You're A Good Man...

You're A Good Man...
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

Today is Charlie Brown's birthday... his first comic ran October 2, 1950. Wonder if he got his AARP card?

October 1, 2013 | Hello October!

October 1, 2013 | Slow Cooker Pork and Apples

Since October is National Apple Month and I found this recipe Crock Pot Pork and Apples today I thought I'd share it with you.

Goodbye September

So hard to believe September has come to an end... Seems to speed by faster and faster every year! Looking forward to a marvelous and colorful October.

Truest Wisdom

Truest Wisdom
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

Working on Kim Klassen's Skinny Mini course. Applied Sybil texture screen @ 19%

Submitting this to Texture Tuesday... figure I have to start somewhere.

046/365 O = Opportunity

046/365 O = Opportunity
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

Friday afternoon stuck at the desk cleaning infected computers gives the opportunity to chill with some jammin' tunes! On the iPhone:

Send Me Some Lovin' Sam Cooke
September Earth, Wind & Fire
Let's Get Married Al Green
Tired of Being Alone Al Green
Still The Commodores
Love You Most of All Sam Cooke
If Only Someone Said Tom Pacheco
Texas Red Tom Pacheco
Mystery Hill Tom Pacheco
Restless Heart Matt Hires
No Nay Never Irish Rovers
Broke My Own Heart Alana Amram
My Love Lionel Richie
I'll Be There For You The Rembrandts
On Bended Knee Boyz II Men
Hello Lionel Richie
Leaving Song Alana Amram
Catch Me I'm Falling Alana Amram
Begin The Beguine Artie Shaw Orchestra
Take The "A" Train Duke Ellington

Have a great weekend!

034/365 C = Cute and Cuddly

034/365 C = Cute and Cuddly
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

Maddox sitting in the warm and cozy window... And in desperate need of grooming, poor doggie in the window.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

Quick snap of tonight's dinner... Haven't had Chicken Cordon Bleu in ages and my DD suggested having it the other day, according to her it "pretty good".

New Beginnings

It's a new year, a time of new beginnings. For me it's time to Focus, Organize and Share. It's been a long absence from this blog, a time when I couldn't find anything happy, funny, whimsical or pretty to share, not publicly anyway. The time was, and still is, a very trying time.

I've been thinking about this post for a very long time, I felt I had to share it, despite it's unpleasantness. I have to admit and share these feelings in order to move on and I have to admit breaking the silence is directly related to Tracey Clark's Breaking My Blog Silence post that got me thinking... It's time to let go and share stories that might help someone to not feel alone, to know that we all have feelings and keeping them secret helps nobody.

“The only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone.”  

- Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

I was never good at helpless, but that's what I faced...
I was never good at weak, but that's what I was...
I was never good at showing pain or letting the tears fall, but that's what I did
sometimes we all break... sometimes we shatter and all we can do is pick up the pieces and hope to get it all back together.

In April my brother Eddie was diagnosed with liver cancer, he passed away on November 26, 2012. I am extremely grateful we got to spend Thanksgiving together and know he was hanging in to share that holiday with his family.

More than just a brother, my closest friend.