Mother's Day

Only 4 days until Mother's Day.  The roots of Mother's Day are as deep as any holiday. While the Mother's Day we celebrate is a fairly recent development, the basic idea goes back to ancient mythology—to the long ago civilizations of the Greeks and Romans.The Greeks paid annual homage to Cybele, ( oh my Sybil.. that answers some questions) the mother figure of their gods, and the Romans dedicated an annual spring festival to the mother of their gods.In 16th century England a celebration called "Mothering Sunday" was inaugurated—a Sunday set aside for visiting one's mother. The eldest son or daughter would bring a "mothering cake," which would be cut and shared by the entire family. Family reunions were the order of the day, with sons and daughters assuming all household duties and preparing a special dinner in honor of their mother. In America, in 1872, Julia Ward Howe, the gal who fought for abolition, women's rights, and world peace, suggested that June 2 be set aside to honor mothers in the name of world peace. The idea died a quick death. Nothing new happened until 1907, when a Miss Anna M. Jarvis, of Philadelphia, took up the banner. A service was held in a church on May 10 and voila, the second Sunday became synonymous with Mother's day. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill designating the second Sunday in May as a legal holiday to be called "Mother's Day"—dedicated "to the best mother in the world, your mother."
There's your history lesson!
I don't expect a gift for Mother's Day... Each and every day with Jeff, Jess and Bailee is a gift....for real.  Being a Mom is a privilege... Bailee often explains the importance of being a Mom.  When hers says "No!" she comes quickly to me, snuggles by my ear and says" Grandma, whisper after me.  I know Mom said no but you're her Mom and she has to listen to you.......right?" Their obviously is a ranking in Motherhood.  The other day she told me that I wasn't old "because I still had a mother." She's a very smart little girl!! So, Sunday should be a day of sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters throwing on a big helping of "Mothering."  Whisper after me, "Happy Mother's day Mom, you're the best and I love you More♥"

National Teacher Appreciation Week

You all know how I feel about teachers.. most of them anyway....In fact, if I didn't appreciate a couple...you probably knew that too.  I was blessed to have many wonderful teachers... Oddly enough, I remember and appreciate some elementary teachers more than some high school ones.  Maybe that's because I was more appreciative as a child and less so as a teenager..I am now at a stage in my life where many of my teachers have passed away and my teacher friends have retired and a new crop of educators are stimulating my granddaughter....I'm watching..very closely.  So far, so good! These fine people are with our children (and grandchildren) 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, 180 days a year...NO occupation holds so much responsibility. They are the keepers of our kids minds. Albert Einstein once said, "Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one learned in school." Scary stuff!  Are teachers underpaid? Probably... I know, they only work 180 days a year, have the entire summer off and get health insurance.  To most of us that sounds pretty darn good. I'm sure if you were to subtract their taxes, their student loans and just plain the costs of living...the end result wouldn't be so rosy.  I had a friend, a retired teacher, say just the other day, "Teachers aren't in it for the income, they're in it for the outcome!!"
Thank God!
             

Success

As I received the news this morning that another of Jeff's good friends (and ours) has become a Dad, I began to think of many of  the 20 & 30 something crowd that we know. What an amazing group, all coming from small town America. We know Doctors and Dr's to be, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Homicide Detectives, NYS Troopers, Deputy Sheriffs, Engineers, Pharmacists, Teachers, Therapists, Counselors, Builders, Masons, Truck Drivers, Laborers, Bankers, Chefs and last but very much not least, Moms.  That's been my occupation for nearly 34 years and never once, ok maybe a once, have I regretted that I wasn't something else.  Because in all honesty and not to be flippant, I am all of those things that I listed.  Yes, even a homicide detective.  Several small animals have succumbed on my watch and I've had to track down the culprit.
This next generation will be OK!  I fret over the following one as I'm sure our parents did for us and generations ago did for them.  All they really need to know how to do is THINK!  If you're a thinker, you're a success!  Living in the moment is important (especially for us.. the newest crop of Senior Citizens (ouch, that hurt) but forward thinking is the answer.  My great grandfather taught that to his son, and he to his and my Dad to me.  Sure we could be hit by a texting teenager tomorrow but our ducks should be in a row and someone should be privy to where our ducks are and thankful that our nest is in order.  I think this next generation, well most of them anyway, will do that.  If the government could just back off a little, I think they'll be just fine. Success is lined with a bit of "suck" but they'll think their way through.
I'm so proud of the kids that filled our house with laughter, raced with Jeff, became lasting friends, celebrated birthdays and holidays with us and became successful...We'll be ok and so will they!

There's an App for that?

