Is it Bliss?

Marriage is the topic for the blog gang and I decided to chime in.

When you hear the word Marriage, you either smile or groan!

I believe people enter into marriage with this fantasy that everything is bliss! As if it is no big deal and it really is a big deal you are taking two people man and woman with two different temperaments and living together. There is this author named John Gray who wrote a book “Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus”? I love the title because it says it all. It describes the differences of men and women. Like we really need a man to write a book and tell us the difference. I do agree Men are from Mars. In my case my husband does act like he was born on a different planet. He sees things in a completely different way than I do.

                                                        

Personally, what I think would make marriages work is when you get married you need two things one a degree in psychology and two a house next door.

What I keep asking myself is what is the secret of a good marriage? After asking and brow beating my husband he finally told me that he was like Ponce de Leon and looking for the fountain of youth, which for him was the easier quest. By the way, he had taken the fifth on that question. He truly is a smart man!

It is hard to figure out the man’s mind and they say us women are complex, but I think men are really from Mars! When my husband and I argue it is so senseless because we both think we are right and we do not resolve anything. We do have one rule in our house that we do not go to bed angry and on those nights, we just don’t sleep.

There are days I just have to keep the psychology book open to relationships and keep reading but it is difficult to wrap my mind around it as the guy in the book looks nothing like my husband and he isn’t wearing any clothes.

My husband likes to be the man of the house and I do pretend that he is to save his ego.  That is important for a healthy marriage. I read that in the psychology book too!

I was under the impression that marriage is a partnership. I should have gotten that in writing and notarized. The partnership ended when I had kids. 

I know when I took my vows for a happy marriage I had no idea I was signing up for a life sentence in San Quentin. In my marriage, there is no parole, and no getting out for good behavior.  I must admit I do get three squares a day, because my husband likes to cook. He thinks he is Emeril and bam if you like fleshy bacon and coke for breakfast he is your man. He cooks in his boxers too, which even after all these years he still makes me sizzles as much as the bacon does. Bam! He has sexy legs! 

I enjoy cooking too but not as much as my husband but I have to say on the days I cook it is fun to entertain the firefighters in my neighborhood.  I had no idea they made house calls.

My husband can find something to do for hours in the garage, I went out there to spy on him once, and there is nothing in our garage so I think that is his man cave and he is hiding out. What about us women don’t you think we should have a place to hide out?

I love when my husband will ask me to do something and I do it and then he tells me he meant something else. First English is the only language I understand and secondly, I remind him I am not psychic and if I were, I would be doing two shows nightly in Vegas. Do I look like the Sylvia Brown?

I want to say that marriage is like a full time job you have to make everybody happy including yourself and to make it work you have to set boundaries and have to have the same likes, sense of humor and hopefully the same thinking when it comes to values and morals for raising your children.

What is the key to a happy marriage? That is the million-dollar question! Is it that we really have met our soul mates or is it complacency? My husband is a good guy. He puts up with the kids and me and has not left home yet. 

My parents were married 30 years and when my father wanted out of the relationship, he died. My husband knows this rule so he is sticking around for a while.

I do enjoy being married. My husband is a good guy. He is very affectionate and always compliments me on how great I am and how I still drive him crazy after all these years and that’s in a good way. He is a keeper! 

Remember for better or worse and I am banking on that even if it kills me!

What's The Buzz?

I like to surf the internet and last week I surfed fox news and surprisingly they have articles 2 or 3 times a week where they talk about sex. Some of it is inane and somewhat embarrassing. Last week the article that made me pause was about vibrators. May I ask do we really need to be talking about a vibrator or the energizer bunny before my morning coffee? 

The article stated that you could now buy vibrators in the grocery store or any drug store. Trojan condoms are marketing them to be on the shelf right next to the condoms and they are sold as a line that is going to be couple’s vibrator. I could just see me asking my husband, “Honey can you stop on your way home tonight and pick up some milk and get me one of those vibrators and get me a big one will ya?”  

