Wednesday Wanderings

   The day winds down and it was good. Somewhat a surprise, as there was not a huge game plan in place at the beginning of the day. Even more especially as I was awake at 4 in the morning pleading with my brain to go back to sleep. That is the second night this week I have looked at the clock to see 4:00 burning into my brain. A quick trip to the bathroom did not coax my thoughts back to dream land and away from such nasty thoughts as a full bladder. I know that some of you do this too, but I just do not enjoy trying to shut down my brain and knowing that the clock is ticking off minutes into hours. I know that the morning will see me grumpy and moving slower, but somehow I cannot convince the ole bod to win out over consciousness. Perhaps sleep will win over tonight. Fingers crossed and toes too!

   So why was my day a good one, you ask? Well, it proved to be productive again. While I love to relax, I find it hard not feeling guilty when I am not keeping busy. Being a single Mother there is only one adult in my household to accomplish all the tasks set before me. Yes, some are the mundane laundry, meal prep, clean the toilet bowls, etc, but there are other things that stretch my abilities. What you ask? I do not enjoy mopping floors, but the children force this issue with spilled milk on a regular basis. My kitchen counters are my dumping grounds for paperwork and I just cannot seem to ever get to the bottom of those piles. I know that you have some little corner of your home that is just as bad as mine, if not worse. Well, maybe it isn't that bad, but I have seen some of your clutter piles and they aren't pretty! hmmph.

   Ok, off topic. What was I talking about? Hmmm... Oh, my day! Geez, it must have been real exciting if I can still get myself worked up over my weak points. Oh well, perhaps you might still have a wee bit of interest waning. Shopping! I love to shop. Not all days, but often household purchases put a smile on my face. Today I conquered the wet world at my door step and met it head on. I could not take the wet socks any more.I  broke down and   bought a little mat for the back door. Hurray!

   Wait! Come back! I did more! I bought mitts, paint and a lamp. I replaced the hat I lost last week and decided that the rug at Home Sense just had to be tried out in my living room. I even bought a birthday present for T's birthday next month. I picked up a prescription and gas. Wow, this all sounds just sooo exciting. Don't you think? Me too! With the satisfaction come from some of my new house finds, I even took the sacrificial first step into my next home renovation project. I started pulling down some of the wallpaper in the hallway! There is no going back now (it is an atrocious gray blue, green and peach underneath). You shall find me bitching about this upcoming project next week, I'm sure. I still have to pick a colour and buy paint, but I am almost there.

   Give me one more minute, because the best is yet to come! No patience today, I swear! Well, today was Wednesday and that is generally my favourite day of the week, as it is my yoga day. We had been on a break for the last two weeks, so I got to see all my favourite yoginis today and gather up some smiles and hugs. That put a bigger smile on my face and reminded me that I had in fact come up with a plan at around 4:30 for my day. Oops, well there was still time. I headed the car into a parking space on the street and went inside the former Galleria Mall. It has now been converted into a variety of schools and businesses, with a few shops to boot. My destination was the continuing education department of Western University. Perhaps my tale today will have some of you shaking your heads at my decision, but I have signed up for a creative writing class "Writing in the Digital Age". It is an online class starting next week. I am excited to see what it might offer and want to send a little shout out to a certain friend for inspiring me yet again. I think you know who you are.

   So there, that is my icing on the cake moment. Yes, a long and convoluted way of coming out with a wee bit of newsy bits, but that is just the mood I am in! And with that, I think I will trundle off to bed in hopes that I will sleep the night through. Be well my friends.

Lay on the Hands

Lay on the hands
That is what someone said to me.
The energy is strong
I can feel its hum when I breathe
  slow down and stop to listen
Listen and feel.

