The Stone Rabbit

Happy Blue Monday March 14, 2016

 

 

Jeanne of Backyard Neighbor who has accepted the honor of continuing Sally's Blue Monday weekly blogging party.  I am sure Sally is sending us a heavenly smile from above as she sees so many bloggers participate in her Blue Monday creation!

Today THE STONE RABBIT and I are sharing the blue t-shirt I received for participating in a local 5K run last fall held by the organization called Girls on the Run.

 

It was a very, very, VERY cold and windy day in November  when we gathered with tons of local girls, and their mentors.   They had worked all fall, at their various schools, to be able to complete a 5K (3.1mile) race that was to be held on the grounds of the Kansas City Sports complex, home of the Chiefs and the Royals!

You can tell by the clothing that it was pretty chilly on the morning of the 5K!

Note the cute pink capes the girls received for participating in the Girls on the Run training program because they truly were superheros!

 

My grand girl was among those participants!  I was so excited to be able to experience that time with her!  My son, who was her "running buddy" during the fall twice weekly workouts prior to the official 5K,  ran it and so did my niece!  It was truly a day I'll never forget!

My son is in the orange shirt in the photo below.  I am to the right....sporting the Superman hoodie...because I thought we were supposed to wear superhero items!! haha  Actually, it turned out to be a great item as it kept me very warm!   My grand girl is on the left of my son, but isn't very visible.   

We were caught in one of our "walk breaks" in the photo, but we did run most of the 5K distance.. . . . and it didn't take too long for us to "warm up" once we started moving!

 

Hope you've had a great Blue Monday!  

Be sure to visit Jeanne's blog to see all of the others who have linked up!

DANA

Good-bye Sally

 

 

Dear Sally,

I just read your "farewell post" on your blog.    What a great way to bid  adieu to your fellow bloggers and readers. . .still sharing your strong belief in The Lord and passing the torch of Blue Monday onto Jeanne of Backyard Neighbor. 

While we are very sad  you left us, we are happy  you are out of pain and are in the arms of our Savior.  

I am so thankful I "met" you through your blog and Facebook.   I will always think of you when I look up and see a beautiful blue sky.  

 

Your blogging friends, 

Dana and THE STONE RABBIT

 

 

 

 

Blue Tears

 

The world lost a great lady this week. . . . Sally of Smiling Sally.

 

I "met" her through our blogs several years ago.    She hosted a weekly event called "Blue Monday" where bloggers could link up and share their "blue" finds.   Being the lazy blogger I've become, I wasn't an active participant in her event, but I still checked it out and enjoyed the posts of the many faithful bloggers who linked up to her party of blue.  Later, we became Facebook friends.  That's how I learned of her passing this week.....through a post.

I knew she had battled health issues, but I wasn't prepared to read that she'd just died.

It's really odd how we can feel we "know" someone even if we haven't met them in person.  This crazy internet age and the connections we make through blogging, Facebook, etc. brings so many of us together who would never have otherwise known each other.

Well, I feel like I did kinda "know" Sally......and because of that, I'm very sad that she's now gone. 

What I read over and over on her Facebook page was what a kind, funny and spiritual person she was and while it's hard for us to be left behind, she is where she was ready to go.

Because of her, I will never look at blue in the same way again.

Goodbye Sally. . . I know your smile is brighter than ever now.

 

 

Please visit Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND for a long list of other bloggers who are ready with their Pink Saturday shares.

Dana

 

 

This Makes Me BLUE!!!

 

 

Do you see the envelope beneath the tray of red, white and BLUE ornaments?

Do you want to know what it contains?

It is my FIRST Medigap payment.  Boo-hoo-boo-hoo!!!!!

I can't possibly be old enough to have to deal with Medicare and supplemental plans and Part D and checking out Senior Discounts.

Where did all the years go?

 

 

 

Sorry for the breakdown.  THE STONE RABBIT just yanked me back into reality by telling me to "snap out of it"!

 

Thank you Sally for hosting Blue Monday. . . you let me vent a little in a way that's somewhat appropriate!  :)

 

DANA

Celebrating The Diamond Jubilee with a Nod to BLUE!!!

