"You Should Be Dancing"-Bee Gees 1976

Yes, I should!!!
Maybe my desire to dance, has influenced my TV watching obsession with "Dancing with the Stars"!!!!!???
My generation grew up with TV, and wonderful entertainment shows. Our reality shows, were; Ed Sullivan, Mitch Miller, Lawrence Welk, Hulabaloo, American Bandstand, Hootnanny and a little SOOOUUULLL Train thrown in. I love to sing and dance, with abandon!!!!
Thus, I have wrapped my arms around American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.
Pure, simple harmony and shaking what, your momma gave you, Great shows.
Remember....my belief is that I can sing and dance!!!
Seriously, my la-la land, is Fred Astaire picked ME to be his partner.
He would have placed his hand, behind my back and twirled me like Ginger.
Now I watch the "Hunky Hunks" on Dancing, and they place that hand upon my back, and I think...that may not be all they are touching!!!! Who is Fred Astaire??
Tango, Cha-Cha, Samba, ME!!!!!
Sexy and Delicious, dancing. Beautiful costumes, and great music.
Switch channels, different night, The Idols, croon me a tune.
I'm happy,and entertained.
Plus, all little girls want to go to the Ball!!!!

WAIT......Watch Her!!!!!!!

Weight Watchers is a very good program and now its on-line!!!
My hour glass figure, has expanded with the years. So back on the W.W. wagon I go.
I like to chart my eating habits, and love weighing myself without peering eyes!!!
Who needs creepy, skinny people telling you what to do and looking at you with "Village of the Damned Eyes"
Not me, its my personal program and I'm in charge. Its very empowering to have control over what goes in your "Pie Hole"
Is it an easy program?
Is anything ever easy?? I don't think so, but this is not painful.

Giving up cigarettes 26 years ago, was monumental, surely I can steer clear of the dessert cart???

I will never be a single digit dress size, like a "7" or a "9", but I never have been.
Sometimes you just have to grab the flab , by the horns, and ride the beast of Obesity!!!
Giddy-up!!!!
Thank you weight watchers, for letting me be in charge!!!

Leprosy?

Many days, I'm reminded of "my condition".
Some people avoid eye contact with me. There is a sadness in their eyes, and also relief. They do not want me to see, but I do. Sometimes its palpable.
I want to scream, "It's not contagious"!! Grief is my life. I will never be separated from this grief, it is a huge part of my life. Most importantly, it has not killed me. Life continues. Yes, everyday, I'm haunted by my reality. I think it's all about "the love", and that's what I choose to concentrate on. Love is in communication, I have to share my grief, or it will take me. Swallow me whole, and I'm in no mood to be Jonah to the Whale!!!!!
We learn from each other. How to navigate our lives is never easy, and granted my family has been shocked and broken, but we are united in love.
There are many days, that I may be the person avoiding eye contact, I acknowledge that, grief is very lonely and isolating. Some days I'm angry that death has visited my house, and took my child. I will tell you these things, or tell you I don't feel strong enough to talk today.
Someday, someone like me, will cross your path, look at them.
We don't have leprosy, although I just looked at my arm for oozing nodules!!!!
Love is in the laughter!!!

NINE couches!!!

I had the privilege of listening to Paula Deen, being interviewed by Joy Behar recently.
Expecting recipes and cooking stories, I heard about her decorating style and new book out.
Joy asked her, " Is it true that you have a couch in the kitchen?"
KITCHEN, COUCH, this is a woman after my heart.
Miss Paula, with her slow talking, twang, "Sure honey, I want every one to be comfortable."
I felt vindicated!!!
People need a place to "Fall-Out!!!!"
Cursed and Blessed I have a LARGE house, many rooms, and they are all filled with a couch or two!!!!
I want my people, to be able to get in the "Prone" position, whenever needed.
After I make up a bed, it looks good, (remember Daddy was military, I can make up a bed!!!)
so don't touch it!!! And why would you have to, when there is a couch, calling your name!!!!
Yes, I have a couch, on my screened back porch, OH MAMA!!!! southern naps, at their best!!!!
My son, Ward, slept on a couch in his bedroom. He had a nice bed, just liked the feel of the back of the couch, holding him in so sweet. Am still unable to part with that couch, since Ward died.
Couches in my bedroom, Den, basement, computer room, All around, mi casa.
Put your feet up, and sit a spell, what an invitation!!!!
Paula Deen also said that she likes "heartbeats" in her house!!!!
Heartbeats and Couches, now that is HOME to me.

