Thinking Out Loud

This morning I walked the puppies while it was still early and there was ice on everything. Standing around while they frolicked I heard what sounded like water running. But it was the sound of leaves falling through the trees, frozen, so that they made a loud noise as they fell. And watching them swirling on their way down to the ground was just the most mesmerizing sight. Isn't it funny how we take things for granted? Like those vibrant colors we see only once a year and the sounds around us?


Yesterday's snack was Jello and today I've had a cold, crisp apple that was just the perfect treat. Did I wish I had some caramel for dipping? Yes. That would've been nice. I've been hesitant to buy apples lately because the prices have risen so much and I finally decided they were never coming down, and clearly weren't going to be on sale, so I bit the bullet and paid too much. Probably made it all the sweeter.

Last night as the washer was making crashing, banging, horrible noises from the laundry room the phone was ringing. My ring, only answered by me. So as I'm trying to rearrange blankets and towels in the washer I'm hollering to my husband who'd loaded the washer to please answer my phone. It was my friend Barb calling from KY and as I'm rambling aloud about my laundry dilemma she asked if I knew who I was speaking to with a laugh in her voice. I didn't, but it didn't change the fact that I was happy to tell her about what I was doing when she called.

Three hours later I came back downstairs, still on the phone. I'd gone upstairs thinking I might accomplish something in the studio, but instead I enjoyed my phone call. I admit I did fast forward through 2 nights of Dancing With the Stars. Couldn't glean much except that cute little Julianne Hough and her partner Cody were sent packing last night. I'm sure there were things I could've been doing with that time, but instead I plopped right down in the family room, put my feet up (I was wearing some of my piggy socks) and enjoyed my conversation.

I'm not saying I'm old, but I can remember as a child we had a wall phone in the kitchen with a rotary dial and a very short cord. That was the only phone til my teenage years when I got one in my room up on the second floor. Back then if you got a call, my Mother (or someone) would lay the phone down on a stool and call your name. Now this was back in the day of the "party line", which now seems like such an unusual name for it. Sometimes you'd hear a click in the middle of your conversation, meaning a neighbor wanted to use the phone. Or sometimes I'd pick up the phone to dial and hear Mrs. Pilkington around the corner from our house, already in the middle of a conversation.

Phone calls didn't last three hours back then. You'd get tired of sitting on the stool, or Mother would decide if you had so much free time on your hands she could find you a chore. Or more often than not your friend invited you to her house down the street and 12 seconds after the call began you were out the door.

When I got my phone upstairs my Mother bought a gossip bench to sit it on. Ever seen one of those? There was a cushion to sit on but they were incredibly uncomfortable. So I got a long cord that allowed me to take the phone off the gossip bench and drag it over to the sofa (yes I had one of those in my room) or onto the bed. And a bad habit took hold.

When I get calls now I usually wander into the bedroom and stretch out, figuring I may as well be comfortable, because my calls always take a long time. The good news is we have 7 cordless phones scattered throughout the 3 floors of our house so I can walk and talk at the same time. No more being tied to a stool in the kitchen. Sheesh, we've surely got the good life now.

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving. A time to truly give thanks. Why not decorate a few blank cards with some of your artwork and write your friends and relatives, telling them exactly how thankful you are to have them in your life? I've got a couple of girls coming over tonight who missed stamp club last week, and I think while they're playing I'll create a few little works of art. Then I'll attach them to cards and while I'm enjoying a few days in FL I'll write out my thank you notes. (Note to self: decorate some envelopes and find addresses before closing the suitcase!)

Be inspired today to enjoy the little things in life. And give thanks for all the wonders around you.