Seeing Red

Sometimes the smallest gift is really a spontaneous gesture filled with so much kindness that it makes your heart overflow with gratitude. This picture is one such gift.

My oldest friend's husband snapped this picture on his phone as he left the church after my mother's funeral.  He was struck by the unusual reds that danced across in the sky, and the fact that my mother had asked all of her family to wear red to the service in celebration of her life.

The cold November day we buried our mom, I watched the stunning sunset unfold from the church pew-- at times filling the entire sky in varying shades of red-- as I listened to the minister speak of our clothing choices.

Now, on the rare occasion the skies blaze the same beautiful reds I saw that day, I take it, in all it's glory, as a nudge from our mother to stay strong and be happy.

My friends recently shared this photo with me, not quite sure how I would receive it.  My eyes opened wide the moment I saw it because I knew instantly when it had been taken... at the very end of the service, just before the sunset faded away.

Truly, it's one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given.

The Best Of Times, The Worst Of Times...

It's County Fair time back home in Ohio and the pics coming my way have been a real treat.  It makes being homesick a little easier...

And the photos help (or is it distract from?) the deep sadness we feel at the passing of our very dear friend, Bill, after a short illness.  Our hearts are heavy and we miss him terribly.

And now for your viewing enjoyment...

Great Nieces E (age 3) and O (age 2) loved spending time together at the Fair.

E took off her tiara and put on a helmet to win a ribbon in her first horse show-- Which basically included being lead around the ring by her big cousin, but still, that's one huge horse for a little peanut!

One of their horses is known as "The One-Eyed Wonder" because, well, he only has one eye.  So when they did a fun 4-H horse show, my nieces dressed up as-- what else-- One-eyed Pirates!

Niece A won 4-H Outstanding Youth (along with lots of ribbons in horse shows)!  Two days later she was on her way to Ohio State University for her first year of college!  I still can't believe it.  

(And neither can her mother.  A is the baby of the family.)

We were lucky enough to have Niece K (Pirate on the right above) spend a week with us in sunny California.  It was her first visit here and we had a blast seeing all the sights, including the beach.  She's a senior at Ohio State this year.

And I made this quilt top called Glam Clams by pattern designer Latifah Saafir on Saturday.  Latifah taught a fab class at Sew Modern loaded with the tips and tricks to stitch this together.  

It still needs quilted but I'm thrilled with it.

All fabric from Sew Modern in Los Angeles.

Thanks for letting me brag and please, say a prayer for Bill and his wife and family.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

Five Minutes

What can you say about a friend in five minutes-- a close friend that you've cherished for more than 20 years?  I was faced with that challenge this week and it broke my heart.  My sweet 103 year old friend, SG, passed away very unexpectedly and writing his eulogy had me at a loss for words.

We celebrated SG's 103rd birthday February 5th and it was joyful and happy and a very healthy birthday for him.  He was a guy that never looked a day over 85!  Seriously-- he looked the exact same all these years, only a little shorter as time passed.  And birthdays, he loved them and brought together his family and a few of us lucky enough to be part of his extended family to celebrate with him.  It was a great night and he happily brought home the leftover birthday cake to put in his freezer for his next visit with his great-grand kids.

Two weeks after his wonderful celebration, I got a call from his grand daughter with shocking news.  SG and his lady-friend were leaving a classical music concert and for some unknown reason he decided to bypass the elevator and took the escalator instead.  It was a decision he later called "foolish" because when SG stepped onto the moving escalator he missed the step and went flying, head over heals from top to bottom, landing in an ugly crash.

But that's not what he died of.  Not in the least.  SG did not have a single broken bone in his body!  He didn't even break his eye glasses.  He was, however, bruised and had horrible wounds that made one think he'd wrestled with a mountain lion before he fell off a cliff, but remarkably, he was actually mostly okay.  And by that I  mean his brain was fully functioning, he was able to walk and talk, and through the nearly 2 week hospital stay the only pain medication he had was two Tylenol.  Two!

We spent a lot of time together while he was in the hospital and I marveled at how kind he was as a patient in a teaching hospital--Every blood pressure was taken by three different nursing students, there never seemed to be a quiet moment to actually sleep, and the hospital television didn't get the PAC12 Network so he couldn't watch UCLA basketball.  But he was a champ and took it all in stride.

