A Look Back

A look back at 2021:

January 

After many years, I sign up for Netflix again. I also start a trial membership with Yoga International. I send my brother a painting for his birthday of his dear Rottweiler. It goes to another state, comes back to Missouri and arrives many days after his birthday. 

February 

 My HBO Max and Kindle Unlimited trials expire. 

We have our first family Zoom session for my mother's birthday. 

 I also take a virtual "How to Paint Like Alma Thomas" class. 

March 

 The trap to the bathtub is replaced. 

I get my second COVID vaccine and my middle nephew ties the knot and I am bummed that I won't be attending. 

 I am genuinely happy to see green shoots coming out of the ground where I planted tulip bulbs. 

 April 

 A rock chips the windshield that I replaced in June of 2020. 

 I buy a hummingbird feeder.

 A cousin and I start with walking visits and I start growing zinnias indoors. I also plant sunflower seeds. It's a late start but who cares? 

May 

Not much memorable happens this month.

June 

Birthdays galore. 

I meet another vaccinated friend outdoors. My zinnias start to bloom. I wise up and don't buy candles for my aunt's cake. 

July

I have to replace the refrigerator and the one that I really want is on backorder because of the pandemic.

I do two sound baths in one week. 

The drain in the basement backs up over the holiday weekend. 

The zinnias have my full attention and the sunflowers are starting to do interesting things. 

August 

My virtual Zumba teacher ends Saturday classes and I finally call a contractor to give me a quote on multiple things that need to be done around the house. 

One of my former coworkers dies. 

September 

The 'fugee returns from overseas. We go to see ŠTO TE NEMA at the sculpture park. 

Also, lots of birthdays this month, including my own. 

I teach a short yoga class for a group of young ladies participating in a program. 

Butterflies, praying mantises and hummingbirds start to visit zinnias. 

October 

*crickets*

 November 

 I call another contractor and I also call another plumber. 

 December 

The living room gets two new coats of paint -- going from a dark to light color; it's a different living room world. 

 The union is repaired in the bathroom. 

I get a COVID booster shot and my arm gets impressively inflamed. 

I've ready 16.5 books by now since I started one book in December of 2020 and finished it in Janaury. Also, Caste feels likes about three books... 

My aunt texts me to let me know that a childhood classmate, semi-retired, has died. I remember that he was smart and kind and that we used to walk to junior high school together.

Over and Over Again

Last of the Zinnias

Stared at my zinnias the morning of the first chill and thought about how I will miss them and how there's truly a season for everything.

Saw an acquaintance's husband while walking and remembered how, early in the pandemic, we talked to each other from across the street and, this time, we walked side-by-side for a while. He mentioned his "bad" heart and I asked him was walking his Rx and then he mentioned the many pills that he takes in the morning.

After we said goodbye, I continued listening to the My Bad episode of This American Life and the host said something about how we walk through life somehow thinking that we shouldn't make mistakes...

I follow this cook on social media and, months ago, she mentioned a friend who'd had a bad motorcycle accident and I read about the accident which resulted in a traumatic brain injury, among other injuries, for the motorcyclist. His wife has been posting updates since June about his recovery or lack thereof and recently wrote how she weeps multiple times a day and how the future is scary. I totally relate and read her post over and over again. 

Afterwards

Went to the back door to see if the hummingbird had returned and saw this Black Swallowtail butterfly.

Why am I "this" old and didn't know the name of this butterfly until I went looking for it or that hummingbirds feed all day?

Went back to the door again and was giddy to see the hummingbird. I'd left my camera by the door because, before, the hummingbird would disappear by the time I retrieved my camera. I took the first picture through the door -- just in case -- and then I relaxed and took more pictures. It was such a pleasure to see the hummingbird in action.

Seeing any hummingbird is inextricably tied to a memory that I have of sitting on my aunt Leatha's deck and being visited by a hummingbird there...

As I was leaving for lunch, saw a coworker that I hadn't seen since the pandemic started and she had a lot of things to say, including being annoyed with people not saying things in meetings. She said that most people reserve commentary for afterwards and she's not wrong. Capitalism inspires so much fear.

Released

About three Mondays ago, I was sitting at my desk wondering how in the world I would ever catch up or fix the issues that I have on some projects when one of my coworkers sent me a message: I had a nice thought about you -- something nice to hear when life doesn't feel right. 

And it's Monday again and I spent most of the morning feeling frozen. I've been able to check some to-do items off my list and I've had some of the weight released from my shoulders but, as the 'Fugee said, It's mission impossible since I'm alone in my department...

