Saturday, January 29, 2011

Stealing

I steal a small amount of peace and quiet
Among the sounds of children playing and adults talking
Where I can regroup my thoughts

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Cold Floor

The cold floor
Has been a deterrent
To my getting out of bed
This morning.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Critters

The first time I saw a mouse in my house it was as if my whole home had been invaded; hundreds rather than a mama and a couple babies sticking out from the wood box (where, when I looked within, there was an actual hole to the outside.)  It was only later I realized that most people, whether city, country or somewhere in-between have to deal with little critters at some point in time.  (I had taken it as a personal invasion and was somewhat offended by the family of rodents.)
A second and more troublesome mouse appeared in the house more recently, coming out from the side of the dishwasher (right after I had seen a chipmunk scoot in the small crack).  It was not a happy morning.  The original builder of the house (not the new cabin) apparently just cut a circle of wood out of the floor wherever a pipe was to go through (fixed now).  
Although I have been known to let out a squeal upon seeing that quick movement on the floor, keeping one’s wits about oneself to see where critters go (after the chipmunk ran across the dining room), can keep the imagination from thinking they are coming out of every nook and cranny.  
I began to scout near the appliances regularly and changed to a policy of always wearing shoes in the kitchen.  Soon I saw the mouse come out again.  I set a trap using peanut butter and the first night (while lying awake upstairs in bed listening for loud snaps and dreaming of creepy crawly things in my bed) it was set off, but was a false alarm.  The next night, the same thing, with the peanut butter having disappeared and the same the next night.  This was the biggest, boldest mouse I had seen and now it was war.
Admittedly, in the past, I have had some trouble setting mouse traps.  You would think with a masters degree and some level of intelligence this would not be so difficult, but the instructions are weak at best and perhaps I did not really want to catch the little critter.  Still, it was time to ask for help and I called over my neighbor Ted to request assistance.  “That will take care of it.”  No doubt, he said.  Nope.  When Ted’s trap still did not work, Tom decided to take the lead.  Finally the mouse was caught.
A few years ago the disposal of said creature would have set me off the edge.  I can do it now, but Tom and I disagree on the method.  I pick up the trap and dispose of the mouse, trap and all.  I think the trap costs about 89 cents and it is worth it to me and something I do not want to use again.  Tom gets rid of the mouse but reuses the trap.  Since the incident I have done a small poll and I find that most women are trap tossers, most men are trap keepers and everyone has a firm belief in their method.
I am thinking about all of this today as I walked out into our garden with the pups a bit ago and saw a dead vole (nasty little mouse like creature who tears up the garden).  In the house I marched and grabbed a bag and scoop.  Done.  Then I walked to the other side of the house and found a bird.  Scoop.  Done.  I’m better than I was at handling these things, but I still want Tom to get rid of all of our garbage, critter bag included first thing in the morning.

Finding the Positive

          I was thinking about adjustments that I have made since I got married.  You can tell how easy it has been in that one of the first things that came to mind was more trips to Costco.  
          It pains me to go, but one of the things that I discovered is that when I am feeling particularly unattractive, I can find it recuperative to head to Costco (Wal-Mart or any other large, warehouse store would probably do as well).  Here, I can look around and not feel so despairing of myself.  Hey, I’m not so plump, my hair is not so bad.  I have come to realize, having run into people that I know at Costco, that no one looks good here.  Perhaps it is the lights, perhaps it is the consumerism and the too much of everything, perhaps no one really feels the need to look their best; you’re wandering around in a modified garage for goodness sake.  After a trip around the store I usually come to the conclusion that, although I may not win a beauty contest I certainly have a long way to go before I hit too far below average on the attractive scale.  
         Well, today's the day - off to Costco we go.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

I Wonder


I wonder what I would say
If I had limited words
To use each day

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Eggs

My neighbor is going to teach me how to get eggs from his hen house for when I need an egg or two.  Oh, happy day.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Dinner

Tom,

Potatoes,
So delicious.
Steamed in chicken broth
Smashed
Browned in butter.

Rib eye,
Mouth watering.
Roasted with many herbs
And salt.
In mom’s new oven.

Brussels sprouts,
Surprisingly good.
Sauteed with olive oil
Doused with vinegar.
A favorite.

Apple pie,
Perfectly sweet.
Homemade crust
Lots of cinnamon
Baked to a golden brown.

The only thing I wanted more
And the only thing missing
Was you.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Making Beds


I’ve always had
A different idea
In my head.

Why make a bed
When you mess it up that night?
Why shovel the snow
When it melts in a while?

Yet, I succumb
And make my bed
And shovel the snow.

But when I’m old
And maybe don’t care so much
Perhaps I’ll stop.

We do an awful lot that
Matters
Only sort of.
Because,
Eventually
It takes care of itself.

Although really,
I feel better
When I do it.
So I guess I'll 
Carry on.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Maybe


Today I should
Wash the floors
Polish the furniture
Work on our finances
Update our insurance
And so much more.

But want I want to do
Is lie in bed
Take a walk
Read my book
Pet my dogs
Relax.

Maybe though
I have it mixed up.
Maybe my shoulds are wants
And my wants are shoulds.
Just in case,
I think I’ll do
Some of both today.

Monday, January 10, 2011

I Watched


I watched the sun set tonight
The pink of the sky
Seemingly created out of nothing
Took my breath away.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Skiing

Skiing
Three days
Hard
I'm tired
Very
And hungry
Breakfast
With family
Now
Good-bye