Queen of Fun 101

So, There!

2011-09-11T15:35:00.004-04:00

I don't know how you are commemorating 9/11 but I am boarding a plane to fly home. It was a little unsettling to think about being on an airplane today, of all days, but I decided that if we alter our lives out of fear we allow ourselves to be victimized again. So there!

As I sat in church this morning I was reminded of God's free gift of eternal life to all who call Him Lord. Not based on our merit but on His.

If for some reason my plane doesn't make it home? Think of heaven because I'll be SO THERE.

If You Can't Be The Age You Want -- Love The Age You Are

2011-09-07T11:13:00.001-04:00

And get in the front seat!

Big Bang Therory

2011-09-03T19:01:00.020-04:00

Have you ever tuned in your radio dial and found a connection so pure that it sounds like your radio turned into a Bose?

That is what home sounds like to me... usually. I love the sounds of being home.

I love the quiet of the pond in the early morning before the fountains swoosh on. The occasional fish making a belly flop after eating an airborne insect.

The pat pat pat of an early morning jogger making her way down the side walk. Glorie Halleluiah's tail smacking on the wall next to the backdoor ready for her pee-walk.
Oh, the sounds of being home.
But there is one sound that will ring through our house no more. And it's a good thing.
That would be the sound of Papa Joe compliantly putting the toilet seat down ever so not delicately. BANG.
He got points for replacing the seat but how many nights have I had a dream that I was shot all because he threw down the toilet seat? One would have been too many.
Enter my hero and marriage counselor - the plumber.
Did you know that Lowes has a toilet seat that closes half way and then gently settles down?
Well they do and that little home improvement has added years to my ( and maybe Papa Joe's ) life. Best part? It costs a mere $14.95.
Soooooooooooooo much cheaper than a lawyer and anything that keeps me out of the criminal reports in the newspaper is a good thing.
Now you know.

Knee Replacement

2011-08-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

It occurred to me today that I'm in need of knee replacements. They just don't bend like they used to. When I was a new Christian -- or even as (not so) far back as my latest crisis -- those knees bent down to the floor just fine.
"Oh, Father hear my prayers" I would say as I hit the floor kneeling.
My understanding is that it is painful surgery -- this knee replacement. The incision goes in through my heart. There is no guarantee of the outcome and the cost may be a limp for the rest of my days on earth.
Oh, but I need that procedure. The pain of this stiff neck is just more than I can bear.

2011-08-11T08:08:00.002-04:00

Words of wisdom from blog http://quiddity2.blogspot.com/

Here's Looking -- Acch-Hoo!

2011-08-03T11:57:00.001-04:00

Papa Joe is allergic to cats. Or so he has said for lo these many years as we've left elegant dinner parties to his chorus of sneezes.
But he has shown no aversion to feminine wiles and practically purrs himself while being gushed over by a pretty girl.
Enter "Ali Cat". (above)
It seems that while I was away in January she took up residence under a slip covered chair on our porch. She was a scaredy cat and her timidity touched his heart so he began to feed her twice a day.
She batted those eyes and flirted with him shamelessly.
When he was outside she was right by his side. She was a fine outside cat.
Fast forward to May and my ten week absence while tending to my mother.
Buy the time I returned home Ali was:
*Living inside the house
*Sleeping with my husband
*Napping on the white couch
*Enjoying a scratching pole in the middle of the living room that clearly does not match the decor.

This little hussy just looks at me, smiles and says with her eyes; "You're not woman enough to take away my man."
I guess love conquers all
-- Even allergies?

You Only Have One Life --

2011-07-29T08:57:00.042-04:00

But if you live it well -- one life is enough.
The task of clearing out my mothers home has been daunting. What to save -- what to toss? A lifetime of letters, photos and keepsakes that all seem too precious to discard. Tangible big moments and ordinary days.
I asked my mother's advice on how to approach this chore and she said the most amazing thing. She told me "Don't worry about letting go of any of it. The house or the things inside. I've used them up."
She told me she has spent the last few months rereading and touching her life. Sitting in chairs, eating off plates, and looking at the artworks in her home.
She said "Goodbye" and let them go.
What a lesson to me.
Me who polishes and clings. Me who thinks I own a thing or two of value.
My mother who is now in a nursing home never says; "I wish.............." because she did.
She crafted a home full of memories. She cultivated dear girlfriends. She packed her bags to see the wonders of the world and she made her bed.
She used up this life given to her . And she is still using her days to teach -- me.

Who Is Rich?

2011-07-28T16:52:00.000-04:00

"A Friend Remebers Your Song and Sings It Back To You When You Forget"

2011-07-27T08:37:00.000-04:00

As we have cleared out my mothers home preparing it for sale I have found her life's paper trail in boxes tucked into her tidy shelves.
Boxes of letters, cards and notes. Books filled with quotes she has gathered and articles from long extinct publications.
They are a mirror of my mother.
They speak well of her.
Her humor, service, loyalty and her faith.
I have gathered them up and shipped most of them home to be sorted and assembled into a book of comfort for those whose lives have been graced by hers.
But nursing homes are places where it is easy to forget who you are. The world gets small and is full of rituals that begin to strip you of your sparkle.
So each evening while we visit I take stacks of her paper trail and read them to her.
Her eyes begin to focus. She sits up straighter in her bed. We count our blessings while recalling memories. And because she is Loie -- we laugh hard.
A couple of highlights from last night:
"You don't stop laughing because you grow old -- you grow old because you stop laughing." Michael Pritchard
"You know you're old when you've lost all your marvels." Mary Browne
I leave my mother's care on Thursday and it makes me tear up to even type that.
I struggle with feeling I'm abandoning her. But she is safe and secure and I have others depending on me.
When I wondered what will fill her evenings now I thought -- I'll bundle up little packages of her life (old notes and letters from loved ones) and send her a packet each day to reminisce over each evening (After Wheel of Fortune of course!).
A life well lived deserves to be reviewed and celebrated.

Guerrilla Love -- Taking It To The Streets

2011-07-24T22:20:00.001-04:00

My friend's son told me a story that caused me to reflect on the quality of my unconditional love.

A family in his neighborhood was away from home last week when a crew came to put their home in foreclosure and evict them.
The neighbors watched with aching hearts as their friend's tangible lives were set out on the street and lawn. One of the neighbors who hosts a Bible study began to rally the neighbors and find temporary homes for the displaced stuff.
She stood in the yard like a NYC traffic cop and directed who was to rescue what and ultimately the house was empty but so was the yard.
Now that is an impressive demonstration of loving your neighbor.
But what she did next exhibited a rare example of Guerilla Love.
She ordered pizza for the men who were on the crew that moved everything out.
When it came she fed those men.
The leader said; "Lady I've been doing this job for years and NO one has ever even been cordial to us let alone feed us lunch."
All she said was she is a Christian and wished them a good day.
I wonder if our church would fill up if I preached more sermons like that?

2011-07-24T09:06:00.000-04:00

Plus

Equal one fine meal!

I watched Oprah one afternoon and she waxed poetic about the turkey burger at Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach.

I was intrigued but we just hardly ever jet down to Palm Beach and go to "the club." OK never in our wildest dreams.

Imagine my delight when I found the recipe last week, made them that day and loved them.

From God's lips to your ears....................

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burgers

Recipe from Jeff O’Neill, Mar-a-Lago Club
*Note this recipe makes 8 half-pound burgers. A half-pound burger is very large! You can easily half the recipe and get 6 good sized burgers. I cut the recipe down to work with one 20 oz package of turkey and it yielded 6 large sliders.
2 tablespoons canola oil (I used butter)
1/2 C finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced (I grated my apples)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
4 lbs ground turkey breast (I used 85/15 ground turkey)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons tabasco sauce
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey’s Chutney
Saute the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sauteed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve on your favorite toasted bread, pita, or hamburger bun.

Anthropologie

2011-07-23T09:34:00.000-04:00

This morning my girlfriend Linda asked me where I always go when I'm in NYC. Well, my bag has not been flung onto the bed long before I walk over to the Anthropologie store to see how the windows are adorned now.
The artistry is unbelievable!
Each store is given a loose theme and a type of material for the content and the designer at that store is let go to create.
Here are some examples:

Balloon art.

Tissue paper and clothes pins.

Wine corks.

Coffee filters.

Marshmallows.

Wow! To see ordinary objects in extraordinary ways. Now, that's FUN

Open Heart -- Open Mind

2011-07-20T09:05:00.000-04:00

My girlfriend Sandra who serves at the City Rescue Mission with me sent this and it felt like God was sitting across the table with a hot cup of tea in His hands leaning my way. My heart needed to hear this.

Al Boyce is a former writer and reporter for The Associated Press. He lives in Raleigh, NC.
"I had a decidedly bad attitude the other day.
In the morning, I was taking a homeless man to a clinic for his bad back and found myself drumming my fingers, thinking, "How late am I going to be to work?"
The man called while I was in a meeting at work to have me pick him up and bring him back to his camp and I was thinking, "Great, I've interrupted this meeting and now I'm going to miss lunch." There were problems at work, problems I couldn't fix for some reason. I was being rather snippy with people.
On the way home, I was scheduled to give another homeless man a ride so he could stay at our house and be close to where he was working the next morning. Heavy sigh. I'd have to make sure he had dinner as well as fixing something for the kids.
After dinner, I was tired, wanting to be left alone. A voice (it sounded like my own) suggested I treat myself to some frozen custard a couple miles from the house. I loaded my son in the back seat and off we went.
Halfway there, on the other side of the road, I could see a large, unkempt-looking man hitchhiking. That's pretty unusual in the affluent neighborhood I was driving through. Part of me thought, "Thank God I'm not going that way. I don't have to give him a ride." But I realized that, 10 minutes later, I'd be coming back.
'God,' I found myself praying, as I watched car after car passing that man by, 'Please let someone else pick him up. You know I'll stop if he's still there on the way back. But Lord, I'm just tired. Send someone else. I need a holiday.'
Yes, a holiday, my mind echoed. That would be great... I got my frozen custard - to go - and started driving back, eyes scanning ahead on the roadside for any sign of the hitchhiker.
There he was. Car after car ahead of me drove blissfully by the man. My car coasted to a stop next to him. He climbed in.
He didn't look good. It had been a very hot day -- over 100 degrees -- yet he wasn't perspiring. Just breathing heavily.
'Where you going?' I asked. 'The hospital,' he breathed. 'I need to get my blood pressure checked.'
God, I thought, please tell me you aren't going to give this man a heart attack in my car!
The hospital was less than a mile away. I dropped him at the entrance, helping him out of the car and making sure he felt able to get inside.
"God bless you and your family," he said. "I never would have been able to walk here."
Then he extended his hand and said, with no trace of a smile:
'My name's Holiday.'
I got this silly grin on my face. I could just picture God rolling His eyes at this punch line that spoke to me on so many levels.
"My yoke is easy, my burden is light," He was telling me. God wasn't ready to stop calling on me, but he was merciful enough to provide a blessed sign of his providence without pushing me over that edge I felt like I was treading.
God saw my frustrations, my weakness, and chose to acknowledge them WITHOUT abandoning His agenda. He even did so with a sense of humor.
I tell this story and others about seeing God's hand, and people will ask, "What do I have to do to see God myself?"
When you break down the story, you see the answer.

