Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Pretty, pretty haiku...

Sparrow's Haiku Contest...

topic for this week is BEAUTY.

Leave your entry in the comments, then
go back and vote for your favorite.

p.s. she gives a prize to the winner!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Gray matter calisthenics...

Joan asked, "1. When did you say no, when you wished you
had said yes? and 2. When did you say yes, when you
wished you had said no?"

Well, now... 1. I flew home, to Ohio, for a visit. Mid '70s.
Spent about a week with friends and family, including
my maternal grandmother, who was dying. Cancer.
On my last day, my parents were driving me to the
airport and said they would stop by Grandma's so I
could say good-bye.
I freaked, burst into tears and said I couldn't handle
seeing her again. I knew it would be the last time.

Mom and Dad exchanged confused glances, but said
nothing and continued to the airport.

I barely regained enough composure to say good-bye
to them and get myself on the plane.

It was less than two months later when I got the call
that Grandma died. I flew back for the funeral.

I was her favorite. I will never forgive myself for not
seeing her one last time. I let her down.

2. I should have said 'no' when Michael asked me to
marry him. (Go to my archives for May 2007.)

Dianne asked, "1. Are you happy? 2.What is your
favorite color? 3.What color are your eyes?"

1. I am when I remember to pay attention. When I
remember to look clearly at my life and myself.
When I remember how blessed I am with friends and
family and good health and a sense of humor and enough
intelligence to make a living. And big boobs.
2. I don't have a favorite color. I love them all.
3. My eyes are green. Kind of a moss green.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Who knows...

Must you know me
or, just my words?
Do you know me
through my words?
Do you?

Saturday, April 19, 2008

In dreams...

angel's wings
of satin feathers
wrapping
'round you
like the arms
of someone
loving you
from far away.

Sparky, all grown up...




I didn't intend for these photos to be arranged this way.
Fuck it.
The one on top is Sparky being dwarfed by the
bougainvillea in the front corner next to the driveway.
Wish I had known it would become a monster.
(the bougainvillea, not Sparky.)
It's pushing on the fence and making the gate all wonky.
So much so, that Sparky can slip through the gate and go
galloping through the neighborhood. I'll be doing some
trimming in the hopes of saving the gate. For right now,
I've been using bungee cords to keep the dog contained.
Ain't that just all white-trashy?
The other photo is the crazy canine in the front yard, by the
confederate jasmine that is in bloom and covering the fence.
Yes, I know there are weeds in the yard. I don't care.
Weeds are green, too.
Further info re: my life.
Work is slow again. Not good.
No word from Tennessee, even after I sent them a thank-you
note after the interview. Perhaps their work has dropped, too.
Whatever.
More posting to come this weekend, using more of your questions.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Hidden Haiku...

The Haiku Challenge is on at Sparrow's.

This week's topic is: SECRETS.

Deadline for your entry is midnight tonight.

UPDATE: I submitted two for this week...


little bitty things
that can end up devouring
you from inside out.


If I tell you, I'll
have to kill you. And we don't
want that, now, do we?

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Bits of childhood...

Lee asked, "Most vivid childhood memory, good or bad?"

Several moments came to mind right away.
All of them seem to be before my four siblings were born, so
we're talking about 1951 to 1955. Yeah, yeah...holy shit.

The first two are visually foggy. More sound and feel than photo.

First... I remember being in our living room. We had company, but
I have no idea who it was. I remember my dad laughing at me.
That much I can see... his face. And hear him laughing.
For some reason I was mortified by this and tried to leave the room.
He was sitting in a chair and reached for me as I tried to walk past him.
I can feel his arm wrap around my waist and pull me to him.
Still laughing. I can, to this day, feel the heat of my embarrassment.
It ends there.

Second... I feel myself sitting in my dad's lap and seeing the colors of
the Sunday comics. I think he was reading to me.

Third... I was NOT allowed to leave the confines of our fenced yard
without parental permission or being escorted by one of them.
However, across the street the neighbor boy had a swimming pool
set up in their yard. I don't remember actually walking there, but I
remember sitting on one corner of his pool with my bare feet in the
water.
Then, I remember seeing my dad walking across the street with a
yardstick in his hand. He must have just come home from work and
found me missing or saw me as he drove up the street.
Next, he is carrying me under his arm and probably smacking my butt
with the yardstick, although I don't remember that specifically.

Fourth... I am sitting at the dining room table.
My chin barely clears the top. I am listening to a record album playing
the story of "Sleeping Beauty". Mom and Dad are in the living room.
Suddenly, Mom throws the newspaper at Dad and runs to their
bedroom in tears. Dad follows her, but he is smiling.
He tries to open the bedroom door, but she has pushed the chest of
drawers in front of it to keep him out. I don't know how I know that.
I remember being scared and afraid to move. I think I cried.

Fifth... Dad raised Collies for a short time.
We had a beautiful female named Penny who Dad had had bred
to produce a couple of litters of pups.
Penny was sweet and gentle and was my protector.
Better than Lassie.
Dad didn't believe in spending the money to get her vaccinated.
She came down with distemper. I remember being in the backseat
of our Chevy, on my knees, looking out the back window.
What I was seeing was the brick building where we left her to be
put to sleep. A tree-lined country road. I was crying.

WWFS? (What Would Freud Say?)

Friday, April 11, 2008

I have an idea!...

Leave a question for me in the comments
and I'll try to schwangle (I just made that up)
a post out of 'em to break this freakin' dry spell.

It could work.
Maybe.


Update: Have I mentioned, lately, how much I love you all?
You're knockin' my socks off!
Oh, wait...I don't wear socks. But, you know what I mean.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Six Words Memoir Meme...

This meme originated at Smith Magazine and has now
reached my little blog world, thanks to Berry (Boneman).


The gist of it is... 1.) you're supposed to choose six words that
reflect your life. 2.) link back to the origin of the meme and to
the one that tagged you. 3.) add a photo for illustration, if desired.
4.) tag six more bloggers to participate.


The words I chose are not my own...


"Not all who wander are lost."


I knew the quote was from J.R.R. Tolkien, but I was curious about
the rest of the content. I found it here. It reads...

"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost;
the old that is strong does not whither, deep roots are not reached
by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the
shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken,
the crownless again shall be king."


...and, yes, I see that I am mis-quoting by one word. Too bad.
I still like it.

I am tagging Bane, Lee, Larry, Mick, HB, Joe.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Haiku view...

Don't forget Sparrow's Weekly Haiku Contest!

Sight...

Light at the end of
the tunnel gives me hope for
my dream coming true.

UPDATE: You have until noon Friday
to vote for your favorite haiku.

talk-talk...

She doesn't even know I'm alive...

Have you told her?

Told her what?

That you're alive.