Coffee Hunting

Today was one of those days where  well
let me see how should I put this?

everything was a bit kaddywampus (it's a real word)

After a while I decided not to think of it as plans altered but instead
as mini treasures just a' waitin' for me 'round each and every corner!

First there was the morning routine

Now I am not the greatest "waker upper"  -upper here being a oxymoron

Anyway  I take a while to lift the morning fog out of my brain.
It doesn't matter how long I sleep or what time I go to bed  it is still the same
S-L-O-W   Going.

I take my coffee with a side of confusion.

For some reason this morning I forgot where the coffee pot was.
Yes you read that correctly. And you see it has been in the same spot for at lest four years.

I stumbled with one eye open   rose cheerfully and headed of to  the kitchen
I walk this path every morning
rain or shine
6 a.m. or weekend 10 a.m
every day that ends in Y

Only this morning for some reason my body took a sharp right turn , and then a slow left curve and landed in the dining room.
  Note : there is no dining involved in this room
It has a desk, table, bookshelves, computer, 2 bulletin boards and a dog kennel
No one has ever dined in here

So I am standing in the junk room from hell dining room searching for a coffee pot

I can't find it,  shocking I know, and I can't for the life of me understand why

Is it really too much to ask after everything I do for this family to have to coffee pot be wherever I am in the first conscious seconds of my day?

Apparently so.

After about, and I kid you not, three minutes my brain is waking up one cell at a time.
Sort of like bubble wrap being popped in reverse.

I accept the cold hard fact that the coffee pot is not here, nor will anyone make it here.

"Fine", I grumble to myself.
 But now I need to get to the kitchen and I just don't know which way to go.

This morning thing is so hard!

Eventually I hear Mr. Rodger's call my name in a questioning fashion.

The other eye has sprung open.  I have a voicee to follow!!!!

I take a step forward , right into a chair.

Now who the hell left a chair in this room I think.

Oh yeah it is the computer chair  okay check

Mr. Rodgers "are you okay?"

I'm getting closer now I head to the light peering through the kitchen/dining room doorway.

I step onto the cold tile of the kitchen floor and eye the coffee pot.

Mr. Rodgers step cautiously out of my way.

He has already pushed the button and their is enough brewed for one cup
He gets to live today.

I pour my cup add my dessert creamer and move like a sloth to the living room.
This room is accurately named . We do alot of Living in here.

I wrap a blanket around me and savor the first sips of sanity.

I am transforming.
The scowl is disappearing, the fuzzy amoebas are swimming out of my eyes and I have feeling in my
soul.

Wow that was close.

Stranger Acts of Kindness

I have a confession.

A hidden pleasure,  a tiny little indulgence.

I enjoy going out  and speaking to random strangers. 
Simply exchanging common pleasantries
 and welcoming...........er perhaps savoring their kindness. 

Okay , not the juicy little tidbit you were hoping for- but it' s piece of the puzzle called sanity.

Whether the situation is professional, spontaneous or obligatory-

The simple exchange of good manners in a lexical fashion always puts a bit of sunshine into my contented but weary soul.

What might you ask would cause me to be so satisfied with such such a simple exchange ?

One word:  TEENAGERS

With  2 of them and a "tweener" following close behind....and  brace yourself  .....all female

I yearn for common interaction that does not involve  shoulders shrugs or panic voice  inflections.

By now I feel I should have obtained your sympathy and all tequila donations.

Let me elaborate a bit on how these random kindnesses of the outside world affect me.

You see kindness costs nothing, yet it produces enormous rewards.

A soft spoken word,
 a smile-
 heck a facial expression that does not involve an eye roll

and I just get tingly all over!!!

To hear a "Hello, May I help you?" or "What can I get you?"     

WHOA!!!!!!

What can you get ME?

Did I hear that right? (insert tingly feeling here)

"Why yes, yes you can help me."  I gush like a school girl flirting with the quarterback.

I pour out my kindnesses now with "Thank yous" and "How thoughtful"  and before you know it

My cup spilleth over and I have plenty to share.

 However there are times when I am met with slightly less than an agreeable situation.

I just try to keep a positive edge about me-

For instance when I greet Happy Mouth with a cheerful "Good Morning", she walks straight  past me.

I simply restate my salutation with a bit more cheerfulness
 to which she responds "I SAID GOOD MORNING!!"

In your mind, I think. 
But I continue on with a smile and stay away from sharp objects.

I then proceed to wake Rollercoaster-

At this point I should state a disclaimer:
  To awaken Rollercoaster from her slumber is to sign up for death, it is not for the faint-hearted, You may deem the following inappropriate for small children

I tip toe up the stairs in order to not make a "sudden" noise - I made that mistake ONCE.

I peep in and see she is fully in LaLa land, mouth ajar, pillow embraced, her thick wild hair strewn across the sheets.......
Here Goes....

I lean over and gently rub her back (yes I have dared to touch the beast)

I offer  a "Good Morning Sweetie" in my best "your a good dog" voice I can manage without trembling.

Rollercoaster jerks violently on to her side and lets out a grunt.

Whew! That was close . My stellar reflexes have protected me from a good thwack in the face.

"It is a great day, sugar".I say.
 I must admit at this point I am playing Pollyanna with just a bit too much glee, but hey I have to get my kicks where I can.

"Mom, I AM Getting up!!  You don;t have to yell at me , okay?

Child 2- Mission Complete

My favorite though has to be waking the youngest.
Now I am a better mother to my youngest ,who is the ripe old age of 10, than I was to my older two.

 Not due to favoritism, but simply experience.
 Any REAL mama out there should admit the same. Practice makes perfect, not that I believe in perfectionism (but that's another story)

Life is just a great teacher.

So I have gotten in the habit of rubbing her arms gently and saying "This is the day the Lord has made for you to rejoice in!"
When I first began this she  loved it .
She would repeat it after me and begin to get up and ready.

Lately, Forrest is a bit slower to respond.
 So I have taken the liberty to add "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you."; including "get out of bed" I add under my breath.

So this morning I had my older two up Pollyanna style and began to get Forrest up with our usual mantra .
I coupled this with an encouraging tug back of the covers only to be greeted with an academy award performance for Sybil.

"I   AMMMMMMMMMMMMM UUUPPPPPP!"  she screams with the breath of a vulture and glazed eyes straight out of a Hitchcock movie.

She stomps to the bathroom and just before the door slams shut she utters
"I am up  ARE YOU HAPPY?"

Wow! Such thoughtfulness!  What a sweet way to start the day!! The kindness boat has come in!!

Happy Mouth is now telling me something about my failure to pick her up the right foundation color, as Rollercoaster reminds me "Pick me up by 4:00 today and please don't be late like last time"

Mr. Rogers feels the need to tell me we are out of coffee.

Screw coffee. I think just don't tell me we are out of rum.

I smile my best "Miss America" smile and wish them all a wonderful day.
 But my heart is not really in it , I am planning my next excursion with a random stranger and the pleasantries we will exchange.  

A bookstore?  Coffee shop?

No, no today I deserve a tall drink of iced tea refilled as many times as I need until my kindness bank  has interest to spare.

Who will the lucky waiter be?