"Is this going to be one of those days?" I ask aloud to the room, to the air, to the world, to whomever is listening (which seems to be nobody). I have spent the last three hours rushing about doing chores, trying to reach the goals I have set for myself and it seems I haven't satisfied one single objective, let alone satisfied myself in any meaningful way. I want to get things done, make things happen, but it seems my destiny today is to be frustrated.
I sit for a moment in the big chair beside the window looking out over the back yard, where the leaves are rustling lightly in a small breeze. it took me a while to realize it, but my frustration has forced me into this chair, to sit, to watch, to listen, to just relax a little and think.
I have to review the realities; I have to review these realities often; I continually overlook them (though not intentionally); I get caught up in the bustle of life and trying to force things to go the way I want them to; I inevitably hit roadblocks and brick walls. Once again I remind myself to observe what is going on; there may be answers for me when I am quiet and willing to accept them. Yet again I remind myself that life unfolds exactly as planned; everything is the way it is supposed to be at this very moment; trying to force it to be different will only cause me more frustration.
The discovery I have made is that doing nothing works.
Watching the soft fluffy white clouds high in the sky sets the mood for my moments of nothing. I can imagine floating among those beautiful clouds, weightless and without a care. From my place up there I look at the beauty in my back yard; the rainbow of color created by the blossoms; the little butterfly sitting on the branch; the busy bee collecting pollen, my beautiful family sitting around the fire pit; my special little Mocha running about; the best life partner anyone could wish for; and I had to do nothing to realize these very beautiful pieces of my life.
Important to remember that sometimes nothing works!
(Writing Prompt - Write Well University June 18, 2011)
Game six and I have little hope that Vancouver will win, (not that I don't want them to). I just figure that's the way it will be, with a game seven back home.
So here we go...........
End of the first period - 4 Nothing for Boston.
End of the second period - 4 Nothing for Boston. hmmm
End of the game 5 to 2 for a Boston win.Well it appears that Vancouver wasn't present for this game either. Perhaps they will attend in Vancouver on Wednesday. Congratulations Boston! Come on Canucks.......you really can do it you know!
All right.........game five here at home.
From the looks of this picture the team has had a good talking to, so they should win this game here at home. I say should because although I want them to win I really don't have any idea who will win.
What I am bewildered about though is the many Canadians who are not Canuck fans for this Stanley Cup series. I guess perhaps because I'm not a 'REAL' hockey fan I don't understand their position but it just seems to me that if your favorite Canadian team is not in the playoffs and another Canadian team made it, you should support that Canadian team. Sounds perfectly logical to me.........but obviously, what do I know? Regardless of the vast number of folk who are hoping for a Boston victory, (some of my very own favorite people in the whole wide world) I would like to see Vancouver win the cup.
End of the first period - No Score (Been there before)
End of the second period - No Score (Still)
End of the game - 1 Nothing and a victory for Vancouver
Congratulations Vancouver, just one more game to go.
Game four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs here we come!
Hopefully Vancouver will be in attendance this time; they were strangely absent from the last game (even though they got a losing score). I predicted that Boston would win game three, but lordy I never dreamed they would win by 7 goals! I have no prediction for game four.
End of the first period - 1 Nothing for Boston.
End of the second period - 3 Nothing for Boston. Hmmmmmmm. I think maybe Vancouver forgot to come to this game as well (or so it would seem).
End of the game - 4 Nothing for Boston.
Although I had no prediction for this game I was not surprosed with the outcome. Congratulations Boston. Hopefully Vancouver can win the next two.
Placing one foot in front of the other seems the only way to reach the end of this journey though I do wish there was an easier way to do it.
This particular day dawned promisingly bright, with the sun shining into our front window, warming not only my body but my thoughts as well. Lately it seemed the weather had not favored us with too much other than rain so this day was a blissful change. Looking out the front window I felt rather tickled to see evidence that my upcoming task would be rather pleasant in comparison to the usual wet soggy missions I was committed to.
Enough pondering; chores needed doing inside before I would be able to get out and feel the warm sunshine on my back.
Finally ready, my friend and I headed out the door into the beautiful day. I had my umbrella just in case the weather man decided to make a quick transformation (which happened more often than not). We headed down the street in the direction of the park which we passed each day, in a light happy spirit. About six blocks from home the sky began to darken in the west. The sun, getting ready for bed, had already made its way in that direction. I got a sinking feeling that today was going to end up like so many others; that I would be blown and soaking wet.
It seemed each step marked the progress of the darkness in the sky and now we were under one of those eerie looking domes with dark clouds tumbling and churning above us and the sun completely gone from view. This always happened so swiftly; starting out a beautiful day and ending up the disastrous mess we were amidst now. Then the rain came down.This brings me to the point where I started my story………….indeed it seems putting one foot in front of the other is the only way we are going to reach the end of this journey…………so that’s exactly what we did.
