Something weird happened to me tonight. I actually wrote two poems and decided on the title of my next book of poetry. I haven't written a poem in years - I am actually shocked that I still have it in me.
Not that anyone would ever appreciate my type of poetry. I have instructed my younger sister to publish my books of poetry after I am dead. I intend to torment (or inspire) high school students as dead poets have tormented (and inspired) me.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, July 28, 2008
Where Did Summer Go?
We've had some awesome evening weather this past week - I think it got down to about 59 degrees F one night.
Looks like we're well on to our way to my favorite season - Fall. Or Autumn, for those of you who prefer that term. I prefer Fall. I love the colors of the New England foliage in October. Falling leaves are my delight. Reds, yellows, oranges - I just can't get enough of them.
In my lifetime, I've wasted dozens of rolls of film (yeah, we just got a digital camera last year) on pictures of trees. Cameras never quite capture the beauty, though. Nothing compares to standing under a maple tree that has reds, yellows and greens all on the same tree.
A favorite childhood memory of mine is collecting leaves and then ironing them between two sheets of wax paper. Hm. On second though, maybe the memory is not so good. There were a couple of nasty burns and the sticky mess when we forgot to put the brown paper bag between the hot iron and the wax paper.
So, where did the summer go? I don't care - I'm a typical New England whiner. We thrive on complaining about the cold in the winter and the heat in the summer. And wondering where the seasons went so quickly.
Looks like we're well on to our way to my favorite season - Fall. Or Autumn, for those of you who prefer that term. I prefer Fall. I love the colors of the New England foliage in October. Falling leaves are my delight. Reds, yellows, oranges - I just can't get enough of them.
In my lifetime, I've wasted dozens of rolls of film (yeah, we just got a digital camera last year) on pictures of trees. Cameras never quite capture the beauty, though. Nothing compares to standing under a maple tree that has reds, yellows and greens all on the same tree.
A favorite childhood memory of mine is collecting leaves and then ironing them between two sheets of wax paper. Hm. On second though, maybe the memory is not so good. There were a couple of nasty burns and the sticky mess when we forgot to put the brown paper bag between the hot iron and the wax paper.
So, where did the summer go? I don't care - I'm a typical New England whiner. We thrive on complaining about the cold in the winter and the heat in the summer. And wondering where the seasons went so quickly.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Life's Ups and Downs
...
I never knew that I could feel so bad about taking a cat to get euthanized. I have cursed at that animal for almost ten years. He changed my entire lifestyle - couldn't keep my bedroom door open (he'd puke in my slippers), couldn't keep a green plant or a bouquet of flowers anywhere in the house (he'd eat the plant, then puke in my slippers). And in his wildest moments (which were frequent) he'd scramble and pounce madly around the house, knocking over everything in his path that wasn't nailed down. And then there was the litter box... amazing how much a Maine Coon Cat can put out in the course of one day... right outside my bedroom door. What a way to start the day.
So I just couldn't get a grip on my behavior when it was time to take him on his last trip to the vet. I could barely talk to the receptionist when I made the call. It's not like we didn't see it coming. He'd lost a lot of weight over the past year. We all knew it was time. He had been miserable, drooling, lethargic and not eating for two days. We refused to prolong his agony. We didn't even know how old he was - we got him when he was fully grown, and the person who gave him to us got him from a shelter.
We went through a box of kleenex in the car (a three mile ride) and two more boxes at the vet's. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked us. (We were sure). She explained cremation. She explained how the death would happen. He might lose his bowels (we were used to that). She said that they'd send us a paw print in a ceramic plaque with his name carved on it. (Yeah, whatever). We skipped the cremation and took him home in a weirdly somber cardboard pet coffin. We got the sympathetic sad faces from everyone in the waiting room (it was packed) on our way out. Another box of kleenex in the car before we could drive home.
We waited until the body was cold (I insisted) and then buried him in the back yard next to my older sister's cat, Zachary. It took us forever to dig the grave. Even in old age and weakness, he was a huge cat. We piled it with stones from our beloved (but anemic) stone wall fence so that the coyotes wouldn't rob the grave. We sprinkled lots of holy water so he wouldn't go to cat hell.
