Is a lot like retirement

If you don’t catch the virus…

Staying home, not working

Watching TV like your life

Depends on the daily reports,

Updates on weather

Letting you know what you should wear

As you stay at home…

Two years of retirement

Out of ten have been spent

Quarantining at home…

The dream of traveling

In retirement has evaporated

As cruise ships have docked…

States keep breaking out

With virus and hospitals overwhelmed

Makes a retired groom and his

Retired bride think twice about

Venturing out and tempting fate…

Since birth we’ve made it through

Encephalitis, whooping cough, polio

Several bouts of measles, chicken pox

Strep throat, child birth, HBP , several

Concussions, falls,

Smoking, driving, no car seats or

Seatbelts, and many years of marriage…

Tempting an unseen virus floating

In the air and spreading with

Greater targeting and killing

Than a bomb… makes one believe

Home alone together is best…

Anything less could end this aging

Marriage with an inhale of infected air…

We value life, love and family too much

To put ours and yours in harms way…

Stay home, stay safe, wear a mask,

Get vaccinated, boosted and enjoy space

And life as this pandemic tries to end

Civilization as we’ve know it!

I don’t want to start…

One is probably not good for

My heart

The other probably won’t increase

My bank account…

Ordered a cheese burger

At my daily run to McD’s

For sweet ice tea

And bought shares of stock

Which I hope won’t start

A bad habit

That might shock

My retirement accounts

Into a downward spiral

That my hubby doubled

Since I retired…

2021 ends

Hoping for a better year

More loving and kind people…

Those that care for their

Fellow man …

But really doubt

If the turn of the clock

Could ever take care of that…

My heart aches

For better days

Less guns, less shootings

Less people feeling that

Robbing is the only way

To live their life in harmony

Finding a better way to support

Themselves and those they love…

Resolutions mean nothing

Without love and determination

To make one’s life better by

Helping those in need…

Politics is but a stage

For senators and congressmen

To act a part

Some are sincere

Others are not…

Watching their acts

Play out on TV

Give reviews by

CNN or Fox’s news

To those people who believe

One station or the other

With one deteriorating

Truth with lies

Dividing our country

Into angles of pie

Eroding our earth

With the goal of gaining wealth

For some…and death

For many…

The day would arrive

When decorating for Christmas

Would make me cry…out

“What are you doing..”

Putting it all up

Just to take it down in a few days…

Well here I am

On the cusp of 74

The twinkle in my eyes

At Christmas lights…

No longer make my spirits bright…

The hustle is done

The bustle is gone

Christmas decor

Even though wreaths hang in the windows

And on the door….

Are dwindling down to a precious few

To those that give the best bang

For my personal view…

I’d rather enjoy

Watching holidays movies on TV

Although the Hallmark Chanel

Is not one of these…

Bring on the cookies

And lots of snow…:

Mrs. Grinch

Would much rather

Snuggle her nose and wiggle her toes

Under a comforter

Up in her bed

Letting those sugar plums

Dance in her head….

He was the best!

Christmas Eve

Carrying his big red bag

Filled with gifts and popcorn balls

He distributed them

All around our small town…

He was a jolly old soul

With a big round belly

Looked more real then ones on

The tellie…

RIP my Santa!!

At this time of year

He’s part of my faith

And I think

Of him now

As our Savior is near!

Love you Dad…

They always said that blondes

Have more fun…

But really…do they?

Growing up a dirty or dishwater blonde

Not platinum or strawberry

I had loads of fun…

Now that I’ve attained

The gift of Age

My hair has gained the Achievement

Of SnowWhite…wasn’t she a brunette???

Anyway…

My beautician claims everyone is

Dying for my color…

Not literally… coloring their

Hair white.,,Why….

Youth has no rhyme or reason

They follow trends, styles and fads

So I guess we are in for a time period

Of Kardashion big butts

And white hair…

Who knew that I would finally

Be in style…

Why is it

When I’m scared

When I’m sick

When I’m worried

The only place I go

Is to my faith…

I thought my upbringing

Was behind me

But my mother’s faith

Instilled in me

Was as nourishing as her love…

It’s made me who I am

Never wondering too far

From the path she lead

And will continue to contain

Me…

Until I am dead

She never wavered in her belief

Living it in life as we grew up

Around her…

In turmoil or fear

She gathered us near

And prayed to God for all to clear…

She asked for a miracle

Once in her life

Was intent and consistent

And knew her faith would

Prevail…

I witnessed that happening

And now wonder if it was

Her sacrifice with unwavering faith

As God made it take place!

