belly breath softer than dusk

Grandmother sits on my lap

Comforting by being comforted

Her claws prick so lightly

Barely touching my skin

Her purr raspy and eternal in love

Belly breath softer than dusk

She brings forth peace

Her gaze direct, she sees my soul

And holds nothing back

skating on towels

On my knees, the phrase "wax on, wax off" from “Karate Kid” pops into my mind. Muscles flex and relax -- thank goodness for the arm strengthening of 'down dog' as I feel the cooperation of flesh and bone -- and my fingers tighten on the handle of the scrub brush. I glance to where I've been and smile at the glistening tile. If it weren't for Phoenix, the little stinker, I would only have to use the mop and could stand up to clean the floor! LOL He spends his spare minutes licking the 'lines' where the grout is between the tile, over time leaving behind a streak of dirt because that canine saliva is kind of sticky! Then, standing up to mop is a break for my back (instead of breaking my back) plus it’s much easier to dance to "Fujiama Mama" and "Dynamite" by the incomparable Wanda Jackson and Brenda Lee! This mop pole is made for an average size person, so my height doesn't lend itself as easily to the job as I'm always bent over just a bit more than is comfortable; maybe if I close my eyes and imagine a tall dance partner? But the really fun part follows as I skate across the floor with raggedy drying towels beneath my feet! Hmm. I think Pippi Longstocking had more fun with this... I am in total housecleaning mode this week, relishing the full-spectrum results - albeit perhaps not the work itself - as compared to the spot-cleaning I’ve been doing. After almost a year of intense studying in addition to being gone for extended periods of time, I've come home. Literally, and very physically, on this warm summer day.

a lesson in flexibilitty

This past weekend, I was reminded of the importance of flexibility...

Friday, the lovely delphiniums at the center of one of the flower gardens were nearly seven feet tall! One had blossomed out entirely, while the other stalks were starting up their stems. Alas, we had torrential rains along with the thunderstorms and all but one delphinium broke (the one that didn't was a young one, the stem still bendy). I was sad for them and that I wouldn't get to see them all in full bloom -- and annoyed that I hadn't taken a photo of them last week when the hot weather had them joyously straining up to the sky! However, I did go out and bring the salvageable ones inside so that we could enjoy their beauty for a little while longer. The cats thought they were interesting, although I think they found the bug that rode in even more fun!

Woop-woop

Ron was mean. Okay, maybe not "mean" in the true context of the word. He was teasing me. :-) Here's the story...

We're at our favorite little restaurant (krista's in Cornish, ME) for breakfast this morning. We sat at one of our usual tables (yes, we're 'regulars' -- we have a 'date' there almost every Saturday morning where we catch up on the past week, and reconnect our energies for the coming weekend time spent happily together, but I digress...) -- this time I was sitting with my back to the wall so that I could see out the window to watch the river (whose waters are SO low right now due to the extreme heat and the lack of recent rainfall), when Ron glances over my shoulder and, with a straight face, says "oh, the woop-woop is gone". I gasped and whipped my head around at about 90 MPH -- I could have injured myself! He busted out laughing, and then I laughed, too, in huge relief, because the "woop-woop" was still there, hanging on the wall as usual. The backstory is that I fell in love with this piece of artwork as soon as I saw it -- must have been at least a year ago -- and a few months back I asked Krista if she would please give me first right of refusal if she ever decided to sell it (she sells other pieces of art hanging on the walls, but this one was done for her by a friend, and the creature is called a woop-woop). Every time I see the woop-woop, I feel silly and happy and full of child-liked delight! Anyway, I share this lovely little fella with all of you this morning so that you can enjoy the "woop-woop", too! LOL