Sweet Tea with Lemon

What is a Tea Party, or is it called The Tea Bag Party???
Just pour me a tall, cold glass of sweet tea with lemon, that will work!!!
Poem
Tea Bag Party
Seems Like Fun.
I think though,
They have come undone!!!!!
by bonnie baron


It is very hard to look at politics from both sides. There is no, one size fits all, opinion.
Especially when, the divide, seems so enormous.
I love my party, and I'm sure the other side does also.
I'm reminded when reading various snippets on Facebook, that the crevice is bigger than I imagined.
I also ponder, at how little I know about friends and relatives, whom I have known FOREVER!!!
How can anyone I know and love, could go to a Tea Party, or even think about being a Republican!!! ( I feel a little nauseated thinking about this stuff!)
I think everyone I love, should be a liberal democrat, like me. That is just not the case. I have many friends that do not share my political views, and I still continue to try and rescue them from their misfortune!!!!
How do I find some peace?
Can't, so I'll have another glass of tea.

50 Years of MOTOWN!!!!

My Bill discovered my love of Motown the hard way.
One, newly wed morning, I came down our stairs for a cup of coffee.
Hubby Bill handed me my special cup, and screeched out, Marvin Gaye died!!!
"WHAT!" a blood curdling scream came out, and I began to flail, coffee flying.
Sobbing, I tried to explain , you have to ease into these things with me, especially death of anyone that I love!!!! You need to know I have a history with Motown, they are a part of my life!!!!
Smokey and The Miracles, Martha and The Vandellas, Marvin, The Supremes, Mary Wells, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Four Tops and the Temptations, all the artist played on my little transistor radio.
Sweltering summers in Florida, no air conditioner, the music cooled me down.
I would prop my radio in the window, to get better reception. Dancing in the Streets raised me to my feet, and Tears of a Clown caused me to sway, slow dancing.
I was Diana Ross with the SUPREME moves. Marvin made me feel ...weak in the knees.
Mr. Gordy, thank you for exposing this young southern white girl, to music that touched my soul.
My husband , of almost 30 years, never forgot the lesson he learned that Motown Day!!!!

Tell wife to sit down before I spring bad news on her, to avoid hearing her life history!!!! Always remember she has "Drama" issues!!!!!!

CRCT, I need a number 2 Pencil, to poke my eyes out!!!!!

This is will be a short entry, because I need to be at school to ready myself, for the CRCT tests. All this week and a few days next week, kids are bubbling away, standardize testing at its best.
I have kids that are just beginning to learn English, required to answer questions about Georgia History!!!
Mainstream children dread these tests, not only are they so boring, but all the answers look nearly, the same.
What do you think is the BEST answer???? That seems like it could be any ones opinion, my best answer may not be yours????
I wish I had a solution, but I don't. School systems have been using this system for YEARS!!! Maybe that is the problem, the powers that be, we need a better way to test children.
Example:
CRCT-What is the best shape of the house, that any leader( such as the president of a big country) would choose to live in? Pick the Best answer!!!
a. A large house
b. A house that would hold a lot of people.
c. A house divided.???
d. A house painted white.
e. None of the above?
f. All of the above??
g. What country? I think presidents all over the world may live in all kinds of houses!!!!!!??
h. Can I turn the page now???
i. Can I go to the bathroom?
j. My pencil broke?

