the Smiths and the Jones...

When we moved 12 years ago, it was a move of less than a mile. Way smaller house, way smaller lot. It was the House of Having a Teen, the best time in life to have a big house, a above ground pool and yes, our own personal soda fountain.

We were the last to the party. The Smiths and Jones, our next door and across the street neighbors, were already there. Never did find out how long but by very few convos, figured out it had been a while. Neither was very talkative. Not just to us but to each other. They could not have been more different. A college professor and a computer guy. The woman had less in common. In the 15 years we lived there, I never saw the women speak to each other. They both had kids but there was little interaction. DH says he say the boys playing once, but i just a few minutes, one got mad and went home.

We drive by our old street everyday and several times a year, go by the old house. We were there just this weekend, yard saling. The Smith and the Jones are still there. Close to 30 years of living not 15 feet away, with virtually no contact. While you don't have to be best buds with your neighbors, shouldn't there be some kind of mankind Love? I think about it with our house now, There is Craig and Suzie, and Neighbor Mike. Because of foreclosures, we have a whole new crop of neighbors that remind me of the Smith and Jones. They are young and transitory. One lives in house that has a for sale sign in front which doesn't evoke the same kind of fear it did just a few years ago, the house will still be for sale, long after they have moved on. Last weekend as Keaton mowed our lawn for Father's Day, he wanted to mow the young neighbor's yard, just because. She usually doesn't answer her door but this day she did. First she said, someone was coming that very day, then she said - he could mow it. He did a beautiful job, swept the sidewalks - it was a masterpiece. She didn't even come out and thank him.

There are many signs that we are slipping as a society but when life is all about us and kindness toward our neighbor is hard to find, that is when I start to worry. When I apologized to Keaton and thank him, he just looked at me with that face, and said. What would Jesus do... Touche, my fabulous boy.

6 months...

Talking with a friend last week about how fast time has gone since Christmas. Even with a long, cold winter - it flew by. I suspected with all the retirement plans, it would drag but that has not been the case.

We are now deep into surgery healing mode, the hard part is done, just sleeping in, hanging out and waiting for DH to heal. By the time he returns to work, he will have 6 months to go. Will it go as fast? Common sense ways no but not sure I agree.

Summer, 4th of July, then Back To School. a 60th birthday and a 40th wedding anniversary. You always hear that time goes faster the older you get. Thinking it is because we see it in a different light. Remember as a kid, waiting for insert activity here? Waiting to get your first driver's license? Time dragged on, seeming to never come fast enough. The one thing I think now is that you will live your life almost exclusively based on your perception, be it good or bad and the results will depend on that perception.

Yesterday was Keaton's last day of Hunter Education. He was positive, he was going to fail the test. He didn't want to study because he knew it wouldn't make any difference. It was a multiple choice test and I tried to encourage him that he didn't have to know every detail, just the basics. Guess what? My phone rang last night, Guess what Nana? I passed!

You are what you believe you are. I am enjoying these lazy, crazy days of summer and healing and am confident that the next 6 months are going to fly by and we will start a new chapter. Am getting excited... finally.

obsessed...

Trailer: Finding Vivian Maier from John Maloof on Vimeo.

If you laid all my photos from end to end from the last 6 months, you would see a recurring theme. A lack of color, unlikely subjects and a woman who is obsessed.

If you looked at my scrap pages, you would think I have lost my mind. Again, very little color or ornamentation. I would tell you that none of this was by choice. I didn't expect to find or change the way I was doing business but the minute I saw the VM collection, something clicked inside.

I have gone back over the last few years to find, I have been seeing life in this medium, all along. When I didn't think I had a creative bone in my body, I was already doing it, only I was unaware.

Now I understand. I am more comfortable in my skin. The idea that the color and ornamentation might not come back bothers me but I have enough life experience behind me to know, it could be back and that is good enough for now.

At any given time, we are each ahead and behind of where we actually think we are. We are better than we think, we are braver than we think and we know tomorrow could change it all. This whole obsession does not appear to be laving soon but if I wake up tomorrow and it is gone, there will be only thanks...

average...

Reading a book about what the average person look like and it is not looking good for me. My definition of average apparently is not based on criteria or at least in the particular authors mind, of what average should look like.

The family home has to be worth between 100,000 and 300,000 dollars. I would have made it in in 2008 before the crash. Now, not so much.

Number of family members would have to be between 3 and 4. Quite a narrow path but with the family shrinking in numbers since 1790, it seems to be a factor. For that reason, most cultural families would not be considered normal because of the size of their families. Interesting.

Average or not, the life I have been given is one I wouldn't trade for any other. The bad, the good - all of it. Making it a priority every morning as soon as I wake up to be thankful for waking up to a new day and for all I have. First thing, before my day gets away from me. One of the reasons I love summer is the unclutter that I protect like a momma bear. Summer is a time for just being. No worries about wearing a coat or most everything. I keep my Other Season activities to a bare minimum. This is the season for going to Sonic at 10 PM, and basically, just flying each day, by the seat of your pants.

If that isn't average, I don't know what is and I am pretty sure, I am not interested in finding out...

summer is officially here.

and guess who is over the top besides me, happy!

she gathered her anger,
the hundreds of pieces that had fallen out of her purse
and very lady-like, put them back in her bag

they lay at the bottom, staying to themselves.
not much on making friends, they usually just stayed alone,
with only the occasional outburst.

she never acknowledges the keys, makeup or wallet.
they got all the attention or so it seemed but the reality was,
she wasn't comfortable unless they were close by.
an emotional blanket, with sharp edges
helped her keep the perspective that soothed her pain

That day she tripped and her purse spilled out,
was a God sent but it was lost on her.
it was meant to be a new start,
but to her, it felt like she had stepped off the edge of a cliff.

once she felt safe and secure again,
she picked up her purse and headed down the street
with the mental assurance that all was well.

It came tumbling out in the middle of the night and I knew if I didn't write it down, I would never remember. Might sound like this was written by a woman in anguish but nothing could be further from the truth. This was written by one who hasn't had a piece of toast, a slice of pizza or a hamburger in over 10 years and who has had all three in the last 7 days. Crazy good...

sometimes...

it is all about you. By the very nature of the beast, you have no choice. You are no longer in control. You are stripped of most everything and covered by virtually nothing. You are at the mercy of those around you, hoping that everyone does the right thing.

