my guys

Forever I carry you everywhere

I carry your joys, worries and fears
I carry your opinions, beliefs, ideas
Dreams wished for or wishes broken
Sometimes shared sometimes unspoken
I carry your heart aches and pain
disappointments that remain
I carry your achievements and wins
hearty laughs, devilish grins
I carry your humorous punk pranks
your thoughtfulness, sweet-thanks
I carry your love and kisses on cheek
your quirky ways & moody streaks
I carry memories of your childhood lives
along with visions of your prospective wives
I carry muted prayers for your future years
lavish with health & happiness, short on tears
I carry the memory of each precious birth
As I will you pride, strength, self-worth
I carry my eternal thanks to heaven above
For granting me the weight of unconditional love
Three sons I shall love from their infancy till I depart
Three sons I treasure carrying forever in my heart

sunday scribblings

headache haiku

Three word wednesday
Fracture
Noise
Vanish

My spirit fractured
Queasy from sight noise and sound
Migraine PLEASE vanish

Grow up!

sunday scribblings asks...What are your thoughts on adulthood? What do you want to be when you grow up? Are you scared of being an adult? Have you been forced to be the adult in a relationship? Do you have an adult child who won't grow up? Are you glad to finally be an adult? What do you think?
I think.. I will try to answer all of these colorful questions...

my thoughts on adulthood?? Adulthood is over rated! When we are kids we can't wait to grow up. I wished most of my childhood away just aching to be an adult, be in charge of my own life, my future, my decisions, my freedom. But when I look back, I was really forced at a ridiculously early age to do most of those things and ironically I was acting more adult at 8 years old than most adults do at 28. Yet the wishing continued and before I knew what had happened I was an adult in the eyeballs of society and up to my eyeballs in responsibilities. (be careful what u wish for?) ABSO-freaking-LUTELY!

What do I want to be when I grow up? Gee.. I just turned 50 but I am still working on that one!
that 8 year old couldn't wait to be a mama.. This mama loves being a mama and a hairstylist. But I feel like I am still growing and I still want to try my hand (or should I say FEET) at something more. I signed up for that workshop to learn how to be a zumba instructor. I am excited and a little nervous at this prospect. I've always had a passion for dancing... but I think my ultimate answer to this one would be .... happy and peaceful.. I just want to be happy and peaceful AS I CONTINUE to grow up.

Am I scared of being an adult? Not any more. Now I am more scared for my adult sons. I find myself worrying constantly. About their safety, their decisions, their disappointments and heartaches. I used to always put up the following Elizabeth Stone quote as an away message when i used to use AIM... EVERY parent will relate... "making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body"

Have I been forced to be the adult in a relationship? not at all! Although my husband and I share in all the adult responsibilities of our lives... Often (and I am so happy about this) He takes the roll of nurturer with me. I put up a fuss protesting his pampering and his treating me as if I am a 'delicate flower'***(see note below) .. but he knows I really like it, and need it and I know that he knows about that 8 yr. old acting like an adult portion of my life, so i know it all comes from loving me and wanting to compensate for the time when he wishes I would have been properly pampered. (did this make sense??) *** I remember seeing a tv show years ago.. where a husband so beautifully talked about how every relationship has you either being the gardener or the flower. I think it is true.. Most couples I know, it always seems the woman is the gardener, constantly tending to her flowers needs.

Do I have an adult child who won't grow up?
instead of saying NO COMMENT.. I will instead just say... I think times have really changed and young adults seem to be a bit slower at growing up than young adults in my day. And this goes back to the yellow question... Growing up and being an adult is pretty scary!

Am I glad to finally be an adult? 'finally' doesn't really apply to me, but YES I am happy to be an adult, Would be even happier to be a YOUNG adult all over again, but am just counting my blessings that I am not yet living in an adult home or living with an adulterer and have no plans on becoming an adulteress! Just an ordinary adult who sometimes acts very immature and is trying to just have lots of fun in her second act! :)

The Feast of St. Lucia!

