Looking back….

My Ohio Valley (in verse)

The trees here seem tired, heavy and tired

I miss the songs the trees sang in Ohio

Or was it the song of my youth?

The Laundry Chronicles…

Ok, I’m “different”, in oh so MANY ways!   Right down to the way I sleep…or I should say, what I prefer to sleep on.   I’ve never been drawn into conversations about blissful sleep had, on account of ” the most sublime set of sheets ever purchased”.   Cool, crisp sheets w/their lofty thread counts and lofty price tags hold zero sway in my book.

My spread of choice?  A green and orange, fluffy, slick, polyester sleeping bag….oh, and did I say large?  Which brings me to the subject of this post… Although Iggy patiently supports my bedding  eccentricity,  he does not understand how it could be worth, paying good money to trapse back and forth to a laundry mat?  A necessity due to the incompatibility of my spread VS washer…

What no one knows is how much I look forward to my bi-monthly (ok,   sometimes monthly…I flip the dang thing over ok?!)  trip to the aptly named, “Fun Wash”.  For me it’s a treat, I look forward to…. so much so that I have my little laundry “routine” down by now.  I’m telling you, Rainman has nothing on me!   I usually wear little to no makeup on laundry day, which in itself is a wonderful luxury to allow oneself.  I choose the most comfortable ensemble I can find (I draw the line @ public PJ’s!) and of course, there’s (like choosing the right wine w/dinner), which book to bring along for the duration….

Ok, I know it’s silly and simple but that pretty much describes my personality in a nutshell.  I take pleasure in some of the silliest most simple things around…  What do I enjoy about it?  Well, I like the white noise of the humming washers and dryers.  I like to observe the sea of humanity that streams in and out…. the quiet guy w/the tattoos, piercings and large black gages in his ear lobes.   The girlfriends…or are they sisters?  Who seem to have an unspoken language.  The African American laundress whos face bespeaks a wisdom that makes me sigh with appreciation.  Then there are the kiddos…  Some poor frazzled mama almost always has one or several in tow.   Today it was a cute little girl who might have been pushing four, who’d made a game of running around tapping the washers that were in use.   Tapping  the one in front of me,  she looked at me & I looked up from my read & smiled.  I decided I needed to read one more chapter  and  put another quarter in the dryer…

Surprize!!!

I love a good surprize party where the recipient is actually “SURPRIZED”!!!

It was a hoot to see Kathy’s face!!!   I’m also thankful we got to share in the celebration of this new milestone in her life & the life of her family.

What?! Whoa! Hey!

 

 

Feelin a ramble…

I’m a list gal, always have been…I think it’s how I compensate for my ADD.  If I list my thoughts at least they’re “somewhat” organized…

A few thoughts….

I love…

People who are “real” (sincere, authentic…not full of crap! Usually people on the other side of brokeness)

People who try to do good without caring if they “look good”

I love observing people who are “ok with silence”…(1 Thessalonians “Study to be quiet”)

I love color, light, dance, words, poetry, song, sculpture, you name the medium! I love ART!

I love to see people go the distance in relationships….through all the ugly & messy!

 

A few things I don’t like

I don’t like “fake” people…

I don’t like people that ask you how you are & really don’t care to know…

I don’t like that the world is always “in a hurry!”

I don’t like conservatives who use dogma as an excuse to judge & hate (usually gays, blacks, jews, women, anyone who doesn’t tow the line)

I don’t like liberals who use dogma as an excuse to judge and hate (usually any brand of Christendom)

I don’t like fish!   BUT…..I wish I did!

Ok, ramble’s over for now….

Creativity keeps the mind young…

Sometimes the best moments are unplanned & flow out of “boredom”…Thank God for those times!   On one such day, Rebecca & I ended up having a blast going through old magazines & catalogs picking pictures, words & colors that inspire us…

I love the way she looks at things...

Momma's choices...

Our collaboration...

Our creative splash...makes us smile...

Happy Christmas and Feliz Año

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas,  here are a few highlights from the Cabrera household…

 

Iggy the pancake master making delicious buttermilk pancakes

 

Rebecca loves her Ebay phone...

 

Max was pleased Rebecca insisted on him getting a treat...

It was a wonderful 2008…looking forward to the new year to come…

Totally Random

I love that Rebecca is into all things “totally random”. She seems to be very much into things that don’t fit into a mold. It could be hair…”look Mom, I love the way she has that braid just hanging there in a totally random way.” Or,”I love how he expresses himself, he just says things that are”….you guessed it. She’s definately not the rebellious, antarchist or even nonconformist type (ok she’s a healthy dose of that last one). Nope, she’s the amazingly intelligent I see art in everything type. Last weekend we spent several hours helping a friend clean/paint her new house. Rebecca volunteered to clean out the carport storage room. You could not get her off cloud nine when our friend said she could keep any of the junk that was left behind by the previous owners. I’ll bet they didn’t know they were leaving behind such treasures!!! A rusty tin, an old thermos, & the piece de resistance!?! A lovely PaPa John’s sign, you know the kind that lights up on top of the driver’s car? Well now it’s in Rebecca’s room and although some people may not think it’s that cool, they must admit, it is…Totally Random!

Poetic memories…

I wrote this poem after Dan came to the back door (we were in Iceland, and he was all of 5) w/bright red cheeks & a steady stream of snot & said, “Here Mom, this is for you…it’s a diemun”…

Children’s Gifts

Give me sculptured works of art
In moss covered wood discovered

Present me with glistening rocks
More valuable than diamonds

Pass by the roses
When I’m longing for a weed bouquet

Let me see your dirty hands
and sparkling eyes

So that I can know
The real measure of beauty

Waxing poetic…

Here are a few of the poems I wrote just after God took Elizabeth home…

I wrote this because she slept a LOT in the end…I wanted more of her, but I knew it would not be on this side…

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping beauty fast asleep who will come and kiss you?
You slumber in a dreamy mist, do you know how much I miss you?
Your eyes they long to open, your feet they want to run
To see the beauty of the earth and feel the warm sweet sun
I’m sorry that the pain you feel from you the choice was taken
But someday soon your Prince will come
His pleasure to awaken
He’ll wear His princely robes of white
You’ll see Him drawing near
There will be no doubt and you will have no fear
The pain in you will at once and all forever cease
He is here little one, He has brought His kiss
He is the Prince of Peace

Soul’s Flight

Dwell not on tiny hands last touched
Memories of pains endured
Look to the Light where her soul finds rest
and they will be obscured

Fleeting breath, last embrace
Locked in time and space
Passed away through teardrops
While she beheld His face

His face is real
So too the Light
Linger not in sorrow

Beleive, have faith
Hope in Him
Till you see her tomorrow

Reality’s Hope

Longing to touch you
I feel the coldness of glass in frame
No warmth is hidden there
Closing my eyes I see your form
I reach out to hold you
But my arms claim nothing
Your little things lie forever still
No remembrance of sweet scents
Cedar has stolen them away
How do I find peace in this oh Lord
Is this reality
Or only a moment
Of this I look to Your Son
And to the reality of the cross
I lay my hopes