What is the buzz on vibrators? First off, it is embarrassing to be talking about them let alone buy them. Of course, I can imagine the girl ringing you up at the register, knowing in her mind what you are buying that for and then smiling at you with a devilish grin and right away, you want to confess to her that it isn’t for you; it’s for a friend. You would not dare tell her, “I am buying this for my husband and it is the new couple’s vibrator.” Now, the hard part comes where you have to look her in the eye with a red face glowing with humiliation and pay for the thing

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The article stated that vibrators should be man’s best friend….sorry lassie; Timmy is calling you! An electrical device to make women sing has replaced lassie as men’s best friend.  As I continued to read the article, it was instructing men to bring pleasure to their woman. Now that is a nice thought! For once, it should be about us women. I do think guys and the vibe should be best friends maybe like the dynamic duo. Of course, Batman and Robin would never make me smile with a silly grin or make me feel that good.  Of course, if you are like many women and you hear the word vibrator it makes us a little uneasy. Those loud obnoxious insufferable buzzing that can chip your teeth.  I now have a new kinship with my dentist. What about those horrible shapes that look like a dome shaped weapon. Have we really seen anyone look like that or with as much girth and can I be honest, do I really want anything that ugly near my Vajaja. The new vibrators come in different colors. That would be clever to have one in every color for everyday of the week. It reminded me of how mood rings work. Kind of? How about Hot pink today!  I feel so sexy! 

I guess the marketing people feel that you can now buy vibrators in the toothpaste aisle instead of feeling dirty and going to buy one of these in those creepy places where there are men in raincoats and they are leering at you. I don’t want to be that person who would be lurking in the back of one of those lude and shabby shops, you know where you drive by and the windows are blacked out.  I have never actually been to one of those shops, but in my mind that is the image I have conjured up and I think it fits

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In the article, it compared men to Obi-Wan Kenobi and to wield the vibrator like the light saber.  All I could think of may the force be with me! I thought of Princess Leia with Hans Solo giving up the good fight and how about R2D2 and C3PO that would bring an electrical surge to you. Chewbacca, well that would be like being with the village people and personally I think Chewbacca had a thing for Hans Solo.

It seems to be dubious at best, but at least for all you women who may try this with your partner at least know one good thing, there is no shortage of batteries in the world. If you do want a threesome, it could be you, your partner and the energizer bunny that keeps on going and going and going…

Wordless Wednesday - Healthy Heart

Wordless Wednesday ~ Indian Summer

Summer's End

When September arrives, it is official that summer break is over. It is bittersweet isn’t it? As of today, my children are back in school.  School began the third week of August for some kids and for a lapse in my better judgment; I thought that was just too soon. I know better now. Boy was I elated to have some time for me. The funny thing is I had no idea how to act. Talk about a fish out of water. My first thought was, what is going on with me? I sighed in relief I took a long look around and realized my house was very quiet and it was a nice not to hear anything but the outside noises of birds chirping and the cars driving down the street. There was no arguing no bantering of where we could go or what we should do or even what we were going to eat. I was in a place where there was peace all around me. I felt like a Zen monk I had time to meditate if that were my wish. I could do Tai Chi or even Zumba and not being peeked at, stared at, or asked in that I know all voice, “Mom, What are you trying to do?”  I whispered to God that I was grateful my children have a place to go and I have my life back again. I thought for the first time I could unwind and slowly let my sanity return to where it should be and begin getting back to a normal routine.  For the last eighty days, there was no such thing as any kind of routine.

I am now home and I am looking around. Today is about me. I am a free woman until I have to go to work and then as you know your time is not your own.  That is somewhat like summer break is with my kids. I am usually so thrilled when summers is here and bask in that feeling of having nothing to do and no more routines. I have come to the unpleasant task of telling myself that routine is good and it keeps me sane. There are reasons for rules or else there would be anarchy and that would make for an unruly life.  This past summer break all bets were off.  There were no rules enforced. I had begun a new job so the house was up for grabs. It seemed like those college days of eating anything and keeping crazy hours and those zany high jinks gong on. That was how it was all summer long. My kids had been crazy with stretching the bedtime hours and sleeping in on some days too. I paid for that broken rule big time. We did fun stuff where we had no schedules so we played games, watched movies, and there were a day or two that we stayed in our jammies all day.

I have to say today is the first day I recaptured my sanity. There are rules being imposed. It is fun to get up with the sun and eat a sensible breakfast and just being on a schedule seems to make me less crazy.  My kids have adapted and are more enjoyable to be around.  Those days of bantering are over for now and we are even smiling at one another across the breakfast table.   

Today, I actually was alone for more than several hours. I met a friend for breakfast and talked about adult stuff without having to worry about my children interrupting or telling me with their eyes how bored, they are. 

School can be tedious at times but I love that school has us all on a normal routine and gets me to enjoy my children in small doses.  It makes for happier children and a happy Mommy.

However, I am looking forward to next summer…

Wordless Wednesday - Women's Suffrage ~ Let's Celebrate! It has been 90 years since the ratification of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote

Wordless Wednesday ~ Worry Free

In One's Eye

The other day at the store, while I was waiting to check out I overheard a 5-year-old little girl ask her Mom if she was the prettiest girl in the world.  The Mother laughed and said, to her daughter of course you are.  The little girl asked if she was pretty like all the little girls on television and the mother said, yes, you are the prettiest girl in the whole world.

