Today I experienced the most wonderful gift. For about three minutes I got to spend time with my grandmother. We spend a lot of time together, but today I felt like she was actually there, actually present and with me. Upon entering their house she recognized me and told me to call her ‘grandma’. We also spent another couple minutes making the bed. Her moves were deliberate and precise. Today she knew how to make the bed and she didn’t fumble through confusion as she often does. The bad news was that these moments were all too fleeting. The bad news is also that she thinks she makes the bed every day when in fact, she hasn’t made the bed in months (grandpa does). But the good news is that I got three more minutes with her. They were good minutes. The good news is is that I was IN that moment with her. I recognized the gift I’d been given and I didn’t waste it. Today was precious.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Day 80 4/11/08 Happy Birthday, kinda
I’m eight days old today. I don’t know if I ever thought through this journey of trying to find a different job that I would be this old. Not to be mislead, I’ve not been hitting the job trail as hard as I should. Sickly, I’m still rather enjoying my time off, though I know it needs to end. I don’t feel eighty days old today. I should probably feel depressed by my job prospects and discouraged about the future, but I don’t. I can’t help enjoying the time that I have left (does that sound morbid or what?). It makes me wonder about what I’ll actually be like at age 80, as in years. I wonder when I’m that old and I look back at my life what I will have accomplished. I wonder if I’ll have had kids. I’ll wonder of my career, husband, and friends. Will I be in some facility? Heck, will I even be alive? 80 years makes 80 days look young.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Day 79 4/10/08 CA, pain in the, REAR
ca·reer
- Show Spelled Pronunciation[kuh-reer] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.an occupation or profession, esp. one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework:
2.a person's progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking.
3.success in a profession, occupation, etc.
4.a course, esp. a swift one
5.speed, esp. full speed:
6.Archaic. a charge at full speed.
7.to run or move rapidly along; go at full speed.
8.having or following a career; professional
Hmm. . . .
An occupation requiring special training- not necessarily
A person’s progress or general course of action through life, or through a phase of life- this one I like because between the lines it implies there can be more than on career for a person depending on the phase of life.
Success in a profession- I’m working on this one
A course, esp a swift one- this on is only true is a) you know what you want and b) you know the right people
Archaic, a charge at full speed- again, only if you know what you want or know the right person
To run or move rapidly along- slow and steady wins the race
Having or following a career; professional- still working on this one too
Day 78 4/9/08 Ruined by wheat flour
Day 77 4/8/08 DIEt Coke
Disclaimer though, I enjoy diet coke over all sodas/pops and I don’t usually care for the diet variety of Pepsi products or any clear pops. So, I guess only time will tell is my diminished taste for diet coke is simply a fluke, a sign of maturity, or an indicator of a larger problem.
Day 76 4/7/08 FOUR
Four is the number of people I spoke with today, not including those I emailed. Four is the number including my husband and the other three were sales clerks. I ran out today for a quick errand and exchanged at max fifteen words with each clerk. So, not including my husband I spoke about forty five words, out loud, to people in the outside word today. Months ago I wouldn’t spoken more than forty five by the time my carpooler and I reached the end of my block. Preceding the Diet Coke incident, things are not looking up.
Day 75 4/4/08 Pasta, wine and caves oh my!
Happy 50th to my good friend, Kelly! He embraced the black wrapping paper, the big “Over the Hill” buttons and the pimped out wheelchair. I on the other hand embraced my youth, my younger years, the wine and my Pasta Arrabiata. The guest list ranged from my husband and I (late twenties) all the way through to the guest of honor (Fifty)! The conversations ebbed and flowed like the wine and laughter was heard through the restaurant. The birthday boy received a serenade form the “little Italian with the mandolin” and we all got a private tour of the
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Day 74 4/3/08 Batter up!
Just like in baseball life likes to throw a curveball every once and awhile. My memories took a sharp turn this afternoon, literally. I was driving down the street and there was a detour. Detours by nature are unexpected, but this one was especially surprising. I was routed off the main street back through my old neighborhood. A right, then a left and just up the block was the house I grew up in. Someone else lived there now. My friend no longer lives across the street, and my other friend moved away as well. When I drive by my house I feel like I’m ten years old again. Warm memories come rushing back to me. Vivid recollections bring me back to lazy summer days playing neighborhood games outside well into night without a care in the world. I reflect on the neighbors, and how gave out the best candy at Halloween. I think back to block parties and sleepovers. I wish I still lived in that house. I was ten again. It takes me but twenty seconds to drive down my block, but the turn of this day will stay with me forever.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Day 73 4/2/08 Back in the saddle
I am up. I am refreshed. The bed is made and it’s not even
Day 72 4/1/08 April’s fool
Not one person tried to pull an April fool’s Day prank or joke on me. What a boring, boring day. Perhaps the joke was the six plus inches of snow that fell yesterday. Only in MN can we go from fifty degrees and sunny one day, to six inches of snow the next, and then right back to fifty degrees the day after. Apparently it’s environmentally possible, but I just don’t buy it. So the day was fine and we all underwent a deep thaw. Snow covered trees wept heavy snow tears throughout the day and the grass began to emerge. I spent the better part of the afternoon with my grandparents at the Dr.’s office (and I don’t mean my husband’s office), so maybe that joke was on me. I was glad to be able to help and grandpa got the ok to “get behind the wheel” again. In hindsight, many people and higher being did play some April Fools Day jokes, making me April’s fool.
Day 71 3/31/08 (Re)Tardy
I never run late. I always run early. I’ve always thought it rude and inconsiderate of people to consistently be late. I never wanted to be the person that ran late. However, in the past couple weeks there have been some incidents. Now, I fully understand and take responsibility for the fact that I’m not working. I understand that this alone should free up so much time that I am never late, for anything, ever. Why is this not the case then? How come I run between five and eight minutes late for 2 of my last nine or ten appoints? How is this humanly possible? I confessed my shame to a friend and she graciously replied, “don’t worry about it. Even when you’re not working you can keep yourself super busy and time can still get away from you.” How sweet. I hope it wasn’t empty understanding or sarcasm because it really is true. Working forces you to schedule yourself down to the minute. Not working gives to flexibility, day dreaming and skewed sense of time. I’m making a pact with myself to never be late again; working or not working. However, Steinbeck said it best with, “The best laid plans of men often go awry.” Not me Mr. Steinbeck, not today and not tomorrow.
Day 70 3/28/08 Dr. & Mrs.
I nervously gulped down my first margarita over an endless bowl of chips and salsa. Today was the day. My husband was in