Meredith Kendall's Blog, page 54
November 29, 2013
colors
Apricot to burnt-orange. The sun dropped into the ocean behind the rustling palm trees. The waves kept coming, making that soothing shushing noise.
I sat on the narrow balcony and watched the colors. Watched the sea birds. Listened to the kids in the pool.
A little chilly in my flip flops and summer dress, I threw on a fleece jacket. Watched the colors fade into black. Venus appeared.
I sat on the narrow balcony and watched the colors. Watched the sea birds. Listened to the kids in the pool.
A little chilly in my flip flops and summer dress, I threw on a fleece jacket. Watched the colors fade into black. Venus appeared.
bird sanctuary
Went to a bird sanctuary. How do pelicans get injured?
I watched them soar today, as I sat on the beach. They glide inches over the water with strength and grace. they go all over the bay, way faster than the boats. They slide down onto the surface and bob there, sometimes solo, sometimes in groups.
At the sanctuary, they can't fly. They waddle, clack their long pinky-orange beaks, and flap. No gliding, no sliding. They must wonder why they can't do that anymore. They eat, bathe, flap to dry, then nap. Their wings are broken. How does that happen?
I saw a baby, born yesterday, on Thanksgiving. Mom was sitting on a stick nest with two big eggs and a purplish squirming baby.
I saw white pelicans, wing span 9 feet.
I saw owls, blue jays, gulls, and vultures. All injured, all being cared for by dedicated and compassionate volunteers.
I watched them soar today, as I sat on the beach. They glide inches over the water with strength and grace. they go all over the bay, way faster than the boats. They slide down onto the surface and bob there, sometimes solo, sometimes in groups.
At the sanctuary, they can't fly. They waddle, clack their long pinky-orange beaks, and flap. No gliding, no sliding. They must wonder why they can't do that anymore. They eat, bathe, flap to dry, then nap. Their wings are broken. How does that happen?
I saw a baby, born yesterday, on Thanksgiving. Mom was sitting on a stick nest with two big eggs and a purplish squirming baby.
I saw white pelicans, wing span 9 feet.
I saw owls, blue jays, gulls, and vultures. All injured, all being cared for by dedicated and compassionate volunteers.
my vacation
Last night I was convinced the hotel was burning down. I jumped out of bed, dressed and packed. Heart thumping. Listened for sirens. Nothing. Looked out in the hall, sniffed. Nothing. Wait a minute. Maybe someone was burning popcorn. Maybe it was heater I turned on 2 minutes before the panic. Yeah, it was the heater.
On the plane I sat beside a handsome young man in a white shirt. Italian. A pilot for the airlines. "So if it's turbulent, and you're ok, we're ok, right?" I asked him.
"Right!" His wife was a forensic scientist for the LA police. The LA in California, not our LA Maine.
"Ever see a UFO?" I asked him. He was so kind; smiled at all my questions even though he probably hears them every day.
"My mother-in-law is convinced that I have but I won't tell her. Hey, if I saw one, everyone on the plane would see it too. No, I have not seen one." No kids, but they're trying. She's Italian too, so obviously gorgeous and fashionable in addition to being smart and functional.
So when it got turbulent, "Oh, the pilot said it would be gassy," he said, it got embarrassing. I guess gassy is a pilot term for dropping 100 feet like a roller coaster. Then bumping like a bus on a dirt road in spring. Embarrassing because I felt sweat dripping down my face. My hands dripped too. I grabbed for the barf bag. "Are you Ok?" he asked solicitously. Obviously not, and he kept talking to me gently, asking me innocuous questions, and generally trying to distract me from the barf bag. I didn't hurl, but it was close.
At the car rental place they quoted me $40 over my deal. I questioned and they knocked it back. This was after a 45 minute wait. I thought the customers might mutiny. "No cars," they told us. How can there be no cars when we reserved them months ago? "You might have to sleep here," they told us.
I had to drive through a rotary. I hate rotaries. People always honk at me in rotaries. What's up with that?
I had the GPS, but still. The first time I ended up in a marina and had to go back and start again. Second time found some nice restaurants. Third time I managed to exit in the right place and actually found my hotel. It was a 13 hour trip with much anxiety and near-hurling, so it was good to get here.
I took a shower and sat on the narrow balcony. I could hear ocean waves and see a dim outline of palm trees. The burning thing, fear of fire, didn't sleep well. Got up to pee a lot. Tried to conserve water, so didn't flush. In the morning I flushed. It stuck. A clog. omg, how embarrassing. I used the ice bucket to dump water into the toilet, hoping it would flush. I filled it to the brim: no luck.
