As I write this I am enjoying pomegranate lemonade…ahh. Spoke with Miss Georgia today (my moma and CCL’s grandmom). The giant monster plant that once dominated the living room is no more. Mom came downstairs this morning to find the plant on the floor, its clay container in pieces. No one in the house including my mom, cousin or sister heard the plant fall. It had been sitting on a large table — placed there by my sister when she moved back to Cleveland from DC eight years ago. It was just a small thing back then but it grew and was at least five feet high and probably as wide. Last time I saw the plant it looked something like the one in Roger Corman’s 1960 film “Little Shop of Horrors. ” I could just imagine it saying one day “Feed Me.” Anyway the plant fell at some point overnight. My mom, in an effort to rescue part of it, gathered the remains and put them in a pot of water on the back deck. “You know,” she told me “After awhile plants just commit suicide. They’re done and that’s it.” Guess that’s what happened to the petunias I planted in April.
Author Archives: Azeena
Can Do
Jean Claude Giving Instructions
There’s something to be said in believing that you can get the job done. Positivity brings positive results. Faith in God’s way brings solutions. Too often people are locked in cycles of complaint. I know some people who have made a career of it. They don’t want to see anything get accomplished. They enjoy complaining and seek things even the smallest things to complain about. It’s important if one is in a work environment such as that to have outside activities which take you away long enough that you don’t get immersed or overwhelmed. Earlier this week I conducted a training for some of the new leaders for tomorrow. One of the more seasoned leaders in the U.S., Congressman Elijah Cummins spoke. He talked about how we have to “encourage” ourselves and that other people, especially those with the “who do you think you are syndrome” can not stand in our way. He said in fact we teach peoople how to treat us. Roxie and Jean Claude are followers of that philosophy. They have me and CCL well trained.
Just Bag It
Jean Claude and Roxie spent the past weekend with CCL. While there they had their usual adventures. Well, Roxie didn’t jump off the second floor porch into the neighbor’s yard but Jean Claude did escape outside a couple of times. He came right back. Too hot I suppose. He also put himself inside a Kmart bag on top of CCL’s bed. He stayed there for quite some time wearing the bag like a garment , relaxing and watching the world.
I just came from one of my favorite Borders, located at 14th and F Northwest. It was once the site of Garfinkels, a famous department store in the day. Garfinkels also had a bit of notoriety. In the 1950s and 1960s once blacks were allowed in the store, black women still had to wear handkerchiefs to try on hats. Anyway, the Borders that now resides there is slated to be closed soon – a symptom of the economy I suppose. Everything in the bookstore is 30 percent to 50 percent off except for the plastic bags. You still have to pay full price for those – five cents each.
Observations
I have wonderful people in my life. Some at work. Friends and family. My Facebook family. As I reflect during this holiday weekend on what is good about my life I feel truly blessed. Jean Claude and Roxie add to my well being. Just watching them as they watch their surroundings. Peace. Ah…
Water Management
What is the human body is about 70 percent water?? Most living things need it. Jean Claude and Roxie for sure. They drink from filtered water containers at my house and CCL’s house. Still, I have seen paw prints in the bath tub and yes, in case you were wondering, JC knows how to cut on the cold water.
JC and Roxie also like to come outside when I’m watering my garden. Roxie will often supervise. Water is also a tool in managing their outside activities. I use a squirt water bottle to get them to go into the house when they come outside. Roxie doesn’t like it all but Jean Claude can take squirting event soaking as long as you don’t him in the face.
Addendum 6/24…later that evening I let Jean Claude and Roxie outside. Roxie dashed lightening speed to the tree in my back yard and refused to come in, hiding under chairs etc. Finally had to use the squirt bottle to spray her little behind to get her in the house.
Cats & All That ™ 