It's been a birthday, vacation,whirlwind week! My friend tonight said it well... it's the Feast of Saint Lucia! I really like that! We've sure done enough eating to call it a feast.
My 50th birthday was on monday. I had been feeling a little overwhelmed by this surreal number, but as the amazing love poured in from my friends, family and even my clients.. The 'number' started becoming less and less relevant and the warmth and love I felt surrounding me became my focus and my greatest joy. I received so many moving cards and beautiful gifts and phone calls. I can't even express how much I appreciate all these thoughts! I received 3 flower deliveries! I lined them up on my table for a picture to show you and thought... Gee it smells like a funeral parlor in here..Maybe people are thinking I'm 50, i must be dying!! but No no no! I pushed that thought OUT of my wacky head.

The celebrating started last month when Mr. Petals gave me an early present.. my little ipod touch.
At first I thought I wasn't technologically engineered correctly to learn how to use it.
But after a friend walked me through it a bit.. it has become my new favorite toy.
I downloaded the scrabble app ( there's a tech term! it's short for application!!)
and now I can play facebook scrabble(which I may be hooked on) OUTSIDE in the sunshine!
(I recently compared the internet to running water and Mr. Petals is worried that he may have made a mistake with this gift!)
Since Saturday, we've enjoyed many dinners, much laughter, and CAKE!! Oh my! I think previously, I may have been cake deprived, because I can't seem to get enough CAKE!!
Whipped creme cakes, pound cakes, Peach pies, chocolate cake, and tonight at book club... cheese cake and crumb cake! YUMMM!

The best part of this week.. It's only Wednesday! Tomorrow my sweet Cara mia Carol is taking me out for a special italian lunch date! Then, in the evening it's off to the movies! On friday i am hoping to go BAcK to the beach. On Saturday we have a dear friends daughters wedding! Sunday we will be with other special friends and my vacation will sadly come to an end.. HOWEVER! the feast will continue in September when we celebrate with the theater tickets friends gave me to see Bye Bye Birdie on broadway!(with cutie pie John Stamos) As well as dinner in the city too! Also in September Mr. Petals and I are seeing one of our favorite bands.. Rusted root!
So you see that?! 50 is incredible! It's not so scary after all and it's FUN! and FUN is what I am all about at 50! I just want to have lot's of FUN!!
(if u read this whole spiel.. Thanks for listening!)

another haiku

The three word wednesday words are:
decay
graceful
riot

Once Graceful dancer

reflects as old joints decay

Thoughts run riot. heal.

The honour of your presence is requested at Lucy's fantasy dinner party!

I have imagined many fantasy dinner parties sunday scribblers! Usually these fantasies don't have SEVEN guests or revolve much around the dinner, so I am choosing to tell you about One dinner party that YOU are going to wish had an extra table setting for you.
My dinner party would be very casual. We would probably gather on pillows on the floor around a large glass coffee table with various candles and colorful dinnerware. I will be serving...(well.. wait... this is a fantasy right?? I will have my cabana boy.. Hugh Jackman serving dinner) He doesn't count as one of my seven guests because he is the help ( and part of another fantasy!)
The first to arrive will be Bjork. She will bring her uniqueness and probably some Icelandic dessert that will look like a beautiful swan but taste a bit unusual. Next to arrive will be Cyndi (Lauper)... She will make a noisy entrance as she shows her true colors... her Fun personality along with some homemade brownies. Billie (holiday) will be right behind her.. Bringing me a bouquet of gardenias as her haunting sultry voice thanks me for getting her a night away from her lover man.
We will all shine on when John Lennon walks through the door, he brings with him an aura of peace and puts us all in a more relaxed mood. He also brings my favorite red wine and I imagine I will sit him right to my right.
Freddy( mercury) has given Judy (garland) a ride, and they walk in together with energy and spirit AND a trail of groupie fat bottomed girls? ( hugh escorts the girls to the pool to chill)
We all begin noshing on grilled veggies and artichokes oreganata, chick pea salad, shrimp and lobster cocktail, delicious wines... Their voices begin to break out with song . I am swooning and goose bumped from the harmony of all my favorite talented singers. WaIT.. I stop swaying to their voices and sipping my wine to ask Hugh... Gee... why hasn't Jerry arrived yet? I hope he is okay... No sooner than me asking hugh (who btw, is wearing only a bow-tie on his sexy neck and an apron around his chiseled waist)
The door bell rings and IN walks Jerry Seinfeld... (yes I know he doesn't sing but I adore him)....
and he says.. Did u ever notice... how You can measure distance by time. "How far away is it?" "Oh about 20 minutes." But it doesn't work the other way. "When do you get off work?" "Around 3 miles." I'm Sorry I'm late... but your invitation with your address flew out my car window on the l.i.e.(long island expressway)! hey.. I brought you some NON fat frozen yogurt and Soup!

