Happy Birthday Son

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Birthday To My One And Only Sister

Today is my big sister's birthday. I wish I could be with her today, but she lives on the west coast and I live in the middle.

We were both born in the early 1940s so our memories of the era are shared. We have a lot in common, but in retrospect, we are quite different people and personalities. She was always the dominant, big sister, and I was the one who got chased around the house and teased with all sorts of bugs and worms that she dug up or found. (I still have a life-long neurotic fear of bugs and worms.) My sister is the master gardener, but I was the one who was always asked to do her English homework. She could work on anything mechanical and I loved to go to dances and parties. She still can do anything mechanical and can build lots of things. I am the memory-keeper of the family because I love genealogy and history.

We both love to read, but her attention span is about five seconds long. She multitasks so ferociously that I get a headache just thinking about all the things she takes on at the same time. I would rather work on one project until it's done to perfection then go on to something else. Sister knows how to decorate and I live in a jumbled house filled with memories.

She loves to travel and get together with lots of family. I love to stay home and be with just a few at a time. She likes only a few pets, and I will adopt every cat that comes to my house. No, I'm N.O.T. telling how many cats I'm feeding each day.

The one thing in common we share is our love and friendship. We talk one or more times each day. If I couldn't talk with her each day, I don't know what I would do with myself. She's my anchor.

My wish for her on her birthday is much love and happiness.

I Remember Mama

This is how I remember my mother. She was always sewing something for someone. I would sit at her knee, watching her for hours, as she created her magic with her old Singer, a needle, and some thread. I own that old Singer now and feel her presence every time I use it.

This is also how I remember my mother. The year was 1989 and the occasion was my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. My Aunt Mamie hosted a Sunday morning brunch for a large party of family and friends at a very nice hotel in Chicago. Pictured is my mother Sara, me, and my sister Karen.

Since that wonderful day in 1989, a lot has changed. Our mother and our father are no longer with us -- she passed on in 1993 following open heart surgery and he died in 1994. My sister and I are both grandmothers and look forward to many happy years with our families. My sister and I don't get to see each other very much, but we have the pleasure of speaking to each other on a daily basis.

As we get together with our families this Sunday to celebrate Mother's Day, please know that I wish each and every one of my women family members and friends love and happiness. Please also remember the grandmothers, aunts, and cousins who are no longer with us.

While we honor all our mothers
with words of love and praise.
While we tell about their goodness
and their kind and loving ways.
We should also think of Grandma,
she's a mother too, you see....
For she mothered my dear mother
as my mother mothers me.
Author Unknown

Sam and Clara (my mother's parents), 1952

Rebecca (my husband's mother)

I wish I could say that this is how I remember my mother-in-law, but she disappeared with no trace in 1945. This is the only image we have of her as an adult. Rebecca, wherever you are, we wish you love and peace, and wish we could celebrate this Mother's Day with you in person.

Passages

My, how time flies. Today marks the 13th wedding anniversary of our daughter and son-in-law. When husband and I were married 13 years, our son was already 11-1/2 and our daughter was 10. Allison's children are only 7, 4, and 21 months. As we mark the passages of time, we are reminded of those who went before us and those who will come after our passing. Hopefully we will still be alive when our beautiful grandchildren begin to mark their own passages, such as graduations, marriages, and children of their own. I would love to be a great-grandmother -- but all in good time. Both of us intend to live a long time because we know the future will be as interesting as the past.

Husband and I have changed a great deal since we met in 1967. Husband was a long-haired hippy, straight off a commune in northern California and I was a professional working girl (weekend hippy) from Chicago. We met and our lives changed forever. I even grew my hair very long in the early days of our marriage and was known to wear some pretty hip/funky clothes.

Once we started having children, however, we both changed. We both cut our hair, for instance, and polyester became part of our lives.

1974, Laurel and Tom, Allison 3 and Eli 4-1/2
Married December 15, 1968 (6 years)

1989, Laurel and Tom, married 21 years, Allison 18 and Eli 19-1/2
(At my parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary Party)

March 9, 1996, Wedding Day
Allison and Jason

May 15, 2004, Wedding Day
Eli and Aprilyn

December 13, 2008, our lovely children and grandchildren

December 14, 2008, Tom and Laurel
Our 40th wedding anniversary party

March 5, 2009, Allison and children

We've all aged (gracefully we hope), put on weight, and added some grey to our hair. Husband only wears Hawaiian shirts these days and I'm still working (he's retired).

Our children have been a blessing to us over the years. Our grandchildren love us almost as much as we love them. My heart swells and my eyes tear up when I see them.

We wish our daughter and son-in-law many more happy years of marriage on this special occasion. Their marriage ceremony was captured on video and we can go back and revisit the joy of the occasion whenever we want.

