Category: Aging with humor

The Sweetest Christmas Role Reversal ever!

I had the most delightful Holiday experience the other night.

It was one of those frosty ones we’ve had recently. They are still slightly rare here in the Northwest. I got home late, parked my car, went inside and unloaded stuff and then realized no one had gotten the mail. So, I bundled back up and trudged (well, it felt like trudging) back outside in the freezing cold to collect bills and hopefully, some holiday cards, from the mailbox. When I turned around to come back in, I decided to stop for a moment and look up to enjoy the stars that are so visible on this kind of crisp, clear night. As I’d hoped, they were stunning. But, what caught my eye was something in the tops of the two giant old trees in front of the house. There were a bunch, maybe hundreds, of white sparkles flitting in and on and around those trees!!

Instantly, in my mind, I was transported to a steaming hot summer night when I was just 7 years old. I was visiting my Aunt back in Prospect Heights, Illinois. I had a huge jar in my hands for collecting FIREFLIES!! They flitted and danced all around me, exactly like these were doing at the tops of my here and now trees.

I know I’m not crazy (at least most of the time) so I knew they couldn’t possibly be fireflies but what in the world were these pirouetting lights? Having just seen the movie Arrival, my mind raced with alien visitor possibilities. Or maybe it was some strange insect migration I’d never heard of. I even wondered about a flock of thousands of those mini drones, invading the sky above my house.

I ran inside and got James and he came out to see what I was so riled up about. He was also immediately blown away and we stood there wondering and guessing out loud.

Then, we both broke down into delighted giggles! What in the world??? What was this?? We were both so tickled!

I ran back in the house to get Michael (and my camera). I knew he’d never believe me if I tried describing it so even though he was already snuggled in bed with Netflix, I pulled the Mom Card and handed him his Robe. I was hoping the “swarm” would not take off before we could get back outside. He grumbled but came anyway.

Then the sweetest thing happened. Michael apologized…almost before we could even get outside. I guess my enthusiasm and wonder were pretty BIG.) He said, “Mom, I really don’t want to burst your bubble…but these are just someone’s Christmas laser lights.” I had no idea what he meant.

Sure enough, we traced the path of lights back toward probably our neighbors, the Jones’s, yard. James, ever the scientist, got it right away, when Michael explained how they worked. But, I stayed in denial for quite a while, a disappointed seven-year-old, bargaining for this to be a never-before-seen phenomenon.

“Are you sure?” I kept asking. “How could that be? Just look up there!”

Well, Michael was right, my bubble had popped but it didn’t really burst. It was still such an amazing display to see, all those pin points of light dancing in the tops of those HUGE ancient trees I love so much! I’ve lived here for over 40 years. I raised Michael in this house. Those trees were giant when we moved in and have acted as symbolic sentinels all these years. And now, he is raising his two sons here with those trees on guard.

Michael’s reaction to my childlike glee and then disappointment was so sweet and protective (thus the Role Reversal) but the best part came the next day. He went out and bought laser lights for all around the inside and outside of the house. That next night, he said “Mom, they’re baaack. Go look out your bedroom window.” And sure enough, a new Swarm had appeared, green and red this time, all over the two younger, but still large fir trees in the back of the house.

Delightful! Thanks, my sweet Son.

 

PS So sorry I don’t have visual aids as usual. Apparently laser lights are hard to photograph AND my site does not support video unless I “upgrade”. Otherwise I would embarrass myself for your entertainment by posting the completely black video of those lights, but with me squealing (and denying) in the background.

Forlorn

I grew up in San Diego. My bones, my very cells are trained to live in a perfect climate, with very little temperature change, and where seasons are nearly undetectable.

I have lived in Washington state for more than 40 years now and as much as I adore the natural beauty of the Northwest in all its weather phases, I still grieve, deeply, as we move into Winter. I know there is beauty and purpose in the dark months, but I will never like the cold.

Is there anything more pitiful than the very last one of the year!!

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These were all taken in the last week or so…depressing to see all the final blossoms on each plant…

But here are the ones that really get to me.

