07/14/2021

I find myself flirting with the word

anticipation! Just think about it! 

Prior to any plan, any endeavor, any 

scheme, comes this enticing word.

I like the entire concept . . . An 

idea comes to mind, a plan starts

to formulate. The brain begins to

work on turning the idea into a

reality, and anticipation is born!

I love the physical feel of it! You

make those lists, both mentally 

and in reality. You begin setting 

aside things needed for whatever 

plan you're hatching. And as your 

small pile comes to fruition, your

anticipation dances gleefully all

over kingdom come . . .

Anticipation is a gift! Looking

forward to each day to see what

will occur, making things happen,

truly knowing how fabulous it is

to be alive, anticipation is birthed.

Today, I am just giddy with 

anticipation. I know it will bring 

new experiences; sites, scenes, 

smells, sounds . . . all new!

anticipation

must i wait a bit longer

lifes gifts to reveal

07/13/2021

Sooooo love being an olde dame, now

retired.  Of course, there are things that

are now more difficult, but others better.

I enjoy waking up in the early hours and

thinking about my upcoming day. What

can I get myself up to? Is there a bit of

fun to go along with the naughty? Alas,

I have to convince my guy as he drives 

and I don't. Still . . .

As soon as it's light of day, I check on 

the prior evening's mail, pay the odd bill, 

wash yesterday's dishes and then hit my

guy up with whatever ideas I can come 

up with for the day's excitement.

Sometimes, I get a bit of weeding in. 

Other's, it's just sit outside by my tiny, 

tiny pond with a cuppa or glass of some-

thing fun. My fave is when we have to

get a few groceries, so we treat ourselves

to a meal out. We only do so about three

times a month, but it's fun nonetheless.

One thing I've learned is that fun needs

be neither expensive, nor elaborate. I

find I'm quite tickled with the simple.

Now as I glance down, figure I could 

do with a tad less wrinkled skin!

sophisticated 

fun by any other name

simple might be best

07/12/2021

"Here's to the wild, the weird and the 

wonderful.

To the tribe of troublemakers that think 

so far outside the box, they dream on the 

edges of the infinite.

Here's to the brightly colored, divine 

visionaries that won't stand down, play 

small or sit out. Here's to the awakened

ones whose purpose is to feed their

soul and not starve it.

Here's to the wild ones. Here's to you."

~Ara

Speaking of which . . . I've been ever so 

fortunate to have friends that dance the

weird! They make life interesting and

worth living.

One of mine bikes and hikes every week

end and free day available. I have one 

who teaches skiing all season. There's 

a pal of mine who puts together x-mas

booklets and readies them for the season.

A childhood friend crochets Christmas

ornaments. Wow!

I'm so fortunate to know women who

enjoy getting together to talk, share their

wisdom, ask for guidance and give sound

advice! I just love knowing people who 

color outside the lines. They are the best,

the absolute best!

heres to fab women

coloring outside the lines

think outside the box

If you're being called weird, strange, crazy

or witchy...take it as the best compliment

ever. It means you are brave enough to step

up and show the world who you really are.

~Jasmine L, CrystalLoversTribe

07/11/2021

Love that I've lived long enough to

become comfortable with my own

weird!

I do know when you're that odd kid

in grade school and everyone knows

you're weird before you do, can be

rather startling. That would have 

been moi!

Funny, if not downright amazing, 

how you grow into your own weird

and acceptance thereof. I always

supposed mine came from having

a special brother that I translated

for 11 years and counting. But, I

get it now. I was born that way!

As an adult, I find that I gravitate

towards people; strange, unusual, 

different, odd, challenging, bright

and self thinkers. Don't do so well

with the cookie cutter types.

I've come to realize that the older

we get, we become more so of 

our very selves. Grew up all the

above definitions, but have evolved

into an eccentricity that startles

even me from time to time.

I love it . . . rather wish I had ever

and always been comfortable with

it. Hope I'm gifted a few more years

to bask in the odd!!!

eccentricity

gods greatest gift to mankind

bring it on rejoice

07/10/2021

Me thinks I'm a lifeaholoic. Anything

good or great is better in the more

category. 

You do know that if the homemade

ice cream is delectable, you need at 

least three servings to make certain

of the veracity of this statement.

Sooooo love me some pizza, just

once in a while. If it's perfect, just

the way I like it, with three measures

of sauce . . . I eat the whole thing!

'Twould be a good idea to never let

me into an antique store. Talk about

an alluring temptation! It's all so odd,

interesting, different, strange, unusual.

Thank God, I can only afford a couple

of pieces.

