Happy Mother's Day

 

Mommy & Me, August 19, 2023

This is the woman who raised me. She did her best. I love her to the moon and back. ♥♥♥

The Week in Photos: 7-22-12

• My Mommy
• My birthday cake
• JoAnn on her birthday
• Thistle & Yellow-Spotted Cucumber Beetle
• Fruit Bowl
• Ant on his birthday (with Jacqueline)
• Harborfest Fireworks

30 Days of Me: Day 14

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood

I did not have a horrible childhood. I believe I had a typical 70s childhood. My early years were spent playing with neighborhood kids in the suburbs. Mom was always there. I watched Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers and the Electric Company and 321Contact after school, The Muppet Show at night, and on Saturday morning I watched Bugs Bunny. We had a dalmatian and a cat or two and several hamsters over the years.

I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandparents, spending the week there in the summer, and just the weekends during the school year. At night we would have a fire in the fireplace, pop popcorn, and watch Little House, the Waltons, MASH... oh, and other shows like All in the Family, Sanford & Sons, and Carol Burnett... I went camping with them too, and developed a love of nature and plants and animals. I would spend all summer swimming, and all winter sledding.

Did bad things happen? Yes. I was teased a lot in the neighborhood and at school. I felt not good enough for my paternal grandfather and a disappointment to my paternal grandmother. My mom & dad spanked me. They eventually got divorced, and I often felt left out and no longer really a part of either of their lives as they both remarried and just kind of shuttled me back & forth.

But they all did the best they could for me, and things could have been WAY worse. We had enough money; I had food, shelter, clothes, and even entertainment and luxuries. And I was loved. I knew I was loved. And I had lots of people to show me.

Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations

30 Days of Me: Day 3

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents

My parents are a mixed blessing.  There is much love, but also there is much unintentional hurt and worry.  My parents divorced when I was 10 and both remarried shortly thereafter.  I lived with my mom and step-dad, they both were very present throughout my life.  Sadly my step-father died unexpectedly a little over a year ago, and it's been difficult to connect with my mom ever since.  My father & I have never really seemed to connect, and as much love as there is, it is very difficult to communicate clearly with either of them at the moment, and I often feel like I'm being misunderstood or misunderstanding them.  I try my best though, and I know they are too. ♥

Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations

Wishcasting Wednesday

I am so tired right now, and was just skimming the blogs I have on my reader, not planning to reply to any really, or even take the time to post anything, but I read Jamie's post about Wishcasting Wednesday and it struck a chord with me - as tomorrow is my gift-daughter's Sweet Sixteenth, and I wish her much - so I had to post something small...

She asked: What do you wish for your family?

And to that I reply:

• I wish my gift-daughter Esme a life of joy and laughter, love and happiness, enough to be satisfied but not so much to lose the drive and desire for more: more life, more learning, more exploring.


• I wish my father health and happiness and joy, contentedness in his life and where things are now.
• I wish my mother peace and love and light, and happiness and joy.


• I wish my grandmother health and joy and vitality.


• I wish my Sunshine peace and joy and laughter and love, health and well-being, and a feeling of safety and security.


• And for everyone in my family, whether by blood or history or heart, I wish you enough. (And yes, I am referring to that cheesy, get-the-tissues-out story that you've been forwarded a million times in your email, but in case you haven't seen it, you can read it here.)

Frank

I am writing this from the family lounge on 9F at University Hospital, where I have been since noon today. My mother called me this morning and had me come to Syracuse. She needed to make the decision to take my stepfather off life support. He is now getting what they call Comfort Care: he has a morphine drip to keep him comfortable, but all other support has been stopped. He is breathing on his own and they have removed the tube for that. He still has the heart monitor things on his chest and the blood pressure cuff and the feeding tube in, but they aren't hooked up to anything. The feeding tube is there if they need to give him Tylenol or something direct to his stomach. The swelling on his brain hasn't gone down and it's not something they can operate on. There are no guarantees he will wake up, and if he does he will likely not be the same Frank. My mother is afraid to leave, but he could be like this for a very long time...