DD and DH had surgery 7 days apart. Took care of one and then, the other. Prayed for both of them at the same time. No lover of any thing hospital, I tried to lighten things up for DH. Camera, jokes, nothing was off limits. Had a big issue 24 hours before surgery, was told surgery was canceled and get a new surgeon. Do not know what happened but after 6 hours on the phone, found a contract doc to make the surgery happen. Never had a contract doctor before. Loved him. Also had a contract nurse. At least 6 1/2 feet tall, our age and a southern accent, he came in and had us instantly at ease. Both patients are on their way to recovery now. Summer can officially begin without anyone thinking they have missed out. We have three birthdays and one 4th of July in the next 2 weeks, we need to party.

Birthdays, the same thing. For 24 hours, it is all about you. Most of us aren't comfortable in either setting. At least at birthdays (or most of them), you get to keep your clothes on! You have no control over the amount of candles that are on your cake. Heading toward a milestone birthday has me in a bit of a mental stinky fit but the alternative is nothing one wants to embrace. I will handle it the best way I can, with my grandbabies who remind me of what is important.

I will take a birthday over hospital, anytime. I am better on the other side of the bed, helping and encouraging, than being the patient. I know one can not always dodge the medical bullet, but it won't be for lack of trying.

Get well, my darlings. If you need me, just yell...

Tom Bodett...

Like me, you probably wouldn't recognize his name or face but his voice, you would have had to be living in a non-wifi cave - not to instantly, know.

We'll live the light on...


One day David Fowler, a creative director from The Richards Group advertising agency, was driving down the Dallas Parkway in his pickup truck listening to the public radio station his receiver had been stuck on for months. Suddenly a homey voiced monologue emerged from his dusty dashboard. He heard the name, Tom Bodett, and thought, "Gosh, if I only had an account for a national budget motel brand with a sense of humor and humility, I could make a heck of an advertising campaign with this guy." Enter Motel 6, and the rest, as they say, is history. More than twenty years of award winning advertising later, Tom is still speaking out of America's dusty dashboards and television screens about life as a road warrior, and the merits of Motel 6./Motel 6

I am more of a Motel 6 girl than Red Lion Inn girl. When Tom speaks, I feel like home is just a Motel 6 away. Love the new commercial where he touts that Motel 6 doesn't spend a lot in extras, as burnt toast is seen fallen into a bowl. Simple, steady and to the point, is all that Motel 6 has ever promised. If you want fancy, better head down the road. Don't get me wrong, a $3000 a night room would be awesome to experience but after many years of listening to Mr Bodett promise, my heart belongs to Motel 6...

being brave...

Went yesterday for DH's pre op appointment. We were ushered into Nurse C's office and began the whole pre process. We quickly noticed that we were in the same Season of life and started swapping Stoires. She is a year older than DH doesn't look it. She is the breadwinner of her family, her husband had a recreational injury and can't do much for a long time.

In between an EKG and nothingtoeatordrinkaftermidnight, we talked retirement, health insurance and wanting to do the right thing. Then, she just said this...

You have to be brave.

It hit me like a brick and hasn't left yet. I have been in quite the mental tennis match on what to do and how to do it. The truth is, there is nothing I can do. For the first time in 45 years, when DH retires, we will no longer have health insurance until eligible for Medicare. To purchase a policy with a $10,000 deductable would take 3/4 of our pension.

You have to be brave.

I haven't been very brave lately and it is time. It is time to live with what you can do and not what you wish you could do. When I think of brave, I think to stand tough in the face of being beat up. To not just put on a good face but understand that life has pitfalls that you can not overcome no matter how tough you are. It is about being brave when you wish you could run as fast and far in the opposite direction as you can.

That is how I handled my last surgery. That was over 20 years ago and I had to be sedated before going into surgery. Would like to think I would do better this time but if history is any predictor of future behavior, I would imagine not.

One would think the idea of being brave might come easy and maybe it does for some. Love it in the movies but not so much in Real Life. Looks like I am going to get a second chance, hoping I will do better...

the class of a long, long time ago...

If it is summer, it is the start of high school reunion time. Dh got his invite last week to his 45th reunion of the Class of 1966, The school is less than 2 miles from our house. He didn't go to his 10, 20, 30 or 40th reunions, not sure why they might expect he would now. But, at his age, it is no longer about what do you do? but that you are still around. His sister on the other hand, has been planning for 3 years, is coming from Canada for her 40th in August.

I am with DH. Even if my high school experience had been a positive one, I would be seeing the people I wanted to see. We would have kept in touch, maybe it has more about being an introvert but IMHO, reunions are about not moving on in life. Whether trying to relive the days of being young, or trying to hook up with an old flame, the whole experience seems like a less than desirable one to me.

Do those four years really define us for the rest of our lives? Are you always the cheerleader, the geek, the jock, the brain? It is a natural part of life, why the lifelong commitment to return again and again? I notice this trend in the 2 used cars we have bought in the last 4 years. We are continually invited to get togethers at the dealers. BBQ's, Q&A - an endless barrage and that is just for a 1/2 Buy and Go.

I am sure I am in the minority but the class of a long, long time ago is an experience in my life, one of many. It shaped who I am today in a good way, I learned that it is just four years, either way you slice it. Real Life is out there waiting, go grab it...

yahtzee...

I have played Yahtzee for years. Since the iPad, I have played it more in the the last year than in all the years before that, put together.

It is a game of strategy. Much like Real Life, the obvious answer is not so obvious. The great thing about the playing Yahtzee on the iPad is that with every roll, it gives you all the options for that particular combination. For instance, you could have 3 of a kind, a full house, Chance and your sixes, all in the same hand. Doesn't that mirror real life?, sometimes we have a lot of different choices. How we think decides which we choose, which in turn will lead to a win or a loss.

1 1 1 6 6....let's say this is your first roll. You could choose 3 ones (3), three of a kind (15), a full house(25) or Chance (15). Right off the bat, which way do you go? Which one grabs you? Full house gives you the most points but is it the right move? If you choose 3 ones, you only lose 2 potential points - knowing it is highly possible you will roll a couple more full houses during the game. Do you go with a low 3 of a kind or Chance?

No doubt there is risk involved and we each have our own particular level of risk, depending on past experiences. What might seem the logic choice, may not be the best choice. Every time I play this game, that thought runs through my mind. It has affected the way I see Real Life, and the way I make choices. I am watching myself and the way I through an issue. Sometimes, I like what I see. Sometimes, I want to slap myself silly, just like Real Life. Thanks Yahtzee, hope we have a long, happy life together...

the beginning of summer...

Week one - mommy has surgery, stuck inside, might as well get a pedicure...

That is the attitude we like to see, the positive side of a less than desirable week. Tough as it may have seemed, they certainly found more than a few ways to entertain themselves. Miss M was more than generous with manicures and pedicures, complete with gum-smacking conversation that was a bit too Real.

