Random Thoughts and Photos on a Rainy Day

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Soft and steady the rain comes down. Soft grey, muted light, the scent of rain lulls my unconscious to raise. Thoughts flood my heart's open door and my mind listens to itself unwind. Randomly, steadily, with healing… A place to let go and let be… one thought after another finds its place while I tackle the unsurmountable pile of ironing ahead of me.

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Thought Number One:

My father and I would talk on the phone a couple times a week. Whenever I called my father he would say, "Your voice is so clear it
sounds as if you are in the next room." He then would chuckle. I
grew to expect him to respond like that each time I called.
I hold on to that sweet memory as I miss his calls.

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Thought Number Two:

I called Shelley to talk. Her voice is weaker, so her husband lends his voice as she whispers in his ear to me. Life can be cruel and beautiful we know that. But with courage she bears it with grace. Her stamina takes me back, makes me thankful and challenges me to be a better person.

If only we could change the things we want to change. In saying that I see Shelley's and her husband Eric's example, it says to me: We cannot change the inevitable but we can live it lovingly and by doing so transform the outcome.

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Random feelings and thoughts Number Three:

Sacha talks about what he should do when he graduates. He bounces ideas and directions he could take. He doesn't know for sure, I reassure him that few of us did know what we were going to do after high school. He mentions he would like to go to nursing school in California, or working for the army in logistics, he rambles on…my mind's eye looks at my child talking like a young man. Bittersweet is the taste soaking my emotions.

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Random Thought number Four:

The blue bathroom, the practical-functional best bathroom I have ever had is gone. The new bathroom is nearly completed. We decided against the fireplace as it took too much room. Also while looking for old shutters to make into a linen closet we found a small old linen closet. The measurement were exactly what we were hoping for. We let go of the shutter idea and bought the ready made linen closet. I need to paint it and reline the shelves. Photos will come soon.

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You Guessed it Random Thought Number Five:

Earlier this week I wasn't feeling well, when I started to feel better Sacha caught my cold. He missed a few days of school. This morning French Husband woke up feeling achy, feverish, with a scratchy throat. I suppose skiing this weekend is out. I hope the love bug isn't passed back to me.

°°°°°°°° and the thoughts go on and on°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Time alone on a rainy day with ironing stacked a mile high lends me the opportunity to have random thoughts. Where do you unwind? Please do make me jealous and say with a glass of red wine in front of the fire.



Comments

44 responses to “Random Thoughts and Photos on a Rainy Day”

  1. I unwind in my studio under the eucalyptus trees. I spent three hours in there this afternoon. Clipping tiles, moulding clay and sometimes lifting my head to watch two adult magpies feed their demanding young one.
    Work this morning had been challenging. Time alone in a room of my own, always makes things better.

  2. Oh! This is a lovely post, soothing and comforting.
    No fireplace, and an intolerance for wine, red or otherwise, lets me turn elsewhere for comfort. I go to my favorite meadow, climb the pile of rocks left there by a distant farmer, and lose myself in the sky and the waving grasses. In winter, or rainy weather, I seek the same meadow but I hover at its wooded edge. The trees shelter me from the worst of the wind and rain, and once thoroughly wet and cold, the warm closeness of my cottage turns from stuffy to welcoming. There, it’s my small loveseat, a good book, a warm shawl, and a cup of steaming tea.

  3. No read wine here, but being home from work with a cold I find comfort in Verdi, Donna Leon and white wine, in front of the fire of course 🙂

  4. My daughter Hadley is in the midst of applying to schools. She is my first born and I know that bittersweet feeling you write of. I also agree that we don’t always know what we want….and I think that is good thing.

  5. cityfarmer

    yes, a glass of noir, but only with candlight, no fireplace in thisnild farmhouse …alas, plenty of candles

  6. cityfarmer

    by my spelling it looks like too much pinot…geez

  7. Julie Loeschke

    Oh, to be treated to the sight of a Saint suspended in the air with his little dog! Prayers for your friends today and you always. Julie

  8. I’d love to sit with you Corey. It’s cold here in northern Illinois and we’re fighting off the dreaded cabin fever.
    About 10 years ago I was diagnosed with lupus. It’s going to sound strange but actually after the initial shock and the prognosis set in I sat and closed my eyes and prayed. It was just a simple prayer asking “What now?” I felt a stirring inside and the answer came to me – if you’re going to die, then for sure you need to LIVE! And I have lived without fear and full of the excitement of a new day since that moment. Seriously, when someone tells you that you’re probably going to die from this or that and the reality sinks in, it’s the most freeing experience.
    Also, my prayer for others in need is a little different than most. I DO NOT pray for the situation to be changed (because that’s God’s call, not mine) but for the strength and wisdom to handle what is presented to them.
    I love your gentle thinking out loud mode.
    – Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife

  9. Dear Corey, i was just thinking of Daisy and wondering how she is. We lost a family member at the beginning of this week. He was only 36 years old and yet very sick. We lit a candle on that evening and its light is shining into the dark of the Viennese sky. It’s also shining for Shelley and for Daisy if she still needs support. Just hoping for some good news on your end with little Daisy.
    Gosh some weeks just suck up all your energy, Erika

  10. I just reread my comment and it sounds so negative and gloomily. Sorry for that! I don’t want to drag all of you down…
    🙂 *weak smile* Erika

  11. Jeanette M.

    I am recovering from ankle surgery and pretty much chair or bed bound so unwinding is all I’ve been doing for a week. To bring a smile to my face however, I read your blog and travel to France in my mind. Thank You.

  12. Tell Sacha that I am 45 and I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up….!! My favorite kind of day at home is when it’s raining (the more the better, I love rain!) and I can cuddle up on the sofa with a good magazine and a cup of Earl Grey!!
    Isabel

  13. Dang, sounds like the same sickenss that is going on here in my home in Ft. Lauderdale.

  14. I am an armchair traveler, with a glass of white instead of red, to relax.
    I finally got around to getting the red candle wax out of the runner I got in Sault, on a travel that got me out of my armchair.

  15. It depends on what I’m relaxing from…and I had to laugh at the ironing. Years ago, when everything was ironed, my ironing basket was always full. No matter how often I ironed, it was still full. And back in those young days, when I was more quick-tempered, I would get mad at my hubby and start ironing. I always told him that I would never leave him without the house being clean and the ironing being done up. My neighbor lady best friends always knew something was up if I was ironing. But amazingly, by the time I’d ironed my way halfway down in the basket, the mad had cleared off and I had worked out my path to continue. The kids are grown now, and things don’t all need to be ironed, but even when I iron a few things I think about all those angers that were pressed out of my life at a time when that ironing saved the day and my marriage.

  16. christine

    With a glass of red wine in front of the fire, listening to my three children all talking at once telling me about their school day. Tim, who is exactly the same age as Sacha, 1m87cms but with blond hair and not Sacha’s dark hair, has just done his National Service day in Dijon and came home with plans to join up to the officer training school, St Cyr. Well, we’ll see about that, as those plans change each evening in front of the fire. As they should ! My life didn’t take it’s planned path, so, off they will go, and hopefully they will know which chances to grab,. Btw, your pasta made me drool all day yesterday, and it’s on our menu tonight !!

  17. When it is warmer weather I go out on the deck and take in the sun and watch the dogs romping around. The cat stretches in the sunniest spot for a while and then goes for the shade of the eucalyptus tree.

  18. there is normally knitting involved. the rhythm, the repeating motion, the zen. sometimes there is a glass of wine, others a cup of coffee.
    always knitting, though.

  19. In my busy house, my unwinding must be done in the evening when the house quiets down. Then I usually sit on hubby’s cooshy leather sofa with lots of pillows and a cup of tea, next to the woodstove (we are non-drinkers, so I’m afraid the red wine is out).

  20. Hello Corey –
    Sorry to type this here… I tried to email you twice but it bounces back and says your mailbox is full. I wanted to say there will be something in the snailmail for you made with some of the gorgeous lace I won as part of your giveaway…
    beachy

  21. I unwind reading you….

  22. I unwind by stitching. Cross stitch and embroidery. I have to focus on what I’m stitching and slowly but surely the rest of the world fades away.
    Beautiful writing Corey.

  23. We go out in nature,,go to the park and feed the ducks. Simple stuff,,,grounding stuff,,,get out of my self stuff,,,nature does it. We all have days of funk. Maby you will be up to the flea market. I do hope the germs go away.

  24. “We cannot change the inevitable but we can live it lovingly and by doing so transform the outcome.”
    This, this is why I love and admire you, Corey.

  25. Ironing works, so does hand sewing, but my favorite is a long walk along the river

  26. I think often of sweet Shelley and wonder how she’s doing Corey, my husband asks about her too ~ she is a testament of courage to us all! She’s a great customer of The Plum Tree and has bought artwork from me as well…my best unwinding is done while creating, late at night…really late at night ~ I hope everyone gets to feeling better soon!
    Happy weekend,
    xxoo,
    Dawn

  27. I’m so glad that you mentioned Shelley. I think about her all the time…and her kind thoughts for my sweet boy even in her suffering…please keep us posted!
    I unwind while driving…that sounds dangerous, doesn’t it! I’m not sure why, I guess the lack of household distractions, but I really do my best thinking while driving!

