October 23, 2017 – J-Dubs Grin and Bear It

How much sleep 😴 is enough?

Published on October 23, 2017October 23, 2017 by J-Dub3 Comments

I had a bit of insomnia last night. What’s different now is how I react to waking up multiple times a night. Previously I’d look at the clock. I’d toss and turn. I’d do the math … if I fall asleep in five minutes I’ll get x hours. It was awful.

These days I refuse to look at the clock. I start deep breathing and meditating instead. I become zen. Mostly works but not last night.

However as luck would have it, after the 4am alarm sounded, I fell back into a deep sleep and got two solid hours. I dreamt about something I can’t quite remember but I woke with this song on a loop through my brain. Though in my version the words of one Gene Autrey were altered to

I got nerves that jingle jangle jingle

Because I do y’all. I don’t have spurs. I have nerves. In fact, look 👀 up nervous 😟 in the dictionary and you’ll see me 😳. Though what’s different these days is that I own it. My reactions like the winds they are a changing.

Decisions Decisions. I’ll go with good ole Gene first 🤣

And add Zander Michigan as bonus.

As always more to come.

Neighbors Should Be Neighborly

Published on October 23, 2017 by J-Dub2 Comments

OK that’s either a big typo in my title or haven’t written the word neighbor in a long time. We used to live in a neighborhood. And then we moved out on some acreage. But we do still have neighbors; they’re just further down the road.

Life has a way of going fast and day-to-day stuff gets in the way. Before you know it, years have passed. Here’s my conversation with B this evening:

B: Hey I talked to Roy for a while. We caught up.

(Roy is our neighbor at the other end of the road … 20 acres away)

Me: That’s good. What’d he say about our soon to be new neighbors. Are they related?

B: No, they just hired him to do the concrete. Basically he’s semi-retired since April died.

Me: What!? I didn’t know that. I knew she was sick. I hoped she had beat cancer.
B: No sadly she passed almost a year ago. They had moved to Houston to be near MD Anderson. Kids stayed here in the house. He’s moved back and they’re out. Both kids are married.

Me: How’d we miss that?!? April was so kind. She always spoke when she saw me. Her sister never said a word. They did everything together those sisters. I picture Roy and April’s daughter at 14 on her roller skates. It’s crazy we didn’t know and we didn’t do something. We should have.

B: Jill they weren’t here. He kept it family only.

But still. I’m regularly reminded of the passage of time and how you never really know what others are going through. I’m challenged to be a better neighbor. Human*Kind. Be both ❤️