Connor brings me joy. I love listening to him explain to his dad why his bad guy is badder than his dad's bad guy. How he didn't really lose the chess game. His continual, incessant, running dialog, explanation, observation about everything. The fantasy scenarios he creates with Legos men, cars, sticks outside, characters in books, or his left hand. The man has an opinion or two. I love the way he tidies up a restaurant table, but not the living room.
He is going to Lego classes starting next week and he had to fix a post-it note on his calendar, marking the beginning, the six Tuesdays and the last day of the classes. That would be a gift from his father who lives and breaths by post-it notes. I loved his deep conversation about the Lego shirts he will wear to said Lego classes. The Lego shirts that were a Christmas gift from his granny thank you very much.
Being a child can be quite different in today's world. Last week he asked which container to put his trash in, the recycle or trash bin. That is different for modern children.
This week I took him some Cracker Jacks in his treat tin. He noticed the little boy character on the front of the box and explained to me, in detail, Connor is all about detail, that Cracker Jacks were Boy Scout Cracker Jacks. I said, no, they aren't Boy Scout Cracker Jacks. He showed me the picture of the BOY SCOUT on the front of the box as proof positive that they were in fact BOY SCOUT. I said, no, that is a picture of a little sailor boy, not a Boy Scout. Next he asked, how do I know that is a sailor and not a Boy Scout, always wanting proof. I explained I just knew. He cocked his head and gave me that suspicious Connor look and inquired - did you look it up on the internet? The internet? The internet! I guess it is the new Encyclopedia Britannica and The Guinness Book of World Records rolled into one. I didn't dare tell him I didn't. The inquiring mind of a six year old is an amazing, baffling, wondrous thing.
"Intelligence; Not because you think you know everything without question, but because you question everything you know."
I am full of the mystery of what we don't see:
There is a rusted out cab of an old truck planted in a front yard on the way to Connor's house. It looks like something we had in the pasture growing up, something that looks like it has been shot with a thousand bullets and wouldn't die. Well, there is sits nestled in some shrubbery in a yard on the way to Connor's house. I asked Roger if he had noticed it? Yeah, it has always been there he said. Always? ALWAYS? I've driven past that house on my way to Connor's every week for six years and I never noticed it? It is not that hidden, it is nestled!
I noticed a beautiful arbor in a back yard driving out of Mukilteo the other day, Something else I had never noticed before and I drive down the Mukilteo Speedway two to six times a day and have for ten years.
Never noticed, never saw. This got me thinking of the mystery of what we don't see. How we have to open our eyes, and open them, and then open them some more, but more importantly how we have to open our heart to seeing. We tend to drop into complacency, rote, our mind isn't inquiring any more but set on what we know, what we see, what we think. We quit looking and seeing when actually there is always more. Tin cabs and arbors are the metaphor. The lesson learned is there is always a deeper understanding. The will to see more, more expansive, more deep, beyond horizons and beliefs fills me with the best kind of mystery. Mystery to delight.
I live such a tiny life.
A life filled with little successes and little failures.
I visited Christian at his new apartment located on the road to The Edmond's Ferry. A favorite road, a favorite ferry. Had lunch at Taco Time where they still serve an old fashioned taco burger. We've had splendid weather; warm, cool, sunny, misty. Just the way I like it. I'm buying some new "bling" shoes, they are covered in rhinestones, Matisse Ozzie, item number 433368, check those babies out, never had anything like that before. I tried Mary Lee's recipe for Mexican Trash, very tasty, I will be making it again. Saw two good films, A Gathering Storm with Brendan Gleeson as a magnificent Winston Churchill and Living is Easy with Eyes Shut, about a man's mission to see and talk to John Lennon, a wonderful Spanish film. Finally I started The Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordimer, had lunch with Karmen, having dinner with Mary, a nice phone visit with Janice. Stephanie shared a new sleep blend vitamin that really really worked last night. She gets them from her doctor and will buy me a bottle also. I saw a beautiful ruby throated bird of some sort. I have seen this bird before but not often and I haven't a clue what kind of bird it is. I'll wait and ask Julia.
Julia is visiting in June. Jean is visiting in May, practically next week. I had a phone call from a cousin I haven't spoke to for thirty years or so. She wanted clarification on a recipe I had in The Taylor Family Cookbook, Artichoke Appetizers. I told her after she ate those she would be glad I was related, as will you after you make them.
This cousin, Judy, lives a few hundred miles south and wondered why we shouldn't see each other, so I am map reading and contemplating a drive to Washougal Washington. What do you think Jean?
My crisis' for the week? Well I had a mandarin orange go bad in the fruit bowl and had to feed it to the garbage disposal and some kind of painful infection on my elbow. I've never had a boil but thought it might be the beginning of one. It didn't. It went away, the fever and redness faded like last weeks sunburn.
I told you I had a tiny life.
The rhythm of my days is usually smooth. Birthdays, friends, friends moving to Minnesota, cook, clean, laundry, actually, I lied, Ian does the laundry, Ian is gone traveling, books and films, company coming, car, apartment, shoes, work, hill climb to work, price of downtown parking for work, bills, income tax refund, library, time off for said company.
Jean I am getting off on that Tuesday at ten so I will be picking you up at eleven. No sitting around the airport for you, I love you that much. Three and one half hours much!
Julia I have no official itinerary from you, but based on our conversation if you take time off work to come see me, I take time off work to play, I love you that much. Eight hours much! Can't wait.
What do I dread? Hot weather.
Here is to little things and hidden things. Things nestled in the grass, the stars, or the mind of a six year old.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Friday, April 24, 2015
What a Time, What a Time
I gotta tell you things are looking up, up, up around here. First not a visitor in sight, then: BOOM
May -- Jean
June -- Julia
July -- No visitor in sight, hottest month of the year and me with no air conditioning
Aug -- Mark and Amber (possibly) another hot month
Sept -- Kenny and Cathy, traveling to and fro the ship
Jan's sojourn to Flathead Lake
Oct -- Jan's sojourn to Greenleaf Lake
Jerry and Jane still might find an excuse for an excursion.
Kathy still might slide in for a wee visit.
Do you ever think about the ubiquitous M&M's? Does anyone even like them? They are bought for every holiday, every flavor, every color. You can get them for a wedding, a business, an event. It is the last candy eaten from the candy bowl, the last candy taken from the kid's Easter baskets. The idea was stolen, oops, I meant borrowed, from Nestle Smarties in about 1941. And that idea came from Rowntrees of York England about 1882. They were called Chocolate Beans then, originally only for soldiers. Smarties went to the Spanish Civil War, M&M's went to World War II, and they are with us still. The candy coating kept them from melting in the soldiers pockets. Remember "Melts in the mouth not in the hand"?
All I really wanted to know was what the M & M stood for; Forrest Mars Sr, son of the founder of the Mars Company and Bruce Murrie. Murrie was the son of the Hershey Chocolate Co. president who put up 20% of the moola for the new candy company. An important partnership since Hershey controlled the rationed chocolate, ALL the rationed chocolate.
Paper airplanes, in case you are wondering, are ancient. Some say ancient China, some say ancient Japan, but definitely been around since 500 BC. Now that is some history. They have at least a 1,000 year old origami history. Fast forward to Leonardo daVinci, to the Wright Brothers, to Connor mastering the art.
Then I wondered about sorting. How as humans we sort classes of people, stars, potatoes, diamonds, or M&M's. What is the compulsion to sort? Actually, I'm sure you have more important things to worry about than sorting, so don't worry about it.
Other things you don't need to worry about today are conspiracy theories, viscosity, marketing services, Bigfoot, or getting a reservation at Nobu's restaurant. Worry instead about batteries, ebooks, the weather, the price of potatoes, diamonds, or your favorite color of M&M's. Do you eat the red ones last? Do you sort your M&M's? Connor worried about a piece of trash at the local restaurant. "Dad is this recycle or trash?" he wanted to know before he sorted it into the right container.
