One break, comin’ up
I’m making myself do it – take a blogging break. I’ve been a good little girl and wrote on this thing every day now for a while, and have very much enjoyed doing so. If nothing else, it’s a release spout – and it quenches the thirst I’ve always seemed to have for writing. I do believe we’re gonna have some serious blogging breaks on this beautiful weekend… 60º today, and 66º tomorrow! I suppose my guy was right when he said there will be a lot of bikes out on the road this weekend, I hear ’em already. Everyone please be very careful and mindful of this.
Got a lot of errands to run today and I’m running behind. Couple of stores to hit, car to wash, nails to get done, and I’ve got to round up something to make to take to my guy’s brother’s house tomorrow. They’re grilling out in celebration of his Mother’s 60th 59th birthday. Darnit we were told wrong. Good thing we weren’t making the cake.
Yay, Spring…. although it’s officially not here yet, at least we can pretend for a little while this weekend. 😉
He's lookin' for Spring too....
Colors of life
Well, the forecast for this weekend is sunshine and temps around sixty for both days. Baby, we’ve got some serious Spring fever out there brewing. You folks around my area, we’d be nuts not to get out there and enjoy this upcoming weather. I’m salivating just writing about it.
So I get a breaking news email this morning (I subscribe to these from CNN ever since 9/11). It reads: “Iran may be working on secretly developing a nuclear warhead for a missile, IAEA draft report says.” May be? Is this a surprise to anyone? If so, please – it’s time to replace that idiot cap with your common sense beret.
I got to sleep in an extra half hour this morning since the pressmen aren’t working OT today. My furbaby Camille didn’t take into account this time difference, and came up to me on the bed this morning meowing very loudly in my ear. Apparently this altered her schedule in a huge way. After all, she was supposed to already be in her bathroom sink drinking her morning dosage of faucet water. Too funny.
Ever hear the term “He/she just showed their true colors”? Believe it or not, everyone has them. But like a rainbow, those colors come in many different hues and tints… as well as shades. I have a very good friend (before you even think it – no, I’m not disguising myself as a friend) who happens to be one of the smartest girls I’ve ever known in my life. I’ve always respected her opinion and have often sought her advice, and will continue to.
This friend has been engaged to be married for several months now. Like myself, she was married to her first and only husband for 20+ years. She finally met the man who seemed to be her soulmate. Long story short, as of recent, those true colors have came out and has made very evident the personality he, even if only currently, has. More often that not, this doesn’t become apparent until you’ve already recited your vows. She is a strong woman. It is because of this she was able to say ‘enough’. This is such a tough thing, one of the toughest things in life to go through…. and I am so very proud of her.
At my weekly weigh-in today, I’ve lost another two pounds. I’m ecstatic over this – although I’ve literally worked my ass off this week I didn’t feel like I’d lost any. I also took my daughter out for mexican last night, and knowing my weekly weigh-in was today I silently stressed over what to eat. I ended up with some chicken tacos off of the light menu that were so good that I believe I’ll get them next time too! Total weight loss now is 4.5 pounds. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but whenever I think that I’ll just pick up my 5-pound dumbbell at home to remind myself that it IS.
Happy Friday…Happy Weekend, everyone. And guess what? Happiness is a she. 🙂
Happiness is a rebound from hard work. One of the follies of man is to assume that he can enjoy mere emotion. Happiness must be tricked. She loves to see men work. She loves sweat, weariness, self-sacrifice. She will not be found in the palaces, but lurking in cornfields and factories, and hovering over littered desks. She crowns the unconscious head of the busy person. ~David Grayson
Warm wishings
I want to go fishing soon. I love to fish despite the fact I don’t eat seafood and I’m a Pisces. My Dad and I used to go quite often – and although it’s been a long time, I haven’t forgotten the complacency it brings. And I throw ’em back, by the way.
I thought about this one morning while getting ready for work. If you could have a ‘fishing date’ with any one person in the world, famous or not – who would it be? The answers varied at my work…. the one holding most notoriety being Angelina Jolie. 🙂
My pick? Toby Keith. To which someone immediately replied, ‘but he’s married’. Oh, that’s not it – I wouldn’t have chosen him with that mindset. It’s just to me, Toby Keith represents someone who’s a) in whole, all-American and b) safe, funny, and able to fend off a bear attack. LMAO. Seriously, I just think he’d be a lot of fun. Plus, I’d ask that he bring his guitar for some singing entertainment when it came time to rest the poles.
