Starboy...

How about this proud Auntie huggin' up to supernephew, Spencer. Thanksgiving day was enjoyed with this loving, handsome and respectful guy.  Thank you for being so indulgent and polite to your old Autie.  I love you very much. xo  And shout out to my sister, Lisa and bro-in-law, Steve for once again outdoing yourself with dinner.  It was soooo delish!

So, now it begins.  My Season of My Inadequacy....Martha Stewart, I am not.  Most definitely not and every year at this time I am reminded of the fact.

It's November 28 and I barely have my Thanksgiving oysters and duck digested... But here it is smacking me in the face like a pumpkin pie with 3 inches of dream whip.  Only not nearly so sweet.

Have you guessed where my failure lies?  (And don't say that my 'roots' need doing-I wore a hat to cover that issue!)  Okay, here it is-I am not yet full on into the holiday spirit.  Yep, there I said it.  I must be a big old green Grinch.

I never have the patience for Black Friday-skipped altogether.  I have not yet decked the halls (who even does their halls, anyways?) or even dragged up my Christmas tree from the basement where I left it assembled from last year.   I still have up my Halloween wreath and there are 4 pots of dead mums on the front porch.  One of my lilies even bloomed last week!  My outside lights are still in the snarl that I left 'em, minus the snow; however, my neighbor has his annual Clark Griswold display already lit.  One neighbor even hires a boom thing to reach his 40 foot tree.  By the time the rest of my street is done, Detroit Edison can fault us for the occasional wattage overload.  In Rocky, I am still riding to the classic rock station, not at all ready for WNIC with the 24 hour Christmas carols. (shudder!) I'm hoping my Mom bakes her yummy cookies cuz mine are usually a fail.  By the time I leave out flour, butter and sugar...well, you can only imagine.  I am capable of doing Chex Mix...My shopping is not done, and I haven't even made a list.  (This might be due to the fact that I only donate instead of gift.) 

But somehow I'll getter all done...If not, I'll slap some antlers on Mickey and have a glass of wine by my fireplace-with or without the stockings! 

Tuolumne...

Happy Monday, everybody.  After a mentally and physically exhausting weekend, I needed a 'happy' day.  All day Saturday and Sunday found me behind my table at the Women2Women Expo in Birch Run.  I represented F.A.N. as well as my own book.  My tag said, "Jodi Dale-author" and I proudly wore it.  I handed out drug understanding and prevention material, answered questions and sold books.  The hardest thing was hearing the very moving stories of families suffering with their loved ones.  There were tears and lots of hugs as total strangers related with me.  It was very rewarding, but I was soooo glad to get home on Sunday night!

I was shocked at the temperature this morning when Mickey and I went out to get the paper.  Brrrrrrr, what a turnaround since Friday!  Here comes winter-ready or not.  Later, I had my very first go at
'cross training.'  What in God's name was I thinking?  It was very challenging, but somehow this old chick made it through.  As I sit here tonight, my muscles are already beginning to lock up.  Plan to do it occasionally, but it's a bit much for me to do regularly!

I then skipped off to get my whites pearly.  My darling hygienist told me that I was doing a good job and my teeth looked good.  Cool-see you in six months.  Spent some time on the phone catching up with my old pal Tim-it was so good to hear his warm, bass voice. xo

Got some groceries, showered and took a long nap.  Ahhhhh, now that's a full day of self love and I feel back on track.  Buuttt....on Wednesday, we are back on the road, heading up north for our annual Thanksgiving-On-the farm.  Crazy but fun.

I hope you all have a happy and warm Thanksgiving with people you love.  I am so thankful for family, food, and friends.  And I thank you all for your kind support of my endeavors.  It means the world to me.  xo

24K Magic.....

How about a little throwback pic of me and my dollfriend, Stacey at her wedding.  Not sure of the exact year, but I guess it to be around 2000.  It was a very happy celebration.  But bittersweet.  Stacey and her hubby were moving to Texas and I feared I would never see her again.  I cried all the way home that night.

Recently, I had a chance to hook back up with this darling girl.  From the moment we met at the salon, our connection was magic.  I may have been the big sister she never had and she may have been another little sister for me.  We shared a common interest in literature and irony.  We loved to 'get it' and look at each other and crack up laughing in total understanding.  We have helped each other through the darkest moments of our lives and wouldn't have had it any other way. 

But life can sometimes get in the way and even with fond thoughts, it's hard to stay in touch.  A couple of weeks ago, Stacey and our mutual friend, Kim, and I got together for breakfast.  It was the most wonderful reunion ever!  We all hit the ground running as the friends we always were.  We all drank coffee and talked all at the same time as we caught up on each others lives.  What, I ask you, is better than that?  We have vowed to stay in closer touch and make our meet ups more regular.

I drove home with a smile on my face knowing that this was a true and real thing.  I've always known that true friendships are special and genuine-no matter how long the separation. 

So guard your friendships.  Nurture them, respect them and make time for them.  They are the people you choose to guard your secrets and love you unconditionally.  I can't say how happy that makes me.xoxo

Harvest Moon...

As I piloted Rocco on his maiden voyage to Ossineke, the beauty of northern Michigan stunned me once again.  I sometimes forget that stretch of U.S. 23 north of Oscoda where the road curves and the bronze and gold leafed trees give way to the blue sky and the lighter blue water.  Throw in some white, fluffy clouds, some whitecaps and the sugar sand for some contrast and you have beauty.  Pure Michigan beauty. 

In the face of all the 'ugly' lately, (election stuff!) I sorely needed the escape of some 'hum time' that a long drive provides. With my iTunes playing my favorites and a Tim Horton's iced coffee, I enjoyed every minute of the 3:42 minute drive-most notably the last hour of awesome fall wonder.

And do you want to hear the best one?  First, when walking into a local bank, I noticed a big sign advertising my book reading on Tuesday night.  Wow.  Wouldja take a look at that?  And then, while shopping in Alpena today, a perfect stranger came up to me and said, "Hey, didn't you write that book?"  Picture my dignified response....My eyes bugging out and my head swiveling around-you mean me?  I almost dropped the expensive gee gaw I had in my hand, realizing that yes, she meant me.  I composed myself long enough to answer her questions,  only barely in time before I burst out in a fit of giggles at the ludicracy of it all. Not gonna lie, as surreal as the moment was, I won't soon forget it.

  So, tomorrow night, as I do another speech and book reading, I hope to be worthy of the attention and support that my town has shown me.  And when I get a little nervous from all this attention, I'll take a deep breath and remind myself, "there's no place like home, there's no place like home."   xoxo