From The Crown Down

 Just returned from a quick trip to see my parents. If you follow my blogs, you know my mom has been ill, for an unusual long spell, but is on the mend. Mother Mary walks slow and looks great. Dad, walks slow and looks awesome, just ask him and he will tell you that exactly! I know their bones hurt, and their hearts ache, but they are still earthbound. ( Daddy will explain that he is on his way out??) So I sigh with relief and thankfulness. My brother Tommy and Cousin Melanie have been in the trenches, and I salute you. Brother Benjie brings up the rear and I appreciate all he does. It takes a village, and I have a good one. ( Thanks for cards to my mom, food, flowers, I know there are others who help with my parents, My cup runs over!) Love travels, via Facebook, and through texts that I pass on to them.
We are all so connected, yet still far away.
I want to thank my cousin Mel Deen for the title of my blog, a random title, that has little to nothing to do with my blog. I just love the saying, that she shared with me, on my drive-by visit!
My dad often talks about the ugly people in the world, and there are many. It has been a fascinating subject of his for years. One he thinks they know that they are ugly, and he wonders about it!?? and I think he may have even said, that they should stay home, after a trip to the Wall mart Store. He is not being cruel (?) he just is stating a fact. He does not tell the people, that they look awful, but he has been known to shake his head. Well Mel found a you tube video of this lady, preaching about ugly people and sent it to daddy. This young lady was the voice of daddy's reason. She said some people are ugly From The Crown Down! 
   That is the best way I have ever heard someone called "pure ugly!" From the top of your head on down, you may be less then pretty!  Thank you Melsey for the pearl of wisdom, that made Homer happy, and for adding to my collection of quotes and words that send me over the moon happy.
   Now what is my blog about, maybe words and quotes? Maybe listening, or just showing up? Paying attention to details, writing stuff down? To be honest it started off with a book Iam reading. Yes, with a few lines in it, that I needed to share. This month is winding down, and I have to slide this in.
  Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir by Frances Mayes. It is, moss hanging in big oak trees, southern gold. Dripping honey on every page, and cutting you to the quick the next.
  Some highlights;
          Deeply fatalistic, you know we are!!!
          Time to rebel. Internal gears begin to grind, propelling you forward-then you invent the reasons.
          the still alive folktale pattern of telling three incidents in order to illustrate a point ( That is me!)
          How many countries I've seen, and nowhere else experienced the soft balm of a southern night.
          Bowl of peaches, church books, images are the pegs holding down memory's billowing tent.
          If I ever get out of here, I will never select unhappiness. When the plate of unhappiness is passed around and more and more is offered. I'll say no thank you, no. But they wanted seconds.
I have not even finished this book, just taking a sip and holding it in my mouth.
Delicious southern sweet tea, with lemon.
I love the South, and all its perfect, imperfections.
Read this book, if you get a minute or two.
April showers, and knowing for this minute my parents are good.
Happy From The Crown Down.

Church of Pharrell

 Last Sunday on The Sunday Morning Show, they had an interview, with Mr. Happy, Pharrell. From the kitchen I asked for any human in the vicinity to tape it. I did not want to miss the Church of Pharrell.
What makes this happy man, tick, I want some of that.
So later, I went in to listen.
He spoke about his early life, and how hard work pays off. Is he lucky? Yes he has had a wonderful year in the music world, but lucky? He is lucky to be gifted, and hungry. He wants to do, and learn and keep moving. I like this philosophy.Get up, be thankful that your feet hit the floor, and go! Makes me happy!
He was a gracious young man, humble and he dressed so special.
The interviewer mentioned his clothing line and style, and this is what he had to say, " I know they say you can't judge a book by the cover, but the cover says much!" Where is my pen, he is preaching!!
  I love to take notes, and sponge it all in!
  Especially when I talk about this issue all the time.
  People don't dress nice, in fact, I don't think they take baths.
  Emma and I had just come from a play, The Lion King, the previous day, mamma was ranting.
  The young couple seated in front of us, looked like they walked in from the beach. Shorts, a tee-shirt, and visor on! We were at a play, yes it was a matinee but...
  This dress down causal has gone too far. People on airplanes in sweatpants and concert tees! Congregation of church humans, in bathing suits and cover-ups, " Well it looks like a dress!"
Women wearing leggings as pants, is nasty. Girls and Boys take care of your feet, yes it requires work.
If you are lucky enough to be so beautiful that you need no makeup, I have yet to meet you, throw on some lipstick. The cover, your shell needs attention.
First impressions, any impressions last, and it may make you Happy, ask Pharrell!
In that same line waiting to go into the play, and I was checking out the crowd, a lady dressed OK, passed gas and started waving it to go towards her family, laughing. That is not funny, what has happened, then I looked down at her feet, worn out flip flops, and crusty looking feet. That has, "I don't care" written all over it.
 You do not need a million dollars to look like a million. It starts from inside you and comes out shinning!!
 Easter Sunday some will have on their best, I say treat everyday as if were Easter!
 Alleluia! ( The picture of Gwen and her little boy? A bonus!) ( Just wanted the picture of the little boy!)

