unexpected

Nothing like the last second to respond to a prompt!
It gave me time to think about several UNEXPECTED things
that have happened this week!

One morning my husband had to call our plumber back. His wife answered with an abrupt 'HELLO'?? My husband asked if he could please speak to Ron. Then my husband over heard her say " Hey Shithead, it's for you! Why didn't you answer the phone? I had to get off the TUR-LIT to answer it!"
My husband found it difficult to hold in the laugher and not say "hey shithead" when Ron came to the phone! ( talk about appropriate nicknames!!)

Two our UNexpected surprise, we got an electronic peppermill in the mail from a loved one for no occasion, other than that they know my husband loves pepper.

Three UNEXPECTED EXTRA pounds- NO Comment!

Four the first time, I tried Panera Breads Turkey chickpea Chili and it was Unexpectedly DELICIOUS!

Five times after I got home from Panera, I UNexpectedly needed to R..U... N... to the bathroom!

it's SIX minutes to my midnight deadline for the Writers Island prompt.... and I've unexpectedly given out way to much information.

SEVEN unexpected adorable geese were in the middle of a busy road tonight. I had to stop my car and wait behind other cars for quite a while, for them to decide to cross.
After they crossed and I proceeded I realized why they were taking so long. One poor little guy had apparently been a hit and run victim. The other 7 weren't just crossing, they were in mourning. Unexpected tears welled up in my eyes and I haven't been able to stop thinking of their poor sad hearts.

writers island

I QUIT!

Sunday Scribblings Asks these questions this week-
Have you ever quit something? A job, a sport, a school play, a relationship? How did it feel? Were you guilty? Flooded with relief and a powerful feeling of freedom? Do you maybe quit things too easily? Or do you never quit, even when you should? What does it mean to be a "quitter"?

Today I want to touch on a particular job I quit Which DID in fact make me feel flooded with relief! As I mentioned in a meme a few posts ago, One of my Brief jobs was as a substitute school lunch monitor. This was during the time after my husband was injured, and we all needed to do whatever we could to pay our bills. So for a few days each week, besides hairdressing, I went into elementary schools that needed subs and helped out. As I mentioned in that post, I quit due to The kids being SO obnoxious and disrespectful. What I didn't mention however, is that it was actually ONE obnoxious, disrespectful, wicked 5th grade boy who totally put me over the edge and made me want to quit that job. It is so timely that SS prompt is quitting while Writers Islands prompt is "the return" because a few days ago... The return of that horrible child's name came rushing back to me... as I read it, in black and white in my local newspaper.
I could have predicted his future 11 years ago. I had come home after an incident with him, I was so upset and told my husband-
"I cannot believe that such rudeness and nasty behavior can come from a 10 year old child! He seems truly evil. We have 3 sweet kids, Why the hell should I subject myself to such disrespect from someone else's monster!" So that was it, I quit and was Extremely relieved to do so. ( because as you know you are NOT allowed to punch or gag these little kids, and THAT is what I strongly desired to do!)
As for that wicked boys return...
He is facing major jail time for a hazing incident where he gave 2nd and 3rd degree burns to fellow students, by repeatedly pouring boiling water on them! Then covered them in flour, vinegar, cayenne pepper and wasabi sauce. All as part of an initiation to a fraternity. Are you as outraged by this as I am? How could anyone purposely hurt another like that? It is just appallingly horrible and so so sad.
Yesterday, I saw a brief segment about this story on local tv news. They interviewed a neighbor asking " Can you believe what has happened? And he said something to the effect.. "OH, No, Such a nice family, such a nice boy."
I'm sure he said that out of fear, knowing with our ridiculously charitable judicial system, The monster will be back on his street and in HIS nightmares, in no time at all.

Thrill Rider

Impulse, liberation, betrayal.
writers island prompts have been haunting me this weekend.
After writing about the amazing ride Soarin'... I feel like continuing the ride theme...
When I was young I just LOVED crazy rides. As a young teen, Every weekend during every summer, my friends and I would go to our local amusement park and ride the roller coaster and the love machine over and over again. Nothing was fast enough. Nothing scared us. The love machine was my favorite ride. It would go around very fast in a wave pattern, after several minutes a large canopy would come down covering the ride ( hence the name). Then the ride would continue backwards. I remember the feeling so well. It definitely felt liberating. We would yell to the attendant to play MOney by pink floyd. (turn up your volume, I put it on playlist) That songs escalating instrumental riff went so well with the rides feverish revolutions. Whoever sat on the outer seat, would be squished by the other kids weight. Being small, I always got in first and was luckily the squishER. The freedom of those nights is indescribable. We were young teens, without supervision, without a care, without a plan. Summer nights in suburbia. Flirting with boys. laughing like crazy. Winning tiny stuffed toys. Flying through the air without ANY fear at all.....UNTIL...
Move ahead several years. My boyfriend takes me to disney world. I haven't been on rides lately, but he knows I used to be a thrill seeker! He convinces me that Space mountain is really cool and NOT very scary. He says,


