What I need.. (reposted from 2020 during pandemic)

“Is there anything you need that I can bring you when we come back up?” asks my son. I think for just a second and shake my head, “No… I don’t think so.”

When he is long gone, and I’m in bed that night, I start thinking about his question. I take inventory of my life and think, “Hmm, is there anything I need in my life?” I’m always making jokes about needing a man or bedding Tom Selleck or… well, I think you get my drift. I get lonely sometimes, but not enough to commit to a full-time partner. I’ve been there, done that. It could be different with a soulmate, but then again, maybe not.

Is there anything I need that I don’t have in my life? When I sit down to write, I don’t know what is going to show up; that is what I enjoy most about writing. I was lying in bed last night thinking about it, what would I want? I’m at the lake, my favorite place in the whole world. Everything I need is right here; this is my comfort zone and is pretty much all I need.

It has been raining all week steadily, and I feel like I’m living in BC I could use some sun, dammit! This is the prairies, where the heck is our sunshine? Out here in my office on the deck, lakeside in June, and I am freezing my fingers. It is only 8 degrees Celsius, and I want to put mitts on.

Parts of my family show up now and again, on weekends mostly. My daughter and her crew are up for a week and going home today. A niece I haven’t seen in ages is here with her brood, and my sister from another mister is due today. She’s been canning dandelion jelly, and I am hoping she brings me some. I’ve never tasted it.

My son and his little family left yesterday, as did a grandson I haven’t seen in a while. He only came up for one night. Most of my neighbors are family; we bought into this piece of paradise years ago. We set up trailers and built cabins and shacks and whatever constitutes a roof over your head. Now appearing around the lake are actual year-round homes, several with two and three levels. There goes the neighborhood, and now we have building codes … Yikes!

What else could I possibly want or need? I would love to be published, but truth be told, I’m going to keep writing even if no one reads this because I do and that’s important to me 🙂 Plus hugs from the grandkids. When I write, stuff comes together, and I’m sharing insights into what I know so far, according to me. lol.

Blurting stuff out in public is my usual m.o. I just don’t take the time to taste my words. Later on, mulling something over, I’ll invariably wish that I had chewed on them a little longer and let them gestate. Does that make any sense? Writing gives me the luxury of time to put my words in an orderly fashion.

Patience is a virtue I have little of, that and money, ok, so I just threw that last one in. I would like to have a little more cash. Even rich people hunger for more, and more and more… ok so enough already. Money is not what I need. It’s what it can buy. But all the money in the world will not make you happy. You can’t take money with you either, ask Steve Jobs (Apple founder, deceased at 56 years), well I guess that ship has sailed.

Dying is inevitable, and that’s why we need to live each day. This brings me to what I want, and no, it’s not death. Memories… that’s what I need, maybe that’s another reason why I love to write? Remembering the great times and even just the ordinary times, pieced in with the not-so-good. These memories are also caught on paper pictures, super eight films, and VHS tapes. But mostly, I need to make more memories with my kids and grandkids. Throw in the nieces and nephews and all the cousins and friends near and far.

What I need from you, son, is to bring me up more supplies. I need to cook my special spaghetti sauce for everyone. Carlie wants some of that dessert I make with the cream cheese, and who doesn’t want my homemade buns and beef stew? Lord knows it is cold enough outside, and we need comfort food.

Bring out the Scrabble game and the crib board, not all memories have to be good, as I dream up yet another word no one has ever heard of…. yep gotta love it!

copyright

June 8th, 2020

Update: April 5th (easter Sunday) 2026

My book is finished and published. It’s up on Amazon, paperback and eBook. I’ll have an audio book coming out as well. I’m selling my place in Yuma AZ. The political scene here in the states is beyond my comprehension. I’ll take the winters back home much more gracefully and I’ll be happier. It’s been a slice but Canada is my home and native land. Friendly people always.