Category: Flighty Friday

Where you will find frivolous Friday foolishness. Please do not come here looking for organized trains of thought.

Friday Flap

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:Routines

My day is filled with many routines. One of my favorite routines is enjoying a fresh cup of coffee, while the house is still quiet. I set my alarm early in the morning, specifically to sip my coffee in silence. I enjoy my last routine of the day, too: going to bed.

Most every night, when I go to bed, I lie on my right side reflecting about the day. Oftentimes, ideas for posts fill my head, but because I am comfy in my bed, I don’t make an effort to write my prize winning thoughts down. Though it rarely happens, I continue to tell myself I will remember my ideas in the morning.

In addition to blog ideas, I think about my friends and family. I review what took place during the day, and I consider what may take place tomorrow. And finally, when I have exhausted my mind with thought, I say a prayer.

Once I am done praying, I turn and lie on my back. I listen to the insects of the night and feel the wind on my face from the ceiling fan rotating overhead. I lie there quietly for a few minutes, until I get the urge to turn and lay on my left side. Once on my left side, I snuggle in and drift off to sleep, dreaming of my coffee in the morning.

~

Starting my day with a cup of Joe.
Quiet time moving nice and slow.
The sun rises up and fills the sky.
Soon, the day passes quickly by.
And, off to bed I go.

.:Surprises

Joe and Charlie came running out of Suzann’s house. “Mommy!” They yelled. “We have a surprise for you!”

They were running towards me, each holding a Ziploc bag. As they grew near, I could tell they were not bringing me cookies. I began to get nervous.

“Look!” Joe said proudly. “Cicada shells.”

Yes. My boys surprised me with two Ziploc bags containing several Cicada shells. They love me. My boys really love me. (And, I love Ziploc bags!)

~

Creepy, crawly bugs
An Entomologist’s dream
Lurking everywhere

.:Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

Look, Joe! Look!

Today, I took Joe to Suzann’s house for the last time. He starts kindergarten on Monday. If you’ve grown tired of me talking about Joe’s first day away from Suzann’s house and in school, rest assured the topic is nearing the end.

I walked into Suzann’s house with a bag full of small containers of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for the classroom. Suzann greeted me, while busily blowing up balloons. On the buffet I noticed three freshly made blueberry pancakes on a plate in the shape J, O and E. The preparations for celebrating Joe’s promotion were underway.

Before leaving, I handed Suzann a book I created, documenting the years Joe spent with her. We both looked at each other, holding back tears. She has played such a big role in Joe’s life, for which I am grateful.

As Joe closes the door to Suzann’s house and opens the door to his new school, I am reminded of an excerpt from Robert Fulghum’s book, ‘All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten‘:

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sand-pile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life – learn some and think some
and draw and paint and sing and dance and play
and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic,
hold hands, and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.
Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup:
The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody
really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even
the little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die.
So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books
and the first word you learned – the biggest
word of all – LOOK.

I believe Robert Fulghum nailed the simplicity of life; though we continue to junk it up with gunk – or gunk it up with junk. Either way, as I watch Joe begin his journey in school, I hope he ignores the gunk and junk and keeps life simple. And, I will do my best to remember the lessons of kindergarten, making my life simpler, too.

~

So begins your school age years.
No doubt I will shed some tears.
Go forth, have fun, keep an open mind.
Listen. Question. Look. Be kind.
And do your best to face your fears.

.::.

Friday Fa La La

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

Earlier this week, when I dropped the boys off at Suzann’s house, I heard Joe ask, “Is Sissy still on vacation?” Suzann looked at me and said, “Sissy went on vacation.” Then she looked at Joe and answered, “Yes.” Because I didn’t know anyone by the name of Sissy, I was confused.

“Where did she go on vacation?” Joe asked. Suzann said, “She went to the Bahamas.” “Where are the Bahamas?” Joe asked. “Let’s get the map out and find it, Joe.” Suzann said, as she walked over to get the large map book.

As she passed me I asked, “Who is Sissy?” Suzann smiled and said, “Sissy is one of the doll house dolls.” She continued talking to me, while getting out the map. “Sissy has many friends in the classroom, and she was having a hard time spending time with everyone, so she decided to go on vacation.”

Joe interrupted, “When will she be back?” Suzann smiled, “I don’t know, Joe.” She answered. “Maybe we can write Sissy  letter.”

As I turned to leave, the kids were gathering around the large map book on the floor. I smiled, happy to know Sissy was getting a much needed vacation and the kids were exploring the world through her travels.

<~~>

Today as I walked to my mail box
I notice the holes in my socks.
I found a letter from you.
Did a ‘Skip to my Lou’
And said, “My husband sure rocks!”

<~~>

I went to the grocery store this week. While shopping for fresh produce, I decided to walk down the card aisle and pick up a card for a friend of mine. I love Hallmark’s Hoops & YoYo cards, so that is where I started my search for the perfect ‘Hello’ card.

Next to the Hoops & YoYo cards were Hallmark’s ‘Saturdays’ cards. As I glanced in the ‘Saturdays’ section, my heart sank. I found several cards labeled ‘Cancer’, ‘Recession’ and ‘Job Loss’. Wow. Immediately, I thought about those currently challenged with Cancer, the Recession and unemployment. And, of course, there are those challenged by other health, financial and life matters. I suppose Multiple Sclerosis, debt and foreclosure cards are right around the corner.

