As Blue and I step out our front door a teenage girl wheeling by says with a smile, “What a beautiful dog.” I reply, “Thanks. You have a unicycle.” She smiles wider and cycles on her way while the dog and I walk the other. As we circle the block, our paths again crisscross, and we share another smile. First time I’ve seen her and her unicycle in our neighborhood. Quite unexpected. Rather wonderful. This glimmer of circus flair among the beige houses.
September 19, 2015
Week two of Xbox 360 Minecraft lessons from my sons. My youngest boy was my teacher today. He made, “Blow Crap Up World” and taught me how to use TNT. It is kinda fun… I’m grinning after playing for around thirty minutes, before saying, “Enough.” Cooking up some bacon for two sleepyheaded boys for breakfast next. My incentive to learn how to move better, with the foreign feeling controller, was that if I could track and catch him, I could have a dog. I caught him. Hearts appear. Now I have a virtual canine companion too. Cool. Minecraft has a dragon in a dark portal lair. My youngest son slayed him. Proud Mama here. Said aloud, “I’m not an Xbox Girl.” My sons think there is hope for me though. Well, of course there is. I’m A Hope Full Woman for sure. A long time ago, I played Frogger on Atari. I even remember when Pong was cool. Yes. I’m that freaking old, typed with a smile and a bubbling laugh, because at 42 I feel like I’m just getting started. I am.
January 19, 2014
“When your life appears to be the most stable and calm, unexpected changes will occur.”
~ quote from the book, “Understanding and Sharing” chapter 7, page 141
I’ve just begun to sort through the boxes that hold the remnants from my childhood bedroom. It was February of 1994 when I packed up my basement bedroom at 21 Jones Place. I remember the date because that’s when my parents moved to their dream house, a new construction built just for them. Today I removed a slim spiral bound notebook from one of the boxes. It’s an odd size, 7 3/4” x 5”. On the cardboard cover I’d written, “Ceramics” and my maiden name, “Janean Thompson.” On page one, opposite from the quote shared above, the upper right hand corner of my notes declare, “1-30-90.” That’d be from second semester of my freshman year in college. Eons ago. Light years. More than two decades in calendar reality, not based on dramatic storytelling time. Of course I found this quote today, “6-16-13.” One of many notes I’ve uncovered this morning that I left for my future self. That’d be me. The woman I am now. The mother of two boys, ages 13 and so close to 10, who sees photographs of that teenage girl with the mane of long brown hair and smile so bright, and wonders, “Who was she? Where did she go? What were her dreams?” My soul whispers in reply, “I’m still here. Look inside.” I’m trying to. My sister’s wise advice is, “Just be you.”
June 16, 2013
LUNA
Blue just KNOWS
when it’s time to head outdoors and see his best girl
oh how she dances and prances at seeing him
he tries to go into Stealth Mode
as if he is invisible and she can’t hear his tags jingle or my booted feet hitting concrete
he hunkers down and crosses the street
trying for slow motion
but he’s tugging, “Hurry up!”
as he beelines toward her fence with complete canine devotion
as soon as we hit her sidewalk she woofs and he drags me on ahead
I hustle as I hold his leash, and can’t help but laugh aloud
the musical sound rings out, in the quiet of the neighborhood at high noon
these two purebred pups
oh my, but they do make me smile
bigger than puppy love
so I call it Dog Romance
not to say I don’t call ‘em Romeo and Juliet sometimes too
or drag Blue away, saying, “Come on, Casanova, it’s time to get on home.”
*sigh*
Love
long nose, pointy eared, tail wagging kind
March 3, 2013
written standing on the sidewalk at 12:04pm on Sunday afternoon, while Blue and Luna canoodle, the neighborhood Love Pups
My doorbell just rang. When I answered the front door, there was the cutest little Girl Scout standing on my front porch, alongside her smiling mother. The littlest Girl Scout, with a pixie smile, was dressed all in purple, topped off with her vest adorned with patches earned. Of course I bought one more box of thin mints, because I had exactly $4 cash, and they are my very favorite kind.
February 9, 2013
stepped out the front door
Blue dog tuggin’ to the left
toward his best girl, Luna
she is aptly named
for high in the sky
above the house
where Luna lives
was a glowin’ 3/4 moon
in a lavender tinted sky
next thing I knew
clouds had covered
o’er her beauty
by the time we circled home
that big Blue dog and me
the mornin’ sky was bright
though clouds remain
a fittin’ metaphor
for my life
January 31, 2013
That sweet, two year old girl wanted to go UPstairs, looking for her big four year old brother and bigger twelve year old cousin. She walked into the bedroom and said, “Where are the guys?” I replied, “They are DOWNstairs.”
So, she and I scooched down the stairs on our bottoms, laughing aloud the whole entire way. She led the way to the basement stairs, located just around the corner. I was surprised when she paused at the tippy top, handed me her wooden cars, said “Scared” and lifted her arms for “up.”
As if I weren’t already head over heels in love, with my one and only niece, she looked at me with the cutest grin, and adamantly declared, “Let’s draw!” Oh, I found crayons and paper FAST!
Good medicine. The best kind. Lotsa lotsa love.
~ Aunt Janean
January 12, 2013
just in from last walk of day with Blue
he saw his best girl, Luna
her silver fur gleaming
under a starlit sky
Orion was shining low near the horizon
they woofed, pranced and nuzzled noses through the chain link fence
a divider
keeping them apart
I told him it was time to go
but had a helluva time dragging him away
she’s his best girl
and even prettier by the moonlight she is named for
they’ll both dream sweet dreams tonight
it’s more than puppy love
‘cause I’m a hopeless romantic
and I just know
they are meant to be
for it’s written in the stars
though sometimes star tales get crisscrossed
these two are meant to be
Blue + Luna
forever
December 11, 2012
just me
standin’ on sidewalk
while Blue dog plays in a pile o’leaves
we’re walkin’ soon
temps are downright balmy
wind is breezy but not gusty
I’m rockin’ my aqua and brown cowgirl boots
tucked into tapered jeans
got a little jiggle in my walk
the good kind
turned 41 on Saturday
it’s agreein’ with me just fine
Blue is outta the leaves
and off we go
boots and paws on the sidewalk
made it across the street
so Blue could see his best girl
…Luna
December 3, 2012
Dear Sad Girl,
Your eyes have lost their sparkle.
Must be those dark circles, detracting and subtracting the twinkle from your eyes, the windows to your creative soul.
Your face is set and sullen.
That grin that once was impish, now set in a line or hangin’ inside down.
Holy hell what a mess.
I know it’s hard now, in this moment, but we’ll get you through this.
Someday soon Faith, Hope and Love will heal the wounds within.
Keep on going.
Day by day abiding.
The loving arms of friends and family will catch you when you fall.
So try to find your smile.
Savor Joy in the quiet colors of the dawn.
Pep talks are FREE and plentiful.
Hugs are often the best medicine.
Love is the easy part.
Start by being gentle with yourself.
Love,
Me
November 17, 2012
Turquoise Tangles 