Colorful people:

June 11th....So I bought a brand new sewing machine today at Handcock fabrics. I was alone and in the parking lot walking to my car carrying the big box. the sewing machine was in all by myself.

 

For whatever reason an older gentleman offered to help me.

He started walking towards me and said: "Are you okay? Can I help you with that?"

 

I responded: "No. That's okay. I got it."

Now he was about a foot away from me. I looked into his eyes and I said:

"You know, I do karate still and I'm still pretty strong."

 

He said: "Yes you are. I just wanted to help. That's good you do karate."

 

Then I said: "You and I probably no doubt the same age. How old are you?"

 

He says:

85

I said: "Wow...I'm 68!"

and

as I walked towards my car he added. "Never give up!"

 

:  )

Here’s another story:                                                             June 11, 2015

So I was on my way to the car again, same day, different story, later in the day. My destination was The Artist Way. A night out for me. (It’s a 12 week, every Thursday from 7-8:30PM class) and I decided to say goodbye to Don who was collecting the dues for the three new boys who had just signed up. I finished the hour class with them and the mother was in the office with Don receiving the check for the right amount.

Don said he would handle the business aspect and let me go next door to fix my dinner and change into something nice. The timing was tight so I woofed down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and hurriedly put on the “church” clothes I put out earlier as the Artist Way group is being held at a church group this time.

I thought Don could handle everything but I wanted to give him the courtesy of a quick touch base.

As I opened the kitchen door, I could hear the loud laughter and feel the excitement. As I opened the karate school door, I saw four boys, (the three who just started and were calm and serene and their rebel spirit cousin all age 8 thru 12) whacking the daylights out of one another with the foam pool noodles.

I don’t let kids do this. I don’t like to see out of control kids whacking each other. The noise is loud but it really doesn’t hurt. Years ago if you didn’t keep an eye on the boys they would whack each other  by taking off their white belts and using them as whips.

Oh no. Not on my deck. I yelled: “Stop.”

They kept going laughing and whacking and hitting and yelling.

It was an out of control mess.

I yelled again: “Stop”

The mother yelled: “Marcus, T.J, Damien, Josh…enough.”

Don stepped out of the office and said: “okay boys that’s enough”

Still no reaction:

My turn. “Give me those right now. Stop. Give those.” Finally the first little guy surrendered his noodle and then the next and the next and then I got the last one.

I said calmly: “When I am on the deck, you will not be using this equipment. You will use this in Sensei Barnhart’s class only. Understood? Sensei Barnhart works on the fighting aspects of karate. I will be showing you step by step how to move. Understood”? At this point they had calmed down somewhat. I guess because they were out of breath.

Funny but I was ready to kill Don for allowing that scene in the dojo, the sacred training hall but instead I acted like a team player. I am working on our public image. It is getting better but it’s not easy. You can’t ever change someone’s personality but for sure you can control how you react. That being said, we need a little color on the deck. ‘nuff said! 

The Nasty Pot

We all have our moments where if no one is around, we do things that may or may not freak other people out. We all do stuff, me included, that being said he goes:

 

We live a semi-minimalist lifestyle in our 800 square foot home. It's close quarters and there's not a lot of room for stuff. Our kitchen has basically two pots, one small (1.5 Qt.) and one large (a gallon). Both are stainless steel with thick bottoms and carefully selected treasures to go the distance.

A couple of days ago I walked in on Don soaking his hand in Epson salts in the small pot. Now we've been together for 17 years and our communication levels are pretty good. Rarely do we ever yell and far be it from either of us to make any house rules like the cooking pots are for cooking only. In the past we had a situation like placing a bowl under the pipe of the sink so the dirty trap could drain....but that's ancient history and never have we ever had an issue about a pot.

So I took a deep breath and I said:

"Are you soaking your hand in our little cooking pot?"

and he replied, "Yes. I like to dissolve the Epsom salt and then I can re-heat it".

I replied:

"Al righting then, however, I don't like that you are using a cooking pot for that purpose. I know that you grew up on a farm and everything is about form, fit and function, but I don't like it. This reminds me of when I was in my early 20's and some young friends of ours made us a spaghetti dinner and they had large bowls so the cook dumped the dog's bowl, washed it and then plopped the drained spaghetti in that dog bowl saying that a dogs mouth was sterile. It just brings back memories of how I feel conflicted about some stuff, so would you please not ever do that again? It creeps me out!"

Don just laughed and said:

"Okay, sweetheart. I'll just find an old pot at goodwill and use that for Epsom salt soaks. I promise."