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

    Let me start with the Bad.
    Let me begin with, the news.
    If I see or hear something, it stays with me. So I am very selective in my listening and viewing.
    The news has served me well over a lifetime of a strong desire to know everything! Until recently or perhaps always?
     I have had to wean myself from being consumed with tragedy, like the 911 catastrophe. School shootings, off my list. Mud slides and tornado destruction, no can do! Plane crashes, negative.
     My theory is that in grief, it took so much out of me to survive, the news was destroying me.
     Yet I thirst for knowledge, I want to know, I want to help, I want!
      Bill and I have spent years watching the news together in the wee hours of the morning. (unless a tennis match was on!)  So my not watching any news, is not an option. BUT..my paying attention is.
      So recently with this plane missing, in who knows where, has been an opportunity to explain to Bill my not caring dilemma.
      1. Bill Nye, the science guy is not who I wish to see, talking about this plane crash.
      2. One person begin his ideas with, "Do not quote me!, so I sure am not listening to him.
      3. The news, all channels, start jumping the story to be first with no facts, I need facts!!
      4. Words like, maybe or could be, possibly freak me out. Do not get me in a tizzy over, strong indication.
My Bill, the scientist, says, they are just guessing???? That is fine, just don't come on the air, with guessing.
This horrible plane mess, these poor people not knowing anything, and they come on saying that they saw something orange, maybe. STOP IT.
       I can not watch this news.
       AND..it is not even Fox new! They all should be fired on the spot.
       Wish I had answers, I don't.
        I believe nothing, and I dislike that feeling.
       The news is important, we depend on it. I want to be in the loop, I just wish the loop were accurate. I think the news has become a bunch of pot stirrers, and I am not eating the soup!!!
        Now the Ugly, Atlantic traffic, the end!! ( I linger little on bad things, negative yuck!)
        The Good, that is the easy.
         Jimmy Fallon!
         He makes me laugh out loud and grin for his entire show.
         ( Hart, number four son, if you find out anything about him that is bad, do not tell me!)
         Jimmy ( I like that he does not want us to call him Jim!) is fresh, and current and just enough political incorrectness( is that a word?) to be delicious. He loves music, like I love music, with his entire body! He is not afraid to look silly. I think he is Good, he exudes goodness, and that is a FACT! ( maybe an opinion? but its my fact!)
         So here lies the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, for this day, in my life.
         My daddy will be proud, to see that I acknowledge a Clint Eastwood film in my blog!
         Until later, always end with The Good!
        

Spring Break Forever

 My friends are planning Spring Break vacations, and I miss the details.
 It hardly seems fair, but since retirement, I have been on Spring Break all year long.
 Yet, I have watched them count down the days, and there is a small part of me, that misses, that feeling.
 The feeling of looking forward to something.
 Don't cry for me Argentina, but sometimes the shear madness of school, makes Spring Break so much more exciting!!
 Bill's Spring Break, we had worker men in the house, and just hung out together. There was still a chill in the air.
 I need the doors and windows open, to put on my Spring Break smile.
 This coming week, is Emma and my real Spring Break. My Emma is going to Hilton Head for a few days, and I am left to tend to Lucy the Lab!
 I have my list of plants ready to purchase, and the shovel in my hand.
 I have scheduled my "wax on, wax off" grooming appointment. Yes, it is always important to be swimsuit ready.
 I have luggage on stand-by, ready for our trip to Amsterdam. Guess that is a May Spring Break, see I live everyday on Spring Break!
 Have downloaded eight books, for April and May. That should hold me.
 Have painted six pictures in March and April, have hundreds more to do, all from my photos. ( A pure joy!) (Spring Break daily!!)
 I ordered two new bras the size of the Hindenburg, that came in an unmarked box, with a funny message about " No one will see the contents!", " Everyone will notice!" wrapped and sealed in black paper. If they only knew that most of the world has seen my bras, at any given time, and possibly my ta-tas!! I just screamed with laughter. Spring Break, means your girls should be perky!and those days are long gone, but I still like to buy them nice things!

 So I am ready to go.        

 Wait......I am already here.  

  Spring Break Forever, you don't have to be retired to think like that.
  Go outside, celebrate, buy some plants and maybe a new bra! Paint a picture, play some awesome music, read a great book, soak it up!! all of it......Happy Spring Break