Desert Coach

  GRANDMA'S FAMILY REUNION IS RUNNING FREE ON AMAZON KINDLE STARTING TOMORROW FOR 5 DAYS! IT IS 4TH VOLUME IN GRANDMA SERIES. Thanks! Charles Ernest Watson

  THREE BOOKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE GRANDMA SERIES! ALL ARE TO BE FOUND ON AMAZON KINDLE. THEY ARE TRIBUTE TO MY WIFE AND COMPANION OF OVER 40 YEARS MARYANN. LIKE MARYANN THEY ARE FULL OF FUN AND JOY AND APPRECIATING EVERYONE!

GRANDMA'S HOUSE: the door is always open  Kindle Edition by  CHARLES ERNEST WATSON   (Author)     Format:  Kindle Edition See all formats and editions You would be quite amazed who shows up at Grandma's house. She had over a hundred stuffed animals as friends. It seemed like every day someone new was coming by. Grandma always said, "Leave the door wide open!" What is quite amazing is the stories that all of these strangers had to tell and how in no time at all everybody was friends. So many stories. So many windows on the world. You sometimes would laugh. You sometimes would cry. You sometimes would find out new and exciting things. One thing for sure. Grandma's house was never boring. And another thing. Grandma's house was first and foremost a house of love. Venture into this house of love. You will be glad you did.

The desert is a great place to confront your deepest thoughts and emotions and to try and make sense of the struggles of life. It is a place that can put a hot spell on you and your dreams and deepest yearnings. It is a quiet solitary place where relentless heat bears down on your memories and yearnings to make something of it all. It is a place of great paradox. Bright sun and dark shadows. Mirage of naked beauty rising in a silver mist. There is serious danger as well as immense beauty all around. Rattling of a warning not to stay too long. Fear as thirst claims you and confirms you went too far and hard. This is a place, real and imaginary where the sun is big and hot and you can sweat the devil out. You can confront the wisdom of the ancients as well as the brightness and darkness of your own soul. It is a land you can go into and possibly never leave. While some are drawn to oceans and mountains and forested terrain this is to me a land of grand and unceasing imagination. It is wh...

  I came across an article today stating that many ultra high net worth Americans are giving up their US citizenship for tax reasons. We occasionally hear of people unhappy with how things are going in our country who threaten to leave or renounce their home of birth. As a naturalized American NO AMOUNT could ever influence me to change my citizenship. In the United States freedom is not just another word. It is a reality. We may have our faults as a country but overall we are a shining beacon to the world of the power and majesty of democracy. Gratitude goes out to all who have defended our way of life through the generations. Long may our flag wave over a land of free choice from sea to shining sea.

 Veterans Day: This is a day to celebrate and reflect on what this flag represents to us. To me, our flag represents FREEDOM and the great SACRIFICE  of the men and women of our armed forces who have defended her in peace and war. To me, our flag represents a WAY OF LIFE where ALL LIVES MATTER. What could be more beautiful? What is more awesome? Our American flag freely flying overhead across our great country from SEA TO SHINING SEA!

  I grew up in the Valley of the Sun. Over the years no environment has captured my imagination and desire to venture out more than the desert that has surrounded me these many years. What is it about the desert that makes it have such a fascination? Why did Jesus Himself venture out and get tempted in this arid environment? Why have so many faced with the big questions of life chosen the desert as their home? Solitude perhaps. Light in abundance. Danger. Unrelenting heat and the extreme hotness of summer months. A harsh reality of remoteness and seeming abandonment. For myself the desert has been a place to think and dream of love and redemption. It has become a place to work the devil out. Poems of the phoenix desert series are my trail markers of experiences and musings from my venturing out into this solitary land.

  Mother's Day is a day of honor. It is a day that helps define the very best about LOVE. It is a day that shows the true extent of   SACRIFICE. It is a day to honor all the kindness big and small that mothers show every day. It is a day of THANKS. Let's flood all the Mothers out there today with calls and visits to just say THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO MOMS!

