Pine-Topped Moon

Standing on the edge of a dream, misty pink cocktail of light,

I realized that tomorrow is always a touch away,

the findings of dreams within shadows.

I do not hold the moon accountable for lost love,

though it was under her kiss that I found it.

Nor do I blame the pines for giving moonlight a beard

with their blackness of sorrow over lost sunlight.

Life moves us whether we like it or not,

moves us onto new paths to explore

and sometimes back on old paths

where moonlight sits on top of pinetops.

swing music
on the plaza today...
toes keep time

August Rains

Got my wish about the heat index.... we've had rains the last couple of days.
It's so much cooler. But the gray skies make me sleepy.
I've had coffee but still long for a nap.

Things at work are ok. Been pluggin' away at some restorations and am managing to please everyone. Photography has been quiet but school starts back tomorrow and we'll soon have daycares and private schools to photography.

This year has been a big wedding year. I bet we've photographed 30 or more. Not bad, since the digital age has made every person with a digital camera think they can do a professional job. Wish I had a million dollars for every call or drop-in asking if I can improve poorly shot digital files.

Dad's doing some better. But he's still going to take a stress test tomorrow. I think he needs to find out what's what, so he'll stop speculating. Speculation is ok but not when it comes to serious health problems. A few customers that think the world of him have been on to him about smoking. I told one that all she's doing is making him want to smoke. I hope things work out ok. Trying not to worry or at least let him see it. He doesn't need to worry about me worrying..so no worries.

William starts first grade tomorrow. He's not excited. I tried to talk to him about it yesterday and he said, "Aunt Sherrie. Let's talk about sumpin' else." He's got this thing about walking around saying 'I love Eggs. Eggs like me.' My sister said he got it from the Amanda show that's on nick jr at 6 pm week nights. I do know this... it's addictive. I hear myself saying it all the time too. I guess we're in the Cult of Eggs.

Ben's speech is improving. I could understand him clearly this week. I hope he learns to be a studious boy. So far he's not shown interest in books or his Leap Pad by Leap Frog. He's in a "Red Power Ranger" phase.

Let's see...what else... Oh I've been listening to the Audio CD of Blackwell Farm. I love it. Have the next one, Blood Canticle and started listening to it ...only to realize that to get the whole jest of it, I needed to force myself to finish reading the Mayfair witch books. Oh how I dislike that bunch. But for LeStat I would do anything. How I love that character...almost as much as I love Special Agent Pendergast of the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child books.

I also listened to "Animal Farm." What a book... it should be a must read for all adults.

Haven't been watching much regular TV of late. Can't get into these new stupid reality shows and that's about all that's on, other than law and order. Taking a break from the CSI re-runs so I'll be psyched when the new shows start. Counting down to when Nip/Tuck starts again...oh how I love that show.

Can't complain about much... life's pretty good.

LadyBug

Ladybug, Ladybug
on a leaf she sits,
waiting for a slug
to match their wits.

Ladybug, Ladybug
red with black dots
here's a big hug,
cuz I love you lots...

(squash....oops)

~~
Feelin' silly today.

a haiku

humidity
blanket of heat...
over me


~ ~ ~
I'll be happy when our heat wave goes back to hell.

a poem

Hero

Many don't expect wonders
from a man of torment,
because disappointment
may tear down foundatins.
To expose an artery is death,
even if only a spiritual one.
But don't discount the spirit,
even one so tortured,
because a moment will arrive
and surprise will uprise,
when the hero chained
by demons will step-in
when hope is lost.
Heroes aren't born,
nor are they created,
if we have courage,
we're all heroes.

~ ~ ~

(not my best effort, but you get the drift)

Amazing

I've had a few calls today about Al's heroic attempts to save the boy. I gave more details to the callers and was shocked to find that they thought he and I were back together because we talked. It amazed me how each person assumed that if anything could get us back together it would be Al being a hero.

That's not the case. Things have changed between us. And I can't see us ever getting back together. Noticed I didn't say Never. But as of now, I don't see that path before us.

What amazed me also was what someone asked me..."Were you shocked that Allen had it him?"

I assumed she meant "the rescue." Of course I wasn't shocked. Al isn't one to run from a fire, he's one who would run to it.

Today I'm sitting here as I work, shaking my head and wondering how people can think like they do.

Re: Allen

Thurs night there was a horrible rain storm that flooded parts of Fayetteville. Al lives there now. He was sitting on his front porch, watching the storm when he saw a 17 yr old boy walking across his front yard. The boy stepped into a ditch and disappeared. The ditch is 12 feet deep when it rains heavy and the kid got sucked under and pulled into a culvert. He drown.

