Eat Your Heart Out, Shakespeare
9 hours ago
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Carpe Diem
Just to brag on my wonderful, brilliant daughter for one moment.
It was Thanksgiving Day here at the ol' Wood household. Trent had worked Wednesday night, therefore was sleeping much of the day, and was headed back in that evening. Natalie was here and of course the M&Ms and myself. I had decided not to do a turkey but a ham instead. I really love spiral cut yummy ham so it was my decision that this would be what we would have. A turkey, for three people, is far too much and I can't do that many leftovers! Besides a few weeks before, maybe like 6 weeks, I have cooked a great turkey breast and later that night, I barfed it up! LOL -- I am sure it was not my cooking, just a little bug, but I don't think I could do turkey again that soon. TMI?!?!
Any way, I had gotten up, not too early because the ham would not take as long as a turkey, but early enough to make some shrimp cocktail and some pink stuff and peel the potatoes...just easy prep work.
Natalie and I had decided earlier in the week that we would put the Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving Day. Not a usual tradition around the Wood house. With Natalie's birthday December 4, I always tried to keep Christmas and her birthday separate, so we never put the tree up until after her birthday. But I guess now that she is a big girl, that is not as important. It worked out pretty great anyway because I had the day off and Trent was sleeping and I didn't want to shop (WHAT?!?!)
My mother called that morning and we chit chatted a bit. I asked what her plans were for the day. She asked what mine were. We talked about her health and about Christmas plans.
Later that day as Jo and I were setting up the tree and decorating the house, we were talking. She had asked what the Farmington family was doing for the holiday. I told her. A few minutes later she said, "You know, that makes me sad. They have all that family over there and don't wish to spend it together and we are all alone over here and would love some family to share the day with. They really don't know how lucky they are and they don't understand all the time they are wasting."
That Natalie...she is a smart one. I would like to think that it was because of me that she understands the concept of family so well. But, I think it is just the way she is. She knows loneliness. She knows not having a house full of people. She knows the yearning to be with family during the holidays as well as during times of crisis. She knows that this may be the last Thanksgiving some are with us. She knows that there is just not enough earthly time to be with those you love. She knows to live life. She knows the importance of telling loved ones they are loved, you never know when it will be the last time and your regret for not having said it one last time.
That Natalie...she is a smart one.
XOXO
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Two Things...
*
I wasn't going to bore you, or myself for that matter, with a thanksgiving thankful post, but I changed my mind.
This year has been a particularly rough one for my family. The year just started off bad and got worse and then everything kind of turned around. Trent got sick on December 18, spent time in the hospital until Christmas Eve when I begged them to let him come home. I believe he was probably back in the day or two after Christmas. He remained in and out of the hospital through January, February, March, and April when he finally had a surgical procedure. He remained home, off work, until the first part of July. During this time, I had to say goodbye to my Grandmama who had passed, who I didn't have the chance to see one last time and to say a proper goodbye.
I am not sure if anyone really knows how much my heart ached. I made a post a while back joking about the things I learned while my husband was in the hospital, but really, there was nothing to joke about. I also wrote a post about taking care of a chronic pain patient; that, as well, was no joke.
I am sure you would not have any idea how many tears I shed during this time. I am sure you would not have any idea how sad and how worried and how frantic I had become. I am sure you would not have any idea that I prayed almost every single minute of every single day. You would not have any idea that I went to my old bishop of my ward and asked when do I start praying for other things. I was praying for Trent to get better and to come home; I was wondering if I should be praying for God's will to take effect and take Trent 'home' sooner rather than later and to make the suffering stop. I am sure you have no idea how I neglected my own needs during this time. I am sure you have no idea how many fake smiles I flashed to people who asked how he was doing or how many lies I told that he was better or good or improving or how many tears I choked back so my weakness would not show through.
I really had no idea how close I thought Trent was to dying until a few months ago when we were visiting Garrick in Boise. I was talking with Garrick and Trent about the time a few months before when G had come home after T's surgery. I inadvertently said, "...when you came home for dad's funeral..." I mean, I knew he was close to dying and I knew the procedure was very risky and complications were likely, but to actually say "dad's funeral" brought it home, really, how my heart was hanging on to something my brain knew was inevitable. To this very day, I get a cringe of pain in my heart and the tears start flowing when I think back to earlier this year. The very thought of not having Trenty in my life....well, I can't even go there.
So, needless to say -- I am very, so very thankful for my husband. I am thankful for all he does for me and with me. I am thankful that I know he will be by my side for time and all eternity. I am thankful that our Heavenly Father gave us more time to share. I love you, Trenty.
I am thankful for my wonderful son. I am so proud of him. He has made very big decisions this year, some of which (actually probably just one of which) could have (actually did) caused him to lose friends. He is strong and brave. He is one of the most caring people I know. I am terribly sorry that he had to carry a burden on his shoulders for so many years; I am so grateful that he has allowed me to help him with this, to relieve some of his burdens and take them on as my own.
I am thankful for my beautiful daughter. She, too, has made big decisions this year. Ones that will affect the rest of her life. She will be soon going on new adventures and living life to the fullest doing the things that she loves. She has gotten rid of baggage and has moved onward and upward. She makes me so happy and I burst with pride when I think about her and her strengths and her talents and her generosity and her passion. I am so grateful that she is in my life and for the happiness she brings.
I am thankful for my M&Ms. Don't laugh! I love my Maggie and my Moosie. There are nights that I find myself alone, but am I really? I have two of the most caring, gracious doggies in the whole wide world looking out for me. When I cry, they will rest their little heads onto my knees and let me know they are there for me. When I laugh, they run around and share my joy. When I leave the house, I know the very second I return and walk through the door, I will be greeted with warm, wet kisses and excitement that I have yet again returned. They are, as much as anyone else, my family. I am so grateful to have those two knuckleheads in my life, sharing my bed and my sandwiches with me!
Finally, I am thankful for my friends and my family who have made their presence and love known to me this year, especially this year. I am thankful for the ones who understand and stand by me regardless of what I think or how I live or what I feel. I am thankful for Facebook for bringing friends from all over the world as close as my desk. I am thankful for new friends as well as those whom I have known all of my life. I can't imagine a life without these people in it. I am so grateful that whatever paths we cross, my friends and family are here.
*
The second thing...words I hate saying and hate hearing. Actually, you will never hear me utter these words....
LOVER
MOIST
I am kinda gagging just typing these words!! Yuck! I cringe when I hear them. I wont even go into the times they could be said in the same sentence.....*GAG*.
I am sure there are more words, but those are just the two I have recently heard and I just can't unhear them!
Happy Thanksgiving!!! May your turkey be moist and your lover be hot!!! ROFL -- see what I did there?!?!?
XOXO
Velvet
I wasn't going to bore you, or myself for that matter, with a thanksgiving thankful post, but I changed my mind.
This year has been a particularly rough one for my family. The year just started off bad and got worse and then everything kind of turned around. Trent got sick on December 18, spent time in the hospital until Christmas Eve when I begged them to let him come home. I believe he was probably back in the day or two after Christmas. He remained in and out of the hospital through January, February, March, and April when he finally had a surgical procedure. He remained home, off work, until the first part of July. During this time, I had to say goodbye to my Grandmama who had passed, who I didn't have the chance to see one last time and to say a proper goodbye.
I am not sure if anyone really knows how much my heart ached. I made a post a while back joking about the things I learned while my husband was in the hospital, but really, there was nothing to joke about. I also wrote a post about taking care of a chronic pain patient; that, as well, was no joke.
I am sure you would not have any idea how many tears I shed during this time. I am sure you would not have any idea how sad and how worried and how frantic I had become. I am sure you would not have any idea that I prayed almost every single minute of every single day. You would not have any idea that I went to my old bishop of my ward and asked when do I start praying for other things. I was praying for Trent to get better and to come home; I was wondering if I should be praying for God's will to take effect and take Trent 'home' sooner rather than later and to make the suffering stop. I am sure you have no idea how I neglected my own needs during this time. I am sure you have no idea how many fake smiles I flashed to people who asked how he was doing or how many lies I told that he was better or good or improving or how many tears I choked back so my weakness would not show through.
I really had no idea how close I thought Trent was to dying until a few months ago when we were visiting Garrick in Boise. I was talking with Garrick and Trent about the time a few months before when G had come home after T's surgery. I inadvertently said, "...when you came home for dad's funeral..." I mean, I knew he was close to dying and I knew the procedure was very risky and complications were likely, but to actually say "dad's funeral" brought it home, really, how my heart was hanging on to something my brain knew was inevitable. To this very day, I get a cringe of pain in my heart and the tears start flowing when I think back to earlier this year. The very thought of not having Trenty in my life....well, I can't even go there.
So, needless to say -- I am very, so very thankful for my husband. I am thankful for all he does for me and with me. I am thankful that I know he will be by my side for time and all eternity. I am thankful that our Heavenly Father gave us more time to share. I love you, Trenty.
