Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My husband had a restless night therefore I did as well. But before I went to bed I had anxiety, because of my friend's fall and injury. When someone you love needs you, and you live in a Covid world, you are kind of powerless. This morning my daughter called because her younger son was sick and her husband stayed home with him yesterday, but she had to today. The stress of two toddlers and a job teaching second grade and the paranoia of covid makes balancing everything an almost hopeless task. The parents of her students are freaked out because of their children being back in school, and she has to deal with everyone's PTSD. I cannot help much because when another grandson got a flu right before covid we caught it and were laid up six weeks, so we no longer feel indominable. I hate not being able to help out because of my age and vulnerability. It's exasperating. So my blood pressure was up a bit, and I want to be a fairy godmother with a wand, but, guess what? I'm no such thing. No magic powers at all. I want to fly up and help my friend, and go over to my daughter's house and give her a break, and I'm not going to do either. Shucks!

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I had a nice walk with a friend this morning, and we also did some errands together. She got bread, I picked up Vitamin D3 at a pharmacy while she got her second pneumonia shot, and we went to the bookstore and purchased books. This afternoon I talked to my friend and will, in another hour speak with a second friend. It's a beautiful day today, and the temperature is perfect, and we even had a sprinkle of rain last night. I have a new book of Craig Johnson's in my hot little fist, and though all is not right with the world, and my friend had a bad fall and an emergency room visit, I feel optimistic. The grandchildren make me happy and my friends and my husband, who, when we received a desperate call from our daughter last night because her older son's beloved stuffed kitty was missing, found it downstairs among the toys and drove over to deliver it to said four year old, who gifted us with a picture he did to thank us for rescuing kitty. There would have been no sleep last night if she hadn't been found. My hero!

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My husband and I stayed overnight at our older son's house, so we could watch our grandson while he and his wife spent the night at a spa. They had a great time getting away. It was the first time since their son was born, almost six years ago. We took a walk each day, did many puzzles, played a board game I brought up, and watched "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" and "Totoro". His parents had asked us to help him organize his lego stuff, his art table and his kitchen on the back porch. There was a lot of sand in the kitchen and on every toy dish and food. I tackled that task alone, and it was relatively easy. The lego organizing was difficult, but a bunch of ziplok bags helped, though there were many tiny legos that just had to be lumped together. The art table was also my challenge, and again ziploks helped, but his artwork and supplied really had nowhere to be after they were bagged. I expect all three areas will be a mess within twentyfour hours, but NOT MY PROBLEM! It's great being the grandparents, and I was most appreciative when we returned to our home and even though we have a lot of toys for the grandkids, I've got them out of the way and organized. Of course, we have a bigger house and more closets, bureaus and places to put things. And I am free to get rid of stuff whenever I wish, without a child protesting.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My husband and I traipsed around a reservoir this morning, but we didn't get there early enough, and it was through the tunnel, which is like following the road to Oz. The climate is completely different, and it was twenty degrees hotter there. Did we bring water? Of course not. Did I sweat? It was like I'd taken a shower: my hair was soaking, my straw hat, sweat was rolling down the back of my shirt, and I had on black denim jeans that fit snugly, so that my legs felt like they were being sauted in hot sauce. We usually don't stop the two plus miles around, but today I stopped three or four times. I thought of collapsing, but didn't want an ambulance to come and embarass me. When we returned home I had a long tall glass of ice water, and couldn't even have any lunch for a while. I had suggested we walk around the neighborhood, but was persuaded to do the reservoir without considering we did not get an early start and not asking if my husband had checked the weather. I won't do that again. We did see some pelicans, and now that I've survived the ordeal, and had lunch, and cooled off, I can laugh about it. But during the walk I was not amused.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I went with two friends to see the Judy Chicago show and we were all quite pleased and impressed. We'd seen The Dinner Party over forty years ago, and what an amazing trailblazing career she has had! She's followed her heart and tried so many things. What we were most impressed with was how collaborative her art has always been and how much credit she gives to those with whom she works. Their names are right up there with hers, and it's such a feminist sensibility to collaborate with other women artists. My grandmothers and mother were in quilting bees, as well as embroidery and knitting groups. Each of their completed projects bore signs of all of them. Contrast that semsibility with male artists, who stole, hid others' work on their art, and we end up with "school of" instead of any credit for their contributions. Even Judith Leyster and Artemisia Gentleschi were hidden as the artist behind works attributed to Frans Hals and Orasco Gentelschi. It's so refreshing to be honest about attributions instead of egocentric. Great show!

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

We're about to go pick up the two grandsons from their preschool. We walk about a mile with the double stroller, then pick them up, lock and load, and ply them with snacks the mile back. They go through two applesauce squeezies each, fig bars, granola bars, and then when we arrive home the current treat is ice cream pushups. By then they are covered in crumbs and sticky stuff so we mainly play out in the back yard. It's like feeding baby birds and they are starving. Preschool uses up a lot of calories evidently. I gave up worrying about their dinnertime a long time ago. These two are in the present at all times. Saying it's close to dinner is like lecturing to kittens. They talk about their day in their separate classes, and we check on the sow bugs and worms under the potted plants, and they attempt to get on the hammock, which luckily they cannot do without our help, and ring all the bells in the garden, probably about two dozen total. Then the younger one walks across our tiny bridge a few times and before you know it, Mommy is there to pick them up. (And try to get them to dinner) Oh, dear.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I walked with one friend this morning, then had lunch with another. I was outside a lot, and it felt great. The weather was hot, but not humid. My lunch friend and I went to two thrift stores after we ate outside, and I got two children's books, little metal trains (Thomas variety), two stuffed animal birds, a 60 piece puzzle showing Snow White, and other essential purchases. I picked out two bracelets and a pair of earrings for my granddaughter, and even a bag and two sweaters for me. All for the price of one of the sweaters. It was like treasure hunting, an activity my four year old grandson loves to play. I guess I must be part pirate myself. I love used things. They have history and connect me with others. I've really missed bargain hunting, and it's good to feel safe enough to venture out a bit again.