"It's just a roller coaster in the dark". Impulsively, I change my mind last minute and want to get off the line. Something about this fast ride being in the dark is really disturbing me. He persuades me to go against my inner voice, my impulse to flee. Never ignore your little inner voice as I did, It is your warning system at work. I have never been as terrified as I was on that dark ride that dark day. The bastard wickedly betrayed me. ( I ended up marrying him anyway) When we got off that ride, I was literally hysterical crying, wobbling, and shaking uncontrollably. As he sat me down on a bench. One after another... People coming off the ride were coming over to me and THEY were hysterical, but with laughter. Saying things like.. "We know you are upset, BUT we just have to tell you- you made that ride SOO much MORE fun!" They were doubled over with laughter and thanking me! Apparently Me SCREAMING the whole time at the top of my lungs, things like- "GET ME OFF THIS FUCKING RIDE", "OH MY GOD I AM GOING TO DIE ON THIS RIDE", 'NO, NO NO NO NO", " HOLY SHIT HELP ME PLEASE", " JESUS CHRIST IM GOING TO DIE!" "NOOOO" "OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT"... Well, I guess that is REAL entertainment for some thrill seekers. What it was for me was the end of my thrill ride era. From that day on, I CANNOT Do ANY thing HIgh off the ground. No more roller coasters and flume rides for Little Lulu. Although I DID do soarin', what I didn't mention was... I was holding on tight to my husbands and sons hands. sweaty and shaky, and trying not to move a muscle, fearful I WOULD fall and die.... but I did it!
I can do wimpy rides like bumper cars, AND thankfully, I can do something low to the ground that zooms a bit and plays fast music. Years ago they renamed The Love Machine,They now call it the music express.
( No more canopy for kids to make out under.) I am so happy I CAN still enjoy this ride! When my kids were young I would be the one on the outer edge being crushed by their little bodies. NOW, since they're very grown...If we ever decide to go there together.. I get to do the squishing!

Family Lost = Family Found

FAMILY. The word alone makes me mushy with love and pride. The family my husband and I have created is our world. It's what I had always dreamed about as a young girl, coming from a very small, unconventional family. I think this ferocious desire for a close family started as young as three years old. The year my dad died. Most everyone I knew in suburbia had the traditional Mom and Dad family. Many little kids were astonished to find out, My family had kids and only.. a Mom! There were times I felt my identity was that of a fatherless child. My mothers extended family wasn't large, so we didn't socialize with many relatives. To make matters worse, my fathers family abandoned us after he had died. As a young child, I didn't even realize they were missing from my life. As I got older, I started to question it. How in the world did his parents and siblings just wipe us out after he was gone? As an adult, I can't imagine this. After the funeral, they hopped in their cars and headed back to brooklyn, leaving long island and their blood in the exhaust fumes. Allowing us to try to pick up the pieces on our own. My mom has no idea why they became so distant. I've assumed that maybe they hated my mom, maybe they were heartless and ignorant. Maybe, we were too painful a reminder of my father. No matter my imaginings, I still find it bizarre, totally cold and unloving. How do grandparents turn their backs on three grandkids under age 12? What ever their reasons... I thank them. Their relinquishment is partly responsible for the ferocious drive I had to create the kind of family I had always yearned for myself. There Coldheartedness aided in making me, the caring, unconditional loving mom, That is NOW my very proud identity. I felt determined from a young age to someday have children, a family of my very own. This intense desire actually prevented me from taking the risks that many of my generation were taking. In the back of my mind I would always think... No, this is unsafe and may hurt my chances of having children.
My husband and I are so happy that we've provided a strong family unit for our 3 very wanted, adored children. Through the years, the family life we started with and imagined would continue has had many ups and downs, many curve balls that could easily have weakened our strong family link. When my eldest was only 12, my middle son 9 and my youngest 3 (coincidentally the ages my siblings and I were when my dad passed away ) my husband had a serious injury and was out of work for a year. I had to stop being a 'stay at home' mom and start working again. The love and support we had always given to our kids must have been a powerful example because their loving qualities really blazed to the surface. They became amazingly understanding and supportive through that awful year. My oldest son asked if he could start a car washing business with his 9 year old brother, so they could help us pay the bills. They were also my husbands 'hands' as my husband verbally guided them through daily chores like preparing dinner, cleaning and helping with the baby. It was rough for many years after his injury, but We are a family. A family needs to sticks together through thick and thin, good times and bad. We now also look at this particular part of those rough years.. with Thanks. If not for the face of adversity, we may never have been able to witness the astonishing character and inner strength that emerged from very young boys, our boys...Our treasured Family.

In this pic.our boys are approximately 14, 11, and 6 years old.
Wonderful topic Sunday Scribblings!
Thanks writers island for the great noun and adjective that helped me express myself a little better!

COPW looking for PHSM

Why is it if something breaks... You just can't seem to replace it with something comparable? Have you noticed how inferior new products are to their ancestors? It's Outrageous, Manufacturers are purposely producing cheaper products, so we have to buy more of them over our lifetime. My in-laws have an ironing board that is in perfect condition, they bought it in 1950! In my 28 years of marriage I have already bought THREE ironing boards! THAT's Outrageous!
A few years ago my toaster oven broke. It was one of those Black and Decker mounted under the cabinet types.

