I Was Snow White, but....I Drifted...

The title of my blog on this December day is from, the anointed, Mae West. However I think I heard it repeated on a you tube talk by Charlie Mackesy.

This past week, I have listened and read everything I can locate about this man.

One of my dear friends, sent me his book, for the winter season of Covid. I hope you all have a copy, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. He, Mr. Charlie, is...….magic? Gifted, flawed, darling, wise, a character in a Dickens movie, a writer, an artist, kind, crass, a delight, he invites you in.

He was interviewed on The Sunday Morning program, last week, I think, or a couple of weeks ago, not a big deal when!! I fell in love with every hair on his head, every word that came out of his mouth, and his heart. In a matter of seconds, I needed to know more. Then during the week, one of buddies, said " Oh Bonnie needs to read this book!" and in my mail it was. I had ordered two for gifts, so maybe you will be on the receiving end also. Every human needs Charlie Mackesy. Go to You Tube, he has several little talks about himself and his lack of religion, only to find Jesus, latter in his life. He tells a tall tale about many things, his description of the Nativity, in real words, life changing. Did you know we were all invited to the nativity!!?? Well, we were, with the lowly shepherds, invited to his birth. We are so loved, who doesn't love to be loved?? We received the invitation to the birth of the baby, animal smells and all. Mary knew, she knew, we all wanted to be there.

Charlie, the boy, mole, fox, and horse, we are invited to sit with them. Hear their words, and pass it on.

I oscillate between depression and joy, on a daily basis. It is a tight rope, that I know others may be on, also.

My grandchildren, give me the most unbridled joy, in the simple act of being themselves.

I had a silly photo of Finn this week, wearing my Florida face gear I sent him, because his Uma, that's me, wants her babies to go to SEC schools!! Adrian called for Grandpa to help him with hard Science, knowing his Uma, will only do Literature, Art history, History, and Music!!!! I reminded this child, that he has the most beautiful hair and eyes, I have ever seen. Love my Boson Babies, and then there is Wyatt, love everything he does!! Good, Bad, wild, calm, I want to bottle up his energy, and remind him that he is perfect. I love all my children, but these grandchildren are straight up, wonderful!! Do they misbehave, heck yes, who doesn't, but they too were invited to the nativity!! They are loved, and pinched and patted, and rubbed, kissed and fill me with Joy.

Mr. Charlie, needs to write a book about them, or maybe just read my words.

Take a moment to watch things around you, pay attention, to good and bad. Be Rad!! ( thank you Maria)

Dance and sing to your hearts content, and fall out, if you need too.

Love wins, yesterday, tomorrow, and right this minute.

PSSSSSS....Do not read Lenny Kravitz book, not all who sing and look gorg, can write. God Bless him.

love,

b

I am Starved

Happy Thanksgiving Day, even though that was not a happy day for the Native Americans. I don't think there was peace or a piece shared.

We celebrate being thankful, and that should be an everyday motto, but here we are.

Cooking and eating, like we are headed to the electric chair!! The smells of Thanksgiving, are wonderful, so whom ever made up the holiday, I thank some part of you.

I have two things going in the oven, as I type, and that is not a good thing. I have two timers set, and the beloved is asking me about Zoom!!! Multi task like you raised five children, Bonnie. ( Now I'm talking to myself via the keys on the keyboard!) ( Do they have zoom shrinks? if needed??)

Last week, or not I saw something on TV about The Royal Ballet in London, putting on a ballet show. A one night gig, but they did it, and I was starving!!! I tape everything, just in case of these moments, I needed to watch this, thing of beauty, several times over. I called the doctor hubs in, come watch this with me, as I held my hand to my heart. Look at those point shoes, the leotards, the tulle, the fingers, the hand on her back, the legs, OH MY GOD!!!I am starving for the ballet!! The Opera, A concert, A play on Broadway or Atlanta!!!! I need art in many forms, and not for a snippet of time!! I need The Nutcracker, followed by Hamilton (original cast). I watched some of the turkey day parade on the telly this morn and I got HIGH!!! on people lip synching. (Going to go check the stove, hope this is still here when I get back) OK, needs five more minutes!!

When I was beginning to cook Thanksgiving yesterday, the smells in my house were delish, I was starving for warm, comfort, turkey food smells!!

I need to sit in a pew, at church, and hear the organ.( maybe the message also)

I miss friends, family and ordinary life.

BUT as I remind my brother on a daily basis, Adaptation!!

We learn to look at the broader picture, adapt to the year in which is still going. 