I listened for a moment and smiled and thought all little girls need to hear they are beautiful but that mother telling her that she was the most beautiful little girl in the whole world was doing that girl an injustice. Isn’t it more important for us as mothers to think that not only are our daughters beautiful but to also to let them know that there is more than being beautiful in this world.  We are more than a pretty face.  We are more than our looks.   Looks are superficial. Looks as you look at magazines can be manufactured.  I want to teach my daughter that she is beautiful but she is also smart, funny, creative and growing up to be someone who she can be proud of and a great human being. These are things that I think every mother needs to teach their daughter that they are more than beautiful and more than having a great body. Let face it looks can be just that looks.  I want to teach my daughter that there has to be something behind the looks.  There has to be substance. We as women are more than looks, more than a pretty face. We can accomplish anything we set our minds to. We are not born to just look pretty and be eye candy for men.  I wanted to turn around and tell that little girl that yes, she was beautiful and what 5 year old little girl isn’t but being beautiful is not something to aspire to be. I also might add that beautiful women are aplenty.  There are so many beautiful women in the world and that is where the shallowness lies.  I remember growing up and my grandmother telling me that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I never knew what that saying meant as I was growing up.  I now know that my grandmother was very wise in giving me that advice.  She did not want me to just rely on my looks for anything in this life she wanted me to become a whole person.

For instance, what happens when we gain weight whether during pregnancy or just bad eating?   I have been there and am still fighting those pound that keep finding me but there is more to me than just my weight.   I am more than a pretty face.  I am well rounded (no pun intended) and smart, funny, compassionate, and a very positive woman.  My husband thinks so too.  I feel these are traits that will help me as I become older.  I will still be beautiful inside.  Aren't these some of the things you want to instill in your daughter?   How disappointing if you keep telling your daughter how beautiful she is and when she begins growing up that there may be a girl who is more beautiful, creative or smarter than she is.  What an injustice to little girls everywhere.

The message I have for my daughter is looks may get you in the door but you have to have something else to be able to stay after the door closes…..

Wordless Wednesday's Weakness

My First Love

Do you remember your first love?  It was a rush, a heady feeling.  It was a feeling like no other.  It was a feeling that you cannot even describe. It was a time in your life where you got the clammy hands and the nervous feelings. Your tummy was rumbling and your nerves were on high alert.  Remember how being adored you felt and you would smile all day long. I loved that feeling and that made you feel reckless. It is exhilarating and makes you giddy at the same time.

I remember the first time it hit me that I was in love.  I was standing in front of a candy aisle in a store,  I was feeling my heart palpitate, the beating was ringing loudly in my ears, my hands were clammy.  I knew it was love at first sight.  To see such an assortment of chocolate was mesmerizing and right there,  I knew I found my soul mate.  It was Chocolate!

I loved looking at the thinly shiny wrapping and knowing what was in store for me.  I picked up the chocolate bar and just holding it was making my hand tingle with excitement, and then I smiled and sighed at the same time.  The smell of the chocolate permeated the air and reached my responsive nose.  My mouth began to water and I began to drool at what that first bite would taste like.  The first time was exquisite and at that moment, I knew I was hooked. Milky Way, Snickers, Kit Kat, and Hershey Kisses were just a few of my favorites.  The kisses were so small that I could slip one in my mouth and get that rush I needed.  I was addicted and in love. 

When I was a kid, my mom would surprise me with Fanny May Candies and at Easter, the chocolate rabbit was a highlight and so luscious.  Since Fannie May is not the same as I remember, I have a new haunting ground and that is See’s Candies and it is Scrumptious. 

When I walk in to Sees Candies the first time it was an epiphany and the most delicious feeling came over me. I do not know if it is was just the viewing of all the chocolate that heightened my anticipation, or just standing there and smelling all the sweetness around me. It is that rich heavenly smell of deliciousness. I think I began to blush and get goosebumps at maybe being caught in the act of peeking into the glass at the avalanche of all that chocolate waiting for me. There are so many delectable goodies to choose from the mild butter creams to the soft caramels, that melt in your mouth, and another favorite are the milk bordeaux to pecan buds that make the pixies looking for work. I love the nuts with drizzled chocolate oozing from the center.  The smooth fudge that makes your senses come alive make me delirious.  There are lemon filled and coconut filled chocolates too, just to name a few. 