This year may be

As odd as last…

The Pandemic rises

And falls

Affecting the population

Children and all…

Will it ever be over…

Or will this be the life we

Live, since people don’t

Believe, or care about each other

As our Savior has taught us…

To Love One Another…

Needs no answer

Just a voicing

Of things being done

Or thoughts

That run

Constantly through the mind…

It will continue

To be sure as we age

Reminding me of another

Page…

In my life, as my mother

Sang out her to do list

To the tempo of Gregorian chant

Heard each morning

Through opened windows

As a Benedictine Convent

Was close by…

Tony Butella (Of the Letterman)

Lived across the street…

Seldom has there been silence

As the voice of my love ones

Can be heard near by…

The tones are constant

Th volume can change

If thoughts aren’t routine

Turning into annoying

Irritations…upping the strain…

Silence is heard when

We are apart

But the distance

Is heard with

Each beat of my heart…

Seems to have a new meaning

In this culture of rage

….everyone having an opinion

Seeing no other side…

Guns out number people

Everyone thinks they’re right

Nights turn into nightmares

As the News numbers the deaths

With everyone preaching their

Owns views of God’s

Teaching…

Makes me realize

LOVE now means

Living over hatred evermore…

Is a life long battle

Living life as a jigsaw puzzle

Making pieces fit

It takes perseverance

With a whole lot of wit…

Waking each morning

Facing the day

Ending an argument

When you run out of words

Running errands

Without a car

Using your legs

But they can’t take you far

As you run out of steam

With one flight of stairs

Accepting what’s up there

You no longer care

Or want or need…

Accepting the reality

That age takes a toll

Dwindling your options

Down to your soul…

I feel it in my bones

As the furnace fires

Up it’s warming tones…

It blows hot dry air

Makes heaving noises

Warming our skin

And drying out our noses…

Jay Lo and Betty White

Is a rough character to play…

You no longer get the cat calls…

Too young to be consider a

Distinguished elder…

The wrinkles creep in… never to leave

Hair turns a color that no one

Wants…unless it’s Snow White

But Mousey grey just isn’t in anyone’s

Crayola box…

So you go to the bottle for help

And come up somewhere on one

Side of a Zebra…smudged, baylaged

Two toned or blonde with brown roots…

Then you decide the time and money

Is no longer worth the effort and time…

Let it go grey or white…

Hoping your hairdresser and stylist

Can keep you relevant in the eyes

Of your family…

I remember the day my aunt

Turned up at Sunday dinner with a

Blue/Purple rinse… we then noticed

All the women her age must have the

Same beautician as you would start

Seeing a sea of purple heads in the

Congregations of most churches…

Hats were gone… the purple rinse

Was in…

Today I use a purple rinse to keep the

Yellow from 2nd hand smoke, out of

my white hair …

During this pandemic it’s been easy

To grow white, long hair…

No where to go and no one to see…

Because of catching COVID…

So many in our age group have

Found ‘You Tubers’ …

Teaching how to conceal our

Wrinkles with pore fillers, highlighters,

Bronzers and get smooth figures

Somewhere between…

With elastic under-garments

That contort your fat to fill hollow spots

Which on me exits in my ears and between

My toes…

Love the ads during ball games

Where we try to explain to our

grandchildren what ED is…and the

Purple pill to cure it obtained on the

Internet…. or whether I wear depends

For Incontinence that all women need…

In this day and age I’m happy to be married

To my high school sweetheart…

Whose eyes are aging as my boobs sag,

And my body resembling the stuffed Turkey

Before it’s roasted…

Constantly telling me I look as good

As the day he met me…

And remembering our parish priest saying

Lasting marriages are built on

Little white lies..

As I no longer want to be living in

The next season of “Sex and the City”…

Somewhere between

Jay Lo and Betty White….

Reveals the aging process…

It’s been visible for the past few years

Probably a decade or more…

You begin to notice the change in

Family homes as flower beds are destroyed

By new dwellers who don’t have the

Green thumb or love of flowers as

The previous owner…

Changes in house colors that remained

The same while we lived near by…

Subtle changes are ongoing like new

Windows, garage doors, new roofs,

Patio additions or wider driveways

As children become drivers with additional

Cars… but…

The quick changes of new landscapes,

Or total lack of upkeep

Of the oldest and most beautiful home is

definite Sign that a loved one has died or

moved to A smaller home…

Some changes make the view better,

Other changes…one has to get used to…

Christmas time shows the change in lights &

Trimmings more obvious…

A classic home, decorated the same

For 40 years, making a Christmas debut

With blow-up Santa’s and snowmen

Is an absolute sign of ownership change…

As an old timer in the neighborhood the

Change is sad as it means our times

Are marching on…

I was happy to show a couple, who stopped

And asked… how I hang my wreaths

without nails or ribbons…

And I also explained why I don’t use any

Little White or colored lights as I’ve found

Half the lights burned out by Christmas

Eve…

Spot lights have remained in place for years

As part of my landscape, with a few

Burning out yearly…making my

Christmas decorating…hanging 5 wreaths

Which I have taken down and stored in

Plastic bags for years, effortless…and timers

Lighting the Spot lights..brainless…

So as years pass, it nice to know someone

In the neighborhood will be decorating like

Me…

The older neighbors will remark…

Look, they copied the retired groom’s bride’s

Decorations…

And I’ll answer, copying is the best form of

Flattery……

Needs no second….

