Where We Stand on Things

I never expected one of my photographs to be turned into a painting, but Leanne has taken hold of the beautiful great blue heron who posed so gallantly on the beach, and she's turning it into an 18X36 painting.  I can't wait to see the finished result! Check out her site at the link above. Her archives are amazing!

                               

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Also from Leanne and MommaK is the I AM meme, and since I was moody last night, the timing was right. Here we go:

I AM: frustrated at the string of financial issues that have popped up lately, bringing our kitchen reno to a slow crawl. It's been 4 months since we started and we're ready for the counter tops and cabinet doors, but we have to wait. I've been reading about Dooce's plumbing issues and I think we're in similar boats. She listed all of their financial expenses in one of her posts and ours were very similar. I just don't have a beach towel involved in mine.
I WANT: to have a finished house, once and for all, so  we can do other things on the weekend besides work on the damn house.
I WISH: the son of a friend of ours had waited.  And talked to somebody. anybody. He committed suicide this week at the age of 20.  My heart is still reeling for his parents and his sister, who are understandably in shock.  Those he left behind will carry his burden for him, for the rest of their lives.   I wish he could have somehow looked to the future, and given himself a chance to believe that things have a way of working out in the long run. I worry about his sister, Britt's best friend, and his mom, who is single and left to absorb this on her own. And his father, who has lost his oldest son. It is sad, his light extinguished, theirs to carry in all the years to come.
I HATE: I don't really hate anything. I'll think about this for a few minutes. 
I MISS: spring.  It's summer in Florida already. 
I FEAR: something bad happening to my kids.
I HEAR: Buddy, whining because it is 7 p.m. Do I not know that a walk is imminent and he is ready???
I WONDER: what I'm going to do with my life the next 10 -20 years or so.
I REGRET: not finishing college. Yes, I know I can go back. it's just always a time/money thing and I can't seem to get there.
I AM NOT: easily intimidated by loud, angry fools.
I DANCE: often, all over the house. I do plie's and leaps, twists and spins.
I SING: every day. I can't sing on key, so it's definitely a WYSIWYG* issue. 
I CRY: easily.  don't take me to chic flicks.
I AM NOT ALWAYS: happy.
I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: gardens, painted walls and food, glorious food!
I WRITE:  often, even when I don't post. I create stories in my head all day long. Keeps me busy. ;)
I CONFUSE: most people when I'm talking, because I get my words mixed up. This past week, after watching a TV news commercial which said to  "Stay Tuned to Newswatch 10: The surprising truth about chocolate!"  Britt changed the channel to another program. I was paying bills and told her to "turn it back to channel chocolate so I can see that report..."
I NEED: a mammogram, a new physician and my head examined. Also a vacation. (Then we could skip the head therapy and all will be right with the world.)
I SHOULD: get with it, but I'm typing this meme instead. I should also walk the dog because he has now begun to howl.
I START: to worry easily.
I FINISH: my fantasy of hiring him to finish my kitchen once and for all. And then I wake up and slip back to reality, into the kitchen where hub is doing an incredible job on the cabinets and handling our lives as best he can.  It will all work out in the long run.

Comments

[Nils]

Always lovely getting to know you better. And I bet you sing just fine ...

[Sue]

Oh, you sound alot like me -- however, I bet your house will be done before mine is :) And...I am sorry about Britts best friends son....I have a BIL who has attempted it so many times I don't have any fingers and toes left to count and they just can't see past their own misery -- he once described to me as a tunnel and their is nothing else around but the light -- nothing anyones says matters then...it is very sad and I can tell you how sorry I am.

[Old Horsetail Snake]

A rather "telling" piece, Laura. Thanks a bunch. I now return you to chocolate channel.

[mom]

It is really sad that young man could not see past the present. I feel sorry for his family.
You felt the same way when the addition was being done and now it is finished , looks great and you are enjoying the fruits of the years labor. I am amazed Rick does all that work and works full time too.
So the kitchen will be finished in good time and you will enjoy it everyday. You two keep a stiff upper lip..(whatever the heck that means)

[Florida Cracker]

Whoa... I could ditto a bunch of those.

Our remodeling has ground to a halt also for $ reasons and the danger is you get used to the unfinished little things until someone visits and then you are reminded how...messy everything is. Just know that alot of us are in similar boats.

Sad about the young man, I've never understood that step, so final.

I don't do the dancey thing around the house, but singing loudly and badly to any Buffet tune ever made is a bad habit of mine...

Your kitchen will happen, you have a craftsman in the house...it'll work out, just wait and see.

[Monique]

A friend once did a beautiful pencil sketch for me out of a photo of my daughter. I cherish it!

[kenju]

Oooh, if you hire him to do your kitchen, I want him to come here and do mine, too. He used to live here - back in the 70's.

[Laura]

Nils, I do, actually. As long as no one else can hear me!

Sue, wow, that must be really hard for your family in trying to come to terms with your brother in law's frequent attempts. It has got to be very stressful for everyone. :(

Thanks Hoss...Did I tell you about the time I went into the bedroom to get a headache...(instead of the tylenol?). lol

Mom, thanks. I don't know what the saying means either.

Crackers, that is a good point. We have gotten used to unfinished projects around here that other people find a little odd. Crazy stuff!

Monique, very cool. That is something you'll hve for years and years to come. :)

Kenju... well first he has to retile our master bathroom and put a new floor down in the other bathroom. And then there's the whole issue of the electrical wires....I think i'll keep him busy for some time. I'll see if he has a brother and send him your way!

[Sandy of AIP]

You really get to know people by their meme's...that was a great one...and I may have to try it sometime.

I wish I could paint beautiful pictures...I'd decorate my whole house with my works of art.

It's awful when someone takes their life, because I know if they'd wait awhile they might change their minds. I feel so sorry for his family who have to live with his decision for the rest of their lives wondering if there was something that they could have done differently. The second guessing can eat away at their souls.

[doubleknot]

Your list sounds like you are down a bit now. Just remember this too shall pass. So what if some one visits and the house isn't perfect - it will never be perfect but it will get done. Suicide runs in our family - the youngest was 22 when she took her life - she had such a hard life from the time she was a baby that it seemed a relief for her to be free of the pain. But I am sorry that your friends son took his - he should have waited - called someone - OK enough of that. Take the dog for a walk - sing a song and do a little dance - God is in heaven and he knows the big plan which we shouldn't worry about.

[InterstellarLass]

I know what you mean about the house. I have just a few little things to do to finish my bathroom...yet I can't seem to find the time to do them.

So sad to hear about your friend's son. I wish peace for them.

I confuse my words all the time. Or can't think of the right one. I use "thingy" a lot.

[Grins]

Three posts in a row that resonated with me. I'm blogrolling you.