I am thankful for my wonderful son. I am so proud of him. He has made very big decisions this year, some of which (actually probably just one of which) could have (actually did) caused him to lose friends. He is strong and brave. He is one of the most caring people I know. I am terribly sorry that he had to carry a burden on his shoulders for so many years; I am so grateful that he has allowed me to help him with this, to relieve some of his burdens and take them on as my own.
I am thankful for my beautiful daughter. She, too, has made big decisions this year. Ones that will affect the rest of her life. She will be soon going on new adventures and living life to the fullest doing the things that she loves. She has gotten rid of baggage and has moved onward and upward. She makes me so happy and I burst with pride when I think about her and her strengths and her talents and her generosity and her passion. I am so grateful that she is in my life and for the happiness she brings.
I am thankful for my M&Ms. Don't laugh! I love my Maggie and my Moosie. There are nights that I find myself alone, but am I really? I have two of the most caring, gracious doggies in the whole wide world looking out for me. When I cry, they will rest their little heads onto my knees and let me know they are there for me. When I laugh, they run around and share my joy. When I leave the house, I know the very second I return and walk through the door, I will be greeted with warm, wet kisses and excitement that I have yet again returned. They are, as much as anyone else, my family. I am so grateful to have those two knuckleheads in my life, sharing my bed and my sandwiches with me!
Finally, I am thankful for my friends and my family who have made their presence and love known to me this year, especially this year. I am thankful for the ones who understand and stand by me regardless of what I think or how I live or what I feel. I am thankful for Facebook for bringing friends from all over the world as close as my desk. I am thankful for new friends as well as those whom I have known all of my life. I can't imagine a life without these people in it. I am so grateful that whatever paths we cross, my friends and family are here.
*
The second thing...words I hate saying and hate hearing. Actually, you will never hear me utter these words....
LOVER
MOIST
I am kinda gagging just typing these words!! Yuck! I cringe when I hear them. I wont even go into the times they could be said in the same sentence.....*GAG*.
I am sure there are more words, but those are just the two I have recently heard and I just can't unhear them!
Happy Thanksgiving!!! May your turkey be moist and your lover be hot!!! ROFL -- see what I did there?!?!?
XOXO
Velvet
Monday, November 9, 2015
Two Things...
*
I've often said that I don't have a favorite this or favorite that. I think my favorite thing is whatever today is.
Like for instance... Fall. If someone asked my favorite season, I am not entirely sure I would say Fall...but today I would. I was driving down a street today and in the rain (thank heavens for rain!) there were leaves falling from the trees. The fall was not straight from the limb onto the street, but rather swaying in the wind and tossed around in the rain. It was a journey for the leaf. It caught my eye and I found myself mesmerized by the falling of the leaves. I watched as they made their trek from the top all the way to the bottom. I decided that Fall was probably my favorite season.
I remember as a child, we would go trick or treating and in New Mexico, where there are REAL seasons, Halloween was like smack dab in the middle of Fall. We would traipse through the streets and while doing so, we would be kicking piles of leaves that were accumulated at the curbs. It was cold, too!! I don't remember a Halloween where our wonderfully thought out costumes weren't covered by our winter coats.
Here in California, Fall is a bit different. There really isn't a mild transition, it just happens like all in one day. Like last week -- it was hot, like 85 degrees and I wore my sandal wedges and jeans with a short-sleeved shirt when my husband and I went to the movies. Like two days later, I had to put on a sweater and socks. Just like that. No warning. Just 80 degrees one day to 60 degrees the next. Green leaves upon the trees one day to dead leaves on the ground the next. There wasn't a subtle change in the leaves, like I would imagine New England or even how I have witnessed in New Mexico, but just one day green on the tree and the next day yellow in the grass.
Today, I am grateful for the Fall and for the changes. It just might be my favorite time of the year...until Winter anyway.
*
I don't know if it because of the internet or the way kids are being taught today or maybe just the fact that I am old now and things tend to bother me more...but what has happened to pronunciation of words.
When I was in grade school, we learned that the word 'often' was pronounced without the "T" sound...off-en. Yes, there is a "T" in the word, but it is one of those silent ones...or at least how I was taught. Not anymore. I hear the pronunciation ... off-ten. I don't think that is correct!!
Also, probably. Three syllables -- pra-ba-blee. Definitely not -- prab-lee.
Hundred. Two syllables -- hun-dred. Not -- hun-erd. There are two "Ds" in the words. Those letters, unlike the silent "T", make sounds.
My daughter has thought her whole life that she had Chester drawers in her room. Granted, I don't know anyone who really emphasizes the 'of' in chest of drawers, but we should! I think it tends to come out more -- chesta drawers or...Chester.
Another one...supposed. A lot of the time supposed is paired with to... I was supposed to work today .... I hear, suppost. Really? I was suppost to work today? Really?
I realize some things are regional. Like wash and warsh. But some things are just like lazy I guess. I mean, you save...what....like half a second making probably only two syllables.
I can't off the top of my head think of other words...but they are out there! I know this because I often (off-en) find myself looking at people whilst I am out and asking myself, WTF are they saying? I know I must be wearing that look as well...that look that says, without saying it too loudly, dumbass.
I guess it's probly just me and that I let things too ofTen settle on that one, last nerve. (Geeez...I almost want to cut my tongue out!!)
Anyway...that is my rant for this week.
And, there you have it my friends...my two things.
XOXO
(I am taking a Facebook break for a minute...I wonder if anyone will even see this?!? I hope so, it was a good one (goodun)!)
I've often said that I don't have a favorite this or favorite that. I think my favorite thing is whatever today is.
Like for instance... Fall. If someone asked my favorite season, I am not entirely sure I would say Fall...but today I would. I was driving down a street today and in the rain (thank heavens for rain!) there were leaves falling from the trees. The fall was not straight from the limb onto the street, but rather swaying in the wind and tossed around in the rain. It was a journey for the leaf. It caught my eye and I found myself mesmerized by the falling of the leaves. I watched as they made their trek from the top all the way to the bottom. I decided that Fall was probably my favorite season.
I remember as a child, we would go trick or treating and in New Mexico, where there are REAL seasons, Halloween was like smack dab in the middle of Fall. We would traipse through the streets and while doing so, we would be kicking piles of leaves that were accumulated at the curbs. It was cold, too!! I don't remember a Halloween where our wonderfully thought out costumes weren't covered by our winter coats.
Here in California, Fall is a bit different. There really isn't a mild transition, it just happens like all in one day. Like last week -- it was hot, like 85 degrees and I wore my sandal wedges and jeans with a short-sleeved shirt when my husband and I went to the movies. Like two days later, I had to put on a sweater and socks. Just like that. No warning. Just 80 degrees one day to 60 degrees the next. Green leaves upon the trees one day to dead leaves on the ground the next. There wasn't a subtle change in the leaves, like I would imagine New England or even how I have witnessed in New Mexico, but just one day green on the tree and the next day yellow in the grass.
Today, I am grateful for the Fall and for the changes. It just might be my favorite time of the year...until Winter anyway.
*
I don't know if it because of the internet or the way kids are being taught today or maybe just the fact that I am old now and things tend to bother me more...but what has happened to pronunciation of words.
When I was in grade school, we learned that the word 'often' was pronounced without the "T" sound...off-en. Yes, there is a "T" in the word, but it is one of those silent ones...or at least how I was taught. Not anymore. I hear the pronunciation ... off-ten. I don't think that is correct!!
Also, probably. Three syllables -- pra-ba-blee. Definitely not -- prab-lee.
Hundred. Two syllables -- hun-dred. Not -- hun-erd. There are two "Ds" in the words. Those letters, unlike the silent "T", make sounds.
My daughter has thought her whole life that she had Chester drawers in her room. Granted, I don't know anyone who really emphasizes the 'of' in chest of drawers, but we should! I think it tends to come out more -- chesta drawers or...Chester.
Another one...supposed. A lot of the time supposed is paired with to... I was supposed to work today .... I hear, suppost. Really? I was suppost to work today? Really?
I realize some things are regional. Like wash and warsh. But some things are just like lazy I guess. I mean, you save...what....like half a second making probably only two syllables.
I can't off the top of my head think of other words...but they are out there! I know this because I often (off-en) find myself looking at people whilst I am out and asking myself, WTF are they saying? I know I must be wearing that look as well...that look that says, without saying it too loudly, dumbass.
I guess it's probly just me and that I let things too ofTen settle on that one, last nerve. (Geeez...I almost want to cut my tongue out!!)
Anyway...that is my rant for this week.
And, there you have it my friends...my two things.
XOXO
(I am taking a Facebook break for a minute...I wonder if anyone will even see this?!? I hope so, it was a good one (goodun)!)
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Home Office Woes
"Mama is working right now."
The five-word sentence, is probably my biggest regret in life. To this day, it haunts me.