 

 

 

Today I'm joining in the fun at SMILING SALLY'S "Blue Monday"!!  Thank you for hosting this weekly event!!

 

 

 

 

Are you doing anything special in honor of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee?  THE STONE RABBIT and I decided to commemorate the special event today in our own  little way.

Actually, the idea came to me this past weekend when I purchased one of my favorite ferns . . .a "Kimberly Queen".  I love how unbelievably hardy these ferns are. . . even I can't kill them!  They last and last and last. . . kinda like Queen Elizabeth!!

Then I found this swell crown at a local antique/flea market festival on Saturday. . .I knew we had the beginnings of a celebration!

This afternoon, I pulled a special little tea pot.  I bought it about four years ago from one of my very first favorite bloggers. ..Susan of T- Cozy!

While the tea was steeping, I prepared cucumber sandwiches!  Do I hear you saying "Aren't those cucumber slices are a little thick for such dainty delights"?  And to that I say. . ."Hey, I have a fracture in my  left hand and I think it's pretty amazing that I can even slice. . .let alone slice thinly!  I don't want to add another injury to that hand. . .like the loss of a digit!" 

 

I'm sure you noticed that the crown is bedazzled with a few faux rubies and BLUE sapphires!  I also decided I needed to use some of my Liberty BLUE dishes.  I'm certain the Queen wouldn't mind me celebrating her special milestone with an important time period in our country's history, too!!  :)

 

 

Here I am, sipping tea and nibbling on cucumber sandwiches. . . and practicing my Queenly Wave. . while wearing an Old Navy flag shirt!  I know. . .it's all so very classy!!

THE STONE RABBIT thinks the splint is actually an asset. . .no limp hands are acceptable while waving to my subjects!!

THE STONE RABBIT and I have really had fun taking turns wearing the crown. . .actually, I think I need to wear it more often.  It's really a spirit lifter!!  :)  Just let us know if you need to borrow it!

DANA

BLUE EYED GIRL

 

Today, I'm joining Sally, of Smiling Sally, as she hosts BLUE MONDAY!  Thank you, Sally.

Last week our Grand Girl graduated. . . from preschool!!

In the hallway, there was a wonderful display of "self portraits" done by the graduates.  Here's our Grand Girl's picture!  She does have curly red locks and gorgeous BLUE eyes. . . and a smattering of "angel kisses" are starting to appear across her sweet nose.  However, her teeth are not black!!!  

There's NOTHING better than the artwork of our young ones.

 

 

 

I told THE STONE RABBIT when the program  ended, the director of the school presented to us the "classes of 2025 and 2026". . .and how those words just send a chill down my spine!!

 

He didn't understand why that bothered me so. . .so I told him I hoped I'd be around to attend that ceremony, too.  

He reminded me that, most likely, he would be!!!  

He's probably right.





         

 

HAPPY BLUE MONDAY!

 

DANA

A VERY BLUE MONDAY

 

I am linking with Sally, of SMILING SALLY, for Blue Monday this week. 

Yesterday, I was looking forward to coming home from church, taking a little Sunday afternoon nap, then finally potting some of the many plants I'd recently picked up. 

 

While I am not a gardener, I find potting plants in the Spring something that brings relaxation.

 

 

 

It's a process that gets my mind off my own concerns or worries.

Working with the dirt and the plants and the pots and water. . . kinda mindless. . . thoughts are bouncing all over the place. . . plans are made. . . or not.  

 

While I was working away on the plants. . . our neighbors about an hour to the East of us in Waverly, MO, had just experienced some tornado damage.  

I was thinking how lucky we, in our Kansas City area, have been so far this Spring.  Just the night before, folks in Reading, KS. (West of here)  had a tornado come through.  One person lost his life.

Then, THE STONE RABBIT, hopped up sporting this BLUE deflated mylar balloon that had just landed in our yard!

Somewhere, a graduation party was minus one balloon.  

Of course my mind went to graduation parties we'd hosted for our kids. . . what happy times. . . what milestones.