I walked to a convenience store and bought bottles of water. $2 for 6 big bottles. Wow, $3 a bottle at the airport. What a rip. More ice bucket action, no result.
Left a big tip for the chambermaid and set off exploring. When I got back, hours later, the toilet was still clogged. Well, this is awkward. More ice bucket dumpage. No success.
Hit the beach with sunglasses, new coverup, and good book.
Hours later got back to room. Toilet fixed, lovely! Thank you wonderful hotel people! I really need to chill. I need to stop worrying. I guess that's the point of a vacation.
On the plane I sat beside a handsome young man in a white shirt. Italian. A pilot for the airlines. "So if it's turbulent, and you're ok, we're ok, right?" I asked him.
"Right!" His wife was a forensic scientist for the LA police. The LA in California, not our LA Maine.
"Ever see a UFO?" I asked him. He was so kind; smiled at all my questions even though he probably hears them every day.
"My mother-in-law is convinced that I have but I won't tell her. Hey, if I saw one, everyone on the plane would see it too. No, I have not seen one." No kids, but they're trying. She's Italian too, so obviously gorgeous and fashionable in addition to being smart and functional.
So when it got turbulent, "Oh, the pilot said it would be gassy," he said, it got embarrassing. I guess gassy is a pilot term for dropping 100 feet like a roller coaster. Then bumping like a bus on a dirt road in spring. Embarrassing because I felt sweat dripping down my face. My hands dripped too. I grabbed for the barf bag. "Are you Ok?" he asked solicitously. Obviously not, and he kept talking to me gently, asking me innocuous questions, and generally trying to distract me from the barf bag. I didn't hurl, but it was close.
At the car rental place they quoted me $40 over my deal. I questioned and they knocked it back. This was after a 45 minute wait. I thought the customers might mutiny. "No cars," they told us. How can there be no cars when we reserved them months ago? "You might have to sleep here," they told us.
I had to drive through a rotary. I hate rotaries. People always honk at me in rotaries. What's up with that?
I had the GPS, but still. The first time I ended up in a marina and had to go back and start again. Second time found some nice restaurants. Third time I managed to exit in the right place and actually found my hotel. It was a 13 hour trip with much anxiety and near-hurling, so it was good to get here.
I took a shower and sat on the narrow balcony. I could hear ocean waves and see a dim outline of palm trees. The burning thing, fear of fire, didn't sleep well. Got up to pee a lot. Tried to conserve water, so didn't flush. In the morning I flushed. It stuck. A clog. omg, how embarrassing. I used the ice bucket to dump water into the toilet, hoping it would flush. I filled it to the brim: no luck.
I walked to a convenience store and bought bottles of water. $2 for 6 big bottles. Wow, $3 a bottle at the airport. What a rip. More ice bucket action, no result.
Left a big tip for the chambermaid and set off exploring. When I got back, hours later, the toilet was still clogged. Well, this is awkward. More ice bucket dumpage. No success.
Hit the beach with sunglasses, new coverup, and good book.
Hours later got back to room. Toilet fixed, lovely! Thank you wonderful hotel people! I really need to chill. I need to stop worrying. I guess that's the point of a vacation.
November 26, 2013
guilt and cancer
Everyone agreed with me last night at the Reiki event: it's not OK to tell a person that guilt caused his/her cancer.
Especially when you just met this person. Especially when I'm providing a brief explanation of Reiki and encouraging people with cancer to try it. Especially when Reiki practitioners are committed to supporting each person's own individual cancer journey. Even though you read it in a Louise Hay book, and we all respect Louise Hay; it's not Ok.
Whew. Little rant there. Thanks for reading and putting up with me.
Especially when you just met this person. Especially when I'm providing a brief explanation of Reiki and encouraging people with cancer to try it. Especially when Reiki practitioners are committed to supporting each person's own individual cancer journey. Even though you read it in a Louise Hay book, and we all respect Louise Hay; it's not Ok.
Whew. Little rant there. Thanks for reading and putting up with me.
November 24, 2013
change in an instant
Yes, life can change in an instant.
Treasure those moments of love and connection. Tell loved ones how much you love them.
So glad my dear friend B is OK after 3 car accidents last night. Blizzard conditions driving home from a concert. So glad you're OK, sorry your car isn't. Am sure H will be fine, but keep an eye on him. Love you, dear friend.
And other concerning news, health issues for a dear relative. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Rest and be well. Love you.
And yes, in this season of celebration and family love... remember that life can change in an instant. Grieve when you need to. Lean on your friends. And then, when you can:
Tune in to joy. Dance, hug, cry, laugh, and love.
Treasure those moments of love and connection. Tell loved ones how much you love them.