I have worked at home pretty much my whole married life. I think there was probably like a year, maybe, total that I worked outside the home. So..I have always had a computer and an "office" at home. The "office" thing has been a problem of some sort. I have never really had a room that was my office, I have always just had a space. In New Mexico, my office space was in the garage for a while, but then I moved it into the kitchen. Here in Cali, my office space has always been in the family room. Yes, the family room, right between the kitchen and the garage door and the television and the doggie door.... you get the picture. My office space is probably the busiest spot in the house. I do have an empty(ish) bedroom upstairs that instead of making a guest room I could have transformed into my office. But, I decided against it. It was my thinking that at the time I finally got all settled into my new office, my daughter would be gone, my son was already gone, and my husband worked days or worked nights and slept days...so the family room seemed to be still okay for me.
This worked...until I got labs. Labrador Retrievers that is! My desk is right by the sliding glass door in the family room and their doggie door is attached to the door making their in and out traffic route right past my desk. Without fail, unless they are in a hurry, when going outside, they make a large sweep and come right past my chair for a quick petting before they head out. Sometimes this is as little as an ear scratch, sometimes it involves a full body massage.
Lately, in the Indian Summer days, my doggies have just wanted mama to go out and play or walk or something. I think Moosie gets as tired of seeing me at this desk as I get at sitting at it. When they return in from being outside, both Maggie and Moosie have been stopping by and literally pushing my chair away from my desk and standing in front of me blocking me from my keyboard. I give them a quick scratch and then I say that terrible sentence -- Mama is working right now.
I hope my children have forgiven me for the times I said those words. I hope they understand why. My job is at my home, I can't just leave work at the office...because the office is right there. Even though my furry babies don't understand as much, I hope they can forgive me as well. Believe me...I hate saying those words probably as much as they hated hearing them.
Well...gotta do it again... Mama is working right now...
XOXO
The five-word sentence, is probably my biggest regret in life. To this day, it haunts me.
I have worked at home pretty much my whole married life. I think there was probably like a year, maybe, total that I worked outside the home. So..I have always had a computer and an "office" at home. The "office" thing has been a problem of some sort. I have never really had a room that was my office, I have always just had a space. In New Mexico, my office space was in the garage for a while, but then I moved it into the kitchen. Here in Cali, my office space has always been in the family room. Yes, the family room, right between the kitchen and the garage door and the television and the doggie door.... you get the picture. My office space is probably the busiest spot in the house. I do have an empty(ish) bedroom upstairs that instead of making a guest room I could have transformed into my office. But, I decided against it. It was my thinking that at the time I finally got all settled into my new office, my daughter would be gone, my son was already gone, and my husband worked days or worked nights and slept days...so the family room seemed to be still okay for me.
This worked...until I got labs. Labrador Retrievers that is! My desk is right by the sliding glass door in the family room and their doggie door is attached to the door making their in and out traffic route right past my desk. Without fail, unless they are in a hurry, when going outside, they make a large sweep and come right past my chair for a quick petting before they head out. Sometimes this is as little as an ear scratch, sometimes it involves a full body massage.
Lately, in the Indian Summer days, my doggies have just wanted mama to go out and play or walk or something. I think Moosie gets as tired of seeing me at this desk as I get at sitting at it. When they return in from being outside, both Maggie and Moosie have been stopping by and literally pushing my chair away from my desk and standing in front of me blocking me from my keyboard. I give them a quick scratch and then I say that terrible sentence -- Mama is working right now.
I hope my children have forgiven me for the times I said those words. I hope they understand why. My job is at my home, I can't just leave work at the office...because the office is right there. Even though my furry babies don't understand as much, I hope they can forgive me as well. Believe me...I hate saying those words probably as much as they hated hearing them.
Well...gotta do it again... Mama is working right now...
XOXO
Friday, October 30, 2015
Two things...
*
How are you?
You know, that is really a loaded question. How are you? How am I? How much do you want to know? How much do I want to share?
If you ask and if I say I am fine or good or okay...that's the end. I am fine...and you? You are fine. We move on.
If you ask and if I say that I am okay...but.... it is not the end. We have to continue to talk about it. I have to open up. You have to listen.
Were you just asking so I could say I was fine and ask how you were so we could move on? Or were you asking because you really wanted to know the truth? And willing to sit and listen? And when I asked, in return, how you were, how much did I really want to hear?
I wonder if this is just like a United States thing or a girl thing or a my generation thing.
Sometimes I really want to share. Sometimes I want to tell how I am. Sometimes it may be good....sometimes not so good.
But....for the time being...
I am good, how are you?
*
Escape
Isn't the Escape button on the keyboard such a great invention?!? I mean - do you want to escape here because you are lost or you went into the wrong place or this is so not the place you wanted to be -- YES!!!!
We need a life escape button!!
Am I lost? Yes...escape me from here! Do I belong here? No...escape me from here! Did I just get into a situation that I should not be in? Yes...escape me from here! Did someone just accuse me of something terrible and I am about to cry and I don't want anyone to see? Yes...escape me from here! Did I just receive an email that broke my heart into a million pieces? Yes...escape me from here! Is work so intolerable that I am about to die? Yes...escape me from here! Am I hurt and just want to be left alone? Yes...escape me from here! Am I stuck someplace that I need to get away from? Yes...escape me from here!
Maybe we need like an email or text escape button as well! Oh no...did I just send that email? Yes...escape it from there!! Did I really just text that? Yes...escape it from there!!
Oh my gosh....escape me from here!! Never mind...I'm fine.
XOXO
How are you?
You know, that is really a loaded question. How are you? How am I? How much do you want to know? How much do I want to share?
If you ask and if I say I am fine or good or okay...that's the end. I am fine...and you? You are fine. We move on.
If you ask and if I say that I am okay...but.... it is not the end. We have to continue to talk about it. I have to open up. You have to listen.
Were you just asking so I could say I was fine and ask how you were so we could move on? Or were you asking because you really wanted to know the truth? And willing to sit and listen? And when I asked, in return, how you were, how much did I really want to hear?
I wonder if this is just like a United States thing or a girl thing or a my generation thing.
Sometimes I really want to share. Sometimes I want to tell how I am. Sometimes it may be good....sometimes not so good.
But....for the time being...
I am good, how are you?
*
Escape
Isn't the Escape button on the keyboard such a great invention?!? I mean - do you want to escape here because you are lost or you went into the wrong place or this is so not the place you wanted to be -- YES!!!!
We need a life escape button!!
Am I lost? Yes...escape me from here! Do I belong here? No...escape me from here! Did I just get into a situation that I should not be in? Yes...escape me from here! Did someone just accuse me of something terrible and I am about to cry and I don't want anyone to see? Yes...escape me from here! Did I just receive an email that broke my heart into a million pieces? Yes...escape me from here! Is work so intolerable that I am about to die? Yes...escape me from here! Am I hurt and just want to be left alone? Yes...escape me from here! Am I stuck someplace that I need to get away from? Yes...escape me from here!
Maybe we need like an email or text escape button as well! Oh no...did I just send that email? Yes...escape it from there!! Did I really just text that? Yes...escape it from there!!
Oh my gosh....escape me from here!! Never mind...I'm fine.
XOXO
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Two things....
I have been a busy mama!! Trenty and I just recently (not really, like a week ago) got back from Idaho. We went to celebrate Garrick's 26th birthday. Of course, Garrick was a miracle baby born to a 3-year-old woman! That's right, in three short years, my most favorite son and I will be the same exact age!! I have no idea how that works, I just know it works!
So, my two things today are things I noticed in Idaho.
The first thing I noticed is Jordache Jeans are a real thing there. I think the last time I had on a pair of Jordache Jeans was probably in.... I don't know, 1980-ish?!? The jeans are very noticeable because of that big pocket design. And...just in case you were wondering... not only for the women folk. Yes, men also wear Jordache Jeans...a couple even sporting the bell bottoms! I don't know, it was like I was thrust back to the 1970s!! And frankly, I don't even remember much about the 70s, I was just a small child! But I am pretty sure some of those jeans were a product of the 70s.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were modern fashions going on there as well. Though I did get a few stares when I was wearing my ripped skinny jeans with 4" wedges or wearing my flip flops with a sweater. I am sure I was pegged "one of the California girls" quickly.
The other thing.. Boise is not pronounced Boy-Zee. I am sure I have said Boy-Zee all of my life...I might still let it slip. The correct pronunciation is Boy-See. If you say Boy-Zee, people around you snicker.
Just a little factoid for you, Boise is French and means "wooded" as in a lot of trees. Though we were there before big fall changes were in full effect, we did get to see the beginning of fall. We also got to see a beautiful sunset at a place called Table Rock. It was breathtakingly stunning.
Also, people think California has bad drivers?!?! Yeah....no.
Also, a funny thing Garrick told us -- there are two seasons in Boise; Winter and Construction! From what I could tell, we were there in the construction season!