Fishing. Okay, this Spring thing really is starting to get to me. I need it here and I need it here fast. But, I must bide my time.
On another note, North Carolina’s own Ghosttown in the Sky in Maggie Valley, NC has filed Chapter 11. As recently as 2 years ago, the legendary amusement park situated on top of a mountain paid a contractor to rebuild parts of a retaining wall. On February 5th of this year, a mudslide more than half a mile long busted through the wall, taking with it a large stretch of land containing 18 homes. These persons are still displaced and are now left to wonder when construction will be started/and or where this leaves them in light of recent events. BB&T, the company’s largest creditor, wants the company to be liquidated to pay off it’s $6 million debt.
Apparently this particular landslide has highlighted a ‘need for a statewide law to regulate development of North Carolina’s mountains’. Well, hello – I don’t know how long this business has operated, but it’s at least been all my life. Are they just now realizing this might present a geographical hazard?? Apparently the company also owes money to workers, contractors and other businesses. They’re reporting they have lined up financing for it’s reorganization and plan to reopen the park in late May.
Whatever the issues are, and although I feel terrible for the lifelong residents of Maggie Valley who are temporarily displaced – the place is an icon to a ton of people. I’d sure hate to see it close down.
White Friday
I don’t know where I’ve been, but I found out last night that we are forecasted to get more of the white stuff down here in the south tonight. And for once, we will be getting more than areas to the immediate north of us! I don’t mind when it comes down on a Friday like this, because again, no missing work, and no dealing with traffic.
All this happens while Canada gets hit with a warm spell and they’re having to haul in snow by the truckloads for them. Tonight’s the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics you know, and they’ve gotta have snow!! Somebody define irony for me.
Well I’ve lost another pound and a half, I’m very happy about that. God knows I’ve been working my patootie off for it, not only from exercise but diet as well. It’s nice to finally see some results, be it minor. Stay tuned, there’s more to come folks.
Not much else is new, except for the fact it’s Friday, woo-hoo!! I haven’t hit the news channels today and that’s probably a good thing because I’d once again have the urge to write about something political. Clinton did get a couple of stints put in yesterday, good thing they caught that in time. Oops, couldn’t help myself there.
🙂
A friend shared this poem with me recently. I thought it more than worthy of posting.
Myself, by Edgar Albert Guest
I have to live with myself and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don’t want to stand with the setting sun
and hate myself for the things I have done.
I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf
a lot of secrets about myself
and fool myself as I come and go
into thinking no one else will ever know
the kind of person I really am,
I don’t want to dress up myself in sham.
I want to go out with my head erect
I want to deserve all men’s respect;
but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
I want to be able to like myself.
I don’t want to look at myself and know that
I am bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself and so,
whatever happens I want to be
self respecting and conscience free.
Infinite blessings
Who says we have to wait until Thanksgiving to express our thanks and count our blessings? I find no better time than the present to take up an entire blog to count the very many I currently have. So if the aforementioned subject matter happens to bore you, you’ve at least been warned. 🙂
I am so very thankful. I started thinking about this when I got up this morning. Our great and powerful omnipresent Lord has given me more than I could ever express gratitude to Him for, even if I’d began when I learned to talk and continued speaking it until my dying day.
My bed I slept in last night. So soft, so snug. In my warm safe dwelling. So comfortable. Let’s back up. Coming home to my warm dwelling after working yesterday. Hmm, let’s back up more.
Begin yesterday. Driving to work in the morning. My loyal car that’s been never-failing so far, it’s been such a good one. My hard rock of transportation. Coming in to my job. My work is the most drama-free, laid-back place I’ve ever worked. These people are awesome, literally all of them. As usual I brought my lunch and snack to work, and drinks. Food, I have food – and plenty of it. I come home, again to my warm safe dwelling. Changed into my workout clothes and got on my exercise machine, one of my very own situated in the comfort of my home. A nice hot 20-minute shower after I cooled off, oh what a luxury, that shower! All the amenities that go along with it, good shampoo, conditioner, wash, all of it. Feels and smells so great. On to a dinner, leftover chicken which I cut up with onions, peppers and tomatoes to make a fabulous chicken wheat burrito with hot sauce. Such a good dinner, while watching the nightly news on my television in a toasty warm candlelit living room. My little furbaby loving on me, such a healthy sweet kitty.