No good movies to report, but a few good quotes.
"Don't pray for things, pray for knowledge and wisdom so no matter what things you gain or lose you have the wisdom to handle it." Erica Campbell
"Life; it ain't easy, but it's fair." Clark Terry
"Where are the ogres?"
"The end lingers on and I must live through it."
"A dog is the only species that loves you more than itself."
"Showing a picture of a forest is easy, showing a picture of a room with a forest nearby is hard"
Jean-Luc Godard
Things to worry about, things not to worry about.
Things to think about, things not to think about.
Things to sort, things not to sort.
Things in my mind I understand, things in my mind I don't understand.
Other things I thought about:
Ivan Doig
Toyota recall
Saint Georges Day
Mexican/White trash recipe
Long phone visit with Janice
Hearing Doctor appointment
Tulip Fever
The Imitation Game
eBooks
I got family coming and ain't I glad. I'll sort out beds, recipes, restaurants, excursions what ever it takes to keep the guests at The Inn at Mukilteo coming back. Love you all more than chocolate.
May -- Jean
June -- Julia
July -- No visitor in sight, hottest month of the year and me with no air conditioning
Aug -- Mark and Amber (possibly) another hot month
Sept -- Kenny and Cathy, traveling to and fro the ship
Jan's sojourn to Flathead Lake
Oct -- Jan's sojourn to Greenleaf Lake
Jerry and Jane still might find an excuse for an excursion.
Kathy still might slide in for a wee visit.
Do you ever think about the ubiquitous M&M's? Does anyone even like them? They are bought for every holiday, every flavor, every color. You can get them for a wedding, a business, an event. It is the last candy eaten from the candy bowl, the last candy taken from the kid's Easter baskets. The idea was stolen, oops, I meant borrowed, from Nestle Smarties in about 1941. And that idea came from Rowntrees of York England about 1882. They were called Chocolate Beans then, originally only for soldiers. Smarties went to the Spanish Civil War, M&M's went to World War II, and they are with us still. The candy coating kept them from melting in the soldiers pockets. Remember "Melts in the mouth not in the hand"?
All I really wanted to know was what the M & M stood for; Forrest Mars Sr, son of the founder of the Mars Company and Bruce Murrie. Murrie was the son of the Hershey Chocolate Co. president who put up 20% of the moola for the new candy company. An important partnership since Hershey controlled the rationed chocolate, ALL the rationed chocolate.
Paper airplanes, in case you are wondering, are ancient. Some say ancient China, some say ancient Japan, but definitely been around since 500 BC. Now that is some history. They have at least a 1,000 year old origami history. Fast forward to Leonardo daVinci, to the Wright Brothers, to Connor mastering the art.
Then I wondered about sorting. How as humans we sort classes of people, stars, potatoes, diamonds, or M&M's. What is the compulsion to sort? Actually, I'm sure you have more important things to worry about than sorting, so don't worry about it.
Other things you don't need to worry about today are conspiracy theories, viscosity, marketing services, Bigfoot, or getting a reservation at Nobu's restaurant. Worry instead about batteries, ebooks, the weather, the price of potatoes, diamonds, or your favorite color of M&M's. Do you eat the red ones last? Do you sort your M&M's? Connor worried about a piece of trash at the local restaurant. "Dad is this recycle or trash?" he wanted to know before he sorted it into the right container.
No good movies to report, but a few good quotes.
"Don't pray for things, pray for knowledge and wisdom so no matter what things you gain or lose you have the wisdom to handle it." Erica Campbell
"Life; it ain't easy, but it's fair." Clark Terry
"Where are the ogres?"
"The end lingers on and I must live through it."
"A dog is the only species that loves you more than itself."
"Showing a picture of a forest is easy, showing a picture of a room with a forest nearby is hard"
Jean-Luc Godard
Things to worry about, things not to worry about.
Things to think about, things not to think about.
Things to sort, things not to sort.
Things in my mind I understand, things in my mind I don't understand.
Other things I thought about:
Ivan Doig
Toyota recall
Saint Georges Day
Mexican/White trash recipe
Long phone visit with Janice
Hearing Doctor appointment
Tulip Fever
The Imitation Game
eBooks
I got family coming and ain't I glad. I'll sort out beds, recipes, restaurants, excursions what ever it takes to keep the guests at The Inn at Mukilteo coming back. Love you all more than chocolate.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Hum, That's Odd!
I read a quip once that I will paraphrase: Scientist don't say "Eureka" instead they say "hum, that's odd."
Connor had a "that's odd" moment involving color and heat. When we took him to Christian's "working man's shop" Christian cut a pipe with fire, Connor wasn't impressed with the fire show but he did notice that it was odd that the metal changed color. "Hum, that's odd," he said. He wanted to know "why" -- like I could answer that, I could barely even see that.
Easter Sunday they brought me a pretty pink candle, we dutifully lit it and as it burned through out the day Connor noticed when he wasn't fighting, playing, talking or snuggling with Christian, that it was odd that the unmelted wax was a different color than the melted wax. The unmelted wax was a pale pink, the melted wax was a vibrant pink, "Hum, that's odd" he said and wanted to know why. Yeah right -- like I could answer that.
I had a long lovely day with Roger Wednesday, he did my taxes, he printed me new brag photos, a lot of them, we drove around the neighborhood. We just messed about until it was time to pick up Connor from school. As we are driving home Connor asked, rather dreamily, from the back regions of the truck, "Dad does time slow down in the Spring." No. No, Connor it doesn't, why do you ask? "Well there is more light in the Spring so I thought maybe time slows down."
He is delightfully frighteningly intelligent sometimes.
Intelligence is one of the things I love about my family, friends, customers and Grandson. Easter Sunday dinner was simple, delicious, easy, and the chat was lively, funny, scattered every where from movies, books, history, racism, politics, pets, and intelligent. Very, very intelligent.
I'm still thinking top ten stuff:
Top ten camping trips. Jeff's and my primitive camping trip to Platt. I can't remember the new name of it. Kathy's and my primitive camping trip to the San Juan bluffs. Jean's and my primitive camping trip to the Taylor river.
Jean's and my camping trip to the Taylor river was primitive but she served a meal fit for a king in the dark dark night of the Colorado mountains. That made me think about top ten meals; The time a bunch of us went to a French restaurant and the menu was in French. I ordered the only thing on the menu that there wasn't a clue what it was. One of the best meals I've every had. It was some kind of scallops in some kind of champagne sauce on a bed of some kind of creamy dreamy mashed potatoes. I remember it still.
It's odd we felt no shame traveling light and primitive. It's wonderful how much fun we had sharing, laughing, sleeping close to the stars, having a wonderful meal out of tin cans. Camaraderie and intelligence and adventure doesn't have to be eating at a snooty French restaurant, it can be hot dogs over an open fire with people you love.
Shame is powerful. Many of a human's deepest hurts come in some form of shame. The hurts inflicted by shame lasts with us a long, long time. People try to manipulate others with shame and I'm here to tell you shaming doesn't work. It is powerful and it inflicts pain but it doesn't work. It doesn't change behavior.
I have no shame in the movies I have watched lately, all of them were excellent, some of them were odd.
Boyhood -- very interesting -- filming the same boy for a week every summer for twelve years to tell the story of a boy growing up. Fabulous experiment, so so movie, but worth seeing for it's unique vision.
The complete Harry Potter saga, yeah I got hooked and wanted to see him become more powerful and powerful. I am now well versed in Harry Potter iconography.
The Guard -- great comic Brendon Gleeson vehicle about a low level Irish guard and a FBI agent. Comic in the shoot out, drug running, murder, small Irish town vein.
The Good Lie -- A surprisingly moving story about some Sudan Lost Boys adaption to America.
Life Itself -- The Roger Ebert documentary. I sure miss him.
