Corners and Wabi Sabi

Anna found her much needed corner because she was not tired and did not want to go to bed!

Do you ever wonder why corners are so appealing? Corners offer a little haven of protection. To a child a corner can be the no fun corner when misbehaving or it can be a place they go to "not be seen" Small children often think if they can't see you, you can't see them! Corners can be comfortable little nooks where one might sit in a chair or on pillows to read, knit, watch television, meditate or daydream. Corners can be decorated attractively to enhance the ambiance of the entire room OR sadly, corners can be the catch all place for all the STUFF that hasn't made its way back to where it really belongs or doesn't have a place, yet. My friend Jayne embraces feng shui and decorates accordingly...me, feng shui is a little on the confusing side so I am embracing the Japanese practice of Wabi Sabi! "Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect. For the Japanese, it's the difference between kirei-merely "pretty"-and omoshiroi, the interestingness that kicks something into the realm of beautiful. It's a richly mellow beauty that's striking but not obvious, that you can imagine having around you for a long, long time-Katherine Hepburn versus Marilyn Monroe." (I have completely lost the architect"s name to give credit to for this information) Make no mistake, Wabi Sabi is not an excuse for sloppiness or laziness however it acknowledges the imperfection in all things and is used frequently in art. I am in love with the theory of imperfection. Imperfection is what gives each person, place and thing its character! I really do not want my home to be a cookie cutter copy of the one in a magazine. I may get ideas from a book, magazine or home show only to put my personal stamp on the look. I love my home, it is always a work in progress, that would be the joy of home ownership. We remodeled about six years ago, I love the changes but am now thinking what I would have done differently, however I do promise there will not be another remodel. I believe I am too faint hearted for that these days!!! We have a screened porch that will be the next really big project. Oh, I have plans for that space!!! We already have the windows and the floor tiles. The floor tiles were a donation from an electrical job we did and I love them. Bright Red, 12x12 I believe. I was thinking Asian influence...I waffle back and forth...I would really love an in fared sauna and small bath...give it a spa feel...or an artist's studio for when I have time to be an artist again...I have created and recreated this space so many times, that is the real fun, the fantasy of it...I hope the reality will be as great!

For your viewing entertainment...dum, dum, dum...pictures of a few corners in my home...some are works in progress and I call them the corners of shame...the garage, who's corner is worse, mine or Carl's, you decide!!! The "home office space" is my nemesis at the moment, there is much sorting and discarding to be done...I can find an excuse to avoid this every weekend...it is getting to the neat freak in me...hmmm, I am babysitting Anna tonight and most of the day tomorrow....

You would be very amazed at what you see in the "corners" of your home when you capture them on film!!! What's in your corner? Or see you in the corner! Looks like I'll be spending some of my weekend in the corner, bad girl that I am.

And The Award for the Ugliest Hat Goes To....

Apparently this is the ugliest hat in existence. If you do not believe me, just ask my mother-in-law. She did not mention this once but approximately five times. She just didn't like this hat.

It felt wrong, the color was wrong and on and on. She hated for me to take it back but she JUST DID NOT LIKE IT! Said chapeau was her Mother's Day gift along with a lovely scarf with muted tones of blue, chocolate brown, off white. She generally wears extremely neutral colors. As to the scarf, her first response was " I have tons of scarves", however, she did like the scarf and kept it. Whether or not she will wear it would be a blog post for another day! I take great pleasure and a ridiculous amount of time and effort selecting just the right gift for someone. I only select items that I myself would wear or enjoy. Most of my friends appear to be thrilled with their gifts. I put together really nice baskets. I have people ask me to do gift shopping for them. At one point in time, had she expressed displeasure with a gift I would have to leave the room or go home and cry! I have toughened up some. I guess this comes from eleven years of really bad gifts. How in the world can I get this wrong every time for every occasion? My mother-in-law is a kind and loving person, truly she is, to be fair she is recovering from cancer and her hair has not returned from the chemotherapy treatments. Once seeing the hat on her, I realized her head is a lot smaller than I thought, as she always had a permed, curled & teased hairdo. I can deal with the size being wrong. Could we just leave it at that? OH NO! I was out to dinner with friends, Jayne and Cindy and told the story of the hat. Jayne said, "Why don't you blog about it" I really thought that none of this bothered me, but I realized I have been on a slow simmering, stew on the back burner. Yes, my feelings are hurt. Can you just say thank you for your thoughtfulness??? So anyway, I have NO idea where the receipt or tags are for the awful hat so I will keep it for myself! It is waterproof, I LIKE the color, it has a soft cotton lining and is adjustable. It is perfect for hiking, rainy weather and keeping the sun off my very fair complexion! Her birthday is next week..........

