seriouslyscorpio

thoughts of the moment and of my life

Tag Archives: warm


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THERE’S A PARTY GO’IN!


Wow….or maybe it should be WOW!! It is party time in SW Florida and the city is not one you regularly party in on Fri. night…well, at least not all the time. IT’S THE GULF OF MEXICO, of course. It is springtime in the Gulf and on the Gulf and the place is jump’in.

Everyone who is anyone in the Gulf Kingdom is coming home to reunite with some and partner up with others. It seems they’ve spent the winter in the deeper waters of the Gulf for safety and warmth, but now the beach waters are 80F and the welcome mat is out.

Mother Nature/God sure set it up right. The breezes are mild, the bugs are few and the snow
birds have gone north. The beaches are relatively quiet as big and little couples come to be a part of the large guest list. As in the order of things, there are some who depend on the lunching of others to keep this arrangement in harmony. I plan to ask Mother Nature/God about this when I visit the other side. If I ever come back, I’ll write about what they say.

Be that as it may, these wonderful creatures come home with great folly. There are schools of little fish…just new babies who stay close to each other or Mom/Dad. Some come from long egg pods that look like snake skeltons…and are they a work of art. Others look like the rubber seals that keep canned peaches tasty.

In the sky, parent and child Osprey glide and squawk during daily lessons. As in our species, many children carry on something terrible when mom quits bringing the daily meal. Goes to prove that leaving the nest is not exciting for everyone.

The skates come to visit for the summer in April/May of each year. They definitely add a ‘shuffle’ to our step when we take our daily walks. You see, they love to nestle in the very shallow waters of the Gulf….looking for tasty morsels. After finding a spot, they wiggle/shiver into the sand and do whatever….maybe take a nap.
However!!

When someone or something comes by unannounced, these tiny darlings become a little startled and whip their tail around to barb whoever is nearby. Well, dang, I can vouch for the fact that THAT HURTS!! Keep in mind, however, I’ve been coming here for 35 years and have only been stung once…and it was my fault….not shuffling in a skate zone. No ticket given, but 45 min of pouring super hot water on the spot to ease the toxins, taught me well.

More later…….your correspondant, from the beach says tootle


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AND LIFE IS GOOD….,


Sleeping til 9….hubby and kitty both purring…..
Opening the blinds to an ocean blue sky with cotton clouds…
Ten cups and 3 measures offer up a delightful aroma to begin the day…
Outside the news waits patiently….some good, some not…
And life is good…

Clothes peak out of the hamper, ready for a wash…
Plants lean toward the sun and wait for their faucet drink…
Kitty paws me for his morning treat and then heads to the front porch…
Soaking beans soften up to a ham hock for tonights supper…
And life is good….

A wodpecker looks for his meal in the Florida oak…
Squirrels scamper thru palm and frond, falling in love one moment, and digging up acorns the next…
Herons and gulls correspond as the sun rises further….looking for the baitfish to fattent their bellies…
And life is good…

Neighbors await their grandchildren, coming from the frozen north….
Wagons, sand pails, and cribs come out of storage, as the family comes together…
Snowbirds come and go, feeling lucky they are here to bask in the sun where coconut palms flourish…
And life is good…..

Blessings are acknowledged and health is never taken for granted….
Our 70 years have come so quickly, we sometimes lose count, until we look into the mirror…
Friendships are stronger, deeper, and longer than ever imagined….
A 50th high school reunion puzzles us to this very day…..
And life is good…

We carry on with our day, and smile that we no longer rise to be in the office at 7…
Our kind…..retirees, sift thru life’s memories and rejoice that children are grown and have jobs….
Their paths, beginning to march to the chorus of promises, dreams, sometimes stumbling as they find their way ……
And soon, one morning, they will find themselves, waking at 9, hubby and kitty purring, and the news of the day….. right outside…..
And life is good…..


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I AM YOUR POLICY……FROM THE OLD DAYS


While gleaning old files, and shredding in front of the TV, I ran across this letter, attached to a policy that has been cashed in…….thought you would enjoy a little of the ‘old days’ of explanation.

 

                                                        I AM YOUR POLICY

You and I have purpose in this world, which,when broken down, are quite similar. It is YOUR job to provide food, clothing, shelter, schooling, medicine and sundry other things for your loved ones;  you do this while I lie in your strong box.

