tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54455590852518697432023-11-15T08:42:12.423-08:00A Day in the Life Please join me in my writing adventures as I share life stories in short vignettes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829226570508832750noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445559085251869743.post-59866547616833717642016-07-06T00:31:00.000-07:002016-07-06T00:31:31.287-07:00Strawberries<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I
have not thought about strawberries for a while even though they are one of my
favorites. I used to have lip balm that
was strawberry-flavored which I used for many years. My favorite scented candle is still Yankee
Candle's Sweet Strawberry, even though it is getting more and more difficult to
obtain. Strawberry is such a refreshing,
uplifting scent. It always makes me feel
better when I inhale its fragrance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Strawberries
are only available for a short time every year, so when you can find them fresh
you need to seize the opportunity, which brings me to my post for today. I stopped by the local market on the way home
tonight to pick up a gallon of milk and a few other items. As I was looking for the green peppers, I
happen to see a plastic container full of ripe red strawberries sitting on the
shelf in the cooler. Immediately I
reached for it thinking I would buy it.
I could already imagine the delicious, sweet strawberries with a little
sugar sprinkled on them sliced in a bowl with a little whipped cream over some
shortbread. Immediately my mouth started
watering. I lifted the container closer
to my nose and got a whiff of the sweet smell of the strawberries. What a wonderful aroma!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I
started turning the container over checking each strawberry for bad spots or
mold. So many times in the past there
always seems to be one strawberry in the middle that is bad or the side NOT
facing out is rotten. First container
had a strike out -- fuzzy spot on the side of one strawberry. One container down, three more to go. Next container had several strawberries that
were partially green -- no go. Next
container had a big fuzzy one in the center of the container. My hopes are beginning to deflate. What started out as a hopeful adventure is
quickly becoming a depressing state!! By
the time I get to the final container, I have to accept the fact that I will
not be having strawberries for an after-dinner delight tonight. The final container had several strawberries
with black spots on them. Dang!! I place the contained back in the cooler and
push my cart on down the aisle feeling sorry for myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As
I pass by the frozen food section, I see a pint-size container of frozen
strawberry topping. For a split second,
I almost reached for it. At least there
would not be a fuzzy strawberry in it, but somehow it is just not the same. I kept pushing my cart on to the
checkout. The only strawberries I will
have tonight will be in my dreams!!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829226570508832750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445559085251869743.post-70896590376145073452016-07-02T22:43:00.000-07:002016-07-02T22:43:46.376-07:00November 13, 2012: Attack of the Killer Dead Oak Tree<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I got up EXTRA early (around 6:25
a.m.), so that I could be at the library by 7:30 a.m. for the "Breakfast
Buddies" program, a library program that works with third-grade children
at the elementary school. Selected
students who need a little extra coaching with reading skills come to the
library before school begins. They
receive a light breakfast and eat while the volunteer (me!!) reads a book to
the student on his or her reading level.
After the student finishes the breakfast, he or she then reads the book
back to the volunteer (still me!!). The
librarian makes a record of the book read.
The child later answers some questions about the book and then receives
credit for reading it. Like I mentioned
above, the program is early, BEFORE class begins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had not slept well the night before and was oh so very tired. I figured if I could get out of bed, it would
probably be my major accomplishment for the day. After hitting the snooze button for way too
many times, I stumbled down the hallway into the kitchen, plugged in and turned
on the coffeemaker, and then stumbled back down the hallway to the bedroom to
start getting dressed. Our dog then
decided she wanted to go outside to potty.
I opened the back door, let her out in the backyard, and waited for her
to return. She came back inside and did
a very pretty "sit" on the kitchen floor waiting for her usual treat. At the same time, as usual, four of the five
kitties lined up in the kitchen by the microwave waiting for their morning treaters. There were four sets of eyes, shining like little
peridots, staring up at me. I handed out
the treaters and gave the obligatory pats on each head which completed my
treater duties. Everyone was satisfied,
and I headed back to the bedroom to get dressed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As I was dressing, something felt out
of place. I looked in the mirror and immediately
realized that my cotton pullover shirt was on backwards. (Problem #1.) Geez!!
I took it off, turned it around, put it back on, and finished getting
dressed. I went to the bathroom to put
on eye makeup for fear that I would make a horrible mess in the dim light of
the nightlight in my dressing area. My
husband was sleeping and I did not want to risk waking him by turning on the
overhead light. Eye makeup was
accomplished with no major mishap. Next
came the hair. I checked the time and
realized I was running late. I brushed
it quickly, twisted it up, and put the in the "mei fa" sticks –
immediately I had a doinger!! (For those
of you who are not familiar with "doingers," they are the ends of
hair that "doing" (pronounced doi-ing, one of those onomatopoeia
words) or pop out after they are tucked in a chignon.) After another attempt, success was had. All done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I went to the kitchen to fill my
travel cup and Thermos with coffee. I
turned off the coffeemaker, unplugged it, and put the Thermos in my
briefcase. I put on my jacket (the
temperature overnight had been close to freezing), and grabbed my travel cup,
handbag, library bag, and briefcase. I
left the house in the dark because I did not want to leave the front porch
light on all day (Problem #2 leading to Mistake #1). We live in the country so there are no street
lights, no close neighbors, just total darkness. I stepped off the front porch, walked about
10 feet, and then it happened . . . I was attacked by the killer dead oak tree!! One of its dead branches reached down and stabbed
my head as I walked under it on the way to the car. (Mistake #1). Small twigs on the branch tangled in my hair. Now remember, my hair was in a chignon and
twisted tight. I was trapped like a
rat!! I could not move. By the pain, I could tell the twigs had
scraped my scalp and parts of it were stuck tight in my hair. My scalp felt moist. My hands were full. I could not get loose from the branch. No one was around, so yelling would have done
no good. I tried to stoop to set my
handbag, library bag, and briefcase on the ground. No such luck.
