dual personalities

Well, yesterday I donned my face mask and gloves and sallied forth to my old stomping grounds–the Cancer Center at MoBap for a blood draw. (I couldn’t use the drive-through because they had to flush my port.) I know, too much information. It wasn’t a bad experience and it got me out of the house. My follow-up visit with my oncologist will be a “virtual audio meeting” (phone call) later today. Yikes.

This devotional from the Charlottesville rector is apropos of everything. “Adaptation fatigue”–indeed.

In the interim I feel like the wee babes are growing up as the weeks go by. The wee bud helped his father in the yard and I am proud to say he learned his pick-up-stick skills at my house.

Lottiebelle practicing her stacking skills

While at home I have been listening to a lot of Don Williams as he has the most soothing voice ever. No kidding; it’s a proven fact.

Yes, if comfort is what you’re looking for, Don Williams is what you want.

Earlier this week I was anticipating a stressful Zoom meeting with my boss and as I nervously went through a file I found a card with this written on it:

Do not be anxious, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

–Philippians 4:6-7

I get these little messages a lot. Do you? And yet…I continue to worry and stress. What is my problem? Well, I admit being stuck inside is starting to get to me.

I didn’t watch anything very interesting this week, except Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) directed by Howard Hawks and starring Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe.

I had never seen the whole thing, only the famous “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” number with Marilyn. It is not a great movie, but Marilyn does steal the show. In the right part, i.e. a dumb blonde, no one was better. (Earlier this year, daughter #1 and watched River of No Return (1954) with Marilyn in a straight role and she was howlingly bad–we literally howled–poor Robert Mitchum looked embarrassed through the whole thing.) Anyway, the funniest scene in this movie is with Marilyn and George Winslow (the little boy from The Scoutmaster!)……

Yes, Marilyn is stuck in a porthole.

…I wish George had had a bigger part. In fact, the other males in the movie were not a good match for the two stars. I mean who has even heard of Tommy Noonan and Elliott Reid? The movie cried out for Rock Hudson/James Garner and Tony Randall or even Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.

Somewhere I read that Groundhog Day (1993) is a good choice for this weird time in our lives and that might be right. I do sometimes feel like I’m living the same day over and over.

All we can do is keep SMILING, right?

Maybe. (TGIF)