That was an example of what the CRCT looks like to middle school age children.

My job today, after I apologize, do your best.
question from student- What does CRCT stand for Mrs. Baron?

Lazy people, who are not thinking about the student, but I keep that to myself.

I replied, " CRCT means you need a number 2 pencil, angel."

My Lie is better than Your Lie!!!!!

While driving Miss Lucy to the Vet on Saturday, Bill and I discussed our plan!!
You may think, why would taking a dog to the vet, require a big Plan??
Because you see, we anticipated that he(vet)may have to speak to us, about the Largeness of our Lucy. She is a black lab, and we were not ENTIRELY sure what she should weigh, but we both were shrinking in vet fear talk.
Our dog is an angel, that we know, its the "hamhocks" hanging off of her that we were a tad concerned about. So as we entered into the ROOM, and they took Lucy to be weighed, I let Bill know what we were going to say. "She eats low-fat food, and very few low-fat snacks"!!! Period!!! " We don't know how or why , she is just large-boned"!!!!
Bill whispered, like we were going to Old Sparky, " We are not going to tell a lie".
"Yes we are, get over it"! " I replied, not whispering!!!!
Bill then preceded to explain to me ( big mistake) " I will tell him that she never eats food off the table."
" Well that is a BOLD FACED lie!" with my eyes rolling back in my head.
Bill still explaining......" No my lie is embedded in the truth, she doesn't take the food off the table, we give it to her!"
" Shut the hell up, what are you saying?? It is still a lie, and a bad one!", my voice may have been raised!!!!
The vet returned with our our Lucy, and a mini lecture. Lucy weighed a slight 87 lbs, 90 lbs. is considered a "Fatty". So we just have to cut back on her intake, which is vet BS.
He could have said cut back on her food, its Saturday morning Doc.
So we had a perfect checkup, for our perfect plump dog, who pulled her crazy, lying, parents to the car!!
Saturday morning, at its best!!!

Grief, Be Gone!!!!

Reading massive quantities of anything I can get my hands on, can sometimes rattle my mind. Rarely do I remember book titles, or authors, but I can tell you the entire contents of the story. I read every magazine that crosses my path, from Oprah to Princeton Alumni (Bill's Mag), to Southern Living. All sports mags, and Health mags, Movie Star mags, to catalogs!!!! I have a brain crammed full of stories, Special Material!!!! but on some days, the dots just don't connect!!!
Like today...
You see, I read, SOMEWHERE, that if you stand outside, and relax, you can direct your grief into the earth. Starting at the top of your head and mentally moving the grief down through your body. It sounds good to me, and today I'm headed to the yard , with my face turned toward the sun. Grief is so heavy, that it makes sense to me, that it would flow down. This, Grief Be Gone, practice was probably passed down from our Native American ancestors, but I don't know, because I cannot find the article that I read. Maybe it is of no importance? I would just like to see if there are any details, that I may be leaving out. Whatever!!! In grief there are no right or wrong ways, to go forward. Losing a child, depletes you. At least standing in the sun will warm my body. I also think that many mothers have stood out in the sun, hoping that their grief would flow anywhere but their broken hearts.
So don't send the people in the white jackets to get me, YET!!!!
I promise that I did read about this ritual somewhere!!!! Only God knows where, and today he is busy watching me stand in the yard!!!

It's all in a day's work!!!

Reading is not unusual for me. Three books in a week, maybe four!!! Its Spring Break, and I'm turning the pages. People keep suggesting that I get a Kindle, what would I turn?? What would I do with all my bookmarks, and highlight pens? I have pushed the idea, way back in my cluttered mind. Maybe one day???
As of right now, I'm on spring break, and on a reading roll.
I finished Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, I had recently finished, The Help, so maybe this was too similar. I did not love the book, and I don't know why exactly. Could have been timing, but I'm guessing, NAH. (Loved The Help)

Am finishing up Chelsea Handler's, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, loving this hilarious book. She has one chapter that talks about her Hoo-Hoo!!! looking like a pin cushion!!!! I have never heard anyone in my life compare their PRIVATES!!! to a puffy pin cushion!!! I can see my mother's old tomato shaped pin cushion !!!! What a description, I screamed. She writes without filters, and each page is a joy. (Mom you can skip this one!!)