I must have faith and trust in YOU, Mr. Policyholder, for out of your earnings will come the cost of MY upkeep.  At times I may appear to be somewhat worthless to you–, but someday (and who knows when) you and I will change places.

When you are laid to rest, I will come alive and do YOUR job.  I will provide the food, clothing, shelter, schooling, medicine and other things your family will continue to need — just as you are now doing.  When YOUR work and toil is done, MINE will begin, through ME, your hands will carry on.

Whenever you feel the price you are paying for my upkeep is burdensome, remember, that I WILL DO MORE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THAN YOU CAN EVER DO FOR ME.

Mr. Policyholder, if you do your part, I will do mine.

 

Sincerely

Your policy

                                           ‘CAN WE HEAR AN ….’AWWWWW’


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SUNSHINE MEDICINE


“You may have a medical problem”……runs shivers up and down your spine.  Even in the movies, those words make us tremble.  We are all act brave, showing that ‘devil may care’ attitude, but deep inside our gut is churning and the sunny day goes to turbulent winds with the threat of rain.

It is checkup time…..an ultrasound for me and a colonoscopy for him.  Been there more than once and yet it still creeps into our daily living, like the fog from the Pacific.  Warm winds of serenity touching the cool winds of change…..cause us to become solitary, even though there is no prediction of doom.

So the bootstraps are pulled up…..as we become nonchalant in the face of  our inner fearfulness. 

We then begin to rationalize, and examine…..what are the odds…I take good care of myself….it doesn’t run in my family, and on and on.  We do begin to feel better, and our sleep goes undisturbed.

The day comes for our tests…..and the phone rings for each of us…..”sure, we’ve done everything, we’ll be there, no problem”.  The medical facility is warm, and friendly, and we are ushered to our rooms.  We look into the eyes of the staff, watching as they take pictures, in hopes of finding reassuring glances that all is well.  The procedures are over almost as quickly as they begin and we welcome the lifting of the haze of  marking time.

The phones ring the next afternoon….and with certitude, we answer.  “Just calling to say your test was negative and all is well”…..”We’ll see you next year”.    The phone rings again.  “The results of your procedure are negative”. We’ll see you in 5 years”.     And the sun shines once more.


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I read two papers this AM with 3 cups of coffee…..let me say it again, I READ TWO NEWSPAPERS  this morning with 3 cups of coffee.  My kids tell me I’m really ‘out of mainline journalism’…..I’m in ‘mail-line journalism…and that is further out.   I’m sad if it is the truth….that the days of newspapers are fading.  Yes, the word ‘sad’ is appropriate.

The better part of my 68 years I’ve shared with a newspaper…..When I was learning to read….the newspaper was always in my home.  Mother and Dad read, and then I read.  Sure, at the age of 10 I wasn’t all that interested in the front page, but there were always the ‘funnies’.  Kind of like learning to iron…..first you start with the hankies and then you move onward to more difficult pieces of clothing. That’s how the newspaper and I made friends.

Then, in high school, sometimes things in my small brain began to gel….I would read something in the paper and low and behold…we’d talk about it in government or history.  Dang!

And now, after all these years, I’m more of an avid reader than ever.  I learn every day…whether it is a joke, a piece of history, a sale, a divorce, a birth, a death, and on and on. LIFE is the newspaper and the newspaper is life.  It tells me the weather, the high school basketball scores, the time of the July 4th parade, the mass at church, the sale at the local dress shop, the fishing report for the local lake, and the local police beat…often and thank goodness, more humorous than scary.

I would be foolish to say the Internet has not proved to be another great spot for the news….I know we can hear it all on local TV stations as well as  CNN and FOX, but that’s not the news I long for….We all live in little areas..they may be inside large  cities or on farms, distant from neighbors, however, we all desire to be close to one another….The local newspaper, whether it is weekly, bi weekly, in the morning or in the evening, binds our hearts, our lives, our dreams, and it extends the hand of friendship to all.

When traveling thru Tennessee, I read about the lives of folks in Nashville, Knoxville, and all the little towns in between.  I look at their housing, their taxes, as well as their squabbles with local, county and state government.  It truly does my heart good to see that we are pretty much the same, regardless of our proximity to one another.  Soccer might be hot in So. California, but football is the game in Louisiana. High school football barely makes it in some western states, however, in Indiana, and the Ohio Valley, the homes are empty on Fri. night cause they are at the game.   In the assisted care facilities…..everyone is in their room…..not cause they feel bad….but in season….it is basketball and football that keeps the lights on late into the night.

