Thursdays' Treasures

It's been a rocky couple of days. Lots of high highs and a few low lows. I'm pretty tired. On these days it's the little things that really count. So here's my list of the Little Things that Make Me Feel Rich.

1) A brand new fridge pack of Caffeine-Free Diet Coke. Oh, the Luxury!

2) A shared snack of chips and salsa. Faith and I looked at catalogs while we slurped and crunched. She's chosen a most horrible costume for Halloween, but she has a fabulous giggle.

3) Ray's hugs - His little chicken arms are so skinny and cool. He wraps them around my neck and squeezes, and nothing could ever be wrong in my world.

4) Curbside Recycling - The Fair City of Pensacola has finally seen fit to pick up Recyclables. I have a special bin and everything.

5) Unlimited Long-Distance - And it's really come in handy here recently:) The Circle of Love expands and unlike a balloon only gets stronger when it gets bigger. Thank Goodness.

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Thursdays' Treasures

I have been negligent about posting my Thankful Thursdays or Things That Make Me Feel Rich. Maybe that's why I haven't been feeling so rich here lately.

1) My children's school - School starts on Monday. I spent a good bit of yesterday in the classrooms and getting things together. I hadn't realized that I missed the people there over the summer. They are an amazing group of women who have come together with the noblest of intentions - the respectful nurturing of a child's innate curiosity. They do it with warmth, gentle and quiet words and easy smiles. This school is easily on the list of the top ten best things that has ever happened to me.

2) Tax Returns - Dawn just had her taxes done and got a whopper of a return. We were able to pay off a good bit of the yearly school bill. The monthly bill will be significantly less than last year which means that I won't be sweating so profusely on the 14th of every month.

3) Good Coffee - I make a great cup of coffee, mostly because I buy really good coffee (on sale, of course). I like thinking about the lives of the coffeepickers and wonder if they think about the lives of the coffeedrinkers and if either of us is even close to imagining the other's life as it actually is.

4) Lightning at Bedtime - Our window faces East. We lay in the darkness last night, snuggled together watching for, waiting for and ahhhhhing when the lightning struck and lit up the room. She is beautiful in lightning light.

5) Books and Children Who Love to Read - Faith and William and I have read through #14 in the Magic Tree House series this summer. Dawn has read Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary to anyone who would listen. Bedtime Stories is a most precious time of our days. I especially cherish the nights that William falls asleep next to me in the glow from the aquarium, just pages away from the end of the book.

Addendum - William has been especially loquacious this summer, as I have noted here before. He has just now said something perfect, and I had to come back and include it here. He asked Dawn if he could use the flashlight he found when we go to the beach tonight. Dawn said, "We're going to the beach tonight?" He said, "Yeah, to check on the moon."


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Thursday's Treasures - If it weren't for you . . .

It's a strange day to be making a list of things that make me feel rich. I'd like to make a deeply philosophical observation about just how apropos that is, but I'm too tired.

1. Maureen - you said, No! Not on Refocksa's watch!

And I love you.

2. Propane - you said, You're covered.

And I love you.

3. Michelle - you said, I don't have a word of wisdom. That sucks. It really sucks.

And I love you.

4. Ms. Moon - you email me and tell me that I'm full of shit and you send me to Michelle for guidance. And you're in Cozumel being beautiful and happy and fabulous.

And I love you.

5. And Margo. Margo. Regardless of what happens I will always be the richest of the richest for being able to stand beside you everyday.

And I adore you.


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24 Hours & 48 Minutes Late

for Thursday's Treasures. Today it's easy.

1. Propane Amy - While we got off the pot, you shat. And that's cool.

2. Randi - She can sing. And she's going to sing this song at MY wedding. When Florida gets its shit together. Wanna come?



3. Stem cells. They, with a capital "T" AND those that fall in the lowercase category, thought I was insane when I insisted on shelling out the bucks for the banking of my son's stem cells.

4. I can read. And write. Turn on PBS or NPR. It'll only take a few minutes for those of you with a vagina to realize just how fortunate you are. (Honestly, do ANY men read this?)

5. That lamp. The one over there. I bought it for my new house, this house. My mother hates it and keeps sending me replacements. But I LOVE it. And it's mine.

Thursday's Treasures - Caleb, Leslie and Mason

Dawn's friends came to town yesterday. I wasn't excited. Suffice it say that I've had trouble with Dawn's friends in the past. So yet another visit from people that I don't know and who haven't seen Dawn in 10 years but still call her their best friend wasn't my idea of Wonderful Wednesday. You know?

