The Smiley Lady Blog

We have a really great cat named Rooster. He’s a scrappy little dude. Outdoors he’s alert; the cat I worry the least about becoming prey to a larger animal. When he comes into the house he sheds the mantle of mighty warrior. He becomes soft and vulnerable. A friend observed, “It’s clear Rooster has never […]

I met an old friend for lunch today and had such a lovely time. We hadn’t seen each other in a couple years and I was a little worried it would be awkward. How silly of me. Within moments of saying hello we were laughing and carrying on like old times. Important lesson there, huh? […]

Back when I was a kid, finding a penny was a big deal. With a penny you were well on your way to having enough for a Hershey bar. Not to mention, finding a penny was good luck. When I was in college, the girl who lived right above me was studying to be an […]

Here’s a credo to live by: Just say YES. Unless there is a compelling reason, like danger, disregard of others or it’s totally irresponsible, why not just say yes. “Mom, can we make chocolate pudding in the bath tub?” “Boss, if I come in an hour early and skip taking lunch, could I leave 2 […]

Can you think of 6 words to describe yourself?  I first did this as an assignment when I gave my TED Talk.  Speakers were introduce simply by their 6 words.  This 6 word assignment, not too hard to do. So take a minute. Have some fun. I hope you come up with lots of positive […]

  Stop trying so hard. Yep, that’s my advice – me the work driven, can’t stop, juggling a 1000 things, whirling dervish of a zillion projects for work, fun, garden, art, etc. But, I’m not advocating not being productive. Productivity can be the source of great emotional highs. I’m just saying there is great comfort […]

I hope you’ll look through your photos and join our collaborative effort. If you didn’t know, I am collecting photos for my child’s book of friendship. I need pics of friends being friends. Might you have a great shot of yourself with buddies or your kids with their BFF?  All ages of friends. Friends being […]

A couple days ago, I was driving home from good old Jazzercise at the Lafayette Community. The weather was hot. I was wet with sweat. I had my top down. No, no, not the naughty thought my hubby jokes about every time I say that! I had the top on my convertible down. Perfection. The […]

Notice. notice. NOTICE! So far today: • Woke up naturally today; you know when your body gradually goes from a sleep state to an alert state and no jarring electronics were involved. Love sleeping in. Love how weekends allow me to spend a few minutes in bed experience the coziness of blankets and sheets against my […]