LeFreak...

At the tail end of a perfectly wonderful weekend, I had to face some of my worst fears.  Really, right out of nowhere, I got the beJesus scared out of me.  Twice.  Do tell, Jodi?  Yes, I think I will!

A family weekend at the beach house started out innocently enough with barbequed ribs and bonfire.  Things got slightly dicey when the disco dancing took a turn for the worse and had some of us nearly and literally, 'Burn Baby Burn'(ing) as such gyrations got too close to the flames.  However, unscathed, we avoided third degree burns over 90% of our bodies..

A friends daughter's grad party found us dancing again on Saturday night at no less of a 'fevered' pitch.  Someone sat in, and broke a chair, but the fall seemed to be tempered by the effects of alcohol leaving said reveler intact.  The rain held off, and once again a good time was had by all.

So when does this weekend take a turn for the worse, you ask?  Well, on Sunday night a terrible thunderstorm moved in with high winds.  I do not mind snow or heat, but I HATE and am petrified of high wind.  I had visions of our little beach house being blown in the lake.  Blessedly, with a shaking Mickey by my side, things seemed to let up a little.  Later, as I'm walking to the kitchen, I spy a sugar snap pea on the floor under the bar where I had been eating them earlier.  As I stooped to pick up the pea, it MOVED in my hand.  Yes, the girl who doesn't mind spiders and snakes, but hates worms, has just palmed a giant, slimy slug!  It was unbelievable gross and most certainly deaf and comatose as I screamed and hurled it back down to the floor.  Randy rescued me and Mickey stopped shaking long enough to at least seem concerned.

High wind and worm-like things.  This calls for a large glass of wine and hope that I will not have a nightmare involving being blown into a slug filled garden-a most tortuous fate! 

As I drifted off to sleep, I kept repeating; unicorns, pink ponies, puppies and kitties, butterfly's, babies and cotton candy...bubbles..rainbows..etc.

What are your fears and phobias?  C'mon, fess up.  Inquiring minds want to know! xo

Stop Thinking About It...

I think most of us has a story of a 'celebrity' or 'personality'.  Well, I'm no different and with the death of Tommy Ramone last week, it's high time I trotted out this little nugget.

As I remember it, it was a sunny day in late fall.  You know the kind- cold but sunny with every breath smelling that crisp leaf smell.  The year was approximately 1999.  I was busy doing hair at a salon in Alpena.  The door blew open and I looked up from the desk to see a tall, skinny, black clad, sunglass wearing, long haired dude stroll in.  'Can I get a haircut'?  Absolutely I told him, and walked him back to the shampoo bowl.  He had to duck to clear the archway.  'Sorry my hair looks like hell, but I've been busy and haven't had time to get it cut'.  Not a problem-it's what I do.

 When I asked him what he had in mind, he told me to just go for it.  I gave him a trim and gobbed a massive amount of mousse in, before having him flip over for the blow dry.  I then teased and hairsprayed the hell out of this huge hair.  I whipped off his cape and he preened in the mirror and put his sunglasses back on.  Just then, the door opened again and three more black clad dudes walked in.  "What the hell is taking so long?"   "Dude, the hair rocks!" " Hey Joe, ask her if she wants to see the bus!"

As you can guess, I had cut and styled the hair of Joey Ramone.  No formal introductions were made but I was told they were heading to the U.P. for a special gig.  I pocketed a generous tip and told them to stop back if they were ever in the area again.

And that's it.  Oh, there may have been a vague offer about a hairdresser for the tour, but I don't remember who offered-Joey or me!  They walked out, got into their bus and I never saw them again.  But it was fun and I can say that I met the Ramones and had a very 'hands on' encounter with one.  R.I.P. Joey, Dee Dee,  Johnny and Tommy.  xo

 Also R.I.P to James Garner.  As Brett Maverick, I had a dizzying crush on him.  xo

Like a Rock...

Hello Darlings, from the 'Birthday Queen'.  Most of you know that I really do not find the day of my birth reason to throw a party, preferring to applaud my Mother for birthing me.  I did very little but enter the world and scream for food.  Birthdays are for kids.

However, many lovely peeps in my life insist on making me feel special.  Pictured above is friend and trainer extraordinaire, Tony, who just could not let my day pass.  He insisted that I wear a tiara and He and his lovely family, Jaime and Dexter showered me with gifts.  They were very thoughtful in their choices and proved just how very well they know me. 

Amongst the bounty o' the gift bag, there was an actual and official 'The Rock' doll! Only close and true friends know the depth of my love for Dwayne Johnson, a.k,a. 'The Rock'. Not only is he a sight for my sore, old eyes, but in interviews he comes across as a polite, intelligent and humorous dude.  Totally my type.  Sigh....

I've never been the sort that played much with dolls.  Oh yeah, I had the requisite  Barbie dolls and my mom made her the coolest outfits ever.  My Barbie was the envy of all my friends with her awesome wardrobe.  I, however, had barely the patience to dress her hard, sticky body and usually sent her off in her Kleenex box sports car, sporting high heels and sunglasses with a marabou tossed casually around her little neck. (an outfit, I, to this day envy!)  I have long since lost track of my Barbie's but my new Rock doll will take his place of extreme honor among my Ben Wallace bobble head and Hello Kitty figurines in my dressing room.

I really must thank Tony and Jaime for making me feel like a kid again, along with Randy, Rose, Kristin and my Mom.  Y'all are the best and so special to me.  Love from this old chick and Dwayne, The Rock, Johnson! xoxo

 

P.S. And if you ever want the best personal trainer ever, lookup Tony at T3 Training. He will kick your ass every time-and you will actually have fun doing it!  xoxo

 

America the Beautiful...

Happy July 04, y'all!  Yes, my crazy niece, Nicole is up to her Independence Day shenanigans!  This year found her kickin' the boys asses while bass blastin'.  It's true the guys may have been a little distracted by her idea of 'fishing clothes' but that's no excuse.  She calmly landed the first, biggest and most bass, while managing to look very patriotic doing it!  Atta girl, Baby!

The rest of the holiday went well, with the weather being totally perfect.  Family, friends, BBQ's and fireworks kept my favorite holiday on track. 

Anybody do anything cool?  Please share!  xo

Do U Wanna Ride...

Dear friends Jim and Pam recently provided me the luxury of their fabulous boat (I think it's a yacht!) for a cruise on Lake St. Clair and dinner at their yacht club.  It was a gorgeous night with humid, balmy air and calm seas.  O.K.-calm lakes.

 I wore my best yuppie polo and took the expected 'heat' for it.  Dinner was sumptuous and the wine was good.  The company was even better as I forgot, for a moment, what was present in my life. Two ducks mated blatently right in front of us as we enjoyed our wine, a sight that this northern girl had never witnessed.  Circle of life?  It goes on and on without even a hic up.

  Many wonderful friends have stepped up to distract us from our grief.  And for this I am grateful.  I tried hard to enjoy this luxury and feast of the senses without blinking back tears too many times.  But such are my days.  I am keenly aware of all of life's beauty and the red sky on our return surely looked like heaven.  More blinking back tears.  I am still very fragile, but am moving forward slowly but surely.

Thank you all of you for your kind cards, calls, words, and gestures.  You cannot know the comfort it brings.  I thank and love you all. xoxo