Happiness passing it along....

Yesterday, I touched on what makes you happy. My thoughts on this - happiness is a very fleeting and short lived emotion. One which is usually dependent on someone else.

It is so much easier to make someone happy, simply a hug and a bit of praise will bring that special feeling. Everyone seems to glow with the knowledge that someone cares. I found this so true this past several years.

My mother became a statistic when she fell victim to a brain wasting disease...essentially Alzheimer's.
She spent 5 years traveling down that scary road of losing her memories, her family and eventually herself to this devastating disease. However, even on her worst days she responded to the touch of a hand, the sound of a familiar voice or a gentle hug.

She might not have known exactly who I was those last years but she responded to the feeling of belonging that caring gives. That attention and contact made her happy, granted the emotion was short lived but her response brought a mirrored feeling to me. Happiness touched my heart and for a short time eased the overwhelming and continuous grief I lived with.

There is so much to this kind of story, emotions of guilt, sadness, fear, resentment and the overwhelming responsibility for another human being. This is not like the responsibility of raising children. Those you love, guide and raise the best you can and they progress down the road to adulthood.
A parent with an affliction such as Alzheimer's regresses back the same road they traveled on many years before....and you cannot stop it.
I chose this responsibility because she and I lived in the same city, because I have always been the 'easy' person in our family structure and because it was destined to be my job.
Out of Mom's three children, I was the one who could or would make the time be make sure she was never really alone on this long journey to death.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll sort through a little more of this subject.

Right now, I want to give you all a recipe.....How to cook up a bit of happiness
give someone a hug, tell them how important they are to you. Finish off this warm feeling with a big smile and a touch on the hand.

Happiness - Life's Heartbreaks and Simple Things

After serious research I have decided that there is not one recipe I'd cook a turkey for just to have leftovers, that's not to say there aren't a few dishes that are pretty good eating....but I could live just as long and die just as happy if I never again ate leftover Thanksgiving fowl.

I am off on another subject here....what makes you happy?

Think about this one, and let's be perfectly honest. Is it a relationship, your children, money or something else? I have grown a lot personally in the past few years and I am going to discuss some personal things that have allowed me to know contentment and in an odd way happiness. This has nothing to do with my relationship with my husband or children. The situation involves other family and aging parents.
I will break this entire situation down and perhaps give the reader an insight on the gift of giving. Finding something good and pleasant in a desperate, heartbreaking situation that allows you to survive and grow personally.
But that all starts tomorrow.

Jobs, Time and Left Over Food

Another day another dollar, or in the working woman's world another 14 chores that didn't get done. I made no post yesterday due to the fact it was one of the 14 chores that just didn't need to be done right now. I'm one of the lucky women, I work from home which definitely has its advantages. Don't get me wrong it also has some big disadvantages but in my case it works.
More about that some other time.....

After a full day of being busy I made supper which was leftover Thanksgiving Turkey.

Do you ever wonder just how many recipes there are for left over turkey besides the usual hot turkey sandwiches, a general rehash of what was left of the original meal and turkey soup? I'm going to do a little research for recipes that make those left overs interesting. My problem is I don't have a very good track record when it comes to those half empty bowls of food that just won't go away.
I'm betting I'm not alone.

A blog for the readers!

I've decided that there are a lot of blogs in this old world, and most of these center around the writer.

I'd like my blog to be more about the reader..Like the working Mother who comes home after a 9 to 5 work day and decides on what to feed the family. Dinner might not be labeled gourmet food but it is down to earth family eating.
Gram’s Recipe Book is trying to provide ideas and recipes for healthy, nutritious food that is quick and easy. This blog will be an extension of the website.

If you want fancy or elaborate foods you may share your recipes or ideas on how to make simple into fabulous.

We can turn that simple meal into something special with a little imagination, a little preparation and usually very little time.

I'll give you ideas, examples and hopefully allow you to go beyond ordinary when it comes to your daily meals.

I’ll also try to provide you with useful information on nutrition and how it relates to the family.
Don’t be fooled, this blog won’t be entirely about foods but will include fun ideas and activities for kids of all ages.

We'll also touch on with how we deal with home, life issues and the changing world. This web blog can become food for thought, and a nutrient for the soul.


Gram might be getting older, but I still love-sharing .....



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