Sunday Regaining Balance

Well, survived the concert and trip. Feeling pretty good about that... you can check last post if you are interested. I intend to attend their next show at Christmas time. They only come out for Christmas and St. Pat's to celebrate. All are local northwest citizens and all belong to other bands. Or check them out here: www.myspace.com/kmriaband and the other band we heard, Minus 5 at : www.myspace.com/theminus5 . I truly enjoyed both.

I slept in. I did not walk. These are remarkably unusual events for me. But I figured as much as I moved around the evening before, I more than made up for the walk and my body could use a rest.

The kids dad took me out for breakfast and I got the lecture about getting lost... when he gave me clear directions... how could I possibly miss that turn off... blah, blah blah. And I had a map!
Himself is pissed at my ineptitude! Go suck a toad. This is how I am... part of my charm. ha

Let me tell you about me and maps. I do not get them. Especially in P'land. This place is a mess. Streets travel in directions that defy all logic or even description. Big graceful arcs. One way street hells. It has about a thousand bridges and two big rivers that angle through it. So it's not like you can tell yourself, I'll go east and get there. You can start out in that direction, but you end up south west or far north. You'll be flying along a nice fat boulevard and by the time you can say "What did that sign say?" suddenly you are on a bridge to a part of the city you don't want to go anywhere near... and it will take you an extra half hour to get back.

Sometimes I think that P'land is a big science experiment and we are the rats in the maze. I'm the confused rat the scientist clicks his tongue over and wonders why that rat can't manage. Oh, I don't know. I live in a town four blocks wide! Yet, I do not get lost in San Francisco... and it's not small at all. I was never meant to be a Duck or a Beaver. A bad transplant.

Whatever. I get lost. When my kids' dad was off at "camp" and I was raising four of them alone, I used to say to them "We're having an adventure..." I didn't want them to stress out over mom not having a clue where we were. By the time their dad was back in their lives five years later, my kids would say to me... "Mom, we aren't having an adventure are we?" and I began having to confess when we were lost. It has become a big family joke. The Bear even won an essay contest writing about mom getting lost.

It is terrible and it is true. I can get lost anywhere. But my one saving grace is that while I can get lost on the way there... I am never, ever lost when it comes to getting home. I can be utterly without clue one as to where we are and there is a homing device in my head that leads me home quickly and safely. It took us an extra hour and a half to get to the concert last night than it should have and I got us home again in record speed... even happily tired.

Today I am having a quiet day. The sky is a flat grey without cloud definition. It is pouring off and on with some wind to rage here and there. I have decided that four crackers are a fitting lunch with 17 grapes... my limit... with a bit of smoked salmon. I will make a nice veggie soup for diner and maybe some garlic toast to dip in it. Sprinkle fresh Parmesan on top. Yum.

Light fare after a heavy night. Put the world back in balance. My afternoon is dedicated to restful reading... tweek my reality. The soup can simmer and I can stew in words. Taking Chance just was on TV. I had a good cry off and on over that one. I have liked Kevin Bacon forever, inexplicably. The old stick in the mud is crashed on the sofa and lectures are over. I can deal.

Oh good... the rain has turned to hail and it sounds like gravel is being poured over my house in a box. Yep, I know I'm home. Can't wait for March to stop being a lion and turn into the lamb. Hope your day is bright and shining at least in spirit if not in weather and your blessings far out number your complaints.