One of my all-time favorite movies, My Fair Lady, has the very handsome Rex Harrison asking himself the age old question, “Why can’t a woman be more like a man”? I am sure that women have been perplexing men for centuries now. We are somewhat complicated creatures.

I know I’ve asked myself a million times why men can’t be more like my women friends. It’s pretty easy to figure out what most men are thinking at any given time. For example, while watching football, I can guarantee you they are not thinking about all the things they have left to do before Christmas. No. They are thinking about the game. That’s it. Their minds may stray occasionally to the “honey do” list, but it snaps right back to the game as soon as the commercial is over.

There’s a funny video that demonstrates a man’s brain and a woman’s brain. You can watch it here. In this instructive video, Mark Gungor shows what I’ve known all along. There are many times, in fact, most of the time when men are home, that they are thinking about absolutely nothing. It’s true. Why women have been asking men for centuries what they are thinking is beyond me. If they are sitting on the sofa, they are more than likely thinking about nothing. Or sex. But if they are over a certain age, it’s more likely nothing.

During the holiday season, in my house, this difference between men and women is even more pronounced. What am I doing when I am not working this time of year? Cooking, cleaning, baking, shopping wrapping, changing the litter box, doing laundry, and so on. What is Jack doing when he is not working? Why, he’s doing the same thing he is thinking. You figure it out!

Wishing all the men and women in my life, both near and far, a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever you celebrate. May the beauty, peace and love of this season reach far into 2012.

Susan C. Mangigian

Jack did his Christmas shopping at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets this year. We had a few returns and I made the trip with him last night. This outlet mall is amazing. Situated in Limerick under the twin smoke stacks of the nuclear power plant, or as Exelon prefers to call it, The Limerick Generating Station, there was a store for every need. From the West Chester area we took route 202 to 422 west and were there in about 40 minutes.

As we exited route 422, the sky was turning dark and there were the towers of the “generating station”. I took a photo… they are awesome in a strangely beautiful way against the darkening sky.

Next time you want to do some serious shopping, take a ride to Limerick. Truly great buys and not very far from Chester County.

Susan C. Mangigian

I love to cook for my family. Growing up in an Italian home, both my mother and father were excellent cooks. Italians learn to cook from watching and recipes are loosely followed, at least that’s how I learned to cook. Throw a little of this, a little of that, and somehow, it always turns into something wonderful. Or, you learn from your mistakes, making it better the next time. That’s why my meatballs always taste a little different each time!

Baking is another story and in my opinion, not nearly as much fun as cooking. Baking is less forgiving of the “a little of this or that” method and is probably primarily why there are very few things I bake well. I’m a creative out of the box kind of person and baking, in my experience, requires you to be “a by the book” kind of person. I know someone who says that I don’t like to follow the rules and he always makes it sound like this is a bad thing. I’m not talking about legal or moral issues, but questioning long standing ways of thinking and doing certain things. When it comes to creative thinking and trying to find new ways to do things to be happier and more successful, I think there are rules that can be broken. I don’t subscribe to the theory that life is hard and then you die. I’m not saying life isn’t hard some days, of course it is. I just think that we are meant to be happy and need to work hard at finding ways to be just that.

Do you want to be a cook or a baker in your life? You can be both at different times. Me… I’d rather cook! I am going to learn to bake though. At least the things that can forgive a little creativity!

Here’s to letting your creative juices flow. I bought myself a notebook because the cover said “You have to color outside the lines once in a while if you want to make your life a masterpiece”. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Autumn in Hershey’s Mill, Chester County

Hershey’s Mill is one of the loveliest over 55 communities in the area. It’s not the newest, most homes do not have 9 foot ceilings and 42 inch cabinets.   What it does have is location.  Located in East Goshen,one of the loveliest townships in Chester County, a hop skip and jump from the 202 and Boot Road entrance, you are about 45 minutes or less to the Philadelphia Airport and 15 minutes or less to Exton Mall.  The neighborhood is adjacent to a shopping center that sports a large food store, a pharmacy, a hair salon, two eateries, a dry cleaner and a bank!  And let’s not forgetHershey’s Mill Golf Club, which is a private 72 par gold course.  The community landscaping is one of the prettiest around and whomever is in charge of it should take a bow.  Every season is highlighted by gorgeous color and it’s a real treat to drive around and show homes there.  A huge variety of styles and price ranges make it affordable for every budget.

Some of the amenities available to residents are security with the gate manned 24/7.  A large community center that sports a conference area, meeting rooms, billiards and a library.  Tennis courts, swimming, walking trails and beautiful landscaping.  You can choose to be as active or inactive as you’d like as there are clubs and festivities throughout the year.

