What is a smile?

It's the sunshine from the inside shining out. It's a choice made by how we choose to look at our darkest moments. So smile and share some sunshine and maybe someone will share theirs with you.

It's been so cloudy here lately, well seems like it anyway. Jane is like many if she doesn't see enough sunshine gets a bit cranky. I like sunshine yet I understand, it's still shining even if I can't see it! So when she said "Are we going to see any sunshine today?" I told her Yep! Asked her to look and I smiled at her, saying a smile is sunshine from the inside shining out! So she got a little sunshine and shared some with me, she is still in a good mood! A very good thing for me! Grumpy people just need help seeing things from a different perspective.

The link I posted made me think

The link below is why I wrote this post.

How Facts Backfire


This does explain why many of us are so divided it doesn't matter what side you're on at all. The main message is our beliefs can dictate the facts we chose to accept. The reinforcement of our beliefs makes us more confident we're right, and even less likely to listen to any new information. I'm also guilty of doing this, I put a wall up between people I care about. It's a wall I'm not able knock down, I wish I could you see I am one of those people that without the help I've gotten from the United States Government I would have died over five years ago. I understand for some think it's not the same "those people didn't earn it! You did!" sorry I didn't in the eyes of government everyone is grouped within solid lines if a person put in 20 good years in the military they earned it, if a person like me put in 19 and a half years we didn't, the line must be drawn and it is at 20 good years. It's not something the government is able to do by a case by case measurement the cost is way too high. I live on social security disability it's not the same as social security because I stopped paying into it when I was 43 years old not 62, again the line must be drawn somewhere and it is. Many Americans feel that I am a freeloader living a carefree life off the government, they are not wrong. Because without the medical treatment I received from the V.A. I wouldn't be here today. It’s costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars every year just for me. Like most people I hear the Congress, calling people like me takers and a drain on or as a waste of government services and money, it does seem to be how many people feel it is one way of looking at. The reality for me every penny I get from S.S.D. is spent for bills, food and at just over 17 thousand dollars a year. Being a coupon and sale shopper helps. Money I save is then spent at a co-op for local produce and meat, I do like knowing I can visit the farms my food comes from and meet the animals, knowing they are treated well and care for. Free to roam in a field of grass and could choose to lay in the sun or shade. No pleasure was taken in ended the life of the animals it was done to provide a living for the farmer and the family. The cost is higher, the value and quality is better and worth the cost. At the end of each month my account is at or near empty, meaning all I was given went right back into the U.S. economy. Do I have or do anything of value to my neighborhood? I do keep my sidewalk clear of snow and keep an opening to the street, try to keep the drain clear so the melting snow goes down it in the winter. In the summer my grass is cut and trimmed, in the fall and spring I keep leafs out of the gutter so water can go to the drain. Having Multiple Sclerosis does limit what I’m able to do, so I do small acts of kindness whenever I’m able. It’s hard to listen and hear some people in the congress say that it’s partly my fault this country is in the trouble it’s in, because all I do is waste the taxpayer’s money. The only thing I can say to the taxpayer’s is every penny I get goes right back into the economy within 35 days. To the congress as whole you folks could help the entire country by being paid by the hour and letting taxpayer’s, vote if you should get a raise or a cut in pay! Back when I went to school I learned that the Bill of Rights, could only give right’s not take them away, true that was a long time ago, I don't think that’s changed. The U. S. Constitution stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise. Maybe you could go back and start doing that.

From March 1st until last week we only had 15 days sunshine!

Now at last Spring has finally Sprung here! Summer comes with all it's heat, of which I'm not a fan. Did benefit from the longer wet spring got a head start growing grass that's really going great, had so much winter grass kill in places I had to start over.
Noticed during our long cold spring, when the sun did come out warming things up a bit, people and pets didn't wasting a moment. Hearing as lawnmowers and  other tools used to regain control of overgrown yards. Nacho barking as his friends walked by, seeming to ask me "Can we go for a walk so they can bark at me as we walk by PLEASE?" Looking at me with his cutest puppy dog eyes, 45% of the time I cave in, really hard not too darn cute! Nacho knows those eyes don't work 99.9% when it comes to my sharing my food or extra treat's, Jane on the other hand is a huge marshmallow. From time to time she'll ask me why doesn't he beg from you? Giving her the look of, you already know the answer! Don't you? The cool part is Nacho knows what it means too. With my inability to speak clearly much of the time, the look works fine!

Having been cool so far this year Nacho and I have been able to go for more walks. Jane wanted to know how far I've been walking with Nacho. So we drove my walking route to Longfellow park. To and from it's 2 miles, Granted I don't always take Nacho all the way to the park. It does explains why my hands and arms, aren't working very well, since they are what supports my weight when I walk. We have many dog and people friends we visit on our way, having a very friendly dog doesn't hurt.
It's nice having sunshine for a change, would like it more if it didn't make it so hot. So far my cooling vest is helping but soon it will not be enough. After a short walk I took my vest off and set it on the floor, needed to rest before I put the ice packs back in the freezer, went back to do that and found Nacho laying on my vest sound asleep! As I was laughing he woke up lifted his head a bit, then laid his head back down closing his eyes and let out a heavy happy sigh and was again sound asleep, next time I'll put a towel in the freezer so he can lay on that instead. Have now mapped out our walks so we will mainly be walking in shade. The windows of time for walking is more problematic because, the best times would be 4 to 6 AM or 9 to 11 PM but the rabbits are active and everywhere and I can't see them as well as he can. Nacho still thinks they are doggy toys he can also eat! No he will not be eating cute little Bunny Rabbits! On to the times with the most shade are 11am to 2pm and 4:30 to 6pm with 3 water and cooling stops. The heat will make our walks shorter. It's been nice not dealing with the heat, all things change so I'll do what I can, when I can. Nacho's thick black coat, make him even less a fan of the heat than I am. Yet he still wants and needs to go for  walks, between Jane and I he will get all the walks he needs. It's really great seeing people smiling again!

Picture of me in the form of a knot.

This picture of me is in the form of a knot wrapped up by M.S. the colors red for heart, gray for what it does to me, yellow for the hope for a cure. Orange is the color of Multiple Sclerosis, that has no cure yet, I will not lose HEART, HOPE nor will I go quietly into that dark night. The battle I fight is against M.S. not my abilities! Fear not, for I will win the day by not letting M.S. stop me from living my life my way.