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No longer on the river and, again, an empty nester. Back to living on Fleming Island and making some more friends!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Sure, blame me!

Yesterday morning when Joanne was making breakfast, I came into the kitchen for a soda as she was putting a dish in the machine. She said, "Here! Look! If there is any doubt we have a problem....." and let the comment trail off. She was gesturing at the row of bowls in the bottom rack as well as the silverware rack being loaded with ice cream scoops. What was she getting at? What problem? Well, it seems that since she moved in here, and in spite of shopping for unusual food items at Whole Foods, she has fallen into the habit of eating ice cream with chocolate over the top---daily! In my own defense, I told her one of the bowls had held my rice from dinner the night before.........But it is my fault she is hooked on ice cream. At first I would pin her down and force the ice cream down her throat, but now she comes willingly, and even in the wee hours of the night for her fix!
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Joanne is taking part in a weight loss contest at her office (New Year resolve and all that) and has lost several pounds already, in spite of living in what I describe as the "carbohydrate capital of the world". She knew this coming in so it was not news to her. Joanne is often "forced" to dine out with clients and her buyers' agent when they are out and about, and then comes back home to tell me what wretched meal she ordered. Never a big juicy hamburger or a plate of fried chicken---no, she orders some sort of fish prepared in a way that I would never even imagine. My face screws up when she tells me what she ordered and ate, but she loves that and I am quite happy for her!
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Boy, this morning I woke up with a jerk, and I haven't done that in a long long time! Ha ha ha! In my early morning dream state, I was being attacked by aggressive alligators, while seeking shelter in a raised structure at the beach. What in the world??? I was not alone in this structure, Martie was with me, talking on the phone and totally oblivious to our situation. In the dream I was screaming at her to hang up and help me throw these corn cobs at the alligators so they would not attack us. It seems when I awakened, I just may have been hollaring out loud, because my mouth was so dry and my throat sore. Wow, what a weird dream! I am hungry now for corn on the cob!
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Mike and Cindy in my river room
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My friend, Cindy, called me late last night to share a scary story with me. Her recurring theme through the story and following conversation was that no matter what, Timmy was still influencing us. Her grandkids had spent the night this weekend and while in the course of getting things together, car loaded, and good-byes being said, the older toddler of the two opened the front door to her house and went outside. Only a moment passed before Cindy realized that CJ was absent and she shreiked, "Where is CJ???!!!???" Everyone hustled to locate him as the little guy had headed around the back of the house toward the pond where he usually feeds the geese with his grandpa. Cindy said they are so incredibly careful to secure the back doors and windows to prevent access to the pool area but CJ chose the front door instead! This totally freaked Cindy out but she was impressed by how coolly and calmly Tara handled CJ. Cindy was a mess the rest of the day, although nothing really happened, other than him getting away from their normally watchful eyes. It only shows how quickly things can happen, or nearly happen, but sometimes it takes a tragic accident like Timmy's to bring it all home!

10 comments:

Tarren Prange said...

I wonder if your dream had something to do with seeing the floating thing yesterday. Maybe subconciously you were concerned about the person and the dog being attacked by an alligator (I know that was my first thought when I read about them floating in the water!). The corn on the cob....I'm not sure how that plays in. Maybe just a craving =)

It was good to hear about the Sholes/Valentines. Please tell them all I said hello.

It is a scary thing indeed to realize that your child is missing, even if for but a moment. We "lost" Grace for a minute on Friday night after our grade school's basketball game. I was trying to round up all of our coats, and Pete was shooting a few hoops with others on the court. Grace headed for the door to the gymnasium without us realizing it! I think my heart actually stopped beating when I couldn't find her anywhere in that gym. Scary!

Kim Lahaie Day said...

Hi Tarren,

I will bet you are correct about the floating thing out there figuring into the dream. A dog is often considered to be alligator bait anyway and then add humans to the mix....good answer!