I’m not trying to make light of the cards or the challenges. I mean, I was there to buy a card for my friend, because her Mom is battling Cancer. I think the purpose of cards is to lighten the mood and lift up one’s spirit; yet, seeing the labels left me feeling depressed. In fact, I suddenly needed a mood lifter; so, I picked up one “Hoops & YoYo” card for my friend and one for me. Oh, and I stopped by the chocolate aisle, too.

<~~>

Young love is blossoming. Every day this week, my youngest has asked me to drive by McKinley’s house. McKinley is a girl in his daycare class. Yesterday, when I picked up the boys, Charlie came running out to me. “Mommy!” He exclaimed. “McKinley said I could come over to her house today!”

I looked at Suzann, who was bringing the boys out to the car, and I smiled. She and I have been watching Charlie’s love for McKinley grow for some time now. In fact, we exchanged numbers with McKinley’s parents earlier in the week. Then I looked at Charlie and asked, “Who said you could go to McKinley’s house – McKinley or her Mom?” Charlie said, “McKinley.”

Then Suzann said, “The two of them were discussing it during nap time.” “You know,” she continued with a wink, “pillow talk.”

<~~>

It’s the stuff I constantly seek.
Without it, I do surely shriek
But today I quiet the scream
For tonight I’ll enjoy ice cream
And abstain once again next week.

<~~>

It’s a brand new day, a gift to you.
A perfect time to say, “Woo hoo!”

Do something special, give it your best.
The gripes and the groans, give ’em a rest.

Here’s to your day, decide to be happy.
You’ve got the power, and I’ve got the sappy.

<~~>

Friday Rabble Babble

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

FYI: This post does not pertain to my journey.

What a week! If comedy is found in tragedy, this week was the creation of the funniest movie ever. Holy smokes. This week is the inspiration for the following poem:

A Haiku poem
Is not the biggest challenge
Leave that to your life

Great Smoky Mountains, Photo by Angela

Not denying the crap of this week, today I am focusing on fun things, positive things and of course – ice cream. And, I thank Angela for letting me use pictures she took while enjoying the Great Smoky Mountains. Her picture is a great reminder that amidst all the crap is beauty.

‘**’

I share much too much all the time. So please, do not be shocked that I am sharing the following.  Here goes . . . While watching TV with the boys, I caught a wiff of something icky. Trying to instill politeness in my boys, I asked, “Did one of you just pass gas?” Then I requested, “Please say excuse me.” Joe responded quickly by standing up, bending over and saying, “It wasn’t me. See? Smell my butt.”

‘**’

Rob is usually the one that gives the boys baths. The boys tend to request their Dad, because I don’t let them splash as much. However, Rob was gone during bath nights this week, so bathing the boys was up to me.

To the boys’ surprise, I made their bath night a bubble bath night. Does one ever outgrow a bubble bath? Sure, as an adult you may not allow yourself a bubble bath, but seriously – bubble baths are awesome! And the boys? They had a blast.

When Rob returned, the boys told him all about the bubble baths, and they asked if he could give them a bubble bath ‘like Mommy’. I think Rob was a little shocked by the excitement of the boys, because ‘fun’ and ‘Mommy’ don’t always go together, especially during bath time.

Now, I have to remember to pick up more bubble bath supplies. If there are no bubble bath supplies come bath night, the boys will surely put me back in the ‘bath time’ doghouse.

‘**’

Ben and Jerry’s Rocks
How I love the flavor ‘Smores
Ice cream makes me smile

‘**’

The Smoking Smoky Mountains, Photo by Angela

I took the boys to the library this week. It was neat to see how each one decided on which books to take hom. Charlie, the youngest, just pulled random books off the shelf. And Joe? Joe pulled books off the shelf and examined the book cover. If the cover didn’t thrill him, he quickly put the book back.

When browsing for books in a library, you have to literally pull the book off the shelf to see the cover. Rarely, do I walk into a library not knowing what book I am going to get, so I do not judge the book by the cover. However, if I go to a book seller, like Barnes and Noble, I will often walk up and down the new release or best seller aisles to ‘see’ what interests me.

I have purchased many books based on the cover. And, as you might guess, not all the ‘neat’ covers were good books. Still, I find it hard not to judge something by the outer appearance. Music, books, food, houses, people, etc. – all of those things are packaged in a way to grab your attention and make an instant judgment. Sometimes you get it right; sometimes you get it wrong. By the way, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” by Mark Haddon is a great book. Odd title. Odd cover page. Great book.

‘**’

Have Strength and Have Hope
And Have Determination
And Perseverance

‘**’

“Mommy,” says Joe. “Today is a special day, because it rained. So, I think we should eat on the floor in the living room.”

“Mommy,” says Joe. “Today is a special day, because I colored a very pretty picture. So, I think we should look for fireflies tonight.”

Such is Joe’s take on life. He doesn’t need a national holiday or a birthday celebration to make a day special. A rainy day or a day spent coloring is a good enough reason to consider the day special, according to Joe.

Yesterday, Joe came home and said, “Mommy. Today is a special day, because Megan pooped on the potty three times. So, can we have ice cream?”

May you find special moments in your day and throughout your weekend. And, be sure to give thanks for your health. Come to think of it, you’re alive today, and that fact makes today special. Treat yourself.

‘**’

This post is dedicated to Valentina, Andrea, Tracie, George, James E., Mary Alice, Angela and Booie, all of whom are all in my thoughts and prayers.