1) You believe in God.

2) You believe God works through you.

3) You believe God knows what you are going through and will answer your prayers when you are tired and out of sorts.

4) You look for God's answer to that prayer everywhere, not just where you expect to find it.

5) You obey God even as you search for His providence.

As a result, you may get to feel God's loving presence, His mercy, even His humor.
The ultimate answer? EXPECT GOD. He's always there, and the more you see His hand, the better you get at recognizing it.

Que -- The Soundtrack "Stand By Me"

2011-07-17T17:00:00.000-04:00

One of our family's favorite movies growing up was "Stand By Me".
Who can forget 'The great puke-arama'? We had a ball using our VCR to slow motion forward and reverse the results of the tainted pie eating contest.
Even today just hearing Duh -duh-duh - DUH....... makes me smile.

When the night has come

And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

I heard a story on the radio from Chuck Colson's daughter Emily about the challenges of raising her autistic son Max.
Shopping in public with Max has been one of Emily's most dreaded scenarios. She never knows when he'll have an emotional melt down and cause a scene.
One day they were in Whole Foods and Max threw a fit. He literally fell to the floor and kicked and screamed.
Shoppers looked on with blistering glares. Emily could read the messages in their eyes.
"You are the mother -- get your child under control!"
Knowing that Max was to big to pull from the store and that an autistic child can not be reasoned with, bribed or threatened like most children she just positioned herself between the ever widening circle of judgemental shoppers and looked down in shame to avoid their stares.
After a few long moments Emily saw a pair of feet standing next to her own and heard a woman's voice say; "I'll stand here with you as long as it takes. I'm right here by your side. Tell me if I can do anything but I'm not leaving you."
Eventually Max wore himself out and the gawkers resumed their shopping, forgetting the whole scene.
But Emily never forgot.
I will never forget the feet that have stood by mine these last eight weeks as I have tended my mother. If you are reading this -- Thank You.

Get Out!

2011-07-15T10:24:00.000-04:00

It is so easy to see all of the things going down hill these days.
But, I have seen little "God winks" in my daily travels this week.

The reminder of the joy of good hard work.

The summer sky from a friend's porch.

Servant's hearts.

"Ordinary things done with great love." Mother Theresa

Teamwork projects.

Wise reminders.

And a little irreverence thrown in -- "See no evil -- speak no evil -- hear no evil -- have no fun."

Reading...........

2011-07-14T19:45:00.004-04:00

I have loved "reading" (audio book) this book about the books Pat Conroy has read. More than any book Pat Conroy has written.(Except "The Water is Wide")
His perspective of a book as a parachute in a troubling time has made me reflect on my reading life too.
Pat's book has caused me to roll down a highway laughing out loud during a summer of murky trials. He reminded me that a good read can be one of the best stay-cations.
His moving retells of books like "War and Peace" almost make me think I could, would should read it too.
Oh, yeah, 1081 pages plus dyslexia plus zillions of characters equals a door stop.
But, his poignant illustrations of the power of a timely story have reminded me of the books that helped form me.
Pippi Longstocking lives!

What is a Goatwalker?

2011-07-13T10:51:00.004-04:00

I wish I knew but one thing I do know -- in Louisville Kentucky at my friend Sue's church -- it means one heck of a good time.
The second Saturday night of each month the members of her church have "The Goatwalker Cafe".
They:
1. Transform their store front church into a coffee house.
2. Bring homemade desserts and set up a menu board posting the choices. Have church members take orders and serve the tables. 3. Go pick up the folks at the local homeless shelters.
4. Set up the stage with a piano, microphone, and a big table for props.
5. And fling open the doors.

Here is a list of the variety of entertainment from last Saturday night:
*A magician did a few magic tricks. The big finale was cutting a fresh lemon and producing the card a homeless man had pulled.

*A little girl told five of the funniest jokes.

*An eldrely man played songs from the 1920s on the piano.
*A dulsimer recital.
*And a guitar performance accompanied by a homeless man in the audience playing the spoons. Awsome!
Actually since the members of Sue's church are mostly hippies no one could tell the visitors from the members.
They don't get into their BMWs and drive into the city to help the poor. They have choosen to live there and be a friend to man.

(The servers and kitchen help)

Here is an example of their worship style.
On Easter Sundays they have a balloon drop, confetti shower and it ultimatly ends up in a conga line snaking through the asiles to worship music.
These folks know how to party.
Tony Campolo says --

When Jesus came into the world, he declared that he had come that his joy might be in us and that our joy might be full. Consequently, it's not surprising that when people asked him what his kingdom would be like ‐ this world that he wants to create ‐ he said, "My kingdom is likened unto a wedding
feast. A wedding feast and I'm the bridegroom and as long as you have a bridegroom around, you party." That was his word; it was to be a wedding feast.
Now I have to tell you that Jesus was Jewish, which is the next best thing to being Italian. Sometimes people ask me if Italians are so wonderful, why didn't Jesus come as an Italian? Well the Bible says he came to humble himself. But, Jews and Italians and Palestinians, all Arab people, the Greeks, all who
live in the Mediterranean area, we have one thing in common. We know how to throw weddings. I mean there is nothing more joyful, more celebratory then an Italian, a Jewish, a Greek, or an Arab
wedding. I mean, we mortgage the house, we take the money out of the bank, we bring in the band, we go on and on.
Jesus said that's what my kingdom's like ‐ my kingdom's likened unto one gigantic party.I invite you to the Christ who will give you joy because your sins will be forgiven. Who will give you

joy because he commissions you to share that joy with other people. And when the dark times come and the sorrows of life overwhelm you, there will be joy because you will know that beyond the present time is the glorious future, the glorious gift that God has in store for all who trust in him. He
makes it into a party time! Into a party time! Into a party time! So people, the next time they ask you
at your church what time is it? I want to hear you shout back: "IT'S PARTY TIME!"

"If travel makes you broad and suffering makes you deep.... I think I'll go to Paris." Judith Viorst

2011-07-07T13:55:00.000-04:00

I was speaking to a professional group in San Francisco several years ago on my topic of "Funny Business -- Humor for the Workplace." I'd given it my all and relished the opportunity to retell some of the funny experiences of my personal and work life.

After I concluded, the regular group of attendees came up to me to:
1. Tell me I look exactly like their Aunt Flossey -- I wouldn't believe it!
2. Tell me their funny stories (Some of which were so hilarious that they sometimes slipped into my future talks)
3. Thank me for reminding them of what they already knew but in the pressure cooker of daily life had forgotten.

I still remember the kind and patient woman who waited to give me a gift. The gift of her perspective. She explained to me that her dear husband had died suddenly a year earlier and went on to say; "Nothing is funny to me yet. But each night when I say my prayers I ask God -- Lord teach me to laugh again but don't ever let me forget that I cried."

2011-07-07T13:32:00.001-04:00

Found this at www.urbanlittlehouse.blogspot.com today.

Love a lot of this Artist's work.

A Cracker Jack of a Meeting

2011-07-05T11:00:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I wonder if one of Dante's levels of hell is a boring meeting where all of the attendees have too much to do and would rather be anyplace but there?
I learned years ago to shake things up a little and have a box of

Sitting at every place. It helps "The suits" too loosen up -- Become a kid again and everyone leaves with a lovely prize.

If we spend the best part of our day at work we better learn how to have F*U*N*

Hang-Ups

2011-07-01T17:08:00.000-04:00

I have lots of hang-ups but I guess the one that evokes my most visceral reaction is clutter.
I look in my closet at all of the hangers and wonder why I can't find anything to wear?
I heard this great idea for clearing out the clothes clutter.
1. Hang all of my hangers backward on the rack.
2. Each time I wear something hang it back up the right way.
3. At the end of six months everything that is still hanging backward goes to the Goodwill.
Ahhhhhhhh I can feel the wide open spaces already!

2011-07-01T09:18:00.000-04:00

“Life is not home yet, it is an ark.”

Henri Nouwen

Carousel Horse Race

2011-06-30T08:48:00.001-04:00

The kids had no idea what was going on but soon realized they were in a real horse race!

How did "The Queen of Fun" miss this?

Jeanne Robertson "Don't send a man to the grocery store!"

2011-06-29T10:45:00.000-04:00

Sue Casa is me Casa

2011-06-29T09:03:00.000-04:00

Off to a friend's home for lunch after church on Sunday. There is nothing like walking into an old friend's home and knowing where the glasses are. It feels like a homecoming in the best sense.

There are pieces of my friend Tina's personality everywhere I glance. She is not known for being prompt.

We had what I call "Ugly but good food". YUM

The views expressed are necessarily her own.

We share the same hearts desires.

Easy As Pie

2011-06-28T11:41:00.000-04:00

How to make a memory and a pie at the same time:

Grab some strawberries fresh from the farm.

Find a grandson who happens to be an aspiring chef.

Teach him the technique of crimping a pie crust.....

jussst right.

Stir up some filling.

Pour the filling over the strawberries which have been placed in a baked crust.

And strut your stuff (pie).

The Recipe

1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup water 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry gelatin 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
Directions

Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until slightly cooled.

Meanwhile, arrange strawberries in the crust. Pour gelatin mixture over berries. Refrigerate until set. Garnish with whipped cream. Whipped cream can be made early in the day and kept in the refrigerator. Just make sure you whip it really stiff.

"What do you see Nurses?" + A Nurse's response

2011-06-27T10:08:00.000-04:00

I Wanna Hold Your Ha-a-a-and. I Wanna Hold Your Hand

2011-06-27T10:02:00.000-04:00

Nursing home living can strip you of your identity. Forget modesty and it becomes a challenge to remember who you really are in a "take a ticket -- take a wheelchair" environment.

So last night I had the privilege of giving my mother a manicure.

She was so pleased to look down and see her life worn hands with nails shaped and polished.

It did us both good to have a reason to hold hands.

Touch is always important but I believe that the same failure to thrive syndrome in babies not touched also affects our survival in later years when our world is not so big.