I loved it, it made Toast well. It heated up pizza quickly. It let me have access to the counter space underneath it. I went out looking for a new one... They didn't make that type anymore.. the sales person said.."oh they were too dangerous, they can cause fires, they stopped making that type" Stopped making that type? OUTRAGEOUS! What about the cavernous holes that are drilled into my cabinet holding up the
(now needless) toaster oven bracket?? What now? Most likely some Ass left his 'under the cabinet' toaster on.. while he went out shopping and then to a movie and then to his house of ashes, and Now they are ALL deemed UNSAFE! Just like the moron who took the blow dryer into his (final) shower with him and Now we all have to have THAT huge warning label attached to the cord. I'm surprised they didn't just STOP making blowdryers... "Oh They'll electrocute you those crazy hair dryers will, they are too dangerous!!". So I had to buy a different toaster oven. Well, let me tell you they are all junk! If you want a MONSTER toaster oven that doubles as an ACTUAL oven... well then maybe you will have toast quickly.. The smaller ones( which are still large enough to now overpower that corner counter section that used to be clear)
well... They DON'T work well AT ALL. You have to preheat it on tuesday if you want toast on wednesday. As for reheating pizza... you may as well call and have them deliver a new one, it would be quicker. Cleaning the crumb tray? Forget it, I will just wait till it's full and go buy a new toaster oven. My old black and decker was a breeze.. Just unhinge the bottom... a few crumbs fall onto the counter.. scoop them into the garbage... wipe the counter. Easy as toast used to be.


My newest outrage?... My shower head sprung a troublesome leak... This is one area, I don't need change. I won't tolerate change. My shower calms me. I NEED my Really good shower and I NEEd it every single morning and often nights too. I like that water hot. I like it powerful and pulsating (ooh la la) I like a handheld shower that will ALSO stay in it's little holder and NOT fall on my little head. I like a flexible hose that doesn't make me feel like I'm sharing my shower with alien.


So far.. No luck... I've bought two... they are both going back to the stores, (as did many toaster ovens till I realized they are all crap.) The shower head however.. Im not giving up as easily. These newer ones make me feel like I'm showering at a hotel.( even WITH the stupid water saver thingy removed) No matter how fancy the hotel... You just love coming home to your own clean and vigorous shower. I DON'T want to shower at a hotel next time and think.. oooh just like home! That would be too weird! speaking of those water saver thingeys... ARe they for real?? Do they really think we are CONSERVING water with that little dribble of a drippy shower?? You will be standing there Four times as long to get the soap off your hair! Those devices are wasting energy. Almost as much energy as I've been wasting looking for decent replacement products for essential conveniences in my busy, pizza eating,toast making, clean life! (Can't you tell, I'm not as calm as usual?)
If anyone knows of a powerful, wonderful, secure (handsome) shower head.. Can you please give me his (model) number??
translation of my title- Crazy, Outraged, Perturbed, Woman looking for Powerful,hand-held, shower-massager.

my flight of fancy

Last night we went to a local playhouse to see "Always Patsy Cline". The tickets were assigned seats, not general admission. During intermission the couple seated to the right of us and the couple seated to the left of us took flight for the break. Since I was on my feet all day at work, I was so happy that miraculously my bladder allowed me to continue sitting during the break. Right before the next act a DIFFERENT couple sat down to the left of us and a DIFFERENT couple sat down to the right! In a whisper, I pointed this out to my husband (who was also exhausted from work and I think he may have been Oblivious to even what show we were watching) He said "oh yeah, that's weird" WEIRD? I am totally baffled! I was SO tempted to just ASK the man to my right, but he was making all these disgusting noises with his mucous swallowing and sneezing and coughing that I tried to position my back towards him. I mentioned this mystery to the kids this morning and my (wise ass) middle son joked " Well, maybe you and dad smelled." Which, even if that WAS true ( which IT CERTAINLY IS NOT).... WHERE DID THOSE NEW PEOPLE COME FROM AND WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO SIT NEAR THE SMELLY PEOPLE??? I've gone through every flight of fancy my mind could muster and Nothing makes sense to me. Needless to say, I can't recall the second act... I was too busy figuring out the theatrical event that was happening around me while trying to repel germ man.