My fantasy would be to have one night in a candy shop with all that chocolate, my true love. I know it sounds erotic, but what a way to go….

No Sense of Direction

Do you know anyone who has no sense of direction? Well that’s me! I think I was born with this defect. This is like having a birthmark, but nobody sees it because it is in my brain, where all the directions live. All the directions are there and I know where I want to go, but just cannot get there.  It is as if I was being trapped in a room with no door, but the room has many windows. I can see out and can see where I want to go, I just cannot get there. It is like not being able to leave your house because you have agoraphobia. When I get lost, I think I am driving in the right way and in reality; I am driving the wrong way. The tough thing is that I do not always know I am lost, until I am really lost and that is when the panic sets in. The easiest way to get there is to turn around and begin again, which can take awhile, depending on how lost I was to begin with.

I believe that in the left cavity of the brain is where all the directions lie. I have that down pat. For me, it is my whole sense of direction that is off.  I need to have a GPS surgically installed in my brain and then I will never get lost. You might laugh, but I could never use that excuse ever again, “Sorry I got lost.”

 I became aware of this problem on the first day of school in the first grade. The Nun asked all the children which way we lived: North or South. I had no clue as to what that meant or what she was saying. It was as if she was speaking a different language. I did not want to say anything because all the other kids seemed to know which way they lived. I figured that most kids were exiting north, so I followed like blind sheep to the northern exit. After we had all exited, going north, I was a ½ block from school. Nothing seemed familiar to me. Then, the Nun came chasing after me to say I did not live north of the school, but south of the school. Well, I just shook it off and thought no biggie. It was first day of school, so I did not think any more of it. I just thought it was a fluke. No, it was not a fluke. This sense of going nowhere has followed me like a bad dream.

As the years went by, I navigated along. I faked it a lot and by blind luck, I happened to get where I was supposed to be going. I can usually tell where I am going if there is a landmark on the corner of the street, such as a Jewel, or gas station, or those cute boutiques. God forbid they tear those buildings down, I could get seriously lost.

I was in California, driving along the coast (and if any of you have driven that drive up the Pacific, well you know with the coastline, and how big the Pacific Ocean is). I ended up driving to San Francisco when I was trying to drive to Los Angeles.

I now know why men do not ask for directions. It is not a macho thing as I previously thought. They have a fear of asking directions. The funny thing is that when I ask for directions from a man in the gas station, they tell me to go North for 2 miles and then go East. That is where my dilemma begins. When I hear people talk about directions by name, I think they are speaking in tongues and it makes no sense to me.

I sense now how people who have amnesia feel. When I get lost, I have no idea where I am or where I am going or at that point who I am anymore. It is mind blowing to say the least.

Isn’t it funny for people like me, who cannot find their way out of a paper bag that I do not get lost in a store or mall? It is just when I am in the car driving. Maybe this is all related and it is something psychological. Maybe it is me not wanting to go to those places to begin with. What do you think?

Wordless Wednesday ~ Poppies Poppies....

Wordless Wednesday ~ Summer Blues

Happy 4th

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

This weekend is where we celebrate our country’s Independence. The traditions for the day are usually parades, fireworks, and of course food! I love July 4th because it is a no pressure holiday. No need to prepare for it unless you are the one making the traditional potato salad, macaroni salad and those seven layer salads. Let's not forget watermelon is a July 4th favorite and strawberry shortcake is a must. Of course, it would not be July 4th unless you have corn on the cob, which is one of my favorites. You have to admit that without much effort it is a very relaxing day of enjoying it with family and friends. You just eat, relax, and then enjoy the fireworks and it is just an all around fun day.

The evening would not be complete without a star spangled fireworks show. I have a love/hate relationship when it comes to fireworks. As I am getting older, I don’t like the loud explosions, but I love the oohs and aahs when you look up at the sky and it is filled with a riot of colors. It takes my breath away. As a kid, where I grew up, my neighborhood would be filled with the sounds of fire crackers, bottle rockets, cherry bombs, and m-80’s that were so loud they shook and rattled the windows of my house. I use to love sparklers and we would swirl them around and make a windmill of new colors.  I use to be fascinated by those things they called snakes. They were these little capsules, you would put them on the sidewalk and light a match to them, and they would fizzle and smoke into these long black strips that looked like snakes. I thought those were so cool.  

The most amazing firework show I have ever seen was the one that was held at Grant Park on Chicago's lakefront. It was a few years back that I had witnessed this incredible display of red, white and blue, and all I can say is it was magnificent. I had read somewhere where it cost the city of Chicago over $100,000 and it was worth every cent. I do have to say that once you have viewed this firework show it does ruin it for all other shows. They just do not compare. It was mind blowing and then when the music began playing the 1812 overture it was spectacular.  It left me speechless and as that day ended with the fireworks show it made me think of what Francis Scott Key must have felt when he wrote the star spaniel banner. 

