frustrations – hugmamma's MIND, BODY and SOUL

I had a couple of nice outings with two girlfriends recently.

Both are open and forthcoming with their lives…the ups…the downs. They’re also quick to offer words of support when necessary, just as I am when they’re in need.

Women connect on the ground-floor level. Together we take the elevator to the penthouse. Along the way…we get off and on…as life directs. A metaphor to be sure, but good girlfriends travel the floors in life’s elevator together…physically…and spiritually.

Molbaks’ Orchids (Photo credit: JHall159)

Suzy and I enjoyed an outing to Molbak’s to take advantage of its outdoor sale…buy 1, get one free. Perrenials, annuals, vines, groundcovers, grasses, shrubs, trees…all outdoor plantings were included. In the decade and a-half that I’ve been frequenting this, my favorite nursery, I’d never seen such a sale. And Suzy hadn’t been to Molbak’s in 30 years, so she was thrilled when I invited her to accompany me.

To and from the nursery the conversation was lively. Suzy and I learned we had much in common. My father died when I was one; hers died when she was four. My mom was manipulative in many ways; so is hers. The comparisons continued. We empathized. We laughed.

Once we arrived at our destination we delighted in the sights that surrounded us, and the delicious lunch served in the cafe. After wandering around the indoor gift shop, we wend our way through the plants, selecting several for purchase. All in all…a pleasurable outing for both of us.

My friend Mary and I stopped for coffee after exercise class yesterday. She needed a little cheering up, so I gladly obliged. She’s done as much for me.

It’s good to have someone with whom to commiserate. Moms have issues not easily understood by husbands and offspring. Try as we might, we can never seem to get our dilemma across to our loved ones. Easier to turn to other moms, not so much for a solution, as for an immediate “I know just what you mean.” That alone opens the floodgates to fluid conversation.

When all is said and done, life continues on…the load…a little lighter. All a woman needs is a sympathetic ear and a few words of support. No judgments. No put-downs. No unsolicited advice.

Mutual admiration, respect, concern, like, and love…loosely tied ribbons that keep friends close.

English: friends like you (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

…i’m blest with a few…good ones…

………hugmamma.

: weeds (Photo credit: gusset)

Tis the season…to weed. For gardeners, that is. Although anyone can partake of this tedious task. If you haven’t a patch of your own, I’m certain your neighbor would lend you hers…gladly. And if you’re an urbanite with no natural greenery in sight, there must be a little piece of square footage belonging to Mother Nature alongside the highway. Go borrow it for a minute or two…or however long it takes for you to vent your frustrations.

What’s that old saying? Busy hands…? I’ve never been very good at remembering how those go. I only know they’re true and have value, even today.

It’s been almost a month that I’ve had 2 men living under my roof from 8:30 a.m. until they decide to leave, which varies from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. They’re hard-working, considerate, pleasant, and attractive to boot. “What more could a woman want?” you ask.

“I’d like my privacy and space back, that’s what!”

I can count on Sundays, but sometimes my temporary housemates show up on Saturday and put in a full day’s work. God bless them! They’re worth their weight in gold. Right now I’d gladly share my treasure…for some peace…and quiet.

Living in an organized mess is definitely not my idea of home. I can’t easily find something clean to wear since I’ve taken to stacking all my available clothes, and my husband’s, onto one chair in the bedroom we’re now occupying. It’s large enough for one person to move about, usually my daughter when she’s visiting us.

Being considerably wider than our ballerina offspring, my husband and I aren’t usually in the room together. Until we crawl into the double bed at night, that is. Then we try to lie as still as we can…a near impossibility.

we-never-talk (Photo credit: cheerfulmonk)

Thankfully after 41 years of marriage, my husband and I still like each other. Love is a must entering into Holy Matrimony. But without “like” it’s almost certain that spouses would be picking up the pieces of their lives…after a divorce. Enduring a home renovation together can do wonders for bringing partners closer together. Or it can widen the chasm, given the opportunity.

“So what do weeds have to do with all this?”

Paul Brindley, Harriet Wheeler, Patrick Hannan, and David Gavurin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I need to get away from all the commotion happening inside my house, and the 3 men with whom I now live…weeding is a God-send. Yanking on those little suckers makes me feel in control again. And there’s no one to encroach upon my peace and quiet…my space.

So there I am…kneeling to weeds, while my domain is being usurped by trespassers. With my blessing, I might add.