I marveled at SG's spirit.  Although his ego was a bit bruised, he never, ever, complained and always looked forward to getting back to his home where he lived independently.  And he would have, after a three week stay in a skilled nursing rehab facility which was necessary because his wounds were deep and needed tending to three times a day, and since he'd spent so much time in bed at the hospital, we wanted him to have some physical therapy to straighten his arms and legs.

Believe it or not, SG enjoyed rehab!  He was so impressed with the staff and the residents and the food!  He worked hard and was well on his way to being back to his home in time for Passover (March 25th).

But that was not the case.  He passed with no fanfare, peacefully in his sleep last week.  It's hard to be stunned when someone 103 years old dies, but stunned is what all who knew SG feels.  He was, for lack of better words, simply "not ready yet" and had the very full calendar to prove it!

For starters where was a big UCLA basketball game the morning he passed away at 11am that was televised on national TV.  He'd made a date with his galpal to watch it together.  He had Passover plans, many, many concert and lecture tickets, great grandkids' soccer games, lunch dates, and we were already working on the plans for a big party to celebrate his 105th!  Truly, he was not ready to go.

I think that might be why I'm so sad.  SG's life was fuller and happier than his wildest dreams and he wanted to keep living it.  I asked him at his 100th birthday what he'd like and he answered simply "20 more years".

In our many years of friendship, I've studied SG and tried to figure out the secret to his long, healthy life.  He said it was his parent's good genes but I've come to realize a couple of lessons my beloved friend taught me.

First and foremost, SG lived in the present with an eye towards the future because I believe he was genuinely happy with his life.  That is something that I think people sometimes forget and let go of along the way as we age.

The other lesson, one we all know but SG drove the point home for, was staying interested in life.  The best example of this is when I overheard the Physical Therapist ask him if he had any hobbies.  Without hesitation, SG answered UCLA (University of California at Los Angles).  He said there was always something to see, and do, and lean, and that was his hobby.  As the Therapist smiled at his answer, SG mentioned that he'd graduated from UCLA 83 years ago.

My days went from a whirlwind month with SG's fall and hospital stays to now his funeral.   It is very quiet here.  Life has slowed and I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do with myself.   I miss my friend terribly.  Eventually I'll pick myself up but I'm not quite ready yet of open my calendar with our lunch dates together already scheduled.

Oh, and to answer my opening question--  Five minutes isn't nearly enough time to remember a friend.  At SG's funeral I talked for 8 minutes but barely touched on how meaningful he was to so many people.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins
Photo Credit:  © javarman - Fotolia.com

Taste of the Holidays

Mine is a family full of Foodies... and good old fashioned "Eaters".  During the holidays, we are blessed that the food is plentiful, family is all around, and our dining traditions are firmly in place.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite holiday "Foodie" memories...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Potato Latkes

Home made Chex Mix

Red Jello Salad

Brisket with Onions and Carrots

Angel Food Cake with Cool Whip piled on top

Honey Baked Ham

Oven-baked French Toast

Tamales

Triple Chocolate Cookies dipped in Hot Chocolate with Marshmellows

Made-to-order Omlets

Hot Crab Dip

Green Beans with Almonds - the soggy frozen kind

Mom's Famous Hockey Pucks - also knows as burnt dinner rolls

Bacon from the 4-H Auction

Matzo Ball Soup

Leftover Ham Sandwiches with Miracle Whip on White Bread

Cheesy Potatoes

Heavenly Hash

Whatever holiday you celebrate, may your bellies be full, your spirits high, and your loved ones near.  

Happy holidays!  xo jj

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit: © Ruth Black - Fotolia.com

Vodka, Please

 

For nearly four years I've been hanging out in Blogland and met, through their writing, photography and artwork, some pretty amazing folks.  I never dreamed how meaningful these connections would become and I'm blessed to call so many of you friends.

I'm guessing you also know VodkaMom-- She's pretty much a legend in these parts and she has a heart of gold.  VM blogs about life and her amazing first graders.  Over the years, she's left me snorting orange juice up my nose, turning blue from laughing so hard, and on occasion, crying a river from her stories.

