10,000!!

On January 28, 2014July 20, 2014 By Peggy BereIn Uncategorized22 Comments

Yesterday when I fired up my pc and opened up my blog I was blown away!! Blown away!!!! The 10,000th visitor had made their way to the pages of Being Margaret!! That’s right, folks! 10,000!!!! Amazing!

Shouldn’t there be some kind of an award for this momentous occasion? It’s January after-all. That means it’s awards season. So I thought it only fair that I should also receive an award. Like, perhaps, something telling the world just how absolutely fab my little corner of the world is!!

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Or perhaps some kind of bling!! Or, a statuette. Or better yet, a crown! I could wear the crown for inspiration while drafting my – utterly interesting, can’t peel your eyes away from – posts!! I’d be famous!

But fame certainly has a price. Would giving up my privacy (and Clark’s) be worth it?

There would be the paparazzi to deal with 24/7

I could kiss my privacy goodbye…

and say so long to peace and quiet…

Julia-Louis-Dreyfus-Rejects-Reese-Witherspoon-Globes

I’d have to run around incognito…..

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No. I don’t need an award! I don’t need the recognition and all that goes hand-n-hand with it. Truth be told? Starting my blog has been such an amazing experience. I Love writing! I love reading other WP blogs and hearing about what goes on in the lives of people from around the world.

So to all 10,000 of you fabulous visitors…Thank You!! (I’d like to thank the academy!!!!!!!!…) Thank you for visiting Being Margaret! What started out as an idea to write one post, has turned into a wonderful hobby.

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the liebster award

On August 2, 2013August 2, 2013 By Peggy BereIn Awards33 Comments

My very first award! Ever! Given by peers. And, the WordPress community. And I’d like to thank……….

I was about to go to bed. It was not really that late. I just go to bed early.

I decided to look at my email one last time. There was new mail! I scanned down the list. There were several spam emails and something from Yahoo!Services confirming a password change. I had been hacked earlier this year. Twice. What an exhausting experience! The first time ~ Emails were being sent out to everyone on my contact list telling them of a grand plan I had for helping them to earn millions of dollars. A few weeks later, that was followed up with an email telling them how to shed the unsightly pounds I had noticed they gained. *horrifying.*

I continued to scan through the emails. There was an email from WordPress. FUN! WP always sends out something interesting. I opened it and saw a pink medallion. It was labeled ~ “The Liebster Award.” Hmm. I read through the contents of the email. My heart did a little flip. I had been nominated for an award?! By my peers. And readers. And the WordPress community!

Clark was sitting next to me. He was sitting there engrossed in a “who done it” cop show as I was getting my very first writing award ever! It was exciting! Thrilling! I spastically turned to him and told him I had won an award. He never took his eyes off the TV. “hmmm?” (His show was just getting to the good part.)

I was excited! I read the email again. Hooray! It was an award! The Liebster Award! Oh, this was such exciting news. The hubs finally caught wind of my excitement. He looked at me with a blank stare on his face. I told him again of the email. Oh, I was thrilled! He grinned at me. He could see how caught up I was in the excitement! Then he turned back to his cop show.

A few minutes earlier I could hardly keep my eyes opened. I was going to turn in for the night. Then this! Oh, what a piece of good fortune! It was unexpected! I’m sure I was experiencing the same emotions that very famous actors feel when they get that much coveted phone call with news of an Oscar nomination! How would I ever fall asleep? Pulitzer Prize here I come!!

The excitement of the award was still with me when I woke up the next day. I went to my PC to read the email again. My enthusiasm came to somewhat of a slow halt as I read the fine print.

There was a protocol to follow. There were questions to answer. Okay, It was a lot of work being an award-winning writer. It was going to be time-consuming. Between my work schedule and my busy week, I did not know when I was going to fit in writing an acceptance speech! I had a full agenda that day. I had texts and calls to return from the day before. I had to go get the oil changed in my car! (Something I had been putting off for months. I was now 2000 miles overdue.)

