Olympic Crying Mother

No I am not the mother of an Olympic gymnast,

or swimmer,

male or female-

but I may as well be.

Since the Olympics began

last Friday

with one of the most interesting,

creative opening ceremonies I have

ever seen,

I have been a blubbering hot mess on the couch.


I cry when they win.

I cry when they lose.

I cry when the athletes are interviewed, and they say gracious things.

I cry during the commercials when they thank their mothers.

I really cry when the camera shows the parents in the stands

holding their breath or hiding their eyes.

And when Missy Franklin , a beautiful 17 year old swimmer from Colorado,

sang the Star Spangled Banner during her gold medal ceremony,

while her parents cried in the nosebleed section of the stands,

I cried even more.


I am exhausted

and exhilarated all at the same time.

Isn’t it wonderful?

When Truth Meets Fiction Part II: San Miguel De Allende

 

(source)

When I am not running my bait shop in Southern Louisiana,

in my mind’s eye,

I can be found here,

in

San Miquel de Allende,

a beautiful colonial city in Southern Mexico.

(source)

Having visited there several times, I have had the luxury

of a few practice runs.

A day in my life there would include daily visits to the

mercado for fresh fruit and avocados,

and I’d be wearing my favorite San Miguel sandals -

which are perfect for walking the city’s cobblestone streets.

On my way there, I’d greet the store merchants who were sweeping

their front step.

”Buenas dias.”

 

I think my mother’s braids would be perfect, don’t you?

All I would need are these

a few of these,

this skirt ,

and these earrings.

Vamanos!

 

When Truth Meets Fiction: Part I

I have had multiple lifestyle changing fantasies over the years,

about what I would like to try in my lifetime,

and they are as real to me today

as they were the first time they were hatched.


Fantasy #1:

A la Dave Robicheaux, in my favorite James Lee Burke novels,

I would live on a bayou in Southern Louisiana,

where I had a bait shop, and I operated it as efficiently as another Burke literary character,

Batiste.


Each morning I would hose down the dock, ice down the Dr. Peppers (in bottles),

and sweep out the store with whatever red oiled sawdust mixture my Grandmother Mills used at her store

on highway 77 in Ricardo, Texas.


Just like Grandmother Mills, if you hollered “Laura” from outside the store,

I’d answer

“Yoo Hoo.”


There would be jars of Lance peanut products on the counter,

and if you frequented my store often,  you could pour a packet of peanuts in your Dr. Pepper-

or R.C. Cola, wait for the fizz to settle, and we’d visit.



In my fantasy, I am more of a listener than talker,

so you would

really get a big bang for your Dr. Pepper buck.

***

Later:  Fantasy #2.

Dear Daughters: Stuff

(Via Pinterist )

Dear Daughters,

Words have baggage too,

and the word

STUFF

is no different.


As in…

*too much stuff

(picture cabinets , drawers, closets, garages, and the occasional storage unit),

*to stuff oneself 

(you get the picture),

and the common cry of this era,

*I have so much STUFF to do.


I think that is why I have always admired Jack Reacher

of Lee Child novel fame-

he has no STUFF.

So what is the answer?

I don’t know,

(you’ve seen my garage)

but
I keep working on it-

some days better than others.


If you ever feel like you have too much stuff to deal with,

’you came by it honest’,

as Papa would say.


We are after all collectors/explorers/finders.

I can offer one bit of advice:


Keep giving STUFF away

and focus on the GOOD STUFF.

 

Love,

Mom

PS.  Watch George Carlin’s famous monologue on STUFF

on YouTube.

 

Daybook July 17, 2012: Read!

(the last of my zinnias)

Outside My Window…

my zinnias, tomatoes, and sunflowers are on their last summer of 2012 leg.

It’s time to clean out the beds

and say

Thank You. You were so valiant, and I am so humbled by your efforts.

 

I Am Reading…

I checked it out of the Pharr library today-

one of my favorite places.



After watching Sunday’s episode of HBO’s The Newsroom (I am obsessed),

I reminded myself that thinking and learning is precious

and nothing valuable is going to jump off the television screen

in the Real Housewives of whatever. 

It’s like watching a train wreck.

I can’t seem to look away.


So,

I can at least read, right?

I Am Thinking…

that there are so many tricks of blogging I never knew existed.