Today VodkaMom had hip replacement surgery!  (You can hear about how this come to be HERE.)

I yiyi!!!!  That cannot be fun and I'm hoping you'll help me cheer her on. 

Please stop by HERE and wish VodkaMom well.  And, if you don't know her already-- scroll around her blog and read a little-- or a lot.  You'll be glad you did.

Thanks a million.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

Pause...

Every now and then something happens that feels like a sucker punch to the face causing me to stop and be so present in the moment that it takes my breath away.  I hope that feeling has never, or does not ever, happen to you.  This week it happened to me again.

I was reminded how fragile life is when I walked into our favorite deli-- like my husband and I do every weekend morning for breakfast, and asked to sit in our favorite waitress' station.  The look on the young hosts face gave me pause, then a busboy rushed over followed by another waitress to tell me that Terri, a 20 year veteran of the deli, had passed away in the night from a massive heart attack.  Terri was only 53 years old.

The weekend prior she was out sick because of bronchitis.  Terri actually called my cell phone when she knew we'd be at the deli so I wouldn't worry about her.  She said she was okay but not feeling great.  She was seeing the doctor the next day.

Beyond being a fave waitress, Terri and I developed a friendship outside the restaurant that included emails and phone calls to catch up with each other on family and life in general.  Together we shared the loss of her mother ten years and my step-day last year, the joyful births of our numerous nieces and nephews, health issues, and new stores and restaurants in our neighborhood.  We had sort of woven ourselves into each other's lives over the years and considered ours a meaningful friendship.

Terri called me from the doctor's office to say she was on the way to the hospital because her bronchitis was far more than that.  She'd actually suffered a heart attack and was being whisked away.  We talked briefly so I could take down phone numbers of people she wanted me to call and promised to call me later.

We talked from her Intensive Care Unit bed for the next four days as doctors worked to stabilize her bronchitis that had rapidly progressed into pneumonia and to find a solution to her heart issues.  Wednesday night she started to sound better and a bit stronger when we talked and was optimistic but frustrated with the endless paperwork and social workers because she did not have any medical insurance.

Thursday multiple phone calls to Terri's hospital room and cell phone went unanswered.  Thursday evening she had a massive heart attack and was gone.

As my husband and I were finally seated after hearing the news on Friday, numerous wait staff members stopped by our table to share their sadness.  They'd only learned of Terri's passing a few hours earlier and were all still in shock.  Terri was a sweetheart and loved by so many that I wasn't surprised that the "old timers" who'd worked with her for countless years would be devastated.  But an interesting thing happened around the restaurant...

There was clearly a different vibe in the deli that morning and even if you didn't know Terri or what had happened, you knew something was up.  As regular patrons and "Terri's customers" continued to arrive and learn the sad news, sobs and words of shock could be heard around the dining room.

Terri had, purely by her smile, thoughtfulness, kind words and great service, touched the lives of so many people who were genuinely sadden by her passing.  The thing is, I think that Terri would be surprised by how many people miss her.  I don't think she realized what a difference she made in people's lives.

I know in the coming weeks more and more deli patrons will ask for Terri and hear of her passing. Many will cry as I continue to do.  And, I think many will pause for just a moment and remember her kindness.  I hope they take a moment-- we all take a moment-- to remember the people we see on a regular basis that touch our lives, even with something as simple as delivering eggs and a bagel with a smile and a few kind words.  Terri has reminded me to stay present and to take a moment to appreciate life's little things.

Big sigh.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins
Photo Credit: © rgbspace - Fotolia.com

Wisdom

 He's often referred to as my "102 year old boyfriend", but now Sal is correcting people and letting them know that he is in fact, 102  1/2 years old.  And he's not really my boyfriend... because he has a 91 year old girlfriend who, in all the years we've dined together, has never joined us-- That's Sal's call, not mine, by the way.

We have lunch together ever other week, each time taking turns "treating" the other to a cup of soup and splitting a pastrami sandwich on rye bread.  Lunch is early-- 11:45 am, but since Sal always arrives at 11:30, so I do too.  It's early for lunch, but somehow we always manage to polish off our meal and chat together for nearly 2 hours.

