The Flirt

The first look. A secretive glance.

Eyes lock for a split second then you turn away. When you look back he’s still looking, grinning seductively.











You are near one another, impossibly close. She smells incredible, intoxicating. Her hair is soft, full, lush. Her eyes are large and looking at you.

Your hands graze one another accidentally. The electricity is palpable.











You both smile, a lot. You engage in casual conversation and, while doing so, find reasons to touch one another. On the arm, on the leg, on the face.

Your mind is on short-circuit. Your breath is a bit shallow, your pulse is racing, and your hands are clammy.

All of a sudden you worry about things like your breath, armpit stains, and the condition of your underwear.

But that momentary feeling of extreme self-doubt passes because this exchange is going so splendidly.

You both tease as you talk. Say things that are a bit bold, complimentary, silly, and true.

You long to kiss, to touch, to feel.

And then it’s time to part. You exchange information. You wonder if you made the magic up, question the validity of your feelings.

There are messages exchanged, texts, emails, Facebook correspondences. There are phone calls that last for hours, into the wee hours of the night.

You agree to meet again, to date.

And you think this time you have found the one… and so does the object of your desire.

Do you remember scenarios like this playing out in your life? Did they work out or fizzle? Do you still flirt?

Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.

Some of my long-time readers may wonder why I repeat myself so much in my weekly series blogs. It’s not that my brain is addled (yet) or that I think yours is, but I’m trying to be hyper-aware of new readers.

In addition, as this is my personal blog, a lot of the lessons I’m imparting are for me to learn and when it comes to me teaching me a lesson, I’m a little thick-skulled.

Simple Joys has been a feature here at Chief 187™Chatter for a little over a year. The weekly post is a fantastic way for me to check my priorities, concentrate on the positive and realize, no matter how difficult my week has been, there has been joy… a lot of it.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, need it drilled into their head, or are simply in a dark place, Simple Joys are the little times throughout your day that bring a smile, a feeling of peace or love, induce raucous laughter or a chuckle, or just make you feel good, even if it is fleeting.

When a person identifies a Simple Joy in his/her life, then it becomes easier to find more. Eventually finding Simple Joys can morph into creating them as well. As overwhelming and obstacle-laden as experiencing Simple Joys may seem to some, I promise you they are out there for you to indulge.

Start small, lower your expectations, and build on tiny Simple Joys in your day. A funny Facebook picture, a lemonade stand you stop at to support, a walk around the block, or anything else that makes you feel some iota of joy with minimal effort.

Simple Joys beget Simple Joys. Open your mind and your heart and Simple Joys can be a part of your life you recognize from here on out.

And now, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.

Singing. The other day my youngest son and daughter were playing Legos with me (yes, they were playing with me, I’ve told you before how much I adore Legos) and I began to sing.

Rainbows were the topic of conversation and I broke into “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from one of my favorite movies of my childhood The Wizard of Oz.

What was miraculous to me was that although I hadn’t sung the song in over 25 years, I remembered every lyric (a true accomplishment for me who fudges every song I ever warble)!

The Simple Joy was a combination of remembering the lyrics and having my children quietly listen to me sing/share this song .

Scrimmage. Last week my oldest boy’s Little League baseball team participated in a scrimmage with another hometown team. I had to take my younger son to his t-ball practice so my husband kept me up-to-date with the score and our son’s performance.

Toward the end of the evening I received a text that our boy had hit a double! Moments later I was texted that he was able to come home! That was the first run of the season for my boy!

Even though I didn’t see it live, it was nonetheless a Simple Joy for him to perform so well and for technology to help me be a part of it in real time.

Coaching. At the beginning of the Little League season I received a phone call asking me to coach my boy’s T-ball team. Having no experience, a two-year-old underfoot, and my crazy work schedule, I declined.

I had filled out the volunteer form allowing me to be hands-on with the children should they need me.

Well, each practice I have been helping (without poaching) the coach rally the troops and, quite frankly, herd them into practicing and playing. It’s so much fun to be a hands-on help and interact with my son and his friends in this way.