Yes, you had your own experience, perhaps not the first time, of losing Grace or Lucas. At ThanksLiving when I took the boys to get their pictures taken in 2000, Timmy followed Justin to the bathroom but Justin did not know it. We found him with Wanda Budner at the Customer Service Desk. I had told him early on if he got separated from us, to look for the blue vest and smiley face button! And he did! Yes, Grace was just headin' out and leaving you guys behind! Close one!

Hugs,

Kim

p.s. I miss you---wish you were here!!!

Suzanne Chappell said...

Ya know, Hanna slipped out the front door when we first bought this house, and I now have a double keyed dead bolt on the door, and the key stays on the key chain looped over the top hinge! Thank GOD CJ was ok.

I had dreams that there were snakes (weird ones, like in Snakes on Planes) all over the house, and John was on a mission to catch them all!

Love you!
Suzanne

Kim Lahaie Day said...

Hi Suzanne:

I think Tarren figured out my dream for me, at least the first part with alligator. snakes are frightening to nearly every one, and make me think of the devil. I hope John was successful in capturing them all.

I am glad you have the preventions in place now after the kids have figured out the escape route! The standing on a stool in the kitchen reaching for pointy objects, that is just too scary for me!!!!

Sleep well, my dear friend,

Love,
Kim

Anonymous said...

From Cindy:

Thank you for being there for me to vent! Mike woke me in the middle of the night because I was yelling and crying at the same time. I don't remember the dream but Mike said I did it 4 times during the night. I think I was just reacting to what happened.

I did the same thing the night Timmy was buried. We had bad thunderstorms and one woke me up and I darted out of bed yelling I have to get Timmy, it raining! Mike grabbed me by my pj's and pulled me back into bed and hugged me when I started to cry.

I did giggle yesterday. As I thanked God for his blessings, the hymn "A Mighty Fortress" popped into my head. Yes indeed, my house will be a mighty fortress, after Mike and I visit Home Depot and get locks for all the doors and windows. I will be the chubby prison guard, with the keys to all the locks hanging off her waist. Then we will take a short trip to Office Max and get bubble wrap to put around the house when the Grandkids are here.

It took a nano second for him to get out the door. We didn't even hear the alarm beep. But what happened in that nano second, has this Grandma on her knees still, praying and thanking God.

Thank you for being there for me to vent to.

Waving to Tarren! :D

Kim Lahaie Day said...

Hi Cindy:

You are so welcome! But next time, I want to have the conversation face to face. Hurry up and take your test so we can go play!

Our dreams can be so vivid and when they are especially freaky, we feel that way all day long sometimes. As though it really did happen.

The remark about the bubble wrap of the house is quite amusing. Call me when you tackle that project, I need to see this!

Blessings today,

Kim

Anonymous said...

Remember when you lived at Fireside and I would take Justin walking and he would run away from me.......one time Roger came along and saw him running ahead of me.....he was very upset...prbably with me as much as Justin. Sometimes when we would walk to the "Creek" he would run ahead and that always frightened me....good thing I had a strong heart.....I just wasn't able to run fast enough to catch him.....

Kim Lahaie Day said...

Hi Mom!

Yes, I remember that event on busy 209! Roger was plenty upset because it was so dangerous for him to be running along the road unattended. He could have been hit by a car. And you were so much younger then!

Same with the big wheel and riding down to the creek. I know that freaked you out although I doubt he would have driven into the water at the end of the walkway. It was like a freeway is to him now!! Somehow we find the strength to do things we did not think we would ever have to do.....

Happy Birthday!

Kim

Suzanne Chappell said...

Happy Birthday, Miss Kathy! Can't wait to see you again in Florida!

Suzanne

(hopefully, she'll be able to read all these comments! :P )

Kim Lahaie Day said...

Hi Suzanne:

I was on the phone with Mom with your comment came through so I read it to her right away!

Thanks,

Kim