A nightly talk with my Mom and my Dad on the phone. Another blessing, not only the phone but my parents. The ability to pick up the phone and talk to them basically any time I wish. My daughter, who I couldn’t be more proud of. She’ll be taking the walk across the stage this May to graduate from college. The wonderful man in my life who has taught me so much about myself. Such blessings, the people who surround me on a daily basis. Thank you, Lord.
The freedom to come and go as I please. The only real rules out there are to pay your bills and obey the laws. Yes, I can do that. Because – I’m blessed like that.
It only takes a little bit of reminding yourself of the many blessings you have in your daily life to not dwell on the petty things in life so much. I truly believe that the more time we spend counting our blessings, the more affordability we’ll have enjoying them, thus enjoying more of this thing called life.
I thank you Lord for all the blessings you’ve bestowed upon me, and those you continue to bestow. I realize that I’m so undeserving of it all. I will forever attempt to express my eternal gratitude to you for all You do for me, and your unconditional love for me.
Super Sunday
It’s not the easiest thing to type out a blog from this iPhone. Maybe I need one of those new iPads. 🙂 In any case, the thirst to write something this morning overrides the difficulty level.
We are supposed to see sun today. So far no go, but I do remain hopeful. If it does show it’s pretty face, I plan on venturing out to my local botanical garden and visiting the orchid explosion before my yearly membership expires. It’s already on my mind heavily, this expiration date of a place I’ve enjoyed so very much for the past year and a half. I’ve been there so much it’s almost become a sanctuary of sorts to me… a temporary escape from a sometimes insane reality. One of tranquility and beauty, and most of all one of true nature. I do believe I’m just gonna have to renew my membership.
Superbowl Sunday. I gotta say this year I have no earthly care WHO wins. I don’t even have any open pools out there, which is unusual. Hey, if you don’t play, you can’t win, right? So this year, I guess I’m only in it it for the commercials.
I still have errands to run today that didn’t get accomplished yesterday due to a lazy factor. Well not lazy exactly, I just overdid it a bit with the ole’ workout routine. Ima have to do better at that whole ‘pushing myself beyond the limits’ thing.
I’ve had a great weekend, all in all. Went to see Sherlock Holmes Friday night, and it was great. The theme kinda threw me and my guy, it was based on witchcraft, but turned out okay in the end. Of course they left it wide the heck open for a sequel, but isn’t that par for the course?
Last night was the Bud Shootout. Anyone who knows me knows what a huge Nascar fan I USED to be. The past 5 or so years though, I’ve probably only watched a handful of races. Sports for me now consists only of one true love – Baseball. But friends, if you’ve never watched a Nascar race on a high-def bigscreen plasma tv with surround sound, you have got to experience that soon. All I’ve got to say is, WOW.
Think I’ve rambled enough today to make up for no rambling yesterday. Wishing a wonderful Sunday for all of you gentle readers out there – and be blessed.
A Young Troubadour
You’ll forgive a BS blog today. Well, not totally a BS blog, maybe more of a bs blog. Yeah, that’s it. Lower-case bullshit.
And really, it’s not a bad thing when one feels the need to rattle on about a not-so-important subject. It simply means either a) there are little to no catastrophic events to cover today, or b) the Bonster’s already ranted and raved enough already for a week. I can go ahead and tell you it’s not the latter of the two…
Good ole’ George Strait. Here’s a man who doesn’t have a bad song in his entire arsenal. So this song was in my head pretty much all of yesterday. For some reason, even though I’m not MALE, I can partially relate with the lyrics. If you haven’t ever heard it, check it out – it’s a pretty catchy tune.
I still feel 25, most of the time
I still raise a little cain with the boys
Honky tonks and pretty women
Lord, I’m still right there with them
Singing above the crowd and the noise.