I’m thankful for parents

Who taught me this fact at an early age…

Reinforced it daily til they left me

Early in life…

Mom didn’t want me to follow

As she raised chiefs not

Indians…

Stand tall like an Oak…for truth

And right.,,even though winds will blow

To shake your faith…

You need no other opinion

When following the straight and narrow

Though many will call you wrong

Never falter in your resolve…

As JFK once said, ‘success has many authors

Failure has but one…’

In this world of alternative

Facts…truth and right…is still the higher

Road, though others following a lower

Muddier path

May find a temporary

successful outcome… will ultimately

Fail…

Thanksgiving is more than Turkey

And stuffing…

In this period of a pandemic

We were thankful to share a wonderful

Dinner and Thanksgiving with our

Daughter and her family…

New in the family was a puppy

Sweet, cute and full of lots of energy

For this set of retired parents and

Grandparents.,,

Thanksgiving begins with the pandemic

Not making any of our family ill

But we do have a first responder

Physician in the family who treats

COVID patients daily…

We are also thankful for a

More Christian President running

Our country…

Today we are cleaning up Fall

And preparing for winter and

Christmas

After celebrating a 50++++

Anniversary on the 30th…

Praying as this year ends it brings

Hope for a Holy Christmas

And the Birth of our Savior

To bring healing for a better New Year!!!

Today’s verdict was not surprising to me…

Once the surviving victim testified

I was sure he wouldn’t be found guilty!

Bringing a gun to a fight

Will never end peacefully

When both side feel righteousness

In their heart, soul and mind…

Seems a strange thing to do

Although the raking of leaves

Prepares the canvas for

White snowflakes on the ground…

Stacking the logs for a fire to glow

On cold nights that chill to the soul…

Taking down the umbrella that has kept

Our patio cool…now letting the sun shine

Through the windows to warm up the view,

And Now…

Realizing that the windows need cleaned

And gutters must be emptied of this seasons

Falling leaves that will clog and cause

Ice dams to invade the roof…

Screens from doors are replaced

With glass… to help our new furnace

Keep the cold out as the house warms

When the air conditioner is flipped to heat

On our thermostat…

Replacing the filters so the warm air can

Flow as our installer has preached…

Cleaning up the garage so cars

Can stay within…one less chore to

Do when the snow flakes fall…

Winter cleaning is really the chore

Of preparing for a cold weather

Keeping the cold out and us,

All warm inside…

Summer clothes are moved to the back

Of the closets as mittens, hats and furs

Are brought forward along with boots,

Shovels and hot chocolate with

Marshmallows for cold

Trips in the snow…

Aging makes one realize that

Winter is more hazardous

When one has traveled

“Over the Hill”

Fill the sky today

Their bottoms are dark

With tops of grey…

The bouncy puffs

Of white cotton on a blue background

Giving way to gloom…

My thoughts are lifted

With the color of red on

Burning bushes in many yards

With neighbors raking

Piles of leaves into the parkways

Hoping there will be one more pickup

Before a heavy snow…

The colors on the ground

In the mounds of leaves

Fill our lives with glee

With hope that grey skies

Are only threatening snow

With their water loaded gloom

And heaviness Hovering…

My house is warm

My heart is full

Knowing my family are all

Getting ready for the holidays

Ahead…

That the clouds in the skies

Are preparing us for…

Thanksgiving for all we have…

Christmas… a new birth of our Savior

And the onward hope of

A Blessed New Year…

Begin today

As he enters to see his mom

Once infected with COVID

Now 2 weeks out…

I still am fearful of his entry there

Where others infected her

Due to relaxing of protocols

That have kept her safe all these months..

Now…needing to see her

Letting her know he cares and is there

Throwing his own health to the winds

That are infected within those walls…

In her motherly mind she would tell

Him to stay away…

As she had to do when he was infected

So many years ago

With a different virus

That almost took his life…

But her mind is no longer complete

As age has wormed it’s way into

The crevices of her brain to take away

The memories and cautions of a mother…

This will not end until this virus is

Irradicated from our world or his

Mother goes on to another

Where we will all meet again…

Never knew what this meant…

Until today!!!

Read a January message that just appeared

On my message board…

My cousin informed me… through

A DNA research result that my uncle

Isn’t her biological father…

?????????????

This leaves me with many questions…

Did my Uncle know? Did my mother?

Whose name is on her birth certificate?

Secrets… that families from 70 years ago

Never thought would be …

Revealed….are being brought out of

The closets, attics or graves…

So this is what it feels like to be a

Relative once removed!!!

At 73…and not having laid eyes on her

Since we were 13 or 14, I realize

I didn’t really know her …

And doubt if it effects any of us???

