COMMITTED-Not yet!!!!

This is the title of Elizabeth Gilbert's new book, Committed. I hope you have read her first book, Eat, Pray, Love. She fascinates me, her ability to pick up and travel all over the world, with pen in hand. This freedom eludes me.(she has no children) She prays and practices meditation with abandon. This trait also skipped over me. My prayer life and attempts at meditation, resemble a Jackson Pollock painting. All over the place, that's me. Ms. Gilbert loves with a passion, now that I am familiar with!
I often tend to be disappointed in second books, of my favorite authors. As you know, I love with a passion, and I LOVED her first book, I had to try the next. A book about marriage?? There is a big gold wedding band on the cover, so far, no good. I don't need a marriage, how to book. I like being married, and I made a good choice. We have been married 28 or 29 years??
What kind of book is this going to be?? So it addresses her fear of marriage. An entire book on her fear of matrimony??? I love her, so I began.
Once again, she fascinates me. The book, was not, a page turner. It was more like, a long car trip with your best friend, talking about "Stuff"!! Funny, serious, and filled with research about marriage. She interviewed her mom, and grandmother and women from villages afar. All about happiness in marriage, or why a person decides not to marry. Happiness in Gay marriages and the rest of 'us'. She asked some Cambodian women, were they happy in their marriage? and the response still has me thinking? (read the book!!) Also how marriage is much more beneficial to men than women, just a fact!! research was done!!!
In the end Elizabeth does marry her Felipe, had to!! Government/Passport/Visa problems, long story, guess that's why she wrote the book!!!
I think the book is a celebration of Love. Maybe even a celebration of Women and loving ourselves first, and then maybe a partner, til death do us part.
She so fascinates me, I'm committed.

http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/

Lotions and Potions!!

Staying out of the sun, living in Florida, was never an option. The sun beating down on me, has healed my soul, and turned my skin into a leather purse. Therefore I spend countless hours on researching, my rare "lotion and potion" addiction. A small fortune has been spent searching for the magic restorative. Oh yes, I have also seen the good doctors . "Stay out of the sun" doctors, who clearly don't get it!!!
I'm a firm believer in skin protection, SPF 15 and up, but....what about the years, when Baby oil and iodine, was my "call of the wild?"
The bottoms of my feet were tan!!!!
Now to remedy the tanned hide of my youth, the search continues!!!
When the temperature dips, my addiction goes into overdrive. My parched epidermis screams!
This year, I think I may have hit the mother load, of smooth skin.
BAG BALM, for keeping cow udders soft!!!That's right, I have gone to the cows. Cow's udders crack in very cold weather, and no one likes their "cracked udders" pulled. So farmers in Vermont, came up with this miracle salve. It has been in production since 1899, and honey, it is working wonders in 2010.
My skin looks like the youngest "cow udder" you have ever seen. This little jewel of Vermont, is my NEW favorite thing.
Of course there is always a skeptic. One of my angels, that came from my loins!!, said, " Mom, How can you put cow udder cream on you?"
"WATCH ME!" as I let out a very low, satisfied moo.o.o.oooooooo!

Anyone For A Jaunt to TRADER JOE'S????

Seldom can I interest anyone in going with me, to Trader Joe's. The place is like poison, to fast food eaters. My son, Hart, starts shaking when we enter the parking lot.
Yesterday there was no football on, he was in a weak state, I pounced.
TJ's doors open to, "Happy Hippies!" according to Hart.
Banter between mom and son.
"No one acts that happy mom!"-H
"Yes they do, damn it!"-M
"We were stoned for a very long time!"-M
"Health nuts, go here!"-H
"And happy people!"-M
" I don't like being around all these happy people!"-H
"Well, move up North!"-M
"You are messing up my Karma"-M
"Where are the french fries?"-H
"We are leaving"-M
"I can not think!"-M
We are both laughing, and looking for the check out line. I had very few items in my basket. When a "Hippie want-to-be"(he was too young) started to converse with me, it was delightful, Hart was squirming!!!! I LOVE this 25 year old kid of mine, but I walk the aisles alone!!! Me and the Happy Hippies, PEACE!!

Has anyone here, seen my old friend Martin?