I released the catch on the umbrella about the time a huge gust achieved its mark and turned it inside out. My friend was no help, looking at me with interest and curiosity as though I was perhaps from another planet, trying to open this umbrella in the middle of a wind storm. As I struggled to get the umbrella righted another gust arrived it seemed, for the sole purpose of ripping it right out of my hands. We watched it go sailing high above us, ironically now in the right shape and form to have protected us from the pouring rain.
Without protection of an umbrella we moved forward on our trek. The water dripped from the end of my nose, I couldn’t see out from behind my glasses, we were cold, my friends hair curled as it got wet and mine just hung in strings, the wind at its leisure, whipping it around and into my eyes. I could see our destination up ahead but in these conditions it would still take awhile to get there. I vowed to do something about the necessity for this daily traipse; just what or how I didn’t yet have quite clear in my mind. 
Finally we arrived and there it was, the only place in the entire universe acceptable for the job at hand. My friend very promptly went over to her favored spot and tended to the task she had come here to take care of………she POOOOED……….she did her little (what I call) poop dance then looked up at me proud as punch, wagged her tail and waited at the end of her leash for her praise. There was no other place she would be convinced to carry on this critical business.
This journey could be likened to the early days of the mail delivery…………it had to be, whether wind, rain, sleet or snow.
(Saturday Writing Prompt (WFSC) May 12, 2011)
Ok it's game three of the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
Now, Vancouver should win this game; I want Vancouver to win this game but...........the outcome is anyone's guess. I sort of think that Boston will win. Why do I think that? I don't know, it's sort of like, 'why do I think I should wear this blue T-shirt today'........I just do!
End of the first period - No Score!
End of the second period - 4 Nothing for Boston! Wow! That is quite the exhibition!
End of the game - 8 to 1 for Boston! I have no words........Congratulations Boston and Vancouver, may you find your game for Wednesday!
It began normal enough; as normal as any day can be when in the house you have two parents, a pint size and three teenagers, two of whom are football players; one of those big, strong, fit and hungry; one smaller, fit and hungry; the third a girl fighting for her share. Yes it had been quite a regular day as six people pulled up their chairs to the dinner table that evening and looked upon a feast of Sheppard’s Pie with layers of bubbly cheese on top. It was truly a dinner fit for a king with salad and garlic bread to accompany the main dish, even though we all know that sheppards probably didn’t eat salad and garlic bread (but then it wasn’t sheppards sitting at the table).
There was the usual banter skipping about the dinner table that evening with enough ribbing to go around; leaving no one out. The football players rehashed their strategies, the parents reviewed their options, the girl tried to take part in both discussions and the pint size tried as best he could to squeeze a word in every once in a while but eventually he just gave up and ate his Sheppard’s Pie and munched on his garlic bread. Everyone was full!
Surprising as this may seem there was leftovers after the meal was over. That must have been some whopper of a dish of Sheppard’s Pie to feed that crew and still have some left. It was time to clean up and as previously agreed that was the kid’s job, with the pint size being allowed to go out to play for just a while longer before bed time. The parents had gone outside to satisfy their bad habit and get away from the chaos, expecting things to be cleaned up by the time they returned inside.
Supper mess and dishes had been cleaned up all right but a loud roar in the kitchen clearly indicated something was not in order. The gavel sounded and court was in session, Judge MOM presiding, Clerk of the Court DAD in waiting. First witness to be questioned without privilege of council……..Pint Size. 
“Did you consume the cheese from the top of the Sheppard’s Pie leftover dish?” was the question posed. Cowering in fear, Pint Size quickly replied “No”. “Then who did” came the second question. “Not me” replied Pint Size. (That Not Me again………guilty every time.) They were each questioned in turn, the young lady then each of the football players, all again, without privilege of council. All replied with the same answers; “No” and “Not Me”. Right Honorable Judge MOM was furious and Clerk of the Court DAD still waited. Since no one would own up to eating the cheese, since the judge had narrowed her decision to between the two football players and since the football player who was big, strong, fit and hungry (well not hungry anymore) was the family member (the other football player was a guest) and responsible for the behavior of the other, she was holding him responsible for the missing cheese…………or so it seemed. He was badgered long into the night, missing the football game he had tickets for, which really ripped him, but all to no avail. It was never discovered ‘who ate the bloody cheese’. Remaining a mystery to this very day, I’m unsure as to whether the truth will ever be revealed or if will lie buried forever in the Cheese graveyard.
Judge MOM may never again make Sheppard’s Pie with cheese on top or if she does it is quite certain the leftovers will never be alone with the cleanup crew.
So, game two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
End of the first period.....score 1 nothing Vancouver!
End of the second period......score 2 to 1 for Boston!
End of the third period.........score is tied at 2.........!
Overtime here we come!
I was getting set to watch the overtime period and for a moment layed back on the couch waiting...........heard the commotion and cheering, then a shout "Score".......I missed the goal and didn't even realize they had started to play. Good grief!
Eleven seconds into the overtime period Vancouver scored to win the second game of the playoffs 3 to 2!
