Timing and a Brain ‘Dwindle’ ~ An Essay (sort of)

Well, it’s almost 9 pm. I have yet to write anything for my blogpost. Sitting on my sofa, Mr. Jet (my cat) in the other corner; writing and emailing to the Regina Newcomer’s newsletter ~ done. Research when and where we meet for our monthly Dinner Social ~ done. Submission to our little publication ~ done. Why didn’t I get it done earlier? Because today was full. Slept in - just a bit. Yoga, exercises and other morning activities (Mr. Jet’s litter box) ~ done. An appointment in the early afternoon. A birthday celebration of friend (One year clean and sober). And then home. 

So. What was the bright spot of my day? Actually two bright spots. First, the birthday celebration. The second? That little piece of satisfaction that smooths any wrinkles in a day that seems to be speeding up and taking on a life of its own. Taking some time after the fullness of my day, I sat and looked around my mind (that can be a scary place). TV playing old re-runs. Walls and ceiling offering zip. Mr. Jet sleeping. 

It was the timing. My day had been all planned. Lots of space to get to my appointment, get my groceries and write my post. Surprise! I was invited to a birthday celebration! But how to add it to my day. Relying on the Regina Transit System posed a challenge ~ I thought. Did I mention the Brain ‘Dwindle’? It was fortunate! Because I remembered my appointment time 45 minutes too early, I got it all done! Buses on time! Home by 4p ~ celebration by 5p!

“Maybe no good timing means there’s no bad timing either.”

~ Casey McQuiston, One Last stop

Hidden! ~ A Cat’s Tale

I am a patient feline. However……moving to a home without….I repeat….without stairs to race on was unacceptable. One would think that I would have been consulted by my human roommate. But no, she didn’t say a word. I wasn’t even given an introduction to the place. I am, however, a devious feline. On the first day in this, I hesitate to say, rather comfortable place, I went into hiding. Oh, I heard her call me once or twice but I was resting. 

She has been forgiven….almost. Only because I can watch and smell what food she’s cooking ~ last night it was delicious, succulent salmon! 

If I slide over just a bit, I can look down on absolutely anyone. So satisfying!

“There are no ordinary cats.”

~ Colette

 

Summer Satisfaction

Under the bridge of

easy-going clouds and melting sunshine

a swirling lime~pineapple ice cream cone, Irish cream iced coffee and a good book satisfied my afternoon.

“I could never in a hundred 

summers get tired of this.”

~ Susan Branch

To Remember

Yoda says:‘You must unlearn what you have learned’.

But how to sift through years of learning,

finding lessons that no longer serve?

When swathed in a cherished memory

the goodness of the lesson will always be close

But those painted with a tarnished memory ~ chained to your soul ~ no longer serve.

To remember an event does not tell of the lesson ~

When your head bows down in the face of kind words,

When you want to turn away from even the easiest challenge

Such lessons do not allow satisfaction in life,

prevent boldness in walking through storms and 

Yoda says: ‘You must unlearn what you have learned’.

“Your path you must decide.”

~ Yoda

Voting Day

I went to school today. My umbrella dripping, wet shoes squeaking on the tile floors of a hallway decorated with student art work. I passed an orderly classroom of boys and girls hard at work at round tables, their teacher circulating the room, pausing over their work. The gymnasium had been turned over to Elections Canada. I blame the cold, gray and dripping skies for our small turnout, although I do know that there were many, many Canadians who voted in the early ballots. My hope today, besides a successful election of politicians committed to the health and wellbeing of Canadians, was that those children will be inspired by this stream of voters to become the voters of the future. Time will only tell what those outcomes will be. Home from this drippy damp journey a couple of hours ago, it is still raining and cold. I am now warm and dry. Voting is important to me, and definitely more important than being warm and dry. That can come later. To add my silent voice, inked on this federal election ballot, feels just as comforting.

“Every election is determined by the people who show up.”

~ Larry J. Sabato,  Pendulum Swing

Back Light

Everlasting satisfaction ~

a glow that only dims

never extinguished

Everlasting satisfaction ~

needs no words of gratitude

merely calm where there has been chaos.

