Glad It's Over!

 SOLC Day 8 of 31

 Lesson plans

Nerves

Surgical procedure

Relief

Rest

Flowers

Fruit

Dinners  Delivered

Rest

Cards

Calls

Rest

Feeling good

Rest

Back to school

Flowers

Cookies

Hugs

Kids

Feels good

I Hope I Don't Take That Pill

SOLC Day 7 of 31 
 

As I  reach for my own pills, I often glance at the bottle containing the pills for my cat, Hemingway. "Oh please, don't grab his bottle" is my mantra. He has thyroid issues, among others, that have caused him to go from our soft overly fluffy cat to one that is very bony, (however still lovable). Among the vet prescribed treatments is to give him one quarter of one of these little pills twice a week to stimulate his appetite to help him gain some weight, or at least to help him not to lose any more.

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the days he gets his tiny portion of pill, the choruses of his meows are insistent whenever we walk into the kitchen. As his dish is refilled, he is satisfied for just a few minutes as he eagerly laps up the food each time. His beckoning eyes focus on the can of food on the counter. He also sashays figure eights around our legs reminding us of his need. (As if we need a reminder!)

I wonder, what if I accidentally took a WHOLE one of his pills? Would I beg or scream for food all day? Would I frantically open and close the cupboard doors, pushing aside cans, boxes and bags searching for food? (sometimes I do that without THE pill) Would I run to the neighbor's house begging for dinner? Would I speed to the grocery store, racing up and down the aisles, madly filling my cart? Would I eat until I burst?

Who knows how it would effect me. It's just a little pill. But oh how it might change my day!

A Cookbook Story

SOLC  Day 6 of 31

As I scanned my cookbook shelves for the volume that held the recipe for what I wanted to make for dinner last night, I had a flashback to slices from last year. Several people stacked books so that the titles on their spine told a story or made a poem. As my ingredients lay scattered on the counter, I started pulling volumes that might work together. As the pile starting growing on the dining room table, I stood back, rearranged, re-stacked and stood back again. I did that so many times it occurred to me that I was editing my pile much as I would a slice! I found I could keep rephrasing the titles together to tell even a different story.

A little self-serving spine-note: As I scanned the pile that was arranged, I realized that from the many cookbooks in my collection, I had pulled three cookbooks that are close to my heart. These three I had worked on and marketed as fundraisers for non-profit organizations for which I had been a part. I guess these old friends just naturally fit into my life and my just-for-fun stacking story.

The Wonder Box

SOLC Day 5 of 31
 

According to dictionary.com, a card catalog is:

noun

a file of cards of uniform size arranged in some definite order and listing the items in the collection of a library or group of libraries, each card typically identifying a single item.

Most students have never heard of this vehicle to locate books in the library, the experience of thumbing through the array of cards to locate a desired volume. Now we press a button and all the information about the books in a library appear. Convenient, but there’s something nostalgic about the card catalogue.

A number of years ago, I was fortunate to have acquired a no longer needed card catalog (actually two!). I have used one to house assorted needed household items: batteries, scissors, bottles of craft paint, string, tape, glue, playing cards, etc. At one time each drawer was neatly labeled.

Little by little I have been repurposing these drawers. I am gradually turning it into a “wonder box” (label borrowed from Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick). As an ongoing process and mission, I have been replacing the household items in the drawers with things  for my 2 1/2 year old grandson to play with when he comes to visit. It is great fun and a challenge to have an eye open when shopping to come across items small enough to fit in the drawers. Packages of stickers, small cars (not too small to swallow!), finger puppets, small books, blocks, balls and colored pencils have started to fill the drawers. Even a traditional deck of cards has become a toy as he starts to recognize their numbers and is  beginning to count them! 

My next goal is to label the drawers.  Not only would it help to organize the items at pick up time, but the reading teacher in me can’t help but think it could help him on his reading journey.

I love that after the initial greeting, hug and kiss, he runs to the card catalogue to discover what new treasures await him. I think I have as much fun with it as he does!

Dresser Top Treasures!

SOLC  Day 4 of 31

Until recently, my husband and I still had the dressers purchased when we first got married, many moons ago. A source of irritation through the years has been the inability to dust the top of my husband’s dresser. Assorted “treasures” lifted from his pocket at the end of each day cluttered the top of it. Days, weeks, even months of promise to clear it never came to be. Through the years, I would provide organizing baskets and containers, occasionally shoving a filled vessel into the closet for a momentary reprieve. Alas, objects reappeared and were joined by others.