On Being an Individual

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. E. E. Cummings

I have been thinking a great deal about individuality and what it means to stand apart from the crowd. At what age do we decide that we must conform to someone else's standards? A certain amount of conformity is necessary for a society to function in a law abiding manner. I am by no means advocating anarchy! I always heard the saying "live and let live". I think this is fine as long as no one is being harmed in the process. Many of the rules we allow others to place upon us are superficial. They have no long term significance and are not pertinent to our eternal welfare. My granddaughter recently had a windfall of shoes and clothes. Anna adores shoes (she apparently got the shoe gene from me). She has a difficult time deciding which "pair" to wear. Almost daily, she wears two different shoes. My daughter carries a matching pair in the car, if needed. My daughter doesn't think it really matters if Anna's shoes match or not. She allows Anna to express her own sense of individuality. Does this make her an inattentive mother? Absolutely not! She knows there are more important issues at hand. My children attended Montessori school and I taught at the same Montessori school for ten years. Most parents enrolled their children in this type of environment in order for their individuality to be nurtured and their strengths optimized. Everybody deserves their opportunity to shine. We all shine at something different! Thank goodness. Each person has wonderful gifts to share, some take a little longer determining what those gifts are and unwrapping them! I tend to be on the slow side of learning. Fortunately, I do learn eventually. It has taken me many years to understand the value of who I am as an individual. There is no one just like me. I have developed friendships with a diverse group of people. We are all different from each other and my greatest joy comes from those individual differences. Why would I want my friends to act, think and be just like me? What is it about certain people that makes us want to "be around them"? You know them, they walk into a room and the room seems to light up! Reminiscing some, what was it that made me want to be part of the "in" crowd, who decided who was in or out? Sometimes we get so bogged down in being part of a group that we lose our sense of individuality. Look at the measures some will go to in order to conform. I like different, different is good.

Do I claim to understand this kind of different, not really, however, I understand the right of this person to display their individuality. I believe we are all children of a divine Heavenly Father and each is of infinite worth valued for our individual nature.

P.S. Visit Delicious Bass ( link above right) to see an adorable video of my very individual and gifted grandson :) but I'm not biased in any way!!!

Spreading Hope!

While reading an issue of "skirt!" and going to the website http://skirt.com, I discovered the website hopeREVO.com. "Hello. This is the Hope Revolution. It began one evening when I decided to hide encouraging notes around New York City and inadvertently inspired other people who heard about it to do the same in their cities." Wow. This is so up my alley. I adore receiving handwritten notes or finding a library book with a note left inside. When my oldest daughter was a stay at home mom, she would come over to my house and use the computer, give the children a change of pace and sometimes, if they would sleep, she would use the jacuzzi.
Being the OCD person that I am, I always knew when they had visited while I was at work. I started leaving notes that might be a reminder of something or a really bad "poem" and Michelle would respond by leaving me notes or a really bad "poem". The note writing took place in an ordinary spiral bound notebook. Imagine my surprise when checking the note of the day that my other daughter left a note to us. It said, "I want to play too" Heather would frequently leave messages in Spanish. I don't read Spanish. I treasure that notebook so much. I think letter writing and note writing has become a thing of the past and I miss them very much. Teenagers do not sneak notes in class anymore, they text message. Remember the middle school notes, if you like me check yes or no? I sent my husband a note like that recently and he loved it! I love e-mail, haven't gotten the swing of text messaging, do not pretend to know all the abbreviated shortcuts for words, however, I still miss the joy of going to the mailbox and finding a card or note from a friend. I have gotten a wee bit slack in this area myself. I love, love the idea of leaving notes in menus, library books or some secret location. We never know what impact a simple, anonymous act of kindness will have on someones day. At the hope revolution website, you can download some samples of notes to leave or create your own. I suggest going there and reading about it and checking out the gallery. There was a project sending "hope notes" to girls in Rwanda. I wish I knew about that in time. There is no better way to improve your life than to brighten someone else's day. You can "be a light in the world no matter where you find yourself." Below are a few suggestions from the hopeREVO website, I am sure you can think of many more! Join me in spreading some cheer and hope through your city. Who knows, maybe I'll find a note myself!!!