Well, today we went shopping at goodwill and he found a small slow cooker (2 quart) for only five dollars and when we got home in big bold letters he wrote on it THE NASTY POT and we decided to store it for future use under the sink in our bathroom.

 

On the way home in the car I said to Don: "You know why communication works so well with you and why I'm not afraid to tell you stuff?"

and he said: "No, why?"

and I said: "Because, you don't get offend. You have a thick crusty skin."

and

he replied: "Yes. Thick crusty skin and that's why I need soaks!"

'nuff said.

 

Evidence of Change edit

Don-"Jude, I'm going to the bank. Do you want to come along?"

Me-"Yes. Let me grab my purse."

and off we go.

This is the time of year we award scholarships to graduating High School seniors. This year three big checks totaling $6,000. We enjoy this yearly event and our non profit corporation that allows us to off set the first year of college expenses with cashier checks awarded to some outstanding applicants. The day is perfect. No traffic and now we are at the bank.

 Don- "Jude, take off your sun glasses, we're at the bank. You know the rules."

Me- "Done, Don."

This is the first time in awhile that I've tagged along to get the cashier checks. It's been at least three years since I did this necessary job. I notice that the bank is near empty. Only one teller and the person at the desk is making phone calls to lists of people about opening new checking accounts. She directs us to the teller. I miss the interaction with the person at the desk and the fun of telling our story of scholarship applicants to the person who sits at the desk. It seems now the tellers do it all and they charged us $5 per cashier check! I stand by quietly as Don does the transaction and makes sure the spelling on the checks is correct. I wait till it's done before I ask my unanswered question.

Me-"What happens if the person who's name is on the cashier's check dies?" I ask the teller.

Teller-"Have any of your students ever died in the past?"

Don- "Yes. Someone named Kevin. He hit that tree on South Tropical a few years back"?

Me-"Oh yes. I remember but he wasn't part of the scholarship."

Teller- "Well god forbid one of these students die. You can always take the check back and re-deposit it in your account. Just keep the receipt".

Me- "Oh that would be awful. We would just let the family have it. EEEE-UUUUUUUUU.....I'm sorry I asked."

Teller-"Will there be anything else?"

Don- "No we're good".

So we leave the bank and climb in the car and head to the supermarket. I don't care where we go, I just love doing stuff with Don, it's always an adventure.

Being that it's Wednesday there are lots of BOGO free items everywhere. Don likes to stock up on ketchup, mayo, bread and of course the Marie Colanders TV dinners. He is the food shopper in the family but today I put something in the basket, Buttermilk waffles. I was wasn't going to get a pkg. since that flavor wasn't in the freezer section.

Don-"Non sense. What do you mean they don't have buttermilk waffles".

Me-"Just as well I don't need them. They are really quite decadent. They have the buttermilk pancakes but they give me a stomache."

Don-"Follow me. I'll show you where they are"

and sure enough he found buttermilk waffles, only they were not Eggo, they are Publix brand. Don says:

Don-"Same thing. I use to work in a cannery when I was in college. We would put vegetables in cans and the same vegetables were packaged for different companies. Look we're going to save a dollar by buying Publix brand"!

Me-"Wow! I didn't even see them over there. Thank you. You are so smart!"

Now it's time to check out and I scamper after Don as he is very efficient and pushes the cart rapidly towards the check out line. This is his favorite thing to do, when he banters with the cashier!

At the end of the isle I don't see a cart coming at me and this woman and I nearly collide. She gives me a big smile and I feel as though I know her but she says nothing so I keep moving towards the check out.

In my mind I'm thinking, wow, what a beautiful woman. When she smiled her face went from no lines to all kinds of laugh wrinkles and they are so beautiful. I liked her hair too, dark with gray streaks, natural like a cat's markings.

Waiting on line to be checked out I peruse the "rag" magazines and busy myself looking up the latest dirt while Don banters with the check out lady. I put a magazine back and turn and see that beautiful woman with the beautiful smile and the hair cut I love. I think. Oh I can tell her how adorable she is, I got a second chance to just say it.

I smile and stare at her and she says:

Woman with the cat markings color hair "I know you."

Me: "Maybe a church group or a book club?"

Woman with the cat markings on her hair "I use to work at Bank of America. I'm retired now."

Me: "Oh yes. I remember, way back when I was going thorough my divorce. I remember you sat at one of the desks. I probably bled all over you! How did you ever stand that job."

Woman with the cat markings-"I know. I'm so glad I'm not there anymore."

Me-"Now they just have sales people at the desks and the tellers do all the work. Life changes."

Woman with the cat hair- "Yup they try to sell you something whenever you go in."