Chorus:
Sometimes I feel like Jesse James
Still trying to make a name
Knowin’ nothing’s gonna change what I am
I was a young troubadour
When I rode in on a song
And I’ll be an old troubadour
When I’m gone.
Well, the truth about a mirror
It’s that a damn old mirror
Don’t really tell the whole truth
It don’t show what’s deep inside
Oh, read between the lines
And it’s really no reflection of my youth.
Chorus:
Sometimes I feel like Jesse James
Still tryin’ to make a name
Knowing nothings gonna change what I am
I was a young troubadour
When I rode in on a song
And I’ll be an old troubadour
When I’m gone.
I was a young troubadour
When I rode in on a song
And I’ll be an old troubadour
When I’m gone.
I’ll be an old troubadour
When I’m gone…
So I got curious.
Troubadour:
1 : one of a class of lyric poets and poet-musicians often of knightly rank who flourished from the 11th to the end of the 13th century chiefly in the south of France and the north of Italy and whose major theme was courtly love.
2 : a singer, especially of folk songs
the truth about a mirror
It’s that a damn old mirror
Don’t really tell the whole truth
It don’t show what’s deep inside
Oh, read between the lines
And it’s really no reflection of my youth.
Mirrors. Yeah, I get this. It doesn’t take much of the ole’ thought process to figure out that mirrors provide a very limited view of ourselves. They only provide an external view, a visual of what’s on the outside. Nothing on the inside. Nothing of how we might be feeling. Nothing of our past. Like The Young Troubadour said, you must read between the lines for that.
Can you imagine looking in the mirror only to see your past, your emotions, your transgressions in life, all staring right back at you?
Yep, God is good, all right. 🙂
The day you were born
Today is my guy’s birthday. His brother and sister also have birthdays right around this time, so Friday we’ll be going out together to celebrate all three. As for tonight, I’ll be cooking what I hope turns out to be a fab dinner at home for him. I’ve already got the bottle of wine ready, and yes I match the wine up with the entree. Ha ha!
Here’s a bit of birthday ‘history’, courtesy of This Cool Site…
We are so used to celebrating our birthday every year that it seems like it’s been a tradition almost forever!! But there too is a birthday history, and a place and time it all began…
When early people had no way of keeping track and marking time (except by the moon, sun or by some important event) little attention was paid to the anniversary of a person’s birth. Everyone realized, of course, that people grew older as time passed; but they didn’t mark any special milestone for it. Only when ancient peoples began taking notice of the moon’s cycles, did they pay attention to the changing seasons and the pattern that repeated itself over and over and so they began to mark and note time changes. That’s the start of birthday history.
Eventually, the first calendars were formulated in order to mark time changes and other special days. From this tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant anniversaries on the same day each year.
It is also said that Birthday celebrations began as a form of protection. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous to a person when he or she experienced a change in their daily life, such as turning a year older. To protect them from harm, friends and family would gather around the birthday person and bring good cheers, thoughts and wishes. Giving gifts brought even more good cheer to ward off the evil spirits. Noisemakers are thought to be used at parties as a way of scaring away the evil spirits. The birthday history custom of lighting candles originated with people believing that the gods lived in the sky and by lighting candles and torches they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods so they could be answered. When you blow out the candles and make a wish this is another way of sending a signal and a message.
Even though historians are certain that people have observed their birthdays for quite some time, there are very few records of such celebrations that still exist. The only ones documented in birthday history are those birthdays of kings, high-ranking nobility, and other important figures. Common people and especially children never celebrated their birth when the idea came about. This trend has been explained by a theory that nobility were the only people wealthy enough to throw such celebrations, and quite possibly were the only ones thought to be important enough to have been written about or remembered. Some historians believe these early birthday bashes resulted in the custom of wearing birthday “crowns” as time went on.
The Germans are given credit in birthday history for starting celebrations of children’s birthdays. These celebrations were called “kinderfeste”. The word “kinderfeste” is derived from two German words ‘kinder’ meaning children and ‘feste’ meaning festival or party.
A bit more of birthday history: The song “Happy Birthday to You” was composed by two sisters, Mildred and Patty Hill, in 1893, but nobody really paid much attention to it until the original words “Good Morning to You” were changed to “Happy Birthday to You”, words that are sung in virtually every home across the world at least once during the year.