read much better flight stories at-

LOST highway

I don't think this is what the prompt was intended for but LOST highway brings one thing to my mind... One of my favorite obsessions, L O S T ( the tv show.) I have been riding down the L O S T highway for only ONE short year!
I was a later voyager. I started season one on dvd in March of '07. I could NOT get enough. My husband wanted to savor this series and watch ONE episode one day, ONE another.. I got totally obsessed and a bit CRAZY.I would want to see two or more in a row and He would obnoxiously say.. "Okay that's enough, let's not rush this" I Would Jump off the couch and scream "Your not the fucking L O S T police". I was like an addict who needed more. When we finished season one, I ran out the very next day to buy season two. AGAIN, he would try to hold us back from seeing too many at once. It was like he wanted to get his moneys worth or something? He definitely likes tv way more than I do, BUT when I DO like something.. WATHCH OUT! Season three came out mid december of '07 and we finished it before Christmas, and IN time to start season 4 on tv. My husband started his nonsense again, he didn't want to watch it weekly on tv... he wanted me to WAIT some more. "Let's wait till it's on dvd, we will enjoy it more that way." I don't recall what I screamed: "kiss my ass" rings a bell. Each week my son's friend Jon would join us as we all traveled down the Lost Road. ( thanks to dvr, we FF all the commercials) Then the hiatus.. due to the *%$#% writers strike. ( I think my husband was gloating) We have to WAIT 6 weeks to have more L O S T. It is like torture, UNTIL... blogging pal Rick mentions he likes the show "rescue me".. I picked up season one at the library. I FORCED HUBBY TO WATCH MANY IN A ROW... The following week- season two..Tonight, I just finished 3 hours of Rescue me.. I'm shakey and I NEED to get hold of season three! (This show is also like crack.)
If you aren't hooked on these two shows yet.. Trust me. You owe yourself a 'feel good' present.. go to amazon (or just take the highway) and let the obsession begin.

Brain Fog

I swear my family is trying to gaslight me.
Have you ever seen this suspenseful 1944 film? Ingrid Bergman is being driven crazy by her evil husband (charles Boyer). He tricks her into thinking that she is forgetting everything. ( btw.. It is amazing How much Ingrid Bergman looks like Debra Messing) I am either being 'gas-lighted' by my family or I am really going cuckoo.
Last week I had bought dried apricots and Medaglia D'Oro Caff' ( I love adding a few TBsP of espresso in with my regular ground coffee (and cinnamon) Anyway.. I go to eat an apricot and they are already opened. I ask my older son (the only other apricot lover) He claims he never opened it. I assume someone in the store tampered with them, No way will I eat them. Then yesterday I go to use the coffee and IT'S OPENED ALREADY TOO! Again, everyone claims they didn't open it. Considering it takes a can opener to open this item, I really doubt it was tampered with in the store. My husband ( Boyer in disguise) claims I am so forgetful that I opened it and forgot. (I could swear he even sounded like Boyer when he said this!) This is one example of them gas-lighting me. I know I am in perimenopause and have been more forgetful lately, but I KNOW I would remember taking out the electric can opener and opening that freaking coffee! At what point should we consider being forgetful serious enough to look into? I am going to be 49 this August, Can I really be experiencing the beginnings of Alzheimer's already? It is a terrifying thought. Years ago a wise friend told me. "You are like a Christmas tree with way too many ornaments on you. Take OFF some ornaments/ balls and give them to your children". I listened to her, and gave more of my chores to my boys. Lately, However, I am right back to my old habits of doing E V E R Y T H I N G! I feel so overwhelmed at times. My mind is full of all the things I need to accomplish. It also holds lists, doctors appt.'s to keep and make, Who needs what script called in, Birthdays, anniversarys,The families schedule, The names of all my clients, their spouses and kids and EVEN their grandkids names! For goodness sakes, No wonder I can't remember Apricots and coffee. Maybe I'm not being brainwashed or having Alzheimer's, maybe my little brains inbox is full and I need to torridly delete any junk that is taking up valuable space. I think I am going to invent a way to wear my pen and pad around my neck like people do with their glasses. This way, I can jot down Anything that pops in my head and free my brains branches of burdensome balls of bullshit. ( hey.. try to say that 3 times fast!)

Déjà vu

According to Wikipedia, some people feel the experience of déjà vu is the memory of dreams. I find that interesting and definitely possible. I dream in blown up living, feeling, pulsing Colors. My dreams are so explicit, it makes sense to me that this 'realistic' dream experience has me feeling it has really happened. So,Experiencing something similar to the dream while awake CAN probably trigger that deja vu feeling, making it more understandable that we can't for the life of us remember WHEN we had been through this same experience. Dreams are so easily forgotten. A life experience isn't. If the situation HAD really happened to us, we wouldn't have that floaty, weirdness sensation. We would just remember. ALTHOUGH, to contradict that dream theory.. SO many little incidentals that happen in real life WOULD be easily forgotten. Like .. Doesn't déjà vu happen a lot when you're sitting around talking with people that you sit around and talk with a lot. So the talking will get on a subject and everyone will put their 2 cents in and you are all floaty and strange with déjà vu.. but most likely you all HAVE talked and commented in this EXACT way another time, most likely meaning.... It's time to make some new friends, or drop these same old topics!
More interesting than the dream theory is the reincarnation theory! Ooooh, eerie! Imagine if déjà vu is caused by bits of past-life memories being jarred to the surface of the mind by familiar surroundings or people? (Groovy baby.)
I used to experience déjà vu more often in my younger days. Lately, My memory is so frayed and so utterly awful that Nothing seems as familiar as it used to. Which can be really wonderful 'cause I can Still invite those old friends over and they can never bore me with their retold stories. I'm also great at keeping secrets!
That's all I have to say about this prompt. Hope you let me know what you think.