There are so many ways to serve others and mani-pedis in nursing homes is an innovative one.

Maybe we should all reach out and touch someone who is lonesome?

Yew Dell Gardens

2011-06-25T11:02:00.000-04:00

A little pocket of joy in the midst of being a caregiver.

Time is too long for those who mourn
Too short for those who laugh
But to those who love
Time is an eternity.

Indy Children's Museum

2011-06-24T15:55:00.007-04:00

We took a mini vacation and took the grand kids to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis. It is the largest children's museum in the world. When my boys were growing up we went once a year. Such fun!

Famous masterpieces recreated in Jelly Beans. Delicious!

Barbie-Land
(A travelling exhibit)

Barbie's office.

A place to design Barbie's next outfit and even a runway show for your creations.

A ride on the carousel.

A class on DNA.

"Shave and a hair cut --two bits."

An old fashioned beauty shop.

Tropical delights.

And we even ran into famous new friends.

If you find yourself in that part of the country -- go.

Three Pairs of Underpants

2011-06-23T08:28:00.001-04:00

I left home on May 19th for an out of town wedding. I was rerouted to my mother's hospital bed on the way home. So here I sit five weeks later with three pairs of underpants.
I mentioned this to my friend Donna (a flight attendant who has been standed in a foreign country often) and she replyed:
"Actually each pair has an -- inside --outside -- front -- and back." So she assured me I really have twelve pairs!
Even in the midst of life's challenges isn't it good to know we can laugh?
In Proverbs 31 God describes His kind of gal.
"She laughs at the days to come" is one of His observations.

“The enemy can take no advantage but what the Lord permits him; and He will permit him none but what He designs to overrule for your greater advantage in the end.” – John Newton

2011-06-21T11:56:00.001-04:00

Call me a copy cat but I found these on a different blog and it rested my weary soul.

Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy - The Tams As I sit by my mother's bed we reflect on the lessons to be learned. I've told her that she continues to teach me great and hard lessons. No regrets is one of them. How sad to reach the end of your life and realize -- I played a role and clung to the shore. No regrets.

2011-06-17T09:37:00.002-04:00

Blessings - Laura Story (with Subtitles)

2011-06-16T09:46:00.000-04:00

Sick Leave

2011-06-13T16:35:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the abrupt departure. My mother got sick (Well, she had to have a hip replacement) and I had to leave.
We are not out of the woods yet but she is on the mend physically and trying very hard to stay mentally upbeat.
I've had some old fashioned sayings running through my mind as we've navigated this trial.

1. "It's a jungle in there." Health care is a maze. You better have someone with a backbone and a smidgen of common sense sitting in that pleather recliner if you ever find yourself in a hospital gown. I had to refuse several tests that were ordered by vigilante specialists who didn't read the chart, talk to the patient to get background or slow down long enough to get the big picture.

2. "When the house is on fire it's no time to rearrange the furniture." Crisis' bring out the best and worst in the family affected. My friend the head chaplain told me that dysfunction is magnified 10 fold in a medical crisis. ( I know he understood who he was talking to because he remembered my bringing a floor lamp when my son had surgery. I don't like the lighting in hospital rooms.) We are no different.

3. "There is nothing like an old friend." My girlfriend for life Linda has opened up her beautiful home for me to stay at and I have had a respite in the midst of a frenzied time. She even leaves the light on for me.

4. "When all else fails -- pray." A shoulder to cry on, a cheerie voice mail , E-mail or a sweet card in the mail are welcomed during a time like this but there is nothing like that friend who grabs your hand and says; "Let's pray" then proceeds to pray words you can't even form in your own mind and your heart rests.
Would you please continue to pray for us?

Quick -- Take a Deep Breath!

2011-05-28T10:34:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day reminds me of how important it is to remember.
Remembering helps us not to make the same mistakes and transports us back to sweet pockets of good times.
When my boys were young I wanted them to remember the good times of their childhood. Those free and happy days of not being in charge and big exciting adventures.
I read an article back then that said smell is the sense most closely associated with our memories.
Ahhhhh, the smell of a fresh Christmas tree, Krispy Kreme do-nuts rolling off the conveyor belt, the smell of walking into my grandparent's farm house. To this day those smells can take me back to peace and love.
So when the boys and I were out and all of a sudden I would realize that this moment needed to be engraved in their hearts forever I would instruct; "Quick take a deep breath! Now, remember this time forever."
It worked because my son has told me how many of those smells have become safe havens for him in his daily life.
The smell of a State Park. The smell a glazed ham baking in the oven.
What are the "Smells" of your life?

Resting Well

2011-05-25T20:32:00.000-04:00

My mother is resting well after her surgery. Thank you for your prayers. We could feel the support.

Come To Momma

2011-05-24T14:47:00.001-04:00

When I was growing up if I was having a bad dream or a bad day my mother would come and hold me until it was better.
Now that I'm a grown up I realize that there were many reasons my crisis' were not well timed for her life's demands. But she came anyway.
Today I am a woman who feels worthwhile in spite of all indications otherwise due to the investments she made in my little tender soul.
Now I'm the one who has obstacles to being there when her life gets a little scary but it is my great honor to be there for her.
Tomorrow she is scheduled for a second hip replacement since January. Same hip new replacement.
I've spent six weeks gone from my home four states away since that fateful January morning when she first fell.
I'm no saint but I know that as sands through the hour glass....
Would you pray for her as she faces this next hurdle?
She is in awful pain.
Last night we shared prayers, dinner and that great medicine of Vanna White in her flowing gown flipping those letters.
I kept thinking of a future "Some day" when I would give anything to be back with her again in that happy home full of memories guessing "The Phrase".
All of this time with her has been selfish on my part too. I hope that her optimism, personal and abiding faith and spunk will somehow permeate my heart and I'll grow up to be just like her.

All You Need Is Love And...

2011-05-22T19:16:00.001-04:00

A perfect evening in the garden.

A beautiful bride.

Friends and loved ones.

A florist.

A game plan.

A big tent.

A color scheme.

Great music (Preferably oldies).

A fancy cake.

And the best invention of the last fifty years......................

A Porta-Pottie.
Did I mention LOVE?

A Walking Tour of Bridgehampton

2011-05-21T21:33:00.001-04:00

La-Dee-Da

2011-05-20T18:02:00.002-04:00

Papa Joe and I hit the road for a wedding in Bridgehampton New York this weekend. But it turns out -- getting here is half the fun!

It was calling our name. We just can't seem to get away from ducks.

The back door.

Picking out travel gifts for the neighborhood kids back home.

Then we passed this place on our way to ....

So let us just close and say.....

The wedding is tomorrow. Tune in.......

Party Girl

2011-05-17T07:52:00.001-04:00

My Aunt Nanny knew how to throw a fete and she never let her lack of funds get in the way of a good time.
Her Baptist pastor had come to their church a wounded soldier. If he hadn't been divorced he would have been snatched up by a much fancier congregation.
Even though he was the bargain of the century you can know that tongues wagged and some of the not quite ready for prime time members treated him with suspicion.
Aunt Nanny welcomed him enthusiastically and gave him the highest compliment -- she teased him.
Her endorsement positioned him into the good graces of the holy-moley congregation of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.
Upon the occasion of his five year anniversary at the church she called and informed him and his wife to be ready and dressed to the nines at 6:00 pm Friday night because a limousine would be picking them up and taking them to dinner.
It did. He was. And off they went on a ride around the city. After cruising past many fine dining establishments the driver finally pulled up to...............
White Castle.

Inside were most of the church members and dinner was on Aunt Nanny. Sliders all around.
This same brother preached her funeral. (You know the one with the U. of K. fight song?)
He praised her faith but mostly he thanked her for the arm around his shoulder and the best party of his life.

Service With a Smile

2011-05-16T09:01:00.008-04:00

Last week (did you notice I was gone?) I had the opportunity to treat some of the most giving women I know to a week at the beach.
It was a pleasure to shop, clean, cook and serve this select society of women who pour themselves into the lives of others -- so freely.

They are some of my girlfriends who serve as leaders in my Philadelphia Bible study.
Each has a story of sacrificial love.

Kathy (Top left) was never able to have children but she has spent years teaching funny bible songs to others children. She is the spiritual version of Weird Al Yankovitch and has inspired legions of kids to trust God with their hearts
Me next. Just grateful to be hanging with these women.
Becki (Right of me) and her husband served with the Billy Graham Association and lived in 13 cities in 14 years. Tramping their 4 children all over the world. She has spent the last 20 years in her home office 40 hours a week preparing a weekly lecture for a sanctuary of women who are seeking to "Walk this Way" with Jesus.
Claire (Top row right) celebrated her 80th birthday this year. She is beautiful inside and out. She has schlepped her basket of hostess goodies and greeted the women who come to the Bible study with a warm welcome for as long as I have known her. She does it on Tuesdays and then repeats it again with another group on Thursdays. She tells them both "You are my favorite" and they all believe her. You would too.
Joyce (Bottom left) and her husband built a school for children in the projects of Philadelphia 25 years ago.
While Jim juggled being the managing partner of a high profile law firm they rehabbed, painted and staffed this oasis in the mean streets.
http://www.cornerstonephiladelphia.com/Home.asp
Gillian (Bottom right) Is a professional caterer and Bible study leader. She's even cooked for Oprah! "Gilly Bean" moved her mother in law into her home until she died this year at the age of 101. Currently she is caring for her former husband as he is dying.
A joy to serve a woman like that? You betcha.

We went out on the water...

Played Scrabble until the wee hours....

Ate at our favorite biker bar....

Enjoyed being girly-girls....

Soaked up the beauty of God's creation...

And told each other "You're lookin' good!"

These are women who have given of them selves in service to the Lord and left many healed and restored people in their wake.

It was my pleasure to serve.

Other People's Houses

2011-05-05T07:35:00.000-04:00

I love to spy on other people's homes. I'm a total sucker for home tours. Here are some shots from a tour my girlfriend Katy Towers and I took in a couple of weeks ago.

When I picked up Katy she showed me her garden houses. She bought the supplies at Hobby Lobby , painted and tricked them out herself.

A beautiful faux bois bench.

Here is a solution for that tree stump.

There was a moose on the loose.

It takes balls to pull this off.

(sorry)

Not wanting to tacky up their stainless steel refrigerator -- this family found an old refrigerator door and attached it to the wall for all of those inspiring magnets.

I have concluded that happy houses don't take themselves too seriously.

I Went to a Garden Party

2011-05-04T08:16:00.001-04:00

And don't I wish Ricky Nelson had been there?
It always amazes me when I see the creativity in ordinary, carpooling, produce shopping, bad hair day women.
Here are some of the arrangements they threw together.