There u have it!
this was a fun one girls! Congrats to Laini!

What's new is quite old

Congratulations to sunday scribblings host Laini! She is about to have a NEW baby!
so.. NEW is the prompt for the week


So, what is New here in the petals residence?! WHEWwwww I can't even believe I am sharing this, but I just have to share it, because I just heard it and I still can't believe it and It is NEWS to me and I don't know whether I should be pissed or amused or REALLY pissed!
As mr. petals (notice I didn't capitalize the m in mr or the p in petals tonight) and I were having a wonderful soak in the hot tub and talking about this and that... THIS NEW information was revealed to me after being married to this man for nearly TWENTY NINE YEARS! Ends up, there was a woman he was MADLY in love with before he met me!! Now.. I knew he had been WAY around the block before I came along... I mean maybe...WAY around the neighborhood would be a better description. (or town? no... PLANET!) way around the planet is fitting! I've heard many tales about many women which have made me upset but I fought my emotions from bubbling over because it was just 'meaningless sex'. (apparently many can put those two words together, I never could.) (and also 'cause i always Coerce him into telling me, so I can't show I am upset!!) But THIS NEW revelation!! Holy shit! I mean what is a woman suppose to do with this information?! mr petals doesn't read my blog.. but I would feel like a creep, if I were to disclose any more of the UN F**#ING BELIEVABLE details of this relationship he was involved in. What I can't help wondering deep in my heart.. WHY? Why didn't he ever share this? I WILL TELL YOU WHY!! Because.. She affected him THAT much! That's why!! Why else would this have NOT come out early on in our dating?? And then there was planning a wedding for a year.. ya THINK maybe that would have been a good time to tell someone who is committing to spend the rest of their lives with you that You've already experienced being madly in love??

Of course he is denying today that he was madly in love with her..
denying that THAT was the reason this was never discussed... But I Am a WoMAN!! I Know!!
I know EVERYThing! I know about emotions! and feelings! and covert affairs! and scheming deception! and Silence speaking VOlumES!!! I know this is going to haunt me for a very long time. I also know I will need to drop this with mr. petals. (or he may never confess any other secrets!!) This man has devoted himself to loving me for over 30 years and I KNOW like I know my own heart... that he has been undeniably faithful and madly in love with me. So why then does this news have my stomach feeling like there is a spin cycle going on inside of it, pushing sudsy bubbles into my throat and heated FURY into my pulsing veins?? Why then do i feel so betrayed? Cheated on! Misled! Deceived! Can someone help me clarify why I am such a lunatic. OR AM i crazy to feel so distressed? Maybe I am not crazy and should go kill the bastard right now?? I am open for suggestions!! (not on how to kill him, I'm sicilian...THAT i can handle)

NaBloSoFroDraWe

Since my blogging has been off a bit lately (due to my brain being a bit off).. I've decided to follow my friend bones lead and dig down into the bowels of my draft bin to post a post that might otherwise have Not been posted! (if you are kind enough to read it, you'll know why)
Bone has officially named this commencement
NaBloSoFroDraWe 2009
which stands for National Blog something from drafts week! You are brilliant Mr.Bone!
So here is one of my least awful posts from that bin. Good thing I don't clean up my clutter, or i may have deleted them all!