Finally we got a beautiful new bedroom set! The pleasure of a serene dresser top! My husband said he would do the best he could to keep it clear. I have been trying to ignore the cluttered landscape now reappearing. Upon close inspection yesterday, I couldn’t believe what I saw. Somehow from cleaning out  his old dresser, he found some things he couldn’t part with. There sitting among unused film in canisters (antiques?) was a roll of film still cocooned in its original box. At the same time I did a deep sigh, I had to laugh. Upon examining the box, I saw printed on its side that it was suggested that the film be developed by December 1978! I’m wondering why we are saving it. Perhaps it is indeed now a piece of Kodak’s history.

Maybe we could save it somewhere else.

A Want-To-Be Quilter

 SOLC   Day 3 of 31

I am a want-to-be quilter. I love the colors, the fabrics cut into circles, rectangles and squares, all stitched together to harmonize into a breathtaking medley! The feel of the quilt brings not only warmth and comfort but also a rich history of the quilter who lovingly spent hours with the planning and executing of the quilt making.

I have stood in fabric shops eyes swimming with all the possibilities. Through the years I have planned quilts, purchased fabric, even cutting and piecing the shapes into quilt tops. On one occasion some years ago I made curtains for my daughter’s room. The same fabric became the cornerstone for the quilt that would cover her bed. The top got pieced together. Alas, the curtains faded and there was still no matching quilt for her bed. Many years later she had a daughter. Perfect. I paid to have it quilted so it would be completed. It didn’t seem right that I had not entered every stitch, but she had a quilt.

A new nephew—a perfect time to make a quilt. When he was born, I presented the box of fabric and the pattern to my sister with the promise of a finished quilt. I joked that hopefully it would be finished before he started Kindergarten. How hopeful! This same nephew will turn 20 this week and he has not had a finished quilt! I wonder if he would like a pastel green quilt with pockets filled with small bears for his dorm room. Not likely!

Last year I reacquainted with this quilt. How could it be that the top was actually almost finished (I had forgotten that!). With the patient tutoring of a friend, I was shown how to tie the quilt to make it reasonable to actually finish it. What a perfect gift for my then one-year-old grandson. As you might guess, he is now two and a half and more of a dinosaur and train kind of kid than an admirer of cute little cuddly teddy bears.

My daughter is expecting another son this summer. The teddy bear quilt looks dated and not in the good kind of way. No, I will not resurrect it yet again. I’m restraining my visions of a quilt (even finished!) for this new little guy.

And I’m now trying not to envision myself heading to the yarn store for supplies and the directions to learn to crochet. I guess I will provide him with warmth from hugs.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"

SOLC  Day 2 of 31

There were three friends, bound together in a friendship that was strong. One was thoughtful, methodical and task oriented. Another was free spirited, mind racing, always moving quickly. The third was somewhere in between, quick moving, often times over thinking "just the right" way of doing things. These distinct personalities fit together like a well designed puzzle. 

Through the years they planned brunch showers for their children's weddings and expected babies. Together they planned every detail, garnish and flourish to make the gatherings "perfect". Before one event was finished, they conspired changes that would modify the next shower to make it even better. On occasion these brunches were also customized as fundraisers for their church.

Many laughs, satisfaction, camaraderie and friendship were shared and treasured. With their husbands, they shared dinners at each other's homes and at restaurants and weekend vacations. Weddings, births and successes were celebrated; deaths, illnesses and challenges supported. Most often the hugs of comfort were accompanied by delivered dishes of food. 

As lives are bound through the years, you begin to sense when something is not right with one of the parts. One of the friends started a battle with cancer two years ago, was pronounced cancer free last Spring. A celebration. Then fall came. She and her husband were not available for dinners. No problem, no worry they said.

It didn't feel right. Though wanting to respect the privacy of a friend, it didn't feel right to not be there if support was needed. This friendship was treasured but it felt worth risking to confront her to learn what was going on in her life.

The cancer was back and raging. It had been for several weeks. Alone, she and her husband had endured the challenges of day to day life, of week to week diagnoses and treatment.

OK, the time was right. The two friends were let in, providing support and comfort the best they could during such a challenging  time. The view of the future was shared, as painful as it was.

Our friend lost her courageous battle a month ago. It still hurts. As we go through the routine of our life, we are often reminded of her thoughtfulness-gifts, words and times shared.

My friend and I cling together for support and answers to this life altering event. She was angry that our friend didn't share earlier so that we could have had a longer time to support her.

Some time ago I had written down the quote from  Dr. Seuss, one that is not as famous as some: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

 

Though it doesn't take away the ache, it does make us reflect on all the treasured time we shared. Though we can no longer have shared times and laughter, she will always be a part of us with the legacy of friendship that was tightly sealed.