Birdman -- Fantastic, odd, really odd, another filming experiment that was a huge success. Fantastic.
The Theory of Everything -- You will see why Eddie Redmayne won the Oscar for best actor. From my perspective the wife might be the real hero.
House of Cards -- TV series Christian recommended, more great acting. I loved the first few discs, but quit watching when the series devolves into soap opera. Same thing happened to me with The Downton Abby series, great at first then soap opera.
Homesman -- If it's Tommy Lee Jones it has to be good.
Belle -- being mulatto in 18th century England.
The Imitation Game -- my absolute favorite, or rather my current favorite. Every thing was perfect, story, acting, story, acting, story, acting. Perfect movie. If you only see one movie see this one, about the breaking of the Enigma code during WWII.
The Song of the Sea -- An intelligent cartoon that tells a charming story based on Irish mythology.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy -- Re-watched this beauty of a film. Cold, brooding, convoluted, interesting, and more Benedict Cumberbatch.
Call the Midwives -- Another BBC TV series recommended by a work colleague. Very good stories about midwives who live at a nunnery, and birthing babies, in 1950's England. Better watch it Jane if you haven't already. I don't think I will watch anymore, I don't want to see it devolve either.
Zen -- Another BBC TV series about an Italian detective. I could say it is good, but I'm not sure, I might of just got hooked by its charm. Rufus Sewell is charming.
Claire is moving to Minnesota, Christian is moving to Edmonds, Ian is traveling, Roger is back to full speed ahead running, Stephanie is fighting garden weeds, Connor is asking questions with out shame, Jan is burning holes in her new blanket. Don't ask, I feel ashamed.
Book club last night. Nobody read the book Wild. Oil change, pedicure today. I'm making Manhattan Clam Chowder. I keep trying to beef-up my B-12.
I have more past to remember then future to dream about. I blend my dreams into watching Connor grow. That boy sure loves Christian, now that's odd.
Connor had a "that's odd" moment involving color and heat. When we took him to Christian's "working man's shop" Christian cut a pipe with fire, Connor wasn't impressed with the fire show but he did notice that it was odd that the metal changed color. "Hum, that's odd," he said. He wanted to know "why" -- like I could answer that, I could barely even see that.
Easter Sunday they brought me a pretty pink candle, we dutifully lit it and as it burned through out the day Connor noticed when he wasn't fighting, playing, talking or snuggling with Christian, that it was odd that the unmelted wax was a different color than the melted wax. The unmelted wax was a pale pink, the melted wax was a vibrant pink, "Hum, that's odd" he said and wanted to know why. Yeah right -- like I could answer that.
I had a long lovely day with Roger Wednesday, he did my taxes, he printed me new brag photos, a lot of them, we drove around the neighborhood. We just messed about until it was time to pick up Connor from school. As we are driving home Connor asked, rather dreamily, from the back regions of the truck, "Dad does time slow down in the Spring." No. No, Connor it doesn't, why do you ask? "Well there is more light in the Spring so I thought maybe time slows down."
He is delightfully frighteningly intelligent sometimes.
Intelligence is one of the things I love about my family, friends, customers and Grandson. Easter Sunday dinner was simple, delicious, easy, and the chat was lively, funny, scattered every where from movies, books, history, racism, politics, pets, and intelligent. Very, very intelligent.
I'm still thinking top ten stuff:
Top ten camping trips. Jeff's and my primitive camping trip to Platt. I can't remember the new name of it. Kathy's and my primitive camping trip to the San Juan bluffs. Jean's and my primitive camping trip to the Taylor river.
Jean's and my camping trip to the Taylor river was primitive but she served a meal fit for a king in the dark dark night of the Colorado mountains. That made me think about top ten meals; The time a bunch of us went to a French restaurant and the menu was in French. I ordered the only thing on the menu that there wasn't a clue what it was. One of the best meals I've every had. It was some kind of scallops in some kind of champagne sauce on a bed of some kind of creamy dreamy mashed potatoes. I remember it still.
It's odd we felt no shame traveling light and primitive. It's wonderful how much fun we had sharing, laughing, sleeping close to the stars, having a wonderful meal out of tin cans. Camaraderie and intelligence and adventure doesn't have to be eating at a snooty French restaurant, it can be hot dogs over an open fire with people you love.
Shame is powerful. Many of a human's deepest hurts come in some form of shame. The hurts inflicted by shame lasts with us a long, long time. People try to manipulate others with shame and I'm here to tell you shaming doesn't work. It is powerful and it inflicts pain but it doesn't work. It doesn't change behavior.
I have no shame in the movies I have watched lately, all of them were excellent, some of them were odd.
Boyhood -- very interesting -- filming the same boy for a week every summer for twelve years to tell the story of a boy growing up. Fabulous experiment, so so movie, but worth seeing for it's unique vision.
The complete Harry Potter saga, yeah I got hooked and wanted to see him become more powerful and powerful. I am now well versed in Harry Potter iconography.
The Guard -- great comic Brendon Gleeson vehicle about a low level Irish guard and a FBI agent. Comic in the shoot out, drug running, murder, small Irish town vein.
The Good Lie -- A surprisingly moving story about some Sudan Lost Boys adaption to America.
Life Itself -- The Roger Ebert documentary. I sure miss him.
Birdman -- Fantastic, odd, really odd, another filming experiment that was a huge success. Fantastic.
The Theory of Everything -- You will see why Eddie Redmayne won the Oscar for best actor. From my perspective the wife might be the real hero.
House of Cards -- TV series Christian recommended, more great acting. I loved the first few discs, but quit watching when the series devolves into soap opera. Same thing happened to me with The Downton Abby series, great at first then soap opera.
Homesman -- If it's Tommy Lee Jones it has to be good.
Belle -- being mulatto in 18th century England.
The Imitation Game -- my absolute favorite, or rather my current favorite. Every thing was perfect, story, acting, story, acting, story, acting. Perfect movie. If you only see one movie see this one, about the breaking of the Enigma code during WWII.
The Song of the Sea -- An intelligent cartoon that tells a charming story based on Irish mythology.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy -- Re-watched this beauty of a film. Cold, brooding, convoluted, interesting, and more Benedict Cumberbatch.
Call the Midwives -- Another BBC TV series recommended by a work colleague. Very good stories about midwives who live at a nunnery, and birthing babies, in 1950's England. Better watch it Jane if you haven't already. I don't think I will watch anymore, I don't want to see it devolve either.
Zen -- Another BBC TV series about an Italian detective. I could say it is good, but I'm not sure, I might of just got hooked by its charm. Rufus Sewell is charming.
Claire is moving to Minnesota, Christian is moving to Edmonds, Ian is traveling, Roger is back to full speed ahead running, Stephanie is fighting garden weeds, Connor is asking questions with out shame, Jan is burning holes in her new blanket. Don't ask, I feel ashamed.
Book club last night. Nobody read the book Wild. Oil change, pedicure today. I'm making Manhattan Clam Chowder. I keep trying to beef-up my B-12.
I have more past to remember then future to dream about. I blend my dreams into watching Connor grow. That boy sure loves Christian, now that's odd.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Grackles
That is the word that took six weeks to come into my feeble brain. GRACKLES.
When I was in Oklahoma in February for some obscure reason I had a thought about the pest bird that used to flock around Lake Overholser and they would shoot canons off in the neighborhoods to drive them away. No, I don't know what kind of canons, noisy ones without live ammo I assume. Anyway, I could not, could not for the life of me remember the name of that pest bird. I asked around my siblings but we only came up with egrets. I was pretty sure it wasn't egrets but didn't have a clue with what to fill in the blank with. Well, it came to me the other day during a lovely drive around the Puget Sound. GRACKLES.