And last but not least…I love the ads…Where am I going to find so easily…..the for rent and for sale section, the used car section, the misc. for sale section, the legal announcement section, the inside ads for carpet, granite, hot dogs. 2 for 1, picking fresh blueberries, and the editorial section, including all the letters to the editor.  So much entertainment, so much knowledge, so much life…..and all  available in the paper.

So go ahead, read the Internet, learn that Tiger won his 74th, that the Supreme Court did or did not make the right decision, and the high in Las Vegas will be 104…..but for me, I’ll use it as backup only…..cause it is the paper…..I truly love.


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GIVE IT UP FOR………


Here we are, bumping along.  There are ‘up’ days, ‘medium’ days, (normal) and ‘down days’. (Really all three are normal, right)  So here we are, bumping along, and then……there we go.  Exit bumping. Exit normal days.  Exit life..we’re dead!

Now what shall become of us…..woulda, coulda, shoulda thoughts ‘should’a’ occurred prior to the ‘exit’ sign above us, but sometimes our ducks are not just ‘all in a row’, if you know what I mean. 

Wait, what about that little card?  I had that somewhere…dang where is it, my wallet, my purse, my top left drawer in the bedroom, with my passport, dang!

Well, not to worry now……as in ‘Elvis has exited……”. But, for the sake of this article, you do (or did) have that nice card.   This card is way past nice, it is the best of the best, the cat’s meow, the Taj Mahal, lotto, and more.   “Why”, you ask?  Simple……If  you only have one kidney that works, if you are blind, if your liver is shot, if your heart only pumps because of a machine, or heavy medication, this little card will be all the above and more.

You, the one newly exited,  offer the gift of life, with this little card. People and organizations world-wide have come together to offer those in need, a new chance at life, and you, my friend, are the integral part.  It is you who have, at one time, usually when you renewed your driver’s license, made the choice to donate your useful organs. Of course, at that time, death was at least 10 light years away, so it was not thought about prayerfully, but now!!!!!…….as you move on to the beautiful place you chose….that decision made in life is making life for others possible. 

The stuff worked for you while you had it and needed it, but now, it is surplus. For that child needing a new kidney, it is beyond words. For the soldier, blind from serving his country, it is the open door to life and work and family. For these thankful recipients, it is not surplus, it is opportunity………

……to begin to just ‘bump along’.

 


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re-arrange the garden


time for plant ‘perk-up’….they are clean and nicely trimmed for winter….now it is time to find them some new homes in the yard….today


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FALL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA


Today is a beautiful day…..of course, in my mind, all are. I am a lucky girl.

Fall in California has to be searched for in the south…..it is not bright with reds and golds as in the midwest.  It is subtle, kind of like a treasure hunt.  There are sycamores and elders and maples who like to show themselves as much as possible in this warm and dry climate. They try very hard and I promise I will go out and compliment them tomorrow.

The Santa Ana winds tend to blow in the spring and fall and this week is bringing us a very light Santa Ana.  The hot winds from the desert blow thru the passes and down to the sea where it is usually very chilly (in my opinion). Actually, the temps are very wonderful, especially for plants.  They love the cool mornings and the sea mist that sometimes hangs around til 3 in the afternoon.  The further one goes inland, the warmer and clear it gets.  The ocean is wonderful, but chilly, hence the fog  that comes in the evening and quietly retreats off the coast til the warmth of the desert retreats too.

So  Fall…..in California, time to clean up and clean out.  Brush the yard with the rake to keep the grass tidy, clip the plants with long leaves so they will look neat for winter, and pull out the dead leaves from the season before.

Then  there are those plants who have chosen to live on top of each other. Their seeds flutter to the warm ground and their bulbs and roots reach out over one another to touch the food of the earth. Because bulbs are not ment to live 5 deep, it is up to their caretakers (me) to break them up and apart and find new homes for them in the yard which is all they ever know, unless I give them to a friend to grow up in  their yard/home.

Today it was yard cleaning, pulling here, snipping there, and all the time enjoying the wonderful weather called Fall in California.  Tomorrow the yard work won’t look so daunting, so I might just sit out there with my trees, my plants, and domain and soak up another beautiful day in my life.  I am a lucky girl..and I know it!!    later