Hello. From the dining room table...cloudy, a rabbit nesting in the yard and a sleeping cat.

It's nice sometimes to change your habits. I normally sleep late on the weekends, but I took the hard-working lady to work this morning. So, I only get 6 hours of beauty sleep. It's cool to see what's going on at a time of day that I normally miss. I have several extra hours of day to fill. Hmmm?

Lately, as I drive around this little river town, I have been looking at everything like it's the first time I've seen it. It's a pretty nice place. The drive along the riverfront, the old buildings downtown, the new retail district, even the other side of the tracks...they all look different. I take myself out of the reality of monotony. I've looked at myself like this before, but never at the environment around me. I have a new appreciation for the place we call home. I've travelled to many places that can't hold a candle to Sioux Town.

I think it's good for us to "stop and smell the roses" every now and then. We get caught up in our daily routines, otherwise known as the "rut", and loose sight of the quality of our lives. This is true with people as well. Our mate, our family and our friends can become mundane. It's easy to look past them, or worse through them. Stop, and get to know them for the first time again. Look at "the one" across the room as if it's the first time you've ever laid eyes on them. I think you'll realize why these people are such an important part of your life.