And now our little dog is once again an only child. "Never again," we say almost every day. "Never again will we have a pet after this one is gone." Two days later we got a sympathy card from the vet, signed by every technician and everyone who was in the waiting room, watching the funeral procession go tearfully out the door. A picture of a very cute cat on the cover, reaching poignantly for a yellow butterfly. More tears, more vows. Never again...
...
I never knew that I could feel so bad about taking a cat to get euthanized. I have cursed at that animal for almost ten years. He changed my entire lifestyle - couldn't keep my bedroom door open (he'd puke in my slippers), couldn't keep a green plant or a bouquet of flowers anywhere in the house (he'd eat the plant, then puke in my slippers). And in his wildest moments (which were frequent) he'd scramble and pounce madly around the house, knocking over everything in his path that wasn't nailed down. And then there was the litter box... amazing how much a Maine Coon Cat can put out in the course of one day... right outside my bedroom door. What a way to start the day.
So I just couldn't get a grip on my behavior when it was time to take him on his last trip to the vet. I could barely talk to the receptionist when I made the call. It's not like we didn't see it coming. He'd lost a lot of weight over the past year. We all knew it was time. He had been miserable, drooling, lethargic and not eating for two days. We refused to prolong his agony. We didn't even know how old he was - we got him when he was fully grown, and the person who gave him to us got him from a shelter.
We went through a box of kleenex in the car (a three mile ride) and two more boxes at the vet's. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked us. (We were sure). She explained cremation. She explained how the death would happen. He might lose his bowels (we were used to that). She said that they'd send us a paw print in a ceramic plaque with his name carved on it. (Yeah, whatever). We skipped the cremation and took him home in a weirdly somber cardboard pet coffin. We got the sympathetic sad faces from everyone in the waiting room (it was packed) on our way out. Another box of kleenex in the car before we could drive home.
We waited until the body was cold (I insisted) and then buried him in the back yard next to my older sister's cat, Zachary. It took us forever to dig the grave. Even in old age and weakness, he was a huge cat. We piled it with stones from our beloved (but anemic) stone wall fence so that the coyotes wouldn't rob the grave. We sprinkled lots of holy water so he wouldn't go to cat hell.
And now our little dog is once again an only child. "Never again," we say almost every day. "Never again will we have a pet after this one is gone." Two days later we got a sympathy card from the vet, signed by every technician and everyone who was in the waiting room, watching the funeral procession go tearfully out the door. A picture of a very cute cat on the cover, reaching poignantly for a yellow butterfly. More tears, more vows. Never again...
...
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Let's Talk About the Weather
...
It seems that winter in New England has launched itself directly into summer. We went from an eternally cold and annoyingly snowy winter directly into the blistering heat of summer. Those of you in the south would not consider 85 degrees F to be blistering heat, but those of us up north with our sluggish blood do not respond well to these temperatures, especially when they arrive suddenly. My ideal temperature (outdoors) is closer to 60. Indoors I thrive at 68.
We New Englanders tend to complain a lot about the weather. We have an old saying... "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute". It changes frequently, giving us much to complain about. Most people in these parts don't like change - they like their 'comfort zone'.
I'm lucky that the weather is all that I have to complain about. I have a good job, a roof over my head, friends and family, and relatively good health. What more could I ask for? Nifty thunderstorms at my command? (Cool - I'd like that).
We humans are never satisfied with the good things that we have. We always want more. I guess it all goes back to the Garden of Eden. Man and Woman had everything - except one stinking fruit. They had to have it all. And just look at where it got us.
This is not Paradise.
...
It seems that winter in New England has launched itself directly into summer. We went from an eternally cold and annoyingly snowy winter directly into the blistering heat of summer. Those of you in the south would not consider 85 degrees F to be blistering heat, but those of us up north with our sluggish blood do not respond well to these temperatures, especially when they arrive suddenly. My ideal temperature (outdoors) is closer to 60. Indoors I thrive at 68.
We New Englanders tend to complain a lot about the weather. We have an old saying... "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute". It changes frequently, giving us much to complain about. Most people in these parts don't like change - they like their 'comfort zone'.
