Sunday, September 30, 2012

Writing, Life and the rest.

I went to a party last night. We watched a singer, very Sinatra, Andy Williams-ish. Enjoyed the party, wine, friends, music, watching people from work all spiffed-up. Had a great time, but missed having a partner to dance with. Love music, love dancing, no partner does complicate things. Still, eight years later, miss having someone to always watch my back, take over in the emergency, share the fun. Kids are great but not quite the same. They have their own families and lives.

Life has been creeping in more and distracting me from writing. It does get frustrating. Writing is supposed to be my escape, but life events seem to end up with my staring into space and getting no words on the page. I know it's my job to get through it and back to the writing job, but harder than usual this time. Mind over matter, compartmentalizing, not working so well. My mind just goes back to my sister, Karl, other worries.

Maybe I just need to go with it, get past this time and then back into the routine. Traveling works as a life interruption to. I'll be happier when we get back to a routine again and I can put my world back in order. That's my whine for today and yes, I want cheese with that, chocolate and all that good stuff.

Saturday, September 22, 2012



It's been a stress full week. I'll address that in another post. Today I want to share some ways to stay sane that work for me and tell a funny story-at least to me.

First, sanity aids.

1. Watch birds.
2. Watch the sunrise
3. Watch the sun set
4. Watch the above happen over water.
5. Sit next to the ocean and listen to the waves.
6. Listen to favorite music (Vivaldi-Irish jigs.)
7. Watch the light change on mountains.
8. Listen to and watch small children play and laugh-or kittens and puppies.
9. Write-lists, poetry, anything you want.
10. Love someone
11. Be loved
12. Pray

Jaws and Soraya

My sister Susie had a cat named Jaws. I've written about Jaws the terror, who would come into the bathroom and flush the toilet while you were in a hot shower, causing a burst of ice cold water to shock you into consciousness. I really think that cat enjoyed the screams. She also loved to raid the refrigerator and abscond with any baked goods left around.

When Jaws behaviour became suddenly worse, Susie didn't think too much of it, a little hissing and loud meoooowers, were not end of the world, or missing the cat box. However, after Jaws decided the trick of the day was to pee on her feet, several times, Susie decided she had to do something. It was time for a trip to the vet.

After the marathon event that revolved around shoving Jaws into the cat carrier, they were off to the vet, Susie thankful that travel did not involve public transportation due to the tortured cat screams coming from transport. It sounded more like a wounded lion than a small cat.

Once Susie and Jaws made it back to the exam room, not without stirring up every other animal in the waiting room, the exam began.

After a few moments of examining an extremely docile black cat, the vet looked up.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

A shocked Susan snapped back, "Of course not. And if I were, I certainly would not come to a vet for the diagnosis." She grabbed the carrier, shoved Jaws in and bolted out of the office.

On the way home curiosity overcame anger and Susie stopped by a drug store to make a small purchase.

At home later, the pregnancy test was positive. After a visit to her OB/Gyn, she found out she was four months pregnant. Jaws and the vet turned out to be great diagnosticians. Five months later Soraya was born, every bit as strong a personality as her mother and Jaws the cat.

Jaws is gone but never forgotten, his skill as a diagnostician will always be remembered, as will his toilet flushing skill.



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Winds of Life

This was my beautiful, peacful place to journal, watch birds and enjoy the morning on days off. Now, thanks to Oklahoma wind, the chimenea is broken into several pieces, the tent is ripped and the blue umbrella is broken. Very sad. I refust to post a pic of the destruction. Could sit and watch hummers, pretend I was in Colorado.

Yes, I'm whining even though I know the losss is nothing compared to wild fires burning houses, tornadoes wiping out towns, but it was my little spot and I will miss it.

But, I will pick up the mess, go on, find another way to keep my peaceful safe spot intact. Like life, you pick up and go on, even when things conspire to make you sad. Your book doesn't sell,whatever plans you had fell through, sickness interferes with the way you want life to be.

Life just is, in spite of what we plan. We write in spite of life, and sometimes in order to live because if we didn't write, what would keep us sane? We have control of the words we put on paper even if we can't control a lot of other things about the writing, publishing game and about the world around us.

So, I'm reminding myself to keep on keeping on, write no matter what and live life the best I can, no matter what big or little obstacles life puts in my way. I can move, go around, over or through obstacles and end up where I want to be, even if it is only sitting at a table, drinking coffee, watching birds and journaling.