Being able to assist the team when I initially didn’t think I’d be able to is a relief of a Simple Joy.

Coach Roger. My eldest son’s coach has been a topic on Simple Joys before. After the Opening Day game the team had won I waxed poetic on how grateful I was he was the team’s coach. A couple of games later, two of which were losses, I am of the same opinion!

Coach Roger is kind, comforting, stirring, and appropriately menacing. It is obvious his heart is in the right place and he cares about the boys on his team.

I watched him gently and encouragingly speak to my son, an obvious novice at the game, and, within moments, coach his veteran players to play cohesively and focus in a stern way.

It is not an easy job to coach children, especially of all different levels and personalities. Coach Roger just seems to naturally have a knack to do it with aplomb.

I overheard Coach Roger tell my child the reason he gets kids is he is a big one himself. Maybe that’s it. Whatever the reason, it continues to be a priceless Simple Joy for him to coach my child and his teammates through this season.

Den Leader. Since my oldest son joined the Cub Scouts I have been his Den Leader. He is now in the last months of his tenure in the Cub Scouts; he is a WEBELOS II.

Now my middle boy is finally (his word, not mine) the correct age to begin Cub Scouts. He is beyond thrilled. And, since my commitment is to my oldest son and our den until February 2013, my husband is stepping up to become Den Leader.

The Simple Joy is once again twofold. First, it is exciting that my baby boy is about to begin a new journey in Scouting.

Second, and perhaps most importantly, my husband has finally finished his all-consuming Master’s Program allowing him to pursue a lifelong desire to continue his service to the Scouts.

For our family, it is a win-win Simple Joy!

Having a loyal readership is a Simple Joy I never tire or take for granted. I am blessed everyday by your pageviews, comments, and shares.

I hope you continue to find your Simple Joys and you stick with me for many more of my Simple Joys to come.

Please join me tomorrow as I wax poetic on yet another topic on Chief 187™Chatter.

Monday Media Blog-Favorite Daytime Soap Opera

Welcome to the Monday Media Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.

This is for all of my readers who love their “Stories”. Soap operas were a part of my childhood; my mother used to watch the NBC soaps while she made lunch, cleaned up, and started dinner. As her youngest child I was underfoot for those hours over the years which led to me becoming a fan of the same shows.

In the last decade or more the soap opera has lost favor among its fans and they have fallen off the schedule. Even the oldest soap opera on television, The Guiding Light, turned off its beacon in September 2009 after a 72-year run.

There are no more loyal fans than soap opera ones. They get wholly and completely wrapped up in their “stories” watching for years and decades, not a couple of seasons. From as young as pre-school through high school and college, through raising babies, and beyond, soap opera fans tune in to watch the lives of their favorite characters.

Even when the stories become preposterous the viewers watch. From devil-possessed characters to villains who die and always come back to life, the viewers accepted every plot turn with wide-eyed excitement.

When soap operas mirrored real life with storylines from teen pregnancy to HIV/AIDS, their audiences tuned in religiously, lived vicariously, learned a ton, and gained compassion.

Mostly, soap operas allowed us to be voyeurs all the while relieved that no matter how bad our lives seemed at the moment, the soap opera families were experiencing far worse.

And, of course, their midday trysts made for very entertaining viewing!

A handful of shows still exist on network television including the one my mother watched as a young stay-at-home mom. Once her children were out of the house she stopped watching, but I took up the torch for a long time.

Now I must admit that I do not tune in anymore.

For those of you who once did or still do watch, or continue to pine for a soap opera that has since been canceled, what was/is your favorite soap opera(s)?

Please join me tomorrow for the uplifting and ever-popular Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.

Friday Music Blog-Alabama

Welcome to the Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.

As NASCAR drivers compete at the longest track on the circuit, Talladega Superspeedway, once again a plethora of music topics come to mind.

First, being that Talladega is located in Alabama, name any song title, lyric, or band that mentions Alabama or is from Alabama.