We all found ways to entertain ourselves. I had the pleasure of taking care of my family. I love to cook and having all these people to cook for, put me in heaven. Sounds crazy but I would cook for them every night if I could. Something so satifying about a making a meal - it really is comfort food for the soul.

Next week, mommy will feel better and we will be on the move. Swim and tennis lessons should take care of quite a bit of their free time and on Friday, poppa's surgery will take up all of nana's time.

We are just on the verge. Birthdays are flying all around us and 4th of July is just around the corner. Looking forward to fall but will love all that summer is and brings. Visions of lemonade and watermelon are dancing in my head and that, is just the beginning...

millie...

It is not polite to ask a lady's age but we could both agree it is rare to see a woman of her age, in any kind of computer store. I introduced myself and complemented her on her desire to learn about technology. She had two blue notes about shortcuts on either side of her MacBook laptop. She had been looking for a particular photo to finsih her book, they never found it. I asked if she had sent the photo to anyone who might still have it, she thinks she might have.

Apple make it real easy, she said.

Note to Steve Jobs - this is your kind of woman...

She told her about her book, the title impleed that we shared in the Love of Jesus. We chated about her late husband and their travels. The never made it to every place they wanted to but her son, went with her and she got to see it all.

Miss Millie lives in my town, she gave me her number and I will be visiting with her shortly. You never know on any given day who you are going to cross paths with, you just never know...

where the wind blows...

Believe it or not, we go where the winds of life take us. Whether gladly or kicking and screaming, we go where we need to. DD is having surgery early Wednesday morning so I am on the go to hold down the family front.

Going to be in charge of my babes for a few days, need to eat my Wheaties and remember the fine art of negotiations and if that doesn't work - BECAUSE I SAID SO! is good enough for me.

Be back next week. Hope the winds in your life are steady and sure, and that you are headed in the right direction...

high water...

Driving around the lake today, doesn't take much looking to see the water is high. Places that I have never seen water, are covered. Looks like no photos for a while without outfitting everyone with boots.

A dear friend had a scare last week when her husband's boat capsized and he was thrown out. When he didn't return home, she called for help. Thankfully, they found him many hours later and he was alive. Sounds like his life jacket saved his life. In the local news, there was a Story of a father and little girl in a boat with a tragic ending, no life jackets were used.

There is a reason people wear life jackets on boats, helmets when riding a bike or motorcycle - why should Real Life be any different? Perhaps not a physical protection but just an awareness of our surroundings. I know many times I am in my own little world and oblivious to anything not involved in my current task. Those are the times I need to take a step back, a time to be aware of what is going on. Not a fear but just to see the high water all around me. In people, places and our journey's.

DH and I kept trading his camera to take these shots, he wandered in farther than I would but was still in a safe zone. I come from a long line of those who never play it safe, and while I am cautious, I still have my kind of risky behavior. We all do, it is part of who we are. Just make sure that when going through the high waters of life, you have your life jacket on...

the face of love...

Blue Like Jazz's , Donald Miller is in love...finally. Have hoped this guy would find what he was looking for and it looks like Miss Paige, is it. Whether is last for a while or a long while, is yet to be determined.

He is in that lovey dovey state now. It is all good except that people in that state look at life through those lovey dovey eyes and make choices, base important decisions and think a bit more heavenly than they might, otherwise. If he continues Down this path, this love will have to change if it has any hope of making it long term. As the love changes, he will have to change too. While love is constant, its properties change continuously. After almost 40 years of marriage, I can testify that the love has been a roller coaster ride and the times that I have not learned about the ebb and flow, have been the worse. When my expectations were completely unrealistic and rigid. Sometimes you continue to love when the object of that love is gone, whether by a breakup or even death. Death doesn't change love, it may change the action of that love but it is always there.

I wish Mr Miller the best. I sincerely hope that he and his new love, beat the odds and find a lifetime of wonderfulness together. I also hope that he uses that great mind that God gave him to make that happen. When we use the wrong parts of the body to do our thinking for us, disaster is not far behind and what a shame it is to waste what could be a beautiful thing...

dog days of school...

Yesterday was the carnival, today is Miss M's graduation and Keaton's Field Day. Friday is just show up for a few hours and then youcangohome day.

I always love the last week of school. No homework, mostly movies and cleaning out your desk. Gage's teacher is having a baby, literally today. She was dilated to a 4 at the carnival and not sure she would be at school tomorrow. Her class had a swim party scheduled but Mother Nature has changed their minds, they will try again in a few weeks and maybe Mrs D can bring her new baby boy!

Summertime and the living is easy... Whether true or not, it is my icon of summer. School is out, the Beach Boys are on the radio and everything slows down...no hurrying for much of anything but the snow cone shack. As the summer progress and the heat turns itself up, we go even slower but this week, when we are in the midst of the dog days of school - anticipation is at its highest. Anything and everything is possible. While our routines are shaken to their core and we might find ourselves with too much time on our hands, there is a need for some deep, deep rest. Today we will celebrate the end of school - rest will start next week...

making Something new...

Much of what we do and say is not new, as much as we may think. Anything wonderful thing you may read on this or any other blog is just a rearrangement. Of words, thoughts, and a bit of perspective. Very little is new...until now.

Just spent a half hour with Ryan, my new BFF after having my email stop today. He had me download a new program and as I left my mouse alone, he ran everything on my computer. No more having to write down and repeat when talking to a CSR, just sit back and enjoy the ride. After not being able to fix my issue, he converted us over to a new system. In no time, a new account was created and I was up and running but Ryan didn't stop there. He helped us set up our iPads and he even copied my Contact list to the new address. Customer service isn't new. We have all been on both sides of CS and have horror and wonderful Stories we could tell. With Ryan, I experienced both, the new and the not so new and I loved every moment of it. Life is good especially when you appreciate what it takes to do both...

the here and now...

We have the good fortune of having a almost 12 year old that still likes to hang out with us. Maybe it is the music, maybe it is the food - both of which, are constant. The three of us have much in common. There is a streak of artist in a couple different mediums, some of which we share and some that just seem to overlap.

We cruised the Mall, hit the Apple Store and got more to eat. Movies and ice cream afterward, more music on the way home. I looked back just before we got home and one of us was gone. He was completely gone, still with his earphones on. He got his second wind when we got home and for a bit longer, we hung out and finished the evening playing Yahtzee on the iPad.

The next morning, he agreed to a quick photo shoot. He needed a bit of encouragement to smile but when he did, the smile turned to silliness which I will take any day. The brooding of teenhood has started and these photos will help him to see when he gets through it, that is wasn't all bad. If one can remember to laugh, at any age, that is more than half the battle. We spent more than our fair share laughing while he was with us. Thanks bud, we had a blast...

the tale of 2 poppas...