Like I said, it took six weeks for that freaking word to come to me. It isn't that anything about that bird or memory was important, because it wasn't, it was just a passing thought that stuck and stuck and stuck because I couldn't remember the name. I was told once that when you go through menopause you lose nouns. I'm here to tell you that that is true, true, true. That is my life now. Can't remember, don't know, run into bushes, wobble up the road, forget, misuse mispronounce or mix-up words, drive slow, creak when the weather changes, and can't move furniture by myself any more.
Roger and Connor met Christian and I in Ballard to help me move some furniture from Claire's house to mine. We met at our new favorite El Camion joint. Roger bought me my tacos, beans and rice and we were all enjoying a delicious meal, even Connor, who eats very little, who had just come from an indoor soccer game, was chowing down like a lumberjack. Everyone but me was through eating, I still had a few bites of rice I wasn't leaving behind when Connor asked his daddy in the most disgusted voice imaginable, "Whennn is Grannny goinnng to be donnne?"
Did I mention that as I grow older my progeny gets just a little impatient with me? And Connor has a switch hidden somewhere in his mind. When he is done he is done and it is time to go.
Roger gave me a gift certificate to one of those ceramic paint places and I took Connor for a little Connor/Granny bonding experience. For two hours he very carefully, diligently, patiently painted his Spiderman plate. He had about six minutes of painting left to do when he stood up and said, "Okay, let's go." He would have left it all to walk out the door right then. He would have left the plate, the paint, the painting, and the granny. He is like Christian in that respect and just a little like me. I finished the last six lines of the Spiderman web for him, good granny that I am, and now it is truly a plate we both shared painting. He put thumbprints on my turtle plate, I drew web lines on his. I like that, one of those accidents of the universe, unplanned, but perfect.
Lots of those unplanned but perfect moments in the Taylor clan experiences. Jean's and my power drive through Colorado. Two Disneyland trips. Wine drinking on the bluffs of San Juan Island. A Chicago trip long long ago. Art's fiftieth surprise birthday party Janice pulled off without a hitch. I keep reading Top Ten Lists for everything like what to do in New Zealand, books to read before you die, 2014 movies, reasons to visit Tulsa or OKC or Arkansas or cheap eats in Seattle, and yes, El Camion is one of them, Top ten whatever...
What about top ten family moments? All the family time spent at Jean's as dad lay dying. Janice's sixtieth birthday party, best reunion moments, family traditions, Christmas breakfasts, weddings, funerals, funny Jeff stories, Memorial Day backyard barbecues, funny Jeff stories or rather funny stories Jeff told, or just plain old Jeff stories. I challenge you to come up with a top ten Jeff stories list.
As a family we are so blessed with Jeff, Jean, Jerry, Julia, James, Josephine, Jan, Janice, Mom, Dad. There is a top ten list for you. But wait, what about in-laws, nieces, nephews? Can we come up with ten Mark Harris stories yet, or Chris Miller? The world is filling up with Michael stories. Connor stories. Connor likes indoor soccer better than outdoor soccer because his shoes don't get dirty. Christian remembered how I bought him off soccer with cleats and twenty bucks. Bribery the most underrated parenting tool there is.
I'm glad I don't have to "parent" Connor. I don't have to tell him to brush his teeth, do his homework, get dressed or undressed as the case maybe, The best part of getting "senior" is all I have to do is admire Connor, watch Connor, get a kiss when the mood strikes him, play, talk, listen, and follow him out the door when he is done. Who cares how long it takes to remember the noun grackles?
When God closes one door he opens a window, right?
When one sense diminishes another is strengthened.
When we have done all our parenting bit, we get to relax and enjoy the show.
Top Ten List for reasons becoming a senior citizen rocks.
1. Grand-kids has to top the list
2. Not dead yet
3. Nobody cares how I look, dress, eat, think, or asks why I want to move a trunk and rocking chair to my little condo where I don't have room for another thing. It is my rule, if something comes in the front door something has to go out. So I threw away a paper bird, an empty box, and a rocking chair. It is gone Jean, I loved that rocking chair but it wasn't comfortable for my senior family and friends to sit in, a really low down chair and lots of bad knees is not a good combination. There is a new rocking chair in its place compliments of Claire. And the huge steamer trunk, well I have no reason at all for bringing it home -- just because.
4. Doing things just because
5. Thinking obscure random thoughts which can includes grackles -- just because
6. Reminiscing about family
7. Planning fun stuff; bacon fests, trips to Flathead Lake, so-you-want-to-marry-a-Taylor tests, menus for family dinners, painting plates
8. Following a little one out the door without explanations
9. Lots of play time
10. Grand-kids must end the list also
11. Handing off the living to the next generation
12. Watching the next generation grow
13. Mountain tops, sunsets, water in all its forms, ocean to rivers to Puget Sound, Juan de Fuca strait, waterfalls, full moons, new moons, obscured moons but you know they are there anyway
14. Life, sometimes obscured but you know it is there anyway
15. etc, etc, etc
Who cares about creaky knees and nouns. I've got things to do, places to go, food to eat, and breakfast with Claire in two hours.
The top ten list of reasons becoming a senior citizen sucks will have to wait for another day. Oh by the way, it took me two tries to get Jerry the right name of an author. Nouns are so much trouble!
When I was in Oklahoma in February for some obscure reason I had a thought about the pest bird that used to flock around Lake Overholser and they would shoot canons off in the neighborhoods to drive them away. No, I don't know what kind of canons, noisy ones without live ammo I assume. Anyway, I could not, could not for the life of me remember the name of that pest bird. I asked around my siblings but we only came up with egrets. I was pretty sure it wasn't egrets but didn't have a clue with what to fill in the blank with. Well, it came to me the other day during a lovely drive around the Puget Sound. GRACKLES.
Like I said, it took six weeks for that freaking word to come to me. It isn't that anything about that bird or memory was important, because it wasn't, it was just a passing thought that stuck and stuck and stuck because I couldn't remember the name. I was told once that when you go through menopause you lose nouns. I'm here to tell you that that is true, true, true. That is my life now. Can't remember, don't know, run into bushes, wobble up the road, forget, misuse mispronounce or mix-up words, drive slow, creak when the weather changes, and can't move furniture by myself any more.
Roger and Connor met Christian and I in Ballard to help me move some furniture from Claire's house to mine. We met at our new favorite El Camion joint. Roger bought me my tacos, beans and rice and we were all enjoying a delicious meal, even Connor, who eats very little, who had just come from an indoor soccer game, was chowing down like a lumberjack. Everyone but me was through eating, I still had a few bites of rice I wasn't leaving behind when Connor asked his daddy in the most disgusted voice imaginable, "Whennn is Grannny goinnng to be donnne?"
Did I mention that as I grow older my progeny gets just a little impatient with me? And Connor has a switch hidden somewhere in his mind. When he is done he is done and it is time to go.
Roger gave me a gift certificate to one of those ceramic paint places and I took Connor for a little Connor/Granny bonding experience. For two hours he very carefully, diligently, patiently painted his Spiderman plate. He had about six minutes of painting left to do when he stood up and said, "Okay, let's go." He would have left it all to walk out the door right then. He would have left the plate, the paint, the painting, and the granny. He is like Christian in that respect and just a little like me. I finished the last six lines of the Spiderman web for him, good granny that I am, and now it is truly a plate we both shared painting. He put thumbprints on my turtle plate, I drew web lines on his. I like that, one of those accidents of the universe, unplanned, but perfect.
Lots of those unplanned but perfect moments in the Taylor clan experiences. Jean's and my power drive through Colorado. Two Disneyland trips. Wine drinking on the bluffs of San Juan Island. A Chicago trip long long ago. Art's fiftieth surprise birthday party Janice pulled off without a hitch. I keep reading Top Ten Lists for everything like what to do in New Zealand, books to read before you die, 2014 movies, reasons to visit Tulsa or OKC or Arkansas or cheap eats in Seattle, and yes, El Camion is one of them, Top ten whatever...
