*Today I am participating in Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop by answering and combining two prompts:  2.) Create and share a Whrrl story  and 3.) Write a Haiku that describes what you love about an ordinary day.

A PANINI HAIKU

Noon.  My stomach growls.

Piping hot panini press,

make me a sandwich.

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My daughter got into the spirit of making a Haiku as well:

Lillies bloom in spring

Snow falls in winter brr brr

I bloom in summer.

Making a Haiku is strangely satisfying.  Try it!

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*I don’t get paid for my opinions in any way; this is just me sharing stuff that I like and I think you will too.

Every year around the Christmas holidays Paddywax Candles has an open house at their factory store here in Atlanta and every year my family attends.  We eat cookies, drink cider and stock up candles.  We give some candles as gifts, but most we keep for ourselves to burn throughout the year.   We always stay at the open house far too long because not only does Paddywax sell great candles and it’s hard to shop quickly, but the company is also run by a fantastic couple, David Duncan and Gretchen Hollingsworth.  My family knows David and Gretchen socially, so we end up chatting with them forever.  I am always amazed by how they manage to run such a successful business and a successful household.  The success of the company takes extremely hard work, but on any given day I see either David or Gretchen picking their daughters up from school with one of their three dogs in tow.  The Paddywax office and factory has a busy, yet relaxed vibe–just like David and Gretchen themselves–and because their girls are often underfoot, there is always plenty of laughter and whimsy as well.  It seems like the ideal way to run a company–and a family.

During our last visit to the open house, our daughter disappeared with David and Gretchen’s girls back into the factory; with little cloth bags in hand, they were on a mission to find bits of hardened candle wax.    David took my husband and I into the factory to retrieve our daughter and show us how Paddywax Candles are made.   As David gave us a tour, he explained that Paddywax Candles is a boutique operation; the candles are made in small batches, hand-poured and hand-dyed.  I was a fan before the factory tour, but now that I have seen first-hand the detail and quality control that goes into each candle, I am even more impressed.

These are beautiful, high-quality, great-smelling candles.  If you love candles like I do, then you will love Paddywax Candles.  You can buy them online or in retail stores across the country.  If you want to know when they have the open house or other special events and deals, you can fan them on Facebook and follow @paddywaxcandles and @thecandlemaker on Twitter.

*Today I am participating in Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop by answering the prompt: 4.) Can you almost stop time with your words? Write about the fastest ride you ever had, but describe only a few seconds of it…as though it was happening to slow motion.

I love roller coasters.  Disney World is more my speed these days than Six Flags, but still I love a good thrill.  Space Mountain and Expedition to Everest (my favorite ride at Disney World) are very fast.  Tower of Terror, not a roller coaster but nevertheless a thrilling ride, is probably the fastest and the most what-in-the-world-was-I-thinking ride.  But my time-stopping slow mo fast ride happened on Disney’s  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Actually it’s what happened before I got on the ride that made time stand still.

As I have said before, I am not afraid of too many things (except sharks) but lately I have become extremely claustrophobic.  This is a new, surprising development for me because I am generally a calm person; I’m pretty unflappable.   I have explored the pyschological reasons for my anxiety, but I won’t bore you with the underlining issues.   I have noticed that I get particularly anxious when all three of my triggers are in play at the same time: heat, small spaces, and crowds.   I can handle each one individually, but when they are all together in a no-exit environment, I can go from zero (calm) to sixty (get me out of here!) very quickly.

Disney World is the perfect storm for a claustrophobic panic attack.  During peak visiting times, like our last Disney trip, the ride operator crowds the lines, which are often inside narrow hallways without any ventilation, and the lines move slowly.  I have no problem with small, crowded, hot spaces as long as I move through quickly–it’s staying in those spaces that freaks me out.   I was anxious about the line for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster because it is one of the most popular rides at Disney World and I knew the line would be crowded and slow moving.  However, I do not like the descepancy between my roller coaster-loving self and my claustrophobic self, so I decided to take the risk.   I wouldn’t have even considered riding if we didn’t have the special media Fast Passs that allowed us to start in the shorter line.  As my husband and I joined the line inside a dark building, these are my thoughts:

This is the Fast Pass line?  It’s long.

My heart is pounding so fast, this can’t be good.

Why do they keep these buildings so dark?  Why is the ceiling so low?

There are so many people in here.

Is there a way out?  Where is the nearest exit?

Take off my coat.  Good.  Okay, at least I’m not hot.

I refused to packed in like a sardine and they can’t make me.

My husband looks concerned and asks me if I’m okay.

I tell him to stop talking to me; I need to concentrate.

I think if I keep a wide path around me and not let myself get crowed, I can handle it.

Two people-length.  Don’t let anyone get closer than two people away.

Focus.  Focus on the flower on that girl’s sweatshirt.  Like in birthing class.

We are going around a bend.  Uh-oh, I know how these lines twist and turn.

I can’t take it anymore.  It’s the fear of the unknown, so I ask a lady next to me who has obviously ridden before: What comes next?  Is it much further?  Does it get more narrow and darker?  She assures me that we are almost there.

We enter a room.  Thankfully they don’t pack too many people in the room, but it is dark and I can’t see the exits.  There is no way out and I start to panic.  My heart is pounding so hard.

I fully expect to faint right now.  Not that I ever have, so I don’t know what that means.  Still.

I can barely breath.  This can’t be good for my oxygen level.

What will happen if I faint?  Will anyone notice?

James is watching me.  That’s good.  He’ll notice if I hit the floor.

Take deep breaths.  In and out.  In and out.  Deep and slow.  I can do this.

Count to ten.  Haven’t I read that somewhere?  Count to ten slowly.

It seems to be working.  I haven’t fainted yet.

I really need to learn how to meditate.

Oh, it’s Aerosmith talking on the screen.  Pay attention.

If I wasn’t so freaked out, I would think this is cool.

This video is way too long.  Finish already!

Oh, the doors are opening.  Freedom!

No wait.  We are in some sort of cage.

A cage!  Are they kidding me?

Where is James?  Doesn’t he know I’m hanging by a thread?

At least there are no closed doors.  Just keep the people away; don’t let them crowd me.

Finally I’m out the cage!  I’m free!

And just like that my anxiety subsides and completely disappears.  The room is big, I’m in cool air and the people are more dispersed.  The line is moving fast and it’s almost my turn to ride.  I switch from anxious to excited and hop in the car with a big smile on my face.  I love roller coasters!  This is why I fought my claustrophobic demons and I’m glad that I did.  The roller coaster takes off like a shot and I am flying through complete darkness with Aerosmith music blasting in my ears.

WOO-HOO!

If you saw the post-it that I had on my blog all week, then you know that I had special work to do.  I had the week all planned out to really concentrate during school hours and get it all done.

Monday

My agenda: Work on project.

What happened: Girly wakes up vomiting and continues all day.

The result: No work gets done, but I am there to comfort my daughter when she needs me.

Tuesday

My agenda: Make up for a lost day and work on project even harder.

What happened: Girly is still too sick for school, but well enough to talk all day.

The result: No work gets done, but I’m glad that I helped her to feel better.

Wednesday

My agenda: Take a well Girly to school, puppy to daycare and really lock down to work on project.  It’s midweek and I can still get in 3 good days of work if I really concentrate.

What happened:

9 hours in the ER.

The result: No work gets done.  For 9 hours I was cold, uncomfortable, hungry, tired and worried.  But I was blessed to be there.  Blessed to hold her hand, distract her from the needles, watch old Full House re-runs, help her pee in a cup and smooth her hair while she falls asleep.

There is no doubt about it; being her mother is number one on my agenda always.

(She’s fine now.)