The End of AnotherMonth

The good thing about the end of the month is that tomorrow you get to start over. Start saving money, or exercising, or eating correctly. The bad thing about the end of the month is that it's the end of that month that you started doing all those things 30 days ago.

I should be hanging from a charm bracelet now, if I had stuck to that diet/exercise program that I was supposed to REALLY get started on in January. But here it is, the 5th end of the month, and I am still nowhere close to my goal.

But I started again today. Maybe by starting on the last day of the month, those cosmic forces will get all confused and I will find success. Of course, it will also help if I stick to my diet, force my butt out the door to exercise, and do what I know I need to do.

So long May - June, here I come!

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Things that make today great: Memorial Day and all those who serve or have served our country; boiled shrimp for dinner; starting again; Hoarders TV show marathon

Ahhhh, Home Again

Back in Nashville to my own home and wireless internet. Home to Maggie the Cat and stuff to do. Home to my own bed and sleeping in tomorrow.

And, back to a longer blog post tomorrow!

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Things that make today great: Family reunion lunch with Scribners, Morgans, Gillises, Lewises, and assorted other new friends; road trip home with Lindley, Sam, Lynnette, and Steve; peach-ish soft serve in Russellville

Thank Goodness For McDonalds

So, I'm at McDonald's with a large order of fries, trying to catch up on the Internet (random neighbor's wireless didn't work tonight). As a result, I thought I'd give you the Top Ten Things That You Learn When You Stay Somewhere With No Internet Connection:

1. There are 732 facebook updates, and you have to scroll though until you find where you last left off, because somebody's update could have been REALLY important - but then you find that none of them were because if they had been, CERTAINLY somebody would have called you.

2. You find that all your emails in the last 24 hours are as worthless as they usually are - you still don't need the viagra or to send money to that dude in Nigeria.

3. You do read your email and facebook updates a lot quicker, because a large order of fries only lasts so long, and since this McDonald's got held up last week, you don't particularly want to hang around too long.

4. Maybe that iphone or blackberry isn't as hard to master as you thought - and cell service seems to be available at places with no internet service.

5. Maybe 10 things is too much to learn - it's for sure too much to write about when they're mopping the floors and glaring at you at McDonald's!!

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Things that make today great: picnic dinner with GDizzle, Ann, Lynn, Judy, Lindley, Sam, Lynnette, and Steve; mall-ing with Lynnette and Lindley

Just The Basics

In Columbus, Mississippi, visiting family. Am posting on the slimmest of signals from unknown neighbor. Hope this posts. Will visit McDonalds tomorrow for better signal. Until then ...

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Things that make today great: road trip to Mississippi with Lindley, Lynnette, Sam, and Steve

Fashion Fail

I realize I am an old fogey. I own up to this fact. However, there are some things that I simply do not get - and I don't think I ever shall. Today's "thing" is the phenomenon known as "saggy pants."

A few years ago when I was teaching middle school, the saggy baggy pants was the thing. The boys loved to wear them and the teachers hated them. In between crucial lesson points, we also had to say, "And pull your pants up, please." Explicit wording in dress codes did not help - mainly because the words we wanted to use were prohibited by the school board.

Fast forward to today - as I was driving home, I passed two young gentlemen walking along on the sidewalk. One in particular was talking on his phone. I can only suppose it was such an important call that he could not talk and keep his britches from falling down. As a result, his pants were hugging the bottom of his cheeks - butt cheeks, that is. And he had on red plaid boxer shorts, which I really didn't need or want to see.

My main question about this fashion is this - exactly who thinks this style is cool? Who really wants to see all that? Not only do the pants look ridiculous, but the walk that must be performed while trying to keep the pants at the desired location on one's hips looks ridiculous. And if I wanted to see a young man's under-drawers, then just wear the under-drawers.

Many moons ago, when I had hips worth mentioning, I wore hip-huggers. This was a style of jeans that sat on one's hips and looked cool. They accentuated one's hips - not the bottom of one's butt cheeks. If we wanted to emphasize our butt cheeks, then we just wore tighter hip huggers.

Maybe the answer if for all us old fogeys to adapt this saggy pants. Maybe parading our old butts around would thwart the coolness factor. Certainly a gander at my granny panties should cause a second thought!