for more on déjà vu, visit-

Jersey Boys

Yesterday was my husbands 52nd birthday. I surprised him with tickets to see the show 'Jersey Boys' on broadway. The show was spectacular! All the raves I had heard were true. It is truly one of the most entertaining shows with a great groovy story and nostalgic catchy tunes. As I sat spellbound by the captivating tale of Frankie Valli and the four seasons, many forgotten wonderful memories came floating back.
When I was a young girl in the 60's, my mom was a waitress at a diner type place called 'The Red Barn'. It was right up the road from where I lived, so even as a very young girl, I was able to walk there alone. Somedays I would just spend time hanging out at a booth, coloring, visiting my mom when she was slow AND begging her for change to play the huge Juke box.
In 1967, there was only one tune that juke box played more than any other. 'Can't take my eyes off of you' by Frankie Valli. When the chorus began with a booming " I LOVE YOU BABY AND IF IT'S QUITE ALRIGHT..." The Red barn seemed to come alive. People would sing out loud along with Frankie. Waitresses grabbed each other and began dancing in front of the juke box. That one song seemed to take everyone away for a few minutes. It was a contagious happiness that I am so thrilled I've remembered again. As a matter of fact, in the play, they convey that their fans were not the flower children of the 60's but the gas attendants and the waitresses with dark circles under their eyes. I imagine I wasn't the only one in the August Wilson Theater that suddenly had goosebumps and tears emerge. This show not only allowed me the fun of tapping my feet to it's enchanting pulse, It allowed me a trip back, to a time lost, a time SO worth remembering.

More Spellbound posts? visit-

rising prices

After food shopping yesterday, I was blown away by what it
takes to feed a family of 5. I am trying to stock up on only 'good' foods
It's amazing how difficult this is lately....

They say-Eat 5 thru 7 fruits and veggies a day
That's what it takes to keep the doc away
Yet chips and cookies are always on sale
while prices soar for zucchini and kale
$3.00 for blueberries that will serve just one
or $3.00 for family sized sticky cinnamon buns
$5.00 for 6 large red apples- delicious
or $5.00 for 2 gallons of ice cream- I'm getting suspicious
With foods that keep us healthy the prices keep on rising
while they deceive us with design to throw off downsizing
Let's Keep Americans fat, unhealthy and poor
by assaulting them in their local grocery store

While I'm at it I also must rant and tell
about the scheme to keep us all stupid as well
Our governments plan? college = student loans & debt galore
No win situation, you're smarter but still fat, unhealthy and working poor

Empowered

One enjoyable part of my job is I get to grow close to many wonderful people. One agonizing part of my job is I get to grow close to many wonderful people.
Today was one of those agonizing times. A long time wonderful client stoically told me she has cancer, again. After 7 years it's return didn't seem to shock her it just subdued her usually buoyant spirit. She tried to comfort me,saying that she would be okay. She tried to be positive and courageous. Her awful news just breaks my heart. Life is too short already. I am so tired of seeing people I care about shot down in their prime. I know that even extremely health conscious people are still unfairly burdened with awful illnesses in this unpredictable craps shoot called Life. This news today however, has made me want to take a healthier stand. I refuse to just passively sit on the pass line. I want to fight the best fight by taking better control of my health. I have yo-yoed back and forth with exercise my whole life. I start a vitamin regimen for a month then toss the nearly full bottles in the trash a year later. I reached my goal weight last year, only to put back 10 lbs this year. Facing 50 next year is suddenly terrifying. I want to have the odds on my side. I've always been a pretty healthy person, but I think I've taken that good health for granted. Every day that we rise and put our feet on the ground, we need to be thankful that we have our health and another day to be with the people we cherish. I need to feel the empowerment of taking control of my body. I remember feeling that way, during those times when I was on a good roll.
Good health empowers us to lead longer, happier lives. That's the kind of life I am shooting for.