Anyway,  while I was so involved with trying to "de-stress" my mind by playing with my plants,  I didn't know it, but our friends in Joplin, Missouri, just three hours South of us. . . 

 

 

 

were being pounded by a huge tornado.

   As of this morning, about one third of the town is destroyed.  Eighty nine people are confirmed dead. . . dozens are still missing.

To make matters worse, they are  experiencing another bad storm this morning.

 

 

                                               Photo from YAHOO home page. 

 

 

                             *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

The news has reported that a hospital took a direct hit, as did a Walmart and a Home Depot.  Places full of people.

I wondered how many graduation parties were in full swing when the tornado hit.  .  . or how many folks were working in their yards or just taking a Sunday afternoon nap?

 

One thing is certain. . . my worries are now so small and insignificant when compared to those in Joplin who have suffered so greatly and lost so much.

My prayers are with them. 

 

 

 

DANA  

 

Note:   They are telling us on the news that we can make donations at redcross.org 

MEETING MY BLUE FRIENDS

About a month ago, my newborn grandson had to be hospitalized for four days.  It was such a frightening time for our family.  Just before he was released, his mom and dad attended a CPR class that was given in the hospital.  I knew then that I wanted to take the class, too.  I had actually taken CPR training a few times in the past, but it had been a a while....and I knew I needed a refresher.

When I spoke with some friends about my desire to take the class one of them also expressed an interest.

So, I got on the phone and located a class that was being given to a group of child care providers---they let Mary Ann and I in the class, too.

As we entered the classroom, we saw our  BLUE FRIENDS waiting for us. 

This two-hour class, which was sponsored by The American Heart Association, taught cardiopulmonary resuscitation for infants to adults. 

Two nurses led the class.  We received video presentations, followed by discussions, then lots of practice on our BLUE FRIENDS.  At the end of each target age group, we demonstrated our understanding of the CPR procedure on our BLUE FRIEND for our instructor.....then we were "checked off" on our sheets as having passed that particular level.

Mary Ann is pictured with our BLUE FRIEND----- she and I had to share it for the class because there were 43 students and only about 20 manikins.

Here I am with the BLUE FRIEND.  Sharing the manikin  for the testing was OK because they gave us our very own "barrier" to place over its mouth.  So, there was no germy stuff going on---just some great CPR practice.

Here I am pretending to give chest compressions .  You can see the barrier that is placed over BLUE FRIEND'S face.  If I had really been doing the compressions, I would have been pushing straight down each time (about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches), then letting the chest come back to its normal position, before pushing down again. This is really tiring if you're doing  the rapid and deep compressions (in sets of 30),  followed by two breaths into the mouth, then repeating with the 30 compressions and 2 breaths- - - over and over .  Actually, I have weak wrists, and I could certainly "feel" the pressure in them after awhile.  However, I'm very certain, that if I was in a situation where someone's life depended on me making those rapid and deep compressions many, many times---I wouldn't be thinking about my wrists.

An unexpected surprise in the class was "snack time". 

It takes so little to make us happy!!!

After our snacks, we came to the age level I was the most interested in----the infant and young child.  However, I will tell you, it was very hard for me to actually see the little baby manikins.....after our scare with our little Grand Boy.  Yet, he and my 3 year old Grand Girl were the motivation for getting me to this class. 

Once I saw the video of the CPR process for the tiny size and actually had hands on practice, I felt a lot more comfortable.

As the evening progressed, we demonstrated our knowledge of the CPR process for all age groups.  Happily, we received our certifications and were sent home feeling better about our understanding and ability to help someone in a crisis.

I pray I don't ever have to use my skills, but I feel very certain that I wouldn't hesitate to try to help someone in distress.

THE STONE RABBIT said he was very happy I had taken the CPR training.  Then he asked if he could read the book that I had received from the class. . . . .just to make certain he had an idea of what to do in case one of his yard buddies ever needed help.

That rabbit always tries to be prepared.

Please visit SMILING SALLY for more Blue Monday links!!!

DANA