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We don't often see how quickly time passes, and don't appreciate the time we squandered away doing things that really wouldn't matter in the long run.
A brisk walk among spring flowers, fall leaves, or the first snow of a white Christmas that we would later regret not lingering over. Scenery or moments that others would purchase on greeting cards, or postcards, while we were too self-absorbed to notice.
As children, we couldn't wait to grow up, to become adults, to be able to do this or that. As adults, we wish we could turn back the clock, or stall Father Time.
We shouldn't take whatever time we have left over from each day, week, month, or year wishing it away for the experiences and life that cannot be regained.
Instead, perhaps, we should have new experiences, cherish this life, and spend each day as the gift it is.
I don't even know anymore if it started with love, or if the happiness at the time was more from beer, baked oysters, and the seduction of wanting to dance with someone.
Even then, I bought my own chocolates, single white roses, and always always always paid for our dinners.
At the end of a decade of his lying, cheating, stealing, and addictions it became less about hate and more about sadness and pity for a pathetic, little, insecure man who when given lemons only wanted to add them to liquor instead of making lemonade.
Now, my life is happy, and I'm content. Drinking coffee, still buying the occasional chocolates, and if I want flowers, I'll buy a whole bush of roses. I have dinner with friends and family, add lemons to my iced tea, or squeeze them over fried catfish. I can dance in my kitchen, with my dog or my cats ... although the cats enjoy it less.
I don't need to be in a relationship, attached at the hip, or cell phone to any man. I can sleep across the whole double bed and if the covers fall to the floor, it's my own fault because I don't have anyone who steals in my life anymore. If I want cold pizza for breakfast, or eggs, bacon, and cheese grits I can eat it all by myself ... well, I do share a little with my dog. He's worth it.
Her: "How many times are you going to change the channel before you finally stop to watch a complete show?"
Him: "I don't know. How many times are you going to ask me that before you stop asking?"
Her: "How many times have I already asked you?"
Him: "Seventeen."
Her: "Hmm. Okay. So I guess that depends on how many more times you are going to channel surf before you stop. What channel are you on now?"
Him: "Seven."
Her: "And how many more channels are there to check?"
Him: "Um, I guess six hundred and something."
Her: "Seriously?!?! You can't just look at the channel guide and pick something you want to watch without going through them all one at a time?"
Him: "No. If it is something I have already seen, it will take me at least ten seconds to see if it is at a point in the show worth watching over again, and if it isn't something I've seen before, it takes at least nine minutes to see if it is something worth watching."
Her: "Oh, so you have it down to a science?"
Him: "Of course. I've been watching TV at least thirteen months longer than you, so I have much more experience at it."
Her: "Funny. I thought that was how old you were."
Him: "What are you talking about? I'm 25, and ... oh. Hard-de-har-har. Very funny."
Her: LaughingOutLoudFallingOffChairRollingOnFloor
I booked a vacation today. My first "adventure" of sorts since 2009. I'm so excited I can hardly wait. I'm taking a train ~ a train!!!!!! ~ to Washington, DC Union Station.
Then I'm catching the metro from Union Station to Dulles airport where one of my oldest friends ~ I've known her for 50+ years and haven't seen her since 2006 ~ will pick me up and I'll spend a few days with her.
She will drive me to see my one sister that I haven't seen since Christmas 2020 and my other sister that I haven't seen since ... 2002?
I will also get to meet my 40-year-old nephew for the first time since I didn't find out about him until he was 38. I'm even getting special t-shirts to wear that say "Aunt. The Woman. The Myth. The Bad Influence." and "I'm that crazy Aunt everyone told you about!" (which is actually a true story).
Then I get to take a train ~ a train!!!!! ~ back home.
I haven't been on a solo vacay since the Danube River cruise, and don't really count any trips I took with any ex's Who Shall Not Be Named over the last two decades because, to be honest, any trip with that last one was never a fun trip. It was all about him and him being drunk or him being on drugs and that was never a pleasant experience for me.
So I'm super excited about this vacay, and being on a train. I haven't taken a train anywhere since ... the mid-70s when I was a kid in Florida and we took one back from Thanksgiving in Arizona to visit family. Mom's fear of heights became evident when the train went through New Orleans. I was fascinated by the cemetery we went over with the mausoleums, and wanted Mom to come to look out the window with me, but she was plastered to the wall behind me.
I don't go for a few months, but knowing me, I'll start packing at the end of this month. It's that anticipation high!
