Steve Vai performing 'For the love of God'

Misty mornings

The horizon has melded with the sky. Morning fog kisses the tops of the cornfields. The streetlights are nebulous, casting a soft loving glow. Traffic is slow. The road is slippery. I have to remember to steer into a skid.

The sky is so low today, I feel I am taking off into the stratosphere..the freeway my stairway to heaven. I don't want to go to heaven..it is going to be crowded. Don't want to go to hell..too hot and crowded. I want to be sea  sand..scatter my ashes, please. An abyss in the ocean floor would be nice.

Survival

Some of us are natural survivors, strong and resilient. Others, like me, find survival back-breaking, soul-searching, mind-bending.  Not going on is not an option. And so, I have come up with a survival mantra, an epiphany of sorts if you will. Here is wisdom garnered from nights of wishing to fall into the starry sky..

Wives lose husbands they have been married to for 40 years and more. Like rudderless ships, they flounder on. but they do not sink.  Men become widowers after years of depending on a better half..everyone survives, scarred, scared. Life, relentlessly, goes on. People survive life changing accidents and disasters. Mothers live on after burying their children. I cannot think of anything harder than that. If this is possible, anything is possible.

Healthy human tissue typically takes six weeks to heal and scar. The scar tissue is just a fraction as strong as the original substance..but Time, the great healer, slowly remodels the scar and makes it tenacious and strong. Over years, scars fade. Sometimes, they even surprise us.."Hey, you can barely see it!"

Taking inspiration from nature, I have decided to let myself heal. The scars will fade.

Of cabbages and kings

The other day I was asked: " Mom, may I use Mozarella Firefox instead of Explorer?" To my detractors, yes, I am aware that this is not an unknown brand of cheese. I was careful not to let a peep of a smile escape.

To crown this one, here was another eye opener.." Mom, how come you finish your sentences with exclamation marks while Dad does his with periods?" Lord have mercy.

To love less, or not at all

Walking on hot coals
Inky seas
Shredded feet
Lump in my throat
Asphyxia
A cupful of acrid stale love

Where are my blue skies, my copper sun, my lost cloud?
The demented woodpecker in the garden, bashing his beak on an unloving electric post
Whiplash
Whip lash
A thousand lashes would be less
And still not hurt as much.
Oh beloved God, hold me close tonight.

Nickylee

Nicole passed away last morning. I cannot imagine anything more painful than watching your seven year old baby die. My heart goes out to her family. May God carry you close to His heart through this painful time.

COMFORT FOOD

For those of you who crave hot soup on a cold day, here is a very very easy recipe that started out as an experiment and turned out smashing .

You will need :

• A saucepan & a ladle (non-stick will save you time afterwards)
• 1 can condensed potato soup (I used Campbell's)
• 3 cans/ cups water boiling briskly
• 1 egg/ half cup egg white, whichever you prefer
• Spinach (2 handfuls or so of the pre-washed kind)
• Half a smallish onion, whatever kind
• 1 clove of garlic.
• Half a serrano pepper or a slice of bell pepper or half a banana pepper, chopped fine (this is optional for the weak hearted)
• You can throw in meatballs if you have some in the freezer

HERE'S HOW TO DO IT :

Smash the garlic and chop it up fine.

Chop the onion as finely as you can without cutting yourself.

Saucepan on medium heat, add 1 spoon cooking oil or butter.

Throw in the onion and let it sputter around a bit before you add the garlic. DO NOT LET THE GARLIC BROWN.

Add the chopped green pepper if you want it spicy. Add 3 cups (about 750 ml) water and bring to a brisk boil.

Break your egg into the ladle, poke the yolk with a fork and lower the ladle gently into the boiling water. The egg will become egg-drop.

Add the potato soup and blend it in with the ladle.

Add the spinach and meatballs. Reduce heat and let it simmer.

It should take 15 mins total from start to finish.