Meredith Kendall's Blog, page 98
May 17, 2012
selling books to raise money for people with cancer
So I went to a big event this evening. Held at a posh hotel with a gorgeous view of the falls, the mill, and the Lewiston skyline. Lots of great people there: warm, loving, hearts-wide-open people.
Social event: eek. Not my strength. Luckily T asked me to sell my books, so yeah, had a table and a job. I can do that. I talked to everyone who wandered by.
"Hello! I'm selling these books to raise money for services for people with cancer and their caregivers. These books are about Reiki and nursing. Do you know what Reiki is? No? Well it's like this..."
I gave away a lot of bookmarks. I had to speak to the crowd, on a microphone. People snapped pics. geez louise.
Then I sold some books, yay! I raised money for people with cancer and their caregivers. Now they can receive free Reiki sessions. Sharing Reiki, spreading the light.
Social event: eek. Not my strength. Luckily T asked me to sell my books, so yeah, had a table and a job. I can do that. I talked to everyone who wandered by.
"Hello! I'm selling these books to raise money for services for people with cancer and their caregivers. These books are about Reiki and nursing. Do you know what Reiki is? No? Well it's like this..."
I gave away a lot of bookmarks. I had to speak to the crowd, on a microphone. People snapped pics. geez louise.
Then I sold some books, yay! I raised money for people with cancer and their caregivers. Now they can receive free Reiki sessions. Sharing Reiki, spreading the light.
May 15, 2012
the earring
Remember that earring that went down the drain?
Yeah. Liked those earrings, wore them a lot. Big amethysts set in silver. Paid a lot for them, like $30.
Remember how the plumber snagged the silver but lost the amethyst stone?
So I took the earring and a half to my jeweler. He's a great guy. Asked him to pop a stone in there and call me when it was done. Got a call today. "Yeah, that's going to be $112 for the stone? You want us to go ahead?"
Yeah. Liked those earrings, wore them a lot. Big amethysts set in silver. Paid a lot for them, like $30.
Remember how the plumber snagged the silver but lost the amethyst stone?
So I took the earring and a half to my jeweler. He's a great guy. Asked him to pop a stone in there and call me when it was done. Got a call today. "Yeah, that's going to be $112 for the stone? You want us to go ahead?"
May 11, 2012
whoopie pies
My neighbor, the plumber? The one who snagged my earring out of the bathroom sink drain? Yeah, he got the silver but busted out the amethyst... the one who left his TV show and came over in the pouring rain...
I brought him some whoopie pies this evening, to thank him. Thank you, neighbor.
I brought him some whoopie pies this evening, to thank him. Thank you, neighbor.
dandelions
My boss asked for volunteers. I volunteered.
"The flower bed outside looks terrible. Who volunteers to clean it up and plant some flowers?"
So today I went out with my favorite weed-digging tool. I noticed a man with a weed whacker, trimming the grass along the side of the building. I started to dig dandelions out of the flower bed. I put them into a plastic bag, intending to toss them in the trash. The dandelions were big and the bag was filling up fast.
The man came over. He looked at the dandelions in the bag.
"Are you going to eat those?" he asked me.
"No," I replied.
"Are you going to make wine?" he asked.
"No."
"Well what are you doing?"
Did he think I was some random person off the street, harvesting dandelions? I looked up at him. "I work here. I'm weeding this flower bed. We're going to plant flowers."
"Oh. I was going to tell you not to eat them. They sprayed this lawn two weeks ago. You shouldn't eat them."
"I won't," I promised.
"The flower bed outside looks terrible. Who volunteers to clean it up and plant some flowers?"
So today I went out with my favorite weed-digging tool. I noticed a man with a weed whacker, trimming the grass along the side of the building. I started to dig dandelions out of the flower bed. I put them into a plastic bag, intending to toss them in the trash. The dandelions were big and the bag was filling up fast.
The man came over. He looked at the dandelions in the bag.
"Are you going to eat those?" he asked me.
"No," I replied.
"Are you going to make wine?" he asked.
"No."
"Well what are you doing?"
Did he think I was some random person off the street, harvesting dandelions? I looked up at him. "I work here. I'm weeding this flower bed. We're going to plant flowers."
"Oh. I was going to tell you not to eat them. They sprayed this lawn two weeks ago. You shouldn't eat them."
"I won't," I promised.
May 8, 2012
the earring went down the drain. part 2
I got to thinking about that earring in the drain.
A piece of gum on a long stick. no. How about if I hot-glue a magnet to a dowel and stick the dowel down the hole and catch that earring? I tried a magnet to the matching earring. Didn't stick; not magnetic; no go.
