COFFEE A DRIP

                Lured by coffee a drip, one off kilter and half asleep hubby stumbled into kitchen.

                As Ted sat down to waiting mug of fresh coffee, Tess hid smirk with fingers. "Ted, that faded maroon tee shirt is nearing pink. Plus it's inside out. And what' happened to your hair?"

                "Ted felt atop twisted mop, mumbled, "Um, mass hairsteria?"

                Thus triggered, even her index finger neath nose could not stop, non-stop Tess piglet snort-a-rama. That is until inspirational one-upmanship burst out, "I thought mass hysteria was like, when the priest tells a joke... giggle, giggle, snort-snort."

                Ted groaned, "That was a good one, Honey. Almost woke me up." Ted hoisted mug, missed mouth, thumped rim to chin.

                Tess grabbed napkins and corralled steaming hot coffee at table edge. "Almost had a tad a lap hysteria there, Ted Boy."

                Thank you Tessie." Ted rested head gainst her, hugged arm around her.

                Tess almost kissed his forehead, halted, nervously giggled, "That hair looks like a rat nest. I almost expect one to stick his head out any moment and..."

                "Eeeeeek!!" Ted squeaked, tickled her ribs.

                Tess gasped, tried to wiggle free.
             
                "I'm Mr. Tangles. Want to hear me sing rat-acapella? Eeeek-Eeeeeeek!" Ted tickled Tess all the more.

                 Panicked at even the thought of a rat, Tess broke free, caught breath. "You dirty rat! I get up early, fix you coffee, save your naughty bits from scalding, and get scared out of my gourd in return! Ted, I am sick up and fed!"

                "Uh Honey, that's not the correct..."

                "Oooh!" Tess bobby socks spun on dark tile floor, scooted her green and red plaid boxer short bottom near out kitchen door.

                Even while appreciating wife's walk away wiggle, Ted still teased, "Hey while your up can you fetch Mr. Tangles a spot a cheddar?" He smirked, near choked on sip of coffee.

                Moments passed, then a few more. Still sitting at table Ted began to faintly remember something about an old and often misquoted idiom, "Hell hath no fury like a woman without cheddar." He chuckled to himself, but then the dawn of consequences almost prodded, "Did I go like a bridge too afire?" He punctuated snierk with slap of leg, just as Tess re-entered kitchen brandishing mirror, comb, and sharp scissors a snipping.

                Ted gulped.

                Tess advanced, grabbed kitchen towel along the way.  She set the instruments of torture before Ted on table.  She draped towel round Ted neck and shoulders, and while roughly massaging, near choking that neck, uttered thru askew clenched teeth, "This won't hurt a bit. Well, maybe just a little. Ya know when, like when the hair isn't quite cut all the way thru and I pull, maybe even yank just a little too soon to go to the next snip." Tess snatched up comb and scissors.

                "Uh Tess, Honey, Sweetie, maybe you should relax a bit before you start trimming? Take a load off? Enjoy a cup of honey lavender tea?" One wide eyed Ted attempted spousal smoozaliztion. "Ya know, ah, that way we might avert hair-tastrophy." His neurotransmitters misfired into unappreciated, "Hee-hee."

                "Oh, don't worry about that. I'm a regular hair-nado at ultra close trims." Glint of scissor steel echoed midst Tess left eye a twitch. "Why don't cha just hold that mirror, Ted Boy, so you can witness the slashing, I mean expert styling."

                Ted braced for hair massacre. Yet, a little miracle seemed slowly taking place. For as Tess combed and snipped away, her facial tic subsided, her eyes relaxed, filled with forgiveness, even adoration. For in taking care of her Teddy, Tess was taking care... love to repair?

                As Tess combed and snipped one last tangle from Ted hair, she asked, asked as women do, "Why did you pick me?"

                "What?" Ted took sip of coffee. Fought urge to tease Tess. But try as he might a smooth sailing reply eluded him, and that urge to continue tease-athon persisted. "No doubt," he thought, "the result of overdosing on Saturday morning obnoxious cartoon characters as a kid. Maybe I need therapy, or better yet simply ask in Jesus name for guidance in a little prayer..."

                Still combing his hair, Tess eyed hubby, "Quit stalling, Teddy. Spit it out. I am short, little,  certainly no super model. Why did you pick me?"

