I’m finally mailing our Illinois state taxes.
Snail mail is necessary, to send extra paperwork required.
Doggone Tax Time.
Stapling W-2 then mailing.
Just a week or so after finishing…
There is a grape jelly smudge on them.
Oh well.
A l’il sign of Food, Family and Life.
That about sums it up.
For these are the things that go “in between” the famous Ben Franklin quote, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
So we learn to savor each day and happy moment we are given, even as we dutifully see to the need to fulfill all legal requirements.

March 13, 2013

These two canoodling canines sure would make some pretty puppies. Alas, twill never be, ‘cause my boy, Blue, was already “fixed” before Miss Luna moved in to the house on the corner with the fenced yard. He’s a l’il bit older, no comment on wiser, and even without a litter o’pups shared between them, these two purebred dogs are all kinds o’crazy in love with each other. Oh, how they make me smile and laugh with all their carrying on!

March 9, 2013

The broken chair is on the curb.
Garbage day is Monday.
I told my oldest son, “Next time something breaks, just tell me.”
He understood, quite clearly.
This chair is one of six that I bought second hand, for $50 maybe.
I’m not sure of the year, sometime between July ‘95 and January of ‘98 is the best I can do, to pinpoint the timing of the sale.
I brought ‘em home, two by two, in the backseat of the car, on a 52 mile commute.
Honestly, they were a l’il wobbly way back then, but better than the folding chairs we’d been using round a third hand kitchen table.
We still have three o’these chairs left around the house to safely sit in…at least that’s what I sorta think.

March 9, 2013

I’ve stayed out of the boxes of Swiss Rolls in the pantry. They are for the boys of the house. However, this poor l’il Swiss Roll duo traveled round trip, all the way to school and back. It returned home uneaten, due to a fundraiser bake sale. Well, you know I took pity on it, I didn’t wanna waste, and no one else would eat a less than perfect looking one…. So, OK OK, these two I ate! Yum.

March 8, 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

a quiet smile
on awakening
bloomed into
a full blown grin
as I stepped outside
on the sidewalk
time to walk the dog
the sunshine was brighter
the blue sky exquisite
birdsong filled the air
no wind was gusting
stillness all around
quiet morning walk time
and then…
a sparkle of glitter underfoot
as sunlight hit the snow
oh, how lovely
fairy tale divine
I didn’t feel the cold
thankful for my winter coat
barefoot in my snow boots
so what if it was 15
feels like 8
I truly didn’t notice
some days hold a l’il magic
this feels like one o’them
I’m smiling quietly
in anticipation

February 24, 2013
Written while sitting in my favorite love seat spot, with my legs curled to the side, wrapped in my super soft, pale blue robe, a few shades lighter than the sky. My sweet dog, Blue, fell back asleep too, he’s curled in a ball like a Fennec Fox (we saw them at the zoo, long, long ago).

I’m wool gathering in the kitchen
warming my hands
on a ginormous mug o’joe
leaning on the counter
dishwasher sloshing
running humming
boys watching Clone Wars
now nearly through
snow covers the ground
February air has snap
inside is warm
my kitchen spot the best
for quiet contemplation
coffee drinkin’ daydreams
blue sky is emerging
from behind a wall o’clouds
wool gathering
thinking
not just a barnyard pursuit
baa
brrrr
ya sheared me a l’il close
not yet anyway
shearing is for Spring
after winter wind abates
real wool gathering time isn’t here
not quite yet

February 23, 2013