Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Here's the Plan

We spend our days here
We eat here and here
We check this for who we may want to see at the festival and at night
We do go to the clubs at night
We don't get any sleep
We dance
We sing
We eat
We drink
We walk
We sweat
We stink
We watch
We love
We come home extremely tired
and filled with music to soothe the soul
See you in a few days.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Lucky

When Emma was little, before Audrey was born or right about the time, she had a small stuffed animal. A dalmation she named Lucky. He was dubbed Lucky because he fell overboard a boat and we were able to retrieve him.


Today I am the lucky one.



They say most car accidents occur within a certain mile radius of your home. Thursday, while waiting to make a left hand turn onto my road, I happened to glance in my rearview mirror and see a truck, speeding towards me, not going around me. With a car coming the opposite direction, my turn was not possible, and so I blared my horn, and terrified, knew I was going to be hit. If you have ever been knocked out by a strong wave in the ocean, where you don't know right side up from wrong, front from back, side to side, and don't even have recollection of where you are or what is happening. Yup, that's it. All of this in a manner of seconds. My first reaction was to yell at the other driver. I was furious at him for being so totally unobservant. Then I was restrained by people on the scene, telling me not to move my head, neck or back. My neighbor and Y member Christina just happened to be walking her dog when she heard the crash. She spoke to me, carressed my arm and kissed me before the ambulance took me away. I was strapped into place, neck brace, head taped, restraints on arms and legs and taken to the hospital. No phone, no purse, no sanitary supplies, nobody, alone, I cried.

Friday night I attended the play "Seusical" that my youngest has been participating in. I cried before the show even started, knowing I was lucky to be there. The song "How Lucky You Are" was sung in various situations. Saturday I attended my oldest's concert at the university, and again the tears came. One of the numbers the choir did opened with these words, each one held "Sing, Be, Live, See". I rejoiced.

My Handsome Prince went to see his car and gather belongings from it. He said there is nothing from the front seat back, that it does not exist. I'm thankful that I was not transporting children, that my dogs were not free in the car. I'm sorry for my anger at the other driver. I am thankful to the caring people on the scene attending to me and the other driver. There are many emotions running through me.

Now I sit here in the sunroom on my computer and My Handsome Prince on his computer. The puppies are all around us. We will again attend "Suesical". We will buy our sweet daughter her favorite ice cream on the way home. We may have overnight guests. Our life does not change but yet it does.
I still hurt, my neck, my ribs, my head, my eye, my vision is slightly blurred. I've spent many hours just sleeping, a deep sleep. I will go back to work tomorrow, back to school. We head to Jazz fest next week. Arrangements to make and more. I have this black eye to remind me over the next week or so. How lucky am I?

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Home

I'm exhausted, every muscle fiber in my body hurts, but damn it feels good! I'll try to post about our weekend soon, I promise.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Attencion

Esta noche, ven Ozomatli en Danza con las Estrellas

Hopefully it says
Tonight, see Ozomatli on Dancing with the Stars.

Good Luck Making Friends

That's what Audrey jokingly said yesterday when I called home with the exciting news. I had the single highest score on the spanish midterm. Woohoo! Now, if I can apply it to my second essay, I'll be doing just fine. Just had to share the good news.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Beach Visit

My friend Sharon says I should not say I'm going to the shore but that I am going to the beach. Because we are inland, I feel we are going to the shore and visiting the beach. But she is local, she should know.















Breeze blowing, warm temperatures, it felt like the beach. We will open the pool in early May and probably just watch it for a bit until the water is warm enough to swim.

The babies went with us. Big boy Gus, aka Handsome Rob is too old to travel.









He is thinking he's glad he does not have a lawnmower yet, for then he would be mowing the lawn instead of enjoying the breeze, although he is already feeling the pressure of keeping up with Jimmmy.













The place for breakfast, local, fast, friendly, homey, yummy.




Just because they are cute.











Our jam session, can you see the concentration?
We obviously are not very good
We finally did it! Look at our happy faces!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Shore Bound

Late afternoon yesterday, I was able to finalize a quick trip to the shore, thanks to Emma and MHP's BFFB (anybody get that?). So, to the shore I go, with two puppies, and My Handsome Prince. A movie tonight, either Rocky Balboa or Across the Universe, for that is what is down there, knitting on my t-shirt rug (I've left it there) a long walk late at night, a visit to the organic food store, and of course a walk on the beach regardless the weather. I just love it there.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Relationships, part 2

I have two daughters both of which communicate with me in totally different manners. I am a verbal communicator despite the fact that I keep a written blog and send a lot of email. Emma and I talk on our cell phones coming and going, todays conversation on STD's because that was the upcoming subject in Health. I can't protect her but I can talk to her, so that is what we did and it was easy, pleasant.

