Saturday, August 22, 2009

This, That, And The Other Thing

Mr. Moon got up early this morning and took his still-swollen and itching arms and went back to where the poison ivy is to dig up ground and lay plumbing.
The man doesn't know how to rest and he knows no fear.

Meanwhile, I am here, still blurry-eyed and in despair (morning, it's morning) on a Saturday and trying to figure out what to do today. There's so much I could do. So much I should do. So much I would do if....

Wait. There's the phone. Ms. Maybelle called and related to me the "unthinkable, inevitable" event which occurred last night when her cat, Lupita, knocked a glass of water into her computer. I, too, have been through something like this and I assured her that she had done everything she was supposed to do (she called a friend in Washington State whom she knew would still be up for advice) and that by this time tomorrow, she'll be back online. It's terribly scary when our "magic boxes" as we call them, are threatened. We agreed that they should give computer CPR classes when we buy a new computer. Maybe PC owners don't feel this close, personal, almost ridiculously affectionate bond with their machines as we Apple owners do. But maybe people buy Apple computers because we are this way.
Chicken?
Egg?
I don't know. But say a little prayer for Miss Maybelle's MacBook and don't think she's ignoring you.

So while I was talking to May, I did some sweeping, some pee-clean-up (the dogs are driving me insane) and some laundry. Also, I washed the dishes. And I tried something new. I crowed from the porch to see if Suzie would respond. She did. May was listening to the whole thing. Then the rooster next door crowed. I feel like Dr. Freaking Doolittle here.

Then my call waiting beeped. It was Lily. She and May are going to try and do a plaster cast of her belly tomorrow. "Are you calling to invite me to join you?" I asked her. "No," she said. "I'm calling to see if you'll come over and make food for me."
Haha!
We discussed the upcoming birth and our plans (for the baby to come so fast we have an accidental home birth) and so forth. Then the call-waiting beeped in again.
It was her friend Kelly, who is doing Lily's shower with the list of things I should bring to the shower. Cracker and cheese platter, pico de gallo, chips, guacamole, hamburger and hot dog buns and one more thing. What was it? No. That was it. I wrote it down.
Then May called me back to ask me to let the blog world know that her computer is (temporarily) out of commission.
Done and done.

Another thing I'd done while on the phone was get the garbage and recycle rounded up. Here in Lloyd, we have a dump depot where we take our trash. They are open early, close at ten-thirty, and then reopen at three. I have no idea why but this is how it works. It was ten-twenty-two and I know that guy closes the gates at ten-twenty-six if he feels like it. I ran around and got everything loaded up, only knocking over the plastic/tin cans and paper/cardboard containers in my hurry. I thought about Yoko Ono who said, "When you are running late, dress slowly."
Sigh.
Got everything picked back up, in the car, and down to the depot before the gates were closed. Dropped by the post office. No mail in my box. What?! Not even a water bill or a flyer from my congressman?

And so, since I started this post, my eyes have cleared, I have started the laundry, swept the floors, talked to several of my children plus a bonus child, started a neighborhood crow-fest, taken the trash and gone to the post office.

I also went out and fed the chickens. While I was in the coop I realized that today is Lynn's birthday which goes a long way to explain the despair I woke up in. The body remembers even if the mind does not.

At this poin, it's 10:51 a.m. I am sweating. I have eaten a yogurt. I have drunk too much coffee. I have written this post. I am not completely and utterly lazy and useless, although I am sure that Kathleen, who had planned to go to town this morning and look for a new lawn mower, has probably already bought the lawn mower, taken it home and mowed half her yard. This is the kind of person Kathleen is. She is like Mr. Moon in that regard.

There is always someone who is more productive, prettier, stronger, more compassionate, loving, creative, brave, and less fucked-up than I am.
Angelina Jolie for example but let's not go there.

Two more things- I bought those purple gladiolas in the picture above the other day and thought of Lynn when I did. She loved glads and said that whenever you see purple ones you should buy them and I generally do. When I bought these, I completely forgot it was about to be her birthday. And here they are, opening beautifully and bringing Lynn-essence to my house on her birthday.
Happy Birthday, Lynn. Your life enriched so many, mine more than most.

AND, our own JustMe has had her baby and posted about it here. She had a fine 9 lb, 9 oz. boy and birthed him without drugs. I am so proud of her and she is so happy.

