It Was A Good Week

It was a good week.   
...youngest had his continuation ceremony today and is now a middle schooler
...received the President's Award of Excellence
...got to leave school early
...picked up his baritone for the summer
...was excited to see his report card


...oldest got his cast off
...is smiling bright after a long seven weeks of no baseball and summer ball around the corner
...finished studying for finals and ended the week with a perfect score on his geometry final
...has been happily eating watermelon with friends
...was excited to see his report card


Life is good.


Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend.

Do You Need A New Deck Too?

Our neighbors recently tore down their old deck and built a new one that is beautiful.  They put it up a few months ago so it would be ready in time for the summer and ready it is.  It looks wonderful.  You can smell the wood when it rains. 

Our deck is loved.  It’s in great condition, but could use a power spraying and a new coat of stain. Now that I look out onto the deck, the grill is a little old too.  Ok, it’s really old and think a wasp family has taken up residence inside the lid.  Maybe we should redo our deck this summer and get us a new grill?

…….

It’s that simple.   That’s how the train of thought begins; someone has something new, someone is traveling to an exotic place, someone is going back to school, someone is opening a new on-line store, and the list goes on.   We are sucked in to the mindset that what we have, where we are, what we’re doing and even who we are, isn’t good enough.  

We should have what they have.  We should go where they are going.  We should do what they are doing.  We should be who they are.  Why do we tell ourselves these things?

Our nature is to compete and improve, which I think isn’t always a bad thing.  That is, if you’re competing with yourself and trying to open your mind to new things or listening to your heartstrings for direction.  

We need not to worry about what everyone else is accomplishing but rather listen to our own lives and do what we feel we need. 

Maybe that means seeking more knowledge for a career. Maybe that means spending less time in front of the tv.  Maybe that means sitting alone in the park writing.  Maybe that means getting a second job to pay for a dream vacation.  Maybe that means getting a new deck.

We matter just where we are, right now.  We are enough.   You are enough.  I am enough.  Read it again. You are enough.  Any improvements you chose to make upon yourself are just fluff, because the core you, the real you, is enough.

It’s that simple.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy when it comes to valuing ourselves.  If I had her long legs, I’d be better.  If I had his bank account balance, I’d be happier.  If I went to Figi life would be more enjoyable.  If I had as many friends as she has, I’d smile more.  We continue to tell ourselves these non-truths (for lack of a better word) and believe them.  We believe we aren’t ok as we are right now, in my 15 year old sleep t-shirt with the hold under the arm, green fuzzy socks, and my hair in a messy ponytail.  Well, guess what?  I am ok.  Right now.

Where we are on our paths is just that.  Where we are on our path.  Every road is different and when we start believing that old saying….”The grass is always greener on the other side,” is when we get ourselves in trouble.  Enjoy your path.  Live your path.  No other path is like it.  You are on a unique journey.

Not one path in this life is alike.  Not one.  

And, for the record, I don’t need a new deck or a new stainless steel grill with all the bells and whistles.  I can enjoy the sun on the loved deck just fine sitting next to our good ‘ole  grill.

If You're A Bettin' Kind Of Fella

We just finished fishing as the graupel (yes it is a real word) started to hit us in the face.  Fishing in the mountains is always unpredictable.  You can have snow in July, rain in December and yes, graupel in May. (I know you looked it up.  I saw you.)

We piled into the car and tossed the fishing poles into the back along with the snack bag, folding chairs, umbrella, gloves, hats, scarves, fishing net and the tackle box.  Fishing requires “stuff”.  We decided to show our niece, who was visiting, the other two little reservoirs on the mountain and enjoy a short little drive in the mountains.  We made the turn and started the winding switchbacks down, then up, then down again until our oldest asked us to stop.  His hand still smelled like fish and wanted to wash it a little with the remaining water bottle water out the door. 

We stopped. He washed (as best as you can when you have a cast on your arm). We continued. Fish smell now tolerable.

My husband slowed as we came to the top of the road where we waited for a huge F450 like truck to move along and finish their sightseeing.  The clouds had moved in and the rain was due any moment as we showed her some of our other fishing spots and how low the water line was.  

Just then, our fishy hand boy asked if I had his phone, which I did not.  He frantically searched his pockets, patted down his jacket, unbuckled and searched the seat when he remembered he heard a “gravel” like sound when we stopped for him to wash his hand.

(This is when I took a deep breath and shook my head and did everything I could not to roll my eyes at him.) 

”You heard a ‘gravel’ sound?” 

“Yeah, when we stopped.  I bet it fell out of the car.”

Well, let’s just say, if you’re a bettin’ kind of fella, this is a hands down sure thing put everything you have left on this bet.  You are sure to come out smellin’ like a rose and not fish.

We couldn’t turn around as it was a one-way loop, so continued into the loop one more time and slowly made our way around the corner, only to see our Mr. F450 in front of us making the loop once again as well.  We all sat on the edges of our seats and peered out the windows looking for a “flat” phone, when my husband spotted it face down.  He stopped and our son opened his door and let out a huge sigh of relief as his picked it up with no scratches, no broken screen and no F450 tire marks.  

