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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

I LOVE MY POOL....One of my favorite things?

Please leave your thoughts...I love when you do that!

I LOVE MY POOL~ ~ ~ 2011.

by Jo Heroux on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 8:05pm
And the summer of the pool that just won't stop sucking our money from our account continues! First there was the bad opening, liner laying in the water, never good. Then there was the over night greening that took 5 days to clear up and over $300 in chemicals. Then a leak. That's right lost over 3 inches of water over night. Only cost $500 to get that one fixed. That was yesterday...TODAY the automatic cleaner died. Not a slow death, a NOPE NOT GONNA RUN ONE MORE MINUTE death. Bargain time for me though, found one on sale for only $302.00 shipping included! *sigh* I love my pool, I love my pool, I love my pool.

All in all, living with a pool is a good thing.  Have to be thinking though that as it reaches old age (25 years old, this summer) it might be costing more than I can possibly justify!  That is until it's 98 degrees and I am floating around on a noodle cool as a cucumber.  Yeah, maybe it's worth it after all.  I do love that pool.
This is just one of the reasons I love this pool.

Oh and I forgot...also had the deck repaired and painted last month for $1100!  Now I get to repaint the section my pool boy had to cut out and dig up yesterday!  That is tomorrow's job!  
I still love my pool.....I still love my pool...


Jo

Favorite Thoughts in a Wandering Mind

Please leave your thoughts...I love when you do that!

Blog post for "Favorite Things" or "Summer" topic, writer's choice.
    Jeannette looked around the beach for someone she might recognize. It didn't matter that she was alone today, but still it would be rude not to say something to people she knew, if they were nearby.  Scanning the sun worshipers produced nothing.  Settling back onto her beach lounge she closed her eyes and began a lovely daydream.

    He strolled past her beach chair about 5 steps and came to an abrupt halt.  Turning, he made full on eye contact with her and held her gaze.  Through her sunglasses she saw his chiseled body first and then drew her eyes up to his. The power of that moment gave her chills though the temperature was well over 90 degrees.  This 'moment' lasted nearly a full minute.  In her mind, an eternity.

   She broke the silence by asking, "Is there something I could do for you?"  Maybe not the best question to ask a dazzlingly handsome, rock hard bodied man in surfer trunks who happens to be staring unforgivably into your eyes. 

   "I imagine you COULD do a lot of things for me, but you may start with sharing your name.  I'm Jason and I would very much like to know you."

   Now that is quite the introduction and quite the invitation!  "Jeannette and please have a seat, Jason.  I wouldn't mind talking with you for a while.  I plan to soak up some sun for a couple hours and talking with someone of interest would be nice."  

   He sat and they talked.  She shared her career plans with him and he told her he was once a teacher, but had left that position 3 years ago when an opportunity to travel presented itself.  The travel would be with the local news station as a roving reporter.  This intrigued her and began a long discussion of all the places he had been and why he was sent there.  Her life suddenly felt uneventful.  Her career as a software tester used to seem fascinating, now, not so much.  He was amazed and somewhat jealous of her abilities because his computer expertise stopped at filing his stories through the software the news station put on his laptop and e-mailing.

   The sun began to set and they continued to sit side-by-side in the sand, her chair had been folded some time earlier to allow them to be on the same level and closer.  The sky turned a brilliant orange-red and the giant golden globe of light slipped silently into the water.  The sunset was a breathtaking sight.  Or was it only so because they were watching it together?

   Twenty years later on a lazy Saturday afternoon Jason looked to his left and remembered that day.  Beside him was Jeannette.  A little thicker, a little grayer and a few lines had found a home on that perfect face.  She had given him 3 beautifully manufactured babies who now were teenagers with lives of their own, for the most part.  They were once again alone on a crowded beach of sun worshipers.  He loved her more deeply than she could ever understand.  He needed her just to breathe.  

   Jeannette was nearly asleep next to him with thoughts of all those years ago when he had just stopped to meet her.  Destiny?  She didn't care why it happened her life had begun that day.  All the days before were just memories from her 'before Jason' days.  Her children, her career and her confidence all came from knowing this man.  He was the center of her universe and together they were magic and yet unremarkable.  An average married couple with a house full of teenagers sneaking off for a day at the beach.  He had encouraged her to stretch herself into a full on software inventor and she had succeeded far beyond anything she could have dreamed and he still traveled the world now for ABC news and still filed the most interesting  and in depth stories from wherever news was happening.  She fears for his safety while he is gone and rejoices in each of his returns.  It is a wonderfully never mundane life.

   Jeannette is suddenly awakened from her daydream by sand blowing across her stomach.  She sits quickly to see the source.  Running toward the water is a stocky dark haired guy with a Frisbee in chase!  He jumps to catch it and immediately sends it flying back to the child who had launched it first.  Not quite on target.  The child goes in search of the errant Frisbee and the gentleman runs to Jeannette's side to apologize for his sand storm.

