Show me a sign.....

I'm kind of freakish when it comes to spiritual things.

I believe the dead are always with us, in cardinals, in baby deer, in the wind.

I believe that God does speak to us in ways most of us don't even understand.

I believe in signs.

If you're following my rantings, you know about Kate and her quest to decide the path of her future. Should she go back to Boston in the fall, should she stay here and take some courses, should she shuck it all and take her 5' 0" frame and head to Disney World and be a friend to the world's most famous mouse.

The biggest question is "Should she go back to Boston in the fall"

I think she got her sign.

She went up to work graduation. A $100 gig, and a chance to see some friends one more time. On the way, she got a speeding ticket. 68 in a 55 - work zone. She's gonna take a loss on that one.

This past week, she went back to the school to work orientation. She had been contracted to do this in the spring, and she was happy to help. She also wanted to pass go, and collect $1,100. More than that, she wanted to help.

After being there 4 days, she slipped and fell up, then immediately down some stairs, severely spraining her ankle in the process. Her biggest complaint is not from the pain, but from the lack of compassion and assistance her fellow orientation leaders have offered.

No one offers to hold doors, no one offers to carry her meal tray, no one offers anything.

I'm not surprised though. She picked this particular university because of the high caliber business education it has to offer. She has certainly received an education. She has learned life's most difficult lesson. Most people are in it for themselves, not what they can do for others.

Throughout her entire life she has been the one to bring home stray animals and misfit toys.

I wonder if she has seen the sign.

Failure to Sleep

“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. “Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

(Harper Lee)

If you've seen the movie "Failure to Launch" you know what I mean.

It's only a bird, one solitary bird.

One freakin' solitary bird.

One freakin' solitary bird that can imitate every other bird in the neighborhood, and the dog and the neighbor's cat.

And it sits right outside my bedroom window.

It must be a she. I think it is in love with Tom.

A few months ago, we had a Landsacpe Architect come and draw up a planting plan for our house. One little bone of contention in the plan was the removal of the 16-20 ft Blue Spruce that sits on the corner of my house. I know it has to go, as it grows, it's encroaching my front porch, and damage to the house is a real possibility.

But I love that tree. I can sit on my porch and turn a chair around and hide from everyone that drives by. I have pictures of the kids standing in front of that tree for all the special occasions since I've moved in there.

You know I'm a pack rat and an emotional fool. I just hated the thought of parting with that tree. Last night that all changed. Thanks to the mockingbird.

She started at 10PM, the minute she saw the light in the bedroom go on. She went on all night, in her Obsessive Compulsive three count repertoire. I had all I could do not to go outside with the chainsaw right then and there.

I still haven't resolved myself to the loss of the tree. But today, inbetween raindrops, I am going to climb out my bedroom window, and if there are no babies in the nest, the nest will be gone. The mockingbird will be homeless.

If that doesn't work, I could buy a shotgun.