I went to work another day. Maybe a big chain. If I drop a big chain down the drain, it will fall down and knock the earring with it and I will catch it in the basin. I don't have a big chain. I could buy one. Maybe I could see it with a flashlight and I could fish it out with a fish hook. I don't have a fish hook. Or a paper clip.
I went home and looked with a flashlight; I couldn't see it.
I stuffed a rope down the drain, I poked it with a flexible piece of plastic. Nothing. There must be a tool. I can't be the only one in the world to drop something down a drain. My neighbor is a plumber. I grabbed an umbrella and set out.
I looked thru the window. The plumber was watching TV with his wife. I knocked. No answer. I looked again, 2 TVs, and the plumber was wearing headphones to hear his show. I knocked on the window and he came to the door.
He tried a wire, no good, but snagged the earring with a plumber's snake. "Was there supposed to be something in it?" he asked, holding out the silver circle. The amethyst was gone.
"That's ok," I said. "I can get another stone. I can get it fixed. Thank you!"
I should get something to cover that bare hole. Some kind of stopper. I should buy him a cake, or bring him some spinach from my garden; he wouldn't take any money. "Neighborly thing to do," he muttered as he wound up his snake.
That's it. That's the story. No stoned caterpillars or Mad Hatters. I used a wrench, I opened a trap, and I talked to my neighbor. That's the adventure of the earring in the drain.
A piece of gum on a long stick. no. How about if I hot-glue a magnet to a dowel and stick the dowel down the hole and catch that earring? I tried a magnet to the matching earring. Didn't stick; not magnetic; no go.
I went to work another day. Maybe a big chain. If I drop a big chain down the drain, it will fall down and knock the earring with it and I will catch it in the basin. I don't have a big chain. I could buy one. Maybe I could see it with a flashlight and I could fish it out with a fish hook. I don't have a fish hook. Or a paper clip.
I went home and looked with a flashlight; I couldn't see it.
I stuffed a rope down the drain, I poked it with a flexible piece of plastic. Nothing. There must be a tool. I can't be the only one in the world to drop something down a drain. My neighbor is a plumber. I grabbed an umbrella and set out.
I looked thru the window. The plumber was watching TV with his wife. I knocked. No answer. I looked again, 2 TVs, and the plumber was wearing headphones to hear his show. I knocked on the window and he came to the door.
He tried a wire, no good, but snagged the earring with a plumber's snake. "Was there supposed to be something in it?" he asked, holding out the silver circle. The amethyst was gone.
"That's ok," I said. "I can get another stone. I can get it fixed. Thank you!"
I should get something to cover that bare hole. Some kind of stopper. I should buy him a cake, or bring him some spinach from my garden; he wouldn't take any money. "Neighborly thing to do," he muttered as he wound up his snake.
That's it. That's the story. No stoned caterpillars or Mad Hatters. I used a wrench, I opened a trap, and I talked to my neighbor. That's the adventure of the earring in the drain.
May 7, 2012
more home repair
Had a wrenching experience today. Getting ready for work this morning I was rushing around and accidentally tossed an earring into the bathroom sink. Right down the drain. Isn't there supposed to be something in there to block earrings and stuff? Yeah, mine is just a hole into the pipe.
One of my favorite earrings. A lozenge of amethyst, purple like a glowing grape. Surrounded in a thick ring of silver. Expensive. Favorite.
I dashed off to work, expecting a very bad day. We were told a month ago that there will be layoffs and cutbacks. Some of us thought today was the day. It wasn't. It was the day I threw an earring down the drain and spilled blueberry juice on a new shirt.
I asked a co-worker what to do about the earring.
"Did you turn off the water right away?" he asked.
"Yes. Wait. It wasn't on," I replied.
He told me to use an adjustable wrench to remove the bottom of the trap. I went to the Paris Farmer's Union and looked at wrenches and traps. I found a big adjustable wrench that would fit a trap, $12. I also purchased some potatoes to plant, and a tarp ($20) and bungee cords (10 @ $1.35 each) for my deck canopy. The old one was shredded in the hurricane last fall.
Back home I put on a stained old T-shirt. I got a step stool, a basin, and my new wrench. The trap to the bathroom sink is just below the basement ceiling. The trap came off easily. There was a little sand in the bottom, no earring. I left the basin below the pipe and ran upstairs to run some water, hoping the earring was trapped in the pipe and would be dislodged by water and would be flushed into the basin. I ran upstairs and down many times. 10? I turned the faucet on and off, ran down to check the basin: repeat.
Failure. No earring. Where is it? Trapped in the elbow of a pipe?