Knowing that I had a full plate, I started to swiftly move through my morning. I dropped my razor on my toe as I rushed through my shower. I looked down as I was getting dressed. Rats! My toe was bleeding. I grabbed some toilet paper to stick to the wound. I got dressed and then crammed my foot into my sandal. I decided on this very important day, I’d wear something nice. I’d also wear my fancy sandals! The toilet paper looked oddly out-of-place peeping through my strappy summer footwear. This was NOT how an award-winning writer should start her day.

As I ran my errands and accomplished my goals, the thought of my Liebster Award was never too far from my thoughts. I was caught daydreaming at a red light by an angry driver behind me. He honked when I did not notice the light change. At the next stop light, the same driver was this time stopped next to me. I looked out my window at him and wondered how he would feel if he knew he had just blasted his horn at an award-winning writer!

My day progressed ~ I started to calm down. I got everything done on my “to do” list. I gave my car the much needed attention it was due. I returned all my calls. I texted my friends and made plans. Every now and then, I’d think about the exciting news. My ego would swell a bit at each thought of my new award.

As is our practice, I talked to Clark a few times throughout the day. I found the opportunity on each phone call to tell him again how wonderful my new award was!!

Finally, on his last call to me from work that day, he asked me if I had decided what to wear to the awards ceremony. I smiled. And laughed. Clark is not only über hot ~ he is also witty! He has a way of putting things into perspective for me when I tend to blow them out of proportion. He keeps me grounded. He helps to keep me from getting too big for my britches.

That night, I sat down and once again looked at the protocol expected of me for this nomination. I carefully followed through all the guidelines. I looked over the questions and gave careful consideration to the answers I would give each one. I wrote a note to the sweet writer who took the time to find my blog, read my posts, and give me a nomination. I thanked her for her thoughtfulness. I was humbled and honored and felt such happiness in the acknowledgment.

Liebster: a word of German descent meaning beloved and lovely. Kind, pleasant & valued. Endearing and welcome. It is an award which was started in Germany to give recognition to great bloggers. How lovely!

Passion for writing has always been my motivation behind my blog. When your writing gets acknowledged by someone you have never met, it makes your efforts all the sweeter and your heart swells a bit. My love of writing is a true blessing in my life. It is a blessing that I do not take for granted.

As I finish up this post, I think about what prompted me to write it and my tagline comes to mind ~ I Will One Day Write a Book.

The Liebster Award

mother nature

On April 20, 2013April 24, 2013 By Peggy BereIn Uncategorized14 Comments

It’s been a little over a week since I’ve been sprung from my cell and allowed to once again be outdoors and among people. I can enjoy the sunshine! I can now start enjoying spring! Except ~ spring is hiding. It snowed the other day. And then we had a monsoon for about a week. Then more snow.

I’ve noticed that the bad weather has affected people’s moods. They walk around complaining. They walk around with a look of aggravation and disappointment on their faces as if they had never seen a bad spring before. It makes me wonder how their dispositions would be if they had just spent the past 2 weeks in prison, like Moi! But I digress….

I didn’t care! I was free! I was going to go out and enjoy my freedom! I talked Clark into going to the store and looking at some new patio furniture. He reluctantly agreed. So we grabbed our winter coats and hats and an umbrella for good measure and off we went!!

We pulled into the parking lot of the local patio furniture store. It looked abandoned. Where was everyone? Didn’t they know it was spring? We got a good parking space almost in the first spot of the row! I took this as a good sign. Yes, this was a good way to start my freedom! If I closed my eyes and blocked out the fact that the snow was coming down in mid April, I could almost visualize myself sitting on my back porch on a new patio chair. Feet propped up on an ottoman. Waving to the neighbors!! Maybe even with a fruity summer drink in my hand.