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Second chance

As her short 2nd grade legs climbed up the steep metal school bus steps, she tripped on her untied shoelace and stumbled into the bus driver. He had a kind face. He helped her up with an "ooops, are you okay sweetheart"? She felt so embarrassed, it was the first day of school, 1966. She was dressed in a new favorite outfit. It was a dress her big sister helped her choose. As she looked down and smoothed her white polka dotted mini dress, she noticed the strap on her pocket book was broken. Her face must have turned scarlet red, because Bob, the bus driver said again with more concern "are you okay?" Tears welled up in her eyes, Her sister was going to kill her. She shouldn't have borrowed the pocketbook without asking. The bus driver noticed the strap, and said "Oh, don't worry honey when you get home, your daddy can fix that for you." She tried to acknowledge his kindness but feeling very upset, lucy just moved towards her friend Anna's seat and sat down next to her. Anna, who had heard what the bus driver said told lucy "Lucy, go tell him you don't have a dad". 'No Anna! It doesn't matter, why should I say that?' "BEcause", Anna said" He thinks you have a dad to fix Diane's pocketbook." Lucy adamantly refused to offer, what she saw as irrelevant information, so Anna walked the few seats to the front of the bus and said "Bob, She doesn't have a dad, he died". Bob, turned towards Lucy and said "I'm so sorry dear, would you like me to try and fix that bag for you?" Before, she could answer, before she could think, Anna already grabbed the purse, dumped its contents onto her seat and handed the purse to Bob. Lucy felt more embarrassed than grateful. Not having a dad made her feel like she had a sign on her back saying Freak. Bossy Anna had the nicest dad, He always took them for pizza. He played volleyball in their pool with her and Anna and once he put Lucy up on his shoulders the way he often carried Anna.
At the end of the first day of school,an anxious Lucy stepped very carefully up the wide steps. To her surprise a new bus driver was driving her home. Bob, who had been their driver last year too, had been asked to switch routes with another driver who had some personal issues with an older student. Her initial fear was quickly forgotten with a sigh of relief, when she saw Dianes purse sitting up on the dashboard, repaired! The driver asked if she was Lucy and gave her the purse. The feeling of relief was overwhelming, but the feeling of regret for not having thanked Bob bothered her for a very long time.
Lucy would have never expected that an indirect opportunity of a second chance to thank Kind Bob would happen, But it would happen 42 years later....
Working as a hairstylist for many years, Lucy shared many stories with her customers. One day, Lucy was telling her long time client Evelyn about all the wonderful stories her son shares with her about his adorable students. Evelyn laughed and said "My husband used to share some really cute stories with me. It is so wonderful working with kids." Lucy said "Remind me, What did your husband do"? He was a bus driver said Evelyn. "Oh that's right, How did I forget that?". Evelyn than began a favorite story from many many years ago.... yes. The story of a sweet little child with a broken pocketbook strap, who thought it was the end of the world. A child Bob had thought was adorably sweet. As Lucy listened, Her heart sank to her stomach, she stopped cutting Evelyn's hair. Her eyes welled up and the tears just wouldn't stop. At first, Evelyn didn't understand. Then, she remembered that Lucy had grown up in the same town that she lived in. Why didn't she ever realize that possibility? She stood up and with an expression of surprise and warmth she hugged Lucy and cried with her. Lucy was able to finally thank Bobs widow for his small kind gesture that had meant the world to a small fatherless girl.
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Blogging through time

When I read Writers Islands time travel prompt for this week, I thought hmm this is familiar. I could swear I've already done this prompt... Turns out it was my own prompt on my second attempt at writing a post back in April of '06!
It was funny re-reading this short simple post. It feels like it was longer than two years ago that I wrote it. I especially loved the comment from Ann! I also realized that I had never pointed out that he wasn't REallY drinking from that bottle and Ham that I am, I just pulled that hat off a bridesmaid sitting next to me for the picture! I don't make a habit of wearing big floppy hats to weddings, or eating cherries by the glassful! REflecting back on writing that post made my time travel topic materialize.
This April it will be two years that I've been at this blogging stuff! How quickly that time went by. I remember telling Ann ( of the funny comment and responsible for getting me blogging) Who will ever leave me a comment besides you? No one will want to read what I have to say. If I received 2 or 3 comments back then it was a lot and I was thrilled.
Along comes Sunday Scribblings and Writers Island, and with them the world becomes a much,much smaller world. Paranoid, whacko Lucy, who Is always telling her children "DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS ONLINE"!! begins meeting and communicating and forming friendships with TOTAL strangers! Strangers who always lend an ear, they lend constant support, They boost my confidence enough for me to bravely air my poetry. They actually come here and WANT to read my silly rants and trivial life stories. I meet life long soul mates who write me letters filled with genuine love, excellent advice and True friendship.
My comments go from 2-3 in '06 to the most I ever received in '07, TWENTY SIX! :)) thrilled! thrilled!) I remember I was so excited I emailed my Mentor Ann to share that number! Slightly silly, but it is an exciting result of doing something I am really enjoying.
Looking back on some of these barely read older posts... some are pretty good! Too good in fact, Not to share with my newer readers! Like this old Scribblings That EVERY woman can surely relate to or if You're a dog lover like me this one about my mentally unstable cockapoo Molly.
I am so grateful to any one out there who has traveled these two years with me and has read some of my little tales. As I continue to travel to many new and old favorite blogs this year, I am going to try to find enough time, to look back on how far they've come in their blog travels. Thanks SO much for coming to visit me again! xox

We've changed

I had many ideas for the inspiring prompt changed. I initially wrote about the changes I've noticed in our society.
Often, I am sadly struck by how many inconsiderate strangers I encounter. Today, I scoffed that idea for a change much more intimate and much closer to my heart. I often like to infuse humor in my posts, but with this post there is no humor, just straightforward, naked emotion.(although you may find my amateur attempt at poetry humorous)


Two souls brought together through a shared blood line
The gift of big sister has made my world shine
No matter the situation, sometimes grave most times great
My Life has been enhanced with my sister soul-mate
Obstacles occur, she's transported many miles away
Nothing discourages our love, visits just become long stays

Raising Children, managing homes, our Lives get crazy
daily stresses, no time, our communication becomes lazy
Less and less honesty, no articulation exchanged
Day by Day the loving bond between sisters is changed
my Abruptness and temperamental impatience
hits the chill of her impassive wall of indifference

Like a sidewalk that cracks we are sadly split apart
I feel like I'm existing with only half my heart
attempting to make peace, takes time, feels uncomfortably strange
I wish to turn our clocks back a few years and just prevent this ugly change
I've learned never again to let my feelings fester or my tribulations wait
When we treasure someone we need to honestly, lovingly and timely relate

magic baby love

When I read the prompt magic, my children came immediately to mind. The magic of the love we instantly feel for our children is incredible. The magic of their miraculous birth, amazing. The magic of watching them grow, heartwarming. Today is my middle sons 21st birthday. He has been more magically delicious than I can ever try to describe! But with the help of my creative 'cyber soul mate' Giggles... I've tried to put that magic into words he can treasure.