And, let's not even get started on 

enchiladas!

my mind shouts stop it

not enough of a good thing

my mouth says yummy

So, this is me . . . fat, broke and still

enjoying the hell out of everything!

     Old is GOOD!

     Antique is BETTER!!

     Archaic is BEST!!!

Now, if that's me, what about food?!

Might be an idea to . . . 

NOT EVEN GO THERE!

07/09/2021

July is birthday special for me. My

dad, my brother and my guy all born

this month.

I remember daddy, love of my life,

throwing a birthday bash for family

and friends when he turned 70. He

did a fab wine tasting, phenomenal 

vintner that he was. He raised five

five kinds of grapes and made wines

from each. His wine was valued at

$30.00 a bottle here in Denver.

Then two years later, he was gone.

I remember the party . . . my dad,

his family, his tribe . . . and it never

occurred to me that he would be

absent in a mere two years. As I'm

71, I'm frightened to to turn 72 in

a couple of months.

My only brother Sammy, blind and 

special, lived to be 24. I have an

altar in his honor and try to spend 

a few moments there each day. He

was amazing and I'm grateful he's

at peace.

My guy, still strong of body, tall

and straight at 6' 2", long of stride,

still cutting a dashing picture in

my mind. He likes to celebrate his

b-day with our families, live music,

a bar-b-q and homemade ice cream.

The man does know how to party.

So, here's July with it's joys and

sorrows and me making an effort

to recall the good rather than the

sad. 

     Let's July! 

     Let's happy!! 

     Let's party!!!

07/08/2021

What is it about treasures?! Those

things so precious to our very souls

that we simply can not let go.

I found my own achilles heel, several

times over, when moving from my

residence to this tiny, tiny 130 year

old cabin.

Realizing that I would need to reduce

my many years of treasure collecting,

I set about sharing them as I would

have done upon my death. I would add

that sharing in life rather than sharing

in death, is much more satisfying.

Every now and again, I run into one 

of my treasures at a friend's home. I

recognize that I miss said pieces, but

I also find joy that they are with those

I love.

I find it interesting that the treasures

I chose to keep are not necessarily my

faves. I chose family heirlooms, things

that would look appropriate in the cabin.

Funnily enough, I find I value my

remaining treasures even more. Must

be that pesky law of diminishing

returns.

keep my treasures safe

love me my bits and pieces

taking them with me

07/07/2021

Been thinking about a 'round the world

cruise. Bet it would be fun! Or perhaps

a fly in to Peru and surroundings . . .

Never been to Alaska either. A girlfriend

of mine who lived there 30 years, makes

it sound so enticing. Too bad about the

money, or should I say, the lack thereof!

I think it's important, with or without

shekels, that we suss out those special

little things that enhance our lives. For

me, it's always been picnics; such fun!

Not to forget, a bit of a drive in the

mountains. Shame about the current

cost of gas, but there's that picnic idea 

again!

At the end of the month, when we can't 

afford a full meal out, we like to go into 

the restaurant and share one dessert 'twixt

the two of us. Luckily, the owner gets a

kick out of our weird and doesn't even

question it.

Make a short visit to a friend with a jug

of lemonade in hand. Maybe they'll have

cookies to go with. Bottom line, fun that

a visit to Italy would be, let's not forget

that little things in life have their place.

needs me mini vays 

lemons or lemonade which

lets picnic instead

07/06/2021

I find I'm rather excited this morning!

We're taking a picnic to an old friend;

I can hardly wait!

For starters, there's nothing like a picnic

to begin with! There's a romance in the 

basket simply waiting to be tapped! I

love carrying in the basket, my guy

handling the wine . . . it's all waiting 

happen. There's a kind of magic in that.

We'll find a place to set up. I think this

particular one will be indoors; not sure.

Then comes the unveiling. What do we

have here?! Some of these little boxes

must contain salads of a different note.

Munchies, of course. Dips? And I'm 

thinking, there must be different kinds 

of desserts.  It's all waiting to happen. 

Me thinks life is a tad like a picnic. 

There's the prep work, the experiencing,

the joy in unexpected finds and ever 

and always, the sharing. Bears some

thinking about if I'm not mistaken.

Do think on it. Have a picnic today.

Life with a picnic basket on its arm

is all the better for it.

tote in the basket

all kinds of lovely await

lets have a look see

07/05/2021

I will ever and always get a kick out of the

lure of the open road and that demanding

lust to return home.

So love our getaways, particularly when

it pertains to seeing our children. Still . . .

there comes a time to go and catch up with

all that has happened there and a time to

return for the same reason.

Having arrived a couple of days prior to

the 4th, I enjoyed the anticipation, the

build up . . . friends arriving, food to be

prepared and shared, water balloon fights,

spiked lemonade and finally, the arrival of

night so we could enjoy those fireworks.

