If We Were Having Coffee On This December Morning…

December 12, 2015August 29, 2018 / Ally Bean / 41 Comments

THE SETTING:

We’d be sitting in my dining room, marveling about how warm December is this year, wearing clothes in colors & styles that scream early autumn more than almost Christmas.

We’d be drinking oolong black tea, steeped in my blue teapot, served with milk and sugar, because while coffee is wonderful, occasionally everyone needs a cup of tea [and sympathy].

We’d be listening to an old Eric Clapton CD that I found in the glove box of Zen-Den’s SUV. Why? Because it’s Christmastime and Clapton is God. 😉

THE CONVERSATION:

√ We’d be chatting… about how this week, for the first time, at Susie Lindau‘s urging I watched Elf. Or more accurately, I watched the first half of Elf and decided that while the story is cute, there’s too much Will Ferrell in it for my taste. It’s not for me, but all of you other ~~wackos~~ people enjoy it. Please.

√ We’d be sharing… our latest accomplishments. I’d be saying that I’ve been sober for three months now. Considering how I started down this road by accident, I’m finding the experience enlightening. I’m not missing cocktails or wine AT ALL, although I wouldn’t mind a beer every so often. And maybe a shot of bourbon once in a great while. But overall I’ve come to realize that at this point in my life I don’t care about alcohol all that much. Who knew?

√ We’d be talking… about how Jon Stewart’s various appearances this week on late night TV [here and here] have brought attention to Congress’s indifference to extending the Zadroga Act, which, if reauthorized next week, will continue to give financial help to the 9/11 first responders. I’d mention that given my druthers I’d vote for Stewart for president because… SMART + HONEST– not to mention looking good with that graying beard.

√ We’d be discussing… whether this year we’ll be making a list of specific New Year’s Resolutions OR if we’ll go with a more general one word approach to self-improvement. Having tried both ways in the past, I’d tell you that, as an English major, my best successes have come from adopting one word as my theme for the year, thereby avoiding all ways to quantify my life– which for me only leads to defeat & despair. Keep it simple, keep it going, I say.

THE CONCLUSION:

We’d finish drinking our tea, notice the time, and realize that we both needed to get to certain stores on the other side of town before noon. So with a sigh that comes from being a responsible adult, we’d each get in our cars and go our own way.

But before we parted we’d hug and thank each other for the best gift there is, the gift of sincere undivided attention & conversation. Given to those people who make your heart happy and your life full. Like friends, followers, family & fans. In real life– and in the blogosphere, too.

• • •

Idea for this post came from Diana at Part-Time Monster.

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[Make your own plaids, checks &/or stripes, in any color combination, like those featured above, by using Patternizer. It’s free. It’s fun.]

As Pumpkins As My Witness, I’ll Never Be Cluttered Again

November 2, 2015October 25, 2016 / Ally Bean / 25 Comments

• • •

Good Morning!

I’m pulling together a post today, the first full day of Daylight Savings Time, by using this delightful Halloween photo, taken yesterday, and by re-wording a famous quote.

After all, what is a blog but a place to let your freak flag fly?

Especially on a Monday morning after a lazy Sunday in which I never got out of my jammies, but did manage to photograph our jack-o-lanterns.

Oh happy day!

• • •

But now that it’s Monday morning I’m feeling the need to accomplish something.

The muse of productivity, and my inner Katie Scarlett O’Hara, are telling me to apply myself to what is directly in front of me, take control of the situation, and get on with life.

That is, in a word, DECLUTTER.

Meaning that today I’ll be putting things away in the places where they belong. Sorting through piles of magazines + catalogues + recipes. Reviewing and filing important scribbled notes for future decorating and writing projects.

• • •

So with a hat tip to GWTW I’ve begun to chant to myself: “they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I’ll never be disorganized again.”

To me, this chant seems motivational. To you, it might seem nuts, but if I end up with a tidy house and know where things are, who’ll be laughing then?

Hmmm?!

• • •

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn26pEDEhyY

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[ALSO: I know how you people think. So let me say right here that if you, gentle readers, go all Rhett Butler and say you don’t give a damn, I wouldn’t believe you.