Sal is never short on conversation because in all honesty, he's far more active than I am-- Taking in usually 3-4 evenings of music concerts or other live performances a week, and often having as many as 4 more business related meetings ranging from Boards of non-profits that he's active on, to meetings at two different major universities in our area, as well as various other organization gatherings that he's involved with.  In fact, at each lunch I have to make our next lunch date to get on his calendar before it fills up.

This lunch's main topic of conversation involved a world renown physician who'd recently wined and dined him in an effort to squeeze a few donations out of Sal-- Cold hard cash for a research grant and the other for several veils of blood and countless scans and tests to learn more about his remarkable aging process.  (If you met Sal you'd think he was somewhere between 78 and 80 years old.)

Sal was having none of it and tactfully declined on both requests.  He'd already done both and, despite his fondness for the doc and his interest in aging-- after all Sal is kind of an expert in it himself-- he'd funded numerous "aging tests" for another doctor when he turned one hundred and he wasn't interested in getting poked anymore.

But this doc did not give up easily.  His research study was quite different from the others.  The main interest of this big-shot physician was to predict what Sal would actually die from and he kept on pushing for a positive response!

Sal thought that "sales pitch" was hysterical.

But he had no interest in finding the answer to that question.... because Sal said he'd never know if the doc was right because.... he'd be dead.

Sal laughed some more but the truth was he didn't want to know what he could potentially die from.

It's a strange thing to have a conversation about death with someone Sal's age.  I am keenly aware that every lunch is potentially our last, despite his excellent physical and mental health.  I cherish the friendship and the meaningful conversations we share, but talking about death with him made me a bit sad.

Sal could tell I was getting a little choked up by the topic so he explained his thinking, doing his best to to make me laugh as hard as he was.  Apparently this doc is an "expert" in people over the age of 108 years old and he wanted Sal to be a "member of that club".  But, after detailed conversation, Sal discovered he wasn't at all interested in joining the club because the 108 year olds the doc was researching were, in Sal's mind, "old" and not all that "with it".

In fact, Sal was telling me, he didn't want to ever get "that old".

I can't say as how I blame him about that last statement.  Neither Sal nor I are interested in a long life if it is not a full and complete one, but I still wasn't laughing.

So he told me about the time he was in college and three of his law school buddies decided to drive his old Model T automobile up to Mammoth Mountain.  Problem was that 3/4 of the way up the "big rubber band" snapped and the car would no longer move forward, only backwards.  Apparently back in the day the cars had three of these "rubber bands"--  forward, reverse and stop.  So Sal had his buddies push the car while he steered and turned the car around so they could drive up the rest of the mountain in reverse. 

That I laughed at, even though he'd told me the stories years ago.  Several people within earshot of our booth laughed too.

But in all seriousness, we did talk about the potential benefits to others if Sal took the tests.  He felt he'd "done his part for science" and even donated the hefty tab for the last round of in-depth testing he'd participated in.  With those tests, Sal did not want to know the findings saying life was good-- Why mess it up with things that might stress him out.

Sal's "keep stress to a minimum" attitude is one of the reasons he's doing so fantastic at 102 1/2.  Although I still didn't laugh, I was smiling at his wisdom.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins 
 Photo Credit: © freshidea - Fotolia.com

May

It's almost May.  I'm sure you know that already, but it somehow crept up on me this year-- along with the other four months that proceeded it.  I'm still writing 2011 on my checks and trying to find the Valentine card I bought for my husband-- but still can't find.

May-- already!

Thinking about the past four months of this year has me wondering what the heck I've been doing.  I certainly haven't blogged very much, although this is my 450th post.

I flipped though my calendar-- The old fashioned paper kind because I just can't seem to part with a big page and a month's worth of "to dos" noted all in one place, and realize so far this year I've...

--Been to various doctors 17 times-- mostly routine visits, or at least for nothing major.  Some of my docs are close to free city parking lots.  Other parking garages charge $13.50 with no street parking available anywhere.  Ouch.

--Stopped at my new favorite fabric store 12 times and purchased 26 total yards of fabric.  This shop owner is smart and is located close to a $2.00 per hour parking lot.

--Made 5 quilts with some of the above mentioned fabric and have 3 more quilts in the works.  I suspect this is where most of my spare time has gone but I'm on a roll at the moment and warm weather is coming which is not "sewing season" for me.