I'm lucky that the weather is all that I have to complain about. I have a good job, a roof over my head, friends and family, and relatively good health. What more could I ask for? Nifty thunderstorms at my command? (Cool - I'd like that).
We humans are never satisfied with the good things that we have. We always want more. I guess it all goes back to the Garden of Eden. Man and Woman had everything - except one stinking fruit. They had to have it all. And just look at where it got us.
This is not Paradise.
...
Monday, June 2, 2008
Helloooooo Sonata!
I'm having a grand time with the new car. Can't get enough of the satellite radio. Don't even know what half the buttons on the dash are for. The thing drives like a dream (there's nothing like a brand-new car) and we've only been to the gas station once since it arrived.
Aaaaaaannnnd it's the envy of the workplace. I rarely have something to be proud of (probably a good thing) but this car has upped my status in life, at least at work. There have been several 'showings' and promises of a test drive (I need to get an inspection sticker before the test drives). And suddenly everyone at work wants a new Hyundai.
My cars always have a name. We named this one "Bruce" for a couple of reasons. Bruce is the shark in "Finding Nemo" (a favorite movie), and the satellite radio has a shark-fin sort of antenna. Plus, the car is sort of the blue-ish color of that character. And I think of Bruce (in "Nemo") when he loses control and tries to get at Nemo and Dori. Reminds me of my own road rage as I try to get to work in the morning, most days.
Ahhh, Bruce. The new love of my life (until something better comes along). I feel like a kid with a new toy.
Aaaaaaannnnd it's the envy of the workplace. I rarely have something to be proud of (probably a good thing) but this car has upped my status in life, at least at work. There have been several 'showings' and promises of a test drive (I need to get an inspection sticker before the test drives). And suddenly everyone at work wants a new Hyundai.
My cars always have a name. We named this one "Bruce" for a couple of reasons. Bruce is the shark in "Finding Nemo" (a favorite movie), and the satellite radio has a shark-fin sort of antenna. Plus, the car is sort of the blue-ish color of that character. And I think of Bruce (in "Nemo") when he loses control and tries to get at Nemo and Dori. Reminds me of my own road rage as I try to get to work in the morning, most days.
Ahhh, Bruce. The new love of my life (until something better comes along). I feel like a kid with a new toy.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Goodbye Jeep
It's been a rough week (or two). Trouble with my 2005 Jeep Liberty Sport. The engine light came on about a month ago, and the local mechanic blamed it on the gas cap. Drove it for a while with no further trouble after the gas cap was replaced.
Then the heat was really slow to turn on, and the instrument panel began to chime 5 times. Turns out that the coolant had leaked into the oil and the Jeep had 'blown a head gasket'. At 38000 miles.
Now, I've done regular oil changes at about 3000 miles each time. When I brought the vehicle in for the first engine light, I assumed the mechanic had checked the coolant level (it's a sealed system). When I challenged him, he assured me that he had checked the coolant.
I don't know who to blame or what went wrong. I know nothing about cars, so I relied on the 'professionals' to watch out for me. Maybe they knew about as much as I do.
In any event, the Jeep was under warranty, so this week it got a new head gasket, one new head, and two new intake valves.
And tomorrow I am going to trade it in for a 2009 Hyundai Sonata.
I've been feeding the Jeep more than $50.00 a week in gas, and much more when I take a road trip on weekends. The new car has 4 cylinders and will drink a lot less gas.
I feel bad about losing the Jeep. I really liked driving it - it was fun to be high above the other cars on the road. But I drove a 2009 Sonata rental car when I was on travel recently, and really fell in love with it.
The new Hyundai has XM satellite radio, heated leather seats, front wheel drive, A/C, 6-CD changer, more speakers than anyone could ever want, and lots of other features. And the dealer looked all over the place to find the color that I wanted - medium silver blue with grey interior.
I generally buy new cars for what they look like (I've only bought two new cars in my lifetime). This is the first new car that I have bought because of how it drives vs. how it looks. Of course, looks are important and the new vehicle looked pretty good in black and gold (I'm eager to see it in my chosen color).
So now I have a new car payment to add to the stack of bills... but I'm looking forward to spending lots of time on the road with that XM satellite radio. And saving a bit of money on gas.
