Almost on the Six O’Clock News

It was such a scorching dog day in late August that the birds were hot-tubbing in our backyard birdbath. I was wearing my bathing suit and had turned the air-conditioning down another notch despite the green voice in my head that said, ‘You should be ashamed.’ It didn’t help my mood to think about my daughter Peggy, her husband Tyler and my two young grandchildren, Jacob and Sophie working outside in 100 degree weather at a camp for foster children in our community? I admired their compassion and magnanimity to devote an entire summer running the camp and I was glad they were due home that evening.

If I Were a Car…I Wouldn’t Trust Me!

Attention mechanics: DO NOT read or listen to this essay. At best it’ll disgust you, but at worst, it could make you sick!

I’m a self-confessed car abuser and I’m not proud of it, it’s just the way it is. I’ve abused every car I’ve ever owned including my current one. My organizing skills have kept my cars clean on the outside and on the interior, but when it comes to taking care of what’s under the hood, they are nonexistent. I know, I know, I’m irresponsible. I wait until something happens and then I head for repair. And I know the “ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure,” deal, but I’ve never minded that proverb when it comes to automobiles.

Do Not Tick Off a Kink!

Usually if I wake up with a kink in my neck from sleeping wrong, I can work it out by mid-morning. Last week we were in Boston at our daughter’s home and we slept on our teenage grandson’s super firm mattress which was armed with difficult pillows.

I knew the minute I tried to get up, that there was one very angry muscle in my neck. You know those main muscles that stick out on either side of your throat when you frown and say “EEEK”? That’s the one that got mad. When it comes to pain, I’ve been through my share with three babies and a couple of broken ribs under my belt so I’m familiar with the pain scale of zero to ten, zero being pain free and ten being scalped and begging for Dr. Kavorkian.

Use Your Imagination to Help Getting Organized

Many struggle with disorganization as I once did. I was in nervous remission for years, but as time has passed I’m not that nervous anymore. I don’t let my messy tendencies get too far out of hand and my home is never more than 15 minutes to “company ready” (and that’s for the whole house).

When every room is HOURS or DAYS away from "company ready" and I HAVE BEEN THERE, it can easily be overwhelming and in that state of mind we can freeze, bust out of the place or retreat under the covers. All those actions make things worse.