Sunday, April 02, 2006

A moment of Zen



So...

We have been having a lovely weekend. My husband's former classmate (who is a former major league baseball player for the Reds) coaches a high school baseball team. They were playing both men's former alma mater near Columbus so we loaded up the mini-van (ie family assault vehichle as my husband like to deem it for a more manly title.) We headed down that way Friday evening to treat the kids to a hotel stay (more excitement for them than any activity following!)

We arrived around 8:30 and my husband took the kids to the pool. Unfortunately, there was a group of parents and kids on some sort of tournament who had taken over the pool. They were throwing balls of some kind which hit my step daughter twice as well as some other guests not in their party. The parents sat oblivious by the pool, never even apologizing or attempting to contain their children. My husband left the pool to them, but did complain to the front desk that all guests should be respectful at the pool. I am very proud to say that my kids finally understand why we can be so "mean" when they are rudely having fun around others. They were appalled at the other children's behavior.

Saturday morning they were able to enjoy the pool more quietly. We then took off for my husband's friend's game. There I was introduced to his highschool football coach who, because of my husband's record there as well as his playing and later coaching sprint football at Westpoint, nominated him for his high school hall of fame this year. (Side note- he didn't win but is "honored to be nominated" ;)

It was too chilly to stay for the whole thing so we packed the kids up, stopped for some club sandwiches at Tim Hortons (note number 2- always stick to the specialty of each fast food place. Tim Hortons is for DOUGHNUTS, SUBWAY is for SUBS.)

We then headed over for a few hours at COSI. For those who have been, you KNOW what kind of family fun there is to be had by all. For those of you who haven't been, it's an easy place to entertain everyone in the family (though of course Anna found nursing in the famliy feeding room the highlight of her COSI experience.) We ended up buying a family membership which cost about 20 bucks more than paying for all of us to get in. So we'll be headed back for several more trips this year to get our money's worth.

On the way home we met one of my husband's former tank drivers for dinner along with his beautiful little girls. The youngest fell for me. It was mutual. Here we are together. In particular I admire her fashion sense and pink pumps!

We got home rather late, quickly unloaded the car and passed out. My husband had to work today. He gets up at 4:30 for work which today meant THREE- thirty due to DLST. SPRING FORWARD!!!! Sounds like an order doesn't it? Get out there and MULCH! TRIM YOUR HEDGES! CLEAN YOUR GARAGE! MOW YOUR LAWN! It's SPRING for cryin'out loud!
I much prefer "Fall Back". Ahhhh....the last leaves have been mulched by the mower... no more yard work...peaceful long winter nights ahead.

ANYWAY...This morning I get online and find out through my congregation's website that a Zen priest I heard there last year is speaking again this morning. YEA! I loved him last time. The message of the morning is "The One Who Isn't Busy." PERFECT! As if to demonstrate to myself why I NEED to hear this sermon, I scramble to round up three very tired children (Go get your toothbrush out of my suitcase I said!!!!") and nurse a very irritable baby who reminds me loudly that the last thing she wants to see is the car seat today. We are ready by 9:40, amazing not only because I am perpetually late but also because it is in reality 8:40 to our exhausted bodies. Just enough time for a rational yet expeditious drive to church....

I reach into my coat pocket.
No Keys.
I dig around in my purse.
No Keys.
I have a vague image pop into my head of placing my keys in the glove compartment on our way to Columbus Fri night so I wouldn't LOSE them!!!!

SO there we sat. Coats on, Anna crying in the car seat. My husband with the only other set of keys...at work til 3pm.

No UU for you.

The bright side?

The keys are not lost...

They exist in another realm...

Which is inaccessible to me in my current state of consciousness ;)


And so I will begin (yet) again to attempt to live a conscious existence in each and every moment. Especially when I am placing my keys somewhere!

Z

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh this all sounds like a really enjoyable weekend.
Was this Anna's first road trip?

Design Goddess said...

what happened to "Also encouraged my friend DG that she can finish her project without going completly nuts through the wonderment that is IM."?

I don't know if I could go into COSI without prejudice since I've only ever been to the old one....

Zen Davis said...

Yes Gareth it was Anna's first trip. But not a long one. Columbus is a couple hours from here. She did pretty well. Actually slept in the hotel room with all of us camped out together!

DG- I almost forgot I did encourage you! I like to think of it as a supportive conversation between friends and co-eds. You've certainly listended to enough Dr B rants from me. And none of my other friends came to watch me graduate!
I never went to the old COSI. But Rick's from Columbus and has been. He thinks this one's better.

You'll have to go down with us sometime after your friends move thata way.

Z