Saw a hummingbird visit my zinnias yesterday which motivated me to put the hummingbird feeder back out. It's the second time that I've seen the hummingbird around 2 p.m. on Sunday and I spotted her or him multiple times yesterday. 

It's been so nice to see my butterfly, bee and hummingbird visitors...

While walking the other day, I listened to NPR's Fresh Air episode with Joy Harjo and Tiya Miles and I can't stop think about either segment.  Harjo singing her poem Fear -- I release you...I release you...I release you...I release you...

And I felt released for a few minutes. 

And Mile's recounting the story of a cotton sack that was given to a 9-year-old soon to be sold. Upon hearing that her daughter would be sold, Rose put a few things in the sack and told her daughter, Ashley, "It be filled with my love always." 

All That She Carried, by Miles, is definitely on my reading list. 

And speaking of reading, I've been reading A Place for Us for a very long time. I started reading it in late June. At some point, The Vanishing Half became available at the library and I put aside A Place for Us and it was very hard to get back into it after reading The Vanishing Half. I wondered whether to give up on it and move on but something about the book has held my attention. 

What Kind of Vibes

Two Sundays ago, I did a sound meditation for my yoga trainer's current group of yoga teacher trainees. It felt good to be back in a yoga studio and it also felt good to play my bowls for other people. I was nervous because I hadn't done a sound meditation in a while but when four people fell asleep, I relaxed.  

Two days after the sound meditation, got a message from another studio that I used to go to. The person who was scheduled to do a sound bath on Wednesday had a death in the family so I filled in. 

Speaking of yoga studios, I got emails from two that I used to go to updating people on the most recent mask mandate; Missouri -- making the news for less than stellar reasons again... 

Saw someone post a photo with the hashtag of vacation vibes which made me wonder about what kind of vibes I was having at the moment...

As I left out of the house yesterday, my neighbor apologized for how something looked at the border of our property lines. He also noticed that the crepe myrtle in my yard had been invaded by another tree and asked if it was okay to cut the other tree out.

Okay? Thank you neighbor for making my day...

Someone that I know posted a picture and I asked her where she was at and she said Morocco and then she showed me more pictures and it looks absolutely lovely. 

She told me that I should come with her next time. Don't think that I'll be having any #VacationVibes soon but her invitation was sweet...

In flower news, more zinnias are blooming and my sunflowers are about to bloom. 

Not Sure

My zinnias that survived the big hack are blooming and the ones that were hacked have regenerated but I'm not sure if they will bloom again. 

The abandoned zinnias are also about to bloom. Didn't provide them with any additional support and, somehow, they made it. Keep in mind that I lost a cactus before...

One of the abandoned ones...

Found out last Friday that one of my former colleagues died. Hadn't seen her in a long time and was sad to hear the news. At some point, realized that I had a doodle that my colleague had given me and I want to give it to her sister. Kept trying to remember if I had possibly thrown it away and, if not, where could it be since my environment is very cluttered right now. It is a sort of organized chaos but chaos nevertheless. I looked around in places where I remembered it being and, low and behold, I found it in a black jewelry box where I was keeping photos and other mementos. It was such a relief to find it... My colleague also doodled something else for me but I'm pretty sure that I discarded that one. 

The doodle...

Saw these tweets earlier in the month and it's similar to how I feel -- kind of joyless. 

With My Bare Hand

The summer solstice may have arrived but I am still wintering with my mother. 

The refrigerator decided that it was done refrigerating and I have misplaced my new red glasses. Luckily, I usually buy two pairs. Because of the pandemic, lots of major appliances are backordered. 

At work, I have been in my department by my lonesome for a year now. Hulu decided to bump up House Hunter International to another membership level so I'm no longer able to zone out with that show... 

Finally remembered to check the lint trap and I'm washing a load of clothes that includes new underwear because, recently, there's a shortage in my house.  My contact dermatitis is flaring...

When I was in junior high school, there was a woman who helped us teenagers get jobs and she would call me by my last name and say, "What's the good news?" Even as a teenager, I recognized that it was a different way of conceptualizing things.

So, what is the good news?

I have not killed my hanging basket filled with Petunias or my Celosia which reminds me of the Flame of the Forest in Jamaica. And my Zinnias are doing something.

Not as flame-y as when I first got them. Also, neighbor's cat.

Update: I've been intending to hit publish on this post for days now. My uncle, who was helping cut weeds, mowed down the majority of my zinnias even though I had pointed out to him where they were at. Plus, I had markers.

My uncle did point out poison ivy to me and I'm pretty sure that I picked up some with my bare hand to to put it in the yard trash bin.

Goodbye, Zinnia.