in no time flat

Spoke too soon
Coffee is brewing
Getting ready to walk Blue
Picked up my coat from kitchen counter
(Yes, I know we have a coat closet!)
…and my husband’s ipad fell from atop my coat right into the dog’s big ole water bowl.
CRAP!!!!
^ except I swore more creatively than that
Good thing ipad has a cover
…and dog is thirsty
Hope it’s gonna be OK
That’s two mishaps in no time flat
I better stop keepin’ track…
*sigh*
~ Janean

December 5, 2012

two words

My husband wrote a poem with, “damn it” in it.
Reading those two little words made me grin.
For in the midst of his poem about hurt, tumult, brokenness and pain it was after I read the, “damn it”, that I knew we’d be OK.
Love is stronger than all the rest.
Love heals, soothes, mends and forms a safe haven.
Love is our shelter in the midst of the most awful of storms.
Besides all that, I love him too…
damn it.

slow dancin’

We were canoodling when the phone rang, cutting off the music we were dancin’ to.
It was my mother saying, “I’m on my way.”
He said, “I don’t want to see your tears.”
I replied, “Then don’t look.”
There’s no time to kiss them away.
Gotta get my composure, blow my nose and grab my sunglasses to walk the dog.
Our sweet pup, Blue.
Met mom on the sidewalk.
Chit chatted and smiled sorta bright.
Held his hand when I came back in.
Assured him it was the tenderness that did me in.
I’m a girl.
It’s how I’m packaged.
Sometimes they are happy tears.

November 1, 2012

I began writing this post on our last day of vacation in Orlando, Florida. The day we headed home. In the midst of packing suitcases, carry ons and getting everyone and everything ready to GO, I tried to post this photo and story about my youngest son, but of course when you’re time crunched is when you’re most likely to have technical difficulties. So, I quickly saved as “draft” and decided to wait and post when I could finish a thought again. It’s now Monday morning. My husband is working, my children are at school, the happy-to-be-home-again-dog is sound asleep at my feet and the glad-we’re-home-but-mad-the-dog-is-back-too-cat is plotting from the floor above. Ah, q-u-i-e-t. Just what I needed most. 

On October 26, 2012, my youngest son (age 9) woke up happy and said, “Yeah! It’s Friday! We’re not going to the parks today!” Sweet boy who is happy to be going HOME. It’s his safe spot. I packed a patterned blanket, in shades of golden brown, on his request. It’s a comfort to him. He likes the cozy, softness it offers at night – it feels like something in between fleece and velour. It was worth the luggage space I gave up to bring it along for him. He needed that extra bit of home with him this wonderful week away. A week spent under palm fronds blowing in gentle breezes and a clear blue sky above. The gray clouds and rainy moments never lasted long or dampened the fun of the trip.

We made our own fun, he and I. He was my apple this week. The crowds were a bit too much. Rides not really his thing. Especially fast, dark and loud ones. Up and at ‘em rushing to eat breakfast and catch buses didn’t feel like vacation to him. Extra desserts agreed with him just fine though! So we swam in the hotel pool nearly every day, played video games at the hotel arcade, split brownie desserts down the middle, tucked in early and watched TV or read books in the quiet of the room while his big brother and dad rode the wild rides and stayed up late, adding to the crowds. Most of my vacation pictures are of him (palm trees come in second), caught my oldest son, husband and in laws a few times too. The memories will last. The smiles too. It was a lovely vacation. ~ Janean

October 29, 2012

October 16, 2012

my day ended much the same way it began

walking my dog beneath a dark, yet starlit sky

I woke too soon this morning

4-something instead of 5-ish

I tried to go back to sleep

by 4:45am I’d given up 

and murmured to my husband, “My brain’s awake.”

as I rolled out of bed

he wryly replied, “I don’t think it ever shuts down.”

perhaps not

there are those crazy dreams sometimes

the ones I remember in a vague, bizarre way

the day itself was a good one

drove my boys to school

and I went in with ‘em

spent the morning there

sittin’ in a 5th grade classroom

mounting Art Club art on colored paper

writing out title cards for each piece

then usin’ my three step stool

to hang this mini art show in the hall

in time for Grandparent’s Day on Thursday

home around 11 to walk Blue again

made a phone call, texted with a friend

ate some soup for lunch

napped

a luxury

set my phone alarm so I’d be up in time

to walk the dog again before school let out

picked up my children

fed my parent’s cats

home again

early supper

not a fancy one

make up soccer game at 5:30

for the one we didn’t play in the rain

the sunset was spectacular

my son’s team won the game too

home for the night this time

Blue and I went ‘round the block again

evening spent in the kitchen

dishes, bills, papers

then that last starlit walk

last one ‘til early mornin’ anyway

bedtime

everyone else is tucked in

my turn…now

‘night

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

October 16, 2012