The Sign

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, Good Middle-of-the-Night—whenever you're reading this, I wish goodness upon you!

I'm going to post twice a week for now instead of three. I love summer! And I'm freaking out because we're so deep into June, and I want to enjoy more of these splendid days with my kids before they're gone. Poof!

So Terrific Thursday to you!

I was reading in this great old book from 1908, Smiling 'Round The World by Marshall P. Wilder, about his travels. He recounted this experience of a Japanese boy:

A young Japanese student, living in London, was so unfortunate as to be located in an apartment house where the janitor did not keep the hall in good condition. It offered a great contrast to his own spotless home in Japan and the young man felt it keenly. On the approach of winter the janitor put up a notice in the entrance. "Please wipe your feet." The young student, the first night he observed this notice, took out a pencil and added, "On going out."

The boy's response to the sign made me laugh. I admired his spunk in letting his opinion be known, and the cleverness of his message. He didn't go yell at the janitor or owner of the apartments, but his message came across loud and clear with a few simple words.

Have you ever seen a sign that caught you off guard and made you laugh? Have you witnessed someone send a clear message with a few great words? Have you done it? 

Here's a photo the author took during his travels in Japan. Maybe this is what the student in the story was like when he was a small boy with his mother.

Hey everyone—Smile! And have a Wonderful Weekend! 

The Sunny Side

Hey, it’s summer! Wahoo! I love summer. The carefree, lazy-hazy days—at least there should be—days like that I mean. Take the time to stretch out in the grass and gaze at the stars.  And figure out what pictures the clouds are making—it’s a never-ending free show.

Folks are skipping town for vacations, whether it’s camping in the good ‘ole mountains and stackin up s’mores, or buying a fiery red opal from a quaint shop in Australia.

Speaking of wandering off, I was reading in a wonderful old 1905 book called THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET by Marshall P. Wilder. Wherever he went, he noticed the “sun” in things—the positive, the humorous, the warm-hearted. Here’s one of his findings:

Find the sunny side of the street in your summer travels and your sojourns at home.

Oh hey, I wanted to let you know—I read a wonderful post on Elana Johnson’s blog that reflects this sunny disposition. Click on this highlight and read it for yourself for some sunshine in your day!

Thanks for coming! See you next post, probably Wednesday night.
Til then . . .