MONDAY BLUES

What is it about Mondays? I no longer have to go to the office on Monday morning, since most of my work is done from home these days, and the Wash-day Blues are a thing of the past (most young people have no idea what that is), and being the first day of a new week, Monday should bring with it a sense of anticipation, even excitement. Instead, it's Monday . . . ugh!

Hmmm - see, on the weekends, we keep pretty busy with yard work, family time, church on Sunday and then Sunday dinner with the kids and we have very little time to dwell on the problems of our world, our country, our state, our community, our finances, our health, etc. And then comes Monday and it all comes flooding back. There is on-going strife in Lybia, on-going war in Afghanistan, on-going bombings in Iraq, on-going nuclear danger in Japan, on-going search for folks lost in the earthquake, on-going politicking in Washington, on-going on-going on-going. It is harder and harder to maintain a positive attitude in today's world.

I'm considering turning off the radio and TV and staying off the internet for a while to see if I can be like the ostrich. He seems to be able to pretend that life is good if he can't see it; I think he may have something there! Life is good. You know what? I'm still breathing and I feel pretty good. Chocolate and red wine are still very tasty; my animals still love me and loving on them makes my blood pressure come down; the birds are still singing in the back yard and the hummingbird is still a beautiful little gem; the roses are blooming and there are tiny tomatoes on my plants in the garden; new mown grass still smells wonderful and even the weeds have pretty little flowers on them. Life is good.

Happy Monday!

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

Who said, “hope springs eternal?” It’s true. Recently, I wouldn’t have given you a nickle for the future of this country or the millions of people who are desperate for a little ray of sunshine in their darkest hours. That ray of sunshine blasted through over the weekend when Healthcare Reform finally became a reality and my hope for this nation was renewed. Oh, I know - this is not the “Great Fix” for all of our ills, but it is certainly a step in the right direction in spite of the hysterical rhetoric of the Tea Partiers and our lunatic friend, Rush.

I am saddened by the racial and cultural epithets being hurled around so freely. I think we are better than that. I’m disturbed by the not-so-well disguised threats of violence and suggestions that we should “get our guns ready.” I know we’re better than that. We don’t need guns to bring about change – we have the vote. We don’t shoot people with whom we disagree, we try to work things out and if necessary, agree to disagree. We will never all be on the same page, but in this country we are all allowed to have an opinion and express it. We don’t need to express it in hateful and hurtful ways. WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT!

This country has been a great example of democracy in action through the years and my hope is that we will continue to exemplify greatness - great hearts, great minds, great spirits. See, hope does spring eternal!

LIFE IS GOOD

The older I get . . .

The easier it is to lose track of time

Often wondering what time it is

And even, sometimes, what day it is

I find I can be okay with not washing my hair everyday

It can be okay to not comb or brush my hair right away

It can even be okay to simply run my fingers through it

Some days . . .

I worry that someone will ring the doorbell early in the day

And find me in rumpled and ragged disarray

But I don’t worry enough to put myself aright right away

Days seem to get shorter as I find myself circling the task list

And trying to remember what it was I wanted to do

Reminding myself write it down as soon as I remember

The wonder is . . .

Somehow I manage to feed the animals and myself a well-balanced diet

Most days I put on my walking shoes and take the girls for a walk

And most of the time, I remember their names

I still enjoy a good challenge, like a difficult crossword puzzle or sudoko

And writing an occasional article for my neglected blog

And trying to understand Republican reasoning (oxymoron?)

Even as the days grow shorter . . . I find I like this time in my life.

Life is good!