tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24956651714071486822024-03-13T18:26:41.124-05:00Growing Older But Not UpHula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.comBlogger1409125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-13532485612069215772012-10-23T16:38:00.001-05:002012-10-23T16:38:32.113-05:00Way Back When
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We made a flyin' trip to northern Illinois over the weekend,
so we could attend my cousin's daughter's wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a working weekend for me since I was
taking the pictures, but it was fun to see family and be a part of such a fun
celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you've read this blog
for any amount of time, ya'll know daddy's side of the family is large.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really large.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Kind of like the Kennedy's without any of the money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And several of my cousins and a few aunts and
uncles live just south of Chicago in Manteno, Kankakee, Bradlee and New Lennox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may be in a few other burgs up there,
too but there are so many of my kin I kind of lose track of where everyone
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor Hubby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after 24 years, he stills needs a chart
to figure out who's who.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We traveled to Manteno, driving up early Friday so I'd have
time to check out the wedding and reception sites before the rehearsal and to
get checked into our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mama and
daddy rode with us since they're all about a road trip to see family,
especially if they can get chauffeured everywhere. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also a chance for us to see the town we
lived in during the early part of mama and daddy's marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lived in Manteno until I was five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daddy worked at the arsenal in Joliet, and we
lived in a small upstairs apartment on the main drag in Manteno, right across
from the rail station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On weekends, mama
and I often road the train south to southern Illinois where grandpa and grandma
picked us up at the train station for a short visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have vague memories of those train
rides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed like such a big
adventure then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was $6 a ticket,
roundtrip, and they didn't charge for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which was a good thing because mama and daddy had no money back
then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, a lack of money is what
sent them north when I was a baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn't know the full story about that decision until we were talking on the
drive north Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Daddy was a mechanic in the tiny town where we lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a baby, and mama had quit her nursing
job to stay home with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daddy made $55
a week, and as mama put it, they were slidin' in the hole fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daddy asked for a raise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His boss grandly offered him $5 a week
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daddy said that wouldn't work for
him and asked for his final check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
walked out the door, went home to mama and told her to pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were going north where he heard there
were jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They left on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE NEXT DAY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stayed with my aunt and
uncle in Manteno until they could find a place to live and daddy landed a
job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next few years, we lived in
that small town until shortly after I started kindergarten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Work took us home to southern Illinois in
1969, where I grew up along with SuperCop, who was born in Manteno right before
we moved south and Handy Man who came along later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My memories of Manteno are of the train station, our second
floor apartment (which is still there), the grocery store where I asked the
owner to bring me a baby brother just like he shipped in baby chickens and the
beauty shop where mama got her hair done and I got treated to a Dr. Pepper
and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hostess cherry pie at each
visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm sure it was to keep me
occupied while mama was getting her hair cut, but because it was a special
treat I thought a Hostess cherry pie and a Dr. Pepper were the grandest thing
outside of Christmas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also have memories
of spending time at my aunt and uncle's house which was a loud, hoppin' place
because of their six kids, five of which were all older than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was always something going on there,
and I loved being there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very
exciting compared to our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was extremely
exciting the day aunt Betty's pressure cooker blew up, spewing food to the
ceiling and sending us kids diving under the kitchen table. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was also the day I choked on a peppermint
candy and aunt Betty picked me up by the leg, turned me upside down and swatted
that piece of candy out of my mouth and across the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not sure, but I think I saw a bright
light right before she smacked my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or maybe it was after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I know
is I owe my life to her quick thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We drove by their old house Friday while we were killing
time before the rehearsal, only to find that it had been torn down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That made me sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven't been there in 43 years, but I guess
I just hated to see a memory disappear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We also drove down Main Street, where the heart of the downtown area
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Across the railroad tracks at 720
Oak Street was our old apartment building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It looked the same, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They've painted it beige and added an awning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The yard in the back looks the same, and the
upstairs balcony where mama took my picture with my birthday cake was still
intact. It all looked like it did during the big winter storm where daddy had to shovel a path from that balcony because our front door was blocked by the snow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We drove all over town and throughout parts of Kankakee all
weekend as we attended all of the wedding festivities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We discovered that parts of that area have
grown quite a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things have
changed, much to Daddy's surprise since he couldn't remember how to get around
as well as he thought he would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About
thirty minutes after our arrival Friday, I started punching stuff into the GPS
instead of relying on his memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OR
Hubby's internal compass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man has a
severe distrust of the GPS which gets us into all kinds of trouble and makes my
head spin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like in the hour before the
wedding when we were racing across town to get to the church and they wanted to
try some shortcut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I don't get into
heaven it's likely because of the thoughts I was having during that drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was good to see the old stomping grounds after 43
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was good to visit the
little spots around Manteno that hold fleeting memories from my five year old
self.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we had had more time, we would
have seen more and visited more with family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As it was, we had a great fast weekend that created new memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wedding was beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bride was gorgeous, and everyone involved
just felt darn good after seeing such a wonderful young woman marry the man of
her dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I didn't take a picture of our old apartment building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just had this unexplained reluctance to get
out of the car and snap a picture, which is so unlike me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn't occur to me until the ride home
that perhaps I just wanted to remember it the way it was back then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back when Mama and Daddy had the incredible
nerve to just pull up stakes and set up housekeeping in a brand new place hours
away from home in the course of 24 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With a hungry baby in tow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
asked Mama Friday how she felt about that she just said matter of fact like
that they didn't have a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
just did what they had to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they
managed to do it with the help of family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of those 23,618 family members that are scattered from one end of
Illinois to another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the Rockefellers,
but without the money. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-20561651516333043112012-10-15T15:18:00.002-05:002012-10-15T15:18:23.783-05:00I Almost Forgot my Login and Password
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I haven't blogged in quite a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've been incredibly busy, and I had to
prioritize the things I needed to do and let fall by the wayside some things I
simply like to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like blogging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And laundry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And cleaning those pesky baseboards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also needed to take a break from it to find out how I feel
about it these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kind of like breaking
up with your seventh grade boyfriend just to see if you miss sitting beside him
at lunch every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I still like
blogging, circle yes or no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started blogging four years ago to have an outlet for all
of those things that roll around in my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was also a way to develop the habit of writing every day, which is an
important thing to do if you ever plan to write a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Someday, after nursing old folks and putting my child through college, I
plan to take out that folder of notes I've been saving and bring to life those
characters floating around in my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have already named them and given them certain traits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even know how I want at least one of them
to develop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The manuscript doesn't have
to get published.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to bring a
dream to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But someday is not tomorrow or the day after, and in the
meantime, the routine of writing daily without some kind of conclusion in sight
was becoming a bit of a grind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in
the meantime, life holds other joys I want to fully explore, like photography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truthfully, I was finding it harder and
harder to blog regularly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I took a
little break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I've come to the
decision that I don't know how much longer I will continue to blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will certainly be less regular than it has
in the past. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not going to feel
committed to writing every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's a part of an overall effort to take some control over
the "busy-ness" in my life and make my family and my serenity a
priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am purposefully shedding
some responsibilities in all areas of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am saying "no", and I mean it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I roll off my committee assignments at church
at the end of the year, and I've asked to be taken off a civic board a year
early, in January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've been on that
board for five years, and it's time for someone else to step up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means I will hold no volunteer
leadership positions for the next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For twelve months, I will do what a lot of other folks do, I will simply
show up and enjoy the fruits of someone else's leadership and labor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will help Hubby take care of his dad, I
will nurture Teen Angel into adulthood and I will enjoy some free time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I won't feel guilty about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will blog from time to time, but only when I feel like
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will post as the mood hits me, and
I will use some of the time I've gained to savor some "me" time.