Audrey does not like to talk. I still have trouble with that and am more aware now of the need to communicate with her the way she is comfortable. Todays text message was "Are you disappointed in me?" Well, for one, it nearly broke my heart, and for two how in the world can I text an answer to that? I guess she was looking for a simple yes or no, but I felt compelled to call. "Yeah Mom, thanks, gotta go" was her response to my almost teary call.

So here is my written response to my incredible, youngest child:
Oh Audrey, I am far from disappointed in you. In fact, I am in awe of you. You did something many people never do. You stepped outside your known comfort zone, you perservered, you practiced, you performed, and despite the outcome, you rocked. I hope you are as proud of yourself as I am of you. Other peoples opinions or judgement should not be the only and final outcome of a challenge. Everytime you do something that frightens you or challenges you, you have won. I hope you continue to have the confidence to challenge yourself. You will only be the better for it, broadening your knowledge and experience. You are my hero.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Relationships

Remeber this day? When I found the note on my car? Well she continues to leave them. I told her that day how much I loved finding a note on my car. Ever since then, she's been leaving all kinds of goodies, including a set of mardi gras beads that I missed the first time around. We were talking in Health about relationships and what/how people give to a relationship, what people want, whether it be words, appreciation, touch, quality time, gifts. My BFFL knows just how to make my day. I told her so today, again. She says it's a challenge to figure out what to leave. Well, todays note had me laughing all the way home and then again this evening when I saw her.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Couldn't Keep it to Myself

That handsome one singing lead vocals is none other than My Handsome Prince. I couldn't keep it to myself.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Stories

Sometimes as we lay in bed, I ask My Handsome Prince to tell me a story. I love the sound of his voice and it lulls me to sleep, so the content of the story does not matter. Most of the time he just tells me of his day. Sunday night, he whispered "Did I ever tell you of the only time my Grandad spanked me?" And he told the story of how he would go back and forth from the Tire Shop that Shorty owned to the Grocery store across Rt. 50 that was owned by his Uncle Ed and Aunt Rene on the Miller side, (it was also owned at one time or another by Shorty, Sylvester Miller, Uncle Foster, Uncle Jim, and is still in the family as a real estate office). He told how Shorty would cross him or signal him to cross and under no circumstances was he to do it alone. MHP does not remember whether he did not listen or misundersood his Grandad but he says he can still feel the breeze of the tractor trailer that came within inches. Then Shorty smacked him on the butt. And that was the only time he was ever spanked by his Grandad.


Shorty hired a negro to work in the tire shop, that's what African Americans were called in his day. He was a family man, down on his luck, and needed a job. Another employee of his refused to work in the same place as a negro. Shorty shook his employees hand, told him he was a great worker and would miss him.


There were other stories told yesterday at the funeral for Shorty Grapes. It was held in the largest church in Romney WV expecting a crowd for he touched the lives of many. While the stories were told, I could hear his youngest Great Grandchildren behind me, a 3 year old boy and a 4month old girl, cousins, their mother's sisters. The boy would make a face or say something and the baby would squeal. It was lovely. My beautiful daughter attempted to sing "His Eye is on the Sparrow", one of Shorty's favorite hymns, and almost made it but broke down, Ellen's voice, cracking with tears tried to continue the song and got the crowd to finish it. Wayne, MHP's cousin, spoke so eloquently, trying to control himself, but it was not possible for anyone to contain their true grief. He spoke of the things that Shorty taught the Grandsons, how to be providers, work ethic, and how to love a woman. My Handsome Prince and his cousin embraced each other and cried together with an understanding that only Grandsons would know. It was a wonderful day, it was a terrible day.

All last week, Audrey was working on a family tree. Stories were read from various sides of the family, stories were shared. We heard a story on suspected Native American heritage. We read of a disagreable woman. It was quite interesting and funny how some are remembered. On our way to the service yesterday, Bill, my FIL, told us stories of growing up, of his siblings, he even took us on a detour through the town of Harpers Ferry where MHP was born. We have talked before of the importance of our stories. What are you stories? What will be said of you? Check this out.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

She's Calling

Can you hear her?
She's persistent isn't she?