Once upon a time(about 11 years ago) an adorable, curly haired little boy, so badly wanted a beautiful bright blue beta fish. He asked for one everyday. Soon his wish was granted! He quietly watched it swim in its bowl everyday. Everyday, he carefully fed it just the right amount of stinky fish food. He named his treasured fish 'fish'. One day while the little boy was out shopping with his mom, His very adorable but finicky dad, decided to clean fishes bowl. Being a bit of a perfectionist, Mr Finicky Petals decided that soap and water didn't work well enough. He brilliantly decided to go down to the laundry room ( where he is forbidden to go by Mrs. Petals for washing her bras with his dirty paint clothes) and get the Giant bottle of clorax. Fish swam around in a paper cup nearby as Mr. Petals got fishes bowl immaculately clean and smelling fresher than the day it was bought. Knowing how delicate fish like fish were, Mr. Petals knew he had to rinse rinse rinse it very well before putting fish back into that bowl.
After all that careful attention to rinsing.... It came as Quite a surprise to Mr. Petals when he plopped fish back in his spotless bowl, that he instantly turned from bright beautiful blue to pale light blue to laying upside down at the top of the bowl!! HOrriFiED! Mr. Petals quickly flushed fish and put the bowl out of sight, hoping his sweet sensitive little boy wouldn't notice too quickly. When curly head came home, Mr petals would get his second surprise of the day.. Curly wasn't as sad as he was ANGry! AFter much sensitive talking to curly head and promises of a new beautiful blue fish... It was finally revealed... THE FLUSH was the reason The adorable little (sadistic? ) child had wanted a fish in the first place. Apparently he saw THE FLUSH on a tv sitcom and THAT is what caused his desire to own a little fish! He wasn't sad that fish had passed away... but angry that HE didn't get to send him off down the toilet to his final resting place! He was waiting for THAT grand moment! Since then, we haven't let another little fish come here to die.. and Mr. Petals is banned again from going near the laundry room AND the big bottle of clorax.

zumba

A few posts ago I wrote about wanting to try to do something more with my life. I wrote about wanting to have more fun. Thanks to the encouragement of my family, friends and all my sweet blog friends who left comments to me to... GO FOR It! I am Going!! I actually signed up for a zumba workshop to become a certified instructor! I am planing on taking this one step at a time. Right now I can't imagine having the va va voom to actually be a teacher but i know I do have the za za zoom to zumba all day and learn what it takes! So on September 12th, Lucy won't be behind the haircutting chair snip snip snipping as she normally would be... Nope.. She will be on the dance floor (most likely grip grip gripping her chest and needing an inhaler) but also...
most likely... having Fun!
check out one of many zumba dance routines....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf0q6qtThF4

( i wish someone could help teach me to 'share' the youtube
on my blog... I am signed up and hit share but it never appears!)

anticipating my golden years..

visit QUALITY posts over at sundayscribblings

whew, I got it.

So I drag myself home today after running around town, patronizing many shops in an atmosphere THICK with heat and humidity.
My head was pounding and I wasn't sure if it was due to the heat or dehydration or if it was my 4 pm caffeine withdrawal hitting harder than usual. As soon as I drank a glass of water and washed my hands I began fumbling..(yes fumbling and shaking) quickly getting my dirty coffee pot pieces out of the dishwasher and quickly hand washing them. As I dug my still damp shaky hand into my HUGE costco bag of dunken donuts coffee to locate the buried scooper, cursing it for being buried, it occurred to me... THIS must be what a drug addict feels like as they are desperately awaiting that next fix! I didn't care that the grounds of coffee were sticking under my finger nails and onto my rings. I didn't care that I was making a coffee mess on my counter. I didn't even care that I hadn't Thoroughly washed my electric pots basket and cover. I was only focused on the perk. Get it perking. Get it in my blood stream. Get rid of the headache. Get it Get it Get it. My infusion of caffeine will Cure the headache, Cure the exhaustion, cure the dragging and Allow me to get that second wind to prepare dinner. Ahhhh the darkness of the full bodied rich roast! My knees weaken as I pour and savor the distinct, intense premium bean aroma!
Then the sip! Piping hot, strong, robust flavor with a bite to it! I close my eyes, feel it enter my veins. The hectic day of running errands drains away and I Thank god my drug of choice is legal AND sold in bulk. Care to join me for a cup?


visit three word wednesday!