What about top ten family moments? All the family time spent at Jean's as dad lay dying. Janice's sixtieth birthday party, best reunion moments, family traditions, Christmas breakfasts, weddings, funerals, funny Jeff stories, Memorial Day backyard barbecues, funny Jeff stories or rather funny stories Jeff told, or just plain old Jeff stories. I challenge you to come up with a top ten Jeff stories list.
As a family we are so blessed with Jeff, Jean, Jerry, Julia, James, Josephine, Jan, Janice, Mom, Dad. There is a top ten list for you. But wait, what about in-laws, nieces, nephews? Can we come up with ten Mark Harris stories yet, or Chris Miller? The world is filling up with Michael stories. Connor stories. Connor likes indoor soccer better than outdoor soccer because his shoes don't get dirty. Christian remembered how I bought him off soccer with cleats and twenty bucks. Bribery the most underrated parenting tool there is.
I'm glad I don't have to "parent" Connor. I don't have to tell him to brush his teeth, do his homework, get dressed or undressed as the case maybe, The best part of getting "senior" is all I have to do is admire Connor, watch Connor, get a kiss when the mood strikes him, play, talk, listen, and follow him out the door when he is done. Who cares how long it takes to remember the noun grackles?
When God closes one door he opens a window, right?
When one sense diminishes another is strengthened.
When we have done all our parenting bit, we get to relax and enjoy the show.
Top Ten List for reasons becoming a senior citizen rocks.
1. Grand-kids has to top the list
2. Not dead yet
3. Nobody cares how I look, dress, eat, think, or asks why I want to move a trunk and rocking chair to my little condo where I don't have room for another thing. It is my rule, if something comes in the front door something has to go out. So I threw away a paper bird, an empty box, and a rocking chair. It is gone Jean, I loved that rocking chair but it wasn't comfortable for my senior family and friends to sit in, a really low down chair and lots of bad knees is not a good combination. There is a new rocking chair in its place compliments of Claire. And the huge steamer trunk, well I have no reason at all for bringing it home -- just because.
4. Doing things just because
5. Thinking obscure random thoughts which can includes grackles -- just because
6. Reminiscing about family
7. Planning fun stuff; bacon fests, trips to Flathead Lake, so-you-want-to-marry-a-Taylor tests, menus for family dinners, painting plates
8. Following a little one out the door without explanations
9. Lots of play time
10. Grand-kids must end the list also
11. Handing off the living to the next generation
12. Watching the next generation grow
13. Mountain tops, sunsets, water in all its forms, ocean to rivers to Puget Sound, Juan de Fuca strait, waterfalls, full moons, new moons, obscured moons but you know they are there anyway
14. Life, sometimes obscured but you know it is there anyway
15. etc, etc, etc
Who cares about creaky knees and nouns. I've got things to do, places to go, food to eat, and breakfast with Claire in two hours.
The top ten list of reasons becoming a senior citizen sucks will have to wait for another day. Oh by the way, it took me two tries to get Jerry the right name of an author. Nouns are so much trouble!
Thursday, March 19, 2015
What If, and Other Mysteries of the Universe
What if?
Jean had become a teacher?
Janice an accountant?
Jerry a forester of some sort?
Jan a writer or artist or fashion designer?
Julia an adventurer?
Jeff? What ever his heart's desire might have been.
I'm sorry Jeff, I haven't a clue.
But "what if" those professions had become our world?
As the speeches at Josephine's funeral were about fearlessness,
Would the speeches at Jean's funeral be any less about love?
Would the speeches at Janice's funeral be any less about success, helping so many financially, her no nonsense, practical, don't tolerate fools attitude?
Jerry's any less about protecting, taking care of, covering the backs of his loved ones?
Mine any less about creativity, flakiness, being an odd ball rebel?
Julia's any less about adventures? Always taking a high road, a low road, a hill climb, driving to TX for fun in full Texas summer heat, or driving to Texas for bird watching (not many you know have done that) driving to California just because, going to the zoo, any zoo, many zoos, wandering around with a child attached to her, whether niece or nephew or son or daughter. Always providing an adventure, an experience -- theatrical or natural or artistic.
Jeff's be any less about his humor, his contentment, helpfulness, his ability to tell a funny story, his ability to take any story and make it funny no matter what or how bad that experience was?
Professions don't make the person. Jane would be a nurse with or without a degree. Tal would be slow moving and thoughtful, reading at all hours of the day and night, never ruffled or overly excited, taking life in stride with an ornery sense of humor intact no matter what, appreciative of human foibles no matter what.
We as siblings and humans are so much more. I don't really know where I am going with these thoughts, just having them, loving my family, thinking of them, appreciating them. Aware of the travails the Milam cousins are having now and thinking of them, appreciating them, wishing them peace.
I watched the Roger Ebert documentary film, Life, Itself, and borrowed this quote: "We must contribute joy to the world. I didn't always know this and I am happy I lived long enough to find this out."
As am I.
Jerry recommended a book, The Colorado Kid. This was a great recommend for me because it helped articulate my beliefs. I believe we are surrounded by the mysteries of life, but become mired down in knowing, absolutely, that our beliefs are right, instead of being wibbel-wobbly about our beliefs, because nothing is certain.
Our great, wide, wild, space and time isn't done yet. The infinity of our great, wide, wild, space and time has many mysteries to reveal. All the stuff humans know 100%, for sure, absolutely, is mostly wrong. Everything changes in space and time. Did you know you are never, never, never supposed to give your infant rice cereal as a first food? Everything changes. If humans, parents, doctors, science, and corporate America can be wrong about so simple a thing as infant rice cereal how exponentially wrong can we be about the Universe, God, infinity?
Stephen King wrote in this book that as humans, "We are in free fall from where ever to ain't-got-a-clue" Or on a sunny February afternoon in Jerry's back yard Jerry mentioned Neil DeGrassi, who suggested, investigation should not stop at God. "Why stop there?"
It is so much bigger than me.
John Houston said, "It is so much bigger than me it would be impertinent to say what it is." Loved that thought 40 years ago, love it today. There is a tendency to fill-in-the-blanks with probable, logical, spiritual, the maybe, the wish-it-were-so, to connect the dots, always striving for absolute understanding. Understandable is comforting, but it ain't necessarily the truth. What if mankind doesn't have answers for another 26,000 years, does that make us less valuable today? A little illumination is lovely, but it's mighty big out there and a small candle of illumination just doesn't shed light on the whole. Even the Sun can't illuminate the whole world. We have come a far piece, got a piece to go.
God, goat, or nothing at all I am all in.
Mystery is enough, for me, for now.
As long as I am in a quoting mood here are two more:
"Worry is the misuse of the imagination." Don't have the author.
Art Buchwald died at age 81, he said what he most regretted in his long life was not eating enough eclairs.
A young friend, Lisa Bruce, posted on Facebook a picture of a huge blackboard wall she found in Mt Vernon with the simple words Before I die I want ______ and then the chalk so anyone wandering by could fill in the blank.
What if we continue to people the world with folks like us; loving, protecting, adventurous, thrifty, healing, studious, content, artistic? Would the world be a bad place?
What if we change things, open ourselves to new experiences, observe, watch, make connections, strive for mindfulness, take time to be alone, chase passionate dreams, ask questions, daydream, take risks, or go with the flow, all part of a list of attributes of creative folks, would the world be worse off?
What if I could make someone happy today?
What if I could sink in mystery today?
What if my three sons came to the family reunion this year?
That would make me happy, that is a mystery I will think about.
"If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together."
African proverb
Jean had become a teacher?
Janice an accountant?
Jerry a forester of some sort?
Jan a writer or artist or fashion designer?
Julia an adventurer?
Jeff? What ever his heart's desire might have been.
I'm sorry Jeff, I haven't a clue.
But "what if" those professions had become our world?