   "I am so sorry.  I was focused on the Frisbee and I didn't even see that I had sprayed you until you bolted up,  I'm such a klutz."  He spoke in an excited tone which was totally sincere.

   "No problem."  She meant it.  He was so involved with the little one that she couldn't be mad.  She loved to see a father and child interact with such abandon.

  "My nephew is full of energy and he gives me a good work-out!  We've been running around here for about an hour and he's just about drained me, to be honest.  I think it's time for an ice cream break."  He considered this for a moment and then added, "You wouldn't want to join us, would you? I mean, just as a way of apologizing?"  He doubted she would be interested in anything more to do with him, she was obviously out of his class.  Gorgeous, classy maybe even married.  In any case, way above him.

   "Well, you don't owe me an apology, really.  But I never say "no" to ice cream, EVER.  If you are going right over there to the Cone Shack, I'd love to join you and your nephew, assuming he comes back!"  She smiled up at him and noticed what a warm and inviting face he had.
   "Here he comes now...come on!  Let's go check out the flavor of the day, shall we?"  He extended a hand to help her rise from the low chair she had been part of since mid-morning.

   The afternoon passed with the three of them getting acquainted. The day dream had contained some of the same actions, but the man she actually met was not a Greek God type, but rather an average Joe type with a heart of gold and over the next 20 years they shared everything.  They loved and lived and still Jeannette remembers the day at the beach and the day dream that led to meeting Jay and changing her life, exactly like the daydream.




Jo








  


Friday, July 22, 2011

It Can't Be Midnight

Please leave your thoughts...I love when you do that!



She walks out into the ridiculously hot and humid night and stares immediately into the star filled sky.  After a few seconds of wonder, she closes her eyes and prays.

"Dear Lord, Please look after my babies, my husband and all my loved ones.  Allow them all peace in their hearts and wisdom for tomorrow's choices.  Thank you, God, for all the blessings you have given us.  I am not worthy of such riches of love and happiness.  May I be a better servant tomorrow than I was today. Amen."

She raises her eyes to look out over the back yard she had earlier mowed and noticed the evening dew glistening and for a moment, thought she heard the grass sighing as it drank in the moisture.  The furniture she was seated upon was moist, but not uncomfortably so.  Midnight was here.  But how?  How did a day pass without him being part of it? He had just gone for some alone time to the cabin a few hours away.  How could anyone miss someone so much in such a short time.

They had been together for 14 years.  Married 10 of those years and apart maybe a dozen times over night.  He worked long hours for an insurance company as an adjuster.  He often left at 6 am and returned around 9 pm while she stayed home with their two babies who had just turned 3 and 5 in the last few months.  It was the life she had dreamed of and he made it happen for her.  Every now and then, though, he needed time to be alone for a day or two.  He worked under a great deal of pressure and as much as he loved his family, he asked for these days a few times a year.  He never stayed more than 2 days and 1 night.  For her, that felt like eternity.  For him, it was a brief respite.

This trip was particularly ill timed for her.  She had just spent an entire week with one sick daughter and her little brother wanting 24/7 attention because he had no one with whom to play.  Mommy was his new best friend and the nurse and Mommy needed a time out, too.

Sitting here on the porch at midnight alone was her time out.  She reflected on all the blessings she did indeed have and now that her little one was feeling better, chances are they would all sleep through the night without Daddy.  He would sleep through the night stress free.  That thought made her smile.  She loved him stress free and relaxed and yes, it was worth it.  He asked so very little of her, he gave so very much to her, it was perfectly fine that he was gone tonight.  But she was still missing the hell out of him.

An hour passed and at 1 am she arose to take a quick shower and tuck herself into her king sized bed for one.  Midnight had worked it magic and she was smiling to herself as she headed inside.

Not needing lights, she had stepped into the shower in the shadowy lights from the yard and had not bothered with any inside lights.  She double checked the front door and the back door and walked down the hallway to her room checking on the kids on her way through.  All sleeping.

Turning down the spread that covered her bed in almost total darkness she sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I thought you were never coming to bed."

She nearly jumped out of her skin but, somehow remained completely silent as she turned to look toward his voice.

"I missed you more than I needed that break."

God knew her real prayer and here was her answer.  He reached for her and she fell into his embrace.  One more blessing to thank God for in the morning.

Jo

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Midnight Beginnings / Endings?

Life is a huge circle, isn't it?  Each day begins another chance for everything from repeating what we've already done well (or not so well) to taking on some new challenge and a chance to grow intellectually or gain strength emotionally.  It is also a chance to waste opportunity and time doing absolutely nothing at all. We can choose to just BE for an hour or for the whole day.  The point is, of course, it is our choice to make each new day something or nothing.  Nothing days are okay now and then, but stifle our creativity and our urge to live if we allow them too often.  Everyone gets to decide how often is too often. I choose to fit one of those into my schedule weekly, most of the time.