Where in the world?

Sunday Scribblings asks us....
Where in the World? Have you ever stood still and scratched your head and said, 'Where in the world?' Is there somewhere in the world you would love to go? Are you looking for someone or something or a place that makes sense to you? Where in the world are you?

Sometimes if I stop and think too long about Where in the world I am or where in the world I am going.. I think I may just cry.
Sometimes my world seems like an escalator to nowhere, an escalator that keeps taking me back and forth through life's daily necessities and routines. My escalator stops often for the needs of others. Weekly it leads me to Costco and the grocery store and back down to home again. Then It's up again...off to purchase beauty supplies for work, take my son to a dr.'s appointment, take my dogs to the vet. Pick up someone's prescription, drop off the dry cleaning, Pick it up next week.... Don't misunderstand... very often this escalator leads me to Happy Lucy days. A zumba class, A day at the beach, an afternoon with a friend, an evening at the theater. But really, even with a break in the routine, even with enjoying the happy times and frequent laughter that occurs within the ho hum routines... Where in the world am I going?? Is this all there should be to ones life? A series of routine chores and work sprinkled with bits of enjoyment?
In 3 weeks I will turn 50. I am feeling like there has to be more for me. More to me. I have so many ideas that I wanted to cultivate, Yet I never seem to have the time for them. I am feeling so happy and so alive and having SO much fun when I am dancing at my zumba class, that I've actually toyed with the idea of training to be an instructor, yet I think of my age and say... get real Lucy! My husband thinks it's not foolish, he wants me to just 'go for it' (maybe he has watched Rocky one to many times) Or, Maybe I should just go for it? Go for something. something fun. Reach for anything exciting. As I get older, I keep hearing Cyndi Lauper's words and repeating them as my mantra.. 'girls just want to have fun'.. and I DO! I really want to just have fun!
Sometimes, asking where in the world you are can make you cry but sometimes it can also make you try. Trying to imagine where you may be going may just help get you there.

I always want to give people the benefit of the doubt. I have to go through life believing that most people are basically Good. Believe That they want to feel good about "doing the right thing". Last week our son accidently tapped a car in the parking lot at work. He ran inside the building to ask who's car he had hit. The owner came outside and exchanged numbers with my husband, but because the damage wasn't too bad, She said she would get an estimate and let him know.
Later on at work.. My son was talking to that woman's son.. They walked outside to see the dent and then her son exclaimed to my son... OH THAT DENT WAS THERE ALREADY! When my husband took a second look at our own car that night... he realized that we just had a few scratches and to make the large dent that the other car had it probably would have caused SOMEthing more on ours! So when the dented owner called him a few days later... My husband told her what her son had said and explained how he felt we didn't have enough damage to cause such a dent. She denied the dent was hers! and on the spot Asked her son if he had said that the dent was there already. Of course, he lied and said NO! She said her son must have been remembering the dent on the other side of the car! SO, what are we to do? NOT believe her?? Then!! to make her lie even MORE obvious... she offered to SPLIT the estimated cost with us! SPLIT it? WHY?? If she didn't have that dent already.. WHY is she being SO kind to total strangers?? Good Samaritan or no good S.O.B.? Even though we have our doubts.. we paid up and want to feel good about 'doing the right thing'. ( but doubt sure puts a damper on feeling good.)

