There is nothing that remotely compares to being a parent. On one hand, it can be challenging, exasperating, painful, exhausting, heartbreaking, and disappointing. On the other hand, it can be incredibly rewarding. I haven’t accomplished much in my life to speak of, aside from my role as a mother; however, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I couldn’t be more proud of my children and who they have become. This bouquet was delivered to my doorstep yesterday (courtesy of my oldest son). I never imagined, when he was a defiant teenager in high school, that he would ever become the generous, thoughtful, loving man that he is today. You parents out there with teenagers, just know that there is hope!
May 11, 2021 – When it sounds too good to be true.
My poor husband. Last week, I was the one in turmoil. This week, it’s his turn. As part of his routine, he gets on the computer and checks Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and the local classifieds (on average) 2-6 times each and every day. He is on the search for the ‘perfect boat’. Immediately after we sold the boat he’d brought back from the dead, he bought a kayak (via Craigslist). After watching a local kayak fisherman’s YouTube videos, he was convinced that having a fishing kayak was ‘the way to go’. Turns out, it doesn’t quite meet all of his needs. He’s already spent hours watching videos on how to ‘improve’ the kayak; if he attaches a trolling motor, he won’t be limited to small lakes any longer. The motor would also serve as a back-up if he got tired of pedaling or paddling. All that said, (according to my husband) if he gets an actual boat, he won’t need to worry about making further modifications to his kayak. He can use the kayak for small bodies of water and the boat for large bodies of water. Seems simple enough, right?
Continue reading “May 11, 2021 – When it sounds too good to be true.”May 10, 2021 – Photo
If I could have special ordered the weather, I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. My hubby took me out to lunch for Mother’s Day and then we went to a local park so I could take some photos. I got some real beauties! This is one of my favorites.
May 9, 2021 – Things I Ponder
Each day, things come to my attention that I cannot help but wonder about. Why am I the way I am and is there any hope for me? Why were spiders created and why do they torment me so? Will I ever figure out what I want from life or will it forever elude me? Why do dog farts smell so bad? Why does it usually rain right after I wash my car? When I die, will any of my relatives be waiting to greet me (on the other side)? When people sleep, how is it possible for them to make such unusual sounds with their mouths? Why on earth were avocado green and burnt orange ever trendy colors for appliances and carpet? How come mental illness runs in families and will I end up certifiably nuts like my father? Why do people care about ‘the Royals’? Even more perplexing, why do people care about that ‘reality show’ family with all of the Ks in their names? And lastly, why is my friend M’s sister getting a glass eye with a witch sitting on a pumpkin painted on it?
Continue reading “May 9, 2021 – Things I Ponder”May 8, 2021 – Photo
This is yet another photo of Cinque Terre, one of the most beautiful and tranquil places I’ve ever travelled to. If it weren’t for the fact that my husband and I got into a huge argument on the way there as a result of repeatedly failing to take the correct turn in the traffic circle (that would have brought us to the train station), it would have been an unblemished trip. If we’d had a GPS navigator to help us find it easier, life would have gone much smoother. Instead, since there weren’t any available at the rental car agency, we were advised to ‘follow our nose’ by the agent. I have determined that my nose isn’t very reliable as a navigation device (unless it involves chocolate).
May 7, 2021 – On the outside looking in.
I don’t know what it is about me but I feel like for the better part of my life, I’ve been ‘on the outside looking in’. It’s almost as if the world is a swimming pool filled with people (splashing about and laughing) and they’re all calling out to me, “Come on in, the water’s fine!” while I watch from a distance, shaking my head and refusing to budge. “Uh…no thanks. I’m good,” I reply, my feet planted firmly beneath me. It’s hot and humid outside and I’m sweating profusely, even though I’m standing in a shady spot beneath a tree. The idea of taking a dip in some cool water seems mighty appealing, however, there’s no way I’m getting in that pool! I’d rather stand there all day and die from dehydration or heat stroke rather than get in that pool with all of those people. Truthfully, as many opportunities I’ve had to be ‘a part of things’, I always end up retreating or withdrawing, preferring to ‘self isolate’ rather than join in.
Continue reading “May 7, 2021 – On the outside looking in.”May 6, 2021 – Photo
This is a photo of a beautiful area just a short (20 minute) drive from my home. It’s a great place to go when I need to escape humanity and clear my head. It’ll probably be the first place I retreat to after I return from my trip. Just thinking about all of the stress involved in air travel makes my head spin. At least it beats driving!
May 5, 2021 – Travel Planning for Dummies
Just to see the shocked expression on your face, I am tempted to show you a screenshot of my email inbox. Seriously, there have to be dozens of emails relating to reservations (made, modified, and cancelled). I think I’ve got a screw loose! I have never vacillated this much between dates and whether to fly or drive in my entire life. It’s utter madness!! The day before yesterday, I was on the computer until 2:30 in the morning. I started out looking at different routes to take to reach our destination (via car) and it morphed into making multiple reservations for assorted hotels, and later undoing every single one of them. Of course, in addition to looking at possible routes to take and my back-and-forths with the hotel reservations, I managed to ‘chat’ with a representative from Alaska Airlines regarding my options should I choose to cancel my flight. As anticipated, I was informed that I was not eligible for a refund. If I cancelled my flight, the funds would be applied to my mileage account as travel credits (to be used within a year). Dang it.
Continue reading “May 5, 2021 – Travel Planning for Dummies”May 4, 2021 – Photo
When LA Ink was a huge hit on cable TV, my family stopped by High Voltage Tattoo. Kat Von D wasn’t in on the day we dropped by, but we had an interesting experience, nonetheless. My favorite part was swinging around to the back of the building. Wow, what a fantastic mural! My hat’s off to the artist, Belin, a famed Spanish street artist. Well done!
May 3, 2021 – Wet Blanket Syndrome
I suffer from a number of maladies, my friends, one of which is ‘wet blanket syndrome’. Do not mistake it for ‘wet bed syndrome’ because although I did suffer from that in the past, I can say with a fair amount of confidence that that is no longer the case. No, I have ‘wet blanket syndrome’, a rather bleak outlook-on-life condition which tends to drive people away. Based on how I’ve felt over the past few days, my blanket isn’t just damp…it’s soaking wet. What’s my deal? Geesh, what isn’t my deal?! I really felt like digging a hole yesterday and crawling into it. My husband was well aware of ‘my mood’ so he hid the shovel as a preventative measure. I wasn’t about to dig the hole with my bare hands so I opted to lay on the couch and feel sorry for myself instead (when I wasn’t obsessively checking my online medical chart for news about the Covid-19 antibody test I took on Friday of last week).
Continue reading “May 3, 2021 – Wet Blanket Syndrome”