I am a night owl by my natural clock.  I am most content when I can stay up until 2 a.m. or so and sleep until 8 or 9 a.m.  I can adjust when I need to and still usually sleep 6 to 7 hours, if no alarm wakes me, regardless of when I actually go to bed.  Because of my recent retirement, I now live on my natural clock cycle and find that I am more rested and more motivated than I have been in a long time.  That being said, I now have days to do whatever my heart needs.  Some days, not many, that means I can just write all day or read all day or play silly 'puter games by the hour or float in the pool for hours.  I can start some crafty project and finish it!  I can watch TV or go for a walk or take my Momma someplace she might  want to go. I love spending time with her and I admit here and now, sometimes that is my choice for a ME day.  It really isn't about HER as much as it is about ME enjoying my Momma's company.

Some days are about obligations.  Appointments that need to be made and kept.  Groceries that need to be purchased and stocked.  Meals that need to be made for sharing or for sustenance. Cleaning required for mental health, in my case. Maintenance around the home or outside.  Vehicle maintenance to save money in the long run, "Pay me now or pay me later."  Remember that commercial?  It runs around my head every time I think maybe I won't get that oil change today.  There are often phone calls that need to be made and take time and presence of mind, so I tend to put those off until I have several to make!  My presence of mind is sometimes something I have to assemble.  These days are not about me, but about keeping me somewhat sane and in control of my life and my surroundings.  Without these days, I would be a raving maniac because disorder and dirt around me makes me very uncomfortable and very anxious.  An undone "to do" list will haunt me until it has been completed and discarded.

Each day ends at 11:59 p.m. and the new day begins at 12:00 a.m.  One minute from yesterday to today and from today to tomorrow.  Each midnight is the beginning of a new chance and the end of the last chance.  I am almost always awake to experience this transition and sometimes I reflect on the day passing and look at my plan for the day approaching.  Midnight is a magical time of moonlight, night sounds and dreaming.  It is my "alone" time with my thoughts, hopes and blessings.  It is my time to appreciate and plan.  If I want to be someplace else in my personal growth, it is my time to lay out that plan.  It is my time to forgive myself for not being all I could have been today and encourage myself to do better tomorrow.

Midnight is the end all and fresh start of each day the Lord gives to us to do with as we please. 

The world begins anew every midnight. The moon rises high either full in glorious earth glowing splendor or just a sliver of light sneaking across the sky almost unnoticed.  The sun lights the other side of the earth and promises to bring midnight around to them in a short 12 hours.  For many people midnight just passes while they sleep every single day completely unceremoniously.  Yet, it passes into the new day of new chances anyway.  Regardless of how you welcome or ignore the blessing of midnight, it comes and it begins and ends every 24 hours.

Wishing you all a new appreciation for the bewitching hour of midnight!

Jo

Friday, July 15, 2011

Itchi Bon Downtown Bakery

When my husband I first married we lived 1 block from a wonderful small town bakery called Itchi Bon Downtown Bakery.  The owner's wife was oriental (not sure where she was from exactly) and she had named their bakery "Good Buns"=Itchi Bon.

Every Sunday morning before I woke up, my early riser man would trot up to the bakery and buy me 2 peanut butter donuts.  They were actually rolls like cinnamon rolls, but with peanut butter cream in them and peanut butter frosting on top.  I loved them and loved that he did this for me.  That's romance to this simple woman.

As the years passed, the owner's changed and the donuts changed and the peanut butter to die for rolls went away. (sorry, time out for tear wiping).  Okay now.  One block in the other direction was a small grocery store which had all your basic needs and had been owned by the same family (father to son) for as long as I had been around. You could buy just about everything you needed for weekly grocery shopping, but maybe not the size or the brand you were looking for.  It was very convenient and very friendly and they carried your groceries to your car, if you drove there.  They still do that, by the way.  I still shop there.

As times changed the store needed to grow and offer more to be competitive and added a fantastic bakery!  They were making peanut butter donuts!  My adorable man spotted them the very first day the bakery opened and said nothing to me.  The following Sunday morning I awoke to 2 fantasticly huge peanut butter frosted peanut butter cream filled rolls on my kitchen counter right next to the freshly brewed (because he had already emptied one pot and he knows never to allow me to wake up coffee-less) coffee.

So to those who wonder how two people as different as he and I are have stayed together all these years, it has a lot to do with peanut butter donuts!  And that he wanted me to be happy.

I no longer want or get them on Sunday mornings.  The hips and belly are not in need of that big calorie and fat load at this age, but I know that if I mentioned to him how much I loved them, he would drive the 2 miles it would take now to get them for me.  Yep, that is romance.  And that is why 29 years of wedded bliss is still on-going. I'm a lucky girl.

Jo

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Hopeless

Waking each morning to hungry baby cries is the highlight of her day.  Holding, feeding and loving this miracle of need is who she is now.  Mothering is second nature to her and the job she must perform to pay bills is less than a close second.

Answering phones, filing, smiling for 8 hours frees her up for the chubby needy chunk of love she lives for. Months ago she walked the streets looking for what is now  waiting for her at the beginning and end of every day.

Looking for love is fruitless, just wait for it patiently.

Jo