Joe Calloway, a friend and former speaker, has shared one story on Facebook more than a few times throughout the years. I read it again today and smiled — just like every time before. So I’m sharing it with you today so you can smile too. 🙂
If you enjoy it, please repay me for the share by telling me what’s eating my hosta.
11:30.
Sunday afternoon, my 10 year old daughter, Jessica, asked me if she and her best friend, Emma, could set up a lemonade stand in our yard. It was a very drizzly, wet, cool day. But I thought a lesson could be learned about disappointment and realistic expectations, so I said “Sure.” They painted a sign (“50 Cents a Cup – All Proceeds to Benefit Animal Shelter”), made the lemonade, set up their table in the yard, and stood in the drizzle. I sighed the sigh that a wise parent sighs as his child is about to face disappointment.
Finally, a lone, soggy jogger stopped. Then a car. Then neighbors started coming over. THEN the Grey Line Tour bus comes to a screeching halt right in front of our house. (I‘m in Nashville. A music star lives in my neighborhood. Not unusual.) The tour bus driver opened his door, ordered a cup of lemonade, then invited the girls to bring their pitcher onto the bus and almost every passenger bought a cup.
After two hours the girls had made almost $60 for the animal shelter.
A valuable lesson was learned. Not by them. By me. The lesson was that sometimes, even when everything seems stacked against you, you just go. It’s just your time. Because you make it your time.
Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live once said, “We don’t start the show because we’re ready. We start the show because it’s 11:30.“
For Jessica and Emma, it was 11:30.
Look at your watch.
What time is it?
Now you know: Paul McCartney, Phil Collins and Michael Jackson are the only musicians who have sold over 100 million records both as solo artists and as members of a band.
This upcoming Sunday is Mother’s Day. My Momma already picked out a snowball bush from me and it’s been planted for several days now. I’ll be surprised if my son even remembers to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day.
But my non-daughter remembered me!
Katie tells everyone I’m her aunt — but I guess she’d really be my 2nd cousin. I’ve heard, “sister from another mister,” and, “brother from another mother,” but what’s it called when the situation is like mine with Katie?
“Fam from another ma’am,” fits, I guess. 🙂
Now you know: 85% of American RV’s are manufactured in Indiana, and in turn 2/3 of that production takes place in Elkhart County.
The severe weather we were forecasted to get this evening went south of us instead. That doesn’t mean we didn’t have rain off and on today.
Rain creates a big mess when you have big dogs.
It’s not like you can have wee wee pads inside for rainy days like you can with small breeds. Large dogs have to go out — and they bring in some of the outside with them every single time.
Rain creates a great example that shows the uniqueness of my two hounds…
Merida hates water, so her trips are fast, furious, and infrequent. Dharma, on the other hand, goes out, shakes the bushes so water will fall on her back, and lies down on the deck to ensure she’s got plenty of debris to bring inside with her.
Now you know: GPS, despite being free for global use, costs around $2 million a day to operate and maintain. This budget covers satellite launches and system upkeep, funded through American tax revenue.
Sitting at the computer with Perry on the other side of the room, I heard a noise that sounded like an aircraft. I asked Perry if he heard it too — he said he did. It hovered so long I seriously wondered if they were looking for an escapee out here in the woods.
Just when I was about to go outside armed with a pistol, Perry figured it out. It was the washer on spin cycle.
Mark me safe from escaped convicts!
There’s not a single one in sight. 🙂
Now you know: The median retirement account holdings for US workers aged 55 to 64 years old was $185,000 in 2022.
Cooler temps are here for the coming days and I tried to get everything done that I possibly could beforehand. I took ONE photo and it says a whole lot about me.
It shows where I’ve been and where I’m going.
It’s obvious I’ve been mowing. For HOURS, I was mowing. It also shows a deck in bad need of a paint touch up. That’s what’s coming just as soon as the weather cooperates.
What one photo do you have on your phone that’s simple — but shows your past, present and future?
Go ahead and look. We’ll wait. 😉
Now you know: Museums in Vietnam often leave out periods of Chinese rule, which is a large part of its own history (about 1,100 years).