Happy Birthday baby!! Here’s to celebrating you. 🙂
A Simple Life?
For over a year now I’ve been taking my showers in the evening in lieu of early morning showers. I’ve been told by more than a few people, ‘Oh I just can’t do that! I simply have to have my showers in the morning.’ I used to think the same thing. But no, you don’t have to.
Certain things just don’t matter as much to me anymore. A fanciful outfit. Things that match, ha! So I’ve finally come to the realization that I’m cutting certain things out of my life, bit by bit, in order to simplify it. This is a true sign of getting older.
I’ve carried a ‘black bag’ to work every single day for almost 20 years. That bag contains my dayplanner as well as a portfolio and pad, and a few other odds and ends. If I need to print out anything at work, I’ll stick it in my black bag for transport, you get the drift. Guess you could call the ole’ black bag a ‘work purse’. Well, not only have I yet to refill my day planner for the year 2010 (okay the refills are over $20 and I’m still trying to justify the expense) but I haven’t carried my bag to work since the new year started. All the other things I’ve cut out or simplified don’t bother me. But the black bag and planner thing do. I’ve written in a dayplanner for many years, just like carrying the black bag. It may be considered an old-fashioned thing to do in the current day and time. Still though, I like being organized and quite frankly, if I don’t write things down, well they just don’t get done. I’m finding myself littered with sticky notes – notes in my purse, on my wallet, and on my computer. Hell there’s even a note on my bathroom mirror. Gotta do better in this area and score myself a refill on my dayplanner. And, get the ole’ black bag out again.
Just this weekend I traded in my big hair of the 80’s for a sleeker, shorter simpler style. That’s gonna take some getting used to. There’s a part of this that just doesn’t make sense to me though. With the simpler hairstyle, I’ve gone from 10 minutes of styling to what now is 30 minutes or more. I’ve seriously gotta work on shaving that time down.
Simplify my life. The phrase itself has always reminded me of the movie Steel Magnolias, when Shelby goes for the shorter simpler haircut upon learning of her illness. I can’t help but think of all of the women in the film, actually. Every single woman depicted in that movie had survived a curve ball that life so often throws. Don’t worry, I’ll save that for another blog.
When I finally realized what I was unintentionally doing, it almost hit me like a ton of bricks. In a way, it was almost disparaging to me. It’s funny how our mind and body ‘knows’ it’s own timeclock – and when it’s time to start slowing things down, or simplifying things in your life. Guess it’s true, there’s no turning your back on Father Time.
Regroup thyself
Well I was up very early again this morning. The sun’s rays shining through the blinds made it too inviting to hang out in a bed.
Upon arriving home yesterday, the only thing on my agenda was to take a nap. A long one. Instead, from out of nowhere came this burst of, shall I say it… could it really be… Energy?? Boy, has it been a long time since that’s happened. Usually when a burst of energy hits it’s due to an event that’s triggered it. In any case, I took full advantage of my little adrenaline gift.
My little Camille was SO glad to see me. You see, it’s Sunday morning now and she’s still attached at my hip. She literally won’t let me out of her sight – from room to room, she’s there. And so vocal, I really wish I knew what she was trying to communicate to me. As in previous trips I’ve taken, she hopped on top of my travel bag and looked up at me as if to say “You’re not goin’ nowhere else mama, unless I go with ya.”
I got busy with unpacking, which is such an easy chore for me. What takes me a whole day to pack I can unpack and reorganize in 10 minutes flat or less, cosmetics and toiletries included. Plus, I needed to get my bag tucked away in the closet since Camille associates it with me leaving (I’m serious). From there, I got a few loads of laundry started, stripped the bed and put clean sheets on it, and cleaned my bathroom including tub and shower curtain. I know I said this about sweatpants yesterday, but whoever invented Clorox Cleanup with Bleach is a God. I basically use it for all my cleaning, and it works. I could be a spokesperson.
Christmas tree and decorations still out. Oh no, I can’t have that. Now this is something I always dread, although, like unpacking, it’s much easier than the actual decorating. I got everything packed back up and placed in the utility room until that time rolls around again in about 300 some-odd days. But that’s not something I’m gonna think about tomorrow or any other time soon.