Did you know about SEO, key words, and shortened URLs ?

???

Yikes!

I am creating…. 

a list.

It is too hot to do otherwise.

Have a wonderful week!

 

Hair Color: My Saga

 

Because I started getting gray hair in my 30’s,

let’s just say I have spent

a great deal of time since

standing in Walgreen’s or HEB or Wal Mart staring at hair color models,

-or-

stopping people on the street and asking them who does their hair.


Some people go to Las Vegas.

I gamble with hair dressers and hair color.


I guess that means

I create my

OWN BAD HAIR LUCK.

(Disturbing…)



Here is a recent timeline:


*About two months ago – went to one of my two mainstay hairdressers for haircut.
She outdid herself.

All is well.

*Went back recently for a trim and highlights-

No dice.

Hair cut different and my entire head is blonde.


Tried to talk to my daughters about my hair.

The youngest actually implied that I talk about my hair too much…

*Asked a friend where she gets her hair done.


Went there and asked for lowlights-

(see? now I am coloring my hair backwards!)

All of my too blonde hair is now a grayish green.


*Couldn’t handle that.

Went to different hairdresser.

She colored my hair chocolate brown

and gave me chunky highlights.


Timeout:

You know how I feel about the word chunky.

She also gave me a short hair cut that I am supposed to blow dry

‘wildly with my fingers to create wispies…’


OK ladies…

I grew up rolling my hair on orange juice cans, after using beer as a setting lotion and then sitting under a bonnet hair dryer for over an hour.


NO DICE.

***

What is your color story?



Can anyone relate to this?

Dear Daughters: Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

Dear Daughters,

All of the usual suspects creating problems in the world today

were the same in my generation as they are now.


The difference is

the soundtrack was better.

And yes I owned the album above.

It contains a song that is a primer for living today-

even though it is 40 years later.

You don’t have to be punditized to get the message.

Just listen to

”Wake Up Everybody”

by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.



Besides…,

it will be a lot more fun.

Love, Mom

I Want

I really wanted to use this paint.

 

 

And I really wanted to use this remnant of cobalt blue velveteen.

And I really wanted something shiny with a little funk to it to use in the bedroom.

And I know the risk I am taking

in continuing to post photos which include my daughter’s zebra rug,

because

even though

I want that too-

 

that want is not coming true.

***

Things I Can Not Live Without This Summer

*Dunkin Donuts Coffee/Folger’s Classic Roast- depending on how frugal I want to be.

(My friend Karen at Ladybug Creek has a system for combining the two.)

Either of these coffees prompts whichever daughter I have called bright and early to ask,

“Mother- how much coffee have you had?”

 

I get really SMART when I drink coffee.

 

*My huge Tervis tumber that will not leave a ring

no matter how neglectful I am.


To add to this simple daily pleasure ,I found a corresponding plastic lid that

has an opening for both a straw or without.


You will not dribble.

I know- I have been a past dribbler.



This is one of life’s great pleasures.

Add to that the fact that my tumbler fits into my car console,

and I am COMPLETE.

* My Oil of Olay Advanced Cleansing System-

Ladies , this is not a Clarisonic, but

it also doesn’t cost $200.


Has anyone out there looked in a

10 times magnifying mirror-

with lights?


My mother was right.

”Laura Ellen- you need to stop squinting-

you are going to get wrinkles,

and you need to take care of your skin.

Oh. And don’t forget your neck.”


Well…

that ship sails in and out of the harbor.

My motivation wavers- does yours?

Buy this scrubbing tool,

apply moisturizer afterwards,

and you will feel like you have always been doing the right thing.


PS.  I buy my moisturizer at crazy Ross Dress for Less.  It is rarely over $4.99.


My mother’s skin care regimen?

1. Cleanse face with Merle Norman pink cold cream and a damp white wash cloth.

2.  Use Sea Breeze for sensitive skin as an astringent.

3.  Apply Formula 405 moisturizer, purchased at Fred’s Pharmacy in Falfurrias, Texas.
(not 409!)

 

What are your favorite summer things?

 

Slow Blogging

Iced tea.

I needs lots of iced tea.

It is so hot.

Can heat impact blogging?

I say yes-

My summer blogging has one speed-

sloooowww-

Love and cool temperatures to you all.

Happy 4th of July!