Aaron and Brodie, I am so sorry that your team lost again but I'm happy that (and I repeat) a Canadian team won. Congratulations Canucks!
This is not a ‘lightning flashed and the thunder roared’ kinda story although on this particular evening the lightning flashed and the thunder indeed roared, so bright and loud in fact we were all cowering and ready to get under the covers & stay there………..except that it wasn’t bed time so we decided to wait out this chaotic disturbance at our kitchen table with a cup of hot tea to sooth our hysteria. There you have it…………………the reason established for playing this foolish game.
Monopoly is not my favorite board game but it’s one we could all play; the youngest to the oldest of our clan. Standing as the banker was altogether too much responsibility for me on this particular evening under these particular circumstances (I just wanted to sit in a vegetative state until the storm passed) but the burden was imparted to me regardless of my wishes; they said I was the best choice for the job. All I really wanted was be out in my garden looking at the gorgeous rose blooms, smelling the delightful fragrance and just be able to enjoy the sunshine. Instead I was being frightened to death by this bloody storm, compelled to take part in this foolish game and to top it all, charged with being the keeper of the money; in a nutshell, how totally distasteful.
A large bowl of cherries, sitting just a stone’s throw away over on the kitchen counter, offered the one small ray of brilliance in this otherwise frightfully deplorable day. It is said chocolate can soothe many woes and 
cherries rank right up there with chocolate in my books. Even better would be chocolate AND cherries. Ahhhh, perhaps I could find some chocolate. As that thought passed among the many cynical ones afloat in my brain at the moment, the lights went out so I quickly went to the drawer where we kept the flashlight. Armed with light I was on a mission to find some chocolate. I searched every possible place chocolate could be hiding; I found none; I found not even one little scrap left over from Halloween. I was distressed so I returned to my seat in front of the silly game where a small battery operated lamp now lit our playing area; it was my turn and I begrudgingly shook the dice. I landed on the ‘go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200’ (you know the one) so it was off to jail with
my little game piece and I was off in search again, of chocolate.
Down on my hands and knees I peered into the back of a lower cabinet and there I made the most delectable find ever…………a huge bag of chocolate covered almonds. Now we really had it all, cherries, chocolate AND nuts. Wooo hooo! This was going to save the day! As I was getting up from the floor, chocolate covered almonds in hand, I hit my head on the upper cupboard door I had mistakenly left ajar, which instantly restored me to my knees as stars swam about before my eyes and a grim ache in my head ensured I would remember this incident tomorrow. On the way back down I dropped the bag of chocolate covered almonds and listened to them go falling and rolling everywhere. Well I was not about to let this little accident stop me from my just discovered chocolate and additional bonus nuts; I would be down here with my little flash light searching out every lost chocolate covered almond, just as soon as my head cleared and the stars stopped twinkling. 
Someone was calling me back to the game. It must be my turn again. Did I mention how much I really disliked this silly game? About the time I was deciding to get up from the floor there was the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard and a scream to match from the area of table where the game was being played. Such a commotion! I was still on the floor and found out a short time later that Sarah had been startled by the thunder, jumped up, knocked a glass of water all over the game (money included) and across the table to run onto the lap of Jeremy who tipped over a chair as he hopped up when the water landed. Actually I stayed on the floor through all this because I was determined to have some chocolate and bonus nuts with my cherries. I was overjoyed after I had gathered up the chocolate covered almonds and got back to the table to find the game board and money drenched in water. Now we could clear the table, eat cherries and chocolate covered almonds until we burst. Let the storm rage.(Saturday Writing Prompt (WFSC) October 16, 2010)
Hip Dysplasia the Vet said and some arthritis. My poor little Mocha is having problems with her hip so she is on medication and a supplement called 'Sasha's Blend' which has been successful for animals with this problem.
She loves to tear around and play tug-of-war with her toys but now we have to be careful not to cause any stress on her hip which means her playing needs to be toned down considerabley. I feel bad because Mocha loved her long walk but now she can only take a short walk. She knows when she is on the way back home and begins going very slowly with a sad look in her eye, taking every opportunity to sniff around and prolong the inevitable. They are so smart; don't know who ever labeled them 'dumb animals'.
We are keeping our fingers crossed that the supplements help and the medication will ease the discomfort somewhat.
Congratulations Vancouver Canucks; won the first game of the Stanley Cup finals for 2011....!!
What is in store for the final outcome is anyone's guess, although Don Cherry would have you believe otherwise, but good luck Vancouver. Hopefully you can bring home the cup this year.
I'm not a great hockey fan; I'm not a Canucks fan; BUT if the Oilers are not in the playoffs and can't win, then best the win go to a Canadian team.
Go Canucks Go........!!!
"Is this going to be one of those days?" I ask aloud to the room, to the air, to the world, to whomever is listening (which seems to be nobody). I have spent the last three hours rushing about doing chores, trying to reach the goals I have set for myself and it seems I haven't satisfied one single objective, let alone satisfied myself in any meaningful way. I want to get things done, make things happen, but it seems my destiny today is to be frustrated.