(You can make your way to the betting window to collect your winnings now.)

One lucky kid.   He said someone must have been looking out for him and we all smiled and I shook my head once again and know I rolled my eyes in disbelief.  That is one lucky kid.

Well, I know you think the story ends here…but it doesn’t.

We made our way back to the house and our youngest begged to have a fire in the fire pit to finish off the cool damp day.   It felt wonderful and we all curled up in our chairs and watched the flames and the smoke and laughed again how lucky our son was to have found his phone unscathed.   The night settled in and the fire smoldered as we headed in for the night.

An hour passed.

While I was tucking in our youngest for the night, our oldest hollers from the doorway with the home phone in his hand, “Hey, mom, I’ll be right back.  I’m gonna go outside for a minute.” 

Outside at 10 o’clock at night?  Does he really think I’m not going to question that?  I peered out the bedroom window to see him walking around in the dark with the home phone to his ear. 

Are you kidding me?  Did he really lose his phone AGAIN? Twice in  one day?  I started laughing and just watched him look under the chairs, around the fire pit, in the grass, on the deck.  I couldn’t stop smiling. 

He came back in and finally told us he couldn’t find his phone and we just laughed.  He called it over and over again and then heard it buzzing in the closet.   It was in the coat pocket of my jacket.  How it got there, we will never know.  (Or should I say, I will never tell!)

We all had a good laugh and headed upstairs for the night.  The day had finally came to a close.  I couldn't stop thinking how lucky that kid is if I say so myself.  Someone is definitely looking out for him.  Definitely.

Lost and Found

 the earl grey simmers hot

spiraling steam sneaks into the empty space above the chipped cup

creamy white dances softly into the aroma

sweetness measured without thought

cool fingers warmed by the delightful energy

savory sips enlighten senses

time is lost

balance now found

Friday Photos

Here are a few photos I’ve taken over the last two weeks.  No real rhyme or reason to them, just some everyday moments, some “trying to be creative” moments, and some “try out Instagram” moments.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Playing soccer, doing laundry, resting and studying for finals over in our corner of the world.  

Happy Friday.

I'm Tempted

Today is my kind of day.  It’s cool, but not cold, wet, but not raining, cloudy but not dark.  I am tempted to turn the gas fireplace on and curl up with one of my ten books I’m in the middle of and wrap my feet in a blanket and just enjoy. Very tempted.

I have a list of about twenty-seven things that need to get done in the next few days.  The boys’ closets are bursting at the seams, the litter boxes need tending to, (oh how they need tending to), the aquarium is beginning to look like a science fair project on algae, the laundry, oh how I detest love laundry, the chicken breasts are still frozen solid, the aeration bill is still sitting on the counter waiting to be paid, the bathtub ring in the boys’ bathroom is beginning to look like, well, let’s just say it’s not pretty, and the dry cleaning has been sitting in the closet for two too many days. 

Yet, I’m so tempted.

So, tempted.

Maybe I could compromise with myself. 

I could put the chicken breasts out to thaw, start another load of laundry, pay the bill quickly on-line and then take an hour and a half and enjoy my book and still have time to get to the rest of my to-do list. 

I’m tempted.

How many times do I get the house to myself, on a cool, wet day?  Four a year maybe?  How could I disappoint the day and not enjoy its gift to me, right?   That would be rude.  You’re never supposed to be rude when you receive a gift, are you?  That’s just not polite.

Hmmm.

I think I just might have to negotiate with the cats as to which end of the coach I get to sit on.   Ok, I’ll just take the other end and skip the negotiating.  After all, there’s really no negotiating with a sleeping cat, is there?  Hope you get to do something you enjoy today.

Happy Weekend

I just finished a month long e-course with Liz Lamoreux called Poem It Out.  It was a wonderful experience and so enjoyed every aspect of it.  I’ve taken a liking to poetry and never thought I would. 

Surprising.  Inspiring.  Motivating.  Peaceful. 

This weekend, I am hoping to write a bit and take some time to reflect on my writing and where it’s going.  It’s been interesting for me to reread several of my posts from the last two years and see how my writing has changed some. 

Something for me to ponder, I guess. 

I have been enjoying the beautiful weather each day and hope you will enjoy your weekend and take time to smell all the beautiful blooming flowers and sip some tea and breathe in deeply over in your corner of the world.

Happy Weekend.

beautiful flowers from my brother and sister-in-law

Oh Shadow Of Mine

Where are you going today?

What lies around the next corner for you?

Who will cross your path in the next moment?

What steps will you take in this hour?

Will you walk with purpose?

Will you find your way?

Will you amble until you do?

Will you sit and wonder which way to turn?

What hill are you climbing so quickly today?

Where will you wander?

Will you stay on the path, the sidewalk?

Will you stray to the wet grass beside it?

Where will you be at the end of your walk?

Where are you going today?