199/365 Uncertainties

Clear-cut direction

Should be tempered by patience

To make the right choice.

Throwing in the Towel

It has been cool here these last few days.

We've enjoyed having open windows.

Fresh breezes.

The chatter of squirrels

and birdsong as our soundtrack.

 

google images

 

Yesterday was overcast,

cool, but humid. 

  So. Very. Humid.

You could be whereas I was covered with a clammy film

just standing thinking about work.

Just thinking!

 

Today it will warm up,

to what would still be considered

open window weather,

but it means the humidity

will intensify.

Intensify!

When I finish this post

I'm closing the house and turning on the AC.

 

I will wear my badge of wimpdom in comfort.

 

 

 

 

198/365 Cloudy Day

Unbroken gray skies

Glimmer softly, obscuring

The Sun's light and warmth.

197/365 Business

As a close friend of

Time and tide, pressing affairs

Are full speed ahead!

196/365 Creature Comforts

The common sounds of

Domesticity echo

Through cool morning air.

195/365 Before Dawn

Utter stillness – no

Light, no sound, no movement – then

A single bird sings.

A good day

I'm tired.

My back/shoulders hurt.

I worked today - just got home.

My day isn't finished yet.

 

The day started with a special class.

6:15 - 7:30.

Our ten weeks is soon to end,

so this gave us a taste of how the other half lives.

It was a combination of

strength and cardio

bags and bands.

I can see why it is a favorite.

 

 

 

But - for me - it involves an alarm clock

set for 5:00.

Gone (long gone) are the days of

rolling out of bed and into the car.

I need to wake up

get everything going the right direction 

eat breakfast

prepare myself.

 

When I left the house at 5:50 am

I needed a jacket.

A jacket!

 

Week eight begins Monday.

 

I spent last weekend altering

waist bands, thighs and shoulders because

I don't want to buy any new clothes

to finish out the summer.

 

Busy days ahead...

 



194/365 Cool Down

A change in the air

Is verified by open

Windows all around.

193/365 Trees

Creaky branches or

Sheltering boughs depends on

Each day’s perspective.

192/365 Closing the Gap

Anticipation

 Drives each decision as goals

Meet expectations.

191/365 Road Trip

Memories wake as

 Once familiar places climb

The far horizon.

190/365 John Dabill 1925 - 2013

Humility and

Kindly service tendered thus

In the name of Love.

Monday Morning

We had some rain yesterday.

There could be more today.

It would be good to have a nice rain

but this time of year it tends to come as a

hard, fast storm.

 

Another round of moisture should

be enough to bring the

green beans to eating size.

 

Last night Tim grilled:

 potatoes

from the garden

with mushrooms and onions

and

shrimp in the shells.

Delicious.

 

Today it's back to routines:

laundry

gym

sanding.

 

They've upped the ante

at the gym.  I come home tired

in the way I was tired during the first

few weeks when everything

was new and

challenging.

 

 

We're starting week seven

- three to go -

so here are three things I've learned:

 

hunger and boredom

are not synonymous

 

I can, in fact, push my body

further

harder

longer

than my mind thinks possible

 

tiger balm and ibuprofen

do me more good before class than after.

 

 

 

189/365 Storms Ahead

Ominous aspect

Masks potential benefit

Of gathering clouds.

188/365 Humanity

An unexpected

Kindness delights even the

Most stalwart loner.

187/365 Echoes

Distant voices sing

Of loss and longing, tempered

By unfilled desire.

Flotsam and Jetsom

It seems as that shoes have taken

an inordinate amount of my time and energy

recently, so I did a quick tour

to show you, and remind me, that I

have, in fact accomplished

quite a lot in the last week.  Or so.

I attend my class every morning
and have added a quick mile on the elliptical
when I get home.

Today I went through my drawers and 

closet trying on clothes.

I have a pile that will go to the goodwill

and a pile for alterations.

 

There has been a lot of gardening.
A lot of watering.

The lettuce and spinach were finished a couple

weeks ago.  Peas, too.

Believe me, though, when I say they were

scrumptious. We ate fresh potatoes.
 

The heat this past week has been tough on

us, the yard and all the plants,
requiring some extra TLC especially for
 me, Charlie, my wisteria
and the potted plants.

See how awful the grass is!?
(We don't water the grass.)

 

 

But the Russian Sage is looking good.

As are the moss rose

  and sedums.
 

I planted a carpet rose.
 

The hutch is back 

(where I think) it belongs.
 

The yellow wall is gone.
(Can't take credit for the paint job - Tim did it.)

 

The bathroom window is finished.

(I did do the painting, here.)

 

Plants have been trimmed,

 tended  

and deployed all over the place.

 

I had fun with spray paint. 

 

I finished my pile of sanding for the deck project.

 

 

 

We'll see what tomorrow brings...

186/365 Baking

Breathe memories as

Evocative aromas

Spread throughout the house.

185/365 Each Other

Simple words convey

The breadth of belonging, the

Knowledge that we share.

Change of Plans

My afternoon plans changed

leaving me several attractive options

before leaving for work:

nap

watch a movie

write my haiku

post about the exciting

package delivered to my doorstep!!

 

I've recently spent too many hours

of too many days

looking online and in stores

for a pair of shoes for

Jacob's wedding.

 

I've never considered myself

a "shoe" person

but the longer you look

the more you see...

It does amaze me that shoes/heels/pumps

-which essentially share a standard construction-

can elicit such a varied response.

I've seen some that all

you can do is say

"That is a beautiful shoe,"

while the one sitting next to it doesn't earn a second glance.

To digress here about the seductive and expensive

options out there would keep me from

the object of this post

so let's soldier on.

