Friday, September 17, 2010

Friday Philosophy- Life is an Essay Test

"Effective people are not problem-minded; they're opportunity minded. They feed opportunities and starve problems."

Stephen R. Covey

If life were a multiple choice test then the logical spot for the barbecue would be as simple as reading a diagram. According to the floor plan, the logical spot is against the open southern edge of the patio.

However, we don't live on a piece of graph paper.What the diagram can't relate is the effect of  the ocean blown  breeze sailing through our canyon. The "logical" spot is where the wind  blows out the cooking flame like a candle as easily as if it is a candle on a cake.

We can't stop the wind. Unless we accept our limits and work one step at a time. When we accept challenges always follow even the best ideas well implemented, we are doomed to frustration..

One of the realities of my personality and how it relates to my husband is that I absolutely can't stand when he is displeased. Unfortunately for his dreams of free time, my mind is wired to come up with solutions. Ones that I need his expertise if he doesn't want to come home from work to discover his wife having been in his man-cave playing with his his tools.

How to keep the barbecue where the floor plan and I agreed and still have peace?  My mind pulled up images of glass windbreaks at coastline and canyon homes.

A call to Brundige Glass  found them merged and moved in with Anaheim Glass. The ever friendly Buzz made sure I had the correct glass- tempered- cut to needed size waiting for our Chevy Avalanche to pick up.  A couple dollars dropped at the big box store. Gerry sawed redwood 4 x4's into posts and framing. Painted to match the patio, the structure reads as a large window in the landscape.

Life is an essay test. Study up. Embrace the challenge. It keeps life interesting.

Picture from Christmas 1983. My sister, Gina, with son Manny Chavez standing. (L-R)Trevor and Kenny Plunk.

2 comments:

  1. Love the picture of your sis and the boys!

    I think that glass windbreak is wonderful! No view is lost. Good job.
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lydia,

    Ohhhh I thought that was you in the photo when younger. You two sure did look alike. Trevor and Kenny were darling. Don't they grow up to look so different from what they used to look like? The blonde hair? Wow! I tried hard to keep my Kevin the toe head that he was with sending him to the hairdresser and demanding highlights! I did that for years until Debbie pleaded with me not to do that for the wedding. OK. He is a grown man and can have brown hair now if he wants. :(:(

    You all did good with the wind break! Terrific idea and it looks great!! We have that problem at times on our deck with the BBQ because of the winds we get up here.

    Hugs, Trisha

    ReplyDelete

Comments are encouraging blessings! Please send your thoughts- unless you look like a robot, in which case you'll be ignored.