Appreciating the Gift of Time

So I left my job on March 2, 2012. The hours were beyond crazy and I just had to go. The hours were so long (6:30AM) and so crazy (until 8, 9 sometimes 10PM and several Saturdays!!) that I just had to go.

I can't believe the small things that went undone. Really small things that take no time at all, such as putting oil in the reed diffuser. Seriously, I was just too tired get to them and/or too foggy to realize that they still needed doing.

So here is the abbreviated "to-do" list for the time I will be off.

1. Finish Repeat's Counted Cross Stitch (done and at the framers! YAY!!)

2. Finish Baby Girl's Quilt

3. Choose and chart Shortie's Cross Stitch

4. Vacuum

5. Fill the reed diffusers

6. Rearrange the plants

7. Get rid of all the shoes I'm not wearing (Freecycled! YAY!)

8. Find the Area Community Center

9. Make two recipes from my new (Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone - Deborah Madison) cookbook

10. Complete the paperwork for all kinds of stuff (this could fill a Thursday Thirteen List of its own!)

11. Get an eye exam (done); physical (done); mammogram (done); pap (done)

12. Clear out the closet

13. Go to the Cleaners (I discovered that if I take everything that really needs to go I will inadvertently fulfill number 6 "clear out the closet" sigh)

Getting started again

I can't believe that an entire year has gone by without a word! I just can't believe it!

I know how it happened...I said I don't have time; I said I can't "word" it right; I "forgot".

I regret the time, ideas, sentiments, lost or at least not written down.

It was an interesting, busy year. Maybe, I'll do "flashbacks" or something. But for now, I just have to get moving/writing for this year -- and do better...much better. Clearly.

Audio Books 2011

DECEMBER 2011
[52] Marrying Daisy Bellamy - Susan Wiggs
[51]The invisible line - Daniel J. Sharfstein
NOVEMBER 2011
[50]The Successor - Stephen Frey
[49]The Insider - Stephen Fry
[48] The Power Broker - Stephen Frey
[47]The Adjustment Bureau - Phillip K. Dick
OCTOBER 2011
[46] Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
[45] The Bourne Deception - Eric Van Lustbader
[44] The Sixth Man - David Baldacci
[43] The Shack - William P. Young
[42] True Blue - David Baldacci
SEPTEMBER 2011
[41] First Family - David Baldacci
[39] The Life of Pi. -Yann Martel
AUGUST 2011
[38] The Legal Limit - Martin Clark (Ed Sala)
[37] Excuse Me, but I was next..." how to Handle the top 100 Manners Dilemmas - Peggy Post
[36] On The Run - Iris Johansen
[35] The Lincoln Lawyer - Michael Connelly
34] Camilla's Roses - Bernice L. McFadden
JULY 2011
33] Trunk Music - Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch series
[32] Echoes - Danielle Steele
[31] The Scarecrow - Michael Connelly - (Jack McEvoy)
[30] Echo Park - Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch series (Read by Len Cariou)
[29] Lost Light - Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch series (Read by Len Cariou)
[28] The Overlook - Michael Connell - Harry Bosch series (Read by Len Cariou)
[27] 9 Dragons - Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch series (Read by Len Cariou)
JUNE 2011
[26] The Bond
[25] Ten great American short stories
[24] The Fifth Witness - Michael Connelly
[23] The Last Snow - Eric Van Lustbader
[22] Divine Justice - David Baldacci
MAY 2011
(21) The Union Quilters - Jennifer Chiaverini
(20) The Measure of a Man - Sidney Poitier
(19) The Reader - Bernard Schlink
APRIL 2011
(18) The Quilter's Homecoming - Jennifer Chiaverini (Narrated by Christina Moore)
(17) The Bishop's daughter - Wanda e. Brunstetter (Narrated by Christina Moore)
(16) The quilter's daughter  - Wanda e. Brunstetter (Narrated by Christina Moore)
(15) The storekeeper's daughter- Wanda e. Brunstetter (Narrated by Christina Moore)
(14) Round Robin - Jennifer Chiaverini  (Narrated by Christina Moore)
(13) The Brass Verdict - Michael Connelly
(12) Circle of Quilters - Jennifer Chiaverini
MARCH 2011
(11) The Reversal - Michael Connelly
(10) The Testament - John Grisham
(9) The Aloha Quilt - Jennifer Chiaverini
(8) The Cross-Country Quilters - Jennifer Chiaverini
(7) The Confession - John Grisham
(6) Day after Night - Anita Diamant
FEBRUARY 2011
(5) A woman's worth - Tracey Price Thompson
(4) The New Years Quilt - Jennifer Chiaverini
(3) The Christmas Quilt - Jennifer Chiaverini
JANUARY 2011
(2) Independence Day - Richard Ford
(1) March - Geraldine Brooks

Day 4 - the first week

I was locked in the stall with a seven year old. A seven year old male child. In-the-boy's-bathroom.  He didn't want to come out, so he locked himself in. He opened the door a crack to see me and I let myself in. well rather pushed myself in. Safer or so I thought. now you must remember ...stall...locked... tight... close...very close...claustrophobia anyone?.

Me: I'm tired, I'm going to sit.
Male Child: you can't sit on the toilet unless you pull your pants down.
Me: I'm tired I'm sitting.
Male Child: Pull your pants down. you have to pull your pants down before you sit on the toilet."
Me: okay then, I have magic. it's not a toilet its a chair! "
and then I sat. and then he was quiet. Stunned actually.
Male Child: you're sitting on the toilet with your pants on.
Me: I'm sitting in a chair. this is a chair now. My pants are on it must be a chair.
(his face registered "logical"...I think).

We were in there for some time. So much time that my issues with the smell, the lack of space, the strangeness of it all disappeared. It was just this young man and me - trying to come to some agreement about how and when we were getting out of this stall.

me - magic, creativity, set of the pants,
him - amazement, boredom, connection
results - out of the stall and into the classroom -  priceless

August, 2011