--Attended one 150th birthday party for 2 great friends who celebrated their 75th birthdays together.  And I attended a 102nd birthday for a dear friend who is mentally sharper than most people I know.

--Tired unsuccessfully to get tickets to the Bruce Springstein concert this past weekend-- The concert that received such a rave review in the newspaper that I was green with envy when I heard a friend was actually there.

--Seven cakes have been in my oven, all from scratch and made for celebrations with family and friends.... except for the one chocolate cake I reallllly needed to cheer me up after one of the above mentioned doctor's appointments.

--Watched more basketball on television with Husband asleep in the chair next to me than I can count.  He's the basketball fan.  I am not.  What's wrong with that picture?

--Dreamed of my own garden filled with tomatoes and herbs but remembered I do not have a green thumb when it comes to vegetables so I promised my BFF I'd help weed her gigantic garden if she shares her harvest with me... She would anyway but I'm making a conscious effort to pick weeds every week.

--Pulled 47 recipes from various magazines but have yet to make a single one. I need to work on that.  Not sure if I'll stop saving recipes or start cooking more.

--Bought a bathing suit online.  Note to self: Big mistake.

--And, I picked my first arm load of white Iceberg Roses of the year.  These are for you.  I'll be around soon to visit.

How's your Sunday?
Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins
Top Photo Credit: © Jitka Laníková - Fotolia.com

Watermelon

One of life's little pleasures is to pull up to your home and see a package waiting for you at the front door.  The anticipation of seeing who it's from and what the brown cardboard box holds is a small joy that can't help but put a smile on your face.

That's what happened to Godson on Friday.  One of my nieces, who visited here last Spring, knew he and his mom were big gardeners and had the yard in their new house to plant a sizable vegetable garden.

Well, the garden is about to get a little bigger.  Godson received a "Giant Watermelon Growing Kit".

His mom and I spent a few hours this past weekend working on the soil and preparing the bed where the watermelons would reside.  It's a huge, wide planter, quite deep, that runs along two sides of the yard near the swimming pool-- Perfect for watermelon vines that can grow up to 12 feet long.

This planter has been there for a very long while and was in need of soil amendments and freshening up before anything could possibly grow so we got out the usual garden tools, worked like dogs, and dug and turned and dug and turned and dug, and dug and.... WTH!?!?!

We started to hit junk-- Filler junk so that the original owners wouldn't need so much dirt-- Lots of empty plastic bottles, bricks, old pipe fittings, plastic kids toys, including a couple of Barbie dolls, dozens of tennis balls, broken pottery, a pair of tennis shoes, and one very large, hot pink, anatomically correct-- vibrator!

Yes, vibrator.

I pulled that thing out, realized what it was, and tossed in the air like a hot potato... which my BFF caught and immediately tossed over her shoulder... Landing in the swimming pool... Where it looked even pinker and even bigger.

We were laughing so hard it took us about ten minutes to fish it out of the deep end of the pool.  Staring as it dripped in the pool net, we did the only thing we could think of and buried it back in the far end of the planter where it will hopefully never be seen again.

Why didn't we put it in the garbage?  BFF has a neighbor who's famous for garbage picking in other people's trash and THAT was the last thing we wanted the picker to pull out!

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins
Photo Credit: © Igor Kovalchuk - Fotolia.com

Cheesecake Malfunction

You’ve probably heard the old saying “too many hands in the soup spoils the pot”, right? Well, in my case it wasn’t a pot, it was a freshly baked cheesecake.

I yiyi. (Oh and, Blogger is still having it's way with me--not saving posts and making font sizes crazy. Sorry.)

I was making Valentine’s dinner for my husband and four friends-- Short ribs, carrots and potatoes, all slowly cooked in the oven until the beef fell apart with the touch of a fork and the carrots and baby potatoes bathed in the flavors of deliciousness from the wine, rosemary and thyme gravy. It was seriously good if I do say so myself.

It’s a cold weather kind of dinner and a much heavier meal than this crowd usually eats, but it was a special occasion and I thought we could break our diets for one night.

We’re those people waiters and waitresses hate-- The kind that either only orders appetizers for a main course or worse-- each couple shares a meal. Oh, and none of us drink alcohol so a table for 6 really boils down to cheap dates and small dinner checks. But we do tip well to make up for it.