I’d laid meat out in the fridge last night knowing I was going to cook my infamous chili. Before I’d even bothered to take a look at myself in the mirror this morning, I was chopping onions, peppers, garlic and the like. Chili is one thing I’m good at, no questions asked. I love making use of the various ingredients, with the end result all coming together in an ever-so-tasteful hot blend, oh yes, Hot. A friend and I were talking this morning about having ones chili hot enough. She told me of when she was at the beach and brought her son back some hot sauce called ‘Ass Blasters’. She said it came packaged in a little wooden outhouse box. Needless to say, I’m still cracking up over that one!
With the thermometer outside right now stuck at a mere 23º F, I believe this today to be a stay-inside, maybe movie, maybe book, but definitely hot chili and lovin’ on my furbaby day. 🙂
Christmas funds
I heard a story yesterday that disturbed me. Someone I know was out Christmas shopping, and rode by one of those payday loan institutions. The line apparently went down the sidewalk – where an estimated 40-50 people stood in line. Hearing the story I quickly got a visual of this, and it broke my heart.
These establishments are nothing more than glorified loan sharks. Once a person ‘enrolls’ in one of these ‘loans’, they get locked in and basically have to pay the establishment each week just in order to be able to keep the remainder of their check. It’s a vicious circle, and is very difficult to get out of.
It’s disparaging to hear that, in this day and time, this is what a good many people are having to resort to in order to buy their kids or families Christmas. Something’s gotta give in this economy.
My first day of Winter is colored Amber
Ever since I can remember, the color amber has signified Winter to me. Being an earth-toned color loving person, it’s no wonder that it has become a favorite of mine. But it’s more than just a color to me – it’s a compilation of the senses.
The Sight. A pale yellow, sometimes reddish or brownish, translucent. The ambient glow of firelit nights…
The Smell. Breads baking. Perfumes are even named after amber, I have one. The aroma always represents the essence of winter.
The Taste. Peanut butter cookies. Cinnamon-banana bread.
The Touch. A loved ones caress. Being wrapped tight in their arms while giving sweet kisses.
The Sound. The quietness of snow falling. The gentle popping and crackling of a fire.
I need only to close my eyes to avert my imagery over to a warm winter night in front of a fireplace, snow falling outside – to sense amber. To become conscious of my senses… and of all that exists around me that is beautiful in Winter.
More pre-Christmas
Thank goodness for a weekend, it’s time to regroup. Or recoup. As I look outside my window, the barren limbs look so lonely. Just a few leaves remain on the tree I’m gazing at. I wonder how they’re still holding on, and for what. 25 degree weather starts the mega-early morning of this Friday, with Saturday’s forecasted low not being much warmer.
I forget how much I take summer for granted. Shorts and a tank or tee, rushing out the door and sliding my toes into my rainbow flips. How much easier life is! Getting up on a Saturday morning and having my bagel on my balcony while sitting cross-legged in the chair, gazing out over the greenery. So much more time spent outside.
C’monnnnn, Spring. I anxiously await you.
Fast-forward to Sunday. It sleeted last night for the first time this season. Still pre-Christmas, lest I forget. Today I braved the masses at the mall, and since I didn’t attempt a mall in the big shitty city (my grandmother’s words), it actually turned out okay. Actually more like a visit to the mall on any other average day.
Today we were en route to the mall and a funeral procession halted us. In respect, as one should have, we pulled over to the side to wait for all to pass. All the cars around us waited as well. This reminded me of the fact that smaller towns respect funeral processions while the big towns always contain your everyday idiot that’ll ruin it. A such disrespectful event took place during the procession of my stepfather… one that I’ll never forget, and much regret. But, I’ll save that for another blog.
Good morning, deer
This year I’m having even more trouble getting into Christmas than last year, and that’s saying a lot. The push to get myself started shopping yesterday ran into about 4 in the afternoon. Needless to say, the stores were jammed. I could swear that this one crying child followed me literally everywhere I went. ‘Tis the season.
By the time I got home I was, um, feeling my age. I just don’t remember being so tired after shopping last year. I excused it by reminding myself that I don’t go out and shop for long lengths of time regularly anyway, that this was a ‘shock to the ole body’. Shock the monkey.