Wildflower Wordless Wednesday

First Day Of Summer

It is official I am in love with summer! We kick off today with it being the first day of summer. Another name is summer solstice.  What I love about today is that it is the longest day of summer and the longest period of daylight.  Of course, it looks like rain instead of blue skies and sunny today!   

I have always loved summer since I have been a little kid. I guess because it meant summer vacation had arrived and sometimes we did go on vacation. We did not take any exotic trips but there were many car trips.  I never liked going anywhere in the car because we never had air conditioning, I was always in the middle of my brothers, and they always had the window seats.  There did come a time when I use to get carsick. I am not sure if it was psychological me being carsick or maybe it was just being in the car with my family. When I was carsick, it usually set the tone for the trip.

We would go to some place in Indiana. I think because of the experiences that I have had I blocked out the location where we stayed. There would always be water and lots of sand and one of my favorite things to do is go swimming. I loved it when it was hot and you would jump into the water and it would be freezing. It was so refreshing!  

We would go swimming and boating which I loved doing.  One trip my brothers scared me with stories of bears being close by our cabin. I envisioned Grizzlies attacking us while we slept. I know I did not sleep at all that week. When I was back in school, I learned bears did not live in Indiana. 

Another time we went to Indianapolis my father took us because he had business there so we made it a work vacation.  My brothers were teaching me how to dive and for the life of me, why my mom allowed them to teach me anything shows she did not have a clue to raising kids. She coated herself in baby oil and lay in the sun being the sun goddess of Indianapolis.  She apparently didn’t think anything could happen until I jumped from the diving board to the side of the pool and clunked my chin several times to help me stop.

I finally stopped my fall with my chin and what a casuality  There was so much blood and this was when people were not afraid of blood.  The crisp blue water now was now the picture of the red sea.

After about 100 stitches, okay so I am exaggerating a bit. There were only about twenty-three stitches my chin looked trussed up and ready for Thanksgiving dinner.   

Before the stitches, it was a free time in my life with no cares and no worries.  Not anymore I still love the water but very careful around diving boards.

I still love summer and it is my favorite season…

Happy summer ~

Father's Day

Hey, it is Fathers Day and that is one more day that we honor the men in our lives. Our own Father or stepfathers or grandfathers and the man who is the father of our children.

It is a day that dad should be appreciated and we should shower him with kindness and love but it is somewhat silly to do that when let’s be serious isn’t that what we always do with our husbands or at least fake it? I mean to make a special meal, isn’t that what we have been doing all our married lives at dinnertime.

I woke up to my husband cooking which he loves to do but I could not tell you what he was making. Then he switched to cooking pancakes and bacon. I told him I would cook but he enjoys cooking so I want him to be happy. Well, two hours later I cleaned the kitchen and really have just had enough of Fathers Day for another year.

My husband is mowing the lawn, which he seems to take great pleasure in, and who am I to take that away from him. My lot in life is to make him happy and so far my job is done for today. For Fathers Day to give him a tie or soap on a rope just will not do. He usually finds contentment in dickering around in the yard and usually does jobs that only require one and to see him that gratified gives me joy! He will come in later shower and sit in front of the TV remote in his hand and he will be a happy man. I love the small pleasures in life, don’t you? Do I know how to treat my man on Fathers Day?

To all of our men in our lives Happy Fathers Day! Here is a special quote,
“Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad.”

Reverence

When I go to church, I want to spend sometime in church, have some quiet time with God and talk, and pray. I might like to tell him Thanks for all the great things in my life. There might be a few issues I might want to ask for some guidance but I just want some alone time to meditate my thoughts.


When I went to church recently what I saw made me stop and just stare. I was sitting in church and there was a blue light coming from down the aisle. I looked down and saw this woman and blue light was coming from where she was sitting. On a closer look, I saw it was coming from the woman’s lap and then an as I peered closer I saw this woman texting in church. It was not only a distraction to me but irritating. I am usually not one to judge so I thought okay maybe an emergency and this could not be helped. On closer inspection, this woman did not stop texting the whole time we were in mass. Now, I understand we are all busy in our lives but if you cannot find one hour not to be on your cell texting and in church than there is something obviously wrong here. Who could she have been texting to....God? What I found even stranger than this was this woman did not see anything wrong with what she was doing. I found this bizarre.