Everlasting satisfaction

grows from genuine service ~

giving without expectation of return.

“Only memories have a future.”

~ Ljupka Cvetanova,  The New Land

Surprisingly Simple ~ SERVICE ~ February 2019 Theme

Surprisingly simple….

Everlasting satisfaction….

Reliable protection….

Velvety touch…..

Intuitive dance steps……

Contrasting balance……

Eager sincerity….

“The interior joy we feel when we have done a good deed, 

when we feel we have been needed somewhere and have 

lent a helping hand, is the nourishment our soul requires.”

~ Albert Schweitzer

Dinner Time Blues

Morsels of food 

left to languish alone

on plates gone cold

remnants of salad limp

ravenous appetites sated

nourishment complete ~

until time for dessert

“There is only one difference between a long life and a good dinner:

that, in the dinner, the sweets come last.”

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Soul Food

While reading Ruth Reichl’s book My Kitchen Year, she showed me word pictures of how food feeds not just the body, but the soul. I have often gone to the kitchen with the pretext of wanting some specific thing to eat but found myself more entranced with the creation of a dish - usually from left overs or just whatever is in the cupboard or fridge. The follow up eating of the food is merely a tasty completion of this process. Did the taste match the imagining in my head? Was the texture right, was it too soft or not soft enough? Of course, someone has to do the dishes and even that, sometimes, is satisfying to me. This writing exercise should prove interesting over the next eleven days as I have no clue what I may ‘cook up’ in the way of word crafting! 

Normally

Ounces

Unique

Rations

Ice Cream

Scrambled eggs

Hash brown potatoes

Morsels

Exquisite

Necessary

Temptation

“We must never stop dreaming. Dreams provide nourishment

 for the soul, just as a meal does for the body.”

~ Paulo Coelho, The Pilgrimage

Water Rights

Yesterday the water was shut off. 

Only in my building and

Only for the bulk of the day

No preparations the day before

My tea kettle empty from morning coffee

I scrambled and found 

A few cups of water here and there

Drinking water in the fridge, 

Cooking water on the stove

Water for misting my hair in a spray bottle

Enough to satisfy morning ablutions.

When the water is shut off 

For an entire town or vast population

When a ‘boil water’ advisory

Drags across weeks and months and years

Any bit of water is precious

While our rights are satisfied

Each day with ease

The rights of others are ignored.

“The air, the water and the ground are free gifts to man and no one 

has the power to portion them out in parcels. Man must drink and 

breathe and walk and therefore each man has a right to his share of each.”

~ James Fennimore Cooper

Skating Classics with Kurt Browning - Saturday Afternoon at the Symphony

Opening an email a couple of weeks ago, I had been invited along with friends to attend Skating Classics with Kurt Browning at the Royal Theatre on Broughton Street. Skating and the symphony? How ever would this be accomplished? As a teenager, a very long time ago, I had taken figure skating lessons, had been amazed at anyone that could figure skate and have followed some of the skating world since. On ice, there were always, beautiful, exciting or just plain fun pieces of music. The skaters interpreted them with great artistry. But in an opera house? On stage?

Yesterday, we were treated to an afternoon filled with laughter and wonder, music and videos, still shots and more music. Kurt Browning, a four-time Canadian figure skating champion and four-time World Champion, who represented Canada in three Winter Olympics was our host and teller of figure skating tales. Kurt Browning spoke of the athleticism of skaters, but stressed the artistry of figure skaters. He highlighted figure skating history and introduced us to some charming tiny figure skaters of tomorrow. Kurt Browning introduced the videos, shown on screen at the back of the stage, that include a number of different figure skating stars. He gave special tribute to Toller Cranston whose artistry changed the picture of this sport. Some of Kurt Browning’s costumes were, well, flaunted, including a purple velvet coat he insisted that Maestro Lucas Waldin wear. The audience supported this fanciful gesture much to the chagrin of Maestro Waldin. 

The last piece just before intermission was a real treat. Vocalist, Geoffrey Tyler performed Singin’ In the Rain, complete with umbrella and tap dancing. Rounding out this lovely skating number, Kurt Browning skated across the stage on roller blades. He and Geoffrey Tyler shared the stage as they executed this number to tap dancing and roller blading.

