I love watching old Gene Kelly movies. Ridiculous plots, very bad acting, horrible sets. but WONDERFUL dance scenes. In some ways, I wish I had been born forty years earlier when everyone learned to actually dance. Unfortunately, my generation began gyrating instead, and it's just stayed that way (any questions about that, visit Harmony's blog and watch her 'evolution of dance').

Today has been alternating between emptying tissue boxes and catnapping. And I mean 'catnapping' literally - whenever I actually do get to sleep, my cat decides that right then and there, he deserves attention, plops on top of me, and purrs so much when I wake up that I can't really get mad at him.

My middle child turned 26 today. I remember how upset my mom was when I (the youngest) turned 25 - maybe it will hit me next year when my son turns 25. Right now I sincerely LOVE the fact that my kids are all adults... well, at least legally. I decided quite a while ago to never get old, but I enjoy so much that they are making adult decisions... and without asking me! Heavenly Father blessed with three just basically decent kids - He knows my limitations.

It is so difficult to deal with an unthankful individual. I can appreciate more and more how gratitude, counting your blessings, appreciating what you do have instead of what you don't - all these put you closer to God, to His Spirit. We all moan and groan about our impossible loads and trials and aches and pains, and while this is completely acceptable for therapy (especially my personal long-distance phone counselor - yes, you know who you are), it ends up clogging our personal communications/prayers with others and with Heavenly Father.

Yesterday I compared someone's attitude to a huge air filter, that is completely clogged and stuffed with junk... but it's with their own, personal junk - and they have no desire to clean it out in any way, shape or form. Getting the air filter cleaned or at least partially accessible is taken as a security breach - an attack on their protection system.

Yes, I know - I need to take my own advice more often. There are so many wonderful, beautiful things in each of our universes, and it makes our worlds much brighter if we try to focus on those positive bits.

Live and learn, eg?

Driving in good therapy. At least driving alone. And for longer than, say, twenty minutes. When it's cool enough that you don't have to have the window open - or have good air conditioning - mainly, when you can have the windows up instead of down. Then if you need some 'alone' time (oh, my, I may have caught the 'quote' flu from my daughter), and perhaps some primal scream therapy - I mean, just if you need to get some things 'out' (okay, it's certain, I have it) and don't feel 'safe' in their circumstances. Driving can allow someone to 'let it out', to 'release' your emotions, to 'let your hair down.' How 'good' you 'feel' at the 'end' of the 'drive' may 'depend' on how 'much' you have 'expanded' your 'lungs' and 'tear' ducts.

Whew. I can't 'do' this any 'more.'

It's funny when someone has to cancel a lunch date with you - and you are secretly relieved. This is a friend who needs a great deal of support - and sometimes I just don't feel like being that supportive person - especially when you are trying to eat!

I am also trying to load a truck with an unreasonable amount of junk to take to the county dump. When you throw out twenty things, it suddenly becomes much easier to dispose of another twenty - and my truck's bed simply isn't that big! And since it's $5 a load, my money-conscience self (read that 'cheap') wants to get as much as possible in.

So my spare bedroom is getting cleared, with the main object being to have the extra room when/if my daughter's family comes for a late-Thanksgiving-very-early-Christmas. I am certain my hygienically-conscience girl (yes, I am more and more convinced that we must have gotten babies switched at the hospital) will want to stay in a hotel (for one thing, better cable), but I may be able to create a fun place for my grandkids to play (or to put the dog and cat in for the day).

I've begun work again on my life history. It's a chance to write (without having to get on-line), and get nostalgic, although I hope not sappy. My kids have heard a lot of my stories, but not all - so they will just have to shift through the repeats to find anything new ;-)

I'm going through old photographs also, which prompt a lot of stories. Some are ones I wish I could rewrite without being dishonest - some just are better forgotten. However, I have rediscovered how incredibly cute my kids are.

It's a sure sign that I am getting older, I am certain, but it's amazing how much has changed - in our lives, in the world, in fashion (even back then, I was not a much into any kind of clothes other than jeans and t-shirts). The Cold War, racial integration, how women were so different from men (which we ARE, it's just BETTER), sports... wow.

Okay, enough for the night!

Today has been a marvelously unproductive day. My main accomplishment has been separating a roof piece that took me several weeks to put together. Otherwise I have avoided almost everything regarding chores, watching the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice and sighing over Mr. Darcy.

All things are relative after all. I could have to put up with my wicked mother-in-law for 11 days. Well, I don't really have a wicked mother-in-law - just one that stays happily in Oregon and just needs a phone call every Sunday evening.

Today, however, I was involved in an underhanded covert operation - a puppy hand-off. It was executed brilliantly in broad day-light, but has relieved me of the eighteen-hour duty requiring constant survialence (sp?) to keep my carpet slightly less stained.

See? A great day after all! Even with another power outage, and stark realization of my dependency on spider-solitare and fans.