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Saturday, September 11, 2021

A Human Comedy

Interesting. 

‘Everything takes longer than you think it will’…


Of course it does!

Phones ring


People drop in

Never let you get on with your work!


And then there’s not the right equipment or the cleaning supplies haven’t been refilled 


And uncertainty fills the void ~


Time to make coffee

Find the last cookie in the jar


Breathe


Chuckle, take a delicious sip of coffee,

Laugh at the comedy of errors and omissions


Turn some great C&W - or jazz - or Big Band music on

Gather yourself, your boots and your tools.


Quit, put them away or

Finish the job and smile.


“A comedy isn’t about being funny. A comedy is about characters 

who dare to know that they may choose a happy ending after all.”

~ Gary D. Schmidt

Friday, September 10, 2021

Gentle Easy



And ‘nothing is as easy as it looks 


~another of Murphy’s Laws~ 


uncertainty beckons!


What if I can’t do it?

What if there’s too much?

What if I don’t get done on time?

What if ???????


breathe


step back


gently grasp 


each piece of the puzzle 


steadily take 


one step at a time


Complexities are as easy as the smallest piece.


“Just this once, let it be easy.”

~ Cynthia Lord, Rules

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Only a Theory

Theory: if anything can go wrong, it will’

Murphy’s Law of uncertainty?

Cliché, truism or possibility? 


Universe has paid little 

attention to my plans ~

in a perverse sense of humour. 


I'll have to figure it out, 

make it fit with my plans 

or crash and burn. 


No individual on high

does such a disservice

just to test me?


A simple answer ~ 

every eventuality has been missed!


When my plans go awry, 

when things don’t go to plan, 

can I adjust? 


Stop. 

take a breath ~

where is the kink in my plan?


Will I just give up, 

crawl in a hole and 

leave the world behind?


Once upon a time that was the only option ~

and not a good one at that ~ but now

options and possibilities are a buffet. 


Whatever ‘went wrong’ ?

It's merely a stop sign, 

the golden hand held up at a cross walk. 


A pause before moving forward.  

My choice.


“All theories are legitimate, no matter. 

What matters is what you do with them.”

~ Jorge Luis Borges

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Chapter Two, Episode Forty-Nine - Slow Down - Situationally Theirs

Slow Down


Dez climbed into Old Faithful. Her old red car had just been to the shop. Oil change and tires were rotated. Giles, the Estate chauffeur, had referred her to this garage. She hadn’t been the best at taking care of Old Faithful, but the older it got, the more important it was. Giles had given her quite a lesson about what she needed to do. She always liked to report to Giles when Old Faithful had been taken care of, but he wouldn’t be at the Estate today. Today, she was going out to see her big sister. She and Em were going out to talk with Samuel. Dez had no idea why Em wanted her to be there, but Em asked for her to be there, so she’d be there. She had been pretty vague when Dez asked what they were going to be doing. So she just let it drop.


~~~~~


Emelina couldn’t decide which jacket she should wear. Glancing out the window, she saw clouds but thankfully no rain. She wouldn’t have to wear rain boots. She and Samuel had had many great visits, but they had just been visits between friends. This time she was going out there as his employer. It wasn’t a social call. She really wanted to call it off, but it would only be procrastinating. Reading personnel files, going to appointments at the bank and to the accountant were relatively easy. Not to begin with, but once she got going it was smooth. She’d had Brigitte with her for those meetings, but Brigitte was busy getting her school calendar set up. She did still come to the Estate but only a couple of half days a week. Em finally decided on her denim jacket, it looked more 'gardenish'. The blue leather just didn’t look right or feel right. Too much. There was still something missing. She didn’t want to do this by herself. “I wonder if……I wonder if Dez will come out? She’s probably busy….” Saying this as she punched Dez’s speed dial number, she already felt calmer.


~~~~~


He pushed his old straw hat back from his forehead, pulled his red handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped the dirt from his hands. “Now that wasn’t so bad was it, Miss Em. You looked like you’d lost your last friend when you and Miss Dez showed up.”


“I know, Samuel. You’re right - as you always are. It wasn’t bad at all. I am still uncomfortable when I have to be the boss.” Emelina had taken off her jacket, the afternoon sun too warm for a jacket. Dez had been quiet while her sister and the Estate gardener had talked. She actually felt sorry for her sister, usually so put together and controlled. 


All the way from the house to the garden, Emelina had chattered about her ‘agenda’ that she had written out. “I need to remember what I want to talk about. I’m so nervous that I can’t trust my memory.” She pulled out a small notebook. “Here’s some of my questions, Dez, what do you think: “Are you worried about your job?’ - Cook said everyone was worried about their jobs. ‘Do you have everything you need to do your work?’ I know what’s in Digby’s paper work, but there’s no real listing about what kind of tools Samuel would need. ‘Is your work satisfying?’ I really think for Samuel it is. He seems to live for the land. But I just can’t be sure.”


Emelina stopped to take a breath. “Em, just slow down. Who are you afraid of ~ Samuel or yourself? You’ve never had a problem talking with him before.” Dez had put her arm around her sister, took the notebook from her and literally slowed the two of them down. “We’re practically running!”


Emelina had slowed down then. She took the notebook from Dez, folded it and put it in her pocket. “I think, Dez, it’s me. Michael was always so good at this employer/employee thing. Never flinched, everyone loved him. I just feel like a misfit.” She linked her arm through her sister’s and was quiet. “You’re still learning, Em. It’s good that you have Michael’s example. Everyone loves you too, Em.” There were times when Dez felt like the older sister, but it usually wasn’t long before the tables were turned. 


~~~~~


“Thank you, Samuel. I’m glad you’re happy out here.” Almost stiffly, Em shook hands with Samuel, knowing a hug would not have been appropriate. Hugs were not something Emelina was used to giving, but she was so very relieved. “I’ll be sure to ask Digby to order those tools that need replacing. If you need anything else, just let Digby know.”


~~~~~


“Doubt, of whatever kind, can be ended by action alone.”

~ Thomas Carlyle

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

I Knew

Really! And how do I know? Because I learned

from the greatest teacher ~ Life.

all the good

all the bad

sifting through frayed fragments

my view fogged and blackened

until I choked on my own thoughts

gasping for air, for light

and when I gave in, unable to breathe

sunlight filtered in under my eyelids

oxygen filled each cell of my body

my eyes opened ~

and I knew.


“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”

~ Maya Angelou

Monday, September 6, 2021

Climb

Every time uncertainty looms, 

I know the very worst

is not the only option.


Every time uncertainty looms, 

I know the very worst

is usually a phantom wraith


Every time uncertainty looms, 

I know the very worst

challenges my courage.


Every time uncertainty looms, 

I know the very worst

may already have happened.


Every time uncertainty looms, 

I know the very worst

is not the only option.


“You have as many options as you give yourself.”

~ Kasie West, The Distance Between Us

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Chance and Choice ~ 2




Chances are, if the other shoe did drop,

it may be like Cinderella’s glass slipper ~

a perfect fit and filled with the magic of life.


To step into that shoe and then into the other

puts soul into each of life’s tasks

bringing joy, purpose and glitter to each day.


“Chances don’t approach you, it’s you who approach chances.”

~ Toba Beta