solar power cleaning

   So, I made it to A New Day. I have not completely shaken the grumpies, but I am trying to keep busy and hope that I lose them around a bend in the day. So far, my two big tasks on the list are checked off;

1. pay bills 
2. make extra house keys

and I am on load number three for laundry. I am even being a greenie today and hanging clothes on the line (my electricity bill came yesterday and reminded me that I have a cost saving measure out in the yard; summer = line drying = $$). Of course there was a water main that broke in the area yesterday, so doing a gazillion loads of laundry might not be what the city wants, but oh well. I am not perfect. Grumpy me says "phfttt!" to the powers that be. Whatever ;)

   With a road trip just days away, I have also realized that there are a few tasks needing to be accomplished before leaving; ie. clean bathrooms, vacuum, maybe even tackle the mop and beg it to be kind with me this time. Going away for a weekend isn't really a big deal, but we are going to be gone for upwards of a week. That means getting someone to come in and take care of the kitties. That means that someone else will see the disaster that I call home. Ugh. So embarrassment has me fretting over cleaning. Really, whomever comes over will truly not care about the state of my house, I am sure. They have been here before and would be shocked to walk into a sparkling palace. No need to cause heart failures in friends. So perhaps, I will just contend with the bathrooms before heading out to yoga this afternoon. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, so the saying goes. I will try to relax into that thought, but right now have to go add another load of laundry to the line. Solar power cleaning. My meditation for the day.

Ciao!

Care to join me?

I am grumpy this evening.

I had a huge hankering for chocolate,

but had to make do with a white russian.

I could do with a jug of them,

but I am distracting myself with conversations about Easter

and chocolate bunnies.

Perhaps I should 

flush my brain

and call it a night

For yes, tomorrow  is 

A New Day

Welcome to the Sugar Bush

   With the crispness in the air, but sunshine on my shoulder I decided it was time. A lazy start to the day, but I committed myself. I was  going. And you know what? I am glad I went. A road trip was in order. I do not know why I am sometimes so difficult to pry from the confines of my space. I love to get out and socialize, but when theory gets pushed to practice, I feel myself balk. I shirk thoughts and want to slide back underneath my rock. Not this weekend though. In fact, I only committed to one night, but stayed a whole nother evening. To be fair, a little bit of me expected that I might do that and I brought extra clothes just in case. As it was, it would have been almost midnight before hitting home, if I had left when the original thought went out. With two kids in tow? Silly ole bear. Tricks are for treating, not playing on oneself!

   So I stocked up on fresh air from Central Ontario (3 hour tour away). I gathered hugs and smiles from friends that I can call mine from decades past. Twas needed by all parties, to be sure. I thought of you as the hours ticked by and I realized that I would not join you for our daily visits. I twisted, but then relaxed into the company of friends. Earth hour was upon us and candle light by the fire is a pretty hard vision to run from. Yes, real life interaction is grand on occasion. To make amends, I will treat you with a few pics from my wanders though. We spent Saturday at the sugar bush collecting sap with buckets and fingers, then watching it boil down into syrup. Yum!

Alas alack-a-day eh.

I am back another day.

I shall try not to stray

too far away

from you again my lovelies...

After all the fresh air,

wood fires and

sugar scented scenes

Can you blame me?

Memories of Chobe

A perfume of trees
caresses my nostrils.
Amidst the thorns a
 baobab fills the air.
A skirtish impala
breaks through the bush
  and leaps,
while a baby scrambles quickly behind.

The smell is incredible.

The view,

divine.

I am in a land of age

that knows no age,

only sand and sun

and how to survive.

Breaking rain
soaks the earth
bringing green grass
  and smiles;
a long forgotten visitor
 to these parts.

Oh zebra, kudu

 giraffe and gnu

our telephoto eyes

will not harm you.

Beware the lion's deadly gaze.

The cheetah's leap

and leopard's fang

A constant graze of fear

   and survival.

~~~~~~~~~

Is that a wild dog I see?

It's glittering eye looking at me.

Off on a hunt

with the rest of the pack

to run down impala;

 a mid-morning snack.

~~~~~~~~~

Lazing on the river

in a mokoro boat.

Splashing at each other

when we're allowed out.

It's off to view a hippo

and maybe see a croc

Not to worry if they get to close

The polers are off like a shot.

~~~~~~~~~~

How to spell tsessebe?

-A thought that crossed my mind

With its circled bum

You can easily see

This antelope friend of mine.

~~~~~~~~~

I saw a road closed sign today.

I had to laugh, I'll have to say.

For what is a road

in this land of sand?

but two tire tracks

going from pan to pan.

*****

    These are poems that were written from the road many moons ago. The rough script in my journal can be deciphered, despite the bouncing location they were written in; high atop an overland truck, our mighty Samil. The poetry is a little weak in my opinion, but I appreciate the images that they put forth, so I thought I would add them as a continuation to my African tales. Oh, and the animal mentioned in the second to last poem was incorrect in its description, for those of you that may know. A Water Buck is the antelope with white circular markings on its behind. A tsessebe is more comparable to a North American deer. Enjoy. I wish you a safe road to travel as you wend your way through life...

Cold Sunshine Promises

The weather outside my door

has turned a might

cold

today.

Spring gifts

are left closed,

despite

Sunshine

Brilliant

in its splendour

and promises

of Spring