 

 

 

Putting my best foot forward

I can only ask:

What do you think!?

 

 



184/365 Work

A steady, measured

Pace in the oppressive heat

Defines the day’s task.

183/365 Too Fast

Life’s clock steadily

Moves forward heeding not our

Plea for extra time.

Monday

I'm not a

princess-and-the-pea

sort of girl.

google images

 

Every now and then, though, some

little thing will disturb my equanimity.

 

This past week it was our internet.

Log on, just get going and

I'd be disconnected.

Reconnecting was a drawn-out affair.

Just get going and

the process would be repeated.

 

I'd give up.

(It turned out to be quite a productive time.)

 

The little green lights on the

modem continued to flash as usual.

Mocking me.

 

It was very irritating.

Gave me no trouble yesterday.

Today has been fine, too.

 

Hope your day has gone well.

 

 



182/365 High Summer

The long, drowsy days

Merge hazily as we

Await Fall’s relief.

181/365 Inconvenience

In the midst of all

Things pleasant that one nuisance

Doggedly intrudes.

Update - week 5

Woo Hoo indeed!

 

Time for the mile?

12:55.

 

Five weeks ago it was 15:47.

 

Woo Hoo!



Woo Hoo!

Today marks the end of week 5 -

the halfway point of

my ten week kickboxing session.

Yesterday we did weights and measurements

and today will be the mile run/walk

push-ups and sit-ups.

 

According to the records I have:

lost a total of 10 inches

gained 1.5 inches of flexibility

lost 7 pounds

seen a corresponding change in my BMI.

 

I know that my clothes fit differently

I feel better

move more easily

hurt less

smile more.

 

I can do rowboats.

They may be leaky rowboats

but 5 weeks ago I had to prop on my elbows

and could barely move my legs.

(Rowboats are a combination of balanced sitting 

with back and forth motion of the arms

while your legs are pulled in and pushed out

mimicking the action of rowing)

google images

I'll let you know how the results of the rest of the testing.

 

 

180/365 Journey

Point A to point B

Sounds simple enough but each

Step brings challenges.

179/365 Summer Evening

Leafy branches sway

With a soft rhythm as day

Fades gently to dusk.

Busy Days

"We need to stain the deck," she said.

"Okay," he replied.

Or maybe it was the other way around... 

 

 

We've been waiting for a stretch of dry weather

to tackle the deck.

Silly me, I thought we would

 wash it

slap some stain on

call it good.

I knew that wasn't going to happen when

 Tim started talking about replacing screws.

 

One bench has been eliminated.

The other will get new boards.

We are sanding

and treating

and reassembling

and at least one other step that

I've already forgotten.

 

He is thorough.

And I will appreciate that as

time passes and we can

laugh at the need for deck maintenance.

 



178/365 Numbers

Impressive numbers,

Relentless numbers, clamor

For my attention.

All in a Day's Work

Driving home from my class this morning

the truck in front of me

advertised this:

 

ScooperTroopers

Pet Waste Removal Services.

 

I kid you, not.

 

 

177/365 Deadlines

Pressure to perform

Has its upside – the countdown

Focuses effort.

176/365 Little Things

Simple pleasures shared

With familiar faces bring

Delight to each day

175/365 Approaching Rain

The sullen grey sky

Promises rain, but not here;

Eastward it will fall.

174/365 Summer Sky

High, endless expanse

Of cloudless blue, shimmering

With reflected heat.

173/365 The Search

A defined purpose

Guides and redirects as my

Attention wanders.

Friday Morning

For whatever reason

today has a sort of Monday feel to it.

 

Yesterday found us working on the deck.

It needs to be stained.

And the already big project took on

ginormous proportions

when Tim stated replacing screws and removing boards.

There isn't much to show for our hours

of work yesterday.

 

But it's his baby now because

Charlie and I are heading to Minneapolis

after my morning class.

I can't wait to see what Naphtali

has done with her kitchen.

She mentioned an Ikea run so I've been

thinking about what I might

need here from there.

 

Holiday or not

we did have class yesterday.

It was a circuit class. 

Steps,

bags,

rings,

and medicine balls

all focusing on lower body muscle groups.

I was wobbly for quite

some time after it ended.

 

I might need to get a medicine ball...

 



172/365 Summer Breeze

Refreshingly soft

Caresses on sun-warmed skin

Bring gentle relief.

171/365 Contradiction

Robust confidence

Meets deep insecurity

In the blush of youth.

170/365 Summer Storm

An unexpected squall

Races across the summer

Sky, trailing dark clouds.

Good Morning

Such a beautiful morning!!

I ate my breakfast

(my second breakfast)

on the deck.

Fresh blueberries and

bran flakes.

Yum.

169/365 Relaxing

Laughter floats along

The cool evening breeze as the

Day’s press diffuses.

Monday Afternoon

We saw a bit more activity than we're used to

over the weekend.

 

Our niece, Alison, was married on Saturday afternoon.

Aidan was a junior groomsman

so he, his mother, and his dog came down

Thursday night.  It might have actually

been Friday morning

when they arrived.

Aidan carried the rings and handed them off

to the minister at the designated cue.

He performed admirably,

looked handsome,

and represented the family well.

 

In addition to the wedding,

the rehearsal etc

and my regular classes

those few days included a trip to

Adventureland,

a haircut,

tennis,

a quick shopping trip,

the library,

rain, wind, sunshine,

fresh peas from the garden,

laundry,

a watermelon,

lots and lots of visiting,

and a new game invented by Tim and Aidan

called squirt ball.

A classic kickball with the addition of squirt gun options

for the fielders.

 

The bride was lovely,

the cake was delicious,

and the band was really loud.