Not sure about this...

I don't think that I have ever posted with out a photo...

Usually, the photo inspires me...

But I am at the beach...

(big smiles)

and on someone Else's' laptop,

guess I could use one of their photos..

It's raining..

cool....

and we are just about to head out to the

"Piggily Wiggily"

I just love...

no LOVE typing that.....

What a great name for a grocery store!

We went there last night,

to one of the older stores....

and bought food..

BUT

the real mission today is to

buy a couple of

T-shirts....

As soon as I get home I will

post a photo of these shirts...

and the place you can buy them...

Big Smiles!

Hope your day is good...

smiles

Sand in my shoes....

I will admit....

I am a beach bum...

maybe not it the "real world"...

but in my mind

I lounge on the beach,

reading,

snacking,

dozing,

watching,

listening,

smiling,

breathing.....

Yep,

that's just about it.

All I need is an umbrella

(too many years of life guarding)

sunscreen..

(ditto)

snacks..

Diet Coke...

a good book..

magazines...

big fluffy towels..

(several)

and company,

but only company that wants to

read,

snack,

lounge,

and brings

their

own

drinks....

I especially

love the late afternoon....

when the sun is moving off

past my right shoulder,
and the mothers are all

rounding up their children,

who are tired, sore, hungry,

and ready for a bath,

dinner and bed.

I no longer have the

weighty responsibilities of a young mother...

but I remember them fondly....

Think I'll open another DC,

and start that new magazine...

smiles....

Unexpected pleasures....

Isn't it wonderful when someone makes

the effort....

a nice gesture....

a thoughtful moment...

simply saying "I love you"...

yes.

It is.

I love to receive flowers...

not fancy ones..

like a dozen long stem flowers wrapped up in a

white box, with a red ribbon tied all around...

that type of gift was "used" for years to

win my forgiveness....

it worked for so long,

I would hate to admit it.

No...

what I like now is a bouquet,

gathered by amateurs..

tied with string..

and presented in a clean Ball jar,

maybe a grosgrain ribbon, from an

old gift bag tied up around the top of the jar.

If it is inexpensive

I love them even more...

as time and thought went into

finding them.

I love flowers...

smiles.

Silly girls...yep we are.

Years ago...

and many lost pounds ago...

there was a tribe of silly girls...

they didn't live together...

it would have been too silly...

really.

They did get together every once in a while...

either at the beach..

or in the mountains..

since both were equally available...

They had contests...

this one had something to do with

slippers....I believe.

Everyone Won...

No one was allowed to loose..

as life has a way of taking it's toll on

people.. and the silly girls

(also known as the "Chick's Kick")

didn't want life to have it's way

with any of their weekends together.

Their weekends were

twice a year, in the beginning...

Then things started to interfere with the weekends....

children....husbands...parents...illness....

that last one has had a particularly egregious influence on

the silly girls....as they don't really feel very silly anymore.

You see...one of the silly girls died of cancer.

She fought with all her might....

she fought it for over five years...

she fought it for herself, her children, her parents,

and for her silly girls....

but she lost.

Now the silly girls can hardly

make it to Christmas dinner together....

they are all trying to deal with the loss

in their own ways....

some work too hard...

some cry, a lot...

some push the feelings aside...

and well,

some blog.

Can you say obsession....sure I knew you could...

Isn't it funny...

that when we find something

we really like to do,

that all we can think of is doing it some more?

I know this sounds just a little

obsessive,

but I have a tendency to flounder if I don't have

a "mission",

a "project",

a "focus"...

something to do,

that keeps me out of trouble.

In fact,

my BFF used to call me the

"Project Queen"....

and that was back in the late 1980's...

I have only gotten worse...

or better...

depends how you define

"gotten"...

(sorry)

Anyway,

I am liking my current obsession.

I still get sort of

a thrill from finding really

good, cute recycled jeans....

usually Levi's.

For the moment,

you don't need to lock up

your valuables...

I am focused and

not likely to stray out at night...

not yet...

I'll keep you informed.

How lucky am I?....

I am rarely left speechless...

Really.

I can't remember a time when I couldn't put into words

how I felt..

what I thought...

or what my opinion was...

that being said,

today I was left speechless....

by my son.

He came over and announced that he

wanted to give us our Christmas present,

early.

And then, proceeded to tell us that he was

taking us to the beach

for vacation.

In 10 days....

That is the sound of silence.

That is what

I was able to come up with...

nothing.

I am stunned.

This is a college student.

A college student that has

earned a living, online,

saved his money,

and is wanting to spend it on us.

Gratitude is only the beginning of

what I feel.

Try on.....pride...

how about.....admiration....

and love.

How could I be so fortunate

to have this wonderful young man in my life?

How can I express my wonder of it all?

I am blessed.

How Fun!....

Who knew?

that my water fountain could be so much fun!

I was lucky enough to have two very special guests

several days ago...

they arrived with their mother...

and actually knew exactly what they wanted to do

while at my house....

(big smiles...)

they had seen my patio water fountain

during their last visit..

and it was calling to them from afar...

But the minute they stepped out of the

car they arrived in....

they made a bee-line for the FUN!

Well.....I had to laugh..

and the activity was pretty much non stop

for the next couple of hours...

(I had forgotten how much energy you need to be a parent)

We got wet..

We laughed...

We had snacks...

We watched "Nemo"....

we got tired...

we cried when we had to leave....

sniff....

but it was FUN!!!

smiles.