easy as 123

Today I did some math in my loopy head...
There are 65 days left of summer...
I have messy drawers and cabinets all over my home that
are overwhelming me and making me crazy.
I cannot bear to spend a summer day off
cleaning all day. And drawers?? They are worse
than dusting!! So.. I came up with The Perfect plan!
To begin, I started counting the messy drawers..
let's see... the desk I sit at to blog.. has 7 messy drawers...
Two of our bedrooms? (the older kids are on their own)
26 messy drawers (I need more fingers..)
but let me see.. so far...33..
then the kitchen? Yikes... 10 more
(EAsy adding 10) .. we're now at 43..
two more in dining area..45
Okay... So here is my brilliant Solution to this mathematical clutter equation ..
Do only ONE drawer each day and still have 20 days to spare! I CAN have these
all clean before autumn! Why didn't I think of it sooner?! and ONE drawer?.. i mean
HOW long can ONE take?.. I will start with ONE messy top desk drawer RIGHT NOW...
(hang on a sec...)

Gee that was REALLY easy, easy as pie! ... I just grabbed all the crap and threw it in the bottom
drawer of the desk. but, let me think... if I do that each day, then by day 7 I will have ONE very big job that will most likely be an all day job which will totally overwhelm me again...
I cannot BEAR to waste a summer day with this kind of job!!
(I was never very good at Math or planning )

My first haiku

hypnotic roses

drip with beauty of summer

shift sulks into smiles

This is my youngest son Joey and I at the planting fields Arboretum.
It was a gorgeous day but Of course like many teens.. He was a bit sullen about coming along. This gorgeous arbor of Roses had my spirit beaming and helped bring him around to really enjoying the day!
hope u visit 3 word wednesday!

Life is like an onion:

You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep. (Carl Sandburg)

When my eldest son was about 15 months old, I took him over to a local church to check out a gymboree program that was going to be starting up. I thought it would not only be a fun thing for us to do together, but would also be a good way for me to make new friends in this new town. The Church smelled like mildew ( something I am allergic to) and I wasn't crazy about the people running the program or the cleanliness of the area. So, I hoisted up my little one onto my hip and was preparing to leave when I heard a "PsssssT" I turned around to see a cute, friendly Mom also with her son on her hip. She whispered.. "This place sucks! Follow me, I heard of another one about 10 minutes from here" and she described where it was located. I buckled up my baby in his car seat and proceeded to follow this total stranger to the better place. Well, sure enough, she was right.. it was better, So Lyn and I both signed our babies up to attend the same class each week. Fast Friendships formed for our boys and for us. After the gymboree years our boys attended preschool together. Unfortunately, They were zoned for different elementary schools so as is sometimes typical with kids, the play-dates seemed to slowly diminish as they made more and more friends in their own schools. Lyn and I talked on the phone occasionally, but now, what with her having 3 more kids and 2 more for me. Life just got so busy and stressful and sad as it is..friendships, although always in your heart, sometimes grow more distant than you would have liked them to be. Through the years we would run into each other and we always felt the same warmth as if it had been only yesterday that we had talked.

At my sons high school graduation, we had arrived a little late. My husband and I, Our two younger kids and My in-laws were scanning the Huge humid gym to see if there were any seats left for us. All of a sudden I hear.... ' Luuuuuu" UP HERE !! I saved you seats! ' There she was again.. leading me to ...the better place. I awkwardly climbed those ridiculous bleachers in my sundress that I now wished were the shorts I almost chose. I sat down next to Lyn and began to well up with tears! I hugged her and realizing the poignancy said.."oh my god! we were together at gymboree Lyn! and here we are together again as they GRADUATE!!". There couldn't have been anyone I would have rather had at my side at that moment.

