all the time in the world

What an incredible and priceless gift is the gift of time.  Time to simply watch waves chase one another onto the beach.  Watch the shells tumble and spin it its wake.  Time to observe the seagulls wheel and turn in the sea breeze.  The leisure time to watch a small sailboat traverse the bay from south to north. 

As a Senior, I now have the prized gift of time.  Enough time to observe the world around me - enough time to simply ‘waste time’. 

Getting old isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  It’s so much better! I’ve found that instead of something to dread, it is a pure gift to live long enough to be beyond the busy-ness of raising a family, tending to a husband, working a job, keeping house and hearth together.  Except for caring for my two little doggies, I have nothing I ‘must’ do every day.  I can neglect housework, let laundry pile up, prepare only simple meals, sweep floors only when I’m inspired to do so. 

A few days ago I visited a small bayside park on Charlotte Harbor in SW Florida.  It was a sunny, breezy day.  Only a few fishermen were on the fishing pier far out on the water.  There isn’t really a beach here, just a short piece of rocky shoreline so I sat in my car listening to Classical Christmas music and reading a book interspersed with long stretches of just looking at the scene before me.  Pachelbel’s Canon seemed perfect inspiration for the gulls as they swooped across and down then up again into the sky. 

Right next to the parking area was a tiny 1950’s era bungalow and small back yard that ended right at the shoreline.  I watched an equally tiny lady as she puttered about her yard.  She had a few perennials and a few small palms – nothing needing much care like roses or vegetables.  She had a few clothes on her clothesline.  Since I have ‘time to waste’, I made unfounded guesses about what her life story might be.  How long had she lived there?  Was she a transplant from a different climate like me?  I saw no evidence of pets – but perhaps she had a cat inside the house?  Probably she was a widow – but perhaps she had been a single all her life?  If I had a better imagination, all this could be the menu for a novel.  I could make her out to be anything I could fancy. 

Now – isn’t this a wonderful thing ???  To simply have the time to simply sit still and let my imagination take Flights of Fancy.  ~Pam

Little pleasures

Life is so full of little pleasures.  If I take the time to really notice them, it’s amazing what little pleasures can do to life the heart. 

Why in the world am I rattling on about a little pleasure?  It just struck me as I was pouring my first cup of coffee of the day.  I no longer have to wait until the entire pot is brewed.  This newest coffeemaker has the interrupt feature.  As soon as there is at least a cup full brewed I can just pour it out and return the pot to finish by itself.  No waiting – no watching the pot so it doesn’t boil over. 

Another little pleasure?  My little Doxie/Chihuahua wants to snuggle on a chilly morning.  She’s a joy to hold – like my own live babydoll.  Dad held her so I could get the photo. 

My list of little pleasures include watching the sunlight glint off the swaying Areca palm outside my door.  Beautiful winter sunsets that are like fire in the sky.  Foggy, misty mornings watching the Florida sun give birth to the day.

When I was a young momma, I just had to snatch a minute here and there for these little pleasures.  My days were full of caring for my kiddies, husband, job and home. 

So the last of my pleasures I’ll ramble about is really a big, big pleasure.  The gift of time!  The incredible gift of time to do the things I didn’t have time for when I was younger.  Time to tend to a few rose bushes - walking my doggies – a bike ride through the county park – reading an entire novel in one day– needlework – the time to wander through the entire newspaper and enjoy my second cup of coffee.  ~Pam

This morning was the first foggy morning of many that we’ll have this winter in SW Florida. 

I love this kind of morning.  Although the flow of traffic - trucks, cars and school buses are the same as any weekday morning, the fog seems to dampen the sound somehow.  It is mystically quiet.  Like being inside a dream that you can barely recall when awake. 

In one way, it is like the first soft snow of winter.   That too seems to dampen sound, making the world a grey/white blur of quiet, like a Monet painting.  Only the impression of the trees and houses penetrate the fog.  Sharp lines are blurred and softened, like the softened sounds all around. 

Don’t get the idea I want to experience winter and snow again.  No way!!  Memories are enough.  I tell folks that if I want to see snow, I’ll buy a picture calendar.   

P.S. the photo is not SW Florida, but was taken in Missouri last summer, but it's pretty isn't it?~Pam

Newspapers

Oh how I love local newspapers!  When I’m traveling, I always like to buy the local newspaper.  I will read everything, from local news articles, upcoming events, editorials and even skim the classifieds.  What is for sale?  Cattle?  Which breed?  What is the price of housing?  What sports do the local highschool participate in?  Are there issues to be resolved about street lighting, school board squabbles, fresh water or sewer problems?

What can give me the flavor of a community better than seeing what is considered important to the local people?  All this is addressed in the local newspaper more accurately than the glossy brochures from their local Chamber of Commerce. 

Now, you can imagine how thrilled I was when my seasonal visitor and special friend and neighbor here in SW Florida brought me The Chronicle Herald from Halifax, Nova Scotia!!  Even the insert ads are interesting.  Canada Tire has 30% off on your own sauna “safe, reliable and easy to assemble”.  I have never imagined having my own sauna.  Maybe Missouri’s and Florida’s hot, humid summers mean I’ll pass on that.  She couldn’t have brought me anything I’d have liked better. 

Are you a newspaper reader?  I understand that people younger than my 70+ years get most of their news from the internet.  I’ve no argument with that.  But for now, I’m glad I can pick up the daily newspaper from my doorstep, get my morning coffee and read what is going on in the world. 

