Life is a beautiful experiment, one of truth seeking, love finding, physical pleasures and so much more.  Reflecting on my life, where I stand alone but free.. free to choose, to navigate the world before me.  Yet, like everyone else, I need help sometimes.. and I find it from my loved ones and the community and even the government.  I needed the government for clean water and food after the hurricanes ... no electricity and things shut down.  I can't even imagine the lives of the people in Haiti, Chili, etc..  all the suffering in the world when I feel so cocooned and safe here.  We need help from others sometimes!  I don't like paying taxes, but I have to trust that it will come back to me when I need it too...

There I said it.. I'm mostly caught up on paying self-employment taxes.  I wrote a big check the other day.  Big for me, and one I hope to honor.  Yes, there is money in the bank, so it will clear.  But the money must be allocated, and therefore I have about 3 grand on loan.  Otherwise, all my expenses get paid monthly, with a few yearly, including all kinds of taxes, and insurances.  I DO pay into the system like everyone else.  And kind of feeling like I'm barely scraping by.

But I look around at the cozy home I'm blessed enough to live in.  Can wake up like I did this morning and water the zinnia seedlings poking their noses up through the soil.  Piddled with the fragrant pink "Belinda's Dream" antique roses bushes and have a beautiful bouquet in a tall green glass vase sitting on the glass wall table in the living room.

My boyfriend is out of town racing post-vintage dirt bikes with his buddies.  It's a quiet day to reflect.  I like having time to myself like this.  Empty the dishwasher, feed the rabbit (and steal a kiss), play on the computer, think about my business and browse the hollywood scene, street hair and runway fashions online.  The movie "Dances with Wolves" playing in the background.  I forgot how much I enjoyed that movie the first time.

It speaks to my heart.. the very things I think about and the world today compared to our history.  Where there are people there is war.  It's sad but true.  But the story to me is about finding common ground somehow with our hearts and souls.  It's human nature to fight back to aggression.  It's how we react to stay alive.  I love  the quiet holy man, "Kicking Bird".  And I guess it's a young boy playing "Always Smiling".. or similar name I forget.

It's been a good day so far.. I'm drinking a coke zero & nibbling a pizza made from Chef Boyardee Pizza Sauce (from the cheese kit) and notice I mention the sauce?  It's because it's what makes the pizza so delectable!  Found they sell it by the case (dozen 15oz cans) for just 1.75 a can.. not bad when I can use it to make pita bread pizzas on the fly.  That'll save me some money since I won't be tempted to go eat out or even eat too much by making just a single serving at a time.  I made the crust really thin on a hot pizza stone, and the whole 15oz can of sauce then adding mozzerella and dry parmason then ample pepperoni.  It sort of tastes like what I had recently at 'Shlitz and Giggles" in downtown BR with my boyfriend when we went to our first "Live at 5". 

Back to the movie... it really got me thinking about PEACE and just getting along in the world... and a website I found interesting by just typing the name in google... "the peace experiment"... well there IS a website.  peaceexperiment.org!   The first paragraph bowled me over... I'm still trying to figure out which camp is doing the right thing... Dems vs. Reps.  Maybe like other things it's a place somewhere in the middle.  I choose to listen to both and then make an informed decision of my own.

I live in a neighborhood, with a country setting.  My neighborhood is a joy to walk in with sweeping scenic views of fields and green trees with comfortable homes set far off the road.  I can hear a the rooster crowing across the street.  Further down the road, a neighbor has at least 4 shy goats.  And there are horses!  Yes, it's nice.  Neighbors dogs are sometimes territorial, but really only bark while you pass the street in front of their home.  And there are cats.. many of them.  One particular home lets them live under the house.  I guess it started with one or two outdoor kittens that grew up.  Now, for the 7 or so years since this family moved in.. there has been the regular cycle of new kittens being  born.. I don't know what happens to them.  Some grow up and live under the house.  One growing young feline has taken to lounging in a chair by my front door, but swiftly scats and scares me silly with thesudden departure.  These  cats aren't tame.  That's why I made a note of the CAAWS article about TNR (trap and release) in the July issue of Town Favorites.  Here is the link.. it does sound like a good idea.  But first you have to catch the cat yourself.. bring it in where it is fixed at no cost, then you are to release the feral cat back where it can live out it's natural life.  Feral cats are certainly part of living in the country.. but this is a humane way to slow the cyle.. one cat at a time~
http://www.caaws.org/programs/spay_neuter.htm