May 10, 2012 |
I’ve been wanting a bird bath for almost three years. There was an old plastic one cemented into the ground when I moved in. But it was plastic. In cement. In an awkward place. Needless to say, it was promptly removed and disposed of.
Which left my dirt yard in want of an oasis.
So today Mom and I went to K-Mart and I found this great, short blue marbled ceramic bird bath. We bought it and brought it home. Did I mention it was short?
I placed it in the corner of the makeshift flowerbed under my living room window then went inside. I sat in my Writing Chair off the corner of the living room and looked out the window. The love seat was in the way. The bird bath was too short.
So I went back outside. I moved the bird bath and laid two large bricks, side by side, on their sides, for a base. I moved the bird bath back on top the bricks. I went back inside. I sat in my Writing Chair. The bird bath was still too short.
So I went back outside. I moved the bird bath. Again. I laid two medium bricks, side by side, on their sides, on top the two large bricks. I moved the bird bath back. Again. I went back inside and sat in my Writing Chair. Again. The bird bath was still too short.
I decided to move my love seat. But the only place to put it is where my Writing Chair is. So I moved my Writing Chair. And end table. And vacuumed the floor. And moved the loveseat away from the window. And vacuumed the floor. And moved my Writing Chair in front of the living room window.
The loveseat does not look good where it is. I have to turn my neck back to look out the window. There’s no place for the ottoman.
So I thought about doing that feng shui thing. But I don’t know how. I don’t even really know what it is. But right now, I think my living room has exploded. I’m living proof that the chaos theory is real. And I’m really, really not sure how to fix it. Now that the floors are clean, if I move the furniture back I need to make sure the furniture is also clean. [READ: vacuum fur from five cats off the fabric, and wash the throw blankets and find slipcovers or sheets to further protect everything.]
So half of my living room is a disaster and the other half is in a holding pattern, waiting to see what lands where. And how.
And all I really wanted was just a blue bird bath. Who knew the chaos that would ensue?! But then again, it’s me… this should have been expected.
[Update: it’s three hours later. The bird bath has been moved further out into the yard, closer to the trees. The birds are already much cleaner. The furniture has been moved back to where it all was. It’s much cleaner. The vacuum… well… I’m waiting for the day that vacuums can clean themselves.]
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 9, 2012 |
Welcome to this week’s What’s the Word? Wednesday: a linky that allows other bloggers to share whatever is on their minds that they want to talk about. Think of it as a virtual coffee date with some great friends. What’s going on in your world? Tell us all about it!
This week we have a theme: Moms. Mothers. Mommas. Mommies. Madres.
In honor of the upcoming Mother’s Day celebrations this Sunday, link up whatever posts you have that give honor to these great women. Do you love your Mom? Are you a Mom? Neither, but know a Mom? Do you have a Mom story you want to share? Whatever you want to write about Moms, go ahead and link it up here.
Here’s my contribution:
The Top Twenty Reasons I Love My Mom
20. She makes the best egg salad ever.
19. She is an awesome grandma to my daughter.
18. She helped fix up my house before I even moved in by painting and cleaning with me.
17. She understands me when I just look at her without speaking.
16. She doesn’t get upset when I call her five times in half an hour.
15. She doesn’t get upset when I forget to call her about something important.
14. She lets me drive her around town while listening to my music.
13. She buys me awesome CD’s like Celtic Thunder and Andrea Bocelli.
12. She invites us over every time she tries a new recipe.
11. She’s not allergic to our cats.
10. She buys me a new Nutcracker every Christmas.
9. She likes my friends.
8. We have amazing talks about God and faith and the state of the world.
7. We have amazing laughs about everything else.
6. She introduced me to the written word.
5. She supports my creative career choice.
4. She contributed a lot to The Unemployment Cookbook.
3. She makes the best Chocolate Cherry Cake for everyone’s birthday.
2. Even though it’s really not her style, she tried watching “FLASHPOINT” just because it means so much to me.
And the Number One reason I love my Mom:
She puts on a pot of coffee for us to drink together and talk.
Every. Single. Day.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
NOTE: All What’s the Word? Wednesday Blog Hops are open from Wednesday through the following Tuesday. So if you don’t have a post or comment today, that’s okay. You can link up any time before the next Blog Hop starts! Next week there’s no theme, so feel free to chat about everything that’s on your mind.
