Enhanced Vision

My daughter got her first pair of eye glasses yesterday. When she put them on she said, "Cool! Now everything is Hi-Def!"

Dancing on Carpet

It's easy to smile in the beginning. Step, step, turn. Leap. Grace and power flow. Arms reach out and float in the air. Your fingers turn red as blood rushes through your veins. Up onto toes. Drawing air, your chest expands and nostrils flare. Everyone in the room can hear labored breathing, but your smile never falters.

Little girls in make believe tutus, young mothers, tweens, and silver haired ladies all watch you move across the floor. Keep your face soft, soft. Make them blind to holes in your shoes and tattered ribbons. Move smoothly against the resistance. It looks easy even as beads of moisture trickle along your hairline, wetting the sprigs of hair that have escaped. Finish.

They clap, ignoring the sweat running down your neck. The sparkle of sequins distracts attention from the frayed seams. You smile and smile, sinking gracefully into a bow.

The slippers are removed. You stretch and stretch. Rub your calves, ankles, feet. Sometimes you cry, but it's ok because no one can see you now. You pray for smoother floors tomorrow. Point and flex, point and flex. Stretch some more, because tomorrow you may have to dance on carpet again.

Top Ten Highlights The Week After Christmas

1. Got wrapping paper and candy canes for 50% off at Wally World.
2. Eradicated entrenched dust bunnies from their lair under the futon.
3. Ate way too much chocolate and had to go buy more.
4. Watched and rewatched my favorite home videos.
5. Checked out three novels from the library.
6. Replaced the shelf paper in the kitchen cabinets.
7. Got puppy shots and dewormer at Tractor Supply.
8. Found a clean, plot driven, family friendly movie that was not animated.
9. Registered a complaint with Fed Ex about packages that never came.
10. Was rousted from bed after midnight because the air compressor caught fire.

Jonah 2

 

 

While Jonah was inside the fish, he prayed to the Lord his God and said . . .

 

This struck me today. While he was inside the fish, Jonah thanked God for rescuing him from drowning. I imagine a dark, dank, extremely frightening, smelly place, slick with slimy digestive juices, and ponder. While Jonah was inside the fish, he prayed to the Lord his God.

 

But I will praise You and thank You while I give sacrifices to you and I will keep my promises to You. Salvation comes from the Lord.

 

Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and the fish threw up Jonah onto dry land.

 

And I thought I knew the story of Jonah and the Whale.

Sickness got the best of me this Thanksgiving, but I still felt obligated put on the whole 'turkey and pie' show. After, my husband took the kids for a boat ride. They returned to find me stretched out in the living room on a pile of pillows. My middle son used acting skills acquired in drama club to put on his best angst ridden, quavering voice. He said, "Don't go, Mom, don't go."

I ignored him---to no avail. He continued, "Don't go towards the light!"

I cracked an eyelid open. The only light I could see from my no longer peaceful repose was the kitchen light over the sink.

"Why would I go towards the light?" I asked. "There's dishes in there."

Pirouette

We move the kitchen table
off to the side
and sweep the floor well.

She puts on a pink tutu
and ballet slippers
worn through at the toes.

My naked quilt rack,
requisitioned for her purpose,
serves as the barre.

Piano notes tinkle
in harmony
with the clink of dishes.

Her little girl pirouette
turns
my kitchen into . . .

A world of dance,
music,
dreams.

Odd October

My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. James 1:2-3 NCV

There were a lot of storms in October. Leaks sprung in the walls, two windows of the house, and my car trunk. The backseat of the car had to be removed and a large, bright blue tarp covered my auto. It stayed that way for quite some time.

The phone was out all month. I don't know if that was weather related.

I lost a tax bill, but couldn't call about it or drive to the courthouse to resolve the issue.

My dryer died.

The month progressed this way.

Lightning struck the network cable and fried the computers. I think that was the 30th. On the last day of the month, the T.V. made a loud POP and an acrid, electrical burning smell filled the house. Normally this would upset me, but I simply got up and went to finish cleaning the kitchen.

Then I discovered that the deep freezer had been off for three days.

After that one of the boys told me about the leaky toilet, so we spent some time tearing up the new flooring and disposing of it since it was ruined.

A little after 11:00 p.m. all was quiet except for a drip, drip, dripping. It was not raining. The fridge had decided to start defrosting and produced incredible amounts of water. There was water under the kitchen cabinets. Water had seeped through the wall and puddled in the utility room behind the dryer.

At 11:45 or so we heard an animal getting into the trash. My son put on his shoes and got a flashlight. Remembering the skunk that lurked nearby in the woods I said, "Let's wait fifteen minutes--until October's over."

Rich

Rich is not having to use the teabag twice.

Having an egg for the batter,
and milk from a jug,
Not a box.

Early morning caffeine fixes for two,
and muted conversation.

A platter stacked high with pancakes,
Ham for everyone,
and a family sized bowl of grits.

Rich is no elbow room at the breakfast table.

Pen Names

I've been working on a novel. It's hard work. I was staring at the computer keyboard yesterday and decided what I really needed was a pen name. When I was a little bitty girl, I was known by my family as DonnaMe. I thought, "Hey, I'll shorten it to D'me." At the time it looked kind of foreign and elegant to me. I was suffering from severe sleep deprivation and a headache.

I asked my family what they thought of the name. I had to write it out before they got it. My middle son read out loud, "Duh me."

I suddenly realized that if you live in Texas, only a dummy would name themselves D'me.