Setting The Course

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”  C.S. Lewis said that.  That is a powerful thought to contemplate as we are in a stay-home order in our state.  I have found contentment in my confinement and have accomplished things I thought I would never get done – at least not for a long time. So will my pallet be emptier and my to-do list a little shorter?  What will that feel like?    When the world starts firing up its engines and we fly like the wind again I hope by head will be raised high and I will forge ahead.  He promised – there are better things ahead.  I’m ready.

Rest In Peace

Little lego man died on the steps of his “home.”  It was fitting he took his dive on the landing of where he has been seen most in life.  He had a good continuance – about ten years – but in key chain life that is close to a hundred.  His notoriety came about a year ago when he found himself on the post office wall after being forgotten by his loving but forgetful owner.  He hung on a red tack until I rescued him.  Lego man’s belly had a little dough-boy push button that lit up and if my grandchildren were so very fortunate they were allowed to push that belly and hold him lovingly.  Thanks man.  We had a good run.  You were one in a million.

Perfect Preparation

Since travels have been scarce and I stay close to home an expedition all the way to Anchorage seemed like an adventure indeed.  I had an appointment with my doctor so following my prescreening health check (no fever) and my mask in place I proceeded just fine.   I decided since my journey was long I should utilize the trip to grab a few essentials at Costco and perhaps grab a soda for the trek home.  I double dipped and bought a lemonade and a soda and placed them in their rightful spots.  And then . . . as proud as one can be I hopped back into my little red bag and pulled out two straws to replace the paper ones they gave me.  Now the passage back to the valley was intact and I was feeling contently giddy for keeping that golden little storage of straws so handy.  Not feeling eco-friendly today.

It’s Been A Good Day

Things just happen.  The water keeps dripping and roof is less white with snow.  The deck is peeking through its rustic color and I notice some touch up painting is needed.  The ground is muddy and soggy so my boots are all I wear.  It looks like we should make a trip to the dump.  There is an old soda box that was blown into a snow bank, it just reappeared.  Hey, the peony garden is alive – at least there is dirt.  When I look out my kitchen window I see more brown and the bases of the trees.  My summer list of to-do’s is beginning to form. That old dog house has to go.   Let’s put the shovels away – hey spring is here.  Things just happen.

Virus Brain In Force

I needed to make an essential trip into Target.  That may sound funny because those that know me well know that I consider each trip I make into that store essential – however Mike needed some medicine to be picked up so I made a short list on my phone of just a few things I should pick up so I didn’t need to make multiple trips.  Dish soap.  I thought I should grab another dish soap as my current one was getting a little low.  I have a fetish for great smelling dish soap so Target is usually my choice place for that.  When I came home I opened the kitchen cabinet to put away the Lavender & Bergamot when I noticed there was a Lemon & Mint and right behind that there was a Geranium & Herbs.  Am I losing my mind and keep forgetting I bought one?  How did I manage to get three absolute different scented soaps?  Am I taking this preparedness truly to heart?  Note to self.  No dish soap needed for a while.

 

The Floor?

The concept of time seems to elude me the older I get.  I was talking to the receptionist at my rheumatologist’s office and I said I had been there two years ago when it had really been four years.  Oops.  I found some old letters Rhea had written Kyla when she served her mission and it was hard to wrap around my head the fact that she was so little.   She said she was sleeping on the floor.  What??  She said I was teaching her to play the piano and she could play “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”  She said she wanted to serve a mission just like Kyla.  And now here we are – the time has come.  Time.  Where have you gone?

Bounce Time

Step by step we all become better people.  It might be the pandemic that triggers us to do more and be more or perhaps it is just “us” with a desire for improvement.  When my children were younger and we were stationed at Scott AFB they each had an emergency back pack that we kept in the hall closet.  I also had a trash barrel on wheels which held water, supplies and food.  We practiced as a family putting on the backpacks with each older child carrying his own gallon of water and like little soldier troops we maneuvered to our Toyota Minivan for loading.   My daughter and her husband have “bounce bags” for the kids which in essence are the same concept.  Each bag has clothes, a toothbrush, chapstick, crackers, peanut butter, Cliff bars etc.  When the emergent time comes they are ready to “bounce.”

Makes You Think

A few years ago a group of salesman went to a regional sales convention in Chicago.  They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner.  In their rush with tickets and briefcases one of the salesman inadvertently kick over a table which held a display of apples.  Apples flew everywhere.  Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.  All but one!  He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.  He told his buddies to go on without him and waved goodbye.  He called his wife and explained why he was taking a later flight.     Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.  He was glad he did.  The sixteen year old girl was totally blind.  She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display.  As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.  When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, “Here please take this forty dollars for the damage we did.  Are you ok?”  She nodded through her tears.  He continued on with “I hope we didn’t spoil your day too badly.”  As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him.  “Mister . . . he paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes.”  She continued, “Are you Jesus?”  He stopped in mid stride, and he wondered.  Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul:  “Are you Jesus?”   (No origin for this story.  It may be fiction but I am so glad I read it today.)

Class of 2020

Needing to head to the store for an essential pharmaceutical item left me wandering the aisles of Target for a few minutes waiting for the item to be ready.  On an end cap were graduation items freshly displayed in an organized attractive manner.  The thought came that these won’t be selling out.  Then a thought came that maybe people will still buy and celebrate later.  Our feelings are all so upside down and mixed up right now – I’m not sure we really know what our summer will be looking like.  What I do know is that if I loiter any longer looking at this graduation stuff I’ll be black listed from “my store.”  Get what you need, don’t stand next to anyone, don’t look at anyone and move on.”

 

Tara Lee

There it is – my life in four binders.  I completed compiling all my keepsakes, certificates, letters, notes, cards and fun stuff over my entire sixty years into four binders.  I hope that means it has been a full life with not too much crap but just enough spice.  It has been a rollercoaster of emotions from not remembering things that happened to wishing I hadn’t remembered things that happened.  It feels so good to have them all done and though the timing is bittersweet I am grateful in a way for some quarantine time where the paper, tape and embellishments could fill the entire kitchen and dining room for over a week.  I am twitterpatedly elated to have it all complete.