Grandmas Goulash

It’s said that a wandering mind is a sign of aging and I am certainly proof. When I was younger, I had the impression that it was one of the many negative aspects of aging. Nowadays, I realize that it’s a perk. In my youth, I hated standing in lines. As I waited to buy groceries or purchase tickets, each second stretched for hours as I fumed about the things I had to do. Now I find lines interesting. There are so many different people to watch. If I tire of that, my mind will take a trip down memory lane and time flies. Last week, I had a thirty minute wait, while Miss Muffin took her first guitar lesson. I sat outside the lesson room, listening for a bit, while simultaneously enjoying the parade of customers. I wanted to urge more practice on the teen, who was certain that his instrument was responsible for his bad playing. My mind quickly traveled to pleasurable hours jamming with my best friend and oldest cousin. We loved playing and no one had to urge us to practice. I di...

People hunched over laptops studying their weather widgets. Fools! One look at the sky would answer your question. They called her a free spirit. Why did they associate a permanent foot anchor and a smog-filled locale with freedom? I lost my balloon!

Buying headphones isn’t difficult, but at our house, it is a challenge to keep them intact. LucyFur, Calico’s favorite cat, has developed a taste for headphone wires. We’ve lost several pairs to her wire chewing penchant. We used to leave our headphones plugged into our laptops, readily available for listening. LucyFur changed that and we began to hide them away before going to bed. That worked until she began to ruthlessly stalk them. Even a five minute absence can result in frayed-wire consequences.   In addition to vigilance, we’ve started purchasing bargain-bin headphones. My heart may yearn for the five-star, Ultrasone headphones, but my brain dictates the Dollar Store version. It may be the logical choice, but the static offends my music-loving soul.

It was a familiar sight: a couple of pot heads surrounded by weed. Some species took millennia to evolve. These had only needed a few seconds and a hefty earthquake. “Did you see her?” “Yeah! She’s stacked.”

Pink-tutu confidence eroded, when only her heels left the floor. Soon she’d learn that mean girls and glue are a deadly combination. “Back in line, Arabesque!” Arabesque maintained her stance. She might be flat-footed, but she was determined to stand out. Miss Plié groaned in despair. Two weeks to recital and the only polish in this routine was on the floor.

The garage is a rather chaotic mix of empty boxes, unassembled storage shelves and a few items that have yet to find a home inside. The rest of the house, however, is looking almost settled. Furniture has been arranged, stacked boxes have disappeared, curtains frame the windows and pictures hang on the walls. Only a single kitchen counter, which still holds a variety of tools and hardware, hints that this almost civilized state is fairly recent. I think that’s impressive, considering that we have only lived here for three weeks and have also put up and taken down Christmas decorations during that period. I think the possibility of moving again in a year has spurred our efforts. We all just want to feel settled for as long as possible before facing another relocation. Calico returns to classes next Wednesday and Miss Muffin to homeschooling the following Monday. We’re almost ready to return to our normal lives. I just need to clear the tools and hardware off the kitchen counter and...

Vintage guitar: $5000 Degree in music theory: $80,000 Opposable thumbs: priceless   Dreams of fame scattered in the face of reality.  Duke would never be a Nashville Cat.