The people were super nice! I made a large purchase for G for his birthday and they didn't even ask to see my ID with my credit card! Apparently, fraud is just not a thing there!
I met some of Garrick's friends. It dawned on us that I have not met a friend of Garrick's since his first year of college. I liked them and hopefully they liked us as well! Apparently, I interrogate with a crapton of questions. Natalie asked when we got home if I asked 1000 questions. I guess I probably did. I didn't realize I had become known for asking questions, but then I thought about it and asking questions is the only way I get answers!! Who knew? If I, however, offended G's friends with my questions, I apologize (not really, but what else can I say?). I know when I have crossed the line with my questions because Garrick so kindly and lovingly looks at me and says, "Okay...enough with the questions." Again... it's the only way to get answers! If you don't want me to ask questions, then I would suggest you start talking! The more you talk and the more you share, the less I have to ask.
Though it was a very quick trip, it was so good to see my baby boy. He just doesn't even know how much of my heart he holds. He doesn't know the ache I feel when I miss him and wish it were 20 years earlier when I had both of my babies at home and when they needed me. There is a special bond between a son and his mother -- only a mother of a son can understand. I wish he was closer (really?, who am I lying too, I wish he was still living upstairs!), but to know he is happy and healthy and loving life makes my heart swell with joy. He is my pride and my joy and I love him more than words could ever express. <3 nbsp="" p="">
And those, my friends, are my "two" things for today.
XOXO
So, my two things today are things I noticed in Idaho.
The first thing I noticed is Jordache Jeans are a real thing there. I think the last time I had on a pair of Jordache Jeans was probably in.... I don't know, 1980-ish?!? The jeans are very noticeable because of that big pocket design. And...just in case you were wondering... not only for the women folk. Yes, men also wear Jordache Jeans...a couple even sporting the bell bottoms! I don't know, it was like I was thrust back to the 1970s!! And frankly, I don't even remember much about the 70s, I was just a small child! But I am pretty sure some of those jeans were a product of the 70s.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were modern fashions going on there as well. Though I did get a few stares when I was wearing my ripped skinny jeans with 4" wedges or wearing my flip flops with a sweater. I am sure I was pegged "one of the California girls" quickly.
The other thing.. Boise is not pronounced Boy-Zee. I am sure I have said Boy-Zee all of my life...I might still let it slip. The correct pronunciation is Boy-See. If you say Boy-Zee, people around you snicker.
Just a little factoid for you, Boise is French and means "wooded" as in a lot of trees. Though we were there before big fall changes were in full effect, we did get to see the beginning of fall. We also got to see a beautiful sunset at a place called Table Rock. It was breathtakingly stunning.
Also, people think California has bad drivers?!?! Yeah....no.
Also, a funny thing Garrick told us -- there are two seasons in Boise; Winter and Construction! From what I could tell, we were there in the construction season!
The people were super nice! I made a large purchase for G for his birthday and they didn't even ask to see my ID with my credit card! Apparently, fraud is just not a thing there!
I met some of Garrick's friends. It dawned on us that I have not met a friend of Garrick's since his first year of college. I liked them and hopefully they liked us as well! Apparently, I interrogate with a crapton of questions. Natalie asked when we got home if I asked 1000 questions. I guess I probably did. I didn't realize I had become known for asking questions, but then I thought about it and asking questions is the only way I get answers!! Who knew? If I, however, offended G's friends with my questions, I apologize (not really, but what else can I say?). I know when I have crossed the line with my questions because Garrick so kindly and lovingly looks at me and says, "Okay...enough with the questions." Again... it's the only way to get answers! If you don't want me to ask questions, then I would suggest you start talking! The more you talk and the more you share, the less I have to ask.
Though it was a very quick trip, it was so good to see my baby boy. He just doesn't even know how much of my heart he holds. He doesn't know the ache I feel when I miss him and wish it were 20 years earlier when I had both of my babies at home and when they needed me. There is a special bond between a son and his mother -- only a mother of a son can understand. I wish he was closer (really?, who am I lying too, I wish he was still living upstairs!), but to know he is happy and healthy and loving life makes my heart swell with joy. He is my pride and my joy and I love him more than words could ever express. <3 nbsp="" p="">
And those, my friends, are my "two" things for today.
XOXO
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Two Things...
*
I wish we could bottle the "weekend." I know, it sounds a bit strange (or does it?!?), but hear me out.
So, last week, during the Monday through Friday part, I was exhausted. I couldn't get enough sleep. Come around 3:00pm, my eyes were heavy and I was trying to do my transcription but the rhythm of my doctor's voice was just like a lullaby! I don't drink Diet Pepsi anymore, but I am sure that caffeine would have helped. I had to stand up and walk around just a bit just to clear the cobwebs!
This week, (and might I add, thank heavens it's Thursday, I am exhausted!!) is about the same thing. I have had a headache almost every evening. I haven't even been able to read before bed neither I have I been able to knit much. Just feeling kinda blah.
But, I can almost guarantee that come Friday afternoon/evening I will be just fine!! I bet I can go out for dinner and a movie with my date! I bet I can stay up to midnight knitting and Netflix bingeing. I bet I will get up to feed the dogs at 6:30 in the morning (I know, you'd think I would have them better trained than that) and be roaring to go! I bet I can shop on Saturday until I am about to drop! I bet I get up Sunday, also at 6:30 (dogs....), do my laundry (if Trent hasn't already done it!) and clean my house a bit and again knit and movie binge watch without any problem. Until.....Sunday evening.
On Sunday evening, my fingers will begin to tingle with carpal tunnel syndrome a little bit. I am sure that little pounding above my right eye will start just a bit. My left elbow may begin to ache just a touch. I am sure my lower back will be a little achy as well. My neck... well, it may need to be massaged! That's right... I am starting not to feel well. Monday is tomorrow.
I know I am not the only one to do this. I have friends, spouses of friends, family, etc. who I know face these same problems. You can be at the ER on Wednesday night yet howling at the moon on Saturday at midnight! You have have all these aches and pains during the week that are just miraculously cured, if only for 48 short hours! I don't even need to nap on Saturday or Sunday! I am always raring to go! What's the next adventure we are going to do? What movie might we see? Is there a baseball game in San Francisco? Do I need more yarn (the answer to this question is...Really? Do you need even ask?)? Could I cruise through the mall and buy stuff that I don't need? Does little Winnie (my Mini) need to go for a little drive to the beach? That's right, I am FOE -- Full Of Energy! I am not sick. There are no aches or pains.
So, let's bottle it!
And, just a side note here - a little rant, if you will - The week is seven days long, yet the weekend is only two days?!? I mean, I know you can't split seven in an equal half (look at that...high school algebra is paying off!), but you can get a little closer than 2/7. I would take 3/7. However...oh my gosh, wouldn't 4/7 be the BEST!! But I wont be greedy... I will take the 3/7 and be happy with it. I think we should start a campaign --- Friday should be the weekend too!! Let's start a trend - #fridaywantstobethestartoftheweekend Love it!!
*
Okay, being from a very small town in New Mexico with the nearest interstate (BTW, just a little observation here -- how in the world can Hawaii have interstate highways? There is no INTERstating going on there, right?) being like, I don't know, like 2 hours away, I don't really know if this is a problem there or just in California. But here in Cali, motorcycles can drive between the lanes. Like on the dotted yellow lines. When we first moved here, I would like swerve because it would scare the crap out of me because the motorcycle was passing me and he wasn't there a minute ago and there is a car there in the next lane? Where did he come from? What lane is he using? It still kinda scares me, especially if I am driving our huge Ram Truck and if I am in the middle lane and can't really swerve or move over any to give the motorcycle guy some room. But, really...do I HAVE to make him room? He can see that I am in a big truck and that there is say another big truck next to me, he should be able to tell that he cannot fit through there...yet, he tries. YIKES!
Trent says that a long time ago or in older motorcycles that are air cooled, they need to keep going, especially in California where we have such lovely traffic that really stalls to a 3-MPH crawl, to keep from overheating. If the motorcycle continued at a 3-MPH pace for too long, it would overheat. Okay... I see that. I am reasonable.
But...that does not explain why the motorcycle people do the same thing while in-town driving. The other day I was driving in town and was stopped at a light, a few minutes (okay, probably seconds, but doesn't it feel like forever when you are waiting the light to turn green!?!) later, a motorcycle came up between cars and stopped at the red light between me and another vehicle, who, by the way, were in our own lanes. The motorcycle guy, he was not in a lane. When the light turned green, he hauled butt outta there! So, in my mind, this guy was breaking like two traffic laws; he was passing in a lane that was already occupied by another vehicle and he was speeding (okay, yeah, so what, I was speeding too, but that is only ONE law broken not two!).
