Here I sit on my deck, Labor Day weekend. I sit, in my collapsible blue lawn chair. I have my laptop, my up-cycled hand-made book journal, and my sketch book all stacked up on a circa 1950-something end table. This little table has been dragged around with me to all five of the places I've lived since going off to college. Now, I've dragged it out onto my deck for the evening. Oh, yeah, and I have my little (big) rum drink on this table as well.
The Amy Winehouse Pandora station is playing in the background.
Because I do not have proper deck furniture, getting out here is a bit of a production, therefore, I don't do it very often. The large volume of spider webs I fought through this evening testifies to that. Such a shame, because the view from my deck is lovely. Thick woods with lots of interesting wildlife. My deck is also unusually large for a one-bedroom apartment in Raleigh. This is one of the reasons I chose to live here. I need some deck furniture.
"Amy, Amy, Amy," is playing on Pandora. Delicious.
Why am I on this deck alone? The door and the window are wide open, so there should be a cat or two out here with me. Sam is chillin' on the floor inside. I call him to come out here and keep me company. He promptly obliges. Best cat ever.
As the evening progresses, the air is getting cooler. We are getting the first little bitty taste of fall this weekend. This tank top won't do after a while.
"The Way I Am," Ingrid Michaelson on Pandora. Perfect.
...time lapse...
Ok, back now. Just sliced up some onions and popped those and some brats in the oven. Freshened up the little (big) rum drink. Munched a few jalapeno kettle cooked chips.
I see that my neighbor still has the action figure clothing laying out on his deck. I noticed a few days ago that this apparently single, mid-thirties dude who lives next to me had carefully laid out some doll-sized clothes (cargo pants and a gray hoodie) to dry on his deck. Now the cargo pants are missing while the hoodie remains. There very well may be a squirrel out there somewhere wearing a freshly laundered pair of cargo pants. Not cold enough for the hoodie yet.
"4 + 20," Joss Stone on Pandora. Sweet.
Holy crap, those brats and onions already smell freakin' awesome. Sam is still hangin' out here with me, dutifully.
Have felt a bit blue the past few days. Very stressful at work this week (although, I kicked ass), struggled with nightmares. Not feeling very well-rested. Off-center. After doing a goodly amount of laying around on the couch yesterday, I felt worse. Did some more laying around today and realized I was seriously struggling with "What's Next" Syndrome. You know, the antithesis of "Living in the Moment." Now THAT is straight-up manufactured stress.
"The Fear," Lilly Allen on Pandora. Pandora is reading my mind.
Jarring myself from my wallowing, I planned my little re-centering party, in which I am in the midst right now. Soooo working. I am definitely feeling better.
Cicadas. Sam is now curled up right next to my folding blue lawn chair, enjoying the towel I put there earlier to give him a comfy place to hang. He's been sick this week and I'm afraid he's a little dehydrated. He's such a sweet boy.
"New Soul," Yael Naim on Pandora....*sigh/smile*
Ever throw yourself a "re-centering" party? What did you do? Did it work?
