Wherever your Home for the Holidays is

Ahh finally a moment to breathe, sorta.  The big fundraising, birthday party everyone was fretting over  is but a distant memory.  
Shoes are now stored away, frocks are frocking on the hangers of the local dry cleaners and right when you think you're able to give the party fare a rest from your ever increasing waistline October then turns a corner to November and it's time to drag out the pots and pans.  
Turkey day for some is walking in the door sitting down and eating but for other its 's standing for hours peeling, dicing, stirring and whirring in the kitchen as the steam from all the dishes replaces next weeks spa treatment package, but it makes it all worth it. Especially when the

 tryptophan kicks in and you get a few moments of shut eye.

If you've never seen Home for Holidays, I'd say it's your typical movie/ family dinner with all the antics thrown in. 

 Some of you are lucky enough not to have this kind of drama in your life, good for you. 
But in every family, there is always something to contend with, no matter what it is. 
So just stop and take a moment to be thankful, that's all matters  because we are not promised tomorrow let alone  that piece of pumpkin pie later on in the evening you've set your sights on and already know you won't have room for.

Happy Turkey Day

Imagination and dancing fingers :)

Do you know people who look like birds and insects and your family pet?  What about your thumb? Have you noticed the resemblance of your ole' Aunt Louise? ha!
 I used to make my comb sound like an orchestra and my fingers dance, twirling and swirling across the "stage".
Amazing isn't it what your imagination can conjure up, I suppose that's why kids have such a good time and seem to be in their "own worlds".

Playground Memories by ME

In my head there always was and still  is a party going on without a doubt.  Before computers and phones fit in the palm of your hands----- took  away every blinking thought---- we played with fervor, befitting the envy of any playground.
I'd sit for hours on my porch, the length of a field (to me), putting my grocery store in order for the customers expected to come through the "door".
At other times,  hours would pass by rocking my dolly  for so long it would make your head swim and my "husband"   was expected for dinner at any moment.


Yes, Imagination, I have it, parents, do yourself and your kids a favor, take the phones away, televisions off, and go outside and explore, there is a plethora of things to see and do.  Watch people from the car, if you can, you will notice the majority walking and talking with phones, while babies sit "alone" and dogs are aimlessly walked,  so much is being missed because we are out of tune with what we should be in tune with.

Pie in the Sky by ME

I have a friend who was an art teacher in an elementary school for awhile .  He put a lump of clay in front of about dozen of his pupils and asked them to make whatever they wanted and out of the 12 only two came up with something, the others hadn't a clue where to even begin.
It frustrated  the stuffing out of him, for them. 

I wouldn't trade a moment then for  my prized Macbook Pro now for the imagination I  am able to use on Adobe Illustrator...whoo hoo ........what would be the point! 

On with the show

My niece and niecette are about to leave tomorrow.

  It was nice to see them, it's been 4 years since,and it's time to get on with it. There is much to do next week, but first things first---by making this weekend count------.resting.
The weather....dear Florida.....has been rainy every dang day.  Messing up plans, shortening days of good intentions.
Went to the beach on Tuesday, it was lovely but  a storm blew in...weathermen are such liars, it was supposed to be a longer day of sunshine..of course today, is the day of truth.

I'm whooped. 

Yes, it'll be quiet  and the floors will stay uncluttered, the DVD player will long for Monsters, Inc., but I'll be strong. I can handle it. I know eventually they'll be back and by then we'll all be in another phase hopefully better than before, besides,  I'm sure they can't wait for their own pillows and beds, and freedom of space.  It's nice to leave but it's even better getting back.
 

Happy Trails till we meet again...y'all

 

Who Needs'em

For a year.........
  ............ I'm boycotting Sears, Walmart, Target & KMart  .  And I'm doing this because they opened on Thanksgiving Day.  There are many who feel it's the present day destruction of the family and America.  You can dress it up and parade it around and it's none other than old fashioned GREED.

 But what if the majority figured out by buying from those stores during both a major American  Holiday,  and  other times as well,  they aren't really adding to the bettering of our society at all. 

Couldn't we  help our country more by heading to our small businesses, the mom and pop stores?
Here is a website of the list to businesses in the USA, it's called, Americans Working-support them, you're supporting America when you do.