Extend your stroke of the paintbrush!!

Be happy and grateful, and give without ceasing.

The sun is shinning, my mother is doing pretty good, all this food is a blessing, and talking to you or this day, is awesome.

Damn, Alexia just told me to take out the pumpkin pudding, DONE!! Now uncover the dressing, and look at the turkey, and four more sides to cook. They are ready, I just have to throw them in!! and our Thanksgiving is small, five adults and one angel child.

I will leave you with one of my brothers everyday language quotes!! While watching football a couple of weeks back, he said, " That is a lot of beef on the hoof!" I fell over, I replied, " Is that your way of saying this guy is kinda large!!!" We are starving for laughter, and love people, change your day, and some other persons day. For that I am Thankful, Another Day. ( Benjie would say, you forgot to say above ground!!) 

Love

B    ( any mistakes are left in on purpose) ( like a puzzle for you to fix on this glorious day) ( You are welcome) ( Think like a Monk)

Pick Your Hard!! quote from my brother!!

  The election is almost over, or just beginning, I may be in purgatory.( thank you Marie S. Anderson)

I think Mr. Biden has won, but Mrs. Clinton had won also, but you didn't see her in the Big House either.

My PTSD election blues, are hard to shake.

 Joe Biden is calm, and older, and seasoned. He will be fine, and he is not Trump!! I admit it, my postman, could have been a write in, if necessary. The republican party has some fixing to do. They stood by this despot, and went along for the bad ferris wheel!!

I hope we, the democratic people who voted, will not disappoint you, the other half. I know you will have a sting of loss, a close loss, and its not fun. We are good people, who want good things for all people.

Some of us are even conservative swinging, and pro life people. ( ok, don't put me in with that group, but I do believe in the what works for you, is not my business!!) ( So I can listen to you, with an open mind and heart.

John Avalon, whom I may think is a hero, said, " Donald Trump would rather ruin, if he cant rule,"

Please don't unleash this hate that was stirred up, please put out your hand to shake.

I am not even sure at this minute, who will be president, I just need them to be The President of All People.

Now on a lighter note, if there is such a thing.

My brother Benjie is here, and he always makes me laugh. We were watching ESPN sports this am, when I thought I saw Jesus at a football stadium. I said, " What the heck, is on TV, a mirage of the lord!"

Benjie, " No, that is touchdown Jesus, they are at Notre Dame!!"

"NOOOOOAh, are you telling me, that they leave this statue up?" Ben, hollered, "Yes!"

"Are you kidding me, Mother Mary of Jesus, I'm so sorry, that they(whoever they are) can put your baby boy up, holding touchdown arms, and not think this is tacky!"

I know people pray for football, but let that be in your heart!! Witness your love, another way, not touchdown Jesus!!! I may have to up my meds, Benjie just told me a passenger on a airplane, threatened to pee on the cabin helper ( what do they call them anymore) Help!!!

I remain filled with love and hope, and realize I control so little, and My Benjie would say, " Pick Your Hard, Bon!"

Abundant Sunshine

 This dark (time change) morning, my beloved said, " The weather is calling for abundant sunshine."

 At 4am the brain cells, are just stretching and I mumbled, " Did it really say that?"

Hubby says, "Yes"

I smiled over my bed head, " That is the best news, I have heard in days!"

Side note, he failed to mention, it was witches titties cold!! 

Its Abundant Sunshine, that is a beautiful thing.

My hair is falling out, I have hives, my mom is in hospital, the election is on the fritz and violent people are oozing out of the seams of  America. I may be a tad stressed, but I have an Abundant Sunshine Day. Wanda Canupp Wunder use to say "Blue Sky Days" when she could go to the beach, to sun and fish.

I miss her special ways.

Mom is OK-ish, weak, breathing issues, walking issues, just stuff we are working on. Covid makes all the places that can help her, a death trap, so its scary. She may have graduated from our care, but we are hoping she can come home soon, to our normal. Mom, if you are reading this, do your exercises for your legs, and be extra sweet to your nurses and doctors. We are always blessed, remember that. We love you, and will talk later.

Mother and I have had 9 months of heavy chatting going on, we crack up everyday!! Laughter heals, she cries a  lot, but I have no tears left. ( after my son Ward died, no more tears are in my body)

I think mom still has work to do on this earth, so get better Mary, your room is waiting.

One thing during October that we discussed at length, is always daddy/Homer/Sonny/Uncle Homer.