"Me" meaning family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may
actually watch a little television--if Dish Network quits breaking up with
channels I love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will read more, and I
will definitely take more pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hope you will continue to join me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have missed you, my blogging friends. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-12667310206758799372012-09-23T15:40:00.000-05:002012-09-23T15:40:00.498-05:00Gone With the WindWell, he may love the recliner and hanging inside the house on cool nights, but he refuses to do two things: he won't use the litter box, and he won't wear a collar. You are looking at the face of a very sweet kitty who has now worn and torn off six, count 'em, SIX collars.<br />
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Apparently, his opinion of collars is the same as Hubby's thoughts on socks.Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-12300593284799470862012-09-20T17:23:00.000-05:002012-09-20T17:23:00.171-05:00Say Hello to my Little Friend
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The other day I drove to a particular wooded area to try to
catch a picture of some cranes that I'd seen landing in that area when I had
driven by a couple of times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
rounded the corner, a blur crossed my path, creating this noisy crashing sound,
and I braked the car to a quick stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
realized it was a deer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young
deer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stopped a few yards from me and
stared at me, probably wondering what on earth I was doing in his neck of the
woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not sure who was surprised
more, him or me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My camera happened to
be in an open case in the seat behind me, and I slowly reached around and
grabbed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed one quick shot
before he dashed off into the bushes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was beautiful, and in the 3.5 seconds I had my eyes locked on him, I felt like
I was staring into the face of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
a lovely creature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I missed the cranes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They weren't there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I got
something better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love it when things
happen that way.</span><br />
Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-27147799213278437142012-09-18T17:43:00.000-05:002012-09-18T17:43:00.255-05:00Hanging on!
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even though the really hot days of summer are over, and the
weather can be a tad cool for swimming, we decided to have one last blast to
wrap up the pool season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to put
the cover on it soon, but we wanted one last hurrah before we start accepting the
reality called autumn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pffft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Autumn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her skies may be lovely and her foliage may be stunning, but my heart
belongs to summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we will miss
those warm days splashing around with family and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think we had three weekends out of the entire
season when we didn't have company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
literally spent just about every weekend, whooping it up with friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will miss it, so with the prospect of
seven months of cool weather ahead, we wanted to go out with a bang. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And bang we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was 78 degrees Saturday, but we cranked up the heater on
the pool and forged ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of our
little friends paddled and played, while their mamas and daddies swam, visited,
ate and played cornhole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For six and a
half hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, six and a half
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And about that fifth hour when
one little friend told me it was "the best party EVER", I said,
"Self, life is good."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
really was the best party EVER.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There were spills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And chills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back flips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Water gun fights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dunking and tossing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And even a few wedgies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Oh, and dancing. Don't forget the dancing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I looked up at one point to see a new kid in the pool and
had to ask where he came from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
everyone finally went home, there were more crumbs on the Man Cave floor than a
mouse could eat all winter, the beverages were pretty depleted, and most all of
the food was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We're still finding
random pool toys in the yard, which makes us laugh to no end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubby mopped the Man Cave floor three times,
and we washed two heaping loads of beach towels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we didn't mind one bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a great time, yes indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wonderful time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Really good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now to dig out some socks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pfffft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><br />
Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-15773378472337734242012-09-16T16:21:00.000-05:002012-09-16T16:21:00.270-05:00Hula-gen Family Fun Fact #93Hula's love of hats started before she could even walk. And apparantly, before she even owned a legitimate hat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5Gu7p5bnwCAAQa-k_TgPqnMSJUB8LdB_Bfa8AB5mNIrJoOvsN6V_fp-fa629xjxJPk8jsqrD7CsUnnv_23rDZpG8dI4b_quDgB9FgQ6PFZDYIDoCDtM7_5q-dnTaByYGd4IPTxzVaoA/s1600/pot+on+head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5Gu7p5bnwCAAQa-k_TgPqnMSJUB8LdB_Bfa8AB5mNIrJoOvsN6V_fp-fa629xjxJPk8jsqrD7CsUnnv_23rDZpG8dI4b_quDgB9FgQ6PFZDYIDoCDtM7_5q-dnTaByYGd4IPTxzVaoA/s320/pot+on+head.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-8404475279530389302012-09-14T17:11:00.000-05:002012-09-14T17:11:00.249-05:00If Only Troubles Melted Like Lemon Drops <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Monday marked Suicide Prevention Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought about writing about Sissy then, but I just didn't feel prepared to put into words what I was feeling that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We passed the three year anniversary of Sissy's suicide in April, and I had the same issue then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn't really know what to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I have found that if I don't know what to say, it's best to just sit back and say nothing until I'm ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I'm ready, the words will come.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I really can't believe it's been three years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time flies so fast now, that it really only seems like a year or so since she took her own life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot has happened in that time period, but the memories of the night of her death are still very fresh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I'm a little more numb to them now than I was even a year ago, they are very vivid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when I'm old, I don't think I'll ever forget that knock on the door in the wee hours of the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those moments stick with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They slip back into the recesses of your mind and your heart, but they bubble back up when you hear about or witness someone else deal with a tragedy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sometimes think the final stage of grief is being able to keeping that boiling pot of feelings at a simmer 95% of the time instead of the full rolling churn it can often be if we let it consume us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that churn is really what brought Sissy down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That, and the fact that she relied on dangerous vices to navigate her melancholy days.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sissy's depression started in earnest with the death of her son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day he died is the day she stopped living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She fought it for a little while but lost the urge pretty quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About a month after her son died, her husband underwent a kidney/pancreas transplant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She spent long hours at the hospital dealing with her husband's fight for life, and in an effort to cope, she started drinking regularly to block out the nightmares of her son's drowning and her husband's condition so she could sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And once she started drinking, she never stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through her husband's recuperation, their eventual divorce, his death and those early years after my nephew's death, she grew to rely on alcohol and eventually her prescription medication to get through the days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lived several hours away from us , and when we visited her, she kept herself together to the point that it took us a long time to realize she had an issue with alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We truly didn't realize how severe it had become until she moved to Florida following the suicide of a close friend of hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Florida, she tried to take her own life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She called us that afternoon, and as I talked to her, she sounded distant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I tried to call her back later, I got no answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even though she hadn't given us any indication that anything was wrong, I just had this horrible feeling in my gut that something was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt this panicky, sick feeling that wouldn't go away, and I called some friends of hers who lived in that same city, and I insisted that they check on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had seen her only hours before, said she was fine and were skeptical of my concern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to beg them to go, and they finally did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they arrived, they found her half dead in the garage in a running car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first of what would be many times she tried to kill herself.