Shortly before Christmas two years ago, I was taken tree shopping by my friend, Rick. He and his wife, my dear friend, Sandi, had bought their tree there the day before. It was a Christmas tree farm, so off we went, saw in (his) hand, to find the perfect one. It didn’t take long before I found it, and while Rick was chopping away, I wandered around, mentally decorating my tree.
A flash of brilliance caught my eye and I moved toward it, focusing on the spot where I’d seen the light. I stooped down and saw that someone had sawed down another tree, quite close to the ground, and the stump had coated its wounds in a concentric circle of sap, which then dried to a perfect, translucent amber. And there it was, lovely as any Faberge egg, lying humbly in the dirt and only revealed by a “chance” beam of sunlight and my glance in that direction.
Thought for the Day: Be careful what you say; the Universe is always listening, and it has a sense of humor even quirkier than mine.
That’s a pretty promise, but what kind of renovation could you do in only one hour? Well, let me tell you what inspires this rather lofty claim. About a year ago a dear friend of mine made a comment about going to his “dark place”. It made me think about my own dark place, and I decided that a makeover was long overdue.
I started (in my mind) with a space not unlike my own loft, and I emptied it to the walls, swept out and knocked down all the cobwebs, and tried not to look too closely at the dustpan once it was filled. I disposed of all the boxes that had been stacked in front of the windows, scrubbed those windows till they gleamed and flung them open to a perfect late afternoon. A lovely cool wind blew through and displaced all the stale air, perfuming the rest with the scents of flowers and spices, with just a hint of the sea and a strong note of old hardwood forest.
Next I applied a coat of soft white paint, and hung diaphanous draperies in shades of super white, cream, palest lemon chiffon and a sharp touch of bright lemon here and there. I added large puffy pillows and placed small love seats and divans, with more draperies and candles and wind chimes and with flowers everywhere. Scattered about, hanging from the ceiling, in tiny alcoves, I placed small lovely things in crystal and glass, with touches of brilliant, coruscating color wherever the eye should touch. I framed and supported and caressed it all with the kind of music that is my favorite form of “soul food”. Last but far from least, I filled the air with a certain purity to lift the spirits, like removing a heavy rock from the center of your chest so you can breathe again.
(Due to the fact that this place exists only in my head, I have no pictures to download, but if you’ve followed me closely through the reno, you should be able to create a similar place, tailored to your own specifications. It takes almost no time, costs nothing and has only one drawback that I’ve been able to find. And that is, now that my dark place is gone, I have absolutely no place to hold my pity parties.)
Thought for the Day: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When it gives you two tickets to the islands, call me.
Yesterday my son and I cooked a batch of food. I baked a chicken and he roasted a bunch of vegetables, all with the intention of using the chicken carcass and the leftover veggies in one of his incredible soups. I had a couple of ears of corn I wanted to cook, too, so I shucked and rinsed them and was trimming the ends when suddenly, out popped a caterpillar from among the greens. Now, I had bought the corn on Sunday at the farmer’s market one block from my front door (eat your heart out, East Coasters), and it had been in the fridge for a few days, so I thought he was a goner. I was just getting ready to consign him to the garbage disposal when he started uncurling. It took him a while, but after he warmed up he started raising his little head up and looking around, and then he started crawling. I have two cats that would love to add a little protein to their diets, so I decided I’d take him outside and put him among the roses. Any creature who can survive what he did deserves another chance.
I put him on a piece of paper and headed out. Down the hallway, down the elevator and then another hallway. The poor little guy was so scared he was leaving a little trail of poo across the paper. So we got to the door and my friend, Sofia, who happened along just then, opened it for me. I deposited him tenderly (all right, I pushed him off the paper) and left him among the roses. btw, I checked later and he was gone, so I’m assuming a happy ending.
On my way back toward the elevator, I was feeling pretty good and greeted the lady walking toward me with a big smile. She was carrying a brown paper bag, and as she came closer she said, “Would you like some sheets? They’re queen-sized but they don’t fit my bed.” I thanked her and accepted a set of brand new, beautiful sheets, which will look lovely on my bed. To elaborate a little here, in my apartment building we have a habit of leaving things, like the sheets, that are still good but for some reason we don’t need any more, in the mailroom. Whatever is there is up for grabs, and I have both taken (my vacuum, for Pete’s sake) and left (a too-small crockpot, some knickknacks) things.
