#BeOtherwise

   I saw this hashtag during the holidays, that said my age group of people will go down fighting,
                                             #BeOtherwise
   Instead of giving old age the free reign of destruction, we have decided to do otherwise. Or in staying with my title, Be Otherwise! ( I truly don't get hashtags, but I like them, sooo there you go!)
   Your teeth, eyesight and bones, are the first to want to jump ship, but we have a gazillion doctors and dentists for that. We have wrinkle creams, that breed like rabbits, to take a line or two away. Botox and fillers, can be your friend, but you may lose a kidney to pay for it. We have so many options, choices, decisions to make.
   We stay current, and are well read. ( I think we may be the last generation to read, #sad) ( Is that how you use hashtags?)( or is it more like #sadchildrenwhowillneverbedoctors) ( lord, this is fun, I see an entire hashtag blog coming soon!) We are educated and awesome, may have some substance abuse problems, but remember we have doctors!
   We have kept moving, I hope, in body and spirit. We have questioned everyone and have high expectations. We have liberal hearts, and if you don't??#somethingwentwrongwithyourDNA. Peace, Love and Harmony are in all of us, some deeper down then others.
    We were on the cusp of this technology that has taken us to all kinds of crazy, love it and hate it, at the same time. ( #verygoodmultitaskersarewe)

    As I take down the Christmas decorations, and think about the New Year, I feel so thankful to be a Baby Boomer! To have seen so much, and know that my voice counts, is fantastic. To follow The Yellow Brick Road and The Yellow Submarine to all corners of the world, growing and learning.
   To have my children turn out to be seriously the best people I have ever known, is just wonderful.
   They touch my heart, often, all those sleepless nights pay off! If you can make it through the hard stuff, and you can!
   This year is going to be my year of light! I like to have themes, to keep me focused.(#bornandraisedinFLoridaneedIsaymore)
    I wish you all a Happy New Year(not sure what year it will be, I will have to look it up, retirement!)
    Hope you have many Baby Boomers in your life, that are born givers and teachers, listen to their stories, we are very interesting people.(yes we have huge flaws!!we will tell you about them! Learn from us!)
    Celebrate each day, graciously looking for something positive, its not so easy, but oh so worth it.
    Vote with your head and your heart, don't try and separate the two. #Itstimeforawomanpresidentperiod!
    I guess I should go back to taking down Christmas, it is like putting away a friend.
    Happy New Year

please note all photos are off the internet, my undoing Christmas is not for the faint of heart

Light It Up!

       Each morning, during December, I walk down the stairs to lights.
       Christmas tree lights, one in the dinning room, that I stop at and say "Good Morning."
        I turn right and go into the Living room, Den/TV room, whatever it is called these days, and see the other tree in all of its brightness. I think most, if not all people, enjoy lights. Christmas lights, porch lights, night lights, shine on me!! I love lights. The question I have, is why is this a once a year big bag of lights, not an everyday occurrence? Would we tire of the splendor? Would we not pay attention, and just expect this flood of lights around each corner? How could that ever be a bad thing?

      Early in this month, my family went to see the lights at a new outdoor shopping area near us. We went early and slowly ate, so it would be dark when we went outside, and bam!! The lights were on, people were smiling, kids were ice skating, the night radiated joy. That can never be bad, so why take them down?
      Yes, the Christmas trees can come down, but the white lights strung from store to store, big giant acorns hanging from real trees, can they stay? Let there be light, and it was good.

       We all need sunshine, and a few strings of lights would not hurt you.
        I think the year 2016 will be my year of lights!! Real and metaphorically. People need our light, positive glimmer of helping each other with a clearness of spirit!!

        So this Christmas, light your trees or your hedges, keep them up an extra day. Keep the candles burning, and share your light.

         I can feel you glowing from where I sit!!

         Merry Christmas at little early, no delayed gratification here! It Christmas each day of the year!!

