My kitchen table is a mess, which extrapolated out, means my brain is scrambled. Sometimes I just have two many plates balancing on sticks that I am trying to keep spinning. I really enjoy the periodic days that I can leave my car at the shop and be trapped in my own home, with no place to go except for a walk around the park. Yea, literally. We have a 5 acre park in the middle of our slice of suburbia. Strolling I can make it from my door, around the park and back in 15 minutes. But wait, I digress.
The kitchen table should be a place to gather with family, a beautiful meal on the table, kids chattering and poking at one another while the adults calmly discuss life. Ha! That picture came from my growing up years (am I dating myself here?). We are empty nesters. Sorta. My 81 year old father now lives with us. He can still take care of himself , but after my mom died, he got lonely. And, being on a fixed income, we all thought it would be silly to have two families paying for internet, cable, electricity, etc. Thus, he lives with us, as my grandmother lived with my family when I was a preteen. Again, my mind has slipped in its focus of the table. Back to the table.
Today my table has a spiral bound notebook that I am keeping track of the timing of my hot flashes and the different homeopathic remedies and what doses I am trying for them. There is a package of study material for me to go through, as I am diving into the study of homeopathy. I am tired of using herbs, and medicines to deal with symptoms, many of which have side effects. I have had a couple small successes with the homeopathy, which have encouraged me to pursue more to possibly deal with some chronic issues of health. You don’t get to be mid 50’s without some health issues, especially since I grew up in the era that was in the midst of the switch from Whole Foods to convenience/processed foods. Back to the table…
There is also a white sticky note stuck to the table conspicuously that says “bring new plants in from backyard.” Later, when I get home from work, I will have to move that note to my bedstand, or onto my toothbrush so that I actually do remember to do that. Our evenings here are still hovering near the freezing mark, and we are still frosting over. As beautiful as frost is on the grass, it will kill my the new seedlings I have purchased for the raised planter beds my honey so lovingly has made for me the past 6 years. Hopefully the broccoli, cauliflower and curly kale can survive my forgetfulness. Back to the table…
The local town paper and the neighboring city paper are sitting there, waiting for me to read them over breakfast, which I am still not sure what will be. I really don’t “read” them per se, it is more of a skim over headlines until I find something that interests me. What new business is going in where, community events that might be a fun thing to dream about going to, but deciding not to because I would rather stay home and garden or have coffee on the patio with my honey and cat. Of course, the funnies page is always a must read, and it gets read last to make sure I end it with a good taste in my brain. The news can be a scary read these days. Back to the table….
Lastly, there is a list of things that I need to repair on the rental we are selling. We have had this little place, with a great renter, for the last five years. But there is a five acre piece of land we have owned almost as long, that has sat vacant, just waiting for us to build our dream. This year we decided it was our “pearl of great price” (bible verse Matthew, chapter 13, verse 46), we sold our two rentals so we could build this year. It doesn’t matter how great a renter you have, any house has repairs to be done when the furniture disappears. Paint touch up (or repainting altogether, which is what I will be doing), sparkle holes, re-caulk the kitchen counter backsplash, replace light bulbs, etc. Add to that the list of things the buyer’s inspector flagged that have to be done, and I have about a weeks worth of work to do, and a handyman who is not so busy he can’t fit me in during this building boom our area is in. I don’t want to break in a new one. I like the three I have used all my adult life. But, alas, they too are aging out of their professions. The rental is today’s job. As soon as I decide what to put on the table for breakfast.
Hope you have an awesome day doing whatever it is that you do!
An Ordinary Life 