But on our family tree she is still a branch…

Are running through my mind..,

Worries, ideas, food, God…

Things to do, to say,

To fix, to clean,

To ponder…

All making for a muddy mind

Without a clue

Of what to do..,

Not being a list maker

I start without a plan

And muddle through

With what’s at hand.,,

Pick up what’s in sight

Pitch some of the clutter

Clearing my sight line

From chaos to order

Even though the clutter will

Reappear within the hour…

Going on to the left or right

Beginning with in my sight

And look around for the next

Idea or need for me to do

My day proceeds…

With little prayers

Of requests for Him

To show me the way

The shortcuts or detours

Throughout my day…

Relying on him for all

These years..,

Has provided me with the path

The way, and the love

Of each day….

I find that at my age

Many things don’t interest me…

Other’s drama, opinions on things

That don’t affect me, others views or

Opinions of me…

I stay away from what is unimportant

Or things I can’t change or that

Which I have learned from years of trying

Don’t matter to others….

My life has shortened to the point

Where dust continues to fall

And now doesn’t bother me at all…

If it bothers others, let them dust.

Food and meals no longer rule my days

As I find, like all Gods creature what is

Needed to stay alive is always nearby

and now only eat

When hungry, not on a schedule

Or in great quantities…

The later in life that one realizes

That joy and love outranks all

The sooner happiness begins…

Alone time is needed for contemplation

And loneliness can exist in a crowd…

Acceptance of self is more important

Than popularity as God intended

One to excel with the gifts He implanted

In your soul and not in the thoughts,

Ideas or expectations of others…

One entered solo unless a twin

And will leave alone, at the hour

Of God’s hand…

Therefore at this age..,

I realize that God and I have

A closer outlook on what needs

To be accomplished to sculpt me

Into what He wants, intends and

Needs this child of God to do and Be….

Yesterday I received it

Both of us in fact…

Hubby doing well

Me not so much…

Running a 100. 2 temp

Aching all over

Headache with chills…

Taking my second dose of advil

And many tell me

Tomorrow will be better!

Is very instructive

Wake me early

To start day at the beach

First to the bait store

To pick up live shrimp…

Shrimp sold out

Ladies sells you crabs

To fish under the bridge

On the river…

So here I sit…

In the car on an empty street

Not at the beach that you woke me for…

You change your plans

On a whim with no thought of me

And why I came with you…

Beach, surf fishing

Not fishing under the new

Orange Ave bridge…

But a good sales person…

Talked you into crabs

And river fishing

Since they were out of shrimp!!

Is constantly on his mind…

Today he walked in with his boots on

Telling me the more dirt he can

Bring in the quicker I’ll want new carpet…

Wow… my man doesn’t know me as well

As he thinks….

The next time he leaves to visit his mom

My favorite carpet cleaner

Will come in an make my carpet

Look like new….

The last time I got new carpet

For my family room

My friend came in took up

The carpet and re-carpeted her sons

Family room with it…

The carpet was 10 years old

We had a dog and yet she said

My carpet was better then any

They could afford to buy…

The guy who cleans my carpets

Have always told me what carpet to buy

Or not buy….

Told me to put no padding under

The carpet in the basement

And today…

My home has over 20 year old carpet

In most of my house…

There are no walk ways in or out

Of our rooms…

The pile is still standing at salute

And I still love it…

Although after a year of quarantine…

With a hubby who wants more hardwood

And new carpet, I’m noticing it needs

To be cleaned….

And the steps do need replaced…

I will consult with my carpet cleaner

Before purchase….

He has never steered me wrong!

My heart aches…

Watching the impeachment trial today

Seeing the misguided minds

Running through the most wonderful

Government in the world…

Knowing many don’t want to watch

The complete attack in a timeline

Rather than snip- it’s… don’t

Understand what has gone on…

In the woods…

Out of sight…

Many of these people train

To overthrow the freedom

That we enjoy…

For no other reason

Than hate in their hearts…

Sadness always weighs me down

It happens out of the blue

With words said by someone who

Doesn’t have a clue…

But again, realize, has never shared

Much with this creature

Who’s been without the loving

Heart of a mother

For over 50 years…

Instead I’ve had to build a wall

To fend off insults thrown

Only caring for one’s own…

Never seeing a reason to expand the view

To include others who could

Have used some love shown..,

Is a form of therapy

More often a place to hide

When life begins

To irritate your soul

Deep Inside…

When there is no other place

To find a quiet space

Then sleep becomes

The place to find tranquility

And peace…

Though night mares

filter in…

But no worse

Than being awake!!!

For those of you who are not yet wide eyed and bushy tailed on such a big day here is a little reminder that today is Gramma, Jane’s, Mom’s and sister Jane’s Birthday. She carries a lot of names ,however, maybe the biggest is friend. I don’t know a person on this earth who always puts herself last and others first the way Jane does. She is always there for all and always seems to have the right answers for all who have sought her advice and counsel over the years.Jane is Oh so many things wrapped up in on one big Irish Bow.
Happy Birthday to my best friend and love of my life. I hope Tinker Bell wakes her soon. She is probably dreaming about my honey due list today!

