Tornadoes, Julia and Blessings

Are the tornadoes distant enough that I can tell you a joke?

What did the tornado say to the sports car?
Want to go for a spin?

Sorry... I'll save it for Connor.

Speaking of tornadoes, JULIA is coming, Julia is coming!
Luckily for me, the JULIA tornado has slowed down a little.
I'm thinking bird watching.
I'm thinking Cordelia Stanwood.
I'm thinking slow drives and slower walks.
I'm thinking my knee better feel better, unless Julia is still crippling around. She isn't much of a foodie, but she loves coffee on the deck. I can do that. I remember when we would go see three or four movies a day. Good times back then. Can't see or hear now. Poor Julia. Sorry Julia.

When ever I think back on our movie marathons, our power drives across America, our hanging out just to hang out, I feel that age. I don't feel old looking back, I feel sixteen or twenty-seven, or thirty-eight. Reading books, lunches at Mom's when she would come sailing down the hill, standing on her head, taking the nieces and nephews sports car riding, photo-ing, zoo-ing, theater-ing, cake decorating, animal naming, (Was anyone ever better at naming a pet?) I felt slow then and slower now. Oh Lord, what will I do if she wants to climb Mt Si?

Julia I will pick you up at the airport and then the game is on. Spuds? We can do it. Drive to the ocean? We can do it. A walk in the woods? Sure? Maybe? It won't be long now and I'm almost ready. Julia I might dust for, have you ever seen how tidy her home is? I will at least shine and dust my earrings.

Julia is coming and ain't I glad.

I have a busy weekend, for me, ahead; Claire and Connor day today, visit to Magic Toyota for a Toyota recall fix, visit to Ian's University Village sidewalk sale and lunch, he always treats me, and I usually walk away with some neat free stuff, breakfast with a friend, eye exam, planning and anticipating Julia's arrival. Lets see anything else? Nope, I guess that is about it.

Janice is home, I hope you got my email. What a miracle she was in the hospital days instead of months. Tough old bird, unless someone up there doesn't want her.

Janice told me Art's tomato plants have failed. Failed? If Art's tomato plants failed it surely means the world as we know it is ending, so get ready for Zombies or The Rapture.

Roger's Birthday is Friday June 5th, and Jane's. Josephine's came and went as will Mom's. The days and years continue to pass by. Roger was born in Grossmont Hospital in San Diego California lo, these many years ago. Easy birth, easy child, disciplined child, athletic child, smart child, loving son.

I don't know where Jane was born, but she is a great friend as well as sister-in-law and nurse to her extended family. We have been friends since I threw her in the floorboard of that old Dodge Slush-box vehicle I was privileged to drive, lo, these many years ago. I threw her in the floor (I was a bad driver even then) coming down Classen from that pizza joint where we could dance and I could wear my short, short, short shorts. Yep, friend since then, go figure. Jane was as good as I was bad. Disciplined, smart, gracious, not too athletic, but a damn fine nurse and a loving friend.

I have made the uncomfortable discovery about myself that I need to be kinder. I am kind enough in actions and beliefs, but not always in interior attitudes and thoughts. I shy away from the downtown homeless, the scary, the dirty, the loud, the people who make decisions I don't agree with, how they raise their young, vote, plan their finances, what they watch on TV or in a sports arena, do their job, worship. I need to open myself to wider avenues of kindness, acceptance. Not forgiveness. Forgiveness denotes something else.

From the homeless to the financial steady, from getting by to success, from me to Janice, life wraps us all up differently. The people of the world don't need my opinions on their decisions, actions, life.

Some people need blessings not grumbling thoughts. So for today, I am blessing in direct proportion to being blessed. For today, I'm blessing only.

Quote: "Humanity is not thinking less of yourself, its thinking of yourself less." CS Lewis

Quote from some weird movie I watched, but I can't remember which one: "I can't die, I'm not unhappy enough yet."

Blessing and peace on you today.
Julia is a blessing and she is coming - soon.