Twenty Seconds

So, when did our watches become our moms?

I was washing my hands the other day. Singing the birthday song for the length of duration for safety measures.

The next thing, I feel while drying off, is a buzz on my wrist from my handy, dandy Apple watch. Always a partner in all my activities. Was there ever a time without one?

Buzz. Buzz. Again. I looked at my watch and in the face was a circle where letters spelled out — Well Done. I thought; well done for what? How my steak is to be served? My nickel to be deposited? More than 10,000 steps recorded?

Well Done was followed by, “You have washed your hands for the recommended amount of 20 seconds. Well Done.”

MY WATCH had been programmed (sometime in the middle of the night) to ensure my hands are being washed properly, in this world of germ-to-germ warfare.

And, I thought did Apple have a Mommie focus group?

Can’t you just hear it; if it could speak? The watch saying, “Did you wash your hands? Did you use soap? Hot water? Under those nails, young lady. Can’t eat dinner until you do?

You can program your semi-A.I.’s to make those sounds aloud. I call them sounds because the words over the years have bled together. For you, it could be a sweet-sounding melody filling at a crux of fond memories. For others, like I said words bleeding into each other.

No matter where this plus twenty seconds takes you. The sad fact stands — MY WATCH is telling me that I have washed my hands correctly in 20 seconds. Mom dialed in for the occasion.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/hand-washing/art-20046253

https://atomic-temporary-22701333.wpcomstaging.com/2021/02/27/https-pfeifferfit-com/

 

A story by Marilyn F. An aspiring writer — sharing her work

A note from  Marilyn about her story below —

This probably isn’t as funny as I think it is, but I did have fun writing it. I think the prompt was something like, “write a story in which you refer to time passing, as you maybe look at a clock or stopwatch.”  Marilyn F.

It all started at 8:33 when a spider climbed up a waterspout. At 8:35, a torrential rain began and washed the spider down the rain spout, flushing him into a puddle of water where he very nearly drowned.

It wasn’t until about 8:50 when the rain let up a bit and the very soggy spider was able to struggle towards the edge of the puddle. Then, at 8:55 the water-logged spider managed to extract his last leg from the puddle. The rain stopped at last.

It was just past 9:00 when the spider’s legs, like stilts, precariously balanced his still-wet body above the rain-drenched ground. They trembled as he lurched toward a bit of high ground that wasn’t quite so wet.

At 9:05 the sun peeked down through the clouds. Its heat was minimal at first. The spider couldn’t feel heat of course, he being a cold-blooded animal after all. It wasn’t until 9:10 when the full force of the sun beat back the rain clouds and sent them scurrying on their way.

Then, when the clock had reached 9:25, the warmth of the sun had dried up all the rain drops. The heat caused the water in the puddle to give up tiny, invisible water molecules which floated up into the sky. The puddle beneath the rain spout dried up until it was as if it had never been there.

Finally, at 9:30 the spider, feeling invigorated and dry at last, decided he would climb up the waterspout once again.

 

Armando Chilelli —

My father. Larger than life. Brighter than sunshine. Honest as Abe. Friend to all he met.

Armando Chilelli, 91, died on February 21st, 2021, at his home in Edmonds with his family by his side.  He was born April 16th, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York.

Armando grew up in Italy, in a town called Paola. This is where he fell in love with his forever love. By one look at a picture set upon a wall. He set his sights on Maria Teresa  DePaola (Sina); they married on August 28th, 1953. They celebrated 67 years of marriage.

Armando and his bride moved from Italy to Alderwood Manor, Washington. They settled and lived in Lynnwood for 40 plus years, then the last twenty years in Edmonds.

When moving to Washington, Sina had relatives to support the young couple’s starts. Armando built roads up on the Olympic Peninsula. Learning to handle large road equipment and machinery. He loved moving big piles of dirt. After a while, Armando decided it was time for him to start his own business.

He exhibited all the traits of an entrepreneur. He started a General Contracting business, A.C Builders Homes, Inc., that spanned more than fifty years of successful outcomes. He was involved in owning a Quarry and Cabinet Shop.

Armando was a creative thinker and often invented things to make life easier to deal with, and everyone that knows him has been exposed to his inventions.

Armando loved to golf. He was exceptional at it. He did bowl as well and was incredibly good at that, too. Armando was a watercolor painter. He took college entry classes to become skilled at his work. Many an art shows displayed his art.

He was a Master Gardener— growing many types of vegetables and plants. He was so giving with his bounty. People that knew him were never short of vegetables for their meals.