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We moved her home to Kentucky and for the next three years, spent just about every hour of every day trying to keep her alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn't work, and the morning the deputy knocked on our door, we knew the news before he spoke a word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By that point, we had made many trips to the hospital with her, following ambulances, standing in ER rooms and riding the rolling coaster of her attempts to end her pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had done everything we could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it didn't work.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It took six days to find her body and pull it from the river into which she had jumped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For her last suicide attempt she had chosen a bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted it to work that time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just didn't want to fight her demons anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while we were profoundly sad, I was glad she was at peace finally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many times she had told me through tears that she just wanted to be at peace.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think about her often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we drive over that bridge, I can't help but imagine what it was like for her that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can't imagine the courage it took to climb onto the side and take that fateful step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder a lot of things about that jump, but I can't think about it for very long or I start to crack open the lid on a box that I don't want to crawl back into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because we live in her house now, I sometimes think about her when I'm lying in bed, in the same part of the bedroom where she slept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lay in the dark, imagining what it was like when she lacked the strength to get out of bed, when she felt lonely and when she was thinking of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder how that felt, how she got to the point where life hurt so bad she just wanted it to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I can't imagine that feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just can't.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've always loved life too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I've always had hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't know what it's like to be without hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank God, I don't know what that's like.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think about her when I hear her favorite song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just yesterday, <em>Somewhere Over the Rainbow</em> shuffled through my iPod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We played that song at her funeral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The version on my iPod is from Eric Clapton, and it reminds me of the time she and I saw him in concert together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the last great time we had together, and that song makes me smile and cry at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back in April, I was running at lunch on the anniversary of her death, when I passed a beautiful bloom that had fallen from a magnolia tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to smile at the obvious metaphor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sissy was like that bloom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beautiful but knocked off its foundation and doomed to an early death by a strong wind she just couldn't withstand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lovely on the outside but likely to crumble at any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout our struggles with Sissy in those last few years of her life, I chose not to write about a lot of what we endured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Partially, for the privacy of the family, but also because it just hurt too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Living closely with and caring for someone who is crippled by depression and substance abuse is overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It consumes you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that's why I'm writing about it now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not because I have any great words of wisdom or solutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hardly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are things I'd do differently if I were doing it all over again, but I know we did our best, and that's all anyone can do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm writing because I have learned in the past three years that there are many people dealing with the same situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because Sissy chose to die in a very public way, the whole community came to know about our situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, several people have told me privately that they have a loved one who is an alcoholic or is suicidal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of embarrassment or shame, they deal with it quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are in that position, you are not alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are people and organizations that can help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not be afraid to seek them out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found Al-Anon to be a great help for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And more than once, I looked up at a meeting to see someone I knew (I live in a relatively small town) wandering in out of desperation and frustration over a loved one's addictive behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were surprised to see a familiar face but glad to have someone they could share their pain with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You have to find ways to take care of yourself or else your loved one's issues will consume you, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For three years, we went to bed every night wondering if we would find Sissy dead in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started each day wondering if she would make it through the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were afraid to go to sleep, so we stayed exhausted and sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn't keep weight on my body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got down to 113 lbs, which was way too low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter how hard I tried to keep food in my system, it either came back up or roared through my intestines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to stop focusing 100% of your energy on the afflicted and take care of yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's okay to step away when you need to in order to keep yourself healthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Know that you cannot control someone's behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can help them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can even save them if they want to be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you cannot force someone to want to live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's a very hard concept to accept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The head knows it, but the heart doesn't understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do all you can, but know that if your loved one dies at his own hands, it's not your fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are not to blame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are NOT to blame.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I've always thought suicide was a selfish act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I still do, but I'm more forgiving of it now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know Sissy didn't want to hurt us when she chose to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just wanted her pain to end, and she couldn't see past that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not as angry at her as I used to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm still angry at her psychiatrist, whom I feel fueled her addictions with a blind eye and a heavy prescription pad, but that's an entirely different post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end, the blame for her death lies mostly with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she had not chosen to live in the bottle after my nephew's death, she might still be with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never know the answer to that question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never know what triggered her jump on that particular night in April of 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped looking for answers many months ago because that's living in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Living in the past and not the future led Sissy down a path I don't want to take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her death hurt then, and it hurts today, but not as much as it did three years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It gets better as time goes by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a changed person because of that experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hold my loved ones close, often too close, especially Teen Angel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I live with a dread of loss. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am wary of the willingness of doctors to dole out prescription drugs at ease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while I enjoy an adult beverage now and then, I'm leery of its power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I live passionately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't just dream, I work to make my dreams come true and I try to find joy in every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I live somewhere over the rainbow, if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Sissy would want it that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3KvtbZzx1xs?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-81687927388204947042012-09-13T17:53:00.001-05:002012-09-13T17:53:00.672-05:00I Just Can't Keep From SingingYa'll, I love a good bracelet. I rarely go anywhere without wearing one, or two..or three. I'm especially fond of a good cuff, and when <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/91999158/rustic-cuff-yes-i-know-i-cant-sing-yes">I found this Tuesday over at Rustic Cuff</a>, I felt like I'd just hit the jackpot. Trust me when I tell you that no one deserves this bracelet more than me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDxftv3wIyGVs1juOYjdE6N10hyphenhyphenJzDLhseb8ISrX8qgmJ_C1xc88JRs_V391auq9W7X3l6qqam1bm9AX88t23kKfRPp866YqGrmq7q4k3XQiTqUKdEOYkxJ59dS_0tfQLIJrIRlc_ig4/s1600/il_fullxfull_308300703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDxftv3wIyGVs1juOYjdE6N10hyphenhyphenJzDLhseb8ISrX8qgmJ_C1xc88JRs_V391auq9W7X3l6qqam1bm9AX88t23kKfRPp866YqGrmq7q4k3XQiTqUKdEOYkxJ59dS_0tfQLIJrIRlc_ig4/s320/il_fullxfull_308300703.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>"Yes, I know I can't sing. Yes I'm going to keep singing anyway."</em></div><br />
