Halloween Fun In Oak Ridge

Ahh, been a while. Sorry about that. Working full time leaves me pooped at the end of the day. Last Saturday was our Halloween bash in town. Enjoy the pictures!

Hauling The Trash Out Of Our Life

I'm not pack rat. I love a clean house, order, and simplicity. But during last week's garage sale, I realized I had trouble letting go of a few things that ordinarily, I would've stuck right out there on the table and slapped a price tag on it. Maybe it's because these items have belonged to me for such a long time, it didn't seem natural to watch them being carried off by somebody else.

Things like - lamp shades I'm not using, chipped knick-knacks, picture frames, and dishes. It's not like I'm going to use these "things" any time soon. If ever. So why couldn't I bear to part with them? Possibly I didn't want to dig them out of the closet and haul them out to the garage, just to haul them back in if they didn't sell.

Habits, problems, issues in our lives are like that. We hold on to them, because they been there for so long, they couldn't possibly belong to anybody else. We're embarrassed to "put them out on the table" for folks to see. And what would happen if we tried to rid ourselves of the habit, when in the end ... we take it back anyway?

Something to think about, eh?

Blessings to you and yours.

Getting To Know The Neighborhood

Not all garage sales are alike. Today we had our first garage sale at our new place. We host a bi-yearly sale, inviting family to bring their junk/treasures to sell along with ours. In years past we've seen our first customer before dawn, usually at 6 a.m., selling out by 10 a.m.

Today, we didn't see customers until about 8. Everyone had had their coffee. There was no mad dash to be first in the door. Nobody bickered over the prices. It was a constant, steady, and slow stream of customers. In nice cars, clothes, and even full make up on a few women. (We're not in Kansas anymore.)

I tried to hide. My idea of doing a garage sale is falling out of bed, throwing my dirty, unbrushed hair into a pony tail, washing the night's grease off my face, and pulling on any pair of sweat pants and t-shirt regardless of the holes, paint, and coffee stains. Hey, at garage sales, I'm selling my junk, not my books. I'm not out to win any beauty contest. I like making $150.00 on crap that's been sitting in my shed and closets. It's worth a morning's work for that.

But it was interesting, having a garage sale in this new neighborhood. At first I thought we'd made a mistake, because there was nobody waiting to get in. But eventually, they trickled in until most of our stuff sold. Most people wanted to talk, find out who we were, where we came from, and if we knew the history of our house ... because after all, they'd lived in this town all their life, their grandma used to know the old lady who lived in our house, and they could tell us all about it. After all.

I felt like it I was hosting a family reunion instead of a garage sale. It was a blast, the folks were friendly, complimenting our home and barn. But I'm drained. I feel like I could go back to bed. Except there's $150.00 burning a hole in my pocket.

Garage sales, I've discovered, are the perfect way to meet your neighbors. It's like an invitation to coffee, and browse the tables for old books, Nascar paraphernalia, beanie babies, and mugs with and without cracks. And the talk is always light, fun, and friendly. Not a bad way to start a Saturday.

Blessings to you and yours.

Leonardo

When you hear the name, do you think DaVinci or DiCaprio?

So I was reading Parade Magazine last Sunday (October 5, 2008) because one of my favorite actors adorned the cover. In an interview with Dotson Rader, Leonardo's star power has no boundaries. And neither does his burning desire for normalcy. He seems to be grounded with a better-than-average head on his shoulders. Not just in looks, but smarts. I love the way he's matured, grown not only as an actor, but as a man.

My point in mentioning this is that he said something amazing. It struck a chord with me. A loud, hard chord. Talking about his parents, he said, "All I have left are my parents ... I know that if one of them had been any different, it would have sent my life into a spiral of misunderstandings and insecurities about the world and about the relationships I have. Ninety-percent of the people I meet are dealing with issues they can't overcome because of bad parenting. That's the truth. There's that side of you that says, 'Time to get over the hurt and move on,' ... it's hard to do. So you just hang on to the emotion that this one didn't love me, or why didn't that relationship last? That stuff stays with you forever. You want to say, 'Get over yourself! Come on! Time to grow up!' Some people are able to do that, but a lot of us remain victims of it. So I was fortunate with my parents. Without them, I would never have been able to be as level-headed as I am, considering everything that's happened to me."

DiCaprio's parents were divorced when he was very young.

Made me think of my own grown children. I don't they they've ever gotten over some of it. It's my opinion anyway. I think they've been dealing with issues of bad parenting for many, many years. But it's over. Way over. We can't undo what's been done to us. They both are wonderful, wonderful people, thank God. Adults now, on their own, with great lives they've carved out all on their own.

Or did they?

I think they became such admirable adults because they were so determined not to make the same mistakes their parents did. They did a good job. But instead of feeling like DiCaprio feels about his divorced parents, I think ... their dad and I are still (on some level) the 'bad' parents. Now, no misunderstandings here, I know they love me ... and of course, their dad. They really do love us.

Maybe it's just I'm feeling the miles between us. They live so far away.

Anyway, not to worry. They don't read my blog. Or my books. I really wasn't the perfect mom. But they are and always will be, the reason my heart beats.

Leonardo says he wants to be known as someone who stood for something. I guess we all do.

God bless you, Leonardo DiCaprio, and your mom and dad ...

And blessings to you and yours.

Learning Something New

I'm learning a new software system. A medical software system. For my new job. And it's not easy. This weekend, I felt as though I were cramming for a final. My head hurt, I drank pots of coffee, and finally last night, my eyes gave out. Thing is ... I'm only half way through the book.

It's relatively easy to understand. But you know me, I have to know this thing! I pour myself over each page, making notes, trying to imagine each sequence. Ah-ha! I finally realized last night that this is the first time I've ever learned a software system totally on my own and entirely from the book! Not an easy task, especially when you're new to physical therapy and it's been a few years since running a medical practice.

The office is still under construction. A new physical therapy practice that is almost, but not quite, ready for patients. So I can't get my hands on a computer with this program on it, and until that time, there's been no sense in getting any instruction from the maker.

I'm wondering if I'm going to be so far ahead when I finally do get hands-on instruction, that I'll just whiz right through each application. Or, I'll have learned it wrong on my own, and become totally confused.

But in some aspect, working in medicine is like riding a bike. Some things have been drilled in so far, there's not a chance of forgetting. While others are new, fresh, interesting. The business side of medicine is complicated, and the insurance companies all have their own language. It's not easy. Yet I know, like anything else in life, once you apply it, learn it, know it ... you've got it! Until the next update. Policy change. Medicare notice.

Life goes on. I think I'll go read some good fiction.

Blessings to you and yours.