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Things that make today great: Cabinet chat with Barry and Christian; kitchen talk with Molly; airport pickups for Sam and Steve; visit with Sarah and Lindley and Lindley's new back lawn; chatting with cleaners lady

Have Saw, Will Cut

Today I managed to use my new chain saw to cut various tree parts at Molly's house. I didn't lose any appendages, and learned how to fix the chain when it came off. I learned a little about chain sawing, like when to push and pull, and how to angle the saw. While I'm not quite ready for the chain saw Olympics, I consider my first efforts successful.

There were several who viewed my new endeavor with trepidation. While I choose to believe they were not casting aspersions as to my abilities, I do believe that maybe the idea of me and a chain saw was a little scary to them. Maybe that thought made me a little more careful. Maybe it made me a little more determined. But the important thing is that it didn't stop me from doing something new.

I know chain sawing can be extremely dangerous. I know that I could lose a finger or a foot in a split second. But I also know that I can use a chain saw.

And for today, that's all that matters. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, no matter what somebody else may think. You may succeed or you may not. But you have to go ahead and try.

And if you happen to keep all your digits in the process, then it's been a really good day!

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Things that make today great: meeting with Christian and the electrician dudes; finding Rambo; boot camp benefit; chain sawing at Molly's

Daddy And The Chainsaw

Ode To My Chainsaw

Today was the day

I defied my dad;

I bought the chainsaw

I never had.

I asked him once

To borrow his saw;

He refused to lend it

What a stingy paw!

He said I needed

Some steel-toed shoes;

He obviously thought

I had toes to lose.

Instead he gave me

A rusty hand saw;

For me that was nearly

The very last straw.

I was over 30 years old

And had a little sense;

This chainsaw dilemma

Was making me quite tense.

So I waited my time

But I knew one day,

I'd get my own chainsaw

And see what he'd say.

Well Daddy went to Heaven

And five years later,

I finally got my chainsaw

With teeth like a gator.

Maybe up where he is,

Daddy will stifle a guffaw,

And find a toe-protecting angel

For his daughter with a saw.

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Things that make today great: Taking Steve to the airport; Hiller water checkup man; new chain saw; dinner with Molly, Lynnette, Lindley, and Sarah; getting errands done; chatting with MB; season finales of Biggest Loser and Dancing With The Stars

Is It Monday Again? Already?

Apparently it is. Got stuff done, got stuff to do. People in town and going out of town. Cats coming and going. Clothes clean and dirty. House messy and rearranged. Eating stuff I probably shouldn't. Planning to start jogging, but didn't.

In other words - it's Monday again!

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Things that make today great: yard work in other people's yards; new cleaners lady; mailing surprise boxes that aren't from me

Sunday at the Doik

So, today I rented a UHaul van (only because I thought I had rented a small truck), loaded Molly's stuff onto said van, retrieved Steve's car, moved the cabinet thingy from Molly's back to my laundry room, moved the black refrigerator to the sun room, took back the UHaul, retrieved my car, showered, got a pedi, and then had dinner with most of the family at CPK. So, tonight you get a sweet cat/dog video.

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Things that make today great: moving Molly's stuff with Molly, Plates, and the Mover Dudes 1 & 2; pedis with Molly; CPK with Steve, Sam, Lynnette, Lindley, Sarah, Plates, and Molly

Things That Stay the Same

Last night I slept in the house in which I grew up. I slept in my same room, although not in the same bed. The decor was different and my parents were no longer there, but in many ways it was the same home.

Tonight I listened to Carole King and James Taylor perform the same songs I listened to many, many, many years ago. James doesn't have as much hair as he once did, and Carole - well, she looks fabulous. But even though many years have passed since I first heard their songs, they still sound the same as they did then.

So I guess I'm saying that even though things may change on the outside, they still stay the same in the ways they affect our lives. They touch our hearts and remind us of what once was. But they also remind us of the important things that will forever be a part of our lives - the things that really matter.