Speaking of bizarre, I went to church for one of the children’s masses and there was a woman who walked in carrying a tall coffee. I realize our church is modern and our church has a lot of open space but it certainly does not look like a Starbucks. I was waiting for the priest to say, “Would you like a Veinte with the Homily”


Don’t you love when people coming back from receiving the Eucharist and they sit down and begin talking instead of saying a prayer as we were taught or when it is the sign of the peace and everybody thinks it is social hour.


It is scary that going inside church has become a social circle. I remember as a child genuflecting when you came in to mass and kneeling saying a prayer, sitting until mass began. You were in a sacred vessel. You did not speak at all unless you were answering the priest.


I went to a communion at another parish recently. The church is set up where you face people across from you. Kind of like a rotunda. After communion, I saw a Eucharistic minister drinking down wine and snacking on the Eucharist. I felt I was at a wine tasting party and Pringles were the entrée. It was ridiculous! I had never seen anything like that.


I love the people who leave after communion. What is the big hurry to leave and not get the blessing from the Priest? Is it they have to be the first ones out of the crowded parking lot?


When did church become a place for the paparazzi? Why do People take pictures in church?


My question for today is what has happened with church today that there is such a lack of reverence?

Dating Again

I have been married so long that I cannot even count the years. At least I can say though I have been married all these years to the same man.  I have a friend who has been married for 20 years and the reason her relationship has lasted so long is that she was involved with more than one person. 

She is now into dating again and I have to say thinking about dating again gives me the heebee geebies. It would be terrifying to me!

I cannot even begin to understand how I would go about dating if I were single.  To actually have to think about flirting again…I mean what would I flirt about the only thing in my vocabulary lately is TV shows my kids watch which are icarly, code lyoko, total drama island. You can see the conversation would be titillating to say the least. To actually carry on a conversation with a male adult for several hours without mentioning my kids would be impossible.

I do not know if I could survive dating all over again. The thought of getting dressed up to impress a man with my fashion sense would be hysterical and to not be able to wear my jeans would be a big step in my life.

When I think of dating, it would be like a job interview you show the date your resume an as many years as I have being married I know right there I am overqualified for this relationship and let’s be honest here, would I be silly enough to want to do the marriage thing again?

What is with online dating?  Who in their right mind would trust talking in a chat room or on the internet talking to perfect strangers?  Like we are that naive to believe we are really talking to the guy who sends his picture of himself and he looks exactly like George Clooney. Yeah, that sounds like fun dating!

What is scary is all that Match.Com out there that you see advertised.  Do you really want a computer to match you up to your soul mate?  Sounds a little whimsical, doesn’t it?

I have heard those speed-dating places where you have 7 minutes of conversation with someone and then a bell is rung, and the man moves on to meet the next date. It is called a flirting version of musical chairs. Would these 7 minutes be for talking?  Do I really need 7 minutes to tell me this guy is a real psycho in 5 minutes? 

The thought of dating keeps me happy that I am married because to have to go out and have to date again would take too much work….

Wild Wordless Wednesday

Sketch by Alexis Kelsch

Rainy Days

Do you like hearing the raindrops striking against your window?  To me it is a calming sound when it is raining so lightly. The melody of the rain is soothing and can put you in a mellow mood or even back to sleep.

Why does the rain make us docile where we do not feel like doing anything not even getting out of bed?  I often think it would be a great day to blow off and do nothing.

My kids say that rainy days make them feel bored and tired. Of course, they would be the first ones outside dancing in the rain doing a happy dance in a downpour. 

When it is raining, I feel like curling up with a good book or a movie preferably a romance.  Why is that? 

I know people who love the rain and love thunderstorms. Rain sometimes makes people blue and no pun intended under the weather.

Why does the rain affect our moods where we feel like slugs?  I usually feel lazy and my mood is more somber than usual. When I see it raining, I think of big tears coming down from the sky.

Not only does rain play with us psychology, but also physically as well where we wake up with a headache or achiness all over and we just feel like doing nothing.

I love when it rains a light drizzles and the sun is still shining.  Those are my favorite rain showers.

I know we need the rain to make things green and grow and I do love how it smells when it rains. I love the next day after it rains everything seems so clean and not to sound cliché but a new beginning. 

I just wish we did not have to have any rainy days….

Kismet

When you think of Kismet, you think of words like fate, luck, fortune, and destiny.  When I think of this word, I think of a friend of mine who is named Susie. She is such a witty, fun loving easygoing kind of gal and I am proud to be her friend.