What a way to fill a mantle. I love the grapes and oak leaf hydrangeas (which are basically weeds down here). This arrangement used $6.00 worth of flowers from the grocery store.

Mr. parrot seemed impressed too.

$6.00 worth of roses from Publix and some cherry tomatoes. Wow!

My very favorite. A boat made out of the weeds I spend a lot of time pulling from our garden. Looks like a million dollars but it was free. My favorite price.

Cinderella

2011-04-30T10:42:00.003-04:00

Last night was the event of the year -- in my humble opinion. The City Rescue Mission Fashion Show "Metamorphosis".
The women in the shelter have spent weeks working on self esteem and their walk with God and last night what has been happening in their hearts was put on display in a beautiful runway show.
They were stunning.
Can you imagine the faith and bravery it takes to strut your stuff to an auditorium crammed with women you've never met?
Some of our women don't have teeth. Some of them have bodies that have been abused.
But our God is big.

Before

After

Before

After

Before (The woman on the left only has three teeth so she is very self conscience)

As much as the donated makeovers meant to these women (who have bravely left the streets for a new life in Jesus) the cheers, claps and wolf whistles from the women in the audience transformed their hearts.

Those new and transforming sounds will be tucked into their broken hearts and they will know from last night forward

"For I know the plans I have for you , says the Lord, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Look What We Got for Easter!

2011-04-25T08:25:00.001-04:00

Mr. and Mrs. Goose stopped by to show off their new babies.

They like to stay close to momma.

Saturday, Momma wood duck had her brood on the ramp cleaning up for Easter. Yertle didn't mind the company but he was going nowhere.

Neighbors stopped by to check out the new kids on the pond.

All in all it was a delicious time.

The Lord has risen!

2011-04-23T17:19:00.000-04:00

A dear girl in my neighborhood has kept a blog for Lent.

Now THIS Inspires Me

90% of Preperation is Persperation

2011-04-23T14:31:00.001-04:00

But it is so much fun setting up for a celebration of Easter! Our front yard looks like Mr. E. Bunny threw up on it but we're ready for our guests.

Some of them have arrived early but I don't worry about rollers in my hair with them.

Glorie Hallelujah Honeycutt can hardly wait for the front door to open so she can go on her own egg hunt. Ummmmm nothing like a hard boiled egg served up on freshly mowed lawn.

The table is set.

Favorite old decorations are put out once more.

And we are waiting for our guests to come through the door.

Papa Joe and I sometimes wonder -- where would we be without the good news of Easter?

Aunt-sy

2011-04-22T07:44:00.000-04:00

Oh, I'm having a day when I'm missing my Aunts. I had the best Aunts.
I had an Aunt Jack and an Aunt Bill just to name two. The fact that we never questioned their unusual Aunt-names says a lot about how our family embraces our inner quirkiness.
My Aunt Bill loved to spruce things up with paint.
There was always a new project or two drying on her back porch. The fact that her prized possessions rippled with so many coats of hope springs eternal never deterred her from applying just one more fresh coat.
I wish I had seen this sign and sent it to her before she went to heaven.

She did rule our world. At her funeral her pastor followed her instructions to single out her son and tell him to get right with God and go to church. It was by no stretch of the imagination a politically correct sermon.
There he sat. We knew who it was and so did he. Every one's ears turned purple and that pastor -- God love his soul -- just kept at it per Aunt Bills instructions.
It was a welcome relief to get back to the church, eat fried chicken and change the subject.
But you know what? The next Sunday morning found her son darkening the doorway of Pleasant View Baptist church and he's been a regular ever since.
I wonder if she's looking down and thinking "Now, that is a pleasant view after all."

"You're Gonna Die"

2011-04-21T07:58:00.001-04:00

Who can forget that line coming from Olivia Dekacus in the movie "Moonstruck?"
My girlfriend Sandra sent me a copy of the obituary for Jill Conner Browne's mother. I just had to share it with you I would love for mine to be half this FUN:

Anybody who knows and loves us–will totally “get” this and love it and know that MAMA would love it. Anybody who either doesn’t know or doesn’t love us will no doubt be scandalized–and you should just TRY to IMAGINE how LITTLE we care!

Here’s Mama’s Obit:

Janice “Jan” Louise Wendt Conner

Janice “Jan” Louise Wendt Conner, wife of the late and much lamented John A. Conner of Ethel, Mississippi, died peacefully at the Lake Caroline home of her favorite daughter Jill Conner Browne on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Mrs. Conner grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, the daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. Walter Wendt. As a young woman, her statuesque beauty won her a spot among the models at the John Robert Powers Agency but her mother disapproved of that career and so she became a buyer for the J.L. Hudson stores. During World War II, she and many of her friends worked tirelessly at the USO, where she met the only man she ever really loved, her sailor boy, John Conner.

She became a devoted Southerner by choice when she finally defied the wishes of her mother (who was by all accounts and evidence, the Meanest Woman Who Ever Lived) by marrying and following “that hillbilly” back to Mississippi, where they lived happily until Mr. Conner’s untimely death in 1982, after which Mrs. Conner never gave so much as a thought to another man.

The Conners’ home was a haven for all the children in the surrounding neighborhoods, having a wide-open, fully-stocked kitchen, a refrigerator full of Cokes and the only swimming pool for miles around. (It should be noted that the 20’x 40’, 7 foot deep hole for this pool was personally dug, with picks and shovels, by the two of them. If you’ve ever tried to dig even a small hole in Yazoo clay, the extent of the Conners’ devotion to their children can be extrapolated from that endeavor. It should also be noted that this pool was the pet project of Mrs. Conner and there was no peace for Mr. Conner until it was completed. He might have initially thought that she would be discouraged when she saw firsthand how difficult the digging proved to be—one of the many but more significant times He Was Wrong.)

They were active members of the Alta Woods Presbyterian Church where they, for more than 50 years, provided thousands of cookies as Sunday bribes to the children of the church.

Mrs. Conner’s daughters, the aforementioned Jill and that other one, Judy, were finally sources of pride for Jan as they both became bestselling authors. It did remain a lifelong disappointment to her, however, that neither of them ever chose to pursue the career she would have preferred for them: writing messages for greeting cards.

Both daughters give much credit to their mother for spending countless hours reading to them until they finally started reading for themselves. Mrs. Conner also taught her grandchildren to read and to love it. Blessed be her name for that.

Jan’s only two grandchildren—Trevor Palmer and Bailey Conner Browne—were born 23 years apart; thus, each was able to enjoy the many benefits of being “the only grandchild,” a position both exploited to the fullest and with great felicity to all parties.

Mrs. Conner was well known in her younger years for adopting families in need and browbeating them into prosperity via the many donors she “persuaded” to join the effort and her relentless and most often successful attempts at placing them in gainful employment—often without any particular desire or willingness on their part. She would and often did give “the shirt off her back” to someone; but, if her own didn’t happen to fit the need, she had no qualms about obtaining, by whatever means necessary, the more suitable shirt off someone else’s back. Her daughters dreaded the annual Christmas Flooding of the town of Flowood, knowing that the pantry would be emptied and their own closets would be raided, in support of the victims.

Jan Conner was an advocate of the homeless—be they human or otherwise—long before it became fashionable. She never passed a panhandler without giving him something (along with an admonition to “go eat something”) and she never turned away a hungry creature of any species. She basically, over time, stole the neighbor’s non-descript brown dog, Rascal and was somehow able to elicit from him that, although before moving in with us he had considered himself fortunate to get a dab of dog food now and again, all he truly liked to eat was chicken livers and that furthermore he only liked them fried very brown and crispy. Rascal ate crispy brown chicken livers every day of his 10 years with us. Whenever Jan left town, it was only after giving John strict instructions on How to Cook the Chicken Livers for the Dog, lest he (the dog) suffer in her absence.

To this day, Mrs. Conner’s entire family has an inordinate fondness for Brown Dogs.

Mrs. Conner is widely known as a world traveler as she frequently arranged group trips, which she sometimes guided or at least herded. A most interesting aspect about all of Jan’s travels was her high and constant level of disdain for Other Countries, or at least all of Europe. She did love a cruise, though—any time, anywhere—which accounted for her enjoying 50 or so of them. As much as she disparaged all of Europe, she loved Alaska and anything west of Hawaii. All things Asian were wonderful to her and she made numerous trips to the Far East.

Since 1999, no St. Paddy’s Parade was complete without the lead car carrying “The Queen Mothers of the Sweet Potato Queens®” and while she shared this title with dear friend and fellow Queen Mum, Caroline Hewes of Gulfport, it cannot escape attention that Jan always rode in the front seat.

Jan is survived by the aforementioned favorite daughter, Jill Conner Browne and husband Kyle Jennings, and that other one—Judy Conner Palmer of New Orleans—granddaughter Bailey Conner Browne of Oxford and grandson Trevor Palmer and his wife RuthAnna and their daughter Riley and sons Conner and Mason, of New Orleans.

The family wishes to lovingly thank Barbara Whitehead for her devotion and support to us all and to Marie Fenton of Hospice Ministries for her sensitive care to Jan and to us.

No flowers please, Mrs. Conner was allergic. Because of Jan’s lifelong propensity for taking in strays, be they four-legged or two, she would love for you to make a very generous donation in her name to the only no-kill animal shelter in Rankin County—Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi, founded by Sweet Potato Queen Elizabeth (Pippa) Jackson, located at 1963 Holly Bush Road, Pelahatchie, Mississippi 39145 or www.arfms.com.

There will be a mercifully brief and joyous Memorial Service on Monday, October 5, 2009, at 5:30 PM, at Wright & Ferguson on Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, followed by Celebration of a Life Beautifully Lived and a Very Fun Reception, until around 7 PM.

(Just so you know—and before you start writing scathing e-mails and/or Facebook post to me—Judy herowneself wrote the part about me being the favorite and her being “that other one.” Judy will be wearing a nametag at the funeral with “That Other One” on it! Don’t you just love her!!!)