We walked in and headed toward our destination. Patio conversation groups. From across the showroom floor, there was one that immediately caught my eye. We walked over to it. It was perfect. We tested it out and liked that it felt sturdy. Clark was surprised at how quickly I picked one out. Typically when making a big purchase, it takes me a long time to research. I want the best deal! We were in and out fast. The new set would be delivered to our home the next week Hurray!

OK, confession time. I had been secretly looking online at new sets for the past couple of months. I had actually been doing a lot of online shopping while going through treatments and in isolation. It was a great way to pass the time! I had gotten used to weekly deliveries. My ears became in-tuned to the UPS and FED EX truck barreling down the street. From my bedroom, I could hear the sounds of the large truck rounding the corner near my house. The sound of squeaking breaks and a large vehicle coming to a stop in front of my house was like music to my ears.

I’d wait for the doorbell to ring and moments later the engine of the truck would spark back to life and away it would go. The delivery man was on to his next destination. I was on my way down the stairs to open the front door. I had the orchestration down beautifully!! I’d open the door and drag in whatever new parcel was left for that day. Joy!

The day the Patio set came was a particularly frigid spring day. It was a Saturday and Bruce was home. We opened the large box and there inside was our new set. In about fifty pieces. Hmmm. OK, an afternoon project! This was going to require tools. And patience.

We sat in our garage to put it together that day, well, because it was snowing outside. It took most of the afternoon. Clark and I work together like a well oiled machine. He points to tools. I bring them to him and every once in a while tell him what a fab job he’s doing. He likes to put on a good show. Straining loudly when a particular part of the assembly is challenging. I encourage him and tell him he is brilliant!

All in all we enjoy being together and working on projects. He always takes the part of project manager. I am the lovely assistant. This day was no different. The set came together nicely. Success! No extra parts. Now we just need some spring weather.

As I sit in my kitchen this morning looking out the window at the wintery~spring weather, I wonder how much longer these unseasonably cold tempts are going to last. In the grand scheme of things, it really does not matter. Spring will come. Warm tempts will follow. My new patio set will eventually make its way from our garage to its new home on the back porch.

Mother Nature has a way of keeping us all on our toes ~ of letting us know who the boss is. And I, for one, would have it no other way. Patience is a virtue. The new season always eventually rolls around the corner. That’s the beauty of living in a part of the country where the seasons change. Just when you think you can’t take anymore, you are blessed with a spring morning that you are sure is the most gorgeous one you’ve ever seen.

And before you know it, everyone will be walking around with looks of aggravation on their faces because it’s just too hot outside to do anything. And the cycle starts all over again. Go Mother Nature! Show us who’s boss!

the more things change, the more they stay the same

On March 22, 2013March 26, 2014 By Peggy BereIn Uncategorized8 Comments

Nothing makes me feel older than this technology age we’re living in.

As my parents grew older, they would ask us all kinds of questions about pc’s and camera’s and how to program the VCR. Back then you basically pushed the red button to record a show. You pointed and clicked a button to capture a picture. As I grew older, I pledged never to become out of touch with new technology. I would stay young at heart and worldy, forever.

In keeping with this pledge, I am intrigued by so many of the new venues of technology these days. I am in love with snapchat. It’s random and it’s fun. My kids introduced me to this entertaining form of smartphone fun. “Mom, you need to get a snapchat app!” I was in luck. I knew what an app was! Sadly, I did not know what snapchat was. They patiently showed me and I was instantly hooked.

It’s a fun app you download to your smartphone. You take pictures and send them to people who only have access to the picture for 10 seconds or so. Then it is gone forever. This I liked! After all, I was already a self proclaimed camera buff!!

Anyone who knows me or who has traveled with me knows that I take literally hundreds and hundreds of pictures while on vacation. Clark, as everyone affectionately refers to my hubs, is patient with me when I get into my zone. There has been many times when we’ve been walking and talking and he suddenly realizes I’ve stopped and am not next to him anymore. Sometimes he patiently waits for me. Sometimes, if I fall too far behind snapping shots of things I find curiously interesting, I get a “Margaret, c’mon!”

