Dreams Do Come True

As a child, I recall having a recurring dream in which I found myself out in public dressed in only my pajamas.  I always woke up in a state of panic from that dream, but greatly relieved that it wasn’t reality.  Nowadays, colorful pj’s seem to be the garment of choice for many young women and girls as they go about their daily business.

I see them in the mall, strolling down the street, and even pushing shopping carts through the supermarket wearing bright flannel pajama pants decorated with sheep, clouds, hearts, teddy bears and the like.  The accompanying little tank tops often leave little to the imagination, yet no one seems shocked or offended at the sight of people out in public in their nightwear.  Apparently, none of them ever suffered from nocturnal embarrassment as I did.

Several weeks ago, I was all ready for bed when my husband reminded me that we had planned to fill up both vehicles in anticipation of a significant jump in gasoline prices the next morning.  Oh, darn, now I have to change my clothes, I thought.  But, then, a little devil on my shoulder whispered, “Why bother?  No one’s going to know what you’re wearing when you’re just sitting in the car.”  So, I listened to the imp and headed for the gas station in my navy polka dot pajamas.

There was a bit of a line-up at the pumps but I didn’t really mind as I was happily singing along at the top of my lungs to a catchy tune from the past on satellite radio.  Can’t beat that old time rock ‘n roll.  “Fill ‘er up,” I said to the attendant when my turn finally came.  Then it dawned on me that I didn’t have any cash in my purse, so I would have to get out of the vehicle to use my debit card – in my pajamas.  Crap! 

Feeling mortified, I opened the car door, put one foot out and noticed that it was encased in a fluffy pink slipper.  Since it wasn’t likely that I could speed away without paying, I swallowed my pride and stepped outside the safe confines of my car into the glaring headlights of other vehicles in the line-up.  Unlike the big city where you pay at the pump, here consumers have to walk to a little kiosk on the gas station grounds to pay for their purchase.  Those pink slippers felt like concrete boots and the white polka dots on my pajamas reflected glare as if they were illuminated by neon bulbs.  It was the longest 20 foot walk of my life. 

Now that I’m sufficiently recovered from the experience of exhibitionism, I can finally talk about it.  At least I’ve discovered that dreams really do come true.  Pity!

Free-fallin'

Fearless Felix did it!  With “the whole world watching”, he jumped out of a capsule into a free-fall from over 128,000 feet above the earth’s surface, hurtling himself into space at a speed of nearly 700 miles per hour.  To think that any human being would even consider travelling that distance in a mere capsule suspended from a helium balloon is mind boggling, but then to jump out of it is unfathomable.  Like the rest of the world, I watched the TV screen in a state of near paralysis as he stepped out of the capsule and stood for a few seconds on the platform before taking the ultimate plunge.  Thank God the live news feed was blocked out at that second or I might have gone into an unplanned free-fall myself.

What an inspiration!  Yet, Mr. Baumgartner didn’t just take a willy-nilly leap of faith into thin air.  He carefully planned for this event over a period of five years and sought the advice and expertise of many aeronautical professionals before attempting the big dive.  His efforts culminated, therefore, not in a daredevil stunt, but in a masterful combination of scientific knowledge, personal ingenuity, and undeniable bravery.  Call him crazy or courageous, he at least dared to dream big and he had the gumption to turn that dream into reality.  I doubt that very many people will be lining up to take a stab at breaking his records anytime soon.  As for me, the closest I’ll come to achieving anything similar will be if I can conquer my claustrophobia the next time I fly the friendly skies in a conventional aircraft. 

Way to go, Felix.  As Capt. Kirk might say, you have boldly gone where no one has gone before.

 

“I’m gonna free-fall, out into nothin’

Gonna leave this world for awhile

And I’m free, free-fallin’

Yeah, I’m free, free-fallin’”

(Tom Petty/Jeff Lynne)

I'm Not Ready!

“OMG!  Noooooo!  I’m not ready yet,” was the supplication which spilled forth from my lips upon rising this morning.  Overnight, I had heard the howling wind and I drew the curtains to block out the swirling snow, but I really didn’t think there would be any amount of accumulation yet.  Wrong!  Several centimetres of the white stuff now cover everything in sight and the poor potted plants on my deck have been strangled by the icy grip of old Jack Frost himself. 

