Thank you . . . .

. . . . . for the kind words you have said about my poetry. I truly don't know where it comes from - sometimes it is so in my head that it drives me nuts because I can't get it to paper fast enough. The poetic thoughts usually present themselves at the most inopportune times: I'm driving, showering, doing dishes or trying to go to sleep. By the time I dry my hands, pull over or get out of bed the lovely words that were dancing in my brain have become like a jigsaw puzzle. I can get most of them down on paper but not in the way they originally presented themselves. I can get pretty close sometimes, but usually they leave me as quickly as they came. It's like trying to catch the "elusive butterfly"! So . . . I have purposed to try to keep pen and paper near by - just in case!

And a small confession: I didn't write "Winter" at 5:30 in the morning. I wrote it late in the afternoon the day before (over a course of time). And since blogging posts date when you start them, I din't want that. So I "post" posted for the next morning. Sorry - I'm not very creative or awake that early!

MY Poetry

"Winter"

Winter looks down
Thru skies dark and drear
Hindering us from feeling
Spring is so near.

He mocks as we scurry
In a haste to escape
The cold blasts of air
That slaps at our face.

He snickers as we slide
On the ice he's laid down
As we struggle to balance
Lest we might hit the ground.

He chides as we fight
With wind driven rain
Our umbrellas twisting and bending
As if playing a game.

But he pouts as a child
Who can't get his way
When Spring overtakes him
And sends him away!

Crickett

"I Can. . . . .

. . . . therefore I should"

paint on canvas
draw still life
quilt 'til my heart's content
sing unto the Lord all day long
walk every day
smile at strangers
turn off the idiot box and read
seek answers
grow friendships
ignore silly worries
write poetry
read poetry
send hand written notes
day dream
be quiet
be thankful for the little things
listen to the still small voice inside me
stop and smell the roses
pray on impulse
say "I love you" more often
wear make up even if I'm not going anywhere
eat dark chocolate because I lOVE it!
be spontaneous
allow myself to cry



laugh more. . . . .linger longer. . . . .love deeper

"Ode to my Electrolux"!

Although I'm not writing this in a poetic form - my vac is deserving of being remembered!
She went to the great appliance place in the sky on January 15, 2010. She will be sadly missed.
She served me well for over 35 years! Not a complaint to be heard!
She wasn't a prissy upright, just a lowly canister (which worked to her advantage quite often).
She gladly chased the dust bunnies, the hair balls, the muddy prints left by those who "didn't do it!", the cob webs and anything else that came along in the line of duty.
She was a mischievous lady and lived to suck up such things as: Barbie shoes, hair ribbons and rubber bands, pennies, marbles, paper clips or anything tiny someone would unwittingly leave lying around!
The kids would love to trail along behind her and let her powerful exhaust blow their hair all over the place or just in their faces! We even used that expelled air to blow up our air mattresses - such a friend.
She would tease animals by sucking on their fur or their tail - never would she have thought about harming them. Figured she could give them a good grooming!
She wasn't prejudice. She would vacuum the car as compliantly as she would vacuum the house. She didn't mind being drug outside or up and down the stairs. It was, after all, her job.
She lived thru several hose changes. We did have to replace her cord rewind - it just gave out on her - causing her to be two different shades of blue but she was okay with that. We opted to give her a "hand" by winding the cord ourselves for her. Less stress as she was aging. As we purchased replacement bags for her the sales people urged us to upgrade to a more efficient model. The nerve - no "modern day marvel" is going to give me the service this ole gal does! We'll take our chances, thank you.
But the inevitable came this past Friday. She was moving along until she became unplugged. When I plugged her in, she wouldn't start. (she had been a little hesitant a couple times during the week) When the great mechanic came home for lunch I figured all would be well. He "opened her up", jiggled her switch and said: "That's all I can do. Hopefully she will last for a while." So after Dr. Scratch went back to work I started her up. True to her devotion to me, she started. But she didn't last long. I had to let her go :(
I don't believe I was nearly as devastated when the dishwasher left this world as I am over my "Little Lady".

January

January is half over. Can you believe it? ? It seems only yesterday I was running like mad to get prepared for Christmas. I know spring is just around the corner - days are getting longer, and although past days have been bitterly cold we have had some mild ones this week, and I have even seen buds on some trees! It's also a distinct feeling in my spirit that I can't quite get into words right now. Almost an anticipation, if you will. I realize we still have a lot of winter left, but the feeling is there just the same. So I will just enjoy the days as they come because before I can blink it will be Winter again!

PS - feeling a poetic mood coming on :)

"waddle, waddle, quack, quack . . . ."

After much thought and deliberation with my self I've decided to share something with you, my friends. Friends being the operative word, here. It takes all my strength and courage to do this, but I can't get this "trauma" off my mind and I think sharing it will help me heal faster.

I was in Wal-Mart (my least favorite place in the world) around Christmastime with Helena and this trauma has prevented me from remembering who else was with me or what I was there for. The following conversation with Helena caused me much humiliation and my mind went reeling and all sense of purpose stopped!
We are walking towards the garden shop and I am holding her hand. All's innocent and all's well - so I thought.
Out of the blue, she looks up at me and asks - "Mom-mom, why are you waddling?" (insert screeching halt here) Not in a "cute" way mind you, but in a way you would ask a child - "Why are you doing that?". My mind immediately conjured up images of the soft, yellow, web-footed thing.
I wasn't quite sure I heard what I heard and thought about not saying anything, lest I should "quack".
But. . . couldn't leave well enough alone - nope, not me.
So I said - "Waddling? Do you even know what that means?" (stupid question #1) "Yes", says she, oh wise one. So I said (should've known better) "Show me, then."
No problem here - she's quite happy to oblige as she holds her arms stiff to her side and proceeds to waddle like a duck! Oh, the horror in my heart! That can't be me, I'm thinking as I am looking around! (is anyone else privy to this conversation?)
Unable to keep quiet, I ask - "How should I walk?" (stupid question #2)
Ah - "Little Miss I have the World Under Control" proceeded to walk like a prim (almost military) and proper little lady. "Like this", she says.