  In my lifetime I cannot remember a time when our two political parties have been more at odds. The very word "bipartisan" has become a joke and when it is used just conjures up hidden agendas. Congress is suppose to represent and SERVE the American people but in my opinion has gotten so bogged down in hateful diatribes from both sides that we are faced with legislative gridlock. Both parties, in a way, have now become the do nothing parties. In a country I love we seem to have forgotten about the subject of ethics. Not just in politics but in business every day we read of dishonesty and corruption. Major corporations are often in the news for violating SEC and pay huge fines without admitting corruption or guilt and continue to stay in business. Universities seem to foster and condone grade inflation and offer courses that seem to have little to do with real learning. As I scan the daily dose of more negative news today I can't help but ask: REALLY? ENOUGH ALREADY!

  A "score" is twenty years. Recall President Lincoln's Gettysburg address where he began "four score and seven years ago...."  That equates to 87 years ago. Biblical lifespan was described as "three score and ten." Thanks to modern medicine and life style the new normal for many is becoming four score and ten or 90 years plus. What are we going to do with those extra years? Here is a chance later in life to really make a difference in helping others and doing the things that maybe have been put off for years. Every day is a gift and life should be lived to the fullest. So, my suggestion is simply to make your FINAL SCORE count!

  Don't Live In Fear "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and thanksgiving present your requests to God" Philippians 4:6(NIV) A little note of caution here. This passage does not mean to not have a care in the world. We all know this is not humanly possible. To paraphrase the medieval author Chaucer life is a "thoroughfare of woe and we are pilgrims passing to and fro." Life is about struggle and facing trials of many kinds. But once again so much about gaining peace and joy in life has to do with your state of mind. You need to face all the challenges and obstacles before you with a state of positive expectation. There are a few things that you can do to stack the odds in your favor so as not to be anxious about your life day to day. First of all, quit feeding your mind junk! What I mean by this is to stop listening to all the negative news that is spewed out daily through all the social media sites. Most public sources of "news...

DEVELOP A MARATHON MENTALITY! "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" Hebrews 12:1(NIV) All of us have our destiny to live. Who better than the Apostle Paul to give advice on how we should persevere regardless of our circumstances and take our destiny to its full conclusion. One of my favorite people in history is Winston Churchill. In spite of many heroic moments and accomplishments he suffered many dark days of failure and despair. What good old Winston never did was quit! Like Winston we need to keep moving and pushing ahead in life no matter how difficult the struggle.  There will be countless times when you are disappointed with things happening around you and in your personal life in which you seem to have no control. No matter. Keep your mind focused and moving forward toward your destiny. Incredibly you will find that if you are the one who keeps moving forward how an ...

  ALWAYS PUT GOD FIRST! "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22:37-38(NIV) I don't think our Lord Himself could have been any clearer when asked which is the greatest commandment. As was often the case Jesus was being tested as to his answer. This time Jesus did not speak in parables. He gave a totally honest, clear, an concise response. Notice how Jesus says we are not to hold back any part of ourselves in loving God. Heart, soul, and mind are called into service. Every fiber of our being needs to be on board. There is a cliche about making sure you have your priorities right if you are going to succeed and have happiness in life. Over the years I have struggled like most of us with what really matters but have found that true fulfillment and the possibilities of endless joy come back to obeying this commandment. The bottom line. GOD MATTERS!

Imagine for a moment all the shelves across America nicely stocked with all the products available to the marketplace: clothing, accessories, groceries, outdoor and indoor furniture, sporting goods, appliances, computers, phones, cars, motor homes etc. You name the product and it's available. Every brick and mortar store is stocked to the ceilings. Every warehouse is fully supplied for online ordering. And not just the tangible stuff. All the products related to financial services, insurance, life style, leisure time activities, and such are available for the asking. Now imagine this. Nothing is selling! And I mean NOTHING! Not a single product is being sold No sales people are in the stores or available on line. No one is available to answer questions about anything. Someone will not be calling you back shortly. No one is even available to call or will be contacting you back. Business is no longer considered essential. YOU HAVE JUST ENTERED THE NO SALES ZONE YOU HAVE JUST BECOME A...

  "Sweetheart, do you think Holly is putting on weight?" THIRD CUP OF COFFEE Our cats, for the most part, have been trim, agile, fairly small, and well groomed. Cats are fastidious and they don't for the most part like not looking their best. They are, each in her own way, divas. Cats like to keep themselves and their territory in good order. They spend a lot of time grooming themselves and demand clean litter boxes. If the box is not clean, out they come! Cats are truly amazing when it comes to personal hygiene. Whereas it takes a child a couple of years to get potty trained cats have bathroom habits down immediately. No changing diapers. No constant reminders that it is time for a change. Cats, just like us, come with their own physique. Over the years my wife and I have lived with several cats that can only be described as chubby, well fed, or frankly overweight. Holly, who lives with us now, is in this category without question. Even when on weight management regimen ...