Yesterday I cradled you, cuddly in my arms
Instant rapture, captivated, by angelic baby charms
Magic fragrant bundle of little baby coos
Soft baby skin, tiny baby fists, brilliant baby blues


Infant Joys, toddler joys, sweet small child on the run
Magnetism, humor- you know how to make life fun
Animated lively antics spark smiles wherever you go
Charismatic personality energetically aglow





Now you stand before me, a beautiful young man of 21
Pride overwhelms me, of the man you have become
Your future blank before you, choose wisely as you write
You deserve life’s best, may your aspirations shine bright




I hold you in my heart forever- my sweet baby, my amazing young man, my treasured son
I wish you a very happy 21st birthday; your magical life story has just begun.

Fork in the (yellow brick) road

Whenever I hear the expression "Fork in the Road" One image always POPs into my mind.
The beloved scarecrow stuck on his post telling Dorothy She could go this way or that way. (wish I could find that picture)
As silly as this sounds now....when I was a little girl I had a little crush on Scarecrow! I always wished they would have had a 'make out scene'. When Dorothy tells Scarecrow " I'll miss you most of all" OH, how I felt I was watching a love story. If only at that moment he would have pulled her close to him and planted an ExSTRAWdinary passionate kiss on her ruby lips! My little girl heart would have leapt! ooooh la la!
(sometimes blogging is like going to confession!)

Treasured Memories

Thanks writers island! I really like this weeks prompt.
It truly made me think about how many treasures are in our lives. Somedays just seem to get to you and you may lose sight of what is really important. Family, Friendships, Love, Community, Health and THE MEMORIES. I treasure the memories that make up my life. The treasured memories I share and the protected treasured memories. The memories of my childrens lives and the memories that my husband has shared so often of his youth, I feel like they are my memories as well. My friends and dear clients shared memories, some amusing some unbearably heartbreaking. Even some Memories of my fellow bloggers have been sweet treasures as well. While I was reading and enjoying Rels touching memory of losing his childhood innocence, it triggered my memory back to the same emotional situation for my own son. When my youngest was 10 yrs. old, he found a wrapped present in my room a few weeks before Christmas with a tag saying 'Love, Santa'. He looked quizzically at me and asked " How is this possible??" Many Lies went through my mind, but because only the week before I had overheard his friends laughing about another boy who "still believed', I decided it was time to have 'the talk'. I remember mentioning that it is about believing in the 'magic of Christmas" and how Santa lives in all of us.( Very Polar Express-ish stuff) Well, Nothing I could have said could have made this devastating blow any softer. How I wish I could go back and choose option B ( Santa delivers early to the good little boys?) but alas his memory is what it is. And mine will always be this.... His loathing look as he said in a crushed voice " I can't explain it right now, but I just don't love you anymore". Oh! a dagger straight on through the evil Mothers heart and out the other side! It took many weeks and many talks with him for him to truly understand my "lying to him for his whole life" and to win his forgiveness. As upsetting as it was... it is still a treasured memory.(Thanks Rel)

Another (less traumatic) treasured memory I would love to share... When expecting my first son.. I had terrible back labor. So while trying to breathe through the strong contractions my husband would rub my back. During one BIG one-He was rubbing in the wrong spot... my pain was lower. I could barely speak through the pain and my lamaze breathing but I managed( through gritted teeth) to mutter " Low, Low". He apparently didn't hear me correctly- He continued to rub much higher than the pain, BUT, he now began BLOW BLOWING in my ear! Only a few minutes After our beautiful son was born I looked at my husband and said 'BLOW?? Why in the world, would you think I would need you to blow in my ear??" We laughed about and told this story for many years.

One of the many things I am loving about blogging is I feel like I am preserving some of lifes everyday moments.... Like when you blog about singing in the car with your husband....Or the time when your cockapoo ran off Or a favorite dance on a silly T.v. show ... Whatever it is. I think by documenting these events in this way, someday I will delightfully re-read them and say "Oh yeah! I had forgotten about that! Creating more lifetime memories to smile about and forever treasure. Thinking of this right now...kind of makes me want to try to blog more often about those little things. After all, the little things can sometimes bring the greatest happiness. :))

Horizon

Day is visited by darkness, didn't notice it arrive
My vibrant colors are squashed into wistful faded blues
my heart is weighted weary by its disillusioned mood
darkness stifles joy, inhibits me from feeling alive
I Drift into slumber, hoping it alters the mood I will arise in
Eyes shut tight shadows the darkness of day, breath whispers rhythmic weeping
I dream of euphoric colors dancing inside me again, as I lay sleeping
Awakened, quietly aware my bright colors may return...over tomorrows new horizon

visit writers island for more horizons

Save the planet (and your Ass!)