While in college, Clark and I had a photography class together. He is responsible for introducing me to this form of creative art. I loved it immediately. When we travel, he too, is seldom without his camera. In fact, he usually has several camera’s and all kinds of apparatus & gear hanging around his neck and a few times has been mistaken for a paparazzi!!

The other day I was snapchatting with one of my boys and he said that it’s best if you take & send pic’s that are random. Or better yet, photobombed!! He showed me how to take a “selfie” while including some unsuspecting person in the background. I decided to try to practice this on Clark. I took a picture of myself standing in the kitchen. Just to the left over my shoulder there he was, unaware and biting into a big sammy! *Click!* Now this was a GREAT shot!

I try hard to keep up with the always changing technology and shifting social media horizon. Im on twitter now. My son told me I needed to get a twitter account. So he set me up and after months of logging on, I still only have a handful of followers. For the sake of my ego, I chalk it up to a generational thing. This fad I can not enthusiastically get behind. I am not saying I am going to toss in the twitter towel. I’m no quitter! People my age just don’t tweet very much, if at all. We missed the boat.

I mentioned this fact on Facebook this morning. A few of my sweet friends said they’d follow me. That makes 8 followers!! I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be tweeting. I try to think of interesting things about my day to tweet to the world. My mind usually turns to some mundane meal I had or to some errand I ran that day. Are these the kind of interesting factoids that the public is waiting to read? Do they really want to know that I have to run to the grocery store to pick up cheesesticks? I have writers block for Twitter! Something always pops up on my twitter feed that someone else has thought to share with the world and I think to myself, “oh wow, why didn’t I tweet that? That’s interesting and I have also had that very same thought that a hundred times. Shoot!”

I am going to continue my quest to try to become a twitter pro. My name there is @sunmaid1211 – not because I love the sun so much but because my boys have always affectionately referred to me as Sunmaid because they think I look freakishly close in resemblance to the girl on the Sunmaid Raisin box.

My oldest son, Bruce Robt, is the tech savvy guru of the family. When Clark or I need help with something, we phone him. He gives us directions on how to fix our pc’s. He answers questions about our smartphones and media controls. It makes me smile because I know we are slipping behind a bit in the war against keeping up with modern technology. My mind flashes back 30 years and I know without a doubt that we are becoming our parents.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Certain things come to mind that will forever be changing. – the world – life – seasons – weather – people – popularity – fashion – politicians – prices and yes, technology.

Curiosity and the quest to stay young at heart can drive us to try to keep up with the changing world. But isn’t it just easier to ask someone younger, “Could you show me how this work’s, please?”

samantha stevens

On March 1, 2013March 26, 2014 By Peggy BereIn Uncategorized2 Comments

As the end of my two week medical leave from work nears, I think to myself, “that wasn’t so bad. The time flew by.” My days were at first spent sleeping and recovering. As I gained my strength back little by little and started to feel like myself again, I started to actually enjoy my time off. I had forgotten how much I liked being home during the days doing housewifey things. It’s nice not being on a schedule and even nicer to sleep in a little. Yes, I could get used to this kind of lifestyle!

As a young girl, I always thought the tv moms were super cool! I wanted to be the Samantha Stevens of the neighborhood. Her home was like a magazine layout. Her husband had an awesome advertising job in the city and every night when he got home it was cocktail hour. She had beautiful dresses and perfect hair and drove a convertible. Her friends would drop over for coffee in the mornings. Most of them would just let themselves in as if that was just the normal way that people interacted. (Who does that in real life?) She always had a flurry of fun activities planned during the day that included lunches at fancy restaurants or outings in the city. Yes! This was the life I wanted!!

