Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Where is the @%$&*#$ Beach Report?



I'm not quite sure when I was last at the beach.

As my mom's savings erode,  I've been considering our options. It seems like getting a housemate is the easiest option. Of course, I want a quiet, non-smoking, non-drug using, mostly absent, without furniture housemate who is a very nice, very kind person. The universe sent me someone like that when I needed a housemate a few years back, so I don't know if I'm entitled to another one.

With all of my kids and grandkids here over the 4th of July, there were 11 of us here, but keeping space open for those 2 or 3 times a  year gatherings is a luxury. I need to be practical--and so instead of going to the beach I did a massive clean out of my garage so that I can upgrade half of that space to an almost proper grown-up guest room. I've also cleaned out and painted my laundry room which is right next to the garage so that the garage guests can actually find the sink in there for face washing and tooth brushing. I can now hang lingerie to dry in there somewhat discreetly and it's no longer a complete obstacle course to travel from the kitchen through the laundry room to the garage.



I also painted my front door blue while I was at it.



So that's one of the things I've been doing instead of walking on the beach. And hauling crap to Goodwill. And hauling crap to the household toxic waste drop-off (which does not take everything-- so WTF am I supposed to do with half empty cans of butane and solidified silver polish and medical needles? People have this shit. It's not like it's spent uranium fuel rods. Give me a place to take it dear sultans of city and county waste.)

But before you get all aw hell no, this woman should be walking on the beach, I'll also say that I'm spending a very nice portion of my day communicating with a friend who has become more than a friend. We'd be walking on the beach together except he lives in the Midwest and it's hard to do that from there. It's hard to do lots of things when he's there and I'm here, but there's Skype and email and the phone, and while I have no fresh photos of the beach to share with you, I am well and happy. My mom is doing okay. I'm still going to yoga and T'ai Chi Chih, and dancing. I'm fine. I'm good. I'm better than fine and good. Hope you are too.

Amen.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

So pleased to see that you are in such a happy and productive mood today.. plus that you have another friend to get close to... we all need friends at every stage of life.. that sunset looked wonderful and I am sure a walk on the beach would have been too, but the beach is always there, and clearing up and making better is so good for the soul.
.. hugs from across the pond*

Ms. Moon said...

This makes me happy, Denise. But I'd like it if you can find a little beach time, too.

37paddington said...

The beach will be there, waiting to welcome you back. What you're doing and experiencing sounds pretty awesome.

Joanne said...

Do you care to share the story of how you met your Midwest fried. All this time I had visions of your dancing partner being your new friend. I admire your productivity. Your doors are beautiful.

Karen Pokraka said...

Your doors are beautiful.

Housemates can be great. I wound up with Dan Paik after putting an ad in the LA Weekly for "groovy roommate," after all. He didn't have much furniture to begin with, but, as you probably know, he was a bit of a garage sale collecter, shall we say. May you find one so fine as he was to me if that's what you need. You are a remarkable person and paint a lovely blue door.