Practically Perfect in Every Way

2011-04-20T13:04:00.003-04:00

Several years ago my Bible study of 350 women needed a substitute lecturer and Elisa was asked if she would pray about stepping into that role.
She said "Yes. Yes."
She asked me for some pointers -- as I was traveling the country as a motivational speaker at that time.
Elisa was a buttoned up girl. She was a Bond Trader on Wall Street, had two children who were well behaved and a handsome husband who worshipped her. Practically perfect.
I knew that whatever she presented would be thoroughly researched and accurate but one thing I had learned from my mentor Marcia Riley was that at the onset of any presentation the speaker should become vulnerable to the audience. There is always a little resistance to "the expert" at the front of the room. Who does she(he) think she is anyway?
Marcia struggles with her weight so she usually opens with a funny story about her weight issues. She knows the problem is evident anyway. They all have a big laugh and the group shifts from being critical of her to being her cheerleaders.
People connect with our vulnerabilities not strengths.
'Mary Poppins' aka Elisa must have taken my advice to heart.
On her first day she was dressed in a designer suit with not a hair out of place. She opened with the story of her son's birth. This is a universal story women love to share.
She had ignored her labor pains because she wasn't sure it was the real thing (no sympathy yet from those of us who bit bullets in two at the first twinge).
When she finally called her husband to come home from the office she was in soap opera pain. She called the police and told Dave they would meet him at the hospital.
She didn't know much about what to expect from childbirth but she did understand that the baby's head coming out in the backseat of the cruiser was an important thing to share with the officers in front.
They pulled into the emergency lane of one of the busiest streets of Mainline Philadelphia, flung open the back door (facing traffic) peeled off her pantie hose and oh, my gosh delivered that baby in rush hour traffic.
A hush fell over that sanctuary and every woman in that room saw her in a whole new light.
She assured us she had not been the least bit concerned about vanity she was just happy to have that bundle of joy out of her and safe.
We surmised this is a woman to have over when the house is a mess. This is a woman to be trusted when my life isn't turning out as planned.
This was a woman that earned the right to be heard.
And we did listen for years of teachings. First with our hearts and then with our heads.
It was perfect.

Jesus,J-Lo and Me

2011-04-18T09:09:00.004-04:00

Fame is a fickle thing. If you don't believe me ask Jesus or
J-Lo.
She has gone from being an overnight star to being the butt of Ben-iffer jokes to now being declared the most beautiful woman in the world. What a ride.
Yesterday we remembered Jesus returning to Jerusalem on the eve of the Passover celebration. He was a rock star. The common people who had followed his fame were so excited about his premiere in town that they paved the path He was following with whatever they could get their hands on. Tree limbs. Their clothes whatever. By the end of the week many of these same people yelled "Kill him!" when the masses sentiment changed.
On the other side of town Pontius Pilate, a political powerhouse, was entering also to the cheers of his fancy political peeps.
Power and humility. Fame and shame.
Someone once told me "What others think of you is none of your business. Your business is to do the right and loving thing."
This week of fame then shame was a litmus test for the teachings of Jesus and I have to bring that home to my house by asking how do I suffer in affliction?
There is much wisdom in this quote by Thomas Case:
“In affliction God reveals the unknown corruptions in the hearts of his people: what pride, impatience, unbelief, idolatry, distrust of God,murmuring, and unthankfulness. Sin lies very close and deep and is not easily discerned until the fire of affliction comes. The furnace discovers the dross. In the furnace we see more corruption than was ever suspected. What self-love is there boiling and fretting within me, what pride, distrust in God, creature-confidence, discontent, murmuring, rising against the holy and righteous dispensations of God! Woe is me, what a heart I have!….
In affliction, he empties us of ourselves to make us fly to Jesus Christ for righteousness and strength. He lets us see what is crooked that we may straighten it; what is weak that we may strengthen it; what is lacking that we may supply it; and what is lame that it may not be turned out of the way.
Affliction also teaches us to pray. They that have never prayed before, will pray in affliction. They will pray more frequently and fervently…In our affliction, God keeps us upon our knees. Christ himself in agony prayed more intensively. So with David. He gathered up all his strength to pray, and like a true son of Jacob, wrestled with God, and would not let him go until he got the blessing.”

Palm Sunday Meditation

2011-04-17T09:25:00.000-04:00

Psalm 113:3

3 From the rising of the sun (view from our office)

to the place where it sets, (View from our front yard)

the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

My Bills Are All Due and the Baby Needs Shoes and

2011-04-15T22:00:00.001-04:00

I'm Busted

I wish I had a three second delay on my mouth like they do on TV in case someone says a cuss word.
When we were first married and I moved to Philadelphia we were invited to join a couples Bible study. I was thrilled. I hoped that this would fill the hole left in my heart for my Bible study I'd left behind. That group had been a rambunctious lot and we had outrageously fun times.
Not so much the conservative, intellectual gathering we'd been invited to join in Philly.
I struggled to keep my mind in the game when the discussions were solemn and the mood drop dead serious.
The husband leader mentioned a fascinating fact and when I asked him where he had found this nugget of information he answered "The Enquirer."
Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather.
"You read the Enquirer? Me too! But only when I'm on an airplane with strangers and out of town. I feel so much better knowing you do too!" I blurted.
A hush fell over the room. Papa Joe turned some shade of purple and the Most High and Holy Man replied, "The Inquirer is the city paper."

Make Way for Ducklings

2011-04-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

I'm afraid that Papa Joe has been playing a lot of Barry White songs on our outdoor speakers because love has definitely been in the air while I was out of town.

We have three sets of brand new baby ducks drifting by our window.

The mommas are so attentive and the ducky-daddies strut along the bulkhead looking proud.

When the ducklings are first hatched they stay so close to their mommy in the water you can barley distinguish them. Each day they get braver and further away.

When they reach a certain milestone they take off and virtually run across the water.
Something to see!

This is all BIG news on Lakewood Pond.

"Can't get enough of your love baby"

Anybody Home?

2011-04-13T20:15:00.000-04:00

Once when my Bible study girlfriends were discussing their spiritual gifts like mercy, administration, service and so on, my friend Mary Jo pronounced her spiritual gift to be "I'm home."

"I'm not an organizer, don't speak in tongues or lead Bible studies -- I'm home. All of the young mothers have me on their 'first to call list' in case their children have an emergency at school. People stop by and know my kitchen is open for business. You don't have to set up a time to see me because I'm usually -- home"

Who's home any more? Certainly not me. I'm not even in town often.

Although I'm grateful to have the flexibility to travel to where I'm needed I must admit I'm a little envious of you women who have the daily pleasure of being in their home.

While I was in Louisville mother and I had time to dig through some of her old poetry books. This poem is one of our favorites:

I have found such joy in simple things;

A plain, clean room, a nut-brown loaf of bread

A cup of milk, a kettle as it sings,

The shelter of a roof above my head,

And in a leaf-laced square along the floor,

Where yellow sunlight glimmers through a door.

I have found such joy in things that fill

My quiet days: a curtain’s blowing grace,

A potted plant upon my window sill,

A rose, fresh-cut and placed within a vase;

A table cleared, a lamp beside a chair,

And books I long have loved beside me there.

Oh, I have found such joys I wish I might

Tell every woman who goes seeking far

For some elusive, feverish delight,

That very close to home the great joys are:

The elemental things–old as the race,

Yet never, through the ages, commonplace.

Grace Noll Crowell

A Four Ingredient Wonder

2011-04-09T13:46:00.002-04:00

Last night the Rock and Roll Mothers got together for dinner. I couldn't wait to serve them my new favorite entree.

Chicken Saltimbocca

Pound chicken breasts that have been sliced thinly. The butcher can do this for you.

Place three or four large, fresh sage leaves on top of chicken.

Cover with a thin slice of

Prosciutto

Fry Prosciutto side face down in a cast iron skillet http://www.woodandironware.com/categories/Iron-Skillets/ with half butter half olive oil until the kitchen smells like bacon and Prosciutto is golden brown.

Turn the chicken in the pan and top with a thick slice of Swiss cheese. Cook until done. All of this takes about eight minutes in a hot pan.

De glaze the pan with white wine or chicken broth or whatever else you need to get rid of in the refrigerator.

Make sure you take advantage of being the head chef by being "Miss Bossy Pants" as Tina Faye would say to the hungry hoards.

They will sing your praises and kiss your ring. Guaranteed.

Modest hearing loss on the part of the Rock and Roll Mothers has led to many a hilarious and random conversation at these gatherings. Look for a video on YouTube soon.

"Say what?"

The REAL Tea Party

2011-04-07T22:14:00.002-04:00

Not the one that is shutting down the government.

Yesterday I met my friend Diane at Sister's Tea Room for tea with our grand children.

After a week of being "Nurse Rachett" to my mother this was a fun reprieve.

Tea sandwiches, scones, and little desserts were a hit.

But it was the huge selection of hats, jewels and shaws that really lifted our spirits. What -- you don't have a hat with a pidgen on it?

Aunt Minnie.

Even Cole Thomas couldn't pass up a chance to strut his stuff.

Corrie filled her tea pot with pink lemonade.

Avery posed in the queen chair.

Silly Hats R Us.

I'm happy to report that my mother is showing great improvement with each day. We love her new caregiver and feel so happy to be in a solid routine.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement.

Every Time!

2011-04-03T11:39:00.007-04:00

At least once a weekend I'll find myself in the car when "Car Talk" is playing on NPR on the radio. These guys crack me up but to tell the truth most of their shtick I've heard before.
It is the credits at the end that get me laughing out loud every time.The ending credits of the show start with the colorfully nicknamed actual staffers (notably producer "Doug the subway fugitive, not a slave to fashion, bongo boy Berman" and "John 'Bugsy' Lawlor, just back from the..." every week a different eating event with rhyming foodstuff names), but soon turn into a lengthy list of pun-filled fictional staffers and sponsors such as statistician Marge Innovera ("margin of error"), customer care representative Haywood Jabuzoff ("Hey, would you buzz off") meteorologist Claudio Vernight ("cloudy overnight"), optometric firm C.F. Eye Care ("see if I care"), Russian chauffeur Pikop Andropov ("pick up and drop off"), Director of Working Mothers Group Juarz Musbidragin ("Our ass must be draggin") and law firm Dewey Chetem and Howe ("Do we cheat 'em and how").

At the end of the show, Ray warns the audience, "Don't drive like my brother," to which Tom replies, "And don't drive like my brother." The original tag line was "Don't drive like a knucklehead." There have been variations such as, "Don't drive like my brother..." "And don't drive like his brother," and "Don't drive like my sister..." "And don't drive like my sister".
One of my favorite callers was a woman asking if her husband should trade in his college sports car (it was old and not of sound body) for a much more sensible family van.
They asked "Has he had a vasectomy?"
"Yes" she replied and explained their four kids were the reason they needed a van.
"Well his masculinity is hanging on by a thread. Throw the dog a bone and let him keep his car for Pete sakes!"
I pulled over into the emergency lane laughing at that one.
Thanks "Click and Clack". Weekends wouldn't be the same without you.
You crack me up -- Every Time.