In addition, connecting to length, tell your favorite “long” song. This is one that is over the customary radio-friendly three minutes and change song length.

Remember to leave your selections below and always include both the artist and the song title.

Please be sure to check back with this post throughout the day and weekend as new entries are added. In fact, weekends are a fantastic time to check in with Chief 187™Chatter for everything from delicious, easy, and high-impact-for-low-effort recipes, to great movie titles to choose on the archived Monday Movie Blog or Monday Media Blog, and for all types of pleasure reading.

If you are so inclined to help Chief 187™Chatter, please use the Amazon link for when you shop the popular site. Located on the right hand side of this page, the link takes you directly into Amazon.com. Once there simply browse, add to your cart, and check out in one transaction and with no extra cost to you I benefit from the purchases. (No longer valid, 2017).

If you are looking for fun and funky gear to show your love and support of Chief 187™ and Chief 187™Chatter then please visit my online store at http://cafepress.com/Chief187. There are over 60 items to choose. Perfect for Mom for Mother’s Day and so many other occasions! (No longer valid, 2017).

Thank you so much for the continuing and outpouring of support for Chief 187™Chatter. I post all over the Internet on several different sites, especially about NASCAR which I definitely enjoy. But this site and blog is nearest and dearest to my heart. The fact that you join me here to read, share your thoughts, and continue to come back is a blessing for me. Thank you!

I invite you to join me back here on Monday as I begin another week of all new fresh, new, and original posts at Chief 187™Chatter.

Tantalizing Thursday-Alabama-style

Welcome to Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™Chatter.

This week the NASCAR drivers roar into Alabama for racing at the longest track in the circuit, Talladega Superspeedway.

With the reputation of a hard-partying race-going crowd, NASCAR weekends at Talladega are legendary.

If you are lucky enough to get to the track or if you are at home living vicariously through those lucky people, enjoy these recipes which would work at either venue.

I’m a huge proponent of soft drinks for parties and will remind all to drink responsibly when I share with you an eponymous cocktail for this state.

Alabama Slammer
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/alabama-slammer-i/detail.aspx

Ingredients:

• 1 fluid ounce sloe gin
• 1 fluid ounce Southern Comfort
• 1 fluid ounce triple sec liqueur
• 1 fluid ounce Galliano
• 6 fluid ounces orange juice
• 2 maraschino cherries
• 1 slice orange, garnish

Directions:

1. In a cocktail mixer, combine sloe gin, Southern Comfort, triple sec, Galliano and orange juice. Shake vigorously and strain into 2 glasses with ice.
2. Garnish each with a cherry and 1/2 slice of orange.


To counteract the libation above I’m including this recipe for sweet tea.

Good Ol’ Alabama Sweet Tea
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/good-ol-alabama-sweet-tea/detail.aspx
Provided By: LOVECATS2001 who stated the following:

"This sweet tea is found in houses, churches, and cafes all over the great state of Alabama. If you're north of the Mason-Dixon, you've NEVER had tea this good! Fresh-squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice can be added for an extra flavor."

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 gallon water
• 1 tray ice cubes
• 3 family sized teabags of orange pekoe tea
• 3 cups cold water, or as needed

Directions:

1. Pour the sugar into a large pitcher. Bring water to a boil in a large pan. When the water begins to boil, remove from the heat, and place the teabags in. Let steep for 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Remove tea bags, and return tea to the heat. Bring just to a boil, then pour into the pitcher, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Fill the pitcher half way with ice, and stir until most of it melts. Then fill the pitcher the rest of the way with cold water, and stir until blended.


Now on to the main course!


Rubbed and Grilled Pork Loin
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rubbed-and-grilled-pork-loin/detail.aspx

Provided By: National Pork Board

"Chris Lily from Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama creates an easy grilled roast. Great to serve for your summer parties. Serve with traditional side dishes like potato salad, coleslaw and cold watermelon."