I don’t know why I continue to be astonished each year by the early arrival of winter.  After all, I’ve lived in the north for over a quarter of a century, so you’d think by now I’d be used to significant snowfall while the leaves are still tumbling from the trees.  I must be suffering from some sort of subconscious delusional malady which hoodwinks me into believing that there really are four seasons in a year.  And that may be true in some areas of the world, but certainly not where I live.  After the initial shock of this morning, I’ve come to accept the inevitable:  Old Man Winter is here to stay for the next six or seven months.

Still in partial denial, I took my little Beagle out for a walk this afternoon.  She is definitely her mommy’s baby because her little paws were quite reluctant to be immersed in that cold wet stuff covering the ground.  Who could blame her?  I, at least, was wearing warm boots and mittens. 

Well, I won’t be texting lol to anyone about this today; however, col might be appropriate.  Cry out loud!

Slimmed down Santa

Stop the presses!  Have you heard the latest?  Santa Claus is getting a makeover! Yep, the jolly old elf is being down-sized and his pipe will be extinguished as part of a campaign to transform him into a health conscious role model for wide-eyed kiddies.

No longer will “smoke encircle his head like a wreath” and neither will his belly “jiggle like a bowl full of jelly.”  Instead, Mr. Claus has enrolled in a fast track fitness program to whittle his waist and lower his blood pressure.  Guess those rosey cheeks will soon be a thing of the past, too.  He’s sporting a new nicotine patch on his left bicep to ease the withdrawal symptoms from a century or two of smoking a pipe.  Yes, he’s making a list and checking it twice, and it’s still composed of naughty and nice; however, the naughty side includes cake, cookies, rum, pizza, fries, beer, bread, and anything with a calorie count above 100 per portion.  The nice side now resembles what he used to feed Rudolph and his counterparts.

Dear old Santa!  We really do want him to live a long, happy, healthy life, but this Christmas might be a bit strange with a skinny Santa Claus.  St. Nick won’t ever get stuck in a chimney again.  He’ll probably just squeeze in through a partially opened window and scare the bejeepers out of millions of children (and their parents) around the world.

What’s next, I wonder?  A newer, trimmer Frosty the Snowman?  Or maybe they’ll take Christ out of Christmas.  Oh, yeah.  That’s already been done.

 

Thankful for.....

Life.  A gift to be cherished, like a good box of chocolates

Husband & sons. My raison d’être

Family. Fine assortment of much-loved nuts (of which I’m one)

Expanding family. Wonderful, beautiful, awesome young people willing to become part of our inner circle

Friends. Selected assortment of nuts, highly valued

Faith. Solid foundation of my life

Home. Cozy, comfortable place of refuge

Babies. Warm, cuddly, heart-touching, sweet-smelling, yucky-smelling, laughing, giggling, crying, squirming little bundles of life and energy

Children. Innocent, curious, open, loving, trusting, straightforward miniature human beings

Dogs. Faithful, loyal, loving, non-judgemental companions

Health. Should never be taken for granted

Freedom. Being lucky enough to be born and live in a democratic country

Music and Art. Relaxation for mind, body and soul

Scent of lilacs and lavender. So calming

Intellect. Truly a miracle; use it, exercise it, expand it

Prayer. Brings focus and serenity to life

Chocolate. Yeah!!!!

Sense of humor. The ability to not take yourself too seriously

Fall colors. Vivid, bright, gorgeous

Clean drinking water. Necessity of life

Sun-dried sheets and blankets.  So refreshing when you snuggle down in a cozy bed

Good food. To be savored, enjoyed, appreciated

Ocean. Ebb and flow, waves lapping on the seashore, sight, sound, smell

Lake. Tranquil, soothing, reflective

Tea. A refreshing, relaxing drink best shared with friends

Turkey dinner. Comfort food, family gatherings

Modern appliances. Convenience extraordinaire

Belly laughs. Another absolute necessity of life

Chocolate. Did I mention that already?

Vanilla. So someone else can eat it

Books. A treasure trove of imagination

Words of inspiration. Written or spoken, they touch the heart

Tears of joy. When your cup runneth over

Peace of mind. Not always attainable, but greatly treasured

Walks with the dog. Great exercise and a wonderful opportunity to think

Snow. Especially when it’s gone; otherwise it gives me something to complain about

Vision. The gift of sight is truly remarkable; imagine living without it

Nature. What an amazing world there is to explore!

