Slow down!

Today we celebrated my youngest child's 11th birthday. How did this happen? My "baby" cannot be 11! Next year she starts middle school. Wasn't it only yesterday I cradled her in my arms?  It truly does not seem fair that my body is slowing down so much and yet time seems to be zipping along at the speed of light.  Granted, there is that little detail about me having a chronic medical condition, but still!  I'm way too young to feel this freaking OLD!  I hate when people mention those quaint cliches like "you're only as old as you feel," because I feel ancient. How about we change that to: "you are as young as you wish you were!" Yeah, that's the ticket. I know, right? I can try and feel young, I can wish I were young, but my body tells me otherwise. Whatcha' gonna' do? There's only one option I'm afraid, and I'm going with it: straight out denial.
Works for me.

Je T'aime

I love the French language. Despite the obvious advantages of learning Spanish (considering that I live in California, and about three hours from Mexico) I decided to take French in high school. I loved the way it sounded, and how I felt speaking it.  I daydreamed of visiting Paris, and traveling across the French countrysides with it's vineyards and chateaux. As it turned out I did get to visit France, and absolutely loved it. I'm sure the people I met there thought my French was atrocious, but I think they appreciated the effort. I was thinking about this wonderful language because..for one thing, I really want to brush up on it  (why? I have no idea. I just want to).  The other reason is that I was thinking about friends and how thankful I am for my friends.  The word for "friend" in French is "ami". The way to say the verb "to love" in french is "aimer". Looks pretty close to me.  It's like they are saying that love is part of the meaning of friendship.  In English, it seems the word "friend" is thrown around and used for any mere acquaintance.  I suppose we have other words that qualify the term. There's "best" friend, or "close" friend, but I like to think that those I love could just be called "amis".  Works for me. So....Adieu Mes Amis! Au Revoir! Je T'aime!

Dog Heaven

Last weekend we took our dog, Whiskey, to the dog beach.  He was so happy running around on the sand, free of leashes and fences, chasing his ball, splashing in the surf a bit, sniffing other dogs and making friends.  He was in dog heaven. Of course, I love that he loves the beach, because, well, I love the beach. It's my favorite place. He's my favorite dog.  Okay, he's my only dog. But hey, it's fun to say that I'm going to hang out on the beach with a little Whiskey.

If It Ain't Broke...

Through a somewhat random train of thoughts (which for me is not unusual) I started thinking of that phase: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  I always had mixed feelings about that, because while on one side I sort of agree with it, I also think it assumes that anything that is broken can be fixed.  So what about a broken heart? I know there are people who, though they won't admit it out loud, believe they can "fix" their friends or relatives who have been hurt by matters of the heart.  Unfortunately healing one's damaged emotions is not a one-size-fits-all application.  What works for one person is unlikely to work for another. This is frustrating to most of us. Its always hard to see someone you care about in pain, whether it's physical or emotional.  We want to help, we want to fix it...but we can't.  So what do we do? Sometimes we say the wrong things. Sometimes we don't know what to say. Sometimes we throw up our arms, exasperated.
What we need to do is just shut the heck up, listen, offer hugs, love, prayer, and support, because when it comes down to it, that's all we can do, and it's probably the hardest thing to do. 
So if it ain't broke...just thank your lucky stars. And sometimes... if it is broke...don't fix it.

Here We Go

This should be an interesting week. Tomorrow we all go to the dentist, the next day we're meeting friends for brunch and then...Wednesday: school starts.  I am SO looking forward to a return to schedule.  It's not like I think suddenly my life will be that much easier, but there is a comfort in the "usual".  I get up in the morning, take the kids to school, have a little time to myself, take the dog for a walk, clean the house, do laundry, grocery shopping, whatever, pick the kids up, deal with the homework, make dinner, yadda yadda...
I know in a few weeks I will be tired of the same ol' same ol', but for now...I need it.  I need a sense of control, no matter how minuscule. So here we go...on a voyage to the "same ol'." Let's see what happens.

So Cal WIMP and Proud of it

As I watch the final days of summer do their usual turbo fly-by, it feels a little strange. After spending the last two months in a perpetual "June Gloom" that lasted well into August, the sun has decided to make an appearance. Of course it's making up for lost time by pushing the temperatures up to 90 degrees or more.  Last weekend my husband and I were in Palm Springs, and the thermometer was topping 113. Yikes.  I am an admitted Southern California Wimp (yes, capital W). I am just not happy when it's too hot or too cold, and my definitions of "too hot" and "too cold" are ridiculously mild.  75-80 is good. I like an occasional rain storm, as long as I don't have to drive anywhere.  Snow is nice to visit, but the idea of having to get up and shovel a path to my car, or spend 30 minutes thawing the car and scraping off the ice is beyond my comprehension.  Likewise, living day after day in 100 plus temps would definitely not be happening for me either.  Sorry, East-Coasters, but as far as I'm concerned "seasons" are over-rated. 

So there it is. I am what I am, a proud but wimpy California Girl.
What can I say? Try not to be jealous.

Looking out...

I've always had a fondness for this time of year.  To me, it's a time for new beginnings and the return of schedule.  The kids are getting ready to go back to school. Daily activies start to move along in a steady groove. The summer's shrapnel gets cleaned up and put away until next year.  Of course, right around the corner the holidays are lurking, lying in wait and ready to pounce on whatever peace I may briefly establish.  But for now...I look forward to those quiet moments...when I'm the only one home and for awhile, my universe is calm.