While I am on the fence about letting them pass me on the highway, I am clearly not whilst driving in town, off the highway, on regular city streets. I think on the highway, if indeed we are going less than the posted speed limit, the motorcycle should be allowed to have some leeway and pass perhaps if the area is wide enough for him to get by (that is a whole other issue..there are some motorcycles that are very big and have those saddle bags (hey...I resemble that comment!) that are quite big which makes the motorcycle very wide, almost too wide to slip between two vehicles if the two vehicles stayed in their respected lanes and not scooch over to make room). But if we are all going, or exceeding in some cases (LOL), the speed limit, they should have to follow the same rules and pass like the rest of us. I think the same should go for in-town driving. There are lights and stop signs and crosswalks that we all have to stop for, I think they should have to stop, behind traffic, in their own lane, and wait like the rest of us.
Even after living in Cali for the last 14+ years, I still get startled by a motorcycle passing me going between the lanes. I worry for their mothers who you KNOW are worried that their babies are out there in motorcycles driving through traffic. I always pray that they are observant enough to watch out for cars who are changing lanes and just don't see the motorcycle, because frankly, they are not where they are supposed to be. And I pray that they have the ability to duck their heads if they come in close contact to a side-view mirror that sticks out a little too far. It scares me, it really does. While I loved to ride on the back of Trenty's bike (and feel his body close to .... never mind, too much information) back in the day, there is no way I would get on one here in California. It just scares me too much.
And that, dear friends, are my two things this week!
I wish we could bottle the "weekend." I know, it sounds a bit strange (or does it?!?), but hear me out.
So, last week, during the Monday through Friday part, I was exhausted. I couldn't get enough sleep. Come around 3:00pm, my eyes were heavy and I was trying to do my transcription but the rhythm of my doctor's voice was just like a lullaby! I don't drink Diet Pepsi anymore, but I am sure that caffeine would have helped. I had to stand up and walk around just a bit just to clear the cobwebs!
This week, (and might I add, thank heavens it's Thursday, I am exhausted!!) is about the same thing. I have had a headache almost every evening. I haven't even been able to read before bed neither I have I been able to knit much. Just feeling kinda blah.
But, I can almost guarantee that come Friday afternoon/evening I will be just fine!! I bet I can go out for dinner and a movie with my date! I bet I can stay up to midnight knitting and Netflix bingeing. I bet I will get up to feed the dogs at 6:30 in the morning (I know, you'd think I would have them better trained than that) and be roaring to go! I bet I can shop on Saturday until I am about to drop! I bet I get up Sunday, also at 6:30 (dogs....), do my laundry (if Trent hasn't already done it!) and clean my house a bit and again knit and movie binge watch without any problem. Until.....Sunday evening.
On Sunday evening, my fingers will begin to tingle with carpal tunnel syndrome a little bit. I am sure that little pounding above my right eye will start just a bit. My left elbow may begin to ache just a touch. I am sure my lower back will be a little achy as well. My neck... well, it may need to be massaged! That's right... I am starting not to feel well. Monday is tomorrow.
I know I am not the only one to do this. I have friends, spouses of friends, family, etc. who I know face these same problems. You can be at the ER on Wednesday night yet howling at the moon on Saturday at midnight! You have have all these aches and pains during the week that are just miraculously cured, if only for 48 short hours! I don't even need to nap on Saturday or Sunday! I am always raring to go! What's the next adventure we are going to do? What movie might we see? Is there a baseball game in San Francisco? Do I need more yarn (the answer to this question is...Really? Do you need even ask?)? Could I cruise through the mall and buy stuff that I don't need? Does little Winnie (my Mini) need to go for a little drive to the beach? That's right, I am FOE -- Full Of Energy! I am not sick. There are no aches or pains.
So, let's bottle it!
And, just a side note here - a little rant, if you will - The week is seven days long, yet the weekend is only two days?!? I mean, I know you can't split seven in an equal half (look at that...high school algebra is paying off!), but you can get a little closer than 2/7. I would take 3/7. However...oh my gosh, wouldn't 4/7 be the BEST!! But I wont be greedy... I will take the 3/7 and be happy with it. I think we should start a campaign --- Friday should be the weekend too!! Let's start a trend - #fridaywantstobethestartoftheweekend Love it!!
*
Okay, being from a very small town in New Mexico with the nearest interstate (BTW, just a little observation here -- how in the world can Hawaii have interstate highways? There is no INTERstating going on there, right?) being like, I don't know, like 2 hours away, I don't really know if this is a problem there or just in California. But here in Cali, motorcycles can drive between the lanes. Like on the dotted yellow lines. When we first moved here, I would like swerve because it would scare the crap out of me because the motorcycle was passing me and he wasn't there a minute ago and there is a car there in the next lane? Where did he come from? What lane is he using? It still kinda scares me, especially if I am driving our huge Ram Truck and if I am in the middle lane and can't really swerve or move over any to give the motorcycle guy some room. But, really...do I HAVE to make him room? He can see that I am in a big truck and that there is say another big truck next to me, he should be able to tell that he cannot fit through there...yet, he tries. YIKES!
Trent says that a long time ago or in older motorcycles that are air cooled, they need to keep going, especially in California where we have such lovely traffic that really stalls to a 3-MPH crawl, to keep from overheating. If the motorcycle continued at a 3-MPH pace for too long, it would overheat. Okay... I see that. I am reasonable.
But...that does not explain why the motorcycle people do the same thing while in-town driving. The other day I was driving in town and was stopped at a light, a few minutes (okay, probably seconds, but doesn't it feel like forever when you are waiting the light to turn green!?!) later, a motorcycle came up between cars and stopped at the red light between me and another vehicle, who, by the way, were in our own lanes. The motorcycle guy, he was not in a lane. When the light turned green, he hauled butt outta there! So, in my mind, this guy was breaking like two traffic laws; he was passing in a lane that was already occupied by another vehicle and he was speeding (okay, yeah, so what, I was speeding too, but that is only ONE law broken not two!).
While I am on the fence about letting them pass me on the highway, I am clearly not whilst driving in town, off the highway, on regular city streets. I think on the highway, if indeed we are going less than the posted speed limit, the motorcycle should be allowed to have some leeway and pass perhaps if the area is wide enough for him to get by (that is a whole other issue..there are some motorcycles that are very big and have those saddle bags (hey...I resemble that comment!) that are quite big which makes the motorcycle very wide, almost too wide to slip between two vehicles if the two vehicles stayed in their respected lanes and not scooch over to make room). But if we are all going, or exceeding in some cases (LOL), the speed limit, they should have to follow the same rules and pass like the rest of us. I think the same should go for in-town driving. There are lights and stop signs and crosswalks that we all have to stop for, I think they should have to stop, behind traffic, in their own lane, and wait like the rest of us.
Even after living in Cali for the last 14+ years, I still get startled by a motorcycle passing me going between the lanes. I worry for their mothers who you KNOW are worried that their babies are out there in motorcycles driving through traffic. I always pray that they are observant enough to watch out for cars who are changing lanes and just don't see the motorcycle, because frankly, they are not where they are supposed to be. And I pray that they have the ability to duck their heads if they come in close contact to a side-view mirror that sticks out a little too far. It scares me, it really does. While I loved to ride on the back of Trenty's bike (and feel his body close to .... never mind, too much information) back in the day, there is no way I would get on one here in California. It just scares me too much.
And that, dear friends, are my two things this week!
Monday, September 21, 2015
Travel, Football, Birthday, and New Friendships
I wanted to share my experience this weekend. Bear with me....
Today is Trent's birthday. We have had a hard year, but he is pretty much back to normal and aside from being a bit on a financial low, we are doing very well.
So last week, I was looking at a ticket app that I often go to so I could try to find something great do to with Trent this last weekend for his birthday. I ran across some UCLA vs. BYU football tickets at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. I thought it would be a great gift for him (and, no lying here, a great get-away for us both) but I could not purchase them without first checking to make sure he was not working and that we wanted to go. I asked him about it and we talked about it and he said no...at first. The next day he came to ask if I could still get the tickets. I looked and I could. We looked for a hotel room and plans were made.
We left earlyish on Saturday morning, arrived to SoCa in the early afternoon. Checked into our room. Went to Old Town Pasadena, walked around in the massive heat, BTW!! Took a shuttle to the Rose Bowl. Watched a pretty fabulous football game! It was messy and not pretty and came down to the last few minutes of the game to decide who the winner was going to be. We stayed until the very last second and just soaked it all up. We waited in a rather lengthy line to shuttle back to our car, but I gotta say, those Rose Bowl people know how to move a lot of people very quickly. The rather lengthy line, I am talking like probably 2 miles long!, moved on out. We were in line for less than 30 minutes before we got to our shuttle. We got back to our room rather late, especially for people as old as us!! Slept in a bit on Sunday and did a little sightseeing before heading back up to NorCal. It was a rather fast and furious trip but so worth it. We got to see a pretty great football game, ate too much crap, didn't drink enough water, talked and laughed. It was just a great few days.