She and I have met several years ago at a writing convention and we just hit it off immediately.  It is like one of those friendships that just click.  We were on the same agenda in trying to get an agent to love our book.  Needless, to say that dream has kept our friendship alive.

Susie is a writer and she has written a book.  However, she says her book is still mocking her from her shelf.  She has a blog and I am sure you have heard of it and it is called Motherhoot.com.  Her tagline is Moaning, Groaning and Laughing about Family Life. She writes funny and she reminds me a bit of Janet Evanovich whom we both adore. 

Susie keeps telling me that she wants to be like the Blogress, which is one of her favorite blogs. She says this woman is funny and makes her cry.  I want to tell Susie that she already is the Blogress.  After you read Susie’s blog, you will know what I mean.  Susie writes funny and is witty.  She has such a natural and pleasant way about her.

She has already won an award for her Motherhoot blog and very close to being number one best blog very soon.  She has a segment on her blog about writing and she has even reviewed books on her blog.  She is now doing recipes on her blog and I hate to say it but she is putting Rachael Ray to shame.  No wonder she has so many followers on her blog and so many friends.  She is on twitter and on facebook too.

I feel it was kismet that brought us together and serendipity that made us friends.

 

Chain Letters

Are you tired of getting those emails that tell you if you do not send this email on to 12 people that you will die or not have any good fortunate?

I dislike getting those emails immensely, because I don’t want to read them for one and secondly if I read them I feel compelled to send them on because if I don’t, who knows I might have doom and gloom in my life forever. I laugh at the ones that proclaim that if you answer in 12 minutes 12 good things will happen to you.  I get a kick out of the ones that if you send it to one person this will happen and if you send it on to five this will happen.  How ridiculous!  I just want to meet the genius who began this nonsense.

These emails are like the old fashion chain letters that I detested back when.  I remember getting a chain letter back in grammar school and I had a friend who insisted I write the letter ten times and send it on to ten friends.  Even back then, I disliked these kinds of letters and my friend who was very superstitious sent it for me because I was going to be doomed.  Of course, what was funny we kept sending the letter to the same ten friends.

So, why is this new kick in emails today?  Is it because we are truly superstitious or is it that we want to believe in something so badly? Do we want to take the chance to feel lucky and that maybe we will have good fortune? Have we become this gullible that it would be this easy for something good to happen to us?  

I want to know especially since email began why we are led like sheep to feel the need to send these kinds of emails on. Why do we do this so mindlessly as if we are obligated to send these kinds of email to everyone we know?

I would love someone to send me an email to say, Hi, I was thinking about you today and you are wonderful!  Send that on to 12 people you want to make smile today! Wouldn’t that be a nice email to receive and if you chose to you may send it on?

I know if you are superstitious, this is nothing to laugh at. I am not a superstitious person nor have I ever been. I just think these kinds of emails are silly and a waste of my time.

I would love to know how many of you get these emails and send them on or do you do what I do and spam them immediately?

Doctor's Visit

When you go to the doctors, don’t you think they should get us well immediately?

I have been under the notion when I go to the doctor they will make me well.  I have been not feeling that well for about a week.  It began with a headache and then congestion and then a dry cough.  I know it sounds like a cold but it isn’t. I don’t have any other symptoms at all.  I do not usually get sick as a rule.  I cannot tell you the last time I have had the flu probably when I was in grammar school.

I finally bit the bullet and went to my doctor.

My doctor is a giant compared to my petite stature.  He does not wear the familiar white coat to separate him from the patients.  He told me his reasoning was not to scare the patients.  He stands about 6’7 and that is scary in itself.

I must admit he does have a great bedside manner.  He begins with looking on the computer for all the notes the nurse has taken.  This just makes me crazy that he doesn’t ask me what is going on and I can tell him and save him the time of looking up what I just told the nurse.  He talks a few minutes about non-consequential stuff.  Then he gets right to the matter of my visit.  He does check my throat, my ears, and listens to my back. 

He asks all those silly questions doctors ask, like is this productive cough?  I want to answer that my cough thinks it is productive because it not going anywhere and it is very aggressive and it is annoying. The next silly questions he asks, if I have any aches and pains. I want to just give him a look because don’t you think I would have mentioned that to the nurse and then to him. I felt like I was being interrogated and this was the good cop.

Then he sits down and looks at the computer and starts thrumming on his keyboard, which I am sure he is playing Pac-Man because it is not as if I have a serious disease.  If I could get on his computer and with the Web doctors, I could write my own script and diagnosis myself.

He gave me a prescription of three pills that I was hoping were magical.  Well, I took the number one pill and today, took the number two pill and should have just thrown them out the window as Jack’s mother did and would have been better off with a beanstalk.  They are not magical at all.