All of this to say that, had I not rescued the little green caterpillar, I wouldn’t have my new sheets. Thank you, Universe!
Thought for the Day: Look around you every day for the “small” miracles.
Hello, again. I’ve been off investigating life for a while. This morning I turned on the TV in time to hit President Obama’s speech and the signing of the Vets’ Bill, as he had promised, paying a year in advance, and all done using available money. It’s so evocative of the scene in the film “Dave”, with Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver, where the villain (the masterful Frank Langella) tells Dave that if he can find the money for the day care center he can have it, and Dave brings in his brother-in-law, the accountant, who helps him pull it off. And then there are the undeniable sparks between the POTUS and the FLOTUS, who also seem (gasp) to like and respect each other, and who complement each other so well. First Families who are also demonstrably human beings are so much easier to get behind. And were it to come right down to it, I believe, as did Ving Rhames’ character of Dave, that yes, I would take a b****t for Mr. Obama. (Of course, I rather visualize myself meeting him and Mrs. Obama at some glitzy affair, which I’ve attended dressed to the nines!)
Thought for the Day: It is not the thing that occurs that upsets you; it is the way you choose to respond.
For your delectation, from a department store “Right to Opt Out and Information Update” which I just received, to wit: “16. Default/Collection Costs: If we fail to receive any Minimum Payment Due, if you declare bankruptcy, or if you die, it will be a default, and…..we may declare the entire unpaid balance in the Account due and payable.”
So if it’s true that you can’t take it with you, are they still able to come after you and demand it back, even if you Still don’t have it?!?
And if that’s not sufficient, I checked my statements for another card for the last three months and found that, with the recent interest rate increase on my account (and I was also offered the right to pay off the account in full and opt out there), and projecting out the actual dollar amount for a year, Capital One is now officially taking six weeks’ worth of groceries off of my table. When I called in an attempt to negotiate a decrease, the nice gentleman in Sri Lanka, or Singapore or wherever, listened and then told me, pretty much, that they’re So sorry but they can’t help me. Maybe if I apply for TARP money…………
Thought for the Day: Illegitimi non carborundum (Latin for Don’t Let the Bastards Grind you Down)
One of the things I had on my to-do list when I moved to Oregon was to make someone (else) smile every day. The bonus is that, when you make someone else smile, you end up smiling too. Smiling actually releases endorphins, which are Nature’s way of saying, get high on me! Smiling uses fewer muscles, is much more pleasant to look at and has been known to lead (Spoiler Alert!!) to laughter. A good hearty laugh has been known to cause a BP drop of up to 40 points. Which leads me to ask, does that mean that, if you have low BP you should avoid laughing, or even smiling? It’s a conundrum. Like, if you’re manic-depressive (old school name for bipolar) and you have a manicure, are you only depressive from then on? I wonder about these things.
Thought for the Day: Live Every day as though it’s your last…one of them will be. Make the most of it.
A friend of mine recently sent me an email and I just had to share these photographs and the comments with you.
At 120º in Australia, it was so hot for a week that koalas were asking people for water. It’s never been seen before!
One went to a house to try to hide from the heat and to get a bit of shade and here is what happened when the owner gave him something to drink. It’s really touching.
Awhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I feel better now. Thank you!!!
I don’t know what it is about the little guy in the last picture, but I find myself returning to it again and again. It’s as if his eyes are looking right into my soul. It makes me think of Jesus’ words.
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Always think of the animals when it’s hot outside. Be kind and share.
Hi, this is mye first blovg I am riting for myshelf. My freind hepled mee do the other pots, but eye wanted two dew one frum skrach. She sed, ru shure, and eye sed yes, Im going to rite it by mye ownself; ewe r not the bos of me, so heer it is. Not mush going on twoday, butt remmember, ewe herd itt first rigth hear!
One went to a house to try to hide from the heat and to get a bit of shade and here is what happened when the owner gave him something to drink. It’s really touching.
Awhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I feel better now. Thank you!!!