Oh well. I used a wrench.
One of my favorite earrings. A lozenge of amethyst, purple like a glowing grape. Surrounded in a thick ring of silver. Expensive. Favorite.
I dashed off to work, expecting a very bad day. We were told a month ago that there will be layoffs and cutbacks. Some of us thought today was the day. It wasn't. It was the day I threw an earring down the drain and spilled blueberry juice on a new shirt.
I asked a co-worker what to do about the earring.
"Did you turn off the water right away?" he asked.
"Yes. Wait. It wasn't on," I replied.
He told me to use an adjustable wrench to remove the bottom of the trap. I went to the Paris Farmer's Union and looked at wrenches and traps. I found a big adjustable wrench that would fit a trap, $12. I also purchased some potatoes to plant, and a tarp ($20) and bungee cords (10 @ $1.35 each) for my deck canopy. The old one was shredded in the hurricane last fall.
Back home I put on a stained old T-shirt. I got a step stool, a basin, and my new wrench. The trap to the bathroom sink is just below the basement ceiling. The trap came off easily. There was a little sand in the bottom, no earring. I left the basin below the pipe and ran upstairs to run some water, hoping the earring was trapped in the pipe and would be dislodged by water and would be flushed into the basin. I ran upstairs and down many times. 10? I turned the faucet on and off, ran down to check the basin: repeat.
Failure. No earring. Where is it? Trapped in the elbow of a pipe?
Oh well. I used a wrench.
April 30, 2012
2 magical women
Met 2 Reiki master/teachers today. One was earthy, the other fashionable; both beautiful. Both had long black hair. W, the earthy one, was dressed in black and tan, no make-up, some jewelry. L looked 10 years younger than W, was flawlessly groomed, wore stylish black and white clothes, perfume, and salient jewelry.
We talked about Reiki, Reiki practice and pathways, volunteer opportunities, and their availability.
"We work together," W said firmly. L nodded.
"Are you friends? Relatives?" I asked, curious and confused.
"Friends. We worked together for 16 years, and both got laid off a year ago. Haven't worked since. We're trying a new path. Reiki."
I wasn't sure. I felt bewitched. "Yes," I said finally. "Welcome. Here's what you have to do..."
We talked about Reiki, Reiki practice and pathways, volunteer opportunities, and their availability.
"We work together," W said firmly. L nodded.
"Are you friends? Relatives?" I asked, curious and confused.
"Friends. We worked together for 16 years, and both got laid off a year ago. Haven't worked since. We're trying a new path. Reiki."
I wasn't sure. I felt bewitched. "Yes," I said finally. "Welcome. Here's what you have to do..."
April 29, 2012
Lemurian seed stones
So I've been having this ethical dilemma about stones. Stones and crystals.
It all started when someone told me she was going mining for stones. "We use dynamite! We blast and then go in and pick up the crystals!"
Well, I felt that blast in my solar plexus. Gaia! Is that how we get stones?
I've been polling people ever since. And imposed a moratorium on adding to my collection of stones. I love stones. I have the amethyst grotto on my altar, earrings (rhodocrosite, fluorite, amethyst...), bracelets (amethyst, rose quartz, malachite, lapis...) and loose stones: calcite, citrine, amethyst, carnelian, jasper, tourmaline...
Today I asked several people. I was at a psychic fair. There were lots of stones. One person said, "Stones offer themselves to us." I remembered Angela telling me that if I find a stone, I must ask it if it wants to come home with me.
On my way out of the fair, I stopped at one last booth. A tall, thin, woman was playing three singing bowls. I heard them while speaking with the wise man; a background to our thoughtful discussion. I noticed some small, brilliant crystals on display. The sign said, "Lemurian seed crystals."
"What are those?" I wondered. I picked up a couple of them. They were small, pointed on one end, with various striations,inclusions, and degrees of clarity. $3. My price range. I got out my wallet and the woman stopped playing the bowls. She walked over to give me change and I asked about the sign. "What does that mean?"
She launched into a lengthy intelligent explanation and I listened, at first with skepticism, and then with growing interest and acceptance. "Well crystals usually form on a matrix, but these were found spread out on sand. Scientists couldn't explain how they were formed. Some people got together to meditate, and decided they were encoded in Lemuria. See the little lines? We think they were coded in Lemuria.. . have you heard of Lemuria?"
I nodded.
"Coded then, to be reunited now. And activated."
While she spoke I found another that spoke to me. So I bought two. One is a milky blob that rises to a brilliant, clear point. The other has one side that is bubbly, otherwise a clear point. Lemurian seed crystals, hello again. [image error]
It all started when someone told me she was going mining for stones. "We use dynamite! We blast and then go in and pick up the crystals!"
