It’s been a long time since I’ve posted a blog entry. Not
because I don’t want to but because I’ve entertained the thought I have nothing
to say about my life experiences that anyone would want to read about. I have
not been skydiving (nor will I ever). I have not been lost in the mountains
at night (like my friends David and Kim). I have not made a trip to the
emergency room with a bleeding child (at least for many years now, such as my
friend Bridgette did this week.)
So what
have I done since I last made a public proclamation about my life? I’ve
completed edits on four of my books to add that dreaded male point of view (see
last blog post.) I have been on a virtual writer’s retreat with my friends from
Seekerville.( http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/) I have survived another 4th
of July (and all that represents at the Regnier household.) I have joined
Romance Writer’s of America. (woohoo!) I have had my beautiful over-furry dog
shaved for summer (she looks like a sheared sheep.) I have overused parentheses
(like a novice writer might use exclamation points.)
Oh, I
know. I have made peace with my broken microwave. Everybody ought to be
interested in that. Do kitchen
appliances develop ‘habits’? If they do, I suppose I could call my microwave’s
latest behavior a bad habit. A few months ago I noticed that occasionally when
I closed the door, the light would not go off. In turn, that meant the microwave would not
work. I soon learned I had to open the door, shut the door and try it again.
Not really such a bad thing. Until
this bad habit got worse. . .
It happened more and more often. It took
harder “shuts” to get the light to go out until I was almost slamming that
door. But I would endure. I took the opportunity to get in touch with my
microwave, understand its idiosyncrasies and how to work around them. The
secret lies in letting it think it has gotten the best of me when I’m really
only playing along. Which was all fine and dandy until others started noticing
the problem. . .
My husband, though incredibly patient and
loving with me does not carry forward this characteristic to microwaves. He
would become annoyed when his coffee didn’t warm up like he told Mr. Mike to
do. My son, home for a respite from college called me at work. “Mom. What’s the
matter with the microwave?”
I
explained to both of them how to solve the problem. A slam of the door, a kind
word for Mike and he would usually straighten out his attitude. Nope. Didn’t
work. For either one of them. Perhaps they don’t have the gentle encouragement
my friend Mike needs to complete his work.
Hubby calls
Mike ‘stupid thing.’ Son claims Mike is ‘possessed.’ Both a bit extreme, don’t
you think? With absolutely no smugness and in total humility I showed them both
that indeed, I could sweet-talk Mike into doing what I asked. Needless to say,
they weren’t impressed.
Now, go
with me back to firework stand week. It is the night of the big display, the
whole reason we do a firework stand in the first place. Hubby and son have left
to set up for said fireworks display. My fabulous, hard-working, heat enduring
helpers Lance, Chelsea and Annie leave me alone in the stand for a few minutes
while they go inside to make their supper. Warmed up leftover pizza. Yep, you’re
a step ahead of me. That involves a microwave.
I can
hear them laughing from all the way outside. They’re having too much fun. No,
they’re just trying to make Mike work and he is being particularly lazy. Lance
pushes every button imaginable. Surely that popcorn button will kick Mike into
action. Nope. Not even popcorn works. Chelsea hollers at me from the back door
(amidst squeals of laughter). “Cindy, how do you work the microwave?”
This
time it even takes me awhile to undo all the button pushing they tried, but
finally I get Mike woke up enough to warm their pizza. Those kids laughed about
me and Mike all evening and the next few days. The story even made its way to
facebook. (see photo of Lance and Chelsea – don’t they look perplexed?)
But,
even with this fiasco on record, Mike and I seem to be getting along fine. I
can make him work when and how I want to with very little coaxing. Never mind
that I’m the only one that can seem to convince him.
I have
such a wonderful husband. He took me out to eat a few nights ago and invited me
to go microwave shopping. What? Send my buddy Mike to a microwave junkyard? No!
I can’t do it. We understand each other. He trusts me. I can’t let him down.
Maybe I’ll
have to give in though. At least before next year’s fireworks stand. My dear
Mike gets a little more cantankerous with each passing warm-up.
And the moral of this story? So many times in
life things do not go our way. It doesn’t work out like we planned. That happy
ending we had in mind gets postponed or even canceled. Instead of becoming
angry, stomping our feet or giving up, maybe we should just try again? Learn
how to live within the boundaries of where life takes you. Reach for the stars
but if you can’t quite touch one, reach for a sunbeam instead. Life takes
detours every day. Guess what? It’s out of our hands. Trust the One who has it
all under control. You still may not be able to nuke pizza but you won’t be
sorry either.
