I’m currently in the middle of a two week retreat from my self-imposed busy Florida life. The life where I’ve decided to renovate and scour every inch of our house, in addition to weeding, trimming and mulching the tropical beds. Thankfully, I haven’t happened upon that six foot long brown snake my neighbor was elated to point out to us.
Fire ants are my problem. Regrettably, I stepped into a huge mound while mulching and those suckers love me! I felt them before I saw them and when I looked at my legs, it was way too late. I screamed and did the only thing I could do…jumped into the pool fully clothed and shod. Not much help nor was the cortisone cream and the apple cider vinegar. I willed myself not to scratch all 50 bites and, finally, two weeks later, I don’t feel them anymore. Still looks like hell, though.
I’m back in Maryland and Pennsylvania visiting my family and friends, doing all my favorite things that I miss in Florida. Lucky for me, two of my grandchildren were born a week apart, so there are very important parties to attend. More importantly, I try to be part of their lives as much as I can.
How fun to see Kevin, age 5, play baseball and get the game ball for his extraordinary performance! To accompany his family to the pool every afternoon and watch his brother, Brendan, age 4, fearlessly jump in the water, which he has done since he was 6 months old. The water is way too cold for me but he will not get out even though his teeth are chattering and his lips are turning blue.
Currently, I am in Pennsylvania with my other two grandchildren, Will (11) and Reese (8, three days from turning 9). Yesterday, I watched Will being coached on ball handling, footwork and shooting for an hour. Basketball being his first love. Of course, it helps that he towers above his peers and that he’s had a sweet shot since he was 5. Forgive me, I’m the grammy.
This afternoon is a lacrosse playoff game for Will and tomorrow morning is a soccer game for Reese, who runs like the wind. And, Sunday is another birthday party where I get to see my whole family for the second weekend in a row. I don’t take our times together lightly. I cherish every minute I spend with them.
I’m a cinephile who has great difficulty finding movies I actually want to see. How spoiled I was to have The Charles Theatre so close when I lived in Maryland. Every indie and foreign film made its way there and my kids grew to love them as much as I did. It’s a tradition that we continue to this day. This year, we chose to see “Booksmart”….loved it!
The best thing was that there were multiple choices that we would’ve been happy to see as well. Unfortunately, they can’t get to more of them but what do I have to do? Not much so I’m taking advantage of seeing as many of them as I can! Saw “The Biggest Little Farm”, a documentary of a couple who started a back to basics 200 acre farm after being evicted from their apartment in Los Angeles because their dog wouldn’t stop barking. What energy these people have!
Monday, I’m taking in the French film, “Non-Fiction” about a publishing house that faces a bit of a crisis when the publisher turns down his best friend’s manuscript. Of course, it is French which means amorous adventures and witty repartee. Great reviews including one that notes that it is a “bonbon spiked with delicious wit and malice.”
Also, on my to-do list is to continue catching up with friends that I rarely get to spend time with now that my life has moved south. There’s also the last three seasons of “Grace and Frankie” that I’m binge watching in my solo time. In the past week, I finished three books, including “Breakfast with Buddha.”
There’s also a Lunch and a Dinner with Buddha, but I’m doing some light reading right now until I’m ready for Lunch. I was a bit hesitant to tackle Breakfast but it was delightful. Laugh out loud amusing with a profound statement on non-judgement. Naturally, it encourages meditation. Still working on that.
I’m in the second week of my retreat and what have I learned? It’s a treat to come back to family and good friends and to what I love about the home I left behind, but it’s not home anymore. I love Florida but I don’t have the network or my family. BH and I have forged a lovely life there together but there are gaps that, at least for now, have not been filled.
I kind of feel like an ex-pat in reverse. I returned to my native country after living outside it for most of my adult life. What to do? Live in the minute. Love it all to the fullest. That’s where home is.
Maybe I’m ready for Lunch!