Ingredients:

• 1 (4 pound) boneless pork top loin roast (single loin)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
•
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander


Directions:

1. Place boneless pork loin on large cutting board or platter; brush oil over all sides. Set aside. Meanwhile, stir together dry rub seasoning. Rub over pork to cover. Prepare charcoal grill to cook over direct and indirect heat. Place pork loin over medium-hot coals (direct heat) or on medium-hot (about 400 degrees F.) gas grill. Cook for 10 minutes on each side to brown. Move pork to area on grill over indirect heat. Cook, covered for 70-90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. On gas grill, move pork to one side of grill; turn off the gas directly under the pork. Leave the rest of the grill on medium heat. Cook, covered for 70 to 90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Serve with your favorite sauce.


And, as is recommended serving with this meal, an Alabama-style potato salad recipe!

Southern Dill Potato Salad
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/southern-dill-potato-salad/detail.aspx

Provided By: NE1canCook who stated the following:

"My mother made this potato salad for me as a boy growing up in Spanish Fort, Alabama (on the Gulf of Mexico). I have re-created it with a slight modern tangy twist. I know you will like it! Best taste is achieved when the salad is covered and placed in refrigerator overnight. "

Ingredients:

• 10 unpeeled red potatoes
• 5 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or to taste
• 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon dried dill weed

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover them with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through but still firm, about 20 minutes. Remove from the water, let cool, and cut the potatoes into chunks. Set the potatoes aside.
2. In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, onion, celery, celery salt, and salt and pepper until well mixed.
3. Place the potatoes and eggs in a large salad bowl, and sprinkle with dried dill. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and eggs, and mix lightly. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.


Finally it’s time for a rich and sinful southern dessert!


Alabama Mud Cake
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/alabama-mud-cake/detail.aspx

Ingredients:

• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup mint chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Pour pineapple with juice into prepared pan, spreading evenly to make the first layer. Spread cherry pie filling over the pineapple layer, then spread the cake mix over the cherry pie filling. Sprinkle the cake mix layer with pecans and mint chocolate chips, then distribute the sliced butter evenly over the top.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.



Talladega Superspeedway is the longest track on the circuit but it’s also the fastest. Best get started early on this menu so you can enjoy it all day long!

Please join me tomorrow as I conclude the week with the ever-popular Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.

2012 Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day is approaching. It is May 13th this year. This means I’m giving you a head’s up and enough time to do more than give your mom a perfunctory card, a last minute phone call, or a hug.

Moms are special, and, as flawed as they may be (I speak from experience, I have three children and am flawed to the max) they tend to love their children wholly and completely.

So, in honor of Moms’ special day that arrives only once per year, why not take a few extra minutes, the money you were saving for a new video game or concert ticket, and splurge on your mom. I’m giving you notice and I don’t believe you’ll find a bigger return on your investment.

Guys, your wife who is the mother of your child may not be your mother, but she is the mother of your child(ren). She’s more than worthy of a nice gift just like your mom is. Remember, Father’s Day is next month and a good turn this month most certainly will yield a great one for your special day!

So, here’s my gift guide for Mother’s Day. Yes, it’s skewed to my tastes and desires. What do you expect, my name is on the title?! But, I am a woman, a mother, and think I have an insight into what other mothers may enjoy receiving.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2012

Jewelry – This can’t be a surprise for any of you. Most women I know, albeit not all, love jewelry of some kind. Diamonds may be out of the price range (but if they’re not, go that route), but jewelry doesn’t have to be. Mother’s pieces, birthstone styles, or anything she admires is appropriate. Although I adore fine jewelry our budget does not have room for that. But I still love receiving, wearing, and adoring jewelry so I shop with Custom Jewelry by Tammy. She makes lovely, unique and gorgeous designs at very reasonable price points. I highly recommend checking out Tammy’s site and finding a bauble there for Mom (and one for you, too!).Find Custom Jewelry by Tammy at this link, http://customjewelrybytammy.ecrater.com/

Framed Art – If you have children like I do your house is overrun with art projects from school. They hang from the refrigerator, the wall, sit in piles on the countertops, and fill up storage bins in the basement. Sometimes I purge after taking digital pictures of the masterpieces, but mostly I have them saved. But there are a couple from each child that are so beautiful, meaningful, and sentimental to me that I have had them framed. Make or pick one of the children’s best works of art to be professionally framed and present it to Mom.

