We have a teenager!

Birthday weekend...complete! We began with a movie on Friday night followed by a Roadhouse dinner. Saturday began with shopping and ended with a little local culture enjoying Fiddler On The Roof Jr. at the Jr.-Sr. High School. Bailee's friend, Chris stole the show and was rich in talent.  Bedtime began with being 12 and waking up Sunday morning 13.  The Buffalo Bills won for Grandma but the Dolphins flopped for B. Oh well!! Sunday dinner was a giant 3-foot sub, soup, fruit and cake, and ice cream.  A pretty fun weekend♥

Next week brings another, slightly older, birthday followed by Thanksgiving, turkey and ornaments.  It will be fun to sit with the grands and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. A bit of a tradition for Bailee and me that we'll share with Jett this year!

We're taking one day at a time around here. Some days are tougher than others but we have each other and we'll survive.

Peaches

I never really liked peaches.  Never liked old peaches, canned peaches, fresh peaches, peach cobbler, peach jello or peach melba (although I did have an Aunt Melba that I quite liked.) And I am absolutely 100% certain that I don't like imPeachment. First, let me say that I don't adore everything about our president.  He's a little mouthy and outspoken although I can relate to that and he spends way too much time on social media....(having a houseful of addicted screen people, I dislike it more every day.)  With that being said, I quite like many things about our president and the past few years.  The Dow seems to grow exponentially under his leadership. I begrudgingly agree with a lot of his immigration thoughts. I love that he takes no salary!  I think the First Lady is loyal, intelligent, beautiful and classy. I do not believe that our foreign policies are any different than they have been for decades..we just hear and see more about them. I firmly believe that we support other nations far too much and ours far too little...although I understand give and take and peace and war.

The one thing I do not understand is Democrats. I have never seen such a hypocritical group of self-serving asses.  I'm pretty sure the entire group couldn't list ten major or even minor accomplishments that they have achieved in the past 3 years....forget prior to that for now. So much energy into getting rid of someone who just plain pisses them off.....and whom they just can't seem to control.  So much money spent on productions that even the jerks in Hollywood couldn't pull off. 

Nixon quit! Andrew Johnson and Slick Willie were impeached but never removed from office.  Even if the House garners a simple majority, the final stage must be the Senate.  Hello, the Republicans won't allow that 2/3 majority.  This entire fiasco is moot!  Regardless if you like Trump or you don't...he's the president and the decision to keep him or heave him belongs with the American voting public.

Needless to say, I watched very few minutes of yesterday's hearing.  All I can say is "hearsay!"  Whatever happened to having directly heard something to be deemed "evidence!" Once again...it's hogwash.  I'm not blindly against all democrats....just the ones who like peaches!

Veteran's Day

It really is a special day to honor all of our servicemen and women. I am thankful for my relatives who were veterans and actually thankful that some couldn't or didn't have to. My Dad's eyesight actually kept him out of the service, Lee's number was never pulled and Jeff grew up in a time of voluntary service.

As I think about the words veteran and war, I wonder if most every person today isn't a veteran of some kind of war. It might be a very personal internal war, a family war, an addictive war, a tragedy or just sometimes a war of words.  The battles are real and the outcomes are often deadly.  Each of us loses a little (sometimes a lot) in each of our battles. It's often family members, communication, even a big piece of our heart or happiness can be lost. 

PTSD is often diagnosed in folks who have never set foot on a foreign battlefield. It doesn't distinguish between women or men, young or old and often never goes away...you just learn to live with it and avoid triggers.

So today is a day for everyone....not just veterans of the military but for those whose personal battles rage in their everyday life.  Our thanks to all who have served in our military, who have fought for our literal and figurative freedom and to those who continue to brave their own battles.  Today is for everyone!

Thirty Days

Well, here we are..November first! We made it through another month on this crazy roller-coaster.  I have never wished away time but I'll be glad to see 2020 roll in and 2019 be far behind us in the rearview mirror.  I might even stay awake until midnight on New Year's eve and give it a couple of whoop whoops!

As I've been reflecting on the past 304 days, I have learned that every family has its dysfunction.  That has been a bit comforting while also a bit disconcerting.  I could probably search for answers but they'd undoubtedly end up being more excuses than answers.  My children have made less than stellar decisions.....each culminating in losses...huge losses.  One has learned from them..one has not.  Helplessly I stand by to pick up the pieces and try to reconstruct the shattered souls....and shattered they are!  Bailee always likes to hear my prayers at night. Especially the part about "helping to make me "Elmers!"  She's a smart cookie and she put those words together understanding that I hoped to be the glue! I will continue to work on it as best I can. 

November is a month of celebrations. I hope we can make it a drama-free month of birthdays, hunting and Thanksgiving.  Simple things make for simple smiles.  That's really all I ask for these days.  I will try to be more thankful than regretful (not sure that's a word.)  Facebook usually has a WIATF challenge and I will join in.... Sometimes we just need a little nudge to help us remember!

....And of course, Christmas is only 54 days away.... That'll help!