Me-"Well I'm so glad to see you again and I just want to say, you look really, really good. Especially when you smile. You have this laugh lines that are absolutely beautiful and I love your hair too."

Lady with the cat hair_"Wow! Thank you. That really made my day!"

Now we are back in the car. We only spent $30 on apples and stuff that we really needed. I say to Don.

Me- "This is going to make a really nice story for your mom."

Written for Don's Mother who loves to read the stories I write:

                                                                                                    March 12, 2015

                                                  The Drawbridge Is Up

"If you want to go with me, we have to leave now. I'm going to Wallmart."

"Whaaaaaaattttttttt?" I asked. "You're leaving right now?  I'm ready lets go."

So here it is a Thursday morning and Don is in a hurry because he doesn't like to leave his computer on a weekday between the hours of 9AM and 5PM. Now a days he manages his 401K and watches the market closely to make up for the 2008  hit. He is slowly and steadily making some strides forward. Don is a "Steady Eddie" and has more discipline than most humans when it comes to daily routine.

Out the door we go.  Don is driving, clear sailing, no traffic and this is good because Don has zero tolerance for traffic, otherwise he would still be living in Seattle. Suddenly I realize that we are on a back road, North Tropical Trail and I realized that this is not the way to Wallmart. So I ask Don: "Where are we headed?" 

He replies: " I want to get gas first and I have a gas card for $50 but it can only be used at a Shell station. The only Shell Station is on the other side of the Barge Canal on North Merritt Island."

So I reply: "Well I have a gift card for Target and that's on the way, could we stop at Target?"

and he says: "No. Why don't you enjoy that without me?"

and I say: "Just trying to be efficient. I understand you want to get back to your "work"!" 

All-righty then...and now the reason for the title of this story. In the distance not more than a quarter of a mile away.....we see it. The draw bridge is up. We see that the Bridge that connects central Merritt Island to North Merritt Island is up and we see 30 cars bumper to bumper stopped for who knows how long. Hummmmmm.....the wheels start turning in my brain, some very wise baseball player once said: "When you are presented with a fork in the road, take it."

This gave me an opportunity to present and insert an unplanned event in the middle of Don's well orchestrated time efficient plan of First-gas, Second- Wallmart and then straight home so he could watch the market. Ha!

Looking out the passenger side window, I  see that the lane on my right is empty and it leads to the belt line (the super highway that goes directly to the beaches that are 3 miles away and our favorite wide open beach area.....Jetty Park). Yup. The lane we are in is a ticket to road rage and the lane on our right is a ticket to an unplanned frolicking adventure. 

I present my idea to Don. "With a quick turn of the wheel we could be in this empty lane lane here free of traffic and catch a Shell station on Beach side and on the way drive directly into Jetty Park. We could even grab a quick bite to eat!"

He says nothing, so I continue, "Hey, Don. You know what that famous baseball player said....and we got a fork in the road here.... How about I spring for a hot dog and fries at the concession stand at Jetty Park"? There's a Shell station on beach side." 

and Don went for it. Yippppp-eeeeeeeeeeee....we were off to Jetty Park.

Once again no traffic and clear sailing into our favorite place, Jetty Park. We easily found a parking spot and as planned, went directly to the concession stand and ordered a hot dog and fries. When the single plate arrived, I asked for a cutting device so we could split the hot dog and Don said to the pretty clerk: "We don't need a knife. I'll just use a karate chop!"

What fun. We find a table and mingle with the tourists. Both Don and I love to talk to strangers. Easy to comment on a beautiful baby in the arms of her mom and the Aussie sounding gentleman from Manchester, England now living in Toronto. People are really friendly when they are on vacation. We are surrounded by tourists. People from all over the world come here for vacations and it is not more than 15 minutes from where we live. People on vacation take the time to slow down and chat.

Well, I was really hungry. Normally I wouldn't eat a hot dog smothered in mustard, chili and raw onions on a bun that's sitting on a mountain of fries smothered in ketchup but I quickly devoured half what was on the plate and savored every bite!

It's easy to laugh when Don is your companion. Nothing is serious, except, I wanted to do a five minute Karate Demonstration for the pretty cashier/cook who we got to know while our order was being prepared. The place had emptied out and I was serious.  I wanted to  do a few kata and pre-arranged fighting...a short 5 minute demo but Don said; "NO"! Actually we would have except as we passed by the concession stand on our way out, the pretty cashier/cook was on a break!

You see, Don never says no to me. Well almost never....but I would have made that karate demo happen because, he loves me big. Even though the draw bridge was up and who knows it might be even now at this moment in time. The main thing is, we are having a lovely day. Hope you are to and that when you get a fork in the road, that you just take it!