
Blue
Lights
Soothing
Mellow
Gentle
Calming
Steady
Inviting
Available
Approachable
Accepting
Connecting
Receiving
Believing
Blue
Lights

Blue
Lights
Soothing
Mellow
Gentle
Calming
Steady
Inviting
Available
Approachable
Accepting
Connecting
Receiving
Believing
Blue
Lights

He wanted to add something different to his renovations
New wood had no character and he rejected it as boring
He found a supplier of reclaimed wood
Materials rescued from old building demolitions
Sifting through all the remnants he picked everything out
There were pine boards for the floor
Oak for floating shelves
English elm for the mantle
It all blended together so well
Complete with knots and filled nail holes
He admired the finished work over a glass of single malt
Wondering what stories the wood could tell
The wood remained tight lipped
He had a second and third single malt before falling asleep
Once he was snoring soundly the shelf started talking
Well this is better than where I used to live
I am sure it is replied the mantle
I used to roast over an open fire but now its a decorative gas fire
This place is a step up from our previous homes said the pine
My previous owners trampled on us with working boots
This guy roams around in slippers
And you get cleaned and polished weekly said the shelves
You were lucky to get that once a year before
Yes we hit the jackpot said the mantle
He woke from his slumber and staggered off to bed
Once he was snoring again the shelves piped up
Look he left a bottle of single malt on top of me
Lets have a party to celebrate our new home
The pine flooring wandered over and took a sip
Pass me a glass shouted the mantle
They laughed and told stories all through the night
Leaving only a small amount in the bottle on the shelf
When he woke up the next morning he looked around
The place looked fabulous but the bottle of single malt caught his eye
I don’t remember drinking all that he proclaimed
But I guess I must have because nobody else was here
The shelves chuckled and the pine floor sniggered
Be quiet whispered the mantle, we must not get discovered
The security cameras piped up saying we captured you all on video
OK said the shelving, how much to keep you guys quiet?
That bottle of port on the shelf looks good said the cameras
OK its yours said the shelf, I will slide it to you when he goes out
The cameras got wasted on port and accidentally sent out an alert
Police responded immediately to an assumed burglary but found nothing
The owner was embarrassed by the false alarm and disconnected the alarm system
After restocking his bar he went away on vacation for two weeks
Booze was flying off the shelf and the pine invited everybody to dance on him
They were rocking and rolling all night with booze flowing and joints being passed around
Somebody dropped a joint on the pine floor and it started a fire
By the time the fire dept arrived the house was well ablaze
All the reclaimed wood perished in the fire
The owner came back and viewed the damage’
He decided to rebuild the house entirely from reclaimed wood………

Sometimes our thoughts can be overwhelming
We are bombarded with information from so many sources
There are pressures from work, family, finances and unfinished tasks lining up
Its hard to focus on one thing when other thoughts keep rushing in
Fortunately I was taught a relaxation technique more than thirty years ago
It involves deep breathing and focussing on a specific image
I have used it often to de-stress my mind and body
At first it took a lot of concentration to get it to work at all
But now I can do it at will by just thinking about it
And my random thoughts dare not step in then
They line up outside my mind patiently waiting
I have found it to be a great way to solve a problem or make a difficult decision
Especially when I have been wrestling with one for a long while
Once I banish those thoughts for a while they seem to solve themselves
I only let them back in if they bring a solution with them
Are you in charge of your thoughts or do they rule you?

If you steer a cruise ship are you in control?
In control of the speed and direction
But not of the destination and itinerary
Somebody else controls that
If you are a farmer are you in control?
In control of the seeds you sow and harvest
But not in control of the weather
Somebody else controls that
If you conduct the orchestra are you in control?
In control of the musicians actions on the stage
But not in control of how well the listeners appreciate the music
Somebody else controls that
If you hold the TV remote are you in control
In control of selecting the buttons to press
But not of the programs being broadcast
Somebody else controls that
If you are in love are you in control
In control of your own feelings and actions
But not the feelings and actions of your partner
Somebody else controls that
If you call a press conference are you in control?
In control of the statements you make
But not of the resulting press reports
Somebody else controls that
If you are the Commander In Chief are you in control?
In control of the world’s most powerful military
But not the actions of your advisories or political opponents
Somebody else controls that
If you eat well and exercise are you in control?
In control of your nutrition and fitness
But not of the timing and nature of your own (non-suicidal) death
Somebody else controls that

Serenity
Calm still water
A windless bay
Suddenly disturbed
A small passing boat
Leaving a wake
Bumping into moored boats
Bouncing back towards other boats
Creating multiple ripples
In all directions
Waves of ripples
Passing through each other
Slowly diminishing
Calm returns
Serenity