I don’t know how I could feel worse since taking the medicine but I do.  I know there are side effects to medicine but do I have to experience all of them.

Why do we treat these doctors, as they are Gods instead of the witch doctors they really are?

Feeling Ferocious Today ~ Wordless Wednesday

sketch by Alexis Kelsch

Summertime

We all remember Alice Cooper singing if you want to call it that, “Schools out for summer” I feel like screaming too when I think of school ending.   

I cannot believe school is ending.  This year flew by and isn’t it amazing that the years are flying by quicker. It is somewhat bittersweet though when you think of school ending because you a had a year of making new friends, new teachers that you have pretty much gotten to know. It has been a year of growing up for your child and watching them become more responsible.  It is fun to see your child make new friendships too.

What do they say be careful what you wish for? 

Let’s face it though when you think of summer, it is really not a vacation for us parents, is it?  I mean let’s be serious it is more of a hassle to have our children home 24 hours a day instead of say a couple hours after school and then the evenings. Now we have a new job this summer and that is to entertain our kids.  You know what I mean the whining begins with "take me here" and "take me there."  Then the ranting starts about two weeks in to the summer that they are bored. I love how kids tell you they do not have to go to bed because it is summer vacation as if they have to remind us of that.  With my kids, they think because it is summer that no rules apply and that there are new summer rules.  I am not sure what those rules are but I am sure I will be informed of those soon.

It is a lot different when we were kids or at least I was a kid we left at 8am in the morning and did not show our faces until dinnertime.  We did not have to call in because there were no cells and we did not get to go into anybody else’s house and play video games. Play dates, what were they? We played outside, played baseball, rode bikes, hung out all day in front of somebody’s stoop or even hung out at the park but it was fun.  Sometimes we went swimming at the beach…yes we could take a bus by ourselves and go to the beach in Chicago.

Do you really think I trust my children to do any of those things alone?  My job in the summer is to be warden. I do make the meals and let the children run around the pen for a while.  I do have them do some activity for awhile but I watch them very closely.  When one of my kids starts with whining or fighting they do get a time out, which is solitary confinement and that, is for at least 10 to 20 minutes.  However, when my kids are really acting up I am pleading for solitary confinement.  

I have a top – security complex where I check the doors and all phones and if need be I confiscate contraband like cell phones, play station, psp, computers games, television because you have to admit some of the television they are watching is eating away at their brain cells.

I have to admit I love seeing my stress free children with no homework, no projects and no worries about school for several months.  They turn into calm fun loving kids not those zombies that walk and talk about school stuff.

We do not have any plans except relax, relax and maybe relax some more so it should be a happy summer!

Happy summer to all of you!

Memorial Day

sketch by Alexis Kelsch                   

As Memorial Day approaches I always think of it as the end of the school year and the beginning of the summer season.  We find ourselves barbecuing in our back yards and picnicking with our families and friends enjoying the warm weather.  
Do we really remember what Memorial Day is all about? Unfortunately, many of us fail to remember what an important day this is.

Memorial Day, which was originally called Decoration Day, is a day to remember those who have died in service of our country. 

Do we spare a second to say a silent prayer of thank you for all those people who are fighting to make our lives better in our country today and to all those veterans who have fought in the past to preserve our freedom?  

I think it is important to remember Memorial Day and what it stands for and means.  It is about coming together to honor those who gave it their all.

It is held on the last Monday in May and it is celebrated with parades, flag waving, speeches and handing out memorials.

Do you know where the poppies originated?  It was 1915, Ms. Moina Michael inspired by the original poem “In Flanders Fields” wrote her own poem:                                         

“We cherish too, the Poppy red                   

  that grows on fields where valor led,                    

  It seems to signal to the skies                    

  that blood of heroes never dies.”

Ms Michaels conceived the idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of those who died serving the nation during the war. She was the first one to wear one, and began selling poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money benefiting the men in need.  


Madam Guein from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms. Michaels and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war-orphaned children and widowed women.  


I believe the story goes that the VFW became the first veteran’s organization to nationally sell the poppies.  In 1948, the US Post Office honored Ms. Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red three cent stamp with her likeness on it.

Now when I see the red poppies I do buy one and remember the wonderful woman who made Memorial Day for remembering because not only does a country lose one of it’s own but a woman may lose her child or husband.

Let us not forget all the Men and Women serving our country. 

Here is a fitting quote for Memorial Day by Elizabeth Barrett Browning ~

"And each man stand with his face in the light of his own drawn sword.  Ready to do what a hero can."