Victoria Symphony was masterful and grand throughout the afternoon. They played Casablanca while a younger Kurt Browning skated. Their arrangement was complete with the edits required for Kurt Browning skating as Rick from the movie Casablanca. Musical scores from Gershwin, Tchaikovsky, movies, ABBA, Boléro and many more provided an extremely satisfying backdrop for Kurt Browning, his wonderful sense of humour and for figure skating through the years.

Figure skating is elegant and requires a lot of dedication. Symphonic music is elegant and requires a lot of dedication. The simplicity of combining the two becomes very obvious, whether onstage or on ice. It was a fun afternoon!

“Doing shows is always a side of skating that I’ve loved, it’s the performing. 

I get to do that without the pressure, it’s always fun between the skaters 

and the preparations, the show is always so much fun.”

~ Kurt Browning

Spring Fever?

It’s a cold spring. 

Strong wind ruffled and floated pink snow across lawns and sidewalks ~ settled to a steady breeze.

Evening sky has faded to pale blue ~ clouds banished past the horizon.

Only hot pinks, green growth, glints of gold and purple shades satisfy the dream of springtime.

“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. 

And when you’ve got it, you want - oh, you don’t quite

 know what it is you do want, but it just fairly 

makes your heart ache, you want it so!”

~ Mark Twain

In the Shadows

In the shadows 

Sits a woman

A child woman

Her heart held tight

Her throat closed

Arrow straight and rigid

One tear slides past control

Shoulders shudder with

A deep, deep breath

Searching for satisfaction and ease.

In the shadows

A child woman

holds still and quiet

Her heart held tight

her voice banished.

“Your nightmares follow you like. a shadow, forever.”

~ Aleksandar Hemon, The Lazarus Project

Strolling with Danger

I decided to do something dangerous. Risky. The night was cool and soft. The grass moist with dew. The grand old trees reached up to the stars disappearing into the darkness. We had all been told as kids that walking in the park at night was risky. There were boogie men hiding in the bushes, trampling the gardens. As a kid, I believed all the stories. Tonight, the stories were just that. Stories to scare us and get us home before dark. I had been warned of many dangers and risks. People that roamed the night. People who were finally free of the day eyes. But just for tonight, I could breath easily. The weeks of heavy humidity slid away into the cool midnight air. Those people that were so scary? We all kept our distance from one another, enjoying the space and freedom to breathe. Walking home in the dark, I smiled. I was satisfied that my journey into danger and risk had ended safely.

“All it takes is rumour…the danger itself is irrelevant. 

It’s the perception of danger we’re selling.”

~ Sharon Weil, Donny and Ursula Save the World

Satisfying Schedules

While the sun’s still asleep 

eyes ease open

digital clock flashes green 

in time to musical alarm 

signalling good morning

electric lights click on

While the sun edges silently over roof tops, electric fireplace whirrs and warms the chill morning air in the living room. Stove top clicks on 

tea kettle whistles 

time for coffee or tea

While the sun silently climbs into the clouds

front doors open, keys lock with a click

buses whoosh up and stop with a sigh

on schedules set for briefcases, meetings and classes

delivery vans trundle with goods for shops and stores

While the sun silently shines through grey misty shreds

coins rattle and funnel fare for the ride

good mornings and early morning conversation rustles 

computer voice announces streets passing by

Ding! Stop Requested in digital red

While the sun silently rises high in the sky

work and school days begin 

at the turn of the clock til

work and school days end 

while the sun settles silently to sleep.

“In the history of the earth, the sun remains still.”

~ Lailah Gifty Akita

In the Midst of Turmoil

In a world of many dangers 

on the street

in our homes

in our communities

in our wider global world

We are beset with many demands

inside our busy lives

Many should do’s

Many musts

Many speak outs

When we feel so vulnerable

When our lives are shaken inadvertently

Our choices are narrowed

Our choices are finite

Out choices must satisfy the moment

When we take control of our choices

within unexpected chaos

We can settle our minds

We can support our own lives

We can begin again.

“We make choices and are in turn made by them.”

~ Sheena Iyengar, The Art of Choosing