Tomorrow I will start The Surrendered, by Chang Rae Lee. Totally, sharp turn ahead. I have read several reviews that praise him, so we will see. I'm looking forward to it.
My eyes are hanging out of their sockets, and the massive pollen in Atlanta has found a new home on these tired green eyes!!! I have four more days left of spring break, maybe I can squeeze one more "read" in.

I'll let you know!!!

The Day After...Easter

My children are all semi-grown, so thankfully I can do a family Easter basket !!! I can honestly celebrate never having to color eggs again.
Easter has left the building, but this one, like so many, will be fondly remembered by me.

I spent the entire day, singing ALL the songs from "Jesus Christ Superstar!!" All day, all the songs, over and over!!!

Woke up thinking about Ted Neely, on this day of Resurrection!!!
Is that wrong? Ted Neely has played Jesus for years in the play, JCS!!!! I wasn't being disrespectful, to the real Jesus.

I know Ward, who is in heaven, spent the entire day, explaining to the man, "Lord you know, she loves that play, and it does have to do with Easter!!"

I especially like to belt out the song Judas sings, " Listen Jesus to the warning I give, don't you know that I want you to live, and believe me , I've been your right hand man all along...."
My brothers and I have sung this album for years, each one thinking that they know the most words!!! When they KNOW, its me.

I have been lucky enough to see the play three times. Once, I was so proud to take my children, and they BEGGED me, not to sing. They were expecting a miracle???? After all, its only Ted Neely on the cross!!!

So on this beautiful , day after Easter, I continue to celebrate the risen lord, and thank him for letting me know all the words!!!

Fragments, broken pieces, ME

A jot list, an idea written on a post -it note, three blogs written on the back of an old envelope. My fragmented life and writing style, fits me, like a glove!!! No punctuation, no paragraphs, capital letters here and there and nowhere!!!! I have been known to put a comma in, just to pause, to have a sip of coffee. If I need a pause, I assume the reader may also!!!
Often I think a comma, just looks good!! and there are some words that look better in all caps!!! Whole language, run amok!!!!
I know grammar, and realize it has a function, BUT......
it suffocates me.
Maybe that is why the children have all gone to texting, and twitter?? OMG, being a grammar gorilla, may soon be extinct!!!
The real irony is I enjoy re-learning grammar everyday, I just choose not to use it.I guess maybe I should put a warning label on my blog, " Read without a red ink pen!" " Don't try and fix
my dis-jointed, fragments of sentences, I know who you are!!!!
Just relax, and use some exclamation marks once in awhile!!!!!

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!!!

Watched the news last night and this morning, without shame!!!
Will look into "News" rehab places today. Surely if all these "Men"?? are going into sex rehab, there must be an addiction to News rehab, somewhere.
I would prefer something, along the coast. White sand, beautiful ocean, drinks with little umbrellas!!! Maybe I just need a vacation!!!!
This, not watching the news, is going to be harder than I anticipated.
What about newspapers?? and Google??? My addiction seems to be growing , as I type.
or.....Maybe this is not such a bad thing after all.
I happen to know a wealth of "useless" information, and with that, thrown in some pretty important stuff.
So cancel my room with a view, Dr. Drew!!!
I can live with this habit. CNN, I'm coming back!!!!!
* Bonnie did not go 24 hrs, without the news!!!!
** I'm not STRONG!!!!!
*** Addiction to all kinds of things!!!run in our family!!!
****Keep the room available !!!!!!!!!