I was the first born, and Trudy ( sister) came real soon after. She was very sick, and mom had to really concentrate on her. Well guess who that left me with!! Homer!! At the early age of around 3, he decided to introduce me to horror movies. I new Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi before I knew the name of our preacher at Anderson. I knew every part of a car, and how to polish a car, before my six birthday!!!

I knew that Cowboys and Indians were a religion in our house, we had shrines.

Walt Disney, was another human, that may have walked on water.

Golf, Football, I could have coached by the age of 10.

History, music, poetry, geography, quotes of the world, I was daddy's sponge. Then came the boys, Benjie and Tommy, and I had discovered boys, so we could part ways, so to say.

He was a born story teller, and artist with no filter, or ability to tolerate stupid.

Lucky for me, mom jumped in for the girlie stuff, taught me all about Thank You Notes, and not showing your britches!! They were two very different people, that worked well together, and gave us the best. Now I have had some, one on one time, with Mary, that has been pretty neat.( wish she felt better) 

I have had an abundance of  minutes with both of my parents, and for that I am grateful.

Back to this beautiful day, a random thought I had to share with Bill, and he laughed out loud.

Its dark in the den, and its early, crap news is on, and I say, " You know I really love Bandaids and Big Plastic Nativity Scenes in the yard." " I just felt the need to share this information with this person to whom I have been married to for 40 years!!!  He was laughing, " I learn something new about you every day Bonnie."

Thank you Homer and Mary, I have turned out to be pretty neat. A tad off center, and will always make you proud.

Rafa and Clay

 I have just spent two weeks in Paris, in October. Match after match of tennis, supreme.

Martina Navratilova woke me up early, EARLY, with a familiar voice, and wisdom of a winner.

She looks at tennis like a science/math problem, it was fascinating to hear her describe each point.

Johnny Mack came in for the finals and brought us New York with a swag. The petulant young man, has aged with wit and perfection. Paris at any season tugs at my heart, I saw a bakery and smelled it through the telly. All the streets, and I think I saw my bench outside the Louve. 

The color of clay courts, the rust of skill and practice, I can not explain, it is love. ( not the love =zero)

   Keeping busy these days, with fear hovering. I hate thinking about this vile virus, and horrific hate simmering in this storm. My brother and I had to agree not to discuss politics, my left and his center, are very far apart. Me being the oldest,I still have to ability to choke him, but love wins!! I will love him, and maybe pinch him very hard!!!!

  Iam reading this great book, How to Think Like a Monk, or is it Live Like A Monk, I will have to look it up. Wait a minute. It's Think Like A Monk, by Jay Shetty.

   These times call for all kinds of reading, and this is a good one. 

Years ago, Mother Mary and I went to meet and greet some Monks at St.John's Cathedral in Jacksonville, Florida. ( my home church) ( also First Methodist) ( Also Anderson Methodist) ( All home churches) Brother John, I think was his name, was very young and handsome, with his brown robe and rope belt!!! My mind may have been wandering, but I listened, and he spoke so calmly. He had a glow, honestly( and I may have had other ideas) ( I was young) ( maybe early twenties) ( Hormones)

I was already in love with The Dean, I think I have a thing for robes, and calmness!!

Well, that little story is why I am reading this book, mom, who is living with us now and I talk about everything under the sun and clouds. We were laughing about Brother John, and she reminded me of my question to him. I may have.....asked him, didn't he want to have a family and love interest?? He said he was married to Jesus, or some crazy thing, and I may have said, " Really??"

  OK, back to the book, we need to hear Martina's voice, A monk's journey, and Jesus, to help us, through this 2020 year.

Here are some of the lines, I highlighted.

1. No matter what you think your values are, your actions tell the real story.

2. When we tune out the opinions, expectations, and obligations of the world around us, we begin to hear ourselves. LISTEN PEOPLE TO YOURSELF, last four words were mine.

3.What is the value in your choice?

4. There are always more ways to be pulled up than to be pulled down.

5. Comparing, Complaining, Criticizing, Cancers of the mind.

6.Do not give your attention to what others do or fail to do; give it to what you do or fail to do.

7. In my experience, nobody wakes up and thinks, How can I be mean today?( are you sure, Brother John) ( OK, this is not Brother John but I still have him on my mind!!)

8. Bad things do Happen.

9. Don't count the teeth in someone else's mouth!!

10. But Monks believe that when it comes to happiness and joy, there is a seat with your name on it.

I will end there.

I am thinking about candy corn right now, Brother John, Rafa, the color of clay, and all of you wonderful people. 

Enjoy whatever you find, to bring you peace, happiness, and read this book.

