catching up...
I can’t believe it’s been so long since I wrote an entry but I have been doing what I more or less promised myself. I haven’t been doing anything too terribly “fun”, rather I have been eyebrow deep in various around the house projects. Firstly I have been completely cleaning and reorganizing the basement-and when I say cleaning, I definitely mean cleaning-mop..bucket..scrubbing beams, rafters, floors walls-everything. I have thrown out quite a bit of stuff-so much that each trash day that last few weeks has involved several trips taking it out. But the basement is looking really great and I have probably already cleared out 1/3 of the stuff that was down there.
In addition to that project I have been doing a lot of Halloween shopping and decorating. I will definitely post some pictures when I am done, but as of right now I am still putting last minute touches on everything but here are a few quick snaps I took while experimenting with what I want to go where-just keep in mind these aren’t the final versions.
Above:
My kitchen table. The pumpkin is a bit too small for a centerpiece so it will be replaced with a somewhat larger one. The leaves are also a bit too thick so I will thin those down but this picture will give you the basic idea of how my thinking is going:)
Below:
I use the fireplace pretty often during the autumn and winter so the decorations on the mantle end up being moved around quite a bit-and the pumpkins lined up-aren't where they will be-I just set them there to get them off the floor while I was working on the living room, lol.
I have spent many evenings out shopping in every store that has even the smallest Halloween display and I have spent more money than I really care to think about..But then, Halloween is my favorite holiday..I have at least three times the amount of Halloween decorations than I do of Christmas decorations. Yes-I know..I am strange..I prefer to think of it as “unique”
I am still continuing my running, but I have had to cut back as my leg injury continues to nag me. I have cut down the miles each week from about 20-25 to around 10-15 in an effort to heal up. It is taking longer than I would like, but I do feel a bit stronger each day. But each evening I am getting out, whether it’s going on a run or just taking a quiet walk by myself. It’s relaxing and definitely healing for the soul.. These moments of my day have become almost a deeply spiritual, contemplative time for me. It isn’t easy to take an hour+ each day to just think and ponder, and first it had to be a conscious effort, but now it is almost a necessity. I look forward to it.
I am in a quiet mood this evening…I could just sit outside in front of my outdoor fireplace, with a cup of hot chocolate and just stare silently, deep in thought...wishing..
I have been hoping so much to hear from someone here in Ohio that I haven’t talked to in over a week now, but I haven’t. I don’t have the option of writing, and I don’t know if she will write or not. I wish I didn’t care so much, but I do. The hardest thing in the world is to stop caring about someone… I believe that you can choose to care about someone, but choosing "not" to care about someone is much, much harder.
switching topics now..sort of...
Many years ago during the summers in between college years, I worked at Kings Island here in Ohio. During those years, I was stationed at the White Water Canyon. Those were definately great years and I have quite a few fond memories of the crew I worked with, and those summer days and nights. If any of the readers of this blog have ever been to Kings Island-and have ridden on the White Water Canyon Ride, they will remember that there are three "towers" along the ride path. It is from these towers that ride operators control the water spray and monitor the safety of the ride.
During the normal workday, each of us crewmembers would sit in each of the towers for several hours during our one hour rotational shifts. Sitting in the towers isn't always the most exciting place to be, and as you are there alone-you often have much time to just sit, think, people watch or whatever. I actually bought a little notebook journal that I could fit in my pocket (unbeknownst to my supervisors), and I would sit and just write..poetry, stories, thoughts-whatever. It was also common for crew members to actually write on the walls on the inside of the towers. If a pen or marker wasn't handy, then we would carve into the wood itself. This was discouraged of course, but we did it anyway. We would leave messages for each other or just our thoughts of the moment. Over the years, these writings became a yearbook of sorts where you could reminsice days gone by.
One day, I remember it was very rainy and our ride was very quiet-not many people come to ride a water ride during a rain storm. Bored and without my journal, I pulled out my pen and slowly began to etch the first things that came to mind on the left side wall on the inside of tower 2. I didn't know it at the time, but what I wrote would remain there for years afterwards, and touch the hearts of people I never met. I left Kings Island after the summer of 1995, and it was on a return visit to the park a few years later that I learned from one of the White Water Canyon crew members that my writing was still there.
Exactly what I wrote that summer wasn't something I created, rather it was the lyrics of a song that has always haunted me. It's a beautiful song-in a melancholy but hopeful way. I knew the song by heart, and as I scratched the lyrics on the wall they captured exactly how I was feeling. I didn't know "who" I was writing about, but it was a type of heart cry-somehow hoping to reach out and touch the heart of someone special.. I have always thought that this was one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
The song was written by Michael W. Smith and it is called "Do you dream of me"
Dreams within the still of night
On wings of hope take flight inside of me
There upon some distant shore
We want for nothing more than what will be
And you and I, here we are
I wonder as we've come this far...
If I could only read your mind
Tell me the answer I would find
Do you dream of me?
And when you're smiling in your sleep
Beyond the promises we keep
Do you dream of me?
Love has found a magic space
A deep and hidden place where time stands still
Now I hold you in my arms
You know you hold my heart and always will
And you and I, here we are
And it's a wonder that we've come this far.
And after all that we've been through
You've leaned on me, I've leaned on you
Do you dream of me?
And when you're smiling in your sleep
Beyond the promises we keep
Do you dream of me?
If I could only read your mind
Tell me the answer I would find
Do you dream of me?
And when you're smiling in your sleep
Beyond the promises we keep
Do you dream of me?
And after all that we've been through
You've leaned on me, I've leaned on you.
Do you dream of me?
