Lions & Tigers & AWARDS oh my!!!!!!

To my dear friends ... I love you all !!!

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon;

before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers,or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever,but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day(if I feel like it).

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!

MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART FOREVER AND EVER! FRIENDS FOREVER!

Now onto the AWARDS

Proximidad Award

Thank you Sweetie, Tootsie , Tar Devil & Joyce for giving me the special "Proximidade" award. This award focuses on the friendships that blossom here in blogland."Blogs who receive this award are 'exceedingly charming' say its authors. This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Jill @ Jill's Believe It Or Not

Justine @ Justine's Froggy Bloggy

Chris @ Chris's Corner

Donna @ Donna's Den

Gloria @ Happy To Be

Baba @ Baba's Blog/Night Owl....Babies are Special.....

Penny @ Always Something By Penny

French @ British Colonial Love Affair

Lemonade Award

I received the Lemonade Award, thanks to Toosie & Ann (sorry it took so long to post)! The purpose of this award is to give it to someone who is showing gratitude or a good attitude ("if life hands you lemons, make lemonade") within their life or blog.

The rules:

1) put the logo on your blog
2) nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude and/or gratitude.
3) have your 10 pass it along to 10 more!

These rules are the easiest EVER, but narrowing it down to 10 is the hard part because I follow a lot of blogs, and I wouldn't be following them if they didn't demonstrate great attitude or gratitude qualities!
If you have received it or will get it more than once, that's OK. It's the thought that counts, right? That being said, I've chosen to pass it along to:

1. Sheila @ Note Songs
2. Terrie @ Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity
3. Raxx @ FIGHTING FABULOUS FORTY
4. Sally @ Smiling Sally
5. Ginger @ The Gingerbread Shed
6. Tar @ Confessions of a 40-something Mama Queen
7. Dot @ Picket's Place
8. Anni @ Hootin' Anni's
9. Bo @ Blinks 'N Winks From Brown-Eyes
10. Bridget @ My Silly Blog

Ok this was a hard task to do since I know everyone has gotten these awards... So please accept the award from me but if you have already gotten them and can't pass them any longer it is ok... And if you haven't gotten them then take them and enjoy...

Sorry I haven't been around much but I have not had to good of Internet up here in the woods of North Florida... It is a little better where we are now so I hope to get caught back up and next week we'll be where there is better service... Love you all

Until Later