What I wanted to share is what happened in the middle of all of that....
As I have shared recently, I have kinda changed a bit in my shyness. I talk with people now. I even start conversations with people in line. Well, Trent and I were sitting on a bench outside of the Rose Bowl waiting for the gates to open when an older couple sat down next to us. They were in their BYU blue. Trent was wearing just a regular shirt but had on his UCLA cap and I was wearing my Aikman Cowboy jersey. This couple would have had no idea we were LDS.
I asked the lady, Judi as I later found out, if they were local or if they had come down from Provo. She answered that they are from Salt Lake City and they had taken a bus down. Her husband's grandson, Graham Rowley, was playing for BYU, he was #92 and was a defensive lineman. Trent and Howard talked football for a while. Later Judi had mentioned that they actually lived in Sandy, Utah. I told her Trent's brother lived there. But I didn't know what ward or anything like that. It became pretty clear from the way we talked that Trent and I are Mormon. We chatted a bit more. She was talking about her granddaughter training horses and they talked a bit about how much fun horse racing is. Even if don't put any money down! They were talking about being invited to an after race party and how much fun they were having.
At that point, I said something about drinking alcohol and how much clearer they were probably seeing things at that party! Howard then said that he was drinking...he then said that he really wasn't a member of the church any longer. Judi said that they had a few issues. I laughed and out of absolutely no where, I said, "Oh yeah, I am familiar with issues with the church. We have a gay son." (Just a little side note here - this is really the very first time I have ever said those words out loud. I have shared with friends and family, but never a complete stranger. I don't really know why it came out -- well, I do actually...read on).
Judi's mouth gaped completely open and she sucked in air and put her hand on her chest and I was ready, actually for a fight. I was ready to put her and other pretentious Mormons in their place. Come at me, Judi, is what I was thinking. She reached over and touched my arm and said, "Oh my gosh, you are kidding me? I have two lesbian daughters." She went on to explain how she has a daughter who is married to a bishop who has stopped talking with her because of her support of her lesbian daughters. She talked about the struggles and the hurdles and the fights and the tears.
I explained that Trent was a lifelong member of the church and was struggling a bit. You know, being taught one thing all of your life and suddenly needing to see things differently. Immediately, Howard got up and went over to Trent and just started talking with him. Answering questions. Judi and I were having our own conversation separately. I told her I was a Mama Dragon (a group of mostly LDS mothers who have GLBTQ children who help each other out and listen and advise, etc.) and she knew about the group. She told me her daughter and her partner were raising a child together and how she was really big in SLC Pride. She invited us to join them on October 3 for an Allies Dinner in SLC. We talked about some of the things our "friends" have said to us. We talked about blaming ourselves at first and wondering what we did as mothers. I showed her pictures of my children. We exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. It was just amazing.
By the end of our conversation, Judi and hugged and I was just crying. It was such a blessed experience. I wish I were more eloquent in my words so that I could explain how my heart felt. She was just what I needed and Howard was just who Trent needed to talk to, if only for a little while.
There were just so many factors that had to lay out specifically for us to get to the point where we found out our similarities. It started with a smile and a question. It ended with a new friendship, new allies, new shoulders to lean on. What an amazing blessing. What an amazing experience. You just never know.
"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." ~ Albert Einstein
XOXO
Today is Trent's birthday. We have had a hard year, but he is pretty much back to normal and aside from being a bit on a financial low, we are doing very well.
So last week, I was looking at a ticket app that I often go to so I could try to find something great do to with Trent this last weekend for his birthday. I ran across some UCLA vs. BYU football tickets at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. I thought it would be a great gift for him (and, no lying here, a great get-away for us both) but I could not purchase them without first checking to make sure he was not working and that we wanted to go. I asked him about it and we talked about it and he said no...at first. The next day he came to ask if I could still get the tickets. I looked and I could. We looked for a hotel room and plans were made.
We left earlyish on Saturday morning, arrived to SoCa in the early afternoon. Checked into our room. Went to Old Town Pasadena, walked around in the massive heat, BTW!! Took a shuttle to the Rose Bowl. Watched a pretty fabulous football game! It was messy and not pretty and came down to the last few minutes of the game to decide who the winner was going to be. We stayed until the very last second and just soaked it all up. We waited in a rather lengthy line to shuttle back to our car, but I gotta say, those Rose Bowl people know how to move a lot of people very quickly. The rather lengthy line, I am talking like probably 2 miles long!, moved on out. We were in line for less than 30 minutes before we got to our shuttle. We got back to our room rather late, especially for people as old as us!! Slept in a bit on Sunday and did a little sightseeing before heading back up to NorCal. It was a rather fast and furious trip but so worth it. We got to see a pretty great football game, ate too much crap, didn't drink enough water, talked and laughed. It was just a great few days.
What I wanted to share is what happened in the middle of all of that....
As I have shared recently, I have kinda changed a bit in my shyness. I talk with people now. I even start conversations with people in line. Well, Trent and I were sitting on a bench outside of the Rose Bowl waiting for the gates to open when an older couple sat down next to us. They were in their BYU blue. Trent was wearing just a regular shirt but had on his UCLA cap and I was wearing my Aikman Cowboy jersey. This couple would have had no idea we were LDS.
I asked the lady, Judi as I later found out, if they were local or if they had come down from Provo. She answered that they are from Salt Lake City and they had taken a bus down. Her husband's grandson, Graham Rowley, was playing for BYU, he was #92 and was a defensive lineman. Trent and Howard talked football for a while. Later Judi had mentioned that they actually lived in Sandy, Utah. I told her Trent's brother lived there. But I didn't know what ward or anything like that. It became pretty clear from the way we talked that Trent and I are Mormon. We chatted a bit more. She was talking about her granddaughter training horses and they talked a bit about how much fun horse racing is. Even if don't put any money down! They were talking about being invited to an after race party and how much fun they were having.
At that point, I said something about drinking alcohol and how much clearer they were probably seeing things at that party! Howard then said that he was drinking...he then said that he really wasn't a member of the church any longer. Judi said that they had a few issues. I laughed and out of absolutely no where, I said, "Oh yeah, I am familiar with issues with the church. We have a gay son." (Just a little side note here - this is really the very first time I have ever said those words out loud. I have shared with friends and family, but never a complete stranger. I don't really know why it came out -- well, I do actually...read on).
Judi's mouth gaped completely open and she sucked in air and put her hand on her chest and I was ready, actually for a fight. I was ready to put her and other pretentious Mormons in their place. Come at me, Judi, is what I was thinking. She reached over and touched my arm and said, "Oh my gosh, you are kidding me? I have two lesbian daughters." She went on to explain how she has a daughter who is married to a bishop who has stopped talking with her because of her support of her lesbian daughters. She talked about the struggles and the hurdles and the fights and the tears.
I explained that Trent was a lifelong member of the church and was struggling a bit. You know, being taught one thing all of your life and suddenly needing to see things differently. Immediately, Howard got up and went over to Trent and just started talking with him. Answering questions. Judi and I were having our own conversation separately. I told her I was a Mama Dragon (a group of mostly LDS mothers who have GLBTQ children who help each other out and listen and advise, etc.) and she knew about the group. She told me her daughter and her partner were raising a child together and how she was really big in SLC Pride. She invited us to join them on October 3 for an Allies Dinner in SLC. We talked about some of the things our "friends" have said to us. We talked about blaming ourselves at first and wondering what we did as mothers. I showed her pictures of my children. We exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. It was just amazing.
By the end of our conversation, Judi and hugged and I was just crying. It was such a blessed experience. I wish I were more eloquent in my words so that I could explain how my heart felt. She was just what I needed and Howard was just who Trent needed to talk to, if only for a little while.
There were just so many factors that had to lay out specifically for us to get to the point where we found out our similarities. It started with a smile and a question. It ended with a new friendship, new allies, new shoulders to lean on. What an amazing blessing. What an amazing experience. You just never know.
"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." ~ Albert Einstein
XOXO
Friday, September 11, 2015
My Vote -- in 14 months
Been camping with the hubby for the last week. Glad and sad to be back home. I am sure some can understand.
This is September 2015. The presidential election is not for over a year. Yet, I am receiving tons of phone calls for polling and seeing debates on television and reading many articles on the candidates. I feel it is too early. I don't remember how it used to be, but I can't really believe that this campaigning has always started this early. It has been going on for months. I am already sick of it!
In California, our primary elections aren't until June 2016. By that time, it has really pretty much been decided who will be on a ballot in November. But I still exercise my vote and I give my vote to the person I like the most. I don't go by his religion. I don't go by his name. I don't always go by his popularity. I don't take your word of mouth who is the best. I do research. Though, I have to say, the last few primary elections, my vote has pretty much been lost in the system. It really didn't count much. But I did cast my vote for who I thought was the best candidate. That person may not ever know who gave him that one vote, but I know. Hopefully he knows that at least one person was listening to him and liked what he had to say and didn't go with the popular vote.