So glad my dear friend B is OK after 3 car accidents last night. Blizzard conditions driving home from a concert. So glad you're OK, sorry your car isn't. Am sure H will be fine, but keep an eye on him. Love you, dear friend.
And other concerning news, health issues for a dear relative. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Rest and be well. Love you.
And yes, in this season of celebration and family love... remember that life can change in an instant. Grieve when you need to. Lean on your friends. And then, when you can:
Tune in to joy. Dance, hug, cry, laugh, and love.
wind power
You know how sometimes people protest wind power towers? Say they're unsightly, etc... you know?
Well, driving and thinking, what about regular power lines? How ugly are those? Way.
And cell phone towers: everywhere. Ugly.
So stick some wind blades on the cell towers, on the power lines. Stick solar panels up there while you're at it.
Natural power. Leave the oil in the ground. Stop fracking and coal: pollution and destruction. Turn to wind and sun.
Thank you.
Well, driving and thinking, what about regular power lines? How ugly are those? Way.
And cell phone towers: everywhere. Ugly.
So stick some wind blades on the cell towers, on the power lines. Stick solar panels up there while you're at it.
Natural power. Leave the oil in the ground. Stop fracking and coal: pollution and destruction. Turn to wind and sun.
Thank you.
November 22, 2013
created by Nel Bernard
sculpted in marble
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November 15, 2013
don't have time for that
It was summer. Hot. The door was open, the setting sunlight shone on her through the open door. It was my time. I felt it.
Walked in to the salon and had the best haircut in 5 years. Everyone said so.
I hate getting my hair cut; but she was fast, cheap, and good.
She had pink hair and we talked about when she took care of her grandmother as she died. I probably reminded her of her grandmother. We talked about angels. I found a fab hair person.
This week, with much giddy anticipation I made an appointment for a trim. Finally the day was here, here! Haircut!
I arrived several minutes early. OK, 20 minutes early. Settled into the leopard print banquette with my smartphone and relaxed: read newspaper, emails, and spiritual journal. Checked the time every 10 minutes, glanced at my stylist as she worked on the head of a platinum blonde. Almost done? Surely they were almost done. Wash, cut, pile on top, dry, fluff, straighten, smooth, omg how long is this going to take? Kept reading, kept glancing. It's my time! Are you done? Almost done? It's my turn!
Minutes ticked by. I got restless. 5 minutes, 10, 11. My hands went to my keys, to my coat. I put on my coat. The owner looked around, "Oh."
"I'll come another time," I said.
"Want to make another appointment right now?"
"I'll call," I said. "Maybe," I thought, and left.
Walked in to the salon and had the best haircut in 5 years. Everyone said so.
I hate getting my hair cut; but she was fast, cheap, and good.
She had pink hair and we talked about when she took care of her grandmother as she died. I probably reminded her of her grandmother. We talked about angels. I found a fab hair person.
This week, with much giddy anticipation I made an appointment for a trim. Finally the day was here, here! Haircut!
I arrived several minutes early. OK, 20 minutes early. Settled into the leopard print banquette with my smartphone and relaxed: read newspaper, emails, and spiritual journal. Checked the time every 10 minutes, glanced at my stylist as she worked on the head of a platinum blonde. Almost done? Surely they were almost done. Wash, cut, pile on top, dry, fluff, straighten, smooth, omg how long is this going to take? Kept reading, kept glancing. It's my time! Are you done? Almost done? It's my turn!
Minutes ticked by. I got restless. 5 minutes, 10, 11. My hands went to my keys, to my coat. I put on my coat. The owner looked around, "Oh."
"I'll come another time," I said.
"Want to make another appointment right now?"
"I'll call," I said. "Maybe," I thought, and left.
November 12, 2013
winter
is here. The sun starts to set around 4, and it's dark at 4:30. A fleece isn't enough: one needs a winter jacket, puffy. Gloves and a scarf.
It snowed last weekend. We got a dusting, others got more.
Really need to go pick those last beets, and roast them. The kale will be OK. I can pick it all winter. Amazing stuff.
Snowshoes, skiis, snowmobiles. Ice skating, ice fishing, icicles. Winter wind, storms, light. Shovels, snowplows, salt.
Every fall I hope winter will forget to come.
It snowed last weekend. We got a dusting, others got more.
Really need to go pick those last beets, and roast them. The kale will be OK. I can pick it all winter. Amazing stuff.
Snowshoes, skiis, snowmobiles. Ice skating, ice fishing, icicles. Winter wind, storms, light. Shovels, snowplows, salt.
Every fall I hope winter will forget to come.
November 5, 2013
sunset
was beautiful. Gold streaks of light behind gold leaves.
At 4:11 pm.
At 4:11 pm.