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Things that make today great: Starkville Bagel; drive back to Nashville with Marilyn; Molly's dinner with Molly, Plates, Sam, Lynnette, Lindley, Marilyn, and Steve; James Taylor and Carole King at the Arena; spending last night in my childhood home

Headed South and Back

In about an hour, I will head for the border - Tennessee, that is. I am going to Jackson, Mississippi, to attend the high school graduation of my nephew, David. I will be meeting my sister there, then after the graduation we will drive north to Starkville, Mississippi, to spend the night in our childhood home.

Tomorrow morning we will head back to Nashville in time for dinner with Lindley and the rest of the family (except for Maribeth who is in Montana or Wyoming or somewhere in that vicinity). After dinner Marilyn and I will go for a listen to James Taylor and Carole King. After which we will go to sleep and get up in time to get Marilyn to the airport Sunday morning.

It has all the ear markings for a great adventure - stay tuned tomorrow!!

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Things that make today great: Maribeth's clean room upstairs; Friday boot camp (and the last day of this session) and new t-shirts

Meeting Julie - Sort of - Maybe

Here's how it went: Yesterday I decided to read the morning paper. No reason - I rarely read it - but yesterday I decided to give it a go.

I was perusing one of the sections, when I saw the title of a short article: "JULIE ANDREWS AT DAVIS KIDD TO SIGN COPIES OF HER NEW BOOK." Well, it said something like that. And maybe it wasn't it all caps - that's just how my eyes read it.

Anyhow, the article went on to state that Julie was going to be signing her new children's book that day at 4:30 - and to get her to sign it, you had to buy the book and get a ticket. Sort of like Willy Wonka's golden ticket.

Let me digress a moment here. I have been a Julie Andrews fan since I was a little girl. In college I had scrapbooks about her. I bought her records, and still have "The World of Julie Andrews" LP in a frame. I sort of saw her in person a few years ago when the family went to NYC for the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and she was the grand marshall - at least I think it was her on the float that I saw from 30 stories up because it was raining outside. To put it simply, I am, have always been, and will forever be, a Julie Andrews fan.

Anyhow, I knew I HAD to get the ticket. I immediately started for the car, only to be delayed by Maribeth, who wanted something. I assured her I would be back soon and left in my car, hoping to avoid the massive traffic jams that were sure to develop once everyone heard the Julie news.

As I drove to the bookstore, I imagined what it would be like to meet my life-long movie star idol. What would I say? What would I wear? Could I lose 60 pounds in 8 hours? Would I sound like a country bumpkin if I did say something - like, "Hallow, Miz Anders. I sho is pride to meetcha. I reely lak yore movin pitchurs." I alternated between fear and verclemption at the prospect of meeting JULIE ANDREWS.

I arrived at the mall, obviously ahead of all the slow newspaper readers. I strode into the bookstore and headed for the children's department, only to be told the JULIE ANDREWS book was up at the registers.

I scurried back to the registers, hoping there was at least one left. I found the stack, picked out my book, and proceeded to the checkout. Mellow Young Dude began to process my purchase. I had a $10 coupon from 2009 and hoped it was still valid. Mellow Dude said, "Yah, and like, when you bought this book, like you were supposed to get a ticket, but, like Miss Andrews had some family stuff, so like, she won't be here tonight. But she's hoping to come back this summer, so if you, like, sign this paper, we'll like, send you a ticket." I did - #27 - at least on this list.

So, I almost met JULIE ANDREWS. I may meet her this summer. At least I have time to lose those 60 pounds and think of something really smart to say.

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Things that make today great: Julie Andrews book and possibility; Christian the remodeler dude and Barry the cabinet dude meeting; BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; giving blood at the Red Cross; Bubba burgers for dinner with Steve, Maribeth, Lynnette, and Ann

Teach 'Em While They're Young

It's never too early to learn about the best things in life. And yes, I need to blog earlier in the day.

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Things that make today great: mammogram center staff; BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; new Julie Andrews book

It's Never Too Early ...

... to teach a girl who's in charge of the remote control - whether it's the sleep number or the cable television! And yes, it's been a slow blog day.

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Things that make today great: boot camp with Molly and Tammy; morning Starbucks run; BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; OCharley's lunch delivery; Molly's dumpster and porta-potty

Monday

It's Monday night, and I've already had two naps. I've spent the last hour trying to find a cat video, or a poem about Mondays, or some inane list. But I've come up with nothing. So, a picture of Lindley in her gangsta attire will have to do. I think she was rapping. About how delicious her fingers are.