My vote this year....next year!!... is really a hard one for me. I am torn for really the first time in my adult, voting life. I do have issues and I do see things from a different prospective and I do want to see some change and I do want to see tolerance and acceptance.
My parents and most of my grandparents were democrat. Though, I regretfully announce that not of a lot of them ever used their constitutional right. I don't remember ever seeing my mother or father vote. Of course, they had opinions about how things were run; but the older the got and the more I understood, I realized their bitch meant absolutely nothing. You cannot complain about something you did nothing to fix. You cannot take credit for something you did not support. If you did not cast your vote, being either for or against, you cannot be responsible nor feckless in what has happened. You literally had no say in the action. Your complaint, your bitching, your disgust fall on deaf ears. If you did nothing, I don't want to hear from you.
I am a Christian. I am a woman, middle-aged - thank you very much. I am middle class. I pay taxes. I work. According to my state statistics, my family household earns above median income. I am not a 1%er. I own property. I vote -- every single time. In my state, I am not in the majority. I am mostly conservative, with a few steps to the left. I am Republican; card carrying.
My issues for the next election include, but are not limited to, marriage equality, border issues, abortion, health care, the national debt, war/peace, welfare, gun control. I will not go into my stance on all of these subjects, not today anyway.
I will say this -- I have a gay son. I want him to love and to marry as he wishes. I don't want anyone to stand in his way. I will fight for his right to do so. I will fight for his right to adopt children as he and his (future) husband see fit. I will fight for his right to be noticed as a citizen of the United States, not some second-class no one. He is equal. He is equal to me. He is equal to you. His life matters. It should not just matter to me, it really should matter to you as well. If some elected county clerk (I really, really have a lot to say on this subject, but it just angers me to very much, I cannot even talk about it without my heart just racing) refuses to give my son a marriage license because of who he is marrying, the elected official is not doing their job and should be released - immediately. I really don't care what side of the marriage equality issue you are on - you should ask for any ones resignation, or demand it, if they are not following the laws of the land.
This is September 2015. The presidential election is not for over a year. Yet, I am receiving tons of phone calls for polling and seeing debates on television and reading many articles on the candidates. I feel it is too early. I don't remember how it used to be, but I can't really believe that this campaigning has always started this early. It has been going on for months. I am already sick of it!
In California, our primary elections aren't until June 2016. By that time, it has really pretty much been decided who will be on a ballot in November. But I still exercise my vote and I give my vote to the person I like the most. I don't go by his religion. I don't go by his name. I don't always go by his popularity. I don't take your word of mouth who is the best. I do research. Though, I have to say, the last few primary elections, my vote has pretty much been lost in the system. It really didn't count much. But I did cast my vote for who I thought was the best candidate. That person may not ever know who gave him that one vote, but I know. Hopefully he knows that at least one person was listening to him and liked what he had to say and didn't go with the popular vote.
My vote this year....next year!!... is really a hard one for me. I am torn for really the first time in my adult, voting life. I do have issues and I do see things from a different prospective and I do want to see some change and I do want to see tolerance and acceptance.
My parents and most of my grandparents were democrat. Though, I regretfully announce that not of a lot of them ever used their constitutional right. I don't remember ever seeing my mother or father vote. Of course, they had opinions about how things were run; but the older the got and the more I understood, I realized their bitch meant absolutely nothing. You cannot complain about something you did nothing to fix. You cannot take credit for something you did not support. If you did not cast your vote, being either for or against, you cannot be responsible nor feckless in what has happened. You literally had no say in the action. Your complaint, your bitching, your disgust fall on deaf ears. If you did nothing, I don't want to hear from you.
I am a Christian. I am a woman, middle-aged - thank you very much. I am middle class. I pay taxes. I work. According to my state statistics, my family household earns above median income. I am not a 1%er. I own property. I vote -- every single time. In my state, I am not in the majority. I am mostly conservative, with a few steps to the left. I am Republican; card carrying.
My issues for the next election include, but are not limited to, marriage equality, border issues, abortion, health care, the national debt, war/peace, welfare, gun control. I will not go into my stance on all of these subjects, not today anyway.
I will say this -- I have a gay son. I want him to love and to marry as he wishes. I don't want anyone to stand in his way. I will fight for his right to do so. I will fight for his right to adopt children as he and his (future) husband see fit. I will fight for his right to be noticed as a citizen of the United States, not some second-class no one. He is equal. He is equal to me. He is equal to you. His life matters. It should not just matter to me, it really should matter to you as well. If some elected county clerk (I really, really have a lot to say on this subject, but it just angers me to very much, I cannot even talk about it without my heart just racing) refuses to give my son a marriage license because of who he is marrying, the elected official is not doing their job and should be released - immediately. I really don't care what side of the marriage equality issue you are on - you should ask for any ones resignation, or demand it, if they are not following the laws of the land.
- Do I particularly like going 55MPH? No, I don't. Do I always go 55MPH? No, I don't. Am I subject to a fine if found guilty of not going 55MPH? Yes. Does this change if I am a man or a woman? It better not. Can I be angry if I am fined? Oh yes, I can and will be. Will I go 55MPH from now on? I would like to think I would really try. Can I do anything about the speed limit? Not really, I can just obey the law.
- Do I like to shop? Very much so! Do I like to pay $150 for a pair of shoes? Ummmmm...no. Do I ever put said shoes into my purse without paying for them? Ummmmm...no. If I did, could I be subject to jail time? Yes! Can I do anything about loving and wanting $150 shoes? No. Can I do anything about not spending time in jail? Yes I can, I can obey the law.
If you don't like the fact that gays are equal and can marry, do something about it. But don't refuse service for my son or others just like him. Again, I cannot reiterate enough how much I feel every single American should feel this way, I don't care how you feel about gay marriage - you should respect the law. You can protest all you want. You can send money to the county clerk to help with her legal fees. But, my gosh, you should certainly stand behind America and obey the Constitution. If you can't do your job -- there are highways going north to Canada and south to Mexico, hop on one. I have to sometimes work on Sunday. Do I like it? Nope. Can I refuse to do it? Sure, but I will lose my job. Can I do anything about it? Quit and find something else. Will Mike Huckabee come to a rally and defend my right not to work on a Sunday? LOL -- I don't think so. Okay, off my soap box now.
The only other thing I will say will be about gun control. I am a gun owner. I legally possess guns. They are registered in the State of California. They have been obtained legally. I follow the rules of owning a gun. My husband makes sure I am confident in firing my weapon and he makes sure that I know the safety rules and regulations and he knows I know how to use it and will. Does the gang member who is in possession of a gun follow the same rules? I am pretty much guessing not. Do there need to be stronger gun control laws? Probably, but definitely not to those who already follow the rules and live by the laws of the land. Should the government be able to take my guns? Only if they can 100% guarantee they get every single other gun off the streets, with no exceptions. Are there senseless, cruel, terrible murders happening every day to innocent people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Yes, my goodness, every day you read about someone who was shot or a group who were shot for no reason at all. Does this need to stop? Oh my heavens, yes it needs to stop, it needs to stop tomorrow. Are taking my legally obtained, fully registered guns the answer? Absolutely not. I don't really know what the right answer is here, but something needs to be done and quickly. And fairly.
Okay then....there you have my thoughts for the day! I don't know how I am going to vote in 14 months. I do know I am really going to listen to what is said and I am really going to weigh the things that I find important and finding the best candidate that fulfills most (I don't think we will every agree 100%) of my biggest issues.
For those that read to the end....I wish I could give you a prize!! For those who didn't, I will catch you the next time.
XOXO
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Two Things...
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Sweet Potatoes
Yuck. That is really all I need to say! LOL.
Since when did the sweet potato become such a big deal? It used to be that gross side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas that only your mom liked. Now, it's sweet potato this, sweet potato that... We went to our burger place, Moo Moo's (BTW, so yummy!!), and the waitress took my order and I told her I will have fries with that. She listed like 15 different fries (okay, maybe only four, but I really stopped listening after the first two), I told her just the regular fries. But sweet potato fries were an option. I have noticed it everywhere recently. I saw a sweet potato pie at the grocery store. I saw a burrito, yes a burrito, that had sweet potatoes in it.
Someone somewhere must have came out with a new study about how good the sweet potato is for you and the cancer-curing benefits or the weight-loss benefits or the lowering-cholesterol benefits or whatever... Just something someone said and it got blown up all over creation! I am just guessing here...but perhaps a sweet potato farmer??
It seems like every so often something "new" will come out and all of a sudden it is everywhere. Like Artisan a few years ago. All of sudden, everywhere you looked you could get artisan things. An artisan pizza or a sandwich with artisan bread or made with real artisan cheese.
Now the sweet potato has come to the forefront. So, I did a little Google research and found this:
Sweet Potatoes
Yuck. That is really all I need to say! LOL.