  "You know, sweetheart, cats sure can be quite the talkers!" SECOND CUP OF COFFEE Cats are much like people. They all have their distinct personalities and no two are the same.  Some cats are loners and would just as well never see another cat in the house. In fact, Smokey, who has lived with my wife and I for many years still is not chummy with two other cats in our household. Oh, she tolerates them but that it is about it. She clearly feels that even after all the years she is the greyish blue Siamese Queen. Cats know by instinct the ranking order. Make no doubt about it in our home Smokey is numero uno. Our other two cats, Bella and Holly, do the smart thing and give Smokey right of way. Whether it is feeding time or bed time they know to let Smokey prance in first and be petted and attended to. First to treats, first to grooming, and when it comes to the condos the penthouse suite. My wife and Smokey have an enduring bond. Smokey comes to bed at night and makes a beeline...

  "Sweetheart, what is it about catnip that makes Yum Yum so crazy?" FIRST CUP OF COFFEE Leonard Cohen, the great poet of the soul, once gave a litany of all the drugs he had used and experimented on over the years in searching for the elixir of love and freedom from a tormented mind. It was quite a list and included Prozac along with a bunch of others to fill the cabinet of a highly creative seeker of life's mysteries. After years of experimentation he poetically announced, "There ain't no cure for love." Life distilled is "dum, dee, dum, dee, dum." Now our cats don't get quite the selection of Cohen.  They get catnip. It is our choice for them and quite benign. It just has the pleasant effect of making some of them go crazy. Not all. You see some cats could care less about catnip. Kind of like a person who tries marijuana and says it has no effect on them. "I tried it once and don't see what all the hype is about..." With many o...

  "Sweetheart, cats sure rule! We need to add on to our home!" THIRD CUP OF COFFEE Cats rule! My wife and I figured this out very early on. When we got our first cat we got her a bowl and a bed. A little later on we brought home a cool cat condo for her. As she got older and had a weight issue we got her special weight management food. Then when she had a problem with incontinence a different blend of food for that issue. Over time our home became more and more like a day and night care center for seniors! When we got a second cat, a second condo. When we had three cats at one time, three condos. After all,  we surmised, they each need their own space, or should I say personal condo. Not to say that they didn't have the run of the entire house. As I said earlier, we had already realized the true owners of our home. At one point two of our cats had real issues. Boogie was suffering from diabetes and needed shots in the morning and evening. Sonny was having bouts of inconti...

  "Sweetheart, we sure have had some unique cats." SECOND CUP OF COFFEE This is another way of saying that we live or have lived with some really exceptional cats! If you have had no training or experience in psychology, especially erratic and unpredictable behavior, this is a great way to get it. All cats exhibit their own unique brand of independence and habits. You get your first clue to this when they are kittens and will shoot high in the air for apparently no reason, run through the house at break neck speed after nothing or everything, and act as hyper-active as the worst kid you have ever known. Somehow, very early on, cats take on their own peculiar traits, or what might be described in more psychological language as almost compulsive disorders or even fetishes. A couple of examples came to our mind right away. Bella, from the age of a kitten, has always been a "slammer." In the middle of the night you will hear a thud up next to the bed. This is Bella slam...

  "Sweetheart, we sure have learned some things from our cats!" FIRST CUP OF COFFEE To say or think that you own a cat is a total misnomer. They will let you believe that but only when it is to their benefit, and even then, only occasionally. "Yes, you own me. So it is ok to feed me every day. In addition, you can make available the entire house for me to roam, sleep, stalk, hang out, get high on catnip, and perform disappearing acts." "Don't be alarmed when you can't find me. After all I am a house cat. I am in the house. I will come out and make an appearance when I feel like it." Get the picture? My wife and I found out very early on that we don't own the cat. The cat owns us! This is a universal truth. Even the most docile cat, the one who never flashes a paw or claws at anything can suddenly become truant and disappear to the point of frantic concern. "Where is she?" "Where did you last see her?" "I just petted her...