And oddly enough, my family agrees. I keep telling my husband to quit leaving the TV on those music infomercials unless he wants me to sing every song from the Sound of the 70's. And 60's....and 80's. Heck, I can even do the country ones. Not in key, mind you. <br />
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Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-74450144193480853132012-09-11T17:10:00.000-05:002012-09-11T17:10:00.790-05:00Catching Up <span style="font-family: Calibri;">I've neglected my poor little blog lately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Partly because I've been busy with other things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And also, I just didn't have the motivation to string together some kind of cohesive post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My blogging mojo could use a little boost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not sure what to do about that, so I've been sitting back hoping something would magically inspire me to write some creative witty ditties that would fill these pages, but alas, the writing fairy has screwed me over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She must be hanging out with that ornery laundry fairy who bales on me quite frequently, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some days you're Cinderella.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some days you're the mouse with a too small shirt and a shrill voice.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The past few days have been filled with a lot of work, some good times with family and lots and lots of picture taking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've been working overtime some, and fortunately, I love my job, so I don't mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, it's a blessing to be employed during this stinky economy, so I wouldn't dare complain about working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like having groceries and being able to keep my lights on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And sister mercy, it takes a wad of cash to keep the lights on these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The extreme heat sent our electric bill soaring this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hurts so much I'm almost wishing fall would arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not quite.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had a big get together with my brothers and cousins on mama's side on Labor Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was lots of fun, and a great excuse to splash around in the pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, we will be closing the pool soon, so we plan to have one last big bash this weekend before we have to put the cover on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will also be a good way to empty the man cave fridge of all those odd condiments, sauces and adult beverages that have accumulated in there during the various parties we've had this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last time I looked we had six kinds of beer, five odd bottles of wine and four kinds of soda out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and Hubby just added a kegerator to the man cave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's apparently an item coveted by many men because every time I mention it in the company of men they get this excited look on their faces and want to know more AND the UPS man almost wet his pants with excitement when he delivered it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don't even know the UPS man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather looks to be a wee bit cloudy and cool this weekend, possibly even a little wet, but I've decided to damn the torpedoes and push straight ahead with the festivities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may be sitting under an umbrella on the deck in a downpour, but I will NOT let the weather ruin my last chance at celebrating summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there some kind of voo doo spell I can put on the skies?</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The past few weeks have been filled with picture taking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Babies, babies, babies and brides and grooms to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've been stuffing my little travel envelope with money and keeping my fingers crossed that it will grow enough for me to be eating cannoli in Venice in May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We'll see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the very least, it's been keeping me busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm finally caught up until I have to shoot a wedding in a week and a half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll have a chance to shoot some stuff just for fun in the next week while the weather's not so gosh forsaken hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look out, flowers and bugs! </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope all is going well with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll be catching up on your blogs in the next few days, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means checking out your art, hearing about your new home purchase, looking at your pictures and generally catching up on all those things that my blogging friends do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be a refreshing change from all of the crazy political posts on FaceBook these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frankly, the election can't get here soon enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oy vey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-56312322316029346992012-09-02T15:07:00.000-05:002012-09-02T15:07:00.074-05:00Maybe They're With all the Socks That are Missing From our Washing MachineThis guy? The one with the beautiful blue collar that we've taken into our humble family. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQ4aTxkawjaHwBBfZF864x8yf8ThD-lnpO6zNZEe6jggzVwiaKy998E46nC6gjFvWnqasqAPNjuI_-ktFyvMN5uSM7NBjUdAUWtVdgh_a-XadqM8iCLoXGo6HL2d3cOX-ZU00YDjMCCs/s1600/Smokey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQ4aTxkawjaHwBBfZF864x8yf8ThD-lnpO6zNZEe6jggzVwiaKy998E46nC6gjFvWnqasqAPNjuI_-ktFyvMN5uSM7NBjUdAUWtVdgh_a-XadqM8iCLoXGo6HL2d3cOX-ZU00YDjMCCs/s320/Smokey.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />
The one who wandered in the wilderness for a couple of years, killing his own food and searching for shelter in the winter walking uphill barefoot both ways, before he finally came across our doorstep. The one who begs for attention and has claimed the ottoman in the family room as his own perch? The little stinker has now torn off five, count 'em FIVE, collars. He will not keep one on. I think it's his way of saying, "I love you, but you're not the boss of me." Just like a cat.Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-56673210687727996262012-08-31T17:05:00.000-05:002012-08-31T17:05:00.608-05:00Photo Friday Challenge-"Modern Life"<div style="text-align: center;">From Broadway and 44th in New York City.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HmJRMAr9xKDwqSbFwo7e1Ty4TLkPLJsb-kdT5zAiV2pGKXWSjijX7AGDGJePW9ltIrXTetwdlEtrdbKbvly_JaIxtBy6Z0w_uFmFHemq7zLhWzEv6tHSUq2zmvsE6CybqpSF8lQHNj0/s1600/Broadway+and+w+44th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HmJRMAr9xKDwqSbFwo7e1Ty4TLkPLJsb-kdT5zAiV2pGKXWSjijX7AGDGJePW9ltIrXTetwdlEtrdbKbvly_JaIxtBy6Z0w_uFmFHemq7zLhWzEv6tHSUq2zmvsE6CybqpSF8lQHNj0/s320/Broadway+and+w+44th.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">For all of the other entries, hop on over to <a href="http://photofriday.com/">here</a>.</div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-36137682571509314612012-08-30T18:05:00.000-05:002012-08-30T18:05:00.324-05:00Y'all Know How I Love Sunflowers <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sometimes when I get the urge to shoot some pictures, and I don't have time to go anywhere, I just pop outside and shoot whatever is in the backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, we planted a few sunflowers at the edge of the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They weren't very big, but they certainly had bold color when they bloomed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I caught them one night when the light was just right and was thrilled with the colors I found in the images I took.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We're definitely planting more next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you hear that, Hubby?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We're planting more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, indeed.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS22guoZgz1nUx5yerTqTmZdIP69uCZZ96hsvo8N-ffNL2gNtn-K7fc7JSRA0mw5yrQOmuYsEGWhq2zBTFeUCwuKvIVM1eLyKMlLK0JSoEZJ2KLHXelQn4hpx1mNtu5UpsgpQRIN6ZXZE/s1600/sunflower+red+duo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS22guoZgz1nUx5yerTqTmZdIP69uCZZ96hsvo8N-ffNL2gNtn-K7fc7JSRA0mw5yrQOmuYsEGWhq2zBTFeUCwuKvIVM1eLyKMlLK0JSoEZJ2KLHXelQn4hpx1mNtu5UpsgpQRIN6ZXZE/s320/sunflower+red+duo.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-39066670734667500312012-08-27T17:11:00.000-05:002012-08-27T17:11:00.023-05:00Excitement Abounds <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where to start?