Al jumped in and tried to find him. Couldn't. Got out, found some rope and wrapped it around his hand, gave the other end to a neighbor to hold, and then jumped back in. He tried to find the kid but couldn't. He gave up when the rescue team showed up. But they were too late.

I called him earlier today but he wasn't home. Because I knew he would take this hard...not being able to save the kid. He called back later. I didn't realize he had caller ID and would return my call. We talked for awhile. First time in over a year. And it was nice. He wasn't desperately trying to get me to come back to him. We chatted like friends.

Funny how that made a weight go off me. He was sufferring the last time we talked. I'm glad he finally moved on past the past of us. We both had a sense of peace as we hung up the phone.

I tied up a loose thread. You know... I still love him, but it's more of a memory of that love we once had. We can't go back. And we aren't stuck in it now. There isn't a future but we can live with that knowledge now. Be there if the other needs a friend.

Time...it does heal.

Allen

Allen, my ex-boyfriend and probably the love of my life, was in the news yesterday. He tried to save a boy who fell into a rain-swollen ditch and was sucked into a culvert. My mom told me about it. She was surprised. I'm not. There's a lot of good in Al...

story link

Black Cherry

On my lips,
a hint of cherry
and a promise of spring
in every kiss.

New Route to Water

All alone for a few hours today...and of all days, I couldn't get my bottle of AquaCal black cherry flavored water open. The cap in on tighter than my great granny's girdle. I refused to go next-door and ask one of the guys there to open it. They laugh and say "Oh, poor frail Sherrie." I tried all the tools we have here..but none would break the seal and I was dying of thirst. Even the puddle of water outside by the curbing looked good.

So I'm sitting at the desk with a box cutter punching a hole big in the bottle, big enough to insert a straw when the UPS guy waltzing in... he stands there watching as I triumphly get a hole cut out and a straw inserted.
He asks, "What are you doing?"
"Can't get the cap off, so I'm came in with a straw."
He studies me for a long moment, then he comments, "You are a stubborn woman."
I took a deep draw of water in, wiped my lips and said, "No, I'm a woman of genius."

A Quick Hi-dee-ho

I confess...my muse has been MIA.

Dad's feeling better. He complains, but I've noticed he's back to smoking a lot. I wonder if he knows that when he exhales, his breath smells like brimstone... proof that smoking is hell on his body! I doubt it. He's one of the activist who believe smokers are treated like red-headed stepchildren. It bothers me that he won't stop... it bothers me to find ashes on the keyboard of the PC...it bothers me that my sinuses kill me while I work... ok...enough bitch'n about smoking.

Work's been hectic.. I've taken in a lot of restoration orders...some as far back at the early 1900's. Very interesting to see these old photos. I'll have to post some of them once I restore them.

August Issue

It's ready finally. Been busy working on it the last few days.

http://www.opalrose.com/magazine/August.html

Sunday Morning Coming Down

Gotta love the Man in Black.

For some reason, yahoo mail doesn't want me to send email.
So I'm here, letting a few special people know that I'm hanging in here.

Dad's feeling a little better. He blew up at me Friday over something minor and let all a lot of steam. Since he's been having chest pains, I let a lot of the stuff he said slide...he tends to bend stuff out of shape when he gets like that. A lot of what he said was contraditions of what he said a moment before. I put my mental armour on and let him rip.

Saturday was the best day he's had in a few weeks. No chest pains, no dizziness, or other melancholy baby stuff. I think he cleared out his stress.

As for me... my stress took a toll. I am drained today. Still not sleeping at night. Maybe I'll take a bath with Lavender oil and see if I can relax. Try to catch a nap.

The Carolina Potpourri magazine will be out later this week. I'll post the link.

Thanks...

N-S-E-W

We saw the end of summer,
geese flying into the sunset
on a hot September day.
There was no east or west
to our love, only north.
The geese flew. So did we,
wings spread like neon bugs
seeking the wind.
Somewhere at half past winter,
we found ourselves
on a southernly path
to nowhere.

The Night

The night blazed
in cosmic wonder,
as he stood by my door
trying to enchant me
with wit galore.

Moonlight was his
spotlight,
while I waited
in shadows,
watching the stars
shine on everything
but him.

Icing

I am the icing
on his cake

a cup of stardust
in my hair

sparkling like
candy sprinkles

to keep love
alive

I pretend that
he isn't as dry

as week old bread.