Well, I felt that blast in my solar plexus. Gaia! Is that how we get stones?
I've been polling people ever since. And imposed a moratorium on adding to my collection of stones. I love stones. I have the amethyst grotto on my altar, earrings (rhodocrosite, fluorite, amethyst...), bracelets (amethyst, rose quartz, malachite, lapis...) and loose stones: calcite, citrine, amethyst, carnelian, jasper, tourmaline...
Today I asked several people. I was at a psychic fair. There were lots of stones. One person said, "Stones offer themselves to us." I remembered Angela telling me that if I find a stone, I must ask it if it wants to come home with me.
On my way out of the fair, I stopped at one last booth. A tall, thin, woman was playing three singing bowls. I heard them while speaking with the wise man; a background to our thoughtful discussion. I noticed some small, brilliant crystals on display. The sign said, "Lemurian seed crystals."
"What are those?" I wondered. I picked up a couple of them. They were small, pointed on one end, with various striations,inclusions, and degrees of clarity. $3. My price range. I got out my wallet and the woman stopped playing the bowls. She walked over to give me change and I asked about the sign. "What does that mean?"
She launched into a lengthy intelligent explanation and I listened, at first with skepticism, and then with growing interest and acceptance. "Well crystals usually form on a matrix, but these were found spread out on sand. Scientists couldn't explain how they were formed. Some people got together to meditate, and decided they were encoded in Lemuria. See the little lines? We think they were coded in Lemuria.. . have you heard of Lemuria?"
I nodded.
"Coded then, to be reunited now. And activated."
While she spoke I found another that spoke to me. So I bought two. One is a milky blob that rises to a brilliant, clear point. The other has one side that is bubbly, otherwise a clear point. Lemurian seed crystals, hello again. [image error]
April 26, 2012
Reiki path
thinking about teaching Reiki.
I don't provide answers. I have lots of questions. Maybe too many.
Reiki is a path. If you take a Reiki class you take the first step of your Reiki journey. I'll help you start your journey. Reiki will change your life. [image error]
I don't provide answers. I have lots of questions. Maybe too many.
Reiki is a path. If you take a Reiki class you take the first step of your Reiki journey. I'll help you start your journey. Reiki will change your life. [image error]
April 25, 2012
Weight Watchers
is like meditation.
Just keep going back. Back to the mantra, back to the breath, back to the program.
Not working for you? Check directions. Take a class. Do it with a friend.
Weight Watchers works for me. I lost some weight 5 years ago, and told myself if I started to gain I'd go back. I gained 10# this winter, so went back. Yeah, those healthy seeds and nuts? Lots of calories, more than I need. That's why I gained. That and a change in work schedule that impacted my exercise routine. And snow-light winter, less shoveling. I gained.
Back to the program. Week 1. Weighed in: eek. Tried hard, walked far, no chocolate. Week 2: lost 4.6 pounds. Yay! Bought a new dress. Still no chocolate, but what if I starve? Ate lots of fruits & vegies. Stressful week. Ate more fruits & vegies. Did some weeding (see dandelions) but no long walks. Week 3. Gained a pound. Oh no! It's the tempeh, right? Too much sodium? All water weight. What evs. The important bits: get back on program and be accountable.
Note to self: be pos. It feels good to eat right and lose. I have more energy. Kale is good. Ginger too, and fresh spring water. Just get back. Didn't one of those Beatles ... PM, Get Back. [image error]
Just keep going back. Back to the mantra, back to the breath, back to the program.
Not working for you? Check directions. Take a class. Do it with a friend.
Weight Watchers works for me. I lost some weight 5 years ago, and told myself if I started to gain I'd go back. I gained 10# this winter, so went back. Yeah, those healthy seeds and nuts? Lots of calories, more than I need. That's why I gained. That and a change in work schedule that impacted my exercise routine. And snow-light winter, less shoveling. I gained.
Back to the program. Week 1. Weighed in: eek. Tried hard, walked far, no chocolate. Week 2: lost 4.6 pounds. Yay! Bought a new dress. Still no chocolate, but what if I starve? Ate lots of fruits & vegies. Stressful week. Ate more fruits & vegies. Did some weeding (see dandelions) but no long walks. Week 3. Gained a pound. Oh no! It's the tempeh, right? Too much sodium? All water weight. What evs. The important bits: get back on program and be accountable.
Note to self: be pos. It feels good to eat right and lose. I have more energy. Kale is good. Ginger too, and fresh spring water. Just get back. Didn't one of those Beatles ... PM, Get Back. [image error]
