Each day for the past week I've walked past this blossom just outside our front door. I call it my over achiever because it opened its blossoms well before all the others around it. She's been my little bit of inspiration.
I'm such a cheap date - for thrills my husband and I hang out at Barnes and Noble. This time, I wasn't so cheap though because I picked up three books, including Jessica Sprague's Creating Keeksakes book, Computer Tricks for Scrapbooking. I like the way she organized this publication, and since my actual "over achiever" picture didn't turn out as well as I hoped, I put some of these new-found tricks to play. I discovered Jessica Sprague maintains a blog called Sprague Lab, where she shares Photoshop Element tricks, and since I've always been Photoshop-challenged, I'm her new groupie.
Another adorable over achiever, and a very dear friend is Sue Bos. Sue has one of the most difficult jobs as a physical therapist at an Assisting Living facility, but she does it with such vitality and dedication. Her patients know "resistance is futile" and many of them are able to avoid full-service nursing homes by working with Sue and staying active. Above all else Sue is an incredible patient advocate and a dear friend, and sometimes overcoming the loneliness and complacency is the biggest obstacle Sue attacks with a vengeance. Even after my mother could no longer use Sue's services, she remained a dear friend to both of us. And, while, she gives of herself every day in her job, she takes that generous spirit home with her and volunteers throughout the Austin area, including trips to the Austin Capital Food Bank with her family. Well, Sue is about to take on what she's calls her once-in-a-lifetime challenge (meaning, it's been such a challenge that she's only doing it once.) Sue and her husband are going to ride their bicycles 180 miles in two days for the M.S. 150 on April 20th and 21st to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. So . . . let's help Sue over-achieve her goal of raising $500. You can contribute at her web site here. As Sue wrote, some good reasons to give are:
- It will make you feel good.
- It's tax deductible.
- It's helping Sue get it better shape.
- It makes a real difference in the lives of those stricken with this disease.
And . . . I'll add another reason . . . if you make a donation at her web site and then leave a comment on this post (or e-mail me at lkmcclain2002@yahoo.com), I'll enter your name for a drawing for my first ever blog candy. The lucky donator will get to choose from my new find, Computer Tricks for Scrapbooking or another one of my favorite technique books, Memory Makers Books Creative Collage for Scrapbooks by Kelly Angard.
Blog Candy:
I'll draw names on Thursday, April 19, at 9:00 p.m. Go Sue!!