Away In A Manger

    While waiting for the fog to lift, in hot Atlanta, I decided to download some of my photos and chat.
    I think most of them I will post on Facebook, I like to spread my wealth.
    This bliggity blog is about my son, Hart's nativity masterpiece.

   
  I think he did this in early Sunday school class. Maybe 4 years of age, and huge leaps ahead of the pack.
  All of my children hated Sunday school, until years later when donuts were introduced. This jewel of art, of our saviors birth was pre-donuts! So it even holds a higher place on my nativity scale.
  I like that through the years, Mary has tried to lay down, she is tired!!! Joseph has the biggest smile, and the sheep is very puffy! The backdrop of shinny blue is still holding strong and there are a few pieces of hay still in the manger.

My very favorite is baby Jesus, who is wrapped, I think, in hospital gauze!!!

I like that Hart saw fit, to make the baby in the manger, a little chubby. As a mom, you always want your children well fed! so I appreciated his thoughtfulness, that no skinny Jesus was going in our manger.
  Hart turned 31 this year, and I still drag out this precious shoebox manger. The Christmas season, is so full of memories, Hallmark moments all around.
    I fondly remember mom's nativity set, that I played with like paper dolls. Hours were spent moving and setting up the manger on Kenmore Street. Each year it seemed, there was a piece missing, I think Tommy may have buried them in the yard, with his plastic army men. Mom's Jesus was stuck to the manger, and I always thought that was a big design flaw.
   I love the baby in the manger, and that he can be moved, into our hearts.
  

Hang Onto Your Antlers!

      My blog, is a personal snippet, of my comings and goings. My heart's delight, and even my broken heart. Stories from me to me, and maybe you. I wish that they could all be funny and full of cheer, but that is not how this roller coaster rides. So let me warn you, this entry, may not be for the faint of heart. BUT I have to get it out, purge or explode. This is my therapy, and the cost is free. Your choice to read, or unplug, now that is a bargain.

    There is an elephant in the room, and it has a big Trump!
    I do not like to talk about this man, or give him any of my minutes on this earth, but this creature has gone to far. I keep waiting for the Republican Party, to stop this, hate monger, and people are scared of him.
    I think he is just, the school bully, with a fat bank account. He is mean, he is just a mean man.
    An astute business man, maybe? I do think he put people out on the streets, to buy property in New York, his tacky Trump Towers. ( OK, I went in, its not tacky, its over GOLD!) I had a friend many years ago, that wrote a story about him, and how he had hurt so many New Yorkers, Selma Hazouri if you read this, I remember your writing.
     He has no answers, only that he is a Winner, which is the same thing Charlie Sheen said, and I think he went away in  a straight jacket.
     What bothers me more, is the people that think he may be an asset to our country. Who are these people? They tend to be overly religious, white, uneducated, are there any polls about this group of people?
      I don't know, that is a question?
      I know people feel desperate, they want their guns, I believe you can have a gun if you like, but maybe you need to be vetted.
      Our country was built on its diversity, you can not ban whole groups of people.
      Mr. Trump is a pot stirrer, and people are drinking the Kool Aid!
 
  When ever I played a tennis match, I always wanted an opponent to be very good, it made me a better player. I feel like the Republican Party is in need of some decent people, because after The Elephant in the room, the others are riding the crazy train. This Cruz clown, is out of his mind. The Dr, may have operated on peoples brains, but his is missing some working cells, I can not even listen to his voice. Rubio, I feel like is not  horrible but I have banned the news in my house, so I cannot learn anything about him! Trump has sucked the life out of the Republican party. Bush, should have never run, he destroyed Florida, and his mom ( whom I like) should have said NO to that boy of hers. Are there others, it is a nest of nuts, and I feel kind of bad for the two party system. I'm a very liberal democrat, so its not my party, but how can I be better at the game, if you have nothing on the other side of the net?