There is a truth there
A truth to give direction
Purpose, re-purpose
Me

Goodbye Christmas

   I prevail! The Christmas tree has been stripped of its decor. I pulled and pushed, grappled and grunted and finally managed to yank it from the house with a satisfactory POP! I dragged it kicking and screaming to the van. It managed to grab hold of a lantern hung by the driveway with care, but the lantern could not save it. With a crack the lantern let go and the tree faced the final goodbye. All the doors on the van stood open, as I debated what was the best way to squash it into the confines of my automobile. I pushed it in the side door and jumped out to try and pull it from the other end. For my efforts, I was stuck by a handful of needles. The tree would not give up easily. Anon, I pulled the tree back out again and attacked from the rear of the van. Again I jumped into the van and pulled with all my might to wedge the last of the Christmas cheer into my van. It was time! It is the 4th of January already. The time is well neigh, but the tree fought back with needles itching into whatever contact I offered it. It desperately tried to stick it's top out the back door, but a bend at this rate was nothing to fear. The love was lost and I wanted my house back. Another few grunts and pushes and the door was slammed shut with finality. After sweeping and vacuuming up the last of the evidence, it was time. I headed out to the van. As I opened the driver's door I was assaulted with the scent of pine. A sweet smell that I love, but I would not be swayed. I turned the key in the ignition and we were off. The poor tree tried to block my view in a last ditch effort, but it was no use. We arrived at the depot and a mountain of discarded trees met us. So much love. Now done. I opened the door and was hit by a wave of the aroma of pine. I truly appreciate the smell, but Christmas was over. I yanked the tree out of the back of the van, with a few prickle pinches for good measure. I propped it up and wished it well. A fond farewell to the holidays. May you find a new home in mulch for me to enjoy next spring! I thank you for  the season. Merry christmas is done. Goodbye.

Given er - New Year's Purge

   After spending New Year's Eve at my sister's house, I was weak and listless. Ah the beauty of a ahem h a n g o v e r to allow one to sit and do absolutely nothing for the day. I can never sit still for that long on a regular basis. We returned home yesterday afternoon and today has been a whirlwind of activity. Back to real life! To look at my living room or kitchen counters you still cannot tell, but I spent the morning givin er in the cleaning department. Laundry has been going constantly and the dishwasher is on its dry cycle. I mopped the kitchen floor and even swished the mop around a few other rooms. The recycling bins are jammed full as are the garbages. This week is finally garbage day again (we are on a 6-day cycle, not including weekends) and we get to put out unlimited garbage. I think I just might finally get rid of some items that have been taking up space in the thought that perhaps one day I will fix them, reuse them or re-purpose them. Some items have been waiting a long time and I think it is TIME. Goodbye old kiddie pool with a hole in it! So long lovely carpet that I could perhaps get the stink of cat pee out of, but know will never be the same. Perhaps I will even call up the OCPF to see if they will come collect some reusable items. They usually call about 4X per year to see if I have any donations, but I think I will beat them to it this year. Toys the kids no longer play with and have had no interest on kijiji. Old clothes that cannot be passed on to a next generation of babies, as the younger set is now male and his Daddy won't allow him in all the pink from all the older girls. PURGE, purge, purge! The Christmas tree will finally get undecorated tomorrow when the girls are back at school and Christmas will disappear from the house. I want my house back. I feel surrounded and am going to fling it all away. Watch out or an old housecoat will slap you in the face in my frenzy! Beware the baby socks that are marching towards the door. They will mow you down and aren't stopping. It takes everything I've got to get up the will to attack it all. Deep breath. Here I go again. Wish me strength. I hope I make it back. Goodbye!

J & G: part III

Today lint is the biggest part of tattered pockets. Fight the man, but the stomach growls that somebody better feed it soon. How to run pennies together into sustenance? I will work for the joy of working. I will work for food. I will work for shelter. I will work for today, as today is all that I have. I am not ready to face tomorrow. My yesterdays are all past and stay there. Please. So I manage to gladly strain my back for the day. I get promises of more for tomorrow and possibly tomorrow. This is as far as I can go. It is good. Groceries grace my world and my friend’s tables. Music plays in my ear and soul. Laugh while the time is right. It is right today. Yes, today is good.

Yesterdays, yesterday awoke badly. They did not understand. They were blinded by the man. How can they not see the evils that they follow? The story thumps again. It is unjust. Why does it unfold again. The pain in my inner heart cannot bear it. No one knows. No one can know. It is ugly and chases me. Those old rough hands tear my world apart again and I run crying as the child I always will be. I am a man. How can I fill these shoes, so large. I do not understand how they ever got so big. When did I grow up? How come I did not become wise, as we are all supposed to be. When will I be a wise old sage? I aspire, but alas the elixirs I imbibe only hope in a blink. Sage goes in the turkey. Stuff me when I am done.

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