Love your Retired Groom….

Today as I pray

I think about a man

Who never knew he’d die

That day in the beautiful

Building of our government…

He agreed to guard and defend

With all his might, that ended

His life …

His president demanded

The fight….

That ended his life

A deliberate act that ended

His life…

I want this man to be celebrated…

And our president….

To be held as a traitor to

Our government, our country

To this man who gave his life

To honor and defend his right

To be our president…

Of which we now know

He has no honor or right!

Listening to my husband yesterday

On a FaceTime call with his mother

Brought tears to my eyes…

She’s in a nursing home room alone

Because of this Covid…

The call lasted 5 1/2 hours…

He went down memory lane

Getting her engaged with the

People she knew so well but are now gone

She was able to tell him in great detail

About her relatives and what they did

Without looking for one word…

He stayed with her through dinnertime

As she kept asking if he was still there

The patience and love between the two

And the time he spent explaining,

Showing our Christmas lights

And those on our neighbors homes

Started new questions about who

Lives there and so on..,

They recited prayers

And she kept telling him

How much she loved him over

And over…

They went through all

The grandkids names and ages

And what they were up to…

He explained to her where she was

In such a way, that it was as a driving

Tour from her home road by road

Until she said yes..,I know the place

When the aide came in

He asked if she had eaten and

She said she was going to help her

As she doesn’t eat much…

He continued telling her how good

The food looked, telling her how much

He loved the jello she used to make…

Even though they are 500 miles apart

She seemed to think

He was sitting at dinner with her…

As the window in her room grew darker

She was worried about him driving home

And he tried to explain FaceTime to her

That she could be in her chair in her room

And he could be on his couch at home and

Spend the day and dinner with her..,

She finally said he better be getting home

As it was getting late and she would be

Going to bed…

They said their goodbyes

Saying…

They loved each other so much…

She then said their night Gaurdian angel

Prayer for a peaceful night sleep

She asked if he was coming tomorrow

Since he stayed so long today…

Then she said it was his brother’s

Turn to visit tomorrow…

The two were at peace as he

Said goodbye again and

Reluctantly hung up!!!

I know my kids will be as loving, when my

Time comes…

My retired groom is their dad…

Is different than being lonely

It’s doing your own thing without

Critique or comments

Watching TV programs

Without regard to another’s likes/dislikes

Going to bed and rising on your own

Timeline…

Reading books for hours without

Interruption…

Not having to run to anyone’s needs

Answering your own questions

Or just asking and searching alone…

Burping, farting without shame

Not having to wait for anyone

When you are wanting to leave

Not cooking, shopping for food

And eating only ice cream

If you like…

Yet the thought of alone time

Makes me lonely…

Is this type of communication

Creating less thoughtful comments

More pointed or caustic opinions…

As I read through Facebook and twitter

This is what I am seeing…

Without immediate and face to face

Dialogue…the personal remarks

Seem harsher than saying it to someone’s

Face…

Immediate reaction, such as glaring

Or a combative response seems to

Enable a bolder remark

When the conveyer and receiver

Are not nose to nose

And eye to eye…

Seeing the difference of parents

In two brothers is amazing

One being negative

One being positive

And ongoing fighting

To get to the answer

The other questioning

Every possible effect

Without seeing the positive

Only dwelling on the impossible

Both serving them well

Throughout their careers

One charging forward

To get that sale

The other searching

All possibilities that could

Happen in getting people

Out of harms way and

Back on their feet…

There is a need for both

In every situation

With one always prevailing

In the event of the day…

• 

Back to my roots

Thinking of my mom

With the new purchase

Of a teapot

It was her drink of choice

With 4 or 5 sugar cubes

Which she also used

As treats for this girl

Telling me…

You need a little sweetness

To start the day…

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Went to Culver’s tonight

Bit into my big juicy

Shredded lettuce covered

Grilled chicken sandwich

Yuk…pickles

Did I go to McD’s

Instead…was my first thought

Pickles gave that taste

That make me not get hamburgers

At McDonalds

I can never get the taste off the burger

By just picking them off

The pickle juice has already seeped in

Like beet juice discolors hardwood

Floors when it gets spilled..

I had to cut off a thin slice

Of chicken to get rid of that

Pickley taste…

I hate pickles

Why does everyone think

Pickles make food taste better

The make you pucker

Eyes water

And cause that taste to

Permeate

Everything they touch

The same way coffee

Fills the air

Making one thinks

A skunk 🦨 is near…

All night….

