stories, photographs, adventures…the next chapter
This post inspired by Ragtag Daily Prompt: White
One of the things I don’t miss about our former home is the aftermath of a snow storm…as pretty as it was.
Shoveling. Snowblowing. More shoveling.
Off the roof. The deck. The driveway.
However, snow storms did provide many of nature’s best photo opportunities.
Which lasted just a short time.
This post is inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #28: Recipe
Ingredients:
4 Family Members
1 table – any size or shape. (Clean – free of crumbs, junk mail & old newspapers)
4 chairs – preferably facing each other.
4 knives – (delete knife for young children)
4 forks
4 spoons
4 plates and cups.
Napkins – 4 or more, depending on need.
Preheat or Cool room to comfortable temperature.
Prepare and assemble food of any kind.
Chicken, potatoes, carrots. Or pizza. Or take-out.
Enough for 4.
Beverage of choice.
Mute and remove all phones from the room.
Turn off television if present.
Turn on music (low) if desired (if the music streams from phone, place out of reach).
Serve meal to all 4 family members seated at the table – portion sizes as requested.
Place napkins on laps.
Commence eating slowly, putting utensils down between each bite.
Look at other family members directly. Make eye contact. Smile.
Taking turns, ask one another questions such as:
– How was your day?
– What did you do at school?
– What’s new?
– How about those Red Sox?
If all questions are answered before the meal is over:
– Reminisce about the old days when family dinners happened all the time.
– And how once you pretended to eat liver, but actually slipped it to the dog.
– And how you walked 2 miles uphill to go to school.
– And then home for lunch and back again.
Discussion of politics is optional.
Use table manners as discussed in “Table Manners for Family Dinners.”
For example…
Say Please, Thank You, You’re Welcome and May I Please Be Excused.
Refrain from burping, belching or open mouth chewing.
When everyone is finished eating, offer dessert if desired.
Repeat nightly.
As much as possible.
Keep warm.
Nancy Merrill is hosting a photo challenge. The theme this week:
A Photo a Week Challenge – The Things that Matter Most
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF THINGS THAT MEAN THE MOST TO YOU.
The things that matter most are not things. At least not to me.
I have heard it said that when you are on your deathbed, you don’t wish you had spent more time at work. More often it is…I wish I had spent more time with my family.
My friends. My kids. My grandparents.
The “things” that matter most to me are the family and friends I love and care about.
And who love and care about me.
What else matters?
That I am fortunate enough to have a roof over my head and enough food to eat.
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
Maya Angelou
And so we blog…
And reveal
And share.
Extracting bits of thought
Letter by letter.
Arranging in order
Lines jagged
Then smoothed.
Complete
Or left broken.
Weaving together
In story form
One way
Or another
Just in time.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Begin again.
This post inspired by Ragtag Daily Prompt: Play
Playing music was always front and center in our home.
Whether it be playing a record, a tape or, as years went by, a CD.
But the best playing happened in person.
At the end of one oppressively hot September day in 1988, we huddled around our only air conditioner for an impromptu concert. After a long day of yard work.
The 6 year old playing my old guitar from childhood.
The 10 month old plucking strings on his daddy’s guitar.
And the daddy playing, singing and offering advice on note fingering.
Keeping cool…
This trio played together many times over the years.
Guitar. Flute. Recorder. Clarinet.
Such fun.
Here is my entry for this week’s challenge hosted by Frank at Dutch goes the Photo
…Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?…
(from Signs: by the Five Man Electrical Band…from my high school days…)
Signs often present challenges…
With instructions for what we are supposed to do.
Or…more specifically…what we are not supposed to do.
We can obey them…or not.
After all, we do have a choice…made all the harder when signage deviates from the usual.
Such was the case during a visit to Virginia Beach in 2006. We were looking forward to a few relaxing days to unwind before the 600 mile road trip home. After the stress of leaving our last born to freshman orientation…and indoctrination into the wild untamed life of college in Richmond.
But what was this?
I was startled to note that a large beach town would need such a directive.
Did visitors usually wander around spewing the f-bomb? Describing dog doo doo in loud outside voices?
It was a challenge NOT to shout out an expletive.
Not because I had the urge to.
But because there was this big sign bossing me around…planting the thought…
Posing a challenge.
And then further down the street…
Another set of challenges…for some.
And unfortunately there will be those who rise stoop to the challenge…and harass people and break laws anyway.
However…
Virginia Beach is a large thriving tourist destination.
And “the Resort Area” (ie: main street) is only walking distance from
its public beach…which showcases swimwear of all imaginations.
“…refrain from…wearing revealing attire…?”
Now, THAT’S a challenge.
(We had a lovely time despite the signs. And I only cursed in my mind.)
This post is inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #27: Intent
Decades tethered spider-like
to needy souls
Absorbing the self.
No more.
Navigating a fresh path
With intent to renew the spirit
Lost for so long
Buried but not forgotten.
Uncovering
The quiet.
The peaceful.
The spark.
Liberating the authentic
Allowing time to…
Sit still.
Breathe…
Behold…
and…
Read the entire paper
over coffee.
Or not.
This post is inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #26: Titles
(need to select from your own work, enough titles, in the order you created them, to find new meaning)
From the earliest to the latest – a few titles…
spring has sprung…
Memorial Day.
The Whole darn Bunch,
The Biggest Change.
Diaries Revisited – September.
The Day Everything Changed…
Falling. Shuffle.
Attention.
Seventy-nine messages…
Comfort, Sacrifice
Memories…Contact
Un-lived lives
…Tranquil.
This post is inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #25: Un-lived Lives
Come here.
Let me give you a big hug. 
Tell me about your day.
I am so happy to see you.
I am having some problems.
I know I look sad
But
I will find someone to help me.
It’s not your fault.
Everything will be okay.
Even on bad days
I will take care of you.
My goodness don’t worry about me.
Please.
I am the grownup.
It’s my job to do the grownup things.
And fix the grownup problems.
I see that you are angry.
At me.
And you’re crying!
Why?
You don’t know?
Okay. Let’s talk about it.
Yes, you can tell me anything
Even when you are angry.
Even when you are sad.
I may get angry too.
Very angry.
And it will be all right.
Because I will always love you.
No matter what.
I promise.
This post is inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #24: Deviation
Which way?
Deciding.
A constant struggle.
When drilled to
Never stray.
Never deviate.
Playing the part
Paralyzed.
That knot in my gut
For years
Warning me
Within the haze
To take a different path.
Safety
Just an imposter.
Which way?
To face the fear
Finally.
Finding the courage
And strength
To discover that
Old realities
Were in fact
A fragile fantasy.
Choosing
A new search for why.
Predictably
Becoming the bull’s eye
For anger.
For arrows of shame.
Exiled.
Finally
Just
Grateful.
The cloud lifting
While there’s still time.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 