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My class reunion this past weekend or the four hours of my life I lost to jury duty this morning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's just one exciting event after another around here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The reunion was fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was our 30th.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll let you do the math on that rather than say it aloud, and if anyone asks, I'm still 41 years old, okay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a few reservations about attending because there were a few really immature folks at our last reunion that kind of turned me off from the whole thing, but at the last minute I decided to go, and I'm glad I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were some people there whom I hadn't seen in thirty years, and it was good to reconnect with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really pleased that I didn't fail to recognize anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That happened at the last reunion, and I was really embarrassed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were smart enough to have name tags this time, thank heavens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The odd thing about this reunion was the realization that we are old enough to have grandchildren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweet mother of Mabel, how is that possible?! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone's conversation about their kids revolved around college, grad school and weddings and for some, grandbabies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I stood there talking to one friend who has two grandchildren, my brain kept rejecting that notion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, that scene from Terms of Endearment where Aurora has trouble accepting that she's going to be a grandmother rolled through my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It just doesn't seem possible that thirty years has passed since we tossed our graduation caps in the air and leaped into the wild wild world of adulthood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The proof is there, though, in the thinning hair and thicker waists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite our best efforts to tuck everything in with Spanx and straighten our posture, it's impossible to hide the fact that we're just not as young as we used to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We're the people we never thought we'd become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have mixed feelings about that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that the way my parents felt just a couple of decades ago or even now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That the person they are on the outside is older than the person on the inside?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The good news is our class, as a whole, seems to be doing well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I think we look darn good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8hmPZZURVw2c289pNaHlxPoM_gf-M2DsckSEUsyBruWaq4ayhRxKo5ULuJKL1JOMYrCGs_ZALrl0neVeXhKfEuILSB0YoOrKLBXdWLlzSrvIy14nSZuMu1mk4pGvE_iSoRO8csvvv10/s1600/reunion+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8hmPZZURVw2c289pNaHlxPoM_gf-M2DsckSEUsyBruWaq4ayhRxKo5ULuJKL1JOMYrCGs_ZALrl0neVeXhKfEuILSB0YoOrKLBXdWLlzSrvIy14nSZuMu1mk4pGvE_iSoRO8csvvv10/s320/reunion+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some folks have had some medical issues, and a few have had some hard knocks, but mostly, we're doing well and trying our best to shake the good stuff out of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked with a classmate who spent eight months in a coma and two years in the hospital after a motorcycle wreck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should be dead, but he's doing well, and I walked away feeling blessed to have had that conversation with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I did NOT feel blessed after spending all morning at the courthouse today in jury selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took four hours to pick a jury for a four day civil trial against two local doctors, and three of those hours were consumed by asking potential jurors about their biases, their relationship with the parties involved and their medical knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn't make the final cut, but I had to sit through it all until they had their panel, and I wanted to bang my head on the bench in front of me about half way through it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The attorneys were SO repetitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the people who are obviously trying to worm or cry their way out of jury duty by pretending to be biased one way or the other or feigning some kind of hardship drove me out of my ever lovin' mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jury duty isn't my favorite thing to do, but it's a necessary part of being an American citizen, so I do my civic duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it sure was boring today, and now I'm waaaaay behind at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am finished with jury duty for the month, and it will be two more years before they can draw my name again. That means the next time they call me, I will have passed a big birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um, 43.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have found that time marches slower if you just lie about your age.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">PS...A big shout out to Madd Maxx who is fueling up his generator and stocking the pantry this evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaac's comin' your way, Maxx.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hang on! </span><br />
Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-39660072253960993512012-08-21T18:24:00.000-05:002012-08-21T18:24:00.791-05:0022 and Counting <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hubby and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary this past weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's was a fairly tame celebration with a wonderful steak dinner and a little walk around the downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I think about all the time we've been married, my first thought was, "My, how time flies!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My second?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a good man indeed who puts up with all of my shenanigans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank goodness, he tolerates me 'cause no one else would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am truly blessed.</span><br />
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Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-39417194959266723752012-08-20T18:22:00.000-05:002012-08-20T18:22:00.161-05:00A Little Shiner <span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was always pretty relieved that I had a girl and didn't have to suffer through being a football mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know some moms embrace their children's football participation with full blown enthusiasm, but I would have spent every game worrying about neck injuries, paralysis and concussions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially after a neurosurgeon told me he could count on most of his business to come from ATV's, trampolines and football.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, being on a local hospital committee gives you insight into things you'd be more comfortable not knowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since Teen Angel didn't play football, I pleasantly told myself I didn't have to worry about such things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until now.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Until my tomboy daughter took up roller derby at the late great age of 18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After years of braces, corrective shoes and us nurturing her into a healthy young women, she went and joined the rowdiest sport she could think of. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the last year and a half, I have watched her bouts with one eye closed, praying the whole time she wouldn't fall and knock out some teeth or break a bone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn't until recently that I could actually watch with both eyes open and cheer with great spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had started to relax a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not much, but a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, in an out of town bout this past weekend, she fell and took a skate to the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She scraped her face, bruised the area just below her eye and busted the inside of her lip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lT1V4MT-7-YnzD1mxjyFzPSCqsjm__0Kmn3MBZiopzNcK9ZMsP5AtSzjBaBmOwnL-o_v8Lwxb29P2rQDJar-DIAHgv5lfVywpTkBxglQpVTpxJJVxTHGYeOhxQOofZe4FJ6oWXyV3ko/s1600/394469_506779242669561_648732848_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lT1V4MT-7-YnzD1mxjyFzPSCqsjm__0Kmn3MBZiopzNcK9ZMsP5AtSzjBaBmOwnL-o_v8Lwxb29P2rQDJar-DIAHgv5lfVywpTkBxglQpVTpxJJVxTHGYeOhxQOofZe4FJ6oWXyV3ko/s320/394469_506779242669561_648732848_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <em>Saturday Night<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She was darn lucky she didn't lose an eye or some teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, she is thrilled with her darkening eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's a badge of honor in her world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sign of toughness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I guess all those times she came home from preschool with ripped tights and busted knees were a precursor to all of this roller derby business, but I sure didn't see it comin' at this age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And after this weekend, I'm back to worryin'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And watching with one eye closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aye, yi, yi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this why they invented vodka? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-77982773718696312672012-08-19T17:13:00.000-05:002012-08-19T17:13:00.265-05:00Word of the Day-"Fatuous" <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZd_LMiFFaq8ErhhFfL8bgdrpy7bdbsqQQv-e6L5kisgqXjQPson0yN_EW1MOiV1-2Lwh-aD9OgUUyfrA_MZXxifT1E0zXefAiSaKs0yENHh1YMLXLUl8J6kzmDn46pmGKJode8-uubyc/s1600/Word+of+the+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZd_LMiFFaq8ErhhFfL8bgdrpy7bdbsqQQv-e6L5kisgqXjQPson0yN_EW1MOiV1-2Lwh-aD9OgUUyfrA_MZXxifT1E0zXefAiSaKs0yENHh1YMLXLUl8J6kzmDn46pmGKJode8-uubyc/s320/Word+of+the+Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Pronunciation</strong>:<b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">fa'-chü-əs<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Origin</strong>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Latin <i>fatuus</i> foolish<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>First Known Use</strong>: 1633<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Definition</strong>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span class="ssens">complacently or inanely foolish</span></span><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">silly<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Used in a sentence</strong>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"With her fanny stuck in the air and her head against the convenience store floor, Hula felt extremely fatuous fishing her wallet out from under the big ice cream freezer where it slid when she dropped it."</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Right by the checkout counter, yes indeedy.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-38333341123175028452012-08-17T20:52:00.002-05:002012-08-17T20:52:54.151-05:00Happy WeekendThere are so many crazy things going on in the world that the news today left me feeling a little confused about what I wanted to write about. I write what I feel, and with all of the political bantering (Come on, November!) and the sadness that was swirling around different corners of the world today, I borrowed a phrase from a good friend of mine and said, "Bump it." I thought I'd simply share something that might make me smile. If you haven't checked out Pogo's remixes on YouTube, try it sometime. He takes sounds and snippets from movies, adds some jams and turns them into something really fun. Feel free to tap your toe right into a nice weekend. Ciao, friends and neighbors. Let's make the world a better place next week, shall we?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qs1bG6BIYlo?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-20580121571193420642012-08-16T17:37:00.000-05:002012-08-16T17:37:00.304-05:00Sacrebleu! <span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I glanced at the calendar today and said to myself, "Self, this time last year you were sittin' outside the Louvre, soaking up the Paris sunshine. And now you're not."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then I said, "Snap."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or something like that.</span><br />
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Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-11121919528709138962012-08-15T17:48:00.000-05:002012-08-15T17:48:00.174-05:00Another Road Trip Well done <span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had a large time in Louisville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shopping was fine, we had some tasty food and the show was excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was outdoors, and there was a chance of thunderstorms, but the rock and roll gods were looking out for us, and it rained nary a drop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, just a couple of tiny drops that made me wonder if we were indeed going to need our ponchos or worse, have another incident like the Eric Clapton tornado that Sissy and I endured a few years ago in Indianapolis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the storms stayed away, and we were simply left with a breeze that floated along the riverfront park where 16,000 of us gathered to hear Mumford and Sons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks goodness, because we've typically had 100 degree weather all summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot imagine how hot and stinky things would have been with that kind of heat and all those bodies packed into one place.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The boys from the UK were in fine form, and we managed to get in the gates pretty early, giving us a spot on the grass pretty darn close to the stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not good with guessing distance, but I'm going to say we were about forty feet from the stage.</span></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Dear Blackberry, you need a better camera on your phones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sincerely annoyed, Hula.</em></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, we threw our small blanket on the ground and managed to hold a decent piece of space for a while, but inevitably, the folks squeezed closer, and our little patch of real estate became just enough space to stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I warded off attempts by three different young folks to squeeze in front of us and push us back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And can I pause here for just a moment to rant?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why yes, I think I will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don't get me wrong, I love young people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love being around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They keep ME young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But one of my biggest pet peeves is really young girls who believe they can manipulate people into giving them what they want by being cute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That mess doesn't fly with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had one girl who literally squeezed through the crowd and planted herself in front of me where there wasn't really room enough for her to stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the girl next to me had to lean back to make room for Miss Cuteness and couldn't even stand up straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interloper pretended <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to be looking for someone but proceeded to stand there and make herself comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After it was obvious she wasn't going anywhere, I tapped her on the shoulder and told her to move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She batted those eyelashes at me, and I told her in no uncertain terms why she was going to leave NOW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may or may not have used my pointing finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(The finger of 180 degrees Teen Angel fondly calls it.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She moved along quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call me an old fart, but I just didn't feel like taking that kind of crap from someone less than half my age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm older and have more insurance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I can afford bail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twanda!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other than that little brush with ridiculousness, we sang, we danced and had a great time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The band was in great form and rocked the riverfront for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did have a moment while standing in the "pit" where everyone was jumping up and down when I wondered if I'm getting too old to do that kind of thing, but I finally decided I wasn't as long as I could keep up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I will admit to wondering if I was going to get an embolism from standing in one spot for three hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That wraps up our summer concert tour, and I told Hubby last night we were done driving around the countryside for concerts for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then? This morning I got an email telling me that Bruce Springsteen is going to be at the YUM Center in Louisville in November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tickets go on sale Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm tempted boys and girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorely tempted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this one is arena seating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won't have to arm wrestle teenagers for a place to stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might have to arm wrestle some middle aged farts like me though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twanda!</span></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m_-nYA5BWDA?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-34907924497340505232012-08-12T07:49:00.000-05:002012-08-12T07:49:04.015-05:00Random Hula-gen TextsTeen Angel and I are headed to Louisville for a couple of days to shop and see Mumford and Sons in concert. She sent me this text Thursday. I like the way she thinks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu56OfWHRdPXfy-NeNlAagt7wnEcwfmMC9wTC6Id3l536ICTp-dwdJi43To-cRkh-J4sBGrNCuGeqWzTTABBKs2-WB7uWQPFv6oY_IvCnasnrUFypj-BDohJzuk3NXuTHrggBtZmZFFwE/s1600/text+0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" kda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu56OfWHRdPXfy-NeNlAagt7wnEcwfmMC9wTC6Id3l536ICTp-dwdJi43To-cRkh-J4sBGrNCuGeqWzTTABBKs2-WB7uWQPFv6oY_IvCnasnrUFypj-BDohJzuk3NXuTHrggBtZmZFFwE/s320/text+0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-8045133510866794062012-08-08T18:17:00.000-05:002012-08-08T18:17:01.166-05:00Cover Girl Scores Gold<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are two things that happened this week that made me very happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a couple of news reports that called these Olympic games the year of the woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while you can debate the number of medals won and lost and whether women are really gaining more freedom when some of these athletes will return to countries where they can't vote or speak their minds, the bottom line is that the games have certainly highlighted women's athletic strengths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a few idiot fans who want to focus on Gabby Douglas' hair instead of her wonderful abilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some female athletes have been called too thin, others too thick, and their looks are burning up the twitter feeds by some birds who don't have anything else better to flap about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is impossible to ignore the performance of strong dedicated women who are showing all those very young girls watching TV right now that beauty is more than a size zero waist and a spray on tan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are female athletes of all ages who are dashing across the small screen with power, intelligence and grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they win and lose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there anyone more gracious and honest than Lo Lo Jones when it comes to losing a medal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how about Gabby Douglas giving a shout out to God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That kind of thing takes independence and courage these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a nice change of pace from all of the reality crap that falsely makes our young people think that success comes in the form of being famous for nothing other than a rich parent or a sex tape. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then Cover Girl went and named Pink their new, well, cover girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4ZuuMR8tA33-QrDNVQvfef7zIRuwlmcvuqkHnAFz2HcuCNQINe5qwcOP50U7Z0NVAtglk6Bp_IRGJDaBG_FFsRJrg2cKp3z2zXNhqsiGq6VWhofbpjWv0TW51_xkPi40ku4J8L08FV0/s1600/1344280133_pink-467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4ZuuMR8tA33-QrDNVQvfef7zIRuwlmcvuqkHnAFz2HcuCNQINe5qwcOP50U7Z0NVAtglk6Bp_IRGJDaBG_FFsRJrg2cKp3z2zXNhqsiGq6VWhofbpjWv0TW51_xkPi40ku4J8L08FV0/s320/1344280133_pink-467.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Giddy-up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love Pink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is smart and talented and has been challenging the popular notion of beauty for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she's beautiful with her spiky hair and funky clothes....and her brains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good for you, Cover Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And good for us.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and Blogger was being turd, so I couldn't post the video I wanted to link directly here. </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR4yQFZK9YM"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You'll have to get there this way. </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Blogger does not get a medal today.</span>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-39485885327522574902012-08-07T17:55:00.000-05:002012-08-07T17:55:00.022-05:00Seasons in the Sun<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's that time of year when I suddenly start to get a little sad that summer is winding down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It always slips up on me, perhaps because I enjoy summer so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can I say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was born in July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It happens every year, the same way it has since I was young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look up and notice that the days aren't quite as long as they used to be, and every now and then a whisper of cool air brushes against my skin, foretelling things to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to ignore the signs, but they're there, niggling at my brain, growing louder and louder until they can't be ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time September rolls around, they'll be shouting at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it will be too loud for my ears.</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The younger kids go back to school this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My teacher friends went back to work yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Late bedtimes and full days of swimming are over for my little friends who have filled our swimming pool this season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As one of those little friends dried off and gathered up his stuff to go home Saturday night, he sweetly asked me, "Miss Hula, can we do this again before school starts?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I didn't have the heart to tell him we were out of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I handed him a homemade snow cone and told him we'd do it again soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We'll do it again on the weekends until there is no more warm weather, and the pool has to be covered to keep out the falling leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubby and I looked at each other after our company left Saturday night and talked about how boring our weekends were going to seem this winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We've had such a full summer, right in our backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Without really planning it, we've had company almost every weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from a planned family get together and a pool party we scheduled way back in January, everything else has been spontaneous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We told friends that we get in the pool every Saturday and that they are welcome at any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We told them they didn't need an invitation, to just call ahead and make sure we were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Friday or Saturday, I'll get a text or a call, and before you know it, Saturday has turned into a party of sorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don't make a big deal out of food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We simply keep the Man Cave stocked with paper supplies, sodas, beer and drinks for the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, they all make themselves at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids know where their drink cooler is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know where the pool toys are, and they know where we keep the scissors to cut open those little frozen popsicle sticks we stock in the freezer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The parents know where the towels and adult beverages are, and we all just float and swim and take it easy for hours at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If meal time rolls around and we get hungry, we pull some hot dogs out of the freezer and grill or we order pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pizza delivery people all know to come around to the back of the house by now without us telling them when we place the order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It has been a very fun, pleasant summer with a lot of laughter and good times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will miss it when it ends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll missing the swimming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll miss the homegrown tomatoes and the sunshine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I'll miss the casual clothes, the bare feet and the smell of a neighborhood grill roasting something good to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll miss all of the little sights and sounds of summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whir of mowers, the shouts of the neighbor kids playing basketball until long after dark, the feel of the warm ground under my feet, and the laziness of long days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iced tea in a sweating glass, the crunch of crushed ice in between my teeth and the burst of sweetness from biting into corn on the cob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's been a long hot summer here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Temperatures have hovered around 100 degrees for weeks, and a lot of the crops have burned up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grass is brown, and most everyone else is looking forward to cooler weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while, it will be a relief to run in cooler temperatures, I will be sad to see summer go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As always, I am reluctant to turn it loose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not sure why I love it so much, other than I hate cold weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps, because it reminds me of the joy and freedom I felt during summer vacation as a kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the reason, summer warms my soul, and it is hard for me to turn loose of the joy it brings me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still have about a month and a half left of what I call summer weather, and we'll make the most of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We'll<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>squeeze as much out of the weekends as we can, and when I finally stow away my flip flops, I can say it was a blessed and beautiful season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will do it again, my little friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That we will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the memories of this summer will tide me over until the season of sun and laughter rolls around again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMoZWP8rinOW-igy_QoEIwEPgj8hdIDuqgDSLE3n3veUPb4ed6pDg5P8DDHFbNsqqLKq-Lypj-7dxWczVmT_jYAe7uWBBGIXZDcA3MVqzoOVEfedFigBEv8MMEquXGYEwzvxbjwQCmAY/s1600/duo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMoZWP8rinOW-igy_QoEIwEPgj8hdIDuqgDSLE3n3veUPb4ed6pDg5P8DDHFbNsqqLKq-Lypj-7dxWczVmT_jYAe7uWBBGIXZDcA3MVqzoOVEfedFigBEv8MMEquXGYEwzvxbjwQCmAY/s320/duo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-897326311931890172012-08-03T16:47:00.000-05:002012-08-03T16:47:13.993-05:00Photo Friday Challenge-"Luminous"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOW7k7pyA4CMN6n9aqVlsHK2gdVSa3_pCXREFWIWVIrwqFuE-RnFzedTAIRL6JaR7Sgk7FgmV5rwd3fxYc23rtPIhzRNmgNWs-WVds17IAjjJ5VpNth8BfMnnVuTqlQD8VJBj0pgBXmA/s1600/dew+on+grass+split+flare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOW7k7pyA4CMN6n9aqVlsHK2gdVSa3_pCXREFWIWVIrwqFuE-RnFzedTAIRL6JaR7Sgk7FgmV5rwd3fxYc23rtPIhzRNmgNWs-WVds17IAjjJ5VpNth8BfMnnVuTqlQD8VJBj0pgBXmA/s320/dew+on+grass+split+flare.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I do love a good dew fall. For all of the other luminous, you can head over to<a href="http://photofriday.com/"> here</a>.</div>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-70127245273452339092012-08-02T17:36:00.003-05:002012-08-02T17:36:00.266-05:00Kumbaya<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I didn't manage to write a post yesterday evening because I couldn't seem to muster up the time or energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really need to start getting to bed a little earlier but last night there was volleyball and swimming and diving and sister mercy, what about the gymnastics?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laughed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cried. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to hug John Orozco when he had such a bad day and I just wanted to hop on a plane and pinch the cheeks of Missy Franklin 'cause she' s the cutest thing that side of the Atlantic right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, aside from Gabby Douglas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And who knew there could be so much controversy in badmitten?