Here we now are seven years later. Lyn has been through quite a lot in recent years, worries that i feel are not my right to disclose. Dealing with worries that would have most Moms falling apart, Lyn remained a rock for all who surrounded her. I've always been the friend who wore her heart on her sleeve and Lyn has always been the one to say, with her bright warm smile.. "every thing's fine!!" (when i knew her worries were much more serious).
i just found out the tragic news that Lyn's husband passed away. My heart breaks for her and for her children. Just when you think you can't handle one more problem, Life throws one out of left field that you just aren't prepared to catch. I called her immediately after hearing
but now I need to be by her side, to hug her, to be her rock and hopefully help her..over time...get to a better place.

friendships warm the heart

Caring, loving, expressive and bright
Angels must have sent u to me
Resilient, spiritual, sage, survivor
Affectionate, warm and oh so supportive

Magnificent, magnetic beauty inside and out
Insightful in all matters of the heart
Always my beacon, forever my dear friend

I've written this acrostic poem for my special soul-sister Carol.
(I've appropriately renamed her Cara Mia.. )
Because she truly is...My dear one.
Thanks for always being there for me Cara Mia!
You are an amazing friend and I love u so much! xox

Paradiso

The Dogs desperately need a groomer
They smell like last weeks Sea Bass
The Vacuum has no zoomer
The Old Mower won't cut grass
The washer isn't draining right
Dirty soapy water fills up our sinks
I'm really trying to keep my chin upright
But Now the cesspool's starting to stink!

The Bricks in the steps are Frickin' Breakin'
The Bricks in the chimney- ready to collapse
Yet the Bank accounts been plenty achin'
While the Utility Bills have all lapsed
But the hot tub keeps on heating
As we try to soak our worries away
And the family requires daily eating
as if everything is just A-Okay
They've grown sick of old surprise dinner Pie
dreaming of something hearty,familiar and meaty
Me? I'm dreaming of saving myself and am wishing to just fly
Indulging in a one way ticket to freakin' Shangri-La Tahiti




sundayscribblings

He rocks my world

Do you remember some of my stories about colorful Mr. Petals? Maybe you've read the post about how he COOLS his pants, Or The tale about how he spent one spring spray painting squirrel tails? Today he was up to another peculiar project. When I woke up I found him outside at the picnic table waxing his rocks. Wait.. let me explain this clearer. He took two rocks from our flower bed and he first cleaned them with clorax cleanup.. and when I appeared with my morning coffee and newspaper to join him under our gazebo for our usual outdoor morning coffee..... He was waxing these rocks with turtle wax. He had already been up for two hours.. He had already washed and waxed the cars, blew off the driveway and patio, And even planed down the swollen door to my salon. So here he was now... waxing rocks. I looked at him like I was scared that he was going crazy. You see, We've had 3 days off in a row so far! That much time makes me worry for Mr. Petals! I even teased him last week...ooooh 4 days off in a row coming up?? DO u think you can stand that? Do u have enough tranquilizers on hand?

Me? I LOVE it! I can sit and relax in the sun with a book or in the shade with a puzzle for .... forever! He, on the other hand... can lie in the sun for about 10.. no! make that 5 minutes and he pops up sweating and anxious and off to accomplish more tasks! So this morning, after much work, he took a break by doing something relaxing... after thinking...." why not use these rocks for paper weights for our newspapers"? He would NEVER just throw a rock on the table.. NO...my meticulous husband ALWAYS needs to take things to the next level!! Perfectionist Like you can't believe!! He has been known to really make things THE BEST they can be but he has also gone so far attempting perfection that he has inadvertently scrubbed the finish off our kitchen chairs, our floors and even our bathtub! Now, Whenever I see him heading INDOORS with his belt sander ... I run! To stop whatever it is he thinks he can make even better!! (that reminds me.. did u read about HOW CLEAN he got my sons fish bowl?? with bleach!! poor little fish!)
Don't get me wrong, as weird as this peculiar behavior of his is.. It is also a reason we laugh like crazzzy! I have become very fond of doing exaggerated imitations of him. his ways, his expressions, how he goes about things! I love making him crack up WHILE at the same time allowing him to see just how zany he is! Laughter is such an effective and affectionate alternative to criticism and BOY did I laugh this morning holding down my newspapers with my scrubbed shiny rocks.