These two could not be more dissimilar. One loves sports, the other, not so much. One loves art, the other, less than not so much. They have spent holidays together for the last 15 years and have learned how to get along. In Real Life, they would not spend one minute together but...


They are both Steve.
They have both been in the military.
They both love their country,
and John Wayne.
They both have iPads.
Most importantly, they both
adore their grandchildren.
Adore may not be a strong enough word,
they would give up everything for them.

Sometimes there are Things bigger than us. We put aside who we are for the Greater Good. Manly men behaving well, is there anything more wonderful?

We will never, ever forget...

feet...

Maybe, you have cute toes. Maybe, you love your feet. Most of us just use them and don't give them much thought until Something hurts. DH has had an issue with his big toe for quite a while. Even went to the doc and the doc said, the nail will fall off and a new one will grow in. Did the same thing to mine a couple of weeks ago. and the mail has still not come off and it is killing him. Lost of focus on the feet in his world, right now.

For the rest of us, we will continue to give our feet, little thought. We girls might be thinking about a pedicure because it is almost summer, somewhere and the flip flops are high on our priority list but after those few minutes, we will rejoin our fellow man in the Big Race of life.

It has been said that people are the feet of Jesus. What does that look like? I usually think of the church as fighting to be the face of Jesus or the brain of Jesus. Feet, by their very location, come last or are at the bottom. They are not glamorous and to add insult to injury, there are two of them. The thing is, the rest of the body can't move very well without them. They are the backbone of making a move. They are the wings beneath our, well, you know. They are the bread and butter of our bodies. We would all do well to remember that...

reminders...

We saw lots of different kinds of people on Sunday. Very few families. Mostly older men, followed by older women. There were also a few teens. While it was a diverse crowd, culturally - the majority were white. Not sure that is what the average homeless population is but for this area, it was.

This man in particular, caught my eye. He was one who elected to sit at the tables provided by the church. As I am processing all that I saw, it seems even more courageous that any one would sit at those tables. Everyone knows nothing is free. These people know the drill - trade a meal for having to listening to the Jesus talk. Imagine they can quote the Bible as well if not better than many church people. I imagine that the Story he might tell might be one of loss and choices. He was particularly striking to me because he looked like my dad, right down to the garbage bag.

My father was homeless for a time. It was a story of loss and choices. It is difficult to allow someone in your life to live this life but Sometimes, you don't have a choice. I did not have a choice, I had to pick the safety of my family first. We both made the choices we did because there was no other way. I would not change a thing, I can't speak for him. My experience with the homeless is of the alcohol kind. The ones who would choose booze over everything else. Is it a disease or a choice? If I put in context with my chocolate pudding obsession, I get it. Addiction is a mistress, no matter which one you choose. I make no judgement, everyone should be allowed to choose, but we each have to live with the consequences.

Still working my way through the day. I have a ton of photos and think I will make the kids a book to remember the day by. Today we sold my husband's motorcycle. I went to coffee with good friends. I went back to my normal life but everywhere I went, I took this man with me. I took my dad with me. Somedays are like that, reminders are everywhere. Somedays, you have to look back, if just for a while...

homeless...

Spent some time this week with DD's church family, serving spaghetti, drinks and personal hygiene kits to the homeless. Must admit, that my reasons for going were less than noble - I went to watch over my grandchildren. I have shot photos at this place. It has great graffiti but I must say, I have been very uncomfortable each time I go. Today, I got to learn a little more about my fellow life travelers and myself.

The homeless culture is much like most others. They are more comfortable eating at their own tables, they are mostly introverts. Few took their food to the tables that the church brought. When we came in to set up, you could feel the distrust of us invading their space. I get it. We would be gone in few hours but this is their home. As we came in to set up, we walked past their tables and I heard one older woman tell the others, I just got out of jail - five minutes ago. I just got here!

One of the first people who came in was a couple with a four month old baby. They got some food and some personal care products for the baby. Later on, someone saw her feeding her baby - bread and noodles. She didn't have formula. There was a quick offering taken and someone ran to the store and left the young couple was a couple hundred dollars worth of formula. It won't change their lives forever, but for today, it did.

Gage would ask later in the day, What happened to manners? Most people said thank you, some did not. The pop was a big hit, water not so much. Several asked for beer. One man looked at the water and pop, looked at us and said, Alcohol. I would later see him as we left for home, his head in his lap, in deep distress. As for the personal hygiene kits, most asked for Chapstick and sunscreen. A man asked for a job, anything, he said.

One thing I learned about this culture is if they don't value Something, they don't take it and are quite vocal about it. When you have to carry all your belongings, space becomes an issue. I think about all the things I have dragged home that I didn't need. It makes you think about what do you really need and what do you value?

A few hours after we got there, we were gone. We all went back to our homes and lives and the homeless people, did the same. Did we change each other in any way? Time will tell but maybe the lesson isn't about permanent change. Maybe it was about being in the Moment, sharing what we were able to put together with those whose network was connected on a different level. Funny, both camps started out a bit leery of each other and by the end, we had come to some level of understanding. While what we value may look completely different, how we do everyday life may be more similar that we think, after all - we are all God's children...

a Story for each of us...

I would like to think that every once in a while, we don't have to re-invent the wheel when it comes to learning. Doesn't it seem like some things should stick? Even if you look at it mathematically, the odds can't always be against us. There is Something to learn each day, but I have to think that we are able to carry some lessons into the next day, with us.

Ever have a bad day, or maybe in the middle of a pitty party? Life isn't looking like you imagined and quite frankly, you are just not in the mood... and then you are driving down the road and you see a funeral. A preacher, a family, friends, a casket. Like isn't looking like you imagined may be their theme too. Perspective is your instant companion. Still about you, that is just how we are, like it or not - you start to come out of the Me fog and if you have learned a few lessons, the Way becomes much clearer. Someday, in one form or another, that will be you and yours, at a funeral but today, it is their turn. What you need to see is what you do have, not what you don't have. You better stop whatever you are doing and give thanks for, this very minute.

Wish I had faith that it would only take one time but maybe we are just not wired that way. We need to be reminded, over and over again. Maybe that is ok. Maybe Someday when it is your turn at the funeral and you see someone off in the distance as you are standing there in utter disbelief that your turn has come, you will be able to remember and even in the midst of this unbelievable season of life, be thankful for what you had, for what was wonderful, even if for a brief time.

Life is short and it walks a fine line in seeing both directions at the same time. What was, what is but if we can live a life,steeped in gratitude, wouldn't that be something?

be very afraid...

