Old Habits, New Routines and Signs of Things to Come

I’ve been ten days in the new place, half way to the three weeks my Dad told me were required to make something new a habit or routine.

Twice last week when returning home I found myself headed to the old place, so I think I’m going to need all of those three weeks.

My kitchen here is smaller, less cupboard space and less counter. I was spoiled with the old one. I guess I’ll manage; it would probably help if I actually used it, and like cooked something.

My eating habits over the last…ha, ha, ha…three weeks have been atrocious, fast food, freezer dinners, cheese and crackers with cold meat. I guess I’ll have to train myself to eat healthier, to make better choices. That’s why my fridge is full of salad, vegetables and lean meats.

Three weeks eh? So no more snacking in place of meals, and I’ll start with breakfast, the most important meal of the day.

The one thing that has taken no adjustment time is the switch from my desktop to the laptop. I can’t believe how fast it is and have wasted a lot of time just surfing the net. My favourites list that was on the old computer has expanded on the laptop as I discovered numerous new art sites worthy of a revisit.

There’s a garden space to the left of my door that extends around the corner of the unit to the back door, so I spent an afternoon researching small gardens, along with artsy additions and statuary.

I have a lovely stone angel that was meant for the garden. It’s heavy as all get out, and covered in a sort of green verdigras. I always had it on a table at the end of my loveseat, as I thought it was too pretty to leave in the garden. Alas it will be in the garden now, but right outside my door where I can see it every morning.

I have to tell you about the strangest thing that happened tonight.

I was at my daughter’s to celebrate her son’s fifth birthday. After dinner, presents and cake, we left to go to his sister’s soccer game. I made the trip through the Tim Horton’s drive thru for tea and sat at the side of the field to enjoy the evening watching a really good soccer game. Unfortunately she lost 8-6.

Anyway, back to the strange thing. I was driving home, one town to another, about 15 kilometres and knew I wouldn’t make it home without a pit stop.

When I went to turn left onto the local highway to home, two cars ahead of me were also turning left, but from the right hand lane. Good thing they had their turn signals on, I stayed back and let them make their turn, exercising my right to yell and curse from the privacy of my car.

The first car made the turn and almost immediately changed from the left to the right hand lane, and put his signal on to turn into Tim’s. I did the same as that was going to be my pit stop. The older gentleman got out of his car and stood watching me with some trepidation as I pulled in beside him.

It took me a moment to understand why he was acting with such caution, he thought he was about to come face to face with a case of road rage. The look on my face had nothing to do with being angry, but more to do with how badly I needed to pee.

When I walked around the front of my vehicle with a cane I don’t know whether he was immediately relieved or feared I was going to hit him over the head.

We arrived at the entrance at the same time, and he kindly held the door for me and I gave him a smile and words of thanks. Even if I had been angry, I think he realized he could easily out run me.

Road Rage.

If I feel angry at someone’s driving, I keep my comments verbal, spoken aloud for my ears only, and I never gesture. I think it’s some of those rude gestures that can turn an annoyed driver into an irate one. It’s better to show some caution, you never know when the other driver may be on the edge, holding who knows what emotions in check and a simple ‘finger’ is the last straw, to send him into a rage.

There is one gesture I use all the time, its hand speak for ‘I Love You’. I believe it’s used in Sign Language, and the kids and I adopted it, instead of a simple wave, from the time they were very young.

Recently, I stood at the door of my old building, as my daughter drove out of the parking lot with her son, and raised my hand, little and forefinger raised, with thumb extended, in our usual parting’s last ‘word’.

I wish I had been in the car to hear my grandson’s response. He’s reached a new level of awareness since he’s started school and seems to notice things he missed before. Apparently he got very excited when he saw me sign, and I went up in Grandmother Points because he thought I was giving him the Spiderman Sign.

Aren’t I just the coolest Grandma, I made the Spiderman sign, though I failed miserably at throwing out any Spidey Web.

I had to laugh, for I am so not into Super Heroes, but I impressed, for that moment, a little boy with his love for make believe characters.

Well, shazam.