Oh well, there's always Tuesday ...

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Things that make today great: BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; cooler weather with rain; RT dinner with Maribeth; registering for golf channel volunteer at November Disney PGA tourney

When It Gets To Be Too Much ...

Today the laundry shelf in my house had had enough. Let me explain. A few years ago, I installed a shelf above my washer/dryer. Its purpose was to hold detergent, Clorox, and other laundry essentials. It was supported by several braces, so I thought all was well.

My most recent detergent purchase was one of those bottles that you turn on its side and obtain the cleaning fluid through a nozzle-type thingy. The bottle is rather large, so I made sure to place in on top of one of the braces. I bought a fabric softener of the same design, and put it on the next brace. All seemed lovely - all I had to do was push the button/nozzle, out came my requested laundry additive, and I was on my way to clean clothes.

And then came today. I put a load in the washer and then went to do something else. At some point, I went back to put the wash into the dryer. There I was greeted with a floor full of blue liquid. Apparently the braces decided to quit, thus dumping detergent and fabric softener (which turns into blue goo when mixed) to the floor.

Several towels, rolls of paper towels, and Clorox handi-wipes later, the laundry room was seemingly back to normal. I won't get into the other details of decisions to rearrange the laundry room, purchasing (and returning) various dryer vents, washing loads of detergent and softener soaked clothes and hoping it wasn't too much for the washing machine. The bottom line is that the shelf fell, the floor was a mess, and after a few hours, everything seemed normal again.

I couldn't help but think of the flood victims as I cleaned up my mess. Mine was so minor compared to someone's house that had been filled with water and left with mud. While mine was cleaned up in a few hours, Nashville's flooded citizens are still cleaning out and tearing out and throwing out. But the good news is, as a flooded friend of mine facebooked tonight - "I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Sometimes it gets to be too much. Sometimes it's a river or a drainage system or a stream that can't take the rush of unrelenting water. Sometimes it's a shelf that can't take the weight of heavy bottles. Sometimes it's people who can't take one more comment, or one more disaster, or one more anything. Whatever it is, it gets to be too much and something gives out.

But if we're lucky, at some point we see the light at the end of the tunnel. Everything crashes, but we rebuild and start again. And even when it seems darkest, somehow we manage to glimpse that slight flicker of light that encourages us to keep going.

I don't know if I'll put the shelf back up. My floor will probably feel slimy for awhile. But today I learned something about stress, mainly to watch for the signs before it gets to be too much.

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Things that make today great: Factory lunch with Sam, Lynnette, and Lindley; cleaning up the laundry room; picking up the Ms at the airport

Saturday with Friends

Today I spent time loading these red boxes onto Red Cross trucks. There were three separate rows of boxes - one held the main dish (lunch = spaghetti; dinner = chili), one held the vegetable (beans/potatoes), and the third row held the dessert (pudding/fruit). The Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams prepared the foods and loaded it into the boxes. Then Hands-On Nashville volunteers loaded the assigned boxes into the assigned Red Cross vans. These vans then went all over Nashville to deliver food to people affected by the recent flooding. We were told that 8000 people were fed a hot meal for lunch and dinner.

I worked with people I didn't know before today. Our supervisor was from Kingsport and told us about all the different teams the TBC Disaster Relief has, from chainsaw teams to mud teams to the feeding unit that we were working with. He told us how he uses his vacation and unpaid leave from his work to go wherever needed. He told us how this team is sleeping in the church and showering in shower trucks - just to help people in need. It was pretty awesome.

Equally awesome was Joni, who was a fellow volunteer. She happened to be in Nashville on business this week, and volunteered with Hands On Nashville. She stayed over a few days just to work with us today, and drove home to Atlanta later this evening.

Today I met some pretty great people from Alabama, North Carolina, and other parts of Tennessee. I saw Red Cross workers cook huge vats of food, empty hundreds of cans of food, and clean and sanitize everything that needed cleaning and sanitizing. I saw a lady help drivers back into the spot for loading, I saw another lady stand in a trailer so she could wash the laundry of other Red Cross workers, and I saw people loading and unloading and hauling whatever was needed. I worked with a woman whose birthday party is tonight and another woman who has a test coming up (and needs to study for). I worked with a group of people who loaded trucks in the rain.

