What a Guy!

7:30 AM one recent morning.

I’m reading the paper at the bar.  Randy wanders in half dressed, almost ready for work.  He proceeds to wipe the bar down.  I’m confused.  Why would he begin cleaning, half dressed, this early, on a whim? 

Me:  What are you doing?

Randy:  Wiping the bar down.

Me:  Why?  (it’s 7:30, for heaven’s sake.  He finishes the bar and now he’s bent over, starting the floor!)

Randy:  Because I didn’t want to waste a wipee! (He holds up the soiled cloth from the floor, which is why he started on the bar in the first place!)

What a guy!  

Something On My Back?

Sometimes I relate to this painting -

 Caitlin Connolly – “Is there something on my back?”

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of god, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?” 1 Cor. 3:16

"Like the painting, we become so accustomed to having something weigh us down that we don’t even realize we are hunched over inhibiting our life and light with something on our back."  (Jenny L.  Segulla blog)

 

Happy Birthday, Emmie

Dear Emmie:

Have a Happy

Happy

          Happy

                                                             Happy

                                                                  Happy

Birthday!

I Love You!

Grandma Jody

Hollyhocks 2013

 I've got to hand it to hollyhocks.  I look forward to their performance every year - like Christmas!

And they never fail to delight!  They make me laugh, and I find myself hearing their dialogue.

  Who would burst out of dry ground all alone like this? 

Can't you just hear this beautiful trio? . . .

Coming from the same neck, that's gotta be tough! 

 Is this a wall flower, a leader of the pack, a teacher pleaser, a stalker,

or a short choir director?

 This has to be the cheering section, the choir, or the clique group.

 

The communicators, facing each other in support.

 Look how they guard the house in a standing ovation,
making sure their brilliant color is seen even from the windows inside!

(Applause!  Bravo!)

Thanks for the show, my hollyhock friends! 

Philosophobias

Writer's Group Assignment # 1 (for me...)

What Is Your Philosophy on Life?

I don't know that I have one philosophy of life, but many.  It's not like I wake up every day with a new one, either; I just believe and function on many that make me whole.

I think often about people.  I learn good things from so many, but I find myself thankful that I'm not like others.  Trust plays a big part in my philosophy of life, since I look for validation of it in others so much, it's important to me that I am trustworthy.  

Another philosophy is that I don't believe we are ever through learning or growing.  I always want to have a to do list, no matter how slow I go or how fuzzy the fine print is. 

If you pay your tithing first, you always have it and never miss it.

Another of my philosophies is forgiveness.  You never know what a person has been through, to cause them to react questionably.  So, I always give them a couple of chances.

If I stay away from caffeine drinks, which has been easy for me, I'll be better off.  I have plenty of other vices that, I might be a mess if I let that promise go.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Never travel behind any sort of trailer; large or small.  You never know when that thing will unhinge.  Get in the other lane.
Also, never sit directly under a chandelier with a pointed stem.  It hurts to think about it . . .

I'll do better on the next assignment, I promise.  But for now, I realize my philosophies have melded into phobias.  And that's OK.   Give me another chance!

 
 

WHY WE TEACH MUSIC

Not because we expect you to major in music;
Not because we expect you to sing all your life;
Not so you can relax, not so you can have fun;

But so you will be...human. So you will recognize beauty. So you will be sensitive. So you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world. So you will have something to cling to. So you will have more love, compassion, gentleness, good--in short, more life!

Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?

~ Source unknown

Dust if You Must

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better,
to paint a picture or write a letter,
bake a cake or plant a seed,
ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
music to hear and books to read, friends to
cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go - and go you must -
You, yourself, will make more dust!

(anon)

This morning I ran across a partially filled glass of water right in the spot where Julianne had left it.  She and the "littles" have been gone for 2 days and I just barely noticed it.  Do you think I moved it?  No.  It'll be a while.  The night before they left, I was leaving the kitchen after everyone had gone to bed.  For some reason I turned around and scanned the counter tops, where macaroni, bananas, fish crackers, cookies, and starburst candy had all been distributed lovingly for 3 weeks.  (It was snack bar city!)  I stood there with my hand on the light switch.  Do you think I turned it off?  No.  Not until I replayed those sweet faces and voices in my head for a few minutes.  No.  I'm not ready to clean off the crumbs just yet.
 It'll be a "little" while.

Another good reason not to dust!