Recently, I’ve gotten a little taste of this. I got to talk to my dear friend Mary the other morning. This was a treat! She is one of my closest friends. She’s a tiny little thing filled with endless amounts of energy. Her stories are the best! She is animated and lively as she tells them. Bruce and I love to vacation with her and her hubs! We have been to both the East and West coasts with them. The trips are always memorable and end way too quickly. Even tho we both had busy days to get to, (well, I was suppose to be resting), we talked for hours, in our robes, and drank coffee while doing it. After catching up on each others family’s and discussing the redecorating we were both in dire need of, we said our goodbyes and started our days. It was close to noon by this time. Yes! This was the life of Samantha Stevens!! I can start my day whenever I want. I am on no schedule. I have nothing pressing to do. If I want to stay in my pj’s until noon, Im going to. *nods*

I have picked up a few bad habits while I have been home these past two weeks. Lauren, my beautiful daughter in law, has gotten me hooked on the Kardashians. Bruce frowns upon this new guilty pleasure of mine. He walked into the room one day while I was right in the middle of a Kardashian marathon and looked at me in disgusted disbelief. “Are you actually watching this trash?” I shhhush’d him without taking my eyes off the tv. He walked away mumbling something and I continued to watch the show. It’s like watching a train wreck. You know you shouldn’t look but you can’t take your eyes off of it. I have also started watching episodes of Kourtney and Kim Take Miami. I do this at night when there is nothing else on. If I hear Bruce coming up the stairs, my heart starts to race and I flip the channel real quick. I have gotten tricky while being at home recouping. It feels a little sneaky and a tad bit rebellious. I know that these habits will die as soon as I go back to work. No harm no foul. Right?

Other than staying in my pj’s until noon and picking up a few bad habits, my time at home has been pleasant. I made a new friend, Tuan, who is now helping me to redecorate my family room. I stumbled upon this new, awesome friendship while browsing the furniture stores and looking for new ideas for a front room facelift. We started talking and before I knew it, I had a confirmed appointment with him for a home visit. Wow. How did that happen? He came out on the day we had agreed upon. I greeted him at the door and he flew in like a tornado and immediately started shaking things up. This was exactly what I needed! Someone who could make split second decisions. This was very Samantha Stevens!! I couldn’t help but get caught up in his flamboyant enthusiasm. He informed me that while my room was lovely, it was very outdated and instead of just needing a couch, as was my original plan, I actually needed to replace everything. Before I knew it, he had overhauled the entire room. He had an itemized list and tally of what everything was going to cost me and handed it to me as he breezed back out the door for his next appointment. This overwhelmed me. It was major sensory overload. I just looked down at it in my hand and then back up at him. I thanked him for coming. We ended up only ordering the sofa. It turns out that I am a creature of habit and my mode is a much slower pace.

Now I am nearing the end of my time at home. I had forgotten how much I enjoy having the days to myself. I am going to miss the freedom and luxury of being able to do whatever I want all day long. Whether I want to watch trash TV all day or spend it in my pj’s on the phone with friends, the choice is mine. As much as I wanted to be like Samantha Stevens when I grew up, I think a lifestyle with a little more structure and routine is best for me. I look forward to going back to work. I miss my responsibilities there and miss my friends. It will be good to be back in a routine.

Up until a few years ago, my major role in life was being a stay at home mom. I consider myself fortunate to be part of a generation that was able to choose whether to stay home and run a household or to go to work and juggle both career and family. I chose to be a stay at home mom. The day my youngest son, Brian, moved away to college, I knew my life as I had known it up to this point was about to change. I was ready for the change, though. I was ready to get a part time job and to spend my time doing things I enjoyed. I love cooking and photography ~ travel and writing. I also love my job. I count my blessings on a daily basis for being given the opportunity to explore all of these passions. I do not take lightly, the fact that I have a comfortable and beautiful home. I am grateful everyday for the gift of time spent with dear friends, my amazing hubby and my healthy family.