VIPs

This oldie is dedicated to the VIP in the Porshe Cayenne I shared the road with this morning----I met some really important people the other day. Well, I can’t actually say I met them, but I did watch them as they sailed by a bunch of us good citizens waiting our turn in one of those lane ends construction areas. You know...you see one of those lane ends up ahead signs and you pull over and wait your turn to go through like everybody else...except the really important people. I mean they must be really important...because they can’t wait in line like the rest of us. They go right to the front and force their way in. I figure they do this because they have much more important places to go and much more important people to see than the rest of us. Their time must be much more valuable than ours. Yep...that must be what it is. I mean...you don’t think they could just be arrogant, thoughtless and rude do you? Nooo...they can’t just be inconsiderate jerks...can they? They must be much more important than you and I. I must confess to being a very bad person though. Because when I finally do get to the front of the line and there’s a very important person trying to get in front of me...I don’t let ‘em in. Screw ‘em. Terrible aren’t I?

Tiny Hands

Here’s to tiny hands...curious hands...sticky hands. Hands whose tiny fingers poke and point and smoosh and stick their little selves in places we won’t dig into, so to speak, here. Hands that can cling to the tiniest piece of sacred blankie satin with great precision, while pouring what’s left of the Cheerios into, under and around the dog’s dish. Here’s to tiny hands that only want to color with permanent markers. They know the difference. They really do. Here’s to tiny hands that love Mommy polished nails and plastic tea cup parties. Here’s to tiny hands that love mud and trucks and drums made out of an empty coffee can and two old sticks. Here’s to tiny hands that love to wrap fancy feather boas around tiny necks and put Mom’s fancy heels on tiny feet and try to dance. Here’s to tiny hands...curious hands...sticky hands that I will try to hold in mine forever and have to let go of too soon. Please stay tiny just a bit longer...for Grandpa.

Hey Spring

Hey Spring...this is what I’m talking about. C’mon...you can do it. Looks like you’re getting your act together and startin’ to kick a little ice around here. Keep it coming. Turn it up to warm and get those daffodil heads poking up through the tundra. And hey there Mr. Red, Red Robin…we are ready for some full time bobbin’ around here. Even though Old Man Winter really showed his age this time around, it’s still been too brown and gray and window closed and all cooped up for too long. We need you to start getting on with the greenery. C’mon Spring...you can do it. Flex your crocuses and give the cold, old geezer a good swift kick in his frozen pants. And tell him not to let the garden gate hit him in the icicles as he heads north. Turn up the thermostat Spring and let the T-shirts begin. It’s tulip time. C’mon...you can do it. Get the sap running and the grass growing. It’s time to smell the lilacs and slap some mosquitoes. C’mon spring you can do it. Get out there...put up your dukes...and give the North Wind the old what for. This is what I’m talking about. Don’t turn back…don’t give up now…don’t turn into some kind of…Pansy.

Extra Large!

Ok…I’m getting a little older…and I guess you could say I’m getting a little rounder, but when did I get to be “Extra Large”? That’s the size shirts I have to buy these days. Now, I’ll admit I’m not the svelte, lean, dashing stud I was a few years ago. OK…quite a few years ago, but “Extra Large”?! Is there anyone out there making clothes in regular old sizes for anyone over the age of twenty something? Don’t they know the world is not entirely populated by under shaved, underweight young squirts with spiked up hair who fit comfortably in cute little foreign cars slightly bigger that my sneakers? Everywhere I look I’m seeing “Skinny Jeans”, “Athletic Fit”, “Slim Cut”…I’m not seeing “Older Guy Chunky” or “A Little More Room In The Butt Cut” or shirts with those new and improved “Go Ahead and Breath” buttons. And if I’m “Extra Large”, what size do the guys that I consider to be “Extra Large” have to buy… “Double X X Tent and Awning”? May I suggest a couple of new sizes that would not be an insult to my maturity? How about “Grandpa Cut”? I could live with that. Or “Distinguished Fit”? That’s got a nice ring to it. “Extra Large”…I don’t think so.

Today

Today, someone who will make a difference in this world will be born. Today, someone who made a difference in this world will die. Today, a child will take a first step…say a first word. Today, a marriage will end. Today, someone will fall in love. Today, someone will pull a trigger. Today, thank God, someone won’t. Someone will finally laugh and someone will finally cry. A heart will break, a heart will heal. Someone will think today is incredibly boring. Someone will think today is the best day of their life. Someone will decide that this is the day. Someone can’t wait for this day to be over. Today, someone will try something for the first time. Today, someone will do something for the last time. Today it will begin. Today it will end. Today, someone will get a chance. Today, someone will waste a chance. Have a nice day…today.

Shake It Off

Let’s shake off the winter wearies like we would a tattered old coat. Let’s welcome back the sunshine from its long winter’s nap and open the windows to let in the tick, tick, tick of a springtime sprinkler and the sound of a ballgame drifting across the backyards from a radio on someone’s deck. It’s time to lower our shoulders from the tensions of the silver shivers and raise our eyes from the frozen sidewalks to watch a sweet breeze blow clouds around a bright blue sky. Let’s get on with this season of unclenching and leave winter’s baggage behind. Let’s get on with doing a little spring cleaning of the heart and soul so that we’ll have room for some fresh thoughts and new ideas. Let’s shake off the winter wearies like a tattered old coat. The gift of another time around has been given to all of us. All the cold and dark has melted away. All roads are open to us now. This is the season to choose one...and see where it leads.

Shake It Off

Let’s shake off the winter wearies like we would a tattered old coat. Let’s welcome back the sunshine from its long winter’s nap and open the windows to let in the tick, tick, tick of a springtime sprinkler and the sound of a ballgame drifting across the backyards from a radio on someone’s deck. It’s time to lower our shoulders from the tensions of the silver shivers and raise our eyes from the frozen sidewalks to watch a sweet breeze blow clouds around a bright blue sky. Let’s get on with this season of unclenching and leave winter’s baggage behind. Let’s get on with doing a little spring cleaning of the heart and soul so that we’ll have room for some fresh thoughts and new ideas. Let’s shake off the winter wearies like a tattered old coat. The gift of another time around has been given to all of us. All the cold and dark has melted away. All roads are open to us now. This is the season to choose one...and see where it leads.