But these folks were AWESOME! Caleb is a fiction writer who hasn't written any fiction but does have a non-fiction book out called Star Wars Jesus (yes, he's a big dork.) Leslie is a painter, animal whisperer, beer-guzzler, Whitney Houston video appearing fabuloso. Mason is 7, VERY shy and obviously brilliant, of course. LOVE THEM! Keeping them. Forever.

Anybody want to go in with me to buy one of her paintings? We'll keep it at my house because it was my idea.

I love new friends, especially the kind that aren't much work, you know? We just all fell together and meshed really well - plenty to talk about, similar child-raising styles, complimentary drinking habits:) They live far enough away that the relationship stays fresh but close enough that it doesn't go stale.

So here's my list - I can only think of 4 today, I don't want to force a fifth.

1. Ice cold beer in bottles that have at least one word on them that I can't pronounce and don't know what it means.

2. Oysters on the half shell. And ordering a second dozen because friends are here and it's a celebration.

3. Talented friends who are google-able. That makes me feel rich AND important.

4. My aquariums - all 5 of them, but especially the biggun with 8 different kinds of tetras.

Thursday's Treasures or Things that Make Me Feel Rich

So it's Thursday. Time for Thursday's Treasures, or Things that Make Me Feel Rich. And I'll get to it, but first a little story.

Just a few moments ago, I was reading Ms. Moon's post Brains Baked, Simmered, Fried and Flaked. As usual, I was enthralled and inspired and at home in her words. As usual, I felt like she had given my belly stirrings words, and so told me my own truth. She's amazing. And so as usual, I laughed outloud and Dawn said, "What?" I said, "I'm laughing at Ms. Moon." She said, "What's she up to today?" I said, "She's yelling about people coming to her house to witness." Dawn said, "Witness what?"

Before I go any further let me remind you all that if it weren't for the fact that we share a heart and soul, you would testify that Dawn and I are Polar Opposites. She grew up WAY up there and I, WAY down here. Our political, social and spiritual upbringings were as far removed in content as they were in geography.

So you'll understand the sweet shock that rushed over me when my beloved said, "Witness what?" In the brief seconds that I stayed in my chair, I was hit head-on by how different our beginnings in life were and how amazing it is that we have come together and how glad I am to not be living my old life anymore and how much tangibly better my life is with her in it and so many others out of it.

And so, surprising both Dawn and me, I stood up and quickly moved to her. I took the laundry out of her hands and put my impatient mouth on hers and pushed her down and made love to her right there on the couch in the middle of the afternoon heat.

And I feel rich. And whole. And so very alive.

So here's my list for today.

1. Ms. Moon's laid-bare soul, her wisdom and her truths.

2. NOT living in Mississippi.

3. Having a whole swarm of friends to tell this stuff to and Believing that you really do care.

4. Pandora.com that always manages to play a perfect song. Right now, it's Debbie Comer's version of Crash into Me.

5. The City of Pensacola that puts on fantastic summer activities. Tonight I'm going to play in the fountains with my adorable family while a band serenades us.

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Treasures from the Moon

I so love this notion that Ms. Moon put in my head, that I think I may make it a weekly post like Wordless Wednesdays or Dawg's Dislike Fridays. How's Thursday for you? Skipping this coming Thursday, of course.

Here's the disclaimer - I'm not going to include Dawn and the children in my lists. You all know how much I ADORE them and if I go ahead with this disclaimer then I won't feel that annoying pang of guilt every time I don't mention them and you guys won't have to vomit in your laps every Thursday which may lead to it being known as Throw Up Thursday which is not becoming in the least. Oh! And I'm limiting myself to a list of 12 today and 5 every Thursday hereafter. Skipping this coming Thursday, of course.

OK? Here goes.


Things that make me feel rich:

1. Our fabulous camera that we refer to as "the asset."

2. My poetry books by obscure authors.

3. Organic anything - especially fruit and soaps.

4. My grandmother's silver.

5. Going out on a date. At night. Without children.

6. My twice yearly haircut at the fancy salon.

7. Yearly Membership passes - for anywhere or anything.

8. New Crocs with carefully chosen Jibbitz.

9. Opening a good bottle of wine and pouring perfectly for Dawn who doesn't care.

10. Netflix

11. Buying a new pair of orange-handled scissors with which to cut whatever I want without irritation.

12. Dawn's collection of rocks, shells and trinkets from far and wide.