Monday, May 10, 2010

Old Dogs, New Tricks



We do get set in our ways as we get older. Oh. Maybe I should speak for myself. I get set in MY ways. Oh yeah.

This is, in my opinion, not a good thing. It doesn't help my brain stay plastic, it doesn't open my mind to anything new, and it isn't great for my heart either (not my physical heart, I mean the throne on which my soul rests).

In older age, the human body settles and dries out, becoming a much more concentrated form of what it once was, a mineral salt residue of youthful juiciness. It's good to mix things up in older age, it helps, it does. Believe me!

The above is a pep talk I'm delivering to myself while my roommates renovate the kitchen. Nothing is where I'm used to finding it, my morning routine has been interrupted, altered or slowed down, depending on the phase of renovation in the works. And I am in such a tizzy over it all.

Actually it's kind of funny to see how off-balance I have become, without my beloved kitchen in perfect working order. For heaven's sake, Reya, go with the flow. Go. With. The. Flow.

21 comments:

Paul C said...

That garden bench seems to fit in nicely with the flow of the haphazard garden.

Reya Mellicker said...

It's like fairyland, to my eye, a total contrast to the sharp angles of the White House and Washington Monument.

Barbara said...

All renovation projects finally come to an end and then you find most things once again. You forget the frustration as you admire the finished product. I just lived through another round and I'm finally feeling positive about my space.

Rick said...

Go with the flow... sound advice many situations.

Butternut Squash said...

I watch my father set in his ways, and yet at 82 life is constantly changing and challenging him. Old friends disappear at an alarming rate. His children are always into something new. It's a kind of forced 'go with the flow.'

The Bug said...

I am SUCH a creature of habit. We were without the use of our garage for a little over a week & after we got it fixed I still headed out into the driveway to find my car. I established that habit in ONE WEEK. So, I guess I'm saying that once things are put back together it probably won't take that long to develop new routines. Probably.

NanU said...

We do indeed get set in our ways. The trick is to get -other people- set in our ways. That's called peace ;-)

ellen abbott said...

Go with the flow. Excellent advice. Life is nothing but change. I do have my routines (don't we all) but I try not to get set in my ways. I try to be open to possibilities.

Rosaria Williams said...

Go with the flow! Yeah! Or, if you can't fight it, join it. I have a slightly more practical view of this situation: get all the comfort you can in life, because eventually, before you choose to, life hands you a mess you have to clean up and re-establish order, so you can get back to comfort.

glnroz said...

to go with the flow, some creatures have to swim "upstream", dont ya think,, I enjoy your posts daily even if I don't let you know about it.. today i did,, thanks, glenn

Linda Sue said...

Go with the flow- easy to say...I have been living in uproar since October- sleeping on the cot in a torn up basement- everything in storage, wearing the same thing since October...going with the flow- I am at the FTS stage now- patience run out! I empathize with you, it is very discombobulating!

Anonymous said...

Yes, indeed flow sounds excellent
I'm in London contemplating ash clouds.......
breathe deeply...........
hope to see you soon...

Reya Mellicker said...

Nancy you're on to something!!

I'm not really in so much of a tizzy that it was worth a blog post, but I had to think of something to say to go with the pics. HAD to? Oh. Yeah.

Tom said...

oh, this so reminds me of what i'm going through at work right now--what i'll be working through for another 2 months. ACK, but it's hard to stay sane amid upheavel.

and that garden picture reminds me of my favorite garden snapshot/view, but i've painted the bench red to contrast against the bright white spring flowers...think i'm gonna go out and sit and reflect about going with the so called flow.

Reya Mellicker said...

So called flow? Oh yeah, Tom! Make me laugh, make me laugh.

Karen said...

I know what you mean--we had a renovation done a while back to add a 2nd bathroom & do some general updating to our house, and it was totally discombobulating. It took me a long time to get recombobulated. :)

And the kitchen is so important! Can you believe most kitchens used to be separate from the house (in the way-back days)?

May your renovation be uncharacteristically quick!

Karen said...

P.S. Did you notice (visible in your photo) the guy on the roof of the White House? I lived in & around DC for most of my life, and never did get used to that sort of thing...

Reya Mellicker said...

NO I did NOT notice the guy on the roof. How cool. Thank you.

Kerry said...

What's that guy doing anyway? Taking a picture? Of you?!! Now that is cool.I was surprised at the tangled greenery around the bench; I guess I think of DC as very manicured, and am glad to see this little corner of it that you have captured.

ShirleyAnn said...

As we age, which I am doing fast, I have read that we should change it up to keep the mind sharp. Wear watch on right arm, turn bedside clock upside down, go different routes to your daily destinations. Anything that makes you think. Your kitchen renovation probably really sharpened you up.
I love your blog and pictures. I have blog block, but am a reader of several favorites.

Reya Mellicker said...

DC is actually not manicured, except in the federal areas. It's a crazy, fecund swamp full of growing things, lots of green space. The landscape is quite wild.

Hey RobbinsMama, nice to see you here!