t it?

What about the people who can’t get vaccinated because of a pre-existing health condition? My youngest daughter falls in this category and I’m not going to lie, I have spent the past year holding my breath every time she coughs. Getting COVID would be extremely, extremely hard on her and would, undoubtedly, land her in the hospital for a week or more.

What about babies and small children who can’t get vaccinated? I have three beautiful grandbabies and the thought of them getting COVID is as much a nightmare for me as for my youngest daughter. A baby with pneumonia (which COVID can easily lead to) is a very, very scary thought.

Every individual who has died from the coronavirus and every single one who has been sick or is sick, or WILL be sick is someone’s family. They’re people someone loves very much – people they would miss around the Thanksgiving table. We should all be as mindful of them as we are our own families.

I’ll be completely honest with you and tell you what led me to this moment – sitting here, pretty much begging everyone to be as careful and considerate as you possibly can. A little over a week ago, one of my grandbabies, a precious little 21 month old named Jacoby got very sick. It ended up being the “crud” that’s going around, but when his fever reached 103, we were all frightened. When he began coughing and wheezing AND his temperature lingered, the fear hit whole new levels.

Only a few days before his fever hit, I had heard about a baby boy (only a few weeks older than Jacoby) being in the hospital, very sick with pneumonia. Naturally, that’s what  I feared the most.

While Jacoby is better (thanks be to God) and didn’t have COVID, not all children or adults are as lucky.

In spite of the fact that I, personally, am vaccinated, if wearing a mask means even one child is less likely to contract COVID and even one family is spared the ultimate nightmare, I’ll wear a darn mask indefinitely. I know that chances are very high that you don’t agree with me. I’m very okay with that. Until we can wipe out this disease or have vaccines that behave more like flu shots, in that they keep us from even getting the virus, we all have to look out for one another.

That’s what people who aren’t absorbed in themselves do. I guess I’m just encouraging everyone to hang in there. Keep using common sense and keep a safe distance between yourself and strangers. If you are considering the vaccine or wondering about the different ones available, please talk to your doctor or a licensed nurse. Do not base anything that has to do with your health on a news network or people’s opinions on social media.

Thanks for listening to a “Momma” and a “MiMi” rant and rave a little bit. My family means the world to me and I would do anything to protect them. I know you feel the same way.

~ Joi