If you recognize that song lyric, you have already had a pause in your day, to honor Dr. King.

In a Boston airport, I saw Coretta Scott King , resting in a wheelchair. Grabbing Emma's arm, we approached her, and touched her arm. Just to say hello, and maybe a thank you, thrown in. I did not know she was boarding our plane, which is not a big deal, but then I got to thinking!!! If this plane goes down, no one will know about me. Mrs. King will have all the attention!!!! Then Emma asked who she was, and brought me back to reality!! An epistle was coming, poor Em!!!
After singing, "Let My People Go", ( not really??) OK, I did hum it. Miss Em heard my entire, "All people are equal" speech. Not like she had not heard it before!!!
I am a very proud southern woman. The south molded me. "She" taught me how "to be" and how "not to be". From a very young age, prejudice, reared its ugly head. Black and white water fountains, I drank from both, it made no sense to me. The big, long seat in the back of the bus, also looked fun, I sat back there also. The colored people, sat in the balcony of the Florida theatre, I wanted to be up there also. I even thought colored was a better name, than "White people" I could not get my young mind around it.
Fear of black people was foreign to me. Fear of "mean" people, was huge, it was at the top of my list. My faith taught me to love all people, I took that literally!!
Dr. King was not a flawless man, he was a "preaching" man, who said "ENOUGH!!!"
Thank God you were born, Dr. King, and for teaching me.

Losing Ward and Haiti

Awhile back I took a writing course with Hollis Gillespie. Make time to read all of her books, she makes me laugh.
I thought writing would help me siphon off, some of this pain, from losing Ward.Maybe even help me record my memories of him, before my mind jumps ship!
After listening to my "tale" of why I wanted to write, Hollis leaped across the table and screamed, "You must write this book!" and " Start a blog!"
So my blogging journey began, to write about grief and loving Ward.
If you are reading this blog, you know, life has a way of creeping into everything!!!! Therefore my blog, is about my life, all about it, grief included.
Ward has been gone two and a half years, yesterday. My grandson, Finn, had his first haircut. So there was my blog, remembering Ward's first haircut. I have his curls in a tiny zip lock bag. Finn's little haircut triggered that precious memory. Then came Haiti!!! Life continues, good, bad or mind numbing. My thoughts took a big turn in another direction. Such pain and horror. Doctors without Borders was calling my name!!! Bill said, " What could you do??" "WELL!! maybe I would not know how to take an x-ray anymore, but I don't think you lose all of your learned skills, in medicine!!!!" "MAYBE I could just love the people and hold the children!!!", said I, so softly. ( You know that is not true) ( I could have raised my voice-a tad)
The poorest of the poor, need me.
"If Ward was here, he would go with me!" Disasters need impulsive, loving people. I miss My Ward. www.hollisgillespie.com

"Era tutto squisito, I nostri complimenti"

Translation-"Everything was delicious, our compliments"



This weekend, in Georgia, the ice storm had us held captive. Do you think that stopped us from venturing out on Saturday night to dinner, at the Purwins? Never, Mama Ro was cooking, what ice storm?

Rosalinda Antonelli Laudisi Pepe, Maria's mother, a petite, cooking machine was in the house.

We were the chosen few. Her annual, taking care of Maria's friends, dinner.

Wine, wine and more wine served with eggplant, to die for, artichokes and antipasto !! We were all marinated, and we had just picked up our forks!!! Next, homemade meatballs, sausage, pulled pork in gravy. ( That is sauce, to faux Italians!!) ( Ragu, to white trash)
Delizioso!
Dinner and conversation with friends. Strong, funny, women surrounded the table, and our men sat back and enjoyed the joyous ride.
A January love feast. Love of friends, love of good food.
Grazie, Mama Ro.

ELVIS, BAD COMBINATION!!!!