Here is Hersehy’s Mill showing off some fall colors.  I think you’ll find the fun and community feel as welcoming as I do whenever I drive through.

I especially enjoy seeing how the community comes together to decorate for each season.  Here are just some of the Autumn decorations.

I had a great lunch that consisted of a big fat hot dog with sauerkraut and a real soda, not diet.  I added chips and had several vanilla Oreos which should be outlawed, that’s how good they are.

I hijacked a fellow agent’s Facebook wall because he keeps forgetting to sign off before he leaves the office!  3 of us had a huge laugh over that.

I just read my friend Tammy Lankford Baker’s post about her leaky hot water heater and while that’s no laughing matter, her post had one of the funniest lines I’ve ever read on it.

I had dinner with some clients that evening and it was very nice.  I am currently reading Dean Koontz’s book entitled A Big Little Life.  It’s a tribute to his late dog Trixie.  In my humble opinion dogs are the greatest and easiest way to happiness.  They give way more than they receive and they do it gladly.

My love, JJ.

Little things really make a big life.  Here’s hoping your day had a laugh or two, a conversation with a friend and at least one hug!

Carpe Diem!

My sons have both gone through the school district, my older son is now entering his senior year at college and my younger boy is heading in his freshman year at West Chester East High!

I’d like summer to last forever.  There was a time when I felt that I could do cartwheels to the bus stop.  Now, when it’s time for the boys to go, along with all of their friends, it’s more of a melancholy feeling.  I will miss the mess, the noise and most of all, the hugs!

Here’s hoping that you and your family enjoy a safe and healthy 2011/2012 school year!

Rides for the kids, shows and music, livestock, food, games and just about everything you’ve come to expect from a good old fashioned Country Fair.  And the best part is that it is a 100% volunteer organization and benefits The Goshen Fire Company.

We’ve always brought the kids to this fair.  Now, at 22 and 15, they are too old or too cool to visit with their parents.  Pictured here is Mike, my 22 year old at age 1 on his first pony ride!  My husband Jack and I still go, if only to pick up the best donuts around!

Click here to read a great history of Goshen Fire Company and the fair.

Don’t miss it.  It runs from today, 8/1 to Saturday, 8/6.

Located just off of Route 3 at Ellis Lane.

Click here for a Fairground map.

Dusty and Dani napping.

Due to the renovaton, they have a temporary phone number.  Please call 610-228-0953 to reach the main office.   

Max ended his reign at middle school this June as well.  The school didn’t make much of the accomplishment and it’s only now hitting me that my baby will be entering high school at the end of August.  Wow.  The boys will turn 15 and 22 next month and with Max in high school, Mike will graduate from Kutztown next May.  Life is whizzing by.  When I see this photo I see the sweetness in Max’s face, his handsomeness and my pride in a good hearted young man.  My mom sees a kid who needs a haircut!  While she may also see the other things, she chooses to focus on his hair.  I choose to focus on that face that I love so much!  We need to choose our focus.

I find myself, as always, mindful and thankful of the little things in life that make up a day.  The soft breeze this morning and the warm sun are certainly two small things that make a big difference in a day.  My neighbor’s son Alex weeded and mulched my front bed for $10 an hour and did a wonderful job.   He was very excited about finding a baby praying mantis and he walked to the back of the yard where I was watering my flowers to show me.  He had also found a garter snake the day before and I had to gently share with him that I am a city girl at heart and that aside from flowers and my tomato plants, nature and I have a somewhat arm’s length relationship!  I’m not sure he got what I was saying, but I did tell him if he came across that snake again, he could take it home with him.   I came across that very snake, or I assume it was that very snake, one day last spring in the front garden and I haven’t set one foot in that garden bed since!

Small things are big things really.  My little dog JJ and my little cats Dusty and Dani still make smile and laugh every day.  The joy my sons take in the animals, Max in all three, Mike in just the cats (he still stubbornly feels we replaced him with the dog when he went to college) brings smiles all around.  My garden is looking wild and beautiful and the pool is in good shape and it makes me happy just to step outside and see what summer does to my yard.

I believe that we are supposed to be happy.  We are supposed to feel happy.  Life is supposed to feel good and fun.  I told a friend recently that being happy is hard work.  He looked at me funny, but it’s true.  You have to look for things to be happy about some days.  Because if I wasn’t looking, all the joy I feel in the little things would pass me by; I wouldn’t see them.  I would be too busy looking at reasons to be unhappy, because of course, there are always many of those things too.  I try, not always successfully, but I try very hard, every day, to look past those things and concentrate on the beauty and love around me.

Carpe Diem!