Classic movies. Clearly defined characters, believable plots, no terrorists or vampires

Sunny days without humidity. Pleasant, leisurely, restful

Hot bath or shower. The gift and privilege of cleanliness

A good night’s sleep. Rare, but always welcome

Chocolate. Yep, there it is again

Beautiful sunsets. The imagery is awe-inspiring

Non-reality TV shows. Self-explanatory

Sudoku and crossword puzzles. Great brain exercise, provided they’re not too, too difficult. Then, they become frustrating.

The smell of apple and cinnamon. Hmmm

Christmas. The greatest gift of all – even moderate commercialism is ok because it emulates love and giving

Thanksgiving. Time to reflect on and give thanks for all of our blessings

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Missing Children

I just came back from my daily walk with “the baby” and I noticed that something was missing.  There were no children outside playing, no running footsteps, no laughs or giggles, no little bike riders.  Of course, it had been raining earlier in the day but the sun was bright in the sky as Mica and I made our daily pilgrimage around town.  Then it dawned on me that I don’t see a lot of children outside on any given day. 

When I was a child, my best friend and I spent countless hours outdoors playing all sorts of games and using our imaginations to invent others.  We hosted tea parties in the backyard fit for queens and countesses using our plastic dish sets which Santa left under the tree one Christmas.  We played hopscotch and tiddly winks. We tried our best to keep a hula hoop going round and round, unaware of the benefits of exercise we were getting at the same time.  We played ball with other children, we jumped rope, we played “Simon Says”, “Hide and Seek,” and “Mother, May I” and if we wanted to visit another friend, we certainly never even considered asking our parents for a ride to her house.  We walked to the store to pick up something our mothers wanted and we chatted and skipped our way there and back. Playing outside was a year round activity.  In the winter, we built snow forts and careened down a hill on slides (sleds) or whatever else fit the bill.  Sometimes I even joined my brother and his friends for a game of street hockey, but that was only if they were desperate for another player and a “lousy girl” was all they could find to fill the space.  No matter what the season, my friends and I always managed to find something fun to do outdoors.  Surprisingly, I don’t ever remember feeling bored.

Today’s kids live a completely different lifestyle, yet I wonder is it really a better one?  Sure, their parents may counter, they are involved in sports and other activities.  While that may be true, it seems that the “play” has been taken out of many of these events and most, if not all, are highly structured and competitive.  The spontaneity is gone and possibly the real fun as well.  With all the electronics and gaming systems available today, many children spend a great deal of time in fantasy play while their bikes and baseball bats lie idle in the yard. 

A recent medical study issued a warning that should make society sit up and take notice.  It said that an alarming number of children are now overweight, too sedentary, and likely to have a shorter life span than their parents.  Where’s the fun in that?

It Is What It Is

I’ll soon be heading down south for a tropical vacation, so I recently bought a new swimsuit for this little jaunt and I actually felt quite pleased with myself when it slid up and in place with little difficulty.  Then I looked in the mirror.  Sweet Mother of Jesus!  That’s not the most attractive looking thing I’ve ever seen, was the thought that came to mind.

In my glory days, I really rocked a bikini.  No doubt this image will probably make my sons gag and could even cause them a few sleepless nights.  Hey, I think they should take some of the blame for the reconfiguration of my body parts, especially since I’m barely five feet tall yet I still managed to bring those long-legged creatures into the world.  They should be thankful that they inherited their father’s genes instead of mine.

I’ve never been fanatical about anything.  Everything in moderation is my creed.  So, I try to eat healthy (that includes an occasional piece of dark chocolate which is good for the heart, you know), I work out several times a week, and I pound the pavement daily with my faithful little sidekick, Mica.  Despite these habitual exertions, the dog and I are beginning to resemble each other more and more – we’re both slightly plump and a little low to the ground, but with fairly pleasing personalities.

So what if I’m not the hottest thing on the beach!  I try to console myself with the notion that I probably won’t be the worst either.  Somewhere in the middle is the best I can hope for nowadays.  To coin a phrase from Son # 2, “It is what it is!”