Now, you can even get mooned on your phone.  In conjunction with iTunes and The Farmer's Almanac, there's a new full moon app being introduced called the  “Full Moon Finder” App! Each day, a large Moon image will show how much of its surface is lit—along with Moon folklore for the day and the traditional name of each full Moon.
This Saturday, May 5, is the Full Flower Moon. The largest moon of the year...It's also known as the Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon. Corn planting was done under the light of this moon for hundreds of years...long before tractors and long before tractors with lights. It will be optimum at 11:36 P.M. if the clouds cooperate!

For some reason whenever I think of a full moon, I think of Resa Dee and Lori B. Hmmmm:-)

Step by Step

Everyone is under the misconception that new houses are hassle free!  Wrong... We have lived here almost 4 years...and not everything is "just right" Goldilocks!  Sometimes it takes a few years for things to settle.  I located the house on rocky ground.  I received nasty frowns from the excavators and the landscapers and the builders but I wanted it where I wanted it and hey, I was writing the checks so undoubtedly...I was right........but not "just right!"  We've definitely settled.  A spot in the basement has a little teeny "step" under the stairs and all of the outdoor steps no longer line up perfectly with the siding... so the end panels have to be re-cut and set for four sets of steps.. That little gap just wasn't cutting it for aesthetics....at least not for me.

The stairs to and from the basement have yet to be covered.  No carpet.... that' just plain dirty and no paint...yet.  Beware oh mighty painter, Billy B., with the help of home websites, I found the answer... We're going to kill 2 birds with one stone (and several unused cans of paint)....kind of.  We're (and by we're I mean you, Billy)..going to paint all the treads one basic color and use all of our "leftover" colors from the house to paint the risers. (see the photo).  That way we'll be introducing everyone who heads from the mancave and/or theater to the wonderful, colorful land of Sandy (and Lee.)  I remember Billy telling me that I set a new record for him for the number of different colors he had to paint in one house!!! Yay me!!!! I believe there are 15 colors for the main floor and 7 for the theater and bathroom and "lobby." I must go count and see how many risers we actually have.  I know he'll be tickled when I tell him my new plan.  He always smiles and accepts so graciously any paint scheme I dream up.........and then walks slowly away shaking his head....He's a trooper though... my own Michelangelo:-)  Now I'll see if he's ready to "step up" to my newest project....

Paraprosdokians

Nope, it's not a new reality show like the Kardashians. They are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous. ...(Winston Churchill loved them)


1. Where there's a will, I want to be in it.

2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.

3. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

4. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong

5. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

6. War does not determine who is right - only who is left..

7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

8. They begin the evening news with 'Good Evening,' then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

9. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

10. Buses stop in bus stations. Trains stop in train stations. On my desk is a work station.

11. I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paychecks.

12. In filling out an application, where it says, 'In case of emergency, notify:' I put 'DOCTOR.'

13. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

14. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

16. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.

17. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

18. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

19. There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.

20. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.

21. You're never too old to learn something stupid.

22. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target

23. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

24. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

25. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

26. Where there's a will, there are relatives.

AND 27.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one now
 
My favorites are #3 and #25..... Lee's is obviously #22 :-)    and we both sadly relate to #27.....

May Day

May Day signifies the middle of the time from the beginning of spring until the beginning of summer. Ancient spring rites that related human fertility to crop fertility gave birth to most modern May Day festivities. May 1st  is the traditional day to crown the May queen, dance around the maypole, perform mummers’ plays, and generally celebrate the return of spring.  May Day is always nostalgic for me.  As a child, like 50 years ago:-o....I would eagerly wait for the back doorbell to ring.  I'd watch out my upstairs window and see my friend, Lee (not the present day Lee) hightailing it back across Main Street.  I'd give him time to get out of sight before I'd open the door and retrieve my May basket.  It always held freshly picked flowers of the season...tulips, daffodils and/or hyacinths.  I was never sure if his Mom's garden had been raided or some neighbors along the way.  I didn't really care because the flowers were now mine!.. I remember learning about the May Pole traditions but had never actually seen one until a few years ago.  The family that now resides in the old O'Connell farm (where my very first love was raised) had erected a pole and celebrated right there in their front yard. Quite a festive sight for sure.
May was always the best month for starting your tan. My friend Sharon used to sit on her patio with a foil, sun reflector and begin browning.  I thought that was so cool....now I look like an alligator purse but 40 years ago, I glowed.... What a difference 4 decades make!!!
Today is Bailee's snack day and she'll be sharing the "dirt dessert May baskets" we made last night. Amazing what you can do with a cup, pudding, crumbled oreos, gummy worms and flowers....(picture to follow later).
A little rainy right now but sunshine to end the day and top off another wonderful May Day!!   and btw L.R., where's my May basket?   You're just down the road :-)