Friday, May 31, 2019
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Not a Girly Girl
Never thought of myself as a girly girl. Of course, my mom, being the southern belle she was, always dressed me in frilly dresses with Mary Jane shoes…oh, and don’t forget the white gloves and matching hat. That’s when we were going to church or a rare dinner out or taking the bus to downtown Orlando for a little shopping.
I don’t remember hating that look, but I was much more comfortable as a barefoot girl running down to the lake or climbing ridiculously tall pine trees. Naturally, I’d climb all the way to the top, only falling once that I remember. But, where was my mom? Seemingly, oblivious to all danger. Never once told me to come down. No doubt, she was on the phone with her friend, Phyllis. This was decades before helicopter moms.
I loved sports. There were no competitive sports for girls, but every year I looked forward to the Orange County Field Day. Usually, I competed in the 50-yard dash and the running broad jump. I never won but I got a couple of red and white ribbons.
Girls could be cheerleaders, which I was for a short period of time. That’s because I blew out my knee at 15, imitating in a mean way the prettiest girl in the school, who was not all that gifted in the coordination department. I never fully recovered from that injury, so before girls could be competitive, I was done. My real life introduction to karma.
I still loved sports but, mainly, as a spectator. My greatest loves are basketball, baseball, tennis and golf. I am amazed that I am glued to TV golf. Years ago, I thought watching golf was like watching paint dry. That was before I played and got the game. Now, I have my favorite teams, players and can bore you to tears with my opinions in all those sports.
For better or worse, I passed along my passion to all three of my children. Fortunately, they all were able to play competitively. My younger daughter met her husband playing in an adult soccer league. My son still plays basketball at least weekly. They’re raising kids who are also active in basketball, soccer, baseball, and lacrosse.
My two daughters are definitely not girly girls. Not enamored with makeup and frilly dresses. Pink is not their color. However, my only granddaughter, at least at age 8, is more girly girl than my girls ever were. Don’t even think about getting her clothes that are not pink! How do these things happen?
I say I’m not a girly girl, but with a few caveats. I’m a Dane, born blonde. Which translates to light eyelashes. It’s a rare day that I leave the house without mascara and eyeliner. Of course, drawing that straight line on my upper eyelid gets more challenging every month! I have quite the supply of that magic pencil…never will I run out.
Then, there are the nails. Belatedly at the age of 50, I discovered the joys of manicures and pedicures. Every week, I kid you not, I am sitting across from Michelle at Tip Top Nails at Jacaranda Square. Now, I even occasionally imbibe in eyebrow, chin and lip waxing. Never ever thought that would be me.
Today was the best, though. In my opinion, there is nothing in the world quite like a facial! I lie down on that massage table, hear that soft music and take in the aroma of eucalyptus and I am immediately in a deep meditation. An hour later, I am so relaxed, I can barely move.
Maybe I’m more girly girl than I thought!
I don’t remember hating that look, but I was much more comfortable as a barefoot girl running down to the lake or climbing ridiculously tall pine trees. Naturally, I’d climb all the way to the top, only falling once that I remember. But, where was my mom? Seemingly, oblivious to all danger. Never once told me to come down. No doubt, she was on the phone with her friend, Phyllis. This was decades before helicopter moms.
I loved sports. There were no competitive sports for girls, but every year I looked forward to the Orange County Field Day. Usually, I competed in the 50-yard dash and the running broad jump. I never won but I got a couple of red and white ribbons.
Girls could be cheerleaders, which I was for a short period of time. That’s because I blew out my knee at 15, imitating in a mean way the prettiest girl in the school, who was not all that gifted in the coordination department. I never fully recovered from that injury, so before girls could be competitive, I was done. My real life introduction to karma.
I still loved sports but, mainly, as a spectator. My greatest loves are basketball, baseball, tennis and golf. I am amazed that I am glued to TV golf. Years ago, I thought watching golf was like watching paint dry. That was before I played and got the game. Now, I have my favorite teams, players and can bore you to tears with my opinions in all those sports.