No one can take the place of you.

You can be surprised by something wonderful.

Do something hopeFULL.

Go slowly and enjoy the journey.

Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart.

Do not waste today.

You are here.

It's ok to frolic.

Listen with an open heart.

Believe in your own happiness.

" I can do no Great things. Only small things with great Love." Mother Teresa

Did It Occur To You - You Are A Sexual Predator?

Sexual predators have no distinctive features. They can be found in all socioeconomic, gender, age, religious and ethnic groups. Sadly, many would not even consider themselves as sexual predators. My message to each person within shouting range of my voice is this: IT IS NEVER OKAY FOR SOMEONE TO TOUCH YOU, SPEAK TO YOU OR EXHIBIT BEHAVIOR THAT IS SEXUAL IN NATURE WITHOUT YOUR FULL PERMISSION, NEVER, EVER AND IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT IF THEY DO!!!

Hey you guys at the pool, did you think pulling down the bathing suit bottom of a twelve year old girl was/is acceptable?

Or did you think exposing yourself to two young girls is/was acceptable?

Did you think your actions would have one twelve year old girl looking at EVERY Hispanic male she saw for many years with fear and suspicion?

Did you think it was okay to fondle the breast of teenage girls attempting to get their driver's license? Do you have daughters? Would you want a "trusted" state employee fondling your daughter?

Did you think it was okay to make lewd and lascivious comments and gestures to a young female employee?

Or you, telling your employee to be quiet and "look good"?

As a minister do you find it okay to use your position to fondle or otherwise have a relationship with girls or boys in your parish?

What about you guys that date rape someone? I think no means no.

Is it okay for a woman to take advantage of a young man?

Have you touched your son or daughter in an inappropriate way, why is this okay?

Sadly, there are hundreds upon hundreds of situations like the above and worse. We ask ourselves, why didn't anyone say anything? I am reminded of the accusations of Anita Hill against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. She accuses him of sexual harassment prior to his confirmation as Supreme Court Justice. Ms. Hill was accused of not being credible in her statements and Clarence Thomas becomes a Supreme Court Justice. Did he sexually harass her? Maybe. He is in a position of power and why should anyone believe her. Currently, in his biography, the two have not resolved this issue. I use this as an example because it frequently did happen this way. It still happens. Did sexual harassment occur between Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas, I don't know. What I do know is that sexual harassment and sexual predators do exist and are often not recognized as such. Another example, why didn't the above teenage girls expose the state employee who took liberties with them? The answer is simple, who would believe them? Some of the victims of sexual liberties believe that it is THEIR fault. They did something to attract undesired attention. Many sexual predators are being brought out and tried; but there are still so many tormenting the young, the old, female, and male. Again, I say...IT IS NEVER OKAY...SPEAK UP...SOMEONE WILL LISTEN!!!

To the sexual predators: I pray that someday justice will be meted out and you will be held accountable for your reprehensible behavior. May the Lord forgive you because I find it very difficult to do so.

Not all of the above situations happened to me, some did occur and some happened to people I know personally.

Seven Dwarves of Menopause

Someone sent this to me today and I thought it was hilarious. My thoughts exactly! This is my life right now. I take each day with a healthy dose of humor and wait for all of this to pass. Yesterday, my husband told me he loved me more than life itself, BUT...I sure was mean sometimes. I found myself wishing the entire male population a menstrual cycle, a few labor pains or a tweak on their sore breasts! For those of my young friends offering words of wisdom, don't even try...your day is coming! I say that with the utmost of love and sympathy...I am going to put my head in the freezer now!