It was great because we all knew we were doing something significant. But the best part was the feeling of everyone there. Although many of the Red Cross and TBC teams had been working long hours for many days, they still had great spirits and smiles on their faces. And even though the food would seem to be the main thing being given away, it is the caring spirit and concern of all those working that truly makes a difference in someone else. I know it did for me.

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Things that make today great: volunteering at the food center; McD's Big Mac dinner

She Done It!

It took a few years, with a few stops and starts and a few vacations along the way. But in terms of mom-time, the time flew between this:

and this:

Happy Graduation, Maribeth!!

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Things that make today great: Friday boot camp; picking up Lindley for BSC with Maribeth; Maribeth picking up her diploma; lunch at JAlex with Lynnette, Lindley, and Maribeth; Home Depot-ing with Molly; taking Steve, Maribeth, and Molly to airport; enjoying "Cinderella" with Lynnette

In Your Spare Cooking Time ...

... here are some recipes that you may want to try. I'll be looking up cardiologists later...

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Things that make today great: getting my bathroom mirror back, taking the screens in to be fixed, going to the bank, talking with Shirley at Chesley's and getting the scoop, signing the remodel contract at Molly's, Molly's beef tips dinner, picking up Lindley at daycare with Maribeth

Today's Main Activity

So much for hump day ...

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Things that make today memorable: BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; dizziness

San Fran

Apparently Blogger has had a few issues the past few days. Wednesday's brilliant (ha!) post apparently was deleted (as was everyone's). It may come back - I'm hopeful, since I have no idea what it was about and couldn't (and really don't want to) replicate it.

So, I'm posting this on Friday, but labeling it as Thursday's, since I had a post that I wanted to write on Thursday, but couldn't because Blogger was down with maintenance issues. Oh, and the fact that I normally live in Central Time, had just spent a week in Eastern Time, got up at 4am to make an early flight to San Francisco, flew 5+ hours (losing 3 hours in the process), went to a Giants game where I was so hungry (my stomach didn't know what time it was, except that it was eatin' time) that I practically told the dude behind the concession stand to just throw everything in a trough and I would just plow into it like a pig, ditto the Ghiradelli stand dude), so that by the time we returned to the Courtyard, it was all I could do to keep my eyes open to see the bed, much less stay awake to keep you people entertained.

So what was yesterday's blog supposed to be about? I forgot, but I do have a pretty picture:

Oh, and the Giants won!!

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Today's blessings: Safe, smooth flight; Giants game with Steve; hotel room ready upon arrival; movie and tv on flight;Bart ride

Hula-Hoop Substitution

Didn't make it to hula-hoop class tonight. Maribeth was out of town and my hips had no hula in them. So I skipped. I probably missed learning some new trick and I will be behind next week. But I did get a few things in the house straightened up. And I did get a Frosty from Wendy's.

So, to recap: no hula, but instead one chocolate Frosty with chocolate sauce added at home. Totally worth it!!

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Things that make today memorable: BSC with Lindley; roof leak fixed by Mr. Wise; boot camp with Molly and Tammy; picking up Maribeth from the airport

When PawPaws Babysit

The question is, who was ordering what?

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Things that make today memorable: BSC with Lindley and her talents: Molly's remodel dudes; roof rain issue fixed; rainy day

When Mother's Day Took On New Meaning

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Things that make today memorable: Mother's Day morning with Lindley; Steve's Bubba burgers for lunch with Sam, Lynnette, and Lindley; Molly bringing chicken taco salad for dinner

Jenna and Me

I saw the sign in the distance as I drove down the street - Jenna's Toy Box. I began to imagine all the toys I could get for Lindley at a small exclusive toy shop. As it turned out, that would be none - although Jenna had "1000s of videos," they were all XXX rated. So much for that shopping excursion.

However, it made me think about advertising one thing on the outside and being something else on the inside. For instance:

... would people think I was a good mother if they knew one child spent her formative years eating only chicken fingers and ketchup?