My Cast Iron Experience

2011-04-01T16:52:00.000-04:00

Peach Upside Down Cake

Food is love. And one thing I almost forgot about is how good food tastes when cooked in a cast iron pan. I got a couple of pieces from
WoodandIronware.com
and couldn't believe the price of the cookware and the omph of flavor that was added by using them in my same old recipes.
I've tried everything to get my pie crusts as flaky as they used to be and then I tried plopping one in a cast iron skillet and "Ta-DA!"

Makes me wonder how many other things we've compromised in our faster is better world?
When we break up my mom's home after she goes to heaven it won't be the fancy stuff we get into a tug of war over. It will probably be the cast iron skillets!

No Place Like Home

2011-03-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

Today I'm taking my mother HOME after a three month "vacation" in a hospital then rehab facility. She broke her hip and wrist on January 2nd and left on a stretcher.
I know this will more than likely be a short stop on the way to an assisted living facility but she needs to go home to say good bye to the place where she served many a delicious meal to family and friends, planted posies, kissed her husband and scrubbed her welcoming floors.
A life well lived and sacrificial services rendered deserve to be honored with a farewell.
It will not be easy for either of us. She in letting go and me in her limitations. But there is a commandment in the Big 10 that goes like this:
"Honor your mother and father that it may go well with you and your days may be long on the earth. This is the first commandment with a promise!"
I might not be able to trust my feelings or even my energy level but one thing I know -- I can trust God to keep His promises.
So off I go with my dear friend Barbie in tow to take her home for the last time.
Bittersweet.
Food in the fridge, music on the radio, sheets turned down...
Here is what my friend Sue Milton said about her mothers return after a long stay in rehab:
We were amazed at the difference it made once Mother stepped back into her own house. She just broke down and cried and cried when she stepped through that door. We had hired someone to stay with her, and she dismissed her after the first night! She had a wonderful therapist who came to the house to do rehab for a while and she loved him and she continues to use the big rubber bands and such that he had her work with. I hope the same for Loie. Will you just let me know when you think she's good for a visit? OH, and getting her hair done was also a turn in the road for Mother, so I hope that works for her. Mother loved the hairdresser so much that she considered going all the way back out there each week to get her to continue doing her hair! She liked the companionship in the beauty shop I think as much as the hair fixin. She was at Oaklawn which was just lovely, but moreso to us than to her I think.

Will you pray for our homecoming? I hope she feels like the Homecoming Queen that she is.

Goodnight Mother

2011-03-27T17:34:00.002-04:00

The first time I met "Mother Goose" I was leaving the dry cleaners in the shopping center at the end of our street. She liked to hang out up there and greet the customers. She lived in a yard a few houses away. Her owner was known to be eccentric and his pets were given free roam of the area. Not everyone found this as charming as I.

After complaints from the merchants the owner made a Sophie's choice and brought his menagerie to our pond.
Mother and Father Goose were the largest in size and persona. She was gentile and always deferring to his blustery manner. He was known to drive a child or two to the safety of one of the benches tops while he gave them what-for for being on his turf.
When Father Goose was struck and killed by a speeding car early one morning she was right behind him and suffered a broken hip and leg. After months of recovery at the office of Dr. Steve our hero vet (three surgeries) she returned to her beloved pond. For weeks she had to recuperate in our fenced yard because she was too weak to stand up on her leg.
Gradually she and two of her fellow ducks (Nelson Mandela and Harriet) who had also been treated at the animal hospital made their way back to life on the pond.
She was the Grand Dame' of the pond. Her limp gradually became just a little wobble and although she sometimes would honk out calls for Father Goose she was happy in her little celibate life of two square meals a day of special feed and gliding along in the water practically posing for the visiting neighborhood children and parents.

In the water no one could tell she projected herself with only one webbed foot while the other one dragged along behind her under the water.
She was uncomplaining and brave in her circumstances. She showed us what it looks like to carry on in loss with a well lived life.
Last week while I was at the beach I received a call one morning that she had been hit by a car that didn't see her crossing the street. I later learned that she was killed immediately and soon a group of neighbors had formed to protect her little body. Nelson was bloody too but we were relieved to discover that it was because he had gone to her side as she lay in the street. A faithful friend to the end.
The group of neighbors dug a grave for her and placed a marker on her grave.

She will be missed. We are so grateful for her little fluffy life and the lessons she taught us.

Nelson posts himself near her still.

There is a new book on the New York Bestsellers list named "Heaven is for Real". It is written by a little boy who died on the operating table and claims he went to heaven. His parents decided his story needed to be told when he told them of meeting his little sister (who died and his parents never told him about her ) and his account of seeing his father praying for him in the hospital chapel when no one else knew he was there at that time.

Why am I mentioning this? Because that little boy told Matt Lauer when he was asked what he saw in heaven "Heaven is full of lots of people and lots of animals."

Comfort.

Eat - Pray - Shop

2011-03-24T09:32:00.000-04:00

The Rock and Rolls hit the streets of St. Augustine for a chance to effect the GNP. This sign in the first shop cracked us up.

One of my favorite places on St. George Street is a museum dedicated to the first Greek colony in the Western Hemisphere.

It is like a beautiful church and has haunting melodies playing in the background. Very calming.

The frescos are stunning.

From the sublime to the ridiculous. We went to O'Steens for lunch.

Once while we were waiting in line a man sitting by us said he had been a Merchant Marine and traveled the world but this was the best fried shrimp he had ever eaten. I concur!

And to make you really jealous. Look what I found in a junk shop...

Yes, I will be going to the White House with my monkey, banana necklace around my neck. What a country!

Ralph Lauren eat your heart out.

Come on in -- The Water's Fine

2011-03-23T18:24:00.000-04:00

The day dawned and we headed to the marina for a tour of St. Augustine by boat. Captain J.P. was our escort and even had Reggae music playing on the sound system.

We gave him a "Rock Star" mug since he is one to the Rock and Rolls.

The beauty of the homes on the Intracoastal wowed us.

We sailed under The Bridge of Lions and then headed to Aunt Kate's restaurant for fried green tomatoes and other exotic delights.

"Oh, we'll take one of everything!"

"Have you seen my glasses?"

We had a dolphin escort. He was chasing Nemo for his lunch.
"Swim Nemo -- Swim!"
To be continued....

Beached

2011-03-21T20:17:00.000-04:00

The "Rock and Roll Mothers" are spending a week at the beach compliments of Papa Joe.  Look what greeted us the first night here.

The weather is perfect and the conversations rich with memories and laughter.

Oh, yeah -- there is a little bit of food and wine too.

We have concluded that we wish we had known these days of our lives were coming.  

Reminds me of the title of a book... "Wouldn't give nothing for my journey now."

Somewhere along the way we learned to relax.

High Brow

2011-03-19T07:57:00.001-04:00

I remember my relief when Ali McGraw became the darling of my generation. She had the most fabulous bushy eyebrows -- and so did I! Those caterpillars on my forehead were in style.
At this time in my life I realized everything has a season of coolness. Just wait.
And then...
My eyebrows went on a diet when I slipped into menopause and I glanced in the mirror one day to discover they had turned into two little apostrophes framing my eyes.
Not a good look in any era.
So, when I bought at Walgreens some of the stuff that makes your eyelashes grow I noticed that it stated it could grow eyebrows too.
Each night I would smear a little across my former Ali McGraws and wait for the magic.
We'll yesterday as I was pencilling in the patchy spots I realized it worked! But there is one detail I overlooked. They didn't grow thicker -- they grew longer.
I was shooting for Ali
But I ended up with

Moral of this tale of woe? Read the fine print.
In the meantime I'll wait for the Ernest look to take the runways.
Waiting....................................

2011-03-18T08:16:00.000-04:00

This Friday I will be participating in the For Japan with Love Bloggers Day of Silence (no postings) to acknowledge and help raise awareness and respect for the devastation going on in Japan, as well as to help raise money for relief aid to Japan. Please stop by the For Japan With Love site and contribute if you are able to do so. Every little bit helps!
http://www.forjapanwithlove.com/

“All of the donations {For Japan, With Love} will go to ShelterBox, which provides emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families around the world who are affected by disasters at the time when they need it the most. Each large, green ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster but typically contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit, a children’s activity pack and other vital items.”

Papa Joe Sent Me This Link for a Personality Test.

2011-03-17T13:27:00.000-04:00

Just click on the “Get Started” button. Then click on the free test option.
http://standout.tmbc.com/gui/

It takes about 20 minutes but you may pause to answer the door. Very informative and all about our favorite subject -- US!

Carrying An Unknow Friend

2011-03-16T09:06:00.001-04:00

I wish I knew how to just plunk another blog post in mine. But I don't. So I'm pasting today's post from
www.urbanlittlehouse.blogspot.com

In the wee hours of the morning today, a woman crept into my vision, then into my heart, and I have carried her piggy back all day long. She is a mother, just like me, and my same age. Her children, like mine, are off at school or in jobs in other cities. She likes to journal, enjoys decorating her home, loves her alone time, and collects old photographs. I live in Kentucky. She lives in Japan. And right now all she knows, all she wants to know is that her children are somewhere safe, to hear their voices, to know that they are out of all harm’s way.

A simple question, “What would I do if.......?” and there she was, and all day long as I've watched or read news, I have seen it through her eyes. She and I are a rather unwieldy entanglement. I have carried her sadness as mine all day long, and can't shake it tonight.
Dear Other Mother who I do not know- I will pray for your children as my own. I will pray for you. I will hold out the hope of a day to come when you may write in your journal, set a red pitcher on a table, tuck photos of your grandchildren into a book, fall asleep easily in your own bed.

My unknown friend is a mother who is tending her young children away from their home in a foreign place. Maybe a shelter or the streets. She is listening on the street for resources and trying to keep her children's innocence in the midst of horror.
If there are missionaries near you please seek them out and let them minister to your needs. You are not alone.

2011-03-14T07:46:00.002-04:00

I read This and in my heart said “Amen.”

http://karenharveycox.blogspot.com/2011/03/prayer-is-powerful-thing.html

"Hello" Is Anybody Out There?

2011-03-13T16:38:00.001-04:00

I have spent the last two nights intermittently praying through the night for the people of Japan. I have a haunting image of a mother trying to attend her children in a horrifying situation. I pray as if those prayers are driven straight to the heart of the Creator of the universe. Because I believe they are.