Why? Because if you’ve read this far down you do care about me! So say something nice. I need all the encouragement I can get and it’ll be good karma for you.]

A Chance Encounter With A Neighbor Most Unique

July 29, 2015July 29, 2015 / Ally Bean / 18 Comments

Some of you will remember this neighbor from previous posts…

While shopping at Kroger late in the afternoon on a rainy summer day, I happened to be in the International Food aisle. There were three shoppers with carts in front of me, and the same number behind me.

I was trapped in the middle of the aisle, waiting, staring off into the distance, waiting, not thinking about a thing, when I heard a woman shouting as she came around the corner into the aisle.

Her voice sounded familiar.

“PASTA. I need pasta!”

Then *clank, clank, clank* as she bashed into the carts of the shoppers in front of me pushing them aside as she grabbed pasta off the shelf.

~ ~ • ~ ~

Could it be, I wondered? Was this determined person none other than the neighbor woman who lives on the other side of the ravine?

The bird hater.

The neighbor who I’ve never seen up-close in real life?

It sounded like her. Loud.

~ ~ • ~ ~

To make this chance encounter even more memorable, I saw in front of me a this loud woman dressed in a way that set her apart from the rest of us suburbanites quietly shopping in Kroger.

Her hair, think Phyllis Diller in variety shows in the 1960s.
Her build and clothing style, think Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls in the 1980s.
Her accessories, think Kristen Wiig as Annie wearing sunnies in the plane scene in Bridesmaids.

‘Twas a sartorial look one does not often find around here. It was unique, with a certain insouciance that made me smile.

~ ~ • ~ ~

Naturally I wanted to follow her around the store. My inner Nancy Drew was on high alert. I needed to know more.

But I was unable to do this because I was trapped in the middle of the aisle, which now had carts + shoppers scattered at all angles.

So I had to watch as she walked away from me, leaving me amazed, and with no one to tell.

Until now.

Herbie OR Cujo: Which One Would You Choose?

July 28, 2015July 28, 2015 / Ally Bean / 23 Comments

When we moved to this subdivision, I realized that one day I’d be faced with a situation in which I’d need to decide, instantly, what to do to keep safe.

You see, this large subdivision, built on hills around creeks, and with curvy roads, has no sidewalks.

# # #

So there I was moseying along, midday, walking on the left-hand side of the street with the sun behind my back. I was almost to the point in the street where it descends into a valley over a creek bed.

This is when two teenage kids sped by me and lost control of their mother’s van heading down into the valley, almost hitting another car, Herbie, who was driving up out of the valley.

Into the sun.

Where I was walking on the street.

And I realized in an instant that the driver of this other car, an adult who had swerved to miss the kids, could not see me– and that he was heading straight for me.

Unaware.

# # #

Herbie

# # #

So I did what I’d decided that I’d do if when this scenario played out, as I knew that it would eventually.

I ran across a neighbor’s yard, up about 15 feet onto their driveway, heading toward their garage which was open– where their large dog was sound asleep.

And said dog, startled from a nice snooze in the shade, came running full tilt down the driveway barking and growling at me, the intruder.

Not the greatest situation to be in.

# # #

Cujo

# # #

However, as I had always figured, a family dog in this neighborhood, while hellacious toward burglars, raccoons and the Fed Ex man, would never hurt another neighbor in distress.

These dogs are way too domesticated for that. They know that all of us humans around here have access to treats. And give delightful belly rubs.

So, while pointing out toward the street, I calmly said to this Cujo wannabe who I had just met: “Hi, sorry to bother you. Bit of a problem here. Got to get out-of-the-way of the car. No big deal.”

# # #

And dagnabbit if he didn’t look at the street, stop barking, started wagging his tail, yawned [!]— and then went back into the garage to continue his midday nap.

Confirming that from his point of view, I was not worth the bother.

Thankfully.

# # #

{Great minds think alike! Check out what Carrie Rubin at The Write Transition said yesterday about walking in a world without sidewalks. Click here.}