Armando was an advocate for issues and people in the political arena. Always doing what was good for the community.

There is so much more to add for Armando because he was a larger-than-life figure; everyone he came into contact with left a bit better off.

He is survived by his wife Maria Teresa (Sina), and his daughters, Luana Chilelli (her partner Marty Krueger), Teresa Chilelli-White (her husband Bruce White), Donna Chilelli, and grandson Johnathan White.

A private service will be held Tuesday, March  2nd, 2021.

There will be a memorial in the late spring or early summer to celebrate his remarkable life.

 

WORDS; love them or leave them

When you are talking (to yourself or others) have you ever stopped and noticed — “I love that word I just SPOKE.. Or, ” I don’t ever want to hear THAT word again. It churns my stomach.”

Words are our threads stitching together the pattern of our tapestry called life. Connecting our words into the language that help us communicate with each other. As the threads, they are different vibrate colors , thin and thick in size, silk and wool and knotted in the middle, end or twisted in a spot. But, they all crisscross and make sense when you view the art piece they are perpetually creating. Of, course there are always (and always will be) fumbles. But, in the weave of the pattern, the texture of the fiber, who notices?

Over my bitter sweet relationship with words. I say that with a tint of melancholy. Love them or leave them seemed silly to say. But, We can feel that way. We can discipline ourselves to act that way — love them or leave them. Ban words from our vocabulary. Send those words that make our hair on the back of our necks stand at attention—back out into the word universe. And, the ones we love, create a greenroom. Like they do at a television talk show. Where the guests hang out and eat food, watch the show, get prepared, receive unfiltered adoration and be a celebrity. My words that I love are that special. Do you have words like that? Or, words you love? Are they noticed?

I have come to build a Word List of words I absolutely LOVE in my World and words that make me CRINGE when I hear them. Like Fiduciary — nails on a chalkboard.

I can’t list all the words I love and ones I don’t appreciate, but I can share several with a explanation of why they are on one list or the other. No order. Random. Though one might be closer to the heart. Or, one might be more distasteful to the tongue.

*Propensity — Pro is a positive feel. I believe in a glass full. And, a natural way to always be positive. It is fun to say. *Joy — Positive feel. Happiness. I believe in a glass full. And, at the age of twelve I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and learned the meaning of Joy. *Kind — Positive feel. Plato’s take; ‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.’

*Corner — Ouch Feel. Sharp at the corner. Stings when you say it. Or, standing in the corner for talking (yes, that happened to me) *Got — Hard Feel. This little pest of a word sounds just awful. It is a mean word with rough edges and no room for error. *Seminar — Hard Feel. What exactly is it? Sounds sticky. Nonproductive. (good word) *Fiduciary — Hard Feel. This word is a mouthful of crap. It sounds awful when spoken. It sounds dirty like mud. (but, mud is a good word) Just say it once. *Hate — Hateful Feel. What can I say. When spoken it makes you hateful. *Pocketbook — Hard Feel. It sounds stiff and unforgiving. Especially if you have the wrong one.

I have given just a few goofy ones. And, I am hoping to hear from some of you your words of Love or Leave ’em.

I want to communicate with any and all words.

Words=Connection, Lustellarose

Books and a Meal

Think about all the books you have read and how many had meals/recipes in them, and a character whipped up some delicious meal, or maybe a not so delicious meal (Donnor Party). 
Now you are probably thinking or as your mind wanders off --- I can think of tons of recipes I have read. Well, stop right there. Cookbooks don't count. I know, but trust me it is much more fun this way. Plus, any meal counts. Be creative and mischievous as you revisit and seek the characters that splayed their platters of food Your meals. Or, a recipe you want to share can come from any genre --- kids to biz books.
Just list the title, the character you want to credit for the meal and the title of the book. 
I would say about five to ten would be fun to share. Get set. Get ready. Go. 

Drop an email that you can share. Maybe if we get recipes, we can make a book. With all the entries.

Here are five meals and more to come:
  • Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel — Champandongo, a layered dish of meat, vegetables, nuts and mole
  • The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd — Green beans, turnips, macaroni and cheese Funeral food
  • Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg — Green Fried Tomatoes and so much more
  • Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss — What else is there?
  • Alien by Alan Dean Foster — Spaghetti with meatballs

That’s it for now, but there are more and it is fun to think about them.

Have fun and send in your thoughts. As creative a meal from a book, or as standard with a meaning attached.

Thanks for taking the time to read LOVE YOUR WORLD: Friends dwelling in Possibilities

Lustellarose, March 2021