I am NOT lovin Perimenopause

Looking truly lovely, the Diva and me (I am in black in case you could not figure out who the Diva is) after some yummy cranberry punch and bridal shower refreshments! I am thinking hurry up and take this picture because: a) I am hot as you know what and b) these *&(* feathers itch like heck!!!

In case you are wondering what perimenopause is, it is that particularly hellish time before menopause and can last many years prior to menopause. Menopause put very simply is cessation from menses and fertility (oh happy day!) I think it gets the bad rap when the real nasty culprit is that transition time, the interval known as (drum roll, please) PERIMENOPAUSE. You know I am a Life is Good kind of girl and I am happy with my life and the stage am in except when I have the following:

Reasons I am not loving perimenopause

• My body thermostat is completely and totally out of whack. I am freezing at the office and I wake up at night soaking wet! My hair is wet, I often have to get up and have a bath or shower which brings us to the next reason...


• Interrupted Sleep - I am a lifelong member of the insomniacs club, I do not need another reason to be awake. I refuse to go anywhere in our very small RV because a) there is no tub and b) there is no where for me to pace or stare at the walls while I am awake!!!


• Dry, itchy skin - again I am a lifelong member of the dry skin club, now around 8 p.m. I have a need to scratch my entire body (yes, I have a great dermatologist so I do not have any weird parasites or fungus) I have a really groovy long handled brush which helps immensely.


• Bladder problems - I must know where all bathrooms are at any given location due to the fact that my bladder has become a tad unreliable. Wet shoes are no joke, my friends.


• My personal favorite - mood swings and unreliable attitude - hey if you don't like my attitude, hang around about 5 minutes, I promise it will change and I will have nothing to do with it. One minute you are lovin life and the next minute you are doing the Linda Blair Head Spinning spewing green vomit "Exorcist" thing.


• It can last for years, YEARS, before you actually get through the transition...sisters, I can vouch for this! For those of you who experienced none of the above symptoms, lucky you and a pox on your house (just kidding)

Yeah, I had a rough night (I was mopping the kitchen floor and doing laundry at 1:30 a.m.) I dozed off to a particularly bad C rated spider movie. My husband does not understand the cleaning in the middle of the night at all. I am like, I am fine, go back to bed and LEAVE ME ALONE!!! Then he had the nerve to speak to me before 6:00 a.m. We have an unspoken agreement, when my head is spinning we don't talk, we don't even think of trying to humor me out of the funk until it passes, which as I said is in about 5 minutes. Thank goodness I was able to find something to wear that the magic clothes gremlins left alone except the tag in the skirt is a little troublesome! (It's that itching thing again) This morning some crazy person pulled out directly in front of me and proceeded to drive extremely slow, causing me to use some language that would embarrass my children. And they only thought it was funny when I said things like "Jeepers or Oh My Stars" The tide has turned and it is not always pretty! I could wax on and on but I don't want to make any one's ears or eyes bleed. See, I am better now...another one of my favorite saying is "and it came to pass" Amen, to that! In the "mean" time I am hanging on with my sense of humor intact as much as possible. Laughter is the best medicine and I do laugh alot. And there is always shopping.... My new best friend, she agrees with everything I say, smiles all the time and she's older than me!

Moe, the flying cat

Aww, yes you will soon be mine, any moment now... Getting closer to the desired object! Yeah, just hold it still for one more minute.Victory, Victory, aw sweet victory. Moe's favorite game is to jump through the air and secure the peacock feather, sparkly thingy.

Just chillin out on the rug after running madly through the house!

Moe has grown so much since his adoption sometime in November. He was just a little puff ball when he came to our house. He looked like a furball with eyes! We are amazed at the speed and agility of felines. They move with such grace and speed. This kitty communicates so well with us. I swear sometimes he answers "what" or "hmm?" He thinks I am his mother and follows me around like a toddler. I have just about broken my neck trying to avoid stepping on him. I am not particularly fond of the game "let's grab her by the back of her legs as she walks away". I heal from one set of scratches only to incur a new set. My feet hold a particular fascination for him as well. Crazy animal! Carl looked at me like I had lost all sense of reason when I suggested we keep him in the first place. Dear Husband LOVES this cat!!! We had him neutered recently and he shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. I guess it is a typical behavior in the animal world for them to stick their rear ends in your face...I was hoping once he was neutered he wouldn't wave the cajones at me anymore...now it's more like...see, look what you had done to me. Blue box bad, car ride bad! He loves looking out his special window but won't go out even if I leave the door open. It's like, oh no, I know what it's like out there, I am staying in here. He usually sleeps in his favorite chair but sometime during the night he creeps in and wants to sleep near me. Lately he has been creeping up from my feet and getting closer to the goal of my pillows. I love that cat but he's not sleeping on my face! I don't sleep well with others. I don't want anyone or anything on my side of the bed. Yes, my friends this is one spoiled rotten cat.