Now I MUST go and hang out the laundry and then perhaps go to town and buy some more potting soil as well as seeds for the fall garden and then get back here tackle the dirt chores. Clean out the chicken coop. Attend to things.

As I was reminded in the reading of Our Town last night, that's what it's all about. We may not be Mother Teresa or Angelina Jolie or Kathleen or Mr. Moon but we do what we can, and despair can burn off like the early morning mist when the sun comes up and calls the crickets to sing and the roosters to crow. And it's someone's birthday and every day, if we are alive, is another renewal, a chance to get something planted, something cleaned, something set in order. It gives us the opportunity for another dance step to learn, another poem to write, another chance to kiss and get it right.

16 comments:

  1. The flowers are lovely, and so is the sentiment.

    Good luck to May with her computer!

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  2. Ah, Ms. Moon. Lovely Ms. Moon, when you bought those gladiolas you did remember Lynn's birthday.

    I have written about the same thing: you think you don't remember, but you do.

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  3. 9lb 9oz? That's a big baby. Well done, JustMe!

    Mrs Moon, I suspect that you're wrong about Angelina jolie being less fucked up than you, but I suppose there's no harm in giving her the benefit of the doubt ;)

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  4. Ginger- They are perfectly gorgeous gladiolas. We are very hopeful about May's computer in that it was merely water.

    Caron- You're right, I'm sure.

    Ms. Jo- Well, whatever sort of fucked-upedness Ms. Jolie has, I would not mind some of it for myself.

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  5. "The body remembers even if the mind does not." So true. Now I'm wondering about all the things my body is remembering.

    Send some love to May and her computer. That's a horrible thing, even for a PC owner. :-)

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  6. less fucked-up than angelina jolie?
    wherever would you get that idea, ms. moon?

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  7. Mwa- I do believe that. Which is the whole basis for Rolfing, isn't it?
    I'll tell May what you said.

    Adrienne- Angelina is one of those people who is either the craziest woman in the world or the sanest. Hard to tell sometimes. Whatever she is, she is certainly functional.

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  8. i have angelina on my post list of women i love.

    and you.

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  9. Talking on the phone AND sweeping at the same time?? That right there is something that I bet Ms. Jolie can't accomplish (even considering her sweeping days are long behind her). Color me impressed.

    Also, The Hubby called me this morning with a flat tire from the off-ramp to your fair "town". I resisted making an early morning visit to your front porch ;)

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  10. Maggie- Really? Where? I don't even know what to say about that.

    Robin- I would have loved it if you had stopped by! Goodness! Anytime at all. You know I'm less than half a mile from that off-ramp.

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  11. Thanks for always being there to talk to ma. Sometimes when I am at work and tired, I need a little encouragement. Something to get me excited about the birth so I can get through the rest of the pregnancy. I did get a good nap this afternoon, I love sleeping on the couch sometimes. And now Owen is squirming around like crazy, I think he is really starting to get squished up in there. Well I love you, and will talk to you later.

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  12. Oh My God!! I didn't realize the baby had a name! How exciting. Baby Owen, I love it.

    Happy birthday Lynn wherever you are.

    Glad you are feeling better mm. Did you know that Our Town is playing in Thomasville? I thought that was strange that you just mentioned it, and we were there today and I saw a poster for it. Don't remember details though.

    Here's to waking up feeling good tomorrow.xo pf PS We do have 2 bottles of that poison ivy stuff if you want to give it a whirl.

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  13. Lily- Can you believe how close you are? Oh my darling. I am so proud of you and the way you are handling the last month of pregnancy. I am in awe. And I can't wait until tomorrow! A plaster cast! Daddy said, "It's going to be a bowl." And I said, "Yes! It is!" I wish I had at least one real memento of my pregnancies.

    Ms. Fleur- Our Town is finished in T'ville. I saw it! It was great. My friend Rich was in it.
    Yes. Baby Owen. I need to talk to you. I'll call you tomorrow.

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  14. I like Our Town and have seen it several times. I also taught it since it was in the lit book I used to teach 11th grade English. It has so much to think about it.

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  15. Elijah and I got up early yesterday and walked into and around town looking at yard sales.

    I was also shocked and amazed at how many drunken and dirty people are roaming around the street in our little town at 9am.

    It was so sad.

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  16. Ms. Moon,
    Your blogging makes me feel grateful to be alive. And that's something to say on a Monday morning. So thank you.

    Love,

    SB

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