... would people think I was a good sister if they knew I cut up my sister's Chatty Cathy dress and broke her ballerina doll's legs?

... would people think I was a good teacher if they knew sometimes I took videos to class just so I could get a break for an hour?

... would people think I was a good friend if they knew the things I said behind their backs?

... would people think I was a good person if they knew the questionable words I sometimes said or the jokes I sometimes repeated?

... would people think I was a good Christian if they knew the selfish acts I engage in on a fairly regular basis?

I wonder if there really is a "Jenna" and if she would really have a child's toy shop instead of an adult one. I wonder if she is sometimes ashamed of her store and wishes things were different. I wonder if she regrets her choices in life.

I wonder if I am not so different from Jenna. I make a lot of questionable decisions and act in ways I'm not proud. I wish I made better choices and lived up to what I'm representing on the outside. I wonder if I can ever do that which I want to do and be.

I guess the main thing is to keep working on the inside, keeping in sight what I'm advertising on the outside. I need to be mindful of who I want to be and keep arranging and rearranging to make that person strong. I need to get rid of what is not in keeping with who I was created to be and practice the gifts God gave me.

Because in the end, my life is like my own store. It's up to me to decide what I'm selling.

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Things that make today memorable: chocolate chocolate-dipped ice cream cone with Steve at Bobbi's Dairy Dip; visiting Lindley and Lynnette; clean sheets; beautiful day in Nashville

It's Friday and The Weekend's Coming!

It's been a long week. It's been a week full of devastating pictures and news reports and water conservation. It's been a week of road closures and flooded areas and boot camp. It's been a week of waiting for news from friends and volunteer sign ups and monetary and physical donations. It's been a full week.

But it's also been a week of friends' birthdays and looking at old pictures. It's been a week of making new friends and laughing with old friends. It's been a week of Starbucks and a homeless man in the parking lot and planting plants in the yard. It's been a week of "A Chorus Line" and baby swings and water fountains. It's been a full week.

It's been a week of deciding what's important and worrying about those we love. It's been a week of informing the world about Nashville. It's been a week about caring and sharing and bearing the burdens of our neighbors.

It's been a big week. Today's Friday and the weekend looks great. We'll rest and volunteer and clean and help. Because caring doesn't stop on the weekends - at least not here in Nashville.

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Things that make today memorable: Friday boot camp; Doik Daycare bus pickup; BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; pimento cheeseburger for dinner with MB and Steve; roof carpenter dude

Today It Was Right

Last month I wrote about a man asking me for money in Walgreen's and the fact that I didn't give him any. Today while I was walking to my car at Starbucks, an old man with worn-out clothing called to me across the parking lot, asking me if I had a few coins to give him.

I looked in my wallet, found a few dollars, and gave them to him. He looked surprised, and even stopped mid-story about his hungry stomach. He thanked me and walked away, and I went to my car. As I was backing out, I saw him. He was directing me on where to back out, and where to go to get back on the main street. He was smiling, and as I passed him, he bowed to me. I couldn't help but smile back.

Why did I give him the dollars? Because something inside me told me that it was the right thing to do. It didn't matter what he was going to do with that money - that was not my call. My responsibility was to act on what I needed to do. It felt good and it felt right.

So in the end, who really received a gift today?

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Things that make today memorable: planting and replanting; replacing screen door handle; "We Are Nashville" shirts by CPC on 360 with Anderson Cooper; Which Wich and "A Chorus Line" with Steve; post-boot camp nap; twisting into my car when it got hemmed in; homeless dude at Starbucks; twice-made frap at Starbucks; Burger King drama

Top Ten Reasons I Didn't Attend Butt Camp Today

1. I was expecting a new refrigerator, and I was in labor. Delivery occurred around 8:30 am and the new one is beautiful!!

2. An hour of hula-hooping class last night caused my hips to threaten to turn into jelly if I tried a lunge today.

3. Insomnia on Monday night resulted an severe brain fatigue on Wednesday morning. And everyone knows butt camp is a thinking woman's sport.

