Sunday Stealing

One to Ten 

One song that describes my life. "Hard Candy Christmas." I've had this internal dialog with myself countless times. I battle the blues but I always bounce back.

Two things I wish I had more of in my life. Money and self discipline.

Three ways I relax. Short naps, long showers, cuddling a cat.

Four of my best accomplishments. 1) The cats I've rescued. I've given good lives to animals other disposed of. 2) My relationships with my oldest friend and John. Those friendships are 60 and 40 years old respectively. We aren't connected by blood, just love and commitment. 3) The influence I've had. Since I retired in October, I've heard from former coworkers that I was a mentor and role model. Who knew? 4) My career. I spent 40+ years in advertising and maintained my integrity. Do not think that was easy.

Arriving today by 10:00 PM!

Five things I am looking forward to. 1) Celebrating Elaine's birthday today. She wants deli and so she shall have deli. I also picked up souvenirs for her when I was in John's Pass during my visit with my Cousin Rose. She's been a good and generous new friend and I'm happy to do these little things for her. 2) A clean bill of health for my cat. Constance MacKenzie and I are going to the vet tomorrow for a followup to her dental surgery. 3) My Amazon delivery. I'm getting a new toilet paper holder, and it's the little things that mean a lot. 4) Writing my Letters Against Isolation for the week. 5) Donald Trump's indictment. No one should be able to avoid legal consequences by threatening "protests." (As if the January 6 riot was a "protest.") What an undignified, unprincipled, unpatriotic narcissist we elected.

Six things I am grateful for. 1) My friends. 2) My sense of humor. 3) My resilience. 4) My cats. 5) My enthusiasm. 6) My faith.

Seven facts about me. 1) I say I'm 5'2 but that was always a lie. I suspect that now I'm closer to 5' even. 2) I'm the only one in my family with green eyes and I enjoy that. 3) I love baseball so much sometimes my heart hurts. 4) I'm always filled with anticipation when I settle into my seat in the dark and wait for the movie to start. 5) I was born at the stroke of midnight. 6) The hospital where I was born became a mental health facility. My dad used to tease me that it foreshadowed things to come. 7) Paul McCartney's voice always, always lifts my spirits.

Eight things I can see from where I am sitting. 1) My striped slipper socks.2) My glasses. 3) A stack of books. 4) A teddy bear with a t-shirt that says, "Someone at Florida Keys Community College loves me." It's a long-ago gift from my dear friend Henry. 5) A fan. It gets very hot in this apartment so I never put it away. 6) Connie Cat. 7) A wastebasket. 8) This framed Thomas McKnight print.

Nine words I would use to describe myself. 1) Short. 2) Pudgy. 3) Fun. 4) Loyal. 5) Loving. 6) Smart. 7) Opinionated. 8) Passionate. 9) Verbal.

Before she became an icon

Ten little things that make me happy. 1) A cat's purr. 2) Freshly laundered bedsheets and bath towels. 3) Bargains at the Dollar Store. 4) Clicking through the channels and landing on the original Law & Order. 5) Anthony Rizzo digging one out of the dirt. 6) My scent of lavender. 7) The color of the sky, regardless of the weather. 8) Finding forgotten money in my pocket. 9) Chocolate. 10) Discovering new-to-me photos of my all-time idol, JBKO. Here's the young wife of Sen. John F. Kennedy in 1954, continuing her education at Georgetown University.  

I, on the other hand, was wearing long underwear

It was about 20º today, 15º with the windchill. Snow flurries, too. I was bundled up because, after my hair cut and lunch with my nephew, I was walking about half a mile to CVS where I could stock up on essentials while taking advantage of my 30% off coupon and earn double rewards.*

My nephew met me at the salon, a little late. We'd had a miscommunication, not his fault or mine but the stylist's. Not a big deal. But my nephew arrived on foot -- his car isn't running well -- a little disheveled. Then we walked to the restaurant, stopping along the way at the convenience store so I could pick up a lottery ticket. 

We ate and gabbed. We talked baseball and The Boss. I'm very excited that he's not only discovered Bruce Springsteen, he's going to the summer concert at Wrigley Field! I love how much we have in common. I love how he still enjoys spending time with me.

We're alike in ways beyond our passion for baseball in music. For it was at the restaurant I saw he was wearing his Cubs sandals. 

Let that sink in: he wandered through the below freezing wind and snow in his Cubs sandals. He was afraid he was going to late and didn't take the time (which would have been what? 3 minutes?) to put on shoes and socks. 

I was worried about him walking home that way. Some may say that, at 22, he should know better, but I'm not judging him. For I remember that long ago Chicago February, Valentine's Day, when I wanted my lover to see me in my new strappy heels. He liked my legs and and not only did the shoes make them good great, they matched the belt I was wearing with my purple dress. (I remember the dress, too.) On the way to the restaurant, my cab got stuck in traffic. I could see my destination -- less than three blocks. So I paid the driver and got out in the middle of the street, tottering on those heels on the cold, rain-slicked streets, feeling the water seep into my shoes. My legs may have looked good, but my feet were cold and miserable all night. But I just couldn't sit in that cab a moment longer.

Blood will tell.

*I am now but a poor retiree on a fixed income and these things are more important to me now.