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sigh………….the very last apples on 30 trees! I can feel the S.A.D. creeping in…

Oh wait. This morning I spotted THIS!!

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You gotta love an undefeatable Primrose!!!

OK, tomorrow, something more uplifting, I promise!

Tiny by chosenperspectives

Tiny

I’m supposed to write about Tiny but I’m much better off showing you how Tiny figures into my life!

I am an addicted collector and I think I figured out very young that if I collected tiny things, I would have room for MORE of them than if I collected, oh, say CARS! I am also a Psychotherapist and I know a hobby like this, that originates in childhood and borders on obsession, has a lot more backstory to it than I can possibly fit into one Post. But think about words like scarcity, control, abuse and isolation.

AND, my collections were the one thing I never had to share, give up or pass on to my younger sisters.

It started with Cobalt glass. I wrote about that here:

Chosen Perspectives on Rare for WPC

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Then  I got hooked on glass animals and saved babysitting money to buy a new one every few months. My best finds were at the Hobby Shop or at the San Diego Zoo, where you could actually watch the glass artist make tiny lions, tigers or bears…oh my.

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This is a truly tiny sample of my animals collection. Most of the other hundreds have been recently wrapped up and packed away due to our huge household downsizing project. My animals are mostly blown glass, bone china or carved marble.

Somewhere in my adolescence, I discovered little wooden trains. They are also packed away but I did find this one photo.

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I think I have more trains than anything else but when we got our youngest cats, the trains had to be put away also…not that I minded them playing with the trains, but Lucy, the miracle kitten, had a little bit of the disease called Pica and would eat bits off the trains..wheels, smokestacks, etc. She has also eaten my camera strap, three times. Almost all the trains are wooden and very small but for my birthday one year my best friend found (and hand-painted for me) the world’s SMALLEST TRAIN!! It is metal. Here’s a photo.

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I am going to stop pretty soon now, even though I could go on and on. See, I also collect shells, socks, fans, concert ticket stubs, photographs, vintage Christmas Cards, and some might even say BUGS, but if you have seen them here before, you know they are anything but TINY!  I do have one more thing to show you though, mainly because it is my favorite Tiny Ensemble.

 

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Cee’s Share Your World – 2016 Week 42

https://ceenphotography.com/2016/10/17/share-your-world-2016-week-42/

This is my first time sharing my world. Does this mean I have to make up for the whole 42 weeks I missed??

Anyway, here are the questions we are to answer.

If you wanted to de-clutter where you live, what room / space would you start with?  (And why, if you’re feel like admitting to it.)

I’d start with the “living room”. It used to be the only guaranteed “clean” room in the house…my pretty blue and white oriental rug, all my Cobalt glass, nice furniture to sit on for guests. But now, with our packed household (son, two grandsons, two men renting rooms, and 3 indoor cats who have had their cavorting space dramatically reduced), James pretty much has his “office” and sports/TV viewing area in our living room…and all that cat hair drives me crazy!

If you want to remember something important, how do you do it (sticky note on the fridge, string around your finger, etc.), and does it work?

I keep running lists, in categories like errands, phone calls, sessions, books and music to remember, etc. (still on paper because if I write it down it helps kinesthetically, better than a phone app or computer calendar!) But the absolutely Must Remember things go on a sticky note in the center of my computer screen.

If you could create a one room retreat just for yourself, what would be the most important sense to emphasize:  sight (bright natural light, dim light, etc.), hearing (silence, music, fountain, etc.), smell (candles, incense, etc), touch (wood, stone, soft fabrics, etc.), or taste (herbal tea, fresh fruit, etc.)?

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My current sanctuary…my office/group room. It has all the above listed elements. I wrote about it here in a post called

Details #2-Balancing testoterone

If you could interview one of your great-great-great grandparents, who would it be (if you know their name) and what would you ask?

Her last name was “Young”, as in Brigham Young, but I can never remember what her wife-number was. She was one of 16 or 26 or 55 wives, depending on where you read about Latter Day Saints history. I was NOT raised Mormon so my information is mostly from Google, but one story I heard from older relatives was that she was married to Mr. Young, after he married her sister, and I believe their name was Decker. If I could speak to her, I wouldn’t ask her about polygamy because I think I mostly understand the beliefs they held at the time, but I am definitely curious about actual sisters (not “sister wives”) being married to the same man.