Now – to a major gripe with my partner.  Our Sun Herald comes in several sections.  The stickler in me requires that I re-fold the section I’ve read back to its original order when I’m done.  Then I pick up section B to read about the latest squabble at the City Council meeting.  “Councilman X accused the Mayor of mis-handling city funds.  Voices are raised in the Council room--- to be continued on page 4.”  But there is no page 4!  Where is it?  Did he take it to the bathroom?  The porch?  Or is that it crumpled up on the chair?  By this time my blood pressure is up. 

Watch for tomorrow’s newspaper headline – “Man beaned with skillet in the Senior Citizen Mobile Home Park.  Charges are pending”. 

One size does NOT fit all!!!

 Sub-tropical winter here in SW Florida is just a bit unlike winters further north.  My daughter, in eastern Colorado, says they’re expecting snow next Wednesday.  I know in the Midwest, it could snow by Thanksgiving – or on a mild winter, never snow at all. 

What amuses me are the ads I see from the big chain stores here.  Knee high boots, leggings, heavy coats, wooly caps and thick gloves.  I wonder - do the buyers of Dillards and Macy’s in Port Charlotte, Florida actually stock these things?  Are we going to walk in wearing our shorts and sandals in 70 degree weather and purchase this polar wear?  Their marketing department is just going with one size fits all.  I am a plus size granny and I assure there is no such thing as one size fits all!!!! 

My sofa has a big, soft loose cushion to rest your back against.  Sophie has claimed it as her spot.  She can lay as you see her here, or turn around and bark at neighbors she can see out the window.  It won’t be long until she’s made a permanent dished out place.  Oh well – I love her more than the sofa. ~pam

Old Things are like Old Friends;

Returning home after months away is a bit of a reunion.  Of course, it’s saying hello to neighbors and friends as you might expect.  Beyond that is the reunion with familiar things – my favorite tea cup, pictures on the wall, my comfy chair, and my treasured Friendship Quilt

You may have some idea what a friendship quilt is.  Mine uses the pattern known as Jewel Box and is comprised of many jewel-toned pieces of fabric set off with pure white. 

This quilt began as an internet swap with other online quilters.  It was planned by one person, known as “Mother”.  She chose the pattern and decided on the size of each block.  The invitation then went out to all quilters in that group to make up one or more blocks and mail them to “Mother”.  After the designated time period, Mother sorted all blocks received and mailed a packet to each participant.  If you sent in 10 blocks, you got 10 different ones back and so forth. 

The variety of colors and patterns delighted me.  These quilters were unmet friends that I like to speculate about.  Looking at the fabrics used, I can see some quilters loved florals, some used geometric patterns, some just vibrant solids.  Some blocks are carefully color co-ordinated, some were just scrappy – a mish mash of what looked good together.  Most signed their names, some added their state or province, some their entire email address.   

There weren’t enough swap blocks for an entire quilt, so I made up more leaving the white portion of each block blank.  This took several years as I was still working then.  Once I retired, I put them all together into a quilt top.  I took it around to current friends and neighbors who were nice to sign the plain blocks.  

In my highschool days a popular object was the autograph hound.  It was a fabric covered stuffed dashhound about 12-15 inches long.  Does anyone remember them?  We had friends sign the dog with an ink pen and it became something to go with you to college to remind you of friends of earlier years. 

Now, as I lay under the quilt, I feel the love and friendship of each signature.  I can look at them, touch them and renew the memories I have with each signee.  ~pam

sights to see

 I’m a list maker, the list I’ve added to all summer was put out on the table and I begin to finalize it.  *enough dog food to last a week:  *add padding to the dishes in the RV: *change mail delivery: *sort items to take or store -----  on and on.  This part of travel isn’t what I enjoy – but once on the road?   Whee!!

If possible, I try to vary my route just enough to “see new sights”.  I headed SW through southern Illinois to cross the Ohio on the ferry at a funny named town, Cave in Rock.  The Ohio River takes a sharp turn west there attempting to carve away the tip of Illinois and donate the land to Kentucky.  Illinois resists with a rocky bluff of limestone.  This bluff is pock marked with caves giving the town its name.  Stories say that in the 1800’s, river pirates hid in these caves which gave a grand view of any unlucky river traveler.  It must have been a lucrative endeavor.  As mentioned before, little dog Sophie wasn't thrilled with the ferry ride, except from the safety of the passenger seat.

I always watch for the first palm tree.  One year I saw them planted in front of a hotel in Montgomery, AL.  Not natural, but Hey!!  That counts!!  Gradually, I began to see Spanish Moss in southern GA.  Once in FL, I watched for the first “Welcome Center” to get a small glass of fresh orange juice.  I saw many an RV with plates from Ohio, Michigan, New York and Indiana.  All escapees like me.  The influx will increase, I was just among the vanguard.  Now at home in my Senior Park, I’ve seen ‘reserved’ signs pop up like toadstools in the rain on empty RV spots just since the first of the month. 

It’s such fun to see what people are thinking and doing..  Can you imagine the odors drifting from this rig?  Imagine it sitting between the funnel cake wagon and the cotton candy machine.  URK!!

Now, I ask any of you poultry fanciers – have you ever heard of this breed of bird?  Must be some kind of new hybrid.    ~pam