If we are lucky enough, based on family longevity, we will still be alive when daughter and son-in-law celebrate their 40th anniversary. Wouldn't that be something to behold?

You Are Loved!

I am sending this little bit of love to all my friends and especially my family on this very special Valentine's Day. Since I'm suffering from a nasty cold and bronchitis, and I don't want you to get sick from contact with me, I'm sending a virtual hug to those I love -- and you K.N.O.W. who you are.

Here it is Friday the 13th and true to form several things have gone wrong for me today. What has gone right, however, is this little bit of heaven and mood elevator from darling daughter Alipurr which arrived today. It came just in time to make me feel especially loved. Husband has been plying me with chocolates all week (I let him have some too for being so nice to me) and doing double-duty trying to make me healthy, but this was a super surprise that arrived late this afternoon.

Thank you daughter for being so sweet, thoughtful, and loving. I feel better already. Thanks to my sweet grandchildren for calling to see if I was getting better and thanks for the sloppy kisses last Thursday. Thanks also to Natasha for the lovely letter in which she professed her love for me and wished me a Happy Valentine's Day. Thanks to my sister, the desert gardener, who has been faithfully checking up on me every day (sometimes several times a day). Thanks to Susie for your kind words of encouragement. Thanks to Sandy, especially for three nice phone calls in one day -- hope you and Jimmy have a loving day tomorrow spent doing something nice for each other. Thanks to my son and daughter-in-law for keeping in touch and always having nice things to say. Thanks to my personal physician for the prescriptions and the two nice shots in both hips (ouch). I'm really feeling better already.

And finally, thanks to my wonderful husband for being so patient with me all week. I don't want to make you sick by kissing you on the lips so this will have to do instead.

Happy 2009

I want to wish all my friends and family a very Happy New Year -- 2009. Even though there are so many terrible troubles in the world today, I feel confident that everything will work itself out in the end. My hope for the new year is for peace, good health, and prosperity for each and every one. My message -- stop fighting and start loving.

40 years of wedded bliss celebrated 12/15/08

We were so happy that our son and daughter-in-law made the trip from San Diego to spend two weeks with us and to explore Kentucky.

Aprilyn and Eli

Also celebrating with us were daughter Allison and kids (Jason joined us on Christmas Day).

Following an anniversary dinner at one of our favorite restaurants complete with family and friends, son and DIL (as a special anniversary present) took us to Memphis for a two-day, fun-filled excursion to play tourist. While there, we were treated to a luxurious stay at a fab hotel and trips to Graceland, Beale Street where we gorged on Memphis ribs and other goodies, BB King's Blues Club where we were treated to authentic, down-home blues, Sun Records Studio where Elvis and other notables got their start, the Rock and Soul Museum where we were entertained for hours with all types of music, and a visit to the Gibson Guitar Factory. After checking into our hotel, we rushed over to the Peabody Hotel to watch the parade of the famous ducks from the lobby pond, down the red carpet to the elevator, and up to their penthouse suite. Memphis was terrific but boy was it C.O.L.D.

Note to readers: they were going to take us to St. Louis but we quickly decided to go South because St. Louis was socked in by an ice storm.

It was wonderful having all our children home at one time. We had a terrific Christmas and it was a pleasure cooking for everyone. The turkey and all the fixings were the best.

One of our presents was a new digital camera. We were shocked and delighted to receive it. Now all we have to do is learn to use this beauty.



Hope your holidays were as pleasant as ours were.

I can finally eat again!

Thanksgiving at our house was a delight.

We had great food, good company, and the gift that keeps on giving -- a nice stomach virus. Our eldest granddaughter, Dancer Girl, was feeling puny while at our house from Thursday through Sunday, and by Sunday night, so was I. Today is the first day I'm finally starting to feel normal again and can eat. Daughter and our other granddaughter also had mild bouts of the upset and thankfully are feeling well now. Baby brother, son-in-law, son-in-law's brother, and husband never did get sick which is a good thing.

Thanks to my good friend Susie of Susie's Space, I was able to set my Thanksgiving table with items from the give-away I won from her.


Aren't those turkey napkin holders cute? My kitchen was redolent with good smells from the food and from the cinnamon and spice potpourri. (This picture of my holiday table was before all the mountains of food was passed out and the gorging began.)

During the past couple of days I was unable to digest anything other than Jewish penicillin (chicken soup) with some white rice and bits of turkey. It must have worked because today I was actually hungry. Yes, I was finally able to eat something substantial. And what did I make but this (recipe compliments of Rosa of Living As Rosa):

This is a recipe for a fabulous beef stew from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. Out of necessity, however, I made a few minor changes. My stew was served on a bed of mashed potatoes and included chopped celery and canned peas instead of frozen peas. Also, I didn't have any tomato paste (used tomato ketchup instead) or bay leaves so I omitted them. I'm sure these alterations to the original recipe changed the flavor slightly but all in all the stew was delicious. Thanks, Rosa, for the great recipe. I took your advice and sliced the carrots thinly and they cooked up just fine. I have added this recipe to my favorite recipes binder.

