I haven’t really full blown cried in quite some time. I can’t even remember the last time I cried fully and with abandon. But tonight I had a huge release. I think, maybe, it had been building up for a while now.

My cat, Puddy, sneaks out into the living room after the dogs have been put to bed. I noticed, tonight that she needed her nails clipped. I usually do it in the bedroom, her domain, where she feels safe. I didn’t really think twice about being in the living room, but something must have spooked her (the tiniest of noises will send her running back to her lair) and I felt her back claws whip up and into my flesh. As she dropped, now free to escape, I lost it completely. (The blood helped my release, I’m sure, as well as the fear & pain.)

I try to recognize and appreciate the opportunities the universe gives me to learn and grow, but in this case, I really wish my face had been spared from this lesson. I’m worried I will have a scar from this much needed catharsis.

It was a u-pick kind of day today. Originally, I had planned to surprise Cor with a morning of u-pick strawberries at a local farm (Bedner’s), but our recent rain and cold front did a number on the little berry plants, and so they were off limits. We didn’t find that out until we were already at the farm, so we opted to pick vine ripe tomatoes and peppers instead!

From there, we headed to another local u-pick (The Girls) and loaded up on fresh greens and zucchini flowers! (Their strawberries had taken a hit as well.) Our haul from the second market would have easily cost $10+ at the local farmer’s market, but we paid less than $2 by picking it ourselves. Yummy organic produce at cost!

Our last u-pick of the day was rather unconventional. We stopped at Total Wine & Spirits and browsed the imported beer aisle & ‘picked’ our own six pack! Cor suggested we put the in the RV as an adventure in tasting when we go to MARS for Miss Trailer Trash weekend! Marvelous!

We also stopped by The Boys Market & picked up some New Year’s noshes and had half priced drinks from Sonic. It was one of the lovliest date days.

This evening sees Cor saving the Universe by playing the latest Ratchet & Clank and I finished reading The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (excellent read – I highly recommend it). Tommorow I must tackle my grading and other classwork in earnest and start de-christmasing the house and yard.

being untrue to yourself.  i know we are a collection of personas that we show to the world – and sometimes we even forget our authentic self because of all the masks we wear, but when you know who you are – when you are connected to your authentic self, and you go against it…. i imagine that must be the lowest depth of misery imaginable.

i have lost so many material possessions in my life so far that i don’t know that i can say there is any particular one thing i could not live without.  but as far as being treasured, i have the quilt my mother made me as a small child – i helped her make it by picking out the material squares she sewed into block patterns.  i love the quilt, threadbare as it has become. i refused to sleep anywhere without it during most of my childhood – even in the summer.  it is beautiful.

barring the hurricanes, i really do love living in south florida.  i have found that i don’t do well in drier climates – my asthma and skin/sinuses really rebel. i will always love my childhood home of texas, but my adult home has become south florida.