You can sit and roll your eyes, call me a loon, say what good will it do---- you're one in a million and that's big business.  You're a fleck.  You're  a bee in a field of daisies.  You're one rolled up piece of paper in a landfill.

BUT  I"M NOT!!!

and.. you have to begin somewhere. 

We have to stand up for the family and  I'm sure gonna try.....

Poor Sam Walton, must be spinning  to China and back and I don't mean from all the out sourcing of our jobs either.

I haven't been to the big Walmart in years only the Neighborhood Market for groceries, but  even that has now come to an end.  I'll only go to Publix,  from now on.

Obviously, corporate made these decisions, and I keep hearing and reading how they justify  it by saying,  there are those who  don't have family, and others need the money, etc.  

What about a day off to celebrate America, however they choose. 

 What about saving energy by not using all that power lighting the stores, air conditioning, heating, gas,  people  going to and from work...etc. 

 Don't even talk to me about going green.  Bull honkey.

If they want to be open, how about opening the doors and celebrating your workers, treating them like they matter, give them a turkey or a ham or feed the hungry.

Boycotting is the only way to make a difference with these big stores who think they own the world.  Sacrifice by not buying that potential land fill item, you might be glad you did.  Do yourself a favor turn off the TV too, they only hammer with things ya don't need, their goal is to make you feel like you can't live another day without....cereal....imagine the guilt when you can't buy the latest electronic device.

There needs to be balance.
All the stores you're seeing are American made products, go to that website you'll be very surprised by what you find.  Don't dawdle do it!

I said Busy not Dizzy

Been busy, how about you all?  School is taking up time, I'm trying to jam information into my grey cells.  This puts me in mind of my kids when they were being spoon fed.  You'd put the food in and it would ooze back out and you'd scrape it up and jam it back in.   That's what I feel like learning all this stuff.  I take a little in and cram a little more in and feel pretty good if one or two items have remained.

the prodigal son :)

And then Labor Day weekend was busy, I had to get ready for a wedding.  I really didn't do a lot but it felt like I did.  I had a pedicure, it was great,  and then Taryn, a new student of the nail business  and family friend,  gave me a manicure.  She did a great job, we're working on   taking photos for her new  blog,Taryn's Nail Couture  , she's been  busy with nail school during the summer and the start of school this fall so getting the blog loaded with photos and alot of  other goodies has been a slow process.  

 Then  my son surprised us on Monday, it was so nice to see him, it really doesn't matter how old our kids are just the excitement of being in the same room with them is what matters.

Billy Ho has it so rough

School is my main focus right now,( I guess I've said that), I'll be having a change of scenery because I'm house sitting  for almost two weeks.  I need that, I'll also have my pet fix too, 3 dogs, 2 cats.   I'll come home like I've had my own VA CA without any credit card charges. 
  I appreciate their trips.
 

I am my own Rembrandt

Life can imitate art.  No truer statement exists, it was invented because of the artistic nature of my family.  We are art.
Maybe that isn't entirely true, but it should be.

Family Circus  is a cartoon that represents life and the antics of everyday life. Life is never the same on any day.

 Life can be planned out but never expect it to go the way it's planned.  Generally if you do expect it to be the way you want it too it will leave some type of casualty.  Go with a somewhat organized flow chart and then be wise enough to live with results.

The photo on my blog could never have been planned.  It was an impromptu shot.  I have no idea who took the photo, I was a young-un when it was snapped.
Much was happening, I'm sure a football game was going on, my young Aunt and Uncle were amorously conversing, other cousins were lounging, some serious in their play or questions.  I'm not entirely sure, all you have to do is look at it and you can make up your own story.

Is your life, your family a circus?  Do you have 3 rings broiling while under your big top? I cannot imagine life any other way.
I've shared the crazy goings on in my family, the very definite unconventional family.  I'm not used to any other way.

 Personally, I think even the most laid back families have a slower circus, more like a crock pot.  I'm not so sure that's such a good thing.  Crock pot leads me to envision a stewing, a slow simmer, and then something/someone is gonna explode...give me the circus...generally the big show will ensue, the popcorn will be crumbs, soda cans crumbled and then it's time to move on...I mean it never hurts to slow things down, like attending the ballet....but then that's another story.
  

