We Can Choose to Do Without

At some point, we chose everything in our lives. If we wish, we can choose to do without .... When we feel suffocated by our possessions and obligations, it's good to clear our minds and think about what we really want. Many of us don't think about our values consciously until they become a source of pain. (The Promise of a New Day, 17 September)

Don't make the mistake of thinking you have no choice. (Kay Arthur, Search My Heart, O God, 28 August)

I will spend more time with myself in this lifetime than with anyone else. (Courage to Change, 3 October)

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Yesterday I continued to work in the yard. I dug up another azalea from the flowerbed by the front porch. We haven't decided where we are going to put it. I also removed the spreading grass from around three azaleas near the kitchen door. While clearing the grass I was reminded that at one time I placed marble chips on the ground near the side flowerbed. Now I regret doing that because it is going to be difficult to remove them. I've long since forgotten why I put them there in the first place.

Yesterday I had a very nice surprise when I received an Email from Gene Conger of Cincinnati, Iowa. We hadn't been in touch for a long time. He wanted to know what happened to my AOL website which was taken off the Internet at the end of October 2008. And he told me that he had moved his family website to Tripod.com. It took me quite a while to find his homepage. I actually didn't find it the first time I looked. I think I spent at least a half-hour searching for it. I never did understand why I had so much trouble finding it. I posted the URL to my "News" blog and to my Delicious. Maybe this will make it easier to find.

While searching for Gene's website I discovered a nice biography for Sarah Jane (Pike) Conger who was married to Edwin Conger who served as a U.S. Ambassador. I posted that URL to the "News" and Delicious.

Jim came for an evening visit. He told me an interesting story about what happened when his laptop screen went "white." Blank screens are gut wrenching.

This morning I woke up at 5:00 a.m. I didn't try to go back to sleep. I put the new Concierto de Aranjuez CD in the player and listened to it with my head phones while I did my daily reading. I'm almost caught up. I'm seven days behind in reading from "Until Today!" a book that I recommend highly.

Mr. Dickie