As the speeches at Josephine's funeral were about fearlessness,
Would the speeches at Jean's funeral be any less about love?
Would the speeches at Janice's funeral be any less about success, helping so many financially, her no nonsense, practical, don't tolerate fools attitude?
Jerry's any less about protecting, taking care of, covering the backs of his loved ones?
Mine any less about creativity, flakiness, being an odd ball rebel?
Julia's any less about adventures? Always taking a high road, a low road, a hill climb, driving to TX for fun in full Texas summer heat, or driving to Texas for bird watching (not many you know have done that) driving to California just because, going to the zoo, any zoo, many zoos, wandering around with a child attached to her, whether niece or nephew or son or daughter. Always providing an adventure, an experience -- theatrical or natural or artistic.
Jeff's be any less about his humor, his contentment, helpfulness, his ability to tell a funny story, his ability to take any story and make it funny no matter what or how bad that experience was?
Professions don't make the person. Jane would be a nurse with or without a degree. Tal would be slow moving and thoughtful, reading at all hours of the day and night, never ruffled or overly excited, taking life in stride with an ornery sense of humor intact no matter what, appreciative of human foibles no matter what.
We as siblings and humans are so much more. I don't really know where I am going with these thoughts, just having them, loving my family, thinking of them, appreciating them. Aware of the travails the Milam cousins are having now and thinking of them, appreciating them, wishing them peace.
I watched the Roger Ebert documentary film, Life, Itself, and borrowed this quote: "We must contribute joy to the world. I didn't always know this and I am happy I lived long enough to find this out."
As am I.
Jerry recommended a book, The Colorado Kid. This was a great recommend for me because it helped articulate my beliefs. I believe we are surrounded by the mysteries of life, but become mired down in knowing, absolutely, that our beliefs are right, instead of being wibbel-wobbly about our beliefs, because nothing is certain.
Our great, wide, wild, space and time isn't done yet. The infinity of our great, wide, wild, space and time has many mysteries to reveal. All the stuff humans know 100%, for sure, absolutely, is mostly wrong. Everything changes in space and time. Did you know you are never, never, never supposed to give your infant rice cereal as a first food? Everything changes. If humans, parents, doctors, science, and corporate America can be wrong about so simple a thing as infant rice cereal how exponentially wrong can we be about the Universe, God, infinity?
Stephen King wrote in this book that as humans, "We are in free fall from where ever to ain't-got-a-clue" Or on a sunny February afternoon in Jerry's back yard Jerry mentioned Neil DeGrassi, who suggested, investigation should not stop at God. "Why stop there?"
It is so much bigger than me.
John Houston said, "It is so much bigger than me it would be impertinent to say what it is." Loved that thought 40 years ago, love it today. There is a tendency to fill-in-the-blanks with probable, logical, spiritual, the maybe, the wish-it-were-so, to connect the dots, always striving for absolute understanding. Understandable is comforting, but it ain't necessarily the truth. What if mankind doesn't have answers for another 26,000 years, does that make us less valuable today? A little illumination is lovely, but it's mighty big out there and a small candle of illumination just doesn't shed light on the whole. Even the Sun can't illuminate the whole world. We have come a far piece, got a piece to go.
God, goat, or nothing at all I am all in.
Mystery is enough, for me, for now.
As long as I am in a quoting mood here are two more:
"Worry is the misuse of the imagination." Don't have the author.
Art Buchwald died at age 81, he said what he most regretted in his long life was not eating enough eclairs.
A young friend, Lisa Bruce, posted on Facebook a picture of a huge blackboard wall she found in Mt Vernon with the simple words Before I die I want ______ and then the chalk so anyone wandering by could fill in the blank.
What if we continue to people the world with folks like us; loving, protecting, adventurous, thrifty, healing, studious, content, artistic? Would the world be a bad place?
What if we change things, open ourselves to new experiences, observe, watch, make connections, strive for mindfulness, take time to be alone, chase passionate dreams, ask questions, daydream, take risks, or go with the flow, all part of a list of attributes of creative folks, would the world be worse off?
What if I could make someone happy today?
What if I could sink in mystery today?
What if my three sons came to the family reunion this year?
That would make me happy, that is a mystery I will think about.
"If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together."
African proverb
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Fog, Flowers, Rain and Pizza
It rained in Settle yesterday. I'm using the term rain loosely here, it was more of a get-your-glasses-wet mist. Let's just say it was the first moisture to fall out of the sky in eleven days. I was talking to Kathy and she said she recently experienced a Seattle type day with the low soft grey sky and the soft misty rain. She didn't say she loved it, she said she could live with weather like that. What she hates is the bitter wind, freezing rain, pelting sleet and hail, snow, however, she was experiencing a stunning Texas day at the park with her beloved husband and Avery. She won't be able to visit me in July.
Jerry and Jane won't visit in April. It's okay, the tulips are peaking now. With a record breaking warm December, and then a warm warm February, the jonquil and tulip blooms have taken over Skagit Valley. I don't believe you would have made it in time anyway Jerry. Oh well, there is always next year.
Tal and Julia won't be visiting due to some fishing trip planned.
If I can't ponder company I am left to ponder fog. Love me some soft Mukilteo fog. I leave Seattle in the afternoon in brilliant sunshine and the further North I drive the foggier it gets. Beautiful soft fog starts enveloping the horizon as I leave I-5 and turn North on SR 525 then it gets thicker and thicker. As I pass the ridge and start my little downhill slope to home, on the ferry side of Mukilteo not the QFC side, the fog is complete. Mukilteo with its soft mild perfect temperatures, fog, and flowers. Flowers are blooming everywhere.
The purple rhododendrons are blooming, I don't know why purple always blooms first, but they do. Redbud trees, forsythia, some trees covered in white, I don't know if they are plum, pear or something else entirely, but they are beautiful and in full bloom. Pink, white and purple ground cover is filling the gaps around fences and rock walls. Don't know the name of them either. Trees are getting covered in a soft green fuzz as they thicken and start to leaf out. The first frogs I heard were in January. Hearing the frogs always portends spring to me. Love me some singing frogs. And all those the tulips and jonquils dazzle. Fog, frogs, and flowers awaken my soul.
Seattle at its finest that I'm enjoying while it lasts. Seattle is almost as bad as Oklahoma with "do not trust the weather" tomorrow could bring a snowstorm. We had one in late April once, of course Arkansas beat that with their May snowstorm. Was that last year?
The local pizza place had a sign out front that said 40 million pizzas will be eaten in America today, 40 million! That's a big number and made me curious. What about coffee? A quick search came up with the number of 400 million cups of coffee are consumed by Americans -- every day -- 400 million! I do my share. Americans are the most coffee drinking culture in the world and Seattle has 10 x more coffee shops then the average city. Are you surprised?
I tried to find statistics on sushi but only came up with rules and etiquette on eating sushi. Rules for eating sushi! Did I ever mention how much I hate rules. Bah-humbug, sounds elitist to me. It opens up the world of I'm eating sushi correctly and you aren't, you moron you. When is it okay to use your fingers and when is it okay to use chopsticks, when and how to dip in wasabi or soy sauce, when and how, oh never mind, it makes me angry just thinking about it. Tradition and culture okay, but rules, never.
I am usually opposed to that type of line drawing, elitist line drawing, name calling, bullying, only because it leads to other more heavy handed line drawing. It belittles and demeans, it says I'm okay you aren't, I'm in the right you aren't, I'm smart you aren't. If you can break rules eating sushi you don't stand a chance with other more serious social mores. I believe it can eventually, in the extreme, lead to the environment where it is okay to behead someone for following different rules.
Plaid pants, so what.
Dog meat, so what.
Noxious music, so what.
Conservative neighbors, so what.
Mega church, so what.
I'm not an Okie, so I'm okay.
I'm not fat, so I'm okay.
I'm not a moron like you. so I'm okay.