4. I'm old. Like about 84. At least that's what my knees were telling me.

5. I'm overweight. Like about 580 pounds. At last that's what my ankles were telling me.

6. I needed to use the time to clean my house. I didn't, but I needed the time to do it.

7. I had invited the family to dinner tonight, and I needed to plan my menu. Which ended up pretty easy, since all I had to do was pass out the take-out menus.

8. Nashville is trying to conserve water right now. If I sweated too much, then I would have to take a shower in order to avoid polluting the air with my body odor.

9. I just got my new hula hoop, and I didn't want to make it jealous or insecure by leaving it this morning for another exercise class so soon in our relationship.

10. This morning, my mind AND my body said, "No way, no how, not doing it." And I obeyed.

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Things that make today memorable: BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; Mexican-Chinese dinner with Lindley, Lynnette, Molly, and Maribeth; new frig and delivery dudes; Grayson not getting in delivery van; getting the solar lights to work

Whoosh, Whoosh, Slap

That would be the sound of me in my hula-hoop class - a couple of revolutions and a crash to the floor. Tonight was my second class, and things stepped up a notch. Let me share:

Maribeth and I were the first ones there. We were given a hoop by Teacher Aubrey. Rather than risk peaking too soon, we sort of stood around holding on to our hoops, waiting (and hoping) for someone else to arrive.

The other ladies started trickling in, and Aubrey suggested we warm up. This involved remembering how to sway my hips to keep the hoop whooshing around. Memory served me well, and I was feeling pretty good. That feeling didn't last long - because next I tried to do the "dip and hip" or whatever it's called. It has to do with scootching down and thrusting your hip up when you think your hoop is going to fall. Most of the time I look like a hootchie dancer with an artificial hip. And my hoop fell down anyhow. Well, I wasn't being too successful with this maneuver, but luckily Aubrey decided it was time to learn some new stuff.

First we learned how to turn. It involved a variation of the dip and hip, but also crossing one foot in front of the other and rotating a quarter turn. I tried - but I'm not sure exactly what transpired and exactly what my level of success was. Sometimes I turned, and sometimes I dipped, and sometimes I hipped - but rarely in succession as designed. Much of my time was spent picking my hoop off the floor.

Aubrey was a little delusional and decided we were proficient enough to go to the next lesson, which she called the "slinky." I don't know why - from what I know about slinkys, they fall down the stairs, which I am pretty good at with or without a hula hoop. At any rate, the slinky involved using your right hand to move across your waist while the hoop has a big gap and is rolling around on your back. After a nanosecond of practising that, Aubrey said the second part was to move your left hand across your back, sort of coordinating it with your right hand while th hoop goes round and round. I think I needed a Dramamine at this point.

I can't even begin to express how detailed this seemed to be to me. There was dipping and hipping and turning and hands sliding and slinkying and rotating and revolving. Oh, and there was a whole lot of sweating. Aubrey was full of encouragement and help. And whatever else she was full of, I would like a dose of, because not once did she burst into laughter and roll on the floor when she came to me.

Anyhoo, finally class was over. For our parting exercise, Aubrey dimmed the lights and put on some slower music. She said we could do whatever we wanted - practice our new talents, or walk around hooping, or just hoop. She didn't say we could do what I would do with soft lights and quiet music - nap - which would have been my choice. But we were done with our second class, after which Maribeth and I went to the other location to pick up my own hula hoop, for supposed practice at home.

So, in review, today I learned how to turn and slinky my hands at the same time. How ever did I get through the past 52 years without that!!

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Things that make today memorable: BSC with Lindley and Maribeth; boot camp partnering with Molly; Ruby's dinner and hooping with Maribeth; new fountain in the back yard

The Sun Will Come Out

The stories and images are horrific. Water, water, everywhere. The Cumberland River finally crested 12 feet above flood level. Downtown Nashville businesses are flooded. The Schermerhorn Symphony Center has lost the custom built organ and two grand pianos due to flooding. LP Field is covered in water. The Grand Ole Opry has water covering its wooden pews. Subdivisions of homes are covered up to the roofs. The Opryland Hotel has six feet of water. Ten people have died in Nashville. People are being evacuated from their homes by boat. There have been over 1000 rescues in Nashville, and are continuing. It's incredible and unbelievable. But it has happened.