Almost thirty years ago I heard a woman speak of her experience of dying and coming back to life after they resuscitated her.
She had all of the glamour of a woman you would serve on the PTA with and had not written a book. She wasn't trying to hawk a story to make money. She just felt compelled to let others know.
She explained that she found herself standing next to what she imagined as an angel. Their presence was so bright and she felt very peaceful in their presence. She stood with him high above the earth and she could see the earth from the vantage point of an astronaut. The earth looking like a not too distant globe suspended in the universe.
From the earth she could see bright tubular rods of lights beaming to the place where they were. These lights were lit so brightly she could barely look at them. They hummed with a tone that reflected the enormous energy they possessed. She asked what they were and it was explained they were the prayers of the faithful going straight to the heart of God.
I believed her and it changed my perspective on prayer.
It is powerful. It is a responsibility. It is a privilege. And it moves the universe.
I am compelled to pray for Japan and my own little world.
It’s a big part of why I'm on earth taking up space and air.

Yeah - Right?

2011-03-11T09:27:00.002-05:00

I've believed for awhile that the slang of the moment reflects the subconscious of our society. We are keeping all of our options on religion open but when we are taken by surprise -- good or bad -- we can't repress an "Oh, my God!"
Hmmmm.
This season we are punctuating our statements with "Yeah, right?"
My adorable Nate Berkus says it so often that by the end of the show I want to sidle up to my TV and say to Nate "Maybe -- maybe not."
Being "right" has become our national fix.
I spend a lot of my life pushing crumbs up hills. To me it seems like a big deal. Like it is the whole universe. The right thing to do at the time.

But from God's perspective it must be another thing all together. What seems "right" might just be silly in the context of the whole universe.
So I try to stick my nose in the Bible on a regular basis. Get a little "Righteousness Mo-Jo" to rub off on me. My one way conversations with Him (me doing all of the talking and Him just listening to me prattle on and on). don't seem to get me far.
There is a verse I ran across that made me sit strait up in my chair and sharpen my pencil.
Matthew 7
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me...

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

This morning when our dear brothers and sisters in Japan looked up and saw that tsunami coming I don't think they said "Really, seriously, are you kidding me?"
I think it went something like this...
OMG

Feeding Time

2011-03-10T12:34:00.004-05:00

So this is how it goes first thing in the morning around here.
Papa Joe greets his new girlfriend "Alley-Cat", or Ali for short, with her breakfast followed by her pill for the rash on her tummy.
She moved in on him when I moved out to take care of my mother in January.

"But Papa Joe is so cute!"

Then Joe and Miss Glorie Hallelujah
take a quick stroll around the block while I prepare her breakfast of dog kibbles and pureed pumpkin.

"I'm not a morning dog."

The pumpkin is a discovery on Google when I asked what could prevent puppy diarrhea?
Then the kitchen door is flung open and "The usual suspects" come waddling for their fresh water and special feed from the Feed and Seed.

"You can call me , Nelsen, Elvis or Mother Goose but just make sure you call us to breakfast!"

Me and Captain J.P.

2011-03-08T21:44:00.001-05:00

Joe gave me a membership to a boat club for Christmas. Forget diamonds and jewels -- I love the water.

Captain J.P. is my certification instructor and we have a high old time. He hardly ever slaps me when I am slow to put 'er in gear and the tat tat tat noise comes from the gears. He rarely threatens to push me overboard if I won't quit obsessing about the depth finder. "We're only four feet from the bottom. I better pull the engine up higher!" I panic. He just calmly says we're fine and to watch out for that naval carrier twenty feet starboard.

This has been a thrill and I can't wait to have time on the water again.

Our fair city has more water front property than any other city in the continental United States and I now have a propeller.

The water is like a tranquilizer. And full of new friends lurking everywhere.

There is a sence of acomplishment and adventure in learning how to float my own boat.

"Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me......"

Open Door Policy

2011-03-06T19:50:00.001-05:00

If you're coming to see my house give me two weeks notice.

If you're coming to see me -- stop on by."

Enabling

2011-03-03T13:32:00.001-05:00

Do you feel guilty when you see a homeless person and don't know what to do? If I can't take them to purchase a meal on the spot I'm not sure it's a good idea to give them money and maybe enable a possible destructive habit.
Listen to what my girlfriend Ray Martin (the mom of author Charles Martin who has written some great books) does....
She keeps a place in her car with bags for such a time as this.
Inside the bag is:

A granola bar --

A bus ticket

And a note that says; "I bought this granola bar so you can have a snack if you are really hungry and this bus ticket so you can ride to the City Rescue Mission New Life Inn downtown.

Please go there. Just give the person at the reception desk this letter, tell them Ray sent you, and they will help you," she writes, adding "So you see there is no reason for you to be hungry or sleep outside tonight."

Women may stay too.

What is the solution to these awkward encounters?

It's in the bag.

A Baby is God's Opinion That the World Must Go On

2011-03-01T13:26:00.000-05:00

We just returned from Philadelphia for a family Christening.

This is our new granddaughter Alexis. Honestly is she the most beautiful baby? She is as calm and good as she looks here.

"Amen" to that!

This was the sermon. What a good topic for welcoming all of the demands of parenthood.

I have never seen a more natural mother . Our baby has a baby.

Can you stand it?

What a comfort to know that our Lord is for Alexis and loves her even more than we do.

Papa Joe treated everyone to brunch at this beautiful Inn. These are the days.

Repertoire

2011-02-26T06:27:00.002-05:00

My girlfriend and I have been e-mailing some trash talk...

She said:
Call, and I'll tell you about how I thought I would sneak into the grocery store today for just one thing (and of course since it was just one thing I thought that also meant I would be invisible to the naked eye) and ran into half the town in a shirt covered in mustard and olive oil and my work in the yard pants that are not only filthy but 2 sizes too big. Please bring on the Barcalounger. I'm ready.
I said:

Two questions:
1. Did you run into an old boy friend?
2. Did you have on bedroom slippers?
If not you are NOT Queen for a Day and do not get the cheap washer or dryer.
She said:

To answer question #1, although I do have an old boyfriend living in town(!), I did not run into him. However, I did run into a younger male friend of ours who is sooo good looking that I blush the ENTIRE time I talk to him. Very smooth I know. He was probably worse case scenario boyfriend or not. I say I get this one. Question #2, I did not have on bedroom slippers (although I have worn them before to to the grocery), but you have to remember the filthy food covered shirt and the absolutely gigantic and also filthy pants...much more noticeable than whatever I had on my feet. I will start clearing out space for the washer and dryer.
I shot right back:

Maaaybe a scratch and dent from Sears but that is about all you can hope for and yes, these slippers would have kicked you through the goal post for a front loader combo.

They are in my closet right now. My CBS core group gave them to me one Christmas. Very comfortable and tempting to wear........................

#3. Mercy is not my spiritual gift so I don't feel sorry for anyone who owns a pair of pants two sizes too large.
#4. There is a call-in deal today on a pleather recliner on that radio channel where the say the letters of the station like it is one big new alphabet letter. Call.

Are We Men Or Are We Mice?

2011-02-25T14:26:00.000-05:00

Uhhhhh, We're mice.

Mighty Mouse was a childhood super hero cartoon. His theme song was; "Here I come to save the day......" He had a motley band of scrappy little mice followers and every once in awhile M.M would get in a jam and rally the troops to fight off the enemy.

He'd pose the question; "Are we men or are we mice?!" And they would whimper "we're mice." And scatter.

This morning my alarm went off at the crack of dawn and Joe and I shuffled to the airport to fly to Philadelphia for a weekend celebrating our newest granddaughter's Christening. Exciting!

When we got to the airport we saw that our plane was delayed for several hours due to "weather issues" in the Northeast.

Plane schedules were dropping like flies and a woman on a phone next to me was speaking to her mother about BWI being closed down for most of the afternoon due to strong winds.

Gulp.

I do not embrace the roller coaster high life. Joe and I were passengers on the flight from Hades that was struck by lightning and almost went down.

Even my time as a flight attendant didn't prepare me for calm under those conditions.

So as delay after delay was announced I slithered up to the gate agent and whispered "Can I reschedule for tomorrow?"

I could. So here I sit back home while Papa Joe (who gratefully said he totally understood) is making his way up North on a wing (Southwest's) and a prayer (mine).

Got cheese?

Happy Birthday Loie

2011-02-23T21:48:00.000-05:00

Probably cracking up at her own joke.

My mother turned 86 today and I am so grateful for her in my life.
She taught me how to live a full and happy life and now she is showing me how to let go and finish well.
She knows who she is and Whose she is.
She used to say "My funeral is going to be like the shift change at the General Electric assembly park."
She has had a big life and made a big impact on many lives.
Happy Birthday Loie!

"You Don't Have Because You Don't Ask"

2011-02-23T21:19:00.001-05:00

That is from a verse in the book of James and he was saying -- pray specifically.
So I asked God to give me a funny girlfriend in the South. And could she have my same quirky sense of humor? I waited.
Guess what. She showed up this year and if she had walked around with one of those big bows like people put on new cars she wouldn't have been more obvious as an answer to prayer.
She looks one way on the outside. Very chic and polished. But on the inside she has all of the irreverence and appetite for irony that a Queen of Fun could ask for.
In life I've observed there is the family born into and the family you adopt (or are adopted by). She is my Sister in my faith and our funny bones are a DNA match.
She came to lunch today and we regaled each other with stories of near disasters and travel fiascoes. You might not have found them as hilarious but at my kitchen table there was laughter synergy.
Shakespeare said "There is a crooked lid for every crooked pot."
And she can top me -- any day.

The Latest on the "Wall of Shame"

2011-02-22T08:58:00.001-05:00

All A-Flutter

2011-02-16T17:45:00.001-05:00

Well there is some high drama on the duck pond.
Several of the ducks are laying eggs in the ornamental grass and let me just tell you it is the most exciting news.
All day long "The usual suspects" waddle in and out of the grass at warp speed.
"Have you seen them in there?"
"Oh, yes and aren't they cute?"
"Do you think they are fertilized?"
"I don't know. Hope so."
"Let's go back in and make sure they are still there!"
Over and over and over.
We know the goose eggs of Mother Goose are not fertile because her husband was killed by a speeding car last year. She is destined to spend the rest of her days in a widow’s support group. It is not in her nature to cross breed.
But we have noticed a few ducks floating around with what looks like a satisfied grin (see Sam and Elvis in the "Give me a house by the Side of the Road" post. See that dreamy look in their eyes as they float around in tandem?)
Maybe Sammy is short for Samantha?
Only time will tell.
Keep checking with CNN news.
It certainly is a hot topic around these parts.

I Miss Erma

2011-02-14T22:14:00.001-05:00

Erma Bombeck that is. Some people come and go and you hardly remember they were here.
But some, like Erma, leave a hole that is left empty.
Everyday about three o'clock I wonder what I can throw together for dinner. Nothing sounds good and there is usually a deficit of ingredients to make a simple but delicious meal.
That is when I remember Erma's advice for such a time as this.