Sleeping at night

Is not fun for me

It seems like every dream

And nightmare

Enters my brain screen

And creates an all night theater

Including me as an actor

In the billboard

Of these productions…

They relive all my scarey

Pasts

Relatives passing

And future fears that

Have me dreading night…

I toss and turn

Walk the floor

Cry out… sleeping little

Waking as the sun rises

Sweating, tears in my eyes

And thankful God has

Given me another day

Giving me freedom of fear

As my dreams disappear

With daylight

Therefore; why I can

Sleep so soundly during

The brightest days…

As the producers of my dreams

Again spend their days

Thinking up new nightmare

Productions to keep me awake

Cleaning up

Cleaning out

Yet neither of us

Seem to be able to

Get rid of…

So hoping we don’t

Leave all this junk

For our kids

To unload…

I’m sure what we think

Is special…

Is just junk

To them

Cold weather has started

As goblins approach

Golfing will end

I’m sorry to see

As my hubby will

Again be hanging with me…

Out my front window

I can see

My Ash tree has survived another year

In midst of this pandemic my

Two front trees are fighting

An Ash Tree blight that

Have taken out many of the trees

In my neighborhood

It gives great shade in the summer

And the colors are amazing

That they share in the fall

Our trees are numbered

With a metal disc hammered

Into it’s trunk

And it’s a matter of time

Before the disease

Takes it out…

I’m hoping, like me

It will survive the Ash disease

And me and mine this pandemic

Wishing I could understand

The reasoning of this man…

Who has let so many die

Without tears…even a sigh

He continues to spread his lies

Not caring that more will die

Letting him continue for 4 years more

Will not close the door

On how he has destroyed

The faith, love and freedom

Of all who are Americans

The biggest spider

Crawled across my ceiling today

I grabbed a towel and softly

Brushed him down

Hoping to take him outside

To enjoy a few more days of sunshine

And summer like weather…

Sadly the spider fell

And scurried away

Hoping to stay inside

For another day

I’m sure he will

Soon reappear

Hoping to stay inside

Til the end of the year

The problem with that thinking

Is that other humans

Living within

Don’t have the same feeling

I do

About crawling things…

They may scream

Or yell

And swat or try

To kill

Just hoping you appear

On one of my days…

Where you are…

when you don’t follow truth..

This virus is real

This virus is here

It sickens

It kills

It lingers in your body…

He now has it…

But do we really know

Since most of his life…

Has been a con-show

I hope he is well

But does he really care…

About even one…

Who died of it…

Hopefully if he is really sick

He’ll have the soul and time

To think of everyone who suffered

And died on his watch….

It was a large responsibility

That he wasn’t interested

In containing

And now he’s feeling…

THE KARMA

• 

• 

• 

Colors of fall catch my eye

As I jump in my car

For my daily ride…

They russle….exploding….

With individual colors

As they wave goodbye

To the sky…

Knowing their days are short

As they shed their leaves

To the ground below

Making way for winters skies…

All that is left is my cute little rose

Shivering in the autumn breeze

Holding on to her petals

Til it’s time to fold…

And prepare herself

For the upcoming cold…

• 

In my head, as I am washing the bedding..

The older I get, making a king size bed

Is becoming overwhelming…

As I pulled the cover for my comforter

Out of the drier I remember why I started

Using it….

We were at a Marriott resort down in

West Palm beach and I was loving the

Bedding that we couldn’t wait to crawl into

Every night…

Staying in the Condo on a cool and

Rainy day I watched the girls making

The bed… I asked them if they replace

The comforter after every guest leaves…

She showed me how it is enclosed in cover

A duvet is the actual name,

Thus protecting the fluffy bed comforter…

So I came home and bought one…

But I have found that washing that cover

And putting the comforter back in is for

The wealthy or hotels who pay people

To do it…

I now just buy a new alternative comforter

Every year and wash it regularly …

When it starts to get yellow

I place it under my mattress pad…

Which is very puffy…

After few years if doing this

My bed is high and very comfy

Without the expense of a downfilled

Bed topper that I got hooked on

After staying at the Broadmoor in Colorado,

Www.shopbroadmoor.com

Which I have found was adding to the

sneezing and coughing

Problem I was having at night….

Experience is always the best teacher…

As I am learning to forge these aging

Years, by changing things up to get

A better and much easier result…

Yep! That duvet is heading to the give away

Pile as I am slowly decluttering…

Very very slowly…

Days are short and nights are long

Mostly when my love is gone…

He’s with his mom and needs to be…

His birth to her keeps him from me…

Sharing him is not a choice…she held him

First and is the first love he felt…

It’s sad to see her fierce love on display

As she digs in her heels as they wheel

Her away…

The tears they roll down her cheeks

And down his face as he can’t ease her

Pain during this virus in this place…

He stands and watches how they keep her

safe…

Yet she feels they are tearing her away

From them as they leave…

The visits are short scheduled times

Because of this pandemic…and it’s hard

To make her understand the need for

This protection…as her mind and body are

Aging and diminishing with that aging

Process that is part of all of our lives…

I don’t feel his pain as he discribes the

Scene… reliving the scene of my mother

Who was taken from me almost 50 years

Ago…and that scene is revisited in my heart

And mind every time he explains his pain…

I see my mother closed in that box

And lowered in the ground…

Wishing it was me…visiting my mother in

Meadville instead of St. Mary’s when he

Asks me to go home which is no more

For me…

Then…I cry

This drama and these lies

Have got to stop real soon

It takes away the light

And will soon cover up the moon

We need a leader who cares

About God’s creation and the nation

Of freedom from these days of fire,

Virus, hate and words of separation

One nation, under God is being divided

And cannot stand… when leaders inside

Refuse to protect this land… and it’s

Diverse and many people…

All people of color lives matter

And those who think they are pure

Need to realize that white is also a color

That silence may be golden

But most times… it’s just yellow!