The city was doing their display to one

side of us and the neighbors on the other.

I won't confess here, but let me say good

things were happening somewhere 'twixt

and 'tween! I loved hearing children's 

squeals, the adults' anticipation . . . and

then there's moi, having to run and hide

when the noise got too loud. 

I want to remember, remember that far

distant past when those who thought they

were in the right, fought for this land. I

want to remember the growing up years

and the 4ths spent with family now long

gone. I want to remember the joy in our

children, those of then and these of now,

as they much thrill in both the day and

its anticipation.

We must never, ever forget the price

paid by one and all for this that we call

home . . .

oh give me a home

where oh where and at what price

sorrow loss and gain

07/04/2021 - Grandma Elsie

What is it about the 4th of July weekend that

brings my paternal gran to mind? Must have 

something to do with the fact that she used

to host.

I remember the excitement knowing we were

going to her place to make homemade ice

cream. In those days, it was crank by hand. 

So as kids, we were first in line for our little

cranks as we simply didn't have the strength 

needed for the latter part.

Once the cranking became impossible, it

would be left to set up in it's cavern of ice!

God, I don't think waiting for anything else

in my life has been so hard. I can remember 

my brother and me prancing around with 

anticipation and joy.

Once gran pulled out the blade and put it on

a plate, we were allowed to spoon off the

excess ice cream whilst the grownups served 

up the bowls. Know this! As a child I knew 

the meaning of ambrosia long before  I ever 

started using the term. There is naught in this 

world like her homemade ice cream!

Having her own cows and using a separator,

she could literally cut the cream with a spatula.

Take that and just think what kind of ice cream

it would make!

Today as we plug in the crank, I will silently

raise toast and a memory . . . God, I miss her!

Ice cream in hand . . . or not!!!

today is the day

the fourth and homemade ice cream

making memories

07/03/2021 - Grandma Mary

What can one say about a highly intelligent

woman, a professional, one who might even

have acquired a bit of wisdom over the years

in her life . . . and she likes to read f---ing

murder mysteries?! ~!@#$%^&*()_+

I'm reminded of my gran; she liked to read

Harlequin romances. She'd buy one at a time,

read until sleepy, hide the book . . . and upon

finishing it, burn it in the wood stove.

One time, I found a box of them at a garage

sale. Tickled me! I wouldn't have been caught

dead reading one, but my gran loved them.

So, I take them to her and she's overwhelmed.

She sits there, quiet and pondering, and I'm

thinking, "What the hell?!"

Finally, she says she has a plan. Says she'll

hide them under her bed, read them one at a

time and burn them per usual. Then she tells

me she wants me to make a solemn promise.

Upon her death, I am to surreptitiously get

the box out from under her bed and get rid

of it without the family ever seeing it . . .

to say nothing of her church ladies.

I'm on the verge of cracking up, going into

hysterics, rolling on the floor, when I see

she's dead serious. Bless her heart! I swear,

I could have wept.

So love the old gal; she will ever and always

be in my heart. And, when I get caught up

in one of my murder mysteries, I lay it out

in plain sight in hopes my gran will get a

chuckle out of it! No need to burn them 

when I die . . . just pass them onto my girl.

Surely, if I've been a good mom, she'll read

them and think of me!

wheres my mysteries

needs me good reads now and then

no burning required

Learn to pronounc

07/02/2021

Me thinks my ole gran is having a chuckle

as she watches me trying her old aluminum

percolator on for size.  I mean really?! When 

one is camping, it just doesn't seem right to 

be drinking coffee out of little designer jars!

So, which coffee to use? How long should

it perk? How do you keep the coffee from

being riddled with grounds? Or . . . do 

you just grin and bear it?!  

I have this obscure memory . . . Finished

perking, gran would let the pot sit for a 

a few seconds, and then lift out the pot's

innards. Her cup at the ready, she'd add

one piece of ice to the boiling coffee and

all the grounds would sink to the bottom. 

Now, there's a phenomenon that not even 

God can explain!

Gran lived a sweet, simple life . . . not

much money involved. So, she drank

plain old Folgers. Nothing wrong with

that! It's just that in this day and age, we

all seem to be addicted to our designer

coffees. Having said that, I have never

ever tasted better coffee than hers!

Was it the coffee? The old percolator? 

Gran's tiny, rustic kitchen? Or, was it

Gran herself?! Bottom line, coffee of

its equal is nowhere to be found. God,

I miss her . . .

. . . and her coffee notwithstanding!

having me a brew

come on in for a cuppa

makes the day go right