My Memory Nods Off, Like A Narcoleptic, Again!!!

I think I may have posted the title , minus a story. Maybe that is the story, what we should or should not omit!!!
The big dig, of putting away the Christmas ornaments has begun. I hesitate, in each room. How can you box up, such beauty and joy? I'm depending on my memory to remember all my holidays, and downsizing at the same time. What to save, throw away or leave out for a few more days? This may take awhile, if the house is to be in some order by New Years! You know I veer!!!!
I was upstairs, putting away some winter clothes( in my mind, I think spring is just around the bend!)and found a photo of Ward and I. December 26, 2000. I was holding his face, like the Madonna at the foot of the cross. I can see pain in both of our eyes. My heart is about to burst. I began to think, about my memories and how much I need them. I miss Ward so much, and if you are reading this, I hope you do not know what I feel. So of course, I had to find a frame, in my hoarder bin, Christmas decos, can wait! My HO was packed, with just the HO-HO left.
So I decided to blog about , Traveling with Pomegranates, by Sue Monk Kidd, and her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor. Stay with me people, ramble and learn.
This sweet book about the bond between mother and daughter, and how we redefine the roles with all of our children. Finding Ward and my photo, triggered a line from her book, which is, My memory began to nod off like a narcoleptic and I would be left with a thought curled up on the tip of my tongue. Ramble is now connected.
Sue Monk Kidd wrote The Secret Life of Bees, so I expected a good read. Her Mermaid Chair, a yawn, but a good writer is like a relative, the door is open, so I invited her back. We had a good visit and I met her daughter. I discovered Greece and found it narcotic. She surprised me with her over the top attraction to Mary, the mother of Jesus. We have a common bond. She observes the world around her, becomes passionate about, even pomegranates. She reminded me to take time to read, even when boxing up your Christmas. Also, when the death of a child, redefined my role with Ward, this book helped me remember, death does not take your memories. You may have to work harder, yikes!! the older you get, to remember things. You WILL remember. A picture tells a story, even a title of a blog!!!

My Memory Nods Off, Like A Narcoleptic

Mother of God, Holiday Fog

Yesterday's blog title was Holiday Fog, which was deleted in its entire glorious form, by me!!!
So this morning I will try and remember its content, who knows what will come out of me, I'm in a Mother of God, Holiday Fog!
Do not read between the lines, I do enjoy every other second of the holiday season. That bi-aaa-tch other second hangs over me, like tacky Christmas lights. Blinking, busy,busy, busy. My jolly is hard to find.
Traveling, flying, during the holidays has shaved years off my youth. Hundreds of people fighting for position, when they know we have seat assignments!!
Lucky for me, I love to fly and can put myself in a trance within minutes of the click of my buckle, and the sound of luggage being crammed overhead. Sybil may have heard voices, but I hear music!! Reel to reel, non-stop music. Throw in my earplugs and let the concert begin. Johnny Cash, B-52's, Broadway, Church songs, Patti Page, Beatles, Indigo Girls and now Christmas Carols thrown into the mix. A cacophony of tunes fighting for airtime in my cerebral cortex!! and this music is not on an I-pod. I hear music, I'm some sort of music savant!!! and it serves me well. Sometimes, this mild brain dysfunction gets in the way, but not during flying and the holidays. Some would say, I tune them out??? I say, I just tune in!!Big band, bluegrass, calypso, country, disco, folk, gospel, heavy metal, hip-hop, jazz, new age, pop, rap, reggae, rock, salsa, soul and swing keeps me focused and humming!!! Melodious harmonies drowning out, the hectic hot mess, the holidays can create. In fact, the music from Rent is playing in my head, as I type, Joy to the World!!! I do have to be very careful what I listen to, because songs can get stuck. So driving to work, I often have to wait in my car for something pleasant, because my co-workers will have to hear it all day long, and In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida can wear a person down. Uniqueness, or quirky? doesn't matter. Let the music play, I can always turn down the volume. Its a gift!!!