Be real
Don’t gossip
Help others
Be kind
Recognize success
Welcome strangers
Be sincere
No cheating
Be honest
Embrace generosity
Deliver promises
Be authentic
Admit mistakes
No lies
be enthusiastic
Help others
Smile always
Be passionate
Be nice
Forgive first
Be patient
Stay positive
Show interest
Remain thoughtful
Display gratitude
Treasure friends
Stay consistent
Remain humble
Be accepting
Never selfish
forgive always
Always caring
Aim true
Steadfastly authentic
No cheating
Welcome strangers
Volunteer often
laugh uncontrollably
cry quietly
Love unconditionally
Be real
Be honest
Embrace generosity
Deliver promises
Honest intentions
Admit mistakes
No lies
Help others
Smile always
Be passionate
Be nice
Forgive first
Be patient
Stay positive
Show interest
Remain thoughtful
Display gratitude
Treasure friends
Stay consistent
Remain humble
Be accepting
Never selfish
Always caring
Steadfastly authentic
No cheating
Volunteer often
Love unconditionally
Be real
Miami 2023

There is something romantic about a long train journey
If a cruise ship is a town floating on water
Then a long distance sleeper train is a village traveling on rails
A village that starts empty late on day 1
Becoming fully inhabited just before the train departs
The village comes to life instantly
Have a drink at a bar and make new friends
Move to the dining car for dinner
Swapping stories as the scenery rolls by
The clicking of the rails is rhythmic
Waiters sway and lurch as they carry plates
Listen to life stories of people you just met
Retire to your sleeping car for the night
Rock to sleep as the train moves at speed
Wake up on day 2 to new scenery flashing by the window
Meet some new people at breakfast
Take a stroll from one end of the train to the other and back
Walk through the village with one narrow street
Nobody drives a car or rides a bicycle in this village
You smile at everybody you pass along the way
It’s a very friendly little village
Relax in the lounge car with a good book
Its hard to read when people keep asking what you are reading
More conversations and learning about others
By dinner time you know virtually everybody in this village
Stay up late talking to new friends at the bar
Sing along merrily to favorite songs fueled by alcohol
Swap contact information with people you will never see again
Wake up on day 3 having covered thousands of miles
Soon the moving village will arrive at its destination
Its inhabitants disperse and move on
The end of this short lived community on wheels

Oh dark clouds creeping in
You are such party spoilers
I was having fun with the white fluffy clouds
They gave me some welcome shade from the hot Miami sun
Whilst leaving me plenty of nice blue sky to look at
I could play outside all day with white fluffy clouds above me
Now I must run inside quickly
Take shelter from the impending rain shower
Which you indiscriminately scatter below you
As you slowly drift by looking for more victims
I wonder if you were born fluffy white
Then got fat collecting so much water vapor and became darker
After dumping all your rain will you get paler
Maybe you were born dark and doomed to rain on parades forever
You probably chase down fluffy white clouds and eat them up
Cannibalistic party spoiling sinister dark clouds
I bet you have no friends at all
Other than farmers
Maybe flowers, plants, lawns and trees,
Also reservoirs, and water companies
Plus hydroelectric power plants
Not forgetting streams, rivers, lakes, fish and rain dancers
Come to think of it you are really quite popular
Black clouds matter

People are probably passionate about phenomenal pistachios
Cats crave to calmly chew charming cashews
An armadillo always ate adequate almonds
Be brave before brazenly biting basic bold Brazil nuts
Hop into a hilarious haze with happy hazelnuts
Maybe munch on marvelous magical medicinal macadamias
Plan a party preferably with plenty of persuasive pecans
Peter pines for Penelope’s precocious pretty pine nuts
We would wait a while for wonderful wild wacky walnuts
Pop in a pile of pesky pivotal persistant peanuts
But peanuts are really lazy laidback lavish legumes
Not nutritious naughty native nut nibbles

Its only a cold
Starts with a sniffle
Then a scratchy throat
Its not so bad
Its only a cold
Now your throat is on fire
Your limbs are aching
Its not so bad
Its only a cold
You are completely congested
Your sinus cavities hurt a lot
Its not so bad
Its only a cold
Now you have that tickling cough
It keeps you awake all night
Its not so bad
Its only a cold
Your nose is red from blowing
Your voice is all croaky
Its not bad
Its only a cold
Three days sick and low energy
You want to feel better
Yes its officially bad now
Its only cold
But it makes your life miserable for a week or so
There is no cure
Try not to infect others