Anyway, for Valentine’s we were going to have potatoes and gravy and more calories than usual so of course I decided to go for the gusto and make a cheesecake too. I figured, if we’re going to blow the diets we might as well go all the way and spend extra time on the treadmill later.

At least that was the plan. And then, with very sore hands and wrists from arthritis, I mistakenly pulled the cheesecake out of the oven too fast and nearly dropped it. The only thing that saved it from falling was by grabbing the cake by the bottom and the top-- juggling it on my oven mitts as if in slow motion until I finally made my way to the countertop.

The end result was my giant oven mitt handprint smack in the middle of the cheesecake.

Not very appetizing.

No, I didn’t take a picture to share like a good blogger would. I was too busy curing like a drunken sailor while I mopped up cheesecake off my kitchen rug and floor. You see, after I smashed my mitt into the cheesecake that sucker became hotter than hot and I flipped it off my hand-- Which of course meant the mitt landed cheesecake side down on my floor.

Three pounds of cream cheese, two pints of sour cream and way too much sugar to admit later, I decided the universe was telling me to pay attention to our diets (and hearts, and sugar levels, and weight, and cholesterol, and everything else that goes with not eating fattening cheesecake) and did not rush to the supermarket to buy duplicate ingredients to start all over again.

Nope, for Valentine’s we had a wonderful short ribs dinner and fresh raspberries for dessert-- no sugar added.

Don’t forget to enter my 3rd Anniversary Giveaway. There's still time-- Giveaway ends at midnight PT February 17th. CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

What's your favorite cold weather dinner?

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit: © Trevor Allen - Fotolia.com

Anniversary Giveaway!

Blogger has been having its way with me over the past few days by not saving any of my drafts. So I'm hitting the "publish" button without saving this post and hoping for the best. Is anyone else having the same problem-- disappearing post drafts???

Three years ago today, on a whim, I started this blog. Mind you, at the time I'd never read a blog and wasn't exactly sure what the purpose was, but here I am happily celebrating what has grown into a meaningful and important part of my life.

To say I've come to love this medium and the people I've connected with in cyberspace is an understatement. Through this blog I've met people from all walks of life and from all over the world.

You've read and stuck with me as I droned on (and on and on) about life's mid-life lessons. You've shared in some of the saddest losses of my life and the grieving process that followed. You've laughed with me at my mishaps and cheered me on when I was sick or blue.

And for all of those things and more, I thank you.

I never expected to make such meaningful and close connections with people I've never met in person. But like so many have written in your anniversary posts, that's exactly what's happened and for that I am grateful. You know who you are and I thank you with all my heart.

Over the years I have read some amazing, funny, inspiring, mind-blowing and just plain outstanding stories and poetry not to mention seeing some incredible photography as well. I didn't expect posts like these when I started blogging either. The depth of talent in the blog community is beyond my wildest expectations and I'm confident that one day, when I see your names on the NY Times Bestsellers List, I'll be able to say "I followed him/her when they were blogging!"

The time you have taken to leave me comments and to share your opinions humbles me. Again, thank you for your generosity and kindness.

To mark this occasion, the wonderful Izzy from Under The Copper Sky has graciously offered a gorgeous handmade necklace for an Anniversary Giveaway. I'm a huge fan of Izzy's work and wear a pair of her earrings on almost a daily basis. Her work is beautiful and I'm sure who ever the lucky winner of this Giveaway is will be a fan as well.

Hand stamped copper with jasper.

Accented with chocolate recycled silk sari and copper chain.

18" in length.

To enter-- Just leave a comment below!

If you'd like a second entry, please visit Izzy's Etsy Shop and have a look around.

I'll bet you love her jewelry too! We're doing this on the honor system so leave a second comment if you pay her a visit.

Easy Peasy! (You must have a blog to enter. Giveaway ends at midnight, PT February 17th.)

Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your world. It's a pleasure knowing you. xoxo jj

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

How nice of Blogger to suddenly make the spacing and font size go crazy too! Sorry folks.

Photo Credit: Cupcakes © 14ktgold - Fotolia.com Photo Credit: Necklace