And I would ask if she could tell me anything about all the lace doilies and hankies I have used in the decorating of my room (referred to above)…if she made any of them herself…

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

I am surprisingly grateful for all these great men I live with, especially my number one guy! (Michael and James, you can duke it out to decide who you think that is! This is really just a test to see if you actually read my blog!)

I enjoyed their passion yesterday over the bizarre ending to the Seahawks football game.

But that was also a LOT of angry yelling and testosterone in my precious blue and white living room…I think I may need to smudge with some sage today…

This week I am blank as to looking forward. The here and now is really pulling at me.

(Photo at the top is of our hand-made Sock Monkeys that James and I take turns positioning to demonstrate our current experience of our relationship. They live in the Living Room, amongst all the blue and white…and I had to train the cats to not stalk them as prey!)

 

Song Lyric Sunday 9/18/16

Our theme for Song Lyric Sunday is to post a song from a band you recently saw in concert.  If you don’t go to concerts or haven’t been to one in a while, feel free to post a song that you would love to hear live.

If you’d like to participate, go to https://helenespinosa.wordpress.com/2016/09/17/song-lyric-sunday-theme-for-91816/

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Well, I’m going to veer off again and post a song I heard at my most recent concert that has no lyrics!

It was a terrific concert at the Woodlawn Park Zoo in their ZooTunes series…a birthday gift from my James. We brought a picnic and sat on the lawn with dear friends that James jams with on THIS side of the mountains. (not his regular band from Spokane…) These newer friends are so great and we have really grown to love them. The guys bring together a variety of professional musical experience and have a good time playing together. They call themselves (light-heartedly) Geri and the Attrics!

The women have all become good friends too so sharing this amazing concert was a huge treat!

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Jeff Beck

I chose a song that I think highlight’s Beck’s amazing talent. It’s from a slightly older concert but at 72 years old, the guy definitely still has it!!!

It’s a great “close your eyes and drift” song if you like hearing a guitar genius at work.

Published on May 26, 2014

Mind blowing gig, and a wonderful encore performance by Jeff Beck and band, when they played the fantastic Ronda hall (amazing sound and light systems, exploited to the limit by Jeff) at the Tivoli Vredenburg venue, in Utrecht, The Netherlands, on Sunday, May 25th, 2014.

Mirror/Selfie? for WPC

Mirror

This is about as close as I ever get to a “selfie”!

(seriously, who first coined that word???)

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Photographing my bugs as the late afternoon sun hits their terrarium.

Practicing re-blogging?

I keep coming across such delightful writers and wanted to pass them on…

My Toes are Betraying Me

Hysterical!

She’s Baaack! Papa Osprey’s Welcome Gift. And a Storm Brewing.

Wonderful photos for us bird lovers!

http://theshamefulsheep.com/2016/08/here-i-am/

I just want to scoop her up and hug her!!

Now are those “re-blogs” or “pingbacks”?

I know, I know, take the dang wordpress class, right?

all this talk about hair………..

I posted about Hair in response to Marilyn Armstrong’s post  https://teepee12.com/2016/08/11/the-surface-report-today-we-are-shallow/

Then Karuna posted in response to mine

https://livinglearningandlettinggo.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/sixty-eight-years-of-hair/

Lots of comments back and forth (I don’t know how to share those) but here’s my latest response in response to Marilyn’s comment:

First, thank you🙂 It’s the thinning that’s so hard to deal with. I had a lot of hair for a long time. I think your hair looks GREAT.

And I respond:

These photos of my hair are NOT recent. I’ll have to post an updated photo so no one thinks I’m bitching about nothing! Although I guess it is all relative, eh?
sigh.

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just a warning to those who haven’t seen me in a while…

I’m losing ten to twelve of these hairballs a week now……..

 

(hmm, and I need a manicure…like I ever get those!)

In the meantime, enjoy my response to Karuna’s response.