The Thumb of Destruction

This is my thumb, the thumb of destruction. While it appears to be like any regular thumb, my thumb has amazing capabilities that the average thumb just could not fathom to accomplish. This thumb can kill any plant within a 100 yard radius with just a slight flick in its direction. As you can see, this thumb is not green and even the black shroud of deadly garden thumbs is afraid to color this mass weapon of destruction. Garden Gnomes cower in its presence and plastic flamingos are known to take miraculous flight to avoid the Thumb's unrestrained annihilation of the surrounding landscape. This Thumb knows no boundaries and previous attempts at harnessing its powers have proven futile.

Yet, in all this destruction and despair there is one thing that manages to not only live in the presence of the Thumb, but actually thrives in spite of all attempts both intentional and unintentional to thwart it...WEEDS!

Yes, I can manage to kill your everyday lawn grass but the weed population in my garden manages to continually expand even in light of my continued use of Round-Up, weed and feed sprays, pellets and such and the numerous attempts I have made to yank these little devils out by their roots! It appears that not only do the existing weeds laugh in the face of my attempts, but there must be an underground communications system that alerts all the weeds in the neighborhood that my yard is an ultimate weed utopia. Just when I think there couldn't be another weed that I have not encountered, a new one appears from out of no where! Weeds are not only thriving in my yard, but they are cross breeding to make the preeminent weed of destruction.

As I knelt in my garden last night, yanking weed after weed out of my feeble attempt of a flower bed, I began to wonder...who in their right mind decided that a weed is a weed? Seriously, someone somewhere some long time ago sat in a greenhouse and made the determination that a hearty, drought tolerant plant that does not appear to need fertilizers, food, a precise amount of sun or shade or any other high maintenance requirements is not only unneeded but unwanted in a civilized garden. What friggin' idiot came to that conclusion? I don't have to do a dang thing to my weeds and they not only survive but thrive! But if I even make an attempt to purchase, replant and grow what has been deemed an appropriate garden plant I am faced with the daunting tasks of supplying the proper soil, nutrition and special handling in hopes that the delicate bloom will survive the trauma that is experienced while it is replanted. I don't know about your success rate with this task, but mine is well under 50/50. More like 90/10...meaning 10% actually make it out alive!

Meanwhile, a weed can be yanked out by its root, thrown across the yard onto a concrete slab, and it will find a way to take root and keep on growing. Simultaneously, the infinitesimal weed root that was left deep in the soil will shortly reach for the sky and another weed will appear to take the previous inhabitants space. These weeds do not know what weakness is. They show no fear and march on in their quest for garden domination!

Therefore, I am making this proclamation and I hope that all other members of the Thumbs of Destruction community will join me...Weeds are GOOD! Weeds should no longer be looked at as the evil intruder, but the welcomed guest. We should abandon the long hours, money and resources to nurture the so called "popular" plants and instead embrace the simplicity and understated beauty of the Weed. It is long overdue that weeds have their time in the sun, so to speak, and we appreciate them for their hearty dispositions and eagerness to grow and flourish. If we band together we can "thumb" our Thumbs of Destruction at the establishment and no longer be slaves to the silly "norm". Think about the freedom of time and money when you are no longer spending weekends at Home Depot, clunking down hundreds of dollars, paying exorbitant water bills and cowering before your HOA!

We can do this people! Let Weeds set you free!  Are you with me?

Ode to a Swim Mom

I am a Swim Mom through and through

Only others like me know the pain that ensues

I am at the pool morning, noon and night

Chlorine is the perfume of my life

Our success is not measured in a game won or lost

But by the 100th of a second either added or dropped

We are known to travel both far and wide

Often times to pools impossible to find

Getting up and going before the rising sun

All for 30 seconds of a race that starts at 1

 

We pay for private lessons, special gear and such

My other friends balk when I tell them how much

Keeping up on the latest technology is a full time career

But a $200 knee suit could make the race of the year

But all this insanity has its ups too

My kids are exhausted when the day is through

I guess I should feel guilty when they swim 5000 yards anight

But it beats having them climbing the walls, which alwaysends in a fight

Swim keeps them out of trouble, keeps them healthy too

Keeps me and their Dad from going insane and locked up in azoo

The friendships we have found on the side of the pool

Make all of the practices and meets always so cool

So when you see my car heading down the road

Heading to some pool you don’t even know

Know that I am exactly where I want to be

Because I am a Swim Mom, yes, that is me

Please say a prayer

They say that bad things come in threes so when a couple of crappy things started happening I should of braced myself, but I don't think any amount of bracing could of prepared me for the news I received today.

A wonderful woman that I have had the privilege to know, love and call my friend is losing her battle with breast cancer. She has been fighting this horrible disease for a few years now but for some reason it doesn't appear that God is going to let her win this one. My heart hurts. I try to tell myself that there is a bigger plan that we just don't know about, but the selfish side of me is pissed and frustrated and grasping at anything to try and make sense of this great loss.

Marsi is remarkable. She has faced her disease head on with the most optimistic attitude that I have ever seen. She has kept her humor, her love of life and her compassion for others throughout her battle. She has taught us all what it truly means to be a fighter and a survivor. She carries herself with such grace and kindness that anyone that is blessed to cross her path is forever touched by the true goodness that is Marsi. She makes you want to be a better person and in her actions she shows you how. She is light.

She is surrounded by a family that holds her up, loves her, comforts her and cherishes her. She makes it easy for them to be everything for her because they are her everything. Her husband has always referred to her as his bride even many years and 2 kids later. Her children are a pure joy to be around and they carry in them all the warmth and compassion that they so obviously learned from her. She and her husband have taught them how to love unconditionally and in the face of adversity. They will always be the most solid family I have had the privilege of knowing.

So with my heavy heart I ask you to say a prayer for Marsi. Say a prayer for a woman that taught me what it was to be a true friend. Say a prayer for her husband and children that they will find peace during this difficult time. Say a prayer for the plan that God has in mind, that those that love her will one day understand why He had to have her face this battle. Say a prayer for everyone tonight that has faced, is facing or will face this awful disease. Say a prayer for your loved ones and kiss them a few extra times tonight.

Marsi, I love you.


Update:

Marsi lost her battle with cancer on July 13, 2012. While her body could no longer fight, her heart and soul will continue to soar through the lives of her amazing husband and their beautiful children. I am saddened to lose my friend but am so thankful I was a small part of her journey.