I Have Been to the Mountain Top!

  I know it has been fifty years since, my friend Martin, spoke to the crowds in Washington. I respect him and others who rode the bus, and walked the walk. However.....
  Occasionally I use the phrase, in the biblical sense. Like I have witnessed a miracle, or been to see Bruno Mars!
 I have been to the mountain top of Bruno Mars, and it was life altering.
( You can not compare Martin Luther Kings speech to Bruno Mars, but..... I am filled with the spirit, and it is my blog!)
  He spoke to me, his voice is perfect.
  He brings back Little Anthony to me, maybe some Smokey, Michael Jackson, and some New Orleans Jazz with some Memphis Blues thrown in. This small, young man, with a Mahalia Jackson volume, and sex oozing out of every pore. Marvin Gay would have a run for his money. This precious man?boy? sung his heart and other parts of his body out!! He is Gladys Knight and the Pips, he is mine! Old school and new wrapped up in glitter, yes he dropped gold glitter on the crowd towards the end. I held my hands to the heavens!
His band was fantastic, the lighting was the Matrix, and a single spotlight all at once. There was a screen behind him, that had all, from his old videos to giant parrots flying off the screen.

 We danced the night away, and sang each word. Bruno Mars is an entertainer, who would take a grenade for me!! Young and old, black and white, men and women filled the seats, and he put a spell on us.

I have been to the mountain top, and my preacher man Martin, would say, " and all my children shall hold hands!
and we did, united by music, we are beautiful, just ask Bruno!

Tangled Web of August

  Usually August is my favorite month, she holds me with her sweaty hands, and I pause.
  Not so much this sweet month of August, I feel like the fly in the spiders web. Stuck in some ways, not necessarily someones supper, but for sure trying to break loose!!
  My children's birthdays, and so many friends celebrating with me, the well wishes I hope have reached all.
  My Trip with Emma to Hilton Head, with a second trip to Jacksonville. Spun me deeper then I had intened.
  My mother has hurt her back, and daddy depends on mom, so off I went. Not sure of how to help, but thinking I could, somehow?? The web pulls in so many different directions, you try and go with the flow, until the spider starts to move! Then you need a plan, A,B, C and maybe D, because most spiders are not Charlotte.
  It is never easy to see your parents hurt, or age. I have been lucky to have so many good years, and my brothers that live near them. This visit I was caught, being a daughter and wanting to be a helper. My parents, 82 and independent, came to a bump in the road.
 We children have our ideas of what to do, how to help, but I don't think they are listening right now. That is OK, they are hurting and their minds are reeling. They may be stuck in that web also.
 August is testing me, teaching me to be a good listener, trying to communicate better, and loving my parents through this special time.
 It has also taught me to pack lightly, and be ready for anything.
 August rain has drenched my feet and soul, but she reminds me of all that is good.
 Faith is in knowing that I have no control. Who does, is what I know.
 While helping?? daddy burn garbage, yes I think it is not OK, I saw this spider in this web. I ran and got my camera and took several pictures. I was like a child, I ran back inside to show mom and dad, " Look at his beautiful spider web." They oooooo'd and ahhhhh'd , like I was five. I told them, I think there is a blog in here somewhere.
 I was right, there was.
 Perception and a plan, Iam not waiting for that spider.

SPF 30, What??

 August, my favorite birthday month, and all around summer month of hotness, is here and she is staying.
 I welcome the beast...
 However after a short trip to Hilton Head this weekend, I noticed a change in how my semi-young body is reacting to the rays of August. After about an hour of lolly gagging in the sand, 15spf smeared on, I felt a burning sensation. What could that be? I sat up, and looked at my girl Emma, and said, " Crack out the 30 momma is cooking!" Another hour went by, front thirty, back thirty, ankle deep in the ocean, repeat and I was ready to go. "Sister, lets go to the pool, and look for drinks with umbrellas!" I whispered to Em. So we trudged through the sand, to relief. Funny thing is that, I was already crispy burnt, ME, this Floridian! This native of iodine and baby oil, was well done. When we arrived back at the apartment, jumped into the shower, and came out, Emma Lea said, " Mom, have you seen your back?" snap, she took a picture.
I looked on her phone and screamed, "What has happened to me? and you had better delete this picture this second!!!"  I didn't have any pain, (maybe I have diabetes and can not feel things??)...I would have prayed for all this sun in my youth and sat in the sun for over eight hours to get it, day after day! This was a couple of hours, and what am I going to do on Saturday, I was going to spend another glorious day at the beach??
I guess I need spf 50, is there such a thing?? I refuse to buy it!! I will wear a shirt over my swimsuit, its all good. In my brain its always good, not a bad way to live!!

Reality bites.

Saturday, spread out again on my towel, covered with a shirt and now a visor, I lasted maybe 45 minutes. Then I ran to the pool, and sat under a giant tent with all the old people. I was the only person there, with any color, these folks were Casper white. They looked like Q-tips, long and with white hair. I kept my Prada sunglasses on, one to look cute, and the other to not let them see me stare. Why do white people go to the beach or pool, to sit in the shade??? Well now I know, because I am one of them!! I opened my Kindle, had my phone near, and remembered the waiters that bring you drinks at Ponte Vedra Beach pool. That's what is missing, I want a pool person.

I was having a lovely time, until this grandmother asked me if the chair beside me was being used, and I said, "well yes, by my stuff!!" I was an organized shade person. I chuckled and gave up the chair, and she 'fell Out' beside me. She was as white as the concrete we were sitting on, she had big bags of stuff to spread out, she had bobbie pin curled white hair!! She was chatty, shade people are chatty!! I had to gather up and head out, these are not my people yet!!

I need the sun, I will put on 50spf so I can sit out. Iam not ready for the tent.

Needless to say, I sit here today, creamed over with aloe, popped a Benadryl for itching, and am thinking about how my August has changed forever. I have advanced to higher sunscreen, I have been to the tent!
Its a new day for this sun goddess of years gone by.

The only things that should be white, are these!