Category: Bladder cancer

Something good on a Monday? Okie dokie. My thirteen year old grandson spent the weekend with me and cooked breakfast Sunday. Quite a feat considering he was born without arms. He’s an amazing kid, adopted from Korea while an infant. My daughter saw his picture and fell immediately in love with him. J is their second adopted child. When bullied about his lack of arms this week in school, he replied, “yes, all that was used for a bigger brain”. Paraphrased, but he is used to people staring, etc, commenting. I wrote about him before (Determination) and included a YouTube video where playing basketball, made a three point shot in his first game.  

https://amommasview.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/tell-me-something-good-32/

It was the opening day of the seven year olds’ baseball season. My husband coached and I kept score. It was rarely too hot at that time of year, but the sun was relentless. I wanted to look good as the coach’s wife, so dressed in a sleeveless blouse and slacks. This was before everyone wore sunscreen or worried about skin cancer. I say that, because I am a redhead and had very white skin. Freckles, but tanning was never an achievable goal. (Sigh) 

We were all excited to start the season off right. The boys were doing a good job and while trying to be sociable, I had to keep my attention on the game. We all had a short celebration on the field and then went home exhausted by the heat and first game reverie.  

The next morning, I woke up very hot, looked in the mirror and my face was red, and sweaty. But the rest of the image gave me a fright. My upper arms were huge and red and puffy. If it didn’t scare me so much, I would have laughed, thinking of Popeye, the sailor man. Seriously, I looked just like his cartoon image. We went to the ER when it seemed my arms were growing, to find I had sun poisoning.  

I love the sun, burn very easily, so wear sunscreen all the time on any exposed skin. I don’t lay in the sun, it’s a waste of time to try to tan. I once tried a tanning bed, even that didn’t work. It took my brain a while to convince me I was not ever going to have that beautiful brown skin.

Sunshine makes my day, my mood lightens and I enjoy it…….under a tree, awning, patio roof, umbrella, or large man. But just sitting in it bare naked? You have to be kidding!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/scorched/

Playing in the softness of the water.

https://amommasview.wordpress.com/2016/11/16/52-weeks-photo-challenge-week-14-soft/

This poem won’t be the least bit technical

However it should try to be quite mythical.

It’s about gods and goddesses

In white and gold dresses

With a pattern that drapes 

And shows their shapes.

For though hidden, concealed

If needed, they’re revealed.

I’m writing of wings

And beastly things

A man who’s half horse may be hidden inside

The stories are true and can’t be denied.

If you read them, you might even fantasize

Unveil a centaur and go for a ride.

When watching these spectacular beings

Your eyes won’t believe what you’re actually seeing.

You can read, or watch movies about these creatures

With all of their powers and magical features.

The best thing about these fantastic myths

Your imagination soars when you read of this.
  

 Https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/mythical/

Reality sucks. You read it right. A friend I love and I call it the “R” word. Just about the time everything seems to be going fine, you receive a text, a phone call, an e-mail, or listen to the nightly news, or early morning weather report. All of these real things can ruin a perfectly good day. Okay, so where do we go from here? Whoever said “life sucks, and then you die” must have had a very bad reality check. But you are alive, that should count for something, right? You can be mentally ill, physically handicapped, short, tall, thin, fat, but you’re still here, you’re still breathing. The fact that you are still able to be sad, happy, love, hate, that’s what counts. You can still contribute to your own life, make your own decisions. This is when you realize, your life is important.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/realize/

Quietly waiting for the frozen vegetables to cook in the microwave, yes it is sad, isn’t it….but wait! There’s a happy ending. Sitting, started humming to myself, humming, not talking, although….never mind, that’s another story. As I’m sitting there, I think, so much for nightlife. I wonder what everyone else is doing. Having fun I hope. So I’m humming this song and start to smile. I remember when it first came out. Listening to Alicia Bridges in 1978, my kids were 7, 8, 10.  It was the way she enunciated “action” that got us. We danced around the house a lot, especially when it was too cold to go outside or just for fun. If you’re sitting by yourself, listen to this. Maybe you’ll even start dancing.

https://rugby843.wordpress.com

He was sleepy and couldn’t get up

“But you have to walk that precious pup.