Still, I’m constantly reminded of the fact that Christmas is over commercialized. This makes it tougher by the year, for me anyway, to ‘get into’ the season. Just for once I’d like to plan a trip to leave on Christmas Day or even New Years and just get the hell outta Dodge for a couple days. No responsibilities, just leave it all behind. I know a couple of people who do this. One year I’ll do it myself….
I just went by the hallway window at work where five very graceful deer stood grazing on the front lawn. I stood motionless (for a second anyway) before running back for my camera. I returned with camera in one hand, cam-phone in the other – and right away notice that they’re onto me. All five were staring straight at me – it was so funny looking, an intoxicating moment to have an entire herd of wildlife looking straight at you. I managed to get a shot of two with my regular camera, but not the entire pack (sad face). I’ll post it when I get home to my cord. The deer just made my day, quite possibly my entire week. 🙂
I’ll letcha know on that.
Two of the five
Carolina Blue Skies
Off to our annual doctor visits we go today, my daughter and I. We schedule our visits together every year so we can share in each other’s misery. It’s definitely something we look forward to every year about as much as taking a swift kick in the ass. But it’s also together time, and I grasp at every bit of that I can get. The carolina blue sky outside today kinda sweetens the deal.
And so the sweet aroma of Friday has finally crept in. A couple of days rest will do a body good. Still having much trouble believing the first week of December has almost passed! I’ve already resolved myself that I’ll be one of the late shoppers this year. Heck most people I know are already finished their shopping. I’ve actually decided to make a game out of it for myself and see how late I can start without running right on past Christmas.
TGIF, wishing everyone a long and happy weekend. 🙂
Raindrops and candlelight
The rain was so heavy and unyielding tonight it almost overpowered my tunes. I certainly didn’t mind it though, it gave me a reason to stay inside and get a good meal cooked. And a relaxing night it was.
I placed the ground beef in the fryer on low and popped open a beer, which I don’t really drink much of anymore but had a few left over, so figured what the hell. Lit a few candles, turned on the Christmas tree lights and some low music in the background. The kitchen was fully lit, the rest of the place illuminated only by the Christmas tree and burning candles.
How I do love to cook. That is, when not under pressure to cook. Preparing a good meal is relaxing to me; it releases my mind from other thoughts and almost provides a certain sense of purpose. I won’t claim to be the best cook out there, for sure – but there are a handful of dishes that I’ve perfected, at least in my own eyes. Who says you have to be an expert at something to enjoy it, anyway? My favorite meal to prepare would be the spaghetti I cooked tonight. Since I now add the ingredients that I like, such as onions, peppers, diced tomatoes, and various spices including my cayenne, the dish is so very tasty. Chopping those onions and peppers seemed almost therapeutic.
As I looked around me, I took a sip of my beer and remembered how very lucky I was to have all this. The very simple things. To come home from work, kick my shoes off in my warm dry place. To have food to cook, beer to drink. Electricity, a nice hot shower after I eat. Relaxing while listening to the rain outside, warm candlelight glowing – I’m feeling blessed. Looking around myself and my surroundings, I remember to be ever so thankful for them.
Productivity
I accomplished more than I thought I would for a Sunday, they’re usually unproductive days for me. On an average Sunday you can usually find me basking in my last few precious hours of freedom before another workweek begins.
Before noon hit, I had made it to a couple of grocery stores in search of the prized Thanksgiving turkey, along with some necessities for myself to get me through until payday. Unfortunately, even a few of those necessities had to wait. It does suck to run out of money between paychecks – but I am eating, have a warm home and really too many other blessings to count so I won’t take that one any further.
Once I got my few bags upstairs, I took a good look around the apartment. The rain outside had already labeled the day a good cleaning day. By mid-afternoon I’d gotten 3 loads of laundry done, the extra bathroom cleaned, a good dusting of the place, and my closet changed over from summer to winter. That last chore I’d put off so long that I thought it may end up turning spring again and I wouldn’t have to do it.
Now here it is, slightly past dinnertime (and I’ve eaten) and I’m on schedule for my shower, enabling me to relax for the rest of the night. It does feel good to have a certain sense of accomplishment for the day. For once, I had a semi-productive Sunday.
Life of Bon 
Recent Comments