  28. We unwind in the space between our desks, the sofa and the kitchen. The wedge of carpet where my husband and I seem to gravitate towards when we need a break. I think it may be related to the Bermuda triangle as strange unpredictable things happen on that bit of carpeting. We get infused with the sillies. Dancing the likes of which you’ve never seen before will happen spontaneously there. The kind of bebopping and wiggle waggling that can only be performed to humming, in socked feet and comfy cozy slouchy home clothes. 🙂

  29. Behind my house is an open field, and further beyond is a forest and railroad track. The train comes through every night at 11:00, but I don’t even hear the whistle anymore. In the evening after work, I walk my beagles in that field with wine in hand, and I try to balance myself on the railroad ties. It’s hard to do, believe it or not, and the next morning my back muscles and stomach muscles are sore! Anyway, as I am concentrating on not falling off the rail, while the dogs are frolicking below me, I connect a lot of dots in my mind. And by the time my glass is empty, I’ve either answered many nagging questions or decided they weren’t worth the concern.

  30. Hi Corey,
    That was a nice post. I hope you and your family feel better soon. I guess skiing is out.
    Can’t wait to see your new bath.
    I unwind in my studio where I do my artwork, or on the comfy sofa reading a good book.
    Rosemary

  31. Red wine. Candles. A book. Mood lighting. 2 cats, our dog and my husband next to me.

  32. SweetPeaSurry

    Unwind? I may have to do some of that tonight as current BF is being a complete and utter arse!
    It will be a lovely white wine, hot bubble bath, good bathtub book, and a plethora of scented candles. Yeah … that might calm me down a bit.
    I thought your thought were simply lovely, and made me feel as if I were lolling slowly on a raft down a slow moving river.
    all my best!

  33. Corey,
    I just discovered your blog and lament not finding you when I lived in Grenoble for 3 years. You connect me back to the wonderful memories of France. I have intense, fully charged, complete committment job. I escape through evening blogs and relax in security of hubbies arm around me protecting me as we drift to sleep.

  34. I unwind with my tea and book in my sanctuary I call my room where I house my fabrics for quilting, a rocking chair of my grandma’s by the window and a door that closes. You writing always makes me smile.
    Glad you feel better sure hope french hubby does soon.
    love and blessings

  35. Elaine L.

    I would LOVE to unwind in a real French house with a pile of ironing.
    By the way, did you ever get around to telling us why Sacha has to commute so far to school?
    ~elaine~

  36. Well, dear Corey, red wine it is but…it is snowing outside. I worked in the cafe today and after work began painting. You inspired me to change my claw foot tub into a sponge painting and there are now flowers painted on the door to the toilette and the sink and the……. I love to paint. Can’t say that I’m very good at it. My friend, Christy came for “movie nite” and remarked how very happy everything looked. Oh, yes, it’s happy okay. I have ironing also. We could do it together and gossip about the world, no?
    Tell Sacha he should go to nursing school in Colorado! and that we say hello to him.

  37. On vacation in France where I can let go and just BE.

  38. What wonderful beautiful and inspiring thoughts your mind has! I loved this post and just had to say thank you. Many hit home and many reminded me of what I need to appreciate in my life. Beautiful…
    Judith~

  39. If I ever did my ironing, I think that would give me plenty of time for random thoughts. It used to be washing dishes that gave them room, but now we have a dishwasher, so the business loading and unloading doesn’t have the same rhythm.
    Driving in an empty car, kneading bread, writing freehand in my notebook, these are places where they gather now, my random thoughts.
    I love reading your collection.

  40. M-Noëlle

    I have tons of random thoughts when alone in the car – driving…
    In most cases, my car seems to be self-acting and to know its way…
    But at times,when my thoughts are very “fruitful”, the car takes the roads I take most regularly, and, when I “wake up”, I can be half the way through to a place I’m not going to… Have to remmber where I’m going and to turn round …

  41. Lovely Corey,
    To unwind I love to go and knit on the beach. Even (and specially) in Winter!
    May your random thoughts let you unwind while you perform that romantic domestic task of ironing! 🙂
    Love*

  42. Ellen Cassilly

    Reading in my chair with my bug cat on my lap, often with a glass of red wine. Blessings on Shelley and Good health to the Corey clan. E

  43. I unwind checking my emails and reading blogs…also, reading a good book or leafing thru magazines, working on my clay flowers, or catching up on my weekly shows that I’ve DVR’d. (of course a nice sweet wine help A LOT!) 🙂

  44. Hi Corey, you know where I unwind, in the garden. I also take long walks in the country which help me to think. Sometimes, I say the rosary while I walk. That also stills my mind enough to think.
    I lost my friend, Staci, last week to her third recurrence of breast cancer. She was only 40. Yes, life can be cruel, sharp and beautiful like panes of glass.~~Dee

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