I Value Your Opinion, Dear Friends

 I  Value Your Opinion, Dear Friends

B

2014 Readers Survey

As I write my blog each week I think of each of you as my friends. By doing this, it helps put a personal touch on my writing.

Instead of me writing and sending something out into cyberspace for just any random person to stumble across, I want to have you in mind.  Offering real encouragement, thoughtful discussions and transparent hope as we share together.

I am eager to make my blog better and more relevant to your needs and interests. But to do that, I need to know more about YOU

This is why, I created my 2014 Readers Survey. This short survey will help me to better know who I’m writing to. I will be able to make my blog posts, emails, and resources more interesting, and relevant to you.

Your input is very important to me. The survey is easy to fill out and will take less than three minutes to complete. The results are completely anonymous, and I will not share your results with anyone. Just click below.

I Would Love to Help. Take me to the Survey!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Lovingly, Karan

 

 

Cowgirl Up!

Cowgirl Up!

colorful-cowboy-boots-wallpaper-1280x720

When this California beach bunny met my Canadian Cowboy, it was like “John Wayne meets California Bling queen” two different worlds collided.  My idea of a rancher’s wife was somewhere between “Dolly Parton” and the television show “Dallas.”  In my world if you were dressed for the occasion you could do any the job.

My new husband sent me out to get some cowboy boots and jeans. I guess he didn’t think the go-go boots and hot pants would work! Lol  

I was excited to go shopping, after all I liked the boots “Dolly” wore with beautiful design’s, colors and sparkles.  Now to find the perfect boot, which in my mind I thought should be both fashionable and practical.  I couldn’t wait to see Lyle’s face when I brought them home.

Modeling my new 3-inch-heeled cowgirl boots and seeing the look on Lyle’s face, I knew he wasn’t as appreciative of the boots as I was.  I think it was somewhere between bursting out into gales of laughter and I can’t believe it!

Lady, Call Me Anytime!

Lady, Call Me Anytime

car_mn_0While doing last minute packing for a speaking engagement in northern Alberta, my husband was warming up our SUV. I was excited about the northern adventure, but also a little apprehensive because our vehicle’s electrical system had been acting up. The fan would run off and on when it was turned off. Lyle was staying home and I felt a little insecure about my technical abilities, and didn’t want to have a dead battery on my trip. My understanding of a working automobile consists of putting the key in the ignition. If the motor starts, it works. So simple.

After putting my bags in the back of our vehicle, my husband suggested that I go by our dealership and have the fan disconnected. I promised I would.

Arriving at the dealership I checked in, and sure enough the fan was still running at full force in the SUV. I went directly to the service department and the manager said, “All the service personnel are having their morning coffee break, they will be back in twenty minutes”.

I took a seat, and thought I would use my time wisely by telling the service department manager how disappointed I was with our vehicle. I blathered on about the electrical problems and how stressful it was to be stranded somewhere away from home. After twenty minutes a serviceman said he would look at my car, and as we walked I explained the problem. I opened the back of the vehicle, he climbed in and listened, turned his head from side to side and listened some more.

As he climbed out of the vehicle, he said, “I don’t think it’s the fan. I think it is your tote bag.”

I told him with certainty the bag contained a blow-dryer and curling iron, and as he could see they were not plugged in!

The Toothless Wonder

The Toothless Wonder

Toothless Woman

Three hours past our departure time, my husband, Lyle, and I, and our two teenage daughters, were finally pulling away from our southern Alberta home. We were on our way to the State Fair in Great Falls, Montana, but the way our car was packed, it seemed like we were off on a world tour.

I was looking forward to six days of rest and relaxation. No cooking, no early mornings, and plenty of my favorite hobby—retail therapy. We had a poolside room and our girls were ready to find their swimsuits and head to the water. However, my husband (the practical one) decided we would have supper first, before the swimming suits came out of the suitcases and everyone headed for the pool.

After a delicious Mexican dinner, I hurried back to our room because I had something stuck under my upper partial plate. As I hurried into the powder room, I took out my “two front teeth” and laid them on a tissue next to the sink. After I brushed my teeth, I wiped off the counter, threw the paper and tissue into the toilet, and flushed. I turned around to get my teeth, but they were nowhere in sight. I ran around the hotel room crying, praying, and hoping that I would find those teeth, but I knew in my heart they were gone—flushed—adios—good-bye.

My family returned to find me flustered and crying. They were clearly concerned, but before I told them what happened to my poor teeth, I made each one promise not to laugh. It did not help one bit. By the end of my story, they were rolling with laughter and asking to see my toothless smile, which only brought more uncontrolled laughter.

I decided right there my vacation was over. I wanted to go home. I told my family I could not spend the rest of the week without my two front teeth.

“Oh yes you can,” my husband said. “All you have to do is keep your mouth shut and no one will know.”  Now why didn’t I think of that?

The Great Laundry Caper

The Great Laundry Caper

images (69)Moving is a stressful and time-consuming project, the more mature I get the less I like this task.  While I was drowning in boxes, I needed to search for a washer and drier. Our clothes were piling up and I was nearing my last pair of underwear ………  I searched the sale fliers for a laundry set that would fit both our needs and budget.  After comparing prices we made our decision.  A white set with burgundy lettering, I thought it would match our other furniture.  Besides, it had a wrinkle free cycle that appealed to me, sense my ironing board and iron are a Stone Age model.  

The salesman was anxious, jumpy, and talked incisively.  He assured me I had come to the right place, gotten the best price, deal and warranty of any other customer he had had that day. Plus they were going to deliver it on Saturday morning around      9:00 am. I was the luckiest woman in town.  Of course I was thrilled; I had a week’s washing and needed to get some clothes washed.

Saturday morning came and no washer and drier, I was in a panic we needed to wash clothes and be at another appointment across town by 2:00 pm.  Finally, I received a call telling me they were running late and would arrive at 1:00 pm. I knew this would be cutting my time short, mentally figuring out how I was going to make my next appointment.  I was about to have a meltdown. 

Arriving at 1:10 pm I was told they didn’t have time to set everything up. “It was easy, a piece of cake, you could do-it-yourself” Jr. said, giving me the thumbs up as he raced out the door.  Now I don’t know about you, but when someone tells me it’s easy, red flags start flying. He said he had confidence in me. Clearly, he hadn’t heard I am both un-coordinated and mechanically challenged.

I remember thinking the washer and drier looked different, but I didn’t have time to spend on that thought as we rushed to our appointment.

After a stressful afternoon, arriving home I began looking at the washer and drier again, I realized the top was the wrong color. Instead of white with burgundy letters across the top, it was baby blue enamel.  It had that “blast from the past” 50’s look.

Stressed I was awake most of the night doing research and worked myself into a dizzy-tizzy.  I was sure the company had ripped me off and sent me a relic from the back of the warehouse. I finally fell asleep at 4:00 am worn out and upset.  And I still had no clothes washed!!!

The next day I decided to go by the store and discuss the situation with the salesman.  Praying all the way over there that I would be kind but firm. I walked in and asked for Harold.   Explaining to another gentleman the wrong washer and drier had been delivered to my house.  He wasn’t sympathetic and told me those things happen all the time! At that moment I wasn’t feeling “That Lov’in Feeling.”