Yay! What a relief to get good results from a mammogram!
Some days I feel like I am on a roller coaster. I have been waiting at the highest point of that roller coaster for over a week for the result. Anxiety building. Today I coasted down the tracks, an exhilarating and happy ride to the bottom. Anxiety gone!
Happy weekend!
This old clock has been with my boss forever. He keeps it in his office sandwiched between some law books. The thing must be wound by hand each day with a key, a ritual much beloved by an attorney.
I believe this thing is a Tsukumogami in the making. An object biding its time to reach one hundred years of age, at which time it will become occupied by a spirit. This clock is specifically a Zorigami Yokai, clock spirit.
It has begun to flex its powers by subtly controlling time. Have a deadline? Speeds time up. Friday afternoons creep by.
How is this happening when it is clearly not one hundred years old? The one hundred years is just a legend. Any old object can become Yokai, or obtain a spirit, just by virtue of it’s old age.
This old clock is quickly gaining the ability to have a spirit because it is used and touched by human hands each day when my boss lovingly winds it. In return, if my boss is racing a deadline, this clock has stopped time to allow him to complete his task.
Ever feel uneasy about an old thing and just need to throw it out or give it away? Trust your intuition on this…
I was speaking to a long time friend about our recent cancer diagnosis-es. We have known each other for about 20 years and both recently began our journeys as cancer survivors.
We both were struck how our lives had been redefined by cancer as we gabbed, catching up and discussing the latest about our conditions.
When we met 20 years ago neither of us knew the word metastasize or five year survival rate or waiting for the day you could say you were cancer free… Neither of us knew the side effects of surgery to remove tumors, chemotherapy or radiation. Now people ask us questions about these things and want our opinions.
I called my friend at the dinner hour. 20 years ago I would have said “I know its dinner time and you need to feed your family but I just wanted to say hi, lets talk soon.” or she would have said “I have to get dinner on the table, can we talk later?”
But we have been redefined. Life is short. Dinner can wait but friendships can’t.
I like to steal from laundry baskets, closets, table tops, well you get the idea. Mom calls this activity “shopping” and I hear “Henry no shopping!” a lot.
I also love to watch TV and saw THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Here is a song I made up about shopping, I sing it to THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS from that movie.
Shoes with shoelaces and stinky warm sockies
Bright shiny pennies and used paper napkins
Brown paper packages from Uncle Sam
These are a few of my favorite things
Rust colored squirrels and crisp broken branches
Mom yelling Henry come in for your breakfast
Books from the library or the thrift store
These are a few of my favorite things
Mom in pajamas with plush yummy slippers
Dead leaves that stay on my nose and my whiskers
Open dog treat jars left too close to edge
These are a few of my favorite things
When my Mom yells
No shopping Henry!
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad
The beast leaned into him, huffing it’s warm breath over his cheek. He leaned into the beast, taking in the sweet musty smell of the animal. The smell of tea shrubs and fragrant white flowers.
Alone he had removed the rocks and debris from the field. Raked the earth smooth until it was finally ready for the beast.
The beast stepped forward, it’s great hoof covering his bare foot. The sharp sound of bones breaking and the intense pain lifted his spirits. A sign that it was time to begin.
Stepping into the field the beast followed him. The hooves of this son and grandson of great Samurai warrior horses left deep indentations as he followed the limping monk back and forth across the field. Finally the field appeared as though filled with gentle waves of the ocean coming into high tide. The beast nodded it’s head as if to bow to the monk sensing it’s duty was done.
A simple meal of boiled millet and pickled vegetables was eaten with the hashi (chopsticks) he kept in his sleeve. Tying the hashi together with a small length of red silk cord from the beast’s armor he was ready for the next task.
Into the middle of each hoof print he pushed his hashi into the earth. Into that hole he dropped one tea seed. Covering each seed with the rich soil he moved to the next hoof print and continued until the entire field was planted.
In the fall of the third year the plants were shoulder height. The monk knew the first harvest would occur the coming spring. The monk also knew that harvest would produce the finest tea, honcha, the real tea. Those worthy of this scarce treasure, and who could afford the cost, would enjoy a tea ceremony attaining ultimate understanding, good fortune and good health.
As the monk limped through the field he allowed simple pleasures to fill his heart, taking in the familiar musty smell of tea shrubs and white fragrant flowers and the great beast.
Trapped again.
Where to turn?
Helpless.
Resolved to flow with the unknown.
My dad decided he was going to grow bamboo in our backyard. It was insane and lush. He had a way of tilting his head and crinkling his eyes when he smiled.
Dear President-Elect Trump:
Congratulations! You are now our president and possibly the most powerful person on the planet.
Your responsibility as a role model for people around the world, especially our young people and children, is immense.
You are a compelling leader. The world finds you fascinating. You have a once-in-a-lifetime and unique opportunity to influence billions of people.
We are all watching you with hope.
Who are you?
My wish list for inspiring the world to be a better place:
Good luck in the next four years.
Randolph’s social life was reduced to the grocery store. He tried to go every day just to get out of the house. Spending time in the deli where he could buy premade meals, imagining sharing a meal with anyone and having a conversation over good food. Yup tonight it was going to be a special meal. He allowed himself lasagna on those days he really needed a pick me up. Store brand canned beans for lunch. A macaroni salad and what the heck, a green salad if he felt like something healthy…. And a carton of that disgusting lactaid milk.
Standing in his favorite checker’s lane, Polly kept looking over and smiling at him. Bless her.
“Yikes Randolph! Your milk is leaking!”
“I’ll just run and get a replacement, you take this lady behind me in the meantime.”
Randolph guessed it wasn’t going to be that great of a day spirits falling as he went for the replacement carton. Old fool didn’t even notice the milk was leaking.
Rushing back to check out Polly was just finishing up with that lady, they both turned to him with big smiles! Maybe his zipper was undone? Still it was nice to have a couple of ladies smiling at him like that.
Handing Polly his replacement carton he noticed his groceries were already sacked.
“Hey Randolph, that lady bought all your groceries for you. She said for you to have a nice day! ”
An impish smile lit up his face which stayed with him all nice day long.
sanseilife 