Since when did the sweet potato become such a big deal? It used to be that gross side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas that only your mom liked. Now, it's sweet potato this, sweet potato that... We went to our burger place, Moo Moo's (BTW, so yummy!!), and the waitress took my order and I told her I will have fries with that. She listed like 15 different fries (okay, maybe only four, but I really stopped listening after the first two), I told her just the regular fries. But sweet potato fries were an option. I have noticed it everywhere recently. I saw a sweet potato pie at the grocery store. I saw a burrito, yes a burrito, that had sweet potatoes in it.
Someone somewhere must have came out with a new study about how good the sweet potato is for you and the cancer-curing benefits or the weight-loss benefits or the lowering-cholesterol benefits or whatever... Just something someone said and it got blown up all over creation! I am just guessing here...but perhaps a sweet potato farmer??
It seems like every so often something "new" will come out and all of a sudden it is everywhere. Like Artisan a few years ago. All of sudden, everywhere you looked you could get artisan things. An artisan pizza or a sandwich with artisan bread or made with real artisan cheese.
Now the sweet potato has come to the forefront. So, I did a little Google research and found this:
Everything is pretty even except for Vitamin A which the sweet potato has a crapton of and the regular potato and none of. But the regular ol' potato has more Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, Protein, Potassium, and less calories and sugar.
That there just convinced me that I am okay eating a regular potato. I like potatoes! I like them *ahem...start best Forest Gump voice* fried and baked and mashed and hash browned and pan fried and au gratined and totted and wedged and saladed and chipped *end Forest Gump voice* -- you get the drift here. I like potatoes. Russet or Idaho or baby or red or fingerling or whatever, I like them! However, I don't like them sweet! Gag.
So, as stated above -- Yuck.
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No make up challenge
"The no make up challenge is to raise awareness to all women that they do not always need make up to look on top of their game. You are all beautiful!"
BE THE FIRST TO TAKE THE CHALLENGE! Women you are beautiful... I challenge all women to the newest challenge! #thenomakeupchallenge post a most recent picture of yourself to your facebook, twitter or instagram#nofilter wearing absolutely no make up and then nominate any number of your friends to do the same ... If you decline then "we all know why" This is not to humilate anyone but to raise awareness to all women that they are beautiful just the way they are and do not need make up to always look on top of their game. Take no offence make no excuses ladies let's get this thing going if you dare!!! Be sure to put #nomakeupchallenge #nofilter you can also post to the official pagehttps://www.facebook.com/nomakeupchallenge.
So, this was on Facebook recently.
My favorite line, "...if you decline then "we all know why"..." Really? We all know? Do we really know? Or do we think we know?
I will not be participating in this challenge for a number of reasons, but mostly because it is dumb. What are we proving?
Natural beauty, beauty come from within, it's how you feel .... blah, blah, blah.
Yes, I wear make up. A lot? Well, I guess that depends on who you are and how you judge. I don't think I wear a lot. I mean I can give my husband a big hug and put my cheek on his shoulder and not transfer make up. However, if I am crying my eyes out, yes, there will be mascara left behind. Why do I wear it? Well, frankly I wear it because I feel good whilst doing so. I get to cover up a few imperfections and perhaps accentuate a few of my better qualities. Do I wear it to put on a false presentation of who I am? No, that is so stupid. This is who I am. Am I humiliated while not wearing any? No, again, stupid! Do I feel I am beautiful without out? Well...the question you need to ask is do I feel beautiful with it?
I am doubtful you will ever see me around without make up, at least some sort of something on. I may not be made fully to the nines, but more than likely I will have some powder and some mascara and some lip gloss/stick on. But the same goes for my hair; I am doubtful you will ever see me with my hair completely undone or at least up in a pony for workouts. But never messy and certainly never looking like I don't own a brush. But..the same goes for my clothing.... I am doubtful you will ever see me without clothing on. It is all the same for me. Part of me getting ready in the morning is a shower, make up, hair done, and clothes on.
I am not embarrassed or ashamed to wear make up.
If you want to do the no make up challenge, you should! By all means, challenge on! More power to you!! I wont make you feel bad about yourself whether you have make up on or not. I wont make fun of you. I wont think how much better you could look. In fact, I am guessing I may not even notice. But don't assume "we all know why" I wont do the challenge. It is not who I am. It is not what I do. I wont be make up shamed! Don't judge me!
XOXO
Friday, August 28, 2015
Two Things...
This week, I thought I would show off a talent of mine that not a lot of people know about. I wasn't even that sure about it!!
I can sew!
I had a valance with two side panels downstairs in the front room. They were like a creamy color. They weren't dirty or worn or anything, I just wanted a change. This picture is really of Maggie -- I always forget the before picture! This is kinda old, too, I just noticed the rug is a different color now, but you get the drift!
So, I changed them. I decided to go with the colors on my new sectional in that room; burgundy and beige. I know, still kind of bland but a little color. This is just who I am. Note the new rug (not really, its like 5 years old!)!!
So, I didn't want to throw the old draperies in the trash, but I had no place to use them....unless I could transform them! Transform them, I did! A friend of mine, Ruthie, had made me a valance and a cushion and some pillows for the top of my stairs nook area. This was probably like 10 years go!!! She did a great job and I loved them; but when I found I had new 'fabric' in the old draperies, I thought I could perhaps change things around. So, I, with little sewing experience, of course unless you count all of the Halloween costumes I made for my babies, got out the old sewing machine and went to work. Are they perfect? Well....no. Are they perfect to me? Oh heck yes!! Trent was even impressed! I don't have a before picture (see note above) of the stuff Ruth made me, but here is the after. Not too bad, if I do say so myself.
I know, right?!?! Grandmama would be so proud of me - she used to sew all of my things that needed sewing...like buttons or hems or holes or pockets. But, I did this all by myself with no pattern! Well, I did use Ruth's old fabric as a pattern I guess. Thank you Project Runway for teaching me to sew!!!
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How many times do we judge a "book by its cover?"
I think, in literal terms, I judge a lot of books by their cover. I will go to the library (not so much physically anymore as I check out ebooks online) and just browse. Sometimes a title may jump out at me or the picture or even the just the color of the book flap. I will pick it up and read the description and if it sounds good(ish) I will check it out. This has been a good way to discover good books and new authors whom I would have never known about had I not judged the cover.
However, on the flip side of that, how many books have I loved but hated the cover?!? Lots, I am sure. I cannot come up with a example or two off the top of my head, but I am positive I have "looked" at a book and thought, noooooo...it doesn't look good. Then maybe someone will ask if I had read this book and explained that I needed to because it was so good. I may reply that I had looked at it but it didn't really look good, so I passed. But what didn't look good? The black book flap with plain white lettering? Maybe the simplicity of the title? I don't know....maybe it just didn't feel right in my hand. This is the case where judging that book was a mistake. I mean, yeah...sometimes I will read the book and it did suck and I will be like, "Darn it, I KNEW that book was gonna suck!"
Natalie recently started classes again for this semester and she texted me on the first day. Her first text was about the teacher. I can't remember exactly what she wrote, but some of the context read, "old, boring snore fest." The next text I got was something like this, "I love this teacher!!! He is a funny old man! He is a retired Captain of the Stockton PD and was head of the Investigation Department. He is really smart and has so much knowledge to share." She made the mistake of judging that old-man "book" by his cover. I wonder if she would have taken the class still had she seen him prior to signing up for it and thinking perhaps she needed a younger, hipper professor. She would have missed out on a great class (really, this is still to be determined, but am being optimistic, though!) with a great teacher who has lots and lots to share.
I can think of several times when perhaps I judged a bit too harshly or too quickly - this is really a bad thing. I don't think I ever would have been friends with my friend, Michelle, had I decided to go with my initial judgement of her. I thought she was rather stuck up and a little librarianish. I just knew she would not be any fun! But, she really is fun. She has a very smart mouth and a very sharp tongue...I don't think a lot of people know this about her, but I do. Though I didn't on my own befriend her; we were thrown into a church job together and really we had to get along. But, once we got to know each other it was great and I believe we will be lifelong friends.
Since my life as turned many corners, I really, really try not to judge anymore. It is so easy to look at someone and decide instantly what kind of person this is or whatever just by the clothes or the hairstyle or the makeup or whatever. I wonder how many great friendships I have missed out on because of this. I wonder how many great conversations I will never have because of this. I wonder how many people I would have helped but didn't because of this.
Now, I just look at people and smile or whilst standing in a long line strike up a conversation or add a comment to something they have said. It feels good. I met a really wonderful woman just by being nice and listening and smiling and perhaps answering a question about some pink yarn. My friend, Mary, and I have gone to pie and have kept in contact through Facebook and I hope to meet up with her again soon. My daughter, however, wonders often who this new person is!! This fun and outgoing and so nonjudgemental person. Who is she?
She is me.
XOXO
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