Late last week, the same malware virus hit my computer, again. It was instant and my malware software would not solve my dilemma this time. After a couple of days of trying and realizing this one was over my head, I had to ask my wonderful SIL to bail me out once more and he, most graciously did. He always does, with no hint of anything but Love.

Gage might get his cheerful demeanor from me. When we get mad, it is all over. No inanimate thing is safe from our wrath. When it is all over but the shouting, and that can go on for a long time, we revert back to our fabulous selves. If I wasn't revealing this secret to you, no one would ever know.

Now that I am older, I see the Light a bit faster. One benefit of old age, I guess. There are times, there is Nothing you can do and you might as well not blow yourself up over things you have no control over. It is good to get all that bad stuff out that lingers inside and makes us crazy. Not just anger - thoughts, emotions and fears too.

Some of us, more than others, will always struggle and stuff down feelings that need to come to the top. They can't move on if they can't get out. I look at that face, and understand. Little Grasshopper will learn to control his anger, now his face may be a different matter...

closing...

The Sahara, where Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack played, closing.
After 23 years, America's Most Wanted is calling it quits.
At 85, Jerry Lewis is retiring from MD telethon. MSNBC

Quite the news this week. None of us like to see these kind of changes. Reminds us of our own, impeding closing, however this is our new cultural normal. Not unlike the Dinosaurs of Old, the time has come and it is going to continue at speeds we have never seen before. Not only because of age but of value.

I imagine we will see more and more closings, most with much less history than what we are seeing now. With more experience, we will become less emotional as our world changes our lives, not to mention, our memories. We will learn to stop on a dime and learn to rearrange our lives in a nano second.

We will more easily understand that nothing last forever. Someone at book club last night talked about some in their life who had passed at age 88 - she was one of those people you thought would live forever. Intellectually, we know better.

Just pick up a 10 year old Good Housekeeping magazine and see how many of the advertised products, no longer exist. Just found out that a friend got her first Kindle, and the news had announced the new 5 gadgets that are obsolete and yes, the kindle was on the list. Multi function tablets have made them so.

They say when God closes a door, he opens another. His ways are not our ways. The bitter truth is, we may not have Pop Tarts forever. Enjoy it while you can...

first...

Whether it comes naturally or not, Sometimes, you have to be first. You have to be the leader, the ball is yours. Like it or not, you are responsible.

We always encourage the kids individually and as a team.

Go Miss M!!! Go Koalas!!!!

It is not in her nature to fight for the ball and take it down for the goal but here she is and she is doing it. She would not be successful this day but great effort was given. You are first, no matter the outcome.

How often are we Big People guilty of not wanting to be first, because of fear of failure? Or, thinking that being first is for other people. While being first is not my favorite, I do believe that much like jury duty, we have to take our turn, and take it without thinking about the consequences. Because it is not right to always be lurkers or followers whether for fear or worse, laziness.

I am so proud of her. Her first soccer season. Nest is flag football. That is right, my girl is going Madden! She is much more content to be a cheerleader, shaking pom poms and encouraging her team but branching out and going first, will help her grow and flourish. While she is busy working on her first, I will gladly. take over her cheer leading duties...

never again...

A few months ago, on my way to see the kids, I am going down a back country road and as I whizz by, I see it. A horse and mule kissing. I kid you not. I did not stop. I knew I should but decided to move on. It was a mistake. Later on, I was kicking myself and vowed, never again.

Yesterday morning on the way to soccer, we passed this mailbox and I remembered, never again - made DH go back and get the shot. The deal is, if I see it and know it - I go back. No questions asked, consider it a done deal.

How might the landscape of my life change, if it was I incorporated this theology in other areas of my life? Or if the areas where this concept is alive and well, perhaps aren't as alive and well as I suppose? We all have black and white lines and in some ways, they do change over the years. Life changes and we must change with it. After a few years, one starts to see the validity of change. Never again may be a horse of a different color. It is more like a line that is drawn in the sand. Adds a new perspective, a new normal to one's life... All of that to say, I knew today - that we were turning around and we did. I listened and obeyed. Oh vey, if that was always the case...

looking for love in all the wrong places...

According to a story at LiveScience, a 16-year-old Canadian 11th grade student has discovered a possible treatment for cystic fibrosis. The treatment is a combination of two drugs which, in a computer simulation on the Canadian SCINET supercomputing network, did not interfere with each other while interacting with the defective protein responsible for the disorder. He has also tested the drug combination on living cells with results that 'exceeded his expectations.'" SlashDot.

Have seen the news about this kid and his work all weekend. How does this happen? What is he doing that the rest of those working on CF, aren't? Once again, the cure didn't come from where we imagined, it literally came, out of nowhere.

The old country song may have had it right after all. We tend to poo poo theories that seem to not have come through the proper channels. Look at all the medicines that have been recalled that went through the right channels and have found to be, fatally flawed? The point is we need to keep our eyes open, constantly searching the countryside and not fixed on just the road ahead.

Perhaps, we should stop having big telethons and start having bigger bake sales...

late night...

Jerry Seinfeld - Personal Archives maximum strength.

One of my most favorite things of life is last night comedy. Johnny Carson was my first Love, present day - I have a thing for David Letterman. There have been a few in between. Always men, always late at night.

There is just Something about the combination of humor, men and the cover of darkness that turns me into a happy girl. When the sports come on the news, I know I am only a few minutes away. A recap of the guesses of tomorrow's weather and I know it is time to get ready.

Not matter the day has brought, I know my boys are going to deliver. There is going to be current events and presidents to make fun of. Even if it has been a tragic day for our country, that darkness never enters the late night picture. True tragedies may be hinted at but this is no time for sadness. We have made it through the day, time to let our hair down.

The first 40 minutes are my favorite. Monologue, first and second guest. Music not so much, because no matter how much I love music, I can get that from iTunes, This is about laughter and music is no laughing matter. This gig could not be done by a woman with the possible exception of my favorite female comedian, Kathleen Madigan. This is a Place were the men can shine. Johnny Carson changed my life, Jay Leno makes me laugh when he is on the streets, David Letterman is a scholar and all the rest of the good old boys club, yearn to follow suit.

When JerrySeinfeld.com opened a week ago, I was over the moon. Now I get three random JR classics daily. I have never been happier. Like the songs says, I love the nighlife, I like to boogie - Thank you guys for all the Love. I am truly a better person for having you in my life and the joy you have brought me, ah...the joy. Dudes, Thank you from the bottom of my heart...

character...

But it wasn’t until the day after he died last Wednesday that I found the diary he began writing the day he lost his job.

Wednesday April 28th, 1971: “Received notice of lay off.”

Thursday April 29th, 1971: “Gave Gil Carmichael copy of resume, registered with Mississippi Employment Office.”