Wasn’t my idea to get a dog”

She smiled and turned with a nod.

He replied, “my eyes won’t open” as if in a plea

“How can I go out when I can’t even see”?

“No problem” she said, “just a minute to wait.

Coffee’s on the way, needs to percolate“.

Percolators from 1889-2016 (not necessarily in that order😄)

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/percolate/

She made it. Not usually a bundle of confidence, she had to admit to herself, she really did it!  Sinking down into the soft leather couch, she took off her boots and started to relax. She never cared for leather furniture, it always seemed sticky in summer and cold in the winter. The scent brought memories of riding.  The family had a cutting horse, but he settled down whenever she was in the saddle. She often dreams of riding him, usually in some desperate situation where she ended up saving the day. But they were only dreams, but no longer. 

That is why today was such an accomplishment. Part of her still had doubts. Would this really happen? She shook that question out of her head and went to explore the cabin. It was small, decorated Western style, pottery, Apache rugs, and the hues of a desert sunset. It was furnished in a warm, comfortable manner, very pleasing to her eye. Only one larger room plus an efficient bath, she decided to see what the kitchen area had to offer. Ah, cupboards and fridge fully stocked for a week’s stay. Everything just as she ordered.

She wanted all to be perfect when, …if….when he arrived. Even the fireplace was set up. All she had to do was strike a match, see the flames, and the dream continued. There were candles and dried flower bouquets with a sandalwood scent, and big fluffy quilts on the bed. She had to try it out and fell deep into them, sniffing the freshly washed cotton. It was perfect, all the planning, was worth it. She felt like a giddy teenager, anticipating her first date. He will be arriving any minute, she needed to check the mirror. Yes, the skirt and sweater in his favorite blue. She wanted to be soft and inviting when he came in.

There would be no questions when he saw her, for they had hinted of this meeting almost from the beginning. What they both wanted, what they expected, was actually going to happen. All of the letters,  the distance, the frustration of being apart would finally be done, over, for good. Anticipation was palpable, as the clock’s ticking seemed to get louder. Yes, he’ll come, he will.

The sun was going down, she stoked the fire, lit every candle, and curled up in the leather couch again. Another hour passed. Maybe everything was too perfect. Was she dreaming? The couch was real, she put her hand on it, just to make sure. Could he have lost his way? It had started to chill and light snow was falling. A tear started to form in the corner of her eye.  A light through the window, the hum of a car engine, and a knock on the door. He opened it slowly and saw the blue of her eyes at last.

https://rugby843.wordpress.com

It only took one second for me to know what I would use for this Prompt. I’ve written before how much I love the “Blues Brothers” movie. In my humble opinion, this is one of the funniest scenes in the movie. It does have bad language, so be forewarned. I hope the context of this scene does not offend anyone. Background for this part of the movie is, Jake and Elwood are visiting “the penguin”, a nun who was their teacher.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/filthy/

Since trees are now in season, I thought I might write a little about the “topping out” ceremony where a fir tree is hoisted to the highest beam. Have you ever been looking up at an unfinished building and see a Christmas tree on top?  According to some sources, this rite was started as early as the eighth century in Scandinavian countries with sheaves of wheat. It became more of a custom later on in Holland. Other sources suggest that in 2700 AD, the Egyptians used a live plant to commemorate the slaves that died constructing the country’s first stone building.

In the USA, ironworkers began the tradition when finishing the skeleton of the building. The beam, nowadays usually topped by an evergreen tree and a flag, are hoisted together to the top of the building to signify the basic structure is finished.
Below is a picture of the 14-story Denver International Airport Hotel in Colorado, under construction. “Traditionally, the last structural beam is painted white and signed by as many workers as possible using paint pens. For this $544-million job, the beam was pretty densely packed with signatures,” said Mr. David Mashburn, who was on the executive design team. Because of the requirements of the city’s Green policy, the usual cut tree was replaced by a living tree. 

 
If anyone knows additional information about the origin of the topping out ceremony, please comment. I’ve always thought this was an interesting tradition.

https://rugby843.wordpress.com