Book clubs only exists when 2 or more are reading the same book. Discussing the contents, ideas, themes, forms, and meanings, written on the pages.

There comes a time in life when one realizes their reading genre has changed and others in your club have also changed. You no longer reside in the same book rows, and wonder if you are even in the same library.

It’s during this realization that you no longer have much in common and conversations revolve around the weather and meaningless gibberish. Phone calls begin to feel like spam, ones you no longer answer and begin to block.

Lessons taught by your parents, explaining how people you hang with lift you up or take you down, come to mind. Seeing and hearing such strange thoughts make you change paths in search of a higher more meaningful message or calling.

The awakening is sad, but opening of ones eyes only make the vision clearer. It’s like getting glasses after squinting for so long, trying to see. The clear vision brings one out of the fog, into the light!

The Smokies were a great retreat during this pandemic. Few people were in the mountains where we secluded ourselves. Fly fishing all day and enjoying the Mountain View’s and refreshing air, while listening to the streams rushing over the protruding boulders.

The scenery was amazing as I watched my retired groom share his fly fishing knowledge and techniques with his daughter and grandson. Memories that will live with them forever.

The food my daughter brought with her, filled the cabin pantry for the culinary dinners, desserts, picnics and sandwiches she prepared. We all devoured in amazement and satisfied each appetite.

The pandemic is a scarey situation. Yet, we were able to stay safe, create memories, keeping our grandsons uplifted while enjoying and in awe of God’s great gifts!

He’s lost something again

Day and night we’re looking

All around the house…

In the car, in his golf bag

Call the store, the golf course

Thinking where he’s been…

Checking with the Credit cards

Making sure there’s no

Strange charges…

This scavenger hunt

Is beginning earlier everyday

But really don’t care

As FaceTime and YouTube

Keep us in touch and entertained

I see my kids and grandkids

Almost daily on my screen

And watch Rock Star Mom

To see my favorite Beach

In a Panama City, Fla.

As she keeps us updated

With tips on looking good

But her upbeat attitude

Keeps my heart happy

And my mind looking

At sunsets and waves….

The safest place was in the womb

Had to enter earth

To get to the tomb…

Did you follow the Lord

On your way through…

Or did the sins of earth

Get in the way…

The gifts he gave us

To follow His path

Or did you stray… getting side tracked

By the serpents way…

Following money and fun

For many a day…

Know it’s not over as long as you see

The way back to heaven

Following His way…

It may not be easy but know that’s its right

Or you may never again… see the light…

For when it is over

Forever won’t end…

Not Satan’s burning blight….

Try again and Follow His light

He can’t find

As he demands the extra set

So now there are two cars

With a missing set of keys

For each

I haven’t driven in weeks

But he has

Miss placing keys

Is one of his recurrent traits

Among many…

Are just too big

For the buttons

On his phone…

It causes wrong passwords

Wrong dates of birth

And therefore blocked access

To sites that he uses everyday…

He has excuses for everything

Now we have to add a new one…

HIS THUMBS!!!!!!!

When you speak

I wonder who you are…

In a manor unloving

With words so untrue…

Know I’ll never relent

When spoken to so harsh

That sound as if your my master

Or father …it’s not your role or part…

I never entered this partnership

As a child or a whimp

I only loved you

Wanted to be with you

But my freedom and rights were

Never part of the contract

You entered with me…

I guess that’s why I love dogs

They get their point across

With no words…

They use their eyes, nose and tail

On occasion they whine and bark

And make us realize…words

Are so… over used…

My day began in strife

As his wife

I try to understand

And realize he’s only a man…

Doesn’t think things through

And takes a stand

As things he owns break down…

While I realize most problems

Are created in his hands…

Trying to get back on good terms

After his problems are fixed

He turns to cooking a meal…

Not understanding that

My heart is not reached

Through my Tummy…

Unless of course it’s chocolate…

Or Sweets…

Living up to numerous expectations

Is taking a toll

Listen on the phone and being far away

Is hurting his heart and messing

With his mind

Helping to ease his pain

Always turns on me

Making it hard

To care

As I relive the years without mine

And the cruelty of his….

