An Eighth Shot of Espresso: Coffee and Creativity on Mum's Third Shift

The temperature rises the grass sprouts into a carpet beneath my feet Tulips poke their leaves out of the newly turned soil. The sound of carpentry from the next door neighbor as the new addition of a sunroom takes shape at the back of their house a dream made manifest. A group of children playing ball in the next court they're having a pick up game basketball on one end a cricket pitch on the other. Our subdivision comes out of its winter slumber the parks and the pool come alive I sit on the porch and smile as they all go by.

Sometimes being blunt still cuts like a knife. "I'm being honest. I know you wouldn't want me to lie." That is quite true but how you phrase it can affect how your 'truth' is taken. You have no idea They said that you 'cannot read the room'. That you cannot put yourself in another's shoes. It is either right or wrong black or white and there is no such thing as levels of grey. It hurts to be on the receiving end of your 'honest truth'. You pride yourself on being direct, to the point but you never see the tears as you tear me apart analyze everything I've done 'wrong'.

 In times of trouble at least I have this: the need to write to express whatever lies in my heart the will to create and carve a little bit of sunshine within the dark clouds. the softness of heart to realize that these days will not last forever and after the rain the sun will shine again.

Jokes can be funny if it is shared by all involved if it is cute and witty and all in good fun. Nowadays there is little to laugh about with the world going to hell and people being cruel and mean spirited. A good knee-slapper can uplift the spirit strengthen bonds between us a shared story to remember We need to laugh again find the humor in life take it one day at a time one chuckle at a time