Author Archives: dreaminofobx

Today I am at Keukenhof Gardens in The Netherlands, expecting to see the crocuses, daffodils, and tulips promised in the online flower status report. As soon as I’m able, I’ll upload a photo and flash fiction story to this post…stay tuned.

Question 58*
A good friend pulls off a well-conceived practical joke that plays on one of your foibles and makes you look ridiculous. How would you react?

I like to think that I am able to enjoy a good joke, even one at my expense, so I hope that I would get past my initial embarrassment and be able to laugh it off. I’m assuming the prank would not be caught on video à la Ashton Kutcher’s Punk’d–it would be a bit harder to forgive if my moment of humiliation were replayed at every future gathering. I’m sure it would sting a bit to be the victim of a practical joke at the hands of a trusted friend, but thinking of the friends I’ve got, none of them would stage the joke to be intentionally hurtful or malicious. Their intent might be to get me to take myself or a situation less seriously, but the predominant motivation would be just laughs. Besides, if I’m willing to temporarily look like a buffoon, then I expect to be able to give as good as I get–turn about is fair play, after all!

*From The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, PhD.

Wasn’t feeling like I had much focus on the letter G today, so I set about looking through the dictionary for the first G word that was new to me. Found this gem, gallimaufry, on page 297 (the second page of Gs) in my “New Edition” (well, it was in 2004) Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It means hodgepodge and seemed appropriate given my wandering thoughts on this particular letter. I’m taking this serendipitous find as permission to just spew about where the letter G has taken me today…

Grandparents–Three of my four biological grandparents passed away in April, so there’s sort of a black cloud hanging over this month, but I look back on each of them with love and fond memories. Grandma W will forever be my inspiration for her strength and determination in overcoming physical adversity. She was also a damn good cook, feeding thousands of kids during her reign in the school cafeteria, and passing along some of her best recipes (I use that term loosely…she could tell you what ingredients she used in a dish, but I don’t think the woman ever used a measuring cup) and advice to her own kids and grandkids (My favorite tip: Cheese sauce tastes better once you’ve stuck your finger in it.) Granddad H was sort of stern and gruff on the outside, but had a heart full of love for his family. There were always many miles between our homes, which made summer visits all the more precious. I wish his willingness to talk about his time in Africa during WWII had blossomed sooner–his death left many nameless faces in faded photographs and many stories untold. Grandma H passed just last year, and though I spent more time with her, I’m not sure I really knew her any better than any of my other grandparents. Her tendency to go off on numerous tangents when telling a story was legendary in the family, and often raised more questions than she answered. When her body and mind were strongest, I did not have the patience to follow the paths of her winding tales, and when I finally found the patience, she no longer had the strength or clarity to answer my questions. You know that hypothetical dinner party where you can invite any five people, living or dead? There’s three-fifths of my guest list right there.

Garden–One (and maybe the only) good thing about this extended winter we’re having is that the garden isn’t awake yet. A couple (fool)hardy daffodils have poked their heads out, but little else is stirring. This time last year, I was in the middle of a three-month bout of back-to-back respiratory infections, and while I was bed-ridden, the garden was running amok. If I keep a careful eye, this year I might just manage to maintain the upper hand over the roses, laurels, honeysuckle, dandelions, thistle, and other nameless greenery that threatened to overtake the entire neighborhood twelve months ago.

Grime–My husband and I have become addicted to the fortnightly sale at the local auction house. We’ve collected some interesting pieces for ourselves, and have bagged some bargains with the intent of selling them on for a profit when we return to the States. One item we feel will be fairly profitable is old bottles, so any time we can snag an assortment for cheap, we frantically wave our bidding number in the sightline of the auctioneer. I’ve just started the cleaning process on the latest lot…over 100 bottles are undergoing their first soak in the bathtub. Tomorrow will mean several hours with a bottle brush and non-scratch cleaning pad, trying to remove decades, if not centuries, of grime and filth. We think it’ll help sales if prospective buyers aren’t worried whether they need a tetanus shot to pick up and examine the merchandise.

Guffaws–We’re going to meet up with some friends to see a comedy show this evening. The “Comedy Squadron” of Bryan Ricci, Freddy Lockhart, Greg Freiler, Jill Bryan, and Chad Miller are making their rounds of American military bases in Europe, putting on free shows for the 18 and older crowd. I don’t recognize any of the names or faces, but am looking forward to a good laugh. I’ll be the one in the middle-back of the audience, doing my best to be inconspicuous.

Getting ahead–Am going to be away from my computer for four days this week, and after the snafu two weeks ago when I couldn’t post due to lack of internet in the hotel, I’m trying to prepare the weekend’s posts to publish automatically on the required days. Since I’m participating in this A to Z Challenge, there’s really no excuse for not knowing what to write about on a given day, so it’s just a matter of banging out the material in the midst of all my normal daily chores.

Guess that’s about it for the Gs. Hope the rest of my A to Z Challenge colleagues found more inspiration than I!