Now, in my defense: I was wearing a bulky coat, holding a slightly heavy purse and the hand of "Little Miss Proper". So I could have (more than likely) been off balance. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Mmmmm . . . .Sweet Potatoes!

Alicia - this is for you!
We had some very yummy sweet potatoes for dinner tonight - thanks to your mom.
So sorry she forgot them here and we just had to eat them before they went bad - but - I did think of you with every bite I took!
I baked them, buttered them and enjoyed them! ! ! ! mmmm. . . . .
Best beta carotene this side of the bay bridge! ! !
Oh - and we had salmon with them too - doesn't get any better than that!

Ta ta

Ulterior Motives

I do believe my computer has an ulterior motive. I'm not usually one that looks for motives or suspects someone is out to get me, but in this case, I'm not so sure. I "browse" a lot (well, not a lot) on Overstock, Amazon, Ebay - you get the picture. Whenever I sign into my email account anymore I've noticed similar items that I have looked at appearing on my sidebar ? ? ? I thought it was just coincidence. I'm thinking: "Hey look, they advertise things I'm interested in! How cool is that?"
But, I just logged off Facebook and as I was doing so I again noticed similar items on the sidebar there that I have perused in the past. Hmmm. . . . .
Then it dawns on me that these sights are "stalking" me! ! ! The nerve, the audacity, the invasion of privacy, the scary thought, the "how do they do that?" of it all! ! !
Isn't anything "sacred" anymore? Can't one just chat with friends without being subjected to big business "creeping"?
I feel - so - vulnerable - and - stupid
I guess you can't stop modern technology ~ ~

Meltdown

Helena had a major meltdown this morning. She had it in her mind - she just couldn't go to school. It was too long. Someone there was mean to her (as is always the case when one has no other reason to stay home). She came to me and said mommy said she could stay home if it was okay with me - hmmmm. . She even tried pulling Rease into her scheme by urging her to ask her mommy if she could stay home too. I sent Helena back to her mommy and said the call was hers. Well in a plethora of tears she confessed mommy wouldn't let her stay home. But I could see the wheels turning:

"Mom-mom, when mommy goes to work you can let me stay." (sticky place, sticky place)

Being the "good" Mom-mom that I am - I said "no". :(

So the last 10 minutes of the morning were spent listening to her pleas. And when they didn't work, she succombed to putting on winter gear and book bag and headed to the bus stop with Rease and I.

She was, thankfully, smiling when she got on the bus and all signs of trauma were gone. (I think the snow flurries helped a bit!)

My 2010 "Goals"

I didn't make "resolutions" this year. No need to. Won't keep them anyway. But, I do want to make goals for myself. Small goals can lead to big results if done properly :) (I think)

• start eating right - more fruits and vegies, less red meat, try to limit myself to 2-3 cups of coffee daily,drink lots more water and exercise and start walking again - won't give up dark chocolate, though (that would send me over the edge)
• finish scrapbooking the things I have in progress and organize my supplies so I know what I actually have - I would truly like to have a designated area for this stuff since the girls are big scrapbookers and "card" makers
• Sarah wants to make a quilt when she comes back for summer vacation - this means I need to organize all my sewing supplies and make sure my machine is in good running condition. I also need to finish some sewing projects that are in the "works".
• paint the "pink" bedroom, sun room, bathroom and kitchen - hmmm - Ben wants to "rework" my kitchen - we'll see
• clean out all closets and discard or donate items I haven't used or seen in years!
• and most importantly - start and end my day in conversation with God.

It's a short list with big projects that mean lots of time and effort but will be well worth the results. I figure if I do a little here and a little there and don't "have too many sticks in the fire" at once, I should be able to "get 'er done!".

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

It is so cold outside that the condensation on the windows is freezing. With the wind chill, it's in the single digits and it looks like we may have a few days of this. We can't even have a fire in the fireplace because the wind is so strong and gusty! No cozy here - no sir!
I'm trying not to complain about the cold because before we know it, it'll be summer with 90+ temps. I'm just not looking forward to the walk to the bus stop in the morning :( Hopefully the wind will have died down some so we won't freeze in our tracks, or worse yet, blow away - lol! ! !

Jenny made her trek home yesterday. She ran into some very nasty weather in the mountains. I was worried sick - knots in my stomach - prayed non-stop. Bad enough she had to leave, but nasty, blinding snow on the interstate - no fun.

How Did You Ring in the New Year?!

Everybody was gone at my house with the exception of Bob, Jenny and me. (Ben left after we ate.) We had a pretty quiet, maybe even boring to some, evening. We enjoyed great, greasy, mouth watering subs (mine & Jenny's was cheese steak - lettuce, tomato, pickle, mayo & fried onions!) from Red Door (the best place in town to get subs!). You know the kind - you need a roll of paper towels to keep up with all the stuff that falls out and slides down your fingers! mmmmm. . . .total comfort food! Served with chips and Bob's ice tea! Haven't had a sub like that in forever, and since I have to start a serious diet tomorrow (or today, should I say), what the heck? Might as well send 2009 out in style :). Before, during, and after our greasy, cheesy treat, we watched the Three Stooge marathon until 11:50, then switched over to Dick Clark to watch the ball drop! What a different New Year's Eve for me. I enjoyed the food, laughter and quiet moments we shared. Hopefully yours was as special.