Update again

There's been no change. He's breathing on own, not sedated; the bleeding has stopped, but the swelling has not gone down. No other changes. They can only keep him comfortable for a few more days or something... then mom might have to make hard decisions.

Update on my step-father

I would like to thank those of you who responded with your well-wishes to my last post. At this point there is still no change in his condition. He is still in ICU and intubated, and has had a feeding tube added. They did take him off the sedatives, but he is still in a neck brace and still unconscious. Still no idea why he fell or why he is not waking up.

My mom is holding up. She's got a long time friend of the family staying with her, and she's going to work still because they need the money (and probably for the distraction), but of course, she just wants her husband to come home. And I just want my mommy happy...

Think Good Thoughts Please

My step-father collapsed while walking home from the bus after work yesterday. In addition to having cuts and bruises on his face, he has multiple small bleeds throughout his brain, and 2 large ones. He is still unconscious, has been intubated, and is undergoing tests today. Any healing energy, prayers, good thoughts, etc. that you can spare and send to him and my mom are greatly appreciated...

TiLT: St. Patty's Day Edition

Sometimes, there doesn't seem like there is enough time in the day. However, I need to remember to make time to remember these wonderful blissings; I apologize for not finding the time during the past few weeks.



♣ Green Clouds in my Coffee ♣


♣ Green Swirls in my Eggs ♣


♣ Green Shoots in my Flowerbox ♣


♣ Green Grass in my Yard ♣


♣ Green Smiles on my Family ♣


♣ Green Kilts on Men ♣

♣ Honorable Mentions: Munchies for Your Love by Bootsie Collins, ROBINS, Mandarin Moon's art, hail, thunderstorms, Dinosaur BBQ, hugs from kindergarteners, hugs from third graders!, giving stuff away, the smell of lilacs, GLITTER!, Homespun Clementine Cake, and...

♣ Green Geckos with little dogs in Green Sweaters ♣


♣ Green Framed Videos (especially this one!) ♣


Things I Love Thursday is brought to you by Gala Darling...

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the mothers out there, those who chose motherhood, those who didn't have the choice, those who chased it, and those who fell into it unknowingly, may your day be bright and sunny and filled with the best love ever, the love of your child.

And especially to my Mommy, I know you're at work and hating it, but know that I am thinking of you and love you bunches.


My Mom, September 10, 1982

Salad for Saturday

Yummeh new salad!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Salad
Created by me, Jacqueline, and Mommy

1 chicken breast, cut into pieces
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 small onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T oil
3 pinches of sea salt
3 twists of fresh ground pepper
3/4 cup of white wine
1 1/2 bags ready-made salad
3 baby carrots, chopped
3 stems of fresh thyme, chopped
1 stem fresh oregano, chopped
3 stems of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 T fresh garlic chives, snipped
6 slices deli ham, julienned
3 slices deli swiss cheese, julienned
1/4 cup Good Seasons Italian dressing
freshly grated Asiago cheese to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in frying pan. Sauté the chicken with the onion and garlic, season with salt & pepper, and herbs as desired. Set aside.


2. Chop veggies, meats, cheeses, and herbs. Toss with salad mix. Top with dressing and extra Asiago & pepper as desired. Toss well.


3. Serve with some well-flavored crackers (such as Roasted Garlic Triscuits or Sundried Tomato & Basil Wheat Thins) and wine (your favorite kind is best, we had red, although some might suggest a white wine).

We made this for our dinner tonight, just the 3 of us, and we ate every bite. Sorry, Frank!

Friday Facts

I had planned to do this earlier today, then I talked to my mom, and I came up with something else after talking to her, but I can't remember what I was going to write... And now it's late again and I am exhausted... SO!

Name: Mommy (and other pseudonyms)
Age: 47 (give or take a few)
Birthday: July 12th



Likes: Cats, wine, books, Fox Mulder, Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner, gorillas, tea...
Dislikes: Rasslin', retail, Nedry from Jurassic Park...
Music: Beethoven, other classical, some country, anything you can sing to...
Books: The Cat who... series, other bestsellers...
Colors: Peach, lavender...
TV: CSI, Moonlight, Numb3rs...
Movies: Jaws, Robin Hood, Jurassic Park...

