THE DUST WILL WAIT

Early this moring I got a Sn@pch@t from my 13 year old granddaughter. A short video panarama of the students and the classroom in one of her 8th grade subjects. In that moment I regressed sixty years to the little rural six room school I attended. The chalk odor greeted my nose at the front entrance. The hallway seemed dark and wide from my childish perspective. The steam radiators clanked and hissed throughout the winter days. Sometimes wet gloves were set on them to dry, which reminded me of wet dog as the wool singed from the heat. What we called 'the cloackroom' was a large open ended closet that contained hooks for coats and a built in bench. As there was no cafeteria, the large closet also held our lunch boxes. So by the late afternoon the over-ripe banana peels and the left over peanut butter sandwiches were in a winning battle to offend the nostrils. I don't even need to mention the stinky boots and wet socks. But hey! The windows were push up to open...

We have a new cat.  She belonged to our granddaughter who moved away.  Now she belongs to us.  Or we belong to her. Our first worry was that she would pee in our house.  She hasn't.  There were three dogs in the other home that makes us believe Bean had dog anxiety.  Her litter box is used and refreshed daily. The second worry was that she would not be happy as an indoor cat.  She is?   She has enjoyed the view of the back yard from her cat tree and has figured out how to access every window sill in the house.  (We have no plans to let her out where she would encounter one of the feral cats that recently bullied their way into our neighborhood. Oh! That's another post story, for sure!) The final worry was that we might not be able to adjust to another pet.  .... crickets...... Well here's the deal.  Bean is part Siamese.  All the bad parts. For instance --  last night.  Bedtime. We crawl into bed. Yawn. ...

 In November I spent several weeks with my daughter after her surgery.  One evening,  9 year-old grandson Squeak was playing a game on his computer with his best friend Arty.  The Covid way - both at their own homes connected live on the internet. My daughter and I had enjoyed listening to them joking and giggling while they played. When Arty's mom called him to dinner,  Squeak disconnected and walked in to sit with us. "Arty's family is vegetarian," my daughter mentioned. "In fact, I think his mom is a vegan!" I looked up at her from my Kindle to connect my thoughts. "You know," I sighed, "Being a vegetarian is fine. But I could never be a Vegan. Can you imagine never having butter or cheese?" "Just nope!." She answered.  "Cheese is not negotiable." "I could be a vegan, " Squeak announced with some serious head nods. Then he added a clarification. "As long as I could eat Bacon!"

  Last week was TRASH your eyewear week! Thursday: The Hubby decided to paint the hallway. As he bent over to coat the roller, his readers slid off his head and disappeared into the latex Friday: The Hubby was wearing his prescription glasses while he used the skill saw in the garage. A lens just popped right out and onto the bench. When he attempted to pop it back in, he saw the crack in the frame Saturday: The Hubby was reading across from me at the kitchen table. ( which I've confess we share with the cat). I left the room. Whereupon my return I stepped with a huge crunch, barefoot, upon another pair of readers. Which, we presume, was batted effectively off the table by our playful Siamese, Bean.

Propped up in bed, 7 a.m.  (To me that feels like sleeping in and that I got close to 8 hours of beauty rest.  But, that's not where my thoughts should be spinning right now.  Damn "SQUIRREL!" inerference.) Anyhoo..... I grabbed my cell phone and opened FACEBOOK.  (Yes, I'm one of those oldies)  A friend said she didn't WORDLE.  Another SQUIRREL! So I searched for it immediately.  New Trend, Everybody is doing it.  (I mean - like - everybody!) The trick would be to read the directions first.  Which I didn't.  Simply put you have five blank boxes, six lines deep.  Six opportunities to guess a five-letter word from no hint whatsoever.  You type in a word, hit enter.  If a letter is correct it will pop yellow.  If correct and in the correct space it will pop green. I got three green letters on my very first attempt.  I hadn't read the WORDLE instructions so I wasted the next attempt.  (That is why cooking in my...

 This morning I was awake early.  Too early.   I walked into the office where I pushed the wake up button on the computer and waited.  Then, when it came to life I clicked on my family tree program.   I pulled up my brother's name and wrote in the date of death as November 25, 2021.   He is gone.   My brother was a warrior through his six plus year fight with terminal cancer.  Stage four when diagnosed.  Given a much shorter life expectancy than he achieved.  There were times when we thought the time was near. Then he would rally and a new chemo treatment would be available to inflate our hopes for a different outcome. In all there were seven different protocols that he engaged.  There were several that reduced the lesions and granted him some near normal activity.  He went on a tour to Ireland early in his treatment plan.  Then to Russia.  Although the later one came with more difficulty.  St...

 It was 1970 when dad and mom came to visit me in Corrales, NM.  I lived in a very old  style square adobe house at the edge of the small town.(At the time it was said '1000 people, 2000 dogs, 3000 registered horses.')  It was primitive with a breath-taking view of the Sandia Mountains.  I saw dad on his knees in the dusty yard. So, I ran out fearing he was having a stroke or heart attack. Instead, I heard him chanting " doodle up, doodle up, doodle up bug," Oh! We shared a rare moment and giggle that day.  He had discovered the vortex of an ant- lion... AKA doodle bug. The nostalgia washed over me this morning.    I have not experienced a doodle bug here.  But on occasion I do giggle over the usually hidden pill bugs.  My grandchildren call them roly- poly. No one was here to share the moment.  So, lucky you. P.S.  I was truly chasing a hummingbird ..so I'm not totally losing focus.

The Saturday before Memorial Day I woke up early with right eye discomfort and I knew there was a stye forming. In the seven decades that I've been alive, I've experienced three styes.   So, I knew what it was.  I was so damn mad because cataract surgery was scheduled for Tuesday on THAT eye. Long story short.  Surgery went forward, but it was switched to the left eye.  And.....the second eye surgery date was indefinitely postponed. The clarity and brightness in my left eye is amazing.  Sometimes I sit while opening and closing my eyes alternately just for the show.  Bright colors, dingy colors, bright colors, dingy colors.  Obviously the last year plus  of shut downs has claimed a toll on my entertainment requirements.   There is  more.  I can also pretend that I am on a cruise ship suffering from a little sea sickness.  Of course there are no ocean views, buffets, nightclubs, or accommodating staff.  But there ...

  Northern Rough-Winged and Violet Green Cliff Barn

  Last week we visited McNary Wildlife Refuge on the Columbia River.  We got to steal a moment, in photo, from a cyclist headed across the causeway that splits the marshy waters of the refuge.   The Snow Geese flew up in a flurry around him.   I haven't seen an estimate of the numbers of snow geese resting on their way north.  I do know that there are thousands there and at The Pot Holes Reservoir further north.   I'm ready to spend more time 'birding.'  

  When I came around the corner at dusk to see this stranger on the fence, the sight stole my breath.   So, I grabbed my cell phone and stole their moment.  Tit for tat. Yes, another February with lots of cold and snow.  

On New Years Eve I heard the local fireworks that cracked and thumped in our neighborhood, and continued into the early hours of 2021. It's not that I denied anyone their celebration;  I just prefer to sleep when I can and wake up in a New Year feeling fine.  No Auld Lang Syne and no crack, snapple, pop..  I always sigh jealousy at the husband's breathing while his C-pap machine whirs quietly.  In addition to being able to fall asleep almost immediately, he has the blessing of maintaining a refreshing slumber.  Undisturbed. So, that's kind of where we were once more just two weeks into the New Year.  I told him to sleep and I would maintain my watch, waiting for updates from our son in law on the life of our middle daughter. Rest had been unattainable for the last 30 hours and I insisted that my husband go to bed because one of us needed to have some semblance of sanity and control.  It certainly wasn't going to be me. Our son-in-law had been fran...

  You can contemplate.   It changes nothing. That was my thought on my walk yesterday when I decided to cross the bridge to the other side.  Because of the many months of work on the fish ladder the other path had not been a good option.   Yes, it took us to the same goal, but the detour was tiresome.   I don't even know if that is a good analogy to 2020.  Is there even such a thing?  The detours of this year may not even get us to the desired goal.  And what the heck is the goal anyway? I've so hunkered down into hermitville that I even had to make up that word to describe it. My husband and I have so far avoided the menace of the pandemic.  But other family members, who work in positions that welcome exposure, have not.   I told my daughter via cell phone this morning that my worrying would not worry her and my grandchildren well .  And, I cannot worry it away from our door either if it presents itself.  ...

I needed a notary.  Getting a notarized signature meant a trip to my bank.  I can count on one hand how many times I've been there in the past 10 years.  Fact.  Which means I wasn't surprised that the young man truly needed to see my ID.  He was so young I wondered if he was even born the last time I was there.  Well, silliness aside, I was super embarrassed when he informed me that my Drivers License had expired.   (Later sifted through a pile of mail that my husband had daily stacked  and I daily ignored while it lay next to my computer.  The renewal notice was down there several months deep. )  Fortunately our state allows drivers to restore their rights on-line,  plus a hefty monetary fine for being a tardy numbskull.  You don't ever have to go in for a new photo! One doesn't need to fill in any information.  But... you can update.  Which I didn't do.  So I just left the ugly pounds discrepancy on my wei...

My Husband accompanied me on the creek walk two days ago.   He stopped and shouted to me, "Hon, grab your camera!" Although my eyes didn't find it, there was a fish swimming dangerously close to the heron that was motionless on the berm. BAM!  The heron jumped into the water and caught the fish before I could even focus.  But, I did capture some lovely shots that followed.  Well, lovely for the heron.  Not so much for the fish.

 Construction and completion of a new fish ladder has discouraged my walks on the creek this summer and fall.  So I was surprised when my car turned in that direction yesterday when I thought I was headed to the other walking path nearby.  The parking lot was nearly empty and there was a sign that said closed.  However, the park ranger who happened to be standing on the sidewalk called out that it was indeed open.  I happily crossed the bridge. This time of year gives me some apprehension for walking alone.  Several years ago this season was when I encountered the beautiful Bobcat that pretty much seemed indifferent to my presence.  This is the time of year when cougar sightings are common as well.  Quite a few years past I saw a bear after hearing it rushing away through the underbrush. Only a few years ago  I came across a person rising from his sleeping bag partially hidden in the bushes.  I had the advantage of already being in boots...

 A week ago we had rain and then sunshine.  A grand and totally delightful end to eight days of being smoked like a rash of bacon.   Thus the title above that might make you want to do some memory moves with The Platters. The Air Quality Index runs from 0 to 500.  I was shocked to see the red line hit that and rise beyond the measured quantity.  Mentally and emotionally taxing as well as physically harmful. Rain has blessed us once more the past two nights. Hopefully enough to be a wild firefighters wet dream. Now I can take walks again if my right foot agrees.  Surgery on the left foot in late February put me in good standing to stay seated and home in the early days of the you know what.   To keep on the right footing I am planning another surgical round of  "The Hokey Pokey" with the podiatrist this winter. Meanwhile it seems like all my "annuals" have somehow coagulated into a September sludge of visits to every medical professional ...

 Our kitty cat needed us.  We struggled with the decision.  But we knew she needed us to make the right one. We miss her. ***** ElGee was born in a litter of kittens in an apartment complex where a friend of our youngest daughter lived. Amanda already owned a young cat named "Baby" when the friend contacted her in an effort to save the kittens.   "I'll take one," our daughter committed to be part of the unorganized rescue.  The teeny white male she named McGarnigal.   The even tinier black and white female, that she temporary dubbed  'the little girl',  was also delivered to Amanda's apartment.  Little Girl had been promised a home by a third friend.  The promise was never kept and "Little Girl" became family.   Whispers from the first friend indicated the remaining kittens disappeared and she was pretty sure they'd been dumped.   A year passed and another little girl joined the family;  my now 16 year ...

I don't even know what to say about the repairs on the asphalt.   I see them every morning on a particular street.  Early because I want to exercise before the old sol furnace kicks in.  It's been blistering hot. I wonder who is the artist that swirls the stinky hot substance into such awesome designs.  I wonder if the designs are done with intent or just with abandon.  I wonder if the person is working in a very toilsome job because being an artist just didn't provide for a home or a family. I wonder what more wise and contemplative people might say about the markings that will soon be worn away by tires and the eroding weather. The one that probably satisfies me most was from David Henry Thoreaus: "The world is but a canvas to our imagination."     

My 70's music choice in Pandora was playing in the background while I loaded the dishwasher the other day.  I think listening to music can be considered multi-tasking and I needed the company anyway. Just as Desperado  by the Eagles tugged on  my ear,  I willingly turned up the volume.  I leaned up against the sink, but when I closed my eyes they filled not so willingly with unexpected tears. That song debuted 47 years ago. I know that because I know how to count to 99 on ten fingers.   I could not stop my mind from drifting through all those years, and those thoughts kept my fingers busy.   When I entered high school the World War II hits were twenty to twenty five years old.  Twenty year old songs were longer than a lifetime of a teenager. I remember considering them ancient.  "The Charleston"  from the "Roarin' 20's" wasn't even thirty the year I was born. One random thought reminded me that that dance was closer in years to my ...