For better or worse, I passed along my passion to all three of my children. Fortunately, they all were able to play competitively. My younger daughter met her husband playing in an adult soccer league. My son still plays basketball at least weekly. They’re raising kids who are also active in basketball, soccer, baseball, and lacrosse.
My two daughters are definitely not girly girls. Not enamored with makeup and frilly dresses. Pink is not their color. However, my only granddaughter, at least at age 8, is more girly girl than my girls ever were. Don’t even think about getting her clothes that are not pink! How do these things happen?
I say I’m not a girly girl, but with a few caveats. I’m a Dane, born blonde. Which translates to light eyelashes. It’s a rare day that I leave the house without mascara and eyeliner. Of course, drawing that straight line on my upper eyelid gets more challenging every month! I have quite the supply of that magic pencil…never will I run out.
Then, there are the nails. Belatedly at the age of 50, I discovered the joys of manicures and pedicures. Every week, I kid you not, I am sitting across from Michelle at Tip Top Nails at Jacaranda Square. Now, I even occasionally imbibe in eyebrow, chin and lip waxing. Never ever thought that would be me.
Today was the best, though. In my opinion, there is nothing in the world quite like a facial! I lie down on that massage table, hear that soft music and take in the aroma of eucalyptus and I am immediately in a deep meditation. An hour later, I am so relaxed, I can barely move.
Maybe I’m more girly girl than I thought!
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Choosing Joy
It all started after my daughter and grandchildren returned to Pennsylvania. I consulted with Buff Honey in the hot tub under a full moon. “I want to do the kids’ room over.” Meaning, of course, the grandkids’ room.
“I think I want to put twin beds in there and take out the bunk bed.” As long as the bed is perfectly serviceable, why bother is his mantra. Okay, I get that but a little updating can go a long way, and he did agree it could use that. Eventually, I heard the magic words, “Do what you want.” Oh, boy!
Inexplicably, the nautical themed room materialized in a half awake, half asleep state. Couldn’t wait to get to Overstock. Within an hour, I had ordered a rug, sheets, throw pillows, white down alternative comforters, a lamp, a cube bookcase with seagrass baskets. I was in seventh heaven!
However, I decided not to order the twin beds. The size of the room is just a bit larger than a walk in closet, so I decided to paint the bunk bed a semi-gloss ultra white. Unfortunately, the bed was a reddish brown color….not the best for changing to white.
It took me FOUR days to paint that thing!! First, the primer coat followed by three coats of semi-gloss. A nightmare! I never realized how much detail work it entailed…the head and foot boards, the rails on both sides, the ladder, the rungs. More than once, I thought I’d chuck it all and order the twins! But, I stuck it out and love it, especially, now that it’s finished!
The orders started arriving and the transformation was taking shape. The only hiccup was the 6-cube storage bookcase that was next to impossible to put together. BH was a real trouper, because I cannot follow directions to save my life (probably no surprise there).
Of course, I had read all 52 of the reviews, which were primarily 5 stars. About half the reviews said it was easy to assemble and the other half lamented how long it took. Being the optimist that I am, I was hoping for easy to assemble. All I can say is those easy to assemble reviews were written by engineers. Which we are not. It took us a little over two hours! It was all BH…basically, I was the cheerleader as sweat was pouring off his forehead!
I don’t think we’d really cleaned that room in six years…so, I went to town, cleaning the windowsill, washing the window, cleaning the tile floor, washing the baseboards. Basically, I went nuts! Didn’t I just write that we’re lazy people?! I don’t know what’s happened to me. You’d think I was about to give birth…the old nesting syndrome and all that.
Then, I did a thorough cleaning on the guest bedroom and decided to tackle the office. Now, that’s one helluva job! That closet was filled with papers and pictures from our former lives along with a ridiculous number of used gift bags and wrapping paper. We could barely open the closet doors.