Spa day/1/2 day/hour – It is very sweet when my family gives me a scented lotion, bottle of nail polish, or a back scratcher, but I rarely have the time to scratch my back or the other more time-consuming tasks. Having me luxuriate for as little as one hour or up to a full day would be a truly sensational.

A chaise lounge, a book, and some peace and quiet – I actually received this gift three years ago when I was pregnant with my last child. It was, and, to this day, still is my favorite (non-jewelry) gift. I still have the chaise lounge, books needing reading, but somehow, with three kids in the house, have lost track of the peace. One day I’ll find it!

Plants/trees – Cut flowers are very nice and pretty, but they are dead and fade quickly. But a flowering plant or tree is a gift that gives joy for years on end. Make planting part of the gift unless Mom loves to get her hands dirty in this way.

Tickets to something and a babysitter – Take her out. Theater her thing, find a local production. Concerts turn her on, take Mom to hear her favorite band/singer. Does she love racing (and what woman doesn’t)? Find a local track and enjoy! Depending on the activity, get Mom a sitter and let her have grown-ups only night. But, if it is something the whole family might enjoy, then get them involved, too! There is so much to do in most communities, from minor league baseball games to fantastic productions that going out need not be expensive, difficult, or far.

Breakfast/brunch out – Breakfast in bed may sound nice, but crumbs get everywhere and usually Mom ends up doing all of the dishes. This time, give Mom ample time to take a shower and beautify, and take her to a great place for breakfast/brunch. This meal is typically far less expensive than dinner and starts the day on the right foot.

Romance her – Obviously a tip for the husbands of the Mom. Moms are so mired in raising the children, managing the home, work, and all the other details she is in charge, that making time for romance is scarcely done. But it is so vastly important. Once the children have given their crepe paper corsages, “spoiled mom” and gone to bed, Dad/husband/boyfriend/significant other/lover can swoop in and make Mom feel like a woman and nothing like a mom. Read up on it people, there are a lot of ways to go about it!

Mostly Mother’s Day is a day to make Moms feel completely and utterly appreciated, respected, and loved.

I’m wishing my mother, my mother-in-law, and all of the mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day on May 13th.

In the meantime, I hope y’all got some ideas and will implement the ones that work for you and Mom in time for her special day.

Please join me tomorrow for Tantalizing Thursday as we explore Alabama cuisine on Chief 187™Chatter.

Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.

I must admit, some weeks are easier than others to produce this post. It has become so much a part of my life, however, that writing it has enriched my life, changed my perspective, and given me a sunnier and more optimistic outlook.

The best part is it can do it for you, too. Not just reading my post, but identifying the Simple Joys in your life can give you the same positive outlook. In this day with a still less than stellar economic forecast, political mudslinging, and general malaise from society as a whole, Simple Joys ascends all to provide a personal boost each time they are experienced.

And the greatest thing? Once you find Simple Joys, it becomes even easier to find them throughout your day. All this joy and it’s free? You betcha!

And now, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.

Dressed up. As I’ve written about throughout the years, my husband has been working on earning his Master’s Degree. It’s been an arduous process that requires sacrifice, focus, dedication, & concentration that is hard to come by when one has a full time job, a family with three young children, and a life!

He is now in his last days of the program before graduation. Last week he had two presentations to do, two nights in a row.

For each presentation he dressed up in a very handsome/dashing suit and tie. He’d come home late at night, exhausted from a long day at work, commute to school, presentation, and commute home. And, no matter what, each time he walked through the door dressed up he took my breath away.

Feeling that for my husband after more than twenty-five years together is a Simple Joy that I cannot imagine ever going away.

