Nicole Tasker Woods

We got all dressed up went out to dinner Christmas Eve and had a fabulous Italian meal. Here are some pics…

After our fabulous dinner, we went back to Ryan’s parent’s house, greeted all five dogs waiting for us, then changed into comfortable clothes and opened presents. First, the gifts had to be separated into everyone’s own pile and then from oldest to youngest, the gifts were opened. It’s the tradition that they have been doing for years and although it is not what I am used to doing with my family in NH, it was still enjoyable. It was a wonderful way to spend Christmas Eve.

Oh my  snowy New Englanders

I am envious of your snowy New Englander plans

As you are heading to snowy New England towns

For a snowy New England Christmas

Copyright © 2009 N.E. Tasker

My office is hosting their annual holiday lunch today. It is a lunch / party that starts at 12:30pm at Cafe Bizou, a restaurant near to our office that has a preselected menu, wine at the tables and holiday music in the air. There is a couple of prizes given away to the lucky few who have their names drawn out of a hat at the end of the meal and then we all head back to the office for a Yankee gift swap.
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It was left to dry
On the front door’s balcony
But an unexpected midnight storm
Of rain and rushing winds
Lifted it up and over the side
Violently thrashing as it flew
Through murky skies
Falling hard on the bushes below
Left soaking long enough
For snails to make their home
In the damp folds of water repellent fabric

Copyright © 2009 N.E. Tasker

So exciting right?! We have a leaky roof, yay!!!

I’m totally pulling your leg right now and trying to be positive about a very negative situation. We have a leaky roof and most of the ceiling damage is in our blue room with the huge TV we’ve just about paid off. Now the floor is covered in multi-colored beach towels and a large floral print flat sheet hangs over the TV. We also have a chair positioned in the middle of the towels with a pitcher centered in the middle of the chair to catch the drips that have started up again since the rain last night.

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The basenji is not allowed in the house.

Okay, the basenji is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.

The basenji is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.

The basenji can get on the old furniture only.

Fine, the basenji is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.

Okay, the basenji is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.

The basenji can sleep on the bed whenever she wants, but not under the covers.

The basenji can sleep under the covers by invitation only.

The basenji can sleep under the covers every night.

Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the basenji.

Saturday was as relaxing as I dreamed it would be. My mom landed early so I quickly zipped in to LAX to pick her up and then off we went to grab a bite to eat and then enjoy a few hours at Burke Williams Day Spa.

My massage technician was seeing impaired so she had a yellow lab named Mary helping her move throughout the hallways of the spa and to-and-from the massage room and women’s locker room. I never had a blind massage technician before but I guess that it wouldn’t make much of a difference if they were blind or not, they do not need to see you to give a good massage and she was pretty good! I didn’t have to worry about her seeing me naked either, which was one less thing to worry about.

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Tomorrow afternoon my Mom flies from NH to CA and I pick her up at LAX around 1:45pm. Can’t wait! We have lunch and spa day planned that day and then brunch at the Magic Castle on Sunday–what could be better than a weekend of full body rub-downs and then magic shows?

I really need some Mommy-and-me time so I am really looking forward to seeing her tomorrow and spending the afternoon together, just her and me. Unfortunately the weather will not be warmer than the high 60’s but I don’t think either of us will mind–there’s no rain in sight so we should be good to go!

I wish I could be home right now, getting everything ready and cleaned up for my Mom’s visit, but that’s going to have to wait until tonight. My body is exhausted from running twice a day since Monday so I need to use tomorrow to sleep in and get some strength back for the drive to LAX and then serious relaxing at Burke William’s Day Spa. Some really great news is that Ryan offered up his time to help me clean–yay! What a great husband!

Cali’s also readying herself for her Grandma’s visit: she had a bath last night and has a tooth-brushing and nail-clipping scheduled with me this evening. So hurry up and get here, Momma, we can’t wait!

Limited by worth and unconnected to this world

Related to nothing but the seed of purpose

Forget the rules and social initiations

Be yourself, be willing to grow

Expand

Find one thing that will not name you

Revel in it – whatever it is – do not fear it

Do not buy into acceptance

Approval is overrated, eccentricity is a lifelong staple

Revive

Breathe in criticism and spit out insurgence

Societal structures are mundane – step away

Go to introductory club meetings but strive not to fit in

Skip the buffet of what you should do

Curiosity

Find your expression, give it unbroken interest

Pull the bag off your shoulder full of missing needs

You never considered necessary and plunge your open hand

Wrap your fingers around who you were

Squeeze

Release the pulp of who you want to be

Invest in the sparks of unlikely inspiration

Refuse judgment and leave the looks behind

Honor your artist within and embrace the unlimited

Untamed

Copyright © 2009 N.E. Tasker

A lost parade of chances, marching in

To save the lefties, virgins all in red;

Untying timeless trials they can’t win,

Until estranged and socially unwed.

Distorted webs of lucid dreams stay trapped

In pot-luck buffets and one unlocked day:

Set free to taste the peace of nerves unsnapped;

To revel over high school years that stray.

A dangerous divorce from happy past,

Unbearable for future calls to home;

With peers, alliances aren’t meant to last—

And when deterred by friends, you’re on your own.

When breaking ties that mean to bind for life,

You’re bound to die choking on dated strife.

Copyright © 2009 N.E. Tasker

Is it wrong to say I deserve this and mean it?

Is it unethically insane to take something that you believe

Belongs to you, but in the eyes of the world

It isn’t rightfully yours?

Is it immoral to disagree with the law because your own rules

Seem more logical than those established by society?

It may not be yours, but you have to take it—regardless!

Wrap your eyes around temptation and swallowed it whole

So the sourness can fester inside.

Copyright © 2009 N.E. Tasker

Flawless pools of lotion with a proof twenty-three,

Make no impact when applied on skin that’s exposed:

It invites freckled stains on face, belly, and knees;

And bleaches the peach fuzz that tickles arms and toes.

A sparkling-new tee-shirt, colorless and clever

When hit with a shaft of light, is most likely bound

To define hints of dirt and unclean whatevers,

That compliment sticky secrets lurking around.

Like an exploding sneeze from distant clouds above,

Fate creates disasters out of chocolate-box plans;

Until there’s no more polished moments to dream of,

Nothing left worth saving in the palm of your hand.

Stars will have no purpose, your hopes will have no point.

And every rhymed verse will disappointedly break.

Copyright © 2009 N.E. Tasker