Sugar...

On a ridiculously brisk Saturday afternoon, friends and family gathered to eat wonderful pastries, sip luscious Mimosas and enjoy a crazy cool hot chocolate bar with amazing fixings! Day drinking with sugary treats?  Whatever was this crazy party?   Shockingly, it was a baby shower! 

Gone (thank God) are the days of rubber chicken and wet green beans affairs.  How about a mixed green salad, fruit and chicken strudel?  We all groaned about calories for a second before tucking into  the delicious chocolate mousse.  There was nary a pink and or blue confection in sight.  There was no bingo games or the such that caught grown women cheating for a dishtowel.  The 'games' were cute and involved imagination as we wrote wishes for the baby's future.  I won a door prize that had wine, glasses, snacks and all the fixin's for a little partaay.  How very cool and useful.

Many helpers including a very handsome husband, (Tom!) made the gift unwrapping go quickly and efficiently.   Mom and Dad were adorable and gracious as they thanked us all for the loot and coming to celebrate the birth of their first child.

The whole baby shower/cocktail party wrapped up in 3 hours including lunch.  Let's hope and pray the baby's delivery goes similarly!  Can't wait to welcome baby Vivienne to the world.  She is one lucky baby that will undoubtedly be surrounded by the love of her parents, family and friends.  I try not to feel sorry for myself as a realize once again, that I will never be a 'Glamma', but Autie J. will have to do. 

And can we talk about the Mommy?  No schlubby maternity wear here!  Kara looked fabulous-a true Madonna.  Beautiful, healthy, fashionable and glowing.  She makes it look so easy!

I felt honored to be a part of baby Vivienne's pre-welcome into the world.  Thank you to Tom and Kara for this.  xo

For you...

H

Happy Valentines Day- just a couple of days late,.

I know, I know.  Hallmark holiday and all that jazz, but I love it and any reason to celebrate love, works for me.

This lucky girl hauled in those beautiful roses from my man, and Hazel kitty is obsessed with munching on the ferns in the arrangement.  Had dinner out with friends in a town called 'Romeo'.  How perfect was that?

I was pleasantly surprised to receive in the mail a note and some darling heart shaped earrings from none other than Michelle-a.k.a. Michelle's Spell!  Michelle notoriously hates Valentine's Day, and no amount of Conversation Hearts and Hello Kitty valentines on her yoga mat could change her mind.   So the thought was extra special to me.  I love the baubles and you too, Dollfriend!

 And today, I splurged at Rite Aid for the 50% off chocolates cuz chocolate is always a treat even if you buy it for yourself at a huge discount.

Hope your day was lovely whether it was celebrated in some way or just made fun of.  Whatever works for you,  my Sweetheart!   xo

Reunited...

...And it feels so good!  On Saturday night I had the big pleasure of hooking up with some old friends.  My girl/doll friend, Therese is on the far left and I never get to see her enough.  Kids, life and geography make it so very hard.  Other friends, Jeff and Sue are a husband and wife band with musical talent all day.  Back in the day, Therese and I were single chickies that loved going out and hanging with 'the band'.  Okay, we were and are groupies.  And I am talking waaaayyyy back.  31 years to be exact.  How can that possibly be?  Years ago they rocked it hard, but on Saturday, at Rosa's the show was 'unplugged'.  By my special request, Jeff and Sue played and sang, "The Girl from Ipanema"-in Portuguese!  And it was fabulous.  Thanks to my sister, Lisa for hosting us all for an awesome dinner and show.

And the point I'm trying to make?  Friends.  Good friends.  They simply erase time.  It was as if nothing had changed at all.  We were all, well, young again.  Carefree and giddy and anxious to catch up with each others lives.  And I always wonder why the people you would love to see more of, you can't, and the others are part of your daily life.  It's simply not fair.  But who said it life would be?

So, I'll just take the sweet moments and memories any time I can grab 'em.  I think that's part of what makes them so special. 

Sound good to you?  Have a great week, my friends.   xo

Snowballed...

 

It's Snowmageddon 2015!  Yes, on Superbowl Sunday 'ol Mother Nature decided to show us who truly is the boss.  The schools are closed, and the city is digging out.  But, what's unusual for Detroit was completely normal for us growing up in northern Michigan.  Huge snowstorms were just a fact of life.  The additional days off were built into our school system and rarely did we go past the regular 'last day'-a nod to excellent planning. 

As kids, we always had a working snowmobile or two, and snow days were spent zooming around just trying to get stuck.  Yes, without even drivers licenses, we took to the main roads usually pulling a saucer on a long rope.  By the grace of God, nobody got killed as we played chicken with cars and snow plows. We tunneled thru the giant snow piles and made really cool igloos-that probably could have collapsed and smothered us all at any time.  Our frozen bodies would not be discovered till spring thaw.  The giant icicles that hung from our eaves made wonderful Popsicle's and even better swords that could be used in our fencing battles.  Again, it was nothing but luck that kept us from being properly impaled in the scull with one of those pointed, 6 foot beauties.  You know it's all fun and games till someone needs a cat scan.   Surprisingly, our digits are intact today even with the regular risk of frostbite and hypothermia that we gladly risked just to play outside.