Friday April 30th, 1971: “Registered with Coats and Coats, gave Harry Lackey a copy of my resume, interviewed at IDS.”

And so his daily diary went for the next two years, highlighting every job lead, every interview, every rejection notice and every hopeful possibility. He looked for a good paying job for two years but ended up taking a job without a salary, hoping that he could somehow feed his family of five on a straight commission arrangement.

Dad’s final entry in that diary was simple. “.”

And he did. Over the next four decades, Dad worked without ceasing, raised three children, paid our way through college and supported us without fail time and time again. /Joe Scarborough, via Politico.

This was a great tribute piece to a great man. Did I know him? Never laid eyes on him. So. how do I know he was so wonderful? From the people who knew him best.

With the Lord’s help, I will do well

I am not talking about wanting to please people, this is about character. This is about what we do because it is right and noble. It is because we understand that whining or wishing, doesn't make it so and Sometimes, we just have to persevere and within that perseverance, are brave, courageous and resilient.

With the Lord’s help, I will do well

We all have troubles, and Somedays, it feels like we have more than our fair share. If one adopts Mr Scarborough's mission statement, it covers all troubles, not just the ones that seem fair. Admitting that you can't do it alone is a Big Step. It allows you to let go of all the things you would fix if you could but realizing that you can't. It also makes you aware that by doing so, you will do well. Who can argue with that?

My greatest sympathies go out to the Scarborough family. May your own legacy be inspired by your husband/dad/grandad. There can be no greater Love...

the Bears...

Have had this family of bears for over 30 years. They are a quite family, never any trouble and when I ask to take their picture, they are always accommodating. Their only request is not to take posed shots - I have agreed.

Every time I get my camera out, they are in the middle of Something. The momma bear has told me on occasion, that they are very serious about child rearing. Not only the bad but especially, the good. No internet access, or TV, they believe in lots of family time, whether it is about reading or just hanging out. They are a wonderful role model for families everywhere.

Being part of a family is fun, wonderful and crazy. Sometimes, when you put a few personality types together - fireworks happen, not in a good way. Part of learning to live the world has to do with the training you got, learning to live in a family.

It is not always about you.

Try it, you might just like it and if you don't, eat it anyway.

As much fun as it may seem, it would not be fun to be an only child.

You may not always get the time and attention you want, parents have to spread the Love around but they are trying. If they aren't, you have got bigger troubles that aren't going away soon, if ever. Pull your own weight, no matter how old you are and when the Love comes your way, be ready to accept it. You will be fine, just breathe...

whisperers...

They were so familiar with the space around them, you knew this was their niche. I think when the nine of us, trotted onto the scene, we scared them off. You can spot whisperers, but only after they are gone. We didn't even notice when they left.

They will, no doubt be back tomorrow, after we have gone back to our regular lives. We are only Sunday geese whisperers, they are the Real Deal.

We are each whisperers in our own right, whether we see it or not. Think about what comes so naturally, so effortlessly to you. Who are the ones who are drawn to you, who want to be around you...just because. Whispering isn't new. It wasn't invented by a movie, it has always been here - we are just aware, now.

Our whispering was loud. While we came in peace and with lots and lots of bread, the geese were attentive and hyper, fighting over each piece of bread. With the Real goose whisperers, I imagine it looks more like an elaborate dance, where there is no pushing and shoving because they know, there is always enough for everybody. That is the mark of a true whisperer. So, what does your whispers sound like?

measure...

When bin Laden was killed, a 6 foot Navy SEAL had to lie down next to the corpse to better estimate his height. Watching the scene on a live video feed in the White House Situation Room, President Obama quipped, We donated a 60 million dollar helicopter to this operation, referring to the modified stealth chopper destroyed in the mission. Could we not afford a tape measure?/The Daily

Think about what he is saying. Not just in the realm of capturing OBL although with some of the finest minds/teams working for months on the Geronimo Project, practicing every step, you might imagine that someone, would have come up with a scenario that would account for identifying OBL by height. It was about affording a tape measure as much as bringing such a small detail to the proverbial table.

So, take it up another notch - what in our lives are we feeding the 60 million dollar idea and forgetting the importance of the tape measure? Not enough guts and glory? Or are we just not capable of doing it all. Do we have someone on the team who knows, how to measure? Do we value the tape measure?

So many things did go wrong last weekend and many more, could have. They had one chance and Sometimes in life, that is all we have too. While President Obama's words made me laugh, they also, made me think and I do carry a tape measure in my purse. Take it up another level, my friends...

adore

Whether Mother's or Father's Day. Or your birthday, or graduation or any of the other days we celebrate with great gusto, the bottom line is that we love to be adored.

Sometimes, we don't fit into the Box of the Day and we feel left out. The Theme of the Day just doesn't work in our lives. Think of Valentine's Day for a single person or Mother's Day for the one who for a vary of reasons, never became a mother. Holidays bring as much grief as loss, if you are on the losing team. Everything is not for everybody

For those times, you need to do some creative thinking not just wait out the 24 hours until a new day dawns. We each can choose to give or accept, being adored in ways we never imagined. It may not look like what we expected and we can choose to turn our backs...but we can also say, I'll take it... and thank you.

And that, can make one, a smart cookie with a grateful heart and the ability to accept adoration when it comes her way...

Happy Mother's Day...

Yes, there are bacon roses. Something about them, just makes me smile. Can't help it.
Thank you Jef, I bacon you!

Someone on FB was encouraging us to change our profile photos to our moms, to thank them for all they do/did. For some, that may be possible. For some of us, not a chance. Not possible. The End.

All that said, there have been some spiritual break throughs in the mother department and quite uncomfortable at that. Where they will lead, I don't know but the fact that they keep coming up both frightens and intrigues me.

If you have a good or even great relationship with your mother or mother figure, enjoy it. Love her, miss her, call her, send her bacon roses. If you don't, look around and find someone you admire or long to be like. Mine is my girl. Mother to three, she is one who tries with everything she has. She is a fierce mother hen who is learning to grow and change as her kids do. Mother's Day for me, is being with her. She is my hero.

Hope your day is great no matter if you are/have/know a mother. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Grab what you can and hold on. It doesn't look like anything but what you want it too...

reading...

No matter how you do it,
whether you started one way,
and then, went another way.

The how is not important,
the why changes as you get older,
and the who's become the ones,
you chase after.

Whether Ramona or Harry,
Louis Lamour or Barbara Kingsolver.
history or romance,
it is always about the read.

Read for the sake of reading,
start with Nancy Drew and see the world through her eyes,
later, when you discover Sarah Vowell, it will all come together.