Now that the Thanksgiving food bacchanalia is over, we can concentrate on the upcoming Christmas and New Year's gorgefest. What's on your menu?

Fancy feet

The following picture and cutline appeared as part of the lead story (on the front page) of daughter and son-in-law's local paper today. Granddaughter was so proud and happy, she called us this evening to excitedly tell us she was on the front page of the paper.

“Dancer Girl,” 6, demonstrates a lunge during her father "J’s" modern fencing class for children ages 6-9. The class is held Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. as part of “L” Sword Arts training.

Our eldest granddaughter is so graceful and talented. In addition to weekly ballet and piano lessons, she is also learning the art of fencing from her instructor, her long-haired daddy, who just opened his own fencing studio. Dancer Girl and Little Sister are also being home-schooled by daughter Alipurr. And, boy, are those girls smart!

Daughter + 3 just spent a long weekend with us and we had a wonderful time doing all sorts of wonderful things, including playing footsie.

Alipurr + 3 (ages 6, 3, and 4 months)

Everybody loves mommy

Baby Boy enjoying his first taste of cantaloupe

We had a great time visiting with daughter and her three young'uns. The weather was just perfect and we were all pleasantly tired by the time we took them home. The picture with granddaughter fencing was taken by the newspaper that afternoon. She doesn't look tired, does she? Grandma and grandpa took it easy today!!!

Can't wait to see them again really, really soon.

Thoughts on a sunny Sunday

My daughter Alipurr recently admonished me because I haven't been blogging. As a way of making amends, I submit this post for your enjoyment and to let you know that I'm still here amongst the living.

The following are real answers on a Bible knowledge test. Makes you wonder what people are being taught not only in school, but in churches as well.


Noah's wife was Joan of Ark.

Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night.

Moses went to the top of Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandments.

The seventh commandment is "thou shalt not admit adultery."

Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.

Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption.

The people who followed Jesus were called Decibels.

The epistles were the wives of the apostles.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew.

Salome danced in seven veils in front of King Herod.

Paul preached acrimony which is another name for marriage.

David fought the Finkelsteins which is a race of people who lived in Bible times.

The Jews had trouble throughout their history with unsympathetic Genitals.

A Christian should have only one wife. This is called monotony.


Then there are my thoughts on why I haven't been blogging.

• I've been busy
• I've been lazy
• I've been away
• I've suffered a brain fart and couldn't think of anything interesting to write about
• I've been shy
• I've been swimming
• I've been working out in the yard a lot
  
• I've been skulking around others' blogs and not leaving comments
• I've been skulking around others' blogs and occasionally leaving comments
  
• I've been stubborn about writing even though family members have urged me to do so
• I've been depressed
• I've been going through a phase
• I've felt untalented
• I've felt like nobody would be interested in ANYTHING I had to say
• I've felt that my life is b.o.r.i.n.g

There have been times when I've wanted to scream at the world, and all the nut cases in it, to stop acting like playground bullies. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've done something interesting (to me) but have felt it was too trivial. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've hidden in the house (not agoraphobic by any means) and have not wanted to see people. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've been disgusted about my looks or my weight or my health but felt it would be an invasion of my privacy to discuss it. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've felt anger and this anger caused me to not share my feelings with anybody. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've felt unworthy to share my thoughts with others. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've wanted to share my feelings about my parents, sister, and other family members but was afraid of hurting peoples' feelings or sounding like a petulant child. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've wanted to discuss family secrets but feel these secrets are nobody's business. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I haven't felt like putting on a happy front (while blogging) but wanted to let it all hang out. I've wanted to blog about this.

In the end, I've just been silent. I guess that's my way of coping with things that are affecting my life right now. None of these reasons for not blogging have changed my opinion of you, my fellow bloggers and friends. I love reading your blogs and reading your thoughts. Sometimes I wish I could be as open and honest as some of you but I guess I'm afraid of alienating you and having you change your opinion of me. That's important.

In the final analysis, the old adage "use it or lose it" comes to mind. Once you get out of the habit of blogging on a regular basis, it becomes harder and harder to sit down at the keyboard and express yourself. All I can say, though, is I'm still here, I'm still visiting your sites, I'm interested in you and what you've been up to, and I'm still interested in the world around me.

I will leave you with this final thought. Everyone should try blue Jell-O at least once in their lifetime.