Bits and Pieces

   

            Be sure to click on the about "About Westwoods" page for an update on our lives...



    Because that is all you have sometimes.   Written on Thursday...Tonight I came home from school especially exhausted.  Bruce was standing on the porch greeting us as we came in.  He had an amused grin on his face; I think because the more we came the gloomier we were.  I promptly went to the bathroom to escape conversation and had a brief meltdown.  I was weary in well doing.
     I finally braved up and faced my husband who had stayed at home all day, and came out to the double recliner to sit with him.  Part of my gloom was knowing he was off again in two hours to another fire department meeting.  Some very small part of me realized that to be grateful for the moment of time on the couch with him was better than no time at all.  So I sat.  He asked about my frustrations and listened well while I named every petty one.  And as they fell from my feebleness of spirit, I heard their shallow ping and knew they were nothing at all to whine about.
     I asked about his day.  It was fine. Nothing to really tell. Like always. Then I asked him if he wanted to show me a few sail boats he has been dreaming about and show me how sailing works via YouTube.  That made him quite talkative.  Before I knew it, I was given the 411 on "sailing".  And I must admit, by the time we were done, I was relaxed.  It was a moment to bottle up.  He went away to his meeting with both of us feeling like we had connected.
     On Saturday morning... Shaunti and I decided to go to garage sales.  We drove all around town in pursuit and found not a single one.  Isn't that like life?  I never go to yard sales. The morning I get a whim to do so there are none.  Instead we went to our only department store in town and found a few sweet deals on clothing items the girls needed.  And we moseyed around the used book store and found a gift for Toria's birthday on Tuesday next.  We walked down the street to our favorite shop and had eye candy of beautiful bowls, baskets, and touches of home.  We walked through to the alley into another little store filled with exotic yarns and re purposed furniture. We bought new stuff at a much higher price than garage sales would have offered but we had fun. And we grew to love our little town even more.
     Toria went to a sleepover this weekend.  A sweet older friend, Janae, invited her.  I was honored that my girl was big mature enough for such fun.  They had a campfire and s'mores, movies, and games.  And of course, food.  Good food.  I was informed with expressive eyes and waving of hands... "Mom, Lynette is such a good cook!"  and then was given a list of time consuming foods and delicious desserts.  Thank you Lynette, my kid now knows what good food is...My life of ease and simplicity is over in the area of food.... now that she KNOWS.
    Laife was so excited about heading off to work on Friday afternoon, that he dropped Shaunti at home and went directly there.  During the day, Bruce got an old phone of his put on our Verizon plan so the kids could have a phone on their treks out without the parents.  Bruce laid it on Laife's nightstand in by his bed.  We decided to wait to see how long it would take him to notice it when he got home that evening.  He barely stepped into his room and flipped on his light before he saw it.  He was very thankful even it is an older "dumb" phone.
       Now, we get to teach him that texting nothings to people is really quite rude and slightly obnoxious.  He has a friend that will text nothings all evening long.  It will go something like this.         "Hey"
                                                                        "Whatcha doin?"
                                                                        "Just hanging out."
                                                                        "What's up?"
                                                                        "Oh, there's a spider!"
                                                                        "Little Miss Muffet?"
                                                                        "Did it sat down besider?"
                                                                        "Do you know this song?"
and more and more senseless chatter.  Laife thinks it is rude to just ignore a text.  I think it is rude to text stuff that makes no sense.  Laife says. "OK, but I have to send this one more to say bye at least,"  I say, "Guess what?  If you stop responding, Mr Chatter will know you have said goodbye."  I also tell him to end a conversation that is going no where for any good reason.  And I wonder...Are people really this bored?  Who has time to be like this?  I got tired just writing about it.  And bored.
      I told you bits and pieces of our weekend because I don't know why...  Just this.  Every once in a while, I like glimpses into other peoples realism's.  It brings me comfort to hear of other peoples quirks.  We live such full, rich lives and forget it's the bits and pieces that make up the whole.
     Press on my friend, have a most excellent week at whatever you do.