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, the Olympics drama and the need to finish editing 6,293 wedding pictures kept me planted on the couch with Photoshop, a remote and a big glass of iced tea until I watched Dannel get his bronze medal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yea, Dannel! And THEN I dragged myself to bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and I didn't mean what I said Tuesday about the Japanese men's gymnastics team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just uber excited for the British because what's not to like about the British?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And gosh darn it, they're way behind in the medal count.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a little cranky then, but now I'm all Kumbaya.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may be asking yourself, "I wonder if there's a point where Hula will get burned out on the games and go back to eating bon bons and filing her toenails?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the answer would be no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can eat bon bons, file my toenails and watch TV all at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although, I did bail on some of the synchronized diving last night in order to half heartedly clean the kitchen. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I never clean with a full heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's just not in my DNA to get ANY pleasure out of cleaning.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's not that I don't like synchronized diving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's just that I had to miss SOMETHING in order to get some chores done, and it sure wasn't going to be Ryan Lochte.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I did have to spend a little time on the internet booking a hotel room for our quick trip to Louisville in a couple of weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Score!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a blind buy on Hotwire last night I got a room at the Galt House in downtown Louisville for $70, which is much less than half price and puts us close to the concert venue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slap my bottom and call me baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's a far better deal than when the Nashville downtown Holiday Inn Express tried to plunder me booty for $383 last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I toyed with the idea of calling the HIE up last night and shouting, "Boo-ya!" into the phone, but I figured I'd probably just get a very bewildered operator in Fargo, North Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, Fargo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were the first out of the way place I could think of when typing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm sure you have a very nice city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ogling the Italian swimmers prompted me to check, for the heck of it, prices for flights to Italy, and they've dropped about $700 in the past month or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they stay that way, we might actually be able to go in May when Teen Angel wraps up the spring semester of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fingers are crossed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime, we keep saving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put some photography money and some of Teen Angel's tip money from the restaurant into the trip account yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt the need to apologize to the teller for all of the $1 bills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or at least clarify that I'm not a stripper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had to apologize for the random pennies stuck in the roll of dimes because SOMEBODY in my house didn't roll change properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we ever get to Italy, I'm going to dub it the George Tour after all of the $1 bills and quarters we saved to get there.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had to report for jury duty yesterday, which was interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've done it before, and I don't mind doing it, but because of all the goings on they had at the courthouse yesterday morning, there were no parking spaces at the courthouse, which is unheard of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our town just isn't big enough for that kind of traffic issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or I didn't think it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be like Barney Fife not having enough room in his gun for all of the bullets he carried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that's NOT some kind of political statement about gun control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm clarifying that because you can't make a comment in the US about guns, cookies or chicken these days without someone assuming it's a political stance on a social issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anger...it's what's for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With rainbow Oreos for dessert. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I managed to avoid getting picked for the grand jury, which normally I wouldn't mind having to do, but they were meeting on every one of my extra days off in the next two months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the summer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the number of swimming days are dwindling?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um, I'd rather not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it is, I'm in the pool for trial duty for all of August, and they have a busy court docket this month, so it will be interesting to see what I have to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've never minded jury duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's a civic duty, and I'm enough of a legal nerd to enjoy being a part of that process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe I just read too much Grisham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bottom line is that I'm fine with having to sit on a jury if it comes to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The last time I had to do this I was chosen for a child abuse trial, which actually surprised me because by the time the voir dire was over, I'd admitted to having a brother who was a police officer, a husband who was a retired parole officer, a former career in journalism and being the chair of the board for the local child advocacy center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to pull the defense attorney aside, and go, "Dude, are you SURE you don't want to exercise a strike against me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't seem to be your type."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end we had to acquit the defendant, even though we felt like he was guilty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prosecution just didn't prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we were following the law, it sure made my stomach queasy to let that guy off the hook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As daddy would say, somebody needed to take him out back and give him a good arse whippin' for breaking that child's arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our justice system is pretty good, but it's not perfect.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And neither is our society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We're not perfect, my fellow Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Time Magazine got it right when they said 2011 was the year of the protest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stand up for what you believe in, but remember, freedom of speech is for everyone, not just those who agree with you, and we're all in this together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Olympic games are a reminder of what we can do when we work together for the good of the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can't we all just get along and share our chicken sandwiches with one another?</span></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5Ki_osW5RsA?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495665171407148682.post-63569875758463596642012-07-31T18:17:00.000-05:002012-07-31T18:17:00.510-05:00Of Cats and Cads<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Japanese men's gymnastics team is a bunch of whiners, and I wish Great Britain had won the silver!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND based on their removal of the YouTube video I linked to yesterday, it's obvious the Olympic Committee fails to realize the advantages of using social media to its fullest in marketing the games. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now that I have that off my chest:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look who's decided he wants to be a Hula-gen.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8D8J071KB1o1qts2yBn3dREIwgbXvlPzFdHxhuW1anL8dLF4ppyP_VAbSXESvIeDee-fsgIW0fhiw4XLYAznjfmKo_Gifn82OIGmy54eI7RXisvX-H-3j9or0WMaNckPeVF5xBq4pvo/s1600/DSC_1228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8D8J071KB1o1qts2yBn3dREIwgbXvlPzFdHxhuW1anL8dLF4ppyP_VAbSXESvIeDee-fsgIW0fhiw4XLYAznjfmKo_Gifn82OIGmy54eI7RXisvX-H-3j9or0WMaNckPeVF5xBq4pvo/s320/DSC_1228.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few weeks ago he was scrawny and anti-social and wouldn't come near us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He's decided he wants to stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only does he lay on top of and under my work car, he can often be found hanging out in the garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will also nuzzle us and beg for his dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He LOVES to have his head rubbed, and he's no longer scared of the camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Thank goodness, 'cause it's kind of hard to live in this house unless you're used to having your picture taken.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iLBpxV49e2BGmM19Eeog87BwY8y4mE0ZI981ACiv-DxKnW6FJjz-BgQxD49axEjlX2KMbX2pNutK9-icpf4JhjosBnZx_9AupKa5XOLE6FtG2qGupSqrAVt3t5JJO4vVmRCexP475WA/s1600/DSC_1227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iLBpxV49e2BGmM19Eeog87BwY8y4mE0ZI981ACiv-DxKnW6FJjz-BgQxD49axEjlX2KMbX2pNutK9-icpf4JhjosBnZx_9AupKa5XOLE6FtG2qGupSqrAVt3t5JJO4vVmRCexP475WA/s320/DSC_1227.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's amazing what worm medicine, some food and a whole lot of lovin' will do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Hula Girl at Hearthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15818235856941945733noreply@blogger.com4