I filled three huge garbage bags with stuff we will never use….do you hear me Marie Kondo? I am choosing JOY! I took three boxes of pictures and organized them into albums for each of my three children, something I’ve wanted to do for the past 10 years!
The most meaningful family photos are now gleaming in their new frames, ready to hang somewhere…haven’t figured that out yet. After several decades, we have finally framed our college diplomas. Now, that we’re retired and have absolutely no good reason to display them.
It’s a great feeling to have clean closets! Of course, there’s always more to do…haven’t started on the living room yet. There are always drawers to organize and windows to wash….BH’s response, “Doesn’t the rain do that?”
Seriously, I have no idea what’s happened to me! BH is in shock, mainly, because after six years, I asked him how to turn on the vacuum! I started a project that turned into something way bigger….once I started, I couldn’t stop.
It’s all about choosing joy.
“I think I want to put twin beds in there and take out the bunk bed.” As long as the bed is perfectly serviceable, why bother is his mantra. Okay, I get that but a little updating can go a long way, and he did agree it could use that. Eventually, I heard the magic words, “Do what you want.” Oh, boy!
Inexplicably, the nautical themed room materialized in a half awake, half asleep state. Couldn’t wait to get to Overstock. Within an hour, I had ordered a rug, sheets, throw pillows, white down alternative comforters, a lamp, a cube bookcase with seagrass baskets. I was in seventh heaven!
However, I decided not to order the twin beds. The size of the room is just a bit larger than a walk in closet, so I decided to paint the bunk bed a semi-gloss ultra white. Unfortunately, the bed was a reddish brown color….not the best for changing to white.
It took me FOUR days to paint that thing!! First, the primer coat followed by three coats of semi-gloss. A nightmare! I never realized how much detail work it entailed…the head and foot boards, the rails on both sides, the ladder, the rungs. More than once, I thought I’d chuck it all and order the twins! But, I stuck it out and love it, especially, now that it’s finished!
The orders started arriving and the transformation was taking shape. The only hiccup was the 6-cube storage bookcase that was next to impossible to put together. BH was a real trouper, because I cannot follow directions to save my life (probably no surprise there).
Of course, I had read all 52 of the reviews, which were primarily 5 stars. About half the reviews said it was easy to assemble and the other half lamented how long it took. Being the optimist that I am, I was hoping for easy to assemble. All I can say is those easy to assemble reviews were written by engineers. Which we are not. It took us a little over two hours! It was all BH…basically, I was the cheerleader as sweat was pouring off his forehead!
I don’t think we’d really cleaned that room in six years…so, I went to town, cleaning the windowsill, washing the window, cleaning the tile floor, washing the baseboards. Basically, I went nuts! Didn’t I just write that we’re lazy people?! I don’t know what’s happened to me. You’d think I was about to give birth…the old nesting syndrome and all that.
Then, I did a thorough cleaning on the guest bedroom and decided to tackle the office. Now, that’s one helluva job! That closet was filled with papers and pictures from our former lives along with a ridiculous number of used gift bags and wrapping paper. We could barely open the closet doors.
I filled three huge garbage bags with stuff we will never use….do you hear me Marie Kondo? I am choosing JOY! I took three boxes of pictures and organized them into albums for each of my three children, something I’ve wanted to do for the past 10 years!
The most meaningful family photos are now gleaming in their new frames, ready to hang somewhere…haven’t figured that out yet. After several decades, we have finally framed our college diplomas. Now, that we’re retired and have absolutely no good reason to display them.
It’s a great feeling to have clean closets! Of course, there’s always more to do…haven’t started on the living room yet. There are always drawers to organize and windows to wash….BH’s response, “Doesn’t the rain do that?”
Seriously, I have no idea what’s happened to me! BH is in shock, mainly, because after six years, I asked him how to turn on the vacuum! I started a project that turned into something way bigger….once I started, I couldn’t stop.
It’s all about choosing joy.
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