I love Baby Jesus

Give me a baby in the manger, and I'm good to go. Lately, in my down-sizing mood, the nativity groups in my house, have become somewhat dysfunctional!!! There is a stable, and animals, and Baby Jesus without the head, Mary and a Shepherd, stepping in for Joseph. There is also a giraffe, who is just visiting, following that star. We have a shoebox creche, that Hart made in pre-K, at St. Andrews. Jesus is made out of gauze, and pipe cleaners. There is glitter, and foil used for Mary's dress, and even some sheep(cotton balls) and a piece of hay. Some other nativity figures remained in the box, I did not even unwrap them. You see, its the pieces, that bother me. I want a stationary nativity group!! Traveling Holy Family, all glued in the manger. And I found one!!! Made in Peru or Bangladesh, it looks like a window and you open it up and there it is!!! I love it, I may move it from room to room!!! I need to keep my eye on the manger, during this wonderful time of the year.
God's plan can have joy for us, and take us to lonely places. Mary reminds me, that a child was born, and why. I don't need to see the pieces of the nativity to remember, but I do like a good visual. PLUS now, its self contained. Angels included!!!

Do NOT Take Me Camping!!!

My bud Jamie and I, are off to Spruil Artist Market, and A Thousand Villages this morning. This has become a December "must do" for us. We had penciled it in our calendar, this morning I checked my e-mail, and she wanted to know, if we should "ink it" in!!! We both have such busy lives, and a gad-zillion things to do, of course I said yes. NOW the crunch to get ready. Usually it takes me 10 minutes tops for the complete package. Make-up, hair-do, legs shaved, wardrobe look-through. BUT its winter, so you have to throw in my LOTION time.
Oil of Olay, Hope in A Jar, Beach Oil, Retin A, Cow udder balm, and a new one I added this year, its an orange and ginger calming cream!!!! Do not laugh, this is a serious. I can never go camping, Never! It takes a village of creams to get me out the door. I'm a pampered pooch, and proud of it.
Particular Patty wants to be smooth, no cracks and crevices here.
Ready for the cold air to hit me, unable to penetrate my layers.
Ready for some shopping, when I should be doing other things!!
Realizing this morning that, I can never go camping!!! I think I always knew!!!
Now where is my hand cream?

Stop The Treadmill

Much to your surprise, I do work out!
Yesterday I left work, and went straight to the gym, and the devil on my shoulder said, "It's tooooo cold to work out!" PLEASE, why would I listen to this thing with horns and a tail??? So I preceded on my journey, to sweating a tad.
I never get close to the TVs while walking/running, my mind needs to clear, and concentrate on not going off the back of the machine, while I'm fixing my hair!!!
I do sing out loud, to my Ipod, I try not too, but some songs require my rendition!!!
I'm wailing away to John Mayer, and the screen caught my eye, there is so much on about Elizabeth Edwards, and so depressing, I made a good move to be far away. Thirty minutes down, and I'm getting antsy, people in leotards are surrounding me. I look up, and Elizabeth Edwards is on all the screens, something is going on. So I slow down, stop, and move up, to the bicycle with the mini screens. SHE has Died, I can't pedal, I am so filled with sorrow. I start to pedal and I read the captions on the screen, over and over. Good Lord, she has died twice, once when she had to view her son , at sixteen, dead in the emergency room. Now Cancer has caused her second death. Plus her husband paying too much attention to his hair, and his mistress, I pedal faster. Finally, I'm spent, and slowly walk back through all the living. Wondering what all their stories are about?
We all have stories, loves and heartaches, and we all have to LIVE.
Elizabeth Edwards lived her life, that is the miracle.

Football Season

Football season is much like flu season, minus a shot !!! It lingers on and sometimes hurts, but most of the time, its a good time to lay on the couch!!! and YELL!!!
Its a disease, pure and simple, you either have it, or you don't!!!
Me being the first born in my family, I have a suspicion that Homer may have wanted a boy, because I know everything there is to know about football!! I want to thank you daddy, for passing on this gene. I think?
The Blackmans were raised as Florida Gators, period. SEC football ruled our lives. Many a funeral or a wedding, my dad had the radio plugged into his ear to listen. I can remember as a young girl, Georgia fans barking in my ear, and me asking, " What is wrong with these people, mom?"
In our family, the phrase, "Its not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game, is what matters," was never uttered!!!! We are, " Win or go home!!!people!!!"
Excellence is king!!!! Work hard and be the best!!!!
Last evening we watched, as Auburn won the SEC title game. I worship the Gators, The Auburn Tigers I just "love". Two of my children went to Auburn, and were able to see, first hand, the agony of defeat for a few years, and thrill of Winning it All!!!! Each of them, were in college for a 13-0 season. Hart in 2004, and Emma this year!!!! They have the disease, I have passed it on!!!
Of course we watch all sports, with passion. The life lesson is, whatever you like to do, give it 150%, from Football to music, Tap dancing to NASCAR, reading to cooking, gardening to fishing, be passionate about everything!!! Pass on THAT gene!!!