                Ted scooped Tess to lap. "Not by ruler nor scale be the measure of love, but by what the heart is made of."

                Tess brushed her lips to his, "So, you're sayin' I am not so pretty, but have a pleasing personality?" Tess played coy.

                Prettiest female loon in the whole lagoon," Ted gave his Tess kissy peck.

                "So now I'm crazy?"

                So followed one long and lips a giggle kissy kiss kiss...

                Ted unaware of from mirror hidden... one back of head blotch of hair a missin'...

             
Neither by ruler nor scale be the measure of love... but by what the heart is made of...
Inspired by 1st Samuel 16:7 (How God sees us,,,)

                                 

                         

               

BELLY BUTTON

                In cool of night Tess slid into bed, gently plopped belly button to belly button atop one sleeping Ted.  She gave a little yawn, snuggled face to his chest and with a smile drifted off to the lullaby of his heart.  Yet, the storm beat near; for lips abed asleep, secrets oft fail to keep...

                                In tide of night
                                from closet shelf
                                call shoe box treasures
                                of salty sand
                                of cool sea sprays
                                surf sway mementos
                                of long ago love
                                ebbed far
                                yet not lost
                                so on I drift
                                so on I sail
                                til set sail
                                sails

                So did the lips of husband asleep, secrets fail to keep, from wifely ear where volcano and tropical isle oft beat one in the places of the heart.

                Tess had thought it a dream til the nightmare words 'long ago love' pricked her heart.  And as she gazed thru dim moonlight into the face of the husband she thought she knew, an ungentle tear fell down cheek, "Just who is this long ago tidal shore sandy beach of a woman!"

                Day break replaced moonlight shadows. Ted had risen, made way to kitchen. And Tess, well Tess still in bedroom had replaced dew of tears with eyes afire determination, "Just what ...are... you hiding in that closet shoe box, Monsieur Ted?" Therefore, ergo and oh my, Tess got up, and she got into that closed closet, dug around found that box of old, grasped lid, and hesitated, til cry spilled out, "Jesus, help me!"

                Tad more than a brief moment later, belly button to belly button in kitchen, did Tess feign concern? "Why is my wittle Teddy weddy's tummy so bloated and all growl-ly?"

                "You hid em.  I found em.  I ate em."

                "Let me smell that breath.  Chocolate!  My homemade chocolate chip cookies!"

                "Burp!" Smug satisfaction plastered Ted's still half a sleep chocolate smudged face.

                "That was for the kids at Sunday school." Tess protest morphed to hint of vengeance, "So, Ted, did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

                "What? I don't."

                "Yes you do."

                "No way!"

                "Way." Tess wiggled in his arms, stood tip toes up to his ear, whispered, "I found the shoe box."

                "What shoe box?" Ted waxed  tad sweaty.

                "From closet shelf call shoe box treasures, Mr. Talks In His Sleep." Tess poked his chocolate bloated belly with the finger of the hand that also held a telling photo. "Now do you recollect, Mr. No Recollection?"

                "I just woke up."

                "No excuses!"

                "I don't feel so good." Ted burped.

                "I have in my possession proof from the belly of the box!" Tess finger poked his belly gain.

                "What proof?" Ted tried to detach, backed into kitchen counter.

                Still belly button to belly button, Tess pressed, "The proof I hold in my righteous right hand." Tess leaned in hard... but the kiss was soft...

                Ted melted at kitchen counter, til his back rested against marble top.  Tess lips followed his as the photo slipped from her hand, feather floated to floor.  And lip to lip Tess whispered, "You were just a tad older than me then.  You were already walking.  I was still just a little butt scooter."

                And on the floor... on that kitchen floor rested faded photo of a young boy watching over a certain little girl at edge of ocean...

Belly button to belly button:
Proverbs 3:5-8 KJV: 5)Trust in the LORD with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6)In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7)Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8)It shall be health to thy 'navel'  and marrow to thy bones.

Belly button: navel: literally/specifically the attachment place of the umbilical 'cord'; and figuratively/spiritually the center of the body and center of strength.  Thru the son of God Christ Jesus we become children of God.  Jesus is the vine that binds us to God. (John 3:16; 15:1-12)

Just a parting thought: The jump to conclusion... is oft a long way down.  Best do some research.  Avoid the fall.  Read God's Word the Holy Bible.  The book of John is a blessed place to begin.  (Cause God loves You...)