1. Celebrating with daughter Amy adding another physician to her medical company here in Savannah, Coastal Care Partners. This time a young new pediatrician.
Amy is the redhead to the right. New physician Dr. Alexander is in the middle.
So of course, Robert and I had to get in on the action (and free food). Here we are with Amy and her hubby, co-partner Scott at the ribbon-cutting.
2. The wind beneath my wings.
Sweet chili pepper wings at Bar Food Sports in Savannah near us. Yum!!!
4. HR and I taking grandtwins Matthew and Madison, little Isabelle and ex-wife Donna to the Jepson Center for the Arts here in Savannah for a morning of exploration and joy.
4. The incredible ability to be thankful. And to recognize, celebrate all that we have — our lives, our breath, our hopes and dreams. Our feet and shoes to house them. Our fingers and their ability to touch.
5. HR letting me strategically place various items on his head for photographic practice …
… while he looks at a duck cookie sporting his name.
I hope you’re looking at a happy, healthy weekend ahead.
So last night I was scrolling though my 25,557 photos (seriously?!) in the “Recents” section of my iPhone. (Recent?!)
And l came across a short series of silly pictures.
It all started when I was grandtwin-sitting Matthew and Madison. (Circa 2013. They were about one at the time.)
MatthewMadison
They seemed a little bored. Staring out the window, obviously looking for greener pastures.
“Bless you, my sissy. Boredom’s trap will not snare us forever.”
I really knew something had gone awry when Matthew started chewing on my shoe strings.
So I came up with a solution to the babysitting challenge. And I’m sure you probably do this too: when all else fails, sit the little ones in containers. Yes? I thought so.
Matthew and an aluminum tub
See? Right?
Madison. “I’m not so sure.”But … okay.
I decided that I would join the fun … until I realized i couldn’t.
Darn
Matthew: “Let’s just look out that window again.”
The twins today and their end-of-the-year school awards ceremony …
This morning I’m marveling at how the “little things” we encounter in daily life can sometimes bring sudden bursts of joy to us.
“Close Encounters of the Little Kind”
A couple of weeks ago Robert and I were up near Monticello, NY and took a little walk. “Look, Neal!” he excitedly pointed, with a little too much morning verve for me. At first all I saw was a tree with splotchy marks on it, but getting closer I saw it … him … Mr. Tree!
And somehow Mr. Tree brought unexpected but welcome joy to our morning walk.
What little thing have you noticed lately that brought a smile or an “aww/awe” to your life?
4. The sleek new white chairs in my therapist Rubi’s office
I am a firm believer that therapists ALWAYS strategically place items in their waiting areas with hidden (HA!), underlying (probably-childhood related) purposes. Here’s my theory about the photo above.
On second thought, I’ll just let the redecorated room itself—and the therapists whose clients wait in the room—speak for itself and themselves:
“Hi there. And welcome back! Look at how fresh and clean everything looks in our, we mean YOUR, waiting area. A tabla rosa-ness to it, don’t you think? This session you’re about to have can be a new beginning to your mental health. But remember we have to do it in 50 minutes. Sit down and make yourself comfortable.”
“The slanting brown legs on the chair? We’re glad you noticed, but come on, you get that, we’re sure. No? Being grounded of course. Connecting to Mother Earth. Therapy doesn’t go straight down and to the point all at once, for goodness sake. It has to slant, meander, hiccup around for a spell. Sometimes quite a spell. Over MULTIPLE 50-minute sessions. And the FOUR legs? Why earth, wind, fire and water, of course.”
************
I’m sorry but I need to interrupt the room and the therapists for a second here. I took the above photo three weeks ago when the room was just being redone. Look closely at the seat part of the chair. See sort of a crack or opening? I did. And since Rubi had not called me back yet, I looked around to make sure there were no hidden cameras and did what comes naturally to me. I snooped. And, lo and behold, when I placed my hand on the seat part, it was loose. I hoisted it up. It had not been screwed down yet! Okay, again sorry, back to the room and therapists’ spill.
************
“You might notice the chair is a bit wobbly. That your butt moves up and down and side to side while you’re sitting. No worries. You won’t fall out of it. Just steady yourself. After all, you’ve just got a few loose screws. WE MEAN THE CHAIR HAS GOT A FEW LOOSE SCREWS!!!”
************
“Hi Neal,” Rubi greets me at my session three weeks ago. “Come on up.” I follow my therapist to his suite but quickly look back at the chair. And it seems to wiggle and wave a bit. I can’t tell if it is taunting or encouraging me.
A blog category about finding “art” in unexpected places and situations.
So I was minding my own business, sitting in my study chair …
… meditating on why the Kardashians are still “a thing,” when Robert, who had been in the kitchen working on his ice cream sundae, barreled into the study and shoved this in my face …
“OoKaay,” I said, but really concentrating on Kim’s issue with her bangs.
“No, look, Neal!” (R only calls me by my name when he is animated). “LOOK.”
“Uh, that’s the top of the fudge jar,” I observed.
“No, no,” he squealed, “your Artful Dodger blog category. LOOK.”
NealEnJoy 