Today the sun was out and it was a beautiful day - until you drove past the businesses whose buildings have water up to their roof lines. Or until you watched the news or read the paper or viewed the pictures on the Internet. While it seemed an ordinary day, it wasn't. It especially wasn't if your home, or business, or life, was forever changed because of flooding.

I guess that's life. Disaster strikes and our lives are never the same. And yet, even though our world is shattered, the sun comes out and life goes on. It doesn't seem fair that everyone else's lives are moving on, while ours seems to have stopped. Whether it's a flood, or the loss of a job, or the betrayal by someone we trusted, or the death of a loved one - the event stopped us cold. But the sun kept shining, and life kept going on around us.

But maybe that's why the sun comes out, to remind us that we still have lives to live. We still have things to do and goals to achieve and one foot to put in front of the other. Maybe the sun has to come out so we can see where to go and what to do next.

Life does stop. Our breath is taken away, and we're not sure if we want to take the next one. But we take that breath and we keep going. We look to the sun and hope for the best. And somehow we find our way back to life.

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Things that make today memorable: Purchasing a new refrigerator to replace the broken one; cleaning the carport; Sonic dinner with MB and Netty; seeing the flood sights of Nashville

News-ache

I spent most of today watching the news about the flooding in Nashville. It's terrible to see how much damage is being done all over the city. However, there came a point this evening when I just couldn't watch it anymore.

I'm not sure if it was the newscasters who are intent on getting the biggest story, or making the most insipid commentary, or who are just plain insensitive. I grew tired of them having reporters all over town and then telling everyone else to stay home. I was ready to throw something at the television if I heard them say the same thing over and over - "it's going to get worse before it gets better." There just came a point where I hated them all.

Maybe it was seeing the same video footage over and over and over. Even when new footage was shown, it was not fully explained. Was it fresh or taken a few hours ago? What happened to the people - was it the "possible" story reported, or something else? At some point, there were some men on top of Pep Boys - where the crap are they now?

Maybe it was the time they threw it to the weather lady and she had just had a bite to eat, and just kept on talking. I yelled at her to, "Spit it out!" Guess she didn't hear me and kept on talking.

Maybe it was the weather people and their predictions and opinions and analogies and their obvious excitement over it all. I couldn't watch their graphs and charts any more.

I guess there's a breaking point even for voyeurism. Once the warnings were over and it became a hodgepodge of "who can get the best ratings," I quit watching. I'll catch up tomorrow, probably by reading the newspaper, if it gets delivered (today's paper didn't make it to the house). Sure, maybe it won't have the "up to date" news of the television, but it sure will be a lot quieter.

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Things that make today great: Some of the flood news; getting out in the neighborhood and seeing some of the flooding; vegging all day in my pjs; the rain finally stopping

Floating On The Interstate

Weather in Nashville is always iffy. You take what the weatherman predicts and then go look out the window. You look out again in 15 minutes, because the weather will probably have changed, and neither is what the weatherman predicted. This weekend called for heavy rain and thunderstorms. It did not call for Noah and the ark, which came floating by on I-24.

My house is located above the flooded areas, so I saw no problem in running out to pick up a gift that was ready. However, after driving through flooded streets (although not nearly as bad as the interstate), seeing plants from a nursery down the street at a gas station (having been swept there by flooding water), and watching water flood the banks of the Little Harpeth River, I knew I needed to stay home.

Of course, it's all over the news with every newscaster offering their opinions. Apparently it's been 40 years since there's been a flood this bad, but the newscasters are after blood, to figure out who's at fault. The pictures are horrific and there have been fatalities. It's a disaster

But there are the good stories that come out. There are stories of good Samaritans who stopped and helped people from their stranded cars. There are people who man the shelters opened for those who can't get to their houses. There are the police and fire department personnel who work for long hours to help those in distress. There are pictures of boat rescues from an 18-wheeler on an inundated interstate.

There's more rain predicted for tonight. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. But Nashville will get through it. Because in the end, we're neighbors - even if the first time we meet it's to carry you though the flood waters to dry land.

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Things that make today great: Potato pancakes at Noshville with the family; bag ready at sewing place; flood pictures and stories; seeing results of flooding on Franklin Pike