Writers Islands prompt this week-EARTH
I think there are two types of people on our EARTH... 1. those who think nothing of tossing their Big Mac litter out their car windows and 2. those who will drive to their destination with the lingering nasty onion odor( making them sorry they ate this food in the first place) ,just to do the right thing and throw it in a garbage pail.... If you're type one ,you probably could care less about our wonderful planet... BUT you Care about your own ass.(fat ass, if you don't give up the junk food) So... read this Brilliant routine from Mr. George Carlin.... and maybe... Just maybe, you will perceive it the way I do. Not as an anti-green rant, but as a warning. Warning You to show Mr. EARTH a little respect.....before YOU or your future descendants ARE shaken off his back like a bad case of fleas!

"We're so self-important. So self-important. Everybody's going to save something now. "Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails." And the greatest arrogance of all: save the planet. What? Are these fucking people kidding me? Save the planet, we don't even know how to take care of ourselves yet. We haven't learned how to care for one another, we're gonna save the fucking planet?

I'm getting tired of that shit. Tired of that shit. I'm tired of fucking Earth Day, I'm tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is there aren't enough bicycle paths. People trying to make the world save for their Volvos. Besides, environmentalists don't give a shit about the planet. They don't care about the planet. Not in the abstract they don't. Not in the abstract they don't. You know what they're interested in? A clean place to live. Their own habitat. They're worried that some day in the future, they might be personally inconvenienced. Narrow, unenlightened self-interest doesn't impress me.

Besides, there is nothing wrong with the planet. Nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. The PEOPLE are fucked. Difference. Difference. The planet is fine. Compared to the people, the planet is doing great. Been here four and a half billion years. Did you ever think about the arithmetic? The planet has been here four and a half billion years. We've been here, what, a hundred thousand? Maybe two hundred thousand? And we've only been engaged in heavy industry for a little over two hundred years. Two hundred years versus four and a half billion. And we have the CONCEIT to think that somehow we're a threat? That somehow we're gonna put in jeopardy this beautiful little blue-green ball that's just a-floatin' around the sun?

The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through all kinds of things worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles...hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worlwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages...And we think some plastic bags, and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet...the planet...the planet isn't going anywhere. WE ARE!

We're going away. Pack your shit, folks. We're going away. And we won't leave much of a trace, either. Thank God for that. Maybe a little styrofoam. Maybe. A little styrofoam. The planet'll be here and we'll be long gone. Just another failed mutation. Just another closed-end biological mistake. An evolutionary cul-de-sac. The planet'll shake us off like a bad case of fleas. A surface nuisance.

You wanna know how the planet's doing? Ask those people at Pompeii, who are frozen into position from volcanic ash, how the planet's doing. You wanna know if the planet's all right, ask those people in Mexico City or Armenia or a hundred other places buried under thousands of tons of earthquake rubble, if they feel like a threat to the planet this week. Or how about those people in Kilowaia, Hawaii, who built their homes right next to an active volcano, and then wonder why they have lava in the living room.

The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we're gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, 'cause that's what it does. It's a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed, and if it's true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new paradigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn't share our prejudice towards plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn't know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, "Why are we here?" Plastic...asshole.

So, the plastic is here, our job is done, we can be phased out now. And I think that's begun. Don't you think that's already started? I think, to be fair, the planet sees us as a mild threat. Something to be dealt with. And the planet can defend itself in an organized, collective way, the way a beehive or an ant colony can. A collective defense mechanism. The planet will think of something. What would you do if you were the planet? How would you defend yourself against this troublesome, pesky species? Let's see... Viruses. Viruses might be good. They seem vulnerable to viruses. And, uh...viruses are tricky, always mutating and forming new strains whenever a vaccine is developed. Perhaps, this first virus could be one that compromises the immune system of these creatures. Perhaps a human immunodeficiency virus, making them vulnerable to all sorts of other diseases and infections that might come along. And maybe it could be spread sexually, making them a little reluctant to engage in the act of reproduction.

Well, that's a poetic note. And it's a start. And I can dream, can't I? See I don't worry about the little things: bees, trees, whales, snails. I think we're part of a greater wisdom than we will ever understand. A higher order. Call it what you want. Know what I call it? The Big Electron. The Big Electron...whoooa. Whoooa. Whoooa. It doesn't punish, it doesn't reward, it doesn't judge at all. It just is. And so are we. For a little while.by George Carlin

I would also like to add.... If this moved you... even if it just moved you to chuckle.... Make ONE change! If we all just add one more smart change to our lives... I think we can make a difference. I think we can keep Mr. Earth from annihilating us! check out 26 things we can do to help
Don't get me wrong-I DON'T do nearly as much as I know I should. I like a long hot shower, I drive everywhere, I use my clothes dryer A LOT. But, being conscious of what can help and trying each day to make a change.... is a start! ( I recently switched all my light bulbs to the compact fluorescents..... They take a while to give you light, which is sometimes a pain, especially when you get something in your eye and run into the DARK bathroom! haha Other than that, they seem great! )