Everyone at work has heard my Jeep saga and is looking forward to a ride (and perhaps a test drive) in the new car. Amazing what a new car will do to enhance someone's life. Next week should be very interesting.
Then the heat was really slow to turn on, and the instrument panel began to chime 5 times. Turns out that the coolant had leaked into the oil and the Jeep had 'blown a head gasket'. At 38000 miles.
Now, I've done regular oil changes at about 3000 miles each time. When I brought the vehicle in for the first engine light, I assumed the mechanic had checked the coolant level (it's a sealed system). When I challenged him, he assured me that he had checked the coolant.
I don't know who to blame or what went wrong. I know nothing about cars, so I relied on the 'professionals' to watch out for me. Maybe they knew about as much as I do.
In any event, the Jeep was under warranty, so this week it got a new head gasket, one new head, and two new intake valves.
And tomorrow I am going to trade it in for a 2009 Hyundai Sonata.
I've been feeding the Jeep more than $50.00 a week in gas, and much more when I take a road trip on weekends. The new car has 4 cylinders and will drink a lot less gas.
I feel bad about losing the Jeep. I really liked driving it - it was fun to be high above the other cars on the road. But I drove a 2009 Sonata rental car when I was on travel recently, and really fell in love with it.
The new Hyundai has XM satellite radio, heated leather seats, front wheel drive, A/C, 6-CD changer, more speakers than anyone could ever want, and lots of other features. And the dealer looked all over the place to find the color that I wanted - medium silver blue with grey interior.
I generally buy new cars for what they look like (I've only bought two new cars in my lifetime). This is the first new car that I have bought because of how it drives vs. how it looks. Of course, looks are important and the new vehicle looked pretty good in black and gold (I'm eager to see it in my chosen color).
So now I have a new car payment to add to the stack of bills... but I'm looking forward to spending lots of time on the road with that XM satellite radio. And saving a bit of money on gas.
Everyone at work has heard my Jeep saga and is looking forward to a ride (and perhaps a test drive) in the new car. Amazing what a new car will do to enhance someone's life. Next week should be very interesting.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Pot-Lucks and Pentecost
We hosted a pot-luck at our house the weekend before last. The theme was "Tapas" - Spanish appetizers. People came up with the most amazing recipes - we had a great time. We made our classic deviled eggs, but tried two new recipes - pinwheel sandwiches and stuffed strawberries. Others brought the most amazing creations - fried olives, Mexican casserole, bruschetta with prosciutto, Spanish cheeses, rhubarb crisp, fruit platters, bean and corn salad, mini cheesecake slices, country bread, shrimp and cocktail sauce, baby greens salad - an awesome feast.
This past weekend one of our friends invited us to a Pentecost Vigil Mass followed by a pot-luck. He is a Catholic priest, and very much into the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Mother of Christ and His Disciples, after the Resurrection. We celebrated Pentecost this past weekend as the end of the Easter season in the Church year (liturgical calendar).
The Mass was very intimate - a bunch of us crowded into a small basement room - scriptural readings, songs, prayers and meditations, plus the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It made me think of the way Mass was once celebrated in the catacombs, where the Christians hid from their persecutors. Or like Christ and His Mother, hidden in a locked room for fear of those who might come and kill them...
It all ties together. Friends. Food. Christ and the Last Supper. There is so much of God and Church in our everyday lives. In the ordinary things that we do, we often don't realize who or in what way we are bringing Christ into the world.
This past weekend one of our friends invited us to a Pentecost Vigil Mass followed by a pot-luck. He is a Catholic priest, and very much into the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Mother of Christ and His Disciples, after the Resurrection. We celebrated Pentecost this past weekend as the end of the Easter season in the Church year (liturgical calendar).
The Mass was very intimate - a bunch of us crowded into a small basement room - scriptural readings, songs, prayers and meditations, plus the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It made me think of the way Mass was once celebrated in the catacombs, where the Christians hid from their persecutors. Or like Christ and His Mother, hidden in a locked room for fear of those who might come and kill them...
It all ties together. Friends. Food. Christ and the Last Supper. There is so much of God and Church in our everyday lives. In the ordinary things that we do, we often don't realize who or in what way we are bringing Christ into the world.
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