Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Oven Cleaning Without Gloves and Other Adventures

Why is it the day that I have so much to do I am hit with the inspiration to write?  We are moving this week and you know the sort of to do list that means.  Sort, pack, clean, ...  lather, rinse, repeat ..... repeat .... repeat

I like to tackle the hard stuff first.  Yesterday I cleaned up the yard, raked until I had a blister on my left thumb.  Today I cleaned the oven.  I read about half of the directions on the side of the can, which is more that I normally would.  When I got to the part about wearing long rubber gloves I stopped.  I don't have any of those just lying about my house, and I wasn't going to the store.  I sure as heck wasn't going to wait to do this nasty task until another day.  I proceeded without the gloves.  The oven is sparkling, and my hands feel, well, bad.  I've washed them at least 50 times today and I think maybe my skin shrunk.  They feel a little tight.  Like the skin is about a half size too small for the bones and muscles underneath.  I slathered on the peach lotion and about 30 seconds later the only reminder was the fresh peachy smell.  It is already time for more.  I am sensing a theme  - lather, rinse, repeat - emphasis on the repeat.

It is time to say a fond farewell to our beach cottage.  Well, dang near the beach cottage (affectionately referred to as the crap shack on occasion).  It has been 3 years and it has served us well.  Many good memories were made here, milestones reached and goals achieved.  I'm only a tiny bit sad to go.  I am so completely excited about where we are headed!

The packing must resume, so the story telling must wait.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The Path

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."— Douglas Adams

 When I was 16, and knew everything, I had my whole life planned out.  Lucky for me, it turned out much differently. The all knowing genius of 16 quickly morphed into the uncertain young adult, and then the completely confused young mother.  Life has taken many more twists, turns and side roads than I had ever imagined.  My plan at 16 was pretty straight forward, and frankly, it would have been a boring life!


For the longest time I have felt like I was always behind schedule.  Each day seemed to present more urgent tasks than I had time or energy to complete.  Each week, each month, each year, I was getting more and more behind.  Instead of getting closer to reaching my goals, I seemed to be getting further off track.  The trouble is, I was still judging myself based on that plan I made when I was 16.  The plan that didn't allow for real life to happen.


Looking at my life's path from a starting point of age 16 I see the straight path with the big gold star at the end.  That path is empty, it's so faint it is barely even visible. My actual life's path starts in the same place and for a short distance follows that path.  About 19 it makes a pretty abrupt turn and then proceeds to curve and wind around in a generally forward motion.  Sometimes it turns back on itself, like one of those mazes with only one tiny way out.  There are long stretches where the road is straight and clear, but right up the side of a mountain.  To see the original gold star I have to look back and to my left.  Apparently, I left that mile marker in the dust long ago.  Imagine that, all this time I felt like I was behind schedule, when actually I am way ahead.  When I look back, my path is sprinkled liberally with big gold stars.  What lies ahead of me shines even brighter, thousands of gold stars and a big cup running over with light.