Jeezus -- now I'm being heavy handed. Where did my singing frogs go?
In life the risks and responsibilities are mine for me alone.
Jerry and Jane won't visit in April. It's okay, the tulips are peaking now. With a record breaking warm December, and then a warm warm February, the jonquil and tulip blooms have taken over Skagit Valley. I don't believe you would have made it in time anyway Jerry. Oh well, there is always next year.
Tal and Julia won't be visiting due to some fishing trip planned.
If I can't ponder company I am left to ponder fog. Love me some soft Mukilteo fog. I leave Seattle in the afternoon in brilliant sunshine and the further North I drive the foggier it gets. Beautiful soft fog starts enveloping the horizon as I leave I-5 and turn North on SR 525 then it gets thicker and thicker. As I pass the ridge and start my little downhill slope to home, on the ferry side of Mukilteo not the QFC side, the fog is complete. Mukilteo with its soft mild perfect temperatures, fog, and flowers. Flowers are blooming everywhere.
The purple rhododendrons are blooming, I don't know why purple always blooms first, but they do. Redbud trees, forsythia, some trees covered in white, I don't know if they are plum, pear or something else entirely, but they are beautiful and in full bloom. Pink, white and purple ground cover is filling the gaps around fences and rock walls. Don't know the name of them either. Trees are getting covered in a soft green fuzz as they thicken and start to leaf out. The first frogs I heard were in January. Hearing the frogs always portends spring to me. Love me some singing frogs. And all those the tulips and jonquils dazzle. Fog, frogs, and flowers awaken my soul.
Seattle at its finest that I'm enjoying while it lasts. Seattle is almost as bad as Oklahoma with "do not trust the weather" tomorrow could bring a snowstorm. We had one in late April once, of course Arkansas beat that with their May snowstorm. Was that last year?
The local pizza place had a sign out front that said 40 million pizzas will be eaten in America today, 40 million! That's a big number and made me curious. What about coffee? A quick search came up with the number of 400 million cups of coffee are consumed by Americans -- every day -- 400 million! I do my share. Americans are the most coffee drinking culture in the world and Seattle has 10 x more coffee shops then the average city. Are you surprised?
I tried to find statistics on sushi but only came up with rules and etiquette on eating sushi. Rules for eating sushi! Did I ever mention how much I hate rules. Bah-humbug, sounds elitist to me. It opens up the world of I'm eating sushi correctly and you aren't, you moron you. When is it okay to use your fingers and when is it okay to use chopsticks, when and how to dip in wasabi or soy sauce, when and how, oh never mind, it makes me angry just thinking about it. Tradition and culture okay, but rules, never.
I am usually opposed to that type of line drawing, elitist line drawing, name calling, bullying, only because it leads to other more heavy handed line drawing. It belittles and demeans, it says I'm okay you aren't, I'm in the right you aren't, I'm smart you aren't. If you can break rules eating sushi you don't stand a chance with other more serious social mores. I believe it can eventually, in the extreme, lead to the environment where it is okay to behead someone for following different rules.
Plaid pants, so what.
Dog meat, so what.
Noxious music, so what.
Conservative neighbors, so what.
Mega church, so what.
I'm not an Okie, so I'm okay.
I'm not fat, so I'm okay.
I'm not a moron like you. so I'm okay.
Jeezus -- now I'm being heavy handed. Where did my singing frogs go?
In life the risks and responsibilities are mine for me alone.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Out of the Ordinary
Once in a golden hour
I cast to Earth a seed
Up there came a flower
The people said a weed. From Tennyson.
It is a weed only by the company it keeps. It all depends on which field you are standing in. In other ground, with other surroundings, it's a grass, or a dandelion, or a fern, or a giant sequoia. The point of grass in a field of something else isn't obvious, but a grass isn't out-of-the-ordinary. A blade of grass, or what ever, thrives where it is planted, it is perfect in all of God's intentions. As am I. As are you.
I became sad in California. There was lots of former-life nostalgia. There were weather reports on TV which listed all the places I had lived. Where Little Lonnie was born. Where Lonnie and Little Lonnie died. Something big was happening in Carson CA so it was on the news every day, every hour it seemed, and that was where the receiving hospital was that accepted the bodies after the accident, both dead and alive. I became sad in California and I haven't quite shaken it yet. But life goes on as it tends to do.
Work, sons, Connor, car (I crunched it and Christian couldn't fix it). My sweet pretty little car now has a ding on it. If it's four feet long is it still called a ding? I've parked in the same place, in the same downtown parking lot, in the same space, space 115, next to the same bushes for years, years, so how is it that on that particular Tuesday morning I side-swiped the bushes -- bad. I heard the crunch going in and then heard the crunch backing out. Oh, have no fear, I did a number on it. It was dark, very dark and I am such an old lady. Or so Christian told me after I complained that Ian thinks I am such an old lady, Christian's response was, well you are.
I started my retirement job which I didn't know I wanted until Tal asked me why I wanted to change jobs during my recent visit to Oklahoma. Thanks Tal, now I know I want to retire but can't afford to, so second choice is get an easier job. I succeeded with that by changing my work schedule from 40 hours a week to 32 hours a week. I just thought I didn't want a long commute, to drive downtown, walk up the hill, stand around in the rain to smoke. I was so wrong.
The living, a living.
So a new life is starting with same days on and same days off, with all vacation time and benefits still firmly in place, same work station, break room, colleagues and bosses, but a new Jan dancing out of there at 1:30 instead of 3:30. I will get back to you on the poorer part.
In life all risks and responsibilities are mine.
Speaking of risks did you know a downtown office building can have Conditions of Entry? "Property is reserved for the use of our patrons and customers. All violations of the Seattle Municipal Code and Revised Code of Washington are prohibited. No entry after business hours without permission of owners." So my downtown office building is about 18 stories tall, the Conditions of Entry notice is about 18 inches square and not even tacked to the back door, but instead at an obscure corner of the building. Talk about the fine print at the bottom of a contract. Beware you might be breaking some official code. Risks, always risks.
Life is a risk isn't it? At Janice's b-day trip as the organ recital began, and continued and continued, I realized I am doomed. Doomed. I was lost in the discussions of Medicare, Medicaid, insurance, what's covered and what isn't, what doctors will take Medicare patients and which won't, what insurance supplements are needed and why. I was lost. I figure the only solution is to hurry and die.
The trip to California, ostensibly to celebrate Janice's birthday, turned into the Janice and Art show. What a show it was. They work in concert like buzzing bees. We had a blast, we talked, ate, some petted the dogs, had delicious meals, delicious fruit, delicious company and watched Janice and Art fuss some more. From the den to the breakfast nook to the backyard patio it was entertainment at its finest. Jerry can make coffee, Art can cook egg McMuffins, pick lemons, walk the dogs, keep Janice's oxygen flowing, work in the garden, monitor roses and tomatoes and just about everything else that needed doing.
It took two drivers, two cars, multiple coupons and we were off. First up for business was the birthday dinner at The Black Angus, then the next night The Soup Plantation, then the third night some fabulous Mexican food but I forget the name of the restaurant. I am such an old lady.
The next day, after the Mexican feast, Jane announced at the back patio door that she was heating up leftovers and if we didn't eat neither would she. Yikes, what a conundrum; I didn't want to starve Jane, but neither did I want the leftovers. Lucky for me Janice and Jean answered the call and I could continue to try, key word here is TRY, to get my blood sugar somewhere closer to normal control. See above paragraph about organ recital. Jane blesses everyone with her caring and attention. What would we do without her. Me? I ate some lousy vegetables instead of delicious Mexican.
Have you heard this story about Jane: Before Jean went into the hospital for two quarts of blood Jerry and Jane had driven over to pick up the Christmas breakfast cookies Jean had made. Jane took one look at Jean and knew she wasn't right, knew she needed more help, knew she was sicker than she admitted. Jean said no she was okay and Jane being respectful left, however she told Jerry on their drive home she just didn't feel right leaving Jean in the physical state she was in. So, in a last ditch effort in caring and attention she called Jean and offered to take her to the emergency room.
