Dear Reader:

Isn’t there so much truth in the title statement? Nobody likes asking a perpetual whiner how they are doing and get a 20 minute tirade of all their ailments, along with personality disagreements involving their family, doctors,  or “supposedly” friends.

*The person innocently inquiring now wants to run for the hills and will definitely avoid asking this person a second time… how they are doing.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be interested in someone else’s obstacles, whether it is about health or economic or whatever issues…but if everyone would just learn to start the response with a positive statement, a blessing, before mentioning a problem…they would be met with much more sympathy and understanding.

This is why I enjoyed my birthday weekend so much…when all the adults gathered for dinner…we had a choice…we could either talk about our problems or just have fun making fun of our problems…keeping things light and funny and often endearing.

All the gifts were so thoughtful and creative…a high folding lawn chair I can get out of to watch the children’s sports games with an attachment for a water bottle, more beautiful flowers…two-plant mums, orchids,  Two Charleston hot pink rice beads to share a friendship and story.

CHARLESTON RICE BEADS

And finally…speaking of a story…another  creative gift to end the evening…

Listen to this description….how cool is this idea?

We’ve gifted you a subscription to StoryWorth so you can record your stories for the family. After a year, we’ll print a beautiful book with your stories for us all to have!— Walsh, Mollie, and kids

This is how it works….don’t you love it?

Hi Boo,

Mollie Dingle wants to hear your stories and get to know you better, and has given you a one year subscription to StoryWorth.

You’ll get weekly prompts with an easy way to record your life, and at the end of the year you’ll receive a beautifully bound book of your stories.

Here’s how it works.

• Every Monday, we’ll email you a question that Mollie has chosen for you, for example “How did you get your first job? or “What were your friends like in high school?”
• All you have to do is reply to the email with a story.You’re welcome to attach photos as well.
• Mollie gets emailed each story you record. You can add more recipients if you’d like other loved ones to receive your stories.
• All of your stories are saved privately, and will be printed in a beautiful keepsake book at the end of the year!!!

*I looked up to see what the final album looks like and each recipient gets to choose colors, order of questions, style, etc. of their particular finished album. We can edit anything before making the final selection. Here is one sample.

StoryWorth makes it easy to print your family stories as a beautiful book. Having your stories online make them easy for everyone to access, but there’s nothing like holding a book in your hands.

• Choose the order of the stories and include pictures.
• Beautiful hardcover designs that you can customize.
• Choose between black and white or color.

We hope you enjoy it!

Best,

–Nick & the StoryWorth team

Nick Baum, founder

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My first question comes today!!! I can hardly wait….I will share some of the questions periodically throughout the upcoming 52 weeks. I am so excited…what a terrific way to finally be able to do what I have wanted to do for so long….have a tactile, concrete memoir album for the children and grandchildren to read.

Part of my reason for doing the blog post initially started for this same reason… but then it evolved as a mixture of family memories, along with stories, observations, and metaphors on life.

What I soon realized… was that the longer the blog post lasted the closer all of you readers became to me…like part of my family…sharing back with new ideas and thoughts of your own that have helped me grow into a better person…more understanding of different views. Thank you!

…And thank you for all the wonderful cards, texts, and well-wishes for my birthday….I am a lucky woman indeed!

So until tomorrow….

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Fall keeps falling with decor around the garden!