May 8, 2012 |
There is so much I want to write and share with you! So much I’m learning about my writing, my God, my self. So much that’s stuck inside my head and I’m so overwhelmed right now that I can’t get it out coherently enough to let anyone else in on it just yet.
There have been some extraordinary events in the last week, and I’m more than excited about what this summer is going to bring, and I can’t wait to let you in on it.
But for now, it’s all stuck in my head. Something that I realized this weekend is that I don’t have to rush my words out the door. If I have a thought or two, it’s okay to not cast it immediately into the blogosphere. It’s okay to make notes (real, not just mental) and keep them and feed them and let them grow and add more and turn them into a community of thoughts. And then weed them. And then prune them. And then, finally, when it’s perfect, put them on display.
And so that’s what I’m going to be doing. Less nonsensical blogging. More real writing. I intend for my blog to get off this track it’s been on lately: the I-have-nothing-to-really-say-so-I’ll-ramble type of post. From now on, I’ll have more to offer. More recipes (yea!). More posts about some great people I know or want to know. More giveaways. More substance.
But I’m also going to be doing more real writing that you won’t see… yet. And that’s another part I’m excited about.
So there may be days now and then where I won’t post. Hopefully I will. Hopefully I’ll have more than enough to write to share. I know you do! Whether it’s in comments or your own blog, I love reading your words.
This, thankfully, should be my last nonsensical rambling post. But I still thank you for reading it!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 7, 2012 |
I’m falling in love with apples. I can’t explain my newest obsession, except to state that that I’m just really falling in love with apples!
I just got back from Women’s Retreat with my church. It was a great weekend, as expected. And then something slightly awkward happened. During the final session, just before we left to go home, I ended up with some great writing ideas.
There I am, singing praise with my friends, and I’m struck with the overwhelming urge to write it out. I’m sure I was a bit distracting to those around me. It’s not unlike me to make small notes wherever I am, and that does include church. But these were no mere notes. By the time I was done (about five minutes), I’d hashed out four pages of scribbles.
What’s all this got to do with apples? Nothing more than I recently was talking with my friend Mary and had told her I love saying, “How do you like them apples?!” whenever something is going on but I can’t quite voice it. It could be a secret I have. It could just be that my thoughts aren’t connecting with the page. It’s also a shout-out to another great TV show, The West Wing. Character Amy Gardner (played by Mary-Louise Parker) was known for saying, “How do you like them apples?!” especially when trying to prove she’s right.
Since I’ve been watching my West Wing DVD’s lately, I’ve reacquainted myself with Amy and her go-getter attitude. And her phrase.
I mentioned this to Mary, and to my delight, she posted this photo for me on facebook:
Apples are great. And I was inspired to write about them in my scribbles this morning. But I was also inspired to keep their wholesome goodness to myself. At least for a while. At least until I can gather more material and make something quite substantial out of it.
You’re just gonna have to trust me. This is gonna be great. I promise.
So. You know I gotta ask:
How do you like them apples?!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 6, 2012 |
It’s not really Sunday for me. But it is for you. I’m writing this now because I’m still (will be still) on Retreat.
I’m watching FLASHPOINT episodes on my DVR. It’s so bittersweet. I can directly relate so much of my life before-and-after FLASHPOINT. Before, I wanted to write. I watched TV. I didn’t really talk to strangers online. After, I am a writer. I am committed to my writing. And I’ve made so many friends through FPTO. People I’ve never actually met, but who are nicer to me than some real people I know/knew.
I deleted some friends from my life last week: facebook, twitter, email, and in general. It was an awkward moment when I saw one in public and she asked why. It’s not that I am antisocial again. It’s that I carefully choose who I associate with.
I started actually writing material again. Short stories. So in a month, or hopefully even less, I can start submitting to magazines and contests and see where that takes me.
I’m looking forward to Women’s Retreat. Which, by the time you read this, is where I’ll be.
Next Wednesday, my blog’s “What’s the Word? Wednesday” theme will be all about Mom’s. I’m excited for that, and I really hope to get a great number of links to read Mom Stories from everyone.
Well, now I have to finish cleaning the house and packing for retreat and then I’m off to watch Dot in her high school play. She graduates in four weeks so it’s a whirlwind around here coordinating parties and Grad Nite and events and finals and dentists and visits and everything else… but it’s a good whirlwind.
I love my Daughter. She’s always amazing me. She’s so awesome. Sometimes I take a step back and see her as more of a person than just my daughter, and I’m taken by surprise. If she wasn’t my daughter, I’d want her to be. I really would.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