Of facing my future

Will I get through this pandemic

And if not I realize…

It’s God’s will

I’m not afraid of the journey ahead

It’s what I have lived my life for

Eternal life…biding this aging body adue

Not fearing, or worrying but reaching

The end or the beginning of true life

As I’ve always been taught…

Such and easy thing to make

Producing aromas when baked

The taste calms one down

makes things feel homey and safe…

In a sandwich

Toasted, dunked in soup or…

Spread with peanut butter and jam

Baking bread make one feel so useful

And back to ones roots…

No one is coming

We are battened down

Waiting for the unseen virus

To hopefully pass us by

So the house is a bit messy

The dust is laying down

Waiting for the polish

To be sprayed and wiped away

But for now we are relaxing

Doing what we want

Including few chores

As we serve our time indoors…

The fear he puts out there

Is more than we should endure

The election can’t come too soon

To vote out this buffoon…

His orange face and yellow hair

Needs to get out of our Whitehouse

Right out the door…

So we can vote in a man

Of integrity and honesty

Putting Us on a better footing that

We can all share…

The Orangeman is a clown

An anomaly no one wants

To be around…

Where will this end

Can we all begin again

Loving each other

Not giving in

To the me, myself and I

Before this virus began

Can we love our neighbor as ourself

To wipe out this curse

And stay in place

Til this virus runs its course

Or dies out

Will it ever go away…

Back in my day

Church was the way

But community praying

Has been stopped in this day

Which makes me know that this is evil…

Not God’s way

False gods are at play

And will not save the day

We all need to pray now

In our own single way

Sending prayers up

Today and constantly

Like individual snowflakes ascending

With love and praise

And pleas of grace to save us

All…today…

At 72

But lately, every night

It’s basketball…boo hoo

Surely there’s a team

That he doesn’t give a hoot

But I haven’t notice one

That has made him scoot

Up to bed when I climb the stairs

We’re 72

Turn off the TV

Get up to bed

my love…

Before we are dead…….

Spring. Spring

Please come fast …

The cooking is one thing

But watching him on his knees

Polishing the legs of our dining room chairs

And commenting on every scratch

Doesn’t send me over the moon…

He’s got cabin fever

It’s driving me nuts…

Now he’s got a paring knife

To get in the crevices to get out more dust

Between the baseboard and the wall…

Spring spring please come fast

I need this guy out of my house

On the golf course

With his focus on the ball…

On my wall…

What does 72 look like

On this doll…

Barbie no longer appears

As she used to…

But of course only in my sight…

I look at my boyfriend and still

See that hunk…

I fell for long ago…

When I knew my heart sunk

Deep in the ocean of love…

Does he still see me

Through those loving eyes…

Gazes that still make me swoon

And sigh…

We are together now

24/7…

Not tiring of each other

On our road to heaven…

Everything in your life…

Your age keeps aging

Your income decreases

Your gait slows

Your memory skips and

Names don’t flow from your lips

As familiar faces appear…

The skin crepes and falls

As muscles disappear…

The mirror reflects a parent

Looking back as you become your mother

In words, voice and appearance…

Not a bad look but a joyful memory

Gone from your life many years past

To a new place your realizing you may

Be visiting real fast..,

Overwhelms me when I hear them talk

One filters what she says

The other doesn’t

Almost enjoying the putdown

Raising the other up

It will turn

It always does

As long as there is

One to play against the other…

It’s rough when there’s an edge

The mood is not the same

Very noticeable… and in my life it came

Brought on by others control

And insensitive heckles

To someone who would give…

His Life…

To both…

One has to wonder

What being alone is like

I enjoy the time to ponder

My life…

My thoughts…

My beliefs…

And my life as his wife…

After all these years

He Is still “The One”

That makes my heart jump

When I hear his voice

And see his face…

He makes me laugh

And I still get jealous

As he still turns women’s heads…

Again…

Were scouring the house

And coats that he’s worn

Looking for the card that he uses

To get $$$$ from the bank…

He’s up there today

To get a temporary card

Which the tellers are used to doing

Until a new one arrives in the mail…

Just another day in the life of this

Retired bride and her groom …

Taking a breather…

Slowing down

And letting him take care of his

Man made errands…

Can play all the golf he wants for $100

Per year…

My birthday gift for my husband dear…

He’s getting outfits together

And bought more shorts

And has golf shoes to match….

The biggest problem now

Is the course doesn’t open til March…

So it all the golf he can play for 10 months

Not a year…

After 5 games in 10 months

The gift is paying for itself…

He wakes at five

I know not why…

The working hour is hard to undo

Even though retirement was 10 years ago…

I hear him rise

Then turn over for another five

Hours of sleep… for me is wise….

During those hours he reads…

I meditate and snooze and drift into

Wonderful dreams of past times

And waken refreshed…

Our rhythms are different

But we’ve managed to sing the same tune

And dance to life’s ups and downs

Without loosing the beat…

Our life has slowed

But our rhythm is steady…

Yet we each follow our own drummer…