For those of you that don't get the pet thing, I can't begin to explain it to you. Moe enriches our lives and we enjoy having him as a member of the family.

Hey Beautiful!

Freckles

Natasha Bedingfield

I used to care so much about what others think about Almost didn’t have a thought of my own

The slightest remark would make me embark

On the journey of self doubt

But that was a while ago

This girl has got stronger

If I knew then what I know now

I would have told myself don’t worry any longer its okay

Cuz a face without freckles is like a sky without stars

Why waste a second not loving who you are

Those little imperfections make you beautiful, lovable, valuable,

They show your personality inside your heart

Reflecting who you are

Who you are

Who you are

Who you are

I wondered if I could trade my body with somebody else in magazines

With the whole world full at my feet

I phantom worthy and would blame my failures on the ugliness I could see

When the mirror looked at me

Sometimes I feel like the little girl who doesn’t belong in her own world

But im getting better

And im reminding myself

Cuz a face without freckles is a sky without stars

Why waste a second not loving who you are

Those little imperfections make you beautiful, lovable, valuable,

They show your personality inside your heart

Reflecting who you are

Reflecting who you are

Reflecting who you are

HmmmWhoooooo whoa hmmmm oooooo

Cuz a face without freckles is a sky without stars

Why waste a second not loving who you are

Those little imperfections make you beautiful, lovable, valuable,

They show your personality inside your heart

Reflecting who you are

I really like this young artist. Her music is not typical of what I listen to generally but I love it!

So many messages are passed along in the lyrics of a song. I have the "Unwritten" cd which I love and play very LOUD! My newest cd is "Pocketful of Sunshine" which is becoming a favorite. One of the songs that really caught my attention includes the above lyrics entitled, "Freckles". I used to anguish over the freckles I had as a young girl because most of the other girls did not have freckles. My dad, great man that he was, sang this silly little ditty he made up, I can only remember part of it...She's got freckles on her, but she's pretty (pronounced purty) It always made me smile. The beautiful women that come to my mind, are not "magazine" beautiful. They have imperfections, however these women radiate a beautiful spirit. Lovely beyond words! Some fret over wrinkles or a less than perfect hair day but their loveliness extends far beyond such trivial matters. True beauty goes way beyond the external features.

I anguish over the young girls that starve themselves or overeat because of a distorted sense of self worth. My prayer is that each girl, woman, mature woman will understand her true value and that it encompasses much more than what the "world" sees. A nature that is divine and royal. As a woman coming to terms with the approaching age of 50, I still get little moments of doubt looking in the mirror...it's like...whoa, who are you? Time is marching across my face and body and there is not a thing short of cosmetic surgery that I can do about it. Reflecting upon the changes... I have experienced many things and if that shows on my face, why in the world would I change that? Most days I love who I've become and on the other days, there is CHOCOLATE!!! Hey Beautiful, How are you today?

Aiken A L A Floozies!

A fun Saturday was spent touring Aiken. The sights were so beautiful with amazing trees resplendent throughout the city! Aiken is/was home to the many wealthy "northerners" wintering in the South from about October to March. They built cottages complete with lovely grounds and servants, I am sure as some of the cottages took up an entire city block. The above home is known as "Rye Patch" and was bequeathed to the City of Aiken as well as Hopeland Gardens. Rye Patch has entertained many prestigious visitors over the years including the Duke and Duchess of York, King Edward and Wallis Simpson to name a few. Currently it is used for events such as weddings. The Aiken Thoroughbred Hall of Fame was visited along with various Aiken stables and horse farms. Quite a few thoroughbreds were spotted, oh yeah we saw some nice horses too! We were served a delightful lunch in the Tulip Room after which much shopping was accomplished. The weather was perfect. The Diva provided us each with a floral fan with which to be true southern belles plus she thought the bus may be hot as you know what. An attempt was made to teach the "language of the fan", alas I fear it is a lost art! All of the "Floozies" would like to send a special thank you to Jeanne for arranging a lovely time! Fun was had by all.