Love in October

B

Cashmere and Converse-Daniel Levy

  Currently looking at a grand spider web out my window. All of a sudden, spider webs are all around. Maybe they were always there?? I think I would have seen them. They fascinate me, glad I am not afraid of the little creatures. ( Thank you Charlotte)

  No I will not be watching the presidential debate, I have been nauseated for almost four years, I may be for four more, I don't know?? All I know is I have my ballot in hand, and some holy water, prayer beads, and Neil Young playing in background, signing my name for my party. The platform I believe in and have worked for all my adult life. I will think of Ruth, with a grateful heart, as I vote.

I will think of Policemen, and victims of racial injustice, hoping both can change for the better. We need our police educated, paid more, and changed!!! We need to look at Black Lives Matter, because they do. The color of your skin should never be an issue, EVER. Actions do speak louder, but so often color comes into view first. NOT OK, we are all humans, every color, religion, breath we take, gender!! Equal love, respect, helping each other, positive living, working hard to do better and be better. I sign my ballot for you!! I sign my ballot for me!! I wear a mask for you!! I wear a mask for Me!

Listen to your heart, and the scientist, news media, be careful.

This is not road scholar information, this is human smart, fair, kindness, equal rights, body rights!!

For the love of Baby Jesus, vote. 

I will accept the peoples vote, even if it is not my own, and continue to fight until my last breathe, for my beliefs. I have the hope of change, real hope, but I did the last election also, and defeat is not fun. It just made me work harder. I see a new cup, not half full, or half empty, but with a different liquid in the cup!! A cup overflowing with joy, hard work, changes, courage, strength, a strong wind blowing the last few years of hatred away. Teachers getting paid for their worth, doctors and nurses, policemen, firemen, military people, Honored and respected, for doing good. AND if you are the bad seed in any profession, you gotta go, Preachers, Teachers, Politics, all working people, ALL weed out the bad. 

I could continue, but I have lost my rant  of thought. Lucky for you!!

I will tell you that I heard a quote, as usual, forgot to write where I heard this jewel, but jewel it is!!

" She is Dracula with a blowout!!!" You can borrow anytime, this season of BOO!!! It cracked me up. ( I know who it was used for, but I am trying to be better!!) ( or I totally don't remember the who, when and why?? and it just cracked me up anyway!!)

Just like the title of my blog, we are all Cashmere and Converse, and Shitt's Creek is a fantastic show, thank you Nancy and BA for turning me onto it many years ago.

Happy Sunday in September, spiders and all!!!

Bring Back Lawrence Welk-Jim Gaffigan, Sunday Morning News

In a conversation, of the comic variety, Jim Gaffigan spoke of living in the 1950's, NOW!!

We are all in Covid cooking frenzy, everything, farm to table, scratch. Some have even brought out the Cleaver PEARLS!!!

Children under foot, for months on end, puzzles and board games galore. Desi and Lucy may be on the tube. All that is missing is Lawrence Welk!! Bubbles and Big Band Music, Yes, don't tease me.

1 Nanny ( yes, I did have a 2 Nanny), with Mr. and Mrs. Norman (Noni) watched Mr. Welk every Saturday night for years. The Lennon Sisters were my JAM!!! Even as a little girl, they would all tell me, which singer would make me a good husband!! You do realize, I was maybe 6, through high school, yes I still watched it!! There was some young blond singer, that was the winner. I told them, he was not my type. When Grandmother told me, "Well he looks just like Edward McClamma, and you love him!!" I reminded her, in a gentle way, ?? !!, " Gran, that is private information!" 

Yes, bring back Lawrence.

 Also, another couple of quotes, that I had the good fortune of stumbling upon, I will share.

" Smells like Icy Hot and Cruelty!!", Lemon Breeland, Hart of Dixie, Netflex. May be my favorite line of all time.

Also since in this house of horrors, 2020 continues, I was lucky to watch the US Tennis championship, with unbridled joy. Johnny Mack was commentating about a young mans second serve being so bad, when he offered some advice, " Get the first serve in, then you don't need to worry about the second one!!" I hollered, Yes Johnny, a life lesson for real!!!

I love tennis more than air, and this open, was fantastic.

Honestly I have so many notes, but can not connect the dots these days. All is well, reading an autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein. I feel like I am in Paris surrounded by all things that make me happy. 

I think we are still in September, itching to decorate for fall, and Christmas, all at the same time. Its an Idea!! 

Love the one you are with, and maybe another.

Peace, Vote, and pray for fires to finish, so much heartache, bring me Lawrence!!