Whatever platform you use,
whoever you read,
read with all your heart,and your heart, will give back to you.
Tenfold...

America's Most Wanted...

They watched it, live. In Real Time. imagine having that technology. The president had given the order Friday morning before leaving to survey the tornado damage in the South. Saturday, he had the White House Correspondence dinner. All the while, they couldn't say or show any emotion. They didn't know how it would end. Hillary's face says it all. Kudos Team 6...oh, that's right, there is no Team 6.

Not sure we have all been on the same page for a long time, and still, there were a few dissenting voices but very few. For most, the visual of 911 came flooding back and any guilt at being joyful at a man's death, was forgotten.

This week's Time magazine was waiting in my mailbox this afternoon. I can truly said the world it was written in, was gone. The news concerning 911, the Obama reelection and most other topics, had been changed in an instant. It was a new day, a new world and with it new threats. My friend has a semi-grown child traveling abroad in less that two weeks, a reprisal attack is almost imminent. Think about it, OBL has had 10 years to put it together a plan, himself.

It brings me back (to 911) in an instant...Brian Williams to David Letterman. It doesn't take much for most of us, the images are engraved in our minds. Whatever your emotional commitment to 911 is, it is one you will never forget. Thought about OBl meeting Jesus today. Imagine what that looked like and realize it might have been completely different. His Ways are not our ways and however their time ended, justice was finally done...

possibilities...

You don't have to love Al Gore... or even like him or even more, believe him but look at the technology. Who better than the guy who invented the Internet to show the way? Although he is not one of my favorite people, I can appreciate the work.

If you are a bottom-line person, skip past and go on to 2:45. If you have the time, watch the whole TED presentation and learn - this is where we are headed. I am over the top excited at the possabilities that are coming our way and the ones who are all ready here.

I may be the least green person you know, but am considering buying this book. Imagine the things we have yet to discover, and truly hoping they will make us a better people. Can technology do that? Facebook is now using its power for good.

There are 77,000 people who have logged on to report finding photos, checks, bills - everything they find on their properties from the tornadoes that ravaged the South last week. Post after posts, with names trying to reunite people with treasures they have lost. People helping people, they don't even know. Mark Zuckerberg must be so proud. http://www.facebook.com/PicturesandDocumentsfoundafterAprilTornadoes.

Using our powers for good not evil, that is the team I want to be on...

fun...

Do you know how to have fun? Real fun, I only ask because it is Something that DH told me he needed me to teach him in retirement.

How does one lose the ability to know how to have fun? I always equated fun with riding a bike, you learn it once and even if it is a long time in between,once you start up again, it all comes back to you. I think it will for my man too.

But, let's say that my theory is incorrect, and you must relearn through your life, how to have fun - how do I teach him how to have fun? Where does one start with that kind of instruction? It comes pretty easy for me, there days. I have three little people that I have unconsciously studied for the last 12 years. Each have taught me the value of a laugh, at the littlest thing. We had several round of laughter today during our soccer time. Good belly laughs. All over the small things, nothing in particular but everything in general.

Hey, that is what I should do... Give him the best education, ice cream can buy. Those three would gladly help their Poppa and do a much better job than I ever could. Problem solved, looking forward to the Education of the Grandfather...

happily ever after...

Who would name their kids Hansel and Gretel? Hoodwinked 2.

Childhood memories, rich with comforting Stories... or maybe not. Hansel and Gretel was a bit scary, what was that all about?

Published in 1812, Hansel and Gretel are a young brother and sister threatened by a cannibalistic witch living deep in the forest in a house constructed of cake and confectionery

How about the Three Little Pigs, that started pretty harmless but went awry pretty fast. There was all that huffing and puffing and being terrorized at every turn.

Published in 1890, the story begins with the title characters being sent out into the world by their mother, to "seek their fortune".

Sleeping Beauty had the witch that was trying to kill her, Cinderella had a nasty step-mother and 2 terrible step sisters. Little Red Riding Hood had her own issues with the wolf. Racking my brain, trying to find a nice, warm fuzzy childhood Story and coming up short.

Yet I imagine that if ask most any kid, they would say that happily ever after is the main theme of their childhood Stories. There is a special resilience in children. They see past the dangers that our Big People brains pick up immediately on. That can be a good or a bad thing. Maybe why we have to teach them over and over about stranger danger. It just doesn't compute in their little minds.


Maybe we could learn from them. Not that everything turns out wonderfully every time but that if you look at the whole, consider it all, happily ever after may be the only thing you can say...

prison...

Spent some time, the other night with a father whose grown child is in federal prison. Accused of a white collar crime and convicted of embezzlement, she will be home in less than a year.

We spent some time talking about our legal system, and the whole experience, from his point of view. Guilt or innocence aside, he is making it through the appeal process but with no more than a 15% chance of having the verdict overturned and not a chance of that happening until after her time has been served, he is looking at this the only way he can, life is not fair.

When life seem unfair, we usually don't look at how to move on but rather on how to make it fair again. The truth is, we should be starting more in the middle and end strong with moving on. When he ask point blank, what to do - I pointed back to the religion that he holds so dear.

Either Jesus is who he said he is and you have to leave it all with him...or he isn't and you really don't believe.

He asked... one could drive yourself insane with the What If's or the Life isn't fair. If you believe in Something, now would the time to express it. Now would be the time to acknowledge that life isn't fair, and move past it. If your Something is Jesus, he isn't just fire insurance, he is for the here and now.

I have never walked in his shoes. I have no idea of the experience that he, his daughter and family are going through. It won't be over when she comes home, they will all have to negotiate a new normal. Life will never be the same and the unfairness, will go on.

There are all kinds of prisons. Not all physical yet the bars feel real. Whatever that may look like to you, understand first, that life isn't fair and then, start to learn to move on. It may be a new way of thinking, a new way of doing but comes from a Place of understanding that while it doesn't look like you thought it would, there is still Life to be had. The sun will still come up, the birds will still sing and each of us has, what we need to let that happen in our lives. Not only believe it with my whole heart, I also, am counting on it...

history...

has never been of much interest to me. The only time I have paid any attention was as a child, listening to my father and grandmother arguing about Adolf Hitler. He, from the perspective of a American and a soldier, - hers, from a perspective of the good, she was a direct beneficiary of. disclaimer - her defense was that when Hitler first came to power, he tried and succeed to help the German people who were hunger and poor. She stood by her convictions, and I stand by her) There would go at it for hours, using the same arguments, neither one ever budging.

After years and years of dodging the History Channel of which, DH should buy stock in. I am devouring my second, with a third waiting in the wings because of Miss Sarah Vowell.

