Shocked and Amazed

But mostly GRATEFUL!!

It was a blissfully quiet evening yesterday - spent watching a few minutes of the news broadcast (just enough to get the weather report). Then it was time to curl up with a good book and perhaps gain some knowledge in the process. Or at the very least, read a book that would provide a wonderful escape form this world into one of adventure and imagination.

The neighbors were mowing their lawn - the steady hum of which provided one of those pleasant summer sounds as a backdrop. I thought to myself that come Saturday morning I too would be pushing a lawnmower around the yard (not one of my favorite tasks - but a necessary evil chore nonetheless).

After a good night of rest, imagine my amazement and shock this morning when upon walking out the front door what did I see? A clean-cut recently mowed lawn met my slightly bewildered eyes!! Yup, you guessed... it wasn't my neighbors lawn being mowed yesterday evening... it was MINE!!

To whomever provided this gift of service most gratefully received - I say Thank You!! Somehow those two simple words do not seem like enough - but until I discover the source of the kindness, it will have to do.

There are angels living in my neighborhood.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary

Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?


I don't know how Mary's garden is growing - but mine is coming along (now that three weeks of rain has ended, and I can actually work in the yard). On Monday I planted all sorts of bloomin' things in my little flower garden. No, there are no silver bells and cockle shells - instead I planted a geranium, some zinnias, salvia, alyssum, and a few marigolds.

The marigolds were planted in honor of my Grandpa. He was the dearest and sweetest man you would ever meet. Sadly he was also color blind - and yellow was pretty much the only color he could see in its full splendor. I remember how he would plant loads of marigolds along both sides of the walkway leading from the ditch (that ran alongside the road) all the way up to the house. He planted so many in fact that they would soon overwhelm and completely cover the walkway. Grandpa didn't care about that - he just enjoyed the beauty of the flowers.

When my flowers mature a bit, I will take photos and post them here on my blog. Until then - you'll need to use your imagination (which might actually be better than my sad little flower patch).

Who's coming to visit?

As a kid, when Mom would ask my brother and I to help clean up the house – our first question would inevitably be… “who’s coming to visit?”.

I rarely get visitors to my home these days – which has allowed me to often take the lazy road of procrastination when it comes to clutter control. I can be very “house blind” if you will – not noticing how stuff can quickly stack up on tables, chairs, and even the floor at times.

But, all that clutter has a purpose – or so I lazily lead myself to believe.
  • That pile of stuff is to be given away to charity so why has it been sitting there for three months now?
  • I just haven’t had time to sort through all the junk mail this week
    I believe everyone can relate to this one
  • A little dust on the flat surfaces isn’t the end of the world
    that is if I notice it before it gets too thick -- besides, the lawn needs to be mowed (and more people can see that than dust on the end table)
  • The full laundry basket provides a wonderful justification to go purchase new clothes I am getting much better at not doing this – due to financial constraints and full closets
  • Oh, are there dirty dishes in the sink? Maybe I’ll find time to wash them tomorrow
    there are just too many books to read, movies to see, and sleep to catch up on first
Instead of following Scarlet O'Hara's attitude of, "Fiddle dee dee, I shall think of that tomorrow" -- perhaps I should take more to heart my Mom’s response to the question of who is coming for a visit. More often than not she would reply… “We Are!!”

Anxiously waiting

Anxiously and frequently throughout the day I check my email and blog to see if someone, anyone, has posted a comment yet. Some glimmer that what I have written has been deemed acceptable. In a sense I suppose that I am searching for a personal validation (a pat on the back, if you will) that my thoughts are of value.

Then I find that I must stop and re-examine my motives. Why did I start writing this blog anyway? Was it for gratuitous flattery from others to boost my own pitiful ego? Or, was it a means to get me writing again after an almost 2-year hiatus? In many ways I think it is a combination of both. Shallow as it may be - I still possess a basic human craving to know that what I do, and what I say, has value in another's eyes.


For my inner, higher, more altruistic self - such feedback holds no real meaning. But I must confess that at this point of development in my life, I am a bit more egocentric than that. Please do not take this the wrong way - I am not begging for praise. It is quite obvious that my blog postings are of great quality and can fully stand on their own (wink wink).

However, should you be so inclined.....

It's in the bag

Food smothered in alfredo sauce is commonly referred to as "cardiac on a plate" - due to the deliciously high fat content. I am pleased to announce that I have recently discovered "cardiac in a bag"!! No need to pay high restaurant prices, eat off plates and use silverware. This new discovery comes camouflaged in a simple grease soaked brown paper bag - and is messily eaten with your fingers. Honestly, what could be better than that?

What is this culinary delight, and where might you obtain your share? I think they call it Five Guys Burgers & Fries for a reason. That's about how many people you need to eat a single order of fries - which come in two sizes, ginormous and ginormous on steroids! Add to that their regular burger (weighing in at almost 1/2 pound) - and it's a glorious meal fit for.... someone who doesn't care much about calories or grams of fat content.

I have determined that I am only allowed to eat there once or twice a year. That's because it takes about that long to exercise away the 10+ pounds gained by a single indulgence. Don't get me wrong - it is oh so well worth it!! I anxiously, mouth wateringly, anticipate that next greasy food fix - which will be sometime this coming Autumn. Until then I am ever faithfully crunching away on my stalks of celery.

Rain rain go away

I swear that I saw all sorts of animals gathering two-by-two and proceeding to climb aboard boats in the neighborhood this past weekend. It has been quite cool, and has rained at least once every single day now for more than two weeks. There are a plethora of mushrooms growing in my lawn - and also under my peach trees for heaven's sake (and I don't think they would be good in a salad either)!! This is not normal - I live in a desert!!

I really miss seeing the gloriously warm sunshine - and am more convinced than ever that I would not want to live in the Pacific Northwest, where I understand it rains much of the time. But give it a few weeks, at which time I will be clamoring for the then past cooler rainy days. You know, the time when temperatures start climbing into the 100's and the air is so dry that I can't even spit. Guess there is just no pleasing some people.

Unlike other blogs

Unlike other friend's blogs where they entertain using amusing stories and anecdotes from their children, husband, and pets -- this blog will be different as I have none of those entities in my life at this time - with the one exception of my pet, Bunny (you can read all about Bunny in a posting on my other blog... click here).

Therefore I am relegated to either talking exclusively about myself (big yawn / boring) --- or taking advantage of my friends and steal events from them and their weird life experiences to talk about. So to protect the innocent (or guilty as the case may be) - I shall be using coded names for these friends (see list on the right).

I must start out by giving due thanks to both ET and LOPC for their inspiration and influence to start this blog. So, if there are any who oppose my musings... you can blame them!! And thanks to CM for help with my current nom de plume.

In the beginning...

In the beginning a blog was created, and it was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the blogspot. Then Messy Musings said, let there be words: and there were words. And behold the words were good.

And thus all who come forth to A Mess of Musings shall obtain knowledge from such random thoughts as deemed worthy of posting. And joy shall be in the hearts of all readers. And thus we see a new beginning is had in the land.