Every day hearts break
Shattering like fine crystal
Starting with a crack
You’re ugly, stupid,
Fat and flat unloveable
A great waste of space
Those cracks never heal
Ask anyone who has heard
The shattering glass
Month: October 2017
Wait for It…
I’ve done a great deal of waiting the past few weeks. I’ve waited for hurricanes to choose a path, for a generator to arrive, for someone to come measure one of our spare bedrooms for carpet after our water heater went kaput and leaked water all over said bedroom.
I’ve waited for a new hot water heater to be installed, and for the trash collection crew to come pick up the soggy carpeting and old water heater and the box the new one came in. I’m still waiting on the trash guys–they’d promised that all of the unsightly detritus would be picked up no later than last Saturday. We’re now officially closer to next Saturday than to last Saturday.
Yesterday I waited in vain for the guy we hired to paint the spare bedroom before the new carpet arrives. He was supposed to come first thing this morning, but he still hadn’t arrived by 4:30 pm, so I’m still waiting.
I can check some of the things off my list, though:
- Generator arrived today 10/9/17. It was supposed to have been here no later than 9/24/17.
- The carpet measurer came on time and gave me an estimate that Studly can live with.
- The new water heater is installed and working like a charm, thanks to Studly Doright.
That just leaves the painter and the trash pick up and then maybe we’ll be back to normal. Oh, wait, then I’ll be at the mercy of the carpet layers.
This post might sound like one long complaint. Honestly, it’s just a recitation. I don’t mind waiting too much, and when I think of all those folks in coastal Texas, Puerto Rico, south Florida, and now California, having to wait on vital survival type services I know just how fortunate I am. I have electricity and hot water, plenty of food, and a place to rest my head. No waiting necessary.
What are you waiting on?
Peace, people!
What I’m Reading
I went in search of something to refresh my memory of, and to increase my understanding of, documents of importance to our country. It seems more important now than ever for citizens to be informed; otherwise, how can we hold our elected officials accountable?
I found this slim volume at Barnes and Nobel:
I like the way the book has side by side explanations of the documents. For example, pictured below is the first page of the Bill of Rights:
On the left are the unedited amendments, and on the right are simplified explanations. I think our current president might benefit from reading this book. Maybe I’ll buy him a copy. He might have to give up one round of golf to read it, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.
Peace, people.
Butterfly Collecting
I collect butterflies,
But mine are never displayed
Pinned under clear glass
Loosely assembled,
Mine aren’t arrayed in cases
Alphabetically
No, mine flit about
Pausing to sip at petals
Eliciting smiles
The Perfect Burger
Our current political scene is so depressing that all I want to do is eat. If I’m not careful I’ll regain the 20 or so pounds I’ve lost in these last ten months. Studly Doright suggested that I write instead of eating. If I can’t enjoy a burger, I’ll contemplate the perfect one.
Studly grills a good burger on occasion. When he buys good ground sirloin and doesn’t cook it until it resembles dried shoe leather his burgers are among the best. He melts cheese on top, then we add lettuce, fresh tomato, a sweet Vidalia onion, mustard or mayonnaise, and our choice of pickle on top of a grilled buttered bun. I add a splash of ketchup to mine and it’s oh so good.
When we eat hamburgers at a restaurant we’re fairly adventurous. I’ll often order one with guacamole and jalapeños. Of course I suffer mightily for that indulgence, but oh my goodness it’s so good.
Studly’s favorite is a burger dubbed “The Lip Smacker” at our local Well’s Brothers eatery. The Lip Smacker features half a pound of meat grilled to perfection and topped with cheese, bacon, peanut butter, and strawberry jam.
Would you eat The Lip Smacker? I won’t, but then Studly won’t even contemplate my guacamole and jalapeño burger. What’s your favorite burger? Are you a plain Jane kind of burger lover, or do you go for the exotic?
Battle of the Sexes
Every now and then it’s good to remember that even though women are still fighting battles to control our own bodies we have come a very long way on the road to equality. The film Battle of the Sexes starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell as tennis stars, Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, provides viewers with some pointed reminders of just how far we’ve progressed, and who we should thank for that progress.
I remember watching the hype leading up to the big match between King and Riggs, as well as sitting glued to the tv to view their epic match from start to finish. I was 16 when Riggs and King faced off on the court. My family made a big deal of the match and my dad said from the beginning he thought Billie Jean would beat Bobby Riggs. Is it any wonder why Daddy was my hero?
The movie recreates the vibe of the 70’s perfectly: The hair, the clothing, the music, the misogyny. Carell and Stone are wonderful in their roles. I give this film 10 thumbs up. Yes. Ten. I’m not much of a movie reviewer, but I know what I like.
Peace, people!
A Certainty
One thing I know for sure: Doright Manor won’t win the “Curb Appeal” award this week.
Debris from our recent water heater failure along with branches that littered the yard after Hurricane Irma have rendered the front of our property an unsightly mess. I’ve called the trash removal service three times now. The neighbors are beginning to circle the house with pitchforks. I’m beginning to wonder if we can hang black crepe paper on the mess and pretend we’ve decorated for Halloween.
Meanwhile, across the street, all is well.
I hope you all have a wonderful, debris-free weekend.
Peace, people.
Birthday Debriefing
As my faithful followers know, yesterday I celebrated my 61st birthday. It was a good day, but it got off to a rocky start. Rather than go into the painful details, I’ll just give you the bullet points.
- Due to the possibility of a hurricane hitting our area we cancelled plans for a weekend visit to Amelia Island.
- We’ll still have to pay for half the price of the room we cancelled because the hurricane didn’t enter into the picture until past the cancellation deadline. Thanks booking.com. Grrrr.
- My favorite convenience store was out of diet Dr. Pepper, so I had to do without my must have caffeinated beverage. To coffee drinkers, that would be like starting your day without coffee.
- Whole Foods couldn’t make me an iced chai latte because their chai delivery was late.
- The damned hurricane changed direction. I don’t want it to impact anyone, but since we cancelled our reservation and still have to pay for one night, how dare it not hit here?
- I had lunch at a table by myself while watching various groups of women engaged in pleasant social discourse. Dammit! It was my birthday.
- All became right with the world when I enjoyed a spa treatment at Aveda.
- Studly Doright lost his golf match, but played well.
- I received tons of birthday greetings.
- I don’t know how to make the bullets stop.
- Please help.
- Guess I’ll just say, Thank You for Reading. If you made it this far, you might need to get a life.
- Peace, people.
The big kid is me way back in the day. The cute kiddo is my adorable cousin on her first birthday. The man is my beloved Grandaddy.
Shipping Label Humor
Today, October 5, 2017, is my 61st birthday. Yay me! According to my youngest grandchild who is five, I am an old lady. Funny, I don’t feel old. In fact, I feel fairly wonderful.
Yesterday I received a beautiful basket of gourmet delicacies from my son and daughter-in-law. I mean this is the mother of all baskets:
Apples, pears, cheeses and crackers, cookies, and a bottle of wine. It’s gorgeous and I’m going to try to be a good girl and share with Studly Doright.
One of the best things about the basket, though, was the label on the box it arrived in. I laughed for ten minutes:
“Do not deliver to an intoxicated person,” it says. I told the FedEx lady it was a darned good thing she’d come before 5 p.m.
Happy birthday to me!
Vegas
Powerful. Read more at redswrap.wordpress.com.
Don’t hit me again
Then weep on your knees, wring hands
Keep your wickedness
____________________
Photo by Ian Espinosa on Unsplash
Praying for Eyebrowz 