Cell Phone Hall of Shame!

Many of you remember my recent rant about cell phones! All things come home to roost! While I do find some cell phone behaviors annoying, sometimes for various reasons the calls are necessary. Here are some recent inductees to the Cell Phone Hall of Shame:

The Diva on a Vitamist conference call whilst enjoying Hopeland Gardens in Aiken with her gal pals! Working on a beautiful Saturday...

Jeanne, oh Jeanne, I could not catch you with the phone to your head, you were too discreet for me. Jeanne had a teenage daughter that needed to be in contact with Mom on Saturday! Also, the newly engaged Jeanne had to offer some words of advice to beloved, Mikey, apparently, there was a laundry crisis!Ellie, you only thought we couldn't see you! Almost slipped this one by us. You can run, but you can't hide from the all seeing cell phone police!!! You do blend quite nicely with the displays.

Cold Busted on the phone in an antique store shopping with friends, yours truly. How many of my own rules did I just break? Youngest daughter having a crisis with a skink outside of my basement. This is me after the hysterical laughter! "Yes, Heather, you can go out the back door instead of the basement door." The door situation is a long, long story!

Be aware, you never know when you may be the next inductee (drum roll, please) into the Cell Phone Hall of Shame!

It Takes A Village!

Happy Montessori Instructors create a happy, nurturing environment for children throughout many years! Happy Mother's Day, friends!

My daughter reminded me last night of the saying "it takes a whole village to raise a child" I toss the nurture versus nature thing around in my brain quite frequently. Mother's Day is coming up and I think of the many people in my life that have helped me along the way. First and foremost I must mention my own mother. She taught me many things that I still practice to this day and have taught my own children. Bring a hostess gift or treat when visiting friends. Work hard. Keep things clean and organized. Don't gossip. My mother never gossiped, she just told people straight out what she thought. My daughters and I call this having a "Frieda moment". My mom and I had some very rough years and I am happy to say that we have worked through the worst of it. We actually have a lot of fun together these days! (we're going shopping this afternoon) My mother's mother (Oma) reared 6 children mostly by herself. My Opa was killed during World War II. Oma was a very straightforward, no nonsense woman that appeared to be loved by an entire town! I spent summers with her when we lived in Germany. On our daily marketing adventures, she was stopped by most shopkeepers and seemed to know everyone that passed on the cobblestone street. She had a kind word for all. As kind and loving as she was, she could be very stern when the occasion called for it. I suffered many a lecture or a good swat on the rear if that was what was needed at the time. I remember sitting in her kitchen making homemade noodles for soup and placing them all around the kitchen. This resembled massive heads of hair drying. Later some noodles would be cooked up in a scrumptious broth and we would sit down to a huge bowl of soup and crusty bread. Oma always said she was going to marry a black man because she thought they were absolutely beautiful. She never did, she remained a widow until she passed this life. The smell of chamomile always brings a fond memory of Oma. I was her favorite. My Tante Gretl was the eldest daughter and took care of her 5 siblings while Oma was recovering from a nasty bout of tuberculosis. Tante Gretl had four sons and borrowed me as much as possible. She taught me that a job well done has it rewards. During the summer, after work we would sit in the garden and share a Salzstanger (similar to a soft pretzel only better). Tante Gretl will not get on a plane, I haven't seen her in person in 24 years. High time for me to hop a plane and get over there! Tante Gretl always did extra special things for me, bought dresses, dolls and treats, I am pretty sure I was her favorite.

One of the happiest moments in my life is when my daughter became a mother! I was able to see the miracle unfold and take care of her while she delivered my grandson. Her husband was kind enough to allow me to stay for such a special family moment. Lucky me I was there when Anna shot into the world in record time. It has been a great joy to watch my daughter nurture and care for my grandchildren. Here are three generations of mothers, aren't we lovely!

