Random Thoughts

New Boots I saw the small, handwritten ”Estate Sale” sign hanging crookedly on a neighbor’s fence Sunday as I drove past.   There were a few articles of clothing hung on the fence, too.   “I would like to walk down there and check that sale out,” I thought, and I also hoped it was a generic use of the term “Estate Sale”, meaning “we are selling some of our things because we just have too much” and not a “the owners of this home and have died and we are cleaning it out forever”.   Late in the afternoon David and I walked to the sale, only about 5 houses down from ours.     As we entered the yard, I saw it was FULL of women’s shoes.   There were bed sheets laid out on the ground and shoe upon shoe was displayed.   Two African American women stood outdoors – one trying on a shoe.   “Wow!” I said, “Someone sure loves shoes!”.   “They were my mom’s”, answered one of the women.   “And yes, she sure did love shoes.   There are lots...

If you haven't watched the video associated with this blog yet, you can see it at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XChb49oUa2o “project VOTE” came from an idea, a feeling, a discomfort I had with noticing how many people are saying they are not going to vote in the upcoming presidential election.   Wait - let me back up. Elections are important to me.   Democracy is important.   I don’t know why really – politics are not something I remember as being central to my upbringing.   My family didn’t really discuss politics.   I don’t remember going to a polling place with my parents (though maybe I did?).   I don’t remember dinner conversations about political issues or candidates.   My first memory of elections is when I could vote in the 1984 presidential race - I was excited to cast that first ballot.   Fast forward a couple of decades.   I now live near the capital of our country (“one stoplight from DC” as all local real estate...

I am I cried. I am, said I. And there was no one there – not    even   the   chair . Neil Diamond.   Ahhh.   When my parents invited us to go to a Neil Diamond concert with them in the early 90s, that’s the song that played in my head.   “THE CHAIR song” I called it, and the lyrics above are how I heard it.   Of course, I also hummed “Coming to America”, but it was "The Chair Song" that drew me in.   It was the one I remembered playing over and over on the 8 track player in the big wooden record player/8 track player combo piece of furniture in our formal living room.   So, while Neil Diamond wasn’t on the top of my age 20-something playlist, I figured it would be a fun night and a good adventure with my parents. So all night we sat with them in the auditorium, which was packed with “old people” their age, as I secretly waited for the song I found so funny and unintelligible.   Was it a love song to a chair? ...

We are not party people.   I am not comfortable AT parties – the socializing and loud talking feel foreign.   What is one supposed to SAY?   Who are you supposed to TALK TO?   Parties just end up as stressors for me.   And double for HOSTING them – we just don’t do it.   Oh sure, once in a while in Florida we will have a couple of neighbors over, and even THAT small affair involves much preparation and hustling about.   But I don’t know if we have ever hosted a party in Virginia.   Our house is never “right”:   there are dust bunnies, there are dirty socks on the floor, the tub is dirty.   But tonight we threw a party in Arlington.   A SLIP ‘n’ SLIDE party.   It was to be a celebration of the heat – of the summer.   It has been over 100 degrees with the heat index the last few days.   I wanted to bust out the Slip ‘n’ Slide the other night, but our houseguests ended up going out that evening and it seemed wrong to...

“Gotta find my purpose – gotta find me.” That’s always been one of my least favorite songs from “Avenue Q”. Just never resonated. Then yesterday, it popped into my head (and won’t leave). I think it is because I kinda sorta realize my PURPOSE. And it aligns so well with David’s. I think it might be why we make such an excellent pair/team. Let me just say, I don’t think I have ever really believed in “purpose”. Never really thought anyone had a specific mission or goal to accomplish during their limited time on earth. But maybe I was wrong. Yesterday a man’s car died while at the stop light in front of our house. We were outside working in the yard, and noticed him get out and try to push the car in the direction of a neighbor’s driveway. He was alone, and pushing a car by yourself is tough. So of course, we both ran over to help push and offered our driveway as a landing point. That’s just what we DO. We don’t think about it. Don’t question it. If someone needs ...

We weren’t planning any side trips last night. We were coming home after doing a double shift of volunteering answering phones for the local NPR fund drive. It had been a fun few hours – taking pledges over the phones, meeting new people, laughing, and eating good food that had been donated to thank us for giving of our time. But on the drive home, we saw a man in the snow. He was a bit like a tortoise on his back – thrashing and trying to right himself. Two people, presumed companions, were trying to pull him up by his arms but it was not working. When we got closer we saw crutches on the ground. Oh my – their infirmed father/friend/brother had fallen, and they could not get him up! Because of the huge snow piles made by the plows on the sides of the roads, it is not possible these days to simply pull over. There is no place to pull over. So we drove to the next street and David jumped out to help while I stayed in the car (blocking a lane) with the flashers. But even with 3...