I am Who I Want to be (for now)

Can you find Cha Cha and I  and Waldo in this photo? We are not near one another

Happy Independence Day Eve American friends. Happy Saturday non-American friends. Cha Cha and I have had a pretty busy weekend so far. I had a rare Saturday of nothing scheduled so we went back to Woodstock after a five or six week hiatus. I finally got to check in on Facebook where we have been going all those weeks (even though I was always checking in where we had lunch and such. We have been going to the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center for meditation. When my Saturday dance-card filled-up we started to go to an off-shoot of theirs on Sunday nights in Geneva but it was not the same. Cha Cha was worried that narrow-minded people would think we were in occult or something. Most open-minded people realize that meditation is great but some people are not as enlightened. She had told some people and she got some mixed reactions but we are who we are and we like to meditate. It is really cool to spend time with these Buddhist monks too - I have met some very nice people on my life journey (many ready this right now - probably you - are among them) and these monks are among the kindest, unselfish, most caring people that I have ever met. I can see why people like: Tina Turner, Richard Gere, Herbie Hancock, Alex Rodriguez, Orlando Bloom, George Takei, Tiger Woods, Jennifer Lopez, Gordon Matthew Sumner (Sting), Brad Pitt, Bill Clinton, Oliver Stone, Uma, John Cleese, David Bowie, Rosa Parks (until her death)... were all Buddhists. I would not consider myself a Buddhist but I would not be embarrassed or ashamed to be categorized that way.

I have been told that I have changed a lot since I was sick. People are equating my earlier health problems (100% gone for quite some time) with me being more quiet and less engaging... I have made a conscious effort to change because I believe I was too judgmental before. I always seemed to want to be the center of attention. I take more pleasure in other people now and I am a lot more introspective. I am happy with the changes I have made in myself because of my inner peace but I think people are thinking I have issues from my very brief illness. That saddens me a bit because I have always been a very empathetic and caring person. I actually always have, and still do, care about others feelings and emotions more than I care about my own. If you find me changed and more quite and subdued just please realize that it is a conscious effort by me to be better to you and better for me. I will be a work-in-progress until I die and I am okay with that.

Yesterday I chopped down a tree in the backyard. I used an old fashioned ax. I don;t have use for modern conveniences like a chainsaw and such he wrote on a computer to launch into the geosynchronous orbit when he was done publishing his blog. Cha Cha and I also went over to Menard's and got stuff to redo the path on the side of the garage. I worked on that for awhile yesterday and then we went back to Menard's again today get more materials and I finished the path. I think it looks really nice. While I did that Cha Cha planted several plants and flagstoned around them and then we spread some river rock to fill the gaps. She did, as she always does, a fantastic job with the landscaping. I was so smart to marry such a talented farmer's daughter (they were/are both very talented in many ways). Tonight we are going to go to our usual Sunday hangout for drinks (for me that is iced tea) and eventually dinner (salad). My friend Mike is probably coming out too (he is my friend that lost his son a few weeks ago). I hope I can stay awake for a few hours there. I am sneaking my own Splenda packets in this week. They have the white packets (sugar), the pink packets (Sweet N Low) and the blue packets (Equal). I am a Splenda man and I am going to reach that 60-lbs lost mark when I weigh-in on Tuesday!!!! It is the same way that Ulysses Everett McGill would not use FOP - he was a Dapper Dan man! I am a Splenda man!

Hey, I think I need to go get my phone so I can listen to the Cardinals' game. I wanted to go to the game today as they are in Milwaukee but Fabio has to work. I cannot think of anyone else who would be interested in a Brewers - Cardinals game. It would have been a pain in the buttocks anyway with all the work we needed to get done around the yard today anyway. I just looked and that game id delayed for some reason. I also saw that the Cubs are losing 11 - 1 in the fifth inning.

I also worked-on Cha Cha's three-wheel bike. I don't remember if I told the story how all five human member of the household were instrumental in getting her the bike. Jeff is instrumental in going with her when he rides as she leashes him to the bike and yells "mush!" He really just runs next to her while she peddles. He loves to go places and she is his favorite in the world. She was saying the bike steered oddly but, as it turns-out, it looks like the front tire was a bit low, So, since we bought it used, I aired-up all the tires, put a new screw and washer on one of the rear wheel fenders and reattached her fancy basket on front. She has a basket on the back and one on the front. She seems to really like it and I got it for just $125.00 which, I am told, it a really good price for a three-wheeled bike.

I think I am going to sign-off for now as my shoulders are aching from typing after: chopping down a tree, lugging flagstone and bricks and leveling sand and river rocks as well as a lot of digging. I am a MIDDLE-aged Matt and I really feel it today. Cha Cha just came over and rubbed my shoulders and said, "you're so bony now." I think that is good, right? Of course, I responded with an off-color remark because, remember, the work is still IN PROGRESS!

Thank you for stopping-in today. I will blog again tomorrow even though it is my current home / country's birthday. Have a nice evening - TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

BE WELL
BE HAPPY
BE PEACEFUL