Inside was another story.  Mom always had the brains to get to the IGA and stock up on milk and other basics.  Up north, where we had a well system, if the power went out, we had no water.  Mom would always scrub out the tub and fill it with water allowing us to wash up and flush the toilet.  Often the power went out and for sometimes days that meant no lights, t.v., or well, anything electric, including the stove.  Candles were always kept handy and someone usually suffered a third degree finger burn for playing in the hot wax. 

Dangerous days, those snow days.  After a few days, things would return to normal until the next time.  Living through those days were a bit of a challenge, but time has softened the memory to a smile.  A very warm one.    xo

Feel Safe...

I got the flu shot and my pneumonia vaccine is good for another 4 years, I wash my hands constantly, and use hand those hand sanitizer thingy's at Kroger and Target.  My food and exercise plan is sound.  So why in the hell have I had a cold for the past 5 weeks or so?

  Seriously.  I coughed and was miserable for 2 weeks before getting the rock 'em sock 'em antibiotic that was sure to kick it out.  Fast forward 10 days later.  Nope, still ailin'.  A call to the doc man and I learned that 'it' must be viral and I would just have to wait it out.  Rest, water and Tylenol.  I have added Mucinex and essential peppermint oil to the regimen and have been diffusing oregano oil for relief.  I've been eating organic honey and cinnamon which is supposed to do something.  I have gargled with warm salt water.  I have gagged down organic apple cider in hopes of breaking up the mucus naturally.  My inhaler helps a little.  I seem better in the ayem but run out of steam and am worse by the afternoon.

I give up.

Maybe I should just go old skool and slam some warm whiskey and honey with a little lemon.  Can't hurt, I guess.  But I'm gonna have to head up north, cuz my Mom has to serve me up the little elixir. 

I'm gettin' desperate here, friends...Any suggestions?

Y'all have a healthy week and for the love of all things good-do not catch this! xo
P.S. Happy Birthday to dollfriend Rose, welcome to my decade, Honey! xo

CoCo...

`1

Happy Martin Luther King Day.  Respect and kudos to the man who dreamed of fair and equal consideration for all of us.

How is everyone's January going?  Believe it or not, January is one of my most favorite months.  No, not for the weather, but for the unscheduled time.  December finds me very socially active with holiday parties and family time.  I eat, drink and be way too merry, leaving friend Kurt the tough job of workin' my chub off.  I swear I will get off the extra weight just in time for the holidays next December!  But until then, I wear layers and fleece for warmth and 'camoflage'.

For a month, I do not mind the short days.  It seems all right if I don't even leave the house some days.  Reading by the fireplace is a normal and regular indulgence.  I make chili and stew and other comfort foods, taking advantage of whatever is in the freezer and pantry.  When it gets dark at 5:30 p.m., the candles I light give the house a cozy look while hiding the fact that all I did was work out and then read all day.  Without the guilt of yard work hanging over my head, I catch up on all the movies I have on DVR.  I shop, (mostly on line) for end of the year sales and then delight when the packages show up on my porch.  Sasha Fierce and her wide slicks are my excuse to avoid slippery roads and procrastinate appointments till the salt on the roads has done it's job. 

And lists.  I love my lists.  To do's, to calls, to read, etc..  Scouring Pinterest for art ideas, new ways to festoon my outdoor planters and ways to better organize my garage is a wonderful thing.  I even actually will do some of them. Yesterday I painted with alcohol inks for two glorious hours.  I even sometimes knit and crochet, enjoying the warmth of the yarn on my lap.

This comfort zone of hot chocolate and down comforters will leave me very content until sometime in February at which time I will get cabin fever and start moanin' and groanin' about the very things that I was enjoying.  A trip up north and preparations for the Keys visit will get me thru till March.

How are you spending your winter?  Love it or leave it?  Let my lazy self know!  xoxo

Secret...

Psssst. Can you keep a secret?  I can and I'm proud of it.

 All my life friends have found me with the ability to listen and not share their issues.  A guardian and keeper of secrets.  I do NOT tell.  Maybe my experience as a hair dresser and a bartender was good training.  I've heard my share from the good, bad , ugly and just out and out bizarre.  But, if you share a confidence with me, I will take it to my grave.

  I have been told of pregnancy's-before the bellies gave it up.  Also, those who chose not to stay that way.  Affairs.  Even the juicy ones-I will keep quiet about.  Mums the word.  Dreams and aspirations that just are not ready to be realized will be supported by me and I will be checking back to see if you have made any progress.  Health issues and test results that are causing concern.  Weight numbers-very top secret.  All just between you and me.

 I try to not advise, but just listen and nod sagely.  Most of the time, friends do not want you to solve their dilemmas, but just to commiserate and understand.  Listen without predjudice.  (Wasn't that the name of a George Micheal album?)   So, I try to just be a sounding board and not offer up too much.  I think it's better to just let someone come to their own conclusion unless they specifically ask and even then the answer must be ambivalent so as to not come back and bite me in the ass. 

The only time I can remember giving up a confidence was when the person was endangering themselves or someone else.  Guess there are exceptions to every rule.  But as a rule, I got your (secret) back.

And I hate it when someone uses you to unburden themselves and then later you found out that they told everyone and just told each of THEM not to tell anyone.  I have a problem with that.  It's annoying and a waste of my time.

Can you keep a secret?  Do you find yourself a confidant?  Or are you one of those that cannot be trusted with a juicy tidbit?

Let me know.  It can be our secret.  xo