I wrote a poem today

To only look out, from these eyes
And not see myself grow old
The brown spots on my skin
That sprout growths

I long for the white marshmallow skin
I've seen in diners
Of rural, midwestern towns

Women whose flabby arms
Stayed in the shade
Their pale white faces belie the sun drenched damage

Oh, to only look out
And feel I am still a girl
Flawless

But I didn't know

Unrelated thoughts

• It occured to me that many days I feel like a typing monkey at work or a drone in a bee hive.


• Daniel wanted to be sick so he could use the computer, drink Gatorade and watch T.V. He got his wish and I told him I'd buy him Gatorade if he got what Matt had (5d fever, 2 d malaise). Day 6 was today!


• Now he wants to be well and didn't show me the thermometer saying "It's 98.6." When I made him take his temp. again he said, "Oh look it went up." He's ready to get back to school.


• There is something to be said for endurance. I made it 1 year at my job.


• Seen on the Honey Dew Donut sign : "Peach muffins are back." I didn't know peach muffins where such a big draw. In fact, I've never had a peach muffin.


• Daniel told me I had paint in my hair. I told him I thought it was gray hair. "Well, there's a lot of it, " he remarked. "I'm getting old ......" I remarked back. "Aren't you 43. . . . ?" he said. A few years short, but I'll take it.


• Bumper sticker: "Don't believe everything you think."


• "I've waited 56 years for this" said my mother in regard to moving/keeping all of her furniture from her 3,600 square foot house which sold for full price. This in itself is a minor miracle. A major miracle would be getting her to downsize.


• Beware of the coxsackie virus.

Songs from my new album

can be found on You Tube. Here are the links:

Big Boned Gal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taABZxD4JwQ

Woman I Know

http://youtube/RsORs3huPxs

Daddy Daddy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INDgfCwBmgI

Country Road

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar9b6Rdolgo

Does your furniture have a hold on you?

Have I written about this before? How women of a certain age have a penchant for wanting to hold onto all of their furniture. I am talking all of the good stuff they have accumulated throughout their lifetimes. Take my mother for example.She lives in a 3,700 square foot home and is seriously contemplating staying put 1,000 miles from family because she wants to keep ALL of her furniture. Say what? She expressed some such notion this way: I waited my whole life for this. . . Not me. I feel like I could move into one room easy. Downsize me to a monk’s cell and I could be happy. The simplification and the shedding of possessions would make me very light. Very light indeed.

Somy mother is contemplating staying ALONE where she is - in her dream home surrounded by her beautiful things that she has waited her whole life for.

But I’ve got my eye on a 1,100+ square foot little place for her less than a 10 minute walk from the house. This would be perfect and cozy for one but she worries about the lawn, snow etc. and wants a condo – even though she’s not in a condo now. She is obsessed with the pricey condos at Wakefield Meadows because, you guessed it, she can keep all of her furniture in the 2,200 square feet. The cozy cottage I’ve got my eye on has a nice brick fireplace and hardwoods, it’s one level, with a nice yard. I think there’s even a sunroom of sorts. Practical –yes. Dream home – no. And there are three boys within a ten minute walk or a three minute bike ride who can move her lawn and shovel her walk. Also, we can conveniently pick her up to drive her places rather than travelling across town to get her. Note: she will not be driving herself much longer.

This is not a furniture survey of one mind you. I have witnessed this recurring theme with two other older ladies. My poll of three has all living in houses far toobig for them. And in my mother-in-law’s case – she has two houses. One is for furniture and one is for living (I am not kidding).

This (waste) wouldn’t be an issue if multiple generations still lived together.

A friend said he had one word for my mother: IKEA.

I have one word for my friend: YES.

Things are just things but when you are in your 80s apparently not.

Unrelatedthoughts

• I think John Travolta probably did offer reverse massages to the masseurs.Supposedly lots of Hollywood stars are gay and pretend not to be. Who knew?
• I think the odds are high that I will be the one to find my boss (80) dead in his office. Confession: I periodically think about this when I see him cough or gasp for breath.
• How to get your teenage son to hate you more? Tell him you are taking him for a phone upgrade and detour to the barber for a haircut. Note: I have not actually done this.
• Poor Matt has had a high fever for 5 days – probably just the flu but blood work may tell a different tale. I told my boss if I get what he has I’ll be out all next week. I told Matt that this illness could kill an elderly person. . . .but I did not tell my boss this.