#SoCS: The Express Lane

Remember when grocery stores had an express lane, for shoppers with 10-15 items or less, who wanted in and out in a quick hurry? Yeah, unless a shopper was behind THAT person with 30 items in his/her cart, who is either unable to count or doesn’t care about rules and store policy. With that in mind, I am going to attempt an express post, one with photos and not too many words. So you all can get in and outRead more

#SoCS: The Signals to Get Up and Do

Oh, the life of Gibbs, the cat. To sleep, to eat, to play, to visit the litterbox whenever he wants; to whine consistently for food; to lounge around on a dog bed that is not his, no matter that it smells like a dog. Gibbs doesn’t have to get up and do anything if he’d rather not. His life may not be as long as a human’s, but it’s a good and non-demanding life. Being retired, I could follow theRead more

In Between Life Anew

The chill of a season hangs on in breath While the earth underneath awaits its death There are calls of life anew underneath As chorus frogs wait in a shrubland heath A taste of spring willingly comes and goes Warm breezes, fresh unsoiled air wafts like prose Then winter returns from clouds filled with snow Gray skies appear in silver ink shadow In time, the month of earth’s change comes along Geese and crane return, noting robin’s song Too earlyRead more

#SoCS: Generally Speaking…

I hate technology at times. It’s Friday afternoon and the images I wanted to share are not cooperating. The android is not cooperating. Gmail is not cooperating. Gibbs tells me I’m not cooperating with his eating schedule. Whatever. The washer and dryer ARE cooperating, thank the Lord. Clean clothes are genuinely required. Anyhow, the photo of the bike is now my new bike, without the bike rack, odometer, front and rear lights and water bottle holder that was added atRead more

#SoCS: Profound and Pink

She steps out into the morning sun, a growing child of five, taking in the warmth of spring and new beginnings. The child heads to her love, a pink bike that sits in the corner of the yard, the one thing that brings adventure to her life as the tires spin across the grass and gravel. The sun beckons her down the block, across the cracks of sidewalk cement and slowly, across decades, she ages into her real self, theRead more

#SoCS: Random Questions from the Heart

In today’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday, Linda Hill asks that participating bloggers use the word “heart” in their post. Naturally, I assume Linda is thinking about Valentine’s Day, coming up this Tuesday. I don’t celebrate the holiday because A) I am single and B) have a healthy supply of chocolate that makes every day Valentine’s Day. That being said, I am at a loss what to write about today because A) I don’t want to write anything mushy about feelingsRead more

Back for Now

Here we are Back for now Today Here we are Back for now In a poetic way Life too busy Far from easy Here and there Never Nowhere Here we are Back for now Ready Here we are Back for now Fast and Steady Life still fun On the run Ever exploring Sometimes boring Here I am Back for now Choosing Here I am Back for now Forward moving To write and read In various speeds Workouts again Upright andRead more

What Day is it?

Today is Labor Day in the United States, so I’ll start off by saying “thank you” to those who are enjoying a day off from their jobs. As of September 1st, I haven’t had to acknowledge this holiday for two years, unless an invitation to a picnic is involved. It’s just another day off to anyone who is retired. Every so often, I wake up in a need-for-caffeine fog and wonder, “What day is it?” Because one can lose senseRead more

Gibbs Sends His Congratulations

Geez. I’m still wondering how retired life got so busy, but it’s not a complaint. I rather like it this way because it beats spending too much time on the couch, watching mindless TV, in the midst of winter. Speaking of winter, my brother sent me this photo on Saturday morning. It snowed in Colorado, up to a foot in some places. This was my chance to laugh at his predicament and enjoy the cool 64F (18C) day in Wisconsin.Read more

Checking in with Priorities

“Instead of saying ‘I don’t have time,’ try saying ‘it’s not a priority,’ and see how that feels. Often, that’s a perfectly adequate explanation. I have time to iron my sheets, I just don’t want to. Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don’t like how we’re spending an hour, we can choose differently.”― Wall Street Journal Let me be honest. Blogging hasn’t been a priority of late. I could say that I don’t have timeRead more

#SoCS: Bike Tripping

Biking buddy and I have been busy planning an end-of-June trip to Missouri. The Katy Trail, at 237 miles, is the longest “rail-to-trail” recreational delight in the United States. Spanning East to West from Machens to Clinton, it follows the path of the Missouri River for most of its length. We will be biking the western half of the trail, with visits to the Clydesdale ranch, breweries, wineries, and historic buildings thrown in. In preparation, biking buddy and I madeRead more

A Winter’s Psalm

Frigid winter is my torment; I shall not want.     I lie wrapped in a cocoon of a comforter’s warmth, a sleeping cat lays still beside me.     Frigid gnaws at my shivering soul. He lures me outside in evil deceit     for a frozen winter’s sake. I trudge through drifts of plow’s leavings,     and fear the ice underneath, for there is no one with me     to right a body when it falls.     Frigid cannot comfort me where I lie. Winter prepares arrivalRead more