At the tender age of oh, about five, I met a British lady who would become a life long friend.

We lived catty corner from her townhouse. She always treated me in such a special way as a friend rather than a pesky child wandering around the neighborhood. I thought Sylvia was one of the most beautiful women I ever met. I still think so. She and my mother became friends by virtue of knowing me. Sylvia did not have children of her own, she would spend many hours entertaining not only me, but a variety of other hooligans, I was her favorite. She was a glamorous lady and I loved listening to her speak. I was married in 1979 and Sylvia was unable to attend and passed this life not to long after my wedding. I still think very fondly of her.

Sometimes our friends "mother" us when we need it most. We talk to them about things we wouldn't share with everyone. Advice is given and largely ignored, much laughter is shared, fun is had by all. My friends have been a source of strength through many rough patches.

Most women have that innate sense of nurturing and we care for those around us whether we give birth to them or not. To all the wonderful women who care for their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, neighborhood children, church children, husbands, students, boyfriends, and strangers - Happy Mother's Day!!! You Deserve It! Remember we are all in this together...it takes a village!

Kickin It Old School

Birth name
Carole Klein
Born
February 9, 1942 (1942-02-09) (age 66)
Origin
New York City, New York, United States
Genre(s)
RockPopJazz
Occupation(s)
Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)
Piano, vocals, guitar
Years active
1958 – present
Label(s)
Rockingale

Website
CaroleKing.com


Beautiful

You've got to get up every morning With a smile on your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
The people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel
Waiting at the station with a workday wind a-blowing
I've got nothing to do but watch the passers-by
Mirrored in their faces I see frustration growing
And they don't see it showing, why do I?
You've got to get up every morning With a smile on your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
The people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel
I have often asked myself for reason for sadness
In a world where tears are just a lullabye
If there's any answer, maybe love can end the madness
Maybe not, oh, but we can only try
You've got to get up every morning With a smile in your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
The people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel

Someone please remind me not to partake in sugar, chocolate, caffeine etc. Why are they so deceptive, look so good, taste so good and then BAM...miserable night...massive weird dreams...drag myself "out o bed" my body protesting every second of it. There is only one cure for this type of overindulgence...throw some water on your face, hit the open road sans top (car top) and play some empowering music really, really LOUD! And sing really, really LOUD! Fake it till you make it Baby! I like a lot of new music but you just can't beat the "oldies" for a good time. Carole King really belts them out and I love it! The Tapestry album is by far my favorite. The song "Beautiful" never fails to lift me up. Smile at people with your whole face, let them see the joy and love radiating out from you. Often you can melt the strongest holdouts. The world is full of madness, just turn on the television or read the papers. Each one of us can do our part to make our little corner a bit of Heaven on Earth or Utopia, Shangri-La, whatever you care to call it. It starts with you. If you're not in the mood, try "kickin it old school" with me!

More Yard Shenanigans

Yard Shenanigans

Coming out of the fog of pain that was in my brain! Flowers and herbs were planted, children were enchanted. Finally, feeling sociable after a week of intense headaches. A delightful weekend was spent with family. On Saturday morning we attended a swap and social. Continetal breakfast was served and everyone brought stuff to trade. I mostly brought stuff to send to a new home. I did find some fabric to make a curtain for the hallway door and some craft stuff to add to my burgeoning supply. I am unable or unwilling to part with anything remotely crafty or artsy! One never knows when inspiration will strike and supplies must be on hand. I was able to start the herb garden. I am so excited. Please Grow!!! Sunday afternoon was spent admiring the flowers and herbs. The wee darlings decided they needed to rake and dig a bit. Everyone also thought it would be a great idea to roll down the sloping yard. Of course I landed in the swamp at the bottom, dizzy as heck. Yoga was demonstrated and practiced. Children played and romped and jumped as children are wont to do, reminding the "grown ups" of the sheer joy of sunshine, laughter and playing really hard! Oldest daughter said she was being artsy fartsy with her photographs! I think the pictures are some of my favorites to date. I am once again reminded to live every moment to the fullest and that LIFE IS SO GOOD!!!