"Toss an onion in the oven and turn it on 350 degrees. The aromas will keep your family assured that something is on the way. At 5:30 after your nap you can panic."

Some of my other favorites:

In two decades I've lost a total of 789 pounds. I should be hanging from a charm bracelet.

It goes without saying that you should never have more children than you have car windows.

If you can't make it better, you can laugh at it.

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.

There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.

What's with you men? Would hair stop growing on your chest if you asked directions somewhere?

When humor goes, there goes civilization.

Goose Bumps

2011-02-14T09:21:00.000-05:00

A match of man and goose

Maria the Goose watches out for her friend, a retired investor who worries what will become of her when the lake is drained for renovations.
Maria, a graylag goose, chases Dominic Ehrler as part of their regular routine at Echo Park. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times / February 13, 2011)
The honking you hear along Park Avenue in Echo Park isn't coming from motorists.
It's just Maria the Goose, out for a spin with her friend Dominic Ehrler.
Ehrler is a retired investor who was befriended by the web-footed waterfowl 10 months ago at Echo Park Lake.
"When she first started following me around like a dog I got goose bumps," Ehrler said. "David Foster, one of the parks people here, finally introduced me to her. He said, 'You know you're being stalked! Her name is Maria.' "
These days, Maria greets Ehrler each morning about 8 when he rides his bright red motor scooter down the hill from his Figueroa Terrace condo.
Then she leads him around the lake as Ehrler pulls out a bag of tortillas retrieved from a store trash bin and feeds the park's other geese.
"I especially look for sick birds or ones that are hurt," said Ehrler, 65.
Maria gets her own two tortillas as she waddles at Ehrler's side along the park's paved pathways. At the end of their jaunt, she stands guard at his feet, pecking and biting strangers who step too close to her friend.
After about an hour, it's time for Ehrler to go. Maria is there to give him a sendoff.
Ehrler fires up his scooter, and Maria steps in behind it. When he pulls out of the parking lot Maria races down the sidewalk, launches herself from a curb and takes off after him, flapping her wings and honking her way for two blocks down Park Avenue, inches from his helmet.
"Oncoming motorists are always surprised. You can see their eyes get real big when they see Maria behind me. She's a big bird," he said.
The scooter ritual started after Ehrler picked up Maria one day and placed her on a picnic table. She flapped down, flying in his presence for the first time. "She looked around and it got her adrenalin going. Something clicked and she started chasing me on the scooter after that," he said.
Maria has other human friends too. When the rock band OK Go filmed a music video called "End Love" last year at Echo Park Lake, she befriended Tim Nordwind, one of the musicians. In the finished video, viewed 4.2 million times on YouTube, Maria has a cameo role.
But Ehler said he's concerned for the goose's future. Echo Park Lake will soon be fenced and drained for a $64.7-million makeover. The two-year project, financed by Proposition O bond funds, will involve dredging the lake and installing a special clay liner to prevent future seepage.
"They're supposed to collect the birds and truck them to another lake. I plan to follow her there, because when you have a friend like this you don't want to lose her," he said.
As Ehrler ends another visit with Maria, the graylag goose dutifully follows him to his scooter and watches him put on his helmet and mount up. Then it's off down Park Avenue.
Ehrler stops and parks his scooter at Echo Park Avenue and walks Maria back into the park. He leads her to a fenced maintenance area and closes the gate, temporarily waylaying her. "Otherwise she'd follow me home down Sunset Boulevard," he said.
The sight of Maria flapping and honking alongside Ehrler's red scooter left motorist Ricky Scott nearly speechless.
"I was just amazed — I couldn't believe my eyes," said Scott, an Inglewood contractor. "I didn't know geese were that human-friendly."

bob.pool@latimes.com

Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times

Say What?

2011-02-12T10:59:00.000-05:00

I got an encouraging word from a young woman I admire very much.

Words, words, words. Our society is full of words: on billboards, on television screens, in newspapers and books. Words whispered, shouted, and sung. Words that move, dance, and change in size and color. Words that say, "Taste me, smell me, eat me, drink me, sleep with me," but most of all, "buy me." With so many words around us, we quickly say: "Well, they're just words." Thus, words have lost much of their power.
Still, the word has the power to create. When God speaks, God creates. When God says, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3), light is. God speaks light. For God, speaking and creating are the same. It is this creative power of the word we need to reclaim. What we say is very important. When we say, "I love you," and say it from the heart, we can give another person new life, new hope, new courage. When we say, "I hate you," we can destroy another person. Let's watch our words.
Henry Nouwen

Give Me A House By the Side of the Road....

2011-02-11T09:52:00.000-05:00

I met a new friend yesterday at the pond. He is a photographer of feathered friends. He was persuaded to take Yearbook pics of some of our ducks.

This is Sammy. He is such a gentleman that we feed him separately because he won't barge his way into the feed bowl.

Here is Elvis taking a sea cruise with Sam. Elvis loves his pompadour and we hear peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

This little fellow just stopped off on his way to Miami. He couldn't believe it when I told him he had crossed the Florida border. "Too cold. I'm going to grab a bite and keep on flying South!"

Coming Back to Life

2011-02-08T08:08:00.001-05:00

Boo Hoo I've Had a Flu

2011-02-06T18:34:00.001-05:00

Sharing this fun memento is the best I can do.....

This fun art came from

http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/becky.html

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right

2011-01-31T20:32:00.000-05:00

This is a true story.
Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.
He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."
The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.
"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"
"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"
Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"
"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.
Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.
The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.
When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."
The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."
Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."
Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."
"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo. NPR

A Susan Boyle Moment

2011-01-30T10:25:00.002-05:00

Do you remember where you were when you first saw the video of Susan Boyle's audition for "Britain's Got Talent"? I do.
Oh, how I wished I could have been there in the crowd that went from snickers to a standing ovation in the blink of a song.
It resonated because I guess we all feel like outsiders sometimes. But it also demonstrated that if we soldier on there is a divine reward.
Last spring my girlfriend Ray practically strong armed me into going to a women's fashion show put on by the residents of City Rescue Mission -- a comprehensive residential program for homeless people.
Ray is almost as (oh, how can we say this?) .... persuasive as I am and so there I sat with my girlfriend Grace in the chapel of a homeless shelter on a perfectly good Friday evening.
After the formalities of welcoming us the show began.
The lovely commentator began her remarks and the first model was (I'm assuming) shoved onto the stage. She entered very abruptly and kept looking fiercely over her shoulder at the pusher. A more reluctant model you have never seen.
As the description of her outfit rolled on she hesitantly moved around the stage. Missing all of her marks and never giving eye contact to the audience.
But you know how we chicks are. Once the audience saw her awkwardness and modesty we began to cheer, whistle and generally "Amen" her appearance.
She straightened up, received the encouragement and virtually pranced off stage.
All of the estrogen in that chapel blended into one big fellowship of "I am woman hear us roar."
Some were from the sophisticated suburbs. Some of us were residents in the City Rescue Mission. All of us were women with a past of sins, fears, love and loss.
The freshly coiffed hair, makeovers and stylish outfits from the racks of CRM Thrift Store were not what transformed the models into sassy workin' it models.
You see, God showed up. He was the Stylist that knew just how to present an evening that would give each of us a chance at a "Susan Boyle moment."
Grace and I agreed that of all of the events we had been to last year this was our very favorite. We were so full of joy as we relived each moment on our ride home.
We're (yes, I had to get in on this FUN adventure) doing it again this year on:
April 29th. 6:30 in the chapel of City Rescue Mission. Would you like to help or attend? Just let me know.
Tickets are $10.00.
Persuade your girlfriends to come too and don't forget to slip a little Kleenex into your purse.
History will be made.

He Ain't Got Nothin' on Me

2011-01-19T19:33:00.001-05:00

Two weeks ago I had 10 hours to pack up Christmas and fly home to help my mother.

She is safe and recovering so I was able to come home today!

It is a blessing to see:

The welcoming committee -

My kitchen waiting for me to whip up some good smells --

Miss Glorie Hallelujah fresh from the puppy hotel --

Even the stacks of mail.

It won't be long before I make a swan dive for --

And say

Good Night Moon

"There is no place like home!"

You're Gonna Be Disappointed! (My son Rush)

2011-01-18T19:35:00.001-05:00

Dream A Little Dream

2011-01-18T18:48:00.002-05:00

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. I imagine this experience of Sidney Poitier's would have fit into that dream just fine:

"When I was 15 I was sent to live with my brother in Florida. One day I was really hungry. I saw a lady and decided I would ask her if I could do anything around her house for something to eat. She was a white woman. And this woman took my mother's son, whom she had never met before, and fed him like my mother would have done. I came to understand what an internal sense of humanity is. That was a major point in my life."

Big shoes to fill.

Good Ideas

2011-01-15T19:19:00.001-05:00

This and more can be found on Aardvark's http://www.etsy.com/ shop.

Pat Down

2011-01-14T10:30:00.001-05:00

Yesterday when I visited my Mother she told me her nurse is really good.
Why do you think so, I asked.
Because she patted me when she talked to me Mother replied.
We all need to be touched.
Babies lose the desire to thrive when they don't get touched in a loving manner.
I guess we never really get past that.
When I was newly divorced and found myself the Director of Volunteers at Baptist Hospital I assessed early on that the majority of volunteers were widows.
We were a huggin' machine.
I thought it was a gift I could give them but as you know it ended up being just the therapy I needed in my newly single state of confusion.
None of us had imagined ourselves suddenly single at this time in our lives. (Well, except that one volunteer who had weathered marriage to a man meaner than a snake. We could hardly slap the smile off her face. Another post another day)
Grady Nutt wrote a chapter titled "Hugs Lifted Me" in his book . Sing it to the tune of "Love Lifted Me."
"When nothing else could help ------- Hugs Lifted Me!"

Why Being in the Hospital is Like:

2011-01-13T10:37:00.000-05:00

This scene in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".

There is a place in the movie when Butch and Sundance are trapped by their pursuers on a cliff and all they can do is jump into the river waaaaay below.

Sundance fidgets and finally confesses that he doesn't want to jump because he can't swim. Butch just laughs and says; "Well, hell the jump is probably gonna kill us anyway."

When Mom confessed that she didn't want to face the rigors of rehab I inwardly just thought; "Oh, that's OK because they're probably gonna kill you in the hospital anyway."

Health care is a mess but we hit the water and got transferred to The Episcopal Church Home rehab late last night.

It is a sweet and soft landing.

A beautiful facility with the most attentive and kind staff.

Now the Jane Fonda workouts begins. Please continue to pray for Loie.

She is my hero.