I feel like things will get better, surely my faith in humans will not allow this man, to keep talking and acting so ugly. Its scary. Yes I know you can go on and on about Hillary, I know her flaws and I still think she is and can be great. I like Bernie also, he is my kind of liberal, but like I said, I don't want you all to go off the deep end, I care about you, and YOU know who you are.
 
  This is not funny to me, this stuff is serious, and we need a plan A,B,C, and D.
  Now that I have vented a tad, I will try and keep politics off my blog, if possible???!!!

  If you know me, that will be hard, but...I will try....Joy To The World
  Peace, and Good Will towards all men, women and children
  And Animals!!! FaLaLaLaLa tee da!

There Are Some Things You Don't Come Back From. Say Ye So, A Nighean?

     It has come to my attention, that I have not let you know about what I have been reading for over a month of Sundays. Let me just explain, that I have been to Scotland and back. Thank You N and P, for your guidance in my voyage. You always set my sail, in the right direction. Mo nighean dom, Mo chridhe.

  For the life of me, I do not know how the series, The Outlander books did not come to consume me, at an earlier time. I can only surmise that my children were front and center on my brain, or work. However, normally that has never stopped me from reading . Well, somehow I missed reading them, until now.

Over the summer, my girls asked me if I had seen The Outlanders on TV, and I shook my head no, when they leaped over the lunch table, to insist that I go binge watch, that afternoon. Which I most certainly did, after my entire family was called in, to help me download the series, or purchase it! ( I did not know we had that channel on the TV) ( or on my IPAD) A few hours later, I sat and watched, no pee breaks were had.

I then, screamed, this comes from a book, Kindle Store and eight books later, here I type.

Usually I like to read the books first, but this was fun to have a glimpse of the characters in my minds eye. I was invested before I turned a page.
   I feel sure, that most of the population has read these books, so I will just say, that I may start them over again. Historical fiction, and eight books, with a leading character that,( how can I say this??) wears Fraser plaid, extremely well. ( only my girls, know the rest!)

I have researched, The Highland Clans, colors and language. The history is amazing, and I thank god, I did not live back in those times, BUT.....
It was so hard for women, and people did not bathe enough!!, I had a hard time looking at even my Jamie with dirty hair! ( I know Natty, you told me, you were from France and that did not bother you so much!) ( I fell out laughing!)

This has been a grand experience with reading, television, and of course joy shared with friends. A perfect combination. I will leave you with some private words to ponder...
  An ni chi na big, 's e ni na big.
  Bidh an t-ubhal as fhearr air a mheangan as airde.
  De an t-ainm a th'ort.
  Sealbh math dhuit!
  Tha, began.
  Ta' tu' an-chroga
  Eist moran agus can beagun

  Take some time to read and enjoy, this wonderful day, I know I will!

I Wasn't Expecting That-Jamie Lawson

     In the song, that is my above title, the lyrics talk about all the beautiful things that we never give credit to.
Yes it ends on a sad note, this love story of a song, but causes you to smile and think.
     I find that this time of year, the fall/winter holidays, I have to pause and think, much more.
I think when you first here the song, your mind goes to bad things that you did not expect. Now turn that around and say the same words, about all the good things we were not expecting, and they happen.

I wasn't expecting my life long friend to die, even knowing he suffered from ALS, I dwell in La-La land, when bad things are surrounding me. What I truly wasn't expecting was he was buried by his parents, and that gave me so much comfort. I did not expect to enjoy the drive and the little town, traveling to the funeral.
I wasn't expecting a darling shop, all decorated for Christmas, and I could find some ornaments for my tree, that will forever remind me of my friend. Plus, plus, plus.

I was expecting my father to die, everyday for the past two months. What I wasn't expecting was he has survived, is in a nursing place of rehab, and there is a small light of hope.

I wasn't expecting to find joy in shopping, because I hate to shop, but the people that helped me recently were darling, helpful, young, cute, so alive and happy. It was very contagious.

I wasn't expecting November to be so warm, and I thank her.

I wasn't expecting to love my Christmas decorations, each year, after the burden to put them up, gets harder.
They are beautiful, and all in the right place, giving me a reason to be still and in awe.