Later as Jean was reciting the story she said, I was about to call 911, when 911 called me.
Yep, not every family has it's own personal 911 service. That is our Jane at her finest. She can look at you, a kid, a dog, or a foot and know it isn't well, know it isn't right, know it's time to haul yo' ass to the emergency room. Thank you Jane. We thrive where we are planted perfect in God's intention.
Food and family, two of my favorite things, you can't beat the combination.
Jane is loving, California is shiny, dogs need petting, books need reading, life needs some fussing, life needs some living, life needs, well, life needs some life.
Sons dinner Sunday, I'm making pulled pork. Thank you Brittany for the spice packets. Ian comes home today. My car is still crunched. Connor and I colored, built with Legos, ate dinner, and in general had a delightful evening last night. Jerry is excited that Book Club is planning a retreat to Flathead Lake in Montana, he is going to test if he is a true member of Book Club or not.
Jan's reading gets lighter and lighter as Jerry's gets heavier and heavier. Last fantastic book I read was recommended by Jerry for Book Club; The Pick Up by Nadine Gordimer. Julia if you want to read The Curve of Time I will send you my copy.
Janice loves birds, crossword puzzles, puppies or dogs in general, sweet sentimental commercials, Southern California, a good coupon, family visits, Art, a good laugh. Janice's birthday is over for a year and Art's is looming. March 13th for the old guy.
Life with all its risks and responsibilities, and food and family, does it get any better?
We are all out of the ordinary in the most amazingly ordinary ways.
I cast to Earth a seed
Up there came a flower
The people said a weed. From Tennyson.
It is a weed only by the company it keeps. It all depends on which field you are standing in. In other ground, with other surroundings, it's a grass, or a dandelion, or a fern, or a giant sequoia. The point of grass in a field of something else isn't obvious, but a grass isn't out-of-the-ordinary. A blade of grass, or what ever, thrives where it is planted, it is perfect in all of God's intentions. As am I. As are you.
I became sad in California. There was lots of former-life nostalgia. There were weather reports on TV which listed all the places I had lived. Where Little Lonnie was born. Where Lonnie and Little Lonnie died. Something big was happening in Carson CA so it was on the news every day, every hour it seemed, and that was where the receiving hospital was that accepted the bodies after the accident, both dead and alive. I became sad in California and I haven't quite shaken it yet. But life goes on as it tends to do.
Work, sons, Connor, car (I crunched it and Christian couldn't fix it). My sweet pretty little car now has a ding on it. If it's four feet long is it still called a ding? I've parked in the same place, in the same downtown parking lot, in the same space, space 115, next to the same bushes for years, years, so how is it that on that particular Tuesday morning I side-swiped the bushes -- bad. I heard the crunch going in and then heard the crunch backing out. Oh, have no fear, I did a number on it. It was dark, very dark and I am such an old lady. Or so Christian told me after I complained that Ian thinks I am such an old lady, Christian's response was, well you are.
I started my retirement job which I didn't know I wanted until Tal asked me why I wanted to change jobs during my recent visit to Oklahoma. Thanks Tal, now I know I want to retire but can't afford to, so second choice is get an easier job. I succeeded with that by changing my work schedule from 40 hours a week to 32 hours a week. I just thought I didn't want a long commute, to drive downtown, walk up the hill, stand around in the rain to smoke. I was so wrong.
The living, a living.
So a new life is starting with same days on and same days off, with all vacation time and benefits still firmly in place, same work station, break room, colleagues and bosses, but a new Jan dancing out of there at 1:30 instead of 3:30. I will get back to you on the poorer part.
In life all risks and responsibilities are mine.
Speaking of risks did you know a downtown office building can have Conditions of Entry? "Property is reserved for the use of our patrons and customers. All violations of the Seattle Municipal Code and Revised Code of Washington are prohibited. No entry after business hours without permission of owners." So my downtown office building is about 18 stories tall, the Conditions of Entry notice is about 18 inches square and not even tacked to the back door, but instead at an obscure corner of the building. Talk about the fine print at the bottom of a contract. Beware you might be breaking some official code. Risks, always risks.
Life is a risk isn't it? At Janice's b-day trip as the organ recital began, and continued and continued, I realized I am doomed. Doomed. I was lost in the discussions of Medicare, Medicaid, insurance, what's covered and what isn't, what doctors will take Medicare patients and which won't, what insurance supplements are needed and why. I was lost. I figure the only solution is to hurry and die.
The trip to California, ostensibly to celebrate Janice's birthday, turned into the Janice and Art show. What a show it was. They work in concert like buzzing bees. We had a blast, we talked, ate, some petted the dogs, had delicious meals, delicious fruit, delicious company and watched Janice and Art fuss some more. From the den to the breakfast nook to the backyard patio it was entertainment at its finest. Jerry can make coffee, Art can cook egg McMuffins, pick lemons, walk the dogs, keep Janice's oxygen flowing, work in the garden, monitor roses and tomatoes and just about everything else that needed doing.
It took two drivers, two cars, multiple coupons and we were off. First up for business was the birthday dinner at The Black Angus, then the next night The Soup Plantation, then the third night some fabulous Mexican food but I forget the name of the restaurant. I am such an old lady.
The next day, after the Mexican feast, Jane announced at the back patio door that she was heating up leftovers and if we didn't eat neither would she. Yikes, what a conundrum; I didn't want to starve Jane, but neither did I want the leftovers. Lucky for me Janice and Jean answered the call and I could continue to try, key word here is TRY, to get my blood sugar somewhere closer to normal control. See above paragraph about organ recital. Jane blesses everyone with her caring and attention. What would we do without her. Me? I ate some lousy vegetables instead of delicious Mexican.
Have you heard this story about Jane: Before Jean went into the hospital for two quarts of blood Jerry and Jane had driven over to pick up the Christmas breakfast cookies Jean had made. Jane took one look at Jean and knew she wasn't right, knew she needed more help, knew she was sicker than she admitted. Jean said no she was okay and Jane being respectful left, however she told Jerry on their drive home she just didn't feel right leaving Jean in the physical state she was in. So, in a last ditch effort in caring and attention she called Jean and offered to take her to the emergency room.
Later as Jean was reciting the story she said, I was about to call 911, when 911 called me.
Yep, not every family has it's own personal 911 service. That is our Jane at her finest. She can look at you, a kid, a dog, or a foot and know it isn't well, know it isn't right, know it's time to haul yo' ass to the emergency room. Thank you Jane. We thrive where we are planted perfect in God's intention.
Food and family, two of my favorite things, you can't beat the combination.
Jane is loving, California is shiny, dogs need petting, books need reading, life needs some fussing, life needs some living, life needs, well, life needs some life.
Sons dinner Sunday, I'm making pulled pork. Thank you Brittany for the spice packets. Ian comes home today. My car is still crunched. Connor and I colored, built with Legos, ate dinner, and in general had a delightful evening last night. Jerry is excited that Book Club is planning a retreat to Flathead Lake in Montana, he is going to test if he is a true member of Book Club or not.
Jan's reading gets lighter and lighter as Jerry's gets heavier and heavier. Last fantastic book I read was recommended by Jerry for Book Club; The Pick Up by Nadine Gordimer. Julia if you want to read The Curve of Time I will send you my copy.
Janice loves birds, crossword puzzles, puppies or dogs in general, sweet sentimental commercials, Southern California, a good coupon, family visits, Art, a good laugh. Janice's birthday is over for a year and Art's is looming. March 13th for the old guy.
Life with all its risks and responsibilities, and food and family, does it get any better?
We are all out of the ordinary in the most amazingly ordinary ways.
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