Musette’s Musings – the skittery mind

Gosh, it’s been awhile since I’ve bored you given you a glimpse into my skittery mind.  Let’s go for a little ramble, shall we?  I’m MUSING!

Silence.  What is it about Silence?  You’d think that since I tend to work alone and most of what I do is non-interactive (quoting, etc) that I would have music blasting.  But I don’t.  I really enjoy quiet – or, I guess, Quiet with Ambient Noise.  Back in my Fbook days, I remember  Ida posting about the pleasure of having a coffee in a newly-clean house, with the washer/dryer humming along, whilst a storm raged outside.  Mine is a tad bit different  – I’m with her for all of it, except the raging storm.  My delight is doing Quiet with Ambient Noise in bright sunshine…and bitter cold.  Today, at lunchtime, I took a break from work – but not for lunch.  I decided to iron.  The laundry is on the back addition, where the sun just blasts! in , and I had a squickton of little vintage hand towels to iron.  Interesting that I find ironing those things so soothing because when I was a kid, I was required to iron a whole LOT of those (I grew up in the early 60s and everything in our house was cotton or linen.  Steam irons……. I don’t think so.  I remember my mom had a Coca-Cola bottle with a little shaker plug, you filled it with water and that’s how you rolled (and if you were smart you’d sprinkle the remaining linens, etc, roll them up and put them in the fridge).  And NO CAT WHISKERS! in the corners of those towels/pillowcases/sheets (remember…early 60s.  Cotton. Linen.). But today, just being there in the sunshine with The Girl staring at the birds outside…it was so relaxing!  Smelled good, too.  I think I’m beginning to understand the appeal of scents like Clean Laundry (though I do not want to wear it).  Ironed cotton is very calming.  And the hiss of the iron, the slight pings of appliances (as they are wont to ping)… the sounds of my neighbors working on their truck…. all worked to assure me that the Zombie Apocalypse was not upon us – at least not on Thursday noon.

dry those paws!

False Spring.  A lot of people really despise a False Spring (which we are in on this Sunday evening – 23February, 7p and it’s still 43F! Blessed be!)  – but I love them.  Here’s why:  if you’re an Old Broad like moiself, you know the beauty of just sitting and Being in the sun – in my younger days I would’ve tornadoed around the garden, raking detritus, etc, and probably doing more harm than good.  We’re likely to get another avalanche, pre-April (or even during April), so there’s no need to jump the gun.  Besides, sometimes just sitting, listening to the birds and the kids playing in the park (and my neighbor’s chickens and ducks going bonkers!)…sometimes that’s enough.  As it was today.  I did do one thing: Since the ground is  porous I moved the bird feeder.  I’m sick of watching the squirrels hork down all the seed, especially as I feed them, too!  Greedy bassids.  Though I do admit that watching them figure out how to outwit the baffle (which they are now unable to do because Move) was…fascinating.  Btw – the ONLY time the squirrel was inclined to vacate?  When a hawk shows up.  At that point, everybody (including the jays, who fear little) vanishes.  You wanna talk Quiet?  Let a hawk come into my garden.  It’s like a neutron bomb went off out there.

oh!  and here’s another Musing:  so… we’re maaaybe going to get 6″ of snow sometime tomorrow (avalanche!  toldja!).  What is it about that prediction, makes me want to sprint to The Teeter for my version of bread and milk?  It’s a total knee-jerk reaction…because I just went to the grocery store on Saturday!  But the moment I read that, I thought ‘omg.  Must get …….!!!’

Exercise.  I’m here for it!  It’s been awhile – and it shows, both physical and mentally, but ykwhat?  After the first few painful days? it’s really fine when I start again!  My sacrum is still wonked so there’s no jumping about – I do this stunningly simple 30-mins Yoga for Sleep that I found on YouTube(which has me nearly comatose by the time we get to the end) and then I do barre-at-home (again the Tube) – a friend (ykw) is a total convert to barre and she got me into it.  It’s funny, but the b-a-h routine I chose bears a startling resemblance to 1980s aerobics, right down to the leg warmers.  Which is fine – back in the 80s I did aerobics 6days a week, I was a size 8, my bp was almost hypotenssive, I was that fit – and my BMI was almost as good as Jackie Joyner’s!  I doubt I will be any of those things again (because 80s, y’know?) but I feel better than I have in ages!  Dropping that 285lbs helped – but dropping the half-dress size isn’t hurting, either! and YOGA!  Omg.  I stepped on an acorn and nearly went down – the gyrations to keep myself upright?  Those would’ve hurt like a lima bean – except!  YOGA!  I shook it off, stretched it out …and I’m FOINE.  so if you’re considering…….?

Van Morrison.  40 years I’ve listened to that man.  40 years I’ve loved his music.  But… y’know…90% of the time I STILL don’t know what the hell he’s saying.  I’m listening to ‘Avalon’ right now – and I’ve listened to Avalon since he first released it.  And there are still whole segments of that song that sounds like he’s sucking pudding through a straw.  Van!   (but don’t stop singing – and don’t leave me (in the dead of night).  Lyle Mays’s passing was shocking and heartbreaking enough.  What a gentle, kind, talented soul.  Rest in Power, Lyle.)

Portrait of Lyle Mays, Jazz pianist at the Yamaha piano showroom, West 57th st, New York City, New York. September 30, 1988. (Photo by Michel Delsol/Getty Images)

Bulbs.  LOL!  Hyacinths.  Beautiful.  Capricious. Stankin’ like Spring.  You know why else I love them?  They teach you patience.  They wake up (if they wake up) when THEY are ready – and not one nanosecond before that.   I’m actually enjoying the sight of several bulbs (from the same lot) growing at stunningly different rates.  And others (again, from the same lot) not even awake yet.  In my youth that would’ve driven me to distraction.  Now I just enjoy the weirdness.  I’m not running the flower show – they are.

you are NOT the boss of me!

whazzup with YOU guys?  Lmk!  The Girl and I spent a lovely day in the garden and she said ‘hey, Mommy!  Let’s do a giveaway!  This pawnicure ain’t gonna poke itself!’ (or something like that).  so.  She has spoken.  Let’s do a giveaway!  Tell me a Musing of your own.  I’ll have her exercise that pawnail!  I’m a bit behind on getting the last of my winners’ stuff out but I promise to Do Better!