One night we were wondering where one of the “usual” members of our “late night” pool party was, there had been an “exchange” the night before…was he staying away on purpose?   Or, was he stuck under the trailer home he said needed repair?   He’s put on some weight and said that he feared such an event if he tried to get under there to do the repairs.

After a few laughs at the thought of him and the imagined predicament, someone asked about where he lives while here in The Villages…the answer?  He lives with his sister and her husband.

Anyway, this man has been a thorn in my side, more than a couple of times.  He tells disgusting jokes and always tells “stories” as if they are fact, and then follows with the punch line.   The thorn in my side concept also deals with him “poking fun” at individuals, often, at me.   Depending on how tired, how worried or how impatient I am at the time, his jabs are often met with silence and a continual shaking of my head as I paddle away from him.   How childish of me, especially while speaking, now, about how childish he can be.

When the topic was about him living with his sister, I quietly stated that if he lived in the same house as myself, I’d be spiking his food and drink with antifreeze…

This comment was followed by sounds of surprise and disdain from my pool friends.   Which got even louder when I again, quietly, stated, “every day”.

About that time, one of the lights on the pole near the pool went completely OUT.   No one noticed, and talk continued.  Finally, someone pointed it out and I said “it went out when I was talking about the antifreeze”.

Eventually we got to the place where we pinned the light as God’s opinion on the antifreeze comment.    So I said, “I guess I shouldn’t have said that…” which was then followed by our witnessing the light START to come back on.   It stayed in a dim mode for another lap, while I contemplated if I WANTED to apologize, at which time, another pool buddy said, “see, you apologized and the light came back on, or is starting to come back on”.

I said, “I haven’t apologized YET!”

The light started flickering…this was getting really weird!!

Finally, I said “All right, I apologize”.

THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON!!

We all decided that our faith might have been strengthened a bit…maybe HE IS LISTENING!!!

It’s been a “crazy summer”.   Earthquake(s) in the north east, Hurricane Irene, and before that extreme heat and drought conditions all over the US.  If I do hear from someone where I’ve applied for a job, it’s a rejection notice.  The latest came WHILE the job I had applied for is STILL POSTED on the website.  Go figure.

I decide I would clean refrigerators.   I’m good at cleaning.   It would be indoors, most likely, here in Florida, in air conditioned kitchens.

That was until I watch YouTube videos on “cleaning a refrigerator” and found that there is MOLD lurking in some refrigerators.   One or two exposures to mold…not something I’d ask for, but manageable.   A couple of those a day and I’m at the doctors with my body reacting to the exposure.

So that’s out.   Guess it’s back to pulling weeds!

They continue to grow.   It’s a job nobody wants to do.   And, while it’s not my FAVORITE thing to do, heck, it is a form of  “gardening” and communing with Mother Earth.

Except that I’m KILLING all manner of plant life in the process.   Weeds, to be sure, but they are living and growing.

A lot like the cockroach I killed last night.

Part of nature.

ICK.

Oh, this started out as a posting on “I have one month left to live under this roof before I have to move somewhere else”.   Talk about saying the same thing twice in one sentence!    Anyway, I have one month to enjoy walking out the back door to go to the swimming pool.   One month of using the golf cart to traverse The Villages.   One month of “free” rent before worrying about where I’ll find the money to pay rent the following month.

Another month to go…

Hours spent sitting in front of the PC…glad for the opportunity, aka the INCOME, to be sure!

Mercury has been retrograde for most of the month…so looking forward to the reversal and Mercury going DIRECT.

Maybe then things will start to happen?

I read this one yesterday, but realized this morning that I need to keep it in mind…perhaps the killing and pruning (see previous posts) are to be looked at as “keeping in balance”??

Anyway, here it is –>

“If we keep everything in balance, we are in harmony with ourselves and are at peace.” – Fools Crow, LAKOTA

As within, as without, our present thought determines our future. If we want peace outside ourselves, we must first have peace inside ourselves. It’s not what is going on but how we are looking at what is going on. We need to keep ourselves in balance. We must be careful to not get too hungry, angry, lonely. or tired. We must know the times - time to work, time to rest, time to play, time to sleep, time to pray, time to lighten up, time to laugh, time to eat, time to exercise. There is a saying “The honor of one is the honor of all.” This means when we work with all, we need to also work on one. We need to take care of ourselves. You cannot give away what you don’t have.

Great Spirit, let me walk in balance today. Remove from me resentment, self pity, and self seeking motives. Let me love myself so I can love my neighbors.

I don’t have a husband serving in Afghanistan.   I don’t have a child with a debilitating illness.   I don’t have a home that needs to be remodeled.   I am not struggling to support a child alone.

It is true that I am not as bad off as all of the deserving people Ellen has blessed with her generosity.

And yet, I still believed that I had a chance at receiving a car.   A Chevy Cruz.

As has been my ONE strength, my ONE accomplishment, something I’ve become really, REALLY GOOD AT (besides poor grammar)…

I WAS WRONG.

And yet, I am happy for all of the other people who have compelling stories that have brought tears to my eyes when I watch them on the show.   I am happy I’m not living under a bridge.   I have my health (as far as I know anyway).   I have a roof over my head (for sure, until October 1).   And, I have two part-time jobs that pay my $205/mth health insurance, the $100/mth car insurance, my medical bills, food, gas for the gas guzzling Mustang GT convertible that I love to drive even though I’m polluting the environment.    One more part-time job and I can even pay rent when I’m no longer living under this roof.

As I told the doctor earlier this week, I am not depressed.

I’m not.

The economy sucks.  People are killing animals and each other.   When they aren’t killing, they are maiming and torturing.   The good people in the world continue to help where they can, repairing the damage when they are able.  Prayers go up, and prayers are answered.  The law of attraction brings both good and bad.   And, as I’ve written many times, what sometimes APPEARS to be “good” is not, and what appears to be “bad” is not.

But, since I’m on a kick, figured I might as well give the Ellen channel another touch on the shoulder…if anyone is out there, I could still use an efficient vehicle.   I still may be called upon to taxi out to US 301 now and again.   And, my idea of giving my 89 Mustang Convertible to a returning Serviceman is still on…maybe Ellen, or some other celebrity could restore the car and auction it off to help the families of our Military!

Which makes me wonder WHY I see “marines” spelled without a Capital “M”…I mean, heck, these guys/gals DESERVE the respect!!

Can anyone spell ADD??  ADHD??

What the heck was my point anyway???