I cannot believe how my mind has gone blank when trying to fill these silly things out... Of course, she told me today that she has no recollection of several of the things I mentioned before! LOL! I wonder if she remembers driving around the block to check out the hawt roofer dudes again, and again, and again...??? ROTFL!

I need to sleep now... is past my bedtime...

Three for Thursday

Short & sweet because it's so late & I am so tired...


Judy, Aunt Sue, and my mom...
Also known as the 3 drunks, although I'm not sure why...

They just like their wine.

And their beers at picnics.

And they *never* overindulge... ~_^

Wacky and Weird Wednesday (and a little wonderful too...)

Yes, another installment of mother-inspired silliness. This one will demonstrate the craziness that *is* my mom in several short vignettes...

A long time ago, I cooked more frequently than I do now, and my mom often helped. Ok, so I tried and Mom taught, as it should be. Anyway, I remember this one time (not at band camp) when I was making some cookies that called for chopped walnuts, and mom had purchased walnut halves in the bulk food department, and my boyfriend-at-the-time and I were breaking them into smaller pieces with our fingers and adding them in. Mom wandered in and said she knew a better way. And she grabbed the bag and proceeded to knock it against the table 5 or 6 times, which I am sure would have worked well, if the bag hadn't broken the first time it hit the table, sending walnut halves all over the kitchen!

I attemped to make my very first pie crust from scratch. I don't remember what I was having trouble getting it to do, probably getting it to that cornmeal-like stage, and she & the same boyfriend-at-the-time kept trying to give me advice, and it was just. not. working. and I lost it. I threw the pastry blender down, probably screamed obscenities at them, and ran off to my room to cry. My mom finished the crust for me and probably baked the pie too... Isn't she the greatest?

Ok, enough cooking, you wanna know how my mom used to wake me up? She would do things like throw open the bedroom door and yell, "Did you know Amazon women used to cut off their left breast off?" Then slam the door shut, leaving one confused and sleepy girl in bed, searching for reasons. Of course I got up and asked why. (So they could hold their bows better.)

And she taught me silly songs, like the little skunk song and the lighthouse keeper song, and we'd sing these and many others at the top of our lungs while driving in the car, or just around the house for amusement... Or was it to annoy Frank... ^_^


I have lots of other good things to share, but now it's time for bed... yes I know, far too early! LOL!

Tale for Mother's Day

Since we had a moment on Monday, today, Tuesday, we shall have a tale about my mother. This is short but funny - much like yesterday's video clip - only today, the embarrassment is my mom's... hehehe... ^_^

When I was still a very little girl, waaaaay back in the 70s, iron-ons were all the rage. You could buy iron-ons cheap in lots of stores, and they even had specialty stores where you could choose from TONS of iron-ons and TONS of shirts, sweatshirts, hats, bags, whatever... and the store would them iron them on for you! Groovy!

Anyway, my mom, being the crafty individual she is (she used to sew us matching outfits, ya know!), she got herself a pretty daisy with the saying, "A man can work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done," framing it. She took it into the basement, set up the ironing board, and waited for the iron to get hot. She carefully laid out her t-shirt, put the transfer on, and covered it with a dish towel. Then she pressed the iron down over the whole thing for a while until the iron-on was stuck. It was taking so long and we were so excited to see it!

Finally, she took the dish towel off, and slowly peeled back the paper. (And I know how hard it is to do that! I did it too quick once and wound up with an iron on with lots of tiny holes... :\) Anyway, she pulled the paper off, and it was upside down!!! XD I think she may have cried at the time, and I know Daddy teased her mercilessly about a woman's work never being done because they don't do it right, but it's laughable now... ^_^

I love you, Mommy!

Embarrassing Moment for Mother's Day

Because Mother's Day is less than a week away, I have decided to share tidbits about my mom all week...

This first post is all about how my mom embarrassed me to *death* when I was in high school. As a Cancerian, I may have a thick outer shell, but my insides are all soft and easily bruised, and this was not the way I wanted to come out of my shell and make new friends! LOL! Looking back now, of course I can laugh about it, but back then....

I'll let you watch: