Remember when

Driving in the chilly rain in the funeral procession with Chris Bottis' haunting trumpet rendition of "Time to Say Goodbye" hanging in the air, family and friends gathered to pay final respects to Aunt Ann. Someone whose presence graced our gatherings and whose love for family was boundless. Someone whose impression is etched on many hearts tonight.

You hear it said sometimes - the love of his or her life. It's hard to believe it really happens - but I'll tell you that it's true. Marriage is never what you expect. Yet looking at the wedding photos that are now 63 years old, Ann and Tom got it right. Till death do us part doesn't happen much anymore. It's easy to walk away. Love, honor and obey are hard words to say (OK I admit, as a native Baltimorean I said "Old Bay". It seemed to work at the time). Part of what we have lost is keeping common courtesy and simple kindness to one another alive in a relationship. Aunt Ann & Uncle Tom epitomized those traits. There was no MEMEMEME about it, they were in it together. And it showed, even today.
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Smiling photos were everywhere at the funeral home, "remember when" was repeated throughout the room. Hugs and smiles and tears were the order of the day. As we left the church the sun began to peak through the clouds. Chris Botti turned his attention to "Someone to Watch Over Me".  Indeed, a lifetime of love and the love of Tom's life shone though the grey skies. Her gentle kindness had rained down on all who were lucky enough to have been a part of her life.

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Closet musings

Friday night was spent in a closet. Literally, in a closet. Too much on my mind to even sit and watch tv, the focus on reading a book was lost. It began by restlessly putting away the laundry. Shortly then after I was standing in a puddle of cotton and wool - all the clothes pulled off the closet shelves and onto the floor to begin the sorting process.

Sometimes the only way to clear out the clutter is to jump into the middle of it. Sort what is worth holding onto, what is worth letting go. This is a good time of year to wool gather - not only in your closet but in your mind. Fall brings a sense of change, of showing us there is beauty in the leaves that will soon be gone. That changing color doesn't always mean changing form - but shedding our external "leaves" to begin a process of renewal.

In current design trends closet and closet organization have become a field unto its' own. There are all types of accessories to be utilzed in every room of the house. Storage equipment that gives us the ability to organize the clutter that creeps into our lives. I find that when living space is organized it allows us to think unfettered. We can see past the clutter and move forward more freely. 

The weather is turning colder, the flip flops will be stored in the hopes that they'll soon reappear. Those carefree days of summer put away until their return. The sturdy boots come out, the cozy sweaters wrap us in warmth. The seasons change with each passing day and with each season a new reflection begins.  It's time to put away what is no longer necessary and embrace what is already waiting for us.

Rituals of the day

Sometimes while driving early in the morning before the sun rises I watch the lights turn on in houses as I pass by - one by one. In small towns and cities all across the country our morning rituals are performed day after day, probably in the same order. The alarm goes off, we stretch like lazy dogs in the morning light, rubbing our eyes and stumbling into the kitchen to brew that first cup of nirvana.

And so it goes day in day out. That first inhalation of that addictive aroma, hands cradling our favorite cup for warmth, the aaaaahhhhh after that long starter sip. The day begins.

Coffee has become a billion dollar industry. From single cup to built in units that grind beans for each cup that is brewed - perking that coffee is a common ritual in many households.  There are bean grinders, espresso makers, fair trade coffee and the ongoing debate of Starbucks vs Dunkin Donuts. We choose sides. We talk about the crema, the boldness, the blend.  We stop and savor the moment just for that split second - we allow ouselves to just BE. 

 

Why shouldn't we take the time to inhale - just inhale - and just BE? Why don't we stop to smell the autumn change in the air? Listen to the crunch of leaves under our feet, watch the V shaped pattern of geese glide across the sky? See the color in the sky as the light fades to dark, feel the cool clean air fill our lungs and just BE. The world moves so fast that living in the moment has become elusive. When was the last time you stopped to hear childrens' voices as they play in the school yard, heard the beat of the city beneath your feet, felt music melt into your pores, into your very being?

Stop and smell the coffee - taste the sweet bitterness of complexities that brew inside of you everyday. BE in the moment - just BE. 

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The BEST Price

What is THE BEST PRICE? We are all asking for it, we are all negotiating everything everyday. Myself included. But how do we know what THE BEST PRICE really is, when it is in an industry we are NOT in? Take construction for example. You are trusting someone to open your walls, take electrical wires in their hands, repair them, and then TRUST that they are correct. If not done correctly, they could start a fire. You are trusting someone to build a floor that you won't fall though. You are trusting someone to make sure all the plumbing connections are secure so that you don't spring a leak. What is the cost of trust?

I have seen some instances on some jobs where the contractor went from being low bid to outrageous crazy when unforseen circumstances arose. Were they unforseen or overlooked in order to get the low bid?  Do your homeowork. Get references, call vendors that supply the person that will be in your home.  Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints. Make sure they are licensed & insured. Trust your gut instinct. Are they so low because they can't get work?

When it all comes down to it, the BEST PRICE is a fair price given by fair people. People that are working in your best interest with their best price to the best of their ability. So what is the real cost of the best price? What are you willing to pay?