Bread. I love bread. I think it’s an excellent and tasty addition to the meal. I know it’s not so good for me, but I really don’t care. It’s delicious! Besides, I don’t serve it all of the time.

The grocery store had a new item called a Ciabatta baguette. I had had Ciabatta bread before, but not in this form so I bought some to try for our pasta dinner.

My eldest son asked, “What’s that?” when he saw me cutting the loaf at dinnertime.

“Ciabatta bread,” I replied.

“Chewbacca bread?!” he asked incredulously, a smile on his face but believing what he thought he’d heard.

That struck me as deliriously funny so I laughed aloud and said, “Yes, yes Matthew, Chewbacca bread.”

“Really?!” he asked excitedly.

“No, not really, but that was really funny.”

Having exchanges of this nature while fixing dinner is a Simple Joy I’ll never tire.

The song. My middle boy asked for and received a guitar for Christmas. It is one his father and I found at a discount store and cost around $20. It’s more than a toy and something he loves to fool around with. He’s musical even without lessons.

The other morning he got the instrument out of its case to serenade me while I was doing the laundry.

“Mom,” he said in his precious high-pitched voice of a five-year-old, “I’m going to sing you a Mother’s Day song.”

Which he did and it was so sweet. Nothing rhymed, the lyrics rambled and repeated a bit, and the guitar part was sort of gloomy, but the words were incredibly heartfelt and genuine.

I know that this Simple Joy will stay with me a lifetime, long after he pins the corsage on his prom date, graduates college, and introduces me to one of my grandchildren, I will remember the little song he made up on the spot for me in honor of Mother’s Day. I love that kid with every fiber of my being.

Manicure. To remind the readership, I do not get my nails manicured professionally. It’s not that I don’t agree with paying professionals to care for and luxuriate me, it’s that I don’t have the money to afford to do it regularly so I skip it. But I do like to care for my own nails as best as I can… when I remember… and find the “free time”.

A new bottle of nail polish prompted me to sculpt my nails and paint them. My daughter, now two and a half, was fascinated. I started with one nail. After 24 hours the polish was still on (she hadn’t sucked it off) so I finished the job painting all ten of her nails.

She loved it! And this normally fidgety child was calm for the couple of minutes it took to paint and dry her tiny little nails.

Now we show one another our hands and I say “hand kisses” to which we bump hands gently and say “MWAH” loudly.

Having a girl and spending time doing “girly” things is a Simple Joy that is addictive!

Mustache. My husband has only had facial hair for longer than 4 days once in his life. He grew a beard in the winter of 1989-1990 because the surveying work he was doing in northern New Jersey left his face battered and cold. The beard helped keep him warm.

It was okay. I think my husband is sexy no matter what, but I was relieved when he shaved during the spring thaw. His was a rugged “mountain man” beard. His face, in my opinion, was far too handsome to cover in facial hair.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and a temporary skin irritation led my husband to grow his stubble out. He was ready to shave when I suggested he keep the mustache, the sight of the blemish.

My husband relented and over the last few weeks I have watched his mustache fill in. I love it! He’s still so very handsome clean-shaven and I know he’ll go back to that, but the mustache is a definite fun element to his face.

Having been together as long as we have, it is absolutely fun to explore change in this way. Over the years I’ve changed my hair style or color, but my husband has stayed very much the same appearance-wise (I’m very lucky!).

The mustache has added a spark that, well, is fun! The mustache, as long as it is here, is a Simple Joy I am enjoying seeing on my husband immensely! And, it’s true, kissing a man with a mustache tickles… a lot!

Simple Joys come in many ways. Some are loud and memorable; others are passing, fleeting moments that lighten the day. All are vastly important in making life manageable and worth living.

Whatever forms your Simple Joys take, I hope you take the time throughout the week to remember them and look for new ones along the way.

Wishing you all a week filled with Simple Joys!

Please join me tomorrow as I wax poetic on yet another topic on Chief 187™Chatter.