While out at a movie with the hubs yesterday, I wasn't expecting the male actor, from the back, looked like My Ward. I looked over at Bill and asked him, if he thought the same way, and he did. Funny that you know your child's body, forever. I grabbed that frame in the movie and held on. No I was not expecting that. It was not so terribly sad, it was a lost feeling, but I knew what to do with it. Grief and I know each other, on first name basis. She just doesn't control me, wasn't expecting that.

Oh these months of holiday hoopla come upon us, so quickly and are over just as soon. I want to find something everyday, to be thankful for, not just at Thanksgiving. I wish to pay attention all around me, and wonder if Mary was expecting that? A baby in a manger, can not be a fun thing, the smell, hay everywhere, A husband you don't know, did she know what was going to be? God Bless her, I would have pitched a fit.
   I like the idea of the three kings bringing gifts, but no room in the Inn? Joseph would still be looking, if he were my new hubs, and we were both seeing angels!!! God Bless you Mary, I know you are supporting Planned Parent Organizations. I will set out my several nativity pieces, minus the hay! and sing loud all the Christmas songs about your boy. You are an amazing women, I salute you.

As usual I may tend to stray in my stories, but you get my main idea, even if you have to hang on for dear life!

   Expect the wonderful, all the Hark you can gather, this season of Joy, THAT, I was expecting.

          

Joy In The Morning

 Wallace Morning Bowen, Jr. died early this week. He was my friend, who had the best middle name ever.
  We all called him 'Wally'. He was a father, a brother, an uncle, a hero, a brilliant man, and to me he was just 'Wally'.
   I would say from a very early age he was competitive. Having known him since kindergarten age, we went to church together. Anderson Methodist church, on the corner, near the library. Close to The Polar Bear!!!
Maybe it was Pearl Street, not that it is important, just sometimes my mind wanders....
  In early Sunday school classes, we mainly played games, he tried to beat me at musical chairs every week!!
Later in his life, sports would consume him, and watch out people, he was going to win, or die trying. Tennis, Baseball, Football ( he was our quarterback) ( we won every game), and basketball, probably more. I think as an adult he kept up all his sports, and added running. He was competitive, even to himself.
  Our names both beginning with the letter 'B', he sat behind me in far toooo many classes, my whole life.
  We would argue over grades and anything else we could think of. In Mr. Cipolats class, on many occasions, we would fight for his attention ( we both loved history and attention!) I passed him his test paper and he had 'A' and I may have had a 'C', he would smile, and when it got quiet, I would whisper, "I had a date last night, Bowen, don't mess with me!" Then he would hit me with the pencil, we were like brother and sister all of our lives.
   The last time he spent the night at our house, in Atlanta, he could still walk, but his arms and hands were limp, and not working, so well. We had a great visit, no subject was left upturned.He would look at me, some before he spoke, like " Can I say this in front of your husband?"  I would laugh hard, " Bill married me, and all of you and our stories, Go for it!!!"
  Upon leaving, we stood outside alone, hugging for way too long. He pulled back a little, looking at me in the eye and said, " I know what you are doing, trying to remember me, my smell, my looks, take in all of me! well stop it, Let me Go!" I saw him again, at his 60th birthday party, Susan and I, got lost, but we were there loving on that boy.
         OK, you win Wally, I have to let you go. ALS took you from us, but only your body, we are left with the best.
      You will always be a worker bee, for all the right reasons.
       Thank you for the pleasure of knowing you and loving you.
       I say this for myself and all of the Class of 70, you will always be our hero.

       I end with this Mary Oliver poem. ( We sometimes forget how much you loved the arts)
                                               I go down to the shore in the morning
                                               and depending on the hour the waves
                                               are rolling in or moving out,
                                               and I say, oh, I am miserable,
                                               what shall-
                                               what should I do? And the sea says
                                                in its lovely voice:
                                               Excuse me, I have work to do.