Finally, after I tugged on the branch and tried to pull away, the twig
broke off the branch. It was still stuck
in my hair, but I was free at last!! Now
I was REALLY running late. I made it to
the passenger side of the Jeep, unlocked the door, and put my things on the
seat. As I was getting settled in the
driver's seat, I put on my seat belt and looked up to the front windshield as I
started the Jeep. All I could see was
WHITE. Yep, there had been frost
overnight and there was a layer of ice all over the windshield. Dang!!
My car engine was cold, so there is no way the defroster was going to
work for a while. Now I had to get out
of the car, scrape the windshield, and THEN possibly be on my way. Okay, all done, and back in the Jeep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I was FINALLY on the way to the
library. I was going to be late, but not
too bad. A few miles down the road traffic
started really slowing down and finally stopped. Ahead, I could see that a big truck carrying
utility poles was totally blocking the roadway. (Problem #3.) I could tell it was going to be a while
before the roadway was cleared. Good
grief!! Okay, now take a deep
breath. This situation was TOTALLY out
of my control. It was time to sit back,
relax, and have a few sips of coffee . . . ah, Sumatra . . . with just the
right amount of half-and-half. Life is
good. All will be right with the
world. Now, I can face the day!!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829226570508832750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445559085251869743.post-33494323213610680702016-07-02T00:10:00.000-07:002016-07-02T00:10:36.160-07:00Rainbows in my Kitchen<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If it turns
out that I get up extra early (which does not happen very often) on a bright,
sunny morning, I sneak down the hallway to see if I can discover rainbows
dancing in the kitchen. Yes, you heard
that right -- rainbows dancing in the kitchen!!
One of my dear friends gave me a beautiful prism for a Valentine's Day
gift in 2014. I have it hanging in the
kitchen window alongside my crystal hummingbirds so it will catch the morning
rays of sunlight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On bright
mornings, the sunlight magically bounces off the prism and forms small rainbows
that pirouette across the countertops and spin and twirl like little colorful
dervishes as the sun travels across the eastern sky. I never know when these delightful rainbows
will greet me or how long before they fade away into thin air. When I am fortunate enough to catch a glimpse
of them, I always whisper a thank you for the mystical illusion being shared
with me by the powers that be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It would be so
very intriguing to summon these enchanting rainbow dervishes to dance on
demand. They would definitely turn any
bad day immediately into a splendid day!!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829226570508832750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445559085251869743.post-86238563849075627032016-06-26T17:55:00.000-07:002016-06-26T17:55:10.499-07:00Mascara Miscreants<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 24pt;"> Why is it when I am putting on mascara, I come up with the best darn ideas? I immediately must write them down so I do not forget. They may be ideas for writing, things I need to share with someone, items for my endless to-do list, juicy gossip, a word I totally could not think of the day before, etc. These little puffs of inspiration come at the most inconvenient moments. If I do not immediately preserve them in some way, they will melt into the ether and be lost again, possibly never to return.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> I suppose this little practice has something to do with the fact that while I am attempting to apply mascara just on my eyelashes and not poke myself in the eyeball, my creative psyche takes over, the flood gates open, and the thoughts and ideas come rushing out with a roar.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 24pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Then would be a good time to have more than two hands. With a mascara brush in one hand, a mirror in the other, how am I suppose to write down these puffs before they escape my pea brain? After a swipe of the mascara brush, I put down it down, scribble a note or two, pick it back up, and carry on with another swipe. I am never too far away from pen and paper -- never!!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 24pt;"> There is no telling how many great thoughts I have lost over the years before I learned I must always have a pen and a piece of paper nearby to catch those wispy miscreants. So without further adieu, I am going to go and make sure I have a pen and enough scrap paper nearby my makeup bag so I will be prepared for tomorrow morning!!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829226570508832750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445559085251869743.post-73664503182931617192016-06-26T17:47:00.000-07:002016-07-02T22:15:21.775-07:00The Time Has Come . . .<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, the time has come that I must split up my blog. I had thought I would be able to continue one blog with writing, book reviews, and Zentangle posts. Now I think it is too much and makes it too busy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have divided the subjects into three blogs as follows:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Writing posts will be at "A Day in the Life" located at http://www.lynnjarrett1.blogspot.com.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Zentangle posts will be at "ZentangleLynn" located at "http://www.lynnjarrett.blogspot.com.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Book reviews and miscellaneous items will be at "Slices of this Life" located at http://www.slicesofthislife.blogspot.com.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please visit all three often and let me know what you think!!</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10829226570508832750noreply@blogger.com0