Happy 75th birthday Mr. Presley.
My Aunt Gail was a huge "Elvie" fan, so I was forced to semi-like him. I saw all of his movies, and listened to her play his music, but I was not a "crying" fan, like I was about the Beatles. Then in my early twenties, I fell in love with him.
Grandmother, Mom and I went to see him and fought over using the binoculars. Three generations of women, all lusting away. He had uummm...something!!! Beautiful voice, and something!!! I don't know if it was the bad boy, hood, greasy look or the baby face , mommas boy that attracted all types. He was heavy and not hitting all the notes, when we salivated over him, but drool we did.
One of my favorite Elvis stories, was hearing on the radio that he had died. I was stopped at the tollbooth, and screamed. The poor tollbooth man, dropped my money, and listened to the radio with me, shaking his head. I quickly drove to my apartment, and the phone was ringing( this was before cell phones!!!) Mom was on the other end saying, " We are on our way!" My parents drove over to just be with me. The Blackmans ALWAYS take things hard. We were grieving together, the passing of someone who changed music.
Today he would have been 75, good lord, where has the time gone?? and in 42 years of life, NO ONE tried to tell him narcotics and fried peanut-butter and banana sandwiches is a BAD combo!!!
"Love you Tender" Elvie.

Arctic Blast-ard

Raw, biting cold has descended upon my southern home in Atlanta.
I'm not acting pretty, I'm "pinched". Cold frown on my face, as if I was standing in Vermont, 27 inches deep. Oh ,but they say snow is so beautiful. Who is "They"? because "they are Wrong!!"
Scarfs, mittens, coats, socks, boots, leggings have made an appearance on the multitudes. The layered look, a fashion disaster, has hit us all. Like a sledgehammer, gross layering of ugly clothes. Bundles and bundles, that do nothing to keep you warm, just keeps you from moving.
Try buckling a seatbelt, with a huge down parka on and gloves!! I'm praying , at this point, to go through the car windshield!!! My skin is itching, even after a shower with baby oil, loathe this bitter,winter pill.
We are lucky in Atlanta that our days with this Arctic Blastard, are few. The merciless, cruel, winter spits in our face.
The only thing I want this cold is my "Tini".

http://www.flickr.com/groups/winterbites/discuss/98255/

GROSSLY, OBESE, PUSSY!!!!!cat

Just returned from Barnes and Nobles and the "Diet" books attacked me at the door.
What is it about ,A NewYear, that warrants everyone to begin a diet??
Even our precious Laniney, was told to "shed" a few.
Our cat needed a vet visit, which to animals is like going to the dentist. Bill was elected to drive and Emma haul, Lainey-bird (another one of her names), to the V.E.T.(all my animals know the word, we have to spell everything!!!)
Fear of the words, need to lose, kept me at bay. The vet looks at you with, "bad-parent" eyes. It brings out the "ugly" in me, so I avoid confrontation with idiots, even if they have huge degrees hanging "all over" and are still paying off student loans, AVOID THEM. I knew what they would tell me. Lainey is a fat, crippled, three-legged cat, who sits around like she has just swallowed "Tweety" She is healthy and large. My family could not get in the door quick enough, to tell me what I was doing wrong!!!! Thinking out loud...... I spoke"Its' the New Year, everyone goes on a diet" "She is just pear shaped", "Do they make Spanx for cats!!!"??? Grossly Obese Pussy, is that a bad thing? Maybe I had better go back to Barnes and Nobles, I know they must have a book about how to get your "Pussy" smaller, I think I will ask for help finding this book.

Tivo, record, tape EVERYTHING!!!!!

Happy New Year.
Supper with the kids, and lights out by 10, I'm a happy woman.
Around 2am, I woke my Bill up and asked what all the "racket" was about???
Guess it was the fireworks??Clueless in Atlanta, and proud of it!! When we woke EARLY, as usual, our coffee and start to the new year, was whatever we had taped on TV.
OMG,(yes, I'm up on all the text lingo)what would we do without recording things. We would see nothing!!! Horrible thought!!!!
I even have the Tournament of Roses Parade taped this morning, I watch nothing unless its a day or two later. How much fun it will be in a couple of days, to watch the Rose Bowl Parade over coffee. It thrills me.
This morning we watched, The Kennedy Center Honors, at around 6ish, awesome. In a strange way it makes everything seem special. I don't know if its the weird time of day, or just the fact that we are watching things by our self, a private showing.
I tape everything, you never know, when you will get the urge to have a "special screening" of Deadliest Catch. I need to go watch the ball drop in New York City, now, its Friday afternoon, Happy New Year!!