First the Puritans, now the assassin's of Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. Her storytelling has me mesmorized with a intense need for more. Resembling the style of David Sedaris, she brings history to life with humor and unconventional wisdom. She makes me laugh out loud as I read the antics of those who were just like me, flawed, confusing and lacking in many graces.

It reminds me that we are always looking out windows of this journey called Life but don't see it all. History hasn't changed, I did. I looked through the window, something caught my eye and I got off the train to see more. Now I am wandering the countryside, looking for more because I am loving what I see.

Did you know that in the middle of the Civil War, on a train platform in Jersey City, John Wilkes Booth, elder brother Edwin saved a young man who had fallen on the tracks, that young man was Robert Todd Lincoln, the president's first son or that this same son was present at the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley

One of the things I have learned is that where we are now as a country, is explained in our history. The Trickle Down Theory is alive and well. People always have and will always been, human and because of that - all we do is repeat, repeat, repeat.

Till my dying day, this I will believe. There will always, always be, because there have always, always been. This side of heaven,

there will always be the bedding of women who are not wives,
there will always be the murdering of brother against brother,
there will never be, peace on earth.

New eyes, old history...bring it on.

celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music...

A trip to the Saturday market was full of wonderful surprises. From the food samples to the entertainment, we were filled with the sights and sounds that can only come from being, Downtown.

The city is trying to model the Saturday market after Pike's Market in Seattle. There is just a feeling as you walk the streets with many, many others - that you don't get anywhere else. There is much bumping into each other that goes on but everyone is kind and it just adds to the experience.

Gotta to say, that this young lady, stole the show. Don't know how long she had been dancing before we got there but she was still dancing when we left, five or so minutes later. You couldn't tell if she was fueling the band or the other way around but you could feel in that Moment, that is was a Moment. She seemed oblivious to everything around her, she knew what she felt and let herself, feel it. It was a joy to behold.

It is Life in the little things, that gets our attention. The Big Things bring their own attention with them, it is built in and mostly automatic but in the little things, you have to do the work but the reward, is far worth the trouble. You have to become a part of the little thing willingly and work your way through to find the light. She was there for that Moment and we willingly engaged and the end result was magnificent...

just the Beginning...

He is not here, He is risen...

As we were walking form the parking lot to the soccer field yesterday morning, Gage hit me hard with Easter theology that was coursing through his mind.

What does the Easter Bunny have to do with Jesus? he asks. I try to put together an answer that will explain but even I have a hard time, bringing the two together. I explain that each theme come from completely different camps and most families in one way, or another have agreed to live side by side.

In a few hours, we will all head to his church and then to a family dinner to celebrate Easter. One will bring the Resurrection Story, full of promise and grace. The other will bring the Easter Bunny, and the hunting of eggs will begin. All I can liken it to is my experience, growing up with only one Story. When the hunting of eggs and the opening of Easter baskets is done, so is Easter. Period, end of Story.

Not now. Today, Easter lives on, well after all the chocolate bunnies are gone.

We don't walk away empty-handed.
We walk away victorious.
We walk away with a future, that will last forever.

May you have a wonderful day filled with Him and his Love...

in Christ alone...

I have lived the Arguments, now..I live the Mystery.

the Mystery...

You may have heard talk about The Cloud. If you have an iPad, you know that it won't work for long without a computer. You can buy tunes and apps directly to your iPad but you can't update your software and that is a big deal. As of today, the iPad is not a stand alone tablet - that is about to change.

The buzz is that All Things Itunes is going to the cloud, soon. That means you will not be teathered to a computer. Imagine that also means, your library are backed up, and no matter what computer issues you have, you won't lose your precious music and apps.

If you have ever been in an airplane, you know what it looks like when you get up in the clouds. When I first started hearing about all of this, I imagine being in that airplace and seeing my stuff off to the right on CloudNanaZ. No two clouds look alike and they are so diverse in color and texture. I spend lots of time looking at them and imagining what is up there. We always hear about clouds and Jesus and not sure how that all comes together. Living the Mystery is becoming more and more appealing, the less I demand to know now - the more I can focus on gratitude and joy and living in the Moment. It is a daily struggle, one I fully acknowledge and daily, fight to overcome.

I got a bit of the Word this morning, my path has been redirected, yet again. He has whispered in my ear when I least expected it. It was short and powerful. No more need to revisit it, for the rest of my days here.

May each of you enjoy this Easter season completely and fully. Nudge what is already in you. Know that you are loved, no matter what. Enjoy the cloud, love the mystery and love with all you have...

girls and gumballs...

This last weekend, Miss M and 9 of her friends continued her 6th birthday celebration with a craft party at Michael's. Bubble gum machines made from terra cotta pots was the craft she choose and it seemed to be a very popular choice.

The dynamics of 10 little girls is one you might understand if you have one. If not, it is not unlike a group of girlfriends getting together minus driving yourself and more colorful refreshments. The was a bit of a territorial theme going on. Everyone wanted to sit by the Birthday Girl and she only had 2 sides. Everyone was from her school except for one and she was one of the lucky ones to flank the Girl of Honor. There was much fuss made over the gift opening, each girl brought her gift to the Birthday Girl as if it was a burnt offereing. She properly read all the cards and personally thanked each one. The best part was after a parade through Micheal's, a strange, marketing tool to show them where in the store, Miss M had picked out the terra cotta pots, she was sent back inot the room while the rest of the girls sang, Happy Birthday, over the loud speaker.

Two and a half hours later, everyone was on their way home, a bit sugared up and with a bounty of their own. I had 200 photos to go through and couldn't have been happier. Sometimes, you just need a girl today. To remind you, of where you have come and hopefully, direct you in the Way Of All Things Girl, which is an education in being a girl that we girls, never want to miss!

the anatomy of a goal...

They say, we work better when there is a goal involved. Whether by list or sheer will, when there is a particular goal that is being strived for, we tend to think in a straight line and go from A-Z in a much, more civil manner. There is more hope for a successful ending. It looks much like this photo, a series of steps where each action moves the goal closer and closer. No time for 3 steps forward and 1 back. This is an all-out forward motion, no turning back. It is all or nothing. If you fail, you must start at the beginning, and make another run at it.

A lot of life is played like a goal. If losing weight is the goal, you make a run at it every day, There is no given, choices have to be made and many, many days of good choices, doesn't guarantee success. If we have a certain goal in mind, it is usually accompanied with a timetable. Life is lived 3 forward and I back but goals, come with built in expectations. From here to there in, (insert expectation here).

Never have been much of a goal person unless you include getting everything on a grocery list which comes with the expectation that what I want from the store, makes it on the list. Goals are short-term and I don't have that kind of time. If you are goal-oriented, bless you and please write a book...