Vacation with the Crazies

Griswold?  Christmas?

 crazy family

We had our own kind of  crazy family Christmas.  
Do you want to know who went?  
Me, my ex husband, his gay bf, our daughter with her bf and his daughter.  Our son met us there as did his wife who he is separated with and his new gf.   
Oh lordy, I've learned to not say I live a dull life and to please make it exciting.  Eventually you'll get what you ask for and I live it every day.

Washington, D.C., this was the first time I've ever been and I loved it.  I have to go back.  I loved the city, the architecture, the serious buildings,and the restaurants.  
Everyday we look at these buildings,probably not paying attention like we should.  The photos on our  money is great but it doesn't give the same affect as standing in front of them "in person".

Protest at the Whitehouse

The Capitol Bldg. is huge and seems to go on and on, where the Whitehouse, is small in comparison to the photos and/or the news.  

The Capital Bldg.

There was a protest happening as we approached, how exciting, I had the biggest urge to sing  "....don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Vietnam......"   but I held back just by watching and listening.   

WWII MM

The Smithsonian was amazing, I didn't get to see it all, the Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln MM, so many things to see and pay tribute to as well.  I'm still awestruck by all of it.

Korean War MM

We walked and talked, ate, rested and gazed upon our lands historical assets.  I know there are many things to see all over our world.  But if you are venturing all over the world and haven't seen these things in your "own back yard".  For shame.  

more crazy family

I feel the same way if you are from another country reading this and haven't seen or paid tribute to your own memorials and historical elements. You must do that.
 
I hope to go back some day to finish my tour with or without the people in my crazy family.


Have a Happy New Year 

The Busy Spider

What's you're family like?

Is there an Uncle Fester in your bloodline?  Do you have to worry about a little bit of Twilight in those incisors? 
Or is Aunt Biddie really Uncle Bud? 
It kinda makes sense now that she fixed your car sittin' on those  blocks --you'd been meaning to get to.


Is your family so eccentric Barnum and Bailey, could use them for their next act?




Normal, couldn't possibly ever, be crossing your threshold.




Hey?  that Thanksgiving, when you were invited to your ex's house?  You knew someday you'd write about it.


 Let's see,  there were the Jones who ran the flower shop, they were there looking all normal and nice...they moved to Georgia not long ago...dont'cha know..shoot no more flowers, no more chit chat on a long afternoon........normal?


And then, there was the drag queen that thought she was more worthy of your bra than you were, needless to say the temperature inside was hot enough for a fight. 
That would have been a good reason to ask for the turkey leg. 


Speaking of turkey, which reminds me of the hooker that came with her mother and she was a vegetarian so she brought tofu turkey, in the shape of.  It almost made the one on the platter look like a masterpiece.  Oh Mona!
Nothing could ever top that Thanksgiving, but give me some time, and maybe just maybe I'll find another cobweb or two. 


When Truth or Consequences, To Tell the Truth, Family Feud, starts adding up to your family and the Hatfield and the McCoys are looking better and better, it's book time.

I  believe families come in all shapes, sizes, and zip codes.  They are NOT the norm.  I don't care what some people may say or what they may try to tell you but families always have some kind of skeleton in their closet.....(go ahead read between those lines,  you know who want to)

It takes a skillful and dedicated hand to make a quilt.

The best stew simmers in the pot

Fine wine only gets better with age

And for every  generational tree you are sure to find a nut!

Itkupilli extras blog art get credit for the visuals

Family Friend or Foe

Family, how does yours total up?

In what shapes and sizes are they? Do you have stragglers, ner'do wells, long losts, or pleasedon'tdarkenmydoorstep types? Or come on in let me pour you a Coke or a coffee and bring the cake out. Put your feet up, let's chitchat. Let's talk about Great Aunt Pearl or maybe pull the skeletons out of the closet. And didn't you see how little Joanie was walking finally?

It doesn't matter what you have or what is going on in their lives, the one thing I have learned is family is family. And whether you like them or not the same blood still runs through your veins and there is no changing that. Some family are like a comfortable pair of shoes, you can be yourself and some hold guard to your heart.

"You can pick your friends but not your relation"

Just because you are family doesn't mean you will all get along.

And family sometimes doesn't have to be blood at all.

I am learning with each breath I take, to take a leap of faith, because for as much as I am hurting without them, or I think I am, sometimes and quite possibly they are too.

When you think you are giving and sacrificing for them you end up getting back in return so much more.